Chapter 9: Kingswood

Chapter Text

Aerion met Rhaenyra at the stables shortly after noon, and she was stroking the mare of a fine black stallion, she wore the same leathers she used when riding Syrax, and looked every bit a Targaryen doing so.

Her hair had been thrown back and tied, Aerion had decided on a simple white tunic and pair of black trousers, with his sword dangling from his belt.

Aerion walked over to the Princess, placing his hand on her lower back "You look as beautiful as ever, Princess, I do not know how you manage to do it." he smirked and as she turned, the stable master brought out another horse of the same, though it was as white as the snow up north, and its mare draped down its long neck, he felt blinded looking at it.

"Well isn't this one handsome, does it have a name?" he asked.

"He does not have a name, this one had just come from Highgarden, so I thought I'd give him to you as a gift before you leave." she smiled.

He wanted so badly to kiss her right there, and he would have had the stablemaster not been lingering around them.

"Perhaps you may give him one." She pulled herself up onto the horse, making herself comfortable on the saddle, and taking hold of the reins.

"Well, what should we name you, boy?" he said, stroking around the muzzle "Frost." he finally answered, for it was what the horse reminded him of, for only the snow atop the mountains of the Vale shined this bright.

Aerion stroked along the horse's back, to which it was startled at first, though calmed before he threw himself over the horse, resting easily on the saddle; he had experience riding horses in the Vale, having learned from his mother.

"I like it." she grinned "Now, let us get out of here before one of my fathers' Kingsguard decides I may need them to protect me." her horse set off quickly as she tugged at the reins, and kicked the horse with her heel, Aerion did the same, following on after her.

They travelled south of Kings' Landing along the Rose Road, many traders travelled along the route from the Reach to buy or sell goods, they came across a trader who was standing next to a broken-down carriage and appeared to have been robbed.

"You there! Would you be so kind as to help me?" he said, as he attempted to lift up one of the sack of grain that was previously on his carriage.

Aerion dropped down from the horse, and instructed Rhaenyra to wait as he walked over to the man "What happened?" he asked

"Bandits! That is what, boy, if you can not see." The man was extremely rude, and Aerion had half the mind to knock him on his arse "Come, help me already, I need this placed onto the back of my horse there." he said, practically throwing the sack into his hands.

"Alright, you miserable old cunt." he mumbled, surprised the man had no idea who they were, given their obvious features, though he may not have been paying enough attention to notice.

"What did you say, boy?" the man grumbled

"I called you a miserable old cunt." Aerion said, as he threw the sack over the back of the horse behind the saddle "There." he rolled his eyes, walking back to his horse and leaving the man.

"Just despicable.." the old man said as Aerion got back onto his horse, smirking at Rhaenyra "Shall we continue, my sweet?"

"We shall." Rhaenyra giggled, it took them under an hour to reach the Kingswood, and they set off along the path that led directly into the forest; it was quiet, with only the wind brushing against the trees.

They each removed themselves from their horses saddle and began to walk side-by-side each other, holding onto the reins and leading the horses, while his other hand rested on the pommel of his blade, looking out for any trouble.

At first, they did not speak a word to each other, Aerion was taking in the woodland's fresh air, looking up at the trees as they prevented the sun from hitting their skin, it wasn't until he left the city had he realised just how bad the smell was there.

Rhaenyra looked to him, and it was her who spoke the first words "Does Runestone have woods such as this?" she asked.

"Certainly not as grand; that is for sure, there is a large patch of forest between Snakewood and Coldwater, north of Runestone; though we do not go there often." he looked at her curiously "Have you never been to the Vale? I would have thought you had, considering your mother was an Arryn."

"We spent time there often before my father was named heir at the Great Council, but since then, I have only visited once with my mother on tour, and I was too young to even remember it." Aerion spotted a frown as she spoke of her mother "I do hope to visit the Eyrie again."

"I went there often as a child." Aerion continued "My grandfather, Yorbert, served as Lady Jeyne's regent and Protector of the Vale when she was young, and even after his death, Jeyne had become a good friend to me, and I loved to go there with my brother, Willam, there is nothing as spectacular and wonderful as the Eyrie."

"Your brother?..but you are Daemon's only son, did Lady Rhea have a bastard?" Aerion chuckled at her comment, much to the confusion of Rhaenyra.

"No…not at all, Willam is my cousin, but we grew together, and trained together." Aerion stated "It was blood that made us cousins, but it was our own choice that made us brothers."

"Oh, I understand." she said "So..tell me, how would you know the Eyrie is the most magnificent place in this world, if you've never left the Vale until now?" she giggled, and he joined her.

"I just know, princess."

"Come, I want to show you something, this is why we have gone this way." she beckoned him as she led him off the path, and Aerion patted Frost on the neck to ease him.

"We should not go off the beaten path, princess, what if we were to get lost?" he asked, looking back at the path as they had got further away from it, gripping tighter onto his blade.

"Then it just means we'll have more time together as you get us unlost." she smirked, and they travelled through the trees before reaching a clearing, there was a small waterfall that connected with a great lake.

They each tied their horses to the tree using the reins, and she grabbed his hand tightly, leading him closer towards the waterfall.

It was not as grand as the waterfalls that scattered the coast near to his home, Runestone, however there was never a beautiful princess standing beside him, so it beats them all in comparison.

She let go of his hand, and stepped closer to the waterfall, Aerion removed the sheath from his belt and placed it against one of the many rocks that scattered the lake "This is beautiful, Princess, just like yourself, how did you come across it?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and stomach from behind.

"When my mother had passed, I couldn't remain in the keep, not near all the vultures who sought to replace her so soon after her death, and I stumbled upon this." A tear fell from her eyes, and Aerion planted a small peck on her neck before placing his chin on her shoulder.

"Sorry, Rhaenyra, you should know, that when word reached the Lords and Ladies of the Vale about the passing of the beloved Queen Aemma, we all mourned her." he could tell his words brought her great comfort, placing her hands atop of his.

"Lady Jeyne called a great feast in her memory, and that of your brother, Baelon..everyone attended." he said, smiling "she was loved by all, just as you will be when you ascend the throne."

"Your words move me deeply, Aerion." she spun around to face him, placing her hand over his heart as he cupped her neck with his hands, wiping away the tears that had formed "I wish you did not have to leave me, the court will not be the same without you by my side."

"I will return before you know it, where we will both go to Dragonstone together, and do as our ancestors did." he smirked "Besides, I have learned time flies when in Kings' Landing, and no doubt it will for you."

Rhaenyra gave him a cheeky grin in response as her hands slivered down over his stomach and she tugged at his belt, he raised a brow "Right here?" he said, scanning the area for a moment, anyone could appear out of nowhere.

"Well, it is a better place than any." she said "and besides, where is your sense of adventure." he could not help but chuckle at her comment, he would never have guessed the princess to recommend such a place.

"You are right; there is no one here to interrupt me from taking you." he whispered "Not the maids, or your father, and especially that bitch of a queen." he gripped tightly onto her waist

 "Just me and you, creating the future king." he received a smirk, as she moved to unbuckle his belt.

"The future king, you say?" she giggled "And how do you know it won't be a girl, hm?" 

"Oh it could be, though I bet on a boy." 

"Is that so?" she replied "Well, you are very lucky I like to feel you inside me." she dropped his belt on the grass, and leaned upwards towards him to bite at his bottom lip, causing a small cut.

"Well that is not very nice princess, a wise man might have half the mind to deny you what you clearly want." he smiled smugly at her, running his hands down the claps of her riding coat, unclasping them one by one "I am not a wise man, for I cannot seem to deny myself the realm's delight." 

He lowered his eyes as her coat was removed, she was so brave as to not wear anything underneath, and her body looked like an absolute snack with her breasts being the main attraction.

Aerion cupped them both and gave a tight squeeze "A delight, indeed." and he tilted his head, kissing down her neck to her smooth shoulders, giving her a nibble, causing her body to straighten.

She lifted his tunic, and he assisted her in pulling it over his head, and throwing it down onto the grass, shivering as her nails ran down his chest, planting small pecks with her lips on his skin as she worked her way down onto her knees.

He almost jumped out of skin as she ran over the bulge, gripping it tightly, looking up at him with a flirtatious smirk "It does not take much to please you, does it?" he felt his member wanting to escape as she gripped tighter as if she was trying to punish him.

She moved to playfully untie the laces to his trousers as one would a present on their name day, though she annoyingly was taking her sweet time.

"You make it very hard not too.." She pulled down his trousers to his hips, along with his smallclothes, and his shaft sprang from its prison, almost whacking her in the face, causing him to chuckle.

"You might want to be careful, Princess, it would be a shame to go back to the keep with a bruise on your face." he imitated her voice "Father! Father! Aerion had the audacity to whack me with his cock, he has even bruised me!"

"Are you attempting to give mushroom a run for his coin?; it is his job to act the fool." she said, giving him a painful slap against his thigh, she must have anchored all her strength for it made Aerion flinch.

"Who in the seven hells is Mushroom?" he asked, though she ignored him, wrapping her soft and gentle hand around his member, taking her sweet lips and wrapping them around his tip, twirling her tongue around and causing him to let out a groan.

He heard a faint whimper as he ran his fingers through her hair, loosening it from its' braid and making the hair fall past her shoulders.

Aerion gripped onto a large bundle of her hair as she began to work her magic up and down his shaft, she tensed up for a moment, to which he softened his grip "Oh, that's it." he whispered faintly, under his breath "Where did such an innocent princess learn to pleasure a man." he smirked.

She released his member and looked up at him with a smirk of her own "Have you not viewed the tapestries in the Red Keep? Gifts from the free cities that reveal much when it comes to pleasuring a man."

She got back up onto her feet and ferociously met with Aerion's lips, causing a dance between their tongues, before pushing him down onto the grass "Our friends across the narrow sea appear to know a thing or two about pleasure." she then slipped off her breeches and boots.

"Well then, I am interested to know much more." he grinned, readjusting himself as she crawled her way up his body, her lips caressing his neck, and he slipped his hands around her body and planted them on her arse, fondling with her cheeks passionately "I hope you are looking forward to riding this dragon once more, Princess." he whispered "though I must say, I am more ferocious than Syrax."

She looked him in the eye, and he saw nothing but a purple ball of flame looking back at him "Well aren't you the charmer, I can't imagine what you say to whores." she giggled.

"You are mine now." he said "There never has and never will be any whores." there was spite in his tone, running his hand over her arse cheek, and softening his voice "Only you; I swear it, by the old gods."

Their lips caught each other once more, and he wished they could stay in that moment for an eternity, with the wind brushing against the trees and the water crashing down into the lake to disturb them.

He flipped her over, chuckling as he pinned her down, tightly holding her wrists and caging her in, violently kissing and nibbling at her neck "Aerion…" she whispered faintly, and he worked his way down her body, planting small pecks down to her stomach.

"dāria ñuha.." he murmured in their ancient tongue, gaining her attention as she looked down at him "It is time I pleasured you.." he said, as he retained eye contact while his mouth met her core, he heard her faint pleas as he twirled his tongue in a circular motion.

Her hand gripped onto his hair, and he pulled away, looking up at her, growling animalistically at her "take me.." she whispered "I wish for a dragon.." causing him to smirk.

Aerion rose up to his knees, tugging at her legs and pulling her towards him, leaning down and planting a few more kisses on her stomach.

"A dragon it was you shall get, my love." he spoke, as they intertwined their fingers as he looked down at her, pressing forward slowly, pushing through her entrance, sending her almost over the edge, she spread her legs further, allowing him easier access.

She cried out in pleasure, as he let out a final groan, releasing his seed into her, and pulling out sharing a kiss with her before throwing himself by her side, worn out from the action, he could feel her warm breath against the skin of his neck as she turned on her side and extended her arm across his stomach.

"You declared your love for me." she said, and he turned his head and brush his hand across her fringe, sharing another kiss with her.

"We are to marry…the moment I accepted, I declared my love…" he mustered the energy to rise from the grass, and pulled up his breeches, lacing them back up "Our son will know that his parents loved each other." he smirked, viewing her one last time before she dressed, with him assisting her.

"It is not too late." Rhaenyra said with haste "We can leave now, I can take you to Dragonstone and make us man and wife upon Syrax." He held Rhaenyra's hand, and led her back towards the horses.

"I need some time, Princess." he responded, smiling softly "To put my affairs in order back home, then when I return to the capital, we will wed." he ran his hand across the horse's back "Back to reality, for now…"

"We can always return." she said, and Aerion assisted in lifting her up onto her horse, and he could see the discomfort on her face "Gods, what have you done to me, my love?" she giggled "the grass, it seems, does not do well for the back, how I long to lay in my bed."

"Well, I will do that to you as often as you may like, Princess." he smirked "Come, let us return to Kings' Landing before his grace decides to send out the kingsguard to come searching for you." he replied, lifting himself up knot his own horse, and they set off back to the path.

The Red Keep, Kings' Landing

Two hours later…

There was much commotion as Rhaenyra and Aerion returned into the Red Keep, and they made haste towards the great hall, believing the king may have noted their disappearance and had everyone looking for them.

However, they soon learned by Ser Erryk, one of the seven kingsguard, that the crowds of people were all headed to the same place they were, as Ser Cristan Cole had been called to the great hall to answer for his actions at last night's wedding feast.

They each entered the hall, and each side had been filled with nobles, and they made their way down the aisle towards the throne itself, positioning themselves beside Laenor on the left, along with the Velaryons, Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.

Aerion had been surprised to not see the Lady Laena, or Daemon present for this gathering, and he noted a raised eyebrow from Princess Rhaenys as they shared eye contact with each other, was she perhaps suspecting something?

"King Viserys of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm." Ser Harold Westerling, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, had announced the entrance of his uncle.

Everyone bowed their heads as Viserys made his way down the aisle, with his hand, Lyonel Strong, beside him, as a faithful servant would be, the king made his way up the steps, with the Valyrian sword, Blackfyre, being used as a walking stick.

It bugged Aerion how such a blade had ended up in the hands of a King that did not know how to use it, a sword that had so much history and had been in the hands of true battle-hardened kings, was reduced to a walking stick.

Viserys planted himself down onto the Iron Throne, and it was Lord Lyonel Strong, who stood at the base of the throne, who began to speak "Lords and Ladies, we are gathered in the great hall to bare witness to the trial of Ser Criston Cole of the Kingsguard, who dishonoured himself at the wedding feast, where he attacked another knight of the realm, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, Sworn shield to the future king consort, Ser Laenor Velaryon, and Heir to Driftmark."

Criston Cole was brought through the side doors that led to the dungeons, he had been stripped of his armour, and reduced to rags, and iron shackles were strapped to his wrists with two of his fellow kingsguard escorting him.

He was placed in front of the King, and the two kingsguard stood back to give him space "Ser Criston, you have been brought before his grace, King Viserys I Targaryen, to answer for your crimes, you may make your case before him."

"Your grace…" he bowed "My lord hand." he knelt down onto one knee, then to them both, looking down at the floor beneath him "I have served as Knight of Kingsguard faithfully…and nobly, and it has been an absolute honour to do so." 

The disgraced knight looked to Rhaenyra "When I was chosen, it was the highest honour my house had ever known,, and all I have done is keep the heir, Princess Rhaenyra, safe as her sworn protector."

Rhaenyra returned his gaze with disgust, turning her head away from him and looking at the crowd of nobles.

"You have indeed served nobly, Ser Criston." the king spoke "From the moment you dourned on your white cloak, but that does not remove you from punishment, speak plainly as to why you attack a knight of House Velaryon."

"It was for the Princess, your grace." The court erupted into whispers and murmurs, though Aerion crossed his arms, prepared to listen, "It was my belief that the princess's honour and virtue had been brought into question by the night, Ser Joffrey, your grace."

"Do explain further, Ser Criston." the Hand shouted.

"He had approached me while I was on watch, and though he did not say it boldly, I was under the impression he was insinuating the Princess's maidenhood had been spoiled, and as such, I acted accordingly to the law, he committed treason against the crown."

"This is a lie!" Laenor protested "this man claims to be honourable, yet sets out false accusations, Joffrey would not do such a thing!" 

"SILENCE!" Lyonel Strong demanded, as the crowd's mumbles became too loud to bear, and then not even a whisper could be heard "Ser Criston, you must understand this is a serious accusation, do you have anyone who may be able to speak on your behalf?"

"I do not, Lord Hand, I -" the knight was interrupted as noise from the crowd picked up once more, everyone turning to face the entrance into the great hall, Aerion had a clear smirk on his face as Alicent made her way through, arriving the same as she did for the feast, fashionably late.

"I will speak for Ser Criston." she said, making her way down the steps and towards the throne, she and Rhaenyra shared a look that could only be described as pure hatred for one another; she made her way up the steps of the Iron Throne, and stood beside the king, whispering into his ear.

Aerion slowly stepped towards the throne, his hands clasped behind his back as the King made his sudden judgement "the Queen has decided to rid Ser Criston of any punishment, and is hereby removed from Princess Rhaenyra's service, and is to enter the service to the Queen." 

"My king, surely he should face some punishment, House Velaryon wants his head!" Laenor screamed in anger, who then attempted to move towards Ser Criston, and lunge for him, to which Aerion stopped him in his tracks, holding him back and whispering in his ear.

"Choose your battles, and calm yourself before you anger the king." he tapped him on the side of the head "He will get what is coming to him eventually, this I promise."

If there were no signs of the King being a weakling beforehand, there were certain doubts now, if only it was him who had sat on that throne, then Cristons head would be  on a spike lining Maegor's Holdfast, their strength will return when it is his son who sits the throne, and not these weaklings.

"The matter has been decided, Ser Laenor, do be lucky I am not going to be questioning your sworn shield on matters concerning the comments about my daughter." the king spoke, making his way down the steps of the throne.

Laenor calmed himself after hearing the comments made by Aerion, though pushed his way out of Aerion's arms and stormed out of the room, not wanting to say anything more that he may regret.

Criston had his shackles removed and the Queen ushered him away with her quickly.

"Pathetic…" he mumbled, as the king made his way out of the great hall, with the Velaryons soon to follow, until it just remained him and Rhaenyra, and he stepped in front of the throne, looking up the steps and smiling.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him, and he turned his head to her.

"I am thinking about how our son is going to be the greatest king Westeros has ever seen." he smirked.

"Oh? And am I not going to be great?" she teased.

"I said King, you will make the finest queen, my love." 

"What are we going to do about this?" she worried, biting her tongue.

"We will be patient…"