Chapter 11: Lemore

Lemore watched from the window as the servants started moving the trunks and other things onto the wagons. The wagons would then depart from the mansion toward Ghoyan Drohe before they travelled down the Rhoyne toward Dagger Lake, where they'd then travel by ground toward Selhorys and onward they would go, until they reached Volantis, and the Targaryen palace that was there beyond the Black Walls.

For some time, Lemore had wondered why nobody had told Prince Viserys about the Palace, given what he saw himself as, she would've thought that he would go there immediately, once Ser Willem Darry had died. But evidently, Ser Willem hadn't known about the Palace and there had been nobody around Prince Viserys to tell him.

That both saddened and angered her. Prince Viserys was a Prince of the Blood, he should have been here with them, as should his sister. But for one reason or another, that had not happened. Instead, the Prince and Princess, the last two remaining children of King Aerys and Queen Rhaella had been forced to wander around Essos as beggars.

"It's not perfect, I know, but it must be done." Her brother Arthur said.

Lemore turned around and saw Arthur, dressed not in his Kingsguard armour (that was in one of the trunks being loaded onto the wagons below), standing by the doorway.

"It does not feel right." Lemore said. "We should not have to run away from Pentos just because Prince Viserys and Princess Daenerys are coming here."

"I know." Arthur answered. "But you know why we have to."

Lemore sighed. "Yes, yes, I know, that doesn't mean I agree with it at all." She really didn't. "Varys works for His Grace. Varys knows where everyone and everything is going to be before they even get there, do you really think he couldn't divert the Usurper's knives before they even learned of where Prince Viserys was?"

Arthur sighed. "He could." At least Arthur was willing to admit that Varys was good, she remembered a time before the war, where Arthur had been reluctant to acknowledge that at all.

"So, why doesn't he?" Lemore demanded, some of her old temper emerging from the depths of her person again.

"I do not know." Arthur answered. "For some reason both he and the cheesemonger want the King and Prince Viserys to never meet in person."

"Why?" Lemore demanded. "Surely it would be better if they did meet? If Prince Viserys saw the King, and acknowledged him as who he is, that would make things much easier. Especially for some of the nobles who are yet to turn."

That had been something she had been very impressed by, both her brother and Connington had worked tirelessly over the last fifteen years to build up a vast network of support for the King in Westeros. How they had managed to avoid detection she wasn't sure. She wasn't sure whether Varys was so good that he could ensure something like that had been hidden from the Usurper for so long. But regardless, the Houses who promised to rise for the King when the time came, included: Bracken, Blackwood, Royce, Tarly, Darry, Mooton, Grafton and many others.

"I do not know." Arthur answered, breaking into her thoughts. "But I have my own suspicions."

Lemore raised an eyebrow. "And what might those be?"

"When I was in Braavos, I heard rumours. People talking at inns and elsewhere. They claimed that Prince Viserys was as mad as his father. They claimed that he had made all sorts of boasts when he'd been in Braavos a few years ago. And that he'd developed a fascination for wildfire." Arthur said, his eyes grew haunted when he said that last part.

Lemore moved to her brother and put a hand on his arm. She remembered the stories he'd told her about what King Aerys had used wildfire before. She knew those memories haunted him still.

"Do you believe them?" Lemore asked.

"I do not know." Arthur replied sounding unsure. "You remember what he was like as a boy?"

"I do." Lemore answered. Prince Viserys had always followed Rhaegar around, like a lost little puppy. He'd wanted to be Rhaegar, but had never had the age or ability to match up. And of course, when things had gotten really bad between Rhaegar and King Aerys, Aerys had dragged Viserys away from his brother. No doubt filling his head with nonsense.

"I know the Queen did what she could to protect the boy, but King Aerys being what he was, it's not unthinkable that some of what he was rubbed off on the boy." Arthur said, sounding as if he hated himself for thinking it.

Lemore sighed. "So, you think he's mad? Or you're worried he is."

"Yes." Arthur said. "And I'm terrified of what he would do if he met the King."

"You think he'd try and kill him?" Lemore asked.

"I do not know what he'd do, but I fear he might." Arthur said. "He's believed the King to be dead his entire life, since the rebellion, he'd react one way or the other if he learned that was a lie."

"Which is why I continue to believe that a fatal mistake was made in not uniting the two households!" Lemore said. She firmly believed that if that had been done, they would not have this problem now.

"I know." Arthur replied soothingly. "And I agree with you, I did at the time. But Connington, Varys and Mopatis all argued otherwise."

Lemore snapped. "Connington never liked King Aerys nor did he like Prince Viserys. He wanted Rhaegar's boy all to himself." Connington was a good man, there was no denying that. But there was something about how he viewed the King and how he viewed Prince Rhaegar's memory that didn't sit well with Lemore. What it was she didn't know, but it was there.

"I know." Arthur murmured.

There was a moment of silence as they both looked at one another, neither was quite sure what to say now, nor were they quite sure what the future would bring. But they were both sure that they would die before they betrayed the King. Of that, Lemore was sure.

Therefore, she was surprised when Arthur broke the silence. "One of my contacts in Braavos sent word today."

Lemore raised an eyebrow. She was never sure how Arthur had established so many contacts everywhere, especially when he'd never been very good at the game when they'd been in Westeros.

"And?" She asked.

"It seems that Petyr Baelish, the Master of Coin to the Usurper was in Braavos, visiting the Sealord. Apparently to try and sort out some of the Iron Throne's debt." Arthur said.

"And?" Lemore asked.

"I do not think he was very successful, the man left looking disappointed." Arthur answered.

Lemore nodded, they would need that debt sorted out before the King took the throne. It would not do for him to start his reign with this debt hanging over his head.

A shout from down below told them that the wagons were fully loaded. Arthur extended his arm to her and helped walk down the steps and out into the courtyard, where the rest of their party were waiting. She took a breath. It was time to go.