Chapter 13
Whey were walking back to Viserys chambers, their conversation light, but some tension was sill in the air. He wanted to both strangle his sister and be grateful to her that she interrupted the moment between Daemon and himself. He knows such thoughts were taboo, thankfully he never give them voice. He knew that Daemon had some male lovers now and again, but he didn't ask and his brother didn't tell. Viserys thinks that his sister knew about his thoughts, the way she was glancing between him and Daemon said as much. The little bitch is going to want to talk about this at some point or another. She was not going to let the dogs lie, of that he was sure. The only question was when. He wasn't looking forward at the conversation, but as long as she kept her mouth shut and didn't tell Daemon anything, he could endure the conversation that will follow.
"Daemon, you need to go in the city." Maenera said after they entered their rooms.
"Why in the seven hells should I do that?"
"Because there are some garments that you need to collect for tomorrow."
"You commissioned some dresses?" Viserys asked while he poured himself some water.
"Not exactly, I ordered mourning clothes for us and Rhaenyra. For tomorrow." She explained.
"We already have funeral clothing."
"Andal clothing. I ordered them to be made in Valyrian style."
"We never worn valyrian garments for funeral. Only for the wedding ceremonies."
"I know, something that I am trying to rectify. Jaehaerys has gone to great lengths to make us blend in with the andals, but we are not. Aemma and Baelon were Targaryens, they deserve proper valyrian funeral."
"What are you talking about? We've always sent our dead away in Valyrian fashion. We burn them in dragon fire."
"That is only a part of valyrian rites. The funeral garments, the dragon fire and the valyrian priests saying their prayers, all this, is part of the valyrian last rites. You didn't know?"
"I didn't." Viserys replied.
"I did, well partially. I knew that there were some form of garments that you needed to wear, Father wore something like that at Mother's funeral. Jaehaerys and Alysanne were angry at him, ordered all garments burned. Father manage to save some of them, he took a chest full of clothing and fled on Vhagar. Don't know exactly where he hid them, I am assuming on Dragonstone." Said his brother.
"We don't have time to order for them to be found and brought to Kingslanding, so I commissioned some for us. And I already arranged for a priest to be present tomorrow."
"When the fuck did you have time to do all this shit. You were with us in the last couple of days." Asked Daemon.
"Wouldn't you like to know, now go. You have an order to pick up. The seamstress shop is by the fruit stands, next to the big fountain by the Sept."
"Can't I have at least a bath?" His brother whined, but Viserys saw that he was already standing up and making his way towards the door. The power his little sister had over them didn't cease to maze him.
" A hot bath will be waiting for you when you get back." His sister said and Daemon left the rooms. He didn't say anything and neither did his sister. She went to the door and he heard her ask for a bath. Probably for him, he was stinking to high heavens, it's been a while since he did any type of exercise and it showed. He was sweaty and hot, and a bath sounded amazing for his aching muscles. The silence continued until the maids entered the rooms and started preparing his bath.
"You can go now, the King will be tended to." Maenera said and dismissed the maids.
"You know this is how rumors start." He said.
" You already know that I do not care about the rumors." She said while she approached him. She unbuttoned his shirt and slide it of his shoulders. And did the same with his trousers, her small hand was approaching his person again and let his small clothes fall to the ground as well. There he was standing naked as the day he was born in front of his sister. He knew he should fell some kind of shame, but he didn't, it helped that she didn't took her eyes of his. Not once looking down. She gave him a little push in the direction of the tub and he'd gone without making any fuss. He sat down in the tub and saw his sister falling to her knees with a cloth in her hand. She started washing him, pouring water over his head and washing his hair.
"You are not the only one you know." She started." To have feelings for your brother." She said and he tensed. He knew this conversation was coming.
"I don't know what you are talking about"
" Of course you don't." She continued." Aegon and Orys, Maegor and Aenys, Aemon and Father. They all fucked." She said and he was strucked dumb." Sure they loved their wives, but to love your brother was something else, something different. Nothing could compare with the soft hands and lithe body that your mother had, but for father to feel his brother strong hands, his beard scratching his neck, the full lips of Aemon upon his own..." She was so close now that her lips were brushing against his ear. He swallowed thickly.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you need to hear it. Oh the tales I could tell you about Father and Aemon. I saw them in my dreams you know. The nights of passion that they shared. Their labored breathing and harsh kisses." She continued and his breath was starting to became laboured. He imagined him and his brother in those situations and he let out a groan, his head falling backwards hitting the side of the tub.
"Why are you doing this to me?" He asked.
"Because you denied yourself, a dragon takes what it wants."
" You should not put this kind of thoughts in my head."
"Why?"
"Because Daemon would never agree."
"You are wrong, Daemon would jump at the opportunity."
"Then why hadn't he given me any signs indicating that."
"Because he thought that Aemma was the only one for you. "
She hadn't said anything more and neither did he. She continued to help him bath in silence.
***
Daemon was fuming. That little bitch. She send him to pick up clothes like some errand boy, fine, he understood the need for funeral garments, so he went. But that little menace forgot to mention that there were 3 chests filled with clothes. He had to go to the citywatch barracks and take 6 men to help him carry the fucking clothes. Daemon could bet on all the gold in the treasury, that she knew that and that she planned it. That means that his darling sister wanted to talk with his brother alone. That meant that both his siblings were keeping secrets from him. Again. He tried to calm down before he got to their quarters. It will do no good for him to be angry at them, if Maenera didn't want to tell him something she won't, not until she decides it is time. But the feelings of hurt still came, the conversations that she had with his brother were private, even for him. He tried not to pry the first time when it happened, but now it is happening again, and he hated it.
He arrived at their chambers and motioned for the men to put down the chests and get out. After his men left he turned to his sister.
"You little bitch!" He said and saw the surprise on his brother's face.
"What is wrong my dear brother." She sweetly said.
"You know exactly what is wrong you menace. Why didn't you tell me, there were 3 full chests."
" Don't ask questions you already know the answer to."
"Go to hell." He said and turned to leave.
"So.. you do not want the bath Viserys and I have prepared for you." He stoped in his tracks, and felt her approach him. Fuck her, a bath sounded extremely good. "Come on, go to the other room, a bath will be waiting for you. We'll ask for something to eat as well. "
***
Maenera knew why Daemon was actually angry for, she understood his point of view, but Daemon also needed to grow up and understand that some secrets are exactly that, secrets. Daemon had secrets as well, one of the biggest being what he did during the months he'd gone missing. She knew what he did of course, but Viserys didn't, and she didn't plan to tell him. So yes she was keeping secrets from him for Viserys, but she was also keeping secrets from Viserys for him.
She opened the chests one by one and motioned Viserys to approach. Inside the first one were her brothers clothes, in the second one dresses for her and Rhaenyra and in the third one accessories and shoes. She may have gone a little overboard.
"White?" Viserys asked.
"Yes, black and white, they are valyrian mourning colours. It was during Jaehaerys reign that we changed to all black during the funerals."
"I still don't understand why he chose the andal way."
"Because of Maegor. Maegor was a traditionalist to the extreme. He had wed all his wives in Valyrian ceremonies, gave offerings to the gods of old Valyria, and gave his mother when she passed a very traditional funeral. Jaehaerys tried to erase all things Maegor, erasing in the process our culture and traditions." She explained.
Viserys was studying the garments for tomorrow when the maids came in with their dinner. She took a seat pouring herself and Viserys some wine.
"Why was Daemon actually angry?" Viserys asked her.
"Because he is a child that does not understand that some things are private."
"What do you mean?"
"He realized I send him into the city so I could speak privately with you."
"You send him into the city so we could speak about..."
"Shh..." She interrupted him and then turned towards the room Daemon was in."Daemon stop trying to listen to our conversation and come out." Her brother was nothing if not persistent.
"How did you know I was listening?" Daemon said walking towards the table.
"I always know where you are and what are you doing."
"I feel a little violated."
"I can't really help it. I always look to see what you and Viserys and Rhaenyra are doing. "
"It must be tiring to do that all the time." Said Viserys.
"I got used to it. You both know I wasn't here for father's death. I didn't get to warn him, or to say goodbye. I guess after he and mother died you were the only ones that remained, and I am afraid that if I don't check on you constantly something may happen and I will see it too late."
"Life it's impredictibile, anything can happen, you will kill yourself continuing like this." Viserys said.
"Life it's not unpredictable, not to me, I can predict it. You are all too important for me to stop.
"I am just saying that maybe you should ease up a little bit. We are safe, and you said before that if a major event is changing then you will get a vision. I consider mine and Daemon's deaths major events, you can't miss it."
"Why are we still talking about this?" She snapped at him. She knew he was right, but couldn't help it. She was petrified with fear only thinking about not seeing her brothers. What if something happened? What if Viserys tripped and impaled himself on the Iron Throne or Daemon didn't strapped himself properly and fell of Caraxes? She didn't care that she that constantly looking was making her tired and sometimes sick. She needed to know that Daemon was safe.