Dance with her ghosts

“Aegon Targaryen II had been nothing like his predecessor, Aegon I, my nephew had no interest in politics, nor in the arts, nor in the sword, much less in the crown, his greatest achievement at Court had been to become cupbearer when Princess Rhaenyra took over as Lady Hand, other than that, Aegon was simply an ordinary boy who could fly.” 

- Leyton “the brother” Hightower in the book “The Queen’s Three Sons” from 152 AC

Aegon would admit to himself that he was not the most intelligent of the living Targaryens, Aegon was not even the most intelligent of his brothers, well, to be honest, Aegon simply was not the brightest sword in the arsenal. He knew that, and that was fine, his brothers were smart enough that Aegon didn't need to be, Helaena knew enough things for both of them, Aemond was only six days old, but the little monster could conquer a city with nothing but cunning and his big eyes, and Rhaenyra would be Queen one day, she had done smart things long before Aegon was born.

Still, Aegon wasn't as stupid as everyone liked to think, he noticed some things and drew his own conclusions from what he heard, Aegon had three facts that he knew by heart, engraved so deeply in his mind that he couldn't forget them even if he tried.

Aegon Targaryen II would never be King, and if that ever inevitably happened, Aegon would accept the Crown, name Rhaenyra as his heir, and abdicate the musty chair faster than one could say Targaryen.

Grandfather Otto thought he was being subtle when he planned how and when to make Aegon take the Throne, and he was subtle when he was in front of his father and that, that ability to camouflage himself in front of the King, was what made his grandfather the most dangerous man in the Realm. 

Otto Hightower would destroy every single Targaryen like a fly if it meant his blood would be on the Throne and Aegon and Sunfyre would spend the rest of their days freezing in the cold of The Wall if it meant their family was safe.

It was interesting that long before Aegon's foolish plan came to fruition, his mother had fixed the persistent problem that was his grandfather with her own hands.

The mother would never suspect the third fact, but Aegon had everything planned, if one day, for some nefarious, inconceivable and terribly idiotic reason, Aegon, who was currently fifth in line to the Throne disregarding his uncle Daemon, was the heir to the Throne, his first action would be to sign up for The Night's Watch.

He had done his research, The Night's Watch was forever, as soon as he said the words, Aegon Targaryen would no longer be Aegon Targaryen, Prince of the Realm, rider of Sunfyre, son of Queen Alicent Hightower, younger brother of Rhaenyra and nephew of Daemon, he would be Aegon Targaryen, brother of the Night's Watch defender of the Realm against wildlings and White Walkers.

And Sunfyre, of course, would be the first dragon to be a member of The Night’s Watch.

Not that the prospect of spending the rest of his life on a cold back was a good one.

But if there was one thing Aegon understood, it was loyalty.

His mother had, after all, married a dying man so that no other woman in the Realm could usurp Rhaenyra.

Aegon was not very bright, but even he had heard the oldest gossip, whispered in whispers so low they were almost imaginary, of how his mother had put it off as long as she could, and how she had finally married his father when new women were beginning to come to Court.

It was an extremely ingenious move, especially considering his mother's age, the lack of bastards, and the delay in Aegon's birth. It was a loyalty that surpassed anything Aegon had ever known, just as Rhaenyra was his sister only on his father's side, his mother was Rhaenyra's mother where it mattered, and Aegon would be damned if anything happened to make his brothers and sisters unhappy. 

Aegon was, after all, only ten and one name days old; when he was older, much older, he would see what a foolish plan it was. 

Interestingly, long before Aegon's foolish plan came to fruition, his mother had fixed the persistent problem that was his grandfather with her own hands.

Aegon wasn't very bright, he knew that, but Aegon was a good gossip.

No, seriously, Aegon loved court gossip, he was, after all, the first to know that Lady Mooton was having an affair with her husband's squire, Aegon also knew that Talla, the chambermaid, was having an intense exchange of glances with Uncle Gwayne, Ser Adam was courting Lady Cerelle, or trying to, and Aegon knew these things because he loved to gossip.

And he knew that his mother had killed his grandfather Otto because the signet ring that had belonged to his late grandmother, Lady Olenna, and which his grandfather had never taken off, was firmly clasped on his mother’s fingers.

— My King, My King. — the man gasps in broken whispers as he gasps for air. — Lord Hand was found today. — The man pauses dramatically. — Murdered.

The messenger’s words echo in Aegon’s ears long after he’s gone, his father paled and Uncle Daemon turned his head to look at his mother and Aegon knows that Uncle Daemon knows and everyone here knows it was his mother because she never hid very well that she hated his father and that she would kill him for anything she considered an offense.

—Gods be good. — his father says, in that ridiculously hoarse whisper he lets out when he’s shocked. “Who was it? — he asks the suitably terrified messenger.

— We don’t know, Your Grace, Ser Otto was found in a brothel on the Street of Silk.

— Find the culprit. — his father says, his face red with anger. — We want justice for our Lord Hand.

And oh, if Aegon could laugh.

Gods, if Aegon could laugh, he'd laugh so hard he'd pee his pants and apparently Uncle Daemon is equally inclined because his face is a shade of red and Aegon has to clear his throat twice to keep from laughing because his mother looks disgusted and, oh, who wanted justice for their grandfather?

No one but the King, of course.

And Grandfather.

Aegon doesn't think anyone will be too sad about his grandfather's death. His grandfather was an evil man, always plotting, always scheming, always seeing the best way to do the worst.

And yet, his father preferred to remain blind. 

Half the Kingdom could be destroyed by a fight between Targaryens, and yet, his father would remain unaware of the destruction caused only because he didn't want to see war brewing on the horizon. 

In fact, Aegon was certain that the world could end in flames and yet his father would only see what he wanted to see.

And the father didn't want to see flames.

The father didn't seem to want to see anything lately.

And half of that blame belonged to his grandfather, who had made the King so sickeningly complacent that the father couldn't take a shit without Grandfather Otto's permission.

The grandfather was a petty man, with no real power, a nobody from a family of nobodies, who ruled the kingdom with an iron fist, a sheep trying to bleat louder than a dragon's roar.

Grandfather Otto was a sheep bleating louder than all the other sheep, yet still just a sheep, a sheep who thought he could command dragons, which he couldn't. Aegon was a dragon, and dragons didn't take orders.

None of his family would obey Grandfather's orders, and he was the only fool not to realize that.

— My King. — his mother says, her voice so sickly sweet that Aegon feels nauseous just hearing it. — Don't you think it's a good time to appoint Rhaenyra as Lady Hand? — his mother says, and ah, his mother always loved all her children equally, but Rhaenyra would be Queen one day.

They were all being scrutinized for flaws, for mistakes and disloyalties and everything that came with it, even young Aenys was subject to their curious glances and cutting words, though he was hardly old enough to have a voice in court.

His mother never did anything without good reason; he should have guessed she wouldn't kill Grandfather just for simple pleasure, even if it was a pleasure to her—every death had a purpose, every spilled drop of blood a reason. Royalty couldn't act without purpose behind it.

And his mother was nothing if not a spider sitting in her own web of purposes known only to herself. Grandfather Otto's death would serve some purpose, even if only she knew it.

— Lord Otto hasn't even cooled yet, Alicent. — his father responds, hoarse, angry, an echo of a man who was once a King. — Let the dead cool before they're replaced.

Aegon had never lived in a time when Queen Aemma was alive, but even he could hear the lingering bitterness that cousin Rhaenys holds when she looks at father over her meal, and Aemma? she seems to say, was Aemma cold when you asked for another bride?

It's a painful slap in his face, Rhaenyra is also half Targaryen, but before her, Princess Daella cleansed the blood of Rodrik Arryn, loyal to the bone to the Targaryen kings. Aegon is a Targaryen stained with Hightower blood, a house of traitors; he may bear the name and be included in their close circle, but he'll never be a Targaryen to Rhaenys, even if Rhaenyra and Daemon love them. Rhaenys considers them nothing but rats.

And rats are hunted when they bother.

And mother has bothered too much.

First when she was chosen over Laena for the position of Queen, then when she sent Ser Laenor so far away that all Rhaenys has of him is an empty whisper, and now when the rites of Lady Laena's funeral are disrupted.

Mom isn't welcome here.

Nor Aegon.

Not even Aemond, who only wanted to fly.

Nor Helaena, who only cared about insects.

None of them are beloved by Rhaenys, and she's never made a point of hiding that.

— And did Rhaenyra's position as heir cool when you kept her away from the Red Keep on a whim? — Mother asks, and silence falls over the dining hall like the lid of a tomb. Grandfather was responsible for keeping Rhaenyra away; he undermined every decision of hers and treated her like a silly little girl. He disregarded her choices, her plans, and her strategies simply because Rhaenyra was the heir.

So Rhaenyra grew angry enough to leave for Dragonstone and rule the island as if it were the Capital, and she excelled at it, implementing projects that Grandfather was forced to follow in the Capital because they were too profitable to ignore.

— Leave. — Father says, looking pointedly at Rhaenys and Corlys. Cousin Rhaenys nods as she leaves, and Aegon knows she'll know everything that happened here by day's end. — All the houses of the realm swore loyalty to Rhaenyra when I named her heir. — Father raises his voice, Helaena covers her ears, and Aemond ducks further under the table, hiding from Father's eyes.

— And what validity do old vows hold? — Mother looks much like Caraxes about to spit fire at something she considers insignificant. — Old, dead men who made vows doomed to fail when they were replaced by their heirs.

— A vow cannot be replaced. — Father spits, spit flies from his mouth, and Aegon can barely stop himself from shivering. Disgusting.

— So perhaps it's time to replace the old men, Viserys. — Mother says, as dangerous as a snake; her green eyes as hot as embers. Then Mother extends her left hand and spins the Hightower signet ring on her finger, Grandfather's ring, the one he always used to sign his letters and cherished as if it were a dragon.

Aegon feels his eyes widen as the others at the table gasp silently. It was a threat. Mother just threatened to kill the King in a room full of Targaryens. Aegon would be more terrified if he weren't so impressed.

Father takes a deep breath, and for a moment Aegon holds his breath, but then Father coughs, and all that remains is tension among his relatives. As always, Father saw only what he wanted and heard only what suited him, and Mother wasn't convenient enough to be heard.

— We'll discuss this later, Alicent. — Father replies, and Aegon can't help but look at Rhaenyra. Her hurt is obvious to anyone who looks; Rhaenyra was capable, she had made Dragonstone strong again, and it would be so simple to make her Lady Hand, she was already the heir and would prove her worth in the position, strengthening her claim and weakening rumors.

Aegon shouldn't, but he feels less bitter at Rhaenyra's pain. Rhaenyra was Aemma's daughter, his favored daughter and heir, and yet she was forgotten and disregarded by Father's actions.

— I'm sorry, Nyra. — Aegon whispers, not much, but it makes his sister smile briefly before closing off again; Aegon's apologies will never be Father's apologies.

— None of us are to blame for Father's stupidity, Aegon. — Rhaenyra replies in a measured tone. — I'll see to the children. — His sister bids a brief farewell, Aemond and Helaena following her, Helaena trailing Daemon like a duckling and Aemond asking after Jaehaerys.

The door closes, and Aegon is alone with Mother for the first time in what feels like weeks, probably is weeks; Grandfather hated when Aegon met with Mother because Mother treated him like a spoiled boy, and Grandfather hated boys who liked their mothers.

— You killed Grandfather. — Aegon says, admiringly, not bothering to hide it; everyone here knows it was Mother. — It was brilliant.

— It was a stupid move. — Mother says, and for a moment, Mother looks much older than she is, as if the weight of the world is resting on her shoulders, and she can't hold it.

— You eliminated an adversary. — Aegon replies, because it's true; Grandfather Otto is no longer a threat, one adversary is dead.

— Yes. — Mother replies, still distant. — And someone will take his place, and we don't know who. Your grandfather was a dangerous man, Aegon, but still a man overly confident in his plans, and that left him vulnerable.

— Would leaving him alive have been better? — Aegon asks, hesitantly; he didn't like Grandfather, but it's much better to have a bird in hand than two flying.

— Never. — Mother answers immediately, finally looking at him; her eyes are another liquid, full of a dragon's fire that can never fly. — The Throne is important, Aegon, but it will never be more important than you and your siblings.

Ah, if Aegon ever loved his mother, today was enough to multiply that love into an infinity that cannot be described. Mother didn't kill Grandfather for a political reason; Mother killed Grandfather because she loved them so much that she couldn't bear for Grandfather to hate them enough to hurt them.

He can barely stop himself from throwing himself into his mother's arms in a tight hug; gods, he loves her, loves her so much that nothing could keep him away from her, not gods or men, not even Grandfather could keep Aegon from his mother.

Mother holds him just as tightly and kisses his hair, and Aegon doesn't know how he can go so long without seeing her.

— What are we going to do now? — Aegon whispers because he doesn't want to lose this comfort; he doesn't want to look around for enemies and wait for the next Grandfather Otto.

— I think…— Mother whispers after a long moment of consideration, when she finally looks at Aegon, her eyes gleam mischievously. — That I will introduce you to Lady Mysaria.

— Who is Lady Mysaria? — Aegon whispers back.

Mother smiles, painfully mischievous, and Aegon feels his heart race.

Whatever comes for the Targaryens in the coming years, it will be glorious or disastrous.

He can't wait to see.

“Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen was the first woman in the history of the Seven Kingdoms to become Lady Hand of the King, and her work was glorious. In the last years of the King's life, the Princess ruled the Seven Kingdoms with an iron fist, all she needed to truly rule was the crown.” 

- Daemon Targaryen VIII in “Rhaenyra Targaryen: The First Queen of Westeros” published in 678 BC