Hand of the Queen

14

I move to take my place beside Daenerys on board the ship, Aegon following closely behind me as the rest of the Dragon Queen's court settles in. The Queen looks to me with a small grin.

"What?" I ask, she shakes her head without the smile falling away.

"Nothing, you do seem to be here in a haste with Prince Aegon. And it appears as though you are glowing." She says, I push down the heat rising to my face and roll my eyes as she laughs.

"Are you ready to go home, your grace?" I finally ask, she takes my hand and walks to the edge of the boat.

"Are you, Lady Stark?"

...

I stand in the bed chambers as Missandei tightens the last of my corset. Black wool is woven over the dark fur that makes up my coat, winter has spread from Winterfell. My black corset holds tight against me, black fabric spills down my legs and billows at my feet. Trailing down the back is the embroidery of a direwolf. She pins the braids away from my face and attaches my badge as Hand of the Queen.

"We are moments from arriving, my Lady." Missandei says, I nod and follow her outside as Dragonstone comes into view. Aegon takes my hand and walks closer, I hold onto his arm and squeeze. This is the first time he has seen his home since he was only a baby, I cannot imagine the emotions he feels. With my open hand, I take Daenerys's. All of us load into the dingy and Edlin brings us to shore, I stand back beside him as the last two Targaryen's approach their ancestral home. I see Aegon pause, he looks back to me in confusion and holds his hand out to me. Edlin squeezes my shoulder and I rush to Aegon, his grasp holding tightly to my own.

The three of us begin the walk up Dragonstone, I watch in awe as the three dragons soar overtop. This is a moment that has not been seen in a hundred years. We head inside, the fallen tapestries of House Baratheon lay tattered across the floor. Tyrion arrives beside us as we turn into the throne room, the massive Targaryen throne sat waiting at the end. I squeeze Aegon's hand as we enter the war room, the massive table built by the Conqueror himself sat waiting inside.

"Shall we begin?"

...

I stand within the war room beside Daenerys, looking over the allies of House Targaryen. I meet Olenna's eyes and smile, the old woman nods to me.

"I agree with the red priestess, your grace. It would be wise to make contact with my brother." I say.

"We have no time to waste. We should attack King's Landing now, while you stand at your strongest." Yara says, I meet her eyes with a burning anger in my own.

"I did not come here to be Queen of the Ashes, I will not slaughter the city I mean to rule." Daenerys says, I smile and nod at her.

"Perhaps a siege on the city will suffice until we can determine what strengths we can play upon. If King's Landing starves, they will turn against Cersei." I say, the Queen nods in agreement.

"It may also be wise to take Casterly Rock." Tyrion says, I look to him in surprise. "I know my sister. Taking our ancestral home may be enough to cause her more panic."

"We will also make the effort to ally with the North." Daenerys says, meeting my eyes. I let out a breath of relief and nod. "We will begin this with a union between our houses." My gaze widens in shock, Aegon's eyes immediately find mine. "If you will have it, Lady Stark." A grin builds on the prince's face and he offers me a nod.

"Yes, your grace." I say as the smile pulls on my own lips.

...

I walk to the balcony early the next morning, a blanket wrapped around my bare skin. The morning breeze of winter air dances across me, sending goosebumps down my arms. I close my eyes as Aegon's arms wrap around me from behind, feeling myself sink into him.

"Did I wake you?" I quietly ask.

"No, my love." He says, pressing a kiss to my bare shoulder.

"Husband and wife." A smile pulls across my lips. "This is not how I expected our first days here to play out."

"On the contrary, I couldn't have asked for anything better." I laugh as he squeezes me in his embrace. "It's best that we get dressed, I have something to show you."

...

I follow Aegon through the halls until we reach the open plain where the dragons sit. I look to him in confusion as he takes my hand, feeling his finger absentmindedly run across the ring wrapped around my finger. It was his mother's ring, he tells me, crafted to look as thought a small silver dragon sat wrapped around her finger.

"Come here." He says, holding his hand out to Rhaegal. The massive dragon nudges his snout into Aegon's palm without hesitation.

"You've bonded with him?" I ask, looking at the dragon in awe.

"I could feel our bond connecting us when he was trapped under that pyramid." He suddenly climbs onto Rhaegar's outstretched wing and holds his hand out to me. "I want you to ride with me." My jaw hangs open, but I do not find myself in protest. Aegon settles into the dragon and I sit in front of him, feeling his strong arms wrap around me.

"Aegon-" I start, he does not let me finish.

"Fly, Rhaegal!" He says, High Valyrian coating his words. The dragon takes off into the air, I do not have time to stifle the scream as he takes off into the sky. I take hold of the dragon's scales tightly as Aegon laughs, guiding the great beast across the water.

"This is amazing!" I shout, a smile spread across my face. I throw my hands out to the side, feeling the wind pull through my hair.

"You are beautiful, my Alysanne!" Aegon's voice rings through the air as he kisses my cheek.

"Aegon, look." I point to the boat docking on shore, it's dingy rowing closer and closer. The sigil of a direwolf sits on its sails. "It's my brother!" I watch as the group of them begins to make their way towards the palace, the same thought bubbling in Aegon's mind.

Rhaegal soars toward the ground, roaring as he flies over the group of Northerners. I can see the grin on Tyrion's face, even from here.

"Jon!" I shout as we fly over him, he looks up in shock from where he tumbled to the ground. We soar back over the castle and Rhaegal takes his place once more beside the others.

"Wait." Aegon says, taking my hand once we climb off Rhaegal's back. "Do you see that?" We slowly walk closer to where Viserion lays, nursing something below their talons.

"Is that an egg?" I ask in shock, Viserion watches Aegon closely as he approaches.

"Three of them." Aegon looks to me with surprise in his eyes. "We had always assumed because none of them had laid eggs, they were all male."

"It looks like Viserion is in need of a name change." Aegon stands with a look of excitement on his face, pressing his lips against mine.