Aerys sauntered through the castle towards the dining hall. A maid had informed him that the King had decided that the whole family would eat together that night.
"So, in my absence, did anyone in the royal family try to kill each other?" he asked the maid.
"No, no, my prince," she sputtered out. "Everything has been very peaceful here."
After what happened the night of the funeral, he was mildly surprised on his return to Driftmark to find that the island was not on fire.
He had the maid draw a bath for him and made sure that it was extra hot. Getting Urrax comfortable with the island had tired him out. And he needed a shower to freshen up enough for the family drama.
His hair was still wet when he entered the dining space. Fortunately, he kept it short, as the long-haired Targaryen look didn't really go with his young body, so it did not make him look improper.
Not that propriety was high on anyone's list right now. The Blacks and the Greens sat on opposing sides of Viserys at the dining table, both Jacaerys and Aemond sat injured next to their mothers, Aemond much more visibly than Jacaerys.
Their mothers, however, showed no sign of their own physical altercation.
"Good. Everyone is here." Aerys nodded in apparent satisfaction after he had strolled in like he owned the place.
Alicent sighed.
"Don't act like you were waiting for everyone else. It's you who is late, Aerys."
Aerys laughed.
"My apologies, Mother. Greetings, Father." He went and kissed Alicent's cheeks and then did the same for Viserys, who looked oddly reluctant. Then he took his seat down the line of his siblings and took another look at everyone there. Corlys and Rhaenys sat opposite Viserys with their granddaughters next to them. Next to Baela and Rhaena was Daemon, followed by Laenor, the Velaryon kids, and then their mother. Aerys's own seat was further down from his siblings, between Aegon and Corlys.
"Hmm. Looks delicious." He extended his hand to some baked salmon, but it got swatted by Helaena, who was sitting next to Aegon.
Aerys sighed then finally allowed himself to notice the tension in the room. How no one else was speaking. And all the guards that were standing near the walls. And all the seven Kingsguard posing intimidatingly behind the King.
"Food can wait for now, Aerys," Viserys commanded. "I have something to say."
"For the past few days, we have seen some friction among our family. There have been fights among the children." He looked at the two boys. "That has escalated to their elders." Then he looked at their mothers.
"And I have decided to put an end to it. As the Lord of House Targaryen, your father, your grandfather, and your King, I command you all to put an end to these hostilities."
Aerys was surprised to see that the soldiers were actually tense, seemingly ready to subdue even members of the royal family.
"The elders among you must set an example. So for the sake of our family, I would ask my wife and daughter to kiss and exchange vows of love and affection."
Under the watchful eyes of over twenty men-at-arms, the two women complied with fixed smiles.
"Alicent, my Queen. Companion of my youth," Rhaenyra greeted as she kissed her cheeks.
"Rhaenyra, our… future Queen. The delight of our realm," Alicent replied as she kissed hers in return.
"And as for the children who were involved in the conflict, they must render an apology to their rivals." Then as an afterthought, he turned to Corlys, "Would you not agree, Lord Corlys?"
It was his castle, and the man had little need to fear the men surrounding him. But he still acquiesced and nodded to Rhaena.
The four kids apologized to each other. And when Jacaerys' words came out more of a mumble, Rhaenyra nudged him until he apologized properly.
The King then continued. "It truly gladdens my heart to see the house of the dragon being rejuvenated in strength, from the bonds of love that are shared between us."
"I have spoken to Maester Coleman here. And he has assured me that the injuries taken by Aemond and Jacaerys will not inconvenience them too much in their day-to-day lives, and in their future duties as Targaryen princes."
He stopped, as if expecting an applause, or some sign of jubilation at the news, but when none came, continued speaking.
"And as for my own health, I have been assured that my fall after tripping two days ago has not worsened my health in any way. Lord Corlys has also commissioned a new, better walking stick, so it would not fail me again." He said with an odd intensity and raised his glass to Corlys in gratitude, who nodded back.
That clearly wasn't the stick's fault, though. It was pretty much the two women who dragged him to the ground.
Ah, he's pretending that it's the stick's fault.
"With that said, I declare this matter over! No more words would be said over this!" Viserys declared, looking at everyone in turn. "Now on to happier topics! Let us toast to my son, Aerys, who is to squire for none other than Lord Corlys, once again bringing our two families together!"
There was a short applause, especially from Aegon, who seemed to be pleased at getting rid of him.
"Thank you, Father," Aerys said. "And my thanks to Lord Corlys for taking me as his squire." He nodded to the man sitting to his right.
"And now, let us have some music and enjoy this food our hosts have arranged for us!" Viserys sat down and motioned to the Kingsguard, and the men-at-arms left the room.
Aerys was eating to the beat of the music when he realized something.
Alicent had not made them say their prayer before eating. He took another look at his mother, then turned back to the food before their eyes could meet.
Surely Father must have informed her of my fostering before this feast? Surely, this wasn't the first she had heard about it?
Right?
Ah, well. I wouldn't be the one to deal with her anger.
A few conversations had started around the tables, but they were muffled and tense. So he decided to chime in.
"Say, Uncle Daemon," he began, "what was the war like?"
"Full of dead little squires."
Ah, so we're being dicks today. Fine.
"At least their sacrifice helped you carry out Father's commands."
"What?" Daemon barked, between bites of shrimp.
"Oh, you know. Father's commands to attack the Triarchy's proxy army with a proxy army of Westeros."
He scoffed and put his food down. "You speak nonsense, boy."
"Come now, Uncle. The Triarchy sends their fleet under the guise of pirates. The Lords don't wish to enter open conflict against the Free Cities. You and Lord Corlys just happen to invade the Stepstones, unassociated with the Crown. I can read between the lines."
Aerys winked for good measure.
Daemon's eyes narrowed and he put down his cutlery. Next to Aerys, Corlys was frowning as well.
"That war was my war, not my brother's. I led the first battle and I brought it to an end. I wore the crown of the King of the Narrow Sea."
Aerys nodded in agreement.
"And then you gave it to your King, who had sent you to fight."
Like a dog, he did not say. But Daemon was similar enough in temperament to Aerys to get that undercurrent.
"No one sent me anywhere. I go where I please."
Aerys sighed as if exasperated.
"You expect me to believe that you were willing to take on the Free Cities without the backing of the Iron Throne? It's good legal fiction," he scoffed mockingly, "but only an idiot would truly do that!"
Daemon had pushed his plate away, but Aerys continued before he could say anything.
"There's no way you would make such a folly, of course, the dutiful subject of the crown that you are."
People were looking at them now, and if he wondered if anyone wasn't following their unsubtle argument.
"Hundreds burnt to the fire of Caraxes and scores were cut down by Dark Sister." Daemon stared right into Aerys's eyes as he spoke. "I left half of the Crabfeeder to rot in the caves he loved to hide in. The rest, I—"
"Daemon," Viserys interrupted him from the head of the table. "This is hardly a conversation fit for the dinner table."
"And Aerys. Stop arguing with your uncle. It is true he went to the Stepstones on his own accord and won the war most valiantly, earning much glory!" He said, giving his brother a proud smile. Daemon, too, quirked his lips in satisfaction.
"Huh," Aerys faked astonishment. "So, Father. If I were to ride off on my dragon," he spoke speculatively, "and declare war on some island full of pirates," he let his voice get more excited, "I could earn much glory as well?"
Around the table, his brothers and nephews, and even Baela had leaned in to listen to his words. He could see the idea
appealing to their fantasies of being dragon-riding conquerors.
Viserys put down the goblet he was holding, identifying a trap when he saw one, even if Alicent and Rhaenyra were not looking at him like he was about to make a mistake.
"Well, not at your age, of course." He tried to deflect, but Aegon had caught on now.
"At what age would it be valiant to ride our dragons to glorious conquest, Father?" Viserys's eldest son asked.
"Twice your age, at the very least."
"What if it's two of us who go? Or three," Jacaerys asked, looking at Lucerys and Baela.
"Your dragons are rather small to do any conquering, Jacaerys." He answered.
"Mine isn't," Aemond chimed in.
"There is no place to conquer to begin with. We are at peace with everyone," Viserys tried to keep up with the children's arguments.
"Even the Dothraki?" Baela asked. "We heard of them in Pentos, and they are always at war. Kepa told us that even a single dragon could break them."
"I could break them," Aegon found the thought very fascinating.
"And what about the slaver cities?" Helaena chimed in. "My Septa told me that they were at war with the Seven themselves."
"That's not..." Viserys tried again. "She meant theologically, Helaena. Not an actual war."
"But the gods would be pleased if we ended slavery, wouldn't they?" Rhaena asked, more comfortable talking of theology than conquest with dragons.
"That's... something you should ask a septa, dear niece. But not the one that's been teaching Helaena. She might need to be replaced."
"What about the wildlings in the North?" Jacaerys asked. "Mother kept getting requests for resources to man the Wall. If we destroyed them, then the Watch wouldn't need so many resources, would they?"
"That's quite enough!" Viserys raised his voice. He looked at the mothers, but neither woman seemed eager to assist him after he had so overbearingly forced them just a few minutes ago. "No one is doing something as stupid as taking your dragons and flying off to war."
"Gasp," Aerys said the word instead of actually gasping. "You just called Uncle Daemon stupid!"
"You. Little. Shit." Daemon growled.
Someone giggled.
Probably not Corlys. He seemed simultaneously displeased at his own contributions to the war being sidelined and relieved that he was not dragged into the arguments.