Mirror, Mirror / Viserys Targaryen

1. Regina Hightower

"Gina, you have to be careful sweet sister." Otto begged. Regina smirked back at him.

"Please, I was born for this." Regina assured him pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"The idea is already in his mind but Laena is-"

"A child." Regina remarked. "Please, Otto trust me. I'm the fairest of them all." Otto looked her over again in her deep green dress, her hair pulled high on her head, showing off her delicate face. Manipulative face. Regina smirked back at him. "Excuse me, brother..." she peered in the mirror on the wall and tucked a loose strand of hair back into her bun before looking to Otto. "I have a king to woe after all."

Regina turned, her little heels clicking as she made her way down the hall. The king was going to remarry, he was going to remarry Regina. She had already decided it.

Regina Hightower would be queen.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt you, your grace." Regina remarked coming into his chambers.

"Regina, always a pleasure." Viserys assured. Regina smiled getting closer.

"I wanted to check on you." Regina remarked.

"Sweet thing you are. Nothing like your brother." Viserys mused. Regina tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"What is this?" Regina questioned moving around his model Diorama. "Are you making a little Westeros?"  Regina questioned.

"My idea of old valyria." Viserys corrected.

"Oh its lovely." Regina remarked touching the tiny towers.

"Thank you." Viserys answered moving beside her.

"Oh look at your little figurines!" Regina declared. "Explain this to me. All of it." Regina requested genuinely interested as she moved around a little diorama on his table. He smiled brightly back at her.

'The Valyrian capital was built into a volcano, much like Dragonstone. And the dragonlords, the highest of the nobility, lived here, at the volcanic face, closest to the source of their magic and power." Viserys pointed around the table. Regina smiled wrapping a hand around his arm as he moved around the table.

'It is truly wondrous what you've built.' Regina remarked.

'Oh no. I only pore over the histories and provide the plans. The stonemasons built the structures.' Viserys corrected.

"Still it's beautiful what you thought up. What about this?" Regina questioned.

"this was the Anogrion. Where the bloodmages worked their craft." Viserys told Regina.

"Do you believe in magic?" Regina questioned.

"I do... dont think less of me." Viserys remarked.

"I would have loved to live in a time of magic." Regina declared.  "Do you believe that Westeros can be another Valyria, Your Grace?" Regina pondered.

" That depends, whether you speak of the Freehold at its height or at its fall. Over a thousand dragons, a navy large enough to span the seas of the world. The glory of Old Valyria will never be seen again." Viserys remarked but his cup slipped through his fingers crashing to the ground. 'Seven Hells.' He muttered. He sucked in a deep breath looking to Regina as she knelt to pick it up. "You dont have to do that." Viserys assured.

"Oh i dont mind. Dont want either of us slipping and landing in your bed..." regina mused and Viserys chuckled. Regina stood up leaving a few pieces. "Or maybe I do."

+

"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.'

'I held an audience earlier today with Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.' Viserys remarked needing to change the subject. Otto grit his teeth he of course heard of Corlys plan and wanted to smash it quickly.

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

"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. He hoped Regina got to Viserys and woed him as discussed.

"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. "Wouldnt you want an older bride. One that could give you more heirs quickly." That was a good and reasonable answer otto thought, proud of himself.

"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. "But-"

"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."