Aegon Snow

-Chapter 175-

-19th day of the 10th moon of the year 300 AC-

-POV Ysilla Royce-

Seeing Viserys land in the courtyard of Riverrun Castle made me smile slightly because, although I was not very happy about this union at first due to the rumors surrounding the former prince heir to the Iron Throne, we eventually managed to find common ground with the emperor's help.

I thought I would end up like my ancestor Rhea Royce, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover a young man forged by the hardships of life beneath the arrogant and prideful facade he showed to the rest of the world.

'Especially once the emperor ordered him to treat me as he would have liked the Mad King to treat his mother.'

One thing I learned over time was the almost sacred love Viserys had for his mother, and the fierce loyalty he felt towards House Targaryen, born from a strong sense of rejection and general abandonment forged during his exile along with his sister.

'Even if he doesn't say it, he admires the emperor greatly and would like to be in his place.'

"My Lady," said Viserys as he dismounted from his magnificent cream and gold dragon.

The first time I saw this dragon, I thought I was going to faint, but today I rejoiced and thanked the Seven every day that Viserion was present to protect us all.

'Especially for this one,' I thought, placing a hand on my belly.

Viserys unbuckled the straps that attached him to Viserion and then descended along his wing before taking me in his arms and kissing me passionately for a few seconds before holding me tightly.

He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of my hair before letting go and kissing my forehead, a little embarrassed by this unusual display of affection.

He squinted, and turning around, I saw that the soldiers of Riverrun's guard all had their eyes either lowered or looking into the distance.

I smiled because each of the 500 guards had been specially recruited by Viserys on the emperor's advice and was loyal only to Viserys. All would give their lives to protect ours, and such loyalty had greatly helped Viserys become the man he was today.

"How is His Majesty the Emperor?" I asked, looking at my husband.

"Not well, but he is strong, and those damn slave-driving pigs won't erode his confidence or his mindset."

"I heard the details by raven, but I couldn't believe it."

Viserys said nothing, so I asked, "Has the Empress really been deposed?"

"Yes," he said.

"And Queen Belleg..." I began before being abruptly cut off.

"Don't mention that foreign whore," Viserys said in a tone he rarely used in our conversations.

I didn't flinch, although I frowned in displeasure. Realizing his mistake, he let out a small sigh of frustration before saying:

"She tried to do the same thing Tywin Lannister and the Fat Stag did, exterminating the members of House Targaryen. She wanted the throne for herself and her son. Whatever she might have said, I'm sure she would have also attacked us afterward."

"Because you would surely have claimed the throne if she had succeeded," I said, giving him a sideways glance that he simply ignored, saying nonchalantly:

"I am the most legitimate."

"There is still Maegor," I said, mentioning the emperor's true heir.

"He's one of that Lannister whore's bastards," Viserys spat, harboring an unparalleled hatred for the members of House Lannister.

"Don't say that at court. The emperor could punish you for such remarks. I hope you are aware of that," I said, wrapping my arm around his.

Viserys nodded as we walked hand in hand into the reception hall, which also served as a dining room. I knew my husband well enough to know that after every long flight, he returned famished, a feeling shared by his dragon who would undoubtedly empty the stable of 2 aurochs and 30 goats.

"I'd like to know what's on your mind," I asked my husband.

He raised an eyebrow, not understanding what I was asking, before letting go of my arm to pull out my chair to allow me to sit comfortably like a perfect gentleman before sitting in the main seat himself.

"I know you, Viserys, or at least I think I'm starting to know you well, and I sense you're hiding things from me. Most people wouldn't notice, but I know you haven't completely lost the arrogance within you, the arrogance of the dragon that sleeps within you. But I don't understand why you hide even from me," I said, looking into his pure violet eyes with my brown ones.

Viserys hesitated for a few seconds, and I took the opportunity to hold his hand in mine and asked him:

"Do you still not trust me after everything we've shared together?"

He took a deep breath before finally saying:

"I'm pretending because I know it's something Aegon appreciates. He tries to pick up the pieces and create an empire from the broken glass that made up the former kingdom of the seven crowns. But I'm not like him. I can't forget so easily because I'm not half Stark. I don't forget anything about the betrayal of the lions, the stags, the falcons, or even the damned wolves. I can't forget everything that happened."

I could see a rage shining in his eyes, an intense rage ready to engulf everything in its path. Viserys squinted and then continued:

"It's because of them that I spent my life running, it's because of them that I had to sell my sister like a whore to a wild horse lord who would have probably killed me without Aegon's intervention, it's because of them that I wandered on the edge of madness and almost sank into a state as miserable as my father's at the very end if the Kingslayer's words are true."

I could feel my heart beating harder and harder as I listened to my husband's words. They were filled with resentment and frustrations repressed for years, and I feared he would eventually explode, dragging us down with him.

Noticing the fear and concern I felt about his words, Viserys took a deep breath before saying:

"I'm not stupid. Aegon has taught me a lot and made sure I understand what my place is, what our place is. And despite the immense power we possess, I know perfectly well that only a united House of the Dragon can be invincible. If we let external elements affect our harmony, things like the whore from Braavos happen."

I nodded and then said, totally agreeing with my husband:

"Giving a dragon to Bellegere Otherys wasn't the best idea the emperor ever had."

Viserys smiled slightly before shaking his head. Perplexed, I asked:

"What did I say that made you smile so much?"

Viserys stopped eating and said:

"I smile because most of the ladies and lords of Westeros must think the same thing. These fools think we are weakened by the loss of a dragon, but Bellegere was no longer useful. Now that she is dead and took Arianne with her, and Dany has surrendered, the House of the Dragon truly takes flight because the three heads are united."

"The three heads?"

Viserys smiled without saying anything before kissing me and then said:

"I hope we have a daughter."

"Why a daughter?"

"So she can marry Dany's son and her brother, my heir, can become the Warden of the Trident," said Viserys before walking away.

I didn't fully understand everything, but I had the impression that Viserys was waiting for something. He was like a predator in the midst of a hunt, watching his prey, waiting for the ideal moment to pounce.

'He seems to have a vision of the future much clearer than that of Rogar and Father,' I thought, remembering Rogar's instructions before giving me in marriage to Viserys.

---

-Flashback Start-

"Don't forget why you're doing this. Everything you're doing now is for Father, for Andar. As long as you manage to win over Prince Viserys, we will have a chance to lift Father's exile and reintegrate him into the nobility properly."

"But I don't..." I tried to say to explain that I didn't want this union.

"Do it, make this sacrifice for those who sacrificed themselves for the honor of House Royce. Give an heir to this man as soon as possible and serve him well as Princess of Riverrun, but never forget that you were born Royce and that we remember," said Rogar, finishing his sentence with our House's motto.

-Flashback End-

---

'Although at first he was not the most pleasant of husbands, over time he behaved better and better, and we were able to truly open up to each other.'

'At least we try to.'

---

-20th day of the 10th moon of the year 300 AC-

-POV Arya Stark-

As I made my way to the training yard, I found myself staring at someone I thought I would never see again at my brother's court, training under the direction of the Kingslayer, facing a fairly tall, well-built man of 190 cm.

"Move forward and be less aggressive," said Jaime Lannister.

"Be more confident in your vertical strikes and especially be more decisive. I want you to hit your opponent as if you wanted to split him in two like a log," said Sandor Clegane.

"Yes, perfect," repeated the last living Clegane to the man in armor, seeing him hit Joffrey so hard that his sword flew out of his hand.

The man sneered before raising his sword to Joffrey's neck, who, to my great surprise, did not react or throw a tantrum as was his habit.

"He's stopped whining, but his gaze

 is still as perverse," said Aegon, arriving behind me.

Mother insists that I call him that. She says he won't tell me, but he could be offended if I call him Jon because of all these bastard stories.

'If she hadn't harassed him when we were children, none of this would have happened,' I thought as I jumped on him to give him a hug.

"You seem to have energy to spare," said my brother, hugging me before setting me down gently.

"I'm going to fight the man in the armor."

I smiled and then said, "You won't be able to beat him with the water dance."

"I can," I said confidently.

Seeing Aegon's skeptical look, I frowned and said, "Joffrey..."

"Joffrey is no longer the little girl you knew. He's had a remarkable growth spurt, and he now has a size and weight that wouldn't allow you, a girl of only 11 name days, to make him eat dust," said Aegon, and although I wasn't happy, I couldn't deny that he was telling the truth.

'That jerk has grown well. He looks more and more like his father,' I thought, comparing the Kingslayer to his son.

"I'll soon be 12 name days," I added to defend my point of view.

"And if you continue your training, in a few years you'll be able to make anyone eat dust."

I looked at him to see if he was lying, and to my great surprise, he was serious.

'He has always believed that I could become a great fighter. Even if father gave me the opportunity to learn from Master Syrio, he didn't really believe it,' I thought, turning back to the training yard where the fight had resumed, and this time Joffrey was holding his own against the man in armor.

"Especially since I plan to have you undergo a small blood ritual to bond with Nymeria as I am with Ghost and Rhaegal," added my brother, to my shock.

I smiled and turned to him, incredulous, before asking:

"Will I be as strong as you?"

"Not as strong as me," he said, which disappointed me before he added with a small smile, "But stronger and faster than any knight."

A genuine smile spread across my face before I jumped on him and grabbed him by the neck, hugging him tightly.

"When will we do this ritual?" I asked, impatient.

"When you earn your knighthood," he said, making me understand that it wouldn't be for years, but motivating me even more to fight to earn that title.