court of lies | robert's rebellion

the rains

"only a monster can deal with another monster"

281 AC, Oldtown

"My lady.", he bowed his head while wearing his coat.

"Jacen? Where have you been? You leave the castle at dawn and return back at dusk. There is an army outside of the city gates but I cannot find you anywhere.", Rhea said with a stern, scolding tone.

"State matters, my lady. I am overly busy trying to form a defence against that fat flower's soldiers since you sent most of the army away.", he was smiling but not with irritation. What Rhea had done to the Hightower army seemed wise at that moment but not so much now. Their only support was the reluctant Florent soldiers. "Did something happen?"

"Something happened?", she nodded with raised eyebrows as if she did not manage to comprehend the stupidity of the question. "There is an army outside, Jacen, I can see it when I look from the terraces. Yes, something happened, and yes, I am worried. Those 'state matters' of yours are me.", her face grimaced with anger. "I am the regent, you answer me and now I ask you, what is going on?"

"We do not have the loyalty of everyone.", he snapped. "We got rid of Leyton's council in one way or the other, good, but not entirely. There are still people who are loyal to him and to her and now the marriage promises we gave with using his daughters are all called off because the fucking Lord Paramount is marching towards us.", he couldn't help but raise his voice, suddenly the cards had turned against them and he wasn't ready to lose just yet. "We don't know where are our sons or if they are alive or not, I have no trace of finding where the fuck is Jacaerys Velaryon but good news! Atera is with Mace's army, just outside the city gates.", he took a deep breath to continue to yell. "I have a lot of enemies, you have a lot of enemies. We may manage to change smallfolk's love for Leyton to hate for Atera, yes, but the nobles are smarter than that. We may have Faith's support, yes, but they do not have any gold or power and the High Septon refuses to come to Oldtown before this battle ends. We have no allies and literally trapped in here. All they need is a strong wind to ruin us."

"Do not worry.", she held his head between her hands. "No one is powerful enough to do this. Atera is nothing but a little girl, who thinks she is so smart. Even if she manages to take the castle, she cannot harm us and once Leyton wakes up -if we let him wake up, I will manage to convince him once again and this time we'll play it safe. If Atera manages to hold the city until Leyton wakes up though. You are worrying about her for no reason."

"You are underestimating her.", he hissed while melting with her touch. "She survived, had she not? She managed to take our boys from us. She managed to come this far, she managed to convince the lords-"

"Her lover, the Redwyne boy did that.", she rolled her eyes. "People call me a whore but fail to see the way Atera hold the loyalty of powerful lords because she shares their bed."

"With you by my side, none of those monsters nor dragons would be able to stand in front of me.", he said with affection. But she did not reply back.

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"There isn't a word from their camp but I imagine they will attack us soon. There is no reason for them to wait.", his eyes lost their focus for one second. "I still cannot understand how Atera managed to do that."

Rhea rolled her eyes. "You are overestimating her.", she said for the hundredth time. "You shouldn't search for her mentor that far away; your mother."

Jacen scoffed. "My mother is under house arrest in Old Oak with little to no communication with the outside world. None of those cravens would dare to do this if Atera didn't encourage them. They had been silent all this time."