Chapter 25

"Have a seat Aerion I think we have much to speak ." Aerion stepped forward, the weight of the day's events lifting with each stride towards his father as he replied "Yes we do have much to speak father."

"Aerion, inside this room, there is no king of westeros, only us Father and son." Viserys made it clear.

Aerion too took a seat as he placed the glass vessel containing dragons blood on the table.

Viserys glanced at the blood with some confusion, "Haven't you already disposed of this thing, Why do you walk around with this thing ?"

" It has its uses father, leave it aside for now and ask me what you want ?" Aerion said casually.

In the dimly lit chamber, the air was thick with tension. Viserys, King of the Seven Kingdoms, sat upon his ornate chair, his gaze fixed upon his son, Aerion. The prince stood defiantly before him, the flickering torchlight casting long shadows across the stone walls, mirroring the dark suspicions that now clouded the room.

"Now, Aerion," Viserys began, his voice a low rumble, "tell me why you went to the dragon pit. Please don't say you went to look at Syrax; it's not convincing at all."

Aerion met his father's gaze squarely, his jaw set. "Father. I didn't visit the Dragon pit to see Syrax. I went to find out if there was anything that I can use against the Maester And as God favours it as soon as I entered I was informed about Dreamfyre illness.

The rest i think you already know, I was able to see the Dreamfyre, how they were treated, and what the Maesters have been studying all these years," he said, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of frustration.

"Why?, why do you target the Maester ?" Viserys pressed, leaning forward, his eyes narrowing.

"Father, are you seriously confused, or are you just asking to know my mind?" Aerion countered, a hint of challenge in his voice.

Viserys' expression softened slightly, but his eyes remained sharp. "I can see you have something against the Maesters, I just want to know the reason," he replied, his voice even.

Aerion's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he answered " The Citadel, a private organization of scholars that studies everything they can and stands against the concept of magic for all their history Speak of.

You have not only allowed them to study the dragons a being that symbolises the existence of magic but also allowed their base to be away from our immediate sphere of influence and authority," he explained, his voice rising with each word.

"I don't understand it, Father. How do you not see the problem?, he asked.

"Father, think about it clearly. Throughout our history it can be seen that Targaryen's have always relied on their Dragons to keep the iron throne and ensure the continuation of the Targaryen dynasty, and you and all previous kings have allowed a foreign force to study that same weapon," Aerion stated, laying the facts bare before the king.

"Aerion, I think you're being a bit too one-sided. The Maesters are knowledgeable, and they are under an oath," Viserys explained calmly, attempting to quell the rising storm.

"An oath that Maester James just broke casually," Aerion refuted sharply, his eyes blazing.

"That is an isolated situation. Just this can't make us jump to the conclusion that the Order of Maesters is conspiring against us," Viserys reasoned, his voice a steady anchor in the turbulent sea of accusations.

"True, but is this the only thing there is?" Aerion said calmly, his eyes never leaving his father's.

"What do you mean?" Viserys asked, ready to hear anything his son had to say.

Aerion, with a determined look in his eyes, began to unravel the mysteries he had uncovered from the library. He spoke of the unnatural coincidences surrounding the deaths of previous heirs and the many stillbirths his mother, Aemma Targaryen, had suffered. He also shed light on the crude medical treatment she had received before and during her last birth.

His father, Viserys, listened with skepticism. Yet, Aerion pressed on, drawing comparisons between the medical records of past Targaryen women and those of the current queen, Alicent. He pointed out the stark differences in the treatment methods used by the Maesters for Alicent and his mother. His words were laced with doubt, questioning whether Grand Maester Mellos even possessed any medical knowledge.

Viserys fell silent, his mind swirling with the implications of his son's words. His accusations lacked solid evidence, yet they planted seeds of doubt in his mind about the Maesters.

In a moment of confusion, Viserys voiced his thoughts, "What good would killing my Aemma have for them?" His voice wavered with emotion.

Aerion didn't hesitate as he responded, "After mother's death, the Kingdom urged you to remarry. Hightower encouraged you to name Rhaenyra as heir and at the same time, he sent his daughter Alicent to you. At your most vulnerable time, Otto let his daughter be the distraction you needed, and like a fool, you played their game right into it. Not only did you appoint Rhaenyra as heir but also married Alicent."

"Remarrying was my duty as king," Viserys refuted.

"Maybe, but marrying Alicent wasn't. Otto Hightower is the second most powerful person in this kingdom with great political awareness and foundation. By marrying Alicent, you just made it stronger," Aerion stated with confidence.

Viserys fell silent again, his mind grappling with the truth of his son's words. Aerion continued, "Now, Alicent has given birth to Aegon and the voices for his right to the Iron Throne are spreading.

While you keep Rhaenyra inside your garden and , the Hightowers are making a forest for Aegon. Soon, father, you will come face to face with the same situation that my great Grandfather Jaehaerys I Targaryen had to face or much worse - a bloody civil war that would bring down the Targaryen dynasty or choose Aegon, similar to how you were chosen over Aunt Rhaenys."

Viserys wanted to say something, but he was completely confused. He knew for a fact that soon what his son had said would come true. He was no fool, and he could see it. He didn't want to abandon his daughter, nor did he want to see the fall of the Targaryen dynasty.

"I understand what you mean, but where does the Maester stand in all this ?" viserys asked.

"They act like silent observers, standing behind everything while slowly leading us to our downfall." Aerion explained.

"They have been studying Weapon to kill dragons for decades and now they are trying to start a war, a war between us and the day they succeed in starting a civil war they will make sure that all dragons die in that war" Aerion added.

"What do you want me to do?" Viserys asked helplessly after staying silent for some seconds.

"There are many things, but he easiest would be naming Aegon heir to the Iron throne, this way the chances of a civil war would be minimal." he Stated before continuing "but be aware father after Aegon becomes King

House Targaryen would only be a royal family in name as it would be the hightowers that rule westors. " Aerion stated.

"Or a better alternative would be my Uncle Daemon Targaryen but the chances of civil war is still high as the hightowers may use my new brother to start a rebellion" Aerion added.