Aegon shifted uncomfortably in the heavy furs their father made them all wear. They had never been this far north of the Neck and even during the summer years, the North was quite chilly and southerners like themselves needed to wear thick garments. However, their father was very familiar with how northerners behaved from his dealings with House Manderly and while appearances did not matter as much in the north, it didn't hurt to show respect to the north. So, their father had them all don thick furs and cloaks like the northmen and while they served their practical purpose, Aegon felt awkward wearing so much layers on his body. Feel like a large heap of pelts right now.
However, such a discomfort was the least of their concerns at the moment.
"Kepa, why did you do that?" Rhaenys asked their father on his decision to step down publicly in front of the northern houses.
"It's for the best, Rhae," their father reasoned.
"Wouldn't it have been better if you had discussed it with us before you announced it in public?" Visenya pointed out.
Their father shook his head. "What good would that had done, Vis? All of you would have been against it and I needed to stop the northern houses from seeing me as a king."
"But you're the oldest, kepa," Visenya responded. "As the head of our family, any crown should naturally be placed on your head."
Their father shook his head again. "We may be the rulers of the Blackwater Bay, but a crown? There's a reason Aenar Targaryen did not declare himself a king despite having five dragons with him, as not only did he not have the strength to fight the various kings in Westeros, such a thought never crossed his mind. And there is a difference between ruling as a lord and ruling as a king, and I am past the age where I can learn how to do the latter."
Rhaenys looked at their father in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Look at me, Rhae. I'm an old bastard." Everyone in the room was taken aback by how he described himself. "Even though my health has improved since Vis' and Jaenyx's wedding, I cannot sire any more heirs. More importantly, I only know how to do things from how a lord would do them. There is a wide gap between the responsibilities of a lord and a king, and I am too old to be readjusted to the ways of a king."
"Kepa, don't say that," Rhaenys pleaded.
Their father gave her a sad smile. "It's the truth, tala. And to be honest with all of you, I've been looking to step down as Lord of Dragonstone for some time. I might be familiar with how lords scheme amongst each other, but any man's vitality doesn't last forever. The greatest mistake that any one in power can make is not realizing when to quit before your wits fail you. The most recent example is Black Harren, who we all saw how wretched he was when we burnt him and his family."
Will that be my fate one day? Aegon thought fearfully.
"And as Lord Snow said, change is coming to Westeros and I don't think I can cope with such a change in my current position," their father continued.
"Your father speaks the truth, riñar," their mother spoke. "As I told Egg and Rhae, he's hardly the inspiring man that he was over twenty years ago. And besides Black Harren, another good example is your grandfather, Daemion."
Aegon didn't know much about his hated grandfather other from that one time their father talked of him. Their mother was more forthcoming, as she revealed that their father was the product of an arranged marriage between Daemion and a daughter of Lord Celtigar, Crispian's grandfather, with House Celtigar offering a dowry that was enough to stabilize Dragonstone's financial situation at the time. Lord Daemion died in a freak accident before he could prepare their father to take over, whose education he delayed due to his whoring, and only with their mother was he able to mature into an able Lord of Dragonstone.
"It's past my time," their father admitted. "And if our family is going to get a crown, it needs a new head to take the helm. That's why I will step down when the time comes."
Aegon couldn't believe what he was hearing. This is too soon. I may know how to lead an army, but I don't how to maneuver through politics.
"And before any doubts enter your mind, Egg," their father turned to him. "Allow me to say this. You've led troops against the ironborn. You commanded forces against King Argilac. You helped keep our disparate troops united, and you showed that all of the years I've spent you training have paid off. You'll do fine as the head of our family."
Aegon still wanted to deny what his father was saying. "But what about you? What will you do?"
"I'm pretty sure you'll think of something, Egg," their father reassured him. "And as I said, I'm ill-prepared to guide our family through the new times, so I trust you will guide our house to better things."
Aegon exhaled before standing up straight. "I will do you proud, kepa."
Aerion clasped his shoulder strongly before pulling him into a hug. "You already have, Egg."
"What about you, Jae? What do you think of this whole thing?" Aegon had to ask his good-brother.
"As I told Lord Snow, I don't care about being a king. At the same time, I'm not going to reject the opportunity to bring my people and our family to new heights. It's as I said, Egg. We have to think bigger and I think becoming a king is the first step. Also, it grants us legitimacy against our enemies."
Aegon was confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"While a crown as an object is just… a ring of metal, the significance of a crown has more substance. Our enemies are kings or queens, and they've been holding onto their crowns for thousands of years, probably as long as there were dragonlords in Valyria. While we encountered difficulties in our forces as lords, having a crown would change things in our favor."
"How so?" Rhaenys was intrigued.
"By assuming our own crowns, we challenge the legitimacy of our enemies and force them to treat us like equals. They won't be able to ignore our new status and they would be more committed to our destruction, as defeat for them would see centuries of their house's rule come tumbling down. We raise the stakes and therefore, we retake control of the situation."
"We seize the initiative again," Visenya realized.
"Exactly," Jaenyx nodded. "And our troops are more likely to rally around a king than a lord, Egg."
Aegon took this all in. He never thought about being a king, but now, he was starting to see how necessary it was. But he needed to know something else. "What about you, Jae? What do you think of Lord Snow's words of you being a king?"
"As I told him, I don't care about being a king. However, that's something to be dealt with at another time. Right now, we need to focus on getting the northmen fully on our side and marching their troops southward. We have to win, Egg. Otherwise, the last remnants of Valyria might be snuffed out for good."
Aegon nodded. As they finished their discussion for the moment and were getting settled into their new chambers, a servant knocked on their door and told them that Torrhen Stark, his wife and queen Jocelyn, Brandon Snow, his good-father Ethan Reed, and his Mormont cousins wished to see them all in the lord's solar. However, they became uneasy when one of the people they would meet there was Maron Hoare, brother of Black Harren. Despite being the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, they all knew better than to be easy around an ironborn.
Led through the halls, the family came face to face with the Starks of Winterfell, the Lord of Greywater Watch, and the Ladies of Bear Island. At the far left of Torrhen was the ironborn black brother, his raven cloak failing to conceal how the years had not been kind on Lord Hoare. He's like his brother in that regard.
"Thank you for coming, my lords and ladies," Torrhen addressed them with their lordly titles. "I am sure that the occurrences of yesterday have been trying for you all."
"It has been, King Torrhen," their father responded. He was still the Lord of Dragonstone after all.
"Don't know if I'll be a king any longer, Lord Aerion," Torrhen pointed out. "I trust Brandon's abilities enough to take such a momentous step for our house and he says that such a move would benefit the north as much as it will help you and your family."
"So we've been told," their mother spoke. "And as we're in more private settings, perhaps we can be more forthcoming with each other."
"Of course, my lady," Torrhen gestured all of them to sit. However, Aegon spared a glance to the ironborn black brother, who looked indifferent to them. If anyone killed my brother, I would be much less collected than him.
"So, starting with the more pressing matters," Torrhen began. "I have forty thousand troops at Moat Cailin ready to march across the Neck and towards our soon-to-be adversaries. They are fresh, intact, and eager for combat. Many of my most able bannermen have contributed their troops to the muster at Moat Cailin, specifically the Umbers, the Karstarks, the Manderlys, the Glovers, and the Mormonts. Thanks to my brother Brandon, they recognize the danger posed by the Faith's holy war and are ready to safeguard the last true bastion of the First Men. But, a pact has to be formed between us before thousands of northmen are committed to the war in the south."
"Yes, you made us aware of your terms. The Twins and the Three Sisters, and you expect your future daughter to marry my future son and heir to consummate the pact," Aegon answered.
"Exactly. While us northmen would rarely concern ourselves with the affairs of the south, the northern houses would become more attentive should someone carrying First Men blood become the ruler of all Westeros."
"And while those terms are acceptable, King Torrhen," Aerion said. "I fear that our family allowing non-Valyrian blood to enter our own would weaken our family. Pure Valyrian blood is needed to bond with the dragons and thus allowing us to remain connected with the one creature that best symbolizes our heritage. Part of the reason why I had Lord Belaerys marry my eldest daughter was to bring in new dragonlord blood to strengthen ours."
"You're correct, my lord, but to an extent," Brandon Snow spoke up. "If we were Andals or any other people with no definitive connection to the magic of this world, your concerns would be well-founded. However, House Stark has the blood of Brandon the Builder, the Warg King, and the Marsh King in our veins, so if there is one house left in Westeros that has a deep connection to magic, it'll be ours."
"And your point being?" Aerion asked.
"Lord Aerion," Brandon continued. "Your reasoning to have Jaenyx Belaerys married to your eldest daughter was sound, as he does come from another dragonlord family and thus would any children he sired would have richer dragon blood, but there is also a danger of keeping magical bloodlines separate as time passes."
"We're not following," Aegon shook his head.
"I won't go into the details regarding our progenitor's connection to magic, Brandon the Builder, as that would take too long. However, when the Starks married the brood of the Warg King and later the Marsh King, our ancestors gained access to abilities such as skinchanging and the greensight. Granted, not every Stark was able to possess such abilities, but the potential was only made possible after both bloodlines were combined with that of Brandon the Builder's. It's the only reason why I have the sight."
"And you think that if a daughter of House Stark married a dragonlord, the magical properties in our blood would be amplified?" Jaenyx asked.
"Precisely," Brandon confirmed.
Aegon turned and saw Jaenyx nodding, who seemed to now understand what Brandon was saying. "It all makes sense now, if we all think about it," Jaenyx stated.
"What do you mean, my lord?" Bethany Mormont inquired.
"One of my vassal houses, the Rahitheons, are descended from Rhoynish water wizards taken captive after the last Rhoynish war. Although they were not dragonlords, the fire of Valyria was present in their blood and combined with the water magic of the Rhoyne, their abilities as builders and engineers became unparalleled. Two disparate magical bloodlines coming together to create something stronger… Taygor said something that all of the magic in the world might have different forms, but they're all connected," Jaenyx explained.
"And he would be correct, Lord Belaerys," Brandon affirmed. "How did you think I was able to converse with Lady Rhaenys in the first place? We might have different magical origins, but it's magical nonetheless."
"While I would love to continue this discussion on magic," Aegon interrupted. "You said that the northerners would accept a ruler of Westeros if he or she had the blood of the First Men."
"And you saw all of their reactions, Lord Aegon," Ethan Reed pointed out. "They might not like to see their king kneel before outsiders, but they are not stupid to see the benefits of the pact between our peoples."
"Do you believe Lord Snow when he said that the North would become richer and more powerful than ever before?" Visenya remained skeptical.
"Lady Visenya, Lord Snow told me things that… would affect how I see what the future holds for me. Things that make me worried for my people," Ethan replied with fear. Why are you afraid?
"Would Lord Snow be kind as to divulge what he said to you that makes you worried for the future?" Rhaenys asked.
"I can't go into much detail, Lady Rhaenys, as being a glimpse into the future can lead to severe misinterpretations," Brandon said slowly but deliberately. "But… I saw a timeline where Lord Aerion and Lady Valaena are long dead, that Lord Aegon married both you and Lady Visenya, that you all conquered Westeros save Dorne, and that your house ruled for centuries before being usurped by your own family and the North suffered dearly as a result of that usurpation. As time went on, the magic in your blood weakened and all of your dragons died. I couldn't see clearly what happened to the dragons Balerion and Meraxes, but I saw the dragon Vhagar being killed by another dragon and its riders both holding the name Targaryen. The death of the dragons weakened your house for good in that timeline and by the time I was done with the sight, the two houses with the most powerful connections to magic were damaged beyond repair."
The blood in Aegon's veins ran cold because of all of Brandon's revelations. He couldn't imagine his mother and father dead and while he was happy that he was married to Rhaenys in the timeline Brandon saw, he was afraid of what had occurred between himself and Visenya after he married her like he initially was prepared to do. He shuddered at the thought of his older sister not having someone like Jaenyx give her the love and devotion that she needed.
But most of all, Aegon was stunned by what happened to his family in the timeline described by Brandon. While he was initially relieved that Brandon didn't know what happened to Balerion and Meraxes, the fact that there were more dragons and Vhagar killing another while both riders were Targaryens… Is that the future of our house? We would really start killing each other? Even more disturbing was Brandon revealing that all of the dragons would die. Our family must've fucked up so bad as to allow our dragons to wither away.
Aegon saw that his parents, Rhaenys, and Visenya had become paler upon hearing what Brandon divulged about their family's future. Jaenyx was also rightfully worried, as he understood that without dragons, the Valyrians had nothing to protect them or allow them strong connections to magic. But on top of that, he was shocked at the fate of his family in that timeline.
"May I ask why you did not include Dorne among our conquests, Lord Snow?" Visenya inquired.
"I will answer that when the time is right, Lady Visenya, as that is very dangerous information. But… just because I saw this timeline, it doesn't mean we have to submit to it. Whether the northerners want to accept or not, our fate is tied to the dragons now, in that timeline and this one. The events that I saw in that timeline can be avoided and the last people with connection to magic can come out stronger."
"That's why you agreed to the pact, King Torrhen?" Aegon turned to the King in the North.
"I've seen his sight in action, Lord Aegon. And I trust his words enough to take the vital but unpopular step to safeguard the North and our people," Torrhen replied.
"But as I said to you all, I don't have any children of my own, especially a son and heir," Aegon pointed out.
"You sure about that, my lord?" Jocelyn asked pointedly.
"What are you saying, Queen Jocelyn?" Aegon was confused.
"I think you should ask either your mother or your wife, Lord Aegon," Jocelyn replied.
Aegon turned to his mother, who glanced over to Rhaenys. "What is she talking about, Rhae?"
Rhaenys hesitated, but swallowing. "I… don't know if it has happened but I've been feeling strange for a few weeks now."
"I'll stop you there, Rhae," their mother intervened. "Yes, Egg. She's pregnant."
Jaenyx and Aerion coughed, evidently not expecting such news to come out at that moment, while Visenya smiled hopefully. As for Aegon, everything seemed to drown out at the thought of him and Rhaenys being parents.
"I… I… How do you know, muna?" Aegon managed.
"I carried all of you in my womb, Egg. And Queen Jocelyn also birthed children. Trust me, I know the signs of pregnancy. Didn't you notice how she started to prefer fish to auroch in the past few weeks, or how sensitive she became to manure, or how often she started to relieve herself?" their mother listed out to Aegon.
"Muna!" Rhaenys' face blushed at their mother talking of such things in front of strangers.
"Come now, Rhae," their mother replied. "It's only appropriate that we talk of children, as we're already on the subject."
"And so, Lord Aegon, you already have an heir on the way," Brandon smiled. "Just… be prepared for the smell. Besides the noise, babies sometimes come out riding on waves of turds--"
"Good gods, Bran," Torrhen looked at him in disgust. "Don't say that."
"Might as well prepare the future king of Westeros for when his wife produces many heirs. Who knows how much shit he will have to smell during that time?"
"Wait, wait," Rhaenys held up her hand, disbelieving what Brandon just said. "What do you mean by 'heirs?'"
"The child growing in your womb is just the first of many, Lady Rhaenys. For your and your husband's sakes… try not to take a shit while you do it."
"Bran!" Torrhen scolded. However, Jocelyn shook her head in amusement, as did the rest of their extended family.
"My congratulations to you, Lord Aegon, and to Houses Targaryen and Belaerys on behalf of House Mormont," Bethany stated.
"Congratulations, Lady Rhaenys," Ethan Reed offered. "I pray to the gods that you will give birth to a healthy and strong boy that would take over House Targaryen."
"Perhaps, in light of the recent news of Lady Rhaenys' pregnancy," Queen Jocelyn spoke up. "We should delay our discussions to allow our new allies to celebrate such wondrous news?"
"No, no," Aegon shook his head. "Time is of the essence, and I would rather celebrate with my family after we get everything set in stone."
"Are you sure, Lord Aegon?" Torrhen asked.
"I'm sure, King Torrhen."
They spent the next two hours going over the specifics of their pact. Besides confirming the betrothal to Aegon's now confirmed heir and a future daughter of House Stark, the North would march their host of forty thousand northmen across the Neck towards their first target, the Twins. While it was a smaller force compared to the one assembled by the Lannisters and the turncoat riverlords, the northmen would tip the balance in the riverlands to their favor and allow them to retake the strategic initiative. Once the riverlands were secure, they would then consolidate their forces and formalize a command structure.
"I would suggest we hold a ceremony where my brother and the lords sworn to your house would formally bend the knee to you and declare you King of all Westeros after the riverlands are retaken fully," Brandon Snow recommended. "A crown has meaning only after we're in a position of strength."
"I agree, Lord Snow," Aerion nodded. "In that ceremony, I will also formally sign over the lordship of Dragonstone to Aegon and step down as head of House Targaryen. That would give him the legitimacy he needs before a crown is placed on his and Rhaenys' head."
"That leaves the question of Jaenyx and Visenya Belaerys," Jocelyn added. "If Lord Aegon and Lady Rhaenys become king and queen, what would their titles? What would be their statuses?"
Aegon knew that Jocelyn asked an important question. While he was happy that Visenya would also be a queen, Brandon Snow stated that she and Jaenyx would rule over their own lands in the future. "As Lord Snow already hinted at their future stations, it only makes sense if my sister and good-brother are treated on the same level as myself and Rhaenys. But until Jaenyx and Visenya become rulers in their own right, there can only be one king and queen. At the ceremony, I will proudly declare both of them as Prince and Princess."
Aegon saw Jaenyx and Visenya lower their heads, taking all of this in, before he caught their smiles in gratitude.
"That's sensible, Lord Aegon," Torrhen nodded.
"But while our armies move against the Lannisters and the Faith, we have to rescue Lord Baratheon from their clutches," Ethan Reed stated. "He's one of your best commanders and we need him to keep the stormlords on our side, as he proved himself a worthy leader of the stormlords. We can't have one kingdom committed while we potentially lose another."
"That's going to be a problem, my lord," Jaenyx answered, gaining everyone's attention. "Before we flew here, I got a report from one of my agents in the riverlands at the last possible moment. That report said that Lord Orys was nearing his destination at Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister, and I can only assume that he's there by now."
"Great," Torrhen remarked sarcastically. "Now, any chance of rescuing Lord Baratheon has evaporated, as no army has succeeded in taking Casterly Rock throughout its long history as the seat of the Lannisters. We can't hope to besiege it and we can't even hope to advance that far into Lannister lands without crossing its mountains, which by itself is not an easy task."
"What if we don't have to cross the mountains by foot?" Jaenyx asked. "What if we don't need an army to rescue him?"
"What are you suggesting?" Aegon asked with curiousity.
"Besides having dragons, everyone in this room must be aware of the actions at Haystack Hall, where myself and my wife Visenya were able to infiltrate and subdue the garrison there with help from experts in assassination and secret warfare. They won't be expecting such an action at a place like Casterly Rock, so I suggest we exploit that arrogance."
"No, no, no," Aegon stopped him. "This is not Haystack Hall. You're talking about a fortress built inside a mountain many times the size of the Hightower. There will be at least hundreds, maybe thousands, of troops garrisoning that keep alone, and that's not including the elaborate layouts that we have no knowledge of. You can't expect to pull off a rescue in a place like that, Jae."
"And that way of thinking," Jaenyx interrupted him. "Is why this can work. They'll be so lulled into a false sense of security that they'll let their guard down and they won't be expecting a small force to ably infiltrate and snatch one of their most valuable prisoners away to safety."
"I don't like it, Jae. You'll be putting yourself at risk and I don't know if Vis could handle it."
"You won't have to worry about me, Egg," Visenya spoke. "I will be coming with him."
"Even more reason to be against it. I can't have my brother and sister consent to such risks against them."
"Egg, we're in a war. Sometimes, we have to take huge risks to defeat our enemies, and we already took a few from the moment we set foot on the mainland. Don't you trust us?" Jaenyx asked, hoping that Aegon would answer in the affirmative.
Aegon sighed, seeing that there was no persuading Jaenyx and Visenya otherwise. "I do trust you both, but we just want you all to be safe and come back to us alive."
"Don't worry about us, Egg," Jaenyx clasped his shoulders while slightly squinting his right eye and giving him a smile.
"Before we discuss further the rescue of Lord Baratheon and the war, I must bring your attention to the representative of the Night's Watch, Lord Commander Maron Hoare," Torrhen said. "He has important matters of the Wall to discuss with you."
Aegon instantly became displeased with having to deal with the brother of Black Harren. It bothered him that they were not able to burn everyone of House Hoare at Harrenhal. The only thing that's keeping him alive is his position as the leader of the Night's Watch.
"My lords and ladies of Houses Targaryen and Belaerys, I am Maron Hoare, son of Halleck, First of His Name, King of the Isles and the Rivers. I've been in the Night's Watch for over twenty years, serving as the Lord Commander for six years now," the ironborn introduced himself while readjusting his raven cloak.
"What's an ironborn doing at the Wall?" Visenya questioned acidly. "Not many treasures or women you can pillage up there."
"Vis," Aerion warned her.
"No, no. It's all right. Lady Visenya's words speak many truths. It's one of the reasons why I decided for the Wall in the first place," Maron Hoare answered.
"You don't like being among your own?" Rhaenys asked, but she also showed her disdain for the ironborn.
Maron Hoare sighed. "I never wanted to a prince of House Hoare. My father lived in a modest house at Fairmarket and that's all I wanted, but my older brother had other ideas. It may not mean much to you now, but he wasn't always such a bastard. Then again, my current attempts to defend him now stems from the fact that no matter what he did or what he became, he was still my brother. And you killed him."
"Do you wish to kill us now, Lord Hoare?" Visenya narrowed her eyes. "You can certainly try to."
"Had circumstances been different, I would have fought gladly alongside my family. However, I'm a man of the Night's Watch now and I concluded that the Hoare name has no meaning anymore, particularly with my nephew acting like the mad dog he always was. He was the one that started this whole mess with his attempted invasion of your home, correct?"
Aegon nodded his head.
"That's the problem with ironborn in general. They don't think far ahead. And I'm surprised that the Gardeners allowed Darvin to join them in the first place."
"We're not interested in what you have to say about your family, Lord Hoare," Jaenyx spoke up. "You say you have important business to discuss with us. You'll do us all a favor by getting to the point."
While Aegon would have talked to Jaenyx about being so rude, this was an ironborn they were talking to, so he had nothing to protest about.
"Of course. If you're going to become king of Westeros, Lord Aegon, I must ask on what you will intend to do with the Night's Watch. I currently have ten thousand men under my command and such numbers must be maintained to sufficiently protect the continent from any wildling incursions. The North currently supplies most of the Watch's needs in terms of food and weapons, but the Watch would greatly benefit from supplies sent from south of the Neck. I would request shipments of beef, pork, barley, and other foodstuffs from the south if possible."
Aegon pondered his request. He was well aware of the purposes of the Night's Watch, which included guarding against a mythical threat associated with the Long Night, and the order was reliant on the generosity of houses and rulers in providing food, weapons, and men to man the Wall. If he was going to rule Westeros, he would have to set a precedent by supporting institutions that have lasted long before the Andals came, as that increased their family's standing amongst the population.
"Once the war is concluded, we shall see of any supplies that can be spared to Eastwatch," Aegon answered.
"Thank you, my lord," Maron Hoare nodded his thanks. "In addition, I have become aware that you hold prisoners in your cells. Did you offer them the choice to take the black?"
"Those prisoners currently serve a more practical use as labor," Rhaenys stated. "If we gave them the option to become a black brother while we're still at war, it would not only burden our resources, but it would set a bad example for our enemies should they be captured by us."
"I fully understand that," Maron Hoare nodded. "However, all I ask is that once hostilities have concluded, you give your prisoners the option to take the black. The Night's Watch would need the extra manpower to supplement our numbers at the Wall."
Aegon sighed, not exactly sure of the ironborn's commitment to his vows to the Watch, as no one had heard of an ironborn committing to any vows in general. But, he remembered that he had to set a precedent. "When the wars are done, we will give our prisoners that option."
"Thank you, my lord," Maron Hoare slightly dipped his head.
"But just one question," Jaenyx adjusted his head straighter. "You command ten thousand men at the Wall. What's to stop from marching south to help your nephew, vows be damned?"
Aegon had to admit that Jaenyx's worries were legitimate. While ten thousand men was barely a force to be concerned about, it did send a powerful message that the Hoares were sticking together, which may affect the situation in the riverlands since Darvin Hoare may be looking to regain the riverlands as its king.
"Even if I did convince a majority of my senior men to march with me, I would never make it as far as the Wolfswood," Hoare explained. "I might have ten thousand men, but many of them would not stand a chance against hardened northern or southern warriors. Plus, it would take a month to reach the Neck and the northern houses would gradually cut down any army I assemble. More importantly, I would be violating the Watch's vows to keep the realm protected from the regions north of the Wall by siding with my nephew, who I don't anything to do with, and I'll be signing my own death warrant anyway in that instance. So, you have my word that I won't march any of my swords against you."
"Hmmmm… We shall see, Lord Hoare," Jaenyx simply answered. While Aegon was inclined to accept Lord Hoare staying true to his vows to the Night's Watch, he also saw that the ironborn was acting in his own interest of self-preservation, as he understood that both of his choices would end with his death, either now or many years down the line.
They all decided to confirm the pact in public at Widow's Watch great hall on the morrow before retiring to their chambers. Upon reaching them, Aegon was the first to embrace Rhaenys, kissing her neck and then her lips as elation filled his being at the thought of being a father.
"You have no idea how happy I am, Rhae," Aegon said while buried against her neck.
"I wasn't sure, Egg, but I'm glad it was like that," Rhaenys replied happily.
Their mother, father, Visenya, and Jaenyx all joined their hug. "We're going to be grandparents?" Aegon felt their mother's tears of joy stream down on them.
"Yes, muna," Rhaenys replied.
"Listen, Rhae," their mother looked at Rhaenys straight. "I don't care if it's a boy or a girl. I just hope it's a healthy babe."
"I know it will be, muna," Rhaenys smiled while Aegon put his head against her belly.
"I think I can almost hear the babe's pulse," Aegon pressed his ear harder.
"Too early for that, Egg, but the signs are clear," Aerion pointed out.
Aegon glanced at Visenya and Jaenyx. While both were clearly happy at the thought of being an aunt and uncle, he could see that Visenya was slightly depressed at not being pregnant. They were going at it for over a year now and no pregnancy coming as a result must've been distressing for them. They didn't seem to care, but Aegon caught a glimpse of dejection in Visenya's eyes.
But before Aegon could move to hug them both to comfort them, he saw their mother and Rhaenys take a closer look at Visenya. "Your skin is glowing brighter more than usual, Vis," their mother observed.
That caught Visenya off guard. "I'm sorry?"
"Did you notice your last moon blood, Vis?" their mother pressed.
"Um, no. Muna, what's going on?"
"Vis, can you stand up straighter?" Rhaenys asked Visenya. Unsure of why she asked that, Visenya did so. Rhaenys came closer to her older sister before placing a hand on her breast and squeezing it, prompting a jolt from her.
"Rhae! What are you doing?" Visenya exclaimed.
"Her breast feel swollen, muna," Rhaenys revealed, causing both of their eyes to widen.
"Rhae, what's going on?" Visenya asked with apprehension, but Aegon could see that she already knew the answer.
"Feel this, Vis," Rhaenys took Visenya's right hand and placed it on her left breast. "Feel how swollen this is?"
Aegon could see Visenya's eyes water. "Wait, so you're saying—"
"The signs are clear, Vis," their mother grinned. "You're with child."
Visenya put her hands over her mouth, barely able to contain the joy she felt at the moment. Aegon looked to Jaenyx, who was stunned but he saw a toothy smile grow on his face before he turned to his wife.
"You're pregnant?" Jaenyx placed his hand on her belly.
"I guess so," Visenya shrugged while tears streamed down her face. Both exchanged laughs, which spread to the rest of the family in the chambers, before Jaenyx picked her up in his arms and spun her around, not caring how small the space was.
"I'm going to be a kepa, I'm going to be a kepa, I'm going to be a kepa," Jaenyx kept repeating while reverting to his High Valyrian. After setting her down on the floor, Visenya pulled him in for a deep kiss while Aegon, Rhaenys, and their parents hugged the soon-to-be father and mother.
"I hope it's a boy, you two," Aegon hoped. "It's only right since both of you are hard people."
"I just hope that our child is healthy, Egg," Vis managed while they were buried in their combined embrace.
"I just hope to be a good father," Jaenyx answered.
"You will be, Jae," Rhaenys smiled at him. "And me and Egg look forward to seeing our nephew or niece. Maybe instead of one, Vis is carrying twins?"
"Okay, now you're thinking too far ahead, Rhae," Visenya said. "Let's just… celebrate this day, because this is the day we found out that we will be parents."
Aegon sighed happily, delighted at how far his older sister came from the sulking warrioress he grew up with to the happy and content woman and soon-to-be mother. All she needed was someone that never diminished her and Jaenyx was that someone.
The family spent the next few moments in each other's warm embrace, rejoicing in the babes that would come, but a hint of worry remained in Aegon's mind, especially when he remembered what Brandon said about his family killing each other. I shall spend the rest of my days teaching my children to never spill each other's blood.
Aegon held onto Balerion's spines as the cool night air swept against his face. He donned his black plate armor, but chose to wield Flame Screecher for this night, as he wanted to see how well he could wield the Valyrian steel greatsword gifted to him by Jaenyx in battle. Like at Dragonstone, Balerion was flying in a circle alongside Meraxes, Vhagar, and Cloudwynd above Daemon's fleet as they were sailing back to Duskendale. Besides the twenty ships from Driftmark, there were twenty vessels from White Harbour carrying two thousand northerners mostly of House Manderly but also hailing from houses such as the Flints and the Hornwoods. They would be the first of many northerners to venture south of the Neck in centuries.
Aegon knew they had to be alert since they were passing by a particularly dangerous part of the Vale coastline, the waters around Gulltown. Although they could have traveled to Widow's Watch within a matter of days by dragonback, they needed an entourage to escort them and they were fortunate to not have encountered enemy ships on their way to the north, but their journey back may not be so uneventful. As such, the crews on both the Velaryon and Manderly ships were on alert, keeping their eyes focused on the seas around them.
However, unlike at Dragonstone, clouds filled most of the night skies and thus blocking the moonlight that helped them detect Darvin Hoare's ships. While Daemon could still use the stars to navigate their way back to Duskendale, having no moonlight meant that they couldn't properly detect any enemy ships approaching them from a distance. They also had to keep the coastline within their line of sight but not too close where those onshore could see them. No torches could be lit, as the enemy could see flames across open water for miles. Thus, they had to keep tight formation as to ensure that all made it to the Blackwater Bay.
As the ships sailed, Aegon could faintly see on dragonback the lights of Gulltown, the largest town and major port of the Vale. However, squinting his eyes, he noticed a lot of activity from how some of the torches moved. Glancing to Rhaenys, he nudged Balerion towards the town and scanned the waters below him. As the town grew closer, he strained his neck to look directly underneath Balerion, only to find dozens of ships sailing in the direction of their own. Gods, there must be at least sixty ships heading towards Daemon, and he can't see them! Acting quickly, he had Balerion dive down and adjusted his aim towards the right flank of the enemy fleet. I might not be able to take them all out in one go, but I can warn Daemon of what's coming.
As Balerion neared his target, Aegon yelled, "Dracarys!" A stream of black fire spewed out from the dragon's mouth, burning or disintegrating eight ships while many enemy crewmen screamed in agony. However, the only reason why the flames were visible was because there were hints of red among the black, and Aegon could only hope that it was enough.
Against the red flames, Aegon could spot Braavosi sails, which he knew from how they were shaped. Oh no. Now we're really in trouble. Braavos had a powerful navy, with captains whose skills could rival Daemon's, and there were fifteen of them. What was more disconcerting was how fast the Braavosi and Vale ships were closing the distance between them and the vessels commanded by Daemon and the Manderlys. Even if I could take out many ships, there's not enough time and they would still outnumber Daemon.
Remembering what they did at Dragonstone, Aegon flew back to the circle and signaled to the others of what he wanted to do. If we can't take them all out in time, at least we can control how they move. He directed Rhaenys to have Meraxes burn an arc on the left flank of the fleet, Visenya to cut off their escape, and Jaenyx to burn across them. Aegon thought that since this was a strategy that worked before, they should try it again.
As Meraxes burned her arc with her yellow flames, Aegon noticed something was off. He counted only ten ships in the circle that was about to be formed with dragonfire, and they didn't look like they were meant for naval combat. Turning to his right, he saw that the fleet had split up, with the fast ships diverting away from their original course and splitting further into two groups that ran parallel with each other. That's when Aegon realized what they were doing. Shit! Those ten ships were sacrifices for their better ones to get closer to Daemon. And now, they're going to engage him on both sides.
Seeing that he couldn't have Balerion release his fires without risking Daemon and the Manderly ships, Aegon decided that he needed to personally protect their parents and fight alongside the troops. Balerion, get me down there, he spoke to his dragon via his connection.
Balerion turned his head to Aegon. Are you mad?!
There's no time to argue! Any more fire from you will risk cousin Daemon and they'll need someone skilled with a blade down there. I can handle myself.
But you never jumped off of me before. If the waters or the deck don't kill you, they will certainly mess your legs up and you'll be no good to anyone.
Then get me lower, Balerion. I might be able to at least make it to Daemon's ship before the enemy closes in on him.
Aegon felt Balerion's grunt, not liking what he was asking him to do. However, they've been bonded since before Aegon could hold a sword and Balerion knew that his rider would never ask him to do something as risky as jump into the water if he didn't give good reason. Overcoming his reluctance, Balerion dove down and leveled out just before plunging into the sea, with his feet skidding across the surface. Able to recognize Daemon's ship and fastening Flame Screecher tightly, Aegon let go of Balerion's spines and allowed the wind to push him off his dragon and into the water.
Crashing into the water, Aegon swam up to the surface and towards Daemon's ship. Luckily, one of the crew spotted the heir to Dragonstone quickly and threw a rope for him to grab onto. More crewmen helped Aegon up onto the deck and gave him rags to dry off before Daemon walked up to Aegon.
"Egg, why did you do that?" his cousin questioned. "You didn't have to get off of Balerion's back. We could have handled the enemy."
"You don't understand," Aegon started to say.
"No, I do understand. We're being surrounded and the only way to hold of the enemy is close combat. We might be overwhelmed, but it's better if—"
"Egg!" their mother came onto the deck. "What are you doing here?"
"Muna, the enemy is surrounding us. Please, go back to your cabin," Aegon tried to say.
"Why are you here, Egg? You're safe on Balerion."
"If I use Balerion to attack, Daemon could be hurt as well. The only way left is to fight the enemy, blade with blade," Aegon reasoned.
"Look!" Daemon pointed to the night sky. Aegon turned around and saw Vhagar and Cloudwynd descend close to the water, with Visenya and Jaenyx also sliding into the water. The crewmen pulled them out of the water, but Aegon was astounded at his sister and good-brother also joining him.
"Vis, why are you here?" their mother was more than surprised.
"If Egg is going to fight on the decks with his sword, then I shall do so also," Visenya declared. "I might be pregnant, but I am far from incapable because of it. Besides, I have my dragon coat on me, so the baby and I will be safe."
"And you, Jae? What about you?" Aegon turned to his good-brother.
"Someone's gotta to protect your ass after that little stunt you pulled," Jaenyx simply said.
Aegon chuckled. "I would worry about yourself and Vis, Jae. You're going to be a father, so keep yourself safe."
"I could say for the same for you, Egg," Visenya pointed out.
"All right, all right. Less chatting, more focusing on the enemy," Daemon interrupted.
Aegon had a Velaryon man escort their mother back to her cabin while charging him to keep her and their father safe. Like at Willows Wail, they would have to rely on Rhaenys to control the dragons from the air.
"Load shot!" Daemon ordered the crew as they prepared debris and flaming missiles to be released against the enemy via catapults. Meanwhile, archers and crewmen prepared themselves, with the former preparing fire-tipped arrows and the latter bringing out axes and swords.
As for Aegon, Jaenyx, and Visenya, they drew their blades and waited for the inevitable ship melee. Drawing Flame Screecher from his back, Aegon couldn't help but marvel at the design of the sword for a moment before setting the tip against the deck and holding the pommel with both hands.
The Vale and Braavosi vessels closed the distance against their own, with their enemies arranged with all of their bows pointed towards them. However, before Daemon gave the order to release their missiles upon them, the enemy turned to their starboard and they soon faced the sides of the enemy ships. Aegon eyes widened.
"Take cover!" Aegon heard Daemon yell before he, Visenya, and Jaenyx ducked as flaming arrows and catapult shot collided on the deck. Some of the crew didn't heed the warning in time and they fell onto the deck, lifeless and pierced with arrows.
"Return volley!" Daemon ordered as their archers emerged and countered the enemy's arrows while the catapults released their shots. The exchange of arrows and catapult shots lit up the dark seas around the fleets, as all of the vessels were engaged in a furious swap of flaming debris in an attempt to sink their adversaries before they sunk them.
Eventually, Daemon had all of the archers abandon volleys and allowed them to release at will. One of the catapults landed a shot on a Vale ship, which penetrated their hull. Aegon saw black fluids leak from the hole, which he surmised was tar and oil. One of the archers saw it and landed a flaming arrow into the growing black pool, which ignited the oil and had the Vale ship burst into flames. Aegon could hear the screams from that ship, which resembled that of high pitched squeals that dying pigs would release as they neared death.
But there was no time to celebrate. Aegon turned and saw a Braavosi ship closing on their port side, close enough for the enemy crew to throw ropes and climb onto their ship.
"Here they come," Daemon observed as he drew his sword.
"Aye," Aegon readied Flame Screecher. "Prepare for combat!"
Sure enough, the Braavosi ship was parallel to theirs and the enemy threw hooks onto their sides, tightening their hold on Daemon's ship. As the two ships grew closer, they saw Essosi sailors yell in anticipation for the coming onslaught. However, deciding that he had enough of waiting, Aegon took the initiative and jumped onto the ship before any Braavosi could jump on Daemon's.
Aegon landed on the deck and swung Flame Screecher around in a circle, cutting down a few sailors while forcing others back to avoid being cut. That gave Visenya, Jaenyx, and some plucky crew from Daemon's ship to jump onto the Braavosi vessel and engage the enemy sailors. Aegon swung Flame Screecher downwards, leaving a cut so deep that he could almost see the sailor's lungs and ribs as he bled out.
Aegon turned around just in time for to parry two sailors axe strikes, their axe heads attempting to hook onto Flame Screecher and pull it from his hands. However, Aegon pushed the blade against them and made them stumble backwards. Before they could recover, he swept the blade against their legs, the Valyrian steel proving its worth by seamlessly cutting their bones and slicing off them. He finished them off with a swing in the opposite direction, which cut across their chests and left a deep enough cut to sever their major blood arteries.
Aegon saw an Essosi attempting to sneak on Jaenyx, and he reacted quickly by piercing his back with Flame Screecher and pushing him away from his good-brother. Jaenyx noticed Aegon and they stood back-to-back as the ship melee continued.
"Thought you needed help," Aegon quipped.
"Flame Screecher working well, brother?" Jaenyx smirked.
"Only one way to find out," Aegon finished before they both re-engaged the enemy.
Both Flame Screecher and Seablaze continued to cut through the Essosi crew like a hot knife through butter. Aegon saw his good-brother parry an enemy's sword thrust with a dagger before stabbing him in the heart with his ancestral sword. He then spun around and cut a man's throat with his dagger before decapitating him. As for Aegon, he continued to swing away with Flame Screecher with all of the strength he could muster. He kicked a Braavosi in the shin, forcing his torso and face down, before Aegon sliced upward by grabbing onto the hilt and blade carefully as if it were a pole. He finished him off with a downward thrust into his back before kicking him off of his blade.
However, Aegon saw that the few men that jumped with him, Visenya, and Jaenyx were too few to take on the entire crew of the enemy ship. If they didn't get off quickly, they might be overwhelmed. Thinking fast, Aegon saw a bucket of tar and spilled it onto the deck. He pushed Visenya and Jaenyx back to Daemon's ship before grabbing a torch and lighting it. The remaining crew of the Braavosi ship was ignited when the tar caught fire and Aegon cut the ropes that held Daemon's ship to the enemy's before the fires could spread. They were able to get to a safe distance before they saw the enemy ship burst into flames completely.
Aegon looked back to the ship and saw not elation but exhaustion. Only half of Daemon's crew remained standing, with many wounded, pierced with arrows, and nursing blade cuts. They were all covered in soot and could barely keep themselves up. As for Daemon, his silver hair was peppered with ash and his purple eyes were stinging from the smoke all around them. He was relieved to see Daemon, Visenya, and Jaenyx largely unharmed, but it didn't take long for Aegon to observe what was going on around him.
Flames, both from their dragons and the burning ships, danced upon the dark seas. What remained of many ships on both sides were aflame and were slowly sinking into their watery graves. The corpses of the dead and barely living floated on the surface, all of them trying in vain to grasp one more moment of being alive before sinking into the darkness. For those unlucky to die in the water, their fleshed was cooked slowly as the fires got them. Screams could be heard, who they belonged to being irrelevant at the moment.
Aegon looked up and saw that the dragons were flying above them. But he knew too well that this was no time to celebrate. He glanced at their fleet and counted far fewer ships than they started with. He also saw that they were withdrawing quickly from the waters off of Gulltown, as the flames would attract more enemy ships to the area.
"How many?" Aegon asked.
"We lost," Daemon gulped. "Nineteen ships, both from Driftmark and from White Harbour, and I estimate about three thousand casualties. We won't know how many dead and wounded until we make port at Duskendale."
"And the enemy?" Visenya asked their cousin.
"Looks like they suffered heavy casualties also, but they used the same strategy at Riverrun. It seems they finally found a way to counter our dragons, by using the night."
Aegon sheathed Flame Screecher before straightening himself up. "How long before we can make it back to the Blackwater Bay?"
"Less than a week, Egg. If we can get past the Crackclaw Point and reach the outskirts of Claw Isle, we'll be safe."
"Do it," Aegon managed before walking slowly below deck. He ignored the damage sustained by Daemon's ships, as the masts were near snapping and the sails almost ripped beyond repair. He ignored the fact that their fleet would have to limp back to their home and show that they sustained another tactical defeat at the hands of their enemies. He had to ignore them, for it became too much for Aegon to handle at the moment.
Aegon found the chambers he used whenever he was on Daemon's ship and lied down on the bed, the exhaustion pulling him towards sleep. He couldn't find the strength to be angry and it wouldn't do anyone good anyway since Daemon and the rest did the best they could. He would have to tolerate sleeping alone for one night, as he knew that sleep would take him before Rhaenys reached him.
The one comfort he could get was the fact that he was going to be a father, and so was Jaenyx. If only Orys was with us… Aegon thought before he slipped into a dreamless slumber.