The Winter Queen

Chapter 32

Daemon

It had been five bloody long years since he had first arrived on the anathematized islands of the Stepstones and the war was finally over which meant he could finally return home.  Oh, he could not wait to see his precious little niece whom he knew was now a woman grown of 17. He wondered if she was being courted by any Lordlings or if she had taken a fancy to anyone yet. However, what he did know is that he owed her an overabundance of gifts for all of the namedays which he had missed while he was gone fighting.

Daemon also knew Colys and Laenor were anxious to return home. Yes, Daemon was well aware that Corlys hoped to marry his beloved little dragon off to his son so that Laenor could become King Consort one-day but Daemon also knew that the pair was never going to be well suited. Corlys had also been strongly hinting that the two of them could coerce Viserys into finally granting Daemon his annulment so that Daemon could take Lady Laena as his proper wife. However, Daemon highly doubted that his elder cousin would have allowed her only daughter to remain unwed by the age of 26 and so Corlys was likely going to have a big surprise waiting for him.

With a bag full of gifts for his favorite girl attached to Caraxes’ saddle, Daemon mounted his dragon and headed home to King’s Landing.

The first thing he noticed upon arriving was that he did not hear Syrax like he always used to do. The only explanation he could come up with was that she had gone and taken up her seat at Dragonstone.

Then he arrived at the Red Keep.

“Brother! You have finally returned! Victorious I presume?” Viserys inquired as Daemon strutted into his brother’s solar after having been escorted there by members of the Kingsguard who had informed him that his brother had been anxiously awaiting his return for several years, which confused the Prince as the brothers had not parted on good terms the last time they were together nor had any word, supplies or men had arrived from the King or the Capital in the years of the war..

“Yes the Stepstones have been conquered and Lord Corlys has begun building a garrison there to protect it from further attacks. However, he and his son have returned home so that they can be reunited with our dear cousins.”

“Splendid! I shall have a Raven sent off to invite them to a feast in honor of your victory! Perhaps I should send one to Highgarden as well. I would send one to Winterfell but it is Winter and the journey is long.”

“Since when are you close to the Tyrells and the Starks?” he asked.

“Oh!” Viserys exclaimed, bewildered, “you haven’t heard the good news have you? Lady Laena has delivered twins daughters to her husband Lord Garth Tyrell. I’m sure Lord Corlys will be eager to meet his goodson and his little granddaughters and stepgranddaughters. Princess Rhaenys is such a proud grandmother just as I am a proud grandsire!”

“Brother? You are a grandsire? What about your relationship with House Stark? I don’t understand?”

“Did word truly never reach you about this either? Why, it was about a year after Aemma died when my second wife, Alicent Hightower, presented me with a wonderful idea that she and her father had come up with. It was probably the last good thing they ever did for me as well.”

“You took your daughter’s servant girl as a wife less than a year after our dear cousin Aemma died in childbirth? Viserys! I don’t understand? What about the mourning period for Aemma? Did you knock up the Hightower whore and then Otto insisted that you marry his daughter so that the child wasn’t a bastard?  And what do you mean the last good thing they ever did for you?”

Viserys poured goblets of wine for both of them, deliberately ignoring his brother's commentary. After handing one to Daemon, he sat down with a sigh, “You were right about them being vipers, Daemon. You were right all along.”