[THIRD PERSON POV]
Later that night, the whole family that shared the blood of the dragon gathered for an intimate dinner in the restored wing of the castle, the only part of Harrenhal whose roof did not yet leak.
Servants had laid the long table with roast venison, river trout from the Gods Eye, and honeyed carrots, and candles burned in iron stands along the walls.
They were dining together on the eve of King Jaehaerys’s departure.
The next morning, he would fly back to the Red Keep, and the other members of the royal family would remain safely in Harrenhal, except for Prince Aemon.
As the crown prince, Aemon also served as the personal cupbearer of King Jaehaerys, so he would fly back to the capital with his father on the back of Vermithor.
King Jaehaerys sat proudly at the head of the long table, with his pregnant queen at his right hand, one palm resting on her belly.
Next to her sat the royal children, arranged from the oldest living child down to the youngest one old enough to join them.
That youngest child was Princess Daella.
This version of Daella was completely different from the Princess Daella Targaryen that Aelor knew from the history books of his past life.
Through constant exposure to Aelor’s healing aura, the condition he had recognized as a severe learning disability had been cured.
His presence and his daily time with her had healed her mind.
Instead of becoming a fearful, timid little girl, Daella was following the same healthy path of development as her older sister Maegelle.
Prince Vaegon was also seated at the table.
The only real difference between him and his historical self was that he was much healthier.
Thanks to Aelor, he had been born at a healthy weight and was growing into a strong boy.
He was not talkative like the rest of his boisterous family, but he was not harsh in his speech either.
He simply preferred not to speak unless it was necessary.
He acted just as King Aerys the First is described in the historical texts, except that this Vaegon was far healthier than that bookish king had ever been.
On the left side of King Jaehaerys sat Princess Rhaena, and beside her sat her son, Aelor.
Earlier that evening, Aelor had spoken privately with Rhaena in the solar about what he wanted to ask of King Jaehaerys tonight.
He had told her what he meant to ask, but not why.
Now they exchanged a glance, and Aelor kept his hands still in his lap.
He had rehearsed his words all afternoon, and the King, known across the realm as the Conciliator, was not a man who missed much.
Aelor did not want him to hear a child’s whim.
He wanted him to hear the decision of a future lord.
The table filled with light conversation as the royal family talked and laughed together.
The only exceptions were Prince Vaegon and Princess Daella, who were being helped to eat their hot food by their attendants.
“Are you enjoying the food tonight, Maegelle?” Aelor asked the young princess.
She was eating peacefully, and she was clearly enjoying every bite.
“Yes, it is really good. It is much better than the meals they usually serve at the Red Keep,” Maegelle answered politely, and Aelor smiled at her kind words.
Further down the table, Prince Baelon was competing fiercely with Prince Aemon over who could eat the most the fastest.
It was a lopsided contest, as Aemon refused to take part in such tomfoolery and instead kept the King’s cup filled, as his office required.
Baelon declared himself the winner anyway, to an audience that did not care.
They were discussing the coming renovation of the ruined castle of Harrenhal and the improvements planned for the expanding city of Harrentown.
Both the castle’s economy and the city’s population had grown steadily since the birth of Aelor.
“Speaking of which, Aelor has something important he wants to discuss with the two of you,” Princess Rhaena said aloud.
Her clear voice drew the attention of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne and quieted the loud princes and princesses at the table.
Every eye turned toward Aelor, who nervously cleared his throat.
“I wanted to discuss renaming the castle of Harrenhal and the city of Harrentown as well,” Aelor said to the king and queen.
The king and queen seemed a little taken aback by such a sudden request.
“Aelor, naming a fief is the responsibility of the lord who holds it, not the king. You do not need my leave to rename this ruined castle. It will all be yours someday, and until then your mother holds it in your name. If you truly want to rename it, that is your birthright,” King Jaehaerys said calmly, explaining the law to Aelor with care.
“Yes, Your Grace. I only wanted your honest opinion on some names I have been thinking about. For the castle, I would like it to be called the Castle of Everspring, and for the city below it, Springhaven,” Aelor said.
Then, with rising feeling, he began to explain the reasoning behind the names.
“I want the renovation of our castle and city to symbolize a new beginning for our family. I do not want our future tied to the dark, bloody past of Harrenhal. Everspring is a promise that winter will not return to this place, and Springhaven is a promise that anyone who lives beneath these walls will be safe. The names are also a reminder that our family has been reborn, with my mother rising from her tragic past and changing her life for the better,” Aelor said.
No one spoke for a moment as they all took in what Aelor had said.
Even his mother was silent.
She had known that Aelor badly wanted to change the name of their home, but he had never told her this reasoning.
Beneath the table, she found his hand and squeezed it.
King Jaehaerys studied Aelor for a long moment, as if seeing him properly for the first time.
“Those are beautiful names, Aelor, and full of feeling. You have my full support,” King Jaehaerys answered softly once he recovered from the shock of hearing Aelor speak with such maturity.
“You have mine as well, Aelor. The names are lovely, and the meaning behind them is lovelier still,” Queen Alysanne agreed warmly.
Baelon swallowed a mouthful of venison and said that anything sounded better than Harrenhal, since the old name gave him the shivers.
Across the table, Aemon offered a small nod, which from him was high praise.
Maegelle leaned toward Aelor and whispered that she liked Springrise best, and even Vaegon, who rarely spoke, murmured that the names sounded right.
Aelor smiled widely at the approval.
He looked toward his mother, who seemed close to tears.
“If only your elder sister were here with us today to see this,” Princess Rhaena whispered to Aelor.
She was speaking of her lost daughter, Aerea.
“When will you visit Rhaella again, Rhaena?” Queen Alysanne asked, having caught the mention of Rhaena’s other daughter.
“My yearly visit is already over. I traveled to see her two moons ago, right before the preparations for the renovation began and before I was buried in merchant work. She is doing well, and she truly wanted to meet Aelor in person, but she cannot leave Oldtown yet,” Rhaena answered the Queen.
“I see. That is a shame,” Queen Alysanne said sympathetically.
The table moved on from the heavy topic Aelor had raised and drifted into lighter conversation.
Aelor was left feeling satisfied.
He would ask his mother to announce the new names during the grand tourney.
The tourney would be held soon after the birth of Queen Alysanne’s child, which would bring almost every major lord of the realm together to hear the decree.
Aelor turned back to his food before catching a glimpse of Maegelle.
The young princess smiled at him with graceful innocence, and he smiled back.
[THIRD PERSON POV]
The next morning, with the sun climbing above the ancient towers, the immediate family of King Jaehaerys gathered in the vast courtyard.
Only the royal family was permitted in the yard.
Not even the servants or the sworn Kingsguard knights were allowed to stand anywhere within it, and Princess Rhaena and Prince Aelor had respectfully remained inside the castle walls to give the family privacy.
The quiet let King Jaehaerys act like a normal, loving husband without any fear of scrutiny from outside observers.
Both King Jaehaerys and Prince Aemon already wore their thick riding leathers.
It was time for the two of them to take flight for the Red Keep.
King Jaehaerys needed to return to the capital to handle the mounting business of the realm, and he meant to stay there only until the queen’s delivery date drew near.
The Bronze Fury, Vermithor, waited patiently in the open yard, with Silverwing resting quietly by his side.
The two giant dragons seemed to be saying their own farewells, mirroring the way Queen Alysanne was saying goodbye to her husband and her oldest son.
She cupped Aemon’s face in both hands.
“Eat properly, and do not let your father forget his meals,” she told him.
“Yes, Mother,” Aemon answered, and he knelt to embrace Maegelle and Daella.
Baelon called out that the crown prince had better bring back honey cakes from the capital, then hugged his brother hard, and the two traded the same crooked grin.
“Take care of yourself, my love. Please wait for my return before delivering our child, all right?” King Jaehaerys said softly to his queen.
The royal couple held each other tightly, their foreheads resting together in silence.
“You take care of yourself as well, my love. I will see you soon, and we will have more children after this one arrives,” Queen Alysanne promised sweetly.
Her words earned a loud, collective groan from the children, who had been unlucky enough to overhear such an intimate exchange between the king and queen.
After a few more tender moments, King Jaehaerys and Prince Aemon stepped away and walked toward Vermithor.
The ancient dragon had already lowered his bronze shoulder so that they could climb onto his back easily.
Aemon checked the saddle straps before he took his seat behind his father.
After one last wave to the family on the ground, Jaehaerys gave the Valyrian command.
“Soves, Vermithor,” King Jaehaerys ordered his mount.
The dragon roared in response and leapt from the dirt of the courtyard.
The beat of his wings whipped dust across the yard and made the children shield their eyes.
He gained altitude quickly, climbing higher and higher until his bronze scales disappeared into the thick morning clouds.
Silverwing watched them go and let out a low call.
Queen Alysanne rested a hand on her belly and kept her eyes on the sky long after the clouds had swallowed her husband.
High in the Widow’s Tower, Rhaena and Aelor watched from a window as the bronze shape shrank against the clouds.
Neither of them spoke.
Rhaena rested a hand on her son’s shoulder, and together they watched the sky until it was empty.