Chapter 101 - The King II

(Third Person POV)

"F-Father...." Alicent walked inside Otto's room, "I...." 

Otto was sitting down next to the fireplace, holding a cup of wine, "Hm?" 

Alicent's eyes were red, from crying, she had hurried all the way over there after seeing the King. 

"I..." She sniffed

Otto stood up, "Alicent." He said, "You went to see the King, what happened? Is-" 

He stopped himself, seeing Alicent's eyes as she avoided eye contact. Within that split-second, the Hand understood what had happened. His face hardened and he composed himself, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes. 

"H-He's gone." Alicent said softly, "H-He was speaking to me and then.....nothing....." 

Otto slowly walked over to her, "It is okay, my daughter." He said as he placed his hands on her shoulders, "Tell me, what happened?" 

"He just closed his eyes and..." Alicent said shakily, "And he just...stopped breathing....." 

"I see." Otto said, "His illness took him. Was he in any pain?" 

"I don't know...." Alicent said as she fidgeted with her fingers, "He seemed to be in some sort of...delirium...he kept saying a lot of things....but he didn't complain about pain....just about the cold...." 

"I understand." Otto said, "It is quite unfortunate....the King.....he was a good man..." 

"Father..." She said as she looked up at him, "He said something....He told me..." 

"What is it?" Otto asked

"He spoke about the Throne." She said softly, "The Prince That Was Promise....Aegon...." 

"Aegon?" Otto said, "His Grace said what?" 

"He should be in the throne....." Alicent whispered, "He told me he wanted Aegon to be King.....that he should be King.....He said Aegon was the one who would save us....." 

"Viserys.....said that?" Otto asked

"Y-Yes....I swear it....." Alicent said, "I wouldn't lie about something like that....I....He said....He mentioned Aerion too...he said that Aerion made a choice.....Aerion supports Aegon....that's what he said....." 

"Aerion?" Otto said, "Aerion supports Aegon? I don't see that to be possible....but if His Grace made his choice....then we must quickly act. Who else knows of this?" 

"N-Nobody....It's just me....I came directly here..." Alicent said

"Nobody should know...." Otto said, "Stay here. I will go and take care of this. I will send someone for you, to take you to the Small Council Room." 

"O-Okay...." Alicent said as she slowly walked over to a chair

Otto sighed and began to walk towards the door, exiting the room. 

Several minutes later, As The Hand went to make his way down the empty and quiet halls, towards the King's chambers, he noticed a figure dart around the corner. 

He frowned, "Who goes there?" He called as he turned the corner and saw a figure draped in a veil, slowly walking down the hall, "Stop." 

The figure stopped and slowly turned around as Otto slowly walked towards it, "Hmmm...." A distorted voice said

Otto stopped, "You....." He said as he saw the woman in black look at him, "Who are you?" 

He then saw that she was holding a glass jar, a bright red glow emitting from it. 

"Tsk tsk tsk." The Woman said, "Am I something you should be worried about, Otto Hightower?" 

Otto frowned, "W-What.....?" He said, "State your name, less I call the guards to detain you." 

"Do you remember what Jaehaerys told you?" The Woman said, "The blood of the chosen shall give birth to the Dragon God." 

Otto widened his eyes, taken aback by this, "Y-You...." He said, "Such superstitions...I demand to know what your business is he-" 

The Woman suddenly disappeared, smoke replacing her where she stood. There was the sound of gusting wind that followed her, leaving Otto alone and with a bit of bewilderment. 

"What....?" Otto looked around, confused, "What was that?" 

**************

[Dragonstone]

Aerion laid in his bed, next to Rhaenyra, sleeping soundly as he began to get images in his dreams, vivid images that began to overtake his sleep. 

He was taken back to the North, standing atop a snowy hill, feeling the freezing temperatures fill his entire body and cause every fiber of his being to shiver. He was looking around, seeing many shadows rise from the snow. 

He opened his mouth but no sound came out. The shadows crept closer, their blue glowing eyes piercing Aerion as he took a step back. He reached for his swords but none of them were there. Looking down, he noticed that he was wearing a dark colored outfit, different than what he was used to. 

He looked back up to see the shadows were multiplying, creating a vast ocean of black in the snow before him. It got colder, much colder than what he felt in his time beyond the wall.

This dream felt different, it felt real. Aerion would often have dreams like these but he chalked it up to him merely remembering his time over there, being reminded of what nearly happened, of what they encountered. He dismissed them as nightmares, that was all. 

But this felt different, Aerion could tell. Aerion felt something he could faintly feel everytime he rode Vermithor, something in his blood. It was strange, he couldn't explain it but he could feel it, in his veins and in the back of his head. 

Aerion felt a massive thud behind him and he turned around, seeing a massive wall of shadows towering him as several different tall and white figures stood in front of it. He peered into the eyes of the Demons he encountered back then, they were staring at him right back. 

He opened his mouth once again and like before, no sound came out.

Suddenly, a lone figure emerged from the wall of shadows, the white demons moving away from it as it slowly walked up to him. 

Aerion widened his eyes to see that it was the Corpse In The Wall, it's cold eyes staring at him as he stood there, the black cloak flowing in the icy wind. There was an overwhelming feeling of anxiety that began to fill Aerion's body, something was telling him this was much more than just a Dream. 

He then heard the clashing of steel and the image around him distorted, changing almost immediately. He looked around to see that he was no longer in the snowy hill, but in a snowy forest that was covered in shadows that were slowly forming into the figures of men, fighting beneath the trees. 

Aerion then heard the clanking of steel and he turned around, seeing several men fighting against what he recognized to be the same white demons. He saw them opening their mouths, as if they were letting out battle cries, but heard no sound come from them. 

He blinked, a bit confused at this sight and then slowly turned to see a single lone figure dragging himself across the snow, clutching onto his midsection while blood trailed behind him. Aerion frowned and focused his vision on the young man in front of him. 

The young man had dark hair and eyes, wearing the Night's Watch clothing and was holding a sword that Aerion recognized to be of Valyrian Steel. On the pommel of the sword, from what Aerion could tell, was a white wolf adorned on it. Aerion didn't recognize the blade, but assumed that the young man was a Stark or so he believed. 

He saw that the young man was walking towards another man on the ground, who was slowly getting to his knees.

This man had shorter hair and blue eyes, his outfit was similar to the other one. There was blood covering his face as he panted heavily, looking off into the distance. Aerion followed his gaze and saw the Corpse standing off into the distance, holding a sword in his cold hand. 

The young man the Stark walked up to stood up, holding another Valyrian Steel blade in his hand. Aerion didn't recognize either of the blades, but he noticed that the young man was tall and muscular. The two of them were panting heavily, staring off to the Corpse who slowly walked towards them, ice forming around him, covering the entire snow. 

Aerion then heard a loud explosion behind him; he turned around to see the Wall crumbling down to the ground in the far distance and green fire erupting from it as a massive winged figure crashed through it. 

There was an ominous feeling coming from this sight, something he couldn't explain. The vision the distorted once again and Aerion was taken to a black plane, where he stood there by himself. 

It was at this moment that Aerion realized this was in fact a Dream, but one that Dreamers have. This was a prophetic Dream, one that Viserys and Helaena were capable of having. But why was Aerion having one? He was not a Dreamer, he never had a dream like this. Was this a vision of the Future? What did this mean? 

"I...." He said, sound finally coming out of his mouth, "What was this?" 

He then saw a massive eye opening in the far distance, staring into him. 

This unsettled him and he took a step back out of caution. 

Aerion then began to feel heat rising from all around him and he saw flames erupt all around him. 

"What? What's going on?" He began to say

"It is much bigger than any of us can imagine."  A voice said in High Valyrian, "Can you not see?" 

Aerion looked around him not seeing anything but the flames that began to form around him, "Who goes there?" He exclaimed, "What is this?!" 

"The question is.....are you important to the future?" The voice said, "Perhaps, perhaps not. We shall see. He saw it, The King did. And he believes you have some role to play." 

"Is he right?"