Arthur was taken aback by his answer, but then he let out a dry laugh and said, "I wouldn’t be sure about that. She probably already hates ."
Looking at his dejected face, Aegon had an urge to facepalm. He sighed, "This family... god, why are you all overthinkers?"
He turned towards Arthur and said, "Just talk to her, okay? How would you know for sure if you don’t do that? Stop making assumptions."
"But she won’t even look at ," Arthur closed his eyes. "I don’t want her to ignore again. I can’t handle it. She used to co to every ti she made so trouble, which was basically a daily occurrence, so now this pains ."
"Well, at least this is an improvent," Aegon said. "You’re talking about your feelings and letting them all out. I honestly expected you to be so stern old man with bottled-up emotions."
"Lily played that role in our relationship," Arthur said, raising his head. "And I think I also needed a let-out after sixteen years, so thanks. You’re probably the best person for it."
He smiled darkly. "It’s quite ironic. I feel like our roles have reversed. You’re too calm and mature for this, while I’m like a ss."
Aegon looked around at the garden and asked, "Marshal, do you think I called you here for just this talk?"
"Didn’t you?"
"It’s part of it." He shook his head. "I wanted to see you as a person. And I have to say, I’m impressed. You’re a good soldier, Marshal, and I respect you greatly."
Arthur froze upon hearing that, unable to react. Perhaps he didn’t even know how to deal with it. He clenched his fists, then relaxed them and said, "I didn’t think I would hear this from you."
"You have so misunderstanding about ," Aegon said, coming to stand before Arthur. "I respect you for that choice. You saved millions of lives that day. That’s comndable."
"It’s not like I did it alone," Arthur straightened. "Many beca martyrs that day. I don’t deserve that credit alone."
"They were also like you," Aegon said. "Rember when I said I lived a good, peaceful life full of love and care? It’s possible because of soldiers like you who give up everything to save the Empire. Us normal people can lead happy lives because you soldiers sacrifice yours for us."
He saluted and smiled. "For that, I’ll always respect the soldiers, especially ones like you. I don’t know if you failed as a husband or father, but you definitely succeeded as a soldier and warrior."
Arthur’s eyes widened as he was reminded of the words his mother spoke before her death. He had lived thinking she died hating him, but now hearing Aegon’s words, he realised he might have been wrong.
He stumbled back, colliding with a tree, and slumped down. His world seed to co crashing down upon that realisation.
"Marshal? Are you okay?" Aegon rushed towards him and knelt beside him. "Should I call the old man, I an Grandpa Sam?"
"N-No, I’m fine," Arthur squeezed out those words. "It’s just... I can’t believe I’ve been wrong this entire ti. For sixteen years, I believed my mother died hating . The last mory I gave her was of my pathetic self she hated."
Aegon listened to him silently as he sat beside him. ’All of them misunderstood you, Grandma. You really should have left a manual for these dumbos.’
Arthur tried to smile and said, "I still rember her words from that day. She... she actually said I was a good soldier, but I was too dumb to realise it. She was disappointed in as a mother, but she still said I was a good soldier."
"Finally!" Aegon rolled his eyes. "Everyone misunderstood her intentions. Was she really that complicated as a person that none of you understood her?"
"No, quite the opposite. We were the idiots," Arthur’s face was full of smiles. "I’m such an idiot. Why didn’t I realise it sooner?"
"Because you were drowning in self-bla," Aegon said. "Anyways, it’s good that you understand how the situation worsened because of misunderstandings. I plan to clear all those, so I hope you talk to Xiu properly today."
Noticing the fear in his eyes, Aegon really wanted to roll his eyes. Who made this man the Marshal if he was so scared to et his sister?
[.... Host has intelligence in negative.]
Aegon ignored the system for the ti being and said, "Don’t worry so much. She’s the sa old Xiu. I’ve cleared the misunderstanding with her, so you can ask more from her."
He stood up, straightening his clothes, and said, "That was my main objective for bringing you here actually. Xiu will be happy to et you, and that’s all that matters. I can’t accept you as my father, but I can accept you in my family as Xiu’s brother, if that’s fine by you."
"It’s fine." Arthur also stood up, having a beaming smile on his face. "Thanks again, Aegon. Thanks for everything. You don’t realise what you’ve done today."
"Oh, I do realise. That’s why I did it," Aegon grinned. "I know my greatness, so don’t think I’m so humble man."
"I wouldn’t dare after knowing Xiu raised you," Arthur smiled. "Actually, I’m still in shock that she raised such a fine young man. Believe , everyone who knew Xiu would refuse to believe it."
"Then they’re obviously wrong. Xiu is aweso enough to achieve everything," Aegon shrugged. "She just didn’t get the chance to show it before."
"You’re really proud of her," Arthur noted.
"As if you aren’t," Aegon scoffed. "Don’t think I can’t see your happiness knowing Xiu did such a good job."
Arthur smiled at that but didn’t say anything. He simply started walking back, while Aegon accompanied him shortly after.
"I’m still worried about Father," Arthur said, looking at a distant tree that stood at the very garden’s centre. "I hurt him too deeply. He won’t forgive like you did."
"There was nothing for to forgive," Aegon said, still continuing his walk. "As for Opa, he has every right to be angry. But his anger is misplaced, and I’ll help him realise that. So for now, you can only hope he doesn’t co back too early or you’ll be damned."
Arthur chuckled at that, but he knew Aegon wasn’t joking. He had a new understanding of his son after today’s eting.
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