Late 111 AC, Kings Landing
Viserys POV
Viserys applied the final touches of paint to one of the spirals of the estate in the north-eastern sector of the city with a great sense of satisfaction before he stepped back and looked over the entirety of the model.
"Do you see any further discolouration, Lyonel?" Viserys asked whilst he kept his eyes on the model of Old Valyria. Well, partially complete model of Old Valyria.
He still had much of the southern parts of the model to complete, parts that included one of the Fourteen Volcanoes of Valyria, said to be the birth place of the first dragons and that of the Valyrian religion, and, for thousands of years until the Doom, proudly hosted the Temple of the Valyrian Gods.
He did not think he'd finish it for some time, he mused to himself. The drawings he'd based the model on was from fragmented descriptions from the texts of his ancestors and the model did not quite fit the grandiosity of Old Valyria.
Not yet.
"No, Your Grace." Lord Lyonel Strong said as he stepped beside Viserys and Viserys glanced at the man and saw him scrutinising the model with the kind of eye of attention that he'd come to expect and respect from the large man.
Though he was slow of tongue and quiet in voice, when he spoke, he spoke with assurance and care that was comparable to an archmaester, and to be truthful, Viserys greatly enjoyed the change.
He'd made the right choice in selecting Lyonel when Otto had proven himself to be no longer fit to be his Hand…no longer fit to be trusted.
"It seems to match colouring perfectly now." Lord Strong said before he paused momentarily and added "Once the model is complete, it will be a marvel equal to that of the Painted Table."
Viserys hummed pleased. "Yes, that is the hope." He said whilst shaking his head, a soft chuckle escaping his throat "Though I despair the possibility that I may never be able to finish it." At least to a degree that truly caught the glory of Valyria.
"I find that inspiration can often strike when it is least expected, Your Grace." Lord Strong said to Viserys and it made Viserys chuckle a little louder.
"Aye, that is the right of it." Viserys said with a quiet but warm smile before he turned his attentions back to the model and they talked about the model for some time before he heard the heavy-set doors to his chamber open, the sound of chafing wood on red stone echoing through his halls.
He turned and saw his Kingsguard escorted a lone man whose ship Viserys been waiting on arriving. Viserys scrutinised the man in his thirties closely.
It's been some time since he'd lain his eyes upon the heir to Claw Isle and he struggled to remember the occasions he'd seen the man time after Aegon had left.
Though he shared the looks of Old Valyria, like that of his father, silver of hair and cobalt of eyes, though shorter and much thinner in both body and in face than the aged Lord of Claw Isle, he could not quite remember seeing him all that oft. Surely, he'd seen the man since Aegon had left, if not during the celebrations of his son's second nameday then sure in the tourneys since then, competing for honours?
Bartimos Celtigar glanced at Lord Strong for a moment before the man kneeled before him, his head bowed. "Your Grace."
"Rise, my Lord." Viserys said magnanimously, a faint hint of a kingly smile showing on his face as he met the Celtigar's gaze.
"I hope the journey was plain-sailing, my good Lord."
Bartimos Celtigar smiled respectfully as he inclined his head "It was, Your Grace. Certainly, an easier journey than that to the Summer Isles." Celtigar said meaningfully, drawing to the reason why he was summoned to Kings Landing.
Viserys' eyes tightened slightly.
"Troubles with any corsairs, my Lord?" Lord Strong asked curiously.
Celtigar shook his head slightly. "Nay, my Lord Hand. We encountered no troubles with any corsairs. Prince Daemon's peace remains true."
Viserys was sceptical of those words just as he'd been sceptical when Daemon had returned in triumph and laid down a crown at Viserys' feet, claiming that the Triarchy will not be a problem any longer.
He later learnt of the dishonourable ways his brother had gone about winning that Peace, killing thousands on scores of merchant ships, and he'd been wroth.
Otto may not know it, nor would he let the man know, but there had been times when Otto's arguments about it being a mistake to let Daemon be so close to the throne through his son almost won out against Viserys' sense of duty and family.
In any case…
Though Daemon claimed that the situation at the Stepstones was…handled, there were signs that the Stepstones were no safer now than they had been before.
"The difficult of the journey was merely about the duration." Bartimos Celtigar said and Viserys refocused, mentally shaking away those unpleasant thoughts, not wishing to think further on Otto and Daemon.
The Celtigar heir continued. "It was more harrowing than I expected, to be at sea for so long, even for one such as I who is borne to the sea as any true Celtigar is."
'Yet you allowed your daughter to leave for a journey even more so harrowing' Viserys thought himself suspiciously.
Viserys did not voice anything of his true thoughts. "I am gladdened to hear my brother's efforts have not been wasted." Viserys said with a light nod before he gestured one of the servants to present them with cups of wine before they left, leaving behind only himself, his Hand, two of his Kingsguard and the Celtigar heir.
"I am sure you know why you're here, my Lord." Lord Strong began as they sat down at the table and Celtigar inclined his head respectfully before he eyed Viserys somewhat cautiously.
"You have questions about Prince Aegon, Your Grace."
"I do." Viserys said firmly as he eyed the man before him. He added sternly as he bore his eyes down at the Celtigar heir "Though we may begin with House Celtigar's involvement."
By the time he'd heard that House Celtigar was in contact with his brother, Aethan and Bartimos Celtigar were already setting sail for the Summer Isles and it had only been then that they learnt of how…involved the Celtigar's were with his brother.
For more than a year, the Celtigars had been trading with his brother, greatly enriching the Celtigars to the point that the coffers of Dragonstone were looking to be healthier than they'd been for more than a decade with Kings Landing once more having access to great amounts of spices, rare cloths and porcelain that the city had not seen for near enough a decade.
That alone had been a surprise yet not suspicious, not at that time. But then…more news kept on coming.
Strange rumours brought to him by Otto, impossible rumours that spoke of his brother laying claim to lands out in the West!
He'd dismissed it…at first.
Until more and more such rumours were said to be circulating around the Free Cities. It was then that he asked Otto, and then later Lord Strong to continue after he dismissed Otto, to seek out more information and what information he received.
It seemed like his brother had been busy. Not only had he involved one of his vassals whilst at the same creating ties with them, all doing so without even sending a single letter, he had also managed something that truthfully he could never have expected. Anyone could have expected.
Those behemoth and unsightly ships, which according to Otto and his Master of Whispers were said to be seen on Walano at most a few times a year and not seen for moons on end, once believed to be sailing to some distant lands in the East, beyond the normal sea-routes to Yi-Ti or beyond, were now all but certain to have been making journeys to the west.
And now…now his brother had left with his entirety of his family to these lands West and Viserys was left to feel a great ordeal.
Anger, betrayal and worry warred within him.
Anger that Aegon was conspiring with his vassals behind Viserys' back, betrayal that his brother left without a single letter about his plans and…worry…worry for the sakes of Aegon and Gael and his nephews and nieces.
He may not be a knower of the seas, but he knew enough that the Sunset Sea was a perilous sea that has, for ages untold, served to be an insurmountable barrier. What was Aegon thinking risking the lives of his people and his children by taking this journey?
He did not understand.
Why risk so much? Why even seek out the unknown?
'He seeks a place of his own, Viserys…' Aemma's wonderful voice spoke out in his head once again, and threw him back in his memories of that fateful day, the day before Aegon and Gael and their family sailed away from their family's realm.
'Was this what you foresaw, my dearest Aemma?' Viserys thought longingly, a feeling of lostness creeping into his being.
He'd thought that his youngest brother's wanderlust had come from the tales of Corlys much like how Daemon's yearning for war had come from the achievements of their father in the war of the hundred candles but Aemma had seen something else…understood Aegon better than he did and it would be just like her if she foresaw something like this from Aegon.
It had been a skill of hers that he such adored in her…her ability to understand the hearts of men and ladies…far better than he could accomplish, he thought wearily.
Mayhaps had she still lived, Aegon would have sent a letter to at least inform them of the journey, rather than slighting him as he had over the course of more than a decade, this departure only being the latest of slights...
Mayhaps had she lived, he would not have had to doubt himself that he was making the right choice by sticking by grandsire's plans for young Baelon and their Rhaenyra.
Mayhaps had she just lived…
"If Your Grace wishes…I can start at the beginning?" Bartimos Celtigar asked, drawing Viserys back to the present, the stone on his heart slowly – but never completely – disappearing away and Viserys gave a signal for him to do so and so the tale began.
Of how suddenly a fleet of ships appeared at the horizon of Claw Isle, fearing it to be an attack from the Triarchy only to find out that the ships bore sails of Aegon's sigil, the dark blue and maroon three-headed dragon, matching the tale that Lord Celtigar had spun when he'd summoned the man to Kings Landing not a moon after the Celtigar brothers had left.
Bartimos Celtigar continued, of how the letter Aegon had sent made promises of opportunity and more, and how the Celtigars despatched the second son to meet with Aegon, once more confirming what Lord Celtigar had spoken of.
Viserys listened keenly, not saying a word as Bartimos Celtigar told his tale, his eyes tightening briefly at the part where the Celtigar heir spoke of the island nearby the coast of Dorne where Aegon's ships would unload one every third moon of the year with goods from the East and load up the portion of the coin the Celtigars had earned from trade.
Lyonel had interceded and asked then how the Triarchy did not attack Aegon's or the Celtigar ships and the heir to Claw Isle, with some reluctance Viserys saw, explained that he was not sure how Aegon had accomplished it but it sounded like he'd made a deal, a separate peace with Dorne and the Triarchy, information that expanded – and greatly differed – from what Lord Celtigar had told him.
The Celtigar ships, in the few times they encountered a Triarchy ship or fleet, were not harassed according to the Celtigar heir. Viserys had to fight to himself from expressing his displeasure at the actions of his youngest brother.
As if it wasn't bad enough that his brother was trading with the Free Cities in matters of the flesh, enriching the slavers and in some ways even aiding the foul practice as some claimed causing Viserys to defend his brother on more than one occasion, as if it wasn't bad enough that it was known to all his brother scorned his entreaties to leave the Summer Isles and return as a hero with lands and honours that few could ever conceive of receiving, but now he was colluding with the Dornish of all people?
Though trade did not pass between the Dornish and the rest of Westeros, there was a…understanding during much of his grandsire's reign. With the folly of Prince Morion in 83 AC, some of that understanding had gone away and since then there had been a simmering tension between the Realm and Dorne, the tension was once more flaring up with the Dornish collusion and interference in the Stepstones.
If news of this broke out, half the realm would shout and rage and worse, Daemon would be amongst them after all of the interference the Dornish committed against his brother and Corlys' war for the Stepstones. Viserys felt a headache looming. He could not let it be known outside of this room of such an agreement.
He would not allow the Long Peace his grandsire entrusted upon him be destroyed.
The realm could not be allowed to be fall into war, not the realm must be strong and united to face the threat Aegon the Conqueror foresaw coming to the realm.
He'd have extract oaths of silence from the boy and his father when he'd summon the Lord of Claw Isle – who Viserys was half a mind of strapping him up by his loins for failing to disclose this business with the Dornish – to ensure that the rest of Claw Isle would not speak of it lest it begin another unnecessary conflict within the Stepstones and at the borders with Dorne.
The Celtigar heir continued in his explanations, and at this point, his Hand vigorously questioned about what he'd learnt about these new lands in the West.
According to the Celtigar heir, the lands in the West, which Aegon named Elamaerys, a name that combined the Valyrian word Elam, which meant 'flawless' or in some instance 'pure', and Aerys, which meant 'Hopeful One' or just 'Hope' in the High Valyrian tongue, were half or a third the size of Westeros at the least.
The lands ranged to be between that of the Summer Isles to that of the Reach with the western side and in the middle to be most similar to that of the Westerlands.
Viserys was greatly surprised by this and he'd found himself asking many questions. The Celtigar heir provided the answers readily. The Celtigar heir spoke of how there were already thousands of people on Elamaerys for years now, steadily growing every year just as the farms grew and more of the land was charted.
Viserys began to understand more and more how much his youngest brother had planned all of this out. 'He must have known of these lands for many years' Viserys realised and for the rest of the meeting, Viserys let his Hand ask the questions as Viserys thought with half a mind on the descriptions of this land.
He could understand why Aegon had chosen to name these new lands in the way he did. A fertile land aplenty with no peoples to cause troubles…
A land of pure hope indeed…
Despite his anger, his worries and everything he felt about his brother, he couldn't but feel a measure of pride in his youngest brother. To successfully find a path out West was an accomplishment not even their ancestors during the height of Valyria's power had done, regardless if they had no wish for it.
This was a triumph that would enshrine his name for all of history, as surely as Jaenara Baelaerys' name was enshrined in the history of the Known World.
'Was this the kind of adventure you were hoping for, Aegon?' Viserys wondered to himself as he pondered if this was what his brother had searched for like Aemma believed he may be.
He often struggled to understand his youngest brother, and though his grandsire had understood his brother better than any other save for Gael by the time of his passing, when he still had the faculty of mind, he'd still known that his brother had a sense of wanderlust that made him an able admirer of Corlys and his voyages.
Viserys listened as the Celtigar heir spoke of what he knew about the journey to Elamaerys which, rather frustratingly, was far less than Viserys hoped. He did not think the Celtigar heir had the loins to lie to his face about what he knew, which was that it took near enough half a year to get there, an absurd amount of time, and that he knew only that well West of Westeros, whatever that meant.
Viserys was unsure what it meant for the future, once Aegon and his family had fully settled onto the lands, and he grew concerned if he'd ever see his brother or his aunt again. That they were said to take their dragons with them solidified his concern.
Soon enough, Bartimos Celtigar began to speak about the betrothals, something Otto had suggested was happening and later confirmed by Lord Celtigar himself, and when he spoke of how his brother and his children along with his daughter were travelling with Aegon and his family, Viserys could not remain silent no more.
"Why did you not return with your daughter? I can understand why you agreed to the betrothals – even if it was made without your King's consent" Viserys said sternly as he stared at the young man before him with disapproval in his eyes.
If what the Celtigar heir was saying was true about the journey, which for now he was believing, it was possible he'd never see his own daughter ever again.
"I can even understand why you took your young daughter with you to Corinth if only to meet her future husband but I do not understand why you left your daughter to journey to such a faraway place on such dangerous waters."
"Your Grace, Prince Aegon's ships have been travelling between the Summer Isles and Elamaerys without any ships sinking or lost for years. I am not concerned for my daughter's safety." Bartimos Celtigar said with a short bow of the head.
"Why did you allow your daughter to leave with the Prince's fleet?" Lord Strong asked as Viserys realised that Bartimos Celtigar had evaded answering.
Bartimos Celtigar looked up and met his Hand's gaze as he spoke "Prince Aegon was adamant my daughter and nieces grow up with his sons. He wished for them to develop a friendship before they were set to marry like he and Gael had."
For a few moments, silenced reigned as Viserys took that in and he could sense that his Hand was waiting for him to speak on it. Finally, he did.
"That is forward seeing" Viserys finally said before adding as he stared with a stern look at the Celtigar heir "Be as that may, you and your father should have brought this matter to me, your King." Viserys said with a rising voice though he kept it from approaching a furious shout. Barely.
Viserys was Head of House Targaryen and King of the Seven Kingdoms!
Though he could not reasonably control who Aegon married his sons and daughters outside of the realm, but he had all rights here in Westeros to decide and approve Targaryen marriages! All that occurs within his House and his Kingdom was for Viserys to approve and only Viserys could give that final approval.
Bartimos Celtigar frowned as he spoke "Your Grace, I do not understand your anger about the betrothal between members of mine own House and that of Prince Aegon's. None of the Houses inform you or seek approval for arranging betrothals or marriages with other Houses."
"He is my brother." Viserys said with simmering anger. "I am Head of House Targaryen and I am King!" Not Daemon and certainly not Aegon! Viserys calmed himself before he spoke again. "What happens in my House is for me to decide. That includes the marriages of members of the House that I am duty-bound to."
He had the right to approve – or disapprove – of any of the marriages and betrothals from members of his family. None else had the right to disobey him on this. Not Daemon. Not Otto. Certainly not Aegon.
"Yes, Your Grace. Prince Aegon is your brother. But…" Bartimos Celtigar said carefully with a respectful tone as he bowed his head slightly "You disinherited Prince Aegon from the line of succession, all but disowning him from House Targaryen." Bartimos Celtigar said cautiously, and Viserys' eyes widened at the words before he recovered, an angry expression marring his face as he spoke.
"I did not disown my own brother." Viserys said with fury lacing his words and a measure of guilt grew in his heart. 'Did Aegon think I disowned him?' His brother must be aware that he could not remove Daemon from the line of succession and not remove Aegon as well for the sake of Rhaenyra.
"Nor did I disinherit my brother from our House." Viserys added with less anger but yet still enough to mark his displeasure by the accusation.
"Your Grace, I mean no offence." Bartimos Celtigar said cautiously.
"Then say what you mean." Viserys said harshly as he stared sternly at the man before him. Bartimos Celtigar inclined his head before he spoke up.
"Though Your Grace did not disinherit or disown Prince Aegon, it can be said that removing him from the line of succession has effectively ruptured the bounds of patriarchy and headship Your Grace has over Prince Aegon's line."
"The argument may exist but it would not hold." Lord Strong said reasonably and Viserys glanced at the man and saw that he was wearing a heavy frown on his face.
Lord Strong continued "As His Grace explained, Prince Aegon is only removed from the line of succession, and has not been disinherited from House Targaryen. Had he been, that argument would have held, perhaps, but nonetheless it is not the case and Prince Aegon is still a member of House Targaryen." Lord Strong said before adding "Therefore he is still subject to the authority of His Grace, not only as his ruler but also as his elder brother and Head of House Targaryen."
Viserys turned his gaze back at Bartimos Celtigar, a slight look of suspicion passing across his expression "Is that what my brother told you'? Lied to you? Is this why you have failed in your duty as my vassal?" 'Failing to inform me, failed to deign to answer to me.'
"No, Your Grace. Prince Aegon did no such thing." The Celtigar heir said decorously.
"We simply believed that you had cut off all connections with your brother and that of his line when you removed Prince Aegon from the line of succession." He said as the Celtigar heir bowed his head, breaking the gazes they held.
Viserys grew visibly displeased with the reminding hints that suggested that Viserys had done such harm against his brother. He did not disinherit nor did he disown Aegon or his children from House Targaryen!
Daemon's vicious words – 'Heir for a day!' – left him no choice but to act quickly and resolutely. Daemon had shown himself to be too seduced by the allure of the throne, so much so that he felt he could grievously mock his own nephew, Viserys' son, without any consequence or thought to Viserys himself. Or to Aemma.
And Aegon…Aegon was not here when he needed a brother, when he needed a voice of reason and support in ways that Daemon could never be.
No, he did not regret ensuring Rhaenyra's safe ascendancy to the throne after him, even if Aegon, and his children, had not deserved to be removed, regardless of the fact they would never have ascended anyway. Daemon could not inherit the throne after Viserys…nor could Baelon be seen as anything more than King's Consort.
Yet from the way the Celtigar heir was speaking, it may well be that Aegon did not understand the necessity of it. 'Was that why you slighted me all these years, Aegon? Why you've pursued this adventure of yours, instead of returning home when I all but begged? Do you believe I slighted you so?' Viserys thought wearily.
"As such" the Celtigar heir continued, drawing Viserys out from his thoughts and he met the young man's gaze.
"When Prince Aegon presented the offer as it was, my father and I agreed to the matches because of the opportunities the offer held and because of my friendship, along with that of House Celtigar, shares with Prince Aegon and Princess Gael. If Your Grace believes we acted wrongly, I offer myself for your reckoning."
"Even if what you claimed was an accurate assessment, and it is not, House Celtigar has skirted the boundaries of untowardness as a vassal." His Hand said to the Claw Isle heir and Viserys raised his hand, preventing him from speaking up.
Viserys looked at him sternly as he spoke. "Your father should have been explicit with me about the circumstances House Celtigar finds itself in regarding the betrothals with my nephews, the passageway, Dorne and the Triarchy."
"My father was unaware of the full circumstances, Your Grace. Only I and my brother were aware of the finer matters of the…agreement. The matters with the Triarchy has greatly affected our House and father was too eager to accept without needing to know the full…circumstances of how it would be accomplished."
'I doubt that your father was as ignorant as you claim, Bartimos Celtigar.' Viserys thought cynically as he stared sternly at the contrite looking Claw Isle heir.
Viserys was not remiss of the fact that Lord Celtigar, will have great-grandchildren aplenty, Seven-willing, and likely at least a few dragonriders as Liāzmariña was still a young she-dragon capable of laying many more clutches, a fact that must excite the old Lord.
With a creeping bitterness, Viserys mused to himself that the Celtigars were no different than the rest of his vassals, all too keen to take into themselves the bloodline of House Targaryen.
First the Velaryons, then Otto…will the Celtigars now seek to use one of Aegon's sons to cause problems for his House? Viserys shook his head, pulling himself away from those thoughts with great difficulty and used a moment to reflect with a clearer mind. No, the situation was not the same, Viserys thought with a sigh.
For one, both Corlys, back then, and Otto, now, expected the next generation of their lines to sit atop the throne. As…damaged as his brotherhood with Aegon was, and as deceptive as the Celtigars were being, he could not imagine they were plotting for the throne.
Not even Otto in all of his paranoia and scheming had ever thought to voice such ideas.
In fact, he was almost certain that Aegon had no intention of ever returning to Westeros and he was just as certain that Aegon pushed for the daughters of House Celtigar to be taken with his family to prevent Viserys from opposing the matches.
'Do you truly think I would have stooped so low?'
Viserys would have acceded to the matches without complaint, of course, for the Celtigars – until now – were a fine House even if somewhat too low for a Targaryen, even if his nephews were but sons of a third son, but the subterfuge, and, as his Hand said, untowardness House Celtigar has shown him was unforgivable.
"House Celtigar will be held accountable for their actions, Lord Celtigar." Viserys finally said after a few moments of silence and saw the man stiffen for a moment before he relented.
"If that is your wish, Your Grace." The Claw Isle heir said solemnly.
"It is." Viserys said firmly as he bore down his gaze at the man. "You will cease your trading with Aegon effective immediately." The Celtigar heir's eyes widened in shock and Viserys raised his hand once more when the man moved to protest.
"Do. Not. Protest. I am still considering far greater punishments than this." This made the man's eyes widen and Viserys delighted somewhat in the effect he was having on the man.
Viserys continued "I am well within my rights to set far greater punishments for House Celtigar's collusion with the Dornish and the Triarchy when a member of the very House you are sworn to has been in conflict with them along with the mere fact that the Dornish are no friends to the realm at large!" Viserys said sternly before he sighed somewhat wearily as he eyed the Celtigar heir.
"And though I may punish your House further for your untowardness, trading with my brother may not be halted indefinitely." Viserys with a calmer tone of voice before he glanced towards his Hand. "Trade has not yet resumed fully through the Stepstones, has it?" he asked as an idea began to form in his mind.
"It has not, Your Grace." Lord Strong confirmed before adding "There are still concerns that the Triarchy and corsairs infest the waters around the Stepstones."
Viserys nodded to himself before he turned his gaze towards Bartimos Celtigar.
"You used the passageway by Dorne to travel to and from the Summer Isles?"
"Yes, Your Grace."
Viserys rose to his full height as he met the gaze of the Celtigar heir.
"Your father will be summoned to Kings Landing and you and your father shall swear oaths to me that you will never disclose that my brother has formed…an agreement…with the Dornish and the Triarchy nor that you will allow your men to do so." Viserys glanced at his Hand momentarily before looking upon the Celtigar heir once more.
"I should not have to express to you how this situation can appear to the rest of the realm, how it appears that House Celtigar has aided and brokered an agreement with the Dornish and the Triarchy despite the…disagreements House Targaryen and the rest of the realm has with them." Viserys said meaningfully to the Celtigar heir.
"Yes…I can see that there would be cause for misunderstanding." He admitted.
Viserys nodded sharply. "Aye, there would be."
"However, if the Dornish are accepting enough to agree to an understanding with my brother, I can see no reason why there cannot be an understanding with the realm at large." Viserys told the Celtigar heir and the man's eyes widened in understanding at the carrot Viserys was offering to the man and his House.
"Of course, Your Grace." The man said with a bowed head and Viserys smiled before he stood up.
"Good." Viserys gestured to one of his Kingsguard. "Ser Harrold Westerling shall escort you to the guest quarters. I am sure you must be hungry."
"Your Grace, you believe an agreement with the Dornish is possible?" His Hand asked once they were alone after Ser Westerling took the Celtigar heir away and he'd sent Ser Ryam Redwyne with a letter for Grand Maester Runciter to send by raven to Claw Isle.
"I see no reason why not." Viserys said as he met his Hand's gaze.
"That they were willing to agree terms with my brother is clear enough the possibility of at least neutrality exists if not more." 'I can even plant the seeds for Aegon's Dream of a united Westeros well before the Prince that was Promised came. It could even happen in my lifetime without a single drop of blood shed.'
"It will not be a popular conversation in the Small Council, Your Grace, nor will the idea of reaching out to the Dornish be popular with the Lords of the Stormlands and the Reach either." His Hand cautioned and Viserys waved it off.
"I understand that, Lord Strong." Viserys said with a displeased look before he expanded. "We will send an envoy first. With great discretion." Viserys added with a meaningful look on his face.
His Hand scrutinised Viserys for a moment before he bowed his head. "As you command, Your Grace." He paused for a moment before stating more than asking "you want to learn what the terms were first, Your Grace."
Viserys inclined his head slightly "Aye. Though their…involvement in the Stepstones is clear, they did not mobilise their fleets and their men to fight in the Stepstones."
"No different than the raiders at the borders." His Hand pointed out, drawing his focus towards the dishonourable and deceptive ways the Dornish operated by.
"Aye, for certain." Viserys conceded before continuing "Nonetheless, it is clear they do not have an appetite for war."
"Your Grace…had the war in the Stepstones been a resounding victory, the Dornish would have been more been more overt in their schemes." His Hand said with a frown.
"Had Daemon's war been a resounding victory, I would not have had a minor vassal dare scheme behind my back for greed!" Viserys said in a moment of anger which surprised his Hand and Viserys sighed heavily before he dismissively waved his hand.
"It is clear that the Stepstones need a closer look." Viserys said finally.
"Of course, Your Grace." His Hand said with a bowed head.
For a few moments silence reigned.
"What do you think my brother's intentions are…with all of this?" Viserys posed to his Hand.
"With the Celtigars?"
Viserys waved his hand dismissively. "Yes. Them. Particularly why my brother involved the Celtigars in all of this to the point that he was willing to go so far to cause them to incriminate House Celtigar in such a dangerous way."
Aegon could not have believed that all of this would not have repercussions.
His Hand was quiet for a few moments before he spoke up. "I believe…" His Hand paused before he continued speaking in his quiet and slow manner "the Celtigars are the best option he could have chosen for his sons, now that we know of Elamaerys."
Viserys met the gaze of his Hand who expanded "They are neither wealthy nor are they powerful yet they possess a distinguished heritage." His Hand paused momentarily and Viserys understood.
As loathed as Daemon and Aegon may be to admit that they were similar, including Viserys himself, all of them shared a fascination of Old Valyria.
Daemon had loved the tales of conquest and the old rites of Valyria whilst Aegon had loved chasing the mysteries of their lost ancestral lands.
Viserys himself, he mused as he glanced at the model, had his own interests in Valyria too, ones that grew after his grandsire and father had told him of an ancient duty passed down by Aegon the Conqueror himself.
He turned his attentions back at his Hand.
"Yes…they are of Old Valyria, even if they are less distinguished than that House Velaryon, who possess a single marriageable aged daughter in Laena Velaryon amongst all of the sons of Corwyn, and certainly less so than that of mine own." Viserys mused. 'And I would not have agreed to a match with Helaena unless Aegon returned and agreed a daughter of his own to Aegon or Aemond.'
He'd once held hope, a glimmer of hope, that he'd unite Aegon's line with that of his own, uniting all of the lines of the sons of their father, Baelon the Brave, but that been before…before he knew how much Aegon had kept from him…before Elamaerys…before his deception with the Celtigars.
He eyed his Hand.
"But why not approach those of wealth and nobility in Lys? If Valyrian heritage matters to him so much, why not them? He trades enough with them" Viserys said with a displeased look "After all, it is clear that he cares little about my approval."
"I am not certain, Your Grace." His Hand admitted. "Though he trades with them, we know that it is largely for the purpose of setting free slaves. It could be that tying his sons to families of…certain repute was too far. The Celtigars however, are of Valyrian heritage, they are Westerosi, Prince Aegon knows them, and importantly, they are inconsequential to the affairs of the realm and the Celtigars know it. To receive betrothal offers for several Targaryen dragonriding sons, even if they are far removed from the line of succession, they'd be fools to not to agree."
Viserys hummed as he nodded slowly. He could see Aegon thinking like that.
His Hand continued "And what we learnt today, about Aegon's insistence that the daughters are to be raised alongside that of his own…"
"The Great Lords would not agree even if they entertained the match." Viserys finished the thought. 'Neither would I have agreed to let young Helaena go and Alicent would have strangled me in my sleep'. "Even if they were willing to set aside that Aegon is a third son with no lands." Viserys said with a frown.
"Your Grace…that is no longer the case." His Hand said and Viserys met the gaze of Lord Strong once more and he saw that the man was wearing a solemn expression.
"Yes…Elamaerys." Viserys said as he looked away with a heavy frown laced with concern.
"Admittedly, Your Grace, I am…uncertain on this." His Hand continued and Viserys turned back to meet his gaze. "In some ways, this is a circumstance remarkably similar to that of Prince Daemon and his Conquest of the Stepstones yet profoundly different, as for all intents and purposes, the land is as virgin as the lands of Westeros when the First Men arrived. Prince Aegon will find no struggle."
Viserys' expression darkened slightly momentarily. "You believe my brother has intentions to declare himself a King?" Viserys asked with a strange calmness.
His Hand seemed to struggle for a moment before he bowed his head slightly and Lord Strong spoke quietly, quieter than usual. "Though I do not know your brother, Your Grace, the precedent set by history does suggest that it is likely."
For a long few moments there was a long silence and Viserys broke the silence with a soundless and mirthless chuckle. 'Father, I do not know if you're weeping or laughing. All three sons of yours seem to be destined to wear a crown of some sort.'
Viserys turned away and walked towards the still-in-work model, his gaze trailing across the spirals of the buildings of Old Valyria, lost deep in troubled thoughts.
The thought that his youngest brother was fashioning himself a Kingdom…
Viserys was a loss on how he was meant to take it…what he should do about it.
With Daemon, he'd known that Daemon would soon enough grow bored of it and before long, the Stepstones would fall into chaos. Something that seemed like it was already happening. Daemon, for all of Otto's worries, was no more a King than Viserys was a knight and warrior.
With Aegon…with this Elamaerys that was empty and as fertile as the Reach itself, there was no hope of him growing bored of it nor was there anyone to oppose him. He was as free to declare himself King as any ever could be.
The thought of another Targaryen King with a Kingdom that could last…
Yes…Viserys knew he was at a loss.
His Hand stood next to him. "Your Grace…" he began tentatively and Viserys tilted his head slightly, indicating that he was listening even if his eyes – and thoughts – were not centred on his Hand. "Though there is precedent, it may well be that your brother has different intentions."
Viserys turned his head to glance at his Hand who continued. "After all, if he always intended to establish a Kingdom of his own, he could have been pragmatic enough to stomach allying himself with the Lysene nobility."
Viserys shook his head. "Mayhaps, mayhaps not. We cannot be certain of that." Viserys did not say it but he was unsure of what his own brother's intentions were.
He did not think his brother could marry his sons to slavers but then he did not think his youngest brother was capable of the brutality he'd shown in the Basilisk Isles. Yes they were slavers, yes they were terrible men, but to kill so many…?
And so brutality…?
No, Viserys was not certain at all of his brother.
"I agree" His Hand said with a contemplative look for a moment before he continued "It is clear that there is still some presence on Corinth of Aegon's men."
Yes…there would have to be. After all, they were trading goods from the East still, were they not? "The trading empire your brother has built also seems to not have an end in sight. It could well be that Aegon will return to Corinth. We could send an official delegation demanding an answer from your brother."
"My brother may not return to Corinth for years to come" Viserys remarked sceptically and his Hand nodded.
"That may be so, but it is clear that Corinth is not yet abandoned. Until then, there will be voyages between Elamaerys and Corinth. The delegation, by His Grace's authority can demand Prince Aegon to answer you."
"Demand?" Viserys questioned as he met his Hand's gaze.
His Hand inclined his head "Aye, Your Grace. The forcefulness of the delegation and the way Prince Aegon's men – and Prince Aegon himself if he is to return – may be able to provide greater insight on where your brother stands…whether or not he is claiming Elamaerys as his own for the realm and House Targaryen…or if he is claiming it for his own…in name and in title." His Hand finished.
Viserys went quiet for a few moments.
Finally, he spoke up "Very well." He decided. 'Are you still leal, brother? To me, to our House? Or have you decided to break all bonds of family?' Viserys looked Lord Strong in the eyes as he spoke. "I want this to be quiet. Work with Lord Eustace if you must." Viserys said, referring to his Master of Whispers.
His Hand bowed to him. "Yes, Your Grace." His Hand soon left, leaving Viserys alone in his chamber with troubled and uncertain thoughts.