[ It's at least a day before Aemond reaches out to Viserys. He needed to be talked down on Helaena's appearance, among other things. Panic was generally how Aemond handled everything, for all he pretended otherwise. ]
Once you've made yourselves comfortable, we should speak. [ It hadn't escaped his notice that Viserys and his sister presented themselves together. ]
[ Viserys recognises the name as it appears on the Leaf and he considers hesitating to reply simply to seem less eager, but in the end, he only delays for a few seconds. ]
If you seek an audience with my sister the Queen, she has been very eager to meet all who share our name. You can find her at the inn, if she hasn't gone off shaking hands and introducing herself to all the court rulers already.
[ Perhaps that was a bit too bitter. Viserys can't help it. It's in his nature. ]
I'm her brother, not her steward. [ Certainly not even the Hand. ]
[ There's a confused pause on Aemond's end. He wasn't expecting his message to be interpreted so incorrectly, but then again, he would have reacted exactly the same had their roles been reversed. It's actually refreshing. ]
I don't do audiences. Rhaenyra and Jacaerys are the ones who handle that. I'm their sword, when necessary, and now I speak to you as a brother with his own sister to protect. As I understand it, you and I hold similar functions. That should make us allies. Yes?
[ It was a rare day that Viserys' petty outburst was seen for what it was, much less understood. That means more to him than he could have ever predicted. ]
If she wants to speak with you, I promise it will matter little if you do or do not do audiences. [ Viserys continues to be surprised, and intrigued. The idea that he could be valuable to someone as storied as Aemond Targaryen was not something he would ever let go of. ] Yours is here then? Helaena, the Dreamer?
[ Dragon dreams. There were times Viserys thought he had them, but no, they were just the daydreams of a desperate man. ] Allies, yes. I am free to discuss the terms of an alliance. I've been released from my duties for the time being.
I will present myself for judgment, and I suppose we shall both see what she decides. [ Aemond is not wading into the fight for dominance that he assumes will break out. He does, however, pause at the mention of Helaena being the Dreamer. ] The same, yes. That puts our number at six. Seven, if we are counting those who share blood but not the name.
Good. Meet me on the beach. There's something you should see.
You hardly need a good word but I could offer one in advance just in case. She's more curious to meet our ancestors than anything else. At least from what I know. [ Viserys is waist-deep in that fight already, because he'd promised and it was the least he could do now. ] Who is the seventh?
[ Not what he expected. But perhaps Viserys is protecting her interests. ] Unfortunate. I'd hoped we would be called to arms. But then, I speak as the family sword β don't mind me.
He claims the name Jon Snow, a member of House Stark from your time. [ Do Daenerys and Viserys know? He wonders. ]
You might be, perhaps. [ A touch of bitterness, but this time it's directed nowhere in particular, just a nebulous feeling. ]
Every man with blond hair in Pentos or Myr claimed to be a Targaryen. If I believed every story, I would have dozens of half-brothers and nephews. A Northern bastard is new, though.
[ Viserys is typing as he walks because he is decidedly eager to get to the beach. ]
Trueborn. [ Viserys is hysterical in all the meanings of the word. ] What I know of it, Rhaegar was far too occupied with his war to contest the degree against multiple spouses our ancestor agreed to years before even you were born.
I would believe your estimation of the man over anyone else's. [ He had more to say β a great deal more β but he would keep it off the Leaf for now. They couldn't be trusted. ]
I barely knew my brother, seven and ten years my elder, but I have never seen him in any of the men who claimed to be my kin and I would be surprised to see the same in this new pretender. [ He and Daenerys were the last true Targaryens and Viserys would not stand and let some bastard from the North claim otherwise. ]
We'll see how they compare to Myr in a summer storm. [ Or Dragonstone, the night his mother died, as if the gods themselves were angry that her blood was spilt. ]
Fortunate, then, that your job won't be to look for it.
[ He's deeply intrigued by this Targaryen. There's so much about Viserys that differs from the rest of their family, molded by vastly different circumstances in a world so unlike the one Aemond knew. They could learn so much from each other, and he fully intended on imparting everything he could.
They would both need it.
As promised, he's waiting by the shore, hands folded behind his back, gazing out at the water. It's rough today. ]
[ Viserys doesn't say anything more on this Leaf, but he turns over that last response as he walks briskly from the castle towards the shore.
What is his job? That is the imperative question. His fire had burnt out and now he was here with a sister many years older than he remembered her, his place uncertain. There was opportunity, though, with their ancestors, and he was just as fascinated and eager to learn from Aemond as the reverse, though Viserys felt small in that long shadow. Combating that is going to take a lot of effort.
Walking out onto the sand, Viserys squints against the near-perpetual dawn. Or was it twilight? It was difficult to tell. ]
It certainly smells better than Myr, [ Viserys comments as he approaches, eyes scanning the shoreline to avoid openly staring at Aemond. ]
[ It says a great deal about Aemond's trust in Viserys β or at least the potential for trust β when he doesn't turn to look at him. ]
Did you spend significant time there? [ His voice is curious, a spark of interest lurking beneath. But no judgment. If anything, Aemond was sheltered compared to Viserys, and knew little of the world beyond King's Landing outside of what he'd read in books. ]
Only a few months. We never stayed in one city longer than our welcome lasted. The guest rite doesn't exist in Essos. [ For all it made them worldly, Viserys would have given anything to have grown up in a place where he might have felt safe. That had only lasted for as long as Ser Darry had lived and even then, just barely. ] It was nothing compared to Pentos.
[ Pentos had been the last real city Viserys had seen, there for barely a year before selling the last thing he cared about to a horselord for the chance to finally go home. ]
[ An insult to a prince and princess, to be sure β driven from their homes like common criminals. Aemond doesn't react, though, only listens, attempting to understand. ]
My uncle lived in Pentos for a time, but we weren't given leave to travel often. Only to Oldtown when my mother's family summoned us. [ He must seem like a child to Viserys, but he doesn't give voice to those feelings. ]
I've seen more of Essos than I ever did of my own home. [ Viserys frowns, brow knitting. ] I had been trapped in the Keep on my father's orders and only saw the outside world on our flight from the capital as the usurper and his allies killed him with a knife to the back.
[ Memories of stories were all Viserys had of the world he had fought so hard to return to, a place he never got to see. ] Would you tell me of Oldtown? I'd heard the tower was beautiful.
[ Utterly, deathly silent, Aemond absorbs all of this and realizes with sudden clarity that they owed absolutely everything to the man standing beside him. ]
With nothing β and as little more than a child yourself β you kept your sister alive, prepared her for rule, and ensured our legacy continued. [ He shakes his head a little, mystified. ] I don't know that such a debt could ever be repaid, but I intend to start somewhere.
[ Finally, he turns to regard Viserys with pride in his gaze. ] Come. What I wanted to show you is this way. [ As he begins walking down the length of the beach, he answers his earlier question with, ] Oldtown is an enormous city, and it's kept meticulously clean despite the volume of visitors they receive. It was the largest port in my time, and the center of the Faith.
I did what I had to. [ That wasn't really it, far from it, but Viserys found it hard to be vulnerable, even with this figure right out of the tales his mother used to tell him at night to drown out the rumble of thunder.
Like a bolt of lightning, Viserys is humbled by two words: ] Our legacy. [ All his worry about leaving some mark on this world, but maybe he had. Maybe he had managed one good thing in his short, miserable life. ]
All right, [ Viserys replies, a little distracted. He follows, however, and tries to bring his mind back to the present, focusing his attention on Aemond as he speaks of a place he had only ever read in books. ] The richest, too, was what I read. Outside of King's Landing. [ Perhaps Viserys should have made an attempt to reach Oldtown in his attempts to return home. It was too late now, though, for such things. ] I'd heard that the Starry Sept was unrivaled for years for its design. Is it true it was made with black marble?
Ao mazverdagon Δ«lva hoskagon, [ Aemond said, his voice even and matter-of-fact. This was no embellishment, no great exaggeration, but a simple estimation of Viserys' deeds from an outsider's perspective. And when he hears our legacy, he knows this man understands perfectly.
He hums in agreement at the estimation of Oldtown. ] It is, though Highgarden boasts a larger sept for reasons I will never understand. [ Aemond attempts to rein in his enduring hatred for the Tyrells. ] The High Septon rules there, though. My uncle was merely a steward of sorts. It is an important balance β the Faith and the Crown. [ Is he saying this for some reason? Maybe. ]
[ Wide eyed, Viserys falters and slows to a stop as those words strike him, forcing the air from his lungs. The sound of them filled his head, fanning a fire that had started to dim. Viserys feeling vindicated, powerful, was a dangerous thing, a sword he did not know how to wield, but perhaps he could learn.
At present, when he finds his feet again, his head is held a little higher but he doesn't say anything else about it. ]
Highgarden. [ Viserys' voice then was venomous and dismissive. ] The Tyrells seek attention and put on impressive displays to achieve it but that is all it is. [ All of Viserys' knowledge of them was secondhand but their role in history was clear on the pages he'd read: they yielded to those they felt would give them what they want and they had no honour or spine. ] Balance is key.
[ As if Viserys has ever possessed balance in his entire life. ]
In some form or another. Power and mercy. Forgiveness and wrath. [ Viserys knows he needs to be careful with playing too many cards, so he tries to choose his words carefully. ] Curiosity and wariness.
So they remain the same even in your time. Unsurprising. [ Few families in Westeros truly changed, he imagined. They were all products of their upbringing. Blood would always be blood.
Aemond is quiet while Viserys speaks, turning those words over in his mind. They were all true, these observations, but missing a key point. ] Dragons also require balance, [ he adds, ] They are lonely creatures without their chosen kin. They need to be bonded.
[ He stops suddenly, pinning Viserys with what he hopes is a significant look. ] A dragon alone in the world is a terrible thing. [ Turning (for dramatic effect), Aemond nods to the wide, gaping mouth of the cave before them. It was entirely hidden from view earlier. One could only see it when standing right in front of it. ]
No one comes here but myself and our kin. If there is ever reason for it, retreat here. You won't be disturbed.
I doubt they will ever change. [ Viserys is dismissive, but all his knowledge of them, of all the great houses of Westeros were tales he stole from the mouths of merchant princes and dockworkers and from his fading memories of home and his mother.
Dragons.
That was perhaps a sorer subject than most, but Aemond couldn't know the successor of this Dance would be the death knell for these other halves of the Targaryens. ] We were all alone in the world. My sister and I were the only dragons left. [ And then there was only Daenerys. ]
No one else comes here? [ Viserys doesn't hesitate to step into the mouth of it, fingers brushing along the wall. ] Have you seen a dragon in any of these caves?
[ A hum is what answers Viserys' statement. It's true, and while regrettable, it does offer them an advantage over the Starks. They know the family better than in the reverse. ]
You are alone no longer. [ Aemond eyes his descendent with a hard, unrelenting look, as though finally sizing him up. Eventually: ] Speak with your sister. Determine your next move. We are expecting to be called upon β use that.
[ The rest was up to Viserys. Aemond knew his place, and he could only plant the seed.
Turning to gaze at the cave, he replied, ] Not this one, no. But there are dragons who walk among us as men here. Respect them, and they will respect you.
No, we are not. [ That truth alone was empowering, that sense of belonging that he had chased across the continent of Essos only to find it here, a comfort after the terrible embrace of death.
Viserys does his best to hold his head high as Aemond looks at him, wanting, more than anything, to be worthy of that glance. ] I will support her claims, whatever is to come from them.
[ It was the least he could do, now, and it was painfully clear that she was better suited to it than he ever was. Still, he could forge this alliance, and the idea of calling on an ancestor was an inspiring thing. ] You will be the first to hear of it, once it's decided.
[ Viserys steps further inside, palm pressed against the damp rock. At that comment, though, Viserys turns back to look at Aemond, a surprised, incredulous look on his face. ] Dragons in the shape of men? You've seen this?
We're having dinner with Ser Percival tonight. [ He'll recognize her tone. It's the classic I've made a decision voice. ] No need to make any arrangements. All I require is your company.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text, @vhagar
Once you've made yourselves comfortable, we should speak. [ It hadn't escaped his notice that Viserys and his sister presented themselves together. ]
no subject
If you seek an audience with
my sisterthe Queen, she has been very eager to meet all who share our name. You can find her at the inn, if she hasn't gone off shaking hands and introducing herself to all the court rulers already.[ Perhaps that was a bit too bitter. Viserys can't help it. It's in his nature. ]
I'm her brother, not her steward. [ Certainly not even the Hand. ]
no subject
I don't do audiences. Rhaenyra and Jacaerys are the ones who handle that. I'm their sword, when necessary, and now I speak to you as a brother with his own sister to protect. As I understand it, you and I hold similar functions. That should make us allies. Yes?
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If she wants to speak with you, I promise it will matter little if you do or do not do audiences. [ Viserys continues to be surprised, and intrigued. The idea that he could be valuable to someone as storied as Aemond Targaryen was not something he would ever let go of. ] Yours is here then? Helaena, the Dreamer?
[ Dragon dreams. There were times Viserys thought he had them, but no, they were just the daydreams of a desperate man. ] Allies, yes. I am free to discuss the terms of an alliance. I've been released from my duties for the time being.
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Good. Meet me on the beach. There's something you should see.
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I'm on my way.
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He claims the name Jon Snow, a member of House Stark from your time. [ Do Daenerys and Viserys know? He wonders. ]
Excellent.
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Every man with blond hair in Pentos or Myr claimed to be a Targaryen. If I believed every story, I would have dozens of half-brothers and nephews. A Northern bastard is new, though.
[ Viserys is typing as he walks because he is decidedly eager to get to the beach. ]
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This one claims to be trueborn, and as I understand it, the last living male heir in our line. [ That Viserys didn't know tells him a great deal. ]
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Watch your step. The tide is unforgiving today.
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We'll see how they compare to Myr in a summer storm. [ Or Dragonstone, the night his mother died, as if the gods themselves were angry that her blood was spilt. ]
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[ He's deeply intrigued by this Targaryen. There's so much about Viserys that differs from the rest of their family, molded by vastly different circumstances in a world so unlike the one Aemond knew. They could learn so much from each other, and he fully intended on imparting everything he could.
They would both need it.
As promised, he's waiting by the shore, hands folded behind his back, gazing out at the water. It's rough today. ]
βaction;
What is his job? That is the imperative question. His fire had burnt out and now he was here with a sister many years older than he remembered her, his place uncertain. There was opportunity, though, with their ancestors, and he was just as fascinated and eager to learn from Aemond as the reverse, though Viserys felt small in that long shadow. Combating that is going to take a lot of effort.
Walking out onto the sand, Viserys squints against the near-perpetual dawn. Or was it twilight? It was difficult to tell. ]
It certainly smells better than Myr, [ Viserys comments as he approaches, eyes scanning the shoreline to avoid openly staring at Aemond. ]
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Did you spend significant time there? [ His voice is curious, a spark of interest lurking beneath. But no judgment. If anything, Aemond was sheltered compared to Viserys, and knew little of the world beyond King's Landing outside of what he'd read in books. ]
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[ Pentos had been the last real city Viserys had seen, there for barely a year before selling the last thing he cared about to a horselord for the chance to finally go home. ]
Have you ever been?
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My uncle lived in Pentos for a time, but we weren't given leave to travel often. Only to Oldtown when my mother's family summoned us. [ He must seem like a child to Viserys, but he doesn't give voice to those feelings. ]
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[ Memories of stories were all Viserys had of the world he had fought so hard to return to, a place he never got to see. ] Would you tell me of Oldtown? I'd heard the tower was beautiful.
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With nothing β and as little more than a child yourself β you kept your sister alive, prepared her for rule, and ensured our legacy continued. [ He shakes his head a little, mystified. ] I don't know that such a debt could ever be repaid, but I intend to start somewhere.
[ Finally, he turns to regard Viserys with pride in his gaze. ] Come. What I wanted to show you is this way. [ As he begins walking down the length of the beach, he answers his earlier question with, ] Oldtown is an enormous city, and it's kept meticulously clean despite the volume of visitors they receive. It was the largest port in my time, and the center of the Faith.
no subject
Like a bolt of lightning, Viserys is humbled by two words: ] Our legacy. [ All his worry about leaving some mark on this world, but maybe he had. Maybe he had managed one good thing in his short, miserable life. ]
All right, [ Viserys replies, a little distracted. He follows, however, and tries to bring his mind back to the present, focusing his attention on Aemond as he speaks of a place he had only ever read in books. ] The richest, too, was what I read. Outside of King's Landing. [ Perhaps Viserys should have made an attempt to reach Oldtown in his attempts to return home. It was too late now, though, for such things. ] I'd heard that the Starry Sept was unrivaled for years for its design. Is it true it was made with black marble?
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He hums in agreement at the estimation of Oldtown. ] It is, though Highgarden boasts a larger sept for reasons I will never understand. [ Aemond attempts to rein in his enduring hatred for the Tyrells. ] The High Septon rules there, though. My uncle was merely a steward of sorts. It is an important balance β the Faith and the Crown. [ Is he saying this for some reason? Maybe. ]
no subject
At present, when he finds his feet again, his head is held a little higher but he doesn't say anything else about it. ]
Highgarden. [ Viserys' voice then was venomous and dismissive. ] The Tyrells seek attention and put on impressive displays to achieve it but that is all it is. [ All of Viserys' knowledge of them was secondhand but their role in history was clear on the pages he'd read: they yielded to those they felt would give them what they want and they had no honour or spine. ] Balance is key.
[ As if Viserys has ever possessed balance in his entire life. ]
In some form or another. Power and mercy. Forgiveness and wrath. [ Viserys knows he needs to be careful with playing too many cards, so he tries to choose his words carefully. ] Curiosity and wariness.
no subject
Aemond is quiet while Viserys speaks, turning those words over in his mind. They were all true, these observations, but missing a key point. ] Dragons also require balance, [ he adds, ] They are lonely creatures without their chosen kin. They need to be bonded.
[ He stops suddenly, pinning Viserys with what he hopes is a significant look. ] A dragon alone in the world is a terrible thing. [ Turning (for dramatic effect), Aemond nods to the wide, gaping mouth of the cave before them. It was entirely hidden from view earlier. One could only see it when standing right in front of it. ]
No one comes here but myself and our kin. If there is ever reason for it, retreat here. You won't be disturbed.
no subject
Dragons.
That was perhaps a sorer subject than most, but Aemond couldn't know the successor of this Dance would be the death knell for these other halves of the Targaryens. ] We were all alone in the world. My sister and I were the only dragons left. [ And then there was only Daenerys. ]
No one else comes here? [ Viserys doesn't hesitate to step into the mouth of it, fingers brushing along the wall. ] Have you seen a dragon in any of these caves?
no subject
You are alone no longer. [ Aemond eyes his descendent with a hard, unrelenting look, as though finally sizing him up. Eventually: ] Speak with your sister. Determine your next move. We are expecting to be called upon β use that.
[ The rest was up to Viserys. Aemond knew his place, and he could only plant the seed.
Turning to gaze at the cave, he replied, ] Not this one, no. But there are dragons who walk among us as men here. Respect them, and they will respect you.
no subject
Viserys does his best to hold his head high as Aemond looks at him, wanting, more than anything, to be worthy of that glance. ] I will support her claims, whatever is to come from them.
[ It was the least he could do, now, and it was painfully clear that she was better suited to it than he ever was. Still, he could forge this alliance, and the idea of calling on an ancestor was an inspiring thing. ] You will be the first to hear of it, once it's decided.
[ Viserys steps further inside, palm pressed against the damp rock. At that comment, though, Viserys turns back to look at Aemond, a surprised, incredulous look on his face. ] Dragons in the shape of men? You've seen this?
voice, @mhysa
[ She's totally smirking. ]