As a family tradition, Jacaerys and his brother would always dine with their mother, father, and their true father, who joined them as a guest of honour, albeit every night. Tonight was no different, although Jacaerys suspected that his mother would chasten Ser Harwin for his behaviour earlier in the day. Right now, Princess Rhaenyra with the might of a crown princess, possessed the main seat of the table, the top. Lucerys lingered by the door, waiting for Ser Harwin to arrive and Ser Laenor was looking very interestingly at the hearth's fire.

Jacaerys himself sat on a sofa, supposedly watching over his little brother, Joffrey, but in truth, he was brooding over the events of the day, during which Lord Larys asked him to call him 'uncle'. His hand still shook with fear when he repeated the word 'uncle' in his mind. As if he was afeared that someone would read his mind and then accuse him of treachery. Truly, what he endured for his family.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

His mother's face shone with glee at the sound of the knocking, "Lucerys…" His little brother did not wait for her to finish and quickly opened the door. Ser Harwin was indeed on the other side and grinned at the sight of Luce, who jumped to hug the second he stepped into the chambers.

"Greetings, Ser Harwin," said Ser Laenor, "Hope you had a good day."

"Bar a minor disturbance, the rest of my day went on just fine," Ser Harwin answered as he walked to his mother and greeted her with a kiss on the cheeks, which unsettled Jacaerys because it proved the inevitable truth even more.

"You know that we have to talk about this little disturbance, don't you, Ser Harwin?" his mother asked.

Ser Harwin acted as if he didn't hear her words and instead moved towards Jacaerys and greeted him with a smile, "Why do you look so sombre, my prince? Has Aegon's blows left you maimed?"

Jacaerys did not return his smile, "Aegon's blows have no part in my sombre mood, ser. I'm distressed by events not worthy to be mentioned during our familial supper."

Ser Harwin did not seem content with his answer and as he opened his mouth to persuade him to speak, Ser Laenor interrupted him, "Speaking of supper, Ser Harwin, do you know what my lady wife has ordered for us to prey upon for this lovely evening?"

"Pray tell, what the princess has brewed for us this evening?" Ser Harwin asked while looking at his mother.

"Your favourite, ser," said his mother, "Bear with boiled mutton."

Ser Harwin laughed in delight, "Well, let's waste no time then, I'm starving!" Then he walked to the table and claimed the chair beside his mother.

Ser Laenor sat on the other end of the table, facing Princess Rhaenyra, and Lucerys also took one of the seats. Just as Jacaerys was about to join them, another sound erupted in the room:

Knock…Knock…Knock. The door was knocked with a time gap between each knock. Everyone looked at the door with concern. "Jace," said his mother, "Open the door."

Jacaerys sighed as he walked to the door. He knew not who could be on the other side, but with all his heart, he hoped it was not his uncle. Praying that that was not the case, he opened the door and instantly fell on his back on the floor out of fear.

Lord Larys, Jacaerys' greatest nightmare, looked at him with an amused smile, "Greetings, nephew," he whispered only loud enough for Jacaerys to hear, which sent shivers down to his spine.

"Who is it?" his mother raised from her seat.

Lord Larys crawled into the room and looked at her, "Good evening, my princess. I hope you are faring well," he lowered his head in bowing, "Forgive me for my untimely arrival, I hope I'm not an intruder to your peace."

"Brother!" Ser Harwin roared as he walked to Lord Larys and embraced him, "I knew someday you would accept my invitation and join me to dine with the princess. Come in, they have boiled mutton."

"Oh, what a delight," said Lord Larys in a calmer tone than that of his brother, "I would join you, if Princess Rhaenyra grants me permission of course."

His mother looked at Ser Harwin for reassurance, and when he nodded, she turned to Lord Larys and smiled, "You are very welcomed to join our table, like your brother does every night."

Lord Larys' wicked smile grew on his face, "My brother spends more nights with you and your family than he talks with me, not that I begrudged you for stealing his attention. In fact, keep him as much as you like," he said as he began crawling towards the table.

Jacaerys raised from the ground and cleaned the dust on his tunic. He felt Ser Harwin's hand on his shoulder and looked up and met his gaze, "Come on, lad, aren't you hungry?" he asked.

Jacaerys looked at Lord Larys who was conversing with his mother and Ser Laenor. How much he wanted to just return to his chambers and sleep, but he could not do such thing. He sighed in frustration, "Let us go then."

At the table, by Lord Larys' insistence, Jacaerys sat beside him and let anxiety be poured into his mind as he felt his uncle's eyes gazing at him even when they were not. The servants brought in the dishes and everyone started eating, bar Jacaerys.

"Do you hate boiled mutton this much, my prince?" Ser Harwin asked in a fake hurt tone.

Even though Jacaerys set his eyes directly at him, he could still see Lord Larys looking at him. "I'm only short on appetite, ser." The reason for which is staring at me, he left this part unsaid.

Ser Laenor gave him a concerned look, "Are you sure you're alright, Jace? You seemed rather aloof earlier in the day."

"I'm fine…" Jacaerys started.

But Lord Larys interrupted him, "It must have been the events of the courtyard that has caused such distressed in the young prince."

"What events, pray tell?" Ser Laenor asked.

Princess Rhaenyra looked at Ser Harwin, "Perhaps Ser Harwin can enlighten us?"

Ser Harwin sighed in defeat, "Ser Criston Cole again acted like a whining child, nothing significant."

"And my brother was very close into breaking his teeth," said Lord Larys.

"Oh," Ser Laenor expressed his realisation and probably connected the reasons for Jacaerys sobriety. "Would you like some drinks, Jace?" This was the highest form of sympathy that he could express to his false son.

Jacaerys did not answer him, because before he could even open his mouth his mother interrupted him, "You should be more careful in how you approach Ser Criston, Ser Harwin, what if you had engaged in a fight with him?"

"It wouldn't have been me who started it," Ser Harwin dismissed her concerns.

"Are you sure?" His mother asked him, "It awfully sounds like you were eager to break his teeth."

Ser Harwin pursed his lips, "I was not. He started bickering about topics not fit for his short sighted brain and I was going to help understand why he is better off not speaking. Of course, before we could do anything Larys stopped us all."

"My brother has a short temper," said Larys, "It was only my duty to save Ser Criston from his strong—"

"Water!" Jacaerys raised his voice, "I will have water." He could not refrain himself from interrupting his uncle before he could say the word 'strong'. He could not allow anyone to utter that word in his household.

Everyone turned to him and looked at him with bewildered eyes, except for Lord Larys who wore a knowing smile. "Laenor," said his mother, "Give him some water." Ser Laenor poured him a goblet full of water and gave it to him. Jacaerys drained the goblet with one breath.

For a moment silence fell in the table, everyone looked unsure of what to say, except, of course, for Lord Larys who spoke, "Let us move to some happier news, shall we?"

Ser Harwin raised an eyebrow, "What happy news do you have for us, brother?"

"I have news from the east," Lord Larys took a sip from his cup and frustrated everyone with anticipation, "Of Prince Daemon and his wife," he secretly looked at Prinecss Rhaenyra while saying that which only Jacaerys noticed.

"What of them, pray tell?" his mother asked.

"The Lady Laena has birthed to a son, Aemon, his name is," said Lord Larys, "After her grandsire, I gather."

"Prince Aemon," Ser Laenor stated the obvious.

Lord Larys nodded in agreement, "I've heard that the king rejoiced at once with hearing this news. So much so that he dispatched a group of envoys under the leadership of my father to invite Prince Daemon to return. A feast awaits us, most likely."

"Do you know when?" Ser Harwin asked, "I need to prepare my best clothes."

Lord Larys smirked at his jape, "The lady went through a tough time birthing this child, her recovery will take time."

Ser Laenor widened his eyes in shock, "Is my lady sister harmed?!"

"I know not, my lord," Lord Larys answered.

"I must visit her. Perhaps in the morrow or the day after it," Ser Laenor murmured as he looked up to Princess Rhaenyra, "If my lady wife grants me permission, of course."

"You are free to go, Laenor," said his mother.

By this time, Jacaerys felt he had enough of his uncle and wanted to retire to his chambers, "Mother, father, if you grant me leave I would like to sleep."

His mother raised an eyebrow, "So soon, my sweet?"

"Yes, I'm exhausted."

She turned to Ser Laenor, "Well, I believe Laenor can accompany you…"

"No need, princess," said Lord Larys as he slowly raised from his seat and put a hand on Jacaerys' shoulder which sent shivers down his spine., "I will accompany the young prince, Ser Laenor needs his rest after a tiresome day."

Jacaerys widened his eyes as he tried to scream, please don't let him, but failed to do so.

His mother did not expect this from Lord Larys, it was obviously written in her face, "Oh, well, I guess you are free to do as you like, my lord."

Nooooo, Jacaerys bemoaned in his head.

His mother raised from his seat and planted a kiss on his forehead, "Sleep well, my dear."

And with that, the two began walking out of the chambers with Lord Larys' hand still on Jacaerys' shoulder. In the hall, they did not speak, but Jacaerys was dying from anxiety, because at any moment, someone could walk into the hall and see him with his uncle.

When he saw the doors to his room, Jacaerys jumped out of Lord Larys' hold and ran towards his chambers. He threw himself at his bed and for one second, he felt that he was freed.

But it was not to be. "You have a nice room, nephew," his uncle teased, "I did not have a clean bedchamber back in Harrenhall, the benefits of being a Strong and a Clubfoot."

"You are overly familiar with me, my lord," Jacaerys responded, not even daring to look at his uncle.

Lord Larys chuckled, which sounded somehow more devilish than a dragon's roar did, "What a clever boy, shunning his uncle away." The sound of the throbs of his cane indicated that he was crawling into the room.

"Were you not tasked only to deliver me to my rooms, my lord?" Jacaerys asked, "I think you did that part perfectly." He heard no answers for that, but he felt a new weight falling into his bed.

"Princess Helaena sent her regards."

Jacaerys hated how the sentence made him to sit abed and look at his uncle. "What?" he asked.

Lord Larys smiled his most annoying smile, "She told me to say to 'the most esteemed Prince Jacaerys' that she was grateful for what you did for her and hopes you would meet her again, in the library, of course."

Jacaerys just knew that a blush was growing on his face, "Oh, well, tell her that I appreciated her beautiful massage."

Lord Larys simply stood up from the bed, "Why don't you say it to her yourself?" he teased as he began creeping out of the room.

Jacaerys put his pillow on his face and groaned loudly at it. After a few seconds, he could no longer hear the throbbing sound of his uncle's cane, so he removed the pillow and sat abed, brooding over the events of the day.

Suddenly, his eyes drifted to his window, whereon he saw a beautiful creature resting. He stood up and walked to his window and slowly studied the creature and found out that it was a purple butterfly. He extended his hand to it and the butterfly accepted his invitation and landed on his palm.

Jacaerys found a bottle in his room and gently throw the butterfly in it. He promised himself to give Princess Helaena the butterfly in the morrow. If he could, he would drive her out of the library, away from Lord Larys. It's for the good of the two if they the Clubfoot did not interfere with them. But then, he reminded himself of what she confessed, the fact that she took solace in Lord Larys' company. He couldn't rob her of that.

Nevertheless, he fell asleep that night with a smile on his face.