Rhaenyra and Daemon walked towards Maegor's Holdfast.
Viserys was resting.
As they walked side-by-side, passing a rat catcher, Daemon suddenly stopped.
He frowned, looking back at the rat catcher's retreating figure.
"What's wrong now?" Rhaenyra asked with pursed lips.
"That rat catcher isn't right. He's too strong," Daemon stared intently at the rat catcher's back.
"Too strong?" Rhaenyra's mouth twitched. "If he were too thin and weak, he wouldn't be able to catch the rats in the Red Keep."
"It's different. A rat catcher shouldn't have such a strong physique. A strong body doesn't just come from exercise; it requires sufficient nutrition."
Daemon's tone was gloomy, his eyes dark and fierce.
How much money could a rat catcher have?
To train such a strong body, just the food alone would be unaffordable for a rat catcher. After discovering the rat catcher's anomaly, Daemon's expression turned unpleasant, and he carefully observed the servants in Maegor's Holdfast.
The more he looked, the darker his face became; the more he looked, the more startled he felt!
Most of the male servants within Maegor's Holdfast were not right. Even the patrolling guards had the white sigil of the towering Hightower on their chests.
Daemon suddenly felt a bit weary.
He wanted to know if Viserys himself knew that the Red Keep had been infiltrated by the Greens and become a sieve?
This was just the Red Keep. If the scope expanded to King's Landing, who knew how many Greens there would be!
It was one thing that the Dragons weren't as dominant as the Greens, but now even King's Landing had been infiltrated by the Greens and become a sieve.
Given this, Daemon didn't know how Viserys intended to protect Rhaenyra?
To put it harshly, after Viserys passed away, how would Rhaenyra ascend to the throne?
"Let's go. We must have a good talk with your father, otherwise this throne won't be stable for you."
Daemon grabbed Rhaenyra's arm and quickly walked towards Viserys's chambers.
Rhaenyra looked bewildered, being dragged and pulled by Daemon to Viserys's chambers.
At this moment, Viserys was drinking warm water, concentrating on arranging his Valyria model. "Rhaenyra, Daemon, shouldn't you be in the Stepstones right now?" Viserys asked, surprised.
"Father, you haven't been drinking?" Rhaenyra tried to change the subject.
"Archmaester Mellos has devised a very strict diet plan for me so that I can live a few more years, for you."
Viserys glared at Rhaenyra in annoyance.
"Also, don't try to change the subject. Tell me, why didn't you go to the Stepstones?"
Facing Viserys's questioning, Rhaenyra lowered her head and remained silent.
Seeing this, Viserys's heart softened, feeling helpless.
"Rhaenyra, I'm doing this for your own good. I know you're worried about Aegon usurping the throne.
But I assure you, Aegon would never do that. He will be your helper. A King must have a King's..."
Before Viserys could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Daemon with an impatient expression.
"Brother, you know Rhaenyra is worried about Aegon usurping the throne, and you guarantee Aegon won't usurp the throne.
But do you know that the Red Keep has been infiltrated by the Greens and become a sieve?
I can guarantee you don't know.
You don't know anything!
You don't even know that the cook who makes your food is also one of the Greens!"
Viserys's expression instantly froze. He never cared about these things, not even bothering to inquire, so he truly didn't know.
No wonder the recent food... But to maintain his dignity, he still stubbornly said, "So what? Aegon won't harm me."
?
Daemon's eyelid twitched. Aegon won't harm you, so what about Rhaenyra?
Rhaenyra returns to King's Landing to participate in politics, only to find Greens' informants everywhere.
Even the food is made by the Greens.
Can Rhaenyra sleep soundly?
Can she eat?
"Aegon has been enfeoffed to the Stepstones by me, so he is no longer a threat to Rhaenyra," Viserys said with displeasure.
"Your Grace, as long as Aegon is still here, the Greens will not disappear.
Even if Aegon truly doesn't want the Iron Throne, the many nobles of the Greens will try to shove the Iron Throne under Aegon's backside.
The Hightower will do it, and the House Lannister will do it!
When you named Rhaenyra your heir, did you not consider that your second wife would bear you a son?
Now you are turning a blind eye to the potential threat.
What do you want Rhaenyra to do?
Fight alone?
Let Rhaenyra face Aegon, Helena, Aemond, and Daeron alone?
Let Syrax face the rapidly growing Sunfyre, the strongest Vhagar, the temperamental Dreamfyre, and Tessarion who is growing stronger every day?
Are you truly unclear whether Aegon is a threat or not?
Either you follow the wishes of those Green nobles and change your heir to Aegon, then all conflicts will dissipate.
Or you fully support Rhaenyra, clearing all thorns and paving the way for the only child of you and Queen Emma.
Hesitation will only bring harm to everyone, Your Grace, my dear brother."
Daemon pressed closer, and Viserys's face was extremely grim, yet he couldn't utter a single word.
He certainly understood that Aegon's existence was always a threat.
There were too many ambitious people in the Seven Kingdoms.
Regardless of whether Aegon desired the Iron Throne, the Green nobles would find a way to put Aegon on the Iron Throne.
"Alas."
Viserys sighed heavily, raising his hand to caress Rhaenyra's cheek.
"If only you were a boy."
"I'm sorry, Father, for disappointing you," Rhaenyra said, her head lowered, her expression unclear.
"Don't go to the Stepstones. I'll have the Citadel arrange for a white raven," Viserys said helplessly.
A white raven is a type of raven with white feathers.
Its feathers are as white as snow, and its eyes are black and bright.
Compared to their black relatives, white ravens are smarter and larger.
White ravens are rare. Throughout the Seven Kingdoms, only the Citadel possesses white ravens, and they are generally only used to deliver news of seasonal changes.
Black ravens cannot deliver messages to the Stepstones; only white ravens can.
Otto brought two white ravens from Oldtown. Alicent often wrote to Aegon, he knew.
Aegon also often wrote back, but never mentioned his father.
Thinking of this, Viserys felt a little disappointed, but he was already mentally prepared.
From the moment he enfeoffed Aegon to the Stepstones, the rift between father and son was irreparable.
He also understood Daemon's meaning.
It was nothing more than using the King's power to continue suppressing Aegon and supporting Rhaenyra so that Rhaenyra could successfully ascend to the throne.
Thinking of the conflict between his eldest daughter and eldest son, Viserys only felt a splitting headache.
Does he regret it?
A little, especially after Aegon showed enough responsibility and capability.
But it was too late to say anything now.
If he were to change the heir, it would only make him feel more guilty towards Rhaenyra.
He would even be afraid to meet his Emma in his dreams.
"You two go out first. I want to rest for a while and give it some serious thought," Viserys waved his hand.
Rhaenyra and Daemon exchanged glances and turned to leave.
"Rhaenyra, I love you more than anyone. I am your father," Viserys's voice suddenly sounded. "I love you too, Father. I will always be your daughter."
Rhaenyra turned and came to Viserys's side, gently kissing his cheek.
"Rest well, Father. I will always believe in you and love you."