King’s Landing
Corlys Velaryon was an ambitious man; it was no secret.
If his voyages were not enough proof, one only had to look at the choices he had made throughout his life to see the measure of his ambition.
So when the biggest hurdle to his ambitions, the Old King, went to whatever hell awaited him, it was only natural for Corlys to feel jubilant throughout the week.
And the cherry on top was Viserys giving him the office of Master of Ships on the Small Council, a position that had been hereditary until Jaehaerys thought otherwise in his infinite wisdom and petty view.
If Jaehaerys’s body had not been cremated, Corlys was sure that even the dead king would be rolling in his grave in disappointment and disgust at his successor’s decision.
“Smile a little more, and Viserys might rethink his decision.
It seems some time away from court has made you forget that there are eyes everywhere, dear husband.
So if you must show your joy, I would suggest you do so once we are in our chambers, where fewer eyes can see us.”
His wife’s cutting remark poured cold water over Corlys’s joy, and the smile vanished from his face.
“From his decision to return that office alone, I think Viserys is not the king your dear grandfather was.
And I have not come here with the intention of losing that office for my house again,” Corlys said firmly.
“Viserys might not be as cunning or far-sighted as Jaehaerys was, owing to his tendency to see the good in people, but if you think for even a moment that he is as gullible as the court portrays him, then you are as much a fool as many present here.
Viserys has spent his whole life in the capital, and he was groomed by Jaehaerys and Uncle Baelon to sit the Iron Throne one day.
I would wager my favorite suit of armor that he can see every scheme the courtiers spin around him, but due to his nature, he lets them be until they threaten his family,” Rhaenys scoffed, walking past a lord who tried to approach her with an arrogant look on his face.
“As if I were a fool enough to believe every rumor that reaches my ears,” Corlys replied.
The two of them walked together toward the wing that had been given to them by Viserys.
Their servants and children were already settled in.
Thinking of his children, Corlys remembered the outlandish rumors surrounding a certain boy of Daemon’s, whispers that the boy possessed eyes blessed by the Seven themselves.
“You heard the things they say about Daemon’s child?” Corlys asked.
“Yes, I have heard.
Too many people are saying the same thing for there not to be at least some grain of truth in it.
Perhaps his eyes truly did change.
Though the part about them being blessed by the Seven must be smallfolk fancy, as even lords are not foolish enough to believe that, of all the houses in Westeros, the Seven would choose House Targaryen,” Rhaenys replied.
“I would like to see these eyes once I am done with the Small Council.
What do you say?” Corlys asked.
He was very much curious about both the eyes and Prince Gaemon himself.
“I do not think Laena would have remained uninformed of it by now, and given our daughter’s nature, there is a high probability she is already searching every corner of the Red Keep for this prince. Visit novelping(.)com for the full chapter.
So if Laenor and I find her before she finds Gaemon, then we might go and see Daemon’s son’s eyes together as a family,” Rhaenys replied, shaking her head.
“Very well.
You three may go.
I shall meet the boy on my own,” Corlys said as they reached the wing where their chambers were located.
With Gaemon,
Gaemon was sitting with Rhaenyra and Alicent in the godswood of King’s Landing.
Truth be told, calling it a godswood was an insult in itself to places that held heart trees and a certain peace about them.
This is no Godswood.
It was just one of the many gardens in the Keep named Godswood, maybe to appease the North.
“What are you thinking about, Prince Gaemon?” Alicent asked with a smile.
“Nothing, Lady Alicent,” Gaemon replied with a tight smile.
The daughter of Otto sure was a great reader of expressions on people’s faces.
“His mind is empty of thoughts; you should read him the Book of the Warrior, Alicent,” Rhaenyra helpfully provided for Alicent, who looked downtrodden after seeing the tight smile on Gaemon’s face.
Alicent’s face instantly lit up with excitement, as any devout person would upon hearing they had to echo the words and passages of their gods.
“Shall I, my prince?
We shall start with the first passage.
The Warrior bids all—”
“Please restrain yourself, Lady Alicent.
You recited the whole book to me just an hour ago,” Gaemon interrupted before she got too far gone to even listen to him.
Meeting Alicent had its perks, but the downside of hearing the books of the Seven made Gaemon want to run away whenever he saw her approaching.
Unfortunately for him, Alicent had taken it upon herself to teach the one who bore the Eyes of the Seven all about them and what was written in their holy books.
“Ah, yes, I apologize, Prince Gaemon.
In my devotion, I completely forgot about that.
But my mother always says there is never too much hearing or reading of the books of the Seven…” Alicent was speaking with a smile until Rhaenyra stood up, and she stopped at the princess’s abrupt movement. This chapter was copied from novelping.com without permission.
“Laena?” Rhaenyra said, sounding both surprised and questioning at once.
“Rhaenyra.” The newly identified Laena greeted the princess warmly.
Laena’s silver-gold ringlets bounced as she made her way toward them.
The girl was tall for her age and slender too.
Gaemon could see her growing into a very beautiful woman, almost rivaling Rhaenyra in beauty.
Almost.
“When did you arrive?
And why have I not been notified of your arrival today?” Rhaenyra asked, confused and happy in equal measure.
“I arrived just now, and I think it was His Grace who invited my father and our entire family.
I do not know why he did not tell you, though,” Laena answered as she and Rhaenyra shared a hug.
“Uncle Viserys might have wanted to surprise you, Rhaenyra,” said Gaemon, though he did think there was a fair chance his uncle had simply forgotten to inform her.
“So you truly do wear the cloth around your eyes to hide them,” Laena surmised as she came closer to him.
“You’re Prince Gaemon, right?
I know there is no other blind person at court, but I would still like to ask.”
“Yeah, I’m Gaemon Targaryen,” Gaemon introduced himself.
“The Blessed Prince,” Alicent added.
“Yes, the one blessed with the Eyes of the Seven.
That’s why I’m here,” Laena said, glancing at Alicent.
“And also to meet Rhaenyra, but it seems I’m fortunate, as two of my objectives are in the same place.”
She smiled brightly, a beautiful smile that came easily to her face.
Then she turned toward him and asked with characteristic bluntness.
“Can I see your eyes?
I would like to know if they’re as beautiful as the rumors claim they are.”
Short chapter, I know, but given all the things I myself am impressed that I’m keeping up with this writing thing.
Anyway, I saw a few comments on how slow the plot is.
All I will say is the plot is about to speed up once I dish out this whole introduction thing.
If I have already addressed this issue, then ignore my mad ramblings!