NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: How To Make Threats stick
Aegon's Confrontation and the Stirring of Dragons
Leaving the king and his entourage to their devices, Aegon strode purposefully toward the guest wing of the castle, where his grandparents awaited him. However, as he walked down a corridor, voices caught his attention. The closer he got, the clearer their words became.
"We should condemn that beast for the despicable act he performed in the duel. He is nothing short of a monster," one septon whispered to another.
"Indeed," the second replied. "No man created by the Seven would be so cruel. It must be some sort of test."
"It is a lesson," Aegon interjected, startling the two clergymen. "A lesson, from one believer to another. Do not read the holy texts with a closed mind, and do not judge a man you do not understand, for he may take offense. Good day," Aegon said, leaving the two septons pale and mortified as he continued on his way.
Aegon's Thoughts
'My father taught me many things, but the subtle art of intimidation—that I learned from observing my grandparents. You do not become as wealthy as they are by being merely polite. They knew how to leverage power subtly yet unmistakably. My father understood that violence could be a great display of power, and a well-placed dragon is always a potent threat. As for me, I am still young, but my appearance often makes people forget that. My threats are effective because they underestimate me. Now, let's see how these diluted dragons fare when they meet a true one. I must stop thinking of myself as a dragon, yet my new body insists on pride and kinship with them. It is a part of my new reality.'
His musings were cut short as he reached a door guarded by a member of the Kingsguard. The knight's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword before knocking on the door and announcing Aegon's arrival. A woman's voice responded, and the guard opened the door, stepping aside to let Aegon enter.
Inside, Princess Rhaenyra sat with her two children. She gestured to an empty chair.
Aegon glanced at the chair, then at the princess and her sons. "Do you mind?" he asked, indicating his armor. The room fell silent for a moment before the eldest boy, Jacaerys, stood up and approached Aegon, beginning to unfasten the heavy armor.
"Jacaerys," the boy introduced himself in a stoic tone. Aegon looked down at him, a wide grin spreading across his face, revealing too many sharp teeth. Before he could respond, the younger boy joined his brother in helping to remove the armor. Aegon's smile grew wider, unsettling the princess, who saw only a predator baring its teeth.
"Dragons... real dragons," Aegon said, looking at the two boys with serpentine eyes. The younger one tilted his head in confusion.
"You have so many teeth, and they're so sharp," the child observed, a smile spreading across his innocent face.
Aegon's grin softened into genuine joy. "True dragons, cousin. You have birthed true dragons. I smell no fear in them—just like the other Aegon and Helaena. True dragons. The others... lackluster. But these two are exceptional."
Overcome with emotion, Aegon lost his composure. His breastplate fell to the ground with a clatter as he spread his wings, revealing his scaled, chiseled body. His tail swished from side to side, and he looked at his nephews with bright eyes.
"We must go to the Dragonpit and sing to our kin. But first, let me introduce myself properly—I am Aegon Targaryen, the Third of His Name, First Dragonlord of House Targaryen," he declared, his voice full of youthful excitement, sounding more like a child than a warrior.
Lucerys, the younger of the two boys, spoke up, "I am Lucerys Velaryon, but you can call me Luke. And that's Joffrey, our youngest," he said, nodding toward the sleeping child.
Princess Rhaenyra watched, puzzled by Aegon's behavior, a confusion he seemed to notice.
"My apologies, cousin," Aegon said with a dismissive wave. "I do not stand on ceremony with family. I do not believe in status among kin. But some people make the throne their entire identity. Honestly, I thought your sons would be weak, but clearly, the blood of the dragon runs strong in them. Even their father's... outer appearance fails to hide their true lineage," he said with no hesitation, causing the room to tense.
Jacaerys bristled, anger flashing in his eyes. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded.
Aegon's smile faded, realizing the unintended insult. His voice lowered as he replied, "I suppose you've been made to feel like your births are a stain of sorts."
Jacaerys and Lucerys averted their gazes, confirming his suspicion.
"They dare insult you? Who? No, we are dragons. We do not have bastards—what we sire are dragons, regardless of who we lay with. These nobles have forgotten their place, but it's clear we as a family have forgotten ours. Forced marriages, Great Councils—no. I will remind them."
Turning sharply, Aegon ordered, "You two, follow me. Have the ornament outside put my armor away. I'm going to kill one of those snakes or perhaps his son... no, we will burn down the Hightower's castle."
He stormed out of the room, leaving Rhaenyra and her sons bewildered. Panic set in as they chased after the shirtless young man who was about to incite chaos. The kingdom could split, and rebellion could brew, all because of his reckless fury.
Before they could catch up, Aegon let out a piercing shriek that echoed through the castle. Moments later, multiple dragon roars answered from the Dragonpit. Riderless dragons—Vermithor, Silverwing, Vhagar, Meraxes, Caraxes, Sunfyre, and others Aegon did not recognize—took to the sky, summoned by his call. The scene was terrifying: soldiers scrambled, nobles ran for cover, and chaos erupted.
Aegon threw open a window, preparing to jump, but Jacaerys, quick on his feet, grabbed one of Aegon's wings, pulling him back. For a moment, Jacaerys saw nothing human in his uncle's eyes, only the gaze of a beast. Desperately, he whispered, "Lykiri, Aegon... Lykiri."
Aegon paused, a grin splitting his face. "I'm not your dragon, nephew," he said with a chuckle. "But I will spare their castle. However, I will still visit Hightower lands, and I'll take all my kin with me. Are you coming? We'll remind them that we make the rules—we do not live by them."
With that, Aegon leapt into the sky, his wings spreading wide, and the dragons roared in unison as they followed their new lord.