chapter one                the lion's bastard
pre episode six the princess and the
        queen

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"YOU WILL PROTECT HER, won't you brother?" If you weren't able to see his face, the one identical to Tyland Lannister who stands before him with a babe no older than a year in his arms, you wouldn't know it was the mighty and proud Jason Lannister talking. His voice full of pride as always and yet there is a gentle hint to it, perhaps even a bit of sadness as his fingers are taken into the hold of the babe's tiny hand.

"I will, Jason. I promise, i'll make her as comfortable as possible for a servant when she is off age." Tyland nods but Jason only scoffs, his face contorting into anger as he pulls away his hand from his daughter. "A Lannister as a servant, it is an insult to us brother." Jason glances at his brother, his own face staring back at himself though his eyes have none of the fondness that he himself holds for Lisia.

A strange thing, to care for your bastard like he does now, none of his other bastards tugged on his heart like Lisia did. He even held the same distain his wife held for some, and yet this babe had stolen his heart away. Jason had decided it was the will of the Gods, how cruel they must be to have him care more for his bastard than true born daughters. Cruel indeed.

"She is a Hill, dear brother. you should be glad the King allowed her to live with me even if she has to become a servant." Tyland rocks the small girl in his arms back and forth when she starts to fuss, most likely feeling her father's anger.

Jason sighs, his eyes become gentle once again as he glances at the babe, his hands reaching for his daughter who stirs awake. "Let me hold her one last time, please." Tyland nods, softly placing the his brother's babe in his arms, Jason shows a rare genuine smile as the child coo's. "My little lion. You will grow into a fine woman, i know it." The babe's striking blue eyes look into his own, a gummy smile with few teeth poking through.

"You will be a Lannister one day, the name Lisia Lannister will be written into the history books, my sweet. I will make sure of it." Jason softly grazes his hand over his daughter's head, blonde hairs flowing through his fingers. He softly presses a kiss onto her head before once again handing her over to Tyland. And there she stays for years and years, only seeing her father at special instances.

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IT HAS BEEN YEARS SINCE Jason Lannister had left his daughter in the care of his brother, Lisia Hill was ten now, her name day having been a moon ago. Now the girl runs errands for her uncle, nothing of importance merely fetching stuff for him or carrying his cups.

Sometimes she goes around the Keep, helping the elder maids clean, making sure the table looks good for when the royal family eats. But mostly she hangs around the Godswood, she likes the way the tree looks, a face carved with blood spilling from its eyes. The other maids call her strange for her fascination with the tree when she worships The Seven, surely it would be blasphemy in the eyes of the Gods. Lisia does not care to think of that much.

Even now she sits at the base of the weirwood tree, carefully stitching a cloak of her uncle's that had been teared. Lisia hadn't been naturally gifted in the art of stitching like the seamstresses around the Keep but the act of stitching calms her, so Tyland always gives her the pleasure of stitching anything she might like. A feature she likes of her dear uncle even when he can be a bit harsh at times, he says its for her own good but sometimes Lisia doubts that.

Lisia's peace is rudely interrupted when a boy with silver hair runs into the Godswood, 'such lack of manners' Lisia thinks to herself as she sees the boy pant against one of the pillars around them. His silver hair flows long and before his eyes, it's wavy and looks nice to touch. His hair colour doesn't seem to click in her mind until the boy looks up, their eyes locking together, they're a brilliant purple, the most gorgeous pair of eyes she had ever seen. Lisia's own eyes widen after seconds of looking into his, this is a Prince, this is Prince Aegon.

She had never met any of the Princes before, must be because the castle is so big, but she knows Aegon is the eldest. The King's eldest son. He's but a year older than her at ten and one. She continues to look at him, now she knows why the other girls her age giggle over him, he's rather attractive, pretty even. Aegon moves his head to the side, a funny look on his face and Lisia's eyes widen in realisation 'why am i still sitting here, stand up you idiot' she thinks to herself before she scrambles to get up from her seated position.

The Prince looks at her with amusement in his eyes as she curtsies to him, her uncle's cloak forgotten on the ground. "My Prince." Lisia says, he bows his own head to her. "My Lady." Aegon says in return. "I am no Lady, my Prince." Lisia shakes her head her hands clasped into each other as she speaks to him. Aegon walks towards Lisia, his eyes never leaving her. They're gravitating to each other like magnets. "You're pretty like one."

Lisia lets out a chuckle, her cheeks heating up at his words and confidence. "I am a bastard, my Prince, i do not think real ladies would enjoy you telling me that." Aegon scoffs at her words, crossing his arms. "I am a Prince, i do not need to care about if ladies enjoy what i say or not."

"Of course, my Prince." Lisia nods in agreement as was taught by her uncle. Aegon smirks at her words, taking yet another step closer. They're face to face now, much closer than proper if they were older. "What's your name, bastard?" He asks, purple eyes so intense Lisia fears that he can see right through her. "Lisia Hill, my Prince. Natural daughter of Jason Lannister of Casterly Rock." A lion of the Rock still, as her father reminds her every single time he can see her.

"Ah, so you're a little lioness then, Lisia." Aegon tries sounding out her name, it feels natural on his tongue and while he doesn't know it, Lisia thinks the same. Lisia nods at his words not knowing what to say back to the prince. "Tell me, little lioness, are your true born sisters as pretty as you are?" Lisia frowns at his question, eyes darting away from him. "I do not know my sisters, my Prince, but they are as beautiful as can be. I do know that."

Aegon hums, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Lisia wants to ask what he is thinking about but when she opens her mouth to speak another voice calls out. "AEGON!" The man yells, the prince's eyes widen, he mumbles a quick shit and looks around the Godswood. "Hide me, this is a command from your Prince." And with that Aegon disappears behind the weirwood tree. an awful hiding place if you ask Lisia.

The girl sits back down, her uncle's cloak once again in her hands together with a needle and thread. Not long after a knight with a dejected look walks through the Godswood, one of the Cargyll twins, Aegon's sworn protector.

Arryk she guesses, or was it Erryk? The two are identical, she could never know which one was which.

"Excuse me, my lady." The Kingsguard speaks. "Have you seen the Prince Aegon perhaps?"

Lisia feigns confusion, her brows furrowed as she once again puts aside her work. "I fear i have not, my lord. Do you wish for me to help find him?" She asks, preparing to stand up. The Kingsguard holds up his hand, stopping her.

"No, please my lady there is no need. I shall find him myself, but thank you." The Kingsguard nods and walks away not knowing that Aegon was merely few steps away. 'Foolish' Lisia thinks to herself, 'foolish that he would not at least check around the Godswood.'

Aegon steps out from his hiding spot, a huge grin on his face as he had once again fooled his shadow. His happiness however falls short when he hears Lisia speak. "Hiding behind the weirwood tree was a foolish hiding spot, my Prince." Aegon scoffs. "It worked, did it not?" He asks, sitting down next to the bastard. "Only because your protector is foolish enough to not check everywhere, you'd think he wouldn't actually want to find you." Lisia hums going back to her work.

She stitches once, twice before Aegon's silence disturbs her. She looks over at him and suddenly she feels bad for her prince. The look on his face rivals that of a kicked pup. "My Prince i did not mean-"

"It's fine, bastard." Aegon snaps. "No one wants me, i know that." Awkward silence befalls the two, Lisia bites her lip not knowing what to say. "I've enjoyed your company so far, my Prince." She glances at him, he scowls, she looks away. "Ah yes, because i care about what a bastard thinks of me." Lisia sighs, biting down on her lip. Aegon stares at her, a feeling in his chest he doesn't know well, it doesn't feel good.

Moments pass by, the leafs rustling in the wind is the only noise around. "I'm sorry." He mumbles.

Lisia looks at him. "What was that?" Aegons sighs, looking anywhere but her. A moment passes by, he looks at her once again. She leans closer.

"I'm not saying it again, Lisia." Lisia grins and Aegon can't help but grin back after seconds of looking at her. "I enjoy your company as well." A pale pink blush settles on his cheeks as he speaks, Lisia thinks that this is how she likes him best.

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IT HAS BEEN WEEKS since Lisia's encounter with Prince Aegon, she has thought about their meeting many a hour after it had happened. After their shared grin he had to leave "Princely duties" he had said. Now these days Lisia helps in the kitchen more than often, mostly cleaning the food that the people of the castle will eat.

It has caught the elder maids attention that a certain Prince would now sneak into the kitchen now and then, as it caught Lisia's attention as well, some days he would hide behind other servants to stare at her as if she couldn't see him. Most days she ignored him, 'let him come to me first' she thought but now she thinks she has waited enough. Today she turns to look at him, her sea blue eyes catching his lilac ones. Aegon jumps back, shocked, he clears his throat.

He opens up his mouth to speak. "Hello my Prince." Lisia cuts in, leaving Aegon's mouth gaping like a fish. Lisia giggles, he glares at her but his eyes have to bite to them. "Lisia." He nods, trying to act as if he weren't just staring at her. "Why have you come my Prince? I did not think the kitchens are a place you would venture to often." Lisia glances at him once more before resuming her task of peeling apples.

Aegon clears his throat, snatching one of the apples not yet peeled and playing with it, throwing it up it catch it again and again. "Perhaps i like to explore, little lion." He smirks at her, throwing the apple up again, only to let it fall. The other maids around them bite their lip not to laugh but Lisia giggles at him freely. He glares at her for just a second until he as well bursts out in laughter.

Lisia bows down, taking the fallen apple in her hand. She wipes it down on her clothes before taking Aegon's hand in her own. He stares at her wordlessly. She opens his hand and places the apple in it. "You shouldn't play with your food, my prince." She says kindly looking into his eyes. Aegon's cheeks start to heat up. He cannot think of things to say, simply standing there with now blushed cheeks.

She smiles at him once more. 'Yes' Lisia thinks as she stares at Aegon's blushed cheeks. 'This is definitely how i like him best.'

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authors note.
sweet little chapter w the pookie bears and as u can see this aegon has his annoying and flirty tendencies without yk the creepy and awfulness of canon aegon love that for him, ty tennant personally told me this is how aegon would act if he was writing hotd and tom glynn carney agreed with him 🤝