1857 AC, King's Landing, Red Keep
Hedda stretched her arms over her head and then grabbed her cup of coffee. Tywin had returned from whatever important phone call he had received but Erenford was still nowhere to be found. Not that it really mattered to Hedda right now, a headache had once again set in. When she was working on something interesting, she always forgot how much of a strain decoding medieval texts were on both her eyes and mind. Right now it certainly felt like she had reached her limit for today and no matter how regretful, Hedda knew that there was no sense in forcing it, so she stood up.
Jeyne looked up from where she was assembling the first draft of Edric Storm's life. She had found two documents that confirmed his position as well as where he was buried. Apparently his bones had been transported back to Storm's End and he was added to the family crypt, another sign of how favored he had been.
"You feeling alright?"
"My eyes are dry and I'm trying to stave off a headache."
Tywin winced in sympathy, Hedda knew that he himself was suffering from chronic migraines and was sometimes laid low for days. A reason why he only guest-lectured and had never taken a steady position in any of the universities of Westeros.
"Maybe we should quit for today it is already half past three and tomorrow Clegane and Prof. Meralyn will arrive, I am sure that will make things easier on you."
Hedda nodded in agreement.
"Any ideas about what we can do for the rest of the day Jeyne?"
"Well… there is a fantasy fair in the Old Gate district. Just promise me you won't start to fight with anyone about historical accuracy."
Hedda smirked at her friend, "As long as it is called a fantasy fair and not a medieval fair, I have no complains whatsoever."
It would be a nice break from staring at medieval font. She also was suddenly in need of something spectacular unhealthy, food wise. A fantasy fair should have what she needed.
"Let's go."
Tywin hummed in agreement.
296 AC King's Landing, Street of Steel, Tobho Mott's shop
The next time Joffrey visited the forge the shards had been molten down and shaped into two rather small blades. One had now a dull sheen while the other was greyer. Both were more resistant against a fall from the table than the original.
Joffrey hummed thoughtfully and listened to Gendry's nervous explanation about tempering and compressing the material.
And this was new. Last time Joffrey had talked with Gendry he hadn't been this nervous. Excited, yes and maybe a bit intimidated because of Joffrey's status but not… terrified. As if he expected a blow from Joffrey at any minute.
He listened patiently until Gendry was done explaining the minute detail of his work as well as the caution about how too many falls could still weaken the knives until it shattered.
Joffrey then lifted the greyer version and held it against the fire shine of the forge to their left. The form was not unlike a small modern kitchen knife and would be perfect for dressing smaller woodland creatures.
"I'm impressed that you were able to make two knives out of the material. I also like the shape of the grip better."
Gendry bowed stiffly, still nervous but slowly getting better.
"I have also sent for additional material from Dragonstone. I'm curious if there are other uses for dragonglass. Also here." Joffrey said idly and handed over a coin pouch with 30 gold dragons, "Use that for any additional materials or tools that you need for your craft."
"Your highness, that's too much money. I'm just an apprentice." Gendry panicked.
"Maybe for now, but not for long. Not with that kind of talent. I can see the helmets and breastplates you are working on…"
"I still can't accept it. Your highness, that is too much money." Gendry kept stubbornly insisting, again there was an edge of panic in his voice.
Joffrey sighed and glanced over where Clegane was standing at the far end of the forge, keeping an eye on Joffrey, but well out of listening distance. Joffrey had sent him away the moment Gendry had started to stutter, at first suspecting his sworn sword as the cause of his fear.
"You are scared of me." He said softly, "You weren't last time. What happened? Has somebody told you I would somehow punish you if you displease me?"
Gendry hunched into himself and cast wary looks at Joffrey.
"Your highness…"
"Joffrey." Joffrey countered stubbornly, he was done with this farce. Who the hell had been destroying his reputation to Gendry, and why? "You are my half-brother Gendry, the least that you could do is look me in the eyes and call me by my name when we are alone."
The part of being half-siblings was maybe a bit too hasty, but Joffrey was done with playing dumb. He needed for their relationship to advance if he wanted any chance of keeping Gendry at his side and away from anyone who could use him.
Silence… and then Gendry slowly relaxed.
"You know." He said softly.
"That you are one of my father's natural children? Yes, of course. You have his look. I knew the moment I saw you in your master's shop. In fact you look exactly like our younger half-brother Edric in Storm's End."
"I… wasn't sure you knew… and I didn't the first time we met… trueborns are always wary of bastards. The royal family should be doubly so."
Joffrey hummed, that was true enough.
"I suppose. Though forgive me Gendry but I don't see you rising against me and Tommen in a new version of the Blackfyre rebellion."
Gendry looked so horrified, Joffrey burst out laughing before he smirked, "Yes, I thought not." Then he became more serious again, "Look, I am well aware of my father's proclivities. We have a handful of half-siblings according to our uncle Renly. I… well I am not happy that he keeps on shaming my mother, but that really is not your fault, is it?"
Gendry nodded and then smiled tentatively at Joffrey, "I really can't accept 30 gold dragons, it would just get stolen. Give me 5 at most at a time for materials."
Joffrey bit his lip and sighed, "All right, but you will tell me if you need money."
"I… why? Why are you doing this?"
Gendry managed to sound timid and suspicious at the same time.
Joffrey stared at him before he said, "You really do have talent, I didn't lie about that. Having a skilled armorer in my acquaintance that is predisposed to taking my commissions over others would be a boon… but… you are right, my main motivation in giving you the dragonglass was to get to know you… I'm the oldest legitimate heir of our father… even if he doesn't do anything, I think it's my duty to look out for my siblings."
"Even the bastard ones?" Gendry said somewhat sarcastically.
"Especially those without additional protection. Edric is safe and well cared for in Storm's End, additionally he is also the only one that was recognized by my father. Our eldest sister Mya, lives in the Vale and according to Lord Arryn, she is well cared for as well. You are the first that I have run across in King's Landing though."
Gendry just continued to stare at him for a long time then he sighed, shoulder slumped, "Alright."
"Alright? So you will come to me if you need anything?"
Gendry looked reluctant and vaguely pained, but he nodded slowly, " I suppose so."
Joffrey smirked at him and Gendry finally smiled back. The rest of the time Gendry talked about his apprenticeship by Tobho Mott, that started back in 290 AC, his tasks and that he was maybe 2-3 years away from becoming a journeymen.
Once Joffrey was back in the carriage Clegane stared at him.
"Contacting your father's bastards, eh?"
Joffrey glanced at him and shrugged his shoulders, "I would like to avoid anything close to a Baratheon version of the Blackfyre rebellions, thank you very much. My father is the first of our line and there are still too many Targaryen loyalists around. Somebody could get the idea of using them against me. I prefer to know where they are and who has a hold over them."
Clegane grunted and let the topic drop.
296 AC, King's Landing, Red Keep
Joffrey could hear the screaming of his brother from nearly four hallways away. It was a long litany of No's, which was the only reason why Joffrey was walking at a brisk pace and not outright running.
He turned around the corner and found his brother, who was lying on the ground and was throwing the fit of the century. A servant and two Lannister handmaidens trying to calm him down.
"Tommen!" Joffrey called the moment his brother to take a deep breath of air to continue.
Tommen's head whipped around, his face was completely red and there were tears in his big green eyes.
"Joffrey!" He wailed and then scrambled up from the floor to throw himself at his older brother.
Joffrey obligingly caught him and lifted him up into his arm.
"What is the matter, Tommen?"
"Tell them no. Joffrey, I don't want, I don't want. Mother said I don't need to."
"What do you not want Tommen?" Joffrey asked softly, gently rocking his brother from side to side.
"Lessons." He whined, "I want to play with Myrcella or with Bess! I don't want to read and Mother said I don't have to!"
He was working himself up again.
Joffrey hummed and continued to rock him gently back and forth until his breathing had calmed down again and he was burying his wet face in Joffrey's neck.
"You know, I had to learn to read as well Tommen."
"You had to?" he asked plaintively.
"Yes. How do you think I am able to read stories to you and Myrcella?"
Silence. It seemed as Tommen hadn't thought about that.
"Stories?" he asked softly.
"Yes. And I also practiced so that I could write letters to you, Myrcella and Mother and Father while I was away with uncle Stannis."
Tommen wiped his wet eyes and stared up at Joffrey and said still dismayed, "But I want to play with Myrcella."
"And you can, but not now. Myrcella has her own lessons, remember? She started to learn her letters a few months before you."
Tommen once more buried his head against his shoulder. Joffrey sighed softly and pressed a kiss in his blonde curls.
"Come, I will take you to your lessons and sit in for today."
Tommen grumbled, but didn't protest anymore.
The servant and the two handmaidens curtsied to him before they followed him into the rooms where Maester Ulrick was already waiting anxiously. The poor man must have heard Tommen screaming through half of the castle. Joffrey suspected that only his sense of propriety had stopped him from opening the door and trying to calm Tommen down himself.
Thankfully there was no other incident and after Tommen had bravely sat through his lessons and even answered most of his questions correctly, Joffrey took him down to the kitchens to get a small treat for him.
During all this Joffrey was contemplating a way to circumvent his mother's bad influence on his siblings without showing his hand too early.
He would have to talk to Myrcella about her lessons as well. Find out how far she was along and what she was lacking because of Cersei's arrogance. She would be 7 in another year and officially introduced to court. After that she would be invited to various noble children's name day parties as he had been. He might need to arrange a visit from Renly for that exact purpose and maybe arrange for an independent etiquette teacher for her.