10 Private Conversation

"A hundred thousand men... your grandfather's ambition in his early reign seems to have been passed down onto you."

Aerion chuckled. "My grandfather did have many grand plans but he was blowing hot air most of the time. I, on the other hand, have the ability to carry out my ambitions."

"Then I look forward to witnessing you carry them out."

Aerion closed his eyes. "Jaime... one thing does trouble me and it would be best if we discuss this now rather than later."

"What is it, my prince?"

"Imagine if I have Tywin Lannister kneeling before me... and I decide to end his life. What would you do?"

"I would advise against it," Jaime replied. "My father is still one of the most capable lords in the Seven Kingdoms whether you hate him or not. Killing him would be a waste."

Aerion grit his teeth. "Yes, it would. He is the hand that keeps House Lannister at its great position. Without him, the House would fall to its lesser days once more. Not only that, but I would also have to seek out a new lord paramount of the westerlands. But... I refuse to forget that day."

"If my sword is within reach, I will kill him. I want you to know that."

Aerion made his statement as blunt as possible. He did not wish to lie to Jamie's face, the person he considered closest to himself that was not family, so he stated the truth. The deaths of his siblings still weighed heavily on him so he could never let Tywin live.

Jaime understood this. He, himself, saw the killings as unjust and inhuman. The children were innocent and yet he took it upon himself to order their deaths... if Aerion had not awakened his magic at that time, he too would have died along with his mother. This thought made him even less hesitant in protecting his father against Aerion's fury.

Jamie nodded. "It cannot be helped."

He will still serve me... but only after death.

And all my enemies will follow that same fate.

"Nevermind all the sorrowful matters, hahaha..." Aerion laughed. "When was the last time you tumbled a woman, Ser Jaime?"

"I have kept my vows, my prince."

"Even before you were my Kingsguard? There had to be someone at King's Landing that caught your eyes... right? Even if you admit to it, I won't punish you. Hell... if you do, I'll speak on my experiences."

Aerion deviously smiled.

There are no experiences to speak of!

Jamie coughed and turned around. "Yes, there was. But it is not something I'd like to disclose."

"Then it has to be something good." Aerion chuckled. "Come now, you can tell the King. I'm a master of keeping secrets."

"I'm sure you are, my prince," Jamie replied with a slight tone of sarcasm. "But I will be keeping this secret of mine until you reclaim the Iron Throne."

"A form of incentive, eh?" Aerion inquired.

"Yes, something of that regard."

"Very well."

Aerion shrugged and relaxed on the beach for a little longer.

~

Climbing the stairs to the higher floors was not difficult for Aerion as he made his way to his uncle's solar rather swiftly with Jamie not too far behind. Upon reaching the solar, Aerion instructed Jamie to enter with him as there were already two guards behind the door.

Aerion, being the courteous prince that he was, knocked on the door and waited for his uncle to welcome him.

"You may enter."

Aerion walked inside with Jaime behind him.

"Ah, you brought Ser Jaime with you?"

"As you can see."

"No matter," Doran replied. "You said that your magic will be the weapon that will seat you on the Iron Throne... correct?"

"You heard right, uncle." Aerion nodded. "All that I require of you is a hundred good men and three ships to go with them. After that, I will begin gathering a greater force using those hundred men. A hundred will grow into a thousand... and then I will set my eyes on one of the Free Cities."

"If only it were that simple, anyone could conquer a Free City-"

"No other man was blessed with my gift."

Doran Martell stroked his beard. "I see that you will insist on leaving. I will give you a hundred men and three ships, just as you have asked. If all goes well and you do grow a sizeable force, you will inform me of the Free City you intend to strike beforehand."

"Will you be sending reinforcements?"

"Yes, but you must ensure that the city is conquered and secured. Failing to keep it would result in many grave consequences for yourself and House Martell. Do you understand?"

"Yes, uncle, I do."

"Good... now, how will you build this 'sizeable' force of yours?"

Aerion smiled. "It's quite simple. There are many bands of pirates in the Stepstones, most of whom are separate from each other. I intend to unite them all under my banner, one by one. Whether I must do it through recruiting or killing, I will, in the end, build this force in the Stepstones."

"Killing? How will killing grow your force?" Doran wondered.

Jamie, too, gained some interest.

"I gained a new type of magic while exploring the Dornish Desert. It allows me to resurrect the dead and command them as I wish."

"Resurrect the dead?" Jamie's eyes widened. Doran had a similar reaction.

"You plan to build your army from the dead?"

"Some of it, yes, but not all. It will make gathering an overall greater force much easier."

"This..."

"Trust me, uncle. I know what I am doing."

"Very well," Doran replied. "As the rightful King, it is due time that you make your own decisions. I will support you in this conquest."

"Good." Aerion smiled. "Prepare a hundred men and three ships by the eleventh moon as that will be when I set sail."

The dragon has spread his wings at last.

Jamie thought as he looked at Aerion.

~

After that matter was settled, Aerion dismissed Jaime for Arthur so that he may rest. Then he made his way to his chambers but was stopped by a rather alluring figure. Before he had left, seldom did he ever feel any urges towards a woman. But something had certainly changed in those seven months as he felt them emerge far greater than ever before.

Arianne Martell had grown into a buxom and beautiful young lady with olive skin, large dark eyes and long, thick black hair. Aerion had considered her beautiful before but he had never paid much attention to it.

He found himself staring at her curvaceous body for a little too long.

What is wrong with me?

Arianne chuckled out of delight once she saw his reaction. At last, her scheme of seducing him had come to some progress. She walked closer to embrace him.

"It has been seven long moons since you left... and yet you have not made an effort to visit me."

"I've been rather busy." Aerion composed himself.

"Hmm, I heard you went sun-gazing. How busy of you..." Arianne smiled. "Nevermind that, you will be making up for your misdeeds by coming with me."

She grabbed his left hand with her own and led him to her own chambers. Ser Arthur followed not too far behind as it was his duty, though he had a strange feeling about the situation. Upon reaching the destination, Aerion was sceptical.

"Why your chambers?"

"To speak in private, of course. I'd rather no one else interrupt our... conversation."

Just to speak in private?

Aerion still had his doubts but he entered nonetheless, leaving Arthur to guard the door. Arianne closed the door and sat down on her bed while Aerion remained standing.

"Tell me about your adventure in the desert. It cannot be as dull as everyone claims or could it?"

"It was much of the same almost every day, except for one night." Aerion smiled as he did like telling tales, especially those that were based on his own actions.

"One night..."

"Yes, that one night was more eventful than every other day combined. In my opinion, at the very least." Aerion saw that Arianne was interested so he proceeded further. "After a long day of practising my magic and enduring the harsh conditions of the desert, I went to rest in a ruined castle."

...

"This necromancer lord was powerful, summoning an emerald flame of immense strength with ease. I countered it with my own scarlet flame... but it was not good enough as the emerald flames tore through my own and started to burn me."

"But... although the flames burned, they did no harm. They only strengthened me. Once he realised that his powerful flame was of no use, he summoned eight men from the dead within a single moment."

"What happened next?" Arianne inquired.

"Well, as you can see, I lived through that experience. Within seconds, I burned all eight men and charged towards the necromancer lord with my flaming sword right after. I pierced the necromancer lord's chest and he burned away... after that, the ruined castle returned to normal and I woke in the following morning."

"I should have left with you. Sunspear... it was much of the same while you went on this grand adventure."

"It was not as grand as it sounds, Arianne." Aerion smiled. "You would have been unamused by the first month if not the first few days."

"Not if you were present," Arianne replied before changing the topic. She looked at herself for a second before looking into his violet eyes. "Aerion... do you think that I'm beautiful?"

Aerion was caught off-guard by that question. Of course, he would not lie about it... nor that he would need to.

"I do... but what's the point of that que-"

"And I find you handsome... no, I found you handsome ever since you arrived in Sunspear. Both of us were but children then but now... you make every other man look dim in comparison. Only your golden Kingsguard can compare but even he could only dream to be half as mysterious as you..."

Is that the case...

Aerion felt the urges emerged in full force.

"Are you still a virgin, Aerion?"

"Yes..."

Arianne smiled. "My greatest struggle was waiting for you to grow."

She placed her delicate hand on his chest. Seeing that he did not resist, she continued onwards.

"How... so?"

"With patience, comes great reward. I kept my maidenhood for this exact moment... so that we may lose it at the same time."

Aerion was speechless... he did not know that it would happen so suddenly. Merely hours ago, he jested about the thought of having such experiences.

She pushed him onto the bed without further warning and smiled at his reaction. "I did not think that you would be so shy... but I'm sure that your inner dragon will wake soon enough."

They passionately kissed as she removed his top, followed by his other clothing. And so, a night that he would never forget began. Aerion's shyness did fade away, replaced by overwhelming lust along with the emergence of his natural confidence.

That night was when the boy prince truly became a man.