Chapter Twenty Five

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With the agreed-upon plans for Daemion's crowning set in motion Camilla left the Small Council's meeting room. Her feet were quick as she briskly walked up the stairs, her slippers barely made a sound against the stone as they carried her to her eldest son's apartments. She paused before the door, her hand stilling against the door's handle. As if her body was not her own, her head turned from the door. Violet eyes landed on another pair of doors still guarded by two white cloaks. Camilla wondered if they knew the King's corpse rested several feet behind them, if they even knew he was dead.

Her breath was forced from her lungs at the thought. Viserys was dead, he was no more. Camilla had dreamt of this day for so long, she had even prayed for its arrival and now that it had happened Camilla almost felt empty. Or was it relief that Viserys' reign and her marriage to him had finally come to an end.

Camilla took a deep breath as she turned her attention back to the closed door in front of her. Her body felt light as she pushed the door open and entered Daemion's chambers.

A head of white hair turned to the door quickly followed by a head of gold. Daemion reclined on a chaise, his wife, Cerelle, sat between his legs, her back pressed to his chest and their babe, Valerion, sleeping against his mother's chest. Daemion's eldest two sons, Baelon and Aeryn played on the nearby rug. And while Baelon continued to play with the wooden dragon, Aeryn's head of messy gold curls perked up. A bright smile spread across the toddler's face as he carefully stood to his feet and toddled to his grandmother. Camilla picked the young child up with ease, lifting him high into the air and then bringing him close to her chest.

"Gan!" Aeryn giggled, reaching a pudgy hand up to touch Camilla's long strands of white gold. Camilla pressed a kiss to her sweet grandson's cheek before placing him back on the floor, watching as he returned to his toys.

"Mother?" Daemion called, pressing a hand to Cerelle's waist as he slipped from behind her. Standing to meet his mother. "Has something happened?"

"The King," Camilla began, she had long since stopped referring to Viserys as any of her children's father, even the ones that were of his blood. "Is dead."

Daemion froze at the news, and though he had never been close to the man he called father a part of him was still saddened by his death.

"That's not all, Daemion." Camilla stepped closer to her firstborn son, taking his hand in her's and holding it tight in fear Rhaenyra would appear and steal him from her. "In his last moments he named you heir."

"Me? What of Rhaenyra?"

"Rhaenyra will have her chance to bend the knee." With her other hand Camilla reached out cupping the side of Daemion's face as she had done when he was young. The skin along his jaw was rough and unshaven, reminding Camilla that he was no longer her little boy. "Preparations are being made for tomorrow morning." She pulled him closer, pressing a kiss to his other cheek. "You will be a good king, do not doubt yourself. I will be by your side just as I always have been, Sundrop."

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