House of The Dragon: The blind warrior

King's Landing

In the small council chambers, everyone sat quietly as they watched the king's anger unfold.

Aegon was furious.

Furious at himself for being an incompetent king, furious at his household guards for their ineptitude, and furious at his council members for their inaction after such a blatant attempt on his child's life.

To release these thoughts and feelings, he lashed out—hard.

"Where was everyone?" he shouted, walking red-faced back and forth as the small council members sat grim-faced, observing the spectacle.

"Where was this council when my children were alone and scared in their chamber, almost butchered?" he spat, venom dripping from his words as he picked up a vase and flung it across the room, smashing it against a stone pillar.

"Where?" he roared, looking at everyone. "My son is my legacy, heir to the Iron Throne, and my daughter…" He couldn't finish; the horror of what he imagined was too much to bear.

Aegon's eyes caught Criston Cole, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "And where were you?" he demanded, moving toward him and grabbing his armor.

"The Lord Commander of my Kingsguard!" he glared at Criston, who defended himself hastily, knowing the king's wrath could cost him dearly.

"I was accompanying Her Grace; she asked for me," Criston said, glancing at the Queen Regent, who sat red-eyed and quiet, lost in thoughts of her missing daughter.

"And where were the other Kingsguard?" Aegon asked, his heart still ablaze with fury.

"In bed, Your Grace," Criston replied, swallowing hard, unable to meet the king's eyes.

"In bed! Instead of safeguarding the sanctity of my family?"

Otto, listening to his grandson's rage, thought of a solution to placate him instead of letting him spiral in circles, venting anger not warranted against any of them.

"Your Grace, I understand your anger regarding this… mistake," he said, carefully choosing a word he deemed appropriate for the events of the previous night. "But instead of recounting everyone's mistakes and incompetence, wouldn't it be better to get to the root of who planned this attack and who kidnapped the princess?"

Aegon, turning to listen to what his grandfather and Hand had to say, looked at him in bewilderment.

"Who did this? It's clear who did this. It's that witch from Dragonstone!" he exclaimed suddenly, slamming his hand on the table, making the marble balls shake in their places.

"She's sitting there with the rest of her traitors, laughing at me!" he said, grabbing a cup and throwing it against the wall.

"If I may, Your Grace," Larys Strong, the Master of Whisperers, spoke for the first time, his high-pitched voice sounding oddly feminine.

Aegon looked at the clubfoot, waiting for him to articulate his thoughts. "One of the cutthroats was known to us. He was a practically brutal and vicious man in the Gold Cloaks. He is said to have served under Prince Daemon for a time," he revealed, giving the king the target for his ire.

"Before you act on this information, Your Grace, it would benefit us to gather more details. I'm sure you can do so, with your expertise, Lord Larys," Otto said, locking eyes with the man he deemed the most dangerous in the small council room.

"No, no—always studying, always protocols," Aegon retorted, looking at his grandfather and Larys. "We know our enemy!"

"Yes, Your Grace, but if it really is your sister who did this, we must be careful in our actions; she could have your sister as a hostage!" Otto snapped, looking at Aegon as though he had lost his marbles.

What neither Aegon nor anyone else was considering were the cutthroats whose heads were severed with such precision. If Daemon truly sent them and Rhaenyra used someone to intercept the cutthroats, it meant she had a powerful ally—someone they weren't aware of, someone capable of kidnapping a princess of the realm from right under their noses.

Otto didn't know, but that was what most people were thinking, even Aegon, who, blinded by anger, realized that the reason the cutthroats hadn't killed his children was due to this unknown quantity.

Aegon, somewhat calming down, slumped into his seat before asking, "What would you have me do? Sit around and do nothing? People will see me as weak." He finally conceded to the more experienced councilmen.

"No, even though we do not know who did this… it doesn't matter," he said, Lord Tylan raising his brow before saying, "You still mean to blame Rhaenyra?" This got everyone's attention.

"We'll make a royal decree—loud and clear—so that everyone hears it by day's end," Aegon said, his mind racing with thoughts of how to defame her.

"And so, you would name her 'monster,' 'kidnapper,' 'slayer of infants.' I would like to remind you that no child died," the Master Orwyle interjected, understanding the merit of the plan but realizing its flaw.

"Yes, but the smallfolk don't need to know that, do they?" Otto added, meeting everyone's gaze one by one. Some raised their brows in shock at such a plan, while others were surprised that Otto would go so far.

Alicent looked the most shocked, slowly realizing the path this was leading them down, even as her mind wandered to her missing child, the one everyone seemed to forget: Heleana.

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(Vaelor POV)

As the council chamber slowly filled up, everyone who entered couldn't help but glance at my face. Why? For the first time since returning to Dragonstone, I had opted to attend the meeting without hiding my features, revealing the very ugly scar running across my face and over my eyes.

"Vaelor," I heard a familiar voice speak next to me. I felt a soothing hand on my shoulder. Turning to my grandmother, who sat beside me, I smiled.

"Have you rested?" I asked, knowing she had been tiring herself, flying with Meleys over the Gullet and Crownlands.

"Yes, I'm well-rested thanks to you. That tea you sent has helped me sleep a lot," she replied, mentioning the green leaf tea I had instructed Yue to give her.

I liked to sip on it before bed because it helped calm me down before I turned in for the night. I hoped it would do the same for her, and apparently, it did.

I nodded and smiled as Lord Celtigare and the Maester stood to begin the council meeting.

"I have grave news, Your Grace," the Maester said. I made sure to lock my nonexistent gaze with Daemon, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"What is it, Maester?" my mother asked, bracing herself for bad news.

"Your Grace, someone has attempted to assassinate your nephew, Jahaerys," he announced, confusion rippling through the room.

"What?" my mother said, clearly shocked and confused, her heartbeat quickening as she stood up slowly.

"It is yet unclear how the Red Keep was breached, but the boy's head was threatened to be severed. The procession of the two men guilty of this was witnessed by the smallfolk," he continued, sounding somber and worried, as were the other lords in the meeting.

"That is not all," he added, and everyone wondered what else could possibly follow.

"What is it? Speak plainly, Maester," my mother urged. I still held my gaze on the snake in the room.

"The princess Heleana was kidnapped the same night. No one knows where she is or who kidnapped her, but…" He said, my mother finally sitting down, exasperated.

"And they are accusing me of having a hand in this?" she asked slowly, and the Maester nodded solemnly.

"It appears so. Messages have been sent throughout the realm to that effect," he concluded, bowing his head.

"But the boy, Jahaerys, lives, does he not?" she asked, the Maester nodding.

"Yes, Your Grace. The two men were killed by the Kingsguard before they could harm the prince, but from what the news says, the boy has been gravely injured," the Maester finished. For the first time, I shifted my gaze from Daemon and realized what was happening.

The Greens were using a similar tactic to what we used with Lucerys. I guess they do have some capable people running things on their side.

"It is not true," my mother insisted, her voice almost pleading, which annoyed me. Not because she was pleading, but because I sensed distrust from Lord Celtigare and Ser Alfred, who stood beside my grandmother.

"We must send our own messages, denying these vile accusations," she insisted, to which I had already ensured my men were working on.

"I will do so at once," the Maester said.

"No need, Maester," I interrupted, getting everyone's attention. I locked my gaze with Daemon, who flinched slightly. "I have already arranged for our own messages to be sent," I said, my mother audibly sighing.

"But I doubt they will be received in good faith," I added, already knowing how some lords were.

"In addition, I have ensured to double the guards, with some of my own men taking this task gladly. Retaliation is inevitable; I'm sure of it," I stated, still looking at Daemon.

"Well done, Vealor," my mother said thankfully before adding, "As the crown prince said, there will be retribution in one form or the—"

Before she could finish, Lord Celtigare interrupted her.

"It has been seen to, Your Grace." Not even knowing what my mother was going to say, I tapped my walking stick on the floor audibly as a clear warning.

Lord Celtigare looked at me as Yue shot him a pointed look, knowing he had overstepped and that I was giving him a warning.

Jeacerys who had been pacing to digest the information, stepped forward to the table before suggesting an idea.

"Let me fly on Vermax," he said, locking his gaze with our mother. I noticed her heartbeat suddenly pick up, while I looked at Jaehaerys and gave him a nod of encouragement.

"Rhaenys is needed in the Gullet, and I can watch for movements from King's Landing," he continued, feeling my mother's gaze on him while she, growing increasingly nervous, shut him down instantly.

"No," she said, cutting Jaecerys off. He looked at me, and I nodded, promising to speak with our mother about it. Jaecerys could be a valuable asset; from what I had seen, he had a good head on him. It was better to use it than to let him sit idle in the keep.

"Your Grace, it must be said that the damage to our position is immeasurable at a time when we most need loyalty to our cause," lord celtigare said, hinting at someone's betrayal or scheming behind the queen's back.

"I myself experienced something similar with Lucearys. Thank the gods he is fine," my mother said, looking at me. "But you would believe that having gone through something like that myself, I would inflict such pain on Rhaela?" she continued, glancing around.

I made sure to observe everyone, and what I saw truly disgusted me. They really don't believe her, do they?

They sat in this council and told her what she could do and what she shouldn't, yet they doubted her when she was cornered. It seemed I would have to talk with each of them after I dealt with Daemon.

"The attack on Lucearys was a shock and an insult," Ser Alfred began speaking, while I motioned for Yue to approach closer to me.

People noticed Yue walking and inclining his head toward me while I waited for the man to finish.

Ser Alfred looked between me and my mother before continuing. "A mother so aggrieved might naturally seek relief in retribution." As he spoke those words, I felt my grandmother's hand squeeze under the table, and my mother, trying to calm herself, stood up in anger, slamming her hand.

I slowly reached my hand toward her to calm her down as she looked at me, nodding that I would deal with it.

"Ser Alfred," I spoke up, gaining the man's attention while still keeping my gaze on Daemon. "Are you suggesting my mother ordered the decapitation of an innocent child when she has already stated she had nothing to do with it?" I asked, watching him shift uncomfortably, taking a step closer to me.

"I merely thought—" he started.

"Exactly, you didn't think," I interrupted him, the room going silent while my mother sat back down, letting me handle it.

 "Since the meeting began, instead of coming up with solutions, you've been trying to ascertain whether my mother did something she clearly said she didn't, instead of contributing solutions," I continued, but was interrupted.

"And while I—" I started, but Ser Alfred cut me off. Yue, still inclined, waited for my instruction, freezing in place.

"My prince, you must understand, something like this does not just happen. I assure you, I'm only trying to help her Grace by giving her sound counsel. But if she is not honest with us, then—" he said, while I stayed quiet, realizing he had overstepped as my mother slowly stood up.

But before she or anyone else could say anything, I finally commanded Yue.

"Yue, if Ser Alfred speaks out of turn one more time," I started, as he and everyone else looked at me, "Cut him where he stands." Ser Alfred's eyes widened in shock while my mother looked at me in shock, wondering what I was thinking.

"You will mind yourself, Ser Alfred, and everyone else for that matter. When you speak with the queen, you speak to her with the respect her station demands, despite your feelings," I said, making it clear that while my mother may be lenient, I would not tolerate disrespect in a war council.

"Do I make myself clear?" I said, tapping my walking stick on the ground, making everyone, including my grandmother sitting next to me, flinch.

They may have heard of the reputation the Sons of Dragons had in Essos, but they did not know the discipline and brutality needed to keep such a large company in order. As I felt my mother's heart race and my grandmother's as well, it became clear to me that they still thought of me as a boy who hadn't known bloodshed. 

They were sorely mistaken.

"Tell me, why did you do it?" I finally asked the man I had been observing, trying to discern his allegiance.

There was silence as everyone sat there confused, not knowing who I was addressing. But those like my grandmother, who understood, suddenly realized that I was talking to Daemon.

"I will ask again, Daemon," I said, my mother finally turning to her husband, realization dawning on her face as he sat there with his smug grin.

"Why did you do it?" I asked calmly for the last time.

Whether my mother liked it or not, Daemon was going to be punished for his actions. He needed to understand that his actions had consequences.

"Daemon, answer him," my mother urged, the man looking between us as if he hadn't almost gotten children killed.

He scoffed before looking at my mother. "Because you're weak," he suddenly said, a pin-drop silence descending on the room as he continued. "I was only doing what I knew you and the rest of these scared cunts wouldn't do—making sure that Aemond would not live."

My anger began to boil for the first time since coming here.

"You're so deep in your own arrogance that you don't see the bigger picture," I said, Daemon frowning at my words as he stood up from where he was seated.

"What would you know, BOY?" he tried to intimidate me, but he would never succeed, as I imagined the horror of King's Landing if the assassins had succeeded.

As I felt Daemon's anger and the apprehension of the others, I decided to ensure he understood the gravity of his actions the night he tried to send assassins after the child.

"If the cutthroats had succeeded three nights ago, you would have hated yourself for it," I started, gaining confused looks from many, including Daemon.

 "First, my mother would have completely lost her standing with some lords, while the Greens would have plotted her assassination in King's Landing," I said, closing my eyes to recall the vision as I saw it.

"You would have run away to Harrenhal, your tail tucked between your legs while my mother dealt with these incompetent lords," I said, motioning my hand toward the men who needed a lesson in etiquette.

"And do you know why that is, Daemon?" I asked, opening my eyes and continuing to look at him. "Because as much as you portray yourself as a scary and dangerous man, you are just a lost man who never received the affection he wanted from his brother." I finished, eliciting gasps from my mother and everyone else, the Queen's Guard in the room all reaching for their swords, knowing Daemon might do something rash.

Daemon, proving the Kingsguard correct, snarled in anger and walked around the table toward me, everyone realizing what was about to happen as my mother shouted at him to calm down.

"Daemon!"

Yue, who stood behind me, wanted to intervene, but I motioned for him not to as I stood, feeling the approaching form of an angered Daemon reach for his sheathed sword. But before he could unsheathe it, I closed the nonexistent distance and caught his hand before he could draw the blade. I brought the hidden blade from my walking stick toward his throat.

Everyone froze as they realized things hadn't gone as they expected.

Daemon was now at my mercy, looking at the blade I had concealed in my walking stick.

"If you were my subordinate, I would have cut you where you stand," I said, ensuring everyone heard my voice. "But then again, going behind the queen's back is treason, is it not?" I asked, watching him start to perspire.

"Vealor?" my mother spoke carefully, not knowing what to do in a situation like this, feeling her worry as I observed her.

"I will leave you with a warning, and Daemon, when I say warning, I mean a last chance before I sever your head," I said, bringing the blade closer to his neck.

"Undermine my mother one more time, and I'll make sure you understand why they call me the Butcher of the Red Waste," I said, holding the sword to his neck for a brief moment before slowly letting it down, drawing a bit of blood as he stood frozen in place, swallowing audibly.

Daemon did not realize that for the first time, he had felt what real killing intent felt like, and he didn't know how to react other than to remain motionless.

"Guards!" my mother shouted to the Queen's Guards. "Escort my husband to his chambers," she commanded, the three guards moving instantly to escort Daemon out of the room without a fight, while Yue approached me with the now severed part of my walking stick as I sheathed the hidden blade audibly back into its place.

Everyone looked at me with something I had come to learn would be your best friend if you wanted to be an authoritative figure: fear and awe.

"I apologize for my behavior during this council meeting, Your Grace, but this had to be done," I said to my mother, who kept looking at Daemon's departing figure before turning to me and shaking her head in disbelief without saying anything, then leaving after Daemon.

"I think we can all agree that the meeting is adjourned," I said, still standing, gazing at each council member and Jaecerys one by one.

"Aye, my prince."

"Yes, my prince."

"Yes," everyone echoed one by one before packing their things and leaving, the only ones remaining being Yue, my shadow, and my grandmother.

As I turned to leave the council room to find where my mother had gone, I heard my grandmother speak from where she still sat.

"I did not know you had changed so much," she said, a ghost of something else in her tone that I recognized without a problem.

Fear.

"Well, if anyone went through the things I did, anyone would have changed," I said, slowly leaving the room, my footsteps and walking stick echoing throughout the room.

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Hey everyone, Author here!

Doing something a little different this week and publishing two chapters, considering the cliff hanger the last chapter ended at.

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