Aegor stood against his teacher, while age was showing a toll on the knight, you could now see the grey hairs on his head. Another person in his situation would have underestimated him if they didn't know the kingsguard, but as his student, Aegor didn't loosen his guard moving around him
"Are we going to keep this up?" Ser Ryam Redwyne said looking at his student in boredom. Aegor stared into his eyes and smiled.
"You don't have to worry."
A thrust came suddenly, Ser Ryam dodged sideways, a slash to the boy's neck in return. The knight smiled, Aegor had no way to go, still in his thrust position right foot in front.
Aegor in an extraordinary show of nimbleness and footwork didn't block the blow but reflected his own against him towards the knight. Before the Knight knew it, a pain came from his calf very close to his Achilles. Nothing would have prepared the knight for it.
He was shocked evidently by his face, this was the first time he gained a wound from his student. Yet he carried on, trying more than he did before. It was a further surprise that the boy lasted three minutes and hit him two times perfectly.
When it was over, he smiled at the boy and patted his back proudly. Ten yet already hitting a notable fighter, without a doubt he was close to Daemon's level. He didn't want to imagine Daemon's reaction if he heard him say that.
"Get a drink Aegor, we'll continue this later on. It seems you are needed elsewhere."
Aegor raised an eyebrow not understanding his teacher's words until he gazed behind him. He saw the long brown beautiful hair of his potential betroth, then her very cute face and dark brown eyes. She stood waiting with her hands held in front of her.
'How long has she been watching? Now that I see her up close, she's quite cute.'
He smiled somewhat and waved at the rigid girl. The closer he got to the girl, the more he realized how tall and big he was compared to her. A complete head taller than her and a shoulder wider. She simply stood straight, hand in hand, smiling nervously up at him.
"My Prince." she was about to bow but Aegor stopped her. A blush came to her face when he kissed her knuckle almost tenderly in her mind.
"There is no reason to bow, you are to be my wife, not a servant... I haven't introduced myself. I'm Aegor... You already know my second name, it's nice to meet you."
They stood there for a minute staring in the eyes of each other before they understood their predicament. Alicent hastily took her hand back while blushing like a maiden in love not able to now look him in the eyes.
"I'm Alicent Hightower... One of your betroths." she quietly whispered.
Aegor found it cute seeing her act so timid around him. No one had ever reacted like this with him, not even Rhaenyra. He never thought of himself as being charming, his brother was the better when it came to the opposite sex.
"I'm Aegor Targaryen." When he said his name, Alicent stood there, while seemingly still nervous she seemed less stiff. Although he didn't know what to do in this situation. So he simply stood there smiling awkwardly down at her.
The kingsguard watching them couldn't help but try to help his student and "*Cough*" coughed trying to snap him out of whatever he was in.
Aegor got the hang of it after turning behind him to see the knight very subtle in gesturing to leave.
Alicent while this was happening was a jumble of emotions, she wished she could kick herself for her actions. Despite her father's teachings, she acted as though she was a love-struck girl in front of Aegor.
"I apologize for my behavior, why don't we take a stroll? I know a preferable place than the training yard. Come follow alongside me." Aegor said apologetically
"Lead on," Alicent said happily, taking the boy's arm. Once she did, the feeling of his hard muscles in her arms made her fully understand why her father told her to be cautious of the boy.
While she hadn't seen what his renowned brain can do which her father praised quite often, she also had an insight into why he gave compliments to his fighting prowess for his age. While her father told her to be extremely temperate and ladylike, she hadn't felt so protected and safe near someone, not even her father.
If what she saw with his training against the Kingsguard Commander was simply a small taste of what he will become. She had no doubt he'd become something of a Hero like she heard as a kid.
"Is something on your mind Alicent?"
Aegor's brow was raised when she looked up, his curious stare made her cheeks red. She couldn't confess that her thoughts were about him.
"I-I was thinking of this spot you so dearly praise..." She blushed further when the prince chuckled, she thought she had been caught out but Aegor simply found it funny how she stuttered.
When they walked out of the training yard and went into the red keep, mainly people looked at them curiously, many servants smiled once they saw Prince Aegor and Alicent. Prince Aegor surprisingly waved sometimes to them and gave nods. Alicent felt curious at the Prince's display of courtesy and why he was so close to them.
It hadn't taken long before Aegon opened two doors to a place she hadn't seen before. She looked to the right and saw something she couldn't describe. It was a tree she hasn't seen before, its odd white bark and red leaves that fell sometimes were breathtaking. It was massive, green grass surrounding it. It gave away a magical feeling.
"It's... Beautiful, how can such a thing be real," she said in a whisper. She took her arms from off Aegor and walked closer to it until she was basically in front of it.
While all the time Aegor followed behind her. He felt glad that he could share such a thing with Alicent. Her shock and awe made him weirdly happy to make another give reaction like that.
"This is a Weirwood tree, it can be found all over Westeros. The northern populace that believes in the old gods, takes these trees very seriously. Believing these to be magical. Many of them give oaths in the presence of these as a tradition." Alicent listened, she could never knew such a tree could be real and it dated back for so long, especially since it was very important to another religion that wasn't the seven.
Aegor sat down below it, Alicent looked curious until she saw him welcome her beside her. Holding her skirt up with her hands, she sat down beside him.
She didn't say anything because when she looked at him she saw him with his eyes close and a fond expression. Comparing him now to the quiet, focused, and deadly person training at the yard was weird. She never really met any one so complicated but in a good way.
"Father used to tell me how much mother loved to sit here day and night. Sitting here and the training yard was her favorite thing to do. That's if she wasn't climbing everywhere and dueling everyone. *Chuckle*" Aegor said dreamily. His eyes seemed like they were far from where he was.
Alicent heard the sadness in his voice. He tried to hide it and unlike her, he never got to meet his mother so she stayed quiet for him to speak all his thoughts.
"I come sometimes alone here to think about her. To envision what it would be like with her still here. Would she be proud of me? Would the father be happier? And how would she change things as it currently is? ...So many questions that can only be left open and never to be answered." A melancholy smile came to his lips, his eyebrows were down. Then he turned to Alicent.
"You should meet Rhaenyra, my brother's daughter, my niece. You two would get along, I know you two would be the greatest of friends, I can just feel it." He said with a smile which she returned.
"Next time, I'll bring her. She is closer to your age than me, so you will have more things in common. But don't forget about me. You can't leave little old me for my niece." he wiggled his eyebrows, and like he wanted she let out a beautiful giggle that later turned into a laugh.
"We'll have to promise to meet up again then." he smiled down at her and she too at him. Then he hugged her, out of nowhere, and whispered in her ear.
"I promise."
Her arms were down her side but after hearing him say that, she clutched his back with all her strength, it didn't matter if he just did the training. Both stayed there like that for minutes, neither letting go, the birds chirping and leafs falling making the moment between them even close.
When they let go, they just sat there. Alicent slowly closed the distance between them until she was shoulder to shoulder. Then she didn't know why but she rested her head on his shoulder. Not knowing Aegor's eyes were wide and his heart beating out of his chest.
This was a new experience for him. It wasn't half bad, so let it take a course. Leaning now his head on the tree. To bask in this new feeling and moment. Unknowingly causing something to bond him and Alicent together through fire and blood. Neither of them would forget this moment.
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As Alicent and Aegor had their moment underneath the weirwood tree. In the king's office was the king himself and his son, Baelon Targaryen. Both were speaking on the problems within Westeros from the subject of small folks to crimes to secret plots.
But there was a main subject that they hadn't spoken upon that King Jaehaerys had to. Especially with his son and heir. The person of subject was his son, third son. Aegor, his interesting grandson that he's been curious about since showing his vast potential in martial and mind.
King jahaerys tapped his fingers against the oak table. He and his son both knew what was to come. "It is almost time for your son to get a dragon. Daemon already has Caraxes and Viserys had Balerion. Now for Aegor."
Hearing his father speak about his last son and Dragons together, Baelon always tried to be there for his son since his wife's early death. While not always to be there for personal support, if the boy needed anything he would always get it.
He rubbed his forehead and tried to reason with his father. "Father, it's too early he's only ten nameday, didn't Daemon get his at thirteen nameday? Why now of all time and so early? Please reconsider-" Trying to plead with him, it came to what he expected, King Jaehaerys put his hand up looking at him more seriously.
"You have no say, son. It's for the best. We need to silence every bad whisper in Westeros. I'm not getting younger, neither are you. It's time to strengthen our house, so when we both depart this world it's left in great hands." King Jaehaerys said determine for his son to take him seriously and understand.
The quietness of his son was a good sign. He needed him to think over what he said and take it seriously. No one would depose their house, that was if they showed signs of weakness, and without a doubt, if their wise king died and his heir passed away things wouldn't be the brightest. Only cause his family holds dragons do the other houses not step aggressively, it was best for things to be sorted before he died than let it be left too late.
"Once we show weakness the other houses will try and capitalize on it. While the arryn's aren't a problem, we still have the Hightowers and their massive army, the Lannisters and their gold. Not even including the Martell, it's well known since Aegon's wife Rhaenys tried to make them bow, leading to her and her dragon's death, they would be happy to use it and grab further land.
We need to fight with fire and blood. We cannot allow House Targaryen to die out before Aegon The Conquers Prophecy."
It took ages for King Jaehaerys to persuade his son, he saw the love he had for his last child, and he knew it was because of the amount of love his son had for his daughter. It was why he didn't get another one because he couldn't. When his son gave him the confirmation to give the go-ahead, he knew immediately where he needed to for Aegor to get his Dragon. Dragonstone.
It was dangerous, however, it was necessary, for the house. But he had confidence in Aegor, he knew the boy wouldn't give up. He saw the yearning a dragon since he saw the boy first saw Baelon on Vhagar, the biggest dragon now after Balerion died.
Now is which dragon will get try and tame. All he could now is wait for his son to break the news to Aegor. Then things will progress even further. Only issue is, the rivalry between Daemon and Aegor.