✦ New Faith ✦ Aegon Targaryen

○ thirteen ○

♤

For the next four days, I wandered the Red Keep, finding solace in its vast library and the sunny courtyards. After learning Aemond often occupied the library, I avoided it altogether and spent more time with Helaena. She had a quiet strangeness about her, distant yet somehow comforting, like a cool breeze on a stifling day. Her mind seemed far away most of the time, but unlike my mother, whose grief made her withdrawn, Helaena was just born that way.

Today, we sat in the courtyard, the sunlight warming my face as Helaena studied a beetle with an almost unsettling focus. I tilted my head back, letting the rays sink into my skin, enjoying the peace.

"Aegon isn't too bad," she said suddenly, her voice flat but thoughtful.

Startled by her sudden speech, I looked over at her, surprised. "I... don't really know him that well yet," I admitted, unsure what to say. "He seems... complicated."

"You'll need to take charge," Helaena murmured, her eyes still on the beetle. "He doesn't take much seriously."

Her words lingered with me as the sun sank lower, casting long shadows across the courtyard. As the day ended, I returned to my chambers to prepare for the night ahead. Tomorrow, I would no longer be Tanda Sunglass-I would become Tanda Targaryen. The weight of that realization hadn't quite settled in, but I knew it would soon enough.

Later that night, I settled into bed, the stillness of the room seeping into my bones. The thought of marrying Aegon felt surreal, like a dream I couldn't quite grasp. Just as sleep began to claim me, the door to my chambers burst open with a loud bang.

I jolted upright, clutching my blanket to my chest. Aegon stood in the doorway, leaning heavily against the frame, his eyes half-lidded and a cocky grin plastered on his flushed face.

"C'mon, get up," he slurred, waving me over. "I want to show you something."

I stared at him, confused. "Aegon, it's the middle of the night-what are you doing here? this is not proper at all!"

He staggered into the room, clearly drunk, and waved off my protest. "Ah, don't be boring. I'm the prince; I decide what's proper," he sneered, grabbing my wrist gently. His breath reeked of wine, and his eyes were glassy with drunkenness, but there was an eager gleam behind them.

Despite my better judgment, I'd always been taught to follow my husband without fault. I slipped out of bed, wrapping a robe around myself, and let him pull me out of the room. He led me through the winding halls, stumbling now and then, but his grip on my wrist was surprisingly firm.

We finally stepped outside, the cold night air biting at my skin. I shivered but didn't protest, my heartbeat quickening as Aegon led me toward a looming structure I recognized immediately.

"The dragonpit?" I whispered, my eyes widening in shock. "Aegon, what are you-"

"Shh," he hushed me with a smirk. "You'll thank me later."

He disappeared inside for a moment, and when he returned, I gasped. Emerging from the darkness was a massive golden dragon-Sunfyre. His scales glimmered under the moonlight, his enormous wings folding delicately as he settled in front of me.

"Sunfyre's my boy," Aegon said, swaggering over to the dragon as if they were old friends. "Ain't he something?"

I stared, speechless. The beast was beautiful, but there was a ferocity in its eyes that made me take a cautious step back. Aegon noticed and laughed, his voice low and mocking.

"Scared?" he taunted, stepping closer, his lips curling into a smirk.

I shook my head, my voice trembling. "Aegon, I-"

"Stop thinking so much," he interrupted, rolling his eyes. "He won't hurt you. Not if I'm here." His hand found mine, his grip rough but insistent, and he pulled me toward Sunfyre, placing my hand against the dragon's warm snout.

The heat radiated through my palm, and despite my fear, I felt a strange connection, a kind of awe that sent a shiver down my spine.

"See?" Aegon said, his voice suddenly softer, his breath warm against my cheek. "He likes you."

I swallowed hard, barely able to process the experience. "How... how do you know?"

He chuckled darkly, his lips close to my ear. "Because if he didn't, you'd already be ash by now."

My breath caught, and I yanked my hand back, eyes wide. Aegon's laugh was loud and reckless, filled with a dangerous edge. He seemed to revel in my discomfort, his smirk growing as he took a step closer.

"You're fun to mess with, you know that?" he teased, his eyes roaming over me lazily.
I flushed, caught off guard by his sudden shift in tone. His gaze lingered on me in a way that felt both teasing and predatory, as if he enjoyed watching me squirm.

"Aegon..." I began, but before I could say more, his lips crashed against mine, sudden and aggressive. His kiss was sloppy, tasting of wine and recklessness, and though I hesitated at first, I found myself kissing him back, caught up in the chaotic energy he exuded.

When he finally pulled away, his breath was ragged, and a sly grin tugged at his lips. "That's not very proper is it" he jokes

I stood there, breathless, unsure of how to respond. His eyes flickered with something deeper for a brief moment before he masked it with his usual bravado.

"Let's get you back to your chambers before someone sees," he said, his voice still slurred but with a hint of something softer. He offered me his arm, and I took it hesitantly.

The walk back was quiet, Aegon's swaggering steps more unsteady now as the wine seemed to catch up with him. When we reached my door, he leaned against the frame, his smirk lazy but tired.

"Well, that was fun," he said, his voice thick with intoxication. "You're not bad, Tanda. Maybe this won't be so awful after all."

I blinked, unsure whether to be flattered or insulted. Before I could respond, he leaned in close, brushing his lips against my cheek this time, his breath hot against my skin.

"Goodnight," he muttered, his voice low and husky before he turned and staggered away into the darkness.