"Aegon." Edith gasped in shock as she walked into Arwin's treatment room.

On the daybed was a pale body with a chest that rose and fell slightly. The prince, who had been thought dead, looked sickly, but he was clearly alive.

Edith hurried to the bed and carefully sat down with him. She placed her hands on his chest and immediately felt his breaths and his beating heart.

Gently she put her hand to his cheek and relieved she started to cry when Aegon opened his eyes and looked at her tiredly.

"Oh my Aegon...you gave me a fright." She whimpered softly and hugged him tightly.

Only with effort he managed to lift his arms and hug her as well, he was still far too weak and tired. "That was the plan after all... and it worked." He replied softly and with a slight grin.

It felt good to feel Edith in his arms again, for far too long he had not been able to do so. He would have loved to never let go of her again and she wished the same.

"I thought I'd lost you." Edith wiped the tears from her cheeks and eyed him carefully as he lay on the daybed in front of her.

Aegon would have loved to say something encouraging, but he couldn't. "Not yet." He said softly, reminding her of the rest of the plan.

Edith turned around and saw Colin and Arwin standing at the door. Both had their eyes on something else in the room, so they just didn't have to look at them.

"Then he didn't die for nothing." Edith said to Colin with relief as she thought of the dead man in the other room. "We should get him here quickly and treat him before the queen gets here."

Colin nodded in understanding and left the room.

Arwin, on the other hand, walked up to Aegon and Edith and began looking at Aegon's breaths and his eyes. "How are you feeling, my prince?" he asked anxiously.

"Tired." Answered Aegon honestly and sat up with the help of Arwin and Edith. "Who did not die for nothing?"

"A man from the town... Aemond found him to replace you. He must have been sick and wanted-"

"Aemond found him as a replacement? For what?" asked Aegon, confused, accepting the cup of water from Arwin and drinking it in slow gulps.

"He will replace you... as your corpse, in other words, so you can escape." Edith reminded him, her stomach tightening painfully as she did so.

She had lost him several times before, but had somehow gotten him back each time. But now she would lose him forever if he got into the rowboat with Harwin.

Aegon seemed to remember the plan again. He had not listened carefully to this part of the plan when his brother had explained it a few days ago, because it had not been important to him.

"Can you stand up?" asked Maester Arwin to the prince.

The latter just shrugged his shoulders and tried, and with Edith's help he even managed it.

"Put this on." Arwin seemed to be the only one with a clear head, which is really unusual, because he is actually always the one who seemed overwhelmed. "You won't be recognized so quickly with this."

Edith took the clothes that Arwin had pointed at and handed them to Aegon. The prince wrinkled his nose and looked at the clothes made of brown cloth. He was used to better clothes and materials, but with his clothes he would be recognized immediately.

Behind a partition, he then put on the new clothes, which were much too big for him. Arwin then handed him a band with which to fasten the pants to his waist.

"I look like a sack of potatoes." Aegon commented as he looked down at himself.

Edith had to grin. "You look more like a young farmer wearing his father's clothes." She replied as she looked at him.

"Would you like that? Me as a farmer boy and you as a simple milkmaid?" he asked so quietly that Arwin could not hear him.

Her cheeks burned and she felt them blush. "Life would certainly not be so complicated then." She just said and smiled at him.

If they were really just simple villagers, then maybe the two of them would have had a chance at a life together. It was a distant wish for a life that was not possible.

The door was opened by Ser Colin and after him two guards entered carrying the dead townsman into the room, then Aemond stepped into the room.

Aemond's eye widened at the sight on his living brother. "I could hardly believe Ser Colin's words when he told me you were alive." Aemond greeted Aegon with his typical manner and kept his distance.

"I know you want to hug me, little brother." Teased Aegon jokingly, but he himself didn't bother to greet his brother.

"I see you're doing far too well again." Aemond replied with a grin and winked at Aegon.

The two guards had laid the dead man on the couch during the conversation and Arwin had immediately started undressing and oiling him.

Edith eyed the two guards carefully and recognized them as the same guards who had taken Aegon away on a stretcher earlier. She also recognized them as Aemond's allies, whom he had initiated and asked for help.

Carefully she folded Aegon's clothes and placed them on an empty treatment table. She would give the clothes to Alicent, since Aegon had no more use for them.

"Do you still have the can?" then Arwin suddenly asked Edith.

She was confused at first, but then shook her head when she understood what he meant. "No, I left it in my chamber." She said honestly, annoyed with herself.

Arwin pushed his glasses properly on his nose and put on gloves. "Right closet, third drawer from the top, black can. There's the rest of the paint." He explained to her without looking up from the corpse and continued his work.

Edith followed his instructions and indeed found the box exactly where Arwin had described it to her. Then she instructed Aegon to sit down.

"I won't take anything again!" said Aegon quickly when he saw the can, nevertheless he sat down on the chair. "Next time it will surely go wrong!"

Aemond put his hand on his brother's shoulder so he wouldn't get up again, while Edith opened the can and carefully smelled the paint. Then she took a towel and put it around his shoulders.

"What's it going to be?" asked Aegon, a little frightened. "I'm not taking anything!"

"You will not have to, please stay calm." Asked Edith, smiling at him encouragingly. "It's dye for your hair, so people won't recognize you from it."

Aegon looked critically at the can of brown dye in Edith's hand. He didn't want to do this, but he had no choice, so he sat down sensibly. "Will they eventually be silver again?" he asked quietly.

"It will wash out eventually, then you'll have to reapply it yourself for your own protection. Perhaps Harwin can help you." Answered the maester for Edith.

The princess put on gloves and began to spread the dye on Aegon's hair. Quickly there was nothing left of the silver hair.

"I want to see Helaena one more time." Asked Aegon softly, looking at his brother.

"Of course. What about our brother?" asked Aemond. Aegon shook his head at the question. "Even if I wanted to, it wouldn't be a good idea... He would tell mother that I'm still alive." Sighed Aegon

Now Aemond nodded and then turned to the two guards in the room - Dean and Martin. The taller of the two, Dean, then left the room to fetch the princess, while the other, Martin, stood guard outside the door.

It was a game against time and everyone was nervous and excited. Especially Edith's heart was beating loudly and she felt a bit sick, but most of all she was afraid. She didn't like to imagine what would happen if something went wrong.

Arwin treated the body with Colin's help, oiling and anointing it as was only done for highborns. Together they were quick and soon wrapped the dead one in fine cloths, as was done only a short time ago with the king.

"He looks nothing like me." Commented Aegon with a sidelong glance at the dead man.

"You are almost the same size and the rest will be unrecognizable by the cloths and ribbons." Retorted Aemond with folded arms. Aegon was right, but the younger one did not admit it. Aemond had faith in the plan and that would help them all a lot already - hopefully.

As Edith finally washed the color out of Aegon's hair over the sink, Dean returned with his shoulders slumped.

"Where is the princess?" asked Aemond immediately when he saw that Dean came alone.

Aegon lifted his head away from the sink to see that Helaena really wasn't there, his wet hair dripping onto the floor and Edith had to push his head back down into the sink so it wouldn't drip all over her dress.

"She didn't want to come, Prince Aemond. She wouldn't believe me that..." Dean didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as Aemond sighed in annoyance.

"Mhm, I'll go get her then. I'll meet you in the old treatment room. Aegon has been in this room far too long." Said Aemond to Edith and without waiting for a reply he ran out of the room.

"He really wants to get rid of me." Murmured Aegon to himself, but Edith understood the sad words. "That's not true, he only cares about your safety. And he's right, the queen could be here at any moment and then it was all for nothing." She said and tried to comfort him.

Aegon said no more and let Edith rub his hair dry a bit with a towel, then she combed his now brown hair back with a brush and put his hood on.

"We should go over now..." said Edith nervously when she was done.

Nodding in agreement, Aegon followed the princess to the door, where he stopped, however, and turned around again. "Hey... mhm... thanks for everything. Really." He said, addressing Arwin and Colin.

Colin had to smile and Arwin nodded briefly to the prince before they continued to hurry to finish the corpse.

Edith hid her own smile by looking out the door and waiting for Martin's signal. He nodded and told her that the corridor was clear. She then took Aegon's hand and walked quickly with him down the hall to Ludwig's old treatment room.

The guard Dean followed the two, but stayed outside and ran across the hall, watching for danger.

Aegon closed the door and then pulled his hood back off his head to stroke his still wet hair. "It is you I should thank the most, Edda." He said emotionally, taking her hands in his.

The young woman's heart warmed at her old nickname. She hadn't heard him call her that for a long time, and Helaena was the only one here who still called her that.

"I couldn't have done it without Aemond. You should thank him too..." she answered modestly.

He hated that she now turned the topic to his brother, but he knew the truth in her words. Without Aemond's mind and his allies, none of this would be possible.

"You look so different with brown hair." Smiled Edith dreamily. She eyed him over and over again, trying to remember every detail about him.

"Do I look like the farm boy from your dreams now?" joked the prince, making her laugh. "No, but that's how he will look from now on." She replied, also joking, although it was the truth.

She had never stopped thinking or dreaming about him, despite everything. Maybe now she could have a life with him in her dreams. Maybe there, at least.

"I don't want to leave you behind." Aegon then said more seriously. "Come with me. I can protect you and together we can live a simple but happy life." He asked her desperately.

Edith squeezed his hands tighter and shook her head. "You know that's not possible and that's exactly why you're asking me to do it, Aegon." She sighed sadly. "Someday, you and I will meet again and then everything will be better..."

Aegon didn't quite know what to say back, so he leaned over to her and put his lips on hers. Carefully and almost shyly he kissed her - just as she had done at their first time.

She couldn't help it and returned the intense kiss. At that moment nothing else made sense and she needed only him. She kissed him more demanding and clung to his upper body like a drowning one. And somehow she was drowning too, but not in the water, but in her feelings.

"I have always loved you, my love... I never meant to hurt you... you must believe that." Hushed Aegon softly after the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers, "I love you, Edith."

"I know... and I forgive you." Edith had to swallow the tears, because she didn't want to cry again now. She'd already had plenty of that today. "I forgive you, Aegon." She repeated.

"Do you love me?"

His question sounded helpless and pleading, the situation was hard for him too. He really didn't want to let her go. Aegon had done so much wrong and yet Edith was his savior, giving him freedom.

Edith nodded slightly.

"Please tell me..."

"I love you too, Aegon. I always will, I promise." Without thinking, she spoke out what she just felt and what her heart told her. Aegon will forever have a permanent place in her heart. "I love you."

Again Aegon kissed her and then he hugged her tightly.

At that very moment when they were hugging, Aemond came into the room with Helaena and the two of them had to break away from each other again.

"You're really still alive." Helaena stated with wide eyes. "What happened to your hair?"

Aegon stroked his hair and remembered again, for he had blocked it out for a moment. Edith had made him forget what was even happening right now and what was going on.

"Edith dyed it for me so I wouldn't be recognized." Aegon answered his wife.

Helaena looked at him and tilted her head slightly when she noticed the strange clothing. "I have a good feeling about this... you look-you really look different." She replied with a gentle smile on her lips.

"Thanks, Hel." Aegon commented sarcastically.

"But that's a good thing, isn't it? You'll be safe that way." Helaena walked closer to him, but stopped with enough distance in front of him. "That's the important thing."

Edith suddenly felt uncomfortable with the situation. Aegon and Helaena were about to say goodbye and she, like Aemond, felt out of place, so the two of them moved to the side to give the other two privacy.

"Everything is prepared." He whispered softly to her. "Martin watched Harwin get food this morning."

"That's good, that means they won't be checking on him for the next few days." Edith concluded from her husband's words.

"Exactly, so his absence won't be noticed until some time later. Surely it will be covered up again like his arrest." Mused Aemond.

"Did you see the queen on the way to Helaena?"

Aemond shook his head. "No, but I saw Adrik go into her chamber."

"Then she still seems to be in mourning..." Edith raised her head and looked briefly at Helaena and Aegon, who were talking quietly with each other. "Do you feel as bad as I do, Aemond?"

"I wish I could deny it, but I can't. We chose this path ourselves and now we have to deal with it." He answered honestly and took her hand.

Lightly, Edith squeezed his hand. "Hopefully, it will all be worth it eventually." She sighed and leaned lightly against Aemond.

Only moments ago she had kissed Aegon, but strangely she felt no guilt. It had been a goodbye kiss, and as much as she wished it, she would certainly never see him again, if she was honest with herself. What was a kiss anyway?

A knock on the wooden door told the four that it was really time to go.

Helaena surprisingly embraced Aegon and let him kiss her forehead. Then she whispered words to him that no one else understood before they parted.

Aemond now also went to his brother to say goodbye and hugged him. "Take care of yourself, Aegon." He asked his older brother. "And don't upset Harwin." He added jokingly.

"I'll miss you too, little brother." Replied Aegon, stroking Aemond's cheek. "Take care of everything here, and take care of these two. I'll be fine." Again, Aemond hugged his brother tightly after his words.

Edith then helped Aegon put his hood back on and tied his large cloak tightly so he wouldn't freeze on the journey. "I think I speak for all of us in asking you to write us a letter when you are safe... but in code and without a location!" she asked the eldest prince.

"As soon as we find a safe place." He promised the young woman with a smile.

Gratefully, the princess with brownish hair nodded and gave him a long kiss on the cheek. "Be safe." She said quickly as Aegon left the room with Martin and thus their lives.

Helaena bowed her head as the door closed and Aegon was now gone. She should be glad, because he had never been a good husband, but Aegon was also her brother and this one she will miss.

"Edith." Aemond looked urgently at his wife and then gestured with his head to the door.

It was time for the 3rd part of the plan.

"I'll be quick." She promised him, then turned to her friend. "I'll join you later, is that all right?"

Helaena nodded in relief, because she didn't want to be alone right now. "That would be very lovely." Smiled she.

Then the three of them left Ludwig's burned treatment room and Edith very much hoped never to have to enter this room again. In the hallway was already Colin and Dean, who were waiting for the youngest princess.

"Be careful." Aemond said to Edith and gently kissed her forehead.

Edith had to smile. "You too." She replied and then took her coat, which Colin had fetched for her.

It was all going far too perfectly.

Then they parted ways. While Aemond and Helaena went to the Queen to check on her, Edith went with Colin and Dean to the prison below the Red Keep, for this they used the secret passage as they often did.

Harwin was already waiting at the bars of his cell, already wearing the clothes Colin had brought him this morning. He looked like Aegon, except that the clothes fit him a little better because of his size.

The guard Martin had stolen the key from the attendant this morning after the latter had brought food to Harwin. He then gave the key to Dean, who just then opened the door.

Edith smiled broadly at him when the door was open and literally ran into his arms. Firmly, the friends finally embraced properly. "I've waited so long for this." She admitted honestly.

Harwin held the princess tightly in his arms and even lifted her up for a brief moment, feeling so happy. He owed everything to her and he will always be in her debt and do her every favor.

"I am so grateful. So so grateful." He said addressing Edith and Colin. He smiled at both of them and then hugged his friend Colin for the first time as well. "I'll never forget you for this."

Edith had never seen the man smile as happily as he did now, and it warmed her heart greatly. She would sorely miss him too, but this will be a different pain than the pain of missing Aegon.

"Just please don't forget us in the big wide world, my friend." Asked Edith with a gentle smile, stroking his long dark beard. "But you should forget about this one, you really need a haircut." She joked, with Colin laughingly agreeing with her.

"I'll think of you when my beard is presentable again." Laughed Harwin.

"The bags with the supplies to you are already at the rowboat and Prince Aegon is also on his way there. Even though I don't want to let you go, but we should hurry." Said Colin with drooping shoulders.

Nodding in agreement, Harwin then hugged Edith tightly again. "Take care of yourself, little princess. This is a dangerous game you and your husband are playing, but I know you can handle it." He told her honestly and reluctantly let her go.

"Thank you, Harwin. Your company has been good to me and I will miss it, I will miss you." Smiled Edith at the older knight. "If time and the gods are good then we will meet again soon."

"I can't wait to see my boys again...but that will have to wait." Sighed Harwin. To reveal now that he was still alive was too soon, he knew, and he would have to be patient until Edith and Aemond had sorted everything out. "Do well, princess."

"Do better, Ser Harwin." She smiled and waved goodbye as Harwin left the prison with Colin through another secret passage.

Colin would take Harwin safely to the boat and then come back to the Red Keep with guard Ser Martin, who had accompanied Aegon.

Edith watched the two until they were no longer to be seen. Only then did she go with Ser Dean down her own secret passage back to the Red Keep.

***

Aegon is alive!
But he is gone now... just like Harwin. It hurt to let the two of them go :(

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments, and your wishes too! xx

See you in the next chapter♡