THE HEALER PRINCE (HOTD SI)

[Drkest]

Chapter 22

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys walked towards the guest Hall, his pace slow yet sharp as his mind raced to understand the implication behind this visit. His head guards stood attention as he walked past them towards the doors of the guest Hall.

He struck open the doors and stopped as he watched the people who had come to visit him. And recognize them he did.

It was Edmund Colero, a stout man with a protruding belly dressed in a gold-colored tunic matching his hair. The man was one of the wealthiest magisters from Lys, or at least had been till Aenys had decided otherwise. The man stood up with a smile.

"Ahh, my prince. It is so good to see you," said the man as he welcomed me. The person by his side was less enthusiastic. He was dressed in a white tunic. And his eyes were glinting in rage as he looked at Aenys, and Aenys did not miss the slight tightening of fists of the man as he walked into the room. He was Lebouf Norbon, the infamous Magister of Myr—a supposed relative of Cragas Drahar himself.

Aenys walked towards the men and didn't shake the offered hand. He saw Colero's eyes tighten as his attempted handshake was rebuffed.

"As much as I would like to share your sentiment, I fear it will not be possible," Aenys began, his voice cool and sharp, and he saw the smile vanish from Colero's face as soon as the words left his mouth. Lebouf fists balled up as he glared at him. Aenys paid the man no mind as he continued.

"I have offered you bread and salt, but that doesn't mean I wish to see your faces. So, say what you have to so we can all go on with our lives," Aenys began as he sat down.

"You bastard, you destroyed our liv…." Lebouf began to scream but was stopped by Colero as he raised his hand, stopped his ally from shouting, and whispered quietly in his ear. The man became quiet, and then they both sat down, and Colero began.

"It is unfortunate that we meet again in such dire circumstances. I can understand your anger, so I will get straight to the point, my prince," spoke the man slowly.

"We have done business for you for over a decade, my prince. You have delivered our children. Cured us and our families of disease and have traded with us. You even saved my brother's life," the man said with a smile, and it was true. His brother had been poisoned, and Aenys had cured the man with activated charcoal.

"And we believe that this relationship can continue further, despite the accident…."

"Murder," Aenys cut him off. His eyes narrowed.

"Not accident. Murder!" he corrected, and he saw the man gulp.

"And I believe you are wrong, Colero. I healed you and your families. I traded with you freely both my medicine and knowledge. And yet you all backstabbed me when your little pet attacked my Aunt's ship. So, I remain skeptical that our relationship can continue any further," Aenys finished and saw Colero's companions' eyes flint in rage. The reason was more obvious, he had been the biggest beneficiary of Cragas, and Aenys had known that, and hence he had been the one to bear the full brunt of his rage.

And he finally lost it.

"You inbred scum! You think you can destroy us! We will not let you rest in peace. We will destroy everything you hold dea…."

"Lebouf, that is enough!" intervened his companion. And then Colero looked at him.

"Prince Aenys, the loss of your aunt was tragic. Yet I can assure you that we never supported or sanctioned such an action. Drahar's crew mistook her ship for a trading ship and attacked it. So, as a sign of our sincerity, we have brought you a gift," said the man, and then he clapped his hands. And Aenys frowned as the gates to his guest room were opened once more.

And two hired Bravo since Bravos didn't allow slavery; visiting magisters often hired Bravo when they came to Bravos. Two Bravo entered the room, and another man chained and covered in rags was brought into the room.

"Me and the rest of my companions understand that blood is owed to you for the loss you suffered. So, we make you an offering," said the man as the man was brought in front of him, and Aenys finally recognized the man. His heart sped up, and his fists balled up as he recognized the burnt skin and signature helmet.

"The man responsible for Lady Maegella's unfortunate demise. Cragas Drahar!" finished the man, and Aenys's body was flushed with rage, and it took all the self-control he had not just to stand up and strangle the unconscious man right there.

"Consider it a sign of our goodwill," finished the man as he leaned back. Aenys's mind raced as he thought about the offer. Cragas Drahar was bloodied, and the man was unconscious, held up by the two bravo and the chains. He looked away from that scum pirate and scanned the two men sitting opposite to him. He looked at the two magisters sitting opposite to him as he considered his next move.

In the end, he decided to take the offering. His aim had always been Drahar, and now the man was in his grasp.

"Ohh, and I must warn you, Prince Aenys," began Colero making him frown. "Certain people here in Bravos aren't entirely happy with your presence in there," said the man, and the meaning behind those words was clear enough.

Someone in Bravos was after him. A threat that he was unaware of. And he couldn't let that go without his notice primarily since he had also heard a troubling rumor regarding that. He had built a life for himself here, and he wouldn't let someone destroy it all.

So, he leaned back into his seat and spoke up.

"And you are aware of these men," he questioned, and the man smirked.

"I cannot confirm or deny it, but we may have been approached by one of these men!" finished the man, and Aenys nodded before finally he tilted his hand.

"So, why don't you tell me that name, and then we can talk?"

0000

VISERYS TARGARYEN

Viserys Targaryen sat in his solar as the maesters moved around him. The rot that had begun with a single finger had now spread to the hand, and the maesters remained as clueless about it as the day it had all begun. His loyal hand Otto stood to the side, tall and quiet as the Maesters went about their business. Otto had always been quiet, something which Viserys liked about the man, yet his silence had been more pronounced over the last months since the departure of his daughter Lady Alicent.

The same could not be said of the court, which was rife with rumors and whispers as they spoke of how the King had abandoned his brother, how the rogue prince refused to lift a finger to help his brother, and how the young prince had slain the mighty Vhagar. That wasn't all, they whispered. They spoke words of treason and questioned the position of the heir.

"Your grace, the maggots, and cauterization have failed to yield any results. The rot has spread to the other fingers," began Mellos as his acolytes sauntered around.

"Then what shall we do, Grand Maester," commanded Otto from the side. Melos was a bit perturbed before he began.

"I believe that we have no other option but to amputate the rotten parts. This should stop the further spread of the rot," and Viserys frowned at those words as he glanced down at the rotten flesh of his hands. Hiding the rot was easy with a glove, yet with two fingers cut, he could not hide it.

"Have your inquiries to the Citadel yielded any result," Viserys asked, and Melos shook his head.

"I am afraid not, your grace. They are still searching, but at this time, they have not found anything similar," and Viserys nodded.

"Leave us, Melos. Let me think," he ordered, and the Maester bowed and then hurried out of his chambers with his whole crew of acolytes leaving him alone with Otto.

"It seems that the Maesters have no idea what to do. Tell me, Otto, what do you think I should do," he questioned his leal hand. Otto took a second before he slowly began.

"The Maesters are hard at work, your grace. But there is another optio…" But Viserys cut him off.

"NO! I am not going to write to Aenys about this," he said with finality in his tone.

He sighed as he thought of him: Aenys, his younger brother. There was merit to Otto's proposal. After all he was perhaps the best healer in the world by some and might know more than the Maesters about his disease. Yet Viserys couldn't call him, not after everything that had gone down between them.

"After everything that has happened between us, I believe it will be better if we don't involve him in the matters of the realm again," he elaborated, and Otto nodded. His face was still grim and expressionless, yet Viserys could tell a storm of emotions was boiling underneath him. And why wouldn't there be?

"You must be worried about your daughter. Tell me, Otto, has there been any correspondence from Lady Alicent?" he questioned, and he saw his Hand still for a moment before he shook his head.

"Not yet, your grace. Yet Gwayne remains hopeful that a letter will arrive, despite though fear the Prince would have forbade her from writing to us," came the reply, and Viserys shook his head.

"No, for all my brother's faults, he wouldn't forbid her from writing to her family," he replied, and that was right. In the case of Daemon, he wouldn't be so sure, but Aenys wasn't like that. No, he was different. He always had been.

"Aenys is many things, but he is not cruel. He would never begrudge her this, and though it is a small assurance, I believe he would not mistreat Alicent," he tried to assuage her Hand, and Otto was still for a moment before he slowly nodded.

"I pray so as well, your grace," he replied. Viserys sighed as he looked at the fire, his mind racing to the same place it often did these days. To the days of old as he tried to find the reasons for his actions on that day. Tried to find a reason why he had not helped his kin on that day. And in all this time, the closest reason he had was this.

"You know our grandmother often said that of all her children and grandchildren, Aenys was the one who most resembled our grandsire. It was one reason he wanted Gael to marry him, knowing that he would care for her as our grandsire did," he began leaving much of his dark thoughts unsaid. About how those very words often made him scarce. Of how when he looked into Aenys eyes, he was reminded of the apathetic eyes of their own grandsire.

"Though it is little solace, out of everyone, she did know him best. So, I believe he would treat Lady Alicent well. If you wish, you should write to her. I don't believe he would forbid her from writing to her family," he assured his hand, and Otto nodded.

"I will take it under consideration, your grace."

He felt anger and fear as the court whispered in awe of the young Prince. Even after his exile, they spoke in awe of his accomplishments, fame, and wealth. And now of his bravery for his slaying of the mighty Vhagar.

Not for long, he thought, though. Not for long.

"How are the preparations for the war going," he questioned Otto.

"The preparations are nearly complete, your grace. And I believe I have also had some rather disturbing news about the Stepstones as well," Otto began, and Viserys frowned in surprise.

"What is it, Otto?"

"Though, I have not been able to confirm it. There are rumors that Cragas Drahar has been betrayed by his backers and has been killed," and Viserys's eyes widened at that.

"How did that happen?" he questioned as he motioned for Otto to move closer.

"There is no confirmation yet of your grace, but the rumors say that the magisters are using him as a scapegoat to assuage your brother's wrath. From what we know, his retaliation had led to major losses to the fortunes of all of Drahar's main backers," and Viserys couldn't help but shake his head at those words. Just per their Grandmother's words. This was just like their grandfather.

"With Drahar dead, shall we still continue preparations for the war?" questioned Otto, and Viserys quickly nodded.

"Yes! His death changes little. The Stepstones need to be brought under control," and with that, he stared into the crackling fire again.

"This war will be the biggest challenge of my reign, and I will not be found lacking," he said as he stared into the flames. This war was a necessity. Not just to get rid of the pirate infestation but it was his crucible. It was his test, and it would be the forge that would shape him as a King. It would be an answer to all those who questioned his reign in the shadows,

"As you say, your grace. But is it wise to trust Prince Daemon as the commander? With the naval nature of this war, won't Lord Corlys be a better choice?" questioned Otto, and his head snapped towards Otto as he replied.

"NO! Daemon will lead the war efforts, not Corlys. This is the Crown's war, not House Velaryon, so that a Targaryen will lead it," and Otto nodded.

"I understand, your grace. Does this mean that you plan to join the offense as well, your grace?" Otto questioned him, and Viserys's eyes returned to the fire as he replied.

"Perhaps, I might!"

0000

A plot twist in the next chap!

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Pa-tre-0n. Your support makes it possible for me to write. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime. It would mean a lot to me.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 23

ALISSANO NEYSARIS

In the basement of one of the manses in Bravos, a man sat in a room, not alone, his eyes focused on the piece of parchment in his hand. The paper crumpled and crumpled as his eyes continued to skim over the written words.

"Those idiots!" he screamed as he threw away the paper, one of his hands going into his air as he thought of all he had just read. Alissano Neysaris was a black-haired man born to one of the oldest families in Bravos. They could track their lineage to be amongst the first of the settlers on the archipelago.

"Those idiots! Ignoring me like this after begging me for help!" he screamed angrily. His informants had informed him how they had seen a ship from the Triarchy at the docks. He had thought it would be the magisters again, coming to ask him for help. Yet he had been wrong! Oh, he had been so wrong.

"What has happened, Alissano?" came the sultry voice from the back, and there on the bed lay a silvery blonde woman, a bowl of grapes resting on her protruding belly. Alissano looked back at the pregnant woman lying on her bed.

"The Magisters from Lys and Myr were in the city, and my informants saw them entering the house of that wretched Prince along with a chained man. A man who never came out of the manse," he told her, and the woman's eyes widened as she put down the grape she was just about to put into her mouth.

"That could only mean one thing," she spoke, and of course, it meant only one thing.

"Yes, it does. It means that they have made a deal with that wretched dragon rider behind my back, and they may even have spoken about me," he said sarcastically as he stood up and began to pace.

"Did you mention your plan to them?" she asked as she leaned forward herself, and he shook her head.

"Of course not. I would never trust wretched slavers like that; they know nothing about my plans or anything of the sort. But they do know my name, and I can not put it past those bastards to use it to make a deal with that heathen!" he snapped angrily, cursing himself in his mind for even entertaining those bastards.

"So, what. All he has is a name. Even if that, what can he do with that," she said nonchalantly, and he shook his head as he came to a halt.

"Ohh, that is the whole problem. He has connections deep connections. He even has the ear of Alessandro. This makes everything, all my plans and everything more complicated," he explained. Finally deciding to sit on the bed, he wrang his head for new ideas.

The blonde became quiet at his implosion and, in the end, approached him slowly, her arms wrapping around him as he felt a soft pair of lips touch the side of his neck, slowly moving up.

"SO, what if he has the Sealord's ear? You forget that you are his childhood friend, a friend whom he values a lot. And if he only has a name, then he has nothing. He will have to wait to look into you, and by the time he gets to that, he will be taken care of," she assured him, her lips on his ear as her teeth nibbed her pinna. He felt the tension leaving him as he sighed.

"You are right, he has nothing, but I must be careful. I cannot afford to miss this chance, not after everything my ancestors have accomplished," he finished.

"Don't worry so much. The plans are already in place, we have to be patient, and then soon you shall have control over both Bravos and Westeros," she assured him, and the sheer thought of controlling these two kingdoms made his heart swell up.

"You are right," he said as he untangled her arms, stood up, and glanced at her as he spoke.

"You should rest. I need to check on something," and the pregnant blonde nodded and leaned back into the chair. He picked up the piece of parchment from the table and then left the room with deliberate strides. The servants bowed to him as he moved past them into his solar, more specifically, the solar of the head of the family.

It was a massive room adorned with ironwood furniture, Myrish curtains, and carpets. His family's insignia is embroidered on everything. He moved away from the bed to the other side of the room towards the ornate table and chair and slumped down into the chair.

The Neysaris weren't just an old family. No, they were amongst the first group of settlers that had landed on these islands. Their pedigree and influence left them extremely wealthy, while the rest of the fourteen quickly forgot their past. His family was different. No, they remembered. They remembered the cruelty of those heathen dragon lords.

And then, over the last few decades, he could finally see a way to exact his revenge. He gripped the key hanging around his neck before taking it off and holding it in front of him. He then slowly pushed it into a deliberately hidden keyhole and slowly turned it.

CLICK. CLACK.

THUNK!

A secret door opened up, revealing the lynchpin of his plan. There, hidden inside his table, laid three oval objects, stony and sizzling. Though as much as they resembled a stone, they weren't stone.

No, they were the source of the power of those heathen lords that had enslaved his ancestors years ago. And now they would be the instrument of his revenge.

They were the three dragon eggs. The very same dragon eggs that the famed Elissa Farmen had stolen.

"Fire and Blood," he murmured the words of the last of the accursed dragon lords alive.

The words of the Targaryen family, words which, according to him, were more than just words.

And now they would be the words of their reckoning.

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

"He is down there, my prince," said one of his servants, and Aenys nodded. Aenys himself employed over a hundred men to guard his manse and even more for his other businesses. Most of them had been handpicked by him or Greg, and even then, he was cautious with how much they saw or knew about his businesses.

"No one is allowed down under any circumstances, do you understand?" Aenys said, his voice cold and apathetic, and the large burly man nodded, standing tall in the cellar. The walls were lined with casks of wine and other fermenting items, including meats.

"As you say, my prince," said the man. And with a final nod, Aenys began to descend down the stairs, his steps slow as the door to this secret underground passage closed off behind him. The key hung securely around his neck, made of valyrian steel, it was the only one of its kind, and it was practically impossible to reach this place without it. If anyone tried to force their way, then this whole area of the manse would go up in flames. He had worked with a smith from Qohor to design it all.

Finally, he reached his destination as he entered his so-called secret room, a room littered with text, glass dishes, and glass bottles filled with a pungent-smelling liquid. Yet what was most disturbing we the contents of those glass jars. Organs. Body part. Cut and preserved, with papers with their illustrations strewn across.

It was like a rudimentary pathology and anatomy laboratory, though right now, it was a prison. A prison for one Cragas Drahar and the man was tied down on a marble table. His arms and legs were secured with tightly bound rope and a rubber gag covering his mouth.

Aenys saw as the infamous Crab Feeder struggled to free himself of his binds and saw the man's eyes widen as they landed on him. The man began to grunt as he struggled to speak up.

Aenys untied the gag, "Oh, we have no need of that!" and as soon as the gag was out of his mouth. Cragas Drahar began to speak up.

"UNTIE ME! LET ME GO!" he screamed as he struggled out of his binds, unsuccessfully.

"Do you have any idea who I am? I am Cra…." But Aenys cut him off.

"I know exactly who you are, Cragas Drahar," Aenys said and saw the man's eyes finally focus on him. And then he saw recognition dawn in those eyes.

"You, you are that prince. The exiled one, the one who is a healer," he said, and Aenys smiled as he moved closer to the man.

"Ohh, it seems you have heard of me, then you must also have a pretty good idea of why you are here," Aenys said as he began to clean the surgical instruments with alcohol. And he saw the implication behind those words dawn on the man.

"It's because of that ship. The one with that royal princess. I beg you; it was a mistake. They gave us the wrong intel. Just let me go, and I will make you rich. Richer than you can imagine, I have gold and jewels," the man begged, but Aenys paid him no mind.

"Ahh, but I cannot, you see. Your so-called mistake took away the person I loved most in the world, and that is a sin that cannot go unpunished, so I am afraid I cannot let you go," Aenys spoke as he finished cleaning up his instruments.

And he saw the man's nose flare up.

"Do you have any idea who stands behind me. I am telling you, if you do something to them, then you shall suffer the wrath of the Triarchy. So, just let me…."

"Hahaha, I don't believe you have forgotten how you got here, Crab Feeder," said Aenys with a small laugh and the man shut up.

"Your own backers brought you to me chained and unconscious. Hoping that I would spare them," said Aenys as he slowly lit up the other lamps in the room before walking towards the steel basin filled with boiling water.

"You sick bastard let me go or I will gut you like I gutted that whore," and Aenys stilled at those words. His head snapped towards the man, his eyes blazing and angry as the scum pirate smirked and laughed.

"Yeah, I remember that disfigured whore. I remember she screamed at being a princess of sorts. A princess with a face like that," and then the man spit to the side as he locked eyes with Aenys.

"I remember as she begged for her life, I might even have let them have a go …" But before the man could say anymore, Aenys was upon him, his arm swinging with fury as he punched the scum in the face.

"AGHH!" the man grunted in pain as Aenys continued to punch him before he finally stopped, leaving the man bloodied.

"I was going to make this as painless as I could. But you have just earned yourself a life in hell instead of a quick death," snarled Aenys and saw as the man's eyes shook as the implication behind those words settled into his brain.

"Yeah, Crab Feeder, you are going to beg me for death. And as you whimper in agony, understand one thing," said Aenys as he gripped the man's hair and made him look straight into his eyes.

"You brought this all on yourself. YOU! Not anyone else!" said Aenys as he pushed his head back to the table, and the Crab Feeder grew pale as Aenys began to mix up a concoction with the many bottled fluids.

"HELP MEEE! HELPPPP! ANYOBY!!" Drahar screamed in fear as the healer remained busy mixing up various liquids.

"You can scream as much as you want, but the lab is soundproof. No one will be able to hear you," said Aenys as he picked up a metallic syringe and pushed the needle into Drahar's arm.

"It's just you and me here. Just you and me, in this little hell of your own making!"

0000

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

The castle's air felt dreary to Rhaenyra Targaryen as she sat alone in the garden, contemplating the changes happening in the Kingdom. Even here in the Godswood, one could hear the sound of levies drilling as the seven Kingdoms prepared to wage war on the Stepstones.

Her father remained busy with Daemon and his Council as they made plans for the war and tried to force one of their planned matches onto her. And she had seen how the Council had been pushing her father into betrothing her before the war, yet it was only thanks to her mother that she still remained independent in the choice of her consort.

They had gotten closer over the months, yet for the last couple of days. She had noticed how her mother had seemed somewhat worried and preoccupied for some reason. She sighed, as she lay there under the massive Wierwood tree and its empty branches. Missing the soft hands that brushed her hair and the girl talks she used to have with her dearest friend. A friend who could no longer be here.

Suddenly she heard the sound of dry leaves cracking, sat up, and looked around, and when she saw no one, she spoke up.

"Who is there?" she questioned loudly. And she had not misheard as someone stepped out of the tree, a man wearing a doublet with a large Tower with an a fire on top embroidered on the front. The person bowed awkwardly and began to apologize.

"I am sorry for startling you, princess. I am…."

"Gwayne Hightower," she said as she recognized his familiar face. And the boy stood up and nodded.

"Yes," he replied with a nervous smile, and then he hesitated and continuously opened and then closed his mouth.

"Aaaaa…..aaa…" and she broke out into a small laugh at his behavior, though she did decide to take mercy on him. And she found it a bit refreshing as he didn't ogle at her like a prize to be won like the vultures circling in the castle.

"Do you wish to say something, my lord?" she questioned him as she stood up and slapped away the leaves sticking to her dress. He finally closed his mouth and took a moment before he finally spoke up.

"I am sorry for disturbing you, princess, but I wished to talk to you about my sister," he questioned her, and Rhaenyra stilled for a moment as she gulped and spoke up.

"What do you wish to know?" she questioned him. He sighed, and she saw his face contort in worry as he spoke up in a resigned tone.

"Have you, by chance, heard anything from my sister? Father has forbidden me from trying to contact her, but she is my sister, and I am just worried about her. So, I could ask you since you two were so close," he said hurriedly in a single breath.

"I have not, and I don't think she would want to reply to any of my letters," she said stiffly, and Gwayne frowned.

"Why would you think that? She considered you her best friend. I think she would be delighted to hear from you," said Gwayne quickly, and she smiled and shrugged.

"I don't know, just after everything, I don't even know where to begin," she said, her voice whimpering as she remembered her leaving with Aenys and how his blazing eyes swept through the crowd.

"I don't know about anyone else. But from what I know of Alicent, she would be delighted if you wrote to her. And it would ease my heart as well if I could only know how she was?" he said, and after thinking about it for a while, she nodded.

"Ok, I will try and contact her."

0000

And as they were speaking in the Hand's tower, Otto Hightower sat in his chair working as the fire behind him burnt brighter than usual and blackened wisps of paper turned to ash. Paper that had traveled across the narrow Sea to reach the Kingdom.

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Pa-tre-0n. Your support makes it possible for me to write. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime. It would mean a lot to me.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 24

AENYS TARGARYEN

It was early in the morning, and Aenys found himself sitting in the Sea Lord's palace once more. The two of them sat in his solar, and the only sound in the room was of his fingers thrumming on the wooden table as he thought about the proposal from the Sealord.

With Drahar dead, Aenys had little reason to attack the pirates. His real target was now all those who had backed him, and thankfully his associates from a couple of days ago had been friendly enough to give him the name she had missed. Of course, he couldn't move against them openly, at least not yet. But he could just simply chip away their coffers slowly, beggaring them one gold dragon at a time. Yet the Company of Rose had already begun mobilization for his contract and that meant that he would have to pay them half of the contract fee even if he canceled it, and that would be a loss. A massive loss.

"So what do you think? I believe my offer benefits both of us," said Armando Ferosa magnanimously as Aenys's mind raced. The man had offered to buy off the Company of Rose's contract off of him because with the mobilization from Kingslanding Bravos couldn't remain behind and let Kingslanding have control over all of Stepstones. Negotiations were going on yet if Bravos had nothing to bring to the table how could they force even begin to negotiate? And so came his offer.

They would buy off his contract and then use the Company of Rose to conquer parts of Stepstones so they could have an equal negotiation with Kingslanding for the Stepstones. The move was complicated and could further complicate his relationship….

"And please don't worry about the issues from Kingslanding. No one will hear about this from me, and the initial negotiations with Kingslanding have been fruitful and I am confident that we will reach a reasonable accord," assured Armando. But Aenys was doubtful of his words, especially with the new information he had gotten about one of his close confidants.

Though, in the end, he nodded. In the end, it didn't really matter. The pirates were going to die and this way, he wouldn't be stretched so thin and could focus more on the real culprits. Armando smiled enthusiastically at his words.

"Ahh, that is good. I believe this calls for a celebration," and just as he was about to refuse, the man continued, "A private one, of course. Plus, Blair has been dying to meet the lady that stole the Healer Prince's heart."

Aenys could only shake his head at that. Blair was the Sealord's wife and amongst his earlier patients. The woman had been adamant to set him up with one of her relatives though thankfully, Aenys had been able to avoid that disaster. But it would be hardly inappropriate to deny such an invitation, so he nodded.

"We will be happy to attend," Aenys said as the man passed him a wine-filled cup. And Aenys could do nothing as they both toasted and drowned their cups.

"Good, good. Now, tell me Aenys with all this business done when will Bravos see its resident Prince's wedding," questioned the man reminding him of his plans. And the man was right, perhaps it was time.

"We will have to see," aenys shrugged because it truly wasn't just his decision. He would have to talk to Alicent about it as well. They chatted a bit more about various topics before he finally left the Sealord's palace and as his carriage moved past the streets of Bravos he suddenly spotted a shop along the side.

"Jerome, have him turn the carriage and make a stop at Sepia jewelry," Aenys ordered his servant. Jerome nodded and spoke to the driver. Aenys had truly never shopped for a female in quite some time, and so it had only been a month later had he realized that Alicent lacked any jewelry. He had berated himself for his mistake and now it was time to rectify it.

He walked out of the carriage and into the shop. The shopkeeper was a primly dressed man standing behind rows and rows of meticulously crafted pieces of jewelry, ranging from rings to tiaras. And from the little he knew about women's ornaments Sepia was amongst the best shops in all of Bravos. The man greeted him politely and seemed a bit surprised at getting a customer so early in the morning.

Aenys walked around the shop and scanned the objects and found them quite satisfactory. So, he walked up to the man, behind the counter and told him of his decisions.

"Yes, this will do," said Aenys making the man frown.

"Which piece, may I ask?" questioned the man. And Aenys looked up and smiled.

"All of them!"

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Alicent Hightower shifted nervously in her bed as she found herself missing her friend. As much as Aenys may try, life in Bravos was a lot different than in Kingslanding. In Kingslanding, the castle was always bustling with activity. In comparison life here in Bravos was slower and duller. There were no feasts or tourneys. The entertainment here was of a different nature, and the city usually became alive after the setting of the Sun. From her balcony, she often saw the famous water dancers of Bravos test their mettle against one another in the silvery light of the moon.

There would often be a kind of a small procession when one of the infamous courtesans of Bravos would decide to join the festivities often, and then the clashes would turn more intense and loud than usual as the Bravo fought to gain even a hint of their affection.

She continued to twist and turn listlessly before she decided that it was time to get up, and with the Sun already up, it was better for her to get up and get on with her day. Her bath was already drawn up, and after a brief soak, she put on a rather simple dress before she left her room.

As she came out of the Hall, the servants stood there attentively and she frowned as saw some of their servants entering the manse carefully carrying ornately designed wooden boxes. As she descended the stairs the head of the maids, Anya, bowed as she saw her.

"Good morning, my lady. Should I have them prepare breakfast for you," she questioned respectfully, but Alicent pointed at the boxes being brought in and asked her.

"What is going on here?" she questioned, hoping to get an idea of what was in those boxes. But before the head maid could answer, Aenys stepped into the manse from the massive doors, dressed in a rather elaborate doublet showing that he had gone out for some business.

"Ah, good morning Alicent," he said as he joined her. And she did not miss how his smile was a bit tense, and she greeted him as well before she asked him her question from earlier.

"What is in all these boxes, Aenys?" she questioned as he led her toward the guest room where the boxes were being stacked. He shifted for a moment before he finally spoke up.

"Oh, well, they are for you," he said, making her frown. Though she had visited the markets a couple of times now, she did not remember ordering all this.

"What do you mean they are for me?" she questioned, a bit perplexed by his statement. Aenys smiled sheepishly as he sat her down.

"Ahh, you see, as I was returning from the Sealord's palace, I remembered that though I had hired those seamstresses to make you a full wardrobe, I had forgotten about something rather important," he said, and her eyes widened as the realization dawned on her. Yet his next words confirmed her suspicion.

"Jewellery, and with the Drahar situation behind us. I had hoped that we could discuss our marriage, but before that, I had to rectify my mistake," he continued sheepishly, and suddenly as she saw the stacks and stacks of boxes, she realized just what he had done.

"So, you decided to buy it all," she finished his sentence with a shake of his head. He at least had the conscience to break out into a small laugh as he tilted his head and spoke slowly.

"Well, from what I have heard, a girl can never have enough diamonds?" he japed, and then she just looked at him before both of them broke out into a small laugh. After they were both done, she spoke up.

"And about the pirates. Are you not going to do anything about them?" she questioned, and she was intimately aware of his hatred for them. He became quiet at that before he eventually replied.

"The pirates are going to die one way or another. That was also part of the reason I was called so early into the Sealord's office," he explained, and then he explained to her about the mobilization in Kingslanding and how the Sealord wanted to buy the Company of Rose contract off of him.

"So, yeah. This gives me enough capital to carry on with my usual trading business without interruption and allows me to go after all those who backed Drahar," he finished, his fists balling up. And every time she saw this side of him, she was reminded that the person sitting in front of him wasn't a regular human, he was a descendant of Valyrian dragonlords, dragonlords who once ruled nearly the whole world, and it showed.

He noticed her getting queasy and sighed before he apologized to her.

"I am sorry about this. But I ju…" she did not let him finish and gently placed her hand on his paling fist.

"I know Aenys," she said, reassuring him, "You don't have to explain."

And he smiled at her as the both of them just simply sat there, silent and comforted by each other's embrace. In the end, it was she who broke the silence first.

"So, marriage, huh," she said with a smile, looking up at his face as his arms tightened around her. And he smiled as he replied.

"Yeah, marriage," he finished. And Alicent just let herself relax in her arms and thought of what it exactly meant. She had not thought about it, though she knew that it was going to happen. But was she ready? Were they?

She looked up at Aenys, and over their months together, she had begun to unravel the mystery that was Aenys Targaryen. For that was what he was, a mystery. He was caring, considerate, generous, and by every definition of the world, brilliant. The care and attention he had shown her over the months were something she had never expected out of anyone. And perhaps it was not the kind of love she had for Rhaenyra, and she knew she loved him.

She did, and with everything she had seen, perhaps he loved her as well.

"Is there a problem, Alicent!" he questioned, and she was broken out of her trance and shook her head immediately.

"No, no. Everything is fine," she assured him, but she suddenly felt a pair of gentle hands on her and looked down to see that she had started chipping away at her thumb once more.

"Tell me what you are thinking, Alicent?" yet how could she? She looked up and found his gentle gaze focused on her, his eyes filled with care and concern. And her lips quivered before she finally mustered the courage and spoke her.

"Do you still love Gael even after all these years?" she spoke up, and she felt him go still by her side. And his lips thinned before he asked a question of his own.

"Why brought this on Alicent?" he asked, and she chewed her lip and looked down, and silence reigned between them before she finally spoke softly.

"Because I want to know if there is there any space left in your heart for me," she said as tears dripped from her eyes. A broken smile on her face. And she knew it was selfish of her, perhaps even cruel. Yet she needed to know.

She felt a pair of gentle hands cup her face, making her look up at him as he wiped away her tears. His eyes were glowing, and her heart stilled as he saw him gaze at her with those amethyst orbs.

"There is no space in my heart, Alicent," he said, and her heart tore itself at those words, and she closed her eyes. And she closed her eyes, yet he suddenly continued.

"Because it's already filled with you," he finished, and she felt a cold breath of air on her lips. And as soon as the implication behind those words dawned on her, she opened her eyes and saw his face inches away from her. Her very reflection was clear in his eyes.

And she nodded before she closed the distance between them, her lips touching his as they both melted with each other. Her hands gripped his head as his hands wrapped themselves around her. And soon enough, the fabric encompassing them both became unraveled.

They finally separated, gasping for breath, yet still lost in each other. She felt abashed as she saw his gaze lingering on her before he inched slowly, inched closer, and whispered slowly.

"Are you sure about this?" he questioned, as he held her like a prized, fragile, treasured, despite the hunger in his eyes. And she nodded slowly, her nose touching his as she smiled and answered,

"I am!"

0000

GWAYNE HIGHTOWER

Gwayne Hightower found himself walking along the docks of Kingslanding as he thought of the days. The docks were less busy than usual, much like the capital itself, after the departure of the army for the crusade on the Stepstones.

The King had sent a force of twenty thousand to bring down the wretched pirates inhabiting those wretched islands. Gwayne himself had wished to join the army and win honor and glory, yet his father had forbidden him from doing so. And so he found himself bored in the capital. His elder brother was gone.

As he walked past the docks he cast a glance back, and his eyes narrowed at the hooded man following him. A tail that had been following him for some time now. He frowned as he turned to the right into a narrow street and hid at the edge. And just as the man was about to enter the narrow alley, Gwayne lept out and put his dagger on the man's back.

"Who are you, and why are you following me?" he questioned sharply, and the man began to speak frantically.

"I am just a messenger, my lord. I have a letter for you from your sister, Lady Alicent," said the man making him still. A letter from Alicent!

"Don't lie to me! If Alicent wanted to write to me, she would use a raven! Tell me who you are?" he said once more as he forced the man onto his knees.

"I am not lying, my Lord. My name is Chuck, and I work for Prince Aenys. I was ordered by Prince Aenys to have a message delivered to you," continued the man frantically.

"They are in my pocket! You can see them for yourself, my lord," said the man, and Gwayne frowned. He patted down the man and found no weapon on him, so he put his hand into his pocket and the man had not lied as he brought out a couple of letters.

"Don't move!" he ordered, and the man nodded and stayed still as he moved back and turned the letters.

There were four of them. Two letters addressed to both him and Princess Rhaenyra. His hands stilled as he saw the handwriting on one of the letters, and he recognized it at once.

That was Alicent's writing. The man was not lying.

Yet why had his sister sent a letter like this? Why?

0000

This scene was inspired by the first romance novel I ever read. It was a Korean one that I somehow stumbled on, named Lucia.

As always, thanks for reading!

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write. So, if possible, have a look and consider supporting me on Patreon. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 25

AEMMA ARRYN

The Queen of the Seven Kingdoms sat in her chambers, thinking about the changes happening in the capital. Changes were taking place at an extremely rapid pace. The winds of the capital had changed, and she could feel tension simmering in the court.

It felt as if there were vultures circling, waiting patiently, getting ready to pounce. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't get rid of the sense of unease.

She thought of her daughter and the predicament her little dragon was in. The court wished to see her wed quickly to ensure the succession, yet she wasn't blind to their hungry gazes. They wished to bind her and then control her. It wasn't only the court, though. She hadn't missed the lingering gaze of Daemon on Rhaenyra and the way he tried to win her favor.

The Court was filled with vultures, and she knew she needed someone she could trust to look after her daughter. Viserys, as much as she loved him, wasn't the most astute in tackling the machinations of the court. Someone like Aenys, yet for all her wish to have him at court. Aemma knew she was in no position to call him back

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

She was broken out of her reverie by a sudden knock on the door, and she looked towards the door and spoke quietly.

"Come in," and the doors swung open. One of her maids entered the room and bowed slowly.

"The Maester is here. Should I let him in, your grace," Aemma nodded.

She had been feeling slightly nauseous over the last couple of days and could feel herself growing weaker. She had blamed it all on the stress, yet despite rest and tonics, her condition refused to improve, and now she had been forced to call over the Grandmaester to see her.

The Grandmaester entered her room and bowed respectfully.

"You summoned me, my Queen," said Melos, and Aemma had the maid close the door as she moved to her bed.

"I have been feeling nauseous and lethargic for some days now. The usual tonics have failed to provide any relief," she said and the man nodded. His chains clanked as he moved towards her. And then he reached into the various hidden pockets of his grey robes and took out a series of instruments.

She lay there on the bed as he examined her with his various instruments. And the frown on his face deepened making her dread pool in her gut. After completing his examination Melos stood straight once more and smiled at her.

"Though I cannot confirm it yet, I believe that you may be with child, your grace," and she stilled at that. She was with a child. Again.

But hadn't Aenys told her that she could bear no children? Her mind raced as she tried to remember what exactly Aenys had said. Yet she failed to recall his exact words.

"But how can that be possible Grandmaester, didn't Aenys say that I was barren," she questioned the Grandmaester who just shrugged his shoulders and replied slowly.

"I cannot say, your grace. Though I will caution you that while Prince Aenys is extremely talented one cannot truly be sure in such matters," said the man, and she nodded, still trying to recall Aenys's words.

"Are you certain that I am with child Granmaester?" she questioned with a frown and the man shook his head.

"At this point, I cannot say it with certainty, though I believe it is highly likely that you are with child, your grace," and her heart swelled with a torrent of emotions. There was hope, anxiety, and, most of all there was fear.

"Don't inform the King of this yet. We can speak up when we can confirm that I am with child," she ordered. Both Melos and her maid nodded, and then Both sauntered out of his room. Leaving her alone as she tried to recall exactly what Aenys had said.

And then suddenly, she remembered his whisper.

'If she gets pregnant once again, then it is highly likely that she would die!' he had cautioned, and her heart stilled as soon as she remembered those words. Breathing became hard, and she felt the walls of the room tighten as her heart thumped in her chest.

Death! What was she to do? Perhaps she could take moon tea, yet as soon as the thought appeared, she quashed it. Her hand went to her belly, and she caressed it lovingly as tears dripped out of her eyes.

"What am I to do now?" she whispered as she raked her mind to think of a solution. Her mind went to her daughter, the brightest star in her life, and the very thought of leaving her alone made her heart scream in pain.

How could she do this? How could she choose between her children? How could she forsake one for the other?

She was a bundle of emotions as she simply sobbed in her chambers, and only after she had gotten them under some control did she turn towards the door and speak up.

"Call Rhaenyra, tell her I want to see her."

0000

DAEMON TARGARYEN

The Crown's army had taken control of one of the smaller islands near the coast of Dorne and was about to plan their initial attack against the wretched crew of pirates that now controlled the Stepstones, suddenly one of the naval commanders, Corlys Velaryon, the King's master of Ships and contributor of the largest fleet for this crusade had called for a sudden meeting.

Daemon's brows furrowed in anger and frustration as he heard the words coming from Corlys's mouth.

"What?" he spoke up in frustration despite having heard him clearly when he had spoken earlier. Viserys' master of Ships sighed before he began once more.

"I said that Cragas Drahar is dead," spoke Corlys, and Daemon saw how all the men standing there froze at those words. Cragas Drahas had been controlling the Stepstones for quite some time and was by no means a simple individual. Then, just how had he died so suddenly?

"How?" Daemon questioned, frustration lacing his words, as his chances to achieve a magnificent triumph against the wretched pirate blew up in smoke.

"We are not sure, but there are rumors that he was betrayed by his backers from the Triarchy, and his head was presented as compensation so the relationship could be mended between the Triarchy and the famed Healer of Bravos," spoke Corlys slowly, the soft sea breeze carrying his words far. Daemon noticed the commanders stiffen and send cursory glances his way at the mention of his younger brother, and it took all his control to not just crush them all like insects.

Internally Daemon was seething with rage at Aenys who had once again stolen his chance of glory and vindication from him. Daemon had promised Viserys Drahar's head in return for a massive boon yet now he had lost such a massive opportunity.

Corlys broke the silence permeating through the lands and spoke up once again. "There are reports that his second in command, a man named Fedro Sarkin, has taken control of the pirates, though there are reports of some infighting," and Daemon growled at that.

Drahar was a man feared by every other captain and pirate at Sea. Killing such a man and presenting his head to Viserys would have been a glorious prize. Yet this second in command was a no one, and so his head would mean nothing.

"Then are the Triarchy still backing the pirates?" questioned Ormund Hightower, and Daemon's eyes narrowed at the heir of Old Town. Ormund was the son of Horbert Hightower, Otto's brother, and had been at the capital for quite some days. Daemon wasn't blind to the reasons for his arrival, yet he would be damned if he would let this little green bastard steal away his prize.

"No, they are not. Or at least the support isn't what it used to be, and that is why the pirates are fractured. I believe they will make easy pickings. Especially with the arrival of the fleet from Bravos," spoke Corlys making his head snap towards him.

"The Fleet from Bravos?" questioned Daemon exasperatedly, a plan forming in his mind.

"Yes, as I reported to the King Bravos has hired the Sealord has hired the company of the Rose to get rid of the pirates himself. We are still engaged in negotiation with them about the fate of these islands but have agreed to begin our campaigns on opposite sides," spoke Corlys as the rest of the assembled men nodded.

"Have they begun their attack yet?" Daemon quickly questioned his plan taking form in his mind, and Corlys' eyes narrowed as the man slowly replied.

"Not yet, my Prince. But they are about a day away from the island. So, we can expect them to begin their attack within a week," replied Corlys, and Daemon nodded as he glanced at the map. With Drahar gone, he needed a bigger prize, and what would be a greater prize than the islands that controlled the trade of the whole world?

"Then I believe we have a dilemma on our hands," he began loudly and saw the eyes of everyone narrow at him.

"With Drahar and the support from the Triarchy gone, these islands represent an opportunity," he spoke loudly putting emphasis on the word opportunity as he looked around at the people standing around the table.

And he noticed Corlys stiffen at his words. Daemon wasn't oblivious to the man's attempt at marrying off the Sealord's child to his daughter to expand his influence. And Viserys had been very clear about whom he had selected to lead this campaign.

"The Crown has always maintained that these islands belong to them, and I believe it is the time to enforce this decision," he said as he leaned forward.

"I say screw the pirates and those Bravosi cunts! These lands belong to us, and it is time we bring them under our control!" he shouted and saw that he had the backing of at least half of these men. The Crown had not been to war in quite some time, and all of these men were young and hungry for glory.

"But, my prince, the King's orders were very clear. There are negotiations going on with Bravos, and even if we ignore that, if we try and conquer all of the Stepstones with our current forces, we will be stretched too thin," retorted Ormund Hightower. Daemon scoffed at that.

"The King appointed me as the commander Hightower!" Daemon shouted, shutting up the Hightower heir. Ormund eyes flared, and the man became silent.

"Ormund is right! This will mess with the negotiations with Bravos, and then our army isn't sufficient to pull off such a feat Daemon," Corlys argued, and Daemon scoffed.

"You underestimate me! These islands are nothing in front of the might of a true dragon! We shall conquer these islands and show the world a glimpse of why the Dragonlords once ruled over them all!" Daemon shouted, and a few of the men roared with him.

"Glory awaits us! Now will you cower behind like fools or join and claim it all for yourself and have songs and legends written about you!" he shouted and all of the men standing in front of him roared with him.

All except two, both were silent for very different reasons, yet silent they were.

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

The air in the manse in Bravos had changed a lot over the last few days. The calm and monotonous serenity was gone, now replaced by a healthy hustle and bustle of people. Designers, jewelers, mummers, and various other people would continuously visit the manse which itself was undergoing extensive renovations.

Marriages in Bravos were supposed to be a festive occasion and were used to show one's power and influence and she had come to understand that there were few in the city that boasted any more influence or wealth than her husband-to-be.

Their relationship had changed a lot since that fateful day, the invisible wall that she often thought hanging between them was now gone much like her own room. Most nights she would be found in his room, sharing his bed, and that was one reason she was acutely aware of just how busy he was.

From dawn till dusk, he would often be embroiled in one matter or another, ranging from matters about the college to the production of medicine or his trading fleet. Another thing she had become acutely aware of was the sheer amount of wealth he possessed. She had known that he was rich, but she had not imagined that he was this rich. From the ledgers she had looked at, his income nearly came equal to the income her family derived from the city of Old Town.

As the workers worked around the Hall, replacing the chandeliers and lamps, repainted the walls. Her eyes landed on quite an intriguing object. At the edge of the room, protected by a glass box, there lay quite a breathtaking object.

It was a harp. A gold-plated harp. She walked towards it and was awed by the sheer intricate details etched into it. Alicent herself didn't know how to play it, though she had a pretty good idea that Aenys used to play the harp. She was so engrossed in the object placed in front of her that she missed the sound of faint footsteps coming from behind, and only when a pair of very familiar hands wrapped themselves around her was she broken out of her trance.

"Ah so you were here, I was searching for you down the Hall because Anya told me that the designer had come," came the light whisper as she felt a gentle breath tingle her ears. She smiled as Aenys swung her to face him.

"Yes, she came today and I came down here to send her off," she replied. Antonie was amongst the best designers in Bravos and had been in charge of her wardrobe since the day she arrived here. The woman was a magician in the way she designed and stitched clothes and was her exclusive designer.

She had come today to get her fittings for her gown, which she was designing, and had also brought in some other formal dresses that had been ordered for earlier.

"That's okay," said Aenys as he glanced up and stilled for a moment as his eyes landed on the harp.

"When did they bring this out," he spoke slowly as he walked towards the harp.

"I think they were just clearing the room and checking if any repairs needed to be done," she replied as she joined him. She then looked up at him as she spoke again.

"You used to play the harp before, right," she questioned, and he nodded.

"I did. Learned it from grandmother herself," he replied.

"Why did you stop?" she questioned suddenly and he just shrugged.

"I don't know, I think it was probably because I couldn't find the time anymore," he replied, and she nodded, remembering that all that she saw in front of her was all the wealth and influence. It had all been built by him on his own. She held his hand, as she gently picked up the harp and placed it in his hand.

"What about now? We have got a bit of time," she said as he held his harp and looked it over. She saw him look up and she felt her body heat up as he spoke with a soft smile.

"Why don't we do it together?"

And as the castle and its workers got lost in the melodious tune produced by the couple. They missed the treachery of a few workers that would later change the landscape of Bravos itself.

0000

RHAENEYRA TARGARYEN

Rhaeneyra Targaryen paced nervously in the Godswood as she waited for the arrival of a secret someone. The very same secret someone had slipped her a couple of letters from across the Narrow Sea. She glanced around nervously when suddenly the sound of cracking of leaves made her look to the side and her heart as she saw Gwayne Hightower coming there.

Her brows furrowed as she stomped angrily.

"What were you doing? You are late!" she spoke in an exasperated tone, and Alicent's brother seemed rather abash at by rage.

"My lady, it took more time than I expected to come here covertly, and I was bust making certain arrangements," he whispered, and she shook her head, already aware of the kind of arrangements he was making.

"No matter, take these," she said as she handed him two letters, written by herself addressed to her dear friend and uncle. Due to the mysterious disruption, there wasn't any other way of contacting them both.

Gwayne took the letter and the small box that accompanied them and gave her a nod. Rhaenyra's heart longed to see her friend. They had both dreamt of the day they would get married yet there now stood a river of politics and connivers between them. Though she hoped that one day all this would end.

"Will that be all Princess?" he remarked and she nodded, chewing her lips, and just as Gwayne was about to turn back, she spoke up.

"Wait!" she shouted a little louder than she probably should have. Alicent's brother stopped and looked back. She struggled a bit before she finally spoke up.

"If you meet her, tell her that I miss her greatly and that no matter the distance between us, she will always have a friend in me." And her voice shook slightly as she said those words. Gwayne Hightower simply nodded.

"I will, Princess."

And with that, the man left the Godswood, leaving her alone once more to face the mounting pressure from the court and her father about choosing a husband. A pressure that had become nearly suffocating. Yet a part of her felt rather comforted for her friend, despite the massive distance between them.

And the heir to the seven kingdoms left the room, leaving behind only a small murmur.

"May you have all the happiness in the world, Alicent."

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime if you can. It would mean a lot to me.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 26

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Rhaenyra Targaryen sat in her room, with the Seven-Pointed Star open before her. The heir of the Seven Kingdoms could be called many things, but pious wasn't among them. That title went to her dear childhood friend. And it was I reminiscence of that very friend that she had taken out the dusty tome. Yet, in the end, her mind continued to wander to the lands beyond the Narrow Sea.

The situation in the seven Kingdoms was growing worse and worse, especially with the rise in tensions with Bravos. Many had thought that the King would make common cause with the Free City to expel the pirates from the rocky islands of Stepstones. Yet the realm had been caught by surprise by the aggressive nature of the campaign, had taken everyone by surprise.

Daemon hadn't even waited for the talks between the Seven Kingdoms and Bravos to conclude and had begun to attack the islands without prejudice, even burning the Bravosi fleet making the relations between the two kingdoms tense. Yet despite the tensions, the Seven Kingdoms were peaceful and quite unaffected by this all, yet unlike the rest of the realm, she was quite aware of the problems his actions would cause for their estranged brother, especially at the time when he was days away from getting married.

She had been both surprised and elated when she had read Alicent's letter informing her of her impending marriage to her uncle Aenys. Dreams of her inaction that wretched day still haunted her, yet despite it all, Aenys had written to her as well, mentioning that despite the tensions between him and her father, he bore her no ill will and that she was free to contact him through his associates in the city.

The letter had been a bit of a relief, yet she had found it quite suspicious that none of his or Alicent's letters had reached her earlier. Despite her wishes, she knew that she couldn't be with her friend on her special day, and thus she trusted her brother with her letter and her gift.

As she sat there, lost in thought about the affairs a whole sea away, she missed the doors of her room being swung open as her father entered the room; the recent stresses had taken their toll on the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

The Viserys Targaryen that had entered the room wasn't the same man from a year ago. The debacle at Dragonstone hadn't just cost the King his relationship with his youngest brother but had also chipped away at his authority. Even now, months later, the murmurs in the court refused to die down, especially as they saw the King's armless sleeve, the Maesters having been forced to cut off the whole arm because of an unidentifiable ailment.

"Rhaenyra!" her head snapped back, and she frowned as she saw her father walking into her room like this. Her mind raced to recall the last time he had entered her room like this as he took giant strides toward her.

"What happened, fath…" yet the words had barely left her mouth before he nearly shouted at her.

"Where is he? Tell me right now, where is he!" he shouted, making her frown as she failed to understand what he was talking about.

"Where is who? What are you talking about?" she questioned as he stood in front of her. His flushed face and glinting eyes made her nervous for some reason. She felt him grip her shoulder with his remaining hand as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Gwayne! Where is Gwayne Hightower, the servants told me that you were the last person he was seen with, tell me where he is," he shouted, and suddenly it all clicked. She gulped, and her gaze shifted downwards as she replied.

"I don't know," yet she felt his grip tighten over her arm.

"Don't lie to me, Rhaenyra!" her father shouted at her, his voice making her shrink back before the man sighed, and the grip around her arm loosened as he spoke up again.

"Just tell me, Rhaenyra, we have looked everywhere and have found no trace of him. Otto is very worried about his disappearance," her father spoke up with a sigh. Rhaenyra gulped and decided to tell them, feeling that it was too late to stop him now.

"He is…" she began as she looked up and saw her father's gaze focused onto her, "he went to Bravos," she finished and saw him stiffen at her words, a myriad of emotions before it settled onto one of anger.

"Why?" he asked in a seething tone. And Rhaenyra looked up at him and scoffed at this farce.

"Shouldn't you already know that so why don't we just stop pretending!" she scoffed and saw him frown, yet she refused to believe that he was unaware of it all.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned again, and Rhaenyra felt her patience run out.

"Marriage! Your brother is set to marry Alicent in some days," she replied.

"How do you know that? Have you been in contact with him?" her father asked angrily, and she shrugged.

"I have," she replied and saw his lips thin at her reply.

"The Maester didn't tell me about receiving any letter from Bravos. How did he contact you," her father replied with narrowed eyes, and Rhaenyra picked up the letter she had received and waved it in front of him.

"Please, can we end this farce? He himself told me that he wrote a couple of times, yet I got none of his letters," she said heatedly, making him frown.

"And you believe him over me, your own father," said her father derisively, and Rhaenyra halted for a moment before she looked into his eyes and nodded. Her father's eyes flinted as he shook his head.

"This is just like him, always poisoning people's minds against him. I have seen him do it all his life, thinking himself better than everyone, trying to reach beyond his station." her father scoffed angrily, his sole hand balled into a fist as he began to pace angrily before looking straight at her.

"Now even my own daughter calls me a liar because of him!" he nearly shouted, yet Rhaenyra didn't back off from his gaze. He then reached for the letter she had received from Aenys and took it out of her hand.

"This just goes to show how you cannot be trusted, Rhaenyra!" he said in a seething tone.

"And you can be!" the words slipped out of her mouth before she could think. She felt him stiffen at her words.

"I am not an idiot, and I can see what you are doing. The whole realm can. The war and everything will not make people forget what happened at Dragonstone," she replied. And it was true, especially with the rise in tensions with Bravos, people were even more anxious and skeptical of the crown's powers.

"Don't speak of things you don't understand!" her father shouted at her, making her shrink back, yet she was quite tired of it all.

"And how has that been working for you, you cannot make people stop speaking about distasteful things, and now you believe forgetting about the existence of your brother whom you wronged will solve everything," she replied.

"I am not at fault here! It has always been him! ALWAYS!" her father shouted and huffed for breath.

"Aenys is the third son. Third! Yet he has always dreamed of achieving beyond his station. He thinks himself so clever and above us all that he looks at us all with disdain and contempt in his eyes. His duty was to serve me! Serve as Daemon has, yet what would he know of duty, always reaching beyond his station, betraying me" her father scoffed, making her gulp, his eyes focused on her.

"And this all shows me that you don't as well," he suddenly added, and she stilled at her words.

"I gave you months to choose a consort, yet you have done nothing but cause trouble for me yet you stand here and lecture me," and dread pooled in her heart at those words.

"No, more," he continued.

"You will get no more chance. I shall choose someone suitable for you, and you shall marry him as per my decision," he added, making her eyes widen.

"Fath…"

"And that is final!" he said, and then after a final look at the letter in his hand, he threw it into the fireplace before walking out of her room.

0000

ALESNADRO FEROSA

The Sealord of Bravos watched himself in the mirror as the servants adjusted his clothes and hair as he got ready for the special occasion. Life as the Sealord had become quite hectic over the last couple of months.

Their negotiation with Kingslanding had fallen apart after the overreach from Prince Daemon had cost them half a dozen ships and had only just resumed after very high tensions. Yet, despite the troubles of the past months, today was not a day to be worried about things like that. It was a day for celebrations.

"This cannot go on, Alesandro. You need to force the Prince to intervene," and he would enjoy them if not for the constant interventions from his old friend. Alesandro sighed, trying to recall just how many times he had already discussed this already.

He turned away from the mirror to look at Alissano as he replied.

"And as I have told you and everyone else, he cannot. It just isn't possible for him to intervene, especially given the agreement we made him when he set up his institution here," replied Alesandro yet Alissano was anything but persistent.

"That agreement is nothing but a piece of parchment. It holds little value. You have to force him to side with us in this conflict in Bravos. We cannot let the seven Kingdoms have control over those islands," argued Alessandro wasn't blind to their concerns.

Yet many people overestimated the influence they held over Aenys Targaryen. The Prince had been quite clear when he had set up his businesses in Bravos, making sure that he would not be forced to intervene in any conflict between the two Kingdoms.

"You are just being ridiculous now, Alissano, plus the matter in the Stepstones isn't as simple as just conquering them. Those islands are impossible to hold, and Westeros will soon realize that if they haven't already. They are a money sink and goddamn hassle to manage," replied Alessandro trying to get Alissano to understand his point, yet his friend, dressed in a fine purple doublet embroidered with gold thread.

"I understand that, but isn't it the Prince's duty to repay us for everything we have done for him, for providing him refuge," argued Alissano making him sigh.

Had it been a year or so ago, they might even have been able to force him. Yet now forcing Aenys Targaryen to do anything like that was impossible, not that he would ever do so. Yet still, the sheer amount of wealth and influence possessed by the man made it so that they couldn't force him to do anything. Even in Bravos, there were many amongst the key holders and other influential people who employed the man's services for themselves or their families.

"It is not possible, Alissano, and if we are to speak of compensation, then he has done enough. The tolls we collect from his trading and the generosity with which he heals the destitute of this city are payment enough, not to mention his help in establishing protocols to deal with any plague in the future," Alessandro replied, getting a bit tired of this whole discussion. And as his friend was about to continue, Alesandroo decided to cut him off as he raised his hand.

"That will be enough, Alissano!" he said, his tone louder than before, and his friend stopped as he sighed.

"I have already had this discussion many times now. I will not break our word and force Aenys to capitulate to these absurd demands. The situation in Stepstones may be dire, but I believe it will resolve itself in time," Alessandro spoke up, ending all discussion on this matter.

"Then I hope you are right," spoke Alissano as Alessandro looked into the mirror for the final time.

"Ok, then, I believe I am ready. Let us leave!" Alessandro said, and then the formally dressed men left the room to join the nuptials of Bravos's resident Dragon Slayer.

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

The massive manse of Aenys Targaryen had a massive line of carriages and palanquins lined outside it. People from the upper echelons of Brravos and several other cities walked in, dressed in glamour as Bravos celebrated the nuptials of its famous Prince.

The massive veranda at the center of the squarish manse had been transformed into a Hall to accommodate the people attending the wedding. Furniture made of ironwood had been set up, along with food and drinks from nearly every corner of the world. There was a pile of gifts and tributes placed to the side, brought there by the various attendees.

Alicent Hightower sat in her room in front of the mirror, her heart racing as Antonie and her workers put on the final touches to the several-hour-long preparation. Alicent had always known that she was beautiful, yet this day was special. One look in the massive mirror in front of her made her blush. It was clear why the female designer was as popular as she was. The dress she had brought out the best in her, cut from a radiant shade of breathtaking green silk, embroidered with gold threads and small red emeralds, the dress itself was a marvel explicitly designed for her.

"Ok, everything is done now," said the designer as her workers backed off, with Antonie giving her a final look over. Alicent didn't miss the sense of pride in her eyes as the designer asked her with a small smile.

"I believe this is the best work of my life, my lady," said the designer. Alicent smiled; Antonie was among the few people she considered a friend in the city, the second being the Sealord's wife, Blair, who walked behind her.

Blair herself was dressed in a red dress covered in rubies that glistened in the light, with her long black hair tied in an elaborate braid.

"I always did say that the Prince had impeccable taste," teased Blair, making her blush.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, dear. I don't think anyone will be able to take their eyes off you," said the wife of the Sealord, and Alicent didn't know how to react to those words.

Alicent looked at herself in the mirror and gulped as she saw herself surrounded by all these new people. A small part of her heart ached, not seeing the silvery hair of Rhaenyra or the abysmal japes of her little brother. Today was perhaps the most important day in the life of Alicent Hightower because, in a few hours, she would no longer be Alicent Hightower but rather Alicent Targaryen, wife to Aenys Targaryen, the infamous slayer of Vhagar and most acclaimed healer in the entire world.

She was broken out of her reverie by a small knock on the door, making both Antonie and Blair frown.

"Who is interrupting us at this time," murmured the designer as one of her workers slowly walked to the door and slowly opened the door.

And Alicent's heart stilled as she saw Aenys walk in, dressed in a black tunic embroidered with gold thread, his beard gone, and his hair slicked back neatly. She had never seen him dressed like this. She saw him still as his eyes landed on her, his intense gaze locked onto her.

"AKHM!" A slight cough from Sealord's wife broke them both out of her trance, and she saw Aenys blush as Blair walked up to him.

"What are you doing here?" teased Blair as she walked in front of her, blocking his gaze from her. She smiled as she saw him gulp nervously as he slowly replied.

"I was hoping I could talk with Alicent privately," said Aenys. Blair's eyes narrowed mischievously as she replied with a massive grin.

"Two minutes, and I will be right outside the room, so don't you dare do anything," she said, making Aenys roll his eyes. And with that, everyone left the room, leaving her alone with Aenys, who had a small blush on his face as his gaze remained steadily focused on her.

Her face heated up as she saw his intense gaze, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw the intensity of his gaze. He was awestruck, though she wasn't any different herself, with her eyes continuously lingering on his ravishing form.

"Ummm, what brought you here, Aenys?" she asked and saw him nod slowly as he broke out of a trance.

"I believe there is someone here who wants to meet you?" and her heart thumped in her chest at his words. Aenys slowly walked to the door and opened it, and her heart skipped as her eyes landed on the person who walked in.

Dressed in a green ornate doublet embroidered with emeralds, his midnight brown hair, similar in coloring to her own, slicked back to show his brown eyes. He was taller than the last time she had seen him.

"It is good to see you, sister," he said, and Alicent felt her eyes tear up as she heard that familiar tone. And in that torrent of emotions, she could only mutter his name in her shaky voice.

"Gwayne!"

0000

Who do you think will be Viserys' choice for Rhaenyra, and what consequences will his actions have? And will Aenys get out of the plot against him unscathed?

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime. It would help me out quite a bit.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 27

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Her feet moved automatically, and before she could register, she had stood up and rushed towards the form of her brother, wrapping her arms around him as she basked in the warmth of a family. Uncontrolled tears ran down her cheeks.

"You might want to be a bit careful with the waterworks, dear sister. Those two ladies will have my head if I destroy their hard work," he japed, making her laugh a little as she felt him cup her face and gently wipe away the tears.

A part of her still couldn't believe that it was really him, that he had arrived.

"How?" she finally spoke out in a broken voice. He smiled slightly.

"It was Prince Aenys," he answered, and she found her eyes widening as she looked at her brother since he had mentioned nothing of the sort.

"One of his men approached me in the market, saying they had brought letters from you for me and the Princess. He had also written to me inviting me to the marriage, offering me a ride to Bravos, and I decided to take it," he said with a shrug as he took out a letter from her pocket.

Alicent felt touched by Aenys's action, yet a part of her was a bit disappointed since Gwayne's words meant that.

"Father?" she questioned, and she saw his smile disappear as he slowly shook his head.

"I am sorry, Alicent."

She had expected this, yet for some reason, it still hurt. After her mother's death, Alicent had only her father to rely on. They had both comforted each other and cared for each other. Seeing that her father saw her as nothing but a broodmare to solidify his conniving plans hurt her.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she felt Gwayne stiffen in front of her.

"No, no. Please, what would people say if they saw the fairest maiden of the realm crying like this?" and she frowned at his words as she looked up.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned as her eyes narrowed. She saw him smile.

"I am just repeating what the birds sing about you, dear sister. They call you the fairest maiden in the realm, one who made a Prince slay a dragon for her hand," and her eyes widened at those words.

"NO," she nearly screamed as her face flushed, and Gwayne simply chuckled.

"I speak nothing but the truth. They are even planning a mummers show inspired by your tale," he continued, and she felt her heart drop as she heard those words.

"They have no idea what they are speaking of," she scoffed. She was the fairest maiden in the realm, which housed Rhaenyra and Jeyne Arryn.

"Haha, tell me about Bravos. How is life here?" Gwayne began a bit awkwardly as he sat her down.

"Life here is good. It's quite less hectic than the usual commotion of the Red Keep," she answered as she thought about her life in Bravos.

"And how about the Prince?" began Gwayne a bit hesitantly.

"Does he treat you well?"

"He does," she answered and saw a sense of relief appear on his face.

"Yes, I had thought so as well. He seems to care a lot for you," added Gwayne, and she nodded as her hand instinctively went to her belly.

"Yes, he is quite caring," she replied as she thought about the care he had shown her ever since her arrival in Bravos. Even now, he knew that she missed her family and had arranged for Gwayne to be here. She truly had made the right choice on that rainy shore that day.

"Tell me about Kingslanding. How is everything there? How's Rhaenyra?" she suddenly found herself answering, and the name that had always been on her lips felt a bit foreign as she uttered it after all this time. Gwayne grimaced at her question.

"Life has been quite hectic there. After the whole debacle at Dragonstone, the atmosphere in the capital became quite tense," and her lips thinned at that. She had expected as much, and her heart ached for her dear friend for having to live through such conditions on her own.

"The court was filled with rumors and allegations against the King for quite some time, that was until the King decided to go to war," her brother added, and she nodded. She had made that connection as well. Going to war would have shifted the focus away from the incident at Dragonstone.

"And Rhaenyra?" she added once more. Gwayne looked up at her as he slowly answered.

"The Princess misses you greatly. She spends most of her days with the Queen. I gave her your letter as well," he began, and she stiffened at those words. Gwayne reached into his pocket and took out a sealed letter and a small box.

"She entrusted me with these and apologized for not being able to be here with you," he began as he put them forward. Her hands shook slightly as she took the letter from his hand, her heart thumping in her chest as she saw the all too familiar handwriting of her dear friend on the front of the letter.

To My Dear Alicent!

She must have been quite engrossed in those letters since it was only her brother' small grunt that broke her out of her trance.

"Now, I know that the Sealord offered to walk you down the aisle. But I was hoping that I could have the chan…." And she didn't let him finish his words.

"Yes. I would love to," she answered, and he nodded slowly.

"Thank you," and just then, the door to her room was opened, and she looked up and found Blair and Antonie standing there.

"Out!" said the wife of the Sealord as she pointed at Gwayne. Gwayne tried to intervene, but she cut him off.

"I know you are her brother, but if you don't leave this room, your sister will not be walking down that aisle. So, out!" she said with a menacing smile, leaving Gwayne starstruck.

In the end, he could only sigh as he left her room, leaving her with her two friends once again.

In the end, Blair and Antonie rushed to her side and began to straighten out her dress, adding the final touch to their makeup. Yet all this barely registered to her as she opened up the letter Gwayne had given to her with shaking fingers.

Her heart shook as she read the first words.

To my dear and only friend!

0000

RODRICK ELROSE- Captain of The Company of the Rose

The Captain of the Company of Rose frowned as he watched his men settle down on the island. The campaign in the Stepstones had been nothing short of a disaster until this point.

The Sealord had contracted them to lead the campaign on half of the islands while they reached an accord with the Royalty in Kingslanding. Yet negotiations had broken down, and they had been forced to retreat back constantly as the armies from the Kingslanding kept on pushing and pushing, the 'Rogue Prince' himself leading the vanguard on Dragonback.

Without being able to plunder the main coves of the pirated, he and his men had been left with only scrapes instead of the rivers of gold and jewels they had been promised.

And right there lay the whole problem. Dragon. A revered beast that kids and men dreamt of slaying. Fools are those who dream of such things and those who let them. Seeing the massive beast up close had made it all pretty clear. Seeing it spew torrents of fire from its maw, burning men and ships alike, had been quite a sight.

It reminded him of the other prince he had met, the Dragonslayer. He was said to have slayed a dragon twice the size of the one which the Rogue Prince rode. And Patrick could hardly imagine the size of that mighty beast. Now he could also understand the reason his ancestor had chosen to bend the knee to Aegon, despite the courage and resilience of his men. Even now, there were people in the Company who kept in touch with their families in the North, yet with each passing year, that number grew smaller and smaller.

Suddenly his heart shook as he felt the very air shake as a distant growl shook him out of his thoughts. He walked out of his tent and was met there by his aide Kimber, the redhead who seemed quite agitated.

"You need to see this," said his paymaster as he led him outside before pointing above at the sky.

And Rodrick felt his heart drop as he saw the massive shadowy beast circling the island. His heart shook as he recognized the all too familiar red-scaled beast. He had seen it burn down men and ships with a single breath, and it was a dragon with a long and thin neck, much like a snake.

It was the Blood Wyrm, the dragon ridden by the Rogue Prince. Daemon Targaryen.

The Dragon growled as it circled their island a number of times before it began its descent, his men were perplexed and had drawn their weapons. However, each of them was acutely aware that they would do little in front of the mighty beast.

Rodrick himself made his way through the crowd as he rushed to the place of the dragon's landing.

"ROARRRR!" the ground shook as the dragon landed on the ground with a loud thud, roaring loudly as his men backed off.

Rodrick pushed to the front and watched the Prince take off his helmet, and his Valyrian features were marred by dirt and grime. His armor was also dirty, yet the look in his eyes was one of contempt and pride as those amethyst eyes scanned the crowd.

"I wish to speak to your leader!" he shouted, and murmurs began to reverberate through the crowd as he stepped forward, sword and shield in hand.

"I am here! What brings you to our shore Prince Daemon!" shouted Rodrick and watched the Prince descend down from the dragon's back as well. And Rodrick's eyes landed on the sword strapped to the Prince's side, and it was the infamous Darksister.

"Why are you here, Prince Daemon?" he questioned once more as he felt the Prince's probing gaze glance over him. The gaze reminded him of his brother, especially when he had mentioned dismantling the men of the Triarchy. There was disregard and lack of care in that gaze as if he was speaking of ants rather than men.

"Huh, you are quite different than I had imagined you to be, especially given the title you seem to have," began the Prince with a mocking smile on his face.

"The Bloody Wolf!" taunted the Prince. And Rodrick gritted his teeth as he ignored the taunt and asked again.

"I ask once again! Why are you here, Prince Daemon? According to the negotiations, you were to remain on the other side of the Grey Gallows," he began, and the Prince simply smirked in response.

"Ahh, the negotiations," spoke the Prince haughtily as he broke out into a small laugh.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but they are nothing but a load of bullshit!" Rodrick gritted his teeth at that attitude.

"As for why I am here, it is quite simple, I would say," began the Prince suddenly as his dragon walked forward and placed its massive head right above the Prince, growling and glaring at them with its yellow eyes.

"I have come to give you and your men a chance! The same chance that my ancestors once gave them," began the Prince as he pulled out his sword, and Rodrick felt dread pool in his heart as the Prince finished.

"KNEEL OR BURN!"

0000

OTTO HIGHTOWER

Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, the Second Son, the Hightower cunt, was often condemned to be an ambitious man. Yet, the truth was quite different, for all his ambitions were nothing but an instrument for the ambition of the man pacing in front of him.

Hobert Hightower, Lord Hightower, the beacon of the Citadel, paced angrily as Otto told him about the King's decision.

"DAEMON! Has the King gone mad?" his brother nearly screamed. And Otto had reacted quite similarly when King had informed him of his decision. Yet his ears hadn't deceived him, much like his brother's hadn't him.

"Indeed. The King is quite set in his decision," Otto informed his brother. And that was quite a change for the usually malleable Viserys. However, it had been quite some time since the King had lost that malleability. It had begun after the debacle at Dragonstone, and thinking about that still made him grit his teeth.

"The King cannot be serious. You have to make him see reason. Marrying Daemon to Princess Rhaenyra will be nothing short of declaring him King. This will be a repeat of Maegor ascending the throne once more," his brother and Lord lamented, yet Otto could only shake his head. He had already tried.

"I have already tried. Yet the King is quite firm in his decision and even refuses to entertain any further questions over this matter. His mind is made," Otto informed his brother, who grew pale at those words.

"This is nothing short of a disaster! You burned the bridges with the other Prince when you tried to top Alicent from marrying Aenys. Do you have any idea what this means for us?" the mere mention of her name made him grit his teeth.

"I did as you asked me to! You arranged the betrothal between her and Jason Lannister. I only tried to keep everything according to your wishes," said Otto through gritted teeth. Hobert stopped and glared at him.

"You and I both know that this is a lie," his brother said in a scathing tone making Otto angry. But before he could say anything, Hobert just made a sighing gesture as he sighed.

"That opportunity is gone. Now what are we to do about Daemon marrying Rhaenyra? There is no way we can have him near that throne. He would ruin everything we have worked so hard to achieve," said Hobert, and Otto nodded.

That was true. If Daemon were to get power, then he would be a continuation of Maegor's reign. Daemon's preference for the Fourteen Flames of Valyria over the prevalent faith of the Seven was quite well known, if he were to become king or even consort to Rhaenyra, then it would be a big blow to the power wielded by the faith. A power that was still in shambles after a Royal decree had banned the faith militants.

"Who else knows about this?" asked Hobert.

"No one. The King has only shared this news with me and his immediate family. He plans to announce it after the end of the war in Stepstones," Otto informed his brother.

"How did the Queen and the Princess react to the news?" Hobert asked, and according to Otto, that was where their only hope lay.

"Both the Queen and the Princess reacted poorly to the King's decision, especially the Princess who is quite averse to the match," the Princess had not left her room since the King had informed her about his decision and had refused to join him at meals.

The Queen herself had been quite distraught and had been trying to sway the King from this. Yet King Viserys seemed set on his decision. After Dragonstone, the King sought to emulate the image of a strong and powerful King, which led to stubbornness and brashness. The tensions in Stepstones were one example of that, where the King had praised his brother's brashness and applauded his actions instead of censoring them for putting a strain on relationships with Bravos.

"That is good. With both the Queen and Princes against the match, there is a chance they might be able to sway the King," his brother hoped, and Otto had to confirm him.

"I wouldn't be too hopeful about that. The King has been uncharacteristically stubborn in his decisions since Dragonstone. There is little chance that he would step away from this," Otto informed Hobert, who nodded, and he could see his mind racing as the Lord of Old Town thought of a suitable plan.

"I will think about this," said Hobert as he sat down. The matter was complex and would need subtle and deliberate manipulation.

"What about Gwayne, have you heard anything from him?" and Otto shook his head.

"No, though Princess Rhaenyra mentioned that he was approached by an associate of Prince Aenys who carried missives from the Prince and Alicent for him and her," he told her brother, who smirked at his words.

"Hmm, he always was a shrewd one," commented Hobert, and he was right. Aenys Targaryen had his own flaws. He was proud, quick to anger, and had iron in his spine. Yet none would accuse him of being an idiot.

"Though from this at least it seems like he cared for her, perhaps there could be chanc…" but before Hobert could finish his sentence, there was a quick knock on their door. Otto frowned and looked towards the door.

"Come in," he ordered. A servant stepped in and gave a small bow before he quickly began.

"Lord Hand, the Grandmaester is calling for you. He says it's urgent," and Otto frowned at those words, yet he still got on his feet.

"What has happened?" he questioned as he gave his brother a nod and left the room with the servant,

"I don't know Lord Hand, but he received a missive from Bravos!"

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, consider dropping a dime or two if you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

As always, thanks for reading.

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 28

DAEMON TARGARYEN

The Stepstones were nothing but a bunch of rocky islands spaced between the shore of Dorne and Tyrosh, yet they held significant importance in controlling the trade around the world. They were the corridor that connected four different parts of the world, yet for the importance they bore, the islands were a hovel of simple rocks consisting of deep slithering caves.

The war against the pirates had been going well enough in the beginning, yet as the months passed on, their preparation proved lacking as the armies failed to eradicate the pirates, especially when the pirates began to use the caves as their hideouts making them impervious to Ceraxes' flames. The number of men and rations also proved inadequate, and with Dorne harassing their supplies, the war efforts began to take a turn for the worse.

They were left with two options, the first was to wait for more support in terms of men and equipment from Kingslanding, or there was the second option. The option to make common cause with the Company of Rose hired by Bravos. Yet that would mean splitting the ruling of these islands with those copper counters.

And hence Daemon found himself in front of nearly a thousand men as he sought to carve out a third option, for he was Daemon Targaryen, a descendant of dragonlords of Valyria. And dragons aren't fond of sharing their prizes.

"KNEEL OR BURN!" he shouted, and he saw the men recoil at his words, especially as Ceraxes bared its fangs and narrowed its eyes at the men standing in front of him.

Yet the surprise was short-lived and was soon replaced by anger and indignation, and he watched as , the Captain of the most famous mercenary Company from across the narrow Sea refused to cower in the face of his dragon and stepped forward.

"What is the meaning of this hubris? We are supposed to be on the same side in this war!" the man screamed, and Daemon was impressed by the man's bravery, for he had seen men with greater renown than him wet prostrate themselves in front of the might of a dragon.

Daemon scoffed at those words.

"Then I believe you are mistaken for there are only ever two sides in a war," Daemon began and then raised his sward in the air.

"VICTORS!" he shouted as he smirked and brought down his sword, its tip aimed straight at the black-haired man.

"And LOSERS!"

And he saw the man snarl at his words, and he was about to step forward when Ceraxes made a threatening snarl as it bared its fangs once again. Its mouth lit up as the dragon got ready to burn the man to a crisp.

"Umbagon" (Stay)

Ceraxes halted at his words as Daemon decided to entertain the man who had shown such bravery in the face of such a might beast.

"Speak, yet know that my patience runs thin," ordered Daemon and watched the man's face flush in rage.

"Do you think you can threaten us like this? My men and I are descendants of men who refused to bow to you dragonlords once before and will do so again! And if you truly consider yourself a warrior, then meet me in the field with mail and steel so we can test our mettle against one another like real men instead of hiding behind the powers of these vile beasts. YOU COWARD!"

"AYEEE!" his men roared at his speech, showing their approval as they banged their swords and axes on their shields and began to loudly chant.

"COWAR!" "COWARD!" "COWARD!" "COWARD!" "COWARD!"

And Daemon's eyes narrowed at the insinuation and watched the men in front of him and watched their eyes filled with mockery, and his anger flared. His grip over his sword tightened as he glared at the man hailed as 'the Bloody Wolf' and gritted his teeth.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted, and Ceraxes responded to his unspoken call and screeched as it took a step forward, making the very ground tremble in its wake.

Yet the men remained steadfast, their shouts growing only louder and louder as they continued to call him a coward.

"You call me a coward. ME!" Daemon roared as he began to step forward.

"I am Daemon Targaryen. Come face me, and I shall you which one of us is the real coward!" shouted Daemon as his strides lengthened and he broke out into a small run. The leader of the company of Rose reacted as well, and the man took out his own sword from the sheath as he took his stance.

And as Daemon was mere meters away from the man, he pushed his feet into the ground before he lept off the ground, and he brought down his sword with crushing force.

"AHHHHH!" he roared, yet the black-haired man was unperturbed and simply ground his feet on the ground and brought his sword up to parry the strike.

CLANKKKKK!

Sparks burst as metal clashed against metal, the rogue Prince of Westeros against the Blood Wolf of the disputed lands.

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys Targaryen stood outside the room of his soon-to-be wife as he waited for her brother to come out. Though they had known each other for months, he was aware that Alicent cared deeply for her younger brother and missed him greatly. He had also been the only one to stand up for her on that beach back then, so he had thought of bringing the man to Bravos.

His associates had contacted the man and had passed on letters from Alicent and himself inviting the man to their wedding. It had been quite troublesome to smuggle the son of the Hand without anyone noticing, yet he had managed to pull it off, and given the sharp look of delight he had witnessed on Alicent's face as she saw Gwayne, made all the hassle worth it in his eyes.

The door to the room opened, and Aenys stood watched as Gwayne Hightower stepped out of the room, dressed in a fabulous green doublet specifically made for him. His eyes had hints of red in them, speaking of his emotional encounter inside.

The young man looked up, and their eyes met.

"I tried to buy you as much time as I could, but those ladies are vicious," Aenys said as he raised his hands in surrender, making the young Hightower laugh as he stepped forward.

"Ahh, it's nice to know that even the infamous Dragonslayer fears something," and Aenys winced at that title, a bit thankful that the title hadn't really caught up here in Bravos, where he was more famous as the Healer Prince instead of a Dragon slaying one.

Then suddenly, the young Hightower stepped forward and enveloped him in a tight hug, his arms wrapped around him as he lightly mouthed.

"Thank you for caring for her and making her happy," whispered the man as they separated, and Aenys nodded, a bit loss for words as he awkwardly replied.

"You don't have to thank me for doing my duty. She is to be my wife. I am just doing my duty," Aenys remarked, and the two of them gave each other a small nod.

"AENYS! AENYS!" suddenly, he found his name getting called and looked to the side and found the Sealord walking towards them with a joyous smile on his face.

"Man, I must say your manse looks magnificent," said the man as he joined them. Aenys straightened up as he saw the man's gaze linger on the Hightower by his side.

"He is Gwayne Hightower, younger brother of Alicent," Aenys introduced Gwayne and watched the man's eyes light up.

"Ahh, I can see the resemblance," commented the man before his eyes shifted towards Aenys again.

"Well, I believe it is time for the ceremony. All the guests have been seated. I believe it is time we begin the ceremony," and Aenys nodded and gave Gwayne a final nod. The man was to remain here since he was to walk alongside Alicent to the wedding altar.

"Ok, let's go," said Aenys as he left the room for the expanded makeshift hall that had been solely constructed for this massive affair.

As he walked towards the makeshift wedding hall, he noticed a very troublesome person walking out of the Hall. It was the closest friend of the Sealord, and the man who was conspiring against him in secret, Alissano Neysaris.

Their eyes met, and Aenys felt the hair on the back of his neck perk up as the man walked past them slowly, giving all the necessary greetings and smiles, yet for some reason, he felt his senses tingle as he felt that something was off.

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Alicent Hightower stood outside the gate of the wedding Hall Aenys had constructed in the centre of their manse. The truth was that she had not gotten a glimpse of the space yet, for she had been kept away from the place to not spoil the surprise.

"Are you ready?" came the question from the side, and she looked up and found the reassuring presence of her brother there. In front of them stood Antonie, and Alicent passed her arm through her brother's offered elbow and gave Antonie a slight nod.

And as the doors swung open, she felt her heart still as she watched the scenery before her eyes. For what stood in front of her was home. The whole area had been made from expertly carved black marble with an overarching dome. Stained Glass adorned the domed roof, glistening lightly in the moonlight as the Hall below glinted in the lights of the hundreds and hundreds of lamps.

It was as if she had stepped into the Starry Sept of Old Town, and she was reminded of days after her mother's death as she sat there complaining to the Gods in Halls much like this. Halls that she would continue to visit even years later to pray and converse with the Gods whenever she felt the troubles of life envelop her.

Gwayne coughed and broke her out of her trance and began to walk slowly, and she joined him. The floors were covered with the finest Myrish Carpets and covered with lavender flowers whose light smell calmed her down.

And as she began to walk towards the altar, her eyes found him. Aenys Targaryen stood there on the altar dressed in a black, tailored, tight-fitting suit embroidered with gold thread. Their eyes met, and it was as if the rest of the world vanished instantly, and she found herself getting lost in those amethyst eyes.

Yet she didn't miss the empty space behind him at the altar, and her heart was shredded in pain as she saw him standing there all alone, with no one there to share his joys. She glanced to the side at the form of her brother, who seemed rather nervous because of the sheer amount of attention he was getting and was reminded once more that had it not been for Aenys, he wouldn't be here.

She knew that Aenys was not too religious, and yet he had cared enough to have all this constructed for her, and she felt her eyes tear up once more as her brother led her up the stairs of the altar.

Her breath stilled as she felt him walk up to her. Her brother gave her a final look and stepped back. She felt his hand reach for the cloak around her shoulders as he gently unfurled the knot, symbolizing the end of the duty of her House and father. He then reached for the cloak at his place at his side, a cloak made out of fine black silk and embroidered with the sigil of the three-headed dragon in a golden thread.

He wrapped it around her, and she finally found the courage to look up at him, into his eyes, and felt her heart stop as she saw the gentle smile on his face. She felt her body heat up as her face flushed, and only when the Septon lightly coughed did she break out of her trance to turn towards the man.

He put forward his hand for the ceremony, and she gulped as she raised her hand as they gripped each other's hands. The Septon took out a piece of cloth and began to speak up the names of the Seven deities, under whose very shadow the two of them stood.

"Father, Smith, Warrior…." They repeated after the septon, their voice the only sound in the whole Hall.

"Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger," they continued, her breath hitching with each word, and only his smooth and calm voice from the side made it even possible for her to speak.

"I am hers, and she is mine."
"I am his, and he is mine."

They said separately, and she could feel the whole world stop as they both glanced at each other as they mouthed the final sentence.

Together.

"From this day until the end of my days!"

And right then, there in their moment of pure bliss, their enemies struck!

BOOOOOOOOM! THUNK!

FWOOSH! CRASH!

0000

In the dead of night in Kingslanding, a figure could be made out rushing through the streets. Body covered under a cloak as they rushed through the empty streets with nervous steps.

Their height made it evident that they were young, and their smooth and unblemished skin along with the rich and beautiful materials of the cloak,, made it evident that they weren't truly the commoner they made themselves out to be. And had it been the time before the rising of the Gold Cloaks, there would have been hundreds of men in the city salivating at a chance of defiling the young and rich noble.

Yet they expertly made their way through the streets and entered the Dragonpit, and just as they were about to walk past the complacent dragon keepers, a tiny whisper stopped them in their tracks.

"Rhaenyra!"

The cloaked person stilled and slowly turned back to find two people standing there, one of whom had hair much like her own, which one could easily see the white cloak under the hood of the other person.

"Mother!"

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write. So, if possible, have a look and consider supporting me if you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 29

ALESSANDRO FEROSA

"I am so sorry!" Alesandro stilled as soon as he heard those words and finally noticed that he had been separated from his wife.

As the stone sept had been rocked by an explosion, the Bravo had rushed to his side and had immediately begun to evacuate him. The explosion had resulted in a fire that had spread voraciously, devouring the whole manse quickly. The rising smoke had made it impossible to see, and he had been relying on the guards to see him to safety.

Yet it seems the men had led him to his demise. He coughed out and squinted through the smoke to get a glimpse of his attacker when suddenly he was roughly pushed.

"AGHH!" he grunted in pain as he fell to the floor, his vision blacking out for a second, yet thankfully it returned when suddenly the sound of metal clashing made him look up.

And his eyes widened as he saw Aenys Targaryen standing there bleeding from his head, his face covered by a cloth, as he held back the assassin. The Prince was clearly injured and was struggling against the attacker when suddenly the Prince was attacked from behind by a second man.

Thankfully Ferosa was quick enough to kick the leg of the first assassin, making him stumble as he warned the Prince.

"Behind you!" he shouted, and the Prince moved to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade headed for his neck, and began to attack the assassin as Alessandro got back on his feet and began to face off against the first assassin.

"Do you think this was the Triarchy's doing?" he questioned as the two of them protected each other's backs facing off against the two men circling them like predators.

"No, this was the doing of someone far closer to home, I know someone in Qarth who would be able to confirm it but I believe the one behind this was your friend Alissano," and he stilled at those words.

Alissano, his friend.

"I don't believe it. Why would he do something like this?" he responded, angered by the allegation, and just then, the assassins rushed towards him, and he brought up his sword to parry the attack.

"We can talk about this later! First, we need to get out of here!" shouted Aenys as he parried the attack from the other assassin as fire rampaged around them, causing smoke to build up in the room.

Alesandro ducked as he dodged an attack and tried to kick the assassin, but the assassin jumped back, and then suddenly, Alesandro kicked one of the burning pieces of food on the floor at the assassin, managing to hit him in the gut. And he did not let go and pushed back immediately and aimed a strike at his neck, but the Sorrowful man was able to parry the attack, and suddenly Alesandro realized that he hadn't covered his face, and the smoke began to make him suffocate.

He began to cough, and the assassin was quick enough to react and began to attack him, Alesandro was forced to step back as he continued to cough and tried to block the attacks, when suddenly the assassin knocked the sword out of his hand.

And then, as his vision began to darken from suffocation, the last thing he saw was the assassin raising his sword, as he heard a faint shout from the Prince.

"ALESANDRO!"

0000

BILLY KIMBER- Paymaster of Company of Rose

CLANK!

His heart shook as the sounds of metal clashing against metal reverberated through the air. The Men of the company of Rose roared as their captain clashed in the battle against the Rogue Prince from Kingslanding.

Billy Kimber had joined the Company when he was eight and had shown an immediate aptitude for numbers. The previous paymaster had been old and had immediately taken him under his wing, and that was how he had met Patrick. Patrick, a descendent of the King of the North, was being trained to take over the Company. Even as a kid, he had heard quite a bit about the 'Bloody Wolf'.

He saw their captain take a step back as the Prince began to swing his sword at him in an expert manner, his skill with the sword nearly equal to the legends they had heard about the man. Yet their captain proved to be equal to the task and was holding his own against the younger prince.

While Prince Daemon was nearly a blur, their captain stood still, rooted to the spot as he methodically parried the Prince's strikes. The whole island was filled with an air of tension as the two men clashed in a battle for their lives.

The Prince saw his attacks getting rebuffed and seemed to have realized that this wouldn't be as easy as he had thought it out to be, for suddenly, as their swords were locked against each other, the Prince stuck a blow to the side of their captain with his leg.

He saw Patrick wince in pain as the leg struck him and immediately stepped back, and that was all the opportunity the prince needed, as the Prince's attacks became relentless as he began to overpower their captain. His youth gave the man advantage as he swung again and again, with their captain getting pushed back.

Billy gritted his teeth, and the roars died down when he suddenly looked back at the men and saw their eyes gleam with worry. Yet he suddenly roared in a loud voice to assuage away their fears. The men rallied at his call, and the voices grew louder once more.

His eyes then moved to the back of the crowd where a specific group of me were moving quickly and covertly behind the cover of the crowd as they armed themselves with their long bows and regular bows, and set up their trebuchets and, most importantly their single scorpion.

He gave them a nod before his eyes once more sought the mighty beast looking at them from above with its slit-like golden, like a God. The mighty Ceraxes, the Blood Wyrm, the bane of pirates, stood there with a snake-like long neck and red scales shining in the morning Sun as its rider clashed with their captain.

A fight that had evolved quite a bit. For now, both men were bleeding. Their captain now held his long sword in his single hand as blood dripped from his left shoulder, while the Prince wasn't unscathed either and was putting more weight on one of his legs with the other one dripping in blood as he hammered blow after blow at their captain's sword.

The Prince had taunted them with honor while he had broken all such codes himself as he had come here to attack their allies.

What honor? They weren't knights or nobles from the Kingdoms. Mercenaries honored only was their life and their bond to the contractor.

Dragons were said to be magical beasts, and they might not be able to face such a majestic and mighty creature. But the same could not be said about its rider. The rider was flesh and blood, and that meant only one thing. The rider could die.

And die he would.

0000

DAEMON TARGARYEN

Daemon Targaryen huffed in pain and agony as his grip around his sword tightened. The man in front of him was proving to be quite a challenge. It was rare when a man lived up to their fame and Daemon found himself smiling as he saw the bloodied form of his opponent.

"Bloody Wolf indeed," Daemon remarked and saw the man grunt as he held his side, with his arm limping by the side, and Daemon's eyes narrowed at the man's sword.

His leg burned in pain, yet daemon gritted his teeth and began to move forward as he brought up his sword once again, and brought it down with massive force. He saw the man hold up his sword to parry his blow. Their swords met and sparks flew, and then Daemon began to whack at his opponent's sword in mad rage as he screamed louder and louder forcing the man to wince with each blow.

CRACK!

He smiled as he saw the man pale at the sound of the crack, and then with renewed strength, he continued to hammer away until it happened.

CRACK! SNAP! THUNK!

The man's sword broke with a snap, and Daemon used the opportunity to swing at the man's arm; the armor protected the man, yet the pain forced him to drop the broken sword, and then Daemon brought his sword's tip to the man's neck.

"I will only say this the last time," Daemon began as he looked straight into the man's eyes.

"Kneel or Die!" Daemon offered the choice as the man stared straight into his eyes and gritted his teeth. The man had proved to be quite a challenge, yet in the end, he had proved himself lacking in front of his might.

Daemon pushed forward the sword, pushing the tip into the man's skin. The man glared at Daemon as he held his limp arm, as he slowly began to lower himself, making Daemon smile.

Yet suddenly, just as the man was on his knees, he suddenly shouted as he lay down flat on the ground.

Daemon looked up, and his heart thumped as he watched more than two dozen archers staring down at him with nocked bows.

"CERAXES!" he shouted, and thankfully, his dragon had been more vigilant than him and responded to his call immediately as it spewed a massive torrent of fire from its mouth, though not before the men had loosed their arrows.

Daemon looked down and found Patrick gripping the ankle of his injured leg, stopping him from running.

"AGHHH!" he shouted as he swung his sword at the man's neck, severing it in one quick swing as arrows whizzed past his ears before suddenly he hear Ceraxes hiss in pain as it coiled its neck around him.

Daemon began to push himself forward as he reached for Ceraxes's saddle when suddenly he saw the men bolt a scorpion. His heart thumped in his chest, and he gripped the red scales with his hand and shouted.

"Soves!"

Perhaps sensing his distressed tone, Ceraxes responded immediately and began to flap its wings, trying to take to the skies, when he suddenly heard a shout.

"LOOOSE!"

SHWWOSH!"

And then he watched with eyes as the scorpion felt rushed out, aimed straight at his dragon's neck, and all he could do was scream.

"NOOOO!"

00000

ALISSANO NEYSARIS

Alissano watched in trepidation as the whole manse burned in front of him. The whole area was filled with shouting and screams as people rushed out of the manse. The Bravo had already arrived on the scene along with other common people and were throwing buckets upon buckets of water on the rampaging fire, yet the whole area was filled with thick smoke.

"Help! Help!" "Get the healers!"

"WE NEED MORE WATER!" the whole area was filled with loud noise as people rushed out of the manse, as one of the walls of the manse began to fall.

"GET AWAY FROM THAT SIDE!"

"THE SEA LORD IS STILL INSIDE!" "GET HIM OUT OF HERE!"

And he recognized that voice and turned his head and found the Sealord's wife standing there screaming as her servants held her back from rushing inside. Alissano rushed towards her, and the Bravo saw him and moved out of the way as he walked straight towards the crying form of Blair.

"What happened, Blair? Where is Alessandro?" he questioned and saw her head snap towards her; her whole face was stained with tears and there were some marks of burning on her dress.

"Alissano!" she screamed as she got to her feet.

"You have to help him. You have to help Alesandro, He is Still in there!" she screamed frantically as she pointed at the burning manse.

"How wasn't he with you?" he questioned as he tried to get more information from her to see whether his plan had succeeded or not. She nodded, tears continuing to fall from her eyes as she spoke up.

"Yes, he was. The Bravo led us out of here as soon as the fire started, but then suddenly, when we entered the corridor, I looked back, and he wasn't there," she told him, and he was joyous as he heard those words. It seems the Sorrowful men had held up their part of the bargain. Now he just hoped that they had succeeded in killing the other target as well.

"I will see what I can do," he reassured her, and she thanked him as smoke enveloped the area.

"It's the bride! She is coming out! MAKE WAY! MAKE WAY!" came the shouts, and he saw the Sealord's wife perk up at those words as she began to push herself forward.

He followed her to the front and watched as several people rushed out of the manse. He recognized the one in front. It was the bride's younger brother, Gwayne Hightower. His face was covered with a cloth much like those by his side, and he staggered as he came out of the manse with the unconscious form of Alicent Hightower in his arms.

"HEALER! HEALER! WE NEED A HEALER!" he shouted as soon as he stepped out, Blair rushed forward towards them as a healer with a stick began to walk towards them and began to check the unconscious bride, as he questioned her younger brother.

"What happened? And Where is Aenys?" he questioned.

"I don't know, he was right behind us," he replied as he glanced back and paled as he saw that the so-called prince was no longer there. Alissano saw the old healer's face scrunch up in worry at those words, yet he continued to examine the young woman. He saw the young man suddenly whisper something in the man's ears, making him frown as he stood up.

"Get her to the tents, tell," shouted the healer as a couple of men stepped up with a palanquin and gently placed her on it as they took her to the tents that the healers had set up.

"Someone's coming out! Look!" suddenly someone shouted, and Alissano's heart stilled as he looked up and watched as he saw a shadow limping through the flames in the corridor. The young Hightower boy was first to react as he rushed into the fire-filled corridor after a glance, and he felt dread pool in his heart.

Alissano was rooted to the ground as he recognized those silver blonde hair even from that distance. It was Prince Aenys. His ornate tunic was scorched, and one of his arms was limp by his side as he staggered as he carried the unconscious form of the Sealord with his other arm...

Blood was caked on his face as he staggered through the burning corridor, as people were broken out of their trance by a shout. The Hightower boy had joined them and supported the Prince as they made their way through the collapsing corridor.

"IT'S THE SEA LORD! HELP HIM!" shouted Blair, the Sea Lord's wife, and his heart stilled as he saw Bravo throw buckets and buckets of water at the fire as they tried to enter the manse again.

Alissano could feel his life slipping away with each passing second as he watched men rush into the manse. He knew that if the Sealord survived, he would be done. It would all be over for him.

The only option was to get away while he could, and just as he was about to turn away, he heard people shout again, making him stop.

"WATCH OUT! ITS COLLAPSING!" and he looked back and saw the people getting away from the manse and watched as people began to back off, as the corridor began to collapse in front of his eyes.

He saw the Gwayne Hightower supporting the Prince as the corridor began to collapse behind them. They tried to get out.

"GET THEM OUT! GET THEM OUT!" shouted people as they watched the Bravo reach them and push the three men out, and just as they were at the door, he watched as the whole manse crashed.

BOOOOM!

"NOOOO!" he heard Blair scream as her guards pulled her back, as the front of the manse collapsed, making the whole ground shake. There was a massive dust cloud covering everything and soon, men began to rush forward ins search of survivors as they stood there rooted to the ground.

"COUGH!" "COUGH!" "MOVE BACK!"

The smoke cleared up, and every able-bodied man began to clear away the rubble as they searched for survivors. And just as hope had begun to linger once again in his heart, he heard a shout.

He stood there praying to the Gods above in his heart as Pandemonium broke out beside him. And just as he was lost in his thoughts, he was broken out of his reverie by a shout.

"I found them! They are here! Help me!" and he saw the men leave the other sites as they rushed towards the Bravo, who had shouted and began to clear out the rubble. The healer joined them as well, and they took out the three dust-covered bodies. The healers rushed to their side and placed their fingers on their necks.

"He is alive!" "GET ME A PLANAQUIN!"

And he couldn't discern which one had shouted what.

0000

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

"Mother!" she muttered instinctively as she saw those silvery locks, much like her own. And her guess was right as the stranger removed the cloak, and it was indeed her mother. She looked to the side, and the Kingsguard also took off the cloak, and she was surprised to see Ser Criston Cole standing there.

She glanced at them, and her heart thumped in her chest as she tried to think of what to say. In the end, all she could speak out was.

"I will not stop Mother. I have to go. Alicent needs us, Aenys needs us, and I will not abandon those whom I consider family ever again," she said resolutely as she looked straight into her mother's eyes. And surprisingly, instead of the anger and rage she had been expecting, he found only pride and sadness.

"I know," and she stilled at those words as her mother stepped forward and cupped her face in her hands.

"And I won't stop you. You are old enough to make your decisions, though I hope you understand the implications your decision will have," her mother spoke slowly, and she gritted her teeth, for of course she did.

She was going against her father's directives, and that meant that there was even a chance that he might just remove her from the position of the heir. Yet she also knew that if she stayed here and ignored the news about Aenys and Alicent, she would never be able to live with herself.

And then there was her father's plan to marry her to Daemon, and she wouldn't be lying. That was another one of the reasons behind her decision to go to Bravos.

"I do," she said as she looked into her mother's eyes. And then she felt her arms wrap around her as her mother hugged her, and she saw tears dripping from her eyes as they separated, and her mother kissed her forehead.

"Then I wish you luck," said her mother as they separated, and her mother stepped back and gave her a final nod. Rhaenyra was rooted to the spot and felt her eyes tear up.

"Fat…" she tried to say, but her mother simply shook her head and gave her a weak smile.

"Leave him to me," her mother said, and Rhaenyra hardened her heart and nodded, and put on the hood once more as she rushed towards her dragon, leaving her mother behind.

0000

CORLYS VEALRYON

"How could you let him go like this!" thundered Corlys as he turned to face the rest of the commanders, as all of them evaded his gaze. One of them, the young Ormund Hightower, gulped and began slowly.

"We tried to talk him out of it. But Prince Daemon was adamant…" and Corlys shook his head, cutting off the young Hightower heir.

"And none of you thought to inform me! Or even go along with him if he was this adamant! You let him fly deep into hostile territory with no backup! DO you have any idea what this means!" he roared again, flabbergasted by the stupidity.

He had been back at Blood Heaven, seeing to eh setting up of camps, and in that short interval, they had let Daemon attack the main camp of the Company of Rose. Alone.

"Lord Corlys, he has a dragon…"

"Dragons can be shot! And the rider of that dragon is just as much a mortal as all of you!" he rebutted Lord Tarth, disappointed that the experienced man hadn't seen the folly of this.

Yet he knew that they could do nothing now. As soon as he had heard about this, he had ordered the men to get ready, and they had set sail for Grey Gallows, hoping to catch Daemon, yet he knew deep in his heart that it was too late. It had been hours since Daemon had left for the island, and the fact that he hadn't returned back on Ceraxes made him consider the worst-case scenario.

"Lord Corlys! Lord Corlys! You need to see this!" he was interrupted by one of the men who came running towards him and handed him a spy glass. And Corlys took it and looked at where the man was pointing and stilled as he saw the smoke rising from the said island.

"It's the Grey Gallows, my land! The smoke is coming from it!" spoke the man, and Corlys handed back the spyglass, his mind racing as he thought about what to do.

"Get the men ready! Have them prepare for battle!" he ordered after thinking for a bit, though his orders would prove unnecessary.

As they would land on the island, they are assaulted by a pungent and thick smell of burning flesh. The rocks would be charred black, with hundreds and hundreds of charred husks of men littered on the ground. The very ground burned one's feet as they walked on it, barely holding off the feeling of nausea.

And right there in the midst of all this carnage stood the Bloody Wyrm, one of its wings injured as it coiled around itself and glared at them with its slit-like eyes. There was rage in those eyes, and for a moment, Corlys thought that the beast would devour them all, yet it stilled when a small voice reverberated through the air.

"Ceraxes, Lykiri!" Corlys recognized that voice, and his eyes widened as the dragon moved its head, revealing the bloodied form of Daemon Targaryen, lying on the ground holding his stomach, with arrows stuck to his body.

"I believe congratulations are in order," he began slowly, hissing in pain as a smirk appeared on the bastard's face.

"I won!"

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime if you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 30

Nearly a year later!

GWAYNE HIGHTOWER

The explosion at his sister's wedding had rocked his world, and the last half a year had been quite testing for him. Though it wasn't really just him who had been tested, Alicent had been the person most affected by the whole ordeal. Especially given that she had been pregnant during this whole time, and had nearly lost the child due to the explosion.

Gwayne had decided to stay with her during this whole ordeal. The atmosphere in Bravos after the incident had been thawing, for the attack had nearly succeeded in killing the Sealord. The atmosphere had been even more tense for them, given that a certain group in Bravos thought them responsible for the attack and wished to prosecute them for treason.

Yet thankfully, due to Aenys's efforts, the Sealord had survived and had woken up two days later, and had exonerated them, launching an investigation into the attack. An investigation would quickly reveal the man behind the whole plot, a person called Alissano Neysaris, a close friend and aide to the Sealord who had planned the whole assassination attempt to obtain the seat of the Sealord.

Despite the identification of the preparator, the tribulations hadn't truly ended. Aenys had been bedridden since the incident and hadn't woken up, and this had been truly taking a toll on his sister and had been the main reason for his decision to stay in Bravos. And Alicent had been catatonic with grief, and in those times of extreme turbulence, the Princess's sudden arrival had been the anchor she had needed.

Princess Rahenyra's sudden appearance had taken her by surprise, yet it had been exactly what Alicent had needed.

The princess had been able to provide a much-needed familiar shoulder to Alicent in her times of trouble taking care of her. Gwayne was extremely thankful to the Princess for all her support, and it was the reason that he was walking towards his sister's room at that moment.

Aenys's manse was still under construction and had yet to be repaired completely, and Sealord and his wife had forced them to move to Sealord's palace, given that Aenys had saved Sealord's life.

Yet it seems that fate wasn't quite done with them. With Aenys still unconscious in a coma and all three of them still reeling from the effects of the first tragedy. The fates had struck again, bringing loss and tragedy with them, this time for the very Princess who had given his sister a shoulder to lean on in her times of trouble.

He walked through the corridor past the stationed guards as he made his way toward Alicent's room. He gave a gentle knock and was immediately beckoned in, with a simple "Come in."

He opened the door and entered Alicent's room. Alicent had been given perhaps the best room in all of the palace, with a direct view of the Sealord's mangery on one side and then a tantalizing view of Bravos on the other side.

He found Alicent in her usual place, sitting by the window staring outside as she lay on a specially made seat for pregnant women, with plates full of exotic fruits placed in front of her, yet remained untouched. Her face had thinned, and gone was the smile he had seen on her face on her wedding day, replaced by an everpresent sense of sadness and gloom, a feeling that had become accentuated ever since the Princess's rapid departure.

"Are the preparations done?" she questioned, as her head snapped towards him, and he nodded as he walked towards the seat opposite to her.

"Yes, they are. The ships are ready and I plan to depart by tomorrow," he continued his eyes glancing at her protruding belly once more as he slowly questioned once more.

"Are you sure that you will be fine without me?" he asked again, and she nodded again, her eyes dimming as she replied.

"Yes, I will be fine. Rhaenyra needs you more than me at this time. With everything she has done for me, it should be me who goes to Kingslanding…." And he cut her off before she could begin again.

"But that is impossible. Healer Grey has been very adamant that you should avoid traveling in your state, even the Princess forbade you from it," and saw her lips turn up slightly as she nodded resignedly.

"I remember that is why it is imperative that you go to Kingslanding," she said as her eyes turned towards her, and he nodded.

"Plus, I have enough people here to care for me. I feel so bad with you, Blair, and Rhaenyra fussing over me all this time," she said with a shake of her head, and he shrugged.

"That just goes on to show just how loved you are," he replied, and she nodded, her eyes moving toward the expanding city visible through the window, and he had a pretty good idea of what was going on through her mind.

"Aenys wouldn't want you to worry so much about him. His injuries have healed, and the healers are optimistic that he will wake up soon," he tried to reassure her and saw a pang of sadness and guilt pass over her face as silence reigned over the room, broken minutes later by her soft voice.

"I was going to tell him about the child that day. I should have told him abo…." And his heart twisted in agony as he watched tears well up in her eyes. Alicent broke out into sobs once more as he rushed towards her and knelt down by her side, trying to console her.

"It will all be fine. It will all be just fine. He will wake up soon. You shouldn't worry so much like this," he tried to console her as his sister broke down in his arms, crying out as he knelt there, gently patting her back.

0000

ALESANDRO FEROSA

Alesandro sat in his private chambers, lost in thought, as he prepared himself for the trial that was set to happen later in the day. A trial for an attempt at his own life by his oldest and dearest friend.

He glanced back, and the absence of Syrio, the previous First Sword of bravos, felt even more devastating given that the man had lost his life in that fire trying to rescue him only to be burnt to a husk as the assassins overpowered him.

The fire, the great betrayal, or the infamous 'burnt wedding' as the populace had begun calling it, still occupied the minds of the people of the Bravos, especially since it was revealed that it had been one of their own upper echelons that had been involved in a plot to assassinate their Sealord, and the most popular man in the city the infamous Healer Prince.

The doors to his room opened, and there was only one person who could enter his private chambers without knocking, he looked up to find that very person entering the room. Blair walked in, clad in simple yet ceremonial purple garb, a gold tiara adorned fashionable on her hair, giving her a regal look.

"Has he left?" he questioned, and she nodded; there was no need to elaborate on the person he was asking about since there was truly only one person set to leave Bravos today.

"Yes, he has," she replied, and he nodded as she walked and sat down in the chair opposite him.

"Is everything ready for the trial?" she questioned, and he nodded slowly, a part of him still reeling from the deep shock at being betrayed by such a close friend.

"It is, though there wasn't much to prepare. Aenys's contact from Qarth stepped forward and gave us copies of Alissano's contract with the Sorrowful men. After that, he confessed to everything," he replied. The trial today was to discuss the punishment for Alissano and to deal with the damages done, There was a general call to hand the man for his treason, yet Alessandro couldn't imagine himself sentencing his oldest friend to such a fate.

"That is good. He should be hanged for what he did," his wife cut in sharply. She had been especially distraught by the whole ordeal, especially since she had always had a soft spot for Aenys and now for his Lady wife.

Speaking of her, Lady Alicent was also to be present for the trial, given that the crime had been committed against her family, too.

"How is the Lady Alicent? I believe she would be feeling quite alone with both the princess and her brother gone now?" he questioned.

The Princess had been another surprise. Hearing about the tragedy at the wedding, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen had flown on dragon back to see her uncle and her best friend and had decided to stay here to console Aenys's wife.

It was a bold decision given the rising tensions between Bravos and Kingslanding, and there had been several people among his own court who had spoken against this. Yet he had quickly shut them down, after all, he owed Aenys that much.

Plus the Princess's presence presented another opportunity to practice soft diplomacy, and given what had happened in the Stepstones, it was perhaps their only approach.

He saw Blair saddened at the mention of Alicent, and she nodded.

"Indeed, she was quite saddened, yet there was no other way. She wasn't feeling well so I asked her to only make a short appearance at the trial, and then leave quickly after. I hope that is fine," she asked, and he nodded.

"It is. She only needs to show her presence. She can leave after that," who would begrudge her for that, given that the lady in question was with child and was an honored guest of the Sealord himself.

A part of him still couldn't fathom why Alissano would do something like this, the man had come from wealth, his family amongst the keyholders of the Bank of Bravos, and though they weren't the richest, they still were amongst the wealthiest people in the city.

He sighed as he leaned back in his chair, voicing out his thoughts.

"I still cannot fathom why someone like Alissano would do something like this," he whispered, though his wife was quick to cut in.

"I can," she spoke; the quickness of her response startled him quite a bit, and he was reminded once more that Blair wasn't a simple woman herself. She may have an air of innocence and childishness about her, but she was a member of one of the keyholder families herself, someone who had been raised amongst perhaps the most cunning men in the world.

"He always was a bit jealous of you, though I think he began to feel threatened by Aenys's presence," she began, and he became quiet as he listened to her analysis, it was rare for her to speak about the matters of ruling, despite being capable of it all.

Seeing his interest she continued with a raised brow, "Aenys's rise to wealth and fame was quick, and all he achieved was done so by himself. He became close to you hence pushing Alissano further down, hence fueling his envy and greed," she concluded and it was a logical analysis.

"Then, of course, there is his family's obsession with dragons and their wish to obtain them for themselves," she suddenly added, making his heart sink as his head snapped toward her.

"How do you know? I haven't told anyone about this," he questioned suddenly, and Blair just shrugged.

"It wasn't that difficult to put together, and your reaction just now confirmed my suspicion," she began, and he sighed as he shook his head. They had cleared out the debris from the burnt manse and, in the rubble, had found a half-burnt chest, a chest containing three dragon eggs. Thankfully, the men he had hired were quick and discrete enough to remove the eggs and bring them to him.

"You do know that you cannot mention this to anyone. If word about those eggs gets out, we will have a massive scandal on our hands. The relationship with Kingslanding is tense as it is, those eggs could further complicate matters," he spoke sternly, and Blair turned her eyes as she nodded.

"I know that, though, about the relationship with Kingslanding. Have you perhaps done something about it? The merchants and the populace grow worrisome about the state of affairs in the Stepstones," and he winced at that.

The Stepstones had proven to be a disaster for him. Daemon Targaryen had burnt down a major portion of the mercenaries, making the rest retreat, and now had nearly full control over the islands. His dragon had been injured in one of the battles, giving the pirates much-needed relief but even without the aid of his dragon Kingslanding was making steady progress in the islands.

"I know, and I have done something. Hopefully, there will be positive news soon," he replied, choosing not to reveal his attempt at soft diplomacy through eh heir to the seven Kingdoms, Blair narrowed her eyes though did not push and simply nodded along.

0000

OTTO HIGHTOWER

Sometimes it seemed like tragedy followed House Targaryen like a plague. The atmosphere in the clearing was somber. Only the voices of septas praying filled the reigning silence as the Kingdom mourned at the loss of its Queen.

After the assassination attempt on Prince Aenys and Alicent, the Princess had chosen to leave for Bravos without informing anyone. Though Otto was sure that it wasn't the only reason and the King's desire for her to marry Daemon had also been one of the reasons for her decision.

The King had been extremely angry and had been filled with rage, even deciding to change the line of succession once again to punish the princess for her disgression. yet the Queen had been able to stay his hand, using the news of her pregnancy to assuage Viserys's rage.

In the end, it was declared that the Princess had departed with the King's blessing to go and aid Aenys and his family in their time of trial. It had been a good move and had stopped a scandal from happening while boosting Viserys's popularity, as he was seen to be making amends with his brother.

The news of the pregnancy had changed Viserys, and there were glimpses of the old agreeable, and amicable King once more. Though they were only just that, glimpses, and the King had ignored and somewhat even applauded the massacre Prince Daemon had carried out in the Stepstones.

Yet Gods had tested him once more, and the King's desire for a son had finally cost him the life of his Queen. Despite all the precautions and actions of the Maesters, the Queen and the child hadn't survived the birthing bed, and the news had truly broken Viserys.

The King had become frail and pale after the Queen's death, and as he stood there beside the casket, he appeared a shell of the man who had ascended to the Iron throne nearly over a decade ago. He stood there, alone, filled with regret, both of his brothers absent from the funeral with Prince Aenys still unconscious and Daemon's dragon too injured to fly back.

His only daughter and heir, stood away from him, sobbing slowly into the arms of Lady Laena, her dragon perched on the hill behind her, waiting for her command. The Queen had decided to keep the princess unaware of the news of the pregnancy for some reason, and the Princess had been shocked when she had heard of all of this, flying back on Syrax as soon as she got word of the tragedy.

The Princess had taken the loss hard and had blamed her father for the death of her mother, causing much strife to the King, who also blamed himself for the demise of his wife.

"Dracarys!" the Princess commanded, and her dragon rose at her commands growling as it stepped forward and looked at the Princess, who stared at her father with her tear-filled voice and spoke once more in a broken yet strong tone.

"Syrax! Dracarys!" The dragon followed her command, opened its winds, and gave a massive growl, shaking the ground before it opened its mouth and doused the casket in a massive torrent of fire.

CRACK! CRACK!

The wood burned and cracked, and the dragon flapped its wings and began to fly up and began to circle around the clearing as they all mourned the loss of the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Consciousness returned to him in waves of pain and anxiety as he felt light surrounding him, taking him out of the cacoon of darkness that had been entrapping him for so long. The air in the room was heavy with the smell of herbs and flowers as he struggled to open his eyes.

He heard a screeching noise of a door opening, as a shadowy figure entered the room, the form of the person too blurry for him to make out their identity.

"He is awake! Gods he is finally awake!" he heard them shout, and he frowned at those words, trying to recall his last memory. The door was opened once more as the person rushed out.

"Help him!" "Watch out!" "AENYS!!"

It turned to him in flashes: the explosion, the assassins, and the cave-in. It all came back quickly, and he tried to move, and suddenly felt as if his arms and legs weighed in the tons. His vision cleared up, and he began to look around the room, trying to figure out where he was. The room seemed somewhat familiar, and as he was thinking about that, the door to the room opened up once again, and he looked up to find a very familiar face looking at him.

"Alicent!" he tried to say, yet his parched throat couldn't make a sound, and he saw tears well up in those brown eyes as she slowly walked towards him, her hands gently caressed over her protruding belly.

"Aenys!" she spoke in an affectionate tone, her arms wrapped themselves around him as she broke down into sobs in his arms.

0000

Ok. A time skip!

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime if you can. It would mean a lot to me.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 31

VISERYS TARGARYEN

Viserys sat in his room, looking at the model of the Valyrian freehold he had crafted over the years, and felt alone. He missed the soft voice of Aemma as she sat with him as he explained to her about the architecture of the freehold. He missed the faint smile she had and the way her presence made him feel so whole.

And his heart twisted in agony, for he knew that he would never have that again. Never. And that it had been his own greed that had cost Aemma her life. His own greed and desire for a son. He had ignored Aenys's warning, believing his words to be false, despite knowing in his heart that Aenys would never lie about such matters. Yet he had ignored them, choosing to trust the Maesters who had been wrong so many times before, and in the end, he had lost her.

Would Aenys have been able to save her this time? He thought. Yet they would never know, for his brother still lay unconscious across the Sea, recovering from the assassination.

The door to his chambers opened, and in walked the last vestige of Aemma that remained. Rhaenyra entered his chambers, dressed in an ornate black gown, one of Aemma's he recognized and he felt a glimmer of hope as he noticed the resemblance between her and his departed Queen. Resemblance that he had never previously paid attention to, yet those eyes were different.

Rhaenyra's gaze held anger and rage, rage that he had never seen in Aemma. He tried to smile, the sensation feeling foreign to him, and motioned for her to sit with his sole arm.

"Come sit, Rhaenyra. It is time we had a talk," he began and saw her still at his words, and a part of him thought that she would begin screaming at him again like she had when she had first arrived in Kingslanding after hearing of Aemma's demise. Yet she took a deep breath and sat down.

His gaze passed over her, and he finally realized just how much she had grown up. She was now nearly a woman grown and had grown several inches over the past year.

"A letter arrived from Bravos in the morning," he began and saw her perk up at the mention of Bravos, and saw her eyes softening at the mention of the city that housed her brother.

"Aenys is finally awake," he finished and saw her eyes widen for a moment before she frowned once again.

"Thank the seven," he heard her whisper, as her eyes turned to face him.

"Aemma wished that I make peace with Aenys…" he began and felt Rhaenyra's eyes narrow at his words.

"And in that regard I have written to him, inviting him back to the capital," he finished and saw that Rhaenyra was surprised by his words. It had been a difficult decision, yet it had been Aemma's wish and he knew that it would help in mending his relationship with Rhaenyra.

"That was good of you," she began slowly as she added.

"I will write to him and Alicent as well, and try and convince them to come back as well," she began and she stopped again and he saw her hesitate before she slowly began.

"And I would like to apologize for my words earlier. I was angry and hurt and didn't mean to blame you…." And he smiled and cut in.

"I know," he cut in and saw her look up, and saw her eyes softening as they landed on his shoulder, worry evident in her gaze.

"What happened to your arm?" she questioned softly and he reached for his side, with his sole arm, and replied in a slow tone.

"The Maesters remain clueless about my ailment. The rot began to spread aggressively, and they were forced to amputate it to contain the rot," he answered and saw her gaze soften with concern before she finally spoke up.

"Perhaps Uncle Aenys will know something. Maybe you should write to him about this," she asked and he nodded. With his reputation, there was a high chance that he may indeed know about this disease.

"I will, but that is enough about me. It is time we talk about the reason I called you here," he began and saw her frown as he slowly began.

"With your mother's death, the court is pushing for your marriage to secure the line…." And he saw her stiffen at his words and saw her face flush with rage.

"I have held them back, but Rhaenyra, you do need to marry someone," he cut in and saw her question in an enraged tone.

"And I believe that I have no choice in this matter?" she spoke in a scathing tone, and he shook his head.

"Of course you do," he said and saw that he was surprised by his words.

"But didn't you wish for me to marry Daemon," she questioned, and he nodded slowly as he sighed.

"Yes, but that was in the past. Aemma told me that you were very averse to the match," and he saw her nod at his words.

"And so, I have decided to let you make the choice. Of course, you would need to choose a person of appropriate status and pedigree, but the choice will be yours. I will not force your hand in the matter," he assured her and saw a sense of relief pass through her as she nodded.

"Thank you for this, Father," she spoke up with a small smile, and he felt his heart ease as he saw that smile, a smile so reminiscent of Aemma.

"And there is something else I need to talk to you about father?" she suddenly cut in, making him frown, and before she could ask what about she continued.

"It's about the Stepstones?"

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Alicent Hightower smiled as she saw the perplexed gaze of Aenys land on her protruding belly, and as their eyes met, she gave him a small nod, already answering the question that he was about to ask.

"Yes, I am pregnant," she said her hand instinctively moving down, as she caressed the budding life gently before she looked up at Aenys who seemed a bit transfixed by the news.

"I wanted to surprise you with the news after the wedding, but then…." And she became quiet, as she squeezed his hand. The whole incident still haunted her, even after so much time.

The room quieted down, before Aenys finally opened his mouth, and spoke out in a perplexed tone.

"Gods! I am going to be a father! Gods!" he nearly cursed as he processed the news, and she smiled seeing him juggling between excitement and worry, a small giggle escaping her mouth at his behavior.

Both of them simply lay there, in the bed hugging each other, as she felt her heart ease up, the anxiety from all those months without him vanishing as she felt a sense of relief and assuredness replaced as they both lay there just lost in each other's embrace.

"So, I have been unconscious for about eight months months," he questioned and she nodded and saw his face falter as his arms around her tightened, and he mouthed in a low concerned tone.

"It must have been quite hard for you," he ventured, and she stilled, all those sleepless and anxiety-ridden days coming back to her, yet they were over now. And when she had been down, there had been people there to support her.

"It was, but it's all over now," she replied as she looked up at him, and continued.

"Plus, Gwayne and Rhaenyra were there to take care of me while you were unconscious," and she saw him frown as his head snapped towards her.

"Rhaenyra?" he questioned, and she forgot that she hadn't mentioned this to him, and she nodded.

"Yes, when she heard about the assassination attempt she flew here on Syrax," she replied and saw his eyes widen, as he questioned her once more.

"Did Viserys allow it?" and she shook her head.

"Not at first, but he did give her his blessing later," she replied and saw him nod as his eyes dimmed and he nodded before he spoke once more.

"Then where is she now? And where is Gwayne?" he questioned suddenly and her heart withered as she thought about the reason for their absence.

"They are both gone now," she began and saw him frown at her words.

"They left you alone and went back, why?" he questioned a bit apprehensively, and she chewed her lips as she finally replied.

"Rhaenyra stayed here for months and accompanied for all this time, but a week ago she received a letter from Kingslanding," she began and saw his eyes narrow at her words. She looked up at him, knowing that despite the complicated relationship between Aenys and Viserys, he had always cared for the Queen.

"The letter was from Viserys himself and informed her of the death of her mother, the Queen Aemma," and she saw him still at her words, his eyes widening suddenly before his lips thinned and the sorrow was replaced by anger as he completed her sentence.

"….from childbirth?" he muttered through gritted teeth and she nodded, and she saw him lean back, as he closed his eyes and whispered angrily.

"I warned him. I warned him, yet he ignored it. That god damn idiot," he cursed in aguish, and she tightened her grip around his chest, pulling herself closer to him, as he processed the news.

Suddenly they were broken out of their trance by a knock on the door of the room, and she straightened herself as Aenys pulled up the sheets as she questioned.

"Who is there?"

"It's me, Anya, my lady. A representative from the palace came, they said that the trial is about to begin," her trusted maid informed her, and she saw Aenys frown at those words as he looked towards her.

"Trial?" he questioned, and she nodded.

"Yes, trial for Alissano Neysaris, the man behind the assassination attempt on you and the Sealord," she informed him and saw his eyes widen as he mouthed.

"It seems like I was right. It was him!"

0000

Lady Mysery-MYSARIA

On the greatest island amongst all in Stepstones, Bloodstone, men covered in dust and grime worked tirelessly in the scorching heat, ships laden with stone and mortar docked in the island, decorated by the banner of the three-headed dragon, the men heaved loads and loads of stone off the ships, carrying it to towards the gigantic structure that had begun to take form.

Though the men working at the site were no ordinary men, for each of them wore on their necks a collar made of steel, with iron chains wrapped around their ankles and wrists. Once these very men had terrorized the seas, raided ships, and wore gold and silver, they were fat and had eaten in opulence yet now they had become thin and frail, hankering in the heat as the guards with cloaks decorated in red cloaks hung over them with their whips, striking hard at anyone they saw not doing his due share.

She watched with a smirk as the infamous pirates of Stepstones toiled in the scorching Sun to build the castle for a man who had conquered them. Daemon Targaryen had conquered the Stepstones, carving for himself a kingdom out of the tumultuous islands, and providing her with the perfect refuge.

Alissano had tried to assassinate both Aenys Targaryen and the Sealord, lost in his lust for greatness the man had failed to account for failure. She on the other hand had not, and so on that fateful night when she had gotten word that the Sealord had survived, she had immediately slipped out of Bravos, heavy with child, she had boarded a ship and had managed to slip away quickly.

Alissano attempt had tried to flee as well, yet the Sealord had been vicious in his pursuit and had the man hunted down, and from what she had heard the man was set to stand trial for treason soon.

She had known, that if she was to survive or rather thrive she would need to have the support of someone powerful and thankfully, she knew the perfect person. The same person whose child she was carrying in her belly.

"Where is he?" she asked the captain of the red cloaks, and the man hesitated before he pointed towards the cave. She nodded, and began to walk towards the cave with careful steps knowing that she was walking into a literal dragon's den.

Daemon's clash with the Company of Rose had left his dragon heavily injured. Yet Daemon had refused to back down, and had asked her to search high and low for any remedy. She had acquiesced and after much effort, they had been able to find someone willing to try their hand at healing the mighty beast.

The cave was warm, and the very ground shook as she heard the low growl of a dragon from the other side.

"Daemon," she called slowly, and the air stilled as she made the final turn, entering the cave in full. And stilled at the sight in front of him, the Blood Wyrm had always been a formidable beast, its scarlet scales and spiked head gave it a menacing look. But the beast she was looking at now, would send shivers down anyone's spine.

Its face was no longer red, a part of it now glistened in the light, the broken half of his face, was now covered by steel forged in its own flame, the steel came down its face and covered the massive gash on its neck as well. And

And right there in front of its head stood a man, with flowing silver locks, his back turned to her. Yet the man wasn't alone. For in his hands, he held a toddler, barely half a year old. The man held the child in his arms, touching its tiny hand to the skin of the beast in front of him.

The dragon stirred at her presence and shifted, the scar on its shoulder became visible, the same silvery metal covered, just like with the scar on its face. And she stilled as she saw those snake-like eyes narrow onto her, but then a sharp voice halted the beast in its step.

"Ceraxes. Umbagon" (Ceraxes. Stay)

The man turned to face, her, and the child's hair glistened in the light much like the man's. She saw his eyes land on her, as he spoke slowly.

"Ceraxes is ready. It is time for me to go to Kingslanding!"

0000

Science isn't the only power in the world of Westeros. No, there is another power, a power much more potent and obscure. The power of Magic.

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime if you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

 

[Derain VonHarken]

So. A magical cyborg dragon. That is pretty cool. Also rather intimidating.

I admit to being amazed at the protagonist being in a coma for that long.

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 32

ALESANDRO FEROSA

The news about Aenys waking up had come as a relief. And he had felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off of his chest with that news. Aenys had gotten injured trying to save his life, and it wouldn't have sat right with him if he had died because of him. With the betrayal of Alissano, Alesandro was left with few people he could trust, and Aenys was amongst the few he knew he could trust despite the troublesome nature of his identity.

They had delayed the trial for an hour to accommodate Alicent, who was with Aenys, in the hospital. Yet the trial had to begin and so he had sent a messenger to Aenys's wife prompting her to make her required appearance.

He sat in his chair on a raised platform, with his First Sword standing behind him. The other four judges sat beside him. The five of them, with each representing one of the pillars of the city, from the Sealord, the Iron Bank, the Moonsingers, the Magisters, and the Merchant Guild. The Palace of Justice and Truth was located at the corner of the Dragon's palace and was used to carry out such trials. The court room was filled with other influential people as well, all ready and waiting to witness the historic trial.

The doors to the courtroom opened suddenly, and he looked up and found Alicent Hightower being led in by her maid and his wife. Her steps were slow and careful, given her delicate state.

He could see that her eyes were swollen, and her face had clear signs of crying, yet unlike the previous times he had seen her, there was a bright smile on her face, as she walked into the court.

He motioned for the Bravo to the side, and the Bravo moved and brought in the accused.

Alicent settled into a specially made seat, with Blair sitting beside her, and the court broke down into murmurs as the doors opened for a second time, and the Bravo led out the accused.

His chains clacked in the ground, giving out a grinding noise as Alissano was brought out. The man had become a shell of himself; his hair was disheveled, and his face was covered in sweat and dirt as the Bravo slowly led him toward the platform in front of him.

A part of him was hurt by the sight in front of him, for he felt no joy in seeing Alissano in a state like this. Yet the man had tried to kill him and his family, so he quickly stubbed that feeling of sympathy and looked ahead impassively.

The herald stood up, and the whole room became quiet as he loudly spoke up.

"We are gathered here today for the final proceedings of the trial of Alissano Neysaris. The trial has already been concluded, and the accused has confessed to his crimes," the herald announced. At this, Alesandro stood up and looked toward Alissano.

"Do you have anything else to say?" he said, and the whole Hall stilled, with everyone's gaze focused on Alissano.

His treasonous friend looked up, his eyes filled with a resigned rage as he mouthed angrily.

"You are all a disgrace to our ancestors! A DISGRACE!" his voice thundered.

"Colluding with a dragon rider! A dragon lord! Have you no shape? Have you all forgotten your history!" his friend then spit at the ground, his eyes focusing onto him.

"I will not beg for mercy from all sell outs! But mark my words! There will come a day when you will regret ever associating yourself with that heathen! MARK MY WORDS!"

0000

GWAYNE HIGHTOWER

Gwayne Hightower found himself sitting in the Godswood once more with the Princess as she informed him about the most recent news from across the Narrow Sea. He had returned to the capital a few hours earlier and had been immediately called by the Princess.

"So, Prince Aenys has woken up!" he repeated, and a huge weight lifted off his shoulders as soon as he saw the princess nod.

"Yes, a letter came from Braavos some days ago, informing about him waking up. The trial has also concluded, and they have hung the preparator," told him the Princess, and he nodded. Feeling no sympathy for the man who had nearly ruined his sister's life. The man deserved a fate worse than death, if possible.

"That is some good news," he began; the Princess still seemed rather dazed and lost in thought, probably still reeling from the shock of losing her mother. He had already conveyed his condolences and knew that no words from him or anyone else would do her any good. They hadn't done him any good when he had lost his mother. Only the balm of time had the capacity to make one whole after such a loss.

"Will the Prince return to Kingslanding?" he questioned and saw the Princess shrug.

"I don't know. Though father has written to Aenys, inviting him back to the capital, though I don't know what Aenys will do," and there was a hint of sadness in the Princess's voice as she continued.

"I have written to him and Alicent as well, hoping to convince her as well, though I have yet to receive an answer about this," added the Princess sadly, and he knew that the Princess truly needed someone by her side, someone whom she could lean on and trust. And his sister was the best person for that. They had grown up together, knew practically everything about each other, and were like sisters.

"Though I cannot say for certain, I believe they will come," he added. Knowing Alicent, he was quite sure that she would want to come. As for Prince Aenys, for the short time, Gwayne had gotten to know him, the Prince was a reasonable person who valued relations and wouldn't leave the princess alone like this.

"I hope you are right," said the Princess as she sipped her tea. He didn't miss how the Princess's gaze lingered on him, her eyes narrowing as he saw her contemplating something.

In the end, after quite a bit of hesitance the princess finally spoke up in a low voice.

"May I ask you something, Ser Gwayne?" and he perked up at this and nodded hurriedly.

"Of course, Princess," he said and saw the Princess hesitate a bit before she finally continued.

"Have you ever thought about marriage?"

And he nearly choked on his tea, taken aback by the question.

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys Targaryen felt conflicted as he skimmed through the letter from Viserys. A part of him was wroth and angry at his brother for ignoring his words. For putting his wife's life in jeopardy despite his words, that part wanted nothing but to burn away the piece of parchment, ignoring the bastard completely.

However, the other part of him saw the pain of the man who had just lost his wife, and from the wording, it seemed as if a part of Viserys felt guilty for his actions. It was an apology, the first one he had received for what had transpired nearly two years ago on Dragonstone, along with an invitation from the man to return to Kingslanding.

"So, what has you in such a pensive mood?" questioned House as he sat by his side in his room. House had come to do an examination, to assess his recovery. The months of unconsciousness had left him somewhat weak.

Aenys passed him the letter, though it had only been about ten days since he had woken up, he was feeling quite better and had begun walking again. Of course, going back to his previous physique would take some time, but there was no lasting damage from the assassination attempt, which was quite a relief.

"So, your brother is inviting you to come back?" concluded Gregory, as he skimmed through the letter, and passed it back. He nodded.

"Yeah, Rhaenyra has written to Alicent as well, inviting her back as well," he informed him and saw House nod at his words as he replied after a bit of contemplation.

"I would say that you should go," and Aenys looked towards the aged man with a raised brow, motioning for him to continue.

"You do know what happened at Dragonstone, right?" Aenys said and saw the man.

"I do, and normally, I wouldn't have asked you to return as well. But you do understand that you ow the Princess quite a bit for what she did for your wife while you were unconscious," said House as he gave her a look, and Aenys nodded slowly. Him and Alicent had spent days chatting, with her telling him about everything that had happened while he was unconscious, and from her words, it was evident that she was very thankful for the presence of Rhaenyra's presence.

Alicent hadn't mentioned it yet, but he knew that she wanted to go to Kingslanding. And then, before they could talk any further, there was a knock on the door, and he looked up and saw the doors to his room open as a Bravo stepped in, wearing the ceremonial garbs of the First Sword.

"I hope I am not intruding," said the most powerful man of Braavos, as the Sea lord entered his room. And Aenys didn't miss the changes that had taken place in Alesandro. The man had grown firmer in his stance, and there was a wariness to him that he hadn't had before.

Healer House stood up and greeted the man, giving the man the respect he was due before he looked towards him.

"I will come later," and with that, the man picked up his cane and left the room, leaving Aenys alone with Alessandro. This was the first time he was seeing the man since he had woken up. As their eyes met, he saw Alesandro's gaze soften as the man walked to his side and shook his hand.

"It is good to see you awake again, friend," said Alessandro, as both of them shook each other's hand enthusiastically.

"I am sorry I couldn't come earlier, but I was bust with an entourage from some of the other free cities," and Aenys waved away the apology.

"It's fine. Blair told me about it. Tell me, how are you?" Aenys questioned as Alessandro sat down on the chair by his side.

"I am fine," he began and then pointed towards him, "much thanks to you," and then he saw the man's lips thin a bit as he continued in a much sterner voice.

"Truth is, I never saw it coming. I had always considered Alissano a friend and had never thought that he would betray me like this," and there was genuine sadness in his tone. And Aenys could sympathize with the man, already knowing how such a betrayal felt.

"I wouldn't have suspected this as well. I knew that he was plotting against me, but I had never guessed that he would target you like this," added Aenys, and saw Alessandro look towards him.

"About that. How did you know that he was plotting against you?" the man questioned.

"It was the Arachon of Myr and Tyrosh. He had assured them that he would take care of me when I moved against them for their role in killing my aunt," he explained and saw the man nod, though there was still a frown on his face as the man questioned further.

"Were they involved in this as well?" and Aenys just shrugged.

"I haven't investigated this, but I wouldn't be surprised. I nearly took away all their wealth and influence and brought them to the streets. It wouldn't be unlike them to hold a grudge against me for this," and then he frowned as he questioned Alessandro.

"Did Alissano name any accomplices?" and the man shook his head.

"No, he said he acted alone," and Aenys frowned at those words. Not believing them to be truthful, and though investigating his associates months after the whole ordeal was not probably going to be useless, but he planned to do it regardless.

"No matter, I must thank you and Blair for what you did for Alicent," Aenys thanked the man, but he shook his hand.

"No. No, it was nothing. It was the least we could do after you saved my life. For that, I will always be in your debt, so if you ever need anything, anything at all, you need to ask," said Alessandro, and Aenys nodded, his mind racing as he thought about whether he should bring up something he had suspected and considered the pros and cons of bringing up such a rather sensitive topic.

When he had learned about Alissano and his plans to move against him, he had looked into the man and his family in quite detail. And in that, he had made quite a troubling discovery. A couple of decades ago, the Neysaris family had secretly made a deal with a sailor from Westeros. A female sailor, and had. Though no name was mentioned, Aenys had a very good suspicion about who exactly this sailor was.

"You said anything right," Aenys suddenly asked, deciding to trust his instincts. Alicent was already nearing labor, and was set to give birth to his child any day. And it was up to him to give his child what he had to claw away.

"Anything," said Alessandro, and then Aenys sighed as he looked towards the man and uttered the stilling words.

"Then I need you to tell me where are the dragon eggs that Alissano's family bought from Alissa Farmann," and he saw the man's eyes widen at his words. Hesitation appeared on his face as Aenys continued to stare straight into the man's eyes. In the end, Alessandro sighed as he swept a hand through his hair and replied with a mocking smile.

"I should have guessed that you would have found about them," and Alessandro shook his head and leaned forward.

0000

VISERYS TARGARYEN

Viserys Targaryen found himself sitting on his throne with the whole Court assembled before him. The throne room was still as everyone waited for the entrance of his brother. Daemon's dragon had been injured greatly during the campaign in the Stepstones. It was one of the reasons Daemon hadn't been able to make it back for Aemma's funeral yet, half an hour ago, the skies of Kingslanding saw Ceraxes take to them, flying above the city marking the return of Daemon Targaryen after his triumph in the Stepstones.

The doors to the throne room, were opened, and the Court stilled, and Viserys held his breath as he watched Daemon step into the Court, dressed in his black armor, Blacksister strapped to his side. His long hair swayed at his back, and the lack of a helmet gave a clear view of the injuries he had received during the campaign.

Yet Viserys frowned as his eyes locked onto the Crown sitting atop his head as Daemon walked towards the Iron Throne, the sound of his steps reverberating across the throne room. He saw his gaze land on Rhaenyra, who stood at the front of the crowd, his gaze lingering a bit as he smiled at her. Rhaenyra returned the smile stiffly as Daemon reached the front of the monstrosity that was the Iron Throne.

His brother finally looked up, and their eyes met, and he saw Daemon smirk as the gaze of the whole Court remained trained on him, waiting for him to make a move. Viserys's eyes were focused on the throne resting atop his head, and then Daemon took off his throne and dropped it at the foot of the Iron Throne.

"The Stepstones are yours, your grace," said Daemon with a smile as he kicked the Crown forward.

"Add this to the rest!" and Viserys smiled at this and was about to stand up and congratulate his brother when suddenly Daemon glanced back, as a maid walked in behind him. A wicker basket in hand, and the court became quiet as the sound of small child's cry rumbled through the Hall

Daemon's gaze softened as he picked up the child, the small tuft of silvery blonde hair showing his Valyrian heritage Daemon then raised the child and spoke up in a loud voice. His words reverberating throughout the Hall.

"I present to you Baelon Targaryen, my son."

0000

Daemon's at it again. And Aenys knows! He knows!

The eggs are canon and are theorized to be the same three eggs that Daenerys hatches in GOT. They were stolen by Alissa Farman and sold to Bravos for an extraordinary commissioned ship.

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime or two of you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Thanks for reading!

Is Gwayne really the right choice?

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 33

DAEMON TARGARYEN

Daemon Targaryen frowned as he followed his brother to his solar. Viserys's face was flushed, and he seemed enraged, much to his disappointment. The Kingsguard opened the door as both of them moved into his solar, and it hadn't changed much from the last time he was here.

The light from the Sun lit the room up, with a bed on one side of the room, followed by a massive table with a model of Old Valyria made out of stone placed on top of it. He didn't have time to notice any changes before suddenly Viserys turned to face him as he heard the doors shut behind them.

"What were you thinking, Daemon?" Viserys nearly shouted, making him frown, as he failed to understand the reason behind Viserys's anger.

"What do you mean? What have I done?" Daemon questioned and saw Viserys flush as he waved his only arm.

"A bastard! You brought your bastard to court! You shamed me and yourself in front of everyone, bringing a bastard to court, making such public mockery of your marriage vows!" Viserys raged, and those words made his own temper rise. Daemon stood straight as he looked Viserys in the eye.

"He is my son. My blood!" he answered, and before Viserys could cut in, he continued.

"Plus, you promised to annul my marriage to that Bronze bitch. Are you telling me that you are going back on your words!" Daemon raged at Viserys, reminding him of one of the promises he had made to him before the start of the campaign in the Stepstones. And a part of him

"I did, and we were in the middle of discussions regarding it, and yet now you have not just humiliated your lady wife but the whole of Vale. How do you think they will see this," Viserys said, and Daemon scoffed.

"What's there to discuss? Simply order them that the marriage is annulled. Show them that you are a king!" Daemon simply pointed out that a part of him had expected this out of Viserys, and it had been one of the reasons why he had decided to bring Baelon to court. Now, with this House, Royce would have no choice but to react to this public humiliation and accept the annulment.

He saw Viserys sigh as he picked up his robe and sat down on an elaborate chair, sighing as he gripped his forehead and shook his head.

"I remember asking you to get rid of this problem and making sure that your 'whore' never stepped foot here again," Viserys said in an icy tone, and Daemon frowned.

"I sent here, but if you thought I would never kill a child of my own," Daemon said heatedly, and Viserys sighed.

"A bastard, a bastard child. And you named it Baelon. You called him a Targaryen! Do you know what it implies," Viserys continued angrily, and Daemon knew that this was what had truly angered Viserys. Viserys didn't care that the child was a bastard or whether he had shamed his Bronze bitch or even the Vale, for that matter.

No, what mattered was that Daemon had a son. A son who stood as a reminder of just how their father had become the heir ahead of their cousin Rhaenys.

"It doesn't matter. The child is mine. He is the blood of Old Valyria. I will not let these Andals insult him by calling him bastard," Daemon answered haughtily, refusing to address the hidden question from Viserys.

"I will cut off anyone's tongue who dar…," but Viserys cut in sharply as he punched the arm of his chair and shouted.

"Don't be naïve, Daemon! You and I both know what I am asking!" Viserys raged, and Daemon stopped and saw the rage in Viserys's face. Their eyes met, and Daemon narrowed his gaze and decided to speak up openly.

"I don't see the problem. I am just offering you a chance to correct the mistake you made years ago," Daemon answered and saw Viserys frown at those words.

"What mistake?" Viserys questioned, and Daemon shrugged and walked towards the opened window, glancing out at the expanding city in front of him.

"Naming Rhaenyra as your heir," Daemon answered and turned to face Viserys.

"You and I both know that the Lords will never follow a woman," Daemon scoffed. Everyone at court knew about the personalities of Viserys and Rhaenys when the Council had been called. She had been raised by her father to rule and could have been a far more active ruler. Yet the lords chose Viserys. Of course, they were also jealous of Corlys, yet for the most part, the Lords would never let a woman rule them over.

Never.

"You named Rhaenyra as heir to spite me, yet you and I both know that the lords would not take her seriously. If she is to rule, she must have someone by her side to keep the lords in line," Daemon said with a shrug.

"I had thought you understood that when you promised me her hand," Daemon continued, and Viserys cut in.

"I did not such thing!" Viserys raged, making Daemon frown.

"Are you going back on your words, Viserys?" Daemon asked, perplexed by this behavior from Viserys.

"I made Rhaenyra heir because the realm cannot bear the burden of another Maegor," Viserys countered, and before he could say anything, he continued.

"And if you think I will have Rhaenyra marry you after everything you just did, then you are an idiot," and Daemon was enraged by those words. Angered because Viserys had promised him Rhaenyra's hands just before he had left for the Stepstones.

"You promised me this, Viserys!" Daemon argued, and Viserys shook his head and raised his hand.

"I did no such thing. And I don't plan to. Rhaenyra shall marry whomever she chooses and shall remain my heir!" Viserys shouted, and Daemon gritted his teeth at this behavior from Viserys and wanted to shout and rage at him, but pulled back, knowing that things were different than before.

"I am your brother, rider of Ceraxes, wielder of Dark sister, breaker of pirates, and Conqueror of Stepstones," Daemon countered haughtily and scoffed as he began to walk out of the room.

And with a final glance at Viserys, opened the doors.

"Compared to me, what accolades does Rhaenyra boast?"

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys Targaryen walked towards the Sealord's solar. Walking was still quite laborious for him, but now, weeks after walking up, his recovery was going smoothly. Alicent's pregnancy had progressed to its last stages as well, and she was set to give birth any day now.

Being a father was something that was quite daunting to him, and just thinking about being responsible for the life and safety of a child was making him nervous. It was his responsibility to make sure to have them lead a meaningful life, and he planned to do everything in his power to make sure of that.

It was this determination that had brought him to the Sealord's palace today. The First Sword led him to Alessandro's solar. The day was just beginning, and most of the city was still asleep, given that people in Braavos often spent nights entertaining themselves in various ways.

They reached the doors of the solar and Nordan, the new First Sword, opened the doors and spoke in a gruff voice.

"The Sealord is waiting for you," he was older than Syrio and had a bulky build. And his face was scarred, a large scar that went down from his forehead to his ears.

Aenys nodded and walked in, and the atmosphere in the room was rather familiar. He had been to this solar a number of times now. The view from the windows was magnificent still, a clear view of the mangery and the city, highlighting the beauty of the Braavos.

"Ahh, Aenys. You are finally here," came the all too familiar voice of Alessandro from the side, and Aenys turned to face the man and shook his hand as he led him to a chair.

"It is good to see you back on your feet," said Alessandro, and Aenys didn't miss the hint of nervousness in his tone. Aenys nodded at the man, and both of them stared at each other in silence before Aenys decided to speak up.

"So, where are they?" Aenys questioned, and he saw Alessandro hesitate a bit before he finally gestured toward an elaborate wooden trunk lying on a table.

"There they are," he said, and both of them walked towards the eggs.

"I hope you understand, Aenys, if word gets out about these eggs," and Aenys cut him off.

These eggs could be a cause of a major rift between Braavos and Kingslnading; their grandfather King Jaehaeyrs, had threatened to burn Braavos to the ground for their overreach. Braavos had denied those allegations, and in the end, a reluctant peace had been reached. Now, if news got out about these eggs, then the whole rift would be opened up once more.

"Don't worry about it. More or less everyone has forgotten about the stolen eggs, and my dragon is old enough to lay its first clutch of eggs. So, to everyone else the source of these eggs shall be my dragon," Aenys assured the man. This was the cover story they had carved up, Grey Ghost was old enough to lay its first clutch of eggs, and so for those in Kingslanding and everywhere else, these dragon eggs would come from his dragon.

Aenys slowly reached for the trunk, and slowly opened the wooden lid. The hinges creaked, and immediately, a wave of heat and warmth hit him, coming straight from the eggs. There, sitting in the trunk, were dragon eggs. Three dragon eggs, their colorings different, their surfaces covered by hardened shell scales. And as he was about to reach for them, Alessandro cut in from behind.

"Be careful! They are extremely hot. Three of my man had their hands burned off while trying to move th…." But he stopped as he watched him place his hand on the surface of the egg without any reaction. The eggs felt warm to him, as well, but not burning hot. It was as if placing your hand above a candle flame.

Alessandro frowned and put forward his own hand and tried to touch the eggs, but as soon as his fingers touched the surface, he hissed in pain and abruptly pulled back his hand.

"Sssss…. How the hell are you touching these? They are burning!" said Alessandro while looking at him quizzically, and Aenys just shrugged and pulled back his hand.

"I believe this settles everything," Aenys said, closed the trunk once again, and turned to face Alessandro, who had a complicated expression on his face.

"Not quite," added Alessandro, making him frown. He then pointed towards the chairs and motioned for Aenys to sit. Aenys took the seat, intrigued by what he had wanted to discuss. Alessandro sat down opposite to him and looked into his eyes, and began.

"So, you have decided to go back to Kingslanding?" he began, and Aenys sighed, a part of him still contemplating the decision. Yet letters had arrived from both Viserys and Rhaenyra asking him to come back, even for a short while. Gwayne had written to Alicent as well, asking the same. And while he was less enthusiastic about this, Alicent had also said that she wished to visit.

It was the first request she had made of him, and given the debt he owed to Rhaenyra and Gwayne, he had no choice but to let go.

"Yes, though I will only leave after Alicent has given birth, and has recovered somewhat from it," Aenys told the man, and Alessandro nodded. The man hesitated for a moment, making him frown for he had never seen him like this.

"What is going on Alessandro?" Aenys asked and saw the man sigh before he finally spoke up.

"I believe you are aware of the Keyholders," and the question made him frown. Of course, he was aware of the Keyholders. They were the families of the first free men who had settled here in Braavos and had set the foundation for the Iron Bank. However, the group had expanded somewhat and was now comprised of the most influential and wealthy people of Braavos. In a sense, they were even more powerful than the Sealord himself, with the amount of wealth they possessed.

"Of course," Aenys answered, and Alessandro nodded.

"Alissano was a part of the Neysaris family. He was the sole heir of his family, who were one of the key holders," Alessandro began.

"But their recent transgressions and loss of influence and wealth have led to their removal from this position," Alessandro began, and Aenys frowned, for he had rumors about this as well. And he was rather surprised by this. The Neysaris were still rich, and there were still some distant cousins Alice, who had taken over the family wealth. But since the family had tried to attack the Sealord, they were essentially outcasts now, and their businesses had suffered greatly.

"And what does this have to do with me?" Aenys questioned, not seeing the point.

Alessandro hesitated and sighed before he slowly continued.

"There is now a vacancy open. A new family shall rise and take the place vacated by the Neysaris," and at this, he looked up at him and spoke ominously.

"And the Keyholders have asked me to probe whether you would be interested in such a position," and Aenys couldn't believe his ears. A chance to become a keyholder. And just as he was reeling from the shock of the news, there was a knock on the door of the solar, breaking him out of his trance.

"Who is it?" Alessandro asked, and his First Sword shouted from outside.

"It's a messenger from Lady Blair. Lady Alicent has entered her labor," and Aeny's heart skipped a beat as he got up from his seat and looked toward Alessandro.

"I need to go," and Alessandro nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Of course, and please keep what I said earlier to yourself and think about it," said the man as he gave him a small hug.

"I will," Aenys answered, and he would.

0000

OTTO HIGHTOWER

Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, sat in the council chambers as the Small Council sat down to discuss the running of the realm. They all sat in their seats, or at least all of them except one person. The seat for the Commander of the City Watch remained empty, as Daemon Targaryen chose to drink and whore with his lickspittles in the Street of Silk, showing complete disregard for the King's orders.

The Court was still reeling from the shock of Daemon's arrival and the revealing of his new son. The Rogue Prince had made a spectacle out of it and had humiliated his lady wife and the whole of Vale and there had been a continuous exchange of letters between Lord Royce and the King over the last couple of days, and he believed that this exchange was one of the reasons of calling this meeting.

"I have received a letter from Lord Royce," began the King, and he saw the whole Council perk up at those words. The King had a stern and somber expression on his face and sighed as he continued.

"We have reached an agreement. From today, the marriage between Daemon and Lady Rhea Royce stands dissolved," the King answered and pushed forward a missive from the High Septon himself.

Lord Lyonel Strong reached for the missive, opened it, read it, and passed it on to him.

"Perhaps it is for the better. Their marriage had always had…. Troubles," said the Master of Laws, and the King nodded.

"Perhaps," Otto's wanted to scoff, yet controlled himself. Troubles. Lady Rhea was a fine woman, belonging to a stories house. The only problem in this whole match was Dameon's pettiness, and from the agreement, it seemed that annulment had cost the crown quite a bit. A city charter, and a promise for a future Royal wedding.

"Yes, it is unfortunate to see it come to this, but perhaps they both shall be able to move on from this," added the aged Lord Beesbury.

"Yes, indeed," added Mellos from the side as well. The Council was quiet after this, before suddenly Lord Strong spoke up.

"Your grace, there was something we hoped to bring up," began Lord Strong, and he saw Viserys frown, though he did motion for them to continue.

"And what is it, Lord Lyonel," the King asked, and he saw the gruff man hesitate before Lord Corlys cut in from the opposite side.

"The whole realm mourns the loss of Queen Aemma, your grace," began Corlys, and he saw Viserys's expression shift though, and all of the Council members nodded.

"But months have passed since the death of the Queen, and perhaps it is time that we discussed the very delicate question of succession," and Otto felt the room still at those words. And he saw Viserys narrow his eyes as his hands tightened, and the King countered in a stern tone.

"I believe the succession was quite clear. My firstborn, Rhaenyra, shall be my heir," and he saw Corlys nod.

"Of course, your grace. But what we mean to say is that perhaps it is time for you to consider taking another wife. The realm needs a queen, your grace," added Mellos and he saw Viserys frown at those words.

"You want me to marry again," the King questioned, a tone of anger and frustration hidden underneath.

"I know it is not a proposition you want to hear, your grace," Otto decided to cut in.

"But the realm needs a Queen. The Princess remains unmarried and is your sole heir. May the Gods, curse us with any misfortune. The very future of the Targaryen dynasty could be in jeopardy," Otto continued and saw Viserys flush in rage. However, Otto knew that Viserys saw the implication and truth in his words as his fists balled up.

For all his faults, Viserys had truly cared for his lady wife. Much like he had, and the sense of grief and loss he had felt when he had buried her still hung over him to this day.

"It is not an easy burden to bear, your grace. It is not an easy burden to bear your grace, but it is one that comes with the Crown," Otto added solemnly and saw Viserys sigh as he raised his hand.

"I shall think about it. The meeting is over, leave me," ordered Viserys, and they all looked at each other before he nodded towards the Master of Laws, and they all slowly got up and, with a brief greeting, left the room. And just as he was about to leave the room as well, Viserys's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"A letter came from Braavos in the morning," and he stilled at that and slowly turned to face Viserys once again, who had a somewhat pleasant expression on his face, as he continued.

"The Gods have blessed Aenys with a child."

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a dime if you can. It would mean a lot to me.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 34

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Alicent Hightower found herself lying on a bed, her body consumed by waves of crashing pain. She screamed as she found herself trying to push the child inside her womb.

"AGHHHH!" the midwives moved around her, and a faint smell of alcohol lingered in the room. The side was boiling pots of water as the midwives aided her.

"Just a little bit more. Just a bit more," the midwife spoke encouragingly, and she nodded. Motivated by her determination to give Aenys a child, she pushed through, hunkering for breath as she tried to push once again.

"AGHHHH!" she screamed as she tried to push again. Her whole body burned in agony as she screamed.

"Huhhh," she huffed for breath, breathing heart before suddenly she heard the sound of the doors opening.

"Aenys," she heard Healer Greg speak up and tried to look up. Her heart eased as she heard the name of her husband.

"Aenys," she tried to gasp out as she heard the sound of rapid footsteps before he appeared right body, his face paler than she had ever seen, as he held his hand.

"I am here, I am right here," he said, as he lovingly pushed back the hair matted onto her face.

"My lady! You need to push!" said the midwife, and Aenys nodded. She huffed and screamed in agony.

"ARGH!" she screamed and suddenly felt her head grow lighter. Pain erupted in her abdomen as she tried to push once more.

"AHHHHH!" and her vision began to blur as she heard a midwife speak up.

"I can see the head!" she heard the nurse gasp as relief filled her heart, and she used the last of her strength as Aenys sat down beside her, gently speaking to her. He gently kissed the side of her head as she gently whispered into her ears.

"Just a little more! Just a little more!" and she nodded, taking in a mouthful of air before she pushed down once more, screaming as hard as she could.

"ARGH!" she screamed, and then suddenly the pain vanished as she felt the pressure in her abdomen lessen, and then relief flooded her senses as she heard the small whimpering cry of a child.

"AANNN!" and tears brimmed out of her eyes as she heard the midwife speak up.

"It's a boy," and she looked towards Aenys, who still sat there on the ground beside her, caressing her face as the midwife walked towards her. In her hands was a small bundle of cloth wrapped around a whimpering babe.

The midwife gently showed the babe to Aenys who had a small smile on his face as he slowly reached for the child and took it in his hand. He then looked towards her and kissed her sweat-filled forehead as he smiled at the babe and gently lowered it into her arms as the midwives helped her sit up.

"Thank you," she heard him utter as he gently placed the newborn abbe into her arms, and she felt tears well up in her eyes as she looked at the babe. At her child.

"Place the child against your skin. It will help it be warm," said the midwife, and she nodded as she took the babe into her arms and felt it whimper as soon as her arms touched it. A sense of warmth permeated through her as she looked at the babe, and it made her forget the pain running rampant through her body.

"Have you thought of a name?" she asked Aenys, who was now sitting by her side.

"I have," he spoke gently, and she looked towards her and she gave him a small nod.

"Tell me," she asked.

"Aenar. Aenar Targaryen named after Aenar the Exile," he replied, and she smiled as she understood his reasoning. She looked towards the babe nestled against her skin and nodded.

"Aenar, it's a good name," she said as he lowered her head to kiss the babe's head gently.

0000

ALESSANDRO FEROSA

The Sealord of Braavos found himself frowning as he sat opposite to the representative from the Iron Back. Braavos was still shaken by the treachery of Alissano Neysaris and the subsequent destruction of such a prominent and wealthy family.

Though the people were rejoicing today, the populace was elated by the news of the birth of Aenys's first child. Aenar Targaryen, born to Aenys and Alicent Hightower, was a small child born with the classical Targaryen features, and the whole city rejoiced at such joyous news.

However, the same could not be said of the upper echelons of the Braavosi society. For the removal of the Neysaris family from their place of privilege and power had left a power vacuum. A vacuum that needed to be filled quickly. And that was one of the reasons he found himself sitting opposite to Tycho Harons, one of the infamous Keyholders and patriarch of the Harons, one of the wealthiest families on Braavos.

"So, has he given an answer to the offer?" the man questioned, his white hair tucked back, his face wrinkled face emotionless. The man was nearly twice his age, yet had led his family for over three decades and was perhaps one of the most influential people in Baraavos.

"No, not yet. He has asked for some time to consider the offer," Alessandro answered and saw the man's eyes narrow.

"Does he not understand what we are offering him? A chance like this is not something one can refuse," the man said, and though his words were true, Alessandro was not blind to the plot being hatched by the keyholders. And from the way Aenys had reacted to the offer, neither was he.

The conquering of the Stepstones by Daemon Targaryen had taken Braavos by surprise. And the man had been antagonizing the Braavosi elite by targeting their fleet, demanding exorbitant tolls. These tolls and the lack of trade with Westeros had affected the coffers of the ruling elite, and he was quite sure that the decision to indict Aenys into the Keyholder position was proposed to remedy these troubles.

"He does, but you must understand that Alissano's betrayal weighs heavily on his mind. Aenys is a cautious person. He will not make such a decision rapidly," Alessandro rose to Aenys's defense, praying in his heart that Aenys would make the right decision.

Alessandro may be the Sealord, and his first loyalty would always be to Braavos, yet that didn't mean that he was blind to the favors Aenys had done for him, saving his life and risking his own. Tycho Harons face twisted at his words as the man gave a small nod.

"Indeed, Alissano's actions were brash," though he didn't miss as the man's eyes narrowed onto him.

"Though, I must ask, was it truly wise giving up the dragon eggs like this?" the man questioned, and this wasn't the first time they were having this discussion.

"As I explained earlier, there was no other choice. Aenys had found out about those eggs. Lying to him or denying him his request would have alienated him. So, I decided to give him the eggs, and in exchange, he shall remain quiet about their origin," Alessandro answered after a sigh, and the man narrowed his eyes, and sipped the especially prepared chrysanthemum tea, and uttered.

"Hmm, so you say. But you must understand Alessandro, you are the Sealord of Braavos, and you must always put aside your personal loyalties and make the best decision for the city. The troubles in Stepstones are bleeding our coffers," the man said and looked into his eyes as he uttered slowly.

"So, talk to Aenys and convince him to take the offer. Otherwise, we might be forced to discover other options," and Alessandro narrowed his own gaze as he asked sharply.

"And what options may those be?" Alessandro asked sharply. The man didn't answer at first, though he did speak up after some time.

"According to the rumors, King Viserys's illness has taken his arm. It is obvious that the King is not long for this world. Though the King has named his sole daughter as the heir, his brother Daemon Targaryen seems to be making his own ploy to seat himself on the Iron throne." Alessandro' eyes widened as he heard those words, especially by the implication hidden in those words.

"You cannot be considering making a deal with the Rogue Prince!" he nearly shouted, appalled by the implicate ploy. Had they lost their senses, making a deal with Daemon Targaryen, Aenys would not take that well.

"We are not blind to the man's faults! But people on the man's behalf approached us, asking for a loan, and there are some who believe that he has much to offer to Braavos despite the bad blood between the two parties," and Alessandro shook his head.

"Viserys Targaryen will never Name Daemon as his heir. For the man to rise up to the Iron throne, he would have to commit the most heinous of crimes. King Slaying!" Alessandro tried to talk sense into the man, making them see the reality, and the man didn't seem affected by his words.

"Perhaps, but that is not the only way," Alessandro frowned as he tried to imagine any other way Daemon Targaryen could rise to the Iron Throne, and suddenly it dawned on him.

"A grand Council!" and the aged man nodded.

0000

RHAENYS TARGARYEN

"Have you lost your mind, Corlys?" she asked in an exasperated tone. Appalled by the words that had just come out of his mouth.

Corlys had returned from the campaign in the Stepstones for the funeral of Aemma. And hadn't that been a loss? The woman had been a grounding presence in all the chaos and machinations of the capital, keeping the realm together tempering her husband's decisions.

Yet she was gone now, lost to the birthing bed, trying to satiate her husband's desires for a son. And with her death, the vultures had begun showing their true self.

"I have not," Corlys answered as he turned to face her, wearing a crisp doublet made out of the Velaryon coloring, his badge of the Master of Ships pinned on his chest.

"The realm needs a queen. And which House is more worthy of that title than us? We are the richest House in the realm, with the blood of Old Valyria running through our very veins. There is no match more suitable than Laena for Viserys," Corlys answered, and she shook her head, exasperated by those words, as Corlys walked behind her, placing her hand gently on her shoulders.

"Don't you wish for our blood to one day sit on the Iron Throne, for your blood to take the rightful place the lords of the realm once denied them," he spoke softly, and she scoffed.

"Do not confuse your desires for mine, Corlys," she spoke angrily as she pushed away his hand and stood up from her seat.

"And do you really think Viserys would displace Rhaenyra as heir," she questioned as she turned to face her husband, who answered cryptically.

"If Laena gives birth to a son, then I believe Viserys could be made to see reason," he answered, and she shook her head.

"You give my cousin too little credit. He loved Aemma; it was perhaps one of his only redeeming qualities, and if you think that he would replace Rhaenyra as an heir then you are mistaken," she said as she waved her hand.

"And have you thought about Daemon and Aenys? Daemon has a son and desires the crown for himself, and now Viserys has apologized to Aenys and has pleaded for him to come back. Why do you think that is?" she questioned, and she knew that Corlys wasn't blind to the plots brimming in the capital.

"It matters little. If Laena gives birth to a son…" but she cut him off.

"We are on the precipice of a civil war, Corlys. A civil war. And you want to push our daughter right into the middle of it!" she shouted, and Corlys's eyes narrowed.

"I want to secure the future of our House. I want to take back what was rightfully yours. Ours," he replied heatedly, and she shook her head.

"I nearly lost Laena once, Corlys. I cannot push her into these plots knowing the danger again," she replied weakly, as the pain she felt as she saw her daughter fighting for her life after the debacle with Vhagar resurfaced.

"I know," Corlys replied as he walked up to her and held her gently by the arms.

"But you must understand, the realm will have a queen. And there is a likely chance that the Queen will birth Viserys a son, even if the Queen isn't Laena, the chances that there will be a succession crisis remain high," he told her, and he was right.

"But then our family wouldn't be in the midst of it," she replied, though she was aware of the naivety of her words, and he shook his head.

"You and I both know that is false. We are the wealthiest House in the realm, and have the largest fleet, along with two Dragon riders. No matter what, we will be forced to choose a side," he said, and his words were true.

"You don't know that," she argued.

"I do, for it has already happened," he answered, and her head snapped towards him.

"Who?" she questioned.

"Daemon," he answered, and before she could speak up at the nerve of the man, Corlys answered quickly.

"And I denied him. But this proves my point. We cannot hide from this, so why don't we choose our own side? Laena is the perfect choice for Viserys, and I believe such a match could bring stability to the realm," Corlys spoke lightly, and she pulled away from him slowly walked towards her seat, and sat down.

She rubbed her head, thinking about what she had just heard.

"And what about Princess Rhaenyra? What about a match between her and Laenor," she questioned despite knowing the answer already. Laenor's preferences were an open secret now, and despite him being on cordial terms with the Princess, she was aware of the regular meetings between the Princess and a certain Third son.

Corlys winced at those words.

"I believe that is not an option. From what I have heard, the Princess has been meeting up more and more frequently with Gwayne Hightower. I believe she has made her choice," he answered.

"That is an interesting choice," she remarked, and Corlys nodded.

"Indeed, it is, but it isn't as simple as it seems at first. Gwayne Hightower is closer to his sister, Alicent Hightower than to the rest of his family. Given the Princess's deep friendship with Alicent, this gives her the support of Aenys add to that the support she will have from the Vale. Rhaenyra's decision has some merits," Corlys answered, and she nodded.

"Indeed, though I believe this would give the Hightowers too much power," she replied, and Corlys nodded.

"Perhaps, and that is one more reason why we should implore Viserys to make Laena his Queen, to counter the rising influence of the Hightowers," he answered, and she sighed as she leaned back and gave Corlys a nod.

"Alright, I shall go with you to talk to him about this."

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible have a look and cosndier dropping a dime if you can. It would help me out.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

You all wanted a boy. So, a boy it is. Aenar the Exile is a canon character. He is the father of Daenys the Dreamer.

Velaryons and Braavos are making their moves. I have always considered The Iron Bank as the most callous institute in all of the GOT world. It's like an institute built upon greed and profit, with the people running it only truly concerned with filling up their coffers. And for that, they will do anything, even make a deal with someone like Daemon.

Though what do you think, between Daemon and Viserys, have the Velaryons made the right choice for Laena? And will the match materialize?

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 35

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

The atmosphere in the capital had been tense since the arrival of Daemon and his son. Baelon Waters, or as Daemon called him, Baelon Targaryen, born out of Daemon and his infamous mistress, was the talk of the capital.

The boy had acted as a major thorn in what was to be a joyful reunion between two brothers, and it was now well known that the King and the Rogue Prince had had a major falling out about this issue.

Truth was that she had not seen much of Daemon as well, who had been living in one of the manors in the city, with the mother of his child. The strife in the court was palpable, and she wasn't blind to the whispers of the court either, nor was she blind to how the gazes at Court would linger on her scrutinizing her as the Court sensed the impending crises.

And so, it wasn't surprising that she found herself sitting opposite to her father, once more. He had become paler, bald patches began to show themselves through what had been once luscious black hair, which had become grey in a matter of months.

He had summoned her for a meal, and so they sat on the opposite sides of a table in his solar. Dishes and cousins from all corners of the Seven Kingdoms were placed before them, as they ate their meal in relative silence.

He sat on the chair, huffing slightly, and she was becoming more and more worried about his deteriorating health. The Maesters had ventured that the stress made whatever ailment had been plaguing him, more active and it showed. The meal had been cordial, though she had found him hesitating as he struggled to talk to her.

In the end, she decided to help him out herself.

"Why have you called me here father?" she questioned, and as she saw his eyes widen, she knew that her guess had been right. There was something. His lips thinned as he lowered his cup, and looked at her and sighed, as he began.

"Before I begin, I want you to understand one thing, Rhaenyra, I loved your mother greatly, and none could ever replace either her or your position in my heart," he began and she frowned, a bit alarmed at his words. A pit of dread formed in his gut as her imagination began to wander about what he wished to discuss.

"What do you wish to say, Father?" she asked as she placed down her spoon, looking straight across the table at her father, who continued in a small tone.

"The Council has implored me that the realm would benefit if it had a Queen. They wish for me to take a second wife," and she was taken aback by those words. A part of her had known that such a fate was inevitable, knew that the realm wouldn't let her father remain unmarried without long.

Yet that didn't mean that words didn't rip her heart shreds. It had been months! Mere months and yet the vultures at Court were ready rip into her father. She felt her vision blur, and she closed her eyes, as she tried to hide away her tears.

"You do know why I must do this, Rhaenyra?" he questioned, and she forced herself to smile, and nodded as she held back her tears.

"I do," she answered, and her voice quivered.

"The King must have a Queen," she continued, and her father nodded, a look of guilt on his face.

"Have you made a decision on who you will marry?" she asked and saw her father lean back into his chair as he looked up at the ceiling.

"There have been a few proposals, but I have not reached a decision yet," he answered, and she nodded. Then she saw him gaze towards her as he began.

"I know that this is hard for you Rhaenyra, but I want you to understand that this will not change anything. You are my heir and will remain so," he began, and she smiled forlornly, not believing his words.

"You cannot promise that," she replied before she could hold herself back and saw his eyes narrow as he leaned forward.

"No! I can. I swear on the memory of your mother. I promise you that no matter what happens, you shall remain my heir no matter what!" he spoke sharply, and she nodded, choosing to believe him despite the gaping pit of fear in her gut.

"Ok," she said with a smile and saw him nod. She sniffed, picked up her goblet, and took a small sip of the wine as he spoke up once more.

"And what about your marriage? Have you reached a decision? Her father questioned her, and she shook her head.

"Not yet, though I have narrowed down my options. I am waiting for Alicent's return before I make a decision," and for the first time since the meeting, she saw a smile appear on his father's face as he nodded.

"Ahh, yes, you two were quite close. It would be good for you to have her back in the capital," he spoke, and she nodded.

"When are they set to arrive?" he questioned, and she thought about the letter she had received from her friend and replied.

"It shouldn't be too long now. They left a few weeks after she gave birth," she replied, smiling as she remembered the joyous news of her friend giving birth to a boy. Aenar Targaryen, named after Aenar the Exile, the father of Daenys the Dreamer and Gaemon the Glorius, the man often regarded as the savior of their House.

"Aenar, it is an interesting choice," her father commented, and she was sure that the implication wasn't lost on him.

"Yes, it is."

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys Targaryen, stood on the deck of The Blessing, the latest ship he had commissioned from the famous shipyards of Braavos. The massive vessel had four massive masts and was designed for comfort rather than warfare or trade.

The ship had cost quite a sum of gold, though given that he was traveling with a newborn and his wife who had just given birth, the cost mattered little to him. As for security, he rode with about a dozen other galleys from his regular fleet filled with men armed to the fullest, ready to face any pirate crew or army. His dragon rode with them, flying in the skies above, ready to respond to his call at all times.

However, their journey had been peaceful, unlike his mind which was filled with tumultuous thoughts. So, he found himself standing on the deck staring into the dark sea expanding in front of him. The Sun had set hours ago, and the darkness of night covered everything with a simple lamp illuminating the deck, as the dark clouds covered the moon.

"Aenys," he heard his name getting called out from behind and turned around sharply and found Alicent standing behind him. In his thoughts, she hadn't even realized that she had come right behind him.

"Alicent, what are you doing here?" he questioned gently, as he reached for the woolen shawl she had wrapped around herself, and adjusted it. She frowned as she answered.

"I came to search for you. When I woke up you were gone from the bed, so I came to look for you," she answered lightly, and his lips thinned as he answered with a small smile.

"I just couldn't sleep. So, I came out, you should go and rest. I will be back soon," he assured her, he was already anxious about her traveling so soon after giving birth, especially after the abruption that had occurred during the labor.

Thankfully, he had prepared for everything, and the situation wasn't dire and she had recovered nicely from the process.

He saw her hesitate for a bit before she gripped her hands looked up at him and replied with a smile.

"You seem troubled for the last month or so, I know that you were hesitant about returning to Kingslanding and are doing it for me…." But he cut her off and stopped her.

"No, no. It's nothing like that," he answered and saw her frown, as she spoke softly.

"Then what is it? Why have you been so troubled for the last month?" she questioned him softly as she held his hands, and he chewed his lips as he thought about whether he should share it with her. In the end, he decided to tell her about the offer as well.

"You know that I was called by Alessandro a number of times before we departed right?" he reminded her and she nodded, as she moved to his side.

"Yes, I remember," she replied. He sighed and looked towards her.

"It was all to discuss a rather unique opportunity," he began and saw her frown at her words, though she didn't interrupt him as he continued.

"With the betrayal of Aissano Neysaaris, his family was removed from their position as keyholders. The Iron Bank has offered me a choice to become one of the keyholders," he told her about the offer and saw her eyes widen as well.

"That is…." And she was speechless, much like he had been, as she stopped herself and considered her words. She then looked towards him and finally spoke up.

"Since we are discussing this, that means you haven't accepted the offer yet," she guessed correctly, and he nodded, and she saw her mind race.

"Then that means that you suspect that something is wrong with the offer, that there may be some ulterior motives behind this," she guessed, and he smiled, for she had guessed right. Though he hadn't expected anything less, for Alicent Hightower was blessed with a sharp mind. When he had fallen into a coma, she had practically run his whole empire, and though she did have help, she had run it all on her own, and given the sheer vastness of his wealth, everything had run smoothly during all that time.

It was a testament to her sharp mind and intellect and saw her blush under his gaze.

"Yes, I just feel something is off with the offer, but I cannot work out what," he told her, and she nodded.

"Then don't accept it," she replied, and when he looked towards her with a raised brow, she got the hint and replied after a short while.

"Or is that not an option?" she guessed again, and she was right again.

"Not purely, of course, but from the wording of Alessandro, I could work out that there might be some backlash if I refuse the offer," he replied and saw her pale at those words. She became quiet afterward, and he saw her mind race.

"But why do you suspect that the offer has some ulterior motives?" she questioned him, and he narrowed his eyes and sighed as he began to explain.

"I just have this gut feeling, and I have learned to trust my gut. There is something there that I am not seeing, and I will not make the same mistake I made last time," he said with gritted teeth as his grip on the ship border tightened. His mistakes had nearly cost him his and Alicent's life, and with the new addition to their family, he couldn't afford to make another mistake.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for that," said Alicent from the side as she wrapped her arms around him. He sighed, as he pulled her closer.

"I don't worry too much about this, though. I was able to gain some time by telling them that I would decide only after returning from Kingslanding. I will try to find out what they are after in this time," he assured her, and she nodded as she nestled into his arms.

"As you say," she said with a smile, and he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Let's go inside. It's getting too cold," he said before he suddenly leaned down and picked her up with both her arms.

"AGHH!" she screamed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a glare, and he just simply laughed.

0000

DAEMON TARGARYEN

Daemon Targaryen was furious as he paced in his room, his anger rising with every passing second as he processed the news he had received from Mysaria.

"AGHHH!" he screamed as he swiped at the table, making all the goblets hit the ground, and the wine spilled onto the floor.

"Are you sure about this?" he questioned Mysaria through gritted teeth, and the woman wasn't affected by his rage and simply nodded.

"Yes, I am. My informants are certain that Corlys and Rhaenys met with the King today and discussed a possible match between him and Laena Velaryon. As for Princess Rhaenyra, she met Gwayne Hightower in the Godswood for the second time this week," and his blood rushed to his face at the disrespect.

"So, the Velaryons have rejected my offer, those cunts!" he cursed Corlys. Daemon had offered him an alliance, a chance for him to seat his own blood on the Iron throne, yet the man had shown his true colors and had refused his offer.

"And it seems like that Hightower bastard has sunk his teeth quite deeply into my dear naïve niece!" he remarked, finally realizing Rhaenyra had refused to even entertain his advances. He had suspected that she would choose Laenor Velaryon as her consort, and given that boy's preferences, it would have been quite interesting.

"It seems so, though they did spend quite a number of months together in Braavos. And things could move quickly once your brother returns with Alicent Hightower," Mysaria remarked, and he ground his teeth as he was reminded of the return of his other brother.

"He could prove to be quite a foe for you. Even now, the realm rejoices at his return, and unlike you, his son bears the name Targaryen," she pointed out, and his head snapped towards her.

"Baelon is a Targaryen; I don't care what those cunts at court or my brother say," he remarked, and she shrugged as she replied.

"You may not care, but I can assure you that the lords will care. And as long as Aenys stand behind Rhaenyra, with his substantial resources, you will find it difficult to gather support among the lords," she answered, and he was aware of it.

Rhaenyra may lack any accolades to compete with him, but the same could not be said of Aenys, who was hailed as the famous Dragon Slayer. His younger brother's list of accolades came close to his own, and despite his absence, the bastards were adored by the masses and the lords.

Viserys remained stubborn in his stance towards the position of heir, and he was sure that he had called back Aenys just to spite him and to push back against him. And Daemon hated the fact that it was working. He had hoped that he could make common cause with Corlys and use his wealth to drum up support for himself.

Yet the man had betrayed him, and now he found himself without many allies.

"I believe I might have a solution to one of your problems," Mysaria added from the side, and he frowned as he looked towards her.

"Which one," he questioned and saw her smirk.

"Gold! I believe I have a way to get you enough gold to build a fleet," she answered, and Daemon frowned, surprised by the answer. Daemon was the ruler of Stepstones and needed a fleet to make full use of the island's unique geography. He had ships, but their numbers weren't nearly enough, especially after Viserys and Corlys had pulled back their fleets. He was already receiving reports of pirates becoming bolder as they saw the opportunity to strike.

"I was approached a week ago by a very special individual on behalf of a certain institution. I believe they could loan you the money for your fleet for some certain concessions," she remarked, and he narrowed his eyes as he walked towards the empty seat opposite to her and sat down.

"And what institution may that be?" he questioned, for there was only ever one institution that could afford to make such an offer.

"I believe we both know that there is only one institution that could make such an offer," she remarked, and he nodded and replied with gritted teeth.

"The Iron Bank!"

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. I can only write these stories with your support. So, if possible, do consider becoming a patron, and you can support me while getting earlier access to the chapters.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 36

GWAYNE HIGHTOWER

The third son of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, stood on the shores of the capital as a massive ship docked at the Black Water Bay. Lord Strong from the council stood ahead with him to welcome the man who was aboard these ships. The Princess had wanted to come as well, but the tensions with the Gold Cloaks had forced the King to make the Princess stay in the castle as he and Lord Strong moved to the Bay to welcome back the Prince, accompanied by the castle guards along with a few Gold Cloaks led by Ser Harwin Strong.

"ROAR!" he broke out of his reverie as a massive dragon flew above them, basking them all in its shadow as it flapped its wings and began to circle the capital.

"The dragon has grown bigger," he commented, having last seen the beast in Braavos a few months back, and even then, the Grey Ghost seemed to be growing at a massive pace. Once, it had been the smallest of the dragons, being less than half the size of the Blood Wyrm, though now it had caught up.

The massive beast with its white-grey scales, white pristine skin, and blue eyes was still a marvel to look at. As the dragon circled around and made its way toward the clearing in front of them, he finally caught a glimpse of the person sitting on the saddle riding the massive beast.

The Guards moved back as the dragon descended towards the ground, blowing wind into their faces, forcing Gwayne to put up his arm to stop the dust from entering his eyes.

The dragon had also become more docile than the last time he had seen it. Perhaps it had been agitated by the state of its rider when he had last seen it. The ground shook as it landed into the clearing, its eyes narrowed toward them before a small whisper made the beast calm down.

"Gīda ilagon! Gīda ilagon!" ( Calm Down! Calm Down! )

Gwayne's proficiency in High Valyrian was lacking as he failed to understand what was being said. The words did calm down the dragon, who eased up as it lowered its head as a rather familiar figure jumped out of the saddle strapped to the Dragon's back.

Prince Aenys Targaryen smiled at him as he and Lord Strong moved forward with the basket of bread and salt to welcome the prince.

"The King sends his greetings to you upon your return, my prince. He has sent me here to welcome you to the capital," said Lord Strong as Prince Aenys gave the Master of Laws a nod and shook the man's hand. The Prince took a piece of bread and took a small bite of it for ceremonial purposes before finally turning to face him

"How are you, Ser Gwayne!" the Prince teased as the two of them gave each other a brief hug.

"Not yet, my Prince. But hopefully soon, especially with the tourney being set up in honor of your return," he replied with a chuckle, the Prince nodded as they separated, and the Prince looked back as a wooden step was lowered from the massive ship. A crowd had now gathered and were looking at the massive ship with awe, and why wouldn't they?

Gwayne had never seen a ship that size. The ship easily dwarfed the kingdom's largest ships and seemed to have been built out of iron wood.

The Prince began to move towards the ramp as a score of guards descended from the ramp as the prince quickly made his way to the top when a single figure appeared atop the wooden steps.

For some reason, the crowd of common folk broke out into a massive cheer as they saw the Prince slowly aid his lady wife down the steps.

"DRAGONSLAYER!" "DRAGONSLAYER!" "BLESSED HEALER!"

They chanted, and he didn't miss how a number of those chants were aimed at the beauty of his sister, who seemed rather awed by the spectacle. Their eyes met, and she gave him a small nod. Then, his eyes finally landed on the three servants slowly carrying a wooden crib behind her, and he frowned.

The size of the crib seemed rather large for a few-month-old child. Both of them finally stepped onto the solid ground as Lord Strong made his way towards Alicent and conveyed the Crown's greetings. And then, before he could say anything, he stilled as he heard a dragon's roar. And before he could react, the Prince's dragon had moved and had wrapped itself around the Prince and Alicent.

He looked up and recognized a very familiar dragon flying towards them. The guards eased as well as they recognized the beast that often took to the skies of Kingslanding.

"It's Syrax, the Princess's dragon," he said as the dragon circled above them. The guards scrambled to the side to make space for the second dragon, and the massive, dirty brown dragon touched the ground, making the whole ground shake. The Princess quickly jumped off the beast, clad in riding leathers, and he smiled as he saw her sparkling eyes as she ran past them.

"Alicent!" he heard her shout in an elated voice and watched as she jumped at his sister, who barely caught onto her.

"Rhaenyra!" he heard his sister nearly shrieked, as the two childhood friends hugged each other passionately. The two of them separated and began to talk in a hushed town as the guards moved to move their cargo.

The Prince stood on the side, talking with Lord Strong about something.

"Is that…!" he heard the Princess shout suddenly and looked towards her abruptly and found her standing against the crib with his sister, her eyes wide in surprise, and he rushed towards her, wanting to see what had the princess so alarmed.

And he stilled as well as he saw the spectacle inside the crib. For in the crib lay a small babe, his skin wrinkled and a small tuft of silvery blonde hair atop his head. Though what had surprised him wasn't the babe, no it was the small scaly beast wrapped around it, asleep right next to the babe.

"That is a dragon!"

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys Targaryen found himself standing once more in the King's solar, the color and delight had been sucked out of the place and it felt hollow and empty with the absence of Aemma, much like Viserys, who sat there, looking at him with a complicated expression. There was guilt in those eyes, guilt, and pain.

Aenys had been wroth with his brother when he had heard of Aemma's death. And he had thought that upon seeing Viserys, he would argue with the man, blame him for her death, chastise him for not listening to him. However, as he saw how Viserys had become only a shell of himself, his face marred by pitting scars, as his armless sleeve hung by his side.

"You should have listened to me. Had you trusted me, she would still be here?" Aenys spoke softly as he moved towards the seat opposite Viserys, whose lips thinned at his words. There was no accusation in his tone, nor was there anger. Both of them knew that he was right.

"True, and she would have been happy to see you return to the capital with a son," Viserys replied as Aenys poured wine into two cups and passed one to Viserys.

"Indeed, she would have been happy," Aenys said as he took a sip of his wine and looked up at Viserys, he added.

"But the question is, are you?"

And Viserys smiled and nodded.

"I am, I am," replied Viserys with a smile, though his eyes told a different story. They were filled with intrigue and questions, and Aenys had a good idea about what they were about.

"Though I must say I was surprised to hear that your son had hatched a dragon. It has been years since an egg has hatched in the cradle," commented Viserys, and Aenys shrugged and smiled.

"Yes, it has been some time. But I was lucky. Grey Ghost lay a small clutch of eggs just before Alicent gave birth to Aenar. Three eggs, it lay and I placed one in his cradle. It hatched only a few days ago," Aenys added, and everything except the last part of it was false. And perhaps the way Viserys's eyes sparkled after that, he suspected it as well.

"So, tell me about your condition. What do the Maesters think?" Aenys questioned, shifting away the discussion from the eggs to Viserys as he pointed towards his missing arm.

"The maesters remain clueless about it. They have tried everything, yet nothing has worked," said Viserys with a shake of his head as he looked towards his missing arm.

"I can feel my own life slipping through my hands like sand. And I cannot even do anything about it," said Viserys with a saddened tone.

Aenys's eyes narrowed on his brother as he sipped his wine and he slowly spoke up.

"The maesters are right about one thing, this ailment will take you to the grave," and as he said those words, he saw Viserys look towards him with wide eyes.

"However, that doesn't mean that there isn't anything I can do," Aenys added and saw Viserys eyes sparkle with hope.

"The disease you have is somewhat related to the ailment that Aunt Maegella had. I have brought my equipment with me along with men capable enough to use it. I make no promises, but I will see what I can do," Aenys assured Viserys, who nodded slowly.

"Thank you," said Viserys in a shaky tone as he stared at him with an intense gaze. In the end, he finally broke the silence.

"I don't see Daemon in the castle. I have heard that he has a son of his own now. Where is he?" Aenys questioned. He hadn't missed the absence of the Gold Cloaks in the guards sent to escort him and Alicent, nor the troubled expression of Lord Strong when he had breached the topic with the man.

And Viserys's gaze hardened at his words as he spoke heatedly.

"He is no longer welcome in this castle!"

0000

MYSARIA

"Impossible!" she saw Daemon rage as he read the message her informants had brought them. The arrival of Prince Aenys had been celebrated with much elation. Though the capital still mourned the loss of its Queen, the people rejoiced at the return of the famous couple of Aenys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower.

Aenys's renown, especially among the masses, was massive given that his healers provided the common folk with treatments for ailments that weren't available to them before. Add to that the fact the Prince had literally slain a dragon to gain the hand of his current wife and had just thwarted a major assassination attempt. Aenys Targaryen was a heartthrob among the common folk.

"A dragon! How the hell did an egg hatch for that bastard and whore's child!" Daemon raged, and the informant looked around nervously.

"And how the hell did he even get an egg?" and that question had piqued her curiosity as well. How had Aenys Targaryen gotten his hand on a dragon egg, though the answer came quickly?

It was one of Alissano's eggs. He had somehow gotten his hands on the three eggs that the Neysaris family had bought. Yet she stayed quiet, knowing that such knowledge could erode Daemon's trust. For she may hold some sway over the Rogue Prince, yet she knew enough about the Prince that he wouldn't hesitate to cut her head off if he even got a whiff of her true intentions. She had already exposed herself too much when she had contacted that mystic healer to heal him and his dragon.

"It must have been her!" suddenly Daemon shouted, and her eyes narrowed as he walked towards the chair and sat down angrily. She motioned for the messenger to leave as she stood up herself and slowly made her way towards his back and slowly eased her hands into his shoulders.

"Who?" she questioned and saw his face twist in rage and anger before he mouthed a rather unlikely name.

"Rhaenyra! That bitch! It must have been her. Viserys left Dragonstone to her, and so she is the only person who could have given that bastard those eggs!" spoke Daemon vehemently in a hateful tone before a cruel smile appeared on his face.

"She thinks that Aenys can save her in some way. Like that coward could help her keep the position she usurped from me," he finished, and he narrowed his eyes.

"I will show her! Show her what it truly means to go against me!" he said as he looked towards her.

"I have heard that my brother plans to hold a tourney in a month, to celebrate the return of his brother," he asked her, and she nodded. Though it wasn't confirmed, she had heard rumors about this as well. And given the King's preferences, it was highly likely that a tourney would be held soon.

"Yes, there are such rumors," she told him, and he nodded as his eyes lit up.

"And I believe her little lover will be taking part in it as well, hoping to earn his spurs. Perhaps it is time that Otto's brat learns what it means to anger a dragon," and her eyes widened as she realized his intentions.

"But Daemon, your injuries," she spoke up in a concerned tone, even after everything the mystic healer had done, using blood sacrifices and every obscure ritual he could to save Daemon's life. Yet magic could only ever do so much. Despite the Valyrian blood coursing through his veins, his injuries had been very severe.

"I will be fine. It has been more than a year since the injuries. I will be fine," he retorted confidently, and she held her tongue, knowing that there was no way she could sway him away from this.

"Gwayne Hightower! I will show you what it means to go against Daemon Targaryen!"

0000

Viserys Targaryen found himself standing in a rather familiar room, and he looked down and found his missing arm attached to his side. He frowned as he looked around the room, and his heart stilled as he saw the bed in the King's solar occupied by an old person.

His heart thumped in his chest as he recognized the person lying on the bed. Yet, he found himself unable to utter a single word as the old man's eyes narrowed on him, and he uttered the words with which the reign of King Viserys Targaryen had truly begun.

"He should have been king… should have been the king. He knew…. He knew…. I should have…." And then just as he tried to force himself to speak up, he heard someone shout near him.

"Your grace….. Your grace!"

Then, suddenly, everything vanished, and Viserys suddenly jumped, looked around, and found himself in that very room once more.

"Your grace," someone called out from the side, and he looked to the side and found a servant standing there speaking quietly as the rays of the sun lit up the room through the unfurled windows.

"Your grace. Lord Strong is here with Prince Aenys for your treatment. Should I let them in?" the servant asked, and Viserys wet his hand using the water bowl placed on the table and sprinkled the water on his face to clear away the sleep from himself.

"Yes, tell them I will be there," he ordered, and the servant left the room, leaving him alone as his mind refused to let go of what he had just seen. A memory he had long tried to forget and had succeeded in doing so. A memory that had cast a very long shadow over his reign.

For many years, he had thought that the old King had called out for his sons, Aemon or perhaps even Baelon, at that moment. Lamenting the fate of his two eldest sons, yet had he been wrong?

Yet his mind chose to ignore the fact that both of them had been long dead by then. Or did it?

0000

On the other side of the castle, as the sun crept out of the clouds engulfing the whole city in the morning light, in the Redkeep, the Princess's room had remained alit deep into the night, as the heir to the Seven Kingdoms sat on her bed, with several tomes placed on her bed, her eyes narrowed onto the texts of Septon Barth-Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History.

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for them to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a sub if you can. It would be extremely helpful.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 37

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

The sound of a child crying made her hasten her steps as she walked towards the nursery. The exhaustion from the travel had resulted in her sleeping for a bit longer than she had expected, and as she had expected, Aenar had begun crying.

As she stepped into the nursery, she found herself surprised as a smile appeared on her face as she found someone else standing there already, holding a small bundle in her arms lovingly as the nursemaids stood by the side attentively.

Rhaenyra smiled as she saw her walk in and gave her a nervous look.

"I promise, he was crying before I even came in," she explained, and she chuckled as she walked up to her friend and took the crying baby from her.

"Don't worry about it. He always does this in the morning," and the only reason she had even gotten some sleep after the birth was that Aenys had ordered the nursemaids to take him away so she could get proper rest.

She looked at the child in her arms and felt a sense of ease and care flooded her heart. Before his birth. She had been anxious about becoming a mother, yet now, as she held her son in her arms, the sense of love and compassion she felt for it was something completely foreign to her.

As soon as Aenar settled in her arms, he became quiet, much to the consternation of her Rhaenyra, who pouted and looked at the little bundle in her arms with a hurt look.

"And here I had been trying to soothe him for all this time?" she complained scandalously, and Alicent just chuckled as she moved towards the chairs and sat down.

"Now that he quiet, tell me, how are you?" Alicent began as Rhaenyra took the seat opposite to her; they hadn't had the opportunity to talk extensively since yesterday, for she had been exhausted from all her travel.

She saw Rhaenyra hesitate as she slowly nodded.

"It's been tough. I don't think the pain will ever lessen," she spoke in a shaky tone.

"I still miss her, you know. Sometimes I imagine perhaps things might have been different had I not left for Braavos that night," and Alicent reached for her friend's hand, who was wallowing in guilt.

"I know how you feel," she spoke, and she did. She had felt similarly when she had lost her own mother, her own father too lost in the running of the kingdom to pay any attention to her, and her younger brother. In the end, she had learned a valuable lesson.

"And I am here for you, now and always, for anything you need, and so is Aenys," she assured her. For these were the words she had needed to hear then and were perhaps the words anyone needed to hear in such a situation.

Rhaenyra nodded and gave her a small smile.

"I know," she added, "though where is he. I haven't seen him since the morning," asked Rhaenyra, and Alicent replied.

"He went to see your father in the morning. He plans to start him on some new medications he brought him. He thinks they might help in dealing with his illness," and she saw Rhaenyra's eyes widen, and a glint of hope appeared in them.

"He has a cure for father's illness!" she spoke in a surprised tone, but she shook her head, having made the same mistake yesterday when Aenys had talked with her.

"No, not a cure. But he thinks that your father's illness shares a connection with the illness that Lady Maegella had," she began, and Rhaenyra frowned.

"But didn't she have consumption? How could this be related to that," she questioned, and she could only shrug.

"I don't know much, but I believe he said that they both are caused by similar agents. Nevertheless, he has been working on a cure for consumption for some time now. He thinks that some of those medications could help manage your father's illness," she told him, and Rhaenyra nodded.

"Ohh," and her enthusiasm had lessened considerably. And she could understand why, the King's health was in a precarious situation according to Aenys. She herself had been surprised when she had first caught a glimpse of the King.

"Can I ask you something, Alicent?" suddenly Rhaenyra added, and Alicent nodded. Her tone had been very serious, and Rhaenyra suddenly waved at the servants to leave the room, making her frown at what kind of discussion required such secrecy.

The servants were quick to listen to her orders and left the room, leaving her anxious as she saw Rhaenyra hesitate before she finally spoke up.

"I believe you must have heard that Father wishes for me to marry someone," and Alicent nodded, slowly understanding the need for secrecy.

"Yes, you mentioned it in one of your letters," Alicent nodded, as her own eyes narrowed.

"And have you decided on whom you want to marry?" Alicent guessed and saw Rhaenyra nod, though she didn't miss how she was chewing her lips and looking somewhat hesitant.

"Come on tell me, who is it?" she asked, encouraging her friend to speak up.

"Uhhh, it's….., Gwayne Hightower," and for a moment, Alicent couldn't believe her ears, believing her friend to burst into a laugh at the jape.

Yet the laugh never came, and her eyes widened as she looked at Rhaenyra.

"My younger brother Gwayne!"

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

"A tourney?" he spoke with a frown, looking towards the master of laws, and the master of laws nodded.

"Yes, my Prince. A tourney, the king has ordered for a tourney to be arranged in a month's time to celebrate your return to the capital," and Aenys nodded, though he was a bit queasy about this whole ordeal.

Aenys then looked towards Viserys, who was being looked at by his healers as they documented his wounds and applied ointment to his skin. Through extensive trial and error, he had discovered a rudimentary ointment to manage his condition.

Interestingly, it was an oil extracted from a tree they had found in Yi-Ti. He had been gifted the tree as a form of compensation by one of the people he had healed. He had then had the tree planted in his glass gardens, and now that one little actions was acting as a blessing for him.

'Tuvrak' was the name of the tree, and he had instructed his men to source more of its oil.

"Is it really appropriate having a tourney?" questioned Aenys, referring to the death of the Queen, which had just occurred a couple of months ago. But Viserys nodded as the healer moved back.

"Yes, It is time," he replied, and Aenys just nodded as the healer gave him a nod having finished applying the ointment.

"As you say," Aenys replied as he motioned for the healer to leave. As Viserys sat straight and looked at his scars and the ointment that had been applied to them.

"And are you sure this will work?" Viserys questioned him, and Aenys nodded.

"It should. It's an oil from a tree that is found in Yi-Ti. It should help in controlling the disease," Aenys assured her and saw Viserys nod as his servants helped him put on a shirt.

"Now, I believe there is something else I wanted to talk to you about," Viserys began, and as Lord Strong moved to leave the room, he was stopped by Viserys.

"No, Lord Strong, you should stay as well," said Viserys as he motioned for the Master of Laws to take a seat. Then, Viserys turned to face him and spoke up.

"I wanted to hear your opinion about something," he began, and Aenys nodded, already having an inking about what this was about.

"I have been made aware by the Council that the realm needs a Queen," he began, and I looked towards Lord Strong, who nodded.

"No one will be able to replace Aemma, yet I also believe that the position of the Queen cannot be left vacant for so long," he ventured, and Aenys could only nod.

"And you have reached a decision on whom shall take the position," Aenys guessed, and Viserys shook his head.

"No, not yet. It is what I want to talk to you about," Viserys began, and Aenys nodded. There was silence in the room before he finally uttered a name he hadn't been expecting.

"Laena Velaryon," uttered Viserys, and Aenys leaned back into his seat as his mind raced about the implications behind such a match.

When Aenys didn't immediately react, Viserys turned towards Lord Strong, who replied slowly.

"Lady Laena, Lord Corlys's daughter. She has an appropriate name and heritage. She holds the lineage of both House Targaryen and House Velaryon. It would also help mend the cracks that were formed during the great Council," Lord Strong championed, and they were all good points, in hindsight.

"Are you sure about this," Aenys cut in. His skepticism caught both Viserys and Lord Strong off guard, evident by the frown on their faces,

And that was the problem. House Velaryon, despite their recent troubles, held considerable influence given their massive fleet and wealth. The House also had two dragon riders and were very closely related to the Royal line. Some would say even too closely.

"What do you mean? I thought you would be supportive of such a match," and Aenys ignored the taunt hidden in there for the misconception that he supported Rhaneys at the time their grandfather had called for the great council.

"Laena Velaron is a good match. However, you must understand that if you were to be blessed with a son through such a match," and Aenys left the rest unsaid for both of them were wise enough to understand what would happen.

Lord Strong nodded and began to think about this.

"Indeed, the Prince is right…."

"But don't you think contemplating about such a scenario is immature, I have declared Rhaenyra as my heir and don't plan to change my decision," Viserys cut in from the side, and he didn't miss that Lord Strong was surprised by the King's words unlike him.

"And there lies the problem," making Viserys frown as he looked towards him.

"And what may that be?" Viserys questioned.

"Do you really think that House Velaryon, a house that was denied what they consider to be their right, will stand for that?" Aenys questioned, and Viserys became quiet at that.

"Moreover, I am not blind to the happenings of the capital. I can see the rift between you and Daemon, and do you think he will stand for your decision," Aenys questioned and saw Viserys flush in rage as he replied.

"You speak of treason, my Prince. The lords swore their fealty to the Princess, I don't believe that things could become so dire," Lord Strong cut in.

"I do," Aenys replied as he looked toward the learned man.

"For all her blessings, Rhaenyra is a girl. And the lords of the realm are stubborn and set in their ways. They will not let a woman rule over them," Aenys replied.

"I am King. It is my decision!" he nearly roared, and Aenys shrugged.

"Yes, I am not denying it. And this is why I argued against Grandfather calling a council all those years ago," and he saw Viserys's eyes widen as he said those words. Lord Strong now also realized for the first time the reason for his anger at the old man.

"I see," Lord Strong said, looking at him with wide eyes.

"To foresee such a thing…" and while Lord Strong appeared to be impressed, Aenys didn't miss how Viserys was looking at him with a complicated gaze, his mind racing as those amethyst orbs stared at him with an intense gaze.

Silence reigned in the chambers to be only cut by Viserys's words.

"Lord Strong, give me some time alone with my brother," and with that, the Master of Laws nodded and stood up.

"Of course, your grace," and with that, the man left the room as Viserys motioned towards the servants as well.

"Leave us," and the servants were quick to follow his words as they left the room, leaving him alone with Viserys, who continued to stare at him with an intense gaze.

They sat there in silence, with the crackle of fire the only sound in the room as Viserys continued to stare at him before he finally spoke up.

"Do you know I was the last person to see Grandfather when he died?" Viserys began, and Aenys was surprised by those words, as his mind raced to process the implication behind them.

"Do you know what his last words were? Those words have hung over me ever since I sat on that throne," he added with a forlorn chuckle. Aenys felt his body become cold, as he finally realized what had happened.

"I went in to see him, alone as he was on his death bed, with no one else in the room. His successor, the heir to his throne, the next King of the Seven Kingdoms, stood there right infront of him, and do you know what he said," he said, and Aenys closed his eyes.

"He should have been king… should have been the king. He knew…. He knew…. I should have…." Viserys repeated in a husky tone, trying to mimic their grandfather's tone.

"I had always thought that they spoke of our father or perhaps of our uncle, Aenys. Yet now, I understand that they spoke of neither of them," Viserys cut in.

"He spoke of you, Aenys Targaryen…."

"Visery…." But his brother stopped him as he raised his hand.

"No more lies. Aenys. No more," Viserys said in a somewhat broken tone.

"I cannot believe how I missed it all those years. Your behavior, your knowledge, everything it all makes sense now," Viserys continued.

"You opposed grandfather for the council, you going to the Citadel, helping cure our Aunt, it was all there. Right in front of us," he said as he looked at him with wide eyes as he uttered those cursed words.

"You are like her! Daenys, the dreamer. You have been blessed with dreams!"

0000

In the expansive city of Kingsladning, one of the biggest manses in the city stood near the street of the steel, surrounded by Gold Cloaks, who mostly took their command from the Targaryen residing within its Halls.

An old man, dressed in the finest of silks with a golden key hanging from his neck, stepped out of the manse, guarded by men dressed in foreign attire, an attire which was common to the Free City of Braavos. The hoards of men stepped out of the manse and began to make their way through the streets of the city, and as they passed through a busy street, where builders and masons worked to build the first center of healing for the massive city, a messenger approached the old man.

The guards were quick to stop the man. However, the messenger took out the missive and showed the Bravo's the seal inscribed into it. A simple red cross on a white field.

And hours later, a raven would fly out of the Red Keep, a missive tied to its foot, its beak pointed in the direction of the Narrow Sea, as it flapped its wings and strode across the vacant skies towards the free city of Braavos.

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a sub. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 38

VISERYS TARGARYEN

Viserys saw his brother still as he uttered those ominous words, Aenys closed his eyes and leaned back into his chair as silence enveloped the room. His heart thumped in his chest as he waited for his answer, despite knowing it already.

"Yes," came the reply, and Viserys's eyes widened as his mind raced. He had been right. And everything became clear now. Everything. From his peculiar behavior as a child, his maturity, his abilities, and most of all his stubbornness in certain issues.

And then suddenly, he recalled something else.

"Aune Maegella, she knew about this!" he ventured, and now it became clear why she would leave the capital for him.

And Aenys nodded.

"Yes, she did. After grandfather exiled me for my impudence, she begged him to see reason. And she had nearly convinced him to end my exile when news of me claiming the Grey Ghost came. Grandfather became wroth with me, and in the end refused her plea. In the end, he gave her permission to follow me to Braavos, as he made the High Septon absolve her of her vows," and he recalled the scandal.

Their Aunt Maegella was promised to the sept by their grandmother, and yet when Aenys had been exiled the High Septon would absolve her of her vows and send her on a journey to Braavos so she could spread the light of the Seven in the free city of Braavos.

Everyone knew that it was a ruse, and that she went to Braavos to care for Aenys, yet the reason for it became much clearer.

"Who else knew about this?" he questioned as he tried to reason out just how many people knew his secret. He didn't miss how Aenys hesitated for a bit before he slowly answered.

"Of those alive, you are only the second person who knows about this," Aenys answered in the end, and he frowned as he tried to reason out the other person besides him who knew of this secret, and then suddenly he realized just who it was.

"Alicent," he reasoned, and Aenys nodded as Viserys reached for the wine glass and took a small gulp. It was all just too much. How often had he thought about his dreams, had thought them to be a blessing like that of Daenys himself? Yet, in the end, he had been disappointed again and again.

And now, he learned that his own brother had been gifted with the blessing that had once saved their family.

"You could have told me. You should have told me. The gift of Dreams," he uttered in awe as he placed back the glass, though Aenys chuckled at his words.

"Gift. It seems you have forgotten your history brother," Aenys began making him frown.

"The very gift that saved our family, drove Daenys to madness, her very dreams broke her mind," Aenys cut in and he paled as he heard those words.

"I didn't…" but Aenys was having none of it, as he continued.

"And told you. You. The brother who hated me for my birth, the brother who doubted me, who feared me. The brother who abandoned me!" and he nearly shouted the last words, making him reel back in embarrassment as he realized how true those words were.

"I never hated you," he finally managed to say out loud but Viserys.

"Yes, you did. But I am not here to discuss the past, I have put it all behind me," Aenys said with a sigh as Viserys looked up at him and found him shaking his head.

"What I saw in my dreams shall never come to pass, for in those dreams, Alyssa Targaryen never gave birth to a son. She died in childbirth, her third son stillborn, never took a breath, and yet here I sit," he said as she opened his arms.

"Aenys Targaryen, the third son of Alyssa Targaryen," he answered, and Viserys frowned as he failed to understand the implication behind those words.

"What do you mean? What exactly was in your dreams?" he questioned. And Aenys sighed as he answered his question.

"War!" and the very words made him still as his heart thumped in his chest,yet Aenys didn't stop there.

"A war unlike any other, one that ripped the very realm in half, causing enough bloodshed that it would half the number of people living on this continent, ending in the near ruin of our family and loss of the very symbol of the power of House Targaryen," and with each word Viseyrs could feel himself becoming sicker with each word. His heart thumped in his chest as his mind raced over Aenys's each and every word.

A war that tore the continent in half. He couldn't even imagine the scale of such conflict. The destruction of House Targaryen, and that last line. The symbol of House Targayren's power and the first thing that came to his kind was.

"Dragons!" he gasped as he realized what he meant by those words.

"How?" he questioned in a shaky tone, and Aenys chewed his lips and shook his head.

"I don't know, and truth is that you don't need to worry about this anymore," Aenys asnwred making him fown.

"You just told me, that we shall face a wat that would nearly end our House, and you don't want me to worry about it!" Viserys spoke angrily, and Aenys leaned back in his chair and answered with a sigh.

"What I saw can never come to pass. Things are too different now, from what I could piece together," and Viserys frowned.

"How? What's so different?"

Aenys shook his head and refused to answer him.

"Just let it go. I said you don't need to worry about it. We should discuss your match with Lady Laena Vealryon…."

But Viserys couldn't let this go.

"No, you have to tell me!" he nearly shouted and saw Aenys narrow his gaze as he looked towards him.

"Ok, I will. But this is the last we will ever speak of this Viserys. Ever! The dreams are gone, and things have changed too much," Aenys said. Visersy narrowed his eyes, and he knew that Aenys meant it. Yet he couldn't let this go and nodded.

"Ok, tell me about this war?" he questioned as he leaned forward,

"It was a war of succession, fought between two claimants, each with their own faction. The Blacks and the Greens, they were called. A war between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon Targaryen," and Viserys eyes widened as he heard him utter those words.

"Aegon Targaryen, the firstborn son of King Viserys Targaryen, and his wife Lady Alicent Hightower!"

0000

ARMANDO FEROSA

The Sealord of Bravos found himself sitting infront of the the seasoned member of the Keyholders, Tycho Haron again. This time he had summoned the man himself to caution him about the recent actions taken by the Iron Bank.

"I am warning you, you are all making a mistake. Making a deal with the man who humiliated our forces just for profit will not look good on us. Let alone the person you are dealing with is none other than Daemon Targaryen," warned Armando, and the old man rebuffed his words.

"And why is that dangerous?" the old man asked in a non-chalant manner, making him frown.

"Dangerous! He is Daemon Targaryen, the treacherous. Let alone what he did in Stepstones, making a deal with him could deprive us of one of our most steadfast allies. An ally that I assure you could become the biggest enemy to our city," Armando nearly shouted at the old man, who narrowed his eyes.

"You overestimate Aenys, he…." But Armando cut in immediately.

"I do not. I assure you I do not. Aenys is not fond of making a show of his power, but I assure he hold a suitable amount of it. Half the people in this very city have been treated by his healers. He essentially controls the healer guild which he merged with his institution. He has astronomical wealth, and is a Prince of a kingdom,"

"He was exiled…."

"He is a Prince, and despite his troubled relationship with the current King, he holds considerable influence over the heir, Princess Rhaenyra. His wife, Lady Alicent Hightower, practically grew up with her and considers the Princess, a sister," Armando warned him.

"That is one more reason for us to support Daemon then," and Armando sighed as he shook his head.

"Daemon Targaryen is a rogue. A mad dog, if you want me to be blunt, he is not a reliable ally. Aenys on the other hand, is perfect ally to have, I just don't get your insistence of making an enemy out of him," Armando spoke with a narrowed gaze as Tycho Harron, evaded his gaze giving him the answer he had been expecting.

Armando had racked his brain about the Council's decisions and had reached the above conclusion after much contemplation.

"Why?" he questioned, having caught onto the council's bias.

"The Council believes that the Prince holds too much power, and given his hesitancy in accepting our request to become a keyholder, they believe that there is a chance that he may become a hindrance to us in the future," and Armando sighed.

"And I can assure you, with the way you are acting, that time could come sooner. There is no need to antagonize him," Armando assured the man.

But before he could say anything else, a knock interrupted their conversation, making him frown.

"Who is there?" he questioned.

"My lord, a missive has arrived from Kingslanding, it's addressed to Lord Tycho Haron," and he was surprised by the answer. Tycho Haron was not a commonly known man, and there was only one man from Kingslanding who would write to the man in question, who had his eyebrows raised.

"Bring it in," he ordered, and the servant entered the room and bowed before handing a missive to the man sitting in front. He saw that the old man was surprised by the message as he saw his eyes narrow as he read through the message.

"It seems you were right. He has learned of our secret dealings with Daemon," began the man, and Armando took a sip of the wine from the glass.

"I told you so. Your dealings will not remain secret for long. He would have heard of them soon enough," and with that, the man nodded before his eyes narrowed.

"Yes, and I believe he has invited me to the capital for a meeting. It seems like he has reached an answer for the council's offer of becoming a key holder," and Armando was surprised by this.

The old man handed him the missive, and Armando went through it. And it was as the man had said, Aenys had written that he had reached a decision regarding the Council's offer and had invited him to visit Kingslanding."

"But the question is why did he write that letter to me instead of you," Tycho Haron said with a frown.

And Armando frowned.

"Perhaps he knows that you speak for the council."

"Yes, but how does he know that."

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

"Gwayne, your brother!" he confirmed as they both got ready for the tourney.

And Alicent nodded, confirming that he had not heard wrong and that she had indeed just spoken of Gwayne.

"Yes, Gwayne, my brother," she said with half a laugh, and Aenys was surprised by Rhaenyra's choice. Gwayne Hightower was a third son, a man with nothing to inherit, and given the time Aenys had spent with the man, was a decent human being.

As he was busy running an analysis on Gwayne's personality, he missed as Alicent turned to face him.

"Do you think it's the right choice?" she questioned him cautiously, and Aenys shrugged his shoulders.

"You know both of them better than me, so shouldn't you be a better judge of that?" he said as finished wearing his doublet before walking towards Alicent, as he helped her pick a set of jewels to wear for the day.

She was wearing a fine silk dress embroidered with red rubies and gold lace. The dress was a dark shade of red, and so he chose a set of gold inlaid with rubies as he saw her mind race over his question.

"I don't know much. I have talked to both of them, and they seem like a good match, but I don't wish to ever be put in between either of them. Rhaenyra is like a sister to me, and Gwayne is my little brother. I just don't want them to make a mistake," she said, and Aenys smiled as he wrapped his rams around her from behind.

"Don't worry about that. They are both fully grown now," and she nodded before she turned to face him.

"And what about the King? You told me that he knows about your dreams," and he nodded. Viserys had secluded himself in his room after their discussion and hadn't come out of it. Aenys was somewhat worried about this, but the simple truth was that he just had too much to do. The dealings of Braavos's council with Daemon and their machinations in regard to him had been taking up the bulk of his time.

"Yes, he does. I told him what I could," and Alicent nodded.

"Yes, Lord Corlys and Lady Rhaenys seemed rather troubled over the King's behavior. Do you have any idea why?" she questioned him, and he nodded.

"Yes, I believe it's because they have proposed a match between Viserys and Laena. Perhaps they are worried about that," he told her and saw her eyes widen.

"Laena Velaryon and King Viserys, that would be an interesting match," and he nodded once more, as she began to contemplate over the match when they were suddenly interrupted by a knock.

"My lady, the Princess is calling for you," came the voice of their servant. And Alicent sighed with a resigned smile as she stood up.

"It seems like I need to go. Could you please go and have a look at Aenar?" she questioned, and he nodded.

"Don't worry, I will bring him with me," and with that, both of them left the room as they separated.

Aenar walked towards the nursery when suddenly he frowned as he saw a familiar face running towards him.

"My Prince! My Prince!" it was Anya, the maid they had brought back from Braavos to care for Aenar.

"What happened?" he questioned quickly, and the only words she said were Aenar.

"It's your son, Aenar!" and it was all he heard as he ran out of the room.

Aenys was running as he rushed towards the nursery. He reached the door, quickly swung it open, and stilled as he saw a rather familiar person standing right there, holding his son in his arms.

His face had been scarred and gave him a dreading look, and that gaze held a certain amount of madness in it as those amethyst orbs narrowed towards him.

"Daemon!"

"Aenys!"

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if you can, do consider supporting me, it would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

The next chaps are absolute bangers!

PS: I have also started uploading my new fic- The White Knight- A Batman Si fic- so check that out as well.

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 39

AENYS TARGARYEN

The atmosphere in the nursery was chilling as their eyes met, and Aeny's heart thumped in his chest as he saw Daemon holding his son in his arms. There was nothing physically wrong with the gesture as he held his son in his arms, smiling down at the babe, yet Aenys did not miss the haughtiness of his smile or the malice hidden in those eyes.

"What are you doing here, Daemon?" he said through gritted teeth as he moved forward and took his son from his arms. Thankfully, the babe was asleep.

"Ahh, why such hostility, brother," Daemon began in a jovial tone as Anya came in behind them, red-faced and huffing, and halted as she saw them face to face.

"I just came here to see my dear nephew," Daemon continued, and Aenys handed Aenar to Anya, whispering for her to take him to Alicent.

"Have you heard? I have a son of my own. Baelon, Baelon Targaryen," he continued, and Aenys eyes narrowed as he saw how Daemon was clad in full armor.

"I have heard, though I believe that isn't quite his name now, is it," Aenys taunted and saw Daemon's eyes narrow at his words.

"He is my son! No matter what these hecklers at court say. And I will cut down the tongue of anyone who says differently," he said through gritted teeth.

"Then I am afraid you will have to cut the tongues of half the court," Aenys said with a wave of his hand and watched as Daemon's face flushed in rage. Yet before the bastard could go on another tirade, Aenys cut in.

"Why are you here, Daemon?" he questioned and saw his eyes narrow as he answered with a mocking smile.

"Didn't I answer it earlie…."

"Don't lie to me! And tell me, why are you here, Daemon?" Aenys questioned again and saw Daemon's expression shift as he began to pace.

"You see, some weeks ago, a foreign envoy interested in a venture of mine left my manse only to meet with a certain individual," he began, and Aenys finally realized what this was all about.

"This individual passed them a letter and would lead them to a certain newly built building. After this, miraculously, despite their initial eagerness to fund this venture of mine, this entity decided that they were no longer interested in it," he said as he picked up a toy dragon from Aenar's cot.

"Coincidence, wouldn't you say?" he finished, and Aenar smiled as he realized that the letter he had sent to Braavos had worked. It had taken some time to find the man leading the Keyholders. As he uncovered his dealings with Daemon, he had written a strongly worded letter to the man, with an implied threat, practically forcing him to stop all such negotiations.

"That seems unfortunate, but I don't see why that would bring you here?" Aenys answered as Daemon scrunched up his nose, his hand scratching the red-mottled skin on the side of his neck as he answered.

"Ahh, silly me. Well, the truth is I just came here to see my nephew before he went back to Braavos. You will be returning to the city soon, won't you be?" he began.

"And why does that matter to you?" Aenys questioned and frowned as he saw a smile appear on Daemon's face as he twisted the neck of Aenar's toy dragon, as he answered cryptically.

"Ahh, haven't you heard, Kingslanding can be quite dangerous…." But he couldn't finish, as Aenys swung his fist at the bastard's face before he could even react,

"AGH!" Daemon grunted in pain and tried to retaliate, but Aenys blocked his fist as he pushed his back flat against the wall and looked him straight in the eye as he reached for the dagger strapped to his back.

"Finish my thought, and I will end you, Daemon!" Aenys said as he saw blood drip from Daemon's mouth as he glared at him.

"You have no place here, Aenys! Go back to Braavos. You are not wanted here!" Daemon cursed and tried to move, yet stilled as he looked down and saw a dagger pointed at his gut.

"I will do whatever I want," Aenys answered.

"Then you will realize that there are consequences for one's actions," he answered, and Aenys was tempted to plunge the knife into his heart right there.

"Go back, Aenys, and take that Green whore with you. Both of you poisoned Rhaenyra's mind against me, giving her the delusion that she even has a choice in this matter," Daemon scoffed, and Aenys was surprised by the sense of entitledness and madness.

Daemon had always been cruel, yet this was not just simple cruelty. This was something else, something more primal, more dangerous.

"Rhaenyra can make her own choice about whom she chooses to marry. And have you lost your mind? She is the rightful heir to the throne, not you." Aenys cut in as the doors to the nursery opened, and half a dozen castle guards entered the nursery.

"My Prince!" they shouted as they saw both of them fighting.

"Rightful, heir," and Daemon spat to his side as he pushed him back.

"We will about that," he scoffed, and Aenys stepped back as Daemon wiped the blood dripping down his face and began to leave the room, though he halted at the room's door.

"Though, do tell Rhaenyra to make a better choice next time. Gwayne Hightower," and Aenys felt a cold chill pass through his spine as he saw the glint in those eyes.

"After all, anything can happen in a melee, right," and with that, he sauntered off, leaving him alone with six castle guards, before suddenly he heard a loud roar coming from the outside and looked through the window at the massive crowd gathered for the tourney.

And he knew that it was too late to stop Gwayne from entering the melee.

And he turned towards the guards, his mind made up as he questioned in a cold voice.

"Go and fetch my armor from the armory and tell the organizer to add another name to the lists!"

0000

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Rhaenyra paced in her room as she waited for Gwayne to show up. She tightly clutched the piece of red cloth in her hand, it was her favor, and today, it was meant for Gwayne Hightower.

She had talked to Alicent about the match, and after her initial surprise she had questioned her quite extensively about her choice. In the end, Rhaenyra had answered her question honestly. She was sure that a similar set of questions had been asked by her to Gwayne as well, and in the end, Alicent had given them her blessing.

There was a knock on her door, and she stopped as she recognized the all-too-familiar voice of Gwayne.

"Princess," and she gulped as he looked over herself in the mirror for one last time before she answered in her most regal voice.

"Come in," she had already sent away her maids, making it so that she was alone with Gwayne.

He entered her room, and she was surprised by his appearance. Gwayne usually wore loose clothes, and yet as she saw him clad in full glistening armor, the Hightower sigil molded into the breastplate as a small green cape hung from the shoulder.

The armor showed him as the man he was, and she felt her face heat up slightly as she noticed his gaze lingering on her form. Rhaenyra had chosen to dress in a red dress, one that hugged her figure. The arms were see-through, and she smiled as she saw his dazed look.

"AKHMM," she coughed and saw him shake his head as he looked away in embarrassment.

"You called for me, Princess," he questioned, and she nodded as she swallowed and questioned him in a serious tone.

"Your sister told me that you had an answer for me about my proposition," she told him and saw him nod, as her heart thumped in her chest. He looked towards her, their eyes met, and she saw him question in a barely audible tone.

"Why me, Princess? You could have chosen anyone. There were lords, young and old, rich and influential, throwing themselves at you. Yet you chose me, a third son with nothing to his name. Why?" he questioned, and she wet her lips as she answered his question.

"Because you didn't throw yourself at me. Because all those other lords and heirs you speak of see only a young, naïve girl that can be cajoled with tales and promises. They see me as an opportunity to become greater, a stepping stone. Yet you were different," she finished as she recalled the first time she had truly sat down with him.

"You stood up for Alicent when she had no one. You cared for her enough to defy your own father when you went to her wedding in Braavos. You spent months with me in Braavos, yet not once did you ever try to cajole your way into becoming my consort," she answered as she closed her eyes, reminiscing about the days she had spent with him Braavos.

"Ever since my father, announced me as his heir, every male I have ever met has looked at me like a prize to be won, like a conquest to be conquered. They think I don't see it as they smile at me. Yet I see it all, their greed, their gluttony," she said with a heavy heart. Being under such gazes had made her curl onto herself, and as she had thought about why her mother hadn't told her about her pregnancy, she began to realize that it was perhaps the reason.

Rhaenyra had often shared these thoughts with her mother, who had looked at her with pity. Perhaps she knew that going to Braavos, being with Aenys and Alicent, would be a respite for her and keep her away from the clutches of the hyenas circling her.

"Yet what about love, Princess? Do you love me, Princess?" and she stilled at those words and looked to find him looking at her with a complicated expression, and she could have lied, could have said yes.

And perhaps she even would have believed it, yet she didn't want to deceive him, so she answered in a small voice.

"No, at least not yet," she answered, and the whole room quieted down at her words as she looked down. She heard him step close to her as she a pair of hands cupped her face, making her look up.

"Then I believe I have a lot of work ahead of me to make the fairest lady in the realm fall in love with me," and her heart skipped a beat as she saw him give her a smile.

"Does that…" he didn't let her finish her question as he nodded slowly.

"Yes, I accept your offer, Princess," and she smiled as she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"I am yours, and I had hoped that you would allow me the honor of representing you as I step into the arena today," he said, and she nodded as she picked up the piece of cloth from the table.

Gwayne took off his sword from his side and presented it to her as she carefully tied the red ribbon to its hilt. She finished tying the knot and looked up, and their faces were inches from each other.

She could feel his breath hit her face as he stood there staring into her eyes. She pushed up her hand as she cupped his face and hesitantly reached forward before suddenly a loud shriek shook the whole room.

"SEVEN ABOVE!" she heard a familiar voice shriek, and in a hurry to pull back, she stumbled backward and began to fall down. Thankfully, Gwayne was quick enough to wrap his arms around her, preventing her from falling to the floor as both of them looked towards the intruder.

"ALICENT!"

"SISTER!"

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

"You do know that you could have knocked," complained Rhaenyra in a hushed tone as they made their way towards the Royal Box for the tourney.

Her face was still flushed in embarrassment, and Alicent raised a brow as she replied.

"The door was left open. Who does something like that, leaving the door open," she answered, and Rhaenyra was about to reply but halted before she replied in a hushed tone.

"It was your damn brother who left it open, tell him that! Plus, don't act so innocent with me. It was not anything that scandalous. You must have kissed Aenys and will have gone much further than that with Aenys, given that we have Aenar now," Rhaenyra retorted in a childish manner. And Alicent barely held back her chuckle as she nodded.

"Ohh, we have, but we are married now. And I can assure you, we did keep the door locked whenever we did anything like that," she replied and she saw a blush appear on her friend's face.

"That's your brother's fault. He was the one who left it open. Talk to him about this!" Rhaenyra defended herself like a child.

"Ohh, I will. I promise you I will," she said, and she indeed was going to. She wasn't going to spare him his part of this teasing.

Rhaenyra shook her head as they entered the Royal box. The King had yet to arrive, and so did Aenys. Though two people were present, Laenor and Laena Velaryon sat in the chairs to their side.

Their eyes met, and she didn't miss their stiff faces as they greeted Rhaenyra with stiff voices, making her frown. The Velaryons had been somewhat agitated for some time now, as had been King Viserys.

This had all begun after Viserys had learned of Aenys's secret. The King had somewhat locked himself in his room and had rarely come out of it, and there were talks that he had rejected a possible match between him and Laena Velaryon.

"Speaking of my brother, given the compromising position I found you guys in. I believe he accepted your proposal?" she questioned and saw a blush creep up on her face as her friend nodded her head.

"Yes, he did," and Alicent smiled as she gave her friend a hug.

"I am so happy for you. I pray that the Seven bless you with all their blessings," she said, and Rhaenyra nodded.

"Thank you. After this, you will become my official sister," she remarked, and Alicent nodded as she wiped away the tears building up in her eyes. There was a time when she had wanted to be something more than a sister to her, yet she would settle for being a good sister as long as she could see her friend happy and smiling.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, and she looked back and saw that the King had entered the Royal box, his loyal Kingsgaurd behind him and his loyal hand, her father Otto Hightower, by his side.

Their eyes met, and she looked away. Since her return, he had tried to meet her several times, yet Alicent had rebuffed him. She had no desire to see a man who would renounce her as a daughter as he had done.

Aenys was behind her and told her that she knew that he had tried to pressure him through the King, yet he had given her his full support, saying that she was her wife and had an absolute right to decide about whom she wished to see and whom she didn't.

She frowned as she didn't see Aenys appear. He should have been here by now as her father approached her.

"Princess," he greeted Rhaenyra first, as he should have given her status as the royal heir before he turned towards her.

She turned to look straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge him as he greeted her.

"Alicent," he spoke in his fatherly voice, and she gulped down as she replied.

"Lord Hand," her words appropriate, yet from the way, he stiffened not what he wanted to hear. He was about to speak up, when the King called him back, forcing him to move back.

She watched as Lord Corlys and his wife, Lady Rhaenys, entered the Royal box, stiff and proper, giving the King and Rhaenyra the bare minimum of greetings as they settled down beside their two children.

Rhaenyra frowned as she saw their stiff faces and commented.

"Something is going on with them," and she nodded.

"Yes, I feel the same," she replied, growing increasingly worried about Aenys's absence.

Why wasn't he here yet? And then she saw someone walk into the booth. It was Anya, the headmaid they had brought back from Braavos, and in her hands, she held a babe, her babe. Aenar. Alicent frowned at the sight as she motioned for the Kingsguard to let her through.

The maid hurriedly walked towards her, and another maid followed behind her, holding a small cot, as Anya reached her and leaned forward as she whispered in her ears.

"My lady, I bring a message from Prince Aenys," and her heart stilled as she heard her talk about what had happened in the nursery and what Aenys intended to do.

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider supporting me if you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 40

MYSARIA

Mysaria sat in the stands as she watched the Tourney grounds fill up as all the contestants entered the grounds. The ground had been prepared for the melee, with wooden walls surrounding the designated area.

However, she found her eyes reaching for the Royal House, more importantly towards Princess Rhaenyra and her lifelong friend, the Ladt Alicent who sat beside her. One of the chairs in the Royal House was conspicuously empty, and she realized that it must have been set for Prince Aenys.

Though as she was glancing at the Royal box, she didn't miss the sudden shift in the atmosphere in the Royal house as a maid entered the box with a cot and said something in the ear of the daughter of the hand.

What message had the maid brought?

The herald had reached the center of the Tourney grounds and with a massive blow of the horn, began to shout.

"The contestants are ready! Today, for the melee we have, some of the realm's greatest knights competing for honor, and a chance to win the grand prize of twenty thousand gold dragons!" the crowd cheered as they salivated at the massive prize.

Twenty Thousand gold dragons were enough for a peasant family to last over several generations. And she looked towards the tourney ground, and found a number of contestants looking towards her, they were the knights who were there on her command. There to keep an eye on Daemon who had been growing more and more erratic for some time.

"BUT THIS TOURNEY IS RATHER SPECIAL!" the herald began as the crowd quieted down as the herald continued.

"FOR TODAY IN THE MELEE, THE KNIGHTS OF THE REALM SHALL HAVE A CHANCE TO TEST THEIR METTLE AGAINST NOT ONE BUT TWO PRINCES OF THE REALM!" and her head snapped towards the Royal box once again and she realized that the empty seat must have been the one set for Prince Aenys, for he was the only other Prince of the realm apart from Daemon.

"TO MY RIGHT I HAVE OUR OWN COMMANDER OF THE CITY WATCH! THE MAN WHO BROUGHT THE STEPSTONES TO HEEL! RIDER OF CERAXES! WIELDER OF DARK SISTER! DAEMON TARGARYEEEEN!" the herald announced, with much flair, and the crowd went mad as the very ground shook as the crowd roared. After all, it was rare for them to catch a glimpse of the royal family.

The cheer became even louder as a man clad in pitch black armor entered the tourney grounds, his armor made of dull with only the rubies in lain in the chest plate glistening ominously in the light of the sun as he walked to the center of the ground, and riled up the common folk, taking out his sword, a white favor tied to its hilt, no favor tied to it.

And then Harold began once more, his voice thundering across the stands.

"AND TO MY LEFT, WE HAVE THE MAN WHO SLEW THE GREAT DRAGON VHAGAR! THE MAN WHOSE MEN HEAL MEN AND WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD! THE MAN WHOSE HEALING TOUCH IS FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE LANDS!" the herald began as the crowd rustled as the other figure entered the tourney grounds from the other side.

"BUT TODAY, WE SHALL SEE THE SKILL AT ARMS OF OUR OWN HEALER! TO MY LEFT, WE HAVE THE DRAGON SLAYER! THE HEALER PRINCE! AENYS TARGARYEN!" the herald announced, and the crowd thundered as they saw the famous Prince step into the tourney grounds.

His armor glistened in the Sun, the steel polished to a sheen, though she didn't miss that this was a new set, different from the one he had worn when he had fought Jason Lannister in their famous duel. This one shone in the Sun. The armor was decorated with dragons with a massive dragon head inscribed expertly into the breast plate, giving the Prince a ferocious appearance.

The Prince had not participated in a tourney before this, and the commoners were excited to see their favored Prince step onto the grounds. Yet, why was he here? and as she narrowed her gaze at the Prince in question, she found him staring at Daemon and one of the knights standing to the side, one wearing a red favor, a single tower with a flame on top inscribed into his chest plate and it all came together.

Daemon had entered the lists only with one purpose, to teach his niece, a lesson. She had heard whispers from the castle that the Princess had chosen the young Hightower as her consort, and Daemon was here to put an end to that. He wanted to kill the boy in question to send a message to his niece and to the Hand of the King, whom Daemon believed to have engineered the match.

Though she had heard nothing to support this conjecture, and as she looked at the Royal box she saw that both the Princess and the Ladt Alicent were surprised, just like her. Prince Aenys's name had not been on the lists as of the morning, and though that didn't matter much for a Prince of the realm, it showed that the Prince had entered the tourney on a whim.

Her gaze moved towards her planted knights as she looked towards the Prince in question and gave them a nod. She received nods in return. Daemon had entered the tourney at great risk to himself, and she was not going to let him fail. A tourney was a deadly affair, and death wasn't as uncommon as one may think, with nearly every tourney having a few knights dying of their injuries.

"SO, PEOPLE, PLACE YOUR BETS AND GET READY TO WITNESS HISTORY!" the herald announced as the two Princes moved towards the edge of the tourney grounds and took out their swords. Daemon held his infamous Dark Sister in his hands, the Valyrian steel recognizable even at such a distance. Though Prince Aenys's sword bore the same smokey pattern, the Prince's Valyrian steel blade was shorter than Dark Sister's yet no less dangerous.

The herald looked at the gathered knights and moved back, and the crowd stilled as he picked up his horn and blew on it after with all his might.

PAAAAAAAAAN!

Marking the beginning of the melee!

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

"The Prince had a confrontation with Prince Daemon in the nursery. He asked me to tell you that he would be fighting in the melee and would explain later."

The words of Anya rang in her ears as she watched Aenys walk into the Tourney ground clad in the new set of armor he had received from Qohor, as her mind raced to piece together the reason for his decision.

"I didn't know Uncle Aenys planned on participating in the tourney," questioned Rhaenyra from the side, and Alicent saw him staring at her brother, his gaze constantly shifting between Gwayne and Daemon.

"He didn't," she uttered as Rhaenyra's head snapped towards him.

"Then why is he down there in armor," she questioned, and Rhaenyra turned to face her friend as she thought of what to say. Was her guess right? Did it really have something to do with Gwayne?

And if so, should she say it? In the end, she decided to keep her thoughts to herself as she shrugged and answered Rhaenyra.

"I don't know," she said as she turned to glance at the tourney grounds once more. The participants had moved to the edge of the ring and had taken out their swords. Aenys held his Valyrian steel blade in his hands as he stood opposite to Daemon, the only other fighter with a Valyrian steel blade.

PAAAAAAAN!

The herald sounded the horn, and the men moved, their feet shifting as sounds of metal clashing against metal rocked the area. She watched Aenys try and rush towards Daemon, yet his path was cut short as a hedge knight stepped in his way, forcing him to halt his approach.

And she was wrong, it wasn't just one knight. It was three, three knights clad in armor with no sigils on their form surrounding Aenys, making her heart thump.

The tourney ground was filled with shrieks and shouts, and fights were taking place at every corner, yet she found her eyes rooted to Aenys, who moved cautiously as the three knights circled him. Two of them wielded swords, while the last one had a morning star in his hand, much like the newest member of the Kingsguard, Ser Criston Cole.

She felt her heart stop as she saw the knight with the morning star swing it at Aenys, forcing him to step back, though the other knight with the sword was quick to capitalize on the opportunity, as he swung his blade at Aenys and she gasped as the blade hit his armor.

"Seven above!" she gasped as she brought together her hands in prayer and begged the seven for their blessing, praying to them to bless Aenys.

Thankfully, it appeared as though Aenys was fine, as he turned and parried the knight's next strike before he swung his leg at the knight's side, catching him off guard as the knight fell to his knee, and she felt her heart thump as she saw him bring up his sword for the final blow before he suddenly moved to the side as the morning star landed with a thud.

THUNK!

The morning star tore up the very ground Aenys stood on as the last of the three knights pounced on Aenys as the battered knight struggled to his feet.

She didn't miss how the three knights seemed rather fixated on Aenys. Were they underestimating him due to his reputation, hadn't they heard of his infamous duel with Jason Lannister for her hand? Were they simply oblivious to his skill at arms, or was this part of another plot?

"Gwayne!" she heard Rhaenyra gasp from the side as her friend rushed out of her seat towards the edge of the royal box. Alicent made to follow as she glanced towards the part of the grounds where Gwayne was fighting, and her eyes widened as she recognized that dull black armor.

Daemon. And she felt a chill run through her as she realized that her earlier fears were right as she watched Daemon pushing Gwayne back.

CHING! CHING!

She could see Gwayne struggling to keep up with the rogue Prince who was relentlessly attacking her brother, who seemed to be on the back foot. She looked to the side and saw that Rhaenyra was placed as a sheet as she stood there with her gaze focused on the clash between Gwayne and Daemon.

CHING! CHING! CLUNK!

"AAAAAAAA!" suddenly, she heard the crowd roar, and she looked towards Aenys once more and felt her heart still as she saw his bloodied armor as the knight wielding the morning star lay there in his feet crying out in pain as blood dripped from his shoulder where in place of an arm only a bleeding stub remained.

The other two knights didn't back off, though, and came at him again, though Aenys didn't back down again as he parried their strikes one after another. His new armor was lighter and allowed for more mobility. He had commissioned it from Qohor for that specific purpose.

Each attack made her heart sink as she found her eyes glued to Aenys's form as he danced through the tourney grounds, his sword work showing years upon years spent in honing the skill, and though she knew little of the art. She could tell that he was no ordinary man. His movements were fluid as he evaded strike after strike, facing two knights, yet he fought on equal footing.

And then she saw it shift suddenly as one of the knights picked up and threw dirt at his face.

"BOOOOOO!" the crowd showed their disapproval, and though such an act was frowned upon, the melee had no rules, and she saw Aenys step back as the dirt hampered his ability to see clearly.

The knights were quick to take advantage and moved in with their swords aimed at Aenys's neck. He jumped back and avoided their initial strikes, yet she felt her gut wrench in trepidation as she saw Aenys taking off his helmet as he tried to rub away the dirt.

"No!" she shouted, though she knew that her voice wouldn't reach him, and she watched with dread as his back hit the wooden walls of the ground, leaving him with no more ground.

The knights caught up and brought down their blades as Aenys put up his own sword, though it mattered little, and she watched in horror as his sword fell from his hands, hitting the ground with a thunk as the knight swung their blade at his neck.

"NOOO!" she shouted with all her might as she saw the sword inch towards his neck, and with no helmet to protect his face, the strike could be fatal. In the end, she closed her eyes, as the Kingsguard suddenly approached her and held her back as she began to cry.

"My lady, the Prince is fine. Look!" spoke the Kingsguard, and she felt her heart skip a beat as she opened her eyes. The tears marred her vision, yet she saw Aenys standing there, his face drenched in blood as one of the knights facing him fell to the ground, as Aenys took out the dagger he had plunged in his neck.

The last of the knights rushed towards Aenys, though she didn't miss the hesitation in his steps, as he launched himself at Aenys once again, who rolled away and picked up his sword as he got back on his feet and began to attack the last knight.

Half his body was drenched in blood, and he looked ferocious as he slowly overpowered the last of the knights to the commoner's delight. She felt her legs grow weak, though thankfully, the Kingsguard brought forward her chair as she helped her into it, and one of the servants brought a glass of water for her.

"Thank you, good ser," she said. Her heart eased slightly as she saw Aenys disarm the last knight.

"No worries, my lad…" but before she could take a sip of the water, she stilled as she heard the chilling scream of Rhaenyra from the side.

"NOOO!" and her eyes flowed her gaze, and the glass of water fell from her hands, and her heart stilled as she saw Daemon Targaryen swing his sword at her brother's fallen form.

0000

DAEMON TARGARYEN

Daemon watched as Gwayne Hightower collapsed to the ground, his helmet broken from his strikes fell off to the side, Daemon smiled as he walked towards the bastard, who brought up his sword, and Daemon didn't miss the red favor tied to its hilt.

Daemon brought up his sword and swung it at him with all his might.

"AHHH!" he shouted, as the Green bastard brought up his own blade to defend himself.

CHING!

Their swords met, as the Hightower bastard tried to get back to his feet. Yet Daemon didn't give him any time and brought down his sword again.

CHING!

And again!

CHING!

And again, as the bastard defended for his life until it happened on the fifth blow.

As the bastard raised his sword, Daemon brought down Dark sister, and as their swords met, chunks of metal flew around as the steel sword gave out in front of the eternal edge of his Valyrian steel blade.

CLUNK!

The castle-forged steel failed to stand up to his blade and broke into several pieces, and Daemon smiled as he saw the Hightower bastard, pale as he raised his sword once again.

"I yie…." Yet as Daemon swung the sword once again, he saw the bastard's eyes widen as he realized that this was the end, the bastard tried to crawl back, yet Daemon was fast as he brought down his sword, aimed straight for his neck.

"NOO!" he heard a distant scream in a rather familiar voice, as he swung his blade.

Yet before the steel could cut through flesh, another sword blocked his blade, a blade with a pattern similar to one of his own. And he suddenly felt someone kick him in the gut and he was sent reeling back.

"AGHH! Daemon grunted in pain as he stepped back and looked up, and his eyes widened as he saw exactly who had interrupted his final strike.

Half his body was covered in caked blood. His short blonde hair had become a dark red because of the blood that dripped down his face. Yet those amethyst orbs resembled his own, much like the sigil under which the man opposite to him fought.

"Aenys!" he said as he gripped his sword, and he saw his brother stand tall infront of him, glaring at him his helmet lost to the fighting.

Otto's son stood up and made to join him, yet was interrupted when a knight from the tried to attack Aenys, a hedge knight with no sigil.

"Take care of this. Me and Daemon have a little score to settle," commanded Aenys as he evaded the knight's wild swing and kicked him towards Otto's third son, who responded with a nod and began to engage the knight as both of them circled each other.

He looked around the tourney grounds and saw bodies littered on the ground, with only the four of them left standing. Two knights lay there on one side in a pool of blood, and Daemon realized that those were the men whom Aenys had killed.

"I am impressed, Aenys. I had never thought you would make it for this long!" Daemon said as he saw Aenys wipe the blood off his sword. He didn't reply to his words and simply glared at him.

Daemon shrugged, cracking his neck, and walked towards Aenys, who stepped forward as well. As Valyrian steel met Valyrian steel, dark purple stared into dark purple, and the crowd's cheer shook the whole arena.

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider dropping a bit of gold if you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 41

AENYS TARGARYEN

The cheer and ruckus from the crowd vanished as Aenys's grip on his sword tightened as he rushed towards Daemon. His body ached from the earlier fights, his lack of endurance showing, yet his rage and determination dampened the pain as he raised his sword as their blades met.

Shockwaves rippled through his arm from the sheer force of that strike as a thunderous clash of steel continued as a dance. Valyrian steel met valyrian steel. Daemon's skill at arms was on full display, his prowess with the sword, despite his injuries, there for all to see.

Yet Aenys's prowess was equal if not better than his brother, the years spent in the training yard enough to bridge the gap in their natural talents. Daemon's casual expression began to shift into one of frustration and rage as the battle dragged on.

Aenys refused to budge, his sword flowing through the air as an extension of his arm as he parried strike after strike from Daemon, making Daemon's frustration rise up.

And then it happened, fueled by frustration and rage. Daemon lost his composure and extended his arm a bit farther back, giving him enough time to step forward as he brought up his own sword in an arc.

"AGHH!" Daemon was quick to react and saw the danger and jumped back, yet he was too late.

CHUNK!

The blade hit metal, and his helmet fell to the ground broken, as a small gnash appeared on the side of Daemon's face. He wiped the blood with his hand as he glared at him with a maddening expression as he pulled up his sword and charged at him once more.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" he uttered as Aenys ground his feet, as he willed his body to comply with his command, even as each of his muscles ached in protest.

CHUNK!

CHUNK!

Their swords met again, with each of Daemon's attacks having inhuman strength behind it, pushing his back. With each parry, his whole arms shook as Daemon attacked relentlessly, and then suddenly it happened, as Aenys tripped on a body, and saw Daemon smile as he swung at his neck.

His heart thumped in his chest as he saw the valerian steel blade rush towards his neck and so instead of steadying himself he let himself fall, evading the blade. His own sword fell from his hand, hitting the ground as Daemon's blade hit nothing but air.

He rolled back and saw that it was a severed arm that had tripped him, and then before Daemon could react Aenys stepped forward and kicked the amputated appendage towards Daemon with all his might.

"KUKH!" Daemon couldn't react in time as the arm his body, and Aenys knew he had to strike.

So, he pushed himself forward, his feet dug into the wet ground as he jumped towards Daemon, who was taken by surprise by his actions, and fell to the ground.

"OOMPH!" his back hit the ground, and Aenys was quick to get atop of him, as he held him down by his arms not allowing him to use his sword as he struck his face with his head.

"AGHH!" Daemon cried out in pain, and he felt his ow vision falter for a moment, as Daemon struggled to free himself from his hold. Yet Aenys held him down with his weight as he twisted his sword arm, dislocating his shoulder.

"AGHHH!" Daemon screamed in pain as his sword arm became limp, by then his own vision was blurry and swam as he huffed in and swung at his face.

WHAM!

WHAM!

"AGHH!" he screamed in rage, as he felt the skin of his hands tear up. He clung to the light as he swung again and again. His hands became wet as he felt Daemon stop struggling beneath him.

And then as he found in his body no more strength to even raise an arm, he stopped, as he took in labored breath the deafening noise around him registered to his ears as he heard the crowd roar.

"AND THE PRINCE IS DOWN! DAEMON TARGARYEN, THE BANE OF PIRATES IS DOWN! YET TO CLAIM HIS VICTORY, THE DRAGONSLAYER MUST YET FACE HIS LAST OPPONENET!"

The words were loud, and Aenys forced himself to stand up, he wobbled to his feet, as the crowds chants grew louder and louder, and then he looked up and found himself staring at the only other knight left standing.

His armor was broken, his brown hair mottled with dirt and grime. Blood dripped down his face, yet there was little doubt in his mind that he was in a better condition than him. Gwayne stood there sword in hand, his sword. In Aenys's hands was none other than his sword.

Their eyes met, as Aenys gulped down and stepped forward, trying to reach for Daemon's blade.

Yet before he could reach down, he saw Gwayne move.

Alicent's youngest brother, fell down to his knee, leaving the crowd stunned as he presented to him his sword. The man had admitted his defeat, and had yielded to him.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" the crowd roared as the Herald made the announcement.

"AND WE HAVE OUR WINNER! GWAYNE HIGHTOWER YEILDS TO THE DRAGON SLAYER! THE MELEE GOES TO NONE OTHER THAN THE SLAYER OF VHAGAR! THE HEALER PRINCE! AENYS TARGARYENN!"

The herald announced, and the crowd's roar was deafening, as Aenys walked towards Gwayne and picked up his sword, and as Gwayne was about to step up, he motioned for him to stop. His eyes widened, yet he complied with his request and continued to kneel down on one knee as Aenys held the blade in his hand and tipped his sword on his shoulder.

"In the name of the father, I charge you to be just," Aenys spoke with all his strength and felt the crowd become quiet as he moved his sword to his other shoulder.

"In the name of the mother, I charge you to defend young and innocent," and then the crowd finally realized what was going.

"In the name of the Warrior…."

0000

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Relief flooded Rhaenyra Targaryen as she saw Gwayne kneeling down in the arena infront of Aenys, who tipped his sword for the seventh and final vow.

"In the name of the Stranger, I charge you to watch over and protect us all," and she felt tears well up in her eyes as the crowd roared and Aenys spoke up.

"Arise, Gwayne Hightower. A knight of the Seven Kingdoms!" Aenys announced, and even she could feel his voice falter as Gwayne Hightower rose to his feet, to the cheer of the spectators, as the herald spoke up.

"AND WE HAVE A NEW KNIGHT! SER GWAYNE HIGHTOWER! KNIGHTED BY PRINCE AENYS TARGARYEN!" the herald announced, and she gasped as uncle Aenys nearly faltered, though Gwayne wrapped his arm around him and held him steady as the herald reached towards her uncle, and a servant presented him with the ceremonial crown of love and beauty.

"AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE CROWNING! WHOM SHALL THE PRINCE CHOSE AS HIS QUEEN OF LOVE AND BEAUTY!" the herald announced, and the crowd roared, and she felt the eyes of the whole arena lock onto the Royal box.

Wooden steps were bought and placed down in the ground so Aenys could approach the Royal box.

Beside her, she could see Alicent's relieved expression, as tears dripped down her face as Aenys slowly rose through the steps, Gwayne by his side, subtly supporting him as Aenys slowly reached the royal box.

His armor was colored red due to dried blood, much like half his face. Even then, he bled through some cuts, and she didn't miss how the skin on his hands was torn up. Her eyes met with Gwayne's, who seemed somewhat abashed by his failure to win the tourney, though she didn't miss the hint of a smile on those lips, probably in the happiness of his knighting.

As she had expected, Aenys stepped towards Alicent, who still had tears running down her face, and she saw him mouth silently.

"I am sorry. But I had to do this."

"I know," came the whisper from Alicent, who gently lowered her head as Aenys placed the ceremonial crown atop her head.

"AND THE PRINCE HAS CHOSEN! AND ITS NONE OTHER THAN HIS LADY WIFE! THE BEAUTIFUL AND BLESSED LADY ALICENT HIGHTOWER!"

The herald's announcement drew much cheer from the spectators. And, why wouldn't it? Aenys's and Alicent's story was the realm's most famous story. A Prince who slew a dragon just to obtain the hand of unrivaled beauty. Many versions of the battle at Dragonstone had spread throughout the comments, and the tale of the battle had been romanticized by songs and mummers.

Rhaenyra wiped the tears that welled up in her eyes as she glanced towards the arena once again, and her heart sank as she saw her father's other brother, Daemon Targaryen, struggle to his feet as acolytes and maesters rushed to his aid. His nose appeared to be broken, and he bled from his mouth as he glared at the Royal box.

And though she couldn't be sure, she was not blind. She had seen with her own eyes what had happened during the melee and what Daemon had meant to do. And she could reason it was why Aenys had joined the melee in the first place, for she knew that despite his prowess with the sword, Aenys wasn't fond of fighting in tourneys.

Their eyes met, and she felt a cold chill pass through her spine as she saw him glare towards her. That chilling gaze made her heart quicken as she realized that this gaze was going to be trained on her back as long as she was poised to inherit he father's throne.

That hate-filled glare made her gulp before, finally, the acolytes rushed him away, and she looked back at her father, who seemed to have aged several years over the course of the melee.

Thankfully, her father's hand stood up and walked towards Aenys and Alicent as he spoke to Gwayne.

"Take your sister and Prince Aenys to the healers and have them look at you as well," the man commanded his third son, who nodded as servants rushed to the royal box and led them away.

She gritted her teeth as she scanned the Royal box, which somehow felt haunting to her, and stood up as she looked towards her father.

"I will be back," she said, seeking his permission. Her father gave her a nod, and she sighed as she slid out of the royal box, and made to follow the hoards of servants leading away Alicent and Aenys.

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Alicent Hightower stood behind the healers and the servants as they took armor off of Aenys. Her heart thumped in her chest as she saw Aenys look towards her, and he immediately hid away the grimace and gave her a weak smile.

"I am fine," he assured her, though her heart refused to believe her words. His armor was covered in blood, much like his face, and as the healers took off the armor, she stilled as she saw that his shirt underneath was drenched in scarlet blood as well.

The healers tore away his shirt as he examined him, and the servants beside him wiped away the blood from his body. She didn't miss how Aenys's face would scrunch in pain as the healer touched his rib, and as the healer turned to face her, she prayed to Seven once again, to bless him.

"Prince Aenys is fine. He has minor injuries, he will need to rest for some days. But it is not anything serious," the healer assured her, and she felt her legs grow weak, and she was about to fall when a pair of arms supported her from behind.

"Alicent!" Aenys called out.

"My lady," she recognized the voice of her maid Anya as the maid slowly led her to a chair as the healers dressed Aenys's wounds, and she finally felt herself relax as she looked to the side and saw Gwayne enter the room alongside Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra rushed towards Aenys as she rushed towards Gwayne.

"Thank the Seven, you are fine," she said as she wrapped her arms around him. Gwayne slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"I believe you should be thanking your lord husband for that instead of the Seven," he remarked, and she chuckled as they separated. Gwayne had taken off his armor and was dressed in a simple white shirt. There were some bandages wrapped around his chest, and his face had several cuts and bruises, some of which may even scar, though he was in a better condition than Aenys.

"I will," she said as she looked to the side and saw Rhaenyra, who had her arms wrapped around Aenys, with tears dripping down her face as she thanked him.

They separated as Alicent walked towards him and sat beside him on the bed, and held his hand in her own. The warmth from his hand comforted her as she raised it and kissed him as Gwayne stepped forward.

"Thank you for saving my life, my Prince," Gwayne said, and Aenys smiled as he gave her brother a nod.

"There is no need for that, and I believe your lady wife has thanked me enough for both of you," he remarked, and she saw a blush appear on both Gwayne and Rhaenyra's faces as she chuckled and gently swatted his arm.

"She is not his wife yet. There is still time. She may still realize her mistake," she remarked playfullyas Rhaenyra nodded, the atmosphere lightened as both Rhaenyra and Gwayne stayed for some time before both of them left, since Rhaenyra still had her duties as the Royal Princess, leaving her alone with Aenys.

She lay there in his arms, as she felt the rise and fall of his chest as he spoke up, all the previous cheer from his voice gone.

"I know entering the tourney wasn't the wisest decision, but I had no choice. Had I not been there, he would have killed your brother," he remarked, confirming her earlier suspicion that Daemon's intentions had been to kill Gwayne.

Her heart stilled as she looked towards Aenys.

"But why? What has Gwayne done to offend him," she questioned as she looked into his eyes, and his lips thinned as he simply raised his brow, and she finally realized the reason.

"Rhaenyra!" she guessed, and Aenys nodded.

"Indeed, he wished to teach her a lesson. To prove to her that he was not going to let this go, that he was not going to let her replace him as heir," he remarked, and she realized that the danger had not passed.

"So, that means he won't let this go," she questioned, and Aenys nodded.

"I believe so, he lusts after the throne, and I don't think he is going to let anyone else take it, at least not without a fight," and she chewed her lips as the reality of the situation dawned on her.

"What will we do?" she questioned him. They could return to Braavos. Yet doing so would mean putting Rhaenyra at Daemon's mercy, which, from his earlier display in the melee, seemed to be nonexistent.

Yet staying here would mean having to face him. Having to fight Daemon.

"I don't know, but I don't think the Lords will be impressed by his display of wanton brutality today. He will find it difficult to gather support, though I am too tired to think about it any more," he said with grunt and she nodded and stood up.

"You should rest, I will go and check on Aenar," she said as she kissed his forehead, and she could see the milk of poppy take its effect as he have her a weak nod.

"I was to meet a guest today later in the night, the keyholder from Braavos I told you about," he suddenly added, and she nodded.

Tycho Haron, the representative from Iron Bank was set to meet him today later in the night.

"Have a letter sent to him that the meeting shall take place tomorrow," he told her, and she nodded.

"I will see it done," she said as she slowly walked to the door and motioned for the servants to close the curtains and turn off the lamps.

And with a final glance at Aenys, she walked out of the door and looked towards the two guards standing outside, who gave her a nod.

"Make sure no one enters this room without my knowledge," she ordered in her most cold tone, as Anya stepped towards her.

"How is the Prince, my lady?" she questioned, and Alicent nodded.

"Aenys is fine, the injuries weren't anything serious," she told the head maid who had a relieved expression at her words. Alicent began to walk towards the nursery as her own mind raced.

As Aenys had said, there was little chance that Daemon Targaryen would let this go. He lusted for the throne, for Rhaenyra's throne. And from what she had seen, Rhaenyra was set to make her brother Gwayne her consort.

This put the lives of the people dearest to her heart after Aenys, in grave danger. Aenys had protected her since the day he had pledged to marry her, keeping to his vows as he took each and every wound and scar meant for her.

And Alicent felt that it was time for her to share his burdens. And though she helped him run his vast empire in Braavos, she knew she could do more. Especially here in Kingslanding, the place where she had spent her entire childhood in.

And so, she steeled her heart as she reached the door of the nursery and looked back towards Anya.

"I need you to deliver a message for me," she said as Anya nodded.

"To whom, my lady?"

"To my father, Otto Hightower. The Hand of the King!"

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider becoming a patron. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest



A/N: So, should Rhaenyra really go after the throne?

You must understand she is barely eighteen, and she has just realized, just what it would mean for her to ascend the throne. So, it is understandable that she is a bit shaky here.

Though do tell me your thoughts. What should Rhaenyra do?

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 42

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Night had fallen, and by now, half the castle slept. The other half, on the other hand was busy in their preparations for sleep. Sleep had eluded her as she found her mind wandering to the scenes from earlier in the day.

The scenes from the tourney haunted her, watching Daemon whack away his sword at Gwayne mercilessly with a smile on his face. Had it not been for Aenys, the mood in the castle would have been even somber, as she had seen it in his eyes. Daemon had meant to kill him.

Why? She found herself questioning. There was a time when Rhaenyra had been fond of Daemon, had enjoyed his company and his boisterous, nonchallant nature. Yet things had changed, and it had all begun with her father choosing as an heir over him. One Crown, a crown that he was not even meant to have.

Yet he wasn't the only one his father had removed from the line of succession. No there was another person who had been pushed farther down when she had been made the heir apparent to the throne.

She came to a halt outside the door of that person. Two guards stood outside Aenys's chamber. She had already confirmed that Alicent was in her own chambers with Aenar, and he was alone. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before slowly opening the door and entering his room.

The room was dark, a small candle illuminating the otherwise dark room, and her lips thinned. As she was about to walk out, she heard a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Who is there?" she heard Aenys call out, and she stilled as she replied in a small whisper.

"It's me, Rhaenyra," she answered and could hear the surprise in his tone as he answered.

"Rhaenyra," he said as the room lit up as he lit up the lamp by his side. The wounds from the morning were bandaged still, and she could tell from the puffiness and narrowing of his eyes that she had probably roused him from his sleep.

"If you are looking for Alicent, I believe she is with Aenar. He was having trouble sleeping," he told her, and she shook her head.

"No, the truth is that I came here to talk to you," she said and saw that he was surprised, though he still sat up slowly, minding his wounds as he gestured for her to take a seat.

"What brings you here at this hour," he questioned as she sat down, chewing her lip as she thought of appropriate words to mouth it out.

In the end, she decided to simply ask it as she looked up into his frowning eyes.

"Do you wish to be King as well?" she questioned and felt him still at her words before he sighed and leaned back before he questioned her.

"Is this about Daemon? About what happened in the tourney?" he questioned, and she nodded, not surprised that he was able to reason out the reason so quickly. After all, no one could question the mind of Aenys Targaryen.

"What do you think being a King or Queen represents?" he questioned, and she thought about it before she answered.

"Power, it represents absolute power," she answered, for that was essentially what the crown was. Aenys nodded at her words.

"Yes, indeed. And the love of power is an insatiable demon, one that resides in all humans. Daemon is no different than any other man in his desire for power. Yet what many fail to understand is that with power like the Crown comes equal responsibility, for you hold in your hands the fate of millions of people directly and even more indirectly," he answered as he looked towards her.

"You said every man desires power, yet you don't. You bent the knee when Father made me his heir, and even now, I have never seen you show any desire for the crown," she cut in sharply, and he raised a brow.

"You are wrong," replied Aenys. His words made the whole temperature of the room shift as she frowned at his words.

"I desire power as much, Daemon, perhaps even more," he answered, and his words shocked her.

"And make no mistake, I hold power, significant power. I have enough wealth that it would put entire cities to shame. My fame stretches from one corner of the world to the other," he boasted, and it was the first time she had seen him boast like this. And in the flickering light of the flames, she could perhaps see his resemblance with Daemon for the first time as those eyes lit up.

"I could carve out a kingdom for myself anywhere I want, and people would flock to my lands at my call," he finished, and his words somewhat unsettled her. Of course, Rhaenyra was aware of his influence and wealth. She had seen it firsthand in Braavos, yet she wasn't aware of its magnitude.

She had heard the whispers in the court speaking of his power, and yet the words coming out of his own mouth held more power, and she knew them to be true in her heart, for Aenys was never fond of lies.

"Daemon wishes to be King because he believes it to be his right, acting like a petulant child. He, who has no regard for duty or family, wishes to be King for he believes it will fill the gaping hole of nothingness he harbors inside his heart, yet he is wrong. To him, the Crown is his by right, and he will not stop until he has it in his grasp," Aenys told her in a chilling tone as he looked her in the eye.

"And right now, you are the only one who stands in his way. And to fight this battle, you must realize what does being Queen means to you, and most of all, do you have what it takes to wade through a sea of blood and steel to walk up those steps and sit on that throne? Make no mistake, your path up those steps will not be easy."

And then, with that, she left the room, her mind racing as his words continuously ran through her mind. As she felt a shadow linger behind her, smiling as he continued to question her.

That night, after much trouble, she found slumber, and in her dreams, she found herself standing infront of her father's throne, her body submerged in a Sea of Blood, with wrinkly burnt arms pulling her drown, trying to drown her, as soft whispers rang around her

'Do you have what it takes?'




0000

OTTO HIGHTOWER

Otto Hightower sat in his office waiting for his daughter. He had received a missive from her earlier in the day asking for a meeting, and he had agreed quickly. It seemed that one good thing had come out of the tragic ordeal earlier in the day, and his blood boiled even now as he thought of what had happened in the melee.

Even a blind person could see what Daemon's intentions were, and if one paid even little attention to the happenings of the court, they would also know of the reason for his actions.

Daemon had wished to make an example of Gwayne, and as much as he loathed to admit it, had it not been for Aenys, he would have lost his son today. And wasn't that tragic? Owing a favor to the man whom he had shunned, the very man whom he had refused to accept as a good son.

Alicent's husband was a man of action. And though he was loathe to admit it, he could see the wisdom of his brother's words. Aenys Targaryen was an extremely valuable ally, one who could singlehandedly turn the tides in case of a conflict, and Otto had little doubt in his mind that a conflict lay ahead.

He had also come to understand his own misgivings about the man. Otto had always thought the man to be jealous of him, thought him to be after his own position as Hand. Yet he only now realized that the young Prince had little interest in the position of the Hand of the King, or even being King for that matter, despite a number of people believing him to have the makings of a true monarch.

There were whispers in the court that spoke of seeing the man ascend the throne in place of both Princess Rhaenyra and Daemon. Whispers that had become louder today, especially after that display of wanton brutality from Daemon.

There was a knock on his door, and Otto was quick to answer, already recognizing who stood on the other side from the soft knock.

"Come in," he said and watched as the door to his office opened, and Alicent entered his chambers.

She had changed out of her elaborate dress from the morning and was wearing a rather simple black dress, yet Otto didn't miss how this, much like all her dresses, was made of the finest silks he had seen.

"Alicent," he greeted as he stood up, though all he received in return was a simple nod, and as she sat down, he noticed the changes in his daughter. The previous Alicent had always seemed deferral, unsure of herself, yet the lady sitting infront of her looked him in the eye as an equal. Her gaze was strong and cold giving no indication of what went on in her head.

"It is good to see you, Alicent," he said, and she gave him a small nod.

"I believe the day has been tiring enough for both of us. Perhaps it would be beneficial for both of us to skip the small talk and move onto the main reason for this meeting," she said in manner which reminded him of the young Prince, and he was once again surprised by her assertiveness yet nodded nonetheless.

"Let's, so tell me why did you want to meet with me?" he questioned. Alicent sighed as she leaned back in her seat.

"I believe you are already aware that Rheanyra has decided to make Gwayne her consort, and from what happened earlier today in the tourney I believe the whole realm knows that Daemon has not taken the news kindly," she began and he nodded.

"He hasn't, Daemon covets his brother's crown. He has deluded himself into believing that both the Crown and Rhaenyra somehow belong to him," he said with a scoff and Alicent frowned as she asked in perplexed tone.

"Rhaenyra?"

And he was surprised that she didn't know of this.

"Before the campaign in the Stepstones, the King did for some time consider a match between Rhaenyra and Daemon," and he still couldn't believe that Viserys had done that, yet those were troubling times for your grace.

And Alicent seemed surprised by that.

"Though it was never brought up at a council meeting, the King did discuss it with Queen Aemma, and the good Queen saw the match for the atrocity and cruelty it was and convinced the King to see reason," he told her and may the Gods bless Queen Aemma for that, for sparing the realm another Maegor.

"It was around the time she was pregnant, and since the King never spoke of it, the rumors died down, yet Daemon believes that the match was final and that he should be the one to marry Rhaenyra," and he saw Alicent pale before she gasped.

"Gods be good!" she uttered as sank back in her seat. He did not chastise her for her words, for he had no right now.

"Daemon will not stop at this. He will continue his endeavor," he informed her, and Alicent shook her head as she questioned.

"What can we do?" she asked, and Otto considered what to say before he began.

"The realm holds little patience for Daemon's antics, and the only true support he enjoys is from the Lords who participated in his campaign in the Stepstones," he began, and even that was going to drop.

Daemon's actions at the tourney ground had not escaped the eyes of the Lords High and low, and the memory of Maegor's rules was fresh enough that parallels would be drawn quickly, and of course if a few houses were to encourage such discussions, then soon the comparisons would spread throughout the Court.

Yet that didn't mean Daemon was without appeal.

"But as much as I loathe him, Daemon holds a kingdom of his own now and has the respect of several Lords because of his martial prowess. But most importantly, the lords of the realm will not let a woman rule over them," and he saw Alicent frown at his words as she cut in.

"Winning a war doesn't make someone a good ruler, and I believe Rhaenyra would make an excellent queen," she defended the princess. And he doubted that, but that was not the point.



"She could be the second coming of King Jaehaerys herself. The Lords will not bow their heads to a Queen, at least not all of them," he answered and saw Alicent chew her lips before she questioned.

"Then what shall we do?"

He didn't reply immediately as he considered the words carefully before he sighed and spoke up carefully.

"There are whispers in Court, whispers about a more suitable candidate for the throne," he began and saw Alicent frown as she failed to understand to whom he was eluding.

"Some in the Court believe that the King should name his youngest brother, Aenys, as his heir."

And he saw Alicent's eyes widen before she shook her head.

"You are lying. Aenys would never encourage such nonsense," she said, and he nodded.

"And that is what makes these whispers powerful. From what I know, no one promoted this idea. It rose up naturally, and I can understand the reasoning behind it," he said as he leaned back.

"Aenys Targaryen is one of the most influential men of this generation. He is a famed warrior and holds considerable wealth," he began before he pointed towards her and added with a smile.

"He is pious and already has a legitimate heir. The Lords believe that his ascension would bring stability to the realm, stability which neither Princess Rhaenyra nor Prince Daemon can bring," he finished, and Alicent was quick to shake her head.

0000

LYONEL STRONG

A new Sun dawned in the capital and the Red Keep, yet the shadow cast by Prince Daemon's actions at the tourney yesterday still hung over the Red Keep. He had heard that half the castle had remained awake through the night, contemplating the happenings of the day.

He won't deny that he was amongst that half and had spent considerable time pouring over a rather ancient tome concerning the Succession laws of Old Valyria. And as he sat down with his fellow councilmen, and looked at the haggard face of the King, he could tell that the King had been much like him.

The meeting had been called earlier in the day, though given that the King had not uttered a word about his brother's actions, Lyonel was expecting the Lord Hand to make a move, to force the King to discipline his brother.

Yet whatever he had been expecting, the King's words would still come as a shock to him, and his entire council.

"First of all, I would like to inform all of you that Princess Rhaenyra is to wed in a moon's time," the King began with a smile.

"She will wed Ser Gwayne Hightower, and their children shall take her name," the King finished, and there were several mutterings about that. Congratulations were exchanged, though most of them were already aware of this, and according to him the match wasn't particularly a bad one.

Many would say that House Hightower had gained too much influence with Prince Aenys already married to Alicent Hightower, and now the Princess was marrying Ser Gwyne Hightower. However, such concerns could easily be rectified.

The only other option was Ser Laenor Velaryon, yet half the court was already aware of the man's preferences. Marrying him despite his lineage could have posed problems for the Princess. He glanced at their Master of Ships, who was looking at the King with a complicated expression, and for some reason, the King seemed to be avoiding his gaze.

"And other than that, I would like to inform you all of another decision which I have made," the King began, and the chambers became quiet again as all of them listened to the King's words with rapt attention.

"Despite the insistence of this Council, I have decided that I will not be taking a second wife," and his eyes widened at those words as he realized that perhaps this might have been the reason for the tensions among the Velaryons for the last few days.

"But your grace," Grandmaester Mellos began, but the King was quick to raise his hand.

"I have thought this through, and is hall bot be hectored over this," the King cut in sharply, as the chambers became quiet until a sound of a chair falling sprung through the chambers as Corlys Velaryon strode out of the Council chambers, the badge for the master of Ships left there on the table.

0000

As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support makes it possible for me to write these stories. So, have a look and consider becoming a patron, if you can. It would help me out a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have fun reading!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 43

MYSARIA-Lady Mysery

Mysaria walked towards Daemon's room slowly as the servants lined the halls pale as a sheet, and the sound of shouting and grunting permeated through the manse. Daemon had broken his nose and had lost two teeth in the melee yesterday. His face had been scarred, yet the thing that had taken the biggest hit was his pride.

And Daemon Targaryen was a creature full of pride, and right now, he was filled with rage enough that he had taken off the head of the first servant who had entered his room. She saw the blood flowing out from under the door and looked towards the servants.

"Leave us," she said with a side glance, and though a few of the guards tried to say something, she motioned them to leave as she stood outside the door and took in a breath as the sound of glass breaking and metal continued to come out of the room.

She pushed open the door and stepped into the room, ignoring the headless corpse lying on the floor. She saw Daemon turn towards her, his violet eyes gleaming with rage and frustration, and for a second, she thought that coming in had been a mistake. The bandages around his face had become red from blood as his wounds reopened.

He huffed, and for a second, she thought he would strike her, yet he turned away from her, picked up his sword, and continued to whack away at the bed, reducing it to splinters. The floor was wet with swine and blood, as cups and broken glass were littered around it.

"AHHHHHH!"

"AHHHHHH!" he screamed in rage as he brought down his sword again and again. And again, before he finally stopped, she saw blood begin to drip from his hands as the sword fell from his hands, and Daemon fell to the floor.

She walked behind him and slowly wrapped her arms around him as she tried to calm him down.

"I will kill that bastard. I will end his whole line! That throne is mine! MINE!" he raged, and his speech was affected by his injured jaw.

His voice was determined and promised retribution.

"I will not let those bastards usurp me!" he muttered, and she uttered soothingly in his ear.

"Everything will be as it is meant to be! You shall ascend that throne, my prince!" she said soothingly, and he repeated in a crazed tone.

"I will! I will!" he said, and she felt his breathing slow down, even though she could feel that in his rage, he had undone all of the healers' work from night and had reopened most of his wounds.

"Yet you need to calm down my Prince. You need to clam down, that duel meant nothing. Nothing for you are the man who brought the whole Triarchy to heel. You are a conqueror, a true warrior!" she soothed him.

And she saw him nod, at her words. The duel had been a shock to her, she had head the rumors of the martial prowess of Prince Aenys, his duel with Jason Lannister for the Hand of Lady Alicent Hightower was said to be a marvel. Though even she had been surprised by his skill, the man may not have the talent and flare of Daemon, yet he fought effectively leveraging any and each advantage.

Thankfully, she had another piece of news that could help Daemon and his cause.

"I also bring news from the castle, my Prince. The King called a Council meeting earlier in the morning," she began and saw Daemon glance at her.

"The Princess Rhaenyra is set to marry Gwayne Hightower in a moon's time," she began and saw his eyes narrow at that, but she continued quickly.

"Moreover, the King also shot down the notion of taking a second wife. He rejected the proposal of the Velaryons. I have heard that the Sea Snake stormed out of the room in a rage and has resigned from his position as Master of Ships at the insult," she added and saw the Prince's mind race as he nodded slowly.

"That is indeed good news," he said, and she nodded as she helped him up and supported him from the side as she led him to a chair on the balcony.

"Indeed, and you and I both know that a man like Corlys Velaryon would not settle for anything less than having his own blood on the throne, and the only way that could happen…." she said and saw the Prince smirk as he finished her sentence.

"….is through me." the Prince finished though he frowned as he added with a grunt.

"Yet he denied me her hand when I reached out to him earlier. What makes you think he will agree this time," he looked towards her.

She smirked as she answered him.

"The man will be desperate. The future of his whole lineage is in jeopardy here," she said.

"And apart from that, I have something that you could use as leverage. Something would bring upon him the rage of his lady wife and could unravel his whole House," she said, and the Prince frowned.

"What do you know?" he questioned, and she reached into her pocket and took out the sketches she had received from her informant.

"The Sea Snake has been seen frequenting a specific House in the Hull for some years now," she began as she put forward the scroll, which Daemon took from her hand.

"It seems the man has a pair of bastards hidden away in the Hull," she said and saw Daemon raise a brow as he looked towards her and questioned.

"Yet what of our son? What of Baelon? Corlys would insist that I make his blood my heir," Daemon answered, and she controlled her expressions and answered in a small voice.

"Then so be it. He shall remain your son, and once you ascend the throne, you could have him inherit the Stepstones."

0000

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Rhaenyra Targaryen had spent half the night twisting and turning in her bed, words of Aenys ringing in her head as she contemplated her position as heir. Doubts crept in her heart, and then, after much twisting and turning, when the sleep did come, it came bearing ominous dreams.

In the end, she had woke up with a headache, and her mind was plagued by self-doubt. She needed to clear her head, and so she found herself in the Godswood once more as she sat under the large Heart Tree in the tranquil forest, away from all the hassles that came with being a princess and the heir.

She felt someone else step into the Godswood, their soft steps so reminiscent of much older and simpler times when her largest worry would be getting permission from her mother to ride Syrax or stealing cake from the kitchens.

They didn't speak up, walked up to her, and sat down by her side. Rhaenyra instinctively pushed her head into her soft lap, just as she would in her youth. Soft hands began to brush through her locks, and she felt her worries fly away for a moment, the pain in her lessening as the all-too-friendly intruder finally spoke up.

"I heard from your servants that had trouble sleeping last night. Is everything alright, Rhaenyra?" Alicent asked in a soft voice in a concerned tone, and for some reason, Rhaenyra missed her mother. Missed her teachings, her chidings, her scoldings, and her advice.

"I believe half the castle would have had trouble sleeping yesterday?" she answered cryptically, and Alicent's hand stopped for an instant before she heard a soft sigh. She opened her eyes and saw her orange orbs, and the flecks of gold in them, staring at her with care, her finger continued to caress her head. Her hair was arranged neatly behind her in a simple bun, and as she stared into those eyes, she just burst out.

"I just miss mother too much for some odd reason. Without her, I am feeling alone and lost," she complained as she felt her vision blurry before a sole tear slid down her cheeks. Her eyes dimmed as she gave her a broken look.

"I can understand that, even now, I sometimes wish for nothing more than to just lay in my mother's arms, despite knowing that she is long gone," and Rhaenyra was reminded that her own friend's mother had died ages ago, and could understand what she was going through.

"What do you do? How do you cope with this?" she questioned as Alicent wiped away her tears.

"I used to pray to the Seven, though these days sitting down with Aenys and Aenar helps. Sometimes I share my worries with him, and tell him of my mother and our time together, and he listens. Sometimes we sit there in silence and as the hours pass it is as if he soaks all my worries, his presence by my side an assurance that though I may no longer have my mother, I am not alone," she answered as her hands tensed for a moment.

"Not anymore," she added, and Rhaenyra wished that she had someone like that as well, someone who could help ease the burden that had fallen on her shoulders.

"So, tell me what worries plague your mind, my dear. I may not be your mother, but you are someone I hold very dear to my heart. Let me lighten your burden?" suddenly, Alicent said as she gave her a gentle smile, and Rhaenyra's heart thumped at those words, and after some contemplation, she spoke up.

"I went to meet Aenys last night," she told her, and Alicent and Rhaenyra knew many a man in court would have raised a fit at those words, yet Alicent hadn't even reacted, showing her trust in her and Aenys.

"I wanted to know what it meant to be a ruler, wanted to learn whether all this fighting would veer stop, and was a Crown really worth more than family and kin," she spoke up and Alicent had a complicated expression on her face as she questioned.

"And did you get your answer," she questioned, and Rhaenyra thought about it.

Had she gotten her answer? Yes. She had.

And though a big part of her wished to deny that, she had reached the answer, for this whole matter depended little on her answer, no the person who held the answer was Daemon and he had shown his hand in the melee. And now she could decide to close her eyes and be blind to it or realize the reality that now stared her in the face.

"Yes, I did," she replied, as she looked into her eyes,

"Did you know what my dream for myself was when we were young?" she questioned, and Alicent frowned as she seemed to think for a moment before her eyes lit up.

"Yes, I remember," she replied with a chuckle, though that stopped abruptly as her head snapped towards her, eyes wide and with a million questions hidden in them.

"Rhaenyra, you cannot mean…." She didn't let her finish as she nodded.

"I am," Alicent said, shaking her head. Her lips thinned as she looked at her.

"It's a big decision, one that would have major consequences not just for you but for the whole realm. Do not rush into this. Think about it very seriously," she warned her.

"I will, but do you think he will agree?" she suddenly questioned, and the response was instant as she shook her head.

"No, I believe he will not." Came the answer.

She had guessed the same, yet no matter what, she would think about it more before bringing it up to him or her father.

0000

TYCHO HARON

Tycho Haron sat in the manse that had been arranged for him as he waited for Prince Aenys. His mind was still reeling from what had happened at the tourney grounds yesterday, and he was impressed by the display from the man.

Prince Aenys Targaryen, the healer Prince, had fought off three knights, before defeating the infamous rogue Prince. He wasn't blind to see the underlying tension in their fight, that was more than a simple tourney, it was a message from the younger Prince. A message to all those who were smart enough to see it.

A small knock on the door made him sit straighter as the man who had occupied his very thoughts stepped into the room. His face still carried cuts and bruises from the battle, and his hands were bandaged still, yet those eyes had more or less the same fire as they had held in that melee.

"Prince Aenys," Tycho Haron stood up and greeted the man, who reciprocated with a much chiller and sterner greeting as he sat down, Tycho had, of course known of the Prince yet this was the first time he was meeting him face to face.

He was impressed; he had heard rumors about the man and had received warnings from Armando about not underestimating him, and he could understand why. His eyes were examining him, scrutinizing him before he finally spoke up.

"So, tell me, Prince Aenys, have you made your decision?" Tycho broke the silence and saw the man's eyes narrow.

"Oh, I am afraid I will have to decline your offer," said the Prince. Tycho didn't miss the smile on the Prince's face as he continued.

"And may I ask why you would deny yourself the honor of becoming a keyholder," he questioned. The Prince didn't answer and simply reached into his pocket, took out a scroll, and put it on the table between them.

Haron recognized the scroll at first sight.

"I believe that should answer your question. It was quite difficult obtaining this charter, but I was able to do so after a lot of hassle," said the man as he leaned back.

It was the charter of Iron Bank that governed its running and the roles of the keyholders. One of the rules was that at least two key-holders were needed to veto any decision of the council. Something they had hoped to employ to bend the Prince to their will.

Yet it seemed like things were not going to go as they had planned.

"Joining your group would have basically ended my autonomy over my own life and business. My whole empire would have become hostage to you and your council had I accepted your offer," the Prince said, and Tycho didn't bother hiding it.

"We wouldn't have been so cruel. It is just that Nesaris wasn't the only one concerned with the presence of a dragon lord gaining power in Braavos," he added, and the Prince nodded.

"And that is the other thing, I refuse to believe that your group was unaware of his plans, or at least his intentions, and you could have stopped him. Yet you did not," the Prince added as he picked up the glass by his side and took a sip.

"We were only aware of his animosity towards you. That he planned to attack the Sealord was not something we had expected," he told the truth.

"And how do you think the office of the Sealord will react once he comes to know of your role in that whole ordeal," the Prince threatened.

The office of the Sealord was protected. They could not move against it openly, especially when the man was as popular as he was.

"And you are threatening to bring all this to the knowledge of the Sealord," he questioned.

"Not just that. I was also imagining how my brother would react if he came to learn that Braavos had lied to our grandfather and had bought the eggs stolen by Elissa Farman, now that would be very troublesome for everyone wouldn't it," and Tycho narrowed his eyes.

"I see, then I believe we are at an impasse," Tycho noted, for they were at an impasse. War would be bad for Braavos, and while he doubted the Kingdom of Westeros could triumph over them, their dragons represented a massive danger to Braavos.

"And what do you want?" he questioned. The Prince gave him a smile as he answered his question.

"Ohhh, it is rather simple. I want to become a keyholder," the Prince replied, and Tycho frowned until the Prince suddenly added.

"And I want my wife to be one as well!" and Tyco's head snapped towards the Prince at that, as he saw the Valyrian dragonlord smile as he continued.

"Two seats, one to Aenys Targaryen, the dragon rider, and the other to the representative of the Healer Prince as the wealthiest individual in your city, the one who was wronged by your very order," The Prine finished with a smile before he suddenly added.

"And unlike you, I will give you ample time to think about this."

0000

Read ahead and support me on Patreon. The link is down below, so if possible, have a look and consider supporting me on this journey. I would be extremely grateful!

www.Patreon.com/Drkest



A/N: Basically, this would give him autonomy over his actions and the protection afforded by those by laws. Iron Bank, for as powerful as they are, cannot move against Westeros until they have dragons.

This way, Aenys will have two seats and will be very powerful.

Basically, they had to make an offer to him because he is the richest in the city, and now he is going to leverage his position and wiggle out two seats from them.

Should Rhaenyra really abdicate to Aenys, or should she fight? And if Aenys is approached over this issue, should he agree, or should he not even entertain it?

Corlys is in trouble! Corlys's bastards are canon and are in the books!

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 44

RHAENYS TARGARYEN

Rhaenys watched her husband rage as he paced through on the balcony. A frown marred his face.

"This is preposterous! Preposterous! How dare he deny us the match!" he said through gritted teeth, and she had been surprised by Viserys's decision as well. He had seemed receptive to the match when they had first discussed it, so the refusal had come as a surprise.

A part of her was elated though, she was never truly easy marrying off her daughter to Viserys, knowing that doing so would thrust her into the middle of the impending conflict. A conflict that could have drawn its first blood yesterday in that tourney.

"He shames us! Shame my House! I will not stand for this," said Corlys as he entered the chamber once again, and she frowned at his words.

"You exaggerate. Viserys has refused to take a wife at all, he hasn't just denied a match with Laena," she cut in, and saw Corlys look at her with a frown.

"How could you say that? Do you have no care for our legacy? For the legacy of our House!" he shouted at her, and she was taken aback by his tone. Her eyes narrowed as she cut in a cold tone.

"You mean your legacy! For neither House Velaryon's nor House Targaryen's legacy is in jeopardy," she cut in and saw him grind his teeth.

"Whatever I do, I do so for this family! I do to right the wrong done to you…!" but Rhaenys had had enough and cut in.

"ENOUGH!" she said, raising her voice and saw that it had taken Corlys by surprise.

"I have had enough of you, painting your own ambition with my blood. I have long come to terms with the decision of that Council," she said in an icy tone.

"Though it appears as if you haven't. You still hunger after the Crown, wish to see your own blood on that throne. So be honest, do not cloud your true intentions, with this false veneer," she spoke with an icy tone and saw him rage.

"Our blood was supposed to sit on that throne. Our BLOOD! It was our right!" he shouted, and she shook her head.

The decision of the Grand Council had been painful. It had hurt her greatly. Yet sometimes, as she saw Laenor laughing carelessly with Laena or with his lover, despite her anger she felt grateful for that ruling of the Grand Council, especially as she had seen Rhaenyra scream as Daemon had swung that blade at Gwayne.

She was thankful that she had chosen the Hightower boy, for she didn't have the heart to see her own son on the other side of that blade.

Her children were her greatest treasure, and she cared much more for their lives than that ugly seat.

"You may have given up on it. But I have not!" Corlys said, and his head snapped towards him, as she felt her heart race up.

"What do you mean?" she questioned as she saw his eyes glint ominously.

"Viserys has denied us our right! This leaves me no other choice. We must ally ourselves with Daemon," he uttered, and she could not believe her ears for a second. Yet as she realized that he meant what he had said, she was appalled and asked incredulously.

"Have you lost your mind? DAEMON! Daemon that nearly killed a lord infront of everyone yesterday!" she questioned his sanity for even bringing up the match, and yet, as she watched him look into his eyes, she saw that he was actually serious about this.

"Daemon Is wild indeed! Yet we need him for his blood just like he needs us for ours. As for his behavior, he is a beast, yet he could be brought under control."

She scoffed at his words.

"Daemon is a rabid beast, one that no one can control. He even bit the very hand that fed it all these years. Viserys always stood up for him even when the whole court stood against him. Yet today, he raised his sword against Viserys's blood," she pointed out as she shook her head.

"I have had enough of your machinations, husband! I went along with your initial plan, but I will not let you marry our daughter to a beast like Daemon!" she spoke with finality and saw Corlys turn towards her with a snarl.

"You have no say in this, Rhaenys! I am the Lord of this House, and I shall decide on its future!" he spoke, and she was surprised by his words, taken aback by his tone.

"Yet the very claim of our children comes from my blood! Mine, not yours!" she snarled angrily.

And Corlys shook his head.

"They may share our blood, yet they carry my name! They are Velaryons and will do their duty to this House despite what you say!"

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

"And you think they will agree?" she questioned as Aenys told her about his meeting with the representative from Iron Bank.

He nodded.

"They have no other choice; open war is bad for business, and my businesses in Braavos are too big. They cannot target me without turning the populace of the city against themselves," he added, and she narrowed her gaze, realizing that all those altruistic actions taken by him were finally showing their power.

The common folk of Braavos loved the healer, Prince, perhaps even more than the common fold of Kingslanding, for his operations in Braavos were nearly twice as large as the one's in Kingslanding.

"And what if they don't?" she questioned, growing concerned, and he shook his head as he wrapped his arms around her. As both of them lay in his chambers, the healers didn't want him to move much, yet he had ignored them and went to meet this keyholder called Haron.

"I am telling you they won't. There are people among the key holders who hold favorable views about me; it was one of them that helped me obtain the charter, and they have assured me that the Council does not seek a confrontation. This matter will resolve itself soon," and she could see him relax. The tension that had weighed him down for months now lowered somewhat as he lay there in his bed, with his arms wrapped around her.

"Was this the reason for all your charity work in Braavos?" she suddenly questioned as her mind remembered her father's words from last night.

Aenys frowned as he looked down at her. His hair had grown long, at least longer than usual, and reached his ears, and his purple gaze glinted as the fingers of his idle hand brushed her cheek.

"And if I say yes, will that change the good I did by healing those people," he said, and that was an answer enough. And she shook her head as she gripped the covers tightly and pulled them up.

"No, it would not. Though I can still not imagine myself becoming a keyholder," she said as she settled her head on his chest. Its rhythmic rise and fall comforted her.

"Ohh, you will be fine. The charter basically forces them to offer the key to the richest individual in Braavos, and given that Nesaris tried to kill me, I am entitled to his seat as well," he added.

"I am not making them give me anything less than I deserve. Don't worry about this too much," he said as his fingers brushed through her hair, and she wouldn't. That didn't mean there were other things occupying her mind.

They had not had time to lie down since the birth of Aenar, and it had been some time since she had found herself in his arms like this, simply alone and in solitude. Both of them weren't very talkative and preferred the silence of togetherness.

"There is something on your mind," he added, and she should have known that he wouldn't miss the signs of her tumultuous thoughts, just as she would not.

"Is this about meeting your father? I told you, Alicent, you don't ha…." And she shook her head.

"NO, no, this isn't about that," she said as she straightened up, pulling the sheets around herself to cover up as she sat down and looked at him.

"In fact, I met him out of my own choice," she told him, and he raised a brow.

"Then tell me what troubles you," he questioned as he leaned forward himself. The sheets only covered him from the waist down, and his whole upper body was bare now, the various scars and wounds there for her to see.

She bit her lip as she thought of what to say until she finally decided to ask him the question head-on.

"Have you ever desired to be King?" and she saw that her question caught him by surprise, as he stilled for a moment before he answered. And his answer came as quickly as she had expected when she had told Rhaenyra, as he shook his head.

"No, I have never desired to sit on that Iron Throne, but why are you asking this," he questioned, and she didn't doubt his answer. Over the years, she had come to know him. She had come to know enough of him that Aenys held little desire for the throne.

"There are rumors, rumors that a Grand Council may be called again to deal with the matter of succession," she began and saw his eyes narrow as he nodded.

"Indeed, I have heard such rumors as well. And maybe it will get called, the Lords shall vote for Rhaenyra, and she shall become the Queen, with her children taking the throne after her," he answered.

"And what if they don't? What if they vote for Daemon?" she cut in, and he shook his head, thinking the whole scenario would be a jape.

"And why will they do that? Daemon is a cruel monster, one whose face they all saw just yesterday. He is a vile monster who would resort to kinslaying. The realm will be damned if they vote for him."

"But he is a man," she cut in sadly and he gazed at her with a complex expression at her words.

"And a great warrior who conquered the tumultuous lands of Stepstones, the absolution of his marriage also opens the possibility of probably match, a match that could help him gain considerable political capital," she answered, and Aenys's expression became more and more grave with her words, until he finally cut through the tense silence.

"Then may the Gods have mercy on the people of Westeros, for those lords will have damned the men and women of the seven Kingdoms," he said. She gulped.

"Rhaenyra would make a great Queen, yet she is young and a woman. And though I know you disagree with them, many in the realm believe a woman to be incapable of ruling. Daemon has many accomplishments to his name, honors that would attract many a lord to his side," she added, and Aenys leaned back into the bed.

"Then we shall pray that the Lords of the realm make the right choice out of the two," he said until she cut in.

"But what if they had another option," and she felt him still at her words as his eyes shifted. Gone was the loving gaze he would always direct at her, and out came the cunning Targaryen Prince who had demolished the entire Triarchy under his heel.

His icy gaze landed on her as he uttered in a cold tone.

"You cannot be proposing that," he said, and she bit her lip as she mustered all her courage and gazed into his eyes, the sheer act taking much more courage and bravery than she had expected yet she knew she had to.

"And what if I am?" she challenged, and his eyes widened as his fists balled up as his gaze tightened before he added in a chilling tone.

"She is your friend. You call her a sister, and you would have me usurp her birthright!" he spoke, his voice cold and detached. He had never taken that tone with her. Never.

And this was the rage the whole world feared, unlike the fiery rage of the Rogue Prince and King Viserys. This was the cold rage said to have been possessed by the Old King Jaehaerys, Aenys's grandfather. The one which had made the King dye the streets scarlet as he mounted the heads of half the Flea bottom on pikes when they slaughtered his Master of Coin in a riot.

"And what if it is Rhaenyra herself who makes such a proposition? What if the notion I speak of is one being considered by her," she added and saw his temper soothe a bit as he shook his head.

"That would never happen. The Gods have yet to make a man who lacks desire for the Throne," he said, and she cut in quickly.

"You are wrong," and he looked towards her with a frown.

"You told me earlier, for didn't you tell me earlier that you never desired the throne!"

And as the couple lay in bed, a small envoy entered the capitol, clad in fine armor carrying sigils of a falcon flying on a blue background.

0000

Read ahead and support me by becoming a patron. The link is down below, so please, if you can, consider supporting me in this journey.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest



A/N: A bit short, but yeah, Aenys and Alicent's relationship is healthy enough that she could approach such a topic.

Should Aenys accept the proposition? Please comment.

 

[Drkest]

Chapter 45

VISERYS TARGARYEN

Viserys Targaryen, rider of Balerions, King of the Seven Kingdoms, yet the man had been blind to the dangers sprouting right beside him. Even now, days later, his mind has failed to grasp the implications of Aenys's words.

A dreamer. Blessed, or as some would say cursed with visions of the future. It had been nearly a hundred years since a Targaryen had been born with this gift, with the Conqueror rumored to be the last who passed down his vision through his Song of Ice and Fire, a prophecy that had been passed onto him by his grandsire.

Yet the prophesized winter lay in the distant future, and there was another tragedy looming at their doorsteps one which appeared more and more imminent with each passing day. And as he looked up at the people sitting across him at the table, his gaze ignored the rest as it landed on Rhaenyra, his dear daughter, as she conversed with Aenys's lady wife in a hushed tone, his heart wrenched as he imagined the tragedy that the fates had set for her to face.

Was she ready? Could she overcome the tribulations that the Gods had in store for her? And what could he do to aid her?

And so, in these desperate times, Viserys missed the love of her life, for she would have known the answer. Yet she was not here, and it was up to him to ensure the safety of her last reaming symbol.

And so, he coughed slightly and spoke up as everyone turned to face him.

"I have something to say," he began and saw three sets of eyes turn towards him as he told them what he had told the Council earlier in the morning.

"After much deliberation, I have decided that I shall not take a second wife," he said in a single breath and saw Aenys's eyes tighten at her words. However, he didn't miss a brief sense of relief passing over Rhaenyra, gone as soon as it had appeared as his brother cut in from the side.

"What do you mean you are not taking a second wife? Hadn't you decided on marrying Laena Velaryon?" Aenys questioned, and Viserys nodded, wincing internally as Aenys mentioned the name so causally especially infront of Rhaenyra.

"Yes, and after much deliberation I have decided against it, he began as he turned to face Aenys, his voice becoming much quieter as he added rather silently.

"-especially after some rather illuminating discussions," and saw Aenys still at those words, as he understood the hidden meaning.

"But what of the Council?" Rhaenyra questioned from further ahead, as Viserys turned to face his daughter.

"You told me that the Council was pushing for you to take a second wife?" she questioned, and he nodded.

"Yes, indeed the Council was insistent over the matter, yet you forget that it is not the Council who rules over the realm but me, and so it is my descion not theirs and I have decided against it,"

"Yes, indeed, the Council was insistent over the matter, yet you forget that it is not the Council who rules over the realm but me, and so it is my decision, not theirs, and I have decided against it," he replied with a smile.

"And with your upcoming nuptials, their reasoning becomes void," he added and saw her look down with a blush, and wasn't that a sense of relief for him?

Gwayne Hightower was a young lad, honorable and chivalrous from what he had gathered from Lord Lyonel, and most importantly, the young genuinely cared for his daughter.

More importantly, this would strengthen her ties with Alicent and, in return, Aenys, who was still looking at him with a complicated gaze. And after the wanton display of brutality from Daemon at the melee, the least he had reasoned was that for her safety, it was essential for her that she had Aenys's support, for he was the only one he could trust to shield her from his brother's clenches.

"And with your marriage and subsequent children, the succession shall take care of itself," he added and saw Rhaenyra look down abashedly.

There were whispers growing in the court about the power now held by House Hightower, and though they were mostly malicious, Viserys knew that he needed to deal with this issue before it got out of hand. Otto had served him loyally for years, and he considered the man a close aide and a friend, yet he was King, and it was time for him to let go.

He already had an idea of whom to appoint as the man's replacement, and given the man's history

The lighter mood of the room was broken by Aenys's icy voice.

"Are you sure of this, Viserys? And have you told this to anyone else yet," his younger brother questioned, and Viserys turned to face him and nodded.

"I have," he answered and saw Aenys's eyes narrow as he questioned.

"How did Lord Corlys take the news?"

And Viserys sighed as he remembered Corlys's reaction.

"The man, of course, did not take it well and left the Council room, leaving his Master of Ship badge right there as his resignation," and the whole room's atmosphere shifted instantly, and he saw Aeny's mind race as his eyes widened seconds later as he added.

"A man as prideful as Corlys will not have taken the news well; the man's ambition knows no bounds, and I am afraid your refusal would not deter him," Aenys added, his voice grave and somber as he looked towards him.

"And I believe in achieving his ambition. The man will try and make an alliance with someone else, someone who shares his own ambition," he added, and Viserys stilled as he realized Aenys's implication.

"You cannot mean!" he gasped. "But the man already rejected Daemon once. Why the hell would he accept a match between him and Laena now," Viserys argued, despite knowing in his heart that such an outcome was highly likely given Corlys's ambitious nature.

"He rejected the match, for he thought he had a better opportunity of marrying Laena off to you, though I doubt after the rejection he will not reconsider the match," Aenys replied and Viserys became quiet as he thought of Corlys and Daemon.

"Then so be it. Let the man marry his daughter to Daemon. It will do naught to change the succession," he roared, getting tired of all this. He had already made his decision.

"Rhaenyra shall rule after just as her children shall do so after her!" he roared and saw Rhaenyra looking at him with a complicated expression contrary to the one of pride he had expected.

"Perhaps you could talk to Lord Corlys to deter him against such a match," Aenys's lady wife added from the side, and Aenys frowned.

"And why would the man listen to me," Aenys questioned.

"Because you saved his daughter," Rhaenyra cut in from the side, and Viserys nodded.

"Indeed, despite his ambitions, the man is indebted to you," he said to Aenys.

"Caution, the man against the match, talk to Rhaenys if he refuses to budge," and Aenys nodded.

"I shall try," and then there was a small knock on the door. Viserys frowned as a servant entered the dining room and gave a bow.

"Your grace, a retinue has arrived from the Vale and seeks an audience."

And Viserys frowned at that.

"A retinue from the Vale," and the servant nodded. The relationship between the Crown and the Eastern Kingdoms had been rocky since the annulation of the marriage between Lady Royce and Daemon, so the arrival of a retinue from the Land of the Knights seemed rather ominous.

"Lead them to the Court, and have the Court assemble. I shall meet them in the Throne room," he ordered.

0000

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Rhaenyra stood at the heel of the Iron Throne and its hundred thousand swords, besides Aenys and Alicent as the court prepared to welcome the retinue from the Vale. The courtroom was on edge for supposedly the retinue had ridden hard and was headed by one of Lady Jeyne Arryn's leal men.

She was a cousin to the lady of the Vale, the Blue Jeyne as she was famously called, and their situations were similar. Her own claim upon the Eyrie had been challenged twice now by her cousin Arnold Arryn.

Her eyes went towards the Iron Throne, the seat of power of their own house, and her father, who sat on the said seat regally, wearing the Crown of his Grandsire atop his head as two of the Kingsgaurd stood by his side.

All this fighting and hunger was for that one seat. A misshapen hunk of blood and steel forged in Dragon fire out of the blades of Aegon's enemy. And now, for the first time in a long time, she found the throne not grand but ugly as she recalled the extent to which its hunger had driven Daemon.

"Announcing, Ser Donnel Arryn, from the Eyrie and Ser Edmund Royce, of Runestone," the herald announced as the gates to the throne room were opened, and the two said men walked in. Both of them clad in their armors, adorned with their sigils as the blue eyes Arryn man walked infront of the brown-haired knight from Runestone.

The two of them walked up to the base of the throne and knelt down to one knee.

"Rise, Ser Donnel, Ser Edmund," her father said from the throne and two rose up.

"Thank you, Your Grace. First of all, I bring well wishes of Lady Jeyne Arryn for the Princess over her upcoming nuptials," the man began as took out the official missive and gave it to the servants.

"Her wishes are well received, but couldn't the Lady Arryn have come to the capital herself, after all aren't we kin," her father questioned regally, putting the two knights on the spot.

Ser Donnel Arryn, perked up and was quick to answer.

"She wished to your grace, yet House Royce of Runestone is set to join blood with the House of Arryn," he remarked, and she felt the whole Court perk up, much like herself at those words, for there could only be one potential match that came to mind.

"Lady Rhea Royce is set to marry Ser Joffrey Arryn, the Knight of the Gate," and her eyes widened at that.

Joffrey Arryn was a cousin to Lady Jeyne, one whose relationship was much more distant than the one shared between Jeyne and her first cousin Arnold, who coveted her throne and wished to dethrone her.

In this context, this match was very interesting, specifically when one realized the importance of Runestone, which was a major House in Vale.

"The Crown congratulates the House of Arryn and Royce on this auspicious match," her father replied stiffly. There was still bitterness between the Crown and House Royce over the annulation of the marriage between Daemon and Lady Rhea.

"Apart from that, I bring another request from my liege lady, your grace," the man began as her father motioned for the man to continue.

"After Prince Daemon conquered the Stepstones, many of the pirates escaped the war and have now merged forces with the pirates of the Three fingers, they are now harassing our ships, enslaving our men. The Mountain clans gather as well. In this situation, the Vale seeks the Crown's aid in dealing with the pirates. For all our valor and honor, we lack the ships necessary to eradicate the pirates that were driven to three feet by Prince Daemon's war."

And she saw her father's eyes narrow at the mention of Prince Daemon, though it was tactful of the knights from the Vale when they had called it Prince Daemon's war, yet with the recent tensions between Lord Corlys and her father, sending aid to House Arryn would not be easy for House Velaryon controlled the most ships.

"The Crown will consider your request, Sers. In the meantime, you and your companions should rest well and enjoy the hospitalities of the capital."

0000

LARYS STRONG

Power was fickle, Larys thought as he walked through the streets of the capital, returning from a rather genial and measured talk with the Rogue Prince's mistress.

The woman was rather smart and had planted herself to Prince Daemon's side, soothing his worries and wielding his power as the Prince tried to gather support for his bid for the Iron Throne. A perilous task in which he had given the man his unspoken support when he had told the Lyseni woman of Lord Corlys's two bastards.

He smiled as he looked at the common folk, trudging along like sheep and cattle, unaware of the war brewing infront of them and how marvelous the war would be now that Princess had finally begun to realize that the reality which of sitting on the Iron throne. A glimpse of it had already appeared, much through his own machinations when he had helped Prince Daemon enter the castle, and had led him to nursery where the young Prince Aenar lay.

The subsequent clash between the two brothers had now set the stage for the conflict to come, and was simply a prelude. And what magnificent prelude had it been. Even now, days later their clash was on everyone's mind, and this clash had been one of metal, just how magnificent would it be when their dragons would join in as well.

Larys had grown up hearing tales of the Prince Aenys's intellect from his father, who had known the Prince from their times together in the citadel, and his father's words had never been more true. Yet his skill with a sword had been just as great, if not greater.

Of all the people set to be involved in this conflict, the Prince was the biggest enigma, his intentions hidden behind a veil of virtuous reputation that he refused to believe, his power and influence greater than any other man. Larys often wondered what went behind those Amethyst orbs, yet he could never approach the man, for his gaze was too cautious, too powerful, for he knew with one wrong everything he had built could unra….

"KUKKKG!" suddenly, pain rippled through him, searing pain, and he glanced down and found an arrow coming out of his chest as he lost the strength in his legs and fell to the ground as the guards rushed towards him, shouting.

His vision blurred, and the last thought he had was of the very man who had most definitely arranged this.

It seems that he hadn't been able to escape the Prince's gaze in the end, the Prince who had apparently decided to show his true colors.

0000

Read ahead and support me by becoming a Patron. Your support helps me write these stories, so have a look and consider supporting me if you can. It would help me out quite a lot.

www.Patreon.com/Drkest

Have a superb day!

A/N: I told you, didn't I? Aenys is a father now, and this shows the shift in his temperament. Previously, he may have spared the man for the virtue of being related to Lyonel Strong.

Aenys may tolerate an attack on himself, but if you go after those he loves. He will end you!