King's Landing 305 AC.
Jon Connington.
He readied the room and poured himself a drink, trying not to smile as he looked at it. There was a time that he thought he'd end up lost in a bottle, a drunk with no hope, no future, and no reason to live. Joining the Golden Company was something that when he looked back on it had saved his life. Even if his intent when joining it had been to end it. In battle, he'd become fierce and had found the will to live and then after their contracts were done he'd drink himself into a stupor and try not to dwell on his mistakes.
Over time he began to do less of one and more of the other and while he'd somewhat come to terms with not wanting to die, he'd still not really had something that he wished to live for. Until now that was, now he did have something to live for and so he moved the chairs, placed the wine on the table, and waited for the Serjeants and Commanders to arrive. He didn't have long to wait, Balaq, Lysono, Gorys, the Peakes and the Mudds, Brendel Byrne, Dick, and Will Cole, the Strongs, Jon Lothson, Tristan Rivers and Franklyn Flowers. While not the entirety of the Companies' leaders it was the vast majority of them and most of their true strength was now in this room.
Jon waited until they took their seats and they'd helped themselves to the wine before he took his own. The proposal he was about to make them was for lesser coin than they were being paid by Cersei Lannister but he knew they had no true love for this contract. Besides the woman had paid them half upfront and so abandoning her wasn't as costly as it could be. Staying with her would cost them far more than coin though and no matter what they decided, his own mind was already made up. They could join him in fighting for the true king or they could stand across from him on the battlefield and face his fury for not doing so.
"Some of you may already know why I've asked you here." he said looking to Balaq and Lysono "Others may suspect it and some like Old John Mudd there won't have any idea whatsoever" He said to laughs and a smirk from one of his oldest friends.
"I'm just a man who loves a fight, Jon, I leave the thinking to the rest of you fools." Old John said to more laughs.
"The stories we've all heard about the dragons are true and two of them now come our way. Lysono will confirm to you that the war they fought, the war against those things, is over, it's done and they were victorious." Jon said smiling as he did so.
"Losses?" Franklyn Flowers asked.
"Minimal." Lysono replied before a look from Jon made him elaborate "All in all we have a little over 100,000 men coming our way." Lysono added.
"Fuck me sideways." Tristan Rivers said.
"Even for all the gold you wear no one will fuck you, sideways or not you ugly cunt." Duncan Strong said to laughs.
Jon joined in eagerly, these men or some of them anyway had become a family to him of sorts. He'd bled with them, saved some of their lives, and had his own saved by some of the men in this room as well. He hoped they'd see reason as the thoughts of what came for them and what would happen should they not, turned his stomach a little. Taking a swallow of his wine he readied to continue, Jon trying not to think back on the smell of burning flesh and the screams of a son as he tried to reach his father.
"We cannot beat this army and to fight it is folly as I told that fuck, Strickland, when he took this contract. You've all seen the Iron Born, would you trust any of them to guard your back in battle? Trust Euron fucking Greyjoy to see you home? As for the woman who sits on the throne, that woman lost all sense years ago. She'd see us all dead before she negotiated a truce and even we of the Golden Company know the value of a retreat." Jon said to nods.
"I take it you have a plan, Jon? Otherwise, we may as all be getting drunk and sleeping with whores for all the fucking good this meeting is doing us." Laswell Peake asked.
"You all know where my loyalties lay and there are some of you in this room who shared those loyalties too." Jon said.
"Aye we did but the dragons are dead Jon. You yourself said that when we spoke of the girl." Brendel Byrne said looking at him.
"I believed it too, Brendel. I'd not have served Aerys daughter, we all heard the tales of her brother and some of us saw it for ourselves too. In the end, the mad king deserved his epithet and hand on heart I don't think there ever was a man who earned it more than he. You all know I served Rhaegar and that it was he who I swore myself to and though the girl was his sister, she wasn't him." Jon said almost drifting off in remembrance.
"The point, Jon? "Lysono said bringing him back.
"Daenerys Targaryen is a woman now wed. She and the King in the North Jon Snow have married and intend to rule together. Now no doubt all of you have heard from Lysono in his briefings about this Jon Snow. How he was named Lord Commander of the Nights Watch less than a year after joining and how he held off the wildings when they threatened to overrun the Wall. You know he led an army to retake the North from the Bolton's and after doing so they named him their king. What you don't know is that he was their king long before they named him so."
"Jon?" Balaq asked.
"Jon Snow is not Eddard Stark's bastard son, he is the Trueborn son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Targaryen. He is the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms and he, his wife, their dragons, and their armies now march this way." Jon said.
The voices were raised in the room as they spoke over each other, Jon looking carefully at how they were taking the news. Those more politically astute among them could see what this would mean when it outed, a son was always more likely to gain support than a daughter or sister. That he had led men already and had won, would only bring more to his cause as would the crazed lioness that sat the throne. Taking another swallow of his wine, he readied to deliver the news that would make or break the Golden Company.
"We have an offer from his grace, from the one true king." Jon said as the voices quietened and people looked his way.
"What kind of offer?" Balaq asked.
"One that doesn't involve us being burned alive." he said to laughs, he was about to say more when he heard the noise.
The sound of footsteps as they ran up the stairs catching them all off guard, the pained shouts coming from outside the door even more so. Young John Mudd jumped from his seat and opened the door and was then caught by an ax to the head. Jon looking to see men in Lannister colors, men of the Golden Company, and Iron Born all trying to fight their way into the room while the serjeants and commanders tried to stop them.
"This way." he shouted as more of the men moved to the door and some moved towards him, Jon getting them to help him move the cupboard to reveal the hole in the wall.
Looking behind him was looking into the seven hells itself, Gorys was being held in the air by the giant Kingsguard, his hands on either side of his head and Jon turned away when he heard the popping sound. Iron Born were swinging axes and Lannister swords were thrusting and slashing and though there were bodies of both on the ground, it was the Golden Companies that were outnumbering the others.
"Come with me." he shouted as he moved through the hole in the wall, Balaq, Lysono, and some others following him though he knew not who else had made it even this far.
He crawled for some time and then he dropped down into the room below, Jon waiting for the others to come behind him. Six men were all that made it through and he knew they needed to move quickly or they'd be joining the other dead men far too soon. Looking to the others he saw it was Balaq, Lysono, Franklyn Flowers and Tristan Rivers, Duncan Strong, and Brendel Byrne, six out of almost twenty that had come to the meeting. Jon bid them follow him and led them to the stables, finding himself not sure how they'd manage to make it out of the city but refusing to just stay and give up.
"We can't ride, Jon." Lysono said as they stood near the horses.
"I know, how the fuck? What the fuck just happened." he asked confusedly.
"Strickland?" Balaq asked.
"Is a fool but he'd not have the balls to do that. That was an execution Jon, an extermination." Brendel said.
"Shhh, someone's coming." Duncan said and Jon moved to the door, taking his knife out he waited for whoever it was ready to do what needed to be done.
Had it been a man rather than a boy then he'd have been gutted. As it was Jon's knife went right over the boy's head and when he looked at him, he knew immediately who he was.
"You're one of Varys's little birds?" he asked and the boy nodded.
"Jon?" Lysono asked.
"We can trust him, Lysono." he said before turning back to the boy "You can get us out of here?" he asked and the boy nodded once more.
The boy quickly led them down through an alley and they stopped near its end, Jon and the others looking back and seeing the full force that had been sent to take them out. Had he not had a way out then he and the others would have been dead by now and as he looked at the soldiers and the men who led them he felt his anger grow. The Maester who served as Cersei's Hand was out there amongst them and standing right beside him was Harry Strickland.
"No, my friend, not today." he said stopping Balaq from firing his bow and killing the traitor "Come, we should leave while we can."
Jon knew he was not the only one who'd looked how he did at Homeless Harry, he'd underestimated him and he would not do so again. Instead, he swore when next he saw the man it would end with one of them dead and he knew that each of the six men that the boy had led through the back streets and alleys of King's Landing, all felt exactly the same way as he.
The Riverlands 305 AC.
Dany.
She lay in the tent with the dragon asleep on her stomach, Aegon undressing before he lay down beside her. Dany could feel the connection with the red dragon and yet it was muted, she was not its mother and yet she felt as protective of it as if she was. Her husband had said it would be their babe's mount and she was certain in this he was right. The red dragon itself seemed at it's happiest when it was laying as it was right now, as close to the babe that grew inside of her as it could be.
"Have you thought of a name for it yet?" Aegon asked before reaching out to softly touch the sleeping dragon, his hand then moving from it to the other dragon who Dany somehow knew was sleeping too.
"Her." she said and Aegon looked to her.
"You think it's a girl?" he asked touching the dragon once more.
"You think it's our babe's mount?" she asked and he nodded.
"I'm sure it is." he said smiling at her.
"I believe our babe is a girl, Aegon, in my dream I saw both a boy and girl."
"Twins?" he asked and she laughed before shaking her head.
"No, the girl was older I believe, I think we named her Rhaella, after my mother." she said and he nodded.
"And the boy?"
"Aemon." she said and before she knew it Aegon was kissing her.
"You'll crush her." she said and then giggled as he moved quickly away, her husband nowhere near the dragon but she found it funny still.
"And the dragon?" he asked as she looked at it, her hand reaching down to stroke it's head before she closed her eyes.
"Lyarhaex, after both our mothers" she said and looked at him.
"Aye, that'll work." Aegon said and she watched as he gently lifted the dragon and placed her in a small chest "Sleep well, little dragon." Aegon said as the dragon chirped before curling up into a ball to sleep.
Dany soon found herself smiling broadly as her husband moved his head to her stomach and began to tell Rhaella all about her dragon. That he was able to do so in a way that made it seem like a story from a book only making her picture what it would be like when he was actually doing just that. Images of him sitting by a bed and reading their daughter and son to sleep soon filling her head. An image of her being held at knifepoint by Ser Gerold Dayne soon replaced it and Aegon moved to her as she tensed up and began to cry.
"Dany? Dany what's wrong?" he asked looking at her.
"I… I almost cost us everything, our babe, Aegon, I almost cost us our babe." she said as he took her in his arms and allowed her to cry against his chest.
"You didn't Dany, almost is not doing so. You're here, our babe is fine and will be born in peace, and together we'll watch her and her dragon grow. We'll see them Dany, Rhaella, and Aemon, we'll be there for them when they lose their first teeth and there to kiss them and tell them everything will be all right when they fall down and hurt themselves."
"I.."
"Will not take such a chance again in the future. You made a mistake Dany, a mistake and what it could have cost only means that you'll never make the same mistake again." he said looking to her.
"I won't." she said determinedly.
"I know you won't." he said before he kissed her again.
When she had fallen asleep she couldn't tell, she had snuggled up against him and in just being held in his arms she felt safer than she ever had. Dany soon finding herself lost to her dreams and to be walking on Dragonstone once more.
" Muña." the voice called out and she turned to see the girl walk her way, her daughter no more than seven or eight name-days and already showing that she'd be taller than her when she grew older.
" Yes little dragon?" she asked smiling at her when she reached her.
" Can we fly today Muña ?" Rhaella asked her voice full of eagerness and hope.
" When Kepa returns?" she said as her daughter looked to the sky.
" Lyarhaex." she heard Rhaella say and then she turned to look to see Rhaegal, Lyarhaex, and Drogon were all flying towards them, her son's silver hair waving in the air as Aegon held him in front of him on Rhaegal's back.
When the dragon's landed she laughed at how quickly her children swapped places. Aemon running to her while Rhaella ran from her and to her father. Dany laughing even louder as she was almost tackled to the ground by her son. Her eyes on him and on her husband in the distance where she saw Rhaella laughing as she was swung around in Aegon's arms.
" Did you see me Muña, Kepa let me tell Rhaegal what to do, I made him fly so fast" Aemon said giggling.
" You did? My sweet brave boy." she said as he hugged her.
She looked on as Aegon and Rhaella walked over to Lyarhaex, the Red Dragon moving its head towards her daughter and Dany watching as just like she always had with Drogon, Rhaella too leaned close in to speak to her dragon. Taking Aemon by the hand they both walked over to join the rest of her family, Rhaella looking eagerly at her as she hugged her husband, and then she moved over to stand beside Drogon.
" We'll be back in an hour or so." she said as Aegon turned to Aemon and asked him if he wished to spar, her son more than eager to do what even compared to riding dragons was his favorite thing in all the world.
Aegon turned and helped Rhaella up onto Lyarhaex's back and then Dany climbed up on Drogon's, her daughter waiting for her to give her the nod before they took to the air. Dany found herself looking over to her for the entirety of the flight, enjoying seeing the smile on her daughter's face and hearing the happy trills that Lyarhaex made, Dany once again found herself thinking that this was one of her favorite things in the world. The only thing's that beat it was spending time with her husband in their bed and when all four of them flew together.
She woke up to find a pair of deep purple eyes staring at her, Lyarhaex looking at her as she stood on her stomach. Beside her Aegon still slept and Dany almost felt cruel waking him, yet she knew that he'd not forgive her for letting him sleep in. As she was about to reach over to do so Lyarhaex jumped from her stomach and on to Aegon's chest, Dany looking at the red dragon as it cocked its head to look at her husband. The screech that then came out of its mouth made her laugh as did Aegon's reaction.
"What, I'm up, I'm up." Aegon said as he jumped up with Lyarhaex holding onto his shirt so she wouldn't be dislodged.
"That was all her." she said when he glared at her, Aegon soon shaking the remnants of sleep from his eyes.
"Dragons." he said as Ghost walked into the tent, the white wolf staring at the dragon stuck to Aegon's shirt and Aegon looking to the wolf while rolling his eyes.
Soon enough Missandei arrived to help her dress and Aegon placed the red dragon back into its chest. The annoyed sound it made was one Dany recognized all too well, as did Aegon who chuckled before kissing her cheek. She dressed quickly and picked the dragon up before she then left the tent. Ser Jorah and Ser Brienne were both waiting for her and Dany knew that from now on she'd not only not be allowed to go anywhere alone, but that she had no wish to.
"How far away are the Twins?" she asked as Jorah looked around for someone to ask and as he did Brienne answered instead.
"We should reach them by nightfall, your grace." Brienne said.
"Lord Edmure, you know him?"
"We met briefly, your grace. I know his uncle and Lady Catelyn both thought him less capable than he should have been."
"I thank you Ser Brienne, I think I'll join my husband and break my fast." she said walking with the red dragon now on her shoulder for all to see.
She found Aegon speaking to Ser Davos and Tyrion with Ser Jaime standing on guard behind them. Her husband was not looking best pleased but he relaxed when he saw her. Taking a seat she was soon brought something to eat and found that Lyarhaex was just as hungry as she and so she fed her the meat and watched her as she cooked it. Dany asked about what had been discussed in her absence, Aegon telling her part of it though she felt he was holding some of it back.
"Lord Tyrion doesn't think we should arrive on the dragons, my love." Aegon said his tone letting her know he disagreed.
"Why not?" she asked with a nod to Aegon before she turned to look at Tyrion.
"The Riverlords have already declared for his grace as Jon Snow, your grace. The news that he is actually Aegon Targaryen may change things and yet they may still come around. Arriving on your dragons may seem as if you seek to force them to." Tyrion said.
"Ser Davos?" she asked as she fed Lyarhaex another piece of meat.
"I think arriving with our army would seem just as threatening, your grace, so it's best for it to be a full threat than a partial one." Davos said.
"We shouldn't be threatening them at all." Tyrion said annoyedly.
"We aren't, but having me arrive on Rhaegal's back helps to prove the truth just as much as the letters do. Let them be fearful of what may happen if they don't support us, a little fear isn't a bad thing after all." Aegon said and she nodded her agreement.
"We march and when we're close to the twins, Aegon and I will fly." she said as Davos nodded, Tyrion's one was more reluctant but still he nodded all the same.
"The ships, Ser Davos?" she asked.
"Will arrive at Claw Isle the day after the morrow, your grace." Davos said and she looked to Aegon who sat with a determined look on his face.
"Good." her husband said and she hoped he was right, this plan of his was one she believed in but as she looked to Tyrion, it was also one she hoped he was wrong about too.
The Twins 305 AC.
Edmure.
The raven changed everything his lords said, their oaths, his oath, were no longer binding they said and while he in someway agreed, in truth they changed very little. Jon Snow not being a bastard bit a little for Edmure as he thought about how Cat had felt about the boy. His mind going to places he'd rather not and yet he couldn't help himself but think on. Would she have felt different had she known the truth? Would things have been different had they had a son of Rhaegar to name as their king?.
He wasn't certain about the former, he would have liked to think it would make a difference but he remembered how much Cat had argued against the boy being named Robb's heir. The hatred she had for him ran very deep and unless Ned Stark had told her right away, then he didn't know if she'd not have just found a different reason to hate him. On the latter the more he thought about it the more certain he was that it would have. The houses that were loyal to the Targaryen's would have come to their side as perhaps would one of the other kingdoms. With a son of Rhaegar to crown they could have brought the Reach to bear and then perhaps he wouldn't have spent years locked in a cell. Perhaps had it been so then his sister and nephew would be here today.
Looking down at the raven scroll and reading the words once more, he thought about Robb's will and what he'd signed his name to. By rights, he could deny it, say it was to a brother of Robb Stark and to a son of Ned Stark that he'd agreed to kneel and that since Aegon Targaryen was neither then his fealty was his to give or take. He could but them what? Name himself king and face off against dragons and an army more than five times larger than any he could call on? No, only a fool would do such a thing and the fool he once was had died many years earlier.
"Come to bed husband." Roslin said softly and Edmure looked up from his desk to see her standing at the door to their bed-chamber.
"In a moment." he said and then he was smiling as she walked over and took a seat upon his lap, Edmure kissing her deeply as she placed her hand on his and took the raven's scroll from it.
"This bothers you sill?" she asked.
"It does. I need to know that I'm doing the right thing?" he asked and she paused for a moment before she replied.
"When I was a young girl, Perwyn and Olyvar brought me on a ride to visit our family at Rosby, it was long and hard, and yet for me, it was wondrous. Being away from here and out on the open road, all of it like a great big adventure" Roslin said smiling as she was clearly remembering it.
"How old were you?" he asked curiously.
"Nine or ten namedays" she replied before continuing "We stayed in inns, taverns, and even one night under the stars" she giggled "When we were close to it, Olyvar suggested that we go and see Harrenhal, my brother was ever keen on the tales of dragons. Perwyn agreed and so we rode to it and all I can remember thinking upon seeing it was that a dragon must be a terrible creature to behold. For only something terrible could have done to the great castle what Balerion the Black Dread did." she said and he felt her shiver a little.
"Roslin." he said softly.
"Riverrun is no Harrenhal, my love, so don't let it become one." she said before looking deep into his eyes.
"I won't." he said and she nodded before looking at him and Edmure seeing her desire in that look.
"Now come to bed, I find I am missing my husband's touch."
He woke early the next morning, broke his fast, and then spent the rest of the morning sparring. Edmure was keen to grow ever stronger and Marq and Lymond both joined him as they did most mornings. They were having lunch when the first of their scouts arrived back, Edmure calling the man to speak to him as soon as he saw him enter.
"You saw them?" he asked as Marq, Jason Mallister and Lymond looked on, Roslin was feeding Cat and playing with Brynden a little further away from him than he'd have wished.
"I saw them my lord." the scout said.
"And?" Lord Jason asked.
"It's true my lord. I've not seen the likes of it before, the Dothraki lines alone stretch further than the eye can see, as for the unsullied, I didn't know men could march so."
"The dragons?" Marq asked.
"I didn't see them, Ser."
"The Targaryens?" he asked and the man nodded.
"Ride at the front with their Kingsguard, three of them in white cloaks. The White Wolf walks next to them, larger than any wolf has a right to be that one. He's even bigger than King Robb's one was." the scout said almost as if he couldn't believe what he was saying.
"You saw Grey Wind?" he asked with a sad smile on his face as he remembered his nephew's wolf, the smile soon turning to one of disgust when he remembered what they did to it.
"I did, my lord. I marched with the king at Oxcross and saw the wolf take down more men than any, if the white one is as fierce and given his size I'd say he is, then he'd be even more dangerous I'd wager."
"How long until they reach us?" Lymond asked.
"Nightfall, my lord." the man said.
He dismissed the scout and then turned to the others, seeing the worried looks on their faces and he was actually glad to see them, as they would serve him far better than determined ones. Looking over to the table he saw Brynden now playing with Cat as Roslin held her in her arms. His son was being ever so gentle with his sister as his wife looked at them both before she looked over and smiled at him, Edmure returning it warmly.
"Still think that we should refuse to kneel" he asked as he turned back to the men at his table.
"There was no sign of the dragons, Edmure." Marq said.
"Dragons fly, Marq." Lymond said to chuckles.
"We parley and then we kneel, once we see the dragons." he said to nods.
Edmure was more than happy to accept them for now and knew that he intended to kneel dragons or not.
The Riverlands 305 AC.
Ser Davos.
He rode his horse closer to the king's, Davos most keen to speak to him alone before he took to the air. While he agreed with the fact that Ser Gerold had to be killed, the how of it felt wrong to him. Aegon was a little too bloodthirsty and the death was both far too public and politically it could create a huge problem with Dorne. House Dayne was an important house and while it had been clear that there was no love lost between Ned Dayne and his cousin, they were still blood.
Davos found himself wishing that the Lord of Starfall hadn't already left before the events had taken place. Had he been here then he could have raised any objections he had and would at least have had first-hand knowledge of what Ser Gerold had done. It wouldn't have changed the man's fate, Davos was certain of that, but it may have alleviated some of the problems that his fate may now cause them. As he reached Aegon he looked down at the pin on his chest and felt the headache come on him once more.
"Your grace." he said as Aegon looked to him.
"Ser Davos, ready to have your arse kissed by some lords?" Aegon said smiling.
"I think it'll be your own getting kissed your grace, not mine." he replied with a chuckle as he looked to the queen who was riding a little ahead of them speaking to Tyrion with the red dragon on her shoulder.
"What's that phrase they say about the Hand, the King shits, and the Hand wipes. I think you'll find you have your arse kissed just as much as mine." Aegon said and Davos saw Ser Jaime smirk.
"Ser Gerold, your grace?" he asked and the smirk from the knight's face fell even quicker than the one from the king's did, Davos knowing that Ser Jaime had thought highly of House Dayne.
"Got what he deserved, Davos." Aegon said firmly.
"He did, but the how if it, your grace and the where of it." Davos said trying to explain his concerns.
"You know how traitors were punished in the North, Davos? How the King's of Winter killed those who'd broken their oaths or gone against their king?" Aegon asked and Davos shook his head, Ser Jaime now leaning in a little closer on his horse so he could listen in.
"No, your grace." he replied.
"They were hung from the branches of the Weirwood Tree, Davos. Their stomachs were opened up and their insides removed and laid out amongst the branches. Some died quickly but most, most lived for some time before they drew their last breath. They were let there as a sacrifice to the Old Gods, their blood to feed the tree and their insides to feed the crows." Aegon said.
"Your grace?"
"For those who truly did wrong, whose crimes were so bad that even that sentence seemed a mercy, they faced a different one. Have you ever heard of the Blood Eagle, Davos?" Aegon asked.
"No, your grace."
"Each one of the ribs is cut away from the spine, Davos, and then the lungs are pulled out through the opening making it look as if it were the wings of an eagle." Aegon said.
"That's horrific." he said.
"That's the North, Ser Davos." Aegon replied.
"Ser Gerold got off easy, your grace." Ser Jaime said forcing Davos to turn and look to the knight and then back to the king.
"He did, Ser Jaime. That man tried to take my wife from me, my child. He tried to kill my queen and my heir, Davos. Any husband would see that the man who did that would suffer for the attempt and any king would do everything in his power to send a message to any who would dare try such a thing. Let them think me bloodthirsty or unjust and let them name me a monster. If Dorne takes issue with it then so be it, they'll take issue enough with me already, so let them take issue with this as well.
But all will know what happens should they attempt to harm what's dearest to me in this world, they'll know that my retribution will be swift and that my mercy will be nonexistent. They'll know and in that knowledge, it'll protect those I love and that Davos is worth them thinking whatever they will of me. Having them name me a monster is a small price to pay compared to that" Aegon said and Davos watched as the king nodded before he rode over to be with his wife.
He rode with Ser Jaime a little further, the knight looking more to the king than to him and so Davos was shocked when he actually spoke.
"He's right, Ser Davos. You may not have the stomach for seeing what he did, but he's right. Was it your own wife or your own babe?"
"I've not seen my wife in years, Ser Jaime, I doubt she'd speak to me were I to go back to her now. I lost my sons, all of them and she'll not forgive me for that. But aye, you're right, were it my own." he said.
"I've seen bloodthirsty men, Ser Davos, evil men, and cruel men. Men who've lost their way also as I'm sure you have too?"
"I have." he said softly thinking about the things that Stannis did both those he'd seen and those he'd heard about.
"His grace is none of those things."
"No he's not, Ser Jaime, no he's not." he said with a nod and he knew that to be true, the king was anything but that.
A few miles from the Twins they stopped when the dragons landed. Davos watching on as the king and queen spoke to them as if they were their children. The red dragon chirped excitedly as the two larger dragons looked at it and had he not seen it for himself then he'd not have believed things so large could be as gentle as they were. The two larger dragons moving their heads so they could touch them against the smaller one. Davos and everyone else looking on in silence as they did so. After a few moments, the queen handed the red dragon over to Missandei and Davos found himself chuckling as she then chastised it when it showed its displeasure.
"No, you are to behave, if I find out you've not then I'll not let you sleep with us tonight." the queen said as the dragon screeched back at her and then chirped happily when the king spoke to it.
"Aye, soon enough little dragon, soon enough you can fly with us." Aegon said.
They climbed on the dragons and took to the air and Davos gave the order from them to ride. The Twins were soon in view and the Riverlords rode out to greet them. He saw Ser Jaime stiffen when he saw the man who he assumed to be Edmure Tully. Aegon had told him of what the knight had said and done when he broke the siege at Riverrun. Tyrion had then suggested that it would be for the best for his brother to not be a part of their party when they greeted Edmure and the others but Aegon had overruled him.
" Ser Jaime is a member of our Dragonguard and has proved himself to his king and queen, let any who think differently raise it with me and they will find their complaints will be found most unwelcome. Aegon said.
He, Sers, Jaime, Jorah and Brienne, Grey Worm, Qhono along with Tyrion and Missandei, the red dragon resting now on her shoulders, all rode out to meet the Riverlords. Davos looking to their sigils to try and place who was who once he reached them. He saw the silver trout of House Tully, the quartered green dragon and white tower of House Vance, the pink maiden of House Piper. There was also the silver eagle of House Mallister, the blue wavy bend on gold of House Goodbrook, and the flock of ravens surrounding the Weirwood tree of House Blackwood.
"My lords. My name is Ser Davos Seaworth, Hand to their graces, King Aegon and Queen Daenerys of the House Targaryen." he said as the auburn-haired Lord Edmure sat on his horse and glared angrily at Ser Jaime, and for a few moments, no one replied.
"Where are their graces?" Lord Blackwood asked to break the silence and Davos smiled when he heard the chirp that came from the red dragon, the noise showing that her big brothers had arrived.
"If you would but just look up." he said and he saw the looks on their faces and the way some of them looked to Lord Edmure before they all watched as Rhaegal and Drogon landed a few feet from them.
Almost at once, Ser Jaime, Ser Brienne, and Ser Jorah were standing beside the king and queen, the three knights taking up their positions. Ghost was by their side too and Davos was unsurprised that he'd not noticed the white wolf, its silent approach and quick movement was something he'd gotten more than used to. He noticed how Lord Blackwood looked at the white wolf. The man was staring at Ghost with an awestruck look on his face while each of the others looked to the dragons or Edmure Tully looked to Jaime Lannister.
"Forgive us our delay my lords but our dragons wished to see more of the Riverlands." the queen said.
"There is nothing to forgive, your grace. Perhaps we can take our meeting inside." Lord Edmure said looking away from Ser Jaime for the first time.
Davos noticed how Aegon stiffened, both he and Tyrion had discussed this and he had been proved right on it. It was something that was about to be done so again.
"The Twins may no longer be Walder Frey's domain Lord Tully but it already is taking all my restraint not to see those keeps set aflame. I may understand that it's wrong to wish ill on a place, that it's wrong to want to see it razed to the ground, and yet my brother, his wife, their unborn babe, and his mother all lost their lives in that place and not even the Old Gods or the New themselves will ever make me set foot in it." Aegon said Davos surprised by how calmly he did so.
"Of course your grace." Edmure said while looking to Aegon and staring at him for some time before he found whatever it was he wished to find.
Davos watched as Edmure turned to the others and then as one, the Riverlords all knelt with their swords in hand.
"I Lord Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun do swear my allegiance and that of my house to their graces, King Aegon and Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen. From this day until my last my sword is yours and my House yours in perpetuity." Lord Edmure said.
One by one the others did the same, Davos smiling as Aegon looked to Daenerys and she nodded before she bid them all rise.
"Arise Lord Tully and be recognized as our Lord Paramount of the Trident. Arise my Lords and be recognized as Leal men of the crown. On behalf of my husband and I, we accept your oaths of fealty and we pledge to ask of you no service that brings you dishonor. We will do all in our power to ensure that the Riverlands thrive and grows and will do whatever may be of help to see that this is true. You have our word that we shall not forget this day my lords." Daenerys said and as Aegon nodded the Lords arose.
The Twins 305 AC.
Tyrion.
It had gone far better than he would have imagined, the news that Jon Snow was Aegon Targaryen not having caused any change in the Riverlords oaths to him it would seem. He'd stood by while they knelt and despite the fact that Edmure Tully had constantly glared at Jaime, no words harsh or otherwise had been spoken to his brother. That had surprised him as he'd expected there to be something said. He'd hoped that Aegon would have needed to intercede on Jaime's behalf and yet nothing had been raised and he'd not needed to. Whether that was because the mere sight of the dragons had shown that any questions or doubts they may have were better left unsaid, or for some other reason, he knew not.
He'd moved as close to Edmure as he could when Aegon had brought Arya to meet him. The man had welcomed his niece with open arms and Tyrion had heard her say Jaime's name once or twice as they spoke. That he'd been unable to hear what was actually said had irked him as did the fact that while he sat in a position of honor, it was a lesser position than he should have been. The feast itself, if you could call it that was held in their tents, Aegon refusing to set foot in the Twins and even he had sympathy with the man for that. Tyrion was sat with some of the Lords of the Riverlands only those not high enough to sit at the high table, such as Goodbrook or Piper and Vance.
It showed that he was somewhat back in favor with the king and queen and he'd once again been able to offer his advice, although he'd been overruled constantly. Davos, Aegon, the Queen, and even Missandei all pointing out the flaws or wrongs in his arguments and little he had said had been acted upon. That they were listening at least was a positive though, as was the fact that he was being treated as one of the inner circle once more. Tyrion found himself wondering if he had but just held his tongue would things be different. If he'd been able to hide how he felt about Aegon would he still be wearing his pin? He believed that he would and it made him angry with himself, he should have known better, and because he hadn't he believed his plans may have already failed
"Lord Tyrion, do you intend to head back to the West once this war is done?" Marq Piper asked, Tyrion taking a swallow of the wine as he tried to clear his head of his thoughts.
"I intend to serve their graces, Ser Marq, and to do so in whatever role they wish." he said with a smile.
"I had heard you were Hand of the Queen?" Lymond Goodbrook asked.
"His grace felt it best for his own Hand to serve in that role, my lord." he said trying his best not to sound bitter.
"Perhaps it's for the best then if you do return to the West my lord" Karyl Vance said.
"I believe I know what's for the best for me, my lord." he said with a smile.
"So you'll give up your claim to Casterly Rock then?" Marq Piper asked.
"I am heir to the Rock, Ser Marq, so no." he said shaking his head.
"I believe that Lady Genna may see things differently, Lord Tyrion." Lymond said with a chuckle.
He listened eagerly as he was then told of events in the West and he found himself cursing everyone, his aunt, his bastard cousin, his father, the king and queen, even himself. He cursed them one and all as he drank more and more. By the time he made his way to his tent, he was very drunk and still he was cursing everyone for his misfortune. His plans were in tatters, the queen and the army not sailing but marching to King's Landing would see to that. After what Jon Snow had done to Ser Gerold his chances of splitting him from the queen were almost done for. Tyrion knowing that she would only love him even the more for it. Falling into his bed with his wine spilling on the floor, were he a different man he'd sob, but he could not. Instead, he lay back and was soon asleep, the dreams and the sound of his father's voice soon coming to him.
" You… you are no… no son of mine".
" I am, I am, your son."
" Then prove it."
The words were still stuck in his head when he woke the next morning. Tyrion getting up and walking to the piss pot and relieving his bladder as he looked around the tent for any sign of some wine. There was none to be found and he knew that he'd feel this way until he did so. After he'd finished his piss, he quickly dressed and walked from the tent, looking to make his way to find some wine and to break his fast. No doubt they'd be marching today and he already found himself not looking forward to a long day in the saddle. He found the wine before the food, drinking it down quickly and feeling more like himself once he'd done so.
His dreams had made things clear to him and he knew now what he needed to do. For now, trying to bring down Jon Snow was a wasted endeavor, he needed to win back even more favor before he did so, and to do that he had to appear good and true. Then and only then would the opportunity present itself and so it was time to begin offering up far better advice. He couldn't be seen to be incompetent and his advice had to be better than that of those around him. So no more would his words be overshadowed by those of a smuggler or a slave. No from now on it would be a lion that the dragons listened to once more. Tyrion almost smirking as he walked towards the smell of food being prepared.
Twenty years his father had served at Aerys side, he'd bided his time and struck only when he knew he'd win. Tyrion doubted he'd have to wait that long for Jon Snow to give him an opportunity and when he did then he would show them all he was his father's son. He sat down and was brought over some bacon burned black before he was then joined by more and more people as they broke their fast. Ser Davos, Missandei, and Grey Worm. Ser Brienne, Ser Jorah, and then Jaime. As Tyrion saw the red dragon on Missandei's shoulders, he felt a knot in the pit of his stomach and quickly looked around to see there was no sign of Jon Snow or of Daenerys either.
"Their graces?" he asked his throat dry.
"Have something they need to take care of." Ser Davos said and Tyrion felt that knot begin to tighten.
Claw Isle 305 AC.
Euron.
The ships had left White Harbor and so he'd readied the Iron Fleet and taken to the sea. It had been something he'd not wished to do which had surprised him, although ever since she truly opened her legs for him he'd felt this way. Usually, the chance to fight and to impose his will upon others was what truly excited him. He'd been hard when he set upon his niece's feet and had almost spent when he'd killed those three bastard snakes. Sailing out into the night and then catching them completely unawares once again proved who it was that truly ruled the sea.
It was like Lannisport all over again and that too felt just as sweet to him even these many years later. There had been no better feeling than it, or so he had thought. Not taking a woman, not killing a man, and not even dreaming of being a king had felt as good as proving that out here on the Silence he truly was a god. The thoughts of doing so to the Dragonqueen's fleet and of taking her for his own had filled his head for weeks. Then Cersei had shown him a side of her that he'd not dreamed she had and soon his thoughts were only filled with what they could do together.
Thoughts of being her king and of her birthing his babe, thoughts of how she tasted and how she felt when he was inside her, all replacing the thoughts of bloody conquest that usually filled his head. When she had told him what she intended to do to the Golden Company, Euron had gotten hard just listening to her speak. The two of them taking their pleasure in each other for the rest of the night and he found himself being driven on by her words.
" Put your babe inside me."
" Fill me with your seed."
" My love, my king."
He closed his eyes and pictured how she looked and for Euron that was something that he had never known before. Women were nothing to him, they were just objects to be used and discarded when they bored him. As for children, what use had he for them, useless things that would only disappoint a father such as he. Just as his own brothers had no doubt disappointed his own father for showing themselves the false Iron Born that they were. But a child of his with her, a lion and a Kraken both, that child could bring the very world to its knees and would one day prove himself to be even greater than he.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he said opening his eyes and shrugging off the hand that dared touch him, the silent sailor pointing in the distance and Euron taking the Myrish eye from his hands.
Looking through it he saw them, the red of the Three Heade Dragon standing proud against the black sails and he smiled knowing that the fools were sailing right into the Kraken's warm embrace.
"Raise the flag." he shouted and moved to the wheel, the time at hand to end this war once and for all.
He looked to the sky to see where the dragons were, frowning when he didn't see them but he knew they'd be here soon enough. At the bow of the Silence, Qyburn's scorpion stood ready, the steel bolts just willing to be fired and Euron began to laugh as he got that feeling once more.
"Come and meet your god" he said still laughing as the Silence sailed towards the dragon fleet.
Dany.
They'd spoken to Davos and had told him to keep marching and Aegon had then given Qhono orders to scout on ahead just in case. She then told Missandei to look after Lyarhaex and had watched as Aegon had knelt beside Ghost, her husband not using any words to tell the wolf to look after them both. Dany had gone and spoken to Arya and asked her to keep Tyrion in her sights and then she and Aegon had taken to the air. Finding their ships was no great task and finding Euron's was even less of a one, Dany feeling her fury rise when she saw them lying in wait.
Aegon had told her they needed to fly high and that he'd look through Rheagal's eyes, something she wasn't even sure could be done but he told her that he had done so before. After seeing the Iron Fleet and doing as Aegon had asked, she looked over to see her husband was directing her to land. Dany following after him as Rhaegal flew on ahead of her. Soon enough they began to descend and once they landed she looked to see Aegon climb down off Rhaegal's back, Dany joining him and seeing a worried look on his face.
"Aegon?"
"They have scorpion's Dany, one on each of the ships." Aegon said.
"For our ships?" she asked worriedly.
"For the dragons." Aegon said and she looked at him shaking her head.
"They can't, Drogon, I almost lost him." she said almost panicked.
"They got lucky with Drogon, Dany, you weren't expecting it. This isn't the Night King and these aren't ice spears. It'll be men that fire them and men can miss. The scorpions are at the front of the ships so we need to come in from behind them and we can use the sun to shield us too. We fly in fast and once we strike, we then fly right back out."
"We can do this" she said determinedly
"We can. I'd not risk you, our babe, or our dragons If I thought it too dangerous" he said.
"I know you'd not." she said as he took her in his arms.
"Fire and Blood, Dany."
"Fire and Blood." she said kissing him before they turned and walked back towards the dragons.
She stood in front of Drogon and rested her head against his, Dany feeling the calm breathing of the dragon as she did so.
"Īlva qrinuntyssy seek naejot ōdrikagon ao ñuha tresy, istiti sagon adere se Drēje." (Our enemies seek to harm you, my son, we must be quick and true.)
Drogon let out what she felt was a snort and despite the worry she felt, Dany found herself laughing as she climbed up onto his back. Her son was confident that he'd not be harmed and that was enough to fill her with even more certainty as she looked to Aegon and nodded. In the merest of moments she was back in the sky and this time she knew that when next she saw the Iron Fleet it would be to lay down a dragon's flames upon them.
Aegon.
Knowledge was a strange thing he thought, he'd been told of what had happened to Rhaegal but had not lived through it himself, the same way he'd not truly lived through Dany's attack on King's Landing. He'd seen the scorpions on the walls of the city and had known what they could do, especially after Rhaegal had been lost. Yet he'd not been able to picture them in his head in relation to the Iron Fleet, nor had he been able to figure out how Dany had then gone about single-handedly destroying the fleet herself.
Aegon knew that he needed to see it, only then could he work out a plan of attack, and had he not been able to then he'd have called this entire thing off. He'd not risk his wife or child, nor would he risk Drogon and Rhaegal either. His own life he'd risk for theirs but he'd not ask the same of them in return. So he'd flown high and through Rhaegal's eyes he'd seen it and the rest had just come to him after that. After speaking to Dany and telling her what needed to be done, he then walked to Rhaegal and leaned in close to speak to him.
"Ȳdra daor sagon zūgagon emi naenie jēdri hēnkirī naejot māzigon, ñuha raqiros." (Don't be afraid we have many years together to come, my friend.) he said.
That he was repeating the words he'd told him as they fought against the Night King wasn't lost on him or on Rhaegal. Aegon soon feeling the warm air blown from Rhaegal's nostrils as the dragon snorted. Aegon looked to Dany as he climbed up onto the dragon's back, his wife laughing and her earlier worry and nervousness both were now gone. With a nod to her, they took to the air, Rhaegal eager to get this over and done with and Aegon feeling exactly the same as how the dragon did.
Rhaegal flew high towards the sun and then as Aegon readied himself they began their descent, the ships soon coming into view.
"Dracarys." he said and the flames came from the dragon, Aegon looking on as the ship was soon aflame.
Pulling up, they dodged a scorpion bolt, and then at his command the ship that fired it was alight, Rhaegal flying away once it was and Aegon looking to see where Drogon was. The black dragon was high in the air and looking through Rhaegal's eyes, Aegon saw that half a dozen ships were now on fire. Off in the distance, their own ships were just coming into view and so Aegon directed Rhaegal to those Iron Born ships closest to them. Dropping down from the sun's light they dodged the two bolts that came their way easily. Aegon ordering Rhaegal to see those who had dared to fire would do so no more.
"Dracarys." he said and Rhaegal duly obliged.
How many passes they made he couldn't tell but there was now a sea of fire beneath them and as he was doing one more pass he saw it finally. The ship was larger than the others and had begun to sail away, Aegon knowing immediately that this was Euron's ship and that the man himself was still aboard.
"Konīr, Rhaīgal, gūrogon nyke konīr." (There, Rhaegal, take me there.) he said and he felt the reluctance of the dragon, Aegon telling him that all would be well.
He didn't tell him his plan completely though as he knew that the dragon wouldn't follow through, their bond had grown so much that he could feel the fear that Rhaegal felt and he knew it was for him that he felt it. Drogon he was sure felt the same about his mother, the fear that he'd be left riderless and alone. It was a fear that he'd seen come true and one he'd make sure remained simply that this time around, for his dragon and for his wife's too.
"Dracarys." he said as he rose up on the Rhaegal's back, the flames soon covering the scorpion and the front of the ship.
As they flew over the rear of it, he saw him standing there and ready to take to the sea, Aegon closing his eyes as he jumped from Rhaegal's back. He could feel the anger from the dragon, the pained roar Rhaegal let out was one that almost broke his heart. The bond they'd built between them cracking just a little as he rolled on the deck of the burning ship. But he knew this had to be done, the man couldn't be let escape, and the only way he'd know for sure that the Euron was dead would be if he killed the man himself.
"Greyjoy." he shouted, Longclaw in hand as he moved towards him.
"You don't look like a Targaryen." Euron said before laughing.
"No, but I am one and it's time for you to pay the Dragon's Price." Aegon said.
"After I kill you, the next time I see the Dragonqueen I'm going to make her my salt wife, then when I'm doing fucking her, I'll hand her over to my love, and together we'll begin to tear her apart piece by piece." Euron said smiling at him.
"First you have to kill me and I've fought far better and far worse men than you. You're no Night King, no White Walker, you're not even a fucking wight. You're just a man and after all I've faced, men are fucking easy." Aegon said as he moved closer and swung Longclaw at Euron's head.
The blow was blocked by Euron's ax and then the flames grew around them and he felt the ship begin to sink, Aegon smiling when his next blow caught Euron across the arm. His pained gasps and step back were the only respite he'd allow him as Aegon began to swing Longclaw at him once more. The sound of the Valyrian Steel as it hit the ax was only added to by the crackling of the wood as it burned. Aegon moved away from a swing from the ax and then was caught by a punch that had him spitting out some blood. Euron laughing loudly once more when he saw it and that cost him another cut, Aegon quickly catching him across the thigh.
"Fucker." Euron shouted as he moved back and Aegont then saw his chance to end this fight.
The ship though listed as he moved and Aegon lost his footing, Euron grinning maniacally as he moved toward him. He brought Longclaw up to block the blow of the ax and as Euron moved to crash his head against his own it was to be the dragonglass dagger that he connected with. Aegon watched as it shattered leaving the edge of it stuck in Euron's left eye. That he didn't get all of it was the only reason that the blow wasn't fatal, but it brought him to his knees and that in of itself was enough for Aegon. While still not fully risen from his own feet he swung Longclaw, the Valyrian steel hitting the flesh of Euron's neck and in that contest there was only ever going to be one winner.
He watched as the head rolled down the deck of the ship and into the flames, a look of complete surprise in the one good eye as the head began to burn. Rising to his feet he looked to the ship and knew it was done for and so he quickly walked to the side and began removing his armor, that it was leather and not metal made it far easier to do so. When he felt he had enough removed he jumped into the water and after a few moments where he was underneath and struggling, he made it back to the top. In the distance, he could see the Iron Fleet was no more, and as he floated he looked up and he saw that both dragons were unharmed.
Aegon smiled when he saw his wife and then he began to swim towards the nearest of their ships. They'd seen the Night King and the Army of the Dead both fall, had now seen to Euron Greyjoy and the Iron Fleet. As he swam he knew he was swimming from the only thing that now stood in their way. For now, he was going in the wrong direction, but he knew that this would be the only quarter that Cersei Lannister would be given. Soon enough she'd learn what it had taken him a lifetime to understand. He was born to be a dragon and the only thing a dragon is a slave to is love. As he was helped up into the ship, he looked up to the sky and saw her.
"My love, my life, my wife." he said softly as Dany flew over his head.