"Brother."
The words barely escaped Helaena's lips before she deflated, looking at Rhaegar with a resigned expression.
"What's going on, come here quickly," Rhaegar beckoned hastily, noticing her tear-streaked face.
Helaena broke away from Grandfather Otto's grasp and trotted into her brother's arms. Rhaegar glanced at Borros Baratheon and then caressed Helaena's face, frowning. "What happened?"
"A fight," Helaena sniffled pitifully. "Aegon hit Cassandra. They went to fight Aegon, and Aemond and I tried to stop them but got caught up in it."
She was only thirteen, and Aemond, two years younger, had fared worse in the scuffle.
Rhaegar sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Seven hells!"
It's just a children's quarrel.
Viserys, now grasping the situation, asked Rhaenys for a full account. Rhaenys, ever the unbiased observer, relayed the events clearly and without taking sides.
Bang—
Viserys slammed his wine cup down in anger. "Damn it, beating a girl and then running away!" His fury was directed at Aegon, who had struck Cassandra and fled into the Kingswood, avoiding punishment and escaping an unwanted betrothal.
Borros, red-faced, held his second daughter, Maris, close. "Your Grace, you invited my daughters here for a marriage proposal, but Prince Aegon's behavior is intolerable."
Having just been reprimanded by the king and forced to execute five loyal bannermen, Borros had hoped the matter would be resolved. Instead, his daughters had been assaulted by a Targaryen prince. To maintain his honor, he sought Rhaenys' support.
Viserys frowned deeply and spoke in a somber tone. "Borros, this was not authorized by me. I will find Aegon and provide you with an explanation."
It was a severe breach of decorum to assault a prospective bride.
Borros bit back his words, seeking justice. Rhaenys, noting the amused nobles around them, lowered her voice. "Viserys, Aegon must apologize to House Baratheon. They need to save face."
"Agreed," Viserys said, forcing a smile at the Baratheon girls. "Aegon will be disciplined. I'll ensure new companions entertain you."
Despite the incident, he was determined to secure an alliance. Without it, he felt uneasy about Borros' control over the Stormlands.
Cassandra's eyes lit up, the corners of her bruised eyes flicking towards Rhaegar with anticipation. "Who will entertain us?"
Viserys smiled, understanding her implication. "My two youngest sons will be considered."
He waved at Rhaegar. "Our patrols failed. You lead the team to retrieve Aegon."
Rhaegar understood, patting Helaena's back. "Father, Helaena and Aemond are hurt too. Don't forget to comfort them."
Helaena, looking aggrieved, approached her father. She had also been pushed and shoved.
Leaving Viserys to manage the situation, Rhaegar cast a glance at the silent Otto before exiting the tent.
Just outside, he collided with Alicent, rushing in after hearing the news.
"Where's Aegon? What happened to Helaena and Aemond?" Alicent demanded, her voice full of concern.
Rhaegar shrugged as he continued walking. With Alicent around, Helaena and Aemond were sure to be well cared for.
...
At night, the stars dotted the sky, with dark clouds obscuring the bright moonlight.
On a winding path through the Kingswood, a dozen miles or so from the camp...
A white horse galloped along, Rhaegar on its back, with Aegon trailing behind, tethered by a rope and struggling to keep up.
"Rhaegar, stop! I can't run anymore!"
Aegon was dizzy with exhaustion, his legs giving out, nearly dragging him along the ground.
Rhaegar ignored his pleas, cracking his whip against the horse's flank, urging it to go faster.
"Hey! Are you even listening? I really can't go on!"
Aegon panted heavily, stumbling and nearly in tears.
After another mile, Aegon finally collapsed with a wail, being dragged along the dirt path.
"Phew."
Rhaegar called the horse to a halt, dropped his whip, and dismounted.
Aegon lay limply on the ground, his clothes torn, revealing a reddened, bruised back.
"I'm sorry, I really am."
Seeing Rhaegar approaching, Aegon, terrified, kicked his legs in a futile attempt to escape, despite his bound hands.
Rhaegar grabbed him by the collar, amused. "Why aren't you escaping on a dragon?"
Aegon cried out, too frightened to move. "Your Cannibal is searching for Sunfyre, who's hiding from me."
He had hoped to escape on a dragon, but reality had crushed that plan.
Rhaegar laughed and then asked sternly, "Do you know what this count as?"
"What counts?" Aegon asked warily, trying to back away.
Rhaegar's smile vanished. "Count yourself unlucky."
As he struck Aegon, he lectured him, "You're not a man yet! You hit a woman and then ran away! Do you think Father won't hack you to pieces?"
Rhaegar had spent half a day chasing the drunken Aegon, finally catching him by a small stream. Now, he needed to vent his frustration.
"Stop, I'm sorry…"
Aegon couldn't dodge, hunching over and crying out, "I didn't like those girls! Why do I have to marry them?"
"It's a family marriage! You think you can just do whatever you want?"
Rhaegar was furious. He yanked up the trembling Aegon and demanded, "You don't want to marry the daughters of House Baratheon. Do you want to marry Helaena instead?"
"No! She's worse than the Four Storms!"
Aegon shook his head vigorously, tugging at the corner of his bleeding mouth, pleading, "I want to marry a great beauty, even if she's of lower status. Leave the Four Storms to Aemond and Daeron."
Rhaegar was exasperated. "How can you be so foolish, ruining your Grandfather's plans for nothing?"
Tired of beating him, Rhaegar untied the rope binding Aegon to the horse, slung him over the horse's back, and remounted.
He didn't care if Aegon was secure, riding back to the camp without a second glance.
In less than half a quarter of an hour, the camp gate loomed close.
Entering the camp, Rhaegar dragged Aegon to the main tent and handed him over to their father for punishment.
"Aegon!"
Alicent, already in the tent, gasped in distress at the sight of her son's bruised and swollen face.
"Alicent, stand down," Viserys commanded, his patience wearing thin. He didn't want to see his wife coddling Aegon any longer.
Alicent glared at him, her pain evident. "Aegon is all beaten up. Call the Grand Maester to tend to him at once," she insisted, her voice firm as she directed the second part at Arryk, the Kingsguard standing at the entrance.
Viserys sighed deeply and advised, "Leave. Aegon will apologize to the Four Storms and face the consequences of his actions."
"Don't forget, Aegon is your son too," Alicent retorted sadly. Though she dared not openly defy Viserys, she walked out indignantly, her eyes briefly flashing with anger as she passed Rhaegar.
She knew it was Rhaegar who had inflicted the injuries on Aegon.
Rhaegar remained impassive, unaffected by her silent accusation. In his eyes, Aegon, spoiled and irresponsible, needed a hard lesson. To Rhaegar, Aegon's reckless behavior was more of a liability to the family.
Once Alicent left, the tension in the tent eased slightly.
With no outsiders present, Viserys forced Aegon to apologize to Cassandra and then to each of her three sisters.
With Rhaenys acting as guarantor, Borros dared not escalate the issue further. Instead, he instructed his daughters to apologize to Helaena and Aemond, who had been caught in the crossfire.
The siblings were genuinely offended to have been dragged into the dispute.
Finally, Viserys adopted a more kingly demeanor, smiling kindly. "Borros, the matter of marriage is negotiable. Let the children communicate more in private."
Borros grimaced, casting a scrutinizing glance from the defiant Aegon to the plain and unimpressive Aemond. The king's third son was still young, underappreciated, and crucially, dragonless.
After much consideration and fearing further trouble with the king, Borros relented, "The daughters of House Baratheon hold no grudges. Both sides will get along."
Aemond hung his head, still unaware that he was now considered as Aegon's replacement. He was lost in thoughts of the earlier argument, wondering if having a dragon of his own would have allowed him to confront the Four Storms with dragonfire.
Unconsciously, he clenched his fists at the thought.
...
In the camp, the nobles gathered around a roaring bonfire.
Some had witnessed Rhaegar dragging Aegon on horseback, while others had seen the afternoon clash between Aegon and the daughters of House Baratheon. Whispers spread about the growing tension between the crown and House Baratheon.
Alicent stormed out of the tent, the cool night air lashing her face and reviving her frayed nerves.
"Your Grace, the Queen."
A low, emotion-laden voice called out from nearby.
Alicent turned, her green skirt fluttering in the wind as she tilted her head proudly. She saw a secluded corner table away from the bonfire's glow.
Larys, with his scepter, sat alone on a wooden stool, watching her with a coy smile.
Feeling Alicent's stern gaze, Larys shifted uncomfortably and ducked his head.
He stared at the ground, avoiding eye contact as if afraid someone might see through his façade.
"What do you want with me?" Alicent asked, scanning the surroundings before walking gracefully toward the corner.
The dimly lit area, strewn with leftovers and ignored by the revelers, suited Larys's secretive nature perfectly.
Larys smiled, "Queen, you seem to need a reliable ally."
(Word count: 1,539)