Princess Rhaenyra had just taken a bath. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was alone in her chambers, as naked as her nameday. On the other days, her handmaidens would help her bathe and then help her get dressed. But on that day, Rhaenyra wanted to do it all by herself.

She dressed herself in a black silk gown. The seamstresses in the Red Keep had carefully embroidered red roses into the gown. It was the result of several sleepless nights. How could it not be beautiful? She then sent for her lady-in-waiting, Elinda Massey.

Elinda entered the chambers and curtsied. She said, "You called me, Princess."

"Oh yes," Rhaenyra said. "Braid my hair," she ordered.

When Elinda had finished braiding her hair, Rhaenyra picked a ruby necklace from her dressing table and wore it along with ruby earrings to match it. She took a bottle of rare spiceflower and cinnamon perfume that was brought from Lys, and sprayed the perfume on herself.

"It is time to go to the court," saying this, Rhaenyra stood up and started walking towards the door.

When she reached the door, she met Ser Harwin Strong and gave him a smile. Her lover returned the smile and looked at her with a penetrating gaze. The princess did not notice that, but her handmaiden who was standing just behind her, looked at him with disgust.

Elinda had known several men in her life, both good and bad. Ser Harwin Strong was a man whom she could not testify as a good man. She knew what happened between the princess and her sworn protector behind the closed doors. The princess trusted and loved him, she knew. But she did not trust him at all. "Paramours of a married woman cannot be trusted," she used to tell herself.

"You look as beautiful as the rising sun, My Princess," Harwin said. The princess smiled at him again and continued to walk towards the throne room.

Elinda was observing Harwin carefully. The smile on his face looked forced and his sweet words seemed poisonous. She did not even like the way he was walking. "Is he angry because the princess dressed up for her uncle today?" she thought.

Rhaenyra had always been more than fond of her uncle. Daemon might commit a hundred sins but it never made any difference to his niece. Elinda thought, "She might have missed him a lot. If not, then why would she dress up so beautifully today?"

Oldtown :

Ser Otto Hightower was sitting with his Lord Brother in the high hall of High Tower, the ancient seat of his house.

Lord Hightower said, "I hear that His Grace has allowed Daemon to return to the court so that his daughters may receive the royal blessing."

"It is true. The Lords in the council advised him against it. But the king was adamant," Otto replied.

Lord Hightower was not pleased with the answer. "Then what is your daughter doing? Why did she not convince him to accept the counsel?" he asked.

Otto said to his brother, "Just like I said, the king was adamant. Alicent tried to convince him, but he threatened to punish her as a traitor for questioning his decision."

Lord Hightower said, "The queen is doing what she thinks is right. But she is not doing it in the right way. I think that she still does not realise the threat that Daemon is going to pose. Daemon and his wife Laena are dragonriders with Laena riding Vhagar, the largest dragon in the world. Both of them are very close to Rhaenyra. If they choose to support her claim to the throne, then how will we challenge it? And if we can't challenge Rhaenyra's claim, then how will we put Aegon on the throne?"

"Daemon has always wanted the throne for himself. I doubt that he will support Rhaenyra or anyone else's claim," Otto replied.

Lord Hightower said, "You have not provided any solution, Otto."

"And do you have anything in your mind, Brother?" Otto asked.

"Yes, I have a solution," Lord Hightower replied. "Why should we fight him when we can win him to our side? Daemon has two daughters and the queen has three sons. Betroth Aegon to Baela, and Aemond to Rhaena. Once Daemon sees the possibility of his own daughter becoming the queen, he will fight for our cause," he added.

Otto said, "It sounds good, Brother. But it seems to me that you don't know what Daemon is. He is a vile man who sullied his own niece so that he could marry her and take the throne. Daemon will be a second Maegor. He will harm everyone who is close to him."

King's chambers:

King Viserys was resting in his chambers when Grand Maester Mellos arrived. The king ordered the servants to leave so that he could have some privacy with the Grand Maester.

Viserys said, "Mellos, tell me one thing. What do you think of Daemon? I ignored the Lords in the Small Council and allowed him to bring his daughters to receive the royal blessing. Almost half of my court is displeased. Even my own wife did not want to greet my brother."

"His misdeeds are not unknown to you. Then why did you choose to forgive him, Your Grace?" the Grand Maester asked.

"Daemon is a father now," Viserys said. "He will have changed."

"Hopefully so, Your Grace," the Grand Maester replied.

"Isn't there anything else that you want to say? Speak freely," Viserys said, seeing the hesitation on the Grand Maester's face.

"Good or evil, Prince Daemon is your trueborn brother and there should be no enmity among the kin. For war among the kin is hated by the Gods and brings down their wrath," the Grand Maester replied. "The prince has done terrible things in the past, that is true. But you chose to forgive him and let go of the bad memories. I advise you to stand by that and not allow the opinions of others to cloud your mind and confuse you," he added.

Viserys nodded his head and sighed. He then said, "You may go now, Grand Maester."

The Grand Maester bowed to him and left.

Ser Laenor's chambers:

Ser Laenor's chambers were filled with giggles and laughter. Ser Laenor, Princess Rhaenyra, Lady Laena and Prince Daemon had gathered in the chambers to talk and drink some Dornish wine. Rhaenyra also had some fruit and cheese tarts brought to them.

"Nuncle looks a lot leaner. It seems to me that he doesn't get enough food to eat," Laenor said smiling.

Daemon said to him, "I eat a lot, Laenor. But I have to perform a lot of tasks these days, specially at night. That is what made me leaner."

Suppressing his laughter, Laenor said, "I can see that very well."

"Where is Ser Harwin, Rhaenyra?" Daemon asked. "It has been a long time since I last saw him," he added.

Rhaenyra called Harwin, who was standing outside the chambers and said to him, "Prince Daemon was wondering where you were, Ser Harwin."

Looking at Daemon, Harwin said, "I was right here, My Prince. If you had observed your surroundings properly, you would have surely noticed me."

"You are right, Ser. It is my fault. I should have looked around myself carefully. And it is good that you are here, as strong as ever, protecting my niece. I was really worried when Ser Criston broke your collar bones in Rhaenyra's wedding tourney. It would have been a shame if both the sons of the Hand were crippled and House Strong had to continue through them," Daemon said.

Harwin gritted his teeth. He exchanged a look with Daemon which went unnoticed by everyone. Harwin said to him, "You need not worry, My Prince. Your beloved niece is in safe hands."

"May the Warrior give you strength and may the Crone light your way," Daemon replied.

Daemon and Harwin kept staring at each other when their thoughts were broken by Laena's voice.

Laena said, "Rhaenyra, you should visit Driftmark more often with your children. Baela and Rhaena will be very happy to play with Jace, Naerys and little Luke."

"Speaking of which, I wonder why your second son was named Lucerys? I thought Laenor wanted to name him Joffrey," Daemon said.

Laenor replied, "When Jace was born, I wanted to name him Joffrey, after my beloved friend, who died after getting injured in my wedding tourney. But my Lord Father didn't allow that and named him Jacaerys. The same thing happened when Luke was born. But I have decided on one thing. My father can keep giving Velaryon names to his other grandsons. But my third son will be named Joffrey."

Rhaenyra said, "And we are moving to Dragonstone which is close to Driftmark. So we can visit each other more often on dragonback."

"That will be wonderful," Laena replied.

Princess Rhaenyra's chambers:

Glenys placed Naerys on the cradle and started singing a lullaby.

"Sleep, my child, for the night is dark,
The sun has set and the moon is lost.
The jackals are roaming,
The foxes are howling,
The dragons are flying high.
Sleep, my child, for the stars are out,
The sun has set and the moon is lost.
The bells are ringing,
The maidens are singing,
The Gods are passing by.
Sleep, my child, for the night is dark,
The sun has set and the moon is lost.
What would be the gift?
And what would it cost?
Love or life or coins at most?
Sleep, my child, for the stars are out,
The sun has set and the moon is lost."