Aegon I
2nd Moon, 37AC
The near pitch-black walls of his family's Dragonpit on Dragonstone were a familiar sight for Aegon Targaryen. The dim, cavernous central hall of the structure, the four and ten colossal dens carved from the volcanic rock, the winding labyrinth of tunnels and rooms for the Dragonkeepers, all of it was wonderful for him.
He had been going to and from the Dragonpit for a while after all. Ever since he could remember, the great bronze doors of the Dragonpit were open to him. The Dragonkeepers were always respectful and kind, eager to fulfill his every desire. But the main allure of the Dragonpit was what it housed.
His family possessed dragons, creatures famed around the world, from the poorest farmers in the Gift to the wealthiest mages of Qarth. All respected the indomitable might his house possessed.
Yet it was his house that possessed this strength, not himself as of yet. His father rode the illustrious Quicksilver, her shining silver body and gold wings were recognizable even in the dim light of the Dragonpit. Not to mention her size, almost a quarter the size of the Black Dread already, and she was still growing larger every year.
His sister meanwhile rode Dreamfyre, a pale blue dragon with silver markings. Just barely large enough to ride, his sister had been inseparable from her dragon ever since she claimed the small blue hatchling. That was where she was right now, flying around Dragonstone while he waited for her to return.
His father had sent him to the pit to collect his sister. Apparently, he had something important to talk with them about but he was busy. 'Strange,' Aegon thought, the idea of his father being busy was an odd one.
His father did not lounge around all day, but he was never busy. His grandfather and the small council handled most of the realm's great troubles. Truthfully, Aegon did not know much of what his father did regarding the realm besides making progress in his grandfather's stead, like the one to the Riverlands he had just returned from.
His sister said that their father was busy pursuing his passions. He was tempted to ask his father but also feared a lengthy tirade. His father tended to get swept along and never stopped speaking when he was prompted.
The last thing that Aegon wanted was a lengthy lecture on the movement of the stars, which seemed to be his father's current obsession. For the last few moons, his father would excitedly sit in Aegon's Garden at night and chart each star, he said something about trying to derive meaning from them, which Aegon did not understand at all. How could all the tiny little lights in the sky have any meaning for them at all?
He was getting bored of waiting so he sent for one of the Dragonkeepers to blow one of their great horns. They were not the dragon horns of old, given that they had lost theirs at some point, but they were still immense in size and their noise could be heard two-thirds of the way around the island. As long as his sister did not fly all the way to Driftmark or Claw Isle, she would hear it.
Thinking about his sister flying made Aegon somewhat upset. He was the only person without a dragon or egg in his family, and yet he was supposed to be the heir. It was not just his elders who had dragons, but even his younger siblings all had dragons too.
His little brother Viserys had been given a shining silver egg after Vermithor hatched in the cradle of his cousin Visenya. His father said that the egg was the first laid by Quicksilver, and so naturally it ought to have gone to his son. A small part of Aegon wondered if that egg should have been his, he was his father's heir after all. But the egg was not his, it was Viserys', and a little under a year ago, the egg had finally hatched into a small, thin silver hatchling promptly named Silverwing.
That was not the only young hatchling, however. His younger brother Jaehaerys also had a hatchling, which had hatched last year as well. It was a simple, plain brown color but the hatchling had these wonderful edges and sharp points that made it look like it was birthed from a cliff face. His grandfather had named the dragon Urrax when it hatched in his little brother's cradle. He knew the name from the legendary tale of Serwyn of the Mirror Shield but apparently, there was another Valyrian legend for it.
He had only managed to find bits and pieces of the legend from the library of Dragonstone. But from what he could gather, Urrax was the name of the dragon of the leader of the Valyrian dragonlords who had conquered the Andals of Essos thousands of years ago. That dragonlord's name was lost to time and yet the name of his dragon remained.
'Where did the legend come from then?' Aegon could not help but wonder. Was it born of a deep insecurity from Andal refugees fleeing to the Vale in Westeros? Was it simply a name tacked on by the singers of old? Aegon wanted to know but no matter who he asked, none had answers for him. Even the Dragonkeepers, steeped in the ancient knowledge of dragons as they were, had nothing to tell him.
They could tell him plenty more about dragons, however, like how his little sister's dragon egg had come from Quicksilver as well. The egg given to his sister Alyssane was plain looking on the surface but Aegon could appreciate its beauty. The color was a pale white, almost like a dull sheet of snow, but Aegon could appreciate the fine coloration. It had not yet hatched but Aegon was certain that his little sister would one day have a dragon hatchling too. All of his other siblings had dragons so why not her?
Yet he was alone on that front. All of his siblings had dragons or eggs. Even his cousins across the sea did as well. But he was alone, he had no dragon to call his own. Even if he knew he would one day get one, it brought him little comfort.
When he had first learned that he was to inherit Balerion, he had been ecstatic. Balerion the Black Dread was famed across the whole world. The largest, most ferocious, and most dangerous dragon alive. Balerion was storied and experienced, he had destroyed more fleets than Aegon could count, more castles too, and most famously of all, his future dragon had turned the largest castle in Westerosi history into a ruin.
His fires were so hot that even stone melted under their ferocious heat. The warped walls of the Dornish castles and Harrenhal were a testament to his unimaginable power. He was also gargantuan, his father said that you could probably ride a horse down his gullet. Yet all of his excitement for one day riding the Black Dread died when he realized who would have to die for him to claim his destined mount.
A dragon could only have one rider at a time. That was something that Aegon had long since understood. He had been schooled in the dragonlore of his house after all. But he did not truly understand its meaning until recently. His grandfather would have to die for him to claim Balerion.
To say that Aegon adored his grandfather would be a hilarious understatement, his grandfather was everything he aspired to be, respected, strong, honorable, and kind. When he learned that he would have to part from his grandfather to achieve his dream, he was crestfallen. The prospect of finally having a dragon of his own counteracted the thought of no longer being able to see his Grandfather.
Aegon walked closer to the great steel gates of Balerion's enclosed den as the Dragonkeepers continued to sound their horns. Trying to call his sister back from her flight. If he knew anything about his sister, she was sure to take her time. So he busied himself with spying the immense dragon that was his birthright. Just like the Iron Throne was to be.
Looking into the near-pitch-black enclosure, Aegon could just barely make out the colossal shape of his grandfather's dragon. Truthfully, it was hard to even imagine being bonded with Balerion. Much like it was hard to imagine ever being King. Sure he had ridden The Black Dread dozens of times by now. His grandfather was always happy to take him for a flight whenever he asked. But the idea of actually claiming Balerion as his own was as daunting as the prospect of leading the Kingdom. Especially with the knowledge that his grandfather would not be there to support him in either endeavor.
"My prince, please do not get too close," one of the Dragonkeepers clad in the black steel native to Dragonstone said to him in their pristine High Valyrian.
"Oh… right," Aegon said with a little trepidation. Sometimes it was easy to forget but dragons were not easily predicted. Balerion was unlikely to harm him but he could do so very, very easily.
His father, sister, and grandfather all said that the bond between a dragon and their rider was special. Emotions, pain, and even simple messages could be conveyed entirely through the bond shared between rider and dragon. So given his grandfather's doting nature, it was unlikely that Balerion would ever hurt him. Even still, attempting to touch the dragon or bother him while his grandfather still lived would not be a great idea.
Aegon heard the chirps and whistles of his sister's dragon and knew his stay in the Dragonpit was coming to a close. 'Finally,' Aegon thought, he had been sent here with the entourage for a reason that Aegon did not know but being in the Dragonpit just made him feel bad.
He was not truly jealous of his siblings, given that his dragon would be greater than all of theirs put together. However, the myriad of emotions in his chest were uncomfortable and he would rather ignore their implications. Whatever their father had planned for them would surely be better than confronting that mess.
Aegon turned his head to see the pale blue dragon he had become quite familiar with land gracefully on the cliff edge just outside of the great bronze doors. A little under a quarter the size of Quicksilver, Dreamfyre was ready to ride two years ago. When his grandfather had finally permitted his sister to ride Dreamfyre for the first time. Aegon thought she would jump to the moon in sheer joy.
"Valonqar!" Rhaena said with a readily apparent smile in her tone. Even if it was invisible behind her helmet.
The specific equipment used by Dragonriders was incredibly intricate. Sturdy leather clothes were a must, given the oppressive winds a dragon rider regularly experienced. Those leather clothes had to be custom-made, however, as nearly a dozen different belts, chains, and straps hung off his sister's form. The main way to ensure a dragon rider did not fall from the saddle was chains and straps naturally, and their mother had raised quite a fuss when Rhaena had been given her first set of riding leathers.
Aegon still remembered her words. "Four chains are clearly not enough! What happens if one fails?" she had said after first inspecting his sister's twelfth name day gift. Not until the leatherworkers modified the expensive, cotton-lined tunic and trousers with more slots and chains was she first allowed to fly.
Also not technically necessary was the helmet with accompanying faceguard. The winds experienced on Dragonback could easily irritate the skin. So some dragonriders elected to wear light leather helmets with simple face masks to stave off the wind. But it was more of a problem for faster dragons. His grandfather did not usually wear one. Balerion could only move so fast after all.
"Sister!" Aegon waved her over as she stepped off the saddle of Dreamfyre. The she-dragon was not yet large enough to require climbing down using ropes. All Rhaena had to do was step off when Dreamfyre lay down on the ground. Unlike how his father and grandfather had to dismount from their dragons.
She sauntered up to him with a wide smile on her face and Aegon could only cock his head. 'What is she doing?' he thought before she pulled him into a hug and placed a peck on his lips.
'O-oh,' Aegon thought, returning the hug before his sister pulled away. He supposed it was alright to do that here, they were in the pit after all, none of the Dragonkeepers would dare whisper about this, and he doubted the Kingsguard cared. They honestly probably already knew.
"Why the horn? Did something happen? Father said I could fly until supper," Rhaena said as she pulled off her leather cap and began removing her chains, straps, and gloves.
"I-I have no idea," Aegon said nervously, still flustered from his sister's forwardness. Rhaena reacted to his answer with a questioning glare.
"I'm serious, I don't even know why he sent me. He just got some letter and told me to go and find you after he opened it," Aegon said truthfully.
"Well, that is odd. Father does not get many letters," Rhaena said as she handed her gear off to one of the unarmored Dragonkeepers. It seemed she shared his same confusion.
Most letters that arrived on Dragonstone were typically one of two things. Progress updates from the Hand of the King, Lord Alyn Stokeworth, overseer of the Red Keep's construction. Or petitions from lords too far away to travel to Dragonstone. Very rarely did messages addressed to his father arrive.
"Well, I guess we should go ask him huh?" Rhaena said with a smile as she took him by the hand. He fell into lockstep with her and returned the gesture. His sister had only really started showing him affection like this two years ago. It had started after their mother had their cousin Larissa Velaryon sent away to marry the heir to House Tarth.
His sister and cousin had been quite close, damn near inseparable most days. Aegon did not quite understand it but suddenly their mother got very upset and soon enough Larissa was no longer on Dragonstone. Rhaena had cried the day she had left but when he had asked her why, she had said nothing. Aegon would not deny that he had been a little hurt that she would not tell him. They were brother and sister, not to mention betrothed to be husband and wife one day, they would be with each other for the rest of their lives, so why wouldn't she tell him what was wrong?
It was an open secret in the castle and kingdom at large that they were to marry one day. It was natural and right after all. Millennia of tradition stipulated that House Targaryen married kin and kin alone. He would have married his elder sister one hundred out of a hundred times. Especially because there were no other Targaryens old enough for him to marry at all soon.
Ever since that day, and whatever lecture their mother had given Rhaena. His sister had been showing him more affection openly. Rhaena had never been distant from him, but things like holding hands, secret kisses in their rooms, dancing together at the celebrations, and even watching him in the yard had become common.
He had no real idea what was going on, and when he had asked his father he also had no idea. When he then asked his grandfather, he had told Aegon not to worry about it. Apparently, it was just part of being a lady so he did not need to concern himself with it. Aegon had taken his grandfather's advice and simply moved on. It seemed as if Rhaena had returned to her ordinary demeanor once Lord Alyn Stokeworth had brought his daughter to Dragonstone anyway, so Aegon had nothing to worry about.
"I guess we should," Aegon said with a smile as they both moved to mount their horses and set off for the castle.
…
There was nobody to meet the two of them when they arrived back at the castle. Which was odd, their father had specifically sent him to go gather his sister. 'Where is he?' Aegon thought while scanning the upper courtyard. He did not spot the familiar form of his father, however, all he saw were a few servants toiling about.
"I thought you said Father sent for us?" Rhaena asked him as they dismounted their horses and stashed them in the small stable but all he could offer was a shrug.
"Perhaps Mother or Grandfather called him away," Aegon offered and Rhaena seemed to be deep in thought before she responded.
"Then we ought to go look for him. He did summon us after all," Rhaena said with an enchanting smile and Aegon fought to keep the blush off his face. He had grown more aware of his sister recently and was still getting used to the idea that his big sister would one day be more than that to him.
"Yeah…" Aegon said as he took Rhaena's hand again and walked into the castle with her, side by side. Aegon chose to relish in that moment for a little bit. They were close to the same height but considering his father and grandfather's height, he would certainly outpace her one day. The thought gave him some strange excitement, perhaps because all the knights in the stories were tall and dashing, using their height to shield and protect their lady wives.
The two of them traipsed the halls of their familial castle. They had spent the last five years of their life on the little island and they had grown to truly love the castle. The countless, never-ending statues of dragons, griffins, and other creatures carved into the very walls of the castle intimidated some but the two of them could appreciate it.
The Valyrian craftsmen who had constructed Dragonstone Castle had probably done more than they were assigned to. Dragonstone was originally a simple military outpost, perhaps for a future planned conquest of Westeros given the inclusion of a Dragonpit but their sources differed on the matter. What was strange was how liveable the castle was. Considering that it was a military outpost one would think that it would be rather bare in its design.
'Did Lord Aenar have it modified after moving here?' Aegon wondered as they neared the nursery. Their family had had twelve years on the little island before the Doom and while they had given up much of their wealth to move there, surely they could have afforded the services of some stone singers. It was the only thing that made sense. Otherwise, why was a military fortress so comfortable?
"Aegon! Rhaena!" he suddenly heard and he turned around with his sister to spot their mother staring at them.
"Yes, Mother?" the two of them said at the same time. They were not twins, with him having been born almost an exact year after his elder sister, but they were about as close to twins as two not-twins could get.
"What are you two doing?" she looked at them questioningly. Aegon did his best not to wither under the glare of his mother. She had grown more prone to lectures ever since his aunt Shiera had left and he was loath to endure another.
"We are looking for Father," Aegon said quickly, hoping to avoid confusion leading to a lecture.
"Well he is busy with your grandfather, so…" his mother began before she caught sight of the two of them holding hands and smiled.
"Well I'm pleased to see that the two of you have grown closer," their mother said and Aegon smiled before he caught the side eye that was sent in his sister's direction.
'Seriously! What did I miss here?!' Aegon thought with a frown as he noticed his elder sister's mood souring under their mother's meaningful glance. She was normally quite energetic and happy, what did she do to earn the lecture of a lifetime? Aegon could not help but wonder.
"Also, go and take a bath you two. You both stink," their mother said and both he and Rhaena tried to smell themselves. 'Do we?' Aegon thought as he took a sniff of his arm. He did not think he smelled like a dragon. Dragons had a very distinctive smell, a mixture of brimstone, smoke, and leather. He did not smell it on himself.
Rhaena certainly smelled of dragon, given she had just been riding Dreamfyre. Honestly, Rhaena frequently smelled like her dragon. She spent an inordinate amount of time with Dreamfyre and she would even lie down on her wings and read like their grandmother used to do.
"But Mother, I do not smell like a dragon," Aegon said before he realized he had basically just sold out his sister.
"Then you will escort your sister to the baths and report to the Maester for extra lessons. I will tell your father where you are when he is done speaking with your grandfather," their mother said and both he and Rhaena wilted.
"Extra lessons?! What did I even do wrong?" Aegon whined. He hated lessons with the Maester. Ever since the damn "Printing Press" contraption had arrived on Dragonstone the Maester had seen fit to have him read even more than before. Copies of scrolls previously too delicate to leave the library now had copies that he could and was forced to read.
"You did nothing wrong, but you must strive for excellence. Now go," she said with a waving motion, shooing them away.
Aegon huffed and moved to turn around back toward the baths and his now quiet sister followed him. They walked in silence for a while before they were granted the privacy of no other souls in the hallway. Aegon took the chance to ask his sister once more.
"So… what was that about with Mother?" Aegon tried again. He had ignored Rhaena waving him away the last time he had asked but he could not really do so any longer. He felt like he was very much uninformed, which was a problem as the heir to his father.
As heir to the Seven Kingdoms. Aegon knew that one day he would have to ascend the steps to the Iron Throne, wear the crown that his grandfather currently wore, and rule in his own name. Yet he felt so unprepared for it.
He knew logically he likely had decades at least before his father and grandfather were gone. So he knew he had time to prepare, but it felt like he was still being treated as nothing more than a child.
Sure he received useful lessons. His grandfather, father, maesters, and Kingsguard all taught him plenty. Yet it felt like he was missing something. Like he was being taught the steps before Kingship, instead of how to be a king.
So Aegon decided to try and be kingly and figure out what was troubling his sister. She was to be his queen one day after all. So he needed to figure out what was wrong, so that he may comfort her.
"I don't want to talk about it…" Rhaena said, still wilted from their mother's glare. Rhaena sometimes got like this when she was separated from Dreamfyre for long stretches. Quiet and demure, it was unlike his usually expressive sister.
"Are you sure?" Aegon tried. He really did just want to help his big sister. They were supposed to be there for each other. Their grandfather and parents had said that to them hundreds of times.
"Yes, I'm sure," Rhaena said curtly but Aegon decided to push a little more.
"I promise I won't be mad. I am just worried about you…" Aegon said, trying to take her hand again but she pulled it away.
"I said I am fine! Do not worry about me, worry about your own lessons!" Rhaena said angrily and this time it was Aegon's turn to wilt. Having the girl you love yell at you was no fun.
"Right, I apologize," Aegon said sheepishly before they were stopped in their tracks.
"There you are!" the distinctive voice of their father said and both of them quickly turned on their heels.
The sight that greeted them was their father's friendly face. Newly adorned with a thin silver-gold beard to accompany his usual mustache. The light purple eyes, the same as his own, quickly looked over the two of them before he rushed to close the distance.
"I have been looking for you. Come come, we have to prepare," their father quickly said and he and Rhaena shared a brief look of confusion.
"Father… Mother said I need a bath," Rhaena said quietly before Aegon began speaking too.
"She also said I have lessons with the Maester," Aegon followed up before their father waved his hand.
"Bah, you can bathe later," their father said with a smile and Rhaena gave Aegon another look of confusion.
"Also, Aegon. I have canceled all of your lessons for the next while. Now come, we have a lot to do," their father gestured for them to follow and they quickly fell in line with him.
"What are we doing, Father?" Aegon asked, cutting off the obvious excitement on Rhaena's face from what their father just said. He knew she was excited that she may fly on Dreamfyre again.
"We are packing some things. We will be leaving for Pentos on the morrow," their father said and both he and his sister stopped instantly. Their father turned around to give them a confused look but all he got in return was a single word from both of them.
"Huh?"
…
The chirps and trills Quicksilver released as she left her den in the Dragonpit were very characteristic of her. Quicksilver was loved by the Dragonkeepers, the silvery she-dragon was calm and cooperative, unlike most dragons.
Dragons were remarkably expressive creatures. Chirps, growls, scoffs, huffs, roars, hisses, and ll sorts of noises were used in dragon communication. Unless you were bonded with a dragon of course, in which case the dragon could make its wishes known through the bond shared between rider and dragon.
At a glance, dragons appeared to just be monsters. Uncaring mountains of flesh, scales, and fire that lived to destroy and kill. While that was not untrue for some dragons, according to the Dragonkeepers a certain Terror fit that description well, most dragons were rather more nuanced.
Dreamfyre for example was considered the calmest dragon the Dragonkeepers ever had the pleasure to care for. Even Quicksilver's temperament paled in comparison to Dreamfyre. Dreamfyre would happily accept pets from practically everyone, so long as Rhaena was present of course.
Either way, Quicksilver was no slouch when it came to approachability. Ever since his father's she-dragon was born in 7AC, not a single injury caused by her had been recognized. Compared to dozens of burns, scratches, and broken bones caused by the other dragons. This might have been why the Dragonkeepers seemed so calm bringing Quicksilver to him and his father.
He stood next to his father and spied the splendid she-dragon leaving the den. Crawling toward the entrance of the pit on her wingtips and clawed silver feet. He noted the silver luster Quicksilver's scales seemed to have, even in the dim light of the pit. Quicksilver was truly a marvelous dragon, even more than her mother Meraxes had been.
A Dragonkeeper led Quicksilver right up to them and his father placed his hand on the snout of Quicksilver and whispered some words that Aegon could not hear. He could not help but feel a little upset at the display, it felt as if his father was rubbing his own lack of dragon in his face. Even if that was certainly not his intent.
His father was often unintentional in his actions, and equally oblivious to their consequences. Aegon did not have enough fingers on his hand the number of times some slip of the mouth from his father had angered his mother. Thinking of that, Aegon could not help but regret what he said to his sister yesterday.
'I should not have pushed her,' Aegon thought with a frown. Rhaena was not holding it against him but he did not want their relationship to lessen at all. His father and mother still very clearly loved each other but they had begun arguing more ever since his aunt Shiera left Dragonstone. He did not want that to be the case for Rhaena and himself.
Said sister was standing a little ways from them, preparing her own dragon for the flight. It would be the longest the pale blue she-dragon had ever taken so Rhaena was ensuring the small dragon was ready for the journey.
One difference that Aegon was noticing more and more as he spent more time around dragons was their differing shape. Similar to their personalities, dragons looked mostly the same from far away. Small body, large wings, and dangerous claws and face. But when one looked more closely, the differences began to appear.
Balerion for instance was larger than his father and sister's dragons but even his build was different. Balerion was a bulkier dragon than the nimble and thin Quicksilver and Dreamfyre. Whereas the two she-dragons had thin bodies and tails, Balerion was not only larger in size but proportionally as well, his body was more massive, with a thick tail and heavyset legs.
'Bred for war,' Aegon thought as he once more let his eyes wander to Balerion's den. The intricacies of dragon breeding were lost to House Targaryen, with the practice having died in the Doom, but they did know it happened. Judging from the build of Balerion, there was little doubt the enormous black dragon was bred for war.
'Perhaps Quicksilver and Dreamfyre are more leisurely breeds,' Aegon thought. He did not know if breeding dragons was quite like breeding horses or dogs. But the thin and nimble nature of the two she-dragons before him made him wonder what the differing traits of the five originally brought from Old Valyria were and the potential looks of Old Valyrian dragons.
'Perhaps I should ask the Dragonkeepers,' Aegon thought before his father killed that thought in the cradle.
"Aegon, it is time to go," his father snapped him from his thoughts and Aegon nodded readily.
"...Right…" he said, following his father up Quicksilver's ropes. He readily strapped himself into the saddle and held onto his father as Quicksilver made to leap off the cliff.
After gathering a running start. Quicksilver pushed off the cliff and ferociously beat her gold wings. The thunderous sounds of the moving wind revealed that while Quicksilver may be thinner than Balerion, she was not weak by any standard.
His father brought Quicksilver up and flew around the pit for a bit before Aegon spotted his sister also take off from the cliff face. Dreamfyre and Quicksilver reunited in the sky before they set off east. In the direction of Pentos.
'Pentos…' Aegon thought. That was where they were headed. Apparently his aunt Shiera was soon to give birth and his uncle Maegor had extended an invitation for his father to attend the birth of Aegon's newest cousin.
Apparently, his uncle had extended such an invitation twice before, but his father never attended the birth of cousin Daeron or Baelon. Aegon could not help but wonder why. His grandfather did not really raise a stink about their trip to Pentos. Even when his father said that he would be bringing both Rhaena and him.
It was not his grandfather that raised the issue with their departure for Pentos. It was his mother who was upset with his father. Aegon did not know if he had ever seen his mother so upset. She had tried to stem the flow of rage but she clearly failed. His mother and father had a large argument the night before. It was so bad even the castle staff were whispering.
Not that it mattered, his father was not normally so stubborn. Ordinarily, he was more than happy to change his mind when challenged. But on some things, it felt like his father had an even more unshakable will than his grandfather.
This was one such matter, his father waved away all the concerns of his mother and even threatened to send her to Driftmark if she continued to trouble him according to the guards. That was a great shock for Rhaena and himself. Both of them had no idea that their father had it in him to actually threaten their mother.
The threat was evidently clear and it shut their mother up. Even if she spoke to him privately before they departed for the Dragonpit in the early morning. Her warning still rang in his head. He heard it many times before but she seemed more desperate this time around.
"Please listen to me, Aegon. Your uncle and his wife are dangerous, as is your cousin's grandmother. Tread lightly with all of them. They are conquering warriors and manipulators. Watch out for your father and sister," she had told him privately just before he was set to depart for the Dragonpit.
It was in line with most of what his mother had told him about his uncle and aunt for the last few years. Ever since he was ten-name-days old she had lectured him about the dangers of his uncle and aunt.
How they were dangerous, a threat to his livelihood and throne. How they were banished justly and how he should refrain from growing close with his cousins. Aegon could hardly understand her ramblings.
His father painted an entirely different picture of his cousins across the sea. Ever since he could remember, his father had been telling them stories of their uncle Maegor. Honestly, it was kind of hard to not idolize his uncle, as he had achieved so much of what Aegon wanted.
His uncle was the greatest warrior in the entire world. When he was Aegon's age of three and ten, his uncle bested Lord Commander Corlys Velaryon in single combat. 'As a mystery knight too!' Aegon thought with a little wonder.
His father really loved telling him that story. His father was never one to partake in martial pursuits but he enjoyed watching tourneys. It was just one of the major interests they shared, along with dragons of course.
Aegon was thankful that his father was there to witness the event because it meant that he could tell all of his friends on Dragonstone the true happenings. He had gotten to properly tell the tale which boosted the glory of his house even more. His uncle was the youngest knight in generations after all. Aegon hoped that one day he too could be knighted. He knew deep down that he was not ready yet but maybe he could get his uncle to show him some moves in Pentos. Given that the Kingsguard were always too delicate with him for his liking.
His uncle did not have only one feat of course. Just a few sennights after being knighted, he slaughtered the Giant of the Trident single-handedly. He simply lopped the despicable hedge knight's head right off his body and upheld the King's peace. Earning the respect and admiration of the entire realm. Defeating an entire band of brigands single-handedly was a truly excellent feat.
All of that was nothing compared to his uncle's clash with the Faceless Men, however. His uncle was idolized all over the Seven Kingdoms and beyond for his battle with the Faceless Man inside of his manse. Slaying the greatest assassin in the world, in a burning manse with just his bare hands! It was little wonder why every boy in the Seven Kingdoms envied and admired his uncle.
His uncle was not only a great warrior however, his uncle was a renowned general too. The Pirates of the Stepstones, the Braavosi sailors, the Sellswords of Essos, not even the famed Dothraki could contend with his uncle on the battlefield. Whether it was cold or warm, rainy or dry. His uncle always won the battle.
The two battles that earned him the most fame were the carnage on the Little Rhoyne and the two-day siege of Braavos. The death of sixty thousand of the world's second-greatest conquerors in just a few hours shocked the whole world and reminded everyone of the strength even a single war-ready dragon could bring to bear.
Then indomitable Braavos, the Titan of the Narrow Sea, and host to the Faceless Men stood no chance against his uncle. He tore the Faceless Men down from their pedestal in a little over a year and brought a city of seven hundred thousand people to heel in just two days.
His campaign was a masterclass and Aegon had studied it more than times than he could count. From the steady movements of the army under the command of his uncle Aeron Velaryon. To the strategic destruction of valuable and symbolic monuments. Even the torching of a great portion of Braavos to finally secure peace. It felt like the entire campaign was designed to be as short as possible, and as far as wars went. Only the scouring of Lorath was quicker.
So Aegon would be lying if he said he was not a little excited to meet his uncle. To see what a self-made man could be. 'Perhaps in him, I may find some inspiration… or answers,' Aegon thought with a frown. He felt like he was missing something, but he did not know what it was. Perhaps he would get the chance to ask his uncle directly, even if Aegon doubted his uncle had the time for his concerns.
His sister told him to temper his expectations, as no man could truly live up to the legends told of them. Not even their grandfather could in truth. It was hard to imagine his loving grandfather giving his ultimatum to Black Harren. Her warning and the words of his mother did cause Aegon to temper his excitement somewhat.
When he had asked his sister if she was excited to go, she had given him a mixed response. It felt like she was excited to see their cousin Visenya and Aunt Shiera again, but she seemed, if not fearful, then definitely more suspicious of their uncle than he and their father were.
Aegon hoped his father was correct about their uncle. Deep down he wanted to be able to look up to his uncle with no fear. See in him the legends spread of his success. Not a potential threat like his mother so clearly saw.
'I suppose I will just have to wait and see,' Aegon thought as he shifted his thoughts to other matters.
…
Aegon could only stare in awe as Quicksilver circled Pentos. The gargantuan size of the city beneath him beggared belief. It was almost impossibly large. Easily thrice the size of King's Landing, if not more.
Aegon could see each of the intricate details from his position high above. His father said something about "giving him some time to prepare," so they were circling around the city a few times. There was not yet a branch of Maesters and ravens in Pentos so it was not exactly like his father could warn his uncle of their arrival. The earliest warning he got was a high-pitched roar from Quicksilver and Dreamfyre,
Aegon was almost surprised that Dreamfyre made the flight in one go. His sister's dragon still had a lot of growing to do. The she-dragon was much larger than a horse but Aegon doubted Dreamfyre was any larger than a mammoth from the North. He wondered if the dragon was exhausted yet, from what he could tell Dreamfyre appeared fine but his sister had been signaling for them to land for a little while now.
"Right then, time to land," his father said as he returned the hand gesture to Rhaena on Dreamfyre. Communication was nearly impossible by speaking given the distances and noise, so the dragonlords of old had long since developed hand signals, among other means of communication.
As the two dragons descended into the city, Aegon marveled at its beauty. Wide streets, countless houses, enormous markets, and an equally enormous series of docks. Ordinarily, Aegon would have wondered how on earth they were to find his uncle in the massive city. Luckily there were two huge signs pointing to exactly where the Prince of Pentos was.
The first was Terrax, his uncle's famed dragon: Destroyer of the Dothraki, the Terror, and the Bane of Essos. Noticeably larger than Quicksilver, his uncle's black dragon was resting in a large courtyard near the center of the city.
The second, and much larger sign was Vhagar. His grandaunt Visenya's she-dragon. Aegon was shocked at just how big the bronze and green dragon looked from their height far above the city. It was easily more than double the size of Terrax and her colossal size reminded him of Balerion. Even if Vhagar was still noticeably smaller than his grandfather's dragon.
The two dragons roared at the arrival of Quicksilver and Dreamfyre. Who responded with growls and roars as well. 'A challenge or a greeting?' Aegon wondered. He knew that Quicksilver would vocalize in the Dragonpit with Dreamfyre and Balerion but he was uncertain of what the vocalizations really meant.
Quicksilver and Dreamfyre continued to descend and as the buildings beneath slowly grew larger and larger. Aegon could appreciate it more. Pentos was wholly unlike the small towns he had seen on his one progress through the Riverlands. The only things that Aegon could even really compare Pentos to were Fairmarket, Saltpans, and King's Landing, yet the city beneath him outclassed all of them handily.
He could not spot any apparent slums, which could not be said of King's Landing or the Westerosi towns he visited. The roads were wide and almost smooth-looking. The buildings were tall and made of stone from what he could see. Pentos looked closer to the clean town beneath Dragonstone Castle than a city of half a million people.
Before Aegon could even realize it, Quicksilver was just above the ground and flapped her wings heavily to gracefully land on her feet. She gave a satisfied chirp to herself before the growls and screeches of the two other dragons in the courtyard filled the air.
Dreamfyre meanwhile landed a little less gracefully, landing with a loud THUD as his sister's she-dragon lay on the ground after landing. Offering a weak series of growls and huffs herself as the pale blue dragon rested on the dirt of the courtyard, panting heavily.
'So she was tired…' Aegon thought as he saw Rhaena pat Dreamfyre on the side a few times. Most likely comforting her exhausted dragon.
"There you are," Aegon heard his father say under his breath and Aegon followed with his eyes as well. What met his eyes was none other than House Targaryen of Pentos.
In the center had to be his uncle of course. For nobody else could rival his grandfather in build and size. Aegon was almost awed that the legends of his uncle's freakish size and build were only a little exaggerated. Aegon was no expert in judging the sizes of people in relation to others but his uncle certainly looked bigger and taller than he remembered his grandfather being. Who was the biggest person that Aegon had ever met.
The person to his uncle's right Aegon already knew. His aunt Shiera stood next to Uncle Maegor. One hand was on her large belly and another wrapped around the arm of his uncle. But there was something weird about her. On her face sat dark-colored spectacles, but they were much larger than the reading spectacles the Grand Maester sometimes used. They were so large and so dark that he could not see her red eyes. To her right were three children.
The one right next to his aunt must have been his cousin Daeron. Who looked a lot older than he remembered him. He actually looked a little bigger than Aegon's younger brother Viserys. Which was shocking given that Viserys was a few moons older than Daeron.
'Is it because Aunt Shiera is taller than Mother?' Aegon wondered. Aunt Shiera was indeed quite a bit taller than his mother. Aegon surpassed his mother in height the previous year, meanwhile, it looked like his aunt Shiera was closer to his height.
Next to his cousin Daeron must have been his cousin Baelon. Baelon looked a decent bit like Daeron honestly. He just looked a little smaller and his hair was styled in a different way. Where Daeron's hair looked like that of his uncle Maegor's, a simple shortcut. Baelon wore his hair longer, with sharp curls swirling down to his shoulders.
Next to Baelon was a little girl who had to be his cousin Visenya. She looked thoroughly confused and was tightly holding a stuffed toy of some sort. It looked vaguely dragon-esque from his position atop Quicksilver but he would need to get closer to tell.
On his uncle Maegor's left was an older-looking woman. With very gray hair that almost looked white in some places. She must have been his grandaunt Visenya, the wife of his grandfather. Aegon did not ever really remember interacting with his grandaunt, and from the stories he heard of her from his father and mother. It seemed like he should avoid her to the best of his abilities.
Aegon felt his father shift in front of him and realized his father was removing the chains and straps tying him to Quicksilver. Aegon swiftly followed and soon the both of them were climbing down the ropes dangling to the sides of his father's dragon.
Rhaena had already beaten them to the punch and was standing next to Dreamfyre, still comforting her exhausted dragon. However, she quickly moved in lockstep with them once she realized they descended. He was on his father's right and his sister on his left. The three of them walked up to their cousins in silence. The entire courtyard watched on with interest.
There was a silent staredown for a moment and Aegon fought the urge to give a concerned look to his sister before a wide smile appeared on his uncle's face. One appeared just as fast on his father's face.
"Brother!" they said in unison as his uncle wrapped his father in a tight bear hug.
"It has been too long!" his uncle said and Aegon was shocked at how much like his grandfather he sounded.
"Indeed it has, I must apologize for not showing up sooner," his father began before his uncle swiftly cut him off.
"Bah, forget the apologies. You are here now and that is what matters," his uncle said and then Aegon noticed Rhaena move to. She moved right up to their aunt Shiera and gave her a big hug as well.
"Aunt Shiera!" she said with a smile and their aunt returned one.
"Good day, Princess Rhaena. I hope your flight treated you well," their aunt said and Rhaena momentarily pouted before descending into a tirade of questions.
Conversations between the four of them sprouted like weeds and meanwhile, Aegon was left standing here, uncertain of what to do. Should he intrude on the conversation between his father and uncle or his sister and aunt? Or should he try to talk with his cousins? He was paralyzed and did not know which option to pick.
Before an option could be made for him. His uncle's deep voice addressed him. "Ah, my apologies Aegon," his uncle said before placing his hand on his shoulder and leaning down.
His uncle was so tall that Aegon had to look up to see his eyes. So when his uncle leaned down he was thankful, his neck was starting to hurt.
"I suppose you do not recognize me do you?" his uncle asked and it embarrassed Aegon but he shook his head. He had only been five-name-days old when his uncle was banished. His sister was six, so she might remember him better than he did.
"Then I suppose I should say, it is nice to meet you Aegon. Tell me, what do you think of Pentos?" his uncle addressed him directly. Which surprised Aegon. He thought for certain that his uncle would be pulled into a never-ending conversation with his father but it did not happen.
"I uhm, I like it," Aegon offered weakly. He was not ready to be thrust into this conversation.
His uncle chuckled for a bit before tapping him on the shoulder a few times. "I was intimidated by it too when I first arrived. Quite a bit bigger than King's Landing isn't it?" his uncle said with a wide smile and Aegon could not help but question his mother's words again. The more his uncle spoke the more he fell in line with his father's assessment.
"Aegon, why don't you go and talk with your cousins, I have to discuss some important things with your uncle," his father suddenly butted in again and Aegon nodded sheepishly. He hoped that he could speak with his uncle later but for now, he just wanted to get settled into Pentos. His father said they would be staying here for a few moons at least, so he would have plenty of time.
Aegon finished nodding and walked past his sister and his aunt to go and speak with his little cousins. It had been three years since he had last seen them, and they were all a lot bigger. Daeron especially, what with him even outgrowing Aegon's little brother Viserys.
"Good afternoon, Cousins," Aegon said with a smile as he knelt down to get to eye level with Daeron. Baelon and Visenya looked up at him but continued to talk amongst themselves.
"Good afternoon, Cousin Aegon," Daeron said with a wary look.
There was the tiniest moment of silence before Daeron spoke up again. "Why didn't you ride here on your own dragon?" Daeron suddenly blurted out and Aegon was stunned. He supposed he should have expected it, given that Viserys was also terribly blunt most of the time. But he had not in this instance, and so he stammered for a response.
"I uhm, I do not have one," Aegon said sheepishly before Daeron gave him a smile.
"Really?! Me too!" Daeron said and Aegon was a little dumbfounded, he was prepared for mockery or confusion, not empathy.
"You do not?" Aegon could not help but wonder. He was sure that he heard his father mention how all of his cousins had dragons prepared for them.
"Nope, my brother has a dragon egg and my sister has a dragon, though," Daeron said with a hint of jealousy in his tone.
"Yeah, my little brothers have dragons, and my elder sister does too. My youngest sister has a dragon egg like your brother," Aegon said, not expecting to be able to relate to his cousin in this way.
"Did your father bring more eggs? I want one," Daeron said while glancing toward Quicksilver but before Aegon could answer, another voice butted in.
"Even if he did, they would not be for you, Daeron. Your dragon is already here," a distinctly older voice sounded out from Aegon's left and he turned up to see his grandaunt look at his cousin with a smile.
"But I want a dragon now! Besides! Vhagar is your dragon, Grandmother! Not mine!" Daeron pouted and stomped his feet and his grandaunt also dropped to one knee and smiled.
"But she will be yours someday, Daeron. What did I tell you of the virtues of patience?"
"Good things come to those who wait," Daeron said with a frown and his grandaunt smiled. Aegon then pieced together what that interaction meant. Daeron was like him, he "had" a dragon. Daeron was waiting for Vhagar just like he was waiting for Balerion, and it seemed his cousin was just as dissatisfied, even if it was for a different reason.
"That's right. Now, how about we all go inside? I hear your father prepared a nice meal for tonight," his grandaunt said, sending a bit of a side eye toward his uncle, who abruptly ended his conversation with his father and ushered them all inside. Aegon did not even notice that his grandaunt did not address him once, or even look in his direction.
As they all entered the opulent palace. Aegon marveled at the splendor on display. An extreme amount of silver was on display. From the chandeliers to the frames of the endless paintings that adorned the walls to the vases, pots, and sculptures that dotted the halls. Aegon remembered his father saying something about his uncle finding some silver deposits a while back and it showed.
'Not to mention the wealth he gathered from the Iron Bank,' Aegon thought with a smile. His uncle's newfound wealth was legendary. The singers said he had more wealth than even the Lannisters, even if the golden lions would surely dispute that claim.
Before Aegon could continue being lost in his thoughts. His sister lightly tapped him on the shoulder. Quickly whispering into his ear before he could respond.
"Sooo… what do you think?" she said with a smile on her face.
"I think it is nice, just look around. What is there not to like?" Aegon said a little louder than a whisper. The rest of his family around him were all speaking so it was not like his words would stand out. Honestly, he did not know why his sister was whispering at all.
"About our uncle and cousins, Valonqar," Rhaena clarified and Aegon sheepishly smiled.
"They are interesting, and I want to get to know them better. What about you? Happy to see Cousin Visenya again?" Aegon said and Rhaena maintained her wide smile.
"Yup, even if she is still small. I am more excited to talk with Aunt Shiera again," she said with another beaming smile and Aegon noted how she was acting differently. Almost as if it was like nobody was watching her.
"...Me too," Aegon decided. He wanted to get to know all of his kin here better. His mother told him to be wary, so he would not be careless. But what harm was it in getting to know his cousins better? He clearly shared a decent bit in common with his cousin Daeron, and he had so many questions for his uncle.
Maybe Aegon could use his time in Pentos to sort out his thoughts. He could not very well go to his father with his concerns, what with his carefree attitude and disregard toward his own eventual kingship. But maybe his Uncle could give him some advice. He seemed pretty happy to speak with him earlier.
'Tomorrow,' Aegon eventually decided in his mind. His father already said that they would be in Pentos for a few moons at least. He would have plenty of time to pick his uncle's brain. Right now, however? He wanted to eat and get some sleep. The ride to Pentos had been long after all.