DRAGONSTONE, 42 AC

After Jaehaera left, Maegor looked at his daughter, Rhaella.

"What did you think of what your mother said?" He wouldve liked to know his daughters opinion on their mothers outburst.

"She isn't wrong." Rhaella shrugged. She never liked Dorian or Kathryn particularly well, so she would do anything to contribute to their downfall.

"She claims that Dorian Hightower is responsible for the mistresses I have had over the years. She says that Dorian supplies them."

Maegor looked at Rhaella, waiting for her reaction.

"That's because he is." Rhaella said in a dry voice, she was quite wise for a 13 year old. "Like Mama said, these women just don't spawn out of thin air."

Maegor was more than impressed with how smart his daughter turned out to be.

"Then I shall have to speak to Dorian, Rhaella." Maegor could not allow such things to go on without having a confrontation.

He looked at Rhaella, wondering if she had known the whole time and didn't tell him.

"Good luck, maybe he'll supply another woman for you in the middle of the conversation."

Maegor chuckled, knowing his daughter was right.

"I know you're correct. Now come, I have a question for you that I would like your honest opinion on."

"Ask and you shall receive." She chuckled.

"Do you like Kathryn?" Maegor said it out of the blue.

He needed to know the honest opinion of his daughter.

"No. I would've rather you wedded someone else." She plainly said.

"Who would you have had me wed instead?" Maegor asked the question curiously, wondering who his daughter would have liked better.

"If this was about advantage, you should've wed Freya Arryn instead of her. What advantage is a riverlander for us?"

Maegeor's jaw dropped when he heard his daughter say that. His daughter wanted him to wed a 12-year-old child instead of Kathryn...

"And why is that?" Maegor said it with a sharp tone, he had already known the answer, he just wanted Rhaella to tell him straight to his face.

"She's the heiress to the Vale, she is widely loved by the people for her charitable acts. We could've really needed that instead of a Riverlander who's been accused of being a witch."

"Yes, and she is also 12 years old." Maegor shook his head at Rhaella, he was already having problems with his wife, now having his daughter talk back to him... it wasn't a great look.

"I needed a son, and Kathryn gave me two, Rhaella. That is my main reason as to why I wed her." He said it with a tone that was both patient and annoyed at the same time.

"But you have me and Visenya. Why would you need a son?"

"Rhae, you are my firstborn but I needed a son. You're a girl, you will never inherit the crown." Maegor said what he believed to be common sense, and the fact that his daughter needed to hear it hurt him.

"You know how the world works, a man inherits the crown over a woman." Maegor said it in a stern way, he did not like the fact that Rhaella was talking back to him again. He had thought much more of her, but perhaps he was wrong.

„Oh.." She just sighed with tears in her eyes. She should've known.

Maegor was not sure whether he should be angry or compassionate for his daughter's reaction. After all, it wasn't her fault that she was a girl, and the fact that the world would not see her in the same way as it would a man was not fair to her.

"But, daughter, do not take that too hard. The fact that you will not be my heir does not change the fact that I am still your father. And I will treat you as such, you're still important to me."

Later that day..

Maegor sighed, before knocking softly on the door in front of him once more.

"Jaehaera, I wish to speak to you." He said it in a softer tone this time.

"Yes?" Jaehaera replied, still indifferent.

"It's time that you and I have a little heart-to-heart moment, wife." Maegors tone shifted as quickly.

"Sit." He pointed at a chair close to his bed, waiting for his wife to do so.

"What is it?"

Maegor let out a sigh, before he spoke again, he had planned what he would say to her for a while.

"Jaehaera, what I'm about to say won't be pleasant, but I owe you clarity." His tone was stern, there was no kindness in his voice at all this time.

Maegor took a sip of his wine. Then, he spoke again.

"Kathryn and I have another son now."

Maegeor took a breath, waiting for Jaehaera's reaction.

"Ah alright." She seemed completely indifferent.

Maegor was confused, he was expecting a reaction, he was expecting crying, yelling, cursing him, anything. But Jaehaera gave him nothing...

"That's all you have to say about that? 'Ah alright.'?" Maegeor said it with a sarcastic tone, he couldn't believe that was the only reaction he got from Jaehaera on hearing such news.

"I stopped loving you the day I caught you two in your chambers. That was thirteen years ago."

Maegor could not say anything. Jaehaera's comment hurt him deeply, probably more than his wife realised.

"Why did you pretend all these years then?" He said it with a sharp tone, still very upset.

"Rhaella was nothing but a babe in my arms when I found out. I didn't feel like ruining my daughters lifes by leaving you." Jaehaera countered.

Maegor exhaled loudly, he didn't want to admit it but her reasoning made sense.

"You know I love you, Jaehaera.. You know I do." He said it as if he wanted to convince himself, rather than Jaehaera.

"But I have married Kathryn, and I cannot undo that." Maegeor said again.

He had to be strong, he would not let his wife get the better of him again.

"And that's perfectly fine. I stopped caring." Deep down, she did care. She was heartbroken.

"But you just said you stopped loving me the day you caught me and Kathryn in my chambers." Maegor did not know what to say to that. He thought a lot of his wife for years, that she could still pretend all those years hurt him deeply.

"You know that this marriage has given me an heir, a real heir, Jaehaera..." Maegor wanted to have a real, deep heart to heart conversation with his wife right now, but he did not want to do it. He knew he needed to move on.

She just started to cry.

"A real heir my ass.. what about Rhaella? Is she no one to you?"

"Don't you dare..." Maegors tone was now very sharp, he hated the fact that his wife was trying to talk about Rhaella.

"Rhaella is my daughter, I love her. And yes, she is someone to me. But she cannot inherit the crown. That is why I needed an heir, and I have one now." Maegor could not keep pretending to care anymore.

„Just go sort that stuff with Dorian out, we'll talk later." Jaehaera dismissed the conversation.

42 AC, Tower of Hand.

"Let me in, Dorian." Maegor said it in a harsh tone, as if saying that he wanted to confront this situation as quickly as possible.

"We need to speak."

„Oh, your grace, i didn't expect to see you." Dorian quickly opened the door.

"Don't play dumb with me, Dorian." Maegor said immediately after stepping inside Dorian's chambers.

"My wife has told me everything!"

Maegor sounded annoyed, that much was clear.

"She says that you constantly supply me with mistresses."

Maegor paused. He wanted to know if that was true, if his wife was right.

"I need to know, are you guilty of the things she told me? Or is Jaehaera trying to start trouble with you?"

Dorian seemed extremely nervous.

„I'm afraid your wife must've gone mad." He lied.

Maegor scoffed at the answer. It was an obvious lie, the question now was how Maegor should confront the man.

"Don't make me laugh, Dorian. I am not an idiot." Maegor said it with a stern tone, he knew that Dorian was hiding something.

"Am I being supplied with mistresses from you?"

Maegor asked Dorian directly again.

„Well yes you are, but be honest. The woman i set you up with were very good. So good infact that you married one of them, seven hells, I am the reason you finally have a male heir. You should be glad, Maeggy."

Maegors tone quickly changed from being mad to calm. He was impressed with Dorian's audacity, but he hated the idea of the Hightower having so much power over him.

This man can provide me with mistresses, and I have no say in the matter?

He thought to himself, unsure of how to feel.

"Then I will admit that I am grateful for your help, it did give me a son and heir to the throne."

"But, I am still married." He said it in a serious tone again.

„Aye. Has she given you a son though?"

"That's a valid point.." Maegor had to admit that himself.

Maegor thought about the idea of having multiple wives, of how that would benefit him as a king. But, at least for now, all Maegor needed was a first son, and he got that.

"I know that you're right, and frankly... I wouldn't mind more mistresses, from you." Maegeor said it with a laugh, he actually liked Dorian.

"Shall we continue our arrangement with your... assistance?"

"Aye, I have my claws everywhere."

"That would be... perfect." Maegor said it in a way that clearly showed his excitement at Dorian's words.