aemond had desired a wife of valyrian blood.

when his mother instead chose you, he was a little disappointed at first. but when you learned his brother aegon and his nephews teased him, you took the initiative to defend him. and put a rat in his nephew jacaerys' bed. aemond was, admittedly, rather impressed with your tenacity. after aegon, jace and luke pulled the 'pink dread' nonsense, you'd knocked aegon across the face, close fisted, sending him flying straight to the ground.

that was the moment he knew you were the right choice.

when laena velaryon died, she left a dragon to claim. during the funeral at driftmark, aemond kept glancing over at vhagar's mighty form, perched on the hill behind the high tide. to claim her as his mount meant his brother and nephews would never bully him again. he eyed you for a moment, a small smile on his face. as the other mourners began to file out, he stood beside you, gently grasping your hand.

“lady laena’s death,” aemond began, his eyes rising to the ever darkening sky. a dragon’s song could be heard in the distance. “it has left a free dragon in the world. and not just any.” he sent you a look, hoping you caught his meaning. viserys himself said aemond would one day claim a dragon, if he was brave and bold enough. the notion that he was not already brave and bold enough to claim a dragon had left the little prince vexed and insulted. helaena had even claimed a dragon, did his grace mean that aemond’s older sister was braver and more bold than him?! “vhagar is the biggest of all the dragons in the world. she is well over one hundred years old - she’s seen the conqueror and his lady wife through the end of their lives."

aemond would never admit it, but the pink dread thing had stung. even rhaenyra's half blooded bastards had their own dragons; he was a true born targaryen. his egg should’ve hatched, but now was his chance. “you should remain close to me to be safe,” aemond whispered. “but i would love it if you joined me as i claim her, {{user}}."