Winter Rose.

cxxv.

"I know that." Jon stated, turning to him. "We all owe a debt to Rhaenar." It didn't sate Aegon, it only drove him as he stalked across the room, facing his brother. "Yes?"

A dry chuckle left Aegon, shaking his head as he stared down at Jon. "It takes someone to say something for you to acknowledge it." Her lips pursed, her eyes turning to Oberyn who stepped further into the room. "Ned would be horrified."

Sansa stood from her place, glaring at Aegon. "Don't say a word about my father."

"Or what? What is it you're going to do to me?" The blue shimmered as she remained standing, the other Northern Lords wondering if they should stand too. "That's what I thought." His steps echoed across the stone as he walked around the table, coming to stand in front of it as the midnight blue swept over those faces in front of him. "We've been polite to you, and the first mention of anything that remotely pushes at you, you bristle."

"Aegon, why don't we take this into another room?" His Dornish voice cut across the room, desperate to soothe the uncomfortable grimace that sat on Rhaenar's features.

Aegon whirled around, pointing his finger to Oberyn. "You don't get to speak. You were just about to abandon her." More awkward silences settled in the room, Rhaenar's hand tightening at her side. This was going a little too far, she thought. "It makes you no better than those that sit around her."

Her eyes glanced up. "Egg, please. Let's retire before you say something you regret." And before long, he would say something that would turn the opinions against her. Rhaenar's eyes sought Ser Barristan, who glanced to the other Lords whose eyes were searching the room. She nodded to him, and he nodded back; a silent understanding passing between them as he began to rise.

"Aegon." Jon warned as his smile fell, he too standing as he faced his brother. "That's enough."

But this only ignited Aegon further. "That's enough? That's enough, huh? That's enough when you hesitated when the Night King had his hands wrapped around her throat - almost killing her, that's enough when the wolves came snarling at her and you turned a blind eye; that's enough when you threaten your claim over her." He had risen to his full height, his large stature swallowing the room of any lightness that had once been.

Rhaenar's eyes flickered to Jon. "You hesitated?" The steely grey glanced away as he glanced at the cup in hand. "Jon. Did you hesitate?"

"Yes, I hesitated." Gasps rippled from around them as the Storm Lords and the Crownlands stood, hands seeking the weapons that weren't strapped to their belts. "But it's not what you think, none of this is what you think."