Castles Crumbling / Helaena Targaryen/ Taelon Targaryen

7. Lonely

'Your Grace.' Corlys said as he approached Viserys.

'I'm glad we could meet. I know tempers ran hot today, and I wanted to assure you how much I value the bond between our houses. Rhaenys is my favorite cousin after all.' Viserys told him.

"I wish to apologize for the tenor at the Small Council today, Your Grace. It was not my intent to make offense." Corlys assured. "I have spoken at great length with taelon and I hope we can come up with a solution together."

"Your fleet is one of the realm's most important assets, Lord Corlys. But you must understand, as King, it is my obligation to avoid war until such time it is unavoidable." Viserys reminded him.

'None among us desire open war." Corlys agreed. "Might I speak plainly, Your Grace?" Corlys questioned hesitantly.

"I always welcome the unfettered thoughts of my council." Viserys agreed.

"I fear that the eyes of our enemies are presently fixed on the Red Keep. The Queen has passed. The King's brother, so disinherited, has claimed the Targaryen seat on Dragonstone without challenge. And now, a foreign power has established a colony in our most critical shipping lane." Corlys remarked.

"You paint such an aspirant portrait of my reign, Lord Corlys." Viserys said trying to keep his tone light and not bitter.

"Taelon is a good heir. He is a good boy. You did well in naming him." Corlys added.

"The one good thing i did?" Viserys spondered meekly.

"At the moment, The Crown is perceived as being vulnerable." Corlys told him.

"And a blind incursion in the Stepstones is the only way to demonstrate that we are not?" Viserys countered.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Calla answered as he rubbed her sore feet. "Its going to be a boy."

"I just want you both to be okay. After aemma-"

"Taelon," calla cooed running cold fingers through his hair. "Everything is going to be fine."

"Im worried with this war brewing." Taelon countered. "I wont leave you to fight it." He added. "You need me. I need you."

"I thank you for it my love." Calla agreed. "I couldnt imagine you leaving me to dangerous territories."

"To elude a storm, you can either sail into it or around it. But you must never await its coming." Corlys told viserys.

"Do you have a specific course of action to propose, my lord?" Viserys questioned.

"Join our families. Wed our daughter, Laena." Corlys told him and Viserys face pinched. "Unite the two great surviving Valyrian houses. With the Targaryen dragons and the Velaryon fleet bound in blood, you can show the realm that The Crown's strongest days are ahead... not behind." Viserys couldn't look at him he turned the room, trying to maintain his composure.

"I must admit... I haven't given marriage much thought. It hasn't even been half a year since Aemma passed." Viserys reminded him.

" The realm expects you to take a new wife soon or late, Your Grace, to strengthen your line and produce more heirs. You could not ask for a stronger match than Laena."

"Taelon might i steal you away for a moment?" Viserys questioned. Calla looked up from her book and taelon from the fire that had hyponotized him.

"Come back soon my love."

"I will my heart." Taelon agreed kissing her before moving her legs from his lap and rising up.

'I held an audience earlier today with Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.' Viserys remarked as they walked

"About the step stones? The crabfeeder?" Taelon pondered.

"He proposed a marriage." Viserys disclosed. Taelon didnt understand

"Brother you just aemma."

"I know but the court thinks... corlys suggested..."

"To whom?" Taelon pondered.

"The Lady Laena." Viserys told him and taelon started shaking his head.

"Shes a child." Taelon countered.

"He said it would be To combine the strength of our houses, and demonstrate my reign's strongest days are ahead, not behind." He repeated.

"Lord Corlys has overreached, brother. It is not his duty nor his right to request such a thing from you. You just lost her. You cant possibly just move on."

"Insooke with mellos he said 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." Viserys recalled.

"But..."

"I do fear what Rhaenyra might think." Viserys added softly.

"Oh brother," taelon sighed. "You shouldnt have to move on this quickly your heart needs time."

"The realms dont allow it." Viserys corrected.

"Laena?" Calla whispered as they walked the garden.

"Gross." Tommen strong added. "Shes like five. Larys! Whats a cool flower to impress calla with?"

"She is my wife you dont need to impress her." Taelon corrected.

"What was it like flying the Black Dread? You were Balerion's last rider." Laena questioned.

"Only for a short time before he died. With Balerion died the last memory of Valyria of Old. But Vhagar still lives... somewhere." Viserys said with a sigh.

"Bit too large for the Dragon pit. Some would say too large for our world. Do you know where she nests?" Laena questioned.

"I'm sorry?" Viserys had too much on his mind to be talking dragons with a child, a child he was never going to marry, ever. He knew that for a fact, he didn't know why he was bothering entertaining the idea.

"Do you know where Vhagar is now?" Laena questioned kindly.

"You know Rok almost fried me this morning." Tommen grumbled kicking at a rock. "You are neglecting your baby."

"I have been busy. I will take him for a ride." Taelon assured

"Yeah well the next time he almost takes my eyebrows off im going to fry your ass." Tommen countered.

"Oh Tom, how was your meeting with lady Agatha?" Calla asked her arm in taelons as they walked she was waddling more and more these days.

"She was a witch." Tommen answered.

"Oh," calla whispered.

"Green skin and pointy hat?" Taelon mused

"The full ten yards." Tommen agreed.

"I imagine even dragons get lonely. Your Grace... it would be a great honor to join our houses as they were in Old Valyria. I would give you many children of pure Valyrian blood so that we might strengthen the royal line and the realm." Laena told him, as rehearsed.

"Is that what your father told you to say?" Viserys questioned and she nodded sheepishly.  "What did your mother tell you?" Viserys countered.

"That I wouldn't have to bed you until I turned 14." Laena told him honestly.