The Hall of a Hundred Hearths was enormous. It was there that the vote for succession took place almost 200 years ago, which King Viserys I ultimately won. More than a thousand lords and their entourages arrived at Harrenhal. Although it was said that there were a hundred chimneys, Jaehaerys counted only thirty-eight. It didn't matter; he would soon tear the place down.
"I'm sorry that the castle cannot provide the comforts that royalty deserves," Jaehaerys apologized. They were seated at a large table. "I tried to do my best to build ArgentStone. Although I've had some mishaps lately," Rhaegar understood when he blamed him.
"The rooms are comfortable. I must thank you for getting it ready in such a short time, brother," the king smiled, ignoring his complaints.
"I'm glad," they began the small feast. Calling it a feast was an exaggeration. Only the Targaryen family was there; Rhaegar didn't waste time bringing unnecessary lords. He didn't want to give his brother a chance to escape.
The hall was empty. They ate on a platform. Only soldiers and knights from both houses accompanied them.
"I heard the workers say that the towers will be 600 feet tall," Aegon sought conversation as a maid served him lamb. "Those towers are taller than the previous ones," he said, cutting the meat with a short knife. His face remained stoic.
"ArgentStone will be better designed than Harrenhal. But it will maintain and increase its proportions," the prince said, eating a pork chop. Remembering the food of his past life, he began to find the medieval food insipid.
"An ambitious project, uncle," Rhaenys was in no hurry to eat, simply taking a glass of wine. Looking at her, Jaehaerys wondered when he had last tasted alcohol. "Are you sure you can complete it?"
"As long as I can get the materials," he replied, wiping the grease from his mouth. "It seems that DragonStone can't give them to me. I've started looking elsewhere. There are rumors of volcanoes in Skåne. If I can't get them from Essos, I'll have to bring them from there," he said, looking at the king, who remained indifferent to the conversation.
It was clear to everyone at the table that he was not happy with his older brother's actions.
They were silent for a while as they all ate. Queen Rhaella continued to question her daughter about her life in the castle. It seemed that her previous anger had dissipated. Lyanna just stared at her plate. Visenya, beside her, looked like she wanted to jump on the table.
"Have you thought about returning to King's Landing, brother?" Rhaegar wiped his mouth. He took a sip of wine.
"My duties need me here, on my lands. Leaving would mean stopping all construction," replied the prince. Everyone had put down their cutlery.
"I've looked at the construction. You don't need to be here. You can assign a castellan." Both men were seated at opposite ends of the table. "Jon Connington has proven himself an excellent administrator." Jaehaerys couldn't stop the amused snort that escaped him.
"Jon Connington has no place here. He should pay more attention to his wife. I hear that in more than fifteen years of marriage, they have not managed to produce a child."
Jon wasn't exactly a man he respected. He had only known him as a child, but even then it was clear that his devotion to Rhaegar was greater than loyalty or friendship.
"At this point, I would have expected you to be pregnant," Rhaella interjected, wanting to ease the tension at the table.
"We have three children," said Dany.
And the table fell into a deep silence. Rhaegar made an effort not to frown.
"Mother of dragons!" Visenya almost shouted. "Can I see them?"
"Later, she-wolf," Jaehaerys replied with a smile. The girl pouted but said nothing.
"So, the rumors are true?" Rhaenys dared to ask.
"Would you all be here if they weren't?" the prince asked back. Rhaenys looked at him hungrily, just like she had during the tournament.
"They are," Lyanna interjected. Her face turned pale. "Sir Roland and Sir Adamm got too close," Rhaegar frowned. He had already heard that story.
"The dragons," Rhaegar began, "are the symbol of House Targaryen. That is why I want you to come with me to King's Landing," he explained in the softest voice he could muster.
"There's nothing for me at King's Landing," the wine stung his throat; he hadn't had a drop since his trip to the island.
"I'll make you my hand. And I'll protect the dragons from the enemies of House Targaryen," said the king, offering him the position of hand. It was the sacrifice he was willing to make.
'Of or from?' Jaehaerys wondered.
"I will not go to King's Landing," he refused flatly. And that uncomfortable silence returned. "I don't understand why I'm being punished," he asked in a low voice. The echo spread throughout the hall of a hundred hearts.
"It's not a punishment," Rhaegar said sweetly, looking sad.
"Then what is it?" asked Jaehaerys. "I can't work in my castle. Why am I being denied volcanic ash? And now you want me to go to King's Landing and abandon my castle?" If he could see under the table, he would see Rhaegar's knuckles white as he clenched his fists.
"There was an alarm that the volcano could erupt again," everyone could smell the lies in the king's words.
"I see," Jaehaerys said without adding anything else.
"Have you joined the dragons?" Said Visenya. Rhaegar would have to thank his youngest daughter for asking the right questions.
"We don't know," Dany replied. "The dragons are close to us, but we'll only know if they're our companions when we ride them," she explained to the girl.
"Can I have one?" she asked eagerly. "I'll give it sheep to eat," she seemed to want to tell them that she would take good care of the dragon.
"You can't have one," said Jaehaerys. "They don't belong to you." Rhaegar's eyes began to burn a hole in his head. "They don't belong to anyone, not even us," he continued, looking his brother in the eyes. "A dragon is not a pet. It is not a slave. A dragon chooses its rider, not the other way around." The tension at the table relaxed after those words.
"Then can I try to be its friend?" she asked with childlike excitement, oblivious to the tension.
"Of course you can. The dragon will decide if it lets you ride it," his eyes looked at his older brother. "It's best if everyone tries," which left them perplexed. Jaehaerys was confident. Aegon would try to summon the black dragon, attempting to imitate his namesake. It wouldn't work, but hopefully he wouldn't die.
The copper dragon was the only one free, but it was also the least impressive of the lot. If anyone tried to tame it, it would escape. Jaehaerys would have to make an effort to get the dragon to approach Visenya.
"You have made a significant contribution to House Targaryen—more than anyone in centuries. I would feel bad if I didn't reward you," the king's voice was sincere. Jaehaerys gave him more than he thought.
He didn't need to negotiate with the hands of his grandchildren, and it seemed that if Lyanna had told him about the rebellion, Jaehaerys had ignored it.
"I want to build my castle. I need more gold. I want no interference when I obtain materials or with the migration of people. I also wish to be independent," he said at last.
"Independence?" The king looked confused. "You want to leave the Seven Kingdoms?"
"No," he denied quickly. "I don't want to bow to Lord Tully," he said. Jaehaerys had been refusing all of the lord's letters of invitation. He always refused, citing his workload, his family, his duty, and his honor. "I want ArgentStone to answer only to House Targaryen," his brother nodded.
"I will send a letter to Lord Tully," he agreed. "Anything else?"
"I don't want red priestesses on my land, and I want Visenya to be a lady-in-waiting for Daenerys. Even if she manages to join a dragon," the other demands were nothing to Rhaegar, but those two made him think.
'Visenya will ride the copper dragon. Keeping her here will be a temporary sacrifice.' It wasn't hard to see that Jaehaerys wanted a guarantee that he would keep his word. Although Rhaegar never thought his younger brother was capable of harming his daughter. He was too kind.
"I accept," he said with a touch of bitterness. "Visenya will remain here, and no red priests will come. Not those I can control." Perhaps he gave in too much, but the dragons were too precious to risk. He had seen the power of the great R'hllor in his sacrificed son. It might upset R'hllor, but he knew Melisandre would agree with his priorities.
"If the girl is to remain here, I think it is right that Lyanna stay with her," said the queen mother.
"I will allow it," the king conceded. Better that Lyanna die within the walls of Harrenhal than in King's Landing. If Visenya began to suspect her uncles, she would harbor resentment against them.
Rhaegar thought that if his brothers were not linked to the dragons, he could let them live. Then he would take ArgentStone from them.
"The false riders will never achieve their goals," he remembered Melissandre's words.
"Then you will see the dragons tomorrow," Jaehaerys raised his cup in their direction.
'I have seen a dragon in my reflection every day,' thought the king.
Everyone at the table missed Lyanna's hand grasping her daughter's enthusiastically, as the corners of her lips lifted slightly.