119

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118 AC

Driftmark

Daeron Nymeros Martell

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I don't think I will ever get used to funerals in this world, ignoring the whole emotional part.

Embalming.

Spices and Herbs are used to preserve the body long enough for guests to arrive as well as allow the family to grieve over the body.

He doesn't look too bad, and Corlys looks a bit... swollen... but he does not look awful for a dead person more than twenty-four hours later with zero air conditioner.

The smell, however?

"I am going to stretch my legs for a bit." I pat Laena on the back earning an acknowledging nod from her before I turn to nod toward Laenor who is stone-faced and hardly reacts.

It sucks that this is how they will likely remember their Father in the coming years.

The good times they had with him will always remain, but the finer details will fade over time.

At least in my own experience that is how it worked when my Grandfather died in my past life, I mainly remember him laying still as a statue in his open coffin despite having many good memories I would rather remember him by.

I guess this has helped me remember to appreciate people more while they are still around.

I should fly down to Sunspear soon... or maybe invite my parents to come stay in Kingslanding for a bit.

I sigh while stepping out of the room which once more lets me taste the spice and herbs that have been burning the back of my throat all morning. I grimace before heading for an open window not far away, thankfully a breeze from the window meets me halfway. Taking in a deep breath I am grateful for probably the first time in either of my lives to feel humid sea air enter my lungs.

That's better.

"The smell is a bit strong, is it not?" I look over my shoulder to see Rhaenys approaching me with puffy eyes but otherwise looks normal.

"I won't lie,-" I turn away from her as she approaches. "-it's burning my nose hairs." She hums in acknowledgment as she comes to a stop on my left side and leans her head out of the window.

"He would be greatly annoyed if he knew there was none of his favorite incense... he had just bought some not long ago as well..." She shakes her head and I feel a bit off-put how casual she is being right now.

Her Husband died, and she seems oddly... ordinary?

Hmm.

I wonder what that's about?

"I said it when I arrived but things were a bit hectic then, I am sorry for your loss." Understandably she had her hands full when we arrived, Laena was distraught, still is, and she had to comfort her as well as deal with her own grief.

But she seems far more at ease now than she did back when I first showed up.

I might be overthinking, but most of the time in those murder mystery novels it ends up being the Wife or Husband who committed the murder.

Looking Rhaenys over in the corner of my eye I can't help but feel a bit suspicious.

"Thank you." She responds after a moment of silence.

Alright, calm down big guy, there is no way she killed her Husband.

I am putting too much thought into this.

They had a decent marriage as far as marriages go in this world for Lords and Ladies.

Well... Rhaenys is technically a Princess, but she has nothing to gain from killing him.

No motive, no murder.

"Have you received word from the King?" I lean my head forward letting the gentle breeze blow some of my hair.

Viserys should have already arrived, the trip by boat from Kingslanding to Driftmark is not exactly a long one.

"He will be here later today." I purse my lips wondering what could have happened to slow down the Kings arrival but I push the matter aside as I will find out soon enough.

Two more days of mourning will take place and then Corlys will be loaded up onto his famous ship he shares a name with, The Sea Snake, and then the ship will be sent off on its last voyage and will sink beneath the black water.

Not a bad way to be sent off all things considered.

Just feels... wrong.

Things going forward won't be the same, he was a constant supporter in nearly everything I did since I met the man.

Now there will be a void there.

Someone else will step up as Master of Ships and will sit in his seat on the Small Council.

The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth along with the herbs and spices that I wish would go away.

"I am going to go check on my children, I need to make sure they are not sending Rhaenyra insane." I lean back straightening up my posture while turning my head to face Rhaenys.

She does not move.

"We will be eating in an hour." She speaks up after a moment but her eyes do not leave the distant horizon she is staring off into.

I hum letting her know I heard her before spinning on my heels to head off.

She seems to need some space, I think she only joined me to be courteous after seeing me walk out alone.

But I mentally take note to check on her later.

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118 AC

Driftmark

Viserys Targaryen

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This must be what it was like back during the time of Old Valyria.

Dragons, they are everywhere.

Small and Large, resting or flying about seemingly playing with one another like children do.

I can see and recognize many of them, but I also see some unfamiliar ones like a bright purple one that seems rather young.

Perhaps it flew over from Dragonstone?

It would not be the first time I have heard of such a thing happening recently.

Which both warms my heart knowing Dragons are flying the skies and worries me greatly.

Without a giant dragon on Dragonstone living in the Dragonmont culling the wild dragons, there are a great number of them hatching and flying about.

I am worried someone not related to me will capture a young one and maybe raise a Dragon seed to claim it for their own gain.

Daeron spoke of this before with me in private, he thinks it should be fine with some men he has sent to Dragonstone to keep an eye on the dragon population. They are according to his own words 'playing nice for now' and none of the young ones have flown off too far for too long. They do fly off and hunt but they seem to return to the volcano to enjoy its warm and dark caves.

Which is good.

But how will Daeron even know if one is captured off somewhere else?

Maybe he really is on to something when he speaks about me needing a spymaster.

"Perhaps we should have let Aenar's dragon accompany us?" I turn from the Wheel House window to look at Alicent who is sitting across from me with her gaze aimed out her own window.

I purse my lips and nod. "Perhaps, but it's too late now." I pass my gaze over to Aenar who has perked up hearing his name spoken and I smile at the boy before looking back out the window.

We really should have, there are numerous young dragons here and Aenar's own would have enjoyed the company. I feel bad knowing his own is back at the dragon pit lazing around when it could be here enjoying itself with its kin. Next time I take the children out of the city I will make sure to bring along their dragons, if Helaena and Aemond can manage to hatch their own eggs by that point.

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118 AC

Driftmark

Rhaenyra Targaryen

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The bedroom door opens and I spot my husband walking in with Aerys on his hip, he shuts the door before sighing and looking a bit disturbed.

"What's wrong?" I ask while continuing to brush my hair knowing we will be dining with my Father and everyone else soon.

Daeron rubs his cheek against Aerys short hair with a distant look in his eyes. "I knew something had to have happened, your Father was later than we expected... but I did not think someone else would have died." My eyes widen and I stop brushing my hair to turn fully toward him as he sits on the small couch not far from me.

He places Aerys next to him on the couch while turning to look at me. "Who died?" I ask directly.

"Lord Greyjoy, the Lord Greyjoy." I feel a bit of tension bleed off at his words knowing it's not anyone else I am related to.

He had me worried there for a second, one death in the family is more than enough for me for this decade.

Though I do feel bad for the Greyjoys, I can't find it in myself to feel too terribly bad.

After the Royal Progress we did, I have a soured opinion of the Iron Islanders, and I did not have a good opinion of them before I left Kingslanding to see more of Westeros.

"There will be chaos in the Iron Islands... his oldest Son was Dalton Greyjoy and he is only Aegon's age." Daeron rubs his forehead. "He also had a few Brothers and Cousins who are no doubt trying to worm their way onto the Seastone chair." I purse my lips imagining how it will turn out for young Dalton and his younger siblings.

My heart aches. "Do you think they will kill their younger kinsmen?" Daeron gives me a dry look and I feel my heart ache more as I imagine the outcome.

"Those in line for the Seastone Chair are either dead already or being hidden away if they are lucky, maybe their Mothers have taken them and ran off." I raise a brow.

"Mothers... as in more than one?" I ask and immediately feel a bit dumb as I remember the whole tradition of Salt wives.

Hmm... that's something to look into when I take my place on the throne in the future.

That and Thralls.

Daeron fought to end slavery in the lands he captured along with my Uncle, and my Uncle continues that fight even today I have no doubt.

It's barbaric that we have a form of slavery in our own lands right beneath our noses.

The Old Ways.

Something will have to be done about them.

"-I think I am going to take a nap, wake me up when it's time to eat." I snap from my thoughts as Daeron stands up and approaches me with Aerys back on his hip.

He bends at the waist and kisses the top of my head before heading toward the bed with a rowdy child bouncing on his hip. "I could take Aerys if you want, so you can rest better without him trying to escape your grasp." Daeron shakes his head at my offer.

"He has not slept since yesterday afternoon, he needs to sleep as well." I cringe hearing the tiredness in his voice, he must have gotten up to tend to Aerys last night then.

I watch him lightly toss our Son toward the middle of the bed, Aerys bounces once and immediately tries to roll away from his Father but is too slow. Daeron kicks off his boots in record time and leaps across the bed stopping Aerys from rolling off by grabbing his little foot. I shake my head as Daeron turns back with wide eyes to look at me, I can practically see it in his eyes 'Did she see that?'.

"I saw." I snort before I turn back to the mirror with my attention drifting back to the Iron Born while I continue brushing my hair.