GOT King of Dragon

Rhaenyra approached with determined strides, her tone sharp and angry. "She said Rhaegar was injured—what happened?" 

Viserys replied, displeased, "Rhaenyra, is this the way you speak to your father and your king?" 

Momentarily at a loss for words, Rhaenyra sighed in frustration. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about Rhaegar's condition." 

"Rhaegar's situation is grave. He suffered extensive burns, and the Grand Maester says he may not make it," Viserys stated, repeating the grim prognosis. 

But that wasn't what he truly believed. 

When he had spoken to Rhaegar, his son's spirits had seemed relatively high—hardly the demeanor of someone at death's door. Viserys was convinced that the Seven Gods had blessed and protected his eldest son. 

Rhaenyra, unaware of her father's true thoughts, stood frozen in shock at his words. She was so stunned she nearly lost her balance. 

Her brother was her only full-blood sibling, her closest family member, born at the cost of her mother's life. 

"How could this happen? This morning Rhaegar seemed perfectly fine… No, this can't be true," she murmured, disoriented and unwilling to believe the tragic news. 

"I need to see Rhaegar! Where is he?" 

Rhaenyra snapped out of her daze, her urgency overwhelming her as she insisted on seeing her brother. 

Viserys sneered coldly. "So you *do* care about your brother? I thought your heart had already been stolen by that scoundrel Daemon." 

"What are you talking about? What do you mean my heart has been 'stolen' by Uncle Daemon?" 

Rhaenyra instinctively retorted, brushing aside the accusation. "I need to see Rhaegar. My brother needs me." 

"No, he doesn't need anyone. What he needs is peace and quiet so he can recover!" 

Viserys refused her request without any hesitation. 

He had already learned everything about what had happened at the Dragonpit today, including the exchanges between Rhaenyra and Daemon. 

His sharp instincts detected that Daemon harbored a certain... inappropriate interest in Rhaenyra. 

The idea that his own brother would try to manipulate his daughter for power was something Viserys would never tolerate. 

He resolved to stamp out the issue before it spiraled out of control. 

Seeing her father's unyielding stance, Rhaenyra, confused and frustrated, had no choice but to relent. 

She said with a worried tone, "Father, I'm Rhaegar's sister. At the very least, you should tell me how he got hurt." 

On this point, Viserys didn't hold back. He openly explained the cause of Rhaegar's injuries. 

Rhaenyra gasped in shock. "Rhaegar tried to tame *Dreamfyre* on his own? Is he insane?" 

Everyone knew that dragons were inherently temperamental creatures, and Dreamfyre, an adult female dragon long confined to her lair, was notoriously difficult. 

Even when Rhaenyra had tamed a dragon as a child, she had done so with the careful guidance of dragonkeepers, taking small, deliberate steps. 

Charging into a dragon's lair to tame an isolated, adult dragon was nothing short of suicidal. 

Every year on Dragonstone, there were always a few reckless youths with Valyrian blood who tried to tame wild dragons in secret. 

Most of them ended up burned to ashes or swallowed whole by the dragons, with only a rare few surviving the ordeal. 

The thought of Rhaegar being burned beyond recognition by dragonfire left Rhaenyra feeling anguished. 

If only she hadn't refused Rhaegar's earlier request to fly together, he might not have put himself in danger. 

Noticing his daughter's guilt-stricken expression, Viserys softened his tone. He decided to stop frightening her. 

He sighed and said, "Rhaegar was incredibly lucky. He was burned by dragonfire, but his injuries are treatable. With proper care, he should recover without major issues." 

"That's a relief. As long as Rhaegar's life isn't in danger, that's all that matters!" 

Rhaenyra let out a long sigh of relief, her heart finally settling back into her chest. 

Having made his point, Viserys set aside the carved stone figurine he had been holding and decided it was time to bring up the real reason for their conversation. 

"Rhaenyra, is there someone you like? Someone you admire and feel a mutual affection with?" 

As her father, Viserys felt awkward broaching this subject, but for the sake of his children's futures, he pushed forward. 

The abrupt shift in topic left Rhaenyra momentarily confused. She frowned in suspicion. "Why are you asking me this? Has someone come to you with another marriage proposal?" 

"Ahem, no, of course not." 

Viserys coughed to mask his embarrassment before continuing confidently. "I just think you're of an age where it's time to consider betrothal. If there's someone you genuinely like, you can tell me." 

"There isn't," Rhaenyra replied bluntly. "Most of the men I meet are fools, and the few clever ones are far too full of themselves." 

Her expression visibly soured as she mocked the peacocking men who constantly tried to impress her. 

Rubbing his temples, Viserys hesitated before saying, "What if I were to choose a match for you? Someone who meets all the necessary qualifications—would you be open to that?" 

"Father, we agreed not to discuss this until after the tourney!" 

Rhaenyra's irritation at being pressured into marriage was evident in her tone. 

--- 

Viserys hurriedly said, "You should at least listen to the candidate; maybe you'll find it satisfactory." 

"Do as you wish. It's not like I can escape those few families anyway." 

Rhaenyra turned away angrily, unwilling to face her father at that moment. 

Relieved to no longer be under his daughter's gaze, Viserys felt a weight lifted and blurted out, "What do you think about following family traditions?" 

Rhaenyra froze, turning back slowly with difficulty. Her face was filled with suspicion as she asked, "Follow traditions?" 

She had already guessed who the candidate was. 

Angrily, she said, "You're willing to sacrifice my marriage for the Iron Throne, dragging others into it too!?" 

Viserys, also provoked, raised his voice, "What do you mean by 'sacrificing your marriage'? As a royal princess, forging alliances through marriage is your duty!" 

"Even I, as king, cannot escape that obligation!" 

Rhaenyra retorted defiantly, "If you're so set on marriage alliances, why don't you marry them yourself? I refuse to accept those carrion-feeding vultures, and I won't let you involve Rhaegar in this!" 

"Rhaenyra! Do you even realize the nonsense you're spewing?" 

Viserys slammed the table and pointed at his daughter, shouting angrily, "You are the princess of the realm, the heir to the Iron Throne! Your status grants you the highest honors in the entire continent, second only to me." 

"Yet now, look at how selfish you've become!" 

"You only care about enjoying the privileges your status brings, unwilling to make any sacrifices for it!" 

Viserys glared at Rhaenyra, his eyes wide with fury, as he demanded, "Is this what you call the sense of duty expected of the heir to the Iron Throne?" 

Rhaenyra gritted her teeth, refusing to back down. "Power is not about compromising with others—it's about fighting for what you want." 

"And what exactly have you fought for? Besides being named heir, what do you have to be proud of?" 

Viserys pressed her sharply. 

Rhaenyra gave a bitter smile, her tone indifferent. "So this is what you've been wanting to say all along, isn't it?" 

"You think I don't deserve the right to inherit?" 

"Now that you have sons—Aegon, Aemond…" 

"And especially Rhaegar, who has regained his health—you no longer need a girl as your heir." 

Viserys immediately denied it. "No! I admit I've had moments of doubt, but I still recognize you as my heir right now." 

"A female heir is already unconventional. If you don't choose a partner with a strong background, it will be incredibly difficult for you to secure the Iron Throne in the future." 

"I know you're unwilling to marry the sons of those noble families you look down on, but he is a good choice." 

"He has a pure heart, carries Targaryen blood, and his status will help you consolidate your power." 

---

(End of chapter)