From Low Born to King

Chapter Five: Stone Eggs

Rhaegar

"Is everything almost ready?" Rhaegar asks, sitting outside on the sunny day, watching the servants place down covered trays of food.
"Almost, Your Grace," Arthur murmurs, sitting next to him. "Good. Aegon should almost be done with the little hunt by now," Rhaegar smiles, sipping his wine.

"He was always a somewhat shy person, wasn't he?" Arthur asks. "He can be at times, but something tells me he enjoys these little games. He was never one to really socialize..." the king trails off, setting the goblet down. "Because of the name calling?" Arthur looks worried, wiping sweat off of his dark brow. It's fairly warm out today.

"Yes. He tries to act all stoic after all of the taunting is done, but I can see the hurt in his eyes. I've tried to stop the city's children from taunting him, but there is only so much I can do. Only so many times Aegon can be called a false heir to his face before he cries in his room..." Rhaegar sighs, glancing at the other people setting down the heavy trunk gently where the prince will sit.

"He's coming!" One of the kitchen's staff members says, motioning the small band of musicians to start playing. Aegon walks out right as the music starts to play, a happy tune that fills the meat scented air.
Aegon blinks at the sunlight in his eyes, then looks surprised. "What is all of this?" He laughs, his smile making Rhaegar's chest tighten.

"Happy Birthday, my prince," Arthur raises his goblet. Aegon looks embarrassed, trying to avoid the guests smiling and looking at him. He sits next to his father, scooting his chair closer to him on instinct.

He sets down the few items on the table, a new book, some clothing, and the Valyrian steel dagger.
"You didn't have to do this, father, Arthur."
"We know, but we figured you would want something special," Arthur smiles, then motions his head over to Rhaegar. "Well, more like your father insisted."
The king laughs softly, jabbing Arthur in the shoulder lightly.
"Is this for me as well?" Aegon asks, looking at the closed trunk near his plate. "It is. This last gift was very hard to find, or so the traders say," Rhaegar explains.

Arthur nods, smiling. "Rhaegar picked this gift specifically."
Curious, Aegon unlocks the trunk and heaves the lid up. Resting in velvet, three large fossilized dragon eggs stare up back at him. Aegon lets out a gasp, making his father grin. "I'm assuming you like them?"

Aegon nods, speechless. The three shine like gems in the sunlight, one deep blue and slowly lightens to white at the bottom of the shell. The other is purple, like the lavenders grown in the gardens, but turns more pinkish at the bottom. The last one is sunset orange streaked with red. All of the eggs are scaled, all still intact even after 100 years of the dragons being extinct.
"Where..." Aegon stammers, "did you get these?"

"Remember that story I told you about dragon eggs being sold in the Braavos Market? Well, there is a theory floating around that those are the three eggs that got stolen from the royal hatchery on DragonStone. At least, that's what we think," Rhaegar explains. "Oh, father, thank you!" Aegon hugs him, nearly making Rhaegar spill his wine.

The king returns the hug, closing the trunk with his free hand. "Of course. Now, you must be hungry, hm?"
The prince nods. "Then let the feast begin," Rhaegar commands, officially starting the party that will last late into the night.
****
By the time Aegon drags himself into his room, it's well past midnight. After getting into his sleeping clothes, he sets the trunk down on his bed and looks at the eggs again. They glow nicely in the firelight.

"To think Aegon the Conqueror used to ride one of these..." he whispers to himself, more excited than sleepy. "Makes me wonder if they can still hatch."
When the Starks came over to King's Landing to visit, Aegon had asked Maester Ludwin of Winterfell.
"I'm afraid it's not possible, young prince," he had said, much to the dismay of Aegon.
"The eggs found now have turned to stone. The dragon inside is long gone."

The prince had asked his cousin Robb if this was true. "I cannot say for sure," Robb admitted, a look of confusion in his blue Tully eyes. Since then, Aegon had lost hope, until now.
He almost hopes they would hatch, since he keeps hearing rumors of another war going to start.
He only heard these rumors on the streets down below, never from the king's council.
Soon, he falls asleep, the purple egg resting on his other pillow.

A few days pass without much incident. Aegon begins training with a steel sword against Ser Arthur, under the watchful eye of Rhaegar. But Aegon also notices how stressed Rhaegar looks. Stressed and tired.
With each passing day, Aegon feels more and more bad, wanting to ease Rhaegar of whatever is bothering him.

"Father?" Aegon starts one night during dinner. "Are you disappointed in me?"
This makes Rhaegar stop eating, holding his fork with sardines in spicy tomato sauce in mid air.
"What?"
"I've noticed you being stressed and...well, somehow thought it was my fault..." Aegon trails off when Rhaegar gets up from his chair, the wooden legs scraping against the floor. "Aegon, no.." he whispers, hurt in his purple eye as he kneels down in front of him.

"Who put that notion in your head?"
"The—the children in King's Landing," he stammers, feeling shame and tears burning behind his eyes. "I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but the taunting doesn't stop. They keep calling me a false heir."
Rhaegar doesn't say anything, just pulls him into a hug.
Aegon hugs him back, letting his tears soak into his father's shirt.

"I'll protect you for as long as I can, Aegon. I promise you that. Don't take what the children say to heart. They may not see it, but you will always be my son and heir, do you understand?" Aegon nods, sniffing.
Rhaegar rubs his back, something he hasn't done in years. The king's red cloak particularly covers Aegon like a blanket as he is held by his father on the floor.
For once, now, the taunts don't bother him, and hopefully never will again.