Chapter 4: A Coronation

103 AC

Oldtown

"Why are we here again? Is the Grand Sept in King's Landing or the Dragon Pit so bad that we must come to Oldtown of all places? Is it so hard for the old codger to travel to King's Landing to crown Viserys that we must bend to his whims or is it the whims of his Hightower masters?" Daemon ranted off as we took a stroll in the streets of Oldtown in disguise with the Cargyll twins for company.

Thank Goodness we were talking in High Valyrian. I didn't need to be a genius to know that the people of Oldtown would not have liked Daemon talking about the High Septon as he did, a High Septon who coincidentally happens to be from Oldtown. Fortunately, the street that we were walking on happened to be empty except for the four of us, so no worries about eavesdropping, hopefully.

With Viserys' coronation happening tomorrow in the Starry Sept the Hightowers have left no stone unturned in their preparations for the coronation and currying favor with Viserys and also to show off in front of the realm. Which in turn meant that Daemon had to live in Oldtown, a city he has come to hate because of its association with Otto Hightower.

While I had the common sense to be tactfully polite toward the Hightowers which they reciprocated, Daemon had no such filters, it made me think about how big of a dumbass Daemon is, impulsive, unpredictable along with a sense of entitlement plus Caraxes, it makes for a very dangerous cocktail that can explode at any provocation.

Earlier today Daemon found out to his utter shock that he would not be named the Prince of Dragonstone which was the reason for his current pissed-off mood. His reaction to it was to hack the table in his room with Dark Sister to splinters, which did not win him any points with Viserys.

Hence my idea was to take him to a brothel to cool off, an idea that I am now regretting.

"Please, Daemon, we are here for Viserys' coronation, and mind you every King since Aegon the Conqueror has done this so just leave it be," I say exasperatedly.

"And I will have you know that every closest male heir has been named the Prince of Dragonstone since the days of Aegon the Conqueror." Daemon angrily replied.

"Not exactly, King Aenys brought about that tradition." I pointed out to him which caused him to glare at me.

"This is not a fucking jape Aegon, Otto Hightower has dug his claws into Viserys and has started to manipulate him." Daemon hisses.

"And how is that any different from the shit that you do with Viserys every time you screw up?" I asked back.

"We are family." Daemon waved it off.

"That is a very bad excuse for all your bullshit," I remarked.

"But Otto isn't family, he is cunt who is trying to worm into our brother's graces, don't you even care about this at all." Daemon continues.

"And that is different from any other noble in Westeros, How exactly?" I ask him with a raised eyebrow.

"Because he is succeeding, it's like you don't care about this at all," He hissed back.

"I do care, But you do realize that Otto is the Hand of the King, half the things that you have complained about are kind of in his job description," I said to him with a shrug.

Otto may be a cunt but he is competent, not to mention with Viserys being more interested in feasts, balls, tourneys, and masquerades, it is pretty obvious to anyone with half a brain cell who will be doing the actual administrative work to keep the Kingdoms running.

"How in the name of all our dragons, are you supporting Otto Fucking Hightower of all people over me." He incredulously exclaims,

"Daemon, it is one thing to dislike a person it is another thing entirely to go out of your way to create trouble for everyone simply because you don't like them." I angrily reply. "And you do this all the time with everyone that you don't like."

"That fucking cunt convinced Viserys to not name me his heir," Daemon angrily retorts,

"You know what, I am tired of this bullshit and your selfishness, I need a drink or maybe ten, so do me a favor and find a whore yourself." I finally snap, "And by the way, even if Otto didn't say a word, it wouldn't have made a difference, for all of the love that Viserys bears towards you, you know full well that he would not have named you his heir."

Then I turn towards Ser Arryk and tell him, "Be with my brother in whatever brothel he is going to bless with his presence, once he is done with his debaucheries bring him back to the Hightower in one piece."

I turn towards Ser Erryk and say "We will be heading towards one of the Taverns that we passed by before and I will be drinking all of the ale and wine that they have in their cellars which is why I need you to carry me back to the Hightower once we are done so don't drink for you need to be sober."

I turn towards Daemon who is too stunned to say anything, "Listen to me, Daemon, it is our brother's big day tomorrow so do everyone a favor and shut the fuck up, this isn't about you so for once in your life learn to be happy for others and stop bitching about how all your problems need to be everybody's top priority."

And then without even bothering to look back at him, I walk away before he can say a word with Erryk in my wake.

The Starry Sept (The Next Day)

"Looks like you had a belter of a night," Corlys says as he and Rhaenys approach me in the Starry Sept, the High Septon, the Lords Paramount, and the major vassal Lords of all the Kingdoms have already gathered, and everyone is now waiting for Viserys and Aemma to arrive.

"You don't have to remind me." I groused, I was still nursing a hangover from last night, a night that I could barely remember but I had managed to recover from it more or less to be presentable for the coronation and Ser Erryk filled me up on the rest, other than a tavern fight with another drunkard which gave me a sore fist I was alright.

"At least you look better and more presentable than I thought you would be when I saw Ser Erryk carry you back to the Hightower from a tavern yesterday night," Rhaenys says as she straightens my clothes.

"Please, I managed to walk back on my own with only a little help," I said affronted to which she rolled her eyes,

"Any particular reason why Daemon has been in such a foul mood as of late," Corlys then asks me, he knows exactly why Daemon is pissed but he wants to hear it from me.

"He realized that he would not be named the Prince of Dragonstone," I responded dryly and I got the reaction I expected.

"I have been there," Rhaenys rolled her eyes with a smirk while Corlys' eyes shone with mirth and vindication.

Corlys accepted Viserys' offer and it was expanded to include grandchildren as well as a backup. We had a reunited family dinner where everyone kissed, toasted, and made up with each other for all the shit they have done to each other as they do in Oprah. I won't say that we are back to how it was when Uncle Aemon was still alive but far better than what it was after he was dead.

Along with that Otto tried to bring Lord Redwyne to the Small Council as the Master of Ships but Viserys shut him down hard on that and now with Daemon and me in the Small Council as well, I think it safe to say that Otto is on the back foot for now.

"I heard that you are looking for a bride." Rhaenys then says as she eyes all the women looking at me. Being a Prince and a Dragon Rider means that you are in the hot spot of the groom hunting lists for everyone.

"Yes, I have been, I have been looking in the North, the Reach, the Vale, the Westerlands, the Riverlands, and the -" I begin on a speech of my search for a wife.

"You haven't done a damn thing, now have you?" Rhaenys cuts me off, she saw right through me.

"No, I have not, please help me, before Viserys marries me off to a goat." I plead with her,

She rolls her eyes but she accepts, "Fine, I will help you find someone, when do you need to tell Viserys of your choice."

"Tonight, during the feast," I say with a straight face which causes her to sigh,

"It is going to be a long day." She shakes her head,

"Do you have any preferences?" She asked me but before I could answer Daemon strutted in,

"Blondes, he prefers blondes, preferably older than him, black-haired beauties are a close second," Daemon said to Rhaenys as he stood next to me.

The three of us were shocked, He looked the same as his usual overconfident self, the tempest seemed to have passed and the storm abated. The cocky smirk was back and it was like yesterday never happened.

Something was wrong.

For a moment the three of us did nothing but stare at him as if he was an alien,

"Are you alright?" I asked with hesitation.

"Of course, I am totally fine," Daemon replied with a smile,

"Did you perchance happen to descend upon an unsuspecting village on Caraxes and destroy it?" Rhaenys asked cautiously.

"Or did you finally sate your bloodlust and kill Ser Otto? That would explain his absence." Corlys then asked as he looked around the Sept for a suspiciously missing Otto.

"What? No! The cunt is outside waiting to enter as soon as he sees Viserys' carriage roll up near the steps." Daemon answers, "What is wrong with the three of you?"

"Bigger question would be what is right with you?" I reply.

"What do you mean?" He asks as if he did not have a psychotic breakdown yesterday.

"Considering that you trashed your room upon hearing that you would not be the heir and then your complaining got so bad that even Aegon left you, we honestly figured that you would have entered the Sept by wielding Dark Sister ready to kill anyone who looked at you funny," Rhaenys replied,

"No, it's nothing like that, it's just that after Aegon shouted at me, I thought long and hard about what he said and he was right, I was being selfish, it is Viserys' big day and I should be happy for him and not bother others with my needs,"

For a whole minute, we didn't say anything or hear anything else but looked at him straight in the eye to see if he broke but he didn't then I finally said,

"You had some mind-blowing sex in that brothel didn't you?" There is no fucking way that Daemon would think about things that people shout at him, he never thinks, period.

"Damn right, I did." He says with a smirk.

"He's back," Rhaenys said rolling her eyes,

"It was a contortionist from Volantis and she knew how to get places, where I didn't even know, was possible," Daemon continued,

"He's back," Corlys then said shaking his head.

"Besides, I will annoy Viserys with the whole heir thing once we reach King's Landing," Daemon finishes,

"He's back," I said with a smile and then the trumpets blared to announce Viserys' arrival and the beginning of the coronation ceremony.