Chapter 5: Chapter 4: The Start To The Rise Of The Blackfyres
2 years later
282 AC
"Mother, we should join this war." Eli proclaimed to the uneasy Antasa on the opposite side of the desk.
Many might look at this from the past as very bold of Eli however he had in fact thrown away the in-law a while ago much to the shock of those pesky time travelers since their bond had resulted in Antasa allowing him to call her mother.
"Though I agree that this rebellion is perfect to get those dirty Targaryens out of the iron throne. I refuse to work with the bastards who took my Maelys away from me!" Antasa held firm in the opposing stance that perfectly rivaled Eli's.
"I apologize grandmother, but father's right." A child-like voice peered into the room as the sight of both shifted to Aegon who stood on both feet contrary to the past where he appeared to always be nestled in his mothers arms.
His figure didn't seem to even try to replicate his age as his appearance showed to be at least four as his monstrous growth showed his relation to Maelys.
"My little fire star, not right now but later-"
"No." Aegon tried to hold firm but it only made him appear that much cuter to his grandmother's as her eyes dazzled at the sight of him puffing his cheeks.
"SOOOOO CUTE~" Atasa shireked out making Aegon pale, he tried to retreat only to have his means of escape cut off by Atasa's embrace.
"Fa-Father!" Aegon held out his hand to Eli who only pinched his cheek in return.
"Why aren't you keeping your mother company?" Eli gently lectured Aegon since the child had been assigned to be by his mother Viressa.
"Because I wanted to let her rest." Aegon tried to make it seem like he didn't care but his actions differed upon not being able to meet their saddened eyes.
Viressa's health hadn't gotten better but only seemed to worsen as time passed, Aegon being the grown man he knew he was in his soul tried not to care for this new mother of his.
However time sews old festering wounds as slowly but surely, Viressa slithered her way into Aegon's cold lifelessly heart resulting in some color returning to it.
So much so in fact that after a year, he had completely succumbed to the loving smile always shining down onto him whether it be his mother or father.
Now relishing in the sweet nectar of parently love, Aegon didn't seem happier but to the surprise of many, more displeased.
This stemmed from having to watch his new loving mother slowly wither away before him as he became powerless in any efforts to diverge her fateful reality.
Turning to his father, he at first expected him to be a sort of deadbeat since he had only grown up around male figures that acted like so but instated his father, Eli, became her pillar while holding firm in the belief she would get better.
This single act made Aegon not only appreciate Eli as his new father but greatly respect him as a man.
"Grandmother, father's right." Aegon used this chance to capture their attention after capturing their emotions.
"My darling fire star-"
"Listen grandmother! If those Targaryens are on my throne then once they are abdicated then I can easily take it back from whoever sits on it!" Aegon clasped his grandma's cheeks, maneuvering her slightly wrinkled face to look him dead in the eyes.
Aegon wasn't an idiot and could decipher after many eavesdroppings of conversations of what his family wanted of him.
It wasn't much but it was enough to go on after understanding his family's legacy which he only learned because Eli's was being taught it and the father decided to bring Aegon there to give Viressa a break from time to time.
In the land of Westeros in which his family so desperately wanted, there used to exist a house shrouded in mystery and infamy, known as House Blackfyre.
His ancestor born from bastard blood, had their lineage forever stained, forever marked by their illicit origins for the failure of the famous Blackfyre rebellion.
And yet, they dared to rise above their ignoble beginnings, adopting a name borrowed from a sword that had never rightfully belonged to them.
From a third party perspective, Aegon saw how much they craved a place of power, yearning for a throne that was never destined to be theirs.
But this was only natural for humans especially their greed because Aegon too had eaten a piece of the pie and fully understood that after you eat you just want more.
Aegon learned throughout the annals of history, House Blackfyre had become a symbol of failure, a tale of repeated defeats and shattered dreams.
Though not keen on the so-called 'Iron Throne' Aegon was interested in the idea that followed the thought of power, war.
The desire to fight had only diminished slightly with his small age but that didn't mean it disappeared.
No, it only made Aegonmore curious and excited at the possibility of being able to let loose in these wars.
However maybe it is due to the age of his body or temperament after experiencing the warmth of something other than another's blood.
Aegon seemed not as bloodthirsty and hungry for battle like he was previously which he didn't know if it was a good thing or bad, only time would tell this tall tale.
"Where did you learn such big words?" Eli didn't even hide the fact he himself didn't take him seriously, rubbing his white hair while thinking with every passing year, his son seemed to gain more and more intelligence though in the end a father sees his child as just that.
"Books." Aegon's lame excuse only served to make both of them laugh.
"Alright my adoring grandson, I'll consider it only if you go back to keep your mother company." Antasa rubbed Aegon's pouting face and after a while of thinking of the proposal, he nodded.
"Fine." Aegon grunted and it was only then did Antasa let him go.
"You better consider it!" Aegon tried to be menacing only to make Antasa want to squeeze his cheeks even more.
"We will." Eli wasn't going to let this opportunity slip and answered for Antasa as Aegon slipped out of the crevasse he himself caused in the doorway.
"Mother, our darling Aegon is right. If we want to set him up to his rightful claim we must first get rid of those who would try to pry it from him." Eli, who usually never said such words, conveyed bloodthirsty intentions to Antasa who remained silent.
"Are there words of the dragon egg?" Antasa side-eyed Eli who smiled slightly.
"I have some leads but they all end in the north." Eli hinted as Antasa's eyes shook violently.
"And you're sure?" Antasa pushed closer only to see Eli raise his hands.
"I've only heard some whispers of a mysterious white egg beyond the wall but the night watch is known for over exaggerating stories which is why I want to investigate it." Eli said with a troubled expression.
Antasa remained silent as she deeply started to contemplate this matter, she deeply hated the bertaherons however she would throw this deep hatred away if it meant Aegon could have a dragon egg.
"Take a thousand men with you." Antasa's agreement washed Eli's troubled expression away in the form of a smile.
"Yes-"
"And don't die or I'll go to the underworlds, bring you back here, then kill you myself." Antasa threatened yet Eli's hearty laugh resounded as a response.
"Of course, I wouldn't dream of leaving Aegon alone with only you-Ow!" Before he could finish his joke, Eli rubbed his shoulder from the direct punch of the mighty Antasa.
Nearby in the hallway, Aegon was walking back to his mother's quarters until two figures appeared on the other side of his vision.
'You got to be sh*ttin me-'
"AEGON!"
Aegon immediately frowned at the perpetrator of this voice, it wasn't the smiling man known as Santino but instead the girl standing at his waist.
"Uncle." Aegon greeted Santino, completely ignoring the girl.
"Hey buddy." Santino waved at his nephew with the girl at his hip suddenly having her expression darken.
"You little sh*t!" The girl growled, angrily starting her run towards Aegon who frowned in response.
This fierce girl who had long black hair with a single white stripe running down the growing locks was his unruly cousin Beatrice though his nickname for her was the simple Bee.
Because she incessantly buzzed like one, in Aegon's own words.
*CLAP*
"Why didn't you greet me!" Bee angrily inquired, though instead punching Aegon twice both her hands were suddenly held by the supposed victim of the attack.
Their arms shook violently as they each tried to push upon each other to gain the upper hand, Bee should have had the slight advantage as she was in fact two years older than Aegon however his monstrous figure seemed to try and combat this obvious two year advantage.
*Sigh*
"I'm going to give my greetings to your mother Aegon while you too hash this out." Santino sighed, ignoring this confrontation like it has happened plenty of times in the past as he walked into the room which held his sister.
'Why is she so strong!' Aegon gritted his teeth, his convusing at the sight of his arms starting to give way letting Bee's bloodthirsty smile only widen.
Beatrice not only harbored blackfyre blood but also had previous ancestors of valyrian descent which only highlighted the Blackfyre blood coursing through her veins in the form of the clear white stripe in her hair.
"Stop resisting and let me teach you a lesson!" Bee angrily commanded though weirdly her eyes seemed to slightly show joy in watching Aegon's weak protest against her.
"Dammit!" Aegon let out being the first to relinquish his grasp to then leaping backwards.
"Ha, I won!" Bee didn't charge forward and instead held firm in her victory.
"You most certainly did not-"
"Did too." Bee didn't let Aegon weasel his way out of his defeat and proclaimed again.
"DID NOT!" Aegon gave into his child-like nature and shouted back.
"DID TOO!"
"DID NOT!"
"DID TOO!"
"DID NOT-"
"Aegon?" A familiar and harmonious voice broke their argument as Aegon recognized it as his mother calling.
"This isn't over." Aegon squinted knowing this would only be one of the first bouts of their many future battles to come and in response to this clear threat, the child known as Bee held out her tongue and followed him into the room.
"Mother?" Aegon peered along with Bee to the side of the door to see Viressa's severely weakened state.
Her skin showed no life whatsoever,the pale white skin could be compared to that of a corpse yet it defied these comparisons with the radiating heat coming off of it though only barely.
The bags under her eyes seemed to droop whilst holding the pain and the passage of each passing year within them.
"Are you fighting again?" Viressa raised an eyebrow, not gazing at the older one but surprisingly the younger one though Bee stepped forward in defense.
"No we weren't fighting." Bee shook her head, not wanting to upset Viressa since she knew how weak she was, causing Aegon to nod in agreement.
Viressa chuckled along with Santino who's gaze showed immense sadness though tried his best to mask it with that poor excuse of a smile.
"Beatrice, let's go and visit your great aunt now." Santino walked over to Bee and grabbed her small hand.
Proceeding to give way to the mother and son willingly rather than delaying them anymore.
"Fine." Bee pouted, willingly leaving with her father though still managed to glare at Aegon who briskly ignored her.
"How was your nap mother?" Aegon inquired, crawling onto her bend as Viressa held out her hands to take him swiftly into her embrace.
"Better than ever-"
*Cough*
*Cough*
"Mother?" Aegon raised his head but Viressa dissuaded his knowing expression with the thin waving of her small hands.
"I'm fine darling." Viressa continued in her stance to dissuade the young Aegon worries yet to no avail.
"But your-"
"Shhhhhhhhhh, later." Viressa knew that her son wasn't as naive as other children and tried to change the topic to which she succeeded.
Aegon relinquished all worries as Viressa held him softly into her embrace, and as he obediently remained quiet.
His curiosity once again peaked at seeing the scars on the palm of her hand as it petted his white hair that showed such eerie resemblance to one another.
"Mother, why do you have so many cut wounds on your palm?" Aegon asked since he knew a knife wound when he saw one.
"This? It's because of magic." Viressa said with wonder filling her voice yet Aegon only remained deadpanned.
"Uh huh." Aegon instead of pushing forward into the mysterious wonder of magic most children would die to question, he instead rested his head back into Viressa's embrace only to make her pout.
"I'm serious Aegon!"
"Sure mother, whatever you say."
*Hmph*
"Then I'll just show you." Viressa didn't give up on her pouting expression and lightly bit her finger.
"What are you doing-" Aegon widened his eyes watching his mother purposely make a wound only to become shell shocked.
"See, I wasn't lying." Under his mother's confident smile, the finger that had some blood dripping from it suddenly twirled a small amount of wind.
Aegon, shocked beyond the realm of disbelief, saw something that would forever change his life as the wind swirling before his very eyes would set him down a path of power, none the likes have seen before.
"Mother! Can I do this!?!?!" Aegon stood up as Viressa chuckled.
"Well you are my son, so yes!" Viressa nodded as a new thirst for power that extended outside the world of martial arts started its path to consume him.
"Teach me!"
"Ok!"
This single exchange led Aegon spending every waking moment for the next week with his mother.
Viressa, Eli, and Antasa all became delighted at Aegon sticking tightly next to Viressa since they all knew it wouldn't be long before these happy times would forever stale.
"Eli~"
"It's only for a year or two." Eli knelt next to the whining Viressa who complained slightly upon hearing Eli would be heading to assist in the rebellion verging on Westeros.
"Promise me you'll come back." Viressa rubbed her dear Eli's soft cheek as the latter gave that notorious cocky smile.
"Only if you're here to wait for me." Eli then leaned, his lips charging in front to kiss Viresssa as Aegon rolled his eyes from the side.
"Should I leave or-ack!"
"Come here you!" Eli grabbed Aegon who purposely held himself to the side as they all had a family hug.
"Hehehehe~" Viressa chuckled at having both her boys in her arms before the initiator broke it up just as it started.
"Alright, I'll be back soon." Eli kissed the heads of both Viressa and Aegon before making his way out the door though stopped at the doorway.
"Aegon." Eli suddenly seriously spoke, making Aegon also become serious since it was very rare for him to ever become anything except joyful.
"Look after your mother for me." Eli's words showed no hint of humor, Aegon clearly seeing this eagerly nodded his head.
"Yes father."
"Good! Love ya!" Eli chuckled out the door as both the mother and son rolled their eyes at jsut how fast the father changed his attitude.
Eli's smiling expression faded once his family disappeared from his sight, he might be fun loving but this time he couldn't spare a chuckle to this up and coming battle.
"Did you saw your farewell-"
"Temporary farewell." Eli corrected Antasa who slightly nodded.
"Hey." Antasa stopped Eli who side-eyed her.
"Don't die." Antasa once again told him off with a slight smile.
"I wasn't planning too." Eli then moved past her and onto the ships that would sail west.
"Santino?" Eli exclaimed seeing Santio also aboard the ships along with some of his pirate crew.
"What are you-"
"We saw the opportunity to strike at riches and couldn't help ourselves from grabbing a slice of the pie." Santio winked and wrapped his arm around Eli.
"What about Beatrice-"
"Her mom and I thought it would be good for her to spend some time here at the golden company like I did growing up." Santino interrupted Eli's question with an answer causing him to smile.
"Ha~" Eli rubbed his face though didn't deny the obvious actions.
"Then I guess we should set sail." Eli announced to everyone who cheered in reverence for the upcoming battles to come.
Twenty days later
The golden company led by Eli along with Santio's pirates arrived at the north though instead of docking to a welcoming party they were instead met by an army led by the man known to few as Ned Stark.
"State your purpose for docking illegally on my shores!" Ned cried out, draped head to toe in black while riding a pitch black horse.
Ned, the now young lord of Winterfell, couldn't be more surprised and angry after learning of this sudden arrival.
After immense grief and a gruesome journey back to the north to call his banner man to aid his brother Robert Batheron, he was then suddenly alerted of a force of ships about to dock at his shores.
Now before him stood a familiar sigil through his eyes that seemed to focus on a particular character that we would know as Eli.
"We surrender!" Eli held his hands up causing the men of the north including Ned stark to hesitate in shock.
"What-"
"We surrender!" Eli threw his sword overboard showing his intentions which continued to baffle the men of the north.
"Eli what the f*ck are you doing-" Santino urgently whispered though Eli interrupted him.
"I got this." Eli whispered back, walking forward without a shred of fear, unarmed, and towards a small army.
"A southerner?" Ned questioned, recognizing his distinct tan skin color letting Eli smile.
"Sort of." Eli smiled, as once he touched his feet to the ground below, did a swarm of swords immediately surround him.
"Wait." Ned stopped the coming bloodshed seeing the unwavering gazes on the ship that showed themselves to be the sigil of the golden company.
"What does the golden company want with the north?" Ned had some knowledge of this company that always seemed to rebel against the crown.
"What else do a bunch of sellswords do when a war takes place, of course fight!" Eli boisterously spoke his intentions causing many scoffs to resonate from the northerners.
Ned, still not convinced at Eli's intentions, remained silent before nodding his head causing the swords surrounding him to sheath.
"Yo'rer Eddard Stark correct? King of the north?" Eli asked and once he did a sad expression eclipsed his face.
"Unfortunately." A wave of sadness resonated in his eyes after recalling how he got this position.
"Then will the king of the north hear me out?" Eli inquired and Ned remained silent.
"Very well." Ned nodded though held firm when looking at the ships docking behind him.
"But only you."
"Eli! You can't be serious-"
"Deal." Eli stopped Santino screaming in protest after reading Red's lips from afar.
Half the men stayed to watch the ships while the other half, which consisted of Ned Stark and Eli, led them back to a nearby tent.
"We only have water, I apologize if it's not to your convenience." Ned remained polite in offering his guest a refreshment though the north couldn't afford luxuries like tea and if they could they wouldn't even bother with such a useless item.
"That's alright though thank you for your generosity." Eli exclaimed, taking the cup of water while not hesitating to drink it.
"What if I poisoned it?" Ned asked, seating himself across Eli who flinched.
"You poisoned it!" Eli said in horror, making Ned flinch at the convincing response.
"N-No!" Ned seeing his mistake tried to clear it up only to have Eli start laughing.
"Ned, I'm messing with you." Eli wiped away the tear forming to the right of his eyes causing Ned to smirk weirdly.
"You have a weird sense of humor." Ned slightly chuckled as well.
"You remind me of my mother in law." Eli leaned back as Ned couldn't stop his smile from widening.
"Oh? You are married?" Ned inquired as Eli showed a toothy smile.
"Yep! I also have a son, he's two, almost three." Eli's boisterous tone made Ned a little taken aback.
Instead of stopping, Eli continued while telling Ned all about his darling wife and son though leaving out the incriminating part like being Blackfyres.
*Ahem*
"I see you really love your family." Ned coughed causing Eli who was starting to describe his son's first steps to suddenly chuckle in realization.
"I apologize." Eli rubbed the back of his head causing Ned to hold up his hand to stop such a remark.
"No I understand, I will in time also come to adore my wife and I will most likely adore my children, so don't be sorry." Ned smiled, showing a different side from the usual cold expression he wore after hearing about that fateful day.
"Now let us get back to the topic of your visit." Ned's smile disappeared once the true meaning of this conversation came.
"I'm sorry to say but we don't have the funds to provide-"
"We can wait." Eli already saw this possibility and took a gamble making Ned shocked.
"What?" Ned wanted clarification to make sure he wasn't hearing wrong.
"The golden company will fight under your banner as long as you pay us once we succeed in dethroning the mad king." Eli's words were dangerous especially to a sellsword like himself.
This is why Ned was surprised since sellswords, especially from the golden company, never take a job without proof of payment or in the golden company's case a sure win.
The north barely had the food needed to feed the golden company much less pay them which is why it surprised him.
"I must talk with Robert and come to a decision with him." Ned saw the tempting proposition and decided to take it up with his close friend only to see Eli shake his head.
"You can talk to whoever you want but the only condition I have as the representative of the golden company is that we will fight under the banner of the north, not Robert Batheron." Eli's next words caused Ned to become furious at the implications.
"Are you saying I should-"
"No, what I am saying is that the golden company still holds a grudge from Ser Barristan Selmy slaying Maelys who in turn served the house batheron." Eli stopped Ned from going to a point he never intended to cross.
"Though I have convinced the leader of the golden company to participate in this profitable war they in turn gave me strict orders not to appear under Robert's banner." Eli leaned back in his chair as Ned started to calm down.
"Personally, I don't have any ill will towards house batheron however that was the only way I could convince them to agree." Eli shrugged as Ned slowly started to sit back down.
"Then why did you convince your leader?" Ned squinted as Eli smiled, pinching two fingers together.
"Money of course, if the golden company helps Robert become king then we would receive a king's rewards for our efforts." Eli lied though it somewhat convinced Ned who understood the meaning.
If victorious, Robert would most definitely reward the people who aided him at the start and that was what Eli aimed for, or at least that's what he aimed for at the surface.
Because in fact, his motives weren't all that pure at least to Ned's standards, you see dethroning the Targaryens would make it so much easier for his son later on.
Since it was easy to dethrone a king first of his line rather than a king seventeenth of his line.
"I still need to converse with him." Ned was firm in this standpoint but Eli didn't care and shrugged.
"Very well."
1 day later
"It is of no matter what banner they fight on as long as we rescue Lyanna." Robert shrugged off this supposed important message from his best and closest friend, Ned stark.
"Robert he-"
"Ned!" Robert suddenly shouted, making Ned flinch.
"We need as much man power to forcefully pry Lyanna from those inbred palms that hold her captive!" Robert walked forward, his stature not even resembling his future self as he showed immense physical prowess and youth along with a slim stomach.
"I understand your worries my friend but our house has never lost against those weak bastards and that won't change even now." Robert seriously held Ned down as the latter shook his head.
"Even still it shows hostility for your rule." These words were met with a scoff from Robert who turned away.
"You said this man named Eli was in charge of this right?" Robert inquired, causing Ned to nod.
"And you also said he doesn't have any issue with me becoming king, correct?" Robert presumed as Ned nodded.
"Then if we receive this support and are victorious then my houses image would greatly increase in his eyes." Robert sat in a chair as Ned widened his eyes at the repercussions of this good impression.
"This Eli must hold some semblance of power in the golden company to have even the leader give in, so as long as we succeed then his position would rise and-"
"The future of the golden company wouldn't show any distaste for house batheron since Eli would be on the top." Ned finished Robert's words as the latter smiled.
"Are you sure brother?" Ned asked once more and Robert shrugged, seeing no harm in Eli's actions.
"It matters not, if anything they will be helping you when I have more of a reason to reward the north for their contribution." Ned smiled at Robert's words.
"Besides, they probably hate those Targaryen bastards more than me, which is frightening." Robert joked as a hearty laugh resounded in the air.
"Then go tell those golden company bastards we accept." Robert waved Ned off who immediately rode to tell Eli of the news.
"Great!" Eli smiled after being informed his conditions were to be upheld.
"Then let the start of our cooperation start here." Eli stuck out his hand and Ned clasped it.
"To new beginnings and friendships." Ned smiled knowing they would have a better fighting force and a reputable organization having their backs.
"But most importantly to money!"
"....."
"....."
"PUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" x2
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