“Myrcella might be better company.” It was a quick jab, one he soon added on to with “But, I prefer yours if only I feel more comfortable talking to someone closer to my own age” He was stunned by her next question and gave it some thought. What did he like? “I enjoy…” By the Seven, what did he enjoy doing? “Not a whole lot of things, apparently” He answered, still trying to think of things. “I enjoy riding Rhaellion.” Once he got over his fear of heights that was.
He found himself laughing at her offended tone. “Well, then, I can see that. You’ve done a fine job ruling your country. Who needs a king?” He felt himself getting relaxed around her and he reminded himself she was a Queen that sat on what should have been his. That she was the daughter of the murderous rebel who killed his family. But he couldn’t put her father’s crime on her. It wasn’t fair. Just how he hated the comparison between his own father and himself.
“Right.” Relena was correct, the Red Keep and it’s people would not be a good choice as of right now and suddenly an idea came to him, almost sounding to excited at the idea. “Would you like to meet Rhaellion? If you want you could ride him with me. See Westeros from a new perspective!” his words almost ran into one another and he gave an embarrassed grin, a flush on his cheeks, wondering where the sudden excitement had come from.
Viserys looked around, figuring that this was a horrible way to go about courting. The gardens weren’t a fond place for her, the keep was off limits as was the sept….where could they go? “We could take a page from
‘Rhoynarian Nights’ and go explore the city?” He suggested. “If anyone were to harm you, they’d have to hurt me instead, you get out safe and don’t have to deal with me anymore. Win-win” It was a bad joke, but a joke nonetheless, and the idea came to him all too quickly. “Or maybe not…that sounds like a bad idea and I’d like to live”
“Well, if it is only about the age, I also have a lovely brother who is just a year younger than me, and he is very talented in acting like a little brat, I will have him called for you right away.”, Relena offered, her hand waving towards the keep, where she assumed her brother could be found. “Hmm.”, was all the sound the young queen made, upon hearing what he enjoyed. She had just learned how to ride a horse when she took the throne, and even then she had only learned it because Lord Stark kept insisting, until then Relena had always been advised that it was too dangerous and would only make her poor health even worse, therefore the idea of riding a giant, fire breathing, flying lizard sounded more like a nightmare than an amusement to her.
“If you knew…”, she mumbled, talking more to herself than him, when Viserys said ‘who needs a king’. From the moment Lord Stark had read her father’s will out loud people have been pressuring her to marry, or rather to find a man to play the game for her, so she could give up ruling for breeding heirs instead. One of the reasons she had not considered any husbands yet and if Joffrey hadn’t been the next in line, she would have most likely decided against marrying and having children a long time ago. It wasn’t that she was not fond of the idea of having children, in fact before she became queen Relena had been looking forward to marrying, but now it seemed to her as if marriage and being the regent were two things that couldn’t co exist easily, for to be a queen she had to rule, but be a wife, it seemed, she would have to submit.
When he talked about her meeting his dragon, Relena looked at the Targaryen with a tilted head and a slightly opened mouth, almost as if she was looking at a mad man. “We have yet to meet without you telling me that you want my throne and you think inviting me to meet your fire breathing pet will make me trust you?”, she questioned, hardly able to believe that she actually had to say this thought out loud. “Furthermore I don’t like the idea of a dragon being close to the main land, the might be smart but not smart enough to know the difference between people and food.”
The emerald eyes of the Baratheon widened when she heard his next suggestion. It truly seemed like they were trapped in the gardens, for going into the city could lead to a turmoil and going into the castle could end up being equally unpleasant. For a moment Relena’s gaze lingered upon the Red Keep. “I bet he is watching us.”, she then said after a moment. “Lord Stark, I am sure he thinks this is easy, after all he never had to court his wife…”, the girl mumbled under her breath.
He made a hmph sound as she talked about his dragon. “Okay. Fair point. But they’ve gotten better about random killings…He’s older now and listens far better then he did when he was a hatching.” Viserys defended his dragon. Feeling like a parent who was offended by a stranger insulting them. His eyes followed hers and he quirked an eyebrow. “The God- oh, Lord Stark.” He soon realized as she continued speaking. “If he’s watching, should we give him a good show?” He asked “If he thinks it’s going well, he may take his eyes off.” He suggested walking closer to her. He wasn’t sure if she would go with the idea that was forming in his head and he himself couldn’t believe he was thinking this but…
“It would be a way to get us away from the garden at least.” Viserys explained as he gently reached for her hand, kissed it and then brought her arm into his and began walking forwards. “We go into the maze, cut out from a secret exit and find somewhere better then a garden and more pleasant then the Red Keep.” He paused, his brain still thinking of ideas. “Or…I dunno…we could just sit down and talk.” He wished he had asked for more tips about how to court. He was at such a loss and he gathered she was too. “I am the worst person to court someone. Not only am I an enemy but unexperienced at courting.” He said it more to himself but still to Relena.
“I was supposed to have an arranged marriage. To Dorne’s princess. But she was killed along with her brother and I didn’t find out until her death by a Ser Selmy who knew of the pact.” He told her, glancing at her as they walked.
“And now here I am. Trying to and failing at courting the Queen of Westeros. Maybe we could marry Dany to Joffrey. I know I married her to Khal Drogo, a savage by Westeros standards but from what i’ve seen and heard of Joffrey…..Drogo was a prince of fairytales to her. I wouldn’t wish that on her.” He imagined those two getting married and all he could see was Dany taking control and putting the young child in his place.
Goldnwulf 