The Joker and The Queen // Daemon Targaryen // Harwin Strong

4. Healing

'Is it healing?'

'It has grown slightly, Your Grace.' Mellos told him as he examined the wound

'Can you say yet what it is?' Otto questioned

'We've sent inquiries to the Citadel. They are searching the texts for similar cases.' Mellos told him

'It's a small cut from sitting the throne. It's nothing.' Viserys told them.

'The King has been under heavy stresses preparing for the birth. Bad humors of the mind can adversely affect the body.' Mellos assured

'Whatever it is, it needs to be kept quiet.' Otto remarked. No one need know that the king was sick.

'We should leech it again, maester.'

'It's a wound that refuses to heal, Grand Maester. Might I suggest cauterization?' one of the maester suggested poking at the wound on Viserys back.

'Cauterization would be a wise course of treatment, Your Grace. It will be painful...' Mellos warned.

'Fine. Fine.' Viserys agreed as the door swung open.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy," Vaera declared but stopped abruptly.

"Vaera, love what is it?"

"What's going on?" Vaera questioned.

"Nothing, love." Viserys assured fixing his shirt. "What is it love?" Viserys assured holding his arms out for her.
"I saw uncle Daemon." Vaera told him cautiously walking past the maesters.

"You did?" Viserys said trying to keep the smile on his face.

"He gave me this." She sat down next to him and pointed at her necklace.

"Very pretty.' Viserys remarked.

"It's valyrian steel." Vaera told him proudly.

"Wow, bribery, what did your uncle want?" Viserys mused.

"Nothing.'' Vaera told him confused. "He is competeing."

"Ah..." Viserys agreed. "He never could stay away." Viserys agreed.

"Are you sick?"

"No, baby I'm not." Viserys assured.

"You know when I don't feel good..." Vaera began a goof smile on her face. "Cookies make it better." Vaera told him.

"We should get cookies then."
"So you are sick?" Vaera questioned.

"Do I need to be sick so want cookies?" Viserys countered and Vaera smiled up at him.

"No!"

Viserys assumed her short stature and small frame came from eating nothing but sugar and cookies most days, sugar didn't give her bones enough calcium and proper nutrition to grow but Vaera was just so cute he could never say no to her.

+

'You spend more time in that bath than I do on the throne.' Viserys told his wife as he came into their room. She was soaking in the tub her large pregnant belly sticking out of the water. She sighed as she looked over to him.

'This is the only place I can find comfort these days.' Viserys ran his fingers over the water.

'It's tepid.' He remarked with distaste.

'It's as warm as the maesters will allow.'

'Don't they know dragons prefer heat?' Viserys reminded her with a grin.

'Hm. After this miserable pregnancy... I wouldn't be surprised if I hatched an actual dragon.' Aemma told him and he laughed out happily.

'Then he will be loved and cherished.'

'Rhaenyra has already declared that she is to have a sister.' Aemma told him

'Really?' Viserys said trying to hide the edge from his voice, he needed a son, not another daughter. He needed a son. It was going to be a son.

'She even named her.'

'Dare I ask?'

'Visenya.' Aemma told him and he chuckled.

'Gods be good. This family already has its Visenya.' Viserys remarked.

"Vaera though says we are having a boy." Aemma informed him.

"My girl." Viserys said happily.

'She chose a dragon's egg for the cradle that she said reminded her of Vhagar.' Aemma added contently.

"Vaera gave me cookies today." Viserys remarked.

"Me as well." Aemma told him and they both chuckled.

"I swear Vaera lives on cookies." Viserys admitted.
"She does." Aemma agreed. 'Has there been any word from your dear brother?' Aemma mused

'Not personally since I named him Commander of the City Watch. But Vaera spoke with him, he gave her a necklace and said he was going to be competing in the tourney. He could never stay away from the lists.' Viserys told her

'The tourney... to celebrate the firstborn son that we presently do not have.' Aemma reminded him stiffly. 'You do understand nothing will cause the babe to grow a cock if it does not already possess one?'

'This child is a boy, Aemma.' Viserys told her and she scoffed 'I'm certain of it. I've never been more certain of anything. The dream. It was clearer than a memory. Our son was born wearing Aegon's iron crown. When I heard the sound of thundering hooves splintering shields, and ringing swords and I placed our son upon the Iron Throne as the bells of the Grand Sept tolled and all the dragons roared as one.'

'Born wearing a crown? Gods spare me... birth is unpleasant enough as it is.' Aemma told him 'This is the last time, Viserys. I've lost one babe in the cradle, had two stillbirths, and two pregnancies ended well before their term. That's five... in twice as many years. I know it is my duty to provide you an heir, and I'm sorry if I have failed you in that. I am. But I've mourned all the dead that I can.'

++

'Commander on the floor!' Captain Randyll Barret declared getting the troops at attention as Daemon came into the room.

'When I took command of the Watch, you were stray mongrels... starving and undisciplined. Now... you're a pack of hounds.' Daemon declared. 'You're sated and honed for the hunt.' They all started howling. 'My brother's city has fallen into squalor. Crime of every breed has been allowed to thrive. No longer. Beginning tonight, King's Landing will learn to fear the color gold.' A war cry erupted and they were off...