Princess Rhaena presented the three dragon eggs she had brought with her to the Vale. She herself was not a dragonrider. Years ago, one of her eggs had hatched into a malformed creature, after which she had carried the remaining three to the Vale, praying over them night after night in the hope that they might yet hatch.
"They're beautiful," Aegon said, gazing at the eggs as though they were the finest treasures in the world, the priceless legacy of House Targaryen.
Each egg was vivid and unique, rich in color and pattern. Even stripped of their meaning, their intricate textures alone would have made them worth a fortune, rivaling the greatest works of craftsmanship. The color of a dragon egg's shell foretold the coloring of the dragon within. Most dragons bore two or more hues, as dragons were creatures of color.
The eggs looked like exquisite porcelain, enamel, or blown glass, yet they were far heavier—solid as stone in the hand. Their shells were covered in tiny scales. As Aegon turned one carefully in his fingers, the rising sun shone through the gaps, casting a polished gleam across its surface.
"This is the one I believe may hatch," Rhaena said, lifting an egg. It was pink, like a rosy pearl, yet flecked with deep, night-dark blotches. From this egg would one day hatch Morning.
"If a dragon hatches, Rhaena will have rendered a great service," the queen said. Hearing that one egg might yet produce a dragon, her gaze toward Rhaena grew markedly different.
A Targaryen woman with a dragon was a prize beyond measure. A dragonriding princess was always a subject of awe and envy. In the past, dragonblood rarely flowed outward, especially not dragonriders. Only a few exceptions existed, such as the willful Queen Rhaena of old and Princess Rhaenys.
And now, when dragons were vanishing, on the brink of extinction, such value only multiplied. If Aegon were to marry Rhaena, it could also heal the rift with House Velaryon.
"You siblings have been apart for too long," the queen added pointedly. "You should spend more time together. Perhaps Aegon might even hatch a dragon egg of his own."
[Major Event: Reverse Fate- Fall in love with Rhaena Targaryen, altering the future shared between you.
Gain two attribute enhancements.]
"Two?"
Aegon was stunned. Even love has rewards now? It felt less like fate and more like being pushed into cutting someone off at the pass. Yet on second thought, the timeline had already changed, Rhaena had arrived in Gulltown early, and the course of events was no longer what it once had been. What burden did he truly carry now?
Besides, in temperament, Rhaena was clearly better suited to courtly life. Baela, by contrast, was like a feral monkey, hot-tempered and unruly. Let that blessing fall to Alyn, Aegon thought dryly.
As for other possible romances, Jaehaera Targaryen, Diana, those were still children. That was a matter for the future.
In the original course of the story, Rhaena's love life had been a mess. Pressured by the need for Black–Green reconciliation and rattled by Baela's impulsive marriage to Alyn, the regency council hurried her into a match with House Corbray. The marriage was rushed, ill-considered, and she soon became a widow.
"All right, Mother," Aegon replied briskly. Two attribute boosts were simply too tempting to refuse.
Hatch a dragon egg? He thought. Why bother? I want a demon dragon. He had a far grander plan, one he had not yet shared. He wanted a fully grown dragon, one that could take the field immediately. Targaryen madness still ran in his blood. As for Rhaena and himself… he did not reject the idea. He would let the future decide.
Rhaena, meanwhile, looked unsettled, unsure how to respond. She was still wrapped in the pink haze of maidenly dreams. In the Vale she had no shortage of admirers, but none had truly claimed her heart. And now, suddenly, Queen Rhaenyra seemed ready to arrange her marriage, it felt rushed, abrupt.
"You're far too impatient, my queen," Lady Jeyne said with a laugh. By custom, Rhaena was still her ward. I know you're anxious, but patience.
"The situation is urgent," Rhaenyra insisted. "Once Aegon takes Dragonstone, he'll carry off the finest dragon eggs back to King's Landing. These three eggs are our hope."
She was not wrong. When Aegon II prepared to return to King's Landing, he did indeed pack up the best dragon eggs he could find. Sunfyre was beyond saving; he could only hope for eggs worthy of producing a dragon to rival Sunfyre.
"The Greens and the pretender will inevitably abandon Dragonstone and flee to King's Landing," Aegon said, offering his own proposal. "Should we prepare now, send a vanguard to seize Dragonstone?"
It would be a sudden counterstroke. Aegon II was uneasy on Dragonstone. He lacked ships and feared an attack by Velaryon forces. Venturing out to sea on his own was even worse, he risked capture by the Velaryon fleet.
Intercepting Aegon II himself was impossible. With Corlys and Baela's lives at stake, Alyn would certainly see the king safely back to King's Landing. They were too far removed to stop it.
But once the king left, Dragonstone would be far easier to take, and could serve as a forward base.
Dragonstone's strategic value was immense. It guarded Blackwater Bay and held priceless dragon eggs. The pretender could not carry them all away.
"This plan is too bold," Lady Jeyne cautioned. "The Stormlands army has already entered King's Landing, and the mobs have scattered like frightened birds. Corlys, Larys, Borros, the Dowager Queen, they're all reconciling with one another. We cannot trust Alyn too much. Sending only a few ships to Dragonstone would be extremely dangerous."
"She's right," the queen agreed. "This is far too risky. Aegon is our last heir. House Velaryon stands somewhere between foe and ally, and the Sea Snake leans toward the Greens. The seas are too dangerous."
"The war will be decided on land," Aegon pressed. "Right now, we hold a clear advantage. Corlys and Alyn aren't fools, they'll see this too. They can still be won over."
Their situation in the Vale was far better than in the original history. Even if the Greens had reclaimed King's Landing, the wolves, eagles, and trouts were circling. The Greens were already a spent crossbow.
House Velaryon had wealth and ships, unmatched power at sea, but little depth in land or infantry. They could not afford to entangle themselves too deeply in the final struggle. Driftmark was small; its glory could last generations at best, unlike the great houses whose strength would slowly recover if preserved.
"We can try to win over Ser Alyn," Aegon continued. "Even if he's constrained by his grandsire and Baela being in Aegon II's hands, even if he won't send ships to carry us back. If he simply looks the other way, we can take Dragonstone. We can lease or requisition a portion of ships first. That's not an impossible request, Lady Jeyne."
In the original story, events unfolded as follows: Sunfyre's death; Aegon II's return to King's Landing; the Kingsroad battle between the riverlords and the Stormlands; the Hour of the Wolf.
That was not the future Aegon wanted.
If he did not take part in victory, he would have little voice afterward. He needed a dragon to secure the realm. Glory earned by others was useless to him.
"Hm… that might work," Lady Jeyne said after some thought.
"No," the queen insisted, agitation rising. "It's too dangerous. Aegon is the last heir!"
"I'll write to my cousin Alyn," Rhaena said at last. "If he agrees, we still have a chance."
She was right... if anyone could write that letter, it was her.
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A/N:
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