PICKING UP THE PIECES
Irina stood by the threshold of Aegon's solar, taking a vague registration of the things she had spoiled. The furniture was broken into shreds. The blood from her foot was smeared everywhere in the carpet, evident of all broken things, including her heart. The tapestries were torn to dust. She had thought of burning the whole chamber, but she realized it was the tower–her prison that needed to be burned down.
Aegon said nothing when he carried her to the golden prison, after asking the guards and maids to clean his place. His eyes admonished her, calling out her anger as a petulant behavior of a child when he left her in the true cave.
Even then, he remained mum, knowing her temper couldn't be calmed by any more words or probably he didn't want to act like he cared, now that the truth was out in the air. The tragic truth that he never loved her, not even an ounce. She couldn't determine which wounded her more. The fact that he was not in love with her or the fact that she gave her love to a man who didn't deserve it.
He left her to reflect on her actions. And she regretted of not squeezing Aegon's neck and see him suffer under her hands, begging for mercy. If he so much as came towards her, she might have gladly taken his life. She was conflicted. Dancing on a thin rope, struggling to choose between being sane or fall in the infamous madness, as both fought to drag her down to their side.
Aegon didn't care enough to come and help her or calm her as he'd done before. He wouldn't. Why would he? He'd only acted on guilt, never on love. He'd stayed in her chamber when he'd injured her body and she'd caught the flu. Only when he'd caused her pain did his kind love came out on display. Else, she was merely discarded for months, except for the time when he was lusting after her. It was so pathetic to think that Irina desperately clung to that sympathy and assumed it to be love.
She hated herself. Had she seen his actions rather than the words, she could have seen through those delicate webs of lies.
The storm came raging, the next day, thunderbolts striking to shake the ground. The maddening vicious God's wrath was the only anchor for her to the world now. She relished from the fact that the Gods were capable of threatening all the lives, simply because they could. They were the ultimate power. No number of dragons could fight against them. Oh, how she wished to gain such power!
No, she had that power, already. She was threatening her family's existence. She hadn't allowed herself to think she was capable of harm unless to protect herself. But, the truth was, none believed it. She laughed like a mad girl, while her head pondered of all the ways to kill them all. There was the easiest trick. When a dragon rider was not mounted on a dragon, he would be nothing more than a normal man. Rhaenys was proof of that. She could easily take them all. Who knew what she could do, even if they came with a dragon?
Wouldn't it be even more thrilling to warg into their dragons, and strip them of their power, and see how they succumb, at her mercy?
The thought of it made her sad. She loved Aegon, still. The image of seeing him bent on his knees made her heartache. She couldn't even get to think it without tears spilling down. She felt more vicious, cunning which was not how her father brought her up to be. She only wanted to be loved. She never had hurt anyone's ego or pride. She'd admired strength and kindness. There was no kindness to hurt the ones she loved. Only then, she realized how cruel Aegon's trap was. He knew her well enough to know what would keep her loyalty to him. It was not gold, not gems, not precious stones, or pretty gowns. She only craved for this silly love and care, to be valued and recognized and he'd given her the right amount, like throwing a bone to a dog, to have her loyalty bound to him.
He'd asked her same in the forest that day The dog's nature, to be faithful…
As days went by, she became too desolate, unattached to the world, where there was nothing to cling on. Alone, brooding, tending to the ache that was plunging throughout her body, she kept her vision in line with the rain that graced her porch. The maids came to clean the chamber, asking her numerous questions that didn't reach her senses. The Maester chided her for harming herself when he tended her wound. She couldn't bring herself to allow any sympathy.
The sky wept day and night, compensating for all her unshed tears, and showering it on the dead bird that laid on the tower's porch. It was almost a fortnight since the storm had begun since she had shut the world out from her head since she had started withdrawing from what she had assumed to be joyful life. There was no joy sparking anywhere. There was no life around her. There was no hope to hold on to. Everything was meaningless. Even while climbing a high steep mountain, a man would need a tiny rock to hold on to. For her, there was nothing as such. No rock, no love, no life, only bleak passage of emptiness and she couldn't cry. Her tears had dried. Even for the dead Kookaburra, in which her mother had resided, she couldn't grieve. She tried hard. To feel something for the bird. To acknowledge that her mother had passed away, for once and for all. But she couldn't. What was the point of crying?
Lady Agnes was never there for me. She died before her time, leaving me to the vultures. My father was a liar, just like my brother. And my whole life is made of sand-castle, where treachery was added like salt to food.
Slowly, with time, she started slipping out of sanity. When she looked down at the well rounded-porch, the metal spiked ground gave an embracing welcome. One small slip and she would die, but even this death was not permanent. She regretted of bonding with animals. Had she known that death would not be permanent, and how death was vital as life itself, she would have refrained herself from bonding.
The train of thoughts bedazzled her at one point. She'd always fought to live, never to die. No wealth, no success, no privilege would not be enough in this world to live. Wasn't it? The dripping water droplets that strike against the bird's feather, was the only sound she focused on, even when the sky roared in madness.
And she slipped away, to see the sweetest memories of her life. The memories with her father, when the storm had come once, and he chose to stay the night in the tower with her to tell the tales of his fondness, by the porch. The little girl in his arms was plump, her cheeks thick as apples, but the innocence in that nine-year-old was too beautiful to hate, too delicate to break. How much did his absence change me as a person? It is not even a year since he left. I should have grown up when he was alive. He would have held me when I fell and would have tended my wounds with love. Now, I have no one but myself.
"It is the Gods way to show their wrath." Lord Aerion was saying, in his iron-clad voice, that softened for little Irina. "To cleanse the Kingdoms. Thousands of castles with their greedy Kings will perish by the time the storm calms. But not even a stone on Dragonstone can be moved, for they are raised from the same sorcery that Old Valyria was built on."
The little girl was giggling as she often thought those tales were untrue fantasies. Wild fantasies of an old man who kept mulling over his roots from where he came from. With her thick pout mouth, she asked, "What indeed happened to Old Valyria, father?"
He gave her a sad smile, just like Aegon. "Blood magic is deadly if handled with perfunctory, child. The doom was the curse the Gods showered on the mighty Valyria for their greediness. The want never fades for the ones who seek for more. The younger dragons were eaten by the older. Blood of blood, kins of kins, siblings from the same seed, chased each other for the lust of blood, and power of the throne. Dragons crave for blood, but not their own. They shun and shrink if you feed them the blood of your kin."
"So all the dragons died in Valyria. Is that the doom?"
"No… Not all. The minor lords, who were weak to fight stayed behind in their castles, only watching the power-hungry wealthy lords to fight. The dragons, which didn't drink the blood of their brothers, remained sane for a while. But they wouldn't stay in the mightiest civilization. The blood lust was driving them to the war zone, but the blood magic with which the Old God Aegarax rose them up didn't allow those dragons to feed on their own blood. So, they fled, leaving their bonded masters to warmth wherever they could find."
"Like Dragonstone?" The girl asked naively.
"Like Dragonstone." Her father agreed. "And when Lady Daenys dreamed of the doom, Lord Aenar took his dragons and sold his castle in Valyria, seeking residence here in Dragonstone. The warmth of Dragonmont has been the home for dragons that fled from Valyria and the dragons that came with Aenar."
The little girl snuggled into his chest. Every time the thunder had come, she submerged into the thoughts of dragons and Old Valyria. Irina remembered that feeling as she saw herself. "So, we were weaker lords in Valyria?"
Her father's kind face was replaced with ferocity. He answered crisply. "We survived. That's what matters. All those boasting lords struggled for power and killed their own, enslaved innocent men and women to build their mansions and castles. Drugged men, women, and children to their beds. Plucked babes from mother's arms to march armies. And when their dragons refused to bend to their wills and wanted to leave Valyria because of the blood lust, they used pureblood magic, summoning the red-priestesses and sacrificed their own young children. It worked very well for them, for a while. Other than the one that escaped from Old Valyria, all the other dragons grew faster, submitted to their master sooner. Plenty of wars and plenty of blood spilled until the Gods raged and destroyed every life that ever lived in that land. So, yes… We were a minor house with no power to fight. And that is why we survived for good."
"Why can't no one claim Aegerax?"
"That bloody dragon was drawn to the blood lust in Valyria and entered into the war on its own, as it was not bonded to a rider. Only a bonded dragon can be controlled. This one went on its own and burned so many men and women. It fought with other dragons and had a taste of its kin's blood. The madness wouldn't leave even when Aenar brought it back to Dragonstone."
The girl nodded like she understood, just so she wouldn't appear dumb. "Why wouldn't you give me a dragon?"
"I gave you an egg." His eyes sparkled with defiance as he pinched her nose. "You will wait for your egg to hatch, and you will bond with it. It is very likely for you to bond with hatchling than what Aenar bought from Old Valyria. Will you promise not to go anywhere near Dragonmont?" The girl nodded, her one hand clutching to the crystal blue scales of the egg, while the other tightening against her father's thick wrist, staring at the water drizzling down her father's feet.
Irina was dragged out of the dream by an invisible force, and she started suffocating. It didn't seem to be a dream. It was more real. She heard her father. She saw him just like how she saw her mother, once, in cold wastelands, in all flesh and scent. All the more, she realized there were so many secrets that were hidden in this castle. So many secrets hidden in her own father's words. So many secrets in her own blood. She screamed and wailed, searching for the dead bird. It wasn't there. Someone must have cleaned it. Obviously, she didn't care for the bird when it had died, but the tears were blinding her, when she was desperate to be with the ones who truly loved her, once.
The storm slowly calmed the coming week, and she kept pondering over her father's words about Valyria and dragons. She had nothing else to think about. So, she explored the uncovered mystery of her lineage while her fingers brushed against the cold crystal blue dragon egg. Something was wrong. She sensed it. The she-dragon Aegerax was cursed. Her father had said the same. He once said how the great dragon wouldn't let him bond properly. A pure intuition triggered her to play with her assumptions and she placed the dragon egg in the hearth which she'd clung to day and night as a child. In mere hours, she found black ashes in the hearth, replaced for the egg.
She stared at the hearth, searching for some tiny dragon to pop out. 'Fire can't kill a dragon'. Surely fire could haven't killed a dragon or a dragon-egg for that matter. But no dragon came out of it, except for dark sand-like matter in the hearth, proving her dreadness.
Irina felt oddly calm. There was rage in her heart, the fresh betrayal from everyone festering, but she wasn't throwing any fit. She had to stop reflecting on other's impact on her life and focus only on herself now. She administered her little prison and found it satisfyingly clean, ordered. Fit for a civilized conversation and take a little control over her life.
It was around noon when Visenya came. "I assume you have a lot of questions to ask?"
"So many… But before all that, I want this wedding to happen. So, I can leave this hell and have my freedom." Irina spilled it all out. There was nothing to hide in that regard to Visenya.
Visenya didn't find it convincing. Her sister scanned Irina from head to toe with apprehension. Visenya had sharp features. Her eyes were always dark, calculative, wary of the surrounding, wary of Irina herself. "Do you know what responsibilities you hold in a marriage?"
She wouldn't in her right sense call this a marriage. A marriage required trust, hope, protection, and some part of love, even if it was merely for merging power and wealth. Even if she was a hopeless, stupid girl, she had seen her mother and father to know what a true marriage was supposed to be. She wasn't a fool to think any of those would be there for her in this arrangement. Suddenly, she realized she was sharing more traits with Visenya than she had given credit to. In fact, she was getting a glimpse of why Visenya was too dark and cold to everyone. Giving a long sigh, she nodded. "I vaguely remember what the ministresses had taught me. Rest assured, I will keep up the appearances as you want."
"Your loyalty lies to the family, sister. If you have any idiotic thoughts to betray this family and kill us all in an odd fashion-"
"I want to choke every one of your throats, till I see blood pouring out of all your eyes," Irina said with no remorse. In fact, she had dreamed of it more than she should be, lately. "Don't mistake that I have any care for this family. I was deceived and betrayed by every one of you. Even you! You wouldn't have as much as cared for me, if not for my warging skills." Irina couldn't let her emotions come down. "But, I grew up sticking up to this filth called family, that I am unable to get rid of it. Somewhere along the way, you all got stuck to me. I won't betray anyone. Even without this wedding, I won't. I will consent to this wedding. I want it to be over…"
"I assume you didn't call me to share your wedding plans. Rhaenys will know better if you dream of such extravagant-"
"No… I don't care about how many lords attend this stupid ceremony. I have demands to be made to all the three of you. If you really want this to work, it goes two ways and unless you three are ready to agree on my terms, we can drop this plan."
"Fine…" Visenya ended that conversation. "Bring your terms on the table and we will see what we can do. But before all those, remember that I am the firstborn of this house and Aegon's first wife. Don't utter something crazy that will make me break your neck."
Irina gave a wry smile. She wished she had that tenacity of her dark sister. Perhaps she might have if she had been treated better or had given an option to claim a dragon. Irina's eyes lingered on the burned down egg. She didn't even want to think about how the world would see her as Aegon's third wife. "I want to meet Orys before all this. He will want to know."
Visenya peered at the hearth, before directing her blazing stare at Irina. "Did you put your dragon egg in the hearth?"
"Yes…" Irina regarded it as coolly as possible, before meeting the dark sister's amused glance. "You look too amused, sister. Have you known all this time that even father fooled me by giving a cursed dragon egg?"
"Cursed?" Visenya strode elegantly, closing Irina's perimeter. "How did you come to that conclusion?"
Irina gave a small smile before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter. So, you do know that it was cursed all this time? Don't tell me the whole family knew except me."
"It was father's way to stop making you roam anywhere around the lairs. He had warned us all to never let out the truth. Even your mother was consenting to this plan." Fuck… She hated to hear it in all words. She'd wanted to believe it was a mistake from her father's end. That he actually didn't know that the dragon egg was cursed. Her face gave it all away to Visenya. Eyes blinding with tears, cheeks turning into furious red, throat swallowing the hard truth was giving away the torments from inside. She was determined to not allow anyone to show her weakness, but her natural pathetic self came out in light sobs. Her father was the only person she'd trusted. It seemed even he was not trustworthy. "He did it for your own good. You were just a child then, and you have strange blood. I am not fully aware of your mother's bloodline, but the odd combination might put you in threat if you enter Dragonmont."
Irina never heard Visenya speak softly. Not to her, at least. Most of the time her sister only warned or managed to breathe fire. Hells… Her sister so much as went on to burn her once, from Vhagar. But this voice was somewhat of a comfort. Still, it didn't get missed that the heartbreaking truth was, even her father didn't have faith in her as a Targaryen. No wonder her siblings had shared the same belief. How could he let me clutch to that egg like my life was depending on it and never let me know the truth? It was painful to think even he'd betrayed her. She was the one in mistake. She should have known when he'd sheepishly glanced at her, every time she'd pondered about the egg. Or how oddly Aegon behaved when she'd requested of him to let her go near Aegerax. She never took cues of their signal. Innocent and stupid head! Blindly putting trust in everyone…
"You should choose one dragon from the lairs after your marriage gets consummated," Visenya said, looking down at Irina in sympathy. Irina didn't miss how effortlessly her sister spoke about the consummation of the wedding. Her cheeks didn't burn at the thought of it like it would have when she'd remained a stupid girl getting shy to be around Aegon. This was just another ritual to tie her to the family.
"I don't think Aegon will approve of me going anywhere near the dragon."
"Do you remember the time you stumbled into my chamber with that dragon egg, asking my help to hatch it?" Irina simply glared, carefully monitoring every word of Visenya's for some lie. But she couldn't find any at least for now. "If it gives you any comfort, I am not skilled enough to hatch a cursed egg that came from the doom. Aegarax laid it after coming to Dragonstone, but it was cursed by then." The naive, stupid girl would have thought Visenya was telling this out of love, but she knew better now. There was more to this notion of offering Irina to take a dragon. An ultimate motive… was hidden.
"Can you hatch an uncursed egg?"
Visenya gave a twitch of her lips. "There are many things possible with blood magic. Giving life, taking life, bringing life. So many things… But all with a price…"
"The same price that Valyria paid?"
"Worse…" Visenya admitted. "Father never liked I played with blood magic. He was equally fascinated and scared of the adverse effects of it. That is another tale to be shared at another time. Don't mull over that father had discredited you. He should have let you claim a grown dragon. Even I insisted on that. Had he listened to choose an easy path, there wouldn't have been any rumors of you being a simpleton. But our old man was desperate to keep you alive. He didn't want to lose what remained of his dearest wife."
Irina felt a sudden guilt for guessing wrong in everything. Sure, her sister had some motive. But, perhaps, Visenya truly cared for family and expressed in odd ways. And her father was adamant in keeping Irina alive, so much that he had locked her in a tower and isolated her from the court. It was all for good intention, to never let her get hurt by anyone, even with words. Well, look, Father, where your over-protectiveness brought me to! I am always at other's mercy! It took a while for Irina to compose herself. "He indeed did love his wife. I don't think father had it in him to hate your mother, either. I am sure he loved everyone bound by blood. Even Orys was not abandoned like other lords would do."
Visenya scoffed. "Tell that to my mother's grave. She fell off from a high tower, unable to go on to live a life with my father." That passed a huge current of shock into her bones and blood. She hadn't known how Lady Valaena had passed away. The fact that the lady took her life was itself news to her. For a while, Irina scanned Visenya for any traces of hatred. But her sister's face gave nothing away. "Aegon has gone to track after these men who are coming to our lands. There are queer tales of their reason to come here. No one has complete information but… they are searching to take you if my assumptions are right."
"Me?" She was struggling with facts. Shocking facts that were shaking her roots. "Why me? They wanted a dragon or a dragon rider."
"Indeed… We will speak about all those in detail after your wedding… after the consummation."
Irina rolled her eyes. "Did you even have one for yourself to force it on me? How different this marriage would be with or without it?"
"Well, for one, I am not posing a threat as you. And I will cut Aegon's cock before he came to dangling it anywhere near me because I am capable of it, unlike you."
Her cheeks burned now, haunted by the memory of the only cock she had known, which was not the one she should linger on. The tinkling monster had shoved his stinking one down her throat, and the thought of it made her whole body tremble. I cut it off, though. I can't keep sulking about it for my whole life. "Why would you doubt I am incapable of it? I am no different from you in this marriage, sister. He had made it clear."
"Is it?" Visenya gave an amused smile. "That is a comfort for me. But he never as much gave a sideways glance at my direction as he is swooning over you. He will demand his rights and you better prepare for it. Besides, the lords will be happy to see that your marriage is consummated and cannot be broken even if they want to. That is what more important in this marriage." That was a command that even Aegon wouldn't shower on Irina as like Visenya. Irina didn't brood over it. One night, one ritual, she could bear with it and leave this place. "I will see what I can do about Orys."
"Visenya…" Irina called, a small desperation in the voice coming out before her sister was about to leave. "You initiated this wedding plan." She merely stated, instead of a question. Visenya was confused with that statement. Even Irina was confused about why she was asking it. "Why?"
Her sister thought for a while before answering. "Why else? You are a skin-changer. It benefits our house if we stay united. And benefits more in future wars. Aegon should have known it and done it before. He is just a blind fool."
Irina gave a whisper of a smile. She understood Aegon wouldn't have agreed on this wedding unless it was needed for the merge of power. Some part of her was desperate in wishing to think he had always invested in marrying her. But no… He would have simply made her a mistress and given so many bastard children had she not possessed any powers or Visenya was not there to force this. She'd sensed it a while back while licking her wounds. Now it became clear. The devastating truth had so much less impact. Perhaps she was becoming resilient to pain now. After all, she had only one heart. How many times could it be broken?
Speaking with Orys seemed to be much tougher than she'd imagined. He did not take it lightly. He stated that their sire would have never allowed for such atrocity. Or she was too young to be married. She had listened to it somberly. Not that she was able to accept his martyr speech when he proclaimed he would fight Aegon face to face, sword to sword, one to one. She couldn't accept it, not because she didn't believe Orys would win, but because it would make no difference.
If not Aegon, then it would be some other lord. And if her father had cared well enough, he should have settled her life before leaving this world. She didn't know where the resentment started spreading against everyone, but slowly it was accumulating her heart. Even for Orys… When Orys rambled about taking her away, she felt disappointed. Utterly despised that he had not come when she needed him. He had not fought with Aegon to see her. He should have fought. It wouldn't have been a great discovery for Orys to figure it out what was happening. Would it?
I was the one in dreamy love, not Orys. He should have... Probably, he realized, but now beating himself up for not acting to it, much later when the damage was done. Or it could be that he hadn't bothered much. Her old self would have never doubted such things, but now, well, she couldn't bring to trust anyone easily.
She finally made him listen. "There is nothing much to do about this situation, Orys. I made peace about it. Will you get over it?"
"You don't have to, sister," Orys said and kneeled before her chair. His thick palms held her small wrist, bringing it to his heart. "How in the right sense I can let this happen? I had been close to Aegon. Who wouldn't be? He was charismatic, enigmatic, and a decent man. He was the only person I could bond with as a family, other than Father who had little respect for my life. But even he never addressed me as a brother, Irina. Not like you. I know no woman in my life, except you."
Involuntarily, a part of her heart ached to lean on his shoulders. She wanted to cry and spill all her sad tales. He had been there for her, even when he was unaware of her warging powers. He'd taken her to fresh lakes and had taught her to catch fish. He'd never missed her name days. He'd been there when she was no one in this world. Perhaps her head was too fucked up to accept such love. Perhaps she just didn't deserve such love. No one could love her! She was not a beautiful girl, not a girl who could get a man's attention. She remembered how pathetically she once had asked him to marry her and he'd simply rejected. No one would love her truly. But Orys was not to be blamed for her misery. How could she do that to him? Irina gave out a small sad smile, hoping he would not drag her farther in his mission. "It is not a bad deal to marry him, Orys. As you said, he is a decent human. Besides, it is the only choice."
"I don't think so," Orys said, warily looking at the door once, to see for intruders. "Visenya sent me to guard Lady Alarra Massey, after the incident with the Pentoshis. Recently, I met Lord Massey, and he wants his only daughter back. He says the lords are unhappy after what happened to their daughters in Dragonstone. Lord Bar Emmon had openly accused Aegon of being incapable of even protecting little girls. Lady Jirelle Crabb died of an injury from falling off the horse, and the Lord was not kind to Aegon when he had sent her body." Irina blanked, remembering the details. It was from Irina that Aegon had failed to protect those girls. She had killed them. "The lord had once opposed Aegon's decision to seat himself overthrowing you. If he knows what you are capable of…"
Irina sighed. "If he ever learns of what I am capable of, he will back me up with all the lords. And I will have to kill all three of my siblings. Because they will fight to the world's end. And after that, do you really believe they will let me live?" Irina was the one who killed those girls. Not Rhaenys. Not Aegon. The blood was in her hands. And if the lords ever come to learn of it… Lady Alarra knew who was the cause of those girls' death. The lady would definitely spill to someone, which could be the reason why Visenya had sent her to be in Orys's Keep to be guarded.
"You will have Aegon's dragon in control."
"And I will be a bigger threat, which they will want to eliminate. Lord Massey has no wife alive, so he will marry me and put a child in me. Once that child sees the world, he will kill me because I pose a threat that will be beyond for them to understand." Orys, for his part, didn't blatantly refuse. The only lesson her father had kept reciting like a lullaby was never to reveal her power. "I need them as much as they need me, Orys. Visenya said the men in East are trying to take me, not the actual dragon-riders. In fact, I am benefitting out of this too."
Orys pulled her to his arms, hugging her so as to light the burden. "When did you grow up?"
"I think after I came out from your holdfast." They both stifled a laugh. "Will you be on my side on this matter?" He placed a warm kiss on her forehead.
"You will not speak anything unless I ask you to," Irina warned, clutching to Orys's wrist. Her brother barely consented, if someone could call his grunt of response as consent. But she didn't want him to blather anything to Aegon that was not required. "I will do all the talking."
"Why do you want me here, if not for frightening them?"
"Moral support, brother. You are the only one I trust. Remember?" She patted his arms but felt more like patting herself.
Aegon gave a warm smile directed at her when she entered the well-furnished chamber in Stone Drum Tower. But his face instantly soured when he found Orys. He didn't bother to ask anything, but his eyes were already challenging her with a question that was on the tip of his tongue.
She gave horseshit about his insecurities.
Rhaenys had protectively looped her arm around Aegon's, subtly indicating her place next to him. Irina wouldn't deny that it didn't hurt when Aegon gently pulled Rhaenys's shoulder towards him. It stung so badly. Would he keep doing this, every time they gather? Irina gave her best to conceal her emotions. She could not let this affect her and let them win. If it was a fight, she had to face it with pride.
Visenya, unbothered by any of this, leaned in. "Wedding is planned in a fortnight. The seamstress must have taken your measurement. Didn't she?" Irina shook her head, not remembering anything as such. Even during her delirious time, she was somewhat aware of who came and left her chamber. "The woman said the dress is almost ready. If she didn't take any measurement-"
"Why don't we speak about the important details, rather than the gowns and foods? I have already taken care of it." Aegon said curtly.
His words made no sense at first. Not until Rhaenys pulled away from Aegon in shock and anger. Well, that was a victory. He'd done this even in the past. Buying Irina trinkets and decorating her like a doll to his taste. Somewhere she felt lightened that he cared enough to do it, but then she realized what she was for him. Just a fancy thing…
"I didn't come here to speak about the wedding itself, Aegon. I came here to put my demands if I have to agree on this wedding at all."
Aegon leaned back in his chair, visibly shocked. Pursing his tight lips, he started tapping the wooden table with his long fingers and turned around to glower at Visenya, who offered her infamous amused smile. So, Visenya hadn't given him all the details. "Haven't we discussed the need for this marriage in my chamber?" Aegon asked, but his eyes were set on Orys.
"No. Only you spoke and I listened. Now, it is time for you to listen to my demands."
"Demands?" Rhaenys snorted. "How will you make any demands when you are the one in desperate need?"
"Am I, sister?" Irina glowered, warning Rhaenys not to assume her place. She was not there to take insults from Rhaenys. Instantly Rhaenys took the cue of the warning and cowered, sulking back. "You three have taken up my rightful inheritance, even though none of you are my guardian. Trust me, if I wanted a guardian, I would have chosen Orys. Not any of you three. Besides, you have started indulging in all pleasures, draining the treasury that belongs to Dragonstone, which obviously should have been mine, by all laws. Is it going to be a trouble to hear my demands?"
Aegon simmered, his fingers clutching. It felt good. So good to see him get roused. She was not going to allow him ever to walk over her. "Speak!" He said grimly.
"Well, for one, I need all the rights to access the treasury."
"Aegon is the one who has access to it because he is the lord of Dragonstone." Rhaenys interfered.
"That has to change now. I am not going to coerce him every time to hire my own guards or maids or do whatever the fuck I want." Irina answered sharply.
The chamber remained dead silent. No one made a move. She wondered if her tone was too curt, too malice, too spiteful. Aegon's leaned forward to the table, and slowly snaked his arm towards her palms, softly feathering her knuckles. "Irina, what sort of ridiculous demands are you making?" His strong tone made her feel like a child who had done something insane. Perhaps this whole meeting was played out on the stupidity of her own insecurities. But what was she supposed to do, when she wouldn't be the respected wife? He clearly stated his love for her, which would be nothing.
"Nothing ridiculous in asking what she deserves, Aegon," Orys answered in his formidable tone, forcing Irina to withdraw her hand from Aegon. "By rights, it is all hers. She shouldn't be even asking you all such things. On what trust should she offer her hand to you? What will she do if your own guards rape her? What if she becomes the invaluable wife for you neglect and reject later?"
Irina was glad Orys spoke for her. It seemed she was easily melting for the Dragon's words, just like the old fool who never differentiated lies. Aegon retorted. "This marriage needs trust. How is she going to–"
"No, Aegon." She answered with anguish. "Don't paint any colors to this. We both know this is a marriage of convenience, a mere medium to make me submit to this house." She didn't want to admit that he had wanted her to submit to him. That was pricking her pride. "And I need stability. I can't run to you to fulfill every little need of mine."
Aegon seemed utterly thrown back, as though he hadn't expected her to speak in such way. Of course, the old, stupid girl would have praised him for throwing bones. Not now. Visenya was the one who broke the tension. "A share of profit in your name will be allocated and will be given to the steward to maintain. Our old steward has retired. So, the details of how many shares can be discussed when we appoint a new one. But when our house is in need of coins, it will be pulled back for the common cause. Is that fine?"
Irina accepted. Aegon's shocked gaze was set upon Irina as though he was seeing some strange person. Shocked and bewildered, her brother didn't even utter a word. His eyes might have made her feel guilty once, but not now. Only when Visenya cleared her throat, she remembered about the dragons? "After the wedding, I want to claim a dragon." It was so rehearsed. Nothing like her own reasons. It was Visenya's words in her voice.
"Dragon?" Aegon's unamused voice was piercing into her eyes. "Father gave you a dragon egg."
Orys snorted. "Are we going to count everything that father gave in to her account? You didn't like to give her the whole inheritance, but more than happy to give her only the cursed dragon egg."
Aegon was getting triggered. His control over the situations being completely taken away from him was making him lose patience. Rising abruptly from the wooden chair, he paced for some time, clearly disliking to see her ask worthy demands. His eyes back and forth moved to Visenya and Orys. He was not liking their interference. Well, he knew he couldn't control Irina's decisions with them by her side. He always craved to exert that control on her, unlike now. She was not going to put up with his feigned interest, either.
"After the wedding, I will allow. But it will be done in my time, my trust, and my patience. Not under any of your commands."
Orys tried to reject, but Irina held his arms, forcing it to let it go. When Lord Aerion himself had little trust that she could claim a dragon, there was no point in expecting it from Aegon. She was blessed with other gifts from her mother's side than taking a flight.
"Is that all, sweet sister?" Rhaenys asked in her gentlest of voices. "All these days I thought you to be a person with no greediness, only simple loveliness. It seems your facade is falling too soon."
Irina was unaffected by such an insult. In fact, she should have done this when her father had passed away and took a proper portion and lived a secured, wealthy life. She was too young and too stupid then. Now, she wasn't insulted for demanding what she deserved. "I will not hole up in that tower anymore. And I don't want any of your guards circling my tower or anywhere in my vicinity. I will hire my own."
"Fine!" Aegon screamed, almost demanding her to stop her demands. "Is that it, Irina?"
"No…" She answered resolutely. "You will not stop me from leaving this castle. I am my own person and you will respect my rights to leave and come at my wish. I need freedom."
Tapping his fingers on the wooden table, he subtly asked both Visenya and Rhaenys to leave, pointing his finger to the door. When Visenya gave him an odd glance, he politely said, "I will agree to every whim of hers just as you wished, Visenya. Give me a moment with her." Irina didn't want a moment. She wanted to be done with him. Once her sisters left, he approached Orys. "What a loyal man you are, brother!" His tone was laced with poison. "Have you planned to take her to your bed, after I wed her or before I wed her?"
"Aegon, don't do this." She warned.
"Obviously, after I wed. That is why she is keen on asking for her freedom to come and go as she wishes. And wouldn't you like to have a taste of my leftover? After all, you are a bast-"
She was on her feet already, almost ready to hit him, when Orys stopped her. "You are not the first one to call me a bastard, Aegon, and you won't be the last, either. I have been with Irina, for worst and best. Your words are not going to change any of that. So, step down from your high ass chair and listen to her, if you really want to work this out." Orys said it out begrudgingly and walked away, leaving them both. Probably he was hurt and trying to hide it.
Aegon came closer to her. "What is happening, sister? He is sincerely upset that you are marrying me. Did he profess his love for you?"
"Do you have no respect for me? Am I a mere piece of flesh to be shared and used?" He didn't give a response, but his amusement withered away. "If you can't treat me with respect, there is no point in this marriage. You may think I am demanding for my selfish wants. But my only want is to gain respect from all the three of you."
"And what about my selfish wants, Irina? You want a share from the treasury, which no lord would ever do. Fine with me. I care for all my sisters to give anything they want. You should know about it. Dragons? I thought, well, you need to prove a point to demand bigger. Especially things that are beyond your control. So I let that one slip. Besides, I knew who pushed you to demand it. And finally, like a nail to a coffin, you demand to come and leave as you wish? So, should I sit here knitting sweater when you wander to other men's home and come back with their cum in your cunt?"
"You are disgusting." She spat. She forgot that he would stoop low with his words. He'd been always like this, hurting her with insults. And she had slapped him, beat his chest, begged him to not be mean, but none of it had changed him. Well, she was done putting with that shit. She was no more the stupid girl. She just walked away. She had black blood flowing in her veins now.
Pushing open the door, she barged out, not listening to his voice that demanded her to stop and speak with him. She didn't care. He kept hollering as she swiftly walked, wondering if he was bothering only because he was too desperate that this marriage should happen. As she made her way down the stairs, he came running, halting her by twisting her shoulder. "Are you not going to listen?"
"I will not marry you if you treat me like shit. Was I not clear there?" She seethed. Her hands were already pushing away his chest with which he was blocking her to move.
He looked confused. It took some time for him to realize she was not going to back down. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have put it that way." She scoffed. "Look, the lords will take a note of where you go and come. It won't matter if you are in the right or not. They will discredit your virtue for not being with me."
"How come you can have three wives and want us all to adjust, but never as much as let me go to my own brother's home? Oh, well, you never bothered when it comes to your loved wives. You speak all this filth, only when it comes to me. Isn't it?" Irina knew Rhaenys left wherever she wished in her dragon. Besides, if he had noticed of her disappearance he would long back figured she was not true to him. And all Irina had done was to love him, only to end up hearing this non-sense.
The truth burned too bright for him to deny. He dragged his finger along his hair and responded in a dull tone. "There are certain demands that I can't fulfill just because you want, Irina. You have privileges that you are entitled to as my wife." She listened. "I give you more than any man will be ready to. And of course, I will respect you. But expecting me to leave you anywhere you wish…?" He took her face in his palms, delicately brushing her cheeks with his thumb, while his eyes grazed over her lips, earnestly. She knew he was eager to kiss her, claim her, make her feel belonged to him. But she couldn't allow him anymore. Not like the other times. It would hurt her miserably. "I want you all for myself." He said softly.
"You lost the right of it, Aegon. While I promise to be loyal to you, I won't let you hurt me again. I need my freedom. It is either that or no more talk of marriage." She dragged down his hand away from her face.
He finally surrendered. "You can leave with my permission. There won't be any guards to arrest you or stop you. But I am trusting that you will let me know if you wish to leave anywhere."
She walked down, not afford to see his face. Perhaps she was scared of melting down in his arms. A part of her enjoyed that craziness in him to seek for her more than his wives. But he would never love. She was merely a strange obsession and it would wean off after marriage. Right now, Irina felt delicious in tasting victory. She got everything she wanted. She won't settle for less.
Thanks for the wonderful comments. I am excited to read when I read these comments. And I am sorry for this longest chapter. I wanted to break it down. But decided against, as I want to make a logical conclusion along with details needed for the story, and character development.