The Hand's Solar 598 AC

[Marie]

The Hand of the King performs many of his duties here, including receiving visitors and family members.

[Marie]

Joanna arrived the day after the Manderly feast. She was clothed in one of her more sober gowns, an indigo one with silver dragons embroidered on the skirt and bodice - Joanna could not wear anything that lacked decoration of some kind. She gave her name to the servant and hoped Uncle Talyn would see her.

[The Stranger]

After a very brief wait, the Princess was admitted,

"Princess Joanna," Talyn said, smiling slightly, "It is a pleasure to see you. Forgive me for not admitting you immediately, but there was minor governance matters that needed seeing to. I hope Lord Jon is well?" Talyn asked.

[Marie]

"Very well, thank you," she said.

She smiled warmly at him. She had never been frightened on him even though most people were; Rhaenys had taught her that.

"Uncle, you look tired. It must be very taxing to be the Lord Hand?"

[The Stranger]

Talyn snorted, "I'm only fifty-three years, Joanna, not some tired half-blind old maester." He smiled, "In any case, I've done worse things for hours on end than filling out papers and writing letters."

[Marie]

She pulled a face at that.

"All that paperwork sounds hellish to me! Besides, Mother is only two years older than you and she's not well. I worry about her. If I worry about her shouldn't I worry about you as well?"

[The Stranger]

"You're supposed to worry about your mother," Talyn said, scratching a head which was beginning to go bald, "Not your tired old uncle." He smiled, slightly, and flipped through several pages of parchment in front of him, stopping for a moment to write a note on one of them.

[Marie]

"Fine, maybe I won't worry about you. I won't waste time worrying about someone who doesn't want my concern."

There was no bitterness in her voice though, only a teasing note. She held her tongue for a long moment.

"I'm worried about my brother, though."

[The Stranger]

"Oh, which one?" Talyn asked, he made another note, then placed a blank sheet of parchment on top of it. Joanna wasn't the best at reading Talyn's chicken scratch handwriting, especially upside down, but she thinks she makes out the phrase, "Warrant" on it.

[Marie]

She couldn't help wondering about that document he'd deliberately hidden from her view but knew better than to show it. Instead she turned her violet eyes on Talyn and in them was deep concern.

"Daemon, of course. He's the king as well as my brother. His doing impact upon us all. I love him dearly but I'm worried that he's not going to be a great king."

[The Stranger]

Talyn raised his eyebrow, "What makes you say such things? Your brother has been King for twenty years. He reached his majority almost a decade ago. Are you aware of problems?"

[Marie]

"In a sense, yes," Joanna answered slowly;s he knew she had to choose her words with care. "Uncle, my brother is most fortunate to have yourself and the lords Trant and Bettley to assist him with the rule. Anyone can see that and I know you have said I needn't worry about you quite yet but what if the day comes when yourself and your friends choose to retire from court?"

She sighed.

"My brother is a good man, I know, but perhaps too reliant upon you. It's not his fault, of course, but the habit is ingrained. I fear that he could not cope without you. It's like Mother. When my grandmother Saella came to Westeros she was the one who planned the thing and led the army. Mother had the best training possible but, when Grandmother died, Mother had no experience of ruling and that made the ambitious lords take advantage of her. Well, you'd know that better than I would, since you were there."

Joanna shrugged.

"My point, uncle, is that if Daemon is not given the chance to rule for himself, he may find it difficult to deal with his responsibilities if a time comes when you cannot help him. It may become too much for him, as it was for Mother. She always used to tell me that's why she stepped down and made you Regent. The rule almost destroyed her because she never had the necessary experience to do what was necessary or expected. I'm sure none of us want to see that happen to Daemon."

[Imry Willfyre]

/////////

Lord Bracken arrives at the Hand's solar and presents his sword to the guards before being asked to meet with his good-father.

[The Stranger]

Nov 18, 2009 2:47:22 GMT -5 Marie said:

"In a sense, yes," Joanna answered slowly;s he knew she had to choose her words with care. "Uncle, my brother is most fortunate to have yourself and the lords Trant and Bettley to assist him with the rule. Anyone can see that and I know you have said I needn't worry about you quite yet but what if the day comes when yourself and your friends choose to retire from court?"

She sighed.

"My brother is a good man, I know, but perhaps too reliant upon you. It's not his fault, of course, but the habit is ingrained. I fear that he could not cope without you. It's like Mother. When my grandmother Saella came to Westeros she was the one who planned the thing and led the army. Mother had the best training possible but, when Grandmother died, Mother had no experience of ruling and that made the ambitious lords take advantage of her. Well, you'd know that better than I would, since you were there."

Joanna shrugged.

"My point, uncle, is that if Daemon is not given the chance to rule for himself, he may find it difficult to deal with his responsibilities if a time comes when you cannot help him. It may become too much for him, as it was for Mother. She always used to tell me that's why she stepped down and made you Regent. The rule almost destroyed her because she never had the necessary experience to do what was necessary or expected. I'm sure none of us want to see that happen to Daemon."

To his credit Talyn paused to actually consider the argument for a moment.

"What you say has merit, but I think you are greatly underestimating his grace. I do mean it when I say that since he reached his majority, King Daemon has been King in fact as well as title. He has made decisions. His small council keeps him well informed, but the decision is his. It is true, that I have deal with the paperwork, and details that all Hands have dealt with since there WERE Hands, on matters of the King's security, and the upholding of the law, but I do not think King Daemon's authority is being degraded." Talyn said, there was a note of irritation that he had to explain himself to this young woman, but it is kept in check.

"What your mother, who, I'll add, is a woman that I love dearly, may not have told you, is that much of her trouble in ruling came because she did NOT trust her councilors as she ought to. To few things were discussed, and important decisions made on impulse."

He coughed into his fist, "Do not underestimate your brother, he is a very clever man. If he told you things about his relationship with me, consider why he told you them?"

He looked the Princess in the eye.

"Was there something else in particular you wanted to ask about, or just express concerns regarding your brother?"

[The Stranger]

Nov 18, 2009 10:03:25 GMT -5 Imry Willfyre said:

/////////

Lord Bracken arrives at the Hand's solar and presents his sword to the guards before being asked to meet with his good-father.

Talyn Thatcher was sitting behind his desk, he sized up Bracken carefully.

"Titus, It is a pleasure to see you at court. I understood you had a little trouble at Stone Hedge recently. Tell me about that?"