Chapter 484: Daemon Wants a Third Child

"Cough, cough, let me make myself clear," Corlys began, flushing as he coughed to hide his embarrassment. He couldn't help but feel guilty under his wife's piercing gaze. A thought that had just popped into his head was immediately extinguished.

Rhaegar exchanged puzzled glances with his father. What's going on?

Viserys returned a slightly reassuring look and asked carefully, "Lord Corlys, please state your conditions."

But he thought to himself, Could it be that the other party is so blind as to fancy his two adorable grandchildren? Don't even think about it!

"Your Grace, you need not worry," Corlys explained, turning his gaze to Daemon, who watched the scene with a smirk on his face. "Daemon married my daughter and she gives birth to children with Velaryon blood. I ask Your Grace to be so kind as to give me one of the children of my deceased son, Ser Laenor, as a foster daughter."

Laenor had been a knight before his death, and was therefore qualified to adopt a noble child.

Viserys was relieved to hear this. It was Daemon's children that Corlys wanted. It was not uncommon for a nobleman to adopt his nephews as his own.

Rhaegar's spirit lifted, and he and Rhaenyra turned their sights on Daemon. If he remembered correctly, his good uncle had once made a serious threat. Daemon had vowed never to give up any of his children to be adopted by others.

Sure enough, Daemon's face turned black in an instant, even more so than when he first sat down. Being in the spotlight was not a good feeling.

He glanced at Laena and then looked at the Sea Snake with a gloomy expression. That old bastard still hasn't given up on his daughter.

When Laenor was alive, he couldn't even share a room with his new wife, yet he was eyeing Daemon's two daughters. Now that Laenor had been killed, he was still eyeing them.

Damn him!

Daemon's dark thoughts began to wonder if he should pick a time to let his father-in-law die of illness.

Clang!

A knife fell with a crisp sound.

Baela and Rhaena, sitting at the side of the long table, were stunned to hear their grandfather demand that they be adopted.

Baela exclaimed in surprise, "What?"

Her young mind struggled to comprehend the full implications of the conversation.

Rhaena, dropping her knife onto her porcelain plate, looked around nervously. Unlike her confident and strong sister, she was naturally meek.

Like Moondancer, and Morning the young dragon who was slow to develop, they were still too young.

"Don't be afraid," little Daeron said, taking her hand and patting it reassuringly.

Rhaena didn't respond, but picked up her knife again and continued cutting her meat with trembling hands.

Viserys, watching the scene, said with a helpless look, "I'm sorry, they are Daemon's daughters. I can't make a decision without their parents' consent."

If the Sea Snake had asked to adopt Daemon as his son, Viserys might have considered it before refusing. But adopting his nieces was a different matter.

"Your Grace, if you support me, I will negotiate with Daemon," Corlys said, turning his attention to Daemon. "Baela or Rhaena could be adopted by the late Laenor. She would inherit the title of Lord of the Tides and Driftmark, and she would not be mistreated."

Throughout the continent of Westeros, House Velaryon of Driftmark was known for its power, wealth, and formidable fleet. These were not unattainable luxuries for the nobles.

"No!" Daemon sneered, refusing flatly. "Do not even think of it. My children will never change their name."

A Targaryen is a Targaryen. The Dragonlord's blood contains fire and will not change to Velaryon, whose blood is as salty as the sea.

Viserys attempted to persuade him. "The wealth of Driftmark is famous throughout Westeros. It would be better for a girl to inherit Driftmark than to marry into a marriage of convenience when she is older."

Daemon snorted, unimpressed. He had plans to take Tyrosh and would surely be a prince in the future. Laena was injured and might have difficulty giving birth to a male heir. His twin daughters were his only heirs, and he couldn't afford to lose either of them. In this era, women were far more likely to die than men.

Corlys frowned and tried to persuade him further. "I only want a granddaughter with Velaryon blood. I will raise her with the same care and attention as I did Laenor and Laena."

Daemon laughed bitterly. "Do you think you raised Laenor well?"

The eldest son of the most powerful noble family in the kingdom was impotent and preferred the company of men. If Laenor had been a normal man, the Sea Snake wouldn't be worrying about having an heir.

Corlys's face froze, clearly hit in a sore spot.

Viserys, never a man of endless patience, snapped, "Daemon, the dead are dead. Show some respect."

"Yes," Daemon responded lazily, then turned to his daughters and asked, "Have either of you thought about succeeding Ser Laenor?"

Baela immediately shook her head and said bluntly, "I am your daughter." She then looked firmly at her grandfather, Sea Snake, rejecting his proposition outright.

Corlys's eyes darkened, but he wasn't visibly upset. This little girl had a fiery temper, which he admired, but as Daemon's eldest daughter, she was certainly not a candidate for adoption.

He shifted his gaze to the other granddaughter.

Rhaena's face tensed, and she looked to her birth mother, Laena, and her foster mother, Rhaenyra, for help.

"Good girl, you have to choose for yourself," Laena said, her emotions mixed and conflicted.

Rhaena, feeling helpless, had tears welling up in her eyes.

Rhaenyra looked at the girl she had raised since childhood, feeling a sense of helplessness, and subtly reminded her, "Follow your heart, just as Morning wants to fly into the sky."

According to the Dragon's Code, Laenor's children would no longer have the right to tame dragons. But as Rhaena was adopted and hatched a baby dragon herself, she wouldn't lose her rights.

Rhaena, smart enough to catch her foster mother's meaning, felt a faint light of hope in her previously lost eyes.

Corlys, having watched her intently all morning, smiled kindly and said in a low voice, "Rhaena, if you are willing to carry on your uncle's line, the future of Driftmark will be yours."

He added, "If you are worried that Daemon will not like it and you will continue to live with Rhaenyra, you are still a member of the royal family."

Rhaena looked shy and unsure, not knowing how to refuse. She glanced at her indifferent father and silent mother, and her heart sank even deeper.

Baela tugged at her and looked at her. Rhaena understood immediately and looked at her foster mother.

By this time, Rhaenyra's eyes were almost dry, signaling the little girl to pay attention to Daemon.

Rhaena was stunned for a moment, half understanding.

Corlys then turned to Viserys, "Your Grace, if any of the children are adopted, will you guarantee that they will not be deprived of their dragon?"

Viserys hesitated. "Well..."

To be fair, he didn't want any of the Velaryons to have the opportunity to ride a dragon again. According to the rules of Westeros, adoption is a change of family. The royal family has the right to strip adopted children of their dragon-riding rights.

Suddenly, Viserys noticed that Daemon was also looking at him. His eyes narrowed slightly as he assessed the situation.

Viserys was familiar with that look - Daemon was weighing the pros and cons.

Realizing this, Viserys immediately chose silence. No initiative, no refusal, no responsibility. A complete change from his usual determined stance.

Corlys' eyes twitched slightly, realizing that the king's ability to play dumb had reached a new level.

Rhaegar watched quietly, enjoying the spectacle of intrigue.

Interesting, very interesting! It seems that Daemon is firmly against it but is leaving the choice to his daughters. Corlys, who demanded an heir, began to pick holes in the Dragon's Code. Father is a man who is used to acting dumb. Well, well, well, worthy of the old generation of nobles. He gave Rhaegar a hard time.

Rhaenyra also sensed something was off and whispered, "Is something wrong with them?"

Although she had cared for five children in succession, she still retained the innocence of a maiden.

Rhaegar sat down and whispered, "Watch and learn." He lightly stroked Rhaenyra's fair face, feeling the familiar warmth.

Rhaenyra blushed and looked away proudly. The first child she had taken care of was Rhaegar, and now he was not being good at all.

...

The twists and turns of the evening had cast a strange gloom over the atmosphere.

As the future king, Rhaegar watched the proceedings next to the future queen, taking the opportunity to take Aemon from Helaena's arms and hold him in his own.

Viserys, Corlys, and Daemon all kept quiet, planning their next moves. Each sought to further their interests while laying the groundwork for the new king's reign.

The most uncomfortable of all were Rhaenys and Laena, mother and daughter. One watched her husband snatch her cousin's child, while the other witnessed her husband stab her father in the back. Should they support their own family or their cause? Help their relatives or uphold their principles? Neither option brought them happiness.

Suddenly, Rhaena jumped off her chair and ran to Daemon. He was leaning on the table, one hand on his lap, the other subconsciously playing with a wine glass. Rhaena took one of his large hands and held it in her arms, resting her little head on his arm and rubbing it affectionately.

She didn't want her father to be angry, and she didn't want to refuse her grandfather's request. Uncle Laenor was very pitiful. And Driftmark was big and beautiful, with Hull more lively than King's Landing or Dragonstone.

With a child's mentality and the teachings of her foster mother Rhaenyra, Rhaena wanted to inherit Driftmark and be on an equal footing with her sister Baela in the future. But she was reluctant to give up her father and her current life and was afraid she would regret her choice.

Daemon lowered his head, feeling the tender touch of his daughter's face, and looked at her, seeing her reluctance to part with him. He asked, "Tell your father, do you want to inherit Driftmark?"

Rhaena didn't dare to raise her face but nodded her head. Driftmark was great. If she inherited it, she could help her foster mother and father. Unlike now, she would be a significant figure rather than a useless little girl with a sickly little dragon.

"Very good," Daemon smiled and nodded. "You are worthy of my blood."

Seeing Daemon softening, Corlys hurriedly said, "You and Laena will have the chance to have more children in the future, and Rhaena can be adopted by Velaryon. The two families can still form a marriage alliance."

In the unlikely event that Daemon could have a son, then the siblings could follow the family tradition and produce a child who could be adopted by Velaryon. By exploiting the loopholes in the Dragon Code, House Velaryon would ensure the right to tame dragons would be passed down for at least two generations.

Daemon pondered this in silence. He had married Laena, the only daughter of the Sea Snake, and Rhaena could be adopted by House Velaryon to become a female Lord. If the grandchildren had children, they could control House Velaryon's power.

Why not? As he thought about it, Daemon glanced at Laena, as if considering having a third child. Laena turned her head away, not wanting to look at him.

The two families were deep in their schemes.

Viserys kept a close eye on Daemon's micro-expressions, trying to guess what his brother was thinking. The royal family could strip Rhaena of her dragon-riding rights after the adoption, but there was no need.

Viserys glanced at his youngest son, who was chewing on a pig's foot, and smiled. "The only suitable male heir in the royal family who has not yet been betrothed is Daeron. If Rhaena is adopted, the Targaryens and the Velaryons can be united in marriage once again."

(Word count: 2,050)