Author's note: So just a head's up, I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to continue this or not. it all depends on the response. So please rate/review with your thoughts! Also, I'm not very familiar with how jobs and positions at universities work, so let me know if I've made a mistake somewhere! Thanks!
Professor Jorah Mormont turned off the projector with a sigh. His last class of the day had just ended, and now all that was left to do was go home for the night… back to his empty apartment, where he'd spend the rest of the night grading essays and eating a frozen dinner in front of the television before going to bed. Or trying to, anyway…it was difficult to fall asleep alone in such a huge bed. The bed that used to belong not only to him, but his wife as well…. when Jorah slept peacefully beside Lynesse, so long ago. Jorah's reminiscence was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
"Professor Mormont, may I have a word?"
Jorah looked up to see Professor Varys standing in the doorway of his classroom. Oh, great, he thought. Just what he needed. Varys was a slimy rodent, and Jorah couldn't stand him. He hoped whatever Varys needed to talk to him about would be quick. Reluctantly he nodded and Varys entered the room.
"I don't know if you are aware, Professor Mormont," he began, "but we have a new student joining us tomorrow."
"I see…." Jorah said with uncertainty, not understanding what Varys was getting at. Known Worlds University was a very large school, and new students were certainly not rare.
"Yes," continued Varys, "two, in fact. A brother and a sister. They are…. Well… they're the last remaining children of Former Dean Targaryen."
Jorah froze at that. Dean Aerys' last remaining children?
"I'll get straight to the point, if you don't mind... I need you to keep an eye on them. Make sure they don't… cause any trouble. The boy is said to be violent and hot-tempered, and harbors extreme hatred for Dean Baratheon. Apparently, he believes Robert stole the position from Aerys. Can you believe such a thing?" Varys chuckled. "As if Robert had anything to do with Aerys' madness. What nonsense."
Jorah's mouth tightened. He knew the story. Dean Aerys had been a good dean, up until the day he went mad. He'd been sent to a mental health facility after that, and died not long after. His wife and son Rhaegar had died as well, though the circumstances surrounding their deaths remained unclear. And yet Varys spoke of them as they were nothing but fools who brought all their misfortunes about themselves. It made Jorah sick.
"And why do you want me to do this?" he asked, attempting to keep the bitterness from his voice.
Varys smirked. "Well, most of their classes are with you, after all. And besides…" his voice lowered to a whisper, "…perhaps if you do this, I may be able to give you tenure."
Jorah's eyes widened. Was Varys being serious? If so, Jorah needed this. He knew Assistant Dean Eddard was searching for a reason to fire him, and sooner or later he'd find it. It was only a matter of time until he was sacked. And after his wife Lynesse had left him years ago, he wasn't sure if he could handle being fired as well.
Varys was staring at Jorah, waiting for an answer. Jorah wasn't stupid. He knew that Varys was essentially asking him to spy on the Targaryen children. There must be something about them that worries him, Jorah thought. Still… could he bring himself to spy on them? It wasn't right, Jorah knew, and yet… he needed tenure, and this was the last way to get it. He'd given nearly all of his time to research, published countless essays, attended all the school and faculty events… and yet still, nothing. He'd begun to think his being fired was inevitable. If that was so, if this was the last chance he'd have to keep his job, then he couldn't pass it up.
"Fine," he replied somewhat grudgingly. "I'll do as you ask. But you'd better not be lying."
"Oh my, Professor Mormont, you wound me," Varys said with exaggerated sorrow. "I wouldn't lie to you, old friend. You know how much influence I have with the Dean… such a thing as this would be easy. So long as you keep up your end of the bargain, hm?"
"I will," Jorah growled.
Varys smiled a smile that made Jorah slightly nauseated.
"Well then, Professor," he said with a hint of victory in his tone, "if you'll excuse me."
As Varys departed, Jorah sat back in his desk chair and buried his face in his hands. What the hell had he just agreed to? Is this how low he had sunk? Being forced to spy on two freshman college students who had just lost their entire family in a series of bizarre accidents? And just what was Varys after, having them spied on like that? What secrets was he keeping?
Jorah let out a loud sigh and sat back in his chair, covering his face with his hands. What had he just gotten himself into?
