court of lies | robert's rebellion

the fighting pit

"it doesn't take a declaration or an invitation to start a war, all it takes is an 'us' and a 'them' and a spark"

281 AC, King's Landing

They were having breakfast, Cersei and Aerys, with some members of the council waiting for them, standing as they ate. The Hand, Lord Owen was there with Lord Chelsted, Lucerys and Gerold. After the princess was found and no evidence against Cersei, Gerold had to let her go out from imprisonment and now they were kind of mortal enemies. Even though Varys tried to get rid of him by using this, the king's cold statement showed it would be pointless, so the warning went to Cersei to pretend as if nothing has happened at all and she was playing it well, for now.

"Your grace,", Cersei bowed her head with a wonderful play of hesitancy. "there are some words that are roaming around the castle."

"I do not have a sweet tooth for gossip, Cersei.", he cut his egg. "It would be better if you remember this in the future."

"They were probably just slanders, but, I thought you must be interested in them since it is about Prince Rhaegar, your grace.", the small council members shared a look.

They heard nothing.

Aerys was the one who seemed hesitant this time as he chewed his food. In the end, curiosity won over disinterest. "Anything concerns my sons also concerns me.", he said, his tongue hitting the roof of his mouth with distaste. "Any slander to his name is a slander to mine."

"They say that the niece of the Sealord of Braavos, the Lady Silvia Dagaeron -which happens to be the daughter of the former First Magister of Lys and the betrothal of the Archon of Tyrosh, has gone to Dragonstone in secret.", she began to tell with an innocent spark in her eyes. Aerys were bored. "They are saying that there is an affair between her and Prince Rhaegar.", he was looking at her as if he could see right through her lies.

All while Lucerys was trying to swallow a curse.

"In the time of war,", the council was working endlessly in these days, trying to find peace with Braavos but it was rather obvious that a war was on the shore. "it is normal to make up such gossips. The tree that bears fruit will be stoned, after all.", he dismissed the subject. "My son would never do such a thing and you should not fill your pretty mind with such low-mouthed rumours."

"Don't you think that maybe the Sealord himself arranged this?", she narrowed her eyes, wanting to try how far she could go. "It is known, even by me, that the prince disagrees with you openly and does not wish for a war."

"The Sealord is a man that can do anything but my son is not someone like that!", Aerys snapped. "He can disagree with me all he wants, I disagreed with my own father and him with his own. It is only the nature of family relations. But Rhaegar never, not even a million years, would align himself with my enemies.", he leaned forward. "I will take the head of the man who spread such gossips.", he sent her a measuring look and tilted his head. "Or the woman."

"I am sorry your grace, you must forgive me.", she bowed her head like a scolded child. "When I heard the prince has left Dragonstone and sailed for Braavos with the lady herself, I thought you would want to know."

"If such a thing would have happened,", he sighed with his last remaining patience. "my council would have alerted me, we do not need your insight on such delicate state matters.", yet again, when the breakfast ended and she left, he slowly turned to his Hand. "You will go to Dragonstone,", he ordered, did not meet with Gerold's eyes. "and then report me what my son is up to this time."

*

"Her grace the queen.", one of the pages announced just before Cersei entered and Owen bowed in front of her immediately, with a hint of displeasure, of course, he was not a fan of the new queen just like many others.