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Post by Gandalf on Jun 18, 2020 11:04:50 GMT -5
Kettleblack's days in Dragonstone were long and dull. At dawn, broth was taken down to the prisoners, the sworn brothers of the Kingsguard all sharing the dungeons. A physician came in to look at Trant, who was feverish and delirious; the wound was infected, and he was on the edge of life and death. The guards would spend the morning playing dice, before they were replaced by another group. They would also play dice. More broth was brought, with bread and ale. Then, it was night. Guards played dice again. Trant moaned and groaned from his wounds. Boros complained from a bad belly, or from being hungry. Tyrell was in his own quarters, upstairs, still under guard but in a rather more comfortable environment than the dungeons. After all, he was the Queen's brother.
One day, more guards came down than usual. Osmund's cell door was opened. They hauled him up to his feet, still bound and tied, and brought him up to the Lord of the Waters. Aurane was waiting in his solar, once used by Stannis Baratheon; Waters had replaced the dour decorations with gaudy paintings and plundered tapestries. A table was laid out for them both.
"Sit, Kettleblack."
Aurane commanded. A plate of venison had been laid out for the Kingsguard knight. Sellswords were on every door, with two at Aurane's side. He stood by his own chair.
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Post by oznerol on Jun 18, 2020 11:07:57 GMT -5
Kettleblack's days in Dragonstone were long and dull. At dawn, broth was taken down to the prisoners, the sworn brothers of the Kingsguard all sharing the dungeons. A physician came in to look at Trant, who was feverish and delirious; the wound was infected, and he was on the edge of life and death. The guards would spend the morning playing dice, before they were replaced by another group. They would also play dice. More broth was brought, with bread and ale. Then, it was night. Guards played dice again. Trant moaned and groaned from his wounds. Boros complained from a bad belly, or from being hungry. Tyrell was in his own quarters, upstairs, still under guard but in a rather more comfortable environment than the dungeons. After all, he was the Queen's brother. One day, more guards came down than usual. Osmund's cell door was opened. They hauled him up to his feet, still bound and tied, and brought him up to the Lord of the Waters. Aurane was waiting in his solar, once used by Stannis Baratheon; Waters had replaced the dour decorations with gaudy paintings and plundered tapestries. A table was laid out for them both. "Sit, Kettleblack."Aurane commanded. A plate of venison had been laid out for the Kingsguard knight. Sellswords were on every door, with two at Aurane's side. He stood by his own chair. They had known each other. Aurane was a queen's darling, once, just like him; with the difference he had laid with her and... the bastard? Probably not.Yet, Osmund always thought Cersei was infatuated with the Valyrian, if she could ever feel as much for someone that wasn't herself. He does not think about the decorations, which stood like a sore thumb in the carved walls, but he did find wondrous how large this man's nutsack must be, all things considered: stole the royal fleet and used the said fleet to build himself a petty kingdom. Admirable, he had to admit. He remains still looking at the Velaryon bastard, wondering why and how he was here.
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 18, 2020 11:18:18 GMT -5
"Much has changed since our last meeting."
Waters sat and tucked into his own meal, taking a draught of wine to wash down his bread. Dornish Red, for Arbor Gold was getting harder to come by.
"While I am very concerned about your health and such, I did not bring you here to mince pleasantries. I want to buy your loyalty, Kettleblack. I know quite a few have had it in the past."
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Post by oznerol on Jun 18, 2020 11:57:03 GMT -5
"Much has changed since our last meeting."Waters sat and tucked into his own meal, taking a draught of wine to wash down his bread. Dornish Red, for Arbor Gold was getting harder to come by. "While I am very concerned about your health and such, I did not bring you here to mince pleasantries. I want to buy your loyalty, Kettleblack. I know quite a few have had it in the past." Said the knight with a cruel scowl. "I wear the white now, you should have tried with my brothers. Well, with the one still standing, the other I've heard is pretty much meat for the executioner right now"
He said with cold eyes. "You cannot bribe me, Waters. I can hold no land, have no riches and no spouse can I claim"Osmund shrugs. "Downsides of wearing this cloak"
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 19, 2020 10:13:14 GMT -5
"Cersei is dead. Do you think Mace Tyrell will look kindly on you, who was party to her plot to fuck the Tyrell girl?"
Aurane grinned, picking up his dagger and slicing off a chunk of venison.
"You won't survive. Not without me."
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Post by oznerol on Jun 19, 2020 10:57:09 GMT -5
"Cersei is dead. Do you think Mace Tyrell will look kindly on you, who was party to her plot to fuck the Tyrell girl?"Aurane grinned, picking up his dagger and slicing off a chunk of venison. "You won't survive. Not without me." He said, pouring himself some wine.
"Oh well, seen like that..."Kettleback drinks. "And what do you suggest, Waters?"
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 19, 2020 11:34:56 GMT -5
"He won't like me, either, I reckon. The King cannot be returned to the Red Keep, or we are both done for."
Waters had sold them a story, but he doubted that they would buy it.
"The fool should be thanking me. Now the Tyrells have King's Landing by the balls."
Still, they had his son. Battered and burned though he was.
"You are going to play along. Be my go-between with the Tyrells. We play for time, and keep the king on Dragonstone."
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Post by oznerol on Jun 19, 2020 11:47:15 GMT -5
"I'm used to that role"
He said, chewing meat.
"Which song do you want me to sing for them?"
Kettleback added.
"I agree, we could lose our heads very quick and I'm rather fond of mine"
He sips wine.
"One of my brothers still is at the capital, hopefully with quite a few Goldcloaks behind his back"
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 19, 2020 12:56:23 GMT -5
"They will want to know the king is alive."
Waters mused, wrestling with a particularly tough slice of meat.
"And Lord Oaf will want his son back, no doubt. They will try to get me on dry land, and cut off my head for their trouble."
He pointed the knife at Osmund.
"I will send you back, a token of my good faith. Tell them I want to swap prisoners. Loras and Tommen for Myrcella, with a royal pardon. Then say that you know how to get the King off Dragonstone, and come back to me, with whatever fool they send to keep an eye on you. I want to know who is in the city, with how many men, and what they are doing. Do not talk to your brother yet, or it will arouse suspicions."
Aurane waved his hand flippantly.
"We shall drop you off down the coast, near Rosby. You can ride in the city from there."
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Post by oznerol on Jun 20, 2020 3:44:58 GMT -5
"They will want to know the king is alive."Waters mused, wrestling with a particularly tough slice of meat. "And Lord Oaf will want his son back, no doubt. They will try to get me on dry land, and cut off my head for their trouble."He pointed the knife at Osmund. "I will send you back, a token of my good faith. Tell them I want to swap prisoners. Loras and Tommen for Myrcella, with a royal pardon. Then say that you know how to get the King off Dragonstone, and come back to me, with whatever fool they send to keep an eye on you. I want to know who is in the city, with how many men, and what they are doing. Do not talk to your brother yet, or it will arouse suspicions."Aurane waved his hand flippantly. "We shall drop you off down the coast, near Rosby. You can ride in the city from there."
Kettleback smiled:
"I'd have your head if I were them, as soon as you set foot anywhere"He cuts some venison and starts chewing it. "You want the princess? She's too young to be wed, I warn you. But, I guess a king is a good exchange for a lass, no matter she could wear a crown and... she will grow"Ambitious twat. "And what do I have to tell about the attack? I can't say you straight up rampaged into the keep, that'll make the bargain harder to come by"--- The old steward returns, by the same means than the first time. Payment had been sent from Gulltown, week by week, in the shape of chests of coin -derived from shipments of grain sold at the town at Baelish behest once the prices had inflated dramatically- and the letters of ownership of two shipping companies, now in the name of Waters.
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 20, 2020 7:23:39 GMT -5
"Tell them it was the dragon, and I came upon his ships and stole his prize. That ought to sit a little better."
Waters shrugged, with an easy smirk and a mouthful of bread.
"If they are smart, they will bargain, especially with a dragon roaring in the Stormlands and Stannis ruling in Winterfell. He's iron, that bastard. I knew he would come back."
Aurane wagged an admonishing finger.
"I would have sold my sails and this boy king to him, if he wasn't such a prude. The old bastard would have my hide for bending my knee to Joffrey before accepting my help."
He stopped chewing for a moment, washing down the food with wine.
"Who did you serve before the bitch queen, Kettleblack? The Imp? Where did he dig you up, I wonder."
--
The steward is brought into the Lord of the Waters's solar, ironically where his son had been eating only a few days before. The chests had been brought up to him, along with the letters of ownership, which his eyes poured over greedily.
"Baelish is a cunning bastard, isn't he? Truly has his fingers in every hole."
Waters grinned wolfishly.
"I can't give up the boy king yet, or my head will be on a spike. But I suspect he wants me to keep Tommen for a while."
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Post by oznerol on Jun 20, 2020 7:39:43 GMT -5
"Tell them it was the dragon, and I came upon his ships and stole his prize. That ought to sit a little better."Waters shrugged, with an easy smirk and a mouthful of bread. "If they are smart, they will bargain, especially with a dragon roaring in the Stormlands and Stannis ruling in Winterfell. He's iron, that bastard. I knew he would come back."Aurane wagged an admonishing finger. "I would have sold my sails and this boy king to him, if he wasn't such a prude. The old bastard would have my hide for bending my knee to Joffrey before accepting my help."He stopped chewing for a moment, washing down the food with wine. "Who did you serve before the bitch queen, Kettleblack? The Imp? Where did he dig you up, I wonder."-- The steward is brought into the Lord of the Waters's solar, ironically where his son had been eating only a few days before. The chests had been brought up to him, along with the letters of ownership, which his eyes poured over greedily. "Baelish is a cunning bastard, isn't he? Truly has his fingers in every hole."Waters grinned wolfishly. "I can't give up the boy king yet, or my head will be on a spike. But I suspect he wants me to keep Tommen for a while." Said Kettleback, chewing. "Stannis does not bend. I still remember his relentless assault on the capital. Grejoys might not plant grain and say as much on their arms, Stannis should change his for 'we do not kneel'. Hoary bastard, he and his red whore be dammed"He poured himself more wine. Red veins were starting to appear on his hooked nose. "I come from the Fingers. The smallest and shittiest of them all"He said, with a smile, sorting out his plate with the fork. ---
"One doesn't get to own a brothel without learning a few tricks"
The steward smiled. The hooked nose and face Aurane had seen repeated elsewhere. "Don't. We have to play a charade. Lord Tyrell will fart and threat, it's known, but Baelish will soon sing another song. You can pretend to be negotiating and present yourselves as saviors of the boy king, with Baelish as the golden go-in-between"He clasps his hands. "If ya came by the Lord Protector's hand and he declares you're not a bloody farce -which you're, no offense, mah lord, we all make this for a living- and pushes for you, they shall swallow their sweet poison like it was damn ambrosia poured from a Dornish woman's tights"
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 20, 2020 7:53:51 GMT -5
"I have heard that story somewhere before."
Aurane raised an eyebrow.
"Tyrell is not smart. So we have time. Time enough to let him fumble his way out of power, until he needs my sails and my men more than his pride."
It was not Tyrell he feared. It was another that might take his place. Waters set down his knife and fork.
"So, there it is. If you would serve, Kettleblack, we may both come out of this stinking like roses."
--
"We do. I will keep the boy, for now. Tyrell will fart, and I will see which way the winds blow."
Aurane had time on his side, for now.
"Mayhaps the wind will blow me to Gulltown."
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Post by oznerol on Jun 20, 2020 8:42:58 GMT -5
"I have heard that story somewhere before."Aurane raised an eyebrow. "Tyrell is not smart. So we have time. Time enough to let him fumble his way out of power, until he needs my sails and my men more than his pride."It was not Tyrell he feared. It was another that might take his place. Waters set down his knife and fork. "So, there it is. If you would serve, Kettleblack, we may both come out of this stinking like roses."-- "We do. I will keep the boy, for now. Tyrell will fart, and I will see which way the winds blow."Aurane had time on his side, for now. "Mayhaps the wind will blow me to Gulltown." He drinks again, close to being more than slightly drunk.
"Aye, someone among Tyrell might come to their senses. Hear me, the queen is not her father, she's smart enough. I've seen"His tongue was getting clumsy and heavy. "Far smarter than Cersei ever was"
He ended the garrison and swallowed it down, pouring more wine down his throat.
"With good luck, aye... Perfumed assholes we'll be"Kettleback looks at Waters. "I want to know... did you screw her? Bedded the golden-haired bitch?"--- "Perhaps"Said the old steward with his lowborn accent and tongue.
"Lord Baelish sends you his regards and want to be kept informed about Tyrell's attempts at negotiating"Then, his face changed for a second. "Lord Waters, I wanna know if mah son is well, I heard you captured the Kingsguard. Baelish granted me this, to vouch for him and his release"
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 20, 2020 9:36:12 GMT -5
"I did not." Confessed Waters, with a candid smile, "She was too old for me, and stank of bad wine. Nothing worth dying for."
Aurane had left the city as soon as he had caught wind of her imprisonment, guessing what would happen next to the Queen's favourites. Absconding with the navy had almost been too easy.
"She would let any old fool into her bed. No offence. I mean, the bitch fucked her own brother and made this whole mess for herself."
If she had just one black haired boy, neither Stannis or Renly would have risen in rebellion.
---
"Osmund is fine. He has been sent as my envoy. Neither he nor the kingsguard shall be harmed."
Replied Waters, finally recalling where he'd seen the same crooked nose and black-hearted scowl.
"Give Baelish my regards."
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