Chapter 8: The Princess and the Queen

Fifth Moon, 87 AC

Alysanne

"Construction of the fort on Bloodstone was completed three months ago. In the time since, our fleet has cleared through several pirate dens on the Stepstones but the moment we leave an island, the pirates always come slinking right back in," Ser Aurane, the youngest of the Velaryon brothers reported.

"What of the locals?" her husband asked. She had always loved how he looked when he was trying to be serious and focused.

"There aren't that many of them. Some villages of fisherfolk here and there. Most of them are likely the families or allies of the pirates. We receive little to no aid from them and we suspect the pirates are blending in with the local populace."

Lord Quentyn Qoherys spoke then. "Give me some time Your Grace. I can have my men rooting out the pirates."

"I highly doubt that Lord Qoherys. The pirates have a mutually beneficial relationship with the villagers and many of them are close-knit family groups, villagers and pirates alike. External spies will find a very hard time trying to get any information," Lord Corlys pointed out, his brows furrowed in thought. "Unless we wish to be barbaric and cleanse the isles of the peoples living there outright, I can't think of many ways we can deal with this problem so long as we restrict ourselves to only controlling Bloodstone."

"Then we don't. The simplest solution to me seems to be to take full control of the region. We already have a fort on Bloodstone, if we allow Lord Corlys's fleet to continue its work, we can begin establishing a presence on each island," her eldest son Aemon proposed.

Alysanne raised her eyebrow. "An annexation of the Stepstones? Tyrosh would have much to say about that I think."

"Tyrosh… may soon have bigger things to worry about. As you might recall Your Grace, my brother and I were invited behind the Black Walls years ago by our Paenymion associates. Recently those associates informed me that their family ran for the annual elections for the Triarch seats as one of the three Elephant candidates. For the first time since the Century of Blood, the Triarch seats fell to the Tigers who attained a majority with two Triarchs," Lord Corlys said.

"According to our associates, the rising tensions in the Disputed Lands are the likely cause of this new turn of events. Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh have seemingly put aside their enmity to ally against Volantis yet even in a three on one fight, Volantis near conquered all the Free Cities by herself. It will not be a short war. We have never had a better window of opportunity."

Eyes turned to the king then, to Jaehaerys. He looked at Aemon and Baelon, at Lord Corlys and Ser Aurane, and then he looked at her, his purple eyes flickering onto her blue. Alysanne gently nodded her head. Their son had raised the idea, and he was no glory-seeking fool. There were many benefits and disadvantages in seizing the Stepstones but right now, undermining their heir was not wise.

Their subtle, wordless conversation went unnoticed by the room, having been but a few seconds. Jaehaerys turned back to the council and asked, "When is it expected that this war would break out?"

"Within the year most likely. I have heard rumors of it myself," Lord Quentyn replied.

"Lord Corlys, have the fleet redouble its efforts to clear out the pirates. However, an expansion from Bloodstone can only begin in full once the Three Daughters go to war with the Eldest," Jaehaerys ordered.

"Understood Your Grace." Corlys nodded his head in a half-bow, accepting the order, but Alysanne could see he was very pleased. With the Velaryon fleet controlling the Stepstones, who else could be its lord once they formally annexed it? She shared a glance with Jaehaerys. They both knew they would have to accelerate their plans. Ser Aurane begged his leave and was dismissed and soon after the meeting continued onto other matters.

"In other news, work has continued well on the roads. The Gold Road and Roseroad as far as Deep Den and Bitterbridge have been paved in concrete and stone, which is impressively fast considering it has been only five months since we started paving the roads beyond the Crownlands. The efforts of Houses Tyrell, Velaryon, Lannister, and others must be noted for contributing their resources, ideas, funds, and men to speeding up the project. The Iron Throne will officially thank all of you and give you your promised reimbursements. If work continues at this pace, it is quite likely we could have all the major highways of the kingdoms fully paved within the next two decades and from there who knows how many roads we can work on in each kingdom, expanding on the roads built under the pre-Conquest rulers," Barth reported.

"Yes. There has already been an increase in trade along the Roseroad. Under the old Gardener kings, there were already older roads of lesser quality. A cart driver could have an easy journey from Oldtown all the way to King's Landing and then north to Harroway. Even when the roads aren't paved, they are still well-trodden and smooth, for dirt roads at least," Lady Florence reported.

"The Westerlanders have also been particularly eager to contribute to the project. The hilly and mountainous Westerlands make for hard traveling and the lords have lots of gold to spend. The latest estimates suggest the Westerlands may soon complete the Gold Road by year's end and begin work on paving the Ocean and River Roads, as well as upgrading some of their own older roads between their holdfasts," she continued. The unofficial Mistress of Coin checked her notes as she concluded her reports.

Other members began submitting their reports and proposals for the continuation of the paving projects, but Alysanne paid little attention to them, her thoughts far away, remembering how she had met Florence all those years ago. She had not been… in the best of places at the time. Deprived of her will to live after the death of her daughter Daenerys, it had been Florence who had coaxed her out of her shell once again, proving to be a life-long and capable friend, and just as her husband had hoped, she had eventually begun attending the Small Council meetings again due to her influence.

 "Your Grace, you and Septon Barth asked to hear my proposal on the coinage?" Florence asked once the discussion on the roads had concluded. Alysanne's attention was drawn again recalling her and Florence's own conversations on the matter.

"Yes my lady. The queen has told me much of your idea, I and all the council would like to hear it," her husband answered.

"Very well. The currency and its conversion rates are currently very hard to calculate and convert with. I looked to other currencies and coinages for inspiration as well as the market prices of the precious metals used in the coins and have found, I believe, the best possible system for all these factors," Florence said, before presenting her proposal.

According to Florence's proposal, the silver stag would be slightly devalued so that roughly 240 stags would be equal to a gold dragon. 240 being chosen for being a more highly composite number then the previous 210 which had been chosen for religious reasons related to the number seven. New stags would be minted with the correct amounts of silver and the old coins could be traded in for them once they became commonly used. The silver moon would be reminted and reissued with newly weighed amounts of silver to be worth 12 of the new stags (instead of the previous seven) and with 20 moons to a gold dragon. The silver stag would be decimalized, with a hundred pennies to a stag with these new pennies having slightly less the value of the old, now defunct, halfpennies. A groat would be worth ten of these new pennies, a halfgroat worth five. As for the copper star, Lady Florence had remarked. 'It should be worth 49 pennies, for seven times seven, but we need to make it a bit easier for people to use them. I'm sure the Seven would understand.' Eventually, the council had concluded the extra penny could symbolically represent the holder of the money, charged by the Seven to use it wisely.

All the new denominations of the coins would have conversion rates for the older versions of the coins which could be traded in, melted, and reminted for the new coins. She could tell Jaehaerys and Barth were quite pleased by the new system, though Lord Corlys looked a bit put out. According to Florence, he had wanted a decimalization of the dragon as well. Given the Driftmark metric system, it wasn't that surprising Lord Corlys had wanted a completely decimalized dragon as well, but that was difficult to achieve given the coins did not have fixed values or conversion rates like what Braavos had achieved with its iron coins.

Soon the discussion turned to a topic Alysanne would rather avoid. "Princess Viserra's nameday passed about a month ago. The princess is now eighteen, and many wonder why there is yet to be even a betrothal for her," Barth said.

Well, this is awkward. Alysanne thought, sharing a glance with her husband. They already had someone in mind for Viserra, and discussing it in front of him and the whole council before the topic had even been raised with the man himself was not proper.

"Viserra's marriage, while important, is not so nearly as urgent. It needs to be discussed soon, but if need be, can be left for a later meeting," Alysanne said as she saw her husband lean into Barth's ear to whisper their reason for dropping the subject.

Distracting the other council members, especially the ever observant Corlys Velaryon, Alysanne changed the topic to one that was similar but would interest all of them more. "Rhaenys's betrothal on the other hand, is far more important. The girl is soon to be four and ten. As the second in line to the Iron Throne, who she marries is of vital importance to the stability of the realm."

She ignored Aemon's anger that Rhaenys's marriage had been brought up, his overprotectiveness of her was too much at times honestly. She focused instead on the rest of the council, Barth's frown and Jaehaerys's thoughtfulness standing out the most. Suggestions were tossed around, lords like Frey, Caswell, Hightower, Reyne, or Royce, from all over the kingdom. Lord Qoherys even suggested the possibility of Prince Morion Martell, the reigning Prince of Dorne, for the possibility of bringing Dorne into the realm at last. The idea had been shut down almost immediately however. There was too much bad blood there, and Alysanne knew her brother Boremund would be especially infuriated by the idea of his niece marrying a Martell Prince.

Grand Maester Elysar's proposal however would gain the most traction among the council members. "What of Ser Tion Lannister? The younger brother of Ser Tymond. He is not the heir and with his brother wed and expected to have children soon, any children he has with Princess Rhaenys could easily take the Targaryen name instead. It would give the Princess the solid backing of the Lannisters and the gold of the Rock," he said.

'And also tie Rhaenys to the burgeoning western alliance,' Alysanne thought with a frown. The Velaryons' rise had not gone without notice and quite a few of the rich western houses were forming a bloc to counter their influence. The Lannisters had begun trading more extensively with Oldtown and working on joint ventures with them and there were rumors that her daughter's handmaid, Lady Rylla Redwyne, might soon be married to Lord Hobert Hightower, uniting three powerful houses at the heart of a growing alliance on the western coast.

A marriage to the future queen would dangerously empower them, and Alysanne had had little trust for Oldtown since the Faith Militant had rebelled and almost killed her and her family. House Lannister as well, she trusted them about as far as she could throw them. Even when her sister Rhaena had stayed in the West, they had looked upon Dreamfyre with greed in their eyes and sought to have dragons of their own. Sometimes she wished her grandfather had eliminated the Lannisters alongside the Gardeners, it would have saved them the trouble of dealing with this overly mighty vassal of theirs. Daella marrying into their house could have tied them to the Iron Throne with little risk but Rhaenys? The future queen in Lannister hands was a troublesome prospect indeed.

"House Lannister is loyal and leal, but they may overreach should they feel empowered with such a match," her son rejected, taking a great interest in his daughter's marriage. Alysanne knew what he would prefer, a house powerful enough to support her claim, but not powerful enough to overreach and become overly mighty.

"What about Prince Viserys?" Lord Corlys asked suddenly. All eyes turned to him. "He is but nine years old at present yes, but betrothals are just that. He is not far apart in age from the princess and they could wed when he comes near of age. From what I recall, they are close and filial as all cousins should be. A marriage between them would not be disastrous, and has many benefits. It would consolidate their claims and unite Prince Aemon and Prince Baelon's lines, removing any disputes in succession and any concern that the princess's future reign might be challenged by her cousin or his descendants."

For once Aemon and Baelon looked to be in disagreement, the former perhaps fearing that Viserys would usurp Rhaenys's power and overstep his bounds as consort while the latter looked thrilled at the idea of uniting his line with his brother's and having their shared grandson sit their father's throne.

Alysanne herself thought the match made perfect sense, and had indeed thought of it before. Aemon might fear Viserys might usurp Rhaenys's power, but Alysanne knew her grandchildren. Rhaenys was too strong to be browbeaten and Viserys too non-confrontational to challenge her on the matter. It was not that Viserys was weak, far from it, but he did not seek out arguments or disputes for no reason, and was all things considered, a very polite and well-mannered boy, quite unlike his rascal of a little brother who had lured her daughter Gael on so many mischievous misdeeds around the Red Keep.

Viserys was the perfect kind of consort in Alysanne's eyes. Strong enough to support his wife, but not ambitious or power-hungry to challenge her in matters of state. That he was also a Targaryen and the eldest son of her second son simply made it better, consolidating the claims into a single line and rewarding Baelon for his long dutiful service. Alysanne had no doubt that Aemon and Baelon would not betray each other, but then, her own father would never have thought his brother would betray him and kill his sons and rape his daughter. Who knew what the future held should Rhaenys and Viserys marry into differing houses? There were many in Westeros who thought that a man should rule and not a woman, even if he was the child of the second son and not the eldest. Fools the whole lot of them.

Jaehaerys she knew, had long been concerned about the prospect of Rhaenys one day being queen in her own right, worrying that her succession would see them and their children posthumously named usurpers for passing over their niece Aerea to ascend the throne. It was a valid concern, though one that was honestly far-fetched in Alysanne's opinion. Aerea, the poor thing, was long dead, and Rhaena had abdicated on behalf of her daughter as her regent. Still the fact remained that primogeniture had not been obeyed and a precedent for male-only succession had been set.

As he gave the matter serious thought, Alysanne could see Jaehaerys coming to the same conclusion she had, assuaging all his own worries while still ensuring Rhaenys could sit the throne as queen with her succession unquestioned.

The problem now was Aemon, who was simmering in silent anger. Not many things could provoke her son's wrath in this way but his daughter Rhaenys. She would not enjoy dealing with him afterwards.

_____________________________________________

Viserra

Things were rather tense in the Red Keep. Viserra hadn't been able to get much, but apparently there had been a disagreement during the Small Council meeting that had escalated into a full argument between Aemon, Baelon, and her parents.

Some of the servants had been gossiping about it, but Viserra had shushed them before dismissing them. It would not do for the whole castle to know about a little family spat. Alyssa had taken the children (her sons and Rhaenys and Gael) out to the yard not wanting them to be around with tempers flaring. Viserra had declined to go along, hoping to finish reading the book that Corlys had gifted her for her nameday, one of many gifts she had received from the Velaryons.

She suppressed a smile thinking of how she had come to be gifted the book. Since their conversation on that balcony, Corlys and her had become friends of a sort. They did not exactly go out of their way to meet with each other, a single unmarried lord and a maiden like her meeting regularly would not be thought proper by anyone and would cause many to assume that Corlys was courting her, but whenever they encountered each other in the Red Keep (which was quite often) they would speak at length. Corlys had gotten so annoyed of her pestering for details on Driftmark that he had gifted her a book on it, freshly written and printed explicitly to answer her many questions on the island.

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Viserra gleefully thought of how many more questions still unanswered that she would torment Corlys with once she had finished the book. Still, the picture the book painted of Driftmark was wondrous. Whoever wrote it had a skill with words indeed. Viserra was already dreaming of the castle of High Tide when the water separated the cragged islet it stood upon from the rest of the island at high tide. It's silvered roofs and white walls looming gracefully over the great arches and domes that featured in the architecture of the Spicetown, a city in all but name.

There was so much to do and see on Driftmark, and it only made Viserra wish even more that she had been able to go and see it all. Alas, it hadn't been meant to be, but she swore that no matter what, she would visit the island and see the famed wonders of Spicetown and High Tide for herself one day. And why stop there? She may not be as adventurous as Corlys was, having sought out all there was to see in the Known World, but there was much to see in Westeros alone. A procession perhaps, like the ones her parents had used to go on?

Viserra's excitement dulled when she realized that her parents were unlikely to sponsor a procession for her. Their second-youngest child. A daughter. What use would a procession be for her? For Aemon or Baelon, there was much to be gained. But not for her. Her destiny in life was to simply be wed off to whatever lord her parents chose for her and live out the rest of her days at his castle, nothing more than a broodmare really. It was only a matter of time, her eighteenth nameday had passed already.

Trying to distract herself from those dark thoughts, she made to pour herself a cup of water from her jug and was bitterly disappointed when barely a drop poured out. Sighing, Viserra bookmarked her page and set the book on the table before leaving to refill her jug. There was no exquisite state of the art plumbing in the Red Keep like High Tide was rumored to possess (using some kind of science involving a water tower that was beyond her). Normally, she'd have a servant do it but she had just dismissed all of them and sent them out of the family rooms.

Seems like I'm doing it myself for once.

As she neared the door that led out into the rest of the castle, Ser Ryam called out to her. "Going somewhere Princess?" The Redwyne knight and his fellow Kingsguard, Ser Clement Crabb, were standing guard at the entrance to her family's exclusive wing of the Red Keep.

Viserra nodded in acknowledgement, showing the jug she was carrying. "Yes, I'm going to find one of the servants and have them refill this jug for me."

"Would you like one of us to accompany you?"

"That would be appreciated," Viserra answered firmly, speaking politely but with the authority of a princess.

Ser Ryam nodded to his sworn brother who stepped out and made to follow her before they heard a rapping on the door. Acting instinctively, Ser Clement darted forward to answer the door for her and opened it to reveal one of the guards, Viserra thought he looked familiar though she couldn't recall his name for the life of her. He was just one of many guards in the castle. Ser Clement clearly recognized him however, as he let him pass to speak to her.

"Princess Viserra," he bowed. "I was sent by the guards at the gatehouse to inform you and your family that Septa Maegelle and Archmaester Vaegon have arrived."

Maegelle and Vaegon were here? Viserra had heard nothing about this.

"I see. It will be good to see my brother and sister again. Do me a favor ser and have one of the servants refill this jug for me. I will inform my mother and father that my siblings have arrived," she said, handing the guard her water jug before she turned around. "Ser Clement, I trust you will escort them here safely?" she asked.

"Of course Princess," the Kingsguard knight nodded before walking off to fulfill his duties.

'What are Maegelle and Vaegon doing here?' she thought as she walked. Viserra hadn't seen either of them in almost a decade. She barely knew them, barely remembered them. Would they even recognize her as she was now? She struggled to dig up old memories of them. Maegelle, always busy praying and being oh so pious and Vaegon, looking down at her from the pages of a book. If she recalled correctly, Vaegon had insulted poor Daella very cruelly on one public occasion. Viserra had watched as Baelon and Alyssa tossed him around the training yard for it. Of Maegelle she recalled even less, she had been naught but a toddler when Maegelle had left for Oldtown, though she at least had returned on occasion to visit. Vaegon had never done so.

Still, she continued walking and as she neared her father's solar she could hear the shouts of the argument inside, overhearing a few words. 'Velaryon' and 'betrothal'? Unable to suppress her curiosity, Viserra pressed hear ears against the door and listened in on the conversation as much as she could, hearing her mother saying a betrothal would strengthen their house. What betrothal?

'It's for me,' Viserra realized. It only made sense. She was eighteen years old already, it was far past time. It seemed her parents had chosen Velaryon, and that could only mean Corlys. Well, she couldn't do much better than that to be honest, and she liked Corlys well enough. Soon enough her head was filled with fantasies of Driftmark and her as its lady. She had to admit, she liked the idea very much, imagining how she'd indulge her curiosity in all the new and exotic luxuries and inventions coming out from Driftmark, finally seeing the famed island for itself. Every day she'd be living in the legendarily splendid High Tide and visiting Spicetown and King's Landing at her pleasure.

Corlys honestly was simply in the background of all these dreams, but Viserra certainly did not mind being married to him of all people, recalling his charisma and handsomeness, and his kindness to her, seeing potential in her that her family did not believe she possessed. That he was at the very least a friendly acquaintance of hers and the rich, dashing, and charismatic lord of the island that had so intrigued her was simply the icing on the cake so to speak.

She was so distracted by her imagination that she almost failed to realize that the argument had died down and one of her family members was approaching the door. Hurriedly backing away, she knocked on the door and tried to look as unassuming as possible. She really did not want to know what punishment she'd get for eavesdropping.

Her brother Aemon opened the door and was surprised to see her. Behind him Viserra spotted Baelon and her parents as well, looking a little tired, same as Aemon.

"Yes Viserra?" Aemon asked politely, though she sensed his heart wasn't really in asking.

"The guards informed me that Maegelle and Vaegon have arrived. Ser Clement is seeing to them. They should be here any moment."

Her mother's face brightened at the news. "Excellent. Come my children, we must go greet your siblings."

"Mother, why wasn't I told earlier that they were coming?" Viserra asked, more than a little distraught, though she hid that from her mother. She knew all too well that her mother did not tell her much of anything, but surely she should be informed that her own siblings were returning to King's Landing?

"Ah forgive me, I had meant to inform you earlier but I was distracted," her mother apologized swiftly before she told Baelon to go fetch Alyssa and the children.

A while later, Ser Clement escorted Maegelle and Vaegon into the Red Keep's Royal Wing and Viserra took a deep breath as she looked upon her siblings for the first time in years. Vaegon was much as she remembered, dour, stern, and an utter bore. Maegelle was the same as well, still looking ever so kind, still so insufferably pious.

"Ah my children, come here," her mother ordered, enthusiastically embracing Maegelle and then hugging Vaegon who stood awkwardly like a plank as their mother lavished attention on him.

"Vaegon, Maegelle, it's good to see you both again," her father said as Aemon, Baelon and Alyssa stepped forward to greet their siblings. It seemed Vaegon still held a grudge because he rather noticeably kept Alyssa at a distance though he greeted Aemon and Baelon with some level of warmth.

By this point, Viserra had garnered Maegelle's attention and she came to stand in front of her. "Viserra. You've grown a lot."

"Maegelle. It is… good to see you. It's been a long time. Seven years if my count is correct."

"Since Daella's wedding yes. Time flies," she said before turning her attention to the children beside her. "And all of you have grown as well! My, the last time I saw you Rhaenys, you were busy toddling after Viserra. And Viserys, Gael, you were just babes in the arms of your mothers!"

"I don't think you've even met little Daemon have you?" Viserra asked, noticing her nephew looking quite put out to go unnoticed.

"No, Alyssa was pregnant at the wedding if I recall. You must all have so many stories to tell me and many things to ask, but we can save it for dinner tonight. I would like settle into my rooms first," Maegelle said as she was dragged away by their mother before Viserra had the opportunity to ask why she had come to King's Landing again after all these years.

"Viserra," Vaegon said as he approached her.

"Vaegon."

"You've grown well, little sister. Hopefully there's some brains to go with all that beauty. It would be quite unfortunate to have another idiot in the family," he said in his usual obnoxiously insufferable way

"Yes. You will find I am no insipid, stupid girl," she said bitingly, perhaps a little too fast.

"Any more you mean? Mother was at her wit's end trying to deal with you just a few years ago, Maegelle still has the letters," he said with a raised eyebrow and the slightest upturning of his lips.

A rare smile from Vaegon, and it had to be when he was mocking her. Of course it was. But Viserra could give as good as she got. "I see you have maintained your talent for insulting your sisters. Well done. Keep practicing and you'll make it an art form. Archmaester Vaegon, the master of impoliteness and rudeness. Sounds quite impressive don't you think?"

Vaegon's brows furrowed slightly in anger before he ignored her and was introduced by Aemon and Baelon to their children. With her part in the family reunion at an end, Viserra extricated herself and went to find the servants. She still hadn't gotten her water jug for goodness' sake.

_____________________________________________________

"Truly?" Viserra asked, slightly surprised. She had known it was coming, but she hadn't expected it to be nearly this fast.

Laena nodded in affirmation. She would be leaving court soon. Her betrothal had been finalized. She was to marry Ser Clement Celtigar, son and heir of Lord Bartimos, much to the disappointment of Ser Desmond.

Lord Quentyn had chosen an even greater match than House Darry. The wealthy and prestigious House Celtigar boasted Valyrian descent just like the Qoherys, as well as overlordship over Crackclaw Point, a respectable fleet, and ties of kinship, trade, and alliance with the Velaryons of Driftmark, the Graftons of Gulltown, the Peakes of Starpike, and Tarth.

Idly, Viserra thought to herself that it might be a strange twist of fortune. If she was indeed to marry Corlys, Laena would be her kin by marriage. Ser Clement was Corlys's first cousin, the latter's mother an elder sister of Lord Bartimos. The two families were close allies and Claw Isle was not at all far from Driftmark. There would be many opportunities to visit.

All in all, it was a match even Viserra had to admit was worthy of her best friend. She didn't really have a choice but to let her go when the time came so she opened her arms and beckoned her friend into her embrace. "I wish you all the best, in everything."

"And you as well, Viserra."

"What about the rest of you?" Viserra turned to ask her other ladies. Slowly the answers came one by one. Rylla was soon to be betrothed to Lord Hobert Hightower. Bethany, ironically, was to marry Laena's failed suitor, Ser Desmond Darry. Even Beatrice was getting married.

Beatrice Butterwell was a bit emptyheaded if Viserra was being brutally honest, but she was pretty enough to get a good match arranged for her. She was happy for her, really. They had been much closer once, before Laena, Rylla, and Bethany had supplanted her in her confidence.

And Beatrice was just one of her many other ladies. On and on it went, her ladies each revealing the man and house they were to be tied to for the rest of their lives. Betrothal after betrothal. Some had already been betrothed for years, but would soon be finally leaving her side to marry at long last.

It was to be expected, but it was only now dawning on Viserra just how quickly her life was changing before her eyes. Of all of them in the room, only Viserra and Rhaenys were yet to be betrothed and that would change very soon. Thinking she might share the news of her own betrothal and brag about it a little, Viserra asked them again what they all thought of Corlys Velaryon.

"Ugh. He's handsome enough I guess, but that's all he has going for him," Rylla said.

"That's your House's jealousy speaking Rylla," Bethany said patronizingly.

"Whatever you say Bethany." Rylla scoffed mockingly.

"He's a handsome man. Charming, rich, powerful. He would be every maiden's dream. From what I have heard, it is not just looks, he is genuinely quite good-natured and chivalrous. If I recall our dear Viserra has spoken with him at length a few times," Laena answered.

"Oh. Is that so?" Bethany leaned in.

Viserra had to will herself not to blush, much to her annoyance. She didn't even in Corlys's presence, why when her friends asked her about it?

"We have spoken on occasion. I might have also pestered him about his home to the point he gifted me a book on it with a note attached saying I could stop bothering him," Viserra confessed.

"And did you?" Laena asked conspiratorially.

"No," Viserra answered in a mischievous tone, making her ladies laugh.

"I agree with Laena. He's handsome for sure, but more than that I find myself impressed by everything he's accomplished. His achievements are honestly incredible," Rhaenys said, surprising Viserra.

Jocelyn had continued to make Rhaenys join them in their gatherings, and after the first time, where Viserra had been able to explain her sudden departure with some fabricated excuse, she had eased herself into the group somewhat. It wasn't that Rhaenys had taken part in the conversation that had surprised Viserra, but what she had said.

She hadn't realized that Rhaenys had held such an interest in Corlys. Viserra felt herself spacing out as she came to a disturbing realization that maybe the betrothal had never been for her in the first place.

It made sense. Her brother had been searching for a suitable betrothed for Rhaenys for years and from the court gossips, he and Corlys had become quite good friends, building on an already cordial and friendly relationship dating back to Aemon's ascension as Prince of Dragonstone. Aemon could feel more secure knowing that the rich and powerful House Velaryon would be backing Rhaenys' succession without question, and also without seeking to manipulate her for their own ends. And if Rhaenys herself held an interest in Corlys, Aemon, ever so overprotective and doting, would definitely take that into consideration.

Viserra felt like slapping herself. She had assumed too much. Once again it seemed that she, a grown woman, was to play second fiddle to her niece, a child barely in her teens. If Corlys was offered the choice between them, who would he pick, she wondered uselessly. The choice was obvious. She might be his friend or acquaintance, might be more beautiful, but Rhaenys would give him the Iron Throne, give him a dragon. How could she compare?

'Yet are you going to let everything that could be yours go to Rhaenys yet again without doing anything about it?' Viserra heard a dangerous, treacherous voice in her mind asking her.

She looked back at Rhaenys and her ladies, talking without a care in the world, not realizing the crisis she was going through and she made her decision.

No.