Chapter Nine: Viserys II

Viserys woke up with a throbbing headache. He had drunk way too much wine across the past week. Wine was the only thing that helped him stay sane during the dog-and-pony show of a wedding.

There's only one more day left until this farce ends, at least.

Corlys Velaryon had insisted upon nine days of celebrations, and with each passing day, Viserys had grown more and more irritated with it all. One day would have been enough.

Me and Aemma only had one day of celebration.

Viserys dreamt of Aemma last night. He dreamt that they together again, along with their children Rhaenyra and Baelon. They were living in a simple manse in Essos and had no duties or responsibilities to attend to. Viserys spent all day riding Balerion, and showing Rhaenyra and Baelon his model city of Valryria, and spending time with Aemma. Oh, how he wished he could spend some time with Aemma again.

I shouldn't have spent all of our marriage trying for a male heir. I should have spent time with my wife. I already had an heir right here.

"Your Grace... would you require some milk of the poppy to... numb your headache?" the Grand Maester asked, as Viserys sat slumped in his chair, his head leaning on his hand.

"No, no, Mellos. Some... heated hippocras will do... to wake me up..." Viserys responded. However much he didn't want to attend the wedding, he certainly did not want to be drugged up on the final day of it.

"Ab-Absolutely... Your Grace... I shall have some brewed..."

Viserys used up all of his strength to drag himself out of the chair he had fell asleep in the previous night and staggered his way to his dressing chambers in order to prepare himself for the royal breakfast, where all the Lords and Ladies would offer Viserys and his new wife with wedding gifts.

It's not as if we cannot afford all these bloody presents they offer ourselves. It's just so they can increase their standing in my eyes. It's just another one of these fucking political games.

The first day of the wedding was Viserys' favourite, likely because he had not grown tired of all the spectacle and decadence yet. Viserys and Laena said their vows in the sept, then had a feast in the throne room in the evening. The day was as simple as it could be (which was not simple at all considering the Sea Snake had his way with the planning). The second through fifth days were the tourneys, and though Viserys used to love tourneys in his youth, the tourneys fort his wedding had left a sour taste in his mouth.

The last time we had a tourney for a celebration, my wife and son died.

Viserys could scarcely remember the royal ball on the sixth day apart from dancing with Laena and the collection of wines on the dinner table. The seventh and eighth were merely a suggestion of a memory in Viserys' head.

And now, time for the ninth.

For the final morning, Viserys wore a dazzling cloth-of-gold doublet that was embroidered with the three headed dragon of House Targaryen on its chest, surrounded by bright red rubies, and a milky white and cloth-of-gold cloak that was twice his length. He wore two chains that were made of solid gold and hurt his neck and shoulders when he wore it. On his head sat the crown of King Jaehaerys, his grandfather. Viserys wanted to wear the ring he wore Aemma's wedding today, but he thought better of it. Wearing a ring that was the memory of his previous would certainly cause offence to House Velaryon.

Especially a man as proud as the Sea Snake.

They were to begin the day in the small hall, as only the closest to the royal family were invited to break their fast there. Laena was wearing a long dress of silver silk, with cloth-of-gold sleeves that was decorated with small seahorses. She wore a silver necklace that had nine sapphires engraved onto it, and atop her head was a small silver hairnet that was decorated with tiny sapphires. They broke their fast with oatcakes, Dornish eggs, greasy streaks of bacon, grapes, strawberries, and various selections of cheese. A variety of teas and sweetened milks were also served, but Viserys drank the steaming hot hippocras that he requested. Viserys only nibbled on a few cheeses and a few Dornish grapes. As of late, Viserys barely felt the motivation to eat, and across the nine days of the wedding, his appetite grew even less.

After they ate, the gifts were brought in. Most people provided the couple with the expected: new cloaks, riding boots, swords and bows and daggers. Lord Jason Lannister gifted them a gilded spear, with the end wrought into a golden dragon. Ser Vaemond Velaryon provided him with a copy of Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History by Septon Barth. It was supposedly one of just ten printed. The Sea Snake gifted Viserys and Laena matching necklaces of solid gold, Viserys' had a dragon etched into the details whilst Laena's had a seahorse. Viserys' daughter, Rhaenyra, gifted him with a new sheath for his Valyrian Steel dagger, and a black and red silken cloak for Laena. Princess Rhaenys gifted the couple a beautiful cobalt and copper dragon egg, fresh from Meleys' clutch, for the firstborn of Viserys and Laena. "And what a dragon it shall be for our future king!" declared Ser Vaemond. But Viserys' favourite gift was from the Lady Alicent, a stone model of Balerion, about the size of a small cat. It would make for a great addition to his collection.

Ahh, the Lady Alicent still remembers of our nightly visits talking about Old Valyria. She hasn't visited me since my marriage announcement. Maybe I should've married her instead.

Later, for the evening dinner, which was said to be the grandest dinner and dance of them all, Viserys changed into an all-black leather doublet, with a small red Targaryen dragon stitched on either shoulder. On his back was a black and cloth-of-gold cloak, and on his neck, he wore a neck chain of black steel, studded with black diamonds.

All black, like I am mourning. I guess I am still mourning Aemma and Baelon.

His wife, Laena, had also changed into a long black and red dress with sleeves of Myrish lace. Across the week, she had worn silvers, blues, and greens, the colors of House Velaryon. No doubt influenced by her father. Otto, Viserys' Hand, said that people may see the king as weak, by allowing his wife to wear her maiden colors instead of her husbands after she had said her vows on the first day. Viserys brushed this off, saying that he was still the king, and that anyone gossiping about Laena's choice of dress colors were just making harmless idle chatter. In truth, Viserys could not care enough about all these trivial details involving the wedding, he just wanted to get it over with.

As Viserys did for the previous few nights, he sat on the royal dais alongside his lady wife beneath the ugly, spindling creation that was the Iron Throne and its thousand blades, and waited for the first of many, many meals to be served. The first dish was salad of spinach, onions, and walnuts. After that was a plate of Pentoshi cheese and dried cuts of beef. Then came various soups and stews, a collection of fruit pies, roast duck, roast capon, and roast pigeon. Viserys' favourite dish was the fifth-and-thirtieth if he had kept count correctly. It was a whole lobster, fresh from the Blackwater, cut open and drenched in garlic and butter. He also enjoyed the wines, especially the purple Volantene wine that he had never tried before. Now, that's one positive of this damned wedding! As keeping in tradition with the past nine days, he filled his cups with various beverages. He drank more cups of wine than he could count, as well as blackbelly rum, Tyroshi pear brandy, and even a cup of fermented goat's milk.

By the time the dishes had been cleared out, Viserys was in no position to even walk, let alone dance. When he kindly declined to dance with his lady wife, the Sea Snake kindly said he understood, before rolling his eyes at his brother. Instead, Laena danced with her father, then her uncle, and many others. As all the rest danced, Viserys sat slouched on his seat, watching. He spotted his daughter dancing with Otto's younger son, and Lady Alicent with one of the Lannister twins, while Princess Rhaenys twirled around with Boremund Baratheon, as Viserys filled his cups some more.

Viserys drank and drank until he slept, maybe so he could drown his sorrows, or maybe so he could see Aemma in his dreams again, or maybe so he could just savour the taste of the grapes. Viserys did not even realise the dance had finished, until he had to be shook awake by Otto and the Grand Maester. By then, the floor had been cleared of guests, and they were all sitting eagerly awaiting the King's words.

Groggily, Viserys got up from his chair and held onto the table for balance before addressing the crowd.

"Dear... people... of the... realm... I... thank you... for... coming to... this..." he slurred, "this... event... It is... an honour... to... see you all... my realm... my... people... all so... happy... May... my... marriage... to... Ae... Laena... be a... long... and... happy one..."

The crowd smiled and applauded as Viserys fell back into his chair.

Slowly, the crowd began to leave the throne, and finally the nine days of celebration was done.

Thank the Gods this is over. I can finally rest. And at least I still do not need to bed Laena for another year.