✦ New Faith ✦ Aegon Targaryen

○ thirty two ○

♤

My feet carry me back to our chambers, where I find Aegon still tangled in the sheets, his face slack with the kind of peacefulness he rarely shows awake. For a moment, I simply watch him, noting the faint rise and fall of his chest, the way his lashes rest against his cheeks. He’s known for his flaws—his crudeness, his drinking, his waywardness that has become infamous. And yet… I can’t ignore the strange fondness growing in my heart, even if I tell myself it’s like a weed I should pull up before it takes root.

I reach out and gently shake him. “Husband… Aegon…” I murmur, watching as he stirs, his eyelids fluttering open.

He squints at me, his expression slipping from drowsiness to mild irritation, then softening as he fully recognizes me.

“Morning, wife,” he mutters, voice thick with sleep.

I take a breath, steadying myself. “I thought perhaps you’d like to get out of this room… We could go outside, get some air. It’s a beautiful day,” I offer, feeling oddly vulnerable as I make the suggestion. "Sunfyre is likely restless."

Aegon groans, rolling his eyes as he flops back onto the pillow. "You think I’m in any state to ride right now?” he mutters, a hint of his usual sardonic humor slipping into his tone. “Sunfyre has more spirit than I do these days.”

I feel a smile tugging at my lips, surprising myself. “Yes, well, maybe that’s why you could use a change of scene,” I say lightly. "Come on, Aegon. You might even enjoy it."

He blinks up at me, watching my face with an expression I can’t quite read, then sighs, shaking his head. “Alright,” he finally relents, stretching his arms over his head. “If it means I’ll have a moment’s peace from that look in your eyes, let’s go.”

I fetch his riding cloak, helping him into it as he grumbles, though I notice he doesn’t actually protest. There’s a strange, quiet warmth in the gesture, and I linger a bit too long, smoothing the fabric over his shoulders. I catch myself and pull away, cheeks warm.

We walk together to the dragonpit in near silence, but it feels comfortable, something solid in the quiet. As we reach the pit, I take in the sight of Sunfyre—the golden dragon shining like a molten sun in the open air, his scales glimmering in the daylight. Even Aegon seems taken aback by the sheer power and beauty of his dragon, and his face softens, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes.

“Are you certain you want to do this?” he asks, a smirk flickering across his face, though his tone holds a challenge. “Sunfyre isn’t the most… forgiving with strangers.”

I feel my heart skip, but I square my shoulders and answer him with as much calm as I can muster. “I trust you, husband. And Sunfyre knows you.”

Aegon raises a brow, clearly surprised. “You must be daft,” he mutters, but there’s a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

He helps me mount, then swings up behind me, his arm wrapping securely around my waist. I feel the strength of his grip, the warmth of his body pressed close to mine, and the unfamiliar feeling stirs something in my chest—a thrill of fear and excitement tangled together.

As Sunfyre ascends, the ground falls away below us, and a rush of wind steals my breath. The view of King’s Landing spreads beneath us, towers and streets winding like veins through the city, while the sky stretches vast and endless above. I feel Aegon’s laughter against my back, a sound unguarded and full of exhilaration that I hadn’t expected.

“There’s nothing like this,” he shouts, his voice carried on the wind. “Nothing at all!”

I find myself laughing too, gripping his hand where it rests on my waist. "You never brought me up here before,” I say, my voice breathless, my heart pounding from the thrill.

He leans closer, his lips near my ear. “You never asked.” There’s a hint of softness in his tone, something vulnerable and raw, hidden beneath his usual bravado. “No one ever asks anything of me… except to be more than I am.”

His words hit me deeply, a confession wrapped in jest. I glance back, catching the look in his eyes—a flicker of weariness, of something broken and frayed that he tries so hard to keep hidden.

For a moment, I forget the bitterness, the doubt, the unease, and see only the man before me. I reach back, placing my hand over his, trying to say something comforting but finding no words strong enough to break through his pain. Instead, I lean against him, offering a silent reassurance.

We glide through the sky, surrounded by nothing but wind and clouds, and for once, we aren’t Targaryen prince and princess, or husband and wife thrust into a game of power. We’re simply two people clinging to the moment, to the freedom and solace it brings, a brief reprieve from the burdens waiting for us on the ground.

As we finally descend, Sunfyre touches down smoothly, and Aegon helps me dismount. He watches me, a look of curiosity mixed with gratitude in his eyes, as though he’s trying to decipher why I’ve chosen to stand by him, despite everything.

“Thank you, Tanda,” he says quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, and for a brief moment, I see the man he could be, unburdened by expectations, free from the shadow of his family.

I manage a soft smile. “You don’t have to be more than you are with me, Aegon. I’ll stand by you, no matter what.”

He says nothing, but the look in his eyes speaks volumes.