They set sail the morning after the attack, getting a head start thanks to the fact that they had all boarded the night before. Aegon had held Sansa in his arms well into the morning until the rocking of the ship eventually coaxed her to sleep. Tired as he was, there were things that needed to be taken care of, things he would prefer his wife not see.
Closing the door to Sansa's cabin quietly behind him Aegon walked down the hallway and down the stairs that led to the ship's cargo hold. He came upon Arya sitting menacingly behind a stack of crates in the semidarkness, presiding over the bound and gagged assailant from the night before.
"How is she?" Arya asked without looking at him, her eyes trained on the man on the ground.
Aegon walked over to the man and knelt down, peering at him. He seemed to be either unconscious or sleeping. "Settled, for now. Still shaken by this ingrate's words."
"Have you made a decision?"
"He committed treason, the decision has been made for me. However, I want to know if he has any fellow renegades hiding in the shadows. Is that something you can do?"
Arya slid off the barrel she was sitting on, reaching for her dagger. "Gladly."
It became quickly apparent that anyone not actively working on the ship would have a great abundance of time on their hands and Sansa found herself trying to stave off boredom in any way possible.
During the first week Sansa spent a good deal of time training with her sister, which was an experience in itself. They trained with swords and daggers, then with long wooden poles with which Arya repeatedly knocked Sansa flat with. Each time Sansa hit the ground she swore she saw her sister grin a little, which only drove her to get back up and try again, despite the pitching and heaving of the ship underfoot.
At night she would dine with Aegon, Arya, Connington, and the captain. She enjoyed listening to the stories the men would tell, and even more so her sister's interjections. Often she would be half asleep over a glass of wine, fighting to stay awake and yet lulled by the ship and the even tempered voices of those around her, and would have to be nudged awake by Aegon before retiring to their quarters for the night.
Even with the troubles of the outside world becoming temporarily lost in the isolated day to day routines of life on the ship, it was difficult to forget where they were going and what they were trying to achieve. They would postulate and theorize about different plans and approaches to their various problems, but there was only so much they could do stuck on a boat in the middle of the sea.
They were nearly half way through the journey when one of the crew mates fell ill. Little if any attention was paid to this at first, until the next morning when four more men were sick. Sansa had been standing with her sister in the hall while the maester attended to those within the sailors quarters when the captain ordered her into her quarters.
"I don't understand…" Sansa said when they were alone, sitting at the small table in her room. "Surely a few sick men aren't cause for such commotion. I would have thought that sailors fall sick all the time given the conditions."
"They can, but not like that. I overheard some of the bunkmates talking, they have raging fevers and a rash. Apparently the presence of both is what is worrying everyone."
"What do you mean? That others will fall ill?"
Arya shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't think they would have insisted on us staying in here if that wasn't the case."
Hours passed and no one came for them, but an almighty commotion seemed to be happening all around the ship. It was nearly time for bed when a hesitant knock came at the door, drawing Sansa and Arya's attention immediately. Brienne entered, her hair and clothes dripping wet, in her hands a tray with two bowls.
Sansa put a hand to her nose at once, the inside of her nostrils stinging from the highly alcoholic scent wafting off the tall woman.
"Gods." Arya said, wrinkling her own nose. "What happened to you?"
Brienne grimaced, setting the tray down on the table. "They're making everyone on the ship bath in alcohol. They found a nest of rats in the cargo hold, covered in louse. They're searching the ship for any signs of the creatures and throwing them overboard."
"They think the rats are what's making the men ill?"
Brienne shook her head. "They don't know anything for certain. The ship surgeon said he's seen sickness like this before, and there had been rats then too."
"So, he's guessing." Arya said, picking up one of the bowls. "So, why haven't they doused us yet?"
Brienne's silence made Sansa look sharply at the woman. "That's why you're here?"
She nodded. "I have the bottles and tubs outside."
"And why can't we use water to bathe?"
"There isn't enough, not to keep everyone clean and still have enough rations to make it to Dragonstone. It's sheer luck that this ship ended up barrels of unrefined spirit, or it's likely there wouldn't have been anything to wash with. I'd suspect those men would rather die in agony than spend the next month sober."
The following day it was found that twelve more men had fallen ill. The next day nearly thirty men were added to the list of the afflicted, and by the reports Sansa got it wasn't just sailors getting sick anymore. She hadn't seen Aegon more than a handful of times in the last few days and the constant separation was beginning to wear on her nerves, made worse by being sequestered to her quarters.
Arya was still with her and to her credit, she tried to keep Sansa occupied, and the two spent hours recalling their times apart, starting at when they were separated at King's Landing. Somehow Sansa wasn't at all shocked by Arya's recounting of her time in Bravos, fantastical as it was. It explained the skills Arya had developed over the years, of which Sansa barely understood but was extremely grateful for. Without Arya showing up when she did in Winterfell there was a good chance that herself and Aegon would be dead instead of sailing to Dragonstone.
On the fifth day there was a brief knock at the door that nearly made Sansa jump out of her skin and was followed by the entrance of a very cantankerous looking Jon Connington.
"Majesty." He said gruffly. "I need you to come with me. The king has summoned you to his chambers."
Sansa stood slowly, looking at her sister and then back to Jon. "Is it safe for us to be out there?"
"Safe enough." Jon said, holding the cabin door open for them.
It was a grim walk down the hall, the ship more quiet than it had ever been during their time aboard. When the trio reached the door to Aegon's room Jon opened it just enough for them to slip inside, looking left and right down the hallway as he did. If Jon's behavior was concerning before, this display sent tendrils of fear directly into her heart. The situation inside the room was worse than anything she would have expected.
Aegon lay in his bed, the blankets stripped away and his hair completely damp with sweat. Sansa took three steps towards him and then looked at Connington. "How long has he been like this?"
"Since last night. I got him here before anyone took notice."
"Why would that matter?"
"You haven't been out there, the men, they're starting to panic. I was able to convince them that we're sequestering him away from the rest of the crew for his health, but if they catch wind of this or…"
"Or what?" Sansa snapped.
"Or if the worst should happen. Eight men have died as of this morning."
Sansa saw the room begin to spin and almost had to sit down. She shook her head, one hand on her stomach that felt like it was also spinning. "No. That will not happen. Not to him." She would not, could not believe that fate would be so cruel. "I don't care if myself and the rest of the crew die, we will keep him alive." She took the few steps left between herself and her husband and picked up the basin of water and cloth. She began to wipe the sweat from his brow and cheeks, pushing his long hair out of the way. "Someone bring me a comb." She said, running her hand through his tangled locks. When no one moved or answered her she yelled, the words spilling out of her. "Bring me a comb, now!"
An hour later Sansa had done all she possibly could do with the resources available to her. She saw that Aegon's hair was washed and braided back away from his face, that his bedclothes were changed and was personally administering honeyed water and willow bark tea as often as she could get it down his throat.
Hours passed and Sansa stayed put. When she wasn't tending to him directly she was sitting next to the bed, watching the rise and fall of his chest. Each time it fell she was suspended in momentary horror until his chest rose again, giving her a brief bit of peace. This went on and on through the night and into the next morning with no change in Aegon's condition. He wasn't getting better, but he hadn't gotten worse either. Sansa took this as a good sign initially but was beginning to worry about how long his body could withstand an illness like that without being able to take any real food or water. More and more Sansa wished for Maggie's guidance, but she had chosen to stay behind in Winterfell, not willing to risk another sea voyage at her age.
This horrid cycle went on for a grueling three days, during which Sansa kept herself awake by sheer will power, until Arya forced her back down the hallway to sleep on the condition that Arya would hold vigil over Aegon in her absence. Despite her mind wanting to stay awake her body had gone well and truly past its limit and so she had no trouble falling asleep, soothed by the simple comfort of a soft surface.
When she woke she could tell a great deal of time had passed by the way her body felt, her limbs stiff from lack of movement. She sat up slowly, reaching for the cloak she had thrown carelessly on the floor and trying to get her bearings. She pulled the cloak around her shoulders and tried to stand, stumbling on the first try as the ship moved underneath her. On the second try she was upright, aided by the curved wall of the ship's cabin. The sound of feet thundered about overhead and she looked up, one eyebrow raised. There hadn't been that much noise on deck for a week, meaning that men were starting to recover and were returning to their posts, or they were being boarded.
Flinging the door open Sansa stepped into the hall and was nearly run over by Connington, who managed to grab hold of her shoulder and pull her alongside him. She kept pace with him but pressed him for information.
"Jon, what's going on? Is it the Greyjoy fleet?"
"Worse. It's our own men."
"What? Why?"
"One of the other ships got close enough that we were able to send a raven over, requesting that they share their supplies. The captains both agreed, but it seems the men we sent to acquire the supplies mentioned that they hadn't seen the king in days, that he was likely dead, as was nearly a third of the crew."
They reached the ladder to the deck and Sansa climbed up it, popping up into a roiling mess of men. She stepped out and aside for Jon, who came out of the lower deck shouting and red faced.
"What is this nonsense? Why have you abandoned your posts and boarded this vessel?"
There was a general silence, but one brave soul had the courage to yell; "We're here to see the king! Our contract is with him, no one else!"
"His majesty is being kept in confinement, we've had an illness take the crew."
"Then why is she here?!" An accusatory finger was pointed at Sansa, who stepped forward without missing a beat.
"I was one of the first to be afflicted, by the grace of the gods I recovered quickly."
"That may be, but that doesn't explain his majesty. He could be dead as we speak!"
"He could be, but he is not." A tired but familiar voice said from behind her. She whipped around, her heart melting at the sight of Aegon, standing there upright and awake. She moved without thought, her hand going to his check at once, her thumb tracing the more prominent cheekbone.
"My love." Aegon said, holding her gaze for a long moment before returning it to the crowd. "You see that I am alive and well. Return to your ships now and I will ignore this lapse in judgement."
The men, to their credit, began to break up and return to their ship, leaving them alone with Connington, Arya, and a few sailors. She couldn't take her eyes off Aegon, who was smiling back at her.
"I am well, Sansa. Or on my way to it. I promise."
Tears began to well in her eyes unbidden, the words getting stuck in her throat. "I thought… I thought I was going to lose you…"
"I know, and I apologize for frightening you." He said, wiping the first tear that fell from her eyes and then pulling her close to him. "Come, let's return to our rooms."
At Aegon's request they went to Sansa's room where they sat together, Aegon gripping his wife tight. Raving as his mind had been over the last four days it was clear to him how close to the edge he had gotten, and it terrified him. From what he could tell Sansa seemed to feel similarly. He kissed the top of her head and then held her away at arms length.
"I remember seeing glimpses of you… Your face, your hair… When I asked of you, they told me how you stayed by my side, that were it not for your diligent care I likely would have faced a more dire fate."
"Ha." She laughed, though it was without humor and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I wasn't going to let that happen."
He wiped away the tear with his thumb, the turmoil and fear of the last week still plain on her face. "I'm so sorry Sansa."
"You can't help that you fell ill…"
"No, maybe not, but I can recognize the effect it's had on my wife. When was the last time you ate?" He let go of her and stood up, arranging the pillows so that she could lay back.
She did so without resistance, her face looking even more pale next to the white bedclothes. "Last night, I-"
"Last night? Gods, it's nearly nightfall, stay here."
Within an hour Aegon and Sansa were both fed and laying in bed next to one another for the first time in what felt like months. He held her close all night, not really sleeping. He watched the rise and fall of her chest and felt her heartbeat under his fingers, finding comfort in the small, yet ever present rhythms of life.
The following weeks went by uneventfully and by all accounts the fleet was making good time. Aegon was indeed recovering quickly and the sickness had passed, but not without claiming the lives of ninety - six men. The dead having been given sea funerals with rapid experience, there was an undeniable sense of emptiness on the ship and those still alive did the best they could to dispel it.
Aegon was standing on the upper deck watching Sansa and Arya train below when the first horn blew, all of their heads turning in the direction of the sound. From his vantage point he could see the top of Dragonstone through the fog in the distance and his heart leapt.
"Quickly!" He shouted down, waving Sansa and Arya up.
When the time finally came and they were near enough to throw an anchor, Sansa and Aegon were among the first to be taken over to the island, the two of them smiling at one another while the sea sprayed and churned. He couldn't quite put it into words, but it meant so much to him to have her see the keep. It wasn't his home or birthplace, but it was the birthplace of the Targaryen dynasty and representative of everything they were trying to do.
Stepping ashore Aegon held his hand out to her, helping her over and off the boat. "I welcome you to Dragonstone, my Queen."
The jagged cliffs stood tall and imposing around them and the stretches of sand that dotted the edge of the island looked barren, but he still found Sansa smiling as she took it all in
"It's beautiful." She said, turning back to look at him.
"Beautiful? I've heard this place called many things, beautiful was not among them."
Sansa her head. "Well, whoever they were, they're wrong. It may not be soft or welcoming, but that doesn't make it any less magnificent. It's beautiful because of the harshness, just like the North."
With Aegon leading the way they began the long journey from the beach to the entrance of the keep, climbing up stairs and taking turns around protruding rocks until they reached the great doors, two men standing to either side. They all moved to open the apparently very heavy doors, revealing a dark vestibule with high ceilings dripping with odd rock formations that drew the eye. Sansa stopped and was staring up at them when Aegon squeezed her hand lightly.
"This way, there's more to see."
Moving deeper into the castle proper Sansa found that she couldn't take in all the details as she passed. Everywhere she looked was some sort of draconic statue or engraving to the point where when she walked around a corner and came face to face with a very large, menacing looking dragon she barely blinked at it.
"Our chambers are in the Drum Tower, we're nearly there." Aegon said, leading her down yet another hall.
"The Gods' Drum." Sansa said, recalling what little she knew about it. "For the sound it makes when it storms."
"Your knowledge of the Seven Kingdoms is limitless, isn't it?"
"Hardly," Sansa scoffed. "but when you have an angry scepta grinding history into your head you tend to remember a few things."
They came to a stop before another set of large doors and Sansa smiled politely at the guards as they bowed and opened the doors, her excitement welling.
The space inside was well lit and smelled of spices, the hearth burning a good sized fire, a good thing too. The entire far wall of the room was lined with tall arched openings that let the sea air drift into the room. She heard the doors shut and turned to smile at Aegon, her fingers undoing the clasp of her cloak.
"Are we expected by anyone?" She asked, crossing to a chair to drop the cloak over it. "Or do I get you to myself?"
"I'm all yours." He answered, moving to join her, his arms wrapping around her waist. "It feels like it's been years since we've been truly alone together…"
"Mmm." She murmured, reaching up to tuck a stray hair behind his ear. "I agree."
"In fact, this would be the perfect time to show you something, something I think you're going to enjoy."
She rubbed her nose against his and nodded. "Lead the way."
Taking a door at the back of the room, Aegon led her down a wide hallway lined with doors, the most obvious being the set at the very end of the hall. They stood taller than the rest and covered with ornate carvings of dragons, the handles on the doors themselves being two large claws. Aegon grabbed one and pulled the door open enough for the two of them to sneak through.
It was some sort of cavern on the inside, with what looked like a natural spring in the middle of the room, a great stone dragon presiding over it. Steam rose from the water and the room was so warm that she could already feel beads of sweat forming on the back of her neck. The idea of getting into a hot bath after two months of lukewarm water and alcohol scrubs made Sansa take a step towards the water. "What…"
"It was built into the castle, but when I arrived it was completely boarded up. I had it opened up and had the men repair the pumps, so now," He said, looking out over the water then back to her. "It's our very own private bath."
Before he finished talking her fingers were working on the laces at the back of her dress, loosening them just enough to be able to slip the gown off her shoulders. As it fell unceremoniously to the ground she stepped out of it and walked up to the edge of the water, looking back at Aegon as she did. He'd undressed almost as quickly as she had and held his hand out to help her down into the water.
"Careful, there's a short ledge and then it's quite deep."
Sansa sighed blissfully as the water hit her feet and calves, the warmth of the water so soothing that she sat down on that ledge and then scooted off it into the water, her chin bobbing just above the water when she stood on her toes. After floating there for a few moments with her eyes closed she looked up at Aegon, who stepped into the water and sat down on the ledge.
"What do you think?"
"What do I think?" Sansa repeated, spinning around in the water to take in the view from this new vantage point. "This has to be the most magnificent bath in the entire Seven Kingdoms."
"I would say that of any bath that has you in it."
Sansa moved towards him, floating in front of him in the water. He moved off the ledge, one hand moving to move a wet lock of hair from her face. "You are so beautiful…"
She wrinkled her nose and smiled before closing the distance left between them, their lips meeting with equal eagerness. The kiss went on unbroken until Aegon raised one hand to her breast, her head rolling back with a quiet moan in response. Through slow and careful trial they'd built a bridge between the two of them since the night of their marriage, thoroughly exploring each other's bodies during the safety and privacy of the night.
Aegon kissed her jaw and neck, all the way down her chest until his mouth closed on her nipple. This action sent a shock through her body, coming to rest between her legs. Her hips moved a little and Aegon, without skipping a beat, slid one hand down her waist with clear intent. She reached down and took his hand, surprising him out of his ministrations.
"I want you, not that."
That really surprised him and he pulled her close, one hand cupping her face. "Sansa, you don't hav-"
"Aegon." She said, covering his mouth with her hand. "You have to trust me to know what I want, and what I want is for you to take me right here and now."
She dropped his hand and he began to kiss her once more, this time with a ferocity that she had rarely experienced, Aegon always having kept himself carefully reigned in. That restraint slipping away second by second, Aegon led them over to a shallower spot in the bath and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Sanas felt the side of the bath against her back and let her head rest against it as he relinquished her lips and returned his attention to her breasts. She simply sat there, supported by him and the water, enjoying the way his tongue felt against her skin and the growing firmness pressed against her inner thigh.
He stopped and met her gaze, a smile she'd never seen before on his lips. It was something between longing and pleasure, completely unguarded. "Shall it be now then?" He asked, his voice low and quiet.
She nodded, biting her lip as he positioned himself between her legs, the tip of him pressed against her opening. He moved his hips and it was just enough pressure to slide inside her, ready as she was. She gasped and he groaned, their foreheads pressing together as he filled her completely. They kissed, barely moving save for small involuntary twitches and spasms, both of them subsumed in this new closeness for a time.
The way he made love to her was slow and decadent, like she was being worshiped and revered, her flesh responding to his touch like it had been made just for him. He began to move slowly and she responded, her body meeting his each time he slid home. His fingers returned and soon she was lost, falling to pieces in waves of pleasure in the palm of his hand. A few more thrusts brought him to his own completion, his hands on her hips holding her firmly in place as he came inside her, sending a second wave of pleasure through her.
When they returned to themselves enough for coherent thought Aegon helped Sansa up out of the bath before carrying her back into their chamber. He spread out a fur before the hearth and they laid upon it, Sansa's head resting on his chest as it began to rain outside.
"Are you… okay?" Aegon asked tentatively, one hand moving to brush the hair from her face.
Sansa nodded and smiled up at him, sighing deeply. "More than okay."
The next morning Sansa woke up on solid ground for the first time in months, having slept like the dead wrapped in Aegon's arms.
She shifted a little and smiled as she felt something stiff pressed firmly against her thigh. This presence brought up thoughts of the night before that drifted lazily through her mind and she moved her hips invitingly. The rhythm of his breathing changed and she knew he was awake, if only a little.
Aegon began to lay trails of kisses down her neck and shoulder, one hand coming up from behind to cup the round of one breast. His fingers toyed with the slickness between her legs, the motions producing a throbbing that was pleasure and urgency all at once. He sensed this and began to tease his way in, her back arching as the length of him entered her. The act went on for sometime, each movement slow and with great care. After a time he withdrew himself and turned her about so that he could kiss her, his hair loose about his shoulders and his face still clouded with sleep.
Sansa fell back asleep in his arms and would have stayed that way well into the afternoon were it not for Aegon's gentle insistences, urging her out of bed and to the table to break her fast.
"See, a little food and some tea, all's right in the world again."
Sansa shot him a glare over her cup and then laughed, unable to help herself. "I haven't slept in a real bed for months, you can't blame me for being less than eager to leave it."
He chuckled. "No, I can't, but I also can't let you miss lady Olenna's arrival."
"The woman has impeccable timing."
"Indeed. They'll be here just in time for dinner, and don't worry I've already warned the kitchens."
Sansa, who'd been about to ask about that, sat back in her chair defeated. "So all that's left to do is wait."
"Are you nervous?"
She shrugged. "I haven't seen Olenna since Joffrey's wedding and the years have been anything but kind to her. I don't really know what to expect."
He reached across the table and squeezed her forearm gently. "There's nothing she could possibly hold against you."
"Erhm." She cleared her throat, tilting her head from side to side. "Maybe not, and maybe so."
He raised one pale eyebrow and Sansa buried her face in her cup of tea, taking as long of drink as she could manage before looking up at him. "Well, I hadn't really thought about it in such a long time that I'd nearly forgotten it but, there was a brief time where I was loosely betrothed to Willas Tyrell."
Aegon's other eyebrow raised to join the other, the look of surprise clear. "I see. And this engagement ended because?"
"Tywin Lannister found out and married me off to his son before we could do more than exchange a few letters. I fear she may not appreciate my sudden marriage to you."
"Then I will have to apologize to her and her grandson, because I have stolen a treasure indeed." Aegon said, kissing the top of her hand. "The fact that he was willing to risk the wrath of the crown to try and save you speaks to his character. All the more reason to do what we can to help, and I'm sure the lady will come to terms with any ill feelings before she presents herself. After all, Highgarden is in peril and we have the means to save it."
Later that evening Sansa stood next to Aegon, each of them dressed in black and red, surrounded by their guard as the litter carrying Olenna Tyrell approached, men in golden armor flanking her on foot and horseback. The litter came to a stop directly in front of them, the curtains parting to reveal the wizened woman herself, dressed in all black. A young girl rushed to her side and helped Olenna from the litter, handing her a cane.
"Lady Olenna, it is an honor." Aegon said, sweeping low over her hand. Sansa curtsied and bobbed her head, all of which Olenna waved her hand at dismissively.
"Oh, stop this nonsense. We both know who should be bowing to who. Now, let me look at you child." Olenna said, looking at Sansa with narrow eyes.
Sansa stepped forward and took the hand Olenna offered, surprised by the strength and vitality of it. "I was terribly sorry to hear of Margaery and Loras."
"Mn." Olenna agreed. "And you've lost more than your fair share. It gladdens me to see you here, standing on the other side of it. Still, I wonder what things would have been like if we'd been able to get you away from the castle before that fool Tywin got involved. Well, no matter now, hm? You seem to have found a suitable match at last." Olenna finished, looking up at Aegon and leaning forward to make the scrutinization clear. Aegon gave Sansa a reassuring look before returning his attention to Olenna.
"I was once betrothed to a Targaryen. That was before Luthor. In fact, during my time at court, I saw your father many times." She leaned back, nodding her head. "You're the mirror of him. That's a comfort. I'd hate to throw my weight behind the wrong Targaryen."
Aegon smiled goodnaturedly at this jibe and replied without missing a beat. "I've met few people who knew my father, you'll have to tell me what you thought of him over dinner."
"Yes, and speaking of, I'd like to dine privately with the two of you. Now, if you don't mind." Olenna said expectantly before adding, "At this age I find it's best to get right to the point."
"As you wish." Aegon said, offering his arm to the old woman while Sansa trailed behind them, listening as Aegon pointed things out along the way.
A little while later they were in the Drum Tower, the three of them seated around a table while servants brought out dishes full of food. They waited for the food to be served in its entirety, making menial small talk until the room was empty save themselves.
Olenna picked up a small cube of cheese, sniffed it, and put it down. "Tell me, what is the true state of things in the North?"
"We have control over the entire region. Nearly half of my forces are still stationed there, though some will have departed for the Twins by now. I expect to have it and the river secured within the month."
"I see. With the Stormlands and Dorne already under your belt you're closing in on both sides. All you need is the Reach behind you."
"A very concise summation."
"Then I suppose it's my turn, hm?"
Aegon nodded and Olenna continued. "There are few things left to me in this world and I will see them protected. As you know Highgarden is under siege by Jamie Lannister. I want it brought to an end. I want a match arranged between a suitable woman and my grandson, and I want Cersei's head served to me on a golden platter."
Aegon met Sansa's eyes and they both nodded. "Very well." He said, holding his glass up to toast Olenna's.
"I can have a document drawn up by tomorrow." Sansa offered, setting her glass down. "Though, I'll probably leave the bit out about the golden platter."
"Thank you, my love. We'll need to move quickly, lady Olenna, will you be accompanying us to Highgarden?"
"I think not. I've few miles left in me and I'm no use on a battlefield. I will stay here, with her majesty."
Sansa's breath caught and she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, but I'll be joining the battle."
"So, the rumors are true then. Incredibly risky behavior if you ask me, but then again I suppose you wouldn't be where you are without a little risk? Still, I'll stay behind until the return and the summit has concluded. I'll expect regular communication, of course."
"Of course." Aegon agreed.
"Now, tell me what your plans are to deal with this aunt of yours."
The two shared another look before Aegon began. "We've drafted a letter, a plea really, for her to meet me and accept my claim to the throne. Though I suppose we should send another, ask her to join us in the field at Highgarden if she's willing."
"Diplomacy. Against dragons." Olenna nearly chuckled, shaking her head. "Again, incredibly risky behavior. Were it anyone else proposing such a thing I'd withdraw my support, but something tells me not to. Don't prove me wrong."
Much to everyone's displeasure it was once again decided that a sea voyage would be the most expedient and safe, and thankfully they touched down on the shores of the Stormland nearly two months later without incident or illness. The agreed upon plan was to head toward Storm's End, then hug the mountains and skirt the edge of the Kingswood until they were able to pick up the trail along the Mander. The rains greeted them the moment they were underway, making the journey a difficult one as the road turned to mud beneath their feet.
From all the reports they were gathering Jaimie Lannister had brought down half the forces of King's Landing and the Westerlands upon Highgarden's head, and had been laying siege upon the castle for almost four months. It wouldn't be possible to keep their approach a secret, not with the number of men they were moving, but either way it would force Jaimie to fight a war on two fronts. The question of numbers was always on his mind though it seemed they were more than prepared to end the siege of Highgarden. Between Aegon's men and the men from the Vale they had around eight thousand men, equal to the tired Lannister forces, which tipped things more in their favor.
By the time they reached the Mander near Grassy Vale the entire army moved with a sense of urgency despite the weather. They slept in shifts, unwilling to risk being caught unawares in an ambush so deep into the kingdom. There was no way to hide the movements of such a large body of men and so they proceeded towards Highgarden under the assumption that they would meet enemy forces before they reached the keep.
For Aegon it was the first time he'd been so far inland south and he felt unusually exposed as they marched forward. It had been different in the north, the vast emptiness of the kingdom somehow a comforting presence even before Sansa. Now that he held Winterfell and the North so close to his heart, being so far away from it and Dragonstone was unsettling.
They reached Longtable without sight of the enemy, but that was as far as their luck reached. They found Ciderhall, the Fossoway keep, occupied by Lannister soldiers and under duress. This led to a small skirmish that lasted only a matter of minutes, all of the Lannister forces crumpling under the sheer might of the Golden Company and its accompanying armies.
The Fossoways, extremely thankful to have been liberated, hosted Aegon and Sansa for several nights while the armies rested and prepared for the final push. As it turned out, one of their daughters was married to the middle Tyrell son, Garlan, and was currently sequestered with the rest of the Tyrells inside the castle. It seemed like the Lannister soldiers had merely been left to keep an eye on the Fossoways, making sure that there would be no retaliation from the family. This threat gone, lord Leo Fossoway offered men, weapons, and horses with alacrity, and even planned on joining the attack himself despite Aegon's assurances that such an act was unnecessary.
Riding under the cover of darkness and taking out Lannister scouts along the way, the armies marched onward. By the sheer number of scouts they encountered it was clear Jaimie Lannister was on the lookout for their attack. This was cemented by the time the siege camp came within sight.
Most of the spike horses that would traditionally be directed at the castle had been moved, creating an impromptu barricade at the back of the camp. Archers dotted the barricade alongside foot soldiers, but there was a clear lack of mounted fighters among them.
The battle that followed was short and horrendously bloody. The first wave of men cut through all the way to the castle gates, leaving dead and dying men in their wake. They took very few prisoners, though not for lack of trying. The Lannister men fought ferociously and without restraint, leaving Aegon to believe that orders had come down from the top that capture was not an option. Most of the soldiers succeeded in either dying or fleeing, but not Jaimie Lannister. He appeared to have been wounded near the beginning of the battle and was found unconscious under a pile of dead men, his missing right hand and golden hair making him unmistakable.
Standing over the chained and gagged body of Jaimie Lannister, Aegon turned to survey the field around him as the haze of battle began to fade from his mind. Connington stood next to him covered in blood, most of which Aegon assumed was not his own.
"Sansa?" Aegon asked, her face forming in his head as he spoke her name.
"She's fine. I saw her with her sister heading towards the gates, and I tell you, I pity the men who came across those two."
Aegon couldn't help but smirk despite the worry he still felt. "Let's join them."
They found Sansa and Arya directing men at the front, already working to clear the way to open the gates. By the way she moved he could see she was uninjured, though she was just as covered in blood as Jon was. The small crowd of men broke away from her and he crossed the distance between them, swooping her up into a hug.
She laughed and wrapped her arms around him, smiling up at him when he set her back down on the ground. "You're okay."
"As are you. You fared better this time."
"All that extra training seems to have paid off. That, and Arya didn't let anyone get near enough to do any damage."
"She took down her fair share." Arya said over her shoulder, and then added, "I dare say I'm proud to call her my sister."
Aegon's face lifted in a one sided smile as Sansa rolled her eyes. "Well, it looks as though they're about ready to open the gates, shall we?"
Sansa looked down at herself, then at Aegon, grimaced and then shrugged. "No time for niceties, very well."
"Arya? Will you join us?"
Arya turned around, her eyes wide and her head shaking. "I don't think that's necessary, they know nothing of me."
"You are the queen's sister and a lady in your own right, they should know of you and what you've done here today to help them."
Begrudgingly Arya joined them as men began to pull the wooden gates open for the first time in over five months.
Two men and two women stood inside the gates, soldiers in golden armor surrounding them. The two men, while of an age of each other, were distinguishable by the cane one of them held in his left hand, identifying him as Willas Tyrell. The other, presumably Garlan Tyrell, stood next to a woman who was without a doubt a Fossoway. That would make the other the wife of the late lord, Alerie Tyrell.
Aegon, with Sansa on his arm and his back straight, walked forward until they were within speaking distance. "Lord Tyrell, the Lannister forces have been ousted from your castle's borders, and those who have escaped are being pursued. The Reach will be threatened no more."
"My king." Willas said, bending at the waist while the others bowed formally. "Our family will forever be in your debt. These past months have been difficult, I'm not sure how much longer we could have held out. Pray, tell us, is there news of my grandmother?"
"The lady Olenna is safe and well at Dragonstone. We have a letter explaining things as they stand and a copy of the treaty."
"Very good, please, come inside. We have rooms already being prepared for you and the queen."
A short time and a hot bath later, Aegon sat across a table from the Tyrells, Sansa and Arya on either side of him while Jon hovered in the background. The new generation of Tyrells were much less ferocious than their grandmother, that fire apparently only having been passed to the late Margaery. That troubled him, and would need to be taken into account when selecting the future lady of the Reach.
The group talked of much, the Tyrells taking the opportunity to get a fresh accounting of the world outside Highgarden. When Aegon finished his summation, Willas looked grim.
"So, if what you say is true, we stand threatened on multiple fronts. As if Cersei and the vague threat of your aunt wasn't enough."
"The gods find it pleasing to test us, it seems." Sansa said, setting down a glass. "Which is why we're here."
"Yes, as my grandmother says, I'm to provide you with whatever can be spared in return for ending the siege."
Aegon raised an eyebrow. "And will you?"
"While I'm reluctant to throw the Tyrell name behind another uprising, it would seem I have little choice about the matter. I would only ask one thing of you. Win."