Chapter 3.6- The Seadragon’s Roar

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“We are gathered here today to pay our last respects to King Jaehaerys Targaryen, the First of his Name, the Conciliator, rider of Vermithor, husband to the Good Queen Alyssane, father to…” I tuned him out as the High Septon continued to drone on and on. This was the price of the Old King’s close relationship to the faith, boredom at his funeral. His body would still be cremated by a dragon procession in Valyrian fashion, but it was still clear that this was an Andal funeral more than anything else. Not something I would have cared about much if it didn’t mean hours of standing and kneeling, and sitting on wooden benches as this foggy old man ran through an obviously ill-rehearsed sermon. He’d already gotten the order of the children wrong on two separate occasions.

I turned my attention to him and looked around the hall. Rival claimants or not, we were still the second most powerful house in the realm and Viserys had no choice but to seat us as such. We were on the second row, right behind the main Targaryen line. Viserys, Daemon— who had yawned on three separate occasions, Aemma, and a young Rhaenyra Targaryen. The realm’s delight as she would one day be known was just a little girl now, awkward, clumsy, and stumbling. She’d already asked to leave twice and I could see the strain in Aemma Arryn’s smile at dealing with the little brat.

I turned from them, looking behind me to see the rest of the realm arrayed in all her splendor. Otto Hightower and his domestic family took the row behind us, and I scoffed internally when the man sent a smile and wink in my direction. Behind him was House Lannister, and I was sure the rest of the Lords Paramount were arranged in an order from there. Probably one that was planned to avoid giving offense as much as possible.

At least, to avoid giving offense to those this King considered as allies. There was no missing how Lannister and Tyrell who had both voted for Viserys were the first two lords. Or that Baratheon and Stark, my most vocal supporters were off to the back. Viserys had won now and it seemed like he was telling the world that failing to support him was a mistake. Behind House Baratheon, which were the last of the Lords Paramount were the Essosi delegations. The Sealord of Bravos had sent a delegation with his son as the head. A delegation that Corlys was eyeing with too much interest for my taste. Laena would not find herself engaged to a wastrel. Not on my watch.

What felt like hours later, the High Septon finally finished. And then the body was taken out. The burning was to take place at the Dragonpit to allow the commoners and the likes to pay their respects. And they did. They came in their dozens, hundreds, and thousands while I stood to the side waiting for the procession to end.

When it finally did, Viserys stepped to the stage and said the final blessings in High Valyrian. He stepped back then, towards his wife and their daughter who stood next to her toddler dragon.

“Dracarys” Rhaenys called first, and we all followed her lead. Meleys, Caraxes, Igneel, Vhagar, and even Vermithor who had somehow sensed the body’s arrival in the pit turned the old King to ash, and so began the reign of Viserys the First.