Chapter 65 - The Future King of Westeros.

[Chapter Size: 3100 Words.]

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Third Person POV

Harrenhal, 101 AC.

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Finally, the great day had arrived.

All the lords gathered inside the largest hall in Harrenhal, accompanied by their wives and, at most, one or two attendants. No children were present. Only the men who led their houses and bore the responsibility of ruling their realms had been summoned, perhaps some accompanied by their heirs so they could learn.

At that moment, everyone had gathered to hear the king's decision regarding who would become the next heir to the Iron Throne.

King Jaehaerys sat upon his throne before them all, who knelt as he took his seat and rose again when he commanded them to stand a moment later.

The king wore a white cloak adorned with the sigil of House Targaryen across his chest, while his crown gleamed atop his head. At that moment, he no longer looked like the frail old man who spent his days confined to his bed, but rather the king who had ruled all the kingdoms, save Dorne, through more than five decades of peace without facing a single major conflict.

Jaehaerys the Conciliator. That was how his life would be remembered and how future generations would come to know him.

The two claimants to the throne stood close to him.

Viserys stood beside his wife, Aemma, who was pregnant, her belly already beginning to show, while also holding little Rhaenyra, only four namedays old, in his arms.

On the other side, Corlys Velaryon stood beside his wife, Rhaenys, while she held the hands of their two children, Laenor and Laena.

Everyone turned their gaze toward the vast hall, where the lords of the Seven Kingdoms waited in silence, arranged according to their respective realms.

The Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, stood a few steps below the Throne and the two claimants, waiting in silence.

Shortly afterward, several servants entered carrying a large, richly decorated chest, as though they were transporting a sacred relic. And, in a way, that was exactly what it was.

That chest contained the decision that would determine the future of the entire realm. Because of that, every detail of the ceremony had been carefully prepared to turn the announcement into a grand spectacle.

It resembled the capsule in which they kept dragon eggs warm, but this time it held the most important document in the realm on that day.

The servants placed the chest at the foot of the throne. Then the members of the Kingsguard stepped forward. The Lord Commander himself opened the chest, removed the scroll stored inside, and handed it to the king.

Jaehaerys rose to his feet and unrolled it before the watchful eyes of everyone present. "The heir to the Iron Throne is... Viserys Targaryen."

As soon as the words echoed through the hall, most of the lords immediately began to applaud. Viserys broke into a broad smile. He turned to Aemma, kissed her, and then embraced her.

On the other side, Corlys maintained a neutral expression, although his eyes revealed irritation and dissatisfaction with the outcome, seeing the decision as a great injustice.

Rhaenys, on the other hand, appeared far calmer. Noticing the disappointment written across her children's faces, she lowered herself to their level.

"Everything is alright," she said with a serene smile. "Laena... Laenor... you don't need to be sad."

The two simply nodded. Despite the defeat, both had held onto the hope of seeing their own mother chosen as the heir to the Iron Throne.

The king rolled up the scroll and handed it back to the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, who placed it inside the chest once more before returning to his post, while Jaehaerys resumed his seat upon the Iron Throne.

He needed to give a speech, the last of his life before so many lords, ladies, and other important figures.

"The decision reached by the majority of you in this Great Council will determine the future of Westeros. For that, I thank everyone who traveled to Harrenhal to take part in this moment. I have always believed that the greatest responsibility of a king is to preserve the stability of the Seven Kingdoms."

The old king paused briefly before continuing.

"When Aegon the Conqueror united these lands, our continent was divided by endless wars. Kings marched against kings, castles were reduced to ashes, and the people paid the price for ambitions that were never their own."

His gaze slowly swept across the hall.

"Today we have proven that there is another path. A path where the succession does not need to be decided by blood spilled upon the battlefield. Because when lords wage war, it is the people who suffer. It is our sons who die with swords in their hands, families that vanish, and entire generations forever marked by pain."

Silence filled the hall as Jaehaerys turned his eyes toward Viserys.

"It is my wish that Viserys rule after me. May his reign be long, prosperous, and peaceful. May the Seven Kingdoms remain united, and may the generations to come know peace as we have known it."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall once again erupted into applause.

After the conclusion of the Great Council, people began leaving the hall. Many approached to congratulate the claimants, especially Viserys, who was now receiving the congratulations of nearly everyone. Even many of those who had supported Rhaenys immediately turned their attention to the new heir, seeking to earn the favor of the man who would one day become king.

Corlys and his family remained in the hall for a while longer before departing.

Viserys also stayed behind, speaking with several lords until the king left the hall.

When Lord Stark returned to the camp, everyone already knew the outcome, which came as no surprise. Jon and Lyra stayed behind, while Lord Stark took Rickon and Lyarra with him.

That night, a great feast was held among the lords of the North to discuss the decision of the Great Council.

Jon remained with the other children. He met up with his friends once again, played with Rickon, Lyra, and the others. Little by little, his thoughts about everything he had witnessed days earlier began to settle.

At that moment, he was once again just a ten-year-old boy.

He had friends among the northern nobility.

He had his animals.

He had Rickon as a brother.

He saw Lyra as a cousin, just as he did Mary.

And, for a few brief moments, he managed to forget the burden he now carried.

At the same time, within Harrenhal, another meeting was taking place. Viserys was surprised by a summons from the king and escorted to a secluded part of the castle.

As soon as he entered the chamber, he was surprised to see the king standing before the fireplace. "Your Majesty... You shouldn't be on your feet..." he said cautiously.

Viserys quickly approached, while a Kingsguard closed the door behind him. It was just the two of them, and it was clear that Jaehaerys was making a tremendous effort simply to remain standing.

The old king looked at his grandson and offered a faint smile. "Viserys... do not worry. I am at the end of my life. But there are still a few things I must do before I depart. That is why I was unwilling to do this in King's Landing and summoned you here, even interrupting your celebration..."

Viserys looked at him in surprise. "And what do you need from me, Your Majesty?" It was then that he noticed something burning in the lit fireplace.

"Perhaps I will never have another chance to tell you this," Jaehaerys said with a faint smile. "But we need to talk, Viserys."

The king paused briefly before continuing. "There are secrets our family has carried since the time of Aegon the Conqueror. Secrets that are passed down only from king to king."

Viserys was completely astonished. The way he spoke made it sound like this was House Targaryen's greatest secret... What could possibly be greater than the dragons themselves? What secret was this that even members of House Targaryen did not know?

Unable to contain his curiosity, he immediately asked, "What secret is this, Your Majesty? And what is it that is passed from king to king to make such a mystery of it?" Viserys asked carefully.

"Take the dagger. My hands can no longer hold it properly." Jaehaerys said, and Viserys saw the blade resting in the fire, with only the metal heated by the flames.

It was Valyrian steel.

Viserys stepped forward and grasped the dagger's hilt. Despite the heat radiating from the blade, it did not burn his skin.

It was then that he noticed something. Words were engraved upon the steel, glowing from the heat... Now that he thought about it, he had always seen his grandfather carrying that dagger. Sometimes it hung at his waist, even more often than Blackfyre itself, while at other times it remained hidden beneath his cloak, but Jaehaerys had never been separated from it.

Could this be the symbol passed down from king to king? But... what did those words mean?

Viserys began reading them softly. "From my blood shall come the Prince That Was Promised, and his will shall be the Song of Ice and Fire." The letters almost seemed to come alive...

A deep sense of uncertainty spread across his face as he turned his attention back to Jaehaerys.

The old king remained silent for a few moments. Then he took a few slow steps toward the fireplace, keeping his eyes fixed upon the flames.

"There is a reason Aegon conquered the Seven Kingdoms. It was not merely for power." He took a deep breath. "It was because of a vision."

"A vision?" Viserys asked.

"The end of the world." Jaehaerys's voice grew even frailer. "A vision that one day a great darkness will fall upon this world, Viserys. A darkness that will threaten the Realm of Men. The sun will cease to shine, and the world will march toward its destruction at the hands of an ancient enemy."

"The Prince That Was Promised..." Viserys murmured, trying to understand.

Jaehaerys nodded slowly. "Exactly, my grandson. Aegon himself had this dagger forged so that it could be passed down to his descendants. From our blood shall be born the one who will face the evil that threatens this world."

"The Prince That Was Promised will raise his sword against the darkness, the one who will lead mankind toward the dawn after the long night." The king turned his gaze toward Viserys. "That is why it is so important for our family to keep the realms united... That is why a Targaryen must remain seated upon the Iron Throne. That is why we must preserve the power of the dragons."

"Perhaps the gods granted our family the gift of dragons precisely for that moment. We are more than just a family ruling an entire continent. Do you understand that, Viserys?"

Viserys remained completely still. Those words changed the entire way he viewed his own family.

"Did my father know about this?" he asked quietly.

Jaehaerys nodded. "Of course. I passed this knowledge on to him the moment I chose him as my heir. But he never told you."

"Why?" Viserys asked.

"Because it was never his role. That duty has always belonged to the king. It is the king who passes this secret on to his heir. And now that king will be you. You will be the next King of Westeros. You must keep this secret and pass it on only to the heir you deem worthy." Jaehaerys paused briefly.

"Although... I am no longer so certain that the Prince That Was Promised has yet to be born..."

Viserys's eyes widened. "What do you mean by that, Your Majesty? Do you think it could be... that boy?" Viserys had no doubt whom Jaehaerys was referring to.

The boy who always came to visit him. The extraordinary child in so many ways, constantly discussed among the nobility. Even within Viserys's own inner circle, quiet questions and conversations about the boy often arose.

Why did the king pay so much attention to that child when he was merely a bastard of Targaryen blood?

That alone was not unusual. There were many dragonseeds scattered throughout the Seven Kingdoms. It was hardly uncommon for a member of House Targaryen to impregnate a common woman, a prostitute, or even a noblewoman, resulting in bastard children.

No one usually paid any attention to them. But that boy was different, even though he had black hair and green eyes, giving the impression that he possessed none of the visible traits of House Targaryen.

Even so, he was the one who received all of the king's attention. Not even Jaehaerys's own great-grandchildren were treated with as much affection as that boy.

That stirred curiosity and concern in everyone who noticed the difference. Viserys himself had already thought about it. Perhaps his grandfather had simply grown especially fond of the boy.

After all, he had heard many stories about the prodigy of the North long before meeting him in person.

"Do you truly believe he is the Prince That Was Promised?" Viserys asked once more in a low voice.

Jaehaerys remained silent for a few moments. "Yes. The boy is far more extraordinary than you can imagine, my grandson."

"He will never have a claim to the Iron Throne. But he will certainly play a fundamental role in the coming war of darkness, cold, and death."

The old king turned fully toward Viserys. "That is why I have a few requests to make of you."

Viserys still carried countless doubts, but he lowered his head respectfully. "I will do everything in my power to fulfill any wish of yours, Your Grace."

Jaehaerys watched his grandson for a few moments before nodding. "I want the boy to have the opportunity to build a name for himself. I will no longer be here when that time comes. But I would like him to be brought to the Red Keep. I want him to learn about the court, about the realm. I want him to study under the finest maesters. And I want him to train alongside the Kingsguard."

"What do you mean by that, Your Grace?" Viserys asked, utterly astonished by all these requests. Why give everything that a Targaryen prince would receive to a common-born boy?

Bring a common boy to live among the royal family... why?

"I want him to make a name for himself. I want him to rise above his own origins, Viserys. I want him to become important in the eyes of the realm. I want him to reach such a lofty position that no one will question him when he takes a Targaryen princess as his wife."

As soon as those words left Jaehaerys's mouth... the two remained silent.

Viserys's eyes widened completely as he stared at his grandfather.

"Yes, Viserys. I want Rhaenyra to marry that boy in the future... if he proves himself worthy." Jaehaerys kept his eyes fixed on his grandson.

"Because either he is the Prince That Was Promised, the one our ancestor foresaw... or it will be his son. Your grandson. The true Prince That Was Promised." Jaehaerys paused.

"Do you understand the importance of that?"

"But... Your Grace..." Viserys murmured cautiously.

"I am not saying you should simply marry them off." Jaehaerys interrupted. "I want you to allow him to build his own name. I want him to achieve glory, power, and prestige. I want people to respect and admire him for his own accomplishments, not merely because he married a Targaryen princess."

The old king took a deep breath. "Promise me this, Viserys. Promise me that you will do everything within your power to make that future possible."

"Saving the world is more important than preserving the appearance of our bloodline in the eyes of others. You will have a male heir in the future. Rhaenyra may marry the world's hero... or her son may be the world's hero."

"Why do you believe it is the boy? I mean, he has many remarkable qualities, but saving the world, Your Majesty?"

Jaehaerys turned his gaze back to the flames of the fireplace. "Because, in all my dreams... I always saw a white wolf. I saw Lyanna... But then I realized something. That boy represents the white wolf. She was showing me that he will play a fundamental role in the future."

"Who is Lyanna, Your Majesty?" Viserys asked curiously, despite still being deeply shaken.

"That does not matter now," Jaehaerys replied. "You have already seen just how extraordinary he is."

Viserys remained silent for a few moments. At last, he nodded. "It shall be done according to Your Grace's will. I swear, before our House and the gods, that I will do everything in my power to help the Prince That Was Promised."

Jaehaerys smiled, satisfied. "Good. The dagger is yours now. Go celebrate with your family. I am going to rest. Tomorrow we will still have a banquet to celebrate. That is enough for today."

Viserys bowed before leaving the chamber first. Even as he walked through the corridors of the Red Keep, his mind remained consumed by his thoughts.

His grandfather might have had his visions... but Viserys had experienced his own as well.

He had dreamed of a little boy and a silver-haired child. As he had always told Aemma, his heir would come. The boy who would become the glory of House Targaryen.

His son. And deep within his heart, Viserys believed that boy would be the true Prince That Was Promised. That was why he had not made his vow directly concerning the boy the king had spoken of, but rather to the Prince That Was Promised himself.

Even so, he would honor the king's wish. He would help that Jon. But he was not willing to give his daughter's hand to a common-born boy.

In his eyes, Jon still had nothing that could truly make Viserys believe he should marry Rhaenyra. And he was certain that the entire court would also view such a possibility with horror.

For now... he would keep those thoughts to himself.

After all, Jon was still only a boy, no matter how extraordinary he had proven himself to be during that tournament.

With that, Viserys smiled as he prepared to meet his wife and children. On this night, nothing mattered more than celebrating with the two rays of light in his life after his victory.

He would be king!

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