(Third Person POV)
"Where is Daemon?" King Viserys asked as he looked across the table of the Small Council.
Inside the Small Council Room, the members of the Small Council sat as King Viserys I Targaryen was sitting down, It was a few days until the King's Tourney, held in celebration to his second child's birth, whom Viserys was sure was to be a boy, his Heir.
Viserys had heard of some rumors that Prince Daemon, his younger brother, had been in the Capital. He was sure they were true considering the Rogue Prince's love for attention and the tourney was a great way for him to show off.
"We... do not know, Your Grace." Prince Aemon Targaryen, Viserys' youngest brother and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard said as Viserys glanced at him. "Last we heard he was at Dragonstone..."
Viserys frowned, "Dragonstone? What is he doing there? I thought he'd be at Runestone, with his Lady-Wife." He said. "the fool has never once invited me to see them, my nephew and niece."
"He hasn't invited any of us, dear brother. Seems he doesn't want us to meet his progeny." Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Viserys' second youngest brother who was currently serving as Master Of War on the Small Council answered.
Viserys glanced at the end of the table where a sleeping fat lump known as Prince Aegon, Viserys' younger fraternal twin brother, letting out a slight sigh of annoyance for even allowing his brother to even serve on the Small Council, only doing so simply because he was his blood and wished to give Aegon a purpose and as a way to try keeping him away from the brothels in the Street of Silk.
"We made Prince Daemon Commander of the City Watch yet he is constantly absent from court and our Small Council meetings, not even to provide a shred of evidence that the absurd amounts of gold dragons funded into the retraining and reequipping of the City Watch have gone to good use." Lord Otto Hightower, Viserys' lord hand said receiving a few nods of agreement.
"I agree, Your Grace." Lord Beasbury chimed in.
"Otto, let us put that to rest for the time being. We all know of Daemon's faults, no need to remind us of them. He's my brother after all." Viserys dismissed Otto who nodded in understanding. "What bothers me more so is that after four years my reckless brother has refused to bring his children nor his Lady-Wife to court once.
"Your to lenient with him, brother, I do not wish to tell you what to do but had you heeded my advice when Lady Rhea first gave birth and given Daemon a royal command to bring the children to court we would not be in this predicament." Rhaegar said as he grabbed his goblet of wine that stood in front of him on the Small Council table and took a sip of it.
"You know that even with a royal command our reckless brother would have brushed it off his shoulder and ignored it just like everything else I've told him to do." Viserys said as Rhaegar nodded in agreement, knowing that his brother listened to nobody, at least not anybody who still lives.
Otto leaned forward as he clasped his fingers together. "Your Grace, it is true that Prince Daemon did consummate his marriage to the Lady Rhea, however I have multiple sources who say that since then he has not been sighted at Runestone nor anywhere else in the Vale since his marriage, effectively leaving his wife, son, and daughter abandoned." He said causing Viserys to sigh.
"That's no new news to anyone in the realm, Daemon has long since loathed his marriage to Lady Rhea." Lord Lyonel, the lord of Harrenhal stated receiving a few nods from those at the table.
"Yet the fact remains that in his loath for his wife, Daemon has still abandoned his wife and his children." Otto said.
"I mean this in no offense, Your Grace, but I believe your grandfather made a mistake when he married Daemon to the Lady Rhea, especially since it was well known that Daemon desired another." Mellos, the Grandmaester serving the in the Red Keep stated as Viserys nodded in understanding.
"I agree. Our grandfather and my predecessor was the greatest King to ever rule Westeros, yet even a man as great as him isn't perfect. I only regret that Lady Rhea also has to suffer in this marriage." Viserys said as he looked down in remorse on the loss of his grandfather a few.
"Given how much Rhea and Daemon hate each other I'd be surprised if those half breeds he whelped on the Bronze Bitch were even his and not some nameless baseborn knight." The lords turned to see that Aegon who'd previously been asleep was now awake and leaning back in his chair. Viserys' eyes narrowed in anger as he gripped the table slightly whilst Rhaegar, Aemon, and Otto each rolled their eyes the gluttonous Prince.
"Dear me," Lord Beasbury said as he heard the words leave Aegon's mouth.
"Your one to talk Aegon seeing as you yourself have whelped a few bastards yourself who live within these very walls, dishonoring our dear sister - Naerys, in the process." Aemon shot at Aegon with a glare full of mixed anger as well as jealousy.
"Yes but that is different." Aegon said with a carefree look.
"How is that different, Prince Aegon?" Lord Corlys, Master of Ships and Lord of Driftmark asked in the direction of Aegon before Aemon had a chance to speak. "Everyone in here knows that you have had multiple children both in wedlock and outside of wedlock with women who were not your wife. Some with common whores, some with highborn ladies of court. What makes your bastard children whom most are plain featured and don't even have our Valyrian looks different from Daemon's trueborn children with Lady Rhea?"
"Mind your tongue, Lord Corlys. Yours speaking to a Prince of the Realm." Aegon said with a sharp look in his eyes at Corlys who dismissed the look as soon as it was sent.
"A Prince of the Realm who ignores every one of his duties." Rhaegar spoke with a role of his eyes.
"Do you have something to say, little brother? Or are you going to run with your tail between your legs back to your Dornish wife's cunt and put another olive skinned Dornish bastard in her belly?" Aegon shot back at Rhaegar causing Rhaegar to stand abruptly in anger to the insult levied against his wife, Princess Elia Martell of Dorne.
"Say that again you fat oaf, I dare you." Rhaegar spat at Aegon with hate in his chest and his nostrils flared.
"That's is enough from you, Aegon." Viserys finally spoke up in a serious tone. "Rhaegar, you know how our brother likes to taunt you, must you indulge him? Elia is a good woman whom my Aemma adores, please return to your seat." Viserys gestured to where Rhaegar previously sat.
"Your Grace." Rhaegar nodded at Viserys as he sat back down.
"And you, Aegon, do you forget that your own son - Daeron, is married to a Dornish woman as well? A woman who has brough you a few grandchildren already? Do not insult them or Rhaegar's wife again or I promise you there will be consequences." Viserys spoke in Aegon's direction who merely hung his head down in submission, biting his tongue to keep himself from say a sly comment about his son, good-daughter, or grandchildren.
"Now that that is settled, let us return to our previous topic my Lords and brothers." Viserys continued receiving nods from all the men gathered in the room.
"Mayhaps we might invite the Lady Rhea to Kings Landing so she might celebrate with us the birth of your soon to be son, your grace?" Otto spoke up drawing Viserys attention to him as he listened closely. "In doing so she might bring your nephew and niece along with her."
"A fine idea, Otto. I agree that we must do as such. Though how Daemon might react I dare not assume." Viserys said with the rest of the Small Council excluding Aegon nodding in agreement.
"Your Grace, I thought I might bring up one more matter before we conclude this Small Council meeting." Otto requested as he looked to Viserys for approval.
"Very well, Otto." Viserys said as he nodded to the Lord Hand.
"The matter concerns the treatment of Lady Rhea. I know you thought this matter finished but over the past four years I've collected substantial evidence about a matter of great importance." Otto started whilst Viserys despite not wanting to hear looked at Otto in slight confusion. "I've corresponded this information with multiple people, Your Grace. All have the same story. That on the night of Daemon and Rhea's marriage, at the time of the bedding ceremony... Daemon allegedly forced himself upon Lady Rhea whilst drunk without her consent."
Viserys stood up. "Those are lies...!" He said with an angry tone, "Daemon would never stoop so low!"
"Normally I would not care so much about this, after all most wives don't like their husband after all and are often taken by force on their wedding night. Yet according to my informants, Daemon was beyond just aggressive and took it to an extreme." Otto said with a stoic face.
It was then that Lyonel Strong decided to speak up, "With respect, Your Grace..." He said, "I too have heard of this. I've only heard of them as mere rumors and am unable to confirm if this is true, yet the sad truth is is that there is usually some small truth to every rumor." Lyonel looked down, avoiding the gaze of Viserys as the King refused to hear the information that he was hearing.
Viserys shook his head and closed his eyes, completely in shock of what he had just heard. He never thought he would hear those words come out of someone's mouth regarding a member of his family. Regarding his heir. Yes Daemon had a fierce reputation and was definitely more cruel in some aspects compared to his other brother, but Viserys didn't think Daemon would even dare to do something like that.
Five years ago, their grandfather had Daemon wed to Rhea as a way of taming Daemon's wild spirit as well helping to reduce the at the time threat of the Vale rebelling. Yet their grandfather had not expected it to be such a bad match. He had not expected Daemon to hate the marriage so much. Though Viserys knew why as just like Rhaegar stated before, Daemon loved another. Daemon loved their youngest sibling - Shaena Targaryen.
"Find him," Viserys said seriously, "Bring him to me. That is unacceptable, if true. Send a raven to Dragonstone and demand that Daemon return to court immediately. I need a definite answer."
Otto nodded. "As you wish, Your Grace." He said as he stood up.
Viserys looked at the other silent Small Council members, "Do not..." He said, "Utter a single word of this to anyone. I do not wish for a scandal" Viserys turned to Aegon who looked bored. "And you, Aegon... if I hear a single report from anyone, I don't care who, that you utter a single word of this to anyone and slander our brother without knowing the truth, I will make sure that you cannot slander a single soul ever again."
Aegon looked at his brother with a slight amount of fear, not used to seeing this sort of side from him as he was usually forgiving and kind yet right now he was acting like a true dragon. Like a true Targaryen. Convenient as he's never once claimed a dragon.
Corlys spoke up. "With the utmost respect, Your Grace," He said, "It had been five years. Surely if this was true then word would have spread. Many lords and knights in the realm may fear Daemon yet even with his sort of reputation it would not be enough to stop a bunch of fish wives from gossiping."
Viserys looked at him, "That may be so," He said. "But Rhea is my good-sister. For something like that to happen to her, I cannot accept it. Now..."
"Fetch me Daemon."
********************************
"What is it now, Brother? Do you grow tired of the rest of our family and miss me, the only sane one?" Daemon jested as he walked through the doors of the Small Council room where Viserys stood, alone with only Otto and Aemon there. Otto there because he was Viserys' Hand and Aemon because he was the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
Daemon was wearing his armor, covered in blood, as he nonchalantly walked. Daemon smirked at Aemon who was wearing his shining silver Kingsguard armor as Aemon stood idly next to Viserys whilst Aemon did not even acknowledge Daemon's existence.
Viserys frowned. "What is this?" He gestured to Daemon's armor which had slight traces of blood on it. Fresh blood.
Otto turned to look Viserys in the eye, "Your Grace, there has been an incident in the streets..." He said whilst glancing at Daemon with a scowl, "Prince Daemon and his City Guards have turned the streets of Flee bottom inside out and upside down, rounding up any and every criminal they could get their hands on to.... discipline them. It was but a crude display of cruelty and violence."
"Daemon smiled as he stood there. "Ser Otto, I take my duty as my brothers Commander of the City Watch serious, I am in charge with protecting the city and those within it from all forms of criminal activity. Crime of every breed has been allowed to thrive within the streets of my brothers city. Its my job to clean them up."
"In your 'cleaning'...." Otto replied, "You have left the streets soaked with blood and fear!"
"Mind your tongue, Aegon. Lady Rhea is a good and honorable Lady of the Vale and your good-sister by Daemon's marriage to her."