Inviolable Bindings | Aemond & Aegon II Targaryen

Chapter 40

Holding the meeting both under the cover of nightfall and once the busyness of the castle had slowed seemed to make the most sense. Viserra mostly felt dread in anticipation of it all, but found distraction in rehearsing each way she thought things might go. There was not much known about the dealings of the Master of Whisperers and in truth she did not know how to appeal to whatever sense of loyalty or desires that drove him.

Another council meeting had been called in the afternoon and it was after that she approached him. He seemed more than eager to meet with her privately, something that somehow both did and did not surprise her. Just before the hour of the owl he would come, giving her strict instructions to wait in her rooms until that time came.

As she sat on the edge of the sofa by the fire, the hours of the night could not have passed any slower. When she had almost lost hope that he would come, her focus shifted from the dancing flames to the faint sound of grinding stone from behind the large tapestry on the wall. The moment she realized Larys had come from the passageways within the walls, her stomach dropped. This should not have been a surprise that he had known about them. Yet somehow, it still made her uneasy.

"Good evening, My Lady," he greeted in such a casual manner that it did nothing but reinforce her unease. He took his time making it over to the other armchair across from her, the smile on his face not faltering for even a second.

"Good evening, Lord Larys." Viserra forced a smile in return, realizing now that she had initiated the start of a game she wasn't sure she wanted to be playing.

"I thought there might be an point in which you would seek me out," he began. "You have maintained a quiet yet respected presence since arriving here in King's Landing, something I truthfully did not expect."

It took a moment to comprehend what he had meant and it must have been the brief confusion on her face that caused him to elaborate more.

"I have heard many things about you over the years since word of your dragon reached across the Narrow Sea," he explained. "The Volantene girl besting men in the pits at the age most girls were hoping to find themselves in the eye of some other young lad." Larys paused for a moment as if giving her time to respond before continuing. "Much was in these letters detailing your skill with the sword and the rumored dragon you mounted and flew about the Free Cities. But honestly, I did not know how much truth there was to it all."

" You were the one responsible for summoning me here." Viserra realized, her words more of a statement than a question. She had quickly come to the conclusion that it was not the late King's idea to bring her to the Red Keep, but she did not think it had gone further than Otto.

"Indeed, I was the one who presented it to the Hand...well, the previous Hand."

"I see," she observed.

"Though with all the talk of the fighting you have done, and even the injuries you survived." Larys brought his finger to his chest, dragging it to his hip in the same fashion of her own scar that crossed her belly. "No one happened to mention that you also were of striking Valyrian beauty."

Viserra's eyebrows furrowed at the comment on her appearance. The way the man was spoke to her did nothing but further her dislike of him. "Is there something that would lead you to think I might appear otherwise?"

"I presume my focus was solely on the logistics and probability that the rumors were true. It completely evaded my mind, I admit. If I had known beforehand, I might have anticipated Aegon's interest in you." He tapped his finger on the cane held firmly in his hand, briefly glancing at the stick before looking back. "But do you know what really took me by surprise? That his brother seems just as infatuated with you."