BLOOD WARS | D. Targaryen

xvii.

"Apparently he's the one who stabbed Viserys," Aegon mentions casually. Jon and Rhaenys's head snap in his direction. She had figured that her father had been involved with the attack on Viserys, but she never thought that he would be directly involved.

"What?" Jon asks.

Aegon nods, "Selena said so in her letter. That's why they left. Apparently, father is going mad."

Jon looks between Rhaenys and Aegon, "What do we do?"

"I go to war," Aegon says, "That is my only option."

"With what army?" Rhaenys asks, "You can't just declare war on the King of the Seven Kingdoms. That is foolish."

"Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, and Jon Arryn. They started a war and they almost won it."

"They had the power of the Vale, North, Stormlands, and the Riverlands," Rhaenys says shrugging her shoulders, "What do you have?"

"I have Dorne, The Reach," Aegon looks over at Jon, "And I have the North."

Jon raises an eyebrow, "You think that I can get the North to support you? I've never even met my uncle!"

"Doesn't matter. He's your blood," Aegon says before looking back at Rhaenys, "And if I can get Selena on our side, then that secures the Stormlands. And Steffon-"

"I'm not bringing him into this," Rhaenys tells her brother, "War isn't a simple favor you ask for. These lords are going to want something. What are you going to give Tywin Lannister?"

Aegon falls silent and Rhaenys laughs as her brother proves her point.

"I'll go North," Jon says suddenly.

"You can't," Rhaenys says, "Father is watching us. All of us."

"Then I'll confront him," Aegon says as though it is the simplest thing in the world. Rhaenys was starting to wonder if her impulsive brother would make a good king. 

"Father stabbed his own brother, what's to stop him from stabbing you?" Jon asks.

"We should do what everyone else did," Rhaenys says looking at her brothers, "We need to run."

Aegon scoffs at the idea, "I won't run away like a coward."

"Don't view this as cowardice," Jon says, placing a hand on Aegon's shoulder, "We're simply waiting for the right moment."

There's a knock at the door. They don't get the chance to open it as Ser Arthur Dayne entered the study. The Commander of the Kingsguard looks at them as though analyzing the scene before speaking.

"The King wishes to see you all immediately."

"Did he finally calm down after losing his favorite hostage?" Aegon asks and Rhaenys sighs at the fact that her brother is actively antagonizing one of the best knights in the Seven Kingdoms.

"He's your father. Show some respect," Arthur commands.

Aegon takes a step toward Arthur, invading his personal space, "You're one of the best fighters I've seen in my lifetime. You must hate being the King's lapdog. I mean look at you! You're fetching his children. We both know you're better than this."

"As I said," Arthur says, looking down at Aegon, "Your father has requested your presence."

"Thank you," Rhaenys says, "We'll make our way to him now."

Rhaenys places Meraxes down on the ground and grabs her brothers' wrists as they made their way out of the study.

"Are we going to walk out of this alive?" Jon asks as he looks at his older siblings.