Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper

Chapter 102: Contemplation, Self-Reflection (Part 2)

―At King's Landing―

Red Keep ― Royal apartments...

Prince Tommen continued sprinting throughout the halls of the Red Keep, panting heavily as he searched from room-to-room for a certain individual he believes can help his brother Daveth recover. None of that mattered at the moment; only searching for assistance. Finally, he reached a certain room and found the red priestess Vaeraleah packing her belongings, apparently readying herself to apparently leave the capital.

"You have been making quite a ruckus, young one," she said calmly.

Tommen panted, still catching his breath. "*huff!* *huff!* I... I need your help!" he said.

"Oh? And what prompted you to leave your brother's bedside to seek me out?"

So she does know, he realized. "You're... you're leaving? But why?"

Vaeraleah shook her head in disappointment. "Let us say that not every society is perfect, young Prince Tommen. Our devotees—including some of our own fellow priests—are like herd of cattle in need of a shepherd, in need for one to guide them as they misinterpret the Lord of Light's will or have strayed too far. I fear I must take my leave from the capital... For good this time."

"But you can't leave just yet! We need you."

"'We'? And who is 'we'? You? Your sister? That old, lecherous, self-serving cunt of a Grand Maester? The priests with their idols stuck in their old ways, unable to comprehend the much larger picture?"

Tommen stuttered. "My brother!" he wanted to say. Steadily he felt his nerves and a sense of panic beginning to rise until Jaime and Varys finally found their way into the room.

"There you are," exclaimed Jaime.

Varys entered not too far behind. "Such a dutiful lad, solely concerned for the well-being of a brother who acted as a personal guardian and father-figure to him that he'd go out of his way to desperately find a savior for one who's done so much for him," he purred.

"Tommen, we know that you're frightened. I get that. Your sister and the Queen are, but... sometimes there isn't much any of us could do to save those who we love no matter how hard we try."

He shook his head. "I don't believe that, uncle! I won't believe it! I won't! My brother is not going to die! He... he..."

"Your bond with your brother is strong, my child," Vaeraleah hushed the frantic Prince, gently lifting his chin up in her hand. "You believe the darkness has come to claim him, yet you wish to push back against what your people believe to be the inevitable by coming to me? Surely the Oathkeeper must be very important to you."

"He's my brother!" Tommen said finally, his voice trembling. "I-I don't want him to die. Please, can't you use whatever magic you used earlier to help him? Like you said you did before when it happened the first time? Please?"

"'Magic'?" Varys scoffed. "Are we resorting to sorcery now?"

The High Priestess noticed the eunuch's suspicion. "You appear to distrust me. Or is it fate, or the power to change one's destiny? This child clearly stands before you visibly distraught with the fear of losing any more of his closest kin. There are many in this world believing the Oathkeeper is one of three who was promised. But you have heard all this before, haven't you? Do you not believe it was inevitable that Prince Tommen Baratheon would one day seek me out?"

Jaime had his guard up. "You must be a bold woman to be speaking such things. Do you have a particular talent in raising a child's hopes up? To fill their heads with ideas?"