Game of Thrones/ASOIAF: The Prince of Scrolls

"I will accompany Daenerys to her chambers. She must be tired," said Daemon, stepping forward. The other lords said nothing. Dany lowered her gaze, unable to refuse.

"The princess has already been to her chambers and decided to join us. Your intentions are unnecessary, Prince Daemon," replied Jaehaerys. He directed Daenerys to an empty chair set aside for him. Then, he brought another chair over and sat down beside her. He left his bloodstained weapon on the table. Several men looked at him with frowns.

Daemon looked at them with a small smile, as if he had just remembered a joke.

"The council is no place for women!" Tarly's voice echoed through the room.

"My fiancée was involved in the incident," said Jaehaerys. "She will be heard."

Tarly clenched his teeth.

"Time is of the essence, My Lords," Prince Aegon said coldly. He was a smaller version of his father, though he preferred to braid his hair, likely influenced by Rhaenys.

"Wise words, Lord Hand. If I may," Viserys began.

Although he did not hold a position on the council, no one would ask him to leave. At that moment, he was a witness. Even if he were not, he was a Targaryen.

"Continue."

With the king's permission, Viserys began recounting his version of the story. He had received a warning from Varys that assassins had infiltrated the castle. Their target was Prince Jaehaerys.

"I took the men I found along the way. When I reached my younger brother's chambers, I found two corpses and a man crying on the floor," he continued.

"You cried, Jae?" Daemon asked with a smile.

"No, the prince was standing with Daenerys by his side, holding a bloody weapon. The man crying was one of the assassins, as were the two corpses. Everyone was removed, and the survivor was taken to the dungeons," Viserys continued.

Part of Jaehaerys hoped that something would change. But, to his surprise, his brother was quite faithful to his account.

"You want us to believe that he killed them?" asked the rogue prince.

"He did," Daenerys's voice rang out.

"What were you doing in his room?" Daemon asked suddenly, ignoring her statement.

The girl remained silent. She couldn't tell him that she was looking at her fiancé's dragon eggs. It was a secret. Still, Daemon's disappointed look left her frozen. She felt the need to justify herself, but she couldn't lie or tell the truth.

"It's not uncommon for betrothed couples to get to... know each other before consummating their union," Baelish replied cleverly.

"Did you get any answers from the survivor?" asked Prince Aegon, not in the mood to mediate between the two.

"None," said Viserys. "At least not after the interrogations." He looked at Jaehaerys.

"Darkstar," Daenerys said for the second time.

The room fell silent. The girl seemed to shrink under the stares.

"Are you sure, princess? Know that this is a very serious accusation," Paxter Redwyne said.

"A frightened woman can misinterpret sounds," said the maester.

"Her ears work as well as mine. That was the name he whispered," said Jaehaerys. "If he is truly the mastermind behind this, it is a mystery," he said. "Two men fled. I forgot to mention that," he said, glancing at Viserys, who frowned. 'He's not going to defend his friend?' he wondered.

"The city guards found them," Varys began in a low voice. "Apparently, they resisted arrest and were... dealt with," he said, looking at the Master of Coin.

'Subtle,' thought Jaehaerys. Perhaps Baelish was not as harmless as he initially thought.

"Gerold Dayne will be considered a suspect. Varys, I want you to tell me where he was today. And yesterday, and the entire previous moon if necessary. For now, he will be detained and questioned. Any objections?" the king asked. He looked particularly at Viserys, who seemed nervous. "I also want the survivor to be questioned again. I will send my men to do so," he finished.

"That won't be possible," said Viserys. "He's dead," he continued.

"Dead?" asked Tarly.

"Yes, the wounds that Prince Jaehaerys inflicted on him were fatal. He died before the interrogation even began." Everyone looked in his direction.

"What a pity. We could have learned so much from him," said Baelish smiling.

"Indeed," said Aegon.

Viserys did not look like a guilty man. He was either a good actor or innocent. Jaehaerys would bet on the first option.

"I hit him pretty hard. I'm not surprised he died," said the prince, drawing patterns on the table with the blood from his weapon.

"I hope Varys can properly investigate the trial," Queen Rhaella interjected.

"I'll put all my birds on it," he said, nodding his bald head.

"The session is adjourned, for now," said the king. "Dismissed. Except you, Jaehaerys," he ordered.

"Of course," said Jaehaerys.

Everyone quickly left the room. The queen accompanied Daenerys, and Ser Barristan escorted them. Soon, only Rhaegar and Jaehaerys remained.

The king placed the crown on the table.

"Five men couldn't kill you," the monarch said, walking toward Jaehaerys. When he was close, Jaehaerys crouched down slightly, making himself shorter than the king. "It's heavier than it looks," he said.

He was referring to his brother's weapon. He had to make an effort to lift it properly.

"It's a weapon for brutes, Your Majesty," he replied humbly.

"For men with superhuman strength. You are far from being a brute," he said, his hands stained with blood. "Who do you think tried to kill you?"

"Conjecture is not my strong suit," he said, not wanting to create conflict within his family and preferring to handle things himself.

"You are the most intelligent man I know," said the king.

"I don't deserve such praise," he replied humbly.

"You think it was Viserys," the older brother continued. "Like everyone else," he said melancholically. "It's no surprise. Viserys has been trying to marry Daenerys himself, which is why he delayed her marriage to Margaery Tyrell for so long," the king commented.

"Isn't he wanting Daemon and Daenerys to marry?", Jaehaerys frowned.

"That's also true. Viserys was seeking the Starks' support by uniting our sister with Daemon. Daenerys grew up close to him," The king commented.

"Why would the Starks support him? If they were going to support a candidate for the throne, it would be Daemon, not Viserys." Jaehaerys wasn't agreeing with his older brother.

"The goal would be to overthrow my reign. And Aegon's. They would start a war, draw in the Starks, and put Daemon as the king. Once Daemon gets the throne, getting rid of him would be easy. If he hasn't fathered any children, the throne would pass to Viserys," said Jaehaerys. "The same would happen with the Tyrells," he added.

'Or he could take two wives like the previous king,' he dared not say.

"It's not a clever plan. Viserys isn't as smart as you," the king said, assessing him with a glance. Jaehaerys realized he might have said more than he should have. "If he were, he wouldn't have orchestrated that attack today," he finished.

"No, it's a desperate attack," he said, still thinking that something was wrong. His brother's explanation was too weak. In that case, Viserys would not need to marry Daenerys to Daemon.

It was all too obvious; his brother seemed too guilty.

"It is. Plans like that can cause harm to both the instigator and the target. Even if Viserys is found to be behind it all, there will be no justice for you if you're dead," the king finished. "He will pursue Daenerys. He sees her as his property."

"And yet you betrothed her to me," he said without reproach.

"I didn't expect him to be a kinslayer. Your martial skill was a pleasant surprise," said the king. "Do you think you can defeat Daemon?"

"Yes," he replied without hesitation.

"It wasn't specified. But you will be the one to choose where he will be exiled," he said, taking his seat. "Essos will be a good place for him," he said, looking at Jaehaerys with his violet eyes. Jaehaerys was tempted to obey without further ado.

"I plan to send him north," he said. "Baratheon is in Essos. It will be dangerous for him," he finished.

"He would send you to Essos without a second thought," the king said with a frown.

"Is there a reason you want to send him there? Are you afraid the Starks will rebel?" Jaehaerys asked. He knew Eddard well enough to know that he hated war. He saw it not as an ambition tool but as a duty.

"It's because of Robert Baratheon. I want him dead, and I want Daemon to kill him," he said casually.

"He has fifty thousand men under his banner. If not for the fact that five and forty thousand of those are Dothraki, he would have launched a campaign against Westeros by now. No matter how skilled Daemon is, he doesn't stand a chance," he reasoned.

Robert had been wreaking havoc in Essos. He started a mercenary company with men who left Westeros after his defeat at the Trident. Then, after fighting a khalasar, the Dothraki wanted to join him.

Little by little, he adopted the customs of the horse lords until he became Khal Robert. They said he had so many wives and children that he couldn't count them all on his fingers. But he was looking over the whole continent for a northern girl. He wanted a Lyanna.

"I believe in my son's abilities," said the king.

"I will not send him to certain death."

"He is more capable than you think." The king stood up. "Even so, it was only a suggestion. We can deal with Robert in other ways," he finished, looking at a painting of the Conqueror and his two wives. "You may leave now," he said, dismissing him.

"With your permission, Your Grace," he said, bowing slightly as he walked to the exit.

"Are you interested in a position on the council?" the king asked before Jaehaerys left the room.

"No, I will take charge of developing Harrenhal. It will need my full attention," Jaehaerys replied, feeling grateful. His brother was foolish to start a war over a woman. But he seemed to have matured and become a good king.

"That's a shame," Rhaegar murmured wistfully.