Chapter Text
Jacaery’s most fondest memories of his grandfather, Viserys, are of him taking him on his knee and seating him upon the Iron Throne. He would sit with his grandfather as he held court, where he would listen to the great tales and promises his old and weathered-but still very beloved-grandfather whispered of the great future he would bring as King of Westeros one day. Despite his failing health and limited mobility, King Viserys I had never been happier when seated upon the Iron Throne than when he was when he began to have Jace by his side.
“This shall be your seat when your mother and I are gone from this world,” he would whisper to Jace, “I so wish I could see you upon it as King when you do.” And up until he moved to Dragonstone with his mother, brothers and new stepfather and stepsisters, Jace had sat with his grandfather on the throne through every mid-afternoon session in court, believing -in knowing- that the throne was to be his one day.
It had never crossed his mind until learning of the impending birth of his half brother Aegon that Jace-despite being the heir’s heir and having sat on the Iron Throne more times than any other heir before him-realized that the hushed sweet words and promises made by his grandfather and mother about his future whenever he asked questions did nothing to protect that wonderful dream they both had constructed in their heads. The beautiful future and reign they promised that Jace would have after they were gone, what would those sweet words do after their deaths to protect him and that promised gift of the world ?
“Do not worry or listen to such things; they are simply jealous of you and your position,” would be his mother's answer whenever he told her of his uncle's remarks in the training yard or the whispers of “Strong” muttered as he walked by Sir Criston Cole in the halls of the Red Keep. Jacaery's mother was not stupid, far from it. But like her father, the Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne saw the issues that Jace and his brothers faced as internal strife that required no intervention from her for some reason, so sure was she or too afraid to admit and act in defence against the Greens.
Jace had believed his mother's empty words for so long up until they moved to Dragonstone. It was there that he began to hear those same empty words being repeated again by his mother whenever he voiced his sadness over the loss of his father, or inability to connect with his mother's new husband or with Baela, whom he had heard be mentioned as a potential future bride for him previously.
All that his mother would say was that he must not worry over silly things and that they would settle all together in time. Jace tried to believe his mother and be patient, believing that Prince Daemon and Baela would warm up to him and his brothers, and they would be happy as a family on Dragonstone. When Jacaerys realized that these promises would never bear fruit, something broke inside of him.
This pushed Jace away from the shade of his loving mother, of whom Rhaenyra Targaryen had become to her sons since marrying Prince Daemon and moving them to Dragonstone.
It was upon that awareness that his mother was truly lost to him, whether she even knew what she was doing to her sons. That she was slowly replacing them despite objections she would say on the matter of Jace as her heir. It did not matter anymore whether she realized it or not.
If Jace remained his mother's heir, he knew all those opposed to his mother and even her own allies would see it fit that he never succeeded her or tasted any real authority or power in his position as heir.
And Jace did not know which result he feared more. But all he knew was that in how his mother was preparing herself and him for when she would eventually succeed his grandfather, that she was not prepared or willing to take steps to protect Jace or his brothers in favour of living in her own fantasy of harmony and loyalty that his grandfather seemed to live in himself.