Aegon Snow

-Chapter 177-

-1st day of the 11th moon of the year 300 AC-

-Stepstones, Bloodstone Isle, Bloodstone Fortress-

-POV Daenerys Targaryen-

"Are you still sure you want this?" Yohn Royce asked me, standing behind me and looking at the opposing side led by a man wearing the badge of the Hand of the King.

'Hand of the Emperor now,' I mentally corrected myself.

I nodded, convinced it was the best solution for everyone. I didn't want to make anyone suffer anymore. I freed the slaves of Slaver's Bay to offer them liberty, so they could enjoy it even for just a moment, not to be burned by the hundreds of thousands without even knowing why.

'Especially since I didn't even order the assassination attempt on him.'

As long as I remain "opposed" to my family, everyone who wants to rise above their condition or regain their lost lands will try to use me to achieve their goals because I have a dragon.

Although I loved Ser Jorah deeply, he was like the others, at least at first. I don't doubt his affection for me in the end, but he was the best example of what characterizes all my vassals at the moment.

'At least all those I haven't freed from their chains and who have chosen to follow me of their own free will,' I thought, looking at Grey Worm and Missandei, to whom I would surely have to say goodbye once peace was signed.

"Where is the Emperor?" asked Tyrion Lannister, whom I had made my Hand on the advice of Benerro, Illyrio Mopatis.

"The Emperor Aegon did not travel with us. He will come on dragonback with the Crown Prince Viserys."

"That was not what we agreed on."

"You don't have the power to impose conditions on the Empire," said Ser Barristan before adding, looking at me and slightly nodding his head: "These are the Emperor's words, I am merely conveying them to you."

I nodded absent-mindedly, resigning myself to my fate because I knew he probably wanted to kill me.

'The pain of losing Rhaego was so strong even though he wasn't even born yet. I can't imagine what it feels like to see your child come so close to death.'

"While waiting for the Emperor's arrival, we could take this time to introduce ourselves to each other," said Benjen Stark, the Emperor's uncle and his current Hand.

"My name is Benjen Stark…"

"A traitor to his vows," said Edmure Tully before spitting on the ground.

Benjen Stark smiled without acknowledging the insult and said:

"Then we are two in that case."

He turned to my other companions and added:

"All things considered, we are a bit more than two."

"If you cannot show courtesy, you can leave now, Tully. Is that clear?" I said to the man I didn't like much, given his house's involvement in the overthrow of House Targaryen.

He was about to retort something when his uncle shot him a withering look, and he fell silent immediately.

"I imagine you all know me, but I will introduce myself anyway. I am the Hand of Queen Daenerys 'Stormborn' of House Targaryen, Breaker of Chains, the Unburnt, and Mother of Dragons."

"Mother of only one dragon, to be precise," said an insolent old woman whom I imagined to be the Queen of Thorns.

'She doesn't seem to like me much,' I thought, noting her barely concealed aversion to me.

"The eggs that hatched were all mine," I said firmly.

"Not all of them," Tyrion said, reminding me that Queen Bellegere's egg came from elsewhere.

The introductions continued quickly. Among my nephew's party were Randyll Tarly, one of the most powerful lords of the Reach, the old Olenna Tyrell, Benjen Stark, Robar Royce, Harrold Arryn, Joffrey Lannister, Monford Velaryon, and, to my great surprise, Eddard Stark as well as Quentyn Martell.

I had heard so many negative things about Eddard Stark that I didn't think my nephew could truly forgive his adoptive father. As for Quentyn Martell, whom I thought dead since the Sack of Meereen, I didn't know what to think.

'He is a man, he must have held a grudge for my rejection of his marriage proposal. I must have hurt his pride, and judging by the look on his face, he is not at all happy to see his cousins and Ellaria,' I thought, noticing the venomous glare he cast at them.

Once the introductions were over on their side, it was our turn.

With me for these peace negotiations, I had brought Ellaria and her daughters Obara, Nymeria, and Tyene.

I didn't want to bring Tyene, but upon learning from a messenger that her sisters had been imprisoned in her place and she was likely being tortured, she wished to surrender to appease the Emperor's wrath.

I also brought Yohn Royce and his eldest son Andar, Ser Brynden Tully and his nephew Edmure, as well as Grey Worm and Missandei.

I could have brought many more people, but I didn't see the point.

I didn't want a dispute to break out; I just wanted it all to end.

Once our introductions were complete, we all fell into a tacit silence, resembling the calm before the storm. The more time passed, the more anxious I became.

I feared it was a stratagem for Viserys and him to find Drogon, who wasn't far, and kill him while we were here distracted by this farce.

I was about to leave, but finally, the sound we were all waiting for echoed.

DRAGON ROAR

DRAGON ROAR

And it wasn't three dragons as I expected, but two, and two fairly large dragons. Surely the High Priestess also performed a ritual to make their dragons grow.

Rhaegal and Viserion landed on a wall and observed us before roaring again, seeing us all seated in this giant open courtyard.

I gripped the edges of my seat, more excited to see other dragons than terrified by their fierce appearance.

This was not the case for my companions, who all took several steps back, dismayed by the power of House Targaryen.

Atop the green dragon, whose scales shone like bronze, was my nephew, the very image of a conqueror in my mind.

Tall, broad-shouldered, clad in Valyrian steel armor, and wearing the conqueror's crown.

He wore a red cape and two swords on his back.

Knowing he loved Valyrian steel swords and collected them by eradicating or taking them from Houses that had possessed them since the Age of Heroes, I wondered which two swords he had.

Judging by their size and pommels, I would say Blackfyre and Lightbringer, the attributes of the head of House Targaryen and Azor Ahai, the Prince that was Promised.

His presence was so striking, so imposing, that I only came to my senses at the small cough Tyrion made from the back of his throat.

I stood up, raising my neck like a swan to display the image of the queen I was, but I was struck by the indifference I felt in his gaze when our eyes met.

He jumped from his dragon's back, and just as I thought he would crash to the ground, he slowly levitated, his red cape fluttering in the wind until he reached the foot of his 'throne.'

He sat down, and it was only after he did that I noticed my brother, who had managed to detach himself from his dragon's straps. He took a seat next to the Emperor on a smaller yet still more imposing chair than all the others, and then he said:

"Little sister."

"Big brother," I said, disturbed by his calm and tranquil gaze. The madness in his eyes had completely disappeared.

'So he really managed to tame you,' I thought.

Many had told me that my nephew and Viserys got along well, but I thought it was just a ruse to steal the throne from him. But it seemed I was wrong, and he had truly managed to tame my big brother.

"If you're done, I'd like us to get straight to the point. I have no time to waste with you. I only came out of respect for the advice of my uncles Viserys and Benjen, but if it were up to me, I would have burned you all in dragon fire along with all the cities under your protection. Meereen, Yunkai, and Astapor, I would have reduced that damn Bay full of supposedly freed slaves to ashes."

I frowned at this aggression and the jab at the slaves and replied:

"I freed my people from a horrible, inhumane regime that exploited them to death."

"To do what? Starve them? Give them their freedom until you leave your kingdom to fight a war elsewhere? To drag them into your war?"

I was about to retort, but he raised his hand and said: "Please, stop and take off the mask of hypocrisy you're wearing. You needed soldiers capable of carrying out your every order. So I agree with you; you didn't buy these Unsullied with gold,

 but you didn't free them out of pure kindness…"

"Her Majesty the Queen…" Missandei began, interrupting Aegon before finding herself suspended in the air, clutching her throat.

"I did not give you the right to speak, let alone interrupt me. Just because you are no longer a slave does not mean you are on the same level. Is that clear?"

Missandei's face turned blue as she remained silent, obstinate, and as the seconds passed, her efforts to free herself weakened.

"Let her go!" I screamed, furious, standing up.

"Aegon," his three uncles said in unison.

"You all think I came here to negotiate for peace, but let me disillusion you. We are not here to negotiate peace terms; we are here to accept your unconditional surrender. And if even a damn freedwoman thinks she can insult House Targaryen, I can't imagine what your exiled, landless vassals think they can do to me and my lineage, right, Tyene?"

"Let her go… please."

"You've lost, admit it, and accept your defeat as you should… ON YOUR KNEES."

I hesitated to obey his humiliating demand, but seeing Missandei's eyes roll back, I finally decided to comply, kneeling.

But I was stopped by Benjen Stark, who signaled me to stand up. Seeing Missandei suddenly gasp for air despite still being suspended, I understood that they had reached an agreement.

---

-POV MC-

"Aegon, we have chosen her as your future Empress. She will bring us the Bay of Dragons and a dragon capable of taking flight. She could fill the gap left by Bellegere's death," said Benjen. Observing everyone's looks, I knew they had all spoken behind my back to force me to accept her as Empress.

"I didn't choose her," I said, annoyed by such machinations.

'Standing together to force me to accept an idea.'

"You're going to kill her. Let her breathe, or you'll create a war that will only lead to more suffering," said Benjen.

I sighed, annoyed, and finally released her throat, saying:

"This is not a yes. You don't have the right to make such decisions without consulting me."

"Stop being stubborn about her ordering your assassination and that of your children. You know deep down she didn't do it," said Viserys.

"She couldn't control her own vassals; it's the same thing," I said.

"But she's not responsible," insisted Viserys, forgetting she was the banner of defiance, a rallying banner behind which all those I had exiled gathered to reclaim what they had lost.

"Of course she is. She should have executed them. Even when I dealt with slavers, I always ensured she had an out. She should have executed them out of respect. Did she really think I wouldn't do anything?" I said.

"He's right, and I must inform you that I was against it, Your Majesty," said Olenna Tyrell, agreeing with me.

"You're fooling no one, Olenna. We all know you want to put your granddaughter on the throne," said Randyll Tarly, much freer since I abolished vassalage and declared that all Houses in the Kingdom owed allegiance only to House Targaryen.

Monford Velaryon nodded and said:

"I don't think my opinion will be the most appreciated by His Majesty, but if you permit me…"

I nodded, and he continued:

"I think having a Targaryen Empress would be a good thing. It would unite House Targaryen once and for all. It would deprive the slavers and free cities of a counterbalance to negotiate with us in the future, as the Iron Bank of Braavos regularly does, and you could add a dragon to your arsenal."

'Four dragons, more bargaining chips with the Iron Bank, and complete control over the Imperial House, that's not bad,' I thought, aware of the advantages of such an alliance but also of the disadvantages.

"I generally agree. Daenerys was always my first choice, but unfortunately, she was cursed by a maegi. She is barren."

'That's what pushed me towards Bellegere.'