Daemon gives a speech to the members of the City Watch, right before they had out in a raid in the slums of King's Landing. They violently repress all crime in the area, killing any suspected criminals with Daemon acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
He is reprimanded by the King and the small council for the Watch's actions, most notably Otto Hightower. Daemon explains that the violence was necessary in order to provide peace and safety for all the lords coming to King's Landing for the Heir's tournament. Otto and Daemon argue, with Daemon cracking a joke about the death of Otto's wife. Viserys tells Daemon that any further violence like that will result in him being reprimanded.
Daemon and a woman named Mysaria have sex but it's clear that he is distracted by the events of the small council meeting. Something is troubling him, and Mysaria reminds him that despite his anxiety, he cannot be replaced by his brother.
At the Heir's tournament, Viserys thanks all those in attendance and announces that Aemma has gone into labor. Rhaenyra and Alicent gossip over the latest happenings at court, with the discussion spliced into the violence taking place in front of them. Rhaenyra asks about Ser Criston Cole, who is common-born but has managed to rise through the ranks to become a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Daemon arrives at the tournament and chooses to fight Gwayne Hightower, Otto's son. Daemon and Otto lock eyes, and as the joust commences, Daemon takes a cheap shot on Gwayne by aiming for his horse's legs rather than for his shield. In a further act of disrespect towards Otto, Daemon asks for the favor of Alicent, who gives him a bouquet of roses to hang on his lance.
Viserys is told that Aemma is having a difficult birth and he rushes to her side. The Maesters tell him that the baby is breeched and that the lives of both Aemma and the child are in danger.
Meanwhile, the tournament continues with the fights becoming more violent and deadly. Rhaenys comments that since there hasn't been a war in decades, the knights fighting in the tournament have yet to taste actual battle, and their lords have sent them to fight, and possibly die, in a rather meaningless fashion.
It has become clear that both Aemma and the baby will not survive the birth but there is a chance to save the child. He is told that a technique has been taught, where the baby is surgically removed from the womb but it would likely kill the woman. As Criston Cole fights Daemon in the tournament, the c-section commences with Aemma being forcibly held down as the doctors cut her open to remove the child.
Daemon is knocked from his horse with his fight continuing on the ground against Cole. Cole wins the fight, with Daemon surrendering after a hard-fought duel. Contrasted against the dying Aemma, it recalls the conversation between the Queen and Rhaenyra, who told the Princess that childbirth is a woman's battlefield, where they go to fight and possibly die.
Tragically, both Aemma and the child, who was a boy, have died despite the doctors' best efforts. At the tournament, the High Lords are told of what has transpired and a new succession crisis has arisen. Aemma and their son, Baelon, are cremated by dragon's fire outside of King's Landing, with Rhaenyra uttering the famous Valyrian word, "Dracarys."
Immediately after, the small council holds a meeting with the King to discuss who will succeed him. The precedent and law have been set already, with Daemon being the Heir apparent as Viserys' brother. As Daemon listens in secret, Otto argues against this, seeing him as too violent and impulsive to rule properly. He suggests that Rhaenyra could be named the Heir but much of the council protests this, with Viserys saying that he would not be made to choose between his daughter and brother.
