House of The Dragon-The Beauty, The Bold, and The Black Dread: Chapter 163: Duel (Or Was It?)

(Baelon's POV)

I looked at the man in front of me, he looked like Erys, if I have to admit. A little too much, actually. 

"And?" I said, "What does that have to do with anything?" 

He frowned, "I challenge you." He said as he drew his sword, "Baelon Targaryen." 

He pointed his longsword at me, a serious look in his face. 

"Brother, what are you doing?" Gael said with a scared look in her face, "You are mad!" 

"Baelon Targaryen stands before me, and I only live for the thirst of battle." He said seriously, "What better way to slay the Rider of Balerion than in single combat in front of Balerion himself?" 

I drew Blackyfre, "Do you intend to die this way?" I asked, "The way your brother fell to my blade, is that how you wish to die?" 

He scowled, "You cut my brother down." He said seriously, "I will have my vengeance." 

For some reason, that felt odd to hear. There was something off about this entire thing. Even when I was atop Balerion, setting everything in flames, I felt like there was a strange sensation in the back of my head. Was that it felt like when doing the unthinkable? All for the sake of what you believe was right? 

I crossed a necessary line. 

In order to protect my family, to protect the Realm. I have to do what is crucial; to annihilate this enemy that threatens us. The mere fact that they could take our Dragons all for the sake of building something that could very well be the downfall of House Targaryen. 

I could no longer afford to take chances. 

I had to do what had to be done. 

I narrowed my eyes, "If you wish to fight me here and now...." I said, "I will give you that honor.....However...." 

I pointed to the side, over the cliff, and towards the large group of escaping civilians and soldiers. 

"Dracarys, Balerion" 

I felt as Balerion turned his massive head and suddenly, the sound of streaming flame was heard. I felt the intense heat coming from above as Balerion fired flames from atop the cliff. I know damn well that he was capable of reaching down. 

I heard the screams of pain and agony as the flames burned. I could see the look on Gael's face as she stared at this with shock. Her brother was also a bit taken aback by this, looking at the flames as Balerion finished breathing flames. 

"A display." I said, "Meant to show you that I am not here to show mercy." 

"The moment we hand the boy over to you...." The Brother said, "You intend to burn us..." 

Balerion growled deeply, moving his head back above me as I nodded. 

"Yes." He said, "But that is after I kill you. I will make sure that you meet your brother in the Seven Hells." 

"Tch..." He said, "So you wish to do it like that...." 

"Come." I said as I took a step forward, "Let us dance." 

"Do not interfere, Balerion." I said in High-Valyrian 

Gael's brother assumed a stance, holding his longsword in his hand as he looked at me with a serious face. 

He then lunged at me, swinging his sword rapidly at me as I immediately assumed a defensive stance. I parried his blade and pivoted to my left, countering with a swift thrust. He sidestepped and dodged the sword, swinging his yet again at me. 

I stepped back and avoided the swing, straightening up right away. He then lunged at me, closing the distance as he swung his sword at my head yet again. I blocked the blade with Blackfyre, pushing him off and then following up with a quick swing at his head. 

He stepped back to avoid it. 

For whatever reason, as I swung my sword at him, I could not shake a strange feeling. His movements were almost identical to his brother, Erys. But that was not right, was it? 

I killed Erys, I took off his head. 

And for some reason, the strange feeling could not be shaken off. I felt strange chills in the back of my head when I was atop Balerion, plunging the city into flames. 

It was strange. 

I had no idea what caused this. 

Gael's brother then thrust his sword at my face but I stepped to the side to avoid it. 

Then, with a quick swing, I cleaved his sword-arm right off, causing blood to spray all over. 

"Brother!!" I heard Gael cry out

"Aghh!!" He shouted in pain as he collapsed to his knees, "C-Curses!!" 

I then straightened up, pointing Blackfyre at him, "Is this it?" I asked, "Is this all you can muster?" 

He looked at me, "I..." He said, "I am the Son of Saera!! I live for battle, I desire blood!!!" 

His words reached my ear and they felt strange, almost like it was not something a man would say. For some strange reason, I could not help but feel like this one was not there. 

But he was in front me. 

He was real. 

"Hm..." I said, "Go and meet your brothers." 

I plunged my blade through his chest, hearing Gael let out a shout. 

"Noooo!!!" she shouted

As I drove Blackfyre deeper, I looked at his face, an empty look in his eyes as his mouth was agape. I could not help but feel unsettled by this. 

I then stepped back, pulling Blackfyre out and watched as his body collapsed to the ground, dead. 

"That was disappointing." I said as I walked over his corpse, "Now....Gael....." 

Gael was standing there, holding the boy, her eyes widened with fear and shock. The others who were there were also standing still, simply looking at me with bewildered looks in their faces. But there was something about them, something that did not sit right with me. 

I stood right in front of Gael and sheathed Blackfyre, "Give me the boy." 

"No..." She said as the boy was weeping, "He is mine...." 

I reached for the boy and pulled him off her arms, pushing her away as she struggled, "No." 

"Let him be!!" She cried, tears filling her face as I pulled the crying boy out of her arms, "Nooo!!!" 

She swung her arms at me as I merely lifted my arm up, feeling them hit my bare arm as I stepped back. 

"Enough." I told her as I held the boy, "This is for the best." 

"You intend to take my child from me?" She said, "Is he even yours?! Do you even know the truth?!" 

"Tch...." I scowled, "I-" 

There was a cold sensation running through my spine. An overwhelming feeling of dread, as if something was not right. I could not shake it up, it made my entire body shake and tremble. The moment I held the boy, I felt no warmth. Nothing. 

I did not know what was going on. Something was clearly not right. 

Gael was standing there, tears running down her face, which was not something I expected to see from her. 

I looked past her, seeing that the group that was with her were standing further from her. I found that to be odd. 

I could no longer hear the screams, the raging flames, which was even odder. 

I looked down at the boy, he had his face pressed against my shirt. 

"S-Shirt....?" I said softly 

I heard a snap behind me. 

"Battle...." a voice said, "I live for battle..." 

I turned around to see that above the corpse of Gael's brother, someone stood tall, taller than I was. He seemed to be Gael's brother, but a bit more muscular and his hair was longer. What was stranger about this sight was that his face was completely blank. 

He had no face, which gave me a serious, dreadful feeling. 

"Battle....." He repeated, his voice a bit distorted

"What....?" I said softly

And what made things even stranger was that Balerion was not behind him, where he should be. 

I looked around, seeing that there was nothing but pitch black. There was no city, no flames, no smoke, no burning people. 

There was nothing. 

I looked down at my arms, seeing that the boy I was holding was gone and I saw that I was no longer wearing my armor. 

"When did I take...." I started, "What in the hells?" 

I turned around to see that Gael was standing right in front of me, a wicked smirk in her face. 

"You think you win?" She said as she drove a blade into my stomach

I felt nothing but a sharp pain as she drove the dagger into my stomach, her eyes had a vicious look to them. 

"W-What.....?" I said as I grabbed a hold of her hand, my eyes widened with shock

"Oh, you stupid...stupid....stupid man...." Gael said, her voice cold and vicious, "You think it is that easy? I have survived many tribulations.....you are nothing to me...." 

"Baelon!" 

The pain got worse. I could feel the blood pouring out of my body as I tried to pry her hands off the blade. It was useless. 

"Prince Baelon!!" 

There was nothing but a feeling of anxiety and dread filling my entire body as I began to shake violently. 

"You....." I said, "G-GAELLLL!!!!!" 

"Baelon, Baelon, Baelon..." She said as she twisted the knife into me, "You are never capable of doing what you thought you did. You are too kind, too gentle, too weak..." 

"Prince Baelon, wake up!!" 

"I swear....." I shouted with an angry tone, "I....I will kill you....!! I will make you pay for what you did to me....." 

"That anger...." She said with a smirk, "Use it...."

"You will need it"

************

"Prince Baelon!!" my eyes shot open as I let out a loud gasp

My entire body felt hot, a sharp pain was in my stomach as my body trembled. 

"Aghh!!!" I groaned as I felt hand on my body, pushing me down gently

"Baelon!" I heard a familiar voice, "Baelon, it is okay, we are here..." 

My vision was blurry, I could not see what was in front of me. 

"W-What....?" I said, "What is going on?!" 

"Hold him down gently, his wound opened!" I heard a voice say

"W-Who's there?!" I said 

"His vision might take a few minutes to adjust...." the voice said, "Prince Baelon, it is Maester Orwyle, you were stabbed.....you were also poisoned.....you were found laying down the ground. Prince Daemon found you." 

"A-Aghh...." I said, "O-Orwyle...." 

"Baelon...." I heard Uncle's voice, "Baelon, you are fine...dammit, boy, we found you bleeding out...." 

"D-Daemon.....?" I said as I blinked, feeling an overwhelming pain in my body, "W-What the hells is going on? Where is Helaena? Where is Rhaenyra?"

"They are in their chambers, My Prince." I heard Orwyle as I closed my eyes, bearing with the pain

Wait. 

Orwyle? I am in King's Landing?

I groaned, "P-Poisoned?" I said, "What?" 

"We flushed out the poison..." Orwyle said as I opened my eyes and my vision was adjusting slightly, "We had a cure for this one..." 

"Good...." I said, "W-Where is my son? M-My daughter? Valerion....and....Daella? Are they with my wives?" 

"V-Valerion?" Orwyle said, "Pardon me, My Prince?" 

"My son..." I said as I coughed, "V-Valerion...." 

"Baelon...." I heard Daemon say, "What are you talking about? Helaena is nowhere near that big...." 

"What?" I said as my vision adjusted and I saw them looking down at me, "What the hells are you talking about? I have a son! His name is Valerion, he is already a year old!" 

"Baelon, the poison must have affected your mind." Daemon said with a frown, "You were stabbed in the docks of King's Landing, someone tried to kill you....." 

"What?!" I said, "Enough fucking around, someone get my wives." 

"Wives?" Daemon said, "Baelon, what are you talking about?" 

"You have not married Rhaenyra yet....Helaena is still with child."