Chapter 8
Daemon saw the exact moment Viserys understood her words. He saw the quiet before the storm, and as predicted, his brother blew up.
"You know what? I am entirely too tired for this shit. All this..." His brother gesticulate angrily, his hands moving wildly up and down in the direction of his sister." All this, you, is too much at the moment. Fuck you and fuck Baelon and fuck the council and fuck the world. I am done for the day. I am not marrying and if Rhaenys wants the Throne she can have it. My wife is dead, my son is dead, my daughter is grieving and so am I. I have too little sleep and too much wine to deal with the fuckery that is our family. I am going back to sleep, don't wake me up unless the world is burning or is time for the funeral. I am done!" His brother screamed and started walking towards his sleeping chamber.
"And you know what?" his brother said just before passing the threshold. "Fuck you too Daemon."
"What did I do? He said.
"Think of all the shit that you did since you were born and pick a reason! Good night!" Said his brother and slammed the for behind him.
Both he and his sister sat there not knowing how to react. Suddenly his sister burst into laughter. She laughed hard tears coming to her eyes and he was scared for a second that both his siblings had gone mad.
"Why in the seven hells are you laughing? The King had a break down and left. There is a funeral to organize, you need introduction into society and that is a cluster fuck I do not want to deal with and if that wasn't enough there is a council meeting in an hour."
"I am happy my dear, beautiful brother, because I did not See Viserys reacting like that. And you want to know what that means? Something changed. With every change we make we are closer with saving this family." She said her smile never faltering.
"You are mad." He said shaking his head and letting out a chuckle.
"I am mad and that is a good thing otherwise the plans that I have would never work."
"Hmmm... Plans that you have? Why aren't you a good sister and share some of those plans with your brother?
"Well dear brother it seems that the King has left us in charge of his kingdom for a few days while he is taking a vacation sooooo... Let's go and ruin everyone's plans."
The next hour they spent together they made plans for the next few days. They agreed that she would be his shadow for the day, sitting with him in the council meeting and doing the chores his brother inadvertently put on their shoulders. They are not going to respond to any questions regarding her, Viserys will introduce her after the funeral. They may guess she is a bastard as she agreed after he pleaded with her to give up her hood, but they are not going to respond to rumors. Not yet. They discussed details of the funeral and who should be there at the burning, and ath the feast in their honor. They even discussed what clothing their family should wear.
***
Time passed quickly and together they made through the halls, wearing mourning clothes, their hair unbraided with the Commander at their backs. When they passed through the doors of the council chamber the meeting already started, the Hand having the audacity of not waiting for any members of the royal family to be present nor for the Commander of the kingsguard.
"What is this?" He snapped and all the council members sprang to their feet giving him shallow bows. " Since when do council meetings start without the presence of the King or someone from the royal family?"
He saw the men started to fidget in their spots. None of them replied, not even Otto who lived to be a thorn in Daemon side. Maybe it was because of the expression he wore, maybe because of the girl at his back that was glaring with all her might at them or maybe it was because the Commander was behind them showing silent support.
"Your Grace," started Lord Lyonel Strong,"we thought that it would be best if we let the royal family grieve in peace today and not trouble them with the problems of the realm."
"The problems of the realm had been the problems of the royal family since Aegon the Conqueror, through happiness and mourning the royal family had been steadfast in their duties to the realm. I didn't saw any of you, taking the decision out of the Old King's hands when his Queen and his children passed. The Royal family had been in mourning then too. " He said glaring to each and every one of them.
"The problems of the realm had been the King's problems you mean, my prince." Interjected the Hand.
"No." He responded fast." The Royal family's problems. Aegon ruled with his sister-wifes by his side, the Old King with the Good Queen Alysanne, even Maegor ruled with his mother Visenya by his side. So no,my lord hand, the royal family. In the absence of the Kind Queen Aemma, I am here to support my brother. That is why today I will be sitting in the King's place while he takes the time to spend with his daughter the Princess Rhaenyra. " He said and his sister and ser Harold glared at anyone who tried to protest.
He took Viserys seat at the head of the table while his sister sat in his usual place. It felt wrong to sit in his brother's chair, but at the same time the fact that his brother trusted him enough to take care of the kingdoms for a few days pacified him.
"Now, what is in discussion for the day?" He asked and of course the cunt of a Hand couldn't help himself and opened his mouth again.
"My prince is it wise to discuss matters of state while your whore is in the room?" The cunt said and all of the sudden the temperature in the room dropped. He saw Corlys shaking his head and Lord Beesbury let out a quiet "dear me". Before he had the chance to respond, his sister responded.
"I would take care my Lord Hand. One should not make such remarks about people they do not know. One may insult the wrong person. But to clarify, I am not Prince Daemon's whore, as you put it. I am here by the will of his Grace King Viserys and that is all you need to know about the matter."
"Now that that matter is closed, I'll ask again, what in the discussion for today?." He asked and Corlys, the gods bless the man, quickly responded cutting down any more questions that may arise.
"The first thing we need to talk about is the matter of the Queen's and Prince's funeral." Said Corlys.
"Yes their bodies have already been given to the silent sisters for preparations and I spoke with the servant to coordinate with the silent sisters, for the preparation of the funeral pyre and the placement of the bodies. Lord Beesbury, I trust that you can estimate the cost on such short notice for the feast that will take place after the funeral." Daemon said and the Master of Coin nodded his acceptance.
"Who will coordinate the feast, my Prince? Usually it was Queen Aemma who took care of such details. The young princess is too young to take on such responsibility and you and the King i imagine will be very busy to organize it." Said Lord Strong, his eyes quickly glancing towards Maenera trying to figure out if she is the one who is going to take on the Queen Aemma's responsibilities for the moment.
"Yes that is a problem." Daemon said. It was true, it was a problem, usually one of the women in the family took over for the responsibility of the Queen after she passed but now Rhaenyra was too young, his wife was the best candidate if you were thinking logically, but the bitch was in Runestone and she should stay there far away from his family. Maenera was an option but he wanted her with him, in the council meetings and during his other tasks.
"If I may, my Lords. Princess Rhaenys is currently in the Capital and as the oldest female in her generation she could take on the role, if she is agreeable to that of course." His sister said looking from him to Corlys.
"It would be for the best. Lord Velaryon would your wife be agreeable on taking such tasks?"Daemon asked mostly as a courtesy. Maenera was right, Rhaenys was the oldest in their generation and she was still a princess of the blood, even though because of her pettiness she ignored her duties till now.
"Of course my Prince." Corlys said." I am sure she will be delighted to help."
"Good, then after the meeting, please inform her that she would be meeting with us for lunch in the King's apartments to hash out the details."
The meeting continued like that, ideas back in forth. Should there be a ceremony in the Sept or only a valerian one? Who is going to attend to the burning, who is going to the Sept, and so on. Then of course the cunt had to open his mouth again.
"There's still the matter of succession, to be discussed." Lord Hand said.
"There nothing to be discussed about that without my brother present. Last night when I brought the matter of succession into discussion, my brother said that he already has heirs and then refused to speak about it."
"The King does not have a son and his queen is dead" the cunt said.
"Yes, and I am not going to sit here and discuss it with you all when my brother has not yet reached a decision. " Daemon almost growled.
"All of us should calm down. I think that we are all in agreement that the King will marry." His sister said and her voice was sweet as honey her eyes big and innocent." All of us should make a list with potential suitable brides and discuss it tomorrow, and after the funeral has taken place and the King had time to reach a decision about the succession, we can present the list to our King. How does that sound?"
"I think that is wise." Said lord Strong." We shouldn't bother the King with matter of succession just yet."
"Good." Daemon said." If all matters are done, I declare the meeting closed."
Daemon got out of his chair angrily and shot down the corridors, his sister barely a step behind. He didn't stop until he reached his chambers and then he spun around and pinned his his sister under his glare.
"Don't bare your teeth at me, Daemon. You knew that the matter of succession will be brought up sooner or later."
"Yes I knew that what I do not understand is why you given them the task of finding my brother a bride."
"Because, my dear sweet brother, they were going to do it anyway. This way we will see who they propose first and make the necessary arrangements for them not to be suitable anymore. That and Viserys already decided that he is not going to remarry so..."
"So... We see the candidates and until they try to strong arm him in remarrying again we will make sure that they are not suitable candidates anymore."
"Exactly."
He wanted to kiss her. He loved her mind. Sure she was a bit mad but her mind was a wanderful place. Her slyness and cunning left him breathless. She has still young yes, but seeing her like this... Relaxed in one of his chairs eyes closed, a pleased smile on her face, he saw potential. He had a sister, a cunning beautiful sister that could one day, if he played his cards right could be his wife. He could wait for her a few years to grow up, after all he still needed to get rid of his Bronze Bitch, but afterwards it was fair game. He will make her a Queen. She is young yes, but he could wait.