178
----
299 AC
Kingslanding
Eragon Targaryen
----
"Why didn't we just cut her head off and call it a day?" I ask with a bit of annoyance when the topic of Cersei Lannister is brought up once more.
The whole room goes silent and the focus from various small conversations at the dinner table turns to listen in on.
"It's not like it's too late, but she is like an empty husk other than lashing out at whoever comes close enough to her. Killing Joffrey and giving out the food that the Reach sent has calmed the people of the city. They no longer are yelling at the castle gates and instead are going back to what could be considered normal for Kingslanding." I bring forth the points we have discussed multiple times.
If only Westeros did not have such a poor impression of House Targaryen then I could just lop her head off without anyone saying anything. I could have ordered it right then and there when I slayed her Son but I honestly forgot about her after I had won. I just wanted to move on to the next part I knew would be a pain in my ass, the Vale Lords and army. Now when I brought it up earlier about finishing what I started there is suddenly a problem with killing a defenseless woman.
"None of you are going to say anything?" I ask seeing sour looks and scrunched noses around the table.
"Just kill her and be done with it is my vote, I couldn't care less what her Father would think anyway. We have Jaime Lannister now and he is the important Lannister hostage between the two. Killing Cersei shows Tywin we won't hesitate to cut down his heir who is our hostage and hopefully will get him to stand down. Once the Westerlands army is sent home we can charge them will the crimes they have committed." I nod along with Rhaenyra who has much the same opinion that I do.
"I agree, I think there would be little anyone could actually say about the action of killing the Usurper's Wife. The idea that people will relate the action of killing Cersei to the tragic deaths of Lord Stark and his Heir at the hands of our House before the rebellion is unavoidable. No matter what we do people will always look for another Aerys the second inside of every Targaryen. So long as it's quick and not made into a game and she has her rights as a 'Lady' then I think it will be fine." Rhaenys speaks up as well, no one is actually against the idea but instead any potential consequences from the action.
She is caught and there is nothing she can do, she is not the one who was sitting on the throne. It is begrudgingly different from Joffrey and makes me want to kick myself from walking out of the Dragon Pit before killing her as well. The Common Folk would have likely loved it while their blood was hot from seeing a battle.
The problem is the opinions of the Lords and Ladies of Westeros and how things usually turn out in a situation like this. In most cases, for a Lady, it's death or being a hostage in the case of a Lord falling in battle to an enemy and the enemy taking the lands and or castle. But we are reclaiming what was always ours to begin with and she and her Husband are firmly in the wrong. Robert had a small blood claim to the throne as his Son did as well with their relation to House Targaryen, but Cersei as a Lannister is far different. She has no claim to the throne so even if she is thrown out the gates and leaves there is nothing she can press. It's her children that are a 'threat' to the Targaryen claim, but I know better than that.
Cersei is a threat, Lannisters have too much gold to let her leave as a widowed woman with nothing left. This is why I think every single one of us is justified in wanting to just end her here and now. No one can stop us and it could be done by the end of the day, the only problem is how others will want to see it as a spark of madness regardless of reasoning.
"Fine, no one wants to say anything against it so we will follow through and have a trial for her as is her right. She will be judged... maybe we could give her the option of the silent sisters but I am unaccustomed to how that takes place. I think taking her head and giving her a shallow grave is the best course of action. Fuck the people who will say things about it, dragons are here and they can get burnt if they have something to say." I have no clue how Mother would take this decision as she was the one to speak up and tell us to be mindful of our actions.
She does not want us to be compared to my Father but if I am honest it's unavoidable.
----
299 AC
Storms End
Viserys Targaryen
----
"So will you fight me or not?" I ask the man before me, my hope that he will fight me and I can end this siege here and now burns in my heart.
"No." His jaw clenches and he narrows his eyes at me. "Storms End is mine and mine alone, it will only leave my hands to go to my Daughter who will then rule it after me. We will not do battle regardless of my confidence in killing you with a blade, there is simply no reason. You won't win a fight against me and then force my Daughter like Argella Durrandon was forced to marry my ancestor." I clench my hands and want to just order his death on the spot.
All this waiting around is going to send me mad, my Brother has my throne and I need to get there before he can sink his claws in deep. I could leave the siege but then I will look like a coward running to where it is safe regardless of the reason. Even if I am headed to Kingslanding to claim my rightful crown it will still look like I was incapable of taking Storm End so I left it to another to finish the job.
That is not how I intend to start my reign, I intend to start it by killing Stannis and then riding to Kingslanding with his head. Then I can have my own victory under my belt and use it to further strengthen my hand. I will have the Stormlands annexed into the Crownlands while they do not have a Lord over them. This will give the Crownlands one of the biggest armies and it will be directly under me and not a Great House.
This is the best for the future of House Targaryen but more importantly, it's important to establish myself as King over Eragon. He has the Summer Islanders and the Crownlands could split either to myself or him at a moment's notice. But with the Stormlands being taken by me and brought into the Crownlands I will firmly have the Crownlands and an army. That alone will help solidify my claim over Eragons but there are still other problems such as not having a dragon compared to him.
Nothing I can do about that, not unless they laid an egg and it hatched for me, but I can't wait around for something like that. I was named heir by our Father and with an army, I will be able to claim what is mine regardless of his desires. Unless he wants to be named a Kin slayer by killing me then he will have to step down as regent and even crown me King to further show I am the rightful ruler of Westeros.
"This meeting is no longer necessary, we return to our tent and will continue with the siege." I turn on my heel and walk away not wanting to even spare another glance at the stone-faced man who will soon adorn a spike.
I have plans to put in motion, I can go ahead and write up the decree annexing the Stormlands. The Lords of the Stormlands are already on my side or waiting in their castles as we did not stop by each castle in these lands before starting this siege. I will use the budding relationship with the Stormlands Lords I have now to get their assistance in talking with the others. By the time this siege is over and Storm End is mine the entirety of the Stormlands will be ready to swear to me and be a part of the Crownlands.
----
299 AC
Kingslanding
Olenna Tyrell
----
"Still smells like shit." I mutter as I close the window to the wheelhouse and sit back on my padded bench.
"Grandmother..." Margery speaks up with a small grin she tries to hide but I spot her amusement in my lack of restraint.
"It's the truth, hopefully, these new Targaryens will do something their predecessors failed to do. If they could fix this stink then the capital would not be such a drag to visit and maybe people would not always be so sour here." I shake my head seeing my Son fluster and puff up making his head look even fatter.
The ride turns silent other than the noise from the wheelhouse on the road and the horse's hoofs. The day has been full of short silences like this where someone usually speaks up trying to kill the tension before it builds. But right now as we pass under the gate all of us are deathly silent as we know what we are doing.
Walking into the dragon's maw and hoping not to be burned or swallowed.
"Are you sure we will be... welcomed?" Margery asks while opening her own window and looking out at the people on the street.
"After the gift we gave them and helped with stuffing the bellies of their citizens then I would say we certainly are welcome. They knew by accepting the food we sent they were accepting us showing up, likely in their mind to swear fealty once more." Margery closes the window and looks back at me with confusion etched on her face.
"Is that not what we are doing?" I shake my head slowly with a small smile of my own.
"My sweet grandchild, we need to see them before we decide on something like that." Also, we need to see if there is some chance of gaining something more than just keeping what is already ours.
I do worry about the rumors that Eragon is a beast who claims women where ever he goes and has an army of wives to serve him in his bedroom. My little golden rose is certainly a beautiful woman and will attract his eye... if that is a good thing or not is to be seen. We are taking risks here and there could be disaster in this or there could be a new rise for House Tyrell.
It all remains to be seen.
The distant sound of what can only be a dragon's roar as it sounds like a demon from one of the seven hells stirs everyone in the wheelhouse. It would seem our arrival is going to certainly be something we all will remember for the rest of our days. However many days that is remains to be seen but it will certainly be a sight to see one of those great big beasts in person.