"You can't mean to do this, my prince." Ser Ryam Redwyne said with wide eyes upon hearing the order issued by the crown prince.
"I can and I will. Make arrangements for my son's exile to Essos Ser. That's an order." Baelon thundered.
"But… but… this is going too far, my prince. We should wait until his grace returns." Ser Ryam protested.
"No! My decision is final. Make the arrangements for my son's exile to Essos and have the Dragonkeepers ready to chain that fiendish creature. I'll have Vhagar destroy it for good." Baelon ordered coldly.
"But my prince…" Ser Ryam protested.
"Obey my orders, Ser." Baelon growled.
At that, Ser Ryam bowed his head as he was reminded of his oaths. Ultimately, he was a knight of the kingsguard sworn to obey, not question. In the absence of his king, he had to follow the orders of the crown prince no matter how much he loathed the order. Prince Aegon was just a boy of five and ten, a boy he had watched grow up from a little babe to a splendid knight before his eyes. It broke his heart to do what he was ordered to do. It stung deep, especially when he knew in his heart that Prince Aegon was blameless for Princess Gael's elopement.
Once more, he cursed himself for readily agreeing to that betrothal. He should've been patient instead of jumping headfirst into the betrothal when his grace offered.
"As you will, my prince." Ser Ryam bowed and swiftly exited the crown prince's solar with a heavy heart.
But he was not without a heart. He immediately summoned a servant and sent a message to the queen. It'd be the queen if anyone had enough authority to stop the coming strife within the royal family.
****
"Why did you help Gael sail to Dragonstone?" Aegon asked his grandmother, who was doing a poor job showing her disinterest in the conversation by pretending to concentrate on the needlework.
"Are you intentionally trying to get her punished? Her reputation is in tatters because of you."
But Aegon's words did not affect his grandmother, who continued to ignore him. Letting out a huff, he began pacing back and forth inside his grandmother's room, his frustration mounting with each step.
"You worry too much, Aegon. This'll be over soon before you know it. I know my husband better than most."
"But still to go against the king's word and defy him so openly…" Aegon muttered with a troubled look.
"My dear husband has become a stubborn man. He is no longer capable of thinking like a husband and father anymore. It's all about the realm and what the lords think that takes up his twisted mind," Alysanne spat with a scowl, her disdain for her husband's actions palpable. "He needs to learn that there is more to life than the Iron Throne and the court."
"You'll get me exiled with this feud of yours." Aegon complained.
"Good. Take Gael with you and never return to this cold, heartless place."
Aegon could only gape at his grandmother.
"You must be joking. Where would we even go?" he asked incredulously.
"To Essos." Alysanne shrugged.
Aegon just stared at his grandmother with his mouth agape.
"You're mad." Aegon said in frustration at being treated ill by his grandmother.
"Why? You don't like the Free Cities?" Alysanne asked with a raised brow.
Aegon glared at his grandmother, who acted like she didn't know what happened to all those dragon riders who thought the same and continued living in those cities after Doom befell Valyria. They found their throats slit in the night and their dragons slain come morning. House Targaryen had survived so far because they were in the relatively safe place of Westeros.
"Are you trying to get me killed? They'll kill me the first chance they get."
"Maegor stayed in Pentos in exile, and no one killed him." Alysanne pointed out.
"I'm not Maegor." Aegon deadpanned.
"No, you're not. But if you stay too long, you'll become one, or my husband and your father will force you to become like that man." said Alysanne with a certainty that made Aegon queasy.
'Now, ain't that the truth.' Aegon mused.
"You're aware why your grandfather was so eager to give you control of Dragonstone, aren't you? Or were you under the impression that there were no other able administrators?"
Aegon remained silent, but he knew the answer. It was not lost on him why King Jaehaerys goaded him into taking up the administrative duties of Dragonstone. If anyone should been sent, it was Prince Baelon, but his father remained in King's Landing. Aegon and Viserys were sent to Dragonstone despite having no experience in running a household.
"Your grandfather wanted you to come into conflict with Lord Corlys. He hoped to drive a wedge between you two, and in time, he thought it'd reflect on Rhaenys as well." said Alysanne.
His grandmother set aside the needle and the scarf in her hand, giving him all her attention.
"He is afraid Rhaenys will cause a civil war and plunge the realm into bloodshed." Aegon said lamely.
The moment those words came out of his mouth, he knew how hollow they were. He eyed his grandmother's face, searching for any traces of anger, but he only saw amusement.
"Do you truly believe that?" Alysanne asked with a chuckle.
"No." Aegon rubbed the back of his neck, feeling uncomfortable.
"If there is anyone that causes war for succession, it's your grandfather and father. Their stubbornness will see bloodshed and strife within this family." Alysanne said confidently, making the inside of his palms sweat a little.
The sad fact was that Aegon believed her to some extent. His grandfather's paranoia about Lord Corlys subverting the Iron Throne was frankly astounding. If his grandfather had spent even a few minutes in a proper conversation with Rhaenys, he could've known she was not so easily beguiled or controlled by anyone.
But it was not as if he could say these things straight to his grandfather's face. He doubted he would change anything if his grandmother couldn't make the king see sense. His grandfather had developed an almost unnatural fear of Lord Corlys. After spending a few months in Dragonstone and managing its finances, he knew how difficult it was to manage the island's revenue. It was in that place Lord Corlys had built a vast trade empire in the Narrow Sea.
Aegon had taken advantage of Driftmark's proximity to Dragonstone and made many contacts among the Essosi traders. Even if most of those traders weren't interested in immediately switching their business from Driftmark, their ships using Dragonstone's harbour were more than enough to generate a steady stream of revenue. If his grandfather felt Lord Corlys was overreaching and becoming too strong, the only one to blame was Prince Baelon, the Prince of Dragonstone.
His father had abandoned their ancestral island, leaving its upkeep in the hands of lesser men who took advantage of Prince Baelon's disinterest. House Velaryon's rise was because of Lord Corlys's skill and the fall of Dragonstone into disrepair. After all, Dragonstone was a fertile land, and his family had better relationships with the Free Cities than the Sea Snake.
"I prefer not to be exiled to Essos, grandmother." Aegon added, "Also, I prefer not to be part of your plans to turn me into a messenger to reach Aunt Saera."
If his grandmother was bothered by his comment, she expertly hid it away under a calm façade.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to take my leave and settle some matters." Aegon bowed before turning to leave his grandmother's chambers.
"Before you go, a word of advice, grandson. I'll not give away my daughter's hand in marriage to a puppet of my husband, even if it is you. Before I pass away from this world, I'd like to see her with a man who can stand in his own right. So, gather strength and wealth to your side however you can. You'll need it if you want my Gael in your arms."
Aegon stared at his grandmother for a long moment before he swiftly exited her chambers.
He was aware of her interest in sending him off to Essos. After all, his grandmother had been trying all the tricks in her arsenal to make contact with Princess Saera. It was mostly a wasted effort as the woman had refused to write back to the innumerable letters his grandmother sent as far as he knew. He wouldn't be surprised if his grandfather interfered each time in some way to intercept those letters from his grandmother.
Everyone in the Red Keep knew his grandfather's burning hatred for Princess Saera.
Aegon had seen how far his grandfather could ruin someone if he so wished. He had no intention of becoming another victim of the great quarrel between the riders of Vermithor and Silverwing. Only Aunt Maegelle could traverse a fine line between the two without taking any personal damage, and he was keenly aware that he was nowhere near diplomatic enough.
With this in mind, he knew trying to placate the fragile egos of his family was most likely to be a wasted effort. His best bet to come off unscathed lay with House Redwyne. Treating with House Redwyne and clearing the air was the best path that lay ahead in his view.
"The princeling doesn't know he's walking into a trap. The two-legs are going to send him away across the sea."
Aeon paused upon hearing a whispering voice close to a wall as he walked down a hallway.
"Really, Athos?" a female voice joined with an excitable tilt. "Oh, I can't wait to see all the drama. My cousin saw the black beast of the princeling. She says it's a colossal beast with a taste for its own kind. If we're lucky, we'll get to see the black dragon fight the old queen's mount."
Aegon's eyes widened further as he heard the whispered conversation.
"Don't be idiotic, Martha. If those dragons fight, we'll burn along with the two-legs."
"Come out, now! I know you're behind this wall, Athos and Martha. Come out now, or I'll hunt you down and show you the sharpness of my sword." Aegon shouted, his hand on the pommel of his sword.
But despite his threat, he could not hear any movements inside the wall. He had hoped to hear some sound from the other side of the wall and track down the people inside the secret chamber. But not a single sound came. However, Aegon jumped back in fright when two rattlesnakes slithered out of a small hole between the stones that made up the wall.
"Look, Athos. The Princeling can speak to us!"
"Don't be daft. How can a two-leg speak our tongue?"
"Maybe this one is not as ignorant as the other two-legs."
Aegon could only stare in utter befuddlement at the turn of events. He knew he should've run away from the quarrelling serpents, but he was overcome by several visions of a boy speaking to a snake on a raised podium. Once that vision flashed by his mind's eye, a rush of memories slammed into his mind, making his head throb.
"Parseltongue." Aegon muttered with a frown.
He came to the startling realisation that he could converse with snakes. It was a gift he had seen in his visions, and like the magic he saw, it became a reality for Aegon. Once more, he was confronted with more reasons to believe that he was not seeing visions but memories of a past life.
Even as such a profound realisation was being confronted, Aegon had no choice but to keep it aside for now. He had more serious matters to deal with, and this was the least perfect place to be saddled with an existential crisis.
"Tell me everything, you two." he commanded.
The two snakes talked and talked, spilling the secrets they gleaned from between the walls of the Red Keep. Once their tale was finished, Aegon seriously considered ordering the snakes to kill his father. He came close to giving that order and becoming a kinslayer. The anger and hate that he felt at that moment surprised him. He felt raw strength in his fists as his nails dug deep into his palms. He could feel the roar of flames in his blood, whispering seductively in his ears to burn it all down at the injustice of it all.
The fact of the matter was, he'd have been prepared to give his life instead to the Stranger if his brothers could've retained their mother. He had seen in Harry Potter's life how pathetic the life of an orphan was.
But were his brothers really orphans? What do they know of the cold floor, the loneliness that devours all in its dark grip? What do they know about the feeling of not knowing even the names of those who gave you life? What do they know about starvation and the absence of self-worth?
Angry tears rolled down Aegon's cheeks, and they steamed as his warm-hot skin burned them away before they could fall to the ground.
"What does Baelon Targaryen know of loss?" Aegon's eyes blazed in fury as he stood at his full height and asserted his control over his wild emotions.
"He thinks he's a dragon? I'll show that pathetic wastrel what a true dragon is capable of." Aegon muttered angrily, turning on his feet and marched in the opposite direction of his destination.
He had always lived and breathed each moment so far with his family in mind. Not once had his thoughts strayed from the well-being of his family and its reputation. It was to safeguard that reputation that he came rushing back to the capital and make amends. But he had no reason to hold back if his father was interested in strife.
When Aegon arrived at where he left the Cannibal, he saw Dragonkeepers trying their best to chain his dragon. He saw knights and other soldiers with swords and spears surrounding his mount.
Aegon strode towards them purposefully with his hand on the pommel of his sword. Some no-name knight noticed his arrival and turned to address him,
"My prince. You…"
Aegon didn't let the man finish the sentence as he drew his sword smoothly from its sheath and cut a long line on the knight's neck. The man fell on his knees, holding his neck, trying in vain to stem the bleeding. He cut the knee out of another knight with a single swing and drove his sword through the knight's throat when he fell.
"My prince?"
Aegon paid no heed to the cries of men and drove his sword through everything above the next knight's eyebrows. The sharp edge of his sword met no resistance as he cut open the knight's head. Blood and gore spilt into the ground, but he paid it no heed. He ducked a jab from a spear and cut the legs out of a soldier who dared to attack him. He plucked the spear out of the screaming soldier's hand and slammed the butt of the spear against the stomach of another soldier. The soldier let out a grunt and fell on his back. He absently swung his sword, decapitating the soldier.
Aegon broke into a sprint and threw the spear high in the air. The spear punched through the heart of a Dragonkeeper trying to chain the Cannibal down. His sword arms shook as he defended a strike from another knight. Aegon backpedalled as the knight expertly wielded his sword. He met the knight strike for a strike even as he moved backwards until suddenly, he got under his opponent's guard and slammed a dagger between the ribs.
Aegon could see the wide brown eyes of his opponent. He twisted the dagger and pushed away the knight before slashing his throat with his sword.
More guards rushed in, attracted by the commotion. But they didn't get the chance to face Aegon as the Cannibal roasted them alive in his purple flames. Aegon frowned as he watched the men burn in dragonfire. Their screams invaded his ears while the smell of the burning flesh made his nose twitch. The Cannibal smashed away the last vestiges of bondage and became free on his own. The scattered few Dragonkeepers tried to flee for their lives, but the Cannibal snatched them up with his massive black teeth and made a quick lunch of them. Some were crushed instantly by the black dragon's massive spiked tail.
Aegon sheathed his sword and dagger as he neared his dragon and started climbing onto the riding harness nestling at the base of the Cannibal's neck. He cracked the whip to gain his dragon's attention once he had secured himself on the saddle.
"Soves."
The Cannibal let out a low growl and spread its massive wings. With two mighty flaps of the wings and a mighty jump using his hind legs, the Cannibal was in the air.
Aegon held on to the saddle as the Cannibal climbed into the sky. But he was not satisfied with running away without confronting the man who hated him the most in the city. He cracked the whip to the right and whispered orders in High Valyrian to the Cannibal. The black dragon let out a roar as it veered left and circled the giant towers of the Red Keep.
Like Vermithor and Silverwing, Vhagar also disliked being chained inside the Dragonpit. Therefore, all three dragons had caves built for them on Aegon's Hill near the Red Keep. Vermithor and Silverwing had their caves built outside the western walls of the Red Keep, but Vhagar was kept on the east overlooking Blackwater Bay. The rage in him slightly settled as the cool air of the Blackwater Rush hit him on his face. He held his body flat against the scales of the Cannibal as he watched the brilliantly lit sky. The rush of freedom he felt as everything below became so distant was therapeutic but short because the Cannibal was fast in banking around the Red Keep.
They immediately set upon the liar of Vhagar. From the Cannibal's back, he could see several men below near the cave of the oldest and largest of the Targaryen dragons. Cracking the whip in the general direction of the cave, Aegon shouted commands in High Valyrian to direct the Cannibal into a dive. There were indications that Valyrian dragons were gifted with the ability to discern sound and learn the intent from the sound. Whether the dragons only understood High Valyrian was something to be discussed among scholars. But Valyrians of old used whips to direct the dragons once they were airborne simply because the spoken word of men was hard to reach the ears of the dragons with their long necks.
Whatever the case, the Cannibal showed no difficulty understanding Aegon's will. The colossal black dragon flapped his wings and arrested his moment as it slammed into the ground upon its hind legs. A storm of dust kicked up upon the Cannibal's swift landing, and Aegon took a moment to gather his wits before climbing down from the saddle.
"Aegon!" Baelon shouted as he marched towards him with a cold look in his eyes.
"Prince Baelon." Aegon moved towards the man, who happened to be his father, with his left hand on the pommel of his sword.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"What? You don't think I'll meekly obey your order and exile myself to Essos while you kill my dragon." Aegon asked with gritted teeth.
"You have brought shame and…"
Aegon didn't let the man finish that sentence as he drove his knee straight into Baelon's balls with full force. He watched with a swage grin as Baelon let out a howl in pain and collapsed on the ground with a tooth flying off his mouth.
"Dracarys." Aegon ordered, staring at the soldiers trying to surround them.
The Cannibal let out a challenging roar and breathed dark purple flames that set the entire area ablaze. The soldiers and Dragonkeepers standing too close were instantly vapourised by the Cannibal's hot flames.
"You… you're a fiend just like that dragon of yours. You devour all that is good in this family." Baelon gasped from the floor.
Strangely, Aegon was hardly affected by the cursing and cussing by his father. He felt strangely detached and maybe a touch liberated as he shrugged away the insult.
"You wanted me exiled, didn't you? You needn't bother with such a difficult task, Prince Baelon. I'll exile myself from this pathetic family. So, here is my vow…" Aegon took a deep breath as he kicked and pressed his boot against his father's chest. "I'll not set foot on Westeros so long as you breathe. But if anyone comes after me in Essos, I'll have their heads put on spikes no matter who they are."
"Enjoy your precious time with your model family." Aegon spat on the man's face and smashed his fist hard against Prince Baelon's cheek, which knocked the Spring Prince out cold.
Aegon turned his back on his unconscious father and approached the Cannibal. The massive black dragon lowered its head, and Aegon pressed himself against its smooth black scales.
"They call us fiends – demonic for something we both have no control over. My birth caused my mother to weaken and die, and you became wild without a rider developing a taste for the flesh and bones of your own kind. We're one of a kind, aren't we?" Aegon whispered against the scales of his dragon, earning a snort of smoke from the Cannibal's nose.
Aegon glared at his downed father and the rest of the surroundings. At that moment, he felt a deep sense of detachment and loneliness.
"If they want to see us as fiends, we'll show them that it is not wise to make an enemy of fiends." Harry muttered darkly.
"Your name from now on shall be Fiendfyre. Together, we'll drown our enemies in the flames of hell."
Fiendfyre let out a mighty roar, and a blast of dark purple flames shot high into the air, signifying the pact between the dragon and its rider.
*****
The air rushed around Aegon as Fiendfyre soared through the sky with mighty flaps of his expansive wings. It was the most potent feeling of freedom Aegon had ever known.
It felt like he was untethered from the force of gravity that tethered him to the ground. It felt like he could do anything and be anything. Up here, amongst the clouds, he was no prince of the realm or a scion of House Targaryen. He was just a dragonrider with innumerable possibilities.
At that moment, he decided that he didn't want to become just another prince of the realm and mindlessly serve the Iron Throne for the rest of his life.
His namesake, Aegon the Dragon, forged a wide-spanning realm under House Targaryen by looking west and taking everything he saw using his dragons.
Aegon looked east and saw a vast ocean and his future. His grandmother's words echoed in his mind, and he gave them due consideration. Now that he had gone ahead and attacked King's Landing, he had to leave the continent. It didn't matter whether he was provoked or not. He could see he'd have little future in Westeros so long as his father lived.
He thought of different Free Cities where he could safely shack up. His first choice was Pentos because he had several acquaintances there who'd happily offer him sanctuary. He supposed it was one of the best things that happened with his short stint at the helm of authority in Dragonstone. After Pentos, he'd choose Braavos as a possible city to spend the rest of his life. He had considerably few contacts amongst the Bastard Daughter, but he could establish amicable relationships if he were to ask for aid from Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.
But that was a last resort. He didn't want to get indebted to House Velaryon as he wanted no part in their tussle with his grandfather for the Iron Throne.
That left him with the third option: Volantis.
The old blood of Volantis would hopefully welcome him into their city. It was a flimsy hope, as there was a lot of bad blood between House Targaryen and Volantis after Aegon I burned their fleet. But still, Volantis was the only Free City that did not turn on the Dragonriders after the Doom.
'Hmm. They might be most eager to get their hands on a dragonrider tied to their city.' Aegon thought.
There was, of course, obvious danger in starting a separate branch of House Targaryen in Volantis, one with a dragon as strong as Fiendfyre. The other Free Cities would be after his head, and there was the threat from Aunt Saera and her children to consider. Unlike his grandmother, he had no rosy view of his aunt in exile. Anyone capable of rising so fast in power in a city like Volantis was someone to be feared and respected.
Considering all his options, he supposed Pentos was the safest option. But he also had to think about what he'd do in Pentos. It was not as if he could spend the rest of his life upon the largess of his Pentoshi acquaintances.
But such plans were secondary as he had the most unpleasant tasks ahead. He had to convey his plans to Viserys, Aemma and Gael. Somehow, he had to convince them exile to Pentos was the best option before him. At the same time, he had to meet his friends in the Stormlands one last time before he departed. After all, he had vowed never to step foot in Westeros until his father passed away. It would most likely be an extended stay in Pentos, and he didn't want to leave the friends he made to feel like he abandoned them.
Aegon perked up when he saw land in the distance. He could see the towering silhouette of the Dragonmont. He cracked the whip, urging Fiendfyre to fly low. It was time to meet his loved ones and share with them the bad news. Gael was the largest uncertainty, and he was unsure what he should do with her.
'I suppose I'll have to ask for counsel from Viserys and Aemma before making any decision.' he thought with a sigh.
AN:
To read ahead of the update schedule;pat(r) eon. C (O) M/Dragonspectre
For artworks: https://discord.gg/Nw2JH25fJf