Princess Charming // Aemond Targaryen // Daemon Targaryen

3. Cracked

Viserys found Snow in the gardens she always seemed cold to the touch but was never actually cold herself. Cold blooded she had told him once my northern blood. But she shivered in the southern sun today.

"Lady Snow?" Viserys called out and she wiped at her eyes.

"Hello your grace." She answered mutely.

"My dear why are you crying? What can I do to help?" Viserys offered and Snow thought he was so sweet for offering.

"I am an idiot for falling in love." she offered. "You have a magic cure for falling in love with the wrong man?"

"No... sorry." Viserys offered. "But Snow, you're not an idiot you're brilliant." Viserys corrected.  "This man is the problem. If he does not see you for your full potential does not see you as a worthy contender for your precious heart, is an idiot. Whoever makes you cry is not worthy of the tears you shed."

"Thank you Viserys." Snow whispered and she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

+

"We haven't spoken much... since. A regret of mine. We should be free to speak our minds to one another."

"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

'But in questioning them, 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. "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.

+

"You have to teach her." Snow declared and viserys chuckled. "How is she to know if she's never taught properly by you! You need to teach her, that's the only way she's going to learn to be a good queen one day."

"You are remarkable snow. But I don't think she would listen to me."

"You might be surprised." Snow countered. "when people are in a place of vulnerability they often times open up more. They're weakened, her heart a little piece of them is already cracked it's easier to get in for, to open up and they're already bleeding slightly... God that sounded really dark I didn't mean for it to sound like that." Snow remarked

"It's deep. It's beautiful and it makes sense." Viserys agreed.

"It's not for all people some people though." snow assured. "Sometimes, when they break and they crack they close themselves off trying to preserve what they have left but I feel like if you talk to your daughter really listen to her and understand or at least try to, she'll be more willing to open up to you." Snow remarked.

+

"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."

"You should not have to be forced Marry." snow reminded him. "You are the king you make the decision. You already claimed an heir what purpose is there in rushing your healing process?"

"You are correct of course you are but lord Corlys is determined to have one of his children on the throne. Laena although young, will satisfy him." Viserys offered. 

"And who is the king here? You or him?" Snow sassed. She found she liked talking to him, Viserys certainly liked her blunt conversation.

"Ruling is more than just... ruling." he reminded her. "I have to deal with all the unhappy people and the unhappy Lords. I can't just do as I please."

"Then what point is there being king if one of the most important things who you love who you get to love is not within your grasp?"