House of The Dragon-The Beauty, The Bold, And The Black Dread

(Baelon's POV)

"Where were you last night?" I heard Mother's voice as I tried to open my eyes, "Baelon!" 

I raised my head slightly from my pillow, "Hm?" I said, "Mother?" 

I opened my eyes and turned to my left, seeing that Helaena was not next to me. I then turned to the right and saw that Mother was standing next to the bed. 

"Where were you last night?" Mother asked me

"Where is Helaena?" I said as I sat up

"She was called by Aemma." Mother said, "Answer my question." 

I rubbed my eyes, "Out." I said, "Why do you ask?" 

She leaned in closer to me and grabbed me by the chin softly, "I will say this once, Baelon." She said, "I will not have a scandal....not at a time like this...." 

I frowned, "Scandal? What do you mean?" I said as I looked at her, "Your hands are soft...." 

"Answer me this..." She asked me in a hushed tone, "Were you with Rhaenyra?" 

I gently pulled her hand free, "No." 

"Are you sure? Do not lie to me." She said

"Why in the seven hells would I be with Rhaenyra?" I said as I began to get out of bed, "What is it with you and my wife? She was asking me the same thing. Why would I be unfaithful to Helaena? Why bother looking at other women when I have her? She is enough for me." 

"I spoke to her." She said

"Helaena?" I asked

"Rhaenyra." She said, "She told me the truth. She loves you." 

"Hm..." I said as I looked down and rubbed my neck, "Alright, what of it?" 

"There is a lot going on, Baelon." She said, "We just recovered from a plague that her sons died of, you are accusing her husband of treason, she has confessed her feelings for you, and your wife is sharing concerns. I just-" 

I cut her off by hugging her, my arms wrapping around her and embracing her tightly. I could tell that she was surprised, no, shocked by this. 

"Hm...." I smiled 

"B-Baelon?" She said

I kissed her on the cheek, "Every time you wake me like this, you are always concerned for my well-being." I said to her, "I do not think I deserve a Mother like you." 

"W-What did you do?" She asked me 

"When was the last time we hugged like this?" I asked her, "Will you not return it?" 

I felt her arms wrap around me as she hugged me back, "You stupid fool....." She said, "You have grown so much...y-you are no longer a child...." 

I leaned back and patted her cheek, "I wonder.....if I would turn out like I did if you did not treat me as your own..." I said with a slight smile, "I love you, Mother. With everything I have. You raised a son who does what needs to be done." 

"Baelon....?" She said with a concerned look

"Everything I do is for the sake of the realm....for the sake of my family. That includes Rhaenyra." I said seriously as I rubbed her cheek with my thumb, "And more importantly, for my wife....my sweet Helaena....if I die....." 

"She would be sad." 

*************

[Later That Night....]

I sat down on a log, outside the city, a small campfire in front of me, when I heard some footsteps in front of me. 

I was poking the fire with a stick, not looking up, "Where have you been?" I said aloud, "We missed you at Viserys and Maelor's funeral." 

The footsteps stopped and I saw the shadow of a man on the ground in front of me, due to the light of the campfire. The flames flickered as the embers slowly flew to the side. The heat of the fire was nothing compared to what I was used to. 

"If I recall, my wife left Claw Isle in a very terrible situation." I heard Trevor say, "I could not sail as quickly as I could...everyone on the island was ill, I could not risk it." 

I looked up to see him, his hands behind his back as he looked at me, his stupid beady eyes reflecting the light of the flames. 

"Hm...." I said, "You are here, though." 

"I was summoned by the King." He said, "Apparently, he took my absence as an offense. Again, I was-" 

"You had plenty of time to sail here...to be with your wife and daughter, yet you did not." I cut him off, "That is why my Father, The King, is upset." 

He nodded, "If that is what you say." 

I leaned back and let out an exhale, "Those boys were good...." I said as I looked to the side, "They would have been Dragonriders....they were fated to be in the skies, as Targaryens...." 

"Yes...." He said 

"Who knows? Mayhaps Viserys would have claimed Vermithor should Aemma fail yet again...." I said as I looked at him, "Would you not have liked that, Trevor?" 

He stayed silent for a few seconds before answering, "That is King Jaehaerys's dragon..." He said, "It would be an honor if my son had claimed him...." 

"But he did not...." I said, "My nephews died before they could have a chance to claim any dragon...does that not bother you?" 

"They were my sons." He said without much emotion, "Of course, it bothers me that they are gone." 

"Yes...." I said before looking at the fire, "Of course it does...." 

"Why am I here? The King summons me to the Capital but the Heir calls for me to meet me here...." He told me, "One of my servants told me that you wanted to se-" 

"Servant or lover?" I cut him off as I looked at him

"I...." He said before his face hardened, a bit of anger in his eyes, "What?" 

"Ada Waters...." I said with a slight smile, the flames flickering in front of me, "Bastard daughter of Corlys Velaryon. What, Was a Targaryen Princess not enough for you? After three children she gave you, Rhaenyra was not the same as she was when you took her?" 

"What are you implying?" He said, "Is that why I am here? For you to accuse me of adultery?" 

"Accuse?" I said, "Oh no, there is no need to accuse you of anything. I know that she bears your child. You fathered a bastard with another bastard. The bastard of another bastard that is probably the bastard of a Targaryen Bastard....hahaha.....should we keep going? It is actually fucking hilarious, really.....You have...prime Valyrian Stock in my elder sister.....and you insult her by going after a woman with diluted dragon's blood, not Velaryon, I don't give a shit about that...diluted Targaryen blood.....it makes me wonder.....Why?" 

He did not say anything, merely stood there and looked at me with his dumb beady eyes. The same eyes that annoyed me ever since I was a boy. For more than a decade, I have hated those stupid fucking eyes. 

"Aemma tried claiming Vermithor and she failed, and nearly died. I recall Lady Laena telling me both of your reactions, Rhaenyra's and yours...." I continued as I kept poking the flames, "Rhaenyra was worried, relieved that she was fine....and you? You were disappointed.....and cold.....colder than how I acted.....and speaking of that sweet and gentle girl, Aemma told me of the time you went into her quarters, drunk....speaking nonsense. You mentioned my name....telling her that if she did not have Vermithor, it was okay, that she could have Balerion should I be gone....." 

He narrowed his eyes slowly, saying nothing. I saw a bit of anger behind those stupid eyes. 

"Why would I be gone, Trevor?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow, "Why would I be gone? Why would Aemma have my dragon? What exactly did you mean by that? We can dismiss that as drunken banter....sure.....but.....we will not. Why did my elder sister cry for days, alone, without her husband there for her? Why, in her moments of dread and despair, did she constantly apologize to my Father, telling him that she had nothing to do with what you did? What did Trevor do? I asked Father. Nobody knows.....but you.....What...did you do, Trevor?" 

He looked at me, staring at me for several seconds before finally speaking. 

"Did you fuck her?" He asked me

I frowned, "Huh?" 

"Did you fuck my wife?" He said

"Why would I do that?" I asked

"I saw the way you, the Heir, saw her when you were young...." He said, "I saw the way you looked at me when Rhaenyra and I were engaged. You hated me....you probably still do. You left our wedding, claiming it was out of boredom, but it was out of jealousy, was it?" 

"Hm." I said 

"I was fond of Rhaenyra." He said, "I really was. My sons? I loved them, they were my boys. My daughter? I love her so much, even now." 

"Oh yea?" I said

"Rhaenyra grew distant." He said, "And I knew why. Because she began to look at you the same way you looked at her. That incident at your wedding.....tragic.....you and she had an argument, did you not? Was it then? Did you fuck her then? Or did you fuck her after my sons died, Baelon?" 

I smirked slightly, "Take a guess." 

He chuckled and shook her head, "So...." He said, "You Targaryens think you could do anything, right?" 

I tilted my head, "Why?" 

"Always looking down on everyone from atop your dragons....forgetting that you are not the only Valyrians in the Realm." He said as he gave me a serious scowl, "Tell me, Prince Baelon. What are you without them? What are The Targaryens when their precious weapons of destruction are taken away and are met with the same power?" 

I smiled, "There it is....." I said, "Come now, Trevor Celtigar....." 

"Let it all out."