The Song Of Ice And Betrayal|King Viserys Targaryen

TWELVE

"Come Aegon, play with your sisters" Alerie said as her and her children were out in the gardens "Matilda could you" Alerie asked beckoning her over to pick up Helaena, Alerie passed Aegon his toy dragon which he loved

"An outsider" Lord Larys spoke as he saw the Queen looking at the faces of the Wier wood tree "Among the natives"

"Lord Larys" Alerie greeted

"Malvales" he said looking at the plants in front of him "a rare bloom, indigenous to Bravos, by all rights it shouldn't be thriving here, nature such a mystery"

"The weather has been lovely" Alerie said trying to walk away with Alyssa on her hip

"And yet it is a dark day for the realm" his words made her stop "your father was a good man"

"As is yours who took his place" Alerie said remembering her conversation with him when he left, tears swelling at her eyes

"Yet still the manner of your fathers departure" he hobbled towards the queen "it feels something of an injustice"

"What do you know of the manner of his leaving?" Alerie questioned 

"When one is never invited to speak, one learns instead to observe, you're perhaps in need of an ally?"

"I'm the queen" Alerie reminded not only Larys but herself "I have no shortage of allies"

"Naturally" Lord Larys responds "Princess Rhaenyra for example"

"State your purpose my lord" Alerie told him 

"I did wonder if she could be relied upon" he said sheepishly "now that she in unwell"

"Unwell? I haven't heard anything" Alerie turned to look at Matilda playing with Aegon and Helaena"

"Begging your pardon your grace, I may be mistaken" Lord Larys said bowing "its just that on the very same night your father was dismissed the grand maester delivered a tea to the princess's chambers"

"A tea?" Alerie realised

"Yes" Larys confirmed

"That the grand maester himself brought?"

"At the direction of the King as I understand it, I do hope she's not unwell"

"Rhaenyra sailed with the king to drift mark yesterday at daybreak" Alerie smiled through her tears, Rhaenyra had lied to her, her father was right, she told Viserys she believed rhaenyra and now her father was no longer hand, was he also right about other things would Rhaenyra really kill her own siblings

"What good news" Larys smiled back "I must've made an error, a relief" he let out a sigh "I thought for Mellos himself, well her condition must be something very serious what happiness it is to have been wrong" Alerie beckoned Matilda and they walked off Alyssa on her hip Aegon holding her hand and Helaena being held by Matilda

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Alerie stood on her balcony watching the King and Rhaenyra return and let out a shudder of what was to come, her fathers words had a hold on her, she couldn't trust Rhaenyra especially since she lied to her

"Ser Criston, your grace" Matilda introduced as he knocked on the door, Alerie shushing Helaena to sleep

"I fear I must question you on a delicate matter Ser Criston" Alerie started 

"I am your servant as always my queen"

"It concerns our dear Princess Rhaenyra" Alerie coldly spoke "Please sit" she patted the spot next to her Helaena still in her arms asleep, Criston pulled out his sword before balancing it on the chair then sat down next to her "you are her sworn protector and rightly loyal to her"

"I am" Criston softly said

"The night of daemons return" Alerie stood moving to place Helaena in her cot "there's been a rumour, or rather my father received an accounting of a lapse of morals" Ser Criston looked guiltily up at the Queen "that may have occurred between, it is of course unthinkable for me to question the virtue of the princess, whom I hold in highest regard, but I did however wonder if, im not unaware that in flush of youth there may be errors made, breaches in resolve, breaches or rather lapses"

"It happened, your grace" Ser Criston cut her off stopping her in her tracks "the sin you allude to, I have committed it, at her instigation it is true, but that should" he stood "it is no excuse, my oath has been broken, I have dishonoured myself I deserve no consideration but if, as a clement Queen you are inclined to pity I would ask only this than rather than gelding me and having me tortured you would sentence me mercifully to death" a sob escaped Alerie's mouth but she quickly covers it

"Thank you for your honesty, Ser Criston, you may go" he picked up his sword before leaving the room

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"Viserys?" Alerie questioned as she walking into his chambers "you called for me"

"Yes" he responded sitting in his chair numerous Maesters around him as well as the hand

"If I may, grand maester I took the liberty of preparing a fresh set of herbal poultices that might be more effective"

"That will not be necessary, Orwyle" maester Mellos said "the leeching's have always brought his grace relief" the maester's began to leave, leaving only viserys, Alerie and Lyonel Strong

"Will I be remembered as a good king, Lyonel?" Viserys asked

"Your grace?" Lyonel questioned

"What will they say of me when the histories are written? I have neither fought nor conquered nor suffered any great defeat"

"Some might call that good fortune" Alerie said 

"It hardly makes a good song, does it? to be sung at feasts in a hundred years, five hundred"

"You have carried King Jaehaerys's legacy  and kept the realm strong, is it not better to live in peace than to have songs sung after you are dead?"

"Perhaps" Viserys said softly almost asleep "but there is a part of me that wishes I'd been tested I often think that in the crucible I may have been forged a different man"

"Many that are tested only wish to have been spared it" Alerie took his hand

"Another lord might assure me that I would rise like Aegon the conqueror given the chance"

"Your grace that is" Lord Strong tried

"You're right" he told him "you're right as always it is perhaps best not to know"

"Leave us" Alerie told lord Lyonel watching as he left "I thought you would not want to see me with everything that happened"

"I only wish to tell you the marriage is going ahead between Rhaenyra and Laenor" Viserys said coldly

"Really?" Alerie let go of his hand, tears once again forming in her eyes

"Yes now leave" she did not question him, she just went

We Light The Way 36:02

Words 1136

{I fear this is the end of Viserys and Alerie, Alerie is truly alone right now in kings landing, perhaps ser criston and her will form an unlikely friendship. I know it seems like all Alerie has done the past few chapters is cry, but she truly is scared and worried for her children and what is going to happen in the long run especially with Viserys no longer at her side}