Daris II: A Different Promotion

2 AC, King's Landing

I never once feared for a single dinner.

I had 'bad' dinners, I had 'awkward' dinners, and I had 'unwanted' dinners whenever I was busy and my dear mother would string me to get through a meal when I had already eaten earlier. Then again, I had many times eaten little to just satisfy the aching of my belly and never to reach full satiety.

Right now, that memory barely held the candle before the situation I was facing. Not when I was meant to handle three Targaryens with deep roots with Valyria, incredible reputations, general plot-armor, and overall... known tendencies to be quite 'open' with some of their own views. Some of which were quite unusual compared to anyone that followed the Faith of the Seven. And, to add more fuel to the fire consuming my butt, there were details within the dining room which made little to no sense.

Specifically the table that was being used wasn't the banquet one, but a relatively small one. I chalked it out as Aegon and his sisters being somewhat positive to not keep themselves apart from each other in normal instances. Yet, in this situation, I failed to see why such a private 'table' should have been used to have me at dinner.

Another element which concerned me was the lack of guards in the area. Sure, there was enough to cover the entrances, but none that was close enough to hear what was being discussed in the dining chamber. Which, before the issues of espionage and deception, was a good way to prevent rumors from coming through any private conversation unfolding in there. I guess that would explain why so little was known about the Targaryen trio to those serving in the court. I even doubted Orys Baratheon knew a shit or two of what his half-siblings were doing in there.

When I was finally before the other people partaking in this dinner, I found my heart skipped a beat. And no, it wasn't 'just' their beauty. I would fancy myself straight even now, but I would be foolishly 'desperate' if I didn't just admit that I could see why many maidens liked Aegon. Many fanarts and statues that remained of him had him with a thin beard of silver that gave him a sense of clean wisdom.

In this case, he was shaven clean and yet looking as manly a man with a beard would be. His violet eyes held intrigue as they darted from a giggling Rhaenys as she finished a joke right up at me. A studious expression was adopted in the moment, but I heed it not much attention as my gaze tentatively grazed his sisters.

Visenya looked to be the calmest and the most detached at the table. She wasn't wearing armor, but preferring a fairly conservative red dress with gold and violet details. She had just finished cutting a slice off her cooked meat and bringing it close to her lips when her attention moved at me. It was somewhat enticing as a sight, if not cute in the overall scenario.

Lastly was Rhaenys and I wasn't ashamed to say she was wearing what I would expect her to don for the occasion. She had a tiny dress over her nightgown. How did I know it was a nightgown and not part of the dress itself? The external dress was flat in texture by look and possibly touch, while the darker-shaded outfit underneath was frillier and more elaborate- what I would call an eye-trap due to its purpose of entertaining a viewer's eyes into ogling and enjoying the petite and yet full frame she had. It accentuated her curves, but it did nothing to elevate a sight I have long been accustomed to. Men may have fallen for this trap, but lingerie was something I was too familiar with and rarely found attractive.

And difficulty when I already had seen a womanly frame in different clothes already.

The first step into this event was simple and it relied on a custom many already knew how to enforce. And it was a proper greeting to the invitation.

I bowed quite low, and spoke up. "Your Highness, as requested I, Daris Grafton, your Master of Coins, is here to-"

I didn't even get to finish that sentence when I heard rapid footsteps rushing my way. I looked up, I heard giggles, I also noticed that Rhaenys was barefooted when she just bolted for me and, through the carried momentum, tackled me to the ground. It was... painful, and groan-worthy. The young queen definitely didn't give a fat shit about my suffering, preferring to focus on the task at hand.

"You are here!"

"I-I said I would have not missed this, L-Lady Rhaenys."

"Rhaenys, don't harass our guest!" An annoyed Visenya exploded, causing the girl to jump off me and stand up.

I slowly proceeded to get off the ground and I saw the young woman still there. She used this chance to hug my arm, promptly setting my limb right into her boobs and led me to the table.

"Aegon, this is Dari."

"Rhaenys... I think you should apologize to him," The king tiredly remarked, giving a stern look to his sister before turning a smile in my direction. "And welcome to this dinner, Master of Coin."

I nodded respectfully, while a pouty Rhaenys pulled off from me and walked back to her chair, muttering a distracted 'sorry' while I slowly sat by my seat. The meal was already there, steamy and inviting as a seasoned steak should be. Before I did anything to try it out, I waited for the monarch to say something in that regard and was glad when Aegon realized what I was waiting for.

"Please, Daris, do enjoy the product of our chefs' good work as our fine guest."

"I will oblige to your generous offer, my liege," I replied humbly, deciding to try a slice and-

"Are you going to tell him?" Rhaenys interrupted the peace with an excited tone, glancing at her husband-brother.

"Not... yet," Aegon mumbled while Visenya scoffed.

"Focus on the meal, Rhaenys."

"But-"

"Focus. On. The meal," The older Targaryen repeated while heightening with emphasis each word up to the last two, her martial expression leaving no room for protest much to the younger sister's chagrin and the King's relieved look. Still the woman turned to eye me. "Master of Coin, it's good to finally make a proper introduction with... you."

The way she trailed that last bit had me tense up. Not noticeably, but enough for someone with a clever eye to know I am nervous. And Visenya had that from the way she was studying my body language.

"L-Likewise, Lady Visenya. I'm warmed by your most kind approach."

A wrong adjective to use towards her normally, but she understood I threw the first flattering thing in mind from the way she nodded at it and refused to react to the detail. With the two sisters somewhat at peace and the dinner started, Aegon saw fit to finally 'initiate' a conversation that was civil and devoid of any unease.

Who would have thought that talking with the King would have been easier than speaking with his sisters-wives?

"Daris, apology for me asking but... could it be that you are a nobleman from the Grafton family in Gulltown?"

"...I would say I am related, but don't recognize myself as a nobleman."

Rhaenys frowned at this. "I thought your father was a merchant, Dari."

"Which is indeed the case," I replied honestly. "But I believe that the situation is... fairly complicated."

"How so?" Visenya pressed on, confused by this turn of words. "Are you or not a noble?"

Before I could have answered, something seemed to click in the ruler's own pondering on the matter as the truth dawned on him.

"I think it's because Daris is one of the few unrecognized children that was enobled due to his absolute loyalty compared to those in Gulltown that tried to oppose me at first," Aegon explained with a delighted tone. "It was Lord Celtigar which provided me with pleasant reasons to grant you a noble title."

My current social issue was a bit of a mixed bag, really. Despite that being the truth, there was more to it. Sure, I had been officially recognized as a proper member of the Grafton family, but that didn't mean the Grafton family was that happy that the son of an unwanted marriage to be considered as one of their own ranks.

Even more so when the reason that I kept my last name was mostly through anonymity and bribery from my father in case people asked about it. They hadn't known I bore that name, and now, despite what these people may think, I was untouchable from being deprived of that last name. Lest they had to explain to Aegon why they had tried to delegitimize someone with strong ties to the government they were supposed to be loyal to.

I slowly nodded, a reaction that confused the king.

"Is there any problem with such a decision?"

"I wouldn't say that the decision warrants any negative feeling about it, your highness. But, if I may be truthful about it-"

"You may."

I nodded at the permission. "I don't see any advantage about it in my current status. It's just a way to preserve a name I had been using since I was born."

"I see... Still, I have nothing to say about it. It's yours the way you react to gifts of your ruler for the extensive good work you exerted in those last few years," Aegon remarked happily. "And the many praises and reports I have on your name are indeed excellent."

I nodded slowly, deciding against speaking again since I didn't want to appear like a 'brown-nosing moron with ambitions'.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Tell him," Rhaenys interrupted again, this time more exasperated, causing Visenya to groan but stop when Aegon raised a calming palm at her and used it to reach her hand and squeeze it.

"Your highness, if I may ask due to Lady Rhaenys' outbursts-" And overall mood which looked as if she had chugged an heavily condensed 100x caffeine solution in a single chug due to how giddy she all looked while staring at me. "Is there an important reason for my presence here?"

A nod, at least I could tell my assumption had been correct. "Aye. Your presence here is dictated by an issue which I believe you can be the key to solve. A solution that, obviously, you have to bear with utmost secrecy and absolute loyalty to your king."

Bowing my head instinctively, I replied with as much seriousness as I could. "I am your highness' subject and shall protect any secret he shall bestow me with."

A small but sad smile appeared on his face, but he didn't hold back from explaining the situation.

"Daris, as of recent times I have confirmed with our most trusted physician and healer that I bear an illness which is... fairly embarrassing to mention."

Frowning, I was tempted to keep quiet, but I couldn't. I was just so confused. Aegon was sick? Why? And why were they all so calm if he was sick? What kind of illness? "I'm... I'm sorry to learn this, your highness. An illness? I hope this is nothing deadly or-"

"Nay, it's not a deadly foulness. Alas, it's one that hurts me in a different manner than a normal sickness," Aegon admitted with an uneasy look before dropping the news. "I will... not be able to have children on my own no matter what I try. I am infertile."

...The news hit me like the train that killed me the previous life did.

It was so shocking for me to learn that this was indeed the case and... it opened a jar of worms I wasn't sure I could handle considering that it tapped into theories which concerned this sort of situation. It would explain why his children had been so unusual compared to him beyond mere incest at work, and why there was a general 'decline' in familial/romantic love between him and his sisters-wives. Not just the infertility, but what I could easily see as a ramification already manifesting on his face, eyes and personality.

They were of pale skin, but Aegon was paler. His eyes bore sleep bags that showed lack of sleep which, while normal for those working hard to keep up with a kingdom, seemed too emphasized for those to be the result of some lost sleep. The sisters were also doing a good part of the ruling, so there was no way he didn't get sufficient hours of sleep. No, the issue was he couldn't find easy sleep anymore. He had a smaller-sized meal which suggests an unconscious need to eat less. And it all connected as fine dots of a puzzle I was slowly playing with.

"I didn't expect... your highness, are you alright?"

The question was initially confused by the women as a mere attempt to try and keep on the subject at hand. It sounded childish to them, but respectable as someone trying to sound worried for his monarch. Yet, Aegon could pick up I was trying to mean something else altogether by the way my eyes were displaying that concern. He tensed up in reaction to this and came up with a response that confirmed my early assumption.

"I-I'm fine."

The answer finally got to both Visenya and Rhaenys as the two could perceive something was off with Aegon if his voice cracked and stuttered in such a manner. What the king was enduring, at least from what I could tell at first glance, was a form of depression.

"Aegon-"

"I'm fine."

"You are-" Rhaenys pleaded, panicking a bit as she picked up the steel in his voice at shooting down Visenya's concerns.

"I'm fine!"

And then it was my turn to speak.

"You are not."

No 'your highness', no formality. A brutal remark which easily brought Aegon's angry violet eyes onto me. It was terrifying as I felt the Conqueror that had gone to sleep just a few years ago emerging as vicious as he had been when he destroyed Harenhall. Yet, I persisted by repeating my words.

"You are not fine."

It was an intense clash of glances, one I was seemingly losing at first but- He broke eye-contact and stared at his plate.

"I am..."

"Angry," I guessed, something flickering in his dull gaze. "At yourself."

"W-What are you talking about?" Visenya inquired, confused and worried. Thus her tone sounded quite frustrated.

"I believe the king is currently going through depression. In this case because of his inability to provide you with children, he believes he is at fault for this."

"I am," He repeated numbly, causing the other Targaryens to react to this.

"T-That's not true!" Rhaenys quipped in shock. "The Healer was clear, it wasn't a sickness that you could have done much to prevent from happening."

"Rhaenys is right. You shouldn't bash yourself for this."

"Your highness, your sisters aren't telling you this just to make you feel better," I added without hesitation. "Infertility is not a condition that can be contracted but is within one from birth."

"So, I was cursed from-"

"And I will stop you there before this gets ridiculous, my liege," I interrupted half-annoyed, causing the trio to eye me in confusion. "You call this cursed? Really? Let's try to make a quick list of your current life: you are one of the youngest ruler of a vast empire that matches if not exceeds Old Valyria in terms of size, you are the rider of a powerful dragon, your people love you as a conqueror but also as a fair king and you are literally married to two hot women that would die for you and are currently hurting because you are hurting yourself for genuinely no apparent reason."

"I-"

"And before you try to explain to me how this self-loathing is justified, your highness, let me remind you that the cause of your current plight is beyond any natural power at your disposal. You can't fault yourself for something you, King Aegon I the Conqueror, can't do. You are still a mortal. Just like me, your sisters and anyone who may have been struck with this case of bad luck."

"I suppose that's... reasonable."

"Plus, I can see that your sadness is not just about having this sickness. But what does this imply in the long-run, correct?" I asked, receiving a nod from him. "You fear that this could make them love you less, right?"

"That's preposterous! Aegon would never..." Vinesya paused mid-rebuttal when she saw her brother-hubby nodded. "A-Aegon, we- we would never stop loving you."

"We didn't marry you out of a promise of children, you foolish dummy~."

Big Targaryen hug ensued, I was happy for them to solve this problem and I rested my back onto my chair while I waited for this to be over. To be fair, the dinner was quite excellent due to the successful talking and the delicious meal. I thought it was it, that it was over now that I 'solved' this issue with the King but- I was wrong. I was completely wrong and stupid for thinking it was over.

"...I suppose you are correct with those words, Daris," Aegon admitted happily, recoiling with ease from the embrace. "And this... this allows me to push forth for the request I had in mind to initially ask you about with less worry in my heart."

I frowned a bit at this. Wait, the secret wasn't what it was all about? There was more to it? And I could tell I had hit the spot when Rhaenys sported a giddy grin on her face while her older sister scoffed softly but said nothing about it.

"Daris Grafton, due to the necessity for this kingdom to produce a heir, I request your service as one of the most loyal subjects of this crown to assist in such a task by bedding my sisters."

...

"I'm... what?"

"And due to tradition and to prevent any scandalous rumor to spread, you shall be instructed to join the royal chambers each a few nights, the bedding unfolding within my presence and active participation if so demanded by me, your king."

My jaw dropped. "W-What?"

"Lastly, yours shall be a support role with a specific duty. Your king shall not dare to interrupt your ongoing deeds until allowed to and, even so, with extreme caution."

...

"What?"

Rhaenys giggled. "Aegon, I think you broke him."

"That sounds likely," Visenya admitted, a smile growing on her face at my shattering mind.

"...Perhaps I should have dropped the news less strongly?"

"Maybe"/"Nope~!" His sisters answered, gaining a groan from a still-relieved king and the newest 'what' from a very mind-broken Master of Coin.

-------d-d-d-d----------

AN

What?

Also, this is but just the beginning of many shenanigans of this kind. There's going to be beddings, misunderstandings, exhibitionism, some magic at hand and potential warped bro/mance circumstances.