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THUD, THUD, THUD!
After putting an end to a bloody internal struggle within the family through careful appeasement, Viserys I—his frail body barely holding together—slowly made his way out of the throne room.
Even as he stumbled with each step, he stubbornly refused to let anyone support him.
Viserys I, indecisive and hesitant, might not have been a great king. But as a father, he had always done his best to care for those he loved.
The only person he had truly failed was his first wife, Aemma Arryn, who had died in childbirth after he made the cruel decision to cut her open in a desperate attempt to save their son.
Perhaps it was this guilt that made him dote on their daughter, Rhaenyra, all the more.
Did he strip Jacaerys of his inheritance to take Alicent's side?
No. He simply did not want his beloved Rhaenyra to bear the burden of defending Jacaerys—a boy whose reputation had already been thoroughly ruined.
If she stood by him, her own claim to the throne could be shaken.
Even as sickness consumed him, even as pain tormented him day after day, Viserys I still longed to live a little longer—long enough to protect his daughter, to secure her future.
But what he failed to realize was that the longer he lived, the stronger Alicent and the Greens became.
And the greater the devastation that would follow when the Dance of the Dragons finally began.
---
Once Viserys I's figure disappeared from sight, Rhaenyra lowered her gaze, disappointment flickering in her eyes as she stepped out of the throne room.
Beside her, ever silent and ever watchful, Rhaenys followed closely, maintaining her neutral stance.
After a moment, she spoke, her voice quite yet firm.
"It seems we must renegotiate our agreement."
Years ago, House Velaryon had struck a pact with Viserys I and Rhaenyra—one that ensured the Iron Throne would pass to Jacaerys after Rhaenyra herself. He would take the Targaryen name and wed Baela Velaryon.
But Rhaenys had never thought much of Rhaenyra's three dark-haired sons.
And now that Jacaerys' reputation worsened by the day, she had no intention of honoring that promise.
The moment his claim was stripped away, she knew she had to act.
"And how do you propose we change it?" Rhaenyra asked, her voice laced with caution.
"I want Baela to marry your eldest son by Daemon—Aegon Targaryen."
At these words, Rhaenyra stopped in her tracks.
She turned sharply, her piercing gaze locking onto Rhaenys.
"Baela and Jacaerys grew up together. They have always been close. Even at Bloodstone, she was willing to take a blade for him.
Do you really intend to tear them apart?"
Take a blade for him?
Who knew if she had willingly shielded him—or if Jacaerys had simply used her as one?
A fleeting shadow passed over Rhaenys' face, but she quickly masked it.
Instead, she let out a soft chuckle.
"Hah! Rhaenyra, don't be so naive. Since when have royal marriages ever been about love? They are about power! You and I both know this better than anyone."
Rhaenyra's expression remained unreadable, but when she spoke, her voice carried unmistakable weight.
"Very well. Let's talk about power, then."
She took a step forward.
"Jacaerys is about to be crowned King of the Narrow Sea and the Stepstones. That title alone gives him command over House Velaryon's most vital sea routes."
Rhaenys smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
"Without our Velaryon fleet, that title is just an empty name—nothing more than a wooden crown on a pirate's head."
For a moment, silence stretched between them.
Then Rhaenys inclined her head slightly, her tone measured.
"There's no need to rush your decision. Return to Dragonstone and think it over. I will come for Baela soon. When I do, I hope you'll have an answer for me."
---
Meanwhile, in another part of the castle, Alicent and her father, Otto Hightower, were deep in conversation.
"Father, why did you stop me just now?" Alicent demanded, her voice taut with frustration.
"Jacaerys has been crowned ruler of the Stepstones. Even if he isn't king in name, no one will be able to command him—not even the Iron Throne."
Otto remained unshaken. His face, as always, was unreadable.
"I know," he said evenly.
"That's why I was the first to speak against it earlier. But I have served His Grace for many years. I understand him well."
He cast her a measured glance before continuing, his tone firm yet composed.
"Once he has made up his mind, nothing can change it. If you keep pressing the matter, you will only test his patience further."
"But…"
Alicent opened her mouth to protest, but Ser Otto cut her off before she could say another word.
"Alicent, there is no need for such worry. With Jacaerys gaining independence, we can no longer command or restrict him in the name of the king."
He paused, letting his words settle before continuing.
"However, this turn of events presents both advantages and disadvantages."
"Without the Seven Kingdoms' nominal protection, do you really think the beasts lurking around the Stepstones will be easy to deal with? From this day forward, the war in the Stepstones will be even more brutal than before. Rhaenyra's forces will be slowly ground down in this battlefield of carnage!"
Hearing that Rhaenyra and Jacaerys would soon find themselves entangled in the troubles of the Stepstones, Alicent finally nodded in satisfaction.
Then, in a cold and icy voice, she muttered to herself, "Maelor, I swear, I will make every murderer pay with their lives!"
Ser Otto, watching as his ever-softhearted daughter uttered such chilling words, allowed a faint smile to creep onto his lips.
---
"Jacaerys, I will make sure you and your brother pay for the eyes and ears you took from me!"
Aemond stepped forward, closing the distance between them. His voice dropped to a venomous whisper.
"I look forward to it," Jacaerys replied with a calm nod.
Then, with a serious expression, he added, "Oh, and a word of advice—be wary of black-and-white cats."
"Cats?"
Aemond frowned, caught off guard.
Jacaerys, without offering any explanation, simply whistled a familiar tune—the theme of "Black Cat Detective"—before turning on his heel and walking away.
(P.S: Black Cat Detective is a Chinese animated television series.)
After leaving the throne room, Jacaerys, along with Daemon, followed Rhaenyra to visit King Viserys I.
The three of them, bound by deep familial ties, were overcome with emotion upon seeing each other and immediately engaged in heartfelt conversation.
During their talk, Rhaenyra brought up the matter of Rhaenys seeking to alter Baela's marriage arrangement, consulting her father on how best to handle the situation.
Jacaerys, however, remained silent from start to finish, standing quietly in the corner, observing everything with a cold gaze.
He had no concern for Baela's marriage. With or without a betrothal, Baela belonged to him.
No one could take her away from him—not the Queen Who Never Was, not the Sea Snake, nor anyone else.
Once their visit was over, Rhaenys did not return to Driftmark.
Instead, she chose to remain at the Red Keep, citing her desire to accompany King Viserys I. Whether this was truly her intent or a calculated move remained uncertain.
While events might not necessarily take a turn for the worst, Jacaerys had already begun making preparations.
He was carefully considering his strategies for countering an alliance between House Velaryon and House Hightower.
There were no eternal friends, only eternal interests.
This truth was the same no matter what world one lived in.
As the three of them made their way toward the Dragonpit, silence hung heavy between them, each lost in their own thoughts.
Jacaerys was torn between satisfaction and frustration—pleased that he had secured independence for the Stepstones, yet resentful of Rhaenyra's interference.
If Rhaenyra and Rhaenys had not forcibly intervened, he could have killed Aegon and then, with Daemon's assistance, slain Aemond as well.
Without their dragonriders, Alicent and her father would have been rendered powerless, forced to kneel before Vermax and accept their fate as nothing more than his prey.
Rhaenyra could have then taken the Iron Throne without resistance, becoming the first ruling queen in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.
Perhaps people would whisper about kin-slaying and treachery afterward, but what did that matter?
One could not claim the Iron Throne through kindness and a good reputation alone.
Back in the days of the Conqueror, Aegon and his Black Dread, Balerion, had burned thousands of enemies to ash.
Those who perished in their flames numbered in the tens of thousands.
Jacaerys owed Rhaenyra a great debt—she had raised him and nurtured him.
Thus, he would not interfere with her choices.
However, he would continue to follow his own path, steadily amassing power, so that when the Dance of the Dragons erupted in full force, he could sweep away all his foes!
With a great WHOOSH, three dragons rose from the Dragonpit of King's Landing, spreading their mighty wings as they soared toward the Stepstones.
The morning sun had already climbed high, casting its golden rays across the city.
Yet, beneath the vast shadows of the three dragons, lifeless corpses were being carried out from the ruins of Gate of the Gods and the Fishmonger's Square.
..
..
[IMAGE]
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[Chapter End's]
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