Chapter 5: Connington
They all stood as the King entered the room, Jon bowed his head as did Haldon, Duck and Illyrio, whilst Lemore-he had to stop himself from calling her, her actual name, one never knew who might be listening-curtseyed.
The King acknowledged them with a wave of his hand. Two of the Dragon's Companions accompanied him and took up position on either side of him as he sat down. "Be seated." The King commanded.
Jon and the others sat. Jon was to the King's right, which made sense, given he was the Hand of the King, whilst Illyrio, as their host sat to the King's left.
"I have called this meeting," The King began. "because Lord Connington has received important information regarding both my uncle and from King's Landing." The King turned and faced him. "Jon, if you'd like to tell the council what you've learned of my uncle."
"Of course, Your Grace." Jon replied. He cleared his throat and then spoke. "Prince Viserys met with the Golden Company a few weeks ago, outside of Lys, they wined him and dined him, they listened to what he had to say and then they laughed at him."
Jon saw the King's eyes sparkle with fire. The King never took well to anyone insulting his family, even if it was family he'd never met before.
"Prince Viserys did not react well to that and has since moved further south and as my sources reported last, he was meeting with the Brave Companions to try and convince them to join him in an attack on the Company." Jon said.
There was a brief silence in which everyone looked at each other. An attack on the Company was madness, sheer and utter madness. The Brave Companions were known for being ruthless, yes, but against the Company, the most efficient and brutal fighting force in the known world, they would be reduced to nothing.
Eventually, Duck spoke. "We must find a way to stop him from going through with this."
"I agree." Haldon said. "The question is how?"
"I could go and visit him." The King said.
Jon wanted to groan. The King had said something like this earlier, and whilst in private, he could use his influence to convince the King not to go through with something quite so foolish, in public, he had to be the dutiful servant. He had to wait and see.
"I do not think that would be wise, Sire." Illyrio said.
Illyrio Mopatis, was a man who'd made his money from selling cheese and wine to the people of Pentos and Tyrosh. He'd also been a sellsword in his youth. The man had given the King a place to stay when the King had been a child and when the usurper's hired knives had nearly found them in Braavos. He was a smart man who was loyal to the King, but for some reason, Jon could never shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye.
"Why?" The King demanded. The King was sixteen, or about to turn sixteen. He was taller than Prince Rhaegar had been at the same age and more muscular.
Illyrio took a deep breath. "Sire, whilst I can understand the desire to go and aid Your Grace's uncle, it would not be the wisest course. The usurper's eyes are always watching Prince Viserys, they are making a note of his every move and reporting it back to the Usurper and his spy master. Should Your Grace go to Prince Viserys, they will become aware of Your Grace and place your life in danger."
Varys is the King's spy master, and the damned spider is supposed to be working for us. I don't think he'd tell the usurper anything.
At least that was what Jon thought, he had no idea if the Spider would stick to that or not.
"But surely going to my uncle and ensuring he doesn't do anything stupid and keeping him alive is the right thing to do. If he does go off and do this and he does die, then that will remove the focus from him, and therefore make it easier for the Usurper and his spies to try and focus on me." The King said. "After all, you cannot tell me that the man won't start getting worried once he hears about the Companions."
The King did have a point there, Jon conceded. Robert Baratheon was many things, a drunkard, a whoremonger and an idiot, but he was not blind. As soon as reports came of a force being built in between Pentos and the Golden Fields, he would start getting suspicious. Jon did not think even the Spider could prevent him looking into that for too long.
Lemore was the one who spoke then. "I believe that there is another solution to the Prince Viserys quandary, Sire."
Jon looked at Lemore, wondering what she would say. Out of all the women he had ever met, Lemore was the smartest of them, far more than the Princess she had served so diligently.
"And what might that be?" The King asked softly.
"We use one of Your Grace's friends within the Brave Companions to suggest an alternative solution for dealing with his wounded pride." Lemore said.
"Such as?" The King asked.
That was something Jon had never been able to work out, how was it that the King-or rather Lemore-had come by having friends in the Brave Companions, especially when she hadn't met their founder in years.
"An alliance with the Dothraki." Lemore said.
Jon felt his eyes widen. An alliance with the Dothraki? A group of savage horse raiders who fucked their horses as if they were women?
The King however, didn't seem to be that concerned with it, instead he simply turned to face Illyrio and asked. "Will you be able to arrange that?"
"I believe so, Sire. Though the Dothraki may want something in return." Illyrio said.
"Then you can give them the right to one of those damned brothels that keeps popping up surely?" The King said, referring to the establishments which provided lucrative profit for their owners.
"Certainly, Sire." Illyrio replied.
The King nodded, then having clearly decided that that matter was dealt with turned to Jon and said. "Tell them about the news from Westeros."
Jon obliged. "Jon Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie and Hand to the Usurper has died."
"How?" Lemore asked, Jon remembered something then. During the war, Lemore had been steadfast in arguing that Eddard Stark had been tricked by Jon Arryn, why she thought so, she had never said, she only insisted that he had been.
"Old age it seems." Jon replied. "With his death, the usurper has decided to travel northwards to name Eddard Stark his Hand." The two leading lights of the rebellion working together again. It made Jon's blood curdle.
"Lord Stark will accept the offer, I presume." The King said, his voice soft.
"Yes." Lemore said without hesitation. "Lord Stark and the Usurper were always good friends." There was just a hint of bitterness in Lemore's tone then, no doubt she was thinking of Harrenhal.
The King didn't seem to notice that though, instead he asked. "So, where does this leave us? Lord Stark will become the new Hand of the Usurper, presumably, the situation in Westeros will continue to drag on for some more time." There was a hint of impatience in the King's tone. Evidently he was getting tired of having to wait around for something to change.
"Not necessarily, Sire." Illyrio said then.
"What do you mean?" The King asked.
Jon leaned forward as well, intrigued by what the cheesemonger might say next.
"I have received reports that there is a growing sense of discontent within the Crownlands towards the usurper. Some believe that he is taxing them a disproportionate amount compared to the other constituent parts of Westeros. They also feel that he is giving too much influence to the Lannisters and that not enough of their own are present at court." Mopatis said.
"And, how true are their fears?" The King asked.
"Well, according to my sources, the Lannisters hold some eighty percent of court positions. Whilst that may change with Lord Stark's arrival, it will take a lot of time for it have an effect." Mopatis said.
"Then there is the King's brother, Stannis Baratheon." Mopatis added.
"What about him?" The King asked.
"It seems there is a faction in King's Landing that is moving toward him, as a means of trying to cause change within the capital." Mopatis said.
"Stannis will do nothing." Jon said then. He knew the younger Baratheon brother, had even considered him a friend once. "He is too rigid. He will stand by his brother no matter how badly that man ruins Westeros."
"And there is nothing that could turn him?" The King asked.
Jon shook his head. "Nothing."
"And what of the younger Baratheon brother?" The King asked.
"Nothing of note, Sire." Mopatis said.
"Find me something on him." The King commanded.
"Of course, Sire." Mopatis replied bowing his head.
Jon wanted to ask the King why he wanted information on the Baratheon boy, but he imagined he'd get a similar answer as to the one he'd received when he'd asked the King why he wanted information about the Starks.
"I must know what caused them to rebel. A man burning one of them might be cause for disquiet, but for complete rebellion and overthrow? No, something else caused it."
The King stood then. "Very well, you may go." With that the man turned and walked out of the room. No doubt he was going to attend to his lessons, at least that's what Jon hoped.
