(Baelon's POV)
"Trust nobody? How cryptic." I said as I looked at the note, "We come with no dragons, unarmed. This all stinks. And this note here does not make things better."
I looked at the small object. It had the Strong Sigil. It could mean one of two things; A member of House Strong is conspiring against me or it's a Strong that is warning me.
Or both.
I wonder which is which.
I never really paid much attention to House Strong. I know Harwin Strong was a notable Knight when I was young and one time, he challenged me to a friendly duel which I left him sitting on the ground.
I never got the impression that he held a grudge after that since he didn't really react much to it. He simply laughed it off and walked away. I have not really interacted with him much since then.
"He was a member of the City Watch when I was young....before Rhaenyra's wedding...." I said softly
I noticed a slight creak coming from the far end of the room. I looked over to see the window of my room to be opened, the wind coming in and the wooden door was opened a bit.
I walked over it and looked outside it, seeing that I was quite up in the castle. Below me, I saw the weirwood tree in the courtyard. On the base of the tree, I saw a woman sitting down, holding what looked like a basket.
I narrowed my eyes, "Hm..." I said
The woman then looked up at me, her dark eyes staring right at me, which was quite unsettling.
She brought her finger up to her lips in a quiet gesture and then pointed down with her other hand. I understood what she meant by this, she wanted me to go down to meet her.
This was obviously a trap. But I was no fool.
I nodded and turned around, walking towards the door, "Let's see what this is about." I said seriously,
"This Castle and its shite..."
********
"Who are you?" I asked the woman as I approached her
She was wearing a dark red dress with a cloak over it. She was quite pretty and slim, her black hair draped over her shoulders.
She stood up, "I'm just a bastard witch." She said with a slight smile, "Prince Baelon."
I held my hand up, showing the badge to her, "This you?"
She shook her head, "I am merely a messenger." She said, "I do not know what the letter said."
"Hm, convenient for you." I said, "What's your name?"
"Alys Rivers." She said
"Is that so?" I said, "What do you want?"
She nodded to the side, "Come with me."
I looked to the side of the courtyard, a door that led to a small stone building. It looked to be part of one of the Castle's many wings. I was not sure if I should trust this woman, knowing that danger could be lurking anywhere in the castle.
Fortunately, I was able to steal a dagger from one of the guards. Whoever tried something would get their throat cut.
I nodded, "Fine."
As she walked towards the door, I followed behind her, placing my hand behind me and on the handle of the dagger.
She opened the door and walked inside, glancing at me as she did so.
I followed her inside, the room was full of strange things, spices and liquids. Something a witch....or healer would work with. This must be her workshop, it seemed.
I heard as she closed the door behind her and I looked at her, "What is it?"
"It is not I that wishes to speak to you." She said with a slight smile
"Then who?" I asked, my hand still on the dagger's handle
I felt a hand on my shoulder from behind me, "Baelon." A voice said
Without thinking, I turned around, grabbed the person's shoulder, and drew the dagger, placing it on their throat as I had a serious look on my face.
"B-Baelon!!" Rhaenyra's shocked eyes stared at me as I pressed my blade against her
I immediately let go of her and pulled the blade away, "Rhaenyra?!" I exclaimed, "W-What the hells are you doing?!"
She stepped back, baffled at what I had just done, a hint of fear in her eyes, "W-Why would you do that?" She said softly, "I...I am your sis-"
"I know who you are." I cut her off as I lowered the blade and pointed at her with my other free hand, "I want to know what the hell is going on, Rhaenyra!"
She stood there, a bit shocked by this still.
"I...." She started as she looked down
I pulled out the paper and raised it in front of me, "I have a note from some mysterious person saying that someone is trying to get rid of me." I said, "Is this you?"
She shook her head, "No." She said, "Baelon...I...."
I sighed and glanced at Alys who was standing at the door, silent and not reacting much.
"Look, I'm sorry." I said as I took a step forward
She took a step back, her eyes full of fear, "Baelon...."
I looked at the dagger and then tossed it to the floor, "Rhaenyra, I'm sorry." I said as I walked over to her, "I'm sorry, okay? I did not mean to do that to you. You have to understand, sister. If someone wishes me dead, I cannot drop my guard."
She gulped, "I..." She said as tears formed in her eyes, "N-No, I'm sorry....I...."
I frowned, "What's wrong?" I said as I placed my hands on her shoulders, "Is everything alright."
"Trust Nobody"
I cannot keep my guard down, even with Rhaenyra. As much as I hate it, I have to keep an appearance. I need to find out what's going on, no matter what happens. If anything, I cannot trust Rhaenyra's tears.
She looked down, "Baelon, you're my brother....." She said as she wiped her tears away, "I love you....I.....I did not know it would come to this...."
I lift her chin up, "Come to what?"
"What happened between us....." she said, "People speak.....I cannot approach you without people thinking of foul things. I....I never wanted a rift between us to happen. That is why I asked Alys to call for you, to speak to you privately. It has been eating me up inside.....the only brother that my Mother gave me.....why did it come to this?"
Tears ran down her cheek, her eyes were full of sorrow.
"W-What?" I said softly, "What are you saying? That is not....that is what you're worried about? R-Rhaenyra.....do you not know of what's going on?"
She shook her head, "N-No....what?" She wiped the tears away, "I....what do you mean?"
"Someone wants to kill me." I told her, "And you know nothing of it? Then why did you call yourself the messenger, Alys?"
I looked at her, and she merely shrugged.
"I hit two birds with one stone." she said with a slight smirk, "Someone had me deliver that message and the princess wanted to speak to you."
I sighed and stepped away from Rhaenyra, my head beginning to hurt a little.
I then looked at Rhaenyra, she was shaken up a bit. I can understand why, she must have been feeling like this for quite a while, and with the shock of her own brother holding a blade to her throat, it must be hard to shake off.
"This...." I said, "Rhaenyra, what happened between us....it was nothing. Right?"
She looked at me, "R-Right...." she said, "But....Baelon....I...it's my fault...How could I have felt that way? In the moment of weakness...I....it all led to this....because of me."
I shook my head, "It is not your fault." I told her, "It is mine."
"A moment of intimacy? I've heard all about that." Alys said with a slight chuckle
"Yea, well it wasn't even a kiss." I told her, "It was about to be a kiss....you know what? Mind your own business!"
I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing my temples.
This makes sense, Why Rhaenyra would want to move out of Dragonstone. She doesn't want people to get the wrong idea. Things were getting more awkward by the second and I was getting sick of it.
That moment....it all happened because of one specific reason. And it involved Trevor. Rhaenyra did not mention any details but she mentioned a serious argument, something her husband told her.
I was about to say something when I felt a tingle in the back of my head as if something was coming. It felt strange, a bit out of place.
I then recognized the feeling and what it meant.
"Wait...." I said as I narrowed my eyes, "You got to be kidding me...."
************
(Third Person POV)
In the darkness of the night, several dozen guards stood in a perimeter, holding torches to slightly illuminate the area outside of Harren's Castle.
As they stood, the area became filled with the woken-up Lords of the Realm that resided in the Castle and on the outside camp. They were looking around in confusion, escorted by their guards and knights.
"What is going on?" Lord Lyonel said as he walked through the crowd of Nobles, "Harwin?"
Ser Harwin Strong, who was walking in front of the group, looked at his father, "I do not know, father." He said, "I was called by one of the guards, saying the King summoned us here."
"The King?" Lyonel said as he looked around, "Where is he?"
"What is this absurdity?" Lord Corlys said as he walked in front of the group, "Being woken up in the middle of the night like this?"
Ser Laenor, his son, stood next to him, "Everyone is here, it seems." He said, "Save for the King."
Suddenly, the Kingsguard walked into view, between them was Viserys who was looking around in confusion.
"What is going on?" He said, "Lord Lyonel, if you wished to speak, you could have personally come to me."
Lyonel frowned, "Your Grace." He said, "I did not call for this."
The crowd of Lords and Knights began to murmur amongst themselves in pure confusion. Viserys was looking around, seeing that almost every major Lord was here. And considering that they were called here meant that his authority would be used.
He immediately realized who was behind this.
"Ahem, welcome My Lords!" a voice said, "I apologize for waking you like this. I just wanted to make a quick meeting before we all go about our nights."
They all looked up the small hill where Baelon Targaryen stood, flipping a dagger in his hand.
"Baelon!" Viserys said, "What is the meaning of this?!"
Baelon smiled, "Father, allow me this moment to make something clear to all of our loyal vassals." He said, "It won't be long."
"Prince Baelon." Lord Lyonel said, "What could this be about?"
Baelon scanned the crowd, seeing each and every one of their faces, "All of you..." he said seriously
He then saw his Uncle Daemon, standing next to the Kingsguard, giving him a slight smirk.
"Wait until after the wedding."
He remembered the advice that was given to him by his own uncle and decided to follow it. But this was about something else and he will investigate the problem thoroughly after the Wedding.
"Skagos." Baelon continued, "All of you....I need to know what your issue with that is, if there is one."
The Lords looked among each other, confused.
"Do not play dumb." Baelon said, "Most of you have avoided me like the plague earlier. So I come here to know what the issue is. So tell me, anyone, is there a problem?"
Nobody spoke up.
Corlys was exchanging glances with Viserys who was a intrigued by this situation.
"Nobody?" Baelon said with a raised eyebrow, "Not a single problem? Are we sure? No?"
Nobody said anything.
"Well...." Baelon said, "Glad we have that cleared up. Next order of business.....Lord Lyonel!"
Lyonel looked at him, "Yes?"
"It came to my attention that you requested that none of us bring our dragons." Baelon asked, "I respected that request, obviously. But I would like to know why, respectfully."
"H-Harren's curse, My Prince." Lyonel said, "It would not feel right if the reason why this castle is in ruins should be so close to it....and well, adding Vhagar to that mix will simply scare the smallfolk in nearby villages. It was a humble request, no malice to it."
"Hm...." Baelon said, "Interesting....well, My Lord, as I said....I respected it.....but it appears he didn't."
"He?" Lyonel said
Then, the sound of flapping wings was heard, thundering above them. Every single Lord in attendance looked up in alarm to see a massive shadow fly over them, high in the sky, blocking the moonlight.
Viserys looked up, "Oh, for crying out loud...." He said
Balerion's roar was heard, deafening and resounding through the air. He circled high above in the sky, looking down at the situation down below.
Baelon chuckled, "Balerion and I are inseparable, Lord Lyonel!!" He shouted with a smile, "Nothing and I mean nothing will come between us! But worry not!"
"He won't do any harm."