Chapter 33

Chapter 33

DAEMON TARGARYEN

Daemon Targaryen frowned as he followed his brother to his solar. Viserys's face was flushed, and he seemed enraged, much to his disappointment. The Kingsguard opened the door as both of them moved into his solar, and it hadn't changed much from the last time he was here.

The light from the Sun lit the room up, with a bed on one side of the room, followed by a massive table with a model of Old Valyria made out of stone placed on top of it. He didn't have time to notice any changes before suddenly Viserys turned to face him as he heard the doors shut behind them.

"What were you thinking, Daemon?" Viserys nearly shouted, making him frown, as he failed to understand the reason behind Viserys's anger.

"What do you mean? What have I done?" Daemon questioned and saw Viserys flush as he waved his only arm.

"A bastard! You brought your bastard to court! You shamed me and yourself in front of everyone, bringing a bastard to court, making such public mockery of your marriage vows!" Viserys raged, and those words made his own temper rise. Daemon stood straight as he looked Viserys in the eye.

"He is my son. My blood!" he answered, and before Viserys could cut in, he continued.

"Plus, you promised to annul my marriage to that Bronze bitch. Are you telling me that you are going back on your words!" Daemon raged at Viserys, reminding him of one of the promises he had made to him before the start of the campaign in the Stepstones. And a part of him

"I did, and we were in the middle of discussions regarding it, and yet now you have not just humiliated your lady wife but the whole of Vale. How do you think they will see this," Viserys said, and Daemon scoffed.

"What's there to discuss? Simply order them that the marriage is annulled. Show them that you are a king!" Daemon simply pointed out that a part of him had expected this out of Viserys, and it had been one of the reasons why he had decided to bring Baelon to court. Now, with this House, Royce would have no choice but to react to this public humiliation and accept the annulment.

He saw Viserys sigh as he picked up his robe and sat down on an elaborate chair, sighing as he gripped his forehead and shook his head.

"I remember asking you to get rid of this problem and making sure that your 'whore' never stepped foot here again," Viserys said in an icy tone, and Daemon frowned.

"I sent here, but if you thought I would never kill a child of my own," Daemon said heatedly, and Viserys sighed.

"A bastard, a bastard child. And you named it Baelon. You called him a Targaryen! Do you know what it implies," Viserys continued angrily, and Daemon knew that this was what had truly angered Viserys. Viserys didn't care that the child was a bastard or whether he had shamed his Bronze bitch or even the Vale, for that matter.

No, what mattered was that Daemon had a son. A son who stood as a reminder of just how their father had become the heir ahead of their cousin Rhaenys.

"It doesn't matter. The child is mine. He is the blood of Old Valyria. I will not let these Andals insult him by calling him bastard," Daemon answered haughtily, refusing to address the hidden question from Viserys.

"I will cut off anyone's tongue who dar…," but Viserys cut in sharply as he punched the arm of his chair and shouted.

"Don't be naïve, Daemon! You and I both know what I am asking!" Viserys raged, and Daemon stopped and saw the rage in Viserys's face. Their eyes met, and Daemon narrowed his gaze and decided to speak up openly.

"I don't see the problem. I am just offering you a chance to correct the mistake you made years ago," Daemon answered and saw Viserys frown at those words.

"What mistake?" Viserys questioned, and Daemon shrugged and walked towards the opened window, glancing out at the expanding city in front of him.

"Naming Rhaenyra as your heir," Daemon answered and turned to face Viserys.

"You and I both know that the Lords will never follow a woman," Daemon scoffed. Everyone at court knew about the personalities of Viserys and Rhaenys when the Council had been called. She had been raised by her father to rule and could have been a far more active ruler. Yet the lords chose Viserys. Of course, they were also jealous of Corlys, yet for the most part, the Lords would never let a woman rule them over.

Never.

"You named Rhaenyra as heir to spite me, yet you and I both know that the lords would not take her seriously. If she is to rule, she must have someone by her side to keep the lords in line," Daemon said with a shrug.

"I had thought you understood that when you promised me her hand," Daemon continued, and Viserys cut in.

"I did not such thing!" Viserys raged, making Daemon frown.

"Are you going back on your words, Viserys?" Daemon asked, perplexed by this behavior from Viserys.

"I made Rhaenyra heir because the realm cannot bear the burden of another Maegor," Viserys countered, and before he could say anything, he continued.

"And if you think I will have Rhaenyra marry you after everything you just did, then you are an idiot," and Daemon was enraged by those words. Angered because Viserys had promised him Rhaenyra's hands just before he had left for the Stepstones.

"You promised me this, Viserys!" Daemon argued, and Viserys shook his head and raised his hand.

"I did no such thing. And I don't plan to. Rhaenyra shall marry whomever she chooses and shall remain my heir!" Viserys shouted, and Daemon gritted his teeth at this behavior from Viserys and wanted to shout and rage at him, but pulled back, knowing that things were different than before.

"I am your brother, rider of Ceraxes, wielder of Dark sister, breaker of pirates, and Conqueror of Stepstones," Daemon countered haughtily and scoffed as he began to walk out of the room.

And with a final glance at Viserys, opened the doors.

"Compared to me, what accolades does Rhaenyra boast?"

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys Targaryen walked towards the Sealord's solar. Walking was still quite laborious for him, but now, weeks after walking up, his recovery was going smoothly. Alicent's pregnancy had progressed to its last stages as well, and she was set to give birth any day now.

Being a father was something that was quite daunting to him, and just thinking about being responsible for the life and safety of a child was making him nervous. It was his responsibility to make sure to have them lead a meaningful life, and he planned to do everything in his power to make sure of that.

It was this determination that had brought him to the Sealord's palace today. The First Sword led him to Alessandro's solar. The day was just beginning, and most of the city was still asleep, given that people in Braavos often spent nights entertaining themselves in various ways.

They reached the doors of the solar and Nordan, the new First Sword, opened the doors and spoke in a gruff voice.

"The Sealord is waiting for you," he was older than Syrio and had a bulky build. And his face was scarred, a large scar that went down from his forehead to his ears.

Aenys nodded and walked in, and the atmosphere in the room was rather familiar. He had been to this solar a number of times now. The view from the windows was magnificent still, a clear view of the mangery and the city, highlighting the beauty of the Braavos.

"Ahh, Aenys. You are finally here," came the all too familiar voice of Alessandro from the side, and Aenys turned to face the man and shook his hand as he led him to a chair.

"It is good to see you back on your feet," said Alessandro, and Aenys didn't miss the hint of nervousness in his tone. Aenys nodded at the man, and both of them stared at each other in silence before Aenys decided to speak up.

"So, where are they?" Aenys questioned, and he saw Alessandro hesitate a bit before he finally gestured toward an elaborate wooden trunk lying on a table.

"There they are," he said, and both of them walked towards the eggs.

"I hope you understand, Aenys, if word gets out about these eggs," and Aenys cut him off.

These eggs could be a cause of a major rift between Braavos and Kingslnading; their grandfather King Jaehaeyrs, had threatened to burn Braavos to the ground for their overreach. Braavos had denied those allegations, and in the end, a reluctant peace had been reached. Now, if news got out about these eggs, then the whole rift would be opened up once more.

"Don't worry about it. More or less everyone has forgotten about the stolen eggs, and my dragon is old enough to lay its first clutch of eggs. So, to everyone else the source of these eggs shall be my dragon," Aenys assured the man. This was the cover story they had carved up, Grey Ghost was old enough to lay its first clutch of eggs, and so for those in Kingslanding and everywhere else, these dragon eggs would come from his dragon.

Aenys slowly reached for the trunk, and slowly opened the wooden lid. The hinges creaked, and immediately, a wave of heat and warmth hit him, coming straight from the eggs. There, sitting in the trunk, were dragon eggs. Three dragon eggs, their colorings different, their surfaces covered by hardened shell scales. And as he was about to reach for them, Alessandro cut in from behind.

"Be careful! They are extremely hot. Three of my man had their hands burned off while trying to move th…." But he stopped as he watched him place his hand on the surface of the egg without any reaction. The eggs felt warm to him, as well, but not burning hot. It was as if placing your hand above a candle flame.

Alessandro frowned and put forward his own hand and tried to touch the eggs, but as soon as his fingers touched the surface, he hissed in pain and abruptly pulled back his hand.

"Sssss…. How the hell are you touching these? They are burning!" said Alessandro while looking at him quizzically, and Aenys just shrugged and pulled back his hand.

"I believe this settles everything," Aenys said, closed the trunk once again, and turned to face Alessandro, who had a complicated expression on his face.

"Not quite," added Alessandro, making him frown. He then pointed towards the chairs and motioned for Aenys to sit. Aenys took the seat, intrigued by what he had wanted to discuss. Alessandro sat down opposite to him and looked into his eyes, and began.

"So, you have decided to go back to Kingslanding?" he began, and Aenys sighed, a part of him still contemplating the decision. Yet letters had arrived from both Viserys and Rhaenyra asking him to come back, even for a short while. Gwayne had written to Alicent as well, asking the same. And while he was less enthusiastic about this, Alicent had also said that she wished to visit.

It was the first request she had made of him, and given the debt he owed to Rhaenyra and Gwayne, he had no choice but to let go.

"Yes, though I will only leave after Alicent has given birth, and has recovered somewhat from it," Aenys told the man, and Alessandro nodded. The man hesitated for a moment, making him frown for he had never seen him like this.

"What is going on Alessandro?" Aenys asked and saw the man sigh before he finally spoke up.

"I believe you are aware of the Keyholders," and the question made him frown. Of course, he was aware of the Keyholders. They were the families of the first free men who had settled here in Braavos and had set the foundation for the Iron Bank. However, the group had expanded somewhat and was now comprised of the most influential and wealthy people of Braavos. In a sense, they were even more powerful than the Sealord himself, with the amount of wealth they possessed.

"Of course," Aenys answered, and Alessandro nodded.

"Alissano was a part of the Neysaris family. He was the sole heir of his family, who were one of the key holders," Alessandro began.

"But their recent transgressions and loss of influence and wealth have led to their removal from this position," Alessandro began, and Aenys frowned, for he had rumors about this as well. And he was rather surprised by this. The Neysaris were still rich, and there were still some distant cousins Alice, who had taken over the family wealth. But since the family had tried to attack the Sealord, they were essentially outcasts now, and their businesses had suffered greatly.

"And what does this have to do with me?" Aenys questioned, not seeing the point.

Alessandro hesitated and sighed before he slowly continued.

"There is now a vacancy open. A new family shall rise and take the place vacated by the Neysaris," and at this, he looked up at him and spoke ominously.

"And the Keyholders have asked me to probe whether you would be interested in such a position," and Aenys couldn't believe his ears. A chance to become a keyholder. And just as he was reeling from the shock of the news, there was a knock on the door of the solar, breaking him out of his trance.

"Who is it?" Alessandro asked, and his First Sword shouted from outside.

"It's a messenger from Lady Blair. Lady Alicent has entered her labor," and Aeny's heart skipped a beat as he got up from his seat and looked toward Alessandro.

"I need to go," and Alessandro nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Of course, and please keep what I said earlier to yourself and think about it," said the man as he gave him a small hug.

"I will," Aenys answered, and he would.

0000

OTTO HIGHTOWER

Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, sat in the council chambers as the Small Council sat down to discuss the running of the realm. They all sat in their seats, or at least all of them except one person. The seat for the Commander of the City Watch remained empty, as Daemon Targaryen chose to drink and whore with his lickspittles in the Street of Silk, showing complete disregard for the King's orders.

The Court was still reeling from the shock of Daemon's arrival and the revealing of his new son. The Rogue Prince had made a spectacle out of it and had humiliated his lady wife and the whole of Vale and there had been a continuous exchange of letters between Lord Royce and the King over the last couple of days, and he believed that this exchange was one of the reasons of calling this meeting.

"I have received a letter from Lord Royce," began the King, and he saw the whole Council perk up at those words. The King had a stern and somber expression on his face and sighed as he continued.

"We have reached an agreement. From today, the marriage between Daemon and Lady Rhea Royce stands dissolved," the King answered and pushed forward a missive from the High Septon himself.

Lord Lyonel Strong reached for the missive, opened it, read it, and passed it on to him.

"Perhaps it is for the better. Their marriage had always had…. Troubles," said the Master of Laws, and the King nodded.

"Perhaps," Otto's wanted to scoff, yet controlled himself. Troubles. Lady Rhea was a fine woman, belonging to a stories house. The only problem in this whole match was Dameon's pettiness, and from the agreement, it seemed that annulment had cost the crown quite a bit. A city charter, and a promise for a future Royal wedding.

"Yes, it is unfortunate to see it come to this, but perhaps they both shall be able to move on from this," added the aged Lord Beesbury.

"Yes, indeed," added Mellos from the side as well. The Council was quiet after this, before suddenly Lord Strong spoke up.

"Your grace, there was something we hoped to bring up," began Lord Strong, and he saw Viserys frown, though he did motion for them to continue.

"And what is it, Lord Lyonel," the King asked, and he saw the gruff man hesitate before Lord Corlys cut in from the opposite side.

"The whole realm mourns the loss of Queen Aemma, your grace," began Corlys, and he saw Viserys's expression shift though, and all of the Council members nodded.

"But months have passed since the death of the Queen, and perhaps it is time that we discussed the very delicate question of succession," and Otto felt the room still at those words. And he saw Viserys narrow his eyes as his hands tightened, and the King countered in a stern tone.

"I believe the succession was quite clear. My firstborn, Rhaenyra, shall be my heir," and he saw Corlys nod.

"Of course, your grace. But what we mean to say is that perhaps it is time for you to consider taking another wife. The realm needs a queen, your grace," added Mellos and he saw Viserys frown at those words.

"You want me to marry again," the King questioned, a tone of anger and frustration hidden underneath.

"I know it is not a proposition you want to hear, your grace," Otto decided to cut in.

"But the realm needs a Queen. The Princess remains unmarried and is your sole heir. May the Gods, curse us with any misfortune. The very future of the Targaryen dynasty could be in jeopardy," Otto continued and saw Viserys flush in rage. However, Otto knew that Viserys saw the implication and truth in his words as his fists balled up.

For all his faults, Viserys had truly cared for his lady wife. Much like he had, and the sense of grief and loss he had felt when he had buried her still hung over him to this day.

"It is not an easy burden to bear, your grace. It is not an easy burden to bear your grace, but it is one that comes with the Crown," Otto added solemnly and saw Viserys sigh as he raised his hand.

"I shall think about it. The meeting is over, leave me," ordered Viserys, and they all looked at each other before he nodded towards the Master of Laws, and they all slowly got up and, with a brief greeting, left the room. And just as he was about to leave the room as well, Viserys's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"A letter came from Braavos in the morning," and he stilled at that and slowly turned to face Viserys once again, who had a somewhat pleasant expression on his face, as he continued.

"The Gods have blessed Aenys with a child."

0000

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