She had been holding Court with the Ladies everyday for the last couple of days, as soon as she had felt well again. Her dear son had told her of the Lady who he was favoring as potential Bride and thus far Rhaella felt herself agreeing with his Choice. The Lady Tyrell seemed kind and gracious and of a gentle mind and she would surely be a have a soothing effect on dear Rhaegar.
Ever since the Tower of the Hand had erupted in green fire and so many people died and Tywin and his strange Maester and young Gerion had escaped Rhaella could see quite clearly the never ending worrying about them troubled the mind of her sweet son. But at the same time, she could see that Rhaegar calmed down whenever he was near Lady Tyrell and he smiled gently at the young Lady from the Reach. Rhaella herself felt finally optimistic again about the future and about the ruling ability of her beloved son.
Soon, Rhaella could now believe it, soon her gentle son would sent letters to the Westerlands and they all could find a way to end the uncomfortable and near hostile actions that were caused by Aerys and then Tywin's reaction and then of the following misunderstandings. As soon as Tywin would be found and then sent to the Wall, the Westerlands would be easy enough to talk too.
And Rhaegar was calm enough now, he finally has calmed down and lost his strange ways which had frightened her, his mother at first so much, till she finally understood that it was his way to overcome his own shock.
The Queen Mother looked around her once more and saw that all Ladies had turned their heads to look at something behind her, Rhaella. Her dear son had just arrived with his harp in his hand and accompanied by Cousin Steffon, the new Lord Hand and Ser Barristan of the Kingsguard and this had sent all the Ladies into a more open state of excitement. Rhaegar came to stand by her side, smiled gently at her, his mother, bent slightly down and then he took her hand and kissed it gently and with respect.
After he kissed hers, he then turned to Lady Tyrell and repeated this knightly gesture, only the kiss on Lady Tyrell's hand lasted far longer than it was proper. Rhaella felt astonishment at her son's open passion for the Lady but at the same time, she also was relieved for it would surely be a happy marriage then.
Finally, her dear son let go of Lady Tyrell's hand and sat himself down near the Lady and then started to play his Harp and to sing. Rhaella felt so happy now, for this meant that her sweet son had come back to his senses and heartlessness of the first moon after Aerys death had finally left him.
While Rhaegar started to sing, Cousin Steffon bowed down and kissed her hand too and then, after receiving her permission, he sat himself down by her side and they listened together Rhaegar's song.
Steffon still looked slightly ill at ease with all that had happened but it might also be because of the huge responsibilities he now had to shoulder as Lord Hand and Rhaella felt more relaxed than she did for many a years with Rhaegar finally not interested only in killing Lannisters anymore but instead in looking forward to be married.
He lost himself in the music for a short while, he lost himself in the songs, the words which he sang were more a gift for himself than for the Ladies and two men around him. For a moment he thought about the songs that would be written in the years to come for sure. Songs about fire and blood and magic but then the Voice in his mind, the Voice of his many times Uncle, reminded him sharply to stay in the now time and thus Rhaegar cleared his eyes and concentrated once again on those around him.
After a good couple of songs and a few well placed compliments to the Ladies surrounding him, he excused himself as tired and that he wished for an hour of sleep.
His new Lord Hand, Uncle Steffon looked as startled as any of the Ladies and his mother did and also a lot more rebellious in his behavior than he did a few days ago.
Rhaegar narrowed his eyes and then reminded himself to make sure that the dear Cousin of his sweet Mother would not think about possibilities to overstep his Power. His gaze turned to Sir Barristan and the young King considered a few small steps to tighten his power over the Lord of the Stormlands. These decisions would be made later though, at first he had to get to his bedroom and then he would have to visit someone.
Deep down under the Red Keep were chambers which are known only to few among the living people.
One of these hiden rooms was filled with old scriptures and curious utensils and its walls were done with black scales. Three large fireplaces were in one Wall and in each of these fireplaces kneeled a bound and gagged man. They were all shackled into their positions and each of the men was part of an experiment. They were the second to last Chance of an once rather self assured Maester, who was now though really hoping that he had found the right recipe to fulfill the wishes of his King.
The Maester watched all three of his test objects with full attention, all the time aware that another failure would lead to agony for himself. His large and strong hands shakingly grabbed his crutches tighter and he forced himself not to think about the reason for these crutches. He forced himself to not think about the foot and the half of the lower leg which he had lost to the rage of the young King.
The foot for what had happened on Dragonstone and half of his lower leg for having yet not fulfilled the will of the King, for not having found the right potion.
The Maester thought about the irony of his situation full of bitterness. He had always wished to find magic and power and knowledge and now all was so close to him, now he lived, no merely excited amidst it and all the Magic worked against him and all the Power was in other hands and all knowledge wasn't enough to save him.
A door opened behind him and the Maester immediately recognized the steps of the King, who now had entered the room and behind him the ever unwelcome Ser Gerold too.
"Now, Maester Marwyn, can I finally congratulate you? asked the King with his pleasant and melodic Voice.
Marwyn turned clumsily around with the help of his crutches and felt his breathing became more troubled because of the pain which shot through his leg for he had accidentally touched his stump with one of the crutch legs. He barely managed to swallow down his shout of pain and could see that the King was watching him closely, clearly looking for any weaknesses that Marwyn was not quick and wary enough to hide anymore. The crippled Maester swallowed once more heavily, this time the bitter bile which he tasted in his mouth at the sight of the young Targaryen and then he forced himself to bow his head for the King.
When Marwyn lifted his gaze again and his eyes met the dark purple ones of Rhaegar Targaryen, the older man even managed to form his mouth into a halfway sincere looking smile, for no matter how much pride the once so strong Maester had left in his crippled body, right now he felt too exhausted and was in too much pain to even try to test the Dragon's patience.
"Your Grace, the new tests are quite promising, all three of the men have been given the latest potion combination and are now kneeling for near four hours in their positions and not one of them has any burn marks yet."
The King stepped so close to the Maester that he, Rhaegar could see the drops of sweat which were running down the brow of the exhausted Marwyn. The ivory coloured skin of the young Dragon glowed in the room as one of his hands was lifted and then touched the sweaty face of the older man.
The crippled man tried at first to evade the touch but then he forced himself to endure to Royal hand which had just days ago used a knife to cut away flesh of his leg while the White Bull had hold him down.
Rhaegar's touch was cool on the Maester's sweaty skin, cool and soothing. Then the young Dragon carefully wiped the sweat off the older man's brow and Marwyn's breath turned shallower because of the closeness. This young King had tortured him just a few days ago, had forced him then to swallow just enough milk-of-the-poppy to halfway endure and to keep working and mixing potions and now this same King touched him in a soothing and gentle manner. The Maester did not know if he was disgusted more by himself than he hated the damn King who managed to make him, Marwyn so tame and fearful.
The Maester shuddered slightly and Rhaegar Targaryen leaned closer, so close that his breath felt hot against Marwyn's ear.
"If you dissapointed me again my dear Maester, then I will make you find out how you will feel when I cut out your bones of your stumped leg and leave it only as a bloody lump of useless flesh."
And while the King's words were cruel and fearinducing, he spoke these words with a Voice that was still as sweet as if he was singing a Ballad and the hand which stroked Marwyn's brows was still cool and soothing.
"Would you like to find out how that feels my curious Maester? Would you not be interested to know how your leg feels without any bones?
How both of your legs would feel without bones?" asked the young King in his neverchanging sweet voice.
The Maester could feel himself break apart even more inside than he already was and his breath grew even more erratic and tears escaped his eyes while he prayed to gods in which he long had stopped believing, for the potions to work as the King wanted them. For him to be spared the King's wrath.
His King was still too lenient with this horrible creature who called himself a Maester. Far too lenient in his, Gerold's mind but since it was not his place to criticize his King, the White Bull hold his tongue and instead only watched hatefully how gentle his King treated the magicmongering pathetic creature. As soon as his King would see though that this Maester was useless, Gerold would gladly then free his young monarch of this unpleasant man.
It was amazing, Rhaegar thought with a bit of satisfaction, what a little bit of crippling and a few more threats could do to even quite strong and hardened men, especially after such a man had already been imprisoned without any chances to escape for a while. The young King watched his now heavily sweating Maester with cold eyes and could quite clearly see that Marwyn had really lost most of his former sneakiness. At first he had tried to trick him, the King at every turn but after the news about Dragonstone and the wrong egg came to Rhaegar's ears and his ears only, the young Dragon was at the end of his patience.
It had been a filthy business, cutting of parts and then to make sure that the new cripple bot only survived but also started to heal. Ser Gerold was astoundingly useful for such endeavors and the Voice in his mind had given Rhaegar quite a lot of useful informations too.
Poor poor Marwyn, thought the King to himself while he watched the tears now running down the crippled Maester's cheeks, he should have known better than to trick a Dragon.
If the next test would not be successful, then he would have to get really creative and maybe he would let even Gerold join in too.
The young King was nearly two hours late when he finally arrived in the Great Hall amidst his assembled Nobles but since he looked so well rested and was in such a good mood, nobody begrudged him his extra resting time... ...
...
Ser Barristan was already standing in front of the stairs of the Throne when King Rhaegar arrived in the Great Hall, shadowed as he often now was by the Lord Commander Hightower. Barristan allowed himself a moment of remembering an other, a different and older Targaryen King who had been so close to his own imposing Kingsguard Commander. He, Barristan himself had been just a squire then, when he first had seen them but even he had seen back then all these years ago, how the good King Aegon had trusted his Lord Commander Duncan and how strong their friendship was. And how glorious this King had been then, glorious but at same time modest. A true King and well loved by the common people.
Barristan remembered how the oldest Prince had taken pity on him, had jousted with him and had given him his nickname afterwards. He remembered how he had six years later beaten Prince Duncan and Lord Commander Duncan the Tall and how he, Barristan had then received the Knighthood from good King Aegon himself.
All these thoughts were running through his mind while he watched the young King coming closer and finally stopping in front of the stairs of the Throne. King Rhaegar's right arm brushed along the left one of Barristan and the older man excused himself for standing in the King's way while he took one step outwards away from the stairs to give the King more space.
"Ser Barristan, while I appreciate your good manners, I also assure you that I had already plenty of space to pass by you. You have no need to step this far away from the stairs, I am surely not a wide built man who needs the space of three man to pass by my own Kingsguard."
Barristan could clearly hear the humor in the voice of his King as he spoke those words and the Bold Knight noded and went a step closer and more towards the right side then while Rhaegar Targaryen went up the stairs of his throne.
Barristan straightened himself once again in his position in front of the Stairs, as the left Guard, with the Lord Commander in the middle and Ser Oswell as the right Guard.
The Kingsguard was truly in dire need of a few new brothers, thought the Bold one to himself since even when Ser Jonothor would be back, they all were still two brothers short now.
Barristan's mind went for a minute towards their currently oldest brother, Ser Harlan Grandison who was right now resting in the White Tower and he then sighed silently. No, thought Barristan to himself, it looked more likely that it would be even one more brother's place which had to be filled anew in the near future.
Three new brothers then and he, Barristan dearly hoped that the young King will choose them soon. Especially with the uncertain times ahead of them because of Tywin Lannister and the mystery of how he had escaped without a trace to be found.
But right now there were other things for King Rhaegar to decide and Barristan chastised himself in his mind for letting his thoughts drift away from the current time.
The King had opened his Court for today afterall and the Kingsguards all had to protect their King from all unwelcome Situations.
And Selmy cleared his mind of all other thoughts and looked straight ahead towards the assembled Nobility from the Crownlands, the Stormlands, the Riverlands, the Vale, Dorne and the Reach. And they all looked upwards, to the young King, sitting high above them on his Throne made of Swords and forged by Dragonfire.
The Warden of the East prided himself to be a man who had seen and lived through much more troubled times than the current ones, murdered King aside. He was now alive for fifty-six years and he was Lord of the Vale for thirty-seven of this years.
He had already buried two good wives, though sadly none of them had given him living children and thus his nephew Elbert, son of his late dear brother Ronnel was now his own heir and the next Lord.
Jon glanced over to his nephew who was standing right next to Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark, both who were his, Jon's fostersons for three years now already. All three proofed themselves to be good boys, even though Robert often was a bit louder than necessary and still needed to be reminded to behave himself.
No, thought Jon Arryn to himself, he definitely has lived through worse times and the current ones had proofed themselves to be quite fortunate for himself, for his lands of the Vale and for Westeros as a whole mostly too despite the circumstances of Aerys's death and Tywin Lannister's flight.
The new Lord Hand, Steffon Baratheon, had earlier on spoken with him, Jon about Tywin and about how the proud Lion had looked at the time when Baratheon had visited him, just shortly before the Tower of the Hand burned down with Green Fire and Lannister vanished from the Red Keep and King's Landing as a whole.
Lord Steffon had entrusted him with his doubts about the entire truth in what the young King had at first written to them and then now had told them and everyone else here in the Great Hall just a few days ago.
Jon Arryn had listened his good friends words, of course he did and he at first had worried too but then he had done his best to calm Steffon down.
No matter what had happened between King Aerys and Tywin Lannister, no matter what had happened afterwards when Lannister was guarded in the Tower, no matter what had happened after that, the new King had the laws on his side.
And Tywin Lannister, cursed Kingslayer that he now was, also knew that he and his lands had no Chance against the rest of Westeros together. That was what he, Jon had told Steffon and he had told him also to advise their new and young King to appeal to the Lannister family to make sure that Tywin would return for a proper trial.
Both Steffon and he, Jon himself had known Tywin long enough now to know that the proud Warden of the West was a man of duty, enough to swallow his pride and to bring order to the realm but also a man of pride and self-esteem, who would surely will do everything to clear his name and his whole House of the shame of being known as a Kingslayer.
Tywin Lannister would come back for a proper trial as soon as he could, that was something of which Jon Arryn was sure of. The current Lord Hand had still not agreed on that with Jon and instead spoke of rumors, told to him by his Cousin the Queen Rhaella herself.
She had spoken of Rhaegars near decency towards Ser Gerold Hightower and the Lord Commander's bloodlust towards Tywin Lannister, and this Steffon then had told Jon but the Falcon had done his best once more to calm the Stag down.
It would be Steffon's voice and advice now, Jon had said then, which would steer King Rhaegar away from the Hightower's bloodlust and notions of unfair trials and as soon as the Lannisters would know that there would be a fair Trial, then surely Tywin would come and defend himself and would also accept the outcome.
Well, Jon himself at least thought so, even though Steffon had looked at him with unbelieving eyes. But Jon Aryyn prided himself to be a proper and fair Lord and he know that Steffon Baratheon was one too and thus he had no doubt that the Lord Hand would make the young and inexperienced King see and agree to the wisdom of older Lords and also to agree to listen to bloodthirsty Kingsguards anymore.
The Lord of the Vale stopped his reminiscing about the conversation with Steffon earlier on and now looked once more up towards the new King. A young and quite handsome boy more than as that he was a man, a young King who would need experienced Lords by his side to steer him away from the troublemakers.
But yes, thought Jon to himself, the times ahead looked pleasant enough and he and Steffon would make sure that Rhaegar Targaryen would not stay under the influence of the Lord Commander of his Kingsguard and thus ignore the proper way to treat his Lords.
He, Jon had after all survived enough troubled times to not see the value of the peaceful times now and of a peaceful and lawful King.
He could see the greed in most of them, the greed of them to rule through him, to whisper into his ears and tell him what to do or who to wed. They all think of him as young and influencable and he knows that fear Cousin Steffon, his new Hand had spoken to the Falcon of Vale about him and about Tywin and his condition before the damned Lion managed to escape.
Dear Steffon had actually told the Valelord that he doubted his, Rhaegar's words or at least some of them. And he told him of Mother's words.
The young King suppressed a smirk while he remembered that. Bad mother, she really needed to be reminded of who was the Head of House Targaryen.
Lord Arryn though, he had behaved exactly as Rhaegar had hoped he would and had even blamed Ser Gerold for everything that had gone wrong. The audacity of the Falcon though, to say then to the Stag that he, Rhaegar would need the Lords to steer him into the right direction and to form him into a true King.
No, thought Rhaegar to himself, he should really give his conspiring Lords a proper lection to make them understand of how to behave and how to speak of their King. A careful lection of course, one that would humble them enough but would also drain them of their conspiring thoughts.
Rhaegars eyes swept over the assembled Nobility and then fixated on the Lord of the Vale and the three boys by his side.
Yes, that would do. Rhaegar stood up and lifted his left hand to call for silence. Then he smiled as openly and innocent as possible while his eyes grew calculating, waiting for the reactions to his words.
"My honored Ladies and Lords, I have a few announcements which I would like to make here, in front of all of you. Joyful news, even in these not entirely joyful times.
The first and most important one is of course the announcement that the beautiful Lady Mina Tyrell gave me the honor to become my bride and thus Queen by my side."
The young Lady and her boisterous brother were immediately in the center of all attention and Lady Mina received many congratulations from one part of the Nobility and also hateful eyes from the other part, mostly young women and their fathers out brothers.
Rhaegar let the Tyrells bask a few moments in their glorious Situation before he once more lifted his hand for silence.
"After this most pleasant and personal news, all other announcements are of course involving the matter of politics.
As everyone already knows, my Lord Hand is the Cousin of my dear mother, Lord Steffon Baratheon, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands.
Lord Qarlton Chelsted remains as Master of Coin and Lord Lucerys Velaryon remains as Master of Ships.
The seat of the Master of Law is open right now though, since Lord Staunton had sadly taken ill and thus is the reason why I would like to ask the most honorable Warden of East to give me the honor and to accept this seat in my Small Council."
Rhaegar could see the clear shock but also the satisfaction in the light blue eyes of Lord Arryn.
Clearl, the falcon was swiftly calculating of how much more influential he would then be towards him, Rhaegar. And Steffon looked also joyful because of the news, for he now surely thought about more influence too.
Let's see how they would react to the next announcement then, thought Rhaegar to himself with dark amusement.
"Furthermore, I ask the Lord Arryn to agree to my offer for his heir and his fostersons to be squires to my Knights of the Kingsguard. Surely such bright and strong boys would enjoy it immensely to squire for the Knights who protect the Royal family. Lord Arryn and Lord Baratheon would surely accept this for their heirs and I also hope to receive the same positive answer from Lord Stark as soon as has receives my letter."
Rhaegar really had to force himself not to loose his guileless look while he watched as Jon Arryn's and Steffon Baratheon's faces both lost the look of happy calculation and instead both paled slightly at these words.
How better to control conspiring Lords after all, as than to have control over their heirs and other children.