Work Text:
“Leave us.” Prince Baelor waved away the gaggle of Kingsguard and retainers, all with Aerion at the centre. “Not you Aegon.”
The boy had been hiding behind everyone, as if he might hide himself away from his uncle’s displeasure. His hair had been shaved and the clothes he wore were dirty and ragged. Foolish boy. Baelor beckoned him forward. He stared at the floor as he shuffled forward.
“If you are lucky your father will not return until this has been dealt it. He is out now searching for you and your brother. He has been worried half to death for the pair of you.” It was not entirely true. Maekar knew enough of his son’s character to know that Daeron was most like hidden away in some inn to wait out the tourney though Baelor knew he did worry for Aegon at least, in case Daeron had lost sight of him. It was a strange sought of faith in his eldest son that had allowed him to let Aegon go with his brother, a belief that Daeron loved his brother too much to allow him to be lost, or perhaps just that Daeron might at least do as he was bid.
“Do you know where Daeron is?”
Aegon nodded. “He’s at an inn. He was drunk.”
“And how did you come to be in this Ser Duncan’s service?”
Aegon shifted uncomfortably. He was still staring at the floor, his freshly shaved head shining in the light. There would be no concealing that from Maekar, or anybody else for that matter. He’d have to hide away in Summerhall until it had grown back enough. His grandmother would have a fit if she saw it.
“I followed him, Uncle. And I asked him.”
“And before that, what happened?”
“He mistook me for a stable boy.”
“Aegon, I am starting to believe you are being deliberately obtuse and I do not have the patience for it.”
Aegon’s eyebrows knit and though Baelor could not see his face well, he was sure the boy had taken to glowering at the floor.
“Daeron wanted to hide for the duration of the tourney. He shaved off my hair and stole some clothes so nobody would know who we were.”
“I see. And Ser Duncan came to this inn, was brought in by your disguise and mistook you for a stable boy so you decided to follow him and I have no doubt badger him until he took you on as his squire.”
“I just wanted to be a squire for someone.”
The boy sounded almost pitiful. Damn Maekar and his pride. Baelor had warned him, suggested Aegon squire for Valarr but Maekar had insisted.
“I take it this inn is not very far?”
“No, Uncle.”
“Then I fear neither you nor your Ser Duncan will be lucky, Aegon.”
Aegon lifted his eyes to meet his uncles at the mention of Ser Duncan, full of fear. Baelor closed his eyes and sighed. Foolish boy. If there was once a time he had envied his brother his children he did so no longer.
“You will not let them hurt him Uncle.” The boy’s voice was tentative and small but there was confidence in it, some desperate belief that his uncle would save the day.
“If your father remains away from Ashford then I could perhaps convince the court that the blame lies as much on Aerion as Ser Duncan and that this could all be swept under the table. But if this inn is close as you say then no doubt your father is on his way back with Daeron as we speak.”
Aegon’s eyes lowered again and filled with tears. Baelor did not stop.
“And even if I could convince your father and the court, he struck the King’s grandson. A prince. The blood of the dragon. It would be a miracle of speech that even I have not yet achieved for him to not have some sort of punishment. The last person to do that lost the offending limbs. There are lesser punishments but they are hardly better. Ser Duncan cannot afford a fine, Aegon. The pillory then if he was lucky.”
“But that’s not fair!” Aegon screwed up his hands. The tears were running down his cheeks now. A child, Baelor thought. A child who is about to learn how the world works.
“It is not,” he conceded. “But it is reality.”
Aegon stamped his foot. “You’re no better than Father then. He always takes Aerion’s side too.”
“I’m not taking Aerion’s side, Aegon I am simply informing you of the facts. Fact’s you need to learn”
Aegon wiped his nose on his sleeve angrily. “Ser Duncan is better then all of you,” he said more miserably then viciously.
“Then you have done him a great disservice.” Baelor allowed his voice to rise slightly. “Even if we put aside your foolishness with the puppeteer how long did you think you could continue this ruse? What did you think was going to happen when someone found out hmm? How were you going to explain to the king that you simply ran off with a hedge knight after he’s sent half the kingdom out looking for you?”
Aegon didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. Baelor knew he had no answer, that he had not thought that far ahead.
“You are a prince, Aegon. You have- ”
The door swung open. Maekar was still wearing his travelling cloak, his hair so normally perfect was slightly askew.
“Would it kill you to knock, brother?” Baelor sighed. He had hoped for more time before his brother returned, to finish his talk with Aegon at least.
Maekar opened his mouth to speak when he caught sight of Aegon, still with a face full of angry shameful tears. He rushed towards him and scooped him into his arms, kissing the boy in relief. “Thank the gods,” Maekar murmured. “When Daeron said… I thought you might be dead.” They stayed like that for a while till Maekar’s relief had settled enough for his mind to turn back to anger and confusion. He stood up, throwing his travelling cloak over a chair and trying to straighten out his hair.
“What the fuck is going on? Wate kept going on about a hedge knight and Aerion and a puppeteer.”
“I trust you found Daeron, brother?”
“What- oh yes exactly where I expected him. Stop avoiding the question.”
Baelor smiled slightly. Affection for his brother placing it on his lips without his consent as if this same brother wasn’t about to make everything far more difficult then it had to be.
“Aerion, attacked a puppeteer. A hedge knight came to her defence.”
“I’m sure Aerion had good reason.”
Baelor raised his eyebrows but Aegon opened his mouth to speak and Baelor immediately raised his hand. It would be easier to try and talk sense into his brother himself then with Aegon there.
“Perhaps we should return to a different matter.” He gestured at Aegon. “What did Daeron tell you happened?”
“That a giant robber knight stole Aegon.”
“And you believe him?”
Maekar glowered at Baelor. He didn’t, not truly, however much his desperate need to almost convinced him of it.
“That’s not true Father!” Aegon cut through the silence, pulling at his father’s tunic slightly to get his attention. “Nobody stole me, I went off on my own and Daeron was too drunk to notice.”
“And where have you been then?”
Aegon ducked his head, as if he had suddenly truly realised what he had done. “I was with Ser Duncan Father,” he said quietly.
“Ser Duncan? Does he mean that massive hedge knight who walked in on us yesterday?”
Baelor nodded reluctantly as Maekar began to put things together.
“I am guessing Ser Duncan is also the hedge knight that attacked Aerion?”
Baelor nodded again.
“So this hedge knight has stolen one of my sons and attacked another. And he was spying on us-”
“No Father!”
“No what? That he didn’t attack Aerion. There were witnesses, Aegon.”
“He didn’t steal me Father, I followed him. I asked him to take me on as his squire, he didn’t know who I am. I told him my name was Egg.”
“Egg?”
“It’s what Aemon calls me.”
Maekar stared at the boy and pulled himself a chair. He examined Aegon closely. The boy had a stubborn glint in his eye now. Stubborn and defiant.
“If you really did run off with this hedge knight then that means you have been here at Ashford Meadow, running around playing smallfolk while your uncle and I have been sat here sick with worry and it did not occur to you to come find us.”
“I’m sorry, Father.” Aegon voice was quiet and timid but he did not bow his head in shame. “But you wouldn’t of let me.”
Maekar leaned forward. “No. Of course I would not have let you. What if someone found out? You could have been killed.”
“I just wanted to be someone’s squire, Father. I just wanted to go to the tourney.”
“I do not know why you are so determined to protect this Hedge Knight, Aegon. But I refuse to believe you could be so foolish, nor does it excuse his attacking Aerion.”
“I’m not lying! And he was protecting Tanselle, Aerion attacked her first, he broke her finger Father!” Aegon was shouting now, his voice high and shrill and tight in his desperation.
“I believe Aegon is telling the truth, brother,” Baelor intercepted before Maekar could respond. It was getting out of hand and the last thing he needed was Aegon pushing Maekar too far. It was too late.
“Of course you do. You and your perfect sons, you cannot imagine what I have to deal with,” he snarled. And your living wife. It was left unsaid but Baelor heard it all the same. Maekar turned sharply back to Aegon. “And you will stop lying to me Aegon, or I will take you over my knee.”
Aegon stamped his foot. The tears had returned as well, anger and frustration spilling out of him.
“You never believe me!” he half sobbed half yelled and as if it had only just occurred to him to say it he added “Mother would have believed me.” He jutted out his bottom lip in defiance and stepped out of his father’s reach.
Maekar let out a growl somewhere deep in his chest. Baelor could see him trying to work out how to respond without letting Aegon know that the words had hit home.
“I think we are all very tired,” Baelor tried to keep his voice calm and measured. “Perhaps we should come back to this after we’ve had a rest and before we say something we regret.” He directed the last part at Aegon who didn’t move, still glaring at his father.
“It was unkind to use your mother like that, Aegon,” he pressed. Baelor leaned forward trying to catch Aegon’s attention, to silently communicate that he should make peace before he made things worse for Ser Duncan. “You should apologise to your father.”
Aegon turned to look at Baelor. He was too angry to see.
“I am sorry, Father. I’m sorry you’re too stupid to see the truth.”
The three of them moved at once. Aegon sprinted out of the room before his father’s angry hands could catch him while Baelor but his arm against his brother’s chest to stop him.
Foolish boy. Foolish child.
He had known he was unlikely to sway his brother in the matter of Aerion but he had hoped he’d be able to persuade him of Aegon’s story, that whatever Ser Duncan had done to Aerion he had looked after Aegon with kindness when Aegon was most vulnerable and let it temper him. The moment was gone. Now he had to pray Ser Duncan would win a trial by combat.