The Death of War

Chapter 19

I know that in the books Aegon III is about 9 when the war started and in the show he is much younger, so I kind chose the middle ground. In this story Aegon is 6. And no, I don't hate Baela, but she is a teenager so she is acting like one.

We finally get Jace's POV and see a bit of what he is feeling. Rhaenyra and Daemon talk about their children. There is a time jump and we get Otto's POV and see how things are going in Kings Landing. I hope you guys like it. 🥰

He had been a prince, the heir to the iron throne, with the world at his feet. He had always known that he was not Laenor Velaryon's son, but he had been a Targaryen and a dragon rider. People had always whispered behind his back and called him a bastard, but he had learned to ignore the whispers. Most of the whispers had come from the green queen and her family, including his uncles. The past few years they had lived in Dragonstone had been ideal, until his grandsire's death. Everything had gone badly after that, it was a miracle that his mother had not lost the babe, but they had all lost Lucerys. His little brother had been killed while on a peace mission and now he and Joffrey had been declared bastards.

Jace had always loved his mother, she had loved him and sacrificed for him and his brothers since they were born. But now all he could feel every time he saw her was anger and resentment. His mother should have been smarter, she should have never married Laenor and she should have known better than to have children with a man so different from her. Jace had lost both his fathers and now it felt like he had lost his mother too. He was no longer a Targaryen or a Velaryon, but a Rivers, a bastard from the Riverlands. People in Dragonstone still treated him with respect, but Jace did not feel the same. He had nothing, he had gone from having the world at his feet to having nothing in just a few minutes.

"Can you train with me?" Jace's eyes snapped up and he saw Aegon standing in front of him. His little brother was holding a sparing sword and giving him a hopeful look. "Papa is busy and Viserys is with the maester because he got in trouble."

Jace stood up and bowed. "Your grace."

"Why are you calling me that?" Aegon frowned. "And why are you bowing?"

"You are the heir to the throne." Jace shrugged and sat back down. "And I am a bastard."

"You are my brother," Aegon said like that was all the explanation that was needed. "I do not care what name you are called, you are Jace, just Jace."

"Aegon, I do not think your mother and father will want you to speak to me."

"She is your mother too and that is not true." Aegon appeared confused. "Mama and Papa said that nothing had changed, you and Joff are still part of our family and our brothers. That is all that matters."

"When did mother talk to you about this?"

"A few moons ago." Aegon sat beside him on the ground. "They explained to us that I was now the heir to the throne and they explained why."

Jace wanted to hate his brother, Aegon now had everything that had been his. He looked at the six name day boy, but could not hate him. Aegon was not at fault for everything that had happened or the decisions their mother had made. Aegon, Viserys, and Visenya were as much his siblings as Joffrey was.

"I do not want to be king." Jace looked at the small boy again, who just kept talking. "I want to fly across the narrow sea and have adventures."

"Maybe one day you will be able to." Jace ruffled the boy's hair, making him smile. "If you do not want to be king then Viserys can be king."

"Maybe you could go with me?" Aegon's face became excited. "We could fly across the narrow sea together and see all the great wonders."

"I would like that." Jace smiled at his little brother. He enjoyed Aegon's innocence, his little brother did not look at him any differently. "Let us spar then."