It had been hours since the funeral of Queen Aemma Arryn and Prince Baelon Targaryen. Grief still hung over the court as all wore black to represent their mourning. Viserys and Rhaenyra especially. Aegon saw that the father and daughter had not been talking to each other since the funeral when they should be. Aegon was in his room, writing a letter to Melina explaining what had happened. He noted that he was planning to be back, but he knew he must stay to comfort his brother during this grief due to the circumstances. Queen Aemma's death made Aegon think about his mother, who died giving birth to him, and if Aemma's death gave his older brothers memories of it. With that in mind, he left his room, entered Daemon's, and saw him getting ready.
"Where are you going?" Aegon asked his brother as Daemon turned to face him.
"I thought I would go to the city," Daemon said.
Aegon nodded, not pushing further, knowing Daemon was heading to a pleasure house.
"You could come?" Daemon offered as Aegon shook his head, declining the offer. "There was a time you gladly came with me."
"A different time, with different circumstances," Aegon replied with a half-smile.
"Different circumstances?" Daemon asked with his eyebrow raised. "Nothing stopped you when you married Claryssa."
Aegon stared at his brother. He was right. There was a time when he would go to pleasure houses and enjoy what they had when it was clear that his and Claryssa's marriage was not getting better. Claryssa didn't seem to care if he was discreet. However, it was hard to do so with him being a prince. He did stop, but it wasn't because of Claryssa, but because of Melina. Ever since he fell in love with her, he lay with no other woman but her. Daemon looked at his brother and chuckled, knowing it was not Claryssa to who Aegon became loyal but his paramour. Despite Aegon making his intentions clear, Daemon and Viserys always dismissed the idea of Aegon loving Melina, thinking that it was just another fling, despite him having a son with her.
"Did you see Viserys?" Aegon asked, changing the subject with Daemon being silent. "What about Rhaenyra?" he asked again, and Daemon being quiet again, "They need us, Daemon."
"We all mourn differently, brother," Daemon said softly, who always went alone whenever he was grieving for a deceased loved one.
Aegon sighed; he then looked at his brother, wanting to ask a question he had wanted to ask for a long time. "How did you feel when mother died?"
Daemon looked at him with an unreadable expression. Then, he approached his brother and said, "I was younger than Rhaenyra. I was sad, angry, and confused. I wondered why it had to happen and why she died so soon after birthing you. But when I looked at you at your crib, I remembered that a piece of her still lived on."
Aegon smiled at his answer, "Rhaenyra is the piece of Aemma that still lives on."
Daemon smiled and said, "Did you hear that Otto Hightower called a council meeting."
"Now," Aegon asked, surprised, "Hours after the funeral. For what?"
Daemon shrugged his shoulders, "Might be about the succession. You know of his feeling of me taking the throne."
Aegon thought for a minute and had an idea. "There is one way to find out. Follow me." He said as he led Daemon back to his room. When they entered, Aegon closed the door and locked it while Daemon had a curious look on his face. Then Aegon went to the portrait by the fireplace, grabbed the frame, and pulled it open. Daemon was surprised to see a stairwell that led to a passageway.
"So, this is how you managed to sneak off when you were a child," Daemon said with a smile, impressed by his brother remembering all the secret passageways placed when the Red Keep was being built by Maegor the Cruel. Aegon smiled and led his brother inside as he closed the frame.
"Do you know where you're going?" Daemon asks.
"I went through every single passageway," Aegon said, "I know every inch of them."
The two brothers made their way to a door as Aegon slowly and quietly opened it, leading to the council room that King Viserys and his council members occupied. Otto Hightower, Hand of the King; Lord Corlys Velaryon, the Master of Ships; Lord Lyonel Strong, Master of Laws; Lord Lyman Beesbury, Master of Coin; and Grand Maester Mellos. Daemon and Aegon stayed in hiding as they listened to the council discussing, mainly Otto doing the talking.
"These recent tragedies have left you without an obvious heir," Otto said.
"The King has an heir, my Lord Hand." Lord Corlys interjected.
"Despite how difficult this time is, Your Grace," Otto said, ignoring Corlys, "I feel it is important the succession be firmly in place for the stability of the realm."
"The succession is already set," said Lord Lyonel, "by precedent and by law."
"Shall we say his name?" Lord Corlys said as he sat down in his seat, not wanting to play the charade and be honest, "Daemon Targaryen."
"If Daemon were to remain the uncontested heir," Grand Maester Mellos stated, "it could destabilize the realm."
"The realm? Or this council?" Corlys asked.
"No one here can know what Daemon would do were he king," Otto reasoned, "but no one can doubt his ambition. Look at what he did with the gold cloaks. The City Watch is fiercely loyal to him. An army 2,000 strong."
"An army you gave him, Otto." Viserys reminded his Hand." I named Daemon Master of Laws, but you said he was a tyrant. As Master of Coin, you said he was a spendthrift that would beggar the realm. Putting Daemon in command of The City Watch was your solution!"
"A half-measure, Your Grace." Otto admitted, "The truth is, Daemon should be far away from this court."
"Daemon is my brother," Viserys reminded with a warning look to all the council members, "My blood. And he will have his place at my court."
"Let him keep his place at court, Your Grace," Mello began to say, "but if the gods should visit some further tragedy on you, either by design or by accident-."
"Design?" Viserys repeated, staring at the Grand Maester, "What are you saying? My brother would murder me, take my crown? Are you?!"
The council members said nothing as Daemon and Aegon hid behind the wall as they listened to their brother.
"Daemon has ambition, yes, but not for the throne," Viserys defended his brother as Daemon chuckled softly while Aegon raised his brow, "He lacks the patience for it."
"The gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power, Your Grace," Otto said grimly to the king, who stared at him.
"Under such circumstances, it would not be an aberration for the King to name a successor."
"You mean for the king to name his youngest brother his heir?" Lyonel asked, which grabbed Aegon's attention.
"Aegon is not suited to be named heir or any place at court." Otto began to say as he shook his head.
"And why is that, Otto?" Viserys asked, giving him a warning look.
"Aegon may be a prince and has a son by his lady wife, but it is clear he has no desire to contribute to the crown by any means," Otto began to say with caution, "He spends all his time flying across the Narrow Sea time and again, and let's not forget of his other affairs. He has a paramour in Braavos and a bastard. He might even try and bring this Braavosi Whore and her child into the realm, possibly at court."
Daemon chuckled at what Otto said until he looked at Aegon, who stared at Otto for calling Melina a whore.
"There have been rumors that prince Aegon has requested the king to do just that, my Lord Hand," Mellos said as all the council members began to look at the king.
Viserys looked down and reluctantly said, "He has."
"As I suspected." Otto said, "And who's to say he does not have more mistresses we are unaware of? If crown king, he could bring in a harem of whores and bastards alike."
"Even so, who else would have a claim?" Lord Lyonel asked as the council stayed silent, waiting for the answer.
"The King's firstborn child," Otto answered.
"Rhaenyra?" Lyonel asked in disbelief, "A girl? No queen has ever sat on the Iron Throne."
"That is only by tradition and precedent, Lord Strong," Mellos stated.
"If order and stability so concern this council, then perhaps we shouldn't break 100 years of it by naming a girl heir." Lyonel shot back at Mellos as Daemon and Aegon listened closely as the council debated.
"Dameon would be a second Maegor, or worse." Moreover, Otto reasoned, "he is impulsive and violent. As for Aegon, he flies about as he wishes, not caring for the crown or how he brings gossip and scandal to it, his wife and son. It is the duty of this council to protect the King and the realm from them." Viserys looked at Otto while his Hand continued. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, but that is the truth as I see it, and I know that others here agree."
"I will not be made to choose between my brothers and my daughter," Viserys said.
"You wouldn't have to, Your Grace." Lord Corlys said, "There are others who would have a claim."
Lyonel then laughed, "Such as your wife, Lord Corlys. The Queen Who Never Was?"
"Rhaenys was the only child of Jaehaery's eldest son." But, Corlys said, "She had a strong claim at the Great Council, and she already has a male heir."
"Just moments ago, you announced your support for Daemon!" Otto interjected.
"And let us not forget that prince Aegon also has a male heir of his own, prince Baelar" Lyonel reminded.
"But that does not mean he is suited for being the heir." Otto shot back
"If we cannot agree on an heir, then how can we expect-" Lyonel began to say as the tension rose.
"My wife and son are dead!" Viserys then shouted at his council, who then became quiet. "I will not sit here and suffer crows that come to feast on their corpses!"
And with that, the king got up and walked out of the council chambers after having enough debating on who should be his heir as he was still grieving for his wife and son. Daemon and Aegon, having heard everything, slowly walked back to the secret passageway and made their way to Aegon's room.
"Otto was always a leech," Daemon said.
"Viserys is too much in his grief to see that." Aegon then looked at his brother and asked, "what would you do if he made you an heir?"
Daemon smiled and left the room, leaving Aegon to his thoughts. Aegon thought about it. He does not want to be the heir, but his wife would love that. He then thought about Melina and what Otto called her. The Braavosi Whore. That is what the people at court called her behind his back. Aegon then left his room, walked to Viserys' chambers, and saw him working on a diorama of Old Valyria.
"I see your project is progressing well," Aegon told his brother.
"Yes," Viserys said with a sad smile, "I had more time to work on it as of late."
Aegon slowly pulled up a chair and sat in front of his brother. "You always were fascinated by history; I never knew why."
"History always teaches us about the past," Viserys answered him. "To remind us of past failures so we won't repeat them in the future." Aegon then nodded in agreement.
"Have you spoken to Rhaenyra after the funeral?" Aegon asked.
Viserys looked down at the dragon figurine he was carving and did not answer.
"She needs you, brother," Aegon said, "Just as you need her."
"I don't know what to say," Viserys said, afraid of what Rhaenyra would do or say.
"You're worried she blames you for what happened to Aemma," Aegon concluded, reading Viserys' thoughts as his brother did not look up to him. Aegon then got up, put his hand on Viserys' shoulder, and said, "You and Daemon did not blame me for Mother's death. Rhaenyra wants you to speak with her. She needs you now more than ever." Aegon finished as his brother turned to him and gave a grateful smile.
"I'm staying Viserys," Aegon told him
"For how long," Viserys asked, surprised that his brother was staying.
"As long as you need me," Aegon answered as his brother took his hand and thanked him with tears in his eyes. "I'll let you be," Aegon said as he soon left the room, but he did not see Lady Alicent coming up to the kings' chambers from the other side wearing an elegant dress.
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It had been a day after the funeral of Aemma Arryn and Baelon Targaryen; Aegon was walking through the halls of the Red Keep looking for Viserys to see how he had been faring since the funeral and soon ran into Leah Lannister.
"Good evening, Lady Leah." Aegon greeted her.
"Good evening, my prince," Leah said as she bowed her head.
"How is my son faring," Aegon asked her with a smile.
"He's doing well," Leah answered.
"You both seem to get along well," Aegon commented, and Leah blushed.
"We do talk with one another at times." Leah sheepishly said
"Sometimes on dragon back, I heard." Aegon smiled at her, hearing the stories of Baelar taking Leah to ride Orvax with him.
Aegon saw her blush, but he then noticed that something else had her mind.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked her as Leah looked down at her hands, not wanting to say.
"Leah, you can tell me," Aegon assured her.
"Rhaenyra told me that in the small council meeting, prince Daemon was at a pleasure house last night entertaining his officers from the City Watch," Leah began to say, "And he was heard calling the deceased prince Baelon, the Heir for a Day."
Aegon's eyes widened in shock that his brother would say such a thing, especially when the boy and his mother died recently.
"Do you know what the king said?" Aegon asked her as she shook her head.
"All Rhaenyra told me was that the king summoned prince Daemon to the throne room," Leah answered.
He thanked her as he raced to his room and went to the portrait frame and went inside the passageway, and made his way to the gallery in the throne room, where he saw Viserys on the Iron Throne, wearing his crown and having the sword that belonged to Aegon the Conqueror named Blackfyre. He then saw the doors open as Daemon walked to his brother.
"You bear the image of the Conqueror, brother," Daemon commented.
"Did you say it?" Viserys asked him.
"I don't know what you mean," Daemon said, not knowing the situation.
"You will address me as Your Grace, or I will have my Kingsguard cut out your tongue." Viserys threatened, surprising Daemon. "The Heir for a Day, did you say it?"
Daemon then looked to the side and then at the floor, realizing what was happening. "We must all mourn in our own way, Your Grace." It was all Daemon could say, and he looked up to his brother.
Viserys stared at him and said, "My family has just been destroyed, and while Aegon has been at my side and Rhaenyra's to comfort us, you chose to celebrate your own rise! Laughing with your whores and your lickspittles!" The king shouted in pure rage as Aegon could not do anything but watch it all unfold between his older brothers. "You have no allies at court but me! I have only ever defended you! Yet everything I've given you, you've thrown back in my face."
"You've only ever tried to send me away." Daemon argues, "To the Vale, to the City Watch, anywhere but by your side. Ten years you have been king, and not once have you made me your Hand."
"Why would I do that?" Viserys asked in disbelief.
"Because I'm your brother." Daemon answered, "And the blood of the dragon runs thick."
"Then why do you cut me so deeply." Viserys then asked as his lip began to quiver.
"I have only ever spoken the truth." But, Daemon said, "I see Otto Hightower for what he is."
"An unwavering and loyal Hand," Viserys said.
"A cunt!" Daemon replied loudly, "A second son who stands to inherit nothing he doesn't seize for himself."
"Otto Hightower is a more honorable than you could ever be." Viserys dismissed
"He doesn't protect you; I would." Daemon urged.
"From what?" Viserys asked.
"Yourself," Daemon said as his brother stared at him, "Your weak, Viserys and that council of leeches know it. They will prey on you for their own ends."
Then silence filled the room as Aegon looked at his brothers, knowing that this would not end well due to Daemon's words. He wanted to intervene, but the words that had been exchanged already did too much damage.
"I have decided to name a new heir," Viserys said as he laid back on the throne.
"I'm your heir." Daemon reminded.
"Not anymore," Viserys replied, "You are to return to Runestone and to your lady wife at once, and you are to do so without quarrel. By order of your King." He finished with an authoritative tone in his voice. Daemon tried to walk up to his brother until the Kingsguard blocked him with swords at the ready. Then, realizing that there was nothing he could do, all Daemon could say, while looking at his brother with a sad face, was, "Your Grace." He slowly turned and walked away from the throne room. Viserys lifted his hand to rub his head from the headache he got from the ordeal, but as he did it, he got cut from the thrones and saw he was bleeding but ignored it. However, there was a superstition that if a king cut himself on the Iron Throne, he was not suited for the crown, and his days were numbered.
Aegon left the throne room, went to Daemon's room, and confronted him.
"The Heir for a Day." As Daemon turned and saw his brother looking at him, Aegon asked, "tell me, Otto Hightower made it up."
"It was a bad joke to my officers of the City Watch." But, Daemon said, "nothing more."
"Our brother is in grief for his wife and son," Aegon said, "And you make a jape of it."
"How did Otto know about it?" Daemon asked Aegon, who gave him a questioning look, "I was not in the Red Keep but far in the city. How did Otto Hightower know when I was not in the Red Keep?"
"Maybe it was one of the officers who were with you." Aegon assumed, trying to understand why Daemon was asking him these questions.
"Officers who are loyal to me." Daemon reminded, "Otto has spies who run through the city like rats in the passageways. Spying on me to bring about my ruin. To separate Viserys and me because he knows I would show Viserys what he truly is."
Aegon could not help but think that Daemon was right. It was strange that Otto was able to get that kind of information when Daemon was surrounded by friends who were loyal to him. Now he wonders if Otto had plans to separate the king from loyal councilors for his gain.
"You heard what he said about you, Aegon. It's only a matter of time before he gets you as well.", Daemon continued, "You are now the one who has to protect our brother from those leeches, Aegon." Daemon said as he got closer to his brother. "Otherwise, our house will fall to ruin by others."
Aegon thought about what Daemon was saying to him. Otto says that Daemon has ambitions for the throne, but it seems the Hand has ambitions of his own. If Otto Hightower was trying to separate Viserys and Daemon, then he succeeded. So, it is logical that Aegon would be the next person Otto would try to eliminate. Aegon decided to stay with his family during a time of grief, but now he feels he needs to stay to protect his house from those who would use them for their purposes.
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Viserys was in the chamber where the skull of Balerion the Black Dread was kept with candles lit. Viserys hovered his hands over the candles feeling the flames of the fire. Aegon was with him as Viserys explained to him what he was going to do. First, name Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne.
"The lords of the realm might not like that." Aegon warned his brother, "They did not vote for Rhaenys at the Great Council."
"I'm aware," Viserys said as he stared at the candle flames. "Daemon was never meant to wear a crown." He then looked at his brother cautiously.
"It does not pain me that you believe I've not suited either, brother," Aegon assured him, "I know I'm not meant to wear the crown. But I am staying. For you and our house."
Viserys smiled at that and hugged him, saying, "Thank you, brother."
A Kingsguard came to the chamber with Rhaenyra. Aegon walked away while smiling at her before leaving the father and daughter alone. Aegon then went to the royal library where his son and wife practiced High Valyrian.
"How's the practice going?" Aegon asked Baelar.
"The Conqueror sailed at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush," Baelar said in Valyrian while looking at his father, asking if he said it right, which he nodded in confirmation, causing Baelar to smile. He was happy to see his son at the library because it seemed to be where Baelar was the most comfortable. Baelar has always loved to read large stacks of books for days on end since he was a small child. When Aegon used to take Baelar to the free cities, he would find his son in the libraries, looking at books and what they had to offer. There were times when Aegon took him to the Citadel—a complex of buildings in Oldtown that serves as the central home to the order of the maesters. Aegon once considered having Baelar be sent there to be trained as a maester. Even though he prefers to live life instead of reading about it, Aegon is happy to see his son take an interest in something with passion.
"How's the king?" Claryssa asked Aegon.
"He seems to be doing better," Aegon answered as he took a chair and sat down next to them.
"I heard that he disinherited Daemon," Baelar said, hearing the gossip at court.
"He has," Aegon replied to his son.
"Well, I can't say I'm surprised." Claryssa was with a sigh.
"I am," Aegon told her. "Viserys was never blind to Daemon's faults, but I never thought it would end this way."
"Daemon maybe your brother, but he is impulsive, reckless, and always seeks to gain an advantage," Claryssa replied. "It was only a matter of time before he was disinherited."
"If Daemon is no longer heir," Baelar began to ask his father, "does that mean you are the new heir?"
"Until the king remarries and has a son from his new wife." Claryssa answered, knowing how politics work, "Besides, I don't believe being heir is in your father's interest." She said, side-eyeing her husband.
"It wouldn't matter if it were," Aegon glared at her, "Viserys plans on making Rhaenyra his heir."
Claryssa and Baelar looked at Aegon with questionable looks. "Until he remarries and gains a son?" She asked him as he shook his head.
"He's going to appoint her permanently," Aegon replied.
This news shocked the mother and son. Since Aegon the Conqueror, there has never been a queen who ruled in her own right in the Seven Kingdoms. Princess Rhaenys, The Queen Who Never Was, was the closest to having a ruling queen before the realm denied it. So Viserys permanently naming Rhaenyra as his heir was breaking a century of tradition and precedent, which could disrupt the realm.
"Why?" Baelar asked, "I thought only men could inherit the Iron Throne."
"That is the precedent the Grand Council of 101 set when they denied Princess Rhaenys the crown," Claryssa said, still surprised by the news her husband had given.
"He believes that she is more suited." Aegon explained to him, "The realm denied princess Rhaenys, but Viserys himself is choosing Rhaenyra."
"The lords might not accept it." So Claryssa said, knowing that the realm would not accept a woman on the throne.
"It might not matter," Aegon said. "Viserys is the king, and his words are truth and law."
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What Aegon said was proven right. In the following days, Viserys send ravens to carry messages to all the Lords of Westeros to come to King's Landing to kneel and swear fealty to Rhaenyra and acknowledge her as their future queen of the realm. Each lord came and did as they were ordered by the king and vowed to defend Rhaenyra's rights as king. While this happened, Prince Daemon got on his dragon Caraxes, known at the Blood Wyrm for having a worm-like neck with red scales, and flew to Dragonstone.
After the lords finished swearing their allegiance to Rhaenyra, she turned to her father as he stood up from the Iron Throne.
"I, Viserys Targaryen, First of His Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm do hereby name Rhaenyra Targaryen Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Thrones," Viserys stated as the whole court bowed in acknowledgment.
Rhaenyra then turned to the court with a nervous look before she took a breath, realizing that she was now the heir to the throne. Aegon stood there with his wife and son as he looked at Otto Hightower, wondering why he was smiling. Aegon can tell that Otto has something planned, but he does not know what it is, but now he understands what Daemon said was true. So Aegon decided to stay in King's Landing to protect his family from outsiders who have personal gain, including the Hand of the King.