King's Landing, the Red Keep.
Viserys had enjoyed a rare stretch of leisure lately. The situation in the Seven Kingdoms was gradually stabilizing, and lords from across the realm came to King's Landing one after another to swear fealty in person. The gifts they brought were steadily replenishing the treasury.
The Great Hall of the Red Keep no longer echoed only with tense political discussions. Now and then, the laughter and chatter of attendants could be heard, as though the entire kingdom had emerged from the shadow of war and settled into a long-lost peace.
After finishing his state business each day, Viserys found time to stroll through the Red Keep or practice with his sword at the Training Ground, relaxing and enjoying this rare respite.
That evening, the setting sun painted the Red Keep's stone walls a golden red. Neither Rhaenys nor Daenerys had come to find Viserys in his study. One was busy tending to her dragon, while the other was absorbed in a newly discovered interest.
Leaving his study, Viserys took a deep breath of air scented with flowers and greenery, then followed the flagstone path toward the garden.
He wanted to see the blood orange trees recently transplanted from Dorne. He had heard they were already planted. Dorne's fierce sun had given them a distinctive vitality, and he wondered whether they would still thrive in King's Landing's milder climate.
Oberyn had brought these blood orange trees when he arrived in King's Landing two days earlier. He had told Viserys they were a gift from Arianne. She had also asked him to find out whether Viserys had forgotten he still had a fiancée in Dorne.
Remembering Oberyn's faintly teasing look brought everything about Arianne back to Viserys, and he smiled. Dorne's warmth and frankness always left a