161 AC, King's Landing

Aegon

Aegon let himself be taken by his wife into what appeared to be her chambers. All the way here from the Tower of the Hand, Aegon had been lost in thought, his mind awhirl with plans of revenge and ideas filled with hate. And yet, now that he stood alone with his wife for the first time in a year, it was difficult to hold on to his anger and hate. Aegon stood in the centre of the room, waiting while Serenei dismissed all her servants.

He looked around. They were tastefully appointed. Sweet-smelling rushes were scattered on the floors, the kind found near the marshy lands of the Cracklaw Point. Aegon inhaled deeply, letting the familiar scent of the Red Keep fill his nostrils. For the first time since coming back to the Seven Kingdoms, he felt at home. The frown on his face slipped and turned into a smile. Behind him, Serenei closed the doors to her chambers. She then embraced him from behind.

"Serenei."

"You left me for a year." The accusal was evident in her tone.

Aegon turned around and took her hands within his own. He rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles while he looked into her eyes. She looked angry, but her eyes were soft. He sighed, allowing the feeling of being home suffuse into his entire being. He felt dreadfully tired, but rest could wait.

"You know I had to go, my dear," Aegon said softly. He brushed a lock of silver hair from Serenei's face to behind her ear. "I was needed." Aegon's irritation returned. "And for good reason too. If the damned Tyrell lord was left to his own devices-"

"I do not care for some lord all the way across the land," Serenei interrupted. She took her hand from his grasp and cupped his face. "I care for you."

Aegon felt himself lean into it. Here was the reason his days in Essos were made bearable. Here was the reason he felt glad to be coming back to King's Landing, alone, without Daeron. And here was the reason he dreaded going back to Dorne again. Alone. He opened his mouth to speak, to say something, but his wife spoke over him.

"I hope you have not been with other women while you were away," Serenei asked. A glimmer of mischief shone in her eyes, an impish smile played on her lips.

For a brief moment, a shard of guilt plunged into Aegon's heart. He remembered the Dornish woman on the journey to King's Landing. The Vaith. If he had a few more days with her, perhaps something would have happened. He knew himself too well to pretend his intentions were entirely innocent. But now was not the time to think of her. Not when he was with his wife.

"And what if I was?" Aegon asked. He smirked, trying to mask his anxiety and his exhaustion.

Serenei's hand slid down from his cheek to hold the back of his neck. Her eyes gleamed with fire. "Then, I suppose I will have to kill her," she said, looking straight into Aegon's eyes. "And then I will have to kill you." Serenei's smile was edged with cruelty. "I will not suffer… what do you people say over here? Being put horns upon?"

Aegon laughed. "I expected no less from you, my dear." He leaned in to capture her lips in a kiss. All of his passion and his frustration and his anger melted away, to be replaced by a more base emotion. Serenei responded just as eagerly. It must have been a few moments or maybe a few hours, Aegon did not know which. When they pulled back, both of their faces were flushed and they were breathing heavily. Aegon nuzzled his head into Serenei's hair and inhaled her scent. It made him feel heady. He had a silly smile on his face.

"I see you must be tired, love," Serenei said. She ran a finger down his face. "Would you wish to retire?"

"Let us adjourn to the bedchamber, my dear."

Serenei took him by the hand and was leading deeper into her rooms when the sound of someone knocking interrupted them. Aegon twitched in irritation. Serenei let out a long-suffering sigh and bade whoever was outside to enter. Naerys came in.

"Aegon," Naerys began. She walked over to where he stood and took a hand within her own smaller one. "I trust you are well." Naerys smiled. It was a beautiful smile, but a familiar one. It was Aemon's smile as well. Aegon's irritation vaporised like water in a desert, replaced by an ache in his chest which started to feel familiar.

"As well as can be hoped for, dear sister," Aegon said, smiling back at his sister. He pulled her into an embrace and Naerys wrapped her hands around him, resting her head on his chest.

Naerys pulled back after a moment of quiet comfort. "I am glad for that." She looked reprimanding. "You were barely here for a moon's turn before you left with Daeron for the war."

"I had to, sister," Aegon said, truthful with her. "You know the reasons for my exile. I cannot come back and look to my pleasures instead of proving my devotion, showing that I have changed." Aegon's voice held his fervour, his desperation. "I had to prove that I was not the boy I once was. That my loyalties lay with the Iron Throne, with the King."

Serenei came to stand beside him and lay a hand on his shoulder, offering comfort. But at that moment, Aegon cared more for his sister's opinion of him than he did of his wife's comfort.

"I had heard of your exploits," Naerys said softly. "Of how you are called the Dragonknight."

Aegon swallowed. "It- It would be more suited for Aemon rather than me." He braced himself for Naerys's anger.

Instead, Naerys sighed. "Perhaps it would," Naerys said, her voice still soft. "We will never know now." She was despondent and a tear tugged at the corner of her eye. It broke Aegon's heart to see his sister in this way. He took her face in his hand and brushed the tear away with his thumb. For years, Aegon had dreamed of his homecoming and now it turned to ashes in his mouth even before he ever set foot on the realm's shores.

"We will have our revenge, sister," Aegon promised, the words tumbling out of his mouth, his heart speaking to hers. "We will have our revenge, even if it the last thing I do, even if I have to tear down the damned city brick by brick for it." Aegon held her hand tight within his, the fire of conviction shining within his eyes.

Nearys looked into Aegon's eyes. Aegon did not know what she sought. "I shall hold you to that," Naerys said. A tense silence fell over the room.

Serenei cleared her throat. "Tell me about Jaehaerys, dear sister," Serenei asked smiling, with a hand on Naerys's arm. "It has been quite a while since he's come to visit his dear aunt." There was a reprimand in her tone, but it was more playful than accusatory. Aegon felt himself listening attentively.

"Oh?" Aegon turned towards Serenei. "I was not aware you and my nephew had a close bond."

Serenei smirked. "You were gone for a year. Your nephew makes a better lover than you ever could, husband." She laughed, high and trilling, music to Aegon's ears.

Beside her, Naerys reddened and scowled. "I will thank you not to speak of my son in that way."

But Aegon laughed along with his wife. "'Tis a jest, sister," he said, putting his hand around her shoulder. She shrugged it off and crossed her arms across her chest, still scowling. "But I do feel, I have to take a measure of the boy your son is," said Aegon, wondering if his nephew inherited some of his father's martial abilities.

"You wish to take him as your squire," Naerys stated. Aegon could see the worry in her eyes as she chewed on her lower lip. "He is still very young."

Aegon held up his hands, hoping to placate her. "Not yet, sister," Aegon promised. "He is but seven years of age now. I could neither take him as a squire now nor would I. After all, I have to go back to Dorne within a moon's turn."

Serenei rounded upon him, anger and astonishment writ on her face. "You are leaving?" she demanded. "And when you only came back, just now, after being gone for a year? I wish to come with you." Serenei's face was set in determination.

Aegon sighed. "I will think on it," he said. Better to nip this argument in the bud. Serenei opened her mouth, no doubt to protest. He held up a hand, stalling her. "Let us speak of this matter later, if you feel so strongly about it, but not now."

Serenei closed her mouth. Her sharp features softened in understanding. "You are very tired, husband." She took his hand in hers. "You ought to rest."

"Perhaps later," Aegon said. He turned towards Naerys. "For now, I wish to meet with my nephew."

Naerys twirled a strand of her hair around her fingers as she spoke, looking off into space, thinking. "Usually, at this time of the day, he'd be with Aerys, watching knights, squires and the men-at-arms drill in the yard." She looked at Aegon with a little apprehension.

Aegon smiled. "It is good that he is taking an interest in such pursuits," he said. Naerys smiled back at him. Aegon then continued, "But I suppose everyone at that age would want to see knights fighting in the yard."

"I shall send someone to fetch him, then?" Naerys asked.

"No," Aegon replied. He walked over to the window and leaned on its sill. "No, let him be. I have time, we can meet with him later." A warm breeze wafted in through the window, dispelling some of the humid air in the room. Aegon took a deep breath and continued, "Let him spend his time with Aerys if he so wishes."

"Yes, about that," Naerys began. Aegon turned towards her, his back to the window, leaning backwards on his elbows. He raised an eyebrow in questioning. "Aunt Daenaera has taken Aerys with her and left to Dragonstone as soon as we recieved news that you had docked at Tarth."

"Indeed?" Aegon asked.

Serenei, who was silent till then, spoke up. She was agitated and breathing heavily. "She mislikes you, my love," Serenei spat. Her face was ugly in anger. "The sole reason the Queen Mother took her son away was to keep him away from you."

"I see, " Aegon said, at a loss for words. "I suppose she blames me for Baelor."

"I would not be so harsh, " Naerys tried to interject. She stopped when Serenei levelled her glare towards her person. "It is a mother's love which blinds her. But your wife speaks true, brother. You will not find an ally in her."

Aegon pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off an oncoming headache. "I do not need allies here, in King's Landing," he said. When both his wife and his sister looked fit to argue, he appended, "My present interests lie in Dorne. The Marcher Lords or even the Dornish themselves, gods willing, would serve me better."

"But you will not stay there forever, " Serenei stated even though it was more a question than not. Naerys looked anxious for the answer as well, and she was wringing her hands.

Aegon smiled. "Fear not. I will have to stay in Dorne for two years or mayhaps three, " Aegon said. Serenei scowled and Naerys looked saddened. Aegon rushed to reassure them. "It is only until the Dornish are fully subjugated. Even now, their smallfolk are up in arms, refusing to surrender."

Serenei laughed. "Then cut them down. Show them the futility of taking up arms against you." Her eyes held the fervour of devotion. "Show them what you are capable of. You have your army. Use it."

Aegon sighed. The Dornish were to be a part of the Seven Kingdoms and he could not wantonly provoke rebellions. Even he knew not to slaughter their smallfolk mindlessly unless it was the last choice which remained to him. "That is a discussion for another time, " he said instead. Wishing to change the topic, he spoke to Naerys. "And what of your daughter? My niece?"

Naerys smiled and so did Serenei. "I am her favourite aunt, of course, " Serenei said proudly. Relief coursed through Aegon. He was glad. All through his stay at Dorne, he had stayed up late at nights, wondering what his nephew and niece thought of him. Did they too, like his own father, blame him for Aemon's death? Did they hate him for it? Aegon did not wish to find out but Aemon's children linking Serenei boded well.

"Rhaenys is well, brother, " Naerys said, "although she has already outgrown the dress you've given her the last time you were here. And Jae always plays with the little dragon you've given him. It made Aerys terribly jealous for a long time." Naerys giggled. "He walked up to Aunt Daenaera and asked her where his uncle was to give him all manner of presents."

"That was not taken well, let me tell you, " Serenei interjected. "The death of her son haunts her still, Aegon, and she holds considerable anger towards you." Serenei was outraged on Aegon's behalf. He felt vexed himself.

"No matter what I do, I seem to end up making enemies, " Aegon said to his sister and his wife. His frustration must have bled through his tone and both looked in concern at him. "I hope you have not faced any problems on my account?" Aegon asked his wife.

"None that I could not deal with anyway, " she said with an easy smile. "And besides, your sister and your cousin are my friends here. I am not so alone as you think."

"Cousin?"

"Daena, brother, " Naerys answered. "They have become fast friends." Naerys hid a smile behind her hand.

"I was under the impression she hated me, " Aegon said. He raised a questioning eyebrow. "However did you manage to win her over, my dear?"

Serenei simply winked at him. "I have my own secrets, " she said with a smirk.

Aegon crossed his arms across his chest. "I do hope you will be careful around her. I do not trust her enough to not scheme against you as a way of getting back against me."

Naerys looked outraged. "Aegon! That's our cousin you're speaking of." She put a hand on her hip and waved a finger in Aegon's face. "I can't believe you think of her this way!"

"And yet that doesn't stop her from thinking the same of me. " Aegon dug his heels in, refusing to cede ground.

"She is a child, " Naerys said, sounding exasperated. "You can't blame her for being that way."

"She is almost a woman grown, " Aegon said, stubbornly. "And either way, it did not stop her from trying to convince Daeron that I mean to usurp his throne." Naerys gasped and Aegon pushed further. "The only reason I do nothing in return is that she is our cousin and that she is a child." Aegon was breathing heavily, his anger and frustration coming back to the fore. "Do not think me blind to what is happening around myself. So the next time you sit down with Daena, tell her this sister; if she believes my silence to be a weakness and prods me in turn, she will not find it pleasant when I am roused."

Serenei, who was silent throughout Aegon's diatribe, moved forward to establish peace. "Please excuse my husband for his harsh words, Naerys. He is tired from the journey and needs to rest."

Naerys looked guilty now. She stepped forward and cupped Aegon's face with her hand. Aegon's features softened, his anger giving way to a bone-deep weariness. "I am sorry, brother. You should rest. I will visit later and bring my children."

She placed a kiss on Aegon's cheek and made to leave the room. Serenei slipped her hand into Aegon's. When Naerys reached the threshold, she turned back to face Aegon. Gone was his gentle and soft sister. In her place was a woman with a hard look and fire in her eyes.

"Do not forget your promise brother. My heart burns for vengeance."

A/N: ok, so a smaller chapter than my usual fare, but I only had a single purpose in mind for this one anyway. I wanted to explore aegon's relationship with both Serenei, who he knows for 4-5 years and his sister, who he knows from childhood but hasn't seen in 7 years.

anyway, we should be getting back into the thick of things soon. The next chapter will most likely be with Daeron in Dorne and I have few fun things in mind about that. Don't worry, he won't be dying, lol.

As always, did you like it? Hate it? Want to complain? I thrive off of feedback, so do let me know! And thanks for reading!