Chapter Three
Harry hummed as he woke, realising quickly that he was not alone. He shuffled a little and then pressed closer when he realised quickly that the arms that he was in were Maegor's. He pressed his face into the warm chest in front of him with a content hum, and he smiled slightly when he got that rumbling laugh in response.
"You're so warm," Harry hummed happily.
"You got too cold last night," Maegor said, tugging the blanket a little higher.
"I tend to feel the cold a little," Harry admitted.
"As I have said I tend to run hotter," Maegor said, rubbing his hand up and down Harry's back.
"It is lovely," Harry sighed happily.
"Are you snuggling me?" Maegor asked a little incredulously.
"I'm comfortable," Harry said and received that rumbling laugh again.
"Only you I believe would say you feel comfortable snuggling me," Maegor chuckled. He pulled Harry closer to him and started rubbing his hand up and down his back. "Thank you for last night,"
"You don't need to thank me," Harry smiled, tilting his head up to look at Maegor.
"I do, for everything, for being patient and understanding, for helping me," Maegor said, gently stroking the back of his fingers down Harry's face. "May I kiss you?"
"Yes," Harry breathed out at the unexpected question, leaning down to press their lips together. It was simple, and surprisingly sweet, gentle and testing, and Harry pressed into it, humming happily when Maegor reached up and cupped the back of his head, burying his fingers into Harry's dark hair.
They pulled apart and Maegor stared down at Harry for only a moment before leaning in again, pressing their lips together in a much firmer way, pressing deeper into the kiss, and swallowing Harry's sigh of contentment.
Harry laughed when an arm wrapped around his waist and he was nearly taken off of his feet as he was pulled back against a firm chest, he laughed even more when whiskery kisses were placed along his jaw and throat.
He caught the smiles on the King's Guard's face before he turned and pressed their lips together, humming happily into the kiss as the taste of Maegor, his husband exploded across his senses. When they eventually parted, Harry pulled back with a bright smile for his husband, and while Maegor's face was as set as it normally would be, his eyes were bright as they looked at Harry.
The dark-haired man ignored the muttering of those courtiers around them and instead focussed quite happily on Maegor.
"Come with me?" Maegor asked, and then when Harry snorted amused. "What?"
"That was more a demand than a request, husband," Harry laughed brightly, Maegor frowned a little and Harry couldn't have that, slipping his hand into Maegor's. "Of course I will,"
"Come," Maegor started leading Harry away, and only when they were in the more private areas of the Keep did he turn to Loral and Owen. "You can stay here,"
"Sire!" Loral protested and then blinked when Maegor turned back to him with a raised eyebrow, the King's Guard blanching when he realised he had spoken out. "Pardon me," He bowed.
"I will look after him and return him to you, in one piece," Maegor snorted.
"Forgive me, Sire, I did not mean to speak so out of turn," Loral looked mortified.
"I am glad you are so protective of him," Maegor said, before glazing down at Harry who was watching him with a smile. "My husband," he said and watched as Harry's eyes lit up with delight.
As he led Harry through the corridors he made up his mind to call Harry that more often, the cynical part of him wanted to think that Harry was so delighted at being called that because it steadied his claim as King Consort in their still unconsummated marriage, and also indicated that he was winning Maegor over.
Glancing down at Harry and seeing that soft smile on his face, a private smile, even Maegor's most cynical side couldn't keep up that argument.
"Oh!" Harry's breath left him in a gasp when they walked out of the Keep and were faced with Balerion and Vhagar standing waiting for them in the large space that was designed specifically for them. Visenya was standing to the side watching with a small smile, one that Maegor was happy to note seemed to be coming out more and more around Harry.
His mother seemed only to take delight in him and Vhagar, for as long as he could remember even though he had known how much his mother loved his father, their relationship had been difficult, and though she loved him with all her heart, he had not brought her joy. Seeing someone else able to bring her even a small amount of happiness, warmed something more in his own heart.
"Maegor?" Harry turned to him, seeming to sense something in him, enough to take his awed eyes off of the Dragons in front of him.
"It is nothing. I wanted to introduce you properly," Maegor said, stepping forward and meeting Visenya, Harry walking close behind him, his hand still in Maegor's larger one, though his eyes were locked onto the Dragon's again.
He walked forward with Harry until they were standing in front of Balerion and they stood there as the dragon placed his head down onto the ground, huffing the air heavily as he eyed the two of them. Harry was almost holding his breath as they found themselves under the gaze of the largest known dragon in the world, and Maegor squeezed his hand gently when he realised this, listening with slight amusement as Harry sucked in a deep breath nearly right away as though he had reminded him to breathe.
Balerion huffed out a breath before slipping his head forward and gently pressing his nose to Harry, though his nose was larger than Harry himself was. The Black Dread let out a deep, rumbling growl that vibrated through all standing there. Before Maegor could say anything Harry reached up with his free hand and gently ran his fingers over the scales of Balarion's nose.
"Only you would stand there holding the hand of Maegor the Cruel, and stroke Balarion the Black Dread without thought," Maegor said softly, amusedly.
"I hate it when you call yourself that," Harry said without looking at him. "And I did think about it, and I thought that I would like to touch him, and it would be worth it even if he eats me," Harry grinned.
"I would like to take you flying," Maegor said, and bright green eyes turned to him.
"Really?! I can fly with you?" Harry gasped.
"He has accepted you, he will allow it as you are Maegor's mate in his eyes," Visenya nodded. "I will fly a little while with you as well,"
"That would be…" Harry couldn't finish, far too excited, but both the Targaryen's understood, and Maegor led Harry around Balerion's side as Visenya moved to mount Vhagar. Balerion turned his head a little to watch them curiously as they reached his side.
"Up here," Maegor motioned to Balerion's side.
"I don't want to hurt him," Harry hesitated. He yelped a little when Maegor tugged him back against his body at that, gripping his chin he tilted his head up and claimed his lips in a deep kiss.
"Put him down and hurry up!" Visenya called from on top of Vhagar, her dragon letting out a huff of agreement.
"Here," Maegor chuckled that deep chuckle, pointing out to Harry how to climb onto Balerion. He climbed up behind him, making sure that Harry reached the saddle safely, and then he arranged them so that Harry was sitting side saddle in front of him, secured against him, and then took up Balerion's reins.
"Ready," Visenya said before urging Vhagar forward.
The last thing Harry saw clearly as he looked down to see the Red Keep disappearing under them was the slightly distressed expression on Loral and Owen's faces while Maegor's guard seemed to tease them.
The Keep, so massive to walk around, became almost like a toy underneath them as the two dragons took them into the air, the heavy thump of their wings filling the air around them. He watched awed as King's Landing itself shrunk under them, and they took off across the sky, the land flying by underneath.
"It is amazing!" Harry breathed.
"What?" Maegor asked.
"It is amazing!" Harry laughed turning to his husband, he grabbed his face and pressed a kiss to his lips before turning to watch their flight, Maegor was quite happy to mainly watch Harry, trusting Balerion to follow his mother and Vhagar's lead.
An hour later, Visenya twisted Vhagar in the air, twisting around them in a playful, graceful dance that had Harry laughing delightedly. She waved her hand at them before she turned to the West, while Maegor carried on flying them North.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked curiously after a while, his beautiful green eyes taking everything in.
"Dragonstone, I was once called the Prince of Dragonstone, and it is where I was brought up. I would like you to see it," Maegor answered.
"It is a long way there," Harry turned to look at him.
"Mother is going to keep things running in my stead for a few days. I thought we could take a little holiday, spend a could of days at Dragonstone before flying to the Lightning Isle, and then back," Maegor suggested, feeling ridiculously nervous as he made the suggestion, concerned about what Harry would think of spending time alone with him.
The joy on Harry's face calmed all of those nerves, and they were replaced with that warm feeling that only Harry seemed to be able to summon from inside of him. The dark-haired young man leant forward and kissed him sweetly, pressing fleeting kisses to his lips before he suddenly laughed with utter joy against Maegor's lips.
"What?" Maegor smiled, pulling back to take in that happiness on his face, committing it to memory.
"I am kissing my husband on the back of a Dragon while we fly!" Harry laughed, he threw his arms around Maegor's shoulders and kissed him again.
"I am King also, and you King Consort," Maegor pointed out.
"That is a plus," Harry shook his head.
"Oh…" Harry gasped as he gazed down at the island they were rapidly approaching. The Island had been shaped to look as though massive dragons were rearing up from the stone.
"The Valyrians were able to melt and shape stone, shift it as though it were liquid. They shaped Dragonstone to look like multiple dragons, long before my ancestors claimed it," Maegor explained.
"Those rumours are true?" Harry asked as Maegor banked Balerion to the side.
"They are, Valyria had buildings that were like no other, shaped and changed, nothing was built the way that it is now," Maegor nodded.
"The knowledge is lost, like how the Wall was built," Harry said.
"Exactly," Maegor smiled, nodding.
"Stunning," Harry sighed as they swept over the Island and towards the Keep.
"Most people believe that it looks horrific, imposing, dark and like a prison," Maegor said as they swept down into the courtyard of the Keep.
"It is where you are from, how can it be any of those things?" Harry answered as they landed with a loud thump.
"You are a romantic," Maegor said leaning in and kissing Harry's cheek, smiling just a little at the sound of his laughter as his beard tickled Harry. "Sorry,"
"I don't mind," Harry turned and smiled brightly at him. "Thank you, that was amazing!"
"You're welcome, we can take hundreds of more flights together if you enjoy it," Maegor unclipped them from the saddle.
"I loved it!" Harry said enthusiastically.
"Good," Maegor nodded, and though his words were short, the meaning and emphasis behind them told Harry everything that he was trying so hard to say with this act. He leant in and pressed another sweet kiss to Maegor's lips, the King happily giving in to his demand and kissing him back firmly.
At least until someone cleared their throat.
Harry pulled back and turned to see a regal woman standing watching them, her hands folded neatly in front of her, her back poker straight, her purple eyes watching them intently.
"We were informed of your imminent arrival with little warning, you will forgive the lack of proper greeting," Her words, though polite, were biting.
"Queen Alyssa, you being here to greet us is more than welcome enough. It is wonderful to meet you," Harry answered before Maegor could, and he watched her falter just a little at his greeting. "Help me down? I am afraid that I am going to fall on my face without it," Harry grinned at Maegor who snorted and moved to help him.
Once they were both on the ground Harry clung a little to Maegor's arm as his knees felt as though they were going to give at any time.
"I think it will take a little getting used to," Harry laughed.
"It is not like riding a horse," Maegor nodded, his face set firmly.
"No he isn't," Harry smiled, turning to where Balerion seemed to be making himself comfortable in the courtyard for the moment. "Thank you for carrying me,"
"Soft heart," Maegor chuckled.
"I am sorry that we dropped in on you like this, Maegor wanted to show me where it is that he grew up, and we are going to visit my family as well," Harry turned back to Alyssa suddenly and caught her watching them intently. She quickly put her mask back up and inclined her head.
"It is a surprise, we never expected to see you here, where we have been left," Alyssa said sharply.
"Getting to come here and meet you is an honour, and this is after all where Maegor grew up while your husband grew up in King's Landing, this is his home as well. Should you wish to come to Court I am sure that there would be no issue with that, Maegor has not banned you," Harry smiled brightly at the women in return, squeezing Maegor's arm when he could feel his husband tensing.
"There is no ban…no," Alyssa blinked.
"Then, there is nothing stopping you from returning to King's Landing, should you wish," Harry smiled.
"I suppose not," Alyssa seemed a little at a loss. "Your room has been made ready!" She said motioning into the Keep.
"Wonderful," Maegor nodded. "Will you join us for supper?"
"Of course, Your Majesty," Alyssa bowed, a slight mock to it.
"We shall see you then, if you send a servant to let us know when it is you normally eat we will be there," Harry said as Maegor led him into the Keep.
He gazed around at the Keep with wide eyes, trying to picture a young Maegor running through the corridors, probably dragging a sword behind him from what he had heard. He imagined the generations of Targaryen's that had grown up here, Maegor's father, mother and aunt planning the conquering of Westeros within these walls, launching the attack from this island.
"I am sorry, I did not even think about her reaction, I just wanted you to see the island," Maegor sighed the moment the doors were shut behind them to his quarters.
"And I want to see it. You have nothing to apologise for," Harry turned to him.
"I do, this is not what I planned," Maegor sighed.
"Then we adapt a little and we still enjoy ourselves," Harry laughed, throwing his arms around Maegor's shoulders. "Besides, I have developed a new pass time that I quite enjoy since I have married you that I will get to play while here,"
"And what is that?" Maegor frowned even as he wrapped his arms gently around Harry's waist.
"Playing with people that want to make you out to be the villain and turning their words around on them. She is your sister-in-law, and she feels hard done by, she feels ousted, I understand that, however, I won't have her making you out to be the evil mastermind," Harry said firmly.
"Most people believe that is exactly who I am," Maegor snorted.
"I don't," Harry said seriously, stroking his fingers over Maegor's temple. "Not at all,"
"Not many people see what you seem to see when you look at me," Maegor said softly, looking into those green eyes.
"Then I will make them see as I see," Harry smiled just a little.
"A losing battle," Maegor warned.
"I like a challenge," Harry shrugged and then tilted his head. "And I like you even more,"
"I like you too," Maegor managed to say with his heart in his throat, the meaning behind those words clear, even as they both knew that they were not ready to say it out loud yet.
"Now, show me around!" Harry leant up and kissed Maegor's cheek before dancing out of his grip laughing happily as his husband growled convincingly and grabbed for him.
"I saw Balerion for the first time here," Maegor hummed as he and Harry stood on the beach.
"How old were you?" Harry asked.
"6, I had seen my Father off and one during that time, but that was the first time I saw Balerion, he flew overhead, and I realised why I hadn't taken a dragon yet," Maegor looked to the sky.
"I know that I am lucky with my relationship with my parents," Harry said, reaching out and taking Maegor's hand. "We are close, and we have always had a close relationship,"
"And yet they married you off to me," Maegor grunted.
"Do you hold that against them?" Harry smiled, turning away from watching the waves to look at his husband who was scowling at said waves.
"They agreed to the marriage to me knowing everything about me," Maegor turned to frown at him.
"You think that I didn't have anything to do with the choice?" Harry tilted his head.
"I know they would have asked you, you're far too opinionated for them not to have had," Maegor smiled a little.
"I am going to take that as a compliment," Harry shook his finger at Maegor. "And the choice was completely mine, they put it in my hands completely,"
"You chose me without any pressure?" Maegor looked so baffled that Harry couldn't stop himself from reaching up and kissing him.
"You know I don't believe in the gods, but I do believe that things happen for a reason," Harry said softly.
"The Gods, fate, chance, whatever it is, I am glad that you did come into my life," Maegor cupped Harry's face, staring down into green eyes.
Harry settled down into the seat near Maegor and looked at the rest of Maegor's family who looked utterly delighted that they were there. Alyssa was looking particularly annoyed not that her face really said that, but her eyes and pinched lips said it all.
"Thank you," Harry smiled to the servants that placed their food down in front of them before quickly loading things onto his plate.
"Are you hungry?" Maegor teased him a little.
"Are you saying he shouldn't eat?" Alyssa scowled.
"Flying here completely took it out of me, and then getting to explore," Harry said as he shoved a few bits of bread into his mouth. "Normally he is telling me to eat more!" he grinned at Alyssa once he had swallowed.
"You eat like a bird some days," Maegor complained.
"I get distracted, I make up for it," Harry waved him off.
"That doesn't make up for the day that you only eat breakfast though," Maegor repeated a clearly common argument.
"You worry too much," Harry chuckled.
"Very few people have said that about Maegor," Alyssa said.
"I am sure very few people know Maegor, or really any of you well enough to truly say certain things about you," Harry said to her.
"I…suppose that is true," Alyssa nodded her blonde head.
"And you are Viserys, Jaehaerys and Alysanne right?" Harry asked the three children sitting around the table, fifteen, fourteen and twelve respectively.
"Yes, you are our Uncle's husband?" Alysanne asked.
"I am," Harry nodded and then winked at the young girl, "I bet I am not who you were expecting,"
"Children!" Alyssa scolded when Viserys and Jaehaerys snorted and started laughing, while Alysanne grinned brightly at him.
"We thought you would either be very quiet or scowl a lot," Jaehaerys admitted.
"I only really scowl when the courtiers are annoying the ever-living patience out of me!" Harry said thoughtfully. "I am definitely not going to scowl when Maegor has flown me all the way here to show me where he grew up, and so he can see where I grew up, and so that I can meet you all. He talks about you a lot,"
"He does?" Alyssa frowned.
"Of course, he is very proud of you all, he has told me a lot about you," Harry smiled.
"Are we reported back on?" Alyssa huffed.
"That is an odd way to phrase him wanting to know that you are safe and happy, and keeping in touch with his nieces and nephews," Harry kept the smile on his face as he turned to Alyssa.
"You care for us?" Viserys frowned at Maegor.
"Who do you think keeps supplying all of those books that the three of you like to read?" Harry asked the young boy.
"How do you know about that?" Maegor choked on the chicken he had been eating while he had been watching the back and forth.
"I am your husband, I know everything," Harry patted his cheek and laughed when he growled at the move.
"You sent the book on the history of the noble families of Westeros?" Jaehaerys looked at Maegor.
"I was told that you were interested but had read most of them. Harry has been having works translated, an early copy seemed fine to send you," Maegor shrugged looking at his plate uncomfortably.
"I want to go to your school!" Alysanne demanded suddenly.
"Alysanne!" Alyssa scolded.
"I have heard that you are incredibly intelligent, I can not see any reason why you shouldn't if that is what you want to do," Maegor said quietly, still not looking up.
"There are several schools being built around that you can choose to go to, or move between them if that is what you want to do," Harry smiled.
"It wouldn't be safe!" Alyssa shook her head.
"I can always provide guards for her, and Jaehaerys and Viserys if they wish to attend," Maegor looked up.
"I mean from you!" Alyssa slammed her hand down on the table.
"Perhaps this is not the conversation to have in front of the children," Harry said calmly.
"We want to hear," Viserys tilted his chin up.
"If you want to, you deserve to hear it, and I will answer whatever you want me to," Maegor shrugged.
"You need comfort?" Alyssa sneered when Harry slipped his hand into Maegor's and the larger man clearly squeezed it.
"Because he is not entitled to comfort," Harry frowned a little.
"He killed my son!" Alyssa screamed, and Maegor's shoulders froze like stone.
"I did, and I didn't want to do it, I wanted to avoid it. I never wanted to fly against him," Maegor said.
"And yet you did!"
"And yet I did," Maegor nodded.
"And if Maegor was usurped, what would have happened?" Harry interrupted the silence.
"What?" Alyssa took her glare from Maegor to look at Harry.
"If Maegor hadn't been King, what would have happened? You had already proven that you weren't willing to take the violent actions that were needed to get the country under control, your son and daughter were already under attack and locked into Casterly Rock because of their marriage. With Maegor gone, what, realistically do you think would have happened if you took him, and the threat of him, out of the way?" Harry asked calmly.
"We would have had it under control!" Alyssa scowled.
"With all respect, and I really do mean that I am not saying this to hurt you, but you didn't, your adult husband, with an adult dragon, had not been able to get it under control, you had fled from your capital to take shelter here, the Capital was under the control of the Faith Militant and filled with them. Only two of your children were riders at that time, Rhaena's Dreamfyre is a young dragon, and your son had only just bonded with Quicksilver. If you defeated Maegor, I do not believe that Visenya would have flown to your aid,"
"How dare you! We would have controlled it!" Alyssa snapped, but there was a sliver of doubt in her eyes.
"The last two years of your husband's reign showed that, no, you wouldn't have. And then what would have happened? To you, and the rest of your children? There is a good chance that none of you would have survived," Harry said softly.
"He was my son," Alyssa breathed out.
"I'm sorry," Maegor said quietly, and her head snapped to the side to stare at him.
"What?" She blinked.
"I am sorry," Maegor looked up and met her eyes. "There are excuses that I can give as to why it is that I made the choices that I did, there are reasons I can give, the main one as Harry said is trying to protect my family as much as I could, as I can, protect the family. But that doesn't mean that I am not sorry and that I don't wish every day that it had been different. That there had been a way around it. I think of different ways it could have gone. I know that it doesn't come across, but I care for you, and the children, I cared for Aenys, no matter what was said, he was my brother,"
"What excuses?" Alyssa asked quietly after a moment.
"They don't matter," Maegor shook his head.
"But I want to know them," Alyssa pressed.
"After the Trial of Seven, when I was hit on the head, it nearly killed me, it should have. Mother agreed for…for…" Maegor looked at Harry with wide purple eyes as the words seemed to get locked into his throat.
"Tyanna cast blood magic on him, she brought him back, but that magic left a mark, a scar that can't be seen unlike the one on his head. And she could use that blood magic at any time, to twist and corrupt," Harry said as matter of fact as he could, but Maegor's hand still tightened around his.
"I came back different, there was something in the back of my mind, something wrong," Maegor managed to say.
"People say that you can heal," Jaehaerys said to Harry who inclined his head.
"It is the main reason that I was chosen to marry Maegor, along with my ability to carry a child,"
"I have had crushing headaches since, Harry is helping," Maegor nodded.
"Is that why you did it?" Alyssa asked.
"I can't say," Maegor shook his head. "I can't tell the difference between it. I might have done it anyway, he rebelled against me, he flew against me when everything was still in a delicate position," Maegor looked down at the table. "It doesn't mean that it was what I wanted to do,"
"It was his birthright!" Alyssa pinched her lips together.
"Yes, it was. But he wasn't the right person for it in the moment, and he wasn't strong enough to take the position and someone needed to step into it to ensure that the family name survived," Maegor sighed.
"And that was you!" Alyssa sneered.
"Who else would it have been?" Harry shook his head.
"You could have held it for him, helped him," Alyssa tilted her head up.
"Yes, I could have, but the country and the family might not have survived that, and if I was putting the time in, the energy and the effort, I am the son of Aegon the Conqueror, I have a right to the throne as well," Maegor said.
"And the rest of my children?" Alyssa frowned.
"I want to have my own children, my own heirs," Maegor said slowly. "But you're my nephews and nieces, I want you to be part of my family, I want you to be part of the Court, I don't want you to be locked away in here, any of you. I don't want you to feel unsafe, live feeling unsafe,"
"And how else are we meant to feel?!" Alyssa snapped.
"That is what I am trying to say, I don't want to hurt any of you, and I don't want you to live your life here in fear," Maegor said firmly.
"You expect me to put my remaining children in your hands?"
"It doesn't have to be our hands, you can come with them, have your own guards of your own choice," Harry suggested gently.
"Surrounded by your people, ready to wipe us out?" Alyssa sneered.
"Maegor could have killed us all years ago," Viserys said quietly, but everyone turned to him.
"You don't understand what you are talking about," Alyssa shook her head.
"I do, and he could have. He could have had us all killed multiple times, in multiple different ways that yes people would have questioned, but he could have brushed over. But we're still alive," Viserys shook his head.
"Until he has his own heirs, and then you will be surplus to requirement," Alyssa's calm was gone, and the fear that she had been living under was clearly written across her face.
"You are surplus to nothing, you are my family. You are what remains of my brother, who despite what everyone thinks, I loved. You are what remains of my mother's beloved sister, who despite what everyone thinks, she loved her dearly,"
"Just because Maegor does not love as most people love, just because he doesn't express it in the same way does not mean that it isn't there," Harry said gently.
Alyssa bit her lip looking between them, clearly torn as to what to believe and becoming overwhelmed.
"No one is expecting you to just forgive and forget Aegon," Harry tightened his grip around Maegor's hand when his husband visibly tensed at the name being spoken out loud. "He is your son, and that will never change. But he made a choice, and Maegor made one in return, right or wrong. It came down to politics over family, as shit as that is," Harry said bluntly, and five pairs of purple eyes blinked at him for his phrasing.
"I don't know what to think," Alyssa admitted, clenching her fingers into her dress.
"No one is asking you to make a choice right away, there is no pressure here, that is not the intent!" Maegor said firmly.
"A week, a month, a year," Harry nodded, standing and pulling Maegor with him. "Just…ask what you would have done with Maegor, had Aegon won that battle, what choice would you have made, not with the man you see as a usurper, but your late husband's brother, the uncle to your children? Choices are not easy ones to make, and they can be harder to live with, for everyone,"
"I never wanted to hurt you, any of you, never," Maegor said quietly before turning and leading Harry from the room.
They walked silently through the hallways until they reached Maegor's rooms, and once they stepped inside Maegor dropped Harry's hand as though it had burned him. Not looking at him he made his way to stare out of the window, his shoulders tense and set, and everything about him screaming defensiveness.
Harry motioned for the servants to leave the room, making a request to one of them, before he moved to throw some logs into the fireplace to get the flames going. He took off his robes and threw them over the chair before he walked into the bedroom and dug in the wardrobe where as he hoped he found some extra pillows. He carried them through and over to the fireplace, where he was aware of Maegor's curious gaze on him.
At the knock on the door, he moved to open it, taking the tray that the servant was holding out to him, nodding in thanks before he closed the door behind himself and moved back over to the fire.
"What have you got?" Maegor asked, his curiosity clearly getting the better of him.
"Come and sit down and see," Harry sat down on the rug and patted the space next to him.
"On the rug?" Maegor looked so scandalised that Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"Yes, my King, come and sit on the rug. Have you never done it before?" Harry asked as Maegor slowly made its way over to him.
"No," Maegor shook his head. He lowered himself down next to Harry and shuffled a little as he got comfortable.
"Here," Harry handed over a glass of warm wine before he placed the plate between them that had a few slices of cake on them, he held out a fork to his husband and smiled at the slightly baffled look on his face.
"What are we doing?" Maegor asked, confused.
"We're relaxing a little," Harry told him, cutting a small piece of cake with the fork that Maegor hadn't taken and holding the bite out to the blond. He started laughing at the expression on Maegor's face when he pressed the cake inside his mouth as Maegor obviously went to ask a question.
"Cheeky," Maegor grumbled in between chewing. "I am sorry, this isn't what I meant it to be,"
"It is what it is, I am with you, and I have you to myself for a few days away from court, that is all that matters," Harry smiled.
"That would definitely not be a prize for most people," Maegor snorted. He blinked when Harry pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek before holding another slice of cake out to him, when he looked into green eyes he couldn't help but ask, "Why do you look sad?"
"I am sad that you would not believe that your company is something that I would desire, that you would believe that," Harry said, tapping the fork on Maegor's lip, encouraging him to take the bite.
"I deserve the reticence people have about me," Maegor shook his head.
"You don't. I enjoy all our time together," Harry said, and then he pulled a face, "ok not when you're doing your paperwork and get stressed, while imaginative some of the names you come up with for the Lords and Ladies make it difficult to look at them the next time I see them,"
"That is again not what most people would say," Maegor snorted.
"Then I am not most people. I am your husband," Harry said firmly, he blinked when Maegor took the fork from his hand, cut and piece and then held it out to Harry instead.
"That you are, and I am lucky you are," Maegor said with a warmth he rarely let show past his eyes. "Thank you for helping me in there,"
"I am on your side," Harry said before taking a bite.
"I do not think I will ever get used to that," Maegor admitted, before meeting Harry's green eyes intently, "and I will never, ever take it for granted,"
"Thank you," Harry reached out and ran his thumb down Maegor's cheek. "I will never take for granted being your husband either,"
"It is definitely unbalanced when it comes to that," Maegor chuckled.
"I don't think so, flying me on Balerion, bringing me here, taking me to the Lightning Isle because you know I am missing my parents a little," Harry smiled.
"You don't call it home?" Maegor asked, skipping over the gestures but Harry allowed it.
"No, it is where I grew up, and I do like it there. I miss the storms, the feeling of the electricity dancing over your skin. I miss my parents. Though, writing to each other helps. But I was bored solid there, I enjoy all the games and the politics of being in King's Landing," Harry admitted.
"I can imagine not even being the Heir Lord would have been enough for your mind, you play the game so well," Maegor smiled. "I love watching you dancing around all of the idiots in court, allowing them to believe that you are leading them in one direction and then turning on them,"
"They make it too easy," Harry laughed.
"You have made my rule so much better, and helped me so much, especially where a gentler hand is needed," Maegor snorted. "I tend to be a little more brute force and threats,"
"Another way in which we work well together," Harry smiled. "My mother told me once that a good marriage is about being able to balance out each other's extremes,"
"What are your parents' extremes?" Maegor asked curiously.
"My father is more carefree and less serious about things, he means well but sometimes he forgets that he has responsibilities and that people rely on him, my mother can sometimes be too serious and focused on working and forgets to take a break and enjoy life,"
"I think…" Maegor started to say and then paused, taking a sip of his drink.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"With the exception of flying on Balerion, until you came along, I do not think I really did anything to 'take a break' as you say. Nothing like this," Maegor admitted.
"It is something that we can work on, you having things for yourself, and things for us,"
"For myself?" Maegor pulled back a little.
"Not all your freedom away from the throne, or happiness - though that sounds horrifically conceited - should be from me, you should have your own happiness and freedom, you deserve that," Harry said.
"Each chance you have to make me reliant on you, you make sure that I am not, or make it clear that that isn't what you want," Maegor shook his head bemused.
"I don't want you to need me," Harry repeated their conversation from weeks ago.
"No, you don't," Maegor smiled, cutting another piece of the cake and placing it against Harry's lips.
"Do you know whose grave it is?" Alyssa asked Harry as she approached him.
He half turned from where he had been standing in front of the small, simple stone marker, the only thing on it was a dragon flying towards the sun. He had made his way out here while Maegor dealt with some issues within the Keep that demanded his attention, his husband had glowered at him as he slipped away an hour earlier while he had been surrounded by servants of the castle who clearly knew his husband well, and were not deterred by his glasses and glowers.
He had wandered around for a little while before making his way here.
He should have guessed that the Dowager Queen would find him by himself; she had avoided their company for the last two days that he and Maegor had been here since their conversation, though they had caught her watching them on a few occasions as they explored around the Keep.
"I know all of the others, but no one will tell me about this one," She explained coming to stand next to him, both of them looking forward now.
"It is Maegor's son," Harry answered.
"What?" Her head whipped around to stare at him, but he kept looking at the little marker.
"His son, with Alys, he brought him here and burned his little body in the way of Targaryen's,"
"He denied the baby was his," Alyssa shook her head.
"No he didn't, the proof of that is here," Harry reached out and ran a gentle finger over the dragon flying free.
"It was a monster," Alyssa said hesitantly.
"If you are trying to imply that Maegor is a monster then you are wrong. The babe suffered the same even Maegor did, at the hands of Tyanna of the Tower. The little boy was blameless," Harry said firmly.
"And why was she so obsessed with him?" Alyssa scowled.
"The chance to play games with a Targaryen, with a Prince and then a King, the chance to just play her game for as long as she could, while collecting the power that she could. I don't think anyone will ever know what drove her to do the things she did," Harry shrugged. "All I know is that she did them,"
"His heir died," Alyssa said like an accusation.
"His son died," Harry turned to her, meeting her angry purple eyes square on in a way that clearly shocked her. "Maegor says that I am gentle, thoughtful and kind where he can not be, that I see the hurts in people,"
"Is that what you see in him?" Alyssa snorted. "You're delusional,"
"It is not him I was talking about," Harry said sharply, "I see your hurts, I see what you have been through, what you are going through, I see the loss you have suffered, and I understand how deeply wounded you are. It is made worse by how sudden it all was for you, happening in such quick succession that it must seem as though your world crumbled,"
"Yes it did," Alyssa nodded sharply, turning her head away to look over the beach.
"But you had joy, you had happiness and love and brightness to know such pain now,"
"What…" Alyssa turned back to him, clearly having expected anything but that.
"The only love Maegor knew growing up was that of his mother, and yet that is held against them, she is accused of wanting him only for the chance to have an heir, of using blood magic, of him being designed by her to be a creature of war. Her love was the only steadiness that he knew, and yet people twist it, and make it something dark,"
"Wha…"
"You and your family were in King's Landing, being given love by Aegon the Conqueror, who barely looked at Maegor, barely acknowledged him as his son. Maegor and Visenya watched as each of your children was greeted with delight, joy and celebration, while Maegor's name days went unremembered by his own Father. You had light and laughter, colour and brightness, while Maegor was kept here, separated and far away from all his family except for his mother,"
"I don't know what you are trying to do…"
"The day your husband gave him Blackfyre he remembers well and vividly, you probably think because it was the day that he was given his father's sword, and your husband had to give something to him. He remembers it because it was the day his brother recognised him, the day that he felt that he had more family than just his mother, and the day that he thought his strength was to be of use to the family name. He had nothing but loyalty in his heart for his brother, your husband,"
"I don't…he had a wife!" Alyssa snapped.
"Oh yes, his wife. Who was barren, and everyone knew she was barren. A cruel joke to give him a wife, a chance of a family of his own, only for it to turn out that everyone was laughing in his face. His father was laughing in his face. How do you think that seemed to him? Just a teenager and to realise that while his father cooed over yours and Aenys' babes, while he was overjoyed in each one that you had, he had purposefully ensured that Maegor would never know that joy himself? That he would never be allowed that. That he had favoured Aenys this way, that he had presumed that Maegr's children would grow to be threats, instead of thinking that they could be loyal supporters of your children, their cousins," Harry sneered angrily shaking his head, "did any of you ever think how he felt when he finally realised that the joke was on him, that he had been married to a woman specifically so that he couldn't have children?"
"He married Alys!" Alyssa snapped.
"Yes, he did, and he was banished for it. When he had had enough of being the butt of the joke, when his desire to be a father made him take the chance with a woman he cared greatly for, he was banished,"
"Him wanting to be a father!" Alyssa laughed.
"Why is that funny?" Harry asked angrily. "Because you know him so well to know what his likes and dislikes are, to know what it is that he does and doesn't want!"
"He has no love in him!" Alyssa shouted.
"That right there is proof of the love that he has in him," Harry shouted back, pointing to the tiny marker. "He brought back his son's tiny body to be burned on the island he grew up on, on the island of his ancestors, and buried him with them so that the babe wouldn't be alone so that it could fly free with them!"
"You…"
"I am sick of him being made out to be a monster, just because he does not love visibly does not mean that he does not love. His love was him claiming Balerion, and flying to crush the rebellions against your husband, flying to help secure his rule instead of claiming everything for himself! He has lost so much, or never had it in the first place, and he does his best to be gentle in the only ways that he knows how to care in the only way that he knows how,"
Maegor stepped back behind the rock from where he had come looking for Harry, he felt a little wrong listening to this, but he could not help himself.
"Your children would have been killed if he had not claimed the throne, you say that you would have done what was needed, but you didn't. Your husband brought you all here and he worried himself to death instead of doing what was needed to control the faith militant, if Maegor hadn't claimed the throne they would have made their way here, to your son and daughter and their daughters, and they would have killed them all for being 'abominations', they likely would have killed you as well, though by that point it probably would have been a mercy. You did not have the strength to do what had to be done,"
"My son…"
"Was an adult!" Harry said firmly. "He was an adult, who made an adult choice, and there were adult consequences. He rebelled against the crowned king, he gathered an army, created a rebellion and flew a dragon against Maegor. What did you expect to happen if he lost? What did you expect to happen flying against Maegor and Balerion?" Harry shook his head.
"He was still my son," Alyssa said with tears in her eyes.
"And you heard Maegor, he hates what happened, but he didn't have a choice, he rebelled. You have living children here, that you keep locked up. You do not live in fear of Maegor the way you say you do, if you did you would not be here, you would have fled far away, you wouldn't face him the way that you did. You wish to be a martyr,"
Maegor fought the urge to reveal himself when Alyssa slapped Harry, the crack of her hand against his face echoing down to the King, but Harry reached out and caught her wrist when she went to do it again.
"I am speaking harshly and will allow you that one because of it, but only that one," Harry shook his head. "Your children here are living in a prison because you wish to play the martyr and not admit that not all of the fault for Aegon's death lies in Maegor's hands,"
"How dare you…"
"I dare because I love Maegor, and I will not have him painted to be a monster and a tyrant. I do not wish to be your enemy, and as I said, I understand the pain and the hurt, and the shock you are going through right now. But you have living children, living grandchildren that are all currently living their lives on a knife edge because of your choices when they could be living a much better life,"
Harry released her wrist and stepped back, casting a glance to the little marker.
"You claim to love him, but the servants say that you do not share a bed chamber," Alyssa spat as he turned to walk away.
"Firstly, that is an incredible invasion of our privacy that you believe you are entitled to," Harry spun around, and Alyssa blanched, "and secondly, Maegor is not ready for that step yet. After everything with Tyanna, after losing Alys and their baby, he isn't ready,"
"I…"
"Maegor isn't the gentlest or kindest of men, I am not pretending that he is, but he isn't the monster that he is made out to be, and there are good reasons for that lacking people are so determined to see in him," Harry said before turning and walking away, leaving Alyssa to stare at the little marker, and for Maegor to slip back the way he had come, his thoughts heavy.