Ch.24

(Talrit POV)

During the few hours I spent walking the Keep, I could feel a tense and fearful atmosphere around the place. Seems what Gerion told me about the King becoming recently labeled 'The Mad King' is very true. As all the servants walk around with their heads held low and deep fear in their eyes. Though as I was walking in the gardens in the Keep's ground, I came across a woman with the same silvery hair and purple eyes that the Targaryens are known for.

From her appearance alone, she appeared to be the Queen. Her name was Rhaella if I remember correctly and she was staring out at the sea from her seat in the garden. From the things Gerion told me the Queen has had several stillborn children, though they do have a son who is the heir to the throne named Rhaegar. I can see a deep sadness in her eyes that she has done well to hide from others, as her face looks stoic at all times.

"Hello Queen Rhaella," I say to her not using the phrase your grace or my Queen, because that is not true to me. I may have not cared about pride for a very long time, but I will not call anyone my Queen or King.

"Hello… I'm not sure we have met," Rhaella says turning to me and hearing my greeting as her servants all look at me with blushed faces. While the two 'KingsGuard' stand with their hands on their swords ready to attack me at a moment's notice.

"No, we have not. I am Lord Valtaris, the Lord who arrived at the Red Keep a few hours ago as Tywin Lannister's guest," I say to her while looking at the two Kingsguard who appear to be good swordsmen from look alone.

"Ah, yes I heard that someone arrived as Lord Tywin's guest. It is nice to meet you Lord Valtaris. Though I we will have to speak another time, as I would like to be alone for now," Rhaella says to me and I can see the emptiness in her eyes, plus the well-hidden injuries on her.

'Seems her relationship with the King is not a very good one,' I think to myself assuming she is being abused by her husband, though it is not my place to step into that issue. I may want to help others if I can, but I can not involve myself in every matter.

"Of Course Queen Rhaella, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day," I say to her before leaving the area, I can see my lack of courtesy has annoyed the two guards, but the queen looks at me curiously.

'I guess the Targaryens have forgotten me. It matters not, I did not expect humans to remember me after all these generations, especially if I did not make regular appearances,' I think to myself as I walk around the gardens leaving the Queen behind.

After another hour of me walking around trying to become familiar with the place I am in, a few servants walk over to me.

"M'Lord, the King has requested your presence in the throne room," the servant says and I nod my head to them gesturing to lead the way. The two guards from the Lannisters' house share a nervous look before following me and the servant.

'Let us see if the King is as mad as the realm seems to believe,' I think while we walk to the throne room.

Entering the throne room it looks just as I heard it to be. A large place that can hold maybe a hundred people comfortably, with large pillars holding up the ceiling. A set of stairs leads to the hideous throne that is used by the Targaryens. A throne made of rusty bent and affixed swords, apparently from Aegon Targaryen, that subjugated the 'Seven Kingdoms'. Sitting on the throne I see the current King, Aerys II Targaryen, who looks disheveled and I can see the madness in his eyes. He appears to be very paranoid as he inspects me with a scrutinizing gaze, with Tywin Lannister standing next to him and the rest of the Kingsguard in the room.

"King Aerys," I say to him bowing my head slightly in greeting as a sign of respect, but I will refuse to kneel or bow completely. I would refuse to do that to anyone I view below me or even my equal, especially not to a maddened human like this man.

"You are expected to kneel in front of the King!" one of the Kingsguard says to me as I just look at them indifferently, ignoring them.

"It is fine Arryk, a foreigner is not expected to know all of our customs. Though why is a foreigner in my home?" Aerys says to the Kingsguard who spoke while eyeing me suspiciously and turns to Tywin for the answer as I was here under his family's name.

"He has helped my family greatly, by returning my brother home from his trip that almost killed him. Lord Valtaris wanted to see the capital, so after spending some time in my home, he was escorted here to see the capital," Tywin says to Aerys who seems to mull over his words, before speaking.

"Well, you have been here for a few hours, correct?" Aerys says to me and I nod my head while becoming increasingly annoyed by this maddened human from the way he talks and acts.

"Correct," I say while nodding my head and thinking of ways to burn this hell hole of a city, my disappointment has reached very high levels and the Targaryens have fallen very low it seems over the years.

"Well, what do you think of my city?!" Aerys says to me with the madness in his eyes increasing.

"It is not what I was expecting, to say the least," I say while hoping this conversation can end.

"What exactly were you where expecting? Is it grander than you originally thought?!" Aerys says to me with a knowing look behind his madness.

"Much grander," I say while being very tempted to just burn this place to the ground along with the mad King.

"Hmm… How long do you plan on staying in the Keep?" Aerys says after a few tense seconds of him staring at me as the room became deathly quiet. It appears the blackened stains in the room are not old, but recent as the man enjoys burning people according to the rumors.

"A few more days," I say and Tywin gives me a relieved look with his eyes, as the Mad King goes silent again.

"Very well, then I will allow you to remain in the Keep until you leave. Though Tywin is in charge of making sure you are taken care of," Aerys says while motioning for one of his guards to come close, then whispers in their ear.

"If that is all King Aerys, I will take my leave," I say as my patience for the first time in millenniums is being tested to its limits.

"That is fine. Tywin you stay I wish to speak with you," Aerys says dismissing everyone except for Tywin and his guards.

After I left the room, I calm myself down and shake my head to get rid of the thoughts of burning the city down. As tempting as it would be to see the madman burn and make him watch as everything his family built turned to ash, I will not kill the innocents that live in the city. The lives of the innocent come first and if push comes to shove, then I will end just the mad king himself before escaping the city.

The next morning, I left to go to the Keep's library to see if there are any books inside that I have yet to read. After a few hours of searching and reading, two men enter the library. One appears to be older, with a head full of gray hair that is balding, a grey cloak, and metal chains around his shoulders. At first, I thought he was a slave, but remembered that is what 'Maesters' wear. While the other was the Prince of this Kingdom since he looks just like his father and mother, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.

Seeing me they both look at me for a few seconds, before the Prince walks over to me with the older man behind him. Unlike his father or his mother, he neither has madness nor sadness in his eyes. He has a look in his eyes that suggest he knows more than his age suggests. I look at them with a curious look as they walk over to me since it is apparent that the Prince was looking for me on his return. He was on a hunting trip for a few days before I arrived and returned this morning it seems.

"Prince Rhaegar," I say to him with a head nod, acknowledging his presence.

"The correct response is to stand and bow to the Prince," the older man says to me with contempt in his eyes, as I ignore him annoying him further.

"Quiet Pycelle, you can leave me now and tell the two Kingsguard outside that I am fine. That no one is to disturb Lord Valtaris and I for now," Rhaegar says to the man and the man quickly bows his head and leaves to carry out his orders. I can see a knowing look in Rhaegar's eyes at seeing me.

"Do you know me?" I ask him with a raised eyebrow after the man left since he might be the first and only one in his family to recognize me.

"Depends, are you the same man my family has talked about since we lived in Old Valyria? As you appear just as described in the books, plus your name is the same one that is in my family's personal journal passed down every to heir," Rhaegar says to me taking a seat across from me with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Then yes, though it appears neither of your parents recognized me. How come you did?" I say to Rhaegar who smiles at my confirmation.

"My mother was never really a reader and as time went on she became more… reclused, plus my ancestors only passed down the special journal to the first-born males of the family," Rhaegar says to me, and before I can ask about the mad king he continues.

"As for my father… well you met him. The older he gets the more… unstable he becomes, seeing enemies everywhere. Plus it seems he has forgotten many things that he used to know, as his memories are not what they used to be," Rhaegar says to me and I nod my head in understanding.

"Yes, it seems madness has taken over him," I say without reserve since Rhaegar seems to understand who I am.

"It has… I came to you because… well I've found and researched this prophecy about 'A Prince That Was Promised'. From what it says… well I believe that it is talking about me. As apparently there is a great war coming, that will change the course of the world," Rhaegar says to me while I listen to him, not really believing him as to me gods are fickle beings and uncaring with few that do. Even the gods that do care, rarely get involved in the mortal realms.

"I see… so why come to me?" I say to him though I suspect his reason.

"I'm trying to find people I can trust and rely on when the time comes for this war. From everything I read about you, you seem very capable and have helped my family for a long time. So I was hoping you would help me," Rhaegar says to me very earnestly with a look of hope.

"Tell me exactly what this prophecy was," I say to him while thinking about whether or not I want to stay here and help him.

"My ancestor, King Aegon I had a prophetic dream in which he foresaw the return of these beings called 'White Walkers' and that another Great War will come. Aegon believed the dream was indicating that a Targaryen must unite and rule the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. As he believed that the 'Prince That Was Promised' would be born of his lineage. He inscribed this prophecy on this Valyrian steel dagger that was later passed from king to king," Rhaegar says to me handing me the same dagger he spoke of, which I inspected and saw that what he said is true, atleast the story is.