At the sound of her voice going higher then he was ever used to hearing, he couldn’t help but grin. “It may have been manipulative of me…” Viserys closed the distance between them, still lingering just away enough so she didn’t feel cornered. “But, she was a ruse. To gauge your reaction.” It was cruel means to go about courting but it gave him some sense of stability, that he knew what he was doing and didn’t feel like he was child learning how to do something and failing repeatedly. “Should I not make you any promises than? Is that what you desire?” He asked, leaning towards her. More down then into, but he halted his movements as he realized what he was feeling towards her was starting to kindle into affection.
“I don’t care to see any man try to court you, even attempting.” He told her, his voice growing lower, his eyes focused on hers before he reminded himself he wasn’t in charge. He was courting her, the Queen. So, he leaned back, and as his thought drifted to his sister and how happy she had seen interacting with Jon Snow, he rubbed the back of his head. “Lord Eddard informed me of some more…basic courting techniques..I know you hate flowers, and you probably have enough books to satisfy you. But…I had this made.” He went to his bedside drawer and pulled out a ring that was in the shape of a stag, it’s antlers branching out. The Stag and ring base was black with golden antlers. He held it out in his hand, nerves piled up in his stomach as he waited for her to take it.
“You should probably go ahead first, back to your guests. I don’t want anyone to start any rumors if we should appear at the same time.”
Relena could not help but laugh, upon hearing Viserys’s explanation, it just a quick laugh, and her hand soon covered her mouth, but a few giggles managed to escape her lips. “I will give you that, you are a really good liar and most men would have probably not come up with an idea like that but then again you had more time to think than most.”, she said, hardly believing a single word he said. “Please, do as both a favour and don’t treat me like a fool, I know that I am just a means to an end to you, as I am to any other man, at least give me the courtesy of acknowledging that I am smart enough to realize that.” Ever since she had become queen, Relena had to realize that she wasn’t just a girl any more, when people looked at her they saw the crown, when people touched her, they touched the throne and when people craved her they craved power. She had long accepted the fact that no one wanted her, all they wanted was her claim.
The young queen had tensed up, when she saw him approaching her, therefore there was a slight relive in the way she carried herself, when Viserys leaned back. The discomfort she felt had nothing to do with him, at least not directly, she wasn’t used to male attention and the moment men became willing to pay her any attention she had to start always expecting the worst. Relena’s eyes followed the Targaryen with raised eyebrows and a stretched neck, for she was curious to see what he was doing, once she saw it, there was a smile upon her lips for the briefest of moments. “I thank you, I truly do, for it is beautiful, but I fear a ring could… would give the wrong signal to the court. I hope you understand.”, the young stag explained, to excused herself, turning towards the door. She glanced back once more, before vanishing to rejoin the court.
Viserys gave a slight laugh as she laughed, realizing she didn’t believe him but let it play out. “You’re right. I’m a fool not to believe you would see behind the lie” He commented.
He himself smiled when he saw her smile. It was the briefest of smiles but he couldn’t help but think she would take the ring. She would wouldn’t she? The smile and her words…His face fell as she went on to speak, and the nerves that had started to subside turned into a churning of disappointment. Viserys clamped his hand over the ring, feeling foolish now, for not realizing earlier what a ring of all things could have meant. If only Lord Eddard had-No. Viserys told himself. He couldn’t blame Lord Eddard. It was himself who had decided on a ring.
He looked back at the ring, unsure of what to do with it. Part of him wanted to throw it and another part of him wanted to just give it to her no matter what anyone would think, but he put the ring on his nightstand and gave a deep sigh shaking his head at his own actions. Once Relena had left, he waited, exiting his room once he had given Relena ample time to get back to the court. As he passed a hallway he paused, gathering himself before he was seen by the public again. Making sure to make small talk with the Lords and small council, answering and asking questions and talking about the current state and affairs of Westeros.
Goldnwulf 