Legacy of Valyria: Maegor’s Glory

-280 AC-

A week later, with the necessary blood having arrived, all the ingredients had been gathered. Maegor, under Mera's instructions, crushed the herbs in sequence and extracted their essences. Following Mera's advice, he summoned Grand Maester Pycelle.

Pycelle, still unburdened by age and with a slight stoop, entered and greeted the prince: "Prince Maegor, summoning me to your side is rare, if not unprecedented since your birth. How may I assist you?"

Maegor knew Pycelle to be Tywin Lannister's man. He also suspected the Hand's involvement in his father's and historical Targaryen kings' madness. From discussions with Mera, he knew that after the Doom of Valyria, the antidote for the Dragonbane venom had been lost. He believed Citadel had obtained the recipe from Qarth magicians at a considerable cost and doubted the Hightowers, who supported Citadel, would pay for the antidote.

"Grand Maester Pycelle, I require you to prepare an elixir for me. The ingredients have been gathered, but I lack the expertise to prepare the elixir without risking their spoilage. Assist me," Maegor said.

Pycelle bowed slightly. "As you wish, my Prince. Please tell me which elixir I am to prepare, and I shall make the necessary preparations accordingly."

"After receiving Maegor's instructions, Grand Maester Pycelle began boiling the fruit puree from the first vessel in the cauldron. Once the aroma of the fruit filled the room, he added the herbal essence from the second vessel..."

Accompanied by Maegor's guidance, Grand Maester Pycelle tirelessly prepared the elixir for two hours.

"Finally, it is ready. Please transfer the elixir into the flask, Grand Maester," Maegor instructed.

Pycelle complied, trying to discern the elixir's properties from its scent and color, but failed. He smiled, saying, "My Prince, could you enlighten me on the purpose of this elixir? Besides the few ingredients and monster blood, I couldn't identify anything else. It's quite embarrassing for a Grand Maester."

Taking the elixir in his hand, Maegor replied, "Actually, this elixir was a simple remedy used by my ancestors for fatigue and muscle pain, providing swift recovery. It's no wonder Citadel lacks records of it, Grand Maester."

Pycelle smiled back, "Indeed, it must be an elixir from ancient Valyria. It was an honor to prepare it for you, my Prince," and requested permission to leave the room.

Once Pycelle had departed, Maegor promptly asked Mera if the elixir had been prepared correctly. Upon receiving assurance from Mera that it was perfect, Maegor set off towards the Iron Throne.

Excited to learn from Mera that the elixir would take effect within an hour, the young prince approached the Iron Throne. However, Ser Gerold Hightower barred Maegor from seeing the King, stating that the King did not wish to see anyone and instructed Maegor to return.

Maegor approached Ser Gerold Hightower, his mind racing with calculations. He spoke softly, "Lord Commander, do you trust me? You've watched over me during all the years of training with the other Kingsguard. Have I ever acted dishonorably?"

"Never, my Prince. But the King's wishes..." Gerold Hightower replied cautiously.

Maegor leaned in closer to Gerold Hightower and whispered, "Ser Gerold, let me tell you a secret: my father was poisoned. The reason for his gradual madness over the years was this poison called Dragonbane. It slowly corrodes the mind, eroding the victim's brain until they become completely vegetative."

Gerold Hightower shuddered; this seemed impossible. The King had everything he ate and drank carefully monitored; he would never consume anything suspicious.

"It's impossible. The King's food and drink are all inspected," Gerold countered.

"Give me a chance, Lord Commander. The elixir takes effect within an hour. During this time, I will stay with my father. If the elixir adversely affects him, you can execute me right there," Maegor pleaded.

After a moment of contemplation, Lord Commander Hightower nodded and gestured towards the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile, Aerys sat on the Throne muttering to himself, his newfound fascination with Wildfire consuming his thoughts as he imagined burning traitors. When he looked up and saw Maegor, his brows furrowed, and he yelled at Ser Hightower, reminding him of his order not to admit anyone into the hall.

Ser Hightower remained silent but nodded towards Maegor.

Stepping forward, Maegor commanded, "All servants except the Kingsguard, leave the hall. Get out."

Over the years, Prince Maegor had cultivated a calm demeanor, so his sudden outburst and expulsion of all servants from the hall startled them into a panicked retreat.

Seeing Maegor approach with a bottle in hand, Aerys immediately shouted to his Kingsguard, "What are you waiting for? This traitorous son of mine is here to poison and kill me! Seize him, arrest him!!"

Present in the room were only Ser Gerold Hightower, Ser Barristan Selmy, Ser Lewyn Martell, and Ser Jonothor Darry.

Turning to Ser Barristan Selmy, Maegor implored, "Help me, this elixir is our last hope for my father's recovery. How much longer will you serve a Mad King, knights?"

Observing that neither Barristan Selmy nor Gerold Hightower stepped forward, the other Kingsguard remained motionless, ready to intervene if the King were endangered.

Step by step, Maegor approached the Iron Throne, showing the elixir to Aerys. "This is the antidote to the Dragonbane poison, Father, please drink," Maegor pleaded.

As Maegor drew closer, it was evident that Aerys covered his mouth and took defensive measures. Maegor turned to Ser Barristan, saying, "Ser Barristan, please assist me in administering the elixir. Hold my father's arms. If the elixir harms him, you may kill me. Please, help."

Ser Barristan hesitantly approached the King, who clawed at Maegor's body with his long nails, each strike breaking them. Holding the King's arms, Ser Barristan enabled Maegor to open the elixir's bottle and pour it into the King's screaming mouth.

As the King began coughing, the Guards approached. Lewyn Martell and Jonothor Darry held Maegor's arms from either side. Gerold Hightower turned to Maegor and said, "The hour has begun, Prince. If the King shows any signs of poisoning, I will execute you right here."

Maegor smiled and began to wait. The King's coughing subsided, and he spoke, "Tell me, traitor, what did you give me? What poison is this?"

Maegor looked at his father, saying, "It is for your healing and to restore you to rule our kingdom again, Father."

As the hour drew to a close, King Aerys's eyes slowly cleared. He began to squirm uncomfortably in his seat as his mind started to clear. He noticed the two Guards holding onto his son.

"How dare you treat my prince like a criminal! Release my son!" Aerys's eyes began to shine, and everyone in the room, including Maegor, bowed their heads in relief.

"Father, how do you feel?" Maegor asked cautiously.

The King replied, "Like a newborn, I haven't felt this good since Viserys' birth."

Maegor urged, "Father, please don't move and look at yourself in the mirror."

The Guards immediately called for servants waiting outside the door, who brought in a large mirror to the hall. Maegor motioned for them to place it before his father.

"Look, Your Majesty," Maegor said, "for the past four years, this has been your state."

In the mirror stood a man with long, dirt-blackened hair, white-streaked beard, nails turned into twisted daggers, and clad in filthy clothes. Aerys stared at his reflection in disbelief. The man in the mirror bore no resemblance to the King; he looked like a beggar from Flea Bottom.

Turning back to Maegor, Aerys exclaimed, "What happened to me? Why did none of you help me when I came to this state?"

Maegor bowed respectfully and explained, "You were poisoned, Father. It's a forgotten poison called Dragonbane. Recently, I found records of it in an ancient book from Essos and thankfully, we were able to prepare the antidote."

"This poison slowly eats away at the mind of its victim, driving them to madness. No matter how hard we tried to help you, you resisted us. Look, Father, look at the Kingsguard—they carry no swords or daggers at their belts, because you prohibited it. When servants tried to bathe you, you burned them with Wildfire."

As Aerys's foggy memories slowly cleared, he began to recall the events of the past decade, including his prohibition of sharp implements after the Duskendale incident. He started to laugh to himself, tears streaming down his face.

As he regained his composure, the King requested that everyone except Barristan Selmy, who had saved him at Duskendale, and his son Maegor, leave the room.

When the Guards were leaving, Maegor called out, "If news of my father's recovery spreads outside, even if you are Kingsguard, I will cut you down."

The three knights couldn't understand the prince's threat but obeyed nonetheless, believing the news should be celebrated throughout the kingdom. Still, they swore to Maegor's command and vowed not to speak of it to anyone.