"Azer... Azer... Azer!!" Ashara nearly screamed his name, snapping him out of his dazed state, and it was loud enough to alarm the two Knights outside the room.
Arthur and Mooton barged into the room, fearing the worst, but were stunned when they saw Azaerys sitting in his bed, silently shedding tears.
"Arthur..."
"Please, wait outside, Arthur, Ser Myles." A soft voice cut Ashara off before she could speak to her brother.
"My Prince, I will call the Maesters..."
"No."
The coldness in his voice made them all flinch.
"You will not call anyone, and you will not inform anyone that I am awake." He raised his head, and his grief-stricken purple eyes clenched their hearts. "I am fine."
"But Prince..."
"Let's go outside, Mooton." Arthur put his hand on the younger Knight's shoulder, and after taking a glance at the stone in Azaerys' lap, something he knew was not inside this room before, he walked outside, dragging his companion with him.
Once the door closed again, the Young Prince failed to hold back his sobs, and Ashara failed to hold back her tears too when she saw him in such a state.
She tightened her arms around him, holding him in her embrace, and allowed him all the time he needed.
In her mind, his earlier words echoed.
They were all going to die...
"Have Viserys and Grandma left for Dragonstone?" Azaerys asked, and Ashara was stunned when she heard the question.
"Yes. A few hours ago."
"Elia, Egg, Rhae?"
"The King did not allow them to leave. He..."
"He fears that my Father is after his throne and would kill him upon his return. And needs to keep Dorne loyal." He sadly whispered.
"Yes..." Ashara tried to not ask any questions, but she failed as her fears started gripping her heart. "What did you see, Azer?"
"Death. A new King on the Iron Throne, whose name is Baratheon." He hollowly said, and her soul nearly left her body.
Azer comfortingly squeezed her arm when her body started shaking, and her face was now paler than his.
"Don't panic." He whispered, but she seemed to not hear him. "Ashara." He hated doing it but used his magic to influence her mind and grab her attention. "Do not panic."
"Azer..."
"We are not going to die. I promise you." He whispered, and after sorting out his thoughts, he pushed himself to get out of bed.
His body was so stiff and weak that he could barely stand on his feet without swaying, and he had to hold the bedpost with both hands to steady himself.
The young Prince stared at the Silver Egg on the bed whilst regulating the Blood through his body, and his thoughts travelled to all the images that he saw after waking up.
Ashara wiped away her tears and got up as well, but then stopped and stared at the Egg that he was staring at.
"What is this, Azer?" She pensively asked.
"A Dragon Egg." He answered. "From Valyria."
Her eyes widened in dismay at those words.
Only four people in the world knew that Azer would sometimes wake you with things that were not present in his room before, and it was the secret they never dared to divulge. But where he usually woke up with a fruit, a jar of honey, a pouch of Gold Dragons, or some knives or things he came across in his Dreams, he had not ended up bringing a Dragon Egg with him before.
"You went to Valyria?" She gulped in fear, recalling all the nightmarish tales she had heard about that accursed land, and then apprehensively looked at the Egg.
"Not by choice." He told her and then closed his eyes to control his trembling heart and the fears that crept into his mind. "It's worse than the horrors recorded in the books. Not a place a living being should ever step into."
Ashara trembled at his words and then found herself intrigued by the shine of the Egg.
"Is it..."
"It will hatch." He painfully whispered and wiped away the tear that slipped out of his eyes. "Help me get ready, Ash."
The pain in his voice was heart-wrenching, and the Dayne held back her tears as she started helping him wipe and then dress up.
Azaerys glanced at her when she unabashedly took her clothes off as well and then wore a new dress from his cupboard.
To her, he was still a child, but he had seen things in his dreams now that she could never even imagine in her wildest thoughts.
His brows furrowed a little, and he lowered his head, recalling things that he saw about all of them.
"Do you like Eddard Stark, Ash?"
Ashara froze at his words and then turned to look at him, wearing an annoyed expression.
"You believe the rumours too?"
"No." He shook his head. "I know the truth, but I don't know what is in your heart." He smiled at her.
"I danced with over a dozen people that night, Azer. He was just one of them. Yes, he was sweet, and I liked his company, but I am not going to sleep with a boy I just met that night." She irritatedly said.
"I see." He whispered. "Ash..."
"Yes?" She asked as she brushed her hair and walked over to him to get some help tying her dress from the back.
"Nothing." He hesitated and carefully helped her tie her dress.
"Say it."
"No."
"Say it!" She irritatedly said, and he smiled at her stubbornness.
"I don't want you to be anyone other than me. I will need you by my side." He lightly said, and at any other time, she would have teased him, just like she had always done whenever he claimed that he would grow up to marry her, but now, she froze as she sensed that his words were not innocent.
"What did you see?" She asked, furrowing her brows.
"I will need you by my side." He said, refusing to tell her anything, and then took a deep breath. "Do you know who your mother was?" He curiously asked.
"Yes. She was the Ward of my Grandmother. Daughter of Herald Dayne, a Knight, and Viserra Velaryon. My grandmother died shortly after my mother was born, and my grandfather passed away in a battle. Father and she grew up together and then got married." She frowned and told him what she knew about her mother. "She passed away after Allyria's birth, ten years ago."
"She was an illegitimate Targaryen."
The words exploded in her mind, and she abruptly turned around to look at him.
"What?"
"She was the illegitimate daughter of Daeron Targaryen, son of Aegon the Fifth, and Viserra Velaryon."
"Daeron was..."
"Interested in men, yes, but he was with Viserra before he broke her heart and pursued his abominable affair with his squire. She never told him that she was pregnant, and married a Knight in haste to prevent anyone from questioning your mother's legitimacy."
"You saw it?" She frowned.
"Yes. And I saw your and your siblings' births too."
Ashara took a deep breath and then looked him in the eyes, trying to see past his intentions.
"You want to marry me."
"Yes."
"I am older than you by five years, Azer. You need a wife your age or someone younger. Marry Allyria."
Azaerys frowned at those words and sensed Ashara's restlessness.
"You don't want to be a Queen." He bared her fears, and she flinched at his words.
"It's just not me." She whispered, lowering her head.
"I will not force you to be a Queen if you don't want to be one, but you will be marrying me." He told her, and before she could grow angry at him, she saw the sadness in his eyes and stopped. "I trust you."
"You are forcing me, Azer."
"I am." He coldly said, and then grabbed her hand, feeling its softness.
Azerys closed his eyes and lowered his head before sighing, upset that he had answered so coldly to her.
"I am sorry, Ash."
She remained silent at his words but did not retract her hand.
Eventually, a smile formed on her lips, and she leaned in to plant a kiss on his head.
"I will wait for you." She promised, and a smile broke out on Azerys' face.
"We will fly on Dragons!" He excitedly told her, and despite the circumstances they found themselves in, she was relieved and giggled at seeing that he had not lost all his innocence.
"I will hold you on that promise."
Arthur and Mooton were anxiously waiting outside the door, and when they finally heard it open and saw the smiles on Azaerys' and Ashara's faces, they relaxed.
"My Prince." The Sword of the Morning bowed to him, and Myles followed his lead.
"Myles."
"Yes, Prince?"
"Make arrangements in secret. You will be leaving the Red Keep and heading to the Dragonstone with Princess Elia and my siblings tonight."
"The King..."
"My father left you under my command, Myles." His smile creased, and the Knight frowned at his words.
"My Prince..."
"Are you disobeying my command?"
"I do not dare!" He saluted and then walked away to make the arrangements as he had asked.
As soon as Myles disappeared from the hallway, both Ashara and Azaerys' expressions turned solemn.
"Arthur."
"Yes?"
"My father will not be coming back. Twyin Lannister has decided to get even with my grandfather and to make him pay the old debts that are owed."
Both the Daynes frowned at his words, and the Knight lowered his eyes in sadness.
His fears had come true.
Rhaegar was going to fall at the Trident, and it was too late to warn him.
"Your command, My Prince?"
"Don't die."
"As you say," Arthur promised and then followed Azaerys towards the Throne Room.
On their way, the servants were shocked to see the Young Prince awake, and seeing that he did not look sick, they respectfully greeted him and scurried away, now believing in the rumours even more.
How could someone who had been bedridden for six moons wake and look so radiant? Evil Charmer!
Their reactions no longer caused Azaerys any sorrow. He no longer cared about them, and it was beneath him to make efforts to gain their approval.
If they could not appreciate his kindness, they did not deserve it in the first place.
The guards outside the Great Hall opened the tall doors, and they heard the mad cackles of Aerys, who seemed to be talking with a Maester.
By his side, only Ser Jamie Lannister, the youngest of the Kingsguard, stood, but there were a few more knights closer to the door.
Everyone in the Hall froze when they saw who had just entered, but soon Aerys was madly laughing again, this time, with hints of happiness.
"Azaerys, my Dragon! They said you would never wake up, but they don't know that we are the Gods! Ahahahaha.."
"Grandfather." He bowed to his Grandsire, and Arthur and Ashara knelt to the King, not daring to raise their heads.
"Come! Sit with me." Aerys invited him to sit on the Iron Throne, and he smiled before he slowly climbed up the stairs.
He held back his tears as his Grandsire lovingly patted his hand, and when he saw the cuts and bruises that his hand had received from the Throne, his heart ached.
"Do you fly in your Dreams, Azaerys?"
"No, Grandsire."
"You are still a Dragonling, but you will fly with me one day." He laughed.
"Yes, I will." He sadly replied and then looked at the Maester who was curiously looking at him. "Leave." He commanded, and the man frowned but wisely left as he knew that if he hesitated, Aerys would have his head. "You too." He then glanced at the Knights near the door, but they hesitated and looked towards their King.
"Leave!" Aerys commanded, and they finally relented. "Insolent, that bunch. I don't even know their names."
"I want to talk to you about something, Grandsire." The Young Prince said as soon as those Knights felt the Hall.
"Speak." The old man asked as he checked his grandson's hands and nails and then matched them with his own.
"I want to send Elia, Rhaenys, and Aegon to the Dragonstone tonight."
"Why?" The King confusedly asked. "Do you want to help your father usurp my Throne, Azaerys?" His voice turned cold, and both Jamie and Arthur tensed up.
"I dare not, Grandsire. And Father loves you. He would never dare to do what the rumours say."
"He wants my Throne, but I will burn him if he dares." Aerys laughed in his madness, but then stopped and looked at his grandchild, who lowered his head and stayed silent.
The Mad King's eyes briefly flickered in hints of brilliance, and then in sadness. When he spoke next, he said something that shocked everyone in the Hall.
"Do you want to go see your Grandmother, Azaerys?" He asked, with a voice that contained hints of gentleness.
"Yes, Grandsire." He nodded his head, and the King laughed in response.
"Go. Take them with you." He gave his permission and then pushed him off the Throne.
"Thank you." Azaerys smiled at him and bowed, and when he met Aerys' eyes again, all he saw was sadness.
"Tell her..."
"I will, Grandsire." He promised, knowing well what the Mad King wanted to say.
Aerys' eyes bore into his grandson's back as he watched him leave, and his body started trembling.
"Azaerys."
"Yes, Grandfather?" He stopped and turned around to look at his old man, who was sitting on his Throne, looking very agitated.
"Burn them all!" He grinned, and the madness in his voice chilled Arthur, Ashara, and Jamie's hearts.
"I shall, Grandsire." Azaerys smiled at him and bowed again. "And we will fly together. I promise."
"Good! Burn them all. All of them!" He laughed and his laughter echoed in the Hall even after they were long gone.
Jamie Lannister, who witnessed the interaction between Aerys and Azaerys, would remember this day for the rest of his life.
And it was the moment he started questioning if the Mad King was really mad or if it was all a pretence.
But for the moment, as he saw the King start speaking to himself and the shadows, he believed that he really was mad.