-Chapter 13-

-Chapter 13-

-POV Rhaenyra Targaryen-

"Have you heard the news, Ser Criston?" I said, annoyed.

Ser Criston Cole nodded and replied, "Yes, it seems the king has decided to offer you in marriage to your cousin, Prince Aemon."

'These rumors must have been spread by my detractors and all those who want my half-brother, Prince Aegon, to be the heir instead of me. But I won't let them. I will fight to keep my inheritance until the death if necessary. I will not end up like Aunt Rhaenys,' I thought, clenching my fists.

"And that, without asking for my consent. He wants to marry me off to a child who, by all accounts, is Targaryen only in name," I said, growing angrier with each passing moment.

"He has a dragon, Your Highness," said Ser Criston.

"That is only thanks to my uncle's blood. Uncle Daemon told me about his son and said he was Targaryen only in name. Without his dragon, he would have disowned him long ago," I said, snorting in disdain.

"Then you do not intend to marry him?!" he said, surprised.

"Of course I will not marry him, and you will help me," I said with a sly smile, for I had found the solution to all my problems in Criston Cole.

"I will announce that whoever can defeat you in this tournament will receive my favor and may potentially become my fiancé. But as long as none of them defeat you, we will have nothing to discuss," I said, confident in the strength of Ser Criston Cole. None of the Kingsguard could best my sworn shield.

"Your Highness, this is not reasonable. His Grace the king will know you are trying to avoid the marriage."

"And he will not be able to stop it, because I will push my cousin to accept in the presence of witnesses," I said.

"And how will you do that?" asked Ser Criston Cole.

"I don't know yet; I am still working on that part of the plan," I said, as I had to be careful that my plan did not backfire.

"Very well, I will do as Your Highness commands," said Ser Criston.

'Perfect, let's see how you force me to marry your suitor when I have humiliated him, father,' I thought.

---

-3 hours later-

-POV MC-

"This way, Your Highness," Royal Guard Arryk Cargyll said to me.

I followed him to the royal box accompanied by my mother, curious to know why the king had summoned us all to the throne room.

'It seems it might be my father returning to the capital to seek forgiveness from his brother for his actions,' I thought, remembering the roar I had heard about an hour ago.

I hadn't paid much attention to it with all the dragons gathered in the capital and the confusion in the timeline of this era, but the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with my analysis.

Silent, I stood side by side with my mother once we entered the throne room, wearing the mask I had forged throughout my childhood.

The herald announced us, my mother and me, upon our entry into the throne room as:

"The Lord of Runestone, Prince Aemon Targaryen, and his mother, Princess Rhea Targaryen."

I felt my mother's hand tighten once the herald announced her as a princess and a lady of House Targaryen, implying she was Daemon's wife.

Although she did not say it, I knew the disgust she felt towards him but I could not do much about it yet given the insignificance of my name.

'Don't worry, one day all of this will change,' I thought, squeezing my mother's hand.