Labyrinth // Rhaenyra Targaryen (1)

68. Aegon is a Shit

"Taelon?" Aemond questioned. 

"Hey bud, Thorin told me about the..." Taelon pursed his lips. "I'm sorry Aemond."

"Will I ever get a dragon?"

"This year is your year. I feel it." Taelon declared. 

"Yeah? You think?" Aemond countered. 

"We will get you a dragon. We will go on another hunt. Just you and me." Taelon suggested. 

"I would like that." Aemond agreed as he hugged Taelon. 

"Bud, I'm sorry Aegon is a shit." Taelon remarked bluntly. 

"Thorin stuck up for me." Aemond informed him. 

"Yeah? That's good to hear. You know I want my boys, all my boys you included to be brave and strong but also kind. I see your heart..." Taelon remarked tapping a finger on Aemonds chest. 

"And what do you see?" Aemond questioned. 

"A good boy who could turn into a great man." 

+

Alicent walked in on Aegon pleasuring himself over the balcony, he grunted and groaned happily standing on the ledge ready to come over the streets below when his mother came in.

''Whose idea was it?'' Alicent demanded and Aegon stumbled back wrapping himself up in his sheets nervously.

'Oh!' Aegon grunted as he fell

''The pig. Was it your plot?' Alicent demanded not caring for her sons embarrassment.

''No... it was..." Aegon hesitated still anxiously covering himself.

''Aemond is your brother.''

''Well, he's a twat.'' Aegon countered

''We are family. You may cuff him about as you wish at home, but in the world... we must defend our own.'' Alicent hissed.

''It was funny.'' Aegon admitted with a laugh.

Alicent couldnt entirely blame him for his poor behavior. He didnt have a father figure looking out for him. Viserys was viserys and Taelon though he tried to look out for all of them he had six children that he got to call his own. Taelon was a dutiful father and knight. He took Aemond under his wing. Alicent wasnt the best of mothers to Aegon, she regretted it as he grew up but it seemed better to just hope he saw how Thorin was acting and follow suit. 

"I'm disappointed in you." Alicent remarked. 

"Thorin already gave me the talk." Aegon murmured. "I was going to not do it but then the pig came running out and it was... funny." Alicent groaned as she headed out. 

+

Laena and Daemon were in pentos for the past 10 years where Laena and him had given birth to twins, Laena had Vhagar one of the largest dragons and Daemon had Caraxes. Knowing of Thorin's birth mother Daemon was very happy to stay far, far away from westeros but he knew Laena was getting anxious to return home.

''The lamb hearts are excellent." Prince Reggio Haratis declared

''We are fortunate in our cook, Your Excellence. There's a plum-cake yet to be served, which will have us fighting over the crumbs." Laena told him kindly.

''Then before we come to blows...'' Reggio tapped on table ''... a toast to Aegon the Conqueror, your exalted forebear, who joined our cause against Volantis in the Century of Blood. On the great dragon Balerion, he flew to our aid in Lys and burned a fleet of enemy ships, thus turning the tide...

''Aegon the Conqueror.'' Daemon remarkedly dryly. He stared down at his cup. The wine, oh he missed the ale and wines of westeros, the women of westeros.

''To Aegon.'' They echoed

''This brings me to some business. A proposal I wish to make in the spirit of honoring our storied alliance.'' Reggio remarked.

''If your aim is to marry one of our daughters, Your Excellence, you might have said so and spared us the history lesson.'' Laena offered her daughters were not happy about that.

''What?'' Rhaena questioned nervously. Prince Reggio chuckled however that was not his initial thought.

''I would not count myself so deserving, my Lady Laena.'' Reggio assured. ''I wish to offer you a permanent residence here in Pentos. This manse I would gift to you, outright, along with its farms and lands, the vineyard and the wood. The tenants would pay their tributes annually to their new Targaryen lord. You would have your freedom of the city and the harbor, as befits your royal station.''

''Continue.'' Daemon said intrigued. If he went home he would have to fight Taelon. Kill Taelon and spending 10 years racing dragons and occasionally fucking his wife wasnt the skill level he knew he needed to beat Taelon in a duel. Daemon didnt expect Taelon to play fair either, not after he killed Rhae. 

''Lys and its allies rise again. The Triarchy has made common cause with Qoren Martell of Dorne. At any moment, they may turn their sights north. Your family has dragons. Three now... mayhaps four in the future. My aim is to protect Pentos from the lustful eye of the Triarchy. Aid Pentos in this, as Aegon once did... and my gratitude will fill your cup and overflow it.'' Reggio told them joyously.

''Your Excellence, we are travelers. We've already extended our visit here.'' Laena said stiffly, she was not about to stay in pentos forever but she didnt know why Daemon wanted to stay away from their family so much.

''It's a most generous offer. And one we will certainly entertain.'' Daemon cut in glancing over at his wife.

+

Daemon was studying with his daughter Baela when Laena happened upon them. Baela made a quick exit sensing a difficult conversation.

''You are considering Prince Reggio's offer.'' Laena said incredulously.

''We have a good life here. We're free to do as we please, welcomed and feted.'' Daemon corrected and he didnt have to die upon return. Daemon liked living.

''And eternally guests.''

''Precisely. We are without responsibility. The political scheming, the endless shifting of loyalties and succession is none of ours.'' Daemon corrected

''They are using us.'' Laena hissed

''It's refreshing, isn't it? A simple transaction. We have dragons, they have gold.'' Daemon countered

''We are more than this, Daemon. We are not minstrels or mummers who play at the pleasure of an alien prince. We are the blood of Old Valyria. We don't belong here.'' Laena said in exasperation.

''Valyria is gone. We don't belong anywhere.'' Daemon corrected

''I want my child to be born where I was born, on Driftmark, in my lord father's castle. I want my daughters to be raised in their homeland with their family according to their birthright. And at my end, I want to die a dragonrider's death. Not that of some fat country lord." Laena hissed as she stomped off. 

"And I want to live to fuck another whore." Daemon murmured watching her go. "If I go home I don't think the whores of westeros will get that pleasure before Taelon takes my cock, then my head."