A Meal for a King?

Haemon POV 114 AC, the night before the wedding.

"It is with great pride, that a man can see all of his children in one room, at one table together like a family." Father said raising his glass to a toast. Rhaenyra sitting to his right with Laenor next to her, I sat across from Rhaenyra, Laena at my left. Queen Alicent sat to father's left with the Hand, Lyonel strong next to her, across from were Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond. Daeron was asleep in his room. I and everyone else raised their cups as well.

"It is truly a welcome sight" He said as he sat down. A fat smile on his face. Queen Alicent's face was tight, as if she was stopping herself from saying something.

"And yes, a toast to the union of House Targaryen and Velaryan. May they be happy and have many children" Queen Alicent said as she lazily lifted her glass mainly staring at Laenor and Rhaenyra. It seemed news traveled around the keep. To be fair, it wasn't a well-kept secret. Laena looked ready to say something, but I simply held her hand to stop her.

"I thank you for your fine words your grace. If our marriages..." Gesturing towards Rhaenyra and Laenor. "...were anything like yours and the King's It shall surely be a happy union" She seemed to deflate at that and I saw Rhaenyra give a smile. The table soon fell into silent conversations. I turned to Aemond who didn't look interested to be here.

"Well. It appears we meet more formally this time little brother" I held out my hand.

"I'm Haemon." He looked at me than at my hand. Then turned to his mother who looked ready to lunge across the table at me.

"I'm Aemond" He said as he gripped my hand, mine completely dwarfing his. I feigned a pained expression.

"By the gods! What a grip you have. You surely be a fine knight when you grow older." He smiled at that and gave a little giggle.

"You're just japing Haemon, I'm not that strong!" A smile crossed my face.

"Trust me Aemond. With that grip of yours I bet you could even challenge Ser Harwin. I hear he is given the title of strongest man in Westeros, Am I correct Lord Hand?" Lord Strong only smiled and puffed up his chest.

"You are correct my Prince. He brings great honor to our house."

"I fear that he is falsely named then, for Aemond hear will bring him to shame. Like a true dragon." I said as I ruffled his hair, and he kept laughing than turning to Helaena to talk to her. No doubt about his future exploits. I looked around the room and saw, Lord Strong with a fond expression his face, Queen Alicent with what looked a small smile. Father wore a mighty smile; I fear it may stay that way permanently. Rhaenyra looked to be pouting no doubt remembering when I would play with her in such a way before being snapped out her memories by Laenor. Laena simply held my hand and gave me a coy smile.

"That was a nice thing you did there Haemon" I gave a shrug.

"They are only children; they shouldn't be raised against their family. I am included in that I might add." She only gave a light laugh.

"But the way you handled it. Making him smile in such a way. In our time here, I had never seen without a frown on his face." I only continued to eat my food and drink my water.

"If this is how you are to be acting with our children. Then I surely cannot wait for the bedding ceremony" She said in a husky whisper, I only responded with a bright blush on my face and choking on my drink.

"Haemon, are you well" I responded with nodding my head and coughing.

"Shall I call for a Maester?" Lord Strong said about to rise.

"No, no. I am fine Lord Hand. It simply went down the wrong way" I responded still coughing and my face red. Rhaenyra only gave a light chuckle and Laena looked the Maiden herself. Perfect in all ways.

"That was very cruel, my lady" She only looked at me confused.

"What was, My Prince?" mirth dancing in her eyes and tugging at her lips. I only gave an exasperated sigh, before placing my hand on my heart.

"Such blows. How shall I go on any longer? My future wife, against me." She only gave a full smile at my jests, which I returned.

"Prince Haemon, how fares Bloodstone in your absence?" Queen Alicent asked, drawing the entire table in silence. It had been common knowledge that the King denied me returning to it. I only gave a real sigh and wished I had filled my cup with wine instead.

"It fares well your grace. It is true that there are still pirates up and about, not enough to worry about though. Tensions are still high in the men, but they seem to be making it work. We are soon to be building our third sheet wall at Bloodstone along with starting construction on another castle on the other side of the Grey Gallows. With the amount of time the king has so generously given me. I have been able to eliminate any major threats and I have signed a treaty with Dorne and the triarchy." She only frowned at that.

"I thought you ruled over the Stepstones?"

"It is not so simple your grace. I rule over it in name, it is a land no one man can lay claim to. My seat is in Bloodstone and that I rule over and that is but all. We have a council placed to rule over the Stepstones with me being the leader for now." King Viserys looked confused at that.

"Rule over them for now?" I only nodded.

"Yes, we have come to agree that the council shall be in place with a different leader from each faction. The selection for the leader shall happen every eight years." Everyone seemed shocked at this.

"And when were you placed as 'Leader' of the Stepstones, brother?" Rhaenyra asked me.

"Only a moon before I left to come here." Everyone still looked uncomfortable.

"But you knelt for the Stepstones." Lord Strong said.

"That is where you are wrong, my Lord Hand. Bloodstone was where I was crowned, and Bloodstone along with the lands under it. Is what I knelt for." I said I motioned for a servant to fill up my glass.

"It seems a foolish notion to cycle through different members of a council to be the leader of the Stepstones." Queen Alicent said and I could see Lord strong slowly nodding his head.

"If it were not so, then I fear the war will continue going on when I departed Bloodstone. Essos has equal claim to those lands as well. It was a fair compromise, to end countless bloodshed." Rhaenyra didn't seem too pleased by that.

"Yet you have a dragon. Why should you care about what they think?"

"Not every solution can or should be solved by Dragon fire. Caraxes didn't save Daemon's life when he needed him most." Rhaenyra only gave a small sad frown.

"Neither did you though" Everyone at the table froze, and she seemed to realize what she said.

"You are right, I couldn't" She looked ready to apologize.

"I fear I am no longer hungry your grace. May I be excused?" Father looked at us sad. The children seemed confused when they heard Daemon's name. Father simply gave a nod at my request.

I gave a small bow to him and to Alicent before leaving with a soft 'Your grace'. I was halfway to my room when Laena caught up to me telling me to stop. I simply brushed her aside and she continued to follow me to my room. I opened the door furious.

"What gives her the right! She wasn't there. She didn't watch him die." Laena only came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. Her head against my back.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it like that." I turned to her.

"Then how did she mean it Laena? We all heard her words; we saw her face. By the gods she was still a child when he left and yet she still thinks of him as some lost lover. It's disgusting." She only grabbed my face forcing me to look into her eyes.

"Let it go Haemon. Daemon is dead, Rhaenyra didn't know him like you." Only sat down on the bed with my head against her belly as she rubbed my head.

"How am I supposed to let it go when, whenever I wield Darksister I see his corpse. Always with the reminder that I was not fast enough. That I could have tried harder. That by some miracle the Crab Fucker would have missed, and Daemon would have taken this burden from me instead." She only sighed.

"I do not know my love. Truly, no words I could say could heal you. By now is not the time for mourning. I will not have my husband be crying at another thing but being overjoyed at seeing me." We fell into a silence with me simply enjoying being here in this moment.

"You know its funny." She gave a soft hmm.

"Daemon meant to kill me, when I was younger." She stopped her massaging and made me look at her. I gave a soft smile.

"It's true. Stole me away to Dragonstone. Telling me, I was to test my blood by claiming a wild dragon. He gave no explanation, no help. Just those words and wished me luck in not losing a limb." She still looked confused.

"My love. You mourn a man that wanted you dead? I truly do not understand how your mind works." I only gave shrug.

"He grew on me the months after that and during the war. I on him as well I like to think. Maybe because he saw me as a son teaching me thing where my father could not. I do not know. But you are right. He's been dead for a long time; I must forget him." Laena only sighed.

"I do not ask you to forget him. Just simply remember him as he would have wanted. With pride. Not regret." I stood up to give her a soft kiss.

"Again, your council leaves me better than before, my Lady." She smiled and kissed me again.

"I am simply doing my duty to my future lord husband, My Prince" I held her tighter.

"Perhaps, I could find a suitable way to reward you for such dedication." She giggled lightly.

"You will on out wedding night, but for now I must go." I kissed her again and again. Moving to her cheek than her neck. She gave a throaty moan when my hands gripped her ass.

"Haemon we must wait."

"Why must we wait? It is just one night." She unlocked my arms and moved towards the door.

"That may be so, but I am sure my mother will not be pleased when she looks in my chambers and not find me there." I signed and flopped on the bed.

"Yes, yes. Pain to those that cross Princess Rhaenys and her Red Queen." She gave a laugh than I heard the door open and close softly. I groaned out loud and stood up to undress myself. Looking out the window I could see Gaelithox flying in the distance, and the late-night goers of Kingslanding looking like ants from up here. I sighed and fully got into bed, my dreams empty and my blood pumping.