King's Landing, The Red Keep
111 AC, 1 Moon Later
First Person POV
Viserys Targaryen
XXX
After leaving Aemma to her handmaidens I walk through the halls of my family's castle at a steady pace. Four of my noble king's guard trailed behind me while another two including the lord commander stayed slightly ahead of me on either side. The light of the sun glints off their armor and the unified clank of their boots always puts me at ease. I have indeed been quite worried as of late but I have also been joyful.
Soon my son will be born and I've elected to host a tourney in celebration of the birth of my heir. Something of course my beloved family has taken the opportunity to tease me endlessly for. It started a few years ago when young Aemon made a jest about how I always find an excuse to celebrate.
'But let it never be said that King Viserys is not a generous man.' I say turning another corner passing a portrait of Queen Rhaenys. It lingers in my mind longer than usual; it's as if, much like her, I too must negotiate everything, as if we're at war in diplomacy.
My destination is simple, the small council chamber, but what I will find when I get there is the real mystery. But getting there didn't take long and when I reached the ornate door it Ser Ryam stepped out in front of me to open it for me. He looked at me briefly waiting for me to confirm I was ready to go in. I hear some debate and brace myself for yet another issue.
I took a moment to take a deep breath as I wondered what fresh hell awaited me today. All month, we've been having problems in the city, and we've been meeting to discuss them. All because of a single decision made by me. Whether or not it was foolish I cannot say, but what I can say is that it has caused me some trouble.
Most people thought that being King was some ultimate reward. Some grand prize to be one at the end of the game, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. It was really more burden than anything else, but it was my burden to carry and as the current king of the realm, it falls on me to maintain its peace and stability. Even if that means withstanding all of the tedious burdens of court, and the most burdensome was no doubt dealing with
The chamber door swung open and I analyzed my council. Present was my loyal hand of the king ser Otto Hightower. A faithful and loyal hand whom my grandfather trusted. Then lord Corlys Velaryon my cousin's husband. He is a capable master of ships and although he is prideful he is loyal as well.
To my right my new master of laws lord Lyonel Strong. He replaced Daemon in his position only a moon ago on the recommendation of my lord hand. As much as I love my brother I decided to follow my friend's advice on the matter. So instead he's now the lord commander of my city watch, but he left immediately after the appointment and hasn't returned ever since. I fear he's taken it as a grave insult but only time will tell.
My gaze swept left to look at my Grand Maester. Grand Maester Runciter was the last grand maester of my grandfather as well. He was appointed after the death of Grand Maester Allar. He had only been in King's Landing for a short time before his father's death. He tried his best but no matter what he did it could only lessen father's pain slightly and he was gone so soon.
'Poor father he would have been a great king. I wonder if the crown would have weighed so heavily upon his shoulders.' I took one last deep breath and stepped forward into the chamber. The lords of the small council stood waiting for me to sit and begin and as I take my seat I smile as the rest do as well.
"Good Morro my lords I see all of us are in attendance," I say forcing a slight smile. In truth, although the ways of court are not so pleasant at times I can still face them the best way I know how. With a smile and good humor in the face of stress and in all truth, it wasn't so bad. I feel as though I am yet to be truly tested by the crown but perhaps it is better this way for now.
"Tell me what has caused this council to gather so urgently this morning?" I say trying to reflect the joy I feel at the coming birth of my child and not the small traitorous pit of dread in my stomach black as Belarion himself.
'She will be fine I'm sure of it the dream was real I just know it. Our son will be born and he will wear the conqueror's crown.' I reinforce my smile but I also know I need to cut to the heart of the matter seeing my dear friend's grim face.
"Your grace… I fear…. There has been an incident." Otto says hesitantly, if even he is nervous to tell me something truly terrible must have occurred.
"What happened?" My eyes flicker to the other council members. Runciter looks down at the old man failing to meet my eyes while Corlys just grimaces. Lyonel diverts his eyes as well and I realise that I'm truly the only one who doesn't know.
"There was a minor riot in the fish market that spilled all the way over into Fishmonger's Square," Otto says sighing at the reveal. I'm shocked that an entire riot could have happened in my own city but how could I be the last to know?
"What caused this?" I said incredulously. A riot at a time like this only a few days away from the heir's tourney.
"We are still investigating your grace but as you know this is the third time this month alone. I think it's time we got to the root of the issue." Otto said gravely. I sighed already knowing what he would say. The decision made a moon ago had come back to bite us like an angry dragon.
"Prince Daemon has completely neglected his duties as lord commander of the city watch. I think it's time a… change be discussed." Otto said hands folding together and leaning forward. But I would not have my brother shifted in position once again after all it's what caused this situation in the first place.
"Were you not the one who recommended he take the positions instead of master laws? Now my city has become seemingly lawless in his absence!" I said raising my voice at my hand and friend. It pained me but I needed him to see the error we've made.
"I know your grace, but in truth is he is not suitable for any position at court. The heir's tourny is soon and this is just a true reflection of what Daemon-" Otto replies voice quickening as if speaking the words faster will somehow convey them better.
"Prince Daemon! Is my brother and he will have his place in my court!" I shout and I can feel my blood begin to boil at the mere suggestion that I should oust my only brother who has been nothing but loyal to our house.
"My lords," Corlys says drawing my attention away from the matter of the city. My growing anger calms somewhat at the change in topic though I do hope this is more than just a distraction.
"Perhaps we should table the issue for later there are other matters that concern the realm, your grace. There is disturbing news of an alliance between the free cities. It will affect our ports including the one here in King's Landing," Corlys said calmly cutting in.
"Even so your grace the problem remains the same. Compile this with the recent events in Vale and the fact that Prince Daemon has yet to return to-" But as Otto began to tear us away from the topic of the ports. A sound like the rage of a living storm broke through the air.
*ROOOOOAAAAAR*
Suddenly a loud and proud roar of a great beast boomed across the sky of my city. I stood up and walked over to the window behind me. Ser Ryam's hand reached for the hilt of his sword moving closer to guard me. My eyes squint as I look out the window only to see the shadow of bronze wings flying over the city.
'Vhermithor? But if the Bronze Fury is here then that means.' Another roar echoes out behind the first less of an arcane rumble and more of a triumphant song. Blue colbolt wings beat the air and all I can do is watch and awe as my grandmother's dragon follows her mate. But what worries me most is the next thought that goes through my mind.
'Have they gotten bigger again?'
XXX
111 AC
King's Landing
First Person POV
Aemon Targaryen
XXX
'Well if they didn't know we were here before they will soon.' I took another bite out of my sandwich. I chewed slowly relishing the steak and cheese. There was only a little bit of lettuce between the two pieces of toasted bread. There are no tomatoeson it not that I like tomatoes at all but their absence is noted. I swallowed and turned to look over my shoulder.
"You know if you get caught sitting there by the wrong person it could be considered treason right?" I said to my father who sat upon the iron throne uncut by the thousand blades. The damned chair is massive it astonishes me every single time I see it.
'Ill be the man sitting there one day. I can only hope I'll be worthy of it then.' I take another delicious bite of my sandwich savoring the sauce and crunch of it. He shifts his gaze down to look at me before taking another sip of what I assume is wine from a rune-covered canteen I gave him his last name day. The inscriptions keep the wine cold which I've found he much prefers.
"Oh and who will tell anyone, my son?" He says sarcastically, he's not drunk yet but he is ever so slightly tipsy. A bad idea if you ask me considering he's sitting on a throne comprised of roughly 1000 blades taken from a great ancestor's fallen foes. Even so, it's also kinda badass so I best not say anything. Let's just hope he doesn't slip and fall or do something stupid.
I open my mouth to answer his question but then I hear the determined stride of two people. One in armor and one without it which lets us guess the scene coming up next.
"I imagine her dear father," I say as one of the massive doors to the throne room opens. There are two people there both of whom I know well. Holding the door is Ser Herold he was part of my great-grandfather's and now my uncle's Kingsguard. He's grown grey since I last saw him, but I suppose the endless march of time waits for no man. I always imagine that if anything were to happen to Ser Ryam he would be the one to take his place. Even so, he still stands straight and carries himself with a dignity and honor that most don't. At one point I wished to squire for this man but I didn't get the chance to. Instead, I ended up squireing for Ser Gunthor, Ser Gerold, and finally my father before getting sick of it to the point I went and won a tourney just to gain my knighthood at 12. But spending too much time with Darmon Targaryen tends to do that to people.
But then my eyes land on the girl next to him. She's beautiful no one denies that. With pale silver gold hair and shimmering purple eyes. There can be no doubt that she deserves the nickname the realm's delight. In fact, I'm fairly sure there is only one other girl I've seen that rivals her looks at all. She's taller than I remof course but definitely more so than in canon. She's standing somewhere between 5'7 to 5'9 which is obviously rather tall for a 14-year-old girl.
"Gods be good." Ser Harold, says still holding the door but before he can say anything further, or even truly process the sight before him Rhaenyra cuts him off. She turns to us and puts on a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes but is still dazzling to me.
"Skoros gaomagon ao lanta pendagon aōha doing?" (What do you two think you're doing?) She says
"Ānogar." (Sitting.) We say in unison and I shift placing my sandwich back into the open lunchbox at my side. She's wearing a bright yellow dress with some mild scents on her but mainly I can just smell Syrax's scales all over her body.
"Se iā morghūlza, kepa?" (And you, cousin?) She looked at me with purple eyes twinkling with some unknown mischief.
"Skoriot lȳs issa kostilza iā syt mēre? Nyke jorrāelan." (Do you see any other chairs in this room? I do not.) I say responding more playful gesture than I ought to in such circumstances.
'In truth, it's a bit of a design flaw if you ask me. I mean if the coast goes on for a while it would probably suck to stand the whole time. Could just add a few rows of lesser seats like a church or something idk.'
"Vestriarzir nyke, yn se īlva, kostōbagon hen zȳhon issa iā bantis zōbrie vaoreznon." (I suppose not, but even so, sitting there could cause you both to be executed for treason.) She says stepping closer to the two of us whilst tilting her head to the side.
"Hen lentrot nyke jemēla zȳhon ūndegon—kepa, se iā gīmī. Se morghūlza, dārys, ēdruta māzīlza issa gīmī jemēla rȳbagon." (It has been a long time since I saw you both—especially you, cousin. As for you, uncle, it has been about a moon since you left court.) She looks to me then him clasping her hands behind her back a smirk gracing her face.
"Skoriot, daor moriot issa kēlio sȳrī, se vēttir kessa vestragon vaoresagon." (Well, it is terribly boring, and we had some unpleasant matters to finish.) Father says tilting his head a smirk slashing his face as well. There are lots of smirks in this family maybe it's genetic.
"Skoriot daor moriot issa sȳrī, skorkydoso rȳbagon pendagon, gīmī vēttir vestretas?" (If it is so boring, why return at all, now that your business is finished?) Replying in a mildly confused tone she focused on him
"Skoriot, nyke gīmī ēdruta daoruniot dārys zȳhon vestragon ñuhor līr gūrēnna, kepa ñuhys." (Well, I heard that your father was holding a tournament in my honor, my dear niece.) He responds standing from the throne and making his way down its iron steps. He walks past me only sparing me a glance before stopping at the base of the throne.
"Skoros māzīs dāeragon bē qrinun līr?" (Who could resist a good tournament after all?) I say standing as well. It's true I do like a good tournament mainly because of anime tournament arcs but jousting isn't so bad.
"Līr issa zirȳla hen sȳz." (The tournament is for his heir.) She said raising a brow questioning his words. I stood up grabing my lunch box and made my way down as well.
"Ānogar se nyke ūndegon." (Just as I said.) He said firmly slowly walking closer to her.
"Hen sȳz ēdruta, nyke gīmī." (His new heir, I mean.) She said to clarify looking up at him. She may be tall for a girl her age but he was still taller.
"Skoriot, muña zȳhon daor gīmī jorrāelagon valonqar, se kostilus iā sȳndrōñō sȳz issa rȳbas gīmī. Nyke?" (Well, your mother has not yet birthed the child, so the line of succession will remain for now. No?) I said pointing out the flaw in her logic.
"Kostilus gīmī vēzos issa." (Perhaps it will soon change.) She said countering my statement proudly.
"Se gīmī iā muña kepus issa." (Or perhaps you will have a little sister.) I said teasingly as I walked past to her side. She rolled her eyes but her focus shifted back to her father as he spoke.
"Se jorrāelza, se zȳhon ūndegon ñuhor dāeragon." (And if that happens, then you are all doomed to endure me.) He called out mirth filling his tone. He said staring down at her, the two locked eyes, and something strange passed between them.
"Se nyke va morghūlza kepus pāsagon." (Then I shall pray for a little brother.) She said staring into his purple eyes a mirror in his. I cleared my throat and the two of them looked at me. I raised a brow did they think they were in private or something? The last I checked I'm right here. Something slightly ugly swam in my chest and I grit my teeth a little. They look at me, then each other, then back to me, their eyes shifting back and forth between each other and me.
"I got something for you," Daemon says breaking the silence and taking something out of his pocket. She looked down to see what it was and her eyes widened on the spot. In his hand was a necklace. It was black and rippled with silver and covered in rubies.
"Do you know what this is?" He questioned quieting his voice a little.
"Its Valyrian steel." She said nearly gasping and for good reason. Valyrian Steel jewelry in this world is worth more than any golden or silver jewelry could ever be.
He held it out to her with one hand. She reached out to take it only for him to tighten his grip. She looked up at him confused but he just tilted his head as she let go.
"Turn around." He said and she obeyed quickly grabbing her hair and moving it to the side. He moved closer as she removed the small golden necklace she was already wearing with her other hand. He opened the necklace and placed it around her neck.
"Now we both share a piece of our ancestry." He said as she turned around tilting her head up to look back into his eyes.
'What a fucking cornball.' I thought rolling my eyes but I could feel my inner dragon roar in protest.
"I will cherish it." She said nodding slightly.
"Well if you're so smitten with his gift I suppose you won't be needing mine," I said sarcastically motioning to leave.
"Hey, that's not fair Aem!" She said turning to look at me starting to walk away. She followed after me but I just chuckled and turned around walking backwards.
"No no I'm sure I have another cousin who will appreciate it much more. How is Laena anyway? I'm sure she's in the capital for the tourney by now right?" I said lifting a finger to my chin trying to remember the events of the plot. I already put together that I wasn't in the book or the show version. But I knew I could draw on them to help me out.
"Yes she is, but how do you know she'll like it better if I don't even know what it is?" She said picking up speed a little to catch up to some.
"Oh, so you do want it? Well maybe I'll give it to you later but we'll have to see who will like it better first. Or maybe your mother will like it better I do have a gift for her alreadybut who says she can't have two" I said smirking slightly. She pouted and tried to punch my arm but I just laughed at the hit dodge it quickly. I noticed Daemon smirking and shaking his head in the background as if he deserved to have an opinion on my behavior.
"Now princes I'm going to go finish my lunch I still have half a sandwich and a second one to eat along with all sorts of other things I'm sure you've never tried," I said teasingly, I know exactly how much she loves all the unique snacks I always bring backwith me from the Vale. I could almost feel the gluttony radiating off of her.
'No wonder she starts to become fat later in life if the greens are to be believed. A real foodie this one.'
"If you'll join Princess Me perhaps we can go eat with our other cousins as well? Preferably without the company of old men." I said looking over her shoulder at my father who lifted a brow but said nothing. Rhaenyra laughed before turning around and waving to my father.
"Goodbye uncle I do hope you find somewhere else to sit before someone else visits the throne room." She said playfully before turning back around to face me.
"I'd love to join you Aemon, and besides the adventures of Princess Visenya wait for no man. I assume you brought the pieces?" She said staring up at me we locked eyes and for a moment I really looked at them. They weren't as bright a purple as mine but something a bit darker and I admired how her silver hair sparkled slightly in the sunlight.
'She really is beautiful no wonder they call her the realm's delight.' I always wondered why it was so easy for me to put aside the mask of the prince of Runestone when I was with her. I soon realized I was staring at her head tilted to the side with a questioning look in her violet eyes.
'There's even a hint of Arryn blue in them' I thought before focusing on answering her question.
"Of course I did but we'll still need the others to come play," I said chuckling I almost regret introducing her and the others to dnd but it surprisingly wasn't that hard to recreate. In fact, much like real life the hardest part was just managing to get everyone in the right place at the right time.
She smiled brighter than the sun out the window and twirled around quickly reaching the door. I rushed forward and opened it before her with a bow and she laughed.
"Why thank you, my prince." She said and smiled.
"Why it's nothing at all anything for you, my princess," I said smiling back while looking up at her. She giggles and it was honestly one of the best sounds I've heard all year. We stepped outside where Ser Harrold waited for her and judging from the look in his eye I think my earlier sudden door opening startled him.
We stepped outside and I gave him a silent nod of respect. He returns and I step forward to join Rhaenyra who exited ahead of me. I clear my throat quickly and her head turns to look at me. I offer her my arm and she looks down at it. Neutral, platonic, good, all things that can be expected and well explained in case her father walks in or something. She smiles softly and takes my hand instead, hesitant but gently before pulling me slightly closer.
'What the fuck does that mean? It clearly meant something considering how she's staring at me.' My eyebrow raises at her look staring back at her but I say nothing painfully aware of Ser Harrold's eyes and the back of my neck but I ignore them. Instead, I focus back on her and the unexpected development and decide that this is fine and I'm definitely not in danger. But I can't help but glance back at Ser Harrold now but I can't tell if his smirk is one of approval or something else.
I turn away continuing my conversation with Rhaenyra as we discuss venues to eat together. Leaving Ser Harrold follows us out and I can't help but feel like I'm being shaparoned by her father or something. It wasn't anything special though we just made small talk. All I did was ask her a few basic perfectly platonic questions that any good cousin would. Nothing suspicious I swear like how was her mother? What had done that day? And how has Syrax been growing lately?
She answered and countered with a few questions of her own like how what I had in my lunch box? What kind of things I brought with me from Runestone? How long until the rest of my retinue would arrive? And when will I finally give her my hair routine? I won't.
And as we walked through the halls hand in hand arm in arm took my arm I took the opportunity to tease her about how she still smelled like a dragon. All in all, I was looking forward to us eating together and whatever we would end up doing next. Normally King's Landing worries me because it's one big viper pit but I think she makes it just a bit better.
[Chapter Image]
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Hey guys sorry about the delay in chapters again frankly I could have had this out sooner but I didn't write for the past two days because writer's block hit me like a truck. So this chapter is only about 4,000 words instead of the usual 5,000. At first, I intended this arc to take place a little before the main story of the show around a year earlier but I decided to move up the timeline a little since it wasn't exactly clear if Rhaenyra was 14 or 15 when her mother died.
Anyway I'm glad we're finally getting to the good part of things but I'm honestly a bit tired of writing about game of thrones. But I'm not going to stop writing this but I might upload a bit less regularly now that class has started up for me again. Frankly I think I've just been feeling a bit down lately especially after my doctor told me to stop taking my meds because I was having a bad reaction to them.
Anyway hope y'all liked the chapter rember to comment because more comments means more motivation which means more chapters. Also drop some power stones if you can just because it helps out the fic apparently.