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 LXX…
Ser Lotus and Lady Wednesday strolling in the Great Hall of the Redder Keep…
"That was intense…" she noted. "I was a bit afraid there…"
"Frankly…?" he grinned. "So was I…But my Lady…Wednesday…" he paused, pulling her to him. "If Rob had ordered me to abandon Rently to wed you…It would have been hard…If mitigated by the fact I know the King would never kill Rent, no matter how angry at him…Or if he'd stripped me of my rank and lands...Also not easy…But I would have done it, for you. Which is, honestly, as big a surprise to me as it may be to you and others." Warm smile, matched by hers.
"I'm going to marry you, my strange little pale mourning lily." Hugging her. "For a reason as much due to our status as other…Matters…I never thought possible. I love you, Wednesday."
"Yeah, well…" shy turning. "I was pretty sure I had a shot when you didn't smite me that first day when I shot you."
"A rather strange version of Cupid, but I'll take it…" he grinned.
"Just be sure I'll make you happy, Lot. I want to, so much." She hugged him.
"That should be my line, my Lady. And, Mission Accomplished." Kissing her.
"But…" she sighed, eyeing him. "What?" as he pulled back.
"You were in a bid for power backing Rently…" shrug.
"Because he was a fit candidate for the throne…And yes, a little more than a very dear friend…" he eyed her. "I still believe he's a good man to be King and he remains a dear friend and that's the truth."
"I believe you…" she nodded. "I just wonder…I mean I do believe absolutely that you love me…But to give up the political game for the throne. There aren't many who can, even if they just want to be the force behind the throne."
"I wanted to be a force for good in the kingdom. I'd still like to be a force for good, but I want us to be that…Together…"
"I'd never want you to have any regrets, Lot." She sighed.
(Love is beautiful…Middlefinger sneering from his tent, reading a report on the recent Large Council meeting from his strategically placed spies.
But since it has been denied me, so that I should not deal in its soft laws…Oh, Cat. My Citty-Kitty Cat-Kat…Sigh, renewed sneer…I am resolved to foreswear for Love of Power.
Well, ok…I was resolved to have both in any case and I still might manage it if I can land Sansa…
Eehew…Abigail trimming his beard paused…
"Shit. I did it again, didn't I?" he sighed to her, she nodding.
"Fortunately, you heard nothing of real importance…But you'd best leave till I get the rest off my chest, for your own protection, dear." Patting her arm. "We'll get back to this in an hour, ok?"
Oh…He cares…Deep down, I know he cares…She thought, carrying out her implements…
Sweet kid, in her cuddly chubby way…I suppose I will have to kill her if I've been blabbing like this a lot…
Where was I? Oh, yeah…Love is beautiful, then I sneered…Sneer…
And the eehewy thing about Sansa, right. But the point here was…I can make use of this new matter regards Tyrion's coupling with a prostitute…No…Eyeing us…She was an independent contractor, unlike her triplet sis…I'm not opposed to that, honestly, but really, and I remain a solid union supporter in spite of being a business owner…You need collective strength to bargain with employers…To drive a wedge between the new Acting Hand and the King. And the Acting Hand's father, who's sure to hate this sort of thing…
Yes…Love is beautiful…Especially when it takes a sizable player off the Game board…Maybe even two if I set Tyrion and Tywin against each other.
Middlefinger rising to eye his own Coal tapestry…/Wednesday at the Redder Keep Hall sighing to Ser Lotus/Cersei to King Robert in their room, meeting adjourned as swiftly as possible/Tyrion to a pensive Stephanie sewing his Hand badges to several tunics in her chair in the austere quarters of the Hand/Sansa to Joffrey seated in his now less grand palatial room/Melisandre to her miniature portrait of Tyrion in her also austere room at the Chapel of the Light Lord/Lady Maud at Swampflood to a portrait of Tywin Lannister in her office…/In the grey forests of the North Beyond the Wall, the Dead Walker Girl who'd sliced off Ser Pompous' head to the Dead Walker King/Rammed Bolton to Fearing Greatjerk as Fearing tasted his "absolutely wonderous, Rammed, thanks"… "My chance to serve is my thanks, my Lord."…Filet with truffles in wine sauce at their cavern hideaway…/Rently to Margeary as they walked his favorite scenic area of the cliffs at Stormin' Out…/Brienne eyeing them from her post covering said area…/Ser Jonah Job marching behind Danerys Targaryen, she beside a triumphantly arrogant Taro Trumpo Don as they approached a large walled structure in the center of Barth…
Was a warehouse complex for grain, Taro noted. Now, my containment facility…Note my practical nature providing a development complex for my army and storing its food there, he eagerly pointed out to Danerys. Drogan above, rolling eyes…
Stepdad? Just gimme a sign and this guy's toast. Even if my prick brother there tries to stop me, glaring at Viserion flying over Taro and contentedly taking nibbles of roast pig from his hand. Danerys glaring as well…
All:
"The urge to merge can rob us of our senses…The need to breed can cost a Queen her throne."
Oh…And now he's singing…Abigail sighing, listening at tent door to Middlefinger…No "flap" for Lord Belloq, thank you…
He has such a lovely voice…He really should be on stage with me…Us.
All:
"Ambitious Ladies must keep up defenses…And every skirt tests knightly…Testosterone…
So, knowing this, players master every passion…"
("They do?" Rammed Bolted stares as he prepares Fearing's evening bath in spacious cavern not that far to the northeast. Carefully adjusted to Fearing's body temperature, 98.7…
Spacious cavern now well outfitted with fur rugs, fine tapestries…Central Valyrian heating, cobbled together from study of old tech scrolls.
Ah, don't forget the wine chilling in the stream outside. He loves it in the bath.
Uh…
Just trying to break him with care and pampering, you know. All part of my sadistic schemes…
"But what's this about having to 'master passions'? I know my dad says so, but I always figured, follow the example…It's what he does, not what he says…")
Lotus taking over with smile from a pensive Wednesday, with the rest…
"And many learn to cynically use Romantic chase…"
(Oh, Petyr…Cut to shot of Ophelia Arryn at the Vale, pensively staring out a window, Robyn suckling at her breast…
"When shall your schemes be complete so you may come to claim me and my darling boy here…?"
Oh, yeah…We gonna get it on…Fly without the drop through that Moon Door.
Don't worry, Robyn eyes us. Either Mama's ambitious, cynical, and commendably strong-stomached boyfriend's gonna make her "fly" the hard way…Or I'll go full Nero with her when I gets a bit older…)
Lotus…"I was firmly headed in the right direction…"/Rest… "We were firmly heading in the right direction…" (If anyone listening in here says "twisted direction"…Joffrey, pacing room, fumes.
It's sure right for me…Sansa, smiling. Joffrey eyeing her, then us…
She scares me.)
"When suddenly I stumbled on that face…" collective sigh…All, Wednesday joining Lotus, to sing, hand-in-hand. Middlefinger, blinking in tent…Unable for a moment to keep from picturing his own lost love despite his cynicism…But…
What the hell is that singing?
All…
"That face, that face…That dangerous face…It may be unwise…
Those lips, that nose, those eyes…Could lead to one's demise."
(Tell me about it…Lord Jon Arryn's ghost, face mottled by poison…Ghost of Rhegar Targaryen holding head in his hands, the one severed by Rob Barftheron, sigh…)
"That face, that face…That marvelous face…
I never should begin…
Those cheeks, that neck, that chin…
Will surely do me in."
(Well, duh…It is me, after all…Joffrey, eyeing the singing Sansa…)
One must be smart and hide one's heart…
It's just not Gamer style
If you don't duck, you're out of luck
They'll kill you with a smile…"
(Well…Yeah…Rammed, nodding. Smiling at a contented Fearing in tub…)
Lotus and Wednesday perform courtly dance in hall; Cersei and Rob likewise in bedroom; Rammed offers delightful funny story from the nearest village while rubbing oil on Fearing's back as he lies on heated rock; Melisandre dances with Tyrion's portrait...
Dead Walker girl dances with Walker King in icy woods around strewn corpses awaiting resurrection…
A stunned Joffrey eyes Sansa's extended hand…
Hmmn…No sign of a dagger… "It's just practice, Joff. A King should know how to dance…" she notes, smiling. "As well as torment, abuse, plot, murder…"
Hmmn…He taking hand, they dance as well in his room…
What? No…Danerys, staring at Taro's outstretched hand...
"We're here to look at your clone army, not dance…Why would we dance?"
Tis actually a nice space for dancing…Looking about the large courtyard of the containment facility/grainary…Not that I'd ever have her my partner…Ser Jonah sighed.
I'll make him "dance", Ma…Drogon thinks, darkly. Just say the word…
Casterly Rock…Main Hall…
"Did Lord Tywin just do a dance spin passing us as he passed the study full of portraits of Westeros' greatest generals?" one guard eyed his companion on duty.
Ah, Maudie…Tywin, desperately repressing smile as he glanced at the portrait of Lady Maud Addams on the study wall in passing. It was so great to see you again the other day on the battlefield, in your armor…
Only my Johanna ever looked better in cast iron and steel…
All:
"That face, that face, that fabulous face…
In our world one must beware…
For if you play the Game and you fall in love, you're likely lost without a trace…
(Yeah, likely…Ghosts of Ned and Caitlyn Stark…)
But it's worth it for…That face…"
(Uh, dude? Verysmuch from his office looking from chair…
Sorry to interrupt the not-so interior monologue, and the dancing and singing, but as this newly arrived…)
Messenger rushes in to Middlefinger, bearing ravenspost vial…
Reads…
"…As this newly delivered Ravenspost will inform you, there is new information available that could be of benefit to both loyal spymasters like us…And anyone plotting to do the kingdom ill."
("Ah, clever…I never trust Ravenspost security either. Anyone could shoot down those birds…And then all your personal info? Compromised. And likely your head on a platter soon if so." Middlefinger notes. "Not that a loyal Minister of Coin and part-time spymaster would have anything but state secrets to conceal."
I can play that game, too, ole pal. Keeping my private plotting…Private…
Oh, damn I said that aloud again…Well, so what's the big news? Bet I already know…Ser Lotus cleared of suspicion and his marriage to little Lady Addams officially approved?…Know that…
Dislike it, natch…But know it.
Prince Rently likewise and his new alliance to be shanghaied by King Rob, with a royal wedding or at least congrats party in the offing? Knew that…
And expected it…Smile.
Lord Acting Hand, Tyrion Lannister…In trouble over his engagement to a prostitute…Not one of mine you know…
I knew that, Verysmuch shrugs.
Knew it.)
"What you may not know…" as you recite all the little stuff you do, smart ass…Verysmuch's note went on… "Is that King Robert has secretly written to Taro Trumpo Don, offering an alliance in which he gets to conquer Essos with assistance from Robert, provided he disposes of the Targaryen pretender Danyers…And hands over one dragon. And that his discussion of sending Stanislaw to raid Barth at today's council was merely a smokescreen."
Middlefinger staring…
"Yes, Chancellor, would-be Emperor Don, may be thumbing his nose at your offers of alliance…I know you made them…You grant funded the late Matt Phat Pree's research into clone assassins and armies. And I'm also still Foreign Affairs Minister, so this is not the questionable word of a comprised agent, nor wild ravensnet speculation. I have it straight from the King and Queen themselves, post meeting while they were hurrying to their bedchamber."
Shit!
Mudda gods…Is there no loyalty?
Mudda gods…What if that prick Don talks or has talked? And what if someone did read this enroute?
"Of course…" The note went on…"Like me, you were merely leading Trumpo Don on, for the good of Westeros. Don't worry, no one would ever question your loyalty, Lord Belloq."
"Oh, very cute, smug ass…I get it."
Though between us mentally I do appreciate the covering for me.
"So…King Robert is seeking an alliance against the Targaryen Queen that could leave Don Emperor of much of Essos…A new Valyria…How wonderful." Middlefinger, aloud. "Can't wait to tell Lord Addams…" Hmmn… Eyes note…
"Already sent a post to the Lord Hand Addams…FYI…As standard governmental stuff between Hand and Foreign Affairs Minister."
"As in, in case you were hoping to go pandering and favor currying over to him by giving him the word…"
Hey…
Don't take offense…The note read…
"It's what we both do to survive…No shame. But run, boy…Run. Lord Marcum Wilender Verysmuch, Foreign Affairs Minister, Kingdom of Westeros. End post. Three pence post…Ravenspost moves the Mail." He folded up note and tossed into the fire of the fireplace of his tent.
High pressure, fireproofed wood and stone thing, an Addams invention…He notes to his. Fire safe and easily broken down for traveling.
Gotta hand to that crazy loon.
Hmmn…Verysmuch wants this alliance? No way. He wants a Targaryen on the throne. He's got to be trying to get me to break it up. And perhaps in so doing, expose myself and my schemes?
Bro…Verysmuch shaking head. You cut me deep.
Unless…Middlefinger pondered. She's not the Targaryen he wishes on the Throne. And it's time to dispose of her while keeping Robert distracted in Barth with her and that idiot, if admittedly, lucky idiot, Trumpo Don?
Wait, what? Verysmuch staring…
What, you think I don't know there are other Targaryens alive and breathing? Middlefinger, snide smile.
Though perhaps not for long…
….