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 LXXVII…

Kings' Landing…

("There is a grave disturbance in the Planetos Force…" Verysmuch in his office, sighing to us.

"Nah, this one is totally conjecture, based on instinct, not my usual amazingly near-instantaneous reports. I just gotta bad vibe about things in Barth with my blondie placeholder Targaryen queen." Shake of head. "I may have seriously underestimated Taro Trumpo Don on this one." Scans parchment. "According to my last report from my last good confidential agent, a Doofraki I placed among her…Oh, you know Eerie?" nods. "Quite a girl, eh? Really one of my best, recruited her out of a Pentos orphanage just before those Faceless freaks would have gotten her. Well, anyway…She says here Taro's gone and won over at least one of the dragons somehow and seems about to secure Danerys in both cases possibly though some weird process that freak Phat Pree/Matt the actor-scholar came up with. Not good…Oh?" he eyes us. "Well, I've always known you were there, I just preferred to let Middlefinger tip his hand on that first. And my sig other, the one I mentioned to Petyr before? She…Yes, she…Isn't here today, and my broconnection with Middlefinger seems to be down for once, so I just really feel the need to talk this one out and you, my fourth wall, or internal, audience, will have to do. No offense, intended, I do appreciate having you to hear my internal wranglings. Anyway, this is concerning…If Taro can utilize Danerys and her dragons, my own plans, already threatened by King Rob's unfortunate rise to competence and popularity in partnership with his Queen, and their two able Hands, not to mention Petyr Belloq's bid for global power, may come to naught. Bummer."

"Still…Danerys not being my chief Targaryen focus, but rather, a distraction…A lightning rod, much like Tyrion is for Tywin Lannister, more confusion and chaos in both Westeros and Essos can only help to strengthen the call for a strong hand to take charge and restore order. My strong hand…Well, not mine, of course. I'm not that sort of moronic egodriven prick who thinks even a eunich can climb to absolute power, I'm quite happy to sit behind the throne, guiding. But it yet will be, if I can ride this mess to the conclusion, my candidate who ends up with white haired butt on the Iron Throne."

"Sorry, Petyr…I do admire your ambitions to a degree." He eyed small portrait of Middlefinger on wall…One among a rogue's gallery of miniatures of various power players and figures of less direct, yet still key, significance in the world.

"You do?" Belloq, in tent office, looking up, pleased.

"Ah, I see our broconnection link's re-established." Verysmuch nods. "Bye, folks, or whatever sort of mental aberration of a powerful intellect under constant stress, you are." Waving…

"Sure, you know I do…I'm a big fan of orderly, efficient government." he continued. "But at some point our plans have to conflict, so…" shrug.)

Barth Cloning Containment Facility…

Room 101…Well, just outside Room 101…Rachel of Duncan, fumed.

I should be in there, as a key power player…With so much stake in the Game…

Well, fine…Not all that much stake now…Still, I do administer the Dyad Citadel. Know a lot…Something…About Dad's research…And all that.

Damnit, Taro called me a partner not that long ago. Not to mention…Pausing.

Well…Never a good idea to let Romance in the power picture.

Besides, my heart belongs to either Ser Ferdinand, Ser Daniel, that Ser Jonah Job if he'd deign to look at me…And some kid I used to hang out with at the Dyad, guard's son. But, anyway.

The door opening…

"You are wanted within, Rachel of Duncan." An attendant intoned.

Yeah! That what I'm sayin'! Rachel back on top, the indispensable one…Ice Clone Princess power! Ok! She entered, head raised regally.

Oh, Gods…Tell me they don't want me to wash her.

"Where's…" she looked about the room.

"The Chancellor and Future Emperor and his Chief Meister are engaged with the Princess and future Empress in Room 101b." the attendant who'd summoned her in noted solemnly.

A door opened…Nealon emerging…

"Rachel…" beaming smile.

Uh-boy…Not good when that shifty prick beams on you.

"Meister…How'd things go?" she eyed him.

As in, we still do have a partnership, right?

"Oh, very well. I think our Chancellor is well pleased with his bride." Nealon nodded.

"Great." Rachel dryly.

Yeah, so she's busy sucking his toes? She thought.

"The procedure…Went well?"

A way of putting it, she eyed him. "Well" being a very relative term here, even from my pov.

"Quite well, my dear…"

The door to 101b opened…Taro, leading out a rather quiet, somehow somewhat dulled, Danerys, in regal blue gown.

"Rachel, how good to see you." Taro beamed. "My dear…You remember Rachel of Duncan, our administrator of the Dyad Citadel and sort of daughter of the late Phat Pree, unlamented traitor? Rachel, my bride to be, Princess Danerys of Targaryen."

Hmmn…Well, confirmation I've still got a job, despite the family insult…Rachel thought as Danys eyed her with vague smile.

"Of…Course…Darling…" she murmured, eyeing Rachel a bit blankly. "Hello, Rachel of Duncan, our administrator of the Dyad Citadel, sort of daughter of the late Phat Pree, unlamented traitor."

Whom you burned to death, in front of me…Rachel noted. Though if you no longer have the brain power to remember that, all to the good, for now.

Taro eyeing Rachel…Well? You know the drill, girl.

She knelt, bowing head. "Your Highness. May I pledge my fealty and utter…"

Danys passing her by on Taro's arm…

You…Bitch…Hmmn…Seems to have been a thorough job of brain simonizing, though clearly they kept her sense of bitch royal entitlement…She rose slowly, glancing at Nealon.

You did keep your part and leave us in control, right? He, offering polite, noncommittal but boy, are you screwed, loser, smile.

"Her Highness, my bride…" Taro was repeating the introduction to various attendants, moving down the room. Danys vaguely repeating the names and offering a hand to kiss.

"Very good, my dear…" he turned to Danys as they reached the end of the room. "But you should rest a bit. Let your attendants here take you to a room to lie down."

"Yes, my darling…" she murmured, but a slight show of eagerness in her fond smile at him.

Rachel watching…Well…

Eehew…Though one must admit, a neat job.

But one can still hope, desperate glance to Nealon.

"Rachel? You should be joining your Empress." Taro smiled at her.

Say what?

"I've decided to appoint you one of the Empress' ladys-in-waiting." Broad smile. "Your position at the Dyad Citadel of course will continue in an assistant capacity to Meister Nealon…" Nealon likewise with broad smile, nod.

"I trust you will help keep our future Empress abreast of natural philosophic developments of interest to her?"

"Of…Course…Chancellor." She ground out.

I'm out? Nealon's in? Fuck that! She fumed internally, glaring at Nealon who offered yet another noncommittal, heh, heh, up yours, bitch, smile.

"Well, you have your duties…" Taro smiled, indicating for her to join the knot of ladies in attendance about Danys.

"Wait…My love." Danys' flat voice. "That is the woman who offered to betray you." She eyed Rachel, blank-eyed.

Rachel, blinking…

She finally shows a bit of initiative and functional memory and it has to be this?

"Indeed?" Taro, shaking head at Rachel. "My love, these are most serious charges. In what way did Rachel of Duncan offer to betray Ourselves?"

You little…Rachel eyed Danys. And you bag of…She eyed Taro.

Not to mention you, you…She eyed the smiling Nealon who now put on solemnly concerned expression.

So much for the partnership…

Is there no loyalty anymore? I wonder if I could still turn the tables and play the "no, you're the traitor" card?

Mmmn…Best to hold on to that till…

"She said something to me somewhere about overthrowing you." Danys, carefully. "She has betrayed you. She should die." Flat tone.

"Rachel?" Taro eyed her. "This is quite a charge by Our bride. What have you to say for yourself?"

She gulped…Mudda of da gods, is this the end of Rachel?

Damn, I be set up…But, when in Rome or Room 101…

"My Emperor…I cannot understand why Her Highness would so charge me? I have said nothing to suggest I would do anything but support both of you on your throne. However there are those…" she eyed Nealon who gave arch smile.

"You lie." Danys, vaguely. No sign of anger or rage.

"Highness. I think you misinterpreted what I was saying…Only with regard to the enemies of you and the Chancellor…Namely…" Rachel tried.

"She should die." Danys noted. "No one should listen to her. She lies."

"Please, Chancellor…" Rachel began… "If I might just…"

"Now…" Taro put up a hand. "This is most distressing…We shall have to investigate at length, with your permission, my Empress." Taro smiled at the blank, staring Danys.

"Yes, my love." Danys, vaguely, nodding, but with an even stronger look of eagerness at him.

Eehew, suppressed, of course…Rachel, attendants, even Nealon under his look of Meisterly concern regards the recent shocking charges.

"If Your Highnesses would just let me…" Rachel tried, desperately.

"Silence…I said We shall investigate at length…Later. Take her…" Taro ordered, waving in two guards.

Bastards, both of you…Rachel, containing her fuming, putting hands up in placating gesture.

"I assure you, Emperor…"

"Chancellor, yet…" Taro smiled.

"…Chancellor Taro, that I am innocent." Rachel insisted. "And that it…" she paused at Nealon's look.

Hmmn…Maybe not wise to play my last card yet.

"She lies." Danys, vaguely.

"The Princess and future Empress says otherwise…And naturally, I must heed her." Taro smiled. "But, rest assured, your case will be properly investigated. Take her to…"

"Sire." Nealon, carefully. "If I may…Rachel of Duncan is a most unique specimen. Until such time as you have determined her guilt, might I keep her in confinement at the Dyad Citadel?"

Partner! Rachel eyed him, hopeful. Ok, back on track!

"Taro's enemies are my enemies. They must be crushed." Danys, vaguely.

"I think we can trust our Chief Meister to keep Rachel secure, my love." Taro beamed.

"Yes, my love…We can trust our Chief Meister to keep Rachel secure." Danys, nodded.

"Now, you must rest, darling." Taro urged, gently, tugging Danys.

"Yes, my love. I must rest now." Danys nodding, letting him lead her.

Gods…Rachel sighed.

Both with gratitude for my salvation, however uncertain…And a degree of eehew at the simp.

I don't think I've seen a worse 666 implementation.

"So…?" she whispered to Nealon as he came near to her.

"Rachel? You must come with us." Nealon, noncommittally, indicating his guards.

"Hopefully the charges against you will be cleared." He nodded, pleasant smile.

"Certainly, Chief Meister…" she nodded, masking frown.

Guess "partner" was too hasty. Still…

Hmmn…She peered over to see Danys halt, Taro turning back.

Ooops…Did she just…?

"I'm…Sorry…My love…" Danys eyeing Taro, then looking down.

"Oh, not at all, darling. You're just very tired. You, clean that." Taro, snapping fingers at a female attendant who hurried over and wiped the floor with rags. Various attendants doing their best to ignore the situation.

Hey, these royals…Between the carousing and the orgy sex and all…And this one's from those crazies from old Valeriya.

Hmmn…That looked more like a bit of the amniotic goo from Dad's clone army…Rachel thought, then found herself gently urged by the guards.

And she is acting just a bit too…Even for the 666 process. I remember even that prostitute turned septa was still sharp as a tack after her implementation, at least as far as jumping to any task set.

And Dad did take cell samples for the Cure…And this is a cloning facility…

Hmmn.

What is going on here, boys? She eyed Nealon sidelong as she, he, and his guards headed out of Room 101, passing Eerie and the guards in hallway, they looking after her.

"Looks like it's easy come, easy go for that one. Royals." An attendant noted smugly to Eerie who shrugged, waving him off and repressing urge to call to Rachel.

Lower cell under Room 101b, where the real Danys, still groggy, looked up.

"Hey! Help! Somebody! Guys…Momma needs you!" she called, faintly, trying to stand against the chains holding her down on a bed.