You Are The One
Chapter 10
Aegon positions himself by the nearest window, carefully poking his head out just in time to see Jon walking down the steps of the Stone Drum and out into the Middle Bailey. From here, he can see the maester and some very short man walking beside him. The short man, Aegon eyes curiously when he notes Jon making her way towards him first. He notes the few of her guards poking out from behind the dragon shaped head of the Great Hall.
And it's not the weapons they carry that worry him.
For a moment, his worries leave him entirely as he sees Jon scowling up at one of the flags; Her own flags. He smirks, because she clearly has the same thoughts as him...
"...What's this?" Jon is stood in front of the short man, but is arcing a brow at the maester. She points up at the banner that floats in the wind by the guard who is holding it and stood to attention at the sight of his Queen, behind the maester.
Aegon watches her, getting to see how she interacts with someone that isn't him for the first time ever.
She doesn't disappoint him.
Though, she could use a gentle nudge where her convictions are concerned. She clearly believes in herself, but is still too afraid of letting others down by being who she is, unapologetically.
No, no, no.
Aegon smirks, a thrill shooting up his spine at all the things he could teach her. And she would learn well, he just knows it. Would perfect his taught skills like they'd originally come from her.
The short man opens his mouth to answer and grits his teeth in annoyance when the maester steps in front of him.
Aegon's eyes narrow at the same time as Jon's do and a fraction more.
"Pardon me, Your Grace, but you are of both Stark and Targaryen blood." Maester Titus glances back to the banner the one guard behind him holds.
When he turns back to Jon, there's a slight look of distaste on his face as he says, "We didn't know which colours you would prefer, so, we just kept them all..." He grimaces as he mutters—and Aegon still hears, because this man must have learned to whisper at a fucking carnival or something, "As you can see."
Aegon's tight jaw relaxes and a small smile tugs at his lips when Jon folds her arms over her chest, stares calmly back at the maester and asks, "And as a very intelligent man, which maesters are, did you not think to simply ask me?"
The short man finally steps from behind the maester and he's wearing the biggest shit-eating smirk. One that Aegon can't help copying as the maester purses his lips and even turns a little red in the face.
Well now, maybe she won't need him to teach her too much after all...
"Well, I—"
"And now, we have a banner that either no one will recognise or everyone will, because they don't know whose side their Queen is on, let alone which side they're meant to be on." Jon sighs, takes a step back and loosens her arms to her side.
Aegon watches curiously as she stares up at the banner behind the maester, who is now silent—turns out he does know when to shut up.
Jon takes a breath, nods to herself as if having decided something, then, says, "We will be black and white." She says it loud enough for her words to carry across the entire Bailey, turning on the last word and facing the rest of her council and guard. "We are the light the Knight King and his army could not put out. We are death of the darkness. We. Not me. I am your Queen, because you all chose me. I am your Queen, but I am still your people. I am your people, but I am still your Queen and protector. And I..."
Aegon sees the conflict in her eyes. The struggle with how to move forward and do what she must. To actually stand and be a Queen. And so far, she has shown him no real fire of want for her new role.
Her true role; the role born from his own legacy.
And yet, she struggles, like so many men do, even the greatest men in their times of doubt. And then, he sees the change in her eyes. The acceptance along with defeat, instead of the prolonged disbelief of defeat itself. Sees the moment after when that determination comes back onto her face.
She turns slowly around on her spot as she speaks, so that she speaks to each and every one of them. She says, "And I will protect you. Until my last breath." Again. "And I may be the true heir to that throne of iron made by man and dragonfire,"
Aegon pouts through a grin.
He and Balerion put a lot of effort into making that throne. How dare she? He simply must punish her.
Naughtily!
No! It's almost time—focus! Aegon's eyes slowly fall closed for a brief moment as he looses the will to live with himself.
Jon makes sure she connects with each and every person's eyes as she turns slowly and tells them all, "But I swear to you all right now, after everything you've all endured, I do not ask you to bend the knee to me, I ask you to follow me. To help me keep you all safe. I will not ask you to fight for my claim to the throne, but instead for all you hold dear. That you do not fight each other but for each other, so that I may fight for you—"
Aegon did not see this coming. Underestimated just how much her people trust her, even though he trusted her within the first few seconds of meeting her...
The first one to fall to his knees is the guard standing behind the maester. He throws the banner to the ground, steps around the maester and falls to his knees at her feet as she swirls around at the commotion.
Two more guards follow before the small tidal wave of people all fall to their knees one by one, then, bowing their heads.
"—all..." Jon murmurs, small smile of awe tugging at her lips.
Before being immediately wiped away at the sound of slow and heavy wing beats.
Jon slowly tips her head up to see Drogon hovering over the armoury. For a moment, she's glad that the people aren't running away or screaming their heads off. But then, she glances back to them and suddenly can't tell if they're bowing to her or to Drogon.
Which is fine, she guesses. Only, not really, because that's not what he is for. Jon doesn't care that Dani used him as a weapon; Jon will not do to him what so many others have done to her.
She clears her throat loud enough to get their heads lifting. She smiles widely, holds two calm hands up as she says, "He would not lead you all here just to kill you." That much she knows at least.
He would have just killed them for following him...probably...
Aegon presses his cheek to the stone as he leans against the window and watches intensely. His eyes flitting back and forth between Jon and her dragon.
Another thing he will have to show her is that once a dragon is yours, they will protect you with their life.
Jon takes a deep breath and just hopes he understands her as she walks over and tips her head back to look up at the dragon. "Drogon!"
Drogon's head tilts, his eyes connecting with hers.
Jon gulps, suddenly realises she doesn't know what to say. Then, decides to just try not to sound stupid or nervous as she yells up to him, "Stop hovering and introduce yourself...without hurting or killing anyone...please."
Aegon shrinks back with a gulp when the dragon's head jerks his way and his big golden eyes suddenly connect with Aegon's lilacs.
He wasn't planning to do this in front of her beast, too—he'd wanted to do that later when the three of them were alone again...
Jon glances over her shoulder, trying to see where Drogon is looking to and seeing nothing out of place, just the Stone Drum behind her.
Drogon lets out a snappy roar over at the building as he glares at it.
Jon arches a brow up at the dragon in realisation, while muttering under her breath, "Oh, now you want to kill him."
After leaving her alone with him for two days...
Drogon flaps his wings once, moving himself back to give himself just enough space.
Jon's eyes widen, but she doesn't have time to step back as the dragon quite literally lands with a graceful dumping of himself right in front of her. Her legs wobble only slightly as the ground shakes. And when everyone else, even while on their knees, has to put their hands to the ground to keep them from eating the dirt, it makes her proud enough of herself to throw a smug smirk up at him.
Drogon simply grumbles in reply. Though, Jon's rather shocked when he leans his huge head down and nuzzles her torso gently with the end of his snout.
Automatically, this time, Jon reaches out a hand to him and brushes her fingertips softly at first, over the delictate patch between his two nostrils, her hand not even filling half the space of such a small part of just his face.
Aegon pauses at the door, but only because he's smiling at the way Jon is smiling as she runs her hand over her dragon. He can see the amazement as in her face and it makes him feel all soft and silly.
Though, he's quickly pulled the fuck right back out of his daydreaming when her dragon snaps his head up from her and glares in Aegon's direction—not having to see him lurking just inside the shadows to sniff him out.
(Gods, when your own dragon is nowhere in sight to back you up, you really realise how fucking big they all are.)
"Fuck it." Aegon mutters, takes a deep breath, grips his sword and finally stalks out of the entrance to the Stone Drum. Making his boots echo loud enough for each and every single pair of ears to hear as he slowly but surely makes his way down the steps.
Immediately, he can hear a few people gasping. Notes the pale look on the maester's face. Sees the small man opening and closing his mouth several times and his eyes growing slowly wider as does everyone else's. One by one, their expressions either hold terror, amazement or both.
Aegon doesn't like that.
Doesn't like that they are not still looking at their Queen, like they should be...
He stops halfway down the steps, sword in hand and half raised like he's ready to attack. He arcs a brow around at her guards, waiting for them to do something. He grits his teeth when nobody moves, just continues to stare at his every move instead.
His nostrils flare in temper, teeth gritting harder as he holds that temper back.
He doesn't say anything. Doesn't bother as he marches down the rest of the steps. Eyes focused on Jon, who just stares at him with a frown before her eyes quickly widen in shock.
Tyrion is simply gobsmacked right now. But instincts take him over as he pushes himself off of his knees and darts towards the guard kneeling behind the maester. He grabs the hilt of the guard's blade, yanks it free from the sheath at his belt, and swings it up into the air just as he yells, "Your Grace!"
Aegon may be holding back, but the graceful sidestep she swirls around him to catch the hilt in her hand has him pausing and grinning to himself.
He hides it quick enough to turn and give her a loud scoff before he says, "So, you are the Queen. And the half man is the bravest warrior you have."
Tyrion finally finds his words with a monumental scowl. "Pardon me, your Original Grace, but you do not belong here in this time, let alone this place." A short hysterical laughs bubbles out of him as he asks Jon, "Your Grace, please tell me this isn't really who I think it is and that we are all somehow dreaming or high as fucking kites right now." He says in a voice just low enough for the three of them to hear.
Aegon arcs a brow at the small man. He didn't realise he was the real brains here among her people. Certainly not the shock-frozen maester, who now, slowly hauls himself up to stand.
Jon holds up the sword in her hands and glares at Aegon as she asks, "Who are you, really?"
Aegon knows what she's really asking: is he Aegon the Conqueror right now, or the more human Aegon he has shared with her for the last two days.
He looks into her eyes, ignoring everything and one else around them as he tells her, "If you didn't know me... If I truly meant you harm, your dragon would have already killed me."
Tyrion is about to remind him that technically "her dragon" doesn't burn a lot of people who mean her harm and that—
"I am yours." Aegon says loud enough for the entire Bailey to hear. Then, flips his sword in his hand as he walks slowly and calmly towards her. And when he's just a foot from her, he leans in slowly and with a soft and hopeful smile, he whispers for only her to hear, "And you are mine."
Before Jon can even think any thoughts, let alone any good enough to speak out loud, he's taking a solid step back and taking a knee before her. And Jon's heart races in both shock and...something else.
Aegon glances around at all the faces, making sure they're looking at him before he says, loud and bold, "I am who you think I am. I am Aegon Targaryen First of His Name. I did not wish to reveal myself to anyone, let alone to the Ruler of this time I now, somehow, have found myself awakened in. But if it wasn't for your Queen's hospitality and understanding of my situation—if I had not met her myself first, I fear I may have made a grave mistake in even thinking her a threat to me."
There is only silence.
Jon notes even Tyrion is at a loss for words. Which worries and somehow amuses her at the same time.
Aegon's eyes connect back to hers and her heart does a silly little flip when he smiles softly and says, "She is Targaryen. And yes, while that does please me to know a Targaryen sits on my throne, I kneel here before not just you, Your Grace, but before your people, too. After all, they are the ones who will truly have to accept me..." With a hopeful little smile, he adds, "If or when you do."
Aegon takes a deep breath, rolls his shoulders, keeps his blade offered to her as he says, "My sword is yours, Your Grace. My life is yours. If you will have me..." He stares deep into her eyes as he vows to both her and her people, "I swear to ward the Queen with all my strength, to give my blood for Hers. I swear to obey Her commands and defend Her secrets. I swear to defend Her honour and serve at Her pleasure."
Jon's stomach does another much bigger flip when his lips tug into the briefest smirk at that last word. Her eyes narrowing back at him in warning as she tries to hide a small smile.
"I will never flee or falter in my duties. I shall take no wife, hold no lands and father no children. I, King of over three centuries ago, pledge to Her Grace my life and my honour until my very last breath on my very last day." Aegon says, tone turning serious in a split second and smirk falling away to show her he really means every word he says to her—that he doesn't think he could lie to her if he even wanted to, which, not even Rhaenys had the privilege of.
Tyrion finally snaps into action, standing beside her to take the guard's sword from her hands.
Jon gives him a smile of thanks.
Then, turns to Aegon, who is still holding his own sword up to her. She flexes her fingers quickly when her hand shakes just the tiniest bit out of nervousness.
She only remembers a literal dragon is still currently sat behind her when Drogon gently nudges her side and huffs.
Jon puffs out a chuckle at the entire fucking surrealism of it all.
Even after the army of walking dead men.
She takes a deep breath to steady herself nerves, grips the hilt of his sword in her right hand. She holds the tip of the blade over his heart, less a threat and more just using it to point at him as she points out, "If you truly mean all of that; if you actually want to become one my Royal Guards, I am assuming you won't have a problem making your vows just once more for all of my people to hear."
Tyrion arches a brow—since when has people-pleaser Jon Snow started being as careful as she actually buggering should be? She couldn't be like this for their utterly pointless meeting with Cersie?
Tyrion glances at Aegon, eyes narrowing at the Queen's new bloody influence.
Heavy on the 'bloody'...most probably...
Oh, shit cannot be good.
Even if Aegon is telling the truth about his time travel escapades and that he wishes no harm on Jon, but Tyrion knows powerful magic while it's staring him three centuries late in the fucking face when it should be, in fact, long fucking dead...
Drogon finally seems to get bored of the politics of humans and leaps up into the air with a whirl of dust and wind.
Making everyone but Aegon, Jon and Tyrion gasp in either shock or fright.
Jon scowls up after the giant assho—the giant beast and wonders briefly just how many times he plans on leaving her after he is the one who sought her out—after she killed his mother!
Aegon keeps his eyes on Jon for the sake of her people seeing how sincere he is. And what a rewarding decision it is to see her cute and rather amusing little death glare aimed at a fucking dragon, of all things.
She truly is magnificent.
And he craves to see the rest of her.
The rest of who she is...
(OK, he more than wants to "see the rest of her.")
When the commotion dies down and he's able to hear himself think again, Aegon finally answers, loud and clear, "Of course, Your Grace. I would do it a thousand times on the same day, if it pleased you."
"No, no, no." Maester Titus is all but shoving Tyrion out of his way, ignoring Tyrion's scoff and his Queen's scowl as he glares and points at Aegon and says, "Your Grace, if this truly is The Conqueror, he can only be an abomination. Can only be either here of his own vile volition or sent here by something or someone just as evil. "
Jon is about to snap until he looks right at her and she sees true fear in his eyes, not just some hysteria he's worked himself into.
She sees Aegon glare for a moment before quickly composing himself and is about to open her mouth when he smiles pleasantly; charmingly, even, and says, "I understand your doubts and fears, Maester. But for now, until I prove myself to you, all I can do is make that vow to do so."
Jon notes even Tyrion smirking when Aegon glances calmly up to the sky as he adds, "And I think if I were actually a threat to your Queen, her dragon would have burned or eaten me by now. Instead, he appears to have...fucked off."
Jon fights back her own grin when Aegon grins at her. He then, bows his head and says, "Pardon the language, Your Grace."
"Only evil itself spews such a foul tongue." Maester Titus mutters in disgust, folding those ridiculously long robed arms over his chest.
Aegon barely fights back the rolls of his eyes, and instead, smirks while holding back a laugh when Jon scoffs and turns to the maester and says, "You became a maester when you were four-and-four. You told me that when you all but begged to be a part of my council. Of which, at the time, you also told me of your past. I will not embarrass you, Maester Titus, but I will remind you that you once took part in the same bedroom activities as most people do...and a few that most don't."
Jon smiles pleasantly when he purses his lips and tries so hard not to glare at her. At least, not in public. She's glad he isn't that stupid.
Aegon does chuckle then when she adds with that sweet smile of hers, "So, let's not get too caught up in words when actions speak so much louder."
When she throws Aegon a small glare he slaps a hand over his mouth and bows his head again.
"J—Your Grace," Tyrion offers an apologetic smile for his almost slip. Only to find Her Grace still looking at her new...friend.
If Aegon really is Aegon and he really does want to serve the Queen he is now knelt before, well, then, Tyrion believes this could go very, very well for them as a people and Queendom...
Or...
Really fucking badly for literally everyone involved, which is literally everyone alive in the entire Realm...
Jon straps Aegon's blade back to her back strap, takes a breath and says loud enough for all to hear, "We will settle and confirm matters when we are back in King's Landing."
(Oh, the irony of the very capital being named after The Conqueror's successful takeover.)
Jon doesn't want to go back. She knows she has to.
And if she and Drogon can communicate just a little better in the future, she won't even have to worry about being stuck in that depressing fucking chamber of death. Just one of many of Aegon's legacies Jon has managed to taint and destroy. Dani being another—and getting her other two dragons killed when she first got Dani involved with the army of dead men walking.
Gods, why do people want her to be Queen again?
(Why do people keep putting her in charge of things?)
"Right now, all that matters is rebuilding our city and keeping it safe." Jon says continues.
Only to be interrupted by Maester Titus, who scoffs loudly. "And you expect us to believe that the same dragon who burned it all down will now be protecting his pile of ashes?"
"I don't know how much maesters are supposed to know these days, but surely they still remember that it is extremely rare for a dragon to not only choose their rider, but seek them out especially for that choice. Which is exactly what happened with your Queen and her dragon..." Aegon stays on his knees to make a point even as he makes his point aloud. He puts emphasis on Jon's title, because...well, the maester is really starting to piss him off. Pompous prig.
Tyrion bites back a smirk.
Maester Titus, however, doesn't back down. Which impresses both Tyrion and Aegon himself.
"You may have our Queen's trust," He hisses in a low tone, glaring daggers at Aegon and putting emphasis on our as he motions around to everyone but the man he's glaring at. "But that is what her people are for. To give up the ones amongst us that mean us ill intent and bring them straight to her sword when she cannot discern our enemies for herself. That is what you just vowed to do, and that is what I will be personally seeing to it that you do."
Aegon arches a brow. "Is that so?" He fights back a smirk as he glances up at his Queen and grins cheekily. Presses a hand back over his heart and says, "To know you Aegonyra Targaryen, for these past two of days, twas the best two days of my life."
Even though she knows he's trying to wind up Maester Titus, Jon's stomach still flutters in time with her heart.
Maester Titus' eyes narrow as he mutters, "You will not win me over with your use of fancy words."
Aegon shrugs, chirps back, "Twasn't trying to."
Tyrion snorts, unable to hold back his amusement this time.
Even Jon, who can usually stay composed in most situations, fails to fight back her quiet chuckle.
Although, she clears her throat and composes herself as soon as Maester Titus' narrowed eyes flick to her.
However, the moment Aegon's bright purple eyes connect with her and he cracks a tiny grin, her own smile tugs free again.
(His expressions are just so damn infectious.)
"Your Grace, if I may?" Tyrion motions around to the rest of the people still on their knees and waiting for...well, their Queen.
When she nods, he smiles gracefully, bows his head at her, then, turns to address the rest of Her entourage. "Friends, we have travelled for long enough to require a night's rest. We shall return to King's Landing at first light."
He glances to Jon to confirm and she nods her head once.
He nods back, turns back to their people and says, "Those of you who wish to remain in your ship cabins for the night, may do so. In fact, I think it's best some of us do, so as not to attract unwanted attention. We are not many and we do not currently have Her Grace's dragon in range of us. Oh, and also, you will be sharing the wine with me, or the dragon will be the least of your worries."
Jon puffs out a chuckle, shakes her head as Tyrion shoots her a sheepishly apologetic smile.
Aegon is starting to like the small man more and more. Though, he holds onto his smirk—just until he knows he can trust at least one other person that isn't Jon.
He trusts her word, but she is one person and she cannot protect him all the time. It is impossible for any one person, especially a Queen.
"Please," Jon says when nobody moves a muscle. "Try to make yourself comfortable wherever you like. Just be careful of the armoury and the dungeon." She lifts both hands, motions for them all to rise and blows out a tiny sigh of relief when they do. Though, out of nervousness, she adds, "And I know after everything that this is the last place any of you would want to stay in, let alone call home to, but it belongs to me now. And anything that belongs to me, belongs to you...my people."
Aegon chuckles silently at her little wince on the end there. He grunts to get her attention, forgets to breathe for that initial moment their eyes connect. Then, he asks, with a pout, "May I rise, too, Your Grace?"
His heart just about almost implodes with her small smirk and quiet chuckle.
Jon nods, lazily waves him up. Smiles smugly when he scoffs. Almost sucks down her tongue along with her breath when he rises, and the next moment, he is looming over her. Though, he's careful not to get too close to her this time.
Not with all the eyes watching them as they pass them by to go and make themselves at home for the night.
"I assume you're taking my chambers tonight." He says just low enough for the two of them to hear.
Tyrion startles when Aegon's eyes lift and narrow in on him. He turns away, pretends to cough and to give a shit as he asks Titus: "So, my friend, where shall you be bunking this fine evening?"
Aegon fights back the roll of his eyes. Leans in just a tiny bit closer to Jon, who's actually rolling her eyes at him—because OK, he's not all that subtle about wanting to tease her—and asks in a voice barely above a whisper, "And where will you have me tonight, Your Grace?"