From Low Born to King

Chapter Forty-Three: Paranoid

Satin

Despite being told not to, Satin does tell King Rhaegar about how Aegon is acting.
"He desperately needs help," Flowers states sadly, sipping his tea. Both of them are alone in the king's chamber, looking into the fireplace.

Rhaegar just looks depressed at this news.
"And you say he saw visions in the weirwood tree?"
"Yes, My Lord," Satin answers honestly. "Could he do that before?"
"No," the Targaryen answers quietly, then sighs.
"I'll have a guard stationed at his door again."

"There is something else..."
"Yes?" Rhaegar leans forward.
"The blue dragon, Cobalt. Aegon said she had burned a girl in Storm's End while hunting."
Rhaegar's eyes widen. "What?"
"I think he is losing control of his dragons, My Lord."

"Where are the dragons now?" He asks.
"Asleep in the field outside," Satin answers.
They both end up going outside, the sky dark and clear. Instead of going to where the dragons sleep, like Satin expected, they go to the stables where the horses are kept.

"Where are we going?" Satin asks as two stable boys prepare their horses.
"Someplace where we can get answers," is all he says.
So they ride off into the night, going south to Storm's End. By daybreak, they make it to where Rhaegar wanted to go.

Burnt ruins of a castle, Satin realizes, his tiredness replaced with curiosity.
Even with the overgrowth of vegetation, he can tell this was once a beautiful place.
The stone is white and worn down from the weather, the once shining floor cracked and ruined with debris.

"What is this place?" He asks, getting off his horse as Rhaegar does. "SummerHall," the king explains, his red cloak flowing slightly in the wind. "This is where I was born, during the tragedy. My great grandfather, King Aegon the Fifth died here, along with most of my family."

"I see," Satin says slowly.
"I would always come here alone," he starts, walking on the cracked foundation of the once great hall. "Sleep on the floor under the stars. Makes me wonder if Aegon ever came here," he laughs sadly, painfully.
"I would have loved to show him this place, learn it's history. He always loved history..."

Flowers jumps when a short woman with white hair and red eyes walks out from behind a collapsed wall.
Rhaegar doesn't look surprised at all.
"King Rhaegar," she starts.
"My lady," the king bows, hand on his chest.
"You clearly came here for a purpose. State your business, dragon king."

Satin keeps his distance, not wanting to intrude.
"It's about Prince Aegon," Rhaegar begins.
"Ah, yes, the Wolgan Usurper," she says nonchalantly.
"The what?" Satin blurts out.
She looks at him with her red eyes.
"You are Satin Flowers."
"H-how did you...?"
"I can see the past and future, young one."

"Why did you call Aegon that? A Wolgan Usurper?" Rhaegar asks, voice tight.
The short woman sighs, looking concerned.
"I dreamt of a tyrant, burning innocents and civilians alike. His hair is as white as the winter snow, purple eyes filled with tears. He will conquer lands beyond Westeros, saying he did it in honor of his father, and as remorse for his mother's death.
Some will call him Aegon the Conqueror come again, others will call him the Wolgan Lupus Draconis, a conqueror with wolf and dragon blood in his veins."

Rhaegar's face goes pale, like he's about to throw up.
"Why would he do that?"
"Jealousy, perhaps. He will always feel anger towards his half-siblings, especially due to the name situation. He always felt second best from his long dead brother."

"What? No, I..." But the look on Rhaegar's face says he knows it to be true. He's just never wanted to admit it. "That can't be...No. He's my only son! He's my baby."
"He doesn't think that, not anymore. He has changed, Rhaegar."
"Then how do we stop it?" He demands.

Satin can't believe what he's hearing, either.
"You cannot stop what has already been set in motion. Even I warned the dragon prince about his future, and he was frightened. He's scared, Rhaegar. Underneath that anger and madness is a frightened child lashing out from years of bullying and self doubt."

Rhaegar takes a few steps back. "We need to go back! Maybe I can reason with him!"
She shakes her head sadly. "I saw the future. You can either stop the bloodshed and end this once and for all, but I know you would never go down that route. So, to put some ease on Aegon, you join him, rule together as father and son."

"Rule together? I'm not a tyrant. I don't kill for pleasure or political gain."
"Really? Tell that to the Sand Snakes, to Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand." She states. "Go back to King's Landing. Hurry."
****
They make it back by sunrise, really pushing the limit of the horses.
Once they enter the streets, they see just about everyone surrounding the Red Keep, rich and poor alike.

Up on the steps, surrounded by the Unsullied, is Aegon, dressed head to toe in black and red. He is wearing the crown Rhaegar made for him.
Cobalt, Orchid, and Solar are on the large roof of the castle, tails lashing.
Aegon begins speaking, oddly calm:

"For generations, the Targaryens have ruled Westeros under a single kingdom. Since Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters decided to end the war of the Seven Kingdoms, we have known peace. But that changes today! No longer shall the Targaryens rule one continent, but stretch its reaches farther than thought possible!
From Winterfell to the ruins of Sunspear!
From the Summer Islands to Ibben!
Even to Essos! No longer will House Targaryen be seen as weak! We do not fear daggers in the dark! We shall unite the entire world and cleanse them from their tyrants!
We will not falter until all our enemies have burned!
Will you help me wipe the slate clean?
Will you aid in my world conquest?

Fire and Blood has been my House's words for three hundred years, and soon the world shall know of my conquest with Fire and Blood! Winter is Coming were my mother's house's words, but there shall be no safety in the snow, only ash. Some of you may call me the Prince that Was Promised, or the Azor Ahai. I promise you this: no more shall this earth be corrupt by the wheel of rich and poor. As the surviving son of the Last Dragon, I promise you, our reign begins today!
Valar Morghulis! Valar Dohaeris!"

"Oh, no, no, no..." Satin whispers, shaking.
They hear people whisper amongst themselves.
A few start booing, demanding to know where King Rhaegar is.
They all fall silent when Aegon's three dragons roar at the same time.
To make a point, Cobalt snarls and blasts a few unlucky civilians, killing them with blue fire.

In the chaos, Rhaegar grabs Satin and rushes into the back alleys, dodging people too panicked to notice their king.
More people scramble away as the dragons take flight, roaring.
Weaving through the maze of alleys, both Rhaegar and Satin make it to the Red Keep. Aegon is already gone, having entered when the crowd got out of hand.

"Aegon!" Rhaegar yells once they enter the throne room.
All seven King's Guard swarm around them both, asking many questions.
"We don't know what's happened to Aegon," Jaime starts.
"He started talking nonsense," Barristan says.
"We tried to keep him inside, but he refused," Arthur states sadly, panicking.

"Calm down. All of you. I'll talk to him," Rhaegar shakes. Reluctantly, they back off.
Rhaegar just might know where his son is. "I need to speak with him, alone."
Satin nods, backing off with a slight bow.
Heart pounding, the king enters walks to the small God's Woods in the back of the Red Keep.