Scheming

(Aerion's POV)

"Mommy, Daddy's here!" Visenya pointed at me as I walked into her chambers

Rhaenyra was sitting on the floor, on a blanket as Elinda was sitting next to her with Aegon in her arms while Visenya was playing with dolls. Her hair was combed and tied into a ponytail, her favorite hairstyle apparently. 

Rhaenyra looked up at me, "What is it?" She asked, "How many eggs did you find?" 

I sighed, "Three. But we have six of them now." I said, "Very beautiful things, to say the least." 

"That's good." she said with a smile as she patted Visenya's head

I looked around, "Viserys?" I asked

"He's asleep, Milord." Elinda said as Aegon had a toy knight on his hands

I walked over and crouched down next to them, "Hey, buddy." I patted his head before kissing him on the cheek, "How are you doing?" 

He gave me a quick smile and looked away, lost in his own world. 

"Daddy, I want another doll.." Visenya said

I looked at her, "Of course, darling." I said with a smile, "Anything for you." 

"That's a lot of dolls you've gotten her." Rhaenyra raised an eyebrow

"And she'll get plenty more." I said as I kissed Visenya on the cheek, "Won't you, my love?" 

My precious girl smiled brightly, "Yes!" 

I sat down on the blanket next to her as she sat down in front of me, "How many dolls do you want?" I asked her

"Just one more, so I can add it to the new family." She said with innocence in her tone

"Ah, I see." I said as I looked at her combing the doll's hair

"Yes." She said

"Have you chosen an egg for Rhea?" Rheanyra asked me

I nodded, "A pure gold one." I told her, "The dragon will be as beautiful as Sunfyre." 

"Oh, is that so?" She said

"Yea." I said, "I think Viserys would love the one I have for him; an obsidian black one." 

"A Black Dragon?" Rhaenyra said, "Is it another Balerion?" 

"No, I think it'll be a black Meleys." I said with a chuckle, "Who knows." 

She chuckled, "Well, let's hope they hatch then." 

"Yea." I said before sighing, "How are you feeling?" 

"Better, I suppose." She said as she ran her hand through Visenya's hair

"Well." I said pulling out the letter, "Forgive me for ruining the mood." 

I handed it to her. 

"What?" She frowned as she took it and opened it

She read the contents of the letter, her eyes widening with surprise. 

She then looked at me, "Vaemond wishes to question Luke's claim to Driftmark? Questioning his legitimacy...." She asked, "You're kidding me." 

"I wish it was a jest." I said as I leaned against my arms

"By doing that, he's putting Jace's legitimacy to question as well." She said with a serious expression, "And by that extent, my claim to the Throne." 

"I know." I said as I looked at the wall

"Elinda." Rhaenyra said, "Take the children away, please." 

"Of course, Princess." Elinda said softly as she stood up while carrying Aegon, "Come, my sweet Visenya." 

Visenya grabbed her hand and stood up, walking with her, "Bye daddy!" 

I smiled at her, "Bye, my darling." 

I watched as Elinda walked out of the room with the kids. 

"What do we do about this?" Rhaenyra asked me, "Aerion, this cannot stand!" 

"I know, my love." I said looking at her, "What do you command? I can get rid of him." 

She looked at me with a surprised look, "W-What? No...." She said, "No, don't do that." 

I sighed, "Fine." I said, "We go to King's Landing and protest against his petition. It's the boring but only way to do this peacefully. Unless he has other plans." 

"Why would he?" She asked me

I looked at her, "He and I don't get along." I told her, "Not since Daeron spoke ill of my girl." 

"They apologized for that." Rhaenyra said, "I expect you to stay your tongue and blade should they be there." 

I nodded, "As you command." I said standing up, "We should get there as soon as possible. Get the children ready, your Father would like to meet Rhea anyway."

She nodded and I offered her my hand, "Okay." She said as I pulled her up, "That is a good idea. I take it you're going to ride on Vermithor?" 

"If you want me to, I'll fly ahead." I said, "Make sure everything is okay." 

"No, I want to arrive at the same time. To be together." She said, "As a Family." 

I nodded, "Okay." I said as I patted her cheek, "Everything will be fine, my love. Your Father will dismiss his petition if he's feeling well that day. And The Queen, well she'll make the right choice. I know she will." 

"What if she feels like the right choice is Vaemond Velaryon?" She asks softly

"Vaemond Velaryon is the Lord of Whining." I said with a chuckle, "Every time he opens his mouth he is constantly complaining. The Queen would be a fool to choose him as Corlys's heir. Besides..." 

"The Sea Snake won't die." 

*****************

(Third Person POV)

[Spicetown]

Inside a building, Vaemond Velaryon sat on a table as he poured wine into a cup. He was about to depart for King's Landing to try and get there ahead of Rhaenyra, who he was sure had already caught wind of what he was up to. 

"You must understand." Vaemond said, "Why I do this." 

"I don't care." A voice said

Vaemond looked up to see a man standing next to a window, looking outside. He was wearing casual clothes and had white hair, nicely combed. 

"Daemon." He said seriously, "I came to you in hopes I'd get someone to support me in this petition." 

Daemon looked at him, revealing the thick scar on his face, the one he had received from Aerion Targaryen on that certain incident. 

"Mm." He said, "And why would I help you?" 

Vaemond stood up and took a couple steps towards him, "Rhaenyra's children are illegitimate." He said, "The Eldest Three, that is." 

"Careful." Daemon walked past him as he grabbed the cup from the table, "Your words are Treason." 

"You know that as much as everyone else in the realm. Yet her husband, your son, refuses to speak see the truth. I was told Aerion Targaryen was a man of Honor." Vaemond turned to see him

Daemon looked at him, "More honor than both of us combined, I'll tell you that much." He said as he took a sip of the cup, "Your point?" 

"Aerion is no better than Rhaenya." Vaemond said, "He's willingly letting a child that is not of Velaryon blood run my House!" 

"Careful." Daemon said, "We may have our differences, but Aerion is my son. I won't endure insults to him if you want to go that route. Besides, even I have a bit of Velaryon blood in me. The Conqueror's mother was a Velaryon and Lucerys descends from him." 

"That is not the point. Diluted blood does not make him one of my own." Vaemond said

"Take it easy." Daemon said as he sat down, "What do you want from me?" 

"I am to go before the Queen to petition. Or mayhaps the King, if he's well, gods hope he is." Vaemond said, "I need to convince them that Lucerys is not fit to take Driftmark." 

"So you want, what? Hold the seat until he is fit?" Daemon crossed his legs and raised his eyebrows, "What's the plan here?" 

"Convincing words of a Prince might help my cause." Vaemond said

"My words aren't worth much to the Crown these days, all the trouble I caused." Daemon scoffed, "Look, Vaemond, I'll tell you this; Your case may be strong, but you're walking down the Treason route. You will end up alluding to the fact that they're Bastards. If Viserys is the one sitting the Throne, he'd give you several warning. I don't wanna be a part of that." 

"I hear rumors, Daemon." Vaemond said

Daemon raised his eyebrow, "What rumors?" 

"About a certain Prince flying to Dragonstone while Lord Aerion Targaryen was away." Vaemond said, "And after a certain time, Prince Aegon came out." 

"Pfft!" Daemon laughed, "What? What kind of shite is that? W-What? You think I'm cucking my own son? Is that what these rumors are saying? Fucking pathetic." 

"People talk." Vaemond said

"All the time I've spent in Westeros is on that stupid fucking tower my brother threw me in. Bring me the ones who say these stupid things, I'll cut their fucking tongues out." Daemon said seriously, "Do not for one second think you can speak those things again, Vaemond. I will cut you here and now if you say that again. Aerion is my son. Rhaenyra is my niece. Whatever "rumors" there were about us were false and they were due to Criston Cole's jealousy from a time long before Aerion was old enough to ride a Dragon." 

Vaemond shook his head, "Yet, they're still there." he said

Daemon's eye twitched, bothered by the audacity that Vaemond Velaryon had. Out of all the things that Daemon had done to Aerion, the last thing he would even think of is what Vaemond was implying. And such slander was not to be tolerated by him. 

He should cut his throat and be done with it. 

But no, Daemon had something else in mind. 

"You know what? I change my mind, I'll help you." Daemon clapped his hands, "Word of advice, Vaemond, this petition won't end well for you. You will claim their bastards, whether you speak the words or not. That'll make Viserys take your tongue or imprison you or even send you to the Wall. But here's my solution." 

"What is it?" Vaemond asked

"Demand a Trial By Combat." Daemon said with a slight smirk

"Are you mad?" Vaemond said, "Aerion will-" 

"No no, he won't." Daemon waved him off, "I may not speak to them but I keep in contact with my girls, as you know well enough, I just finished flying with Baela and had Rhaena on Caraxes and such. Anyways, they tell me that Aerion made a vow to Rhaenyra that he won't fight or shed blood in front of her or her children. Nor that he would chase senseless conflict. So unless Aerion really has to go to War or something, he's a complete Pacifist. Which is a shame, that boy of mine is The Warrior Incarnate. But oh well." 

"That means...." Vaemond said

"Aerion won't fight you, no matter how much he loves dueling." Daemon said with a slight smirk, "That's where I come in. I'll be your champion if your boys won't be allowed in King's Landing, I mean with what they said about my Granddaughter and all, I mean, I ought to cut their tongues off too." 

"You'll fight on my behalf?" Vaemond asked him

"Consider it as thanks for showing me hospitality while my own son refused to do so these past few years." Daemon smirked, "I am more than glad to cut down any of the Kingsguard, you know. Especially that Criston Cole, finish the job my son refused to." 

"I see..." Vaemond said as he confidence began to fill his body, "Okay then...." 

"Sounds like a plan."