The Winter Queen

Chapter 44

*****Author Note: Sorry about the long wait for a new chapter. I was finishing my enrollment paperwork to start Graduate School, which I start tomorrow. This will also mean that my  posting of new chapters will likely grow less frequent, though I do hope to add at least 1-2 chapters for this story each week.

Also, I did add a Warnings and Disclaimers yesterday to the start of this story so that more people can be aware of what this story involves and is due to comments I have gotten on here, on Wattpad and on Archive of Our Own.

Thanks for reading!*****

Viserys

The King woke up and had no idea where he was. He knew he was not in his own bed in the Red Keep and for a moment, he wondered if he had been captured by some unknown enemy. However, he quickly remembered that he, along with his brother, had traveled North to Winterfell where they were going to be reunited with his only true child, his precious little Princess Rhaenyra. Then he remembered what had happened upon laying eyes upon her for the first time in years. He had fainted dead away. This was the opposite of the image of him he wanted her and her precious little heirs to see. Hells! He didn’t even get a proper look at his delightful little grandbabies before fainting. 

Unfortunately, this was not his only concern. His fainting meant that his impulsive little brother had been left unattended before the Starks! Oh, he could only hope that Daemon hadn’t done anything to insight the anger of the Northerners while he had not been available to ease some of Daemon’s slights. Gods! Viserys hoped that Rhaenyra’s presence alone was enough to dampen some of Daemon’s worst characteristics.

At this point, he recalled what had happened after his faint. Jaehaerys, his grandfather and predecessor on the throne, had appeared to him.

Flashback

“If I had known that my Legacy would be destroyed by my idiot grandson, I would have done so much differently. For one, you would have never married Aemma. You killed my sweet baby granddaughter due to the words from your pet viper Otto, a man whom I should never have allowed in my court under any circumstance. I should have married Aemma off to Daemon as he would have treated her well and perhaps, Gods willing, this mistake can still be remedied. I should have also given him, as a second wife, Rhaeny’s daughter Laena after officially naming Rhaenys my heir and divorcing her from Corlys. This way the name of the Ruling dynasty would have continued under the Targaryen banner for at least another generation, likely more.

As for you, I should have had you gelded before uniting your claim with Rhaenys by making you her consort. You would have never been allowed or able to sire children but, by having you wed Rhaenys, the claims to the two strongest claimants to the Iron Throne would have been united in wedlock and it would have ensured she took to the throne solely under the Targaryen name. Those who hate the idea of a woman on the throne would have been satisfied as you would have been her husband and “would have ruled through her” even though I know Rhaenys would never have allowed it.

As it is, the smartest thing you have done in many years was marrying your precious daughter off to Lord Cregan Stark as the Gods have truly blessed their union. The Targaryen dynasty will end with you as the ruling house will become House Stark as that is the custom of the land where a woman takes upon herself the name of her husband at marriage and dearest Rhaenyra loves Rickon and Cregan far more than she loves you. You failed her as a father and as a king very badly.

As for some of your other recent decisions, naming Rhaenys as Princess Paramount of the Crownlands was a smart move as was naming Daemon Prince Paramount of the Stepstones. Rhaenys truly is the Queen who never was and is the Queen who should have been while Daemon has only ever wanted to be with you and to protect you. However, you shunned the council of your wise elder cousin and never truly valued your brother. You have failed the Realm and our family and will live with that to the end of your days.”

With that said, Jaehaerys faded away and left Viserys in darkness until he woke up.

Soon after, healers informed the King that he should minimize how much he had to drink over the next few days while taking in hearty foods to help him regain his strength before they summoned servants to help him wash and dress for the feast that night even while he was encouraged to eat some bread, smoked meat and have some bone broth.