Chapter 2: Maegor, Heir of Runestone. 107 AC

[1st POV]

It feels wet. Really wet. I couldn't breathe for some reason, and my surroundings were dark. While it's faint, I could hear screaming from the outside of where I am.

What the fuck is happening right now?

Am I dead? I should be… I made sure of that for fuck's sake! Don't tell me… I survived?! Shit now I'll be living as a fucking cripple.

As I was in my own thoughts, I could hear the sound of the screaming becoming much louder. It sounds like… a woman's scream… where the hell am I?! A torture chamber or something?!

Suddenly, I could feel the walls around me getting thinner and thinner, and I could feel my head coming out of this place… wait… this doesn't sound right… I feel my body is so… small…

The screams are getting much louder and louder, I could even hear some words now.

"Push it harder my lady! I could see his head!" someone shouted. Whose head? Push? What? Someone giving birth in the other room?

Then it hit me… small body, wet environment, constantly shrinking space, the shouts and the screams…

As I thought of that, a bright light suddenly entered my eyes, and honestly, I felt like crying when I felt the light hit my eyes. I held it off of course, I ain't a cry baby, but instead I tried to cover my eyes using my hands, and when I saw my hands, it confirmed my thoughts.

I've been reborn…

Well… shit…

"I-Is something wrong with him?" A weak voice suddenly said, it was the woman who was screaming earlier. "H-He's not crying. Check on his condition."

"He is fine, my lady." said the woman who was holding my body right now. "I think you should give him a name."

"Isn't it Maegor?" a man's voice could be heard from the corner, my dad maybe?

"That is his Targaryen name," said my mother. Wait what? Targaryen? Oh no no no no no. "When he becomes a Royce, he will be called Andar, Andar of House Royce."

Andar Royce? Royce? What the hell? When have I been born? If it's in the Game of Thrones era, I guess it's fine, but if it's—

"Should we send the letter to King Viserys right now, my lady? That his nephew has been born." said a maester in the corner of the room.

King Viserys? Am I in an alternate timeline or something? Who's my father then?

"He has exiled Daemon. Does he even care?" asked my mother weakly. Daemon? Oh fuck.

"The king should be happy when he hears the news," said the maester.

My mother sighed. "Very well, send a letter to the king."

Shit, Daemon? As in Daemon Targaryen? My father is that madman? And Royce… My mother is Rhea Royce? What is happening right now?!

The woman who was holding me then gave me to my mother, where she proceeded to breastfeed me. Right… this is not weird at all… hey, at least it tastes nice… in my baby tongue anyway…

My mother seemed to look at the maester and the women surrounding her. "Leave me and my cousin alone."

The women and maester bowed, and they left the room, leaving me, my mother, and the man in the corner of the room from before alone.

"What of the dragon egg?" asked the man, my mother's cousin, and my… uncle?

"I have told you many times, Gerold. Daemon didn't want to give us dragon eggs if we were to give him the name of house Royce." said my mother, trying to rest.

"Then what is the point of sending our men on his conquest?" asked the cousin rather angrily. "Or do you suddenly want to suck his cock now?"

"There are other ways to tame a dragon," said my mother. True, though, I would probably kill myself doing it.

"You should've just let him keep the Targaryen name and appoint me as your heir," said the cousin. "That way, we're guaranteed to have a dragon."

"You just want the castle for yourself," said my mother coldly. Okay… he might be a problem…

"I am only acting for the benefit of our house, Rhea." said the cousin. "Imagine if house Royce had a dragon, we would become one of the strongest houses in Westeros."

"We will get one," said my mother. I got a bad feeling about this. "He could go to Dragonstone. He has a Targaryen name, he could claim one of the wild dragons there."

"He would sooner be dead rather than flying with a dragon to Runestone." scoffed the cousin. Ouch, but he's probably right…

"You don't have faith in my son, Gerold?"

"I am trying to be realistic." Gerold continued. "And don't get me started on why Daemon named your son 'Maegor', is he trying to insinuate something from the capital?"

My mother sighed. "We are done here Gerold, let me rest. Tell the midwives to bring me some water."

Even though I couldn't see it, I could feel Gerold shaking his head in frustration as he closed the door to the room. My mother, Rhea, who looked tired as fuck, caressed my head rather lovingly… this is quite nice I guess.

"My heir, my son…" she whispered to me. "You're going to make our house proud, you're going to make me proud, I just know it. I just wish that I will live to see what you will do in the future…"

Mom, please, don't set up a flag… I killed myself because I didn't want to live anymore, not because I was bored…

Aw fuck. Let's just see how this goes.

—

[3rd POV]

[Red Keep, King's Landing]

In the small council room, each of the masters were reporting their own specialities to the king. The place was not quite tense, as the king is quite a joker. He often eats some snacks as he hears the councils, and today was no exception.

Suddenly, the room of the small council opened, it was a man that wore a bronze armor, carved with ancient runes.

The king was confused, then he frowned as he realized where the man was from. King Viserys dropped his snack to the plate and sighed tiredly. "What has my brother done to you now?"

The man bowed to the council. "Your grace, my lords, I am here today as a messenger from Runestone."

"Speak your mind, ser Gerold." said the Hand of the king, Otto Hightower. "What news have you brought for the king from The Vale?"

Gerold cleared his throat, pulling out a scroll from his pocket. He opened it in front of the king and the council, and read the content of the message.

"

It is with great pleasure that I announce the birth of my son, Maegor Targaryen, son of Prince Daemon Targaryen and Lady Rhea Royce, Heir of Runestone. As per tradition, I plead to the king to send a tutor to Runestone for the education of my son on the ways of Old Valyria.

Rhea of House Royce,

Lady of Runestone

"

The council turned silent for a moment, as the old men in the room were still digesting the information they just got. The king even looked gobsmacked at the news, and he tried to force a smile.

"That is… great news, Ser Gerold." said the king kindly. "But… I must ask, why have I never heard of the pregnancy of Lady Rhea?"

It was the first question that popped in the king's head. Never mind the fact that Daemon named his son Maegor, never mind the fact that Daemon had a son with his estranged wife, never mind the fact that the boy will eventually inherit Runestone.

"Um… your grace, to my knowledge, Prince Daemon had confirmed that he had sent a letter to the capital about the pregnancy…" said Ser Gerold awkwardly.

"Ah…" King Viserys cleared his throat. "The raven must've been lost on the way."

The king didn't believe what he said at all.

"Your grace…" Otto Hightower interrupted calmly. "I believe there are more immediate concerns to ask."

"Right." Viserys nodded. "And what of the dragon eggs? Daemon has not given the boy any eggs?"

"There's… an agreement between Prince Daemon and my cousin, your grace." Ser Gerold bowed nervously. "That Maegor will take the name of House Royce once he inherits Runestone, the Prince agreed, on the condition that the boy would not be given an egg besides his cradle."

The king was even more surprised. "My brother would do that?"

Ser Gerold chuckled awkwardly. "I was surprised myself, your grace… but I believe he will keep his word."

"Hm…" Viserys went into deep thought. "Have you informed Daemon about my nephew's birth?"

"A raven has been sent, your grace." Gerold nodded.

"Good." Viserys hummed. "Then Ser Gerold, I believe congratulations are in order. I admit, I was surprised about this news, I thought the hope of my brother siring a child has been lost."

"Thank you, your grace." Gerold humbled.

"While it's a pity that Maegor will change his name once he inherits Runestone, I think it is proper, as my nephew and a Targaryen by blood, that he still has his rights on claiming a dragon on his own. Therefore, I shall send a dragonkeeper to Runestone, to teach him the ways of training a dragon, and to teach him the Valyrian language."

Otto clenched his seat, seemingly bothered by the decision. "Your grace…"

"Later, Otto." said Viserys with a smile.

Ser Gerold then bowed towards everyone. "I thank you for your generosity, your grace."

Viserys just nodded. "You may leave, ser Gerold."

Ser Gerold then left the council room with a smile, and all the while, the members of the council were worried about many things about the news.

"Your grace, I think that it is a grave mistake that you allow the boy to tame a dragon." said Lord Lyonel Strong calmly. "He is to inherit Runestone and change his name to House Royce. A non-Valyrian house that owns a dragon will destabilize the kingdom, and the spread of power would be uneven. All of the other houses would be envious and bear a hatred towards the crown for playing favorites, I implore you to not do this."

"He is my nephew and my brother's son." Viserys pointed out. "He is of Targaryen, so once he inherits Runestone, house Royce will be of Valyrian blood, there is no envy anymore, lord Lyonel."

"Your grace, I agree with Lord Strong." said Otto. "In the future, it might cause some problems. When a Targaryen daughter marries outside of the family, that family will ask for the right to have a dragon. Not to mention, the Arryn of The Vale will not be happy, as they do not get the right to do that."

"It is Daemon's agreement with his wife." Viserys continued, a bit annoyed. "Are you not happy that my brother finally consummated the marriage? After years and years of requests and demands from him to annul the damned agreement? In the crown's eyes, he will always be a Targaryen, and I will welcome my nephew to the red keep once he is of age as a Targaryen."

"Your grace—"

"Enough." said Viserys sternly. "I do not want any more conflict with my brother. Let him be, let him raise his son as he planned it."

"Then I want to question why the Prince had named the boy 'Maegor', your grace." asked the Master of Ships, Jason Lannister. "Why name the boy the name of a tyrant?"

"Daemon must've had his reasons." said Viserys, not convinced of his own words.

"I believe he wants to challenge your rule, your grace," said Otto. "No one in the right mind would name their own child the same name as Maegor the cruel."

"Are you saying that my brother wants to overthrow me?" scoffed Viserys. "You do realize, all this, the way he hides Lady Rhea's pregnancy, the way he arranged that agreement, the way he named his son, is to stir up chaos in here? Isn't that all he always did? To rile up you, Lord Otto?"

Otto Hightower didn't say anything, he lowered his head, seemingly giving up. Viserys then picked up his snack and slowly bit it piece by piece. "Enough of this, let us continue the council."

And the council continued, all the while, the young Rhaenyra Targaryen froze in the corner of the room, hearing that Daemon had a son.