Lyonel did not hurry him. He simply sat in silence, slowly turning his wine cup in his palm.
After more than twenty years of friendship, he knew Viserys better than Viserys knew himself. He knew what to say and what to do to persuade the king who sat upon the Iron Throne.
He knew when to advance, when to retreat, and when to stop halfway through a sentence, leaving the other man room to persuade himself.
Those frank, insightful words were proof enough of Lyonel Strong's wisdom, his exceptional eloquence, and his loyalty to the kingdom.
It had to be said that his words stirred Viserys deeply-he had considered changing his heir before.
Unfortunately, Viserys chose today of all days to defy expectations. Faced with the question of succession that gave even him a headache, he stood firm and refused to yield.
"No." Viserys shook his head, his resolve unchanged, though some of his earlier anger had given way to weariness. "Rhaenyra has done nothing wrong. No one can strip her of her standing as heir. No one."
But, unfortunately for him, Lyonel truly had no intention of persuading him to change his heir.
Lyonel did not dwell on the matter any further. His fingers curled slightly. After all, he had never come to persuade Viserys to name a different heir.
"Then what is to become of Prince Aegon?" Rather than linger over the question troubling Viserys-whether Rhaenyra had done anything wrong-he calmly approached it from another angle. "Prince Aegon was born your eldest son. Now his excellence, precocious wisdom, sound judgment, and kindness are known throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Would Your Grace abandon such an outstanding eldest son and disregard his future?"
Viserys's heart gave a violent pang, and the corner of his mouth twitched with it.
"Of course