Aerion
Aerion anxiously paced outside his shared chambers with Daena, glaring at the Kingsguards posted at the door. The gall of them to deny him passage. He might no longer be a free man inside the Red Keep, but this was his chambers, and it was his wife he was trying to see!
It was just like when Rohanne was born, he reflected, I was trapped in a room, tied to a bloody chair, with nobody willing to tell me how my wife and my child were doing. Under the Blackfyre regime, I get no respect no matter what I do.
The only way I can get that respect… is to be king.
Quick, unrestrained footsteps came beyond the hallway. "Fatheeeer!" Rohanne screamed, breaking his thoughts. The little dragon sank her claws deep into his pants, her arms tightening around his legs.
Aerion kneeled to her height before she dealt permanent damage to the fabric. Nuzzling her hair, he asked, "You didn't sneak out from the nursery, did you?" It would not be the first time, but now it was more dangerous than before. There were men in the Red Keep willing to do her harm.
Two of them, in fact. Aerion knew that Aelor was executed this morning. They said that Aelor tried to escape but was recaptured. Aerion wanted his cousin dead, but Aemon and Aegon did not feel the same. They would be enraged, and enraged men would naturally want to take out their anger on someone. Someone weak, helpless, and with the name Blackfyre.
At least, that was what Aerion would do.
Rohanne shook her head, grinning. "Ser Duncan says I can stay with you until the baby is born! How long will it take for Mother to give birth? Will it be a boy or a girl? Will it be—"
"Sweetheart, you said Ser Duncan told you to stay with me tonight?" Aerion interrupted, looking around. He could not find the knight in question. "Where is he now?"
"Muh?" Widening her eyes, Rohanne lifted her head and searched for the knight. "He was with me just before…"
Aerion frowned. Clutching Rohanne's hand tight in his own, he stood up and shouted, "Hedge knight!"
"Ser Duncan!" Rohanne followed his example and shouted, "Where are you?" Her words echoed in the hallway, but there was no response. "Ser Robb, Ser Aubrey, have you seen Ser Duncan?" she asked the Kingsguards as well.
"Unfortunately not, my princess," one of them answered, "If he was with you a moment ago, perhaps he has been held up by something. Rest assured, you're safe with us."
This was… strange. Suspicious. The hedge knight was sworn to him, Daena, and Rohanne. If he were tasked to protect Rohanne today, he should be with her the whole time.
Could it be that… fed up with the Blackfyres, Duncan had decided to desert his post? With Aegon in court, they might be trying to escape together. But Duncan knew about Aerion's plan to take back the Iron Throne. If he left now, then…
Aerion looked at Rohanne. Could he trust the two Kingsguards posted at his door to protect her? Rohanne was a Blackfyre, a member of the royal family and princess of the blood. But Kingsguards had not protected him from his nose being broken by the hedge knight. They were the Blackfyres' Kingsguards, not the old ones, but… they were appointed by Aenys Blackfyre.
And Aenys Blackfyre was not a man he trusted.
Making up his mind, Aerion faced Rohanne. "Looks like Ser Duncan is slacking. We need to find him… so that we can punish him."
Rohanne nodded eagerly. "Hooray! I'll make him my new dragon!"
"This isn't a punishment. You're honouring him," Aerion said as he walked away with her, hand in hand, "Think of something more gruesome and stay behind me when we find him…"
—
Voices of familiar men came before three silhouettes were visible. Covering Rohanne's mouth, Aerion hid in the shadows and listened. He needed to know what Aemon, Aegon, and the hedge knight were planning before he confronted them.
It was hard to make out their words, but Aerion still perked his ears. Slowly, noises formed into recognisable words.
"…her end of the bargain."
"…can't let Aerion win," this must be Aegon, "It'll be disastrous."
"…No one wants Aerion unless they have no choice." A sigh. That was Aemon.
"There's Daena Blackfyre," the hedge knight said tiredly.
Disgusted noises from Aegon, "I'm sure she's mad."
Aerion bit his lips to stop himself from hissing. How dare he! Daena was—
Then Rohanne struggled in his arms and Aerion remembered that he was not alone. Desperately he shook his head at her, hoping that she would understand. He saw her frowning, her cheeks reddened, but eventually she stopped moving and nodded at him.
Good. He would make Aegon pay soon. Still holding Rohanne tight, he resumed listening.
"…move inside King's Landing. Could you inform the Tyrells of our wishes, Ser?" Aemon asked.
Tyrells? Then Duncan had told them of the plan? Aerion clenched his teeth. This was bad, really bad. What had he missed? If Aemon and Aegon wanted to disrupt his plan, then he needed to…
"…he seems to be cut from the same cloth as Aerion," the hedge knight answered, "If there's another way—"
He needed to stop them right here and now.
"Hedge knight," Aerion called out, cold sweat forming on his forehead. "I was looking for you."
As Aerion and Rohanne stepped out of the shadow, he saw the three men's shocked expressions. "Aerion!" Duncan blurted out. Aerion felt that Duncan would attack, but then Duncan's eyes moved to Rohanne, her head peeking out from Aerion's back.
"…Princess Rohanne," Duncan bowed, the killing intent Aerion felt disappeared completely, "I'm sorry that I wasn't there to attend to you. I was… held up just now."
Rohanne pouted, but she only glared at Duncan before turning to Aegon. "Uncle Aegon! Nobody can talk about my mother like that. Not even you!"
"Ah, you heard?" Aegon smiled awkwardly at Rohanne, but his guarded gaze was directed at Aerion. "I don't mean any offence to your mother, Rohanne. It's just a… metaphor."
"What's a metaphor?" Rohanne tilted her head. No one answered her question.
"Rohanne, I told you to stay behind me," Aerion warned, fearing his willful daughter would disobey his order, but thankfully she looked at him, pouted, but nodded. Aerion turned to the three men, "Hedge knight, you're supposed to guard my daughter, not conspiring with my brothers behind my back."
The three exchanged a glance. "Then I shall resume my duty," Duncan said, his voice tight, "Princess, shall we return to your mother's chamber?"
"What makes you think I still trust you with my daughter?" Aerion objected immediately, "You took her out of the nursery on nobody's order, told her she would stay with me, and disappeared on the way. What's to say you won't steal her away from me?"
"Father," Rohanne pulled his long coat, rolling her eyes, "Ser Duncan has been slacking off, but he won't steal me. No one can."
"I won't ever harm her," Duncan swore solemnly, "And it's on the King's order that I took Rohanne from the nursery. He would rather you spend time with her than trying to attack the Kingsguards posting outside Princess Daena's door."
Aerion hissed. He did not know who reported his actions to Aenys Blackfyre, but he would see them punished… when he was in power. "He might trust you, but I don't. Not after you spilled my plan to my enemies."
"Is this a conversation you want to have in front of your daughter, Aerion?" Aemon sighed, "About… your plan? We know everything already."
"You shouldn't doubt Ser Duncan's words," Aegon said, "He is my knight, and he'll never harm an innocent child. Besides, if he wanted to harm her, he would have done so long ago, in the years he served you."
Aerion frowned, narrowing his eyes. All this honourable knight nonsense. Indeed, Duncan had not harmed Rohanne before, but now the situation had changed… He did not want Aerion to be king, so he would take Rohanne to threaten him.
…Yet this did not fit. Duncan could have taken Rohanne somewhere else instead of letting her find Aerion on her own. Why let Aerion find them conspiring against him?
"Father!" Rohanne shouted, demanding his attention, "You promised me I can punish Ser Duncan."
Did he? "Sweetheart—"
"I want him to be my dragon!" she yelled, her cheeks flushed, "I want to ride on his shoulders and have him breathe fire!"
Silence.
"Uhh, that last part is impossible," Duncan said, "But I can certainly do the first part, Princess. Shall we?"
He kneeled and extended his hands towards Rohanne. She looked back at Aerion. "Father," she pleaded, "please."
Something broke in Aerion when he met her gaze. "Alright," he muttered and did the hardest thing he had done: letting go of her hand. "I'll come after you after I talk with your uncles."
Rohanne nodded and ran towards Duncan, climbing onto his back. Holding Rohanne's legs, Duncan stood up carefully. "Here we go!" Rohanne shouted, and they were off.
Aerion could not move his eyes from her until they were completely out of sight. "…If this is a scheme to harm her, I swear, I'll have you all burn in wildfire," he murmured.
"We don't mean any harm to your wife and daughter, Aerion," Aemon sighed.
"Just me?" Aerion snorted, "What are you conspiring?"
"Aerion, you can never be king. We won't let you," Aegon glared at him, "I hold no love for the Blackfyres, but any of them will be a better monarch than you."
Aerion growled. Taking a step forward, he stood face to face with Aegon. The boy had grown much during the last few years and he was almost as tall as Aerion now. But if they were to fight, Aerion was confident that he would win, for he was older and more experienced. "You will see a Blackfyre on the Iron Throne before me? I'm the rightful heir of House Targaryen! You're just jealous, Aegon, seeing that I'm the only one who managed to find a way to restore House Targaryen to the throne!"
"How can you be so stupid?" Aegon shouted back, "The Blackfyres are literally gathering an army to save the world, we can't dethrone them now!"
"We can't dethrone the Blackfyres? I heard your discussion, Aegon," Aerion sneered, "What do you want to do by contacting the Tyrells, asking them nicely to not rebel? No, you want them to support you to be king instead of me. You want to usurp me, your elder brother, because you always hated me."
"I hate you because you abused me!" Aegon snapped, his fists clenched, "I was just a small child then, and you would come into my chambers drunk and threaten me with a knife… and you killed my cat, and you—"
"You're the son Father and Mother favoured!" Aerion roared, "You didn't do anything and they loved you already… even when you have no care for our heritage, even when you're half-peasant… Father took your side and exiled me!" He thought he had long since stopped caring about his past before meeting Daena, but resentment still leaked out of his voice. To Father, to Mother, to Aegon.
Fine. May as well get it all solved, once and for all, on this day when my newest child will be born.
"Father had taken your side even when you were clearly wrong. He fought for you in the Trial of Seven to redeem your non-existed honour! You made him kill his brother. You should have died that day, not Uncle Baelor," panting heavily, Aegon leaned forward and hissed, his eyes burning in rage, "You shouldn't get to live when so many better men have died. You should be the one to get your head chopped off for treason, not Aelor!"
"You would like to see me die today," Aerion spat, "That will make you a kinslayer, Aegon. Like it or not, I'm the only one left to continue the line of the dragon. The only one who has married and sired children—"
"You're going to revolt against the Blackfyres and seize the throne. You, who only live on the mercy of your loving wife!" Aegon's voice was shaking, "She promised to save Aelor in exchange for our cooperation. But he's dead now, and there's no reason left to uphold our end of the bargain."
"Daena did… what?" Aerion asked, all the disdain exiting his voice, leaving only bewilderment. She told him to not attend Aelor's execution, he suddenly remembered. She spoke up against executing Aelor in the meeting. Was it all for his brothers' cooperation? But why?
"She knows that you're going to rebel and hides it for you!" Aegon yelled out the answer, "For what deeds you earned her loyalty and true love, I have no idea, but you don't deserve it. I'll report you to Aenys Blackfyre and see your head on the spikes, where it belongs." Aegon might have insulted him more, but Aerion did not hear it. He stood there, his eyes widened, frozen in shock.
Daena knew all along. She knew what Aerion was planning, his betrayal, everything.
—Don't betray my trust. Don't betray me.
She had warned him months ago, early on her pregnancy. Did she already know about it? Had the hedge knight always been a spy for her? If she knew, why did she let him run free? Why was he not put in the Black Cells, like when he had just arrived in King's Landing?
Why am I even alive?
Aegon had attempted to turn and leave then, slipping past the stunned Aerion. But Aemon stopped him, shaking his head. "Aegon, that's going too far. We never meant to kill him, and having a civil war between the Tyrells and the Blackfyres now will ruin Westeros."
"If the Tyrells surrender those who plotted with Aerion, there won't be a war," Aegon said, "Only those who deserve death will die. And Aerion… he doesn't feel sorry for Aelor. He feels no remorse for everything he has done."
Pointing a finger at Aerion, Aegon denounced him with all his might, "He claims to love his wife and daughter, but he still plans to rebel against the Blackfyres. He hasn't gotten better, Aemon, he's still the same monster we know. He should die."
I…
"I love… Daena and Rohanne," Aerion whispered, his throat dry, "This isn't a lie. I won't let harm come to them even when I become king."
"But you will let everyone else die!" Aegon screamed at Aerion's face, "Even if you have learned to love someone, you still don't have any sympathy for those who you have hurt, those who will DIE because of you! Why can't you feel sorry about the damage you have caused… the pain we all suffered because of you? Why are you such a monster?"
I was… a monster…
Daena never minded what I am. She warned me, threatened to punish me, shall I betray her… but she still loves me, knowing what I'm planning.
Never once did he feel that the name Aegon gave him was so fitting, never did he feel that he must explain himself. His past, Daena, what he had done, what he was planning to do… it was a huge mess, swirling in his brain.
"I was treated as a monster before I knew what is good and what is evil," Aerion blurted out. Why did he feel he must explain himself to his brothers? Why did it matter what they thought of him?
It was guilt, but not for what he had done to them. It was for Daena. For betraying her trust while not knowing she had forgiven him.
It did not mean anything, but Aerion felt he had to do this.
Perhaps, I want to—
But the thought cut itself off before he could dwell on it. There was no need for him to dive into his motivation.
Only honest thoughts.
"We were taught to be dragons, and that was what I believed…" Dragons can do no wrong, so I was beyond consequence. I did get reprimanded, but I never understand why. It's never my fault.
"…Yet Father and Mother hated that. I pretended in front of Father, but he merely tolerated me. Mother knew what I was, so my mask did not work on her, and I despised her for that."
Ah, yes, he wanted their approval… Perhaps it was a craving for love, but when he did not get it he deluded himself into not wanting it. Was there a point where he was loved by them? He could not tell… he could not remember.
All he knew was what happened afterwards. I killed Mother.
But he could not tell Aegon and Aemon that. That was one sin he could not possibly confess.
The rest… he could.
"You two and Daella and Rhae… the more children they had, the less they cared about me. So I took my revenge on all of you, especially you, Aegon, for you were their favourite."
Aerion looked at his brothers' faces, Aemon's normally calm face overwritten with surprise and Aegon's rage-filled glare turning into an unbelievable stare. "…I wasn't their favourite," Aegon rebuked, but his voice no longer contained the fury he once held, "I never was. Mother died before I could remember her. Father gave me lessons when he was around, but he often wasn't. That's why I want to go out… to meet people…"
"You aren't the only one that felt unwanted growing up, Aerion," Aemon said, and for once there was steel in his voice, "This isn't an excuse. Out of all of us, you're the only one that turns out to be a monster."
They don't understand and they never will, Aerion thought. They were not born with an urge to pull wings out from a fly, to set fire to a mouse's tail. They never had to go through the struggle he did.
Nor have I gone through theirs, the thought came to Aerion so fast that it surprised him. I made their lives worse. I tortured them, especially Aegon, for the crime of being the son Father and Mother favoured.
…And now they told me that they felt unwanted as well.
Then why did he hurt them? What did he try to take revenge for?
He did not need a reason to hurt someone, but there were better targets if he was simply looking for enjoyment. Animals, other children who were not his siblings. He did not… he did not need to waste an opportunity. To terrorise them was to be despised by those who were his blood— those who could have cared about him, the way Rohanne loved him.
When he poisoned Dyanna to death, he had been calm. This was revenge, he had thought, this was justice. He did not feel that he was doing something wrong.
He still did not feel it. This was what he lacked, to feel guilt for what should be wrong. But deep down he must have felt… something. Why else would he see her when he was hallucinating in the Black Cells?
Aerion never wanted to be good. He did not have to be. I thought that I was a dragon, and above such concepts of good and evil.
When Daena took him, the illusion broke. Being a Targaryen did not help him to escape, to have his revenge. It was for the love between him and Daena that he was saved. And only then did he know what he desired the most.
Only then.
"You saw me with Rohanne. With Daena. I didn't know that it was possible before. I didn't know it was something I wanted. That to be loved would feel… greater than inflicting pain." Aerion found himself lost. What was he doing? Were Aemon and Aegon not his enemies?
Was it possible for them to be… not?
"…I was a monster because I never learned a better way to be," he concluded, hardly believing what he said. For the first time… he was admitting defeat in front of his brothers.
But it was not enough for them.
"After everything, do you still believe you truly have no fault? That you are not to blame for what happened at Ashford, in our childhood?" Aemon asked quietly, "Our parents aren't to blame for what you are, Aerion. It's your choice and your choice alone."
Aerion laughed, his laughter rang hollowly in the halls. "I don't deny being the source of your suffering. I just don't feel guilty about it. I do regret it, somewhat, for—"
A bang and Aerion fell to the ground, blood dripping out from his nose.
"You regret it?!" Aegon cried, hitting Aerion's face, "You regret it because it turned out bad for you, asshole! You never cared about anyone but yourself!"
The second time, Aerion thought angrily, the second time my nose was broken by the likes of you. Aegon had kneeled on his stomach when he was down, making it hard to get up, but he still had a free pair of arms to strike back… Yet if he did—
—I'll report you to Aenys Blackfyre and see your head on the spikes, where it belongs.
It might be Aegon's strike that made him remember. He was about to rat Aerion out, before all of these. Aerion could not allow that. Daena… even if Daena forgave him… the rest of her kin would not. He would die, just as Aegon predicted.
He could not die. Not after getting what he wanted. Not when Daena and Rohanne and his unborn child were waiting for him.
He just needed to convince Aegon and Aemon that he sincerely regretted what he did. Those fools would not report him then, for he was still their blood, and as much as Aegon despised Aerion he would not want to bear the name of a kinslayer, a traitor to his own blood.
Yes… he could think about Daena later. Now all he had to do was to pretend.
"Daena… Rohanne…" Aerion coughed, doing his best to not clench his fists, "I care… about…"
"I. Don't. Care!" Aegon's fist impacted his lips and Aerion almost bit his tongue. "It doesn't change anything! You were a monster, you're STILL a monster!"
Aerion closed his mouth, letting Aegon scold him uninterrupted. Aegon seemed to be able to perfectly recall every vile deed Aerion had committed, every passing name that Aerion had inflicted harm on. But Aerion was hardly listening, as Aegon's fist fell on his face again and again. I need to get out of here without dying, he only thought, and without killing anyone.
He might be able to catch Aegon by surprise and then deal with the weak Aemon. But the hedge knight knew that he was here, and so killing his brothers would only lead to his death as well.
No, he could not let his nature, his anger overwhelm him. He would not throw away his life so easily.
Finally, his chance came when Aegon started to pant and Aemon walked over. "Egg…" Aemon said, "That's enough."
"No, it isn't," Aegon said, but he had stopped punching Aerion. "He deserves it and more."
"Aegon—"
"You're… right," Aerion murmured, "I deserve it."
"…What?" Aegon widened his eyes.
"I'm… sorry. For everything. Consider all these—" Aerion motioned towards his face, "a fraction of my payment."
…Aerion had yielded to the hedge knight in the Trial when his life was in danger. This was no different.
"I know that what I did was wrong, now. Now I have someone I love, I understand that if I wasn't a monster… we could have been true brothers. And it was me who chose to abuse you. I was… wrong. And I should… pay up."
This was merely… a tactical retreat. That was all.
None of that was words from his heart.
Aegon glared at him for a moment. Then he stepped away from Aerion, allowing him to stand back up.
When Aerion did, Aegon twisted his lips and muttered, "I won't trust you, Aerion. Every word that came out from your mouth has been a lie."
Aerion wiped his face with his sleeves, blood dirtying the golden flames embroidered on the edge. It hurt to talk, yet he must. "So be it. You don't have to believe me." As long as his speech stopped Aegon from reporting his treason, it would be enough.
And it would be. "I suppose I can't just let the Blackfyres kill you, not now," Aegon frowned, "Not when you have a wife and children waiting for you."
Softhearted fool.
"Are you still going to rebel, Aerion?" Aemon asked.
"No," Aerion lied, "Daena loves me. If she can even forgive me for planning to overthrow her family, then I'm not going to betray her trust."
…Wait, is this even a lie?
Aemon sighed, but this time it was a satisfied one. "We still have to deal with the Tyrells, but if you aren't going along with their scheme it's much easier. Let me see your face…"
—
"Father!" Rohanne's cry was one of surprise and worry, "What happened to your face?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Aerion answered, avoiding the suspicious gaze of the hedge knight and the Kingsguards, "I just… tripped."
"Sure you do," the hedge knight muttered as his gaze turned to Aegon. With a nod, they seemed to have exchanged the necessary information, for Duncan's eyes widened in surprise and he looked at Aerion in a new light.
The door behind the Kingsguards creaked open. A maester nodded to them, "The Princess' delivery was successful," he announced, "A prince is born! A hale and hearty prince!"
A prince…
A son. Flashes of a dream so long ago came back to Aerion. That thing with his face and a pair of wings and tail.
—Father, do you see? I'm a dragon now. I can fly… and I can breathe flames.
Aerion did not want to be burned to ash.
"Father?" Rohanne pulled his sleeves, "Mother and the baby are waiting for us."
"Yes… yes," Aerion answered, recovering from his shock. It won't come to be, he told himself, it's just a ridiculous dream. He and Rohanne entered the chambers, leaving his brothers and the hedge knight behind.
Daena greeted them with a tired but victorious smile. "Aerion, Rohanne," she held out a bundle of clothes with a round face peeking out. "Meet the newest member of our family: Viserys Blackfyre."
Instinctively, Aerion held Rohanne back from jumping onto the baby. He had told Daena she could name their son after her dead brothers before, he remembered, and she had said she would name him Viserys or Jaehaerys…
But that was not important now. He glanced at the baby, asleep, his eyes shut closed. He had Aerion's hair, but it was Daena's colour as well, both of them with the Valyrian colouring. Unlike the cheerful and energetic Rohanne, Viserys slumbered in Daena's arms deeply, with only small ups and downs of his chest telling Aerion he was alive.
Aerion could not recall how he was as a baby, but he was certain that he was livelier. Less wrinkled, probably. Surely such a quiet child would not wake up and breathe fire into Aerion's face?
"Aerion!" Daena shouted, taking him out of his thoughts, "I asked, what happened to your face?"
"I tripped down the stairs…" seeing Daena's darkened expression, Aerion quickly surrendered, "I'll tell you the details later."
"Hm," Daena huffed, giving Aerion a meaningful nod. Aerion knew she understood. Not in front of Rohanne.
Aerion had many things he wanted to ask Daena, many things he needed to talk to her about. But glancing at Viserys' face, the question that came out of his mouth was: "Was he always asleep?"
"What? No, of course not," Daena frowned, "He was crying his lungs out just a moment ago. Must be exhausted." She patted her son's— their son's— head gently, cooing the boy.
And, slowly, Viserys opened his eyes. Beneath heavy eyelids were a pair of watery eyes, two ripened grapes. Then his lips formed a small, toothless grin, kind and non-threatening.
Aerion let out a sigh he did not notice he was holding. He isn't like me. He's not a monster.
He won't kill me.
"Look!" Rohanne laughed and pointed at the obvious, making the baby giggle along. Aerion let go of her and she approached her brother excitedly, poking his cheeks.
"Be careful, Rohanne, your brother is very small and his body is fragile," Daena warned, busily stopping Rohanne from accidentally harming Viserys. The newborn did not seem to be afraid. He kept flashing his grin towards his sister, giggling at times, quieter and more reserved than Rohanne had ever been but still enjoying the attention.
Aerion stared at the scene. He… had never been able to get along with his siblings that well. Daeron had been too troubled by his vision to care about what Aerion had or had not done, but…
If I had treated my younger siblings decently, would I be loved by them?
It was a foolish regret, yet it was here nonetheless. If he knew he would carve love— but how could he, when he had never tasted it?
"Aerion…" Daena sighed, looking at him worriedly, "Have you checked with a maester? This is… unlike you."
He was being too quiet. "Aemon checked it. He said it's all just minor injuries."
Daena raised a brow. "Aemon did… I see."
She did not ask further, which made Aerion anxious. She knows what happened to me and what I know now. Driven by a mess of emotions in his chest, he opened his mouth, "Daena—"
"Your Grace!" shouts came from the doorway.
Aerion turned around and saw the intruders: King Aenys Blackfyre and his Hand, Bittersteel. The king gestured for those who were bowing to get up, a wide grin on his face. "It's a joyful day for the realm! A prince is born!"
"Brother…" Daena bit her lips, her gaze flickered at Aenys' smile. Sighing, she turned to her uncle, "Where is Calla?"
"Praying in a Sept, for… Aelor and you. She should be coming soon," Bittersteel surveyed the room in one long, meaningful glance, his frown deepened as his gaze reached Aerion's face. "Daena, who did your husband get into a fight with?"
"No one, I tripped," Aerion said.
Bittersteel did not bother to look at him, instead looking straight at Daena. "I'll handle this, Uncle, no need to bother yourself with it," she begged.
Aerion gritted his teeth, annoyed by being ignored. But nothing will come out of this, Aerion knew, for no one would tell Bittersteel what happened between him and Aegon.
Bittersteel sighed, "I'll check with the men outside… Congratulations, Daena. I hope you recover soon. Should I bring Rohanne out as well? It's near her bedtime."
"But I want to play with the baby," Rohanne protested.
"You will have plenty of time in the future, sweetie," Daena cooed, then she turned to Bittersteel and whispered, "…Thank you, Uncle Aegor."
Aerion did not stop Bittersteel— he could not— but he leaned forward to kiss his daughter's forehead. Rohanne giggled, "Good night, Father."
"Good night," Aerion echoed.
An uncomfortable silence spread in the room as Bittersteel turned and walked away with Rohanne. It did not last long, for Aenys stepped forward, his gaze singling on Viserys, "Daena, he's beautiful. Healthy like Rohanne as well, is he?"
Aerion had the urge to punch the man, to pull him away from his son. It would not even be difficult. Aenys Blackfyre had lost a lot of weight in the past few months, looking increasingly thin and gaunt. Aerion did not trust him around his children, not with the strange light Aerion saw in his eyes.
"Yes, he is," but Daena's eyes were full of sadness when she answered Aenys, "We named him Viserys."
"Why not Haegon?" Aenys asked quietly, "You loved him the most. He's your twin," a pause, "and the greatest of our brothers. Our younger brothers… their names will serve your second and third sons. Or… you can name him after Daemon."
"You had a Daemon," Daena whispered, "and you might have a Haegon in the future. I'm keeping this name as a reserve."
"I'll never have any more children," Aenys said certainly.
Daena pursed her lips. "You don't know that."
Aenys shook his head. He was still smiling, but his smile looked more hollow than ever. "Viserys Blackfyre it is, then."
He put his hand on the pommel of Blackfyre, and Aerion leapt forward.
He did not manage to reach Aenys, for a kingsguard had stood between them before he could, the knight's iron grip restricting Aerion's movement. But his mouth was not covered, and so he shouted, "You can't kill my son!"
Aenys looked back at him blankly. "Kill? You have mistaken, goodbrother. I merely want to
bless him."
"Bless…?" Aerion asked weakly. He could not escape the kingsguard's grip, but he struggled still. He hated that Daena was just sitting there, shaking her head at him. Did she not understand what danger their son was in?
Aenys pointed the Valyrian sword at Viserys, not touching the baby but instead stopping the blade in mid-air. "Viserys Blackfyre, the son of Black and Red. I name you the Prince of the Dawn, for your birth would surely bring us victory in the war against the world-destroying monster. After we win this war, you shall be Prince of Dragonstone, heir of the Seven Kingdoms—"
Prince of Dragonstone? Heir of the Seven Kingdoms?
Aerion stared at the scene. It was beyond his comprehension. "Aenys!" Daena screamed angrily, breaking Aenys' monologue. "You're not appointing my son as your heir. You're NOT," she ended with a low hiss, glaring at her brother.
"I'm not, not until we win the war." Aenys put down Blackfyre, "By then… he won't be my heir."
Daena's glare at Aenys dropped to ice point. "You plan to die gloriously with Blackfyre in your hands."
Aenys stared back at her. He did not confirm or deny it.
"What about our promise? You cannot mean to bring your secret to the grave, or else you will be an oath-breaking coward. You will tell us all the truth. Everything." Daena pursed her lips, "You have no more excuse, Aenys. No more delays. Not when you plan to die out there."
Aenys was still staring at her. "Fine," finally, he said, "Send for me when you have recovered enough. I'll call for Calla and Uncle Aegor."
Daena nodded, without a smile on her lips. "I will as soon as I can. And…" she turned to the kingsguard, "Ser Robb, please release my husband."
The knight turned to his King. "Do as she said," Aenys said, "Aerion was merely mistaken about my intention towards his son."
The kingsguard complied. Aerion walked to Daena's side and whispered, "Why do you refuse our son being named heir?" If he was, then Aerion would be the king's father and he did not have to rebel…
…What reason have I left, aside from naked ambition?
But is that not enough reason itself? To gain power, to gain respect? Is that not something I want?
Is that not why I joined the scheme in the first place?
Daena threw a sideways glance at him. "Aenys only wants to name Viserys heir because he wants to die. I don't want him to throw away his life… I can't want that..." To Aerion's horror, Daena started shivering as hot tears dripped down her face. "Call a… nursemaid…" she mumbled, "I…"
"We need a maester! Have the Grand Maester come back here, right now!" Aenys ordered.
"I'm… fine," Daena whispered stubbornly. Aerion held her tightly, amongst the chaos, even when their son was taken from her arms, even when the maester had come to see her, he refused to let go of her hand.
They said I'm a monster. And perhaps, I still am. But there's a change within me that wouldn't come if I didn't meet you.
You taught me there's value in love. You made me imagine a world where I was a better man. Even if you hid secrets from me, I can't imagine a world without you. I can't go back to a world without your love.
I can't go back to who I was.
So don't leave me.
I need you.
