Chapter Text
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VISERYS I
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105 AC
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The last few moons were hard for Viserys. His beloved wife died giving birth to a son that soon followed his mother, his brother had the audacity to mock the death of his son, causing him to name Rhaenyra as his heir.
Today, Corlys Velaryon and his cousin, Rhaenys, insisted on a meeting in the royal garden of The Red Keep. Viserys knew that the old Sea Snake was up to something.
Corlys pointed out the recent problems of his rule and proposed the hand of his own daughter to him, to heal the wounds made since the death of his uncle Aemon.
After a reluctant walk with the twelve year old Laena Velaryon, Viserys was left in an uncomfortable position.
Marrying Laena would please the Sea Snake and possibly bring an end to the bad relations between the two families, but, at the same time, Laena is too young and is clearly being manipulated by her parents.
There is also the fact that his eyes are in another woman at the moment. Lady Alicent Hightower was a very pleasant company during the hardship of the recent events. Of course, Aemma would always be his true love, but Alicent made her own way into his mind. And as a daughter of a second son, she is a less risky choice to Rhaenyra's position, if there is one.
Alicent is also almost five years older than Laena, who is too young for his "taste".
Yet, Viserys decided to talk to Corlys once again before taking his definitive decision.
With all of that in mind, he sent a messenger to Corlys, asking for his presence in the yard for a cup or two of wine, but this time, alone.
After a few minutes waiting at a table in the gardens, Corlys came with a confident posture and a smile on his face. The Sea Snake clearly knows that tea is not the reason for the call.
"Your grace. I came under your request." The Lord of Driftmark says with a formal tone, taking the only seat remaining on the table. The king opens a smile.
"Lord Corlys, I am glad that you decided to join me for a nice cup of tea. I would ask for Rhaenys to be here too, but I would rather talk with you alone. A man to a man." Viserys proclaims, taking a sip from his cup. Corlys laughs, serving a cup of wine to himself.
"I understand, your grace. Rhaenys can be quite... intense in this type of conversation. You want to talk about the proposal, right?" The Sea Snake asks, taking a sip of his tea. Viserys loses most of his smile and nods.
"Yes. I want to settle the matter here. To start, Lord Corlys, I have to say that I am quite concerned about how young your daughter is. She is almost as young as Rhaenyra." Confessed the King in a formal tone. Corlys frowns a bit and nods.
"I understand and respect your reluctance, your grace. But it doesn't need to be done immediately. She will not be a child forever. You can marry her when she turns six-and-ten, for example. She will be a stunning woman and your hesitation about the marriage will vanish. All I want is a promise. A betrothal." Proclaims the Sea Snake in his soft, but firm, tone. Viserys sighs. He can feel the grip of the Sea Snake around his neck, refusing to give up.
"I understand that, Corlys, but I don't have much time to wait. I think you know that I have had some issues with my health lately. With that, the council is pressuring me to marry as soon as possible. House Targaryen has only four members right now. Me, Rhaenyra, my rogue of a brother and your own wife. With such low numbers, my house could be extinct in a single year of bad luck. We never know. And we never know what can happen to us tomorrow." Proclaims the King, lost in a past memory for a second while looking at his cup. Corlys let out a thoughtful grunt, taking the attention of Viserys once again.
"Your grace, if you are so concerned about the future of your house, why do you keep your brother in his unfruitful marriage?" The Sea Snake asks, being more honest than before. Viserys frowns.
"That was a political marriage arranged by my grandmother, queen Alysanne. House Royce is the second most powerful house in the Vale. An annulment could be interpreted as an insult to House Royce and it would sever the relation of the crown with the Vale." Proclaims the king in a strict tone. Corlys nods.
"Your grace, I think you know that I am on good terms with Daemon. That marriage is clearly unpleasant for both sides, judging by what he told me. Rhea Royce is not fond of your brother, to say the least." The Sea Snake says. Viserys frowns once again.
"Still, I don't think it is enough of a reason to undo such an important marriage." Proclaims the King, less certain this time.
"The marriage was never consummated." Proclaims Corlys. Viserys falls back on his chair, shocked.
"What?" The King asks, confused. Corlys opens a short smile.
"Daemon told me that. He never slept with Rhea Royce, not even in their bedding. A non-consummated marriage can easily be declared null." The Sea Snake proclaims in an honest tone. Viserys looks at his cup while thinking before looking back to Corlys with a serious expression.
"Lord Corlys, what do you achieve with the annulment of Daemon's marriage? Do you plan to wed Laena to him if i don't accept her hand?" The king points out. Corlys laughs a bit and relaxes on his seat.
"I am still just your vassal, your grace. I am trying to find a solution for the issue of your house. If Daemon can expand his own family while you also do so, House Targaryen could prosper in numbers soon enough. Daemon is hard to read, but I think a good wife could do wonders for him. He lacks purpose in life. He does not have titles or a direct family. You have a chance to give a bigger purpose to your brother, Viserys." The Sea Snake says, getting into a more intimate tone by the end. Viserys looks at his cup once again.
"Your grace, I know why you truly hesitate when it comes to the idea of marrying Laena. It is not about my daughter. It is about the wife you lost. You loved her and she is suddenly gone. You don't want to replace her. Gods, if I lost Rhaenys, I would never marry again, for sure. However, I am an old man and you have the future of the entire realm in your hands. That said, I am well aware that you fear the idea of a girl getting pregnant too soon like Aemma did. I want to assure you that you don't have to do this now. A few years of waiting until Laena becomes mature enough would be the ideal here, especially when my wife has similar concerns. I just want you to consider, Your Grace." The Lord of Driftmark says in a soft tone. Viserys relaxes more on his chair, immersed in his on mind. He then gets up and the head of House Velaryon does the same. Viserys looks at him with a thoughtful expression.
"I promise that I will take this conversation in deep consideration, Lord Corlys. I will call the council in a few weeks to announce my decision. Thank you for your time." The king says in a gentle tone. Corlys smiles and makes a short bow.
"The pleasure is mine, your grace. Now, if you excuse me, I must go." The Sea Snake declares before walking out. Viserys looks at him for a time before looking to the sky. He closes his eyes and sighs.
"What should I do, Aemma?" The king whispers to himself. The wind blows softly at him.
Viserys takes a deep breath and then walks towards the castle. He has a lot of pieces to move.
---
The night falls and the king finds himself sitting in front of a fireplace while Maester Runciter and his assistants try to treat the injury in his fingers with maggots. Viserys sighs while he looks at the maggots going for the dead skin in his fingers. The king looks at Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, who is next to him.
"I had a meeting with Corlys and Rhaenys." The king mentions. Otto looks a bit concerned.
"For what reason, your grace?"
"Marriage. He wants me to marry his daughter."
"Lord Corlys went too far. He is a very ambitious man." The Hand proclaims in a dry tone. Viserys nods slowly.
"He is, but, at the same time, he made good arguments. My main concern is her age. She is still two-and-ten. I married Aemma when she was eleven and she gave birth to Rhaenyra at five-and-ten. Her age at the time was probably the reason why she is not here anymore. I feel guilty for that. I always will. I don't want Laena to meet the same end that Aemma did." The king declares in a sad tone. Otto nods slowly in sympathy.
"Your concerns are justified, your grace. You should marry an older woman. A young and fertile woman, but also one that has already matured." The Hand suggests with confidence. Viserys looks up to him, thinking.
"Ser Otto, I have something to tell you. In private." The king proclaims while looking at the maester and the other servants. All of them quickly leave the room. Ser Otto looks back at Viserys, intrigued.
"What is it, my king?" The reachman asks. King Viserys relaxes more on his seat, trying to ignore the maggots on his hand.
"With the reduced number of members in my house, I decided to take harsher measures. I am considering the annulment of Daemon's marriage with Rhea Royce under the argument of it being unconsummated." Proclaims the king. Ser Otto looks at him, surprised.
"Annulment? He never consummated the marriage?" The Hand asks in a lower tone. Viserys nods with a grunt.
"That is what Corlys said. I will send a letter to Rhea soon, asking for a confirmation and collaboration on the matter. After the annulment, I plan to marry Daemon to a woman that might be more of his taste." Proclaims the King in a vague tone. Ser Otto looks at his liege with a concerned gaze.
"And who is the bride in question, your grace?" The Hand asks, really interested in the answer. Viserys fixes his posture on the chair before looking Otto in the eyes.
"Ser Otto, I want to make a proposal to you. I want my brother, Prince Daemon Targaryen, to marry your daughter, Lady Alicent Hightower." The king proclaims in a serious tone.
The eyes of Otto get wide and his mouth is left open. He clearly did not expect it.
"Y-Your grace, i think that is a bad idea. Prince Daemon and I have been on bad terms since your coronation. I fear what could happen in this marriage." The Hand says, clearly more nervous than he usually is. Viserys sighs.
"I understand your worries, Ser Otto. But I promise that Daemon will do nothing harmful to your daughter. You have my word." The king promises. Ser Otto doesn't look any less nervous. He takes a deep breath.
"Why do you want my daughter to marry Prince Daemon, Your Grace?" The Hand asks after a moment.
"I am planning to accept the proposal that Corlys made. But, it will be just a betrothal until Laena turns six-and-ten. However, the reduced number of members in my house is urgent. One bad year could be the end of the Targaryens. Both Daemon and Rhea have been in a childless marriage for a too long. It needs to be fixed. And I see an opportunity here. Alicent is a kind and composed young woman. Daemon is the complete opposite. Rhea was more similar to Daemon in attitude, but it did not work out. Maybe with a wife completely different from himself, it could work. And with that marriage, I want the end of this stupid rivalry between you and Daemon. I can't accept my Hand and my brother fighting over and over in every meeting. Once Alicent gives children to Daemon, the two of you will have a blood connection. I expect that things get better after that. Do you understand, Otto?" The king asks after his monologue. Ser Otto takes a deep breath.
"I understand your points, your grace, but do you really think that this marriage would be any different from his previous one? Daemon could just do the same to Alicent and never consummate the marriage. It could have the opposite effect and make our relations even worse." Otto proclaims, worried. Viserys sighs once again and looks back at the maggots biting his hand.
"Otto, it will be different. I will obligate Daemon to consummate the marriage. Even further, I will obligate him to have a child with Alicent as soon as possible." The King says. The Hand frowns, clearly still unsure.
"Your grace, are you sure that Daemon will obey your orders?" Otto asks, letting out Daemon's title. Viserys looks back at him.
"I will negotiate with him. Daemon is ambitious and has nothing to inherit. He will probably want to go to war sooner or later. Probably on the Stepstones. I will give him the support that he needs." The King says and then gets up, taking his hand out of the maggots and getting closer to Otto, who is hesitant.
"So, Ser Otto, will you accept the marriage of your daughter, Lady Alicent Hightower, to my brother, Prince Daemon Targaryen?" The king asks in a straight voice. Otto looks down in contemplation. And then he sighs and looks at Viserys.
"I am a second son, your grace. As such, I have to fight for my place in history. In my position as just a brother to a Lord, I can only be grateful to receive your offer. I accept your proposal." The Hand of the King proclaims, not happy, but composed. Viserys smiles.
"Great. I will start the negotiations with Runestone and the High Septon for the annulment of the marriage. I promise that you will not regret that decision, Otto." The king says in an honest tone. Ser Otto sighs and nods.
"I can only hope, your grace." The Hand proclaims, lacking faith in the words of his liege.
---
After weeks of preparation, King Viserys calls his council to announce his decision.
The King takes his seat on the council with a sigh, preparing his mind for all the problems to come while the council gathers around the table.
"Your grace, what is the reason for your call?" The Master of Laws, Lord Lyonel Strong, asks in a composed tone. Viserys fixes his posture.
"I will explain when everyone gets here." The king proclaims and Lord Strong nods.
"The council is already here, your grace." The Master of Coin, Lord Lyman Beesbury, declares. Viserys nods.
"Yes, but there is one person missing." The King says, getting slightly irritated as the time passes.
Before Ser Otto can make more questions to the King, the doors are opened by the Kingsguard. Every man in the chamber looks at the door.
Prince Daemon Targaryen enters the chamber with a raised chin and confident steps. He keeps a hand on the pummel of Dark Sister, which is in its sheath.
"Sorry for taking too long, Your Grace. I had to take Caraxes to the Dragonpit before getting here, and it can take some time." The prince says in an ironic tone. He gives a short smile to Rhaenyra, who is serving wine in cups on a nearby table. She opens a childish smile to him. Daemon sits on the chair in front of Ser Otto before looking at the latter with a smile full of mockery. Otto looks at him with a frown. Behind him, Alicent places a hand on her father's shoulder to calm him down.
"You seem to be in a bad mood, Otto. It is not a great day to you, I suppose? I can’t say that I am sad about it." Daemon declares in a provoking tone. Otto frowns in anger, but Viserys takes the lead before The Hand can say anything.
"Daemon! Show more respect to Ser Otto. I did not call you here so you could cause more problems than you already did." Proclaims the King, frustrated. Daemon looks at his brother with interest now.
"Why did you call me then?" The rogue prince asks in a too informal way. Viserys sighs before getting up from his chair so he could get the attention of everyone. The guards close the door once again.
"After the unfortunate death of my dear wife, I have been pressured in almost all meetings to marry once again. During the past weeks, I came to a decision and prepared myself for it. I will marry." The king proclaims. Everyone in the chamber gets in a more serious position, focused on the matter. Rhaenyra looks concerned and fearful. Ser Otto looks neutral. Alicent seems nervous and look away. Lord Corlys has a confident gaze. Daemon is trying to understand why he should be here for that. Viserys takes a deep breath.
"I have decided to accept the proposal of Lord Corlys. I will marry his daughter, Lady Laena Velaryon, once she becomes six-and-ten years old, four years from now." The king announces. Lord Corlys gets a great smile of pure satisfaction in his face.
"It is the greatest honor possible to my house, Your Grace." The Sea Snake says in an honest tone. Viserys nods, but Lyonel Strong looks concerned.
"Your grace, four years is a long time for such a reduced dynasty like yours. It would be wise to marry an older woman as soon as possible." The Lord of Harrenhal proclaims in a serious tone. Viserys nods, understanding his point.
"I know my situation very well, Lord Strong. For that same reason, I have a plan to deal with the low number of Targaryens." The king proclaims in a thoughtful tone. He then looks to Daemon, who looks back to his brother with a sudden rise of interest, and then he smirks.
"I will not sleep with Rhea Royce, Viserys." Proclaims the prince without any hesitation. Viserys laughs and Daemon looks back at him, confused. The king takes a letter from his side of the table that Daemon did not notice until now.
"It does not matter anymore, Daemon. In the past few weeks, I have been trading letters with Lady Rhea Royce. She confirmed to me that you never consummated your marriage. Considering the fact that she is the childless ruler of Runestone and also considering the current state of our own house, I have contacted the High Septon and asked him to issue the annulment of your marriage." King Viserys proclaims in an imposing tone. The councillors look surprised, except Otto and Alicent. Daemon looks shocked for a moment before laughing out loud in clear disbelief. Once the laughter fades away, he looks at his brother with a frown.
"What do you really want with that, brother?" The prince asks in a neutral tone. Viserys gaze at Daemon's eyes. Purple to purple.
"For the sake of ending your stupid rival with Ser Otto Hightower, we agreed into a marriage between you and Lady Alicent Hightower." Proclaims the king with conviction. Most councillors look worried.
The expression of Daemon changes several times during a single second. From shock, to disappointment and, finally, they lock into anger. He gets up from his seat.
"What kind of joke is that? You want to marry a prince like me to a daughter of a second son? Have you lost your mind, Viserys?" Prince Daemon asks, furious. Ser Otto gave a gaze to him while Alicent looked further away in embarrassment. Rhaenyra hides herself behind her table, clearly curious and nervous. Viserys stands on his position.
"Otto is a competent Hand, Alicent is a good woman, and you are my only brother. I want to connect this council and end this blood feud between you and the Hand of the King. Alicent is completely different from Rhea Royce, and you will learn that once you get married." The king proclaims with confidence. Daemon let out a laugh of disbelief.
"Oh please. What makes you think that I will share my bed with a daughter of a second son of a house that is not even the overlord of their region? It is below me in every way! You give me hope of freedom and then you take that away from me one second later! You think that is funny, Viserys?" The Rogue Prince proclaims, losing some control as he gets angrier. Viserys hesitates for a second, and then he frowns at his younger brother.
"I am very serious, Daemon. You will marry Lady Alicent. You will consummate the marriage. You will try your best to have a child with her. That is my order to you." The king proclaims in an imposing tone. Daemon angrily gets closer to him. Lord Commander Harrold Westerling takes out his sword and steps to the front, ready to defend his king. Viserys marks a sign with his hand and the white knight puts down his sword. The king looks to Daemon in the eye once more.
"And what will happen if I don't care about that stupid wedding, brother?" The Rogue Prince asks. Viserys frowns as he restrains his anger as much as he possibly can.
"Exile would be an immediate punishment and I would contemplate something beyond that if necessary. Either way, you would no longer be welcomed in my domains." The king proclaims between his teeth.
Silence reigns in the chamber for a few seconds until Daemon smirks. Then, he sighs and gets serious once again.
"Fine. However, I know there is more to it. Knowing you, there will be something to make me less likely to complain. Tell me, Your Grace, what do I get from you if I follow your orders?" The prince asks, taking a step back with a more relaxed posture. Viserys also relaxes a bit.
"I thought you would ask for that. You should be really grateful that I prepared a reward for you. As you know, for the last two years I have been trying to give you a position in my small council. You couldn't keep even a single one of them for a whole year. You got bored, you said. I know you, Daemon. You love death. You love the glory of battle. You can only give value to a power that you conquered by yourself. Am I right?" The King asks his brother. Daemon looks way more interested now.
"Go on." The rogue prince says in a dry tone before crossing his arms. Viserys takes a deep breath.
"Daemon, I am offering you the position of the main commander in the war against the Stepstones that is coming. I will give you the army you want and I will let Lord Corlys join you as much as he wishes. If you manage to defeat Craghas Drahar and the Triarchy, and conquer the stepstones, once you come back to King's Landing, I will create a new position on the council just for you. Master of the armies. The supreme commander of the entire military force of the Seven Kingdoms. You will be responsible to defend the throne from its enemies. What do you think of that, Daemon?" The king asks, knowing what would be Daemon's reaction.
His brother opens the most genuine smile he had in the past years. Lord Corlys, sitting at the table, opens a huge smile. Viserys never saw the Sea Snake that much happy.
"Are you going to give me all of that if i just fuck that sweet lady over here?" Daemon asks, pointing to Lady Alicent, who is behind Ser Otto. She looks away, embarrassed. The young lady moves her fingers against each other to deal with her nervousness. Daemon smirks and looks back at Viserys, who still keeps his composure.
"Not only that, Daemon. You have one year of marriage to conceive a child with Alicent. You will go to war once you get her pregnant." The King explains. Daemon nods with his head before letting out a sigh and then another smirk.
"I accept your terms, your grace." The Rogue Prince says in a softer tone. Viserys relaxes in his seat with a sigh.
"Good. Now, do what you must do." The king proclaims, letting out the meaning of his words in the underlines. Daemon smirks and nods. He walks around the council table to get to Lady Alicent Hightower, judging her with his purple gaze.
Alicent looks away at first, but then looks back at Daemon, holding her hands.
"It... It will be an honor to be your wife, my prince. I will do my best." The young lady says in a nervous and low tone of voice, looking away right after. Otto gazes at Daemon with intensity.
The chamber is in silence for a few seconds until Daemon raises a hand and gently pulls Alicent's head up by her chin, making her even more nervous and without reaction. He laughs.
"I already took a good look at you when I asked for your favor in the tournament, Lady Alicent. You are not ugly by any means. Your mother must have been beautiful to compensate for the ugliness of your sire." The Rogue Prince says in a provoking tone. Ser Otto gets up, looking at Daemon with anger. The prince let go of Alicent before smirking at the older man.
"Keep your calm, Hand. I will respect the chastity of your precious daughter until our marriage, but I have to ask... are you happy with the way things turned out for you?" The prince asks with a malicious smile. Otto looks at him with a controlled expression, letting out his anger with his gaze. He takes a deep breath.
"As a second son and a vassal to the king I need to be honored by the kind offer that your grace made to me and my daughter. I expect you to see that in the same way, Prince Daemon." The Hand of the King says in a dry tone. Daemon let out a short laugh before looking at his new bride.
"Goodbye, my lady." The prince says in an exaggerated tone, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. Alicent blushes and Daemon let out a smirk when he sees Otto's expression of displeasure. The Rogue Prince looks at his brother.
"If that is all, I am out, brother." Says the prince, going towards the door. Viserys frowns.
"Where are you going, Daemon?" The King asks. The prince turns back at him with his usual malicious smile.
"I am going to visit my former gold cloak companions." The Rogue Prince says before leaving through the door. The silence returns to the chamber after the door is closed. Viserys sighs.
"I can only hope that this will work out." The King let out in a low tone. Ser Otto nods his head with no eagerness.
"I think it is an interesting idea, your grace. However, do you really think that it is wise to give Daemon direct power over the armies of the seven kingdoms?" The Lord of Harrenhal asks, uncertain. Viserys lets out a grunt while he throws his back on his chair.
"Many things can be said about my brother, Lord Strong, but I have no doubt that he is loyal to me and our house. He is an excellent warrior and an able commander. That role is the ideal one for him. His time in the City Guard proved that." The king proclaims while Rhaenyra fills his cup. Ser Otto sighs.
"During that time, Daemon proved to be too ruthless for the position. What will keep him from committing acts of cruelty towards the people who don’t deserve such punishments, but who had the horrible luck of getting in his way?" The Hand asks in a dry tone. Viserys smiles at his daughter before taking a sip of his cup of wine. He then looks at Otto.
"I think you know that a man gets softer once he becomes a father, Otto. I am sure that he will change for the better." The king proclaims in a calm tone. The older man doesn't seem convinced.
"We can only hope, your grace." The Hand says in a dry tone. Viserys looks at the satisfied Lord Corlys Velaryon.
"So, Lord Corlys, the marriage will happen in four years. Until then, I want you to keep your children here. If Laena will be my queen consort, she needs to know how the court works. Bring her to the councils with you. Also, as you were the most interested part in a war with the Stepstones, I want you to lead the royal fleet. Laenor can help a lot in communication, as well. As a young dragon, Seasmoke is fast and can deliver messages sooner than anything the Triarchy can hope to elaborate. That is a huge advantage to our side." Proclaims the King. The Sea Snake nods and smiles.
"It shall be done, Your Grace." The Lord of the Tides proclaims before getting up and raising his cup without any objection. The lords do the same.
"Prosperity to King Viserys, the First of His Name, and glory for House Targaryen!" Proclaims the Sea Snake.
"Long live the king!" The men says at the same time. Viserys, still on his seat, gets a large smile.
"Great. The council is done for today. I need some time alone." The King declares in a firm tone. The lords then proceed to get out of the chambers after a quick bow to the King.
When the door is closed, Viserys looks to the only person that remained with him. Rhaenyra, his young daughter of eight, looks very nervous.
"What bothers you, my child?" The king asks, worried. Rhaenyra gets closer to her father, but doesn't look into his eyes.
"Laena will take muna's place?" The princess asks, concerned. Viserys gets one hand on her shoulder, making her look at him directly. He opens a sad smile.
"She will take the position of queen, but she will never take the position of your mother, Rhaenyra. You can be sure of that." The king proclaims. Rhaenyra looks more relieved with that.
"Kepa, Laena is not too young for you?" The princess asks, as curious as a child is. Viserys laughs a bit.
"For sure. That is why the marriage will be done in the future, not now. That can be positive for you. Laena is close to your age, so she can become your friend. And she will soon claim her own dragon. You two could fly around together." The King says in a soft tone. The purple eyes of Rhaenyra shine a bit with that idea, before the concern returns.
"Kepa... what if Laena gives you a son?" The princess asks in a low tone. Viserys sighs and takes his daughter on his lap.
"That will change nothing, Rhaenyra. I named you my heir and I will keep it that way. No matter what." The king declares in a firm tone filled with conviction. Rhaenyra looks satisfied.
"You promise?" The princess asks in a childish tone. Viserys laughs.
"I promise. Now, ask a guard to take you to the Dragonpit. Syrax could use a flight." The King says. Rhaenyra smiles before kissing the cheek of her father and running out.
Viserys sighs and tries to relax on his seat, looking at the ceiling of the council chamber.
He can only hope that his plan will work out and pray that Daemon's ambitions will be satisfied by what he offered.
---