Bronzegate

Maekar stiffened beneath her, his muscles going rigid for a moment before he forced himself to relax. "You should not speak of such things," he said in a low voice, his tone growing serious. "Even here, walls may have ears. His grace the King loves Rhaegar little, but I do not doubt what he would order me to do if he heard of a threat against the life of a Targaryen."

As he sat with Vira on his lap, his arms wrapped around her waist, Maekar realized that despite knowing what the King would order him to do, he was unsure if he would be able to do it. He had felt regret, and sadness, when ordered to execute the Princess Aemy, but ultimately he had seen his duty and done it. In his heart, he knew that regardless of any treasons or edicts from the King, he could never do the same to Rhaena, and he was shocked to realize that he would consider disobeying a command from the King for Vira as well, a woman he'd known less than a month.

Maekar kissed her softly on the lips, staring into her huge blue eyes. "You have much to learn about life at court, love," he said again. This time, however, he realized what he had said and paused, clearly the shock of it having caused him to lose his train of thought. "I- that is-" he struggled awkwardly for a moment before continuing. "You are lucky that you have me to teach you the intricacies of our ways, so that you do not misstep," he said lamely. He raised his hand to her face, brushing back a lock of hair gently and tucking it behind her ear.

"Come now, that's not fair," Maekar replied, with a hurt expression. "We won't even be back in court tomorrow; give me at least a day after we arrive," he added, a tiny twitch of his lips the only thing giving away his teasing.

"I wonder how long Lord Buckler will continue to offer his hospitality," he said, grinning at her. "Should we return to the hunt, or test the limits of his generosity?"

Maekar shrugged. "It might be more awkward if I cared at all about what they thought," he replied. "We are as far above everyone in this castle, as the King and his children are above us." His tone clearly indicated that he thought that was a very far distance indeed, and he smiled at Vira. "They may console themselves by thinking that they are better than a bastard and a miller's daughter, but the King taught me a long time ago that our strength comes not from our name, nor from the people who serve, nor our blood nor even the gods. It is Dragons that give us power and Lord and Lady Buckler both know full well that if my will was that this castle be a pile of rubble and ash, it would be so. It would be unwise to push them too far, inside their castle as we are without any swords but my own, but even so it would take much provocation for them to even consider laying a finger on us."

"It would be a shame to leave before breaking that in, though," he said, looking at the bed somewhat mournfully. "Perhaps we ought to stay until then," he added with a mischievous grin.

Maekar stared at Vira at length, studying her expression with those words. Though he'd often thought the same thing, it had been ingrained into him from a very young age just how apart he was from the King's children, that he would never be on their level. "Perhaps it is so," Maekar said carelessly with a shrug, though Vira could detect on his face the hint of regret, and frustration. "But I am not the Prince of Dragonstone, nor will I be. It is my place to obey, and to serve."

"The Conqueror acted to unite a squabbling people under a single benign rule, that they might stand strong together against any threat. If I acted to place myself ahead of Aegon, I would merely be a jealous thief, usurping my brother's rightful inheritance," Maekar replied, though to Vira it sounded as though he was speaking by rote, reciting a response long practiced.

"I would gladly step forward should the King and Aegon both fall without trueborn heirs, but I could not sieze from my brother what is rightfully his."

Maekar was slightly confused; Vira's words made him feel warm, and valued in a way that he never had before in his life. In his heart, he knew that there were few things he desired more than the crown, and deep down he believed he would rule far better than any of his trueborn siblings. For two and a half decades, however, it had been ingrained him above all other things to defer to his brother's claim to the throne, and to serve the King's rule.

"I know well Lord Baratheon, and his goodbrother Lord Connington; both fought beside me in Dorne," he replied. It seemed like an eternity ago, though it had only been three short years. "And many of the Lords of the Reach know me well; most of them fought with us at Oldtown or at least contributed men, and I daresay I spent at least a fortnight at every castle in the Reach over the past two years, convincing them to join the army."

"Lord Arryn served as Prince Aegon's adviser during his Western Campaign; his actions there also won him the love of the Lannisters, though Lord Loren's loyalties are far more mutable than Lord Arthur's," he replied thoughtfully.

"Lord Braem rules from Winterfell, but I have never met the man. He has little occasion to venture south of the Neck; I was turned away at Winterfell when I sought the Starks' aid in preparation for our invasion of Oldtown, though I found his brother in the Barrowlands and convinced him to join the army. They call him 'Willem the Warg' and it is said that he can take the shape of a wolf on the battlefield," Maekar said with a skeptical chuckle. "I did not see that, but he did have a massive white Direwolf that trailed him like a dog. Perhaps there are some truth to those tales after all."

Maekar looked at her curiously. "I- none have ever spoken to me so," he said finally, in a low voice that was thick with emotion. "What did I do, to deserve such a woman?

Maekar was not sure how to respond, and was worried that they were getting into a subject that might get too serious for their fledgling relationship. "I merely treat you as you deserve," he replied, raising a hand to her cheek gently. He looked as though he wanted to say more, but the words caught in his throat and he just sat there for a moment, drinking in her beauty.

"I am glad that I met you, Vira."