726 AC - King's Landing - CrownLands - Seat of Power: Aerys ll Targaryen
After the morning when Visenya, broke fast with Tywin and his family, the meeting was repeated quite a few times over the course of the year. Tyrion kept staring at her every single time, Jaime seemed to be happy having her around and even Cersei seemed to tolerate her more.
There was something about her presence and her willingness to answer their questions that offered a sense of normality to everyone. Tywin could not remember when it was the last time they dined without awkward silence or when the kids seemed to be interested in someone outside of their family.
Visenya seemed to be natural with the kids as well, her smile coming more naturally when she was around them and even Kevan seemed to enjoy her company. Many times Tywin just observed her and studied her as she remained the epitome of etiquette and manners but also had this motherly side; which surprisingly worked on his kids as well.
The year passed and by the beginning of the next, Queen Rhaella gave birth to yet another boy. Aerys was ecstatic, his happiness not measurable at the happy news.
Visenya was relieved that her sister was healthy and survived the birthing process. The boy, who was named Viserys, seemed to have taken her soft features.
She leaned over the cradle, watching the thin but healthy baby as he slept. His tiny hands held on her index finger, holding with quite a grip. The Dragon Princess watched him sleep, smiling all the time as she memorised every little feature of the baby. Her sister was sitting on a chair, resting her body after feeding her baby.
Aerys had been rather protective of the baby, especially after all those miscarriages and had put a guard above the crib 24/7. Even Rhaella was not allowed to be alone with the baby and of course, neither was Visenya.
"He has your eyes," the Princess commented as she gently rocked the cradle.
The guard was stationed by the door, his eyes always locked on their form as if they would murder the baby while it slept.
Rhaella smiled and enjoyed watching them, knowing Visenya didn't truly have much time or chance to be with her family.
"I know and I am sure he looks like me, although I do fear he will take after Aerys when he grows up; hopefully only in appearance," she confessed, her voice low from exhaustion, dark circles under her eyes.
Visenya glanced in her direction. "He will but not as much. Your features will be visible as well," she said, making her sister look her way with a knowing look. A mental question was in her mind and her younger sister knew what it was.
"Yes," she answered her. "He will wear your crown, you will give it to him and he will carry it with pride," she explained, being as vague as possible due to the guard present in the room.
Her words seemed to reassure Rhaella, whose body relaxed more on the chair while Visenya turned to focus back on the baby.
"He likes you," the Queen pointed out. "Doubt there is any kid that doesn't," she continued.
Visenya lifted an eyebrow and looked back at her sister. "You speak as if you know something I don't," she told her.
Rhaella gave a weak smirk. "Certain blond children to jog your memory," she explained, always careful not to give away too much.
The youngest woman had told her sister about the times she dined with Tywin and his children, the pregnant Queen more than happy to hear the news since Aerys had her locked up in her room for "protection" as he would justify it.
Rolling her eyes, the Princess replied nonetheless. "It's nothing. The kids ask questions and I do not mind answering them. They seem to enjoy it and he doesn't seem to mind either."
Rhaella listened. "What about you, though? Do you enjoy it?"
Visenya could not lie and she smiled faintly at the memories. She adverted her eyes to the sleeping baby. "It is a refreshing change. The kids are intelligent and I can see that the presence of another woman affects them."
"What about children of your own? You still haven't found anyone to—"
For a moment, Visenya's mind brought up an image of Tywin but she quickly shook her head and suppressed that image. "No, and I doubt I will. The realm needs guidance and stability for Rhaegar to eventually take over. This is far more important."
Her sister let out a sigh. Sometimes her younger sister was too serious for her own good. Speaking about the good of the realm, spending her time dealing with everything other than her happiness.
An idea suddenly popped into her mind, the twinkle of amusement glowing in her violet eyes.
"What about a certain... lion?" she whispered the last word, making her sister whip her head faster than ever.
Immediately, Visenya went to the defensive. "He is a widowed man, sister. He has too many things on his plate already and I know the kids won't accept me either," she said, never realizing that she never denied her part.
She spoke of him and him alone, denying anything about her liking the idea or having feelings for him. All those things, Rhaella took notice of and realised that her sister did have feelings for the Hand of the King.
Based on how often he asked to dine with her, she suspected that Tywin had something more in mind than just normal partnership or friendship. While she did not know him very well, she could see he was a reserved but lonely man.
A man, who once tasted love but then it was taken from him. Per his nature, he yearned for that connection again after getting a taste of it. But at the same time, he was not one to express his desires and simply buried himself in work; ironically that sounded very similar to a Targaryen she knew.
Lannisport - Westernlands
Aerys was so happy with the birth of Viserys that he ordered Tywin to organize the biggest tourney yet, to celebrate the second Targaryen boy born into the Royal Family but this time in Lannisport. As he was instructed, the loyal Hand of the King did exactly that, despite what he truly thought.
On the day of the jousting tournament, the stands were filled with nobles from all of the great families, whether big or small. Many had their sons entering the tournament since they were of the right age to compete.
The main royal booth had been created and placed with a great view of the jousting arena while comfortable chairs had been placed for the special guests. Rhaella and baby Viserys had remained in King's Landing while Crown Prince Rhaegar had chosen to participate in the tourney.
This left the booth to be occupied by Steffon Baratheon, his wife Cassana Estermont and their two children Robert and Stannis; ages 10 & 4 and 10 & 2 respectively. From the Targaryen Royal Family, Aerys and Visenya were present while Tywin had brought his three children as well to observe.
When the King showed his face, the crowd cheered but when Tywin did; the crowd went wild. Twice as loud did they cheer for the Hand of the King and their Lord, angering the current King. To his surprise and later jealousy, even Visenya seemed to receive extensive praise from the common folk.
He had noticed that even the Lannister soldiers treated her differently, more special than they should and he did not like it at all.
Eventually, the time for the tournament began and everyone's attention was on the competing knights. Many of Tywin's best, including his brothers Kevan and Gerion had participated as well but so did Rhaegar.
The charming prince had been freshly knighted and had also drawn the love of the crowd, the people cheering for him while many young ladies seemed to be smitten by his charming looks; Cersei Lannister included.
The young prince looked charming as ever, straight out of a children's book as he rode his brown mare towards the royal booth.
"Dear Aunt, may I have your favour?" he asked, lifting his jousting lance towards the booth.
His actions amused Visenya, who graced him with a smile. "You may," she said and stood up, her dark purple dress having faint jewels at the edges of her sleeves, collarbone and endings that reflected the bright sun. Her hair had been half pulled up into an elegant bun, her neck bare of any jewellery but many felt it was not truly needed with her beauty.
She picked up a bloody red favour and gently placed it at the tip of the lance, allowing it to fall all the way to the handle.
Rhaegar gave a pearly white smile at her and the rest of the booth before he galloped to face his first opponent. As Visenya sat down, she noticed how Cersei, who had been seated next to her; let out a heavy sigh.
One did not have to be clever to realize that the young Lannister of barely age 10 was smitten by the Crown Prince like many women and young girls before her. This amused her and she would not mind seeing a future alliance between their houses with Cersei as Queen next to Rhaegar.
The tourney started and Rhaegar seemed to be unstoppable. He defeated every opponent he had faced so far, including Tywin's men and brothers alike. His victory was an unbreakable streak and that caused talk between many nobles and common folk alike.
"The Prince is unbeatable, I am telling you""I say it is the favour of the Princess that does all the job""She must be a lucky woman. I mean, her presence helped defeat the Silver Lions a year ago"
"I heard that she planned everything on her own and not the King"
Of course, gossip and talk were never only one-sided. Many, especially ladies, had chosen to also bring up Visenya in their conversations but it was not meant for praising.
"Did you hear? She is 6 and 20 years old and still unmarried""I heard that she had been turning down suitors for years""She is growing old. Soon, no man will want her no matter who her brother is"
And the chatting continued, the word spreading of Visenya's luck and strategic intelligence. The word kept spreading, barely reaching the royal booth and none truly seemed to pay attention; except for Tywin.
Visenya was fully focused on her nephew, whom she had personally helped train for the tourney. She held her head high in pride, her eyes not hiding the satisfaction she felt upon seeing her training being key in the many victories of Rhaegar.
His final opponent was Ser Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard and while in the first round, none fell off the horse; the same could not be said for the second round. The experienced knight managed to unsaddle the Crown Prince and put an end to his winning streak.
The very same night, a feast had been held in honour of the Royal Family and it took place in the halls of Casterly Rock.
Visenya was more than happy to be back, having missed the view and the silence of the place; although that silence was not existent with how loud her brother and the rest of the nobles were.
Aerys did not try to hide his roaming eyes, flirting with other women and even man-handling some of the female servants; as if his wife did not wait for him back at King's Landing. Unfortunately, such incidents were very common with him and the number of mistresses was lost by now; even to Visenya.
The full attention of the crowd got Rhaegar, who had sat by a harp and started to play one of his songs. His sweet and trained voice had many entranced and even managed to bring tears to Cersei Lannister herself; who felt her heart beating faster once their eyes locked for a moment.
While Rhaegar was busy performing, Visenya had grabbed the chance to leave the feast. Instead, she had walked herself to the same balcony she had been a year ago. This time, with a cloak to protect her against the winds, she leaned on the marble railing and tried to focus on the sound of the crashing waves; the salty smell being welcomed by her senses.
Her disappearance was noticed by Tywin, who soon had excused himself and had followed after her. He did not have to for he knew where she would go and his guess was not wrong.
He stood by the balcony doors for a moment, observing silently her form. Her dark purple dress was pressed against her body by the winds, her white hair loosely swaying behind her; leaving the perfect skin of her neck to be exposed.
Her hands were held stable against the marble railing and her eyes were peacefully closed. Without a care about the crashing waves, she stood like a mighty goddess as droplets were sprayed upon her form like blessings from the Gods themselves.
She looked mesmerizing and at that moment, Tywin just found himself observing her; savouring her with his eyes in this perfect pose. He took notice of how faintly her back had been arched and how perfect her skin looked under the moonlight and the faint light of the torches.
Eventually, she seemed to sense his presence for her tempting pink lips curved upwards into her charming smirk.
"Took you long enough to come, my Lord," she said, paraphrasing his words from the Library.
This amused him and he got control of his body once again. With confident steps, he quickly covered the distance between them as he now stood by her side; green eyes looking ahead at the darkened horizon.
"I did not wish to disturb you, Princess. I do understand the need for some peace," he said.
She kept the smirk and opened her unique amber eyes. "I did not doubt that. It is odd that we are back here but not as we had planned it," she confessed, remembering how Tywin had promised to take her with him next time he returned to his ancestral home.
"Indeed but that does not mean we will not visit again," he said, earning her attention as her eyes moved to keep him in her eyesight. "I have been thinking of a proposal that I wish to bring forth to the King, mayhap tomorrow while we break the morning fast."
The word proposal alone made Visenya's heart increase its beating rate, her usual logical mind rushing to emotional conclusions that were unlike her. Yet, she kept her composure and played along; reminding herself to be patient and ask for more details.
"A proposal between whom, if I may ask?"
Tywin not once stopped looking at the horizon, hands behind his back.
"Between your nephew Rhaegar and my firstborn, Cersei. I can see she is infatuated with him and I do believe an arrangement between our houses would be beneficial."
Visenya did not hide her disappointment, especially once she realised that if such a wedding would take place; there would be no reason or even opening for them to wed as well. She mentally scolded herself for thinking so selfishly and forced her mind to think of it logically.
Rhaegar was a kind man, a little airhead and lost in clouds with his music but he had potential. With her and Tywin's guidance, he could make an exceptional King, who would keep his subjects happy and the realm at peace.
Cersei was an intelligent girl, very beautiful and young. Their children would be unique, coming from two of the most powerful houses in Westeros. They would have intelligence but beauty, truly admirable and envied by many. Visenya could see Cersei becoming a great mother and a good queen, with the right husband by her side and the right upbringing.
"I do believe the idea has been well thought," the Princess said, after a prolonged silence. Her eyes moved to look forward. "Mayhap Jaime could become Rhaegar's squire as well," she suggested, making him turn his head to look at her. "I noticed him during the journey and I can see my nephew had left a good impression upon him. He is a kind boy and Rhaegar would look after him while teaching him like he had been taught," she suggested, turning her head just slightly to look at him without straining her eyes.
She saw how his lips stretched to form the faintest of approving smiles, a sight so rare that even she did not see it often. She felt proud to know her idea had pleased him enough to grace her with such a smile and then for a moment her eyes stayed a little too long upon his lips before forcing herself to look at other parts of his face; to hide and prevent any wrong thoughts.
That small movement of her eyes seemed to have drawn Tywin's attention for he tilted his head faintly forward and stared her down with curiosity but slight lust as well. He could see her eyes roaming, trying not to settle on a part of his face too long and he found enjoyment in that. The prideful and emotionless Dragon Princess was not as mighty as many believed or she was not when she was lately in his presence.
There was something about the way her eyes moved and how her pink lips had parted that drew his interest. Her cheeks while pale had the faintest of flush and her chest moved with each silent breath she took.
His eyes lowered towards her but quickly focused up to her face, temptations invading his mind at an alarming rate.
However, that small moment where things could have escalated; was ruined by someone's presence.
"Tywin!" a female voice called him, quickly making the two of them take a long step away from one another. Eventually, the owner of the woman appeared by the balcony doors. "Oh! I am sorry. Looks like I interrupted something of importance," the woman said.
Visenya turned to face her, quickly taking notice of her appearance. She was slightly older than her but shorter, her body having increased in size but so did her bosom; being perhaps the biggest the Princess had ever seen. She did, however, have very long golden hair and bright green eyes; making one quickly realize whose family she was related to.
"Genna," Tywin called the woman's name and cleared his throat. "May I introduce you to Princess Visenya. Princess, this is my younger sister; Genna Lannister," he continued.
Upon realizing who the exotic woman was, Genna gave a small bow but that was rather clumsy due to the alcohol she had ingested during the feast. The goblet in her hand swayed slightly as she leaned on the door frame.
"It is a pleasure, Princess. Please, do not let me ruin your moment," she continued, dismissively moving her hand.
Visenya immediately cleared her throat and composed herself. "It is getting late, Lord Hand. I believe it is time to retire. I will see you tomorrow," she said and without missing a beat, started to head towards the door. "Lady Genna," she greeted the blond woman with a small nod of her head and walked back into the castle.
Once she had left them behind, Genna cleared her throat and composed herself. "I did not have you to be the bold one and draw women out on the balcony, Tywin," she said, her voice no longer slurring and any other sign of her drunkenness was long gone.
Tywin narrowed his eyes at her, clearly displeased by her tricks. Yet again, she might as well have saved him from an embarrassing moment or crossing the line from which there was no return.
"You are lucky I am not in the mood to argue with you, Genna."
The woman did not seem to be intimidated by his glare or the sharpness of his voice.
"You definitely were in the mood to cross the line with the Princess. You are lucky no one else saw you, although I must say..." she licked her lips and smirked. "She is quite a catch. I cannot say I blame you and neither most men that had their eyes on her during the feast."
Her brother did not answer and instead walked towards the doors.
"Goodnight Genna," was all he said and continued walking, leaving his younger and annoying sister behind him; his mind troubled by thoughts and emotions.