Uncle and nephew left the high platform one by one, causing a shift in the seating arrangement.
Rhaenyra, lifting the hem of her skirt, approached Laena. The two women began to chat and share pastries.
"Rhaenyra, your appetite has grown lately," Laena remarked, her smile reflecting her amazement. She had never seen her best friend eat so quickly, except when cake was involved.
Satisfied, Rhaenyra narrowed her eyes and replied, "I skipped breakfast," a little lie to retain respect
Baela, one of Laena's twins, quickly exposed her, saying, "The princess often gets hungry and scolds cousin."
The "cousin" referred to Rhaegar, as Targaryens typically deferred to paternal relationships.
"Baela!" Rhaenyra cried, covering her face. She had been betrayed by her adopted daughter.
Laena patted her daughter gently on the head and asked worriedly, "Rhaenyra, if you're constantly hungry and anxious, perhaps you should see a maester."
"Orwyle said there's nothing wrong," Rhaenyra shrugged, taking a small sip of the Arbor Island's golden wine. She was confident in her health.
Laena's red lips curved into a knowing smile as she stroked her own swollen belly. "When was the last time you and Rhaegar were intimate?" she asked suggestively.
Rhaenyra's eyes flickered with disappointment. "The Maester said I wasn't experiencing pregnancy symptoms."
"The Maester isn't a woman!" Laena countered, sharing her experience. "The first trimester is very unstable, and reactions vary greatly."
Laena spoke in detail, explaining everything from carrying twins to her current pregnancy. Rhaenyra listened in silence, realizing she hadn't had her period this month. Usually gentle with Rhaegar, her recent prolonged bad temper was unusual.
Her heart pounding, Rhaenyra subconsciously took a large sip of wine. The alcohol's strong flavor triggered a rush of nausea.
"Vom~~"
A wave of nausea hit Rhaenyra. She turned away, covering her chest as she dry-heaved.
"Princess!" Baela and Rhaena were startled and gathered around their foster mother.
"I'm fine...vomit..." Rhaenyra managed to say before she hefted again.
The thought of a possible pregnancy made her body react instinctively.
Laena's face lit up with joy. She grabbed her friend's hand excitedly. "Look, Rhaenyra! There really might be a baby."
As someone currently pregnant herself, Laena's intuition told her that Rhaenyra was expecting.
Rhaenyra put her hands on her still-flat belly, her mind blank. The sudden realization was overwhelming.
...
On the martial arts field, Rhaegar selected a white warhorse and began practicing with a wooden lance. Around him, the competitors in the prep area bustled about, eager to show off their skills. Amid the hustle and bustle, Daemon surveyed a couple of men as if judging prey: Ser Cole and two Baratheon bastards.
Sensing his nephew's gaze, Daemon rode over and lightly suggested, "Shall we race to see who can eliminate more contestants?"
Rhaegar politely declined, "Let's give the knights their chance; that's what they're here for."
Daemon's sharp eyes narrowed as he probed further, "Are you interested in going beyond the Narrow Sea?"
A few years earlier, a letter from his brother Viserys had warned Daemon against private raids on the Triarchy's ships. Though he had heeded the warning, Valyrian pirates had since taken over the raids and imposed heavy taxes. Daemon was certain that his nephew understood his intentions.
Rhaegar did. He had informants among the Stepstones garrison and connections to the three Archons of Volantis that provided a steady stream of information.
"Uncle, this is not the time to attack the Triarchy," Rhaegar said, suppressing a smile. He firmly believed that wars of aggression across the seas were unwise. The strongest navy in Westeros belonged to House Velaryon, and many dragonriders had close ties to the Sea Snake.
A royal war effort would be severely limited by naval power. Even if they conquered the Triarchy, managing the rewards and governance of the city-states would strain the crown, as history had shown with Aegon the Conqueror's invasion of Dorne.
Daemon's face darkened as he replied, "The Triarchy was originally colonized by the Valyrians. It is only right that we reclaim our territory."
"That is not for me to decide," Rhaegar replied. "You can try to discuss it with the Small Council." Then he rode his white horse into the field.
While Rhaegar desired to conquer the Triarchy and expand its territory, he understood that the Seven Kingdoms had enjoyed years of peace. The ongoing conflict in the disputed lands had already frayed too many nerves, making any new invasion across the Narrow Sea impractical. Despite their dragons, the Targaryens were internally divided into four distinct factions.
First was the Greens, made up of Alicent's children and backed by the powerful Hightower House. Though Aegon's behavior was problematic, Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron maintained close ties with Rhaegar, but the Green Faction's influence was undeniable. Rhaegar knew he had to break their unity to avoid future conflict.
Opposing them was the Black Party, or the "orthodox" faction. Rhaenyra and Rhaegar, as the eldest children of Queen Aemma, naturally had inheritance claims under Westerosi law.
They controlled vast territories such as Harrenhal, Dragonstone, and much of the Prince's Palace, with numerous followers and influential allies such as Jeyne Arryn and Lord Tully.
Their father, King Viserys, was still in his prime, ensuring a smooth transition of power.
Outside of these two major factions were Daemon and House Velaryon. Daemon, with his dragon Caraxes, had great leadership appeal and war experience. His wife, Laena, had Vhagar, and their twins had already hatched dragon eggs.
Though they appeared to be a small faction, relying on royal and Velaryon support, Daemon's lineage made him a significant player. The Velaryons, under the Sea Snake, possessed considerable wealth and military power, including half of the kingdom's navy.
Though the Sea Snake's power could rival Rhaegar's, he had no intention of opposing him. The Targaryens' interconnected bloodlines ensured their alliances remained firm. Rhaenys, being the Master of Dragons, had her daughter married to Daemon and her granddaughters raised by Rhaenyra, linking the two families by blood.
The Sea Snake and the Daemon may be close, but each had their own agenda, just like Rhaegar is close to several of his younger siblings.
In this intricate web of alliances and power, Rhaegar recognized that while the Targaryens had more than a dozen dragons, internal divisions and external pressures made any aggressive expansion a complex and delicate matter.
...
The Knight Duels had officially begun.
Daemon faced off against a knight from House Tully. Rhaegar watched from afar, his mind filled with thoughts of the future.
Families, wars, divisions, governance...
His father, Viserys, may not have been a great king, but he had been a steady one. Under his reign, the treasury was full, the people were content, and a strong foundation was laid for future generations.
In terms of family, Viserys had fathered six children, including four male heirs—an advantage even over King Jaehaerys, who had only three sons.
"Vaegon the Dragonless," Rhaegar murmured softly.
A large, thriving family was a blessing, but it also brought complexity. Among King Jaehaerys's sons, Aemon and Baelon had a close bond, serving as king and Hand of the King respectively, while Vaegon renounced his inheritance to become a maester in Oldtown. The balance seemed perfect, yet none of them ascended the Iron Throne.
In Rhaegar's generation, he was the main line, with his uncle Daemon, Aegon and his brothers forming the branches. The Targaryens were a chaotic family, and all of them were dragonriders. Keeping them in King's Landing without purpose was troublesome, but sending them away could also incite chaos.
Rhaegar rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on. "War and division..."
When internal problems afflict a realm, external pressure is often the best remedy.
...
Ding!
The referee struck the gong, signaling the end of the duel.
Daemon, clad in black armor with a fluttering crimson cape, had effortlessly defeated his opponent in two rounds. As he left the arena, the referee turned to the crowd and exclaimed, "Next, please welcome Prince Rhaegar of House Targaryen and Ser Gwayne, eldest son of Lord Otto, Master of Civil Affairs!"
As his focus returned, Rhaegar's eyes lost their earlier distraction. He mounted his white horse and entered the arena, aware that idle thoughts were futile. True power lay in action.
If Daemon wanted war, he would have to convince the Small Council and their father, King Viserys. As the Heir Prince, Rhaegar had his own responsibilities: producing an heir, changing the perception of the royal family's weakness, and controlling the dragons and their eggs.
"Hyah!" Rhaegar spurred his horse to one end of the fence and looked at his opponent on the other side - a slender knight in silver armor bearing the sigil of House Hightower.
"Otto's son," Rhaegar murmured, glancing sideways at the silent Otto on the raised platform. Otto was a widower with an eldest son, Gwayne, and a daughter, Alicent, by his late wife.
On the raised platform, Viserys watched with interest, glancing from side to side at his wife and Otto. "Look, Rhaegar's fighting Gwayne," he remarked with a laugh.
Alicent smiled helplessly and walked over to Rhaenyra, who was stretched out over the fence watching the duel. Her brother had a few tricks up his sleeve, but not many.
Otto's face remained calm as he matched the king's chatter and laughter, though he could not hide his concern. His foolish brother had disrupted their plans, and now, as things began to unravel, Otto had to be prepared for a counterattack from both the Heir Prince and the Hand of the King, Lyonel Strong.
(Word count: 1,595)