Love Story // Viserys Targaryen // Alicent Hightower / POLY

22. Breathe In the Flowers

"No... please, stay." Alicent corrected softly. Avalon smiled taking a seat beside Alicent.

"Alright, no dragon dung, tell me whats going on." Avalon requested. She reached out touching Alicent's torn nails. 

"I'm just... Well my father... he..." Alicent couldnt breathe. "The king... after my mother..." She couldnt form a complete sentence. 

"Take a deep breath." Avalon requested. "Ready breathe in the flowers, blow out the candles." Avalon remarked taking a deep breath and letting it out and Alicent chuckled out. "What? You never heard of that?" 

"No." Alicent agreed. 

"Breath in the flowers, a big deep breath." Avalon requested and Alicent followed her lead. "And then blow out the candles, deep breath out." Alicent let out her breath. 

"Thank you Avalon." Alicent whispered holding back a yawn. 

"Of course." Avalon agreed running a gentle hand through her hair. "It's late, I will see you in the morning." Avalon remarked. 

"I would like that." Alicent agreed. 

Avalon headed back to her room and saw Viserys pacing the halls. 

"Vis? Whats wrong?" Avalon questioned making a U turn in the hallway to get to him. 

"Avalon, my dearest Avalon." Viserys whispered. "I'm just having a hard time falling asleep."

"Seems to be the theme of the night." Avalon agreed. "Want to talk about it?" 

"Would you ever get married?" Viserys blurted out. 

"Oh, I dont know. I havent given it much thought." Avalon admitted. "I was a terrified when Ser Harwin told me about Ottos little declarations I dont think I'm ready for such things, remember when I couldnt speak to boys?" Avalon giggled out and Viserys hugged her tight. 

"I remember, I remember it well." Viserys agreed. "Wasnt your first crush a an older boy, a Lannister wasnt it?"

"Gods!" Avalon groaned. "How do you know that?" 

"Daemon was threatening blondes until he found him." Viserys chuckled out. 

"All men should run from me." Avalon decided. 

"We are just protective over you." 

"You should have seen Daemon when I said Harwin was cute, Gods I never thought he would look at me again." Avalon remarked. 

"Ser Harwin Strong?"

"Oh, so you didnt know about that fiasco." Avalon agreed with a huff. 

"He is a fine man-"

"It was forever ago." Avalon corrected. "I think Daemon called him a bear..." She added softly.

"Harwin?" Viserys repeated. 

"Tall dark and handsome." Avalon agreed. "I think he might be every teenage hormonal girls dream." she half teased. 

"Thank you for talking with me Avalon, I feel better already." Viserys remarked. 

"Yeah? I can stay and tell you more embarrassing stories of my youth if it helps." Avalon assured and Viserys laughed out. 

"Oh, thank you my sweet girl." Viserys whispered as she pressed a kiss to his cheek hugging him again. "Goodnight, my Avalon."

"Night Vis." Avalon coed as she headed to her chambers. His mind was no longer clouded. Avalon was not ready for a husband, he didnt want her to hate him, he didnt want her to run away, he wanted her to forever be his Avalon. But the thought stuck in his mind, wondering what might happen if he did name her his bride to be, his queen now and forever, if she accepted it and loved him like that. 

+

"Good morning, what a beautiful day," Avalon remarked as she entered the throne room. She glanced to Laena, Corlys and Rhaenys. Viserys wasnt stupid. He was not picking a child. 

"Good morning, Avalon." Alicent remarked and her smile was bright.

"Sleep well?" Avalon pondered and Alicent nodded but she was a mess still. Avalon smiled running a hand over her back. "You have tells," Avalon whispered. 

"What?" Alicent questioned nervously. 

"When you lie." Avalon remarked.

"What are they?" Alicent countered. 

"If I told you, you would stop doing them and I wouldnt be able to read you as well as I do." Avalon remarked honestly when Viserys came in. Avalon gave her arm a squeeze before moving to Rhaenyra's side. 

"Lets get this over this." Rhaenyra grumbled. 

"Thats the spirit." Avalon agreed but she looked around the room, should the bride to be not here. Avalon thought curiously. Surely not Laena, Viserys wouldnt. But who else would he pick? They should be here, Avalon thought before she realized and looked to Alicent as she picked anxiously at her cuticle. "No." Avalon rasped her voice no more then a whisper. 

"Good morrow, my lords." Viserys said as he approached his council. "I have decided to take a new wife. I intend to marry..." Viserys looked around the council. "the Lady Alicent Hightower before spring's end."

"This is an absurdity. My house is Valyrian, the greatest power in the realm." Corlys exclaimed.

"And I am your King." Viserys declared. Avalon stood frozen as Alicents finger bleed.  "Rhaenyra." Viserys called out but she stormed out as well. The door slammed closed behind her.

Otto was beaming and Avalon truly understood. Otto had encouraged this. He had planned this and now Alicent was going to be queen, marry a man she didnt love all for the power Otto craved. 

"I will hear no more of it." Viserys demanded when Corlys rose up hands slapping down on the table. "It will be done." Corlys stormed out much like Rhaenyra did a child throwing a tantrum. 

+

'I wasn't aware you had a king for a brother.' Daemon remarked as he stared across the table at Corlys.

'We're both men who have had to cut our own way through the world. We've been passed over... too often." Corlys corrected. 

"Did you call me to Driftmark to remind me of my low standing, Lord Corlys, or was there some other reason?" daemon pondered.

"I have been petitioning the King to send my navy into the territory of the stepstones, but he's denied me." Corlys told him.

"It was never my brother's strongest trait." Daemon remarked.

"What?"

'Being King." Daemon clarified smugly.

+

"Viserys?" Avalon pondered as the council room cleared out. 

"Oh, Avalon." Viserys sighed hugging her. 

"Alicent is a sweet girl-"

"You think so too." Viserys agreed. 

"Yes but, she is rather young for you brother." Avalon reminded him. 

"I know but... as you said I enjoy her company and she seems to enjoy mine." Viserys offered. 

"Is that enough for a marriage?" Avalon countered. 

"I dont know." Viserys muttered. "Aemma was chosen for me, I didnt have to choose. I didnt... I never... I never expected-"

"Then take more time." Avalon remarked. 

"I can't."

"You are the king." Avalon corrected. "You make the rules." Viserys sighed shaking his head. 

"It's not that easy, my avalon."

"Then make is easier. Give yourself the chance to find real love again." Avalon suggested. "You didnt get to choose Aemma, but you loved her." Viserys nodded. "Dont you want the choice to explore and adventure and try and find that love, not force it but... let it grow."

"I wish it were that easy my dearest."