The Great Council Part 2

(Haemon POV) 101 AC

As I walked into the room, all of their eyes were on me. I saw the Old King sitting at the head of the table looking across the table staring towards me. I saw a small girl looking at me with wide eyes and next to her was a women with almost platinum blond hair that looked like silver in the light, she had a scowl across her face. Sitting next to the Old King were two men one being tall and broad of shoulder with flowing silver hair with a smirk on his face and a fire in his eyes. The other man was shorter and a little more plump with short silver hair and what looked like a moustache on his face. His eyes showed a softness and he had a light smile on his face. There was still silence when I walked to the center of the room, in front of the table.

"I'm here as you asked your grace" I remembered to bow a few seconds after. I could still feel their stares on me. I heard someone rising and saw legs in front of me.

"So, you're the bastard of my brother. Not much to look at, are you?" the man said and I looked at him. I felt uncomfortable in his gaze. It had the same look the dogs had when they were fed.

"Daemon that's not needed" I heard the king say. Daemon, my uncle apparently. He had a sword strapped to his waist, and by the look of him he knew how to use it. When he heard the King speak he seemed to look down at me for a few seconds then moved back to his sit.

While he was sitting down the women spoke up. "But you are the bastard right? The bastard of my husband?" She asked with some scorn. I hesitantly made eye contact with her

"Yes my lady, I am". She didn't seem to like my answer.

"Princess. I am your princess, Bastard do well to remember your words in front of nobles." She spoke with fire, and the girl seemed uncomfortable and trying to escape from her clutches.

"Now Aemma, he's probably never spoke to nobles before. He's allowed to make a mistake." The plump man said finally deciding to speak up. We both stared at each for a few seconds. I was fidgeting with the ring as we stared at each other, and he seemed to notice what I was doing and seemed sad for me. A look of pity. I didn't like that.

"Yes, I'm the bastard son of Prince Viserys. I came to collect on the promise he made to my mother." I spoke finally and with confidence. I may be a bastard, but I won't accept pity from a man I never met.

"What's your name?" The little girl asked and her mother glared at her after she spoke and seemed ready to say something.

"My name is Haemon. Haemon Waters, Princess" My father seemed to like that answer. As did the king. Princess Aemma looked like she wanted to say something else.

"Where is you mother then, Haemon?" Viserys asked. And everyone else seemed interested, besides the King who already knew the answer. He just sank back into his seat.

"She's dead, my prince. Died of a sickness. I was raised on a farm, she gave me the ring when she died and told me to come see you when I was old enough." I said and the silence that followed seemed to last forever. Even Daemon and Aemma seemed to pity me. I just looked at my father, I had no room for their pity.

"For now, you'll squire under Daemon. Until the council meeting is over. You'll have your own room in the main castle next to his. You'll go where he goes and do whatever he asks of you." Said the Old King as he rose from his seat it seemed he was about done for the day.

"Grandfather surely you can find someone else for the task?" Daemon said and I couldn't help but agree with him. I didn't want to be alone with the man for long.

"I have spoken Daemon. Now Little Haemon here will start tomorrow. This is your brother's fault as much as yours Daemon. You need to learn some responsibility. No better than your own blood to learn it from. Now come Aemma and Rhae lets leave the young men to talk." He spoke with strength that left as he kept walking towards the main door. He seemed to lean on one of the pillars in the room before Aemma and the little girl quickly caught up to him, helping him. The Kingsguard quickly following like shadows. Ser Clement only nodded in my direction.

Prince Daemon didn't wait long to leave after, quickly telling me to rise early in the morning. And not to disappoint him. I only nodded in response and he left storming off to who knows where. And finally, it was just father and son.

"If I knew you were born. I would have came to get you. I looked for her for many moons after. She seemed to have vanished in thin air. It's good she kept the ring. Smart of her." Viserys talked and he seemed to not know what to say. That we both agreed on and we fell into silence again.

"It's fine, my prince. I'm just a bastard and you have a duty to the realm. To your family."

"Father, I'm your father and you'll call me such when we're alone. Am I understood." His tone left no room for argument. I simply nodded. He drank some wine and bid me sit. So we sat across from each other. He filled one of the cups with water and passed it to me.

"How was your mother? Before she died." He looked sad, staring at me.

"She was well... father. I don't remember much of her. She died when I was young. But she managed to teach me my letters and numbers, well enough atleast. Told me it was to prepare me." Being called father seemed to make him happy by the smile that graced his face.

"Yes, she seemed smart when I last saw her. I'm glad that she gave you that blessing". He said and we sat there in uncomfortable silence.

"Why did you promise my mother to have me cared for? It's not normal for a noble to care for their bastard. Especially a Prince of the Seven Kingdoms." Viserys sighed and downed his cup of wine before responding.

"I'll be honest with you. I didn't love your mother. It was only one night for us, but that one night. I didn't feel like a prince. I just felt like a man, well as much a man as boy could feel. My father, Baelon the Brave. Would always tell me once he became grandfather's heir, 'we do our duty no matter what. If we can't do our duty, then we don't deserve our place to rule over the seven kingdoms'. I was a fool when I laid with your mother, but when I woke I remembered my duty, and if she fathered me a child then I would care for him or her as such." He spoke with warmth and a gentle smile.

"You may not have my families name, but you are my son. You'll be raised as such. Maybe when you earn your spurs, your own name to go with a keep. You'll like that won't you?" He said and placed his hand on my shoulder. He seemed unsure.

"Yes, I would. Could I get a dragon too?" I asked hopefully. He seemed conflicted and only sadly shook his head.

"Dragons my boy. Are for the royals. For those of the blood. No one would accept me giving you a dragon. Your still too young to go to Dragonstone by yourself. But once you're older, and you perhaps go by yourself, to prove yourself to one. That's a risk in it of itself." He said hinting to me that nothing would happen. if I do tame my own dragon with a sly smile. I dumbly nodded my head with wide eyes.

"Now eat, I'm sure your tired, as all of us are. I'll send for a servant to fetch you and lead you to your room. My brother will treat you well. He's a good man have no fear. You'll be a fine swordsman one day under him" With that he left ruffling my head on the way.

I sat there. Stunned. Knowing my life has just changed. I'm not sure if it was for the better or worse. But I quickly dug into the food in front of me and when I was finished like magic a servant was there and guided me to. Plain looking room almost as big as the farmer's house. I plopped on the bed and went to sleep quicker than ever before. The Sheets were so soft! Gods.

(The next day)

I rose with the sun. It was early. I quickly got dressed and looked into the hallway. Very few servants were out and I thought it best to wait outside of my door. No one told me what I had to do as a squire. So I'm in murky water here. I waited for half an hour before Daemon came out, confused as to why I was just standing there and it seemed last night's events came flooding back to him as a scowl came across his face and he simply grabbed me by my shoulder and dragged me with him.

"You know I can walk by myself" he stopped for a moment letting me go before taking off. It took me a few seconds to catch up to him.

"What are we to do today?" he didn't respond. Just kept walking. We were outside at the moment.

"As your squire I feel like I should know what is planned for the day". He stopped walking and simply turned around stopping me.

"Do you always talk so much?" With that he kept walking.

"I just feel better when im not in the dark." He seemed to agree because he explained the situation.

My father was one of the candidates for heir. Daemon brought it upon himself to recruit the lords of the realm to his side. How fun. He explained that the other major candidate was a child of 7 namedays and his mother Princess Rhaenys. He continued to explain the lords whose loyalties have already been set. I asked him about the dragon riders, he smiled and said he rode the Blood Wrym, Caraxes. Laena who was nine namedays old rode the mighty Vhagar the older and greatest dragon as of now. Princess Rhaenys rode the Red Queen Meleys, which was the dragon that I saw. And Laenor who hatched Seasmoke but was not yet ready to ride. I only nodded as he listed off the dragons. I was giddy to meet one up close, I got lost in my thoughts when we were stopped by a women with black hair and pale violet eyes.

"Hello cousin." She said and her voice was sharp and quick.

"Rhaenys." Daemon seemed miffed about seeing her so early in the morning. She then glanced at me, peering into my eyes and then bouncing between my hair and build.

"And who is this, he looks like you when you were younger. Fathered a bastard, have you?" She asked with a smile on her face then did not meet her yes.

Daemon seemed to brush off the question and simply said. "Not I, but my brother. He's to be my squire for now" He said as he roughly grabbed my shoulder forcing me to stand straight.

"So the rumors were true. My oh my. How would this affect Viserys' claim? Well its nice to meet you bastard. I'm..."

Princess Rhaenys."I finished. "I saw you fly yesterday with the Red Queen" Daemon seemed ready to cuff me at the ear. But Rhaenys simply laughed.

"Bold are we. Well you are correct. Princess Rhaenys, The Rightful Heir to the Throne." She flashed me a smile and then looked at Daemon.

"Oh, don't be so uptight with the boy. He doesn't know his manners yet. It's good to see another dragon about. Albeit a bastard". She said waving off my rudeness. Daemon heard none of it though

"He needs to know his manners. Better sooner then later. You're a bastard. A royal bastard yes. But still a bastard. You don't speak unless a noble gives you permission. And you especially don't interrupt them. Am I understood boy." Daemon said and I was scared he would cuff me. So I nodded quickly. My eyes wondered as they continued to play a battle of words with one another. I saw a girl a few inches shorter than me. She noticed my staring and glared back. Her brother seemed to hide behind her with his eyes to ground. So much for someone with a dragon I thought. How could he hide behind his own sister when he was supposed to be the heir. The girl then grabbed her mother's arm and said something to her.

"i'm sorry to cut this amazing meeting short cousin, but my daughter wants to see the dragons and Meleys needs to stretch her wings. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon. It was nice to meet you...?" I never properly introduced myself.

"Haemon. Princess." She smiled.

She looked me in the eyes. "It was nice to meet you Haemon. Come along Laena, Laenor. Let's go see the dragons." Laena was the girl's name. She left with a blush on her face for being called out, but her head held high nonetheless.

Daemon simply huffed and kept walking. The rest of the days were much the same. Daemon taught me how to hold a sword as well, but that was much all. It was mainly me walking with him and telling him me the names and coat of arms of each house. I saw Laena and Laenor but never spoke to them. My bastard status kept me from talking to any one closer to my age. Princess Rheanys seemed to be nice. My father I saw less, and Princess Aemma only allowed me to see Little Rhea during the meals, which held the entire family. The Velaryon side not included. Old King Jaehaerys seemed to enjoy spending time with me, having another great grandchild seemed to do him good, but his mind would always wonder with stories of his sons and how he named my grandfather the Brave.

Before I knew it my father was the Heir by vote. It appears me being born didn't matter, they'd rather have a king with a bastard then a women who would rule through her son. We journeyed to the Red Keep after the feast, where Daemon was talking to serving maids and father was much into his cups. Jaehaeys had a smile on his face and the Velaryons were simply sitting quietly in the corner sulking with the Baratheons. Houses swore their vows and we left the next day. Towards the Red keep, or the place my mother told me smelt like shit and had people who would rob you faster than you could piss.