Fire and Blood
Chapter 4
The Prince of Dragonstone
105 AC
Winterfell
The North
The Starks were busy preparing for the arrival of their royal Guest as Prince Aegon Targaryen, the Prince of Dragonstone, was flying north on the back of his Dragon to visit Winterfell and possibly the wall. No one understood why the prince went on a royal tour in the first place, especially without the standard Royal escort it was just him and his Dragon.
In truth it took Aegon a while to convince his father to let him travel North without an escort, Otto Hightower had been against it saying that all it would take was one person with a crossbow.
Aegon argued against that, stating, "There has never lived a stark that forgets an oath, where house stark leads the North follows." While Otto and the rest of the council agreed that the Starks were loyal. (Otto wanted to say more about them being heathens, but the whole devout to the Seven was not as popular as it was 4 years ago).
No, No, Aegon didn't start a one-man war against the faith to weaken its power in the Capital…. he convinced his Uncle Daemon to help him in his fight. His uncle was more than willing to help him in the last 4 years. Aegon had publicly apologised for what he said to the faith, which was accepted by the High Septon. After all, he was a young prince, and the Septon he had arrested was corrupt.
While publicly he took over his great grandmother's mission in improving the capital for the people, at first the faith funded it while he stood around as he was a prince, he just had to look like he was telling them what to do.
Daemon had his contacts in the capital find proof that the faith was using stolen funds to fund it, and Aegon convinced his father to have the crown and the other Valyrian Houses fund the restoration efforts.
The next 3 years had not been good for the faith, and while they were still influential, it was nowhere near the same level that it was years before. However, Daemon and Aegon had to temporarily stop their campaign purely because Aemma caught them.
Back at Winterfell
"Dragon approaching! Came the yell from the gates as seconds later a black-scaled dragon flew over them, Lord Rickon Stark the lord of Winterfell stood with his family and household staff stood together as the Dragon landed in the courtyard.
To himself he thought it wouldn't be long till that Dragon would be too large for the courtyard, kneeling with the entire castle he waited till the prince walked towards them, "Lord Stark, good to see you please rise, all of you stand up! He called loudly to the courtyard.
"My Prince, welcome to the North; Winterfell is yours," he spoke, seeing the young Prince slightly distracted as he looked at the ancestral home of his family that seemed to get the prince's attention as he thanked him and said everyone could return to there duty's, but requested a few guards be posted near his Dragon to keep people away from him.
As they made their way inside towards Lord Starks solar the prince tossed him a bag of 50 gold Dragons, shocked at the amount Aegon just said it was for the loss of food to feed his dragon.
"Lord Stark, the primary reason I have come to Winterfell is simple, with my reconstruction efforts to improve the living conditions in the capital. The Lord's Hand, in his wisdom, has convinced my father that it is too expensive to continue to send support for the wall."
The Warden of the North felt anger not at the prince, he at least had the decency to inform him in person, the night's watch was severely lacking in men and material and the North could no longer fund it as they could a few years ago.
No, his anger lay with the lord hand, that conniving second son of a hand and the King Himself for agreeing with it.
Aegon removed a scroll from his pouch and laid it on the table. "The Lord Hand believed he struck some significant blow or whatever he believed he attained until I convinced Father to make this official. Here, read the scroll, my lord."
What he read would cause the Lord of Winterfell to celebrate when the prince left, and when the northern lords heard the news later, they too would celebrate.
I, Viserys of the House Targaryen the First of my name, King of the Andals the Rhoynar and the First-men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, do decree that the Lands that make up the territory known as the New Gift, under the direct control of the Starks of Winterfell from this day until the end of time.
With the condition that 25 percent of all goods farmed or manufactured within this land be sent to the Night's Watch in replacement of Taxes to the Iron Throne.
Please note that this tax is only applicable to the New Gift and not the wider territory of the North. All remaining goods produced in the New Gift are free to do with whatever House Stark deems appropriate.
I leave this crucial matter in your capable Hands.
King Viserys Targaryen.
Aegon would fly north the next day to Castle Black to inform the Lord Commander of the King's Decree, to which he was in total agreement as it ensured that the wall would have a steady supply of resources and their men would be better used manning the wall instead of guarding a vast stretch of land.
Before he made the trip back south to the capital he returned to Winterfell, entering its Godswood amazingly he could feel the warmth and energy of the trees almost perfectly, he spent some time there resting unaware that a voice spoke to him as his powers were still not fully restored.
(You are on the right path, Young Dragon) we're the words he didn't hear until he went to sleep and heard them in his dreams.
6 days later.
Kings Landing
The Red Keep
"Brother! Your Home, I missed you! That was the only warning Aegon got before a silver-haired missile in the form of his sister smashed into him knocking him to the floor, Aegon laughed as he hugged his little sister tightly, he had only been gone a few weeks.
He had missed her, he knew that when she was older, she would most certainly be his wife, Aegon was fine with this it was his past life's feelings on the matter he was worried about.
What he didn't know was Harry didn't care in the slightest, he had lost his morality when Daphne died and he started the apocalypse because of it, when the time came Harry would have no trouble with his new self with marrying Rhaenyra.
It would also keep the annoying Hightower girl off his back. She was pretty in her way he supposed but she was nothing more than a puppet, with her father pulling the strings.
"Princess, get up this instant that is no way for a Princess to Greet the heir to the throne." Came the shrill Voice of his Sister New Septa after the last one slapped his sister; she quickly left the service of the crown for the silent sisters.
Why? Quite simply, when Aegon found out, he had to be held back by his uncle as he swore to all the gods he would roast her alive for daring to touch a Princess of the Blood.
Needless to say, Aemma and Viserys agreed without argument, Aegon However was taken by his uncle flying to Dragonstone for a few weeks to ease the tension in court.
"It's quite alright, Septa; I can handle my sister. You're dismissed for the rest of the day." Aegon dismissed her with a wave as he got up and walked away with Rhaenyra in his arms. Alicent, who had been standing back respectfully, quickly followed.
"Welcome home, my prince, she spoke with a small smile. He rolled his eyes, making his sister smile as he responded. "Good Morrow Alicent, I trust you have been treating my sister well and out of trouble during my trip North."
"I always try my prince but I am one girl, Alicent smiled she knew the prince didn't like her that way she was younger than him but she had to try her father would be angry with her if she didn't. She did at one point and considered asking the prince for help every so often, but she was too scared to do so.
As the 3 made their way into the Red Keep towards the throne room staff nobles and guards bowed as their Crown Prince walked past with the Young Princess in his arms, it made many noble women smile and sigh.
As they made their way towards the doors to the throne, Aegon readied himself, knowing that his father would be overjoyed and host a feast for his return. He sat his sister down on her feet, nodding to the Herald, who spoke.
"Presenting his Royal Highness Prince Aegon of the House Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone Rider of the Dragon Arrax and Heir to the Iron Throne. Accompanying him was Princess Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Rider of Syrax, and her Handmaiden, the Lady Alicent Hightower, Daughter of the Hand of the King."
Smiling, Aegon walked forward, thinking to himself (let the game continue).
Authors Note:
Hey, people hope you liked it, yes Aegon and his uncle have been weakening the faith using proxies as they cannot afford to do so openly just yet. Yes, in the last 4 years, the faith has grown weaker in Kings Landing to a point of being Highly Devoted to the faith is court reputation suicide at this point.
Until next time
Revan Shan 2077.