The tragic love story of Prince Aerys of House Targaryen and Lady Alicent of House Hightower was a well known tale told by mothers to their children and to their grandchildren for centuries to come. The story had been heard from so many mouths that...
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The next day the Noble houses took their places surrounding Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon's pyres. The location chosen for the Queen's funeral was beautiful, a cliff side overlooking the Black Sea. The sounds of the waves crashing and the smell of salt water filled the air. Syrax and Tirvi sat on a hill overlooking the crowd.
Aerys stood beside his elder brother, Daemon, behind Viserys and Rhaneyra. The Prince kept glancing at where Alicent stood on the other side of Daemon. The young lady looked somber, in her grief for Rhanyra's mother.
Everyone was silent as they waited for one of the Dragon riders to light the Pyre. Aerys looked to his eldest brother, pity filling his heart on the sadness clear on his brother's face. The Prince had never seen his brother look so depressed. The King's shoulders slumped from the weight of being responsible for his wife's death.
Stepping forward so he was side by side with his eldest brother.
"Would you like me to?" Aerys whispered.
At his brother's nod, Aerys turned to where Tirvi waited. The green dragon perked up at his rider's eyes on him, loving the attention. "Dracarys."
At her rider's orders, Tirvi lowered his long neck. With a roar, fire shot from her mouth, setting the pyres on fire. Aerys watched as Viserys and Rhaenyra both looked away, neither wanting to see the burning body of someone they loved.
...
That night another emergency Small council meeting was called, though the mood was somber. Aerys sat in his usual seat glancing between the empty seats both his brothers should occupy. The lords sitting around the table occasionally glanced to where Aerys was sitting, but would look away when his eyes met theirs.
The door opening signaled everyone to stand up, as Viserys entered the room.
"Where is Rhaenyra?" Viserys asked, glancing around the room in hopes of seeing his only child.
"Your Grace," Ser Otto spoke. "This is the last thing any of us wish to discuss at this dark hour, but I consider the matter urgent."
"What matter?"
"That of your succession. These recent tragedies have left you without an obvious heir."
"The King has an heir, my lord Hand." Lord Corlys interrupted.
"Despite how difficult this time is, Your Grace, I feel it important the succession be firmly in place for the stability of the realm." Otto continued, ignoring Lord Corlys.
"The succession is already set, by precedent and by law." Lord Strong spoke.
"Shall we say his name?" Lord Corlys spoke, pacing infront of his seat at the end of the table before throwing himself into his chair. "Daemon Targaryen."
"If Daemon were to remain the uncontested heir, it could destabilize the realm." The Grand Maester, Mellos spoke.
"The Realm? Or this Council?" Lord Corlys questioned, though he had a point. Aerys' brother couldn't stand the other members of the Small Council and would quickly dismiss each and every one of them.
"No one here can know what Daemon would do were he King, but no one can doubt his ambition." Ser Otto spoke again.
"Watch what you say, Otto. That is our brother you speak of." Aerys warned the man.
"Look at what he did with the Gold Cloaks. The City Watch is fiercely loyal to him. An army 2,000 strong." Otto continued to argue.
"An Army you gave him, Otto." Viserys spoke, annoyed with his hand and friend. "I made Daemon Master of Laws, but you said he was a tyrant. As Master of Coin, you said he was a spendthrift that would beggar the realm. Putting Daemon in command of the City Watch was your solution!"
"A half-measure, Your Grace. The truth is Daemon should be far away from this court."
"Daemon is my brother. My blood. And he will have his place at my court."
"Let him keep his place at court, Your Grace." Mellos spoke up, attempting to appease the King."But if the Gods should visit some further tragedy on you, either by design or by accident-"
"Design? What are you saying? My brother would murder me, take my crown? Are you?!" At the council's silence, Viserys continued. "Please. Daemon has ambition, yes, but not for the throne. He lacks the patience for it."
"The Gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power, Your Grace." The Hand spoke.
"Under such circumstances, it would not be such an aberration for the King to name a successor." Mellos pointed out. "Perhaps Prince Aerys?
At Mellos' suggestion the heads of the small council all turned to look at Aerys. "I do not want the throne. I have no need for it." Aerys shook his head, turning to face his brother. "Do not name me heir, Viserys, I beg you."
Aerys had seen the good and bad sides of being a King in his time as a member of the Small Council; he had noticed how lonely his brother was.
"Well, who else would have a claim?" Lord Strong asked.
"The King's first born child."
"Rhaenyra? A girl? No Queen has ever sat the Iron Throne."
"That is only by tradition and precedent, Lord Strong." Mellos argued.
"If order and stability so concerns this council, then perhaps we shouldn't break a hundred years of it by naming a girl heir."
"Daemon would be a second Maegor or worse. He is impulsive and violent. It is the duty of this council to protect the King and the realm from him," Ser Otto spat, before turning to address the King in a softer tone. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, but that is the truth as I see it, and I know that others here agree."
"I will not be made to choose between my brothers and my daughter."
"You wouldn't have to, Your Grace. There are others who would have a claim." Lord Corlys spoke up.
Lord Strong laughed at hearing Lord Corlys' words. "Such as your wife, Lord Corlys? The Queen who never was?"
"Rhaenys was the only child of Jaehaerys' eldest son. She had a strong claim at the Great Council, and she already has a male heir."
"Just moments ago you announced your support for Daemon!" Ser Otto yelled.
"If we cannot agree on an heir then how can we expect-"
"Stop this! My wife and son are dead! I will not sit here and suffer crows that come to feast on their corpse!" Viserys yelled, standing up and leaving the room.
AN: I completely revised my plot for this story so get ready for me to start updating.
