Chapter Text
Criston patrolled the queen's wing of the castle regularly. He was Alicent's swornshield and, as such, she was his priority. But he felt a significant responsibility to her children as well.
Training with Prince Aemond regularly assured him the young alpha would be an excellent protector. A necessity, given his older siblings were both omegas. The Princess Helaena kept to her chambers and Criston swept near her room regularly to ensure that no one would take advantage of her sweet nature.
The one who worried him, who made Criston's job more difficult on a near daily basis, was Prince Aegon. Young and reckless, the eldest prince regularly ducked his guards for the Street of Silk. Or worse, went missing entirely, only to pop back up reeking of his dragon and claim to have been with Sunfyre.
False! Criston checked the Dragon Pit. He had several dragonkeepers who notified him of all of Aegon's visits to his beast. Visits which only accounted for about half of his missing time.
And there was his scent. Hidden beneath his dragon's overwhelming musk, Aegon's natural scent shifted after he disappeared. Lightened, as a bonded omega's did. It never lasted, of course, but such a change implied... implied quite a lot. None of it good.
The change lingered longer, after each disappearance. Criston needed to find the reason. The source of the change. Stop it, if necessary.
He was closing in on the prince's whereabouts though. Finally. After months of investigation. Aegon was good at sneaking around, but his heat was coming, his scent more pungent than usual.
Given Aegon's scent had never affected him, Criston had no qualms about following the young omega's pheromones. It was his duty, truly. What if the prince went in to heat somewhere he couldn't protect himself? Somewhere that an alpha could stumble upon him? Take advantage of his condition to force themselves on Aegon?
Snarling to himself, Criston inhaled deeply, turning down another cavern in the Dragon Pit. His nose wrinkled as he caught the scent of a another alpha. It was thick. Their arousal clear as it mingled with Aegon's sweet scent.
"How's that feel, Egg?" The voice was husky, dark as the alpha groaned. A man, grunting. Criston's hand tightened on his sword as he rushed to follow it.
He would not allow some common alpha to defile his queen's eldest son! His prince!
"So fucking good!" Aegon's cry cut through the air and Criston nearly pulled his blade before he realized who the prince was with. Aegon moaned, "Jace! Please!"
Standing in the tunnels, Criston froze, his blood running cold. Prince Jacaerys. Rhaenyra's son.
"Deeper! Fuck, knot me already, you ass!" Aegon's shout was accompanied by a significant amount of squelching and slapping noises. Noises that had bile rising in Criston's throat even before he took the final few steps to approach the lair.
"Not yet," Jacaerys chuckled, nosing at Aegon's throat. He nipped at the flesh. His teeth grazing over Aegon's scent gland.
The younger prince had his uncle laid out on top of his dragon. Both of them half dresssed in just their shirts, bodies slick with sweat.
Aegon tossed his head back. He was panting as his nephew pounded into him. Legs wrapped around Jacaerys, heels digging in to his nephew's back.
Criston's knuckles went white on the pommel of his sword. Vermax gave a huff, gaze shifting towards him. He stiffened. Jacaerys' head snapped up.
There was no pause in the princes' movement. No change. Aegon clawed at his nephew's sleeves, babbling incoherently as he begged for Jacaerys' knot. Eyes closed tight. Jacaerys kept his pace steady, hips slapping forward into Aegon as he made eye contact with Criston.
A smirk twisted at his lips and then Jace ducked his head, capturing Aegon's mouth as he gave a final thrust. Aegon tightened his hold, arms wrapping around Jacaerys' neck. His hands fisting in his hair.
Vermax blinked. The beast turned his head, nostrils flaring as the princes began to kiss and whine and whisper. Aegon mewling as his nephew's knot locked them together, his own spend coating their stomachs. With the dragon's gaze off him, Criston backed away, trying to block out the sounds of Aegon begging for more and Jacaerys promising all sorts of disgusting things.
He was less successful than he would have preferred.
His prince was safe. That was... that was the important part. Nothing else mattered, really. Criston swallowed, lips pursing as he tried to shake the images from his head.
Remaining at the pit, Criston waited until Aegon made an appearance at Sunfyre's lair. He gave the kingsguard a bright smile, "You can't have come to drag me home already, Ser Criston, I just got here."
A lie he didn't need to see through this time. Criston sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "We have discussed, Prince Aegon, the dangers of slipping your guards. Especially as you approach your heat."
"I'm fine," Aegon waved him off, already heading for his dragon as the keepers secured his saddle. He cooed at Sunfyre as if he were speaking to a particularly spoiled dog rather than a fire breathing monster. Criston frowned and Aegon laughed at him as he mounted the beast, "A dragon is better than any sword, stop worrying!"
Criston was left standing in the dust as Sunfyre took off. He squeezed his eyes shut, head falling back. And there it was. Aegon's scent. Even so close to his heat, it had mellowed. Lightened.
"Enjoy the show?" A low drawl called out from behind him. Turning, Criston found his new least favorite prince. Jacaerys was smirking at him, arms crossed over his chest.
"Your grace," Criston bowed his head, words clipped as he clenched his jaw. Jacaerys snorted.
Behind the younger man, Vermax stalked closer, growling. Jacaerys tilted his head, "Why were you here?"
"It is my job to protect Prince Aegon, your grace," Criston reminded him. His gaze flicked over him, nose wrinkling, "I needed to ensure his safety."
"So you followed him?" Jacaerys arched a brow. He hummed, head tilting the other way when Criston nodded sharply.
His scent had shifted as well. Sweeter. Like a bonded alpha's, but duller.
Criston straightened, eyes narrowing. Jacaerys blinked. Arms dropping to his side as he frowned.
"It's you." Criston whispered to himself. His lips curled back, "You're the reason his scent is changing." Jacaerys stared at him, eyes widening a fraction. Hands fisting at his side, Criston snarled, "I know it's you."
"And yet," Jacaerys cleared his throat. His voice was cool, eyes hard, "No one will ever believe you."
It was true. Maybe when they were younger, before Aegon had presented. Before Driftmark. When Jacaerys had been Aegon's shadow, his best friend.
"As far as everyone else is concerned, I'm escorting my mother, the Princess Rhaenyra, to Small Council meetings," Jacaerys raised his chin, "Anything else is just a rumor." He stepped back. Vermax growled. Jacaerys inclined his head forward, "And the king hates rumors."
Fingers digging into his palm, Criston bowed his head, "As you say, your grace."
He returned to the Red Keep, completed another circuit around the queen's wing. Aegon ducked into his rooms a few hours later. His scent softer than it had been even when Criston had last seen him.
Nose wrinkling, Criston watched as Vermax took flight from the Dragon Pit. Half a wing length behind Rhaenyra. As he was every week.