A meeting was called.

She didn't want to leave Rhaenyra, especially not after she'd just fallen asleep. But the knocking on the door had found no end and Otto himself had pleaded that she come with him to the Small Council chambers.

She followed sadly, the two of them remembering the last time the castle had been so quiet, just after his wife passed, and before that, when Jaehaerys drifted away. "How is Gwayne?" she managed to ask softly. "I apologize that I did not come to see him."

"He'll be alright," whispered Otto. "He was more concerned that he'd disappointed you."

"Disappointed me? Never. He's a bright boy and he suffered the consequences of Daemon's anger towards us. Gods, I should have spoken to Gwayne where he wouldn't see it."

"He would have chosen him regardless. Such is his nature." He shook his head. "I am sorry for your loss, Princess. I know it is not your first nor unfortunately your last, and yet I feel you've endured it more than most."

"I've grown used to it," murmured Daenys. "But I cannot break now, not when Rhaenyra and Viserys will need me. Aemma would wish for me to take care of them."

"You take care of everyone in this castle, Princess. Who takes care of you?"

She came to a stop, looking him in the eyes, finding there were so many words she could not bring herself to say. In the end, she decided, "I take care of myself too, Lord Hand. But my family comes first."

They found Viserys and the other men already waiting in the Council chambers. The King looked up at Otto expectantly, and he said, "Your Grace, this is the last thing any of us wish to discuss at this dark hour, but I consider the matter urgent."

"What matter?" asked Viserys tiredly, looking over at Daemon's empty seat and then at Daenys, who shook her head not knowing why he wasn't here. Surely someone had gone to fetch him, but he ought to be here by now.

"That of your succession. These recent tragedies have left you without an obvious heir."

Daenys closed her eyes sadly. A part of her knew he was right; everyone had come for the tourney because of an expected heir. Now there was only Daemon. "My brother is still the heir," said Daenys quietly.

Otto nodded. "Despite how difficult this time is, Your Grace, I feel it important the succession be firmly in place for the stability of the realm."

"The succession is already set," said Lord Lyonel. "By precedent and by law."

"Shall we say his name?" said Lord Corlys. "Daemon Targaryen."

Lord Beesbury spoke, "If Daemon were to remain the uncontested heir, it could destabilize the realm."

"The realm?" asked Lord Corlys. "Or this council?"

"No one here can know what Daemon would do were he King," said Otto. "But no one can doubt his ambition. Look at what he did with the Gold Cloaks. The City Watch is fiercely loyal to him. An army two-thousand strong."

"An army you gave him, Otto," said Viserys tightly. "I named Daemon Master of Laws, but you said he was a tyrant. As Master of Coin, you said he was a spendthrift that would beggar the realm. Putting Daemon in command of the City Watch was your solution!"

"A half-measure, Your Grace. The truth is, Daemon should be far away from this court."

She wondered where he was going with this. Viserys held up a finger, "Daemon is my brother. My blood. And he will have his place at my court."

"Let him keep his place at court, Your Grace," said Mellos, "but if the gods should visit some further tragedy on you, either by design or by accident–"

"Design?" snapped Viserys. "What are you saying? My brother would murder me, take my crown? Are you?! Please. Daemon has ambition, yes, but not for the throne. He lacks the patience for it."

"The gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power, Your Grace," said Otto.

"Under such circumstances," continued Mellos, "it would not be an aberration for the King to name a successor."

Lord Lyonel frowned. "Well, who else would have a claim?"

They were silent. Otto spoke up, "Two people. The King's younger sister and the King's firstborn child."

Daenys stopped staring at the porcelain ball. "Excuse me?"

"Daenys and Rhaenyra?" said Lord Lyonel, bewildered. "A woman and a girl?" He looked at Daenys uncomfortably before admitting, "No Queen has ever sat the Iron Throne."

"That is only a tradition and precedent, Lord Strong," said Mellos.

"If order and stability so concerns this council," said Lord Lyonel, "then perhaps we shouldn't break one hundred years of it by naming a female heir."

Otto seemed to think breaking tradition was a good thing. "Daemon would be a second Maegor or worse. He is impulsive and violent. It is the duty of this council to protect the King and the realm from him. I'm sorry, Your Grace, but that is the truth as I see it and I know others here agree."

"Daemon would not be so wicked," Daenys said, holding her head in her hands. This was too much to take in, and even as she spoke she doubted her own words. "No, if he had the throne, he would mellow out. My brother is a wild spirit because he has yet to find his true calling, because he has many places where he likes to divert his attention. If Daemon were King, he would listen to me. He would keep me on this council as King Viserys has, he would name me his Hand, he would be fair! He... he is the chosen heir and for us to change that, it would be considered a slight. We ought not even be talking about this, my cousin and her son have barely passed..."

"I will not be made to choose between my brother, sister, and daughter," said Viserys weakly.

"You wouldn't have to, Your Grace," said Lord Corlys. "There are others who would have a claim."

Lord Lyonel laughed. "Such as your wife, Lord Corlys? 'The Queen Who Never Was?'"

"Rhaenys was the only child of Jaehaerys's eldest son. She had a strong claim at the Great Council, and she already has a male heir."

"Just moments ago you announced your support for Daemon!" said Otto.

Lord Corlys continued, "–if Daenys or Rhaenyra were chosen, they would need to wed and begin producing heirs immediately. Daenys has already proclaimed she will not be forced to wed again and Rhaenyra is a child–"

"If we cannot agree on an heir," said Lord Lyonel, "then how can we expect–"

"My wife and son are dead!" Viserys burst out, causing them all to go silent. "I will not sit here and suffer crows that come to feast on their corpses!" He stood, dismissing the meeting by walking out.

Daenys's hand trembled as she reached for her little ball. The men of the Small Council sat back down. "He has named an heir," said Daenys quietly. "He did not plan for it to last, he meant to have a son, but that did not happen. Tragedy has struck and as such we should adhere to what the King decided, to the measures he had in place to hold if he did not have a male heir. Daemon is his heir. He said it, years ago. He will not change his mind. We should not have come here to try and alter the succession when the grief is so fresh."

"Sit, Princess," said Otto. "Please."

She lowered herself back down. "It is true that Princess Rhaenys, daughter of Aemon, is the eldest heir," said Otto. "But the Great Council selected your brother. He is the center and all branches come from within it. He has one child, yet two siblings. One of whom is out of control and the other who has kept her seat here for years. Your brother misses every meeting he wishes to. He does not honor an existing marriage he has. You honored yours as was your duty. You have done the task set out for you as a member of this Council. You are a woman grown where Rhaenyra is just a child. You have the ability to fight with a sword within battle just as many kings before you have done. You ride Vhagar, the largest left in the world, a dragon ridden by Visenya, sister of Aegon the Conqueror. The dragon of your father, Baelon. He himself was heir. Should you not be considered?"

Daenys's hand shook. "I will hear no more of this. Excuse me, my lords, I must see that my niece is well."

Rhaenyra was awake. She'd been roused by a nightmare, crying and hugging her knees, panicking when she realized her aunt was not there anymore. Daenys apologized profusely and said the Council had met but gave her no further details. Once she'd calmed, she vowed to spend the night, thinking over and over about what had been said.

Otto's words were ringing in her ears. She had never thought that she would be seated on the Iron Throne. She had had this idea since her father was named heir that he would rule for a very long time before Viserys ever sat it. And then, when Viserys was crowned, she had prayed and prayed he would have a boy to settle all this worry. For Otto to offer this showed her many things, most importantly that for him to consider her an option meant that her words had made an impact, the time could now change.

If she was named heir, everything changed. The line of succession no longer went through her father's sons, it went through her and whoever she chose as her husband. Would her children be dragonriders? Would their father take all the credit? Could she even be a good Queen? Rhaenyra was just a girl. A girl who wanted to be free, a girl whose heart ached for her mother.

This was too much responsibility on the both of them. Her niece just wanted to be seen and appreciated by a father who only ever seemed to want a son. Would she want to be heir? Would she be ready for it? Sitting the throne meant everything was restricted. Daenys and Rhaenyra both enjoyed their freedom too much. But if someone had to shoulder that burden... Daenys would never let Rhaenyra be made to suffer. She'd burn down all of Westeros if that was what it took to keep that girl safe and happy.

And yet she knew that should either of them be chosen, the outcome would be the same. Some resistance from those without open minds. Backlash from Daemon. A potential betrayal from Viserys. He was still young and she was absolutely certain he would be urged to remarry in time— Baelon might've refused but he told Daenys that it wasn't just her Aunt Viserra who had tried to seduce him and solve the problem of him needing more sons. Daemon would hate all the options involved and though he might not hurt Rhaenyra so directly, she was sure he would hurt her now that he was already upset.

In the morning, she helped Rhaenyra eat breakfast and dressed her for the day. Rhaenyra followed Daenys to her room, sitting by the window while her aunt readied herself, the two linking their arms to head to the next Small Council meeting, another deemed-emergency from Otto.

She knew he was trying his best to mitigate any problems that might arise on top of this entire ordeal. She respected he was doing something, but she wished they could let her brother and niece mourn in peace before bombarding them with more orders. Apparently, as things stood without a formal decision, Daemon had already become aggravated and had stooped low enough to hurt the family he claimed he wanted to protect.

"Before we begin, Your Grace," said Otto as Rhaenyra sadly filled their cups. Daenys's eyes ached from a lack of sleep. "I have a report I feel compelled to share. Last night, Prince Daemon bought out one of the pleasure houses on the Street of Silk to entertain officers of the City Watch and other friends of his. He toasted Prince Baelon, styling him... 'The Heir For a Day.' I corroborated this report with three separate witnesses. The evening was, by all accounts... a celebration."

Rhaenyra couldn't take it. Daenys reached out to accept the pitcher of wine, setting it gently on the table as the girl ran out. She didn't bother to excuse herself, running after her niece and following her into the gardens. "Please do not hurt yourself, little dragon," said Daenys, catching Rhaenyra as she stumbled and nearly fell to her knees. "Oh, my girl..." She pulled her close, hugging her tight. "I am so, so very sorry."

"Why would he say such a thing?" said Rhaenyra between tears. "What could have possessed him–?"

Daenys had a bad feeling that Daemon knew what Otto had been recommending Viserys do. But she could not confirm this, given she could not find him when she went looking. Otto informed her later, once Rhaenyra had taken to the skies, that Viserys would handle reprimanding him.

"Do you really believe Viserys should name me or Rhaenyra heir?" asked Daenys, walking through the gardens with him for some privacy. "Do you believe he will?"

Otto nodded slowly. "After what your brother has just done, I believe it inevitable that His Grace will name you his heir."

"Me? Not Rhaenyra?"

"The Princess is young and in great pain. Your brother will likely choose you to succeed him..." He trailed off, but clearly had more to say.

"You can be honest with me," said Daenys, knowing where this conversation was headed. Perhaps Otto wasn't as open-minded as she wanted to believe, and on top of this, perhaps he knew that the Realm would not be ready for this yet. "It is a temporary affair. Just as when Aerea and Daenerys were Maegor and Jaehaerys's heirs. The Stranger comes but Death does not change centuries of tradition, as Lord Strong has reminded us. No one will want it long term."

"Unfortunately I do not see that as the case, Princess," admitted Otto. "The Realm will want for His Grace to remarry and produce a male babe; I've already warned him of this. Prince Daemon is an unwise choice but even deciding between yourself and Princess Rhaenyra will divide the Realm. In time, the King will need to take a new wife."

"I thought so," she sighed, fearing Viserys would comply, given how he'd always obsessed over having a son. "Well... then I should hope he names me, so as to not bestow this disappointment on Rhaenyra. Viserys always did play right into the game of sons being more important than daughters. He's never let up his obsession. I'm sure adequate time will be given for him to grieve?"

Otto hesitated. "Several months will be the most the Realm may tolerate. It is likely His Grace will be pressured quite soon. Though, as I had a solution to settling this debate about heirs and easing the worries of the people... so do I have a solution for the future."

She tilted her head. "You mean, you've already planned the moves? You know who he should name and who he should subsequently marry?"

"Yes. And they are one in the same." He stopped in his tracks. "I believe the King should name you heir and then announce he will take you to wife when he is ready."

She blinked several times. "Otto, you know that I do not feel such things for Viserys in particular. He was always more patronizing toward me than Daemon, always involved elsewhere to the point he was a distant figure in my life. He forced me to marry and I've never forgiven him for it. No."

"Princess," he pleaded when she began to walk away. "Daenys, please." When she stopped, "Regardless of who he names, I assure you, there will be a great force willing him to remarry and make a second attempt at producing male heirs. In remaking alliances, he may force you to marry again. You would have to leave the Red Keep. This is a preventative measure for all involved. You remain here, you ease the Realm in more ways than one. Princess Rhaenyra will probably be much more comfortable with you than with another..."

"Firstly," said Daenys shakily, "if he names me heir, I do fear Daemon will kill me. Secondly, if Viserys makes me marry him, Daemon will kill us both." Otto furrowed his brows and she clarified in awkward admittance, "Daemon has been wishing to marry me since we were young. When Viserys forced me to marry Gareth Tyrell, it was revealed that he, too, desired me and Daemon was furious for it."

"Then we'll urge him to temporarily name Princess Rhaenyra and we will protect you both, we will tell the Princess the truth of it and do our best to keep her happy. But you must still consider marrying King Viserys. It will stabilize the Crown."

"It would tear my family apart. I do not exist merely to indulge my brothers' desires! If I were to wed any of them, I would wed Daemon, and even he I do not think of for a husband because he would hurt my heart constantly. Viserys cut Aemma open, tortured her for years trying to have a male babe. I would be signing myself up to die at his hand. Otto, please, I cannot do this. We must try to have the Realm accept a Queen... we could convince Viserys not to value sons over daughters and we could put our efforts into having the people support Rhaenyra rather than creating a force to protect me and her from Daemon's wrath! He claims he does not want the throne, that he wishes to protect our family... I will teach him to show his devotion by uplifting her as the next Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Surely we can make this work..."

Otto sighed deeply, his nostrils flaring. "I do not think it will be possible in our lifetimes. If we were to go that route, wishing to promote a Queen permanently... it would have to be you regardless, Princess. You fight with a sword and ride Vhagar as Visenya did. Even then, I fear we do not have a hope without you also marrying a prominent family for strong allies, even bartering off Rhaenyra to win support and prevent resistance from the Realm. Daemon would still make your life miserable and not everyone's minds will be changed."

She took his hands abruptly, looking around quickly then saying, "What if I married you?"

He was taken aback. "Princess?"

"If I am named heir, even temporarily, I will be pressured to marry immediately and made to produce children as I am nearing my twenty-ninth name day. I will be bombarded with suitors I don't know or care for, made to endure hours and hours of pitiful conversations... why should I not think of a man I already know, trust, and am comfortable around? I know already that you will prepare me well for being Queen if it comes to that. Would you not also comfort me as a husband?"

"Princess... I will always serve your family. I-I simply never thought..."

"Never?" she asked, confidence waning. "You've always been there for Viserys... even before that illness from sitting the throne began. You've counseled him well and I have seen it. I saw the way you loved your wife and children. I've found in you a friend for several years now. You are honest and I... I don't know, I supposed through it all, there must have been a time where you looked to me with admiration as I did you."

"I have looked to you with admiration," he admitted, squeezing her hands. "I have seen how you've comforted my children and been comforted as well. But how could I ever speak on this? Both His Grace and the Prince will despise it, perhaps consider it treason if they both wish to marry you. Viserys could forbid it."

"We are his two favorite people," she tried to reason, glad this was not one-sided. "If we present the idea to the entire Council, perhaps he cannot object. If... if some duty has to be performed... this is what I choose."

"Are you entirely certain, Princess? Do not do this only to fulfill a duty or to spite your brothers. I do not wish to see you suffer, to see you lose your smile because you are trying to save your family and the Realm and leaving yourself to take care of at the very end."

She could only focus on one thing he'd said. "Do you count my smiles often, Lord Hand?"

He blushed. "It is a pleasant sight, Princess. Its absence does not go unnoticed."

"Don't you believe King consort sounds better with your name than Lord Hand? Is it so wrong to show that we care about each other? To create a new order of things? You know that I will be a strong Queen like Alysanne and I know with you as my consort, the Realm will thrive. We can figure everything out about alliances later. I should still hope for Viserys to live for many more years and should he still have to remarry and produce more heirs... I will still be happier married to you than anyone else. Think about it, please, I beg of you."

In response, he let go of her hands, cupped her face, and kissed her firmly. Daenys melted into it, holding his elbows, having to tiptoe to keep him from leaning too far down. He let out a noise of desperation, one hand holding the back of her head and drawing her closer.

"Daenys..." The way he said her name was addictive, it filled her with emotion and made her wish they weren't hidden away between rosebushes. She pulled him further into the garden, finding shelter beneath an arch.

"Marry me," she whispered. "When Viserys names me heir, marry me. You said he likely would, and so we will have this ready to declare."

He kissed her again, pressing her into the arch and tracing a hand down to her waist, holding her right above where her sword was fastened. "When he names you heir," whispered Otto, "I will swear to uphold you as Queen all my days. We will rule the Realm as Jaehaerys and Alysanne did."

"I like the sound of that," she said, tracing her lips down his neck. "As soon as I am named, I will be pressured into making heirs of my own. How would you like to give me my heir?"

"Gods," panted Otto, tilting his head back as she slid her hands into his cloak, holding his hip dangerously close to his groan. "If you were to ask such a thing of me behind a closed door, I could not contain myself."

"Then don't. Let us go now, while everyone is occupied. If you are so sure Viserys will name me, it won't matter. We'll wed swiftly. And even if he names Rhaenyra, I want you, Otto. I want you by my side."

"Now?" He caught her wrist before she could start palming over his crotch. "You wish to go now?"

"Daemon will want to avoid being caught, we won't be seen if that is your worry." She pulled away, a mischievous look in her eyes. "Where is your sense of adventure?"

His lips curled into a smile. "I cannot deny my future Queen such a thing, now can I?"

She'd left the gardens first, checking for Daemon around every corner as she went towards her chambers. A guard informed her that Viserys had already located him and would soon hold an audience with him in the throne room. The girls were otherwise occupied and no one was currently looking for Otto or Daenys.

He'd slipped in once she'd already slipped off her sword and ringmail, working furiously on the strings of her trousers. He turned away for a moment to lock the door, perhaps to breathe and ready himself, then made his way toward her and kissed her again, much harder than before.

"Are you alright?" she asked him as he struggled to remove his clothes. "Do you need a moment? Do you... want to stop?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I don't want to stop. I don't need a moment. I only— I only need you." He took her hands and placed them over his cloak, beckoning her to remove it for him. She did, tossing it off then helping him out of his shirt and trousers, until she'd laid him on her bed naked.

"Are you sure?" she asked, still seeing him hesitant. The momentum had died and she noticed his passion fading. "Otto, you can change your mind. I will not judge you for it."

"Yes," he assured. "I am ready. I have felt ready for some time now. I have..." His face reddened, "I have imagined this more times than I care to admit. It must have been two years after my wife died, once you were named to the Small Council, that I felt it for the first time."

She raised a brow at him, still listening as she finally rid herself of her last garment, shirt removed so she might crawl onto the bed, seated beside him. Otto continued, "We'd met about a shipment from Highgarden. Viserys and Daemon were both teasing you about how all claimed you killed your husband. I could see it affected you and then I knew how deep your care was for your family. The things you'd tolerated and survived for them. Later that day, I saw you with Alicent. She'd had her first bleed and was terrified, and you were comforting her, explaining everything and giving her one of your old dresses to wear. You sat with her and Rhaenyra, I heard you talk to them about becoming women and assuring my daughter that you would always be there to guide her."

"It brought you ease," she reasoned. "To see that she would be well taken care of."

"Yes. That day I began to imagine you... this. I envisioned even then having a child with you. But... but I could never say it. I knew you did not want marriage or children."

Daenys leaned down, placing a hand on his chest. "I have been scared of childbirth because of what I saw it do to the women in my family. My mother and Aemma's died because of its complications. I was my grandmother's substitute daughter after so many dead babes. My Aunt Gael killed herself from the misery of a stillborn, and I watched for years as Viserys tormented Aemma with all those pregnancies. I figured my story would be the same. I am still afraid of what is to come... but I am not afraid of having children when it comes to you. I've seen how you supported your wife and I know you will not do to me what Viserys did. And... I have always been resilient. When my brother chooses me to be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms after him, the gods will not let me die. I have Vhagar's strength and I will brave it all alongside you."

He reached out to pull her onto him, guiding her in straddling him and watching her face closely as she sighed, beginning to swivel her hips in anticipation. "Our child will sit the Iron Throne," he whispered, lifting her just enough to connect them, eliciting another sharp gasp. He held her waist tight, breathing heavily and staring at her pouting lip. "That seat will belong to you and to them."

"It will," she gasped, abruptly removing his arms and pinning them over his head, surprising him. She smirked and said breathily, "Did you really think I'd let you be in control? Not yet. You'll have to earn it. Our child..." She undulated her hips, watching his face as he shut his eyes, overwhelmed with pleasure, "will be a dragonrider, as I am. And right now, you ought to brace yourself, Lord Hand. Because I will ride you as if you were a dragon."

It had been painfully hard to keep herself quiet, having been used to the liberty to scream if she so wished during the time she was with Gareth. She had kissed Otto fervently to keep the noise down, and later had buried her own face with a pillow as he demonstrated that he was not any weaker simply because he was eleven years her senior. She'd remained abed with her legs elevated on a pillow as he snuck out, hoping not to be seen. She smiled to herself, satisfied, imagining that after all the sadness in her life, she might finally reap a period of happiness.

It was not the case. The Small Council meeting held the next day began with tension, before Viserys had said anything about who he had chosen. Rhaenyra was notably absent and Daemon's seat was empty as usual. Viserys announced that for his comments, he had been banished back to Runestone. Whether he would actually go there had yet to be seen.

"I have made my decision, to ease the Realm," said Viserys, bitterness laced in his voice. "I have selected an heir for stability, but I do not do this on a whim. I have thought of it carefully and I intend for the person I've chosen to succeed me."

Daenys leaned forward, Otto doing the same. She found that she felt excitement waiting to hear her name, waiting to be told she would be the next person to sit the Iron Throne. Viserys glanced at her and smiled weakly, then said, "I have chosen... my daughter, the Princess Rhaenyra."

She fought to keep her expression from faltering. She worried about Rhaenyra but knew she could protect her and teach her. Regardless, Daenys intended to marry Otto. He cared for her and she cared for him, they'd surely be less stressed if they didn't have to immediately leap into the duties of Princess of Dragonstone and Ser Prince consort. She noticed Otto looked disappointed, and hoped it was because he thought her robbed of a right, instead of thinking of what he would not become.

"An excellent choice, Your Grace," said Lord Lyonel kindly, in an attempt to support Viserys while everyone else stared at him in disbelief. Even Lord Corlys was eyeing Daenys with pity, as if she'd been slighted the way Rhaenys was. Daenys supposed she should have never been so convinced she'd be chosen. She hadn't wanted to be Queen before... she ought not find herself filled with that desire now.

"Additionally," said Viserys, "I have been advised to take a new wife. As such, I propose that after a suitable period of mourning..." He faced his sister, "I wed the Princess Daenys."

The seat had been taken and her family shattered in her grasp again.