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Her age again caused no shortage of murmurings amongst those behind Nox, but he wasn't necessarily surprised. She did say that her people lived for centuries. And the Children would not be the first long-lived species he'd met. In fact, humans were often considered to have one of the shortest lifespans in the greater galaxy. "Leaf," Nox said, taking another step forward. "I will be succinct. What do you know of the Others? And where can we find them and their army of the dead?"
Leaf again tilted her head. "We know much. Far more than humans. We remember where you forgot. We know of them. Long have they bided their time waiting for humans to forget, and now that they have, they move. We also know of you. And we know that they know of you. You have changed much. The song that was once written has been erased with your presence alone. They know this. They fear this. They fear you. And those like you. For like us, they remember well the one who unified the land and pushed them back to the Lands of Always Winter. Come…There is much to say."
Turning abruptly, Leaf quickly disappeared back into the forest. Her skin and hair masking her almost perfectly with her surroundings and her feet leaving no tracks in the soil to follow. The only reason they could even follow her was because she was purposefully showing herself. But Nox was sure that if she had wanted to, she could've disappeared without a trace. "No sense standing here freezing," Nox said, motioning for everyone to follow him. "Keep your hands off your weapons…but stay ready. Something…doesn't feel quite right about all of this."
"How so, Master?" Jon asked as they followed Leaf, his Apprentice glancing off into the forest as several of the other Children of the Forest made themselves visible for a moment before disappearing behind a tree. "I don't sense anything."
"Not surprising given where we are," Nox responded, doing all he could to keep on Leaf's trail. "But still…something isn't entirely right. This just seems…too easy after everything we've done to get here. Plus, the Children have managed to hide themselves from the Free Folk and the Others in this valley for thousands of years. They probably could've stayed hidden, yet they have chosen not to. We need to find out why."
Eventually, Leaf led them to a weirwood that would put even the wroshyr trees of Kashyyk to shame. The root system was partially above the surface of the ground, and it was into the roots that Leaf led them. A dozen or more eyes were peeking out at them from within the roots, clearly the other Children of the Forest were still too unsure to come out and see them. "Come," Leaf said, ducking into a small opening within the roots that was only just slightly larger than herself. "And no fire…This is our home and our connection to the gods. We would not risk any harm to come to it."
Ducking his head into the tunnel, Nox immediately noticed that while they were heading down beneath the ground and into the roots, it was not dark. A dim light was being emitted from small stones that were placed periodically within the roots and ground to give off just enough light so that those who had eyes could see where they were going, if only just. "Interesting usage of the Force," Nox noted, taking one of the stones and examining it. It looked like just an ordinary stone with some sort of runic design that'd been imbued with the Force. If he could replicate it…he could have a wickless lamp. Another step up for the North and his powerbase. "Mind if I take one of these for study?"
Leaf stopped as she clearly began debating silently with herself. "You may. Though that is all you may take." She said simply before continuing into the depths of the weirwood roots.
"By the gods," Benjen breathed as they traversed further and further along the path beneath the weirwood tree. "If you had told me even this morning that I would not only be meeting the Children…but that they would lead me to their home beneath the largest weirwood ever seen in a valley protected with magic…I would've called you mad."
"Stay with us a bit longer, uncle," Jon replied good naturedly as he ducked and weave his way down the path of roots, "honestly…I wish I could say this is the strangest experience I've ever had in my life… But ever since meeting Master Nox, I would say that this is just another day for me."
Slowly the tunnels and roots began widening until they opened into a chamber or large cavern. Dozens, maybe hundreds of eyes and voices greeted them as Leaf led their small group to the very center of the cavern, which was nestled upon a large root structure that was just barely large enough to fit perhaps a dozen individuals. Motioning for most of his men to stay back, Nox ascended the roots with Jon, Ygritte, and Benjen with Ghost daftly jumping up the roots after them. But before they could fully step onto the platform, Leaf came to an abrupt stop in front of them. Standing just in front of her were three other Children. Two obviously males that stood forward and one female that stood slightly behind. "Bark," Leaf said, her voice wavering slightly. "This has already been decided th—"
"No, Leaf. You decided." The male in the lead, Bark, said, his yellow eyes narrowing. "Humans are nothing but trouble. They pushed us from our lands. Killed our trees and our connection to the gods. Only Bran the Unifier showed he was worthy. Yet since then, humans have forgotten. They hunted us. Killed us. Killed our trees. They are not to be trusted."
Frowning, Nox stepped up beside Leaf while motioning for Jon, Ygritte and Benjen to be ready. "And who is this, Leaf?" he asked, tilting his head towards the male. "Your second? Partner? Mate?"
"Neither," Leaf answered succinctly. "This decision has been made, Bark, and the offer rejected. I have heeded advice when given a—"
"You have heeded nothing!" Bark shouted, a wave of Force energy coming from his shout, surprising Nox as he quickly braced himself against the shout. "Advice was given yet went ignored. But I knew better. I went as well. I was shown that which you ignored. There is nothing to be gained from this! The bargain will give us time. Time we will not have with them!"
"Bargain?" Nox questioned, his head turning towards Leaf and then Bark. "What bargain."
Bark sneered, the dark side of the Force rolling off of him as his hatred fed his power. "Nothing that need concern you, human. Not anymore. You might share origins with Bran the Unifier. But that is where your similarities end! We cannot trust humans! Not anymore!"
The two beside Bark raised their hands, glowing stones in their palms. But as quick as they were, Nox was faster. With barely a flick of his wrist, he sent the two flying backwards and into the tangle of roots before twisting pieces of the roots around them to hold them in place. The stones that they were holding remained floating in the air like a pair of fireflies. "Sorcerer! Bark! Stop this now!" Leaf shouted, getting between them even as Nox reached down and drew his lightsaber. "I did not bring you here to fight—"
"No. You didn't." Nox replied, activating his lightsaber and causing more than a bit of unrest with those with him as they did not want to fight against the Children. "But apparently you do not speak for all, or even most of those present. Otherwise, this one would've never been able to try such an ill-conceived attempt on my life."
Bark snarled at him, "do not speak little of that which you know nothing! I knew that this would not be enough. And besides…I don't need to kill you."
Nox had only a moment of warning from the Force before he felt it. Dozens of concentrated Force bombs planted beneath his feet and all around the center structure he and the others were standing upon. "Get back!"
His cry came too late as the Force bombs ignited, shaking the ground and the roots, spewing fire, dirt, wood and stone everywhere like shrapnel. Nox had just enough time to deactivate his lightsaber and put up a Force shield to protect himself, Jon, Ygritte, Benjen and Leaf before he felt the roots beneath his feet give way.
The next he knew; his world was surrounded in darkness as the air flew past him. Hard roots, rocks and dirt pelted him as he free fell through the system of roots into depths unknown. The only reason the impacts against his person didn't break his body was because, on instinct, as soon as the ground disappeared beneath his feet, he wrapped himself, Jon, Ygritte, Benjen, Leaf and even Ghost in cocoons of Force energy. However, because of the haste with which he erected the cocoons, and with how many he created, they were far weaker than had he simply focused only on himself. And because of that, each impact with the roots or ground or rock was felt at a force just short of being able to break bones.
Abruptly, their downward spiral ended as they hit something solid and ceased to fall any further and darkness claimed him.
Under normal circumstances, Dany was usually a light sleeper, able to rise and be ready at a moment's notice. But after her ordeal in the House of the Undying, she found it incredibly difficult to bring herself to open her eyes and leave the comfort of her bed. Despite being able to hear her son Rhaego's laugh, followed with Irri's soft cooing and Droga scampering around, Dany did not want to open her eyes. She just wanted to rest.
"Khaleesi should not be disturbed, Jorah the Andal."
Hearing the rather irritated tone in Jhiqui voice, Dany opened her eyes just enough to see that her handmaiden was standing before the door to her chambers. "I know," came the low voice of her sworn sword from just on the other side of the slightly opened door. "Normally, I would let her rest as long as she requires. However, the merchant prince has called upon her. Something has happened while she's been resting and she needs to know about it im—"
"Enough," Jhiqui hissed. "Khaleesi will see the merchant when she is—"
"I'm already awake, Jhiqui," Dany said, fighting against the last remnants of her sleep and sitting upright in her bed. "Ser Jorah, tell Xaro Xhoan Daxos that I will see to him shortly after I am properly prepared."
"Aye, Khaleesi," Jorah's voice sounded from out in the hall, followed quickly by the sound of footsteps walking away as Jhiqui closed the door to her temporary chambers.
"Khaleesi," Jhiqui said, coming close to her as Irri brought forth Rhaego while Droga scampered up the bedsheets, eager for attention from her mother. "You need not answer the call of this…merchant so…hastily. He is not worthy of being your equal."
"He has opened his home to us, Jhiqui," Dany chided her handmaiden. "Just because he is not a warrior does not mean he does not have worth."
"Yet he has done little to aid us, Khaleesi," Jhiqui replied, not condemning but merely stating a fact.
Her words were true, as much as Dany would prefer to say otherwise. But outside of opening his house for her and her own to rest and giving her an opportunity to speak with the different leaders of Qarth, Xaro had done little to further her own cause. And even him giving her a chance to speak with the leaders of Qarth was done primarily to further his own position. True, he had given her many gifts, but they were all courting gifts. And even his offer of alliance for her new Valyria was dependent on her already well on her way to making her dream a reality. But while he had not truly gone out of his way to help her, or even fully aligned himself with her and her cause, he was one that she did not want to make an enemy of.
Readying herself as much as possible, Dany once again left her children in the capable hands of her handmaidens and made her way to her current benefactor. She was led directly to the man's solar, where the guards let her in and shut the doors behind her without uttering a single word. Xaro was bent over his desk, his eyes scanning over three different rolls of parchment that were spread out over his desk.
"Khaleesi, I am pleased you came so quickly. I trust you have had a chance to rest?" the man said, rising to his full height.
"I have, Master Xaro," Dany replied cordially. "Again, I am in your debt for giving me and mine a chance to rest and recover from our latest ordeal."
At that, Xaro's face fell. "Yes…Unfortunately, I fear that your time of rest has come to an end, Khaleesi." Folding his hands behind his back, Xaro slowly paced around his solar. "Over the years, the only reason as to why the Enthroned, the Pureborn, have not been overtaken by the Thirteen, the Guild of Spicers, or the Tourmaline Brotherhood is because they have the backing of the House of the Undying. But now, despite the House of the Undying still standing, they have gone silent. The people are curious at the sudden silence and whispers are abundant. Despite the Pureborn trying to quell any rumors, it is now well known that the House of the Undying has been destroyed. And now the Pureborn are scrambling, not only to prevent the merchant guilds from taking control of the city, but to calm the populace as well. To do so…they are searching for the one responsible and intend to put them on a sham trial before publicly executing them as a show of strength."
Dany's heart stilled and her body went cold.
Xaro pressed on through her silence. "While no one knows what truly happened in the House of the Undying, it is well known that you alone ventured into it. And upon your departure from the House, a feat which few outside the Warlocks can boast, the Undying have gone silent."
"And…where do you stand in this regard, Master Xaro?" Dany asked tentatively. While she was sure of her own power, even more so now than ever, she did not think she would be able to take on the Pureborn, the City Guard, and all of the merchant guilds simultaneously.
Sighing, Xaro went back over to his desk. "While the Pureborn have made up their mind regarding you, I have managed to head off the Thirteen from any rash decisions. The Guild of Spicers likewise will err of the side of expulsion, rather than death as they do not want to risk ruining future avenues of trade with you should you prove good on your promise of a return of Valyria. The Tourmaline Brotherhood however wishes for your public, and brutal, execution to happen immediately."
Dany felt her stomach plummet. While she did not regret her actions against the House of the Undying, as those abominations needed to die and had well earned their fate, she did regret the loss of a potential ally as powerful as Qarth. Though considering she had made little to no headway into securing an alliance, perhaps she truly hadn't lost anything. "It seems I have no choice," Dany replied. "I will not apologize for my actions, and if more knew the truth of the Undying they would be praising my destruction of those abominations instead of seeking my head."
"Indeed," Xaro nodded before he picked up a piece of wax and melted it over a candle, dripping the hot wax onto a closed letter before pressing his seal into the wax and letting it harden. "I have sent word to the harbor to have three of my vessels prepared for your usage, Khaleesi. They will take you and yours wherever you wish to go before they return. I wish that I could do more for you, Khaleesi. But I fear until stability is brought to Qarth, there is little I can do to aid you further without risk to my own position amongst the merchant princes."
It was…far less than what she was hoping for, but she was not one for rejecting such a gift when offered. "Thank you, Master Xaro," she said, graciously accepting the writ. "Your generosity, and support, will not be forgotten."
Xaro merely spread his hands. "That is all I can ask for, and to wish you good fortune in your future endeavors. And on that note…if you are to truly bring back Valyria, you will need an army at your command. Might I suggest you sail to Astapor, seek out the Good Masters, and attempt to purchase some Unsullied? You may not be able to afford many at the present time with what you have, but there are few better fighting forces in all of Essos and Westeros."
Dany knew of the Unsullied, knew of their reputation. Both as some of the best warriors in all of Essos…and the rumors of what they must go through to reach that level. But more than that…they were slaves. Did she really want to build her empire on the back of a slave army? Granted, slavery was not only legal, but part of life in Essos. But still, using slaves to build her empire did not necessarily sit well with her. But where she was now, with no allies, no support and only a few chests of gold and jewels, did she really have much of a choice?
"I will take your advice into consideration, Master Xaro," Dany said, turning the writ over in her hands. "When will the vessel be ready to set sail?"
"Before midday, Khaleesi," Xaro replied, surprising her at how soon she would have to leave. "I apologize for the abrupt departure, but the call for your capture and potential execution was just today spoken of. And I dared not tempt you to linger lest the Pureborn or the Brotherhood manage to capture you and yours."
"I understand," Dany replied, sighing at losing yet another potential home. "I will gather my people and head to the harbor immediately to set sail. I thank you, Xaro Xhoan Daxos. I will not forget what you have done for myself and those under my command. And when I reforge Valyria from its ashes, I hope to hear from you again."
Giving her host one last grateful bow, Dany left his presence and made her way back to her room. As she walked, she gave out orders to Ser Jorah and her bloodriders to begin loading their possessions and to prepare for their immediate departure. None of them questioned her and set off to see her commands fulfilled.
Walking back into her room, she saw Irri and Jhiqui waiting for her with her son and daughter. "We are leaving. Immediately," she said, walking up to Irri and taking her son from her handmaiden.
Like her bloodriders, neither woman wasted any time as they hurried about the room, packing up anything and everything they could. The gifts from Xaro during her stay here, all of which she planned on selling for coin as soon as she could find a worthy buyer. Dresses, linens…even a chamber pot was gathered by her handmaidens and stowed away. Most of what they grabbed were not gifts that'd been given, but she doubted that Xaro would complain as none of what they grabbed was expensive. At least not when compared to that which they were leaving behind.
Before midday, everything Dany and her Khalassar had was loaded into wagons and brought down to the harbor where the three ships under Xaro's employee were waiting. The dockhands and her khalassar wasted no time getting everything loaded up onto the ships, with the chests of gold and jewels purposefully being placed in Dany's cabin for safety. And shortly after midday the ropes were being thrown off the ship and they were putting Qarth behind them.
Her bloodriders and handmaidens were all clearly uneasy at being out at sea, as their superstition regarding water their horses couldn't drink took hold. But Dany's composure, along with Ser Jorah's, aided in alleviating some of their worries. Seeing that everyone was settled, Dany excused herself and made her way to her private cabin with her son and daughter.
Arriving in her cabin, Dany eyed her room. It was only perhaps a few paces across and only just long enough to fit the bed within, and with the chests of gold and the ones containing her personal items as well as a small crib for Rhaego, she barely had room to walk around. Setting her son down in his crib, she helped Droga up onto the small straw mattress next to him. Almost as soon as the two were down, the two closed their eyes and drifted off to the realm of dreams.
Smiling at the sight of her children, Dany allowed herself a moment to just stand and watch the two of them sleep before moving on to one of the chests containing her personal items. It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for as she pulled the silver scepter that'd been given to her upon her wedding to Drogo, as well as the now faintly glowing white crystal she liberated from the House of the Undying. Setting both down on the only surface available to her, her own bed, Dany glanced down at the two objects, wondering just what she was supposed to do with them now.
"Master Nox and Jon told me to reach out through the Force…and I would know what to do," she mused, staring down at the two objects on her bed, yet not really seeing anything obvious regarding the two. "Would it really have been so hard for them to just…tell me what it is I'm expected to do with these?"
Ignoring the top of the scepter, Dany focused on the shaft as Master Nox told her. She'd spent a decent amount of time before now going over every bit of the scepter as she could always feel a faint…resonance from it. But she'd never really noticed anything out of the ordinary about it. She was tempted just to reach out through her connection and demand answers from Jon. But she held back on that desire, at least for now. She knew that this was a test of sorts. One that she intended on completing on her own. After all, how could she be expected to bring back the greatest Empire that ever existed if she had to keep crawling back to Jon and Master Nox for answers whenever something confused her.
Passing her eyes over the intricate lines of the shaft for the tenth time, she noticed something just before the scepter's head. A break in the design of ornate lines and decorations. Seizing on that discovery, she used a small amount of Force and gently touched the break in the design. And to her surprise, a piece of metal the size of her thumb nail fell free, revealing something underneath. Her excitement at the discovery built as she kept at it, using the Force to gently pull away small pieces of metal from the shaft, revealing a secondary item hidden with the scepter.
The world around her faded as she worked, taking the scepter apart one piece at a time. Irri came and offered her an evening meal, which she quickly took before shutting the door in her handmaiden's face. Even after her son and daughter awoke from their nap, Dany kept at her work while trying to entertain her children. By the time the sun was near the horizon, her bed was a mess of jewels and pieces of metal. And in the center of the mess was a single object roughly the length of her forearm and just under three fingers in width. She knew exactly what it was now, even though she'd only ever seen two of such objects in her entire life… She doubted there was anyone left in Westeros or Essos who would not know what it was. It was a lightsaber.
It wasn't anything ornate, just a simple silvery-steel hilt with strange protrusions that she didn't have a clue for what they were meant for. But in this moment, it was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen next to her newborn son and daughter. 'Jon showed me how to do this once before,' she thought, recalling one of her conversations she'd had with Jon where her nephew had gone over every aspect of his lightsaber that he understood.
What she was looking for wasn't in the same location as Jon's lightsaber, but was able to find the small cavity within the hilt, hidden behind a small plate that could only be moved with the Force. Opening the cavity, she used the Force to pick up the still glowing crystal and carefully set it inside. As soon as the crystal was put in place, she could feel an immediate response from the hilt into her very being. It was as if this sword…her sword…had a will of its own and approved of her holding it. Holding it aloft, Dany made sure she had plenty of room before twisting a part of the hilt with her thumb. Immediately her cabin glowed in a soft white light as the blade hummed to life before her. Smiling, Dany carefully and slowly moved the blade back and forth, listening to it hum and sing through the air as it moved. 'I may not have gained an army or even an ally in Qarth…but this certainly makes my time in that dreaded city worth it.'
Leaning back in his seat, Joffrey watched with a smile on his face as the two fighters below him in the pit carefully circled one another, bloodied weapons at the ready and not a single piece of armor between the two of them as the crowd cheered, eager for blood to be spilled. Despite the fighters both being armed and bloodied, it was clear that the fight was one-sided. And that could be seen just from the sheer size difference between the two men. One was just a pathetic smallfolk. While the other was clearly a warrior, with arms wider than his opponent's head. The smaller man kept swinging his bloodied weapon back and forth in front of him as if he were trying to fan flames rather than fight. The warrior however, one of Joffrey's favorites, just waited until the idiot overreached.
Catching the small man by the wrist, the warrior twisted his arm, causing him to drop his weapon and yell in pain as his arm broke. After forcing the smaller man to his knees, the warrior held his bloodied, chipped sword high to the delight of the crowd. Shifting his hold on the small idiot, the warrior quickly wrapped his arm around the small man's neck, forcing his head to face upwards. Slowly, wondrously slowly, the warrior pushed the tip of his sword between the man's teeth. Once in, he kept pushing down slowly, ever so slowly, forcing the blade down the man's throat, the jagged edges cutting the man's mouth as blood erupted from his mouth as he tried to scream in agony. After pushing the blade down all the away to the hilt, the warrior twisted the blade, forcing it to cut its way out from the man's chest, throat and mouth, cutting through bone, organs and flesh like they were nothing.
Smiling at the display, Joffrey lightly clapped while looking over towards his companion, Baelish. His Master of Coin and advisor showed just how weak he truly was as his face was white and he was clearly doing all he could to not look at the wonderful brutality happening just below them. "I still find it remarkable that, despite your clear weakness for blood, Lord Baelish, that you can keep finding fools who are willing to fight against the champions of the ring."
Baelish just shrugged as he turned away from the ring as the body was dragged out and fresh sand was thrown over the blood to prepare for the next match. "There is never a shortage of those who will do anything for coin, your grace. One simply needs to know where to look to find them. Just as the Starks and Lady Nox have shown in their recent endeavors in the city."
Joffrey's jovial mood soured immediately at the mention of the wolves and their pet whore. Honestly, dressing a pathetic small girl up in fancy clothes and then parading her around as if she were truly of note? Pathetic. The only thing of note about her was that she managed to fuck her way into the Sorcerer's attention.
"Yes…them," Joffrey seethed as he watched the next two contestants; another champion of the arena facing off against another smallfolk who looked about ready to piss himself in fear. "Why are they not dead or out of my city yet? I thought you said you could handle them? Every day they're here gives them another day to think that they actually control the Seven Kingdoms…and my father is too shortsighted to see that they're taking our power away. My power!"
"Matters of the game are…delicate, your grace," Baelish tried to console him, though Joffrey was starting to grow wary of his excuses. "The Starks and Lady Nox are far more…adept at the game then I had initially thought. And I've been forced to make several adjustments to the plans I had to remove them from power completely."
"You and your games," Joffrey scoffed, waving his hand. "Just find a fool with a sharp knife and who knows how to keep his mouth shut, pay him what he wants, and see it done already."
"Killing is easy, your grace. Even killing one of the nobility is easy. The issue with killing ones such as the Starks or Lady Nox is not the deed itself, but in making sure that you cover your tracks or make sure that their deaths cannot be used as a rallying cry," Baelish replied. "Or by making sure that their deaths at your hands cannot be disputed. The Starks are remarkably well connected. The Riverlands. Parts of the Vale. A betrothal to the heir of the Reach. The bastard's betrothal to the Princess of Dorne. Even the next Lady of Winterfell holds a powerful standing in Volantis. If we were to simply have Stark and Nox killed, then all those connections will come seeking answers and blood. In such a scenario, we would need irrefutable proof that they were treasonous. Or we would need someone else, someone powerful, to pay the debt of blood owed."
"I am to be King. My word of their treasonous actions is more than enough." Joffrey replied sourly.
"Indeed, your grace. However, we must remember the Targaryens. The Mad King had Lord Stark and his heir executed for coming and demanding to know why Prince Rhaegar absconded with Lyanna Stark. And look where that got the Mad King and the rest of his family."
Joffrey really did not care for that. He was the King! Or at least he would be once his useless father finally breathed his last. No one told him what to do! But, on the other hand…Baelish did make a good point. As galling as it was to admit. Turning his attention to the ring, Joffrey felt his sour mood lighten as the champion began toying with his 'challenger'. Taking chunks of flesh with each swipe of his saw-like sword as the crowd cheered.
"And how much longer will you force me to wait until the wolves and their pet whore are a thing of the past?" Joffrey asked, keeping his eye on the spectacle below.
"The pieces are falling into place, your grace. I will spare you the details…But I promise you that within a moon's turn, you will have the wolves and the Sorcerer's whore at your feet." Just then, the champion hamstrung his opponent, much to the delight of the crowd and Joffrey as the commoner went down, unable to do anything but die. "And speaking of which…I fear I must leave you to your entertainment, your grace. I do have several matters related to our discussion that I need to see to."
"Go," Joffrey said, waving the Master of Coin off as he watched with a smile while the champion slowly sawed through his opponent's neck with his blade. "And I will hold you to what you said, Baelish. One moon…and I want the wolves and their whore begging at my feet…or I will have your head mounted on a pike while it is still attached to your body."
"Of course, your grace," Baelish responded, bowing to him before taking his leave.
Now alone, Joffrey allowed himself to relax as he watched the bloodshed. He wasn't an idiot, or a fool, as much as his pathetic father claimed him to be. He knew that Baelish was trying to use him to rise above his station, despite the man's initial claims of being unable to rise any higher than he presently was. The Master of Coin had already unknowingly taught him that lesson. And there were only two reasons why Joffrey still entertained the man's presence. Firstly, because he was useful to him. And second, because he was not King yet and couldn't have him killed. But the moment he was finally King and Baelish stepped a single toe out of line, or if even a whisper of misdeed reached Joffrey's ear? Then he would have the man killed. Painfully. And he'd already had several methods of execution planned out. Methods he'd taken a great interest in reading about not just from Westeros, but from across all of Essos and even as far as Asshai, Yi Ti, and Sothoryos.
There were so many, many ways to kill a man. And the headsman was just…well…boring. Not to mention that Joffrey didn't think that a simple beheading or hanging was enough to send a message. There were so many, many methods that he couldn't wait to employ when he finally ascended to the throne. Being pulled apart by horses. Being chained to rocks at low tide and slowly drowning. Boiling to death in water or oil. A method from Yi Ti where they would be given shallow cuts until they died. Being suspended over hot embers to slowly burn. Yes…yes there were so many, many methods that he couldn't wait to use. And use them he would. He would bring order through blood and screams. And none, not even the famed Sorcerer or the Wolves, would dare question his rule for fear of what he would do to them.
Seeing the last two fighters of the night enter the ring, Joffrey sat forward in his seat, eager for blood.
But before the match could being, the door leading into the arena from the outside burst open in a loud noise, followed by a cloud of dust and splinters and everyone nearby dropped to the ground, covering their ears and crying out in pain from being struck by the splinters which had shot through the arena like a crossbow bolt.
As for Joffrey, he could barely tell what was going on his ears were ringing so bad that he couldn't even see straight. Picking himself up, he tried to focus on what was going on, but all he could see were people scurrying about like rats. Rats being chased by…men in armor with gold on their backs.
Feeling two hands in his arms, he looked over his should see one of his guards trying to get him up. The man was…saying something, but Joffrey couldn't hear him over the ringing in his ears and the sounds of people yelling. Before Joffrey could shake off his hand though, his guard went stiff, a sword piercing through his chest. As his guard dropped, Joffrey was left staring at a plate of gold…gold with white behind it. Tilting his head higher, Joffrey found himself looking directly into the face of his Uncle Jamie.
"…off..y?!"
He could barely hear his uncle say his name, and could do little more than stagger as his Uncle dragged him to his feet. Next thing he knew, a cap was being draped around his shoulders and head and he was being dragged outside.
By the time they were outside, the ringing in Joffrey's ears was finally gone, and his vision straightened out. "Let go of me, Uncle," he protested, trying to wrench his arm out of his uncle's grip, yet failing to do so.
"Be quiet, Joffrey!" his uncle hissed, looking around their surroundings before urging him forward. "We need to get you back to the Red Keep before—"
"Before what, Ser Jamie?"
Feeling his uncle stop moving, Joffrey glanced out from under the cloak that was over his head and shoulders. Standing just behind them was his Uncle Renly and Ser Loras Tyrell, the latter of whom still had his sword drawn and had blood over his blade and plate armor. "Nothing that concerns you, Lord Renly," his uncle said, moving Joffrey behind him.
"I beg to differ, Ser Jamie. You see, this is a matter for the Master of Laws. An unlawful bloodpit, here in Kings Landing? Everyone who was in that building is guilty. Including that boy, you are trying to hide. Now, I don't know who he is, but I advise you to step aside and remove their hood. Now."
"How dare you question my—!" Joffrey started to say, the cloak slipping from his head and shoulders, revealing himself fully to his uncles.
His uncle Renly's eyes went wide at seeing him, good. No doubt he realized just how badly he'd blundered taking away his fun. But then something odd happened. Instead of apologizing and begging for forgiveness, as he should have. His Uncle just…smirked. "Oh…Joffrey. I can see just why you were trying to hide my nephew, Kingslayer. Unfortunately, the law is the law. And while I won't be bringing the Crown Prince to the Black Cells to await execution…I am forced to bring him to my brother, the King. And I'm sure he will be…most interested to learn where his son and heir has been disappearing to."