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— Viserys Targaryen
Viserys did not expect the events unfolding before his eyes.
When he ordered the members of the Small Council to meet that morning near the end of spring, he did so because he was planning to announce his choice of betrothed: Lady Alicent Hightower, the daughter of his loyal friend and also his daughter's best friend.
Although it was a decision that Viserys knew no one expected, he was confident and sure of his decision. It was the right thing to do, after the dishonor that Viserys committed to the young lady who only sought to comfort him in his pain. The visits began innocently enough, with Lady Alicent just reading books to him in his chambers, which evolved into shared meals and moments of conversation, which in turn evolved into sharing the marital bed.
Viserys was not proud of his actions towards the young girl, but he was shaken by the loss of his beloved Aemma and her company soothed him and warmed Viserys's wounded heart and emotions overcame him and he ended up acting inappropriately, dishonoring the young girl.
It wasn't difficult for Viserys to decide to do the right thing. Honor dictated that Viserys should marry her and he did so, taking two problems off Viserys' shoulders - the dishonor of Lady Alicent and the consecration of a new Queen.
However, before Viserys could begin the meeting, Rhaenyra entered, accompanied by her sworn shield. Viserys's daughter and heir had a shaken expression and looked like she had been crying. Viserys immediately worried, but before he asked her what had happened, Rhaenyra raised her head and looked at all the members of the Small Council.
“My lords, my father. I apologize for my lateness, but I had to deal with a very uncomfortable situation for me this morning,” his lovely daughter justified herself, although Viserys felt that she didn't need to justify herself for a small delay; Rhaenyra is still young, she can be lenient for now. It would take a long time for the weight of the Crown's responsibilities to fall upon her, Viserys hoped to keep her as safe from the harshness of the world as long as he could.
“Princess, while I sympathize with your situation, I believe this is not a matter of interest to the Small Council and His Grace was about to make an announcement,” said the Hand of Viserys, Otto Hightower. Viserys had previously spoken to the man about his desire to take Alicent as his wife, so he was aware of Viserys' motivations for convening the Council.
“Lord Hand, unfortunately, I believe this is in the interest of the Small Council,” Rhaenyra lets him know, looking at Viserys' dearest friend with a sad expression. “After all, the matter at hand may fall to me and as Princess of Dragonstone, I cannot allow such a thing and I believe it is in the best interest of Your Grace, my father, to keep me away from such events.”
“I'm getting worried, Rhaenyra. Tell me once and for all what this is about?” Viserys guides her calmly, trying to avoid showing his nervousness and concern.
Rhaenyra takes a deep breath before she begins to speak, and when she does, Viserys feels like vomiting.
“As you all know, I have only one lady-in-waiting, the daughter of the Lord Hand,” she begins. “Earlier today, Alicent didn't come to help me dress like she always does and I was afraid that she was sick, as she had been complaining about feeling unwell for a few days, so I went to her quarters in the Hand’s Tower with some maids to help me, accompanying it with some food so we can break the fast together. However, when I arrived, what I found left me scared and confused, because that was not the behavior of my dear friend.”
Viserys feels chills run throughout his body.
Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Otto shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
“What are you talking about, Princess?” Otto asks, a little rudely in Viserys' opinion, which startles him for a moment. But he doesn't focus on that, preferring to tell Rhaenyra to continue and be more direct.
“It is not easy for me to say this, especially with my closeness to Lady Alicent,” Rhaenyra continues. She then looks at Otto and walks towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder as if to comfort him. "I am really sorry, Lord Hand. But your daughter was accompanied by two men in her chambers, all three in a state of partial nudity.”
Viserys cannot understand the words coming out of his daughter's mouth. Lady Alicent is a respectable lady, properly raised and extremely pious. Surely his daughter must be mistaken.
“What nonsense is this, girl?” Otto exclaims, standing up as he knocks on the table. Viserys doesn't blame him for the reaction, nor for the lack of decorum in referring to the Princess as a girl. “My daughter would never do something like that!”
“Unfortunately, it is true. There are several witnesses and although I have done my best to prevent the news from spreading, I am afraid it will not be possible.” Rhaenyra then looks at her father. “The servants of the Red Keep love gossip, even more so when it concerns high-status nobles. And Alicent is the daughter of the Hand of the King. I paid the servants I met to keep quiet, and I hope that keeps them quiet, but I don't know if I've reached them all.”
“This is absurd!” Otto screams again. “My daughter is a noble lady, pious and follower of the Faith of the Seven and its teachings. She knows better than to act the way the Princess is implying!”
Unfortunately, Viserys knows this is not true, after all, he himself shared a bed with Lady Alicent. But he cannot believe that she has slept with other men; she bled the first time they shared the marital bed.
“Rhaenyra, surely this is just a misunderstanding,” Viserys told her daughter as gently as she could. He doesn't want to offend his daughter by implying that he didn't believe her.
“Father, don’t you think it hurts me to say what I saw? Alicent is my dearest friend, she has been with me since I was a little girl running through the halls of the Keep, I wouldn't be telling you this if it weren't true,” Rhaenyra says and Viserys then knows it's true. “That’s also why I had to send her away.”
"What?" Otto screams again. “I am her father, I am the one who must decide what to do with her!”
“She is your daughter, but she is my lady-in-waiting and closest friend,” Rhaenyra snaps. “Because of this, I cannot allow her to remain at Court, unpunished for her actions. Her actions are a reflection of mine and I cannot allow my reputation to be tarnished by her misstep. I am the Crown Princess, it is my duty and the duty of this Council to maintain my reputation.”
Viserys feels devastated and defeated. How did he not realize that Lady Alicent was like this? She always showed herself to be a cultured and gifted lady, elegant and pious. But in retrospect, she visited him in his chambers late at night, didn't she? Unaccompanied and by her own choice, as Viserys had never called her before.
Maybe her behavior was always there, disguised as piety.
He lets his body hit the chair, defeated. How could he not have seen it?
“Still, I should be the one to handle this situation!” Otto shouted. “I would prove that this is nothing more than a misunderstanding. My daughter would be Queen! She would never have acted this way!”
“What do you mean?” Lord Corlys asks.
“My thought exactly, what do you mean?” Rhaenyra repeats the question, looking at Viserys with surprise in her eyes. “Father, is what Otto saying true? But, but why? Your Grace and Lady Alicent never exchanged words, not in my presence at least. Unless... No, Father, tell me you didn't do that. Tell me you didn’t dishonor my mother like this!”
“Rhaenyra…” Viserys begins, but Rhaenyra seems to see the truth in his eyes.
“Save your apologies, Your Grace,” Rhaenyra interrupts him, harshly. Viserys sees in his daughter's eyes that he has hurt her. “At least this issue at hand is resolved. Lady Alicent took her vows to the Faith and became a Septa, with the blessing of the High Septon in the Keep’s Sept and she is now heading to Oldtown to begin her training.”
"Issue? My daughter is not an issue! She was destined to be Queen,” Otto goes on to say. Then, to Viserys' surprise, he smiles proudly. “She was even fulfilling her duty of producing heirs for the King!”
Viserys opens his mouth and stares at his friend. Did he know about the visits, then? Did he know what happened?
The voices of the Small Council members mingle as everyone tries to speak, but Viserys was too shocked by the information his friend revealed. Was Alicent pregnant? Had he gotten her with child?
“How can we be sure that this child was my father’s?” Rhaenyra asks him. “As I just reported, she was caught in bed with two men.”
Otto is not intimidated.
“My daughter is smart.”
“If she was, she wouldn’t have put herself in such a situation in the first place,” Rhaenyra responds and Viserys can see that she is hiding her real emotions. It can't be easy for his daughter to have to challenge her best friend's honor. “Alicent was not married and her son would be considered a bastard even if she married my father. But don’t worry, Lord Otto, that problem has also been resolved.”
Otto's expression falls.
"What?" He practically growls at Rhaenyra and Viserys for the first time is bothered by the man's reactions.
“Like I said, Alicent was complaining about feeling bad. When I found out about her activities, I asked one of my servants to fetch moon tea. She took it without complaining and I remained with her while the blood ran down her legs. She took her vows clean from the evidence of her dishonor.”
Otto hits the table.
“How dare you!”
“I dare because I am the Crown Princess and act according to the situation.”
Viserys could not comprehend the fight before him between his heiress and his Hand. Viserys understood Otto's anger, after all, no father would be happy to find out that their daughter shared a bed with men before marriage and although he seemed to know about Viserys and Alicent, it was different, because Viserys would marry her before her reputation could be stained. But on the other hand, Viserys knew his daughter was right — King Jaehaerys didn't do this with Saera when did he find out about her activities, sending her to the Faith? Rhaenyra only acted according to the precedent.
“Otto, my friend, unfortunately there is nothing we can do,” Viserys tells his friend. “Even if she hadn't taken her vows, I couldn't marry her now. Alicent was caught in a position that would call into question the legitimacy of any children we could have together.”
“This is absurd! I'm sure this was a setup to prevent her from becoming Queen! Rhaenyra herself must have orchestrated everything to avoid any challenge to her position!”
“Otto…”
“Watch how you talk about the Princess, Lord Hand,” warned Corlys Velaryon.
“And how would I have orchestrated this, if until then I was not aware of my father's relationship with your daughter?”
Viserys knows all is lost.
“Otto, I think you better go to your chambers and calm your mind. I know this news would shake any parent, but you are accusing my daughter of something horrible and I will not allow this behavior.”
Otto opens his mouth to protest, but before he can, Rhaenyra's sworn shield grabs him by the arm and leads him out of the room. Viserys doesn't even have the strength to protest the man's treatment.
Viserys intends to end the meeting, but Rhaenyra steps forward and speaks again.
“Lord Corlys, I am sorry for the humiliation my father intended to give your House and your daughter. Lady Laena is and will always be the only suitable option to fill the position my mother left. I hope you still agree to the marriage, after all, no one outside this room will know that your daughter was almost being passed over in favor of a lady who would bring nothing significant to the Crown.”
“Rhaenyra…” Viserys tries to speak, but is not heard.
“I appreciate your words, Princess. I see there is more wisdom in you than one realizes,” Lord Corlys says, giving Viserys a meaningful look. “House Velaryon accepts the offer, of course. But we will have to discuss the arrangements properly. My daughter cannot become Queen, give birth to heirs only to her future children have nothing.”
“Don’t worry, Lord Corlys, I have the ideal solution. My firstborn, who will sit on the Iron Throne after my death, must marry one of my future siblings. What do you think?”
“A fabulous idea, Princess,” Corlys laughs.
“I have to agree. A great idea, Princess,” agrees Lord Beesbury. Lord Strong smiles and nods.
Viserys is numb. He can't even complain about his daughter making plans for him in front of him. But when he notices that the members of his Small Council seem to agree with the agreements, there is nothing Viserys can think of to go against it.