Post by The Smith on Oct 8, 2008 20:25:44 GMT -5
King Rickon reread the letter from Lord Royce. It asked for a private meeting as soon as the King was available. The king had not expected to talk to Roland again after the way he left his council.
Uncrossing his legs he waited for his former hand to arrive. He knew Cedric was close by, most likely figuring out what was going on in this room. Rickon chuckled, he was sure that his Hand had a better idea of what was about to occur than did the King himself.
That afternoon, Ser Mychel Lannister came up to tell the King that Lord Roland Royce had arrived in the city. No less than fifteen minutes later, the Vale lord was ushered into the King's solar.
Roland was heavyset now, of a stouter build than Rickon remembered him. But then, he was older too, and life at Runestone was evidently less active than at the Bloody Gate or at King's Landing. He had travelled most swiftly to King's Landing, though, King Rickon noted.
Alongside him, making no attempt to disguise her blatant fear, was a matronly peasant woman, so terrified that the bulk of her remained firmly planted behind the Vale Lord, with only a set of wide, nervous eyes peering around his travel-worn cloak.
Roland bowed, and said quietly, "I am glad you could meet me, my lord. It was a most urgent request."
The King noticed that Roland did not call him 'Your Grace.'
Rickon stood, clearly confused, and studied the woman intently, for she was the most out of place among the many oddities that nagged at his attention, "Lord Roland, it is a pleasant surprise," he murmured graciously.
"I wish that this could have been a more pleasant meeting, but that could not be so," Roland said, his voice courteous, but grim. He was studying Rickon keenly. "This woman with me is Banna, a maid in the employ of Lady Hogg. Long ago, she was witness to a great treachery, and she has told this tale to none but myself and Lord Darien Greenstone. She is too frightened to tell it to you, however, so I shall do it for her.
"Fifteen years ago, Lady Hogg was in Queen Anya's chambers when the queen gave birth during the War of the Night's Watch. One son was born, and then another in quick succession. The maester was a man named Pollock, and he cleaned the babes and showed them to the queen. She took the smaller twin, the one with grey eyes, and sighed, "My sweet son, how strong the direwolf runs in you! You shall be Rickon, and the lord of all the realm."
Roland paused, his eyes meeting Rickon's steadily. The woman, Banna, was pale and staring at her feet, clearly frightened, yet Royce continued on, "Then Maester Pollock coughed and said, "Your Grace, that babe is actually the second born. Here is your firstborn," and he handed over the other child to her - who was your brother, Rodrick. Queen Anya and Lady Hogg stared at Maester Pollock, and the Queen Anya said in angry tones, "No, maester, you are wrong. It was Rickon who was born first, was it not?" She glared at him.
"Maester Pollock had more honesty than good sense, and insisted that Rodrick, the slightly larger twin, was born first, and that Rickon had come after. Lady Hogg and Banna had seen the birth; they knew the maester was right, but neither of them dared to speak. Finally the queen silenced Pollock and angrily dismissed him from her chamber. She ordered Banna to the bedside to tend to her.
"The next day Maester Pollock disappeared, never seen by anyone again. Lady Hogg, when she was drunk once, confided to Banna that the queen must have had Pollock murdered. For the day he disappeared, Queen Anya declared that she had given the realm an heir, Rickon Baratheon."
Roland fell silent, and gazed at Rickon.
The man who had been raised an heir to the mighty Iron Throne tilted his head at an odd angle, and froze. His eyes began flicking back and forth in his head. For a truly long time he remained completely quiet, all but frozen. Then he looked at Roland, "I find myself at a complete loss, Lord Royce."
"I was stunned too," Roland replied. "When I was thus informed, I immediately investigated Lady Hogg's death. I have proof that Lord Hogg was behind it, and that your mother has been sleeping with Lord Hogg for years. It is a casual affair though, nothing serious."
Rickon looked at Roland, and then closed his eyes, "I think your mountain of evidence is based on weak support. I should send for my mother." The color slowly drained from his face.
"You may, my lord," Roland said gravely. "I had wanted to speak with her; it seems best to do so now, with you present."
The King summoned a page, and commanded him to fetch his Queen mother. Moving back to his throne, Rickon sat, and raised a hand to his face, lost deep in thought.
Roland waited in grim, cold silence.
After almost a whole hour, Anya flitted in with a bouncing step. Seeing who was in the room she froze, and looked about piercingly. Taking measure of the room, she turned toward her son and said, "What is wrong, Ricky?"
Rickon said nothing but cast a baleful look at Roland, making sure to avoid his mother's eyes.
Roland Royce rose to his feet. Though older and heavier, he was still a tall, imposing man, and his eyes were like steel. "Anya Baratheon," he said. "Please sit down. You have much to answer for."
Banna was cowering behind Roland, but the Royce lord had no fear in him. "You are accused of treachery of the worst kind - a mother who betrayed her own son, lied to the realm, and denied the true king his throne."
Anya's eyes remained on the King, and she ignored Royce like he was not there. "What lies has this man been pouring into your ears. I love you, Ricky and there is nothing I would not do for you. But this claim is ridiculous, you must know that."
Rickon suddenly snapped up his head and stared into his mother's eyes. He said nothing but pierced into her with his cold stare. She returned it evenly, with a crooked, worried smile on her face.
Roland grabbed her by the arm, firmly but not roughly, and forced her into a chair. Then he stood in front of her, blocking Rickon from her, so that Anya could see only her accusor. "If you do not talk, Anya Baratheon, I swear by the old gods and the new that I will bring this matter before all the lords of the realm and tell your sorry tale; including your affair with Lord Hogg, to every nobleman in Westeros. I will see to it that Lady Falgrave removes your head for your treachery."
The King stepped forward in a flash and threw Lord Royce aside. Standing in front of his mother he commanded her, "Look me in the eye. Look me in the eye."
Anya's gaze suddenly turned on Roland, "I have long been hated, Royce. Whatever lies you have been told are simply intended to crush me into a fine dust."
Roland stared at the King, but did not say anything. At Anya's words, he said, "How convenient it is that Lady Hogg is dead at your lover's hand and Maester Pollock is dead, after they witnessed the birth of your sons. If Banna had not run for her life, she would not have had it much different."
"It's true," Banna said suddenly. "She did switch the babies."
Anya glared at Roland, "That woman has never worked for me. I have never seen her a once in my life. Believe me, Roland, you are a naive fool."
Rickon reached out and grabbed her face in his hand, turning her to look him in the eye. Rickon barked, "Look me in the fucking eye!"
Roland watched.
Anya looked him in the eye, for the briefest of moments, and then turned away again. She said nothing.
Rickon released her and began to walk back to his chair, and he said quietly, "Roland, what were you going to propose I do?"
"A trial before the lords of the realm," Roland said. "Let her fate, and that of the throne be decided."
Rickon stared at the ornate chair, that was moments before a throne. Raising a foot he place his boot against it and toppled it off of the dais. "That will not be necessary. I will abdicate, I will not steal a chair, or crown from my brother."
Roland gazed at him. "It might be safer if you abdicate, because switching kings could set a dangerous precedent if this was found out. Yet, it feels unjust, as if we are hiding the truth from the world when they deserve to know it."
Rickon looked at Roland, "What would be the outcome of a trial...? There would be chaos. My mother's insanity will not be allowed to hurt the whole realm." He grimaced and turned to Roland, "But she must not be harmed. She is truly insane, but she is my mother."
"It does not matter if she is your mother. She betrayed your father dozens of times, and she has done almost irreparable damage by switching you and Rodrick." Roland paced up and down.
"It is better for the stability of the realm if you remain king," Roland said quietly. "You say there would be chaos from a trial? There would be greater chaos from your abdication and Rodrick's ascension. Your mother did something wrong, but the result was safer for most of us. Your brother would throw this realm into anarchy."
Rickon shook his head, "You can not have it both ways. If you thought that, you would not be here now. And that woman would be buried in the Mountains. I must do what is right. I will abdicate."
Roland went to speak again, but Rickon waved his hand. Walking to the door he tore it open, and glared at the guard outside. "Go get my brother," he barked, and the guard hurried off to do as told; he did not hear Rickon silently add,"The King."
Results
King Rickon abdicates throne.
Prince Rodrick named King of the Seven Kingdoms.
Queen Mother Anya Baratheon disappears from the Red Keep.
The Lord Hand Cedric Lannister resigns and returns to the West.
Lord Roland Royce is locked in the Dungeons of the Red Keep, by the new King Rodrick.
Uncrossing his legs he waited for his former hand to arrive. He knew Cedric was close by, most likely figuring out what was going on in this room. Rickon chuckled, he was sure that his Hand had a better idea of what was about to occur than did the King himself.
That afternoon, Ser Mychel Lannister came up to tell the King that Lord Roland Royce had arrived in the city. No less than fifteen minutes later, the Vale lord was ushered into the King's solar.
Roland was heavyset now, of a stouter build than Rickon remembered him. But then, he was older too, and life at Runestone was evidently less active than at the Bloody Gate or at King's Landing. He had travelled most swiftly to King's Landing, though, King Rickon noted.
Alongside him, making no attempt to disguise her blatant fear, was a matronly peasant woman, so terrified that the bulk of her remained firmly planted behind the Vale Lord, with only a set of wide, nervous eyes peering around his travel-worn cloak.
Roland bowed, and said quietly, "I am glad you could meet me, my lord. It was a most urgent request."
The King noticed that Roland did not call him 'Your Grace.'
Rickon stood, clearly confused, and studied the woman intently, for she was the most out of place among the many oddities that nagged at his attention, "Lord Roland, it is a pleasant surprise," he murmured graciously.
"I wish that this could have been a more pleasant meeting, but that could not be so," Roland said, his voice courteous, but grim. He was studying Rickon keenly. "This woman with me is Banna, a maid in the employ of Lady Hogg. Long ago, she was witness to a great treachery, and she has told this tale to none but myself and Lord Darien Greenstone. She is too frightened to tell it to you, however, so I shall do it for her.
"Fifteen years ago, Lady Hogg was in Queen Anya's chambers when the queen gave birth during the War of the Night's Watch. One son was born, and then another in quick succession. The maester was a man named Pollock, and he cleaned the babes and showed them to the queen. She took the smaller twin, the one with grey eyes, and sighed, "My sweet son, how strong the direwolf runs in you! You shall be Rickon, and the lord of all the realm."
Roland paused, his eyes meeting Rickon's steadily. The woman, Banna, was pale and staring at her feet, clearly frightened, yet Royce continued on, "Then Maester Pollock coughed and said, "Your Grace, that babe is actually the second born. Here is your firstborn," and he handed over the other child to her - who was your brother, Rodrick. Queen Anya and Lady Hogg stared at Maester Pollock, and the Queen Anya said in angry tones, "No, maester, you are wrong. It was Rickon who was born first, was it not?" She glared at him.
"Maester Pollock had more honesty than good sense, and insisted that Rodrick, the slightly larger twin, was born first, and that Rickon had come after. Lady Hogg and Banna had seen the birth; they knew the maester was right, but neither of them dared to speak. Finally the queen silenced Pollock and angrily dismissed him from her chamber. She ordered Banna to the bedside to tend to her.
"The next day Maester Pollock disappeared, never seen by anyone again. Lady Hogg, when she was drunk once, confided to Banna that the queen must have had Pollock murdered. For the day he disappeared, Queen Anya declared that she had given the realm an heir, Rickon Baratheon."
Roland fell silent, and gazed at Rickon.
The man who had been raised an heir to the mighty Iron Throne tilted his head at an odd angle, and froze. His eyes began flicking back and forth in his head. For a truly long time he remained completely quiet, all but frozen. Then he looked at Roland, "I find myself at a complete loss, Lord Royce."
"I was stunned too," Roland replied. "When I was thus informed, I immediately investigated Lady Hogg's death. I have proof that Lord Hogg was behind it, and that your mother has been sleeping with Lord Hogg for years. It is a casual affair though, nothing serious."
Rickon looked at Roland, and then closed his eyes, "I think your mountain of evidence is based on weak support. I should send for my mother." The color slowly drained from his face.
"You may, my lord," Roland said gravely. "I had wanted to speak with her; it seems best to do so now, with you present."
The King summoned a page, and commanded him to fetch his Queen mother. Moving back to his throne, Rickon sat, and raised a hand to his face, lost deep in thought.
Roland waited in grim, cold silence.
After almost a whole hour, Anya flitted in with a bouncing step. Seeing who was in the room she froze, and looked about piercingly. Taking measure of the room, she turned toward her son and said, "What is wrong, Ricky?"
Rickon said nothing but cast a baleful look at Roland, making sure to avoid his mother's eyes.
Roland Royce rose to his feet. Though older and heavier, he was still a tall, imposing man, and his eyes were like steel. "Anya Baratheon," he said. "Please sit down. You have much to answer for."
Banna was cowering behind Roland, but the Royce lord had no fear in him. "You are accused of treachery of the worst kind - a mother who betrayed her own son, lied to the realm, and denied the true king his throne."
Anya's eyes remained on the King, and she ignored Royce like he was not there. "What lies has this man been pouring into your ears. I love you, Ricky and there is nothing I would not do for you. But this claim is ridiculous, you must know that."
Rickon suddenly snapped up his head and stared into his mother's eyes. He said nothing but pierced into her with his cold stare. She returned it evenly, with a crooked, worried smile on her face.
Roland grabbed her by the arm, firmly but not roughly, and forced her into a chair. Then he stood in front of her, blocking Rickon from her, so that Anya could see only her accusor. "If you do not talk, Anya Baratheon, I swear by the old gods and the new that I will bring this matter before all the lords of the realm and tell your sorry tale; including your affair with Lord Hogg, to every nobleman in Westeros. I will see to it that Lady Falgrave removes your head for your treachery."
The King stepped forward in a flash and threw Lord Royce aside. Standing in front of his mother he commanded her, "Look me in the eye. Look me in the eye."
Anya's gaze suddenly turned on Roland, "I have long been hated, Royce. Whatever lies you have been told are simply intended to crush me into a fine dust."
Roland stared at the King, but did not say anything. At Anya's words, he said, "How convenient it is that Lady Hogg is dead at your lover's hand and Maester Pollock is dead, after they witnessed the birth of your sons. If Banna had not run for her life, she would not have had it much different."
"It's true," Banna said suddenly. "She did switch the babies."
Anya glared at Roland, "That woman has never worked for me. I have never seen her a once in my life. Believe me, Roland, you are a naive fool."
Rickon reached out and grabbed her face in his hand, turning her to look him in the eye. Rickon barked, "Look me in the fucking eye!"
Roland watched.
Anya looked him in the eye, for the briefest of moments, and then turned away again. She said nothing.
Rickon released her and began to walk back to his chair, and he said quietly, "Roland, what were you going to propose I do?"
"A trial before the lords of the realm," Roland said. "Let her fate, and that of the throne be decided."
Rickon stared at the ornate chair, that was moments before a throne. Raising a foot he place his boot against it and toppled it off of the dais. "That will not be necessary. I will abdicate, I will not steal a chair, or crown from my brother."
Roland gazed at him. "It might be safer if you abdicate, because switching kings could set a dangerous precedent if this was found out. Yet, it feels unjust, as if we are hiding the truth from the world when they deserve to know it."
Rickon looked at Roland, "What would be the outcome of a trial...? There would be chaos. My mother's insanity will not be allowed to hurt the whole realm." He grimaced and turned to Roland, "But she must not be harmed. She is truly insane, but she is my mother."
"It does not matter if she is your mother. She betrayed your father dozens of times, and she has done almost irreparable damage by switching you and Rodrick." Roland paced up and down.
"It is better for the stability of the realm if you remain king," Roland said quietly. "You say there would be chaos from a trial? There would be greater chaos from your abdication and Rodrick's ascension. Your mother did something wrong, but the result was safer for most of us. Your brother would throw this realm into anarchy."
Rickon shook his head, "You can not have it both ways. If you thought that, you would not be here now. And that woman would be buried in the Mountains. I must do what is right. I will abdicate."
Roland went to speak again, but Rickon waved his hand. Walking to the door he tore it open, and glared at the guard outside. "Go get my brother," he barked, and the guard hurried off to do as told; he did not hear Rickon silently add,"The King."
Results
King Rickon abdicates throne.
Prince Rodrick named King of the Seven Kingdoms.
Queen Mother Anya Baratheon disappears from the Red Keep.
The Lord Hand Cedric Lannister resigns and returns to the West.
Lord Roland Royce is locked in the Dungeons of the Red Keep, by the new King Rodrick.