In the last moons of the year 105, Queen Aemma Arryn was carried to the birthing bed in Maegor's Holdfast. The news that the king could be close to having his long-awaited male heir spread throughout the city, and many at court prepared to celebrate the occasion. The arrival of a little prince would certainly be a blessing on the royal family.
Sadly, the gods had other plans.
After a difficult and long labor that drained all her strength, Queen Aemma died before the sun set, her last will being to hold, embrace and kiss her son, Prince Baelon (named after his grandfather).
The loss of his wife was a terrible blow to King Viserys, who had always loved the queen dearly, but even more terrible was the death of his newborn heir the next day.
"Why did this happen?", a heartbroken Viserys asked amid tears, according to Septon Eustace. "What offenses did we commit in the eyes of the gods for them to punish us so cruelly?".
Septon Eustace's reply, unfortunately, has not survived to the present day.
Grief and mourning soon engulfed everyone at court... except, perhaps, Prince Daemon, who, after the funeral of both Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon, was observed along with his highborn and lowborn cronies in a brothel in the Street of Silk, drunk and making inappropriate comments about the "heir for a day".
When the prince's words reached his ears, the king burst in anger. His Grace, still grieving, cursed his ungrateful brother and his evil ambitions.
"Daemon has spit in my face", the king declared. "How could he do this to me? Are we not children of the same father and the same mother?".
"I understand how difficult this must be for you, his Grace", Ser Otto Hightower said. "However, it is important that we make sure such words do not go unpunished". It was no secret that a terrible animosity existed between the Hand of the King and Prince Daemon.
"If what Ser Otto says is true", intervened Prince Aegon, whose relationship with the Hand was much more cordial, "then I agree with him. Daemon must be punished. I see no useful alternative".
Once the appropriate mourning period came to an end, King Viserys wasted no time in resolving the matter of his succession. Ignoring the precedents set by King Jaehaerys in 92 and by the Great Council of 101 (the same one that had granted him his crown), Viserys designated his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, as his rightful heir, conferring on her the title of Princess of Dragonstone.
The king's gesture was seen by many, both at court and outside of it, as an extremely unusual one; though Prince Daemon had fallen out of royal favor, His Grace still had another brother. Indeed, many considered Prince Aegon to have a better claim to the Iron Throne than Princess Rhaenyra. After all, the Old King had designated his second surviving son, Prince Baelon, as his heir, even though his eldest living son, Prince Aemon, had fathered a daughter before his tragic, untimely death.
If Princess Rhaenys could not inherit before Prince Baelon, how could Princess Rhaenyra be heir while Prince Aegon still lived?
Different sources tell us different versions of what happened behind closed doors between King Viserys and his youngest brother. Some say Prince Aegon accepted the decision with courtesy and restraint befitting a maester or septon, kneeling before his brother and swearing to uphold his will, even at the cost of his own life. Others, however, claim that the prince became enraged upon learning of His Grace's decision. He had served the king loyally all his life, always following his commands and never questioning or insulting his authority, something that, in truth, could not be said of Prince Daemon. Designating Princess Rhaenyra, an eight-year-old girl, as his heir was as absurd as it was insulting.
Unfortunately, the memoirs written by Prince Aegon himself make no mention of his immediate reaction or his initial thoughts on the matter.
Nevertheless, whatever the truth of what happened might be, all sources agree that when the lavish investiture ceremony took place, Prince Aegon was the first to kneel in front of his niece and swear allegiance in presence of the hundreds of noble lords and knights in attendance, inside the throne room of the Red Keep.
Whether it was out of loyalty and love for his brother, or out fear of losing the favor of the Crown, there is no doubt that Prince Aegon's gesture calmed the fears of many within the court. Princess Rhaenyra would have the support of her uncle if her ascension were to be challenged in any way.
But even so, the ceremony was not entirely successful, at least not in the minds of those outside the king's inner circle. Prince Daemon's absence had been noted, and rumors soon arose (although surely unfounded) that he was considering rising in rebellion from Dragonstone, his ambition spurred on by the whispers of Mysaria of Lys, a dancing girl who had become his lover shortly before King Jaehaerys' death, according to some.
Half a year after Princess Rhaenyra's investing ceremony, the king received news from Ser Otto that Prince Daemon had impregnated his concubine. Furthermore, the prince seemed to intend to give the woman a dragon egg.
Upon hearing this, his Grace became enraged. His brother had once again decided to insult him most grievously. This time, however, the king's patience reached its limit. Moving swiftly and decisively, Viserys commanded the rogue prince to hand back the egg, get rid of his infamous whore, and return to the Vale with his lawful wife, Lady Rhea Royce. If he refused to do any of these three things, he would be stripped of his title and be declared a traitor.
Prince Daemon reluctantly obeyed his sovereign's orders, though many say that, upon learning that his concubine had lost their child in a storm while sailing aboard a modest ship back to Lys, the prince's heart hardened against his brother.
Perhaps this (if true) would explain some of the prince's future actions. Actions that, unforeseen by all, would bring the realm closer to the dark and tragic path of war.