Chapter 11
Viserys couldn't breathe. That were his first thoughts when he woke up, something heavy was on top of his chest. He blinked his eyes open only to be greeted by a mass of silver hair, slowly with the hand that wasn't currently trapped, removed the hair from his line of vision. His brother was the one laying on top of him, with his face planted in Viserys chest and both his arms around his middle. He lifted his head a little bit and surprise, surprise his sister was there as well. She was laying on top of Daemon with her head buried between his brother's shoulder blades, one of her arms was embracing his brother while the other was keeping his own arm prisoner. He couldn't see that far but he could bet that their feet were entangled.
He didn't heard them last night coming back into his room. Is this going to become a habit? Because if that is so, he will need a bigger bed. He wasn't really complaining, he didn't remember the last time he slept so good as in the last couple of days, and wasn't that a bitter thought, his wife and child just died and he was getting better sleep that he had in years. Unfortunately the moment of coziness was at an end. The sun was up in the sky, and even though he wasn't going to attend any council meetings, his brother and his sister will. He gently began to comb his fingers through his brother's hair, tugging on it slightly, Daemon letting a sound of displeasure.
"Come on, valonqar, is time for you to wake. " He said and Daemon let a series of inteligibile mumbles, that sounded like a negative and put even more of his weight, if that was even possible, on him. His brother's movement causing his dither to let out a whine. Not morning people this ones...
"It's time for both of you to get up. You need to break your fast and dress before your meeting with the council." His brother let out a groan and let go of Viserys. He then pushed his arms into the mattress and got up with Maenera still on top of him. The move took her by surprise because she didn't maintained her grip on Daemon and fell sideways back into bed.
"Come on Viserys, after the tongue lashing Daemon give them yesterday, they will not start another meeting without us. You could have let us sleep some more." His sister said and then proceeded to stretch like a cat on the bed. Daemon thankfully was already up and with his eyes still closed he was searching for his trousers. Viserys took pity on him and handed him his clothes then proceeded to scoop his sister in his arms from the bed like she was a child. She quickly wrapped her arms and legs around him and laid her head on his shoulder. He walked into the other room and deposited Maenera into one of the chairs and then gone back for his brother who was now fully dressed but sitting at the edge of the bed eyes still closed. If he wasn't so damn big Viserys would have taken him in his arms too. Damn little brothers who grow too quickly.
After they were both at the table, Viserys asked for breakfast to be brough. While they were waiting, his brother's eyes were still closed as he leaned back in his chair. His sister, he was pretty sure had fallen back asleep with her head rested upon the table. He couldn't help but look at them, them being so peaceful and quiet. The sun shining on them both making them look ethereal. Like two deities caught napping into the holy garden. They were beautiful and Viserys didn't remember the last time he felt so at peace. Sure the world was burning around him but the three heads of the dragon were finally together. It felt right, them together. Being like this, sleeping and eating and bickering with each other. It felt at last as family. There was no pressure and expectations. Maenera was mad and Daemon bloodthirsty and Viserys weak, but it didn't matter, because all of them knew each others faults and they accepted it.
Her sister said yesterday that he was a bad King and a bad head of house and maybe he was, and maybe he was treated differently than his brother, but he still felt her love and his brother's as well when they consoled him two nights ago. When they stayed with him while his child died. While they grieved with him, Baelon's passing. He felt the love when he woke up two mornings in the row with them in his bed, the heat of their embrace on his person. He felt love when he let all his responsibilities on their shoulders and they took it in stride, never faltering, never asking him to step in, never disturbing his sleep or his time with his daughter. He didn't even asked, just fucked off to sleep and his siblings didn't condemned him. They arranged everything that needed to be arranged without bothering him with a single question. So yes, he finally felt at peace and loved because despite all his failings his siblings never faltered in their support.
***
The breakfast came and gone, and Daemon was an his way to the council meeting. He made a slight detour to his chambers to change his last night clothes his sister saying she is going to do the same thing. From where she could get clothes in the Red Keep considering she didn't have a room yet he didn't know. She just asked for 15 minutes and said that she will meet him in the council room. Daemon stepped into the room the council members already there and took his heat again at the head table.
"Now that the Prince is here we can begin..." Otto started only for Daemon to interrupt him.
"We are not all here." He said and motioned them to wait. He could see they were confused. Daemon was sitting into his brother's chair that meant that the King would not make an appearance. Oh how easily they forgot the woman from yesterday. Well they were in for a surprise. A few minutes passed and the council members started muttering among themselves when the door opened. His sister came in and she was dressed in what he could swear was one of his mother's dresses. She courtesied swiftly when she was in front of him and then took her place.
"Now that we are all here, we can begin discussions." Daemon said. Lord Strong was the first to get his bearings.
"Yes, as discussed yesterday, we all compiled a list each with suitable women for the King."
They all passed the list his way and he looked them over. In the sea of unimportant girls he saw a few names that catched his attention. He gave his sister the parchments and she studied them.
"May I request some ink and quill? And some parchment?" His sister asked. And Lord Beesbury quickly provided. In silence she started crossing names and underlying them. Afterwards started to write the names underlined on the new parchment and passed it to him.
Marria Martell of Dorne
Laena Velaryon of Driftmark
Allicent Hightower, daughter of the Lord Hand
Alice Blackwood
Anela Bracken
Alysanne Strong
Maressa Manderly
Jayne Aryn
Naerea Celtigar
He recounted the names to the council and waited for their reactions.
"If I may, my Prince, is there a reason the Lady crossed all the other names?" Lord Strong asked, in his eyes genuine curiosity.
"You should ask the lady in question my lord."
"My Lords, I realize that from your point of view, the list is quite short but I assure you, it is not. The ladies I crossed were babes, second and third daughters of minor houses or widows, those characteristics are not something we should want in a queen. The whole point in the King remarrying is to bring a new alliance to the Iron Throne and to have a suitable upbringing and age to bring forth heirs for his grace. "
"And you decide who is suitable or not?" Otto asked and on his face was visible a sneer.
"Who better but another woman my Lord? I agree that I am mayhaps young but I know women better than anyone in the room."
"How so my lady?"
"Well for starters, I know that I disqualified the Lady Minisa Tyrell because she has trouble keeping the babes she falls pregnant with. While she is a daughter of a lord paramount and she was recently widowed, in the span of 4 years of marriage she lost 3 babes. You see names and families when you look at that paper, I see the women behind those names." Well that shut them up. It was true enough, they as men saw alliances and good upbringing, but none of them were thinking about the logistics and the health of these women.
"Do you want any other examples, my Lords? Because I can and will give you a reason for every single name I crossed. Of course that would mean that there is a possibility to spend all day in this chambers listen to my reasoning, but I am more than ready to indulge you, if that is what you wish." His sister had the most unassuming and inocent expression on her face. He let out a quiet snort and he could see that Corlys was sporting a small smirk as well. Otto of course looked right about to have a conniption. He was bestest by a girl in front of the whole council.
"I for one do not find it necessary my lady. If I learned one thing since I married my lady wife is that in women's matters you should trust the word of a woman." Corlys replied and his sister send him a blinding smile making the older man soften.
"If that is settled, we should start discussing the names we have. Let's start with the Martell girl." Daemon said
"There are pros and cons of course to her. On one hand there is a possibility to bring Dorne into the fold on the other hand the people still hadn't forgotten about the wars we had with Dorne." Lord Beesbury began.
"True but, the girl, and correct me if I am wrong my lady, is already seven and ten and her parentage and upbringing as well as the alliance are not easily dismissed."
"You are correct Lord Strong, the only true problem I see is the rumor that she already had a bastard babe on her own. I do not know for sure, with Dorne being so removed from us, if the rumors are true or not. And even so with a bastard babe on her own at least we know she is capable of giving his grace a child." Maenera explained.
"Dorne is very liberal concerning bastards, so we are to assume that the rumors are true. With her being from Dorne, a Martell at that, and with a bastard of her own, the people would never accept her as queen. " Daemon said and crossed himself the name of the list.
"Alice Blackwood and Anela Bracken need to be discussed together, I think we all agree on that, they are both rumored to be beautiful and intelligent, good familys and their age appropriate, but choosing one over the other would spark the feud between those two families again and there is a possibility that we will have to deal with a revolt." Maenera said
"They are unsuitable for that reason alone. We cannot afford a revolt that will divide the Riverlands in two sides. " Lord Corlys reasoned and Daemon crossed the two names as well.
"Maressa Manderly would strengthen our position with the Nord." Lord Beesbury began only to be interrupted by his sister.
" Pardon me my lord, but that is not necessary true. While the Manderly's are a vassal of House Stark, they are a relatively new house and is also the most southern one. They are not into the northern fold yet. "
"A new house my lady? The Manderly's have been vassals to house Stark for over a thousand years." Maester Mellos exclaimed and Daemon unfortunately, had to agree with the grey rat.
"In southern terms that may be seen as a long time my Lords, but in northern terms, they are still seen as outsiders. House Stark have been King's of Winter for over 8 thousand years before Aegon made them kneel. The Manderly's are an exiled house of the Reach that only has under them a dozen petty nobles and maybe two dozen landed knights. They control the White Harbor, true and they are extremely loyal to House Stark but they still haven't adopted the northern lifestyle. They are still followers of the Seven instead of the Old gods and the soft winters they are facing as well as the constant contact with the South make them be considered in the North a southern house. I only put the Lady Maressa on the list because it was the only northern house that appeared on your lists, but if we truly want an alliance with the North, house Manderly is not suitable. "
His sister explained and then it came to him. His sister was raised in the North, she had intimate knowledge of the houses and gossip that circulated there. She made good points, not all of them were understood, but he believed that to truly understand the working of the north you need to be born and raised there. The northmen were a different breed entirely, his short time spent there was testament enough for him.
"What houses would you suggest?" Daemon asked her.
"Well there is of course House Stark but unfortunately they do not have at the moment a suitable woman in their family. There is also House Bolton, and they are one of the oldest houses in the north, but the wars between the Red King's and the Winter Kings are still in the mind of many northeners so that makes them unsuitable even though they have a daughter, Sandra. "
"The Red King rebellions have been squashed by House Stark a thousand years ago." Master Mellos interjected again.
"You are looking at it as a southerner. The wars were devastating, and while now is relatively peace, the bloodshed has not been forgotten. The North remembers." His sister said and a shiver ran down his spine. They all knew the words but the way his sister said it...
"There are 3 houses that are suitable, House Mormount of Bear Island, but I think that the shield maidens of house Mormount will offend quite a few sensibilities. House Umber that has 3 daughter that are at an appropriate age, their names I believe are Mara, Jonelle and Bethany, in that order." Maenera said and he quickly scribed the girls names down. " And lastly House Karstark, they are kin to House Stark and would be a good alliance, unfortunately the only girl born in the family is a twin and both siblings are said to be born sickly and weak."
"So the only options we have from the North are the Umber sisters. " Daemon concluded." Let's put the northern girls under further consideration at a later date. The next one is lady Jayne Aryn, niece of the Late Queen Aemma."
"The lady Jayne, would be a good option, she already has the blood of house Targaryen in her veins and maintaining an alliance with the Vale would be beneficial." Lord Hand said.
"And she is a lady paramount in her own right." Lord Strong agreed.
"My lady? You have been quiet." Remarked Corlys.
" I thought that the cons were obvious enough not to necessitate my opinion." His sister replied.
"Please, explained the contra arguments for us mere mortals." Said Daemon sarcastically.
"First of all she is a lady paramount in her own right, that alone will make her very likely to refuse. Why should she be made to squeeze out heirs that are not her own. Secondly there is a big possibility that she may suffer her aunt ailment and be unable to give the King an heir. And thirdly non of you took into consideration that his Grace may not want in his bed a reminder of the late Queen especially her own niece." She explained and she again strick an entire table of grown men dumb. Daemon looked at her and nodded his head slowly, and without saying a word crossed her name of the list.
"Nearest Celtigar." He said and all eyes settled upon Maenera. He could see that she was abstaining from rolling her eyes.
"Valyrian heritage, age appropriate beautiful and intelligent, unfortunately House Celtigar would not bring anything in terms of alliance, nor will they bring any substantial wealth. " Without a word, Daemon again crossed the name.
"Alysanne Strong" and now all the eyes were on Lord Strong. That is why he let the names of the daughters of the people in this room for the last. This will not be a process of elimination. It will be a debate.
" As you can see I offered up both my daughters names, one of them being eliminated because I believe her age was on the younger side." Lord Strong said looking briefly at his sister, she responding with a nod." Alysanne is trueborn and noble, her dowry is considerable and the Riverlands will follow us into this alliance. She grew up in the Red Keep so she is not a stranger to the King and the royal family. And I lastly must say, hoping that this is not only parental pride talking, she is quite beautiful." All the points Lord Strong made were extremely good, his sister looked at him and gave him a brief nod and he underlined her name.
"Allicent Hightower."
" My daughter" the cunt began" is trueborn and noble, extremely beautiful, has a lasting friendship with the princess Rhaenyra and has been part of the royal family's household almost all her life, first during King's Jaehaerys reign and then later under King's Viserys." The cunt said smugly and Daemon wanted to punch him. His sister decided to break her silence.
"Of course the Last Allicent is the daughter of a second son of a minor house, she has no dowry to speak of and had companion roles in the royal household. But of course we will take into consideration the long years of loyalty that the Lord Hand had shown and keep her on the list for his Grace consideration." She said and Daemon let out a snort and underlined her name. The reactions of the council were similar to his own. Daemon was sure they were surprised at the audacity the Hand had to offer his daughter as contestant, being the daughter of the Hand of the King was not negligible but also did not made her an ideal for the title of queen. The cunt was red in the face again, his fist clenched on the table and he looked ready to strangle his sister so he quickly passed to the last one.
" Lady Laena Velaryon."
" My daughter, is trueborn and noble, having valyrian ancestry and being the daughter of the King's own cousin. We are the wealthiest house in Westeros and the naval powers is unparalleled. Her dowry will be considerable and will finally unify the bloodlines. She is also one of the beautiful women in the seven kingdoms her beauty being surpassed only by the Realm's Delight's." Well nobody could accuse Corlys that he was a bad orator. His honeyed words working miracles. His sister of course was not one for honeyed words it seemed as she quickly put forth a contra argument.
"But she is extremely young. Only two and ten, too young to be bedded and wedded. Queen Aemma was onli one and ten when she married his Grace and look what happened to her. "
"While her age is worrying, the period of mourning is at least 6 months and then will take at least six more months to organize a royal wedding, by then my daughter will be at least three and ten even four and ten. She is also already flowered and healthy, her mother never having problems giving birth" a lie Daemon thought swiftly, Rhaenys almost died giving birth to Laenor, that is why they stopped having children." all good indicators that Laena will be able to give the King many healthy children."
He and his sister looked at each other and coming to an agreement silently he underlined her name.
"Well, this matter is settled for now. Tomorrow there will be no council meeting as the funeral of Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon is kept. The day after that we will have a meeting, and hopefully my brother will attend and we will present him with the list. " Daemon said effectively closing the meeting. He saw his sister going to lord Strong and whispering something to him, Lord Strong nodded and then left the room. His sister took his hand in hers and together they started walking towards Viserys chambers.