Chapter 10: Aegon

"He's demanded what?!" Aegon snarled. He couldn't believe his ears, surely Illyrio was mistaken.

"He's demanded that in return for providing Prince Viserys with safe haven and with safe passage, he marry Princess Daenerys, Your Grace." Illyrio answered meekly.

Aegon swore. "The audacity! You are telling me that a horse fucker wishes to marry a Princess of the Blood?!" It was not possible. The Dothraki were terrified of running water. They were little more than brutes who rode horses and fucked them. Marrying a Princess of the Blood to one of them was simply not thinkable.

"Yes, Sire." Illyrio replied.

"And?" Aegon demanded. "What has my uncle said?" Surely Viserys would say no. Surely he would not want to disgrace his sister like this?

Illyrio shifted in his chair. Evidently the answer he had to give was not one that Aegon would like. That just made the fire within him burn ever hotter. The audacity of this horse fucker to want to marry a Princess of the Blood. No, not want, wanting was fine, but to demand? To demand?! No that was not acceptable.

"He has agreed, Your Grace." Illyrio said.

"What?!" Aegon roared. His uncle, the man who according to all the reports that Aegon had read, thought he was the Dragon reborn, that he was a God, was going to agree to wed his sister to a horse fucker. Aegon could not believe it.

"Yes, Your Grace. It seems that he thinks the Dothraki will give him what he wants." Illyrio said. The man did not need to spell out what that was.

"He does know that the Dothraki do not like running water." Aegon said. "That they will never take him across the sea unless he gives them something that they think is worth the journey."

"He does, Your Grace, and yet he still thinks it is the best decision to make." Illyrio said.

Aegon narrowed his eyes. "What have you told him?" He did not think that Illyrio would lie, not to him, but who knew what nonsense he might tell Viserys.

Illyrio's eyes widened then. "I…I…nothing more than what I think is the truth, that which I have shared with you, Your Grace."

"And remind me again," Aegon said, keeping his voice low, evidently it was having the desire affect for Illyrio was shifting in his chair. "what is the truth?"

Illyrio swallowed. "The Dothraki provide men and an impression. They will of course draw Prince Viserys away from Westeros toward Vaes Dothrak and away from the hired knives of the Usurper. Furthermore, it will give Your Grace time to properly prepare for what needs to be done."

"And the fact that a Princess of the Blood is being dishonoured by being married to a horse fucker?" Aegon snarled.

Illyrio shifted. "Sometimes sacrifices must be made, Your Grace."

Aegon pushed his chair back and banged his hands on the table. "A sacrifice?!" He glared at Mopatis. "Might I remind you that that is my aunt, Princess Daenerys Targaryen that you are speaking of. She is not a sacrifice."

A moment passed, then another, then Illyrio spoke. "It is what needs to be done, Your Grace. A man would understand that."

Aegon glared at Mopatis, but Lord Connington stood up then and snapped. "You do not tell the Dragon what he should and should not understand!"

Mopatis looked between Jon Connington and Aegon, something must have shown on both their faces for the man bowed his head and said. "My apologies, Your Grace. I spoke out of turn."

Aegon remained standing and asked. "Remind me again, Lord Mopatis, why we cannot simply go and get my uncle and aunt? Why we cannot bring them in from the cold? Why should they go through this humiliation?" He had asked this question many times over the years. And always the answer was not satisfactory.

Mopatis shifted in his chair, his eyes moved from Aegon to Connington, to Ser Arthur-who dressed in his Kingsguard white was an intimidating sight-to Septa Lemore and back to Aegon, before he replied. "Because it would raise attention. The Usurper has eyes everywhere, Your Grace. They are all focused on Prince Viserys. Should Prince Viserys join with Your Grace, then the attention would move to you. Too much has been done to ensure Your Grace's security and safety to throw it all away now."

Aegon took a deep breath and then said. "So, I am merely to stand by and watch as my uncle throws away his sister, to the savages? I am to do nothing?"

"Yes, Your Grace." Illyrio said.

Aegon wanted to scream, the only reason he didn't was because Lemore put a hand on his arm then, he looked at her. Lemore was like the mother he had never had. He trusted her completely.

"Your Grace may not like this, none of us here do, but it is necessary. Nothing is more important than Your Grace's safety. Until such a time as Your Grace is ready to strike, you must remain safe."

"And what of my uncle and aunt?" Aegon demanded, he could not in good conscious allow them to remain as they were.

"You need not worry about them, Your Grace. We may not like what is happening but they will be safe. The Usurper has never gotten his eyes into a Khalasar before, and he will not have started now. Furthermore, we have eyes with Their Highnesses. They will be safe." Lemore said.

Aegon stared at Lemore, he looked at her face to see if there was even a hint of a lie in what she said. When he could not find any, he sat down and said. "Fine. I do not like it, but I accept it. However, I want to make sure that they are safe. The moment it looks like danger might arise, I want them taken out of there."

"Yes, Your Grace." Mopatis answered.

Aegon nodded then asked. "When is the wedding occurring and where?"

"In a month's time, and here, Sire." Mopatis said.

Aegon nodded, concealing his surprise. Mopatis was moving very, very quickly. "We shall need to depart within time then." Perhaps he would inspect the Dragon's Companions and move them to Volon Therys.