Chapter 24
After almost three days of unknown whereabouts, Daemon made his way into Viserys rooms, where he was having breakfast with his sister. Daemon looked like he had a fight with a wild animal. His hair was all over the place, unbound and wild, his clothes askew and Viserys could see some nail marks on his brother's chest and neck from were his almost opened shirt was showing naked skin. And Gods he stank to high heavens. He stank of old alcohol, sex and the cheap parfume the whores usually used.
He turned his eyes from his brother to his sister who was staring at Daemon. She put her cutlery down and got out of her chair and made her way throwards the door.
"I'll order you a bath and some clean clothes." She said and exited the rooms.
"What's wrong with her?" Asked Daemon and Viserys wanted to bang his head on the table.
"You have been gone for three days." Responded Viserys.
"Yes, and?" Daemon said and began eating.
"Daemon you have been gone for three days and you haven't told any of us where you will be going or how much you will be missing."
"It wasn't a problem before, and I am sure you realized that I have gone to the streets of silk."
Viserys didn't dignifie that affirmation with a response. His brother could be so obvious some times it hurt. Daemon always had some trouble with emotions. Even his own emotions were screwed up. He was not going to have this conversation again with him.
"Clean up and come to the council chambers. We have a meeting today." Viserys said and got up of his seat as well and left.
***
Maybe it wasn't his most inspired decision to leave without a word. That became apparent when he entered their rooms. Form his sister blank face to his brother's disappointed one, he got the message. He just needed some time to himself, damn it. It wasn't like he left for the Free Cities. He was in the city.
He washed and dressed quickly and left for the council rooms. Everybody was already there and his brother's glare at being late could be felt on his person.
"Now that we are all here, we can start the meeting." Viserys said." What is on today's itinerary?"
"Your Grace, we have a list with some potential Ladies in waiting for the princesses." Said Lord Beesbury.
"Pass the list to Princess Maenera she will supervise this endeavor." The list passed from hand to hand until it reached his sister. Maenera quickly studied it.
"I see that House Manderly is again the only house from the North. I thought that we clarified this. The Manderly's are not suitable."
"Then who would you choose from the North, my Princess?" Asked Corlys.
"Two shield maidens from Bear Island. One for me and one for Princess Rhaenyra."
"Shied maidens? That is... An unusual choice." The Maester said.
"They are a smart choice." Said Lord Strong." Having someone who can fight to protect the princesses would be good."
"And why would they need protecting from some girls, that is why we have the kingsguards and the sworn shields. Capable and strong men to protect their Graces." Said the Maester
"You may forget Maester that there are some places that the kingsguard and the sworn shield cannot go."
"And what are those?"
"The baths. Queen Alysanne was almost killed when she was at Jonquil's Pool. The only reason she was unharmed then was because of the loyalty her ladies had. No strong capable men in sight. The ladies had protected their Queen naked and unarmed. We cannot have that happening again. Or maybe you are suggesting that the Princess and myself should invite our guards into the bath chambers with us?"
"The men started shifting uncomfortably the cheeks of the maester colored slightly.
"I agree with my sister, we will not be opposed to extra protection." Daemon said.
"The Martell girl would be a good addition to my household as well."
The Martell? They are not on the list." Said Lord Beesbury.
"Maybe not but it will be a good start if we began repairing our relationship with Dorne. Small steps."
"I do not think that would be a good idea Princess, the relationship between the crown and House Martell is in tatters."
"That is why it will be a good idea. In the best case scenario we are beginning to repair what all the wars broke, worst case scenario, we have a valuable hostage. "
"What about her bastard?" Asked Lord Corlys.
"What about the bastard?"
"She may want to bring the child with her."
"And she is free to do so, if things go sour we will have two hostages instead of one."
"It is unseemly,your Grace and we would have no guarantee that the child is valued by the mother's family."
"As I said in previous meetings, bastards in Dorne are not seen as they are seen here. They are perceived as children born out of love, passion. They have rights and can even inherit, they are taught at the same table as the legitimate children. ANY children are to be protected and cherished in Dorne."
"You are obviously well informed your Grace, that is clear but what if the bastard is a girl?" Said the Grand Maester.
"All children are to be cherished and protected. They don't hurt little girls in Dorne, not like you do here."
That was a blow. His sister was in a spectacular mood, she was not going easy on any of them. Those comments hit fast and hard.
"We do not hurt little girls here." Interjected Corlys.
"Are you sure about that? Because I can give you a milion and one example. How about we talked about my sister in law Aemma, how about we talk about all of the Old King's daughters. How about we talk about your own daughters my Lords. You who would sell your own flesh and blood to the highest bidder! " Her voice got progressively louder untill she was almost screaming."
"Maenera." His brother said softly and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him and her face smoothed out.
"I apologize my Lords, it would seem that my emotions got the better of me. I had received some awful news this morning." She said but Daemon could see she was still angry.
"Women and their emotions..." Said Corlys probably trying to lighten the mood. It fell quite flat.
"How about we do not discuss this as of right now. I am sure that are more important matters than my ladies in waiting. Let me a few days to see the options properly and discuss them with the princess Rhaenyra as well."
"Moving on then, what is next?" Viserys quickly jumped to another subject.
"Your Grace, the situation in the Stepstones is escalating. Craghas Drahar, a man originally from Myr, backed by the Triarchy has taken occupancy of the Stepstones and started attacking ships that pass by. At the moment only a few merchant ships have been attacked the rest were pirate ships."
"And what are you suggesting Lord Velaryon." Asked Viserys.
"That we attack them while they are still in infancy of their plans."
"You want to start a war over the Stepstones with the Triarchy."
"If we let them continue they could beggar our ports."
"Indeed, we cannot declare war without all the information. I will investigate this matter, in the mean time Lord Beesbury, make a review of the treasury and tell us if the war can be supported." Daemon spoke.
"The Lord Hand is right, we had quite a few expenses we need to be sure that we could entertain a war especially if we do not know for sure how much the Triarchy will support this Craghas Drahar." Said Lord Strong.
"Then it is settled. We will reconvene in a few days with all the facts and discuss it then. This meeting is closed." His brother said and his sister was the first to get up from her seat and almost run to the doors. His brother following in her wake. He and Corlys stayed behind after the council members have left.
"The problem in Stepstones cannot be allowed to escalate more than it already has. The King will probably deny my plea for help."
"You remained in this chambers with me to tell me things that we both already knew?"
"I will sail for the Stepstones soon enough. While the King feasts and drinks the Crabbfeeder will beggar my house, sink my ships. He will ignore the problem as long as it does not concern house Targaryen"
"Careful now, I will speak of my brother how I wish, you will not."
"You can make a name for yourself if you hell me in this endeavor. The insults the King has dealt us over the years, the words that were whispered behind our backs will be silenced if we came back victorious."
"I remember no insults dealt to you by my brother what's so ever. And stop trying to convince me with honeyed words to wage war with you against the decision of my brother. You do not want me there you want my dragon."
"That may be true, but I need a capable fighter and a smart general in this fight."
"You can take your wife she has a dragon as well. But you will not do that, why risk one of the only dragons your house has. Better risk me and my dragon. If I refuse you, Let me guess the next one on your list is my sister."
"Don't be absurd, that girl is as mad as they come. Today's outburst all but proved it."
He doesn't know when his hand grabbed the font of Corlys clothes but it did. And he had him in a death grip.,
"You will not blemish the name of my sister if you know what is good for you and your House. She is one of the best dragon riders I ever had the pleasure of knowing. Her mind is not broken as you implied it is a subject of awe, she could outsmart all the men in this realm." He let go of Corlys and turned on his heels and began walking towards the door. "I will think about your preposition." With that he closed the door after him.
He made his way to their rooms, he was sure his brother and sister were there. Sobs and screams could be heard from the down the coridor. Without thinking he took his sword out and begun running. When he made a left he saw Lord Commander and her sister new sworn shield, waiting calmly in front of the doors. Seeing them so... Well not relaxed but not ready for battle it meant that his siblings were not in danger. He relaxed slightly, stopped running and put his sword back. He approached the Lord Commander.
"Is my sister killing my brother?"
"Hopefully not, or you, my Prince will become King sooner than any of us expected."
"Then what is happening?"
"We don't know. The Princess was crying before she made to the rooms. The King told us to wait outside." A particularly loud scream followed by a crash could be heard.
"I'm going to go in." Daemon said but didn't move from his spot. The Ser Harold let out a humm but didn't say anything else. "I am. I am definitely going." He still didn't move from his spot.
"As you say your Grace." Ser Harold said and Daemon could see a small smirk on his face.
"Damn it."
"Nobody is going to blame you if you do not enter, my Prince. Your sister is quite terrifying." Harwin said.
"I am not afraid of my sister! I'm going in, somebody has to save my brother. Ser Harold if I shout out bring Vaegon that means blood has been drawn." Daemon said and he could see that Ser Harold was holding in his snickering.
He opened the doors and got in. He wasn't sure what was he expecting but surely wasn't this. His sister in tears, screaming and throwing shit and his brother trying to console her wile at the same time to convince her that maybe she should not smash that vase it was a family heirloom. Viserys wasn't very successful.
"What the fuck is going on here?" He asked and both his siblings replied at the same time.
"She's gone mad."
"That bastard"
"First of all you need to speak one at the time. Second of all Maenera you need to stop throwing shit. Third of all Viserys you still suck at consoling people." At his words his sister started sobbing again fell into a chair and let the vase fall from her hands smashing on the floor.
"That is not what I meant, but I will take it. Now, Maenera, look at me. Did somebody hurt you?"
"No"
"Then what is happening?"
"Just before we got through the doors of the small council I had a vision. I-I-I didn't know who was at first. I didn't realize. It was fast on the outside but in my mind was not fast. Was not fast at all."
"What did you see?"
"I saw a lot of bad things you know, a lot of them. Murder, rape, abuse. I thought I've seen it all. I-I-I wasn ready. I don't know why it showed me that."
"Maenera you need to focus you do not make much sense."
"The first night, it was abolished by the Old King at the urging of the Queen, bit some families still practice it. I knew that. I did and I was going to discuss it in the council someday, but last night, last night it happened again. "
"One of the Lords used the Rights of the First Night to force a bride?"
"Not just a bride, she was his daughter. And she is young she is so young. She is just ten and four, and, and it was her father and her husband doesn't even know it happened. Oh gods, it was horrible."
That indeed sounded horrible. Not only did she see it first hand, a father used the Rights of the First Night, an already abolished custom, to rape his own daughter on her wedding night. Now what she said in the Council made a lot more sense.
"Who did it?"
"The Bolton Lord. Remember we talked about his daughter in the Council. I only said then that she was unsuitable for Viserys."
"I remember. What do you want us to do about this?"
"I don't know. We have enough problems, the ladies, your new appointment as hand, the war in Stepstones and the fact that you want to join, Rhaenys will want to speak with me tomorrow, I still haven't talked something of import with Uncle Vaegon. I don't know."
"Hmm... Yes all important things I am sure. But you see all this things are not as important because none of this things have made my sister cry." He looked at Viserys then, and Viserys nodded at him.
"How about we all focus on the problems you mentioned in the next few days and in the mean time I send a letter to Lord Stark in which I explain that because of disturbing news coming from the North we are due for a visit." Viserys said.
"You want to go North?" His sister asked.
"Yes, we three will take our dragons and name a stand in Hand for a few days while we go North. "
"Why do you want to go North?"
"To resolve the Bolton problem."
"And?"
"And we want to see Stark face when we apear with you in tow." Daemon was the one to respond.
"I only seen my cousin 3 times in my entire life."
"But he knows about you?"
"Yes."
"Good. We have a lot to discuss with house Stark."
"You are both bastards, you want to make Lord Stark uncomfortable."
"Why thank you." Replied Viserys
"Only a little." Replied Daemon." Now, I am going to find out some more about the war Corlys wants to wage and respond at some letters. Who knew that being Hand was so much work? Daemon said and his sister giggled. What a wonderful sound. His work is done here.
"Will you be back tonight?" His sister asked.
"Of course little love. " He responded and planted a kiss on her forehead. He walked out of the door and of course the kingsguard and the sworn shield were still there.
"No bloodshed I assume, my Prince?" Ser Harold asked.
"You really are getting more impertinent by the day." He said but his voice had no bite.
"As you say your Grace."
"I wouldn't be so smug if I were you. You and Pretty boy over here should start packing."
"Packing?"
"Yes we are going North."
"Now?" Asked the Commander
"Should I send to ready the horses?" Asked Harwin.
"Not now but soon. And who said anything about horses?" He began to laugh as he walked away at the array of curses the Lord Commander let out.