Night fell.
Viserys hosted a grand banquet in the Red Keep.
Rhaenyra, wearing a black gown, was sitting beside Viserys.
As the doors opened again, Alicent, in a green gown, entered the hall, leading Aegon, who was dressed in a golden robe.
For a moment, the banquet seemed to fall silent, as many shrewd individuals had already sensed the undercurrents beneath the calm surface.
As the King, Viserys was naturally not a fool; he could feel the intensifying conflict between his wife and daughter.
Yet, he wanted to compensate Rhaenyra but also did not want to hurt Alicent.
In the end, he could only constantly mediate between the two, offering gifts like gold and jewelry to maintain a facade of peace.
Alicent came to Viserys's side, gently kissed his cheek, and then looked at Rhaenyra.
"My dear daughter, today is my and your father's wedding anniversary. Perhaps you should offer us your blessings."
Alicent's words darkened Rhaenyra's expression, but she still forced a smile and offered her blessings.
"Happy fifth anniversary to you and Father."
A lukewarm blessing, yet it made Viserys laugh heartily, his face full of satisfaction.
Aegon watched from the side and couldn't help but find it amusing; his father seemed very adept at self-deception.
"Father, I wish you and Mother eternal happiness and longevity." He offered his blessings and simultaneously took out a gift box.
The gift box opened, revealing a dazzling black gem inside.
"This black obsidian gem is for you. The moment I saw this gem, I felt it was very suitable for you, as mysterious and powerful as Balerion!"
Viserys was clearly very pleased with Aegon's words.
Balerion was one of the legendary Dragons brought by House Targaryen from Valyria.
He was also the foremost of the three founding Dragons of House Targaryen, lived for two hundred years, and was respectfully known as "the Black Dread."
And Viserys was Balerion's last rider, which was one of Viserys's few proud achievements.
Unfortunately, when Viserys rode Balerion, he was already nearing his death from old age.
He finally flew Viserys over King's Landing three times before dying of old age in the Dragonpit in 94 AC.
"I like this gift very much. On your naming day, I will also carefully prepare a gift for you. Thank you."
Viserys kissed Aegon's cheek, then scooped him up and placed him on his lap.
Aegon sat in Viserys's arms, reaching out to point at the eel pie on the table.
"Father, I want to eat eel pie. Can you get me a piece?"
For Viserys, he liked the feeling of being needed by his family, as it gave him the illusion of a harmonious family.
He carefully picked up a piece of eel pie and brought it to Aegon's mouth, clearly intending to feed Aegon himself.
At this moment, Viserys, immersed in the father-son warmth, did not notice that Rhaenyra's mood was somewhat off.
Rhaenyra, as the only surviving child of Viserys I and Queen Emma, had been the center of attention since childhood.
Riding a Dragon at age seven, showered with boundless affection, she was hailed as the "Realm's Delight" by the people of the Seven Kingdoms.
She was used to everyone revolving around her, and indeed they did, but everything changed after Aegon was born.
The nobles who had previously flattered her chose Alicent without hesitation after Aegon was born.
As if Aegon were the heir designated by Viserys!
Yet, she was clearly the true heir to the throne; she was the Princess of Dragonstone, the future mistress of the Iron Throne!
Thinking of this, she glared angrily at Aegon, who happened to be looking at her as well.
The moment he made eye contact with Rhaenyra, Aegon suddenly revealed a strange smile.
Then, his expression changed instantly. He gently tugged at Viserys's collar and said with a wronged look:
"Father, why don't you hug Sister too? She seems very angry. It's all my fault."
Viserys was startled. He turned to look at Rhaenyra, saw her gloomy expression, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Back then, Queen Emma had a difficult labor. Between losing both mother and child and a C-section to save the child, he chose the latter.
Later, Emma died, and the child in her belly only lived for one day.
At the time, out of guilt and anger towards Daemon, he chose to name Rhaenyra as his heir.
All along, Rhaenyra had not disappointed him.
But ever since Aegon was born, Rhaenyra seemed to have changed a lot overnight.
She became jealous, couldn't tolerate his kindness to others, was anxious about gains and losses, sensitive, and always wore a sour face.
In contrast, Aegon, who was still a child, was not only innocent and cute, but also knew how to make him happy and often cared about his health.
Thinking of this, Viserys's expression also darkened somewhat. He gently pinched Aegon's little face, full of collagen.
"She is already 14, she doesn't need me to hold her. Don't mind her, what else do you want to eat? I'll get it for you."
Viserys's doting tone made the veins on Rhaenyra's forehead bulge. She stared fixedly at Aegon, saying nothing.
Of course, even if she told Viserys that Aegon had secretly given her a sinister smile just now, Viserys would never believe her!
However, there were many people attending the banquet.
In a corner, a thin young man's eyes flickered. He had witnessed the entire brief confrontation between Aegon and Rhaenyra.
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