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If she were to be honest, she was not fully listening to her mother, she had other things on her mind. She had survived the birth of her third son which had weakened her and after a few moons turns she had regained her strength however her son, her Aegon, had not survived. Though he was weak after his birth her son had begun to thrive and then one morning the wetnurse entered the royal nursery at the same time she did every morning to feed Aegon, finding him still and quiet. Her Aegon was a healthy pink one night and blue by morning, just like her brother Gaemon.
She was however pulled out of her thoughts by the mention of Viserra.
“Your sister Viserra is to wed Lord Theomore Manderley of White Harbour.” Queen Alysanne announced.
Alyssa looked to her brother Aemon and her husband Baelon both with varying looks of disgust and shock across her face. The match was illogical. “Why?” she asked.
“Lord Theomore is a good man and an old friend.” Queen Alysanne said, “It shall bring the North closer to the throne.”
“He is a man four times widowed, your grace” Alyssa argued.
“He has a dozen children; your grandchildren would inherit nothing” Baelon murmured in agreement “His great grandson is older than Viserra.”
“If I recall correctly Lord Theomore’s daughter, seven and ten at the time, attended to you when you were carrying me mother and I was six and ten when Viserra was born.” Aemon added “Lord Theomore has to be in his sixties while Viserra is only three and ten. She would be five and ten when they wed. Lord Theomore should not wed a Princess so young.”
“It is a good match” The Queen insisted.
“He is older than his grace. He has four dead wives, seven sons, four daughters, three nieces, four nephews, sixteen grandchildren, eight great grandchildren. The man does not lack for heirs.”
Alyssa looked at her father who just shook his head “Match making is the Queen domain. I trust her opinion.” She may not be exactly close to her sister, but they had started to reconnect after Aegon’s birth. She knew since Saera was exiled Viserra had been lonely, and she knew Viserra feared being away from her family. Viserra wished to stay close to them. She turned to the King, knowing she had little chance of changing the Queen’s mind. She did not need to change the Queen’s mind anyway for the King made the final decision. He was the King after all. “May I speak freely my King?”
Her father sighed “Go ahead child”.
“I feel like this is a bad decision as off know” Alyssa stated, “Before you argue please just hear me out.” She turned to her brother “Aemon why was Daella wed to a widow with four children?”
“A princess must wed a lord of high standing.” Aemon stated “But we cannot allow dragons outside of our house which is why a Targaryen Princess must be wed to another Targaryen to claim a dragon. Dragons outside of our house could be war. The Princess is instead wed to Lords with enough heirs to last several lifetimes. The marriage of course must benefit the crown.”
“It is preferable that they do not produce heirs of Valyrian blood” Baelon added. It was true Princess were wed to me with enough heirs that they would not be required to produce further heirs however he wondered if his parents considered that any lord would love to boast that they had an heir of Valyrian blood. “However, if they do the children can be safely married back into the royal family.”
“Exactly” Alyssa cut in “Viserra is only three and ten, five and ten when she weds.” If things go the way the Queen wishes, that is. She had no doubt that if the Queen she could wed Viserra off as quickly as possible. Their mother had doted on Viserra as a babe, but she grew the Queen grew colder and colder towards her second youngest child. “Mother had her last babe at five and forty. If Viserra is anything like mother than she has thirty years of childbearing years ahead of her.”
“Where are you going with this Alyssa?” Her father asked.
“Rhaenys is only ten name days old your grace she is not to wed until she is eight and ten meaning her first child is nearly eight years away at best. Gael is only four, unable to be married off for another decade as is Daemon and Viserys is also a decade off his first child at best. Aemma is already to wed Viserys, so she is safely married back into the royal family.” Alyssa pointed out “How are we to safely wed Viserra’s children back into the royal family when Rhaenys, Daemon and Gael are all we have? Aemon cannot have anymore children. I cannot have any more children. The children are at least a decade of producing heirs. The Queen had six children in just over a decade what if Viserra is as fertile? How can we marry six children back into the family with three choices and if they are all girls, we only have one Prince?”
The King looked take aback the wheels turning in his head as if he had not considered that. “We would be unable to… they would be half Valyrian, and we would have no way to safely marry them back into the family.”
“The point is we need purer Valyrian heirs” Alyssa cut in “I propose that Baelon takes her as a second wife”.
“What!” Baelon exclaimed “No, I would never betray you like that”.
“It is not betraying me if it is my idea” Alyssa pointed out “You desire a daughter. Daemon desires a sister-wife, and I would not mind a daughter or two. Your children would be my children and besides Viserra is rather pretty, a true Valyrian beauty, I would not mind having her in by bed. It is unimportant if Baelon is there or not.”
“You wound me Alyssa” Baelon said in mocked offense.
“I do not mind sharing so long as Baelon keeps in mind that Viserra would be by wife as well” Alyssa turned to glare at her husband “You would have to share the little dragon” Viserra was already a beauty she had no doubt she would only grow more beautiful “I know it cannot be legally recognised, Viserra as my wife that is, but we could have a valyrian ceremony like the conquerors.” Alyssa chuckled “You were already making arrangements with the faith so you could force Aemon to take Saera to wife so finish the arrangement to allow us to wed Viserra.”
“I do not love Viserra” Baelon argued.
“We need more heirs Baelon” Alyssa argued “It is our duty. Heirs I cannot provide but she can. You can get your daughter, Daemon his sister-wife. I have always wanted lots of children Viserra could provide me with this. They would be my stepchildren and niblings.” She turned to her father “We need more dragon riders’ father and Viserra, well she wishes to stay close to her family. We all would benefit from the arrangement”.
“House Targaryen is lacking in heirs” Aemon pointed out “But would you truly be happy with this?” he looked at Alyssa pointedly.
“I do wish I could bear more children but at last I cannot… Viserra we have gotten closer over the last few months. She would visit me when I was bedridden bringing little Aegon with her all the time. She allowed me to spend a lot of time with my son…. More time than I would have gotten had she not gone out of her way to do those small acts of kindness.” Alyssa said “Viserra… she is completely terrified of being alone away from her family. She has been rather isolated since Saera ruined herself.” Saera’s scandal was something she thought they were all partly responsible for they had let her get too out of hand. How she, Aemon and Baelon not noticed that their little sister was coming to court drunk at only two and ten. “We all benefit from this your grace.”
Baelon, he was not too sure about Alyssa’s idea, but this was what she wanted and to hear that his baby sister was terrified about being away from their family well his mind was made up. “If this is what my wife wants then I shall do it so long as you agree your grace. Alyssa is right about one thing though Viserra is a Targaryen, and she should be with her family. Especially due to our numbers dwindling”.
“Jaehaerys you actually be considering this” Alysanne argued.
“It will anger the faith, but I am sure we can figure something out.” Jaehaerys stated “Alyssa has made a point, we Targaryens are dropping like flies and how are we to safely marry Viserra’s children into the royal line again if our numbers are low.” Jaehaerys shook his head “Viserra is the only Targaryen who will producing heirs for the next eight or so years other than Rhaenys”.
“My daughter is not to wed until her eight and tenth name day” Aemon stated, “I shall not allow it” He knew what happened to girls who wed too soon, who consummated their marriages before they were ready. He would not allow it to happen to his daughter, his only child. Viserra may be his younger sister however Rhaenys was his only child and if one of them had to bear the burden of bearing children before their time well he would rather it be Viserra than his only child.
“With Viserra marrying close to home I see no reason to delay the marriage till she is five and ten,” Jaehaerys added “My marriage to you mother was consummated at four and ten, three and ten is not much of a difference.”
Aemon exchanged looks with his siblings, they all knew there was no point in arguing now. The King though he had given Alyssa what she desires, had also managed to make them all unhappy by declaring their three and ten sisters would be married rather quickly, and would be to produce heirs as soon as possible. “Of course, your grace.”
“Now Baelon, Alyssa goes and inform your sister of her change in betrothal” Jaehaerys declared.
“Yes, your grace” Alyssa said.
“Of course, father” Baelon nodded.
Viserra looked up from her book when she heard a knock on her chamber door “Come in” she declared wondering who was knocking on her door at this time. She smiled when she saw it was Alyssa and Baelon, her visitors could be far worse. It could be the Queen. “Brother, sister to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Have you been informed of your betrothal?” Baelon asked.
“To Lord Manderley? A man old enough to be my great grandfather, a man four time widowed with enough heirs to last himself four lifetimes if not more. Yes, yes, I have brother” Viserra responded “Is that why you two are visiting?”
“There is to be a change in your betrothal” Alyssa stated, “Your betrothal to Lord Manderley has been ended.”
“I thought the King would not change his mind” Viserra murmured “I tried to talk to both the King and the Queen and all I got was rejection. Who… who am I to wed now?”
“Us” Alyssa said “Well Baelon in the eyes of the realm, you shall be his second wife but in the eyes of our gods you shall be my wife as well. A second ceremony, the valyrian ceremony shall take place at Dragonstone.” She elaborated when she saw her Viserra’s confused looks.
“And the King has changed his mind because House Targaryen is in need of more heirs?” Viserra inquired.
Alyssa nodded “Well yes when presenting a case to the King you have to reason with what he cares about most, the survival of House Targaryen. Your marriage to us benefits House Targaryen more than your marriage to Lord Manderley could be due to- “
“The lack of potential heirs.” Viserra interrupted “The King and Queen had thirteen children Aegon, Daenerys, Aemon, Baelon, Alyssa, Maegelle, Vaegon, Daella, Saera, me, Gaemon, Valerion and Gael. Aegon, Gaemon, Valerion, and Daenerys were all lost in childhood. We have lost Saera to her exile, and we have lost Maegelle and Vaegon to Old town, both of whom has taken vows to not have children. Daella was nearly lost in the childbed and if she had more children, they like Aemma is planned to, would have to be married back into House Targaryen as would any child I had with Lord Manderley,” Viserra stated “That leaves Aemon, you two, myself and Gael from the King to produce heirs and Viserys, Rhaenys, Daemon and Aemma as his grandchildren. Aemma needs to be safely married back into House Targaryen and like Daemon and Gael she is only around three name days old none of them will be having children for a decade at least, more likely a decade and a half. Rhaenys will not be married for nearly a decade so she will not be producing children for nearly a decade, the same goes for Viserys. Jocelyn cannot bear any more children without endangering her own life, Aemon would never allow that- “
“And my difficult birth with Aegon has left me unable to bear children” Alyssa added “That leaves you”.
“Yes, it does” Viserra acknowledged “Are you two truly alright with this?”
“We have a duty to House Targaryen” Baelon said “But you are our sister, one of two lefts to us in the Keep, at all really. Daella is off in the Eyrie, and we never see her, Daenerys is dead, Saera is as good as dead and Maegelle never visits. We have lost enough siblings Viserra. We shall do everything we can to keep you safe.”
“I suggested it” Alyssa admitted “You are my sister and I wish to keep you close. You wish to stay home and I shall grant you, your desire” Alyssa paused “I will admit I am also selfish in I wish for more children, any children the two of you have shall be my stepchildren and my niblings, I am content with that.”
“Your children you mean” Viserra stated.
“Sorry?” Alyssa asked.
“Vis?” Baelon added.
“Well, you said you would be my wife, I would be sharing a husband with you Alyssa, and a wife with you Baelon, we would share any children I had would we not?” Viserra asked “As my wife my children would be your children not your stepchildren… would they not?”
“Well, I guess they would, you would truly be alright with that?” Alyssa asked.
Viserra looked at her siblings like they had grown three heads, mirroring their house sigil, she scoffed in disbelief “Why would I not be? Of course, we would have to come up with some distinction I could be muña and you could be mum, or some such thing we can figure out the details when it become necessary.” Viserra shook her head “Alyssa, you have done me a great favour, you saved me from being shipped of North away from our family and from what I understand you would be actively raising these children as well, you would not be a stepparent but a parent.” Viserra elaborated.
“Thank you” Alyssa whispered.
“I would be able to attempt to claim a dragon after this wedding, correct?” Viserra asked.
“I do not see why not” Baelon replied.
“I shall insist on it” Alyssa added “House Targaryen could use another female dragon rider”.
“Well, if the time comes, I see no better rider to assist me then the rider of the Red Queen” Viserra responded.
“What of me and Vhagar?” Baelon asked.
“Well, the Queen of Dragons is truly marvellous however the Red Queen is swifter and quicker, besides Alyssa is the most recent Targaryen to claim a dragon after all” Viserra added.
“She is correct” Alyssa chuckled “And which dragon would you like to attempt to claim?”
Viserra smiled “Why Dreamfyre of course!”