The Strange Dream

"Mother doesn't like you," Shayani whispered.

"..."

Seeing no reply, Shayani added, "She only loves our two younger brothers."

How could someone so warm say such cold words?

Daeren held his forehead, a strange headache blooming.

But Shayani was right. Mother Rhaella only cared about Little Jay and Viserys, and had no regard for anyone else.

Especially not Daeren, the second son who was so favored by his husband, she showed him no warmth.

"I know, but we should still go see her."

Daeren's tone was helpless.

He knew it would be like offering a warm face to a cold backside, but she was the mother who raised him, after all.

Shayani didn't answer, quietly embroidering.

She didn't care about these things herself, she just didn't want her brother to be wronged.

"Does she still check on you every other day?" Daeren interjected.

Shayani remained silent, lost in her own world.

Seeing this, Daeren didn't disturb her further and walked alone to the living room window. Sunlight streamed through the glass onto a canvas.

He washed his brush, mixed his paints, and began to paint.

Seeing his brother paint, Jaeherys's eyes lit up, and he quickly leaned closer.

Viserys, like a pig without its wits, tiptoed to take cookies from his older sister's table, stuffing his face and scattering crumbs everywhere.

No one scolded him this time, as the siblings had always thought him simple-minded.

In the tense atmosphere of the Red Keep, the four siblings found a rare moment of harmony. The older two embroidered and painted, while the younger two clung to them.

The King's bedchamber.

After a light knock, Grand Maester Pycelle tiptoed in.

He carried a tray with a silver wine ewer and goblets.

"Your Majesty, I have prepared a new calming draught for you, which should help improve your sleep."

Pycelle placed the tray on the table, acting like a venerable old sage.

Barristan emerged from behind the curtain that blocked the view, pouring a milky white drink that reeked of alcohol.

Moments later, accompanied by the sound of heavy drinking, the goblet was tossed to the floor.

Aerys, sitting on the edge of the bed, spoke with renewed vigor, "Grand Maester, that infernal spinning jenny has been made. It is time to sell it to the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms."

"Your Majesty, the three-shuttle spinning jenny is a new invention, and it may still have many flaws."

Pycelle lowered his old eyes and spoke evasively.

Aerys's eyes narrowed, and he questioned, "What do you mean? Are you trying to hide something?"

"No, no, no, it's just the necessary settling period for a new invention."

Pycelle quickly explained.

"Then let it settle quickly and don't delay my important affairs!"

Aerys berated him, making the Grand Maester sweat.

Suddenly, his tone shifted.

"What do you think of my son?"

"Prince Rhaegar?"

Pycelle asked tremblingly.

Aerys sneered, "That ungrateful wretch is not worthy of being my son. I'm talking about Prince Daeren, Daeren · Targaryen, enfeoffed on the south bank of the Blackwater Rush."

"But Prince Daeren doesn't even have a castle."

Pycelle chose his words carefully.

"He will. I will build him the grandest and most majestic castle in history."

Aerys shouted maniacally.

Pycelle, accustomed to this, followed the King's lead, "Prince Daeren is young, handsome, and very likable. He will surely become a warrior as great as the Dragonknight Aemon in the future."

Aerys's face lit up with joy, and he burst into laughter.

"Hmm?"

Barristan, who had been listening the entire time, frowned slightly, sensing an unusual meaning in the Grand Maester's words.

The so-called praises felt more like describing a well-behaved, obedient child.

The person used as a comparison wasn't a prominent prince from history, but rather Dragonknight|Aemon, a member of the Kingsguard.

"Does the Grand Maester also support Prince Rhaegar?" Barristan asked, his mind already made up.

This was because he himself favored Crown Prince Rhaegar, whose swordsmanship he had personally tutored.

After a bout of laughter, Aerys got down to business: "I want to take this opportunity to build a city for Daeren, one that rivals King's Landing in scale, and construct it entirely from white marble."

Upon hearing this, Pycelle's old face changed color.

Aerys continued, talking to himself: "Once that white city is completed, I will move the palace there, and then relocate half the population from King's Landing. From then on, we won't have to endure the stench of this dung heap."

This time, even Barristan frowned deeply.

The proposal to build a new city south of the Blackwater Rush had first been raised by the King in 265 AC, and the council of ministers had exhausted all their efforts to dissuade him.

Pycelle, forgetting his fear, repeatedly shook his head: "No, absolutely not."

"Your Majesty, you know that since the War of the Ninepenny Kings, the treasury has been stretched thin. We only just paid off the loan to the Iron Bank a few years ago. We absolutely do not have the financial capacity to build a new city."

Aerys was furious: "What is wrong with me building a new city for my son!?"

Pycelle continued to shake his head.

It was impossible, and even if they killed him, he couldn't produce the money.

Furthermore, it wasn't about building a city for Prince Daeren; it was clearly the King's own desire for a grand construction project, a waste of resources and manpower.

After an argument lasting over an hour, Aerys, under the influence of sedatives, could no longer stay awake and fell asleep.

"I'll escort you out, Grand Maester."

Barristan saw him out of the bedchamber.

Once outside, Pycelle earnestly instructed: "Sir Barristan, His Majesty will wake up in a few hours. You must persuade him to abandon this unrealistic and grand plan."

Barristan said solemnly: "You are a man worthy of respect, Grand Maester."

He genuinely believed the other man was acting in the people's best interest.

Night fell.

In the Princess's chambers.

Shayani lay on a chaise lounge in her nightgown, her eyes peacefully closed.

"What action will Teacher take?"

Daeren, with his hands behind his head, lay by the roaring fireplace, contemplating the problems he would face tomorrow.

Night had fallen, and only the siblings remained in the room. The two younger ones had already been taken away by Rhaella's maids.

After envisioning seven or eight difficult scenarios and over a dozen possible solutions, Daeren gently turned over, his gaze falling upon the beautiful face in the dim light.

Gradually, his mind began to relax.

It wasn't a joke; within the entire Red Keep, Shayani was probably the only one who could make him feel completely at ease.

There were too few trustworthy people.

Speaking of which, according to the unique tradition of the Targaryen family, Shayani should have married his elder brother, Rhaegar.

But things had not gone as planned.

Initially, his father, Aerys, had been the staunchest advocate for continuing the tradition.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), the matter had been dropped.

The initial reasons were Shayani's personal issues and the opposition from the council of ministers.

From daily life, it was evident that Shayani was naturally reclusive, even somewhat detached from worldly affairs.

Such eccentric behavior was not uncommon in the Targaryen family's history.

For a long time, it was attributed to intellectual deficiency.

The family did have quite a few members with intellectual disabilities, and they were mostly female.

For example, "the Centenarian King" Jaehaerys I's youngest daughter, Princess Gaerys; "the Young King" Viserys I's daughter, Princess Helaena; and Aegon II and Helaena's daughter, Princess Jaehaera...

These were all clearly documented cases of individuals with special needs.

Later, scholars from the Citadel overturned this, distinguishing between reclusive personalities and intellectual disabilities.

Princess Gaerys and Princess Jaehaera were genuinely intellectually disabled.

Princess Helaena, who had ridden the dragon "Dreamfyre", was reclusive but intellectually sound.

Shayani was the same.

However, even so, the council of ministers still held prejudices.

They claimed that rather than having Prince Rhaegar marry Shayani and potentially have an heir with a peculiar disposition, it was better to separate the siblings and arrange alliances with the great noble families of the Seven Kingdoms.

Father Aerys would surely disapprove.

To marry his eldest son, Rhaegar, to a woman of Valyrian blood, he spared no effort, sending his old friend Duke Steffon Baratheon out to sea, to search for a suitable bride on the other side of the Narrow Sea, in Essos.

For this, Duke Steffon met his death at sea on his return voyage.

During the stalemate of differing opinions, someone took the first practical step.

Rhaegar went to Dorne alone, met Princess Elia Martell of Dorne, and conversed with Prince Doran with great pleasure, privately arranging a marriage engagement.

By the time Aerys learned of this, it was too late to stop it.

Daeren couldn't say if Rhaegar's actions were correct.

Given the current situation, Rhaegar marrying Princess Elia indirectly gained the support of the entire Dorne kingdom, possessing the strength to confront his old father, Aerys, head-on.

Otherwise, the wedding wouldn't have gone smoothly.

This was also the main reason Aerys later slandered his eldest son madly, calling him an ungrateful wretch and planning to revoke his heir status.

Rhaegar was married, and Shayani's marriage prospects fell through.

The most likely person to succeed him, naturally, was...

"Sleep, stop overthinking."

Daeren closed his eyes, forcing himself to sleep.

As time passed, his mind gradually emptied, and his breathing became even.

On the other side, Shayani on the bed quietly opened her eyes, gazed at the sleeping Daeren for a moment, then pulled the quilt up to cover her vision.

Evening, 22:00.

Daeren entered deep sleep and unknowingly began to dream.

In his dream, he returned to Dragon Tongue Farm, watering, weeding, and petting the chicks as usual.

"Caw caw caw!"

A crow flew over, landing at the edge of the tilled land, pecking at the newly sprouted seedlings.

Daeren frowned deeply.

With less than 15 plots of tilled land, how could a crow be attracted?

"Go away!"

Without thinking, he picked up his hoe and stepped forward to drive away the strange crow.

The crow flapped its wings and landed on a pine tree in the open space of the farm.

"Still not leaving?"

Daeren was puzzled. Crows in the game scattered at the slightest provocation; there was no setting for them to linger.

"Caw caw caw!"

The crow tilted its head and let out an unpleasant squawk.

Daeren felt suspicious and looked up to examine the crow carefully.

The crow showed no fear, leaning its head forward humanely, allowing Daeren to see more clearly.

Just as he was about to see the crow's full appearance, Daeren suddenly woke up.

[Farming: 0 Gold]
[Gathering: 40 Gold]
[Fishing: 0 Gold]
[Mining: 0 Gold]
[Other: 0 Gold]
[Total: 40 Gold]

Daeren forced his eyes open, realizing he had sold a dandelion during the day, triggering the settlement panel after 2 AM.

"What was that dream about, that strange crow..."

Daeren muttered to himself.

"What's wrong?"

Shayani had woken up at some point. Propping herself up with one hand on the couch, her silvery-gold, slightly curly long hair cascaded naturally, unconsciously exuding the unique gentleness of a young girl.

Daeren's voice was calm: "Nothing, maybe I'm just not used to sleeping in a different bed."

"Oh."

Shayani asked no further questions, withdrew her concerned gaze, and lay back down on the bed.

The room returned to silence.

Daeren closed his eyes, but his mind was clearly not at peace.

Dreaming, a strange crow, suddenly waking up...

"I hope it's not some kind of dark entity bothering me."

Daeren's thoughts were agile, quickly grasping the potential issue.