BLOOD WARS | D. Targaryen

xv.

Viserys smiles weakly at her, "That's good."

Daenerys takes Viserys hand in her own, squeezing her brother's hand tightly, "I was there Viserys. I saw Rhaegar attack you."

"You haven't said anything? Have you?"

Daenerys bites her lip, "I may have hinted at it. It was the only way to get the heat off of you so that we can smuggle you out of here."

"Don't put yourself in danger for me," Viserys tells her.

"You're my brother, Viserys. I'm not gonna leave you behind. Not when you need me most."

Viserys squeezes her hand weakly, "Rhaegar always told me not to wake the dragon."

"Rhaegar is no true dragon. He's weak and a liar and the truth is," Daenerys takes a deep breath, "The truth is that we must take him down."

"He's King of the Seven Kingdoms, how will we do that?" Viserys asks her, "He stabbed me and made it seem like it was an accident. The truth is that I won't be leaving this room alive-"

"Don't say that," Daenerys interrupts, "We're in this together. I'm not leaving you behind. We'll figure something out, but I refuse to let Rhaegar win."

There's a knock at the door and Daenerys tenses for a moment before she hears Barristan's voice, "You should hurry Princess."

Daenerys looks back at Viserys, "I'll be back for you tomorrow. We're leaving King's Landing together or not at all."

She leans down and presses a kiss to Viserys forehead before standing and making her way to the door.

"Dany," Viserys calls out softly, "Will you tell Jessamyn, well I don't know what to tell her."

"I'll tell her the truth," Daenerys says, and the truth was that Viserys was alive and that there probably hadn't been a moment that Viserys didn't think about her.

"Thank you," Viserys says and Daenerys smiles once more at her brother before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. She exhales softly as she looks up at Ser Barristan.

"How is he?" Barristan questions.

"Alive," Daenerys responds, "That's the important thing."

"Was there any doubt?" Ser Barristan asks her and once again Daenerys is tempted to tell Ser Barristan the truth. That Rhaegar isn't the man that he thinks he is, that he isn't the man Daenerys thought he was.

"Ser Barristan," a strong Dornish voice says. Prince Lewyn is approaching with his nephew, Prince Oberyn at his side.

"Price Lewyn. Prince Oberyn," Ser Barristan greets. The two Dornishman stop when they're standing in front of them.

"Princess Daenerys, I'm sorry for what has befallen your brother," Prince Oberyn says and Daenerys smiles at the sincere words.

"Thank you, Prince Oberyn. How long will you be remaining in the capital?" Daenerys asks curiously. She knew Oberyn was aware of Rhaegar's instability and wondered what his plan was for saving his family.

"Not long," Oberyn answers, his eyes flickering to Barristan and then back at Daenerys, "How about you Princess? The capital is not as safe as it once was."

"No, it's not. My brother is evidence of that," Daenerys says, and something passes between her and Oberyn, the silent acknowledgment that the thing making King's Landing unsafe is the King.

"Well should you ever need a vacation, Dorne opens her doors to you," Lewyn says from beside his nephew and Daenerys smiles at that. The Martells had always been kind to her and Viserys, despite Rhaegar's many crimes against their family.