Drkest
patreon
Barth's Whisper: HOTD SI Ch.11
🕑 Added 2025-07-26 19:36:10 +0000 UTCChapter 11
ALYSANNE TARGARYEN
Alysanne had hoped that the healer would help her daughter, that he would offer sanity and hope, yet he had done the opposite.
“I was not expecting this of you.” “Her fists clenched at her sides.
She made no effort to hide her rage and discontent over his actions as she confronted him outside Gael’s room, as the young healer.
“I apologise for any offence, but you wanted me to give your daughter hope,” but not at the cost of her life, or even his own life.
“But not with the promise of death and despair,” she chided, growing frustrated.
“Her voice cracked like glass, “If this is a ploy from you to get the Crown’s support for your endeavors, then this was a stupid move,” and those brown eyes narrowed as the young man shook his head.
“I would have offered her the same thing if she were a commoner woman. I offered her healing as I do for all those who seek me, regardless of the support from the Crown,” and there was stiffness in that tone. Pride, as he answered her assault.
“But she is not a commoner!” she reminded him.
“She is my daughter! She is a Princess!” she argued, trying to make him see the fault in what he had done.
“Yet her body is no different,” he denied her words softly.
“And make no mistake, my Queen. I did not lie to her. I believe that there is a cure for her condition, and that I can help her give birth to a child in five years' time,” and she was stunned by his conviction.
“How?” she asked, for no other Maester or healer had made such a claim.
“It will take time to explain, but I can do it, and if I can’t, then you shall have my head as I offered,” and she did not wish to see any more death.
“I have no need of your head,” she murmured, her strength fleeting, her gaze softening.
Her fingers clenched as she continued weakly, “I just fear that if you fail, then I won’t be here in the five years to stop her from....” and he finally understood her concerns, for Alysanne was not blind to the dwindling of her life and how she was nearing the end of her time.
She had lived a good and lengthy life, filled with joys and regrets, and now she could feel it all coming to a close.
“May the Gods bless you with decades more,” the young lad offered, as he finally realised her fears.
“I am old,” she whispered as she walked towards the window and saw the darkness of the night spread over the city.
“I just wish for Gael to live a long, happy, and fulfilling life,” and it was why she had hoped to see her wed to a well mannered and respected lord who would care for her when she was gone, but now with the shadow of disgrace and infertility hanging over her, it was neigh impossible for her to find her a Lord who would accept her.
“And she will have it, my Queen,” the young boy tried to assuage her worries.
“And Seven willing you shall be alive to witness it for yourself,” and she prayed for the very thing as well.
“I know not of Jaehaerys’ intentions, but you shall have my support for your proposal,” she finished as the weariness from the day began to catch up with her. She faced him once more, as she spoke in the regality of the Queen.
“You may heal thousands, if you so desire. You can teach hundreds as well, but I do this for my daughter, Galen,” and it was not that she did not care about the people of the city, it was just that she cared for her daughter more.
“Heal her,” she commanded, as he bowed his head.
“I will,” and she nodded.
“And don’t fail me, or there will be consequences,” she warned as she walked past him, reminding him of the cost of a promise.
0000
BALON TARGARYEN
Balon sat in his solar, feeling proud of the life that he had lived. In his life, Balon had loved nothing more than his wife, but in the end, she had been taken from him, and now she lived only through their two children.
Viserys and Daemon were his pride and joy, the last living remnant of his precious Alyssa, and the two of them had grown into accomplished men with families of their own.
Viserys, though not blessed with the blade as he or Daemon had a saner mind than both him and Alyssa, and had been helping him rule over Dragonstone for years as he remained in the capital to perform his duties as the King’s Master of Laws.
His eldest had been married for half a decade now, and had been blessed with a child some years ago before the god cursed him and his lady wife Aemma with a miscarriage, bringing great sorrow to his young son.
“How was the journey?” he questioned, and it was his eldest who answered. He was plump and broad, having a face similar to his own but with rounder cheeks. His fondness for feasts and parties had made him fat, unlike his youngest, who sat beside him, slim as a blade.
“It was peaceful, Father,” Viserys spoke.
“Is it true that Gael tried to kill herself?” Daemon was as blunt as ever, having little to no patience, and Viserys saw the fault in his brother’s tactlessness.
“Daemon, be mindful...” but he raised his hand, stopping Viserys from admonishing his brother as he gave them the truth.
“Yes, it is true,” and Daemon scoffed, those eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Why?” he questioned again, and unlike him, both Viserys and Daemon had not visited the capital in some time and so were unaware of the events that had transpired here.
“A year ago, Gael fell in love with a singer from the city. In the end, she became pregnant with that man’s child. The bard, upon realising her identity, fled the continent in fear of retribution, and despite the King’s discontent, she chose to carry his seed and tried to have the child,” and in the end, that had been her mistake.
“She bedded a Commoner Bard,” Daemon sneered, repulsed by the thought, and Gael was simply too naive and had let the bastard swindle her heart.
“So, the illness?” Viserys asked, as Baelon shook his head.
“It was a ruse, spun by the Queen to protect her honor,” but now that all was futile for the secret was out, and though none may dare claim it openly, everyone had now heard some whispers of the truth.
“But the ruse is over now, and the court now knows the truth even though they are too afraid to speak of it in the open,” but they whispered it in the corners and in the yard, and at their dinner tables.
“She had a stillbirth,” and both of his two sons stilled at those words, remembering their mother’s fate as he continued.
“The child was lost, but Gael survived, yet all of it came at a cost, and she lost her ability to ever birth a child because of this one mistake,” and it was a cruel fate for a woman, let alone a Princess.
Her mistake had been grave, but in the end, she was his sister, and it pained him to see her in such a state.
“So she tried to kill herself because of that,” Viserys questioned, and he nodded.
“‘That was foolish,’ Daemon said with disdain.
“You may not consider it important, but a child is important for a marriage,” and his youngest needed a lesson when it came to marriage and a lord and a lady’s duties.
“It is something you must understand yourself for one day you must produce an heir of your own with your wife, so that he may further propagate your line,” and those lips tersed at the mention of his lady wife and his duties as her lord husband.
“I would much rather lie with sheep than that Bronze Bit...” and that was it.
“Enough!” Balon cut in as he rubbed his head, and he had never missed Alyssa more than in that moment, for it should have been her here trying to make their youngest see sense, but with her gone, these duties fell to him.
“Lady Rhea is a dignified woman,” and she may not be the regal beauty that he so desired, but she was pretty enough, and most importantly, was the heir to the lands and fortune of Runestone.
Damon scoffed, but a simple glare from him was enough to halt him as Balon continued.
“The Queen is quite wroth with you over your refusal to do your duties as the Lord Husband, and has commanded that you depart to Runestone at once,” and that was it.
“No! You cannot make....”
“I can!” he thundered, for Balon himself had tolerated this for long enough.
“Father, perhaps you can give him some time...” Viserys tried to defend his brother as always, but the Queen’s word was final.
“No! He will depart for Runestone and he shall do it sooner rather than later,” he declared, as Damon ground his teeth.
“Or what?” the rebellious boy questioned.
Balon’s voice dropped to a whisper, the air suddenly still. “Do you really wish to know?” he asked, and with that, his son pushed himself out of his chair and walked away.
“Daemon...” Viserys tried to follow after him, but Balon stopped him with a shake of his head, as his youngest left the room, and he began to rub his head.
“Was it truly necessary?” Viserys asked, and he nodded.
“Yes, your brother is a married man now. He must understand his duties to his wife. I cannot let him make a mockery of his vows and humiliate me and the Crown anymore,” and the match had been brokered by the Queen herself, and so Daemon’s actions were a direct reflection on the Good Queen herself.
“Daemon is young, but he has a good heart,” and Viserys had always been protective of his brother, and Balon was proud of that.
“I do not doubt that, but he must do his duty,” Balon was firm as Viserys sighed, and turned towards the previous topic.
“So if all of that is true, then the Healer who saved her...” and Balon nodded once more.
“Yes, he is a commoner who has previously trained at the Citadel,” and was quite a surprising individual, seemingly with a fate intertwined with the Royal family.
“His name is Galen, and he is a rather proficient healer,” and even the Maesters attested to that, even though they raised quite a few qualms about his ethics and ideals.
“Perhaps, I can have him help Aemma as well,” and much like his sister, Viserys had suffered the loss of a child as well, and though his wife was pregnant once more, the pain from the previous loss still lingered.
“What do the Maesters say?” Balon questioned.
“They believe that everything is fine, but they spoke the same words the last time,” and both of them knew what had happened then.
“There is no harm in seeking his help,” even though Balon had great trust in the Maesters.
“But I must tell you something about him,” and Viserys was old enough to remember Barth, and so it would not take him much time to see the resemblance, and so he needed to be cautioned not to mention it before the young Healer.
“The Healer, the one who saved Gael’s life, is not just a simple healer,” he began as Viserys frowned.
“What do you mean?” and his presence here in this city, and in this castle under these circumstances was nothing less than a miracle.
“Do you remember your Aunt Maegella?” and Viserys nodded.
“The one who was the Septa, yes,” and she was one to leave an impression.
“The boy is her proclaimed son,” and that surprised him.
“Son?” he questioned as Balon clarified.
“Though a Septa can bear no children, Maegella cared for children afflicted with Greyscale in her last years. The boy is a survivor who was under her care for a long time, but that is not all,” and by now, his son’s interest was piqued.
“He is also the son of the former Hand of the King, Septon Barth...” and he saw those eyes widen with surprise, as Viserys gasped just as he had.
“He is Septon Barth’s son!”
0000
Comments
Radiant Tiefling
Thank you for the chapter.
Ahmed
Not possible
FallenMetalGod
Thank you. Let's see if Galen can get Visery to stop doing something foolish. Great job, as always, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
