The Crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms watched what happened in the throne room with an intriguing eye. Raised and trained to be the heir to the Seven Kingdoms, he believed he was in a much better position than his father was at his age, maybe even now, he thought. While he loved his Muna Lyanna, he saw how Eddard looked at her, and he believed another rebellion might possibly happen during his reign.
While his father wished for the sanctions to be removed completely, Aegon advocated for a far more sensible policy. He wished to break the alliance apart completely. How to do that? Simply turn them against each other by lessening the sanctions on one kingdom and leaving them on others. "With one stroke of the pen, those kingdoms would then fight each other instead of me," thought the Prince. However, his father did not agree. "It's not like the war will be his problem," thought Aegon.
He then watched the Witcher walk out the door. "A chink in the armor of the 'Honorable Starks.' Perhaps I can use this," thought Aegon.
He then walked up to his father and asked him why he offered the Kingsguard to a bastard.
"Because Lyanna asked, Aegon."
"Enough!" snapped Rhaegar. "Do not call him that again. We will be having a family meeting now. I want everyone there." Rhaegar and the Queens then walked out of the throne room.
Aegon walked up to his sister and asked, "Is it true what happened, or was it exaggerated?"
"No, it's all true. He saved me and Ser Arthur after slaying forty bandits," said Rhaenys.
"Amazing," said Aegon. "A magically mutated Monster Slayer, indeed. He's almost as big as the Mountain."
They continued to walk toward Maegor's Holdfast to meet the rest of the family.
The Targaryen Family Council
Eventually, they arrived. Around the table sat the rest of the Targaryen family. At the opposite head was Rhaella, mother of Rhaegar and former Queen. On both sides of her were Viserys and Daenerys, her only living children. Her births were always difficult, and Daenerys's birth nearly killed her. But she hardly looked old in her 50s; she nearly looked like Rhaegar's sister, not mother. Next to Viserys was his wife Cersei and her children—all Lannister blonde, oddly enough. "I would have expected one of them to have at least one Targaryen trait," thought Aegon.
His father stated, "We are here to talk about Jon Snow."
"Why must we speak about that bastard?" drawled Cersei.
"Enough!" yelled the King. "Let me tell you a story. Before the rebellion, Lyanna and I got married. During the rebellion, the realm broke, brother against brother. When it ended, I inherited a broken kingdom with all the kingdoms infuriated with me and my father, Aerys."
"One of our only allies [Dorne] was upset that I had taken a second wife. So what was I to do when I found out I had a second son with that wife during the rebellion?" Rhaegar stated. "If I had presented him to the court, Dorne may have seceded or rebelled, even with Elia's pleadings."
"Wait, Father, I thought that child was a stillborn in the Tower of Joy?" said Rhaenys.
"No. He was born Jaehaerys Targaryen, named after the Conciliator. It was mine and Lyanna's hope that he would bridge our two kingdoms. He was the fulfillment of the Pact of Ice and Fire promised during the Dance—the Song of Ice and Fire."
Rhaegar was silent for several long moments.
"So where is he then, Father?" asked Aegon.
"We sent him to Eddard Stark to be sheltered as a bastard until the realms became more stable. You just saw him today, and he will be having a Trial by Seven tomorrow."