"She is mine, forever and ever, until the end of my days." Thoughts of Aegon Targaryen (Young Griff) after seeing Daenerys.
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The first thing Aegon noticed when he arrived in King's Landing was that the streets were full of soldiers; deeper into the city, the sound of clashing metal could be heard. As someone who had lived in Essos, he recognized that there was an atmosphere of war hanging in the air.
"Who are you preparing to fight? Robert?" Aegon asked Aurane with a charismatic smile. Arriving in the main city of Westeros, the home of House Targaryen, left him feeling happy and relaxed.
Aurane looked at the boy with a mysterious smile and spoke calmly. "Faith of the Seven."
The smiles on Harry and Jon's faces froze at his words, it was as if someone punched them in the stomach, leaving them breathless for a moment, they even forgot to breathe. Even Aegon, who had never been raised in Westeros, knew exactly what Aurane's words meant.
"Why are you attacking the Faith of the Seven, isn't it more logical to attack Robert?" Aegon asked, frowning heavily.
At the same time, an idea popped into the "young prince's" mind. Jaehaerys was known for reconciling House Targaryen and the Faith of the Seven, if he did something similar, wouldn't he immediately gain the support of the church and the majority of commoners?
Honestly, Aegon's idea was excellent and he really could be king with the support of the church, but in the end, is it House Targaryen or the Faith of the Seven who will reign? However, something like this would only be possible if Aegon had the power to overcome Aenar, which was completely impossible.
Aurane looked at the young Aegon, who had a smile on his lips, the Bastard of Driftmark narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Anyone with a basic sense of politics and conspiracies would have known what the boy was thinking at that very moment. But again, Aurane said nothing and chose to observe the young man's death personally.
"Are there any requirements I should be aware of when I meet my aunt?" Aegon asked, looking at Aurane kindly, unlike the contemptuous looks the man had been receiving.
"The queen likes sincerity, just be yourself, Lord Aegon." Aurane replied with an equally gentle smile while hiding the look of sarcasm and disdain in his eyes.
Titus couldn't help but roll his eyes in front of Aurane's blatant lie, but he remained silent, as he really wanted to see this arrogant, stupid blasphemer die.
While Aegon was talking to Aurane, Illyrio Mopatis and Varys were at the back of the entourage talking quietly.
"Old friend, I see you're living the good life in Essos." Varys commented, looking at Illyrio's fat, jeweled figure. The man looked like a boar in golden clothes, vulgar to the extreme. Even new nobles didn't dress this vulgarly and opulently.
"I say the same, friend." Illyrio answered back with a smile, looking at his friend's plump figure in a purple robe.
They both looked at each other and laughed; in everyone's eyes, they looked like old friends finally meeting again after decades, but whether it was Varys or Illyrio, they both knew that they were just allies in this conspiracy.
Illyrio's second wife, Serra, was Daemon Blackfire's bastard daughter with a prostitute in Lys. Daemon was the brother of Maelys the Monstrous, who was killed by Maelys himself to take control of the Golden Company.
Varys and Illyrio, knowing this, devised a plan that could make Blackfire, whom they created with their own hands, sit on the Iron Throne. Although this plan didn't work out with Aenar's existence, the plan was still in motion.
"We have to be careful, King Aenar is not someone simple, you must control Aegon well and not let him show too much ambition." Varys warned with a solemn tone. The more time he spent in the Red Keep, the more he sensed that Daenerys was not simple and Aenar was even more unpredictable.
All his spies could no longer enter the Red Keep and those who did were found dead the next day. At the same time, the handmaidens surrounding Daenerys were skilled and silent, showing that they had received extensive training.
Varys came to the conclusion that these women were part of House Targaryen's organization of spies, whom Daenerys personally controlled. As for the name of the organization, who its members were or even where the organization's headquarters were located, that was still a mystery he had to unravel.
"Don't worry, it's normal for Aegon to think he'll be king at this point, he's been trained for it and as Rhaegar's eldest son, they thought it was normal for the boy to think about being king." Illyrio certainly knew that it was simply impossible for Aegon to be king, but it didn't matter at the moment.
Where there's power, there's a contest for power. It was the natural law of things. As long as humans existed, they fought for power.
Whether it was Varys or Illyrio, both knew that there were many people dissatisfied with Aenar or even Daenerys, husband and wife were extremely authoritarian at the Court of House Targaryen, something that nobles don't like at all.
They felt inferior to the king, but in the eyes of these nobles, who hadn't gone through the centralization process, the king was just a noble with more power, but he was still a noble, just like all of them.
(Note: Before the centralization of power, where all power rested with the King; barons, viscounts, earls and dukes even had crowns and thrones in their respective castles. They ruled their fiefdoms as small independent kingdoms while paying tribute to the king).
Varys and Illyrio wanted to manipulate these people, gradually strengthening Aegon's power. At that moment, Aegon only had to show a little of his ambition and many would gather around him.
As for whether exposure to Aegon's ambitions would bring danger to the boy, they weren't worried about that. Aegon was fourteen and it was perfectly normal for him to aspire to the throne as Prince Rhaegar's eldest son. No one would kill him for that, only teach him not to think about such foolish and unfounded ambitions.
Besides, if Aegon dies, the biggest suspects won't be the nobles, but Daenerys and Aenar themselves. Although no one could confirm that Aenar had killed or not, the rumors that he was a murderer of relatives was enough to deal a heavy blow to King Aenar's prestige.
"Did Lord Aegon's training end well?" Varys changed the subject as he looked at the many stares falling on him at that moment. His expression didn't change at all as he felt the intense gazes on him.
"Training worthy of a future king." Illyrio lowered his voice and spoke with a proud tone. He looked at Aegon's tall figure with a touch of fatherly affection that only a father would have for his son.
Poor Aegon, he didn't know that his father had always been there for him. He continued to discuss various topics with Aurane, making the Bastard of Driftmark sigh in front of the potential prince's erudition.
The boy could speak several languages, was a good swordsman and even played the harp, which was what Aegon said he did. If Aegon really did have these skills, Aurane could see that the boy could gather quite a following, although this would be extremely dangerous, as no one wants to see a prince gaining power, especially a king.
The next thing Aegon knew, he was in front of a majestic Red Keep. Up close, he could perfectly see the majestic home of House Targaryen. Aegon couldn't help but feel his blood boiling with excitement.
Puffing out his chest to look as majestic as possible, Aegon touched Blackfire around the waist and flashed the most perfect smile he had.
"Follow me." Aurane spoke with a smile as he walked towards the Feasting Hall, where the banquet was probably already ready. Although because he was in such a hurry, he himself didn't think it would be too lavish.
Aegon didn't even notice when he reached the Feasting Hall, but he woke up from his reverie when he heard the herald call his name.
"Lord Aegon of Pentos, leader of the Golden Company mercenaries."
The smile Aegon had been preparing simply stiffened at the same moment he heard himself introduced.
However, he didn't have time to think about it and entered the feasting hall. The place was full of tables and there were many people seated, some of whom were already drinking. However, Aegon's attention was focused entirely on the small, delicate figure sitting in the main seat.
She was wearing a long red and black dress, with a crown under her silver hair. Aegon held his breath for a moment at the sight of such a beautiful woman. Even the famous courtesans of Lys couldn't compare to the woman in front of him.
Aegon didn't know if Visenya was equally beautiful, but when he saw Daenerys, he knew that Aenar was a fool not to adore such a beautiful woman...
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Note: Is this what the Chinese call courting death?