House of The Dragon: The blind warrior

(Kings landing, small council.)

"They're calling him a kinslayer—an abomination to the Faith and everything it stands for," Otto Hightower, Hand of the King, stated gravely to the gathered council members.

The room was tense, the weight of recent events pressing down on all of them. Not even a moon had passed since the crowning of the king, and already chaos had ensued. The death of Lucerys Velaryon had sparked unrest, leaving the council feeling cornered.

"This puts us at a disadvantage with both the Faith and the smallfolk," remarked Tyland Lannister, the Master of Coin, his tone edged with concern.

"What of Rhaenyra and her faction? Any word of their response?" Queen Regent Alicent inquired, her sharp gaze fixed on Otto.

"Surely they will plan some form of retribution," she added, her voice tight with unease.

"Not yet, Your Grace, but there are troubling reports," Lord Jasper Wylde, the Master of Laws, interjected, drawing the council's attention. "It seems she has gained new allies... from across the Narrow Sea."

"Who could these allies be? The Triarchy?" Maester Orwyle asked, his brow furrowing as he leaned forward.

"No," Jasper replied, shaking his head. "The accounts describe them as flying a black dragon on a red field."

Tyland Lannister's eyes widened slightly. "That sounds like the Sons of Dragons."

"The Sons of Dragons?" Alicent asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and alarm as she turned to Otto.

Otto folded his hands before him, his expression grave. "The Sons of Dragons are a renowned sellsword company, formidable in strength and deeply entrenched in the politics of the Free Cities. They have the favor of nearly all the Free Cities due to the law and order they've brought since their inception."

"They say their leader is a Westerosi," added Lord Jason Lannister, his voice carrying a note of disdain. "A bastard from the North, named Ignis. Perhaps that explains their willingness to support Rhaenyra."

The council exchanged uneasy glances.

"This presents a significant problem," Maester Orwyle observed, his tone sober. "If the Sons of Dragons are supporting Rhaenyra, she will have more than enough ships and soldiers to pose a dire threat."

Alicent leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowed in thought. Then, her expression shifted. "What if we make them a counteroffer?"

"A counteroffer, Your Grace?" Maester Orwyle echoed, puzzled.

"It's simple," she said, her voice firm. "We uncover what Rhaenyra has offered them and double it—or propose something far better. Surely the Hand of the King can devise an offer they cannot refuse."

The council murmured amongst themselves, some skeptical, others considering the suggestion.

"I cannot guarantee its success," Otto conceded, "but the Queen's proposal is worth exploring." He cast a sidelong glance at the empty chair at the head of the table.

"Now," he continued, his voice darkening, "can someone tell me where our king is?"

The council fell silent, all eyes turning toward the vacant seat.

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POV: Vaelor

Walking through the halls of Dragonstone brought back a lot of fond memories of my younger years.

The time I spent in Dragonstone wasn't long overall, but my family always seemed calm there—not like in King's Landing, where at every corner some lord or lady was gossiping about the black-haired sons of Princess Rhaenyra.

That was something I never had a problem with, considering I was the spitting image of my father. But the speculations about my younger siblings' births were always a sore spot for me.

While passing through one of the many halls in Dragonstone, the sound of children playing caught my ear, making me stop for a moment to listen.

"Aegon, how many times do I have to tell you not to take Viserys's toy?" I heard the voice of one of my cousins reprimanding someone.

"Is there something the matter, my lord?" Yue asked from beside me.

Ignoring Yue for a moment, I stepped toward the door that led to the hall and opened it fully.

There were five heartbeats in total: three smaller ones and two more powerful.

Before I could say anything, one of the smaller heartbeats—clearly moving quickly, judging by how fast it was—bumped into me before letting out a yelp.

I helped him up before crouching in front of him. Thankfully, I was wearing one of my more pleasant masks, so he didn't flinch away in fear.

"Hello there. What's your name?" I asked the boy, who—like all of my brothers—I'd missed dearly.

He seemed to search for something in me before glancing behind him, where Baela and Rhaena were tending to the smaller heartbeats. Then he turned back to me.

"Joffrey Velaryon," he said with confidence, which put a smile on my face.

"Well, Joffrey, I have something for you," I said, taking out a small dagger with two blades on each end and a blood-red crystal in the middle.

"Do you know what it's made of?" I asked, balancing the blade on one finger.

He nodded before answering, "Valyrian steel," with a little excitement, which made me chuckle.

"Yes, Valyrian steel. One of the strongest materials for a weapon and something to remind you of your Targaryen and Velaryon heritage," I said before handing him the blade.

"Do you know how to use it?" I asked as he marveled at the blade.

"Stick 'em with the pointy end?" he asked, which made both Yue, who stood behind me, and I laugh.

"More or less. Now off you go," I said, standing up as he ran to show his blade to Baela and Rhaena.

While observing the smaller children playing with a wooden object, Yue spoke again.

"My lord, I think we should go," Yue said.

I agreed—there was somewhere we had to be.

As Yue held the door open for me, I turned to leave, but I heard someone speak from behind me.

"It's good to have you back, cousin," said Baela as I turned my head.

"We weren't together for long, but all I have are fond memories of our time together," she continued.

After Baela and Rhaena came back with us to Dragonstone, they had spent a lot of time with me while I was healing from my injuries. Even though it wasn't long, I tried my best to make them comfortable and help them enjoy their new life with us.

"You and Rhaena have both grown into beautiful ladies. I'm sure Aunt Laena would have been proud of you both," I said before turning to leave.

"The children, my lord?" Yue asked as we walked through the hallway.

"Yes, they are my siblings," I confirmed as we took a flight of stairs to where I was told the Maester was treating my brother.

"Huh. I see what the fuss is about then," Yue said, realizing that as much as some might deny it, my younger siblings—Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey—were bastards.

"That does not matter to me. They are the blood of the dragon, and that will not change… ever," I said, giving Yue a side look, which made him stiffen.

"My lord," he bowed in confirmation.

"Here we are," I said, telling Yue to wait outside as I entered the room.

As the door opened, a heavy smell assaulted me. It took a moment to adjust.

Death.

The room smelled of death and medicine. Walking next to the bedside, where my younger brother lay half-alive, I couldn't help but feel pain. He really would have died if I had come a moment later.

Vhagar would have killed him without a doubt.

"But not on my watch," I said, sitting down and taking his hand in mine.

"I promise you this, my brother: nothing will ever hurt you again. No steel shall touch your flesh, no fire shall burn you, and no human shall take arms against you," I said, kissing my baby brother's hand.

I regretted leaving them. Even though much good had come from it, this… this should not have happened. It would not have happened if I had stayed.

"Rytsas, iānykosa... se jorrāelagon māzigon daor, valegīmon." (I am here now… and I will not go, brother), I whispered.

Hearing the chamber door open, I caught a familiar scent.

Still holding Lucerys's arm in mine and leaning on him, my mother entered and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Vaelor," she said.

"He has grown up. Last I saw him, he was a small, puck-nosed brat who loved to pester me to play him something on my lute," I began as my mother took a seat beside mine, still holding my shoulder.

"But now, he lies here… half-dead. For what? Because of some power-hungry Hand and a childish feud that should have ended long ago," I said, referencing Otto and Aemond's grudge against Lucerys.

"Listen to me, Vaelor. I need you," my mother said.

"Now that the Greens have initiated this war, it is up to us to end it," she continued, speaking as if she understood what war meant. She did not.

"Your grandsire left this world in a time of peace, and not even a day after his passing, they usurped what is rightfully ours." My mother leaned in closer.

"Then they do this to my boy... they... they need to pay."

She was correct. They did need to pay, but not all of them were guilty.

"Yes, Mother. You are correct. They need to pay, and pay they will," I said, taking off my mask as I turned to face her.

"They will learn why we survived something that killed all the dragonlords of old Valyria," I added. The Greens had power, no doubt, but the gears of fate began turning the moment I returned to Westeros.

Because I had something they didn't—future sight.

I reached into my tunic and pulled out the letter Ignis had given me during my morning stroll, handing it to her to read.

"This, when?" she asked, holding the letter in disbelief. "When did you have time to send a raven to the Mallisters?"

"Not long ago. After the first council meeting I took part in, I realized the Riverlands are an important piece of the board. And although some—or most—of the lords there are difficult, they all have one thing in common: they respect their Warden," I explained, simplifying my thoughts.

"And the fastest way to get the support of House Tully, without needing to converse with the bedridden Lord Grover, was..." I continued, pointing at the letter she now held in disbelief.

"This is amazing, my son," she said, leaning in to touch our foreheads.

"You've done us a great service," she added, then pulled away to look at the letter again.

"While I'm sure Jacaerys will do well in his search for allies, I would suggest sending ravens to houses that might ally with us," I said, glancing over at Lucerys, who remained unconscious.

"Extend a similar agreement, offering riches and marriage alliances with the royal family. After all, I have many brothers," I explained.

"I can send Rhaenys or..."

"We can't afford dragon riders meeting Vhagar in the field," I interrupted her, both of us now staring at Lucerys.

A brief silence settled between us before my mother shifted next to me, clearly staring at my blind eyes.

"How? I would like to know… how are you able to see? What happened to you in Essos?" she finally asked, the question that had been hanging in the air.

"Many things happened to me in Essos," I said, remembering all the horrors that befell me while I was enslaved.

I began recounting the tale—how I was captured, my departure from Dragonstone, the loss of Abraxas, my subsequent capture, and finally being sent to the fighting pits in Slaver's Bay.

"You were captured into slavery?" she asked in disbelief.

I nodded, my eyes cast downward.

"When I was brought to the pits, I was still healing from my wounds. I couldn't hold a sword, let alone fight, in my condition," I said, remembering the old man who saved me.

"But before a slave was to fight in the pits, we were trained by another slave instructor. Kuruk was his name," I said, sadness in my voice as I mentioned him.

Seeing the look on my face, my mother extended an arm to comfort me.

"He was an old slave, who had grown up in the pits," I continued, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"He was strong—the strongest man I had the honor of meeting. He taught me the way to see... to actually see," I explained, turning to my mother and aligning my two fingers over her eyes.

"'You don't see with your eyes, boy,' he used to say. 'You see with your ears, your touch, your sense of smell, the taste of the air, the vibrations of the ground.'"

I spoke the words that were engraved into my soul, gesturing to my senses.

"So I took it to heart. Every day, without stop, I trained and honed my skills, sharpened my senses. And before I knew it, I was fighting in the pits better than any man could," I said, a bit of pride slipping into my voice.

My mother finally spoke.

"How did you become free then?" she asked, her hands squeezing mine.

"I..." I began, but before I could answer, there was a knock on the door. Yue entered with the Maester in tow.

"I apologize, my lord, but he said he needs to heal the prince," Yue said, pointing to the Maester.

"Maester, come in," my mother said, standing up. I put my mask back on and stood as well.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your time, Your Grace, my prince, but Prince Lucerys needs his medicine," the short Maester said, stepping forward with a concoction in hand.

"Yes, of course," my mother said, stepping aside.

"Your Grace, it will be wise to inform the members of the council about the letter as soon as possible," I said to her. Though she was my mother, etiquette demanded I call her by her title in the presence of others.

"Yes, you are right," my mother replied. She turned to the Maester.

"He is in good hands, my queen. It won't be long until he awakens," the Maester said, then my mother turned to leave.

She paused at the open door and turned around.

"We will continue our conversation, right?" she asked hopefully.

I simply nodded.

As she left, I couldn't help but feel conflicted. My mother, even though I was certain she had something to do with my father's death, still held a part of my heart. I may resent her for that, but my love for her remains.

Let's hope this time around, she doesn't take my words for granted.

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King's Landing

(Red Keep)

Aemond was sitting in one of the many rooms of the Red Keep.

In front of him was a map of the Seven Kingdoms, with coins of two distinct types placed on different parts of the map.

This was where Aemond and Criston Cole started meeting up after Aegon's coronation, to plan the war he was not going to participate in.

Aemond was sitting alone in the room, constantly replaying what had happened in the skies of Shipbreaker's Bay.

It didn't make sense.

No matter how many times he replayed the scene, over and over, he was sure there had been someone else there.

Another dragonrider.

"HMM," Aemond vocalized, staring at the map.

Suddenly, the door was flung open as the Queen Regent and the Hand of the King stepped in.

"Aemond," the Queen said, looking at his sitting form.

"Mother," Aemond said, still looking at the map.

Alicent looked at her sitting son, his gaze transfixed on the map. Stepping closer, she took the seat next to him before reaching for his face and directing it to hers.

Looking into his one good eye, Alicent stared at her son before asking the question she and her father had come to ask.

"Why?" she asked, staring at Aemond.

"Why what, mother? You're going to have to be more specific," he quipped smartly.

"You are to tell us why you thought it smart to engage with Lucerys above Shipbreaker's Bay," Otto, who was still standing by the side, questioned.

"Hmm?" Aemond vocalized, as he always did, before answering him.

"There was a debt that needed to be collected. I saw an opportunity to collect," he answered smoothly.

"No, you did not think. Do you have any idea what the smallfolk are saying? No, what the Faith is saying about you?" Alicent asked sharply, looking at her son.

"It does not concern me what the smallfolk think," he said, staring at his mother.

"You may say that, grandson, but the Faith is also angry. Kinslaying is an act of blasphemy against the Seven," Otto said, walking to the open window.

"And if you say you don't care about the Faith and what they think, then you are as foolish as Maegor the Cruel," Otto continued.

Aemond just silently kept listening to what his grandfather had to say.

"For now, we will try and appease the Faith by explaining to them that you had no other choice but to defend yourself against Arrax's onslaught." But before Otto could continue, Aemond chuckled.

Alicent, who was sitting next to Aemond, looked at him with something akin to horror, before asking, "You think this is funny?"

"Hmm," he vocalized once again, getting on Alicent's nerves.

"That's enough, both of you," Otto said, his patience wearing thin.

"Aemond, you will do as instructed from now on. Nothing like this will happen again. Do I make myself clear?" Otto Hightower, finally fed up with both his daughter and grandson, said.

But Aemond remained silent, still watching the map. Otto, once again, asked him.

"DO. I. MAKE. MYSELF. CLEAR?"

"I hear you," Aemond said, before standing up, reaching for his sword that was reclined on the other chair, and walking out the door.

Alicent, who was exhausted, sighed heavily.

"What will we do now?" she asked her father, who was now looking at the closed door that Aemond had just walked through.

"Now, we send a raven to the leader of the Sons of Dragons," he said, surprising Alicent.

"Don't look at me like that, daughter. I told you it was worth considering," he said, before also making his way for the door.

"What do you intend to offer them?" Alicent asked, making Otto stop in his tracks.

"Anything to get rid of the Sea Snake's blockade on the Gullet," he said, before leaving Alicent to her thoughts.

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