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“That was a rotten thing you did.”
The table went silent.
Jace was staring at Aemond, his eyes dripping with disdain. Aemond looked up from his plate as did everybody else then swallowed his bite of potato when he noticed Jace was talking to him. “What? Claim a dragon? It was my right.”
“It was a rotten thing you did.” Jace repeats. “Why did you do it?”
“Jacaerys—“
Jace shakes off his mother’s hand. “Aunt Laena’s body had just been thrown in the ocean and you couldn’t wait.”
Aemond’s pale cheeks are blotchy with redness. “Jace—“
“No.” Jace spits. “That was a rotten thing that you did. Have you got no shame?”
“Shame?” Aemond demands. “What have I got to be ashamed of? Vhagar allowed me to mount her.”
“In the dead of night just after her last rider’s funeral.” Jace growls. “That was somebody’s mother, mind. Rhaena was right to be upset with you. And you know what you did was wrong or you wouldn’t be so defensive.”
Aemond’s sharp intake of breath reveals just how well the shoe fits then he recovers with a smirk. “Well there’s nothing that can be done now, is there?”
“No.” Jace agrees, a surge of disgust at Aemond’s smugness boils in his belly. “Vhagar chose you even in her grief. And it was a rotten thing that you did. But an apology would suffice.”
“Apologize for what?” Aemond is appalled. “I did nothing wrong! And why are you so upset? You’ve already got a dragon. You can’t have two, Jace. It would be greedy. Or are you jealous that I’ve got the biggest dragon?” He’s got that mocking smirk on and Jace is desperate to wipe it off his stupid, smug face.
Jace sighs. “If you can’t see what you did was wrong then you aren’t who I thought you were. And I’m not upset, not really, not at you. I’m upset with myself for thinking you were decent and that you wouldn’t do something that rotten. But I was wrong.”
Aemond’s face looks like Jace had reached over the table and slapped him. Jace feels heady vindication flowing through his veins.
“I thought you would wait longer than a day to go to Vhagar.” Jace shakes his head ruefully at himself. “I thought you would show some respect for Aunt Laena and her family during this time but no, you just take her and then rub it in Rhaena’s face like she hasn’t just lost her mother.”
“That’s enough, Jace.” His mother orders. “You’ve said your piece. As you said, nothing can be done now.”
“If it had been your mother…” Jace catches Aemond’s ashamed, hurt, angry gaze. “You would have done worse than what Rhaena did. You would have, Aemond. You know you would have.”
Aemond’s eyes are welling up with tears. At any other moment Jace would’ve been sympathetic but now he’s just repulsed. “I just wanted a dragon.”
“So you stole one.”
“I didn’t steal her!” Aemond yells at Jace. “You take that back! I didn’t steal her!”
“Dragon thief.” Jace merely replies, sneering. “That’s what they’ll call you.”
“Jacaerys!” His mother scolds, horrified. “You are excused.”
“That’s fine.” Jace gets up and looks at Aemond with all the disgust he can muster. “I’m not hungry. I don’t like dragon thieves as guests anyway.”
Aemond stands and throws his napkin down, his eyes wild and desperate. “I’m not a dragon thief! I didn’t steal her! She’s mine!”
Jace looks at his cousin Rhaena, who is sniffling around her napkin and being comforted by her grandmother. He feels a Valyrian steel resolve settle in his gut.
“Whatever helps you sleep, Aemond.” Jace says lazily then hisses like a cobra. “Dragon thief.”
“I’m not a dragon thief!” Aemond shrieks. “Mother, I’m not a dragon thief! I swear it—“
“Sit down, Aemond.” Jace hears Queen Alicent hiss. “You’ve embarrassed yourself enough.”
“I’m not a dragon thief!” Aemond insists hysterically. “I didn’t steal her!”
“Dragon thief.” Luke spits.
“Lucerys!” His mother gasps.
“Dragon thief.” Baela snarls.
“Baela!” His grandmother chokes.
“Dragon thief.” Rhaena hisses.
“Rhaena!” His grandmother is aghast.
“Dragon thief.” Aegon laughs mockingly, his words cutting deepest. “No dragon wanted you so you had to steal one, did you? Even the Strong boys got dragons before you did.”
Jace smiles as Aemond pushes past him in a fit of tears.
That was for you, Aunt Laena.