Aemon Targaryen

-Chapter 109-

-POV Aemon Targaryen-

I turned my head towards the door and said, "Who is it?"

"Maria, Your Highness," said my personal servant.

"Enter," I said, looking at the young woman.

I smiled and then asked Maria while glancing at her small cart full of delicacies, "So, what do you have for me today?"

"A salad of forest fruits: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries," Maria said.

"Hmm, not bad, but you know I love meat," I said, barely interested in the fruits.

'With my current constitution, I have the power to eat whatever I want, given that my metabolism was also enhanced,' I thought.

"Smoked ham and the best sausage from butcher Hugh," Maria said.

"Hmm, not bad," I said, sniffing the sausage.

"And that's not all: the fishermen have followed your instructions and were eager to offer you the best smoked salmon cuts they had," she said.

"Has everything already been tasted?" I asked.

"Yes, several times, at several different spots," Maria said.

"Thank you, my dear," I said.

"Anything else?" I asked as I noticed she remained where she was.

She nodded and then handed me several letters, saying, "Here are the letters the steward ordered me to deliver to you."

"Thank you, you may leave," I said.

As she was about to step out, leaving the cart behind, I said, "Bring me ink and paper when you come back to fetch the cart. I don't feel like leaving my room today."

She quickly nodded, her cheeks reddening, and I smiled as I watched her hastily leave the room.

Laena shook her head and said, "Why do you torture her so?"

"Because it's amusing and not malicious," I said, grabbing a knife to open the first letter bearing the seal of House Targaryen.

I raised an eyebrow, wondering who could be writing to me.

'Daemon, Viserys, or perhaps Rhaenyra,' I thought. Although I had seen the latter two yesterday, I knew perfectly well that Daemon had no reason to write to me since he was sulking once again.

"Dear Cousin, I know you left in haste, but… blah blah blah… The House of the Dragon should unite against the… blah blah blah… which is why I propose an alliance between my daughter, the heir to the throne after me, Alysanne… blah blah blah… as a betrothed for your son and heir… blah blah blah… I'm sure you will make the right choice in the interest of our House despite the brief tensions between us… blah blah blah… signed Rhaenyra Targaryen, heir… Utter nonsense."

"You're mean," Laena said, rolling her eyes.

"Am I mean?" I asked, laughing, genuinely amused.

"She's offering her daughter for Viserys, knowing full well there's little love between you two, and you reject it as if she proposed the capital's latest whore," Laena said, narrowing her eyes.

I sighed, not wanting to argue about her brother, but I still murmured, "Personally, I see very little difference."

"The big difference is that you're talking about my brother's daughter, Aemon," she said, irritated.

"Well, it seems I'll have to leave this room sooner than planned," I said, rolling my eyes.

"I'm very serious," Laena said, straightening up and moving away from me.

I raised an eyebrow, observing her behavior, and said, "Laena, if you hadn't seen Rhaenyra's daughter, I might have dismissed this sudden bout of naivety, attributing it to your blind faith in the belief that your parents and brother wouldn't lie to you. But YOU saw her."

Laena furrowed her brows and then asked, feigning ignorance, "And so?"

I shook my head and asked her, "Are you going to pretend, like the rest of the realm, that there's no problem with that girl's eyes?"

"Do you know how many children have eyes different from their parents'?" she said.

"It's pathetic that you still defend Rhaenyra when YOU know what YOUR brother is truly like. Surely you think I haven't figured out what your brother really preferred for… dinner," I said, looking at her, then added, "You think no one has realized the reason for his deep attachment to his dearest friend, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth?"

"If you're so convinced, why have you never said anything? Rhaenyra would be evicted as quickly as she was named heir. Your word holds weight; the word of the Prince of Runestone holds weight. After all, that's all you've been waiting for to put your puppet on the throne," Laena said, clearly trying to divert my attention from the real issue.

'She knows exactly why I've said nothing, but above all, it's not the right time. Once she gives birth to those little boys, we can think about it,' I thought.

"I've said nothing because people like you exist. If even you deceive yourself in front of me in a private setting where no one can overhear us, do you think the king will stay silent when I call his daughter and heir a whore in front of the entire realm?" I said, recalling that in the original history, Vaemond Velaryon and his sons had suffered a grim fate for speaking the truth.

'Although, if it comes to that, the outcome will be… different,' I thought to myself, feeling no fear about the future.

Laena remained speechless, and I raised my eyebrows before saying, "That's exactly what I thought."

I sat back down, irritated by the memory, and then opened the second letter.

"I was the one who gave Rhaenyra the idea to name her daughter Alysanne," Laena said after a few seconds.

"I know," I replied, then corrected myself, adding, "Or at least I suspected it. There aren't many people who knew I wanted to name my daughter that."

"I was certain I would give you a son, so I gave her the idea. I thought it might bring you closer, as she could have been our daughter-in-law," she said, admitting she was one of the masterminds behind this matrimonial alliance.

'In any case, I already have other plans for Viserys,' I thought, reading Robar's message silently.

---

To Your Highness,

It is an honor to write to you, though words are not my strongest weapon.

Know that my men and I have spotted a convoy of knights in armor bearing the colors of House Redfort.

A fine catch, truth be told, but I held back my claws, fearing to bite the hand of your uncle, the Warden of the Vale, or his men, as I could see many banners of House Arryn.

Should we remain idle in the future, or should we act as we see fit and show these Andal knights the cost of disrespecting the dragon?

I am not accustomed to sparing prey without good reason, but out of respect for you and your cause, I prefer to ask.

I await your orders, and rest assured that, whatever happens, my clan remains loyal to your name.

Robar Hawkeye, Leader of the Sons of the Dragon

---

'What is this? Could it be a ruse they devised to avoid being attacked by the mountain clans?' I wondered as I opened the third letter.

'One from Arnold, of course,' I thought as I began to read while responding to Laena.

"You couldn't have known she would give that name to a bastard," I said, distracted by the letter's contents.

"I…"

"Damn it!!!" I exclaimed, finishing the third letter.

"Wah… wah… wah…"

"You just woke him up," Laena said, silently fuming.

"Sorry," I said, still distracted, furiously gripping Arnold's letter.

'So that's how you want to play it,' I thought, wanting to tear my uncle's head off.

"What is it?" Laena asked, noticing I wasn't fully present with her.

"This," I said sharply, but mostly out of frustration.

"My foolish uncle accepted the surrender of the Corbrays, the Redforts, and all their vassals," I said.

"You can just order him to retract it," Laena said.

I shook my head and said, "The fool accepted their surrenders and married that whore Jeyne."

Laena, who had managed to calm Viserys, placed him on the bed and then extended her hand for me to give her the letter so she could read the nonsense written in it.

---

Dear Nephew,

It is with great joy that I write to inform you that I have received the letters of surrender from our vassals.

The houses Corbray and Redfort have finally decided to bend the knee.

As proof of their submission, they have offered me some lands, a considerable sum of gold, and, to top it all off, the hand of Jessamyn Redfort.

However, I am saddened that you could not attend my wedding.

I hope you are well and that all prospers at Runestone under your governance.

With all my affection,

Your uncle,

Arnold Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, Warden and Ruler of the Vale