109 A.C.
He sat next to his big sister; her arms wrapped around him as she read to him about Aegon Targaryen's conquest. A minstrel was playing a song about dragons, he couldn't tell. But he was engaged in what he was reading.
"What's next, Nyra?" Baelon asked her.
"Vhagar was ridden by Visenya Targaryen when the conquest happened. She had the Valyrian steel sword, Dark Sister, and was considered a formidable warrior." Rhaenyra said as the minstrel finished. "Again." She told him.
"Perhaps the princess and the prince would like to hear something else?" The minstrel asked.
"Do you want to listen to anything else Baelon?" Rhaenyra asked her brother.
"No." Baelon responded.
"You heard the prince." Rhaenyra said. The minstrel began again. "Now for the Field of Fire. Aegon had his armies in a dry field. Lord Jon Mooton led the armies of the Targaryens on foot. The Lannisters and Gardeners thought they could flank the armies, but it was a trap. Aegon had burned the dry field which lit up the armies. Four thousand men were killed, and thousands of other men were burned. Mern Gardener and all his family were killed. Loren Lannister was captured and bent the knee to Aegon." Rhaenyra explained. The minstrel stopped the song and stood up.
"Your Grace." He said.
"Did I say to stop?" Rhaenyra asked. Baelon turned to see Alicent Hightower. She was Rhaenyra's best friend but since she married their father, Rhaenyra didn't like her. He frowned every time she came. "From the beginning." The minstrel sat down and continued the song. "Now to the North."
"Rhaenyra?" Alicent called.
"Yes my queen?" Rhaenyra said, bored.
"Yours and the Prince Baelon's presence is wanted in the outer courtyard." Alicent said. "The royal hunt is ready to depart."
"We have decided to remain here and read." Rhaenyra responded.
"You may go, Samwell." Alicent told the minstrel.
"Baelon, do you want him to leave?" Rhaenyra asked him.
"No, I don't." Baelon quickly responded.
"You are to stay by order of the prince." Rhaenyra said, both of them not taking their eyes off the book.
"The queen commands you to leave the Godswood at once." Alicent commanded. The minstrel bowed before Rhaenyra and Baelon.
"Princess, my Prince." The minstrel said before leaving.
"The king wishes for both of you to join us." Alicent said.
"The king has much to celebrate. He does not need us." Rhaenyra said.
"He wants for us all to be together. Perhaps the hunt could be… fun." Alicent argued.
"Will Aegon be there?" Baelon asked.
"Yes he will. He's very excited about this." Alicent said.
"He doesn't like me." Baelon said.
"That's not true—" Alicent started.
"He doesn't like me. I tried playing with our dragons and he cried when I played with his toy. He wasn't even playing with it." Baelon complained.
"Is it the king's command?" Rhaenyra asked.
"Yes but—" Alicent started to say.
"Then at once, Your Grace." Rhaenyra said closing the book and picking up Baelon. The four-year-old was holding her hand.
"But it needn't be. None of it needs be this way in truth, Rhaenyra." Alicent pleaded. But it fell on deaf ears.
Eventually they were all in the carriage. Viserys was playing with Aegon while Rhaenyra and Baelon were sitting quietly.
"Well isn't this splendid? The whole of our family off to celebration and adventure in the Kingswood." Viserys said. The carriage bumped into something and rocked the wheelhouse, making Alicent uncomfortable.
"Should you be traveling in such condition?" Rhaenyra asked.
"The maester said that being out in nature would do me well." Alicent said.
"Well you will be with your own child sooner than late and make me a proud grandsire." Viserys said.
"I have one." Rhaenyra said, wrapping her arms around Baelon.
"Baelon is your brother, he is not from your womb." Viserys reminded her.
"It's not so bad. The days are long, but Aegon came quickly and without fuss." Alicent said. Rhaenyra didn't respond and there was an awkward silence.
"You should ride out with me today." Viserys said breaking the silence. "Join in the chase. Baelon won't be able to."
"I'd rather not." Rhaenyra said. "The boars squeal like children when they're being slaughtered. I find it discomforting." As she explained this Aegon shoved the dragon toy to the ground with a squeal of his own. Baelon frowned at his brother with the toy.
"It's a hunt Rhaenyra." Viserys said. "How would you like to participate?"
"I'm not sure why I must." Rhaenyra said.
"Because you are my daughter. The Princess. And you have duties." Viserys explained.
"As I am ceaselessly reminded." Rhaenyra said quietly to herself.
"I'm sorry?" Viserys asked for clarification.
"As I am ceaselessly reminded." Rhaenyra said louder.
"You wouldn't need to be reminded if you ever attended to them." Viserys said.
"No one's here for me." Rhaenyra said. "And they're not here for him either." She pointed to her brother Baelon.
That ended the conversation as they had arrived at the hunting party. Many tents were set up with many banners to boot. Viserys, Alicent and Aegon departed from the wheelhouse while Rhaenyra and Baelon stayed for a while. Baelon could see his sister was having a tough time of it.
"Nyra." Baelon said, breaking her from her concentration.
"Yes, sweetling?" Rhaenyra asked.
"I don't like to see you sad." Baelon said.
He hugged her and that broke whatever sadness she was feeling at the moment. Rhaenyra was happy now, with her baby brother. They entered the royal tent, Baelon holding her hand and leading her around. They could hear a conversation take place. It was about his uncle Daemon Targaryen and the Sea Snake, Corlys Velaryon at the Stepstones, fighting. The ladies spotted them.
"Perhaps the Princess can give us some light." One of the ladies said. Rhaenyra and Baelon entered the conversation. "Or the Prince."
"I'm not sure how we've could, we've never been to the Stepstones." Rhaenyra said.
"Your dear uncle is the great mind behind this war." Another of the ladies said. "Is he not?"
"I wouldn't know. We haven't spoken to Daemon in years and Baelon barely remembers him." Rhaenyra said.
"Since your brother's birth supplanted him as heir." Another lady said.
"The line of succession is clear on that regard. Prince Baelon is the heir. Even so, Daemon made his choice, Lady Ceira." Alicent defended. "The Prince will be more suited to the role." She pointed to Baelon.
"Do you even want to see him again Prince Baelon?" Lady Ceira asked. Baelon looked around nervously until he locked eyes with Rhaenyra. After that, he gained the courage to speak.
"I do. He was bad to my father and to Lord Otto. But he was kind to Rhaenyra. And me, so I'm told." Baelon explained.
"Four years old. More well-spoken than his uncle." One of the ladies said. "He's made a mess and the king must put an end to it. Send fleets and men and clear out the Triarchy for good."
"But the Crown is not at war." Rhaenyra pointed out.
"The Crown is at war Princess. Though your father refuses to admit it, we've been dragged into it by your uncle and the Sea Snake." The Lady said.
"And how have you been serving the realm of late, Lady Redwyne, eating cake?" Rhaenyra asked the old woman, whose dog ate the last piece of cake on her plate.
"Lady Redwyne. Your house has the largest fleet in the Seven Kingdoms. You could help my uncle, instead of moaning." Baelon boldly said. The Ladies started to snicker at that. "Nyra, this is boring, I want to go somewhere else." He said, pulling his sister outside. Where Lord Jason Lannister was waiting.
"I wonder Princess. Was your own second nameday as grand as this?" Lord Jason asked.
"I honestly don't recall. Baelon doesn't and neither will Aegon." Rhaenyra said.
"It's stupid. I won't remember this either." Baelon said by her side. The man came up to them.
"Lord Jason Lannister." He introduced.
"Lords of Casterly Rock and Wardens of the West." Baelon said remembering his lessons.
"Very good my prince." Lord Jason said. "I don't think we've been properly introduced." He said snapping his fingers for a servant carrying wine with him.
"Your twin sits on my father's council." Rhaenyra said.
"Tyland is, frightfully dull, gods' love him." Lord Jason remarked before handing her a cup of wine. "The finest honeyed wine you'll ever taste. Made in Lannisport of course." Rhaenyra took the cup and drank it.
"Of course." She said.
"Ah, the Kingswood, it's fine hunting ground. But the best spot is to be found in Casterly Rock, near my home. Have either of you been?" He asked.
"No." Baelon said plainly.
"Once, on a tour with my mother when I was young and honestly can't recall much of that either." Rhaenyra said. Lord Jason turned her around as if he were showing her the castle for the first time.
"The Rock is thrice the height of the Hightower in Oldtown, taller still than the Wall in the north. It's been said that if one were to stand in the tower... on a perfect day, one could see clear across the Sunset Sea." He explained.
"It must be quite something." Rhaenyra said.
"I don't have a Dragon Pit of course but I do have the means and resources to build one." Lord Jason said. This confused both Rhaenyra and Baelon.
"Why would you need a Dragon Pit?" Rhaenyra asked.
"To house dragons of course. I'd do anything for the princess… or, Lady Wife." He said. Rhaenyra was taken back by this. Baelon was frowning at the man.
"No! You can't take my sister away!" Baelon said. He grabbed her hand and led her back into the tent. Their father was engaged in conversation when they approached him. "You're not sending Nyra away!" He said to their father's surprise. He tried to laugh it off.
"Your sister is of age, Baelon." Viserys said. "And Jason Lannister is a fine match."
"I don't care!" Baelon shouted.
"Is that all I am to you? A prize to proffer to the great houses?" Rhaenyra asked. "That man is arrogant and self-serious."
"Well, I thought you might have that in common. Since you came of age I've been slowly drowning in a lake of parchment flung from every corner of the realm. Marriage proposals, all. And I have tried often to discuss it with you, but you've refused me at every turn." Viserys explained.
"That is because I do not wish to get married." Rhaenyra shot back.
"Even I do not exist above tradition and duty Rhaenyra!" Viserys snapped. Baelon got a little frightened at his father at that.
"Excuse me Your Grace." Otto Hightower interrupted before it got ugly.
"You must marry." Viserys demanded before turning to Otto. "Yes?"
"The royal huntsmen have sent a report, Your Grace. There's been a sighting of a white hart. The stag is the 'King of the Kingwood', Your Grace. A regal portent for Prince Aegon's name day." Otto said. Viserys laughed off the previous conversation away. But Baelon was still frowning at him. He didn't notice his sister running off.
"Nyra?" He called out. "Where's Nyra?" He cried.
Later on, during the night he was sat in the children's play area with his brother, Aegon. He was dreadfully bored but also worried. Rhaenyra hadn't been back yet, and he was feeling lonely. He just sat there looking at the ground. The handmaids did their best to cheer him up, but he didn't want to. At one point, Aegon's toy was flung at him, and he gave it back, to which the babe started crying.
"I didn't take your stupid toy! I gave it back! Stop crying you little halfwit!" He berated. But Aegon wouldn't stop crying. So, Baelon just crossed his arms and pouted.
"Baelon." His father called. "Come here." Baelon did as he was bid, if to just get away from the constant crying of his little brother. Viserys picked him up with ease and sat him on his lap. "What do you think? I'm being hounded by everyone here."
"Why?" Baelon asked innocently.
"Rhaenyra, my son. They all want her. All I want to do is hunt and spend time with my family, but they don't want that." Viserys said.
"So, tell them that." Baelon said as if it were obvious.
"Oh, it would be easy wouldn't it? But they just keep on coming. That's why you have to be patient. It's not an easy thing to admit, but one of the king's greatest challenges is having patience with everyone." Viserys explained.
"That seems stupid to do. But, I think I get it." Baelon said trying to understand.
"Yes my boy. But you are very young. You can learn a lot when you grow older. Now, go play with your brother. Your sister will be back soon." Viserys set him down and urged him over to his brother.
"I want Nyra. I want my sister back." Baelon pouted and went away from his father but not to his brother. He went to sit by himself.
The next day he was sat at the table with his father, sitting to his right. They had waited all night for Rhaenyra to come back to no avail. Then, a commotion happened in the camp. Everyone was staring in amazement over something. Baelon couldn't make out what it was until it came closer. It was Rhaenyra. His big sister.
"Nyra!" He shouted running to her and crushing her in a hug. She knelt to his level and hugged him back. "Don't leave!" He said crying. Rhaenyra stroked his hair back and wiped away his tears.
"Never again, my sweet. Never." Rhaenyra said. It was just then Baelon noticed the blood.
"Why are you red and sticky?" Baelon asked innocently. Rhaenyra laughed it off and led him away giving a sharp look to her father.
And I'll leave it there. Next chapter will be Baelon meeting Daemon for the first time since he was a babe. Hope you all enjoyed.