“Would it even come to war?” Tyland asked.
“It isn’t as if Dorne has a hope of invading, the best they can do is raids and then hide in their sun-drenched sands.”
“So too thought The Conqueror, and it cost him his sister,” Mellos pointed out.
…
Viserys listened to his council argue with each other.
It came down to whether he wished to risk a full-scale war with Drone.
He chose the path of peace.
“It was a thought, but I will not risk a greater war.
The possibility of losing any of our riders, means losing kin.
Thank you for the robust discussion, but we will leave things in the Stepstones as they are.
The second matter is the formation of a royal bank.”
That also drew a variety of reactions.
Mellos, Lannister, and Wylde opposed.
Strong and Beesbury were in favor.
Beesbury proved to be a dedicated advocate for it, and verbally sparred with the others.
He sounded far more convincing than they did.
In the end, it also came down to Viserys not wishing to have both suggestions made by Elaena discarded.
“We will press forward with creation of the Bank of the Dragon.
In time, I am sure it will one day hold more reserves, and bring in more incomes than even the Iron Bank.
Lord Beesbury will head this effort as Master of Coin.
The council is dismissed, and we will meet again in two days.”
As the rest were leaving Viserys asked Lyonel to remain.
“Lyonel, you, and your son have rendered good and faithful service.
I of course wish for you to remain as my Hand; however, I am concerned about your legacy.
Neither Harwin or Larys is married.
I worry that Harwin’s duty as sworn shield to my Rhaenyra is preventing him from finding a suitable wife.
Have you given thought to the matter?”
“Ah, Your Grace, my son says he is not ready to settle down and raise a family, but I can address the matter again.”
Viserys nodded, “See that you do, I hold no stock in gossipers and backbiting fools, but I admit it will quell certain impropriety claims if he has wed and settled into the seat, that he will one day inherit.”
Lyonel looked down.
“I see, yes, I will make arrangements, Your Grace.”
“Thank you,” Viserys said as he stood up, and then winced.
“Are you well?”
“Yes, Lyonel, just a stiffening of the joints.
I’ll be fine in a moment.
And try not to look so put out, don’t you want to be a grandsire?
I tell you, little Jace and Luke are grand blessings.”
Lyonel nodded and the two left the small council chamber.
Viserys was already feeling better by the time he reached the room that held his diorama.
He wondered if Old Valyria had banks or not.
They weren’t in any of the histories he read, but there were few surviving texts.
Perhaps when Elaena visited the Citadel, she could check if there had been any.
…
Rhaenyra was furious.
They had barely settled in on the island, and already Alicent was moving against her.
“This is her doing!
I know it.
She cannot stand to see me happy, even if it hurts her own cause,” she ranted.
Laenor and Harwin were doing their best to calm her.
Both had listened to her rage over the news.
They were on Dragonstone, but even in private rooms, shouts could be potentially be heard by serving staff.
It was important not to air their dirty linens for yet more gossip to begin.
“My father only said I had to begin looking for a wife in earnest, not that I had to leave your service immediately,” Harwin replied.
“And, who’s to say he can’t find someone… accommodating?” Laenor remarked.
Rhaenyra shook her head.
Laenor had been accommodating, true, but he was a man one in a hundred.
Women could be just as territorial, she knew that.
“That would be most difficult, and opens us up to further danger,” Rhaenyra replied.
Harwin took her by the hand and raised hers to his lips.
“Then what do you suggest?
What can we do?”
She sighed, “I am unsure.
Even talking with my father about this matter is perilous.
I believe he does not know, nor wishes to know, so he will remain blind, unless I make it too clear.”
Laenor paced beside them.
“Why not just continue to be her sworn shield, find a noble lady, wed her, bed her, and put her in Harrenhal while you continue your duties on Dragonstone.”
Harwin looked uncomfortable with that.
“I’m not sure I would see someone used in that manner.
I have another idea, though it does bring some shame.”
Rhaenyra encouraged him to continue.
“What if I tell my father that I have slept with maidservants, whores, and even several dalliances with noble women I will not name, and none has produced a child.
I can tell him that I did not wish to be wed knowing that nothing of that union would be fruitful.
Larys children, should he ever have any, can inherit Harrenhal.”
That was one an idea, Rhaenyra thought.
Yet what concerned her was how much Lyonel knew.
Would such a tale be believed?
Worry gnawed at Rhaenyra and she once again cursed Alicent for her pettiness.
“I would not see you shamed before your father.”
“I care not, I am a proven knight, held high positions, and been a dutiful son in all other ways.
I love you Rhaenyra, no other.”
Laenor sighed, “I still think we could try to find someone accommodating.
If you marry beneath your station, say a wealthy merchant’s daughter, a legitimized noble bastard girl, or a landed knight’s daughter, then your pool opens considerably.
Someone will be more than pleased to take the offer to wed and be the lady of a powerful and notable fortress such as Harrenhal as well as accept you being away and off with another woman.”
Rhaenyra was torn.
The plan to claim Harwin was incapable of fathering a child had its risks.
Laenor’s idea had merit, but whatever girl they found eager to rise in station, could seek to rise further by betraying him… well they didn’t have to tell her everything. This chapter is updated first at NovelPing.
Either way a decision would have to be made, and soon.
…
Otto Hightower, once the Hand to two separate Kings, had been perturbed by his dismissal.
Viserys was a weak King, one who rarely stood his ground.
How was Otto to know that the one issue on which he would find his spine, was the one he had pressed the most?
Otto knew he had pushed too hard and thus was dismissed from service and sent back to Oldtown.
He was still the father of the Queen, so not all his influence was lost.
Alicent was also weak, but she was obedient.
His brother scanned the missive he had received.
“What’s this, Otto?
Princess Elaena is coming here to study at the Citadel?
The girl Viserys is crediting for this damnable ‘Double-Entry’ book keeping?”
“She is being credited with it, and it appears she is the one who came up with the idea.”
Hobert Hightower, the head of their house, scratched at his cheek.
“Given her age, I thought it was but a scheme to raise her status.”
Otto shook his head, “Viserys doesn’t think like that.
If he did, he would be looking at ways to make Rhaenyra gain admiration and respect.”
Hobert guffawed, “Little chance of that happening with your rumor mongers spreading the tales of her bastard children far and wide.”
Otto gave his brother a small smile.
Half the realm had the rumor of Laenor being a cuckold on their lips.
The heir of the Iron Throne birthing bastards was tantalizing and tawdry enough that people repeated it, even if they did not believe it to be true.
The ‘Realm’s Delight’ would find the love of the smallfolk quite the fickle thing.
“Well, what should we do about it?
I’ve half a mind to arrange an accident.
The little whelp has cost us thousands of gold dragons.”
Otto felt cursed to constantly be surrounded by lesser men.
What kind of idiot was his brother to even think or speak of the idea of killing the King’s daughter, in their own territory!
“No, brother.
That would be far too suspicious and would not solve any of our difficulties.
It would also redouble the King’s protection and focus on Rhaenyra if he had but one of Aemma Arryn’s daughters remaining.
No, we will be cordial and welcoming.
There is no sense to stir up trouble.”
“Bah, fine.
You know the Targaryens better than I do.”
He did, though his time away from capital was dulling his understanding.
Alicent did not always see clearly, and the spies he had remaining were not as closely placed to certain players as he wished.
Elaena herself was a bit of a mystery to him.
This visit presented an excellent opportunity to rectify that.
…
Who knew?
So …
just keep tossing them 😉
…