Silver Stag

New Friends & Conversation With The King

"Shae isn't going to like it."

"Shae is a whore. Are you gonna marry her? Eh? How did marrying a whore work out for you the first time?"

"I should nevr have told you about that."

"You want Shae, keep her. Wed one and bed the other. All you have to do is get a son in the Stark girl. He'll be Lord of Winterfell one day. You can rule the North in his name. You'll have two women and a whole kingdom of your own." Bronn told him.

"Two women to despise me and a whole kingdom to join them."

Bronn poured more wine for them both.

"You waste time trying to get people to love you, you'll end up the most popular dead man in town." He chuckled. "You want to fuck that Stark girl. You just don't want to admit it."

"I don't pay you to put evil notions in my head. The ones already there don't need company."

"You pay me to kill people who bother you. Evil notions come free." Bronn stood and grabbed another pitcher of wine.

"Hello Uncle," Aelinor greeted, entering. "Ser Bronn. I have heard you're to be married Uncle. Has your father now come to torment you as well?"

"Has he stopped?"

"Fair point. Perhaps you can find some solace in this. Due to certain rumours, my wedding has been pushed up. It will take place shortly after yours and Sansa's. After which, your father expects me to 'breed' so a child with Lannister blood can hold dominion over the Reach."

"Aye. Exactly what he expects of me. A Lannister child to hold the North."

"So I've heard. But something tells me you don't plan on following through."

"She's a child."

"Yes. Despite what she may believe right now, she is lucky you're the one she is to marry. Not many men would care of her young age. All they would see is someone who has had their moonblood and is ready to produce heirs."

"Yes, 'lucky'."

"Perhaps you will both find comfort in this marriage. It could be much worse."

"Like marrying a rumoured pillowbiter." Tyrion suggested.

"Exactly. Making it much harder when it comes to matters of conceiving an heir as I am expected to do."

"Yes. Missing some of his favourite bits, aren't you?"

"Perhaps. That, and also the rumours he was my late uncle's lover."

Tyrion chuckled, taking a sip of wine.

"Our family really is messed up, isn't it?"

"Yes it is. Luckily it seems it has skipped Myrcella and Tommen. But there's still time for the world to screw them up too."

Her uncle offered her a glass of wine.

"Thank you. Cheers."

They clinked glasses.

"To marriage." Tyrion toasted.

"To marriage."

Both of them drank it all in one go. The famous Lannister tolerance paying dividends.

They might as well have a little fun before they enter what are sure to be loveless marriages.

[Red Keep - Throne Room]

Tywin entered the vast throne room, where his grandson, King Joffrey Baratheon, sat on the Iron Throne.

"Your Grace."

"Grandfather."

You wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes. I'd like a report on the meetings of my small council."

"You're welcome to attend the meetings of your small council, Your Grace. Any or all of them."

"I've been very busy. Many important matters require a king's attention."

"Of course."

"You've been holding the council meetings in the Tower of the Hand instead of the small council chamber."

"I have, yes."

"May I ask why?"

"The Tower of the Hand is where I work. To walk from there to here would take time, time I could otherwise spend productively."

"So if I wanted to attend a council meeting, I would now have to climb all the stairs in the Tower of the Hand?"

Tywin approached and stood over Joffrey. "We could arrange to have you carried."

"Tell me about the Targaryen girl in the east and her dragons."

"Where did you hear about this?"

"Is it true?"

"Apparently so."

"Don't you think we ought to do something about it?"

"When I was Hand of the King under your father's predecessor, the skulls of all the Targaryen dragons were kept in this room. The skull of the last of them was right here. It was the size of an apple."

"And the biggest was the size of a carriage."

"Yes, and the creature to whom it belonged died 300 years ago. Curiosities on the far side of the world are no threat to us."

"But how do we know these dragons are just curiosities and not the beasts that brought the whole world to heel?"

"Because we have been told as much by the many experts who serve the realm by counseling the king on matters about which he knows nothing."

"But I haven't been counseled."

"You are being counseled at this very moment."

"I should be consulted about such things."

"From now on, I will see to it that you are appropriately consulted on important matters whenever necessary. Your Grace."

Tywin bowed and walked away, leaving Joffrey to ponder.

His sister continues to defy him, his wedding was now on hold until his uncle married his former betrothed, whose brother was mqrching against their family, and there was now the threat of three dragons.

Things were not looking good for the young king, and he was willing to bet his sister would be laughing at him had she been in the room.

It was time to end this war, so King's Landing could return to normal; no fear of foreign armies or sieges, no fear of dragons, and a new Queen for their King.