260 AC, King's Landing, the Red Keep.
Armored guards, neatly dressed but unadorned servants, and nobles occasionally moving in and out.
The birth of the newborn did not alleviate the grief in people's hearts; instead, the pain deepened. The tragedy of Summer Hall lingered like a fog, clinging to everyone's mind.
The damage to the Targaryen family was particularly immense, including the Old King, Prince Duncan, and other Dragon family relatives, as well as many loyal vassals: Ser Duncan, Maester Gormon, Archmaester Gerold, and others.
Too few dragons, just like too many dragons, are extremely dangerous.
Too many dragons triggered the Dance of the Dragons, while too few dragons exacerbated the Targaryen succession crisis.
Naturally, everyone was extremely attentive and caring towards the infant Rhaegar.
Besides the grief, there was also worry about the future.
The Ninepenny King ignited the flames of war, from Tyrosh to Westeros, and the Blackfyre family still coveted the iron throne.
Rhaegar, still in his nursemaid's arms, watched the warriors sparring on the training grounds, his eyes burning brightly.
The scattering sweat, the swinging of long spears, and the shouts of the warriors were all incredibly vivid.
Rhaegar had bright silver hair and large, expressive indigo eyes.
The beauty of the Dragonlords was perfectly embodied in Rhaegar.
The servants nearby clicked their tongues in wonder.
Prince Rhaegar neither cried nor fussed, rarely causing adults worry. He was the kind of adorable baby everyone wanted to hold.
But this young Prince Rhaegar seemed to have a strong affinity for combat.
His favorite activity was watching warriors fight, even more than feeding in his wet nurse's arms.
This child seemed to mature too quickly. No one knew if the shadow of Summer Hall was still troubling him.
No one knew that the Prince possessed a tree-like panel, which Rhaegar called the Tree of Life.
[Rhaegar Targaryen]
Identity: The Last Dragonlord
Aptitude: Knightly Talent (A born warrior), Sword Heart and Zither Soul (A combination of strength and beauty, you will find balance in knowledge, combat, and art), Sleeping Dragon (Unfortunately, you have not yet awakened the giant dragon)
Charm: Adorable Dragonlord Baby
Achievement: Warrior (Little Warrior, you have observed many warrior duels, improving your warrior aptitude slightly)
Collection: None.
Time was very tight. He would do everything he could to become stronger and find a way to hatch the dragon eggs. If all else failed, he would wait until the return of the magic tide and the hatching of the giant dragons.
This simple panel would be Rhaegar's greatest trump card.
Rhaegar had already discovered that the higher his attributes, the more lush and green his Tree of Life became—that was the scent of vitality.
"You focused intently on watching the duel; Warrior Attribute increased." Rhaegar, in his swaddling clothes, enjoyed watching others fight. By watching battles intently, his own attributes would increase. He could only say that the feeling of allocating points was satisfying.
"The wind is strong outside, and the King wishes to see the Prince," a White Knight walked over and said to the servant.
The current King was not Aerys, but Aerys's father, Rhaegar's grandfather, King Jaehaerys II.
A king who had aged prematurely and worried himself sick over the kingdom.
Rhaegar was held in his wet nurse's arms and brought to the King's Council Chamber.
Inside the small, confidential Council Chamber, a map of Westeros lay on the oak table. The location of the Stepstones was already covered in red lines.
Besides the King's main seat, there were seven chairs—seven being a lucky number—but currently, only the King and the Hand were present, leaving the entire room feeling empty.
King Jaehaerys II might not have been old, but he looked sickly. Pale and frail, with shoulder-length hair and a pair of purple eyes.
He was not the type of energetic, muscular warrior; unlike Aegon the Conqueror, he resembled a patient.
Jaehaerys II hadn't even had time to recover from the grief of Summer Hall, and the war instigated by the Ninepenny King was already overwhelming him. Damn the Blackfyres, damn the fornicators.
Only when he saw his grandson could he find a little long-lost comfort.
Rhaegar was picked up by Jaehaerys II and held in his arms.
The King looked at his grandson—healthy and handsome. He would surely be the true dragon of Westeros one day. "I hope you can rekindle the people's love for the Dragonlords."
What made Rhaegar more curious was the Hand, Duke Ormond, Jaehaerys II's brother-in-law.
Hand Ormond's thick black hair and sturdy build formed a stark contrast to the King.
He was burly, tall, and powerful, displaying the valor, courage, and fearlessness of a warrior.
Duke Ormond looked at Rhaegar, a different ripple stirring in his heart. His own grandchildren had not yet been born, and he might die on the battlefield. "I hope one day you will be proud of my name—a fearless warrior, a roaring Stag."
"I want to grasp my sword and spear and lead the troops myself. We need to attack before that group of Blackfyre usurpers arrives. I cannot let this responsibility fall to my son. You know Aerys is not a brave warrior either," Jaehaerys II said. He was not old, but his face held many wrinkles.
"You are the King, but you are not a born warrior. In terms of personal martial prowess, let alone Duncan the Tall, you are far inferior to your own brother, Prince Duncan. On the battlefield, swords speak for themselves, and we have lost too many Dragonseeds in battle," Duke Ormond stated clearly.
"Furthermore, the tragedy of Summer Hall has not yet faded. The kingdom absolutely cannot withstand losing its King again; that would cause unprecedented upheaval. Let me go in your stead? I am willing to lead the army to the Stepstones and extinguish the embers of the Blackfyres."
Rhaegar watched the scene unfolding before him, seeing Jaehaerys II's tears slide down his face.
Rhaegar extended his chubby little Hand and wiped away the King's tears.
"Hold the child, hold him. He is the future of the kingdom." Jaehaerys handed the baby to Ormond.
Duke Ormond also picked up Rhaegar, a very small bundle.
The two middle-aged men were speaking quite emotionally, Rhaegar observed them.
However, chronologically, both men were nearing their end, and their times were quite close.
To force a loyal and blood-related noble like a Baratheon into rebellion, it just goes to show that the Aerys and Rhaegar of the other timeline were truly peerless pieces of trash.
"There is no need to weep. As a warrior, the best destination is to die in war, just like my ancestors," Duke Ormond said with acceptance.
"It's just my son, I hope the King will look after him well." What man doesn't love his son?
"I will. If Steffon has a daughter in the future, I will have Rhaegar marry her," Jaehaerys II nodded firmly.
Rhaegar... speaking of which, his nemesis Robert must be about to be born soon.
But since he started allocating points in the womb, Robert was no match for him.
Besides, given how loyal the old man is, things won't reach that stage anyway.