Aegon's POV
While back in Winterfell preparing his strategies, he realized that many people who might have been an enemy to Jon Snow could potentially be an ally to Aegon VI Targaryen. That led him to choose one of Jon Snow's greatest enemies at the Wall. The very man who killed Jon Snow.
Sir Alliser Thorne.
Aegon learned how Sir Alliser had been sent to the Wall because he fought for the Targaryens and remained loyal to them even in his defeat. Aegon thought that it was such a cruel irony that in his past life the man who killed the true Targaryen heir to the Iron Throne was a loyal Targaryen supporter. Just like how the Kingslayer had killed Aerys Targaryen while wearing his white cloak, Aegon himself had been slain by his own swore brothers while wearing their black cloaks.
He didn't know whether that was some kind of strange twist of fate or perhaps just a poetic joke of the gods. Either way he felt at least glad that his killers had stabbed him in the front instead of his back. But this time he was never going to rely simply on a cloak or oath to believe where a man's loyalties lie. After all, when you get down to it, a cloak is just a piece of cloth and an oath is just a bunch or pretty words, and words are wind.
That's why Aegon knew he would need help with Sir Alliser, so he had Aemon summon him to the library. Then Aemon had the stubborn sod listen while Jon spun his story of how he learned back in Winterfell about a secret Targaryen heir. Of course, Alliser said he didn't believe them but Aegon noticed how the man didn't attempt to leave after he initially dismissed their words either. He continued to sit still in his seat and listen. So once they had him curious Aegon revealed his father's harp. Alliser's eyes immediately went wide as he looked at the silver harp in disbelief.
"Where did you get that?" Alliser demanded. "I know that harp."
"It belonged to Prince Rhaegar. Lord Stark has had it since the rebellion." Aegon answered calmly as he placed the harp in Alliser's hands.
"Damned Stark." Allister growled, as he examined the harp in his hands closely.
This man is definitely not a Stark admirer. Perfect.
Aemon spoke softly as he remarked. "That isn't all Sir Alliser. I know you fought for my house loyally once, which is why I called you to hear this." Aemon paused turning his head towards Aegon. "Tell him my boy."
Aemon's words certainly got the old knight's attention since he was now looking at him intently.
"I always wanted to know about my mother, so when Lord Stark refused to tell me, I went looking for answers myself. But when I found the proof of my past, I also found proof of another heir to the Targaryen throne, one that the usurper doesn't know about. As you should know Arthur Dayne was Prince Rhaegar's best friend just as Ashara Dayne had been Princess Elia's best friend. The Dayne's knew many secrets about the royal family." Aegon explained.
Alliser sat silently considering Aegon's words as he carefully set Rhaegar's harp on the nearby table but then he rose to his feet before turning to Aegon and Aemon.
"What does any of that matter now? Even if it's true, I am just a sworn brother of the Nights Watch bound to the Wall. Besides why should I believe a Stark bastard whelp like you even if your half Dayne? Because, you have my prince's harp?" Alliser asked skeptically.
Aegon could tell the man was curious, hopeful maybe, and the way Alliser referred to his father as 'my' prince was not lost on him. But Alliser was also defeated. He wasn't looking for false hopes and he wasn't about to believe Aegon, even if he told him the whole truth. Not even the items he had from his mother's crypt would be enough to truly convince a man as stubborn as Sir Alliser.
However, Aegon had experience telling truths no one wanted to heard or believe, just like with the white walkers. No point telling if he couldn't show them. This time Aegon knew he needed proof and that's what he was going to do for Thorne.
"You don't have to believe anything I say because I am going prove it to you." Aegon, countered Alliser who narrowed his eyes at him.
Alliser held the same disbelieving sneer on his face but he was considering Aegon's words seriously. Aegon could tell the man wants to believe him but convincing him was still going to be a challenge.
"How's a bastard like you gonna do that? And even if you could, why would you when your fucking father was part of the rebellion?" Alliser asked.
Aegon held his gaze as he spoke.
"Because I have no love for Lord Stark." Aegon said flatly.
Alliser was still sneering at him, and then he waved away Aegon's words dismissively. But walked closer and sat back down in front of Aegon and Aemon.
"Alright bastard, say you do. How you goin' to prove any of this little fantasy?" Alliser inquired, trying to act like he wasn't genuinely curious.
"I'm going to guide you to all the proof you need on the next ranging beyond the Wall. All you have to do is come along." Aegon said simply.
Alliser shook his head from confusion. "What? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? What does a ranging have to do with…?"
Aegon cut him off. "You will only believe once you have seen it for yourself. Telling you now will accomplish nothing because you won't believe any words I have to say. But if you want to see proof, beyond any doubt, then once the next ranging happens, stick close to me and I will show you everything." Aegon, said almost demanding Sir Alliser obey his command. But no matter how Alliser took his words, one message was clear. There would be no further argument on the matter.
Alliser's jaw clinched as he rose to his feet and made to leave the library, but before he left, he turned and pointed at Aegon as he spoke. "You, had best be able to deliver on that claim bastard. Otherwise our next words will be very unpleasant for you."
Just before Sir Alliser left, Aegon called out to him, "Sir Alliser, be sure that you invite any other men here who you know were truly loyal to house Targaryen. They should have the chance to witness the truth too, don't you think?"
Alliser looked back over his shoulder at Aegon for a moment, but then he left without a word.
Aemon's POV
"Please tell me you are certain about this." Aemon, pleaded. "I do not wish to lose more family, especially one I have only just gotten to know."
"Worry not uncle. I have been considering for some time as to where I might be able to gain willing supporters for our house. Make no mistake that there are other places where our family may still find open arms and warm welcomes. But I assure you that those places are all either well occupied by our enemies' forces or being watched by their spies." Aegon explained reassuringly.
"But you are still a boy Aegon and I would not have you worry about such things." Aemon said as he placed his hand on Aegon's arm before continuing.
"I do want you to take back what is yours my boy, but I do not wish you to do so in haste. Patience can be invaluable in war and I know that war will be unavoidable for you. I only wish I could do more to help you." Aemon said as he lowered his head.
Aemon felt so worried for his grandnephew. He knew that once people learned of him, the boy's life would be in greater danger with every passing day. Once more than a few people knew of him it would not stay a secret for long and eventually everyone would know of him. Most of those people would be those who either wanted him dead or those seeking to use him for their own agendas.
Aegon patted Aemon's hand to reassure him as he spoke.
"You already are uncle, more than you know. The Starks would send me to this Wall to die alone and forgotten. Then they would tell themselves that it was all for the best, so that they could protect me and prevent bloodshed and war." Aegon stated.
"But you uncle, want me to live, more than you want me to take back the throne, yet you haven't counselled me against it. Why?" Aegon asked expectedly.
Aemon didn't think that the Lord Stark would treat his own nephew in such a way but he knew that if that was true then he would endeavor to be a better uncle than Lord Stark had been. But the answer to his grandnephew's question was more selfish in his opinion.
"Because I have lived a long-life nephew and I have been safe here at the Wall for many years. Not once have I had to worry about assassins coming to kill me and yet if I had known what would happen to our family, I would have preferred to have taken a different path." Aemon explained before going silent.
Aemon paused for a moment before he continued, "Do you know what I could have been had I but said the words? I could have sat the throne, which back then I said no, because I simply did not want to rule. I told myself that my brother would have been a better king than I. Yet after the ravens came from the south bringing the news of Aerys and his acts of madness, then the rebellion, the death of your father, and finally the Sack of Kings Landing. I often wonder if I had chosen differently back then, would our family have still fallen as it did, or could my own rule have changed that fate?"
Aemon was pained and angered because as pointless as it was, he still could not help but feel guilty for not accepting his birth right long ago. He knew it was the thoughts of an old man not far from his death. As he approached the inevitable end to his life, he couldn't help but think back on pass choices and mistakes. But that was not the only reason and he knew his nephew deserved the truth above all things.
"I am an old man, and I can tell you that a life filled with regrets of one's past is not a life worth living. I want you to not only survive Aegon, but at the end of your time, I want you to be able to look back and know how it felt to have truly been alive. I want you to live a life worth living." Aemon explained but pause before finishing.
"Part of me wants our family to recover the throne we built and for those who wronged our family to be punished for such crimes as you do. Something I could never achieve as myself, but I could help you to achieve that. But the most selfish part of me simply doesn't want you to end up like me." Aemon took a deep sigh as he lowered his head.
If he still had his sight, he would have seen Aegon smiling proudly at him.
Aegon's POV
Aegon felt like he might cry when he heard Aemon's words. The old man had told him the whole truth from his most selfish to selfless reasons all rolled into one.
"I already am like you uncle Aemon, and I am proud of it because the truth is, I could simply continue the lie Lord Stark or myself have crafted and no one would ever bother me about the throne. I do not want the throne or to rule over any of the houses that slaughtered our house for their own greed." Aegon replied.
"But they will never allow either Viserys or Daenerys to live just as they could not let my brother and sister live. Neither will they allow any descendants that follow us to live simply because they are Targaryens. They will never stop trying to see every member of our house dead to the last. Because of that, I intend to return the favor, until they are all too afraid to even consider harming a member of our family ever again. To me the throne is nothing but a weapon I will use to achieve that aim." Aegon finished as Aemon listened intently and Aemon seemed to understand so he simply nodded in response.
The day of the ranging came and he knew it was going to be a difficult day from the start. It had always been a part of his plan to kill Benjen, and not just for Benjen's betrayal of his mother but also for something far more important. However, part of him knew that he may not be able to do the deed when the time came so, Aegon had to make sure he had help from those who were once loyal to his house at the Wall. He only needed for his uncle to unwittingly convince them on his behalf.
Alliser and those he brought with him had all kept a close watch on him the whole trip. Once they arrived at Craster's he signaled them to stay out of sight but make sure they were close enough to listen as he lured Benjen over to them and then urged him to admit the truth. He kept Benjen's attention on him the whole time while the others just listened nearby.
When Sir Alliser stepped out in the open and then others lit torches he focused on their faces. Each of them had the look Aegon wanted to see. They were shocked but they were also furious that Benjen had known this truth about him. These men probably would have given anything to have heard these words from Benjen years ago and yet he had kept this truth from them the whole time. Keeping truths hidden was something Starks seem to excel at.
So once the time came, Aegon was the first to strike. He was still his younger self and too small to kill the first ranger of the watch alone, so he settled for wounding him so Benjen would not be able to escape. Then he just stood back to let the others deal with him. Aegon understood that once all these men stepped out from behind the trees what would happen. These men were not stepping out to chastise an oath brother for keeping secrets from them, no they only saw a traitor they wanted dead.
Once the others had officially chosen Aegon's side by stabbing Benjen, each one repeating the same words as Sir Alliser did, it felt much like an oath swearing ceremony. By killing Benjen these men had proved where their true loyalties were, with him. A man willing to become an oath breaker out of loyalty was worth far more than a man who just kept an oath for his own personal honor. But once Benjen fell, Aegon moved in to finish him because he knew he had to prove himself worthy of such loyalty, no matter his perceived youth.
At first Aegon thought he would not be able to finish Benjen as he stood in front of his dying uncle. For a moment Aegon had to look away as he remembered what uncle Benjen once meant to him when he was just Jon Snow. For a moment he feared he might not be able to do it. Until he heard the name 'Jon' spoken from Benjen's bloody lips.
Hearing that name reminded him of Benjen's betrayal to his mother and himself. It enraged him beyond words and gave him everything he needed to strike the final blow. He felt his fury burn within him and for the first time since he came back to the past Aegon was not going to hold it back. So instead he unleashed it, and drove his dagger right through Benjen's heart.
Aemon's words held new meaning for him after he saw Benjen's eyes go empty.
'Kill the boy and let the man be born' Aemon once told him.
But now he interpreted those words very differently. Those words now held a new meaning.
Kill Jon Snow and let Aegon Targaryen live
Benjen had been very important to Jon Snow and it felt like with his death Aegon became more himself and less of the Stark façade that was Jon Snow. Benjen was only an enemy to Aegon Targaryen and a traitor to his mother, so he executed him as such.
There were still a few men of the Nights Watch, who were not Targaryen loyalist, back at Craster's, but they had all passed the point of no return. Now it was time for his men to begin their service to him.
Looking at the men around him Aegon addressed them all as they stared at him uncertain of what to do.
"Now you all know the truth of who I am, you must know why we are here. I may be only a boy but I am here for something of great importance. Which is why I came to the men who were the most loyal of House Targaryen." Aegon noticed how they were hanging on his every word now.
"My name is Aegon Targaryen, the sixth of my name. I did not come here by happenstance. I came here for you. Men who chose loyalty before their lives, before honor, before all things. Our enemies sent you here to the Wall, not to serve the realm, but to suffer, die, and fade from all memory, just like me." Aegon paused looking closely upon each of their faces as he spoke.
"You all could have chosen to bend the knee to the usurper but instead you chose to take the black rather than side with those who murdered my family. I am here to free all of you from the pain your loyalty has cost you. You have not been forgotten. I now call upon you once again as my ancestors did before me. I seek to become someone worthy of your loyalty. To achieve such an end, I swear to each of you that none of you will ever be left behind to die or fade from memory so long as I live. I swear no enemy or traitor who seeks to destroy us will escape my wrath, no matter who they are, even if they are my own blood." Aegon said as he pointed to the body of his dead uncle at his feet.
They all looked at each other but only one spoke. "You have no need to ever ask such a thing of us." Sir Alliser stated. "Your Grace, we are men who bent the knee to the dragons and nothing will ever change that." Alliser said with such certainty. It was strange to see such an expression on his face.
With those words every man bent the knee almost in unison. Aegon couldn't honestly tell which of them knelt first or last.
"We are with you Your Grace." Sir Alliser declared.
"Aye!" the others all said without any sign of hesitation.
"How many other men of the Watch are back at Craster's Keep?" Aegon asked.
The men before him looked between each other before one of them answered.
"Only four Your Grace." He said before glancing at Benjen's body as he continued. "We can bury him out in the woods. No one will…"
But Aegon cut the man off before he could finish.
"They must die." Aegon suddenly stated.
He could see that some were confused or shocked by his words. Then, another man spoke up.
"We can conceal Stark's body without having to kill anyone, Your Grace." The brother stated.
"That is not why they must die. Gowen isn't it?" Aegon responded while narrowing his view toward the man.
"Yes, Your Grace." Gowen answered
He had spoken to Alliser along the way and asked the names and backgrounds of all the men Sir Alliser had identified and brought with him as former Targaryen loyalist. In truth there were several hundred that had been sent to the Wall after the rebellion but these were men Alliser knew personally and trusted with such a secret as a hidden Targaryen heir.
When no one responded he saw that he should continue to elaborate further so they understood. He could see that these men here were loyal as none of them were trying to outright object to him but rather they were ignorant of his reasons.
"I came here for you men so that you could help me fulfill my mission to restore house Targaryen. That mission begins tonight with one essential task that must be accomplished here tonight. I cannot complete this task without your aid and killing not only my traitorous uncle here but all those other brothers who are not with us is a part of that task." Aegon explained even though a few still seemed hesitant, they at least knew he wasn't asking this of them out of cruelty or madness.
"Alf is back there and he has been my friend for years, Your Grace." Gowen pleaded.
Aegon understood now why this man was hesitant. Because one of those men was his friend.
"Can Alf be trusted with my identity?" Aegon questioned, although he suspected the answer.
Gowen's face twisted as he responded as if the very words left a sour taste in his mouth and he let out a long sigh before he replied.
"No, he has never been a man loyal to anything but himself. The man was a thief who would probably sell his own mother for a flagon of Arbor gold. I just always found the man amusing and I at least trusted him not to slit my throat in my sleep, which is more than I can say for some brother of the watch." Gowen answered.
"Then I will not ask his death of you, for his loyalties make him no less a friend to you. But I will kill him tonight along with the other three, with my own hands if needs be. Because, their loyalties also make them all no less of a threat to me." Aegon stated firmly.
They had to understand that hard times were ahead of all of them and with them came hard choices. The man to his credit held his gaze on Benjen's body as he spoke again.
"No, Your Grace. I will see it done. I only ask my brothers here to leave him to me, alone." Gowen said. They all understood the request so they all nodded in agreement.
"Then let me explain further why I planned this moment to happen. The first was to find you all and those others sentenced to the Wall, so I could bring you the truth. I planned this moment because my traitorous uncles did their work well in hiding my existence from the world. Executing this traitor was always a part of my plan." Aegon said as he gestured towards Benjen's dead body again as he continued.
Aegon observed their reactions as he spoke but he saw no looks that gave him pause nor did any man seem like they would interrupt him. He still had their attention and so he had to keep it.
"My plans here tonight involved three invaluable task and now that the first has been achieved we must continue with the second if any of us are to see the son rise tomorrow. I know that I am young and this is all sudden, but I ask only that you all follow me tonight and I will prove my worth." Aegon declared and every man showed no sign of doubt as they all nodded.
But now was the really important moment. He had Alliser and the others bring Benjen's body back to the Keep. As they approached the remaining men of the Nights Watch walked to meet them.
The closest one raised his arms as he ran closer to them.
"Thank you, brothers. When you said ya'll were goin' hunting, I didn't actually think you would catch anything." The brother said as he looked at the men carrying Benjen's body covered in his own cloak.
"Did you bag a dear?" he asked.
"A wolf actually." Aegon responded. He then turned to the others and nodded.
His men quickly pounced on the four unsuspecting brothers. The first two were killed without hardly any effort since one was to caught off guard to fight back and the other wasn't armed. The other two managed to draw their swords but the third died quickly enough after his men simply surrounded him. Aegon kept his focus on the last which was only alive because it was Gowen's friend Alf who Gowen was now locked in a one on one duel. The others still stood by in case Gowen lost, but then he watched the duel unfold before finally Alf was cut down by Gowen's blade.
They then made their way to the keep where Aegon had them grab Craster and his daughters. Craster was cursing the whole time how he would kill them all as his men tied him up. Aegon's men had Craster tied to a post in the middle of the keep while they instructed his daughters to gather everything they had because they would be leaving this place for good after tonight.
They were scared the whole time that they might be raped or killed, like the brothers of his past life had done. He even caught sight of little Gilly as they left but he didn't say anything to her. He felt conflicted about the fact she wouldn't get raped by her own father but she also would never give birth to her son little Sam.
One of his men did ask why they were letting the women live after killing their former brothers.
"Craster's daughters have greater value alive than dead." Aegon, reassured them.
Aegon ordered them to place Benjen's body on a table near Craster at the center of the room and bring the bodies of the other brothers inside as well. They all looked curious and confused by his actions but none of them showed any sign of defiance.
"Tonight, I will achieve something that hasn't be accomplished since before any of us were born." Aegon declared as he retrieved a bag from his horse.
He opened the bag revealing his mother's blue dragon egg which he placed in Benjen's dead hands. Sir Alliser and the others left as Aegon poured some of the ale they brought with them around Benjen's body as well as the rest of the keep, including a very angry and thrashing Craster, leading a trail out the door where Alliser and his men gathered with Craster's daughters still scared and huddled together. Aegon felt a little nostalgic in that moment of how he burned the sept in Winterfell. A pleasant memory which helped relax him for what he was about to do.
Aegon took a torch and lit the trail which soon began to engulf the keep. The men were almost as nervous as the women around him now. The watchers on the Wall will see the smoke and send others to see what happened soon. Plus, all of Craster's daughters were witnesses to their crimes here but he couldn't worry about that right now. Aegon had something far more important to worry about.
As some of the men whispered, they should leave soon, Aegon kept his focus on the keep until he finally felt it. He had discussed this moment countless times with Briggle. The Children of the Forest were very knowledgeable about magic and sacrifices considering there were stories of ancient blood sacrifices before the weirwoods going back thousands of years.
It was like a tug on his heart pulling him toward the fire and everything else around him felt slightly dull to his senses. With each step toward the keep the feeling became stronger and all else he could sense started dulling even more.
Sir Alliser noticed Aegon as he stepped forward and tried to stop him before he got to close to the burning keep. Aegon looked at him in his eyes and firming told them all.
"All of you men are to do nothing. I have put my faith in you tonight and now I ask for your faith in me now. I am going to show you all the worth of your loyalty and faith. Stand fast and hold firm." Aegon commanded to all standing before the burning entrance of the keep.
Alliser reluctantly stepped back as Aegon entered the burning keep. The flames didn't feel hot even as he felt his cloak and clothes catch fire. The heat should have made it difficult for his eyes to see and he should have been choking on the smoke but he wasn't. He heard the dragon egg humming to him as he neared and there was a light, one he was surprised the others couldn't see out the door. It was a shining deep blue light coming from the scaled surface of the egg itself. As he approached, Aegon barely noticed the flames blacking and consuming Benjen's body over the egg's bright light nor could he hear the still screaming Craster over the strange soothing hum of the dragon egg, which sounded more heavenly then anything he had ever heard.
All he could see, feel, and hear was the dragon egg itself. He grasped hold of it carefully as of it would shatter in his hands and then suddenly it did. The egg shattered into a glowing blue dust and a dark shape fell into his arms as he tightened his grasp on it. The small figure in his arms slowly started to move. The bright blue light had diminished with the blue dust that was once the shell of the egg.
The small creature in Aegon's arms moved its small tail and stretched its tiny wings which looked white with milky skin along the flaps illuminated by the glow of the fire all around them. The scales which he felt as they touched his hands and wrist were identical to the former deep sapphire of its former shell. Then as it lifted its small head, he saw in the dark of its form, two bright slitted silver eyes open for the first time.
Alliser's POV
Alliser never considered himself much of a believer, so leaps of faith were beyond him. But Alliser had believed in the Targaryens once. As a boy he grew up on the tales and songs of their ancestors along with the great and terrible deeds they accomplished over the years they reigned, which as a boy, always left him in awe. As a man he had dedicated his life to serving them, even with all the terrible things the Mad King had done, he knew Prince Rhaegar would have been a better king than his father was. The way he saw it, the madness of the Targaryens was the cost of the greatness that followed them. Everything in life came with a price and he always figured that the Mad King was the price Westeros had to pay for a greater king like Rhaegar would have been.
Then the usurper and his dogs came and butchered them all. He hated them for killing Rhaegar, his wife, and even the little children. He remembered how Stark called it a crime. But when the time came to prove his worth, the man proved himself worthless. Stark just turned his head and left without any action taken against the usurper, who spat on Rhaegar's murdered children and called them dragonspawn. The Lannisters had Alliser sent up here to the Wall to rot like all the others who believed in the dragons and refused to bend the knee to traitors and usurpers. Alliser never believed in what they said about Rhaegar raping Lyanna Stark and now his faith in the Targaryens had been rewarded by the arrival of Rhaegar's son who had come to the Wall hidden in the guise of Lord Stark's bastard of all things.
The thought now brought a smile to his face, something he had not done in a long time. Alliser naturally didn't believe the boy at first. But he could never forget the prince's silver harp. It was one of a kind, a gift from Queen Rhaella. Alliser still remained skeptical even after Snow claimed he could prove it all to him, until they came to Craster's. He couldn't stand the old daughter fucking bastard, but once Alliser had heard the truth from Benjen Stark's own mouth, he felt glad he had taken this one leap of faith.
Alliser witnessed Aegon stab his own uncle Benjen, not like a timid weak boy, but as a man capable of anything. Despite his age the boy showed himself to be intelligent enough to discover the truth Lord Stark hid from him and cunning enough to trick Benjen into confessing it. Aegon also held an aura about him that made him seem wise beyond his years, whilst his character seemed completely unafraid of anything. He hadn't feared burning that sept in Winterfell, insulting Lord Stark to his face, or even becoming a kinslayer.
All the men Alliser had gathered were former supporters of the Targaryens, all sent like himself, to the Wall to die. Together they all killed that traitorous Stark but let the prince, no the king, strike the final blow. Aegon was the rightful king and one his instincts told him was deserving of loyalty.
Alliser had been filled with fear when the young king burned down the keep with his uncle's body inside and then proceeded to enter the place with the fire still blazing. He feared the boy might be as mad as Aerys, but they all stayed there watching as the fire continued to burn until they finally saw a figure inside begin to approach the front entrance.
Just as the roof started to collapse, Aegon emerged from the burning keep alive and as far as he could tell, he was amazingly unharmed. He walked out of the flames covered in soot with what was left of his clothes, some of which was still burning on his body. Alliser could see that not a mark or singe was on his skin. Then Alliser saw a living miracle cradled in the boy's arms as he approached to give Aegon his own cloak.
A dragon.
An actual, living, breathing dragon with dark blue scales, greyish white wings shining from the light of the flames nearby, and glowing silver eyes that gazed up at him. Aegon moved in front of everyone showing them all this living marvel.
Aegon raised the dragon up for all to see. "The dragons live again! What we have done today will never be forgotten and if you follow me, the dragons shall never again fade from this world!" Aegon proudly declared.
Alliser was stunned into silence. Just like a true Targaryen, to leave him in awe.
Craster's daughters began chanting almost in unison.
"Gift of the gods. Gift of the gods. Gift of the gods." Louder and louder their voices grew as they all stared at Aegon and his newborn dragon.
All began to drop to their knees to kneel before the first living dragon in over a hundred years. In that moment Alliser felt just like he had when he was a boy, reading tales of the great dragon lords. Now as a man he was living in the middle of a new tale. For the first time in over a decade Sir Alliser Thorne felt himself cry tears of joy, as he smiled proudly before his new lord, his prince, his king.
