Aegon Snow

-Chapter 163-

-POV MC-

"They are so beautiful that I sometimes wonder if they are really our children, don't you think?" Arianne asked, holding Visenya in her arms while Aemon was in mine.

I smiled and then said, "Is this a roundabout way of telling me that they aren't mine?"

Arianne turned to me, scandalized, but seeing my teasing smile, she pouted and then whispered in her daughter's ear, "Your father is a naughty man."

Visenya babbled louder, and Arianne took that as a sign of agreement:

"Yes, that's right, he deserves a punishment."

I caught her smile, understanding what she was implying, and then I smiled and did the same with Aemon, saying:

"You think your mother deserves a punishment too?"

Aemon babbled, and then I said, pretending to be shocked:

"What?! A third one! You are a cunning son, but I like that."

I signaled the maids who were in our quarters and then handed Aemon to one of them. Arianne did the same with Visenya.

"Close the door on your way out. My empress and I have state matters to attend to," I said, grabbing my wife's waist.

---

-POV Obara Sand-

The snake has finally completely shed its skin and transformed into a dragon.

The true dragon has given birth to three dragons.

A bastard dragon born from the rotting entrails of the lioness and two true dragons laid by the dragon.

A third dragon should not be long in coming.

The true dragon is very upset because an enemy in the north is even more formidable than the wildlings.

The true dragon plans to send the eldest dragon to burn and pillage the lands of the Summer Isles within less than three moons.

---

"He is a madman! He hasn't even secured all of Westeros yet and he is already attacking the Summer Isles. We must absolutely stop him from expanding his territories," said Queen Daenerys, sitting on her throne, once Ellaria finished reciting the letter containing all the information we had gathered.

"Who is this letter from?" asked Tyrion Lannister.

"It's none of your business, dwarf," I said, tightening my grip on my spear.

The dwarf smiled and then said, "How convenient, the only information we did not already know is something that urges us to go to war against the Empire of Westeros. Your informant hasn't revealed anything we didn't already know, so why should we believe what this person says? What could make us attack the Empire if not your word, Lady Ellaria?"

I frowned because it was the truth. Without my mother's word, we could not prove we were right, but I did not trust this dwarf. I had the impression that at the first opportunity, he would betray us all.

"I agree with Tyrion Lannister," said Illyrio Mopatis. "Who is this information from? Let's not forget that you are related to the reigning empress."

"I agree," said the queen finally, with a suspicious look.

"The information comes from Tyene," Ellaria finally said.

Tyrion frowned for a second before smiling and saying, "If it's from Tyene, I'm sure it's reliable news. I've already fallen victim to her tricks and she is quite skilled."

"Very well, if my Hand agrees, we will prepare the attack on my nephew's invasion fleet," said the queen, but she was interrupted by the dwarf.

He cautiously said, "I think it's a bit premature, Your Majesty."

"I don't think so. In fact, to be completely honest with you, Your Majesty, I think it's the perfect time to attack. Thanks to our lord's magic, your dragon is now a decent size for battle, which is not the case for your brother."

---

-POV Daenerys Targaryen-

"So you think we should intercept the fleet and attack right away, like me, don't you?" I asked, hoping to destroy my nephew as quickly as possible.

"No, I agree with Tyrion, it's much too hasty. Before attacking, we must do three essential things. The first will be to form an alliance with the new pirate king of the Basilisk Isles. The second thing we should do is recruit and train tens of thousands of soldiers, or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers. And the last thing to do will be to retake Astapor and unite Slaver's Bay to make it the Bay of Dragons," said Benero, the High Priest of the Faith of R'hllor.

'Why can't we attack now,' I thought, displeased.

"I know you must be upset, but I want you to understand that you are not yet ready to defeat your nephew. By eliminating the army led by your brother, which could consist of a good part of the forces loyal to your nephew, we would weaken him significantly."

"Perhaps even enough for us to have a direct chance to invade Westeros."

"Very well, then let the recruitment begin. Grey Worm, I charge you with recruiting and training new Unsullied. Do not torture them under any circumstances."

"Yes, my queen," said Grey Worm, bowing.

'It's time to stop procrastinating. As soon as the Unsullied training is finished, we will enter Astapor. But before that, I must unite all the Khalasars. That will give me an army of over 100,000 Dothraki screamers,' I thought.

---

-POV Eddard Stark-

"Father, I'm telling you I heard the three-eyed raven speaking. It told me to intervene or the White Walkers will come to kill us all," said my son, barely 10 years old.

'Doesn't he realize he just had a bad dream?' I thought, seeing him look at me seriously.

"You just dreamed, it never happened. If it had happened, then we would have already received a letter from..."

"Your Excellency, the Duke, the heir to the Viscount Reed has arrived and he has some rather disturbing things to say," said Ser Rodrik Cassel.

'I still can't get used to these new titles. It's so strange that overnight everyone changes the way they talk and address me,' I thought.

"What kind of things?"

"How about I let you hear it for yourself," he said.

I nodded, and then he went out to fetch the son of my friend Howland Reed, whom I had seen no less than a few moons ago.

A few seconds later, he returned accompanied by a young woman and a young boy whom I recognized as Howland's children, Meera Reed and Jojen, his heir.

"Your Excellency," said Jojen, bowing.

'Aegon really cares about appearances. Even in the crannogmen marshes, they know how to make courtesies,' I thought, smiling at the idea of Howland doing the same.

'He's so uptight, it would be funny to see him in this situation,' I thought.

"It seems you have something to tell me, according to my son," I said, looking at Jojen Reed.

"It's the truth. I will speak as honestly as possible, but I need you to listen to me until the end."

I signaled him to continue, and then he said, "The White Walkers are coming."

"I know."

"But what you don't know is that your adoptive son, the Emperor, has decided to prevent the wildlings from entering and has decided to sacrifice all the people north of the Wall."

I frowned, but I was already aware of all this after Benjen's visit. He had told me everything.

"He surely has a good reason for doing so," I said.

"I didn't understand at first what he really wanted, but very recently I realized that he uses the wildlings to slow down the army of the dead."

"How?" I asked.

"He provides them with weapons capable of killing the White Walkers and their minions," said Jojen.

'That's clever, even if it's not very moral. Recruit the wildlings to contain the evil,' I thought.

I shared a look with Rodrik, and I could see he thought the same, which clearly did not please the young boy who hurried to say:

"I see you think like him. So let me break the illusion in which you all are content to live. The White Walkers are much more dangerous than you think. What you do, they know. Your plans, they know them. Our strength too. Everything I can know, they already know. The more they kill, the more they swell the ranks of their army."

"I can do nothing about it."

"You are the Lord of the North, you can authorize the opening of the gates."

I smiled and then said, "Jojen, you greatly overestimate my influence with the Emperor. Since the Imperial Domain annexed the lands of the traitors as well as the lands of the Night's Watch, I have lost all influence concerning the Wall."

"So I would like you to request an audience with the Emperor so that we can explain to him..."

Jojen tried to argue, but I interrupted him and said in a stern tone:

"The Emperor is aware of the whole situation and has his own judgment on the matter. Tomorrow, I will send men to escort you back. Rodrik, make sure Bran is under constant escort from now on."