Chapter 31

5th Month 267AC

Time has a habit of just flying by without you noticing.

I mean, I can still recall the day that I woke up in Rhaella's bed like it was just yesterday. The memory was still very much fresh in my mind.

That's why it was rather weird to think that I had been here for nine years. Nine years. Gods be good, I have been here for nearly a decade, give or take quite a couple of months.

I had somehow been able to survive Westeros for nine years and not get myself killed. That deserved some sort of award, I think. Or perhaps the credit had to go to the people that were in charge of keeping me alive?

I mean, several times during my second life I had stared death in the face and screamed. Not one of those fearless screams or screams of defiance, but screams of utter terror that one would describe as quite girlish and high. I have not done that sort of screaming for quite a while now.

Yeah, I should probably find a way to reward my kingsguard for keeping me alive for as long as they have.

Somehow, despite all odds, I was still here.

Unfortunately, others weren't.

I was beginning to dislike funerals. My own awkwardness about them that included my own views about death and it's inevitability notwithstanding. I just didn't like the volume of them I had to attend as of late.

There were far too many of them for my liking.

In front of me, underneath a great dome of glass of seven colours, atop a marble bier of mastercraft work lay King Aegon, the Fifth of His Name, King of the Andals, the First Men, and the Royner. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Protector of the Realm bathed in the colours of the rainbow.

At it's steps, Ser Gerold Hightower and Ser Harlan Grandison stood at vigil both of their expressions grim and quiet, hands clasping the hilt of their castle-forged swords that shined a terrific white silver whose point rested on the floor. Like the Stranger, they all wore hooded cloaks, but theirs white instead of black.

It was all rather difficult, to process that Egg was actually dead. Seeing his body in front of me, I was dreadfully hoping that he would just rise up and say this was all a joke.

But there he was, lying atop a bier made of marble. Dead.

To some, to the people Aegon had called friends. To those he had called family, we knew him as Egg. Others knew him as a father. A grandfather and even a great-grandfather.

A man who had tried to do right by the people of the realm that he ruled as it's king.

A task that had been placed of me, and all I could think of how I was going to fuck this shit up. I couldn't really help it. Positive thoughts were not my strong suit. I have never been one to tell myself that things are going to work out okay.

The first moments to come to mind always were the bad ones. Of how things could go wrong. And how I would be able to weasel my way out of the blame for those things going wrong.

Well, there was no point in worrying about those things. I had been trained for this role over the past few years and I had good advisors that were willing to tell me when I was about to do something incredibly stupid.

I could live with that. And perhaps, not make a complete and utter hash out of this being a king thing.

A small hand wrapped itself around my own and squeezed. Looking down, I smiled faintly as Dany tried her best to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall at the sight of her great-grandfather lying unnaturally still and pale on top of that bier.

She was making a better effort of it than her younger brother who was crying more freely but quietly. Tears streaks down his cheeks glistening with the light that we were given.

A littler over a year younger than his older sister, Lucerys Targaryen was already nearly as tall as her. Like his sister, they both had the silver-gold hair that showed their Valyrian heritage, but what set them apart where their eyes. Dany had inherited after me in terms of eye colour, whilst Luc had inherited after his mother with grey eyes that seemed almost blue.

Luc was trying to make the best of it to not cry. He furiously wiped away at the tears at his eyes and he would try to stifle his sniffles before they came out. But that was only a token resistance at best. Inevitably, he would sniffle and the tears would fall.

He was being brave nonetheless.

Both Dany and her brother had loved Egg and the king had made it so that he came to know his great-grandchildren and them, him.

When the singing had ended and the High Septon had made everything come to a close, the royal family was the first to make it's way down the aisle. I'm sure Egg didn't have that many allies or friends among the high lords because of his policies, but at the very least, as many as possible had been able to make it to his funeral.

All of them wore solemn expressions, but I wondered how many of them were actually sad about the passing of Egg? His policies certainly didn't give him many supporters or friends among the high lords.

In the Hall of Lamps, I sort of found myself swamped by some of those very same high lords offering me and my family condolences for our loss. "King Aegon was a great man. Dutiful in the carrying of his duties as king. The realm has truly lost a great man." Luthor Tyrell rambled on, nodding his head.

Next to offer me my condolences was a comely woman at his side. "Yes. King Aegon was more than capable in his duties. Mayhaps the greatest Targaryen king the realm has seen in more than half a century."

I studied the woman for a second. Looked at Luthor then back to her and realised, holy shit, this was Olenna Tyrell when she wasn't an old biddy. Huh, who knew she had been a looker.

I smiled as pleasantly as possible. "He was rather good at his job, wasn't he?"

Gormon appeared beside his brother's side from out of nowhere, stroking his beard with a thumb. "And it seems the realm shall be passed on from the safe hands of one good king and into the hands of another good king."

"Yes, yes." Luthor nodded, bobbing his head up and down. "And the running of the realm isn't easy. Especially for one so young. You shall need good men beside you to give good counsel."

Olenna seemed to dig her elbow into her husbands side. I think. "Now my lord, this is not the time for such talk. Today is a day of mourning, and the good king had more than a great-grandson in his family. I do think he also had a son. That lovely fellow over there with the black hair." She said before leading Gormon and Luthor away from me.

The Tyrells weren't the only ones to give me my condolences and subtle or not so subtle plays for me to give them a look in into the running of my government when the time comes. And I really wasn't that surprised. I just wished that like Olenna, they would realise that I wasn't the only person in that existed in House Targaryen.

Apparently, I had been wrong. I wasn't the only one being given an inordinate amount of attention. Branda had also been hounded by other highborn. The look she had flashed at me was more than enough to tell me that she wanted me to save her from the current press of bodies that she had found herself in.

Time for me to come in and act the gallant knight in shining armour, it seemed. Fixing up my tie, I marched towards her, only to be beaten to the punch by Steffon who was able to save my wife from the danger that she had been.

The Lord of Storm's End smiled at me when he approached me. "She seemed like she was in need of a little help."

I ground my teeth. "I was going to help her."

My cousin laughed before he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's a shame about what happened to grandfather. Egg was a good man. I'm sure you'll do him proud as king."

I took his hand of my shoulder. "It's nice to know that you have some confidence in me."

"Even if you end up somehow being a disaster, there will always be people around you who are willing to help." Branda said, taking my hand into her own and gave it a quick squeeze. "And I'm sure by now that the stupid has been beaten out of you. If not, gods help us all."

She and Steffon shared a laugh at my expense, but I shook my head at it all in good humour. They meant well, and they were right, I was sort of sure that the stupid had mostly been beaten out of me, even if it hadn't, Duncan was there to help.

"Your grace."

Turning my head, I found myself looking at a familiar face. Golden curls and green eyes flecked with gold look dead straight at me. "Tywin!" I greeted with a smile and then smiled once more to his companion, his lady wife Joanna. Thankfully, I'm positive the feelings had gone straight out of me. "Lady Joanna. Thank you for making this long journey from the west."

Steffon shared my sentiments as he gave Tywin a nod. "It means a lot. It really does. After everything."

"It was only the right thing to do. King Aegon shared his hearth and home with me for over half a decade. I should very well give my respect to the man that helped me forge to become the man that I am today." Tywin responded.

I doubted that Egg had at all been happy about how he resolved the Tarbeck and Reyne problem, but I wasn't going to say anything.

"How are your twins?" Branda asked after them. "Healthy and hale, I hope."

Me and Steffon must have been surprised because we both shared the same expression as we saw Tywin's lips twitched, threatening to actually smile. Joanna on the other hand was absolutely beaming. "Oh, how you hear them roar. I haven't had a decent night's sleep because of them."

It was nice to know my friend was happy with being a father, but seriously, Jaime and fucking Cersei were now a thing. How the fuck was I going to deal with that?

Joanna's eyes drifted towards my own children as they talked to their cousins, Ser Gwayne, Ser Lewyn and Ser Barristan standing sentinel over the royal children along with their extended family.

"Although I doubt a lion's roar could ever be compared to a dragon's." She said, with a coy smile.

"A roar's a roar. No matter the animal." Steffon said with a lazy wave of the hand. "Try dealing with a roar alongside the booming of thunder."

I knew for certain that he was referring to his own children, Robert and Stannis. Contrary to what I had thought was going to happen between him and Rhaella, it had not worked out. Once again, the gods do love their little jokes on the best laid plans of man.

Just like canon, Steffon had somehow ended up with Cassana Estermont. True love, he had called it. I called it lust, but whatever, he was young and the damage had already been done. No need to grumble about the details.

And anyway, I got Stannis. The only Baratheon that I was probably looking forward to out of Steffon's litter. Maybe Robert as well if there was a strong influence around to guide him.

Rhaella might not have gotten the man that she wanted, but she was able to get herself another highlord of import in the realm. And she had seemed happy enough with the match, so I had supposed that she had got what she wanted.

Whatever that was.

"Well then, I suggest you move then." I suggested. "To a place with a little less thunder and the booming that follows. I could rent you Summerhall, if you want. I hear it's lovely at this time of the year."

We shared laughs amongst our little group. Well Tywin didn't laugh, he did the closest thing he got to laughing, which was his eyes just softening ever so slightly.

I'm sure Steffon and Tywin both had envious eyes upon them by the other highborn. I'm sure they were aware of it as well.

And I wondered what plotting was already forming.

xXx

"Father!" Dany called out from on top of a spring board. "Watch me!"

I drifted my eyes to the sight of my daughter. "I'm watching." I called out to her.

Giving a look in my direction to make sure that I was indeed, looking, she then proceeded to jump off the spring board and into the waters of the pool, splashing into it with a great big cannonball. She emerged from within the water, shaking her short hair about to rid of the water like a dog.

"Did you see?" She shouted.

"I did!" I called out, clapping. "Well done dear!"

The girl beamed before turning around to her playmates that also counted as her cousins. "See, I told you I could do it."

Daeron Targaryen lazily dog paddled around his younger brother Benedict. "Anybody can do that, cousin. It's so simple to do. Come back to me when you can backflip into the water from a rock several feet in the air into a river."

Whilst Daeron had Targaryen features of silver-gold hair and purple eyes, Benedict had taken a mixture of both his father and mother into his colouring. Benedict, named after the ancient king of House Justman, had brown hair that was almost a silver with purple eyes flecked with brown.

Dany swam towards them. "That's not fair! Father won't let me swim in the Blackwater. He says it's too dangerous."

It is too dangerous. The Rush was a fast flowing river, and I doubted as good a swimmer as Dany was, she would be able to fight against the currents. And that wasn't even thinking of the muck. Sure, a decree had been made to stop people from using the Rush as a toilet among other things, he still wouldn't risk it.

Benedict dunked his head underneath the water for a moment before resurfacing all wet. "Father won't let us swim in the Blue Fork anymore because of that." He said, glaring at his brother.

Daeron shrugged and swam towards the edge of the pool. "Aren't you going to join us?" He asked the other child of the group, my heir, Lucerys.

He sat at the side of the pool, idly kicking his legs in the water. He shook his head. "No. I'm too sad."

"Grandfather?" Daeron asked. Luc nodded, wiping away at his nose. Daeron splashed some water into his face getting a reaction from the younger boy. "Don't be sad. Grandfather wouldn't want to see us be sad. Mother says he is in a better place now."

I really did have more important things to do, but I wanted to be hear. There was something calming about seeing your children and their friends playing around and having fun. I could now see what Doran thought was so calming about the water gardens.

I had been worried about Luc, but it seemed as if Daeron was doing my job for me in trying to perk up the younger boy. Luc seemed sceptical though. "He should be here. No place is better than here with us. With everybody."

"I don't know, the seven heavens sound like awfully nice places." The heir to Oldstones remarked. "You know about the Seven Pointed Star right?" He continued when Luc nodded. "Yeah, it says that good things happen to good people. Grandfather was a good person, so a lot of good things are happening to him right now in the heavens."

"What about grandmother? She's sad as well about grandfather."

"Your grandmother is doing just fine, young man." Grandmother spoke, appearing with a group in tow that included Duncan, Steffon and Rhaella. She stopped behind Luc as he rose to get to his feet but was stopped when Betha pulled him up into a hug.

"Grandmother, I'm wet!" Luc protested feebly as he enjoyed the hug.

"It's a dress. I have a lot of these, but only one adorable grandson as cute as you."

"Thanks mother. Nice to know my own sons are not as adorable as you want." Duncan deadpanned.

Steffon raised a hand also in weak protest. "Robert and Stannis are adorable as well. Don't forget about them."

Betha looked at the younger men. "Oh stop it you. I love all my grandchildren. I sometimes wish there was more than one of me so I could spend time with all of them. Steffon, when are you going to bring Robert and Stannis to the capital again? It's been too long. You should have brought them when you came." She then eyed my sister. "And what about you Rhaella? Want to say something about not including your own?"

Rhaella smiled at Betha. "To be honest, my opinion about them is all that matters. As far as I'm concerned, Arthur and Matthis are the most adorable babes in the world." She pinched Luc's cheek, again, much to his protests. "Much better than all these rascals that are gathered here."

Luc swiped at Rhaella's hand away from her face, she being able to dodge the action with a laugh. Betha released Luc from her grip, prompting him to go join the others in the pool whilst the group of adults made their way in my direction.

I sighed as I rose from my seat. "I figured someone was going to find me eventually."

Rhaella sniffed as she spoke. "You are not as good at hiding as you think, brother."

Betha smoothed out her skirts and corset. "It's understandable to still be in mourning, but the realm still needs to be governed." She cupped my chin in her hand. Her wet hands. "I'm positive that you and Duncan will do your grandsire proud."

"Everyone's been saying that. It's nice to know that I all have your confidence. At the very least, I will have all these nice words and faces to look back and laugh at when I crash and burn." I said looking around the group of people.

Duncan smiled somewhat. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure with the new Fire Service that was implemented, we'll be able to keep the burning to a minimum." His face then took on a serious look. "Still there are matters that will need to be seen to."

"The small council for starters." Steffon grumbled. "And we still have the Blackfyres running around across the narrow sea. Why haven't we taken care of them, yet?"

"Because now is not the time, cousin." I told Steffon, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But trust me, I do have a plan. But it will both need your help. All your help."

Rhaella curtsied. "Not only are you my brother, you happen to be also my king now. And I stand at the ready to help the crown in all it's matters."

I smiled at Rhaella. She still didn't like me, but then again, I think our relationship was cordial and professional. More than I had expected.

"Speaking of small council," my eyes trailed towards my cousin. "I have several openings. You want one?"

Steffon balked, taking a moment to step back. "Me? On a council? You must be mad. I'm not made for that nonsense, but if you need some heads to be smashed in, I'm your man."

"Well, it was worth a try." I said with a sigh.

So, with not all that much fanfare, I wondered what would the reign of King Aerys, the Second of His Name will be like? I doubt it was going to be any kind of boring.