Hand of the Queen

21

"The army of the dead now hold a dragon among them. We have far more pressing matters to discuss than the displeasure you have with Jon Snow for pledging to Daenerys." I tell Lyanna Mormont, moving my eyes to each of the other Lords.

"You're worse than the King!" I hear a voice shout from the back. "You lay in bed with them!" Aegon moves to stand, I place a hand on his shoulder and he settles back down.

"Cersei Lannister will send her own army in mere days. We will need every man we can gather to face this threat. I do not care of your disdain with this current situation, it all must be put to the side while we deal with this threat. We are all doomed if we do not defeat the army of the dead, Targaryen and Stark alike." I say, the room finally settles down.

"I did not prepare enough supplies for three more armies, two dragons, and three of their babies. What do dragons eat, anyway?" Sansa says, there is ice behind her voice. I look to her in surprise as she meets my eyes.

"Whatever they want." Daenerys tells them.

"I will take my men and gather more supplies, we'll fish if we have to. We will make this union work for all of us." Edlin tells me, I nod to him with a smile. I look back to the rest of those gathered, taking in the anger held within their eyes.

"This meeting is adjured. Return to your duties." I say, they all move without question. I look to Sansa, she holds my eyes before leaving with them.

Aegon waits beside me, I watch Varys look to me once more before following Tyrion outside. Edlin stands from his seat and walks beside Aegon and I.

"I do not know why my sister acts with such hostility toward the Queen." I admit to them.

"You must remember, Lady Targaryen, the last that the North remembers of Daenerys's great house is the Mad King. There might be some time before they are willing to see her for who she truly is." Edlin says, I slowly nod as Aegon places a hand on the small of my back.

"Let us take you somewhere to rest. I can see the limp to your walk, do not tell me your back does not ache." My husband tells me, I do not attempt to argue with him. He leads me to Winterfell's lounge area, prepping the pillows for me to sit beside the fire. "I'll have the kitchen make you some tea." He disappears without another word as Edlin adjusts the pillows behind my back. Daenerys and Missandei enters the room as Melania curls up at my feet, the stress on the Queen's face fading once she sees me.

"How are you feeling?" She asks, settling in beside me.

"Sore is all, your grace." I tell her, she takes my hand in her own. I can see the contemplation behind her eyes.

"Would you like me to fetch you some tea to ease the pain?" Missandei asks, I smile at her.

"No, Aegon is already doing so now." I say. "What is on your mind, Daenerys?"

"I do not know how to win the trust of the Northerners." She admits, I squeeze her hand as Aegon enters the room once more. He carefully hands me the tea and settles into the chair beside me.

"I told you once before, your grace. These people are stubborn and loyal, just as my brother is. You have to show them the kind of Queen you are, they will not believe you just based on stories." She slowly nods, taking in my words.

"Alysanne is right, your grace. Perhaps they will see who you are after we help them defeat the Army of the Dead." Missandei says.

"Once you show them how fiercely you will protect them, they will surely bend the knee." Aegon tells her, nodding once to the Queen. I take a sip from my mug, feeling the warmth trickle to every inch of my aching back. I close my eyes and let out a breath of relief as the healing herbs seep in.

"I urge you to keep your eye on Lord Tyrion." I tell Daenerys, she meets my eyes. "We do not know what he told Cersei in order to convince her to agree. I have noticed that Lord Tyrion and Lord Varys have spent more time in private with one another since the Roseroad." The Queen slowly nods, carefully considering my words.

"I have seen it too, they speak in hushed tones to one another often." Missandei adds.

"Lord Tyrion holds too much of an ego to be able to hold such secrets. But Lord Varys, he may be capable of more." Aegon says.

"Lord Varys holds trust within me. I will keep my eye on him." Edlin says, I nod at him with a smile.

"Come, let us allow the Lady Targaryen to rest." Daenerys says, standing in sync with Missandei. Edlin leans to place a small kiss on the top of my head before following the two women out of the room. Aegon reaches across and takes my hand, moving to sit beside me.

"Somehow you have become even more beautiful with our child growing within you." Aegon tells me, placing a kiss on my knuckles. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and I lean into him, his free hand placed atop my growing stomach.

"Have you thought of a name?" I ask my husband, he smiles at me.

"If it should be a boy, then Daemon." He says, I nod with a grin.

"Like the mighty rouge prince." I close my eyes and run my fingers along the backside of Aegon's hand. "If it is a girl, she shall be Visenya." Aegon strokes his hand through my hair, taking in my words.

"Visenya the Conqueror, the stories of her are mighty. I hope our child will hold the same stories told of her." I open my eyes to meet my husband's.

"Once Daenerys is finished, we may have the same stories told of all of us."