Sunrise and Moonlight | Bastard&Usurper Rhaenyra AU | House of the Dragon |

Viserys I

110 A.C

Viserys sat working on his model of the freehold when his wife walked into the chambers. He looked up at her and gave her a weak smile. There was no trace of the darkness that had plagued him when he had talked with Otto. He had the wine taken away as he wished to be clear of mind for the conversation with his daughter.

"My love" he welcomed.

Eliadna, his wife, made the Martell sigil justice. Beautiful and radiant, yet imposing and authoritative. A true sun. Many cursed Viserys as a lucky man, and he had to agree with them.

The Queen smirked, eyes glinting, and in that small gesture, Viserys saw where all his firstborn's fierceness came from.

"You look better, my love" she greeted with a small incline of her head. There was no need for formality or titles between them. "Ser Otto told me you wanted to see me."

It was true, the conversation with Otto and his subsequent decision had given him a sort of vitality. A new image found itself lodged in his mind. That of the House of the Dragon reunited, whole. a family. It had energized him.

The King nodded to his wife still near the doorway. Were he speaking with anyone, he might have beckoned them to come closer or gestured at them to take a seat. But his wife could choose her own spot. Sure enough, Eliadna approached and took a seat next to him, laying a hand on one of his arms.

He took comfort in her touch, and after a moment placed his own hand over hers.

"I am..." he tore his gaze from her emerald-green eyes. "And I must apologize for my attitude these past days. It has been nothing but unbecoming" he finished with an uncomfortable smile.

"It has" she agreed with an understanding tone. "But you deserve your time to grieve." Suddenly, her gentle hold on him tightened. "But tomorrow, you return to us. To me, and to your children" she finished sternly. It was a warning.

"The King is needed" he reasoned with a tired smile and a wave of his hand.

"No" she gives him another squeeze "You are needed, Viserys."

There was silence after that. It was not uncomfortable, just pensive. He squeezed her hand to reassure herself that she was still there.

"I am grateful for you," he whispered. "To you" he quickly added. "I do not know what I would have done without you."

Aemma might have been the great love of his life, but it had been Eliadna who had been by his side for all these years. She is his partner, and affection had been born from the time they had spent together. It was not a magical love, but rather one made from hard work and effort.

"I must confess. When the ravens first arrived...." Viserys' voice cracked. "The first thing I felt was relief." He squeezed the Queen's hand again, tighter this time. He looked up at her and saw an expression not commonly found on her, bafflement. "The truth is I have grown content with our life. I believed we all had. That we could forget and move on with our lives. That I could just let it be." The king gave a small bitter laugh. "The raven arrived, and the first thing I thought of was that it would make things easier." He grunted; his voice strained. "But it was a delusion. I had convinced myself of a phony peace that only I tricked myself to feel. It needed but the slightest push to fall apart. And now that it has, I see what came of my foolishness."

Eliadna simply remained silent, attentively listening. She was used to his long-winded speeches, Viserys knew. He appreciated that she would just listen and let him finish. Although he was aware that after his spiel, her words, as sharp as they were honest, would come.