Chapter 585

“She met with him?!” Aegor jolted, his expression changing sharply.

There are advantages to being the subordinate: someone else takes the lead, bears the banner, and absorbs all the political heat. You can avoid being the focal point of scrutiny or accusations.

But the disadvantage is equally clear: the subordinate is, at the end of the day, still a subordinate.

Daenerys was the leader, the decision-maker of their faction. Aegor? At best, he was her chief advisor and executor—a position he’d clawed his way into only after removing Varys and Barristan from their roles as her closest confidants. Even then, his status was unofficial, temporary, and far from secure.

As a subordinate, there were limits to what he could do.

He could offer bold ideas, paint grand visions, and lure the Queen into adopting certain thoughts. He could strongly advocate for a course of action or firmly voice his objections. He could sow seeds of doubt about others, subtly shifting Daenerys’s perceptions.

But he could not—must not—cross certain lines.

He could never outright tell her, “You are forbidden from allying with Young Aegon,” or “Don’t meet with other factions without me.”

Offering opinions? Fine, even forceful opinions.

Manipulating her thoughts? Acceptable, if done subtly.

But making decisions on her behalf? That was a line he could not cross. Doing so would be overstepping, even treasonous—a blatant attempt to usurp her authority.

In short, whom Daenerys chose to meet, when, where, and under what conditions, was entirely her prerogative.

Aegor’s heart pounded as he came to terms with the reality of the situation. After a few seconds, he nodded, masking his unease with feigned casualness. “How did it go?”

“It’s a shame,” Nina sighed. “Her Grace didn’t seem convinced by Prince Aegon’s claim of kinship. I’d say an alliance is unlikely.”

Shame? More like the best news he’d heard all day!

Aegor barely restrained a grin. Nina’s perspective was understandable. From a neutral standpoint, losing a potential ally like Aegon meant Daenerys’s campaign to take King’s Landing would face greater difficulties. It also left them vulnerable to new enemies emerging after defeating Stannis.

But for Aegor, it was a blessing.

“What happened during the meeting? Were you there?”

“Not the whole time,” Nina admitted. “But I saw plenty. While Her Grace was staying in the industrial compound, Aegon’s envoys came nearly every day, trying to meet her. If I hadn’t refused, they might’ve moved into the compound altogether. When the Queen returned, Aegon got word immediately. While she was taking a break to feed her dragons, he crossed the Blackwater Rush to meet her.”

Nina didn’t hold back, recounting everything she’d seen.

“The so-called prince really does look like a Targaryen—silver hair, purple eyes, almost unnaturally handsome, polite and well-mannered. Everyone who saw him seemed to like him. But I wasn’t allowed into their private meeting. What I do know is that after about an hour or two, they came out to the open grounds, near the dragons.”

She glanced at Gharial, inviting him to continue.

“The Griffon Knight accompanying Aegon wanted to discuss an alliance and a joint attack on King’s Landing,” Gharial explained. “But Her Grace demanded proof that Aegon was Rhaegar’s son. When he couldn’t provide any, she suggested letting the dragons judge him.”

Ah. Now it made sense.

Aegor allowed a faint smile to creep onto his face. Initially, hearing that Daenerys had met Aegon had startled him—it triggered his wariness of her “Mad King blood.” But it seemed the young queen wasn’t as reckless as he feared.

“And?”

“She brought Aegon to her dragons,” Gharial continued. “She told him, ‘The black one is Drogon. If you can mount the green one, Rhaegal, and become a dragonrider, I’ll acknowledge you as my kin.’”

Nina picked up the story again. “Half the compound came to watch. Everyone thought it would end badly for him. But Aegon… he really dared to approach Rhaegal. The dragon just watched him—didn’t attack, didn’t even growl. He got close enough to touch its snout, and for a moment, everyone thought the dragon would accept him.

“But the instant he touched Rhaegal, the dragon jerked its head back like it had been pricked by a thorn. It roared, leapt into the air, and flew away.”

How could that be?

Aegor frowned.

That Aegon would attempt to ride the dragon wasn’t surprising—if he truly believed himself Rhaegar’s son, why wouldn’t he?

But for him to get that close without being burned to ash?

That was odd.

Could the boy have actual Targaryen blood? Was he not the fake so many had assumed?

No.

It didn’t matter. Even if Aegon was legitimate, acknowledging him would only harm Aegor’s position. Whether real or not, to Aegor, Aegon Targaryen was false.

The more pressing question was why Rhaegal had refused to attack him. Had the dragon sensed some faint trace of true Valyrian blood? Or had Daenerys intervened to prevent “kinslaying”?

“Indeed, quite the shame,” Aegor said, forcing a sigh of regret. Outwardly, he lamented the failed alliance. Inwardly, he was disappointed the dragon hadn’t roasted the boy alive.

“Shame?” Melisandre scoffed. “Valyrians with silver hair and purple eyes are everywhere across the Narrow Sea. Even dragonblooded families like House Velaryon have produced dragonriders before. Looks and proximity to dragons prove nothing.”

Aegor held back a grimace. Melisandre’s talents as a sorceress were undeniable, but her lack of political awareness made her insufferable at times.

“Well,” he interjected, eager to move on. “This matter is settled. The Queen has rejected his claim. What about the Reach and Dorne? Did they meet with the Queen as well?”

Nina shook her head. “No, my lord. Her Grace left immediately after the meeting with Aegon, returning to Rosby. She gave strict orders for the envoys of the Reach and Dorne to negotiate with you upon your return. She has granted you full authority to represent her.”

Aegor’s heart lifted.

Not only had Daenerys rejected Aegon, but she had entrusted him with negotiating her most critical alliances. It was clear now—she had embraced the Great Riverlands Plan.

Letting out a breath, Aegor smiled.

“Very well,” he said. “We’ll see how they respond to our terms. Nina, arrange the details with Gharial.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Oh, one more thing,” Nina added. “Lady Margaery is here at Black-Walled Keep. She said she’d wait for you. Should I arrange a meeting?”

Aegor paused, mulling it over.

“...Yes,” he said at last. “Send her in.”