#it’s structured the same way as viserys’ conscience i think

[valinoar]

thinking about how rhaenys and corlys presenting laena for viserys to marry served only to soothe viserys’ conscience and convince him that marrying alicent was somehow morally passable. it allowed him to convince himself he was doing the better thing by marrying alicent. also thinking about how when he mentioned to alicent that his council wanted him to marry laena, he watched the hope flitting across her features, watched the relief in her posture thinking she was free, thinking she’d escaped his clutches. only for him to announce at the council meeting after that he wants to marry her, that he will marry her. the way she fiddles with her fingers while shaking her head almost imperceptibly at rhaenyra, trying to convince her that she did not want this, despite how it may seem. her having to bear almost everyone in that room’s distaste at viserys’ selfish decision.