To Take What Is Rightfully Ours

Chapter 45. The Acts of Kindness and New Beginnings

'How is the loading of the remedies going?' Diane asked, catching Duncan at the entrance to the castle. 'Need any more people?'

'No, not as far as I'm aware,' Duncan answered. 'I'm going down there to check right now. If everything is still going smoothly, we will be able to depart in two hours... three at most.'

'Alright, sounds good. Thank you,' Diane smiled and patted him on the arm before going to meet Gerardys. She was told by a servant that he wanted to speak with her and there was no need to postpone it.

Diane found him in the library. She was simultaneously surprised and pleased to see Daira and Dayra there as well. They were reading a book and taking notes while Gerardys supervised.

The twins were dressed way better than they had been the last time she saw them and they were both engrossed in a book but they looked up when they heard her approaching.

'Lady Diane!' the girl exclaimed, and both of the twins jumped to their feet and bowed to her.

'It is so nice to see you,' the boy added with a bright smile.

Upon closer inspection, the twins also seemed to gain a little bit of weight in a healthy way and their brown hair - that reached their shoulders - was carefully braided so it wouldn't get in their face.

'Please, do not interrupt your studies on my behalf,' Diane smiled, waving for the twins to sit. 'I just need to have a quick chat with your mentor,' she looked at Gerardys who got up to his feet.

'May we talk in the next room, my lady? I don't want us to be overheard,' the maester said.

'Of course. No problem at all.'

They moved to the next room which was technically an extension of a library but was more secluded and had comfortable red armchairs. Diane sat on one of them and Gerardys sat on another next to her. The maester looked kind of nervous which was not a good sign because Gerardys usually managed to keep himself calm and collected. So Diane decided to start whatever conversation Gerardys wanted to have with something more light-hearted.

'I see Daira and Dayra are getting accustomed to living in the castle rather well,' Diane said with a small smile. She had been surprised to hear that instead of finding the twins home in one of the villages, Gerardys decided to house them in the castle itself. Not like Diane minded. Gods know, the castle had enough room to house the whole of the Red Keep and then some. Two children wouldn't even start to make a difference.

'Yes. Yes, they do. I have been looking into finding myself help for a while. Our budget is growing as well as the amount of people and it gets harder for me to keep track of it all on my own. And the twins are... they are lacking education, that is true, but they are quick and smart, and I decided I should rather teach them from the start than try to... I know I should have consulted you beforehand but-'

'Nonsense,' Diane cut him off. 'Gerardys, you are the closest person I have to a Hand. I trust your judgment. And if you think the twins will be useful to you, then I fully support your decision.'

'Thank you, my lady. That truly means a lot to me,' Gerardys said and touched his maester chain with a sigh. 'There is something I should let you know.'

'What is it?' Diane asked, hoping it wasn't something bad.

'I have been... struggling with my faith lately,' the maester confessed. 'The doubt... I admit, it has always been there. Even before I took my vows as a maester but I had always managed to brush it off. But after years of living here, amongst people of another faith and different values... the doubt became the strongest it has ever been. The septons would be fast to declare Dragonstone a sinful place but how could it be when I see how many lives it saved and how happy people are here? Even more so after you, my lady, took the burden of the ruling. How can I claim it's an abomination when I know in my heart that it is not?'