(Dragonstone: 10/16/298) Mai VI
"So how do you plan to tell him of the creature? Don't tell me you intend to bring him down here to see it for himself?" she asked, her voice echoing out throughout the twisted, serrated confines of the depressing grotto. She heard the begging cries of grown men and the low moans of dying ones, following them up from somewhere behind the way. The sharp snap of a lashing whip rang out, silencing a few of the pitiable sounds.
"That's exactly what I'm going to do, though more than just Eddard Stark will be joining us down here," Azula answered without breaking stride. Steffon followed closely, at Azula's side, in pensive silence, his armor softly 'chinking' as he walked. Their footsteps and those of the Kermurikage following closely behind were the only sounds in proximity, though Mai thought on how the screams from before seemed closer still. As they approached the mouth of the newly excavated cavern, the sounds evaporated out into the surrounding blackness of the large crevasse before them. This was the only place on the island where shards of obsidian lay open and free, amongst the cold volcanic rock, which was not covered up with smooth carved stone. Small satchels of blasting jelly had been used to open up the formerly small cave into a hollow capable of hiding several cruisers. Though how many exactly, she knew not, with only a few torches lining the nearby walls, the lighting within the caverns had not been ample enough to see the furthest edges of the subterranean cavity. She knew Dragonstone had enough blasting jelly squirreled away to level a mountain, a stockpile that grew with each passing turn of the moon, and yet Mai had found it increasingly strange that Azula appeared in no rush to use most of it.
"Wait, wha…" Mai began.
"Oh," before she could finish her reply, Azula snapped her fingers, cutting her off. "I forgot to thank you for the show you gave us on the docks. Very nice, very ordered. Tight formation and freshly pressed uniforms, adding the Tyrell girl to the welcoming committee was a nice touch. And it was a joy hugging my little flame and pressing her chubby cheeks together. Though she did seem a bit…" Azula shook her head, then cleared her throat. "I trust no one gave you issues during its planning?"
"No, other than Han complaining about the dock not being presentable," she sighed, eyeing their dark surroundings, the faint torchlight up ahead cast a pale azure glow along the top of the seemingly undulating cave. She kept a mental note concerning her previous line of questioning regarding the additional guests coming down to see the creature in the box. "I personally think he was trying to hide his progress on 'the Azula."
"Yes, so I would assume," she paused, watching as Azula cast a knowing look in her direction. "Oh don't look so surprised, I've heard the rumors of delays," Azula continued forward, none the worse for wear, nor showing signs that she had been particularly annoyed with the unfortunate setback. "I'll have to find new ways to motivate Han and his men. He continues breathing because of Lia's successes, despite his mistrust of her. And yes, I know her successes are minor, but they are successes none the less, and with the tanks that much closer to finalization, we will have far more bargaining chips once the dust settles…" the words held a certain ominous tone that caused a shiver to run up Mai's spine. "Speaking of which," she turned to her son, still following silently. "What do your friends think they saw on the docks? Did they believe Mai's explanations about it being a brindled man from Sothoryos?"
"They did," Steffon said finally, though he seemed hesitant in his words. "I did not like lying to them, mother."
"It's only temporary until Lord Stark learns it from me, after that you can tell them whatever you wish," she waved off his concern, and they continued along their murky little path.
Mai sensed the beginnings of an awkward silence and chose to continue on from before. "Who else will you bring here?"
"Why do you ask? Does it trouble you?" her friend probed but did not turn to face her.
"Why wouldn't it?" Steffon surprised her, taking the words right out of her mouth. "You're a very private person, mother."
"True enough," she chuckled. "If it makes you both feel any better, I did have second thoughts before making my final decision aboard the ship," Azula shrugged, her uniform having shifted slightly with her movements as she came to rest her hands across her lower back.
"So who else?" Mai pressed, looking down at her feet to confirm she had proper footing for the area ahead.
"Other than Stark," a smooth fist rose up, and Azula counted, raising a finger with each name spoken. "Prince Oberyn, a Red Priest named Moqorro, and a smattering of Martell and Stark guards whose names I don't care to know."
"Hmm, I had suspected Moqorro, but not Oberyn or his guards. Is that wise?" Steffon asked, his calm smooth voice sounding out of place within the darkness of the caverns. "Wouldn't a slight bit more tact be preferable, than just hauling them all down here to look at a monster?"
Mai heard water drip down from somewhere out in the blackness as their small party hugged the rocky walkway. Sharp pillars rose from the black depths and gnashed against those descending from the jagged ceiling, giving the cave an uncomfortable quality reminiscent of a gaping maw.
"You would think so, but men like Stark are predisposed to hard truths, Steffon, and if he feels that I was being open with the others as well, then...Well, let's just say that events would be better 'directed' with this nugget of information making the rounds in the seven-kingdoms. Coming from the honorable Eddard Stark would have been sufficient, but from a Prince of Dorne as well? The war with the Lannisters would be over far more quickly if Tywin's lickspittles have to worry about a second long night. Not to mention increasing support from Volantis after their priest reports back that I have their 'great enemy' caged up and under my power," she lingered on her words a moment then moved on. "After the lions are completely swept off the board, I will 'encourage' Robert to choose Stannis as the new Lord Paramount of the Westerlands. After all, there is no one more loyal, more steadfast, then he, save Lord Stark, and Stark would not wish the position for any of his family. We proved our mettle in destroying the Targaryen loyalists here and eroding any lingering support for them. The Westerlands would be no different. Sure, there would be many more executions, more headaches, but our people need space to grow and prosper. Dragonstone is becoming too small, and Lyanna's Bay is too remote to ever house more than a hundred thousand people, at best," the shadows danced across Azula's grinning visage, as they were wont to do. Steffon's golden eyes seemed contemplative in the gloom cast by Azula's shadow.
"Why didn't you bring Qyburn?" she questioned, noticing the man's absence the moment Azula had stepped foot back on Dragonstone. "I would have thought the man leaping for joy at the prospect of having a mythical creature to study."
"Oh, he was. You can be sure of that," a slight frown slithered along Azula's lips. "However, I do not trust Pycelle or any of the healers in the capital. If anyone is harmed while I am away, I wish Qyburn to treat them, and no one else."
"You still suspect the Grand Maester had something to do with Jon Arryn?" she asked, her hands resting along her back, mirroring Azula's stance.
"I do not suspect, Mai. I know. Though to what end and in what capacity elude me," Azula countered. "The information Qyburn gathered from Arryn's corpse before it was sent away, indicated a poison had a hand in his deterioration. 'Tears of Lys,' he called it. Arryn's Maester had diagnosed and treated him appropriately. So well, in fact, that Arryn even managed to share a few words with Renly, or so that fop tells me, but then that old bearded fool took over and the man died soon thereafter. I was this close," her golden eyes burned in the cerulean gloom as she pinched her fingers together, "to purging the capital of Cersei and her ilk."
"Once Stark finds out the truth there's no stopping that eventuality," Steffon noted.
"The truth," Azula scoffed. "Yes, what a wondrously fortuitous truth, that makes Cersei hand her own death sentence to me on a silver platter."
"I sense a bit of sarcasm," Mai frowned.
"Cersei's too stupid and too impatient to poison anyone. The fact that she chose to have blond-haired bastards and expected to pass them off as Robert's speaks volumes of her mentality," Azula continued, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "She prefers the upfront approach. So, I suspect Pycelle having finished a job someone else had started. Jon Arryn was careful once his investigations began, I made sure of that, and he only ever let his guard down around his family."
"It couldn't be his son, the boy is young and sickly. Which leaves…" she couldn't hide her rising shock, understated as it was, given her melancholic disposition.
"His wife? Yes," Steffon's silken voice interjected, as they walked, his hand firmly grasping at a golden-hilted longsword strapped to his side.
"A definite possibility," Azula answered. "Especially given her prior relationship with Baelish. Though the only snag is that Baelish owes everything to Arryn for his rise in status," she growled, as a blue flame engulfed her clenched hand. "That title should have been mine," the sapphire blaze burn brightly for a moment before receding back into Azula's closed fist, "though I suppose 'Mistress of Whisperers' sounds far better than 'Mistress of Coin.' 'Mistress of Coin' makes me sound like some sort of harlot queen."
"It could also have been Varys," she supplied.
"The Spider is always a suspect, Overseer," the young knight's even voice declared. "Especially since we have yet to discover what precisely the eunuch was discussing with the cheesemonger. Baelish's words did not give a definitive answer."
"Whatever it was," Azula added, looking to her. "Stork managed to elicit a reaction, however slight, from Varys when he was in that ridiculous costume. But whatever the case," she shook her head, dismissing further talk on Varys. "Whoever was truly behind Arryn's murder, I will discover them, and I will end them. I don't like being played, no matter how tantalizing the prize. However, for the time being, I'll play along in order to smoke out our little rat. Cersei is both the most 'obvious' suspect, and by far the one I want to be most rid of," a menacing giggle escaped Azula's lips. "Once Stark and the others have gathered their bearings, I will take them for a tour of the Academy, so they can 'discover' things."
"Robert's bastards?" Mai knew of them, had watched and kept track of them, under Azula's orders, as soon as they had arrived in the months following Jon Arryn's death.
"That's one of them," a ghost of a smile came across Azula's face, then disappeared in the darkness like an errant shadow. "I trust you have seen to it that the students and instructors are to treat the day like any other?"
"Of course," she nodded, watching as the open cavern once again narrowed, transforming into a gloomy tunnel leading into the darker confines of the underground tunnel system where the strange Westrosi creature lay imprisoned. The torches had steadily been growing dimmer, though had retained their blue hue as Azula passed. An odd coldness had seeped under her skin, and she shivered. Sparing a glance towards her friend, Mai spied no hint of discomfort.
"What do you plan to say?" her curiosity slipped through.
Azula laughed her false laugh, and looked to her, a soft smile across her lips. "The truth. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing beats telling the truth…"
"The truth, huh?" Mai raised a doubtful brow.
"Didn't you just mock that a few moments ago, mother?"
"Oh shush, you two," Azula waved her hand dismissively. "I tell the truth when it's advantageous to do so, and it just so happens that, in this particular instance, it is. Westeros has made me realize that lying is expected. The truth? Not so much. It's never planned for. It's always jarring to all those little people in their little capital playing their little games with their little minds. The truth is quite potent a weapon if used correctly and on the right people. Far more than lying would be at any rate. Eddard Stark responds well to the truth."
"You know, all this talk of plots and plans, and yet you don't seem to be the least bit worried about these 'Others,' or their supposed 'god' stalking Ty Lee," she recalled Sho-Yu's troubling report from three days ago.
"And what of the Reach?" Steffon asked, blatantly projecting a deep concern about Margaery's fate across his youthful face, a concern she shared.
Azula stopped and turned to her with narrowed eyes. "Don't ever suggest to me that I do not care about my daughter's safety, Mai. Don't ever," she warned, their cool surroundings were taken over by a sudden heat until it warmed and finally cooled once more. "Her safety is always my primary concern, and there is little else to do than what is currently being done. I could prohibit the order from entering the grove by killing them all, but then we get into the difficult problems of slowed communications, and a severe lack of people within the grove to ensure Ty Lee remains safe when she goes there. Well, Steffon would be there," she tipped her head towards her son, "but having an individual there at all hours is tricky, especially if they are my son. He needs to be on hand to make certain 'appearances.'"
"Apologies, I didn't mean to suggest that, it's just that you haven't said much in the way of the creatures. Or your plans for them," she bowed her head.
Azula continued walking and she followed at her side, "These 'Others' have had thousands of years to find a way to breach the wall, and there is no evidence of them suddenly gaining the ability to do so now. Nor are there vast armies of the dead amassing on the other side of that frozen eyesore."
"But how do you know? Wouldn't allowing Sho-Yu to pursue this investigation into 'Bloodraven' and 'Children of the Forest,' be beneficial to find out for certain?" the details within Sho-Yu's account, strange as they were, did not find Mai doubting Steffon's reasoning.
"It would if it wasn't just him and a handful of tired old men with four firebenders. No. Once Lord Stark learns of the Others, I have no doubt a larger force of Northmen could be called upon to escort Sho-Yu and the Targaryen boy where they need to go. But as it stands, my enemies down here currently have more of my attention than my apparent enemies up there. Priorities, you two. The army of the dead might as well be walking kindling from what Captain Shagan tells me about the Deadship's burning."
"And if you are worried on the girl, she will be safe," Azula assured them. "Especially if her father decides to bumble into an alliance with the Lannisters against the crown."
"If? You know the Reach hates you, right? That's about as foregone a conclusion as could be possible," she pointed out, not wrong in the assumption. Mai knew the man had spent no insignificant amount of time, after his release from Storm's End, claiming them all to be witches and consorting with demons from the seven-hells, only for it to fall on deaf ears. 'Stannis was ready to take action against him for it,' she recalled.
"Not all of the houses in the Reach share that opinion," Steffon stated.
"True, but those same houses are not exactly up to par with those that do," she countered.
"Look," Azula rubbed her temple. "A great many people hate me, yet many of them still follow me out of fear," she reminded her, wagging her finger as she did so. "Renly is a good example of that, Mai, you know this. Unless, you're talking about Mace's mad ranting?" a sinister laugh escaped Azula's lips. "It didn't do anything to me then, and it's not going to do anything to me now. Mace's ravings only served to better my position in the long run. The man's now an embarrassment to his own lords and family. Even the faith didn't believe him! I must say, I rather enjoyed his lonely descent into madness."
"But he is still lord of the Reach, and when you inevitably reveal the bending, and not just to Stark and Oberyn, what then?" Steffon's calm voice questioned, his eyes radiating the same brilliance as her friend's. "Will those who dismissed him, do so again?"
"By that point, it would be moot," Azula faced her son, as they walked. "The crown would be on our side, as will the North, especially the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale once Robert summons them from their rocky perches. The Stormlands will side with Robert and if the faith decides to raise a ruckus because of the bending, then I have no qualms about being the second coming of Maegor, only smarter, and no less cruel. So woe is to them if they choose to have their little 'Trials by Combat,' and 'Trials of Seven.' Besides, Mace isn't really the problem. His mother is the real power behind the Tyrells, and she is a crafty one with an aversion to unnecessary risk-taking. Their entrance into any war against the crown isn't guaranteed. Then again, perhaps Mace's hate will shine through? It is an emotion I can trust," Azula tapped her finger across her lower lip. "Hmmm, well time will tell, and should time prove such a thing is the case, then Margaery will suddenly find herself several quickly stopping heartbeats away from claiming Highgarden. She will have become one of my most prized possessions."
"You would murder her entire family?" Steffon's voice grew low and cautious.
"If things fall in that direction? Then, yes," Azula stopped in her tracks and shared an intense stare with her son. "You always knew this was in the cards, boy."
"You promised no innocen…" the formerly calm voice turned into a low growl.
"If they choose to become our enemies, then they are not innocents," her friend, although standing a full head shorter, still managed to somehow seem of equal height against Steffon's towering, and still growing, frame. Azula planted a stiff finger into the center of Steffon's armored chest as she spoke. "Or am I wrong?"
The young knight remained silent, glowering at his mother. "No."
"Good, now unless you find some better alternative that helps us achieve greater control over Westeros, I'm all ears. But until that time, take care not to let your feelings for the girl distract you," Azula turned and proceed ahead, unmoved by the discussion.
As mother and son had spoken, Mai could not help but remind herself that Margaery had held no true loyalty to her own family, because of Azula. All those burned letters from Highgarden, and all those classes 'specially' designed to erode Margaery's will, as they had Theon's, caused a small tremor to run up her body. At the back of her mind, she could still hear Ty Lee's voice.
"It's not right, Azula! They're still Margaery's family by blood, they should…"
"I'll decide what's right, Ty Lee, and I will have no more discussion on the matter! Unless, of course, you want me to raise the girl myself? Well?" a ghost of promised spite lay hidden in her words.
"No, Fire Lord. I will obey…"
Lost in thought, Mai did not see the first hints of the Repurposed, Fire Nation troopers, Flameguard, or Red priests, until they were right in front of her, littered down along the extensive tunnel leading towards the iceman.
"Now let's see what prize the fleet has claimed in my name, shall we?"
"Fire Lord! Fire Lord!" they all started speaking before bowing or presenting flame, as they passed. Ten torches lined either side of the rocky shaft, each with a Fire Nation trooper flanked by a duo of Flameguard. A group of six red priests stood near the opening leading to the hanging cell of the thing from the North, which was surrounded by a thin walkway where three wall-mounted torches were spread evenly along its circumference. The torches gave off a dull orange hue as they approached. Mai looked towards Azula and found her sporting an annoyed pout across her face. She saw her friend's eyes narrow and the torches suddenly flared a bright blue.
"That's better," Azula smiled, and approached a nearby priest, while Mai shared an apprehensive look with Steffon.
Suspended crystalline eyes fell upon her as they advanced upon the six priests. One of them was a woman, Mai came to realize, once the blue light had revealed her face. All of the hooded priests before them stood mesmerized by the steel casket hanging over an almost bottomless pit of jagged obsidian shards. As far down as her eyes could see, were the tell-tale reflections of azure flame reflecting off of numerous glassy surfaces. The priests whispered something under their collective breaths, before turning to them. A haunted look lay hidden in their sunken eyes, as one of them spoke, "The Other, Fire Lord. It must die before it regains its strength." The man lowered his head, and lingered a moment on his words, seemingly at a loss for them, before he rose his head to stare Azula dead in the eyes.
"And how long will that take, priest?" Azula stood, a sole hand at her hip with another gesturing for the man to continue. "I plan on showing it off before destroying it."
"Less than a fortnight, perhaps even only a few days at most," the man seemed confused and almost terrified of his own words, though Azula took them in stride.
"Well," she sighed, staring up at the pinpoints of blue light in the steel box. "It's a good thing Stark is already on the island," Azula pat the priest on his shoulder. "I will send for more guards and speed up the timetable for its viewing. Say…within three days? How does that sound?"
"Why don't you bring him here first?" Mai suggested, not wanting to risk the thing somehow escaping its confinement as it almost had on the ship.
"No," Azula turned to her and shook her head. "I don't want Stark distracted by this," she pointed to the cage, "until after he makes his decision on the incest known to me," she pointed at herself. "I need him invested in the state of the crown first. This is just a mildly interesting sideshow, nothing more."
