Great Hall

[Ollie]

Warren paused, and gazed at the queen with bemusement. "Your Grace? What is the spouse to a Queen but not a King?" he questioned, looking to the Lord Hand expectantly as if he would corroborate the statement.

"If you feel so inclined, you might offer the title of..." the Lord Marbrand gestured in the air, as if searching for the appropriate words. "The title of 'King Consort'."

[Marie]

Rhaenys frowned.

"No, I will have no kings while I am queen. A king implies a man who rules in his own right, as it has always been, until now. A queen is more usually the consort of a king, but I am a queen regnant so the common rules do not apply. I had thought Prince Consort, perhaps."

[Deleted]

"What about Regent, your Majesty? Or perhaps, Chancellor?" Saenarys had been all over the world and had seen many modes of address. All to make men feel more important.

Might as well style him 'Vice-King', for all the good it will do.

[Marie]

"No, they won't do. The rank of chancellor is unheard of here in Westeros and would have no meaning to the people and a Regent rules on behalf of someone who cannot."

Rhaenys sighed and turned sad eyes on her brother.

"Would you have our people think me incompetent, Saenerys?"

[Deleted]

"Meaning no offense, how does it look if you must call a meeting to discuss your husband's title if not incompetent? I mean not to ignite your ire, but it is simply a game of names. Why not have him be called King and be done with it?" Saenarys eyed the assembly."It makes no difference what a person's title be, it is their countenance that folk follow. You could be called "Overlord" and still your people would pay homage to you if you act as what they deign a ruler." Saenarys paused.

"A Queen's husband is a King." He said. "Call him Hand, call him whatever you wish. The people will call him a King, save if you change your title as well. 'Tis silly to call a spade anything other than a spade."

[Ollie]

Warren raised two fingers into the air and waved them a bit, as if making note of his next comment. "I'm still in favor of King Consort," he added dryly with a smirk. "Lord Consort fits just as well."

[Marie]

"This spade is female," Rhaenys answered firmly. "To all intends and purposes I am the king, yet I was born female so I must be called queen. That is why I would have my husband given another title, so that the people understand the position is reversed. I can see that you do not understand, brother, but it's important to me, and I would have the support of my Small Council in this. That is why I am bringing it up now rather than simply making the decision alone. I wished to see if there were any suggestions of which I approved. As it is, does anyone object to Lord Marbrand's suggestion of Lord Consort, if Selwyn is willing to adopt that rank?"

She looked around the table.

[Deleted]

"Yes, sister. I know nothing of titles." Saenarys smiled though, wry as it was.

"Do you intend to keep him as Hand after the marriage?"

[Marie]

She smiled briefly at Selwyn.

"Of course. I know a king would not make his bride his hand but my circumstances are different. I see no need to offer another man the post when my husband is the best man for it."

[Deleted]

"Then call him the Hand and your Royal Husband, and all is well, your Majesty." Saenarys said. "That seems to make the most sense. No need to muddy it up with synonyms."

[Marie]

"I shall call him Hand and Lord Consort," she decided. "This matter is closed."

She sipped her cup of ale and looked around.

"Can anyone get hold of a copy of the genealogy of House Targaryen, the one that links myself and my sisters, the pretender Ariel and my cousin Aegon. All the links must be there, with details of all the births and deaths."

[Deleted]

"Perhaps someone should be appointed Master of the Annals?" Saenarys suggested, only half in jest. "Though I'm sure if no one else can, the Lord Whisperer here should be able to dredge something up."

[Marie]

"I hope so. It should prove very interesting. I need to know exactly what Ariel's position is."

[Sam]

"She made here position quite clear, I think," Simon said slowly. "Her intentions are to challenge your grace's throne, but I do not see how she could realistically accomplish that. The most she could do is stir up dissension, I think, but dissension leads to civil war which is the last thing we need right now. I think she is too dangerous to be left roaming about, sowing her seeds where she wills." The master of laws smirked slightly at his analogy, but then bowed his head to the Queen.

"As to Lord Selwyn's title, your grace's royal husband is accurate enough informally, but I believe that Lord Consort might not sit well with him. Lord Protector might be more accurate to describe him, although perhaps your grace might consider transferring your own titles of 'Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm' to him, until such time as your son inherits both the throne and those titles again."

[Ollie]

Warren cleared his throat. "Your Grace, when we have convened, I might look amongst the libraries of Castle Black to search for such a record. Should that fail, we shall have to wait until we return to claim King's Landing, or perhaps even until Oldtown is reached. I shall make a note if I find anything, and bring it to your attention posthaste."