7th Month of 282 A.C. King's Landing

Lord Owen Merryweather

Owen could not believe what he had seen. Brandon Stark had done something no man had dared do since Aegon the second of his name had fed the grand maester of the time to his dragon. Pycelle's body had lain there on the floor blood pooling out from him, and Owen had looked at it, had stared at it, and had not known what to think. Stark had done something which Owen had only ever dreamed of doing. Killing the Grand Maester and removing Tywin Lannister's last link to the capital. And now there it was, the deed had been done. Stark though had not stopped there, he had had them all removed from the small council chamber and placed under arrest. Owen was not sure why, but he knew there were members of the Order of the Dragon standing guard outside his room and he had not been allowed to leave since Pycelle had been slain, he did not know how much time had passed and he was scared, very, very scared.

The door to his room opens and Stark walks in, looking as if he is some sort of god come from the heavens to pass judgement. Owen has heard it said that Stark's grandfather cast a similar shadow once many years ago, and now as he looks at Stark, he can see the power within the man's gaze, and he feels small. "My lord hand," Stark begins. "I trust you are feeling well. And that you know why Maester Pycelle had to be killed?"

Owen looks at the man and then shakes his head. "I do not know Knight Commander. It came as a great shock to me. Though that is not something I mourn, the passing of Pycelle."

Stark looks at him intrigued then. "And why is that?"

Owen looks at Stark and sees something akin to a piercing gaze looking at him. He swallows and then responds. "Pycelle was not a true maester, I have for a long time felt he was doing things that were not in the crown's best interest. I felt that perhaps the time was right to remove him from office."

Stark looks at him once more. "You thought it was the right time to remove him, and yet you did not act? Why?"

"Sorry? I am not sure I understand." Owen stammers in response.

"You said you thought now was the right time to remove Pycelle, and yet you had not acted by the time that I killed him. Why?" Stark asks.

Owen senses that this might well be a trap, but he says. "I did not have the support, nor the backing of the order. I did not have the resources nor the contacts that you or someone like Varys has. I felt threatened."

Stark snorts then. "And why, pray tell did you not come to me and ask? Why remain in the shadows throughout all of this? If you knew something was going on, it was and it is in your duty as Hand of the King to come and seek help."

"And should help not be provided to me?" Owen retorts. "I am the hand of the king after all, does that mean I must seek help?"

Stark looks at him with something akin to disgust. "You were named hand to make Tywin Lannister feel angry and rejected. After Harrenhal, and what have you done since being named hand? Nothing. The king has gone mad, completely mad under your time as hand, and I am inclined to think that you might have had a hand in it."

Owen bristles at the insinuation. "How dare you suggest such a thing! Why would I do something like that?"

"Because you are a grasping man, someone who wishes for power, and yet does not know how to obtain it. You are a man who wishes to be more than he is, and as such will not hesitate to achieve your aims, no matter the consequences. That is why. Now tell me, why did you not come to me for help?" Stark responds bluntly.

Owen feels as if he is being cornered, as if he is a lamb being chased by a lion, though the lion is not here. "I did not know if I could trust you. The Order rejected me, and I did not know if I could be sure of your loyalties."

Stark looks at him then. "Ah yes, the farce that was the tourney of Storm's End. Four years ago was it not? When you proposed to my father that he bring you into the order, despite the fact we were not there on official business. Your foolishness nearly cost us everything."

Owen feels anger grow within him then. "How was I supposed to know the Knight Major was working for the king under another purpose? I had not been told, no one thought to warn me. You all wanted me to look the fool!"

Stark looks considerate then. "Aye, we did not know what to make of you then. But I know now that you were not right for the order. There was far too much wrong with you, and not enough that could recommend you for what we were planning."

"And what was it you were planning Stark?" Owen asks. "Steffon Baratheon died after the tourney, and soon enough the plans you were working on unravelled did they not?"

Stark looks at him through narrowed eyes. "What are you talking about Merryweather?"

"Oh do not give me that nonsense. You know full well what I am talking about. Steffon Baratheon was part of your father's alliance, he was just as much a traitor to the king as your father was, and Lord Tywin is." Owen says.

It appears that Stark does not like that accusation. "What are you talking about?" he growls. "My father has been nothing but loyal to the king since the time of his grace's coronation. Unlike your father."

Owen gasps then. "What?"

Stark grins at him then. "Oh? You thought we did not know? Ah but we do know, we know all about Lord Orton's little troubles and his dalliances with the Blackfyres."

"I…I do not know what you are talking about." Owen stammers.

Stark laughs the sound is infuriating for Owen. "Oh, come now Owen, we do not need to play this game again. Simply acknowledge that you know what I am talking about and we can move onto something else. Unless you want me to tell everyone else what I know?"

Owen feels something sharp and precise, fear, it has to be fear, running through him. "What do you mean? What do you know?"

Stark laughs once more, a rabid sound, a wolf closing in on its prey. "I know very well that your father was involved with the Blackfyres during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. I know very well that you are trying to find the last Blackfyres, and that you might well be why Lord Steffon never made it back."

"That is preposterous. Where is your proof?" Owen sputters.

Stark grins. "My proof? My proof is within your rooms. I have found many things within these rooms Lord Owen. I know some of your deepest darkest secrets, and the fact that most of your household were so willing to talk to me, well, that condemns you further."

"And what are you going to do about it?" Owen asks. "Your father is not here, and the king is paralysed with madness. You do not have the power to reverse what Pycelle has done."

"What makes you believe that my lord?" Stark asks. "Pycelle might have been the grand maester, but as I said in the council chamber, the order has its own resources, its own way of getting things done. I have people working on reversing what was done to the king right now."

"And you think that will be successful?" Owen asks incredulously. "You think that will change anything? That it will make a difference to anything? The king is mad, has always been mad. Leave it be."

Stark grimaces then. "And that is the problem with you Merryweather, you never known when you are simply incriminating yourself. The king was never mad, he was forced into being mad. And when this madness is reversed, there will be a reckoning for all those who did him wrong. You have a choice, give up those who are conspiring against him, and you might just find yourself spared, if you do not, then you may suffer through your fate."

"Who are you to make these offers? You are not the Knight Major, you are not the King and you are not a prince of the blood. You do not speak with the king's voice. You are not a Kingsguard. You have no power over me. I do not have to listen to anything you say." Owen replies indignantly.

Stark smirks then. "Ah, but you do. If you wish to survive and for your children and their children to know anything of the world here, you will listen to me, and you will do as I say. For if you do not, I am afraid the king will be delivering you to the gods beforehand."

"So you are threatening me?" Owen asks surprised. "That is not very honourable. Does that not go against the code of the Order?"

Stark laughs. "Oh come now my lord we are both men here, not boys. Honour does not come into something like this. I am asking you make a common sense decision here. The Blackfyres stand no chance of claiming the throne. Now tell me what you know or you will suffer."

Owen considers this for a long moment and then asks. "I have no choice really now do I?"

Stark nods. "Not if you are serious about living and wanting your grandson to see the world truly. Now, what is your decision?"

Owen sighs then. "I shall tell you what I know my lord. But first I want a promise from you."

He hears Stark laugh then. "No promises. First tell me what you know and then I shall consider promising you anything…traitor."

The jibe stings, but he keeps it to himself and says. "Very well. I will start with what I know." he pauses a moment, then continues. "There is something going on within the Reach. The Osgreys and Peakes are planning something, I am not sure what, but I know that they are planning it for the Blackfyres."

"And is Lord Tywin involved in this? He is cousins with the Osgreys after all." Stark enquires.

"I do not think so no. Tywin Lannister is more concerned with Prince Rhaegar and his plans with him. As for the Blackfyres, there are those within the reach working independently of the Osgreys, they are working for their own gains. The Costaynes, the Appletons, even a branch of House Tyrell, all are working for bringing the Blackfyres into some sense of power within Westeros." Owen responds.

"Are they fighting for a Blackfyre through the female line, or a male? The last of the male line Blackfyres died with Maelys the Monstrous. Everyone knows that." Stark says.

Owen laughs then. "A lie, a lie told to make the fighting stop. The Monstrous might have claimed the throne for himself, but he was never fighting for himself. He was fighting for the children whose father he had slain to claim commandership of the Golden Company. A boy and a girl. They were separated after the war and sent to different places."

Stark looks shocked at this and Owen laughs. "I am surprised that you do not know. Your father was known for spending much time with the king discussing things, I would have thought he would have told you this."

Stark stares at him and then says. "And what of the Golden Company?"

"They are there working under the command of someone in Pentos, pushing for their power to be returned. There is someone else who is working for them here as well." Owen says.

Brandon Stark looks at him and says. "Very well, thank you very much."

"Wait do you not want to know who is working for them here?" Owen asks pleadingly.

Stark walks up to him, pulling out a knife and whispering. "I do not need to hear anymore, from the mouth of a traitor." The knife presses in, and Owen wonders at that.