PERZYS ĀNOGĀR | v. targaryen ( s.u )

( CHAPTER THREE, III. )

CHAPTER THREE, III.

❝THE PRINCESS BETRAYED❞

Pentos, 298 AC

TO SAY THAT DINNER WITH THE TARGARYENS AND ILLYRIO MOPATIS WAS A COMFORTABLE AFFAIR WOULD BE A COMPLETE AND UTTER LIE. The Baratheon princess had sat to the right of the Targaryen prince, his younger sister on his left and across from Maehera. She had felt Viserys' eyes on her at all times, raking over her features and figure. Young Daenerys had watched Maehera throughout the meal as well, the wariness from before replaced by curiosity. It had all been enough to put her off her appetite, her food cold and long forgotten on the table as she sipped her wine and looked around the room to avoid the gazes of the others.

Seeing Viserys with his sister had also made Maehera wish she was back home, with her brother, niece and nephews. She missed reading to little Myrcella and Tommen, she missed watching her brother's drunken antics and Joffrey's snide comments about the lords and ladies of Westeros.

"Little doe, I asked you a question. You don't want to wake the dragon, do you?" Viserys' voice snapped her back to reality. Daenerys looked at her from across the table with worry and fear, her eyes silently urging her to answer.

"I'm sorry, but I was thinking," Maehera replied, a slight bite in her words.

"That's quite alright, little doe. I was asking if you knew any of your brother's weaknesses that we exploit to dethrone him?" Viserys asked, his lips curving upwards slightly.

Maehera looked at him with incredulous eyes. Could he really be asking her to betray her elder brother? "I-I can't answer that."

"Are you so shielded that you don't know or do you simply refuse to tell me?" Viserys replied, his voice rising slightly. Maehera flinched a little at his words. It wasn't that he had raised his voice at her, rather it was that she realised she had been shielded from it all.

Maehera had been only a babe when her parents died, leaving Robert to raise her. Her niece and nephews were more like siblings to her as a result. But, she had also grown up a princess and gods be damned if she wasn't going to be treated like one.

She turned her lilac eyes on Viserys, her delicate eyebrows scrunched together. "He's my brother, I am not helping you usurp him," Maehera retorted.

"And I am to be your husband. If you do not, you will be named a traitor either way," Viserys said, his voice having scarily calmed quickly. Maehera opened her mouth to spurt out another response, but closed it when she began to process his words.

If she married him and her brother remained in power, she would be a traitor for the rest of her life, forever hiding in exile with the Targaryens. If they took the throne, she would once again be treated like the royalty that she was and gods be damned if she wasn't going to be treated like one.

Maehera could not help but agree when Daenerys had asked her and Nymeria to play cards with her. The young Targaryen princess had pleaded with them with large, innocent eyes that seemed to threaten to spill over with tears if they refused. From the game, it was evident that Daenerys had never played cards before, which she had revealed was because everyone was always to busy to play with her. Hearing that had broken Maehera's heart, had made her yearn to comfort the young girl as she had many times before with her nephews and niece.

When Viserys tried to find his betrothed and sister for lunch, he was greeted by the sight of the two curled up next to each other, asleep with a book forgotten on their blanket-covered laps. They had looked so peaceful, something he hadn't seen on Daenerys' face in a long time and ever on Maehera's. For the first time in a long time, Viserys felt warm inside, as if he had a normal family and a normal childhood and he was normal man. A small smile broke through onto his face, which was quickly rehidden when the door opened again from behind him.

"Oh! Your grace," Maehera's Dornish lady gasped before following his gaze to the girls. "I couldn't bare to wake them."

"That's alright, I'll arrange for lunch to be brought here for when they wake up," Viserys replied, turning on his heel and exiting without another word.

The heavenly aroma of roasted meats filled Maehera's senses. Her eyes fluttered opened, watching as servants brought in two trays of food. She turned her head to the girl next to her, who was still sleeping peacefully, and gently shook her shoulder. Daenerys sat up groggily, her hands wiping the sleep from her eyes before moving to conceal a yawn.

"What time is it?" she asked, before looking at the food.

"I'd say around about lunch time," Maehera replied, a small smile on her face.

Kings Landing, 298 AC

Robert Baratheon snatched the letter from Petyr Baelish's hand, the seal already broken. He needed to see the contents for himself, he needed to know that it wasn't true.

My lord,

There was talk of arrangements of a wedding of Viserys Targaryen to Princess Maehera Baratheon, so I took it upon myself to check it out. I regret to inform that these rumours are true.

Robert crumpled the paper in his hand, throwing it across the room before downing his goblet of wine. "How could this happen?" Robert roared, his fist slamming against the table. The members of the small council flinched, looking at each other worriedly.

"Well, your highness, we believe Illyrio Mopatis was intending her for the Targaryen boy the entire time and that he may be housing the Targaryen heirs," Varys stated.

"Get out," Robert said, his voice quieting. The small council members all stood, practically running out of the room without a second glance.

When Robert entered the dining room later that day for dinner, it was clear to Cersei that he was still in a bad mood. She had passed by the council room after the members had all scurried out, hearing the sounds of goblets clanging against the ground and chairs splintering against the wall. He plopped down in his seat, his eyebrows creased together as he gestured for a servant to fill his goblet with a sharp motion.

Joffrey looked at his father peculiarly; he wondered what had pissed him off this time. He watched as the King downed the goblet of wine, slamming it back down into the table.

"Your aunt, Maehera, has betrayed us," he spat out, his face contorting in anger before raising his newly refilled goblet to his face.

Shock covered the faces of everyone else on the table, even Cersei's (though it was quickly concealed). Maehera would never betray family, would should she?

150 words over my goal, be proud of me~~ also, my goal was 1050 words so, i'm getting better at chapter lengths !!