Chapter 4
So, first impressions: what a waste of fucking metal.
Second impressions: the king better have some fucking binoculars when he's purchased up there like some albino vulture because I am sure as fuck he can't see anything clearly from up there.
Third impression: Ok, yes, sure, it's very cool looking and my inner nerd can shut up now.
Fourth impression: what the fuck kinda timeline am I in?
Yes I see you, oddly grown up Rhaenyra and... is that Alicent fucking Hightower next to her looking younger than she is supposed to be?
That green muppet with a chain of golden hands around his neck, sitting at the bottom of the Iron Throne, must be Otto the Dickwad and the rest of the nobles around him must be the Small Council. For a moment, my eyes focus on the man slowly passing through middle age and wearing green and golden threaded robes with a large chain of hexagons that end on a beautiful rendition of a bee, who must clearly bee my new boss.
Lord Beesbury, the Master of Coin who, in a couple of decades, will get a slit throat as reward for his loyalty.
My eyes proceeded to roam around the room as they announce us by name. First, Black Bart and then, by what I can only call a dick move, me last. I was the most senior Acolyte of this lot, I should be second in my announcement. And also what kind of announcement is simply yelling as an afterthought "Acolyte Alystair Sand from Dorne" even remotely appropriate for this level of fanfare?
I'm gonna find this herald in my off hours and give him a good whoopin'.
Before I can indicate my perfectly benevolent intention through my gaze to said fat and balding herald, Viserys I (of probably three and not as cool as the middle one), spoke in a surprisingly firm voice despite the elevated levels of joy in it.
"Ah, yes. I have been expecting all of you. As King I welcome you to the Red Keep and may you have a pleasant and productive stay! And as a fellow lover of knowledge let me also welcome you, personally in my office, at a later date, so we may discuss your work with me. I am very eager to see what you can do to my dear books. For those not in the know, to maintain the vast collection of old and rare books kept in Dragonstone a lot of work is required of our dear Maester and recently I have decided, just in case of disaster and also for ease of availability, to order copies to be made to be kept here in the Red Keep. So, the Citadel, has been ever so helpful in sending their best scribes here to help in this endeavour."
Otto seemed to clear his throat, probably out of habit to keep the King from ranting on.
"And, of course, how can I forget. Acolyte Alystair, please step forward."
I am sorry, what.
My body moves before my mind can reboot.
"Your Grace." I bowed. Low enough to be respectful but not deep enough to be truly reverential.
At the time I didn't notice the small smile that adorned my face.
Ω
Rhaenyra was slightly bored.
She had enough courtly manner imbued in her for that not to show to others, but it has been two hours of petitions, rarely having the opportunity to sit down, and lunch hour was approaching, so forgive her if her mind was already escaping its confines.
So, as the newcomers arrived at the Throne Room, her eyes were seeing them but not really observing them.
That is, until her Father singled someone out among the crowd of newcomers.
"And, of course, how can I forget. Acolyte Alystair, please step forward."
From the men arranged in front of the Iron Throne, one stepped forward.
From the raised dais preceding the Iron Throne, she had a clear look of the approaching acolyte.
He was Dornish, or at least of Dornish descent, that was clear to see despite him being so tall. His skin was richly brown, almost like copper. His hair was black as night and long enough to be tied in a loose braid and put over his left shoulder to fall over his chest. On his right ear were several gold earrings piercing his ear in several locations, with one that seemed to be almost like a chain from the top of his ear to the bottom middle. His nose seemed to be pierced on his left nostril by a silver like pin. His robes were of good quality and well-kept and, from beneath the hem, peeked strange black boots with a clear metallic cover on the tip. He was certainly beautiful, almost androgynous if not for his height and the clear muscles that showed through his simple robes.
Rhaenyra observed the links in his chains: the first thing that jumped to her attention was that he lacked only one link to be named a Maester and the second thing was his possession of a link the type of which she has only seen when she was given the family's swords to briefly wield: Valyrian steel.
As he bowed, Rhaenyra noticed his eyes as he closed them to perform the bow. Strange eyes, paler than marble and darker than milk, like two moons they were, tough they seem to flash a pale freezing blue in the daylight.
Rhaenyra felt, more than noticed, the subtle shift of Alicent's figure next to her. Looking at her companion through the corner of her eye she noticed Alicent's slight, almost unnoticeable, frown. Almost, that is, if she was not as familiar with her companion's expressions as she was.
Alicent seem to be looking at the acolyte as if in... disapproval?
Looking back at the man in front of the dais. He was bowing sure,... but not as the supplicants usually did.
Not as lowly.
Rhaenyra looked at the acolyte's face and she suddenly felt a weird shiver running down her spine. His eyes were cold, the blue tint had disappeared being replaced with iron. Cold and dispassionate.
His plump limps, once so attractive, now stretched in a thin, amused smile as if he knew a joke nobody else knew.
"Your Grace."
He spoke in a whispery soft tone that somehow resonated within the Throne Room.
"They told me much about you, young Acolyte. So much so, that I have actually decided to read the work you published, despite it being very much outside of my area of expertise. I have to say, it was an amazing reading nonetheless! Quite engaging and I particularly enjoyed the easy manner in which you explained the various concepts you dealt in your book. So, when I heard of Lord Beesbury's initiative to rewrite the Crown's finances in this new style of accounting I had no other option but to accept this opportunity of having a mind as great as yours working for the benefit of the Realm." Her Father stated his voice slightly more joyous than usual for the ending of a Court session.
"It is an honour to be invited to perform such an endeavour, Your Grace. I have nothing but great respect and admiration for Lord Beesbury. To have maintained the Realm's funds while dealing with the current government apparatus of such a large institution is a tiresome endeavour and a great burden; one I believe Lord Beesbury and his predecessors have made it justice." The Acolyte nodded to the Master of Coin who, with an affable smile, nodded back. "And for my book, to have reach such heights in popularity to be brought to your person, Your Grace, is a great honour which I can only hope to replicate with my next book."
Her Father laughed a bit in amusement.
"Yes! And one can only hope your next book be as influential as this one!"
The Hand of the King cleared his throat and spoke.
"For those in Court that do not know-" Otto affirmed. "- Acolyte Alystair Sand is considered to be a genius amongst his peers in the Citadel and has devised a new, more efficient, method of accounting which will be applied to the Realms financial records in the next months of work. Hopefully, with this change our copper counting so it can be done faster and better. So, with this matter of affairs conclu-"
"Pardon me, Lord Hand." Acolyte Alystair interrupted. Rhaenyra could not help but be impressed with the sheer gall of interrupting the Hand of the King in the presence of the majority of the Lords of the Realm. "But I believe I am obligated to correct you. For my own sake, and for those whose lives are spent, as you so crassly put it, "counting coppers". You see, money makes the world go round, my Lord, and without such capable men who count the coppers that passed their way to the Crown's Treasury, from the Honourable Rego Draz and Lord and Lady Tyrel to Lord Beesbury, the peace and prosperity that the Realm is currently enjoying would not exist. So perhaps, this passage to a new, more efficient, and more accurate method of accounting, may lead the Seven Kingdoms to an even more prosperous tomorrow. So, I believe, Lord Hand, that this occasion is not so banal as you seem to be implying it is."
Otto immediately looked like he swallowed a lemon but before he could rebuke he was interrupted again by none other than the Master of Coin himself.
"Master Alystair is correct indeed! If not for my predecessors' prodigious minds when dealing with the Crown's accounts we would not be here today, for certain not as we are at least. The Dragonpit itself would have taken double the amount of time it took to build, for example. King Jaeherys's roads, too, would not have been possible, or at least, not in the scope they are now. And I have to say, that I have great hopes on the application of the double entry bookkeeping method to the current finances of the Realm for I have run out of ways to further increase the Crown's fortune without cutting back on costs beyond those I have already eliminated. My duties, as of late, have kept themselves to simple maintenance of the money we already have."
Her Father quickly joined in.
"Indeed, and House Targaryen will forever be grateful for such devoted and competent Masters of Coin we have had. It is exactly in that line of thought that I have invited Master Alystair to revamp the Crown's ledgers in this new style. Hopefully, a more comprehensive method of keeping track of the Crown's revenues and expenditures will help the Small Council in devising new ways to invest the money back into the Realm." Her Father rose from the Iron Throne. "Now that these introductions are taken cared of, I shall not delay your group any longer. I was informed you have just arrived from the road and you must make sure to rest to start work, immediately, tomorrow. Perhaps later, I can speak in private to hammer out any details of your tasks. However, lunch hour approaches and I have my pregnant wife waiting for me, so I declare this Open Court over for the week. May the Gods bless this meeting and the decisions therein made in the name of the Iron Throne and the King of the Seven Kingdoms."
As Rhaenyra joined her Father at the foot of the throne, she looked back at the Dornish acolyte, only to see him being apparently admonished by a bearded Maester and another blond acolyte.
Then she linked arms with her Father and she put him out of her mind as she grew eager to see her mother again.
Author's Notes: And interrupting Otto in the middle of Court will certainly have no negative consequences whatsoever and everyone will live happily ever after.
*snorts*
Anyway, here's more of this fic. I have finally decided to send the timeline to take a hike, mostly because of the show's own... *unique* timeline issues in regards to the books. Besides I am only 2 years off with my calculations so I can be forgiven if I don't much care.
Also for those people really into character descriptions keep an eye to Alystair's. It certainly doesn't have several clues to his parentage...
I hope you liked what you read!
Tell me your thoughts in the reviews!
