Fire and Blood // Daemon Targaryen

19. Buffer

"We haven't spoken much... since. A regret of mine. We should be free to speak our minds to one another." Viserys said and Davina sat in between them as a buffer of sorts. She brought her glass to her lips her eyes wandering between them. this was sad she thought, they didn't know how to talk to each other but did Viserys ever know how to talk to his daughter she pondered.

"You can say whatever you'd like. You are the King." Rhaenyra reminded him and Viserys chuckled, yes he was, but he didn't feel like it at times with every single person he seemed to have to answer to.

'I loved your mother... very much.'

'As did I.' Rhaenyra assured her fingers tap, tap, tapping on table. 'Ser Harrold provided a fine field of tourney knights.'

'Oh?' Viserys questioned

'No.' Davina told him. 'such a liar. They were all shit.'

'But in questioning them,' Rhaenyra went on smirking over at her aunt. 'I discovered that Ser Criston was the only man among them with true battle experience." Rhaenyra told him.

"'He'll make a fine knight of the Kingsguard." Viserys agreed he found it hard to look at his daughter.

"Yes, he was good, he knocked Daemon on his ass, you were not there but I assure you it was great seeing Daemon yield.' Davina told him.

"I'm sure it was.' Viserys agreed his eyes wandered to his daughter as he cleared his throat. "Today at Small Council..."

"Pay it no mind. I, I thought I might have had some insight, but..." Rhaenyra began.

"You're young. You will learn." Viserys told her confidently.

'I would say she is going a great job.' Davina assured.

+

"This is our best chance to save the digit, Your Grace." Mellos remarked. ' The maggots will remove the dead flesh and hopefully stop the advance of the rot.' Davina stuck her tongue out in disgust.

'Nope gross, I'm otta here!' Davina told them.

'You can handle burning bodies but maggots-' Viserys began with a chuckle.

'eating your fucking flesh brother, gross.' Davina confirmed.

'I held an audience earlier today with Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.' Viserys remarked needing to change the subject, Davina was right maggots were disgusting.

"That was most charitable of you, Your Grace. I'm sure Lord Corlys appreciated the spirit of it." Mellos told him.

"He proposed a marriage." Viserys disclosed.

"To whom, Your Grace?" Mellos pondered.

"The Lady Laena." Viserys told him and Mellos stopped examining his hand. Viserys nodded, he had the same reaction. "To combine the strength of our houses, and demonstrate my reign's strongest days are ahead, not behind." He repeated.

"Lord Corlys has overreached, Your Grace." Otto told him 'Such matters must be discussed with the Small Council." Otto reminded him biting back the edge to his voice.

"That is what I'm doing, presently. So... what is your advice, dear Otto." Viserys told him.

"The Lady Laena... is young, Your Grace." Otto told him trying to think of a reason to void this immediately.

"Indeed, but the wounds made by the Great Council still linger, my King. A match with their daughter would go a long way towards sealing the breach and uniting the two great Valyrian houses would certainly signal unity throughout the realm and beyond." Mellos reminded Otto.

"The Grand Maester's reasoning is sound." Otto agreed stiffly.

"I do fear what Rhaenyra might think." Viserys added softly.

"What does it matter, Your Grace? Her mother has passed. Her father must propagate the royal line." Mellos reminded him.

"I, uh, dearly loved my own lady wife. The pain of her passing still haunts me. And to be compelled to... replace her for duty's sake." Otto said offering his own wisdom to the situation. "You are the King. But I do not envy you."

+

"What was it like flying the Black Dread? You were Balerion's last rider."

"Only for a short time before he died. With Balerion died the last memory of Valyria of Old. But Vhagar still lives... somewhere." Viserys said with a sigh.

"Bit too large for the Dragon pit. Some would say too large for our world. Do you know where she nests?" Laena questioned.

"I'm sorry?" Viserys had too much on his mind to be talking dragons with a child, a child he was never going to marry, ever. He knew that for a fact, he didn't know why he was bothering entertaining the idea.

"Do you know where Vhagar is now?" Laena questioned kindly.

"Um, the Dragon keepers believe she made home somewhere on the coast of the Narrow Sea. The workers at Spicetown report hearing her song at times." Viserys told her. "They say it is a sad thing." Viserys added.

"I imagine even dragons get lonely. Your Grace... it would be a great honor to join our houses as they were in Old Valyria. I would give you many children of pure Valyrian blood so that we might strengthen the royal line and the realm." Laena told him, as rehearsed.

"Is that what your father told you to say?" Viserys questioned and she nodded sheepishly. "What did your mother tell you?" Viserys countered.

"That I wouldn't have to bed you until I turned 14." Laena told him honestly and Viserys sighed Davina was right, this was until death did him part and he couldn't marry Laena, she was a sweet child but a child. Viserys was not like Davina or Daemon though he cared what people thought, he wanted to please everyone and he knew choosing a new bride would cause some chaos depending on who he chose. He had to choose wisely.