Traitor / Larys Strong / Otto Hightower (3)

27. Leaving Westeros

Aegon had suffered from burns that covered half his body, a broken hip, and numerous broken ribs. His armor had melted into his left arm, and it would take him what felt like forever to recover. He hated being so weak and vulnerable, his mind was clouded by milk of the poppy, causing him to sleep nine hours out of every ten. He could barely keep his eyes open past the pain.

He did not rise from his bed for moons and some say he prayed for his death. Only his mother, Queen Alicent, and his hand Aelsa, and Lord Larys, were allowed to disturb his rest.

Vermithor, the Old King Jaehaerys' own dragon, bent his neck to a blacksmith's bastard, a towering man called Hugh the Hammer or Hard Hugh, whilst a pale-haired man-at-arms named Ulf the White- for his hair or Ulf the Sot -for his drinking mounted Silverwing, beloved of Good Queen Alysanne. Larys knew they were in for trouble when the blacks claimed more dragons, larger dragons. Sunfyre was still fading.

Then Seasmoke, who had once borne Laenor Velaryon, took onto his back known as Addam of Hull, whose origins remain a matter of dispute amongst everyone in westeros and everyone that knew Laenor Velaryon.

Three more full grown dragons to their arsenal.

"You have to listen to Larys." Aelsa commanded. Aegon groaned. "Listen, you hear me, he is trying to keep your ass alive." Aegon nodded allowing her to help him up.

"What do I do?"

"Everything we say if you want to live."

"And if I don't want to live?" Aegon countered. Aelsa grabbed his arm.

"You made me stay, so the least you can do it try to stay alive long enough for me to not have to deal with you anymore then I can feel accomplished." Aelsa commanded.

It was Lord Larys Strong the Clubfoot of all people, who spirited the king and his remaining two children out of the city when the queen's dragons first appeared in the skies above King's Landing.

"Pretty. I want a dragon." Aelsa whispered.

"Not the time Aelsa." Larys countered as she led her children out as well.

"Where are you going?" Aemond demanded.

"I quit." She answered. "I'm taking the kids for a walk in the sun before fire rains down upon us." Aemond rolled his eyes marching off. Aelsa waved a hand for Aegon and larys to keep going, aemond didn't notice them.

Larys knew he had to get the king out of the city but how? So as not to pass through any of the city gates, where they might be seen and remembered, Larys led them out through some secret passage of Maegor the Cruel.

"Cool." Atticus whispered.

"Keep walking." Aelsa instructed.

"Where are we going?" Lila questioned. "Haren?"

"No." Aelsa demanded. "Gods that place is a mess and daemon is there."

"Where then?"

It was Lord Larys who decreed the fugitives should part company as well, so that even if one were taken, the others might win free. Ser Rickard Thorne was commanded to deliver two year old Prince Maelor to Lord Hightower down south. Princess Jaehaera, a sweet and simple girl of six, she really was a simpleton like most assumed Helaena was, was put in the charge of Ser Willis Fell, who swore to bring her safely to Storm's End. Neither knew where the other was bound, so neither could betray the other if captured.

Aegon felt despicable. Only Larys himself and Aelsa knew that the king, stripped of his finery and clad in a salt-stained fisherman's cloak, had been concealed amongst a load of codfish on a fishing skiff in the care of a bastard knight with kin on Dragonstone.

"Stay quiet my king," Henry requested of Aegon. "You will be there in two days time." He held out a vial of poppy. "Lord Larys gave me enough to last you a while." Aegon drank it down.

"I hate this, look at me. I'm a king." He rasped.

"And the traitor took your castle, you are not strong enough, your brother ran off to try and track down daemon. You know they will never suspect you here."

Rhaenyra sent men hunting after Aegon...but a boat leaves no trail upon the waves, and few hunters would ever think to look for Aegon on his sister's own island, in the very shadow of her stronghold.

Rhaenyra too well that the sea offered an escape. They would be searching in all the wrong places for years while Aegon gained his strength and took back the castle from Rhaenyra and his brother. 

"Where are we going?" Lila kept asking. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" 

"Hush my heart." Aelsa begged as they stared up at the stars. "We will be there before you know it."