"All right, I'll leave the rumors to Lyonel." Viserys waved a hand, his tone softening again. His daughter's reputation was at stake, after all, and as her father, he wanted to make certain once more. "Actually, there was indeed something more important I wanted to discuss when I was about to summon you earlier."
Rhaenyra blinked and asked with feigned confusion, "What is it, Father?"
She already had a good idea. She had come of her own accord early that morning because she had accepted Aegon's suggestion. After all, the best way to foil a plot was to strike first.
Rhaenyra had done nothing wrong. As long as she was confident enough, no one could slander her.
And that had indeed proved true.
The siblings had also agreed to approach their father one at a time that morning, proceeding step by step until Viserys formally settled the betrothal they had agreed upon the night before.
Unfortunately, neither Aegon and Rhaenyra nor Viserys and Lyonel knew that both sides were hoping to bring about the very same thing through their conversations that morning.
Rhaenyra had not considered that possibility, nor had she expected things to go so smoothly.
"Rhaenyra, there was a great fire on the Street of Silk last night. Did you know?" Viserys looked at her and spoke slowly.
Rhaenyra nodded, her tone calm. "I did. Thanks to that fire, I escaped the eyes watching me from the shadows and returned safely to the Red Keep."
Viserys's eyes flew wide, disbelief written all over his face. "You knew?"
Rhaenyra concealed nothing. Instead, she explained everything behind the fire, as matter-of-factly as if she were taking an old, long-dried garment from a wardrobe, shaking it out, and laying it flat.
"Aegon told me." Rhaenyra smiled, undisguised pride in her voice.