Like Father, Like Son | House of the Dragon

Royal Celebrations - Part I

Aerion was awoken abruptly by a sharp knock on the door of his chamber in the early hours of the morning, causing him to bolt upright. He ran the palm of his hands over his eyes, he called out to them.

"Enter!"

Nyssa slipped through the door as he stood on his feet and moved to open up the curtains, with the perfect view of the sun over the horizon "His grace has requested your presence in his private chambers, my prince."

He gave her a nod, pointing towards the jug of water that sat on the table, and she filled a cup with its contents and passed it over to him, bowing her head as she did.

"Thank you, Nyssa." he said warmly, taking a sip as he looked her way further. "Do you know much about the Kings' family?"

"Are you not his family, my prince?" she asked.

"I am.. but for now we remain distant, I grew up far away from here and know nothing of them." he answered honestly, looking down at his cup "So what do you know?"

"I do not know much, my prince, I was only briefly in the King's service." she fiddled as she clasped her hands in front of her. "I now serve guests and other important nobles during their stay."

"But I take it you know more than a servant should...you all mingle with each other about the ongoing gossip within the castle." he continued, taking another swig of the water before stepping towards his desk "Do you have a family of your own, Nyssa?" he looked back at her, planting the cup down.

"That I do, my prince."

"They must be proud." he stated, grabbing a pouch that sat on the desk "It is no small thing to have a position here in the Red Keep, must mean you can be trusted. I have a proposition for you, a trade of sorts."

Nyssa blanched and stared at the floor, her hands pressed firmly against her thighs, he moved towards her and drifted her head upwards with his finger, giving her a devilish smile.

"If you hear anything about my family that would interest me to know.." he paused, planting a few of the gold dragons within the pouch into her hand "You will come to me, and be rewarded for it."

"And if I refuse?" she asked, there was a quiver in her voice, and she still determinedly avoided making eye contact.

"Then I will ensure you are removed from the keep, whether that be on the authority of the King, or me throwing you into the spikes that line Maegor's Holdfast." he said plainly "You don't really have much choice in the matter."

"I am a reasonable man, and I treat those who serve me well." he patted her hand, lifting it up and planting a kiss on her knuckle "so long as they remain useful to me."

Once Nyssa had been dismissed from his chambers, he pulled on a simple white tunic and a pair of black breeches, and buckled a knife to his belt and left his chambers to see the King, who's chambers lay deep in the heart of Maegor's Holdfast.

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Harrold Westerling, was positioned just outside the doors, and Aerion fought the awe that rose up as he recognised one of the realm's most famed knights, legendary for his chivalry and skill with a blade.

"Prince Aerion." the famed knight addressed him, his eyes lingering on the dagger at his hip, before looking back up "how you've grown significantly since our last encounter, not that you would remember, you were just a little hatchling then."

"I have heard much about it from my mother." he lifted his pendant up that wrapped around his neck "when I was gifted this from my grandfather."

"Oh yes, I remember we had to travel to Essos to collect such a gift, Valyrian steel." Ser Harold smiled, running his hand across its surface "two were commissioned if I remember rightly, one for you, and the other for the princess."