Ok so here's another chapter, once again thank you for the response I appreciate it. This is the last non Robb chapter for a while, it'll be back to Robb and back to Westeros - yay. I also have many plans for Aegon.
Also he's a Dornishman so he's going to have an appetite.
Have I mentioned my plans for this series? Probably not but Aegon is important for the next book once I get around to finishing this one - which hopefully I will. And hopefully you all stick around for that, so once again thank you.
XXV
AEGON
HE was so sick of travelling on ships, he was sick of the ocean and could not wait to place his feet on dry land. Aegon spent his time on his own ship, one of the last ships that were following Daenerys's contingent, who followed behind Robb Stark's ships.
"We're close!" One of his men shouted, "I can see land!"
"How long?" Aegon called up to the man.
"About a night or so!" The man yelled back his answer, "But we will arrive soon, Your Grace!"
That relieved Aegon, he could not wait to see the ancestral home of his family.
"Your Grace," he heard someone say softly and he lifted his head, turning to look at Septa Lemore. "Come with me, please," she urged him.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked her, concerned.
"I just wished to speak with you," she cleared her throat. "I am afraid this has not been solved, who will become the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms."
"It seems like my aunt thinks it has been solved," he rolled his eyes. "Robb Stark will have the North, and she will have the rest of the Kingdoms. I will be left with nothing, I do not think she cares what happens to me."
It was unfortunate, that his aunt believed she was meant to be the ruler. But she was not, if anything she should have ruled beside him as his Queen. Rubbing his hands together, he looked up at the blue sky and watched as they continued to sail toward Westeros.
"I am sure that is not true," Septa Lemore laid a hand on his arm. "Not including her children, you are both the last Targaryens left within this world. I am sure that she would not be so cruel to you, I cannot see her doing such a thing."
Aegon wasn't so sure. He was not so sure of his future when he went back to Westeros, he doubted many would believe him that he was the real Aegon Targaryen. He would need Jon Connington and Lord Varys to assure them that he was Aegon, but with Lord Varys serving the Lannisters he doubted the man would admit such a thing. It left him in a limbo like state that would not go away, he did not know if he would ever be welcome on the shores of Westeros.
"We will go to Dorne, correct?" Septa Lemore asked him as she stared at the man she had raised.
"That is what they want from us," Aegon shrugged his shoulders. "Robb Stark will go to the North to take back his home from the Boltons and I will go to Dorne to win them over."
"I am sure they will support you," Septa Lemore had hope. "The Martells are your family, and their hatred of the Lannisters is great. I am sure that they would back you, especially Prince Oberyn Martell and Princess Arianne Martell. You will win Dorne's support, but they may not support your aunt, they may support yourself instead."
"What will Daenerys do?" Aegon asked the Septa suddenly, looking into her violet eyes. It was odd she had violet eyes. "Will she burn Dorne to gain their support?"
"I would not be surprised," Septa Lemore held no love for Daenerys Targaryen. "It will be the Dornish Wars again, but she would lose support. I do not think that the people of Westeros wish for another war."
"I cannot allow them to be forced to witness a war again," Aegon decided. "Unfortunately, I might have to bend the knee to her."
"But you cannot," Septa Lemore shook her head. "You are the rightful heir to the Seven Kingdoms. Perhaps if your sister was alive," she looked down sadly. "Then it would be more difficult, your reign could come into question."
"Unfortunately, my sister was murdered," he clenched his hands into fists. "I want Gregor Clegane's head for myself. Do you think she will give me that?"
"I suppose, she should," Septa Lemore pressed her hands together. "It would only cement your bond as family if she was to give you the heads of those who murdered your mother and sister."
"How so?"
"You need to show that you are strong," Septa Lemore encouraged. "You need to show that the two of you are strong, that your family bonds have not been damaged. She is already married with three children, guaranteed heirs to the Iron Throne. But if it shows that she is also close with her nephew, it could show unity for House Targaryen."
"Unity is important," he mused. "As is, most of House Lannister is torn between supporting the Lannisters on the throne and the Lannisters at Casterly Rock. Is that correct?"
"That's correct," Jon Connington announced. "Most follow Lord Tyrion Lannister because he protects him, others followed Queen Cersei out of obligation."
"They have made an awful mess of it," Septa Lemore agreed. "But Westeros will be attempting to repair itself and there will be many who will resists to a Targaryen on the throne again, but I know that I would prefer a Targaryen over a Lannister."
Sometimes Aegon wondered about his Septa, but he never questioned her deeply. He did not have the right to.
"What of the Stark?" Aegon had interacted with Robb Stark and his Dothraki wife minimally, he avoided it as best he could as he mostly wanted to interact with his aunt.
"I think it is foolish," Jon Connington was honest. "The Starks bent the knee for a reason, and they should remain bent. If the North has a right to be independent, other territories will declare themselves independent. The Iron Islands did it also."
"But it is also beneficial," Septa Lemore argued. "The North is vast and very different to the South, it would only make sense if they were independent."
"Robb Stark does not need to be a King," Jon Connington scowled before swearing, "Those fucking Starks are always in places they do not belong."
"Jon," Aegon frowned at the man who had raised him. "Please, withhold your anger at Lyanna Stark. Robb Stark is not his aunt, I do not think he meant to become King. But it has been handed to him, if it ensures that we are not killed we will support the choices of my aunt. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Your Grace," but there seemed to be rage inside Jon Connington, still. "But we should not become complacent with our place. You deserve much more, Aegon, you are supposed to be King."
"Yes, perhaps that was what I was meant to be at birth," he frowned. "But I have been away for years, and Daenerys has ensured her reign. She has three heirs, who will they be more likely to follow?"
"It will be hard for them to choose," Septa Lemore placed a hand on Aegon's shoulder. "Now come, there is still much you need to learn about Westeros."
"Have I not learnt enough?" He joked as he followed his Septa. "You have spoken to me of Westeros since I was a child."
"But I wish to speak of Dorne," Septa Lemore informed him, grasping his hand as they headed into his cabin.
"Dorne?" He looked to her as he sat down behind his desk inside the cabin. "I should send a letter to my aunt, correct? If I can ensure that Dorne will back her, she will know that I am here to support her, rather than to murder her and overthrow her."
"But there is still much to learn about Dorne," Lemore insisted as she placed her hands together. "You will be welcomed as your mother was Princess Elia Martell, House Martell will welcome you back with open arms and they will support you."
"But I will need them to support my aunt Daenerys," Aegon placed his elbows down on the table. He then placed his chin in his hands as he watched Septa Lemore.
"And they will," Septa Lemore held up her hand. "But do not forget that if you give them the chance, they will fight for you to overthrow Daenerys."
While that was… tempting, he did not want to lose the last family member he had.
"I should not overthrow her," Aegon finally said. "She has a larger army, she is also my aunt and we are the last two Targaryens."
"Family must stick together," Septa Lemore agreed. "It is best that the two of you manage to ensure that House Targaryen does not fall to extinction."
Aegon smiled at his Septa, "You are Dornish, yes?"
"I am," she admitted, though it seemed to take a lot out of her to admit to her. "I am Dornish, I cannot forget it."
"I suppose we can never forget where we come from," he rubbed his hands together.
"No," she agreed before rising to her feet. "Send a letter to Queen Daenerys, discussing us heading straight to Dorne rather than Dragonstone."
"Yes, Septa Lemore."
Aegon's favourite girl drowned days into their trip. He was sad but not heartbroken, the Lys native that looked more Valyrian than he did had been a bright spot in his life. But she was not the woman that had held his heart, she would never be. Yet he used his grief as an excuse to hold an orgy in his cabin with his other mistresses, he did have an appetite of a Dornishman. Many of the Golden Company joked amongst each other but would keep themselves quiet whenever their Prince would emerge from his cabin, not wanting to risk his ire.
"Are you feeling much better?" Septa Lemore asked him as she entered the cabin, mindful of the sleeping naked bodies of women.
"Much," Aegon was dressed only in trousers, running his fingers through his hair that had once been blue. It was now silver gold, the colour of his father's hair. "How was your night?"
"Much more subdued than yours," Septa Lemore quirked a smirk at her Prince.
"Well, you are a Septa!" There was a twinkle in Aegon's eye, "If you had a night much like mine I would have been very concerned about your vows!"
Septa Lemore smiled down at one of the young courtesans who awoke suddenly. She then reached down to help the young woman up to her feet. The woman was beautiful, with curling red hair and pale skin. The young woman smiled at Septa Lemore, before coquettishly smiling at Aegon who only nodded at her. Helping the girl, she handed her a dress and the young woman changed before escaping out of the cabin. No other young women had awoken yet, but Prince Aegon was known to have a ferocious appetite and he would have worn out most of the young women.
"Do you want some wine?" Aegon offered his Septa, holding out a goblet to her.
"No," she held out her hand. "I only wanted to bring you this letter."
"A letter?" Aegon took it from Septa Lemore's fingers.
"Yes," Septa Lemore nodded at him. "I believe that it may be from Queen Daenerys, I do not think that King Robb Stark would send you a letter."
"I agree," Aegon could not help but agree. "I do not think that Robb Stark likes me all that much."
"I cannot imagine why," Septa Lemore was not sarcastic. She was happy, a smile on her face as she stared at the man who she had raised.
"Neither can I," Aegon muttered as he opened the letter.
We are growing closer to Westeros, to Dragonstone where we will stop over. I expect you to dock with us.
Queen Daenerys
"Well," he placed the letter down on his desk, sipping some of the wine before turning to Septa Lemore. "I have received my orders. I guess I must do as I am told, I do not wish to risk angering my aunt. I would imagine that she would turn me over to her dragons, have them eat me alive."
"I do not imagine being eaten alive by her dragons would be very pleasant," Septa Lemore nodded at another woman who rose and dressed herself, exiting the cabin. "Once again I am very sorry for the death of Lyria."
"You do not need to be sorry," Aegon informed the Septa. "Lyria was not strong enough to make the journey. It is a shame, but I did not love her, and she was not my wife."
"But it is still sad that you have lost someone important to you," Septa Lemore frowned at her. "You have lost so much in your short life, I do not wish for you to lose more."
"I have lost my throne, and I will never get it back," he reminded her. "It will go to my aunt, I cannot afford a war with her."
"And neither can the rest of Westeros," Septa Lemore nodded as the two of them exited the cabin.
"Your Grace!" One of the men call, one who was much younger than Aegon. "Ser Connington wishes to speak with you on the top deck!"
"Thank you," he nodded at the young man, before smiling at Septa Lemore and heading up the stairs to the top deck.
Jon Connington was standing at the top of the deck, watching the ships out in front of them that were sailing closer and closer toward Westeros. He had his hands on his hips, his skin red from the sun as it had always been since Aegon had known him. While Aegon became bronze in the sun, as did most of the man on the ship, Connington became red rather than brown. It was amusing to Aegon, but he would never bring it up to purposefully to embarrass the older man.
"You wished to see me?" Aegon asked the back of the man.
"Yes," Jon turned slowly. "We must get in contact with Lord Varys."
"The Lord of Whispers?" Aegon frowned at the man, "Why would you suggest such a thing?"
"Because we must come up with a way to ensure you are placed on the Iron Throne," Jon Connington pressed his lips together. "You are the true heir, not Daenerys Targaryen."
"You wish to risk our lives going against her?" Aegon frowned at the man, "I thought we agreed that we would fall in line behind her, that we would allow her to become the queen."
"But it is not the way," Jon Connington turned to frown at the young prince. "Your father would want you to be King, you should be King of the Seven Kingdoms."
"Such a thing will only result in another war," Aegon frowned up at the man. "It does not matter what my father wanted, Jon, my father is dead. Daenerys is the only member of my family that is alive, I cannot betray her. Why do you not seem to understand? I cannot turn my back on her and betray her, I will not."
Jon Connington scowled, "If that is what you wish."
"It is what I wish," Aegon Targaryen shook his head. "I do not think that I wish to cause much tension between my aunt and I. Do you understand me? And we are not alone, I have three young cousins. The Targaryens are beginning to rise from the ashes, I cannot risk our house becoming extinct."
"I understand, Your Grace," Jon Connington obviously did not like the idea. Aegon could see it on the man's face, he wanted Aegon to become the next King of the Seven Kingdoms, but such a thing would not happen.
"Do you?" Aegon frowned at the man, "Because I do not think that you do understand. I do not want to cause a war between my aunt and I, I do not think that I want to become the King of the Seven Kingdoms."
"I do not understand," Jon Connington agreed. "We have worked our whole lives to ensure that you would become King. It bothers me that you do not seem to take this seriously, that you have rolled over and shown her your belly. That you will not fight for your rights, you are the true heir."
"Unfortunately," Aegon frowned at the man. "What can I do? She has three dragons and an army at the back, she even has the support of Robb Stark and his army. I cannot go against that."
"Then we take the dragons," Aegon snorted at the man's suggestion. "They obey her, yes, but you also have the blood of the dragon. I am sure that one of the dragons could come to believe that you are their leader. Do you understand what I am saying? All Targaryens had a dragon, all dragons had a Targaryen as their rider."
Jon was trying to push Aegon going behind Daenerys's back and becoming the leader of the Seven Kingdoms. Aegon was not going to betray her, even though it would have been tempting to become the sole Targaryen alive with three dragons at his back. He would be like his namesake, he would make Westeros bend their knees to him. But such a thing that could not become, he would never do such a thing as Daenerys was already a leader. He had not been trained to be a King, he had been trained to be a Prince as that was all Jon Connington knew.
"You have disappointed me, and I am sure that your father would also be disappointed in you," Jon Connington pointed at Aegon, waving his finger at him.
"I am sure my father would understand my choice," Aegon tensed. He hated being compared to his father, and he hated when people would mention if his father would become disappointed in any of his choices that he made.
His father was a disappointment, he had left his family for another woman and had started a rebellion that had made Aegon into what he had become. He had caused Aegon to be raised by Jon Connington in Essos.
He could complain about nothing.
The wind blew through his hair, Aegon closed his eye as he breathed in the salty, sea air. He had his head turned up toward the sky, basking in the moonlight. He curled his hands around the railing, leaning forward as they continued the last length of their trip toward Dragonstone. He could see it in the distance, he could even begin to see the coast of Westeros. It excited him, so much so that he could feel his heart racing within his chest.
He would step down on the shores of his ancestors, soon.
Turning around, he pushed himself away from the railing and headed back to the wheel of the ship. He placed his hands on the wood, running his fingers over it as he looked over at some of his men that were up. Though it was late, and he was rather tired, he was much too excited to let one of the men sail for him. He wanted to be the first to place his feet on the sandy shores of Dragonstone, he wanted to be the one who arrived first.
Even though he was the last ship, Robb Stark would be the first to arrive.
"Your Grace," one of the men called up to him, coming around the stairs and up to the top deck.
"Is there something wrong?" He turned to ask the man who came toward him.
It was Tristan Rivers who was coming toward him, "Why do you not wish to take Westeros for yourself? It was our original plan all along, all those years ago we agreed to follow you because you would be King."
"There is no reason why I could not change my mind, Rivers," Aegon rolled his shoulders back.
"I suppose you are right," Tristan crossed his arms over his shoulder. "There is no reason you cannot change your mind. But there is no reason that we cannot change our minds?"
Aegon tensed suddenly as he noticed several men coming from behind Tristan Rivers, "What are you going to do?" Aegon demanded, "Are you going to kill me?"
"We are not going to kill you, Your Grace," Tristan scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "I have grown much too fond of you to kill you. But as I find myself coming closer to Westeros, I realise that I do not wish to step foot on the land that exiled me."
"You do not have to step foot on that land," Aegon decided. "If you wish for us to part ways when we arrive at Dragonstone, then I will allow you to leave."
"I suppose we should say thank you," Tristan rolled his eyes. "I suppose you will not fight us? I wish to take the Shy Maid, I am sure that you will have no need for it."
"I do have need for the ship," Aegon clenched his hands into fists. "But I do not wish to fight with you."
"Then we come to an agreement?" Tristan held out his hand.
Aegon looked at the hand offered, clenching his jaw. "I disagree with the way you have decided to turn your back on me, but we have an agreement," he then shook the man's hand, squeezing hard.
"It is nothing personal, Your Grace," Tristan shook his head. "But as we learned that you were not to be King we found no point in continuing. We would only be putting a woman on the throne that we did not support. You may bend the knee to the bitch, but we do not wish to."
"Then, it seems we should part," Aegon did not like the idea of losing his protection. Without the Golden Company he would be left without protection, Daenerys Targaryen could use it to ensure that he was killed and that her sons were her only heirs.
"Apologies, Your Grace," Tristan shook his head. "But we do not wish to follow a false queen."
"It was an honour to serve with you," Aegon finally said, making sure to look at each face of a man who had served with him since he had been a young boy.
The men left Aegon alone on the deck and he crossed his arms over his chest. He was disappointed, especially in the fact that he had no assurance. Though he had decided against overthrowing Daenerys, he could not attempt to stop her from getting the Iron Throne. Shaking his head, he moved toward the railing and curled his hands around the wood. It seemed that things were crashing down around him, and it bothered him. He could do nothing but sit there and accept, it was such a shame and Jon Connington would be furious when he found out.
Heading down from the deck, he opened the door to his cabin and stepped inside. It was dark, only lit by one candle that was slowly beginning to fade. Aegon undressed himself and headed to his bed, he slid under the covers and found himself staring up at the wooden roof over his head. Thoughts turned to his parents, the two that he had never met but he had heard so much about. Would they be proud of him? It was something he hoped for, he was doing it for their memory after all – to restore the Targaryen dynasty and make it stronger.
He rolled over onto his side and he looked at the candle as it flickered, the light growing duller and duller. The ship continued to rock, it was calming and slowly it was pulling him to sleep. Since he was a child, he had always imagined the waves rocked in a way that a mother would rock their child. It had become a source of comfort for him, Aegon felt that if he could not have his mother with him at least he had the ocean. His eyes began to shut, and he could no longer fight his sleep.