499 Chapter 499: Beyond The Wall

Inside the Red Keep...

"Diana, my daughter."

It had been a few days since Arianne gave birth to Diana. After all these years in this world, Viserys finally became a father, embracing the joy of continuing his bloodline.

He playfully touched his daughter's tiny nose and quipped, "To welcome you, your uncle in the west lit a fire so vast that the entirety of the Westerlands could see."

Viserys was the last to receive this news because of Arianne's delivery.

He had just learned of the massive havoc caused by Oberyn.

Oberyn's inferno claimed the lives of tens of thousands. The Lannister army was obliterated. Diana was born just days after her uncle's monumental fire.

Indeed, Oberyn had given Diana a rather unique welcoming gift.

Such a grand entrance for this little one. What great storms might she stir in the future...

If she grows to be as bewitching as they say, she might be dubbed a "siren of doom."

However, these were just fleeting thoughts in Viserys's mind. He chuckled and lightly pinched his daughter's nose. Surely, he wouldn't wish for his daughter to be known by such a double-edged title?

Queen Arianne, recovering on her bed, appeared a tad pale. But upon seeing her peacefully sleeping daughter, she couldn't help but smile.

Especially entranced by Diana's soft silvery hair. Infants do have hair at birth, albeit short. Diana's eyes, a clear, bright purple, looked curiously at the world, albeit with the blurred vision of a newborn.

But by nature, she seemed to understand that the two figures before her were her parents, who would never harm her.

"Diana resembles you so much, Viserys," Arianne remarked, a hint of envy in her voice.

Diana was Arianne's child, but she bore few of her mother's features. Perhaps Viserys's bloodline was too dominant. Apart from a few facial features reminiscent of Arianne, resembling the exotic allure of the Dornish — the profound eye sockets and large eyes — her hair and eye color were distinctly from her father.

"She inherited more from me than just appearances," Viserys replied calmly, observing his tranquil daughter. His pale purple eyes shimmered.

He detected the seed of 'dark mist' within Diana. It seemed she had inherited it from him.

Yet, he was torn about whether or not to remove this 'seed' from his daughter. While its benefits were clear, its drawbacks remained elusive.

"I'm sorry, my love," Arianne whispered, "for not bearing you a son."

Hearing her husband's deep contemplation, she felt uneasy. She truly wished she could have given Viserys a prince. Though in Dorne, both princesses and princes have inheritance rights, Arianne knew better. Even in Dorne, with its progressive inheritance laws, it was difficult for a girl to inherit her father's legacy.

She was keenly aware of her father's preference for her younger brother, Quentyn Martell.

But now, Dorne's allure faded for her.

She yearned to give Viserys a son, a future ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

"No, it's not your fault, Arianne," Viserys comforted, drawing her close. "Actually, I prefer daughters over those pesky boys. I was one once. I know how insufferably mischievous boys can be."

Arianne chuckled at Viserys's reassurance. She had feared he might resent her, knowing the importance of an heir for a king.

"But from what I've heard, you weren't a mischievous boy," she countered. "Even as a child, I was betrothed to you. My family often updated me about you. Everyone praised you as a rare prodigy."

Viserys just smiled and didn't elaborate. "I am grateful to you for gifting me a little princess," he said genuinely.

The room grew silent, Arianne's eyes glistening. Viserys held her tighter.

"When Diana grows older, we shall gift her a dragon," he mused. "Balerion, Meraxes, or perhaps Vhagar. But I bet Diana would choose that 'little lady'."

With the birth of Princess Diana and Viserys's lingering duties in King's Landing settled, he decided to address the Three-Eyed Raven matter before launching his second conquest.

He trusted Rego and Rhaenys to manage King's Landing. His Kingsguard, Mira, was with the queen and princess, ensuring their safety.

Days later, Viserys mounted Balerion and flew northward. He crossed the Riverlands, the Neck, and soared over the Bay of Claws.

The Riverlands, after months of rejuvenation, once again flourished with life, the scars of war fading. Yet, Viserys couldn't help but admire the resilience of humanity.

The Neck, once inhabited by the reclusive Crannogmen, now stood desolate. They had perished during the White Walkers' invasion.

Howland Reed, the chief of the Crannogmen, had mysteriously chosen to hang himself in Greywater Watch. His children disappeared without a trace.

Further south, the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms, having repelled the White Walkers, plunged into civil wars, neglecting the ancient causeway across the Neck, leaving it in post-explosion disrepair.

A gust of wind roared past Viserys as Balerion glided through the clouds. Snowflakes began to drift around him.