A Reign Ends

[Westeros]

Two days earlier, Lord Alyn Velaryon took his leave of the court and of Westeros after his sojourn in the dungeons. He had been commanded by King Viserys to depart forthwith to Volantis, to serve as an envoy to the courts of the triarchs there, although it was widely understood that this was simply a more politic way to put him into exile. His Grace left it an open question how long this embassy would last, and Velaryon seemed resigned to it. Not everyone was, however: Princess Elaena was said to have locked herself in her rooms in protest, and her elder sister Daena had attempted to cajole first Velaryon and then her cousin Prince Daeron into making efforts to convince the king to rescind his command.

Oakenfist would not heed her, and Prince Daeron showed no willingness to fight with his grandfather on this subject, not least when Princess Mariah revealed her own lack of sympathy for Oakenfist’s plight (the result, no doubt, of his role in the conquest of Dorne carried out by her husband’s namesake, King Daeron the Young Dragon). Velaryon departed on his flag ship, _Laughing Dragon_, in the evening, setting sail first for Driftmark to quickly put his affairs there in order before sailing on. For fear of the king’s wroth, only a smattering of courtiers—many of them officers of the fleet—were at the docks to see him off, though the smallfolk of the city were there in large numbers for Oakenfist had always been well-loved by the commons.

A day passed, and another. The king’s court resumed to its usual business, with Viserys himself working nigh from dawn and into the night on the many tasks he had set before himself to improve the function of the court and the laws. He met with the small council to discuss a replacement for master of ships—at least on a temporary basis—and met with a party of masons to discuss progress on the giant, unfinished sept on Visenya’s Hill, as well as sundry other tasks. Some still wondered when he would name a Hand, while others were sure that Viserys intended to have none because he believed he needed none.

If he had any challenges, it was in his family and nieces—rumors of Prince Aegon’s latest affairs were never pleasant, and a particular one had become more incessant, concerning Lord Bracken, and especially Lord Bracken’s daughter; and Daena’s continuing refusal to name Daemon Waters’s father (though many believed they knew who ti was), while making it plain to all who would listen that she believes her uncle has most grievously erred in sending away Velaryon, all while Elaena sulked. The king did manage to bring his kin together for something like a civil private meal, although it ended earlier than planned after an outburst from Daena after Aegon egged her on. Viserys withdrew to his chambers, to read through accounts from the treasury after dismissing his guests.

It was in the middle of the night that a sound from his chamber led Ser Kenric Darry of the Kingsguard to enter the king’s bedchamber, thinking he had been summoned. What he found was the king having fallen out of his bed, moaning and incoherent. The knight attempted to help the king rise, but his left side seemed dead to all feeling, and Darry called for help. Ser Sorin of Sevenstreams helped him put the king to his bed, and swiftly they summoned maesters, while sending word to the small council and the rest of the king’s family. Despite their swift intervention to try and help the king, it was for naught: despite ministrations of learned maesters and prayers from septons, septas, and the king’s own daughter, he passed away a three hours later, as the sun was rising over the city.

So ended the reign of King Viserys, Second of His Name. And thus began the reign of King Aegon, Fourth of His Name.

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