Lyonel's Proposal

"You don't need to apologize. Every Targaryen is obsessed with dragons; making rash judgments isn't uncommon."

Looking at Rhaegar, who lay in bed enduring the pain, Illyric had no right to be angry.

As soon as dragons were mentioned, Rhaegar's eyes flared with fury, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "I was almost able to tame Dreamfyre."

"An accident?"

Illyric sensed something was amiss and asked with a frown.

Rhaegar said angrily, "Dreamfyre was about to accept me, but a chain bound her, preventing her from even standing up."

"My bonding ceremony with Dreamfyre was forcibly interrupted by that chain!"

By the end, Rhaegar almost roared the words from his throat.

Red veins appeared in his eyes, connecting with his purple pupils, creating an eerie contrast.

Failure wasn't terrifying.

Success being thwarted was the greatest sin.

Illyric hadn't expected things to turn out this way. He roughly grabbed Menas and threatened him, "You're responsible for regularly inspecting the Dragonpit. What's the deal with the chain?"

Even though he hadn't had much contact with dragons, he knew that the chains used to bind them were usually long enough not to impede their free movement.

As Rhaegar said, Dreamfyre's situation was far from normal.

Illyric had reason to suspect that this bastard Maester was trying to murder the Prince.

Being grabbed by the collar and lifted high, Menas was terrified and blurted out, "It wasn't me! I'm only responsible for cleaning bones and dragon dung, all the dirty, thankless jobs nobody else wants. How would I dare touch a dragon?"

"If not you, then who? The Dragonseed? Or that Maester you mentioned?"

Illyric clearly had no intention of letting him go. He landed two solid punches on Menas's face, causing his nose to bleed profusely.

Menas cried out and kept explaining, "It really wasn't me! Only the dragonkeepers can change a dragon's chains. Those guys can calm the dragons!"

He defended himself at the top of his lungs.

Rhaegar's burns hurt more from the noise, and he said irritably, "Tie him up first. We're returning to the Red Keep immediately. I must report this to my father."

The pain from his wounds made it impossible for him to think clearly. He only wanted two things right now.

First, to go home and find his father.

Second, to find out who had changed Dreamfyre's chain without authorization and feed them to the dragon.

Illyric agreed, "Yes, Prince."

He threw Menas to the ground, took his belt, and tied his hands behind his back.

After subduing the powerless bastard Maester, Illyric lightly picked up Rhaegar and carried him out.

The carriage was just outside the Dragonpit's main gate. Illyric's steps were steady and quick.

Ignoring the coachman's terrified expression, he settled Rhaegar onto the spacious seat of the carriage to lie flat.

He casually kicked Menas into the coachman's arms and instructed, "Tie him to the back of the carriage and make him run with it."

Finally, he added, "The Prince is injured. The carriage can go fast, but don't let it bounce too much."

"Yes, Sir."

The coachman had never seen such a scene. He obediently tied Menas to the back of the carriage and stuffed a dirty rag into his mouth.

Having completed his task, he drove the carriage back to the Red Keep.

Red Keep, King's Bedchamber.

Viserys, who had watched the jousting tournament all morning, returned to his room exhausted, lamenting his lack of energy.

"Summon the Hand. Tell him the King has something to discuss."

Rubbing his lower back, Viserys shouted towards the door.

A servant outside responded.

Within ten minutes, the Hand, Lyonel, pushed open the door and entered.

"Your Majesty, what matter requires discussion?"

Lyonel's stout body stood by the desk, asking respectfully.

Viserys waited for the servant to pour both of them a cup of wine before gesturing for him to leave.

Once only the two of them remained in the room, Viserys swirled his wine glass, sighing mournfully, "Lately, the letters proposing marriage to Rhaenyra have piled up like a mountain. I've been hesitating about what kind of partner to choose for her."

Lyonel looked hesitant and pondered, "Your Majesty, I believe there is something more important than choosing a consort for the Princess that requires your decision."

"Oh? Is there something more important than Rhaenyra's marriage right now?"

Viserys asked with a chuckle.

Lyonel couldn't bring himself to smile, his eyes fixed on the King's face from the moment he entered the room.

His extensive life experience had shaped his taciturn personality, while also granting him eyes that could see into people's hearts.

Lyonel knew the King was feigning ignorance, habitually evading difficult issues.

He downed the red wine in his goblet in one gulp and boldly stated:

"Your Majesty, Prince Rhaegar is your eldest son. According to the laws of primogeniture on the Westeros Continent, he should be the heir to the Iron Throne."

Viserys's expression immediately changed, and he said darkly, "But the current heir is Rhaenyra. She was chosen by me personally, and she is older than Rhaegar."

Now that the matter was out in the open, Lyonel had no reason to back down.

From a rational perspective, he argued, "Prince Rhaegar is male. A legally recognized male heir will be more likely to gain the loyalty of the lords."

"Rhaenyra has been the heir for many years, and she recently traveled the continent. Those lords already recognize her," Viserys retorted indignantly.

On this point, he was truly similar to Rhaenyra.

He enjoyed hearing others' opinions, but only treated them as opinions.

He acted entirely according to his personal preferences.

Lyonel said, "That's because they had no better choice. If Prince Rhaegar were presented, they would certainly be more willing to support a male heir."

Having worked together for many years, Lyonel understood Viserys better than Viserys understood himself.

He knew what to say and do to persuade the King.

Unfortunately, when it came to the succession, Viserys was resolute and unwilling to compromise.

He shook his head, displeased. "No! Rhaenyra has committed no wrongdoing, and no one can strip her of her right as heir."

"Then what about Prince Rhaegar?"

Lyonel didn't dwell on whether Rhaenyra had made a mistake. He calmly said, "Prince Rhaegar was born to be the heir."

"He was sickly before, but now he is healthy. Are you really going to abandon such an excellent eldest son?"

"Of course not!"

Viserys denied it outright and stated his plan, "Rhaegar is a good boy. He loves his father and his sister."

"I will hire the best teachers to instruct him, to help him grow into a man of integrity."

"When Rhaenyra ascends the throne in the future, he can take on the heavy responsibilities of Hand of the King, Regent, or even Protector of the Realm."

Lyonel was stunned, unable to believe his ears. "Your Majesty, do you truly intend this?"

This was merely a tactful way of putting it.

Lyonel's mind raced.

Wouldn't Rhaegar, the King's eldest son as he put it, be more suited to be the heir?

Moreover, would such an outstanding prince truly be content to live under someone else's shadow and contribute silently for their benefit?

Even the brothers in a small noble family would fight tooth and nail over inheritance.

Let alone the temptation of an entire kingdom.

Even siblings would not be so easily appeased!

Viserys ignored him and insisted, "I believe in Rhaegar. He will help his sister manage state affairs excellently and protect the kingdom from harm."

Lyonel opened his mouth, unsure of what to say for a moment.

He picked up the wine pot from the table, poured himself a drink, and downed it in one gulp.

"Alright, I trust your decision."

Given the support from everyone's rewards, the author made a firm decision and spent a large sum to purchase a cover.

Please don't mind it due to price limitations.

Thank you to Ying Yu Fo Fei for the reward of 2000 points.

Thank you to Huan Xiang Jian Fei De Wen Wen for the reward of 100 points.