117

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118 AC

Kingslanding

Daeron Nymeros Martell

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Last night was a mistake.

I will never be able to sit in this Council room without thinking about it, ever again.

"Is something wrong?" My Good Father asks from beside me with a hint of concern in his tone, I shake my head but keep my eyes away from him.

I can't even look at the chair, I am actually feeling some shame.

Not a lot of it, but enough to know it still exists which is honestly surprising.

"Nothing is wrong, I just had a long night... thanks for asking though." I smile and briefly meet his eyes only to feel a bit bad as he smiles back and nods at me.

Never again, this room is off-limits.

* Click *

The door to the room is opened and my Wife finally decides to join us, she casually walks toward my side of the table and sits down to my right in the chair she usually sits in.

'The Heir's Chair' as we have taken to calling it.

A not official yet also official Council position.

Aegon will sit there one day, after I bust his balls for a few years making him serve me wine like a barmaid as a cupbearer.

"You look beautiful as always, Wife." I nudge her a bit with my elbow and she snorts softly in response.

"Thank you." She gets comfortable in her seat before looking toward her Father who is smiling at the both of us.

Rhaenyra's face morphs between a cringe and almost letting a chuckle out as she nods toward her Father wordlessly greeting him.

"I believe we had some unpaid taxes to discuss this morning." I clear my throat and turn my attention toward the Master of Coin, the Riverland Lord perks up and nods as he furrows his aged white brows.

"That is correct." I can hear pure and unrefined annoyance in his voice as he clenches his hands on the table.

This man takes the crown's coin seriously, it's why I like the idea of letting Lyman Beesbury's Son one day take his position as I know he has raised his Son to be much like he is when it comes to coin.

But someone from House Celtigar would probably be better for the 'Pro-Valyrian' movement we sorta have going on in the King's Court with more and more people from the conquered Free Cities trying to worm their way in. But I am unsure of any Celtigar worthy of the post, I know they have had it before and it maybe was intended to be like the Master of Ships position for House Velaryon.

But I personally would just rather have someone competent in the position and I know Rhaenyra sees it the same way after we talked about the Essosi 'Lords' that will be popping up in the future wanting to gain favor and eventually positions of power.

That is still a developing situation though, there is no real rush to worry about that with Daemon laying most of the groundwork.

Hopefully, at least, that is what he is supposed to be doing.

"-that sounds good, send a raven and invite the Lords to speak with me themselves here in person. They have been warned and obviously have failed to meet the deadlines, this can't go on or others might think they can do the same." The King loudly sighs and shakes his head. "I hate that it has come to this, we even lowered the amount..." I purse my lips realizing I zoned out and push aside the future plans that had started brewing around in my mind.

"Did you think further on the matter we last talked about?" I speak up curiously as I see Viserys look a mix of frustrated and exhausted.

It's best to not let him dwell too long on one thing or it will eat at him and he is prone to end council meetings early to go do other things to calm down.

"Which one?" He asks humorously, immediately perking up as the topic of discussion changes.

"The Master of Whispers position." I am still unsure how he has gone this long without a proper spy lord.

I have more spies than the King does.

You got to pump up those numbers Good Father, we got whores in Flea Bottom who are more informed about your Kingdom than you are.

Hmm... actually.

I just realized I probably get away with a lot of the bullshit that I get away with because he is lacking a full-time Master of Whispers.

Maybe I am shooting myself in the foot?

"Who did you suggest again?" He asks after a moment of thought.

Fuck it, in for a penny in for a pound.

"Lord Blackwood, Lord Bolton, Lady Yronwood." I notice the Grand Maester shift a bit after the names register in his aged mind.

"There has never been a Lady to sit on the Small Council..." He speaks up quickly while leaning forward a bit, avoiding looking in Rhaenyra's direction. "Nor has there been a Northman." I actually nod at his words and look toward the King.

"He makes a good point, it's almost due time that one if not both are picked to show what they are capable of." I completely do a one-eighty from the point the Grand Maester was trying to make and I hear him actually suck in a breath as if I slapped him.

Rhaenyra pats me on the thigh while also smiling at her Father.

Obviously, Rhaenyra is a Princess and the Heir so she is not counted as a 'Lady' as she is in a higher position than that. She is also not officially 'part of the council' despite having sat in on many of the meetings since I joined and many more before that as cupbearer. Her situation is similar to Queen Alysanne's, she has a seat at the table but is not officially a part of the council.

I am honestly being quite serious though with my suggestion when I say the Small Council needs some fresh blood so to speak. A female specifically would shake things up in my opinion, not just any old witchy bitch however, that would be counterproductive as some Ladies around Westeros are nearly incapable of even dressing themselves on a good day thanks to being spoiled rotten their entire lives.

But there are some sharp ones out there in the lands, and I know for a fact they would do a better job than a lot of the men who have sat on the council. They would have something to prove, meaning they would work harder and not become complacent, at least not as fast as some Lords would if given a seat at the Kings table.

"I will think about it." Viserys evades as usual when people on his council are at odds on a subject. "Is there anything else that should be brou-" The door to the Small Council Chambers is opened and a Kingsguard steps in with his gaze locked onto the King as he approaches the table.

"There has been an urgent message." The Kingsguard holds up said message he is obviously referring to and I can't help but notice the Velaryon sigil.

I frown while my eyes flicker to the empty seat the Master of Ships would usually sit at but is currently empty.

He requested temporary leave, his absence was supposed to be a few months and that was not long enough to need a new Master of Ships to step in which would have angered the Sea Snake at being replaced.

So the King just left the seat empty for the time being.

The Kingsguard approaches the King after he waves him the rest of the way over, I tilt my head looking at the small slip of parchment as it is passed over with curiosity washing over me.

My gaze drifts to the door where an apprentice of the Grand Maester is standing with a ghostly look. My gut clenches at the sight as the young lad is obviously worried by whatever it was he read before bringing the message directly here.

If it was addressed to whoever received the Raven first, which it seems to have been since the apprentice opened it instead of leaving it sealed for the King, that means whatever the message contents are could not wait until the King made time to check if any ravens arrived for him specifically.

Which means it's not good news in the slightest.

"Oh no..." Viserys mutters and his pale skin goes even paler with his eyes dropping to the table.

The room goes deathly silent as we await for the King to either share the news or continue on as if he did not receive it. I feel Rhaenyra grab my hand and I turn away from the King to look at her and I see her biting her lip with worry.

Seems she also noticed the sigil, it's hard not to when we have seen it so much.

Laena proudly wears the sigil of her father's House any chance she gets.

She may be married into House Nymeros Martell and that is the name of our children, but that does not change the fact she is a proud Velaryon.

"Daeron..." The King's voice snaps me from my thoughts and I turn back to look at him.

"Your Grace?" I raise a brow as he seems to be struggling to find words.

"That will be all for today, I need to talk with my Good Son and Daughter." The King dismisses his council before sighing and leaning back in his chair. 

The room is once more silent other than the sounds made by the rest of the council as they make their way out of the room. Rhaenyra's hand tightens its grasp on my own as we watch people slowly make their way out of the room. I also can't help but notice the look the Grand Maester has on his face after his apprentice whispers something to him as he steps out of the room.

The door closes rather quietly and I shift my full attention to the King.

"Someone died." I state my best guess of what the note could have said to shake him up like this.

"Yes..." Viserys runs a hand through his hair after taking off his crown and setting it on the table. "Lord Corlys has died." The King hands over the message but I can't even move as his words register in my mind.

Rhaenyra has no such problem though and reaches out to snatch the parchment away.

"Lord Corlys is dead?" I ask aloud while looking at the wall.

I can't help but feel... blindsided along with deeply concerned for Laena and Laenor who are about to have some of the worst news that is possible to receive dropped into their lives unexpectedly.

If they haven't already heard... oh fuck.

Standing up I let go of Rhaenyra's hand and hear her slide her chair back just as quickly as I head for the door with dread slowly building.

I just hope whoever read the message first didn't send word directly to Laena... or maybe I do so I won't have to be the one to break the news to her.

This is going to suck.