-Chapter 47-
-POV Daemon Targaryen-
Seeing Aemon fight against that fool from House Corbray filled me with immense pride because it was like watching myself through him.
It was my blood at work.
He had the same ease as I did, the same skill, and the same composure when it came to finishing off an opponent.
"He fought well," said Raevyna, looking at my eldest more favorably.
I nodded and replied, "He destroyed him."
Although Baelon didn't make any comments, I could easily see him fidgeting in his seat, his eyes wide open, sparkling with joy at his brother's triumph.
"You will become like him," I said to my second son.
Baelon turned to me and quickly nodded before focusing on the herald, who was already announcing the continuation of the festivities.
I watched Ser Gunthor descend the steps, followed by the Hand's son, Harwin Fort.
'Rhaenyra's lapdog,' I thought, watching Alicent's lapdog following closely behind.
I'm eager to know who will win this competition.
It might create some conflicts that I could benefit from.
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-POV Aemon Targaryen-
I watched Gunthor enter the arena, followed by the 15 other finalists, and I smiled, because even though I had been slightly distracted by Jeyne and Jessamyn's little plot, the plan I had set in motion to rein in the queen was about to begin.
'Did that woman really think I would let her turn me against the rest of the kingdom, when all I've been trying to do since my birth is survive the Dance?' I thought to myself as I watched the queen, who gave me a forced smile.
I returned the same smile before turning my gaze away from my uncle's wife to focus on the first duel, which pitted Gwayne Hightower against a knight of House Beesbury.
It only took one charge for Gwayne Hightower to emerge victorious, likely due to the favor granted by the knight of House Beesbury, a direct vassal of House Hightower.
I smiled as I watched Gwayne Hightower, happy with his triumph, strut like a rooster under the royal box.
'Isn't he pathetic, poor fool, unaware that arrogance precedes a fall, while pride precedes ruin,' I thought.
Gunthor, Criston Cole, and Harwin Fort quickly demonstrated their superiority through their ease on horseback, their skill, and in the case of Harwin Fort and my uncle, their more than impressive colossus-like physiques.
It didn't take long before only four finalists remained, and as I had arranged, the final duels paired Gunthor against Criston Cole, while Harwin Fort faced Gwayne Hightower.
Gunthor turned to me just before kicking his horse toward the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and I nodded at him.
He knew the plan, and he was the first piece of the chessboard that I moved.
The first charge happened very quickly, the lances collided with the shields, and Gunthor fell to the ground.
"It seems the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard has not disgraced himself," I said through gritted teeth to Queen Alicent.
Gunthor got up and returned with his head down to the box.
"Prince..." Gunthor tried to say, but I cut him off sharply:
"I don't want excuses. You had a mission, and you failed."
"You're being a bit harsh, Aemon. Criston Cole is the best knight in the kingdom; he has defeated your father multiple times," said my uncle Viserys.
I looked at my uncle, still maintaining my furious expression without saying a word before turning back to the second competition, which was about to begin.
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-POV Alicent Hightower-
I watched my brother face off against the colossus who was now Rhaenyra's champion, and I prayed to the Seven, my eyes closed, that he wouldn't get hurt.
I only reopened them when the trumpet announcing the start of the joust sounded.
Very quickly, the two of them urged their horses into a gallop, and within seconds, my heart tightened with anxiety and horror as I saw my brother fly off his horse and crash violently to the ground.
A collective gasp drowned out the sound of my brother's bones hitting the ground, and it was only when I saw him lying still that I left the box.
When I arrived at the spot where my unconscious brother lay, I was greeted by the sight of squires surrounding his body, along with a maester who lowered his gaze when he saw me.
"How is my brother?" I asked, but no one dared to respond.
"How is he, maester?" I repeated, though a feeling of dread crept over me with each passing second.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace, there was nothing we could do. He didn't suffer," the maester said.
"NOOOOOOOON!"
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-POV Aemon Targaryen-
Hearing the queen's scream of anguish echo through the silent arena confirmed that the first part of my plan had worked particularly well.
'It worked too well, even. Thanks to that viper, the embers of conflict between the two factions have been reignited. Criston Cole would have inevitably sought revenge on Rhaenyra by injuring her champion, but now, it's goin g to be an all-out fight to the death,' I thought, already eager to witness this clash of titans, all while ensuring I maintained a shocked expression.
'I just wanted them to injure each other enough to end the possible reconciliation initiated by Alicent Hightower, but this turn of events is almost too good to be true,' I thought, forcing myself to maintain the shocked look on my face, even as joy burned brightly within me.
'You shouldn't have tried to make me the scapegoat,' I thought as I watched the queen clutch her brother's body, weeping.