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Only that you counsel the equivalent of a king in your lands, and little else.
[ he's not going to try and verify his mother's claim that they hadn't slept with one another yet. ]
I'm fighting my nephew soon. He is easily goaded, the fool that he is. How did you come to meet my mother?
[ he's not going to try and verify his mother's claim that they hadn't slept with one another yet. ]
I'm fighting my nephew soon. He is easily goaded, the fool that he is. How did you come to meet my mother?
Edited 2024-09-20 23:53 (UTC)
[ she didn’t get a fucking say!!! ]
I have perhaps neglected to inform you of the war for succession that threatens to take either the heads of my sons or my closest childhood companion.
I have perhaps neglected to inform you of the war for succession that threatens to take either the heads of my sons or my closest childhood companion.
In my defence, the topic does not arise naturally.
Please do not speak so cavalierly with him, else he might cut off some part of you that I have grown fond of.
[ ……don’t say anything about your dick in response to this. ]
[ ……don’t say anything about your dick in response to this. ]
Gods.
I don’t know what I was thinking.
[ re: sending aemond to him, not re: losing his dick. ]
I don’t know what I was thinking.
[ re: sending aemond to him, not re: losing his dick. ]
embry. i'm trying not to think about my title and all the complications that come with it. you'll find there's an odd space for that here.
[ does he fight? he's been to war. he's killed people in the name of the u.s. government. he just had a terrible lapse in judgment and drugged, bound, and fucked a man right here in this house, except he only regrets a minuscule part of it. he's dreamed of shoving abilene down the stairs in the hopes that she'd break her neck and die, all while carrying his child, and does it make him a better man just because he hasn't given into the impulse for the sole reason that she's greer's cousin? ]
men in my position generally leave that life behind. but my answer would've been different fifteen years ago.
what're the terms of your fight?
[ does he fight? he's been to war. he's killed people in the name of the u.s. government. he just had a terrible lapse in judgment and drugged, bound, and fucked a man right here in this house, except he only regrets a minuscule part of it. he's dreamed of shoving abilene down the stairs in the hopes that she'd break her neck and die, all while carrying his child, and does it make him a better man just because he hasn't given into the impulse for the sole reason that she's greer's cousin? ]
men in my position generally leave that life behind. but my answer would've been different fifteen years ago.
what're the terms of your fight?
[ she fucking knew it.
a long pause. ]
He does not have a blade or a dragon, so it may not be quite so dire.
[ they’re going to break each other’s legs. ]
But he has a head and a half on his nephew, and there is the matter of their uncle, besides.
[ ignore the convoluted family tree. ]
a long pause. ]
He does not have a blade or a dragon, so it may not be quite so dire.
[ they’re going to break each other’s legs. ]
But he has a head and a half on his nephew, and there is the matter of their uncle, besides.
[ ignore the convoluted family tree. ]
No seconds. Fight to yield, hand or blade. I would not make a grieving mother out of my half-sister a second time too soon. [ he's not that stupid. not when daemon could aim right for his mother, and be less honourable about it. ] He issued the challenge, not I.
Who were you, fifteen years ago?
Who were you, fifteen years ago?
you'd make an unhappy mother instead out of alicent. you know, you didn't have to say yes. there's plenty else to do here.
[ a second time. jesus fuck. it's not like he has room to judge.
fifteen years ago, he was just meeting ash. he was fucking his way through entire towns, chasing every destructive end, numbing himself on top shelf liquor and pricey drugs, flirting through life and taking nothing seriously except his own fucking unhappiness in the dead of night. he didn't have any real problems except that he was too rich and too empty, his heart brittle and his soul hollow. ]
a little more like you, but funnier. i was a soldier once.
now i prefer standing around and looking handsome.
[ a second time. jesus fuck. it's not like he has room to judge.
fifteen years ago, he was just meeting ash. he was fucking his way through entire towns, chasing every destructive end, numbing himself on top shelf liquor and pricey drugs, flirting through life and taking nothing seriously except his own fucking unhappiness in the dead of night. he didn't have any real problems except that he was too rich and too empty, his heart brittle and his soul hollow. ]
a little more like you, but funnier. i was a soldier once.
now i prefer standing around and looking handsome.
[ sensing some tension here. ]
who's to say he won't grab a knife from breakfast?
the matter of their uncle being what? i know you said these topics don't arise naturally, but they've risen like a goddamn boner, which for the record is extremely natural, so just debrief me.
i'll find a way to help if you let me.
who's to say he won't grab a knife from breakfast?
the matter of their uncle being what? i know you said these topics don't arise naturally, but they've risen like a goddamn boner, which for the record is extremely natural, so just debrief me.
i'll find a way to help if you let me.
He will think himself above it.
[ a knife is not a weapon befitting a prince. ]
The king I married is Aemond’s father as well as the father of my childhood companion, the Princess Rhaenyra. He took me to wife not long after her mother died. And when I swiftly gave birth to sons, I brought challengers for her throne into this world.
She has strengthened her claim in turn by marrying the King’s brother, her uncle. A man most murderous and vile.
But I am the one who crowned my firstborn in the hours after her father died, so that he might rule and live. Now neither side will yield.
Do you follow me thus?
[ aemond was right. she should have mentioned this sooner. ]
[ a knife is not a weapon befitting a prince. ]
The king I married is Aemond’s father as well as the father of my childhood companion, the Princess Rhaenyra. He took me to wife not long after her mother died. And when I swiftly gave birth to sons, I brought challengers for her throne into this world.
She has strengthened her claim in turn by marrying the King’s brother, her uncle. A man most murderous and vile.
But I am the one who crowned my firstborn in the hours after her father died, so that he might rule and live. Now neither side will yield.
Do you follow me thus?
[ aemond was right. she should have mentioned this sooner. ]
[ he has love for his mother; he will not voice his opinions on this man just yet. ]
Jacaerys Velaryon brought a knife to a fight where I was outnumbered four to one. I won fairly, and I stole nothing that they accused of me taking. But against honour he raised a knife to me and his brother took it to my eye.
They blamed me for the fight that they started. All my father cared about is that I'd called Jace and Luke the bastards that they are. I was ten, and my half-sister would have had me lashed for speaking true. Eight years they went unpunished. My father would not even acknowledge my loss.
So I gave Luke the choice of offering me his own eye and freely, and let that be the end of the matter. He ran from it, the craven that he is. I bested him and he died, and now the debt is paid.
It is more fair than they deserve.
Jacaerys Velaryon brought a knife to a fight where I was outnumbered four to one. I won fairly, and I stole nothing that they accused of me taking. But against honour he raised a knife to me and his brother took it to my eye.
They blamed me for the fight that they started. All my father cared about is that I'd called Jace and Luke the bastards that they are. I was ten, and my half-sister would have had me lashed for speaking true. Eight years they went unpunished. My father would not even acknowledge my loss.
So I gave Luke the choice of offering me his own eye and freely, and let that be the end of the matter. He ran from it, the craven that he is. I bested him and he died, and now the debt is paid.
It is more fair than they deserve.
yes. i'm seasoned at keeping up with the kardashians, so this is a piece of cake.
there's more?
[ this is the kind of thing that happens to other people, in other countries, the kind of thing that the american government sticks their noses in and tries to make better but often (always) makes worse. ash has a knack for being diplomatic, which is why he's the president and embry is not, but more than that, he knows how to be transparently empathetic. embry was born missing several key elements required to outfit a decent human being, and right now he's starting to get that itch to get the fuck out of dodge. he is, after all, famously known for not staying in one place or with any one person for too long. swearing himself to ash's side for all these years has only shredded his heart beyond repair. ]
the princess. rhaenyra.
what does she think of all this? you said she was your childhood companion. that means you know her pretty well, right? can you appeal to her?
everything from home doesn't have to be the same here.
there's more?
[ this is the kind of thing that happens to other people, in other countries, the kind of thing that the american government sticks their noses in and tries to make better but often (always) makes worse. ash has a knack for being diplomatic, which is why he's the president and embry is not, but more than that, he knows how to be transparently empathetic. embry was born missing several key elements required to outfit a decent human being, and right now he's starting to get that itch to get the fuck out of dodge. he is, after all, famously known for not staying in one place or with any one person for too long. swearing himself to ash's side for all these years has only shredded his heart beyond repair. ]
the princess. rhaenyra.
what does she think of all this? you said she was your childhood companion. that means you know her pretty well, right? can you appeal to her?
everything from home doesn't have to be the same here.
a life for an eye. you said it yourself that your debt's paid.
i don't have a horse in this race, exactly. but coming here swinging your dick around before even bothering to find out how this place works is a little much. alicent's told me a little of your home, and things aren't nearly the same here.
you might find that you even enjoy it. without the gauntlet throwing.
i don't have a horse in this race, exactly. but coming here swinging your dick around before even bothering to find out how this place works is a little much. alicent's told me a little of your home, and things aren't nearly the same here.
you might find that you even enjoy it. without the gauntlet throwing.
[ is he being chastised? this man presumes to do so? he barely tolerates it from ser criston, and his grandsire knows better than to try.
take a moment. your mother likes this man. ]
I didn't issue the challenge. I told my nephew to walk away.
[ well, he's trying. ]
What would you have me do, then?
take a moment. your mother likes this man. ]
I didn't issue the challenge. I told my nephew to walk away.
[ well, he's trying. ]
What would you have me do, then?
We have agreed a truce, and I’ve informed her of our sons’ folly. Perhaps her boy will see sense and retract his challenge before they meet on the morrow.
I do not wish for anyone, yourself included, to be party to our war. It is a foul enough thing to inflict on one realm.
I do not wish for anyone, yourself included, to be party to our war. It is a foul enough thing to inflict on one realm.
If he wins, his uncle will kill me.
If he loses, his uncle will kill me.
It is something of a moot point.
[ deflecting, even with embry. her position has always asked her to choose whose life she will value more, that of her children or rhaenyra. she resists it still. folly after folly. ]
He already assumes I laid with you, if that is your concern.
[ it's unkind of her, to reduce his care to physical interest. she knows it, but she also hasn't ever had a man want for more than that. ]
If he loses, his uncle will kill me.
It is something of a moot point.
[ deflecting, even with embry. her position has always asked her to choose whose life she will value more, that of her children or rhaenyra. she resists it still. folly after folly. ]
He already assumes I laid with you, if that is your concern.
[ it's unkind of her, to reduce his care to physical interest. she knows it, but she also hasn't ever had a man want for more than that. ]
no one's going to kill you, alicent. i might look like someone's trophy husband, but i spent four years prostituting myself to my government as a soldier.
[ there's no thought too unkind, considering thirty seconds ago he was weighing the option of making a quiet exit. being a good man isn't an inherent embry moore skill. ]
that wasn't my concern. [ more of a long-term goal. ] why is he so concerned?
[ there's no thought too unkind, considering thirty seconds ago he was weighing the option of making a quiet exit. being a good man isn't an inherent embry moore skill. ]
that wasn't my concern. [ more of a long-term goal. ] why is he so concerned?
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