Visenya III
25AC
Visenya stared at her food and found that she was struggling to eat. Her son had gone off to fight some vermin in the Riverlands and she had been able to focus on little else since then. Ser Corlys had left only a few days prior so their hunt would be beginning in earnest soon. She had been reluctant to have her son go on this mission. He may be a knight but she still felt it too soon. He was only three and ten and already fighting real battles. 'Real combat is different from duels and tourneys,' she reminded herself as she raised her eyes to look at her guest.
She never could have imagined she would take on a lady in waiting. If Rhaenys or her mother were still alive no doubt they would be laughing so hard they could barely breathe. That thought brought a smile to her face. At the time she had loathed their teasing but now she would give anything to hear it again.
The thoughts of her family brought her back to Shiera Qoherys. The girl had been merely a pawn to be moved at first. She had taken her in for a number of reasons. One of them was to spite the Seahorse who continued to vex her. Alyssa had taken it upon herself to attempt to make her life as difficult as possible. Of course, she failed, Alyssa was in no way prepared to face the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, but constantly having to deal with the girl distracted her from the real goal.
When she was not otherwise busy, she had spent most of the last three years searching for a potential bride for Maegor. She had some preliminary ideas before the Ceryse match was made but she had been largely distracted from her potential options by trying to get the Ceryse match canceled. It had ultimately been unsuccessful, 'Aegon is terrified of mere men, oh how far he has fallen,' she thought with absolute disdain. Aegon resoundingly refused to cancel the match several times. Citing all the "benefits" the match would bring, ' as if any amount of money or number of men could compare to our ability to ride dragons, ' she thought again before she deliberately shifted her thoughts. It did not do her well to think about her little brother. His actions made her more and more furious as time passed.
She had managed to get him to delay the match at least. Which meant that she could finally begin looking for a proper bride for Maegor. Of course, she could go for a polygamous match for her son. But she had lived through the ups and downs of such a match herself. She would prefer Maegor not have to live through those same troubles if she could help it. Though if he seriously wanted one she would not deny him.
So she recently sent out discrete liaisons to the Free Cities. The ideal candidates would likely be from one of the many noble families of Lys or from the Old Blood of Volantis, though nobles from other cities could work too if she found a particularly good one. She was hoping for a member of the Old Blood, they brought much more to the table than just their blood, they brought connections and prestige, unlike any other potential match. So far her search had come up short, though she held out hope for a proper one.
Even with her hope she was no fool. She needed more reliable backup options in case her liaisons failed to secure a proper match. As a result, she had begun looking through the small number of Valyrian houses in Westeros.
The ideal would have been House Velaryon, if they had any eligible daughters. If they had then this whole mess would never have happened. Confounding problems had made that impossible, not the least because of Alyssa and her father. The next place to look were the houses closest to House Velaryon. House Massey was an option, with Aethan's wife being his first cousin that house did have a decent amount of dragonblood, but it was also too Andal for her liking.
The obvious next choice was the proper Valyrian Houses that followed them across the sea. House Celtigar would have been a decent choice but they had never had a royal match and much like House Velaryon had no eligible daughters. She had largely written off House Qoherys as well before she had begun speaking a bit more with the girl currently picking at her food in front of her.
She had originally spent as little time with Shiera Qoherys as she could manage. She was just a tool to use, a tool that happened to be a friend to her son but she was hardly special, her son had befriended many different children and she had originally written off the girl. After Maegor brought her into his inner circle she had begun to give the girl some attention. A few short conversations here, a dinner or two there. Once she had started speaking with the girl, her discoveries were fascinating.
She still held some sentimental affection for House Qoherys but it had largely decreased as she aged. Quenton was long dead by now and she had not spoken to his son since they had left Dragonstone for their new seat of Harrenhal. The sentimental value made it easy to talk to the girl and she was oh so glad that she had.
It was only after she had learned of the girl's paternal grandmother that she truly became interested in the young white-haired girl. She was a descendant of a very important family for House Targaryen. She had no idea that the last living descendant of House Gryvetheon had married Quenton Qoherys.
There were some small houses that had followed them across the Narrow Sea before the Doom. House Targaryen was quite weak in the Freehold but even the weakest dragonlords were able to command immense influence and thus drew many followers. House Gryvetheon, House Qoherys, House Scales, and a few others followed them. Though most of their followers abandoned them after their flight from Old Valyria.
House Gryvetheon was wealthy and influential, being closely tied to the pyromancers that operated in the freehold, they would even found the pyromancer guild on Dragonstone. Upon settling into Dragonstone they would be granted a royal match. With Daella Targaryen, daughter of Gaemon the Glorious and Daenys the Dreamer. House Gryvetheon held the role House Velaryon now holds, namely, a repository for dragonblood. House Gryvetheon repeatedly popped out plenty of daughters and married into many of the other houses on Dragonstone and around the Narrow Sea, and twice remarried back into House Targaryen. Once with her great-grandfather Aerys and once again with her grandfather Daemion.
After the death of her grandmother giving birth to her father Aerion, she thought the family had gone extinct. They had lost their wealth and much of their influence and they were not present in her childhood. As it turned out the last of their fallen family had married Quenton Qoherys, her old teacher.
She could hardly believe her eyes as some reports from Dragonstone had proved the girl's story. 'That changed things greatly' Visenya thought with another stare at her preoccupied guest. Shiera Qoherys was now her backup candidate. If she failed to find a good match from across the Narrow Sea she would attempt to wed Maegor and Shiera.
After coming to such a realization she began to warm up to the girl a bit, realizing that she may one day be wed to her son. ' I did promise her father to find a good match, ' she thought with a wide smile, she loved when she could keep her word and fulfill her own goals and desires.
" Is the food not to your liking? " She decided to break their silence with a question in High Valyrian and the girl jumped at the intrusion.
" Ah! Your Grace, I apologize. No, it is wonderful! " The girl answered in the same language. She seemed nervous and her curiosity peaked.
" Then what has you so troubled? " She had grown to, if not enjoy, then definitely tolerate the girl's presence. So she would rather not have to watch her shift in her seat and pick at her food for the rest of the night.
" Please do not worry about it, Your Grace. " She bowed her head and Visenya smiled. ' She is worried about Maegor, ' Visenya deduced after taking a moment to appreciate Shiera's improved High Valyrian. The girl had come a long way since she first met her. She had deliberately tried to mold the girl into a suitable bride. ' If I must have a backup it will be the best backup I can get, ' was her idea at the time.
Teaching the girl was just one part of her plan to improve Shiera as a potential match. The girl was certainly not the perfect option. Her Targaryen and Gryvetheon blood was not the most pure and she was a sorry excuse for a Valyrian but at least one of those things could be remedied readily.
Getting the girl to embrace her proper heritage was shockingly easy. She thought it would be more difficult. Shiera had been raised deep into the continent. Surrounded by nothing but Andals and First Men for miles. Yet the girl practically lept at every opportunity she gave her. Shiera positively devoured every piece of Valyrian culture and history she presented before her. She also was deeply interested in High Valyrian. Visenya was initially shocked that the girl could not speak the language. It was spoken by all the Valyrian Houses and Quenton regularly spoke it during their training all those decades ago. Yet the girl before her could hardly count in the language much less speak it.
Teaching the girl at least staved off much of Visenya's boredom. Not participating in the ruling of the realm left her with a vast amount of free time and teaching the white-haired youth helped stave off the ever-present beast of idleness. As the girl began to flourish Visenya noted the positives the girl brought. For one, she and Maegor seemed to get along quite well. They spoke frequently during their dinners and Visenya could see that Shiera was attracted to her son. Though they had been avoiding each other as of late, or more specifically her son was avoiding the girl, much to her interest.
Another positive was the girl was quick-witted. Visenya could hardly stand the brainless ladies that surrounded the court. ' If Maegor must marry her then I will not subject him to a brainless fool. ' Shiera was certainly not as bad as Aethan's wife. 'How that brainless twit can even get dressed in the morning surprises me to no end, ' Visenya thought with another sneer.
House Velaryon oh so foolishly thought that they could play power games behind everyone's back and not get dragged for it. She was hardly the best politician in their family, that award fell to Rhaenys, who could get everyone to spill their secrets with but a smile. Visenya had other ways though, namely, her countless informants. Spreading the truth of the Small Council's ineptitude was laughably easy. 'Truthfully, how did we let them get on for so long with them being so incompetent, ' Visenya thought with disappointment. She had not been permitted to appoint Small Council members in the same way she appointed Kingsguard members. ' If I had been, perhaps this court would not have been crippled by Aegon leaving for a few moons, ' Visenya thought with delight. Seeing Aegon's enraged face when he returned from his northern progress was a great joy for her and it was even better when he realized what she said was the truth.
" Well, I a… " She began in High Valyrian before she was cut off by a knock at the door of her private solar in her manse. Such a purchase was another phenomenal idea of hers, getting out of the cramped and dreary Aegonfort and into a more livable environment made her stay here much more pleasing.
"You may enter," she said with a disinterested tone of voice. Though she was slightly curious about what exactly the intrusion was for.
"Your Grace!" The servant was quite clearly exhausted and was audibly panting.
"...Yes?" She was getting impatient. If it was this urgent then this fool should not be wasting so much time.
"A message… from His Grace… King Aegon."
"Which is?"
"Prince Maegor has slain the hedge knight … and will be returning on the morrow." The servant bowed before he was pushed aside by her. She moved nearly instantly. Heading for the door to the manse.
' I need to speak to Aegon, ' she thought with haste as she made her way to the stables. "If he thinks I will be satisfied with that then he is wrong," she spoke to nobody in particular as she mounted one of the horses kept near her manse and urged it towards the Aegonfort.
…
She practically ran towards the door to the chambers Aegon and his lickspittles were no doubt occupying and neither of the two Kingsguards standing at the door dared stop her from nearly kicking down the door.
She spotted Aenys instantly and he jumped at the loud noise but the rest of the Small Council merely winced on her younger brother's behalf.
"Give it to me." She jumped straight to what she wanted. She had no desire to waste time here.
"Very well," he said and handed her the letter. She quickly brought it to her face and read it in the dim light of the room. Relying on the torches placed here for the late-night meeting.
"Well?" Aegon asked and she huffed at him.
"So he will be here tomorrow then? Why not come here tonight?"
"I do not know, perhaps he is unsure about flying Terrax at night. Or perhaps he wishes to get a night's sleep before returning. Regardless, Grand Maester, draft a letter and send it to Saltpans. Tell House Cox to inform the hunting party that my son already dispatched the bandit and that they should return back to King's Landing.
The rat bowed his head and confirmed what he said but Visenya was more interested in the fact that her son would return. She saw the ear-to-ear smile on Aegon's face as he spoke to Aenys about something or other but all she could think about was her own smile. She could use this.
…
Her son arrived early the next day. Aegon informed those who were still awake when he would arrive and the seemingly countless nobles that hovered around The Aegonfort all made their way to the Iron Throne to await her son.
Before long, a great roar resounded across the city and it marked the return of Terrax. Her son's dragon had grown markedly over the last two years, its appetite was never sated and it would eat whatever was placed in front of it. No doubt it had gorged itself on the bodies of the bandits Maegor had slain.
The wide doors to the throne room were soon opened and a harald spoke.
"Maegor of House Targaryen! The Prince of Dragonstone!" he roared and the rest of the hall cheered as well.
She did not, however, she instead studied her son as he moved into the throne room and she noticed two distinct changes in her son. First was the sack tied to his hip. It was stained red with blood and she and everyone else present knew exactly what was in it. The other was the slight limp he walked with. He favored one of his legs over the other. Maegor did a decent job of hiding it but any trained eye could tell.
He walked slowly, trying to hide his limp and when he finally made it to the base of the Iron Throne he struck quite the image. Clad head to toe in nearly black draconic armor emblazoned with their colors and symbols. He brought himself down to one knee and then emptied the contents of the sack tied to his hip.
A large head rolled out from the bag and rolled to the very bottom step of the Iron Throne. The deceased man's blank eyes stared blankly up at Aegon and her position to the right of the throne let her peer into the brown pools devoid of all life. ' A fitting end, ' she thought as she noticed how her son did not bother closing the dead man's eyes.
"Rise, my son," Aegon uttered out, and after Maegor rose back up to his full height. Aegon quickly descended the many steps to his throne and brought Maegor into a hug.
He quickly waved to the rest of the crowd and the rest of the attendees sauntered back to whatever they had originally planned to do today. Aegon brought one arm around her son's shoulder and led him away from the throne. She tried to listen in but caught very little, only a flurry of quiet questions.
As Maegor and Aegon exited the room the nobles were quick to follow and Visenya spied several of Maegor's friends with worried looks on their faces. ' Perhaps they are smarter than I expected,' Visenya thought to herself as she spied the small inner circle of Maegor's friends. They no doubt wanted to speak to him as much as she did but Aegon took precedence.
After Aegon and Maegor spoke in private he ordered a feast and a celebration of his son's great victory. He had begun planning it late last night, just after the letter arrived but with the official pronouncement, the rest of the fortress descended into a flurry of motion.
As the day progressed she wanted to speak to her son one on one more and more. To get the full story from his perspective, the truth, not the falsified tale he was no doubt spreading. The one piece of the story she suspected was real was her son's injury. A minor wound to the back of his leg, no lasting damage but he would be on the mend for a little while.
Her son spent the entire day accosted by his friends and even many of his detractors could not help but listen in. She decided she would keep her distance. He would return to her manse for the night and she would confront him there. If the Giant was already dead before the hunting party even properly began her search that meant that he broke her promise to him. She would get the full story but she was already planning how she would punish him.
The feast was not quite extravagant due to the short notice but it was still lavish compared to their normal dinners. Aegon pulled out all the stops in the short amount of time allotted to him and it showed. Spices were taken out of storage, meat of almost every variety, and likely some of the last fresh fruit before winter flooded her plate. She tried her best to enjoy it but her eyes kept moving to look towards her son. Who was doing his best to fake smiles and laughter with his friends.
She could tell he was faking it. It was the same expression he had when he spoke to the nobles at the wedding in Oldtown all those years ago. A fake smile that did not reach his eyes. Short fake laughs and quick changes to other topics. It was clear as day to anyone who bothered to pay attention.
As the night drew closer she decided she would retire from the Aegonfort before her son. She saw little reason in staying longer than she had to. It was not like she wanted to be in the presence of Aegon or his court of fools and liars.
…
She found a particularly nice chair in Maegor's chambers to await her son. Her son had specifically ordered the furniture in his room from Dragonstone, much like she had. It not only helped the small island's craftsmen but the quality of their works was also some of the best.
After waiting not all that long she heard the door open and she saw her son wince as he entered the room and saw her.
"Tell me everything."
"Very well," he said after a sigh and he lifted his breastplate over his head. He had remained in his armor for the whole day much to her shock. Though he had been swarmed with people the whole day so she understood why he never took it off. It also did not help that he had no squire to aid in the process.
He relayed his telling of events to her in methodical detail. His thought process, his actions, all of it and she was pissed, to say the least. He had gotten distracted, swept up in the chaos of battle, and had put himself in undue danger.
She was about to reprimand him before he took a seat on the edge of his bed. His back to her.
"Do not tell me you are torn up about killing him?"
"What? No. It is not that. He deserved to die."
"Then what troubles you so?" Her tirade could wait. She would sort this out first.
"It is hard to explain, quickly that is."
"Take your time then, it is not like I have anywhere to be."
He laughed at that. A real one from what she could tell and it made her smile.
"I do not know how to describe it. I feel like I fucked up beyond measure yet I am receiving all the praise in the world."
"This has your mind spinning? You are a prince, of course, you will be praised."
"I was reckless, I jumped in expecting to back up those people fighting the bandits but my haste only left me exposed. Alone against several opponents and without any support. Had Terrax not not come to my aid I would be dead right now."
Visenya remained silent at her son's confession. Silently deciding how to best help her son here.
"Death is a specter few can stall, and none can avoid. Do not take your reaction now as one of weakness."
"Should I not? It was entirely my fault, I should have had a second plan. Instead, I got out of that situation by pure luck. I ran in expecting to save everyone but my actions only got more people killed. Terrax leveled the town. His green fires reduced everything but me to ashes in the area."
"..."
"I feel like such a fool, is this my lot in life? To step in too late? Cause more harm than good? I swore an oath to protect the innocent yet my actions killed more than the bandits!"
"Enough." One word was all she needed to silence her son. She had seen this spiral before and she was not interested in hearing it again.
"This is a fact of life Maegor, you have lived your life with endless praise. You were stronger than everyone else, better than everyone else, it is no surprise you grew arrogant. Treat this as a learning experience. Redouble your efforts, do not let one failure set you down a path of misery and mediocrity."
"..."
She had stunned her son into silence, ' good ' she thought. She had gotten him to start thinking again instead of beating himself senseless over one failure. ' A few smallfolk got burned, there is no reason to let this destroy you, ' she thought with a little disappointment. She had clearly failed in some aspects of raising him.
"Go to Dragonstone."
"What? Mother I am needed here I cannot just leave."
"Yes you can. This is my fault. I should have eased you into politics before throwing you in. Spend some time on Dragosntone. You are the Prince of the island. When I need to clear my head I go there. There are no scheming lords or difficult decisions to make. Go there and rest. Redouble your efforts, train with your dragon, you must get that beast under control, and spend some time with your friends. I cannot tell you how to feel, that is something you must do."
"What about here Mother? I have things I need to do here. I am your number one weapon. Your best asset in making moves here. I have debts that need to be repaid." The last bit caught her attention as he balled his hand into a fist but she decided to put it away for now.
"You need not stay there permanently. Dragonstone is a short flight from King's Landing. Should I need your help I will ask. I swear it."
He seemed to be deep in thought before he responded. "Thank you, Mother. I think you are right. I need some time to think."
"I know I am. You should leave on the morrow, I will send some of your friends to the island. Keep you at least a little busy." She smiled at her son and he returned it.
"Now that the lesson is over, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING YOU ABSOLUTE FOOL!" she roared and Maegor practically jumped off the bed.
…
She yelled at her son for quite a while. By the time she was done, she had thoroughly beaten his stupidity into him. Every criticism she could think of was levied and she knew her son had been thoroughly educated. ' Risking his life for peasants, that's exactly what I told him not to do! ' she thought with barely repressed rage as she finally decided enough was enough.
She stood up from her chair and decided she would leave Maegor to rest for the rest of the night. She would be sending him off to Dragonstone soon and the sooner he recovered from his injury the sooner he could rebuild himself back up.
"Get some rest," she said after her historic tirade and as she exited her son's room she spotted a white-haired girl slowly walking away.
"Shiera!" she whispered loudly and the girl turned to look at her with a look of terror. Like a child found misbehaving.
Visenya nodded and gestured at her son's room before pretending to walk to her own, watching as the girl hesitantly approached her son's door. ' Let's see how this plays out, perhaps I will not need a Volantene at all, ' she thought as she rounded a corner to stay out of sight.
Maegor IX
25AC
After finally removing all my armor I sighed in relief as I lay down on my bed. I had gotten basically no sleep last night and the comfort of my own bed was a godsend, though my one on Dragonstone was better. I would deal with the ramifications of my mother's dressing down in the morning as right now all I wanted to do was lie down in my bed and embrace the specter of sleep which harrowed me.
I was rudely interrupted from my endeavors with a knock at my door.
'What?' I thought as I shifted to an upright position. Standing on my legs I winced a little but it was nothing I could not handle. My leg was bandaged but the Maester said I should be fine so long as I let it heal. ' I suppose spending some time on Dragonstone will allow me to do that .'
"Yes?" I asked the person behind my door. I was shocked as my mother never bothered knocking. It meant someone else was behind my door and I could not imagine who that might be.
Hearing no answer I closed the distance between my bed and the door and opened it up to be met with a vice grip of a hug.
"Ack!" I exclaimed and stepped back a bit from the force. Had my leg not been injured nothing less than a swing from a battering ram could knock me over but in my injured state I was more vulnerable than I was used to.
After catching my bearings I noticed the person clinging to my sleeping clothes was Shiera. Her full head of white hair and pale skin was a dead giveaway.
"Uhhh," I groaned out before I used my foot to quickly close the door behind her. I did not need anyone to see this.
"I did not know you almost died…" she mumbled into my chest and I suddenly felt like hitting myself for making her worry.
"I told no one but my father and mother. Not even Aenys knows." That was not a fun conversation to have with my father. He seemed so happy when I first started telling my story but the moment I mentioned my near death experience his face darkened much like my mother's. He insisted on me taking a sworn shield, along with new training he offered to do himself. That was a decision I would have to make at a later date as right now I had to deal with the girl clinging to my clothes.
"That does not make it better, I…" she said before it seemed she realized her situation and peeled herself off of me. I caught the appearance of a blush on her cheeks.
"Uhm," I had no idea what to say. Images of our last private "interaction" flooded my mind and I imagine the same was happening for her.
"Why are you avoiding me?" she eventually whispered out and it seemed I was finally being forced to confront this issue.
"I…"
"Do not claim that you are not." She gave me a piercing stare with her blood-red eyes and any potential excuses I had been cooking up soon died in my throat.
"I… do not know," I finally said flatly. My feelings about the girl in front of me were complex and now I was finally forced to face them.
"Do you dislike me?" she said while twirling a strand of her snow-white hair around a finger. Shiera was always self-conscious about her looks. Somehow she was the most unusual-looking person in a Targaryen court.
"What would give you that impression?" I quickly retorted. I had still interacted with Shiera pretty regularly ever since she kissed me, I was just forceful in keeping the subject of our conversation away from what had happened.
"I kissed you Maegor, yet you have said nothing, am I alone in my pining? Am I looking at an impossible dream?"
"I…" I did not know how to answer her. The prospect of pursuing her had crossed my mind but my own situation was perilous.
"Ugh," she sighed out before and rubbed her face with both hands, she pulled her hands down and then caught my eyes with another stare. "I love you Maegor, do you love me?"
'Fuck…' I thought with a sincere regret. I didn't know how to answer her. I did not want to jump into this. The ramifications would not be light if I pursued her in spite of my betrothal. Yet I could not refuse her either.
"I do," I finally admitted, to her and to myself. It seemed obvious in hindsight, why else would I have been secretly displeased to think of her marrying someone else? What made me so protective of Shiera and her reputation above even all my other friends or my mother? Shiera seemed to let out a breath I did not know she was holding as she processed my confession.
"Then why are you avoiding me?" She looked at me incredulously.
"I am not lying Shiera, but this situation is complicated. I am already betrothed."
She paused at that for a bit. Ending her stare, before finally seeming to come to a conclusion in her mind. "I do not care Maegor"
This time it was my turn to stare at her incredulously. "It is more complex than that Shiera."
"Is it?" She stared at me again and I was reminded that I had already promised to escape my betrothal to my entire group of friends. I knew they would not reveal my intentions but it seemed Shiera was intent to turn my past declaration onto me.
"I have tried to get my betrothal canceled, my many talks with my father have turned up empty! He is dead set on the match. It is looking more and more like that is my fate Shiera. Pursuing you could be the end of us. You could be sent back to Harrenhal, married off quickly to avoid a scandal. Is that really what you wan-" I was cut off once more.
She kissed me again and unlike last time I could not help but return it. I could not pursue her. Not now, I feared what my father might do. I had seen his rage first hand today and I wanted to avoid it if possible. Even Mother might be forced to send her away if this is found out by my father but I could not refuse her all the same.
After a time she finally let go and backed up towards the door again. "We can figure something out Maegor," she said to me.
"What makes you so certain?" I asked, astounded by her boldness and confidence.
"Do you trust me?" she asked me desperately.
Despite my misgivings, I could not help but answer truthfully. "I do."
"Then trust in me when I say that we'll find a way. We just have to be willing to try for it."
I couldn't be as certain as she was, but she was asking me so earnestly and I knew I wanted more from my life than to be trapped in a marriage to a barren woman ten years my senior. I wanted her.
"Alright," I said hesitantly.
Shiera's smile was blindingly bright and I found myself struck dumb by just how beautiful she looked with that smile. It made me feel a little more confident about his decision. After all, what was the harm in just trying?