Roughly several years had gone by since Aegon left Winterfell. Since the boy had finally stopped being the bastard known as Jon Snow. Since he had truly awakened and became Aegon Stark Targaryen. Since he started using the Force to move his plans into action to one day take back the Iron Throne from the Usurper. Count Dooku always told him to be patient. Never rush your plans. If they fail, make sure a backup is in place and a backup for that one as well. To ensure no matter the outcome, you benefit or win in the end while his enemies lost and lost so badly they might as well be crippled for the rest of their days.
And Aegon had taken the words to heart. Since leaving Pentos for more ambitious lands, the secret Prince and future King of the Seven Kingdoms had plotted things out carefully to the letter. Trusting in his own judgment, guidance from the Force, his two allies Jon Connington and his Aunt Daenerys. His actions had successfully removed Viserys from play, an ambitious Magister, and a ruthless Khal who would have made life miserable for Aegon's Aunt.
And the result of his actions now provided him with three dragons. Three growing and growing fast dragons.
Khal Drogo had been on his way back to his Dothraki Horde when Aegon attacked that night before they knew what hit them. There was no Moon out, which made the night even darker, and harder to see things for the men sitting by the fire. By the time Khal Drogo had drawn his weapon, Aegon had already killed the man's blood riders, and was upon the surprised warrior before a proper defense could be made.
Within seven moves, Khal Drogo was on the ground, bleeding from his various wounds, and unable to stand due to the tendons in his legs in different areas had been cut. He was missing his right arm at the elbow and had a nasty cut along his torso he was using his remaining arm to keep from spilling his guts everywhere.
He was even more surprised that his soon to be killer could speak in the Dothraki tongue.
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"I take no pleasure in this Khal Drogo. You are clearly a formidable warrior in your own right. I understand why you are an effective leader who rules through strength. But for my future plans to succeed when I take the Seven Kingdoms, I must use your strength for what is to come."
"What are you? A shadow wraith?"
"No. I am the one who took Daenerys Targaryen away from her weakling brother Viserys and his delusions of greatness. She did not want to marry you. Given your reputation, it is not surprising."
"Then she is weak. I will not have a weak bride."
"She is not weak. Just practical. Smart. Viserys feared her potential. He kept trying to make his sister believe she was weak. Stupid. Without a thought in her mind. In truth, it was Viserys who was the weak one. You saw it as I did. How he pleaded and begged for his life. How he ran from you over standing his ground with his fancy sword. How he fell when you poured melted gold on his head. A true dragon would not be effected by fire for a fire cannot kill dragon."
"And the fool's sister is a true dragon?"
"Yes. Just like me. Her nephew."
"So this is the strength of the dragon. To die at the hands of one who has the strength of such beasts is an honor."
"And I will make sure your death is put to good use. Through your one death, three new lives will be born."
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Before Khal Drogo could comprehend this, Aegon used the Force to knock the man out since what was required did not need him to be awake. With the fire needed still alight, the Dragon Prince motioned for Lord Connington and Daenerys to come out of the dark shadows of the night with the three eggs in hand. They placed the eggs down near the fire and saw how it seemed to make the eggs glow with life despite them being frozen. While they did this, Aegon cleaned his blade off of the blood so he could do what needed to be done next.
Once he was sure there was no more Dothraki blood on his sword, Aegon had removed both his mask and his clothes before cutting his palm enough to let several drops of blood to come out on top of the eggs. Calling a nervous Daenerys over, he cut her hand with his sword, and let her own blood drop onto each of the eggs. Using the Force, Aegon had the eggs floating into his arm while giving Daenerys his sword to hold. Walking over to the fire, the Dragon Prince walked right into the flames with the hovering body (the severed parts included) of Khal Drogo, and both were consumed in the inferno.
All the while Daenerys watched with awe and slight fear in her eyes. Jon Connington was saying a prayer to the Seven to let his Prince live through this moment and come out of it unburned.
When morning came, Aegon was alive, unburned, and holding three healthy and just born dragons in his arms. Each one of the dragons was a black red blend that clearly signified them to House Targaryen. The red dragon was named Drogon in honor of the Khal who was sacrificed to the cause and making this possible. The second dragon, who was black from head to tail was named Vaderon with this one being foreseen as the biggest of the three. The third dragon, which was a blend of black and red, was named Revanchist. The Force echoing each of their names in Aegon's mind so he knew what to call them when called upon to serve.
And now they were his to command along with Daenerys. It was why he had her blood added to the mix during their ritual so in the event if anything happened to him (death or capture), his Aunt would be able to take control through the bond she now shared with all three of them.
Jon was in shock at seeing how quickly they were growing in size. Within a few Moons, they went from being the size of house pets to the size of ponies. Jon estimated at their current rate of growth, the three would be fully grown (what was considered full grown?) by the time Aegon was ready to return to Westeros and reclaim the Iron Throne. Already, the three had the ability to shoot fire from their mouths on command from either Aegon or Daenerys.
All that was left was an army of capable soldiers who would be loyal to Aegon without question and wouldn't turn their cloak no matter the odds.
"Astapor? Why Astapor your Grace?" asked Jon Connington after Aegon suggested the Free City they needed to go for an army.
"Because they have what I need. The Unsullied," replied Aegon while they were in their large home within the Free City of Qarth.
They had walked into the city under disguises when traveling with a group of merchants through the Red Wastes. In a small city prior to Qarth, they and ran into one Ser Jorah of House Mormont along the way. The tall man from the North had shown up simply out of nowhere and pledged himself to House Targaryen and their cause in putting the dragon back on the Iron Throne. Of course, Aegon knew better with his own ability to read Ser Jorah's mind and why he was really there.
He was a spy for the Spider and the Crown. He had provided them some books on House Targaryen and other valuable forms of knowledge they contained. It was written mostly in Valyrian, but nothing Aegon or Daenerys couldn't understand when they wished to learn more of their ancestry. Still, Aegon wasn't going to let this spy get to close to them in the event he reported what they didn't want the Usurper to know. So they kept the man from Bear Island away for the most part, sent him on important errands, sometimes with Jon or Aegon himself to throw off suspicion. But they always made sure he didn't know about the dragons.
At least until now.
Jorah was shocked to see three of them and so large after such a short time. Naturally, his first instinct was to report this to King Robert knowing the man would give him a Royal Pardon once hearing this news. However, Aegon had stopped him from moving through the Force before he could turn to leave, and in a bold move had revealed himself behind the mask to the fallen member of House Mormont.
Ser Jorah had met Jon Snow only once when visiting Winterfell to celebrate one of Robb Stark's name days. Perhaps a year two before Greyjoy Rebellion. He had been such a frail young boy from what Jorah recalled of him from what memory there was of the Jon. He had talked to Lord Stark about it once. How he saw boy and how it seemed like the youth wasn't getting enough to eat. His Lord looked at young Snow for a moment, thinking over if such a thing was true, yet had assured the bear man that the boy was getting enough food like everyone else. That it was just the last Winter was harsh on Jon Snow, as it had been on everyone else. Jorah wasn't about to challenge Lord Stark on the matter, as it was not his place, but the boy seemed miserable to a certain degree.
Lord Stark's wife didn't help matters. She would occasionally glare at the boy from her seat during the festivities. Almost snarl even. Sure, the boy was proof of Ned Stark laying with another woman during Robert's Rebellion, but name a soldier or Lord who didn't? Robert himself had a one more women in his tent every night! And it was said he nearly had twenty bastards to his name. That people knew of! Roose Bolton had one of his own at the Dreadfort. Quite a few Lords in the South had some and so did the Lords of the Vale along with some Lords in the Riverlands.
Granted, Ned Stark had brought his bastard home with him. But the man was just being responsible. Most Lords left their bastards with their Mothers or an orphanage of some kind and didn't look back. At least Lord Stark had the guts to take responsibility for his actions over running away from them like everyone else did.
And it had been quite a few years. Surely the woman would have made peace with the boy being in Winterfell and her husband for letting him stay, right?
Apparently not if the young man was here and not in the North.
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"Hello Ser Jorah. I see you found something of interest."
"You are Jon Snow. Ned Stark's bastard son."
"Careful how you address him Bear. This is the future King of Westeros!"
"At ease Lord Connington. You will have to excuse him. The man takes offense to anyone insulting Rheagar's son."
"Rheagar's son? But I thought...Lord Stark was..."
"No. He's my Uncle. He tried to be a Father to some degree, but in the end...the position was never right for him when it came to raising me."
"Does Lady Stark know?"
"She was the reason I left."
"I don't understand."
"Let's just say Lady Stark cannot stand any bastard with a skill for singing and playing a harp. It tends to bring about a...violent side to her."
"Surely your Fa-I mean Uncle would have intervened?"
"Not if he wasn't in the castle and no one told him."
"But he is Lord of the Winterfell and Warden of the North. The servants living there all answer to him."
"As I said, Lord Stark was not in Winterfell when any of the physical stuff happened Ser Jorah. When he wasn't in the castle, his lady wife rules the castle and would continue to do so until her son is old enough to command in his stead. And Lady Stark made it clear to the servants to keep what they saw, if anything, to themselves. The woman didn't want to her dear husband to know since she believed a bastard's welfare, especially mine, was considered beneath Lord Stark's attention in any shape or form. Good or bad."
"I'm sorry she treated you badly. I know Lady Stark's position would make her dislike you for being Lord Stark's child with a another woman. But I never thought she would go so far in hurting you under her husband's nose."
"It's fine Ser Jorah. If there is one thing I learned when away from Winterfell and Lady Stark, it was how to deal with your past."
"And how do you deal with the past?"
"By killing it Ser Jorah. By killing the past, you pave your way to the future."
"You intend to kill Lady Stark?"
"How dare you suggest his Grace would dare consider the act of kinslaying! She maybe family by marriage, but the Tully woman is still family."
"It wasn't unreasonable to ask or suggest Lord Connington considering the implication of my nephew's response to the previous question."
"To answer your accusation, no. Just her memory me as a bastard. I will become King of the Seven Kingdoms and sit on the Iron Throne. If it means shaming her for past actions, so be it."
"King Robert will never allow you to get that far."
"The Usurper will never find out...unless you tell him Mormont."
"Are you accusing me of something again Rooster?"
"No. But I am. I know you were sent by the Usurper to get close to us. Close to Daenerys. Add the fact we have three growing dragons would make that Royal Pardon all the more sweeter to obtain."
"I have no loyalty to King Robert. You are mistaken."
"If that were true, you would call him the Usurper. Not King Robert."
"In the eyes of Gods and Men, he is the King of the Seven Kingdoms regardless of how he won it Lord Connington."
"He killed my Father in order to get the Iron Throne and using a mere trickle of his own Targaryen blood in his veins Ser Jorah. In the eyes of Gods and Men, he is an Usurper of my Father's bloodline for the right to be King. Had the Usurper not gone on his rampage based on a lie of his Foster Father's own creation, the Seven Kingdoms would not be on the verge of falling apart."
"A lie?"
"Another place and another time Ser Jorah. The only question now, is how to deal with you. Should I end your life and send your head back to Bear Island? Or do I somehow convince you to abandon the Usurper and join our cause instead?"
"I like my head on my shoulders your Grace."
"Ha! See how quickly the bear turns his cloak and recognizes you as his King. This is all the more reason to take the fool's head."
"Now let's not be hasty Lord Connington. Perhaps Ser Jorah is being honest. After all, he is in a position to join the winning side."
"Not to dampen your positive attitude nephew, but our side doesn't even exist in the eyes of anyone back in the Seven Kingdoms."
"Just because no one truly knows of our side doesn't mean our side doesn't exist Aunt. We simply haven't been given shape and form to be recognized by the enemy."
"Regardless, this spy for the Usurper cannot be allowed to report his findings on what his Grace has in his possession."
"And yet he could be a valuable asset to us."
"There is no guarantee he will stay loyal your Grace. He could turn his cloak at the first opportunity and the Usurper would reward him for it."
"I think he will be loyal to us. This man wants redemption. This man wants to return to his home. To return with his head held high. He wants to return to visit his Father one day without eyes filled with shame."
"How do you know that?"
"Powers beyond your understanding Ser Jorah. The situation with you, not so much."
"You will grant me a Royal Pardon upon your ascension to the Iron Throne?"
"Prove your loyalty to us Ser Jorah and all will be forgiven by the Crown when I become King."
"But not forgotten."
"I have the blood of Northerners in my veins Ser Jorah. I was raised in the North. Same as you. The North remembers."
"The North remembers."
"What say you Ser Jorah? Will you continue to serve the Usurper Stag or the returning Dragons? Serve drunkard whoremonger for a King who has allowed the Seven Kingdoms to be dragged nearly into ruin? Or that of the dragon, who will bring about the return of a new golden age to the Seven Kingdoms? Will you serve a Usurper based on a lie or the dragon who will tell you only truth?"
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In the end, Ser Jorah bent the knee and pledged his loyalty to House Targaryen. The ever cautious Lord Connington was not so sure of the shamed bear's loyalty. Naturally, the old Rooster would keep an eye on Ser Jorah, even if Aegon had vouched for the man's new found loyalty. Jon and Daenerys believed he was using his powers to see if their newest ally's pledge was true so it was enough.
At least for now.
"Your Grace, I have misgivings of being here for too long. I have heard storied about the House of the Undying and its Warlocks. Rumor has it, they draw their magical strength from dragons," commented Jon Connington while Aegon was meditating in the center of the room.
"I have to agree with Lord Connington on this your Grace. Weapons and war is where we both thrive in terms of giving advice. Magic is another story. The Warlocks of Qarth in their prime were said to wield unnatural powers. Capable of challenging even death so long as their magic held strong," added Ser Jorah while glancing at the large room nearby where the three dragons were resting.
"Hence the House of the Undying from which they reside," finished Daenerys since she had been reading one of the books Ser Jorah had provided.
"I know. The House of the Undying is not just a building from which the Warlocks can live and practice what little magic they had before dragons were once more brought into the world. It is actually a tower from which they can channel magic from and project it over a large area depending on how strong the level of magic being generated," replied Aegon while not telling the whole story.
It was true that magic was channeled and generated from the Tower of the Undying, but also the Force to a certain degree. Somehow dragons created a massive boon in the Force. This was possibly due to being a source of life that generated so much of it from their bodies despite being a form of life capable of causing so much death. It was interesting that dragons could enhance the Force to such a degree. Maybe magic was just another part of the Force like colors were part of a spectrum? Hard to say, but still an interesting theory nonetheless.
"If that is true, then the Warlocks must know about the dragons returning after no doubt feeling their own magical strength rising as well," said Jon with Aegon nodding.
"Of course they do. Even now, they plan to secretly break into this house and steal them in order to bait both Daenerys and myself into entering their domain. They plan to use us as a means of generating even more power from the House of the Undying to take control of Qarth," replied Aegon calmly.
"How do you know this your Grace?" asked Ser Jorah while glancing around the room.
"Because they tried earlier today. They waited until there was only one us here to watch over the house and the dragons. While their magic is strong, its nothing compared to the might of dragons fire. Apparently dragon's fire is its own kind of magic or has some form of magical properties. Violent properties, but still no less potent," answered Aegon to the shock of the other three people in the room.
"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Daenerys with Aegon turning his head to look at her.
"There was no reason to worry. It had been handled. As for the House of the Undying, they can no longer call it that since the house is now filled with dead Warlocks. Lots of dead Warlocks," answered Aegon while remembering the look on the shocked faces of the Warlocks when they were burned by the dragon fire.
Even more so when Aegon had struck them down with the Force and sword. When they tried to use their magic against him, Aegon had taken control such power through the Force. His knowledge and understanding of his powers had grown considerably with the tower having itself stripped of its conduit like ability by the Prince's hands. He had seen the future vividly in terms of what will happen as time went by and even saw his own had his old weak self not left Winterfell or found Count Dooku.
A life of weakness. A life where his self worth was next to nothing thanks to Lady Stark's actions when living in the castle. One day going to the Wall and never knowing the truth of his heritage even when asking his Uncle one final time about his Mother and who she was before he went there. It was clear to Aegon that his Uncle had no intention of telling him anything until the vows there were made where he would forsake all ranks, titles, and claims of any kind.
Such as any claim to the Iron Throne. He would be in a place where the Usurper could not touch him. But Aegon as Jon Snow could not touch him either. While he would be free of the Stag's rage (or so Lord Stark believed), it also prevented the dragon from delivering the much demanded retribution upon the Stag, the Falcon, and the Fish that they so rightfully deserved.
No one knew this of course because no one visited the House of the Undying and all the Warlocks were now dead so any change of retaliation would be slim to none.
"I was wondering why the floor in front of the doorway leading to the dragons had large burn mark and was being covered with a rug," commented Jon with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"I take it we leave for Astapor soon your Grace?" asked Ser Jorah with Aegon nodding.
"In two weeks. We would leave sooner, but I need to speak to someone here in Qarth," said Aegon with Jon, Jorah, and Daenerys looking at him curiously.
"Who?" asked Daenerys.
"A spider seeking knowledge," replied Aegon before going back to his mediation.