“But even if we either surrender the Stepstones to them or take them back ourselves, the Triarchy and Dorne will surely continue harassing us.”
Rhaenyra voiced the question that had been troubling her.
Politics had never interested her very much.
She preferred reading stories from history or taking Syrax for a flight over the skies of King’s Landing.
Viserys nodded, clearly not denying her point.
Yet he did not stop there.
Instead, he looked at Baelon expectantly, hoping his eldest son would surprise him once again.
“My son, since you can see how important the Stepstones are to the realm, how do you propose we deal with the trouble before us?”
Baelon had anticipated that his father would ask this question.
What he was worried about was whether his father would scold him if he suggested conquering Dorne and the Triarchy.
From everything Baelon had learned, his father disliked war.
In fact, before Baelon was even born, the constant conflicts along the Dornish border had once prompted Viserys to consider using Rhaenyra to arrange a marriage alliance with Prince Qoren Martell of Dorne.
Viserys noticed his son’s hesitation and immediately gave him the reassurance he needed.
“My son, speak your mind.
Tell me what you truly think.
Your father will not blame you.”
Baelon answered seriously.
“Dragons.”
“Use our dragons to conquer the Triarchy and sever their connection with Dorne.
Only then can we guarantee the safety of the Stepstones.”
“And if we have the opportunity, I would gather the dragonriders of our family and purge the forces within Dorne that oppose the crown, allowing Dorne to truly become part of the Seven Kingdoms.”
Baelon’s ruthless analysis left Rhaenyra, who knew him better than almost anyone, utterly stunned.
She had never imagined that her seemingly gentle and refined little brother, the one who possessed the greatest air of royalty among them, could harbor thoughts almost identical to those of their uncle, Prince Daemon.
Yet when Rhaenyra looked at Viserys, she discovered something even more surprising.
The king, who had always loved peace, was not angry.
He was actually delighted.
Viserys cupped Baelon’s cheek and gently kissed him on the left side of his face.
“Baelon, my son, your intelligence and political instincts have far exceeded my expectations.
I never imagined you would see things so clearly.”
“The only unfortunate part is that you have only given half of the answer.”
“Half?” Baelon was visibly stunned.
Rhaenyra was even more incredulous.
“Father, I think Baelon’s answer was perfect. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
How could he possibly have gotten only half of it right?”
Viserys smiled at the two siblings and gestured for them to sit beside him.
“Do you know why I have repeatedly delayed and refused to send troops to support the Stepstones?”
“Because you want to negotiate with the Triarchy and find a peaceful solution to the war,” Rhaenyra answered confidently.
She believed she understood her father better than anyone.
Viserys gave a soft hum.
He did not deny that he had such intentions, but that was not his ultimate objective.
“Baelon, my son, what do you think?”
Baelon’s brow furrowed.
Since his father had not rejected his thoughts about war, there had to be someone else he was concerned about.
Across all of Westeros, there was only one man who posed a genuine threat to House Targaryen: the Sea Snake, Corlys Velaryon, Lord of Driftmark, husband to the Queen Who Never Was, and a man whose family possessed three dragonriders.
“Father, are you planning to use this opportunity to weaken House Velaryon?”
Viserys gently patted Baelon’s shoulder and added with satisfaction, “Exactly.
And there is also your uncle, my damned and useless brother, Daemon!”
“He has always coveted my throne.
On the very day you were born, he even called you the ‘Heir for a Day.’ That alone was enough to have his head taken!”
Whenever Daemon was mentioned, Viserys’s voice was filled with exasperation.
In his eyes, Daemon was like a child who had never grown up.
He was already in his thirties, yet he continued making childish mistakes that could cost him his life.
“Father, I once dreamed of a proverb from a distant land: ‘When two wolves fight over the same kill, the fox goes hungry no more.'”
“I think it describes Uncle Daemon and Lord Corlys perfectly.”
Viserys pondered the words for a moment before smiling in approval.
“Only eight words, yet they conceal wisdom deeper than the ocean.”
Rhaenyra listened to their conversation in stunned silence.
She had never imagined that beneath her father’s usual warm and gentle smile lay such a dangerous political calculation.
Baelon, however, was not surprised.
A man who had managed to become king of the Seven Kingdoms and maintain peace throughout much of Westeros for more than a decade could not possibly be politically simple-minded.
“Rhaenyra, you have served as my cupbearer for nearly three years, yet your political instincts aren’t even half as sharp as your brother’s.
You need to work harder.”
“My brother is simply special!”
“Not only did he receive the blessing of the King of the Forest, the White Hart, but he’s also a dreamer of House Targaryen.
Isn’t it perfectly normal for him to be better than me?”
Although she said that, Rhaenyra’s hands were already kneading Baelon’s cheeks.
She wasn’t using enough force to actually hurt him, but she was squeezing them just hard enough to vent her frustration.
The moment Viserys heard the words dreamer of House Targaryen, his expression became extremely serious.
“Our family has produced many dragonriders, but drogon dreamers are exceedingly rare.”
“Every dream may contain a glimpse of the future of House Targaryen.
You must learn to accept your dreams and understand the warnings they bring.”
At this point, Viserys suddenly tilted his head back and took a deep breath.
“Long ago, I too chased after a dream that seemed impossible to grasp.
And because of it, I lost your mother.”
“Baelon, my son, prophecies and dreams may bring you rewards you could never imagine.
You must treasure them and never take them lightly.”
“I will, Father.”
Baelon’s expression grew solemn.
After speaking about these matters, Viserys closed his eyes wearily and leaned back against the wooden bench.
He then waved his hand, signaling the two siblings to leave.
…
Outside the council chamber, the siblings walked aimlessly along the corridor together.
Rhaenyra suddenly broke the silence.
“Do you think Father is right not to support the Stepstones?”
Baelon nodded without hesitation.
“Of course.
One of those two men is trying to seize the position of heir to the Iron Throne.
The other belongs to the richest family in the Seven Kingdoms and has three dragons at its disposal.”
As he spoke, the light in Baelon’s purple eyes suddenly turned cold.
He glanced around to make sure nobody was nearby before lowering his voice.
“Actually, I’m even more ruthless than Father.”
No wonder Father was so wary of them.
They had gone to war with the Triarchy without even seeking royal permission, completely disregarding the dignity of the crown.
Wasn’t it simply because they possessed dragons and believed themselves invincible?
Yet this situation had given Baelon an important insight.
The power of the royal family was far too weak.
If he wanted to suppress Daemon and the Sea Snake, he needed to claim a dragon of his own.
Not just any dragon.
He needed one powerful enough to suppress Caraxes, the Blood Wyrm, and Meleys, the Red Queen.
And that meant his path forward had just become much clearer.