We Search for Ways
Dragonstone Castle, Dragonstone
25 AC
The Sixth Day of the Fifth Moon
"How long have I been asleep?" inquired Baela as she took a sip of fruit juice that Maegor had set out for her after she had emerged from her chambers, bathed and dressed in a low cut blouse of black and red, black leather pants, and silver buckled riding boots of black leather. Her short hair swung to and fro as she walked to her seat at the table, the result of cutting it down to the length of a boy's so it wouldn't whip into her face as she flew on Moondancer.
"A whole day and then some," answered Maegor nonchalantly as he examined the family tree that she had drawn out for them while she was awake but still abed. "It's pretty normal for someone to sleep for such a long time after an ordeal as maddening as yours."
"You believe what happened to me is true then?" Even Baela herself was skeptical of what had happened to her in the last few days, though the memory of her conversation with her mother continued to haunt her. Maegor nodded his assent before continuing his examination of the family tree Baela had drawn for him and Queen Visenya as if in a daze, running his fingers over the names of Rhaenys's descendants. Baela noticed his stony gaze and realized that his anger was building up within even though his face showed no sign of emotion.
I won't let you down mother. And if I do fail to save House Targaryen, then our enemies will have to tread over the stone cold bodies of me and Moondancer before our House falls.
"Alright, let me get this straight. I married 6 women in total, my niece Rhaena included and only produced 3 stillborn monsters." Maegor shook his head in disappointment as he uttered those words, his face contorting in silent rage.
"As I told you already, it's not your fault. Your first wife was a barren cunt of a Hightower and the rest of your children were poisoned by that witch, Tyanna." Maegor was still surprised that Baela would use such vulgar language on a daily basis in spite of her status as a Targaryen princess.
"So I'm incapable of fathering an heir then?" It seemed that fate was conspiring against him and there was no one that could save him from dying alone. His mother's line would end with him it seemed. Maegor slumped further into his chair as he contemplated his future.
"Are you daft, Prince Maegor? I've already told you that you produced 3 stillborn children, which were the result of Tyanna's poison. You are perfectly capable of fathering children. After all, you were only married to the Black Brides for less than a year and if your niece was pregnant then she would have aborted the child after you died upon the Throne." Baela was still surprised at how badly Prince Maegor had taken the news about his later life and eventual fate. He seemed to isolate himself even further from everyone around him except for his mother and Baela, his temper as fierce as ever. At this rate, he'd become know as "the Cruel" in no time at all. So much for her father's boasting that he was a fearless warrior and mighty ruler, because all Baela could see was scared young boy who wasn't even a dragonrider. Honestly, she pitied Maegor, a lonely child ignored by his father and feared by all around him, loved and understood only by his mother.
"I'm not DAFT! It's just those traitors around me. I can feel those craven bastards conspiring against me, with their dirty plots and sinister poisons." Maegor's gaze hardened for a moment before he continued. "And that why I'll kill each and ever one of them as soon as they show any sign of betrayal." he snarled. "And I won't just stop there. I'll annihilate their families as well, as a lesson to any who would dare conspire against the DRAGON!" he growled, putting considerable emphasis on the word "dragon".
"Maegor. Look at me." commanded Baela. "I said, LOOK AT ME." The purple fury faded from Maegor's violet orbs as he turned his attention to her. "I'm trying to help you here, yet you continue to act like a mad fool. Paranoia will do you no good at all. Just look at what it did to my stepmother Rhaenyra. Last I heard, the people were calling her "Maegor with tits" for her cruelty and brutality. Do you actually want the epithet "the Cruel" after your name so badly? Because if you do, then I suggest you start by killing me here and now." Baela's patience for Maegor's density was running out, so she took the most provocative approach available to shock Maegor out of his daze.
"No. I would never harm you Baela. Or let anyone harm you." Maegor shook his head as he calmed down, the thought of Baela getting hurt wrenching him out of his misery and rage. The inner demons that haunted him had struck again, despite his best attempts to control them.
"Why the fuck are you acting like this then? You need to control yourself Maegor, or you will do terrible things in your rage. Things that you will not even remember, such as killing me." Maegor's lust for her was clearer than a Lysene white and Baela was using every bit of it to her advantage. She felt bad for manipulating the poor boy, but Maegor seriously needed to control his emotions, specially his anger. In his rage, he was like a muscular version of Aemond, Alicent's mad child, the crazy cunt responsible for burning thousands of innocents in the Riverlands. Fortunately, Maegor had yet to acquire a dragon, so if he did go mad, then his murdering spree would be limited to anyone within the reach of Dark Sister.
"I-I'm sorry Baela. I lost control of myself." Maegor hung his head in shame, scared of disappointing the only person other than his mother who had shown even a shred of sympathy and affection for him. Baela was the only girl his age who he had conversed with on equal terms, for Maegor had no full sisters or half-sisters.
"It's alright Maegor, just remember to keep your rage in check next time." replied Baela. "Now I have a question for you. Why was Queen Visenya smiling at me when I woke from my slumber? The histories described her as stern, serious, and unforgiving, hardly the type to be smiling at someone she's just met a couple days ago."
"Oh. About that..." Maegor was conflicted whether he should break the news to her immediately or have his mother tell her, resulting a few moments of deafening silence filling the room. In the end, he decided to break the news to her himself. "Baela, it's like this... My mother wants to offer you a betrothal, my hand in marriage. Originally, I was going to be betrothed to a Hightower hag 10 years my elder, but with your arrival, my mother thinks that my father will change his mind once you meet him."
Baela tensed up at the mention of the word "betrothal", remembering her Jace and his death during the Battle of the Gullet. A single tear rolled down her face as she remembered the first time that he had kissed her; those dark brown eyes that shone with love and kindness. Maegor noticed the tear running down her face and took a handkerchief out of his pocket, handing it to Baela. She wiped the solitary tear off her face before letting out a deep sigh filled with grief, pain, and loss.
"Let me guess, you lost your betrothed during the war." Maegor was not a tactful person and he always spoke very bluntly, expressing his opinion regardless of the feeling of others. Fortunately, Baela had already recognized that and took no offense at his bluntness. She simply nodded, unwilling to talk further about one of the most terrible days of her young life. Noticing Maegor's discomfort due to his inability to comfort her in any way, she quickly changed topics.
"You just mentioned that you were going to marry a Hightower, whose name I believe to be Ceryse, according to my father. The first attempt to steal our throne by those green cunts. And I recall that's she's an old hag 10 years your elder, correct?" Baela stifled a laugh, imagining Alicent as a old hag set to marry poor Maegor.
"Please don't mention her Baela. The thought of marrying her disgusts me, especially after what you've told us about those Hightower cunts and the heap of flaming dragonshit they'll bring us in a couple generations. Not to mention the age difference. And according to your testimony, the green fuckers have both the Citadel and Faith under their control, which means we can't trust anyone from those two places." Maegor was certain that Baela would agree to the betrothal, even if was just to spite the damn green cunts, something Baela would love to do, possibly enough to overlook his temper.
"Looks the even the mighty Maegor is afraid of something, though I never though it would be a shriveled prune from the Hightower." laughed Baela. Maegor's face slowly turned red as her words sank in, though he managed to crack a weak smile.Baela took her right hand and rested it on Maegor's, taking the sting out of her joke as she rubbed his knuckles. "Oh yes, I almost forgot. How in Balerion's name is Queen Visenya going to explain my sudden arrival without tell King Aegon that I literally fell out of a exploding purple cloud?"
"Well about that..." Just as Maegor was about to reply, a servant knocked on the door, announcing the arrival of Queen Visenya. Baela and Maegor both stood up, ready to greet the queen with the respect as befit her rank and station, but Visenya gave a single flick of her left wrist, to which Maegor sat down again, followed by Baela as the Targaryen queen sat down at the table.
"Well, it seems you two have been getting familiar with each other." Visenya gave Maegor a small smirk, as she continued. "So, Baela, has my son told you of my proposal yet?"
"Yes, your grace, he has." replied Baela, as she entertained the idea of marrying Maegor the Cruel.
"And what is your decision, dear? Will you spite the Hightowers and marry my darling son?"