The Fire That Burns With Us - Chapter 13: With Three Heads.
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134 AC - King’s Landing
Visenya sits on one of the couches in her room with Ben beside her, reading the letter that had been addressed to him. Visenya has her head resting on his shoulder with her eyes closed in anger.
“Blackwood. I request your and my daughter’s presence at Dragonstone for dinner with my wife and me. Failure to arrive will result in your death. Daemon Targaryen,” Ben reads to her. He fears for his life. Everyone in the seven kingdoms has heard about the Rogues Prince’s reckless behaviour. Ben can only hope that Visenya will not let Daemon kill him. “Zaldrīzes?”
Visenya sighs and rests her chin on his shoulder, looking up at him.
“I am sorry that he has sent you this,” Visenya tells him, trying to give him the happiest smile she can muster. “You do not have to worry about Daemon. I will not let anyone hurt you,”
“Do you want to go?” Ben asks with a gentle tone. Visenya takes a deep breath and thinks about what she wants.
“I miss my mother, how she would tuck me in at night and take me to see the dragon bones in the dragonpit. I miss Jace, beating him at sword training and making fun of his Valyrian. I miss my baby brother Luke, and now he hates me. Joffrey has no one to tell him stories of our father. I have a new brother that I don’t even know. And I hate how I miss Daemon because if I miss him, then I will be just like Jace and Luke and forget my father,” Visenya tells him, voice cracking, and Ben can see the tears building in her eyes. “I am so like him, and I fear it,”
Ben pulls Visenya closer to him, kissing the top of her head and letting Visenya enjoy some physical touch. The two would be there for each other through thick and thin.
– –
The Queen does not enjoy the company of Lord Larys Strong, but he is the best source of information that the Queen has. Larys has made himself comfortable in the Queen’s chambers, not caring about her obvious discomfort. Lord Larys Strong knows the Queen will want the information he has.
“Lord Larys, you said you have something to tell him?” Alicent asks him as she sits down on the couch opposite him. She slips her shoes off and puts her head down.
“Yes, I do. I saw something happen in the Throne room that I think you should know,” Larys tells the Queen, looking down at her head and slightly raising his head. Alicent raises her feet to rest them on the table in front of them. “I saw Princess Visenya and your son, Prince Aemond, taking part in some interesting activities,”
“What kind of activities?” Alicent asks. She knows now that the information will be worth it if she can use it against Visenya to make her side with them.
“The kind that only a husband and wife should have,” Larys answers, keeping his attention focused on her feet. “That is not all, My Queen. The princess has some strong ideas that she shares. Treasonish ideas,”
“What did she say?” Alicent asks. Larys knows he should not tell the queen lies, but it would be in his best interest to deceive the Queen.
“That she would be a better ruler than her brother or mother. That she would have the support of the Riverlands, The North, and House Velayron. Two of the strongest armies in the land and the strongest fleet in the land. She also seemed to make the implication of wanting Prince Aemond for Vhagar. Then she would have the two biggest dragons in the known world. There is also the question of why she has taught Ser Blackwood high valyrian, and perhaps she means to equip him with Vermithor or another dragon,” Larys lies. He will not tell the Queen that it was Aemond that had spoken the ideas; he knows that he can use the Queen’s hate towards Visenya.
“Thank you, Lord Larys. I will make sure that the Princess remembers her place,” Alicent thanks him as she takes his information in.
– –
“My King?” Visenya calls out to him, sitting in the chair beside his bed.
Visenya knew that the King’s health had been on a steady decline in the past years, but she did not realize how bad it had gotten. As the king lies in his bed, hardly able to breathe with his face wrapped in cloth, Visenya regrets not returning when he is still in good health. She worries that he will not even be able to recognize her in his delirious state.
“My King, it is me, Visenya,” Visenya tells him as he grabs ahold of his hand. “I am back from the Iron Islands. I have stopped their rebellion. I did it for you. I am the warrior you always said I would be, and I hope that I have made you proud,”
“Yes,” Viserys gets out, his eyes are still closed, and she hopes he is answering her question.
“What do you mean, yes? Are you proud of me?” Visenya asks; the sound of hope in her voice would once makes the king smile, but now he does not even realize that he is talking with her. She takes hold of his hand, hoping he will know it is her.
“Strengthen our house,” The king tells her. Not understanding that he is not talking with Aemond anymore.
“How do I do that? Please, My King, I do not understand,” Visenya pleads, but she loses hope that the king will answer her.
Visenya sighs. She leans down to the king and kisses his forehead. Visenya traces the Valyrian symbol of good health onto the Kings hand, gently humming the lullaby he would sing to her when she was a child. Viserys recognizes the song, and his chest warms at the memories of surrendering it. Not only did he used to sing it to Visenya but to Daemon as well when they were still children. Perhaps the king is fond of Visenya because she reminded Viserys of Daemon when he was still good.
