CHAPTER SEVEN.

DEBATE OF MARRIAGE

( 1.02 )

112 AC

IT had been months since Rhaenyra had been named heir to the Iron Throne. Since then, Visenya and Viserys' relationship had fallen into squalor. She was still beyond mad about Aemma's death even half a year later, however she was adjusting. Sometimes she'd forget and she'd go to tell her something, only to find her no longer there. When that happened, Visenya always felt a part of herself break off, joining with her mothers in the afterlife. 

Daemon had been disinherited and had taken off to Dragonstone and had been residing there for the past six months. With him, also a whore, apparently. It wasn't uncommon that Daemon would be with whores for some time, but over six months was a new record for him. Visenya missed him dearly and was planning to visit him sometime soon. 

Presently, she stood on a balcony looking down at the knights Ser Harrold had gathered to replace one of the fallen Kingsguard. Her face was a passive mask as she assessed each man. None looked good enough to be Rhaenyra's sworn guard. Unfortunately, Ser Harrold had been promoted and he was no longer her guard. 

She herself needed a new one, considering she had chased the last one off by losing his tailing and sneaking off to the dragon pit without his knowledge. 

Rhaenyra and Ser Harrold soon came and they stood watching the men together. Trailing after them was Otto. As Ser Harrold introduced one man the hall fell into silence. Otto whispered something to Rhaenyra before she spoke, "We thank you for your loyal service to The Crown, ser."

"But your services aren't needed. Next," Visenya spoke. 

Ser Harrold glanced at Rhaenyra as he moved a podium to the front. It had the sigil of each other the men's houses perched on top, "Ser Rymun Mallister. Son of Lord Lymond Mallister of Seaguard. Winner of the melee at Cider Hall. He was the last mounted of three-and-twenty knights. Ser Rymun was knighted at eight-and-ten."

"Do any of these knights have combat experience?" Rhaenyra asked, which was exactly what Visenya was thinking. 

"Beyond capturing poachers," Visenya added, a smirk curling at her lips as her lavender eyes addressed Ser Harrold. He nodded and moved another podium. 

"Ser Criston Cole," the man stepped forward and Visenya smiled to herself. This was the man that had beaten Daemon in the tourney, "Son of the steward of the Lord of Blackhaven."

"Be welcome, Ser Criston," Rhaenyra stated before she leant forward to rest her arms on the stone, "You saw combat in the Stormlands."

"Dornish marches, Princess. I fought for a year as a foot soldier against the Dornish incursions. Ser Arlan Dondarrion knighted me after we razed two of the watchtowers along the Boneway."

Rhaenyra nodded and righted herself, looking at Ser Harrold, "I choose Ser Criston Cole."

"Let's not be too hasty Princess," Otto stated, "There's no doubt Ser Criston is a fine warrior, but houses such as Crakehall and Mallister are important allies of The Crown. Seaguard, for instance, is the realm's prime defence against reavers from the Iron Islands."

"Those men are tourney knights. My father should be defended by a man who's known real combat. Should he not?" Rhaenyra argued. Visenya smiled. Since being named heir, she had schooled Rhaenyra on how to assert dominance as a queen should. Visenya would've made a nice queen but Rhaenyra would make a great one with her as Hand.

"If she wishes to have Ser Criston, Otto, then she shall," Visenya spoke up her eyes cutting to the man. 

"Of course, Princesses."

"Well, let us plan Ser Criston's investiture then," Rhaenyra said before leaving. 

Visenya turned back to the men and her lip curled in distaste, "Get me another set of men to assess. These ones are a waste of my time."

She herself then took her leave. 

At dinner that evening, Visenya kept her eyes on her plate. She was in no mood to look at her father but he had forced her to stop taking meals in her room and eat with him and Rhaenyra as a family. 

She took a large sip of wine as Rhaenyra spoke from her left, "We haven't spoken much since..."

"A regret of mine. We should be free to speak our minds to one another," Viserys replied. 

"You can say whatever you'd like. You are the King," Rhaenyra reminded him. Visenya had not put down her goblet and she wouldn't until this conversation was over. She had no desire to join it. 

Viserys chuckled before he looked at the table, "I loved your mother very much." 

This caused Visenya to scoff, "You killed her."

"Enya," Rhaenyra hissed before she looked at her father with a gentle smile, "As did we." Viserys nodded and looked as though he didn't know what to say next. The room dipped back into silence before Rhaenyra spoke once more, "Ser Harrold provided a fine field of tourney knights."

"Oh?"

"But in questioning them I discovered that Ser Criston was the only man among them with true battle experience."

"He'll make a fine knight of the Kingsguard."

Rhaenyra began, "Today at Small Council—"

"Pay it no mind," Viserys answered quickly. Visenya's eyes narrowed at him. 

Rhaenyra's voice wavered as she spoke, "I thought I might have had some insight."

"You're young. You will learn," Viserys stated with a sense of finality. Visenya frowned at her sister who looked slightly disappointed. 

The next day, Visenya watched out of the balcony to see her father having a walk with Lady Laena Velaryon. Her eyes narrowed. She knew her father was to be remarried but Laena was young, three years younger than Rhaenyra to be exact. For her to marry Viserys would be wrong on many levels. The Valyrians had no qualms about marrying within the family to keep the bloodline pure but for her father to marry Laena? She could not even fathom such an atrocity. 

Rhaenyra stopped by her side, "What are they doing?"

"No doubt discussing marriage," Visenya responded.

"To Laena?" 

"Yes." 

The two walked away from the balcony and toward the entrance to the Red Keep. Princess Rhaenys was sitting there also, most likely waiting for her daughter to come back from the walk. She spoke, "It bothers you does it not?"

"Our father is a king," Visenya stated. No matter how much she disliked her father at present, they still had to uphold the reputation of the family. So she would play the dutiful daughter for now, even though there were whispers that Viserys was playing favourites in his naming of an heir. 

"It is his duty to take a new wife and strengthen his line," added Rhaenyra.

"I did not ask for a lesson in politics," snapped Rhaenys, "I asked whether this bothers you."

"Laena is your daughter, Princess. Does it bother you?" Rhaenyra asked.

Rhaenys smiled, "Of course it does. But I understand the order of things. I'm not sure either of you do."

Visenya rolled her eyes, "If you mean to elicit some anger from us, you should know you are failing miserably, Aunt Rhaenys." 

Rhaenys smiled, "Quite the opposite. Whether it's to my daughter or to someone else's, your father will remarry sooner than late. His new wife will produce new heirs, and chances are one of those will be male. And when the boy comes of age and your father has passed the men of the realm will expect him to be heir, not you. Because that is the order of things." 

Visenya knew she was extremely bitter about being passed up twice for the role of heir and eventual queen. After her father died and after Visenya's own grandsire. It must hurt to know that the court didn't want you to be queen. 

Rhaenyra nodded, "When I am Queen, I will create a new order."

Rhaenys huffed, "How I wish that could be, Rhaenyra. But the men of the realm already had their opportunity to appoint a ruling queen at the Great Council and they denied it."

"They denied you," Visenya corrected. 

"The Queen Who Never Was," Rhaenyra continued, "But they bent the knee to me and they called me heir to the throne and swore that Visenya would be my Hand."

"Do you remind your father's men of that as you carry their cups?" Rhaenys asked a bitter smile crossing her face. She stood and looked out into the fields, "Here is the hard truth which no one else has the heart to tell you. Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne. And your father is no fool."

"Then the torch they shall receive," Visenya responded. Rhaenys gave her a smile. Rhaenyra frowned as she walked off, pondering the words that had been said, however, Visenya remained, "We never went for our walk."

"We can go now," Rhaenys responded, standing. The two walked down the steps in silence and entered the gardens, "What is on your mind Visenya?"

"You know what it is Aunt Rhaenys. My Father should not remarry. He should not stake a claim to the throne against Rhaenyra. You are right, no matter if the Lords of the realm have sworn her as their future Queen. They are men and men don't want a Queen on the throne," she spoke bitterly. 

"I apologise for being so harsh on Rhaenyra, but she is young and she needs to learn what the Court thinks," Rhaenys said. 

"Nothing will prepare her for the prejudice to come, no matter how much I tell her."

Rhaenys glanced at her as the Princess looked off to the seas, "Why did you pass up being Queen?"

Visenya replied coldly, "I do not want it."

"Don't lie."

Visenya thought back to her youth, only a few months after Aemma had lost another child, a girl this time. Rhaenyra was two and Viserys had been angered that Aemma had not yet produced him a son. 

Visenya entered her father's chambers, a question burning on her tongue. When she entered he was sitting at his model of Old Valyria. 

"Visenya, what can I do for you?" Viserys asked, glancing up from his hobby.

"I have a question for you father," Visenya replied nervously, wringing her hands in front of her. Viserys beckoned her over, patting his lap. Visenya smiled brightly, plopping herself down as she usually did when they spent time together. 

She wrapped her arms around her father's neck as he twirled a strand of her hair. 

"What do you have to question me with today?" Viserys asked. 

Visenya could smell the wine on his breath but thought nothing of it as she questioned, "Why do you seek a son? You have heirs. You have Daemon and me and Rhae. We are your heirs. Why do you not want us on the throne?"

Viserys sighed, "Daemon is young and irrational, he wouldn't make a good king."

"And what of I? I'd make a wonderful queen."

"I'm sure you would, my dear, but unfortunately you cannot be."

"Well... why?"

"Because you are a woman."

"So," Visenya screeched, "I would be perfectly capable of sitting the throne."

"That is not the way the world works."

Visenya huffed and rose from her father's lap, no longer seeking the comfort he usually brought, "That's not fair."

"Life is not fair."

Visenya thought for a moment, "But you're the King, can't you appoint whoever you want to be heir? So why can't you appoint me, then they'll have nothing to say about it."

"Visenya stop," Viserys said firmly, causing the young girl to pout, "You are a woman. You can never sit the throne because of it. Women are not meant for such gruelling decisions and you would crack under the pressure of the Realm's affairs."

"Women can do anything men can do," she muttered. 

"But you are not a man Visenya! You are not my son, as much as I wish you were. You are only a girl, a young and foolish girl, with ridiculous notions that are now getting on my nerves,"  Viserys snapped. 

"You wish I was a son?" Visenya asked quietly.

"Gods, yes. I hoped you were my son Visenya, but there you were a screaming girl," Viserys grumbled. He only seemed to realise what he had said when he heard her sniff softly. He rubbed his face, "Visenya..."

"I'm sorry for bothering you, Father," Visenya mumbled before hurrying out of the room.

"I don't want it if he doesn't want me to have it. He wishes I was a boy. He was disappointed when I was born, to go through all that trouble just for the babe to be a woman," Visenya scoffed, "How dare I."

"He was not disappointed," Rhaenys sighed as she stopped. 

"Do not lie, Aunt Rhaenys. And why shouldn't he be? Gods, sometimes I wished I was a man just so all this blunder would be done with. At least then I'd have one mother left."

Rhaenys frowned. She knew Visenya felt angry that Aemma had been sacrificed for the sake of a child that didn't live more than a day, "Do not say that. We are women and though the realm may not think so, we are just as powerful as men. Visenya and Rhaenys the first helped Aegon conquer the Seven Kingdoms. Daenys foretold the Doom of Valyria and was the reason the Targaryens came to Westeros. Queen Alysanne was just as powerful as Jahaerys and she was a fearsome dragon rider. You Visenya Targaryen will bring the realm to its knees one day. With Rhaenyra as Queen and you as her Hand, the realm will see just how powerful we can be."

"You would've made a good Queen. That was very inspirational," Visenya stated, a smile crossing her face. 

"I do try," Rhaenys chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple.

The whispers were that Daemon had stolen the egg that was to be in Baelon's cradle. It was quite an insult but Visenya found it rather funny. Everyone was panicked about it and her father was sending off a squadron including the Lord Hand Otto Hightower. 

Visenya wished she could witness the entire thing but she was sure her father would not permit it. However, once the whole thing was over and the egg was safe in the dragon pit, Visenya found out from her handmaiden that it was Rhaenyra that had actually retrieved it. Now she was annoyed that Rhaenyra had not come for her to go with her. 

However, she had better things to do than confront her sister on why she did not ask her to accompany her on the journey to Dragonstone. She slipped through the tunnel in her bedroom and moved toward the training yard, something she had done a million times. 

When she arrived, Harwin Strong was already there, hacking at a straw person. She leant against the doorway which she came, "What has that thing done to you?"

"Nothing, Princess, just need to let out some anger," he responded, brushing his long brown hair away from his face. 

"Good, let us let out anger together," Visenya responded, pulling her dagger from the sheath at her side. She had cajoled Ser Harwin into teaching her how to use it. She had gotten quite good in the last six months and some part of her thought Daemon might be proud. 

With a sudden flourish, Visenya lunged her dagger a silver blur aimed at Harwin's side. He parried with a swift counter, their blades clashing in a symphony of metal. 

"You've improved," Harwin grinned, circling her. 

Visenya turned the blade in her hand as a smirk crossed her face, "Only because you've been a patient teacher, my dear friend."

Their daggers clashed and separated in a dance of feints and strikes. They had found an easy rhythm between them when they sparred, a delicate balance between a challenge and support. 

Harwin seized an opening, attempting to disarm her but Visenya gracefully twisted away, kicking him in the back of the knee, sending him stumbling. 

"You seem to be too slow."

"That's cheating," Harwin pointed at her, though a smile crossed his face. 

"Cheating? Oh no, not me Ser. I'm simply using your weak spots to my advantage." 

Harwin chuckled, "You may be quick but I've still got a few surprises." 

He lunged for her quickly and Visenya had to shift to block his blow. He was still stronger than her of course, but they tried to level the playing field a bit. 

Visenya was placed on the defence trying to block the blades coming for her as Harwin struck with a flurry of attacks. 

Eventually, she'd left her side open. Harwin feinted right to expose her and placed his blade at her shoulder. Visenya sighed deeply. 

"What's wrong? You usually would've seen your mistake," Harwin stated. 

"My father is going to remarry. I fear he is going to take Lady Laena Velaryon to wife," Visenya responded as they started up once more, their swords clashing in a much more friendly manner. 

"Lady Laena is nice. And she's your cousin, you should be happy."

"She is a child. Younger than I and Rhaenyra. It would be... unethical. I do not wish that for her or Rhaenys," Visenya responded. 

"He is the King, he can take whoever he wants to wife," Harwin reminded her as he paused. 

"I just hope she is as old as he," Visneya chuckled. 

The next day, Visenya was called to the small council meeting with Rhaenyra and Alicent. She entered with the rest of the people and stood off to the side with Rhaenyra as Alicent stood by her father. Viserys was by the window and as the lords took their seats he turned, "Good Morrow, my Lords. I have decided to take a new wife."

Corlys Velaryon leant forward in his seat, he was clearly expecting it to be his daughter. Viserys glanced at his daughters and Rhaenyra nodded with a smile whilst Visenya simply stared back at him. 

"I intend to marry..." Viserys paused and took a look to Otto's side, where Alicent stood. He kept quiet and the two girls' heads snapped toward her. Visenya's eyes narrowed as Viserys continued, "The Lady Alicent Hightower before spring's end."

Corlys stood, "This is an absurdity. My house is Valyrian the greatest power in the realm."

"And I am your King," Viserys said with finality. Corlys glanced at Otto before he left. 

Viserys glanced at his daughters. Visenya didn't seem to have any emotion on her face but Rhaenyra was clearly betrayed, "Rhaenyra..."

The girl turned and swiftly exited. 

The room fell silent before a laugh broke through. The Lord's heads snapped toward Visenya, "Well isn't this just wonderful? Well played Otto, getting you little whore of a daughter to sneak her way into my father's heart. Because we all know this marriage is not for the purpose of power because you have none! Well played. Now if you'll excuse me I must help the maids spread the word to the smallfolk. They must all know we are to have a royal wedding on our hands. How exciting," her words were laced with sarcasm. 

As she took her leave Viserys sighed. He was sure that this would break them apart even more.