Night deepened over King's Landing. After the day's clamor, the city slowly began to fall silent.
Deep within the Red Keep, the study on the top floor of the King's Tower was still brightly lit, candlelight illuminating Viserys's handsome, resolute face.
He had visited this study before, shortly after arriving in this world. Curious about his infamous newfound father, the Mad King Aerys, he had come to see him while Aerys attended to affairs of state.
Although Robert had later taken over the room, he had only used it for drinking and pleasure. Aside from the addition of a large bed, its layout remained essentially unchanged.
Viserys had just finished reviewing a batch of important documents concerning the maintenance of order in the city and the deployment of troops. Clinton had already drawn up the plans, but they still required his final approval.
There were also arrangements to make for some of the nobles who had surrendered. Varys had prepared the list long ago, thoughtfully detailing the family influence behind each of them, which made Viserys's work easy.
Once everything was finished, he stretched, rose, and walked to the window, looking down over a city that felt both familiar and strange. The glory that had once belonged to Baratheon and the Lannisters had faded, and the Targaryen banner, a red dragon on black, flew over the city once more.
Viserys thought he could still smell traces of the smoke left by the day's dragonfire and wildfire. To him, though, it was the mark of a transfer of power, heralding the dawn of another era. This was his era.
Viserys knew that beneath King's Landing's seemingly tranquil surface, many hidden currents must still be stirring.
The nobles who had only just pledged their allegiance, for instance, might require both rewards and