Dream Of Winter | C. Stark & H. Targaryen

The Sea Snake

Corlys POV

As the waves crashed against the cliffs of the city, Corlys Velaryon found himself immersed in memories of the legacy he had built.

House Velaryon, despite the proud valyrian blood pumping through their veins were once a modest family of shipwrights, that only ascended to great heights under his leadership.

The Sea Snake, as he was often called, had elevated his house to a position of prominence and influence through shrewd diplomacy and a fleet of mighty ships.

His nine voyages won him friendships and strategic alliances with many great trade partners. But the greatest gift he was ever bestowed was the hand of his beautiful Rhaenys in marriage.

King Jaehaerys might've denied his request and betrothed his granddaughter to her then thirteen year old cousin Viserys if not for the sheer wealth and political weight Corlys had to offer.

And Rhaenys herself found him a charming and handsome adventurer suitable to be her husband. Even if he was ten years her senior.

His new good-father the prince Aemon loved his only child quite dearly and styled her more often than not as his heir.

But not a day after he died due to Myrish pirates in the isle of Tarth, the old king declared his new heir was his second son Baelon, now dubbed the Brave for slaughtering the pirates and scattering their remains across the Narrow Sea.

Coryls felt equal rage and heartbreak on behalf of his wife. She lost her father and her crown on one day. She was also pregnant at the time with their first child, his daughter Laena.

The grief she felt almost sapped her strength dry, leaving her a walking shell not the passionate rebellious and firey woman he'd come to love.

But for the sake of the babe in her belly, she didn't give up and stood tall against the tribulations and trials ahead.

But misfortune didn't spare the valiant.

Nine years following her father's passing, Baelon died from a burst belly. An ignoble fate for such a strong warrior, usurper or not.

And the old fool decided once again to pass over Rhaenys, the true heir in accordance with Andal and First Men laws for the cowering undecisive Viserys.

Corlys knew even then that the Great Council was nothing but a game. A sad imitation of fairness and equal opportunity to discourage him from going to war.

By all accounts his wife's claim was stronger. Rhaenys, a woman of intelligence, grace, strength, and political acumen had been pushed aside in favor of a weak and spineless man because the nobility considered Viserys a perfect puppet.

That was the undeniable truth.

He gathered his fleet and assembled his allies before accepting to submit to the Council's decision.

Perhaps he should've declared war regardless.

Daemon was the only obstacle to Rhaenys' ascension anyhow. Viserys and Aemma's marriage bore no sons and probably never would. And then the throne would pass from an Aenys to a Maegor.

This time the royal dynasty would surely perish.

But against his own better judgment he accepted the popular vote.

If that farce could be called a vote. They had atleast the North, the Stormlands and half the Riverlands and Crownlands on their side. But supposedly Viserys won with a staggering twenty to one majority.

It didn't take a genius to figure out the Maesters lied completely or exaggerated the results so grossly to quell his desire for warfare.

It's a special kind of irony that they stand once more on the precipice of war.