court of lies | robert's rebellion

the icarus

"Today you are.", Rhaegar spat back, Oswell was frowning with an open mouth, trying to understand what was going on. He sent a look to Jon but he was as clueless as him.

"I will never forget that.", Arthur whispered one last time and drew his sword, as he moved to his target -who was praying on his knees, with great fury, Rhaegar approached Elia with a cold face, and tried to hold her hand.

But she pull it back the same moment Arthur cut off an innocent man's head.

*

281 AC, King's Landing

"Your grace, you will not like it, but there is a matter that you should know.", Leo Lefford, the new Hand of the King, added before the council meeting ended. "While going through Lord Merryweather's personal reports, I realized that he was keeping something from you."

"What is that?"

"There have been some letters, supplies and complaints that came from people of Dragonstone."

"I might have heard such words myself as well, your grace.", getting the clue, Varys interfered. "But I had disregarded them as lies."

"I did so too but when I had to read more than perhaps ten letters, I couldn't help but get suspected, my lord Varys.", he turned to the king. "I had brought one of the letters myself so you can get the full picture, your grace."

Rhaegar was not ruling there for that long but not even on his worst day, not even when he was clearly inexperienced and was not ready for the job, he ruled his seat better than the most experienced lords. That was why the rest of the council did not take such slanders seriously. As Aerys read the letter with a scowl, Varys turned to his fellow members and began to explain.

"Many traders and merchants complain about his grace. They say the bribery and favours have gone astray -especially towards the foreigner traders making things a lot harder for the natives of the island. Apparently, they had informed his grace about these matters but they claim his grace was indifferent and neglectful towards the situation. Letting,", he sent a look to Aerys. "especially his chief courtier Jon Connington, to run the ships on his behalf and forcing Stormlander ways to the locals."

"I wouldn't believe such slanders, not even for a moment.", Lucerys felt the need to interfere. "Prince Rhaegar is loved and respected by all -especially by the smallfolk. They were counting themselves blessed only a sennight ago. And now they are spreading lies?"

"I cannot know which reports Lord Merryweather chose to declare to you, Lord Velaryon and my fellow councilmen, but from every report I had seen; the truth is almost the opposite.", Leo deadpanned. "People do not like his grace and think that he is not fit to rule."

"I would not think that these are a little more than the undignified lies of a merchant that our prince hurt previously due to his unlawful acts.", Gerold shook his head. "Whatever reports you read,", he looked to Leo. "whatever words you hear,", he then turned to Varys. "I read and hear them all as well.", he then turned to Aerys. "Rhaegar is young still, not as experienced as many other lords but he is, unmistakenly, better than them. He obeys the king's law and enforces them on his subjects with grace and compassion. He goes to the villages himself to hear about his people's struggles and immensely tries to find solutions to it.", Leo only looked at him without blinking whereas Varys rolled his eyes.

"I do not doubt any of your thoughts.", Aerys murmured as he finished reading and then his eyes found his cousin's. "But as the king, I cannot look the other way.", like he does with literally everyone else.

Gerold noted that he shall remind him under what circumstances he chose Tywin as his Hand once and all the things he looked to the other way.

"If you wish so, your grace, we can send letters to the trusted bannermen nearby, and to some prominent merchants and septons that live in Dragonstone, to get true information.", Leo offered. "Let them speak their truth about his grace so we can learn if these words are mere slanders or mean much more than that and symbolize another side of his grace Prince Rhaegar."