From Low Born to King

Chapter Thirty-One: Reign

(Song: The Bells)

Arthur

Dayne grits his teeth, staring at the Martells from across the sandy dunes of Dorne.
Prince Aegon stands beside him, red cape lashing in the wind.
He still cannot believe the audacity House Martell had in kidnapping the King. The audacity to march to King's Landing, spears drawn, demanding blood.

They claimed Tyene, Nymeria, and Obara Sand are all missing. They demanded to have Aegon as a prisoner.
"That will not be needed," Rhaegar had spoken in a calm tone. "Take me instead. I know it is me you want," he stated, arms behind his back as he was walked out at spear point.

Arthur and the others had followed, Aegon on Cobalt, Dayne and the king's army on horseback.
The day is clear, the heat almost unbearable. Even from across the dunes, he can hear the Martell's and their army comment on Aegon's appearance.
"House Martell," Aegon's voice is clear and strong.
"Time and time again, our great houses have clashed for many years. We have fought over ignorant disputes. But this," he digs his heels in the sand.

"This is unacceptable. Having the gall to take my father—your king—like he is some prisoner. That, I cannot accept. So I offer you this: release my father, swear loyalty to House Targaryen, and bend the knee once more, and no harm shall befall you. Refuse, and suffer the wrath of a thousand suns. The choice is yours." Even Arthur can sense the anger coming off of the prince.

A Dornish woman steps out from the crowd in front of House Martell's castle.
She looks as angry as Prince Aegon. She has the typical Dornish features, dark skin, brown hair and eyes.
"House Martell does not bow to dragon spawn," she spits. "Your dragon king of a father took away three of my daughters."
Aegon narrows his purple eyes. "I have not heard of this."
"He has. Rhaegar will not confess what has become of them, and for that, he shall pay. We were already wary of him when he married Elia Martell."

"May I ask your name?" Aegon asks.
"Ellaria Sand, wife of Prince Oberyn Martell," she says hotly.
"Let my father go, and no harm shall befall your people, Ellaria," Aegon states sharply.
She laughs, as do a few others.
Arthur keeps his grip on the hilt of Dawn.

"Very well, you have made your choice," Aegon states in an angry tone. He takes out a Valyrian steel sword, much to Arthur's surprise. The blade is burnt, dragon heads on the hilt. "When the sun disappears over the dunes completely, your family line shall end," he snaps, motioning the blade to the setting sun.
****
Aegon

The son of King Rhaegar had kept his promise. High up in the clouds, he waits for the sun to set on the back of Cobalt. He purposely made it so the Martells couldn't see his dragons in the daylight.
They probably doubt he even has dragons, assuming the burnings in the Reach and Storm's End were simply rumors.

The others in Rhaegar's army had looked at Aegon in shock after he made such a bold statement.
On the back of Cobalt, the castle of House Martell looks small from so high up.
Solar and Orchid snarl down at it, Aegon's anger seeming to have rubbed off on them.

Aegon sighs and orders Cobalt to dive bomb down on the castle, the wind screaming in his ears.
Orchid and Solar follow behind him.
"Dracarys," is all he says.
Obeying their father, all three dragons roar and blast the castle with fire.

'You know what you must do,' Egg had told him after he gave his speech. 'Those who do not bow to the Targaryens must burn. They killed my sister so many years ago, what makes you think your father would be spared?'

He can already hear the screams of people burning alive, the fires so hot it melts stone. Looking over Cobalt's shoulder to get a better view, he sees Barristan leading the others into the castle, avoiding fires and looking for Rhaegar.
Cobalt lands on a burnt stone tower and roars loudly.

Holding Blackfyre tightly, he gets off of her and looks for his father as well.
Cobalt flies back into the sky and roars again.
After rushing down the tower, he sees the castle and city in smoking ruins. Aegon sees children crying, animals dying, Barristan's men looking through each house and fighting enemies.
Mainly sticking to the shadows, he follows the corpses to the prisoner's tower.

Aegon rushes over when he sees Arthur and Sandor carry Rhaegar out of the tower. Father is unconscious, but breathing. "Get father out of here," he orders urgently.
"Aegon—what were you thinking?" Sandor asks, coughing at the smoke. "We were trying to make a peace agreement, not genocide!"

"They were going to kill my father," Aegon shakes.
"Your king. I will finish what I started. Take father back to King's Landing."
"Aegon..." Arthur starts, but the prince is already getting back on Cobalt.
Back in the air, he sees the others rush and exit the burning city.

The bells from the towers ring in surrender, echoing in the night. Panic takes over Aegon, all of his anger, his hatred for his half-siblings he never met, Elia dying, his mother dying, him getting stabbed by the Sand Snakes. All of it suddenly snaps.
Once the others are safe in the dunes, he flies over the town, bathing it in blue fire.

He doesn't think about Arthur looking on in horror, or Rhaegar wailing for his son to stop once he regains consciousness, he just wants his enemies destroyed.
Aegon is a Targaryen by blood, after all.