1 Week Later
"So it is decided then?" Olenna asked with a frown. "The members of your Small Council?"
"I believe so." Visenya confirmed with a nod. "I hope you agree with my decisions."
The older woman nodded. "Of course, Your Grace. I couldn't agree more."
Within the last week since it was decided that Visenya would be Queen of The Seven Kingdoms, she had taken a great deal of time trying to decide the members of her Small Council. While she had already decided that Tyrion would be her Master of Laws, and Olenna would keep her position as Hand of the Queen, quite a few positions remained unoccupied, leading Visenya to think highly on the matter.
In the end she decided that Sam (since he spent quite a long period at the Citadel) would become Grand Maester, Davos (due to his knowledge of the seas) would become Master of Ships, Brienne would be the new Lord Commander of The Queensguard (since Jaime was now technically King Consort, though he hated the title), Edmure (knowing that she owed the man quite a bit for everything he had done for her over the years, and to spare him from being humiliated) would become Master of Coin, and Bran (due to his visions) would become Master of Whispers.
The position of Master of War, however, was still unoccupied. In her mind, she felt that she should give it to Jon, or if Robb was alive, the title would've automatically gone to him. But in her mind, she knew Jon wouldn't be happy in King's Landing.
He was only happy near the Wall.
"I'm glad." Visenya sighed as they continued to walk near the harbor. "If you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to."
She then turned away from the older woman, and began to walk towards the docks, where she saw Sansa, Rickon, Bran, Arya, and Jon were all standing in deep discussion.
"Surely you'll say goodbye to me before leaving?" She mused with humor as she approached them, before noticing the somber look on Jon's face. "What's wrong?"
"I'm not returning to Winterfell." He explained.
"Why not?"
"I want to return to Castle Black and explore beyond the wall. Create a new settlement for the Free Folk...potentially allowing for refugees as well." He sighed, before gesturing to Sansa. "I have given the crown to Sansa, I'm sure Ned Stark's daughter will speak on behalf of the North, as she's the best they could ask for."
Visenya turned to Sansa. "Is this what you want?"
"I will make Winterfell a place that my father had always wanted it to be." Sansa nodded, confirming the Queen's wishes.
"You all can come see me you know, at Castle Black." Jon smiled.
Arya frowned. "I can't."
"Why not?" Rickon frowned in confusion.
"I'm not going back to Winterfell." She explained.
"Where are you going?" Visenya asked, curious to know Arya's thoughts.
"What's west of Westeros?" Arya asked.
They all shrugged in confusion.
"I don't know." Visenya admitted with honesty.
"No one knows." She explained. "It's where all the maps stop. That's where I'm going."
Visenya nodded somberly, realizing that they were all going their separate ways. Visenya blinked away her tears as she hugged Sansa and Arya, before turning to Jon.
"Please write to me." She began looking him over. "We're outsiders after all."
He chuckled before the look on his face became serious. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me."
She smiled before pulling him into a hug, not wanting to let go of the man she considered to be her brother. As they pulled away, she let out a sigh.
"You were exactly where you were supposed to be." She smiled, before gesturing to the galley that would take the Stark siblings (aside from Bran and Arya) back North.
Visenya let out a sigh, before she headed towards the Dragon Pit, where she knew Aegon, Sunspear, Aegonar, and a very injured Drogon would be. Since Daenerys's death, Drogon was very hesitant on who he'd let touch him, but Visenya knew that'd be the case, since he was her sister's dragon. Much to her surprise however, he allowed Aegon to touch him, especially since all three dragons were healing from the fight (though Drogon and Sunspear had the worst of it).
No sooner she entered the Dragon Pit, Aegonar lifted his head, almost like he knew she was coming. Aegon, who was inspecting Drogon's wounds, immediately stoped when he saw how Aegonar acted.
"How are they?" Visenya asked as she walked up to Aegonar, touching his snout with affection.
Aegon shrugged. "Aegonar has some minor burns but he'll heal, Sunspear's cuts are healing alright."
"And Drogon?" Visenya frowned.
"He won't be able to fly for a while." Aegon sighed. "But with enough time to heal, I'm sure he will."
She nodded looking over to the black dragon. "Did you say goodbye to your brother?"
Aegon nodded. "I did, he wanted me to go with him."
She turned to look her nephew in the eyes. "Are you?"
He shrugged. "I haven't decided. I want to help him with building a settlement beyond the wall, but at the same time, I don't want to leave you."
"If you want to be with your brother, go to him." She explained with a small smile. "I will tell you the same thing I told him, as long as you write to me, I will be happy."
The boy froze, before turning back to his aunt.
"Are you certain?" He asked with caution.
She let out a sigh, before stepping forward, to pull the boy into a hug, placing a kiss to the side of his head. She pulled away to look over the boy. She had come to know him so well within the last few years, and she began to feel that he had matured greatly in the time he was under her guidance as well.
She gave him a firm nod. "I'm certain."
In that moment, she knew she made the right decision. Aegon needed to grow, and spend time with his brother. There were few Targaryen's left in the world, and she knew this was the best decision for Aegon...at least at the moment. But in the back of her mind, she somehow knew Aegon would always come back and visit her.
That made her somewhat happy at the thought.
While Aegon wouldn't leave until after Visenya's coronation, which still wouldn't occur for a few weeks, things still were changing around King's Landing and within The Red Keep. While preparations for the coronation of a new Queen were being made, Visenya still had to manage the Small Council, and deal with the various issues occurring with the citizens of King's Landing.
Specifically, their lack of food.
There were various problems across the board, but the main one that concerned Visenya was the lack of food the citizens had.
She could worry about rebuilding a fleet of ships later. The people come first.
At least, in her mind they did.
As Visenya walked into the Small Council Chamber later that afternoon, those already present stood up no sooner she entered.
"Your Grace." They all nodded.
And no sooner Visenya sat down, they all sat down. She shook her head slightly.
It'd take a little to get use to.
"Where are we with finding a Master of War?" She calmly began, turning to Olenna.
The older woman nodded. "Suitable prospects will be brought to you for an audience in the coming weeks."
Visenya nodded. "Any word on Euron Greyjoy? Do we know if he survived Drogon's blast?"
"It is uncertain, Your Grace." Davos began. "Perhaps he escaped, or went down with the ship."
"If he is alive, we must find him at once." She sighed, leaning back in her chair slightly. "I fear if he still lives, he will not only become a threat to the crown, but a threat to The Iron Islands."
"Perhaps I can find him." Bran suggested.
She nodded. "If you could, you would be doing a great deal for the crown."
She then turned back towards the rest of the council. "Has the new Lord of Highgarden and the Reach agreed to the terms regarding providing enough food for King's Landing?"
Olenna nodded. "He is surprisingly being very compliant, Your Grace. Shipments shall arrive within the next few weeks."
"And The Reach will be heavily repaid for their help." Edmure added with a nod.
Visenya nodded. "How is the issue of clean water?"
Since being elected Queen, she had gone to the drawing board quite a bit. King's Landing had been prone to disease for as long as she could remember, and all she thought about, especially in recent times and as she got older, was how to fix the issue.
Fixing the water and sewer system, was one way she could achieve this.
"The sewers will need to be completely redone in order for that to happen." Tyrion said with a nod. "Based on my years of work on the Casterly Rock sewers, clean water does lead to a healthier population."
"The Archmaester has done research on this subject, and it turns out-" Sam began.
"The strong live, and the weak do not?" Olenna questioned with a slight frown.
Visenya nodded to Tyrion, Olenna, and Sam. "Find the best builders, and set them to the task. I want it completed before the years end."
Tyrion nodded. "As you wish, Your Grace."
She gave them all a small smile, as she stood up from her seat, but gesturing for them to all remain seated.
"Do carry on with the rest." She explained. "I am needed elsewhere."
"Of course, Your Grace." They all replied, nodding to her in respect as she walked out of the Council chamber.
As soon as she walked out of the Small Council chamber, she ventured back down to the docks, to say goodbye to Myrcella, who was heading back to Dorne with Tristane and Prince Doran. Similar to how she felt about Aegon leaving, she felt almost the same way with regards to Myrcella leaving.
Since she had come to truly know Myrcella, she had considered her as her daughter, and Myrcella considered Visenya to be her mother. It often came into her mind, that she technically had 3 children (4 including the unborn child, currently growing inside of her). When she truly thought of it, even though Myrcella wasn't her daughter by blood, she was her daughter in spirit. And while Aegon was her nephew, she was more of a mother figure to him, than any person Connington tried to bring into his life.
And Aegon considered Visenya to essentially be his mother.
"Mother's here." Myrcella murmured to Jaime, as she watched Visenya walk towards them.
"You're late." Jaime mused.
Visenya rolled her eyes. "My sincerest apologies. I left the Small Council meeting as quickly as I could...I wouldn't miss saying goodbye, for a Council meeting."
Myrcella smiled, before giving the woman she had come to consider her mother a hug.
"Promise you'll write." Visenya murmured to the girl.
Myrcella nodded. "I will."
"Tell me if something occurs, I will fly on Dragonback, and be there within a day." She began, taking the girl's hands in hers, as they pulled away. "Your father surely agrees with me, and would accompany me as well."
That comment made Jaime's eyes widen.
He'd have to go through another ride on Dragonback...and that petrified him.
"Of course." Myrcella said with a nod, before placing a hand on Visenya's stomach, that was beginning to show that she was pregnant. "I hope it's a boy."
A small smile came onto Visenya's face. "You'll be one of the first to know."
Eventually, after a few more words were exchanged between the three of them, Myrcella headed towards a galley that would take her back to Sunspear in Dorne...the place where she was truly happy. Once the ship was out of the harbor, Visenya and Jaime, began to venture back to The Red Keep.
"How was the Council meeting?" He asked, as they started to climb the stairs.
She shrugged. "The same it has been for the last week. Candidates for Master of War will be here within the week."
He nodded. "Good."
"If Jon didn't head North, or if Robb was still alive, I'd make either of them Master of War." She sighed. "But I am still cursed by The Gods."
"You are not cursed by The Gods." He sighed, putting his left hand on the small of her back. "If anything we are both cursed by The Gods."
She let out a laugh at that comment, knowing based upon everything that had occurred recently, felt like a curse from The Gods. They really did have quite a bit in common now.
"We'll figure it out though." He sighed, knowing they always figured things out.
She nodded in agreement. "We always do."
A/N:
So actually, I lied. There's two more chapters after this one! As always, let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas.