Alyssa I
23AC
Alyssa Velaryon awoke in her bed before her lovely husband as she did for more than a year now, so much has changed in her life in this past year. Her father had told her many years ago that she would one day be queen. Yet the little girl in her did not believe him when he said it at first. "Why would they pick me when there are those lord paramounts and great houses to choose from?" she would ask innocently. Her father merely smiled and said, "Your blood is your greatest strength dear. We are the only house to share blood with House Targaryen and that is why you will be queen, my little seahorse," Her father promised and she was inclined to believe him but still held her doubts for much of her childhood.
The first time she met Aenys she was not impressed, like most are when they first meet him. She expected him to have the same dominating and charismatic build as his Lord Father, the King, but to her initial dismay, he was surprisingly quite a bit feminine. He was almost as thin as her and his long hair betrayed his gender. At the time she thought he was more beautiful than handsome. Yet now that they were married, she could not be more wrong and never once in her married life did she look at her husband the same way.
Her husband's sleeping face lay before her and she had a full view of her perfect prince. He did not look exactly like his father but he was still handsome in his own way. He was still spindly, not muscled like his father but he had filled out a bit more. His curly silver hair draped down past his shoulders and a proper mustache began growing on his upper lip. Each time she looked at her husband she found more that she liked about him.
Her husband's eyes fluttered awake and she was soon met with those beautiful eyes. The same hue of purple as his kingly father.
"Good morrow dear," she said in a sweet voice. She found her husband liked waking up this way, it soothed his nerves and put him in a good mood.
"Good morrow, dear wife," Aenys said back with a smile. He placed his hand on her stomach and she could not help but smile. With any luck, she would soon be with child once more. She had been blessed with Rhaena quickly, she already gave her husband an heir within a year of marriage, it did not matter if her Rhaena was just a daughter. With a little luck and mayhaps a blessing from the gods she may find herself with child once more and a son this time.
Soon after Rhaena was born there were incessant whispers spread around the court. "Who was Prince Aenys's heir?" "Who will succeed Prince Aenys?" they would whisper and Alyssa was flabbergasted. Who could possibly succeed Aenys over her daughter? By all Westerosi laws she preceded Maegor in all things, the moment she was born Maegor was pushed down the succession. But then his mother Queen Visenya decided to play her little ploy.
The gall to try and betroth Rhaena to her uncle. Rhaena should be queen, she was the firstborn of the crown prince of the kingdom. She should not marry a mere prince and be just a princess for the rest of her days. She should marry her younger brother and be the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The proposal wasn't even worthy of consideration and shouldn't ever have been brought up in the first place. Yet it was her goodfather, King Aegon, who had the actual final say on the matter. Alyssa feared that the King was seriously considering the proposal. If King Aegon approved the Queen's proposal then there was nothing she could do. No one was daring enough to counter the conqueror, the rider of Balerion the Black Dread.
The only way to truly be sure of the King's decision was to get the people close to King Aegon to advise him against the betrothal. Her father, Lord Aethan, Lord of the Tides, and King Aegon's Admiral instantly began speaking out against it. As King Aegon's cousin, he held more sway than a mere lord or some other member of the small council. The Queen gave her a death glare when she learned that it was no longer a family matter but it was all worth it. She would do anything for her children.
To truly influence the king she also had to get her husband on her side of the decision. He had been silent on the matter for the first few days much like his brother. Consumed with fear and doubt, he worried simultaneously for Rhaena and his relationship with his father and brother. He was worried about stepping out of line and angering his father, she could almost not hold in the laugh. As if Aegon the Conqueror could ever be truly mad at his favored son. Then there was his brother, she had only just gotten to know the… boy.
Maegor was a very strange child, much too mature for a boy of one and ten name days old and Aenys feared his displeasure. After she pleaded for him to think of their daughter. How she should one day be queen and not just a princess. How it was tradition to marry brother to sister and for him to believe in her. In her ability to give him a proper heir. He reluctantly agreed, speaking to his father about his reservations about the match. He did not actively say he did not want it, but he did voice his hesitation and that was enough. After a letter came from Oldtown and Aenys came out against the match, King Aegon made the wise decision and rejected the proposed betrothal.
This whole debacle had however ruined her relationship with Queen Visenya, not that she had a particularly strong one to begin with. If she was actually Aenys's mother then maybe she would have been worried about it but frankly, the Queen's influence was waning. ' This was a desperate play, ' Alyssa thought while idly playing with her Rhaena, she woke up soon after them so they were forced to get out of bed. King Aegon's surviving Queen was now sort of her opponent after the failed betrothal. She did not openly protest King Aegon's decision but she had been giving glares to her and her father as well. Alyssa breathed a sigh of relief once she learned of Maegor's betrothal to Lady Ceryse Hightower. It meant that the Queen could stop plotting and would focus on her own son.
This whole situation had also made her suspicious of her goodbrother, Prince Maegor. She met Maegor for the first time when the royals visited Driftmark after finalizing her wedding to her husband. He had immediately hit it off with her younger brother Aeron, they were close in age but it was not easy to tell just by looking at them. Maegor was barely one and ten-name days old yet he was already as tall as her husband. He looked like his father in miniature just with Visenya's dark violet eyes and high cheekbones. He and her younger brother had become fast friends and spent most days in each other's company. He was also building up his own posse of friends and followers. They were awed by his talent in the yard, the whole realm was. Maegor was barely one and ten yet he was already throwing men at arms around in contests of strength.
She was initially friendly with Maegor, he was a kind boy, if a bit mature in some areas. He was nothing but respectful to her and he was very friendly with Aenys even though they had essentially just met some moons before. Coupled with the burgeoning friendship with her younger brother and his affection towards her daughter, she was inclined to trust in him, as a person should trust their goodbrother. Queen Visenya's actions put all her thoughts into doubt.
' Why was he so kind to Aenys? Was it just to secure his own match under his mother's order? Why was he so affectionate with Rhaena? Was he trying to influence his brother into selling out his own children? Was Queen Visenya planning something this entire time? ' All these thoughts sprung in her head and she could not help but doubt her goodbrother. He was widely known to favor his mother over his father in all things. Even his unofficial title of The Prince of Dragonstone came about from following his mother around. She hated feeling this way, Maegor was always kind to her and her family but she could not be sure of his loyalties. Was he loyal to his brother or a slave to the whims of his mother?
The thoughts made her sick, she did not want to go against her new family but if she must face off against the Queen and her son. Then she would do so with ferocity, she was to be the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and she would not let anyone coerce her.
…
After spending the entire morning with her daughter and husband, Alyssa set out to continue her day. She had plenty to do, foremost of which was a luncheon she had planned with her ladies-in-waiting. Further, she also planned to visit an orphanage in the city. 'The people of King's Landing should know their future queen.' she thought with a broad smile on her face. But before she could properly prepare for any of those events, her father sought her out. Thus it was to her father's solar that Alyssa found herself.
"Good Morrow, my beautiful daughter," her father stood up smiling and took her in a quick side hug.
"Good Morrow, Father," she said courteously. Aethan Velaryon was an assertive and ambitious man and just like most others, he held extremely high expectations of all his children. If you lived up to them he was very loving and caring. And if you did not, then you would end up like her youngest brother Valarr and until recently her other younger brother Aeron. Though Aeron was saved from the same fate as Valarr by befriending her goodbrother, Maegor.
"Close the door, Alyssa, I would like to speak with you in some privacy." This made Alyssa curious. Her father normally didn't share anything private with her, that honor only went to her uncle Corlys and her elder brother, her father's heir, Daemon. To her and her younger brothers he was a more closed-off man. Daemon once told her that their father had plans and plans and plans and all of House Velaryon shall only play and act as Lord Aethan desired. Though it was not only House Velaryon but much of the court as well. Her father de facto controlled the court and nothing in King's Landing could transpire without Lord Aethan's notice. Four of the seven small council members were their kin and allies and her father held more power and sway than any house of the realm. Only the Targaryens held more power than them in Westeros.
"Of course, Father," She was his perfect daughter. Never in her life, has Alyssa faced the displeasure of her father, unlike her younger brothers. A displeased Aethan Velaryon was not someone she would like to deal with even on the best days.
Looking around his solar she found it eerily similar to the one he had on Driftmark. The same teal and green banners with silver seahorses and with luxuries of every kind imaginable. ' I see he has made this place quite comfortable for himself ' she thought with a smile. The chambers were assigned to him for his role as King Aegon's Master of Ships and he hoped that her brother Daemon would follow him in the position. ' Being the brother to the future queen will certainly help in his plans, ' she thought gleefully. People whispered that the role would basically be hereditary, with their seafaring traditions and kin ties to the Targaryens. In Alyssa's opinion, there was no better choice for the role. She loved her brother Daemon and as far as she knew he returned it tenfold.
Sitting down at her father's desk she sat in silence for a few moments, expecting him to speak first. Apparently, he did not want to because he sat in silence for several seconds before she coughed into her hand and began speaking.
"What did you want to talk about father?"
"First, I wanted to congratulate you on Rhaena. She will make a wonderful queen, let us hope your next child is a son."
"Thank you, father, I also hope for a son" She had confided in her father about her fears regarding the Queen and Maegor. ' So long as I lack a son, they are grave threats, ' she thought with sadness.
"So Alyssa, do you know what happened between the King and Queen?" her father said abruptly parting her own thoughts.
"What? I have heard nothing at all, what has happened?" She knew that the Queen and King Aegon were not overly close but she had no idea what could have happened. By all accounts, their relationship has been improving ever since Maegor joined the court instead of staying alone on Dragonstone.
"She has not come to the last three Small Council meetings, something is wrong, I can feel it."
"I have heard nothing, Father. Has King Aegon not confided in you?" Her father and King Aegon were close friends, which was why her father was allowed to acquire so much power. It also meant that King Aegon often confided in him, as he was much more than just another lord.
"No, and that is most troubling of all. The last time this happened was after that Martell bitch came with that damn letter from Dorne. I heard from some of my sources that they fought a few nights ago but Corlys will not tell me anything. That means that King Aegon views it as important. I hoped you would know what was going on." Her father looked disappointed. He hated not knowing what was going on and not being able to control things. He always told her that "knowledge is power" and he was not happy being ignorant of his own court.
"So what does a fight between them mean? King Aegon and Queen Visenya have fought before. Why is it different this time, Father?"
"I have known Visenya Targaryen my entire life. The only times she has ever missed Small Council meetings was when she was on Dragonstone with her son or fighting in Dorne. If she is forgoing meetings it means that she is seriously displeased with the King. It could destabilize the realm, Visenya is not as popular as her dearly departed sister but she still commands plenty of influence and respect, especially in the Vale and Crownlands."
"Queen Visenya has a record of this, Father, she has gone through many different periods of being in and out of politics. I do not see the importance here" She was still confused. Visenya Targaryen not partaking in the small council meetings meant little. King Aegon was planning another progress, any heat created would cool off once he left the city for a time.
"The importance here, Alyssa, is Prince Maegor. He has been gathering a lot of support amongst the younger nobles in court. Even Aeron has been sucked into his orbit, despite my best efforts to keep their relationship limited. If Visenya is displeased then her son will no doubt be displeased, they are very close. Prince Maegor also holds plenty of sway over your husband and is certainly more popular among the lords than his queenly mother. We need to know what happened between the King and Queen to properly prepare for the future. We must be ready for any eventuality, to keep our influence intact. There are vultures circling us dear, they are waiting for any weakness so they can slip into our place."
"Vultures? Father we are the second house of the realm, I am to be queen, and you are a likely choice for Hand of the King if Ser Osmund retires or gods forbid dies. We hold immense influence over the court. Who could challenge us?"
"You are too sheltered. I should have taught you more about politics instead of being a perfect little lady," he spoke it more to himself than to her but she was still a little put-off.
Her father spent considerable effort in her education. Maesters and teachers were brought from all over Westeros and some from beyond the narrow sea as well. She spent her time learning all sorts of ladylike things. As the sole daughter of House Velaryon, she got the full attention of her mother. She was taught to manage a household, raise children, to read and write, sing and dance, and any other thing she might need for when she would be queen. Her father was certain she would be queen one day and it seemed his confidence paid off well. Now however she wished to pay more attention to the lessons of politics that were taught to her. Knowing of and playing the great game were two very different things.
"I do not want you to worry, focus on Rhaena and giving your husband as son, but know that I am dealing with challenges from all over the Kingdom. The rest of Westeros looks upon us with nothing but envy and jealousy. We are powerful and influential which brings the ire of other houses, especially houses which held influence before the conquest. I grew complacent and now we may soon have rivals in court. We need to get back into the game, your next child needs to be a son to secure our position."
"What do you even mean father? What rivals could we have? Almost the entire council supports us." Alyssa was confused, their family was ascendant. They had never before been so powerful. How could they lose it all?
"I never expected that the letter sent by the High Septon would be an offer of betrothal. I only thought it to be another rambling of those pious fools. But now that Lady Ceryse and Prince Maegor are to wed she will be expected to be here and bring her ladies and supporters. Her uncles and brothers will be in court and perhaps in the council as well. The Hightowers aren't a small house and if I am not wrong, we will soon have to deal with western houses vying for control of court. If your next child is not a son, refusing the match with Maegor could very well prove to be a mistake."
' A mistake?! ' she could hardly believe the words that came from her father's mouth. He had been her most vocal supporter and now he was turning around and genuinely calling her refusal a potential mistake. She decided against trying to decipher the mystery that was her father's mind for now and resolved to help however she could. "So what can I do." Alyssa was more fearful of Maegor now, she may have gotten him away from Rhaena but now he was a gateway for their rivals to get into the Court.
"You can do nothing, for now, focus on raising your child and giving your husband a son. That is the most important thing you can do. However, I ask that you try to gather information, I need to know what happened in the meeting. I hoped Corlys would tell me, but because he would not, it meant that the fight was serious. The court is in flux but I will handle it. Go and have your luncheon, dear, I will deal with this."
She was dismissed but she lingered at the door. Her father had laid quite a lot at her feet. She would have to double her efforts to prepare her children. It may only be Rhaena for now, but she would make sure she and all her other children would be ready. ' I may have married a dragon, but I am a Velaryon first and foremost. She cared for her family and House Velaryon, the Old, the True, the Brave.'
…
The garden where the luncheon was held was not in the Aegonfort. The less-than-pleasant nature of the castle meant that living inside it was not a great experience. As of now only the King, Queen, and Maegor lived in Aegonfort while she and her husband lived in their own manse on Visenya's hill where this luncheon was currently being held. Aenys was out for the day as he and Maegor decided to race their dragons to and from Dragonstone and they would be gone for much of the day, ' perfect conditions for a luncheon, ' Alyssa thought while smiling.
The luncheon took place in the garden at a beautifully ornate table with the ever-rising Dragonpit in the background. She had invited all of her ladies in waiting, she deliberately hadn't taken many in her service, wanting to keep a smaller number to get closer to them rather than just shuffling lots of girls in and out. Most were her friends from childhood. Ellaria Massey, Ashara Bar Emmon, and Genna Sunglass. Some were not her childhood friends however as her father had told her to invite some ladies from the rest of the realm as well. Lady Jonquil Mooton and Lady Roslin Tully were the ones fortunate enough to join her for now but Alyssa also wished to include some from Reach and West as well. There was just one lady in waiting that she had whom she had not picked herself. The King had personally appointed her, which shocked Alyssa. Lady Shiera Qoherys was her sixth and final lady in waiting as of now.
As all her ladies took their seats, Alyssa took a quick look at all of them and Lady Shiera Qoherys immediately stood out. She seemed to be very foreign compared to how the rest of her ladies looked. Her snow-white hair and blood-red eyes made her stand out from the rest and many privately told her that they were scared of Shiera. Alyssa was not particularly scared of her but she did catch Shiera staring at her sometimes and it made her unnerved. What confused Alyssa the most was why Shiera was here in King's Landing. Why would King Aegon make efforts to personally appoint Shiera to her retinue? Though her exotic looks aside, Shiera was not altogether unpleasant to be around, she had a quick wit and was well-read, rare amongst ladies in Westeros. That was how Alyssa originally felt about the girl, only now that Queen Visenya's schemes were exposed to her Alyssa thought to reevaluate her relationships.
She could trust all of her old companions, they were her friends as long as Alyssa could remember. The other two that she had invited were less trustworthy but otherwise, they were fine girls, if a bit passive. The one that caused the most doubt was Shiera. She was one of the many young ladies who were absolutely spellbound to the charms of her goodbrother. Ever since he came to court, his martial prowess had drawn the admiration of many young noble ladies. Each day it seemed more and more ladies were swooning for him, many were ready to jump for just a chance to talk to him. Initially, Alyssa found it funny and even teased Maegor for it but with the passing days it became more and more irritating. How she wished Queen Visenya did not make that damn proposal, ' things were going so well before that ' Alyssa thought sadly, she hated treating her goodbrother like this but he was a threat, even if he meant no harm.
In contrast to other ladies of court whom Maegor usually avoided, Shiera was often speaking with him now and then. When she would ask Shiera what they would talk about she just told tales and stories of Old Valyria and Westeros. Alyssa had a feeling that she wasn't speaking the whole truth. She remembered the girl dancing with Maegor during their wedding feast in Oldtown so their relationship certainly wasn't limited to sharing tales and stories.
She had long wondered why King Aegon appointed Shiera. ' Was it because of her relationship with Maegor? Was it because of the relationship he had with the girl's deceased grandfather? Was he charmed by her? ' those thoughts and many more like them flowed constantly through her head. She wrote it off as insignificant until this last moon. The actions of Queen Visenya put all of her relationships into doubt. 'Was Shiera a mole? To get information out of these little discussions?' Alyssa had been cautious before but after that meeting with her father, she could not help but feel paranoid. As Queen Visenya would no doubt have access to the knowledge given by a spy among her ladies. She would have to find out somehow, she could not continue like this.
"Good day, ladies! How has this day been fairing for you all?" Alyssa started after they all sat down, she often started luncheons like this.
"I have been faring well, My Lady," all six responded with the same sentence. The strict etiquette training young ladies went through in Westeros meant that many spoke similarly. Ashara soon asked about herself as well.
"Oh, I am doing alright, no doubt I will soon be carrying a prince."
"How can you know it will be a boy?" Jonquil Mooton asked and she had been expecting Shiera to say it. She intended this luncheon to be a test for her ladies, ' Are they my friends? Can I trust them? ' Alyssa had taken her father's words to heart.
"Oh, I have a good feeling about my next one, I may have failed to give my prince his desired son once but I will not do so again." She was speaking from the heart, her next child had to be a boy, she had not yet failed her father and she had no intention of doing so.
"Wonderful! Now who has some juicy gossip? I know a few of you ladies must have heard something," Genna Sunglass asked. She was always a very forward girl, her brown eyes always shining with interest. She was never really lectured for this, a benefit of being her good friend. This was what she wanted though, so she would certainly not complain.
"Shiera! You must know something, you are always talking with Prince Maegor after all." This time it was Roslin Tully who spoke. She had the typical red hair and blue eyes that the Tullys were known for.
"Always talking? Which world do you live in Lady Roslin? Prince Maegor is certainly too busy to be spending all his time speaking with me," Shiera said with a smile. Shiera was always witty and liked to dance around others in conversation. There was normally a pause before each conversation with her, Alyssa thought she liked to hear her own voice.
"Come on now Shiera! You know what I mean!" Roslin whined. Alyssa was the eldest of her ladies. Her friends were the next oldest but all the Riverlander girls were the youngest. Roslin was the youngest girl at just a year older than her goodbrother.
"Hmm, gossip, gossip. Do I know any gossip? Prince Maegor mostly talks about his dragon and his time in the yard. Most of the boys around him speak the same thing."
"Oh, I heard that Prince Maegor killed a palfrey on Dragonstone when it kicked him. Do you know if there is any truth to it?" Ashara Bar Emmon asked with fear and curiosity both in her voice.
"Hmm, He has never spoken about an event like that. He says that his time on Dragonstone was fairly boring," Shiera pondered aloud with a finger on her chin.
"Then what can you tell us about my good brother?" Alyssa jumped in. Even with her proximity to Maegor she still had a distance between them. She knew as much about her good brother as basically everyone else in the realm, much to her chagrin. Queen Visenya was very secretive with his youth and word left Dragonstone slowly.
"Uhh, besides what you can already see? Not all that much. He is not just a warrior though, he reads a lot as well!" Shiera smiled at the latter part of the sentence. That surprised Alyssa greatly. Maegor spent most of his time in the yard or on the back of his dragon, ' or following his mother around,' Alyssa thought with some suspicion.
"Truly? He comes off more like a warrior than a maester though. Seems more of a brute to me," her oldest friend Ellaria Massey said with indifference and Alyssa could only sigh. Ellaria was lucky she was beautiful, with shining gold hair and beautiful blue eyes because sometimes Alyssa doubted if there was a brain in her skull. She was a total airhead and often forgot her etiquette entirely when speaking in public. It was only with her favor and their relationship that she was not dismissed after embarrassing herself for the hundredth time.
"Hmm, he is quite different. He is clearly a warrior first and foremost but he is also very smart. Apparently, the maester has said that he ran out of things to teach him. Can you confirm this, Lady Alyssa? You are the closest to the Grand Maester," Shiera bounced the question back to her. Shiera was a damn good speaker. When she first arrived she was shy like most girls are but she opened up a lot more quickly after many luncheons and speaking with more nobles.
"Hmm, I have not spoken much with the Grand Maester myself. Even when I do it is mostly about Rhaena." she moved her hand and caressed her stomach, she wished so deeply to have a son growing in her womb, the Grand Maester told her she did not have one yet but it would only be a matter of time. This incident had lit a fire under her. She had to give her husband a son and soon.
"Speaking of Rhaena, is it true that the Queen proposed to betroth her to Prince Maegor?" Ellaria asked and again Alyssa could only sigh. She did not confide in her ladies. She was so focused on getting her husband to support her that she neglected to.
"Yes, the Queen proposed the preposterous match at a dinner." She then lifted her tea to take a sip.
"Why would the match be preposterous?" Shiera suddenly asked and Alyssa nearly spit out her tea.
"Incest is a grave sin Shiera!" Roslin said quickly covering her mouth with her hands but she could see the same look on all the other girl's faces.
"Indeed, even if it was not, Prince Maegor would be a strange match, he is one and ten years older than my daughter. That age gap is not insignificant." Alyssa said the words but her focus was entirely on Sheira. ' Why would she say such a thing? ' The vast majority of nobles agreed with her here.
"I mean Prince Maegor is certainly the most eligible bachelor of the realm now after Prince Aenys is wed. He is a great warrior and a dragon rider besides. And you probably don't know it, Roslin but uncle-to-niece marriages were very common in Valyria of Old. So I don't think the betrothal was preposterous at all. I am sure the High Septon would have given a special dispensation," Shiera said smiling all the while and being most pleased with herself but Alyssa regarded each of her words with a sneer. ' She is compromised, ' Alyssa concluded at once. She had to be, Queen Visenya was essentially alone in her idea that it was a good match. Even Maegor did not speak in favor of it, though he did remain silent, ' yet another reason to doubt him, ' she thought with sadness. For Shiera to just so happen to come out with the same opinion? It cannot be choked up to coincidence.
"I think the Prince has done quite well for himself. I met Lady Ceryse in Oldtown and she was a lovely lady." Alyssa quickly sniped back. She knew that Shiera was interested in Maegor, many young ladies were and with her basically hanging off of him most days it was not all that hard to notice. The brief glimpse she caught at the disappointed look Shiera gave was all the confirmation she needed. She called off the luncheon then, citing her desire to check on Rhaena.
Shiera was working for Queen Visenya, she had to be. She would go to King Aegon and ask her to be dismissed from her retinue. He may be a little disappointed in her and it may harm the favor she currently held from him but it would be worth it to root out the snake in her friends.
…
A sennight after the luncheon, Shiera Qoherys was officially dismissed from her service. She almost questioned her decision when she saw the look on the girl's face but she held stern. She was certain she was a mole in her ladies and she would not be the weak link in her father's chain. King Aegon also asked her to reconsider as he apparently asked for her to come here as a favor to his deceased friend. It was not ideal to make him upset or disappointed and she would no doubt get a lecture from her father but she was sure this was the right idea and he would agree after she explained the whole situation to him herself.
Later, she explained herself to her father and he believed in her. She was not a little girl anymore and he trusted her judgment. That same judgment was proven absolutely correct later when Shiera Qoherys was taken on as a lady in waiting for none other than Queen Visenya Targaryen, the queen who never had a single lady in her service before