"We come from pure strength Daenerys." Her brother told her as he flipped through the old tome. "Viserra Velaryon. As untamable as the sea itself. Her brother Aemar. A greenseer and a mighty warrior. Aemond Targaryen. Rider of Vhagar, the largest dr...
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The day was quiet, like the world was in grieving. Lucerys took it as a bad omen. Lord Corlys' health was still in question, and if he did not pull through Luke's duties as the new Lord of the Tides would begin. Something he never wanted was about to be thrust upon him, an entire culture that he was not prepared for. And the only people who could prepare him, teach him, were all angered at him. Princess Rhaenys would perhaps take her duty over her emotions and give him the aid he needed but he knew the second he moved to Driftmark, Viserra Velaryon's sharp hawk like glare was going to be on him constantly. And he feared her. Like any sensible person.
His cousin had always been known for her sharp tongue, for speaking her mind no matter who heard her. No one had yet to see her enraged, or seen what that wrath could do. But she had the blood of the dragon within her veins and there were enough stories of cruel and mad Targaryens for Luke to be very nervous.
He grazed his hand over the etching of Driftmark on the painted table, his mind spinning on the same cycle of thoughts. He did not want it. He was not prepared for it. He could not handle it.
"There you are." his mother's voice reached him as she entered the room, a hand resting on her stomach, on the sibling she swore would be his first sister. She stopped across the table from him, she did not have to say anything, but just by seeing the look on his face the question 'what's wrong' shone in her eyes.
"The Seasnake is going to die, isn't he?"
She did not answer right away pausing while she rubbed her stomach, "Luke -"
"I cannot be Lord of the Tides." he snapped before she could get any words out. He knew what she would say, she would give him biased reassurances, she was his mother, of course she saw the best in him. But he thought it unwise to blind oneself to their flaws, and he had plenty of them. He did not want her coddling he wanted plain honesty, for once, just once. "Grandsire was the greatest sailor who ever lived. I get greensick before the ship even leaves the harbor! I'll just ruin everything! . . . I don't want Driftmark."
"And what would you have me do?"
He took a deep breath, "Give it to Viserra. She wants it, she grew up there, she knows it like the back of her hand, she wants it and I have no issue with her having it. . . please, mother."
She sighed, "Disinheriting you, would stir old rumors -"
"But it would make me happy."
She paused again, "We don't choose our destiny Luke, it chooses us."
"Grandsire let you choose whether you'd be his heir. You told us so."
She sighed and looked down at the table and he knew he had here there.
"And do you want to know the truth of it?" she asked rounding the table; to join his side. She leaned her hip on the edge before looking at him with a small smile, "I was frightened. I was fourteen, same as you are now. I wasn't ready to be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. But, it was my duty. And, in time, I came to understand I had to earn my inheritance. Viserra was actually the one who helped me to see that."
