Game of Thrones: Second Son of House Targaryen

Chapter 393: Return Like Lightning

At the entrance to the Throne Hall stood six giants, each towering over three and a half meters tall. They were dressed in black, holding massive flags. The most notable among them was an old man in a white robe with a white beard—Barristan Selmy. After presiding over this court meeting for Viserys, he would return to his hometown.

The hall’s interior had been restored meticulously based on Connington’s memories. Two carpets stretched from the Bronze Oak doors to the base of the Iron Throne. These carpets had been specially crafted by artisans from Myr, each embroidered with intricate patterns.

The carpet on the left illustrated the great events of Targaryen history: the Exile, Aenar, the War of Conquest, the Dance of Dragons, the Blackfyre Rebellion, and finally, Robert’s Rebellion. The carpet on the right told the story of Viserys and Dany, beginning with their exile in Braavos, continuing through their journey as sellswords, the conquests of Tyrosh and the Martells, the re-hatching of dragons, the campaign in Slaver’s Bay, and culminating in the fateful execution at Ruby Ford.

Viserys and Dany stepped onto the carpets, their eyes sweeping over the hall’s grand decorations. The Throne Room felt more like an amphitheater than a traditional hall. The space before the Iron Throne alone could hold hundreds, and with the second-floor galleries, thousands could be accommodated. The rust-red Iron Throne sat at the hall's highest point, designed to amplify sound, allowing Viserys to speak without shouting. Overhead, a glass skylight bathed the room in light, while gargoyle lamps along the walls cast an eerie glow. On the east and west walls, long, narrow windows—once meant to let in light—had been replaced with dark dragon skulls, some damaged from Tyrion’s tests of the dragonballista.

Viserys and Dany led the procession, their advisers and nobles following closely. As they reached the center of the hall, the siblings stepped forward alone, stopping at the base of the Iron Throne. Dany paused, prepared to watch Viserys ascend.

But then Viserys did something that left everyone stunned: he took Dany’s hand and led her up the steps with him. Dany hesitated at first, pulling her hand back slightly, but Viserys insisted, saying, “Come on, we deserve this, and you deserve it even more.”

Dany relented, and together they approached the throne. The king and queen, ascending to take their seats side by side—such a sight had never been seen before. Some onlookers whispered, wondering if this was proper. But they had fought the war together, hatched the dragons together. The nobles knew what power was built upon.

Sansa watched the scene, feeling a surge of emotion in her chest—an inexplicable feeling that rose up as she took in the spectacle. Little Rose could only watch with envy, though she knew her place.

Aemon sat quietly, smiling as he observed, his mind drifting back decades to Aegon V’s ascent to the throne. But Viserys was no Aegon who had merely inherited the crown; he and Dany had fought their way to the top.

Clop, clop, clop.

The hard soles of their boots echoed sharply against the iron steps as Viserys and Dany ascended the Iron Throne, the sound like the clash of swords. At last, they reached the throne, supporting one another. Viserys noticed a spike bent slightly inward and reached down, curling it back into place.

Together, they sat on the Iron Throne, gazing out over the hall.

"Long live Your Grace, Viserys! Long live Your Grace, Daenerys!" The cheers rose, loud and resounding, signaling the start of their joint reign.

The first court meeting commenced, the primary order being to review the merits and demerits of their loyalists.

"Jon Connington," Viserys announced, his voice reverberating through the grand hall.

Connington stepped forward from among the noble advisers, approaching the Iron Throne. Barristan, standing beside the throne, spoke in his stead.

"Jon Connington, Lord of Griffin’s Roost," he began, "once allowed Robert’s Rebellion to gain ground by his defeat at the Battle of Stoney Sept, causing significant loss to the royal family. Yet, despite his expulsion, he remained loyal, striving to aid the family in exile. Later, he played a crucial role in ousting the usurper, restoring House Connington’s castle and lands, and is now Lord of Griffin’s Roost and the Hand of the King."

Connington knelt, tears in his eyes. Viserys formally pardoned his past failings under Varys’s influence and acknowledged his efforts to amend the damage wrought at Stoney Sept.

"Long live Your Grace," Connington said, bowing deeply before being helped to step aside by his young kinsman.

"Ned Stark," Viserys called next.

Ned drew in a sharp breath. His wife and children looked on, nervous and tense. He approached the throne and dropped to one knee. This time, Viserys himself spoke.

"House Stark shall remain the Wardens of the North, but in future, its succession will be decided by the royal family."

"Yes, Your Grace," Ned replied, his voice steady.

Though he had endured personal losses—the tragic deaths of his father and brother—Viserys remembered that Ned's father, while loyal, had pursued ambitious alliances that threatened Aerys’s sense of security. Lyanna’s marriage to a Stormland noble, Brandon’s marriage into House Tully, and Ned’s adoption in the Vale had all but forged the foundations of the usurper alliance.

Aerys’s paranoia, paired with his incompetence, had only deepened the crisis. Rhaegar’s actions had further complicated matters, and in the end, the Greenseer had played no small role in steering events astray. However, because Ned had ultimately swayed Robert, sparing lives rather than taking them, outright retaliation was hardly justified.

Catelyn understood, too, that while Ned hadn’t received any severe punishment, the royal oversight on Stark succession would likely spark internal tensions for their house. In this way, Viserys maintained a firm grasp on House Stark’s vulnerabilities, ensuring its loyalty through subtle but lasting measures.

“Jon!” Catelyn suddenly understood why Viserys had brought Jon from the Wall, and the realization made her uneasy. She suspected he intended for Jon to inherit Winterfell, a thought that left her deeply unsettled. She glanced at Jon, who wore his usual somber expression.

“In the future, all heirs to the nobility of the North, Westerlands, Vale, Stormlands, and Riverlands must report to the capital for assessment,” Viserys announced, his voice firm as he addressed the gathered nobles.

Viserys was deliberate in his approach. He didn't impose his decree on all nobles—those of Riverrun and Dorne were exempted, rewarded for their steadfast loyalty to the Targaryen cause both during Robert’s Rebellion and the recent restoration. His calculated approach was possible because these regions were already securely under his control. Many noble families in the targeted regions had been either captured or eliminated, meaning rebellion against his authority would be a dangerous gamble.

With each decree, Viserys tightened his hold on the realm, centralizing power in King’s Landing. The abolition of traditional customs, such as the exchange of foster children between noble families, followed swiftly. In the future, all noble heirs would be educated in the capital, further securing Viserys's influence. As new laws were introduced in rapid succession, many nobles felt the weight of Viserys’s ambition bearing down on them. Any who disagreed knew better than to voice it openly here.

The Targaryens were no longer just a dynasty restored by dragons; they now wielded unprecedented power over Westeros, and Viserys was determined to consolidate it. He had the support of the Maesters, who stood solemnly in black robes around the hall, signaling the loyalty of the scholarly class. Though some nobles were still uncertain about the extent of Viserys's reach, they couldn’t ignore the reality that their influence was dwindling.

Viserys, however, knew that power alone was not enough. For every new restriction, he offered rewards. He had lands to spare, and he set a wave of bribes into motion, offering plots and money to nobles willing to cooperate. Restricting the nobility’s ability to wage private wars was easier still—no one would dare contest it, for the Targaryens had dragons now, rendering any army insignificant in comparison.

Watching from the sidelines, the Red Viper recognized the monumental shift. Viserys’s monarchy wasn’t merely one of dragons; it was comprehensive and strategic, shaping Westeros in unprecedented ways. The Red Viper had never seen titles quite like those Viserys introduced.

Lord Mace was named “Master of Etiquette”—a position that delighted him, given his obsession with manners and ceremony. Doran Martell’s cousin, Manfrey, was appointed Master of Laws, a role that oversaw promotions and was clearly intended as a form of royal patronage. Roose Bolton, a more ominous figure, was made the King's Justice.

Under Viserys’s rule, the Six Masters became the backbone of governance. Even the lands of Casterly Rock, once a stronghold of House Lannister, were reorganized, with portions incorporated into the Vale, Stormlands, Riverlands, and Crownlands, resulting in over twenty newly defined counties. Before the nobles’ eyes, an intricate political system was taking shape, transforming Westeros in ways no one had thought possible.