Two Brothers, Two Tales
Theodore Hightower
Theodore sighed as he exited the council chambers. He had come to King's Landing with the dream of bringing back the glory Hightower had when they were the Hand of the King and were related to the King, now he would give anything to leave. Countless small council meetings over one matter or the next. He swore if he heard one more report about the finances of the realm he'd jump off a tower.
Who knew ruling a kingdom would require so much pointless drivel? Half of the time we sit around waiting for King Aegon to come and sign orders that do nothing but look important. He did find it curious that both of Viserys's sons didn't seem to care too much about investigating their father's death. But it wasn't his place to say anything about that. He was just the Master of Ships.
Stick to what your good at, Theodore. Skulking around looking for killers will only get you killed and Gladys would never let you hear the end of that.
As he walked through the Red Keep, the halls were aflutter with the talk of the grand feast for the Targaryens that King Aegon had ordered.
Oh joy. I wonder how loud Lord Lannister will roar when he hears that news. I'm sure that won't be a cheap affair. Theodore was relieved to return to his chambers and to his wife, Gladys. Theodore looked around at their spacious quarters, which were adorned with the bright yellows of House Caron rather than the dull greys of Hightower, and checked to make sure their servants were gone. One of the first lessons he learned in King's Landing is that servants gossip about everything. He finally turned to his wife and said, "You know, I'm still not certain you should have joined me in coming here. Alicent needs her mother and I'm not sure this is a safe place for you to be. There are things always lurking in the shadows here and—"
Gladys lifted her right hand to Theodore's face and placed a finger over his mouth, her left hand rested on her belly which Theodore just noticed had begun to slightly bulge. "Shh, my lord husband. We've been over this so many times. I'm not leaving you. And the wet nurse will do a fine job of taking care of Alicent and Eustace will rule admirably in your stead. But look, already I have another of your children growing inside me. I will give you a son, Theo, and I'm not going to sit around in Oldtown and wait for you to come back when you're here in King's Landing with Aegon and all the whores in every brothel in this city."
Theodore looked at his wife in surprise. "You are with child? Again and so soon? Has a maester confirmed it?"
"Aye, I am surely with child."
Theodore smiled in a moment of joy. "If it is a boy, how about Garth after Garth Greenhand? Garth Hightower, truly a noble name. And if it is a girl, how about Lynesse for my mother?" They continued for some time caught up in the excitement of a new child. The realm and Theodore's duties were gotten for a time until Gladys looked down at the table and saw a letter that had arrived earlier that day. She picked it up and handed it to Theodore and he unfurled it. "Eustace? It must be his response to the raven I sent him earlier. Well, what does he have to say." Theodore read the letter:
My Lord Hightower,
I have received your raven and have done as you asked. I have given the necessary orders and assembled a team of investigators to head to Tumbleton forthwith.
Your faithful servant,
Eustace of Oldtown
Theodore looked the letter over and then placed it down.
Soon I will have the answers I want.
Victor Hightower
A short calm had finally settled over the city after days of rioting. Lys had been torn to pieces in the fighting that started after the failed coup.
This city looks worse than when I got here and the first time was just after the Ironborn had came to visit. May the Lord of Light protect this city. The Lord of Light. The words still sounded strange to Victor and it was odd to think of only one god instead of seven. But he could not deny what he saw in the fires. He remembered when he first told Salladhor about it.
He told Salladhor,
"I stayed in the red temple after you left. I was alone, except for the priests and priestesses and when I stopped and looked into the fire, I saw it. My brother's death. R'hllor had promised me that. It's more than the false gods ever did." Salladhor only nodded, seemingly unconvinced.
He had told me that R'hllor gave visions in the fire to his believers. Now when I see one he looks at me in disbelief and ignores me? The hypocrite. Salladhor and Victor survived the fighting holed up in Salladhor's manse. A mob tried to attack them but Salladhor's guards and Victor's axe persuaded them to look for easier targets.
Victor's manse was trashed. He had returned to it during one of the lulls in the fighting and grabbed everything he could, but much of it was lost. He was now a beggar noble, with not much more than the clothes on his back, a purse full of coins, a few measly possessions, and a letter that gave him his only chance of regaining his position in life. It was written by a man who fancied himself King Hugo and promised any noble who joined him a title in his new kingdom. He had needed a map to find out where Saath was, but nothing was going to stop him from getting there. He would join with this King Hugo, become a lord in his own right, and then take back what belonged to him.
I hope you're enjoying your cow of a wife, Theodore, because soon I'll be returning to take back what should have always belonged to me.
((Mummer's tale: Gladys is with another child (I'm just rolling with what my rolls are saying, this should even itself out eventually), Theodore is beginning to search for something at Tumbleton, Victor is a follower of R'hllor and is heading to Saath to join this "King Hugo" fella))
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