The Dove and The Lady | House of The Dragon

Chapter Twelve | Family Feast

Handmaidens we're scurrying about the room as they placed delicacies on the table that the big family surrounded.

Alicent and Rhaenyra sat with only a space in between them reserved for Viserys, to the right of Alicent was her father Otto and across from him sat Helaena, who was conversing with Naella. Aegon was stood talking to Aemond, but both men would soon move to be sat next to their Lady's. Viserra was sat in between her grandfather and her brother Aemond.

To the left of Rhaenyra was a seat reserved for Daemon as he was her husband and across from her was Jace and Baela, Jace being the unlucky one that has to sit next to Aegon with Baela on his right. Luce and Rhaena sitting at the side of the table together, being directly across from Aemond, Naella and Viserra.

Daemon was stood at the table filling his wine goblet as Aenor walked over to do the same, both brothers making eye contact, not having conversed in years.

Before they could even think to speak to one another the doors to the room opened, everyone raising out of their seats as guards carried the King in on a chair.

As soon as Viserys was placed on the ground in his spot between Alicent and Rhaenyra everyone then began to sit down, taking their respective seats.

"How good it is to see you all tonight together." Viserys sounded almost out of breath as he was fighting sleep, being so hung up on milk of the poppy.

"Prayer before we begin?" Alicent suggested, gaining a nod from Viserys, she looked down closing her eyes, all her children following along with Naella.

"May the Mother smile down on this gathering with love. May the Smith mend the bonds that have been broken for far too long. And to Vaemond Velaryon, may the Gods give him rest", Rhaenyra, her children, Daemon and his children looked towards Alicent with a funny look as she spoke her last sentence.

"This is an occasion for celebration, it seems", Viserys announced smiling, if you could call it a smile. "My grandsons Jace and Luce will marry their cousins, Baela and Rhaena and my son Aemond will marry my niece Naella tomorrow, further strengthening the bond between our houses. A toast to the young princes, and their betrotheds", as Viserys finished his words everyone raised their glass and took a sip out of respect.

"Well done, Jace. You'll finally get to lie with a woman", Aegon started to tease Jace as he had long moved on from teasing Aemond. "Let us toast as well Prince Lucerys, future Lord of the Tides."

"You do know how the act is done, I assume? At least in principle? Where to put your cock and all that?", Aegon murmured to Jace, but being just loud enough that Baela on the other side of Jace could here him.

Viserra looked up and her eyes flickered between them.

"You can play the jester if you wish, but hold your tongue before my betrothed", Jacaerys ordered Aegon, smacking his hand onto the table.

Viserra took note on how he hesitated when he said betrothed, but she didn't take note on how he glanced her way sideways when he did so.

Grunting as he gradually rose up from his chair, Viserys took a few deep breaths before speaking. "It both gladdens my heart and fills me with sorrow to see these faces around the table. The faces most dear to me in all the world yet grown so distant from each other in the years past."

Lifting his hands up behind his head Viserys struggled for a second as he fiddled with the clasp holding the gold mask on the side of his face.

Removing it from his face he revealed to everyone the disturbing sight of his half decayed side of his face, the eye from his socket missing as a hole in his cheek, being able to see inside his mouth.