Reluctantly, Arya stood with her arms crossed, glaring at Aegor for two seconds before grudgingly circling the long table to sit beside him. Even then, she deliberately left half a body’s distance between them, as if to draw an invisible line of separation.
"What did you do to Meera? Why is she suddenly leaving without so much as a goodbye and already moving out ahead of time?"
"I have no idea, I swear," Aegor replied, his face a picture of innocence. He dodged the accusation ...
Perhaps intimidated by the dozen corpses hanging at the gates, or perhaps simply unwilling to provoke trouble, the Northern lords cooperated surprisingly well. They stationed their armies outside Winterfell and entered the castle with only a few attendants to swear fealty to the queen in person. The ceremony itself was unremarkable, proceeding smoothly without incident. By the time the last noble knelt before Daenerys and presented their sword, the sky had grown dark, and the gathered lords m...
2025-01-29 17:40:08 +0000 UTC View Post"Your goal is to unite the Seven Kingdoms and establish a new order to break the wheel of history," Aegor declared, cutting straight to the heart of the matter before Daenerys could even react. "Thus, Your Grace, the main contradiction you must face is this: the conflict between you, who seeks to establish a new order, and the enemies who want to stop you."
Is he trying to teach me how to rule again?
Daenerys shifted uncomfortably, suppressing her irritation. She admired Aegor's...
The sun was hidden behind a thick, unbroken layer of clouds that stretched across the sky. Snowflakes still drifted through the air, but for the North, this was considered good weather. Taking a deep breath of the crisp, fresh air, Aegor noted that the temperature seemed to have risen slightly.
Whether this was a sign that winter was nearing its end or simply that his time spent at the Wall had altered his perception of cold, he wasn’t sure.
"Where to begin the investigation? ...
"Join the Night’s Watch?"
These noble ladies—one after another—refusing to marry properly was one thing, but thinking that throwing on a black cloak would somehow free them from their troubles? The Night’s Watch was the shield that guarded the realms of men, not a professional service for breaking betrothals!
Yet, after his initial irritation, Aegor quickly realized that her proposal was feasible.
Myrcella wasn’t merely begging for his help—she was also subtly...
Myrcella glanced up at Aegor with cautious, pleading eyes, sensing that she was still far from being out of danger.
"My lord… you’ve been unconscious for two days and nights. Shouldn’t you drink some water… eat something first?"
Aegor released her, but the moment his grip loosened, the girl collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Whether from sheer terror or because his hold had left her breathless and weak, even she wasn’t certain.
As she spoke, her eyes ...
If watching people leave was called "seeing them off," then what Aegor had been doing most frequently as of late was probably best described as hearing them off.
Lying in bed with his eyes closed, feigning unconsciousness, his hearing had become his primary sense. He remained utterly still, listening as the room emptied—footsteps fading, the door creaking open, the cold wind rushing in, the distant bickering of the Stark children—until, as always, the sequence ended with the solid ...
The guards stationed outside the door watched as the Starks exited one by one. A quick glance into the room showed no lingering figures—what they didn’t see, however, was Myrcella, small and slender, standing just inside the door, momentarily hidden behind the half-open panel. Assuming that all visitors had left, and adhering to the principle of "keeping the precious warmth inside during these freezing days," one of the guards instinctively grabbed the handle and efficiently shut the door...
2025-01-29 17:37:51 +0000 UTC View PostAfter a private discussion with his confidants, Aegor lay back down and resumed playing dead.
Despite being poisoned and comatose, despite not appearing in public for days, he remained the most watched figure north of the Neck. His condition was a matter of great interest, and visitors came in a steady stream.
Yesterday and this morning, the visitors had been mid- and high-ranking officers of the Gifted Army and chieftains of various beyond-the-Wall tribes—Aegor needed them to...
"Uncommitted crimes?" Aegor hadn’t expected his bodyguard to come up with such a refined phrase and couldn't help but chuckle. "That’s right—uncommitted crimes. But Harwin, answer me this: do you think the Gifted Army follows my commands with such discipline because they share my ideals, or because they are devoted to me out of love?"
Harwin hesitated for a moment before giving the correct answer: "Neither. It’s because you rule through both reward and terror, forcibly subduing...
A queen is still a queen, even if blindfolded like a fool. No matter how much deception shrouded her, Daenerys remained the sovereign to whom all swore allegiance.
Her determination to find the true culprit and bring them to justice was so fervent that, despite Aegor’s attempt to leave the case unresolved, every step of the investigation proceeded under her directive without compromise. With the Gifted commanders in charge and her two emissaries overseeing the process, the investigat...
After confirming that the man on the bed wouldn’t wake anytime soon, Daenerys decisively left with her Unsullied guard, returning to her quarters to handle more urgent matters.
This delay in Aegor's “recovery” was entirely deliberate. If he neither participated in nor directed the investigation, whatever the outcome, the damage to his image in the queen's eyes would be significantly minimized. By staying uninvolved, he could shield himself from unnecessary scrutiny and suspicion....
Born amidst the storm, the Mother of Dragons, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Protector of the Realm… Daenerys Targaryen had lived only twenty years, yet her journey had already spanned half the known world. Yet—despite countless miles traveled, her path had inevitably fallen into the familiar tropes of a transmigrator who knew her life inside out.
A brazier was moved before the bed. Daenerys rolled up her sleeve to her elbow, and...
If everything went smoothly, the second announcement to the Gifted Lands army would be simple: “The Lord Commander is safe. The earlier alarm was a false alarm. Everyone, return to your beds and rest.”
But no such miraculous resolution appeared in the ancient, wind-battered castle that night. Instead, Daenerys Targaryen herself arrived at the camp. The only hiccup came at the door to Aegor’s room, where tension between the Gifted Lands guards and the Unsullied escorting Daenerys ...
He couldn’t open his eyes, so he didn’t see who was approaching, but given that only two outsiders had entered the room, it wasn’t hard to guess.
Sure enough, soft, hurried breathing laced with tension reached his ears as a small, smooth hand touched his face. It tentatively poked here, prodded there, and even pinched his nose, as if testing whether he was real. Then the hand moved downward, slipping under the blanket, feeling his arm briefly before shifting to his chest. After p...
To avoid suspicion and ensure his survival in the political minefield of Winterfell, Aegor needed Daenerys to believe—completely and without doubt—that he was genuinely poisoned and barely escaped death.
If he wanted to move forward unburdened by a chain of mutual distrust, there was only one outcome: total conviction. Suspicion among rivals never fades with time or communication; it only festers and deepens. The fear of unknown schemes, of unseen traps, would always loom over him....
Melisandre had spent years honing her craft of persuasion, weaving truths and half-truths into compelling narratives to sway kings and queens. Yet blatant deception—especially malicious deception—was a rarity for her. When Missandei openly accused her of setting a trap, the priestess felt a fleeting moment of unease. Only her vast experience and unshakable composure allowed her to recover in an instant.
Rather than faltering, she narrowed her eyes, exuding an aura of dominance ting...
Should she feel relieved, or should she lament the predictability of it all?
“For what purpose have you come?” Daenerys asked, her tone cool yet guarded.
Melisandre shook her head, her red robes swaying softly with the motion. “Your Grace, that is not the question you should be asking me. The question is: what are you still doing here?”
Missandei, standing nearby, muttered under her breath—a seemingly nonsensical comment that subtly reminded Daenerys not to take...
Outside Winterfell, tension simmered as Bolton soldiers and the Gifted Lands troops stood ready, forming a flanking position against Robb Stark’s Northern forces, camped a few miles away. The air was heavy with the promise of violence.
But within the castle walls, the atmosphere was far more chaotic and fraught with peril.
Following the poisoning incident, the Unsullied, ever disciplined, immediately secured the scene. They retrieved the bodies of the Hand of the Queen and the...
“Hold on a moment, my lord!” The old maester, catching on quickly, played the role of the conciliator. His slightly frail voice called out to the black-clad rider, and despite his aged and injured body, he trudged through the snow, visibly struggling as he crossed over ten meters to approach the horseman.
Robb Stark had spent dearly to rally four out of five noble houses gathered at Sevenscastle to march under his banner for the Queen. He had exhausted the authority of his title, o...
What Aegor wore was none other than the magical necklace that Melisandre always kept around her neck, never parting with it. The previous night, he had confirmed with the Red Priestess that the necklace granted its wearer immunity to poison, and with the authority of R’hllor’s chosen, he had “borrowed” it by force—using it as his assurance when drinking the poisoned wine.
The necklace worked as intended. Its central gem radiated intense heat as it neutralized the poison, feel...
Varys and Petyr Baelish had weathered many storms in their lives, encountering dangers and crises far more perilous than this. Yet, neither of them had ever experienced a meal as turbulent and unpredictable as this one. For all their worldly knowledge, both found themselves silently thinking the same thing—“You live long enough, and you see everything.”
After the emotional rollercoaster they had endured, the two lifelong schemers reached an unspoken agreement: they would placate ...
“I admit, I am not well-versed in the dining customs of Westeros or those of Tushu, but whether in my homeland of Caina or here in the North, refusing a toast… is a grave discourtesy.” Aegor’s face darkened at an alarming rate, his displeasure clearly visible. “Lord Varys, you appear to be in robust health. How could you be so unwell that you cannot even stomach a single cup of wine?”
“I am ashamed to say that intelligence work is most exhausting… The pressure… It wea...
The wine is poisoned!
In an instant, both Varys and Littlefinger came to the same conclusion. Without a word, they exchanged a subtle glance—mortal enemies by circumstance, now unwittingly bound together on a sinking ship. For a fleeting moment, they felt an ironic camaraderie, like foxes mourning the death of a rabbit.
This bastard means to kill us! But for the two targets, merely realizing the wine was poisoned was only the first step to survival. They now had to grapple wit...
"Discuss important matters?"
Littlefinger twitched his nose slightly, sensing the faint scent of something off.
Under normal circumstances, he might have chuckled at the clumsy excuse. But today, amidst the tensions that filled the air, his frown deepened.
While cracks had begun forming in their alliance, the common interests shared by him and Aegor kept their relationship intact—for now. But if this truly were a matter of importance, why invite an enemy to the table?
"Discuss important matters?"
Petyr Baelish’s nose twitched as he caught a faint whiff of something… unusual.
Under normal circumstances, such a clumsy excuse might have amused him. But given the tense situation, it only made him frown deeply.
Though cracks had begun forming within their fragile alliance, Petyr and Aegor’s shared interests meant they hadn’t yet turned against each other. If there truly were "important matters" to discuss, why would Aegor invite an ...
The tense night had finally passed.
Exhausted and sleep-deprived, Varys sat in his chambers, and for the first time in years, he had the overwhelming urge to slap himself for his carelessness.
He had made a mistake—a subtle yet dangerous one. A mistake so critical it had nearly unraveled decades of careful planning and scheming.
It all started with his recent string of setbacks.
----
As his plan to place young Aegon on the Iron Throne neared its final stag...
Just a few days ago, Aegor's plan had been to sit back and watch the chaos unfold while picking up some tips and tricks on scheming from the masters. But now, he suddenly realized that staying out of it was a pipe dream, and learning the tricks of manipulation and deceit wasn’t the kind of knowledge he truly wanted.
----
"A permanent solution?" Petyr Baelish was startled by Aegor's bluntness. He hesitated for a half-second before giving a wry smile and shaking his head. "Of co...
The amused glint in Daenerys’ eyes faded. Petyr Baelish rubbed his forehead in exasperation, while Varys allowed himself the faintest trace of a smile.
The room fell into utter silence.
The Unsullied who didn’t understand the Common Tongue glanced around, waiting for their comrades to translate, while those who did understand all turned their gazes toward their Queen. None of them had the mind to explain.
Daenerys furrowed her brow. She had a problem.
Judging b...
"Lord Commander… Lord Commander! Bad news—Miss Arya attempted to assassinate the Queen! The Unsullied have arrested her!"
"Pffft— what?" Aegor had been eating breakfast when the news hit him so hard that he spat out the half-chewed food back onto his plate. "When did this happen? Where is she now?"
Robb Stark was on his way to Winterfell, leading four Northern houses to formally swear fealty to Daenerys. He’d arrive no later than the day after tomorrow. If he returned ho...