House of The Dragon: The blind warrior

Daemon had called a council meeting.

I walked through the halls of Dragonstone, Yue trailing closely behind. I was already aware of what Daemon planned to propose. He intended to send assassins to the Red Keep to eliminate Aemond—not just for retribution for what he did to Lucerys, but also to make Vhagar riderless. It wasn't a bad plan; eliminating one of the Greens' greatest assets would certainly weaken them.

But if I'm being honest, killing children, even with all the cruel things I've done in Essos, didn't sit right with me. Men promised coin to kill a son couldn't care less about bloodshed, so long as they get the reward for taking a life.

The assassins, called blood and cheese, would enter the Red Keep, but not to find Aemond. They would kill Aegon's children instead, because a son must die for the payment to be made. And that's exactly what they did—slaying young Jaehaerys.

I hummed under my breath, disturbed by the thought.

"Are you okay, my lord?" Yue asked, noticing my shift in mood.

"Yes, for now," I replied, reaching the double doors that led to the Painted Table room. Yue stepped ahead to open them for me.

The room was already full when I entered. All eyes turned toward me as I was announced by Ser Steffon, who stood to the left of the door. "Prince Vealor, your grace."

"Ah, good, you're here," Daemon said, his voice carrying the arrogance I'd come to expect from him. "We were beginning to wonder if you'd join us, young prince."

Mother, sitting at the head of the table, gave me a questioning look, but I ignored it, walking over to my seat next to Grandmother.

"I apologize for my tardiness, I was occupied," I said, sitting down.

"That is fine," Mother replied, offering me a brief smile before turning to Daemon. "Now, why don't you go ahead and tell us what's so urgent that you called us here on such short notice?"

Daemon rose from his chair, his smirk never wavering as he surveyed the room.

"I've found a way to infiltrate the Red Keep," he said plainly, and the room fell silent, shocked by his words.

"What?" Mother asked, disbelief clear in her voice.

"How?" Lord Celtigar questioned.

"That's of no concern. What matters is that we have access, and we can use it to our advantage," Daemon replied, his gaze drifting to Mother.

"What do you suggest we do?" Ser Alfred Broom asked, leaning on the table.

I watched Daemon's intense stare locked on Mother, knowing he was waiting for her to speak first.

"What do you want to do with this, then, Daemon?" she finally asked.

Daemon grinned, knowing he had her attention. "Simple. We send cutthroats to deal with Aemond."

"What?" Mother said, her voice filled with disbelief as chaos erupted around the table.

"Are you mad?" Lord Celtigar shouted. "Even if you've found a way into the Red Keep, how are you going to find men willing to take on Aemond? He's a formidable warrior! Any man we send would be cut down before they so much as scratch him."

"Daemon, do you know what you're suggesting?" Mother stood, a mix of anger and concern in her voice. "You're suggesting we commit kinslaying—something Aemond himself is condemned for as we speak," she finished, breathless.

I felt Grandfather shift next to me, whispering something to Grandmother that sounded like, "He's gone mad."

I smirked at the comment.

"Yes, but what do we care?" Daemon's voice was cold and confident. "If we can cripple the Greens by making Vhagar riderless, then we've already won this war. We can descend on King's Landing with all our dragons at once. The remaining dragons and their riders don't stand a chance, and any other armies will meet dragonfire."

It wasn't a bad plan in theory, but Daemon spoke as though everything were inevitable. That nothing could go wrong. And that was what made me question his sanity.

"It's a good plan. Bold, but good nonetheless," I spoke up, finally breaking my silence. All eyes turned to me. "But a wishful one," I added, turning my usual unnerving gaze on the room.

"What do you mean?" Mother asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Well, there are countless pitfalls," I began. "For one, where would you find people willing to raise their swords against the royal family—let alone Aemond?" I adjusted my walking stick, my eyes never leaving Daemon's. "Sure, you might find some men willing for the right price. But say you do. Not only would they have to navigate the Red Keep itself, but they'd also have to evade the countless guards stationed around the castle. How would you ensure they'd get through?"

Daemon merely leaned on the table, gazing at me, but I continued to dissect his plan.

"But let's assume—just for a moment—that these...cutthroats succeed. They somehow manage to kill Aemond. What happens next?" I tapped my walking stick on the floor. "They'll be caught. Presented to Aegon and Otto. And who do you think they'll blame? Us. They'll name my mother as their hire. And now all the neutral or hesitant houses will flock to the Greens, making our standing worse than it is now."

Daemon's jaw tightened, but I wasn't finished.

"Now, how will my mother rule a kingdom of angry vassals?" I asked, letting the weight of my words sink in. "It will be a reenactment of Maegor's rule, and I'm sure none of us in this room want that. Do we?"

I could see from Mother's face that she understood. She didn't need to say anything. The message had gotten across.

"Vealor makes a good point, Your Grace," Grandmother spoke, nodding to me.

"This is not how you want people to remember you," she added, giving Mother a meaningful look.

"I agree with the prince," Lord Celtigar said. "The plan has too many pitfalls. It just can't be trusted."

Daemon's expression darkened as he leaned closer to Mother. "This is our only chance to take them by surprise. It will work. I know it will," he insisted, his tone desperate.

Mother stood abruptly, turning toward the fireplace behind her chair. She faced away from us for a moment, before speaking the words I'd been hoping to hear.

"No, Daemon," she said, turning to face him. "It's too risky."

Daemon, furious, tried to press, his anger flaring. "He made Lucerys a cripple and killed his dragon. Don't you want Aemond to pay?"

Mother shook her head slowly. "This is not about whether Aemond pays or not. It's about the risk this plan holds—and how it would ruin our other efforts," she said, glancing briefly at me before continuing. "And Aemond will pay. Sooner or later."

Daemon stood there for a moment, his frustration evident, before he scoffed and turned on his heel, storming out of the room.

The double doors slammed behind him.

"Your grace?" Ser Alfred asked, his voice uncertain.

"Don't worry. He'll be back," Mother said, sitting back down.

"Now that that's over, do we have any other news?" she asked, turning to me.

Yue, who had been standing behind me, stepped forward. "Your grace, the blockade of the Gullet is showing its effects. Our spies in King's Landing tell us that the smallfolk are becoming harder to control. More and more people are leaving King's Landing every day," he reported, casting a brief glance at me. I nodded in agreement.

"Good. That will keep them occupied for a while. What about the Riverlands?" she asked, this time directing the question at me.

I stood from my seat, leaning on my walking stick. "In other news, Your Grace, Lord Mallister of House Mallister has agreed to bend the knee."

"House Mallister?" Corlys asked, surprised.

"Yes. They've agreed to bend the knee in exchange for a marriage pact and a trading deal with the Sons of Dragons, both of which can be arranged," I clarified.

"That's great news," Maester Gerardys said. "House Mallister's influence in the Riverlands is vast. This could turn some of the River lords to our side."

"Yes," I nodded, "That's why I suggest sending someone to Harrenhal to intercept any lords who may wish to pledge their allegiance to us." I placed a black Targaryen sigil on the map of Harrenhal. "That would also give us a foothold in the Riverlands."

"And who do you suggest, Vealor?" Mother asked, her brow furrowed.

Had she asked me this question a day earlier, I would have suggested Jacaerys, who I'd heard was on his way back to Dragonstone. But after last night's dream, I knew exactly who was needed.

"I suggest Daemon," I said, watching as her eyes widened.

"Daemon?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said, my tone firm. "Daemon would do well there."

She looked at me, clearly conflicted, but I knew this was the right choice.

"I'll have to think about this,"

"Well then, we have been given a lot to think about. Everyone, go back to your posts. This council meeting is adjourned," my mother said, her voice steady, signaling the end of the discussion.

She stood up, and the rest of the council members followed suit, moving toward the exits. I remained seated for a moment, watching the others file out of the room, feeling the weight of the day settle over me. It had been a long and tense meeting, and while some progress had been made, there was still so much uncertainty looming on the horizon.

Yue, who had been standing silently by my side, turned to me as the last of the lords exited. "What now, my lord?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity.

I took a deep breath, my fingers tapping gently on the armrest of my chair as I stood. The decision felt heavy, but in my bones, I knew the next steps weren't so clear-cut.

"Hmm, now we wait," I murmured, looking up at the door as the last of the council members disappeared from view. The room now felt strangely empty. "I have a feeling Daemon will do something foolish."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt my grandmother's gaze on me. She was still standing by the door, having lingered longer than the others. Her sharp eyes caught mine, and I could see the understanding there.

She'd heard what I said.

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