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GOT : Chapter 148
🕑 Added 2024-10-21 09:00:05 +0000 UTC"He had Rickard Stark suspended from the rafters of the throne room, above a fire lit by his pyromancers. Then, he had Brandon Stark chained with his hands behind his back, a leather cord wrapped around his neck, attacking a Tyroshi device to it that would squeeze his throat the further you pulled it."
...
Aegon had gone pale by this point.
"Brandon Stark's legs were left free, and a sword placed just out of his reach." Prince Quentyn's words pierced into Daenerys' soul as her face went from anger to shock. "Rickard Stark was literally cooked alive in his armor, while Brandon Stark strangled himself to death trying to save him."
"This can't be true." Daenerys swallowed. "It just can't. It's horrible!"
"Ask Ser Barristan, Your Grace." Prince Quentyn spoke with an accusing tone. "He was there. He heard the screams. They probably haunt his nightmares."
Why hadn't Ser Barristan told her this? Why? If he was so loyal to her, why wouldn't he tell the truth?
"Your father took the feudal contract, ripped it to shreds and wiped his arse with it, if I may say so, Your Grace," Prince Quentyn sighed, "they more than any other house have reason to wish to stay out of your rule, it is them."
"And I take that King Aerys asked for the heads of Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark after this event?" Aegon asked.
"You are correct, Your Grace." Prince Quentyn nodded, "Jon Arryn could not bear to commit such an act and called his banners."
"But, surely my brother would be the bridge that links both of our houses?" Aegon risked. "After all, we share the same blood, and with our misgivings, he is the living proof that the union between Stark and Targaryen may work!"
"Union?" Prince Quentyn shook his head. "The reason you will find no people spitting on the poor Stark girl's grave here is that we know that she did not go there of her free will. Lyanna Stark was a wild spirit, one that could not bear to be attached to a whoremonger like Robert Baratheon. So she found this silver prince, who filled her head with promises, then took her to a tower far away, raped her and left her to die."
"My father would never do such a thing! Why would he?" Aegon protested.
"Rhaegar was obsessed with prophecies, that much Ser Barristan told you, I believe?"
"Ser Barristan told me that he constantly whispered about the 'Three heads of the Dragon'," Daenerys nodded.
"Indeed. He saw that Elia, gods rest her soul, could not bear him any more children, but he needed his 'third head', as he saw it." Prince Quentyn scoffed, "then he saw Lyanna Stark, the ice to his fire, and just felt like she was the one. It was likely easy to convince her to run off with him, and then, cut from everything she knew, to have his way with her to bear him a Visenya. But Visenya never saw the light of day, and Daeron was born instead. A boy, not a girl, and Rhaegar would never know, since the spurned betrothed caved his chest in at the Battle of the Trident."
"Didn't he love her?" Aegon asked, tears in his eyes, "After all this…"
"Do you really think locking up a woman in a tower with no midwife or maester is caring for someone you love?" Prince Quentyn shook his head, "Prince Rhaegar was the heir to the throne. He easily could've asked anyone to open their doors for him and they would have done so. Instead, he chose a forgotten tower, not even remotely close to Starfall or Skyreach, and left her to die there. Only one thing mattered: his prophecy, and his Visenya."
Aegon went numb, while Daenerys just listened attentively. She almost didn't care anymore.
"And Lyanna Stark?" Prince Quentyn continued, pressing where it hurt. "Did you think she would want to stay in that Tower, after learning of what befell her father and brother? When her other brother was fighting to get her? Do you really think she'd have stayed still and done nothing while her family died?"
"Mayhaps my father did not tell her!" Aegon proudfully said.
Prince Quentyn's face was all it needed to make him turn white.
"My…father…did not…tell…her…" Aegon repeated slowly, the words and implications sinking in.
"And the Kingsguard?" Daenerys instead asked.
"Ah, the honorable Kingsguard." Prince Quentyn scoffed. "Well, after doing nothing about King Aerys' burnings and rapes for years, they all decided to leave and protect this small tower in the middle of nowhere. And then…well, they died. Which is a shame, since the first thing I would have asked Arthur Dayne before shoving my fist in his balls is whether or not he held Lyanna Stark down when she fought…and then ask him where he was when Elia was killed before I made him eat all of his pretty white cloak to the last crumb."
"My father raped? Who?" Daenerys asked.
"Your mother." Prince Quentyn's eyes did not leave hers. "Brave soul, Rhaella Targaryen. May the gods take care of her, she needs a rest, after all that your father made her suffer through. Ask Ser Barristan! That useless old hag can well find a use for something. He knows! He knows and he stands there, like he's always done!"
Daenerys and Aegon watched silently as Prince Quentyn's temper flared down, bringing his eyes to the ground, then to them.
"I shall take my leave now, Your Graces, but remember," he spoke softly once again, "this conquest will not be easy. While some do fight for power, others do not wish to be ruled by a Targaryen again, for all the right reasons. Enjoy your stay in the Gardens."
With that, Prince Quentyn was gone.
She stared silently at Aegon for a few moments, breathing in, and heard the door open and close, once again.
It was Ser Barristan, in his shining white armor.
"You asked for me, Your Grace?" he asked.
Aegon looked confused, but Daenerys just looked him straight in the eyes and asked, "Did my father have Rickard and Brandon Stark killed?"
The question seemed to have awoken something in the old knight, who struggled to articulate the words.
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Is it true he burned Rickard Stark alive in his armor while Brandon Stark strangled himself to death?"
The tone was accusatory, as Daenerys slowly rose from her chair.
"Yes, Your Grace." Ser Barristan's answer was quicker now.
"Then, why did you not tell me?" Daenerys walked to him with fire in her eyes.
"I try…to forget, Your Grace. I wished I had banished the thoughts, the screams, and the silence of the room when it was all over." Ser Barristan shook his head.
"And my mother? Was she raped by my father? Did you stand at the door and do nothing?"
"Your Grace, I…"
"ANSWER ME!"
"Yes, Your Grace."
Daenerys scoffed and looked at him with disdain.
"Get out of my sight." Her voice was like a growl.
Ser Barristan bowed, leaving the room, followed by Daenerys' angry gaze.
They had lied!
Again!
Viserys and Barristan! All of them were liars and false!
"WHY!" she cried out with her fist to the skies.
Aegon's touch soon brought her back to reality. He looked at her with a gentle air, bringing her into a hug, while she slowly cried on his shoulder.
"Why, Aegon…why did they all lie to me…" she sobbed slowly.
"To protect you…to not overwhelm you with bad images…" Aegon tried to find words but failed miserably at it, "perhaps because they themselves preferred to ignore that it happened."
"And…" Daenerys' watery eyes met his, "would you lie to me, Aegon?"
"Never." Aegon shook his head. "You are my world."
He dropped to kiss her on the lips.
She shivered.
It made her feel a little better, but then reminded herself of something.
"Come, let's bathe in the pools, I know you want to," Aegon encouraged her.
"I need to tell you something," Daenerys told him with a sad face.
"It can wait till we're in the water, no?" Aegon laughed.
Daenerys sighed, but smiled slightly.
The two of them went down the staircase, not even sparing a look at Ser Barristan as they did so.
They found themselves alone in the vast garden, with only a few guards in white being seen in the corner of their eyes.
Aegon jumped in the water first, hitting it with a large wave of water in his wake, ruining her red dress with splashes.
"It's so warm…" Aegon laughed.
Daenerys smiled and disrobed herself, joining Aegon in the blue waters of the Dornish pool.
Aegon looked her up and down with amazement.
"You know," he said, with an awkward smile, "I still just can't believe how beautiful you are."
Daenerys walked up to him with a small smile of her own, water rising up to her waist, putting her hands on Aegon's shoulders.
"Thank you," she simply replied.
"What is it you wanted to say?" Aegon asked.
"If there are no secrets between us, then I must warn you," Daenerys sighed, "I may not bear children again."
Aegon looked at her, confused.
"A witch told me that I could only bear children when the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, that…"
"A witch?" Aegon laughed. "And what good is the word of an old witch? We are dragons, we do not care about what a witch says!"
Daenerys smiled at him, pushing him against the edge of the pool.
"I…I just wanted you to know. That if my womb does not quicken, it may not be your fault."
"Dany, it's been three days since we were wed, we have time to try." Aegon ran his hand through her silver hair.
"Yes…" she looked up at him, "we should try. How about now?"
"N…"
Before Aegon had a chance to speak, Daenerys' lips were on his, pushing him towards the edge of the pool.
He broke it, and smiled slightly.
"I love you." Aegon whispered before their lips came crashing again.
Aegon was right. Damn Mirri! Damn prophecies and damn everything!
Everyone had lied to her, and with Aegon by her side, she would prove that.
They would try and try and try again. Her womb would quicken, and then, they would build a dynasty to last thousands of years.
