A?N: Sorry for the major delay - I actually finished a while ago, but forgot I hadn't posted it. But it's here now. Thanks for the reviews guys :)

Last chapter's lyrics were: But you've got make choices, be wrong or right, sometimes you've got to sacrifice the things you like and that was from Born to Try by Delta Goodrem. This chapter has a line from a song by The Carpenters.

Chapter 13: Aegon

Aegon and his men had been marching for weeks; they had left Storms End a full moon's turn after Arya Stark had departed north. True to her word, Arya had continued to alert Aegon of her progress, and he was surprised with the rapidity of her success. She had barely left them a month when he received the first raven, giving a brief account of a skirmish with some Lannisters and her assurance of an alliance with some of the brotherhood, at the very least. The letter also contained a warning of sorts:

The host we fought were no trifling scouts; they were a large number, well formed, and no doubt the first of many. It would seem King's Landing are in fear of attack and wish to strengthen their defence. I will keep my side of our agreement, and send men to watch the routes East, and stop the Lannister armies making their way to the capitol, but I think the time is now right for you to call the Dornish army and begin your march.

The note was signed: Arya Stark of Winterfell. It seemed the last Stark was, at that time, yet to claim her title of princess, and Aegon believed she was sticking true to her original statement: her men would give her titles, and only time would tell what they would be.

That raven was received before breakfast, and another was dispatched to Dorne before the sun had reached its apex. The following days were a blur of continual activity as Aegon and his host prepared for the march they had been waiting for. Wagons, that were modified to be pulled across the snow, were loaded with provisions of food, armour and weapons, and before the week was out their journey began.

Their progress had been slow; they had been travelling for three weeks, and we're only now just coming upon the Rose Road, but morale was still high and hopeful. There was a sense of purpose and expectation among the men - this was the march they had been waiting for, the march they had been preparing for, and there was a sentiment of confidence in every man that gave the feeling of assured success. As they moved further north, they were coming across more and more scouts, though thankfully none survived to send word back to King's Landing. Every night, when they made camp, Aegon's own scouts would return, sometimes empty handed, sometimes with a live Lannister scout to be questioned and kept prisoner.

Since leaving Storms End, Aegon had received two more ravens from Arya herself: the first had found him two weeks into the march and simply told Aegon that the Brotherhood had sworn their swords to Arya, and that the men she had promised to dispatch were now blocking the ways east. It was short, simple, and direct to the point. But there was more to tell as this one had been signed Arya Stark, Lady of Winterfell and Princess in the North. Her first title had been embraced, and Aegon couldn't help but wonder when he would receive a note signed by Arya Stark, Queen in the North.

As well as the notes from Arya, Aegon was also being kept informed by his own men. When Arya had requested some of his ravens, Aegon had given instructions that only those specially trained to locate him, even while he marched, were to be sent with her. From his men he learnt of the circumstances that surrounded Arya's acceptance of the title of Princess, as well as a few brief notes detailing of Arya's conversations with her council, and her movements about her camp. He had not set his men to spy upon her, and nor had they taken it upon themselves to do so - they reported nothing of secrecy, only that which was public knowledge anyhow, but that Arya would not deem necessary to send word of. Aegon was told nothing that would cause him alarm, only mundane and trivial details of movements he would expect of one commanding an army, and in the end he gleaned little important information that he had not heard from Arya herself. The only additional information he received from his men, which Arya had failed to mention, was some further information in the movements of the Ironmen (which bore little importance to his current intentions and so Arya was forgiven for not mentioning it, but it would be useful in the future), and something about the discovery of the Usurper's bastard in the form of a blacksmith. Aegon didn't know how important this piece of information might prove, but currently it seemed of less consequence than the Ironmen's movements, and so Aegon put it to the back of his mind, for the time being.

There had been no ravens for the last two weeks, and while Aegon wasn't particularly worried by the silence, he couldn't help but wish for it to be broken soon - he did not like being kept in the dark for so long a time. Though, he reasoned with himself, Arya Stark was not one to waste words; if she had something of import to say, it would be said. Aegon had also had naught but silence from his men in the Vale since his departure from Storms End. Prior to then, they had kept up a fairly regular correspondence, though little information was ever given; there were many words written, but not a lot said. Aegon was certain, however, that sending envoys had not been a waste - though just how successful it had been would continue a mystery to him until they were to meet again, hopefully at King's Landing.

The last raven to be received from the Vale told Aegon that his men were planning to return south, and Aegon judged that they would be departing about the same time as Aegon and his men began their march. Aegon had thought of sending a raven with information of his intentions, but decided this course to be unwise, though certainly expeditious. Instead, he sent a couple of riders ahead, to cross the Blackwater and continue on up the King's Road with the intention of meeting the returning men - however many they may now be - not far from the capitol.

With so many unanswered questions, Aegon was beginning to feel wary about what was to come, despite the level of morale amongst his men. While he never let it show to his men, he could not help but become grave in his solitude as he longed for some word from somewhere, that might give him any indication that what he was about to attempt would be successful.

His wish was unexpectedly fulfilled in the form of the third raven from Arya Stark. It had found him this morning, though it was not one of his own birds that swept into his tent as he broke his fast. A large grey raven, like none he'd seen before, delivered a letter with the most surprising - yet welcome - information. The Princess was postponing her march north, and was instead moving for King's Landing. Her note detailed her intention of splitting her army to join Aegon's forces both north of the capitol and south, as well as keeping a number in between so that King's Landing would be surrounded on all sides. How she knew his men would be returning from the Vale, Aegon couldn't begin to imagine - he felt there was a lot more to this woman than met the eye, and his brief acquaintance with her had shown him nothing of who she could truly be. Her message also contained the strangest request, with little explanation:

I intend to be within the walls of the city the day you arrive, but for my plan to succeed I need something only you can give: a note, directed to your men currently returning from the Vale, commanding them to storm the North-side gates of the city, while you storm those on the South-side, on the next moonless night. This letter must be written in your hand, signed with your name, and stamped with your seal. Tell no one of this request, and send the sealed message to me - the grey raven will know where to find me. My men will meet you just south of the Blackwater and will have more information for you.

Aegon wasn't sure what to make of this note, but he complied with it's contents nonetheless, sitting down immediately to pen the letter, including everything Arya had mentioned. He had hoped to be at King's Landing some time in the next fortnight, but if a delay was necessary in order to boost his numbers with Arya's men, he would gladly concede knowing that more numbers would help prodigiously - especially if some of those numbers were already inside the walls. He sent the raven back immediately, and as the grey bird took flight out through the flaps of the tent, Jon Connington limped in.

"Was that a raven?" He frowned.

Aegon nodded, "Arya Stark's own. She and her men are marching."

"North already? That was certainly quick."

Aegon shook his head, to Jon's evident surprise, "to King's Landing. Some of her men will be joining us; we'll cross the Rose Road and advance west toward the Blackwater, then make camp and wait."

"How long?"

Aegon shrugged, "However long it takes. But we will be in King's Landing at the next moonless night."

Jon's surprise doubled at the revelation f the delay, "that is nearly a month away; the moon was black but five days ago - why?"

Aegon smiled, "we'll have to wait and see."

It took another week to cross the Rose Road and find an adequate spot to set up camp. Aegon waited with patience, but his men were certainly confused about this change of pace, and even after Aegon told of the reason for the delay, they were still sceptical about the arrival of reinforcements. Each day they waited, the scepticism grew, though no one ever said a word aloud. After four days of waiting, the Dornish army had caught up to their camp, and made their own camp along side. When Aegon had gone to survey the Dornish numbers his surprise was great, though he didn't let it show. He made no comment, until he was back in his tent that evening with only Arianne for company.

"When were you going to tell me the truth?" Aegon demanded, and Arianne had the grace to look momentarily nervous.

"Is it of great importance, really, when you think on it? Your own army is of a healthy size - enough to take King's Landing-"

"No, no it is not!" Aegon cut her off. "Which is exactly why I needed the reinforcement of the Dornish - the size of which you knowingly exaggerated to me!"

"I represented the Dornish forces to you as everyone in Westeros believes them to be," Arianne argued.

"Yes, but everyone in Westeros was not counting on their numbers to win the Iron Throne! I am your King; I am to be your husband! What possessed you to lie to me, about something of this magnitude?" Aegon demanded.

"It is a lie we have told so many times," Arianne said quietly, after a moment's deliberation. "Dorne has seen no invasions, no attacks on our prosperity, for so long, because everyone else in Westeros believes our Army to be formidable in strength, number and skill. Our skill is not over-rated, but our numbers were - but who were we to deny it? As long as others continued to believe such a story, we were left well alone. And we were feared - all it would take is one word from any of your men, and the truth would spread. Spread so quickly that it would soon enough reach King's Landing - and when it got there, you attack would strike little fear."

Aegon shook his head and gave a humourless sniff of laughter, "You've got miles of feeling and acres of pride - and usually that's a good thing. But, Arianne, they will find out when they see the numbers approaching - they will be gathering enough men to try and match our believed numbers. If they are successful, they will now outnumber us."

Arianne was quiet, and the silence continued until Aegon sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Thank the gods for Arya Stark," he muttered.

The change in Arianne was immediate; one minute she was contrite and cautious, the next she was quietly bristling with anger, "what does that mean?"

"You already know what that means," Aegon said wearily. "We're waiting here for some of her men to join us, they should be here any day now."

"Some of her men?" Arianne repeated coldly. "Not all of them, and not even the Princess herself? What a wonderful ally you made there."

"A third of her men will join us here," Aegon explained, keeping his face void of emotion. "Another third will be meeting Peake and the others returning south, and the rest are with the Princess herself going directly on to King's Landing. She plans to be in the city when we arrive - that should be useful to us don't you think?"

"How does she imagine she will gain entry?"

"I have an idea," Aegon said slowly, thinking back to the letter he had responded to.

Arianne waited expectantly for him to expand. "Would you care to enlighten me?" she asked eventually, when Aegon remained quiet. "I am to be your wife, your Queen, shouldn't you share these things with me?"

"I don't know the particulars," Aegon said, ignoring the jibe at his earlier reprimand to her. "But I know enough to trust her, when her men arrive I will be told more. And the fewer people who know the better."

"So you are just going to trust her blindly?" Arianne demanded, her temper flaring.

"I trusted you blindly," he reminded her, Aegon's own temper flaring again. "And that hasn't turned out as well as I had hoped. So no, I do not trust her blindly - I won't make the same mistake twice. As I said, she has given me enough information to surmise her intentions. We just have to wait as it plays out."

Aegon didn't take this argument to heart; both he and Arianne were beginning to feel the strain of waiting to take the throne. They were now so close, that each tiny delay was soon becoming unbearable; both were now ready, after so many years, to finally take their rightful places in King's Landing. Thankfully, this most recent delay came abruptly to an end, when Arya's men arrived at Aegon's camp a little before noon on the following day.

As Arya's host rested, the leaders of the group made their way to Aegon's tent, and when they arrived Aegon gave credit to Arya's tact and diplomacy. There were three men that greeted Aegon; the first was his own man, Shore, and he introduced the others as being Edric Dayne of Starfall - who was part of the Brotherhood - and Brynden Norrey of the North. Each man lead a score of men, so that all separate aspects of her retinue were equally represented, all united under a banner that had not been seen for years: the grey Direwolf of House Stark, on a white background. It was to Norrey whom Aegon principally spoke at first; a quiet man, but respectful and sensible, and easy to get along with.

"Now that you have joined us, what is it Arya Stark wishes us to do next?" Aegon asked Norrey, after the new arrivals had been refreshed.

"Proceed to King's Landing," Norrey said directly. "We left Princess Arya a day ago; she should reach the city in another three days, and from there gain entry with the hope of easing our own entry after her. She expects us to be near the gates, awaiting her signal in four days time."

"Four days? That will mean a hard march," Aegon said uneasily.

"Yes," Norrey nodded, but did not sound uneasy at all. "Hard, but possible, and it will be worth it, for our foe will not expect it. If we do everything Princess Arya has told us to do, there is no reason for us to fail." Norrey said this with such open conviction that Aegon could not help but believe him.

"And what is the signal we are to wait for?" Aegon then asked, remembering the earlier words. "How will we know when the time is right to charge?"

Norrey smiled, "The princess never actually gave a specific description of the signal she is to send - but she said we would know it, when we heard it."

"And you didn't press her for detail?" Aegon asked, slightly astounded that something this important could be unknown.

"No, I did not. I have complete faith in my liege - if she tells me we will now her signal when it comes, then I believe we shall. I have a suspicion, from the way she looked when she spoke of it, but I will not repeat it. You can never know just who is listening, and it is always better to keep as many things like this unsaid as you possibly can. Have faith," Norrey added, when Aegon began to look uncertain. "A man who fears losing has already lost."

Aegon frowned, "who told you that?"

"Princess Arya - it will do good to remember it in the coming days. We should continue on; make the most of the clear skies and cover as much ground as we can before night falls."

Aegon couldn't agree more, and so he gave orders to pack up and move on. They didn't cover much ground before nightfall, but the arrival of Arya's men had given a boost to his own; the excitement and anticipation that accompanied the expectation of an imminent battle spurred the men to continue on another few hours into the gathering dark. By they time they came to make camp for the night they had made good progress, and were on schedule to reach King's Landing by dawn on the fourth day.

A/N: Sorry again for the delay, I'll try and get the next one up quicker. Next chapter we're back to Arya :)

xBx