The Red Viper and Dragon Princess Edit

Chapter Nine

Here's a little check in over what's going on across the Narrow Sea.

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Chapter Nine – 299 AC, Riverrun

As the Targaryen's journeyed across the Narrow Sea, something was happening in Westeros that would change everything.

Arianne Martell stood beside her betrothed in the Great Hall of Riverrun as Robb Stark held court, his wife Talisa by his side. She had been in the Tully Keep for two years by now, having arrived shortly before Robb Stark had raised his banners to march to war. They were not yet wed, because Arianne had wanted to wait until Visenya Targaryen was present. After her arrival to Riverrun, she, Hoster and Edmure had sat down and the Lord Paramount of the Trident had told his heir the truth of the rebellion. While they may have sided with the North due to Catelyn's marriage to Eddard Stark, they were loyal to the Targaryen's and had done so on her orders.

Then the truth had come out that a few of the Great Houses, Tully, Arryn, Tyrell and Martell, had spoken of making Aerys and Rhaegar abdicate the throne and place Visenya as the Queen before the Great Tourney that changed everything. She had many allies and houses had sworn to her, over her brother when the rebellion had started. The only reason Arryn had turned his back, was because Aerys had demanded Ned and Robert's heads. They went to war but Hoster had only committed his men to the cause once Visenya told him too. No matter which side one, his house would be pardoned. The plan was always to sit Visenya on the throne after but Robert had ruined that.

Hoster told everyone how Robert had ordered his own men to take out both Targaryen's that day on the Trident. Everyone though he had succeeded when Visenya was nowhere to be found after the battle. Then news had come about the sacking of Kings Landing and Robert was named King. The Tully's were protected through marriage but the Tyrell's and Martell's were both punished because they fought for Aerys side in the war. No matter that Elia Martell and her children were prisoners in Kings Landing and Mace Tyrell's two sisters were enjoying the same accommodations, due to being Daella's Ladies-in-waiting. The two houses had no choice and with Visenya being watched, there was no chance for her to abandon her brother and join the other side.

Apparently, before the Tourney of Harrenhal, Visenya had been putting things into place in order to take the throne from Aerys without telling a soul. He was doing to much damage to the realm and she wanted to stop it before a rebellion happened and the Targaryen family was hunted down. When she had learned that Rhaegar was trying to gather a Great Council in order to force their father to abdicate the throne, Visenya had started moving her own pawns as well. Due to him being lost to prophecy, Visenya had thought Rhaegar would be a horrible King and hoped to force him to abdicate and leave the throne to his daughter or son.

Thus, during the Tourney of Harrenhal when Rhaegar was busy distracting their father, Visenya had gotten together with the heirs of all the Great Houses, except for House Targaryen and spoke about putting together a Great Council, to force her father and brother to abdicate the throne, leaving Elia's Martell's daughter Rhaenys as the heir once she came of age, given they hadn't known she was pregnant with a son at the time. Brandon Stark, Jaime Lannister, Hoster Tully, Oberyn Martell, Doran Martell, Denys Arryn and Mace Tyrell were all in attendance and everyone had agreed, but not for Elia's child to become heir afterward, no, they wanted her to take the throne.

Visenya had proven herself as a good person and she would be a good ruler, Hoster had said.

She had denied the request. Visenya had made it clear she didn't want to be Queen, not to mention that would insult Elia and House Martell, which was a bad idea. Oberyn had said Elia wouldn't care after everything but Visenya didn't want another Dance of Dragons if Rhaenys felt insulted about losing her place on the throne. Nothing had been solved as far as Visenya had been concerned but everyone else had different opinions.