"I will not!"
Viserys's face suddenly changed, and he refused without a second thought.
"Brother, I need a new wife to bear me children."
Daemon had anticipated this and tried to persuade him with an excuse.
"No!"
Viserys firmly refused. "Do not make me say it a third time. Dismiss the thought entirely."
Divorce would incur the punishment of the Seven Gods.
Moreover, he would not allow Daemon to act so recklessly.
Daemon's smile faded, and his eyes narrowed.
He knew his brother would not release him from the cage of a failed marriage.
"Restore his freedom?"
Aemond looked at Daemon with a strange expression, standing with his arms crossed.
His first thought was that Daemon had taken a mistress and conceived a bastard.
Otherwise, he wouldn't ask for an annulment without reason.
This had happened once before with Mysaria, the White Worm.
"Aemond, what about Lady Rhea?"
Laena couldn't help but worry.
"It's fine. Mother wants a divorce more than he does."
Aemond smiled.
But there was a hint of coldness in his smile.
No wonder Daemon had so readily agreed to make him his heir.
After all this trouble, a third party was about to claim the throne.
Seeing his brother's refusal, Daemon chose to reveal his truth: "After the conquest of Lys, I married Lady Maranna of House Rogare, and she is now pregnant with my child."
The words shocked the entire audience.
The Targaryens, known as the "Dragonborn," were once again making waves.
"What did you say?"
Viserys was stunned.
"I have endured a failed marriage and wish to complete my life in my own domain."
Daemon smiled calmly. "House Rogare of Lys has Old Valyrian blood and can bear me a child of pure blood."
Viserys smiled back, full of anger. "You have a pure-blooded child—your heir!"
He pointed at his nephew.
Aemond turned his head, shielding Rhaenyra and Laena before him, unwilling to acknowledge this.
"Hmph!"
Daemon glanced back and chuckled.
A few years ago, he had acknowledged this son. He was small and adorable.
As he grew older, he began to resemble him more and more, almost annoyingly so.
Indeed, one cannot even empathize with a reflection of oneself.
"What are you laughing at, Daemon!"
Viserys raged. "I command you to abandon this foolish idea. Do not even dream of dissolving your marriage to Lady Rhea to accommodate your mistress and bastard."
Illegitimate children were nothing but bastards.
He would never allow a lowly bastard to undermine his nephew's position.
Aemond: ...
Truthfully, he would prefer Daemon to dissolve his marriage and escape the plight of "family."
After all, he would be forced to inherit the inheritance after Daemon's death.
"She is my legitimate wife!"
Daemon's face changed at the word "mistress."
"Your legitimate wife is in the Vale!"
Viserys was not to be outdone.
The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.
Daemon's eyes were sharp, and watching the courtiers observing the scene, he spoke in High Valyrian:
"Maranna is no mistress. She will bear more blood for me, just as Grandfather's dying wish intended."
The elder brother inherits the throne, and the younger brother carries on the family line.
After so many years, he finally had his own lands and had found a suitable wife to continue his line.
"Do not speak of Grandfather. You have been defying his wishes,"
Viserys said, also speaking High Valyrian.
"I can strengthen our family and establish my own branch,"
Daemon said stubbornly.
"Nonsense! Your son Aemond has already established a branch for you, fulfilling Grandfather's wish."
Not fearing the courtiers' sharp ears, Viserys taunted him, "And you, too, have found a whore to trample upon my first wife."
If he couldn't scold him, his anger would surely suffocate him.
"A whore?"
Daemon said coldly, his eyes filled with disappointment. "Where do you want me to send her this time, to ruin another child of mine?"
Viserys was stunned.
He had never expected that the other party was still brooding over the previous incident.
The prostitute known as "The White Worm" had carried a child by Daemon, who had even named the unborn child "Aegon."
He had also risked his life to steal a dragon egg from a dragon's lair.
Persuaded by Rhaenyra to retrieve the egg,
Daemon had obeyed her orders and sent his mistress aboard a ship bound for Lys. An unexpected wave struck the ship, causing a miscarriage.
"It's a boy!"
Daemon stared at his brother on the Iron Throne.
"You are mad, resenting me for a bastard,"
Viserys said, stunned.
"I am expecting a child, and I need to name him after our family."
Daemon fell silent before revealing his true purpose.
"Impossible! I will not allow you to do so."
Viserys, his fury ignited, roared, "Get out! Get out of my sight with your foolish ideas!"
He spoke the last words in the Common Tongue.
The audience, startled by the king's sudden outburst, stared at the brothers in amazement.
With the exception of a few intellectuals who understood High Valyrian, most were baffled.
"Viserys, you are still so selfish."
Daemon sneered and walked out, full of disappointment.
He would rather keep me trapped in an unhappy marriage than let me start a new family.
He clearly forced his first wife, Queen Aemma, to her death and married the more fertile Green Queen, Alicent.
The whole place was dead silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Aemond stared at Daemon's dejected figure, silently imagining the future.
Rectifying Myr, building the Stepstones, punishing Dorne...
A mountain of unresolved issues lay ahead, and now there was the added issue of Daemon's divorce.
He would be busy for a long time.
"Dismissed!"
Viserys roared, his face gloomy.
He stood up, grabbed the family sword, Blackfyre, and stormed off.
Aemond glanced at his uncle and shook his head slightly.
What difference did it make whether he agreed or not?
He had to make himself so angry.
His uncle, with good intentions, wanted to maintain Daemon's marriage and secure his position.
But he hoped Daemon would divorce and give him half-brothers.
People are resources.
If they can be trained like cattle and horses, that's best. If they can't be tamed, feed them to dragons.
No loss at all.
"Forget it, I can't even protect my own cub."
Aemond scowled.
He had to go to his uncle and the Sea Snake to clarify the ownership of his cub.
At least, let them understand what respect meant.
My cub was decided silently.
It was hard for him not to be angry.
It was midday, the sun was shining brightly.
The curtains were drawn in the king's chambers, creating a gloomy atmosphere.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
Aemond knocked on the door first, then politely barged in.
"What are you doing, Aemond?"
Viserys was leaning melancholically on the figurine table, caught off guard by his nephew's intrusion.
"You sold my cub."
Aemond crossed his arms and was very rude.
He believed that if he sold Aegon without his permission, his uncle would be even more angry than he was.
A menopausal old man with a strong desire to be a loser and a tendency to get angry.
Not at all kind.
"This, this matter."
Viserys became embarrassed, his hands rubbing over the figurine.
As if he was very busy.
"Tell me, what did the Sea Snake promise you?"
Aemond pulled up a chair and sat across from his uncle.
As a rational Targaryen, he wouldn't lose his temper right away.
There was no need to argue about things that could be discussed.
"No, he and Rhaenys convinced me."
Seeing no way to avoid it, Viserys decided to put aside his royal duties and talk.
His nephew was not his brother Daemon.
He seemed to have a magical power that made everyone feel good about him.
He was willing to put aside his prejudices and speak his mind.
That magical power was called "equality" and "empathy."
"Change my child's surname so that the next generation of Velaryons will continue the right to tame dragons,"
Aemond said casually.
"I will draft a dragon code to restrict the right of outsiders to tame dragons,"
Viserys explained clearly.
The Sea Snake had agreed to this, and the two sides concurred that the child would change his surname and inherit the legacy of Driftmark.
He also said that the child would retain this right to tame dragons until he reached the age of sixteen.
Aemond sighed. "But there's a 50% chance my child will lose the right to tame dragons, and their descendants too."
The sacrifice could be big or small.
And it fell on him.
"This is the best outcome, a generation of peace,"
Viserys said apologetically.
The royal family was concerned for the future, the Sea Snakes for the present.
If both sides got what they wanted, neither would cause trouble.
"Did Laena know?"
Aemond asked suddenly.
Viserys paused, trying to formulate his explanation.
"Don't lie to me, I can find out for myself,"
Aemond said seriously.
"She doesn't know, but she's probably heard something."
Viserys was resigned.
Aemond's expression eased at that.
It was good that Laena wasn't involved.
If his best friend were to go behind his back and do something, he'd be like the feudal monarchs of his past, leaving him destitute and helpless.
"What do you think?"
"The King's word is golden, and how can he change it the next day?"
"This..."
Viserys bowed his head in guilt.
Aemond folded his hands on the back of his chair, his chin resting on the back of his hands, lost in thought.
He felt firsthand the generation gap between him and his uncle.
It wasn't just the patriarchal control, but also the differing philosophies of governance.
Everything could be compromised, used as a bargaining chip.
At that moment, Aemond came to his senses.
He'd choose a child to inherit Driftmark and change his surname. So be it.
Based on the current year and the time of the Sea Snake's death,
he wouldn't see the child change his surname before the Sea Snake died. He certainly wouldn't even think about changing his surname.
The agreement between his uncle and the Sea Snake was based on equal power and the future of the family.
Even the Sea Snake couldn't see the future.
He'd go back on his word and turn the Velaryon of Driftmark into the Targaryen of Driftmark.
No need to worry about the consequences.
With his current power, he could easily say, "I don't eat beef."
Once his uncle died, Rhaenyra would ascend the throne, and he'd have the final say in the Seven Kingdoms. It's not about interfering in matters outside your jurisdiction.
Before his uncle died, he wouldn't waste his energy on thankless tasks.
Better to focus on his own little piece of land.
Exactly!
Your Highness, you are giving up.
I will not say a word until you, a bunch of old-timers, are dead.
And you, don't even think about interfering in my affairs.
If you do, I won't obey you even after you die.
"Alas!"
Aemond lowered his head and sighed.
Viserys felt extremely guilty. He touched his nephew's head and comforted him, "Don't be discouraged. I will listen to your advice carefully in the future."
"Well, you are right."
Aemond said sullenly. Yes, yes, you are right.
Seeing this, Viserys felt even more uncomfortable.
He couldn't help but reflect on himself, wondering if he really didn't care about the feelings of his relatives.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
There was a knock on the door, and the voice of Ser Harrold, Commander of the Kingsguard, came from outside:
"Your Majesty, Lord Corlys and Lord Tyran ask to see you."
"Tell them to wait. I'm going to convene the first Dragon Council in the Council Hall."
Viserys stood up, his face back to its former glory.
Aemond had a flash of inspiration, and secretly complained: "No, I have to reap the benefits."
In "garbage time," maximizing benefits is the right way.
---------------
You can read +100 advance chapters on my Patreon
Patreon(.)com/izan24
•TIER 1 you'll get +15 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 2 you'll get +40 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 3 you'll get +60 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 4 you'll get +100 ADVANCE CHAPTERS