Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken [Aegon Targaryen]

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - DRAGONSTONE

DRAGONSTONE WAS MAGNIFICENT. It was a castle like no other, with the tallest towers and a long, winding staircase to get to it. Each tower had a dragon's wings wrapped around it. On either side of the staircase at the bottom was two dragon heads. To get into the castle, you had to go through a dragon's mouth.

The island was gloomy and dark, but that did not overshadow the castle at all. Sarella loved it, and she could tell that Aegon did, too. It was home to him, more than his new city ever would be.

The early morning sun peeked through the clouds as they walked up the stairs hand in hand, Visenya still circling on her dragon. They had not discussed annulling their marriage yet, though Visenya knew of their relationship. She had come to Sarella the previous evening and told her that she did not mind. Their marriage was not a happy one, and she was glad to see her brother happy and in love.

She did not care, and if the lords or ladies said anything of it, either she or Sarella would make sure they would not do so again.

"It is breathtaking, Aegon," Sarella told him, gazing up in awe at the castle.

"It is," he agreed.

"These carvings are rather extraordinary," Jayne admitted quietly from behind them. "The dragons are beautiful."

"They are," Sarella agreed. Her smile was contorted into more of a grimace, though. All morning she had felt ill, as had she been on their sail to the island. She had waved it off as seasickness, though she had never gotten seasick before. Now that they were on solid land and she still felt it, she had no idea how to explain it.

She stopped midway up the stairs, leaned over the railing, and retched. Her braids held her hair back well enough, but Aegon was still there, holding it back and rubbing her back. She was ill for a few minutes until it passed, and she wiped her mouth and gestured up to the castle.

"Let's get inside, shall we?"

Aegon agreed, and did not press her on what her illness might be, though she had an idea. She had witnessed it, when her mother. . . when her mother was pregnant with Myles. But she could not be, not now. Not yet.

She was not ready, and neither was Aegon. They lived thousands of leagues away from one another, and were in constant war. How could she bring a child into it?

She would not. Because she had drunk the maester's moon tea, and she would not be with child. It was near impossible. She was simply ill. It would pass soon enough.

She and Aegon stepped through the dragon's mouth and into the castle, where they were met with Orys Baratheon and Daemon Velaryon, who had come out to Dragonstone a day early.

"Your Grace," Orys greeted. He glanced down at their joined hands and frowned before slinging his arm around Aegon's shoulder. "I was terribly saddened to hear of your sister's death."

"Yes," Aegon replied, "So was I."

"A fair maiden, that one was. Gone much too soon." Orys Baratheon painted the queen as a maiden, as he thought of all women.

"Yes, Queen Rhaenys was a great queen and a valiant warrior," Sarella cut in. "The Realm mourns for her."

"Certainly," Orys agreed, trying to hide his distaste for her.

Aegon seemed oblivious to it. "I will allow you all to rest, and then at midday we will plan."

"Yes, Your Grace," Orys replied, nodding at Aegon's every word. "Shall I show Princess Sarella to her bedchambers?"

"That will not be necessary, my lord," Sarella answered for him.

"Why is that? You have not been here before, you could not possibly know your way around."

She glanced at Aegon, who seemed to understand the question in her eyes, and who nodded at it. "It is not necessary, my lord, because I will be staying in Aegon's bedchambers."

"And where will your wife stay, Your Grace?" Orys asked, hoping to catch them on something, to expose some wrong.

"With me," Jayne spoke up, to which Orys' eyes widened near to the size of a dinner plate.

"If there is some issue, Orys, deal with it yourself. No one else in this entire castle seems to have a problem," Aegon said, then turned to Sarella. "Shall we, Princess?"

"Yes, let's." He lead her farther into the castle and away from the others.

Once they were well away, Aegon stopped and turned to her. "Is there something wrong? You have been so awfully sick."

"Just ill, I suppose."

His eyes searched hers, and examined her entire face. "I can tell when you are not being entirely truthful with me, you know. I know that you have an idea of why you have been sick."

Sarella sighed and nodded. "Of course I have an idea. But it is not possible."

"What is it?"

"Aegon—"

"Sarella, please." She had never heard him so desperate. "If there is something wrong, if you are gravely ill. . . I would walk to the end of this world to cure you."

"It isn't anything like that," Sarella assured him.

"Then what is it?"

"I think," she began, "I think I may be with child."

Aegon's eyes widened, and he took in a deep breath. She was worried for a moment, until a smile broke out for the first time in what felt like forever, and he picked her up, spun her, and kissed her firmly on the lips.