Chapter 57 - 56 - Viserys the Kind (2)
In Viserys’s room.
As soon as Viserys entered the room, Aemma was playing with Rhaenyra using wooden dragons, and the two were laughing and playing together.
"Dear," Aemma greeted her husband with a smile, but her smile soon faltered when she saw his worried expression.
"Play by yourself for a while, my little dragon; I have to talk to your father." Turning to Rhaenyra, Aemma spoke with a gentle smile. The little princess just nodded and collided the two wooden dragons.
Approaching her husband, Aemma asked in a worried tone, "What happened?"
Viserys hesitated but spoke about the conversation he had with Jaehaerys. After hearing everything, Aemma wore a complex expression.
"Aemma, I’m not as charismatic as Maekar, nor as strong as Rhaenys. Do I truly deserve to fight for this throne?" Viserys asked in a confused tone. Although he was determined to follow Jaehaerys’s plans, doubt dominated his mind.
Holding her husband’s face with both hands, Aemma spoke in a solemn tone. "Viserys Targaryen, you were chosen by the greatest king this continent has ever known. Have confidence in yourself, for you will be a wonderful king."
Holding Aemma’s hand, Viserys showed a gentle expression full of tenderness. He pressed his forehead against hers and gently kissed her lips. "You always know what to say to cheer me up."
"It’s because I know my husband very well," Aemma said with a smile, then her smile vanished.
"You must become king," she said in a solemn tone. "I will not feel safe with Maekar on the throne."
"He wouldn’t hurt you and Rhaenyra, Aemma," Viserys frowned and spoke with a tone of certainty. "He would never do that."
"Perhaps I would have agreed with you if it were before the duel, but you saw how he fought against Daemon," Aemma shook her head. "He was ready to be a killer, to kill his own brother."
"You don’t understand, Aemma," Viserys said in a complex tone. "Daemon hated Maekar’s mother for trying to replace ours—mine. Daemon’s hatred passed to Maekar, her son."
"You saw him; he would never touch a strand of hair on you or Rhaenyra." Viserys sat down and spoke in a sad tone.
"I don’t believe that, Viserys," Aemma shook her head. "A man who can kill his brother will not hesitate to kill for the throne. Promise me that you will become king and exile Maekar to Essos."
Had Maekar been present, he likely would have retracted the compliments he had given the woman; he never imagined his fight with Daemon would have turned Aemma against him.
Seeing his wife’s determined look, Viserys showed an even sadder smile. His family was completely ruined. Everyone wanted a different king or queen.
"Viserys, promise me," Aemma repeated, her voice more intense.
"I promise," Viserys replied in a complex tone.
"I will try to exile Maekar."
-
Riverlands – Harrenhal.
At that moment, in the sky, two roars were heard, and two dragons appeared. One crimson dragon and one red.
They were Caraxes and Meleys, ridden respectively by Daemon and Rhaenys.
In the castle stables, Dreamfyre opened her eyes and lifted her body from the ground. She let out a powerful roar and took flight, but soon landed on the castle walls.
Meleys was a good girl, so she remained silent before Dreamfyre’s roar of dominance, but Caraxes was a bad boy and roared back, asserting his dominance.
Dreamfyre didn’t like that at all, and with the dragon’s explosive temper, she bared her teeth, and her chest seemed to light up.
Just as the sky-blue dragon was about to take flight, she seemed to sense her rider’s intentions and snorted fire from her nostrils, as if dissatisfied at not being able to bite the neck of the ugly red bastard (Caraxes).
Dreamfyre’s retreat only reignited the dragon’s arrogance like never before. Caraxes let out a sharp, guttural sound.
Daemon, riding Caraxes, headed toward the south of the castle, and Rhaenys, riding Meleys, headed toward the north. That was where their respective supporters were located.
Daemon landed Caraxes near the tents bearing the House Targaryen crest. There were banners of some powerful houses, including Noble Houses such as House Strong, Bar Emmon, Celtigar, Massey, Rosby, Rykker, Stokeworth, and Sunglass.
Removing the glove from his left hand with his teeth, Daemon touched Caraxes’s long neck and leaned his head against the red scales. The dragon seemed to calm down and lay on the ground while keeping his gaze on his rider.
Showing a genuine smile, his first since the duel, Daemon became cold again and walked toward the entrance of the main tent.
As soon as he entered, he saw Lord Lyonel Strong; he looked worried.
"What happened?" Daemon asked in a calm tone.
"House Blackwood and House Darry have brought forty-four thousand soldiers," Lyonel said in a heavy tone. "That’s not counting the Tullys, the Brackens, the Freys, and House Mallister."
Daemon’s face changed drastically; he understood Lyonel’s concern. At that moment, there was a balance among the three factions.
However, in terms of dragon riders, Maekar had three!
Even if there was uncertainty about whether Alysanne could ride due to her age, that couldn’t be counted as an advantage, for the queen could force herself and risk her life to ride a dragon again.
"Have House Tyrell, Lannister, Stark, Greyjoy, and Tully arrived?" Daemon asked in a calm, cold tone.
"No, they are on their way. The first to arrive will be House Tyrell, but they are not supporting anyone yet," Lyonel said in an equally calm tone. He understood the prince’s intentions with such a question.
"Excellent; I will go speak with Matthos Tyrell," Daemon spoke in a confident tone.
"My prince, wouldn’t it be better to wait for Prince Viserys’s arrival?" Lyonel said in a hesitant tone; he looked at Daemon with caution. He was truly skeptical that Daemon could win the support of the Lord Paramount of the Mander.
If it were Viserys or Maekar, who had charisma, he wouldn’t have asked such a thing, but Daemon? It was possible House Tyrell would become an enemy of Prince Viserys. Daemon was not exactly a politician and spoke bluntly, which often offended the nobles.
Had it been before, Daemon would have spoken with sarcasm and mocked Lyonel, but after the duel, Daemon’s mind was calmer, more focused, and lucid. "Do not worry, Lord Lyonel; I will only speak with him. I will not threaten or coerce him."
Lyonel looked at Daemon as if he were seeing a ghost. He couldn’t believe he was seeing Daemon, the man who earned the title of Rogue Prince for being rebellious and untamable.
"I will await good news, my prince," Lyonel said with a smile, looking at Daemon with a gentler gaze. Lyonel realized that losing an arm might not be so bad for Daemon; the man had finally calmed down.
Had Daemon heard Lyonel’s thoughts, he might have thrown the lord to Caraxes for a surprise snack.
Daemon hadn’t become more cautious; he simply hid his anger and resentment and waited for the right moment to kill Maekar in a dragon duel in the sky.
On the other side, Rhaenys met Boremund and heard the news of the great army from House Blackwood and Darry.
"The boy is incredible; we cannot underestimate him," Boremund said in a solemn tone. Maekar already had three Dragonriders and now had a large army; one could say he was a true candidate for the Iron Throne.
"I never underestimated my cousin, uncle," Rhaenys said with a smile. "Not after I saw him completely destroy Daemon in that duel."
"Maekar the Killer..." Boremund murmured the name and smiled. "The boy is worthy of his title."
"Matthos Tyrell is arriving; everyone will want to win him over. We must create a good plan to win him over." Boremund changed the subject and spoke in a solemn tone.
Rhaenys nodded and sat beside her uncle with a smile.
"Let us fight for this throne, uncle," Rhaenys said with a calm, deep gaze.
Boremund nodded and began to lay out his plans.
-----
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House of The Dragon:The Rise of the Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms
Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos
Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.
Game Of Thrones: The King’s Court Wizard
