He expected Baratheon names but it saddened him to hear there was no Targayren names but even Viserys had to admit that some of the names weren’t good ideas or too many of one name to go with. Maybe if there was to be a next time he’d convince her to name one after a family member. “In time they will open their eyes, growing stronger and less wrinkly. Remember, you and I both were like that at this age. An grew into strong, fair, beautiful adults.” His eyes focused on her when he spoke the word beautiful, meaning it more to her than about himself before he sighed happily, a wide grin spread across his face. “Steffon and Argella Targaryen. Well, if she’s anything like you, I’d have to guess Argella was born first.”
“Do not worry, the next child will be called either Rhaelle or Jaehaerys, depending on if it’s a boy or a girl. Unless of course I will be forced to lay in labour for two children at once again, in that case their names will be ‘this is’ and ‘the last time’.”, Relena informed her husband, the hint of an amused smile dancing in the corner of her lips. “We should pray that they are nothing like me, by the time my father came to seem me for the first time, the Maester was almost certain that I would soon have a place in the crypt.”, the dark haired girl pointed out. Upon hearing her husband’s next words, the young woman stiffened upon, her gaze focusing on the children. “Baratheon. They will carry the name Baratheon, it is the name that belongs to the crown.”
Her words comforted him and he nodded softly, his gaze switching from his wife and their children, and he chuckled as he heard her choice of names if they were more twins. “They will be fine in that regard.” He assured her before his slightly slumped back and shoulders were made straight, fully looking at her as she addressed the name of the children. Not Targayrens. Only by blood but not by name. His bite his lips trying to hold back anything he would regret saying in the heat of the moment hearing such things.
“O-Of course.” He wanted to argue, to say that they should have the last name of their father as so many children did but he knew she held the power and he did not. He was not a true King and she held the tittle of Queen. “They are the Queen children and therefore the crown’s heirs.” He parroted, having heard Eddard Stark say something similar. “I don’t want them to inherit the coin flip that is my father’s madness. I pray the Seven will watch over them.” He mentioned, the tone of worry in his voice as he slowly stood from the bed. “Is there anything you need of me for? More pillows, some water…rest?” He asked as he leaned forward to place a kiss on both the babes heads.
“They’re beautiful.” He was in awe of the two babes that were in Relena’s arms. A boy and a girl. Or has the world would see them, the heir and the marriage alliance tool. But to Viserys, they were precious and he wanted to protect them. “They have a good mix of both of us. Least they both seem to have more of your nose.” He noted as he sat beside Relena and the babes and he absentmindedly stroked her hair moving some of the sweat coated strands away from her face. “What are their names?”
Relena’s dark eyebrows pulled together, when she saw the boy’s face. She was being nice to him, and he didn’t even smile or say thank you, no wonder her family didn’t like Viserys. “They say it is a girl.”, the young princess declared, as they were walking down the hall, towards the royal nursery. “Mother called her Myrcella.”
“A girl….You and Prince Joffery will have a sister.” He commented as his thoughts pulled him back to his own sister. She’d be around Relena’s age if she had survived. He hated that he had to go on about her was rumors, ones he couldn’t prove to be true or false. “That’s a pretty name. Myrcella.” He glanced over at Relena and tried his best to be curious to the young princess. “Are you happy to have a sister?”
“My mother might be able to give you that castle you apparently so desperately desire, but tell me this, what will a castle be worth to a corpse?”
Bronn gritted his teeth at the Princess. He had heard about the so called ‘Others’ the army of the dead. The sellsword still couldn’t believe that was a real thing. Dragons seemed plausible but the dead rising? “Not much” He acknowledged that the brat was right and he wished she wasn’t. He wished he could just ignore her and go to his castle and wait out the coming storm but he also knew Jaime had fled and it seemed Cersei wouldn’t see what everyone else was seeing.
“We go together. I’m not havin’ the future Queen…Rightful Queen…” Bronn shook his head. Relena should have been Queen before her mother. But Daenerys had claim to the throne just as much as Relena did. “Look, I jus’ don’t want you to die on my watch, alright? We best hurry if we want to leave before it gets too dark” He cared about the dark haired beauty more than he’d admit and besides if he let Jaime and Tyrion’s niece die, there’d be hell to pay.
Relena didn’t want to go to his chambers. As long as she could remember the silver haired boy had always been somewhere in the Red Keep, he was their ‘ward’ as her Septa called him, but the young princess was quite certain that her father didn’t like him and her mother didn’t seem to fond either. But her Septa insisted that a ward was part of the family, even if they didn’t share the same blood, therefore Relena was obliged to be civil. “Septa Cecily and I are going to see the new baby, I am supposed to… I mean, I wanted to ask if you wish to join us?”, the dark haired girl asked, once she had entered the boys room.
Violet eyes stared at the younger girl as she spoke. Viserys looked at the Princess and made a face. Another baby how wonderful. Another royal child to be looked down upon. “Alright” The ward knew he had little choice and less even if the Princess was asking him to go with her. “As you wish, Princess. I’ll join you. Do you know if the babe is a girl or boy?” He tried to be civil as he walked with her and the Septa Cecily.
Relena had been warned of the pain childbirth would bring, and she had been warned of the discomfort it would bring to carry a child beneath your heart, but she had no idea how horrid the sickness would be. How she was supposed to keep up a healthy weight, when it seemed impossible to keep down any food. The young queen let out a groan, upon hearing her husband’s voice, she would have much rather seen one of her ladies of a maid.
“What are you doing here?”, Relena questioned, as she slowly got up. “Haven’t you heard? The court is it assumable in the throne room, I just send out several servants to make the order known.”, she informed Viserys. It had been several moons since their wedding night, and shortly after Maestr Pycella had proudly informed her that she was with child and quite honestly, Relena was almost impressed that the old fool had kept it to himself for so long, what the threat of the black cells could accomplish. But the queen’s had recently began showing, so far she had managed to hide her belly with the cut of her gowns but it became more and more difficult, and she had to order new corsets every month, it was about time to inform her subjects and the father of the child.
“I seem to have passed all the servants.” Viserys replied, thinking back on the day and somehow he managed to miss…”Oh, Oh! Tomas. He said something about the throne room but the boy has such a speech impediment…” Viserys recalled, dawning on him that was what the boy had been trying to inform him about. Viserys noticed how she hadn’t answered his question, only answering with one of her own. Typical poltical behavior, one he could play just as well. “Relena.” Viserys began, his own voice stern as he approached her. “You’re with child aren’t you?” His voice softened as he looked at her form. She was…wasn’t she? The odd nights of her coming and going from the bed and sleeping far from even the middle of the bed.
“Our child. You-” He could hear his voice crack at the idea…the reality of what she was carrying and he felt tears sting his eyes. “I’m-i’m going to be a father…Y-You, a mother…Relena!” He exclaimed her name, as he reached for her, attempting to pick her up in a hug and spin her around happily.
“Why…why didn’t you tell me when you found out? How long have you known-” Viserys sighed a dismissive ‘ahck’ and shook his head. “It matters not. What matters is you. You and our babe.”
“You…you are. You’re beautiful. So very beautiful and smart and-” Viserys shook his head as he glanced up at her and then eyed the bed. “I want you to enjoy this. I don’t want to just take you like a Dothraki…Like Daenerys was-” His past was coming back to him as he recalled what he had forced upon Daenerys and the guilt came upon him. “Relena, what would you want me to just get it over with? I will if you want me to.” His body shifted towards her and he pushed his hair back as he leaned in to her, a hand rested beside her leg and the sheets. He intended to take his time, he wouldn’t be doing this just to have an heir, nor for himself. But for Relena. “Do you want me? Relena? Honestly. Would you have me as we are. A man and a woman, nothing less or more.” He intended to take his time tonight. He’d take his time on her and make sure she knew how much he cared for her, wanted her. “I’ll be good to you, my doe, I promise. If anything hurts let me know.”
One heir, one heir from the union would be all it would take to settle the question of the line of succession once and for all. This thought was all that went through Relena’s head throughout the whole affair. She was doing this for her people, for her legacy.
“We will be walking back to the Red Keep through the city and giving out alms during the procession.”, Relena mumbled quietly as she turned to face the crowed of nobles that had come from all over the Seven Kingdoms to watch the ceremony.
Viserys heard the words and while he smiled outwardly to the crowd of people…his people, inwardly he felt his smile shatter. It was the subtlest of tones but he caught it, if barely. “Of course. It’s only natural.” he replied back, catching a glimpse of Daenerys and Jon on his side and how happy they looked.
Viserys glanced back at Relena as he made sure to match her stride when she started to move. If Dany gets to marry for love and I for duty, I shall be happy for her. Viserys thought as the crowd cheered for the newly wed couple. “I’d like to personally give alms to the ones in flea bottom.” He told Relena quietly.
He stared at Relena as she descended from the stage, agape as she did so, looking furious and bent on his destruction (or least that’s how he took the look in her eyes) and thus he coughed, staring at her as he tried to get the words out of head as his mind processed that he had paid more than he had on him for her. “I-I got caught up in the bidding war and…” he stole a glance at the man he had competed with “Do you really want to spend however long you have to with Rich old creep over there?” He added on quickly as he shrugged off her words. “You’re welcome, Relena.”
How was he going to pay for this? He calculated how much he had left to pay after he took it out of his bank and sighed. He’d have to go and beg Daenerys for some money that would take quite some time to pay back, or go in debt. None of those things sounded nice. “Should have stopped at 500. You’re so not worth the 3,000. Not with that attitude” He huffed, playing that he was annoyed with her.
Relena rolled her eyes as soon as those creatures were mentioned. Life on the wall must be quite boring and only being among men probably made it worse, coming up with foolish tales was something she could ignore, but coming to court pretending they were true, that was utter foolishness. The boy could consider himself luck that he was the child of her Hand, or else she would have dismissed him right away. “Do you truly believe this is the right moment to speak about fairytale?”, the young stag questioned, her gaze falling upon the younger ladies at the table and then moving towards her uncle, before her eyes meet Viserys’ again. “And you truly wish to leave court to go chasing after fairytale creatures that were invented to scare children?”, the young queen questioned, a light frown appearing on her forehead while she spoke. She had an idea why his sister wanted to join Jon Snow, but it certainly wasn’t to go find these White Walkers, or however he called them.
“You are a guest at court, therefore you are free to do as you please…”, she mumbled, leading her cup to her lips once more. If he wished to waste his time beyond the wall he could do so, but the raven haired woman was sure that he wouldn’t find much there except for snow and ice and if he was lucky a few wild animals.
“Though I hope you will not be too disappointed if the only thing you return with is a cold.”
With the dinner nearing it’s end, Viserys had taken notice of Relena’s reaction to his words more intently then he would have had earlier. “Well…” He started,even though he knew he would reply no. But what other time than now would he ask of it? Dany wanted to leave soon and this was a prime moment they were in the same room together. “People didn’t believe dragons would come back. Anything is possible” he reminded Relena again, still unsure about the whole thing himself but he wanted to see it to be true, that and to look after his sister.
“Yes, lets hope.” He agreed solemnly as he pushed the plate of cake away, suddenly not in the mood for sweets, Stannis and family excusing themselves, Lord Stark did as well after lingering a few more minutes, leaving Viserys and Relena alone. A quick glance at Relena as he stood, giving her a small nod of the head. “Try to miss me?” He asked her, a slight twinkle in his eyes as he spoke, a smile too big and bright on his face as his mind clouded. Why would she miss him? If he did die she wouldn’t have to worry about marriage or children. She’d be better off without him, no worries of dragons taking the throne.
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There wasn’t many of them on this expedition north, Viserys soon came to realize as he and Dany rode off on their dragons, Rhaegal flying beside it’s siblings towards the wall. Drogon had known Jon’s scent the best out of the dragons and led the way to where Jon and his companions stood off against the dead. And the dead were real. Blue flesh and cold dead eyes that chilled Viserys to the bone. The dragons flames did wonders at clearing the dead away, Daenerys getting close enough to try to get to Jon as the others had gotten on Drogon.
Viserys and Rhaellion making a path to Drogon and keeping the White Walkers at bay while the captured member of the dead army was secured. But then Rhaellion was struck. One too many times and the great dragon started to falter in the sky. Viserys felt his heart beating out of his chest as he held on for dear life as he and his dragon began to plummet out of the sky and down into the icy depths below, he remembered screaming, his life flashing before his eyes and as his head hit the ice as the two dragons fell into the water he remembered thinking maybe a crown of molton gold would have been a faster, easier way to go then drowning.
Viserys had nearly drown in the icy waters beyond the wall had it not been for Jon and Benjen, the bastard had made sure Viserys was brought back as well, the whole time checking to see if he was alive or just dead weight. But he still held a pulse, despite the lack of movement and bleeding head that had been poorly attended to as Jon rode to eastwatch, nearly half dead himself from the encounter of walkers and ice water.
Once back on the boat, Viserys was bundled up in furs and a maester attended to him stating to Daenerys that her brother was not dead but was just unconsciousness and he should wake up soon. Only soon didn’t happen a few days later or even when they brought Viserys back to Kings Landing, his body placed in his bed in his room. At one point Pycelle thought Viserys was starting to come out of it but soon declared him to be in a coma as his head wounds and the like began to heal. It had been nearly two weeks before Viserys woke up, his mind foggy and the feeling of death still caught in his lungs, gasping for air suddenly, his chest hurting as he did so as if it had been his last. “Rhaellion!” He tried to yell, his voice not nearly up to the task came out hoarse and his eyes darted around him as he took in his surroundings. Where was his dragon? Was Dany alright? Jon? had they brought back the beast? countless thoughts plagued him as he tried to get up more than once, failing each time he tried to push himself out of the bed until he fell on the floor with a loud thud.
He managed to drag himself up off the ground, staggering around the keep to the dragon pit, glad to have been clothed decently as he had nearly fallen more than once as he finally got to the pit he called out again and he waited. No answer, no sign of life as he called out again, his eyes leaking with tears as he tried to shake the reality of what had happened. It was than that the little strength he had left vanished and he collapsed, weeping for his dragon as his face hit the snow, making him aware of how cold it was here and strangely enough how warm it was here than at the wall.
The crunch of snow beneath shoes was heard and Viserys didn’t dare look up. Part of him hoping it was Rhaellion, that his dragon was actually alive, and the other part out of embarrassment for here he was a weak man sobbing for such a terrible beast laying in the snow. He knew how it must have looked to the other person but he didn’t care. All he wanted was to stop crying as he felt his face get warmer, no longer was his body in the snow and he wasn’t sure if he had done so or not. “Dany. Is Dany…She’s alive…she, she has to be.” He couldn’t bare to think of his sister dead. Viserys couldn’t handle losing his family like that. He was the older brother, he was supposed to care for Daenerys, he had raised her himself. If she was gone…
Violet eyes finally opened up fully, puffy and red from crying as he realized he was talking to Relena. Least it was she that had found him and not someone else. That was at least a comforting thought. He wanted to latch on to her, to know that this harsh reality was real and not some nightmare but he held back, his body still convulsing with shock as he took in ragged breaths of air. “This is the nice part of the nightmare right?” He asked in between breaths as he tried to calm himself down. “Right before I wake up…” Tears ran down his cheeks once more. He knew it was not a dream, the longer he felt his body react to the grave situation of nearly having had died himself and his dragon drying. “Relena…” His voice was now barley a whisper as he curled up, his knees to his chest as hung his head, silver hair making him look more disheveled than he already was. Her name spoken but nothing came after it as he wiped away the tears.
Goldnwulf 