Game of Thrones Tales: Lannister Family Values
Summary: In an alternative universe, King Robert calls on a different old friend and brother to assist him. But whose decency, kindness, and sense of honor, while a bit different from Ned Stark's are equally strong. But are the family values of House Addams a match for the ruthless Lannisters?
Part XXXII…
One of the few reasonably dry meadows about the Swampflood keep…
Pugsly and Branded strapped firmly to large, gentle mares, eagerly surveying the grounds, overjoyed to be once again aloft in saddle. Lady Maud on her own valiant stallion, beside them, along with several of her "barely passable maggots" of the Addams guard, likewise mounted. All rather excitedly watching where Lurch, rather more morose than usual regards this one, was setting up the large test rocket spear, with cargo of sealed letter, various assorted insects, and a rather panicky mouse in the conically tapering top section.
"Is the firepowder charge packed tight, Lurch?" Pugsly called.
"Yes, Lord Pugsly…Uhhhhhh…." The reply.
"Is Cousin Gomez's flash pan image taker in place?" Branded, eagerly. "The window mechanism is ok to expose the pan to light?"
"And it's set for no more than five seconds, right?" Pugsly added, anxiously.
"Yes, Lord Branded…Lord Pugsly…Uhhhhhh…"
"And the needle recorders, for sounds and barometric pressure?" Pugsly.
"All is ready, my Lord. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…"
"If everything works and it doesn't blow up on the pad, we'll have an image of the world from who knows how far up…" Branded, excitedly. "And the sound of the upper air till the pressure drops…"
"Is the cabin secure, Lurch?" Pugsly called. "We want the mouse and the bugs to survive, at least from the air thinning…Who knows what else will happen to them…" he beamed to Branded.
"They say there's all sorts of noxious ethers and the sun's light affects in strange ways up there." Branded nodded.
Lurch, with sigh, nodding… "All is secure…Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…"
"Maybe they'll get so close to the sun, they'll be roasted…" Branded noted.
"Father's experimental heated-air craft floated all the way to four miles up by his estimate and he says it recorded it was colder than the far North and while the air got too thin to breathe, there was some strange sunlight that caused bizarre images on his flash pan imager." Pugsly, pondering. "Maybe exposing living things to it will cause them to change, become hideous creatures?"
"Cool…" both beamed.
"Boys…" Lady Maud frowned. "It would be one thing if we could stuff you or some idiot foolish enough to volunteer in there, but these creatures have no choice in the matter. A little compassion for the defenseless…"
"Yes, ma'am…" sighs.
"But if this works, I might not mind trying it meself…" eager beam by Lady Addams. "Great way to swoop upon your enemies behind their fortifications. Not to mention the speed…And to see what's up at the top of the sky."
"Us first, Grandmama…You promised." Pugsly insisted.
"Well, lets get one off the ground first and see what happens. Lurch?" Maud turned to him.
"Yes, Lady Addams…Commencing countdown. Ten…Uh…Nine…Uhh…Eight…Uhhh…Seven…Uhhhh…Six…Uhhhhh…Five…Uhhhhhh…Four…Uhhhhhhh…Ignition start, thank you Thing…" A hand from carry box next to the rocket's base emerging to offer a lit match which Lurch took. "Clear area!..." Lurch backing away… "Two…Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…One….Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ignition! Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The rocket roaring to life and immediately soaring skyward, the boys on horseback and the knights about them cheering.
"Liftoff, we have liftoff!" Branded, high-fiving Pugsly. Lady Maud grimly frowning at Ser Arnold as his panicked horse galloped off, the knight frantically trying to regain control.
Terminator IV indeed, I think if he doesn't start shaping up…
"Lurch? You alright?" she turned to see a rather surprisingly, given the blasted suit and soot marks all over his green-hued face and body, less morose than usual Lurch stumbling her way, carrying the box from which Thing had emerged.
"Congratulations, Lord Pugsly…Lord Branded…Uh…" he gave slight wave of victory.
"Great work, Lurch!" Pugsly beamed. "She really took off…Brand? Can you see her with the optic glasses?"
"Just barely…She's still going…" Branded, head craned, watching the rocket's ascent through another of Lord Addams' inventions, a reinforced pair of eyeglasses with double lens to magnify at a distance. "Time?" he called, handing Pugsly the glasses.
"Fifty-five seconds, approaching burnout." Pugsly noted. "Gee I wish we'd put some firepowder in the nose, what a blast it would make when it hit."
"The cloth streamer will work…" Branded insisted. "Our cargo will land safe."
"It'll be like that Essos guy from the Far East of Essos who told that Valerian emperor's court he could fly in his suit with big pockets…Ooooooooh…Plop! Splat!" Pugsly, watching closely, shaking head.
"Can you see it, Pugsly?" Lady Maud, likewise craning head to see.
"Five seconds to burnout, separation, and streamer ejection." Branded called.
"There it goes!" Pugsly…Hmmn…
"I don't think separation went properly…Looks like the streamer is with the engine stage…The nose chamber's coming down…"
All looking up…
"Run!" Pugsly called, pulling reins. All dispersing but for Lurch who kept head craned, watching…
Hand extended.
"Lurch! Be careful!" Lady Maud called.
Ooohh…All watching winced as the large chamber came down, Lurch grabbing with his extended hand. Ploooff!
Hmmn…Lady Maud looked to see the figure of Lurch, arm extended triumphantly to hold the chamber in hand. He, rammed into the ground to more than half his standing length.
Uhhhhhhhhhh…
"Lurch!" she cried, riding over.
"Lurch?! You ok?!" Pugsly, followed by Branded and several guard knights. "Is the chamber intact?"
"Yes, Lord Pugsly…Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…" the half-implanted Lurch groaned.
"You three, dig him out! Arnold take that thing from his hand!" Maud snapped orders, climbing down, refusing a hasty assist by Ser Arnold, and grabbing a sachel from her saddle.
"Lurch…A little above and beyond…" she frowned at him, examining the badly burned and flesh-stripped hand. "Well done, of course, but there's a time when discretion really is the wiser course."
"Yes, Lady Addams…Uhhhhhhh…"
"Way to go, Lurch!" Branded, enthusiastically. "Nice catch, Lurch!" Pugsly, anxious looking to the chamber now lowered to the ground, Ser Arnold examining.
Thumbs up, Ser Arnold turned to the boys, holding up the still living mouse with eager smile.
"Yeah!" joint cry.
"Gotta admit, your streamer seems to be working, Brand." Pugsly noted, looking up again, with the glasses. "The engine stage is still floating down."
"Nice to know there's hope of a safe return when poor Lurch here can't be around to catch you." Lady Maud noted, dabbing Lurch's wounded hand with ointment.
"Just need to fix the separation and then try a larger rocket spear…" Branded nodded. "Then we'll just need a volunteer." Eloquent stare at Lurch, then Ser Arnold.
…
Imperial theme, Star Wars…
Assembly area of Lannister bannerpeople at the edge of the Lannister territories closest to the border with Riversrun, the territory of the late Lady Stark's Tully Cicero family… A huge and growing force assembled with tents pitched…Some quite elegant and huge. Armorers and blacksmiths at their work, knights and soldiers practicing, dashing about, or just camp-watching from their tents.
Outside the grandest tent of all, a mobile palace really…Lord Tywin in black battle armor, black cloak draped, single red sash about waist and right shoulder, attended by inner circle of elite guards, Lady Tywina, Ser Noonen, and assorted key bannerpeople and relations, he seated at field desk. Beyond, an outer ring of more soldiers, less exalted bannerpeople and their chief captains. He rose…
"Peace, silence…" a herald cried… "Lord Tywin speaks! Speak, my Lord, let all heed the words of our Lord Tywin!" Tywin frowning…
Still an idiot cousin's got to have some sort of job…
"Loyal friends and family, I thank you all for answering the call. For the moment we shall remain here, on the border, awaiting the response of Lady and Lord Addams to my demands for my son's immediate release and an apology for the insult to our House…Not that I value that imp of mine…"
Quick, discreet wiping of tear…Some ash from the campfire in my eye, he explained hastily…
"…But the insult to the House Lannister cannot be borne."
"Here, here!" joint cry, thud of spears and lances on ground.
"And, if my demands to the Hand and King and Lady Addams and Lady Arryn are not met…"
"Blood, blood, blood!" cheers. "Lets hear 'Castamere'!" a cry…
Tywin waving… "Now, now. Lets remember that our desire is for peace if possible. Lets not be led foolishly into actions that could plunge us into civil war. I should tell you, friends. I suspect Lady Addams has been manipulated into believing wild charges and rumor. We show our strength and unity here but we do not act without deliberation."
"Wise policy, Father…As always…" Tyrion's voice from beyond the outer circle, astonished guards having let him and his entourage, once again nearly as large as his previous band of merry followers. Though perhaps, besides Steph at his side, not quite so merry and blithe. Some rather battered former members of the band who'd come out of hiding in the hills to rejoin them during their march through the Vale lands, some rather savage hill warriors of the Vale territories joined as mercenaries, sensibly choosing long-term steady pay over short-term rather minimal plunder at Tyrion's well-spoken urging.
"All this, for me?" he beamed as the two circles parted to let him and several of his group through.
