章 70: Chapter 70
Aegon was tired. Not surprising given how he has spent a great deal of time and effort using the Force to heal his cousin Brandon's back so the boy could walk again. It had taken some considerable effort to use the Force, reach out to the broken section where the injury was located and command the power to fix what was broken. He had put Bran into a deep sleep since fixing the spine when awake would hurt the boy considerably due to the nerves and bone being mended and becoming alive again. Not only that, but the nerves in the legs would awaken from their own disuse. The end result would be the poor Stark boy being in even more pain following the process. Something he told his Uncle and Maester Luwin about for when Bran woke up and his legs began to hurt now that the nerves were returning to active service.
It had been a tiring painful few days for Bran. Crying out in pain or trying to hold back the pain in his legs now that they were connected to him once more in terms of feeling. Aegon stayed with him during that time, using the Force to numb the pain to a certain degree to the point where the boy didn't pass out. Ned had come into the room a couple of times, same with Maester Luwin to give the boy the Milk of the Poppy. But Aegon told the Maester it would not help Brandon and he was using his powers to help, even though the pain was required. Aegon explained the pain would send messages to Brandon's brain and let it know the legs were working again. It was a requirement in this case and the pain would last only a few days before Bran could think about trying to walk again. That would take a little longer due to the inactivity of Bran's legs, but Aegon assured everyone it would go away in time. He also recommended a climbing support harness be made for Brandon in order for the boy to keep on climbing and not worry about falling again anytime soon.
The act of healing Brandon took a similar amount of effort when Aegon cured Shireen Baratheon of her own condition with the Greyscale scar, which she had on her face and upper part of the body. Stannis had eventually brought his daughter to him in the hopes his powers could do what the Maesters and other apothecaries could not. While Aegon had assured the serious Baratheon in the past that the girl's condition could be cured by using the Force, Stannis was still nervous deep down. Even if he didn't show such emotions in front of others. It was quite understandable, given the man's only child had such a noticeable scar on her body after the Maesters and others skilled in medicine tried (poorly) to combat the disease which was the source of it all. With the proper research on the subject of the greyscale, plus reading the journal of Stannis's Maester when working at Dragonstone, the King had determined the act which was used to cure Shireen was done on purpose to making the pure hearted girl live a solitary life and never truly leave her home. The Maester's journal was quite detailed on how the plan was to cure the disease, but leave a horrendous scar so pronounced, so deep, it would make any suitor run away from marrying the girl in the future.
Stannis was already made aware of this when the King had begun purging the Maesters who had been part of a secret order to purge the Targaryen line, the dragons, and the magic they commanded. The said Maester, who had been left to rot in the Black Cells of King's Landing had been paid one final visit by Stannis and the King. Both men telling the old fool how all of his fellow conspirators were dead, the secret Order from within the group was dead. The plots and plans they created were exposed and the Lords of each House now keeping a closer eye on every Maester they had working in their castles.
Some of the Lords even wanted their heirs and spares to begin learning more to expand their education so they wouldn't have to rely on the Maesters like many Lords did in the past when running a House. It would also make sure that the next generation of Lords were able to manage their Houses properly and prevent them from falling into ruin as some of these robed rats had tried to do in order to put someone else in charge of the keeps, they wished to seat there.
And that was just the beginning if Aegon had his way. For too long, the King had seen how the smallfolk had remained uneducated and unable to grow beyond the norm of being servants to hire powers while few rose to higher positions through sheer luck, friendship, or the rare marriage into a prominent House which showed them favor. The King felt the smallfolk should have a decent education, which would help in them learn new skills, develop new talents, and bring progression to the Seven Kingdoms, which he felt was sorely lacking right now.
Naturally, the Maester used his last moments with the King and Stannis to denounce them. Calling them fools and the actions taken by the young King would undo the Seven Kingdoms. How the smallfolk were meant to be kept low and stupid while the Highborn Lords and Royalty were meant to be dependent on the Maesters of the Citadel. How Maesters from their Order were meant to be the true power behind the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms due to their superior intelligence. How the secret Order within the Maesters would rise again and take their revenge on those who would seek to destroy them.
~ No one will rise for you Maester. No one will rise for dead robed rats who thought themselves superior to others with the knowledge they hoarded and coveted. Those who swear chastity, yet still lay with whores in brothels. Or in some sick cases, with the children under the pretense of examining them in the name of something noble. Your Order was filled with hypocrisy and corruption. You tried to manipulate the Seven Kingdoms into your perverted world where you hold everything while everyone else has nothing. How can the Seven Kingdoms function if almost all the people in it are too stupid to do anything? It can't. Your paradise was a fools dream. And after you are gone? A dead one. ~
The Maester soon had his head taken off by Stannis himself and the body burned by the dragons in the Dragon Pit with the ashes blowing into the wind.
It wasn't long after that, Aegon was able to see his cousin Shireen and he began to use the Force to heal her of the remaining affliction that scarred the girl's face and down her neck. Once he had finished the process, the girl was shown her reflection in the mirror and saw the reminder of the disease was no more. She instantly hugged the King soon after, thanking Aegon for curing her, and went so far as to swear House Baratheon would forever be loyal to House Targaryen long after she was gone from the world. Stannis looked uncomfortable for a moment that his daughter would make such a declaration, but Aegon had told him it was fine and accepted Shireen's future oath of loyalty for the day when she became the future Lady of House Baratheon.
And now here Aegon was here in the North, breathing in the cool air once more. Watching the men and women of Winterfell carrying out their duties. His dragons nearby. Either flying, eating, or resting in a wide-open area for them to relax and get use to the cold since they would have to be here for a time.
As for Brandon, he was being watched by many of the people every so often while the boy went through his new routine of getting use to walking again. Everyone was happy for the little Lord. He had his ability to walk taken away from him by a dishonorable man, only to have it returned to him. And by a King with magic and Northern blood in his veins. In the eyes of the men and women of the North, who had lived there all their life it was a gift by the Old Gods. One they were happy to see in their lifetime given all that had happened ever since the late King Robert had visited to make their Liege Lord the Hand of the King.
The boy had taken to walking around his room at first. Getting use to walking and being near his bed should he collapse. Which he did on the first try. Something that was expected according to both Aegon and Maester Luwin. They knew this type of recovery would take time and told Bran not to worry or to be discouraged after the first fall. After a few more attempts and falls, the boy was eventually able to walk around the room before making it to his bed without issue. Each day was a test of how long he could walk without falling and for how long. It soon progressed from the room to the steps leading down the keep to the Main Hall of Winterfell. Each day that went by was another day for Bran getting stronger and it showed with each new step showing his efforts and desire to walk under his own power once again.
Never giving up. Never stopping. A true Stark and son of the North if there ever was one.
Beside Bran was Holder or as he was once known as Wylisbefore the issue to speak only one word was inflicted upon him during his younger years as a boy. A condition that Aegon had removed from the poor giant's mind, after digging into it to find the source of the cause, which the King saw was the damn three eyed raven. The man's manipulations caused him to touch people through time to a degree, and in this case, had used it to temporary fight the current to reach out to Wylis's once innocent mind. To give him that one mental command to "Hold the door" as it were, but the command was forced into the boy with such intensity, it changed from "Hold the door" to "Holder", with the poor boy saying only that one word.
Only those who knew of the incident knew the giant man's true name, but their children and children's children did not. They believed his name was Holder and since no one had told them different, they just assumed his name was Holder and was a halfwit with giant's blood in his veins.
While he did have giant's blood in his veins, Wyliswas far from a halfwit. The large man was intelligent and very loyal to House Stark. When several people, the Maester who preceded Luwin especially, asked Lord Rickard Stark to dismiss Walder from service, the still Lord of Winterfell refused the advice given. Wyliswas a dear friend to Lord Stark's children and to Old Nan, who wasn't so old at the time. The poor woman had been a loyal servant during her years of service.
To send her only son Wylisaway would be an insult and neither she nor his children would have never forgiven him for it.
After breaking the connection put into Wylisby the three eyed raven, the King focused his attention to the White Walkers. Or rather the Night King specifically. The dark entity was marching, his patience had worn thin since Aegon had done what was considered to be impossible in the eyes and minds of many. While the Wall would stand against the Night King and his army, it would be put to the test when the time came to repel the army of the undead. Aegon knew the Night King wasn't stupid. Far from it. This was an entity that had waited for well over 1,000 years to make war with the realms of men. Gathering an army so massive, it would take the entire might of the Seven Kingdoms and more to repel the enemy.
And that was with the Wall being manned from top to bottom, each castle fully garrisoned, and every defense along the line ready to be used. Had the Night King attacked the Wall at its weakest, the dead would have consumed all the living and more.
It was fortunate the Night King had been patient for too long and waited even longer to enact his plan to consume the world in the darkness that was death. Aegon believed the Night King had seen visions of the future and believed they would play out accordingly and had no need to rush things until the Wall was at its absolute weakest.
It was almost a shame no one told the Night King that the future was always in motion. One future has a person walking down a path that leads to the left and in another it leads to their right. Like a tree having multiple branches that grow and spread out, the future did the same way.
An example would be at the Battle at the Trident between Prince Rheagar and Robert Baratheon. The life they lived in now had Robert winning. Another possible outcome Aegon had seen showed Rheagar winning instead, pardoned the Lords of the North after revealing the truth, and healed the rifts caused by the Mad King. House Targaryen redeeming itself through the eyes of the Seven Kingdoms despite the attempts of others to do otherwise. It was upsetting in many ways for Aegon when he saw the multiple futures and paths people could have taken but did not for one reason or another.
The nature of time was a mystery in all aspects no matter how hard you tried to understand it. Even to someone trained in the Force and capable of wielding its power like Aegon himself. Or the Night King. Or Bloodraven.
"Something bothering you, your Grace?" asked Maester Luwin while watching the King stare at the snowy field in front of him.
It gave Aegon a sense of serenity seeing such calmness. Right before the coming storm he knew was headed their way to fuck it all up. It reminded him of what he and everyone else was fighting for and what they would lose if they failed to stop the rising darkness wishing to take everything from them.
"No Maester Luwin. Just thinking of what we have and what we will lose should the enemy win. While most would be bothered by the last part, I have long since conquered my fear of such a possibility to the point it doesn't sway me," replied Aegon with Luwin nodding.
"It is an interesting time to be alive. Sometimes I wonder if I am dreaming. Sometimes I wonder at the sight of dragons returning in my time. That magic would rise once more," said Maester Luwin with a small smile on his face.
"Can I ask you a question Maester Luwin?" asked Aegon with the Maester Luwin nodding.
"Ask me anything your Grace. I will answer honestly," replied Maester Luwin since he had never felt a need to lie to people seeking his advice.
"It is about my Uncle's wife. Was she always so spiteful of me when I was first brought here as a babe?" asked Aegon with Maester Luwin thinking back to when the young King was first brought here.
"Surprisingly, no. Not at first. You were an innocent babe being brought home by his Father and to be raised in his home. Many did not question it since your Uncle, who everyone assumed was your Father, was doing right by your, at the time, unknown Mother. Catelyn understood that fact. At least in the very beginning. But she had also just given birth to your cousin Robb several moons earlier. As she watched you and her son grow up together, it was clear your potential would rival if not surpass his own. Her fear of you one day usurping control of Winterfell and the North from Robb began to grow. The day it truly took root was on the day you were practicing with Ser Rodrick in the yard with wooden swords when both of you were around eight. You were able to beat Robb in a spar and she saw this as a sign of her son's future being in jeopardy," answered Maester Luwin since he had been there when the woman went to see Ned Stark about the boy.
The argument fortunately took place in the man's solar. As such, no one heard the arguing with the exception of the guards outside the room. They were sworn to silence on the issue since Ned didn't want anyone to know about the argument.
"Do you think if she knew the truth, things would have been different?" asked Aegon curiously.
"It is hard to say your Grace. On one hand, she might have realized why her husband did what he did to protect you. On the other hand, her House did rise against House Targaryen. Betraying their oaths and siding with Robert during the Rebellion. Your Uncle probably feared she would inform Robert, if not her own family about it to ensure their position was secured once the truth was revealed. With an heir to Winterfell, your Uncle would be forced to take the Black while his son became the new Warden of the North to be molded how his Mother wished," said Maester Luwin with Aegon shaking his head.
"Unfortunately, I believe my Uncle's wife would have done the latter of the two options when it came to my existence Maester Luwin. The woman is too Southern for the North. She is under the impression that all those sworn to her House or House Stark should obey no matter what. More importantly, she wanted them to obey her through Robb when he became Lord of Winterfell. To obey and follow her rules. Obey and follow her standards. Obey and follow her traditions. Obey and follow her faith no matter their own personal feelings on the matter," said Aegon, which was why he found her actions to by hypocritical in itself.
"The North is its own entity your Grace. It is too wild and cannot be controlled so easily. Even a Stark can only wield so much power over this Kingdom before one of its members does something the rest of the North does not approve of. Had Lady Catelyn had her way in running the North through young Robb, I do believe the loyalty of the Northern Lords would have been lost during its brief time at war with the Lannisters," said Maester Luwin with Aegon nodding.
"I agree. She made deals with people. Deals she was not qualified to make or allowed to make regarding Robb's future. And when she conspired with others to see me along with the rest of my House dead at a wedding, it was with people who were dishonest ambitious cunts," commented Aegon while once more seeing the hypocrisy behind the woman's actions.
"Not that I mind being asked for sound advice your Grace. But why bring this up now? Lord Stark's wife has been sent to Dorne for quite some time," injured Maester Luwin curiously.
"Just thinking about the past Maester. I want to be a good King. An honest and just King. I like to reflect on my past actions of the time and see if I would do anything differently in the present. Your advice is meant to help with clarity and for me to keep it," answered Aegon with Maester Luwin nodding.
"And do you have clarity your Grace?" asked Maester Luwin curiously.
"Yes. My decision to have her sent to the Dorne was the correct one. Sending that woman to be one of the Silent Sisters would have been too merciful. She would have thrived there among them. Doing her prayers and following the faith with such zealousness. She needed to be taken out of her comfort zone and away from things that made the woman feel right at home. Thank you for your insight on things Maester Luwin," said Aegon before taking in a deep breath and letting the cold air fill his lungs.
"I live to serve your Grace. To provide sound advice to a King is a great honor," said Maester Luwin with Aegon giving the man a nod and walk away to handle other things.
"Ser Barristan says you get your brooding from my brother," said Daenerys after she walked over to him and saw her nephew smirking for a second.
"I've heard him tell me the same thing. He was always brooding and concerned over everything around him when it came to the future of the realms. I wonder if he had a sense of things like I did? Sensed how things were getting worse around him but didn't understand how he knew it or how to stop it. I wonder if my Father foresaw his own death before or during the battle of the Trident and still tried to change the outcome?" questioned Aegon while Daenerys grimaced at the thought of seeing something so bad and tried to change what was possibly set-in stone.
"If he did, my brother faced it without fear. I often wondered what would have happened had he lived and crushed Robert Baratheon's Rebellion," remarked Daenerys with Aegon nodding.
"I have seen different possibilities regarding that pivotal moment. Had my Father won, he would have revealed the truth to my Uncle about marrying my Mother. How Jon Arryn lied or tried to keep the truth from him. It would have caused a massive falling out between the two. Lord Arryn would have begged mercy at that point when it came facing the dragon's judgement, but my Father wouldn't allow it. He would have taken the old Falcon's head. He would have killed Holster Tully and placed his brother as Regent until his nephew is ready to rule. But Edmure comes to hate the dragons even more despite House Tully being in the wrong and plots to rebel like House Baratheon did. Only for Varys to report his intentions and my Father removes him by sending Edmure to the Wall. Bryden finds himself a woman to give him heir and rules over Riverrun justly. Tywin Lannister would have tried to come back as Hand of the King to be a big influence once more, but Rheagar wouldn't allow it. My Father would dismiss Jamie from the Kingsguard after returning to the Capital and finding my Grandfather had been killed by him before the man could initiate his plot to unleash the wildfire on the city," said Aegon while seeing the image of a possible future play out through the Force.
"Does it end Tywin's ambitions? And what happens to Stannis and Renly Baratheon?" asked Daenerys curiously while wondering what this alternative future held.
"Tywin becomes angry at being denied his position as Hand of the King but is pleased that Jamie is his now heir to Casterly Rock once more. Of course, he plotted and planned to try and tie his House to the dragons, but again he was denied, only this time by my Father. When his children were of no use to him in that regard, Tywin tried to use his Grandchildren that Jamie and Cersei had through their arranged marriages with their spouses. Only Jamie never had any children with his wife. Never had a chance. His sister had the handmaidens slip the woman Moon Tea in the first few years of the marriage and then had her killed. As for Cersei, her Father found out that her children were really Jamie's children and he went mad. He killed Jamie, Cersei, and their children in a rage before taking his own life by throwing himself out of the castle tower. Tyrion becomes Lord of Casterly Rock and surprises many of his family by ruling the West incredibly well despite some thinking he would fail. His cunning mind, yet compassion for others makes him loved by many and is considered the most respected Lannister of his time," said Aegon with Daenerys smirking since she knew such an event would hurt the old lion if he was alive to hear it.
"Tyrion is a good man. He deserves his position on the Small Council. Not that his Father would admit it, if the man were still alive," commented Daenerys.
"Indeed. Tywin underestimated Tyrion's potential. Had he spent as much time with him as he did Jamie without the hatred for the loss of it his wife, the old lion would have been proud to call Tyrion his son. Sadly, for Tywin, such a thing will not happen," said Aegon with a vision in the Force showing such an event had Tywin let go of his unnecessary hatred for his second son.
A vision Tyrion had been told about. It actually gave the young Lannister a small sense of satisfaction in knowing he had made his Father proud if events had been different. Tyrion had always wanted to prove to his Father that he was worthy of the Lannister name, but Tywin never really gave him the chance. It was refreshing, yet still saddening to know what could have been, but Tyrion was content to know what could have been if his Father had tried on his end to make things work.
For it was Tywin's fault that things between them was so bad. It was Tywin's fault they were never close over the years. And it was Tywin's fault things went so bad in the first place. It was not Tyrion Lannister's fault. It was Tywin Lannister's fault.
"It is a painful truth about what has been said about one's pride when they have so much of it. Twice the pride. Double the fall," remarked Daenerys with Aegon nodding knowing his secret Master Count Dooku had said the same thing when teaching him.
"Indeed. Which is why I don't intend for my pride to control me. A dragon's pride is a massive thing. It led to our House to fall through our enemies provoking and attacking our pride until we fell to the point of near extinction," said Aegon with Daenerys nodding.
"Dragons are not slaves. The same can be said in relation to our pride. I will not let myself be a slave to my own pride. Just because I am a dragon does not mean I am invincible. Father thought differently and it cost him dearly," said Daenerys knowing her Father's madness and pride had caused his fall with the help of those conspiring against House Targaryen.
"I am pleased to hear it Aunt. For our enemy on the other side is the same way. They have no pride. No sense of morality. No ethics. No honor. Possibly even no soul. We must be better and rise above them in more way than one. The Night King expects us to be divided, weak, and ripping out each other's throats while he matches on the Wall with everything needed to win," said Aegon with Daenerys nodding since the enemy would seek to rip them to pieces while at their weakest.
Fortunately, the realms of men were no longer weak or divided. They were strong. Stronger than they had been in a long time since before the Mad King ruled. No longer were the realms of men filled with ambitious, greedy, power hungry fools seeking to be the true power of the Seven Kingdoms. No longer was the dragon too weak or too blind. No longer would shadowy groups seek to challenge the rightful rulers of the Seven Kingdoms.
When the darkness came, House Targaryen would bring the dawn and the world would shine brightly to the point of banishing such evil away.
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