Chapter 9: The Conciliator

Fifth Moon, 87 AC

Jaehaerys Targaryen

"So it is confirmed then?" he asked.

"Not quite, but am I one of the leading candidates yes. Septa Laila nominated me as her replacement when she was still with us and the rest of the Most Devout will be convening soon to decide it. The raven should be coming any day now," his daughter answered.

"That is good news indeed. And the Citadel Vaegon? What news?"

"The Conclave is panicking to be honest. Driftmark's university, alone, was of little concern to them but now imitators have sprung up all across the continent. The printing press has made it easy. The other Archmaesters are very torn on their feelings for that invention. Less and less initiates are coming to the Citadel with each passing year and there are concerns we may soon have to relax the stringent oaths."

"And what do you think of all of this?"

"I'm rather irritated. I could care less that Driftmark has made some university or that they have mimics copying them across the continent but the Citadel has been nagging me to ask you to do something about it and they won't shut up."

"What would they think of the idea of potentially relocating to King's Landing?"

Vaegon raised his eyebrow. "If you offer them your patronage Father, and the possibility of regaining their diminishing influence in exchange, it might be possible."

"You would be willing to support this proposal?" Alysanne leaned forward in her seat.

Their son sighed. "If you ask it of me, yes. Though I would prefer not to have too much work to do so I can focus on my research."

"And your thoughts on the succession?" Jaehaerys asked, wanting another opinion on the matter. They had already filled in Maegelle hoping that she could reason with Aemon.

"I think that Aemon is being unreasonable," Vaegon answered bluntly. "A match with Viserys is the best for Rhaenys, it would prevent any disputes over who is the heir. It has happened many times historically as well, in the kingdoms before the Conquest."

Jaehaerys nodded. "Very well. Thank you, Maegelle, Vaegon. We should be able to secure the funds needed to raise the new sept and citadel here sometime soon. Your mother has more of the details than I."

"Come, your father has a meeting with Lord Velaryon soon. We should leave him alone," Alysanne said as she led their children out of the room, leaving him alone to his thoughts.

The clock in the corner, one of many he had ordered from Driftmark for the Red Keep, slowly ticked away to reach eleven in the morning. At ten to eleven, he heard a rap on the door.

"Come in," he called out.

Corlys Velaryon stepped into the room, and part of Jaehaerys was taken back forty years to the memory of another man, another Velaryon. In his mind's eye, his uncle's form stalked into the room and Jaehaerys felt like a young man of six and ten again, hearing the counsel of his first true Hand.

Lord Velaryon raised his eyebrow, looking at the board on the table and the black onyx and white marble pieces. "Chess Your Grace?"

The illusion was dispelled and Jaehaerys was shaken back to the present. The man that stood before him was not his uncle, no matter how alike they looked.

"Yes. We have much to discuss Lord Corlys, but I had thought it might be interesting to have a game of chess as we talked."

Lord Corlys smiled slightly, before taking his seat at the table opposite Jaehaerys.

"You may have the first move, my lord," Jaehaerys said, pointing to the white pieces in front of Corlys.

"Thank you Your Grace," he said as he moved his right knight out into the center lane.

It was one of only two ways to start a chess game. Either a white pawn or a white knight moved first, and Corlys had chosen the knight.

"An interesting move Lord Corlys. I do believe I heard it said once that to control the center was to control the game." Jaehaerys moved his own black knight into position.

"You heard correctly Your Grace. Control of the center allows one to move their pieces easily into position, and threatens the opponent's king, who stands on a center lane," the Velaryon answered as the game continued. "However, one who understands the game can exploit his opponent's single-minded focus on the center to take the advantage," he said a few moves later when his septon emerged and took Jaehaerys's knight.

Jaehaerys found himself markedly impressed. It was not often that he had a challenge. Many who played chess against him either did not have the ability or courage to beat their king in a game. Lord Corlys may soon join the list of the few who could.

As their game continued into the later stage, Jaehaerys reminisced on how he had started playing chess in the first place. The game had become very popular amongst the nobility of Westeros some twenty years ago, and was played even by many in Essos, where the rules and pieces were changed slightly to reflect the differences in Essosi society. Come to think of it, where had the game originated? If he recalled correctly, it had been from merchants and knights of Driftmark teaching the game to their fellows from across the kingdom.

Feeling curious, Jaehaerys decided to ask. "My lord Velaryon, if I do recall correctly, chess spread from Driftmark many years ago, though by this point, many have forgotten whence the game came from. I find myself curious though if you have any idea who conceived the game?"

Lord Corlys looked hesitant for a brief moment before smiling and answering. "I did, Your Grace."

Jaehaerys was taken aback briefly, Corlys couldn't have been very old at the time and chess seemed far too complex to him to have been developed solely by a child. "That… that is very impressive indeed my lord. You could not have been more than twelve!"

"Nine actually Your Grace. But it was no grand feat like you suggest. It was simply a game I idly conceived of in my free time and played with my grandfather. I conceived of the basic rules and movements of each piece of course, but the levels of complexity and strategy involved, they all slowly developed later over time without my input."

"Still, it is a testament to your wit, my lord. I am most impressed. It is far too often that many of the high lords think they need be good only with a sword or spear and not with their mind as well."

"The mind of a child I have found, is a wondrous thing. My own nephew and niece are just as intelligent as I was at that age, if not as knowledgeable perhaps. Sadly, many let their minds dull as they age. Books are the whetstone with which to sharpen our minds after all and they are unfortunately not as read as they should be."

Jaehaerys nodded his head in agreement, thinking of the creative mischief his children had gotten up to when they were younger, the mischief his youngest Gael and his grandson Daemon still infuriated Alyssa and Alysanne with.

"You said your grandfather helped you with the game?"

Corlys nodded. "That is correct. While he did propose some rules and changes, the stubborn child that I was turned down most of them, insistent on having my game played the way I wanted it to be. Still, my uncle did help me greatly to explain why some rules for the game were the way they were. By the traditional rules for example, pawns cannot eat a piece directly in front of them, and with my grandfather's help this was explained as a means to make the game more strategic and prevent the pawns from clearing the front lanes of each other too fast and not as the whims of a nine-year old boy."

"So you have an explanation then? For why all the pieces move the way they can and cannot?" Jaehaerys asked.

"Indeed. I could tell anyone who asks that the pawns can only move a square a move to represent how they are the weakest servants of any leader, hence their name. Of how knights are incredibly mobile just as they would be on the battlefield, of how septons can cut deep into enemy lines by being able to move diagonally in a parallel of how religion is often used as a weapon. Of how the rooks move stalwartly on straight paths, bringing to mind the image of formidability, just like the castles they resemble," Corlys explained.

"I must confess. I have always wondered, why is it that the king piece so weak? Why is the queen so much more powerful than him? How can a simple pawn be made the most powerful of pieces?" Jaehaerys asked. He had never seriously considered the questions in truth, for they had just been idle musings on a simple game. Yet he wasn't one to pass up the opportunity of addressing his questions to the creator of the game himself. To his surprise, Lord Velaryon started chuckling.

"Forgive me Your Grace. Those are perhaps the most common questions I have heard asked. Indeed, they were the very first my grandfather addressed to me once I had explained the rules. It is hard to comprehend to many, raised as they are in the rigid hierarchy of our society but I believe I can explain it well enough.

"The king's strength lies less in his personal skill at arms but more in his ability to command others. You for example Your Grace, are noted to be a fine warrior, yet would you consider your martial ability above those of your Kingsguard? I would think not considering the legend of the Kingsguard. They are not given such a high accolade for being lesser with the sword than their liege but rather because they are greater.

"A wise king knows the areas in which he is lacking, and delegates to those with greater skill and talent then him. He listens to his counselors and heeds their advice but does not let them rule him. If I may be frank Your Grace, you are one of the finest examples of this ideal," Corlys complimented him before continuing.

"In keeping with this notion, the king in chess is the single most important piece but he is also limited in how he can move for he is meant to command and lead, not necessarily to fight himself, though he can if he must or wishes. The true power of a king is their charisma, the ability to inspire others to do great things in their name."

Jaehaerys found himself intrigued by Corlys's explanation but also perturbed, the idea that the king did not have power alone but must rely on others was unsettling to him. Yet, his reasoning was logical and Jaehaerys would not lie and say he would not feel less sure in his actions if done without the support of his counselors.

"And my other questions? What of the queen and the pawn? Does not what applies to the king similarly apply to the queen?"

"In some ways perhaps, in others not. A queen regnant performs the role of a king for she is the ruler in her own right but a consort? A consort is different. At a first glance they seem insignificant for they have only the power that their spouse deigns to give them but in practice they wield immense power, or at least, they should under normal circumstances.

"The king's consort is and should be his most powerful ally, the most important person to him. After all the queen shares the king's ear, the king's bed. She is the mother of his children, one of, if not the primary influence on his heir. The queen commands the court in ways the king cannot, forming relations with other ladies who in turn influence their husbands. If the king cannot trust his queen, who can he trust? History has proven that men who had strained relations with their wives often failed as rulers and failed to raise their heirs correctly.

"However, queens need not represent consorts only. They represent any powerful ally that a king would be loath to give up, be it his most trusted warrior, or his heir, or his most skilled general. Someone who brings the most to his cause, someone who he values as much as his actual wife. But, like all pieces in chess save the king, the queen is ultimately expendable," Lord Corlys said as he moved his septon piece into position, springing the trap he had laid a few moves earlier.

Jaehaerys looked down at the board carefully. His queen was pinned between his opponent's septon and knight and should he not move her out of the way, she would likely be captured in the next turn and his king would be at risk. At the same time however, he had a pawn on the seventh square and the loss of the queen, while a setback, would not be devastating given the newly promoted queen replacing her would be in the position to immediately check Corlys's king. Jaehaerys hastily moved his queen to a safer position, anticipating that his opponent had no doubt seen his pawn on the brink of being promoted and would not press the attack in favor of removing the threat to his king.

"There are some who sacrifice their queen for strategic gain, willing to losing a valuable piece if they can gain an advantage in the game," Corlys said as he moved his knight yet again, once more presenting the choice of piece before Jaehaerys and it was clear now that Lord Corlys had no pieces in place with which to immediately counteract Jaehaerys's new queen, should he choose to sacrifice the old and promote the new.

He looked to see Lord Velaryon watching him intently to see what move he would choose. It was clear that he was talking about the game, it should have been at least. Yet with how recently Lord Corlys had spoken of what the queen represented in reality, Jaehaerys wondered…

Making his decision, he moved his pawn forward one more square and promoted it. A queen on his enemy's squares. A dagger pointed at the heart of his king. "Check," Jaehaerys declared.

"And there we have it. Promoting a pawn. A reminder that men can rise to power from the unlikeliest of places. The lowliest of servants can become the highest of powers, if they overcome the obstacles in their path. If fortune favors them like it favors the pawn which makes it all the way to the eighth square. A mere pawn can become a queen, just as a bastard can become the Lord of Storm's End or a commoner septon be made Hand of the King," Corlys said as he moved his rook back to protect his king from Jaehaerys's new queen.

Jaehaerys moved his new queen to start cleaning up the lanes of Corlys's pieces but as he did so, Corlys's own queen and other pieces continued pinning his king. The game continued on for several more moves until a stalemate became inevitable.

"A fine game. I should have expected no less from the creator of the game," Jaehaerys praised.

"You give me too much credit perhaps Your Grace. Simply creating the game would not have made me this skilled at it. Practice and play was needed in great amounts to refine my skills and you, Your Grace, are among the finest I have had the pleasure of playing against. Another game?"

"Yes," Jaehaerys nodded. "I hope that we do not end in a draw again. Two kings running around the board by themselves appears rather strange."

"It is indeed." Corlys laughed. "You should have the first move this time Your Grace," he said as he placed his captured white pieces on Jaehaerys's side of the board.

As their second game began with Jaehaerys moving his center-left pawn forward, he turned the conversation toward his true purpose for summoning Lord Corlys to speak with him.

"If you would indulge my curiosity my lord, I find myself wondering. Who are you considering as your queen?"

Corlys raised his eyebrows. "I beg your pardon Your Grace?"

"Your wife. You talked at length about how a king's consort should be his most trusted ally and advisor. I wondered if you had a lady in mind for your 'queen'. You must admit that it is the talk of the court that you are still unmarried at thirty and four. I am certain that a man of your reputation has many offers," Jaehaerys elaborated.

"There are so many I fear my office might soon be overflowing in them Your Grace!" Lord Corlys japed and they shared a laugh before the mirth died down and his tone turned more serious once more. "I held back against marrying younger because I felt that my wanderlust and need for adventure would have made any marriage doomed to fail. I could not force any woman into that sad loveless marriage, nor leave them to raise my children and heirs alone as I spent years at sea on my voyages. It would be exceedingly irresponsible and detrimental to my plans to properly educate my heirs."

"But things have changed now surely? Is it not time to settle down?" Jaehaerys asked with a frown.

"The sea's call is difficult to resist at times," he replied with a wistful air in his voice, "but I have sworn already that I shan't indulge in another adventure until I have a son grown with children of his own. Yet at the same time, I have heirs to spare, two grown brothers, a nephew, and cousins aplenty. House Velaryon would not lack for capable lords should I suddenly drop dead on the morrow of some flu. There is not an urgency to marry before I find one I believe would be right.

"I have always known that I would not marry for love, but with my ideals, my philosophy on the role the queen plays, I hope to find a wife that I can trust, not just with my secrets, but with power and responsibilities. A woman of intellect and wit. A partner. A friend. A relationship perhaps not unlike that which you have with Her Grace, Queen Alysanne."

Jaehaerys's own voice turned wistful, remembering of how the odds had seemed stacked against his and Alysanne's marriage and how by their perseverance, things had turned out well in the end. "It might seem inappropriate but I do not think you have chosen a wrong model to aspire for in your marriage my lord."

"Thank you Your Grace."

"What do you think of my daughter Viserra then? Would you consider her a woman who fits your desires?" he asked plainly. "Many at court have noted your cordiality, some might dare even to call it friendship." Is it more than just friendship that sees my daughter seek you out?

"Princess Viserra is a woman of many qualities and intelligence from what I have gathered in our conversations. She would be a tribute to any house she married into.

"I would be honored to call her a friend, though I cannot claim to know if she would reciprocate. I can promise Your Grace, that nothing untoward has occurred between us. It is but a casual passing relationship, a cordial one developed from mutual interests. The Princess has asked many questions of my home and I have been delighted to answer her."

Jaehaerys knew that of course, there was little that went down in the Red Keep that he was not informed of. Paranoid of another incident like what had happened with Saera, he had tasked some of the guards with watching all of Viserra's interactions with the Lord of Tides whenever they did meet once their relationship had been made known to him. He had been relieved to find out that there truly was nothing improper going on, and all of their conversations were well within the boundaries of what was appropriate.

When that had been settled, his relief had soon turned into a calculating opportunism. If Viserra was mindful of her sister's err and was simply befriending the Velaryon lord out of her curiosity on Driftmark, it boded well for her betrothal and eventual marriage to him with that background. Alysanne had been nagging him to approach Lord Corlys on the matter for quite some time and Jaehaerys had finally acquiesced.

"She would be a tribute to House Velaryon then?" Jaehaerys asked. Corlys's eyes narrowed but Jaehaerys could see the anticipation he expected in his eyes, the anticipation all men would have when implicitly offered a princess for a bride.

"Yes, I do believe she would be, and I would be honored to have her as wife, should that be Your Grace's decision."

"It is."

"Words cannot truly express how grateful and honored I am to be trusted with your daughter Your Grace. I graciously accept."

Jaehaerys smiled. "Excellent. We can work out the finer details of the betrothal contract at a later date but I do believe a dowry of some hundred thousand gold dragons would not be amiss, considering my daughter's status as Princess of the Realm. This is subject to negotiation of course, but that is the general area of what I would offer."

"Your Grace, might I suggest… an alternative dowry? I have no true need for gold, as House Velaryon has gold aplenty from my voyages and the trade routes established by them. But the expansion of Spicetown has been limited by the town charter that was granted fifteen years ago. I would ask that a new charter be granted for Spicetown, recognizing it as the city it has become in truth if not in name, and granting it all the trade rights and privileges that come with that charter. The finer details could of course be negotiated."

Jaehaerys was thoughtful, a part of him had suspected that the Velaryons might ask for a charter instead. He could insist on gold instead of course, his family had never allowed Duskendale a better charter to restrain King's Landing's competition after all, but his roads were not cheap, and ultimately some words on a piece of paper would do little to impede the Velaryons considering the wealth Spicetown had already. Unlike Duskendale, Spicetown was not dependent on a charter to succeed, it was already fabulously wealthy and prosperous, and sure to grow more, and Jaehaerys could leverage a charter to better relations and his house's position.

"That would be acceptable. I will ask the Maester to consider that when inking the contract. But I would insist that a percentage of the profits be entitled to Viserra and her children in perpetuity, I would not have them beggars for any reason. Should we meet again perhaps the day after tomorrow to draw up the draft of the contract?"

"That is acceptable to me Your Grace but might I request something before the negotiations?"

Jaehaerys nodded his consent.

"I would like for the Princess to be informed beforehand that we are negotiating for her hand… and also given a choice. I believe she finds me agreeable, but if for any reason she does not, I would not have her forced into a marriage she does not desire. It would not be good for any of the parties involved I think."

Jaehaerys was astounded but also impressed. "You are a rare kind of man indeed my lord. Very well. I agree to your request."

"Now onto the matter of the Stepstones; it is many years yet until the Iron Throne will officially annex the Stepstones and we still have yet to secure them all. When we do, we will need someone to rule them.

"The contributions of you and your house have not been forgotten. With your position as the Master of Ships and your house's trade routes and capable fleet, you would be apt for this position and you are soon to be kin in both blood and marriage. It is my hope that you will accept the governance of the islands when the time comes," he said.

Lord Corlys looked exceedingly pleased, perhaps even more so than when offered Viserra for bride. "You honor me greatly Your Grace. I will work hard to prove worthy of your trust."

"You already have my lord. It is my hope that the strong relationship between our houses will continue to be strengthened and maintained with your marriage to my daughter."

"A toast then Your Grace? To our two houses and their impending union?"

"An excellent idea! Let me pour us each a drink," Jaehaerys said as he got up from his seat to retrieve the bottle of liquor in his shelf, inspecting it briefly before pouring two glasses. He had been gifted this same bottle half a year ago when Lord Corlys had presented himself in court. It was fitting perhaps that it be opened now and drunk to celebrate Lord Corlys's betrothal to his daughter.

"To the union of our houses!" Jaehaerys toasted.

"To House Targaryen and House Velaryon. May they be forever close as kin and loyal to each other," Corlys said in turn.

Once they had drunk their glasses of wine, Jaehaerys sat back down with Lord Corlys to begin discussing the finer details of Corlys's future overlordship of the Stepstones and the terms of his betrothal to Viserra. While the negotiations for the latter could not officially begin until the first draft of the contract was made and the former years premature, Jaehaerys felt it could not hurt to at least begin discussing them now when they both had time. Perhaps over yet another game of chess? Their second round had ended in the middle of their conversation with yet another draw and he was feeling in the mood to challenge Lord Corlys to another and perhaps finally determine a victor.

Yet before any of that could truly happen, they both heard the knock on the door. I explicitly asked not to be disturbed. Irritated, Jaehaerys allowed the knocker in, deciding that the message would either be urgent or he would make whoever sent it wish it had been. He was surprised then to see the ever obedient Ser Ryam disobeying his order to stand guard outside the door entering the room.

"Ser Ryam. I believe your orders were to stand guard outside the solar," he said unimpressed.

The ser bowed. "Forgive me Your Grace. A messenger arrived with an urgent message and was incessant in their refusal to wait. Mindful of your orders, I elected to pass it on to you myself."

"Very well then. Give your message."

Ser Ryam glanced to Lord Corlys suspiciously and Jaehaerys suppressed a sigh. "Lord Corlys."

"As you wish Your Grace," the man said before graciously leaving the room.

Ser Ryam must have feared Lord Corlys would eavesdrop because he stepped close to him then and whispered into his ear. Jaehaerys's eyebrows raised in alarm at what he heard and he soon rushed out of the room. Seeing Lord Corlys patiently waiting, he spoke.

"Forgive me my lord, but an urgent matter has arisen. I believe that our meeting must end here today."

Lord Corlys nodded graciously before taking his leave. "It is no matter Your Grace."

As he walked, Jaehaerys shook his head in disbelief and anger. He had hoped that Viserra would not make the same mistake her sister did but somehow she had done something far, far worse.

______________________________________________________

As he sat on the Iron Throne, Jaehaerys brooded, his thoughts drifting to events years long gone. Events he had thought surely would not repeat themselves. First he remembered the time the rat his sister had taken into her bed had dared to steal three dragon eggs from them and sold them to the Braavosi Sealord. Jaehaerys recalled the Sealord had been wearing a smug smirk when he had confronted him as the cretin dared to threaten his family with assassination if they continued pressing the issue. To this day, Jaehaerys still remembered with satisfaction how he had wiped the smirk off the arrogant Sealord's face after reducing the House of Black and White to ashes.

The Braavosi may have forgotten, or liked to pretend otherwise, but Jaehaerys had learned the truth at the foot of a woman he had hated and respected in equal measure. Visenya Targaryen had taught him of how their ancestors had defeated the original Faceless Men in the Century of Blood, one of many reasons why Gaemon was called the 'Glorious'.

Those who had called themselves the Faceless Men since were simply pretenders, possessing nowhere near the skill and a mere sliver at best of the magic their forebears had had, but then, the Targaryens were no different in that regard. Victory had come at no small cost. The last member of their family to practice any magic had been Visenya, and her knowledge had died with her.

Still, magic wasn't what had made the Targaryens kings. Dragons were, and it had been with a dragon that Jaehaerys had brought Braavos to its knees. In the end, he had retrieved the eggs and made an example of any who had dared to steal from his house. Everything had turned out well ultimately.

The second time however had ended much less happily. His niece Aerea had run off with Balerion, causing a massive search as they had scoured Westeros and Essos for her. She had returned a year later, sick with a pestilence too horrible for him to even bear to think of again. That incident had directly led to the formation of the Dragonkeepers as an order, to guard and protect their dragons and make sure no one accessed them without his leave. It was supposed to never happen again, yet it had because of his oversight in not barring Viserra from the Pit.

'Maybe I should increase the number of Dragonkeepers,' Jaehaerys thought with a slight groan as Viserra was brought before him, flanked by Aemon and Baelon. He had been told that it had taken much convincing by her brothers for her to land, and nothing had convinced her to return her newly claimed dragon to the Pit. Dreamfyre was flying freely above the city for the first time since his sister Rhaena had died.

"What do I do with you Viserra?" he asked his errant daughter, his voice cold, full of anger and disappointment. She did not cower, her deep purple eyes stared back into his defiant and daring.