Aegon's eyes flickered with irritation as he snapped, "What else is there to say? Just the same few words over and over."
He had just met with Alicent, who had fed him a whole slew of speeches about rising up in resistance.
It was a bit too much. He needed a drink to take the edge off.
Seeing this, Rhaegar sighed helplessly and waved him off. "Get lost."
"You got it!"
Aegon immediately perked up and bolted away.
Rhaegar rubbed his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
Thank the gods this kid had a dragon fit for battle; otherwise, what else could he be counted on for?
A drinking contest? Or maybe a competition in bed?
Thinking of today's grand gathering, Rhaegar tried to pull himself together and summon some energy.
A family council—Alicent, as queen, had to be present.
But first, she needed to behave.
Alicent had requested to see some of her children, and Rhaegar had granted her request.
Aegon was the first to leave. That left Helaena and Aemond still in the tower.
---
### The Sept – Upper Tower
In the dim light, the air carried a faint musty scent.
Helaena and Aemond stood close together in the corridor, speaking with Alicent through the closed door.
Compared to a month ago, the tower's conditions had improved.
The cobwebs had been cleaned out, the wooden floors were spotless, and a small window had been carved into the once-dark room to let in light.
Alicent sat on a hard wooden bed covered with a wool blanket, pouring out her grievances.
"I'm on the verge of going mad."
"Where has your grandfather gone…"
"Has Rhaegar mistreated you? How is Viserys…"
Helaena, looking dejected, leaned her head against the wall, silently listening.
Aemond's expression was complicated. As he watched his mother weep, his single eye betrayed a trace of sorrow.
But when she mentioned his older brother and grandfather, sorrow mixed with frustration.
Rhaegar had not mistreated them.
On the other hand, their grandfather, who had promised to return to King's Landing to report, had vanished without a trace—nowhere to be found in Highgarden, Bitterbridge, or anywhere else. It was as if he had disappeared from the face of the earth.
Alicent cried for a long while.
Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were red as she whispered, "Take care of yourselves… especially little Daeron."
Her three eldest children had grown up and could think for themselves.
But six-year-old Daeron was just a boy who buried himself in books, always yielding to others without protest.
Aemond turned his head slightly and said in a low voice, "Daeron is fine. He plays with Baela and Rhaena every day. No one bullies him."
Alicent felt a slight sense of relief. She reached through the small gap in the door, touching Aemond's eyepatch, her voice choked with emotion. "My poor child… You're still so young, and you've already lost an eye."
"I protected my father."
Aemond allowed his mother's hand to brush his cheek, his voice firm and unwavering.
"Viserys is no father to you!"
Alicent's expression darkened as she warned, "You have a father who plays favorites. Use this war to earn yourself a lordship like Aegon—otherwise, you'll end up like Daemon, driven out of King's Landing in disgrace."
"Mother!"
Aemond shouted, unwilling to hear any more.
He had already heard enough of this when Aegon was here.
Alicent was stunned by his outburst, staring at her second son in disbelief.
Aemond quickly realized his mistake. His expression turned conflicted—frustration mixed with guilt. He hadn't meant to be so rude.
Alicent slumped to the floor, leaning against the old wooden door, murmuring in despair, "You all hate me… Even my own children hate me."
Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
Aegon's sudden departure was something she had long been used to—her eldest son was always reckless and indulgent.
But Aemond's raised voice was the blow that shattered her already fragile heart.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Aemond said urgently, stomping his foot in frustration. Then, as if trying to make up for it, he added, "I-I'll plead with Father and Aegon for you."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and ran down the stairs.
Suddenly, the tower was left in silence—only Alicent, drowning in sorrow, and Helaena, withdrawn into herself, remained.
Alicent did not move. She pressed against the wooden door, listening to her daughter's heartbeat.
Helaena was her most beloved child. Even if she did not say a word, her presence alone was a comfort.
"Mother, isolation will drive you mad," Helaena suddenly spoke, her voice serious.
Alicent looked at her daughter's pale face, still speckled with freckles, and thought back to when she was a small, innocent child. The memory only deepened her sadness.
Helaena's tone was firm. "You can't stay locked in this dark room any longer. I'm going to get you out."
"They won't let me go so easily," Alicent muttered, full of self-pity.
Helaena shook her head. "I will get you out."
With that, she stood up and walked away, mumbling to herself, "I need to think of a plan."
Alicent watched her daughter's retreating figure in a daze, listening to her muttering.
Her chest felt heavy, as if weighed down by a great stone, making it hard to breathe.
---
### The Red Keep
The Velaryon family's carriage arrived at the city gates, accompanied by guests who had traveled from afar.
Even in a simple procession, clear distinctions emerged between different factions.
Soon, they entered the council chamber.
Leonard stood tall and proud, leading Aegon and Aemond as the welcoming party.
Corlys cast a glance at the two young Targaryens, then said coolly, "How is His Majesty's health? And where is the Crown Prince?"
Aegon curled his lips. "If you're so eager to see Rhaegar, I can fetch him for you."
"Prince Aegon!"
Laenor reprimanded him before continuing, "Lord Corlys is a distinguished contributor to our cause; we must treat him with respect."
"Yes~"
Aegon responded weakly, as if he had exhausted himself too much the night before.
Corlys' face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He couldn't be bothered to argue with this reckless brat and let out a cold snort before sweeping into the hall.
Rhaenys and Daemon followed behind, each with different expressions as they observed the scene.
Rhaenys forced a smile and said helplessly, "Corlys is in a terrible mood. I'll do my best to calm him down."
She understood the true reason behind this gathering disguised as a family banquet.
It all stemmed from her husband's firm opposition to the peace negotiations and his deep dissatisfaction.
"Heh."
Daemon crossed his arms over his chest, watching the spectacle with amusement.
Laenor suggested, "Prince Daemon, if you are concerned about His Majesty's health, you may visit his chambers first."
"Oh?"
Daemon's gaze became playful as he teased, "Since when did my brother care so much about me? Or is this my dear nephew's idea?"
This wasn't like Viserys at all.
Laenor didn't answer directly and simply said, "You can go see for yourself, and you'll understand."
With that, he gestured for Rhaenys and the other guests to enter the hall.
Daemon watched coldly, scoffing, "Putting on a show."
Turning around, he still chose to head toward the King's chambers.
Viserys lay pale on his bed, gasping for air, his pupils unfocused and vacant.
"Father, regulate your breathing."
Rhaegar sat by his bedside, holding his father's hands, channeling fire magic to stimulate blood circulation.
Half a month had passed, and the supply of Rebirth Orchid powder was running low. His father was experiencing frequent nightmares.
"Hah… hah…"
Viserys lay facing the ceiling, exhaling a sickly metallic scent as he muttered, "No more… no more…"
Rhaegar's heart tightened with worry. He tried to communicate, "Father, no more what?"
"No more…"
Viserys' unfocused eyes stared at the ceiling as he gently shook his head, murmuring, "I'm sorry, my dear…"
Rhaegar fell silent.
Was "my dear" referring to his late mother, Aemma Arryn?
Did "no more" mean he regretted pressuring her to conceive?
Or… could he have been talking about Alicent?
Just then—
"Waaah waaah waaah…"
A baby's cry echoed from the inner hall outside the bedroom, followed by Rhaenyra's soft singing.
Rhaegar sighed, taking the nearly depleted box of Rebirth Orchid powder. He pinched a small amount and sprinkled it beside his father's pillow.
Viserys slowly closed his eyes, his murmuring ceasing as his breathing steadied.
Rhaegar smiled bitterly.
He had forbidden the maesters from using milk of the poppy, yet in the end, they still had to rely on substances for sedation.
"The powder is running low."
Rhaegar rubbed his face with both hands, feeling a headache coming on. "Ser Harwin is stationed in Lys, but sending people to search the Smoking Sea for more Rebirth Orchid will take time."
The orchid only grew in the Smoking Sea, and issuing a bounty was the best option.
Creaaaak—
The door was pushed open as Daemon entered, his face sour.
He had been looking forward to venting his frustrations with the Sea Snake in the council chamber.
"Daemon?"
Rhaenyra, cradling a baby in each arm, looked at him in surprise.
Daemon was even more surprised. His gaze fell on the two rosy newborns, and he said with mixed emotions, "Congratulations. Twins."
"Laena bore you twins as well," Rhaenyra remarked while soothing the babies.
Daemon shook his head with a sigh. "She won't be able to give me another pair of twins."
On the surface, Corlys had lost his eldest son, leaving Driftmark without an heir.
In reality, Daemon wasn't much different—he also lacked a son.
Rhaenyra didn't dwell on the topic. She tilted her chin toward the bedroom and said, "Rhaegar is inside."
Daemon glanced fondly at the twin boys before turning and stepping into the bedroom.
At a glance—
Viserys was fast asleep, and his good nephew was keeping him company.
"No wonder you haven't shown up," Daemon remarked, leaning casually against the doorframe, though his gaze lingered on Viserys' pale face.
Rhaegar wasn't in the mood for banter and said bluntly, "Father's condition is bad. The maesters believe it's a mental issue."
"Mental or neurological?"
Daemon's eyes darkened as he probed deeper.
During his years traveling the Free Cities with Laena, he had spent most of his time buried in the libraries of Pentos.
He had collected extensive records on the Targaryens and broadened his knowledge in many fields.
It was the only way to dull his loneliness and frustration.
Rhaegar smoothed his father's furrowed brow and replied cautiously, "You didn't mishear me. You could also interpret it as… the soul."
The teachings of the fire mages recorded that—
The human body was an independent energy field.
Breath strengthened the body, the body strengthened the soul, and the soul guided physical action.
Those who were physically weak often had weak breathing, and those suffering from mental exhaustion typically lacked energy.
The Citadel had confirmed this.
Hearing this, Daemon pushed off the doorframe and straightened up, his expression serious. "A damaged soul… Ordinary healers won't be able to fix this."
He had once been skeptical of such things.
But after obtaining the Fitzneek family's binding curse, he had been exposed to another layer of reality.
Daemon stepped forward, grasped Viserys' wrist, then pried open his eyelids to examine him. After a moment of silence, he asked, "With him in this state, what do you plan to do?"