Chapter 19 - Interlude: The Lion
122 AC
The thirtieth day of the fifth moon
I woke up with a splitting headache. My head felt as if it was about to burst. It was then that I realized that I was not alone on the bed. As I pulled the sheets I saw the woman whom I had most likely fucked due to being drunk.
"Fucking hell, Jason. This is all your fault", I growled out.
Hearing my outburst had made the woman who was soundly asleep wake up abruptly.
"I hope you had a good night's sleep, milord", she said while blushing a deep crimson.
The only thought running through my head at that moment was to thank the seven that it was a servant girl and not some noble lady otherwise I would have been thoroughly fucked.
One could not even take a step in the damn den of vipers without half of the court not knowing about it.
"Yes, I had a wonderful time ….", I said while trying to remember her name.
"It's Mya , my lord", she said.
"Here Mya you may take this", I said as I gave her a few gold dragon.
She quickly collected the coins while putting on her dress.
"But remember not to tell this to anyone, Mya", I said in a stern voice.
Hearing my tone the girl nodded her head and began dressing.
"I never gave you my permission to dress did I Mya", I said in a teasing tone. Hearing me the girl started blushing deeply.
I could barely remember the night before and the headache was not at all helping so I followed my twin brother's advice., "Every illness is cured by a good fuck".
I wore my red and gold doublet and combed my hair before putting on the pin of the Master Of Ships.
There were times that I could still scarcely believe that I was a part of the King's council. Despite the fact that it had been over five years since my appointment.
There were times when I missed my oafish brother but then the chance to come and advise the kings had its own merits, for one I could come and increase the influence of House Lannister in the court which I had done reasonably well.
As I came into the dining rooms I could hear the voices of the children.
"Uncle Tyland", they called out and came running towards me.
"How are my little lionesses doing?" I asked my nieces.
"Irritating their father", came the voice of my brother who looked as miserable as I did due to the headache.
"Girls, It is time for your lesson with the septa", came the voice of my good sister who was cradling the bump on her stomach.
It seems that I was going to become an uncle for the fifth time and hopefully this time it would be a boy.
Hearing their mother the girls ran off while I went and sat at the table.
"How much did you make me drink Jason", I asked my brother who gave me a mischievous smile reminding me of the times that we would go and steal sweets from the kitchens back in Casterly Rock.
"Enough to loosen you up brother", he replied while laughing heartily at his own joke.
"Good brother could you tell us of the situation regarding the Blacks and the Greens", Johanna asked.
"After all It is much better to hear from a trusted source than the merchants in Lannisport.", she said.
One of the good things that Jason had done in his life was that he had married the woman sitting across from me.
Johanna Lannister nee Westerling was a smart and capable woman. It was because of her that I did not have any worries as to how my brother could handle ruling the Westerlands.
I could still remember the time when he threatened to run away with the merchant's daughter because they were in love and he did not want to marry anyone else. A good dressing down from father had made him lose any idea that he had of running away, although his spies did report that he still used to visit her at night and had a number of natural daughters with her.
Gods his brother could only think with his cock.
"Well, to be honest, a lot has changed good sister. After the events of the 'Incident' on Driftmark, we lost Lord Lyonel strong our previous hand to a mysterious fire in which he, as well as his elder son Ser Harwin Breakbones, died."
"You mean the man who fucked the princess and had his bastards become princes", said Jason.
"For the love of the Seven keep your mouth shut Jason", I said.
"The king will take your tongue if he smells even a whiff of a person questioning the parentage of his grandsons."
"Yes, yes I know brother, no need to get angry", he said.
"So after the previous hand died king Viserys called his good father to come and become his 'Hand'."
"What of the prince? Good brother. The boy who attacked and took the eye of the princess".
"Yes, Prince Aemond".
Just thinking about the utter shitstorm that had occurred was thoroughly amazing.
The Velaryon's had greatly reduced the tax that they normally sent and it resulted in the King's coffers taking a hit.
And also the first thing that the previous Hand had done was to send the Prince away to Oldtown before a knife would find its way into the prince's back.
The tides had changed on that fateful day when the prince had tamed the largest living dragon in the world. The cause of the Greens had grown stronger due to the fact that now they had the biggest dragon. But there were downsides to it, as well as the image of the prince towards the smallfolk as well as the nobility, had dropped considerably.
Before I could answer my good sister's question a Knight wearing the colors of House Hightower came in.
"Ser Gwayne what brings you here", asked my brother.
"Apologies Lord Jason but the hand Is in need of your brother. An emergency meeting of the small council has been called.
"Let us leave at once Ser Gwayne after all we should not keep your father waiting".
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"You are late for the meeting Ser Tyland", came the voice of the Clubfoot.
"Yes, Lord Strong I do know that", I said as I continued walking towards the Council room in the Red keep.
"I do not want you to be late Ser", he said before moving away.
That man was as devious as he was cunning. I had a reason to suspect that he may have had something to do with the fire but such a thought did not make sense after all what kind of man can kill his own father and brother?
As I reached the council room the two Kingsguard standing guard opened the mahogany doors and I went in.
"Ahh, Tyland you have finally come", said the king,
"I apologize for the delay your grace", I said while bowing down.
"Do not worry about such things Tyland. So what is the reason for this sudden meeting Otto?", asked the king as I went and sat on the chair.
"It is your brother your grace, It seems that he too is coming for the wedding".
Hearing his expression the king's face turned sour. "What do you mean by that Otto? Why won't he come? Aren't Aegon and Helaena his nephew and niece?"
"Your grace I do know that but I am just worried about the safety of Prince Aemond."
Hearing him the expression on the King's face softened.
"He will not harm him, Otto. I am sure that my brother has forgiven him.
Hearing that I could hear Lord Wylde snicker while I too tried not to laugh.
"Yes your grace I do believe in the magnanimity of your brother but still I would like for a kingsguard to be assigned specifically for the safety of the prince."
"Very well Otto we will do as you, please. Lord Commander Criston I want you to assign one of the Kingsguard specifically for the prince."
"Yes your grace", Ser Criston responded.
Just then one of the kingsgaurd came in and said that the Princess Helaena was waiting outside.
"let her in", came the voice of her father.
"Helaena what can I do for you", the king asked.
"Father could I be present on the docks to greet my sister?", she asked.
For a few moments, the king did not say anything after which he smiled brightly, "Of course, you may go Helaena she is your sister after all. Family should always stick together."
"Ser Tyland I want you to accompany the princess along with Mushroom. He was just telling me today how he was missing Rhaenyra."
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We were on the docks when the sight of the princess's ship came into view. After some time the boat docked at the port and the princess exited followed by her husband and children.
While the princess was getting down I could feel that Princess Helaena was looking for someone but she could not find the person.
"Mushroom, how wonderful to see you again", came the voice of the princess.
"Princess Rhaenyra it is nice to see you too," said the fool while jumping around.
Why did the father and daughter like the fool the seven only knew?
"Sister I did not expect to see you here", said the princess while looking at princess Heleana with a slight scowl on her face.
"It is nice to see you too sister", said the princess.
By then the Rogue Prince and his daughters had exited the ship as well.
Now for the useless pleasantries needed to be spoken after which they would go back to the keep.
But just then a large shadow covered most of the ships that were docked and an ear-piercing roar of the dragon was heard by the entire city. Looking at the scowl on the face of the Blacks I realized that the source of their past, as well as future problems, had come.
Prince Aemond had just entered the city.