Ghostrider0002
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-Chapter 124-
🕑 Added 2024-12-29 03:27:20 +0000 UTC-Chapter 124-
-POV Laena Targaryen-
ROAR OF URRAX
I turned my gaze away from my son, who was crawling on the floor, playing with the wooden blocks his father had made for him.
‘He’s a good father, I can’t deny that,’ I thought, still struggling to accept deep down his second marriage.
I picked up Viserys and said to my son, as I liked talking to him even though I knew I wouldn’t get a response for several years:
“You’re coming to see your father with me.”
As I stepped out, I came across Gunthor, who bowed and said, “Princess Laena, the Prince has returned.”
“Thank you, I saw and heard him. He always loves to make grand entrances,” I said, knowing it was him making his dragon roar as he approached the castles.
‘Their bond is really strange,’ I thought, as it seemed more like control than a true connection.
‘But it’s not a bad thing. We don’t need another uncontrollable dragon in the kingdom,’ I told myself, especially since Urrax had grown larger than the Cannibal.
As I reached the main corridor leading outside, I noticed the gathering of people at the castle entrance, drawn by Aemon’s arrival.
I spotted the new Princess of the Vale, accompanied by all of Gerold’s daughters, who followed her like lost little puppies.
‘It’s dangerous to have made her Princess. For him, it’s less of an issue, but for me and Viserys…’
“Laena,” Jeyne said, without offering a curtsy.
Even though she was seemingly of equal rank to me, I was clearly the lady of the house.
‘Her title and apparent status are just for show,’ I thought, before adding internally, as I saw Aemon approaching quickly with a scowl, followed closely by an obviously anxious Aegon.
I deliberately ignored Jeyne’s “greeting” and headed toward Aemon.
He slowed when he saw me, but his scowl didn’t soften.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as soon as he was within a meter of me.
“It’s… complicated,” Aemon said, sighing.
“Complicated how?” I pressed, as it was the first time I had seen him in such a state.
‘Full of doubt,’ I thought.
“Complicated like war,” Aegon said, slightly annoyed.
“I warned you,” I said softly, furious.
“I know,” Aemon said, raising his voice slightly, silencing me.
I bit my lip to keep from retorting, and he softly repeated, “I know,” before adding immediately after, “I know you warned me, and I didn’t listen to you, but if I had to do it again, I’d make the same choice.”
“Why?” I asked.
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-POV Aemon Targaryen-
“Not here. Follow me,” I said, gesturing for Gunthor and Jeyne to follow, as I didn’t want to create a scene.
‘And what we were about to discuss was confidential,’ I thought.
“Answer me,” Laena said, following me without hesitation.
“Because I’m not strong enough. That’s the simple truth,” I said, without stopping.
Laena laughed nervously and said, “You had the entire Vale at your feet. You could gather over 40,000 soldiers. You had two dragons, and that still wasn’t enough for you?”
I rolled my eyes and retorted as I turned the corner to take the stairs leading to my solar:
“Your father had three dragons and the largest fleet Westeros has ever known. He’s the richest man in the realm. Is that enough for him?”
Laena remained silent, so I nodded and added, “That’s what I thought.”
“And look where that got him,” she said quickly, following me as best as she could.
“You’ve started a war he will never engage in. He’ll throw you into the pit. Do you even realize that?”
‘Yes, and the worst part is, he’d be right to do so now that I’ve lost the support of the northern lords,’ I thought.
“That’ll be his choice. But what will yours be?” I asked Laena, stopping in front of the door to my solar.
“What do you mean?” she asked, surprised by my sudden question.
“I didn’t stutter. I’m asking if I can count on you,” I said seriously.
‘The situation would change completely if I could truly count on her, not just to defend Runestone with her presence,’ I thought, waiting for her answer.
She looked at me for a few seconds before lowering her eyes, focusing on Viserys.
She closed her eyes, sighed, and then nodded.
“Good,” I said, turning the handle to my solar.
I entered with Laena, followed by Gunthor and Jeyne a few seconds later.
“What’s going on?” Jeyne asked as soon as I closed the door behind them.
“It’s very simple,” I said, removing my gloves and tossing them onto my desk before unlocking a cabinet and pulling out a jar of Dornish wine.
“Daemon has just declared war on me, and he’s using Viserys to do it,” I said as I sat down in my chair while the others settled into various seats in the room.
“What did he do?” Gunthor asked, frowning deeply, as he loathed my father…
‘Much like me,’ I thought, for I didn’t like Daemon and hadn’t forgotten everything he’d done against my mother and me back then.
I shrugged and said, “I don’t know everything yet, but I know he’s having his whore clean out my spies from the capital, struck some kind of deal with Bennard Stark, and, conveniently, Viserys has become Vermithor’s rider.”
“That can’t be a coincidence,” Gunthor said.
“And it’s not,” I replied, convinced I was caught in a scheme aimed at stripping away the power I’d worked so hard to accumulate.
“So the Starks are abandoning us?” Laena asked.
“Worse than that. I’ve vowed to make them regret their betrayal… after knocking a few of Bennard Stark’s teeth out,” I said, recalling the end of our "conversation."
“Aemon…” Laena sighed.
“I know… I know I shouldn’t have. But you weren’t there. That little bastard had clearly crossed the line, and then finding out that Viserys had Vermithor and that it was why they were betraying us—it made me furious.”
“What’s done is done. Now, what’s the next step?” Jeyne asked.
I shrugged and said, “This is where it gets complicated.”
“How so?” Gunthor asked.
“I can’t figure out Daemon’s intentions,” I said, frowning.
“What don’t you understand?” Gunthor asked.
“I imagine Daemon’s return must have something to do with Viserys taking such a risk,” I said.
“Maybe he felt the need to regain control, and Daemon pushed him to bond with Vermithor,” Gunthor suggested.
“Hmm… that would make sense, as it benefited him in this case. He regained Viserys’ trust. And on the other hand, if Viserys had died trying to bond with Vermithor, he could have triggered the battle for succession before Viserys’ children were old enough to fight for the throne. Because that’s all he cares about,” I said confidently.
“There’s Rhaenyra,” Laena interjected.
I rolled my eyes and said, “It wouldn’t surprise me if he had your brother killed to marry her, winning the crown through her.”
“Is that what you would do?” she asked, plunging the room into silence.
Gunthor broke the icy silence, saying, “Keep going. What’s strange?”
“What’s strange is how he’s going about it,” I said, turning my gaze away from my wife and directing it toward Gunthor.
“It’s too subtle for him. He’s feared by many and loves to be feared even more. He would have been much sharper in his attacks, far more direct. He wouldn’t have plotted with Bennard. He also wouldn’t have dismantled my network of spies in the capital,” I said.
‘A network of spies he had no knowledge of,’ I noted internally.
‘Who could have known about that?’ I wondered.
‘Perhaps his whore told him,’ I thought before shaking my head inwardly.
‘She couldn’t have known either. It’s a network of dormant agents I rarely use. I only activated them once. The only one who could have known…’
‘Larys,’ I realized at last.
‘That bastard,’ I cursed internally, understanding that he had covered himself by using Daemon’s actions to muddy the waters.
‘But he couldn’t have done it all alone. He doesn’t have enough influence to contact and negotiate with Bennard Stark. He’s just a second son. He couldn’t offer sufficient assurances to… Otto.’
“Damn it!” I swore suddenly, startling Viserys, who began to cry.
“Sorry, little one,” I said, taking him into my arms as I finally pieced it all together.
“Otto and Larys teamed up to stab me in the back while Daemon and Viserys drew all the attention, blinding me to the two vipers lurking in the shadows. I should have seen it earlier—it’s so obvious. Only they could convince a second son to betray his own family,” I said softly, rocking my son to calm him.
‘I wonder what they promised that dog. Probably Winterfell upon Rickon’s death. Their significant age gap makes it almost certain Bennard will outlive his brother. And he has more sons than Rickon does.’
It was so obvious, but I hadn’t realized it until now because I kept playing with fire.
‘I wanted Larys to play his role by killing his father and brother in the Harrenhal fire, so I spared him once.’
‘I wanted Otto to lead Aegon down the path to war by reinstating him as Hand of the King, ensuring Viserys’ branch remained divided and self-destructive. But all of this is clinging to the past. I’m trying to mend a story I destroyed long ago with these kinds of vipers.’
“Aem…”
“Call the banners. If they want war, they’ll get it. But I won’t be the one to start it. In any case, the Vale is impregnable, and winter is coming. Let our fleet and all the coastal Houses remain on high alert.”
Comments
Ghostrider0002
Don't get too excited the game is starting but it's a long one hahahaha
Kaden Holder
Oh boy shit just got real ITS GAME TIME BOYS
Ghostrider0002
I know I'm supposed to reply to both your comments but I won't - you're both right but I think you'll understand better tomorrow when I get the chapter out. (I don't want to spoil anything to avoid spoiling your reading experience by explaining in the comments)
Spectator
He can't afford to take step back. He has been showing strong fronts to everyone and manage to reach where he is because people respect him but because they fear him. If after the first real challenge he took a step back, then that will certainly destroy that invincible and unreachable aura he had shown so far. And the snakes of Westeros and his enemies will definitely that chance to strike back and even cripple him ( politically and economically). Don't forgot how much wealth he gathered. In addition the now subjugated Vale will rise again since the supposed overlord have showen a glaring weakness. so all in all he will lose a lot if not everything if he take a step back.
TyrantGod
Are you not escalating bit too quickly? This is a opportunity for Aemon to step back, reevaluate and plan better
