A/N: Hi, guys. I apologize for the delay in updating. Went through some personal stuff and my job made me work extra hours due to Black Friday two weeks ago (for my non-American readers, it's the same as Boxing Day as that's when all of the companies conduct their heaviest shopping in the name of consumerism).

But I shall continue to update.

Rhaenyra sat at the head of the small council along with the rest of the members who declared for her cause. Before them was Lord Roderick Dustin, his armor covered in ash and soot and his long hair and beard dirtied from the grime of battle. But the battle that he had returned from was not any ordinary one, for it was the first time that that the northmen and Valemen faced a dragon in combat in the one hundred and thirty years that have passed since Aegon the Conqueror created the Iron Throne. Indeed, the only reason why the men of the North and of the Vale never experienced dragonfire was because Torrhen Stark and Sharra Arryn saw sense and the battle on the Wendwater only happened because Aemond and Aegon refused to yield the throne to her.

"The men of the stormlands put up a good fight, at least those who were under the direct command of Lord Caron," Lord Dustin began his report on the battle. "But we were able to put enough pressure on their vanguard and used the forest to our advantage. From there, it was only a matter of keeping their middle guard occupied with the men of House Reed and those of my house. While the men of Houses Karstark, Royce, Bolton, and Redfort were able to collapse the enemy's vanguard and reach their middle guard, a crannogmen was able to wound Lord Caron. Without their command to issue orders, they had to withdraw. The enemy was exposed once they reached the Wendwater and the river offered us a rare opportunity to inflict a crippling blow to the enemy in Storm's End, with myself being involved in the final blow. We would have been able to, had Aemond and his dragon not showed up."

Rhaenyra, Daemon, Cregan, the Manderly brothers, Bartimos, Corlys, Gerardys, and Lorent Marbrand all listened with astonishment. While it wasn't surprising for Vhagar to have been able to inflict such damage, it didn't make the account any less alarming.

"But you said that Aemond also burned his own troops while riding Vhagar?" asked Mysaria.

"Yes, my lady," Lord Dustin confirmed.

"Interesting," the former Lysene dancer rubbed her chin in thought. "Then again, not very surprising given the violent inclinations evident in his youth."

"Quite," Daemon sighed before turning to Lord Dustin. "How many men have we lost at the Wendwater?"

"We struck the enemy with seven thousand men, Your Grace. Out of us, only about five thousand returned," Dustin admitted.

"Over two thousand lost," Daemon thought aloud. "What about the losses incurred by those sworn to Borros Baratheon?"

"I couldn't get an accurate count on their losses since I had to get the troops out of that place before Vhagar made another pass. But… if I had to assume, possibly four thousand men and that's not including the ones that were turned to ash," Lord Dustin responded.

Mysaria wrote his words on a piece of parchment, which was expected of someone of her responsibilities.

"So, the Baratheons have lost a substantial part of their forces. I don't imagine Aemond having an easy time keeping his troops under control after his actions," Cregan observed.

"Agreed," Corlys nodded. "At the same time, we should be cautious on committing any forces so freely even with the loss of so many bannermen of Storm's End. I don't expect my wife's extended family to let this setback hold them back for long."

Rhaenyra sighed. "Please remind me. Am I correct in knowing that Aemond is currently betrothed to Floris Baratheon?"

"You would be, Your Grace," Mysaria verified. "Borros Baratheon probably wants a repeat of the situation between Prince Aemon and Lady Jocelyn Baratheon, where Baratheon blood can once again be near the throne."

Daemon shook his head, resenting the Lord of Storm's End's actions but not finding it in his heart to fully condemn the stag lord. He was married to someone who had Baratheon blood and had two daughters who were also related to the stags.

He also sees himself in Borros, Rhaenyra noted. She wasn't going to deny that her marriage to Daemon didn't start on the right foot, but he became better and less fixated on the throne as their marriage progressed through the years. In addition, she had Laena to thank, as she helped Daemon go on a better path, a path where he became to see life beyond himself. How else did he become a good father if he didn't understand that?

"Lord Cregan," she turned to the Lord of Winterfell. "How soon can we get another northmen force into battle?"

"We still have over twenty thousand men ready to march, but I recommend not rushing back into fray. Now that we have a better understanding of what Aemond is capable of, which includes his willingness to burn his own men, we have to adjust our strategy. We can't just attack directly to the enemy, as Rook's Rest, the Honeywine, and now Wendwater all should teach us that we're not only ones with dragons. If our resources are used improperly, we will suffer irreversible losses."

"I concur with Lord Cregan," Ser Willam Royce joined in. He, alongside Corwyn and Leowyn Corbray, were given positions as advisors on the small council since they represented the Vale in the war. "I suggest we begin applying pressure on the Reach. It is a fact that Aemond ignored House Tyrell's neutrality and forced them to cooperate, which will not sit well with the houses north of Highgarden. The lands on each side of the rose road from here to the Tyrell's seat are fair game for both sides, so we have to exploit the Tyrell's being coerced by the usurpers."

"Ser Willam's plan might have some merit," Mysaria set down her quill. "I've conversed with some of the traders that have business on each side of the lines. There is word that Aemond is forcing houses that have declared neutrality to change sides for his brother and that threatening destruction if they don't. They've already made enemies out of the Caswells and the Merryweathers for killing their lords and Tumbleton might follow suit."

"That would also benefit our food stores if we moved on the northern Reach," Bartimos Celtigar added. "We deny Aemond half of the breadbasket and thus utilize the wealth and food those houses have to feed our armies. Given that the royal treasury was removed from the vaults, we need to fill our coffers soon."

The small council murmured in agreement. One thing that Rhaenyra had to give the usurpers credit for was denying her usage of the coffers so assiduously filled by Jaehaerys the Conciliator and her own father. That much coin might have made things much easier.

"Do you think that those houses would so willingly give their food stores and coin to us?" Torrhen Manderly asked.

"If we save them from being burned by Vhagar or at least offer them strong protection, they'll be grateful and they'll do anything for us," Bartimos supposed.

"Lord Bartimos says the truth," Corlys accepted. "Meanwhile, we have threats from the Triarchy to deal with. As long as they have a fleet to command, they can move on the Blackwater Bay and threaten King's Landing. My own grandson died because of those bastards."

Rhaenyra softly exhaled, not wanting to be reminded of her son's death. "Corlys speaks true. Any suggestions on how we could deal with the Triarchy?"

"Your Grace, as long as they have Prince Viserys, any action against them must be taken with great care," Torrhen explained. "We don't even know where he is, but I believe I speak for everyone that it is within the best interests of all of us that he be returned home as soon as possible, before the enemy fully use him as a bargaining chip."

The small council shook their head in agreement, but with Corlys only doing so lightly. That's the second time that he did that when we mentioned Viserys. What's going on there? Rhaenyra thought with concern.

"I have connections back in Lys. Allow me to use them to find out where he is. After that, we can discuss our next course of action," Mysaria offered.

Rhaenyra looked to Daemon, who nodded. "You have my leave, Lady Mysaria, but be quick about it. I dread every day that my son is a prisoner in their hands."

Mysaria nodded. "And Your Grace, I must tell you that I've heard some disturbing rumors about what is going in this city."

That caught the small council's attention. "What rumors, my lady?" Willam Royce groaned. "Don't tell me that it relates to one of Prince Daemon's alternative titles."

Daemon might have learned to ignore when others shot at his unrestrained youth, but Rhaenyra cleared her throat. "Ser Willam, maintain decorum in this chamber, especially when you speak of my husband. Don't talk like that again in my presence, or do you really want to be reminded of what the Rogue Prince was capable of?" Willam gulped before nodding while she turned to Mysaria. "Continue."

"To answer your question, Ser Willam, it doesn't refer to Flea Bottom. In fact, there are growing apprehensions among the more well-off members of this city regarding the war's progress. The traders and craftsmen are eager to see the war concluded soon, as continued hostilities will adversely affect their businesses," Mysaria responded.

"Of course," Bartimos shrugged. "War might be good for business in the short-term, but it is peace that allows all to prosper for long years."

"Quite," Mysaria stated before continuing. "Apprehension can cause people to act in ways contrary to logic, which also applies to the specialized ranks of this city. I was able to get in contact with much of the whorehouses here thanks to His Grace's connections, and their clients have said that they've been frequenting secret meetings held by a man they call The Shepherd."

The small council blinked collectively. "Just 'The Shepherd?' He doesn't have a name?" Lord Corwyn inquired.

"What I know about this man so far is that he considers himself a preacher of the Seven," Mysaria started. "Some of the clients in the whorehouses that I've talked with have described him as a man who wears a hair shirt and rough spun breeches, along with a begging bowl hung around his neck. They say that he's a zealot, openly criticizing those who don't follow his views on how faithful people should act and even going so far as to eat only bread and water because he says that all food in the world is 'sinful.'"

While Daemon, the Manderly brothers, Cregan, Corlys, and Bartimos scoffed, the others kept listening with a sense of solemnness, their following of the Faith allowing them to feel a little bit of sympathy for this Shepherd. "Continue," Rhaenyra urged.

"The shepherd is saying in all of his meetings that the only reason that this war started was because the dragons couldn't share power and that there are still dragons in this capital. I also heard that the shepherd is warning those who would listen to him that the Doom of Valyria is upon them, as the dragons fighting each other can only set the stage for something worse, and that death is the ultimate consequence of their presence," Mysaria revealed.

Rhaenyra bit down on her teeth, angered at the ridiculousness of those statements. "And?"

"There is also talk that the Shepherd has sympathies across the specialized parts of the city and that Flea Bottom is next."

"Why don't we just find this Shepherd and arrest him?" Lorent Marbrand entered the discussion. "He's fomenting unrest in this city and we have to respond accordingly."

"If what Lady Mysaria said is true, then we have to approach this carefully," Cregan answered. "Things are already tense in the capital with the war going on, and given how many faithful are in this city, arresting a man who many see as a preacher can send the wrong message."

Rhaenyra remained impressed at Lord Cregan's astuteness, especially since he didn't follow the Faith.

"I agree with Lord Cregan," Daemon assented. "Maintaining order in this city was as hard during peacetime as it was during war, as I had learned from my post as Commander of the City Watch."

"Not only that, he doesn't stay in one place for long," Mysaria added. "I suggest that we start searching for the Shepherd, but discreetly. Meanwhile, we contact those in the specialized trades and make them work for us as they pass on information about these meetings."

"That sounds acceptable," Daemon bobbed her head.

"So, we have decided to advance on the northern Reach, have Lady Mysaria find out where Viserys is, and begin watching for this Shepherd," Rhaenyra summarized. "Start strategizing on how best to attack, but also contemplate ways to bring the Merryweathers and Caswells to commit their forces for us. I am also empowering the City Watch to cooperate with Lady Mysaria so that we can all remain vigilant to any signs of serious theats against us. Finally, when there is word on my son, let me know immediately. Understood?" The small council nodded. "This council is adjourned for the day."

While the council filed out, Rhaenrya and Daemon were left with Mysaria. "I trust your accommodations are well, my lady," she started.

"More than what I could have expected, Your Grace. After all, I am just a lowly dancer given responsibilities beyond my initial expectations," Mysaria said in self-deprecation.

"Nonsense. You've done well for us so far and you've proven your worth. It only confirms my belief that I had made a good decision in making you my mistress of whisperers," Rhaenyra answered.

"You honor me very much, Your Grace," Mysaria dipped her head. "I will report back to you soon on the matter of the Shepherd. And again, thank you for allowing me and my daughter to enter court."

"No Targaryen blood should be wasted," Rhaenyra managed. "We'll talk more on the matter."

"Your Graces," Mysaria bowed again before leaving.

Rhaenyra had met Daemon's daughter by this former Lysene dancer. Four and twenty, Shiera was just like her mother, as she possessed skin that was pale as milk and was lithe and lissome. Given the prominent Valyrian traits in Lysenes, that wasn't very surprising.

But what bothered Rhaenyra was seeing the woman who had captured Daemon's heart so many years ago. While Daemon had grown past that and she herself had to admit that his Rogue Prince persona was part of what attracted her to him in the first place, she didn't like the idea of him being with women other than her, which also included Laena even though they were friendly about it.

At the same time, seeing how Daemon was a good father and gave her children of her own, she was willing to accept some parts of his past for his sake, and that included the child he had sired with Mysaria, the one he gave the dragon egg to and angered her father in one of their many conflicts.

"I feel like seeing the children play now," Rhaenyra spoke. "I want to see how Shiera adds to the happiness that they should feel while we bear the burdens for them."

"I'm pretty sure that they are in the godswood right now," Daemon answered. "That's the only place where they can run around free while safe in the Red Keep."

Rhaenyra offered her arm, which he took. "Shall we see to them?"

As they exited the small council chamber and towards the godswood, many of the guards and other members of the household dipped their heads for their queen and prince consort. Entering the godswood, which was still absent of a heart tree, they soon enough found Baela, Rhaena, and Shiera holding hands as they danced around little Aegon, who sat on a rock, and Jaehaera, who was clapping her hands happily. Baela told Daemon that if they couldn't make her brother play with them, then they'll around them. "After a while, he might want to play with us after seeing how we do it."

Rhaenyra held no ill-will towards Jaehaera, as she had done nothing against her, and was still a child. But as it turned out, she was not as naïve as most would assume, since she witnessed some of her parents' ugly arguments as the older Aegon went out whoring, and even said that it was good that her father wasn't in the Red Keep. Poor girl, she sympathized her.

"What are you thinking right now, Nyra?" Daemon asked.

"I just pity Jaehaera, since she already saw what unhappiness in marriage looks like," Rhaenyra admitted.

"Me too," Daemon sighed. "No child should have to experience that."

"And that's something that I will not let my children or grandchildren see," Rhaenyra declared.

"Grandchildren?" Daemon turned to her, surprised.

"Well, Aegon will have to marry, and so will Viserys when we get him back. The same thing for Baela and Rhaena, and then Visenya. But we will work to ensure that they have happy marriages, politics be damned."

"Careful," Daemon playfully warned. "You remind me of a certain someone long ago."

"Who?"

"Me."

Rhaenyra laughed. "Well, I am still unsure if I should call Shiera 'daughter.' We're only a few years apart and that could make things awkward between us."

"I would hardly say a nine-year difference is 'a few years,'" Daemon pointed out.

"But the point remains. More importantly, you had her with someone who spread her legs for you, and you took it without hesitation. I'm troubled that my dragon was smitten by someone else," Rhaenyra teased.

"Come now, Nyra. You're the only one for me, the only dragon that I can call my own," Daemon turned to her while putting his hands on her waist. "So, what can I do to make you sure again?"

Rhaenyra put her hands around his neck. "Give me another child, another girl. And I want her conceived tonight in our chambers. I'll be sure again afterwards."

Daemon chuckled. "Anything to assure you that you are the only one for me."

She reached up and pulled in her husband for her kiss, which quickly became deeper but was rudely by Baela and Rhaena finally noticing their parents. Shiera put her hands on Jaehaera's and Aegon's eyes to shield them.

"Ugh," Baela groaned. "Please go to your chambers, kepa. We don't want you making muña moan while we play."

Daemon and Rhaenyra chortled, with her snorting as she tried to control her laughter.

"Baela, we'll have a talk about respecting other's privacy," Daemon lightly warned before grabbing Rhaenyra's hand in his. "But after we're done tonight."

Baela rolled her eyes, Rhaena was sheepish, and Shiera was amused at her father retaining his virility.

"Actually, let's do it now," Daemon whispered in her ear. "Don't want to keep you uncertain for long."

"Show me, my prince," Rhaenyra commanded lustfully, eager to see his bare and muscled form as much as he wanted to see her without anything. "Please your queen. Make me scream louder than before."

Aegon's breathing hitched as he tried to shrug off the sting that still came from his burns. He demanded the milk of the poppy every time that it came back, since that was the only thing that was keeping the pain from becoming too unbearable. However, the flames from a dragon's mouth proved incredibly potent when it came into contact with skin, and the normal remedies that were used to treat burns simply were inadequate when the maesters tried to heal their king.

What was more distressing for Aegon was that the milk of the poppy seemed to no longer work on him, as the searing feeling that he felt from when Meleys released her fire on him had come back with full force and his body had adjusted to the large quantity of milk of the poppy that made up his daily intake.

His body became dripped in sweat and his groaning turned into sounds that weren't quite screams but were loud enough to be heard throughout the castle. The maesters had to cover his body in rags and dip him in a tub of cold water to lessen the pain, but nothing worked. However, the delirious effects of the milk of the poppy were still there, which made the coping more unbearable since his mind was making him remember certain memories without the numbing effects of the potion.

His days were mostly spent in bed, as the healing took longer than anyone had expected, and nobody wanted the lords to see their king so wounded. Most importantly, he had heard in passing of his brother acting on his behalf over most day-to-day affairs as his appointed Prince Regent and Protector of the Realm, which he didn't even remember doing. So many things were becoming mixed or lost in his mind under the fog of the poppy, leading him to become more unsure on what is reality and what wasn't.

Then, out of the blue and in between quick breaths, Aegon remembered the time when his displeasure towards his father reached feverish heights. It was a day that he tried to forget, as it brought back much pain and also made him more resentful of his half-sister.

Aegon thrusted hard between the legs of the Bracken lady, whose name he had quickly forgotten but was content to focus on her pretty face and graceful form. His violet eyes met with her walnut ones, and she gave him the satisfaction he needed by moaning very loudly whenever he plunged his length into her entrance.

It was during the celebrations of his twentieth name-day and his father had arranged for a large feast in his honor at the Red Keep. Everyone of House Targaryen or related to it were invited, but as expected, Rhaenyra, Daemon, their children, and the other houses closest to Dragonstone, most prominently the Velaryons and Celtigars, did not show up. Ever since that tourney sixteen years prior, where Alicent wore the green gown and Rhaenyra wore the black, the divisions between the competing claimants to the Iron Throne were very clear and the hostility between especially the Targaryen princes born from Alicent's womb and Rhaenyra's Velaryon sons were well-known throughout the realm.

Everyone assumed that Harwin Strong was the true father given his close proximity, but whether it was true or not was irrelevant in Aegon's mind. As long as people believe that she is a whore with dragon's blood, nothing else matters, Aegon thought.

But even though he wasn't inclined to respect Rhaenyra's position as the heir to the Iron Throne, he found himself quite exhausted from navigating through the various lordly houses that came to congratulate him, an activity that was to be expected of any prince of House Targaryen and potential claimant to the throne should the occasion arise. Indeed, Alicent and her "green" followers placed their hopes in Viserys making Aegon the Prince of Dragonstone once he saw the sense in empowering a woman, but that day never came to pass. However, it did little to dent their aspirations.

Whenever his mother or his grandfather Ser Otto tried to draw his attention to important matters of the realm such as taxation policies and maintenance of the kingsroad, Aegon made clear his disinterest and went for the flagon of Arbor gold that his Hightower family always drank. He also had the cooks bring his meals to his chambers and lock the door, where he could avoid his mother, grandfather, and his brothers and enjoy his daily servings of boar, aurochs, apples, ale and wine, and sweets in private. He was a prince, so he was going to enjoy every privilege his status afforded him.

He also didn't want to be near Helaena, who he judged as less pretty than the maids of the Red Keep and even her ladies-in-waiting. He knew that his mother and grandfather arranged for the marriage, since it would strengthen his claim against Rhaenyra's and ensure that Hightower blood would be close to the throne. Not wanting to anger his mother more than he already did, he saw his wife during the first few years of their marriage and closed his eyes as he took her to bed. Once I have an heir and a spare, I'll stop, he concluded.

His thinking regarding his privileges then a step further, as he decided to ignore Helaena completely once Jaehaerys, Maelor, and Jaehaera were born. Since he fulfilled his duty, there was nothing to stop Aegon from pursuing women who he saw as prettier than his sister-wife. He did see other women in between his children's births, but Jaehaera's birth freed him, in Aegon's mind, from the obligations that came with being a prince.

Besides maids, who couldn't say no to a prince wanting to take them in his bed, his eyes wondered towards his sister-wife's ladies-in-waiting, which interestingly included Bethany Bracken and Agnes Blackwood, women who came from riverlander houses known for their bloody history against each other. Unsurprisingly, the only reason that they did not openly fight was because they had to attend to Helaena most of every day and they usually retired late at night, but in separate directions.

Bethany had wavy brown hair and big walnut eyes while Agnes had long but smooth black hair and soft grey eyes. Both were thin, supple, and had pleasant voices, while their dresses were very becoming of them (Bethany wore a yellow dress lined with red while Agnes wore a black one lined with red, both of them representing their houses' respective colors).

But with Agnes' dress reminding Aegon of the colors of Rhaenyra's, he decided that he was in the mood for something yellow, which matched the gold of his dragon Sunfyre.

After the castle had retired for the night after his name-day celebrations and while feeling a little numb from drink, he wandered towards Bethany's chambers in the Holdfast and walked past her after she responded to his knocking. Her curtseying exposing the cleavage shown through her gown, Aegon walked behind and moved his hands into her garments as she stood still. Grabbing the sleeves from her shoulders and pushing them, he squeezed her breasts and pressed against her clit, making her moan. Pushing her onto the bed, he untied his breeches, adjusted his cock, and sheathed it in her. "Feel the pleasure of a prince, my lady. Be honored," was all he said as he took her maidenhead.

He continued to meet Bethany Bracken in the closing hours of each day, sneaking out of bed next to Helaena so as to not wake her. Not that she cared ever since that incident with the maid, and after Aemond promised that he wouldn't clean up whatever messes he made. As if I need his help, Aegon dismissed.

He found pleasure in the embrace of Lady Bracken, but he wasn't concerned if she even consented or not to his advances. If I am pleasured, nothing else matters, he thought.

But one day, a moon after his twentieth name-day celebrations, he was summoned to his father's solar in the early hours of morning even though he was scheduled for another lesson with his mother and Hightower grandfather. Confused, he obeyed and presented himself to his father.

"Father, I have come—"

"Shut it," Viserys gritted his teeth, shocking him. "Before you say anything, sit down and keep your mouth closed. I have much to say."

Alicent and Otto Hightower were also present, but their faces were pale in fear. What's going on here? Aegon thought dreadfully.

Aegon looked at his father, who normally carried a smile on his face, a neatly trimmed mustache, and while not as muscled or as well-inclined to physical activities like himself, he knew to how please the people around him and they in turn liked to be in his presence. But instead of a smile and a relaxed face, he carried a frown that could turn uglier and his cheeks and forehead expressed a certain lividness that he never saw in his father before.

"So, you think you are free after having heirs?" Viserys looked at him with the fiercest stare that he had ever seen. "You think just because you have an heir and a spare, you have leave to do whatever you want? Is that it?"

"Father, I don't know—"

"I said QUIET!" Viserys suddenly shouted, jolting Aegon so much that he quickly closed his mouth. "It's bad enough that you have decided to neglect your studies in favor of food and drink. It's bad enough that you are keeping to yourself so that you wouldn't have to talk with your family. But I never felt more ashamed when I hear that my son ignores his wife so that he can go whoring!"

Aegon's eyes widened in terror. "Father, I—"

Without warning, Viserys grabbed his wine goblet and threw it at his son, only narrowly missing him as Aegon ducked and missed the shattering glass pieces.

"VISERYS!" Alicent stood up.

"Be quiet, woman!" Viserys scolded her, his anger also shocking her since she sat back down. "Do you know the person that I have just conversed with before you came here? Her name is Bethany Bracken, and she is one of Helaena's ladies-in-waiting."

Aegon swallowed.

"Your wife and sister also told me of the other times where you slept around with the maids in this very castle. I may have my own shortcomings, but I never decided to find pleasure in another woman because I know what happens when bastards are born, especially those with royal blood," Viserys was seething at this point.

"Bastard?" Aegon whispered. "You mean she's—?

"Fortunately for me," Viserys cut him off. "Her father at Stone Hedge needs coin and I have just a raven promising him a payment in golden dragons if he takes back his daughter and keeps everyone quiet on who fathered the babe growing in her womb. Humfrey Bracken needs a spare, so he was more than willing to take the babe as his own."

Aegon stood up, not willing to let his source of ease leave him. "Father, you cannot—"

"That's where you're wrong. I am the King and I have the power to do what I must to ensure that our house is protected," Viserys corrected him. "I couldn't trust you to end things with Lady Bethany, so I have decided to discharge her from Helaena's service myself and send her home."

Aegon shook his head in denial, and that's when he decided to fire back at his father. "And what about you, father? A real man chooses someone worthy to become the heir, not the whore that is my cursed sister. And you accuse me of whoring, when my sister had bastards? I do what a man does and should, which is more than you ever will be. No wonder why many protested your right to be king!"

Alicent gasped and Otto's eyes became bigger, but the expressions from both were nothing compared to the reddening rage on his father's face.

"Father— I didn't mean—" Aegon tried to take back his words, not realizing it until it left his lips.

"A MAN?! If your idea of manhood is whoring around and doing what you want, then you are more of an idiot than I thought! And don't you ever call the Velaryon boys bastards!" Viserys' words were biting, which was more than what Aegon could swallow.

"Father, please forgive me," Aegon weakly tried to apologize, but Viserys was having none of it.

"And now you've strengthened my belief in that I had made the right decision years ago. Better Rhaenyra, a woman, on the throne than a whoremonger and a fool," Viserys was being merciless.

Aegon was trembling, seeing his father's words as going too far. Alicent stepped in to defend her son. "Viserys, that's enough. Aegon already sees—"

"No, I don't think he does, nor will he ever," Viserys interrupted her. "If this was any other time, I would have you sent to the Night's Watch or exile you for what you've done. However, my grandchildren need their father and I won't deprive them of that. But understand that I will watch you now. Do this again and I shall remind you of what consequences befall to whoremongers. Do you understand?" Aegon remained silent, prompting Viserys to grind his teeth more. "Do. You. Understand?"

"Yes, father," Aegon managed.

"Now, get out," Viserys pointed to the door, which Aegon walked towards eagerly.

Aegon took a moment to lean on the wall outside of the solar and breathe in and out, as he sensed being close to breaking down at his father's words.

Whoremonger. Fool. Idiot. The Night's Watch. Exile. Those words repeated in his mind, but the eyes full of fury and resignation were what made Aegon remembered the most. And he'll choose my whore of a sister over me? Hypocrite, Aegon cursed his father.

But since he was not the type to reflect too much on one's disapproval, he found a solution to his current predicament. As he couldn't find comfort in Bethany Bracken anymore, he went for the next best choice in his mind.

Agnes wears a dress with colors similar to Rhaenyra, so today, she'll be my sister and I shall rule over her, Aegon swore to himself.

His feet moved him towards Agnes Blackwood's chamber, which was on the far side of the Holdfast. He didn't care that it was early morning and that people might see him. After what his father did, he needed to distract his mind with pleasure.

Knocking on Agnes' door, he pushed through the door and found himself looking into the grey eyes of the Blackwood lady. Perfect, she has her black and red dress on, Aegon observed.

"Your Grace," she curtseyed and thus exposing her cleavage to Aegon's lustful eyes.

"Take off your dress," Aegon ordered her.

"Your Grace?"

"Take it off, now," Aegon stepped forward.

"I can't, Your Grace. I have duties to Princess Helaena today," she tried to ward him off, which didn't work.

"She can wait. I'm a prince, so you'll do as you're commanded," Aegon threatened.

Agnes cocked her head at him. "Will you take me, just as you took Lady Bethany, Your Grace?"

Aegon blinked, shocked that Agnes dared talk back to him. "What did you say, you fucking bitch?"

"Before you make a decision you'll regret, Your Grace, please allow me to leave in peace," Agnes pleaded.

"Regret…" Aegon repeated maliciously before he felt a flash of anger and slapped her face, causing her to fall on the floor. "Regret?! The only one that should feel regret should be you, as you are disobeying a prince!" He grabbed Agnes' arms, picked her up from the floor while he ignored her bleeding lips, and threw on the bed. For good measure, he punched her belly hard, causing her to cough.

"You know what? I'll just do it myself!" Aegon went for her skirt and ripped it open, causing Agnes to flail her legs. He pushed them aside as his fingers grabbed at and tore off her smallclothes. Pinning her hands above her head, he kissed her, which she responded to by biting his lip. He slapped her again for that. "Oh, looks like we'll have to be rough," he grinned cruelly. "But don't worry. It'll be over soon."

He ignored her pleas and screams of pain as he tore off the rest of her dress, imagined Agnes as Rhaenyra, and sucked on her breasts before forcing himself inside of her. Her sobs and anguished moans fell on deaf ears, as Aegon took what he wanted and reminded himself what a man would do. What a dragon would do, he finally thought.

"Mother," Aegon reached for the ceiling as a baby would in the crib. "Hold me. Hold me."

Hearing her son's call, Alicent rushed in his chambers, having waited outside of the door at the maester's behest in case something went wrong.

While Aegon was reliving that time, Alicent was wiping the sweat from his brow. Ignoring the maester's warnings on increasing his intake of the milk of the poppy, she yelled to them, "Would you rather see your king in pain?! Do it!" To her relief, he had drifted into a deep slumber and was no longer inhaling rapidly.

It tore at Alicent's heart to see her son in such pain, but remembering Aemond's example, she accepted it as a necessary consequence for the rightful king to sit on the Iron Throne. If we lose, then we shall have the Rogue Prince rule over us and we'll be done for.

After making sure her son was calm, she left him to rest, nodded to the kingsguard guarding his chambers, and went to the solar of Brightwater Keep, home of House Florent but used as an alternative location to house Aegon as he healed, since Highgarden was deemed too close to the front lines and to danger.

Her father Otto was already there, leaving Daeron and Lord Cole in charge at Highgarden, as they expected to return briefly after they checked on Aegon's health.

It was those he that she found in the solar of Lord Florent, who allowed them to use it while stayed.

"How is the king?" Otto asked his daughter.

"Barely managing, as he is," Alicent sat down. "I had to increase his intake of the milk of the poppy just so he can get some sleep."

"A rested man will heal quicker, Alicent," her father answered. "And the King healing will benefit all those fighting for him, including us."

"Of course," Alicent nodded. "Sunfyre, however, is proving very slow to heal. We need both the king and his dragon back in the fray if we are to have a chance in the long-term."

Otto sighed. Like her son, the golden dragon Sunfyre was still recovering from the cuts and burns suffered from Meleys. She could only see the dragon from a distance, as she didn't have the blood of the dragon. But I bore those who did. Doesn't that count?

She saw Sunfyre earlier today, where he burned and consumed a herd of cattle, much to the protest of the farmer. She had to compensate him for the loss of his livestock, but she couldn't hope to do it forever. Sunfyre's eating like there's no tomorrow, but he still can't fly? Never thought dragons could be so useless, connection with the riders be damned.

"And no offense to my grandson, but he's not doing us any favors as Prince Regent, the Wendwater being evidence of that," Otto admitted.

Alicent heard about what Aemond did. Burning your own troops sends the wrong message. Why doesn't he know that? "But Aemond is exerting himself, just like all of us should."

"But there is a difference between hard effort and effort used right," Otto pointed out. "And so far, we've only been doing much of the former."

"Then, what do you suggest, father?"

"I had suggested reaching out to Qoren Martell and letting the Triarchy do more of the fighting for us in the use of ships and sellswords," Otto reminded her. "Perhaps, we get the Dornish to contribute troops provided that we meet certain conditions and that we pay the Triarchy for soldiers, since we need more to shore up our gaps."

Alicent shook her head vehemently. "The realm will never accept any overtures to the Dornish and we already have enough problems with the Triarchy as it is, since they're not being cooperative regarding Princes Viserys."

"Allow me to talk to them. They'll listen to me," Otto offered.

"I can appreciate you being careful about the whole situation, father, and I appreciate your wisdom. But using Dornishmen and relying on the Triarchy will discredit us, since that will show that our side doesn't have the resources within Westeros to continue the fighting and you should know how the lords and smallfolk will be hostile to outside help," Alicent outlined.

"You bring up a good point, Alicent. But we can't afford to be selective with who we ally with," Otto responded. "I'm very sure that is what Rhaenyra is doing, as she brought in northern barbarians to her cause."

"Don't compare me with that whore," Alicent hissed. "I was queen before the thought ever crossed her mind, and my sons lived properly as princes of House Targaryen. If we just struggle a little harder, we'll succeed."

"As I said, there is a difference between hard effort and effort used right," Otto repeated. "And I warned my grandsons that appointing a steward in my place was a good idea."

"And did you know that it was Lord Cole's idea to set that trap for Rhaenys? While it was a good strategy, I doubted Aegon's ability to take her on all by himself, not while Vhagar was still recovering as that bastard Lucerys did more damage to Aemond's dragon than anyone thought possible. If only Cole wasn't so eager to fight and face Rhaenyra, then Aegon will still be ruling and we have one more dragon flying for us," Alicent scoffed at where Criston Cole's belligerence had got them.

"War is too important to be handled by men who only know how to handle a sword, and Cole is an example of why knights who come from undistinguished lines must never hold the reins of power," Otto declared. "Men like Cole should know their place, as should the Sea Snake and others who don't respect our traditions and come from bloodlines that never existed centuries prior."

"Oh, he will be dealt with soon," Alicent revealed. "Cole's aggressive ideas have not improved the situation for us. and I am confident that my sons will see the error in their decision to appoint that upstart. However, we don't have the luxury of time and I have formed a plan to be rid of him quickly."

"How?" Otto became interested.

"Let's just say, his cockiness will soon be his downfall," Alicent answered cryptically.

A/N: Now, we have our first proper introduction to Mysaria, who is proving to be a great asset. But we also have mention of the Shepherd, which can only indicate one event to come in the Dance. And Daemon and Rhaenyra... :)

For Aegon's flashback, it's only fitting that he gets chewed out by Viserys (actually, that's putting it kindly). And just to be clear with you all, I condemn anything related to what Aegon did to Lady Blackwood and rapists deserve to be punished horribly. To get a visual idea, watch what happens to the villain in Wind River film.

As for Alicent and Otto, they're scheming against Criston Cole, meaning that Aemond is not the only one who will cause damage to the green cause.

Until next time.