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 L
The Great Hall of the Redder Keep…
"You know, politics aside…" Verysmuch noted to Belloq, beside him. "I really love working here, it's such a marvelous piece of architecture…"
"Absolutely…" Middlefinger, looking up at the vaulted ceiling and regarding the huge stained glass windows. "I've always wanted to see if it's true that some of the structures in old Valyria were original templates for this. If my maesters at the Citadel could ever find me a way to survive the poisonous seas and the deadly gases…I'd love to tour the old ruins."
"Perhaps, if we both survive the power struggles coming…" Verysmuch smiled… "We could do a survey together, for History's sake. Nice little retirement career…"
"I'd like that, Verysmuch." Warm smile. "Assuming we both do survive…" Naturally it would also be my coronation trip to be crowned Emperor Petyr I in Old Valyria, kind of put the ancient imperial seal on things.
Hey, sure to win over some of those crazies who still long for a Targaryen return…Restoring the Old Empire and all? A universal New Valyria, think of its accomplishments…
See, I'm in this for more than economic dominion and megalomania…Sorta…He happily noted to self.
"Yes…A resolution one can only hope for…With a degree of justification, given the lack of deaths in this version." Verysmuch, shrewd look and bow. "Ah…" he caught sight of an eager Gomez leading Lady Morticia into the vast hall, Ser Fester at her left, Ser Joad Tom at Gomez's right, with several other Addams knights. "And here is our new guest…" Belloq turning to look as well…
"Lady Addams…" Verysmuch, having startled Belloq by racing across the vast hall in a few seconds, bowed deeply to the frowning Morticia, who only thawed, slightly, at Gomez's slight but pleading glance.
Cara…Politics, strange bedfellows indeed.
"Lord Verysmuch…" Morticia, allowing him to take and kiss her hand for the briefest moment allowed by court decorum.
Hmmn…2.25 seconds, a new record, but just on the minimum decorum line…Gomez thought.
"Lady Addams…" Belloq called as heartily as he could from across the hall as he hurried over.
How the hell did such a soft, flabby man manage to…?
"Welcome to Kings' Landing…" he continued as he hurried over, eyeing Verysmuch as he reached the party.
What did you do, fly? His look saying…
One learns to do these things when one must to survive…Verysmuch, arch look back
Plus I do endurance walking…I may not look it, but my legs? Spectacular…
"My Lady, you know Lord Belloq as well…" Gomez introduced Middlefinger who made a grab for Morticia's hand.
"Yes." Even more icy. No hand extended, Belloq falling to knees a bit roughly to manage a quick kiss of hand and rising, groaning to feet.
She likes me more…Verysmuch, coy grin to Belloq who glared.
"Thank you, Thing…" Morticia taking proffered cloth from Thing who'd emerged from a box on the near wall of the Keep. Belloq and Verysmuch blinking at the emerged and, as quickly, retracted hand.
Wonder if Thing would ever consider a career in the spy and betrayal game? Verysmuch pondered.
"I've long given up trying to come up with rational Natural Philosophic explanations for Thing, Belloq." Gomez noted to Belloq's puzzled eyeing of the Keep's wall…How did it…? "Best to just except it like White Walkers, our bizarrely long seasons, and such till we develop quantum mechanics and molecular genetics." Smile.
"Well, now the amenities are done…" Gomez beamed. "As Lord Belloq stated, welcome to Kings' Landing, my dearest. And you, Fester, you ole dog you. Saved Cousin Imp at the Eerie Eeyie, eh?"
"Well…Guess he was innocent after all." Fester shrugged. "But if either of these guys did it…" he eyed the two ministers who gave somewhat shifty, phony innocent looks.
"Now, now, old man…" Gomez putting up hand. "We're in the fetid cesspool of the capital now…"
The rest looking about…Hmmn…
"…Where we must respect due process and all legalities till evidence and King Bob's arbitrary decision allow us to act with ruthless and barbaric medieval fury."
The evil eunuch…Middlefinger thought. Right here, all ready for you. Everyone knows the evil eunuch always does the evil deed. Forget the butler, it's always the evil eunuch…
"Gomez is right, Fester." Morticia sighed. "Forgive me, gentlemen I am overwrought and not quite my normally passive self."
"Regretably understandable, my Lady." Verysmuch purred. "May one only say that one feels the pain of your grief keenly. Especially one who has known pain."
Oh, right…Play the gelding card…Belloq frowned.
"Well, gentlemen…Pray excuse us. I would say we have important matters of family to discuss before we leave for the North but quite frankly, after three weeks without my wife, my Corsican libido cannot be restrained. Adios, my friends! Come, Tish." Gomez kissing extended hand as Morticia smiled coyly. "An afternoon and evening and night and morning of fervent passion await…"
"Gentlemen…" Morticia, bowing slightly, and being led off by the ardent Lord Addams…
"Are those tentacles or just a very odd dress?" Belloq hissed to Verysmuch, watching Morticia's odd glide away…
"Some of us know…" Verysmuch, quietly arch smile.
…..
Barth…
Dyad Institute, Citadel Barth…
Office of Rachel, of Duncan…
"What terms?" Danerys glared at the one-eyed, pale figure calming watching her from her seat.
"You will sign a release for your creatures and yourself with us. We will conduct unholy and illegal experiments on them and you and if anything's left at the end…You don't sue us."
"That seems a little…" Danys frowned.
"No. It's a lot. But you have no choice, your nothing and nobody Highness." Sneer. "Oh, and strictly out of the goodness of his heart and against my recommendations, Fat Pree Delight, our original and creator will throw in a boat ride home for you and any other survivors to Pentos and some traveling cash, assuming you do indeed survive. You may have one hour to consider and sign, only because I assume it would take you one hour to sign this form." Rachel shoving parchment scroll her way.
"Tell me you can read…" she eyed Danys who was regarding the scroll with stunned air.
"Give 'er a bleeding chance, Rachel…" the voice of the other clone, Sarah, from a doorway. Sarah in the same black robes as earlier.
"The same you gave me with my eye?" furious look.
"You tried to take me daughter!" Sarah fumed.
"I see this is a family thing…Maybe I should just take my dragons and go, now?" Danys suggested.
"Nah, it's fine. We had a bit of swordplay over me daughter whom this one and ole 'Matt' thought might be a key to findin' our cure. I won." Sarah noted, pleased expression.
"I'm no cheap slut brigand…I had no training." Rachel glared. "Anyway, this being a medieval survival of the fittest culture, I was perfectly entitled to challenge you for possession of Kyra."
"And bloody lost…" grin. "Makin' me the fittest, I guess."
"Hardly outside a mere ability to wave a sword around…" Rachel sniffed.
"Excuse me…" Danerys cut in. "I want my dragons back and my Doofraki, now. Or else."
"Nice…Spunky." Sarah smiled.
"The girl has spirit…" Rachel nodded. "But not a thing else…"
"Say…?" Sarah looked at Danerys. "What about Ser Jonah, that incredibly doable guy of yours?"
"Who?" Danerys stared. "Oh, him…Yeah…Him too."
"I know I'd have 'im at the top of my list." Sarah shook head.
Really? The old guy? Danerys pondered.
Well, he is kinda cute in a oldish kinda way…
"I've already called dibs on him…" Rachel, archly. "It's in the contract here, page 2, clause 3…" she opened scroll, pointing.
"I'm not signing that…" Danerys, firmly.
"An 'X' will do just fine, dear." Rachel, smugly.
"Rachel…" Sarah shook head. "Look, kid…" she turned to Danys.
"My Highness or Princess…" Rachel hissed. "Show a little class, sister…You're embarrassing us."
"Whatever…" to Danys' frowning…At least the nasty one shows some respect while robbing me…
"Princess…This is life or death to us, as we tole you before. Our brothers are nearly all dead and we're starting to get sick. We need that cure, anyway we can get it. I promise me and the other girls'll try to keep you and yours safe and all. Just try to cooperate, ok?"
"How can you possibly all be made from that weird skinny actor/maester?" Danys stared. "You're all so different."
"The explanation, while fascinating, involves natural philosophical concepts you couldn't begin to comprehend." Rachel, shrugging. "It's like trying to explain the orbit of Planetos and the other dwarf star that causes our bizarre seasons in rational astronomical terms. Best to just say 'oooh, it's magic' and leave it at that."
"Suggesting you're living proof that Nurture wins out over Nature in the Nurture/Nature argument?" Danerys, rather archly in her turn…Winking at us as Rachel eyes her with a hair more respect.