Laena's demeanor shifted from her usual gentle nature to a strong defense of Daemon. Raised by an ambitious father and an independent mother, Laena had developed an intelligent and sensitive heart. Despite Daemon's prodigal ways, infidelities, and flirtations, Laena remained loyal and supportive of her husband.
Lady Swann, however, had a different perspective and argued, "Daemon's duties do not include plundering ships. He does it for his own selfish desires."
Laena's face darkened, her mind in turmoil. She had long suspected Daemon of hiding things and becoming increasingly violent, but she wasn't aware of all his actions. Considering Lady Swann's accusations, it was plausible that Daemon had indeed engaged in piracy. This was a grave accusation.
"Stay calm," Rhaenyra, sitting beside Laena, placed a reassuring hand on hers and whispered soothingly.
Lady Swann shifted her gaze to Rhaenyra and continued her tirade, "Daemon is a menace, and Prince Rhaegar is no better. He attacked the Triarchy and now seeks to conquer Volantis."
"Lady Swann, do you have proof that Rhaegar invaded Volantis?" Rhaenyra asked, her voice steady, as she lifted her wine glass from the coffee table.
"Prince Rhaegar publicly burned the consul of Volantis with his dragon. The city still talks of it," Lady Swann said flatly.
"Is that proof?" Rhaenyra pressed.
Lady Swann frowned, "It's common knowledge."
"Common knowledge isn't evidence," Rhaenyra countered. "Who can verify that Rhaegar invaded Volantis? Where is the physical evidence of his invasion?"
"And why hasn't the current consul of Volantis declared war or retaliated against Rhaegar?" she added, her voice growing sharper.
Lady Swann's face hardened as she stammered, "Volantis fears retaliation. The truth is, Prince Rhaegar invaded privately."
"Nonsense!" Rhaenyra stood abruptly, raising her wine cup. She splashed its contents onto Lady Swann's face.
As the old woman wiped her face in shock, Rhaenyra's eyes were ice-cold. "Accusations without evidence are slanderous. You insult the Heir to the Throne without proof, a crime punishable by death for treason!"
The room erupted in chaos. Sensing the escalation, Alicent quickly stood and intervened, "Calm down, everyone. This is just an argument, not a cause for real conflict."
Rhaenyra glared at her. "Alicent, Rhaegar is my brother. If you won't defend him, I will. Don't interfere."
Alicent's attempt to deescalate the situation seemed only to fuel the tension. Lady Swann, feeling emboldened, retorted, "Is this the princess you raised, Queen?"
At these words, Rhaenyra's temper flared. Despite their past friendship, Rhaenyra and Alicent were now estranged. The insinuation that Alicent had any hand in her upbringing was infuriating.
Rhaenyra stepped forward and slapped Lady Swann across the face with a resounding crack. The old woman staggered, her eyes wide with disbelief as she clutched her stinging cheek.
Rhaenyra's eyes were cold and fiery as she glared at Lady Swann. "Lady Swann, you have shown me today what it means to have a big head and a small mind," she said, her voice cutting through the tension.
"The war between the Kingdom and the Triarchy has never ceased, but it was Rhaegar who invaded the city-state and secured peace for the Kingdom for years," Rhaenyra declared, pointing to Laena, whose small belly bulged with pregnancy. "The Triarchy frequently looted our ships. Whether Daemon privately looted theirs or not is a matter of interpretation."
"A war only drags everyone down," the old woman retorted defiantly.
With a cold expression, Rhaenyra backhanded another slap across Lady Swann's face, chiding, "Without war, where is peace?"
Turning to the assembled noblewomen, Rhaenyra addressed them solemnly. "Rhaegar has never attempted to invade any castle. All these accusations are the fantasies of the foolish."
Pointing at Lady Swann again, Rhaenyra sneered, "If I remember correctly, Lord Swann's only niece, Johanna Swann, was kidnapped by pirates from the Triarchy years ago. The Lord refused to pay her ransom, and she was trafficked several times."
Seeing the old woman's trembling gaze, Rhaenyra continued, "If Daemon has been plundering Triarchy ships, I'd like to see him rescue Johanna from her captivity."
Grasping the solid gold pendant around Lady Swann's neck, Rhaenyra said, "I believe Daemon won't demand a ransom to allow Lord Swann to rescue his only niece."
With a victorious air, Rhaenyra pulled Laena aside and walked out of the tent. Laena, whose dark complexion had darkened further in anger, spat at the old woman, "Bitch!"
A pair of twins followed their mother and foster mother, making faces at the old woman as they exited. The tent fell into a tense silence.
Alicent stood speechless, replaying Rhaenyra's reprimand in her mind. The embarrassment of being lectured by her stepdaughter in front of everyone was palpable.
Rubbing her temples, Alicent accidentally picked at her fingernails, wincing as tears came to her eyes from the pain.
Beside her, Lady Swann, drenched in red wine and with a swollen, reddened face, covered herself in indignation and left the tent.
The other noblewomen exchanged glances, their silence speaking volumes. Most of them represented Stormlands families and had come to gauge the royal family's stance.
Lady Swann had been their spokesperson to test the waters. It was now clear that the royal family had a firm and uncompromising attitude towards Stormlands.
At that moment, the Kingsguard, Arryk Cargyll, hurriedly entered the tent and whispered to Alicent, "Your Grace, Prince Aegon has struck Miss Cassandra."
Alicent's face changed color as she lifted her skirts and walked out, muttering, "Thank you, Ser Erryk."
"It's Arryk, Your Grace," he corrected gently.
"Oh, of course, Ser Arryk," Alicent replied distractedly, her mind on Aegon. All she wanted now was to confront her son and ask why he had assaulted the girl meant to be his future wife.
As Alicent and Arryk left, the noblewomen stared at each other in confusion, trying to interpret the situation.
Larys Strong, bent over his scepter, watched Alicent's departing figure. He sensed an opportunity to further intensify the conflict and sow chaos.
...
The Main Tent of the Camp
The lively atmosphere was boisterous, with a group of advisers and nobles surrounding the king, drinking and enjoying themselves. Viserys smiled and excused himself, his tired body unable to keep up with the revelry.
Rhaegar sat at the lower end of the main seat, one hand propped on his chin and one leg crossed, an island of serenity amidst the chaos.
"Rhaegar, what did you want to see me about?" Viserys asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
Rhaegar rubbed his brow and spoke softly, "It's nothing major. I've noticed the medicine prepared by the Grand Maester isn't very effective. I've chosen a new maester for your treatment."
"Mellos has done a good job. He's been handling my injuries," Viserys replied, frowning in confusion, reluctant to replace the familiar old man.
"Father, your injuries aren't improving. It's better to try a new medicine," Rhaegar patiently explained. "Orwyle is cautious and a maester you know well. He will perform his duties just as diligently."
There was a deep helplessness in Rhaegar's heart. After reading the brief history of the court recorded by Grand Maester Mellos, he had become deeply skeptical.
The history covered a wide range of topics in meticulous detail, including his birth, his mother Queen Aemma's death in childbirth, and his own coma before the age of three. Even personal matters like Rhaenyra losing her virginity and his first intimate encounter with Jayne were described in writing.
However, the treatment and medication for Viserys were very vaguely documented in this otherwise detailed history. Only some bloodletting, maggot therapy, and abscess scraping were recorded. The medications used were few and showed little effect. Despite this, Mellos did not actively change the treatment plan and suppressed aides like Orwyle, who advocated for changes.
Rhaegar had good reason to suspect Mellos of ulterior motives. If he didn't want to alert the schemers, he would have already imprisoned Mellos for interrogation. He suspected something was wrong with the Citadel.
Seeing his resolute eldest son, Viserys sighed and nodded in agreement. He also felt that Mellos' treatment was ineffective, and a new approach might bring improvement.
After a moment of silence, Rhaegar rubbed his smooth chin and said, "Father, the Kingswood hunt will end in a few days. Have you made any plans to tame the dragons?"
For the past month, his father had avoided answering. With his trip to Dragonstone Island imminent, it was time to remind him properly.
"Dragonstone Island..." Viserys' face paled, and he averted his eyes. He very much wanted to tame a dragon but was daunted by the risks involved.
Seeing this, Rhaegar said no more, understanding his father's dilemma. Determination was crucial for taming a dragon.
Suddenly, a commotion came from outside. Immediately after, an indignant Borros walked into the main tent, followed by his cousin Rhaenys and her four daughters. The girls were silently weeping, their dresses covered in mud and dirt, their faces red and bruised.
Otto then entered, pulling a dirty Helaena and Aemond by their hands.
In Rhaegar and Viserys' astonished gazes, Rhaenys stepped forward with her arm around Cassandra and sighed helplessly, "The children of the two families fought, and Aegon, who started it, ran into the Kingswood."
(Word count: 1,529)