The banquet continued well into the hour of the wolf, with the sounds of merriment echoing through the halls as the guests reveled in the festivities under the torchlight.

Queen Alicent rose to end things for the eve and give the servants, guards, and guests a time to rest before the next dawn arose.

Viserys had remained and asked for his son to join him in his chambers. Baelon was quite drunk, and Quenton ran off with his brothers Aegon and Daeron, so he complied while downing some water to sober himself for whatever his father wished to talk about.

Following into the royal apartments, he was shocked to see how large his father's recreation of the Valyrian Peninsula had become.

Memories of the days he would spend inside here, playing with the dragon statues as his father went over some historical tome of the Anogrion, the place where the blood-mages worked their craft.

Since taking the Stepstones, he did wonder about going there and seeing what it looked like and if it matched what his grace had made, but Ser Jonothor said it would be too dangerous, so he put it off, for now.

"I still have the one you painted black... When you were young." He remembers and had thought his father would be angry, but his grace only laughed.

As Baelon lifted the veil, a gasp escaped his lips as he laid eyes on his father's exposed back and chest. He was taken aback by the sight of numerous sores and red blotches that seemed to be infected, causing concern and worry to well up inside him.

It was when he walked in front that he saw his father's unmasked face.

It was disfigured and missing an eye; the socket was dark. He wondered for a moment that it could suck in the very light that flickered in the candles. His father smiled with a sigh "Do I look Kingly, Baelon?"

"What is it?" He asked, and Orwyle and Gerardys shook their head.

He had thought it was gout or something less so, but the King had been falling apart all these years. "They don't quite know, son. All I do know is I am not long for this world... It is why I wished for the whole of my family to be here."

"You think you are to die soon?" Baelon questioned with a little fear creeping in, it always seemed like an impossibility to him.

Viserys smiled, "It could be a moon or more but I feel it. Leave us." Orwyle and Gerardys left the chamber soon after, his sister waited at the door and closed it leaving only the three of them within the room. "I wanted a moment with my first wife's children with me. A moment to ourselves."

Gods. Something feels off.

Baelon opened the shutters to look out at the moon, which hung high in the night sky. His father watched him closely as Rhaenyra helped him get into bed and placed a blanket over his legs.

"Brother... "

Viserys glanced at Baelon and then at Rhaenyra. "I saw you tonight with your nephews. It looked like the bridge had at last been mended." Perhaps so, or he just didn't wish to cause a scene over the recklessness of a child bringing a dagger to a fight.

He smiled and nodded. "Yes, well, we are all grown men at this point and it doesn't do to hold onto such slights."

"A just way of things, wise, even, Baelon," Rhaenyra said with a relieved expression, shared with their father.

"What did you wish to talk about, Father?" He asked his sire who took a long moment to answer him.

"Over the next few days, a few announcements are to be made." Viserys nodded to Rhaenyra. Your sister's son, Jacaerys, will be betrothed to his cousin, Baela." It was unsurprising that the pair seemed close, dancing to the bard's tune.

The union represented a fitting alliance, reinforcing the familial connections between House Velaryon and her sister's sons. "My congratulations, then." He said with a hint of support although he worried for the future as Corlys is now unconditionally going to fight for Rhaenyra's claim.

Rhaenyra rubbed her belly and used her other hand to put on his arm, "We thought, since you are full grown, that you would be in support of marrying Rhaena."

Baelon was completely taken aback by the unexpected proposal, leaving his mouth hanging open as he grappled with a flood of conflicting thoughts and the struggle to find the right words.

"I know it is a shock but I have thought long and hard about this, Baelon. It is a match worthy of you." That might be so but this also stinks of someone's plots and schemes.

"Worthy?" The word sounded like bile in his mouth as he shook off his sister's hand, "I see a machination of wanting to have me in your camp, Rhaenyra."

His sister frowned, "This is far from a simple plot. I want us to be a family like how we were when you were a boy." He wished that was true, but his gut feeling doubted her words. "Rhaena is a beautiful young woman, freshly flowered. She would be a good wife to you."

"No doubt she would but... " He stopped himself from saying anything further.

Baelon nearly let his own plot unfurl, nearly.

"Son, please, this match is a worthwhile one."

He had only seen Rhaena twice. The first encounter didn't leave a good impression, as she was seen standing with Jace and Luke in the midst of that fight on Driftmark. The second time was tonight, and they didn't exchange a single word throughout the entire feast.

"What do you have in mind, when would the wedding be?" He asked and his Grace smiled with hope in his last eye.

"By the next moon's turn or sooner if you would prefer, but I would like to see the four of you married on the same day." Baelon looked at his father and then his sister and then to the mantle where Blackfyre was mounted.

Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. The Velaryons would struggle to fight his army and fleet if they could benefit from having their blood either through a trueborn prince of the blood or be forever tainted with Strong bastard seed.

Deciding on what to do, he nodded to the proposal.

Rhaenyra was over the moon and joyous, eager to take his hands, and tears of happiness falling from her eyes. "I am happy, brother. So joyful to hear you join our families." Baelon was uncomfortable with all of the attention and touching.

Margaery's touching, however, he wouldn't have minded.

His sister bid them all good night and left the room, silence soon swallowed the room as Baelon thought about what he agreed to and would try to fit it in with his plans for when he makes his claim.

"There is more to this union," Viserys said and Baelon could hear the King growing more tired by the moment. "Your first child with Rhaena shall be betrothed to Jace and Baela's firstborn child."

"Why would I betroth my child to a bastard's son?" he asked harshly, and Viserys despaired slightly. You can deny it as much as you wish, Father, but that is the truth, and I know as you know, others see it too."

Storming out of the King's chambers, he refused calls for him to return but he could not, would not agree to such a thing.

Baelon will take Rhaena as his wife, but it changes nothing... He will be King.