King Brynden I Targaryen

"I wish to know more about my uncle Prince Maekar, who better to tell me than my mother and his squire. And I want to know what happened between you and him mother." Brynden says, and the words echo around the room for a long time, the silence becomes deafening and he can see the looks of apprehension on both his mother and Edwyle's faces.

"Brynden, sweetling.." his mother begins.

"I have a right to know mother. If not as your king, then as your son. Before he died, uncle Maekar said that there were things, secrets that he needed to tell me. I would hear them from you now." Brynden says firmly.

Brynden sees his mother look to Edwyle with an almost pleading look on her face, and he feels his anger begin to boil, what could possibly so bad as to warrant such a look. Edwyle to his credit, keeps his own face largely expressionless when he speaks. "It would do well for him to know Your Grace. Maekar is dead as is Aerys and Bloodraven; it is time he knew the truth."

It is clear that that was not what his mother wished to hear, still when she sighs, Brynden tenses with expectation, the words that come next from his mother will leave him confused for some time. "Very well then. As you know myself and your father never loved each other, we loved and cared for each other as siblings do, but there was nothing more there between us. Myself and Maekar, however, we, we always were more than siblings to one another, there was a sort of connection there between us from the moment Maekar was born, it was like we were meant to be with one another." Brynden feels his brain begin to spin as the implication of what his mother is saying hits him. His mother continues, it seems as if speaking now is all she can do. "We loved each other in a way a man and his wife loved one another, throughout our childhood, even after we were both wed to other people we still loved one another. But of course, Maekar had children with our cousin, whilst I was left in a cold and barren bed for many years following my wedding to Aerys."

"But you were not left without children for very long were you not mother? After all even if you did not love one another, you and father managed to get round to siring heirs, otherwise myself and my siblings would not be here, now would we?" Brynden asks, hoping against hope his mother will confirm that and not what he thinks is the real reason for his existence.

His mother sighs then and says softly. "No sweetling, my father and I... we never consummated our marriage, on our wedding night your father went to sleep before I had even gotten undressed, and each night afterwards for ten years the same thing happened. And then father fell ill and Baelor with him, and it looked like Aerys might be in line for the throne. The kingdom was laughing at our family, and Maekar's wife had just died, and well one thing led to another, and then Daenys was born."

Brynden feels something in his stomach drop then. "What do you mean mother? How, what how?" he stutters.

His mother smiles sadly at him then. "When Maekar came to court on our father's orders, his wife had just died and well, we were both feeling very, very vulnerable, and one thing led to another and soon enough we rekindled our relationship. And nine moons later Daenys was born."

Brynden simply stares at his mother, and then asks in a voice so chocked he's surprised anyone can hear him. "So Daenys is uncle Maekar's daughter? Not father's? What of Myriah and myself?" He wants to ask about Aenar, the brother who died before he was born, but he knows still even though his mind is spinning that to bring such memories up would be counterproductive.

His mother sighs then. "Yes you are all Maekar's children as well. Not Aerys, Aerys never lay with me in all the years we were married. Maekar did though, and I am grateful that he did for I had three beautiful children whom I love and cherish very much."

Brynden's ears are ringing, his head is spinning. He is not who he thought he was, he is not the son of the book king, but of his uncle, the man he grew up idolizing. "How...why? That, that is treason what you and uncle Maekar did. Treason, I am not, we are not? How?"

His mother goes to comfort him and he recoils from her, his mind still spinning. Aelinor speaks then. "You are trueborn Brynden. Maekar wanted you on the throne, Aerys wanted you on the throne. If Maekar had become king afterwards, well there would have been more revolt than there is now. The lords and the commons love you sweetling."

Brynden merely stares at his mother then and then his voice rises in volume, his anger coming to the fore. "You lied to me mother! You have made my life a lie. I grew up believing that I was the son of a weakling, a man who never paid me any attention. You have made my sisters lives lies as well. Daenys was sold off to a brute who hurts her because she was a princess, when she could have wed her knight, the knight who always loved her, still loves her. And all so you could carry on with uncle Maekar? Why mother? Why?"

"Sweetling." His mother says.

"No, I will not hear any excuses mother." Brynden interrupts her. "Your actions made me king, because of that, two of my sons now lie in the ground, my wife was kidnapped by a mad man. And did you and Maekar not think about what you were doing? We have spent the past fifty years fighting the descendants of a legitimised bastard because Aegon the Unworthy was a cunt and could not keep it in his pants. Did you not think that something like this could happen once more? Perhaps I should abdicate now and give all this god damn responsibility to Aegon, let him be king."

That is when Edwyle speaks, his goodbrother who had remained quiet throughout speaks then with such ferocity it startles both Brynden and his mother, who has begun to cry silently. "No."

Brynden looks at his hand and says. "What do you mean no?"

Edwyle looks at him then, his eyes hard when he speaks. "You cannot abdicate Your Grace. I know that what you have learnt has been a great shock to you." Brynden snorts derisively at that. Edwyle continues. "However, you cannot abdicate. Surely you are not so blinded by your emotions to not see what sort of consequences your abdication and your cousin coming to the throne could have for House Targaryen and Westeros as a whole? The man wed for love, as have his children, the nobles would never accept Prince Duncan as their king so long as he is wed to that commoner. And Jaehaerys is wed to a Blackfyre; we cannot let them know what you now know. Furthermore, your abdication would raise questions, and then there is of course what that would mean to your mother, and that is something I cannot allow. Maekar wanted you to be the king not himself nor his son, you are the king now. Do not damage that."

Brynden stares at the man for a long moment before saying in voice that is very, very chocked. "How long have you known then Ed? How long have you known this secret and kept it from me? Your King?"

Edwyle merely looks at him, his expression neutral. His voice calm when he replies. "I swore a vow to your mother and father that I would never speak of the truth unless they specifically asked me to. My loyalty has always been to your father and mother and to my wife and my family. I would not have anyone question that. But you did not need to know."

Brynden feels the anger begin to boil up within him then at the man's words. His voice is harsh and laced with anger when he speaks next. "So you would have kept me in the dark would you? My owe so loyal hand, you would have had me believe a lie? That the man I called father for so many years was in fact my father, when I am nothing like him? You would have done that, for some oath you swore when my uncle was still young and whole? You would put that before your oaths to me? Your King, your brother your friend?"

There is a long moment of silence, before Edwyle replies. "Yes." He says softly, and Brynden feels his anger evaporate to be replaced by a sense of helplessness.

"Leave, leave now before I kill you." He says to Edwyle, when the man bows and walks out of the room. Brynden sits down and pours himself a glass of wine.

"Brynden," his mother says tentatively coming to sit next to him. Brynden does not reply. "Sweetling, we did what we thought was best. You asked for the truth and so the truth has been given to you. Please Brynden we are only trying to help."

Brynden looks up at his mother, his eyes laced with hurt and anger, and he merely looks at her for a long moment before saying. "Leave mother please, I need to be alone. I do not want to see anybody for some time." His mother sighs and walks from the room. Brynden sits in his room, for how long he knows not, all he knows is that in the time that he sits there with a cup of wine in his hand, the sun sets and rises, and the servants come to change the sheets on the un slept bed, Rowena does not come to see him, nor do his children, nor do any of the Kingsguard or the council members, he merely sits in his chair staring into space.

Until of course Rowena does show up her eyes hard though her tone is soft when she slips into the room and onto his lap. "My love? Brynden what is the matter? You have not left this room in four days. Everybody is worrying, and Edwyle and your mother will not tell me what has happened. What's wrong my love?"

Brynden stares at his wife, his beautiful and strong wife, and wonders how can he tell her, and not make her feel repulsed by what he is? His voice is shaky when he answers her. "I, I learnt the truth of some matters that I have long wondered about." Best to keep it short.

Rowena of course is not satisfied with that. "What matters my love?" she asks as she begins moving herself against him.

He groans and then says. "About my mother and uncle Maekar."

"Oh? What sort of things about them my love?" Rowena asks.

Brynden swallows nervously and then says. "He's my father Rowena. Maekar Targaryen was my father, and my siblings father as well. Not Aerys Targaryen, I am a bastard." As he says the words he closes his eyes ready for her revulsion and shock.

He hears her shocked gasp and then her say "Oh, my love."

He looks at her then, and her eyes are staring at him with so much sympathy and love, he is surprised. "You, you are not repulsed my lady?" he asks his voice bitter. "You are wed to a bastard, a false king not the true king. How are you not calling for our annulment now?"

Rowena looks at him and her eyes have hardened. "I do not care that you are a bastard you silly fool. I have loved you for a long time now, that will not go away and I do not wish it to go away. So what if you are not the trueborn king, you are a better man and king than Aegon Targaryen could ever hope to be. Our children are honest and honourable people. No I only worry about who knows and what they could do with this information."

Brynden sighs, he is silent for a long moment before he speaks once more. "So you are not angry that because you are wed to a false king, your two eldest sons have died, and that we lost our Aelinor because of it? You are not mad at all?"

Rowena sighs then and moves against him, he feels himself stir then, but he pulls himself back to the here and now. "No my love I am not mad. It has happened, and is in the past and though I will grieve for them for the rest of my days, I cannot blame anyone but those responsible for their deaths."

Brynden looks at her then, and sees such honesty and love in her eyes, that he feels himself stir and say. "What did I do to deserve you my love? You are too good for me." With that conversation ends and they make love on that chair, and then the bed, all worries forgotten for the nonce.

A few days later, shaved and bathed and freshly garbed Brynden calls the small council together, not to discuss what he has just recently learnt, but about other issues amongst them the issue of the inheritance of Summerhall. The small council members assemble, hand of the king and a man Brynden wishes he did not care so much about Edwyle Stark, master of laws Prince Aegon Targaryen of Summerhall (the man who is his elder brother now he supposes), master of coin Lord Garon Lannister, master of ships the oath Tyrek Baratheon, the newly appointed master of whispers Prince Maron Martell (he will keep a close eye on this one for now), grand maester Derryck old and strong and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Oberyn Dayne.

"My lords, I thank you for coming. It has been a while since we last met, but now we have met once more, and of course we must welcome Prince Maron Martell to the council, as our new master of whispers. He has come with a good and solid recommendation from Princess Loreza Martell. Now what matters are there for us to discuss?"

Edwyle speaks then. "There is the matter of the inheritance of Summerhall as well as the issue of whom to grant the Lordship of Harrenhal to. As well as reports from across the narrow sea."

Brynden nods. "Very well. It would be best if we deal with Summerhall first seeing as Aegon is here."

Aegon speaks then, the man is his brother and yet Brynden cannot truly see much of their father in him. He wonders what that says about him. "Well, I see no reason for why Duncan and his children cannot inherit Summerhall once I am gone from this world. Yes he has wed a commoner, but she seems to be fertile, and Duncan assures me that they are doing all they can to conceive an heir. The commons and the lords sworn to Summerhall all love and respect Duncan."

There is much murmuring of agreement, until Lord Garon Lannister speaks, and Brynden feels his jaw tighten in anger at the man. He will be having words with him at some point. "My lords, Your Grace. Respectfully, whilst I acknowledge that Prince Duncan is well loved by all, and would make a fine Prince of Summerhall, we must all realise that his marriage to Jenny of Oldstones, means that his heirs will have diluted blood. Surely it would be better for Prince Jaehaerys and his children to be named the heirs to Summerhall, as they have pure blood and with his marriage to Daenaerys Blackfyre, Jaehaerys has untied the two lines of House Targaryen."

There is some more murmuring at that, but then Brynden speaks up and all goes quiet, his voice his harsh and angry. "No. We have fought so many wars and many good men have lost their lives to prevent the Blackfyres from holding any sort of power, I will not allow one of them to sit in Summerhall be she female or not. No Duncan shall remain the heir as will his children after him. Now let us discuss Harrenhal." Brynden sees Edwyle nod his head in approval and somehow despite all the anger he feels towards the man, a part of him flickers with pride.

Grand Maester Derryck speaks then. "Yes Your Grace. Well there are four main families who have a claim on Harrenhal through the female line. Houses Whent, Butterwell, Shawney and Vance were all wed recently into the female line of House Lothston. As such Houses Whent and Butterwell were wed most recently to women from House Lothston."

Brynden nods and then says. "Butterwell and Shawney have fought alongside the Blackfyres in the past, they are out the equation. Whent and Vance hmmm, both houses have been loyal to the throne since Daemon Blackfyre got it into his head to be king. The question is which house is to be rewarded."

There is some discussion before it is eventually decided that House Whent should be rewarded, House Vance already have two branches of their family around in the Riverlands, best not to give them more power. And so a royal decree is issued naming Lord Larys Whent as Lord of Harrenhal, and all its lands and incomes granted to him, a few weeks later the man is formally confirmed as such.

The news from across the narrow sea it turns out is that Maelys Blackfyre is looking for a husband for his sister, Brynden decides that men will be kept close to Blackfyre to gain word on his movements and to try and bring him down from within, if he can he will try and avoid another war. He also decides that Garon Lannister has been given enough chances, soon enough he will die, for a dragon will never bend for a lion, never again.