The silence in the council chamber was like a heavy boulder pressing down on everyone’s hearts.
Princess Rhaenyra, the subject of their recent discussion, stood at the doorway holding Prince Aegon, while Sunfyre let out a low rumble behind her.
Her gaze swept across every face around the council table—
Tyland Lannister’s embarrassment, Grand Maester Runeter’s stiff expression, Lyman Beesbury’s averted eyes, Jasper Wylde’s lingering anger, and Lyonel Strong’s complex look.
Viserys finally set down his wine cup and cleared his throat.
“Well…” he began slowly, a hint of guilt surfacing in his voice.
“That will be all for today’s meeting.
You are dismissed.”
These words were like the breaking of a seal.
Tyland Lannister was the first to stand, bowing with fluid, seamless grace before making a hasty exit toward the side door as if he were escaping.
Grand Maester Runeter followed close behind, the old man moving much faster than usual.
Lord Lyman Beesbury also kept his head down, walking with quick, small steps as if afraid of being caught in the Princess’s gaze.
Lord Jasper Wylde walked with his head held high, yet he still slightly turned away to avoid Rhaenyra’s eyes as he passed her.
As for Lord Lyonel Strong, he was the second-to-last council member to leave.
He stood up, bowed first to Viserys, then turned toward Rhaenyra and gave a slight nod.
“Princess,” his voice was steady, devoid of excess emotion.
“Regarding Floris’s slip of the tongue this morning, I will ensure her sister gives her a proper scolding once I return today.”
Rhaenyra glanced at him but said nothing.
Lyonel walked toward the door.
As he passed Rhaenyra, his gaze swept over Aegon in her arms, then over the helpless-looking Floris behind her, finally landing on his second son, Larys.
Larys Strong also’sensibly’ stood up, leaning on his cane.
His Clubfoot made him slower than others, but he didn’t seem to be in a hurry.
In fact, as he limped toward the door and passed Rhaenyra and Aegon—
He actually winked.
Not at Rhaenyra, but at Aegon in her arms.
The wink was extremely fast, almost imperceptible, but Aegon still caught it.
A hint of a smile flashed in Larys’s grey eyes, as if saying: Don’t thank me.
Aegon was stunned for a moment.
Then he rolled his eyes inwardly.
This ‘Clubfoot’…
this Larys…
As expected of the spymaster from the original story and the future Master of Whisperers, he could find a way to make his presence felt even in a situation like this.
Then again, it was quite possible this fellow had been pulling strings behind the scenes for today’s ‘matchmaking storm’ to be exposed so quickly.
After all, Floris was Larys’s sister, and Larys…
Forget it, Aegon didn’t want to overthink it.
In any case, the result was that he and Rhaenyra had burst in together, and that was enough.
Larys walked out, the sound of his cane tapping against the stone floor gradually fading into the distance.
Floris followed behind, glancing back at Rhaenyra before leaving with a look of both concern and apology.
Rhaenyra gave a slight nod in response.
The last to leave was Ser Harrold Westerling.
The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard walked to the door and glanced at the entrance that Sunfyre had smashed open—
There were two deep claw marks on the door panels—he then looked at the twins, Ilyrik and Alaric, standing outside.
The two young knights looked embarrassed, clearly blaming themselves for failing to’stop’ the Princess.
“Your Grace,” Ser Harrold bowed to Viserys.
“I shall keep watch outside.”
He stepped out and pulled the door shut behind him—
Though it could no longer be closed tightly.
Finally, only three people remained in the council chamber:
Viserys, Rhaenyra, and Aegon in Rhaenyra’s arms.
And, of course, a dragon.
Sunfyre sat behind Rhaenyra, his golden eyes looking first at Viserys, then at Rhaenyra, and finally landing on Aegon with a hint of…
Pleading for help?
Aegon gave it a helpless look: Don’t look at me, I can barely save myself.
Sunfyre tried to quietly scoot backward, hoping to slip out the door while Rhaenyra wasn’t paying attention.
“Sunfyre.”
Rhaenyra didn’t turn around, but her voice came through clearly.
The golden dragon froze.
“Come here.”
Sunfyre hesitated for a second—
Just one second—then it obediently stepped forward and lay down beside Rhaenyra.
Its golden eyes were full of grievance, and its gaze toward Aegon seemed to say:
Why don’t you do something about her!
Aegon replied with his eyes: I can’t help you, take care of yourself.
Rhaenyra, ‘disregarding her image,’ kicked off her shoes and stepped onto Sunfyre’s warm back with her bare feet.
The golden dragon’s body stiffened slightly but soon relaxed—it knew resistance was futile.
It rested its chin on its front claws and closed its eyes in grievance, a low rumble coming from its throat, whether in complaint or resignation.
Viserys watched this scene, opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Rhaenyra looked down and ‘played’ with Aegon in her arms—tugging at his silver hair one moment, pinching his small face the next, as if he were a stress-relief toy.
And Aegon, in her arms, had a look of utter despair, forced to cooperate by remaining motionless.
Silence.
Silence.
Still silence.
Viserys finally plucked up the courage and cleared his throat.
“Rhaenyra, I—”
Rhaenyra looked up.
That look made Viserys swallow his words.
Something burned in those purple eyes, not just simple anger, but something more complex—
Disappointment, grievance, and the exhaustion of being repeatedly deceived.
Two years ago, deep in the Kingswood, she had that same look when facing the wild boar.
“You only promised me the night before last,” Rhaenyra said, her voice terrifyingly calm.
“How many times has it been over these years? New chapters come out on g.com first.
You promise every time, and you go back on it every time.”
Viserys opened his mouth.
“I thought it was for real this time,” Rhaenyra continued, her fingers unconsciously twirling Aegon’s silver hair.
“I thought you finally understood that I didn’t want to be pushed into a political marriage so soon.
And the result?
The very next day, you’re discussing Oakheart and Lannister, Tyrell and Martell at the Small Council—
What do you take me for?
A bargaining chip?”
“Rhaenyra, listen to me—”
“How many years have I been listening to you?”
Rhaenyra interrupted him.
“Since I was eleven, you’ve been saying ‘I won’t force you,’ ‘you can take your time choosing,’ ‘when you’re ready to choose.’
And the result?
Every time your ministers come up with a suitable match, you can’t wait to push me out.”
Viserys took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady.
“Rhaenyra, I am doing this for your own good.
You are the heir to the realm, and your marriage concerns the stability of the entire kingdom—”
“For my own good?”
Rhaenyra sneered.
That laughter sent a chill down Viserys’s spine and earned her a thumbs-up in Aegon’s mind.
“You want to give up on me,” Rhaenyra said, enunciating every word.
“To separate me from Aegon and use us as bargaining chips to trade for so-called allies.
Am I wrong?”
However, Aegon, in her arms, was stunned upon hearing this.
“Separate”?
Wait, did ‘Silly Glow’ just say’separate me and Aegon’?
In the context of ‘using us as bargaining chips,’ she put herself and me on the same level, which means…
Aegon felt a sense of elation.
So he was already this important in Rhaenyra’s heart?
Important enough that she would mention him even when she was angry?
It seems his efforts over the past three years haven’t been in vain after all.
Sensing the change in its rider’s emotions, Sunfyre let out a dissatisfied rumble from its throat.
It opened its eyes and glanced at Aegon, its gaze full of disdain:
Have some dignity, will you?
You’re floating on air just because of a casual remark?
Aegon ignored Sunfyre’s snark.
Influenced by his toddler body, he continued to bask in the satisfaction of being needed.
Viserys was stunned.
He looked at Rhaenyra, then at Aegon in her arms, suddenly realizing one thing:
The bond between these two siblings was tighter than he had imagined.
“Rhaenyra, you misunderstand me,” Viserys said, softening his tone.
“We are born of the royal house; betrothals must indeed be linked to interests.
It is an unavoidable reality.
Your mother Aemma and I…”
AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-lite
He paused, a trace of emotion in his voice: “Aemma and I were also in a political marriage.
But I think you should remember that we were very happy.
I loved her deeply; she made me a man.
A political marriage doesn’t mean there is no happiness, Rhaenyra.
You can be like me—”
“Like you?”
Rhaenyra interrupted him for the second time.
This time, she considerately looked down at Aegon to check the expression on his face—
Aegon made an appropriately “indifferent” expression; after all, he was frantically complaining in his heart—
“Right, right, right, very happy, had to choose between two and didn’t choose her, and less than a year after she passed away, you found Alicent again.”
“If you really cared about duty as much as you say,” Rhaenyra stared into Viserys’s eyes, “then you should have agreed to Lord Corlys back then and married Cousin Laena?
But why did you marry Alicent instead?”
Viserys’s face stiffened.
“Things you yourself cannot do,” Rhaenyra said, every word enunciated, “by what right do you demand I do them?”
The Small Council chamber fell into silence again.
This time, the silence was heavier and more oppressive.
The expression on Viserys’s face changed—embarrassment, guilt, and a trace of irritation at being exposed.
But in the end, he said nothing, because he knew Rhaenyra spoke the truth.
He had chosen Alicent, not the politically advantageous Laena.
By what right could he demand his daughter accept something he himself had rejected?
After a long time, Viserys sighed.
“You are right,” he said in a low voice, “I have no right to demand you do what I cannot.”
Rhaenyra did not speak, she only looked at him.
“But, Rhaenyra,” Viserys looked up, a hint of pleading in his eyes, “you must marry.
You are my heir; you need to have heirs, you need to consolidate the family bloodline.
This is a duty you cannot escape.”
Rhaenyra opened her mouth to refute, but Viserys raised his hand to stop her.
“Listen to me,” he continued.
“I will no longer force you to marry anyone.
You choose, you choose for yourself.
Who to marry, when to marry, it is all up to you.
Find someone you like, just like I…” He paused, “Just like I did…”
Rhaenyra was stunned; she had not expected Viserys to make such a concession.
She opened her mouth, wanting to continue fighting—to fight for the right to completely control her own marriage—but a slight tug came from her arms.
Aegon tugged at her clothes.
Rhaenyra looked down and saw Aegon looking up at her, his purple eyes flashing with a certain cunning light.
He leaned his little mouth to her ear and said in a voice only she could hear:
Then ask to bring me along, then we can go out riding dragons to play.”
Rhaenyra paused, then the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up.
This little one…
truly clever enough to be loved.
Little Aegon really understood her; he was worthy of being raised by her, so smart, just like her.
However, it was fortunate that Aegon didn’t know, otherwise he would surely complain about her in his heart as well.
Rhaenyra slowly looked up, trying hard to suppress the corners of her mouth that were threatening to reach her ears.
The anger on her face dissipated for the most part, replaced by an indescribable pleasure.
She looked at Viserys, trying to keep her expression serious.
“Deal,” she said.
Viserys breathed a sigh of relief.
He thought his “concession” had moved his daughter, that his “fatherly love” had ultimately won the victory.
He stood up, a gratified smile appearing on his face.
“Rhaenyra, there is one more thing.”
He said, his voice even carrying a hint of solemnity, “I must admit to you personally, regarding your status as heir…
I once wavered.”
Rhaenyra’s smile stiffened slightly.
“After Aegon was born, after the white stag appeared, I did waver,” Viserys continued, his eyes sincere, “You are a girl, he is a boy; tradition stands on his side.
I asked myself countless times in the night if I was wrong, if I should follow precedent.”
He took a few steps closer and stood in front of Rhaenyra.
“But now,” he looked at her, his eyes firm, “I swear again in the name of your mother:
I will never replace you.
Rhaenyra Targaryen, you are my heir, and you always will be.”
Rhaenyra looked at him without speaking.
But her eyes softened.
Aegon rolled his eyes in his heart.
Swearing in the name of Queen Aemma?
Father, why didn’t you think of this name when you married Alicent?
Could it be that the original “Aegon the Second” idiot was already there at that time?
But he said nothing, just stayed quietly in Rhaenyra’s arms.
Viserys was clearly moved by his own “heartfelt confession.”
He slowly opened his arms, wanting to give his daughter a hug—
But Rhaenyra had already turned away.
She bent down, quickly stepped into her shoes, then picked up Aegon and walked toward the door without looking back.
Sunfyre, as if granted amnesty, scrambled up, its tail wagging like a big dog, and rushed out of the Small Council chamber behind the siblings.
Viserys remained in the posture of open arms, frozen in place.
“…Rhaenyra?”
He called out tentatively.
The response was the sound of the door closing—though the door could no longer close properly.
Viserys slowly lowered his arms and looked at the empty Small Council chamber.
The fire in the fireplace crackled, and the cries of seagulls came from outside the window.
He stood where he was, the expression on his face changing from embarrassment to confusion, and then from confusion to…
gratification?
“She took it in after all,” he muttered to himself, nodding, “My education was still useful.”
He walked to the window, looking at the scenery of King’s Landing outside, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth.
“This child, she’s just a bit stubborn, but actually she understands everything in her heart.
Once I said it like that, she understood.
As expected of my and Aemma’s daughter, she takes after me.”
He was still immersed in his own emotion, completely unaware of who the real winner of the confrontation just now was.
And Rhaenyra, she had already walked out of the Small Council chamber holding Aegon, her steps as light as a bird just released from a cage.
Sunfyre followed behind, its golden eyes filled with the relief of surviving a disaster.
It looked back at the direction of the Small Council chamber, then at Rhaenyra’s back, secretly deciding in its heart: never make this woman angry again, it’s just too terrifying.
In the hallway, Ser Harrold Westerling stood not far away with Ilic Cargyle and Alaric.
Seeing Rhaenyra come out, the three straightened up simultaneously.
“Princess.” Ser Harrold led the salute.
Rhaenyra nodded, her pace not stopping.
When passing the door that Sunfyre had scratched, she stopped and looked back.
“Ser Harrold,” she said, “this door needs to be repaired.
Find the best carpenter, I will pay for the costs.”
Ser Harrold was slightly stunned, then nodded: “As you command, Princess.”
Rhaenyra continued walking forward.
After a few steps, she stopped again and looked back at the brothers Ilic and Alaric.
“You two,” she said, “you didn’t stop me today, well done.”
The white-cloaked twins looked at each other, for a moment not knowing what to say.
But Rhaenyra had already turned and walked away.
Her laughter came from the end of the hallway, crisp and light, like a bird flying into the sky.
Sunfyre followed, its tail of survival wagging even more happily.
Aegon lay on Rhaenyra’s shoulder, looking at the Small Council chamber getting further and further away behind them, looking at the three Kingsguard with their varied expressions, looking at the door with a hole in it.
He recalled the confrontation in the Small Council chamber just now, recalled Viserys’s final self-moved expression, recalled Larys’s meaningful wink, recalled Sunfyre’s grievance at being used as a footrest.
He smiled.
He had won this battle.
And he won it beautifully.
Rhaenyra looked down at him, seeing him smiling happily, and smiled too.
“Little rascal,” she said softly, “how did you know I wanted you to say that?”
Aegon blinked: “Because I wanted to go out and play with Sister.”
Rhaenyra pinched his cheek: “Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
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