Chapter 32: The Knowing Gaze
Time: Late 88 AC - Early 89 AC (Aerion's thoughts)
POV: Aerion Silvanor
The familiar, low hum of Ael'tharion felt good. It was a calm sound, a welcome change from the busy, loud human cities I had just left. My work was done. I had given my reports about Braavos. I had met my family again. But even here, in the quiet of my home, one moment kept coming back to my mind. It was a simple moment, not big or loud, but it held a deep truth between my father and me.
I had not told him about her. Not one word. My feelings for Princess Viserra were a secret I kept close to myself. How could I even explain it? It was all so new to me, so personal. It felt too big to put into words, too fragile.
My people, the High Elves, live for a very long time. We take things slowly. Our feelings and connections grow over decades, even centuries. They become a part of our long lives. My own mother, Vala, was Valyrian, a human, and her love for my father had shaped our Empire. So, the idea of an Elf loving a human was not new or forbidden. Yet, for me, this feeling for Viserra was a fresh path, a unique journey of the heart. Humans, though, live fast. Their feelings are strong and quick, burning brightly for a short time. To love a human means to know you will lose them. It's a sad thought, even for us who understand how life and death work.
But Viserra was different. She had a strong, wild spirit. Her eyes, purple like violets, showed how much she wanted to be free. I remembered saving her when she fell. She was scared but proud. She was like a riddle: weak yet tough, here for a short time yet leaving a mark on my endless life. We talked in the palace gardens and by the Dragonpit. Our talks brought us closer. She saw more than just an Elf prince in me, and I saw deep feelings in her. I came to her world for duty, but her spirit touched my own. These feelings were a new challenge for my own structured, immortal existence. But it was a happy secret, a bright spark in my long, quiet life.
My father, Emperor Kaelen, had a deep wisdom. It wasn't just from reading books or learning facts. It came from watching the world for centuries, from a long and deep connection to life itself. His eyes, green like mine but far, far older, seemed to know things before anyone said them. He saw truths that were still growing.
I remembered the exact moment. It happened when I met him alone after I got back. I was giving him my report about Braavos. I told him how powerful the Iron Bank was. I explained that I had set things up for our Empire to become a big player in their finances. I told him we would be a steady partner, not like humans who often rise and fall. He listened carefully, his face calm. He nodded, showing he understood, and asked smart questions.
Then, when I was done talking and about to leave, his eyes changed. He looked at me in a way that went deep. He didn't ask directly about Princess Viserra. He didn't ask about anything specific that happened outside of my official duties. His words were simple, but they held a lot of meaning. "And Westeros, my son?" he asked softly. "You spent many years there. Did you learn more than just politics? Did that busy land change you in ways you didn't expect?"
My breath stopped for a second. He wasn't asking about kings or castles. He was asking about me. About the feelings I kept hidden inside. The question hung in the air, full of meaning. My mind went straight to Viserra. I thought about her strong will, her bright eyes. I wanted to tell him everything, but it felt too personal, too new for me.
"Westeros," I answered, choosing my words carefully. I looked him straight in the eyes. "It's a place of strong feelings, Father. Their connections, once made, burn brightly but for a short time. Their joys are deep, and their sadness is just as deep. They live quickly, in a way we don't fully understand, but their emotions are very powerful." I didn't say her name. I didn't need to.
In his old, knowing eyes, I saw that he understood. Not just my words, but the real meaning behind them. He saw the truth that I was trying to hide. He had seen only the look of his son. But that was enough for him. He understood the gentle, secret feelings I had developed.
He didn't judge me. He didn't ask for details. There was no surprise in his face. Just a deep, old understanding. A huge sense of relief came over me, quiet but strong. It felt like a heavy weight I didn't even know I was carrying had been gently lifted.
My father was not like the human kings. He didn't see his children as chess pieces for power. He believed in something much bigger: real connections, love that is freely given and chosen. I knew this because I had seen him rule for centuries. I knew it from his own long and loving bond with my mother, a Valyrian human, a bond that started for duty but became deep love. He showed us that love and freedom of choice were most important.
His silent knowing, his approval without words, was more powerful than any formal blessing. It made me feel like my feelings were right, even though they were unusual for my own experience. It took away the quiet worry I had about my unique affection for a mortal. He truly would support me and my siblings in whatever choices we made. He wouldn't care about rules or plans, only about true happiness.
That understanding, shared without words, brought a deep peace to my heart. My journey home had brought me not just back to Ael'tharion. It had also made my bond with my father even stronger. His wisdom, his way of seeing beyond what is normal, showed me that my future, even with its challenges, would have his support. My heart held a secret love, but it found comfort in the quiet, knowing presence of my Emperor. I knew for sure that this understanding would soon lead to an important talk with all my siblings, showing just how much my father loved us all.
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#Note: all of this happened before the meeting between Kaelen and his children