108 AC, The Red Keep
Otto Hightower POV
Otto watched the foreign dressed man wait with the men carrying in the small crate at the bottom of the stairs, waiting to brought into the Red Keep. His gaze washed over the men, intently studying them, and he could see that they were low born yet they wore fair quality garments typically expected of the merchant class.
One of the guards that escorted them in walked towards him.
"My Lord Hand." The guard bowed his head "These are the men who claim to be sent on behalf of Prince Aegon the Elder." The guard brought out two letters and Otto took them and he inspected the seal on the letters.
Both of them had the Targaryen seal, the same seal he'd seen four years ago, the last correspondence between the Iron Throne and the third son of Baelon.
Otto flipped the letters over and saw that one was addressed to King Viserys and the other to the Lord Hand, and he began to open the letter addressed to him.
It was standard procedure, to address towards someone of high rank in the capital when letters came from foreign dignitaries or merchants who wished an audience with the King.
It's the Prince's handwriting, Otto recognised after he read through the letter.
He closed the letter after having read through the inconsequential content which only bore to assuage that it did come from the Prince himself and what the gifts were, and Otto dismissively waved the men to come up.
"Have the rooms by the servants' quarters prepared." Otto said with cool eyes as he eyed the Prince's men once more before returning his gaze towards the guard as he began to turn away.
"And search the crate thoroughly."
It was later during the evening meal when he was with his daughter, the Queen, Viserys and Rhaenyra, that he had the gifts brought that were held within the crate.
"Your brother has brought gifts for his namesake and nephew whilst bringing gifts for Rhaenyra and Alicent." Otto told them before the gifts were brought in by the servants.
"Ah!" Viserys said exuberantly as he got up from his seat and made his way towards the gifts, as did Rhaenyra though his daughter Alicent sent him a quizzical look to which he only nodded slightly before she also got up to inspect the gifts.
The gifts were…worthy, Otto had to concede.
Two-foot-tall ivory statuettes of dragons and lighthouses were amongst the gifts given to the Royal family. His daughter received a jade gemstone necklace, Rhaenyra a diadem made of gold crowned with violet gems whilst his grandson received a dagger with ornately designed hilt that respected both of his heritage.
Extravagant gifts that he was sure could command a fortune, a fortune all but a few Houses could afford to part with at the best of times.
And Viserys would know it too, Otto thought with disgruntlement, and would only embolden the man to seek to return the 'wayward' Prince to Viserys' side.
Otto walked towards Viserys who was in conversation with Rhaenyra about one of the statuettes, about whether or not it resembled Balerion or Vermithor more, and he gestured Alicent to intercede when he needed her to. After she understood, he spoke up "Your Grace." Otto said respectfully, drawing Viserys' attentions.
Rhaenyra pivoted away towards Alicent who called on her and Otto decided then to lean in slightly, saying "Your brother wrote back."
He fished out the letter with the unbroken seal, the seal unbroken despite his own curiosity what the wayward third Prince wrote, from his inside pocket and Viserys eyed the letter with bright curiosity as he handed it over to the man. "May I suggest you read it later?" Otto said cautiously as he looked meaningfully to the girls.
Viserys visibly warred with himself, before he conceded with a tight smile. "Very well." Viserys said as he tucked away the letter and turned towards the girls, happily discussing the gifts and where they might display in court.
It was later, when he and Viserys were alone, that Viserys broke the seal.
Otto watched Viserys keenly as he read the letter, the excited gleam in his eyes slowly dimming as he read further down the letter, and Otto, felt a sense of relief at the growing and marked display of disappointment on Viserys' face.
He had not been pleased with the prospect of the return of the all-but-self-exiled Prince who Otto believed was…problematic.
Not in the problematic sense that Daemon was, no, thank the Seven Aegon the Elder was not a threat like Daemon was. His years in court and his time as Lord Hand during the Old King's reign made it clear that Aegon the Elder held contempt for the court…and its people.
The third son of Baelon valued keeping hold of his grudges more than he did the new position he'd found himself despite having all of the opportunity to bolster his position at court and in the realm.
As the man married to the Old King's last daughter, who was clearly in favour with the Old King in his last years, and as the brother of the next King, Aegon could have ensured that he was a major political force on top of being a knight and a dragonrider.
The man eschewed it all and Otto was glad for it.
He'd been surprised to see the Old King include Aegon the Elder as much as he did in the last years of his reign, and it quickly became apparent that it was not because the boy was married to his only living daughter that he'd done so.
The simple truth was…Aegon the Elder was more competent than either of his elder brothers in almost every manner, that early promise of the boy's intelligence Otto had been informed off by the maesters coming into fruition in full.
And Viserys, even if he was fortunately more sentimental than he was understanding of Aegon's skills, knew at some level that Aegon would be a boon for his reign.
And Otto did not want that man anywhere near Viserys for he believed, no, knew, his influence over Viserys would wane in ways that Daemon could never achieve.
Daemon, Otto thought with a contemptuous grimace, was a cruel self-serving violent deviant that thought of nothing else than his own desires and his vices, and Viserys, despite the undeserved love he held for Daemon, knew this, at least deep down, and it had not been difficult to sway Viserys to his ways of thinking in most instances.
Aegon the Elder however?
The man was clever, when he wanted to be, and persuasive.
He'd seen enough of his persuasiveness when the Old King reigned and when Prince Baelon still lived, having convinced the Targaryen men to let him take Dragonstone under his charge allowing him to develop the ports and towns of Dragonstone when it should have fallen to Viserys as Baelon's heir to manage the seat, which, in the end, had costed the Iron Throne substantial taxes when Aegon absconded away with half of the population and almost all of the shipbuilders when he left.
Not only that, he'd also convinced them to radically change the 'housing system' of Kings Landing whilst getting the Old King to invest in the sewage system that Aegon the Elder had successfully argued was costly and ineffective with the way it dealt with the waste of the smallfolk and the way it ran from street to street.
All this whilst figuring out how to make glass of almost perfect quality, quality that not even the Myr glassmakers could produce, and bartering a contract with the Iron Bank when he was still yet barely a man grown.
And despite the point that an agreement should never have been brought to Braavos when such industry could have transformed Kings Landing, he grudgingly had to admit that the contract was at least adequate, especially given that it was a constant stream of gold that would only increase when the Stepstones debacle was settled.
Some of his kin in Old Town and the maesters believed that the achievement is attributed to that half-maester Edwyn but Otto did not underestimate the third Prince.
The maesters that had been around during the third Prince's early years had much to say about the man, about his intellect and the close relationship he once bore with the late grandmaester Elysar who was said to highly regard the Prince.
And from what he'd seen of the third Prince, Otto acknowledged that there was a sharp mind underneath that head of silver hair.
Viserys knew that too even if Otto thought that Viserys was blind to his youngest brother, who considered Aegon the Elder's achievements to be a joint matter with his sire when it was clear that his youngest brother who should be credited in full.
Which, of course, Otto believed likely contributed to Aegon the Elder decision to depart from the Kingdoms. The relationship between Viserys and Aegon had never quite recovered after the Princess Gael debacle, when the third Prince had been accused of distasteful rumours that saw none of the royal family refute at the time.
He'd been sceptical about the rumours when he'd first heard about as he did not think Queen Alysanne would have left Aegon the Elder to remain free with how much the old woman had loved that girl, and the later announcement by the Old King vindicated that scepticism, even if he was sure it was not the truth.
Nevertheless, the broken relationship between the brothers, the major faults of Aegon the Elder, faults of wilfulness, stubbornness and wrath, made him relatively assured that Viserys' offer would be rejected.
"He refused."
Otto looked Viserys who slumped in his chair and Otto suppressed a smile as Viserys gazed up at Otto with a tired saddened smile. "I had hoped…" Viserys trailed off.
"Your brother has made a life in the Summer Isles. A successful life if the quality of the gifts is anything to go by." Otto told Viserys carefully.
Although he did not expect it to be this successful.
They did not have an active spy network there, as much as he wanted there to be, but there were plenty in Lotus Port that would inform their people amongst the Old Town merchant ships about the affairs of the island.
In truth, he wasn't sure what to make of the reports.
The settlement Aegon built, named queerly as Corinth – neither Valyrian or Andal – was reportedly said to be made completely of wet stone that when dried was as hard as any stone found on the Summer Isles, and was said to boast city walls ten feet tall and homes that were all built with the wet stone.
Some of their spies had seen the stone for there were roads built around Lotus Port that had these stones. Unfortunately, they did not know how it was made or even who created in the first place, only that Corinth had sent men to lay the wet stone.
There wasn't much else they could find out about the settlement for the place rarely entertained any outsiders beyond the neighbouring Summer Islander villagers and the traders of Lotus Port, as per the agreement made between the Prince of Wallano and Aegon.
One thing was clear however.
The industry that had been on Dragonstone had clearly improved for it seemed like much of the gold Aegon made was spent on buying the freedoms of the slaves of Lys and the Disputed Lands, an expensive affair that he'd considered had to taking more than the income of the Braavosi glass industry.
He'd sent a raven to his brother some moons ago about the matters there. The Prince was more successful in trading that he thought he'd be and mayhaps there was more happening there that they needed to know, especially since there were five dragonriders on those Isles, more than the rest of the Targaryens combined. It could be those ridiculous ships were not as much a gimmick as he thought they were.
"He said as much." Viserys said with a miserable laugh as he gestured Otto towards the letter and Otto took the letter and read it.
Otto kept his expression the same as he read it though he was surprised by some of it…especially the tone with which Aegon had written with.
It was…cold…formal, more so than one could expect between brothers.
He'd thanked Viserys for the position and the offer of lands but politely declined, stating that he did not foresee himself and his family returning in next few years and that he did not wish for Viserys to leave the important post unoccupied for too long.
The only parts of the letters that were warm was in regards to Rhaenyra and Aegon, whom he wished best fortunes and that one day he'd get to meet his namesake and see Rhaenyra once more.
Ironically, there was no mention of Aegon's own children.
Otto looked away to the letter and looked towards Viserys who turned to look towards his Valyria model with a faraway look.
"A life?" Viserys murmured softly, seemingly speaking to himself. "What life?" Viserys shook his head before continuing "what life can he possibly have that is better than one with his own people? His own family?" Viserys asked and Otto was certain it was not to him, not entirely anyway.
"You know what's been said about him, Otto" Viserys spoke up after a moments as he returned his gaze to Otto "That he is as much a flesh peddler as the rest of the Seven damned Essosi." Viserys said with a set jaw.
Without Aegon present to defend himself and his actions, the nobles that had seen their overtures batted away by the man had taken the opportunity to fuel rumours that his purchasing of slaves was not as pious as some would believe.
Otto had brought the news of the rumours to Viserys and he'd been wroth by the attack on his brother's character. Viserys would have learned of it sooner or later from the Master of Whispers but Otto had seen an…opportunity to win over some of the nobles and Lords to his way of thinking.
Otto had presented an opportunity to Viserys to deal with the rumours and he'd done so during the last courtly festivities where Viserys had addressed the matter by toasting his brother for his pious deeds alongside several influential Septons, effectively defanging the rumours lest they be deemed to be doubting the words of the King and the Faith.
"None of that would have happened if he was here, where people could see him do the good work against slavery." Viserys sighed "I should have offered to help him with this cause of his. Maybe that would have made the difference."
"I cannot answer for your brother's desires, Your Grace." Otto said with a pause as he eyed the man for a moment before continuing. "I did not know him as well as you did." Otto said in a half lie. In truth, he did not understand either, why Aegon threw away everything. Aegon would have gotten what almost all second sons wish for.
A lordship, land, and an elder brother whose ear could be bent.
Viserys scoffed as he shook his head. "I do not think anyone knows him at all safe for Gael." Viserys sighed. "Safe for Aemma" he added with a sad note to his voice.
Otto artfully thinned his lips, the only indication of his displeasure of the mention of that woman. That woman never seemed to stop haunting the place despite her ashes long having cast into the winds.
"Prince Aegon's men are still in Kings Landing, Your Grace." Otto said, redirecting the conversation as he placed the letter onto the table. "I can have them called up if you wish to have them take a letter to your brother?"
Viserys slightly turned towards him, meeting his gaze before he looked away from Otto, wearing still that disappointed look. "No" he said after a little while.
"There is nothing to share with Aegon. He does not wish to return and it seems like there is nothing I can say or do to convince him otherwise." Viserys shook his head.
"One brother who craves more than it is his to have, and another who craves nothing more but to reject all that he could have granted to him on a silver platter." Viserys chuckled with a rasp before he sighed heavily and turned towards Otto.
"If only my brothers were like you."
Thank the Seven they were not, Otto thought.
He'd never have gotten this close otherwise.
"I live to serve, Your Grace."
Viserys smiled gratefully before nodding towards him "Go. I've kept you enough."
"Your Grace." Otto bowed before he left.
He made his way through the holdfast, towards his next destination and as he arrived at his tower, he found his informant waiting by the guards.
As soon as they were left alone in his office, he asked without delay "Did you find out where they are going?"
"They are. Though they have stated that they are due to the Vale to deliver gifts for Prince Baelon and Lady Royce."
Otto suffocated the grimace that came across his face as he thought of that displeasing problem.
He'd still not been able to convince Viserys to go back on the betrothal between Baelon and Rhaenyra.
His correspondence with Lady Royce was positive however, keen as she was to preserve her line and prevent her kin from usurping the House from underneath her.
As it was, Lady Royce was keen to have Baelon marry a daughter of the Vale instead of the Princess, which was a much more palatable eventuality.
For almost everyone involved.
Having Rhaenyra marry Daemon's spawn was a nightmare that was only surpassed by the deviant marrying the girl himself.
He could see it with utmost clarity, the danger of uniting the claims of Daemon through Baelon and Viserys through Rhaenyra.
The rightful claim of his grandson would be placed under unacceptable threat even if he managed to win the Westerlands and the Stormlands to his grandson's cause.
Having a Queen as a ruler of the Seven Kingdoms would be unacceptable to the Lords of the realm but having a Targaryen King, even if he was to be consort, could be twisted into an acceptable compromise for most lords.
He would never see that outcome come to breathe a single breath.
And neither would House Hightower or their allies.
Thankfully, Daemon was as much a threat to himself as he was to his grandson and Lady Royce's hatred for Daemon and her own concerns for her son was the opening with which he'd convince her to allow the betrothal to…simply fall apart.
She'd gain a full heir of her House's name, which he'd see done, and which would have the discontented kinsmen step away, and her son would still have ties, blood ties to the Royal family that mayhaps one day would yield a queen of House Royce.
It was a cleaner solution than having the boy killed. For now.
Rhaenyra would marry someone else should Viserys be opposed to marrying his grandson to the girl, someone more…manageable that could be won over.
Unfortunately, he knew that as Princess, a dragonriding Princess at that, there were only a few Houses worthy of her hand.
And the two Houses that he knew had the best chances of convincing Viserys were both two Houses that he would do his best to ensure they did not succeed.
"They've hired a ship then?" Otto asked, returning to the matter at hand.
"Yes, my Lord. Although I do not know where after they'd go."
Otto dismissed the point. Likely they'd return to Kings Landing before riding out to Tumbleton where they'd go down the Mander…like they'd done to get here.
It was an option that some merchants were taking rather than brave the Stepstones with the way it was.
Otto briefly considered if he should do more than idly keeping watch, but decided in the end that there was little point and as such, he dismissed the man, telling him to keep him apprised on their guests, and soon he was left alone in his office.
-Break-
108 AC – Oldtown, Clover Tavern
Selyse POV
She peered over the balcony of the Clover Tavern, looking over the buildings and the river that fed out of Oldtown.
It was a pretty city, with labyrinth cobbled stone streets that snaked in and out to lead into markets and shops in the unlikeliest of places.
There was a charm to it, she supposed, but she found the piousness of the people in the city…distasteful. There was a superficiality to it that seemed worse than what she was used to in Lys, where folk could switch from one faith to another several times in a lifetime.
She herself had followed one faith only to switch to another when it caught her fancy only for her to decide none of them suited her.
But those who