With his thoughts in turmoil, Baelon had Cole wheel him to the royal archive where the ancient texts were kept.
“The crown’s power lets me do a lot of things,” he muttered, “but this marriage problem is a real headache.”
Cole chuckled behind him.
“Your Grace, is His Grace trying to arrange a political marriage for you?”
“If that were all it was, I could live with it.”
“Enough about that. Help me find the Valyrian-era records.”
“Your Grace, this is my first time here. What do the books you want look like?”
“If the writing on the spine is in a language you don’t recognize, bring it to me.”
Cole searched the shelves and returned with a large stack—about a dozen heavy volumes—which he placed in front of Baelon.
Baelon went through them one by one.
He set aside the ones that only described the glory and wars of the Valyrian Freehold and had nothing to do with magic, then carried the rest back to his rooms.
There he began reading in earnest, searching the ancient texts for any mention of blood magic and the dragonlord families.
When he saw the names of the three greatest houses of the Valyrian Freehold—House Belaerys, House Vaelaerys, and House Daeneris—Baelon found himself believing half of what Auris had told him.
“Belaerys possessed the most and the largest dragons. They were the undisputed masters of the Dragonlords’ Council.”
“Vaelaerys commanded the finest Valyrian steel-forging techniques and held the greatest wealth.”
“House Daeneris possessed the strongest blood magic and sorcery. For a time they even served as the spiritual leaders of the Freehold.”
“It looks like the book Auris showed me is at least genuine. Both blood spells are real.”
“As long as I can confirm the magic itself is real, the rest of any cooperation will come down to which of us is better at the game.”
“Right now the urgent problem is finding a legitimate reason to leave King’s Landing, reach Dragonstone, and get close to Vermithor and Silverwing without raising suspicion.”
“Both Daemon and Rhaenyra have stood close to Vermithor before. That proves the dragon won’t attack someone of Jaehaerys’s blood without good reason.”
“Silverwing is even easier—her temperament is famously gentle. The odds are good.”
“But how do I get Father to agree without it looking sudden? Who can I use to create the opening?”
One name after another flashed through Baelon’s mind, but every candidate was either too close to him or too insignificant.
He rejected them all.
While he was still deep in thought, the next day arrived.
As usual, he went out to the courtyard to mount Ignir and finish the survey he had started the day before.
In the courtyard, six-year-old Aegon, four-year-old Helaena, and two-year-old Aemond were playing together.
Helaena glanced up at Baelon, then quickly looked away as if afraid of something.
Aemond, still too young to understand, tried to toddle closer to his older brother, but Aegon grabbed his wrist and held him back.
Six-year-old Aegon already understood more than he should.
Thanks to Alicent’s constant influence, he carried a deep hostility toward Baelon—the brother he had been told had stolen his birthright along with Rhaenyra.
Baelon felt no particular hatred toward his younger half-siblings, but he felt no warmth either.
They were just children.
Even if they might cause trouble in the future, he had never considered them a real threat.
With him here, ten Green factions wouldn’t be enough to stand against Rhaenyra.
But as Baelon reached Ignir and prepared to climb into the saddle, Aegon glared at him with open resentment.
“Just a crawler. A cripple. Pretending to be a dragonlord every single day.”
Helaena looked suddenly terrified.
She grabbed Aegon’s arm.
“Brother, the big beast breathes fire. You’ll get hurt!”
Aegon laughed confidently.
“He doesn’t dare.”
Baelon turned to look at the three children.
His eyes suddenly brightened.
“My dear little brother and sister… I was just wondering how to create the excuse I needed. And here you are, handing me a pillow while I’m sleepy.”
He caught Cole’s wrist as the knight moved to lift him.
“Cole, did you hear something you shouldn’t have?”
Cole glanced at Aegon, his expression darkening.
“I did, Your Grace.”
“Then bring my dear little brother over here. A child with no manners deserves a lesson.”
Cole hesitated for only a heartbeat before striding toward Aegon.
Aegon saw him coming and shouted in a voice that was all bluster, “What are you doing? I’m a prince!”
Cole ignored him completely.
He seized both of Aegon’s arms, lifted him off the ground, and carried him straight to Baelon.
Helaena didn’t dare interfere.
She grabbed Aemond’s hand and ran straight for Alicent’s chambers inside the Red Keep.
Aegon struggled in Cole’s grip, shouting the whole way.
“What are you going to do to me?!”
“I’m the king’s son too, and I’m far better than you!”
“You have no right to restrain me, and you definitely can’t hurt me! Father will never forgive you!”
There was no anger in his face, no urge to argue.
“I won’t hurt you. That would be pointless venting and would only bring trouble to me and the people around me.”
“But you are going to tell me who taught you to say those words just now.”
Seeing that Baelon wasn’t going to strike him, Aegon grew even bolder.
“I spoke the truth!”
“Everyone in the Red Keep, all of King’s Landing, the entire realm says the same thing!”
Baelon smiled faintly.
“Very well. Then you can stay here and keep me company for a while.”
Aegon kept shouting and demanding to be released.
Servants and guards began to gather at the edges of the courtyard to watch.
Baelon simply closed his eyes and rested, acting as if he heard and saw nothing.
Alicent moved quickly.
She didn’t keep him waiting long.
She arrived with Viserys in tow before Aegon had even tired himself out.
The moment she saw the scene, Alicent exploded at Cole.
“Ser Cole! As queen I command you—release my son at once!”
Cole looked to Baelon.
Baelon opened his eyes.
Viserys was clearly fighting to contain his own anger when he spoke.
“Baelon. He is your brother.”
“Father. Queen Alicent. Before either of you lose your temper, perhaps you should first understand what actually happened.”
“Whatever happened, release Aegon first! Ser Cole, are you defying the king’s order?!”
Cole flinched as if burned and immediately let go of Aegon’s arms.
He dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
Aegon scrambled behind Alicent and began rubbing his sore arms, tears welling in his eyes.
Baelon raised his voice—something he rarely did.
“Cole, stand up. You did nothing wrong.”
“Father, Cole was only doing his duty—protecting what little dignity and respect I still have.”
“Just now, while I was passing through the courtyard on my way to mount Ignir and continue serving this kingdom and this family, Aegon insulted and cursed his own brother in front of everyone.”
“Father, he may be my brother, but if I am expected to be tolerant and caring toward him, shouldn’t he also show me respect? Don’t I have the right to teach him proper behavior?”
“Would you like me to repeat exactly what Aegon said?”