-Chapter 19-

-Chapter 19-

-POV Daemon Targaryen-

"So, how are you?" Rhea asked me.

"Very well, I have a real son," I said.

"Yes, he surely has a lot of you in him," said Rhea, looking at my son without any malice, which I couldn't help but find surprising.

"You seem surprised; you think I would hate him because he is the son you had with a Lysene prostitute," added Rhea without a hint of venom in saying the word prostitute.

"I would have thought you'd be more affected by the news of your repudiation."

"I am, the looks, the gossip, it will really bother me, but it's the price for the magnificent gift you gave me. You freed me, and I can never thank you enough for that."

'She's openly mocking me.'

---

-POV Rhea Royce-

"What, does it bother you to see that I'm relieved to no longer be your bronze bitch?"

"You will always be my bronze bitch, the proof," he said, looking at Aemon who was no longer with King Viserys but talking with Rhaenys.

'So, she finally started,' I thought, hoping that Rhaenys could seize this opportunity to match her daughter with my son.

'She would have been so happy,' I thought, remembering the Good Queen Alysanne who had left us a decade ago.

"I read all the letters you exchanged, and I must say I'm really surprised that you disregard the advice of your son, the only son who could have made you a king," I said before slipping away with a smile to join my son, leaving Daemon with his wine to brood.

"What is happening here?" I asked upon arriving and seeing that Laena had joined them.

"I was just introducing Laena to your son."

"How are you, Laena? Do you remember me?"

"Of course, Lady Rhea, I could never forget the kindness you showed us when the rest of our..."

Laena didn't continue, but we all understood what she meant. Aemon lowered his head, being one of the biggest assets of Viserys's camp, he felt responsible even though he couldn't have done anything, he was only two years old.

Laena slipped an arm around my son's, forcibly separating him from his mother, then she said:

"I'd like to speak with you alone, dear cousin."

Aemon silently asked our permission, and after a quick glance between us, we both nodded, and they walked away to talk.

"If your smile is any indication, I imagine you want to see this marriage come to fruition more than anyone here."

I nodded and then said, "He's a good boy, but he's too concerned about the fate of House Royce."

Rhaenys smiled slightly and then said, "He almost fooled me on that point, but I can assure you that your son is not what he shows to everyone, at least regarding the question of marriage."

I nodded, and then she said, "He's like Corlys was back in the day. He arrived at the Red Keep without showing the slightest interest in an engagement with me. He hides his ambition behind his duty to his house, but I can tell you, your son aims much higher than being just the Warden of the Vale."

"I know he has ambition, I'm not blind, but I don't understand why he didn't tell me about his engagement when I tell him practically every day that I want him to marry another woman instead of that harlot," I said.

"I'm glad he didn't tell you; it could have reached our ears, and Corlys would have been much more reluctant to see them together," said Rhaenys.

"They are magnificent; they will have beautiful babies," I said.

"I agree," said Rhaenys.

"To the union of our two Houses, as the Good Queen wished," I said softly, raising my cup.