Inferno | House of the Dragon

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Six months have now passed since the Princess Rhaenyra was named heir to the Iron Throne. The first time in history an heir has ever been a woman.

And while there are certainly growing tensions within the Stepstones, Vaemyra is completely oblivious. Nobody fills her in. Nobody gives her any details.

She's treated as though she isn't worthy of that information. As if it will plague her mind and forever destroy her.

But her curiosity persists nonetheless.

She tries and she tries, but nobody will tell her about the Stepstones. She heard of its existence in passing and knows it's important, but doesn't know how or why.

Vaemyra attempts to spy on the Small Council meeting by pressing her ear against the door where the meeting is taking place, but she can only make out all but a few words.

The Free Cities.

The Triarchy.

And the Crab Feeder.

All meaningless to her. She knows the words but knows no meaning behind them, and she is all but caught once her older sister opens the door to leave.

Rhaenyra squints down at her little sister as she shuts the door behind her.

" Were you spying?" She asks.

" No..." Vaemyra drawls out as if to preserve her innocence.

" Liar," Rhaenyra chuckles as she begins to walk down the hall.

But Vaemyra doesn't give up that easily.

" What is a Crab Feeder?" The young princess asks as she catches up with her sister.

" An enemy that will be dealt with accordingly," Rhaenyra answers plainly and simply.

" Is he the leader of the Triarchy?" Vaemyra asks once more.

" It seems so," Rhaenyra confirms.

" And father hesitates to wage war?"

Rhaenyra stops her walk down the hall to face her sister with an amused smile upon her lips.

" Have you always been this smart?" She ponders.

" It seems so," Vaemyra repeats with a grin.

But seeing as only one is heir, they must depart. Rhaenyra's new responsibility is to pick a new knight to join the Kingsguard. She stands before all the knights as they plead their case, one by one being presented by the current head of the Kingsguard. While Rhaenyra is not entirely thrilled, one knight, in particular, catches her eye, one who has true combat experience.

" I choose Ser Criston Cole."

The Hand tries to warn her against it, but Rhaenyra is persistent with her choice. She stands firm and will not let anyone try to change her mind.

And yet a truth that both sisters are both oblivious to is that of what happens behind the closed doors of their father's chambers.

Neither sister know about how Lady Alicent comforts their father and grows closer to him with each passing day. Neither sister know about how when the subject of marriage comes up, the first person on the king's mind is Lady Alicent.

But his best match is that of Valyrian blood. Lady Laena of House Velaryon, daughter of Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys. The 12-year-old cousin of the King.

It troubles the king to even consider the offer, but to appease his blood, he humors it. He goes for a walk with Lady Laena, of which her dialogue is clearly scripted by her parents, but it's one sentence in particular that ends the consideration for the king.