THE GULLET

AEGON THE YOUNGER

Aegon understood what war meant. 

He was a young boy but he acknowledged that he and Viserys had to be separated from their parents and the rest of their siblings. They were the youngest of their mother's children. Everyone thought he was too childish for the truth, but Aegon knew.

That didn't mean he liked any of it. He already missed his muna and kepa, but he had to be strong for his younger brother, who clung onto his dragon egg with tiny hands. He could tell Viserys was frightened, his wide eyes drifting back to Dragonstone, even though their home was past the horizon.

Standing next to them was Hira, who smiled reassuringly, like the type of smile mother gave to them when nights were filled with thunder and storms.

"You'll like Pentos, little pebbles and the prince is kind, if not a little too round on the stomach and bald."

Viserys giggled when Hira tickled his stomach. Aegon chuckled at the sight. He was glad Hira was escorting them to Pentos rather than strangers. He always felt safe with her around, their elder sister in blood and everything in between.

Mandia's ship, the Sapphire Maiden, was large, sturdy and fast. It was busy, packed to the brim with warriors and Hira's closest kin. As always the Sapphire Guards were stationed next to their charge. Their blades sparkled in the sunlight, a threat but also a promise of protection.

Stormcloud and Pilak were curled around their legs like cats, keeping the boys company. 

The seas were rough and Aegon felt only slightly seasick.

"It'll be a long while before we see land again. Why not a tale to pass the time, little ones?" Hira suggested, to which the two boys eagerly agreed. "Well then, our tale begins in Leng Ma, near the mouth of the Leng Ma River ..."

Hira began to falter, staring at something in the distance. Aegon was too small to see, even when he tiptoed. Around them the air tensed before a viscous boom echoed across. The ship rocked violently and Aegon stumbled back, almost stepping on Pilak's tail.

"Krita!" Alarmed, Hira yelled out to her captain as she pushed the boys behind her. More booms erupted, more frantic and louder by the second. Viserys gripped his hand harder, trembling at the sudden blaring noises. "What is happening?"

Krita, in obvious dismay, began shouting across the deck and pressing orders among the crew. 

Sunken ships.

Velaryon flags.

Lengii fleet destroyed.

Aegon whined at the tears that pooled along Hira's eyes, how she shook her head in disbelief. 

Aegon understood death as much as he understood war.

"It's the Triarchy, Empress. They're launching a full scale assault!"

"Guard the princes." She ordered the Sapphires, who were quick to surround them, weapons poised. Then, yelling out, "Ready the cannons."

They were under attack.

Mayhem erupted from all sides, swords were drawn and cannons fired. All the while Aegon kept a desperate hold onto his brother. Up in the skies Zhurong was spitting flames on the enemy ships. The Sapphires had to separate as more than a dozen enemy soldiers leapt onto the deck.

Aegon didn't know what to do in the chaos. He ordered Stormcloud to stay back. More men came barrelling onto the ship like wave after wave. As the crew killed one, five more appeared.

All he wanted to do was to protect his brother and Hira.

He pulled Jace's blade from his pocket, flipping it open and holding it in front of his chest. Viserys gasped when he saw what his brother was doing. Aegon was scared, but had to be brave. So he went into a stance, like kepa taught him.

"There's too many of the bastards!" Hira cursed, slashing at a man who dared near. "Cover my back." Hira grunted, kicking another man down. Raki took over, finishing the man off with a clean swipe, whilst Hira pivoted to the side to defend Linh who struggled against a larger opponent.

Stormcloud hissed.

"Aegon!" Viserys yelped as a man attempted to grab him. His brother jumped back, pressing himself into a corner, making himself as small as possible.

Aegon twisted around, blade at the ready as he charged forward with a scream. The man caught him and kicked him down. Aegon fell, twisting his ankle and the pain burned, tears rimming the edges of his eyes.

Stupid, stupid Aegon! Fight! Get up!

The man grinned hauntingly. He could hear Viserys crying. Aegon wanted to cry too, but he had to be brave. Against the pain, he got up. The man grinned wider.

Then two figures darted towards the man. One shot into the man's chest whilst the other attacked his eyes. Pilak tore into the man, ripping limbs with his sharp teeth, venom dripping from his maw. Stormcloud dragged his claws across the man's face. He was dead in seconds.

Viserys collided with Aegon as they rushed to one another. Aegon clung onto his brother who was shaking. Pilak gave a screech, stomping his feet before standing protectively in front of them.

"Boys!" Hira appeared in the midst of chaos, bringing their heads to her chest as she pressed kisses on their foreheads. "Gods, if Pilak and Stormcloud hadn't appeared. Damn it! You both need to leave."

"No, we're not leaving without you!" Aegon argued.

He couldn't leave her. He had to protect her. Why couldn't she see that?

Hira frowned. "Do not argue with me, Aegon. I can't focus and protect you both at the same time. I promised your parents to keep you safe and I will keep that promise. You won't make a liar out of me."

Whistling to Stormcloud - loyal, magnificent Stormcloud - Hira stared into the dragon's eyes who hissed at her. She must have decided on something, when she grabbed Aegon's face softly, smearing blood on his cheek unknowingly. "Take Stormcloud and fly back to Dragonstone. Promise me you won't look back."

Aegon trembled in fear. Stormcloud was barely of riding age. Viserys cried louder.

"You need to be brave, like your brothers." Hira smiled dolefully, making the effort to sound reassuring but all it did was break Aegon's heart.

"Come with us, please!" He begged, tugging on her hand.

"Promise me, little prince. Don't look back."

All Aegon could do was nod.

Heaving his brother onto Stormcloud, he made sure Viserys' hands were clasped properly, before mounting his dragon. They had to leave behind his brother's egg. 

As promised, he commanded Stormcloud to fly and he didn't look back once. Even as arrows shot through the skies, even as the fires from below and flames above scorched his body, even as screams lit the air, Aegon never looked back.

By the time they reached Dragonstone, Stormcloud was exhausted. He tumbled through the large window, glass shattered everywhere as they landed abruptly. No one taught him how to land yet.

Jace was the first who spotted them, yelling for a maester, for their mother and an explanation.

Aegon told everything and pleaded for Jace to save Hira.

His mother was in tears at seeing her sons cry.

The boy watched as his eldest brother argued with their mother.

It wasn't long before he saw dragons flying in the direction of the Gullet.

[ x ]

HIRA

Bodies floated along the ocean. Lengii bodies.

Hira was dripping with blood. Her daggers were painted red and her eyes bloodshot and wrathful.

Zhurong had been hit on the wing and another scorpion arrow on his injured hind. His flames were obsidian, his anger just as levelled as her own but he was far too mangled to continue his assault on the Triarchy's ships.

So this was the Green's wildcard. A fleet of Myrish, Lysene and Tyroshi warships under the banners of the Three Daughters attacking the Velaryon and Lengii ships stationed at the Gullet. An all out battle on the sea. 

Fucking fantastic.

Hira was going to burn Oldtown all over again, until there was nothing left for them to rebuild. Otto Hightower's head was hers.

She will storm the Free Cities and obliviate the fucking High Council until their entrails hung from their walled cities.

Her fleet looted and sunken, her people burnt and slaughtered.

She prayed Aegon and Viserys made it to safety. She prayed she made the right decision in sending them back on Stormcloud.

Hira took a deep breath from the carnage. Her misty eyes blinked once, twice, before focusing, before drawing her sword once more and entering the fray.

Use your anger, she heard her father say in her mind, embrace the rage. Be a dragon.

There was no mercy as she carved into the soldiers, hacking at limbs and throats. Blue and teal cloth painted the deck, some unmoving, some fighting for their lives. 

Too distracted, she was unaware of the man who lashed out from behind her, until a shadow knocked her down, taking the brunt of the attack.

Hira paled as she watched Pilak taking the hit, his reptilian body sliced in half, falling to the ground in a resounding thud.

She screamed.

Falling to her knees, trying to piece her beloved back together, Hira began rocking back and forth with Pilak in her arms.

"Pilak." His eyes were blank. A sob broke out, pure anguish filled her voice, "No, no, no."

Hira barely acknowledged Pilak's murderer choking on bile, or the obsidian flames that encircled the sea, how Zhurong was a ball of rage and sorrow.

Her basilisk, her childhood companion. Her protector.

"Good gods." She heard behind the fog that possessed her. "Hira, Hira!"

She shoved the hands away, squeezing Pilak close to her chest. His other half laid limp on the deck.

"Sunniva, quickly!"

Hira drowned in her suffering.

"Sweet child, gather your strength. We need you." She heard beside her ear. How could she do such a thing? She's failed everyone already. "Your father and the prince are here along with the dragonseeds."

It felt as if she was watching everything in slow motion.

With the arrival of the dragons, the Triarchy was defeated. As a seasoned warrior and dragonrider, her father led the dragons to victory.

It tasted like ash in her mouth.

Vermax headed low, spearheaded by Jace who launched his own assault on a remaining Lysene ship. It wasn't until stray arrows struck Vermax's eye and chest that caused the dragon to crash down into the sea. 

Little Luke's face flashed in her mind, against a hazing storm and bolts of lightning.

Jace leaped free from his saddle, until a crossbow arrow impaled into his shoulder, just as his body hit the water's surface.

Without a second thought, Hira's feet jumped from the ship's railing, her body locking as she slammed into the freezing water. Brown tousled hair glided in the sea.

She caught Jace's arm and heaved him up back to the surface, legs kicking harshly against the rough current. She made way to a sea stack, dumping Jace onto the rock before forcing the water from his lungs.

Hira's hands stopped shaking by the time Jace coughed the fluid out. It was basic body motor skills that caused her to wrap his wound tightly, preventing any more blood from leaking out. It was as if her mind and body were acting on its own, fuelled only by pure memory and the desperate need to not drown in grief.

She was barely aware of the orders she yelled to a bloodied but otherwise unharmed Krita, who held out thick strings of ropes.

"I won't abandon you." Krita answered her commands. "Don't be foolish, Empress. Get back on the ship."

The only blood that will be spilt from now on are the Greens and everyone allied with them.

"Go straight to Pentos, Krita. Take what remains of our fleet and go. Wait for me there."

Zhurong landed poorly on the sea stack, his hind a bleeding mess of ripped skin and damaged scales. With little effort, Hira pushed Jace towards her saddle.

"Enough blood has been wasted. I command it, as your God-Empress, go! That is an order, Krita."