He thought he was a goner. He should have died. The heat alone from the molten gold as it poured over his head but his whole body felt warm and the pain subsided once he fell unconscious. As he came to, he found himself left in the dirt, but not the Dothraki sea and no Dothraki structures were around. Just a bunch of people in strange outfits and some with….were those pointed ears? Viserys scrambled to get away from the person’s touch, feeling the hands pull the last bit of gold away from his head and he touched his head as a reaction, feeling hair and not hardened material.
“Where am I?” He asked, still trying to back up away from the strangers as the one who seemed like she was in charge looked towards a woman who was coming forth. She seemed to have a kind face but Viserys was not going to trust anyone and for a moment he swore he was looking at his sister until he focused on her features seeing her blue eyes and the pointed ears.
“I demand to know where I am” He repeated, his voice growing stronger as he tried to remain resilient in the face of so many unknown.
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?”
“I know how the laws of succession work. But Aerys lost your family the right to sit the throne. He had Brandon and Rickard Stark brutally killed. He would have had my uncle Robert and Eddard Stark murdered too, even though they were innocent of any crime and were barely out of boyhood. How could Jon Arryn not go to war against your father when asked to execute two boys who were like sons to him? How could Eddard Stark not fight against the man who had committed such atrocities against his family? And how could uncle Robert not support his dearest friend in that, and work to rescue his betrothed from her kidnapper, your brother Rhaegar?”
Did Viserys even know about any of this? He was so young when all of it happened, younger than Shireen was now. He would have been kept away from it all, and it might be that no one had ever told him about it. The Targaryen supporters who had sheltered him and his sister in their exile wouldn’t have wanted to tell him about the terrible things his father had done. But Viserys must have memories of Aerys, perhaps he remembered that his father could be cruel and violent…
Shireen continued, still speaking softly, gently. “How could any lord serve a king when they knew that he could slaughter them with impunity whenever he wanted? Aerys broke the rules on which the Seven Kingdoms are based- lords serve the king, and in turn, he offers them protection and a guarantee that they’re not going to be executed at the king’s slightest whim. If they don’t keep to those principles, no man can be king and no woman can be queen. Aerys could no longer rightfully rule as king, and could no longer hand down his title to his children.”
Shireen considered. “Negotiation isn’t exactly what I had in mind. It just seems to me that this is the meeting that normally comes at the end of a war of succession. Two claimants come together, face to face, in the throne room of the king or queen’s castle, and their fates are determined…”
He stood in silence as she went over their shared history. He hadn’t been told this version. Only the one skewed by those who wanted to see him on the throne that and from what his young child mind could recall which had gotten hazy over time. He could still recall what kind of man his father was and he barely recalled his brothers taking to the Northern woman. He had been raised by a paranoid abusive man and it hadn’t done him any favors later in life, he knew that much. But he heard the truth in the young girls voice and he grimaced. “I never said my father was a good man or king. He was far from it. My brother did your Uncle wrong. Both parties partook in bloodshed. I will get what it mine with fire and blood but I do not want to be like my father. I do not want to be seen as he was.”
His shoulders dropped, he was already the Begger King, the Khal Raggat. He wouldn’t be the second Mad King. No negotiation? Viserys knew he hadn’t been exactly raised in true Westeros politics but what the Baratheon was saying confused the young man. “By the people? To the death?” Viserys had no idea what the young girl was getting at. If Viserys had gotten here before he and his sister had conquered parts of Essos he’d want to kill the girl and get it over with but he stayed those thoughts knowing how the people he wanted to rule over would see him if he did such a thing, he’d be no better than The Mountain or any of the Usurpers themselves or his men.
———“Bungie jumping is something a LOT of people do in their free time. Just because we’re from an important family doesn’t mean we have to play it safe all the time. You know as well as I know grandfather didn’t build his fortune by playing it safe. Stop treating me like a child, Viserys. It’s not like I’m taking a cruise through the Amazon. I’m ten times more likely to be eaten or poisoned than dying from bungie jumping.”
Viserys shook his head despite knowing his sister was right in every word she spoke. He couldn’t help but worry over his sisters safety, after all a lot had happened to not only both of them but her more so. “What if something happens while you bungie jump and you break free and get eaten or poisoned?” He asked, trying to be cheeky before he gave a long sigh and a contemplative look.
“You know I mean well, Dany. But, I do want you to have fun, so have fun but listen to the instructions.” He was trying hard not to treat her like a child and getting used to her adrenaline junkie interests. “Just don’t become some ‘Evil Knievel’” He added with a laugh
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.
Another day. Another day gone by and he wondered what had become of his mother and sister. He only heard rumors, some saying Daenerys was being tossed from benefactor to benefactor, being raised by someone who wasn’t him. He should have been with Daenerys but instead he had gotten caught, imprisoned in what had been his own home, by the people who had murdered his family, though he had been given an education alongside the King’s children he was rarely allowed to eat at the same table and he was glad for it. Any time spent in proximity of Robert was too much.
He was dressed in his finest clothes as the new Hand was to come to the keep today, instructed by Cersei to be on his best behavior. When wasn’t the sullen young man misbehaving he had to ask himself. Viserys knew better than to act out as it would mean his head would be taken but how he wanted to strangle the Prince Joffery’s neck. He scowled as he heard the doors open and his glare he shot at the door dissolved as he saw a maiden with red hair enter. She had to be Lord Eddard’s child. A vision of beauty she was, and he felt a twinge of pain for what she would be unknowingly be married off to.
“Lady Sansa…welcome to King’s Landing” He greeted her, crossing the room to meet her, giving a small bow. “I’m Viserys Targayren”
He was wrong- Shireen knew her men, and they were loyal and honest and true. “If that was the case, they would want to keep that child on the throne, surely, rather than serve a fully grown man who they can’t manipulate to the same extent? So, they would still support my claim.”
Shireen shook her head sadly. “I am sorry that Aegon and Rhaenys and their mother were killed, my lord, but it was Lannister men who murdered them, not Baratheon.”
Shireen gritted her teeth at his suggestion. “No!” She was a Baratheon, the rightful queen, and she would not be treated like an object to be disposed of at will, just because she was a child. She would never let him marry her off to a Frey, and she would never submit to a life of humiliation and despair, torn down from the position that was justly hers.
She was her father’s daughter- she was made of iron, and would rather break than bend. She would never give in to Viserys, no matter what he said or did. “I am no one’s ward.”
His threat towards her men made Shireen feel sick. She wanted to beg for mercy for them- but not yet. That would be an admission of defeat, and she was not defeated yet.
“I don’t believe this fight will need to be taken onto the battlefield. If there is to be a war, it will take place in this room. This matter can be settled right here, right now, between the two of us.”
She had a point, Viserys couldn’t deny it would be far easier to have a child on the throne. But if she was this self aware, he wondered for a moment how well these men could manipulate her? “Lannister men may have murdered them but the Baratheon sat himself upon the throne that was my right. After Prince Rhaegar’s death, after my father, King Aerys II’s death. I was King. Viserys Targayren, King of the Iron Throne. By right of sucession, I should have been there.” Viserys informed the young girl.
This girl had some determination. Viserys would not go down so easily and his head tilted to one side, trying to understand what she was talking about. “How so?” He asked, his voice losing a bit of it’s harshness. “Are we going to talk this out and draw up papers” He wanted to snort at the idea but if that was the case, he had to admire her, this child who wanted to avoid more death, if he was correct in thinking, would rather negotiate. “Negotiation instead of war?”
Goldnwulf 