Frozen Flames: The Saga of the Ice Dragon (Completed)

Jae left the Small Council chambers and Ser Arthur and Ser Loras fell into step behind him. He walked past the Iron Throne and descended the short stairs when the exact people he did not want to see emerge from behind one of the columns.

Jae stopped reluctantly as they approached and gave a perfunctory nod. "Rhaenys."

"Your Grace." Rhaenys curtsied with exaggerated reverence. Princess Arianne and her mother, Prince Elia, followed Rhaenys' lead. They all wore bright colors, Rhaenys most striking of the three in her silk purple dress, the picture of royalty.

Jae regarded them quietly, refusing to open the discussion in order to exacerbate their nervousness. They'd been begging him for an audience since he'd arrived – they had to learn that he would call on them when they were needed.

Rhaenys cleared her throat and glanced at her mother for support. "Your Grace, we've been trying to get an audience for the past two days."

"I'm aware."

"Of course, yes, but the reason for our insistence is that we have some information we'd like to share."

Jae sighed, too tired to listen to their pleads. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait." He moved past them and meant to walk right out of the Throne Room when Arianne's voice stopped him.

"I'm with child."

Jae stopped and instinctually looked to Ser Arthur as though he wanted to see if Sword of Morning had heard those words as well. Then Jae turned his heel and faced the Dornish Princesses. "With child?"

"Yes, Your Grace." Arianne's eyes welled up with tears. "Your child."

Even through the emotions her statement unleashed, Jae could feel Ser Loras stiffen beside him. "My child?" Jae cocked his head. "I had thought the Dornish had learned not to try to pass off random children as Targaryens."

"How can you say that?" Rhaenys asked.

"Quite easily," Jae threw back. "Besides, I never bedded Arianne."

"You did," she said, the tears flowing freely now. "The night before Aegon's coronation. But you were drunk."

Jae threw his mind back to that fateful night. He'd been quite drunk, and he remembered a heated night with Arianne, but surely he wouldn't have been so stupid? Then again, I made other mistakes that night.

In a moment, Jae's thoughts returned to the present and examined the scene before his eyes. Elia and Rhaenys looked combative. They knew the opportunity for salvation that Arianne's pregnancy presented in regards to the survival of their family. Arianne simply seemed despondent, and though her tears seemed honest, Jae trusted Rhaenys and Elia's obvious determination to take advantage of this situation far more. They would not dare lie to the Realm twice, so it had to follow that they felt they could back up their claims with proof.

But what proof? They had nothing but the hope that the child would be born with either purple eyes or Jae's northern features.

"Arianne, look at me." The Princess looked up through her tears and met Jae's eye. "Are you lying to me?"

"No, Your Grace." She shook her head in desperation. "I swear I am not, I would not do that to you, you have to believe me."

Jae clenched his fists and took a deep breath to try and get his racing heart under control. The presence of his Kingsguard at his sides felt like the presence of the entire Realm, looking in and judging his actions. "We will discuss this later."

Jae stormed out of the Throne room. He had meant to go visit Daenerys, to see how she was holding up, but he raced into Maegor's Holdfast, straight up the stairs and into his chambers. He bid his Kingsguard to follow him inside. "Are they lying?" he demanded the moment Ser Loras closed the door behind him.

"I cannot say, Your Grace," Ser Arthur replied, holding his hands behind his back.

"What about you?" Jae asked Ser Loras.

But the young knight had other ideas. "How could you do this, Your Grace? How could you dishonor my sister like that?"

Jae's hand went to the hilt of Blackfyre and only last-second restraint kept him from drawing the blade and swinging for the Knight of Flowers. But then that familiar cold infused his chest, and he said instead, "Before we were betrothed, you mean?"

Ser Loras, eyes weary and glued to Blackfyre, said, "Your Grace…"

 "You may think yourself the brother of the Queen, but you are not. You are a brother of the Kingsguard. And trust me, you will learn to guard your tongue." Jae dismissed him with a wave. "So leave us, you fool."

"Yes—yes, Your Grace." Ser Loras backtracked, seemingly uncertain if he should show Jae his back.

"Go to the White Sword Tower, Ser Loras," Ser Arthur commanded, his voice stern. "We will talk later."

Ser Loras escaped Jae's chambers but gently closed the door behind him. Jae staggered to a chair and sat down, looking at Ser Arthur. "I have well and truly fucked up."

Ser Arthur took a step closer, his face filled with sympathy. "You are hardly the first King to father a bastard, Your Grace."

"On the future ruler of a kingdom who'd committed an unspeakable treason?" Jae asked. "I know my history, Ser, you can't fool me." In spite of it all, the insanity of the situation made the corners of his lips tug upward.

"Surely, it is not all bad. Dorne will like this, if no one else."

Jae raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"The child will offer them protection from the Crown. They will rally around Arianne."

Jae buried his face in his hands. "You're telling me Dorne will become stronger because of it?" he asked, the sound muffled. He looked up. "And in twenty years, what's to stop the child from marching on the Kingdoms? And it's Dorne! We can't even hope it will be a girl because those fuckers will march behind her the same as they would behind a man!"

"Sounds like your first child will have fun either way."

Jae had to do a double-take before he recognized the faint traces of amusement on Ser Arthur's features and realized the stern knight had made a joke. Then Jae burst out laughing, feeling a certain distance from the events that may or may not unfold in the future, gleefully reminding himself they wouldn't be his headache either way. Jae wiped an errant tear as his amusement passed, and shook his head, saying, "I can't keep Arianne here with the kid. Margaery will lose it. I don't even want to know what Olenna might try to do."

"Send them both to Dorne, then."

"They're out of my control there. They might teach the child to hate me."

"Do you think Arianne would do that?"

Jae considered the question. Arianne had lost the arrogance she'd brought with her to the capital, and she seemed genuinely heartbroken to cause problems, but what might happen after a few years at Sunspear? Would she remain so humble and submissive, or would the young girl who'd wanted to be Queen return, only wiser, wilier, and far more vicious?

The child would be Jae's firstborn, there was no way around it. The Dornish might claim it belonged on the Iron Throne. But the rest of the Kingdoms would never accept it, especially after this war. So the child would have to remain in Dorne, and be content with ruling it. Not a bad life. So perhaps Jae had less to worry about than he thought, apart from the outrage this revelation might produce in certain Lords of the Reacher persuasion.

"No, I suppose not," Jae said with a sigh. That's when a knock came upon the door and Ser Arthur sprang in motion, one hand on his dagger as he turned the knob.

They found Princess Elia standing out front. "May I come in?" she asked.

Ser Arthur looked to Jae. "Send her in," he commanded. He'd never spoken to Princess Elia before, not really, and he wondered what approach she meant to use and what her goal might be.

"Might we be alone, Your Grace?" she asked again, eyes jumping to Ser Arthur.

Jae nodded for Ser Arthur to wait outside. When the door closed behind him, he said, "What brings you here, Princess?"

"I am still the Queen Mother, am I not?"

"I suppose so," Jae allowed. "Though I wouldn't go around bragging about it."

Elia opened her mouth, then seemed to think better of it. "May I sit?"

"Please." Jae gestured to a chair and stood up to pour them both a cup of wine.

Elia accepted it with grace and held the cup with one hand, anxiously smoothing her yellow dress with the other. "I know you think me a horrible woman. I know you despise us for what we've done. But, please, I beg of you, don't take it out on this child. Arianne has promised to renounce any and all rights on behalf of the child."

Jae stared at the Princess, at her curly midnight black hair and her smooth features, seemingly impervious to age. Arianne's promise took care of the last of his worries. "What makes you think I would make the child suffer?"

"Your abrupt departure in the Throne room." There was a hint of an accusation in her voice. "Arianne is in agony."

"Then, by all means, tell her to torture herself no longer. The child will inherit Dorne after her."

Elia stared at him for a long pause, then all breath left her and her shoulders sagged, and she shook her head as though she could hardly believe it. "Truly? You promise it?"

Jae drew himself up. He had to practice being kingly, and this moment seemed to allow for it. "A King's word should be enough for you."

"And it is. It is," she said, a bright smile lighting up her features.

Jae wouldn't threaten the woman by claiming he would make a child suffer, but he had no intentions of spending any more time than he had to in her presence. "Will that be all?"

Elia's smile of relief disappeared. She hastily nodded and stood up. "Yes, Your Grace. Thank you, Your Grace."

She curtsied and made to leave, but before she got to the door, Jae felt compelled to ask a question. "Why did you do it?"

Elia turned back to his slowly. "Your Grace?"

"Why did you go along with Oberyn and Doran's plan? To get revenge on my mother? On Rhaegar? Who was it you were trying to harm?"

Elia looked down. "Everyone. At least at first. I don't think I ever expected it to go this far. It was just a nice, vengeful thought."

"And then?"

"And then I had a baby boy in my hands and he wasn't mine and he'd been stolen from Gods know where and I loved him. And I didn't want to let him go. I told myself we would reveal the truth before it would be too late. But after the first year… the time never seemed right."

"And now thousands are dead."

Elia looked up, the pain clear. "Yes, Your Grace. It is something I will have to learn to live with. But perhaps it may be a cautionary tale to you. For a man in your position, a small little mistake, delayed for long enough, can grow into a problem that creates a great many corpses." With that, Elia curtsied again and left.

Jae walked through the halls of the Red Keep, Lord Orys beside him and two of the Kingsguard trailing behind. The afternoon sun bathed the corridors in golden light, though the thick stone of the Keep kept out the heat, allowing Jae to enjoy the pleasant chill in the air.

He had his hands behind his back, Blackfyre on his hip, and listened attentively to Lord Orys' words.

"… think of it as another triumph over the Dornish, others a brilliant political ploy to bring it under control. Some are quite… vexed, for the lack of a better word. But there doesn't seem to be a prevailing opinion."

Jae pointed the way and they turned to the right, making their way to the entrance to the Godswood. "Which favors us, does it not? The angry Lords won't be able to muster enough support to cause problems."

"That was my conclusion as well, Your Grace." Lord Orys stopped and looked Jae right in the eye. "Frankly, Your Grace, we might be paying this issue too much attention. It might affect your reputation somewhat, but in the end, I doubt it will play a major role in any of the discussions that will take place in the following days. You did not betray Queen Margaery, so even that accusation has no grounding in reality."

"You may be correct," Jae said and they fell back into step. "But this is the first true blight on my honor. Such things always have consequences."

"If you were a normal man, Your Grace, but you're not. You brought back the dragons, the man the Seven themselves chose to bring peace to Westeros. I doubt the news of the pregnancy will even register with the majority of the Seven Kingdoms."

Jae nodded thoughtfully, reminding himself Orys hadn't truly got to know him until Jae assisted him against Oberyn. Orys had settled into Jae's councils so quickly and seamlessly, Jae had almost forgotten that one of the earliest impressions Lord Orys had of Jaehaerys was Jae riding into camp with dragons on his shoulder. He is susceptible as well. And that might impact his judgment.

"I would prefer it you ignored the reputation I have acquired in the Kingdoms, and treat me like any other King. Otherwise, we might risk becoming sloppy and waste all our advantages," Jae said and regarded his Hand seriously to drive home the importance of the request.

"I see your point," Lord Orys said. "I shall do my best, Your Grace."

"Good."

Jae gestured to the guards by the entrance to the Godswood to open the gates and the two of them walked into the open air, the standard stench of the capital replaced by the fresh air and the smell of flowers. But contrary to Jae's previous experiences in the Godswood, the sound of birds singing was absent. Jae smiled to himself and whistled. He heard some rustling in the canopy of an old oak tree and then two shapes burst through the leaves and zoomed down to land on his shoulders.

They rubbed their heads against Jae's temples while Orys took a cautionary step back, his eyes as wide as they had been on the first day he'd laid eyes on them. "They're growing fast."

"Indeed," Jae replied, scratching Vermithor under the jaw. "Another week and they won't fit on my shoulder anymore." Already they had doubled in size from the small hatchlings they had been and Jae salivated at the thought of how much bigger they would grow. Balerion. Vhagar. The Seven Kingdoms will tremble.

But first, the two dragons had to survive long enough to defend themselves. That's why Jae had prohibited entrance into the Godswood to all except himself, Daenerys, and the people they might bring along, on pain of death. He'd also posted guards to every entrance and the parapets, arming them with crossbows to bring down any threat to the dragons from a distance if they had to. They will live.

Then there came the sound of running footsteps and Jae turned, a frown appearing on his face at thought of the guards letting someone pass without his permission. But it turned out to only be Lucas, red-faced and panting. No doubt the boy had cowed the guards with that voice of his that was quickly becoming famous throughout the Red Keep for its ability to make people obey without a second thought.

"Your Grace," the boy said, bending over to catch his breath. "Lord Hightower bid me inform you that the Queen Margaery has entered the capital and will arrive at the Red Keep shortly."

Jae chuckled at the boy's flushed cheeks. "You need not have hurried, Lucas, I'm sure Her Majesty will take some time to reach the Keep, what with her love of the smallfolk."

Orys chuckled as well, both of them amused by the boy's loose definition of the word 'emergency'.

"But still," Jae continued, "getting there a bit early won't do any harm." Jae was about to click his tongue and order the dragons to return to the trees of the Godswood, when he thought better of it. He might need his dragons when dealing with the Tyrells.

The trio made their way to the outer courtyard of the Red Keep, Jae ordering the steward to notify the courtiers that they were expected to welcome the Queen. He shouldn't have bothered. By the time Jae reached the courtyard, most of the nobles of King's Landing had already assembled to welcome Margaery and take a long look at the woman who was to rule over them.

Jae took his place at the head of the welcoming party, the rest of the courtiers assembled at his sides. The guards at the gate raised the portcullis and the party of Tyrell horsemen entered first, followed by Margaery's gilded carriage, drawn by a dozen horses. They came to a stop in the middle of the courtyard and Jae waved off the servants who rushed forth to open the doors for Margaery. He chose to do it himself, thinking it might send a powerful message. He couldn't be sure which one, however – did he represent the picture of a King in love with his Queen or the picture of a man trying to make up for impregnating another woman with insincere acts of chivalry?

Unsure, Jae still opened the door and helped Margaery step out of the carriage, and Lady Olenna after her. The latter seemed to have some barb on the tip of her tongue but visibly swallowed her words when her eyes fell on the dragon on Jae's shoulders. Knew they'd help.

Jae turned to Margaery, radiant in her azure dress, her hair styled in intricate braids. "My Queen." He bowed down and kissed her hand. "Welcome home."

Margaery curtsied and Jae couldn't find a hint of anger in her manner. "Delighted to be here, Your Grace."

Together they turned to the people who make their Court and the nobles began applauding the couple. The pleasantries concluded, Jae said, "Shall we take this inside? I'm sure you'd like to rest after your journey."

Lady Olenna seemed on the verge of another comment, but this time it was Jae's own look of warning that forced her to hold back until they found themselves in a more private setting. Still holding her hand, Jae led them into the bowels of the Red Keep.

 "Where is Loras?" Margaery asked the second they stepped through the gates.

"He is… busy." In truth, Ser Arthur had commanded Loras to clean the Kingsguard privy as punishment for speaking out of turn in the presence of the King. Jae would have told Margaery as much, but he wanted to see if Loras would complain. And if he does, we'll know he has to clean them again.

"This one shall do as nicely as any other, wouldn't you say?" Lady Olenna spoke up from behind them when they came upon the first empty chamber.

"As you say, my Lady." Jae gestured for the Queen of Thorns to enter first and followed inside with Margaery.

When the door closed behind them, Olenna turned to him and her eyes between his face and the two dragons on his shoulders. "Are those lizards supposed to intimidate me?"

Jae brought his hands to his shoulders and the two dragons climbed into the palms of his hands, their claws dangerously close to breaking his skin. Jae carried them to the window, opened it, and commanded the two to return to the Godswood. "Not at all, my Lady," he said, watching Meleys and Vermithor fly off. "I don't know why I should need to intimidate my own family."

"So there is not a Dornish whore somewhere in this castle, carrying your bastard."

Jae's eyes sharpened on Olenna's face, knowing the old woman was uttering the words but it was Margaery, the woman with the polite smile on her face, who had thought them first. "No, my Lady. No one that could fit that description resides in this castle."

Olenna huffed and said, "Look here, Your Grace…"

Jae raised a hand and Olenna trailed off. "Let's start again, shall we? But this time, once and for all, disabuse yourself of the notion that this is a conversation between equals."

Olenna tapped her cane on the stone floor, looked to Margaery, then back to Jae. "You can't deny that this is a problem, Your Grace."

"Only if you decide to make it so. I did not betray Margaery, this happened before our betrothal. I will not—"

"But you can't deny that you humiliated me!" Margaery burst out and now her true feelings came to the forefront as her neck flushed with rage. "Before all the Kingdoms."

Jae turned his quiet eyes upon Olenna. "Leave us."

"I will stay right where—"

"If you force me to repeat myself, it will be Ser Arthur who drags you out." Jae stared at her and he could feel Olenna testing resolve. She found only the calm certainty of his threat and looked away first, patting Margaery's hand and closing the door behind her.

Margaery watched her. "Do you think treating my family this way will earn my forgiveness?"

Jae hadn't been aware that he'd been asking for forgiveness, but he knew better than to voice that particular thought. "Do you think you will be able to hide behind your grandmother for every single one of our arguments?"

"I did not—"

Jae straightened out, his hands behind his back. "Yes, you did. And yes, you do. You want the Queen of Thorns to deliver your bad news but I am not a child. It won't earn you any favors with me."

Margaery's shoulder sagged and she brought a finger to her eyes to wipe away a tear. "Why would you like me to do then? Rage like any other man?"

"If it's rage you feel, yes. It would certainly earn you more respect than hiding behind a frail old woman."

"Fine, then." Her eyes lit up at the insult. "You're a bastard and I fucking hate you, Jaehaerys. You hear me? I hate you and I shall never forgive you for getting that Dornish bitch with child."

Jae cracked a grin. "That's better." He took a step closer.

Margaery reacted as she might at the approach of a predator, taking a step back with him. "Don't approach me. You don't get to escape this!"

"There is nothing I am trying to escape. You are right. I made a mistake. All I want is a chance to make amends."

"No!" She held her hands in front of her, pushing against his chest.

Jae spread his hands, allowing her to hit him as much as she liked. "You are my Queen, Margaery. Everyone else is but a temporary problem."

"What about Daenerys, huh? I heard rumors!" she accused, still pushing against him but also gaining ground until her back pressed against the wall.

"You did hear me say everyone, didn't you?"

"No." She hit him in the chest like she was banging on the door. "You don't get to be forgiven."

That's when Jae grabbed her hands, spun her around, and pressed her back against his chest. "You are my Queen. Arianne will go to Dorne and you will never see her again," he whispered in her ear. "It will only be the two of us, ruling the Seven Kingdoms as we see fit. You want to ruin that because I made a mistake? Feel free to be angry for the rest of your life. You want to find out if you can forgive me? Take all the time you need." He paused and in the silence Margaery's deep breath sounded startlingly loud. "Let me know what you decide, my Queen."

Jae let go of her and before she had a chance to say anything, he'd already left the room.