Chapter 24: Part XXIVNotes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing for a while.
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"In hindsight it seems obvious that soldiers who had fought armies of walking corpses led by ice-demons weren't going to be particularly intimidated by what they saw as a bunch of barbarian horsemen mixed in with eunuchs carrying spears and a few flying lizards…"
Ser Jorah Mormont – 318 AL
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The Red Keep - King's Landing – 298 AL
Given the woman's predilection for hanging around outside his chambers Octavian was by no means surprised to find her there waiting for him with a pleased and expectant expression on her face when Sandor Clegane opened the door to let him out. Unlike on most mornings however the presence of the Lady Melisandre was convenient rather than politically irritating, and besides which he was in too good a mood after the vote yesterday to let a little thing like a crazed religious fanatic dampen his spirits.
Also waiting patiently for his emergence was Ser Barristan Selmy, the man pointedly doing his best to ignore the woman as much as was possible within the bounds of basic civility and the rules of chivalry. "Good Morning, Your Grace" Selmy greeted him with a suitably martial nod of the head rather than the obsequious bow that another man might have. "Did you sleep well?" he asked politely.
"Very well Ser Barristan" Octavian confirmed. "Good thing too as it'll be a busy day today" he said. "I trust you are well this morning?"
"In fine health, Your Grace" Barristan confirmed. "Will you be attending the Small Council later?" he asked.
"Of course" Octavian confirmed. "And despite the inevitable lengthy analysis of who voted which way and why I hope it won't be as tedious for you as some of the other meetings have been since you started attending again" he added before turning his attention to the priestess. "And a Good Morning to you too, Lady Melisandre" he finally acknowledged her presence and greeted her.
"Good Morning, Your Grace" Melisandre responded with a smile that Octavian was certain would be short-lived.
"I am arranging for you to visit the Great Sept of Baelor tomorrow morning, there to meet the High Septon and those members of the Council of the Most Devout that are available" Octavian told her. "When you do, you will apologise for the burning of the statues of the Seven and ask forgiveness for denigrating the religion of the majority of people in Westeros" he commanded.
Melisandre's jaw practically dropped. "I will do no such thing!" she exclaimed in shock before her usual measured self-control reasserted itself. "I was merely doing the rightful work of a true follower of the Lord of Light" she stated in her more typically serene manner.
"If you do not apologise to the High Septon you will be placed on the next ship heading to Essos, and I will give orders that if you ever return you will be thrown into a cell while I figure out what else to do with you" Octavian informed the woman sternly.
"Very wise, Your Grace" Ser Barristan observed, the hint of a wry smile on his face.
"I do not recognise their false gods" Melisandre protested, her calm façade faltering once again.
"Then may I suggest that when you arrive at the Great Sept of Baelor you take a close look at the faces of the statues therein to aid your recognition in future" Octavian sardonically replied. "You don't believe in the Seven but their followers don't believe in R'hllor either and it would be greatly in my interests, and in the interests of all Westeros, if people with different beliefs could get along with each other" he continued. "In short, I will not tolerate religious intolerance, so either do as you're told or I'll have you deported forthwith" he told her in a tone that indicated this was not open for negotiation.
Melisandre blinked. "But what if they don't accept my apology?" she asked plaintively. While the Lord of Light always appreciated a good sacrifice from a more personal perspective the prospect of being burned at the stake herself by angry clerics was none too appealing.
"They will, I'll talk to them in advance, but you'd better expect a few harsh words and be ready to accept them in good grace" Octavian told her. Fortunately the High Septon was known to be corrupt so it shouldn't be too hard to persuade him to be lenient as long as the motivation was sufficient.
The red priestess collected herself. "As Azor Ahai commands" she acquiesced with a bow.
"Good, now you had better go get working on that apology and practice looking contrite in the mirror hadn't you" Octavian advised her as if talking to a child. "Next order of business I think" he said brightly, clapping his hands together. "On to the Lord Regent's quarters" he declared haughtily, striding off with his bodyguard Sandor Clegane and an amused looking Ser Barristan following on behind.
"I miss believing that Stannis Baratheon was the chosen one of R'hllor" Melisandre muttered to herself sadly as she pondered whether or not wearing a dress that showed plenty of cleavage would be a positive or negative when dealing with the High Septon.
Eddard Stark, now also confirmed in his own role as Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm, had then made clear to everyone that with the Great Council now formally dissolved the crown coffers would no longer being paying the living expenses of the multitude of greater and lesser noble houses temporarily residing in King's Landing so if they wanted to stay for the coronation they would fund doing so out of their own pockets. Robert Baratheon was no longer the king and his spendthrift ways were over.
Lord Stark also made it clear that the tournament to be held in honour of the coronation would also not be offering prizes of tens of thousands of gold dragons. Needless to say this resulted in a few murmured complaints about skinflint bloody northerners and the old joke being much repeated that the copper wire sometimes used by maesters in their experiments was invented accidentally by two members of House Stark arguing over a penny.
Although the way some of the Houses had voted, or had not voted, the day before had been surprising in the end the overwhelming majority had cast their ballots in favour of Joffrey. Or perhaps it would be more correct to say in many cases they voted against Stannis and Joffrey merely benefitted by default. Regardless of motivation however the succession to the Iron Throne was now clear and other matters needed to be attended to immediately, including what to do with the failed rival for the crown.
"Wait outside please Ser Barristan. You too Clegane" Octavian requested as they eventually arrived at their destination, the guards at the door belonging to Lord Stark's retinue bowing to him before they opened the door.
Octavian knew that appearance was important, he was an actor on the greatest stage of all, so he made sure to wear a grave expression as he entered Eddard Stark's office. "Lord Regent" he greeted the man himself. "Lord Stannis" he went on to acknowledge the third person in the room. "I'm glad to see you accepted our invitation to meet."
"Your Grace" Eddard Stark responded, rising from the chair he had been sat on facing Stannis Baratheon, the latter scowling and not initially following suit. "Whether you're happy or not with the title a man holds you should still respect the title itself Lord Stannis" Stark observed reprovingly.
Stannis frowned for a moment. "You're right of course Lord Stark" he conceded, rising to his feet. "Your Grace" he greeted Octavian properly, albeit grudgingly. The Great Council had voted the wrong way, denied him what was his by right, but their erroneous decision was legally binding nonetheless Stannis considered glumly.
"With your approval Lord Regent, I think this might go better if we dispense with a few formalities and speak plainly" Octavian suggested, looking to Eddard Stark for agreement.
"I'll never object to plain speaking as long as due respect is shown to all parties" Eddard Stark concurred.
Stannis retook his seat once Octavian took his own and looked at the young man askance. "If we're speaking plainly then I'll save you the bother of asking if I'm going to pay you homage at your coronation because I won't" he stated firmly. "The Great Council might have voted you the Iron Throne but just because it's your legally doesn't make it yours rightfully" he maintained.
"You know that might be considered a treasonous attitude Uncle Stannis" Octavian pointed out placidly.
"You're no nephew of mine, boy" Stannis responded coldly.
"As might that statement as well" Octavian noted, smiling regardless. "Fortunately while you don't believe I'm your brother's son I do believe that" he lied. "As such I don't want the blood of my own kin on my hands and I am therefore willing to go a long way to keep them clean."
"Just say what it is you're going to say and I can turn you down and get on with my business" Stannis told him. "I'm only here because Lord Stark requested this meeting on your behalf and he's a man of honour that I respect."
Octavian nodded. "Very well, Lord Stannis, here is my offer" he began. "If you agree to offer me fealty at my coronation then afterwards you can return home to your family as Lord of Dragonstone and given your proven war record in defeating the Ironborn fleet a decade ago you might even get to keep your position on the Small Council as Master-of-Ships."
"I'd sooner face the executioner's block than bend the knee to a bastard" Stannis told him sternly. "Since we're speaking plainly" he added, looking to Eddard Stark who was now glaring at him for the insult to the new king.
"Do you actually want to die?" Octavian asked rhetorically. "There are numerous people in the Seven Kingdoms that would consider my offer insanely generous given the circumstances" he said. "And even more that would advocate your head being set on a pike."
"Just because men of less principle would do a thing has no bearing on whether I would, and I'm not afraid to die" Stannis told him honestly. "So is this the point when you threaten my wife and daughter in order to get me to comply or does that come later?" he speculated.
"I'm not going to threaten a nine year girl, still less one that's my own cousin" Octavian responded, sounding annoyed at the implication that he might. "Part of the reason I'm willing to be so generous with my terms is that there are enough fatherless children in the Baratheon family already" he said, looking sad for a moment as it was important to send the right signals. "And before you say that Shireen isn't my cousin I'll pre-emptively get in my reply that your thoughts on the matter have no bearing on whether or not I believe she is, and that's what actually matters as regards me caring about her welfare."
Unable to think of a good comeback that wasn't obscene Stannis ground his teeth. The boy was definitely a better talker than he was, which was of course why the smug little sod had chosen to win the throne by arguing not fighting.
"These are very generous terms Lord Stannis" Eddard Stark noted. He also suspected that Tywin Lannister would regard them as overly lenient in the extreme given that Stannis had raised an army in order to try and take the throne and had brought it to King's Landing.
Stannis looked away. "I'll not bend the knee" he said more quietly. He might not have the Iron Throne, which should be his by right, but nobody could strip him of his honour.
Octavian sighed. "Very well, here's an alternate proposal. If you agree to take the black of the Night's Watch it will be seen as wiping the slate clean as regards past events" he began. "Also if you set out north before the day of the coronation you can avoid having to swear fealty without being seen to have blatantly transgressed against the throne" he continued. "Your daughter Shireen will inherit your lands, becoming Lady of Dragonstone, but I'm afraid she will have to live here in the Red Keep as my ward until she comes of age."
"While a man you appoint rules Dragonstone you mean" Stannis replied knowingly. "And later you get to choose her future husband" he observed. "No, I'm not going to make it that easy for you."
"Easy?" Octavian exclaimed. "You're just lucky I'm so willing to go a long way not to kill you" he responded through now gritted teeth. "Alright, how about if you get to appoint the man who rules Dragonstone until Shireen's majority, and she gets to choose who she marries" he offered. "With this agreement documented, signed and sealed so as to be binding?"
Although not a man prone to ever outwardly show his emotions Stannis was surprised enough at the concession to raise his eyebrows. Either the boy was weaker than he thought or else he really did think they were related. Running it through his mind Stannis wondered if he could push even further and decided to try his luck. "And Shireen gets to stay in Dragonstone" he went fishing for more.
"Not a chance" Octavian replied curtly. "Many Houses will see her as heir to a rebel so she needs to be kept under scrutiny here in case she becomes a rallying point for future agitation against my rule" he said. "Incidentally I hope you're aware of the irony that I seem to be making more effort to keep you alive than you do" he remarked.
Not that weak then, Stannis thought to himself. "Perhaps you're more sentimental than I am" he replied.
"Highly likely, although by reputation there are inanimate objects that would be true for as well" Octavian replied wryly.
Stannis narrowed his eyes. "Don't mock me boy" he warned. The law of Sacred Hospitality might stay his hand from giving the obnoxious little twerp a much deserved slap but then again it might not if his temper got the better of him. Stannis Baratheon was a controlled man but he wasn't bereft of emotion, he merely suppressed them and recent events had stretched his ability to do so to breaking point. His old habit of grinding his teeth as a form of catharsis only helped so much.
"Mocking you won me the Iron Throne" Octavian retorted sarcastically, regretting saying it instantly and not just because of the look of quiet rage it provoked in Stannis. "I'm sorry, that was ill-mannered of me to say" he apologised. If true regardless, he thought to himself.
Eddard Stark decided it was wise to intercede. "If Shireen was to become my ward rather than the kings would that be more acceptable?" he asked Stannis, trying to reach an acceptable compromise and realising that the visceral hatred Stannis held for the boy he thought a usurper was a major stumbling block. "She would still live here at the Red Keep but be under my supervision and raised alongside my own daughters."
Anything was better than for his daughter to be given up into the hands of a bastard born of incest Stannis considered, excepting perhaps entrusting her to Renly whose betrayal by not coming to his side like a brother should was hard to stomach. "With your word of honour that you would look after her best interests Lord Stark?" he requested.
"I would swear it before the Old Gods and the New" the Lord Regent confirmed.
Stannis nodded, no man who valued honour and knew of his reputation would ever question the word of Eddard Stark. "Agreed then" he said simply. "Will I have time to see my wife and daughter before I have to set out for the wall?" he asked, sounding as if he were not emotionally invested either way although he genuinely did love his daughter very much, despite always finding it hard to show it to her outwardly. An outcome that meant Shireen was safe and would still inherit Dragonstone, if not the Seven Kingdoms, while his own honour was not sacrificed was as good as he could have hoped for.
"I think that Lord Stark will concur with me that politically it would be best if you didn't return to Dragonstone" Octavian responded, "but we can have them collected and brought here before the coronation so you can say your farewells before heading north."
Stannis nodded. "I will have a raven sent to notify my family but it would be as well to let whoever fetches them know that my wife can be…" he paused, "difficult" he warned.
Given that informants working for Varys reported that Selsye Baratheon kept the preserved remains of her stillborn sons in jars "Deranged" would be a better description of the woman in Octavian's opinion than merely "Difficult", but he understood why Stannis would wish to downplay her foibles.
On the plus side while Shireen would remain in King's Landing by necessity her mother could be sent straight back to Dragonstone after the coronation, making her the problem of whatever poor unfortunate Stannis Baratheon entrusted his estate to until his daughter came of age, Octavian thought with relief.
All things considered this had gone well, he decided. Hopefully his meeting with Balon Greyjoy next would be equally as productive.
Notes:
Note from the Author:
The High Septon is the highest position with the clergy of the Faith of the Seven and is based at the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing. Supporting him are the council of the Most Devout.
Regardless of the outcome of the Great Council I just couldn't see Stannis being willing to bend the knee to a boy he sees as a bastard born of incest. Fortunately the option of taking the black and joining the Night's Watch was available to avoid an even worse fate.