Chapter 18: Storm's End III
(Rhaegon's POV)
"Good Morrow, Father." I said as I walked into his study, "What did you send me for?"
He was sitting down in his desk, writing on a paper as the Maester stood next to him, hands behind his back. Father was focused on writing and almost paid me no mind.
"Good Morrow, young lord." The Maester bowed slightly
I stopped in front of the desk and nodded, "Maester."
"Rhaegon." Father then saw as he poured hot wax on the rolled letter and pressed the stamp on it, "Have you eaten yet?"
He then handed the letter to the Maester who bowed and without saying a word, walked away and gave me a nod.
I looked at Father, "What's that about?"
"Letter to your uncle." He said as he stood up, "Letting him know of what I did."
"And what is that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow
"I sent word to all the Houses of The Realm." He said, "Before your Aunt's engagement feast, you're to go on tour on Dragonback by the following week. This is merely a chance for them to prepare for your arrival. You'll begin the tour in Summerhall and will hear out all the Stormlords' proposals. You'll end the tour, preferably, in Winterfell right before the feast. The Wedding, I hear, will be in a few months time, when the Princess becomes ten and eight."
I sighed, "Marriage proposals?" He said
He stood in front of his desk and leaned on it, "Yes. It is time." He said, "You are my Heir. It is my duty to make sure you're to marry and further the line. And it is your duty to go along with it."
I shrugged, "Fine." I said
"You're awfully apathetic about all of this." He said as he picked up a rolled paper, "I received a letter from Prince Oberyn, telling me about how he offered his three bastard daughters to you."
"I just spoke about this with Mother last night." I said
"We can always have them legitimized if you are to follow through." He said, "Rhaegar will do what you ask, after all."
I crossed my arms, "Mhm."
"Then there's the Tyrell girl, Margeary, she's a beauty, that one." He said, "I think she'll suit you well. Of course, there's also Ned's girl, but considering that he's already dealing with a fucking dragon in his home, I wouldn't do that to him, hehe."
"Hm...." I said
He walked past me, heading for a small table that had two cups and a pitcher of wine, pouring some in the cups as he had his huge back turned to me.
Father was an imposing man, towering over me, and was thick in his muscles. I heard from mother that he was leaner when he was my age and it is not surprising, I can tell he was. Right now, he just has a gut but it doesn't mean his strength hasn't waned. He was still the Demon of The Trident, he who obliterated several men in one swing of his hammer, fighting alongside King Rhaegar and Ned Stark.
His power had never left him, I know that myself. I once sparred with him with real weapons, I wanted to test my strength against the mighty Robert. While I was capable of dodging his hammer, he was more than capable of dodging my blade. He only hit me once and it was harder than I ever was hit before in my life.
The Mountain was strong, yes, but he was nothing compared to my Father.
He turned around and handed me a cup, "You seem rather uninterested in marriage with a woman." He said with a smile, "Don't tell me...you're like Renly."
I frowned, "No." I said, "Why would you say that?"
I took the cup as he chuckled, "I remember my first woman, Rhaegon. I was a boy, in the Vale, and Ned and I were going into a town, trying to get some air from Jon Arryn." He said as he drank from his cup, "Oh...she must've been a year or two older than me.....she had beautiful blonde hair, eyes as blue as the clear river waters...a nice pair of breasts and a fat ass too...."
I sipped wine from the cup, "Hm....." I said
"Ever since then, my...lust awakened and I didn't stop ever since." He told me, "What about you? Who was your first?"
I sighed, "Uhm..." I said, "I....well, remember that town I saved from Ironborn back during the rebellion?"
He nodded, "Yes." He said, "You burned those fuckers with Morghul."
I looked down, remembering what had happened back then.
"One of the women there...." I said, "She was tall, skinny, and had a bit of meat to her thighs and ass but nothing compared to the women you always praise. Dark black hair and eyes as green as my Aunt Cersei's....."
"You were ten and three, Rhaegon." He said with a frown, "You fucked her?"
I shook my head, "No." I said as I drank from my cup, "She fucked me...she liked little boys. The night after you left to march up to Moat Caillin and before I was supposed to fly back home, she snuck into my room and well, you can guess what happened from there."
His expression hardened, "What do you mean?" He said, "She.....she raped you?"
I finished the wine, "Whenever you speak of how you used to fuck many women before marrying Mother, you always imply that I should be like you." I said as I looked at him, "But you're not me, Father, you're not a Dragonrider. I cannot allow any woman to get as close to me as that, to be able to strike when I'm that vulnerable. Poison and women, that is the only way someone like me can be slayed."
I shuddered slightly at the thought of that night. She was the closest to ever killing me. Her bony little hands wrapped tightly around my neck as I gasped for air, feeling wrapped by the warmth of her insides as she gave me a wicked and passionate stare. It was...unsettling....
"What did you do to her?" Father asked
I shook my head, "Nothing." I said, "I left the following day and didn't say anything to anyone. Honestly, it was four years ago, she probably forgot about it."
He walked over to me and gave me a serious look, "If you ever see her again, hang her." He said, "Or burn her with Morghul."
I nodded, "Mhm." I said, "I'll do my duty, Father. I'll go on this tour and see who suits me the best. But make no mistake, because of that night, that woman....I will not drop my guard...."
He placed his hand on my shoulder, "Hm...." He said before looking down at my sword, "Ha! So he gave it to you after all, that Rhaegar."
He took a step back and took a sip from his cup as I drew my blade, "You like it?" I said, "It's quite the sight."
"Where's your other sword?" he asked as he looked at the blade
"I returned it to Ser Arthur." I told him
"It served you well for many years." He said, "You slayed many scum with it."
"That I did." I said as pointed the blade to my side
"Have you given that one a name?" He asked
"Hm...I gave it a lot of thought....." I told him, "Since House Baratheon finally has a Valyrian Steel Blade, I figured I should honor our house with it."
"Oh?" He said, "What is this?"
I gave him a smile, "A nod at our motto." I said,
"Fury."