Prince Aemond peeked into Princess Rhaenyra's chambers. When he saw that Rhaenyra was not present, he slowly walked inside. Then his eyes searched for his little niece, Naerys. He spotted her on the floor, surrounded by rag dolls. Her wet nurse Glenys was playing with her.

Aemond walked towards Naerys and sat down on the floor beside her. He hugged her and kissed both her cheeks. Naerys giggled and touched his nose with her little fingers. When Aemond looked around himself, he noticed the servants putting Rhaenyra’s clothes in wooden chests. Raising an eyebrow, he said to Glenys, “Why are they putting Rhaenyra's clothes in these chests? Is she moving to different chambers?”

Glenys looked at the prince. He was too young and innocent to understand the intrigues of the court. Ever since Naerys was born, Aemond used to visit her regularly and play with her. She knew that it would break his heart if he learnt the truth. Having no other choice, she composed herself and said to him, “My Prince, Princess Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor are moving to Dragonstone with their children.”

Aemond's hands unconsciously circled Naerys tightly. Naerys looked at his face and leaned on his chest while her fingers wrapped around Aemond's hands. Aemond kept staring at Glenys. Even though he was calm, Glenys could say that he was on the verge of crying.

“Why?” he asked Glenys.

“The Princess of Dragonstone should live in Dragonstone, My Prince,” she replied.

They heard a knock on the door. Rhaenyra's lady-in-waiting, Elinda had arrived. She said to Glenys, “Princess Rhaenyra asked me to take Princess Naerys to her as it is time to leave.” Glenys nodded her head. Elinda smiled at Aemond and separated his niece from him.

“Wait!” Aemond said. “I have something that belongs to her. Let me get it,” he lied and Elinda believed it. He ran to his bedchamber and hurriedly looked through the chests which were filled with his toys. He took out a beautifully carved wooden fish from one of them and ran to Rhaenyra's chambers. He handed it to Elinda without saying another word. She took the wooden fish and smiled at him before leaving the chambers with Naerys.

Glenys kept staring at him. She said, “That was not her toy. Why did you lie to Lady Elinda, My Prince?”

“Neither Mother nor Rhaenyra will like this,” he said. Looking into the wet nurse's eyes, he spoke in a hushed voice, “Do not speak of this to anyone, not even to Naerys. Promise me.”

Glenys searched for signs of childhood mischief in his eyes, but all she saw was desperation. She could feel that he was holding back an ocean of tears. “I swear it by the Old Gods and the New, your secret is safe with me,” she said to Aemond.

The courtyard of the Red Keep :

Princess Rhaenyra was standing in the courtyard along with Ser Laenor and her ladies-in-waiting who were carrying her sons in their arms. Ser Harwin and Ser Qarl also stood beside them.

“Where is Syrax, Rhaenyra?” Laenor asked.

Rhaenyra said, “I will fly her to Dragonstone later.”

Laenor said to her, “I will fly to Dragonstone today and I think that I should take one of our children with me.”

“Children?” Rhaenyra asked, surprised.

“Aye, the children. I cannot take all of them with me and that's why, I shall take one of them. What about Luke? He is a little boy and it will be easier to carry him,” Laenor said.

“Lucerys is a suckling babe!” Harwin almost screamed. “He is too little to be carried by you on dragonback.”

Laenor raised an eyebrow and said, “What about Jace? He is a big lad now.”

Jacaerys covered his face with the scarf of the lady who was holding him in her arms. Seeing that, Rhaenyra chuckled and Laenor sighed. Just then, Elinda arrived with Naerys in her arms. Elinda handed the wooden fish to one of the servants who placed it with the other toys that belonged to Naerys.

Laenor walked towards Elinda and caressed Naerys' head. He said to her, “Naerys, will you go to Dragonstone with your father on dragonback?” On hearing that, Naerys smiled and stretched her arms as if asking Laenor to carry her.

“Looks like someone has already made her decision,” Rhaenyra said laughing.

Laenor strapped his daughter to himself and mounted Seasmoke, his pale silver-grey dragon. At his command, the dragon took flight and very soon, he was soaring in the blue sky. Naerys looked around herself in awe. Seeing that, Laenor said to her, “You will have a dragon one day, my dear daughter. On that dragon, you will be able to fly to the ends of the known world.”

By evening, Laenor and Naerys reached Dragonstone.

Lord Tyland Lannister’s chamber :

Lord Tyland Lannister poured a cup of wine for Lord Jasper Wylde.

“Second sons like me are left to fend for themselves, My Lord,” Tyland said. He handed the cup to Jasper and continued, “My Lord Brother has a castle, a wife and House Lannister shall continue through his lineage. And here I am, miles away from Casterly Rock, sitting in the Small Council as the Master of Ships and waiting to crown Prince Aegon after His Grace's death.”

Jasper laughed and said, “You sound too humble, My Lord. Being the Master of Ships and Lord Admiral is not very easy. These titles were held by the Velaryons for a century. Lord Manfryd Redwyne held the office for nine and thirty years during the reign of the King Jaehaerys. But after his death, it passed to the Velaryons again.”

Tyland said to him, “The titles would have still remained with House Velaryon if Lord Corlys had not resigned from the post after his wife was passed over as heir to the Iron Throne in favour of Prince Baelon.”

“But I wonder, My Lord. It is said that the gold of Casterly Rock is cursed and the sorcerers of Old Valyria had prophesied that it would destroy them. Then doom came to Old Valyria and destroyed the freehold along with its dragons. And yet you are here, serving as the Master of Ships to a Targaryen king, who is a Valyrian to the bone,” Jasper said.

“The Targaryens are known for many things, My Lord. Learning from the mistakes committed in the past is not one of them,” Tyland replied.

Jasper said, “That is indeed true, My Lord. Let us take the example of Princess Rhaenyra. Birthing one bastard is a mistake, but birthing two bastards and pretending that they are trueborn is foolishness. When her eldest son was born with brown hair, brown eyes and a pug nose, she should have realised her mistake and stopped bedding Ser Harwin Strong.”

Tyland chuckled and said, “And now she ran away to Dragonstone. That foolish woman thinks that it is going to save her.”

“Aye,” Jasper said. “It will only fuel the rumours. She could have stayed here and gathered powerful allies to support her claim. But she decided to isolate herself on that island,” he added.

Tyland whispered, “His Grace will never name Prince Aegon as his heir. If we are to support his claim and put him on the throne, we need to spread the details of Princess Rhaenyra's deeds all across the realm.”

“You are right, My Lord. The Lords of the realm might accept a woman as their ruler. But will they accept her bastard on the Iron Throne?” Jasper said.

“Some will and some won't,” Tyland said. “If she refuses to give up her claim, then a war is inevitable,” he added.

Jasper sighed. He then took a sip of wine and said, “Years ago, Daenys Targaryen foresaw the Doom of Valyria in a dream twelve years prior to it. Her father Aenar Targaryen heeded her advice and left the freehold with his entire household, wealth and dragons. That's how the Targaryens became the only dragonlords to survive the doom. A woman saved House Targaryen several years ago. But now, another woman is tearing it down with her transgressions.”

Tyland said, “I wonder if she will still continue to have children with Harwin.”

Jasper said nonchalantly, “Considering the fact that he accompanied her to Dragonstone, it is safe to assume that she will continue to do so. Sometimes, I find it difficult to believe that a princess can be so careless.”