Maekar, his grief and rage consuming him, stood amidst the shattered remnants of the stone model of Valyria. The once magnificent creation, painstakingly built by his father, now lay in ruins at his feet. His grip on the hilt of Blackfyre tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Ser Samwell, a loyal Knight of Maekar's Kingsguard, approached cautiously, his armor glinting in the dim light. He could see the anguish etched on Maekar's face, the fury burning in his eyes. With each step, Ser Samwell prayed to the Seven for the strength and wisdom to calm his king.

"Your Grace," Ser Samwell called out, his voice steady yet filled with empathy. "I understand your pain, but we must find a way to honor the memory of Prince Baelon and Prince Viserys. They deserve to be remembered."

Maekar turned towards Ser Samwell, his expression twisted with rage and sorrow. "Do not speak their names!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the empty halls. His hand swung out, the back of it colliding with Ser Samwell's face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The knight groaned in pain, blood trickling from his split lip. He struggled to rise, his armor weighing him down. But he refused to be deterred. With unwavering determination, he pushed himself up and faced the enraged king once again.

"Your Grace," Ser Samwell began, his voice steady despite the pain. "I know your heart is heavy with grief and anger. But we must find a way to honor their memory and seek justice for their untimely deaths."

"In the space of a moon, I have lost a father, two sons and my grandson," Maekar fumed, getting closer to the guard. "This is no longer just a war, this is revenge."

—————

"And where were the members of this council while the murderer threatened their King?" Maekar asked coldly as he stormed into the council room. Alicent was there, her eyes bloodshot and puffy from her tears, as was Evelyn who still had tears roaming freely down her face as she mourned the loss of her infant son and her husband.

"Were you threatened, Your Grace?" Otto asked.

"It was me they were after! NOT THEM!" Maekar yelled in his face, throwing the contents of the table he was standing by on the floor. "They murdered my grandson! They drove my son, my heir, to throw himself from the highest tower of Maegor's Holdfast!"

"And where were you, the Lord Commander of my Kingsguard?" Maekar asked Ser Criston coldly.

"I was abed, Your Grace, having ordered the Night's Watch," he reasoned, looking guiltily to the floor.

"Abed," Maekar repeated, chuckling coldly. "ABED!" He shouted. "Instead of safeguarding the sanctity of my family!"

"This is not the time for blind accusations, Your Grace," Otto spoke calmly. "We'll know who did this soon enough."

"Who did this?" Maekar repeated. "Who did-!? Is there any question to who did this?!" Maekar snapped. "Who would do this, save the Bitch Queen of Bastards!" Maekar roared. "She killed my son, so in retaliation Rhaegar killed hers, and now she retaliates again by killing my grandson and driving my heir to suicide," he slams his palms against the table. "The smug cunt of Dragonstone! There she sits across the bay, on my island, laughing at me! She's fucking laughing at me!" He grabbed the goblet and threw it at Otto's feet.

"Do you wish her life to be spared, Your Grace?" Maekar coldly asks his wife. Alicent looks up from her hands, seeing Maekar's cold, deep violet eyes staring at her. Maekar had caught her praying in the Sept for Lucerys, despite once having the satisfaction of revenge.

Before Alicent could answer, Lord Larys walked in.

"My Lords," Lord Larys spoke softly. "The guards have detained someone. The man we have apprehended is known to us, he's a Gold Cloak, noted for his brutal nature, we caught him fleeing the Gate of the Gods, with the child's head in a sack.

"I'll kill him myself," Maekar said as he stormed towards the doors.

"I wish to be there, father," Evelyn spoke up for the first time. "Allow me to see the man who murdered my three moon old son and drove my husband to suicide."

"If that's what you wish, daughter," Maekar nodded. Evelyn wiped her eyes and stood from her chair, wrapping her arm around Maekar's forearm as Ser Criston came to stand by their side.

"We'd do well to get what information we can from the blackguard," Otto called after them. "I trust in the mastery of your trade, Lord Larys."

"As it may, Your Grace, I think the Khal of the Narrow Sea's Khalasar has it covered," Lord Larys smiled a sick smile.

"Oh, always studying, always protocol. We know our enemy!" Evelyn yelled her grief, which shocked the lords of the Small Council. No one had heard her yell in the years she had been married to Baelon.

"A King may have more than one enemy, Lady Evelyn," Ser Otto spoke calmly. "The King has a bounty of 40,00o coins on his head from the Stormcrows."

"Fuck the sellsword companies!" Evelyn screamed, slamming her hands to the desk. Everyone stood in shock, except for Maekar who pulled a sobbing Evelyn into his arms, softly rubbing her back.

"We would do well to ascertain if this is your sister's hand... or if there is a serpent nestled closer to our bosoms," a Lord on Maekar's council said.

"I suppose you're right, Lord Wylde," said Maekar when Evelyn calmed down. His eyes turned cold as he let go of her and began circling his council like prey. "It could be anyone, it could be anyone of you..."

"Lord Jasper is correct..." said Otto, breaking the tense silence. "In one sense, we must not determine what happened and if we in the Keep are sail in peril, in another sense, of course... it doesn't matter."

"You mean to blame Rhaenyra... tell the realm she has done this?" Lord Tyland asked the Hand.

"I'll have the realm told nothing. We were assaulted within our walls," said Maekar with an authorised tone. "Within our own bed. The throne shall not be seen as weak."

"You're already seen as weak, Maekar," said Otto, making Maekar freeze. "You getting maimed and losing your son, a hasty coronation, Vhagar going against her riders commands and killing what many deem was an innocent boy."

"And now Rhaenyra's slain an innocent babe!" Maekar yelled. "My grandson was beheaded!"

"We have sent men out to retrieve Prince Baelon's body from the rocks," Otto spoke softly after another moment of tense silence. Maekar snapped, and with a mighty roar he threw another goblet at Otto's feet.

As the shattered remains of the goblet clattered on the floor, Maekar's rage began to subside, leaving behind a heavy silence in the council room. The air was thick with grief and tension, each member of the council grappling with their own emotions and thoughts.

Otto, unfazed by Maekar's outburst, maintained his composure. "Your Grace, I understand your pain and anger. But we must approach this situation with caution and gather all the facts before taking any drastic actions."

Maekar, his breathing labored, stared at Otto with a mix of anger and resignation. "Caution? How can we be cautious when my family has been torn apart? My son and grandson are dead, and my wife, children and daughter-in-law are left to mourn their loss. I will not stand idle while justice is denied."

Lord Larys, ever the master of intrigue, stepped forward. "Your Grace, if I may offer a suggestion. Let us interrogate this Gold Cloak and extract the truth from him. Only then can we determine if Rhaenyra or any other party is responsible for this heinous act."

Maekar's eyes narrowed, considering Lord Larys' words. "Very well," he finally relented. "Bring the Gold Cloak before us. I want answers, and I want them now."

"Your Grace, it may be in better taste to leave the Queen and Lady Evelyn out of this," Lord Tyland spoke.

"No," Evelyn shook her head. "Bring him before me, I wish to see his face."

"I can't watch this," Alicent shook her head, rising from her seat as she exited the council chambers with haste, and with a nod from Maekar, Ser Criston followed her out.

As the guards brought in the apprehended man, the council members exchanged glances, their collective gaze filled with anticipation and trepidation. Maekar's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white.

"Kneel," Evelyn seethed at the man. The former Gold Cloak only stared at her. "I said kneel!" Evelyn took Maekar's Valyrian steel dagger and jammed the sharp blade into the murderers knee cap.

The council stood in shock, never noticing the blood lust on the Stark woman's face before. But she was a grieving mother and widow, Evelyn no longer cared.

The murdered cried out in pain as he was forced to his knees to ease his pain. Evelyn pulled the blade out and carefully wiped it on her dress, smearing it crimson.

"Now, father," Evelyn said as she turned towards Maekar, who was grinning proudly at her. "Shall we begin?"