Aerion
Daena was still seething when she stepped out of Aenys Blackfyre's solar, her lips pulled downwards in a disapproving scowl. "This is ridiculous. The gall of him to dodge every crime he's committed and accuse me of treason…"
Aerion gritted his teeth. Daena had no idea of what Aerion was planning. If she had known, she would not be standing beside him. Would not be holding his hand. Would not be… "But you trust me," he gripped her fingers tightly, "You still have me." He was not sure of what he wanted to hear— did he really want her to reconfirm her trust when he knew that it would only bring more pain when it broke?
Or did he want her to say that she wanted him as king over her brother now? This was… this was impossible. It pained Aerion to admit, but he knew that she would not choose him over her birth family… not even now...
Daena peered into his eyes, and at that moment he was almost convinced that she had read his thoughts, his desires and struggle and pain. She smiled afterwards, eyes sparkling with drops of tears. "I trust you, now. I was angry at you for months, for you not being the one to apologize first… I didn't know Aenys would have gone so far. My family has been scattered, but now I know that you will always be on my side."
The kiss she gave him was passionate and deep. Aerion embraced her, clutching her head in his palm. He missed the touch of her lips, the smell of her hair… to feel the warmth of her leaning on him again.
The fact that he could hear all the gasps for this public display of affection from the hallway only made this better. When Daena pulled away, she was blushing. "I should have held myself and waited until later," she whispered.
Aerion was pleased. "Let's not wait then." Hand on her waist, he attempted to lead her down the hall and back to their chambers, but Daena caught his arm and shook her head.
"I need to see Calla. If she is just woken up as Uncle Aegor said, then she must be wondering why we aren't by her bedside by now. Besides…" Her brows stubbornly drew together, "I haven't given up on Aenys yet. There must be something I can do. I… It won't take too long, so please wait for a little longer."
Aerion frowned, his disappointment evident. How much time she must spend on those two before she realised they were no longer the siblings she had shared fond memories with? They were dangerous, Aenys viewed Daena and Aerion as a threat to his crown, and Calla was an unstable madwoman full of bloodlust. "They aren't worth it."
"Aerion. There was a time when I lost the strength to even speak. I was a husk of my past self, passing day to day drowning in tears. It was my siblings that stayed on my side and gave me the bravery to face the world again." Daena locked eyes with Aerion, her expression serious. "You are the one I want on my side now, more than anyone else. But they are my family, and I love them still. I can't just abandon them in this time of need."
Aerion was frustrated. There was a fundamental difference between the two of them, the fact that Daena had a past she could recount fondly, and Aerion simply… did not have one.
Daena was the first person who brought him what he believed was love, and whom he felt love for. However, Daena had always been loved by those surrounding her, and she loved them in return. He could not occupy her heart fully as she was to him.
In some ways, he understood it could not be. It was to force her to live with only him in her eyes, a thing that could not be done. But Aerion was desperate. He had been dismissive of the value of love for his whole life, yet once he tasted it, he wanted it, wanted her all for himself. Clutching her arms, he whispered, "Daena, it could be dangerous. If your brother could accuse you of treason, he could have ordered your execution next time. As for your sister, she killed countless people with her magic. She might kill—"
"Calla did everything she did for our family!" Daena protested, frowning, "That, I…" a pause, her gaze wavering, "remember. Nevertheless, I'll be careful. I don't want a repeat of the situation with Aenys too."
Aerion pursed his lips. There was no convincing Daena when she was being so damn stubborn. "Fine."
Daena smiled shyly, her eyes locked into his. "See you later." She gave him another quick kiss on his cheeks, before running away, holding up the hem of her dress.
"What a strange girl. We've been married for years yet she would still pretend to be some shy maiden," he mumbled to himself, yet the corners of the mouth still raised themselves. In truth, he loved it— it reminded him of the days they first met, the days he mistook her to be an innocent, harmless girl.
When she revealed her true face, Aerion had thought it was a mask far from the truth. Yet as time passed, he had grown to understand that part of her was not entirely false either. He wanted— no, he could believe that her attraction for him was real from the start. They were made for each other.
High-spirited, he waved towards the bodyguard he had stationed aside. "Come along, hedge knight. We shall do as she said."
Duncan stared at him with an expression that was in equal part bewildered and exasperated. "Sure."
—
Yet when Daena came back to their chambers, she had rushed through the door, her steps frenetic. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Aerion. You're right. He… Aenys threatened to kill you," Daena whispered in a hushed tone, eyes widened in fear. "And now Calla is… fixing her mistake. You need to hide."
"He threatened to kill me?" Aerion repeated, not feeling the fear he thought he would have. After Aenys Blackfyre thought Daena wished to have Aerion as king— an accusation that Aerion badly wished to be true— it was not a huge surprise that he would go one step further. If anything Aerion felt… lightheaded. Excited. With this, you're finally on my side.
Daena glared at him, stumping the ground, "This isn't a joke, Aerion. You're in danger. I don't think he plans to act on it, but he does have that power on his whims. Who can we trust to protect you against Aenys' order here? Ser Duncan, mayhaps, but…" biting her lips, Daena's eyes searched around the room for listening ears and weak points, quickly analysing for a solution.
Seeing her fear for his safety twinged his heart somewhat, and he let it slip, "The hedge knight will defend me. We have an agreement. He—"
Daena stared at him, blood drained from her face. "What agreement?" Her voice was shaking.
Aerion did not answer. Could not answer. A forced, horrified smile crept onto his face, yet no explanation, no excuse could come to his lips. She knew. She was smart enough to know what this implied, what Aerion planned to do...
"I asked you," gritting her teeth, Daena forcefully grabbed his shoulders, growling, "Aerion, what agreement? What are you hiding? Could it be that you—"
The door banged loudly. "Your Highnesses!" Duncan called behind the door, "Urgent message from the king himself!"
"Aenys…! Then…" Daena's anxious eyes darted across the room, landing on her wardrobe. Pulling Aerion's arm, she urged, "Go inside and hide for a while. If it's safe I'll let you know."
"Daena, I didn't…" In a moment of desperation, Aerion squeezed out, yet Daena only yanked her wardrobe door open and pushed him inside with all her strength.
He stumbled in and Daena closed the door on his face. "Please come in!" Aerion could hear Daena answering the door and letting the knight in. From the number of footsteps he heard, it was not an attempt to arrest him, as Daena had feared.
Shifting in a pile of soft fabrics, Aerion sighed. He could make something up, he told himself, and even if Daena asked Duncan he would not tell the truth unless he wanted to lose his own head in addition to Aerion's.
And Daena still cared about him, even when she was suspecting him. While Daena was distracted by the message, he could come up with a suitable lie…
But the inviting light from beyond the wardrobe door attracted his attention. Peeking out, Aerion saw Daena holding a piece of parchment and reading it carefully. Duncan was waiting for her on the side, his gaze wandering the room with confusion, clearly wondering where Aerion was.
What was on the letter? Aerion could not see its content, but Daena had not raised her head for several minutes. Seemingly contemplating, her gaze rose from the letter to… the wardrobe.
"You can come out now, Aerion," she finally said, her voice sharp, "It's no threat. All good news."
Good news? When he walked out the wardrobe, the hedge knight stared at him with bewilderment, but Aerion did not care for the opinion of the likes of him now. Daena handed him the letter wordlessly.
Daena,
The situation in King's Landing had come to an end, thanks to Calla's actions. She had gone out to apologise to the whole city, for Flea Bottom. After listening to her speech, I was inspired to do the same and repent, if only to shed a fragment of my sins. We kneeled on the ground and begged for their forgiveness. It was well-received, so we returned to the Red Keep mostly unscathed.
I must make amends for what I said about you and your husband too. It was wrong of me to accuse and threaten you. Please come to meet me in the throne room and take your husband, and I shall offer my deepest apology.
Your brother, Aenys
The ink had not yet dried, Aerion noticed. "This was truly written by your brother?" he asked. Repentance? In the middle of King's Landing? Kneeling? Confessing? It was so ridiculous, so outrageous. If the Blackfyres had any respect for their blood, they would not kneel to anyone. Dragons only burn, not kneel. The message could say that they killed every smallfolk in the city and Aerion would believe it, but this...
"It's his handwriting. And before you mention it, I don't think it's a trap or anything," Daena sighed, "If Aenys wants you— us dead, there are better methods. This was real. He truly wants to make amends." She smiled, but there were some reservations in her eyes.
"Then…" Aerion braced himself for the question.
Her gaze turned sharp. Judging. Pressing. "Aerion, I trust you. I want you to know that. So tell me now. What agreement did you make with Ser Duncan?"
Duncan widened his eyes, mouth agape.
Aerion's heart racing, words flew from his lips before Duncan could say anything. "I apologised for what I did at Ashford. You know, I..."
"I know what you did there, yes," Daena said, tilting her head towards Duncan, "Ser, could you confirm what he said?"
"...I won't call that an apology," The hedge knight's tone was exasperated, his expression bitter, as if he just swallowed a whole lemon, "But he did express some sort of regret for his actions that day. So it isn't wrong to say we reached an agreement."
"Oh… I see," Daena muttered. Aerion felt that her tone was off, but when she faced him with a full, beaming smile he forgot his worries. "You could have said that from the beginning!" She poked his nose playfully, giggling, "I didn't think that you would… you really have changed since we met, my love."
"Stop poking my nose," he protested, but a smile grew on his lips anyway. He made it, and Daena was happier about him than ever. She would not suspect anything.
"Well, let's see what Aenys wants to say." Taking his hand, Daena urged, "I'm going to get him to confirm that you are a part of the family, too. No one gets to use you as a hostage in this castle. And I'll be sure to get a proper apology out of his mouth."
"Daena… I'm not a Blackfyre," Aerion said.
She paused. "But you are, now." She looked straight into his eyes, those shades of violet full of affection, "You are my family. You are a Blackfyre, by marriage and by love." She squeezed his hand, her warmth reinforcing her words.
Oh, Aerion finally realised, he did not need to compete for her love with her family. Because he was a part of her family as well, in her mind. The same group of people that she loved.
But… even more special.
—
Her brother's apology did satisfy Daena. Aenys Blackfyre was a broken, pitiful man, if more stable than his past self a few hours ago. He had lost his crown to the rioters of the city, and his plea for reconciliation with his sister was desperate. Daena could not bear to refuse him, like the kind, sweet woman she was.
But it did not matter. Aerion had her love now, and he need not feel jealous again.
Is this what I want after all? Aerion asked himself at night, as he caressed Daena's hair, her smooth, silky strands resting leisurely between his fingers. Just once… he was certain that he had won her full, undivided love.
His hunger for her satisfied, Aerion felt at peace. Her sleeping face, a sweet smile on her lips, brought him inexplicable joy. This was her true face, like he had wanted. Behind the layer of masks she had worn when he first knew her, was a woman even more lovely than what he expected.
Yet, there was still that twinge in his heart reminding him of his plan, what he must do. To be king, to get revenge on those who wronged him. To sit on the Iron Throne, as the rightful heir of the red dragon.
Daena thought that he was a Blackfyre… but he was not. He was the one who should be king. He had a better claim for the throne than anyone in this castle. That power should be his and his alone, he wanted it, and he could do so much better than a Blackfyre.
The Blackfyres were undermining themselves, the authority of Aenys Blackfyre lower than ever. A king humbling himself in front of the lowly rioters and letting his crown— the Conqueror's crown— be torn apart and sold to the black market? If the previous slaughter of Flea Bottom reminded people of the atrocities of kings like Maegor, then this would lead to comparison with the worst king since Targaryen rule— Baelor the Befuddled.
This was a golden opportunity. The last time they met, Garlan had told him about the number of men they had sent to the Night's Watch and the north, and the effort he had made to encourage the dissatisfaction of various nobles towards the Blackfyres. The day to act would come soon, he claimed.
Yet, being engulfed in Daena's scent and her warmth… he had an urge to wake her up and confess to her all of Tyrell's plot.
Just let her know, and she'll forgive me. He had not actually done anything… traitorous yet. He would have performed a huge service to the current regime, and be rewarded appropriately. With this proof of loyalty, Aenys Blackfyre would never have any more excuse to execute him. He could walk in the halls with the respect he deserved, no one would look down on him… he just had to give up on that chance to power, and he could live freely without this burden in his mind...
...It was a dream too good to be true. Daena—
He glanced at her face again. Daena had clung closer to him now, fingers of her left hand tightened around his right, her forehead furrowed. What nightmares was she having?
Aerion would have shielded her from her dreams, but he himself was a cause of her nightmares. The stronger the trust was… the more betrayed she would feel when the truth came to light.
He was aware that letting the plan come to fruition would be the worst way for her to know. The biggest betrayal. But it was also the only way he could ensure she would not— no, could not slip out of his fingers. And for that, he would use whatever force he must.
Because he could not afford to lose her again, not after he had gotten a taste of the joy she had brought him.
