(Third Person POV)
"What are you doing, Aerion?" Daemon said as he approached a hill where Vermithor was, "Another battle has just been won, you should go and rest."
Aerion was standing below Vermithor, silent and staring into the distance. He had his hand resting on the handle of the sword.
Daemon stopped and tilted his head, "That boy sure is focused...." He said, "Well....not much I can do about it."
They were deep in one of the islands, atop a series of hills where there was a clear view to the distant shores.
Daemon began to climb the hill, Vermithor immediately looking at him and growling.
Aerion lifted his hand and patted the massive dragon's snout, causing him to ease his growling. Despite that, Vermithor's fierce gaze remained on Daemon as the Rogue Prince could not help but simply smirk.
"Where is your Uncle?" Daemon asked, "I do not see him. He is spending so much time on aiding our weak, hm?"
He reached Aerion as Vermithor moved his head away, snorting loudly.
"There is nothing wrong with him helping those unfortunate enough to be wounded in battle." Aerion said as he kept staring into the distance
"Says you, who has not tasted steel yet." Daemon said as he stood in front of him, "It is a thing out of a song....or a nightmare....the blood of your enemies soaking you completely and staining even your hair red."
Aerion pointed at where he was looking at, "There."
Daemon looked over to where Aerion was pointing at; a stretch of sand that was next to a rocky terrain. It was several hundred meters away from their location but this vantage point allowed Aerion to spot the location.
"What?" Daemon said
"There is a clear path that leads them to the passage to our camps." Aerion said, "You cannot see it from this point but it is there. I saw it earlier when I was flying."
"I see." Daemon said as he nodded, "What of it, then?"
"Our camps are in the direction right behind me, are they not?" Aerion said seriously, "If our scouts decide to search the surroundings from afar, they will not see the path which is large enough for a sizeable force to sneak past. Giving the enemy a clear advantage."
Daemon raised his eyebrow, "Oh?" He said, "Quite the mind on you, eh? Let me humor you, when do you think the enemy is going to strike?"
"It is pretty obvious." Aerion said, "In the dead of night when we are sleeping. I do not know when, I have not spotted any scouts of theirs."
There was an unusual feeling of pride in Daemon Targaryen. He did not think that Aerion would be this well-versed in strategy, especially so young. It had been around six months since the fighting sparked once again in the Stepstones and Aerion had proven himself to be quite capable.
"So they have not found it." Daemon said, "But should they find it, that is when they are probably going to abuse that opportunity. Anything to give them an edge in the battle, I suppose."
Aerion nodded, "There is that man that has been terrorizing the frontlines." He said, "The giant one, he who Lord Corlys is wary of."
"The Black Crab." Daemon said, "Aye, he is a massive fucker. I tried killing him in one of my assaults but he retreated in time. He carries a necklace made out of crab parts that were scorched black. He also has the skull of a supposed famed warrior in Essos he wears as a mask. Grotesque, is it not?"
"If I am the enemy, I would send him to lead the assault through this passage." Aerion said, "While are dragons are not present."
"Hm...." Daemon said, "What are you saying?"
"Let them." Aerion said, "We make them think they are able to catch us off-guard but we simply meet them in the middle. There is a clearing halfway through the passage, we can have the fighting take place there."
"Why would we do that?" Daemon asked, intrigued by his planning, "You speak about laying traps?"
"It is more about allowing their current strongest figure to charge into his death." Aerion said, "By defeating them in a head-on battle, displaying our superior strength and by defeating their strongest warrior, their morale will sink to the depths of the sea. That will allow our forces to gain a bit more time for our reinforcements to arrive. And then, we will further pressure the Triarchy into retreating."
"I see." Daemon said, "He is a sneaky fucker, despite being so large. How are we going to beat him."
"You can go ahead and do as you see fit." Aerion said seriously, "If it comes to it, I will fight and kill him."
"Ha!" Daemon said, "He is twice your size."
"He is still meat, is he not?" Aerion said with a raised eyebrow, "A blade can cut him the same as any other man."
"Of course it will." Daemon smirked, "Are you that confident?"
"I suppose I am." Aerion said
"Enough of this." Daemon pulled out a rolled up letter, "It has been two months since you have written your Mother. She is angry."
Aerion took the letter and read it, sighing at the end.
"She worries too much." He said
"She is your Mother." Daemon said, "And she is right to have her concerns. That is why you need to return. Be sure that Rhaenyra does not do anything."
"I doubt she will do anything. You have made sure that she is shut inside Dragonstone. No male to be in near her and her bedchambers." Aerion said, "Not even the Kingsguard, who have sworn a Vow. They need to be protecting her."
"Crispin Cole is a Kingsguard." Daemon said, "You do not know what she attempted to do."
"Oh, a kiss when she was just a girl and he was a promising Kingsguard candidate?" Aerion said, "It meant nothing. Imprisoning her will only cause dire effects."
"Then go back and fix this." Daemon said
"My place is here." Aerion said, "I am to aid my comrades in fighting the battle."
"This is my fight, Not yours." Daemon scowled, "I do not want you here."
"I do not care." Aerion said seriously
Daemon sighed and patted his son's shoulder, "Look, Aerion." He said, "I understand your feelings. You wish to prove yourself, you want to consider yourself worthy of your titles, your position...you want to prove yourself to me....and you already have. You have done enough....I am proud of you, Aerion. I really am.....you are young....for fuck's sake, you are so fucking young!"
"Ending this War is the only way I will return home." Aerion said, "Until then...."
"I stay."