25

Chapter 25: Chapter 20: Knock Em DownNotes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"While this may not be the bride, I have something even better. A signed piece of paper saying that this is the bride!"

-Iron King Theon Drumm, the Surprisingly Successful, making his bannerman Rodrik Greyiron wed a statue in proxy of his daughter

105 AC, Small Council Chamber, Red Keep

"Wait, my King, please repeat yourself, I don't think I understood what you're trying to say." Hand of the King Otto Hightower half-pleadingly said, disbelief and confusion on his usually unexpressive face.

"Then I will repeat it." King Viserys calmly said. "On the morrow, I will decree that my daughter, the Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, is henceforth to be recognised as Prince Rhaenyra Targaryen, my legal son and heir. And I will call every lord and lady in the Seven Kingdoms to swear fealty to her."

Silence reigned in the room, as the men and women within sputtered and tried to make sense of what they were being told.

"There is precedent in this." Archmaester Vaegon spoke up, drumming the cover of the Encyclopaedia of Valyrian History. "Allow me to explain."

The Valyrian Freehold was ruled by the High Assembly, in which every one of the Forty Families was allowed a seat and vote. Only men, as heads of the household, were allowed to sit the High Assembly as Lord Freeholder. However, in the fifth century of the Valyrian Freehold, a series of plagues, assassinations, slave rebellions and wars led to the First Extinction of dragons and the death of most Lord Freeholders and their heirs.

There were sixteen families that were still headed by men, these sixteen could dictate to the rest of the Forty Families what to do, as when a seat was empty, the Lord Freeholder's vote wasn't counted. Allowing them to pass all sorts of unpopular laws unopposed. As such, in order to reclaim their seats, the rest of the Forty Families made up an elaborate legal fiction, legally recognising their eldest daughters as male, and thus allowing them to sit in the High Assembly.

House Targaryen even utilised such a legality in the past on three separate occasions. Daenaera Targaryen, Haelaena Targaryen and Rhaenys Targaryen were all women whom sat as Lord Freeholders using the precedent. Some of them, like House Naefaerys and House Tremaerax, used said precedent when their male heirs were lackwits, declaring a female of the family heir instead of her brothers.

There was even one family, a certain House Celaerys, whom changed their inheritance laws to match that of the Rhoynish, with dozens of women sitting as Lord Freeholder under the legal fiction of maleness.

Although later laws a few centuries later allowed women to sit as Lady Freeholders in their own right, the precedent itself was never actually revoked, making it still valid till this day.

"And thus House Targaryen, as the last of the Forty Families, can choose when to apply such a precedent." Uncle Vaegon finished. "This allows us to sidestep the Great Council's precedent that no female can sit the Iron Throne."

"But... how... it's one thing to crown Princess Rhaenyra as queen, but as king?" Lord Otto sputtered. "This is rank madness!"

"I see." I gravely said, gaze sweeping across the room. "May I know the rest of your opinions, my lords?"

While we could just order it done and expect it to be done, practically speaking, ramming down such a decree against everyone's wishes was a good way to foment rebellion and discontent. So instead we were going to address all of their concerns and see if we couldn't convince them onto our side first.

"House Velaryon raises no issue." Master of Ships Corlys Velaryon swiftly said, much to the surprise of everyone else. As the only other male in House Targaryen, a compelling case could be made for Laenor Velaryon to be crowned king. They all expected Corlys to fight the decree tooth and nail, not fold immediately.

"It is an interesting solution, your graces, but I do have a question on the matter of heirs." Master of Coin Lyman Beesbury spoke up. "If we recognise Rhaenyra as a male, can she still marry a man and beget children?"

Everyone turned to Uncle Vaegon, whom wriggled a palm.

"There have been cases of female Lord Freeholders taking a husband, despite being recognised as male, or instead taking wives, such that they may bolster their legality as a male." He spoke up. "It's something that has not much of a precedent in it. Each of the Forty Families had their own rules and customs, and it was considered gauche to meddle in another family's internal affairs."

"So Rhaenyra could take a husband anyway, and birth children?" Grand Maester Gerardys asked.

"That, or a wife, with a legally recognised male paramour siring the heirs on the wife." Vaegon agreed. "Remember, that in the Forty Families, brothers wed sister, so the resulting child from such an arrangement would still be of their blood."

"I don't have a sister, so it appears I shall have to marry a man." I spoke up, which seemed to greatly reassure the men around me.

"Then what about her husband? If Rhaenyra is king, then what is his title?" Grand Maester Gerardys asked, seemingly genuinely interested in the topic.

"For the ancient Valyrians, the title and rank was Lord-Consort. For us, I think the equivalent title should be Prince-Consort, in that the husband does not reign in his own right, while Rhaenyra is the actual King-Regnant." Uncle Vaegon elaborated.

"Very well then, I may not agree fully, but I consider my question answered and answered in full." Lord Lyman said, the Grand Maester nodding at his words and saying his own agreement.

"Then what happens if King Viserys were to remarry and father sons?" Master of Laws Lyonel Strong asked. This was the exact question I'd pondered for my entire infancy. How would I make it such that nobody looks at Aegon as a potential heir over me?

"She is legally recognised as male. And my firstborn." My father spoke up. "Primogeniture is clear. The firstborn son inherits over his brothers. This applies here as well."

It wasn't a perfect solution. I highly suspected that civil war would still break out. Regardless, this allowed me to put a foot in the door and claim greater legitimacy for my cause. By declaring me firstborn son, Aegon became a grasping secondborn. And Westerosi history made it clear what the nobility thought about second sons and bastards trying to steal their elder brother's birthright.

None of the Small Council looked convinced, which was as expected. Viserys was surprisingly naive, believing that his sons wouldn't try usurp me anyway. I think he spent too long with the Dragonseeds, whom were all dutiful and uninterested in the Iron Throne. He forgot that they were loyal because if any of them even made a whisper of wanting the throne, I'd drum them and their mother out of the Fyrepit and back into the streets, assuming I didn't send them to the headsman's block immediately. So they remained the perfect children, unwilling to lose their warm homes and full bellies.

But Aegon? He would be a legitimate Prince of the Realm. I couldn't execute him at will. And spending a long time near the halls of power, well, it made people hungry to walk those halls in their own right.

"If it pleases you, my lords, I do not intend on sitting in the capital as a layabout. Once winter ends, I shall make a progress around the realm and meet with the lords and ladies. I shall hear their troubles and do everything in my power to solve them." I said in as reassuring and pious tone I could do. "I shall treat with the Faith and give food, learning and healthcare to the Smallfolk. And I shall continue to do so in the years to come."

Lord Lyonel still looked dubious, but he didn't press the issue. Lord Commander Harrold Westerling raised no objections, and Mistress of Whispers Jonquil Darke had none either.

All eyes then turned to Lord Hand Otto Hightower.

"The Faith will not like this." He warned.

"Well, good thing we were working on a method to gain their support." I revealed, raising an eyebrow at Uncle Vaegon, whom nodded.

"The Myrish engineers we've hired have produced a functional prototype based on the designs." He confirmed. "We still have some issues to work through, but it should be ready by the end of the year."

"And the Valyrian farming methods as well." Lord Corlys added. "We've disseminated the information as far and wide as possible, and made every farm in the Crownlands use them."

It took us quite a bit of browbeating, but we'd stuck gold when we brought in farmers from Dragonstone and Driftmark to collaborate our statements that the new methods would yield threefold the harvest. The farmers didn't trust us high lords, but they trusted their fellow Smallfolk.

"By the end of the year, the harvest should come in." He continued. "We can argue that the bumper crops produced are a blessing from the Seven-who-are One. Proof of Rhaenyra's wisdom and worthiness."

"Mayhaps a donation to the Faith may be wise." Lyman Beesbury mused. "We can agree to fund the creation of that Great Sept they wanted to build here in King's Landing."

"That sounds like a splendid idea." Viserys excitedly said. "But can we afford it? I was told my grandfather demurred as he worried about the costs."

"Our treasury is full from decades of wise investments and saving." Lord Beesbury said, looking at his ledgers. "And if the harvest is as bountiful as it promises to be, not only will we have to buy less food to feed our Smallfolk through winter, our tax revenue will simultaneously increase."

"Then why did my grandfather not build this Great Sept if he could afford to?" The king asked, puzzled.

"Actually, your grace, we think that he wanted to keep the Faith at a distance." Lord Strong added. "Remember that he still remembered the Faith Militant and Maegor the Cruel. He had to mend the rift between the Crown and the Faith, but didn't wish to give the Faith too much power."

"It's been a few decades since then. Relationships have thawed considerably." Lord Corlys noted. "We can build that Great Sept with far fewer concerns."

"Then see it done." Viserys ordered. "One worthy of the capital of the Seven Kingdoms."

There was a murmur of approval through the Small Council. I approved of the creation of the Great Sept as well. Already, new plans were blossoming in my head. Perhaps we could use Valyrian construction methods in the creation of it, to marry the Dragon to the Seven. Proof that we were repentant for King Maegor and were intent on supporting the Faith as King Jaehaerys promised.

"Very well then." Lord Hightower finally said. "I still disagree, but I can recognise a lost battle when I see one."

He turned to face me, looking me straight in the eyes.

"If you are truly committed to this path, then I recommend spending more time in the sept and performing charity work." The Hand of the King told me. "A show of piety always helps."

I cupped my chin contemplatively, thinking it over. I didn't spend time praying as I didn't believe in it. Singapore was secular and had dozens of recognised religions with their own temples and churches, so there wasn't overwhelming social pressure to be pious. There wasn't even a religion that held the majority of the population as adherents. Buddism claimed about a third, and it was the largest. Those with no religion made up a fifth. Christianity was yet another fifth of the pie. Islam made up just over a seventh.

That being said, I was theoretically Christian and I definitely believed in God. But not in worshipping it. There was a difference in believing in something, and believing in worshipping something. I believed that if God made us, then it was essentially our parent. And children one day had to grow independent of their parents, spreading their wings and leaving the nest. That included not coming back and praying for God to solve all our problems for us.

Independence was a trait that parents should encourage. They were not immortal and couldn't solve all their children's problems for them. If not, once they died, then the children would be lost and useless. So I believed that rather than spending time praying that God solved our problems for us, we should instead spend that time coming up with our own solutions ourselves.

Plus, I was honestly way too lazy to go to church every Sunday. I'd rather sleep in.

However, the Lord Hand was right. Piety, or at least the appearance of piety, was an important tool of a politician. It served as a testimony to their moral character. That they believed in a higher being that would judge their thoughts and actions, and thus would motivate them to avoid evil and do good. Insurance of behaviour, in a way.

If the Faith saw that I was being pious, they'd be more inclined to say good things about me in their sermons, which would give me overwhelming public support from the Smallfolk. The High Sparrow was proof of what happened to royalty whom did not have the Faith behind them.

I breathed out, mentally tallying the losses and gains in a cold and calculative arithmetic, before making my decision.

"Very well then. Your advice has merit, Lord Hand." I finally said. "I shall seek out the light of the Seven in the hopes that they may guide my actions and judge me worthy of one day sitting the Iron Throne."

If I had to waste a few hours in a week kneeling before a bunch of statues in a sept then so be it. Getting public and religious support behind me was worth the price.

We discussed a few more points, mostly practicalities for the upcoming announcement, before adjourning. The Small Council would reconvene in three days time with more detailed figures and plans for the new Great Sept.

———

105 AC, Castle Sept , Red Keep

True to my promise to be more pious, I spent that very night in the castle sept, kneeling on the stone floor before the statue of the Seven, spending time in front of each statue and speaking prayers for the septons and septas to hear. 

To the Father, may you judge me worthy of rule.

To the Mother, may you take care of my mother in the Seven Heavens.

To the Warrior, may you give me courage to sit the Iron Throne.

To the Smith, may you allow me to craft wonders to improve the lives of all my subjects, be they lowborn or highborn.

To the Maiden, may you allow me to protect the women of the realm.

To the Crone, may you grant me the wisdom to rule wisely.

To the Stranger, may you allow me to slay the wicked.

After my prayers, I also read the Seven-Pointed-Star in depth for the first time, which was all the proof I needed to know that the Faith of the Seven was utter baloney.

You see, I've read the Bible, the Quran, and even Mein Kampf. All books which religions worshipped at some point. The Seven Pointed Star was more well written than all three. Too well written, in fact.

The Seven Pointed Star was a book that was designed to be as relatable and inoffensive as possible, from the highest kings to the lowest beggars. It was a comprehensive guide to how one should live their life, dressed up in worship, covering everything from childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Touching on every major life event from birth, coming of age, marriage, childbirth, parenthood and death.

I highly suspected that the book was written and the Faith founded by the Andals to keep their peasants in line. The Seven Pointed Star emphasised on piety, obeying one's superiors, being content with their lot in life and not turning greedy. Men were expected to be willing to lay down their lives in battles for their overlords and families, women expected to bear children and keep chaste until marriage. Taxes were expected to be paid in full and promptly. Valuables were to be surrendered to the priesthood as donations as proof of piety. Death was not to be feared, with promises of a better life in the Seven Heavens in exchange for a life of servitude and obedience.

And every single enemy slain by the righteous heroes in the books were either dragons, slavers or sorcerers, which considering that the Valyrian Freehold's expansion forced the mass Andal migration into Westeros... Yeah, that totally wasn't anti-Valyrian propaganda.

Regardless, my night of prayer proved surprising productive. I now had a good understanding of the majority religion in Westeros and how to twist their words such that it suited my agendas and goals.

———

105 AC, Throne Room, Red Keep

King Viserys I Targaryen had summoned his court, and they all came, the Lords and Ladies of the Crownlands, all mustered to hear his proclamation.

He decreed that I was to be recognised as his legal son and heir, with all attendant rights and responsibilities.

Even as shock and disbelief rippled through the court, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen stepped forward with her children. All three of them recognised me as Prince of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne, with all the attached rights and privileges. They also knelt and swore fealty to me, recognising that as the legal firstborn son of King Viserys, my claim was far above theirs and that the three of them would respect the line of succession.

Archmaester Vaegon went next, reiterating that his vows as maester prevented him from sitting the throne or holding any titles or lands in his own right. He knelt before me, promising fealty and leal service.

The Dragonseeds went next. Led by Daena and Shaeterys, all also knelt and declared fealty, renouncing any and all claims to the throne, no matter how fine and tenuous, that they might have.

Afterwards, Grand Maester Gerardys and Archmaester Vaegon spent an hour answering the furious questionings by the court.

Yes, I was now a Prince and legally recognised as King Viserys' firstborn son, with all the rights that implied.

Yes, there was an exercisable precedent for House Targaryen. An archaic one that hadn't been used for over four thousand years, to be sure, but still valid.

Yes, Lord Corlys Velaryon was supporting me, and expected all of his allies and bannermen to do the same. In fact, he was one of my most ardent supporters.

Yes, this was Westeros and not Valyria, but the Doctrine of Exceptionalism held that House Targaryen was above the laws of gods, and thus we could and would exercise such a precedent for me to claim the Iron Throne, despite the Great Council.

Yes, King Viserys could remarry and father sons, but how dare you even bring up remarriage when his wife hadn't even been dead for a fortnight?

No, those sons would not be ahead of me, as I was the legal firstborn son, and always would be. Eldest sons inherited over all their siblings, and this was the same here as well.

It took us a while, but the nobility seemed to realise that we weren't compromising on the subject, and court was thus adjourned.

———

Later that day, hundreds of ravens flew from the Red Keep, heading for every holdfast and castle, to every town and city. Calling all the Lords and Ladies of the Seven Kingdoms to present themselves at the end of the year, to swear fealty to Prince Rhaenyra Targaryen, legal son of King Viserys I Targaryen and heir to the Iron Throne.

Notes:

People did ask WHY I called this fic 'King Rhaenyra'. Here's your answer.

Rhaenyra was gunning for this from the get-go. A legal fiction of maleness, which would theoretically put herself over any other sons Viserys produced.

For those curious, Hatshepsut crowned herself Pharaoh and maintained an elaborate legal fiction of maleness. Because the Pharaoh was, mythologically speaking, the son of Ra, he had to be a man, even if he was a woman. She even insisted on being called "His Majesty". Statues of her go so far as to depict her with a male body, but an obviously female face. She even had carvings of her childhood depict herself as a young boy.

The Targaryen dynasty was inspired by the Pharoahs, so it makes sense that they could use the same legal fiction.