AN: Hey guys, I know I said this chapter would be up by Friday but it's Saturday now, I just took time with writing this new chapter. We have Jon meeting Viserys, Dany, and the Golden Company commanders, a Pov for Lysono Maar and Margaery. Hope you enjoy it and leave a review.
Lord Stark: Thanks for everything mate. I'm glad you like it.
Force Smuggler: I honestly think that the conversation would have gone something like that if they had ever met in the books. I really think she blamed both her husband and his brother, Doran more but Oberyn too for sending Quentyn away.
Jon
The Golden Company's camp was probably the most organized camp Jon had ever seen, tents all had the same amount of space between them, enough for two people to walk by, while roads crisscrossed, splitting the camp into individual areas. Soldiers clad in gold walked around the camp, were taking care of their weapons and armor or just lounging around. They were met by a soldier of the company and then led further inside the camp. Jon could barely believe his eyes when he saw a large gray beast with white tusks protruding from its head being led through the camp by several men, he just continued to stare at the war elephant. Their group continued to ride through the camp until they reached a large tent, from where some men dispersed while others stayed with him. Arthur told him that inside he will meet with lord Connington, the exiled hand of the king. After a brief introduction and a scare from Ghost and Lady, lord Connington proceeded to have a lengthy talk with Jon about everything Jon went through to get here. The lord briefly spoke about his time with the Company and gave him some advice when dealing with the Company's commanders. There were those who are open to the idea of fighting for him while there are others who will strongly oppose it. They were in the middle of talking about the potential rewards the members of the Golden Company could receive when Jon noticed lord Connington looking behind him. Jon turned around to see a group of people entering the tent. One was a tall, silver-haired man dressed in chainmail and leather armor, the second was a beautiful young woman with the same color hair as the man next to her. The third person he instantly recognized, the aged man might have grown a beard but Jon could never forget the Bold's face. The last person seemed somewhat familiar to Jon, he knew he had seen him somewhere but could not remember where.
Lord Jon got up from his seat and walked up to the group. "Let me make the introduction. This is prince Viserys Targaryen, princess Daenerys, I'm sure your grace and the Bold know each other and this man is Asher Forrester," Conningtonn said motioning his hand towards each of them. Jon's attention was focused on the Targaryen siblings until he heard the last part.
"Forrester?" he asked dumbfounded.
"Yes," the man said eyeing Jon.
"Lord Gregors son, from Ironrath?" Jon asked.
"Well, there aren't many Forresters out there so yes. Do we know each other? You look kinda familiar." Asher said pointing his finger at Jon.
"You two know each other?" Loras asked.
"We were acquainted during one of my visits to Winterfell but I guess time did its thing," Jon replied to Loras and then turned his gaze towards Asher who was looking at him with inquisitive eyes. "Maybe this will jog your memory, Jon Snow."
The Forrester's eyes went wide with realization. "Ned Starks son, well I'll be damned. What is your Stark ass doing all the way here in Essos?"
"Except melting," Jon said making some of the occupants of the tent chuckle. "I came here to hire the Golden Company and meet with my kin," Jon said, he could see confusion forming on Asher's face due to both things.
"What?" Asher asked dumbfounded.
"It is a long story, short version, I want to help my brother Robb beat the Lannisters, and to do that I need to take the throne from the Lannister with the help of the Golden Company. And I also came here to meet with my aunt and uncle," Jon said moving his gaze towards the Targaryen siblings. "Aunt, uncle it is a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Likewise nephew," Viserys said, his tone was polite but Jon could see that the man was paying close attention to what Jon did. They might share blood but right now they are still strangers to each other.
"Same here," Daenerys said in a polite tone and offered a welcoming smile.
"I know these aren't the ideal circumstances for a family reunion but I'm truly glad to finally meet you and hope to get to know you better. Arthur and Ashara have told me something but I think it would be better for us actually get to know each other."
"Where is mother?" Daenerys asked, turning to look at Arthur. Jon noted how she referred to Ashara and remember what the lady told him about Daenerys, how she saw Ashara as her mother.
"We parted ways in Tyrosh. She has left on a ship bound for Dorne in hopes of persuading the princes of Dorne to aid us in taking back the crown of Westeros. She will stay there if she succeeds, if not she will take a ship back and meet us here."
Daenerys sported a worried look. "I hope she is safe."
Viserys put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Don't worry Dany, Ashara will be fine, you don't need to stress yourself over it," he spoke gently.
The princess looked at her brother for a moment before nodding. The two siblings then looked at each other before turning their attention to Jon.
"We are glad to finally meet you after so long," Daenerys said with a soft smile adorning her lips. "Arthur and Ashara told us much about our brother and your mother, we just hope that you will accept us as your family."
"There is no need to worry yourselves, I know that we just met but I trust given time, we will forge a relationship my father would have wanted us to have."
"Stopstopstopstop," Asher blurted out and everyone's attention turned to him. "If I understand this correctly, you," Asher pointed at Jon. "are their nephew," Asher then pointed at Viserys and Daenerys, "their brother Rhaegars son."
"That is correct," Jon said.
"You mean to tell me that..." Asher started but Barristan cut him off.
"This entire time the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark had been right under everyone's noses and no one knew," Barristan finished, his mouth wide open. This entire time the Bold had been listening to the conversation, only briefly greeting Arthur and then returning his focus on the conversation when the man he knew as Jon Snow called his two charges aunt and uncle. Jon could only imagine how much this revelation was messing with the old knight's mind, seeing as they were so close on multiple occasions.
"I know it's a lot to take in at once, trust me I know," Jon said. "I promise to answer any questions you have later."
"Back then, during the feast at the Hands tourney, I could have sworn I heard Rhaegar singing but then I saw that it was you. I thought that my old mind was playing tricks on me but I was wrong. If I only knew..." Barristan said a remorseful look etched on the old knight's features.
"You know how to sing?" Daenerys asked.
"Yes, I do," Jon said.
"And play the harp," Loras added.
"Aye, that as well," Jon said.
Loras leaned a bit closer to Daenerys. "He is really good at it."
"Just like Rhaegar," Viserys said, for a brief moment a sad look appeared on the prince's face before it went stoic again. Jon didn't really know how to feel about the comparisons people had made of him and Rhaegar. He had accepted that the prince was the one who sired him and was his birth father but sometimes when Arthur compared them, Jon felt as if the senior knight was trying to imagine his friend in Jon's place. He could not begrudge the man, Rhaegar was his closest friend, and constantly being around the son of your dead friend cant be easy.
"Ser Barristan has joined us and has proven his loyalty. I have deemed it appropriate to name him as the sworn shield to the prince and princess. He is to make sure not further incidents occur, especially ones concerning the princess," the griffin lord added while slightly glaring at the Targaryen girl.
"Hey! For the last time it wasn't my fault," Daenerys half shouted.
"You made a mistake, got caught and people got killed. It's high time to accept your responsibility and the reality of the world. You can't save everyone you want no matter how hard you try," Connington said, Jon could notice the pain behind those harsh words. Daenerys only stared at the Griffin lord defiantly for a moment before her look became one of uncertainty. "There is no point dwelling on what could have been, what is important is what we do next."
"And what is that exactly, besides the whole hiring the company thing? Are you just going to invade Westeros?" Asher asked.
"That is for us to know and for you to find out when you need to know, which is not now," Connington said. "The officers of the company will be here soon. It will take an effort to them on board. Some of the officers like lord Peake and Ser Franklyn Flowers are more open to the idea while others, well let's say it is them you will need to truly convince."
"Flowers?" asked Loras.
"Yes. He is the bastard of Cider Hall. His sigil is a brown apple. He is not on the best terms with his sire's family, he outright hates them actually," Connington said.
"Is there anything else you can tell me about the commanders, something personal about them which I could use?" Jon asked.
"Well, Franklyn wants revenge for how his mother and he were treated by the Fossoways, the Strongs want Harrenhall to be restored to them, Humfrey Stone wants a legitimization, Young John Mud wants lands and a wife, Tristan Rivers will want a royal pardon..."
"What for?" Jon asked.
"Tristan was an outlaw in the Riverlands until the Blackwoods chased him out," Connington said before adding a few more details about the company's officers.
Jon thought about what he had been told for a moment, he would need to be careful when dealing with these sellswords, Jon doubted that these men were fools. He would need to choose his words carefully and try his best not to insult them or their history. Then another thought came to mind.
"I will ask all of you to stay with me when the commanders come. I know that I need to show myself as an independent and worthy leader and I will do my best to do that. I think that united house Targaryen will make more of an impact than me sitting alone. Also, I wish Ser Barristan and Arthur to remain by my side, they are of the kingsguard after all. The same goes for Loras, Robar, and Grenn."
"What about me?" Asher whined.
"Eight people is enough to bargain with the officers. Not to mention you are a part of the company, remember, if the company gets hired so do you," Connington said annoyed at his subordinate. Asher huffed and crossed his arms.
"Lord Asher I think Beskha will not be all too pleased that you have sidelined her for so long," Barristan said.
Asher looked at the knight before sighing. "Fine, but I want to be the first to know how it goes."
Lysono Maar
The infamous spy master of the Golden company walked along the streets made out of tents that made up the company's camp, towards where the officers will be meeting. The purpose of that meeting, to decide if they will side with the Targaryen boy and aid him in taking the Iron Throne or not. Lysono truthfully would be satisfied with either outcome, on one hand, if the decision is made to invade Westeros under a Targaryen banner then there would be plenty of rewards to go around for those who put a new king on the throne and if not, well if the company commanders opted to stay in Essoss in a permanent exile only to spite the Targaryen he would remain where he is. He had already amassed a great fortune for himself through his work. Running a spy network can be as lucrative as running a sellsword company, and safer. His loyalty will always be to the Company and he will follow the joined decision but that is not to say that he wouldn't prefer the more lucrative option, he might be a man who had what he wanted in life but that does not mean he is without ambition, a castle is always better than just a large manse. He had hinted to Connington that he would be up to his proposal but the jury is still out for the rest of his colleagues. But one thing is for certain, Strickland is fully aboard with the idea of siding with a Targaryen, even if he is trying to hide it. The man can barely be called a warrior but he is a smart opportunist if there ever was one. The more conservative members of the officer corp will pose an issue to Connington's plan of getting the Golden company to fight for his king, many of them fought in the last Blackfyre rebellion and no one likes to lose. That being said, this meeting is certainly going to be interesting.
Lysono entered the tent, seeing that he was among the last to arrive he walked over to one of the empty seats and sat down, it just so happened that the man sitting next to him was Connington who tried to hide his nervousness but Maar could read him easily, he would be a bad spymaster if he could not. Lysono knew well what each of his colleagues would want as payment if they sided with the Targaryens including Connington, the man wanted more than just Griffins Roost being restored to him, much more. Among the officers present were Strickland, Black Balaq, Dick and Will Cole, Gorys Edoryen, Jon Lothston, Laswell Peake, Duncan Strong, and others. They all sat on one side of the large table while on the other sat the young king, accompanied by the two Targaryen siblings, the two knights of the kingsguard, and three other knights. The boy did not look anything like a Targaryen, there was more resemblance between him and the knight in red than between the two Targaryen siblings.
"I think its best to get straight to the point of the matter, not need to stretch this out more than needed," Strickland said, he was trying to sound neutral. "So let's hear it then, why should be side with you?"
The king looked at them for a moment before speaking. "I have heard about the prowess of the Golden Company, I also heard that you never break any contact, I also know why you are here is Essos. Your ancestors fought for the man they believed to be the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms, and you fought for his family after, five wars you fought bravely for what you believed in but you are still here, in Essos, exiled from your homeland, far from the lands your families once called their own," the would-be king said and this riled some tempers.
"Careful with your tongue boy," Duncan Strong said in a threatening tone. "You come to the right place if you want to lose it."
"I never meant anything that I said as an insult, I was only pointing out the history of the company. You were exiled for your loyalty...but its high time you were given a chance to return to Westeros, not as invaders but as liberators."
"How so?" Pykewood Peake asked.
"Almost two decades ago Robert Baratheon overthrew house Targaryen and took the Iron throne for himself. My father, prince Rhaegar was killed by Robert at the Trident and the rest of house Targaryen was either killed or forced into exile. Now it is not a Baratheon or a Targaryen that sits on the Iron throne but a Lannister, a boy with no claim to the throne who is used by house Lannister to keep their grip over Westeros. The Lannisters started a war when they unjustly invaded the Riverlands and captured and later executed lord Eddard Stark. I came here to ask you to side with me to take back the Iron Throne for House Targaryen and to end the war. The Golden Company has ten thousand battle hardened men, with that force and the allies I have back in Westeros, I guarantee that the Lannisters will be beaten and peace restored."
"Lannisters yes," Lysono said knowingly. "But also the Tyrells."
The spymaster noticed the look in the king's eyes at the mention of the Reacher house, he saw both pain and anger in those gray orbs. From what Lysono was informed, the boy was fostered at Highgarden and initially sided with the youngest Baratheon brother when the war broke out but after that nothing, until he arrived here. The knight in green armor he knew to be the third son of lord Tyrell, Loras and he knew that the Tyrells sided with the Lannisters as soon as the young Baratheons corps went cold. This was beginning to be an interesting meeting for sure.
"Aye, the Tyrells also," the king said. "Most of the Lannister forces had been exhausted because of their war in the Riverlands, House Tyrell has added their strength to the Lions but not all of their bannermen are loyal to them, some of them have not forgotten their loyalties to House Targaryen."
"But why should we even consider siding with a Targaryen? The Golden Company was created to fight against your house and put the rightful king on the throne," Laswell Peake asked in a less than pleasant tone.
"The Blackfyres were never rightful rulers of anything," Barristan Salmy snapped back. Mar had to bite back a chuckle, who thought that bringing the Bold inside the company's camp was a good idea clearly did not think things through. Luckily only few who about the man's true identity, to everyone else in the camp he was just an old sellsword by the name of Arston. The officers turned their heads to glare at the Bold, many were murderess looks but Maar doubted that any of the men here could get even close to killing Barristan the Bold, especially with Arthur Dayne at his side.
"Gentlemen, calm yourself," Connington said gently as he got up from his seat and walked over to the young king. "Yes, the Golden Company was built with the mission of putting a Blackfyre on the throne of Westeros but that chapter of history is over, the Blackfyres died with Maelys. House Blackfyre was of the same blood as house Targaryen, you are being given an opportunity to fight for the rightful king once more."
"Bah," spat Caspor Hill. "The bloody wall will melt before the Golden Company fights under the red dragon banner."
"How about a white dragon then?" the king asked and this attracted everyone's attention, even those who made up the young king's retinue. "House Blackfyre is a bastard branch of house Targaryen, well I know who it is to be a bastard, I spent my entire life as one, not as a Targaryen or as a Stark but as a Snow. I was mocked, hated, and shunned due to my perceived birth as an illegitimate child, because I was born on the wrong side of the sheets just like Daemon Blackfyre but unlike him, I never had the favor of a king, everything I achieved I did through blood, sweat, and tears, I had to work tens times as hard to be acknowledged. I might be a true born son of Rhaegar Targaryen now but not too long ago I was just another bastard of a noble house. Fight for a new ruler then, one that embodies both house Blackfyre and Targaryen. The throne that belongs to my family has been taken away by pretenders, ones without a single drop of dragon blood in their veins. Both House Blackfyre and Targaryen have the blood of the dragon lords in them, tell me then good sirs, who would you rather see on the throne, someone with no claim to it, never had any right to it and was never even supposed to sit on it or someone who shares blood with the Conquerer. I swear to you my lords and sirs, if you stand beside me, I will restore all of the titles and lands taken from you and give even more. I sweat by the old gods and the new that I will uphold my oath to you if you choose to fight for me. It will be a new start both for you and for House Targaryen."
"I like it!" Franklyn Flowers said, his large armored fist hitting the table. "Sail west, leave Essos and seat the young king upon the Iron Throne. The boy has stones, I give him that."
"You would follow him if he only offered you a chance to kill some Fossoways," Chain said.
"Damn right!" Franklyn shouted.
The rest of the officers stared at the king for a silent moment before breaking out in quiet murmurs among themselves. Lysono stayed silent only giving Strickland a glance and a small nod. The voice of the king once more caught their attention.
"Lord Peake," he said and Laswell moved his gaze from Black Balaq to the king. "I spoke with your brother on my way to Myr, he was one of the men sent my lord Connington to assure my safe travel. Your brother proved himself a good man and I have no reason to believe yourself otherwise. I promise you that your lands and your ancestral seat of Whitegrove will be returned to you."
There was a look of surprise on lord Peake's face, the man had clearly not expected to be spoken to individually. If the lord wanted to say something he decided to stay quiet after a glance from his other brother.
"Who else here comes from a noble house?"
"I do," Denys Strong said and rose from his seat, his cousin Duncan following him.
"And your name sir?"
"Denys of house Strong," the large, red-haired man said. Maar noticed the knight in red armor raising an eyebrow at those words.
"Beg your pardon Ser, but as far as I'm aware house Strong was wiped out during the Dance of the Dragons, they supported the greens and the last member being lord Larys who was executed by lord Cregan Stark after he refused to take the black," the knight in red said.
"Never ceases to amaze me how you know these things," the knight in lavish green armor, Tyrell said to his friend.
"My friend Robar has a point, as far as we know house Strong is extinct, how do you explain yourself," the king said.
"Aye, of the main line of house Strong died out during the war but Ser Lucamores line remained," Denys said.
"Ser Lucamore the Lusty, the knight who served in Jaeherys the Conciliators kingsguard?" Robar asked.
"The very same," Denys said with a nod. "I and my cousin are descended from him and his third wife who was sent to the Stormlands with her children after Ser Lucamore was sent to the Wall. Years later when the first Blackfyre rebellion happened my grandsire sided with Daemon and was actually legitimized by the king."
The young king's gaze was fixed on Denys a thoughtful expression etched on his face.
"An interesting meeting indeed," Maar thought.
Kings Landing
Margaery
"She killed someone," the thought echoed in her mind. "She killed Joffrey."
Margaery truly believed that her grandmother's plan would work, that with one simple act they might rid themselves of that monster in human skin but the gods loved to play their games. For the first time since she arrived in the capital that fat fool Boros Blunt actually decided to do his job and drank from the king's cup. She had prayed to the Seven, especially to the Stranger that Joffrey would quickly drink from that cup so that both the dishonorable kingsgaurd and the cruel king would die together. Unfortunately for everyone that did not happen and in the end, only Boros died at the feast and the assassination attempt caused panic all over the Red Keep. Joffrey flew into a rage, demanding that the perpetrators be brought to him so he could take their heads. After a few hours, he called enough and they were taken to their new chambers. She did not want to share Joffrey's bed, she didn't want to marry another Mad King and become another queen Rhaella, a queen only in name, fearful of what her royal husband might do to her if she displeased him, she knew enough of what Joffrey did to those who caught his ire. In the end, she made a decision, she opted for the riskiest and only option she had left, she had to kill Joffrey herself. Margaery until that point never thought that she would need it but once again she was proven wrong, the poison hidden in one of the rings she wore. She slipped it into Joffrey's wine, he being none the wiser, believing that a woman could not harm him. In the end, he fell into a sleep that he will never wake from and once the morning came she played her mummery. She screamed and wailed until and after the guards entered the chambers.
She was escorted out of the chambers by one of the kingsgaurd into another room and was soon joined by some of her friends and her septa. She kept up the act during the entire time, she was just a terrified young bride who just woke up next to a corps of her newlywed husband and king. Pycelle came in not too long after and informed them about the king's passing, which caused great shock among her ladies.
All hell broke loose once Cersei found out about her son's demise. At first, she wailed and refused to leave her son's body, lord Tywin personally ordered her to be removed from the king's chambers. The queen mothers grief soon turned into rage and she demanded that the killer of her son be brought to her, for the murderers of a king be caught. Cersei started acting like a rabid animal, screaming at everyone and blaming them for Joffrey's death, she demanded everyone from a simple coal boy to Margaery herself to be brought in front of the Iron Throne to be judged and executed. Luckily for everyone lord Tywin had restricted his daughter to her chambers and ordered the guards not to let her out without his permission. Eventually, the queen mother regained some of her sanity but Margaery knew that Cersei wanted her dead, everyone said that Margaery had nothing to do with Joffrey's murder but Cersei didn't care, in the queen's mind Margaery was guilty and she showed it clearly whenever she crossed paths with Margaery, the older woman sending the Rose of Highgarden a death glare every time. With Joffrey dead Margaery's status was now unclear because as far as anyone knew the marriage was consummated and there was a chance that an heir could have been conceived, luckily for her that was not true. If she did not show any signs of a pregnancy in the coming months then a new marriage will be arranged, one between her and little Tommen. Tommen was still a child and it would be years before the marriage could even happen.
Officially the ones responsible for the king's death were still not caught and were at large, something which caused no small amount of tension in the royal court and the city. Margaery had continued her efforts to aid the less fortunate of the city after the dust had settled, her brother Garlan being her constant companion. There were whispers in the court that Garlan might be given command over the army that was to be sent into the Stormlands, to pacify the remaining lords who still supported Stannis and to take Storms End. She did not like that possibility, if Garlan was sent away that would leave mean that she would be without the person she trusted the most and she didn't even want to think about the possibility of something happening to him while on the campaign. Thinking about one brother instantly made her think about the other two, one far away ruling from their home of Highgarden while the other was who knows where, was he even still alive? No, she could not think like that, she knew Loras, he is a skilled warrior, he is alive and well, where ever he is right now. She just hoped that Loras was looking out for Jon.
"I should have just run away with them," Margaery thought bitterly. "Instead I'm stuck in this nest of vipers."
Nothing was really going according to plan, when she first relented and agreed with her grandmother she had foolishly thought that she could end the war if she became the queen. The reality of the situation right now was the polar opposite of what she dreamt of, the number of kings has dropped but the war still wagged on. She had heard from her father who learned it from lord Varys during one of the council meetings that the remaining forces in the North had repealed the Ironborn and are in the process of upping their defenses on the West coast just in case of another attack. The last news that came from the Riverlands told that lord Tarly intended to bring battle to the Robb Stark and the result with be known in the coming days.
As she strolled through the hallways of the Red Keep leading to the main courtyard she heard shouting coming from the outside. Her interest piqued so she looked out of the window down below towards the courtyard, her cousins Elinor and Megga doing the same. The sight was a peculiar one, a group of Lannister guards was dragging one of their own, he tried to shout something and got a blow to the face. The man seemed to be knocked out by the punch and the Lannister guards continued to drag the unconscious man.
"What was all that about?" Megga asked.
"I have no idea," Margaery replied honestly.
"Why would the Lannisters capture one of their own?" Elinor chimed in.
"Do you think he has something to do with the murder of the king?" Megga asked and Elinor sent their cousin a glare. "I'm sorry Margaery, I should not have mentioned it," Megga said apologetically.
"No need to apologize," Margaery said with a hint of sadness in her voice. She hated lying to her cousins but she needed to keep up the ruse, she could not let it drop for one moment. She turned her gaze from her cousin back to the courtyard. "I don't know what that was about but I know it has nothing to do with us."
"I sure hope so," Elinor said. "I don't feel like becoming a compelled guest to Lord Tywin."
"I don't think anyone does," Margaery said in a low tone as she gave the courtyard one last look before walking away, Elinor and Megga shuffling behind her.
Kings Landing and the Red Keep are becoming more dangerous by the day not only for people like that guard but also for the members of the nobility. Those of higher station were slightly more secure than others, her own family was too valuable to the Lannisters right now but there were those who would want to see them brought low and a head shorter like in Cersei's case. Lord Tywin was still busy trying to rule a kingdom and take care of the aftershock of the recent events. Her grandmother has decided to sit back and observe, for now, she knows what Margaery had done, Garlan knows as well, at least Margaery thinks her brother knows but she is certain about her grandmother.
Margaery had opted to send messages by raven to Highgarden, one for her brother and the other for Mira. In the message for her brother she wrote about what happened and how she felt while in the one she sent to Mira she told her friend that it would not be wise to bring her anywhere near the capital anytime soon, so she would need to stay on Highgarden with Willas for a while longer. She missed Mira and wanted her friend with her, but knew how dangerous that would be for the both of them, especially for Mira as her family was fighting for the Starks.
Later that day Margaery sat at a table in the dining room that was a part of her quarters. With her sat both of her cousins Megga and Elinor, Meredyth Crane, Taena Merryweather, and finally Sansa Stark. Meredyth was a few years Margaerys senior, she had chestnut hair and brown eyes, a woman of polite demeanor who had a knack for telling tales. Merry is one of the few people Margaery noticed that Sansa liked being around. Sansa liked Merry, the older woman knowing how to lift the Stark girl's spirits. Taena was an interesting case, she is not originally from the Reach but from Myr as she married Orton Merrywheater during the man's exile from Westeros due to his father's failures as hand to the Mand King. The Myrish woman was too beautiful by half, long-legged and full-breasted, with smooth olive skin, full lips, dark eyes, and thick black hair that always looked as if she'd just come from the bed. Lady Merryweather is sultry in her demeanor and speech, witty and flattering. She was pretty sure that every man in the Red Keep wanted to spend a night with the foreign lady, Margaery even caught her brother staring at lady Taena once. Taena had joined Margaerys entourage quite recently compared to the rest of her ladies in waiting, she joined them just before the war started but had quickly made a place for herself among them.
"… and that's how my gallant brother ended up being dragged by a horse all the way from the stables to the gates. Luckily he was not hurt much only bruised. The fool learned that day that he should look where he sets his foot," Merry said, finishing her story and laughing afterward. Elinor, Megga, and Taena joined her while Sansa tried to hide her snickering by placing a hand over her mouth and failing.
"Dear gods," Sansa said and finally removed her hand and joined the rest of them. It brought Margaery some sense of relief to see Sansa act more normally in this horrible place. The girl had suffered enough and deserved some respite from the way she had been treated by the Lannisters. The laughter subsided and Taena spoke.
"Men more often than not don't look or think where they walk, sometimes it brings them to the right place, sometimes they get dragged by a ragging horse and sometimes they end up in a brothel with a girl in their lap and an empty purse," Taena said and they chuckled.
"Not to mention an angry wife," Meredyth added.
"Speaking of wives, how is married life treating you lady Sansa?" Taena asked and Sansa visibly tensed. Margaery could only imagine what the poor girl must be going through being forcefully married to a Lannister, even a half-decent one such as Tyrek. So far Sansa has not shown any signs of being with a child which is both good and bad, depending on who you ask.
"Oh come now my lady, you have to tell us something. Is Ser Tyrek taking good care of you, is he neglecting you, is he pleasing you right?" Taena said, a sultry smile appearing on her lips.
"Taena!" Margaery called out the woman in a chastising tone.
"What?" Taena asked in an innocent tone. "I just asked her a question, one married woman to another. I know my husband does his job right, I want to know if lady Sansas is doing the same."
"I think that's..." Margaery wanted to continue chastising her lady in waiting but Sansa stopped her.
"It's alright your grace, I was just taken aback by the suddenness of the question," Sansa said while looking at Margaery. Margaery gave Sansa an are you certain look and the Stark girl nodded.
"Alright," Margaery said.
"T-Tyrek has been good to me so far. He has not abused me or anything similar, we have a cordial relationship," Sansa replied to the question.
"And what about what happens in the bed? Is he good?" Taena asked, the sultry smile returning. Sansa became slightly more nervous although she did her best to hide it. Margaery had noticed that Sansa is learning to control her behavior, but she still had a long way to go if she ever wants to have a chance in the Game. "Oh come on, we are all women here, you can tell us. None of us will tell him."
"Well, since the marriage night we have not shared our bed in that sense," Sansa replied and this caught the interest of all those present.
"You mean you have not slept with each other at all since then?" Elinor asked.
"No," Sansa said, shaking her head.
"Is he refusing or do you not let him?" Meredyth asked.
"It's not that..." Sansa said uncertainly. "It's more like..."
"He can't make his mast rise?" Taena asked and Sansa nodded. Taena then erupted into a throaty laugh.
"Well that must be embarrassing," Elinor said while snickering.
Margaery only smiled as the rest of them laughed. This is a welcome distraction from constant worries and plotting but it is brief and quiet soon she will have to return to it if she wishes to keep her life and the lives of those she cares about.