Chapter 1: Prologue

99 AC

His circumstances were surreal, and even now, he didn't know exactly how he became the Aegon Targaryen, the son of Prince Baelon Targaryen and the late Princess Alyssa Targaryen. He distinctly remembered he went by another name, Harry Potter, in another world where wizards and witches hid amongst the muggles, and he was a student in a school for wizards called Hogwarts. He also remembered many facets of Harry Potter's life. Harry Potter was an orphan who was hated and bullied by his relatives for a long time. Harry Potter was a hero in the wizarding world, which was his only escape from his abusive relatives. But the wonderful world of magic in the wizarding world also housed danger to Harry Potter's life in the form of the Dark Lord Voldemort.

The memories in his head about the life of Harry Potter ended at a graveyard where he fought a resurrected Dark Lord. There was a duel, and then he remembered a flash of green light. After that, he heard some indistinct voices, but for the life of him, he could not remember what it was. It was only later that he realised he was inside a woman's womb as a baby. He came to this conclusion only after he was brought out of the womb of his mother. It took him a long time to come to terms with his situation as a newborn baby, but he learned to forget his 'other' memories. Sometimes, he even convinced himself that the life of Harry Potter was all but a terrible dream or a figment of his imagination.

Aegon liked to think it was a bad dream because he had the one thing Harry Potter desperately yearned for… family! He now had two elder brothers and a father. His dear mother had perished half a year after giving birth to him. He rarely remembered his mother sans for her warmth and loving voice as she sang to him in the crib. According to his father, she had fiercely loved him. But no matter how often his father had said it, he could see the bitterness in the man's eyes whenever the heir to the Iron Throne looked at him. He knew Prince Baelon Targaryen deeply regretted having a third son. He knew if his father were given a choice, he would've preferred to have his wife by his side rather than his third son.

He also suspected his brothers felt the same way. After all, it was his birth that caused the health of Princess Alyssa Targaryen to deteriorate.

Despite the dysfunctional family he found himself in, it was everything Harry Potter desperately hoped for, and Aegon Targaryen had it all. The life of Harry Potter taught him the importance of family. The life of an orphan was tough and alone. No one helped Harry Potter when he was suffering under the yoke of the Dursleys. He could feel Harry Potter's loneliness in the muggle and wizarding world. The only family Harry Potter had was Sirius Black, but the man could not care for Harry because the Ministry of Magic was hunting him.

Even if he didn't have a mother to raise him, he was not denied the love of a mother. He found a mother in his grandmother, the Good Queen Alysanne Targaryen. His grandmother taught him the noble tongue of the Valyrian Freehold. His grandmother took him on his first dragon flight on her dragon, the mighty Silverwing. At her insistence, he even squired for Lord Boremund Baratheon at Storm's End.

In some ways, Aegon was thankful that his grandmother had made him serve as Lord Boremund's squire. It kept him far away from King's Landing, which he hated with a passion, but it also served as a balm to keep House Baratheon happy. His grandfather's decision to name Prince Baelon as his heir over Princess Rhaenys had displeased House Baratheon. Prince Aemon's daughter was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne according to all the laws of gods and men, but the king's word was final in this matter. Even his grandmother had failed to convince King Jaehaerys to restore Princess Rhaenys' inheritance. The fallout from that decision even affected their relationship with House Velaryon, with Lord Corlys resigning from the post of Master of Ships.

Under such circumstances, it was the Queen's wish to see Aegon squired under Lord Boremund. It was an attempt to rekindle the old familial ties as well as a kind gesture from the Good Queen. Lord Boremund had been a ward of King Jaehaerys when the Stormlands were under the threat of the Vulture King. It was this history Queen Alysanne used to convince the Old King to send Aegon to Storm's End.

The only thing he missed was spending time with his grandmother, Gael, and Viserys.

All these thoughts flashed by in Aegon's mind as he stared at the blood coating his sword. His sword was shaking, as were his arms that were holding the sword. It was the first time he killed someone, and the shock of it was something he could not easily overcome. He searched his memories for his worth, and he could not find it as he stared in horror at his victim.

It was a young Dornish boy drowning in his own blood from a stab wound to his neck. Somehow, Aegon had managed to stab the young boy through his neck amidst battle.

"Keep your mind in the fight." Borros roared, and Aegon was forced to the ground by his friend.

A spear occupied the space where his head was.

Aegon, known for his footwork and agility, was not so easily intimidated by the Dornish spearman. He expertly rolled onto his back and managed to kick-up with his legs. Along the way, he unsheathed the dagger he had holstered on his forearm and stabbed straight into the neck of his enemy, who was about to stab his friend. He nearly flinched as red-hot blood sprayed on his face but held back the urge to vomit and pushed away the Dornishman.

"You saved my life." said Borros, climbing to his feet while Aegon picked up his sword from the ground.

"You saved mine first." said Aegon, sweeping his bloodied silver hair out of his face.

"I did, didn't I?" Borros smiled before a maniacal glint came to his eyes. "Now, what'd you say we kill some dornish dogs, my brother of the sword?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Aegon smiled even though, in his mind, he was horrified at how easily he was killing people.

Together, they brandished their swords and waded into the fight.

It took half an hour for the fighting to stop, and by then, Aegon felt like his limbs were made of iron and his heart made of the coldest winter. The Dornish raiding party that had been terrorising the villages near Blackhaven were dead or captured. The captives were put into chains for Lord Boremund Baratheon to judge.

"You did good, my prince." said Ser Reginald Reyne, patting him on his shoulder while sitting against the same tree Aegon was resting his back.

"I don't think this is something that I crave, Ser. I'm not fit to be a knight." Aegon muttered, frowning at the blood on his sword and his hands.

"Tell me my prince. What does a knight do?" Ser Reginald asked, staring intently at Aegon with his bright green eyes.

"Kill for the sake of their sworn lords and king." Aegon answered bluntly.

"In war, yes. But in peace, knights protect the innocent from the wicked. We guard the women and children and fight for those who can't fight. We keep the king's peace in the realm."

"The realm?" Aegon scoffed. "You don't even see for whom you fight. Look at yourself, Ser. You are far away from your home, fighting in a battle that has nothing to do with you. Yet, you claim knights fight for the innocent."

"I fight for you, my prince. I believe I'm fighting for the innocent – an innocent boy who mourns even his enemies." said Ser Reginald, nodding at the bodies stacked up near a ditch.

"I never asked for you to fight for me." Aegon said frostily.

"You didn't, but the Good Queen did."

"And you follow her orders blindly, don't you?"

"Queen Alysanne asked me to guard an innocent boy of pure heart. I believe I've been doing a great job so far."

"What makes you think I'm that same innocent boy with a pure heart?" Aegon asked with a scowl, making Ser Reginald chuckle.

"A young prince who spends his monthly allowance on feeding a few hungry mouths anonymously in King's Landing and the villages near Storm's End is of pure heart in my eyes and worthy of my protection. It'd be a true knight's dream to guard such a prince."

Aegon remained silent after his sworn shield's response.

"I don't like killing." Aegon finally said.

"No sane person does, but war and death are part of nature. Think about it, my prince. If kings, knights and lords refuse to do their duty, anarchy would follow in the realm."

"Do you want to hide from your duty and let lawlessness thrive in the realm of your grandsire?" Ser Reginald asked, for which he had no answer.

Aegon had no answer to that, and he sort of understood the gist of what Ser Reginald was saying.

Taking a deep breath, Aegon climbed to his feet. He took one last look at his bloodied sword before cleaning it with his cloak.

"We should move and rejoin Lord Boremund. He'll decide what to do with the prisoners." said Aegon.

****

Upon returning to Storm's End, Aegon was promptly knighted by Lord Boremund for his valour on the battlefield. He was not the only one to get a knighthood. Borros was also knighted, and a feast was thrown in Storm's End in their honour.

A feast in Storm's End meant not just food. Drunken brawls and food fights were customary in the halls of the Storm Kings of old. While Aegon rarely partook, he nonetheless enjoyed the spectacle. Therefore, he watched with great amusement as Borros picked a fight with the heir of Nightsong over a box of oranges, of all things.

It was an eventful night filled with laughter and merrymaking. So, when he was summoned by Lord Boremund to his chambers the next day, he wasn't expecting what the lord of Storm's End had to say.

"I'm being asked to return to King's Landing?" Aegon asked, unable to mask the disappointment he was feeling.

"I'm afraid so, Prince Aegon." Lord Boremund said.

"Does it say why I'm being recalled?" He asked tentatively.

"It does not. I had informed his grace of your knighting, and this was the response I received from King Jaehaerys."

"I see." Aegon muttered.

"I'll make the arrangements for your travel, Prince Aegon. I suggest you say your goodbyes."

Aegon just nodded slowly before showing himself out of Lord Boremund's solar.

The last few days of his stay were hectic, to say the least. Borros and the few friends he made, like Hector Swan and Jon Tarth, during his stay openly expressed their displeasure at his prospective return to the capital.

"You could stay at Tarth instead of the smelly underbelly of King's Landing. I'm sure I could convince my uncle to give shelter to a Targaryen Prince." Jon Tarth offered.

"I'm flattered, and I'll take up that offer if I ever run away from the horrendous smell of the city." Aegon blandly replied, and they all laughed in good sport.

All the joking aside, he had no other choice but to return as ordered. After all, the order came from his grandfather, the king of Westeros. Besides, his stay in Storm's End was supposed to be for earning his knighthood, which happened a few nights ago. He no longer had a valid reason to extend his stay other than his personal desire not to stay close to his father and the opportunistic vultures of the royal court.

Aegon also realised he was only a few months from his fifteenth namesday. At the same time, a month from now was the fiftieth anniversary of King Jaehaery's reign on the Iron Throne. So, he supposed knight or no knight, he'd have most likely been recalled at some point. The last time he was in the capital was for Daemon's wedding to Lady Rhea Royce. Since then, he hadn't set foot in the Crownlands.

He supposed it wouldn't be too bad. After all, Daemon was away at Runestone. That should reduce the chances of pissing him off, which was a unique sport Daemon often enjoyed. That particular feather on the cap of Daemon's character developed after King Jaehaerys gifted Dark Sister to Daemon after the wedding.

But he was not holding out much hope on Daemon, giving him a bad time in the capital when his father and grandfather were competing for the first spot on his shit list. His father and grandfather had never disappointed him on that front till now. He had more beef with the two of them than Daemon at this point.

****

Aegon rode towards the River Gate with a company of Baratheon guards on either side. The Blackwater Rush was to his back, and the Smallfolk gave them wary eyes. The banners of House Baratheon flew proudly amongst their company, so everyone knew House Baratheon had sent someone important to the capital.

"This place stinks much worse than my chamber pot." Borros grunted while making strange actions with his nose that put a smile on Aegon's face.

"I warned you this would happen."

"Yes, you did. I now understand why you prefer Storm's End to this shit hole." Borros grunted.

"If you're put off by the smell, wait till you meet the people here. You'd happily spent the rest of your life at the Wall without a complaint." said Aegon as their horses trotted at a sedate pace through the outskirts of the city walls.

"Nothing can make me join the Night's Watch. To swear off women and freeze my balls at a wall of ice for the rest of my life…" Borros shuddered as if he was feeling the cold grip of a Northern winter. "I'd rather die."

The stench of sweat, shit and fish became all the more pronounced as their company closed in on the gate. Along the way, Aegon tried his best not to stare at the skinny children who were most likely suffering from malnutrition, trying their best to follow the riding party discreetly. He kept seeing the same faces over and over among the children until he finally pulled the reins of his horse and stopped mid-way.

"Aegon?" Borros looked at him in askance.

"Ser Reginald." Aegon called.

"My prince."

"We have some leftovers in our provisions, do we not?"

"Yes, my prince."

"Give it to the children and the needy. The gods blessed us with a safe journey. We should give alms for the blessing." said Aegon.

"As you command, my prince." Ser Reginald nodded.

Aegon looked expectantly at Borros, who rolled his eyes but gave the orders to his men to follow suit.

"I'll have your men recompensated and more at the Red Keep. You have my word." Aegon said, smiling at the good-natured grumbling from his good friend and the men of Storm's End.

They had to stop by the side of the road and give away their provisions to the children, who happily alleviated their hunger. Some of the Begging brothers passing by the road also accepted alms from them.

"Blessed are the ones who give alms to the needy without recognition or reward, my prince." A Begging brother said.

Aegon was slightly startled by the recognition from the Begging brother.

'My eyes. No one has purple eyes save for a Targaryen.' Aegon thought while searching for any stray hair coming out of his helmet. 'Well, not exactly purple eyes. I took after my mother with one purple and one green.'

"You'll have to put blinders on your helmet not to get recognised, my prince." Ser Reginald said with a slight grin.

"I'll remember that from now on." Aegon muttered, quickly climbing back to his horse.

"Good Ser. Please tell us the prince's name." the Begging brother requested while holding.

"Prince Aegon, third son of Prince Baelon and Princess Alyssa." Ser Reginald answered before Aegon could order the knight to keep his silence.

"We'll pray for the prince's good health to the Seven." the Begging brother promised.

With a deferential bow directed at Aegon, the Begging brothers retreated into the masses. Aegon eyed them as they disappeared among the shacks of the Smallfolk.

"You shouldn't have done that." said Aegon as he observed the excited chatter among the children once they realised a Targaryen prince was amongst them.

"Forgive me, my prince. I thought they had the right to know." Ser Reginald said.

Aegon eyed the Reyne knight critically for a moment before sighing. The man was a leal knight picked out by his grandmother and Septon Barth, but they were politicians in their own unique way. His dearly departed Aunt Maegelle had been the one to teach him about the teachings of the Seven. He learned the virtue of giving alms from her actions, and he continued to do so to this day in her memory. Though her visits were sparse to the capital, he had enjoyed spending time with his aunt, who took him to meet the less fortunate of the city. It was a deep loss when word reached them from Oldtown about his aunt succumbing to Greyscale.

Though he was sad at her passing, he was also proud of his aunt, who died doing what she believed in. After all, she had succumbed to Greyscale because she was treating those among the less fortunate affected by the infliction.

He kept such thoughts at bay as he rode away before more people gathered to see a Targaryen prince. The city's outskirts rarely saw royals, and he had no intention of being the local attraction for the day.

The River Gate was wide open, and the guards stationed at the gate allowed them entry. The smell of fish became more pronounced as they stepped into the Fishmonger's Square.

"How do you folk live in this place?" Borros asked incredulously. "I'm surprised this place is not swarming with dragons hunting for fish."

"That's because they're all chained inside there." Aegon pointed at the giant dome-like structure to the east that sat upon Rhaenys' hill.

"The famed Dragonpit." Borros said in awe. "I hope you'd let me have a closer look at that place, Aegon."

"That entirely depends on your ability to cham my grandfather and grandmother. Not even the gods could access the Dragonpit without their approval." said Aegon, turning away from the dome in the distance to eye the massive castle that was the Red Keep that sat upon Aegon's Hill overlooking the city.

It was there that the rest of the drama was about to unfold.

An all too familiar screech reached his ears, and when he looked towards the direction of the sound, he found the source. Seeing a sleek red dragon flying in the sky, he understood one thing. The drama he was expecting in the Red Keep just got spiced up thanks to the arrival of Daemon.

"Well, there goes my peace of mind. Come, my friends. Let's seek refuge in the Red Keep and spend the last few hours in peace before my brother inevitably finds us."

Aegon urged his horse forward on the road ahead and rode towards the Red Keep.

AN:

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