𝑨 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒉 𝑶𝒇 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒔 // 𝑨𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝑰 𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒚𝒆𝒏

3. The Puppet King

Aegon sat at the head of the long table, a stack of papers and scrolls spread out in front of him. The only noise in the room was the sound of his quill scratching on parchment and the occasional shuffle of papers as he shuffled through the documents. He wanted to be precise, to think through whatever decision he would make.

His eyes darted over to his grandsire who was seated beside him. He could feel his cold eyes on him as he went through the papers, studying him with a stern expression. The room was otherwise empty this late night.

Aegon tried to ignore his grandfather's gaze and focus on the paperwork in front of him but it was hard when it felt like everything he did was done incorrectly. His eyes flickered over page after page, trying to make sense of the various reports, petitions, and requests.

Otto leaned over and handed another stack of papers to Aegon. "These will need to be signed," He then separated a few sheets of paper from the stack and placed them in front of the king. "And these should be approved," he added, gesturing to the smaller pile.

Aegon looked at the papers skeptically, his eyes flickering from the ones to sign to the ones to approve. His grandfather's unwavering gaze felt heavy on him.

He wasn't exactly eager to blindly approve things he knew nothing about. Should I not read through them first? He thought, and he would ask as much.

He glanced over at Otto and took a deep breath to muster up the courage to speak. "Shouldn't I read through them first?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of uncertainty. He knew that his grandsire knew what he was doing, but right now he was acting more like a king then Aegon.

Otto's eyes narrowed as Aegon spoke, a barely-noticeable sign of annoyance. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled together. "There's no need to read through everything," he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The Small Council has already discussed and approved most of these, and I have marked the ones that need your signature or approval."

They had not discussed anything with me.

Aegon hesitated for a moment, feeling the expectation weighing heavily on him. He looked at the papers again, the thought of blindly signing without knowing what he was approving still weighing on his mind.
But he didn't want to start an argument with his grandfather, especially not in the council chamber. So, with a reluctant nod, Aegon picked up his quill and started signing the papers that were marked, ending the matter with a stamp of his seal.

As he signed, Aegon couldn't help but glance over at the other papers, curiosity nagging at him. What exactly am I approving here? He thought, his hands moving on autopilot as he continued to sign.

He felt like he was just a puppet, agreeing to things he knew nothing about. The sense of frustration and helplessness grew, but he didn't dare voice it aloud.

"There's one more matter we need to discuss," Aegon shifted in his seat, he hated that he felt so uncomfortable, he was the king. He paused, the quill hovering over the next signature. He looked up, curiosity piqued. "What is it?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even, although the irritation was evident in his tone.

"The terms to Rhaenyra."

Aegon looked up at his grandfather, his forehead creased in confusion. "My mother has already laid out the terms," he reminded him.

Otto, however, met his gaze with stern resolution. "Yes, but the situation requires more drastic measures," he replied, his face unflinching. "If you are to have a secure and undisputed place on the throne, Rhaenyra and her family will need to be put to the sword, if I shall speak plainly" he said, his face betraying no emotion, however Aegon did not agree, not a single bit. He may not love Rhaenyra, he may not have affection for his nephews but killing them was never the plan. "It's the only way to ensure that no one will ever question your right to rule."