Maegor walked through the Red Keep with heavy and fast steps. Every brick that he stepped on, shook in terror of Maegor's fury.
"The King has been poisoned in our own walls..." Maegor spoke coldly and in disbelief as he walked to Aenys's chamber, wearing all black and Blackfyre on his waist.
"The king has been poisoned in our own fucking walls!!" Maegor yelled as he continued walking, suddenly standing still to look at everyone around him and yelled; "Listen to me you worthless sacks of shits!"
The knights, the Kinsguard, and the maids, all look at Maegor with a terror that one could see on a man's face as if they were watching a monster. "Shut the red keep down! Get the cook! Get the cupbearer! I want everyone who drew breath in the Red Keep to be fucking lined! I'm finding that rat! I will have either the head of the man who did this, or I am burning this whole fucking keep down with him inside of it, so help me gods!" Maegor roared and he squeezed the grip of Blackfyre.
All looked at Maegor with terror. For they knew that the Prince of Dragonstone, Maegor the Cruel, never made a vow that he could not keep.
Maegor's eyes caught Jaehaerys among the people. Alysanne was by his side, holding his hand and keeping her head high enough for maids and scared to rush to her. "Boy!" Maegor yelled at him, and with that, Jaehaerys walked forward, Alysanne stood behind with the maids and the ladies who tried to stay far away from Maegor's fury.
"Uncle?" Jaehaerys spoke calmly as he walked to his mountain of an uncle, and stood in front of him with a calm expression on his handsome face.
"See to what I just command! Line everyone up! Sniff that rat out!" Maegor yelled angrily.
"As you say, Lord Hand. It will be done." Jaehaerys spoke and nodded, and looked at everyone and spoke with a voice as strong as a King. "You heard him! Line everyone up! I will see to the questioning myself!"
Maegor nodded in approval. His brothers were born more turd than dragons, at least we have one Targaryen among them. Maegor thought to himself and began walking toward Aenys's chamber.
_________
In the chamber, Aenys lay on the bed with his head on Alyssa's lap as his pillow, as she caressed his head and pained face.
Aegon kneeled by his bedside observing his father's pained face, and his wife Rhaena looked at their father with worried eyes, but she kept her composure like a true Princess.
Maegor stood by the bottom of the bed with his arms crossed and a frown on his handsome and old face. The doors were open once more and Dowager Queen Visenya walked inside with a frown but a concerned look on her old face.
Visenya walked to the bed sight and looked at Alyssa and spoke as calmly as she could manage. "Was it the wine or the food?"
"Aunt... It truly... does not matter." Aenys spoke as calmly as he could without losing his breath and forced a weak smile on his face. "The food was just not... fresh..."
"You were poisoned!" Maegor spoke sharp and cold. "They poison you in our own fucking hall! What will they do next if we do not strike back?! Send assassins after your grandchildren?! Rape your wife and children in their own beds?!" Maegor nearly yelled. "Say the word and I will burn Kingslanding to its founding stones! Do not let this go unanswered!
"No need for — I will be fine!" Aenys spoke as he weakly smiled, as he held his stomach in pain.
"Aneys, rest my love." Alyssa spoke worried as she rubbed Aenys's wrist.
Maegor looked at Aenys falling asleep in pain as his face's expression was darkened, proof that he was in pain of whatever he had swollen. You fool! You damn fool! Maegor yelled in his at Aenys in his head.
Moments passed in absolute haunting silence until Aegon chose to break the silence.
"I must prepare myself for the crown." Aegon spoke as he looked at he looked at his father sleeping.
"Your father still draws breath, boy." Maegor spoke coldly as he looked at his disappointment of a nephew. "And the council of his choosing is still capable of making decisions."
"And he is and will be bedridden, I must act according to it and take my role as prince region." As Aegon spoke the words, Rhaena gave him a cold look, which did not go unnoticed.
Maegor scoffed upon hearing his words. Now you are interested in the affairs of the realm? To wear a crown and we kneel to you? Maegor thought to himself. The nerve that this boy possesses.
"You are not worthy of the crown, Aegon." Visenya spoke for everyone present as she looked at the boy. "You wear the conqueror's name, but yet you could not be any less worthy of the throne he sat upon. If any man is going to wear the title of Prince Region it will and shall be your uncle Maegor, for unlike you, he has ruled this country in all by the name."
"You dare to question my status as the prince, old woman?!" Aegon spoke angrily as he frowned at Visenya.
Upon hearing that, Maegor's hand formed a fist and he walked to Aegon to break every tooth in his mouth for daring to speak to his mother, but Visenya only brought her arm up to prevent Maegor from walking to Aegon.
"You may wish to be more careful with the words you speak, boy. Next time I will not hold your uncle back from teaching you a lesson that your own father should have taught you." Visenya spoke coldly.
"I'd melt the Iron Throne before I allow one such as you, a worthless cunt of a man who is lesser than a snake, claim the throne as yours." Maegor spoke coldly as he looked at his nephew.
Aegon walked to his uncle. Maegor towered over his nephew. While Aegon barely reached to Maegors's shoulders, he leaned his head up and looked at Maegor's deep violet eyes. "What you say, uncle, sounds like treason." Aegon spoke coldly and slowly.
"I cannot believe you are doing this Maegor... After everything you are still a monster, driven by anger and madness against your own family and blood!" Alyssa spoke with a soft voice but her teary eyes were soaked with tears. "You should be by Aegon's side, to aid him to–" Alyysa was cut off, as Rhaena finally spoke to her brother.
"You are a waste of a man, Aegon." Rhaena finally spoke coldly. Alyssa looked at Rhaena with terror, Maegor looked at her with slightly wider eyes, as he had not expected her to stand against Aegon, but Visenya looked at her with a faded approving smile.
Rhaena continued. "Father was never a strong man, but he was always a good father. You are not even that. Being King is being a father to thousands of people, but you could not even be a father to my daughters. You are not worthy of the Throne. Everyone who has breathed the same air as you knows it."
"The price of speaking such words is one's tongue, sister." Aegon spoke coldly as he looked at his sister-wife who looked at him coldly.
"If we are to cut every man, woman and child's tongue who sees you for what you truly are, we would have a realm of mutes." Maegor spoke coldly as he looked down into his nephew's eyes. "You did not and have not held your oath to your own wife to honour her and not bring her shame but yet the news of you humiliating her echoes through the keep every day. How will you carry an oath to protect the realm when you cannot even protect your own marriage or affairs? Or would you sell it for one more bottle of wine?"
As Aegon opened his mouth to throw something back at Maegor, his grandfather, Aethan Velaryon walked in.
Aethan looked at his daughter's frightened face, who was holding her husband, and then coldly looked at his disappointment of a grandson, and then looked at Maegor. "Lord Hand, we are holding an urgent meeting in the small council chamber, your attention and presence is required." Aethan Velaryon spoke calmly.
"I'll stand by the King. Anything I hear of any traitors, I will hang them myself." Visenya spoke as she rubbed her son's hand. Maegor nodded at her and smiled a faint smile and kissed his mother's forehead, and walked to Aethan Velayron.
And the two men left the King's chamber.
_________
In the small council chamber, to no one's shock, Maegor sat on the king's place and placed Blackfyre on his own lap.
No one spoke a word against what the old Prince had done, for they all knew the truth; It was Maegor who was the King, whether he sat on top of the throne or wore a crown to prove it.
After moments that were spent in silence, Lord Alyn Stokeworth broke the silence.
"We need to show the realm that despite the king's condition we still are stable and secure of a future for the realm!" Lord Alyn Stokeworth spoke loud to the council.
"I must agree with Lord Alyn, my Lord Hand Maegor. The realm needs to be confident in its future." Lord Aethan Velaryon spoke calmly.
"Or I could mount Balarion and burn the traitors in their homes with their families still inside." Maegor spoke coldly.
Lord Crispian Celtigar, the master of coin, nodded in agreement. "I agree with Prince Maegor. Traitors must be crushed. They have gotten too bold, with daring to come so far deep in the Red Keep. The Lord Hand and Dowagar Queen Visenya have the greatest and largest dragons in the known world, Balarion and Vhagar." Lord Cispian spoke as he looked at Maegor and nodded to show that he agreed strongly with him "They must be burnt alive until they are nothing but ashes!"
"I pray that the world never runs out of dragons. I say it in all sincerity. Though a dragon is the unconquerable epitome of devastation and power... But I remember it as this morning's cold wind, of the day when Meraxes met her end, and took her own rider with her to the afterlife. For I shall remember that day as the day that Dorne proved once and for all that Drogons are too vulnerable to death..." Aethan Velaryon spoke calmly, as he looked at Maegor. "You may mount Balarion, Maegor. You may ride and burn the seven kingdoms to ashes. If there is a war to fight, you will fight it, and you will win. I still remember the day you took the giant of the trident's head in Stepstones... but you too know, that no matter what you do, they will keep attacking us in our own sleep... If we show them force... that would start a never-ending war between the crown and Westeros... We must be civil and very cautious about this.
"Then what must we do, Aethan?" Maegor spoke coldly. "How will we be cautious?!"
Aethan remained silent, for he had no answer for Maegor's question, but the old Maester Gawen had other plans...
"To show that the crow is unshaken by such an act, we must remind the realm that even if the King, gods forbid, passes away, he still has an heir who is married and has children!" Maester Gawen spoke almost too fast. "Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaena must go on a royal progress to show the people of the realm of an ensured future!"
"A royal progress?!" Lord Crispian Celtigar asked as if he had heard the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. "Are you a fool, grand maester?! The realm is ready to tear itself apart! And you suggest to send the crown prince and Princess Rhaena into the mouth of danger?!"
"Yes, Lord Crispian! A royal progress!" Grand Maester Gawen spoke calmly and coldly, and then turned his face to the rest of the council members and continued speaking.
"The crown prince Aegon and his lady-wife Princess Rhaena will go on royal progress. Displaying power and future of the realm." Grand Maester Gawen spoke with a shady tone, which did not go unnoticed by Maegor. "They can even receive the High Septon's blessing in Oldtown!"
Maegor could feel in his very soul that something smelled rotten about this, as he opened his mouth to protest, the council chamber was open, and King Aenys first of his name walked in with the help of his Kingsguard.
Maegor stood up from the King's seat and sat on the chair of the Hand of the King. Aenys, as his slender face was darkened by pain, sat on his chair as King.
"Your Grace, we just talked of a-" Aethan Velaryon tried to speak.
"A royal progress for my children." Aenys completed his sentence with a pained smile as he looked at Grand Maester. "Do you truly believe this is the best way to ease the realm?" Aenys asked worried.
"My King, this is the only way!" Grand Maester spoke as he empathized on the word "only" Which only made Maegor feel even more uneasy and even angrier.
"Then it shall be done then! Lord Crispian, please see to the cost of this royal progress." Aenys spoke softly, and Lord Crispian nodded with resentment, he too disagreeing with this choice. "Grand Maester Gawen, please send the letters so everyone can prepare to receive my children!" To which Grand Maester happily nodded.
"Aenys, something very dark is behind this... I ask you to reconsider." Maegor leaned close to Aenys and spoke as calm as he could.
"This is the only way Maegor! Please stand by me! It will be good! Aegon and Rhaena will warm up to each other with Aerea and Rhaella by their side!" Aenys tried desperately as he looked at Maegor very worried.
Maegor could see that he could not change Aenys's mind and his word as King was final. So Maegor pushed with all he could.
"Then at least do not send Aerea and Rhaella!" Maegor spoke almost desperately. "They are too young to go on such a progress. I ask you this as your brother. Do not send the girls... Please." Maegor spoke calmer. He could not bear to imagine any harm to fall on the girls.
Whether the girls were his granddaughters or not, he knew in his heart that he could not allow any harm to come to them. No matter how many foolish decisions his brother is led to make... Especially by that stinking rat, Grand Maester Gawen.
Aenys looked at Maegor worried and softly nodded. "Then as you say brother, Aerea and Rhaella shall remain in the Red Keep. But their parents, Rhaena and Aegon will go on the royal progress."
Maegor had no choice but to nod, and so did the remaining members of the small council.
After the conclusion of the small council, members of the council went their separate ways to see to the preparations of the royal progress, within a close future...
While Grand Maester Gawen wrote a shady letter... A letter to the Voice of Oldtown, Martyn Hightower.