Capítulo 8: A Tale Unknown
Author's note: Hey guys, I have 4.3k words for you here. That means I've done around 11.6k for this week! Meeting the quota early hehe
A lot of things will be revealed in this chapter.
Many have felt that some are being bashed unfairly. I agree. The thing is though, my job isn't really to give you all the answers immediately. That would make my story a factual and objective summary of events, which is so fucking boring to read and write.
Stories are great when people have to form their own opinions of the characters, based on those characters own POV and others' opinions on them. Like with Tyrion and Jaime, some love them, and some hate them. The fact that they invoke feelings in people, is what make them great as characters to me. Sometimes you will start hating a character, and then learn hidden facts of them that make you change your opinion.
I find that all the stories we love and make fanfictions of, have faults in them. Those faults, in my opinion, are what make a story interesting. I personally cannot relate to a character who doesn't fail, who doesn't experience pain, loss, and love, or who doesn't try to improve from those experiences. Those things are all part of being human and growing as one.
So for those who want some super cold, cruel and inhuman MC, this is not really the story for it. Aegon is chaotic good, and maybe chaotic neutral at worst. He will not go out of his way to make people's lives miserable. Yes, he may slip at times. That's just human, but he is not going to be evil, just for the sake of it. That's just nauseating to me, and if I wrote him like that, I would probably end up dropping the story.
Enjoy the chapter, I look forward to hearing what you think :)
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Winterfell, Godswood - 287 AC, Before departure
POV | Aegon Targaryen
The wind rustled the loose leaves. It was cold, but not bitingly so. Aegon stood stock-still looking into the eyes of the Weirwood. It was slightly comforting and disconcerting at the same time. He stood with Freya on his right shoulder, Fenris on the ground by his left foot, and Hel right beside him, with his right hand petting her softly.
Fenris was already too large for his shoulder. He almost squealed in excitement. 'It's only been slightly more than a week! He is going to be a beast!'
Hugin and Munin were looking at them from a Weirwood branch.
He touched his bald head with his left hand. 'A necessary sacrifice.' He had healed from the blood loss, and his arm was also no longer broken. If he did not remember the fighting so vividly, and if it had not taught him so much, he would not have believed that it happened.
'To think I was so vain as to think of keeping my hair, when I can carry all my things in a small pouch now. I can't keep from making sacrifices. I still have my bottom-line but being The Avatar for a couple of weeks is barely a sacrifice worth mentioning for a bag of holding.'
A lot had happened since they returned, truth be told.
The positive reputation he had garnered by the servants was turned into respect when they heard what he had done, how bravely he had fought.
Something Robb received as well. 'Boys our age fighting and actually killing grown and hardened men, is straight out of a tale from The Age of Heroes. Their respect is expected.'
Aegon had reflected a lot on his past, and his general mindset he had in all situations. He was so busy being Aegon Targaryen, and not what he remembered Jon Snow being that he almost turned into someone just as insecure. 'It's good that I am still so young. I can still improve.'
He had been so busy accepting his Targaryen ancestry that he had been a terrible son to his dead mother. 'I knew who you were, I knew yet I tried to reject the blood you gave me.'
"Sorry, mother. I should have known better. I should have been better. I am a Stark, and I always will be. It might not be the family name I use, but I will no longer reject what I am."
He took a deep breath.
"The ruler of the cold North, The Beast that protects its family till its last breath. The beast that rules with cunning, strength, decisiveness, and its pack."
His eyes flashed silver as he continued.
"That is what I will strive to take from your legacy. I know it isn't a normal thing to remember, but thank you for giving me my name, and caring for me for as long as you could."
He shuddered slightly as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. It was freeing. Letting go of his anger.
"I love you."
He heard the footsteps behind him and turned his head slightly to look at his uncle.
"You knew." Eddard stated. It was not a question.
Aegon smiled. He had not exactly been subtle about it. An Egg's wish for attention. It was time he started becoming Aegon now.
He touched his bald head again. 'Well, I am still an Egg… Two steps forward, one step backwards. At least I am moving forward.'
"I did," he answered with a humorless smile.
"I have memories of shortly after my birth," he continued with a smile that now turned painful.
Eddard shuddered slightly and asked: "Can you remember everything?"
Aegon bobbed his bald head left and right. "Somewhat, I fell asleep almost constantly. I know my mother, my father, and my name. I know that Robert's Rebellion was a scam."
His eyes were filled with grief as he pushed on. "I know that people died for a false cause. My uncle, my grandfather, my stepmother, and my siblings."
He stopped and contemplated that. 'Did they, though? That godly entity was awfully vague. I know nothing.'
"You want revenge." Eddard stated once more, conflicting feelings in his eyes. He had already been surprised multiple times, but he did not expect the answer he was given.
"No." Aegon shook his head. "An eye for an eye, and the whole world goes blind."
Aegon's eyes bore into his uncle's. "I am not Robert Baratheon. I am not Brandon Stark, and I am not Rhaegar Targaryen." His voice grew in strength.
"I am Aegon Targaryen, son of The She Wolf, Lyanna Stark and The Silver Prince, Rhaegar Targaryen. My path is my own, and I will not let my predecessors determine it. Becoming a pale imitation of another human, is a waste of my time and effort."
"Will you attempt to take The Iron Throne, or revenge?" His uncle asked with slight trepidation in his voice.
"Yes and no." Aegon answered without hesitation. "I wish to rule the Seven Kingdoms, yes."
Eddard shook. His world started spinning. He knew that the future would hold war, he just hoped that it would not be something his sons would participate in.
"I do not seek revenge, however, but I do want justice. My father made a mistake, and Robert Baratheon did not look upon it kindly. I understand why he felt slighted."
'I understand, but I do not forgive. He will die, but I'm smart enough to wait, besides, letting him grow fat and useless while I grow stronger is the better option, and his decadence, hunger for strife, and disregard for 'copper counting' will allow me to earn a lot of gold for future endeavors, I am looking forward to the Greyjoy Rebellion and his future tourneys. Cultivating a positive image in the eyes of The smallfolk and nobility will be vital.'
"I do want the heads of The Mountain and Armory Loch. Their crime is unforgivable before all gods, and they will die. I will not seek The Throne before I reach adulthood, so, I will not seek it before. I am still too young and weak, but I will not stay so for long."
Eddard nodded his understanding. He still could not put words behind his feelings.
Aegon continued unhindered by his uncle's silence. "We both know that I am not safe unless I am King or escaping around Essos like my uncle and aunt. My name is too dangerous, and unless I hide myself at The Wall for eternity as Jon Snow, I will have to win the Game of Thrones, or die trying."
He looked intently at his uncle. He wanted his opinion.
Eddard opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. "I know."
Aegon looked at him with a raised eyebrow, as if to say; please elaborate.
Lord Stark gulped, before he continued. "I asked you to leave for The Wall for five years for a reason. You attract too much attention."
Aegon's face shifted into a mask of confusion and anticipation. 'There really was more to that decision. Now that I have calmed down significantly, I can see that it did seem slightly out of character.'
"As you know, many believe you to be the child of my elder brother and Ashara Dayne."
Aegon nodded, he had even planned on making it seem so just to annoy Catelyn. 'I was such a dick.'
Eddard continued. "What you do not know, is that the majority of The North absolutely loved Brandon, more than they loved my father, and they were looking forward to him taking the reins. Something I was never raised to do. Even my wife, was supposed to be his." He shook his head slightly.
"I love Ashara and she loved me, and I would have married her if not for the war." The anguish in Ned's voice made Aegon grit his teeth in sympathy. 'He is still using 'love' in present terms, gods this world can be so shitty at times.'
"The cover of Ashara being your mother works because the world knows that she did give birth. They just don't know the truth. The child was a still born girl and my first born. Elia Stark."
Aegon looked at him in shock. His uncle was crying. He walked up to him and gave him a short but gentle and supportive hug.
They stood side by side now and looked at the Weirwood together.
'It must feel like shit that people keep on saying that the love of his life slept with his brother. Fuck. No wonder he always looks so freaking stoic.'
Eddard took a shuddering breath and returned to his usual calm Stark façade. "I got slightly sidetracked. I am mentioning this because many would follow his son if he had one. Especially if that son was born from a noble woman."
Grey eyes locked themselves with Aegon's amethyst ones.
"To some of my bannermen you are that son. Which is why a few of the lords wish to foster you. Not Robb as would be usual, but they ask me for you specifically."
It finally dawned on Aegon. 'Fuck. A potential coup. 1000 Dragons on the families being allied with the Red Kings. I thought I had time to just accumulate strength safely, whilst I forgot that the nobles never stop playing The Game, even in The North.'
"Ryswell, Bolton or Dustin?"
Eddard smiled. Maester Luwin had told him that Aegon was perceptive. He had even asked Eddard to send the young boy to The Citadel.
"All three."
Aegon almost choked at that. 'What the fuck. Damn, they probably think I'm easy to use because of the rumors of Catelyn's behavior.'
"Shit."
"Indeed."
"Why The Wall?"
Eddard collected himself slightly before he answered this time.
"I want to hide truth, but I cannot before The Weirwood Tree. You picked a good location."
He nodded. 'That's why I picked it, your honor is legendary, and with Hel's ears, your heartbeat cannot escape me. I need the truth.'
"I do not want you to fight for the throne. I would prefer you taking the black over starting another war."
"I see." That is what Aegon had expected.
"I also know that it is most unlikely that would happen."
"It is," Aegon confirmed.
"I cannot give you lordly lesson's without attracting the ire of my wife, nor without attracting attention from the rest of The North, nor The South. I also cannot reject the foster offers I received for you without just cause. It is easier with Robb because of his heir status, but to the nobles, you are a bastard who is disliked by my wife. If I reject their offer, it will sow even more discord."
He took a deep breath and turned towards Aegon.
"I had to choose somewhere, where our family could protect you. Benjen will be doing that. One of my most leal bannermen, Jeor Mormont has also just joined The Watch, someone who has been a lord for decades, and a warrior for even longer. Both can protect and teach you more than I will ever be able to do here."
Aegon looked down at his hands again. 'Fuck canon, and fuck fanfictions. Remembering names and general information, maybe, but for the rest? Let it burn. To think that I saw this as a punishment. Ned is a better man than many gave him credit for, including me. He is just a man though.'
He clenched his hands slightly. Angry at himself now.
'Has my knowledge from fanfictions muddled my mind so much as to forget that Ned did not actually wish for Jon to leave to The Wall? He wanted him as Robb's Right Hand. He just wanted his nephew safe and far away from Southern Games, and I threw a tantrum like a spoiled brat.'
"Why five years?"
"I have seen your growth, and in five years you should be able to protect yourself better, and if no more rumors spread about you, the rest of the world will stop caring. This is also not only for you."
Aegon nodded. He understood his uncle's train of thought now. "Robb. He has grown more than someone his age, but he still too dependent on me. You're giving him five years to grow more into himself as well."
"Yes."
"You know that he will still have to create friendships, right?"
"Of course. I was thinking of creating a friendship between Joffrey Baratheon and Robb. Like the one I had with Robert in my youth. I had planned on penning a letter to Jon Arryn at some point."
Absolute silence descended before The Old Weirwood.
Aegon looked at his uncle in slight shock, and his face changed into a deadpan. 'How did he go from decently competent to moronic in a heartbeat.'
"What now? You realize the kid is at least half Lannister, right? Besides, Cersei is going to be watching her son like a hawk, and I doubt you would want your heir anywhere near her?"
Aegon had to shake that idea, based on nostalgia and memories long past, out of his uncle's mind.
"Don't you think it would be more prudent to invite heirs and second sons from your bannermen? Like grandfather did with Uncle Brandon. It would give him a solid footing among his future vassals. Not to be an arse or anything, but he has just reached his 8th name day, and the lords will expect such offers."
Aegon glanced at him slightly before he continued saying his piece. "Your vassals might be more loyal here than the ones of the South, but that doesn't mean you can just neglect them and expect to keep that loyalty firmly rooted. You won a war with them and gained their respect as a warrior and commander, but they gained nothing but what they took from my father's vassals. No positions in the Small Council, no reduction in prices from Highgarden, no lucrative betrothals, nothing. They will not forget that."
A loud sigh escaped his uncle at that, and he looked at Aegon with a slightly annoyed and incredulous look. "How do you even think of all these things? Luwin has either been severely underestimating you, or you have been dumbing yourself down. Which one?"
"As you said, I did not wish to attract undue attention. Seems like I failed, even when I tried limiting myself." Aegon smiled smugly at that. Whilst his head had deflated and had been pulled out his rear end, since the wildling spearman whooped his arse, he was still pretty proud of his overall accomplishments.
He slept 8 hours a day. Worked for 3, trained with his knives, sword and bow for 1 hour each before he proceeded with 1 and a half hour with his spear. The rest of his day was spent studying, playing with his cousins, and exploring his powers. It took a lot of training to become as good a warg as he had. With 10 for 1, he would be a monster as soon as his puberty hit. His largest limitation was his vessel and until recently, his mental state.
Depression, stress, angst, trauma, and multiple other issues had haunted him and dragged him further towards the abyss. An abyss he was finally looking away from. It was still there, but his control was vastly improved.
Eddard nodded slowly for a few times. "I am sorry for that. That you felt you had to limit yourself, though I am thankful. Your advice is good, as you know, I wasn't raised to lead nobles. I was raised to be a lord, but never a Lord Paramount. It seems I need to think a bit more on my future decisions."
Aegon smiled at his uncle this time, an encouraging one, before he decided to give him a last piece of advice. One he really hoped his uncle would agree to.
"Uncle, can you do me a favor?"
Eddard inclined his head and Aegon continued, "I need you to keep my cousins away from The Septa. Robb does not care for anything she says, but Sansa and Arya are still small. Besides, The North believes in The Old Gods of the Forest. Don't become the first Stark to let the 7 into our family. Our family has survived for 8000 years, because of our connection to the Old Gods. Don't betray them now."
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POV | Eddard Stark
He stood slightly shocked at that. 'He… is not wrong. I really did betray them, even if it was to buy peace with my wife. I'll need to ask Robb and Luwin about Septa Mordane. If they agree, I will have to act, I will need their opinions to throw her out without any backlash. If both my heir and Maester agree, then she has brought it upon herself.'
They stood in peace for a few moments longer.
"I am sorry, Uncle."
"I know."
"Thank you, for everything."
He knew that he didn't need to answer that verbally, so he pulled his nephew in for an affectionate side hug.
Eddard thought it over a few times, and looked at the small form of Jon… Aegon? 'The bannermen can go swallow a sword. He is still so young.'
"You can also choose to stay. You won't get the lordly lessons, but you can grow up with your siblings as you should. As a child."
"What about your bannermen?"
"I do not care, they can send their own kids, if they want connections to us."
Aegon smiled at that. He looked at his companions as if to ask for their opinion.
"Nah, who knows, it might be fun. Besides, I can still visit, right?"
Eddard smiled. "Always."
"Good."
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The Wall, The North - 287 AC, a moon later
POV | Aegon Targaryen (slightly less bald)
He marveled at the absolutely insane construction before him. 'I am never underestimating the magic of Planetos again. What the heck, is this? How did they build this 8000 years ago? How did they not improve more in the meantime?' He could only shake his head in wonder.
It took the human beings on The Earth 2700 years from they started working on The Great Wall of China to progress all the way until the marvels of the 21st century. Also, while The Chinese Wall is way longer, it has absolutely nothing on The Wall in height.
'Does technology not work here? What natural resources does the world lack? Can this really be because of The Citadel? Something is terribly wrong with the speed of development. I can't say that is an entirely bad thing though, at least not for me.'
"Welcome, to The Wall."
"Wow Uncle Benjen, your amazing speech really made my blood pump."
His uncle laughed at that. "You really did become a little twat since my last visit."
Aegon shouted in indignation at that. "At least make it interesting, uncle! Just look at this! It's enormous!"
"Hmm, I guess? I've seen it so many times, I've stopped caring to be honest. Welcome, though. This will be your home for some time. Just, please do me a favor, Jon."
Aegon tilted his head. "What?"
"Don't swear the vows. No matter what, do not swear them. There is already one Stark here, and you need to live your life truly. Promise me, Jon."
He looked his uncle straight in the eyes. Amethyst met Steel.
"I promise."
Benjen nodded, satisfied, before he turned towards the opening gate and called for Aegon to follow him.
Aegon rode through the now open gate.
"And now it begins." He smiled.
"The Game of Thrones."
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Dorne, The Water Gardens - 287 AC, at the same time
POV | Arianne Nymeros Martell
"Come on, Nysreah! Wake up! You can't just sleep forever."
Her younger cousin had been quite weird the last fortnight. Since the bruise on her wrist. Arianne was the only one who noticed it on her cousin's wrist, and she had only noticed, because she was painting her nails.
"I don't understand. Why do you keep trying to sleep?"
"I need to see him again!"
Arianne had no idea, who she was talking about. "Who?"
"The boy!"
That made Arianne even more confused. 'Nysreah never plays with boys! She thinks they are smelly.'
"You always say they are smelly. What changed?"
"They are! He isn't!" Nysreah looked annoyed now, as if the very notion was moronic.
"What boy? We can go looking for him now, if you want, just get out of bed."
"He isn't out there; I saw him in my dream." Nysreah shook her head. "I used to see him almost every night. I couldn't get closer to talk, but then suddenly the dream changed, and I finally got to see him! I need to dream, so I can see him again."
Arianne looked at her funnily. She shook her head, before she started to speak slowly, as if she was talking to a particularly slow person: "Dreams are dreams, because it all happens in our minds… The boy is either not real, or you're dreaming of someone you've seen around here."
Nysreah shot her an extremely annoyed look. "Of course, he is real. He wouldn't have been able to grab my wrist if he wasn't. Stop being dumb, cousin."
Arianne bristled at her answer. 'I am not stupid! I am the heiress of Dorne!'
"Why don't we ask Ser Eric, then? He can tell you that I am right, and you are wrong."
"Fine."
"Fine."
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POV | Ser Eric Sand
He looked on in fond amusement as his princess and her cousin came barreling towards him, as fast as their legs could carry them. It looked quite amusing, because both of them were short and their little legs were moving fast.
"Princess, Nysreah. What brings the two of you here?"
Arianne started spitting out words almost faster than he could catch on.
"Nysreah says that the boy from her dreams is real, but that can't be true, because dreams are not real. She is also being annoying, and she won't play with us, because she just tries to sleep all the time!"
Nysreah bristled and Eric was a little concerned, he used to know someone who had similar dreams, and considering what he knew now… Alas, hindsight is always so clear.
While he was slightly concerned, he decided to tease the little girl of 9 name days. Besides, the only dream she had ever told him about was the dark silhouette with its back turned. He was quite interested in the development of her dream.
"Oh my, little Nysreah. Dreaming about boys already? Should I tell your father?"
"It's not like that, Ser Eric! It's the same boy as always. The one I couldn't see!"
His face grew slightly more serious. "Explain."
"You know how it looked like light and darkness was fighting around him?"
He nodded. He believed her analysis of that particular aspect was correct.
"Well, it changed a fortnight ago. He stood up, and he was fighting someone. He was really fast and strong, but he lost." She looked down and clenched her small hands, while Eric's thoughts were running miles a minute.
"He was hurt. A lot. He was bleeding, and I helped him."
Eric whipped towards her. "You saw his face this time."
She nodded. "Yes. He was so pretty." She blushed cutely and Eric almost started laughing, despite the serious conversation. 'It seems like she has her first infatuation.'
"What did he look like?" This time it was Arianne who asked. Her interest was piqued the second she heard that he was good looking. 'Gods above, she is almost as bad as her uncle. She is going to be a menace in a few years.'
Nysreah almost spaced out as she remembered her dream.
"His hair was really black and soft. Even blacker than fathers. It was almost the same color as the shadows around him. His skin was really soft, and it looked slightly pale, but I don't know if that was because of the blood he lost."
Nysreah started smiling now. "He had a cute face, with pretty lips, like a story prince."
Eric was turning slightly pale. His premonitions told him that the boy might actually be a real person. 'If his eyes…'
"He opened his eyes in the end and they were…" She stopped with a slightly downtrodden expression.
Eric was almost at the edge of his seat now. 'Could her dreams be the same as his'?'
"What were his eyes like?" Arianne beat him to the question. She seemed very interested in the mystery boy now.
"His eyes were purple."
Eric had expected it, but now he needed to confirm something as soon as possible. He needed to find out what happened to the boy. His prince. He had only seen him once, briefly, but it sounded like he was a mix of his parents.
"Nysreah. This is important. What weapon did he use?"
Whilst both Dorne and The North held two of the three greatest secrets of The Rebellion, he was the only one who knew them all. For he was The Sword of the Morning, Rhaegar's most trusted, and if his feeling was proven to be true, then it seemed that 'his' dream was true, and a new Dawn might be upon them.
'A Prince of Light and Dark, His Spear will bring Death or Salvation.
Will he Break or will he Prevail? The Prince of Ice and Fire.
His Flames burn hot, and his Ice runs cold for Two.
The King of Beasts, the Sum of Old and New.
The Song and Dance of Ice and Fire,
The God of Stagnation,
Undo.'
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Author's note: That was today's chapter. Can't have a good story without a prophecy that does not make sense :p All good stories have one, or multiple.
Aegon is bald! He finally stopped being a vain and petulant child as well. I guess being 100% Fire is bad for your sanity... Who would have known? :)
Besides, he can't get a pure Direwolf, if he doesn't think himself at least partially Stark. It's their magical animal, after all.
Eddard's redemption. Did anyone guess that Roose Bolton and his allies might have been plotting to use Aegon against Eddard? It would not be the first time in The North's history either.
Honestly, Eddard is not a bad guy in my opinion. He was dealt a shitty hand, and his father was a cunt who send him away from The North when he was only 7-8 year old. Many of his mistakes are because he honestly does not know better. He was never trained and educated in many of the responsibilities he now bears.
Even Catelyn isn't that bad. Give me the name of some Women who actually allow the bastards of their husbands to stay in their home. Especially if said bastard was born after their marriage. In the 21st century, it would have ended in a divorce. In Westeros, the child would probably die mysteriously. Heck, whilst she isn't the smartest person whatsoever, she also isn't that terrible by the standards of a medieval society or Planetos in general.
To the reader who guessed Ser Eric, was Arthur Dayne. I salute you, Ser Oracle. Damn.
I have added to auxiliary chapters with stats and female characters. I am still finding pictures for all the males, so that will be added at a later date.
See you on Saturday for another chapter!
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