Chapter Text
Viserys knew that many people would not be happy with his decision to marry young Lady Alicent. Whether it was the timing or the bride herself, people had nothing but complaints. But he had already made up his mind. He had made his decision, and Viserys Targaryen was a man of his word. But that didn’t mean that he had blindly hoped for his second marriage to happen peacefully.
At last, he sighed with relief as the marriage happened without any incident. The ceremony was magnificent, just as they had planned. Even his daughter was present, although with a scowl on her face. He was just relieved she hadn’t shown her famous temper.
It was when the courtiers were toasting him that he got the surprise of his life. Namely, one Laena Velaryon.
“Congratulations on your nuptials, your grace.” The young girl bowed to him, a happy smile on her face. Viserys felt awkward. Their last interaction was really shallow, both of them not finding any common ground for conversation, except for her continuously peppering him with questions about Vhagar before the young lady excused herself after realizing he didn’t have many answers. While Laena Velaryon was young and naive, others were not, and the vultures in the court were oh so interested in watching the confrontation between the rejected Queen candidate, the new queen, and the King himself. Never mind the fact that one party could still be considered a child. And wholly uninterested in who could be the next queen.
There was no such disinterest on her face right now.
“Someone in our station rarely gets to marry for love, a King no less!” She happily chattered away, not even realizing how the King’s smile froze. And the way the Princess stood straight, glaring daggers at her father and his new wife, promising consequences if the statement came true. And the new queen standing there with a tense smile on her face, nervousness radiating off of her frame. And the way the council stood still, trying to escape the tense atmosphere.
“Lady Laena, you look radiant as ever,” Viserys deflected, his obliviousness failing to ignore his daughter’s murderous stare at his back. Laena beamed back at him, and he realized he also failed to deflect. “Not as much as you, your grace. Marrying the one you love has done wonders for your health.”
Now, Laena Velaryon was also subjected to the murderous glare of the princess. But she was made of sterner stuff than anyone here, so she continued beaming. Viserys sweated. Fortunately, his ever-loyal council swooped in to save him.
“It is not a love match, Lady Velaryon.” Ah, Otto, his one true friend. “The King had married to put to rest the fears regarding succession.”
Not unlike an oblivious owl, Laena tilted her head, appearing every inch her age of five and ten. “Oh, so the King wants a son? What about Princess Rhaenyra then? Where will she go after the prince is born?”
Viserys sputtered. “Rhaenyra is to remain my heir! Regardless of any son I may have! No one will displace her position!”
“Oh.” Now, the young lady draped in pearls and wealth her father had accumulated looked confused. “But right now the Hand just said that you are marrying to secure succession?”
Viserys sputtered again, while his new wife and her father looked rather pinched. Rhaenyra, who looked murderous before, now stood blank-faced and stared at Laena as if contemplating the answer to some morbid puzzle.
“He is right, my lady.” Lyonel Strong could always be counted on to save the day. “While Princess is the heir, it is necessary to have spares. Besides, the point of this marriage is partnership. This union is not a love match, but a strategic alliance.”
At the word alliance, Lady Velaryon brightened even more, if it was possible. More than one person felt more than seeing the involuntary flinch the new queen gave at the positively unhinged smile Laena was giving off.
“Oh, so it’s that then! That is brilliant! Father always said that marriage should be treated as a partnership, only then can both parties have some benefit to pacify them if the situation goes up and down during their union. Take my own recent engagement: while my fiancé is the son of the Sealord of Bravos, a position that can’t be inherited, he will inherit the trade connections of his father, something that will bolster my family for generations.”
Many stood there, shocked to their core. This was news to all of them. Corlys Velaryon certainly moved fast when he wanted to.
“So what benefits are being rewarded to both parties, your grace? From my understanding, Old Town is a chartered town and one of the biggest cities when it comes to trade. Ancient too. Hightowers are beyond doubt very rich, and also considered as custodians of Faith and Citadel. She must have been given the most generous dowry in the history of our kingdom (Dowry, in history, was a financial crutch given to the bride to give her some independence from her husband's household. This money would be for her use only. It could be something as simple as the items for daily use to a significant sum of money.). And I don’t even need to mention the power of the crown, do I? So what have you given your new bride as a gift (She is talking about bride price, which has the same function as dowry, except it comes from the groom. For the queen, it is supposed to be very generous even if, yes, the bride entered the household in a less than honorable way. But both things got weaponised by people to make a demand of the other party. Misogyny and greed at their finest.)? Lowered taxes? Royal charter? Or any monopolies? How much fief had you awarded her? I admit any of them may cost the crown a lot and restructure trade, which is a headache. I truly sympathize with everyone involved in that mess, but you have to give something to gain anything in return, right? And what is our new Queen bringing in her dowry? Tax revenues of a specific trade? A mine? Some profitable business? Or some farming territory? Even soldiers, perhaps? Pardon my questions, I recently started sitting in on my lessons with my parents, but I am very curious how such unions are approached in the capital.”
Now everyone was visibly sweating. Westroes was considered an archaic kingdom by the larger world, mired in wars, tensions, and civil unrest. But greed was a universal emotion, not something limited to one region.
To think that a union of utmost importance, a royal union, could have warranted preparations equal to a peasant’s thought of what goes into a wedding was preposterous. Dowry existed to make the bride financially independent from her new household, if only by a small bit. And a King marrying a maiden while not giving any benefits to the bride? The mere idea was laughable.
So yes, the court was utterly curious, while the council, who knew the truth of the matter, sweated profusely because the truth would indeed prove that the union was scandalous.
If any one of them ever mentioned that the bride was bringing nothing to the crown because the King had generously waived off any such favors while his Hand awarded tax exemption to the Old Town for three years (It is one thing to make the queen tax-exempt for life, which was common in history. It is also one thing to forgive taxes for her family. But it is a completely different matter to tax exempt a CHARTERED PORT TOWN of all places, no matter for how many years. The loss of revenue from there is enough to take out much of the treasury, and Westroes had limited port towns that were as rich as Old Town. As for the number of the bride price, I struggle with adjusting numbers with inflation, so imagine a number that, while it is not as absurd as halving the treausry but still something that will raise eyebrows. I imagine Targaryens scrimping on bride price cause marrying into the family is one of the tactics many people still use to this day to save on the bride price AND give inheritance to the bride, since it is all supposed to remain "in the family.") in addition to the generous bride price he took out from the treasury. Anyone who would hear this would scoff at the mere idea that the union was not of love but of responsibility. Because such generous favors could only be awarded if the bride climbed into the bed of the groom, she is now being married off hastily to hide the shame. Even if that may not be the case. Even if the King himself is unaware of how much he had supposedly paid in the name of bride price. The number had stung not only the Master of Coin but the entire council when they heard of it, while the King remained willfully unaware. “Well, you see, after the death of Aemma, all of us decided to keep my second marriage a bit simpler.”
Laena Velaryon looked around, skepticism visible on her face. While one could say that the wedding looked simple by just looking at the dresses the Princess and the bride in question were wearing, the same could not be said for the luxurious spread of food, festivities, and nobility. Her disbelief made the king spiral in panic, as Lady Laena looked more like a princess or queen than the ones who held such a title.
“The matter of bride price, well, I left it to my Hand to decide, and as for dowry, all I know is she had received some personal artifacts of her mother and gifts from her family (Family politics and a mixture of canon, I guess. 1) The office of Hand is the 2nd most powerful office after King. Their salary must also be very generous and come with free lodgings, food, and gifts, in addition to political influence. A Hand who is also a lord can waive that salary to show their "devotion", but Otto was from a second branch. His family must have lived on that salary. Why do I think that? Because before marriage, Alicent dressed simply, her jewelry and adornments were simple, and she wore her mother's dresses... that would only happen if her household was entirely dependent on the Hand's salary. And the salary is good, it is nothing compared to what a lord possesses. So the Hightowers must be very happy that Otto and Alicent got such a good match for her that they thought giving a dowry to a side branch that is not dependent on them was not a big concern. This branch was not shown to be financially dependent on the main branch, so I think most of her dowry must have come from her father. ).”
At that, Laena looked at all of them incredulously. And then she laughed, the sound ringing like the tinkling of bells. “Well, that is good then. Imagine the scandal if it were ever known that the King of our kingdom married a bride without even giving mere scraps to her family in the name of bride price. The horror! As for our Queen, well,” she stepped forward, grabbing and squeezing the hands of the newly crowned bride, ignoring her grimace. “I suppose with such a dowry, it is of utmost importance to keep your husband happy more than anyone else. After all, with a lack of even meager funds, you depend on his mood to keep your household happy and fed, right, my queen? So you must keep my cousin satisfied with you, Lady Alicent. A man like him, who has not demanded much from you, is honestly rare to find in our society.”
Many understood the layered insults upon insults that Lady Velaryon lobbed on the Hightower Queen, but not the King, who laughed jovially, finally relieved to escape the topic rife with hidden daggers. “Right you are, Lady Velaryon! And she is a friend of my Rhaenyra, which assures me regarding my heir too!”
Many grimaced at the reminder, the bride and the heir included, but not the Velaryon maid, who only laughed, clapping her hands delightedly. “That’s fantastic! It must be an honor to devote all your being to ensuring the safe ascension of your friend. I wish you all the fortune to raise your children under the shadow of their sister, the heir to the King of Westroes.”
Viserys laughed once again, relieved about one thing mostly: Velaryons may not be as wroth with him as he was previously led to believe. If they were, then why would their own daughter, his prospective bride, come and congratulate him personally?
Such was his delight that he ignored the displeasure of his wife and her family for not days, but months to come.
The court’s next collision with the hurricane that was Lady Velaryon would come a year later at the celebrations thrown for the birth of his son, Aegon.
Tensions of succession aside, Viserys was genuinely happy she had come to Kings Landing. For she had brought with her gifts that were hard to ignore. A rare Valyrian tome on history for him, a book of Faith on virtues and responsibilities of a wife, and a book of fairy tales for his heir. Even a precious brooch for his one-month-old son, who was too young to appreciate such blessings. Many would say that Velaryons had insulted them (Yes, she insulted ALL of them. Rhaenyra for still being stuck in her brat phase, not doing anything to assemble power. Since she wants to behave like a kid, Laena would treat her as a kid. For Viserys, still being stuck in history and chasing shadows, for Aegon, taunting him about how poor he is with a not-so-wealthy mother. Alicent is self-explanatory. ) by not presenting any precious gifts to the only son of the King, but Viserys disagreed. Laena giving them such personal gifts meant she had chosen them according to their preferences. At least that is how he had pacified his hysterical wife, who was still affected by the birthing fever.
Poor Alicent. He had ordered her to rest today while the septas presented his son to the court so that she could recover in peace.
Otto had pestered him ever since he had heard that the Sea Snake had managed to score a betrothal with the Sealord of Bravos. Citing how the man was purposefully making alliances with treasonous intent, Viserys was in no mood to listen. For one, Lady Laena never looked happy at the mention of her betrothed, complaining of his incompetence in every private meeting. And the fact that such engagement may not hold up with the start of the war in Step Stones.
But despite his warnings, when his Hand addressed Lady Laena, deliberately suggesting that her family had impure intentions with this union, the young lady had stood unflinchingly, fiercely yet elegantly defending her family and betrothed. She remained calm and made reasonable rebuttals in defense, citing the nature of her family's business and their need for a wide network, something that the Hand couldn’t understand because he might be a good statecraft but not an experienced businessman.
Viserys felt proud to see such a display of loyalty from a maiden who kept her complaints about her future husband to herself and upheld his honor in public. Sadly, he couldn’t say about his own wife, who, despite his repeated warnings, had brought up the matter of succession repeatedly since the birth of their son.
Viserys loved his wife, but he couldn’t help but admit that sometimes, it was truly exhausting to be with her.
Viserys would get to meet with Laena Velaryon occasionally in the next few years. Unbeknownst to him, her visits became something he would eagerly await. Laena was a young maid, bursting with the energy of youth. She was also intelligent, well read and insightful, not only talking about Velaryon histories and treatises, but also managing to rouse his interest when debating about trade and relevant matters, showcasing that she had indeed inherited her father’s intelligence and her mother’s grit. Even he, who hated political and economic matters with passion, would get pulled in by her magnetic influence as he often found himself debating the policies he had implemented in the council.
Laena Velaryon was a breath of fresh air, something not many agreed with, his Hand and wife being the most vocal among them. They often cautioned him against her, warning of the influence of Sea Snake, but he always dismissed them. What could a young girl know about her father’s ambitions?
When he mentioned his wife’s objections to the young lady, she only laughed.
“I must say that I am not surprised. Amused, but not surprised.”
He looked at her in astonishment. How could Lady Laena remain calm in the face of disparaging remarks made by the court? “Can you enlighten me, my Lady?”
She hummed in response. “It is understandable that Lady Alicent would say such things, your grace. Despite marrying you, she is still heavily influenced by her father, and while there is no doubt Ser Otto Hightower is capable in matters of statecraft and politics, he is also very paranoid. Which makes sense. I am your family, not his. He has every reason to guard against me and my blood since he stands apart from us, while you don’t.”
Viserys suppressed the delight he felt at her saying his family and made a thoughtful noise. “I have not thought about the matter in such a way. Rhaenyra and Daemon always make him out to be an enemy.”
She shrugged. “As I mentioned before, it’s not that surprising. Ser Otto had often butted heads with your family. But he would be right too, for to be the King of the kingdom is to not just pacify your family but also your kingdom. He would know more than most. But for the queen, I think it’s best if you soothe her fears.”
He blinked in surprise. “Soothe her fears?”
Lady Laena nodded in agreement, looking from the balcony of King’s public solar, the game of chess between them long forgotten. “Yes. The Queen was indeed distraught when she learned you would not change your succession even with the birth of a son. Rumors have been swirling throughout the entire kingdom ever since your denial. And I have to say, while I agree with your stance in maintaining your daughter as heir, I find myself sympathizing with your wife, too. If I were in her position, I would also resent my circumstances, pushed to give birth to not heirs, only spares, a maternal family who do not consider her success in scoring a royal match enough to wash their hands of her, considering her lack of proper dowry, and a father who is only concerned with the Kingdom’s welfare. Legally, she has no power and will hold no power. She is only your consort; she has no relation to the next monarch and has no financial advantage to speak of (Legally, Alicent is indeed in an awkward situation. I don't know how and why the Queen gets more power in western monarchies, even more than heirs and royal blood, but that was not the case with Asian dynasties. Over different kingdoms, the ranking of a queen, consort, or concubine depended on the favor she got from the king, her family background (military, wealth, or political), the kids she had, etc. Alicent was not the mother of the declared heir, could not be the queen dowager, and, for money, was solely dependent on Viserys. So her power only stems from 2 things: her husband's favor, and that she is the mother of the sons of the reigning King. She still has no power to interfere in Rhaenyra's household or even council...if you are going by Asian standards cause most dynasties officially forbade wives of kings from participating in politics. Unofficially... ).”
He leaned back in surprise. When it came to the treasury and the constant deficit, Laena had suggested scrapping the system of allowance (I don't even know where to start. It is my opinion that hotd is a peasant's version of what a Royal family could be like, cause no real royal family would be like the one shown in hotd. There is no such thing as "allowance" in a royal household. Either you had rentable properties, taxable households, and farming lands, or a fixed salary from the king, along with a cut in gifts from dignitaries, or both. The first would either be gifted or given in lieu of here; get your salary from this. The princes who were not heirs would get fiefs so they would not fight the heir for the crown. Queen does not magically get to control the money of the King's heirs, especially if they are not of her blood. These royal stations come with offices, salaries, their symbol, and their own authority. I don't know what the hell Rhaneyra was doing there, being subservient to Alicent; the sheer incompetence boggles me. There is no such excuse of "Queen outranks everyone" cause no, she doesn't. ESPECIALLY if she is not of your blood and does not heavily influence politics due to the power of her maternal family. Underage kids fall into their mother's household, their household and salaries becoming separated when either they come of age, get married or hold an office.) to households, giving entire control to Lord Beesbury instead, making his position as treasurer more powerful, with a fixed amount of salary being paid to every royal relative, even the King. What everyone did with their salary or not was something the treasurer could pry into, but for surplus expenditure, they had to make a proper case to the treasurer. The castle’s budget would go to the steward instead, who would have to report to both the treasurer and the King about every penny, with all ledgers writing down even minute details. The only one to hold authority over him was the King. That particular reform had sent his daughter and wife flying in rage, but even he had to admit that there was peace with every coin accounted for. He had maintained the system after testing it despite his Hand's protests, and ever since, there had been calm and plenty of coin for his feasts.
As for the other matters…
“I admit I have no clue as to what to do in such a situation.”
Laena smiled at him softly over the game board. “Not much. Queen Alicent had achieved all of this after almost having none of what she had today. While a daughter of Hightower, she dressed plainly, and remained out of attention in the court, and now everything she has is the complete opposite, luxuries she lacked for most of her life. I am not saying she was underprivileged, but she certainly didn’t enjoy the same indulgences she does now. I read somewhere that it is easier to refrain from a luxury than to abandon it after having tasted it (Al-Ghazali (Islamic Philosopher): "It is easier to refrain from a luxury than to abandon it after having tasted it.").
Her core fear is losing all of it. So all you have to do is make her feel important. Mayhaps, give her one or two responsibilities? I know she was not raised like us, educated in matters beyond a simple household by septas, but giving her something that would not impact the running of the kingdom and your home much is not too much to ask for.”
Obedience to her husband? And Alicent? Unlikely. But still, he contemplated the matter, but while he was doing so, the door to his parlor opened, and his wife strode in, unannounced, without permission as always. It was perhaps his imagination that she scowled at Lady Laena, but her features smoothed too fast for him to be assured of it.
“Husband, our princely son was asking for you.” She leaned down to kiss him on the cheeks. Viserys twitched in barely suppressed discontent. Aegon was nothing but a baby. How could he ask for him? What game is his wife playing right now? “And Lady Velaryon! I have told you numerous times to inform us before your arrival. We come across as terribly rude to the masses when we have not prepared properly for a guest as distinguished as you.”
“Nonsense!” Laena Velaryon replied cheerfully. “Family is not guests; how could I not come to ask for the well-being of my cousin after we heard of Maester’s diagnosis of his sickness! See how frail he had become? Never under our care! My my, Lady Alicent, for all your talk of duty and responsibility, you do come across as irresponsible. You had better take care of your husband. Isn’t that what your religion preaches? Obey your husband and what not?”
Viserys laughed, oblivious to the rage his wife felt at the moment. “Right you are, my lady. But you cannot blame my wife too much. She had been run ragged, taking care of Aegon.”
Lady Velaryon made a skeptical noise. “Yet when I arrived, I was informed that the Queen was busy entertaining guests for her father while Prince Aegon was being tended to by the nurse for the whole week. You shouldn’t disparage yourself, your grace. You should be her priority, not her maiden family.”
Viserys only let out a helpless smile. “There is not much to be done, my lady.”
They both held eye contact, thoroughly ignoring the other, visibly uncomfortable occupant of the parlor. And then Lady Laena stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes.
“Alright, that is enough for today. I hope you use my gift to your enjoyment.” She remarked with an air of mystery, winking at him, and strode out of the parlor without curtsying. His wife sat down in the same chair Laena had vacated moments ago, huffing in discontent.
“Lady Velaryon had grown audacious. Not even curtseying or paying respects to her betters when she meets them.”
This was an old topic. “I had told her to not do so when we are out of the public eye. I am her family; why would she need to do such a thing?”
Alicent was not pacified with that. “And what gift was she talking about?”
He stared at the chessboard, lost in his thoughts. “Nothing much. Just some new figures for my Valerian model.”
She crossed her arms. “You have to stop entertaining her visits. Not only does she strut around as if it’s her home, but she also insults me, your wife, at every chance!”
He frowned, finally looking at her. “It may not be her home, but it is mine. And she is my cousin. She can come and go whenever she wants. I have never stopped your relatives from coming; why do you always raise objections regarding mine?”
His wife grew bolder every second. “Have you thought about what it looks like from outside when you entertain the visits of a young maid?”
His lips twisted in mockery of a smile. “Same as whatever you and your family thought of when you used to visit me before marriage.”
This was the first time the royal couple fought. It would not be the last.
King Viserys was peaceful by nature. And he loved his wife too. He couldn’t stay angry for that long over a mere fight. At Laena’s and the council’s urging, he made peace with his wife by sending her gifts. That trick wouldn’t always work. So his gifts for pacifying his wife grew in importance and worth over time and occasions, until Alicent sat in the council, something not even his daughter had achieved yet (Alicent Hightower is the most accomplished and powerful Queen CONSORT in the history, whether we go by show or book. In the book, she was the favored wife, created an entire faction against the declared heir of her husband, and had much more influence on the small council than the so-called green queen, her own daughter, Aegon's wife. In the show, they took Aemma and Rhaneyra's storylines to Alcient, yet she is still very much favored, her children's wrongdoing dismissed or swept under the rug that would have any other prince held accountable before Viserys's time, her own challenge to declared heir never addressed, lorded her authority over a crown princess, easily able to bring Hightower influence as if Viserys married into her family and not her into his, fought (and failed) to be her son's regent, spearheaded the usurpation campaign. The biggest thing? ALICENT SAT ON THE COUNCIL AS THE KING'S REGENT WHILE VISERYS WAS SICK. SOMETHING EVEN ALYSSANNE, THE GOOD QUEEN, NEVER DID, TO BE A FULL-FLEDGED MEMBER OF THE SMALL COUNCIL. She is not daddy's little girl; she knew full well what system she operated in, took full advantage of it to hold power, and cried foul when all of it blew in her face.).
King Viserys was peaceful by nature. And yet the peace achieved by giving concessions again and again weighed on him heavily.
See, men like Viserys, if they are made to do something they think they are doing by themselves, they will do it. But when they think they are forced? Hell would break loose.
The question here was not if, but when.
Meanwhile, Laena’s visits continued.
Years ago, Alicent approached the King during his time of grief. Reciting tales from history, she made him think that she grieved with him. Whether she wanted to or not never mattered. Whether she intentionally seduced him or not didn’t matter either. All that mattered was that she was successful in making the King think she could share his grief. She made him realize that she was a woman who could care for him.
Laena Velaryon approached Viserys instead. Familiar with courtly games more than most, she was aware it was useless to appear the same as Alicent Hightower. Meek, subservient, always saying yes until it came to her (or her father’s) benefit, and approaching her married life as duty. Rather than telling him stories, she made him talk to her. Laena appealed to Viserys' nature as a man, not as a King. She would butt heads with him, but she would also agree with him if it came at the expense of her own family’s disfavor. She was enthusiastic, bubbling with joy, not severe like his religious queen. Alicent provided momentary comfort from his grief, while also bringing strife to his family, even if he tended to ignore it.
At the end, Laena proved to be something much better than what Alicent provided him with: a renewal of life.
It was hard not to fall in love with such a person.
The next time the court got the proper chance to meet Lady Velaryon would come years later at the celebrations thrown for the second birthday of his firstborn son, Aegon. Lady Laena had come once again, all alone, to represent her family at the court. Her father and brother were off to their war, and while her mother sat as the lady in Driftmark, taking care of her territory.
King Viserys was not the only one who observed the young lady. Many others did in the court. Lady Laena Velaryon looked utterly radiant, dripping in wealth and power. Now, at eight and ten, she was the rider of Vhagar, the oldest dragon from the time of conquest. She was beautiful, she was bold, and she was everything that many ladies in court aspired to be.
Rich, influential, and mayhap even her father’s heir.
As of this moment, there were only rumors, hushed whispers circulating around. Laenor Velaryon had been injured badly enough for the Velaryons to reconsider their line of succession. It was never confirmed, but smoke only came where there was fire.
Tensions aside, Viserys was genuinely happy she had come to Kings Landing. For Lady Laena never forgot to bring gifts, something that his wife would always gnash her teeth at and his daughter would accept with stoicism. The King was aware that there had been talks of the only Velaryon daughter coming to Kings Landing as either the Queen or the Princess’s lady-in-waiting, something that Laena had shut down as soon as she heard of it, citing her studies and her workload. Something that had not pleased both the important women in his life, but Laena was right. Why should she, the only daughter of one of the richest lords of the realm who accumulated his own wealth and fame, be forced into a subservient role (Personal antics aside, Corlys Velaryon is the type of person who made a legend of his life. Even if he had not partaken in dance, he would still be famous because of his voyages and rapid speed in becoming rich. As for Laena declining to be the lady-in-waiting, while Targaryens owe Velaryons nothing, the same applies on the other side BEFORE THE MARRIAGE OF RHAENYRA AND LAENOR that is. No one bothered to have Laena as a lady-in-waiting before, so why now? And why would she need to be in the first place? What advantage does it bring to her? One day, I may write Velaryon bashing fic, but this is not that fic or day.), even if it was to a princess or a Queen? She was no less than either of them and was a dragon rider to the world’s largest dragon, daughter of a princess, no less. What did she lack to shadow the steps of two women who still quibbled over everything like children?
Nevertheless, he had been eager to accept his own gift, delighting in not only the nature of the gift but also touched at the fact that someone understood him best. Because that was neither the first nor the last time Lady Laena brought such gifts for him. A figurine for his model, a constructed temple to be assembled and displayed with pride, ancient, rare valerian books… the list was endless.
“I have to admit that I am surprised,” the young maiden remarked, watching him tinker with a side temple on his valerian model with contemplation. “The Queen comes from Old Town, a city known for its adherence to fate. For her father to suggest a long-term betrothal between his grandson and the Crown Princess, who are half-siblings… does the Queen know about this?”
The King snorted, not lifting his eyes from his task. “How could she not? She loves to do everything her father tells her to. I feel as if I married not a woman but a child who needs to grasp the finger of her father to walk down a street, unable to do such a simple task without guidance.”
“Your grace must not think like that,” she chided him. “The Queen’s education had not been suitable for her current station. She grew up thinking that having the knowledge of faith was enough; expecting more from her is cruel.”
But Viserys had grown frustrated. “I understand, I truly do, but she does not care to think from my perspective. All she does is contradict me and mouth off to her betters. She may accept my will on the surface, but she constantly criticizes everything. I truly do not understand where that sweet maiden who approached me to soothe my grief went.”
In his anger, he forgot what he was doing and nicked his already injured hand on one of the small spires. Blood dripped from it, the sight causing Lady Laena to move swiftly, who grabbed her handkerchief and wrapped it around his hand to stop the bleeding. “Your highness must not lose control of your emotions. No one is worth you losing your health.”
He let out a tired sigh. “If only the rest were as understanding as you were, my lady.”
Laena smiled softly at him. His heart skipped a beat. “I must meet those Measters that are tending to you. If you are this exhausted in my presence, I shudder to think how unwell you must feel in private.”
The King smiled at her in exhaustion. “You must not blame them, my lady. The illness, the burden of the throne… I am afraid no master can cure me.”
She let out a noise, softly wrapping her silk handkerchief around his hand as a bandage. And then, she produced today’s gift for him: black gloves with a hypnotic scale pattern on them. She put it on his hand, the soft interior surprising him.
“The outer part is made from dragon hide,” she explained, smoothing the nonexistent creases on the glove. “The inside is lined with velvet. I know you do not want anyone to know how you get nicked by the throne often, but sailors back home often tell me that rust is dangerous. The Iron Throne is a symbol of our ancestors’ might, but you should not let it kill you slowly.”
He looked into her eyes. “The Iron Throne is uncomfortable for a reason.”
“No reminder is worth losing your life. A life is worth more than a symbol.”
He had never dared to admit his feelings, whether in secret or out in the open. Too much could be ruined if he did so.
And yet, at this moment, when they both stared at each other, hand in hand, he couldn’t help but dream of a different life. Of a different world.
But as always, his fantasies crashed as his wife barged in without any announcement or permission whatsoever, banging open the door to his personal chambers with no regard for propriety.
“So this was what you wanted to do behind my back, imprisoning me in my own chambers while you had your affair with this… this… slut!”
Besides him, Laena gasped at the insult. He, however, looked at his wife with increasing bewilderment and tiredness. “Imprisonment? No one forced you to remain secluded, pouting over my refusal to bend my will to you. And mind your language, Alicent! She is my guest!”
“Guests don’t strut around in the homes of others as if they own it.” The hysterical woman screamed back at him. “And they certainly do not plan to snatch the home of their hosts when they come!”
“Alicent!” Viserys had fought with his wife before, but never had she looked like this hysterical creature before. Hair frazzled, red eyes, and nerves fraying. His queen had always looked calm and composed, but today, she almost looked…demonic.
The spell of fondness doesn’t shatter all at once. And yet that is what it felt like to Viserys. He felt as if he had never seen her before.
“Stop screaming at me! Here I am, fulfilling my duty by giving an heir to this house while you have an affair behind my back. Is this how you repay me for my priceless service to this dynasty, to your House?”
He felt bewildered. And enraged. “Stop acting like you are the only woman who can give birth, Alicent! I married you to be my companion, not my overseer!”
“Your grace.” His attention was shifted to Laena, who tore away her hands and curtsied, visibly hiding her teary eyes. “Permit me to leave at once. Your wife looks unwell, and it is clear enough that my presence is agitating her the longer I stay here (What a white lotus lol.).”
And she escaped before anyone could stop her, leaving the King to his wife’s mercy.
“Overseer? You mean to say I watch you like a hawk? Should I not? You favor her in every matter as if she were the mistress of this keep! What am I supposed to think when you don’t even reprimand her, let alone punish Lady Laena whenever she insults me! And she has always been audacious enough to do it right in your face!”
Viserys was surprised. “Since when did she insult you? Every single time, Laena is the one who advocates on your behalf, even defending you! Not once had she disparaged you in court or in front of me, and you treat her in such an abominable manner. And don’t even talk about ignoring insults- have you not taken advantage of my ignorance by insulting and disparaging my daughter often?”
Alicent seethed. “Oh, now she is Laena! And you wonder I doubt your relationship!”
“Yes! We are cousins, family! Why should only your family be here and mine banished far away when it is my Keep!”
“Family! As if you Targaryens do not have queer customs, marrying your own sisters and nieces without any regard to what is proper. She is clearly seducing you with her bare collarbones and impudent behavior, yet you see nothing wrong. But why would you? Someone whose family is famous for having whores like Saera and your mother, having one more whore is not-”
The slap echoed in the room. Silence fell, both of them stunned. The time restarted when Alicent screamed at the sight of blood dripping down her skirts.