Miru

"Supper ought to be ready soon," Tituss suggested as he turned away from Lord Royce's chambers. "We can make our way to the Great Hall." He spoke amicably enough, but his face was still grey as he clutched Lyman's chain.

"First, I must visit the privy," Miru interjected. "You need not wait for me here."

Titus looked at her with that concerned expression again. He seemed very close to speaking when Matthias interjected. "Of course. We'll save you a seat."

With that, Matthias put a hand on his father's back and urged him towards a nearby staircase. "Come on, Father. Let's find a good spot."

"Very well," Titus replied, patting his son's shoulder. They turned from Miru and set off together, whilst she went the opposite way at a brisk pace.

Truthfully, she was in no hurry to go and eat, for there seemed to be a lead weight in her stomach. Despite Titus' zestful return from his voyage, she felt forlorn and detached. Her mind continued to go back to her talk with Cayn and her interaction with Amabel.

She had never once insinuated interest in Amabel, or so she'd thought. But that didn't matter, either, for Miru could sense that Amabel's actions had not been innocent.

There had been something malicious about her which she'd never sensed before. Amabel had surely recognised Miru's discomfort, and she had relished in it. She had taunted Miru about her preference for women, and Miru was convinced that she'd known about Brodda Hill, and had deliberately hinted at his experience with her. Again and again, she agonised over what Sadog had told her, and why he would confide such things to a woman he did not even seem to care for all that much.

Miru couldn't stop shuddering as she recalled the way Amabel had held her hand, just as Brodda had done when he'd led her somewhere quiet. She would never forget the way his fingers had gripped her little hand, nor the sound of his breath as he'd quivered with what she now knew was anticipation and eagerness.

It had taken all her efforts not to reveal the depth of her anguish to Titus. She knew full well the lengths he would go to protect her, but she knew that it would only draw unwanted attention upon her. She had barely even said anything to Matthias. By some unspoken bond between them, he had nevertheless stood between her and Sadog when it became clear that she was avoiding him.

Thankfully, Matthias did not question her further, nor did Sadog try to confront her. She had no idea what she would say to him. A sliver of doubt still remained within her, arguing furtively that Sadog would never betray her confidences like that.

Miru was not sure where she was going, so lost was she in her own mind. Half-thoughts and evil memories clashed as they hadn't done in a long time. She had thought - hoped - that her time in the Temple of Love had given her the fortitude and peace of mind to lay the past to rest, but sometimes it flared up in a way which left her unable to do much else but weep.

She felt another such turn coming on; she had already sent Titus and Matthias away, she did not wish to see Sadog, and she did not know where her other siblings were. Lozyn was all the way across the Narrow Sea. How could I have abandoned her? It was a fool's errand to return!

It had been so long since she'd felt Lozyn's strong embrace, smelled the sweet perfumes which she liberally applied, heard the Qohorik words which she whispered in her sleep…

A strangled half-sob left Miru's mouth as she cuffed at her eyes, just in time for a Targaryen guard to pass her by without comment. Luckily, she was close to the nearest privy, where she could weep quietly in peace.

Eventually, when she was finished, she went back to her chambers instead of the Great Hall. Her desire for home was too strong; she had to write a new letter.

The first one she wrote was full of despair, begging Lozyn's forgiveness for ever leaving her, laying bare how badly Miru missed her, and longed to be in her presence again. After reading it over, she was struck by the notion that it might break Lozyn's heart to read it, or it might inspire her to follow her across the sea. Or perhaps she will no longer care… She nearly sobbed aloud at the very thought.

She forced herself to write a second letter, restraining the wild words which had poured out of her the first time. She did not want to alarm her lover, but she still made it clear how badly she wished to be with her again. And yet, it all felt hollow when she could not offer Lozyn a glimmer of hope as to when she might be back in Braavos.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door.

"I'm sorry, Matthias," Miru called, stepping away from her writing desk and hurrying to open the door. "I was just writing a letter to Lozyn. It wasn't my intention to be late for-"

She stopped mid-sentence as her mouth dropped open.

Cayn stood two full paces from the door, with his arms behind his back. He carried no weapon that Miru could see, but she still felt a shudder go down her back.

"Hello, Miru," Cayn began in a soft tone. "May I speak with you?"

Reflexively, Miru stepped to the side and stood still as he strode into her chambers. She closed the door and turned to face Cayn. "Why are you here?"

"To speak with you," Cayn replied wryly. "Weren't you listening?"

It was a sardonic response, but that had always been part of Cayn's sense of humour. For an instant, Miru was reminded of the boy who had been an aloof older brother in all but name. It was an unnerving feeling, given all that had happened since those early months, but it was a reassuring one all the same. I never truly appreciated those early days. I was too scared, too suspicious of my own good fortune…

"Are you unwell?"

Miru shook her head. "It has been a… a trying day."

"Pity," Cayn remarked. He maintained his distance from her; it seemed to Miru that he might be sharing her feeling of uncertainty and awkwardness. "Still, I suppose it is a relief that you did not catch Titus' illness."

"Illness?"

She recognised her grave mistake the instant that she echoed his last word. Titus' return had meant that the deception was over, and so it had no longer been a priority within her mind. Now she had made a serious error. Her mouth opened once more, but she did not know what else could be said.

Cayn did not seem surprised, however. He sat upon one of the couches, so that he was looking up at her. He laid his palms flat on his lap. "Fear not, Miru. That is what I wanted to discuss with you anyway."

"What do you mean?" So strong was Miru's sense of alarm, that she felt an urge to get out of the chambers and flee to warn her family.

As if he sensed her thoughts, Cayn spoke softly, albeit with some small measure of impatience. "I mean that I could have come here with guards and arrested you. Lord Bloodraven might have done so if I hadn't intervened on your behalf."

Miru did not know how to respond. She recalled how Cayn had previously assisted her in thwarting Bloodraven's plans. It had always been his way; gruff as he was, he had been the one to assist Barba in restoring order amongst the wards. He might have been disdainful and even bullying at times, but Cayn had always been the first to defend them from others, even Prince Aerion Targaryen.

Slowly, she approached a nearby couch and sat down, watching Cayn warily.

"Firstly, I believe I owe you an apology," Cayn admitted in a low tone. "I was not patient with you when we last spoke. It has been difficult seeing you, Sadog, and Titus again. And this talk of Barba…" He faltered, and a look of shame flashed across his countenance before it became stony again.

Miru felt herself softening to Cayn's presence. She recalled how Titus had been hopeful that Cayn was not fully lost to them. She had wanted to believe it too.

"In any case," Cayn resumed hurriedly, "Lord Bloodraven knows of Titus' plot."

Miru shuddered. "It was not his plot."

"As you say, but that will not matter to Lord Bloodraven," Cayn pointed out. "He has played a large role in it, no?"

"How did he discover this?" Miru demanded.

Cayn shook his head. "Do you really need to ask me that?"

Miru shuddered once more, recalling the arrogant malice with which Bloodraven had confronted her and her family upon their arrival. "Is he going to arrest him?"

"Who?"

"Father!" A thought seized Miru and filled her with panic. "Is that why you are keeping me here? So he can't be forewarned?" Are they seizing him even now as I sit here?

"You do me wrong," Cayn muttered with a scowl on his face. "I am not keeping you here. By all means, go to Titus if you will." He gestured towards the door. "And when you find him, tell him that I have arranged a proposition."

Miru was frozen with indecision. She could not tell if there was a genuine trap or if she was succumbing to her own suspicions. "What sort of proposition?"

Cayn's countenance became almost contemptuous. "Do you really think that Aenys Blackfyre stands a chance before this council? He will only serve to waste time, just as you and your brothers did."

Miru flushed, but she also recalled how Cayn had intervened on their behalf. Mayhaps he is being genuine…

"Speaking of that," Cayn went on, "Aegon has already set a precedent when he permitted you fools to speak."

That is also true, Miru realised. We all heard him; but would he insist that a Blackfyre be given the same benefit?

Cayn suddenly reached into his tunic and took out a rolled-up piece of parchment. "See this for yourself if you will not trust me."

Accepting the proffered parchment, Miru unrolled it and stared at the contents.

Aenys of House Blackfyre,

By the authority of the Great Council and the Iron Throne, we have decided to accept your request to attend the proceedings and present your candidacy.

Let this be a record that we grant you safe passage to King's Landing and safe entry into the Red Keep, on the following conditions:

You will travel alone, save for the crew of whatever ship you sail upon,

You do not carry any weapons upon your person, as befitting a guest of the Crown,

You will conduct yourself according to the sacred law of guest rights upon your arrival

It shall be assumed upon your arrival to the capital that you have received this message and that you consent to the terms.

The last third of the page was blank, but for a signature which read "Brynden Rivers, Hand of the King and Protector of the Realm." Beside it, a small circle of black wax had been stamped, bearing an elaborate image of a raven, with its head turned to the side so that it only bore one eye.

"The royal seal will be placed on this parchment once Titus signs his own name. I trust you can find a way to send the letter to Aenys?"

Miru looked up at Cayn again. "How did you persuade Bloodraven to agree to this?"

"He trusts me," Cayn answered defensively. "Just as Titus trusted me, once."

Miru frowned, but she said nothing to that. Instead, she changed the subject as a new suspicion bubbled up within her. "Then why are you doing this? I didn't think you'd forgiven Titus since we last spoke."

A troubled expression flashed across Cayn's face; he turned away before speaking again. "I did say those things, and I meant them. I still recall what he put me through, and the memory is a painful one. And yet…" His demeanour became thoughtful as he met Miru's gaze. "I do still recall how he took me in for seven years. And if it wasn't for him, I might never have met Lord Bloodraven."

Miru was unconvinced that Titus deserved gratitude for that introduction, but she was beginning to believe in his words. He certainly seemed conflicted, as befitting a man who was being torn in two, and Titus could confirm whether Bloodraven's seal was genuine.

Slowly, a sense of relief was building within her. She thought of Lozyn again, and how pleased she would be to read that Miru was coming home soon. If they sent off Aenys' raven with the news now, before the sun began setting, it would certainly reach the Scatterlings in time for nightfall. Aenys could easily arrive in the capital before the morning was finished.

Even as she became more excited at the prospect of going home, Miru faltered. She knew that Titus was not going to be pleased about this; he would dislike making a deal with Bloodraven, even if Cayn endorsed it. "Wretched traitor"... "barbarous villain"...

As if he could read her thoughts, Cayn chose that moment to lean forward. "If it matters, you should understand that I'm not doing this for Titus' sake. I am doing this for yours, Miru, and for Sadog's too. You never wronged me, and I don't wish to see either of you caught up in a mess that wasn't of your own making. If bringing Aenys to the capital makes an end, then I will help you achieve it. There need be no further trouble with my master, and no further reason to delay your return home."

"It does not bother you, then?" Miru asked, unable to stop herself from questioning Cayn yet further. "What will you do if he should succeed?"

For the first time since he'd knocked on her door, his mouth stretched into a half-smile. "You would not ask me that if you had remained in Westeros all these years."

"Nobody else would have looked after me," Miru retorted.

"I could have looked after you," Cayn pointed out. "You and Sadog both. I turned my back on Titus, not you two."

Miru frowned, struggling to recall whether that was true. She knew that Cayn had spoken to them before Titus' return, even as he'd been searching for a girl, but Miru couldn't recall the details of their discussion, nor even the girl's name. But whether he had offered to aid them or not, he was certainly present now, with an official document to ensure Aenys' safe passage.

"I do not worry about Aenys," Cayn reiterated. "There are many nobles here who lost kin fighting in the Blackfyres rebellions. Aenys can speak till his lips turn blue, but the sun will set in the east before he ever sits upon the Iron Throne."

Miru was not as confident as Cayn, but she was not about to refute him. The more she thought about it, the more she realised that it no longer mattered to her whether Aenys won or lost his bid for the throne. She had not come here to be embroiled in the council's matters. She had come here to find Barba and to help Matthias meet his lost kin. Titus had only come at Jena's request to put Vaella on the Iron Throne. All three of them had failed their missions. Sadog was only here at the Iron Bank's behest, so that they might know who becomes king. Leroya and Baalun had no reason to be here except to support their family. Why should we prolong this any longer than it must? This will allow Aenys his chance to succeed or fail, and then the matter will be closed. And then we can leave this abominable place and go home, where we belong…

"Miru?" Cayn's voice broke through her thoughts. "Will you speak to Titus and bring him here?"

Slowly, she looked him in the eye and gave the slightest nod of her head. "Aye. If you'll wait here, I'll go and get him now, before supper begins."