Chapter eight

Red.

So much red.

"Harrison!" Maegor cried out, crawling forward and taking his husband's hand.

"Maegor!" Daemon gripped his King…his friend's shoulders, not to pull him back but to try and provide some support for him.

"Clarke is on her way, we sent for her!" Owen said from where he was kneeling on the opposite side to Maegor.

"There is too much blood," Maegor managed to choke out.

"We were too late," Alysanne choked out as the siblings reached the doorway. "We were too late," she cried, turning into Jaehaerys' chest as she started sobbing.

"Move out of the way!" Clarke shouted as she came running into the room.

"Please…anything…I will give you anything…" Maegor turned to her, tears streaming down his face.

"I will do everything," Clarke spared barely a second to say before she started working.

Maegor sat on the Iron Throne, his face was set in iron, fire burning in his eyes and a sharpness sitting over his whole frame that screamed of danger.

That screamed of fury.

Those gathered inside the throne room had no doubt that their King was only seconds away from raining fire and blood down upon the whole realm.

It was a true fear that they were all considering could happen. Staring up at him where he was sitting as still as a statue, they could all see how on a knife edge everything was. None of them could doubt the love that their King had in his heart anymore, and all of them were terrified about what would happen if their prayers weren't answered.

The doors clanged open and everyone turned to watch the three figures walking down the throne room towards the dais and the Iron Throne.

Garlan and Loral were stone-faced, and looked almost as ready to start drawing blood as much as their King was.

"Lady Alyssa," Maegor said blankly.

"I am Dowager Queen A…"

"You are about to become nothing, let alone hold the right to bear that title!" Maegor snarled and all the anger, the utter fury that he was feeling became clear on his face in an instant.

"You are a usurper and a tyrant, and that brat is nothing more than a monster born of that whore and creature! A man, bearing a child! The two of you are unnatural, wrong and grotesque! Everyone thinks so! Everyone believes it! No one wants you as King, no one wants your abomination on the throne!" Alyssa spat out.

Maegor tilted his head and just stared at her, and that clearly utterly threw his sister in law, who blinked up at him where he was sitting on the throne, clearly lost at the lack of reaction.

"You have seriously mistaken the feeling of the realm," Lord Jullet said from the crowd.

"What?" Alyssa spat, turning to him, fury on her face mixing in with the confusion, especially when she took in the faces looking back at her.

"Most of Kings Landing is gathered around the Keep, praying for the Gods to intervene and to heal, and more are heading this way. King Maegor, King Consort Harrison, and Princess Daenerys are loved within the realm," Lord Jullet said, shaking his head.

"My husband was the true King! He was beloved! My children should be on that throne!" Alyssa sneered.

"Your husband's rule was filled with instability and war, he was loved as a Prince, not as a King. King Maegor has brought peace, growth, improvement," Lady Percy responded. "And King Consort Harrison has had a large part in that as well, and is utterly beloved for it, Princess Daenerys coming from the two of them is a hope for the realm, for what our future can be,"

"The people are singing for the three of them, praying for them, they are gathered here for them. Any sympathy that was towards you is now utterly crushed," Daemon shook his head.

"You are all sycophants, you all hang off of him, of course, you will say that!" Alyssa sneered.

"You may be able to accuse those of us here at Court for that, though incredibly offensive, however, the rest of the Country seems to be in a fair agreement with us in regard to King Maegor, and our support of him, King Consort Harrison and Princess Daenerys," Lord Lovell sneered at her.

"You are to be taken to the Black Cells, where you will remain until I am ready to deal with you, and you had better spend your time praying that my husband survives, that will be the only chance of a minuscule amount of mercy you can hope for," Maegor said standing and started to descend down the throne's steps.

"Am I to join my children? Is that where you are holding them?!" Alyssa shrieked. Maegor stared at her as he carried on walking down the steps until he came to a stop close to her.

"You don't know?" He managed a small smile, though it was cold and utterly cruel.

"Know what? What have you done to my children!" Alyssa shrieked, she lunged at Maegor but was gripped quickly by Loral and thrown to the floor where she stared up at him utterly shocked but a stony, cold, furious gaze met hers.

"Your children flew here to warn us of the attack, they are not in the Black Cells, they are in the family wing, in their own rooms, and they have each spent their time at my husband's side," Maegor said before he locked Alyssa in his eyes. "They were the ones who told us who had ordered the attack,"

With that he turned and walked away, leaving her staring open mouthed after him.

There had been so much red, too much red.

Too much red.

Harry had been covered in red when Maegor had reached him, lying in the middle of their daughter's nursery, too still on the floor with blood flowing out from him and staining the floor, too much blood, there had been too much of it already and it would not stop pouring from his husband.

His hand had been sliced open, he had a puncture mark on his side.

He had been covered in scratches and marks from the fight that had clearly taken place in the room, the nursery was a mess, and things were knocked over, the noise had summoned Owen and Loral into the room in time to see Harry stabbing the assassin through the neck.

There had been too much red.

And now his husband was too pale. Far too pale as he lay on the white sheets, covered by white blankets.

He was too pale, too white as he fought for his life.

Maegor looked up and met his mother's eyes when she squeezed his shoulder. She had not left the room since Harry had been brought in to be operated on. She had stayed with him the whole time, refusing to leave him to the point where the servants had brought in a small camp bed for her to sleep on, concerned about her sleeping in the armchair.

Daemon signed the last papers and set them to the side with a sigh before standing and making his way through the Keep, as expected he found Sirius standing staring out over Blackwater Bay.

His lover was spending most of his time here when he was not with Harry.

Daemon came to a stop next to him but his normally overly chatty, laughing, joking lover said nothing, he didn't even move to acknowledge Daemon, though he knew he was there. Daemon had not seen his face without a smile on it before now, even when they had been concerned about the poison Sirius had stayed in good spirits, joking and laughing to try and keep the mood high and ease the tensions.

Now there was nothing.

Kings Landing seemed to be holding its breath.

Every day crowds gathered around the Keep to pray, they stayed through the night to pray, they sang songs to the Gods, and they lit fires and lights.

They wanted their King to know that they were there and that they felt for the pain he was in, they had no doubt of that, the love that the King had for his husband and daughter was well known, and they had no doubt that he was in mourning, they hoped that their presence would help, they hoped that their prayers would be answered for King Consort Harrison, that he would not die.

Lifting the blade high he took the breath he needed before plunging it down into the crib.

A hand came from nowhere, grabbing the blade of the dagger and tugging off course so that it plunged into the wood of the crib instead of its intended target, blood splattered over the white blanket and covers, splattering over the suddenly screaming baby inside of the crib who was woken as blood splashed over her face and a thump and bang resounded around the room as Harry shoved the assassin away from his daughter's crib.

He grabbed the nearest item to hand and threw it at the assassin, before grabbing something else and throwing it at him before throwing himself at the man who was trying to get closer to the crib again.

"Sire! Are you ok?" Loral shouted through the door as Harry and the Assassin rolled to the ground and battled for the blade that was on the floor, scrambling for it.

"Help!" Harry managed to shout as the assassin plunged the blade into his side, taking the breath from him as the blade slammed into his flesh, no real pain registering, just shock. He reached out and grabbed the assassin's ankle as he tried to stand and move back towards the crib despite the breath that had been driven from him, and the pain that seemed to be flowing from inside of the wound outward.

He was aware of the dampness around him, the tackiness of his blood, he was aware of the sound of the door being thrown open despite the hollowness that seemed to be forming around him. He grabbed the blade that was still inside of him and tugged it free as the assassin hit the floor from his hand that was around his ankle. He managed to find the strength to pull himself up, and then swept his hand down to bury the blade into wherever he could reach.

He needed to slow him down, he needed to give Loral and Owen time to get fully into the room to protect Daenerys. He watched with satisfaction as blood spurted from around the knife, knowing that he had hit something.

He managed a surprised sound as the assassin dropped down on top of him as though Harry had cut his strings and he watched Owen and Loral racing across to him as he slumped to the floor.

"Sire!" Owen grabbed the assassin and threw him at Loral who quickly dispatched him with one blow, uncaring as he threw him to the side and knelt down at Harry's side, Owen yanked his white cloak off and pressed it to Harry's wound.

"Please Sire, hold on!" Loral begged.

"Please Sire, you can do it, please hold on!" Owen begged, grimacing at the pained sound that Harry let out when he pressed the cloak harder into his side.

Harry choked on the blood that crawled up his throat, it spilt from his lips just as he heard heavy footsteps pounding towards them, he desperately tried to keep his eyes open, he knew those footfalls, his husband was coming, Maegor was coming, it would be alright. His daughter was screaming, he needed to go to her, she was frightened, she did not know what had happened.

"Sire, no," Owen begged as Harry's eyes fluttered shut.

Maegor held Daenerys close, swaying back and forth with her as she cried. She missed Harry, she missed her dad, and his heart broke for her as she screamed. The nurses could not settle her, the servants could not settle her, the only time that she would settle was with him, and even then it took him time.

He spent as much time with her as he could, holding her close and staring at her face, he had come so close to losing her as well, it was only Harry's actions that had saved her. And now his life was hanging in the balance for it.

They were working to discover all of the secret passages that they had known nothing about until the attack, Aenys had had them designed when he carried on the building of the Red Keep and of course, Alyssa had known about them as well.

She had given directions to the Assassin and sent him to kill their daughter.

Maegor watched Daenerys settling down, little hiccuping sobs coming from her as she blinked her purple and green eyes up at him, her hand clenched into his jacket. He rocked her gently, humming a song that was a favourite of Harry's to sing to her, he would not inflict his voice on her to actually sing it, but he would hum it.

He lifted her up and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and held her even closer, held her a little tighter and tried not to think of what would happen if Harry lost the fight that he was so desperately battling.

Maegor did not know what he would do without Harry, he did not know who he would be without him.

He had not truly loved anyone but his mother and brother before Harry came into his life, and he had brought so much colour and life to him, he had brought love and light into his life, and Maegor loved him more than he knew how to put into words.

It felt as though he were constantly aching, every moment, every second he ached more than he had ached in his life, he hurt more than he had when he had laid dying on his sick bed after the Trial of Seven, he had not known that it was possible to hurt this much as he went by day after day waiting and praying.

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to Daenerys'.

James and Lily's faces were drawn when they arrived, neither Maegor nor Visenya had been able to bring themselves to leave Harry's side but they had known that his parents needed to be here.

Viserys and Jaehaerys had volunteered to go and get the couple and bring them to Kings Landing so that neither Maegor nor Visenya had to leave. The two had flown out and back as quickly as the young Dragons could fly them.

They had joined Visenya in her vigil over Harry, Maegor spending most of his time with them but needing to leave to deal with other matters that could not wait no matter how much he wanted to lock the world away.

They sat there watching Harry, each of them willing him to open his eyes as he lay there, too still, too pale on the bed.

"M…" The whole room froze, and each of them quickly turned to look at Harry who was still lying too still in the centre of the bed, but they were all sure that the sound had come from him.

"Harry? Harry!" Lily called.

"M…M…Mae…" Harry's mouth moved and Maegor felt as though Balerion had flown into him upon hearing his husband's voice.

"I am here, Harrison I am here, I am here I am here, open your eyes, please open your eyes, please," Maegor begged sitting on the bed next to Harry's side.

"D…Da…"

"She is here, she is here, she is fine," Maegor quickly moved Daenerys from his arms and placed her down on Harry's chest, she mewled a little and rubbed her face into him, Maegor rested his hand on her back to keep her safe and with his other hand cupped Harry's face as he leant over him. "Please open your eyes my love, please,"

Slowly, achingly slowly green eyes flickered open and looked blurrily at him.

"Harrison," Maegor sobbed.

"My hand…hurts," Harry frowned.

"I would be more worried about the wound in your side," Maegor laughed incredulously.

"My hand," Harry shook his head, blinking blurrily.

"It is ok, it has been stitched and is healing," Maegor promised.

"Dae…" Harry started coughing.

"Here," Lily pressed a glass to Harry's lips and slowly dribbled some water into his mouth.

"You're…here," Harry blinked.

"You get yourself into trouble," James said softly.

"You fought like a Dragon," Visneya nodded.

"She is ok?" Harry looked down at Daenerys where she was resting peacefully on his chest.

"She is absolutely fine, you saved her," Maegor assured him.

"Are you ok?" Harry turned his eyes to him, and Maegor couldn't help but laugh even as the tears he had been holding back finally escaped.

He leant down and pressed their foreheads together, Daenerus sandwiched safely between their chests.

"I am now," Maegor breathed out.

Harry woke slowly, aware of the pain that he was in, his side and his hand were sharp painful points on his body, but his body as a whole ached something fierce. It felt as though he were thinking through the fog as he came more and more awake until he was able to open his eyes.

He immediately met familiar dark black ones that were watching him intently. Severus placed a potion-stained finger to his lips before standing from the chair he was seated in beside Harry's bed and moved to fill a glass with water for him.

While he did so Harry turned his head, and he couldn't help but smile at the image that greeted him. Maegor was lying on his back fast asleep, going by the dark bags under his eyes. It looked as if he had not slept for months, he looked utterly exhausted. Lying on her front on Maegor's large chest, Daenerys was sprawled out fast asleep, her little deep breaths filling the room, Maegor's hand was on his back, holding her safely in place.

Just past Maegor and Daenerys, Harry found Visenya and Lily lying on a camp bed that had been put in the room, the two women sprawled out together on the bed, the covers tangled around them, and Lily's bright red hair contrasting with Visenya's white blonde. Leaning against the camp bed Remus, Sirius and James were wrapped in blankets, their heads were tilted back as they leaned against the bed, and as he watched Lily kneed Remus in her sleep, the man snorted and shuffled before going back to sleep.

"You have had us all worried," Severus said softly sitting on the bed at Harry's side and pressing the glass to his lips.

"You're not going to scold me?" Harry asked roughly.

"You were protecting your daughter, there is nothing to scold. You fought bravely," Severus shook his head.

"Do we know who sent them?" Harry asked.

"Alyssa did," Maegor rumbled. Harry turned to see purple eyes watching him intently, Harry had the feeling that he was not going to be wandering far from that gaze for a while.

"The poisoning?" Harry asked.

"Yes, she was responsible for both. She thought the people would rise up around her," Maegor snorted.

"You're too popular for that," Harry said.

"You are," Maegor shook his head amused.

"How did you find out?" Harry asked before gratefully accepting some more sips of water that Severus offered him when his voice cracked at the end.

"The children flew here to warn us," Maegor explained once Harry's head was back on the bed.

"They did?" Harry blinked. "Are they ok? That would have been hard for them to choose,"

"They are, they feel guilty for what she did, I have told them they had nothing to do with it, but because she wanted to put Viserys on the throne, they're blaming themselves, especially Viserys," Maegor sighed.

"Viserys is a sensitive boy," Harry hummed and then frowned, "Not Rhaena?"

"No, Viserys, which is just another reason that the children are upset at her," Maegor shook his head. "It isn't important right now, how are you feeling?"

"Sore," Harry admitted.

"It must be bad if you are admitting that," Maegor frowned.

"Everything aches," Harry frowned.

"You went through a lot, unfortunately, you will for a little while as you heal," Severus said before holding a vial out. "You need to take this, it will take the pain,"

"Harrison, please," Maegor said as Harry's face scrunched in protest.

"It will make me sleep, I am just awake," Harry grumbled.

"But you need to heal," Maegor shook his head, he sat up and swapped Daenerys for the potion's vial with Severus and held it to Harry's lips. "You're healing, we will have plenty of time, but for now, sleep,"

"Fine," Harry sighed, opening his mouth.

"Where were you when he was a child, I spent one sickness chasing him from one end of the Lightning Keep to the other trying to get potions down him," Severus lamented as Maegor settled Harry back onto the pillows, the King chuckled when Harry stuck his tongue out at the Potions Master.

"He made them disgusting on purpose," Harry accused.

"Of course I did, you constantly moved things around in my lab," Severus snorted.

"I knew it!" Harry huffed.

"I like you better now you are not a little brat, you're a big brat now, but more tolerable,"

"I can have your tongue for that!" Harry grumbled as he started to fall asleep.

"Yes, yes I know, sleep brat." Severus hummed.

"You are fond of him," Maegor said softly once Harry's eyes were shut. He did not really doubt it, for the prickly relationship Harry and Severus had, it was clear that they cared for each other. Severus had almost been frantic in ensuring Harry would survive this attack, but it was rare to see this gentleness between the two.

"I do not believe that I will be blessed with children of my own, but I have been lucky enough to have him in my life, and though I know it is presumptuous because she is a Princess, being part of Daenerys' life is a gift as well," Severus said looking down at the sleeping girl in his arms.

"There is nothing presumptuous when you are family," Maegor said gruffly and was answered with a rare smile from the other man.

"What. Do. You. Think. You. Are. Doing?!" Visenya snarled like she was Vhagar in human form.

"Well, that was mildly terrifying!" Harry blinked.

"And yet you are still trying to get out of bed," Visenya moved to stand right in front of him to stop him from being able to stand up and crossed her arms.

"I am bored solid!" Harry protested.

"I will bring you things to do, you are healing!" Visenya said sharply, but the gentle hand that she combed through his hair soothingly was in contrast, along with the gentleness to her purple eyes.

"Fine," Harry sighed, allowing her to help him shuffle back against the cushion nest Maegor had built for him before he had to leave.

"I know this is tough for you when you know there are things that need doing, but your health is more important," Visenya said gently.

"I feel so useless," Harry admitted with a huff.

"You were injured, seriously, defending your daughter, you are allowed to rest," Visenya sat on the edge of the bed with him.

"I hate not being able to do things though," Harry sighed.

"I know," Visenya chuckled. "I used to hate having idle hands. Rhaenys would forever tease me about it, she used to love lounging around, listening to music and imagining a million things, I could never sit still and not do things,"

"Really?" Harry smiled.

"Yes, once when we were waiting for some news in regard to the invasion I designed and had a table built in the shape of a map that when you put candles underneath it, it lights up and highlights different areas of Westeros," Visenya looked at Harry who nodded to show he knew the table, though he had not known it lit up! "She laughed so hard at me when she saw it, saying that I could not be idle for even a second,"

"My brain feels like it will pour from my ears soon," Harry whined.

"I will bring you some of your paperwork," Visenya promised.

"Maegor has banned me from it," Harry said.

"Pft, the boy can take it up with me," Visenya snorted and Harry chuckled at Maegor being called a boy.

"Will you tell me something about him when he was a boy?" Harry asked, settling into the cushions.

"Do you want to know about the time that he insisted that he was going to grow up and be a Dragon?" Visenya asked with a small smile.

"I most definitely do!" Harry laughed.

Maegor walked into the room half an hour later to find Harry laughing and clutching his wounded side while Visenya watched happily, when they both turned to look at him the expression on their faces made him blanch, he quickly shoved Daenerys into his mother's arms and made a run for it before they could say anything, their laughter following him down the corridor.

"Alysanne," Harry smiled brightly at the girl standing in the doorway of his room. She looked as though she were waiting for the roof to fall down on her, but she stood there with the now familiar Targaryen pride and stubbornness, straight-backed and determined despite the fear in her eyes.

"I am sorry to bother you," Alysanne said softly.

"You're not bothering me at all, come in, I am bored out of my mind and having company would be lovely!" Harry assured her, waving her in.

"Alysanne what are you…" Viserys and Jaehaerys both stared wide-eyed at him, seeing him awake and looking back at them.

"You two are more than welcome in as well," Harry smiled.

"Oh we don't want to intrude or upset you," Viserys flushed darkly. He looked so miserable and embarrassed that Harry felt his heart breaking.

"As I said to Alysanne, I am bored solid, as much as I love Daenerys conversation is not quite her strong point yet," Harry said, and the three siblings managed a small smile when Daenerys blew a slobbery raspberry as though trying to protest Harry's claim. "Come in,"

"Do you wish to shout at us for what happened?" Jaehaerys tilted his head back.

"I was actually going to thank you for your actions," Harry said, and that drew the three into the room, Jaehaerys and Viserys standing protectively on either side of Alysanne.

"Thank us but…" Viserys' eyes drifted to Harry's hand, the bandage a visual representation of what had happened to him.

"Your mother's actions are not yours, and you came here to try and warn us," Harry smiled.

"But she did it for me, to put me on the throne," Viserys muttered looking at his feet.

"I may be being presumptuous here, but I have the feeling that being King is not something that particularly appeals to you?" Harry said gently.

"It isn't I… from everything I have seen it seems horrible, I don't want that pressure," Viserys shook his head.

"Even if you did wish to be King, your mother acting without your knowledge to place you on the Iron Throne does not then make her actions your fault," Harry said.

"Your daughter nearly died because of her though," Jaehaerys said softly.

"And I am very angry about that, I am very very very angry at her. But they are still not your choices, you are not your mother, even if you had not come here to warn us, the fault would not lie with you," Harry shook his head.

"It is such a mess," Alysanne's shoulders drooped.

"It is, and I am sorry that the three of you have been caught up in it all. You do not deserve it. And none of you are stupid, you know that there are going to be incredibly tough times to come for the three of you," Harry said carefully.

"Mother she will be…" Viserys licked his lips.

"Executed," Jaehaerys finished for him.

"Yes, she will be. A lot of things could have been forgiven, or other punishments given, but this, it can not be," Harry said. "You three will always have a place here though, if you wish it, and if you do not Maegor and I will make sure that you are safe and looked after, wherever it is you may wish to go, back to Dragonstone, to Driftmark, Fair Isle, wherever,"

"You would let us stay here?" Alyssane frowned looking at her brothers.

"Will you sit, my neck is aching looking at you," Harry patted the bed. The three siblings looked at each other cautiously before they sat down on Harry's bed, Daenerys letting out a little squeak of excitement when Viserys sat near to her. "You are Maegor's nieces and nephews, you are Daenerys' cousins, you are family. If you wish to live in the Red Keep for the rest of your lives then you will, if you wish to explore the world, we will make sure that you have the money and the safety to do so, if you wish to travel around Westeros, it will be the same. Whatever it is you wish to do, we will make sure that you can do it, and that you are safe and well provided for,"

"Nieces?" Alysanne picked up on this.

"Rhaena and her daughters are included in that," Harry nodded with a smile. "You are not to blame for the events that have happened, and they will not be held against you. We will understand given what choices have to be made that you may not wish to stay here, but we will make sure that you are all safe and looked after in whatever choices you make,"

"But…" Viserys looked at Alysanne and Jaehaerys confused.

"You are not just your mother's children," Maegor said from behind them, the three jumped and turned to find the King leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, it was clear that he had heard most of what had been exchanged.

"What?" Jaehaerys blurted out and then flushed when Alysanne elbowed him.

"You are not only your mother's children. I know what a lot of people say, but I loved your father, Aenys was…he was a good man, and he was my brother. You are his children. If you can feel secure in the knowledge that I would not hold your mother's actions against you because you are her children, then remember that you are my brother's children, and I care for you because of that. I do not know you well, and I would like to get to know all of you better, but I understand if that is not something that you think you can do given…what I must do," Maegor sighed.

"It isn't your fault what must happen, we understand why," Viserys said softly.

"We wish that it did not have to happen, of course we do, but…" Alysanne bit her lip.

"But she tried to have a baby assassinated," Jaehaerys tilted his head back despite the pain on his face. "That is unforgivable,"

"I am sorry that you are going through this," Maegor said to them.

"You're sorry?!" Alysanne choked in shock. "But…" She looked at Harry.

"What has happened, choices that have been made and will be made will change your lives, one way or the other. It is not what I wished for you," Maegor nodded, moving to stand beside Harry's bed.

"Whatever you want to do, we will support you. If you wish to stay here, you will be more than welcome to do so, as family," Harry emphasised the last word.

"Mother said…mother said that you and Father did not get on," Jaehaerys said to Maegor hesitantly.

Maegor bent and lifted Daenerys from the mattress, smiling a little when she squealed excitedly at seeing him. He cupped her against his chest as he settled down on the bed.

"Your father and I were very different people, probably one of the most extremes that you could get in siblings, even my mother and your grandmother. When I was growing up I saw very little of Aenys, my father kept me and my mother largely on Dragonstone, Aenys was here in the Capital. He would write to me though, encouraging me. Your mother…when we did get together she would tease me for not having a Dragon yet, it bothered me, but Aenys reassured me that when the time was right I would find my Dragon. I think he knew before I did that Balerion and I were meant for each other," Maegor smiled a little as he looked down at Daenerys, obviously finding it easier to look at her as he talked.

Harry looked between his husband and daughter, and his niece and nephews in law, the children were hanging off of what Maegor was saying, leaning forward as they listened eagerly to his words. He wondered absently how much Alyssa had told them about their father, or at least their father as a man and not the royal prince and king he had also been.

"When our father died, he was the only one who asked if I was ok, who said that he was sorry for my loss, even though he was grieving as well, and knew our father far better, and was facing becoming the first King to inherit the Iron Throne and the stress that came with that. Though we were different we worked well together, our differences balanced each other out. We grew close, we were proud of what we achieved, and both of us were scared that we would not be able to live up to the shadow our father cast," Maegor huffed.

"Are you sorry for what happened between you?" Jaehaerys asked and then glared at Viserys when he nudged him.

"Yes and no," Maegor hummed, he chuckled a little when the children looked at him startled. "I am always going to be honest with you, no matter how hard the conversation may be. There is very little point in lying to you, and you deserve better than that," Maegor explained.

"What do you mean yes and no?" Alysanne asked.

"I was married to Cerys because she was barren, I have longed for my own children for quite a while, especially when you started coming along and I saw how happy Aenys was. I never wanted there to be a rift between myself and Aenys, and I was sorry that I caused it, I am sorry that I was not here with him, I often think about how it could have been different if I could have been. But Aenys, he didn't understand why I did it, even when I tried hard to explain my choices. He did not think that I was trying to create a rival claim to the throne, but he couldn't seem to understand that I just wanted a child of my own," Maegor said while looking at Daenerys' face.

"I think I am too young to really understand that desire, but I do understand," Alyssane said thoughtfully after a moment.

"If life were black and white it would be so much easier, but it isn't," Harry smiled softly. "The choices people make are flawed because we are human because we have wants and desires, needs, and sometimes because we are bound to unfair laws and either have to live with them or choose to push against them. Two different viewpoints can be right at the same time, it is unfortunately what comes with living life,"

"Can we stay here, for a little while, and see how it is?" Alysanne asked after glancing at her brothers.

"Of course you can. And you don't have to hide in your rooms," Maegor said gruffly.

"Just be careful of Sirius," Harry snorted.

"Why? Is he dangerous?" Viserys exchanged a look with his siblings, clearly remembering what they had been told about the Black family.

"Yes, for leading you into trouble, or taking a social walk down the Street of Silk or…maybe just stay away from him," Maegor blanched.

"I hope you know you have just made it more tempting for us," Jaehaeyrs snorted.

"Speak for yourself, I am going nowhere near him," Viserys blinked.

"You're a chicken, not a Dragon," Jaehaerys snorted.

"Big words for someone whose Dragon is only just bigger than a chicken compared to their brother's," Maegor said.

The siblings turned to look at him open-mouthed before Viserys started laughing and shoved Jaehaerys off of the bed.

"Hey!" Jaehaerys protested, his head popping over the end of the bed. "Traitor," he muttered to Alysanne who was trying to hold in her laughter. The word seemed to sober the three of them up like a slap to the face.

"I would take this more as starting something that you couldn't finish," Harry said. "I suggest a pillow fight to resolve the matter,"

"Do not turn our niece and nephews into entertainment for yourself because you are bored, they're not beating each other up with pillows," Maegor snorted.

"I am so bored though!" Harry whined. "They could beat you up with pillows!" he said brightly.

"I fancy my chances," Alysanne shrugged eying Maegor.

"HOW?!" Viserys and Jaehaeyrs spluttered, the latter still sitting on the floor.

"He's bigger. But clumsier with it, I am smaller and can be faster," Alysanne said eyeing Maegor.

"My money is on Alysanne," Harry said.

"You're meant to always be on my side!" Maegor huffed handing Daenerys to Harry.

"Of course, I am dear, now and for always, and to the depths of time," Harry said sickly sweetly before throwing Alysanne a pillow.

"Mmm hmm…" Maegor shot him a narrowed eye look before making a shocked noise when the pillow connected with his face. Alysanne looked at him with wide eyes, clearly unable to believe that she had actually done it as she and her brothers stared at Maegor waiting for his reaction. "Right,"

Maegor stood, looming over them, before snatching a pillow from Harry's pile and letting out a little shout before he swung his pillow at Alysanne, Harry noted with probably not even ¾ of his strength.

Laughing Harry threw two more pillows to Viserys and Jaehaeyrs before turning Daenerys around so that she could watch.

"I heard shouting, if you are trying to make a break for it and have hogtied up your guards we will…" Lily and Visenya froze in the doorway as they stared at the mess Harry's room was in, there were feathers everywhere, a table had been flipped over and Viserys was hiding behind it with a small stash of pillows.

Maegor was standing in the middle of the room panting with two pillows in his hands, feathers sticking out of his hair and top while Harry and Daenerys were still on the bed, both covered in feathers themselves.

"What the…" Visenya blinked when Alysanne shot out of nowhere and hit Maegor in the back before racing over and hiding behind the table with Viserys.

"PILLOW FIGHT!" James and Sirius cheered before diving past the two women and into the room.

"Targaryens again Potter and Black," Harry called out and his father and Sirius froze in horror, grasping their pillows to themselves as they turned to look at Harry.

"But that means…" They both turned in time to see Maegor descending on them.