The King IV

[King's Landing]

(Third Person POV)

Inside the Small Council room, Aegon Targaryen sat at the head of the table, looking down at the table, his eyes devoid of emotion as everyone spoke around him. His mind drifted into elsewhere, trying to tune out the words of the Small Council. 

Everything was a blur to him; one moment, he was enjoying a good night's sleep and the other, he is woken up by his Ser Criston Cole and told his Father had died. Then everything after that went by so quickly, he had barely processed it. He doesn't even remember how he made it to the seat he was currently in, the head of the Small Council table. 

King Viserys was dead and his throne was usurped, Aegon The Older was crowned against his will. He was shocked by the news, so much that he didn't resist, didn't protest against the coronation. But it was too late now, the crown was placed upon his head, Blackfyre placed in his hands and his wife named Queen. 

While he was still in shock about his Father's death, he was more in shock in what this action meant; War. Rhaenyra was the named Heir and this action, this plan enacted by those in the Small Council, was a clear threat to her reign. It didn't take a genius to know that Rhaenyra would not be happy and by extension, Aerion Targaryen. 

"Your Grace..." Aegon heard a voice call out to him

He slowly lifted his head, "H-Huh?" 

His eyes were on Aemond, who was sitting on the other side of the table, facing away. Aegon could only see the left side of his younger brother's side, his eyepatch. It was Aemond who called to Aegon, breaking his train of thought. 

Aegon looked to his left, seeing his mother looking at him with a look of concern, "W-What?" 

Otto, who sat to his right, cleared his throat, "Your Grace." He said, "We need to think of our next move." 

"What move?" Aegon said as he blinked, "W-What's going on? I.....I'm thirsty.....can someone get me a drink?" 

Otto glanced at a cupbearer, who quickly ran up to Aegon and poured him a cup. 

"Aegon, our...your coronation has probably reached the rest of the Kingdoms." Alicent said as she leaned towards him, "There are those who are in doubt and those who are giving their support." 

"W-What?" Aegon said, "Support? What support? To me? I...." 

"Our Father is dead." Aemond said suddenly, "By law, you are now King. Those who are wise would not protest that." 

"R-Rhaenyra was named Heir....." Aegon gulped as he slowly lifted his cup, "Father didn't denounce her." 

"But he did." Alicent said, "He told me that you were the one who was meant to sit the throne, not Rhaenyra." 

Aegon looked at her, "Yes, well he never told me that himself....." He said, "Not once. I-It was always Rhaenyra." 

"Speaking of Rhaenyra." Otto said as he cleared his throat, "She is a threat, her mere existence could very well spark War. We must act quickly to avoid such conflict. We have one of two choices, Your Grace. We can send them conditions, give them the choice to bend the knee and spare them, allowing them to keep their Titles and lands, and end this rather peacefully...Or...." 

Aegon looked at him, "Or?" 

"We...." Otto said as he gave him a firm and stern look, "We can make it quick and clean." 

Aegon looked around the room, seeing the faces of all the Small Council, "Oh...You mean...." He started, "Okay...Yea, get rid of her....to avoid any war, I guess.....yea, that sounds like a gre-ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID?!" 

This outburst startled nearly everyone, save for Aemond who slowly turned to face his brother, a sly smile on his face. 

"A-Aegon..." Alicent said, "I agree with you, we should go with the first choice-" 

"You're speaking of killing my Sister?!" Aegon stood up as he scowled at Otto, "Yea, like that would be fucking easy! Do you have any idea who she has by her side at all times?! Huh?! Fucking Aerion Targaryen! Not even the gods themselves dare fuck with that one! Who's gonna go and deal with that, huh? Criston Cole? Yea, sure send the guy who got his ass beat half to death by Aerion in a Melee Tourney. Fucking imbeciles!" 

Criston Cole shifted in his feet, looking down and gulped slightly. 

Otto nodded, "If War breaks out, destruction and ruin will follow." He said calmly, "We can avoid all of that by doing the unspeakable, save hundreds...no, thousands of lives in the process." 

"It's fucking stupid." Aegon said as he sat down, "Why am I even entertaining this idea?" 

"It is too late to turn back now, Brother." Aemond said, "You are King now." 

"R-Rhaenyra will call herself Queen." Aegon said as he glanced at everyone, "I-I didn't ask for this! Why put me in a position like this?! Why pit me against my Sister like this?! W-Why.....Why pit me against Aerion?! W-We made a promise to each other! We wouldn't hurt each other! This is wrong, immoral, and absolutely fucking insane!!!" 

"If War breaks out, it won't be pretty." Lord Jasper spoke up, "They have dragons, same as us...it's....well, the odds won't be on either of us." 

"We have Vhagar." Otto said with a reassuring tone, "Aemond is a great dragonrider, they would be fools to challenge them." 

"O-Oh." Aegon said as he leaned towards Otto, "V-Vhagar and Aemond? Yea, sure, I am very confident in that.....sureeee...no offence, brother, but THEY HAVE AERION FUCKING TARGARYEN! That old fuck he rides is more of a cunt than that wrinkly old hag and have I mentioned that it's Aerion Targaryen yet?" 

"Aegon, calm down..." Alicent said

"Fuck this." Aegon chugged down his cup of wine and extended his hand outwards, gesturing for me, "War, huh? Fucking War, huh? There's no avoiding this now, you mad cunts, all of you!" 

The cupbearer poured more wine into his cup and stepped away as Aegon chugged that down as well. 

"What do you wish for us to do, Your Grace?" Otto asked

"Send your fucking letters...." Aegon said as he slammed the cup down, "If any of my Family is harmed because of your stupid choices, it's your damned head." 

He stood back up and walked away, the Ire filling his body. 

As he exited the room, followed by Ser Criston, all eyes were on Otto. 

"He should be fine." Otto said, "It is all still a shock to him." 

"He's right, though." Alicent said, "Rhaenyra has Aerion...Aerion.....he's the key to all of this...." 

"You said that Viserys was sure Aerion supported Aegon." Otto looked at her, "What did he mean by that?" 

"I-I don't know.....he didn't specify...." Alicent fidgeted with her fingers, "I....." 

"If my cousin dares oppose us, I will personally handle him." Aemond said as he leaned back, "He won't be a challenge." 

Everyone looked at him, a bit taken aback by the sudden declaration. 

"A-Aemond....." Alicent said, "This isn't some Knight you can intimidate with Vhagar.....This is Aerion..."

"Her Grace is right." Lord Tyland said with a nervous smile, "Aerion Targaryen singlehandedly ended the conflict in the Stepstones, pushed Dorne back, and was dubbed the Hundred-Manslayer. He's more than a formidable foe." 

"Mm." Aemond said with a sly smile, "Then the triumph of vanquishing him would be great." 

Otto looked at Alicent, "We need to convince Aerion to join our cause." He said, "Somehow." 

"I don't think that would be easy or possible...." Alicent said, "He loves Rhaenyra. Nothing will move him. Everything he does....it's for her...."

"We'll use that to our advantage." Otto said seriously, "Love can be manipulated.....it can be used against our enemies. It is best to peacefully resolve this..Aegon is right to be wary...if Aerion dons his armor and rides to War....." 

"The Realm will bleed and burn."