----
186 AC
Harrenhal
Aerion Targaryen
----
After a month of no incidents, I can assume whatever the Children of the forests did to curse this place is over. I am still not sure other than maybe fear of the dragons but they kind of gave in easily and I appreciate that. I know it has helped the servants as there is less fog and the almost spooky vibe the castle had almost disappeared overnight and they are more comfortable. It was like working in a haunted house before and now it's just a slightly burned-down house that we are all living in.
"How do you like this?" Narha holds up a dress made of fine silks and looks masterfully crafted.
"It's good, this is made by one of the girls you have been training?" She nods with a proud smile and she holds up another I also nod at. "Seems they are getting the hang of it, once enough are made I will have them sold off in bulk. Your higher-end pieces will be stored until there are enough to do an auction for them of course." Helping her help herself while also filling my own pockets is always nice.
"I need some more pearls and I would not mind more Shimmering silk from Naath if we can get some." I nod and write it down to give to my network to put out their feelers, the pearls are easy but the silk is rare.
Slavers and Pirates raid the shores of Naath making their trade network almost nonexistent. The Velaryons have been helping me with a long voyage I am funding to Yi Ti but I wonder if they can stop by Naath. It is supposed to have a killer disease but if they are careful and avoid the butterfly they should be fine.
"Just write things you need down and give me the list, and I will see what I can do. I like the progress so far, I won't lie I doubted the plan but you have some skills at teaching it seems." She preens and puffs her chest out like a peacock.
"I wouldn't offer to do it if I couldn't do it, I am not stupid Aerion." Her words are bitter but the tone they are spoken with shows her happiness at being praised.
It is a dangerous thing really, my half siblings all seem to have a deep underlying 'need' to be accepted. Being bastards and also being ignored for the most part by their father has left them trying to fill the gaps on their own. I could care less about a father as I already did the whole growing-up thing before this, but they did not have that luxury.
"I never said you are stupid, I just never have seen you teach someone a craft such as dressmaking. If you teach enough people to do simple things and make simple items I can start a serious market for your goods. There has to be enough to spread around and get your name out there but space is not something I am lacking and you can hire as many people as you are willing to deal with. Eventually, people will know your name is associated with nice clothes, Ladies will come to be fitted and get custom orders." A new concept of a brand, 'Otherys clothes brand' could attract a good bit of attention.
If I have my network spread word of mouth to the high end of society people will make occasional trips to Harrenhal to get fitted in custom clothes for a premium price. That is where the real money would be at, the bulk stuff going out would just be attention grabbers.
"I see, well I will head back and plan some stuff out and see what I want to do." I nod and she turns around with her dresses under her arm.
The door opens before she can get to it, Ser Richard peeks his head in and I nod at him.
----
"So they did not come out to eat this morning?" I ask as I walk to the Godswood with one of the in-training dragon keepers.
The new order of dragon keepers is mainly guards tasked with keeping people away from where the dragons sleep. They also are the ones that feed them and make sure no one is trying to do anything to their food to kill them. None of them have been burned yet so I will call it a success so far.
"That is right my Prince, neither of them came out last night or this morning and I wanted to let you know. I did not mean to disrupt your work but I also didn't want something to be wrong and not tell you until it was too late." I nod as he tries to worm his way out of any perceived responsibility.
"Good man, just take a break for now I will head to them and see what is wrong with them." He nods and splits off from me at the entrance to the Godswood.
Twenty acres of walled-off forest with a massive Weirwood with an ugly and angry face carved onto it, though it slowly seems to be 'calming'. The face is no longer twisted in anger and wide-mouthed and is slowly changing to look neutral. The marks carved into the tree during the battle over the god's eye by Daemon Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen still leak sap apparently in the right season.
I head away from the tree and toward a massive hill, the dragons have tunneled into with lots of trees growing around the entrance they dug. It almost reminds me of a hobbit hole if hobbits were the size of giants and melted stone. A surprising amount of heat is wafting out of the entrance as I approach.
""You two in here?!"" I shout as I start walking down the straight tunnel into the small little room they dug.
For creatures that love to fly they sure do love to dig, it reminds me of the Fire Wyrm in Valyria I have read about. They grow massive, even bigger than the dragons, and they breathe flames and dig tunnels.
A low rumble fills the room as I get to the bottom and see them huddled up with their bodies twisting and wrapping around each other. I tilt my head seeing Moonfyre lift her wing and show her face to me with her nose flaring.
""You just not hungry?"" She snorts and lifts her body causing a screech from Drogon who shifts around.
A glowing spot of the rock they were lying on is revealed and it seems they heated it up before laying on top of it. I am confused as it is not even cold today so they have no reason to try and heat the rocks to sleep.
""What's wrong with you two?"" I look at them weirdly as they try and shift their bodies around and Moonfyre's scales catch the light like a disco ball.
Within the heated stone is a small dug-out little hole that is illuminated by Moonfyre's reflective scales. Inside the hole are gem-like rocks that have their own luster to them that are nestled together in the heated stone. I stare blankly at the priceless 'things' that these two are seemingly slowly roasting inside of the hot stone.
""Are you two idiots?! You are going to cook them if you put them in molten stone!"" I push Drogons snout away as he sniffs the little eggs and I get closer.
I jump back realizing I am a fool and walking on super hot glowing stone, the bottom of my boot almost tearing off as I move back. I sigh as I look at the first-time parents who look concerned at their eggs and then at my melting boots and seem to realize what they have done. Moonfyre slams Drogons head back with a rough headbutt before nudging at her eggs.
She rolls them one at a time toward me and I smile hearing her trill almost like she is singing to her babies. Drogon rumbles at the abuse he is getting but doesn't move for fear of crushing his little eggs under his foot. I feel a pang of regret doing this without Danny but I had no clue this would be happening.
""Hold on, keep them on the slightly warm stone while I go get Danny! I will get something I prepared for this day as well so you don't need to worry!"" I count five eggs and thank my paranoid self for preparing ten egg warmers in advance.
More dragons are on the way and I can't help but feel a burning excitement as I sprint to go find Danny. People might be worried seeing me but hopefully, they don't associate it with me finding little easter eggs. I want to keep this a secret for as long as I can, I don't want the King to immediately try to take them.
I don't think he will, but he will for sure ask for at least a few of them to see if his heir can hatch one. I would prefer if they come here and try their luck rather than separate Moonfyre from her eggs. I also need to make sure there is one to put in my baby's cradle when Danny gives me a little silver-headed troublemaker.
----
"What did they do this time?" Danny lets out a tired sigh as I speed walk with her to the dragon's den.
I interrupted her when she was ordering around some servants, she is taking full control of the household, and it's a monumental task. But she is strong-willed and won't back out once she starts on something and I have faith in her getting Harrenhal beat into shape.
"Just come on, you will not believe what they did." We approach the entrance and I can still hear Moonfyre singing to her eggs and a rumble from Drogon.
"What are they doing?" She asks with an amused tone as we head down the tunnel and I can hear her breath hitch as a lime-colored egg catches the light from Moonfyre.
""They laid eggs!"" Moonfyre rumbles loud enough to vibrate my teeth. ""Moonfyre laid eggs!"" Sweet trills once more fill the cave as her pleased blue eyes stare at her eggs.
Danny has wide eyes as she walks up and drops to her knees on the hard stone and picks up a sky-blue egg with white swirls. Moonfyre gives her some space to admire her own handiwork at birthing some beautiful eggs.
""They are warm."" She absent-mindedly mumbles and I roll my eyes, if the dragons had it their way they would be boiling hot.
""Tonight we will sneak back down here with the egg warmers and put them in them, we will have to do most of the work as far as that goes. Drogon and Moonfyre can take turns guarding them but they can't fill the warmers will coals. We don't want people to know we have living eggs, they will try to steal them as there are tons of dragon seed bastards all over the Kingdoms to try and claim them."" She nods as she sets the egg down and picks up the lime one with black streaks.
""We can have our sisters help, maybe one will even hatch for them if they come in here. Daeron will want to try and hatch some as well so we need to figure out how to deal with that."" I nod as I sit on the ground beside her and she looks at me with a dazzling smile as she holds the egg up.
""We can have him visit to 'check the progress' and let them try and hatch the eggs and see if it works for them."" She sets the egg down and grabs my hand as her face goes serious.
""Aerion I have been keeping something from you, I wanted to be sure before I said anything but the situation has changed."" I hesitantly grip her hands back and look into her eyes on the verge of tears.
""What is wrong?"" She shakes her head and doesn't speak as she places my hands on her belly.
I sit there dumbly until it clicks why she looks ready to cry as I rub my hand on her lower stomach.
""Nothing is wrong, but I have had some symptoms start and I didn't want to get too excited. I didn't know if I would ever get pregnant... I had doubts."" I scrunch up my nose in confusion until I remember she was cursed in her last life and she seemed to think it might have carried over with her.
I pull her into a hug and she returns a crushing one as both dragons bring their heads in on our sides and try and cheer her up. She sniffles against my shoulder as she lets out her grievances and I can't help but wonder how long she has kept this in. Likely since her rebirth, she probably thought she would go childless in this life as well.
So any signs she saw she probably was more scared than excited so I see why she didn't tell me right away.
""How long do you think you have... you know?"" She sits back but keeps her arms around my neck with her puffy lips looking delectable.
""I started feeling sore before the wedding so it could have been the very first time we coupled or I could have just been imagining it. I don't really know and I am still scared but seeing these eggs is making me hopeful. I know they're different but I feel hopeful seeing them have a clutch of eggs."" I kiss her tempting lips before pressing my forehead against hers.
""Well you did promise me as many kids as Alysanne gave Jaehaerys so I expect you to keep your word."" She shakes her head with a small smile quirking up.
Today took a sudden turn I was not expecting, but now that I know she might be pregnant I will need to be on the lookout. I have not even noticed any 'symptoms' she is not obviously throwing up or anything so I will just have to keep an open eye.
Little Targaryens and little dragons for them to play with seem to be on the horizon and I can't wait to see how things turn out.
Thanks for reading!!!
----
186 AC
Harrenhal
Aerion Targaryen
----
"They feel way different, the ones passed around to try to hatch after you two hatched Moonfyre and Drogon felt almost lifeless. It is an odd thing to say but I can feel the heat coming from the egg and not just because it is kept warm. It gives off its own warmth from the inside which shows the difference between dead and alive. It makes me wonder how the two in your crib managed to hatch." Daeron my older brother and the king sits in my solar inside Harrenhal.
Not even a full day after the raven was sent we had a response, it must have been an instant decision on his part, or the birds were just motivated. He practically grew wings himself and reached here in record time and now the entire House of Targaryen is in Harrenhal.
All the eggs are being passed around but nothing has hatched but hope is still soaring through the sky. The announcement of Danny being pregnant also got celebrated amongst the family, almost everyone spoke about one of the eggs hatching for our baby. I was expecting more disappointment or even anger from some of the family at the eggs not hatching. But mostly everyone is just happy that the number of dragons is growing even if it's slowly.
"I am sure they will hatch in the near future, I am thinking along the same lines as everyone else that my child with Danny will hatch the first egg at this rate." He places his head on his clasped hands with his elbows resting on the table.
"If this happens, if your child hatches the first egg and none hatch naturally till then we will have to discuss future plans. Hopefully one or two decides to come out on their own like wild dragons and can be claimed." His eyes meet mine and his lips twitch as I look at him in confusion.
"What future plans?" One of my dragon-riding kids marrying the heir of Baelor most likely.
"Aerion my brother, if it comes to only your blood and Dannys hatching eggs then we will need to get as much of it flowing as possible. Do you understand what I am trying to say without actually saying it?" My older brother and King is telling me to go hog wild and make a ton of babies with my wife it seems.
I wish she was here to see his pained look as his brows scrunched up in discomfort.
"Daenerys already said we will mimic the Old and Good king and Queen, so the blood will be flowing you can rest your weary head on that." He nods and looks like he aged ten years but his features smooth out.
"Good, just give her a little time in between because I fear she may be like our mother and have difficult births with her similar build. Mother almost died in each birth she had, we are lucky she is alive so make sure you are careful and I will be praying for her safe delivery." I shake my head in disbelief at the turn of this conversation but an odd smile spreads on my face even if I want to cringe. "Aerion I need to ask you something..." His voice lowers to a ghost-like whisper.
"After what you just asked I don't think it could get more awkward so just hit me with it." He snorts and shakes his head before lifting his hand and pulling the seven-headed dragon crown off his head.
"I do not say this lightly, I know how it could hurt you in the long run and our sister but I feel the need to say it anyway. If somehow the dragons are only bonding with the blood in Daenerys and you then it might be best to spread the net a little wider." He sets the crown down and looks up at me with a difficult look. "I am not saying to be like our father, but if some Dragon seed sprouted up and was able to claim a dragon they would be legitimized. We were at our lowest for years and years before two miracle dragons hatched, we can't let them slip from our hands again." I no longer wish Daenerys was here to enjoy this awkward conversation.
The very thing our father was known for and looked down on for, he wants me to whore around. I purse my lips and wonder how quickly we both would lose our nuts if Daenerys or my brother's wife heard this conversation.
"Your Grace, I don't know if I can complete this task..." Let's back off with an official white flag raised for now, we don't even know if the theory is correct just yet.
I get his worry, in a perfect world, Danny births ten-plus babies and they all ride dragons and their kids ride dragons. But this is not a perfect world and she could die in the first birth with the child and everything goes up in flames. He wants me to father a child not of Danny to see if it could hatch an egg and ride the dragon.
Likely a marriage to the main Targaryen line on the Iron throne awaits any bastard I make that hatches an egg, not a bad deal for the kid. But I would need Daenerys to be ok with this, I would not go behind her back just for curiosity or a quick fuck. If she did the same to me I would be beyond furious so I won't do that to her, as they say, an eye for an eye.
"Just keep it in mind, if a dragon hatches in the cradle of your firstborn you should give it some real thought." I nod and he gives one last look at the crown before putting it back on. "I would not ask this of you if I didn't think it was necessary, we need the power the dragons give us. The Lords know the history and events such as the Dance showed how dangerous dragons can be, we need them. Without them I fear we will eventually fall to petty schemes and plots, not every King will be good. One more King like the last one and we can be sieged by all the other Houses of Westeros." I know he is right because I have seen it myself, so has Danny as she lived through the consequences of the fall of House Targaryen.
"I will speak with my wife about it, she would be included if such a plan was ever pursued." I wonder how she will react to this, most likely a good laugh at the very least.
----
"Finally!" Shiera grabs the silver egg with green and blue swirls from my hand and holds it to her chest.
She was smitten with the egg the moment she saw it and I almost thought it would hatch for her, they have matching colors. She slept with it for days and nothing has happened yet but I am letting her take care of it for now. If he does hatch then I am concerned about what will happen to her, she will be put firmly onto the 'board'.
She has a claim to the Iron Throne as one of the great bastards and she would have a dragon while being unmarried. I almost feel like keeping her away from the egg and just taking her on flights when she wants, but the look in her eyes as she holds it is too sweet to break up. If the egg hatches then I will convince my brother that she and the dragon need to stay here until the dragon can defend itself. That will give her time to figure out what her future will look like.
"Just be careful, Moonfyre trusted you with that little baby." She nods and walks to the warmer she keeps by the fireplace and sets the egg inside. "Keep it locked and chained and your door is always locked even if you are in here, there will be more guards posted so long as the egg is in here." She nods and locks the warmed and checks the chain attaching the warmer to the fireplace.
"It will be fine, I will take care of the egg I promise." She jumps up excitedly and crashes against me in a tight hug. "If it hatches I kind of want to call it Seastar, is that too much?" I shrug, it's a bit narcissistic but most Targaryens are so it's expected.
"Let's go get some food, Ser Richard will guard your door for now and make sure no one gets to the egg." She nods and lets go of me before skipping to the door while humming a pleasant tune.
----
"What did he say?" Danny asks exasperated as she picked up my mood instantly and knew I was talking with Daeron earlier.
"You might want a drink-." I stop as I remember the little baby and set the cup I was preparing down. "Well actually might just want to sit down and not think about fire for a few minutes." She scrunches up her brows and glares at me.
"Did you do something that you know will anger me?" I shake my head and her features soften and she sits down on the edge of our bed. "Then why do you seem to think I am about to burn something, or someone." I sit next to her and place a hand on her thigh and she laces her fingers with mine with a smile spreading.
"The King was just running through some scenarios with me, like for example if our kid hatches an egg he will put more credit into the idea our blood is needed. The eggs that are laid are vastly different from the stone eggs, and he thinks the stone eggs we hatched only did so because of our blood being special." She nods and leans against me with her head resting on my shoulder.
"Was that not obvious from the beginning? What does this have to do with me getting mad?" I sigh and prepare to have a pissed-off pregnant dragoness on my hands.
"Well if he thinks it's our blood that is special he will want our blood to spread and more dragons hatched. He said we need dragons and without them, our House would eventually fall... which you already know 'will' happen." She stiffens before relaxing once more against me but gripping my hand much tighter.
"So he is expecting a lot of kids from us to hatch the dragons, and by spreading he means he wants our kids to marry into his own grandkids most likely." I purse my lips.
"Well yes but actually no..." She takes a moment and slips into her thoughts before the hand gripping my own goes slack.
"He wants the blood to 'spread' you said?" I nod solemnly. "What was your reaction to him asking you to spread the blood?" I lick my lips and take a drink of my wine, she may not be able to drink but I can.
"Well I told him I don't think it's a good idea, I would never betray you like that and he accepted my words. I am telling you this because you asked what he said and I was not going to lie and then it come back to bite my ass. Nothing is going to happen so no need to call Drogon to melt the rest of Harrenhal." I happily pat the back of her smooth hand as she narrows her eyes at me.
"I never said you would go behind my back, I know you would not or you would have already." Relieve floods through me that she does not secretly think of me as a horny mutt even with all the rutting we do. "But he is not really wrong, you are right that I know how things would have ended. Give me some time to think about it further and we will see, we don't even know if our baby will hatch an egg at all and could be getting ahead of ourselves." I feel my heart almost stop as I look at the strange woman pretending to be my wife beside me, is this a Faceless man?
"Come again?" She snorts and shakes her head while rubbing her free hand across her lower belly.
"Do not get your hopes up Aerion, I only said I would think about it, it was our king who recommended it after all. I have given the thought some merit myself before when I was still adjusting to how long you last in bed. So it is not some weird thing for me, I was close to raising a white flag and letting you vent on someone else before." She rolls her eyes before letting go of my hand and leaving the room.
I am left on the bed with more questions than answers, truly an odd day today was.
So, imagine being Aerion and approaching Daenerys and just laying out "The king commanded me to so I have to knock some hotties up" and expecting things to go well... poor fucker who tries that shit.
Slowly working toward the goal of bagging his half-sisters, you know just Targaryen things...
Thanks for reading!!!
您可能也喜歡