"I said I could help her. My dragon and I are enough to quell any rebellion," Rhaegar stated confidently.
He was haunted by his dreams, unsure why Rhaenyra had suffered so.
But he knew one thing for sure: as long as he stood by Rhaenyra's side, they were safe. They were born of fire and nothing could stop them.
Viserys glared at his eldest son, seething with anger. That ungrateful wretch. He was offering him the throne!
Daemon would even go so far as to seduce his own niece and murder his nephew just to get a chance at the crown.
While Rhaegar, the eldest son and rightful heir, seemed uninterested in it.
Maybe Rhaenyra didn't want the throne either.
But it didn't matter; Rhaegar was still too young to understand the allure of power. At some point, he'll understand the importance of being an heir.
Viserys sneered, his voice forceful. "Changing the heir is not a suggestion, it is an order for you and Rhaenyra! No one can refuse the King's will!"
Rhaegar stood his ground, meeting his father's gaze with stubbornness. "I will not obey. You cannot force the position of heir on me."
"You would defy me as well, Rhaegar?" Viserys raised an eyebrow, his eyes darkening.
"If your orders mean hurting Rhaenyra, then yes, I will," Rhaegar replied.
"Very well," Viserys said coldly. "Both of you siblings have defied your father and your king. You are truly brave."
The scene of Rhaegar defending Rhaenyra seemed to agitate Viserys further, a chilling coldness flashing under his eyes.
He aimed his words like a spear at Rhaenyra. "Rhaenyra, your brother has learned from your capriciousness, and that is one of the things I find most infuriating."
Rhaenyra turned her face away, scowling. She felt like she was just a pawn in this family struggle, a victim of the political machinations.
She knew that whatever she said would be wrong, so there was no point in speaking.
She was caught between defending her brother and her father's harsh decree. She was at a crossroads, uncertain of her future.
Viserys' gaze shifted back to Rhaegar. "I will not tolerate your defiance. If you disobey my will, you will face consequences you cannot imagine."
Rhaegar looked confused, not understanding why his father was acting this way.
Viserys continued, "As a heir, Rhaenyra's marriage has always been a big deal."
"Now that she's no longer the heir, she'll be marrying as a princess. Laenor Velaryon, Jason Lannister, or Tyland, and even Prince Martell of Dorne are all good options."
Rhaegar and Rhaenyra's expressions changed dramatically. They stared at their father, who had always been kind, now dictating their futures.
Involved in her own marriage, Rhaenyra reacted strongly, her voice tinged with sorrow, "You have the right to change the heir, but why make it difficult for your daughter? I have already lost the throne."
"Your indecision is what's got us here," Viserys said. He was determined to teach his unruly children a lesson.
Of course, he wouldn't truly use Rhaenyra as a mere pawn in marriage. She was his daughter, his eldest with his late wife, Aemma Arryn.
But to ensure Rhaegar complied, a degree of coercion was necessary.
And it worked like a charm, the effect was immediate.
Rhaegar stood there, looking at his father with a mix of hesitation and uncertainty. It was hard to reconcile the kind man he had always known with this cold, ruthless figure.
Rhaegar felt a sense of powerlessness wash over him. For the first time, he really grasped the significance and reality of power.
Rhaegar slowed down and said with difficulty, "Father, why do you want me to inherit the Iron Throne?"
He couldn't understand why his father was so determined to make him the heir.
"Because you're the prince of prophecy and the first heir. You deserve to sit on the Iron Throne," Viserys said firmly.
"You alone tamed the largest wild dragon ever seen, and you have conquered numerous nobles and savages in the Crackclaw Point. Given your achievements, shouldn't you be the heir to the throne?"
Viserys believed that Rhaegar was the prince from his dreams, destined to elevate House Targaryen to greatness.
Rhaegar hesitated for a moment before saying, "Father, if you seek peace in the kingdom, I can serve as guardian of all the realm. If you want the Targaryen family to reclaim its prestige."
"I can defeat the pirates of the Stepstones and the raiders of the Iron Islands. I can even conquer Dorne with the dragons and bring the Seven Kingdoms firmly under Targaryen rule."
"And if you think that's not enough, I can take on the Free Cities, the Slaver's Bay, and the lands of Essos. Even if it takes my entire life, I will bring these lands under the rule of House Targaryen."
At this point, he looked back at Rhaenyra and said earnestly, "But for all this to happen, please do not deny Rhaenyra her rightful place. Give me a little more time; I will grow into my role soon. Please, Father, really, please."
The words of the young prince were heartfelt and sincere, without the slightest hint of falsehood.
But whether it moved the king, who had already made up his mind, remained to be seen.
Behind him, Rhaenyra was already in tears, covering her cheeks with one hand, unable to stop the tears from rolling down as she looked at her younger brother.
"Alas..." Viserys sighed deeply, feeling his eldest son's resistance.
He turned to Rhaenyra and hesitantly asked, "Rhaenyra, what do you say?"
His stance with Rhaegar was clear, but now it was Rhaenyra's turn to take a stand.
"The heirship is Rhaegar's, and I will return it to him and support him as he has supported me," Rhaenyra said without hesitation, holding back her sobs.
At this point, the status of a heir no longer mattered. With Rhaegar's words, despite her thousand reluctances, she was satisfied.
It was enough.
"Rhaenyra!"
Rhaegar shouted, unwilling to accept her decision.
Rhaenyra shook her head vigorously, choking back her tears. "Rhaegar, from the moment I became heir, I've fought against prejudice. I wanted to be a beloved queen, to abolish unjust rules, to establish a new order."
"But I don't have the wisdom of a true queen, nor the sensitivity of Aunt Rhaenys."
"You're my brother, and I can't accept you sacrificing your life to fulfill my ideals."
She might not have the wisdom to be a great ruler, but she wasn't blind. Rhaegar was better suited to be the heir. He was speaking for her benefit, and she couldn't just take over his life.
At this moment, she had to stand up for her brother.
Rhaegar's eyes reddened as he said softly, "Rhaenyra..."
"Don't get emotional, I have my own plans."
Rhaenyra wiped away her tears and took him into her arms. She turned to their father, staring him down. "As compensation for stepping aside, you must fulfill my conditions."
"As part of the deal, you have to meet my conditions."
Viserys stood there, silent, gripping the round table. It was as if he were in a different time and place from his children. He wasn't sure if he'd made the right call in removing his daughter's heirship and replacing it with his eldest son's.
This was in line with his character—when he faced a problem, he was prone to self-doubt.
He snapped back to reality when he heard his daughter speak. His eyes were a little vacant until Rhaenyra repeated herself.
He nodded repeatedly and smiled in a conciliatory manner. "I've already got a solution for you."
(Word count: 1,279)