Aegor
"If you thought you can turn them against me, you should know that it wouldn't work," Aegor told Daenerys once they were alone.
Daenerys gave him an unhappy glare. "But it's true, isn't it? Daemon would never have rebelled against Daeron by himself. You must have lied to him. You killed him just as much as Brynden did."
She was not wrong, Aegor knew, but he could hardly admit to that. "You won't believe me no matter what I tell you, so I won't bother. But tell me, Daenerys, are you being troublesome for the sake of Maron Martell? Or is it because you still love Daemon?"
She laughed dryly. "How is that even a question? I care for Maron, but I've loved Daemon for as long as I can remember, back when I still knew him as a cousin instead of a brother. He… he's better than anyone else. Purer, more true, and more perfect. There will never again be another man like him."
"There won't be." He agreed wholeheartedly. Aegor would always be the one blamed for the Blackfyre Rebellion, for Daemon's death. Because he was the one who ultimately got Daemon to rebel. "You're more realistic, though. You'll only mourn for him when it's acceptable."
Daemon had discussed his troubles about Daenerys with Aegor before, when they spent the night drunk of their respective sorrow. Daenerys was Daemon's only failure, aside from trusting Aegor himself. He was too nice to her.
Too nice to refuse her demands.
"You didn't appear that day when Daemon agreed that he'd cover your escape. Did you enjoy your life with Maron Martell? Did you know how worried Daemon was?"
Daemon had been convinced that Daeron caught her and talked her down before she could escape, but Aegor was more skeptical. For when they saw her again, there was no trace of unwillingness when she said her vows to Maron Martell.
Daenerys turned to him with clenched fists. "I didn't appear because I knew how painful Daemon felt. When I asked him to help me escape, he told me he could only accompany me until I found refuge across the narrow sea. Because he must return to his wife."
Aegor snorted. "You're jealous."
"Not more than you're jealous of Brynden. Daemon's love for me had only brought him suffering as he struggled between her and me. I grew up with him, if I couldn't get Daemon to stay with me, then I already lost." Daenerys glared pointedly at Aegor. "I'm not like you. You never gave up no matter what Shiera said."
Aegor did not refute Daenerys on the issue of Shiera. He did not wish anyone to know about her. "You're wrong if you think Daemon ever stopped loving you. The only reason he didn't challenge your husband for a duel was so you wouldn't be distressed."
A lonely smile appeared on her lips. "I didn't doubt that he still cared for me. Still loved me, even. But he loved Rohanne more. I couldn't be the first in his heart… therefore it didn't matter whether I married Maron or not."
Aegor was not impressed. "You said a lot of pretty words, Daenerys, but you never fought to keep his heart. You didn't leave him because you saw his struggles— you abandoned him the moment you failed to control him."
"I failed to control him?" Daenerys hissed. "Only you tried to control him. If there's one thing I regret, it was not warning him about you. You, who only fed Daemon your malicious lies so you could gain power from him. Because of you, I could never hear him call me 'Dany' lovingly ever again. And you married his daughter, and have his son in your grasp! You're a monster, Aegor Rivers. I want you to know that."
Aegor had thought of Daenerys as a selfish coward, but it did seem true that she still longed for Daemon. Even so, Aegor did not plan to let her gain the upper hand in this conversation. For there was something she deserved to be aware of.
"If I'm a monster, my success would only be due to your help," he whispered. "Daemon didn't think ill of Daeron despite their differences before, even with my best efforts. But after you married Maron Martell, it took only a tiny push to get him on track with the rebellion. All because of you."
Daenerys' face paled. "That can't be true! The… the rebellion happened eight years after I was wed! By the time it happened, Daemon must have thought of me as no more than his sister—"
"He thought of you as the one person in this world who would always be dearest to him, until his very last day." Aegor looked straight into her eyes as he spoke, eyes quickly filling with tears. She was always frail, Aegor thought. Rohanne was a stronger woman. She did not even cry when she died. She only begged Aegor to take care of her children.
He failed so many of them. He would not fail Aenys, Calla and Daena too.
"You're so cruel," Daenerys whimpered. "Are you happy now that you have won? Take me to Daemon. I have a lot to tell him."
"As you wish. Though you should know that there's nothing left of Daemon on the Redgrass Field. You'll be better off tending what you left in Dorne."
"No. I must go," Daenerys insisted. Aegor shrugged and arranged for her to be brought there, and shipped back to Dorne when she was done with Redgrass Field. He had no interest in dealing with her any further.
Though he should know she would not leave without the last word in.
"About Daemon's daughter," she said almost absentmindedly, "Your little wife. For all that she inherited from Daemon, she's rather short and… undeveloped."
Calla was more than a head shorter than Aenys, and her shape was clearly that of a child's. Though that much was clear to anyone not blind, Daenerys was the only person rude enough to spit that into Aegor's face.
That poor child had suffered enough. She dedicated her life to her house. Aegor had to protect Calla more than anyone else, for it was the vows he had made, thrice over. "You know nothing about Calla. If you still love Daemon as you claimed, then leave his children alone."
"I've been wondering why you haven't had any children with her, despite how much she supposedly cares for you." The corners of her lips lifted up as she saw Aegor's expression darken. "Just what did you put her through in exchange for a loyal, living powerful weapon, Aegor?"
Aegor remembered the moment Calla presented him with Crystal, and begged him to let her practice with the boys. He offered to teach her privately instead. He wanted to observe her wield the magical sword, to make sure it was not a trap from Brynden. But even so…
He could not anticipate the damage Crystal would do to her.
But Daenerys did not have to know that.
She had no right to know Calla's secret.
"I did nothing more than help her master her potential. And it's none of your concern. You never cared for Daemon's children." Aegor could still recall the look on Daenerys' face when Daemon and Rohanne brought their twins to court. A mix of jealousy and resentment, a look similar to what he often saw on his own face when he looked into a mirror. "You only raised the issue because you're mad that I 'won' the argument. You're nothing but a spiteful woman watching all you love slipping through your fingers."
Daenerys crackled. "Me? Spiteful? But there is no one nearly as spiteful as you, dear Aegor. You may think you have won, but you still lost everything you have ever loved. Enjoy your victory, bastard."
You're wrong, Aegor wanted to say, but his lips remained close. His mother, Daemon, Shiera. They all left him, and he could not stop them. There was some truth in Daenerys' words.
There was Calla, but...
He did not live because of whom he loved. He still lived because he had promises to keep.
He lived because he had to protect them.
He may be a liar, and Daenerys may call him a monster, but he would fulfill his promises. It was the only thing he could do.
—
Calla's feet tapped impatiently as Aegor droned on and on about the Ironborn.
"I'll go," she offered when he finally paused to catch his breath. "I'll go and burn Pyke to the ground."
"Go, but don't burn Pyke to the ground," Aegor replied. "Bringing Dagon's head back would be more than enough. They say his son isn't much of a warrior, so it's an opportunity to choose another house to rule the Iron Islands. Approach some of the more prominent houses, and see if any of them will renounce their allegiance to the Greyjoys."
"Calla's general idea isn't wrong," Aenys' hand stroked his chin. "The Ironborn are nothing but pests to the realm. If we assign a loyal, able man to rule those rocks instead…"
"Then he will meet the same fate as Lyonel Tyrell did after he was given Dorne. Assigning an outsider to rule a kingdom never works out, as the Young Dragon learned to his sorrow." Aegor quickly moved to nip this idea in its bud. Aenys was a bright boy, but his ideas were often too bold, too hastily. It was Aegor's responsibility to set him on the right path.
"I suppose you're right, uncle," Aenys sighed. "We shall do as you say. Though… Calla, there's no need for you to go. We have a lot of able commanders who could take charge."
Aegor frowned. That was unusual. Calla stared at Aenys, confused. "Why deny me the command, Aenys— Your Grace?" She asked. "Am I not supposed to earn my respect on the field, so I could be a pillar of your realm?"
A brief flash of annoyance appeared on Aenys' face before it turned into a smile. "You are already the pillar of my realm. But as powerful as Crystal is, Calla, you're no naval commander. It'll be better for someone with experience at sea to lead the attack instead."
Calla pursed her lips. "True. But I can create swift winds for our ships with Crystal, just like last time when we crossed the narrow sea. And I'm still a useful asset in personal combat."
"No one doubts your skill and valour, but you deserve some rest here in the capital. You just came back from the Vale not long ago—"
"Your Grace." Aegor knew what Aenys was really thinking. And he would not stand by idly and let Aenys talk Calla down. "You aren't thinking of taking command yourself, are you?"
Silence. Then Aenys laughed. "I'm no naval commander either, uncle. Sure, I can join our fleet and assure my men that their king is with them, but—"
"No 'buts'," Aegor cut in, "And no 'cans'. This was exactly what you planned to do. You are afraid that your name will become akin to Aerys' or the first Aenys' if you don't lead." Aegor walked beside Aenys and placed a firm hand on his shoulders. It would do no good if Aegor forced the young king too much. "Unlike Bloodraven, I won't let your name be known as such. Westeros will know you not as Aenys the Weak, but Aenys the Restorer, Aenys the Wise. So you need not be worried."
Aenys lowered his head. When he spoke, his voice was low and cold. "Calla will lead the attack with a selection of experienced naval commanders under her."
"Brother." Sensing Aenys' anger, Calla knelt in front of him. Aegor could see there was now a new understanding in her eyes, and with it came pain in her expression. Poor girl. "I'm your sword to wield and my honour is your honour. All glory I received on the battlefield is yours. I'll… I can never earn any power for myself. So please… trust me. Trust us."
"Calla, Calla. Of course I trust you." Aenys' voice was soft and gentle when he motioned Calla to stand up, a brilliant smile on his face. Not a bad quality for a king to quickly mask his emotions, Aegor thought. Combined with a lack of ability to differentiate between foes and allies though… this could be dangerous. "I'm merely frustrated that I have to sit here sifting through all the parchments while you're out there fighting my wars for me. I wish to be with you, that's all."
A complete and utter lie. Yet Calla nodded and stood back obediently. Aegor glanced at her and she managed a slight smile. He should warn… no, if Calla believed that Aenys cared for her as such, it was best to leave it that way. Calla need not have another burden on her mind.
Aegor would just have to give Aenys the glory he desired.
"Once the Ironborn submit, it would be time for Your Grace to look for a wife." Aegor changed the topic.
"You don't have to remind me." Aenys smiled wryly. "I am besieged by the sisters and daughters of every lord between Sunspear and the Wall. But there are only a few houses I'll consider wedding."
"And that is…"
"Bracken," Aenys smirked as he mentioned the house of Aegor's mother. "Reyne, and Peake. All of them are loyalist houses that should be rewarded for their continued support."
"House Bracken was promised the Riverlands, and House Reyne the Westerlands. We cannot take the Reach from the Tyrells since they didn't fight on the Falseborn's side this time, but Lord Peake's castles are restored and rewarded with more lands. They are all powerful houses," Calla analyzed. She was correct, Aegor thought, and Aenys' selection was good. But that would mean he had already made the decision on who to wed.
"Unfortunately, my mother's house has no living daughters." Aegor's cousin had nothing but sons. "Lord Reyne does not have unwed sisters or daughters of marriageable age. That leaves Lord Peake… who has a daughter only three years younger than Your Grace."
"Yes." Aenys nodded. "It has been decided. I will marry Selyse Peake."
A Peake queen then. Aegor sighed... One could only hope that it would not be disastrous.
