court of lies | robert's rebellion

the baby dragon

"he was her warmth, she was his weakness"

Tenth moon of 280 AC, King's Landing

"...and the reports had been saying that Lord Hightower's health is the cause of this.", Varys finished his report with a silence that followed it. "Surely the council must do something about it?", he pressed a moment later when no one spoke.

Lucerys' eyes were narrowed and focused to the floor, Gerold's face was grave and nobody dared to speak.

"Every men is going to die one day.", Tywin said with caution. "It is the rule of the world. If Lord Leyton dies, his council will appoint a regent until his son Ser Baelor returns from his trip and then he will be anointed as the new lord of his house, by the High Septon."

"High Septon is dead.", Varys deadpanned. "Without the Hightower affect, they are rushing to make another choice."

"The realm cannot go without a High Septon too long, this is why they are rushing.", Tywin explained with a poker face. "It has nothing to do with Lord Leyton and the information that states Hightowers play a part during the choosing is a blatant lie and it had been proven time and time againt that it is not true.", there was a sharp edge in his voice. "The last I seen Leyton, barely a year ago, he was as healthy as a man of his age could be. I doubt the truth of your reports."

"He just lost a cousin.", Varys leaned back. "Losing family members does have an affect on men."

"Ser Gerold just seen him.", Lord Merryweather interrupted their conversation. "If these reports are true, Lord Hightower surely must have been ill during the funeral and Ser Gerold know it -as well as Lord Velaryon."

Aerys' eyes shifted to them, two cousins, looking at each other with deeply rooted hatred.

"Gerold?", he made a hand motion.

"He was well."

"He was not well."

Gerold and Lucerys spoke at the same time and another furious look exchanged between them.

"Well, whether he is healthy or not, Oldtown had closed its borders and all of the merchant ships are basically trapped there.", Lord Chelsted took a deep breath. "This means disaster for both them and for us. Lord Leyton might die, this is no excuse for such a behaviour. Surely his council should know better than this."

"When a lord's health got worse and his heir is not present, his wife take over his duties.", Lucerys' eyes never left Gerold's. "If you want to blame someone, blame Rhea Florent."

"If something would happen to Leyton,", Gerold's voice was deadly. "Lord Tyrell would take over his duties as the Lord Paramount, until Baelor comes back. There isn't a reality that Alerie would let her go unsupervised. As you know well."

"She might be blinded by grief, if her father is dying."

"Leyton was present during the funeral, healthy-"

"He was plaer than Atera which I didn't know it was possible-"

"You are making things up-"

"You are refusing to see the truth-"

"He is fine!", Gerold roared. He was not going to loose two nephews in a span of a fortnight. With his outburst the rest of the council fell into silence. "He is fine.", he hissed this time. "Or else, I would know. Atera is in Oldtown, Arys is in Oldtown -one of them would write to me."

"What do you suggest us to do then?", Master of Coin turned to him. "Every minute those ships stays decked there, the crown loses tens of thousands."

"What do you suggest Chelsted?", he snapped at him. "Sent an army to Oldtown to relieve the fucking ships?"