c13: The Coronation
"Viserys."
"Kneel here."
The silver-haired boy was slightly taken aback by his mother's sudden demand.
However, Maester Daniel and Steward David Shad, seated beside the throne, showed no surprise.
News from King's Landing was gradually arriving. Just as Queen Rhaella and Viserys had left Westeros for the sea, King's Landing had already officially fallen.
Tywin Lannister led twelve thousand soldiers from the Westerlands to King's Landing under the banner of loyalty, but he was refused entry by Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King.
Grand Maester Pycelle, one of the king's most trusted advisers on the Small Council, argued that Lord Tywin had long been a loyal servant of the Iron Throne. With the king growing increasingly paranoid during the war, Pycelle urged him to accept Lannister aid and open the city gates. Meanwhile, Varys, the Master of Whisperers, warned that Tywin could not be trusted.
In the end, Aerys listened to Pycelle.
However, once the gates of King's Landing were thrown open and the Lannister army entered the city, the lord of Casterly Rock suddenly revealed his true intentions. Tywin Lannister ordered his army to sack King's Landing in the name of Robert Baratheon, declaring his support for the rebellion.
This great city, which had withstood countless wars and had never been breached from the outside, had once again fallen from betrayal within its own gates.
His Majesty Aerys II Targaryen, who had remained inside the Red Keep in King's Landing during the chaos, was now in a state of uncertainty. No confirmed news had arrived from the capital, but rumors suggested the king had likely been slain during the fall of the city.
Therefore, Queen Rhaella's sudden decision was not difficult to understand.
"Your Majesty,"
the old maester sitting beside her suddenly spoke, then rose shakily, leaning heavily on his chair.
"If we wish to crown His Highness, we must follow the will of the Seven."
The coronation of a new king was a momentous event, requiring a very elaborate ceremony. First, a proper cathedral was necessary. During the Targaryen dynasty, most kings were crowned at Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing.
There also happened to be a small sept on Dragonstone, where it was said that Aegon I Targaryen, the Conqueror, once knelt in prayer on the eve of his conquest of the Seven Kingdoms.
However, according to historical records of House Targaryen, this legend was doubtful. Aegon the Conqueror had only formally embraced the Faith of the Seven after arriving at Oldtown during the Conquest, when he was crowned by the High Septon.
Therefore, the sept on Dragonstone must have been constructed sometime after the conquest of Westeros.
Yet a cathedral alone was not enough for the coronation of a new king.
The new king required a formal coronation ceremony conducted by the High Septon and several other septons. During the ceremony, sacred oils would be applied, blessings would be recited in the name of the Seven Gods, and the crown of the king would be placed upon the monarch's head.
However, the bleak island of Dragonstone now possessed nothing more than a small sept; even septons and septas were few in number, let alone high-ranking clergy capable of conducting a true royal coronation.
Queen Rhaella, upon hearing Maester Daniel's words, seemed slightly dazed, then lowered her head and rubbed her temples.
"I apologize, Maester Daniel."
"I lost my composure."
Although the silver-haired woman appeared strong, the pain of her fallen kingdom gnawed at her heart like a swarm of ants, leaving her weary and disoriented.
She only wanted to ensure the continuation of the royal line and the coronation of her son, so that the last flame of House Targaryen would not be extinguished.
The House Targaryen had not fallen in her generation.
"In that case, let us go to the sept."
The old maid then helped Queen Rhaella to her feet, while Sir William, who had been seated nearby, also rose, resting one hand on the hilt of his sword as he spoke.
"Then, Your Majesty, I will go and fetch the septons."
"No need to fetch those septons."
"Sir William."
However, the silver-haired woman immediately rejected the suggestion.
Queen Rhaella stood before the central seat of the round table, gazing at the assembled crowd. Her golden crown, inlaid with a ruby, shimmered brilliantly under the torchlight.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus, and then spoke.
"These are extraordinary times."
"I have come to crown Viserys, under the watchful eyes of the Seven."
...
Inside the sept of Dragonstone stood the carved statues of the Faith of the Seven. Viserys Targaryen knelt before these sacred figures, while his mother, Rhaella Targaryen, stood beside him.
The queen, now dressed in a black velvet gown suitable for mourning the fall of King's Landing, appeared even more regal than before. Tall and graceful, her long silver-gold hair flowed down to her waist. One hand rested firmly on Viserys' head, while the other held a vow written by Maester Daniel, which she recited in a low and solemn voice.
"This feeling…"
Viserys knelt on the stone floor, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable, as if he were naked and completely exposed before the eyes of gods and men.
Within the spacious sept, Queen Rhaella recited the sacred vows for her son, while Maester Daniel, Sir William, Sir Shad, and the remaining retainers of House Targaryen stood quietly at a respectful distance to witness the ceremony.
As for the focus of everyone's attention, the silver-haired boy seemed restless, constantly fidgeting where he knelt.
Queen Rhaella pressed down gently on his head, forcing him to remain still.
"Do you swear to rule justly…"
his mother's voice sounded from above.
However, Viserys suddenly felt his breathing grow rapid, and no one noticed that his face had flushed red, as though the blood in his veins had begun to boil.
He heard his mother's words, yet Viserys could only nod blankly and answer, "I promise," while slightly lifting his head and looking around with bewildered eyes.
The towering statues of the Seven gazed down upon the boy kneeling beneath them.
Inside the sept of Dragonstone, the Mother's eyes were carved from pale pearls, the Father's beard was gilded in gold leaf, the Warrior carried a crystal sword, and the Stranger—hooded and faceless looked more like some eerie creature than a man.
The statues themselves were ancient relics of House Targaryen. They had been carved long ago from the masts of ships used by the Targaryen ancestors when they fled the Doom of Valyria and settled on Dragonstone centuries before Aegon I Targaryen began his conquest of Westeros.
Over the centuries, these wooden figures had been repainted, gilded, silvered, and decorated with gemstones offered by generations of worshippers.
Several altars within the sept were surrounded by colored glass windows that reflected dazzling patterns of light from the torches burning along the walls.
"So hot…"
Viserys suddenly felt a burning sensation spread across his palms as they pressed against the cold stone floor, as though he were kneeling inside a vast furnace.
Flames seemed to exist everywhere, devouring everything around him.
"No…"
"It's so hot."
Yet everyone around him appeared completely unaware of anything unusual. Only Viserys felt that something was terribly wrong.
"What's going on?"
"Why do I feel this way under the gaze of the Seven?"
Viserys wondered in confusion, yet his body temperature continued to rise uncontrollably.
He understood that this coronation ceremony was extremely important for the survival of House Targaryen, especially after the fall of the capital during Robert's Rebellion.
Therefore, he tried his best to remain calm and not reveal anything strange in front of the witnesses.
But with each passing moment, his breathing grew faster.
Viserys felt as though he were melting within invisible flames; his skin, muscles, blood, organs, and bones seemed to burn away, turning to ash.
At that moment,
Queen Rhaella finally finished reciting the long oath.
Then the silver-haired woman slowly removed the golden crown inlaid with rubies from her own head the crown that symbolized the last authority of the Targaryen dynasty and gently placed it upon Viserys's head.
"From this day forward,"
"My son…"
"you are the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm…"
"Viserys Targaryen the Third."
.....