HOTD: The Healer Prince SI Chapter 6 (Patreon)

Chapter 6

CORLYS VELARYON

“The Heir for a day!”

Finished Otto Hightower and Corlys could sense the temperature in the room drop as soon as the words had left the Hand’s mouth. He knew exactly what Otto had wanted to achieve with this, and from the look of utter anguish and rage on Viserys’s face, he was succeeding.

“Are you sure of this, Otto?” questioned Viserys in a hard voice, a slight tremble indicating his rage.

“Unfortunately, yes, your grace. I have confirmed the report from three eyewitnesses,” Otto replied in his usual drawl voice. And he saw Viserys clench his hand in rage, his knuckles turning white.

“Your grace, as we tried to tell you yesterday, Prince Daemon’s ambition knows no bounds. He is a man who cares nothing except his own self. Having such a man as an heir would destabilize the realm and taint your family’s legacy,” began Grand Maester Mellos, and Corlys could feel dread pool in his eyes as he saw the implication of this discussion.

Lyonel Strong shook his head as he spoke up, “and just as I proclaimed last night. The tradition is set by law and tradition. We can not just change it like this. Plus, naming Princess Rhaeneyra as heir has the additional problem of Prince Aenys, who is second in line to the throne.”

“But even you must see, Lord Strong, Prince Daemon has no regard for even his blood. After this, what can we expect of the man as a King?” contended Otto Hightower. And Corlys noted how, Viserys had been quiet during all this, not speaking at all.

And, at that moment, Corlys decided to make a gamble and spoke up. Prince Aenys needed a way for his claim to be stronger than Daemon. And there was one way for him to do that, Prince Aenys could streng….” But his words were cut off by Viserys, who suddenly spoke up.

“But what if Aenys gives up his claim? What if he swears fealty to Rhaeneyra?” And the whole chamber quieted down as Viserys posed his question. The King looked towards Lord Strong as he was the Master of Laws, and this was his domain.

The man considered his words before speaking up, “Your grace, we cannot know whether Prince Aenys will even agree….”

“But the King isn’t asking whether he will agree to such a thing, Lord Strong. But what will happen if he does decide to kneel to the heir appointed by the King,” interjected Otto and Corlys could feel the man was trying his hardest to suppress a smile.

Lord Strong looked towards the King, who did not dispute the Hand’s words and had a hardened face and spoke up once more, “I believe that will go a long way in strengthening her claim.”

Viserys nodded as Lord Strong finished his words before looking toward Otto, and Corlys could tell that there was about to be a major shift in the realm.

“I want you to write missives to all the lords. Most of them are already in the city. Summon them tomorrow to swear fealty to the new heir of the Seven Kingdoms!” Viserys finished and began to walk out of the chambers, though not before stopping in front of the Lord Commander of The Kingsguard.

“And I want you to bring Daemon to the throne room. Find him from whatever hovel he has buried himself into and bring him to me!” he commanded.

“As you wish, your grace.” The man replied with a bow, but the King was long gone, leaving them all alone in the chambers.

Corlys was filled with rage at the way things were developing, yet he also saw opportunities, and if the face of Otto Hightower was any indication, he wasn’t the only one.

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DAEMON TARGARYEN

Daemon Targaryen walked towards the throne room, flanked by the Kingsguard on his side. From the tension in their posture and how he had been forced to move. He knew something was wrong.

So very wrong. And his suspicion was confirmed as the gates to the throne room were opened up, and he walked into his brother sitting on the Iron throne, Blackfyre.

The Kingsguard or the valyrian steel sword did not concern him. No, the unfettered rage on his brother’s face told Daemon that something was wrong, and he knew in his heart that whatever it may be, there was only one person behind this, the Cunt Otto Hightower.

“Did say it?” questioned Viserys, and Daemon frowned, trying to understand the question.

“Wha…” but Viserys did not even let him finish his sentence.

“The Heir for a day! Did you say it?” snarled Viserys, and Daemon remembered fragments of his speech from last night, though he still found nothing wrong with it.

“We must all mourn in our own ways!” Daemon said, trying to make Visery understand.

“Mourn!” Viserys snarled, “You call that mourning! DRINKING AND WHORING IN A BROTHEL! YOU CALL THAT MOURNING!” screamed his brother in a rage, punting Blackfyre into the ground.

“You mourn with family! You mourn with friends. NOT DRINK AND TOAST YOUR OWN SELFISH RISE WITH YOUR WHORES AND LICKSPITTLES! YOU, THE BROTHER WHOSE SINGULAR ALLY AT COURT, JUST HAD HIS WORLD RIPPED APART! AND YOU! YOU CHOSE TO CELEBRATE YOUR OWN RISE!”

Rage bubbled in Daemon at his brother’s words. How dare he accuse Daemon of being uncaring. HIM!

“And let me guess. It must have been leal hand, Otto, the cunt who brought you this news! CANT YOU SEE BROTHER WHAT THAT CUNT….”

“You will not speak about Otto like that! He has more integrity in his little finger than you could ever hope to possess!” Viserys cut him off, and Daemon tried to walk up to Viserys, yet the Kingsguard stepped forward, their hands reaching for their blades, stopping him in his tracks.

Daemon looked up at Viserys to call off the Kingsguard, yet his brother was not moved. Daemon was appalled by the insult.

Viserys did not trust him.

“I have decided that it is time that you return to your lady wife. You are to leave for Runestone on the morrow.” Viserys ordered and Daemon frowned.

“But I am your hair. My place is at court!” Daemon countered, yet dread began to pool in his heart as he saw the expression on Viserys’s face.

“NO! Not anymore! I have decided to name a new heir!”

And Daemon’s eyes widened at those words, his mind still trying to process the words. The insult. How could Viserys? And Daemon felt his patience finally run out at this.

“A new heir! Replace me! SO, YOU HAVE DECIDED TO LISTEN TO THOSE LEECHES AT COURT AND TAKE MY RIGHTFUL PLACE! MY RIGHTFUL PLACE!” he screamed, his hand going to the pommel of Dark sister instinctively, though he barely contained himself from taking out the blade.

“So tell me, who is it that those cunts….” Visery tried to say

“You can not insult the counc….”

“CUNTS! WHO IS IT? THOSE CUNTS HAVE CONVINCED YOU TO NAME AS HEIR! IS IT AENYS? THE VERY BROTHER WHO DID NOT EVEN STAND BY YOU AT THAT GRAND FUCKIN COUNCIL! THE BROTHER WHO WAS EXILED BY HIS GRANDFATHER FOR GOD KNOWS WHAT!”

Daemon screamed, and his voice reverberated in the throne room, ricocheting off the walls.

“YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THINGS YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND! NOT YOU! YOU SHALL FOLLOW MY COMMAND AND RETURN TO RUNESTONE, OR YOU SHALL FACE DIRE CONSEQUENCES!”

Daemon flinched back as Viserys swung Blackfyre in his rage. The sword sent sparks flying as it struck the iron throne! Getting stuck in the side of it!

“Plus, it isn’t Aenys whom I have named as my heir! No, it is….”

0000

RHAENEYRA TARGARYEN

“I have decided to name you as my heir,” her father said as he held her shoulders, and Rhaeneyra was shocked by his words. Heir. Her.

“But why? Daemon is your heir, and there is Aenys after that,” she questioned, thinking it all a cruel jape or dream. Her father shook his head as he gave her a smile.

“Daemon’s too proud, too Maegor-esque. He has no patience for the ruling. He wouldn’t be able to hold the realm together. And Aenys can not be the heir,” and he moved towards the head of the Black dread leaving her frowning.

“But why? You have ended his exile, and from what I have heard of him, he seems quite competent,” and she saw her father stop as his face gained a complicated expression before he replied to her.

“If I remove Daemon and name Aenys, then every second or third son in the realm will want to usurp his elder brother. No! Rhaenerya, it has to be you, and I firmly believe that you will make a fine Queen,” her father said with a smile, and Rhaeneyra felt her heart skip a beat at that.

“Queen,” she whispered, feeling the weight of the word. However, there was still a question plaguing her mind.

“And what happens when mother gives birth to a son in the future,” and she saw her father’s face gain a somber expression, a look of longing appearing on his face. She saw him struggling to speak up, and only after trying a number of times did he succeed.

“Before Aenys passed out, he told me that it would be almost impossible for your mother to bear a child after this,” and Rhaeneyra’s heart stopped at that. She had not heard it from anyone.

“But how could he know that? How could anyone? And why haven’t I heard about this from anyone?” she questioned, walking up to her father, and she felt his arms wrap around her face as he passed his hand through the locks on her head.

“I asked Mellos to keep quiet about this. Aenys was certain about his statement. You must understand, Rhaeneyra, that there will be too much havoc if the realm finds out about this. Right now, we don’t even know if she will wake up! But I meant every word of what I spoke earlier, Rhaeneyra,” he finished as he gave her a small kiss on her forehead.

“I believe you will make a fine Queen. The Lords of the realm will bend the knee to you,” and he took out a valyrian steel dagger out of his pocket and placed it above the flames.

“House Targaryen has been blessed with two powers. The ability to ride dragons, not tame Rhaeneyra, ride. This one is rather common, yet some in our line have been blessed beyond this. They were given the gift of….”

“Dragon dreams,” she finished his sentence walking up to him and watching as the valyrian steel dagger began to light up.

“This has been passed from Aegon the Conqueror, his personal dagger. The conqueror rode the biggest dragon of them all, The Black Dread. Yet he had also been blessed by the Gods with dragon dreams. And these very reams made him conquer the seven kingdoms,” and Rhaeneyra looked at her father with surprise. She had never heard this.

Moreso, the fact that her father was sharing this with her meant that he was serious in his earlier proclamations.

“In his dreams, Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. It is, to begin with, a terrible winter gusting out of the distant North. Aegon saw absolute darkness riding on those winds, and whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living … if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne.”

Rhaeneyra was overwhelmed as she heard her father’s words. The weight of the title to be bestowed on her finally sinking in. Suddenly he thrust the dagger into her hands, and she saw the High Valyrian written on it.

“Aegon called it the song of ice and fire. Every Targaryen King has carried this burden with them, passing it on to the next one. Now, it is your turn to carry Rhaeneyra. You shall hold the realm together. Then and only then will we stand a chance!”

Her father held her hands and gave them a squeeze.

“The burden is great indeed, my child. But I remain sure you are the only person in the realm who can carry it. The only one!”

Rhaeneyra could only watch the High Valyrian vanish as the dagger cooled down, still trying to process all she had heard until now.

“The song of ice and fire!”

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys found his body cold as his vision began to clear up. A number of figures bleached in a bluish tinge surrounded him.

“You should have stayed away!” a much older Rhaeneyra almost snarled in an ominous voice. The words sent shivers through his whole body.

“You destroyed everything!” another voice weakened his resolve as he found himself face to face with the good queen, her face having the same bluish hue and white eyes, snarling as she spoke with venom.

“You killed her! YOU!” she screamed, making his heart beat faster as the memories of a small pointy face resurfaced, her eyes Targaryen amethyst, her silvery locks mottled with sweat.

Whispers of words long forgotten rang in his ears!

“I am sorry! Forgive me!” her small voice, fatigued and weak, reached his ears, and Aenys tried to reach for her hand, trying to feel her warmth one more time. One last time.

Yet his founds only found the cold ice, pricking his skin!

“You should have tried harder! You should have saved her!” Alysaane Targaryen snarled in a tone she would never have used with her favorite grandson.

“I tried! I t….” he tried to speak up, but she cut him off.

“NO, YOU DID NOT! YOU IN YOUR PRID….!”

“ENOUGH!” suddenly, a powerful voice reverberated, and Aenys felt a small presence at his back as he felt those familiar arms wrap around him, providing him the warmth he could never feel again.

“It’s fine, my dear!” The words were the same as the last whisper he had heard from those small lips, the light leaving her eyes before she could ever whisper anything more.

“I am sorry for everything!”

And suddenly, darkness reclaimed his vision, only for him to hear whispers once more, though they seemed more human this time.

“The Prince is waking up! Call the Maester! He is waking up!”

And he finally remembered himself collapsing in Aemma’s chamber, trying to save her life.

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