his rose || aegon ii targaryen

Chapter 2

three years later - present

Aegon is standing around a table, a feast table. The Tyrell Lord invited all the lords and ladies from Westeros, including the King and his family, to Highgarden, in order to look for a worthy husband for his daughter.

Aegon sits amongst the other Lords, drinking, ignoring Reina's glances.

"I'm searching for a match for my daughter. She just turned sixteen and a woman moons ago" Marton Tyrell, Reina's father says.

Aegon listens disinterestedly and turns his attention back to his cups as he listens. The smell of ale seems to be the only thing on his mind.

Larys starts smiling: "I've been looking for a wife all my life, Reina seems like the perfect one" he says.

Aegon is surprised and looks over at Larys, giving him a strange look before he turns back to his drinks.

"What?!" Reina asks in disbelief. The words that just came from Larys's mouth made her freeze.

"Keep quiet, girl" her father says and motions for Larys to continue his offer.

Aegon listens in silence, drinking from his goblet.

"Lady Reina is a beautiful woman, and I am a powerful Lord..." Larys says, "I wish to make her my wife."

"What? No. I will not allow that." Lenora Tyrell says, Reina's mother.

"It is a suitable match. We would be a powerful couple," Larys says, "and we would rule Harrenhal together..." he says, turning to look to Reina.

Reina eyes are filled with tears, she only hopes her father will not accept.

Aegon looks up, and stares at Reina, and he seems to see her for the first time. He notices her tears, and he sees how she glares at Larys.

Her father claps and laughs: "Then the marriage is settled. One thing, what advances are in for me?" Marton asks Larys.

"Five thousand gold dragons. Is that fair?" Larys offers, "I will also ask for two of your knights, as guards..."

Marton nods and accepts his hand. He just finished selling his own daughter. Lenora gets up.

"I am not a piece of property to be sold..." Reina's voice is quiet, but still audible across the table.

"Oh. But you are. That's what women are for." her father answers back.

"I do not want to marry him!" Reina blurts out.

Aegon hears this and looks up again, staring at Reina. He hasn't seen her like this before.

"You do not have a choice. Your mother did not either. And she will not convince me to annual the marriage. He offered me a pretty price for you." her father says.

Aegon looks over to Reina, her eyes full of tears. He realizes, for the first time, how pretty she really is. Her hair is gorgeous, and with the firelight behind her, she looks even prettier. But she is still just a little girl, who is being forced to marry a man she clearly does not love. Aegon is disturbed by this and looks back to his goblet.

He takes notice of the King and of Queen Alicent as they listen to the entire exchange. He does not know if they have noticed his own attention on Reina, but nonetheless, Aegon watches the King and Queen intently as they listen. He watches every nuance of their facial expressions as they take notice of Reina trying to fight her destiny while her father sells her like a prize cow.

Larys smiles wickedly at Reina.
Aegon watches, his eyes going from Larys to Reina as they continue their heated exchange. He notices how the older man smiles, and that he seems to be enjoying the whole ordeal.

"It is settled. Reina will marry me, by her father's demands, next spring." Larys says.

Aegon watches with disgust as her father, Marton, agrees to the deal, and as he sees the smile, almost the satisfaction, in Larys Strong's face. He watches as Reina looks down at the ground with a defeated expression, and as Marton stands to shake Larys's hand.

Lenora takes Reina's hand and leaves with her daughter.

Aegon watches the look on Reina's face as she goes. He watches as her mother takes her hand and offers her a word of comfort. He sees how disappointed and heartbroken the young girl looks as she leaves.

"Are you sure about this, Lord Marton?" Alicent speaks up.

"She is of age, and he offered us a good price, why would I not accept?" Marton responds. "And anyways, what is done is done."

"She is still a girl, sixteen. And he is much older than her." Queen Alicent continues.

"Perhaps, but she will be a woman before you know it. And she is destined to bear many children. She should not waste her best years without a husband to take care of her." Marton responds calmly.

"I will take good care of her" Larys says, it doesn't sound like a promise. It sounds more like a threat.

Alicent says nothing in response to Larys. She feels troubled by hearing his voice.

Aegon, listening to the conversation, raises his head to watch Larys Strong. Larys looks back and gives him a sinister smile. Aegon looks away quickly, and fills his cup once more.

Viserys, Alicent and Aegon excuse themselves and leaves the table.
The King and Queen thank Lord Tyrell and his family for their hospitality, and exit. Aegon follows his parents, his head down as he fills his goblet once more from another jug of ale, drowning himself in alcohol, his thoughts elsewhere. He barely notices his surroundings.

"I'm sorry for that girl. Larys will be the death of her." Alicent says.

"She is in the hands of the gods now, my dear." Viserys responds solemnly as he walks beside his wife.

Aegon hears the two and walks behind them, but doesn't partake in the conversation.

"What do you think, Aegon? About Reina?" Alicent asks.

The King looks over at his son. He sees a young man lost in his cups, his head down as he keeps sipping from his goblet. He thinks hard for a moment before he responds.

"She did not want to get married, but she must, I'm sure Larys will take great care of her..." He says the last part with a shrug and then takes another drink.
Alicent just nods, not saying anything else.

Aegon notices the silence and looks over at his mother, who seems troubled.

"You should start looking for a wife too, Aegon." Alicent says

Aegon barely hears his mother's voice. He takes a long sip from his filled goblet, and then he fills it up once more. "Yes...." he says vaguely, "I suppose..."

A/N: this chapter is even more boring than the previous one. I'm sorry ❤️