Clinton fell silent for a moment, as though steeling himself.
At last, he raised his head and lowered his voice. "Your Majesty, forgive my frankness. There is far more to his identity than that of an adopted son."
"He is Aegon," Clinton said, enunciating every word. "Aegon Targaryen. The trueborn son of your elder brother, Prince Rhaegar, and Princess Elia Martell. Your nephew."
Viserys first feigned disbelief, as though the claim were absurd, then his expression hardened into cold scrutiny. "Aegon? My nephew Aegon was killed by the Lannisters when King's Landing fell. Everyone in the Seven Kingdoms knows that. Clinton, are you making a fool of me?"
"That was a lie, Your Majesty," Clinton countered urgently. "It was Tywin Lannister's scheme. He passed off the corpse of a commoner's infant as Young Griff. Varys secretly switched the real Aegon with another child and rescued him before the city fell. After passing through several hands, he was brought to Illyrio Mopatis, the magister of Pentos, who eventually entrusted him to me."
He drew a deep breath and continued, "They had been secretly planning the return of House Targaryen all along. Back then, they entrusted the infant prince to me and told me to conceal my identity. So I raised him in the Disputed Lands as 'Earl Griffin,' waiting for the right moment to help him reclaim the Iron Throne."
He looked at Aegon, his gaze conflicted. "All these years, I followed Varys and Illyrio's instructions, protecting the prince and teaching him governance, warfare, and history. They provided money and intelligence. They believed Prince Aegon was the rightful heir. He had received the finest education and had a kind heart. He was the most fitting banner under which to unite the Seven Kingdoms and restore the dynasty. Then you and your