Chapter 7: The Tumult Erupts

The air was hot as the sun began its fall from the sky. Its light blanketed the world, leaving the scene before Aegon to be revealed in stark detail. A gruesome vision lay before Aegon, one that he would never forget.

It was unlike anything Aegon had ever seen, a fury upon man that he had never imagined outside his dreams. The Dornishmen had fallen on their compatriots with a vengeance, men died clutching at their throats, the innards spilling from their bellies, and at the daggers in their eyes. The screams of the dying, of fear and anguish, filled the air. A sickness rose in Aegon's throat, his knees buckled, it was all he could do to catch himself on the railing. Even so, he could not tear his eyes from the scene.

The confusion among the men was total, so surprised were they by this attack from their countrymen. At first there were shouts of shock and anger, but they soon gave way to alarm as their confusion turned to fear. King's men were seized as they fled, thrown down and skewered on spear and sword. Lord Darry attempted to rally a defense, but was fighting a losing battle. A large man, it must have been Renly, threw another halfway across the yard, before being dragged to the ground by half a dozen men. Still others were driven to the walls and, barred from escape, cut down. Those who were not killed, fled or threw down their weapons and surrendered.

"They planned this…" Ser Barristan said at his side, the knight's voice barely more than a whisper with the shock of the sight before them. "Treason."

At the time, Aegon did not realize what he meant, but he would come to piece it together. Indeed, the Dornish had planned this betrayal well, letting the bulk of the guard exhaust themselves in the day's exercises. Many of the slaughtered did not bear arms or armor, Aegon himself had even carried some of it away earlier in the day. And the Dornish had blocked off the armory.

Ser Barristan grabbed Aegon and pulled him inside, drawing his blade and leveling it upon one of Aegon's guard. "To your king, men! The Dornish are rebelling."

The guard, one Theoden Wells, raised his hands placatingly. "Ser Barristan, I knew nothing of this. I swear it!"

"This cannot be, it just – it cannot be!" Ser Terrence sputtered out incredulously at the scene unfolding outside. Like him, the rest of the guard, little more than a mere half dozen men, were sluggish to respond.

A few drew their blades, looking uncertainly at their companions.

"Weapons on the floor, Theo." Barristan ordered. "Slowly now. Bind his hands and feet, we need to move."

The reality of the threat they were in seemed slow to set in, but a bark from Barristan spurred the men on. Leaving Theoden behind securely bound, they made their way into the library's halls.

"Steel yourselves, quickly now!" Ser Barristan ordered. "Terrence, keep Robb and Lucion at your side, they're your responsibility. You understand? Terrence!"

"I- ah, o-of course!" Ser Terrence gave himself a little shake, before herding the boys along.

"We must get our king to safety."

"Where will we go?" Aegon asked, stumbling over his feet at the pace Ser Barristan was setting.

"Out the back, there's too many in the yard."

"And after?" Another guard piped up.

"If we must, we'll abandon the castle." Barristan replied grimly. "We don't know how many are a part of this conspiracy, and we don't know where their reach extends. Lord Alliser Thorne is a true man, he's in the city. We get to him, rally the City Watch, and restore order."

"What of Maegor's Holdfast?" Inquired Ser Terrence, as they rushed through the chaos and past cowering old men. "Hole the king up in there for safety until things settle."

Shouts were coming from inside the library now.

"If the yard wasn't filled with swords, I might agree. As it is, we can't get to it."

"You don't think Lord Taubert is behind this, do you?" A guard in Lannister red and gold piped up. "If he is, the City Watch-"

"We don't know who's involved."

"But if he's one of them, the Goldcloaks might turn on us." The man continued.

"If they have the Goldcloaks, then it matters little if we fortify the holdfast or not. They'll have men and time..."

Ser Barristan trailed off as they came upon a squad of men draped in Martell colors, led by a man with a crowned skull upon his chest. Aegon could see, beneath the cut and torn garments, they wore mail shirts. The Dornish had them outnumbered by half, and everyone had their blades drawn.

"Tremond said they'd be making a run of it." A man at his side said.

"Hold, Ser Barristan." The one with the crowned skull began, a tension weighing in the air. "I hope we need not come to blows."

"It seems we are beyond the time for words, Myles." Ser Barristan replied, his sword raised.

"We are Dornish, the king's men." He continued, his companions spreading out to surround them.

"We're wasting time." Terrence muttered nervously, as he tracked the nearest man with the point of his sword.

"Surely you must see we mean only to protect his Grace from the Lannister's schemes." Myles continued. "Queen Elia dead, and Tywin seizing the regency? If we don't liberate the king now, when the war is done, this will well and truly be the Lannister's court."

"You brought this violence upon the king's own court!" Grandmaester Pycelle huffed from behind Barristan. "You all shame yourselves with this, the gods won't forgive it."

"Careful now, maester. You would do well not to align yourself with the bloody lions."

"Better the proud lion than a Dornish knife in the back!" One of Aegon's guards shouted back.

"Enough of this!" A man yelled to the king's right, raising his sword. The dam burst, and the two sides came together.

Ser Barristan moved faster, blindingly fast. Aegon heard a loud crack, and a sword clattered to the floor.

"My hand!" His foe gasped in pain and horror, falling to his knees, cradling his wrist and staring at where his fingers used to be.

Barristan kicked the man to the ground and surged forward. The Dornishmen had spread out to surround the royal retinue, and now learned their mistake as two more fell before the Kingsguard.

It was chaos, a brawl more than a battle. Terrence pulled Aegon back behind the fighting. The Dornishmen at their flanks tried to dance in and out, to kill those focused on another opponent. One of Aegon's guard had already fallen, a poignard resting inside him. But the narrow hallway made it difficult for their attackers to maneuver, and Aegon's guardsmen were not the exhausted men taken by surprise outside. Nor were they lacking in their own armor.

"You're quick, for an old man." Myles grunted out as he parried a blow from Ser Barristan.

"You're not." Barristan twisted Myles' blade down and -in a flash- drew a dagger from his belt and thrust it into the man's neck. Myles fell to the ground, drowning in his own blood.

What Dornishmen remained shattered at the loss of their leader, scrambling through the bookshelves away from the guard.

"Don't follow them!" Barristan shouted at the few men moving to pursue. "We need to keep moving."

Three guardsmen had fallen in their short skirmish, and they'd need every man.

As the sound of fleeing Dornishmen faded down the hall, an eerie silence seemed to fall over the library. Aegon wasn't sure at first why it made him so uncomfortable, but then he realized, the fighting outside had gone still.

Soon enough they made their way to a rear stairwell, rarely frequented, shouts and pounding feet could be heard echoing throughout the library. The conspirators would soon find them, no doubt. There were enough cowering patrons within the library to point the way.

"Quiet now, we don't want them to notice us if we can help it." Barristan muttered to their already dwindling troupe of five guardsmen, an old man, and some children.

Robb seemed to be on the verge of tears, his breath coming in and out with short bursts. Lucion looked little better.

"We'll be alright." Aegon tried to reassure them. Placing a hand upon Robb's shoulder, he gave a little squeeze. But the king didn't really believe his own words, a familiar dread had seeped into him.

"You don't know that." Robb replied, although his breathing did slow.

They made their way down, fearing any moment an unfriendly blade would be upon them. Fortunately for them, however, they made it to a backdoor without issue.

Creeping along the back of the building, between the library and the high walls of the castle, they approached a cart with a medley of boxes and barrels littered around it. A prayer was whispered for the man who've left their task forgotten, as it gave them a fortunate hiding place to collect themselves as they peered into the yard.

What must have been a dozen men, maybe more, stood before the armory and the serpentine steps leading to the lower bailey and Maegor's Holdfast. Across from them, another four guarded the portcullis of the middle bailey. The yard was bloody, and filled with still bodies.

"When I say so, we make for the Small Hall, that door there. Below the Hand's Tower. If Damon rallied his guard, it's like they'll be by their apartments. Run fast, they may well see us." He jerked his head to the killers shuffling in the yard, before looking to Aegon. "You understand?"

Aegon nodded, not trusting his voice.

"Get ready."

A beat passed.

"Now."

They sprinted.

A shout came from across the yard.

The door they left the library from burst open.

Pounding feet and the clanging and shuffling of arms and armor followed on their heels.

Barristan grabbed his charge. Carrying, more than dragging, the king the rest of the way.

"Inside, now!"

The postern door was already left open.

Lucion gave a stunted cry as he stumbled in alongside Ser Terrence and Robb.

As they scrambled through, Aegon had a moment to glimpse their pursuers.

They were close.

Too close.

Frighteningly so.

And far, far too many.

Pycelle was the last through, carried in on the arms of two men.

Barristan slammed the door closed, quickly bracing it with its drawbar.

And not a moment too soon, as pounding quickly followed from the other side.

"Quickly now, they'll come around." Barristan already spurring them on.

Not even a moment to catch their breath. Not even a moment to take in the dead men within the hall.

Fighting echoed within this hall as well, but not the fierce sounds of a strong guard as they'd hoped to hear. The sound was a distant, petering thing. Aegon could only believe it to be the dying gasps of resistance.

Too many wore the colors of the West. The fight had begun in the yard, by the armory, but the Hand's Tower had been the next target.

'Cut off the head of the snake.' Aegon could not help but recall the old lesson. Once Ser Damon was dead, the guard left behind by Lord Tywin would be leaderless. Clearly the Dornishmen had already meant to kill Lord Darry out in the yard, and with him the garrison would lose its master-at-arms. 'Is he…?'

The Kingsguard may be the last hope to put an end to this chaos. Barristan, Daemon, and Arthur. They'll have to listen to Arthur, how could they not?

"By the Seven, damn them! They butchered him." Said one of the remaining guards, a Westerman, Ser Tytos Brax.

Aegon looked down upon the sight before him, a corpse torn apart. Truly, he could not distinguish between the cuts to count them. All that could distinguish him was a few tufts of hair above a caved in face, and his bloody surcoat. Blue, dark with blood, behind a ship with a now torn sail.

"Don't linger upon this." Ser Barristan pulled Aegon along, leaving the ruined man behind.

The made their way quickly through the halls, fast losing hope that they may unite with Damon's guard. The sounds of fighting were dying away now. Though the screams of ladies and servants still rang out through the castle, more often they were replaced with the shouts of those hunting their king.

Further on, they came upon a coal boy, who fled screaming from them.

A Dornishman fell more than stumbled into the hall before them.

But a sword quickly plunged into his side.

It was Ser Damion, bloodied and with a manic look in his eyes.

"Dad!" Lucion shouted, rushing forward to embrace his father.

Damion fell to his knees, a gasp of relief rushing from him. "Oh, Lucion! Lucion! You're safe, you're safe."

"Damion! It isn't safe here, get up!" Ser Barristan shouted.

"My son." Damion gave a sob filled laugh as he held his son tight, but didn't rise to his feet. "You kept him safe."

"Now, Damion." Barristan added gruffly, pulling him up.

"No, you're right. Quite right." He replied, shakily wiping tears from his eyes. His feet were unsteady.

"Your father, Ser Damon, is he…?" Pycelle questioned vainly, his breaths coming short.

"They -," Damion swallowed, his voice cracking. "T-they killed him. My… - we couldn't. They killed all of them."

"Follow us then. Look after your son, can you do that? We're getting out of the keep." Ser Barristan ordered.

With a short, shaky nod from Damion, they pressed on. They were almost out of the Small Hall now, but the sounds of pursuit were closing in now.

They ran out, only to see a crowd of Dornishmen already gathered before the great gate. Its doors were sealed and well-guarded.

Ser Barristan cursed.

"Is that it then?" One of the guards said quietly. "We can't get through that."

The men at the gate spotted them.

"To the Great Hall!" Barristan desperately redirected them, throwing Aegon over his shoulder.

But hope had died.

Pycelle collapsed to his feet, throwing his hands up. One of Aegon's guards followed suit, throwing down his sword.

Another shouted, "For the king!" And rushed into those arrayed before him.

As their pursuers fell upon the man, Aegon felt a surge of guilt that he could not recall his name.

Whether by the brave man's efforts or some miracle, they managed to reach the Great Hall. Terrence with Robb at his side, Damion with his son in his arms.

Had they surrendered, would they be safe? Aegon couldn't help but wonder. But no, they could not be certain.

Diving in the great structure, they attempted to lose the men behind them in the labyrinth of hallways.

"This way!" The shouts were still close.

They passed the occasional cowering lord and lady trying to escape the violence, hiding away in a side room and hoping to be forgotten. Aegon prayed they would not point the way to the Dornishmen's prize.

"Where are we going?" Tytos Brax, growled out.

"They can't have that many men." Ser Barristan breathed out, even he was starting to show the strain of their flight. "If we can get to the wall, find an unguarded spot… we may be able to climb down it."

"How?" Brax added testily.

"We'll need some rope, but I've-."

"Come out, bastard!" A shout rang through the hall, followed by loud pounding and the crack of wood. "My father wants you dead, I want you dead, the world wants you dead!"

Barristan set Aegon aside, before creeping forward towards the corner where the sound originated. Brax followed close behind him, a hand on his shoulder.

'Bastard… could that mean Jon?' Aegon felt a strange mix of hope and fear at the thought.

"Three men, Dornish." Barristan whispered, raising his blade slowly. "Terrence, Tytos, with me."

Heartbeats skipped, as Barristan took in their acknowledgement. The door before the Dornishmen was breaking away now. Aegon swallowed.

One last crash, and the door gave way.

"We have you now, Northern mutt!"

"Now!"

Barristan and his companions rushed forward.

The Dornishmen turned at the shout, and the triumphant look upon the leader's face turned to fear.

They dropped the makeshift ram they held and made for their blades.

But it was too late.

Caught unawares, the king's swords made easy work of them.

A short clash of steel, and a man fell.

Then another.

And at last Barristan tore his blade through the leader's throat.

"It's Raymond," Barristan said, inspecting the lead man, "Lord Gargalen is part of this plot."

"Fuck, they wanted to kill a child." Terrence said, peering through the shattered door. "They meant to ki-"

"Barry!" Jon Snow ran to hug Ser Barristan's leg.

"Jon?" Barristan started at the impact of the boy below him.

"Jon! You're safe!" Aegon sped forward to embrace his brother, a wave of relief coming to him.

"Aegon!" Jon Snow scurried and embraced his older brother.

"I'm glad you're safe, Jon." Robb squeaked out.

"Aegon! This is horrible, t-they came for me! To k-kill me! I locked the door, but they –" Jon stopped with a sob. "I, I told everyone, and they didn't listen!"

"They've come for a lot more than you, boy." Tytos Brax interrupted. "And more will be flooding these halls in moments."

"Right, we need to keep moving!" Barristan nodded. "You need to stay brave; we need to get up on the walls."

The troop continued onward, as many children as men now, made a turn down another hall before coming to a side passage and sneaking back outside the keep.

Finding a narrow yard between the walls and the Great Hall.

Barristan scanned the way. "There, that door will lead up the walls. See that winch, we can free the rope from it."

"Perfect." Tytos whispered, a ghost of the first smile Aegon had seen from him threatened to sprout upon his face.

"They're here!" A shout rang out.

A man was pointing to them from atop the walls.

"The king! Four men! They're here!" He was motioning to men on the other side of the castle. "Behind the Great Hall!"

"Terrence, Damion, get the children to the door!" Barristan sprang into action once more. "Tytos, the rope, with me!"

They ran again, huffing and puffing across the yard. Stamping upon the dry earth. The man on the wall was running their way, keeping his eyes on them.

They reached the door, but when Terrence made it open it –

It did not budge.

"It's locked!" Terrence rammed it with his shoulder, but it was futile. The door was solid. "Seven Hells, braced from the other side!"

Barristan and Tytos were coming to them with the rope now.
Men with swords were appearing around the corner of the keep now.

"The gardens!" Jon piped up. "This way!"

The troop scrambled down the yard away from their pursuers. Tired, exhausted from their long flight, they were losing ground.

"Into the gardens! They're running to the gardens!" The man on the walls yelled.

"If we live through this, I'm going to kill that man." Tytos muttered.

They reached an entrance to the gardens, a fight had broken out there, and Aegon's retinue jumped and stumbled over the bodies left behind. A pair of statues flanked the archway, the dragon and the sun. But one had fallen, bloodied and broken on the ground. The dragon seemed to gaze disapprovingly at Aegon as he fled.

The tall trees obscured them from the man on the wall.

Now if only they could break away from their pursuers.

"Here! This way!" Jon pointed, and they trampled delicate flowers below their feet.

"Someone needs to delay them." Tytos grunted, drawing his sword again. "Keep the king out of their hands, Ser Barristan."

"Gods be with you, Tytos."

Sounds of fighting began behind them, and Aegon did not look back.

They turned into a cove flanked by high hedges, and dominated by a great dragon sculpture.

It was a dead end.

"Turn around, quickly!" Terrence yelled.

"No!" Jon shouted breathlessly, approaching the center. "This is it, this tile here! Lift it!"

They struggled at the edges, fingers unable to find purchase, before Ser Barristan wedged his sword in the gap.

The sounds of fighting had silenced now, and the pounding of boots and jangle of armor was quickly approaching.

"Heave." Barristan uttered, Damion pulled down at his sword with him and the tile lifted.

They scrambled inside, one after another, children and men all. A tight fit for Ser Barristan in his armor, but doable.

As he entered, Barristan slid the tile back into place.

They paused, silent.

Listening for the sound of discovery.

But the pounding boots passed them by.

The few survivors let out a collective sigh of relief, and took a moment to catch their breath.

"What now?" Terrence asked.

"Can't we wait here?" Robb asked, frightened and exhausted. "They don't know these tunnels. It'll be safe."

"We can't, every moment spent waiting is a moment they have to secure their hold on the castle." Barristan said. "And there's no food or water, I'd rather not try to hold out here and have to make attempts on the kitchens."

"We could search for an unguarded section of the wall." Damion suggested.

"They already have men on them." Aegon noted. "And the door to the tower was locked."

"Aye. And they'll be putting more men on the walls now, I expect. Now that they've saw us trying to get on them."

"They've killed so many, tried to take the king…" Terrence trailed off. "It's difficult to believe this is real."

Aegon thought for a moment of Brax, and of the guard who charged into the crowd at the main gate. They were lost defending him. They could have hidden in an apartment or closet, surrendered like so many others they'd passed. Given into fear, but then they'd have lived.

The silence dragged on, broken only by their still somewhat labored breaths.

"The holdfast?" Aegon spoke into the silence. "It's manned by Crown men, for the most part."

"They'll have made that a priority." Barristan pondered. "But then, so will anyone left from the garrison."

"I can get us there!" Jon piped up. "I know a way that will take us right next to the keep. I-I, I think."

"You think?!" Lucion sputtered. "If we get lost in these tunnels –"

"Then we have a plan. Let's get moving." Barristan ushered them on. "Lead the way, Jon."

Crawling through the tunnels was an eerie affair. Pitch black, nothing to see, and little to hear but the shuffling of their hands and legs. Keeping contact with the one in front of them whenever they passed a turn, and Jon took several. Dips and dives, old steps here and there.

He must have enjoyed these tunnels quite extensively, while Aegon took his extra lessons.

A stray cobweb fell upon Aegon, though he imagined Jon and Barristan up ahead had cleared the bulk of them. He brushed it off, and kept on.

In time, Jon called out to them in a hushed tone.

"It's here." He said, and Ser Barristan shuffled forward. "Push this, see?"

Ser Barristan gave a grunt, and a stone in the wall gave way, letting light flood in and drive away the darkness.

The passageway opened up slightly, and there was what seemed to be indent to the outside.

Barristan poked his head out, making sure they were not coming out to any foes.

"Right next to the keep, just like you said." Barristan uttered. "Come now, everyone."

When Aegon exited, he saw the proud look on Jon's face. And maybe a little relief, too. He had been unsure, and maybe this route wasn't fully explored after all.

"Stay low, there's the bridge there." Barristan motioned for them, peering around some crates that had been set aside before they were to enter the old fortress.

Aegon looked down the way to see, and the bridge was down.

A figure in gleaming white armor stood atop it. His sword bared, it was pale as milk glass, as though it caught the sun at any angle. The unmistakable sword from the stars, Dawn. The man could be no other.

Arthur Dayne.

And he was not alone.

Across from him, at the foot of the bridge, was his sworn brother.

Ser Daemon Jordayne, and a pack of Dornishmen.

"You should join us, Arthur, you see how Tywin's taking control now that Elia has passed." Daemon began. "The Small Council was split before, but now things are shifting against us."

"Our loyalty is to the king, not the squabbles of his lords, Daemon."

"Damn it, man! It's the regency. You can't trust the Lannisters with the king!" Daemon shot back. "You're Dornish, you've served the Targaryens for years, you should be on our side. We ARE on the same side."

"I don't see things that way, Daemon." Ser Arthur replied. "You've brought this violence here. Spilled blood before your king. That blood is on your hands, and it stains your cloak."

"We want what's best for the king, for the children." Daemon spat out.

"You betrayed your vows today." Arthur continued solemnly.

"I'm keeping my vows to the king." Daemon sighed. "We have the princesses, and Barristan's cornered, we'll have the king soon enough. You're guarding a keep without your charges."

At that, Arthur's stone face seemed to flicker.

"We have the castle, Arthur. Surrender the holdfast, and you may join the king, once we have collected him. You're surrounded and besieged."

"All I am surrounded by are dead men. You shall go no further."

Arthur raised Dawn.

Daemon's men began inching forward.

Ser Barristan shifted.

"Damion, if you see an opening to get the children across, take it." He whispered. "Terrence, get ready to fight."

"DARRY AND THE DRAGON!"

A roar split the air!

From the steps behind Daemon rushed in old Lord Willem Darry and the last of his men!

Surprised, several of the plotters swung around to see the new threat.

A mistake.

Arthur Dayne leaped into action, cutting down one distracted man, before grappling another and throwing him into the moat of spikes.

Men-at-arms stormed across the bridge to join the fight.

Barristan and Terrence rushed forward as Darry and his men crashed into the traitors.

"For King Aegon! And the White Swords!" Barristan shouted, quickly joining the fray.

Several crossbow bolts rained down from the high walls of Maegor's Holdfast.

Arthur dueled with Daemon, and pushed him off the bridge.

The Dornishmen had the men, but they were surrounded, caught by surpise. And Maegor's Holdfast provided a perfect vantage point for bowmen to pick off the besiegers.

Shouts and cries and curses mixed with the clash of steel on steel.

"Quickly, children! Now's our chance!" Damion urged, and they too ran to the bridge.

The blood was in Aegon now, pounding his way forwards. An electric energy thundered its way through him. This was it, the chance to truly escape this bloodshed.

"No! No!" It sounded like Daemon.

"Protect the king!" Barristan roared.

"Shield wall, form a wall!" Arthur commanded the men at his back. "Clear a path for the king!"

Damion shoved a man back from them, his sword bouncing harmlessly off the man's armor.

Then Aegon's foot hit wood.

And they were across the bridge.

The fighting slowed, and suddenly stilled as a wounded Daemon ordered his men to disengage.

Aegon's guard followed their liege into the fortress within a fortress, joined by Darry and what few of his men were left. Arthur and his wall of shields crept back, cautiously ensuring the Dornish would not make another charge, before they too returned.

Aegon breathed the hot air, though it was cooling now. The sun was low in the sky, a sky which poured an ever-bloodier red upon the world, in mimicry of the bloody scenes which marred the Red Keep. It brought to life the death which lay before Aegon.

"Raise the bridge!" Arthur called.

The men cheered.

They had bloodied the traitors, and rescued their king.

Aegon watched the bridge rise, and the doors shut.

He was safe.

He looked upon his friends and brother.

They all were.

And there we have our seventh chapter. Bit of a larger one this time, thought you guys deserved a little extra because of my long hiatus. Nearly 5,000 words for this one, not bad. It would have been easily the biggest chapter since chapter 1, if not even larger, but I decided to cut out a lot of the end to make for another chapter. Figured I'd polish this one and put it out to coincide with the second season of House of the Dragon releasing tonight, hope you're all enjoying that.

Bit of an action-oriented chapter this time. I don't have much practice at that, so I hope it came out alright. One long chase scene really, with a few pauses and a little bit of fleshing out some side characters.

I'm not entirely satisfied with it, but it's better to get something out rather than leave you all in suspense forever. And this way I get to move on to the more interesting stuff.

I do have a decent chunk of the next chapter written, intended to have it in this one, but I figure it works better separated. This chapter had a good stopping point, and we'll get into a little more drama in the next one.

We'll have to delve more into Aegon of course, a little of Rhaenys now that she's been captured, and maybe later we'll get a diversion with Viserys as he engages the Ironborn.

Lots of little plots I've got that I need to flesh out. So, that's something to look forward to. Anyway, hope you all enjoy the new chapter, and House of the Dragon!