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Chapter Text

King’s landing was something else. Everyone was always busy and rude, and don’t ask me about the smell, gods, it was rancid, to say the least.  

What was a 15-year-old Tyrell doing alone in King’s landing anyway? You’d ask. Well. Father said I was useless in High Garden, and that moving to King’s landing to train would have ‘ at least consolidated the alliance with House Targaryen ’. So, I was basically a hostage.   

Unfortunately for my hater father, I actually aspired becoming a good knight, so I got immediately labelled as the ‘Try harder’. Well... I won't be humble, I didn’t suck. But one thing I sucked at was making friends.  

It was my fifth week there and I still haven’t visited the city, the thing was too big to be navigated without someone helping you out. But guess who I met that damn morning.  

- 

It was short before lunch. Sword training was going especially great, I couldn’t say the same for my training partner though. It was the fourth time he’d fallen, and I was starting to feel bad. Even so, I fixed my stance and waited for the other kid to start again. But he didn’t. In fact, he froze in fear before bowing his head down. So, I looked around to see why he reacted that way.  

Oh.  

It was the first time I’ve seen the King’s son, prince Aegon Targaryen. Really, the first Targaryen I've first ever seen in my life. I had only heard stories about how they looked, but never truly believed them till that moment. 

Prince Aegon strolled through the courtyard with his younger brother at his side. I noticed the way he walked was sloppy, I wondered why we had to be so still every time they entered a room when they literally didn’t care. Prince Aemond looked stiffer, intimidated, either from his own brother or what he expected from him. I thought he didn’t look a year older than ten.  

I lowered my head, imitating my training partner, but overheard part of their conversation as they passed. 

“Come on, brother, just once”  

“You’re just trying to humiliate me...” 

“Naah, I'll let you win! Hey, you, give me your sword!” 

I almost startled, but it took me a second to get that prince Aegon was referring to me . I probably didn’t even breathe as he looked at me for a second too long, almost as if he was pleased by how easily people obeyed him. I gave him the sword and walked aside; my partner reached me after he gave his sword to the younger Prince. I gave him a ‘What are we supposed to do’ look before I shifted my gaze on the fraternal duel.  

They were like oil and vinegar; Aemond looked frightened, his hands around the hilt were too tight, his stance too stiff and unsure. On the contrary, Aegon looked unserious, he turned my sword in his hands, clearly playing around. He didn’t wait long till he swung his sword, crashing against Aemond’s one.  

I felt like I’ve seen this scene before, he reminded me of my older brother. They use their height and weight to crash you, till you fell on your back, just as Aemond did in that moment. I wanted to intervene, but stayed quiet, lips and hands tight. Aegon laughed when Aemond fell on the courtyard’s floor, as expected, then he walked towards us again and threw my sword back to me. I caught it, but my mouth decided to speak on its own.  

“I don’t think It was a fair win” 

FUCK.  

Aegon looked as shocked as me. My father already advised me to shut up, I always spoke my mind too much for my sake.  

“Who are you ?” Aegon asked sharply. My throat was clogged with self-reproach.   

“Squire August Tyrell, prince”  

“And what makes you say that?”  

Aegon was staring down at me, obviously annoyed. Everyone was staring at me. I felt my training partner take a step aside, as if I had a plague; I was completely alone under the prince’s gaze. But I couldn’t backtrack now, I had to continue. My hands hurt behind my back as I squeezed them tightly. I felt my mind go a mile a hour. 

What if I just said the truth? It couldn’t get any worse anyway.  

“Well... Your brother, prince Aemond, is shorter and less experienced than you. It’ll be fairer if you’d train with someone your age, prince”  

Aegon unexpectedly seemed like he felt called out, his eyebrows frowned, as if he had a hard time understanding me. “And who exactly? I surely can’t train with one of the plebs.” The way he was clearly too sure about himself made me irritated. Who does he think he is?  

“I’m a noble. And, your age.” 

And also, dead.  

He only grew more irritated before answering with a frustrated sigh, like he wanted to demonstrate something.   

“Alright, rose boy, let’s see where your ego brings you.” 

Then he picked up his brother’s wooden sword, hinting at me to step at the centre of the courtyard. I was trying to rationalize what just happened, did I really ask the King’s son for a duel?  

I followed his steps, taking a position into the courtyard. His stance was surely better than against his brother, but I could clearly see where he could do better. I stayed quiet, watching him until I decided on my strategy. The only time I wasn’t aware of eyes on me was in battle; my world closed off, and I could see every detail on my opponent.  

Aegon was the one to strike the first blow, he crashed his sword against mine. I did nothing but shed his sword and retreat, and again, again and again. Till he started to grow furious about my apparently nonsense strategy. 

“Stop parrying, fuck!” 

I took the chance to strike back, coming unexpected. He grumbled and retreated.  

As the wooden swords cracked on each other, the sound numbed my mind, and I completely forgot who I was exercising with. That only made me focus more on winning, rather than saving my already tragic situation.  

But I only remembered when he was on the floor, and the tip of my sword was on his Adam's apple.  

“Gods-” I managed to mumble; I instinctively offered him my hand, which he didn’t take. Aegon stood up on his own and sighed frustrated.  

“Are you trying to make a fun out of me, Tyrell? You distracted me from the start and-” he grumbled. He sounded irritated, but somehow his voice cracked from his starting security. 

I squeezed my hands around the hilt of the sword, feeling unsure. A part of me felt kind of proud, but at the same time I was panicking. For me, it was only a duel, but from the outside, it could be seen as disrespect to the royal family. How could I fix this? 

“I’m not- Uh-” 

I pursed my lips and cursed myself, “Want to fight again?” I knew he was going to say no, but I felt like there was no way out- 

“Alright” he sighed instead. My eyebrows went up, but I didn’t want to lose the opportunity; he looked loosen up, his stance now better. Ironically, now he maybe didn’t want to beat my ass anymore.  

He started with the first hit again, this time I countered, making his sword slide off mine. But the prince unexpectedly hit again, and I took a shot on the hip. Ouch.  

I passed back and parried again.  Our strikes went on and on, the swords syncing in a sort of dance, the sound of wood on wood was filling my ears again. I took the lead once I noticed he was growing tired. My sword pushed his on the ground, leaving him defenceless.  

We both took a break to breath; I ran a hand through my wet hair and looked around; most of our spectators were gone to lunch or back to their job. Just the prince’s little brother was still quietly observing us. That was when an unexpected laugh caught my attention.      

“Good job, rose boy.” 

He raised his hand towards me, for me to shake. I blinked twice before I took it in confusion and shook it. 

“You aren’t as boring as you look, then. Let’s do that again, August, right?” 

I only managed to get out a “Yeah...?”, then he nodded and just gave his little brother a hint to follow along as they walked off to lunch.  

I wasn’t even hungry; my hand was still tingling. Maybe I've finally made a friend.  

Chapter Text

It was getting dark, but the rustling of the leaves was like a lullaby to my ears. I could barely keep my eyes open, staring at the soon-to-be full moon. I’ve found that garden for pure chance; earlier that day ser Cole asked me to go fetch some new training swords, but I got lost. Not that it wasn’t hard getting lost into the Red Keep. But it was for my surprise I found a tiny paradise into that red rocky castle. 

The peaceful silence was suddenly broken by the sound of footsteps, making me jump straight.  

“Aw damn, ‘can’t even scare you?” 

I was surprised to see those two purple eyes again, sparkling in the moonlight. I eased up again and leaned back to my seat, the tree behind me holding me.   

“I’m supposed to become a knight someday, your royal highness... What are you doing here, anyway?”  

A week passed already from our last encounter, so I wasn’t expecting his sudden familiarity; maybe he was just an extroverted, either way, I didn’t mind. He crouched down, taking a seat on the ground in front of me and smiled.  

Aegon shoved a hand into his tunic, just to casually show his, presumably, stolen bottle of wine proudly.  

“I often come here to drink on my own. I share my room with my brother, and he is a spiller.”  

I nodded thoughtfully. I instinctively tried to arrange my long curls in a bun, I didn’t want to appear like a complete mess to a royal.  

“Come on, try it. I swear it’s good.”  

Aegon grinned, practically thrusting the bottle in my hands before I could even form thought. His playful laugh rang in the air when he saw me hesitate.  

He nudged me and insisted further. “What? Are you Tyrells too delicate for some red?”  

This kid always knew how to irritate people. And he liked to tease me too much, judging by his grin.  

“I’m not.”  

I remarked, falling straight into his trap. I opened the bottle and drank a long, too cocky, sip. The cold wine was heady, I recognised the Arbor red, heavier and more bitter than our hippocras. Indeed, I grimaced, closing my eyes shut, while cleaning my mouth.  

“Is this what y'all drink here?” I whined in disgust. 

“’Not my fault you drink like a lady, Tyrell. You’ll get used to it.” 

I shook my head and sighed; I was starting to understand how insufferable he was. But my smile betrayed my attempt at feigning annoyance. 

“So,” he started while he took his bottle back, he brought the bottle to his lips, then continued “since when have you moved here, rose boy?” 

“It’s been... Like a month, your highness” he laughed at my awful attempt of addressing a royal.  

“Gods, please, drop the false formality, it’s not like there’s someone else here. Call me Aegon.”  

“Yes... Aegon” I tried his name out, it felt weird calling the King’s son by his first name, but I was willing to get used to it. He smiled and teased by repeating my name with the same tone.  

“August. Tell me about you, say” 
It was like taking a breath of fresh air talking to him. He seemed genuinely interested into my ranting about the Red Keep and High Garden, I explained why I moved there, how my brother was going to inherit High Garden; he seemed surprised to know I haven’t visited the city yet. While talking, he kept sipping at his Arbor, so much so that I started to think he was just drunk enough to seem interested.  

“You should come out with my friends, I think they’ll like you” he then said, stretching out on the grass. “You’re bold. ” 

Bold? What did he mean by that?  

“I’m in, what do you usually do?” I crossed my arms, not that sure I even had the social abilities for this.  

“What do you think we mostly do?” he laughed at my oblivious expression “I’ll show you, come on” he said, suddenly pushing himself up and leaving the, now empty, bottle on the ground.  

“Wait, now?” I blinked in confusion by the sudden shift in energy. 

His grin only widened; with a firm nudge he urged me to follow him. I hesitated only for a second before I pushed myself up and followed his steps. Something told me I was getting into something bigger than myself.  

“Actually, I’m late already, my friends were waiting for me even before I stopped here.” 

Did he stop just to talk to me or am I imaging things? I impulsively fixed my hair again, I had no idea what type of guys I was about to meet, what if they were all snobs? I suddenly felt dirtier from my morning training.  

“Don’t think too much about it, flower boy, they’re all great guys” 

This boy noticed more things than he wanted to show.  

“Alright” I mumbled, not fully convinced.  

“Besides, as long as you’re with me no one will bother your presence” he said. He was more than aware of his power on people and seemingly liked to use it.  

We went through a meticulously decorated archway, the stones were carved into dragons, their eyes embedded with rubies. I touched the cold stone mindlessly with the tip of my fingers. The hallway that followed was in complete contrast with the entrance. It was vast and solitary, as if no one used it that much, our steps echoed loudly while I looked around. The only other sounds I could distinguish were some distant chatters and the wind outside.  

What if someone sees us here? The doubt came upon me, but I quickly realized how vacant that part of the Red Keep was at that hour of the night.  

“How big is this castle, gods? I feel like I’m in a different place every time I step in it” 

“I agree. I live in this rock pile and I still some days find something new. 

That’s the reason we have a spot to meet every night, otherwise we would spend half night searching for each other” 

After a few turns, which he seemed to know by memory, we crossed a plain door to the outside. That’s when we spotted a group of three guys, chatting under a big birch, by the main entrance for the city.  

“You’re finally here, princess.” 

The tallest of the group spoke first; tanned, with dark messy curls, he clearly looked dornish. He moved his gaze on me before speaking again, his grin seemed to widen.  

“Who’s this lil guy? Your new mistress?” 

I shoved my hands in my pockets, this guy made me uncomfortable, or maybe what he just said. But somebody else replied to him before I even opened my mouth. 

“Shut up, Fabius” A blonde guy with long hair and blue eyes shushed him, he rolled his eyes but watched Aegon, waiting for explanations. Which he gave. The prince stretched his arm around my shoulders and squeezed my arm to introduce me. 

“Just a squire I met a few days ago. August, these are Fabius, Joyrick and Gerold.” 

I nodded and gave a look at the guys, trying to print their name in my mind. Fabius was the dornish-looking guy, Joyrick was the blonde short guy, and Gerold, which haven’t spoken a word yet, had dark hair and a feeling that reminded me of the north, but I couldn’t be so sure of it.  

“August Tyrell” I repeated, not sure how to start a conversation with these guys. Aegon’s presence so close was both overwhelming and secure, somehow.   

“A Tyrell? Damn, bastards became a minority in this group?” Fabius exclaimed sarcastically, giving his friend Joyrick a little fist on the shoulder. Which he replied to with an annoyed look for his friend.  

Aegon must have had enough of waiting because he sighed dramatically “Let’s just start walking, I’m craving some good beer and a woman”. No one argued and we started heading towards the ‘Street of Silk ’, as he explained to my ear.  

I looked around curiously, observing the merchants selling the weirdest food and junk. It was so new for me. The streets were a complete chaos during the night, there were so many people that no one seemed to mind us at all. I made sure I couldn’t lose Aegon in the crowd by sticking next to him, I knew I wouldn’t know my way back to the castle. Nonetheless, I couldn’t say I wasn’t charmed by this new environment. I was looking with wide eyes at a man that just shot fire from his mouth, when I felt Joyrick walking to my left.  

“I can see you’ve never come here from a mile away, my lord” he giggled; honestly, he looked the kindest there, and the softest spoken. His smile was sweet and the mole under his left eye only made him prettier.  

“Is it that obvious? This place is...” I stopped talking for a second when I noticed a woman poorly dressed calling men into a pub “something... Are we there yet?” 

“Yeah, welcome to the Street of Silk. His royal highness usually choses where we spend the night” Joyrick continued, his gaze now on the prince, which seemed lost through his thoughts while eyeing different pubs.  

The guys walked behind us as he finally made his mind. He chose what looked like a fresh new expensive inn; inside, the walls were a deep purple, only adding to the already sultry air. As we entered, Aegon looked around quickly before choosing a table.  

We walked through the inn, Aegon pulling me by my sleeve. A waitress welcomed us in with a smile, the prince simply smiled back but I watched how his eyes danced eagerly on her revealing neckline. I got goosebumps.  

“Now you’re going to have some real fun, flower boy” he whispered with his grin on. I answered with a raised eyebrow. Aegon pulled me toward what was now our table. He ordered a round of sweet beers and made me take seat at his side, so I found myself between him and Fabius. 

Great, now they’re all looking at me.  

I wet my lips and mustered my courage. “Uhm– What are y’all doing in King’s landing?”  

“Me and Fabius are here for our job, and our mothers” said Joyrick, Fabius nodded. Then I looked at Gerold.  

“I’m a squire too. Distant cousin of Cregan Stark. But I could very well be a bastard given how little my title is worth” he spoke deadpan, which made it really hard to understand when he was joking. 

“Don’t worry, that’s just his way of joking around” Joyrick reassured when I tilted my head to the side.  

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled back, “Mine isn’t as worth; my father trusts my skills with reigning so much that he made sure I, one day, could own no land” I somehow made the group laugh, even Gerold gave me a small smile. Phew.  

The first round of beers went down easily while we chatted, then went the second and the third. At the fourth one I felt my head spin and my tongue loosen up. I was starting to feel more comfortable, however, I felt my nerves up, for a reason I couldn’t elaborate, as if I wanted to keep my mind away from where that night would’ve gone eventually.  

We were in the middle of a gossip moment, where the centre of the conversation was ser Criston Cole and his arrogance since he became a white cloak.  

But as I expected, the fun was interrupted when Fabius was the first to interrupt our chatters, he said something about ‘finding company’, then got up and disappeared through the backrooms. Joyrick and Gerold followed a few minutes later, leaving me alone with the prince, again. 

A long silence fell between us, I felt the mood physically shift and my eyelids grow heavy. But at the same time, what was before a distant presentiment, now it felt closer and more oppressive. As if the silence only made my thoughts clearer.  

Aegon’s eyes were lingering on my face. I felt studied by his gaze, but I was too intoxicated by the alcohol to elaborate something to say, so I just leaned on the table and rubbed my face.  

“What? Are you already tired?” he teased, but when I looked back at him, he was already standing up. Aegon slid his hand under my arm, his grip was firm enough to make me stand on my feet, even if I was a bit wobbly. I stared up at him, our poor height difference divided us, but Aegon’s eyes were fixated ahead.  

“Where are we going?” I whispered, my voice weak. The unfamiliar tightness in my chest was only growing, but Aegon cut me short and forced me to keep walking.   

“Just trust me”  

A part of me was telling me to back off, to just go back to the dormitory. I knew what was happening, but I didn’t have the strength, mayhap, the guts, to say no. I just didn’t want to seem weak in front of him. “You need to loosen up a bit, mate, and I know exactly who can help you.” 

In a few confusing minutes, we went through a crowded, suffocating hallway, the smell disgusted me and the people walking too closely made me anxious. I shrunk closer to my friend, so when we entered a private room, it looked like I was hiding behind Aegon, to the lady resting on the bed.  

They both laughed like they knew each other already. I let go of his hand to get back some of my honour, which I didn’t even realize I was holding till that moment. My fingers felt oddly cold after the warmth of his hand. 

Everything was so confusing and blurry, as if my eyes were moving inside my own head.  

“This is Lavender, flower boy” 

“Hii, sweetie” the fair skinned, brunette woman came closer to caress my cheek. She giggled softly when I stepped back a little and reddened.  

I think I completely erased that night from my memory, either for the too many pints of beer or what happened, but till today the last thing I remember was Aegon handing the woman a few silver stags. Everything blacked out after that, what was left was her odour, which remained impregnated on my skin for days, or so I felt. 

However, I still went back to her too many times, as if I was looking for something I never had, an affection she couldn’t give me, a role that wasn’t hers to cover.  

An hour or less later, I was trying to find the exit to that suffocating inn. I thought I finally found it when I felt fresh air on my cheeks, but I found out I was only in another courtyard. I let out a breath of relief when I saw a head full of white hair.  

I stepped to his side and leaned silently on the same guardrail he was leaning onto; somehow, he still had another pint of beer in his hand.  

“Flow-” he started, but his voice stopped mid-throat when our eyes met. I should’ve been a disaster for making him look at me like that.  

“August? Are you alright?”  

His usual grin faded out as he bit his lower lip, I saw him looking concerned for the first time.  

“I’m alright” I mumbled, my eyes lost beyond the guardrail. I was starting to sober up and I felt even more tired.  

Aegon showed all his course of thoughts on his face. He looked worried, perhaps guilty; his gaze went from my tired expression to my long hair down, which was his first time seeing since I always kept them up where they couldn’t disturb my training. Then he attempted at his usual sarcasm to lighten up my mood.  

“She wrecked you, mate”  

His comment was left hanging in air, unreplied, expect by a couple of my senseless mutters. Aegon sighed as he understood he wasn’t going to get me to talk in any way. 

“Perhaps it’s time for you to retire to your chamber”  

The prince left his pint on the guardrail, unattended. He urged me to follow him out of there, not that I even had in mind to argue back, I was exhausted. His excuse was “he was tired too”, which he muttered midway, but I couldn’t really believe it.  

The silence between us only revealed we both had no idea on how to deal with these situations.  

This once, Aegon didn’t put his arm around my shoulders, he didn’t pull me along. He just walked to my side till we parted ways, till I walked back to my dormitories, and he walked to his chambers.  

See you again.  

My mind repeated those words like a mantra, till I fell into deep sleep. At least I would’ve seen him again.  

Chapter Text

I had underestimated his See you again , because I started seeing his face everywhere. He was always in my way, somehow. Like a pup you give food once, and then it follows you all around.  

And, he always dragged me into the worst situations. Aegon was everything but boring; he came out with the most unexpected troubles to get into and always convinced me to follow him.  

How could I say no? We became so attached to the hip that I started to share his own scoldings, unfortunately for me.  

This once, we got caught red-handed stealing in the kitchens past the hour of the owl. He managed to sneak in my dormitory and wake me up just because he craved a ‘snack’. I was barely awake when I mindlessly got dressed and let him lead the way.  

That’s how I found myself with a tray of cream cakes in my hands, while Aegon was holding two bottles of wine and searching for a third one.  

“Do we really need three?” I whispered desperately while checking around, I was done if someone found me there.  

“Things always come in threes, mate.” 

Aegon startled at my scared squeak, he had to follow my gaze to see Ser Criston, in night attire, watching us from the door. I panicked, accidentally making the tray fall on the floor, which made an awfully loud sound.  

“What are you two doing here?”  

While my body froze, Aegon’s went into flight mode– grabbing my arm with his free hand (not even death would’ve made him let go of his wine) and running. I don’t know which one of us had the worst idea in that moment. Me, because I followed him, or Aegon, because he thought running away would’ve helped our problem, when it just postponed it.  

Anyhow, we managed to escape the kitchen from a second exit, but only discovering an impossibly long hallway.  

We were both too scared to look back, but when the thought of Ser Criston running after us in his night attire hit me, I burst into laughter. Which made Aegon smile, but he shushed me and pulled my arm, keeping me from falling back.  

“Shut up, August! ” 

I was relieved when I saw the walls turn left abruptly. Right after the turn, Aegon opened the first door we met, which we found out was a small, abandoned, storage room. I was still shaking from laughter while we hid, so much so that Aegon had to cover my mouth with his hand. But I quickly reacted by covering his too, when I noticed he was starting to laugh too. 

We stood there for a few minutes, first busy trying to stop laughing, then listening for footsteps outside. Once we thought it was silent enough, we separated and sat down on some old wooden crate, just in front of each other. The place was so narrow, we fought over the legroom, which were, by force of circumstances, one against the other.  

Aegon easily uncorked the two bottles, passing one to me. Drinking had started to feel more natural since I had been hanging out with him. Nonetheless, the bitter drink stinged in my chest; its harsh fragrance covered for a few seconds the awful smell of dust in there.   

“I’ll never forget this, Egg.” To us, it was becoming the norm using nicknames for each others, only for us to use.  

“Nor will Ser Criston.” we laughed, even if I knew we both wouldn’t be laughing when we’ll eventually face the consequences.  

“This would be the third time I get in trouble today.” he spoke again.  

“Really?” as if it was a surprise. I shifted my back comfortably against the wall, as comfortable as it could be, to listen to him, while I drank from my bottle.  

“Yessir” he answered, this time a bit annoyed “As my mother says, I pick on my twat brother too much” 

I tilted my head to the side; he giggled at my curiosity and immediately understood I wanted to know the reason.  

“Alright, alright... You know how he doesn’t have a dragon? Me and my nephews dressed up a pig as one. So Aemond cried out to our mother.” I let out a pft but shook my head in feign rebuke.   

“Your mother isn’t wrong, you know? You’re being too harsh on him” 

“I thought you were my best mate.” he sighed out dramatically, swallowing a long gulp as if to console himself.  

We stayed quiet, while finishing our wines. I had laid down on that crate and stared at the ceiling, I had never missed that old bunk bed in the dormitories this much. My mind was starting to travel through my memories of these past months, when I sensed a pair of eyes pierce the side of my head.   

I turned towards him, acting like I haven’t noticed his gaze, just when I heard him breathe to say something. 

“Do you...”  

But I never found out what he was going to say, because the door slammed open. I stood up immediately, my back was straight. I got goosebumps when I heard a steady, older woman’s voice. She sounded irritated but also calm and firm. 

“Is it ever possible for your own mother having to fetch you around the castle at this hour of the night?”  

My blood ran cold, perhaps I would’ve preferred to see Ser Criston. She stepped towards Aegon, and while I stood straight, head down, he sat on the floor, flinching at her very small movement. I never saw him so scared, so belittled. As she stepped closer, I felt the urge to speak, to defend him.    

“It was my fault, your grace.” I blurted out.  

Queen Alicent moved her sharp gaze on me for the first time, acknowledging my presence in the narrow room. One of her eyebrows raised up. On the other hand, Aegon looked at me with widened eyes, as if no one ever stuck up for him till that moment.  

“I was the one to insist.” I continued. My hands, clenched anxiously behind my back, were starting to hurt.  

“Don’t lie to me, squire August Tyrell. I know my son like my own hands.” she looked calmer, just as if she was impressed from my behaviour. “Perhaps, instead of following my son’s bad influence, you could do him some good.” She spoke my name as if she was observing me for a while, or maybe she truly was. It wouldn’t be so shocking. 

Still, she pulled her son up by his ear, which whined in response, but endured by staying as quiet as possible. 

“Now go back to your chambers. Both of you.” it felt weird having an older woman scold me for the first time, especially since she was the Queen. But I shut up and nodded.  

My dark eyes met with Aegon’s purple ones one last time, before he was pulled away.  

A few days went ahead quickly, that I didn’t saw him for days wasn’t weird. I learnt that, sometimes, he decides to shelter in his own chambers, barely getting out of his bed. But I wasn’t allowed there yet, unless he invited me. So, I couldn’t do anything about it. 

Time went by quickly when he wasn’t around, I didn’t have anything else but my training sessions and the letters towards my sister Alerie. I mostly just got lost into my own thoughts. And I somehow always ended up thinking about a particular Targaryen prince.  

That morning, I had just received a crow from my sister. I had the habit of keeping in contact with her, since we had such a good relationship.  

I had found a quiet spot, a sort of terrace facing the Blackwater Bay. The sound of the calm waves hitting the rocks was soothing, while the salty scent in the air felt so diverse from my hometown, even if still magnetic.  

Dear Brother,   

  I read what you wrote me. I think your concerns are honest. Her majesty deliberately demonstrated she’s been observing your actions, likely through her ‘little birds’. There was no doubt about it, since you’ve developed such a bond with her first son. Nonetheless, even if it’s not my place to say so, I don’t think you need to trouble about it.   

                                                                                                                     Your lovely sister, Alerie.  

I was about to finish reading her message, when I heard Aegon’s voice calling my name. I was so focused I thought it was just my mind making fun of me. When he insisted and spoke again, he was already sitting up on my same guardrail, his back towards the sea. His amethyst eyes were already fixated on me, which made my stomach do a flip.  

“How did you find me here?” 

He smiled in his usual way and shrugged. “I asked around.” He said so casually.  

I blinked and observed him for a second. Was he really back as if nothing happened, again? Why was he smiling like that and why couldn’t we manage to talk clearer for once?  

But I didn’t get the time for my questions, even if I wanted to test the risk, he interrupted my thoughts.  

“My aunt is dead” 

“I’m sorry for your loss?...” 

“I meant- Do you want to come to Driftmark with me?” 

I swear the gods, this lad will either give me a heart attack or get me beheaded one day. 

“What??” 

“Oh come on.” he rolled his eyes as if he was annoyed by the simple fact that I couldn’t read his mind. “There’ll be a funeral in Driftmark.” he spoke like I was slow. 

“And?” I was still trying to understand what I had to do with it.  

“And, I need some company. My mother thinks you’re a good influence for me, or some sort, because she approved.” 

“Your mother- the Queen- wants me there... to keep you company?”  

Aegon nudged my arm and nodded, waiting for an answer. As if I could disobey an order from the Queen , herself.  

“Come on, a new environment will be great for you, I guess. Didn’t you want to be a knight one day? You need to learn, somehow.”  

“I guess...” I repeated slowly. “When will we set off?... I’ve never travelled on a ship before and–” 

“We’re sailing by tomorrow. Don’t mind the details, Ser Criston will take you under his wing.” As if that was comforting.   

I sighed and leaned on the rocky guardrail with my elbows. I teared my gaze away from his, trying to actually think ahead of what was going to happen the next days. It felt weird thinking it was the first time I followed real orders, that weren’t my father’s. Truly, I was just anxious, what if I didn’t act well? What if I made a fool of myself or my House? I knew what to say and how to act in front of royals, but what was my role now so close to the prince himself? 

I put my sister’s letter, which was still in my hand, back into my pocket. I reminded myself to write her a response that same night.  

Aegon must’ve noticed it, because he immediately teased me. “Do you have a lover back in High Garden, flower boy?” 

“Just one?” I smiled at his heartily laughter. 

The journey was unsettling, I found out my stomach didn’t handle the sea under my feet. We travelled on ship for two days . Aegon made fun of my ass the whole time, but at least I kept him distracted. I had become his own little entertainment, apparently. I felt observed the whole journey, as if it was a test I was being subjected to. 

I even met little princess Helaena. She was very reluctant into talking with strangers, she mostly stayed behind her mother’s dress. But she had something in her small posture that reminded me of my own sister. That made me smile in nostalgia when I saw her playing with her little insects.  

When we finally reached Driftmark and stepped on firm ground, I thanked the gods for being alive. Even though my legs felt wobbly for the rest of the day.  

I assisted the official ceremony, not that I really understood a word of High Valyrian. I set apart, informally representing House Tyrell’s respects. It was the first time I did so, but I just hoped that, even if my father wasn’t there to assist on how I acted, he was satisfied of my behaviour, for once.   

I felt pity for those poor children, now left motherless, I had related to them from a distance. Their grip on their grandmother’s hands was grievous to anyone with a heart.  

Though, Velaryon’s funeral tradition were interesting. They were as linked to sea as Targaryens to dragons. 

Talking about dragons, that island was swarming with dragons. And it was the first time I saw that many of them all together. Even Sunfyre was there; I knew because Aegon took every opportunity to boost his ego, showing off to me whenever he could. 

“Look up!” he whispered at the banquet, which he insisted for me to be at his side.  

As usual, he seemingly didn’t care at all about his surroundings. I had to call him out a few times, reminding him that we were at a funeral’s banquet.   

He had just finished sighing out that he was ‘bored’, gaining a firm gaze from his mother, which soon left us be, probably exhausted.

“You can’t keep your mouth shut for a second, can’t you?” I whispered back, but I followed his finger, just to see the trio of dragons resting on the hill above us. I had to admit, his dragon was the shiniest I’ve ever seen. If I wasn’t being deceived by the sunlight, his scales were a golden, stunning, colour.  

“That’s Sunfyre.” he said all proudly, his tone made me smile. 

He had noticed his cup was empty, because he called a serving girl. I often tried to ignore, as I got used to his presence, how they were all trembling when serving the prince. It made me feel unsteady.

I nudged him with my elbow as soon as he seemed to almost follow after her. I strangely succeeded, even if he gave me an annoyed gaze.  

I dozed off while he went back to speaking to Aemond. Guiltily, I was too busy observing Princess Rhaenyra, who had just entered the banquet. Her unapproachability was bewitching. The last time I saw her, in King’s landing, was what felt a moon before. Me and Aegon encountered her in the Red Keep, it was a short moment, where I only had the courage to lower my head, bowing at her without tripping over my own feet. My eyes were rarely blessed with her sight, but I had always thought she had all the characteristics I imagined in a Queen.  

“She’s an idiot ” was what brought me back. 

“Who?” I blinked at Aegon.  

“Were you not listening?” he said, slightly irritated, then indicated his youngest sister with his chin. I noticed how it made Aemond roll his eyes. I moved my eyes on the small one, she was still playing with her little spider.  

“Let her be.” I breathed, exasperated.  

“I’m supposed to marry that freak.” he said disgusted. Which wasn’t that mean to me, if he had found it disgusting for the small detail of her being his sister. Targaryen's costums were still out of my comprehension.   

“I can’t imagine you obeying rules, so I don’t think marrying anyone will change you at all.”  

“Fair enough.” he suspired. Aemond looked up at us as if he wanted to remark, again, that he would’ve respected those values. As if we didn’t know.  

Aemond was starting to associate me to his brother, as many others, but maybe, just because he was the one who saw us together the most. I just thought it was a little brother’s jealousy towards his older brother, and ignored his mean gazes. He reserved them to his own brother too, anyways.  

When the King himself left the banquet to rest, everyone bowed out of respect. Seeing Aegon respect some manners was weird, even with his cup of wine in his hands. But that finally meant the banquet was finished and we were set ‘free’, again.  

Chapter Text

We had been strolling through that damp castle for a few minutes when Aegon sighed out loud for the seventh time; he kept muttering how he wanted to go back to King’s Landing, how that castle was in the middle of nowhere and how everyone and everything was so boring. He would’ve never admitted it, but he acted that same way in King’s Landing too, always complaining about something. And I always endured him.

He wasn’t exaggerating this once tho, the city was truly too far, and we got warned too many times what would’ve happened to us if we disobeyed.

We had been kicked out by the Hand of the King, Aegon’s grandfather, out of the funeral’s banquet, since Aegon was draining two winters’ wine reserves just staying there. The Hand ordered us to go back to our rooms, but Aegon, as usual, had other ideas.

His hand clasped my wrist, dragging me in that cold hallway, searching for a different exit from that damn castle. His other hand held a bottle of wine, he somehow always managed to steal them without me even noticing.

I glanced at his hand on my wrist, noticing how his knuckles were slightly pink. They always seemed to redden when he was drunk- just like his cheeks.

“Would you stop blathering about nothing?”

“I’m bored. What could we even do?” he groaned in exasperation, as if this was the biggest problem in our existence. It was my turn to sigh.

“We’re literally-” I pulled his arm back, stopping his fast streaks, and bringing us to the nearest window. “on a land- surrounded by water.” I pointed out exhausted.

“Yes, August, that’s an island.” he said in his best insolent tone. To which I responded with a nudge.

But he looked bored enough to listen to me, because he leaned on the window’s rocky sill and admired down. I took place at his side, looking down at the beach. I’ve never seen such beauty, it was different from Blackwater Bay; it looked cleaner, the water was an icy blue, but the waves were surely bigger. Even if... Not big enough to avoid the water completely.

I looked back up at him, my smile growing as my new idea took form in my mind. But the words lost all meanings when our eyes locked. His pale skin and eyelashes only highlighted how his violet eyes shined with the moonlight; they were almost captivating. Seven hells, what am I thinking?

I opened my mouth to fill that awkward silence, merely to push those weird thoughts away, but my voice came out unsure and quieter than usual.

“Favor a walk?”

“Why not.”

His tone was calmer now, as if satisfied we had something to do. He seemingly didn’t notice our shared eye gaze.

Aegon shrugged and led the way, this time walking on my side. Till we found a staircase that brought us outside, in a vast, sandy, plain.

I took in the image ahead of me, while our feet were being swollen by the sand. I imitated Aegon when he pulled his shoes right off, throwing them aside.

I noticed a purple flower blooming through the sparse grass, a little way off. I didn’t even know flowers grow so close to the salt water. And something about those plants being pink, purplish in the dark, made me think that maybe the Gods were mocking me. I was shaken back from my thoughts when Aegon yelled my name a few times.

I moved my gaze to where his voice came from, noticing how he had walked closer to the shallow water. He was waving the bottle in his hand. He had folded his trousers to his knees. I did the same when I reached him.

“For once you had a great idea.” he jested, uncorking and passing the bottle to me. “Drink.”

“Alright, your majesty.” I said, mocking his authoritarian tone. But I obeyed and took a sip, or two. “Do you always have to be so kind?”

“What?” His sluggish tone made me chuckle. But when he tilted his head to the side, I just waved my hand to say ‘nothing’. He didn’t appreciate my mocking, because he turned around to arrange a pout.

Though, as he turned, he had put his foot wrong. Because a second later he grasped my arm to try keeping himself up, which only resulted in both of us falling straight into the water. I gasped when I fell backwards, then grumbled down at my wet, sticky clothes.

At least my hair’s still dry.

I pulled myself up on my elbows. Aegon looked up at me, his hand grasped my shirt on my chest to keep himself above the water.

“Bloody hells.” I was about to say something, but whatever curse was about to get out of my mouth got interrupted by a big wave, that I had noticed coming behind Aegon’s head, which crushed my hope of not getting my hair wet.

I pushed my wet curls out of my face and looked back at Aegon, as soaked in water as me. He had busted into laughter, probably seeing my face.

I tried to frown at him, but his laugh was too contagious.

“What a great idea.”

I rolled my eyes at the comment and, not without some difficulty, I dragged us both up on our feet. Aegon had trouble standing straight, both from the alcohol and his own laugh.

I had to call out his name a few times to make him, at least, try to stand with his arm over my shoulders. “I wish you could see your stupid face!” he snorted out, so I pushed him off of me, making him fall back into the water. He fought back, splashing me repeatedly and pulling me down again.

Our laughs got quiet in an instant when a sudden low roar crossed the skies. I looked up and an enormous shadow was just above our heads.

A dragon.

Her dark green scales shone through the night, we could hear a horrible guttural sound coming from her throat, her enormous wings made a strong wind that reached our wet hair. I realized I had goose bumps all over my arms.

But I stepped over to pull the prince up, again.

“Isn’t that your aunt’s dragon?” I noticed, it wasn’t hard to notice, due to her being the biggest dragon I’ve had ever seen.

“Yes...” he murmured, before glancing back at me. “She probably went out for a fly,” he was quieter, I felt the rare seriousness in his voice, which only alarmed me more. “how am I supposed to know what’s going on in a old dragon’s head?”

I gave a weak smile at his attempt at sarcasm; he was clearly trying to not show his actual concerns.

“Let’s get out of the water.” he announced then, yanking my arm out of the cold water.

We sat on some rocks as we waited for our clothes to dry. There was nothing to drink too, since the wine got taken away by the sea during our ‘fight’.

The silence was loud, filled with our separate, yet somehow similar concerns.

I was staring up, wondering what we could’ve possibly do, if Vhagar came back. I thought about the possibility of her turning us into two roast chickens and shivered.

While Aegon, for once the most reasonable, was staring down. He was fighting his drunken mind to try and reason about the situation. Shouldn’t Vhagar be at the other side of the castle? What made her move so suddenly?

Just when our clothes were about to dry, we heard heavy steps moving the sand. We turned simultaneously just to see my worst nightmare in physical appearance.

Ser Criston Cole.

I stood up and froze, he looked more angered than usual, my heartbeat quickened. Aegon only stood up when I did, his expression was slightly guilty, anticipating the scolding he expected to come. He was more used to avoid troubles than I was.

But this once it was serious.

Ser Criston didn’t even speak a word before I felt a slap on my cheek and my skin immediately began to burn. Lucky me, he didn’t have his armour’s gloves on, or my jaw would’ve been on the floor.

“You were supposed to watch the King’s sons.” he spoke firmly, but I barely heard him as I covered my cheek with my hand. Though, I felt Aegon move from that frozen by shock state he was for a second. He clenched my right wrist and stepped in front of me, almost pulling me behind him.

“What are you-” Aegon didn’t have the time to curse, because Ser Criston grasped his wrist, this once, and began dragging us back to the castle. He didn’t let go of me, and checked behind his shoulder a few times.

“Your mother will have hers with you later. Now walk.” the White Cloak announced through his shut teeth.

I was in the room when the scene unfolded. My head was light, the scenes flew one after the other, like a string of various moments before my eyes. I felt lost and it took me a second too long to understand what had happened and why all those people where there.

I felt Aegon’s hand slide away from my arm once we stepped inside the crowded room. I stood into a corner, while Aegon put himself at his brother’s side, his arms behind his back; his own action betrayed the disgusted expression he had, cause the state of his brother’s eye.

The sight alone of those kids, kids I’ve been playing with, with their wooden swords and awful pranks, reduced to that state, turned my insides upside down.

As Ser Criston had predicted, Aegon had Queen Alicent’s own too. But I bet Alicent’s hand felt lighter than Ser Criston’s.

When Rhaenyra stepped into the room, I thought that, maybe, finally, the situation would’ve been put in check, but it only escalated more. The legitimacy of her children, the children of the Heir of the Iron Throne, was questioned before everyone. As if somebody had finally given words to what everyone thought, and this somebody was Aemond.

In an instant, Aegon was also brought into the mix, even if it was the first time he didn’t truly do anything. I bit the inside of my cheek as he spoke back to the King, “Everyone knows. Just look at them.” I followed everyone’s gaze on the poor children, but I startled when the King’s voice rang into the air again.

But what happened after that remained stuck into a small part of my brain. Seeing the royals, royals that I had learned to both fear and admire, act that way, changed me; forever changing my beliefs. It was almost pitiful how terribly humans they were.

The Queen Alicent threw herself on Princess Rhaenyra, dagger in hand, accusing her, aiming at her values. But Rhaenyra’s cold voice rang into my ears.

“...But now they see you as you are.”

Blood shed from Rhaenyra’s wound, blood dripping on the floor just like my wet hair was, below me.

The silence was once again broken by Aemond, who had stood up and walked towards his mother.

“...I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon.”

The crackling of the fireplace into the empty room was oddly distant from the busy lounge where the events had place, just a few minutes before. After the King announced his departure to his chambers, the crowd filled the hallway. Everyone was eager to just go back to their rooms, so I found myself as lost as ever. But that was when I felt a familiar hand on my shoulder.

We were in Aegon’s temporary room in Driftmark; I stood in front of the fire, trying to dry up the rest of the salty water off me. My cheek stung, I was aware it was probably still red. It was embarrassing, even if I acted like it didn’t ache a bit.

Aegon was walking, restless, around the room, back and forth. I cracked my knuckles and began following his march with my gaze.

“Egg.” I tested the territory, my voice careful. I wasn’t sure what was going on in his messed-up mind, and I wasn’t sure how to approach him, but I knew that if he wanted me there, there should’ve been a reason to it.

He didn’t answer, though. His steps around the room would’ve turned me mad if he didn’t stop in a second. I stepped into his way, reached out and grabbed his hand; he was destroying his poor nails with his teeth at that point.

I sighed heavily and let his arm go. His hand clenching and releasing as he lowered it. His lips were parted, but no words came.

I was patient, I stayed silent as my eyes fixated into his and his own darted between mine. Then his eyes fell on my reddened skin.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault-”

“Oh, don’t you say that bullshit too.” he grumbled at my words, stopping me before I could even start. I could swear I saw his purple eyes shinier, even if the light of the fireplace could’ve deceived me.

“It’s always my fault. I’m constantly doing something wrong- there is not a single thing I’ve ever done right- I-” his words were so panicked that they overlapped one another, his voice uncharacteristically cracked in an attempt of shielding himself with the usual anger.

I wasn’t bad with words; I was terrible with words; I had no idea what to say, but I had to do something. I reacted with my instinct. I took a risky step closer and wrapped my arms around him- bringing Aegon into an awkward hug.

It took his shoulders a few seconds to relax, while mine remained rigid. The contact felt strange, not unwelcome, just- unfamiliar. I wasn’t used to this kind of exposure, not with him, not with anyone. I felt too vulnerable. And yet, the warmth of his skin against mine, his sweetish scent, his fluffy hair brushing against mine, it felt... nice.

When Aegon finally leaned with his chin on my shoulder, he muttered another shaky “I’m sorry.”

I knew he wasn’t feeling bad just for the bruise on my cheek. I could feel it, the guilt for his brother’s eye, the regret for every time he got us in trouble, and perhaps even Lavender herself. I felt all that remorse pressing down over his back, like an imperceptible boulder crashing him. But as I held him, I felt a fraction of it finally releasing, letting him breath some air. Enough for me to realize I didn’t mind carrying some of it.

He wasn’t perfect, Seven Hells, he was as far as possible from perfection. But he was my friend, my best friend, and I wasn’t going to let him face that burden alone, whenever it was others, or even himself.

Chapter Text

Once we returned to King’s landing, after everything that happened in Driftmark, I expected one of Aegon’s usual disappearances. But who could ever predict him, after all? 

He seemed even more bored than I expected; he kept telling me to meet and hang out almost every day. Or, most likely, he just preferred leisure to training and High Valyrian’s lessons, which I only heard him complain about.  

The garden, the place where we truly spoke for the first time, became our, unspokenly, meeting spot. I liked that place and I think he noticed; because over time, we started settling there, whether it was night or day.  

Other dynamics changed significantly. I felt part of his friend group now, his friends became mine too, and we adopted the habit of hanging out in the Street of Silk, almost every night. 

Gerold became, unexpectedly, the second person I spoke to the most. We trained together and his cold facade fell after a few times his sword beat mine.  

While Joyrick was always busy with work -he only had some free time during our nights out- I couldn’t stand Fabius, at all. He was always too obtrusive for his own sake, so much so that he was the one who had the most arguments with Aegon, even if it’s obvious who put the other back in his place, all the time.  

I used to wonder why he was even part of the group, but after getting to know everyone, I figured Aegon needed someone as stubborn as he was.  

Months passed, and I didn’t mind hanging out with them. I started to get used to the nightlife of the city; the noisy brothels and the horrible stench stained on my skin, that followed me all the way back to the dormitory.  

On the other hand, I kept training, trying my best not to get dragged into total laziness and a undeserved leisure. 

It was the seventeenth day of the fourth moon of the year; it was my sister’s nameday. I had sent a letter a few days in advance, hoping it would’ve arrived just on time.  

But when a pageboy told me a letter had arrived for me at the Crows’ Tower, I figured I’d been too early. However, I waited till after lunch to make my way up on that, longer than necessarily, Tower.  

I got lost in my thoughts on my way there and back, I realized how the long stairs didn’t feel as agonizing as they had in the past months, perhaps I’m not wasting my time training...  

With my sister’s answer in my hand, I walked through the castle, searching for a quiet place to read. I stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed a calm, tempting, room with doors wide open. As I slowly approached them, I could smell the comfortable, familiar, scent of a library.  

In a fraction of a second, all the memories of my afternoons spent in High Garden’s Main Library came back. I remembered the hours spent teaching Alerie how to read and write; at such young age, she was brilliant, but she refused to have any maester, she wanted me to teach her.  

I strained my ears to listen inside. It was too calm, silent as ever. I gathered my courage and stepped inside. I sighed when I realized no one was there. I wasn’t sure if I was even allowed there, but I think months, almost a year, of Aegon’s influence altered my fear of danger.  

I sat down by a comfortable divan, ahead of an unlit fire pit and began to read.  

Dear Brother,  

Thanks for the kind words, even if a few days ahead. Everything is the same as always here, Luthor is learning with father, he barely has time to breath now that he is a grown man. But from what I can see, he will be a great Lord Tyrell. In those regards, you’ll be a grown man too in a few moons...   

“ His wings are weak, but two will fly on it... ” 

I almost fell from the divan as I heard the small, feminine, voice speak. I turned my head toward the sound just to see Princess Helaena sat in a small corner by the bookshelf.  

Her hands were wrapped around what looked like a golden cage, inside which rested a yellowish butterfly. Was she here the whole time? How the hells did I not notice her?  

“Excuse my discourtesy, Princess Helaena.” I said weakly, I was convinced those silver-blondies would’ve led me to madness, on that rate. “I believed I was alone...” 

“You do not disturb me.” she spoke up again, her voice as quiet as a whisper, stopping me as soon as I stood up and about to excuse myself out.  

I slowly sat down again. Her shiny purple eyes went back on her tiny insects. The silence only made me more uncomfortable.  

I picked up a quill, ink and small parchment to write my next letter to Alerie.  

“I beg your pardon, but... what did you mean by that?” As always, my curiosity made me speak up when I would’ve done better to stay quiet.  

Because she looked up at me, observed the papers between my hands, then went back to lower her head. I guess she’s not the talkative one, aye...  

I sighed and began to move the quill on the parchment. I made sure to omit the details of my nights out to my sister, but I knew that at that point she was clever enough to imagine what life here was, for a lad of my age.  

I waited for the ink to dry, then sealed the letter and shoved it inside my trousers’ pocket. I remined myself to hand it to a crow as soon as possible, but now I had another message to deliver. 

I looked back at the princess, about to ask a question, in hope she would answer this once. But the answer barged into the room, in the usual, blatant, way he did everything else.  

“Helaena, mother wants you to... What are you doing here?” 

I don’t even know, I can’t be in a place for too long that you appear out of thin air.  

“Writing down a letter.” I said instead, waving the piece of paper.  

Aegon must’ve not liked my answer, because his eyebrows frown together. I lowered my eyes to look at Helaena, her silent gaze was darting between us, but her brother’s “ Go? ” made her walk up and through the doors.  

Aegon watched her steps till the doors shut behind her, then he turned his gaze back on me. He crossed his arms over his chest, and I knew it wasn’t a good sign.  

“Hm?” 

“You were writing a letter. Here . And to whom?” I tilted my head; his tone was off. As in an accusatory kind of off.  

“My sister Alerie...?” He took a few steps towards me, I didn’t back off, but that definitely wasn’t a good sign. Our eyes were, finally, at the same level. It was oddly satisfying that I had reached his height.  

“What were you doing with my sister?” 

“Nothing?” I was too taken aback to even understand what he was getting at.  

His violet eyes pierced through my dark brown ones; he observed me for a few seconds, as if to make sure I wasn’t lying, before he parted his lips again. 

“Do you fancy my sister, August?” 

Seven hells.   

“Not at all, Aegon- I mean, not to be offensive on her regards, but she’s younger than my own sister. She is a babe.” I didn’t know he was even able of feeling any brotherly jealousy at all, but that almost made me smile.   

I lowered my head, trying to hide my mocking smirk, at which he grumbled and pushed a harmless finger on my forehead. But I didn’t miss his smile as I laughed. 

“Whatever... I was just about to come and find you.” I said as I put the letter back in my trousers and looked around, I made sure surely no one was there.  

Since our friendship had become known through the court, people surrounding us started to notice the balance between us, or at least, they tried to guess. And that included our friends too. Aegon was too ‘ instable’ to deal with for most, and since he was more ‘merciful’ towards me, as I heard Fabius say once, I became his unofficial messenger. 

Aegon, in response, kept a calm, curious, smile up, tilting his head to the side. We began to walk towards the hallway while we chatted. 

“The lads are in the mood for some good ale...” I ignored his eyes roll and continued “...and Fabius had, apparently, found a good inn for it.”  

“You know I don’t like his taste.” 

“Me neither, but we can let him have his way for one night. We can always leave if it doesn’t suit His Majesty’s tastes.” Aegon snorted but nodded.  

“I’ll bear with it.”  

As we peacefully walked side by side, I noticed how two servants quickly walked out of our way just after bowing at us. My eyes darted on his expression. I knew that face at that point.  

His... manners -mostly lack of them- with women, whenever they were servants or highborn ladies, made my stomach twist. 

His eyes were following them as they walked in our opposite direction, his smirk only growing when his gaze lowered. 

I instantly cleared my throat, searching for a way to catch his attention back, and maybe avoid something worse.  

“Last one to step in the garden has a small cock.” I managed to say, successfully making him laugh.  

“Childish, rose boy.” His laugh was mocking me, but I couldn’t help but smile back. However, I caught the way his grin widened.  

Then, without warning, he shoved my shoulder hard, forcing me to stumble back- and to my surprise, he actually started running toward the garden.  

My jaw dropped at the betrayal. I took off running after him. “Traitor!” I shouted after him, our laughs echoed into the hallways.  

I exhaled as my footwear sank through the green. The moon was already up; a few hours had passed since we took separated ways to have dinner.  

“Usual place, usual hour.”  

He had announced with his witty tone; it had become a motto at that point.  

My eyes rested low, staring at my feet as I listened to the nightingales tweeting over my head, through the thick leaves. My fingers were lazily twirling around a messy brown curl.  

The garden was deserted as always. I suspected the servants who maintained it were actually ghosts, or I was a tad blind. 

“Delightful evening.” 

I looked up, a genuine smile quickly spreading on my face, while I searched for my friend’s voice. But the sides of my mouth froze in an instant, noticing another figure, a smaller one, at Aegon’s side.  

I lingered to speak while I observed Aemond taking a few steps closer, pushed by his brother. My mind attempted at a reason a thirteen year old boy should be part of our late night out. As if Aegon’s decisions have ever made any sense.  

His bad eye was covered, the black eye-patch a matching choice to his personality.  

“Good evening, prince Aemond.” I cleared my throat before I spoke the cordial, awkward, greeting. The prince only nodded in response.  

“Come on, don’t be so cold now!” Aegon joined in instantly, he threw his arm around my shoulders and squeezed them. “He is one of us tonight.” 

Aegon only confirmed what I had thought, I didn’t even attempt at debating with him, not in that mood of his. His tone was enough for me to understand the issue was irrefutable.  

He just snatched his brother’s hand, who looked like he’d rather burn himself alive than come with us. I heard him grumble something under his breath, but he kept up after us when Aegon began to walk again.  

When we gathered with our group, they had my identical reaction. They looked at each other and gave the young prince suited greetings. Everyone looked so guarded with their words, even more than usual, as if Aegon could just take a dagger out and cut their tongue off. 

Even I didn’t have an answer, I shrugged at their silent eyed questions.  

Joyrick was the first to try and keep a loose conversation up.  

“What have you guys been doing this week?” 

“’Breaking my back working, I think my Master is a masochist.” Fabius joined in, he was a better actor than Joy’, making me snort.  

As the tension started to slip out, and we chatted as every day, we were already sitting at our table.  

Fabius’s choice of inn wasn’t so bad, it somehow matched his appearance, it was simple and woody. The ale tasted as steel and wood, though. It didn’t smell too bad either. But, all things considered, it wasn’t the worst we have been to. Even Aegon looked satisfied enough.  

Aemond kept himself on the sidelines of our conversation, and I couldn’t help but feel a tad guilty by even participating in Aegon’s madness. His violet single eye, a shade darker than his brother’s, stared at the jug between his hands.  

I couldn’t help but smile when he sipped at the ale and immediately grimaced.  

While tapping my finger on my knee, I leaned in and lowered my voice just enough. “How’s your training with Vhagar going?” 

His head snapped towards me; I held his gaze with a small smile. There was a subtle shine in his eye, even if he clearly wouldn’t admit it, I could tell it was his favourite subject.  

“I saw you flying a few times, aye.” I raised my hands in defence when he narrowed his eye at me. “Couldn’t help but notice. Vhagar’s hard to miss.”  

“Vhagar is very responsive.” he said, his voice lower. “I have to keep up with her, sometimes.” 

 
“I bet- I couldn’t imagine flying on a dragon, let alone the biggest one alive.” 

He didn’t respond, but he looked down at the jug again and barely smiled.  

The conversation, finally, flowed easier after that. He was surprisingly talkative when it came to Vhagar. I listened genuinely curious, while he carefully sipped at his ale. Though, I noticed how he drank every time Aegon looked his way.  

Meanwhile, I ignored Aegon’s gazes towards me, till they became too sharp to brush aside.  

The group began to split, Fabius, Joy and Gerold were the first to leave. A bit too eager, I doubt they were tired of drinking already. More likely, they’d seen Aegon’s sour expression and decided to escape before the storm.  

Which, unfortunately, left me alone with the Targaryen brothers.  

I should’ve read the room better. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Maybe it was the alcohol, or just bad timing.  

“You’re enjoying the ale, brother?” he said, weirdly calm, his voice interrupting our conversation about Vhagar’s first rider, Vysenia.  

Only then I noticed the unusual lack of smile on his face. I bit the inside of my cheek, a bit anxiously.  

Aemond blinked at him, then nodded, his hands squeezed the cup before setting it down. His face had reddened; he was drunk, too small for even a cup of that strong ale. 

I opened my mouth, why? I had no idea , but Aegon beat me to it.  

“You’re a charmer, August. My brother usually doesn’t speak so much.” 
I forced my lips shut and gazed at him. Our eyes locked for a few seconds, I’d never been on the receiving end of that kind of coldness from him. It rooted me to the spot, unsure how to move or speak.  

“Then.” Aegon started, pushing himself up with his hands on the table “I think it’s time for us to move to the fun part.” his right hand flew on Aemond’s arm, his pink knuckles gripping enough to make his brother’s pale skin even whiter.  

My chest clenched at the familiarity of that scene. Even more when I saw Aemond flinching slightly, his eyes up locked on his brother, unsure and confused.  

I knew that trust, his probably even stronger than mine that day. That type of trust that made you guilty of saying no. No, to someone he would trust with his life. And I knew that trust was about to be completely destroyed, if Aegon proceeded with his ‘plan’.  

Even if Aegon pestered his younger brother a lot, making fun of him all the time, he cared about him. Aemond meant a lot to Aegon, perhaps just as Alerie meant for me.  

I also knew he meant everything well, somehow, he had no idea the harm of what he was about to do meant for Aemond, what it meant for me. And I didn’t want to see him accumulate other resentments.  

“Egg, I don’t think this is right- How about we call it a night and-” I said, my voice cautious. I shifted forward on my seat to rest my hand on Aegon’s arm. But I snapped it back not even a second later.  

“ Don’t fucking touch me. ” 

Our eyes met again, mine were confused, mostly, but hurt was about to emerge more. While his were angry, livid even.  

Aegon didn’t say anything else out loud, but every single part of him screamed one thing,  

‘ It’s none of your affairs. ’ 

Somehow, as soon as I began to think I was somehow a close friend for him, the world around me grumbled, making me feel as alone as ever.  

I glanced down at my own hands as I heard him step away without a proper goodbye, through the backrooms, with his younger brother.  

Chapter Text

My head still buzzed by the events of the night before, and the hangover. I pushed myself upright, and the world spun around me as I sat on the edge of my bed. I didn’t even remember the way back, but I was sure I walked alone.  

I buried my head in my hands and took a deep breath. Lav’s indistinguishable perfume clung to my clothes.  

Great, I didn’t even change.   

The scent triggered a rush of memories, making me wince in embarrassment for my drunken confessions.  

I had been lying head down on Lavender’s chest, her fingers gently untangling my hair. 

“You’re awfully quiet tonight, small knight.” she murmured, her words wrapped in a smile I couldn’t see but could hear. Her attentions made me forget the usual urge to leave. I thought it made me weird, but I’d always liked the after, more than the act itself.  

“Did something happen?” 

“Nothing serious.” I exhaled, shifting to be more comfortably and waving a strand of her dark long hair away from my face. “Just had a fight with a friend...”  

The older woman hummed in quiet understanding, letting a few minutes pass before speaking again. 

“You boys will figure it out.” she quietly said. She didn’t have to say his name. Who else could I have meant? 

“I guess- Perhaps I just had too high expectations. It’s probably my fault for thinking I could even be his friend. ” I bit my thumb as I said that last phrase, the words spilling out, pushed out by the leftover alcohol in my system. 

“Don’t think of yourself like that, sweetie. Sometimes people just don’t know how to show they care.” 

I dragged myself out of bed and picked up a wet towel. No way I could stink the whole day. On the way to the shared bathroom, I bumped my shoulders with Gerold, who was just stepping out.  

“’Morrow, Rose.”  

I mumbled a half-hearted reply. Gerold tilted his head to the side, clearly noticing something was off, but I didn’t bother to explain. 

“’Tired.” I quickly cut him off and kept my eyes ahead.  

The day moved painfully slow, I wasn’t a morning person, but I usually made up for it by being productive. Not Today.  

Today, I was August the Moody. 

Or, I was , until I was assigned to help the Gold Cloaks.  

Any other day, I would’ve been happy to break the training routine, but not this one. My companion was as glad to have me, apparently.  

Ser Luthor, a towering man with a stoic expression, whose reputation preceded him. He was loyal, fierce. But he looked at me like I was already a waste of his time. 

Some smallfolk even whispered he once killed a horse with a single punch. I couldn’t help but believe them. 

On my end, I couldn’t stop thinking how his name resembled my older brother’s.  

However, he glanced at me once me and assigned me to patrol the area near the Dragonpit. Apparently, a theft with a small bounty has been spotted there. 

I should’ve been focusing on the task. But instead, my thoughts kept circling back to a particular platinum-blonde boy, the source of all my inner chaos. Although, I didn’t even want to admit it to myself.  

The soft wind caressing my cheeks, the low light of the early dawn, only drawn me more in that loop of thoughts. 

As if that weren’t enough, my horse kept acting up. 

“Hells, Indiges, what are you on this morning-” I muttered, wrestling with the reins.  

That’s when something blinded me. My dark brown eyes became of a lighter shade for a split second. 

For a second, I thought it was the sun itself, but then I noticed the Dragonpit’s massive doors slightly ajar. Just enough for one person. Just enough to see inside .  

And then I realized. It was the Sun that blinded me. Just not the one in the sky.  

I pulled the reins and galloped towards the doors, hopping off to lead Indiges the rest of the way. My feet carried me just like a moth drawn to fire. My thoughts moved faster than my steps but leaving all the duties outside.  

The Golden.  

The sight of the dragon still stunned me, even after all the times I’d seen it. But I had never seen him so close.  

The sunlight filtered in from the high windows, landing perfectly on his golden scales.  

Then I saw him.  

Aegon. 

He was adjusting the dragon’s equipment, hands stiff and rushed. He gave me the impression of someone who was trying to run away, and I was surer of it when his eyes darted around nervously. 

Sunfyre lifted his head the moment I stepped inside, sniffing the air. I could feel Indiges tensing behind me. I stroked his neck, whispering some words of comfort under my breath.  

The dragon lowered his head, nuzzling into Aegon’s side like a dog, just a bigger size. Only then, Aegon turned towards me. 

His hair was messily pushed behind his ears, dark circles heavy under his swollen, red eyes. He wiped them quickly when he noticed me. 

“Who sent you?” His voice was rough and broken, but also wary. It made my stomach turn with guilt, even though I hadn’t done anything. 

“No one” I said carefully “I’m on Gold Cloak duty. I just... ended up here.”  

I led Indiges along the edge of the out and tied him at a far post.  

Aegon watched me, one hand on Sunfyre’s muzzle. “Come closer.” 

His voice was strained, but I obeyed. Of course I did.  

I walked slowly, swallowing hard. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t let him eat you- Just pet him.” he said, rubbing one eye. “Sunfyre, IlnīTsos. ” 

I had no idea what the High Valyrian word meant, but the dragon obeyed. He lowered himself calmly onto all fours, tilting his massive head towards me. One golden eye locked onto me. 

Curious. Almost gentle.  

I glanced at Aegon, before reaching out to place my hand on Sunfyre’s muzzle, he let out a hot breath out of his nostrils.  

“What happened?” I broke the silence.  

Aegon averted his gaze as soon as I put mine on him. He didn’t answer and avoided the question completely.  

I was about to part my lips again, even if struggling to find something to say, but he anticipated me. 

“Would you come with me?” 

I blinked at the question, I answered with a simple nod, before I could even comprehend what he meant by going with him.  

“There’s enough space for the both of us, we should go before someone realize I’m not where I’m supposed to be.” Only then, he realized how dumbfounded I looked. I found odd how he didn’t laugh, I could remember all the times he had made fun of me, calling me slow.  

But now, he answered with a firm “Yes, August, it’s safe.”  

I swallowed and looked back at the dragon. I felt his hot scales under my skin. The fact that it wasn’t as big and scary as Vhagar helped, but flying over the skies and the risk of falling still wasn’t as tempting.  

But I tossed those thoughts aside and took a few steps, my mind numb as I followed his lead.  

Aegon kept checking his surroundings, brows frowned. I managed to tighten the belts around my thighs, while he easily mounted in front of me, gripping the reins.   

I was still fumbling for a place to hold onto when he ordered something I didn’t catch to Sunfyre. 

At that point, survival took over. My arms wrapped tightly around his waist.  

My startled yelp was drowned by the dragon’s sharp screech. Within seconds, Sunfyre’s wings spread wide, and we shot upward, through the building, toward the open sky above us. 

I spared one last glance at my poor horse, standing alone, before the morning sun hit us. A deep orange light poured across my closed eyelids.  

Wind surged around us. I buried my face in Aegon’s shoulder, almost hidden in his hair.I might have caught his scent if I weren’t too terrified of falling to my death.  

And then I heard it- his laugh. 

Clear, like it had been torn free from the heaviness of our conversations. It cracked the silence like sunlight through clouds.  

“Look, dumbass!” 

I forced my eyes open and glanced down. I was glad I did. I would have missed the beauty, otherwise.  

The orange and beige rooftops blended like paint beneath us. That city, that stinking, loud and unbearable city, was now splendid before my browns. I eased my grip on Aegon’s waist and sat a little straighter.  

It wasn’t just the view. It was him, sharing with him.  

And for a moment, high above it all, everything else felt too far.  

“’Having fun?” 

I found out I was smiling, perhaps at his laugh. He had checked on me over his shoulder.  

"This is so freaking cool!”  

I smiled even harder when he laughed again.  

I kept myself tied to him, enough to not fall, but I had gathered confidence to look around. 

I had completely forgotten I was, in fact, helping him run away. But when we bumped down onto the grass, I was finally reminded.  

I hopped down and looked around. I was sure we were somewhere inside the vastness of the Kingswood, maybe on a hill. We surely weren’t that far from the city, which only gave me the hint that Aegon didn’t really want to stay far from home for too long. 

I breathed the grass beyond me; a green expanse dotted with white daisies. It gave me the impression it wasn’t as desolate as it looked. As if the graceful small flowers excused the fact I was putting myself at risk for that boy, again.  

The smith in my brain was forging something to say. But when I turned around, Aegon was a tad farther than a second before, he was now kneeling beside a small stream of water.  

I quietly stepped beside him, observing his slender hand, while he made the cool water flow through his fingers.  

My mouth opened, then closed, gods, why is this so hard?  

I sighed at my own incompetence with words and sat down beside him.  

“Do you come here often?” I finally asked.  
“I’ve been here a few times. Every time I fight with my mother.”   

I hummed at his indirect confession. It wasn’t a rare occasion, anyway. He didn’t have such a bad relationship with his mother as he believed, they just... couldn’t seem to find each other.  

“How come?” I asked, trying to keep my tone as soft as possible.  

“Aemond.” 

“Oh.”  

Well... that explains everything.   

“Her favourite.” he spat, his eyebrows drew together, disdain masking something closer to jealousy.  

“Don’t start that. You know it’s not-” 

“Oh, shut up.” his tone lacked any real bite, but I didn’t reply. As always. “Sorry, ‘didn’t mean to.” he always stumbled over apologies.   

“It’s fine.” I mumbled, unsure. I nudged his arm, trying to make the mood a little lighter. 

Aegon’s gaze shifted, and our eyes met again. I shifted where I sat, folding my legs beneath me.  

“I wasn’t trying to hurt him.” his eyes shimmered, a thin film of tears forming, but he didn’t look away, maybe searching for acceptance in me. Which I couldn’t help but give.  

“I know.” 

“I thought that maybe- maybe he needed some comfort after his eye-... Y’know.” 

I nodded and averted my eyes instead. I couldn’t say my thoughts out loud, but Aegon wasn’t as blind to others as he made himself seem.   

“Just, speak your mind.” he said, watching me. “That’s the reason I liked you in the first place.” 

“Really?”  

“You can’t seem to shut your mouth most of the time, so just tell me what you think.” He wiped at one of his eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to find words that didn’t sound like a blame. 

“I think that... you meant well, but, you can’t force someone to do something they don’t want to do.” 

“But I didn’t force him.” 

“You didn’t, physically. But how could him, at his age, say no to his older brother? Maybe, he thought that it was weird to refuse. Maybe he thought he was supposed to like it.”  

My thoughts began to blur. My fingers twisted around a blade of grass. For a second, I felt like I was talking about myself. And it made me almost gasp for air. 

Aegon stayed quiet. He reached down to rip a daisy off the ground.  

“I’m sorry. ”   

I was starting to think I was the only one to hear him say those words. “I’m not the one you should say that to.”  

“Perhaps .” He mumbled; his eyes locked on the petals he was pulling apart. 

I sighed. Maybe I didn’t want to acknowledge the double meaning of his words, so I changed the subject. “Your mother will forgive you, as she always does. If we go back-“ 

“Not yet.” he cut me off quickly, letting the bare daisy fall into the stream. 

I was just about to look away when I heard his stomach growl. My head snapped back towards him.  

“’Didn’t have time to eat.” he mumbled. His cheeks had turned a little pink, and I couldn’t help but smile.  

My hand instinctively reached toward my left hip, where I kept my short dagger. “I can catch a squirrel or something.” 

“You know how to hunt?” He tilted his chin up, watching as I stood. 

“My father taught me. I’m not an expert but I could manage... if you don’t want to fly back.”  

Aegon gave me a curious look, then walked over and sat with his back against Sunfyre. I took it as a permission to go.  

Not too long later, I returned. My hands were filthy, dirt mixed with blood. Two squirrels hung from my belt, tied together with their tails. 

Aegon rested with his eyes closed, his face tilted to the sky, breathing steady. Sunfyre had sprawled across the grass behind him. 

I didn’t want to disturb the peace, so I quietly began building a fire. 

I still wondered what was going on in Aegon’s head, but I didn’t ask. I knew that if I pushed too hard, he’d only build his walls higher.  

I was just in the middle of skinning one of the squirrels, hands and dagger soaked in the carcass, red with blood, when he sat down beside me. I felt his gaze on my hands, but I pretended not to notice. He always made it hard to focus. 

“You make it look easy.” he announced himself.  

I gave him a tired smile and threaded the meat onto two sticks, setting them over the fire. 

“Probably because I lived off of these for a few days when I ran away at thirteen.”  

“ You ran away?” Aegon’s eyes lit up. He shifted to mirror my position, legs crossed, leaning forward. He surely was in for the tale. “For what reason? Did someone burn your wreath of flowers, roseboy?”  

I nudged him with my elbow. “No, it was right after my mother’s death. I blamed my father for it- I think, out of grief.” I said, all in one breath. I stood up to wash my hands in the stream, needing something to do. 

I didn’t have to turn around to know he was staring at me. 

“Lady Julia Blackwood.” Aegon murmured, once I sat back down. 

“You did your research.” I gazed at him. He quickly looked away, perhaps thinking I was upset. “It’s not a secret, y’know?”  

 “How... was she?” he began quietly. I noticed how he started picking at his nails, walking on eggshells for once. It wasn’t necessary. Apparently, mothers weren’t our favourite subject.  

“She was the definition of kindness.” I kept rotating the squirrels over the fire. “Father may have taught me a lot, but she taught me more.” I tapped my temple twice. “She was everything a mother should be. Love, care and beauty. Then the fever took her away from us.”  

It didn’t hurt talking about her, not anymore. In fact, it comforted me. Talking about her made me think maybe she’d proud of me, at least a little. She was still my biggest reason to do better.  

Aegon listened silently, maybe the most silent I’d ever seen him. We began to eat before he spoke again.  

“So... why did you blame your father?”  

I shook my head, forcing myself to swallow a dry bite. “I was dumb and angry. I blamed him because he was far from home when it happened. But he couldn’t have done more than the maester did to try and save her, could he?”  

Aegon let out a soft hum beside me. It was nice to have a friend’s ear, especially his. He sounded genuinely curious, and maybe I was giving something to distract from his own problems.  

He drew a breath to speak, but I cut him off.  

“Egg, I swear to the Old Gods and New, if I hear another ‘ I’m sorry ’ I’m leaving you here by yourself. I’d rather walk back to the Red Keep.” 

Aegon scoffed a laugh, which made me smile.  

“It’s just- I feel like I should’ve listened to you more, instead of acting like a whiny child-” 

“You are a whiny child.” My breakfast nearly flew from my hands when he bumped my arm. “Hey! I remind you I got us these .” 

Aegon rolled his eyes. He couldn’t care less, and of course, he started a fight. Which ended with the inevitable loss of the rests of the squirrels in the grass.  

He tried to push me down, but I pushed him back, realizing he didn’t have much strength, not as before. Or maybe I was just stronger.  

My hands caught his shoulders, steadying him on the ground as he squirmed, trying to fight back. One of his hands landed on my face, I almost gave in the impulse to bite him. 

But he froze when our eyes locked, we were still muffling our laugh, both slightly short of breath.  

I was the one to end it, straightening and sitting back on the grass. Aegon laid out flat, giving me one last slap on the back, like he was declaring victory.  

“I’m taking a piss.” he announced, before abruptly standing on his feet and disappearing through the trees.  

It was odd how quickly he stood up, but I didn’t think too much about it. 

I took the opportunity to engage with Sunfyre, instead. I took a few careful steps; he watched me through a half-closed eye. But he let me pet him while we waited for his rider.  

Then, in an instant, a sharp pinch struck my chest, an awful sensation I couldn’t shake. My thoughts spiralled. Why had I let him go off alone, unarmed, into the woods? 

I looked around. No winds, no birds, just silence. Was I just being paranoid? 

Then, Sunfyre’s head lifted suddenly, his nostrils flaring. He sniffed the air once, then pointed his muzzle, steadily, unblinking, towards the trees.  

Toward where Aegon had vanished. 

Chapter Text

The helmet on my head was too loose, it covered my vision, while my sword was too heavy.  

“Come at me, Vulture King!” my brother’s voice echoed in my head, irritatingly clear. Or, perhaps, I was just annoyed how he had promised to let me play Lord Rogar Baratheon, for once, while I was the beaten again.   

“Luth, I don’t want to be the rebel anymore.”   

I attempted to pull the annoying helmet off my head, but Luthor pushed me back on the ground with the tip of his sword.   

“You’re fit to be the outlaw. I’m the picture of Lord Baratheon.” he sang, all proudly.  

“You’re a redhead,” and you aren’t worthy of being a warrior . I would’ve loved to say, we always fought, an endless struggle for supremacy. But Luthor had the brain I didn’t have, yet, and his long legs made it impossible for me to have victory.   

He didn’t have time to reply, because we were urgently called by a servant.  

Mom was sick again. She had never been healthy whatsoever, plus, her last miscarriage had drained the light out of her eyes. She had always had brownish eyes, the rusted colour of the sun at dawn during a storm. But now they looked almost black. Just like her thin curls.   

We broke into a run towards her chambers, leaving our play swords behind. High Garden’s scenery flew before our eyes as we rushed through the flower beds, leading to our castle.   

Home .   

When Luthor barged in, Alerie was already there. Our younger sister lay with her head on our mother’s lap. As if she had foreseen it, she had insisted on sleeping with her just the night before. But unable to sleep at night, she had unwillingly passed out in the morning.   

Mother smiled weakly when she saw us. Her eyelids were heavy, because of the milk of the poppy. Her skin was pallid, too pallid, almost white in contrast of the hair that circled her face, the curls sprayed on the pillow.   

Despite the illness, to me she was still the most beautiful woman to exist.   

Luthor was first to step closer to her bed, taking her hand in his. I simply stood by his side.   

“They said you wanted to see us, mother.”  

By that point, even speaking had become difficult for her. Her voice was so faint it was barely audible. “I expected your arrival with patience, Lord Luthor Tyrell, Ser August.”  

We both secretly –at least, we thought we were subtle- loved how she called us by whatever we wanted to become. It made us believe in that reality, just between those thick walls.   

“How are you, mother?” Luthor gently kissed her tepid palm, we both had learned how to subtly check her body temper.   

“The worst has passed.” she sighed. “Luthor... I would need a maester here, and something to write upon. It’s the one way I can speak to your father.”  

Luthor nodded once, then quickly walked out of the room. I took his place; my hands fiddled with the edge of her sheets.   

“August,” she began, her tone serious, I knew she had to tell me something. “Luthor will be a great lord, he was born to be your father’s successor.  

But you... you are too kind for this world, to rule, for the ill schemes of the Great Houses.” with a strained move of her arm, she rested her hand on my right cheek, her thumb caressed my skin. My mother’s touch always felt grounding, I felt safe.  

“I beg you to never change, change the others around you, instead. You’re fated to be a knight, a true knight. Protect the weakest, be brave. Be the one they speak songs about. Do this one thing for me.”  

I didn’t hesitate, I nodded a yes, but my tongue felt too heavy to talk.   

“Of course, mother.”  

I didn’t understand the weight of her words back then, but I think I do now.  

Now.  

I took a silent step, stifled by the soft daisies. I strained my ears to hear something.   

“’The f-” Aegon’s far curse startled me.  

But blood ran cold in my veins when I caught someone else speaking, a deep, vile, man’s voice. My hand shot on my dagger; the same one I had cleaned of the squirrel’s remains.   

“Looks like the Gods just threw me a bag of money.”  

I panicked, the last thing I should’ve done. I was training for this same reason, I couldn’t panic. I took a few steps ahead, careful where I put my feet.   

Perhaps the Mother protected me, because I found myself standing right behind that man. They were circled by trees, while I stepped behind a big oak, covering my position; I was as confused to where he came from as Aegon.  

Our eyes met, a mere second, I saw how his eyebrows flinched, again toward the man.   

The ransom hunter’s hand was tight around the prince’s wrist, he tried his best to pull back, but the idiotic man at least had strength.   

“Aye. Your dragon ain’t coming for ya?   

A Targaryen all alone... You should know anything could happen to you.”  

The last thing we heard was his pompous laugh, before it broke in a strained scream. Or at least, it would’ve been a proper scream if he still had his vocal cords.   

While the dagger cut through his larynx in a diagonal cut, he managed to grab my face, right behind his. Perhaps, the last moments of a developed survival instinct.   

His long and disgusting nails sank in my skin, right under my right eye. I felt the flesh being ripped off me, just a second before he collapsed on the ground. An agonizing pain made me cover my cheek in an instant.   

“ Ssssshit. ” my hand immediately began to drip from blood.   

Aegon, who I had ignored during my so intrepid but not thought up act, had backed off from the blood splatters of the hunter. But he walked back up to me in an instant, holding a balled-up silk handkerchief from his pocket.   

“Move your fucking hands-” his hand struggled to not tremble, his anger just a reaction to my panic. I had the courage to obey, immediately feeling a hot stream flowing to my chin and on my shirt.   

“Ah-” his hand pressed against my wound.   

“Shut up and keep that there, we need to go, now .”  

His quick reaction was enough to confuse me more. I mindlessly followed his lead back to the dragon.  

As Sunfyre rose into the sky, my head spun, from the pain, from the blood, from what I’d just done. I had just taken a life, and I didn’t have any time to wrap my head around it.  

It was odd seeing him take control of the situation like that, I couldn’t have guessed he had some responsibility hidden somewhere.   

“Tell me if your head fells dizzy.” 
“Too late for that.” 

Aegon grumbled, he pulled the reins, at attempt to tell Sunfyre to fly faster. However, his hand stroked the scales of his neck. “ Umbagon gīda ” he murmured, so I imagined it was something to calm the stressed dragon.  

Back to King’s landing, we were immediately surrounded by the Queen’s guards. But the Hightower’s guards had a ounce of respect and escorted me to a maester.   

I lost sight of Aegon as I entered Maester’s chambers. Maester Orwyle was busy with more important affairs, probably dealing with the King’s awful rashes. Surely more urgent than a dumb Tyrell’s cut.   

His apprentice, a young man in his twenty, with ruffled chestnut hair, rescued me. The panic in his eyes as soon as he saw my wound made me sick, I started to wonder how I would’ve looked once it healed, I felt the sudden need to check a mirror.   

I was alone as he started to stitch it with needle and thread, just after a painful clean up. I tried to stay as silent as ever, taking out the pain by gripping the chair’s arms I was sitting on.   

I was too proud to let out anything but a grumble here and there.   

“Just a few minutes, milord.”  

“A few minutes?”  

The apprentice winced, as if he was the one being stitched like an embroidery hoop. The chose of his job based on his reaction at the sight of blood was odd.   

He was just about to snap the thread when we both heard the door open.   

The Queen was alone as she stepped inside, or that’s what she thought, because she was about to close the door behind herself when Aegon followed right after her.   

“I thought I said stay in your room.” Aegon gave her a guilty look before finding me with his eyes.  

I began to stand to curtsy, but Alicent raised her hand, a sign to stay put. So, I sat back down, trying to shift my concentration on her words, rather than the pain.  

The Queen was silent as she stepped in front of me. The apprentice stepped away with a nod and observed me. I didn’t know what Aegon had told her, so I was trying to fabricate a good excuse.   

Alicent’s hands, full of precious silver jewels, rested on the side of her opposite arms, caressing the fabric of her dress.   

She breathed out a long sigh before she broke the silence. When Queen Alicent rested her hand on my right cheek, I almost flinched, but I opened my eyes again when I realized she wasn’t hurting me.   

Her thumb rested just under my newly stitched wound, she didn’t touch it but instead graced the healthy skin of my cheek.   

Her slender fingers were cold and stiff against my taut skin. However, her gaze was considerate, even if her green penetrating eyes still made me feel strange.  

“You did well.”  

I blinked a few times, before I mumbled a timid word of gratitude. I wanted to believe she really meant it, for protecting her son, for following him, instead of trusting my sister’s words about the Courts’ schemes. I pushed those thoughts away for another day.  

“I knew I was right to say you were a steadying influence. He is better for your presence, and you are more than fit to stand beside him.”  

My eyes snapped to Aegon, his arms were locked behind his back, I could tell he was picking at his nails from the embarrassed look on his face. He looked like a kid being put on the spot, the mere thought almost made me smile.   

I forced myself to meet his mother’s gaze and remain composed.   

“I merely did my duty, Your Grace.”  

The words felt hollow as I said them, but she nodded all the same.   

Aegon glanced at me, a mere flicker, but it said more than words.   

I didn’t know if he felt grateful or betrayed, maybe both. More likely, he had seen something too ordinary in me for the first time, where he had seen something distinct from others.   

Either way, I promised myself to keep by his side. 

Chapter Text

I was sent here for a reason, and with that ‘intrepid’ gesture, I finally secured a place in the court. But I paid a small price, since the scar never quite faded.   

I wasn’t yet an official knight, but the way the Queen addressed me triggered a domino effect. The ladies and lords of the court started imitating her.   

‘ The Tyrell squire’ and ‘ August of Highgarden’ now sounded almost respectful. Even when I wasn’t by the prince’s side, lords began to greet me every time I walked through the Red Keep. Consequently, I was forced to learn all their names and the proper greeting for each, unless I wanted to be met with cold stares.   

I was building my own name, something that would’ve sounded ridiculous to me just a year ago.   

My nameday came and went. A few moons after the bloody event, I was granted a chamber in the Red Keep.    

‘In honour of my courage’, Alerie wrote in one of her letters.   

Honestly, I’d underestimated what I’ve done a lot; perhaps because Aegon hadn’t said much about it. He only offered me a half-sincere, drunk:   

‘You aren’t such of a sissy squire as I thought’.  

Sleeping alone felt strange. I’d grown used to the snoring of my companions. Now I laid in silence, broken by the occasional sound of the servants outside.   

Patrol duties around the city, and even outside of it, soon consumed my days. That only meant I barely saw him during the day, the day he spent sleeping anyway, while I was collaborating into managing his city.  

And still, he had the nerves to complain about me being too tired at night.   

Around the same time I started growing hair on my face, my body count started to rise... in both senses. Somehow, the two matters were connected, especially during one episode.   

Gerold and I were paired that morning. Our task was to suppress a group of outlaws near Tumbleton, along the Roseroad. Those roads always drew the worst scum, even during the long peace of Viserys I’s reign.   

That particular group had been reported one too many times. They stalked the travellers and preyed on the weakest caravans, especially if there were women in it. Truth was, we were sent there because new medicines for the King were arriving from Oldtown along that road. A simple task, they said.   

Indiges’s steady pace calmed me. One hand rested on the sword at my hip, the other lazily held the reins.   

“Do you think it’s right to kill them?”   

Gerold sighed.   

“August, how many times do I have to answer that? They’re rapists.”  

I nodded quietly, chastened. I knew they weren’t good people, but who was I to decide their fate? Especially when their stomach was as empty as mine was full.   

“I still think they’d be more useful in the fields.”  

“I’d rather starve.   

You know what Daemon Targaryen used to do? He’d have chopped their cocks and hands off without blinking.”  

I grimaced. I didn’t know if I disliked him for his morals or just because he stole my childhood crush. A mix of admiration, jealousy and fear.   

“You’re not Daemon Targaryen, though.”  

“You’re right, I’m more like the Realm’s Delight-”  

“Shht.” I cut him off. A sound.   

We dismounted quickly. I signalled for him to follow, moving through the trees. We weren’t there to sneak, but surprise was an advantage.   

Turned out, the three men didn’t run, they charged. Maybe, they underestimated us...  

...But, they were wrong.   

Sword clashed, blood spilled quickly.  

I reaped my longsword from my opponent’s gut; I was just surprised by how clean I turned out to be, just a few drops on my armour. The roses engraved on my shoulders now stained red.   

Unfortunately, I decided to turn around.   

Gerold had just slit the filthy man’s throat. He stepped aside, right as the arterial spray caught me in full face. The blood hit me before I could cover myself, soaking me completely.   

Gerold laughed. I wiped my face, smearing it worse.  

“ Disgusting .”  

“Well, you look better than usual.”   

The way back was atrocious, Gerold kept making comments. I felt reeking. The blood dried fast, crusting in my curls. My hair was now pulled back to keep it from my eyes, but it didn’t help. The stains on my face darkened to a sickening brown.   

What a great impression. I’d be lucky if any highborn lady ever spoke to me again.  

I began to sigh, already making myself small at the first stares I got.   

I slipped off Indiges and rushed inside, choosing what I thought was a quiet path. Which obviously wasn’t.   

I didn’t even look up. But as I turned a corner, I halted.  

I froze at the sight of my friend, immediately expecting one of his antics.   

Instead, he stared directly at me. His gaze pinned me.   

I stared back into those violet eyes, breath heavier— part surprise, part exertion.   

His piercing gaze went right through me, as if he was assessing me, and I, for some reason, felt goosebumps grow on my arms.    

“Be at the garden. On time.” his tone was as commanding as ever. Then he just walked away.   

I instinctively turned, watching him go. I couldn’t grasp my head around what that meant. Was he disgusted? Weirded out? Either way, I didn’t get it.   

It tormented me. An itch stuck in the back of my head.   

I still had no idea how he always made me feel so... frustrated.    

Unable to unravel him, I made it back to my chamber, only exhaling once the door closed behind me.   

It took a long time to wash away the blood— and the smell. I spoke only once, when a maid brought dinner. She was new, I thought. She flinched when I thanked her, as if she’d been frozen watching me.   

Mayhap I do look like a stray dog.   

I thought while taking in my reflection in the mirror.   

A few hairs were growing under my nose and on my chin, but I still shaved them. While my curls now reached my collarbones.   

I sighed at the thought of chopping my curls. But I figured I was too fond of them now.   

I pushed all that useless brainwork away, pulled a tunic over my head and took my way out, towards our meeting spot.   

My feet carried me there on their own. I was deep in thought and didn’t hear my name being called out the first time.   

I stopped only when a young lady stepped in my way.   

I caught the drawings on her dress before I recognised her traits. Two foxes rested cautiously on the fabric on her shoulders, while blue flowers trailed down her sleeves.   

House Florent .   

“I beg your pardon, lady Serena. I didn’t hear you.”   

She curtsied, her blonde hair falling over her chest.   

It wasn’t the first time I had seen her; she was one of the many Alicent’s ladies-in-waiting, and her favourite niece.   

I had to say, she never missed a chance to mention how her family owned fealty to mine, making me feel awkward.  

“I should apologize, Ser August. I didn’t mean to interrupt your duty, but... I saw you earlier.” I winced internally, feeling the ground eating me alive already. “I was worried you might’ve— been hurt.”  

Her tone was sweet, too sweet, it made my stomach twist.   

“I’m not ‘Ser’ yet, lady Serena. I thank you for your concern, but it’s misplaced. Excuse me, we shall speak again— soon.” Hopefully not.  

I dipped my head again and walked off. I needed to hurry, unless I wanted Aegon to wring my neck.   

Precisely, Aegon was already there, slouched against a tree. By his crossed arms I could already tell he wasn’t in the mood to deal with me.   

I bit the inside of my cheek and stepped closer. He hadn’t noticed me yet; his eyes were distant. My approach accidently startled him.    

“You’re late.” he muttered, trying to compose himself.    

“Sorry, Lady Serena stopped me to ask if I was hurt.”   

“Let me guess, blocked your way with those ears of hers.” he groaned and looked away.   

“You’re cruel, prince.” I stifled a laugh, despite how cruel his humour was.   

His crooked smile faded into a sigh. Aegon shoved his hands into his trousers and pushed off the tree, unable to stay still.   

“Let’s go for a walk, before we meet those pricks.”  

I hummed in agreement and dipped into a mock bow. “Be my guest.”  

He punched my arm as he passed. “Shut it, roseboy.” I could still hear the smile over his lips.   

We strolled the castle like it was our garden. In many ways, it had become just that.   

“You didn’t tell me what happened, this morrow.” 
“You didn’t ask.” He gave me a look. “Alright... Gerold slit a guy open right in front of me. Blood bath. I looked like one of those blue steaks drowned in blood.” 

Aegon barked a laugh. “More like a medium-well.”  

“Mock me again, Egg.” I raised an eyebrow, even if my words lacked any bite.   

Aegon suddenly stopped. His eyes shone with mischief, his charming smile up. “Y’know, you’re unusually late for flowering , lady Tyrell”  

My jaw dropped.   

He bolted.  

I chased him, almost impressed by the creativity of his insults.   

Our fast strides echoed in the empty halls; our usual light-heartedness filled the cold space between the red rocks.   

“ Fight me if you’re a man! ” I shouted, my voice meddling with his laugh.  

“You’re one to talk, Rose’.”   

I grabbed his sleeve and yanked. He jolted, trying to escape, or fight back.   

But it took me a mere minute to back him against the wall. He grumbled, biting his lower lip, struggling to break his wrists free from my grip.  

He wasn’t a fair opponent, and I knew it. He would’ve kicked me in the family jewels if I didn’t move by instinct.   

“Wait- wait.” I attempted, but he thought I was bluffing. Asking for a break, unacceptable.   

“Aegon- Gods, hold still. I heard something.”  

He froze; wrists still trapped between us, breath shallow.   

I didn’t notice the flush on his cheeks, or his tousled hair, too busy staring at the wall behind him. A singular brick, just above his head.   

“It moved. I swear-”  

“Are you drunk, August?”   

I stretched until my fingers brushed on the red stone. To our surprise, it sank beneath my touch.  

We didn’t even have time to react, because the wall— the fucking wall — spun. It turned completely, dragging us through. Therefore, we fell flat on the floor.   

Groaning, I lifted my head. We weren’t hurt. A thick carpet had broken our fall.   

It was hard to tell, since I couldn’t see an inch in front of me.   

“Are you okay?” I dragged my hand over the wool, on the wrong side.   

“Where the hells—” Aegon muttered, I felt his arm stuck under my chest as he shifted.  

I tried to move, but when I sat up, I hit my head against something wooden. A desk?   

“Ow- we’d better find a candle before-”   

I didn’t hear him walk over the carpet, but I heard shuffling and then his words. “There’s a window here, help me pull these off.”  

I followed the sound of his voice, one hand out in attempt to not hit anything else. My fingers landed on his shoulder, just as I saw what he had found.  

A narrow crack in the wall, light slipping between old rotting wooden slats. A faint glow from the moon.   

“Right. On three.”   

Ten minutes later, the shutters gave away.    

The window wasn’t large, tall and slim, clearly made for letting just the light in.   

I exhaled and turned to check the room. I let a long whistle go.   

“Mother— What’s this place?” I glanced at him, but even Aegon looked unsure.   

“No idea, but it surely hasn’t been used in years.” He said, already poking around.    

Shelves were pinned on the wall, right above the desk I’d slammed into. An old tapestry hung across of it; by the three big figures, I assumed it was portraying Aegon I’s Conquest.   

Aegon gave it a quick, disinterested glance, before he started rummaging through a chest. The carpet beneath our feet looked black, though in that dim light, it might’ve easily been a dark green.  

Yeah, definitely Targaryen stuff.  

I shut my eyes briefly when sudden light flared. Aegon had found candles and matches, surprisingly intact from the mould and humidity.   

I crossed the room and picked up a pillow with two fingers, from a faded divan.  

“It’s not that bad in here.”  

“Yea... What’s this?” he muttered, mostly talking to himself.   

I leaned over his shoulder. A small glass vial was in his hand, a smear of green liquid still inside.   

“Don’t open that, what if it’s wildfire?” I instinctively reached for it.   

“I think it’s tea,” he said, ignoring me completely. Instead, he held it up to the candlelight. “definitely tea.”   

My heart still went up my throat when he dropped the ampoule on the desk, too harshly.   

Aegon tapped his foot thoughtfully. He took one last look around, then met my eyes.   

“ We should keep this.”  

“Keep?”   

“Mhm. Bring our things. I doubt anyone knows about this place-“  

“You mean like a hideout.” I smirked.  

Aegon narrowed his eyes. “ Yes. Are you mocking me, roseboy?”   

I raised my hands. “Not at all, I like the idea.”   

I spotted a wooden stool under the desk and sat on it, watching his expression shift in the candlelight.    

“Tell me, what should we bring?”  

He ignored the sarcasm in my voice, ignored the fact I was treating him like a child.   

“Whatever you want. Just don’t tell anyone else.”   

So, it’s an us thing.   

I shifted on the stool, the wood creaking beneath me.   

“Do you not–“  

“I like the idea, Aegon.” I interrupted him, a relaxed smile on my lips. He sighed heavily and looked back at the ‘door’, the wall we barged in.   

His lips parted, then closed, his brows furrowed. His eyes seemed distant again, lost in a place too far for me to reach.   

“We should meet the others now.” he said at last.   

But he didn’t sound like he meant it. He’d already delayed the meeting twice. He never turned down a drink. And yet, he seemed perfectly content to stay in that dusty hidden room.   

Still, I told myself I was overthinking it. Not sure if I was right, I swallowed the question burning on my tongue.   

I stood and found the same loose brick by touch.   

The wall spun again, shoving us out roughly. I caught his hand, just for a second, uncertain if I was grounding him, or myself.   

“We’ll need to find a... quieter way to come out of that.”  

The rest of the night went surprisingly smoothly. The whole group was there, weirdly enough.   

But Aegon’s odd demeanour was noticeable. The usual loud, mocking leader was being awkward, answering only in short, quiet bursts.   

His mood swings were nothing new. But this wasn’t his usual difficult attitude—it was something else.   

Even when Fabius sat himself between us at the tavern, sprawling across the divan to demand attention, Aegon didn’t react.  

He just groaned and sipped his drink when Fabius’s knees bumped his.  

I shot Fabius a look, a silent warning to not test the dragon too much.   

Still, the conversation carried on.  It shifted from Joyrick’s sick mother and low pay (topics where me and Aegon, perhaps even Gerold, were completely out of place), leaving space to drunker ones. Women, mostly.   

Gerold was unusually chatty, lounging across his armchair. “You lot seen the blacksmith’s daughter?” he cupped his hands over his chest, miming her figure.   

“ Please. She’s heavier than her old man.” Fabius scoffed.   

“Curvy women are better anyway, at least you’re touching something. ” I chimed in, bolder than usual. The ale was working— thoughts jumbled and mind fuzzy.   

“Oh? is that why you keep dodging that blonde girl?”   

Damn it, Gerold, not exactly what I wanted to talk about.  

I felt everyone’s eyes on me, especially a pair of violet ones.   

“Kind of. She’s... persistent.”   

“ I ’d ride her like a Dornish mare.”  

I grimaced, Fabius’s words made my skin crawl. I kicked his leg away from mine, but it rebounded, straight into Aegon’s.  

He let out a deep sigh. By the silence that fell, we all expected an explosion, maybe he’d burn us alive entirely.   

But he just stood up, unsteady on his feet.   

“I can’t deal with you guys.” he muttered, walking off. Likely toward a wench.   

Once he was out of sight, the others exchanged looks.   

“Well... what a moody bitch—" Fabius began, only to be silenced by Joyrick’s glare. Which, very clearly, was aimed at me.    

Oh. I see.   

“I’ll find company too,” I said calmly, standing. “You can all pay for your own drinks.”   

And with that, I slipped away, off to find my own distraction for the night.  

I decided she’d be blonde.