Disclaimer – if you recognise it then it belong to GRRM
Daenerys III
The day was slowly drawing to an end and, from her seat within her chambers, Daenerys could relax and bask in the final light of the day. She stared out over the seas, sending good will in her thoughts to Jon who was somewhere on them. Drogon was curled round her feet protectively, always keeping an eye on his two brothers who sat close by. Rhaegal was clearly fast asleep, his green chest rising and falling in relaxed rhythm, but Viserion returned his brothers gaze, almost challengingly but with no real desire for a fight. Viserion remained the only of her children to be unresponsive to human commands and, were it not for Drogon and Rhaegal often cowing their smaller brother into submission, she suspected he would have caused injury or worse to one of her people by now.
She gave Viserion a smile, admiring the lightness of his wings and the golden horns that adorned his head. He returned with a somewhat intrigued look but did not move and remained sat next to his sleeping brother. The irony was not lost on Daenerys that the only dragon that remained out of control was the one named after her brother Viserys, who himself was beyond her control or reason whilst he lived. It was his impetuous and sheer arrogance that cost him his life in what seemed a lifetime ago. She found herself wondering if he would be proud of her finally setting foot on Westeros, readying to retake the Iron Throne and restore House Targaryen to its rightful glory. She doubted it – his fierce pride would not have allowed it. She also wondered how he would have reacted to them finding Jon, though that answer was more obvious.
She had wondered what could be done with Viserion. Both Daenerys and Jon did not know if either of them would be able to bond with another dragon like they each had with Drogon and Rhaegal respectively and neither had any idea of how to test this. She had worried that Viserion would always be her unruly dragon and she would be reliant on her other dragons to control him forever until Lord Varys told her…..
"The dragon has three heads."
She suddenly remembered the words spoken by her eldest brother in her vision in the House of the Undying. Perhaps he knew something all those years ago. Perhaps it was just coincidence. Perhaps it was just a trick of the warlocks.
Lord Varys had lingered when Jon and Ser Arthur left for the North. He requested an audience alone with Daenerys, though Ser Barristan had refused and would not even consider the idea. He was so adamant that even Daenerys did not object for fear of angering her elderly protector. So they both sat and listened whilst the Spider told them of an ally from Essos, an ally who was currently en route to Westeros to join her at the head of the Golden Company no less.
"Who is this ally?" Daenerys had asked, excited at the prospect of further support to her claim.
"Your brother Rhaegar's trueborn son, your nephew Aegon Targaryen, the sixth of his name." Varys announced.
"That's impossible," Daenerys had answered, "he died with his mother at Kings Landing."
Varys had then gone on to explain how he replaced the babe at Princess Elia's behest, once word came through of Rhaegar's death on the Ruby Ford, with that of a common born child. It was that infant that was killed by the Lannister's whilst Aegon was spirited away to Essos, safe in the protection of Jon Connington, whose death was also falsely reported across the Seven Kingdoms.
Varys had clearly been keeping a firm eye on this lost scion of House Targaryen. "The boy is truly remarkable. He can read, write, use numbers and speak several tongues. The boy has been trained in arms, the use of medicine and how to hunt for food. He is a born ruler."
Strangely the first question Daenerys had was not about Aegon. "Tell me Lord Varys, why was he the only child spared? Why was his sister Rhaenys also not replaced?"
Varys sighed sadly "Rhaenys was a girl of four, well known throughout the Seven Kingdoms for her beautiful dark hair and her cute smile. Replacing her would have been impossible without raising too many questions. Princess Elia begged me to, literally, but alas I was unable to find a suitable replacement. Fortunately for Aegon all babes look the same."
"My nephew's claim is better than mine," Daenerys stated, "does he want the throne for himself?"
The eunuch had laughed softly and shook his head. "No Your Grace. He wishes to share it with you as your husband."
She had dismissed Varys and Ser Barristan after hearing this, wanting to think on all this alone. Since then she had not left her chambers, taking her meals alone in there and refusing any company with the exception of the dragons who entered and left through the window of their own accord.
However now she finally wanted to talk to someone. "Ser Barristan." She shouted, certain that he would be on guard outside her door. He duly entered.
"Your Grace." He bowed before meeting her eyes with his kind blue ones.
"I would ask your honest opinion Ser. Is this Aegon real?"
He cleared his throat "Truthfully I cannot answer that. The news of his survival was as much a surprise to me as it was to Your Grace I assure you."
"Did you see the bodies after the Sack of Kings Landing?" She asked.
"No Your Grace. I was badly wounded fighting alongside your brother on the Trident and only returned to the capital a month later when I had fully healed. From what I heard though, the babe had been….he was beyond recognition Your Grace." His eyes looked close to tears so Daenerys did not press for more details.
"So he could really be my nephew?" She queried the knight.
He nodded "It is not impossible. Lord Varys has a large network that spreads across all the known world."
"But you do not trust him Ser?"
"I never have or will Your Grace. The man is morally corrupt and his true allegiance is never clear. It is also worth knowing that the Golden Company have historically supported Blackfyre rebels. This boy may be a descendent of one of the great bastards of King Aegon IV, the Unworthy."
Daenerys had not thought of this though it was a plausible argument. "What of this Jon Connington?"
Ser Barristan's face softened at the mention of this man. "He was a good man and a loyal knight to House Targaryen. He was always close to Prince Rhaegar, one of the few men that truly knew your brother. His support of the boy does add credibility to his legitimacy as I doubt he would ever betray Rhaegar, even after his death." He conceded.
In truth Daenerys knew she would have to face this Aegon eventually and she just prayed that she felt a connection with him as she did when she met Jon. Though she was wary at the time, it was their innate connection that convinced her of the truth of his blood and allowed her to accept him as family eventually.
She looked over at Viserion. "If he is truly my nephew then he will be the one to bond with Viserion. The dragon has three heads."
"Just as your sigil shows." The knight answered.
Drogon stood up briskly and stretched his long frame out, similar to a common house cat would after a nap. His dark red eyes smouldered and observed the knight. He was about the size of a small horse now and Daenerys wondered if she would be able to mount him soon. She was aware however that he would still continue to grow and he would likely reach the same size as Balerion the Black Dread once did in the days of the Conqueror. Drogon seemed satisfied that Ser Barristan was no threat and swiftly trotted over to the window and jumped out. He soon soared past, his black wings blocking the remaining sunlight for a brief moment before he moved away from Starfall. Viserion and Rhaegal soon followed, clearly both eager to hunt with their brother.
Daenerys walked to the window and smiled as she watched her children fly. They would be the only children she would ever have now, the maegi had told her that.
She felt Ser Barristan moving closer till he was stood next to her at the window. They both stood still for a time, silently watching as the sun continued its voyage to the horizon. It did not feel an uncomfortable silence, rather it was relaxing and reminded her of the days she would overlook the sea with Ser Willem Darry as a child.
Eventually she spoke. "This Aegon wishes to marry me."
"House Targaryen has practised the Valyrian practice of incestuous marriage throughout the ages Your Grace, indeed your father and mother were brother and sister." Ser Barristan replied as a statement rather than an opinion.
"What is your view on this Ser?" she asked in genuine interest.
Ser Barristan pondered before saying "Your grandfather Jaehaerys once told me that the practice has led to both greatness and madness. He told me that they were two sides of the same coin and whenever a new Targaryen was born, the Gods would toss the coin and the world would hold its breath to see how it would land."
"What do you mean Ser?" She enquired.
The knight continued "There have been examples of both in your House's history. Greatness was seen in Aegon the Conqueror, Aemon the Dragonknight, Daeron the Young Dragon and of course Rhaegar. Conversely Aegon the Unworthy, Aerion Brightflame and your father all descended into a madness that ended up consuming them, as did your brother Viserys from what you have told me of him."
Daenerys now understood what Ser Barristan was saying though she knew that it would not matter in her case. "I will never bear a child Ser, not until the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. The Gods will never need to toss the coin."
The knight put his mailed hand gently on her exposed shoulder. She immediately thought of Ser Jorah aboard the Balerion when he kissed her. But her Queensguard only looked at her with fatherly warmth. "It pains me every time you say this Your Grace. I pray to the Gods that the words of the maegi were false and one day you will birth a child."
Daenerys shared that prayer too. She smiled at her knight. "I thank you for your kindness Ser. I too hope the witch's words are proven wrong."
"I believe they will be Your Grace," Ser Barristan stated confidently, "which is why you must consider the possibility of a marriage to your nephew Aegon resulting in children of the same blood."
"Do I take this opportunity to end the practice once and for all?" She asked aloud.
"That is for you to determine Your Grace."
Daenerys wished Jon was still here as she would have very much liked to have discussed it with him. The thought of Jon made her suddenly realise something else.
"If I refuse to take Aegon as my betrothed then he would likely want to be my heir. But I have already promised this to Jon... What can I do Ser?"
The knight answered simply "Again that is for you to determine Your Grace."
She leant into her companion and rested against his shoulder. The cool metal of his pauldron felt nice against her head and she held onto his strong arm. She closed her eyes and imagined herself back in Braavos, a young girl carefree and full of childlike innocence. That girl used to run across grass, jump into ponds and laugh lots. At this moment she envied that girl - no responsibilities or people depending on her.
But that girl was long gone and now in her place was a Queen, a Khaleesi, a mother of dragons and an aunt of one, if not two, of her eldest brother's children. She knew then she would face this Aegon and determine whether he was a dragon or not. She still did not know what to do about the rest.
"I thank you for your company Ser but I am beginning to tire now." She said softly.
Immediately the knight bowed silently and made for the door.
"Ser." Daenerys called him as he reached the door.
"Yes Your Grace."
"When I was born, which side did the coin land?"
He answered instantly "Greatness, I know this for certain."
