From Low Born to King

Chapter Twenty-Four: For Elia Martell

(Song: Goodbye Brother)
Aegon

Aegon can already hear the music coming from the festival as he guides Cobalt to land in the sand.
"You'll have to wait out here," the prince says, petting her on the snout. She nuzzles him back, purring, her scales like sandpaper.
"I know, I know," Aegon murmurs, "I'll miss you as well. I will bring you back some Dornish meat to eat, okay? I won't be long."

KingsGrave is a fairly large castle deep in the Red Mountains, and the seat of House Manwoody.
Many colorful tents are against the canyon walls, along with colorful banners. The scent of roasting meat and onions makes Aegon hungry, but he only has so much money to buy things with.

He'll have to think this through accordingly.
Dressed in the lightest clothing he has, he still feels the heat of the desert burning against his scalp.
Most of the people in Dorne speak the Common Tongue, but he hears scraps of languages from Slaver's Bay and Lys.

Soon enough, he finds a tent that sells jewelry.
He examines the jewels closely. Different types of gemstones sparkle brightly in the sunlight, rubies, sapphires, obsidian, and peridot.
Surprised to see the sigil of his house, Aegon picks up the familiar three-headed dragon attached to a simple chain necklace, the beast blood red.

"How much is this?" He asks the shopkeeper. The old man smiles at him, possibly too blind to see he is talking to the crown prince. "Five silver, sir," he answers. "I'll take it," Aegon smiles, taking out the correct coins and giving it to the man.

Walking past street performers, he hears Egg chime in quietly.
'You are going to give the necklace to your father?'
"Aye," he answers, placing said necklace in his pouch.
'But be careful,' Egg warns him. 'Some Martells here are still angry at Rhaegar for Elia's death, even though it was not his fault. Watch your back.'

Aegon shivers despite the heat. After buying a few more items, the prince gets ready to leave, knowing that it is getting darker as the sun sets.
"Cobalt?" He calls out after he exits the canyon and into the open desert.
A few stars are already in the sky.
"You are the dragon prince, no?"

Aegon jumps at the female voice, turning around. Three Dornish women walk up to him from the canyon.
'Be very careful,' Egg warns. "What if I am?" He asks.
The tallest one scans him over. "You do not wear Dornish clothes," she observes.
"I'm simply visiting for the festival," Aegon answers tensely. "Can I at least know your names?"

"Obara," says the tallest one.
"Nymeria," says the second one with the same dark skin.
"Tyene," the last girl says, her hair white like a Targaryen's but they all have blue eyes.
"We are the Sand Snakes, the bastard daughters of Prince Oberyn Martell."

Aegon instantly recognizes the name. Prince Oberyn is Princess Elia's older brother. 'Jon, find a way out of here. Do you understand me?' Egg demands in his mind.
"And your name?" Obara asks, looking like she knows the answer.
"Jon," Aegon says, "Jon Snow."

Nymeria laughs. "What is a bastard from the North doing all the way out here?"
"I was simply here for the festival, and I must be on my way now," he replies hotly, heart hammering.
"I know who you are, dragon prince," Tyene warns him, walking closer.

Aegon's hand goes to his belt, only to realize he didn't bring Dragon Claw. Cursing, he searches the starry sky in vain for Cobalt.
'Jon, MOVE!' Egg screams. The three daughters have faster reflexes than him and Obara strikes like a viper.

The knife came out of nowhere, plunging deep into his abdomen. "For Elia," Obara says sweetly in Aegon's ear. Gasping, he jerks when Nymeria stabs him next, easily ripping through the thin silk he is wearing.
"For Elia Martell," she says as well.
Tyene stabs him as well, between his ribs.

Obara stabs him again as he crumples to his knees in the sand, thrusting with such ferocity that he feels a rib crack. "Any final words, bastard son of the dragon king?" Obara teases, wiping her blade of blood with his silk cloth.
Gurgling up blood, Aegon spits it in her face. Disgusted, she stabs his chest again, close to puncturing his lung.
"Cobalt..." he manages to choke out, blood dribbling down his chin.

Then he falls backwards on the desert floor as the life drains out of him, blood clumping up the cooling sand. He can't hear Egg's voice anymore, and doesn't know what happened with the Sand Snakes. Not that it really matters in the end. Aegon sees the stars blotting out in his dying vision, being obscured by Cobalt.

He hardly hears Cobalt roar in rage and sadness, barely feels her pick him up in her talon. Prince Aegon Targaryen is dead by the time Cobalt takes to the air with him.