A/n: A long Aeron chapter from me? I would never have thought.Also a bit more Aeron backstory. And nervous Aeron is a warning??
trēsy - son
Aeron stood in front of Lady Stark's tent. He was nervous. Well, anybody else who wasn't Daenyra made her nervous.
He pulled himself together. He was a man grown, a priest of R'hllor not a small child.
"Lady Stark? Amber asked me to accompany you."
"Ah. Aeron do come in sit." Lady Stark motioned to the chair next to her.
"Would you like something to drink?" she asked.
"Yes thank you."
They sat in silence.
"You know Aeron we have lived together for almost two years now and I don't know anything about you or Amber for that matter."
"There is not much to know about us, my Lady."
"Nonsense."
"More like people don't care to get to know us."
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean, my Lady. We are foreigners. Savages even in the eyes of this country. People are scared of us. Even of Amber." he began.
"Your family and yourself are scared of us, me especially."
"I-"
"There is no need to deny it, my lady. I see the look in your eyes. Amber ignores them. She doesn't want people afraid of her, she doesn't want her husband, siblings-in-law and her mother-in-law scared of her."
"And you Aeron?"
He was quiet.
"I don't want her to be afraid of me."
He didn't have to say a name, Catelyn Stark knew whom he was talking about.
"My biggest fear is that she will listen to the voices telling her that I am not a good person, that I am dangerous."
"But why?"
"She saved my life lady Stark. Had she not entered my life, I would've ended it. She gives me purpose."
"Purpose?"
"Yes. I cannot explain it but she is my light."
They were silent again.
"I do want to live without my light in Darkness and I feel like you would understand."
"I do."
The silence was now uncomfortable.
"Amber told us your mother was northern? or wasn't your father?" Catelyn asked after a while.
"My mother. But it isn't sure. She might've been from the Riverlands, the north or from Essos."
"Why isn't it sure?"
"My mother was a slave."
Catelyn Stark paled.
"I was a slave and Amber was a slave once."
"But Amber was with Maeker Targaryen."
"He was also a slave. but he got themselves free."
"Did they leave you?"
"It wasn't at the same time." Aeron clarified.
"Is your mother dead?" Catelyn asked.
"She is to me."
"You mustn't be like that. I wish my mother were alive."
"My mother abandoned me." he took a breath.
"But not this me." He pointed at himself.
"Adult me but child me.The version of myself who needed her. I needed the love only a mother could give but after five years I gave up the hope that she would return and get me."
Aeron could see in Catelyn Stark's face that she did not understand how someone could abandon their child.
"I tried to forget her but her face is still the last thing I see when I fall asleep."
"I haven't admitted this to anyone but I'm forgetting my mother's face more and more."
"That is your curse.Forgetting.Mine is remembering."
"What was your mother like?"
"Beautiful."
Lady Stark smiled.
"Long red hair, big red eyes.Eyes that could see into one's soul."
"So like yours?"
Aeron smiled.
"I am my mother's child."
"And your father?"
"I have no father."
"Like you have no mother?"
"No. My mother was a priestess."
"You remind me of my mother sometimes," Aeron said.
"How?" Lady Stark asked a bit offended.
"She loved me as fiercely as you love your children. Your hair, the softness in your eyes when you talk to one of your children. The love you bear them, my mother bore to me once. The most significant difference between the two of you is that you would never abandon them"
Aeron sighed and stood up.
"Thank you for the wine but Amber is done now."
"How are you?...."
Daenyra entered the tent before she could finish the question.
"Lady Stark." she greeted.
"Amber."
Daenyra looked at Aeron. He saw the question in them.
"Let us go. I'm sure you are tired." Aeron said to Daenyra.
"What the fuck was that?"Daenyra asked.
"Well, we talked."
"Talked?"
"About my past, our mothers,..."
"Huh."
She took his arm in hers. They walked in silence to the tent.
"Petyr Baelish is here," Daenyra said the next day.
"What do the Lannisters have planned?" She asked herself more than him.
"We will learn it soon enough. He will call on you."
"I know," Daenyra said.
She looked tired. Tired from this war. Everyone was but especially her.
She had hoped for a quiet life at least until Viserys came to reclaim his throne. Now he was dead though Aeron was sure he wouldn't have succeeded either way.
Now, she hoped for a quiet life until she helped Daenerys take her rightful throne but this war has made it impossible.
Daenyra was only turning nine and teen in two months time yet she looked older than she was.
He supposed he did too. He was only twenty yet people guessed his age to be higher.
He hoped that sometime in the near future, they could stop worrying. And maybe they would get their old, child spark back.
He was proven to be right as Lord Baelish called upon Daenyra that very afternoon.
"Your Grace." He heard Baelish say as that man entered Daenyra's tent.
"Lord Baelish."
"I am sorry to disturb you but I can't seem to find the way to King Renly's tent." He said trying to ignore the growling of Ser Knight.
"I wanted to go visit my cousin anyway. I will help you, my Lord." Daenyra said.
"You are most kind."
"Your husband has won another battle you must be proud."
"I am. Robb is quite capable. Especially considering his foe is the Tywin Lannister."
Lord Baelish laughed.
Aeron took a few steps back and let Daenyra do the talking alone. Ser Knight however went even closer. He did not trust the man.
"I only want the best for the kingdoms."Petyr Baelish said.
"Then we will get along greatly."
"Thank you once more for accompanying me, Queen Amber."
"Of course Lord Baelish.I hope to see you before we leave."
"It is my wish also."
"Have a great day."
"So?" Aeron asked.
"He is very much a traitor but I do think I will have a use for him in the future."
"He thinks he is the smartest person to ever walk this world," Aeron stated.
"Yes he does but luckily for us we are smarter," Daenyra said smiling at him.
God, please make her smile more he asked his god.
The night was uneventful until...
"Petyr has given Lady Stark the bones of that cunt Ned Stark," Daenyra said after reentering the tent.
"Why would the Lannisters give this up?" she asked.
"Aeron I need someone on that council loyal to me. I need someone to be my ears."
"You have someone in mind," he stated.
"Varys."
"Varys will do."
"Queen Amber, could I intrude?"Renly's voice interrupted them.
"Of course King Renly.This is your camp after all."
"I want you and your Lady mother to join me in meeting with my brother and his...red woman," Renly said as he bent down to pet Ser Knight.
Her eyebrows perked up and Aeron grew nervous.
His red woman....Melisandre.
"We shall accompany you," Daenyra said after a while.
He smiled.
"Thank you."
"But I shall leave right after." She said.
"Of course my lady but you would mind me asking for the reason?"
"No not at all. My lady grandmother is sick."
Renly had an understanding look on his face but Aeron didn't care, couldn't care.
Red woman, red woman, red woman, red woman, red woman....
He did not sleep.
He couldn't remember how they rode to the meeting place.
He couldn't hear Daenyra asking him worriedly what was wrong.
He could not see the looks she gave him.
He didn't even notice that Ser Knight was at his side, walking beside him rather than being next to Daenyra as usual.
Her red eyes found him the second they rode closer.
She only ever looked at him.
"Lady stark, lady Amber, I had not thought to find you in the Stormlands."Stannis Baratheon said.
"We had not thought to be here, Lord Stannis." Lady Stark answered for the both of them.
Aeron felt the blood rushing to his ears.
He almost couldn't make out what anybody was saying.
He tore his eyes away from the fellow follower of R'hllor and looked at Daenyra.
She looked to be enjoying this scene.
He wished he would too.
The pressure on his ears only stopped when the red woman said "You should kneel before your brother. He is the lords chosen born amidst salt and smoke.
"Born amidst salt and smoke? Is he a ham?"
"This is twice I warned you," Stannis said.
This made Aeron forget his nervousness and laugh.
Daenyra laughed too.
"He was born in Stroms end. Not amidst salt and smoke."Aeron said.
"He is not the Lord's chosen one."
They stared each other in the eyes now.
"You are wrong my dear Aeron."
Daenyra's head whipped to look at him.
He swallowed.
"You are wrong."
"Listen to yourselves. If you were sons of mine, I would knock your heads together and lock you in a bedchamber until you remembered that you were brothers." Lady Catelyn addressed the two kings ignoring the dispute between the two.
Melisandre looked at him still.
Aeron didn't care about this. He didn't listen. He did not want to.
He wanted to be back at the Eternal Garden and be far away from the priestess.
Renly must've said something provoking again as Stannis's face darkened and Daenyra had to hide her laughter.
"Look to your sins lord Renly for the night is dark and full of terrors.And Valar morghulis trēsy."
"Valar dohaeris." He had to reply.
He sighed and looked at Daenyra.
She was already looking at him.
He moved to talk but her hand cut him off.
"Not now, not here. We will be back home soon."
The ride to Eternal Garden was uncomfortable.
They were greeted by Maron.
Daenyra smiled and it did reach her eyes.
But he smiled too. Maron was one of the only people not scared of him.
Daenyra and Maron hugged for a long time until they broke apart and Maron even hugged him.
He didn't know what to do. He was only ever hugged by Daenyra.
Maron let go just as he was going to hug back and sprinted into the castle, taking Daenyra by her arm and pulling her along, Ser Knight running right after them.
The feast was less tense.
Daenyra felt comfortable he knew.
Aeron watched her spoil her beast of a cat, it made him happy.
Yet the feast after the feast was done and Daenyra said her good night he felt nervous again.
Ser knight was walking and running in front of them, enjoying the woods.
Aeron however was not.
"I have been thinking a lot about this." Daenyra began as they were walking to see her dragons.
"She is your mother?"
"Yes," Aeron answered.
"I don't understand Aeron. Why did you tell me she was northern?" she asked.
He said nothing.
She sighed frustrated.
"I shared my pain about my mother and father with you. Did I not give you the impression that you could do the same? Do you think I wouldn't listen?"
"Of course not." He said finally.
She took a deep breath. Aeron felt his heartbeat rising.
"What about me makes you think that you couldn't tell me? That you couldn't share these things with me?" She asked voice trembling, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Nothing. Nothing ever could make me think that."
"Then what is ist Aeron?" She asked as they stood before the gate.
She opened it and three large dragons flew to them.
She laughed as she was greeted by them and laughed as the dragons greeted Aeron and Ser Knight as well.
They sat on a bench if one could call it that, watching the dragons play.
"You are not just my protector Aeron. You are an extension of myself. I'm not angry I just don't understand."
"I can't. Not yet."
"That is fine."
He sighed.
"She abandoned me so I don't like to talk about her."
Daenyra laid her head on his shoulder.
"You don't have to tell me yet."
She said.
"When you are ready, come to me and I will listen."
"Thank you."