Relena’s eyebrows narrowed slightly and there was a hint of a frown upon her forehead when she saw Viserys’ grin, for she herself saw no reason for a reaction like this. It wasn’t as if he needed permission to spend time with his pet or as if she was stupid enough to insult that thing while begin this close to her. Gods would she be happy once that giant lizard was out of King’s Landing again.
“And your apology is accepted, though I would appreciate it if next time there is an issue we could just talk like adult right away.” For she had certainly better things to do than walking through the castle grounds, trying to find someone who, in her opinion, acted like a little child. The young queen’s had already reached for the fabric of her skirt, her gaze lowered slight as she did this, when Viserys’ words reached her ears.
Eyes wandering off to the side, she barely knew any valyrian, after all her father was not very fond of anything that had to do with the Targaryens, therefore her education on that matter lacked quite a bit, and she couldn’t seem to recall any combination of words like these in any of the books she had read. Therefore, after a moment Relena gave up, trying to find out what he had meant, at least for now and turned around to leave the Dragon’s Pit in order to return to the Red Keep.
Some time had passed and Viserys had settled into court life and Daenerys frequented court less and less as she spent time with Eddard Stark’s bastard more and more. He hadn’t really noticed the cold snow slowly come down upon the country but after a few weeks of steadily wearing more layers he realized the snow wasn’t going anywhere. Snow piled up day after day and Viserys glared out at the snow from the window in his chambers and sighed.
It was his name day and it was supposed to be a good day. not dreary and snowflakes falling down. How long had he been here for? He knew it was more than two months but had it been nearly six already? It had to be if it was his nameday. He walked out of his chamber not expcecting to see Daenerys with a massive fur in her hands and Viserys stared until she handed it to him. “Happy nameday brother” Viserys smiled, thanking Daenerys for the gift. A heavy furred cloak from the North.
It would be put to good use if this cold weather didn’t lighten up soon so the warm cloak was much needed right now. Viserys eventually found himself visiting his dragon, if only briefly to see that the snow hadn’t been bugging him, much of it was water due to the dragon melting what was bothering him. He pulled the cloak closer to him as he said goodbye to the winged beast and made his way back into the keep, not seeing Relena in her usual places and he wondered if she was doing court business or was out with Eddard or her mother and he decided he’d go back to his chambers to put away his new fur before he overheard Tommen wanting to go build a snowman and Joffrey scoffed at the childish idea and Viserys decided he himself had never built a snowman before and he might as well use his new fur no to mention the look on the younger royal son’s face pained Viserys and so he took the blonde boy outside in the courtyard and began to build a snowman, figuring he was spending his time well enough because he didn’t have any duties to attend to.
Suddenly he felt a snowball hit his face and Viserys looked up to see Joffrey hurling the ‘weapons’ at not only him but Tomemen and Viserys glared up at the prince. Trying his best not to snarl and snap if only for Relana’s sake if she should hear about this. So, Viserys hurled his own snowballs at the prince and Tommen joined in to and suddenly it was an all out war as the half built snowman was left to exist without a head.
Viserys’s eyebrows raised quickly as he made a face as he’d forgotten about Ned Stark’s bastard child but noticed how Relena had dropped her arms, or as he thought of it as, her dropping her guard and he watched as her finger pointed towards his dragon wondering what vile thing she was going to speak about Rhaellion.
If he were a dog his ears would have visually perked at the mention of friend. Not beast. Not even dragon. He tried not to let his grin be shown at both her words and the idea of spending much needed time with his dragon but he failed and the grin spread across his face.
“In that case, I will see you later than. I, again, apologise for my behavior and-” His attention drifted as the dragon poked his head out, wondering why Viserys had become so excited and he quickly turned back to Relena to speak
“- Kirimvose ,
Avy jorrāelant, Relena.“He lingered a second longer before he tried his best to not run over to his dragon who upon seeing Viserys come towards him, easily met him halfway in a few steps and as Viserys reached up to stroke the dragons snout he turned back as he realized what he’d said and violet eyes scanned back for Relena, wondering if she had caught his words. They had come so easily, so freely he didn’t even think about it…Why was it so easy for him to say that to her, he knew he held affection for her but the way it’d rolled off his tongue had caught him off guard.
Relena didn’t even believe his suggestion to be worth an answer, she simply raised an eyebrow. After all she was wearing a long gown, riding was already hard enough, but sitting upon a giant lizard seemed like an even worse idea. Therefore, the young queen just kept staring at Viserys, waiting for him to finally come down from that thing. She could not help but sigh and roll with her eyes upon hearing his rant. This was far beyond ridiculous, she had asked him to stay within the boundaries of his role at court and not pretend to be a woman.
“You don’t understand it, do you?”, Relena questioned, a fury within her eyes, the words leaving her lips with any hint of calmness as she shouted them. “I am surrounded by a world of men, created by men, for men, who seek to tear my down because I am a woman and there is nothing worse for them than bowing to a woman they cannot control.” Did Viserys truly believe that he was the only man she had to fear? Ever since Lord Stark had read out her father’s will she had to be afraid at ever turn she took, while never being allowed to show the slightest hint of nervousness or anxiety. “You have no idea how it feels, being expected to save a country daintily.”
Her father’s body hadn’t even been cold when the first people spoke up against a woman ruling Seven Kingdoms, even worse members of her family were quick to follow, with every step she took she had to prove herself to those that would use the smallest of matters to prove that a woman was unworthy of the tiltle of a ruler, every breath she took was battle.
Relena’s eyes widened, and she took a step forward, when she saw Viserys fall down his dragon. This was the exact reason why she would never climb up one of these things. She left out a soft sigh of relief when his was back on his feet, for she was certain that he had not planned this, no matter how serene he tried to seem. “And can’t you see how dangerous this if for me?”, the raven haired woman asked. “This game is much worse for women than for men. At every turn I take I could be looking at my demise. The moment my father’s will become public I have been pushed by all sides to marry, to find a man to rule for me, to return to being a piece in someone else’s game. If they see that there is a man that can take care of the real in my stead, they will do what they can to reduce my role until it is gone completely. If my firstborn child is a boy, I will have to fear for my life even more because there are people out there who would rather bow to an infant boy than an adult woman, if my second or third born child is a boy and my first a girl, I will have to fear for their lives as well, because they would be in line before a male heir, shall I go on?”, the queen asked, her voice slightly raised as she spoke.
“Tell me.”, Relena said, taking a small step towards Viserys. “When you were king in Yunkai, did you have to worry about this kind of things? Because I have been, ever since the moment I found out what my father had planned for me, without ever telling me! So besides taking care of all the duties a king has to care about, besides all the things a king has to worry about, I have those things too and even more!”, while she spoke, her words turned more and more into a hiss. “I was thrust upon a throne I never wanted and now I have to somehow try and keep it, while every breath I take is a reason for almost every single man in this country to attack me one way or another, because neither my father nor my mother ever considered that they should raise the actual heir to the throne properly.
Because I am paying for their sins there is not a single person in this world I can fully trust, there hasn’t been in years and now there is no turning back from that now. I can try to give you mind kindness and my hospitality, my friendship, perhaps even my love but there will never be a single man that I can trust.
I am sorry, this is probably not the kind of marriage or life you wanted but believe me, I feel the same.“
“You’re right. I don’t understand how you feel and your position as Queen, as a woman in power. But I understand looking behind you fearing the worst from people. It’s not the same, obviously.” He stated as he tried to keep his voice level and easy. “I do see that Relena. Don’t think i’ve forgotten the attempted coupe.” He replied back as he stood in place as she stepped closer to him and the realization of his situation in Yunkai compared to hers seeped in. “No…I mean, I had slavers to worry about and almost civil war in Yunkai.” His voice slowly faded as she kept speaking and he was enraptured with her words, hearing about how she felt towards her parents and situation.
Viserys wasn’t quite sure what to say to her now as his eyes wondered from her face to his own feet and back. Silence came between them and he gave a heavy sigh. “I don’t want you to force any feelings of love towards me, Relena. I’ve never expected a well rounded marriage like Eddard and his wife seem to have. My own parents did a shit job at that and I being of a noble and royal…ex-royal house I expected arrangements and it to be loveless.” Viserys’s shoulders rolled as he looked back to see where his Dragon had gone and gave a small frown that the beast had decided to leave. “Joffrey is not the actual heir. You are. Robert wanted you, for good reason and damned the people’s thoughts. If he were still alive but unable to be King, do you think he would let people speak and think of you the way others are?” He asked.
Viserys stepped closer to her, one small step not quite sure what to do or say now. He wanted to comfort her, tell her he understood completely but he knew he could never ever understand her plight as a woman and now as Queen. But he understood her fear of trust. He understood her concerns. His hands started to reach out to hug her, to offer something to her but they dropped to his sides as he reminded himself how she felt about such things and he came to her side. “I know you can’t trust me, we’ve both got trust issues. But we do have time to work on it. All of it. A long winter.” He gave a soft half hearted chuckle hoping to make her smile, even a bit. “I’m sorry, Relena. Uh, would you like me to accompany you anywhere? It is starting to get a bit cold out” He asked, ready for her rejection.
He kept trying to speak but everytime he did, his mouth closed as Relena spoke, his eyes stared at his goblet, if he could it’d have burn a hole through it. “You’re right” Was all he said on the matter, realizing he had indeed overstepped his boundaries. He’d forgotten for a moment what this arrangement meant for him and for them in the long run and he grimaced as it came back to his mind and it stung. The realization he would never be able to really make any impact on his home, what should and could have been his kingdom and it made him bitter.
“Of course. Your mother will love having me as company and you won’t have to worry about me after she strangles me to death.” Hand on the goblet as he took a drink from it. “Contrary to popular belief the wife’s happiness is also a matter that people care about.” He added trying to not sound bitter about anything that his brain was reminding him of and trying his best to not let his emotions rule him before he stood up from the table. “I’ll leave you to finish your meal in peace and return to your duties, Queen Relena”
Viserys walked away, making sure he didn’t quicken his pace with every step, the need to get away was getting worse the longer he stayed in the hall and he took a large breath and exhaled once he was far away, his violet eyes locked on the way out of the keep and he made his way to the Dragon Pit and called out for Rhaellion seeing his beast in chains pained the Targaryen. “Just like me, huh?” He asked. “Two great dragons reduced to being chained.” Viserys said as he walked close to him, a hand petting the dragon’s snout lightly before he got up on the dragon with ease enjoying the height as his dragon rose up from kneeling and huffed at Viserys.
“I know, but you can’t fly. You have to stay here. People don’t trust you. They will never trust you.” As he spoke he realized how much of his words held meaning for himself as well and he sighed, hugging what of Rhaellion’s neck as he could. “In time perhaps things will change, Rhaellion.” Violet eyes looked at the sky before his dragon shifted to look at who at entered the area and huffed uncertainly, drawing Viserys’s attention towards the person as he laid a hand on him to reassure the dragon was not in danger. “Shouldn’t you be attending to your royal duties?” He asked Relena, almost having to yell from where he was so she could hear, slightly angered that she was here. Shouldn’t she be bothering Eddard or someone, not being here? Why was she here?
Relena was no fool, she was aware that Viserys didn’t like hearing what she had to say, but she had told him from the beginning that he would only be king in name and nothing more, she had made that decision and as her subject he would have to accept this, therefore she didn’t say anything when he spoke, her eyes just stared at him, teeth clenched together.
The young queen just rolled her eyes upon hearing his parting words. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and shock her head while watching him leave. As soon as he was out of sight, she mumbled something about acting like a bratty child, her gaze still lingering upon the spot where he had just left her view. They weren’t even married yet, and he was already trying to take her duties away from her. This was the reason Relena had not wanted to marry, a wife was subservient to her husband and most man dared to believe that this was the case for every woman, even a queen and as it seemed, at least in the young stag’s mind, her fiancé was one of these men.
Only interested in her hand, so he could play the game in her stead.
For quite sometime the queen remained sitting around the table, before letting out an annoyed sigh, grabbing the napkin upon her lap and throwing it on the table before getting up. Why was she always the one that had to be the adult? He invaded her privacy, and she had to go after him because he had stormed off like a pouty child, he overstepped his boundaries, and she had to go after him because one again he was acting like a spoiled brat who didn’t get what he wanted. The raven haired woman walked around the grounds of the royal home, until she heard a strange sound coming from the dragon’s pit. Of course, he was with these gods forsaken beasts, if only those eggs had remained pieces of stone, then she wouldn’t have this problem now. Hopefully these things wouldn’t procreate.
Arms crossed in front of her chest and with keeping as much distance to this thing as she could, Relena stood on the ground, staring up at the man sitting on top of the dragon. Her foot was tapping on the ground. She had perfectly understood Viserys’ words, after all he had screamed, but she wouldn’t do the same, he could at least give her the courtesy of coming down from there to speak.
She was silent, not giving him an answer and with her foot tapping it made her look like a mother waiting on her child to stop acting as it was, which made Viserys want to roll his eyes. Can’t they have a discussion go wrong and for him to go spend time alone and not have her chase him down after? He kept trying to think of things to say but ‘go away’ ‘why are you here?’ and ‘go back to running your kingdom’ didn’t seem to be wanting to come out of his mouth as he slowly made the descent from his dragon and upon realizing how far away she was from the dragon, stopped. “Why don’t we have this argument up here?” He asked her now that he was on Rhaellion’s mid back, the dragon knelt down once again and got even lower for Relena.
“Yes, you are the Queen. You rule the kingdom. You will have it all and I nothing. Is that what you want me to say? I am being a child and Gods forbid my helping is seen as power over you, because woman are seen as lesser than men and thus it must be the same for the Queen if her….If I do an inkling of something other than the traditional Queen’s work. Shall I wear fancy dresses and do my hair in fancy braids?” Viserys asked, his emotions slowly getting the better of him. “You have men on your council, a man as your hand and now a soon to be consort…Do you not fear them as you do I to threaten your power? Your own brother? They are all men and you, a woman thrust into this by your father’s will. Your surrounded, Relena. Tell me, honestly, do you fear your power being usurped by any of them or is it just me you fear?”
His dragon’s head turned to look at Relena giving a curious sniff as it stretched it’s head towards her, making sure to stay just far enough away to hopefully not scare her. “He won’t hurt you. Just as I won’t hurt you. I could give you the citadel as your own personal library and whatever else you wanted and it wouldn’t matter. I could leave right now, fly away and you would still fear-” He once again began his way down to her but slipped, his words preoccupying his thinking and he was falling, only to be caught by his dragon as it scooped him up and placed his rider down on the ground close to Relena. “-me” He finished as he smoothed out his hair, acting as if he had meant to do that.
“I just wanted you to know that should anything happen, to you, or Eddard can’t stand in your place that I could be of some use. Would you really let Joffery if worse case scenario happened? I have no doubt he would order terrible things during his ‘reign’. I may have been seen like I was putting myself in power but I was doing all of this for you. For your kingdom. It’s not mine. It’ll…never be mine.”
He paused before he spoke again. “Strike me, yell at me, throw me in the cells, do what you wish but I will still stand by my thoughts no matter how wrong you think it is of me.” He told her, gazing at her crossed arms and angered look and he should have been scared yet he just thought she looked stern and beautiful and as he looked away from her for a moment he knew he’d do anything for her just to keep her by his side.
“I care about you Relena. I know it may not seem like it as of late given my actions and words, but i’m still stumbling around these things. I haven’t been in court since I was five, my hearts in the right place but I just…I’ve never loved anyone. Yes, familial love. But not…this” He explained his anger fading away and he hadn’t realized he’d been backing up to his dragon as he spoke seeking some sense of strength and security. “I don’t know what to do or how to act properly sometimes. I proposed to you because I have grown to love you, not just out of need for an alliance.” He rambled trying to find the words but none seemed right and his dragon nudged him back to Relena before leaving the two alone, going back to the shade of the pit. “Please, know that I am trying. Know that what I do is for you and because of you no matter how horrible it may seem to you.”
“Or he will soon have a new wife, in any case, a delighted husband, and isn’t that the only thing that truly matters?”, Relena muttered under her breath. “Usually people wait until they are asked for help.”, the young queen pointed out, the words slowly and clearly leaving her lips. “And considering that you aren’t even a part of the royal family yet, it isn’t even your place to offer help.” She didn’t like that Viserys got involved into her affairs. If he started taking care of matters that were hers to do, people would soon start seeing him as her equal, which would make him her superior in the eyes of every man, something she could not allow, something she told him from the beginning that she wouldn’t allow.
“You aren’t my consort yet.”, the raven haired girl reminded him once more. “My mother was never allowed to be involved in political affairs, and she has never started a feud between houses, perhaps you should meet with her instead of Lord Stark.” For Relena would certainly have to have a word with her Hand herself. “I appreciate your concern for the crown, but when this courtship started I told you that you would be king in name only, I have my reasons for this decision and I wish it to be respected.”
He kept trying to speak but everytime he did, his mouth closed as Relena spoke, his eyes stared at his goblet, if he could it’d have burn a hole through it. “You’re right” Was all he said on the matter, realizing he had indeed overstepped his boundaries. He’d forgotten for a moment what this arrangement meant for him and for them in the long run and he grimaced as it came back to his mind and it stung. The realization he would never be able to really make any impact on his home, what should and could have been his kingdom and it made him bitter.
“Of course. Your mother will love having me as company and you won’t have to worry about me after she strangles me to death.” Hand on the goblet as he took a drink from it. “Contrary to popular belief the wife’s happiness is also a matter that people care about.” He added trying to not sound bitter about anything that his brain was reminding him of and trying his best to not let his emotions rule him before he stood up from the table. “I’ll leave you to finish your meal in peace and return to your duties, Queen Relena”
Viserys walked away, making sure he didn’t quicken his pace with every step, the need to get away was getting worse the longer he stayed in the hall and he took a large breath and exhaled once he was far away, his violet eyes locked on the way out of the keep and he made his way to the Dragon Pit and called out for Rhaellion seeing his beast in chains pained the Targaryen. “Just like me, huh?” He asked. “Two great dragons reduced to being chained.” Viserys said as he walked close to him, a hand petting the dragon’s snout lightly before he got up on the dragon with ease enjoying the height as his dragon rose up from kneeling and huffed at Viserys.
“I know, but you can’t fly. You have to stay here. People don’t trust you. They will never trust you.” As he spoke he realized how much of his words held meaning for himself as well and he sighed, hugging what of Rhaellion’s neck as he could. “In time perhaps things will change, Rhaellion.” Violet eyes looked at the sky before his dragon shifted to look at who at entered the area and huffed uncertainly, drawing Viserys’s attention towards the person as he laid a hand on him to reassure the dragon was not in danger. “Shouldn’t you be attending to your royal duties?” He asked Relena, almost having to yell from where he was so she could hear, slightly angered that she was here. Shouldn’t she be bothering Eddard or someone, not being here? Why was she here?
Aegon huffed at the young woman, if he hadn’t looked at her properly as he was passing by he would have left her to descend down the stairs with shaky legs and the Targayern paused, before he went to where the woman was. “You are not fine” He responded, his voice gruff. Not caring to hear any more drunk lies from her.
“You make one wrong step and you could get hurt, much less tumble down and nearly die. No. Not going to happen.” He declared as he made a move to help her down the stairs.
Quietly Relena observed Viserys converse with her youngest siblings, eating while half listening to what they had to say. “I am to meet with a few ladies that are visiting the court, one of my ladies in waiting wishes to return to her husband to start a family of their own.”, as the last words left the queen’s lips, she could not help but roll her eyes. Her ladies were all around her age and most of them were eager to have children, while she was willing to do almost anything prevent this from happening to her anytime soon. “Except for that I have nothing but the usual to do.”, she then added.
Relena raised an eyebrow, looking at her fiancé. So now he was meeting with her Hand and taking care of matters, without her being informed, to say that this displeased the queen was far from an understatement. “What would you have to get your feet wet for?”, the young woman asked, raising a goblet of water towards her lips. “As far as I recall the duties of a consort are more social than political. While my father ruled my mother jas never even been in the chamber of the small council.”
He noticed her rolling eyes when she spoke of one of her ladies leaving. “Well, that is great, they sound very happy. Those children will be well loved” He gave a smile which faded when spoke again on his own duties for today. “They aren’t conspiring against you if that’s what you think. You’ve seemed stressed as of late so while it’s a matter the council can take care of easily, I asked to help in any way I could, for you, and Lord Stark finally agreed to let me help on the matter.” He went on as he brushed a stray strand of silver away from his face. “Lord Stark didn’t seem too keen on the idea if that has any weight to you.” He mentioned to his future wife.
“I may be a consort but I wish to help you in your duties Relena, understand more of Westeros’s politics since my time away it has changed, and it would do better for any social meetings I need attend to as Consort. We don’t want another mistake that I had last festival. Had Lord Baelish not stepped in I could have started a small feud between two houses” He grumbled. Clearly displeased at the idea of having to relive such an ordeal and just wanting to see that this was for her. “Then you could have more time for more important matters to the crown.”
Relena could not help but roll her eyes. “First of all, it is very romantic that you have apparently thought about my death so much… but I was just joking. I am fully aware of my duties.”, she declared. “And I am also aware that one of them is brining at least one legitimate heir into the world… or die trying…”, she said, mumbling the last part under her breath.
A light frown appeared upon the young queen’s forehead, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, upon hearing Viserys’ words. “Of course from books, how else are you supposed to learn something?”, she questioned, clearly irritated. “Just looking at the starts is not going to tell me anything about them.”, she pointed out, one of her hands waving towards the window. “Hard to believe…”, Relena mumbled, following him towards the window. “I am sure there is some Maester in the Citadel who has already named it.”, she added, stopping next to the silver haired man, her eyes roaming through the night sky. For a brief moment the Baratheon lowered her gaze, when she heard his name suggestion.
Once Relena looked up again, she tilted her head slightly, a few strands of black her falling over her shoulder as she did so, trying to find the new constellation. “Are you really sure there is a new one?”, she asked after a moment, unable to find something she hadn’t seen in a book yet.
The queen’s gaze still focused on the night sky, her eyebrows slightly narrowed, trying to see what he had been talking about, only when Relena felt him kiss her forehead, her eyes let go of the night sky and surprised expression replaced the frustrated one. “Good night…”, she mumbled, perhaps a bit too late, for she had still been surprised by the time these words had left his mouth.
Viserys chuckled. “Well, what can I say? I’m a romantic deep down. Seven knows that you’ve no doubt dreamed of my demise during and before this.” He pointed out.
Oh, Relena. Viserys thought as he shook his head. “By looking, living and doing. Not just by reading.” He watched her as she tried to find the star set that didn’t exist. “Oh yes, I’m sure. There’s a new constellation for each great king, or queen that rules. Rhaegar was said to have had one should he have ruled but passed on to the heir of the king who brought peace.” He fibed, spinning his tale as if he’d heard it many a time. “So, that would be you, not my brother…Least this is just what i’ve heard from my mother.” He tried not to smile, giving away the lie. “Didn’t your Septa tell you this story?”
Viserys hadn’t heard her words, having been a bit too far away to hear her voice. The dragon found his bed and slept soundly in it, curled up and cocooned in his cover and furs. Viserys groaned as the combination of sun and noises rousing him, having gotten possibly only four hours of sleep, maybe five at the most. He was dressed and exited his room joining the royal family for breakfast, putting on a smile as he faced the Queen’s mother. The three royal siblings seemed happy enough today. Joffrey didn’t seem as off putting today and this unnerved the dragon. “Good morning. Your Grace,” Viserys gave a small nod at Relena before he took his place at the table and greeted Cersei and the other children. He was still getting used to being allowed to sit at the table with the family and was getting more and more confident with each passing day, which he could only assume irked Cersei.
“So you want me to believe that all you know about this… matter by hearsay?”, Relena questioned, her eyes fixing on Viserys as she raised her eyebrows, completely dismissing the point he had obviously tried to make, for her priority was somewhere different entirely. “Well, then there is an easy solution to all of this.”, she said with a shrug. “I simply don’t have children at all, and we are just going to pray that I outlive Joffrey, I mean he is just a year younger than me, chances are good that it will work out.” Of course the young queen was aware that this was not an option out all, after all one of the reasons why this union was proposed was to produce an heir with both Baratheon and Targaryen blood to sit the Iron Throne after her, but the thought of not having to full fill this duty was quite the pleasant one if she was honest.
“You are still talking about my little brother.”, Relena reminded him. It was one thing if she called Joffrey a monster, but it was something different entirely when someone else did it. She tilted her head, giving Viserys a disapproving look. “Myrcella is still between Joffrey and Tommen, she would be the next in line after him.” Since Relena had taken the throne over her brother, it would only make sense if Myrcella would have to take the throne over Tommen as well. And while it displeased her that the silver haired man had forgotten about her little sister, she could understand why he had though of the next possible male heir first, but the words had left her lips before she could think this far.
“My Septa would now say that moments like these are inappropriate.”, the young queen replied in a lowered voice, a little smile upon her lips as she lowered her gaze, though the smile faded as soon as she heard the words ‘quite pissed’. She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Relena was quite aware of the fact that her Septa had sheltered her a lot, which lead to her disliking any foul speech but now it was a bit too late to change this way of thinking. “I do.”, at least from the books, for her Septa had never allowed for her to stay up this long and once she was queen she had better things to do than to stay up all night looking at stars. “But I still believe that it would be best if we were to retire, there isn’t much left of the night.”
He frowned at her, his eyebrows knitted together at her words about not having a child. Viserys hadn’t thought much about being a father but he was starting to get used to the idea now that he was about to be married and to hear here say it could easily be avoided…”Or you could die of some sickness and leave the kingdom with no heir and Joffrey gods forbid he’s not well behavior wise…” Viserys was getting irritated now. He understood that she was fearful of childbirth but leaving the kingdom to her younger brother should something happen to her? It was almost criminal.
Visery’s excitement had faded as he heard Relena’s words, his shoulders fell and he pouted, keep his face from her eyes until he had an idea. “But from books…They don’t have all of the constellations, in fact…” He began as he turned to face her, a hand pointed out to the window near them. “There’s supposedly a new constellation. No one’s named it yet.” He explained. “It’s a beautiful and rare sight, it needs a name that fits it. Some suggested the Lord of light or some words in Valariyan but I’ve been thinking of one and I wanted your opinion, but I want you to see it first…” He went on as he walked to the window, hoping she’d follow him at least to the window. “Relena. That is what I would name it.” Of course, there wasn’t a new constellation but it was a chance to have her close by him, the sunrise already starting, very slowly rising.
Before Viserys left Relena’s side he kissed the top of her head, “Goodnight, Your Grace” Viserys called as he left her with a smile on his lips and back to his room to sleep what he could before being woken up to ‘start’ the day.
Relena gave Viserys a disapproving look, when he talked about being with the wrong man. “That sounds like someone has experience.” The injustice of the world, a man, married or not, could sleep around as much as it pleased them, while a woman became unpure the moment she was touched by a man that wasn’t her husband, one of the reasons why she wasn’t too happy when she found Viserys in her bedchamber.
“Yes.”, she agreed, when he reminded her that people would expect them to marry soon. “But I rather seem like a picky bride than a barren wife.”, the queen explained, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Chances that get high once a woman is with child, just look at our family history.”, as she spoke Relena was waving her hand around in the little space between their bodies to emphasise her point. “My grandmother died in childbirth, your… brother’s sister almost died each time she brought a child into this world.” For a moment she had stopped speaking, not daring to remind Viserys of his own mother’s fate. The raven haired woman let out a sigh, why was it always too hard to make a man understand the fear every woman should feel when it came to creating life? “Childbirth is to women what war is to men, and we both are standing here right now because we were willing to do everything in our power to avoid the later, therefore is it so unreasonable for me to try to avoid the first one as long as possible as well?”, she questioned, frustration dripping from each of her words.
“If I were just a woman I could live with the danger, but I am not.”
Relena’s eyes narrowed, when the silver haired man spoke about him ruling as regent. She tried to push away the though, but she could not help but wonder if such a thing had been his plan all along? Was he just waiting for the right moment to get rid of her? Relena shook her head, trying to rid herself of theses though, a few strands of dark hair falling into her face. “Joffrey is my rightful heir, and he is of age, if I die without producing a child there is no one that could stop him from taking the throne without sparking a rebellion, that’s why I want to get him in line before I… before we try to make a child.”
Her eyes lowered slightly, gaze falling upon his hand on her cheek for a brief moment. “I thought you were tired…”, the stag mumbled quietly, before her eyes met the dragon’s. “And you were quite grumpy a few moments ago…”, she reminded him, amusement sparkling in her eyes.
“You hear things when you live in the slums and near…unsavory
places.” He shrugged her comment off, making it clear while they both
may have been of noble birth he hadn’t had a septa or the safety that
she’d been given and born into, not for long at least. “No, it’s not.
It’s more than reasonable. But once a woman is even older than your
mother the risk gets higher as well. It’s as if theres no safe way to go
about any of this.” He could tell how frustrated she was and he was
slowly starting to understand why she was feel frustrated about her role
after marriage.
“I think it’d be easier to get the
dragons from not eating people than getting that child in line.” He
snorted “Why couldn’t Tommen been born after you?” He asked, almost
whining. Viserys didn’t want to have to deal with Joffrey as King and he
knew deep in his heart that if Joffrey had been on the throne and
Relena wasn’t here it would have been a war. Though he may had tried to
get Daenerys to marry him but Viserys knew he wouldn’t care if Joffrey
lived or died. For the man that had been cruel and wicked to his sister,
for his greed and near descent into madness….Joffrey was somehow
worse in his eyes.
“I was…” He tried to say as a yawn
caught him mid sentence. “-am, but I like these moments, just you and
me. No court or need to be formal.” He told her. “Yes….I do tend to
get grumpy when I don’t get sleep.” He was reminded of a few restless
nights during his stay with the Dothraki and that had added to his
stress and anger problems. It had not been fun. “If I recall right, you
too were quite pissed” He joked, grinning before he took her hand in
his, just long enough to bring her arm into the crook of his. “Come on,
let’s go” He exclaimed, not having done what he suggested in a long time
and he knew the perfect spot. The southside of the keep, overlooking
the bay. “Do you know the constellations?”
Goldnwulf 