When Aenys left the small council chamber, he did not expect that the first person he ran into would be his cousin, Jon Penrose. Rather embarrassingly, after his little adventure in the Riverlands, he had forgotten that he had left the knight behind.
"My prince!" The knight was dressed in his armor as he ran up to him, catching his breath for a few moments as the two stood face-to-face in the hall. Some of the servants glanced their way as they walked by, but otherwise they were left alone.
Aenys did not rush his cousin, waiting patiently for the knight to regain his bearing.
"I'm glad to see you are safe," Jon finally said as he stood straight. "I started to fear for the worst when you disappeared."
Aenys was somewhat amused by his cousin's reaction. He must have ran all the way here when he learned of Aenys' return.
"There was nothing to worry about, Ser. I merely wished for some open air before I was forced to tolerate the stench of the city."
Jon grimaced. He shared Aenys' opinion of King's Landing. "I understand, but your mother did not take your absence well."
Aenys almost rolled his eyes at this. "You can speak plainly. Was it my absence that irked her so, or who I left with?"
Jon almost began to fidget in place, looking like a fish out of water. It was comical to see a knight such as he act like a maiden on her bedding night.
It was all the answer that Aenys needed.
'So troublesome.'
He knew that his mother did not like Shiera very much. The reason for it was simple, on the surface. His mother had turned to the Seven as a coping mechanism after suffering through a loveless marriage. No, "loveless" did not even begin to describe the marriage between his parents, but he didn't want to dwell on that right now. Because of it, she embraced the teachings of the Faith wholeheartedly, finding comfort in the words of the faithful.
Aenys did not mind this, not on principle. The gods meant nothing to him, but he would not begrudge another for their chosen faith. Aenys was only thankful that his mother was not a zealot like Baelor the Blessed. That would have been unbearable.
Unfortunately, his mother still believed that magic was the root of all evil, and because of that belief she held little love for Shiera on principle. But that wasn't the whole story. Now that he knew of the circumstances around his birth, Aenys understood that there was something more personal going on between them. After all, his mother did not fear Shiera. Not exactly. She was frightened by Brynden. But Shiera? There was contempt there.
It was different.
It mattered little in the end. Aenys loved his mother. She had showered him with love and affection all his life. She was always there when he needed her. She was overprotective, sure, but he understood that she meant well. He was her only child, so her caution was not unwarranted.
However, he also loved Shiera, and he planned on having her by his side when it was time for him to leave the Red Keep. If that meant disappointing his mother, then it was a burden he was willing to shoulder.
"Where is my mother?"
Aenys had expected her to be the one to come find him first, not Jon.
Jon hesitated. Before he could give a response, another voice answered for him.
"Your mother has gone to confront Shiera I'm afraid. A mother who feels scorned is a dangerous adversary. Who knows what might happen between the two?"
Aenys was only a little surprised to see his great-uncle, the one and only Daemon Blackfyre, emerge from one of the nearby pillars with a small smile tugging at his lips. He wore a black tunic with Blackfyre secured at his side. It always was.
Aenys' eyes wandered to the sword but for a moment before he was looking back up at the head of House Blackfyre.
"Uncle. What a pleasant surprise. How many years has it been?"
Aenys' voice did not carry any animosity. Despite the fact that they had not seen one another in person for years now, Aenys' communication with Daemon's children meant that the two were more than a little acquainted with one another. Beyond that, Aenys still considered the man to be a part of his family even if his grandfather might hold some private reservations about that line of thought. Not that Aenys could help it. Daemon Blackfyre was many things, and warrior and knight were on top of the list. Because of that, Aenys held much respect for his uncle. Only Maekar held more respect in Aenys' heart than Daemon, and that was mostly because of personal reasons.
"It has been far too long, nephew." Daemon began to approach him. He ignored Jon altogether even as the knight tensed when he saw the man walk closer to them. "I regret not coming sooner. I could have joined you in your grand battle against the mountain clans of the Vale. I imagine it was quite the sight after it was all done."
Aenys waved it off. "You don't need to make it sound so glamorous, uncle. They were like sheep. They did not put up much of a fight."
It was an arrogant thing to say, he knew. Perhaps Aenys would have a different opinion had he fought the mountain clans in traditional warfare, but as it stood he did not have the greatest impression of the hill tribes.
At least they were brave. Stupid, but brave.
"I believe you are the only one who has the luxury of making such a claim," Daemon said in turn. "Not that I fault you. A dragon stands above all others. Too many were starting to forget this fact. Perhaps now they will remember why it is the dragon that sits on the Iron Throne."
'He's full of pride.' Aenys was able to tell right away that Daemon was preening himself on Vaeraxes' performance in the Vale.
It was a much more positive reaction than the one he got from his grandfather.
"My prince." Jon leaned in closer to whisper to him while glancing warily at Daemon who looked unbothered. "As much as I dislike saying this, Lord Daemon is correct. Your mother has gone to confront Lady Shiera. I was coming to warn you."
Oh yes, Daemon had mentioned that. Aenys almost missed it.
How considerate of Jon to come and warn him of it. Jon went up a few levels in Aenys' list of people that he liked, and his cousin was already high on that list to begin with.
Aenys was not concerned, however. At least, not fully concerned. "I appreciate the warning, cousin. I might as well go and stop the whole castle from hearing my mother shout and curse at the top of her lungs."
Knowing Shiera, she would not rise to that level. His mother would. Undoubtedly. But he doubted she would take it further than that. She was not a woman of violence.
"I can respect a son's concern for his mother, but I think it might be premature to depart after such a short greeting, don't you think?" Daemon said. Either the man could read lips, or he and Jon were not quiet enough.
Jon was instantly agitated. "I don't know what it is that you want, Lord Daemon, but Prince Aenys-"
"That's quite enough, cousin." Aenys cut him off before he could say any more. "You go on ahead. It appears that my uncle wishes to speak to me about something. I shall catch up to you soon."
Jon's presence would deter some of the more gossiping servants from getting too close to Shiera's chamber. That would be enough from any ugly rumors spreading….hopefully. Maybe.
Probably not. But hey, it was better than doing nothing.
Jon hesitated as he looked between uncle and nephew. Ultimately, his loyalty to Aenys won out, and he left to carry out his orders without a fuss.
"A loyal man, that one," Daemon commented as he watched Jon depart. "I'm not sure how I feel about his distrust toward me. I am no kinslayer."
"Everyone is on edge around you, uncle. You are not blind to this. Not long ago many lords were gathering around your banner to proclaim you king. You cannot expect people to forget about that overnight."
Aenys was young, but he was not ignorant. He was not intimidated by Daemon either. He had no qualms speaking his mind to the man.
Daemon chuckled softly. "That was without my consent, I assure you." Something in his eyes twinkled. "A position you now find yourself in I may add. I'm sure you can understand my plight."
Aenys did not answer, mainly because he had no idea whether Daemon was sincere or not. Instead, he picked up on something else.
There were no servants nearby, which was suspicious. Usually they were always scurrying about these halls, especially now that a tourney was being organized. Someone was probably blocking any servant from walking through the hall. No doubt Daemon's work. Did he want a private audience this badly?
Aenys would play along.
"Speak your mind, uncle. There are a great many things that I must attend to."
As it so happened, one of those things was Daemon himself, but the man didn't need to know that yet.
"Then I will accept your kind invitation, nephew," Daemon said as the humor left his face. "I've been hearing whispers of more than just victory in the Vale. There have been talks of a new betrothal for you. Of a dalliance. Of the king's anger. All of it centered around you. I was hoping you could clear this up for me."
"The court loves their rumors, uncle." Aenys dismissed the rumors. Inwardly, he was wondering who had talked. The Arryns? They were the most logical choice. Lord Arryn had been personally offended that Aenys had chosen Shiera over Aelora. Despite his anger, his grandfather would prefer to keep everything hidden away until he could twist it under his control, so it couldn't be him. He doubted his mother would speak of it, too ashamed by it all. So other than the Arryns, who could it be?
It was not that this was a big issue. It was not as if he was actively keeping his relationship with Shiera a secret. It was like he told his grandfather. He was free to do as he wished. He had broken no prior arrangement.
Aenys just did not like the idea of the Arryns trying to use this so-called incident for political points, if it was indeed them who were the ones spreading rumors. It was better to be cautious than blind.
Daemon was not discouraged by Aenys' dismissal. "If you want to act as if nothing happened, then you should have instructed your cousins to act with more restraint."
There was mirth in the man's tone. He was obviously amused by Aenys' attempt to act as if nothing of importance had happened in the Eyrie.
Everything clicked at once for Aenys.
'Aerion.'
Of course. He had forgotten about his cousin's big mouth.
This also meant that Aenys could relax. If it was just Aerion and his usual antics, then he didn't care. His uncle was not here to try and play any political mind games. This must have been a little game for him.
How....fun.
"Yes, uncle. I plan to marry Shiera."
There was no reason to deny anything. This was just family gossip now, and he was not ashamed. Shiera was not ashamed either.
Daemon did not seem surprised by this revelation. If anything, he took the news very calmly.
"I see. I understand now why the king was so distraught. His hopes have all been crushed."
Aenys didn't respond. He cared not for his grandfather's plots.
"It seems my dear sister surprised us all too," Daemon continued, smirking. "Without anyone realizing it, she has secured her position as the future queen of Westeros."
Aenys deadpanned. "I respect you, uncle. I really do. You are more than just a mere knight. You must know that uttering such words is tantamount to treason."
Daemon gestured to the empty hall around them. "I don't see anyone around who would dispute such a claim, nephew. Or perhaps I should say dispute the truth?"
"So you're one of those too."
"One of what?"
"One of the ones who want to make use of me to satisfy their petty grudges."
Daemon chuckled. "Petty? I wouldn't call thousands of years of war petty, Aenys. There are good reasons to distrust the Dornish, the Martells chiefly among them. Your grandfather might be more than willing to forget about history, but others are not. Daeron tried to do everything all at once and failed. Even if he does not want to admit it, it was his own actions which ultimately led us here. I know you're not a fool. You won't deny what's right in front of you."
"Do you know me well enough to say that, uncle?"
His grandmother was a Martell. Shouldn't that matter to his uncle?
Daemon smiled. "I know my siblings, more than they realize perhaps. I know Shiera enough to understand you."
Such a roundabout answer, but Aenys did not dislike it. Many only saw Shiera as some heathen witch without understanding who she truly was.
"We've talked in circles for too long, uncle." Aenys hadn't forgotten the point of this conversation. "Tell me what you want."
Daemon would not have sought him out like this if he did not have something to say. Other than spewing the same rhetoric that Aenys was going to be king that is.
Daemon leaned in closer to whisper, almost as if what he was about to say was too important to be said too loudly.
"My desire is simple, Aenys. Marry Calla. Or Daena. Or Daenerys. If you want all three, then that is also fine."
There it was. Daemon was speaking plainly for once.
Aenys showed no emotion to Daemon's request.
"Even if I did not intend to marry Shiera, is this not the type of offer you should be making to my father? Or the king?"
He was but a mere prince, after all.
Daemon let out a snort of derision, which looked humorous coming from someone like him who almost always carried a more dignified air around him, as he leaned back.
"Who is the one who is talking in circles now? Even if you listened to your father's word, we both know he cares very little for such things. Even now, he chooses to remain on Dragonstone while his only son makes a name for himself. And your grandfather?" Here, Daemon smiled again. "If you cared for his opinion, then you would not be saying that you're going to marry Shiera in the first place."
Aenys accepted his uncle's reasoning, which was correct, and responded, "If you know all that, then you must know that I will not turn Shiera away for one of your daughters. If you want to sit your blood on the throne, then have one of them wed Valarr."
"You should not insult me or my daughters with such a thought." Daemon did not entertain the idea for a second. "Baelor is a respectable man with clear talent as a knight, but he's more Dornish than Valyrian. His son is not even that. You think I would allow any of my daughters to marry such a weak prince?"
Weak, huh. To someone like Daemon Blackfyre, most men probably classified as "weak."
"Besides, you are not paying enough attention to my words, nephew. You can have Shiera. And you can have my daughters."
Aenys' eyes slowly widened. "You would make such an offer?"
Daemon's face carried no deceit. "No one but you has been able to hatch any egg since the Dance, Aenys. I do not presume to understand why or how. Brynden and Shiera know more than I in these matters. I also care very little for the reasons. What matters is that you can. Why would I not want my grandchildren to possess such blood? First and foremost, we are Valyrians. We cannot be judged by the same standards as these Andals. We conquered them, through fire and blood. Our dragons are our strength. We cannot risk losing them again. Daeron is a fool for abiding by the same rules as before. Even if he wants to bury his head in the Dornish sand, the board has been overturned, and I will ensure that our family remains at the top."
There was both passion and conviction in Daemon's voice as he spoke. He was not making this offer on a whim. It was not for politics that he wanted his daughters to marry Aenys. It was for the dragons. While Daeron continued to try and play the same balancing act that he had his whole life, Daemon had a different perspective. It was better to just toss the board out entirely and put a whole new board on the table, one where the dragons were alive and thriving again.
Aenys was more amenable to Daemon's vision of the future. But to take more than one wife when he was not to be king was a dangerous line to cross. He could argue that his circumstances were different. His dragon set him apart.
More importantly, he knew Calla. She was intelligent and beautiful. Were it not for Shiera, then he was certain that he would find her the most beautiful lady in the realm. She was the classical Valyrian beauty, and she had enticed plenty of men already.
'Binding the black dragon under my banner….'
Aenys was already thinking of ways to try and put an end to the division between the red and black dragons. They were stronger together. At the end of the day, Daemon Blackfyre was a Targaryen, even if he did not share their name. He could be of great use to make sure that stability continued in the realm. Even if that were to benefit Valarr and his reign in the future, Aenys cared not. He could swallow his pride for the benefit of the future.
On the other hand, he could also be inviting rebellion if he took more than one wife.
'No, am I not doing that already?'
Aenys was certain of his intentions, but what of his descendants? So long as the dragons remained out of the main royal line, rebellion was always one stone throw away. It was why he had been planing on leaving in the first place.
In the end, Aenys remained uncertain. There was much that he had to think about.
"I cannot give you an answer yet, uncle. This decision….it's too important to make on a whim."
He would also have to discuss it with Shiera.
Daemon did not seem angered by this. Instead, he seemed pleased.
"As long as you consider it, that is enough. I'm certain that you will come to accept it. Shiera will understand the necessity of it."
For some reason, Aenys didn't doubt that. And not just for the benefit that it could provide for their family. Shiera loved sex. Taking another wife meant more sex.
That was probably how she was going to see it.
Best not to think about that right now. Otherwise, he was going to get distracted by the thought of Shiera and Calla together in his bed waiting for him. And he needed to keep his mind focused on the present.
"As long as you're here, uncle, there is something that I need you to do for me."
"Oh?" Daemon raised an eyebrow. "So I'm not the only one with a scheme. How reassuring."
Aenys chuckled. "I think you might like this one, uncle. After all, it's about getting rich….and stealing a castle."
Daemon seemed intrigued.
"Do tell."
And so, the red and black dragon started plotting together.
---
Shiera wanted to say that she was surprised to find Aelinor already waiting for her inside her chamber, but that would be a lie. Aelinor was conscientious enough to not confront her in the Eyrie where everyone would hear of the commotion, which would undoubtedly spread rumors. That only left the woman with one other option.
And so, here they were.
"So instead of going to see your son, you came to find me first." Shiera was not nervous. Rather, she felt something akin to annoyance. She was looking forward to a relaxing bath. She loved flying on Vaeraxes with Aenys, but she did not enjoy smelling the way she did after. Now, she was going to have to entertain Aelinor before she could enjoy some privacy.
How troublesome.
Shiera closed the door to her room before turning to face Aelinor who stood with her arms folded in front of her. The anger was self-evident for anyone who bothered looking at the woman's face. She did not speak, though.
How curious.
Shiera was not going to be intimidated by silence.
"You know, Aelinor, you're too beautiful of a woman to be scowling so heavily. It will ruin you."
Shiera was certain that Aelinor had a few knights pining over her. Aerys was just a curious case of a man that did not understand what a wife was meant for.
Aelinor finally snapped. "Do not play games with me right now, you decrepit sorceress."
"Decrepit?" Shiera was insulted by that word. She was still in the prime of her life.
Aelinor's glare seemed to intensify. "Was it not enough that you toyed with me and Aerys for your own amusement? Now you must use my son as well? For what purpose? Do you enjoy torturing me so?"
Understanding began to dawn on Shiera. It was almost enough to make her laugh, but she controlled herself.
"You think too highly of yourself, Aelinor. My actions have nothing to do with you. Even when I played that prank on my nephew, it was to mess with him, not you. I did not expect that he would have enough self-control to seek you out that night rather than fall for the first woman that he came across. A miscalculation on my part, but one that we are all better for, don't you agree?"
Shiera thought that her intentions were well-understood by now, but it seemed as if she was wrong.
Honestly. Why would she have some kind of vendetta against Aelinor of all people? The woman was non-offensive to the point of it being boring.
Aelinor gritted her teeth as she clenched her fists at her sides. "Then why Aenys? You can have any man in the realm. We both know it. There have been hundreds of men who have sought your hand in marriage. Many of them are lords with lands and castles. Why must it be Aenys? You will only make everything more difficult for him."
More difficult?
"Are you worried about our king?"
Aelinor flinched but did not answer.
Shiera already knew her answer from that act alone. She frowned. "I'm disappointed in you. Were you not ready to defy the king once when he planned to wed Aenys to Aelora? Where did that fire go?"
"That was different!" Aelinor exclaimed with anger. "You're just using him. You're no different from the rest. I know it. You will only corrupt him."
Shiera could explain how Aelinor was wrong on that account, but even she held little interest in describing her nighttime activities to Aenys' mother. Needless to say, Aenys needed little assistance to be "corrupted."
Still, the woman's hysteria was enough to soften some of the annoyance lingering within Shiera. At the end of the day, the woman was just worried about her son. She thought that Shiera had some scary plot in mind.
'In a way, I suppose she is not wrong,' Shiera mused as she thought about everything leading up to today. She had made sure that no other woman had carelessly approached Aenys until he was ready to be hers. It was a curious thing, to want to be with someone. But there was no one else like Aenys who could satisfy both sides of her. She would not let him go.
Shiera was not the type to share her private feelings to others. It was something she had learned from when she was a young girl, isolated in court. The short time she spent with her father was no time at all. Aegon had largely ignored her, and that was based on the few memories she had of the dead king. She had only been three when her father finally passed. Since then, she had been truly alone. She cared little for most of her half-siblings. Daeron was courteous enough to her, which was why she never acted against him, not directly. But "courteous" was different from "loving." In that sense, only Brynden came close.
Until Aenys was born.
She was not keen to tell Aelinor this, but simply dismissing her would probably be annoying too. As Aenys' mother, Shiera was aware that she was going to be forced to see more of Aelinor. Not that they didn't already cross paths all the time. Their relationship would just take on another layer.
So, deciding to throw Aelinor a bone, Shiera said, "If it makes you feel at ease, I do not mind sharing my scary plan with you. I'm sure it'll frighten you to the bone."
Aelinor was taken aback. Obviously she must have expected for Shiera to deny everything.
"What-?"
"Since you want to know so badly, then I will tell you. Here it is. My convoluted plan. Are you ready?" It was a rhetorical question, so Shiera didn't wait for Aelinor to respond before she continued. "I will give birth to a whole new line of dragonriders." Shiera smiled widely. "One that will scare the lords of the realm into submission. One that will even scare Daeron if he lives long enough to see it. All his plans and hopes about the future will matter little when there is suddenly a prince with a family of dragonriders that he cannot control. How does that sound? Does it not frighten you? Because it does not scare me. It only excites me."
Aelinor's mouth went wide as she began to process Shiera's words but no sound came out. She was frozen in place.
The sight made Shiera laugh this time.
"I warned you, didn't I? I'm a nefarious sorceress. You should have seen this coming."
It was her most evil scheme, was it not?
Aelinor finally spoke again. "You're mad," she whispered. Even if Shiera was making a mockery of the situation, there was some semblance of the truth in her words. Aenys could very well give rise to a new branch of the Targaryen family, only this branch was filled with dragonriders. And Aenys was not keen on binding his line to the main one, not with Valarr still among the living.
What would that mean for the future of the realm?
"Do you mean to turn Aenys against the rest of the family?" Aelinor looked pale as she asked this.
Shiera waved off the thought. "We both know that Aenys loves his family too much for that. Despite Daeron's idiocy, he still kept Aenys alive and granted him the privileges of a prince. For that alone, Aenys is willing to tolerate a great many things." Shiera paused before she added, "But you're not blind either, Aelinor. You already know where all of this is heading. Even without me, the outcome would remain the same. Daeron cannot control what time will do. Eventually Aenys will marry. And when he does, it's only a matter of time until he has children. If Vaeraxes does not lay any eggs, what's to stop Aenys from using the ones that already exist? He reignited the fire in a stone egg. What's to say his children cannot do the same? Don't you agree?"
It was all speculation, but speculation based on what had already happened. It was all uncharted territory, which made Shiera all the more excited to observe it with her own eyes. She had already witnessed something remarkable on the Isle of Faces. With Aenys by her side, she knew that she would see even more.
Shiera would never let him go. How could she?
Aelinor looked as if somebody had physically struck her when she heard those words. She tried to come up with some kind of argument on the spot even though it was clear that she couldn't refute Shiera's words.
"You-"
"I can keep Aenys safe. You have my word on that." Shiera was not interested in hearing the woman throw more baseless accusations her way. "He was already planning on leaving Westeros. Did you know that?"
By the way Aelinor's eyes widened, it was clear that she had not.
Shiera felt giddy over this, that she knew more than Aelinor, but she did not dwell on it.
"I helped to convince him to stay. You can thank me for that."
Aelinor looked uncertain now. She began to frantically glance around the room, trying to gather her thoughts.
"Is that another lie?" she whispered.
Shiera almost scoffed at this. "What would be the point? To win you over? We both know that you will never like me. I'm not asking you to, nor do I care for it. That does not mean that we have to be at each other's throats all the time. Aenys loves you. I would not hurt him over some petty grudge."
This was the truth. There was little point in all of this. The sooner Aelinor realized that, the better.
Whatever anger Aelinor had carried into the room was now gone, leaving her scared and confused. But that was who Aelinor Penrose was underneath. A woman who did not have any political aspirations. For all her faults, Aelinor was a good woman who could make most men happy, for she only cared for the happiness of her family. Politics was not something that ever entered her mind. Unfortunately, Aerys Targaryen was not a man who could understand or appreciate the good fortune of being married to such a woman.
In some ways, Shiera was happy that it was Aelinor who was Aenys' mother. Jena Dondarrion, Dyanna Dayne, and Alys Arryn were all more politically savvy, and as a result they were more annoying to deal with. They were more than ready to use their privileged positions as the wives of princes to advance their respective houses' standing.
Lucky for Shiera that Aenys was not born to any of them.
By the end, Aelinor could only pose one question to Shiera.
"You will marry him?"
Her voice was weak and vulnerable.
Shiera did not have to think about it.
"I will."
Becoming queen was not something that Shiera had ever aspired to, but there was no use complaining about it.
She might just look good with a crown.
---
Aenys was pleasantly surprised when he met with Shiera and his mother. Rather than screams and name calling, he was met with a reluctant peace between the two women.
Jon, who had stood guard nearby, told him that there was some initial shouting from his mother, but eventually there was silence.
Aenys had to wonder how Shiera pulled off such a miracle. He was going to have to ask her what she and his mother talked about when they had time, among other things.
Before then, Aenys had several things to take care of.
He embraced his mother of course as she welcomed him back. He could tell that she wanted to cry. For what, he was not certain.
She only asked one thing of him.
"Are you planning on marrying Shiera?"
Aenys looked into his mother's eyes, searching for any hostility or anger. To his astonishment, he found none of that. There were still hints of displeasure, but it was more subdued compared to how she had appeared in the Eyrie all those weeks ago.
"I am." He did not lie to her.
Aelinor sighed as her shoulders sagged in defeat. "The king will not be happy, son."
"I don't care about the king's opinion, mother."
She already knew that, but hearing it straight from his mouth must have made it more real in her mind.
"I understand." She squeezed his hands with her own but did not argue with his decision.
Their private talk had Aenys feeling more at ease with the future. Despite what he had said earlier, he did not want to be at odds with his mother if he could help it.
For now, he and his mother went their separate ways. Aenys had someone else he needed to see before he met back up with Daemon.
Aenys made his way to the royal apartments, more specifically to the king's bedchamber where his grandmother was resting. Ser Willem Wylde stood guard by the door. He stood straight in his shiny white cloak when he noticed Aenys approaching with Jon at his side.
"Prince Aenys." Ser Willem greeted him. "I heard your dragon when it flew over the castle. I'm glad to see you made it safely from the Vale."
"Thank you for the kind words, Ser." Aenys did not know the Kingsguard before him all that well. They had not spoken much over the years. He possessed decent enough skills, but Aenys felt as though that there were more accomplished knights out there that deserved the position in the Kingsguard more. Unfortunately, it was not his decision to make. His grandfather had been the one to appoint Ser Willem, so that was that.
"I am here to see my grandmother, the queen."
Aenys made his request known.
"Yes. I am sure that she will be pleased." Rather than obstruct his path, the knight led him through without a fuss.
'Hm.' Aenys didn't think too much of it as he ordered Jon to wait for him outside. He stepped inside the bedchamber while Ser Willem closed the door behind him.
"So you've come, Aenys." Myriah Martell did not raise her head from the pillows to know who it was that had entered her bedchamber.
His grandmother's voice sounded weak, weaker than it had weeks ago.
Aenys realized then that she really was dying, and fast.
"I have returned, grandmother," Aenys said gently as he stepped closer to the bed. "Forgive me for my smell. His Grace did not permit me to bathe before summoning me."
Despite her weakened state, his grandmother still managed to greet him with a smile when her eyes finally landed on him.
"Yes. Even from in here, I was able to hear the roars of your dragon. It loves to make a lot of noise, doesn't it?"
Aenys chuckled. "Vaeraxes is rather….extroverted."
"Just like its rider." When Aenys was close enough, Myriah reached out for him. Unfortunately, she was unable to properly raise her arms to do so.
Aenys knelt by her side as he took one of her hands with his own and held it.
"You shouldn't be moving too much," he cautioned. "I would not have you dying after exerting yourself just because of me."
"Everyone dies eventually," she responded as she studied him. "My time is simply near. I know Daeron likes to pretend otherwise, but it is simply the way of the world. The gods will take us all when they are ready."
"You almost sound happy about it."
"Acceptance is not happiness, Aenys. There is just no use fighting the inevitable." She tried to squeeze his hand as her eyes began to glaze over. "I would want nothing more than to have a few more years. To watch my grandsons and granddaughters grow. To see what you all make of yourselves. To urge caution."
Caution?
"Grandmother, I-"
"Daeron could not stop talking about it, you know," she cut him off. "About your victory. And then your disappearance. And your new love."
Aenys should not have been surprised, but he still was.
"So he told you everything."
Myriah smiled. "His attempts to pretend that everything is okay. He talks to me so that I can still offer him counsel just like when we first wed."
"He should not worry you over such things."
She began studying him again. "So it's true. You do not deny it."
"Deny what? My great victory? Of course."
Myriah would have shaken her head if she could. "We both know that's not what I mean."
Realizing where this was going, Aenys lowered his grandmother's hand.
"Are you going to try and change my mind, grandmother?"
He did not want to sour his time with his grandmother. Despite his opinions about Dorne and the Dornish presence in court, Myriah Martell was still his grandmother. He cared for her. He did not want to end his time with her on a negative note.
His grandmother surprised him again with her next words.
"No. Even if I could, I would not. I would rather you not resent me anymore than you already do."
"I don't-"
"It's okay, Aenys. I know how you have grown. You are different from both your father and grandfather. You are more willful than either of them. They're also stubborn in their own ways, even if they do not want to admit it. But even so, they never went against their respective kings. Not like you have."
Aenys had nothing to say to this.
"Do you love her?" she asked gently.
There was no hesitation. "I do."
"Then that is all that matters I suppose. You have been given more freedom than anyone else."
Aenys almost snorted at this. "I'm just the son of a second son, grandmother. If not for my dragon, the king would not care about who I married."
"It's not just the king who cares, my beloved grandson. The whole realm is watching you," she reminded him. "And that includes my brother."
Aenys blinked. He had not expected this sudden turn.
"The Prince of Dorne?"
"Yes. He has not given up, you know. He still writes to me, urging me to make you consider Arianne as your bride. She has not wed. Maron has set her aside for you."
Arianne Martell. The princess of Dorne who looked more Targaryen than Dornish. It was ironic that she seemed Valyrian while Baelor did not.
Even so, despite Arianne's beauty, Aenys held no desire for her. He had not thought of her since their meeting all those years ago.
"The Prince grows too greedy then," Aenys murmured with distaste. He did not mean to show his irritation to his dying grandmother, but it still slipped out.
His grandmother noticed it too, but she did not rebuke him for it.
"I've told him the same thing," she admitted. "But he does not listen. He does not care to. He has grown to enjoy the privilege of having close ties to the king. He does not wish to lose it when Daeron passes."
The Prince was only fearful because of Aenys' presence. He did not know what was going to happen when the king died and the succession took place. He was keenly aware that there were many in the realm who still despised Dorne despite how many years had passed since Daeron and Myriah wed. Hatred was not so easily forgotten without a proper outlet.
"I will not marry her, grandmother."
Dorne had enjoyed too many privileges already. Aenys did not know how his uncle Baelor intended to rule, but Aenys was not going to favor the Dornish anymore.
"You don't have to state the obvious, Aenys." She gently patted his hand. "I just want to give you one last piece of advice while I still can. Despite everything that's happening, you're still of my blood. You and your cousins all. I want nothing but the world for you. You are stronger united than divided. Do not make the same mistakes that your grandfather did."
"I will not start a war. I can promise you that," he said with gentle conviction.
"Good. Good." She seemed happy to hear this. "Daeron could have accomplished more if he had Daemon at his side, but I shouldn't be the one to speak of this. I share the blame in alienating his half-siblings. I went along with his plans to tie Dorne to the crown without considering the consequences of how he went about it. I thought it was for the best. I realize now that I was only thinking as a princess of Dorne rather than as the queen of the Seven Kingdoms. I indulged my brother too much, and now he still expects more. I cannot say how he will react when he is denied."
"He must learn to accept it like all the other lords."
"I pray that you are right, grandson. I really do."
It was all that Myriah had the strength to say. She had forced herself to remain lucid throughout their conversation, but her body could no longer take it.
She began to fall asleep.
Aenys silently watched as his grandmother drifted into unconsciousness. He did not disturb her. He took her words to heart.
Maron Martell might be his great-uncle, but he constantly showed that he thought of himself as the Prince of Dorne first and foremost. As such, Aenys would give him no favoritism.
If he could not accept that, then Aenys could do nothing more for the man and his ambitions.
---
Aenys tried to not make much noise as he left the king's bedchamber. He gave his thanks to Ser Willem before departing.
'If everything goes well, Daemon should be in the Maidenvault already.'
The Maidenvault housed more than just the rooms where Princess Elaena and her sisters had been confined. There were other chambers present that would serve him well, including a small library of sorts where Princess Rhaena had kept her books for morning prayers. Supposedly Elaena and Daena had smuggled other books inside too, for their own amusement.
Most were not holy books, if the rumors were true.
A funny thought, if not tragic, that they had to resort to such methods to keep themselves entertained while trapped inside. Aenys would never understand what compelled Baelor the Blessed to act in such a manner. If he had a sister, then he would treasure her, not lock her away like some kind of monster.
'Faith corrupts.'
No. Absolute faith corrupted. At least, that was the conclusion he had reached.
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as he and Jon turned down one of the hallways only for somebody to launch themselves straight into his chest.
"My prince!" Jon was slow to react as Aenys stumbled back. He did not have a chance to regain his composure as two arms wrapped themselves around his neck.
"You're finally back, cousin! We've been looking for you!"
Blinking, Aenys realized who it was that was currently hugging him. The silver-blonde hair, accompanied with the voice, was enough.
Daena Blackfyre.
The younger girl was latching on to him like a crab unwilling to let go of its prey…..if that made any sense.
"Daena!" A second later, more familiar faces started appearing in the hall. Calla, Daenerys, Aerion, and Daeron.
Quite a crowd, and not one that Aenys had been expecting to see right now.
"Sister, that is not proper," Daenerys said, trying to scold her older sister as fiercely as she could. Given her more gentle nature, that was hard to do.
"You ran off without us," Calla further accused with her hands on her hips.
"You guys were just slow!" Daena stuck her tongue at them. "If I followed you, then we would have missed him!"
"More like we were forgotten," Aerion said as he sauntered his way to Aenys' side. Nearby, Jon finally allowed himself to relax, but Aerion ignored him. "We heard your arrival, but instead of seeking us out you've been on the move. Aegon and Aemon were not happy. They wanted to see if they could go flying on Vaeraxes again."
Aenys raised his arms in surrender, which was difficult to do since Daena was still clinging to him. The girl was a couple of years younger than he, but already she was beginning to show signs of growth.
"That is not my fault. I had to go see the king. And-you know that I still smell of dragon, correct?" He tossed the question at Daena.
"Who cares?" Daena hugged him together as she inhaled deeply. "It's a good smell."
He could never understand her.
"Daena," Calla hissed, obviously displeased by what she was seeing.
"It's quite alright, cousin." Even though he said this, he still tried to push the girl away, but she did not budge. For such a young girl, she had a surprising amount of strength. "I'm not offended."
"Of course you're not." His words only seemed to aggravate Calla further as she huffed. "We all wanted to welcome you back."
Aenys chuckled. "Forgive me." He smiled at her. "It's good to see you again."
It was true.
Daeron leaned in to whisper to Aerion. "I think you are right. We have been forgotten."
Aenys rolled his eyes at this. "I just saw you two a few weeks ago."
"It's good to see you too, cousin," Daeron responded, full of sarcasm.
"Sulking does not become you, Daeron."
"Who says that I'm sulking?"
"Fight later, you two." Calla cut in before he and Daeron could get into a back-and-forth. "We split up to find you. We've been preparing a little feast for your return." She scrunched up her nose. "You might want to bathe first."
"Good idea." Daena's eyes brightened. "I'll join you. I think the smell got to me too."
"Sister!" Daenerys exclaimed with wide eyes, scandalized.
Daena ignored her.
"As much as I would like to bathe and change out of my riding gear, I do not have the time for it." Aenys tried to ignore Daena's invitation. The girl was still young. She did not yet understand what she was really saying, or so he liked to believe. Besides, Daemon's proposal was still echoing in his mind. It was not that he did not find Calla and her sisters beautiful. But he would rather not dishonor them unless he could take full responsibility.
"Where are you going?" Daeron asked.
"To meet with Daemon."
His answer caused his cousins to go quiet as the words registered in their mind.
"You already spoke with father?" Calla inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. I have a meeting with him."
And a few others.
"Sounds interesting. I'm in." Aerion stepped up. "It's been boring since the Vale. And we have to wait a few moons before the tourney commences."
Aenys looked at him. "You know this is not for a game, right?"
Aerion shrugged. "Yeah, so what? Can I not be involved?"
Aenys sighed. "Do as you wish."
He had a feeling that if he turned Aerion down, then his cousin would just find another way to sneak in. Besides, for all the trouble that he caused, Aenys did trust Aerion. If possible, he wanted Aerion to accompany him in the future. It was Daeron that was going to inherit Summerhall, not Aerion. It was a good opportunity to poach him.
"If he can go, then I'm joining too," Daeron said as he crossed his arms. "No way you're going to turn me down and bring him, right?"
Aerion scowled. "The hell does that mean?"
"Responsibility is not a concept that fits you well, dear brother."
"Why you-"
"You both can accompany me!" Aenys wasn't interested in watching the two brothers arguing right now.
"Oh! Oh!" Daena finally released him as she hopped back while raising her arm. "Can I come too?"
It was obvious that Calla agreed with her sister. Daenerys just looked uncertain.
"I don't think that would be appropriate."
Calla's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"
"Speak to your father about it. He said that it was not for your ears." Aenys had no qualms sacrificing Daemon. Let him suffer his daughters' wrath. Better him than Aenys. "You can also tell the others that I will be joining the feast after I'm done and have bathed. I don't want to miss out on what you've prepared."
That seemed to calm Calla's nerves even if Daena was still pouting.
"Did father really say that?" It was Daenerys who called Aenys out on his lies, but rather than letting either Calla or Daena ponder the question for too long Aenys quickly left the hall with Aerion, Daeron, and Jon in tow.
A strategic retreat never hurt anyone.
---
Ser Quentyn Ball did not consider himself an old man. Not yet. His red hair was still bright and full of life, just like his spirit. His sword arm was good enough to cut down most knights out there.
And his spirit burned hotly with thoughts of war and revenge.
His revenge was more personal than some others, but wasn't personal revenge all the more sweet? Some might say his reason for wanting revenge was silly. Quentyn did not agree, not when he had worked for it for so long, only to be denied by a weak king and a weak knight.
Even after everything that he had sacrificed, the so-called King Daeron had rejected Quentyn's admission into the Kingsguard in favor of Ser Willem Wylde. While Quentyn bore the knight no ill-intentions, he was not half the knight that Quentyn was.
It was because of this that Quentyn still could not understand the king's reasoning for passing him over. The best explanation he could come up with was that the appointment had been to further placate the Stormlands after his unpopular marriage to Myriah Martell. Whatever the truth of the matter was, the king never shared his thoughts on the matter, so Quentyn was left to imagine an answer for himself.
Truth be told, the reason did not matter all that much. The outcome was the same for Quentyn. He had even sent his wife to the silent sisters in order to honor his vows to the Kingsguard.
In the end, it got him nothing.
All these years, Quentyn had been itching for war just as much as Aegor. Their reasons differed, but their goals aligned. And yet, despite the years dragging on, despite being forced to teach Baelor's sons to keep up appearances, no war had come.
Quentyn knew why. Their strongest argument, that Daeron's blood was false while Daemon's was true, became weak when the realm witnessed the revival of the dragons through Daeron's blood, not Daemon's.
There was also the practical reality that an army would be next to useless before a dragon's flames. Quentyn knew his history well enough to understand that reality even if he had never witnessed it before. And now, in the Vale, the realm experienced that reality again when news spread of thousands of men being burned alive within minutes.
Times were changing, and Quentyn knew that they all needed to adapt if they wished to keep their heads on their bodies.
Daemon remained the same as always. Too much of a knight for his own good. It won him the admiration and loyalty of many, but it also caused him to not take certain actions that would otherwise benefit him, all because it was not "just."
One of those actions had been to kill Aenys Targaryen when the prince was a harmless boy and take the dragon for himself. Despite Aegor urging him to do so many times, Daemon never once considered it.
"Not without just cause," Daemon would often say.
To Daemon, just cause was on the battlefield or perhaps in a tourney as men often died in the midst of duels and jousts. Even then, Quentyn doubted that Daemon would go through with it. He respected his enemies too much if he found them worthy enough.
And he found Aenys to be worthy of his respect.
It was something Quentyn could begrudgingly admit to as well. Despite his weak father and grandfather, Aenys had not inherited their less than desirable traits. If Quentyn did not know the type of man Daemon was, then he would have thought that he had secretly lain with Aelinor Penrose. Despite taking many women to his bed, he had never once crossed that line with a married woman. And yet, Aenys was more like Daemon than even his own children.
Blood was weird sometimes, was it not?
Some might question why Quentyn still chose to follow Daemon's banner. It was because Daemon understood the way the wind was blowing. True, the chances of the black dragon taking the throne were next to zero now. But they could still accomplish their goal in another way: by sitting Aenys Targaryen on the throne. It helped that Daemon was seeking a match with the prince as well. Having Daemon's grandson as the future king was appealing to the many lords who still privately supported the black dragon.
Most of all, if this came to pass, it would be spitting on Daeron's legacy. Quentyn needed little convincing after that, especially if it guaranteed him a spot in the Kingsguard. Maybe he could even become the Lord Commander once everything was done.
Quentyn understood that it was not as simple as he was making it out to be. He was privy to more information than most, and so he knew that Aenys was similar to Daemon in more ways than just their looks and prowess. For the young prince cared too much about his family to incite rebellion on his own.
It was a sensitive situation all around, but Quentyn was convinced of their eventual victory. While none could dispute Baelor's merits, it would not be enough to stave off the coming storm.
And now, here Quentyn was, standing inside a room within the Maidenvault with Daemon Blackfyre himself. The room looked like a private library with all the shelves packed with books of all sorts. Quentyn did not know who had made use of it, but knowing the history of the Maidenvault it must have been owned by one of the three daughters of Aegon III.
There were others with them. Daemon's two oldest sons, Aegon and Aemon, as well as Aegor were all present. The most controversial member of their little gathering was the great Brynden Rivers himself. The so-called Bloodraven stood off by himself in one of the corners of the room. It took Daemon himself to keep Aegor from coming to blows with their half-brother. Honestly, it was a miracle that they were not screaming at one another right now.
'The poor fools.' Quentyn almost pitied them. They both lost the woman they loved, or so the rumors claimed. Honestly, there were a lot of rumors circulating in the Red Keep these days. Quentyn did not know how many of them were true. He did not bother with idle chatter. But the whispers of Shiera's relationship with Aenys? Now that he could believe.
They stood in silence for a few more minutes, with Aegor openly glaring at Brynden with hatred in his eyes. Brynden did not cower from Aegor's glare and matched it with his own.
'Why did Daemon bring them here?' Quentyn did not understand, nor did he understand the point of this meeting. Had something happened?
Just as he was about to lose his temper, the door to the room was opened. Aenys walked in a moment later with Daeron and Aerion following in after him. His guard, Ser Jon Penrose, was left standing out in the hall.
'Prince Aenys?' Quentyn was instantly on alert. He had not known that Aenys would be coming to join them. Daemon only told him that there was something of great import that they needed to discuss.
"Nephew. You're finally here." Daemon greeted Aenys with a warm smile.
Aegon and Aemon looked interested by the sight of their younger cousin. Having trained the twins on occasion, Quentyn knew that they admired and coveted Aenys' skills. They were the sons of Daemon Blackfyre and possessed considerable skill themselves, but they still paled in comparison to their father.
"Aenys?" Aegor reacted with a scowl. "What is he doing here?"
"You don't have to look so bothered, uncle." Aenys did not seem concerned by Aegor's hostility. "I was the one who asked Uncle Daemon to summon you here. It's for an important meeting you see."
Quentyn furrowed his brow. 'So Aenys is the architect of this little council.'
Then why was he here? Unlike the others present, Quentyn carried no dragon blood within him.
"I'm sure you have a good explanation for this, Aenys." Brynden finally dragged himself from the corner of the room. "You know how this will look if the king hears of this."
Aenys shot him a smile. "That's why I called you here, uncle. So you know that I am not planning treason."
"Then what are you planning?" Aegor questioned as Ser Jon closed the door to the room.
Aenys looked at each one of them, carefully studying them.
"What this family needs. Unity."
------------
Chapters will eventually be shorter. Trust the process.
Anyway, someone asked me to put on the names and ages of all the Blackfyres since there's so many of them. I swear, Daemon was glued on to poor Rohanne 24/7.
The current year in the story is 206 AC. So of this year, the following ages are:
Daemon Blackfyre: 36
Aegon Blackfyre: 22 (twin)
Aemon Blackfyre: 22 (twin)
Daemon the Younger Blackfyre: 17
Haegon Blackfyre: 16
Calla Blackfyre: 15
Aenys Blackfyre: 14
Daena Blackfyre: 13
Daenerys Blackfyre: 11
Aegor Blackfyre: 10
Maelys Blackfyre: 9
Yeah, there are a lot of them.
Anyway, that's all.