Chapter Text
Jaehaerys held his head in his hands as his council talked. He had just burned another child, and had watched Viserra's ashes float away in the wind. but the duties of King never gave rest for grief
“Lord Manderly surely must have a child we can perhaps bethoth a prince to.”
“Are we truly discussing this already?”
His wife's voice was thinned with grief. Viserra may have been a willful child, but his wife had carried her under her breast, had named her herself after their brother, and she was gone. Daella, Alyssa and Viserra dead, Saera beyond their reach across the narrow sea, Maegelle sworn to the faith. It seemed their daughters were cursed.
“My Queen forgive me,” Barth said with careful consideration, his voice heavy “We all mourn the loss of Viserra, another tragedy befalling the realm, but as the guardians of the realm, we have to move past such emotions for the benefit of those who look to us for guidance.”
Barth did not mourn Viserra. Elysar, Tyrell, or Redwyne none of them had known their daughter. Known her willful nature or the way she resembled her aunt in ways that were both a comfort and a pain at times.
Aemon did however, his eldest son quiet as he stared down the red and black ball in front of him, rolling it back and forth with a distant look in his eyes
“On the topic of the Manderlys, are we confident that is who we wish to tie to in the north. I understand they are the only Northern house which holds the true gods, but what of the Starks, they were the ones that bent the knee to the Conquer.”
Redwyne said carefully, not catching the way that Alysanne's breath hitched as he spoke, Tyrell nodding to his fellow reachman
“Indeed, did Lord Stark not just have a daughter, Sansara, or Selyse?”
“Sansa.” Elysar provided, his voice quiet “Her Name is Sansa Stark, but the babe is not even a year old, I am unsure if Lord Stark would be so willing to betroth her, considering the rate in which babes die.”
The maester's voice trailed off, his eyes falling to his wife, her face gaunt as memories seemed to eclipse her
“I am aware that babes die, Grand Maester, more than anyone here. You do not need to fear my reaction.”
Aemon paused, looking at his father with hard eyes
“Baelon’s son is not yet betrothed, is he?”
Jaehaerys paused, nodding slightly. Daemon had already proved to be his mother come again. Wild and willful, nothing like his calmer older brother. Thankfully sweet Daella’s girl had been betrothed to him, rather than the younger brother.
“They shall be close in age, only five years difference, not an uncommon occurrence.”
Lord Redwyne offered, no one mentioned that his wife was 12 years his junior.
“I shall send Lord Stark a missive, offering Daemon for his daughter.” Jaehaerys provided, looking at his wife, “We shall all await his response.”