Chapter Text
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AEGON V
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124 AC -
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Aegon hates the unstable nature of a ship and the endless sea on the horizon, but he was powerless to avoid that fate.
He was born in the land to rule the sky, not to sail on a bunch of wood on the sunset sea.
But, sadly, that is the position that he finds himself in.
As planned beforehand, Oldtown gave them a large ship to sail the Targaryen siblings to their next destiny: Lannisport.
Looking at the raging sea from the front of the ship and ignoring his urge to puke, Aegon thinks about Oldtown, the lands of his mother's family.
Despite the lack of warmth from the Hightowers when compared to Tyrells, it was still a more comfortable experience.
Mostly because he didn't have to deal with a bunch of poweful young lords or heirs seeking the constant attention of his sister.
He wants that whole thing to be over so he can walk back to his old life, but he can't let his sister be used in the schemes of others.
Liking it or not, they are tied here. If she fells in that trap, it would bring shame to him on the eyes of their parents.
He is used to the stares, but he wants to avoid the scolding like plague.
Suddenly, Aegon feels a drop of water falling in his face. Soon, more drops fall on him and in rest of the ship.
Looking up, Aegon can see the sun hiding behind the dark clouds in the horizon as the sound of a thunder echoes through the sky.
A big storm is about to appear.
Not interested in standing on the rain, Aegon pass through some servants and sailors as he walks to the inside of the ship through a door.
He goes down a ladde and opens the second door on the smal corridor.
It is not a enormous ship, but it has some privileges, like a room with hanmocks where sailors can rest for a bit in a long journey.
However, he is not alone in the room.
Helaena is in a hammock on the corner of the room, reading a small red book.
"Did you find anything interesting this time?" She asks in a playful manner, keeping her eyes on the book. Aegon grunts.
"Sadly, no. I was hoping that a pirate or ironborn ship would try to sack us. Sunfyre would certainly enjoy a new toy." The prince proclaims with a sarcastic smile as he closes the door and walks to a hammock. Helaena frowns.
"Ironborn and pirates might be many things, but they are not stupid enough to attack a ship with the Targaryen sigil that has dragons flying around it." The princess explains, turning a page. Aegon snorts, laying on the hammock.
"A bunch of mad raiders are too much to ask for?" The prince asks in a provocatice tone before sighing as he relaxes his back on the hammock.
Helaena does not answer as Aegon stares at the ceiling above him.
He can hear the creak of he wood of the ship as it moves and the several voices of servants on the distance.
But nothing can compare with the loud sound of the rain on the ship as it gets stronger. The thunders makes the whole thing shake and their light enters in the room through a small window.
The only other source of light is a pair of small torchs hanging on the walls. It's flames restrained to not burn anything.
As such, the room as a whole is quite dark, making Aegon yawn. It is a place for rest, after all.
Looking at his side, he looks at Helaena, observing how interested she is on her book. Her expression is neutral and Aegon can see her eyes moving as she reads.
"What is that book about?" The prince asks, a bit curious. Helaena finally looks away from her book, smiling a bit to her brother.
"It is about the history of House Lannister. I tought that it would be a good idea to read more about them before we arrive in Lannisport." The princess proclaims in a honest tone, closing her book as she relaxes in the hammock. Aegon frowns.
"Anything interesting?" The prince asks. Helaena nods, still smiling.
"A lot of things, actually. My favorite one, however, is Casterly Rock itself. The Casterlys literaly built a huge palace inside a enormous rock that is still standing after thousands of years. It is just absurd to imagine." The princess explains, looking at the ceiling of the ship as she keeps the book against her chest.
However, Aegon smirks.
"And they lost that same palace to the Lannisters." The prince provokes. Helaena sighs and then frowns.
"That is what bothers me. We know that Lann Lannister took the castle from the Casterlys, but what he actually did is lost to time..." The princess says, staring at the cover of her book. Aegon snorts and looks back at the ceiling.
Helaena starts reading her book once again.
They remains in silence for quite a long time, just enjoying the dark room and hearing sound of the rain and the occasional thunders.
Aegon was almost napping when he hears Helaena moving. He looks at his sister to see her closing the book. She looks at him with a smile in the corner of her mouth.
"I just ended the book. Do you want to read it as well?" The princess asks in a soft tone. Aegon smirks.
"Me? Read a book? Don't make me laugh. I prefer to play that stupid finger game of the ironborn than read a tedious history book." The prince proclaims with disdain. Helaena frowns to him.
"Don't say that, Aegon. You missed a opportunity when you refused to go with me to the Citadel. I saw books about almost everything that you can possibly imagine. I am certain that you would find something interesting for you as well." The princess proclaims with confidence.
Aegon let out a sarcastic laugh.
"What i enjoy can't be offered by the simpletons from the Citadel. After all, they abdicated it to become maesters in the first place." The prince mocks with a malicious smile. Helaena gasps and then gets up from her hammock, looking at her brother with a slight irritation on her face.
"There is more in life than the pleasures of the flesh, Aegon. You should open your eyes to all the beautiful things that the world have to offer." The princess proclaims in a serious tone. Aegon frowns to her, getting up from his hammock as well.
Looking at his sister in the eyes, Aegon grunts.
"Life is not all about fucking. It is also about drinking, feasting, sleeping and anything else that brings pleasure to a person. We are just beasts killing each other for a bigger piece of meat! Pleasure is everything. That is the truth of this world. Nothing else matters." The prince proclaims with a bitter tone, losing himself a bit.
Looking at Helaena, he expected to see the same glance that he saw his entire life.
Disappointment.
However, that is not what he sees.
In Helaena's face there is a different emotion.
Sadness.
They remain in silence as they look at each other. Just them and the sea until Helaena sighs and looks at him with her tearful purple eyes.
"And i can see how much that search for pleasure is slowly destroying you. It hurts not only your body, but also hurts everyone around you." She says in a a low tone. Aegon keeps his frown as his shoulders get more tense.
"The only one that should care about my body and my happiness is me. Only me." The prince proclaims in his bitter tone. Helaena looks at the ground with a distant gaze.
"Did you know that our mother prays for you every night?" The princess asks in a soft tone. Aegon nods slowly.
"Yes. She says it all the time. What is the big deal?" The prince asks, dry. Helaena looks at him with a frown.
"She could pray for anything or anyone, but she prays thinking about you. Don't you get it?" The princess asks once again. Aegon smirks.
"Oh, i know. She begs to the gods every night to fix her worthless firstborn son. What else would she pray for?" The prince asks in his spiteful tone. Helaena frowns to him, but her expression is still sad.
"She prays for you because she is worried about you. Because she loves you." The princess proclaims with a soft voice.
Aegon takes a step back, feeling like something is stuck in the back of his throat.
And then, he lets it out.
"As if!" The prince says with a angry tone as his heart starts to beat faster. Helaena looks at him with surprise on her wide eyes.
"W-what do you mean?" She asks, hesitating.
Aegon takes a step towards her.
"I can see their eyes. Their judgement. From father, from Aemond, from mother and... from you." The prince says in a bitter tone behind his rispid voice. Helaena looks at him with more confusion.
"F-from me? But i never..."
Aegon grunts and takes a step forward.
A heavy step.
"Don't try to deny it, sister. Aemond see me as a waste of air. Father see me as a disappointment. Mother see me as her failure. And you... you are the worst." The prince aks, looking at his sister in the eyes.
Purple eyes full of anger against purple eyes full of tears.
Helaena looks down and sniffs, her body shaking as she holds her tears.
And Aegon can't stop himself.
He hold it for too long.
"...you are the worst because you believe in this family. You offer a illusion to me. You lie to me, Helaena. It is so obvious! After all, who would ever care about me in that family?!" The prince asks in a sarcasctic way, frowning with anger and sadness at his sister.
And then, he hears hiccups as Helaena covers her face and looks up.
Her face is red as tears roll down her eyes.
And suddenly, Aegon's anger vanishes with the surprise.
Helaena, however still face him firmly, even if she is crying.
"I-i care." The princess says before walking away from the room in a fast pace.
As the door closes, Aegon feels a weight on his shoulders.
Guilty.
Moving a hand to his face, he feels the tears that he was shedding without knowing.
Walking at a nearby wall, he holds himself with his shaking hands.
And he slams his head against the wall of wood and let his tears flow.
It must be his destiny.
He is destined to be the misery of his family.
---
Aegon did not talk with Helaena for the rest of their travel. He decided to let time heal that wound on it's own.
And then, the ship arrived in Lannisport.
In a day of nice weather, the two siblings walk out of the ship while being surrounded by their retinue as they cross thorugh the walls of the city.
Lannisport is full of details in gold all around it. From the banners of House Lannister in the roads to some minor buildings. It is just everywhere.
Dozens or maybe hundreds of people gather around the roads that make the way out of the docks and cheer at the sight of the retinue. Some of them points to the dragons flying around in the sky.
Lannister guards are restraining their movement so they don't gather in the roads and block the passage of the Targaryen retinue.
"It looks like Lord Lannister prepared the whole thing beforehand. The decoration is too... refined. I wonder what he is planning to do." Helaena says with a curious expression.
It is the first time that he hears her voice since their discussion.
He doesn't know what to say to her, so he just nods and walks towards the carriage that they see at the end of the road.
Most guards of the City Watch of Lannisport wears a high quality steel armor and a large steel shield with the sigil of House Lannister in it.
However, in front of the carriage that was most certainly brough to carry them to Casterly Rock, a man in red armor stands sideways to not block their entrance.
He is not using his helmet, so Aegon can see his light brown hair and short beard. He also has a small scar near his left eye. His dark green eyes are firmly on them and he keeps a proud posture. Some ordinary guards are standing behind him.
Aegon assumes that the man is a guard with a higher position.
When the Targaryens arrive in front of the red guard and the other men, they bow.
"My prince. My princess. I hope that everything went well in your travel from Oldtown. I am Ser Gorgon, the Commander of the City Guard of Lannisport. My men will be guiding your carriage towards Casterly Rock." The man proclaims, recovering the proud posture of a warrior. Aegon smirks.
"Too well. Not a single ship of fools tried their luck against the dragons. That was a shame." The prince says with a provocative tone, waving his hand.
Right after, Sunfyre dives down, almost hitting the buildings of the city before flying upwards.
The people around scream and coil under the sudden presence of the golden beast. Aegon laughs and Ser Gorgon frowns.
"I see. It certainly was quite a tough travel for the dragons, right?" The commander asks. Aegon laughs a bit.
"Tough? No. Slow? For sure. They would travel to the coasts of the Reach ahead of the ship to rest and then catch up with us afterwards." The prince explains. The red knight nods.
"I understand. I was worried about what the dragons might cause to the city, but Lord Lannister assured me that it would not be a issue." The man proclaims. Helaena looks at him with curiosity.
"What did he say?"
"He said that dragons can behave better than some men."
Aegon laughs.
"He is wise. Sunfyre might be a ravager by nature, but he is not stupid. He will probably find a nice place to stay, where he can't be bothered. The same goes for Dreamfyre." The prince explains in a casual tone. The commander nods.
"That is good to hear, my prince. However, i think that we need to go." The man declares and moves to the side with his men, pointing to the carriage.
The siblings walk to the insides of the fancy chair. Red and decorated with golden ornaments that resemble lions. Aegon smirks after taking his seat.
"What a predictable decoration for the Lannisters. Well, at least it is comfortable." The prince jokes.
However, Helaena remains in silence as she takes a more distant seat from his, looking through the window of the carriage.
Aegon snorts and relaxes on his seat, looking at a wall.
Hopefully, that page will be turned with time.
And so, the carriage starts moving towards Casterly Rock.
Their first sight of the city was impressive, but things changed while they crossed it with the carriage.
At least for Aegon.
Lannisport slowly lost his interest as it became more of the same on his eyes. He was never much interested in buildings, after all.
However, Helaena was still as impressed as ever.
Aegon looks to his sister with a frown, observing as she waves her hands to the smallfolk as they cheer and waves their own hands towards her.
She also points at every new thing that she sees in the city and tells him what she thinks about it.
From the decadence of a statue to the glorious form of a small sept in the area.
Her face is filled with a almost childish happiness.
Helaena's smile, her bright eyes and the light of the sun on her pale skin and golden-silver hair makes her look like the incarnation of purity itself.
The tought makes Aegon laugh a little.
She is too pure for this world.
A flower waiting for a shoe to step on her.
She makes Aegon feel unease, but also brings a short smile to his face.
---
Casterly Rock recovered his interest quite fast.
The outside was strange to look at. A enormous castle that emerged from a stone hill is impressive, but is certainly much different than usual.
The south entrance that they took was enormous. Caraxes would have trouble opening that doors that resemble the mouth of a lion.
He was almost happy that Helaena begged his parents and their uncle to allow them to dock in Lannisport rather in the rock itself.
And then, they entered.
As expected from the Lannisters, the inside of Casterly Rock has several details covered in gold along the carvenous construction.
Lions decorate the walls as if they were running through the hallways in search for pray.
And the whole thing was very tall. A elephant probably could pass through the doors and walk in the hallways without much issue.
The steps of the Targaryens and their retinue echoes through the walls of the castle.
"It is fantastic. I have to say that. However, i am still worried about getting buried in stone in a blink of an eye." The prince proclaims in a sarcastic way as he looks to the ceiling. Helaena smiles to him.
"It reminds me of the Dragonpit. It is almost like we are back in King's Landing." She proclaims as she looks around, observing everything. Aegon smirks.
"I don't remember the dragonpit being as full of gold, however." The prince jokes, receiving a laugh from his sister.
Aegon frowns for a second.
Her smile.
It brings his unease back.
He hates that feeling.
---
When they passed through the heavy doors of the main hall of Casterly Rock, Aegon had expectations from all that he had seen before.
And the main hall was exactly what he tought it would be.
A hall full of ornaments in gold, with two statues of lions standing in two feet in both sides of the entrance door.
The polished floor of marble is almost reflexive and the whole hall has several pillars that connects to the ceiling of rock.
A luxurious hall that also resembles it's true nature. A enormous cave.
The Targaryen retinue stop near the door as Aegon and Helaena walks forward on their own.
At the front, a man seat in a large golden and red chair, and a woman seats in a smaller chair by his side.
The man stands up with a smile. He has a long and curly blonde hair tht falls to his shoulders and a pair of relaxed green eyes. His fine red clothes are well adjusted on his body and several details in gold can be seen in the borders.
However, what Aegon notices the man is his face. His face is very familiar to him.
By his side, the woman stands with a frown as she observes them from head to toe.
She has a modest figure, with long and braided brown hair and firm dark brown eyes.
And judging by her posture, she is definetly not a passive lady in the court matters.
Extending his arms wide, the man walks towards them, followed by the woman. He bows.
"Welcome to Casterly Rock, my princes. I hope that everything is going well. My name is Jason Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West. And that prideful lady by my side is my wife, Lady Johanna Westerling." The head of House Lannister proclaims, gently taking a hand of his wife and moving her towards them with a soft smile.
The Lady of Casterly Rock is still cold with her eyes. However, she bows.
"We have been waiting for your arrival for quite a long time, my princes. I am glad to see that both of you are still whole of body." The woman declares, making her expression softer as she smiles a bit to show her warmth. Helaena smiles back at her.
"We are grateful for your words, Lady Lannister. That whole travel can be quite exhausting at times, but my tired legs will not stop me from observing the wonders that lay here while i can." The princess proclaims with a sweet tone. Lady Johanna smiles to her just a bit. More formal than friendly.
"It is good to know that you are enjoying your stay. We made a lot of careful plans. Right, dear?" The woman asks her husband. Lord Jason smiles a bit more.
"Indeed. We planned something... special for the two of you." The Lord says, playing around with his words. Helaena is clearly curious, as the lord certainly intended.
"Something special?" The princess asks in a toughtful tone. The Lord of Casterly Rock nods.
"Yes. I was waiting for my dearly daughters to return before announcing it, but sadly they have a strict mother that would not make their schedules more flexible even if her life depended on it." The Lord says in a sarcastic tone, looking at his wife. Lady Westerling frowns to him like a mother looking at a troublesome child. And then, she looks at the Targaryens with a softer look.
"Our girls are studying with a maester in the library, as they always do during this period of the day. That is about teaching discipline to them. Something that my husband lacks." The woman proclaims, giving a quick glare to Lord Jason, who laughs a bit. Helaena smiles, her eyes getting a bit wider.
"There is a library here as well?" The princess asks. Lord Jason waves hand.
"Of course. There was so much space inside Casterly Rock that we have basicaly anything inside. Some of my ancestors would spend whole years inside it's walls." The Lord proclaims with a proud smile. Helaena nods, her smile getting larger.
"That sounds marvelous. Can i see it?" The princess asks, behaving like a child. Aegon sighs as he strokes his face. Lady Westerling smiles honestly to the younger woman.
"We would be more than honored to receive you in the library, my princess. It is difficult to find girls of your age with any interest in old books, so, i am mostly pleased. You might become a good influence to the girls." The Lady proclaims, liking the idea that she just came up with. Helaena blushes.
"Thank you, my lady. Your compliments make me happy." She says with a soft smile. Aegon grunts and decides to break that strange moment. He looks to Lord Jason.
"What were you about to say, my lord?" The prince asks. The Lannister nods.
"Right. We are preparing a small tourney to celebrate your arrival. I was planning to do it in a later moment, but i tought that it would be fantastic to show the hospitality of the Westermen." The Lord proclaims with a proud tone at the end. Helaena is surprised, but Aegon frowns.
"There is no need to hold such a event for two humble Targaryens from a secondary line, my lord. Receiving us under your roof is already good enough." Aegon declares, playing the modest prince.
In fact, however, he is just not much interested in a tourney at the moment.
Bad memories of his failure still haunts him.
They always did.
They always do.
And they probably always will.
Lord Jason smirks, waving a hand once again.
"As i said, it was on my plans before. If you are really that modest, my prince, just see it as a great house trying to get the upperhand on the others. Just that." The Lord proclaims in a calm tone.
Aegon snorts, seeing that it is not going anywhere.
At least, he is not obligated to join it.
Helaena smiles to the western couple
"We appreciate your efforts, my lord. I will certainly look forwards to see a Lannister Tourney. However, i am still curious about the library. Does it have any books about mysticism? I did not find much in the Citadel, sadly." The princess asks, really curious.
Lord Jason and Lady Johanna exchange a serious glance. The lord nods and then his wife looks at Helaena with a short smile.
"I never saw one there, but probably. The library is too distant from the watchful eyes of the citadel, after all. I can take you there right now, if you want." The lady offers and Helaena looks very interested in it.
However, the princess looks at Aegon from the corner of her eyes.
Aegon frowns to her.
"You don't need my approval. You are my sister, not my daughter. Go on." The prince proclaims in a dry tone.
And then, he sees it in her eyes before she nods.
The glimpse of disappointment.
It makes him frustrated.
Why did she even expect?
Lord Jason clears his throat to call their attention. He smiles to Aegon.
"It seems that the ladies will gather at the library, then. Why don't we have a man to man conversation in the wine cellar, my prince? It is good to have a talk with someone that can enjoy a good wine." The Lord offers. Aegon frowns.
How does he know about his preference for wine?
That question emerged on his head, but his dry lips were louder in his toughts.
It has been quite a while since he last tasted a good wine.
It won't hurt, right? He can even finds out the true intentions of the Lord behind this conversation.
Aegon relaxes.
"Sounds good to me." The prince just says. The man smiles.
"Good to hear. Follow me." The Lord proclaims, waving to the guards so they will stay in place rather than following them, Aegon assumes.
Helaena follows Lady Westerling towards another exit in the huge and round hall.
Aegon looks at his sister's back a last time before he crosses through a pair of doors with Lord Lannister.
Looking at the man's back as he follows, Aegon tries to understand why he is familiar to him.
And then, he understands it.
And he feels like a idiot.
---
The door to the wine cellar is quite normal. Just a simple wooden door. Aegon smirks.
"Honestly, my lord, i was expecting something more... elaborated from a door that lead to a treasure." The Prince jokes in a formal tone. Lord Jason laughs a bit.
"I understand. But that one is special. It's simple form is a sign of how old it really is. Casterly Rock started more modest and got more refined through the ages, but that cellar remained the same as it always was. After all, there is nothing that age better than wine. The cellar should be the same." The lord declares as he opens the door.
The door of wood creaks with the movement, but it is not too hard to be opened.
The inside of the cellar is quite dark, as only a few torchs stand through the walls.
Despite the dark and simple construction of the place, it is also pretty extensive and tall.
Aegon can't really count the amount of barrels in the cellar, as his vision is stopped by the darkness from further away.
"That is a impressive cellar." The prince just says, being honest.
"It certainly is. Why don't you take a seat on that table here and let me take a bottle of wine for us?" The Lord says, pointing at a nearby table as he closes the door.
Aegon nods and takes his seat, watching Lord Jason walking through the darkness without problems.
Soon, the Lord of Casterly Rock returns with a bottle and a pair of cups of glass. He smiles.
"That is a really nice one. I won't tell what year it is, however. The mistery adds to the taste, in my opinion." The Lord declares with a sly smile.
In a quick movement with a tool on his hand, he opens the bottle and serves a cup for both of them.
Aegon nods and takes the cup before moving it to his mouth without any hesitation.
When his sip ends, he is left with a smile.
"That is certainly one of the best sips of wine that i ever had." The prince declares with full honesty. Jason laughs.
"That is good to hear. A good wine can bring a good conversation. Everything is easier when you are less stressed." The lord declares, taking his seat and his cup. He slowly takes his sip, enjoying it.
Aegon frowns, holding his cup tighter before taking another sip. After that, he builds the courage that he needs.
"You learned about my preferences through your brother in the small council, right, Lord Lannister?" The prince asks, cautious. Jason sighs after taking his sip and then smiles to the younger man.
"You don't need to call me Lord Lannister, my prince. Jason or Lord Jason works for me. But, answering your questions, yes, i did learn it from here. I wanted some information about my new guests, after all." The Lord explains in a natural tone. Aegon frowns to him and then he remembers something else.
"Ser Gorgon said that you had no worries about the dragons. That is also something that your brother assured you of?" The prince asks, keeping his serious behavor. The Lannister smiles as he looks to his cup.
"Oh, Ser Gorgon. A excellent commander. Diligent, just, honest and loyal. He was worried about his beloved city, but luckily i had the right words for him. And yes, that words came from my brother, Tyland."
Jason Lannister stops briefly to take another sip from his cup and relax on his seat as he calmly looks at Aegon.
"He takes a mostly reserved role on the small council, but he has a very observative eye that should not be neglected. In the last years, he got closer to Ser Otto Hightower. Tyland noticed several things about the Hand of the King." The Lord of Casterly Rock proclaims. Aegon frowns, being more cautious than before.
"And what did he notice?" The prince asks, focused on keeping eye contact with the Lord. Jason keeps his relaxed position and a weak smile on his face.
"My brother had several conversations with the Hand and managed to learn some of his patterns and behaviors. Ser Otto kept making Tyland questions the decisions of the King in their private sessions. But not only the King, but also his heiress." The Lord explains, moving his cup of wine in circles with his hand, almost distant.
Aegon frowns as he feels a brief cold feeling under his skin. The fear of a secret almost getting out.
Taking a dry swallow, Aegon gets stiff as he goes into defensive.
"My grandfather is a very strict man. He is critic of everyone. I am not very surprised to find out that he also critics the King in private and i doubt that my uncle would care that much. He is soft." The prince says, frowning at his last phrase. He takes a smaller sip from his cup, just to enjoy it's taste in his tongue. Lord Jason smirks and waves a hand.
"Your explanation makes perfect sense for me, my prince. However, my brother didn't just spend time with the Hand of the King. He is a member of the small council, after all. Your father is also a member of the small council, as the very first High Commander of the Seven Kingdoms." The Lord points out, patient in his use of words.
Aegon does not have the same patience. He snaps his tongue as he looks at the Lord of Casterly Rock.
"My father is a difficult man to deal with, to say the least. He can be a sarcastic and jokeful noble in a moment and a wrathful warrior on the other. I am not envious of the time that your brother has to spend with my old man." The prince jokes, once again getting just a taste of the wine, to keep his head in place. Lord Jason smirks as he looks at his glass.
"Indeed. Tyland told me in the letters that Daemon and Otto were mostly like day and night. Two very prideful men who shouldn't be able to find a middle ground, and yet, they do." The Lord proclaims, toughtful as he slowly moves the glass on his hand on a circular motion.
Aegon closes his free hand tightly under the table as he moves his cup to his lips and smirks to hide his true emotion.
"I am afraid that your brother might have a problem on his head, Lord Jason. He is delusional." The prince proclaims, keeping himself in control of the situation.
But, when the green eyes of the Lord of Casterly Rock met his, he can see that he is still not prepared to deal with that sort of pressure.
Lord Jason laughs a bit in a low tone of voice and waves a hand in a act of dismissal, something that he does quite often.
"Tyland the most cunning man that i know. A man that i divided a womb with. I trust his judgement. So, when he said to me that Prince Daemon and Ser Otto had similar toughts about the actions of the King, Princess Rhaenyra and the Velaryons, i had to believe it. And the more i tought about it, the more things started to unveil in my head. I was finally able to see behind the curtains and observe as the stage is set for the show." The Lord proclaims in a serious tone, placint his cup firmly on the table as he looks on Aegon's eyes.
The prince looks back, trying to keep his hand from shaking by holding his cup more tightly. He snorts to the older man.
"Maybe you're seeing more than there really is to see, Lord Lannister." The prince points out in a firm tone. Lord Jason frowns to him and scratches his beard.
"I don't think so, my prince. It just makes too much sense to not be true, at this point. Your father is a man that is well known through the Seven Kingdoms as a skilled, ambitious and ruthless man." The Lord of Casterly Rock says, standing up from his chest. Aegon feels his lips getting dry, but his cup is out of wine.
"Your grandfather is a man with several connections that does most of the work for the King. That authority gave him power, but not a legacy." The Lord continues as he slowly walks around the table with his hands on his back. Aegon keeps his eyes on his empty cup.
"The two of them were tied together my the innocent arrangement that the King made. A marriage that was made to solve the feud in the small council became something much deeper." The Lord says in a low tone before he laughs.
"It is fascinating how men can be so guided by their ambitions. One day, they hate each other. In another one, they have a common ground to achieve peace..."
The Lord then looks directly down at Aegon, standing up on the other side of the table.
"...and soon, they found a common objective and a common enemy." The Lord proclaims in a slow tone.
Aegon takes a deep breath and then sighs, frowning at Jason Lannister.
"What is your point, Lord Lannister?" The prince asks, getting impatient. The Lord of Casterly Rock smirks and then his smile fades as he looks back at Aegon.
"Things can change so fast. I once saw Daemon Targaryen as a man of ambition, but that was loyal to his brother at the end of the day. I saw him as a uncle that cared for his niece, with second interest or not. And then, things changed after his marriage to Alicent Hightower." The Lord elaborates, remembering things as he looks away, toughtful.
"He had children. I tought that it would calm him down, but then the heiress of the throne came of age." The Lannister proclaims with a sarcastic laugh at the end. Aegon frowns, curious.
"What do you mean?" The prince asks. Lord Jason smirks, still looking away as he crosses his arms.
"The princess had several proposes coming from all parts of Westeros. At the time, i was the young heir of Casterly Rock that had a similar age to the princess, so i approached her and i made my proposal." The Lord explains, frowning at the end.
Even in such a tense situation, Aegon can't hold his malicious smirk.
"It didn't go well, didn't it?" The prince asks, knowing the answer. The lord snorts.
"She just refused my proposal and walked away, barely looking at my face. She treated me like a nobody. I kept my pride and walked away, but the memory still brings a sour taste in my mouth when i remember it." The Lord proclaims. Aegon laughs a bit.
"My mother always told me that Rhaenyra was a selfish young woman that only cared about what she wanted and nothing else. Maybe she is right." The prince proclaims, managing to calm down a bit. Lord Jason restores his serious expression, however.
"She certainly was. Only a imature girl could commit the mistakes that she did. And now the mature woman that is Rhaenyra Targaryen has to pay for them." The Lord proclaims. Aegon frowns to him, skeptic, but he says nothing.
Lord Jason moves towards Aegon in a slow pace, keeping eye contact.
"Despite her mistakes, i don't hate Rhaenyra Targaryen. Tyland told me that she is not the same anymore. She understood her mistakes and wants to change. I respect that a lot." The Lord proclaims, standing right in front of Aegon, who frowns, nervous.
"What do you men with all that, my lord?" The prince asks, trying not to be direct. Jason Lannister frowns back at him.
"I can see the movements being made by both sides. I don't really care about vengeance or claims." The Lord proclaims and Aegon observes as he gets some distance. His steps echoes through the dark room.
"The side that loses the war gets a severe punishment. The side that stays neutral, with some luck, get nothing. Only the victorious can smile at the end. And that is the only result that i care. I want to be on the side that gets the last laugh" The Lord of Casterly Rock proclaims. Aegon slowly nods, fighting his hesitation.
"So, what is your position there, Jason Lannister?" The prince asks with a dry tone, still keeping his indirect approach.
Jason ignores him and grabs the bottle of wine. He starts to serve it in the two empty cups in the table. Aegon observes as his cup is filled.
"You have seen a lot of gold since you arrived, but the red color is just as important for the Lannisters. Some maesters thinks that colors have deeper meaning for us. In that case, red is the color of anger and passion. Do you understand where i am going, my prince?" The Lord of Casterly Rock asks in a slow tone after his explanation.
Aegon denies with his head.
The lord looks at the eyes of the prince. Green against purple.
The former is full of will, and the latter is full of questions.
"Anger against the people that wronged you. Passion for what you truly desires. That is the source of ambition. Maybe your father was destined to claim the Bloodwyrm, maybe he made that choice on his own. It does not matter. The red fits him and his family well. The red that represents the ambitions of Daemon Targaryen." The Lord proclaims, before rising his cup from the table. He smirks at it.
"I think that ambition is what leads a man to victory. I can see that in Daemon Targaryen. A man that has the attitude that the King doesn't. A man that lacks the hesitations that the Princess of Dragonstone still have. A man that i can follow into a war." The Lord proclaims, extending his cup towards Aegon, who is surprised.
The Lord opens a short smile in the corner of his mouth.
"Rejoice, Aegon Targaryen. When the time comes, we will be in the same side, after all. Now, why don't you toast with a friend?" The Lord asks in a formal tone, his arm still extended. Aegon frowns.
He can't believe on the lord. Not completely, at least.
A man of ambition always want something, but the Lannister is not clear.
However, he can hold his hesitation for now. It is a good moment either way.
Aegon sighs and rise his own cup with a smirk, toasting with Jason Lannister.
"For the King." The older man proclaims with a ironic tone.
Aegon laughs with some melancholy.
The King.
Of course.
That is how things will be one day.
"For the King."
---
The days passed without any issue.
While his sister was entertained by exploring every single inch of Casterly Rock or just observing a bunch of spiders or beetles that she happened to find, Aegon remained near the Lord of Casterly Rock.
Jason Lannister is a interesting man to be around. A man that appreciates a goos drink and that has a relaxed posture.
Maybe too relaxed, however. His wife, Lady Johanna, always complains about how careless he is and how much he sets a bad example to their young daughters.
Aegon find their relationship quite interesting. They are two opposites that complement each other.
The prince did not spend much time with the daughters, however. They were too young to be nothing more than a bunch of children for him.
Altough it was also curious to see Jason Lannister as caring father that hugged and kissed his daughters.
The scene always makes him question his own relationship with his father.
Lady Johanna, on the other side, gets just a bit softer around her girls, losing some of her composure.
Aegon told her sometime that she reminds him of his own mother.
She said that he must have received a good upbringing, then.
He had to agree.
His mother did not deserve a elder son like him.
That is something that he always knew.
---
The tourney soon arrived and was hosted in Lannisport, with all kind of competitions that one can imagine.
Aegon watched the jousts and duels, but he was not very impressed with the abilities of the knights in particular.
It is hard to get impressed when you grow up observing Ser Criston Cole.
And then, he watched the archery competition, interested in watching a single person.
Helaena.
She started to practice archery under the orders of their father, who wanted her to have at least one marshal skill.
Helaena soon choose archery, and started practicing it daily with a archer from the Gold Cloaks.
The princess learned a lot since then and it seems that archery soon became a subject that she was truly interested in. To some point, at least.
However, she is not perfect at it.
Helaena only managed to achieve a forth place in the competition, receiving applauses from the crowd.
What really bothered Aegon was how happy his sister looked afterwards.
She was satisfied with a forth place?
A forth place and a last place is the same thing for their father.
He would take her smile away in a second if he was here.
Yet, Aegon smiles to himself.
Helaena must be happy that their father is not here.
Because he certainly is.
---
After the last day of the tourney, Aegon was tired and a bit drunk as he walked back to his bedroom.
Soon, they will depart towards Riverrun. He is not very excited about it. He grew used to Casterly Rock and the seat of House Tully doesn't sound appealing to him.
He can think about it later. Right now, he needs his bed. He is not even interested in taking a bath right now.
In almost darkness, Aegon opens the door of his bedroom and walks in.
However, he is not the one that closes the door.
Aegon quickly turn around to see who is after him.
Under the weak light from the candels of his room, Aegon can see the face of his sister, who is wearing a light blue nightgown and is keeping her hair loose. She has a serious expression on her face.
Aegon grunts and ignores her to walk to his bed. He takes a seat on it as he frowns to his sister.
"What do you want, Helaena? I am too tired to deal with you right now." The prince declares, impatient. Helaena sighs.
"I know, but i couldn't talk to you in private previously. And that is the problem. Why are you avoiding me?" The princess asks with a concerned expression on her face. Aegon grunts, frustrated.
"That is not your problem..."
"Yes. It is."
Aegon is surprised by the sudden bravery of his sister.
The prince remains in his place as Helaena takes a seat by his side, looking at him in the eyes.
Her eyes are filled with conviction and hope.
Hesitantly, she holds his hand.
Her hand is delicate, warm and soft.
"I think that nobody is alone in this cursed world. There is always someone in out there that can understand your burdens. Someone than can help you to carry it. You just need to open your arms and accept it." The princess declares with a melancholic tone.
Aegon sighs and then let out a bitter smirk, keeping his eyes on their connected hands.
"That is a illusion, sister. That is why i called you a liar before. I was brought into this world for a purpose that i was never good at accomplish. A failure that hides under the shadow of a golden dragon. That's who i am. That's who i always was. Don't try to give me hope for a future that will only be death." The prince declares in a bitter tone, thinking about what is to come.
Helaena frowns and takes each of his hands on her hands, holding them more firmly as well.
"Your suffering makes you blind to reality, Aegon. You were never alone. Everyone has their own burdens. Father has his burdens. Mother has her burdens. Aemond has his burdens. I have my burdens" The princess proclaims in a soft tone that gets sad near the end.
Aegon laughs in a skeptic way.
"You? What do you even know about a burden, Helaena?" The prince asks in a bitter tone once more. His sister sighs.
"I might not be the successor of our father like you or a prodigy like Aemond, but i..."
The princess starts, but stops with hesitation, biting her lip and looking away. She is unsure. Aegon frowns.
"But what?"
Helaena looks at him, still hesitating.
Aegon grunts.
"If you are not going to trust me, this whold conversations is worthless." The prince says and starts to get up.
However, Helaena holds his arm, keeping him in place as she takes a deep breath and stares at him with tearful eyes.
"I have... visions." The princess declares in a low tone.
Aegon frowns with confusion and then laughs.
"Oh, now you are making things up. That is low." The prince mocks with frustration. Helaena keeps her tight grip on his arm, however.
"Look at my eyes and you will see that i am not lying. Please..." The princess declares. Aegon sighs and looks at her.
Aegon knew Helaena all his life, and he never saw her being anything less than too honest for her own good.
And looking at her determined and tearful eyes, he can't doubt her words.
He snorts.
"What kind of visions?" The prince asks, getting a bit curious. Helaena relaxes a bit and looks to her hands, looking absorbed in her own memories.
"It can be basicaly anything and happen at any time. Awake or sleeping. I can't control it. I have seen mild things and terrible things. I have seen things that cause me fear or sadness, but at the same time i can't understand why. The only thing that lasts is the feeling that i should be very worried about them." The princess declares in a low tone as a pair of tears rolls on her cheeks.
Aegon slowly nods, still skeptic, but willing to listen.
"You think that you are seeing... the future?" The prince asks, rising a eyebrow. Helaena frowns.
"The future. The present. The past. And things that might never happen. I have seen Casterly Rock as just a rock in the anciente agea for a mere second some days ago and i also have seen things that never happened. Like..."
The princess stops and sniffs, getting more emotional.
"What did you see?" Aegon asks. Helaena takes a deep breath and looks back at him.
"While you were dragging yourself in Highgarden that night... i saw you crawling in the ground... wearing a armor that was melted in your skin." The princess says and then sniffs once again, holding her tears.
Aegon fills shivers going through his body with her words.
He looks around.
He feels like there is something more going on. And he doesn't like it.
Looking back at Helaena, she is now hugging herself as she trembles.
"I am scared of them, Aegon. I fear what might be true and what might be false. I fear what the others would think of me if it told anyone. I fear what might happen if i say just as much as i fear what might happen if i don't say. Fear is my life. That is my burden." The princess declares, starting to cry freely as she looks down.
Aegon remains in silence as he observes his crying sister.
He feels a enormous weight on his shoulders.
Is that guilt? He is not sure.
"Tell me what you want, Helaena." The prince says, now in a softer and more distant tone.
Helaena looks back at him with her red face covered in tears. Her purple eyes shines like gems.
"You tought that you were alone. I tought that i was alone. We don't need to be alone anymore. I don't want to be alone anymore." The princess declares, once again giving up to her tears.
Aegon feels like something broke inside of him. Tears starts rolling from his eyes as well and he could not understand why. He could only look at Helaena with his own tearful eyes and trembling lips.
"Can we be alone together?" The prince asks, opening his arms.
Helaena hugs him very tightly, crying loudly on his chest. Her nails almost piercing his skin through the fabric.
She is hugging as if he could fade away at any moment.
Aegon lays a hesitant hand on her back and cries his own tears, still confused.
Helaena holds her crying a bit and looks up at Aegon with her shining eyes.
"C-can i... call you Egg?" The princess asks in a innocent and hopeful eyes, struggling with the words. Aegon opens a short smirk full of melancholy.
"In private... yes." The prince says and Helaena opens a sad smile as she gets her head back in his chest. Still crying, but more calm with time.
Aegon hugs his sister more tightly, remembering a different time.
A time where they were just children.
Playing together.
Laughing together.
A time that he tought that belonged in the past, but that is revived by the silly nickname that she gave to him.
"Egg..."
Aegon feels the shivers once again. This time, a good one.
The memories of a better time.
The faint memory of what happiness felt like.
He smiles a bit as he lays his head on Helaena's hair.
The smell of her hair always was unic.
It doesn't smell like flowers, or anything like that.
It is her smell.
A smell that makes him remember a word.
The nickname that was lost in his memory.
Something so simple, but that he threw away in his path through the deeps of his own misery.
And in a whisper, it came out of his mouth.
"Hel..."
---