A Trout Walks With The Dragon

Aegon Was Walking The Tourney Grounds With Ser Arthur and Ser Garth, He Couldn't Stifle A Chuckle As He Watched His Prospective Hand Ridicule His Nephew's Skill With A Bow and A Sword. It Seemed To Be Rather Noticeable, Because The Two Stopped Bickering, and Edmure Looked Like Embarrassed and Furious That His Uncle Made Him Amusing To The King. "Lord Brynden, A Word If You'd Be So Kind?" Aegon Asks. "Someone's In Trouble..." Says Edmure Snidely, Earning A Backhanded Slap On The Back Of His Head. "You Watch That Mouth Of Yours Boy!" Brynden Warns His Nephew. "Ser Arthur, Be So Kind As To Give The Budding Lord Of Riverrun Instruction Of How To Shoot A Bow." Says Aegon. "Tell Me Something, Hindsight Being What It Was, Would You Have Married The Lady Of Rowan?" Asks Aegon Referencing The Fact His One-Time Betrothed Bethany Redwyne Was Now Bethany Rowan. "In Hindsight, It Would've Been Better For The Rebellion, But No, I Can't Say That I Would, Marriage and I Were Never Meant To Be." Says Brynden. "And Yet You've Five Bastard Children?" Asks Ser Garth. "Bastards In Name Only, They All Have Tully Blood In Their Veins." Says Brynden Proudly. "Your Eldest? How Old Is He Now?" Asks Aegon. "Ten." Says Brynden.

"Old Enough To Be Squired, Yet You've Not Given It To Him?" Asks Ser Garth. "Who's Going To Want The Bastard Son Of The Younger Brother Of The Aged and Dying Lord Of Riverrun?" Asks Brynden Plainly. "Then I Will." Says Aegon. "Your Grace, Even As A Tully Bastard He Is Still Of Low Birth." Says Brynden. "If Anyone Raises The Issue They Can Wipe Their Arses With Their Complaints." Says Aegon, Much To Brynden's Amusement. "What Will You Want In Return?" Asks Brynden. "You, As My Hand." Says Aegon. "Your Grace, I'm No Political Master, Granted I'm A Better Choice Coping Wise Than Lord Eddard, But We're Both Men Of Honor." Says Brynden. "I Don't Expect It To Be A Lengthy Role, But I Want You In Office At Least Until The Heir Is Born." Says Aegon. "Alright, I'll Do It, But You Have To Make Sure That Nephew Of Mine Doesn't Make A Mockery Of My House After I'm Gone." Says Brynden. "I Can't Promise, But I'll Certainly Try To Make Sure He Doesn't Meet Your Expectations." Says Aegon, Handing Him The Pin, Which Has Been Modified To Be Completely Silver, With The Outer Circle Being Mounted By A Golden Trout Inlaid With Silver. "Really?" Asks Brynden, To Which Aegon Shrugs Nonchalantly. "Find My Wife, The Pregnant One, and Tell Her Of Your Appointment and Ask Her To Bring You Up To Speed. For Now, I Aim To Ride On A Hunt In The Kingswood Before The Tourney Starts." Says Aegon.

Aegon, Ser Richard, Ser Garth, Ser Garlan Tyrell, Ser Kevan Lannister, and Ser Arys Oakheart Each Rode On Their Steeds and Hunted Down Their Quarry. Aegon Rode With Ser Garlan, While Ser Kevan and Ser Arys Rode With Ser Richard and Ser Garth Respectively. They Tracked Their Quarry To A Veritable Maze Of Trails. "Split Off, Ser Garlan and I Will Take The Center, Ser Kevan and Ser Richard Take The Right, Ser Arys and Ser Garth Take The Left." Says Aegon As His Party Disperses Along The Trails. "My Father Was Left Stumbling When You Married Your Aunt and The Baratheon Lass, He Still Has The Hope You Might Marry Again, In Spite Of Grandmother's Insistence You Won't." Says Garlan. "I Might, If The Mood Strikes Me, But Whether Or Not That Woman Is You Sister, Remains To Be Seen, Tell Your Father I Said That, Word For Word." Says Aegon. "Count On It." Says Garlan, As Aegon Holds A Hand Up. "Do You Hear That?" Says Aegon.

Garlan Looks Around A Tig Snaps Before The Two Are Surrounded By Brigands. "Well, Well, Looks Like We've Got Ourselves A King Boys." Says The Leader. "Not Likely." Says Aegon As He Hits The Nearest Brigand In The Face With The Pommel Of His Sword and Cuts His Head Off As He Stumbles Back. Sliding From His Horse, Aegon Engages The Next Man and Garlan Is About To Join In. "Get Help, I'll Handle This." Says Aegon, and Garlan Look's Briefly Conflicted, Before Riding Off. "That Was A Mistake, Two Highborn Lads Mens More Coin, One Means We Can't Have Much Fun." Says The Leader. "No, Just Makes Us Even." Says Aegon As He Pulls A Dagger From His Belt Throws His Sword Into The Tree Nearest and Pulls A Second Dagger From His Belt. "Recognise The Steel? It's Valyrian, Like Me, and Like Me, It's The Last Thing Your Ever Gonna See." Says Aegon As He Adopts Nym's Typical Dagger Stance, and Fights As His Cousin Does.

Aegon Sat Amongst Corpses and Cleaned His Blades and Sharpened His Sword. The Sound Of Many Hooves Stomping Forward Came To A Holt As Aegon, Looks Up, Finding His Lord Of Storm's End and What Appears Half Of The Tourney's Participants Behind Him. "Your Grace, Your Injured." Says Stannis. "Most Of It's Not Mine." Says Aegon Simply As He Lays His Back Against The Tree and Bumps His Head As He Looks Up and Breathes Before Letting His Body Sag. "Aegon!" Shouts A Frantic Voice. Turning and Opening His Eyes Halfway, He Finds Dany To His Left, Turning To His Right He Finds Myrcella, Earning A Chuckle and A Brief Tear. "We Should Ride To The Castle, Maester Jurne Should Be Able To Tend To His Wounds and Help Him Recover." Says Stannis. "Get Me A Wagon, I'm Exhausted and Can Barely Stand." Says Aegon As He Turns To Each Of His Brides and Barely Raises His Arms To Wrap Around Them. "Whatever Happens, We'll Do It Together." He Whispers To Them Both As They Clutch Him Tightly, Ignoring The Blood and Mud Covering Him.