Candied Ginger

The baggage train arrived not long after Aegon finished breaking his fast. He was not overly interested until he was informed that there was a chest especially for him. The delivery was from the Reach but the chest had come from Pentos by ship, He tried not to jump from one foot to the other when it was brought to his tent. As soon as it was placed in front of him he opened it eagerly.

Lord Connington came to see him while he was elbow deep in the contents. Aegon ignored him, rummaging excitedly through the bottom. He snatched out the prize he had been searching for.

"Candied ginger" he announced triumphantly.

It had always been his favourite. He associated it with warm days in Pentos. It had been two years since he had last had any and his mouth watered at the mere thought. It was so sweet and spicy and chewy. It reminded him of all things good.

Aegon might have been happy. Connington did not share his glee. Lady Nym then swooped in and snatched the parcel from his hand. She ripped it open, immune to his rather childish wail of protest.

"We must make sure it is not poisoned cousin" she said lazily, raising an eyebrow at him. She sniffed at it then ate one piece. He made to snatch it back but not before she took another. "We must be certain."

He scowled at her but all she did was smile and lick the remaining sugar from her fingers. He consoled himself that he finally had the treats back in his own hands. Before he could sit down to enjoy them he was stopped again, this time by Connington.

"You are late for the meeting."

Aegon sighed and began to head out of the tent. Lord Connington stopped him, using his best disapproving father voice.

"You cannot eat sit in a war council eating candied ginger."

He wanted to protest but Connington's expression brooked no arguments. Feeling thwarted and frustrated, he found a box by his bed and secured the parcel deep within it. Nobody will find it there. Aegon did not want to come back and find out that somebody had eaten it while he was gone. He might be a prince but these days when it came to rare items like candies, fealty did not count for as much as it should.

The meeting was tedious. Aegon tried to look attentive but his craving for sugar rendered him incapable of doing much more than nodding politely and deferring to Lord Connington. When it was finally over he left with far more haste than was appropriate. His impatience was likely obvious as some of his men stopped him on his way back to the tent. It was a relief when he finally pushed through the flap. The relief was short lived.

Aegon had just retrieved the package, being careful of the torn wrappings when he heard a voice behind him.

"You were in a hurry."

He almost jumped out of his skin. I hate when she does that. It was Arya, she had entered the tent so silently that she was behind him before he even realised it. Aegon knew it was stupid and he knew it was futile but he tried to tuck the candies under his arm.

"What are you hiding Aegon?"

He cursed inwardly and turned to face her. It was normally so pleasant to see her. She had discarded the armour for once and the clothes she wore showed her shape, even if they were men's clothes. Usually it would have been enough to undo him but his desire for the candied ginger was just marginally stronger.

"It is a gift" he said defensively.

Arya switched to predator mode and Aegon knew he was doomed. He tried to evade her even though he knew it was pointless. They were ripped from his grasp. He felt his shoulders drop in resignation. She was looking at them curiously.

"What is it?"

"Candied ginger"

Arya gave him a queer look. "Why are you being so weird about it?"

"I am not being weird" he protested. "I just wanted to enjoy them. They came this morning and I haven't even been able to eat one yet."

Arya looked at them in a calculating way and lifted them to give them a sniff. Aegon was starting to feel a horrible sense of déjà vu.

"Are you sure they aren't poisoned?"

Aegon huffed and tried to keep his temper. "Yes I'm sure. Nymeria ate two already."

Arya smiled. Aegon liked her smile but this one made him feel unsettled. There was something not right about it. She settled on a stool with the parcel in her lap. She isn't going to give them back he realised helplessly.

"Do you know why I'm here?"

"I do" he replied. She had been trying to teach him to see when people were lying. He did not have the patience for it right now. "Can't it wait until I have eaten?"

"No" she said and her eyes gleamed. "Think of it as an incentive."

"I am supposed to be King" he whined in desperation.

Arya was unmoved. "You should have thought of this before you gave the North independence. I don't have to do as you say." The corners of her mouth quirked. "I will give them to you if you can tell when I am lying."

I am never going to get them back.

He tried to negotiate. "I will let you eat some if you let me have them now."

Arya's laugh rang out like a chime. "If I wanted to eat them right now you could not stop me." Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

She has me there.

Aegon gave in and dragged his stool closer. He usually liked this game but today it was a chore. His eyes often went to the sweets. They were so close and yet so impossibly out of reach.

"Are you even listening Aegon?" Arya asked after catching him focusing on them too much.

"No" he answered honestly.

She sighed. "Are they really that important?" Her expression was that of one looking at a small child.

He felt shame but he could not help himself. "Yes. You would understand if you tried them."

Her response was to look at him intently before inspecting the parcel again. She made a task out of looking through them before making a selection. Aegon resisted the urge to pull at his hair and shout at her. Just pick one, they are all the same!

Her eyes widened when she put the piece in her mouth. "It's good" she mumbled with her mouth still full.

"I told you" he replied impatiently. She looked distracted. He wondered if the odds of successfully retrieving them had improved at all. He somehow doubted it.

"I'm sorry" she said, looking truly remorseful. She stood and brought them over to him. "I did not mean to torture you."

Aegon took them from her before something else could happen to keep them from him. Arya had some sugar still in the corner of her mouth. He reached up and brushed it away with his thumb before picking up a piece of the candied ginger and finally popping it into his mouth. It tasted even better than he remembered. He did not know whether that was because he had to work so hard for it or whether it was because Arya was by his side, watching him with affection.

Haldon loomed in the entrance and opened his mouth to say something. Aegon cut him off, not caring that he still had his mouth full.

"Whatever it is it can wait just a few minutes"

Haldon shut his mouth again and retreated. Aegon prayed that there would be no more interruptions. It was ridiculous that he could not be given just a few moments peace to enjoy his gift.

When I am King nobody will keep me from my candied ginger.