Chapter 18: Eglantine
Be a good wife, her septa had told her. Love your lord husband, she had been taught. Emulate the love you see in your mother and older sisters, she had been reminded. Throughout her early childhood, as a lady in training, Eglantine had been told that she was to love, honor, and obey her lord husband until her dying breath, and to serve his house faithfully. She had seen no problem with these commands or expectations...but that was back when she expected her lord husband to be kind, loving, and understanding, and to fulfill his role to care for her as much as she cared for him.
Instead, she had Lorys Threedrop. And as she was on her knees that night when he had made merriment of her past miscarriages, she realized something with deep regret: she hated her lord husband. She loathed every inch of his being. She hated how he went after any woman he could, she hated how he only concerned himself with his own feelings and never hers, and she hated that ugly patch of grayscale on his cheek. He was no husband at all, and this was no true marriage.
The realization made her weep, because she knew this was not how a wife was to behave. She prayed quietly to herself, Oh Mother, please, teach me to be a true mother and a loving wife...you are Mother to the good and the evil...please, please, teach me to be like you...
If her prayers were heard, they were not answered. She could not subdue those feelings she had towards Lorys, and she could not learn to love him even in a sacrificial manner. No...she still hated him. She despised him. If he were to die, she would feel no remorse.
These feelings crept up on her as she sat on the far end of the council chambers, listening to Lorys and the new maester, Bartimos, speak on wedding appointments for the children. Lorys had stated that he desired to see his house strengthened, and he wanted to secure it with alliances. His children, both legitimate and bastard, would provide him these alliances through marriages.
"We will start with Bonifer," Lorys said, sitting in the lord's seat with his Valyrian sword casually strewn across his lap, "my second legitimate son. Did you check with the courts in Storm's End?"
"I did, your lordship," Bartimos replied. He had a clear voice, and seemed much more calm and intellectual than Dermot had been, which made Eglantine hope he would be far different than the strange and, quite frankly, creepy previous maester, "and I received word back that they are most interested in your proposal. They see no reason to reject it."
They were referring to Lorys' plan to wed Bonifer, the second son Eglantine had birthed, to Lord Paramount Mary Baratheon herself. It was a betrothal that would come to fruition once both had reached majority age. It was a matrilineal marriage, which meant that Mary's children would not be Threedrop, but Baratheon. That suited Lorys fine, however – he desired to not only receive the Lord Paramount herself as an ally, but her family as well. Furthermore, it would give him a bigger foot into Storm's End politics.
"Good, good," Lorys said, "that makes my morning. Now, how about Casper?" He was referring to his oldest bastard child, who was a year older than Bonifer, but younger than Andren. "I believe he was the product of that blonde...ah what breasts she had! They were quite soft..."
Eglantine said nothing and made no facial expression, but her fingers snatched a bit of her dress and squeezed hard – so hard that she nearly tore holes in the fabric where her nails dug in. Lorys often did not care if she was present when he spoke freely of women, especially his romantic conquests past and present. He would always speak on how much he loved their bodies, or their way of making love...and it drove her insane. She realized that she did not have a body crafted by an artist, but neither did she think she was lacking in any kind of physical appeal. Certainly she noticed some of the male servants staring at her in certain ways, and while she would never entertain the notion of adultery, she found it sad that she felt more loved by the leering of lesser men than it did any attention given by her husband...namely because he never gave her attention.
Bartimos, who showed a hint in his eyes that he was just as uncomfortable with Lorys' frankness, sat up a little straighter and said, "I believe I have found a potential candidate for him: Jeyne Bywater, the daughter of Lord Dontos Bywater, of Kingswood. Since you legitimized him, this would secure us an alliance with the Bywater house."
"Very good!" Lorys said. "Then that is settled."
Is this my role in this world? Eglantine thought to herself. Am I to give him children, only for him to throw them about like prizes to be won? She bit her lip and looked down, and wondered for a moment what it was like to be one of the smallfolk, marrying who they pleased rather than arranging such things for parents. It seemed to dehumanize her children in many ways.
"Now, Rhaella," Lorys continued, "her mother was quite the one...she let me go in the other way, from behind. I never get that sort of permission from other women..."
It was a jest at her expense. Lorys had asked her if he could do such sexual acts with her. She had flatly told him no. He persisted, and would not stop begging for it until she slapped him hard. That ended the conversation.
"I have found someone who will be willing to accept her," Bartimos said, speaking rather curtly as if to cut Lorys off from any further discussion on his exploits. "Lord Lucas Fell, of Fellwood. He is only nine years old, but his hall would like a guarantee that, in the future, he will be able to produce heirs. This will also seal an alliance between our two houses."
"Very good," said Lorys, "then give her to the Fells, and their wood."
What of Andren? Eglantine thought. Her sweet, dear, precious Andren...her first child, and the child who had lived after her first miscarriage. He seemed to be growing up into a fine boy, but how long would that last, now that he was placed under his father's care? He seemed so badly to want to be just like his father...would he become the same man that his father was? Would he have his bride crying on their wedding night, or speak of the beauty of other women around her? Would he care only for himself and his prestige, and not one bit for those who wanted only his attention and love? Would Eglantine come to regret ever birthing him into this world?
"I do have some regrets, your lordship," Bartimos said, "I am afraid that I cannot seem to find a proper pairing for Andren. I have sent requests for updates of marriagable lordlings from across the region, but, well..."
"It is quite alright, Bartimos," said Lorys, standing up and stretching his arms wide, holding his sword in one of his hands, "I asked you to find the best possible candidate for Andren, if none are yet available, well, you still have a chance to find one later. Nothing will be too good for my son."
Suddenly, a rapping came on the council chamber doors.
"Enter," Lorys replied curtly.
A guardsman peeked his head in, looking rather sheepish, "Pardons, m'lord, but Master Arrec wishes t' speak with ye...says he caught t' rustlers."
"Ah, very good," Lorys said, grinning as he slung his sword over his shoulder, flat end down. "Bring them in."
As the guardsman disappeared past the door, Bartimos turned and shot Lorys a curious look, "Rustlers?"
"Some thieves were taking cattle from some of the local farmers," Lorys said, "Arrec went out to find them and bring them to justice."
More like he sent someone else, like Bryen, to find them, while he stayed safely behind Herston Hall's defenses, Eglantine thought to herself bitterly. There were few on Lorys' council that she liked or trusted, although Bartimos was showing himself more and more every day to be an honorable man.
A few seconds later, grunting and smacking was heard, and the chamber doors swung wide open, hitting the wall with a loud bang. Arrec stormed in, grinning broadly and acting as if he had just come back from a victorious battle (although his armor was far too clean to have gone through any riding, let alone a battle). Behind him were a few soldiers, led by the reluctant officer Bryen. The soldiers were taking three men, each one tied up with his arms behind his back. They were bruised and beaten, and some would struggle a bit only to have one of the soldiers beat him over the head with a leather gloved hand. Once they were in the chambers, all men were pushed to their knees before Lorys.
"M'lord!" Arrec said, grinning broadly – which looked quite hideous with his hairlip. "I bring ye t' cow humpin' thieves. Caught 'em humpin' cattle, as ye might expect!"
"We ain't humpin' no cattle!" one of the men said. "I got children t' feed, I just-" The man was made to be silent by another punch from one of the footmen, which bloodied the poor man's lip even more.
"Well, well, rustlers," Lorys said, taking his sword down and tapping the flat end against his other hand. "That is quite a serious crime. You have caused some damage and concern in Lockport."
"Forgive us, m'lord," one of the other men said, "we won't be doin' it again, honest t' gods."
Lorys replied, "I will not be killing you, fear not. Untie their hands..." That made the men momentarily sigh and look relieved...that is, until that wicked grin crept over Lorys' face, and an evil gleam came over his eye, "...and plant them on the table."
The men gasped, and struggled. The soldiers were on them, grabbing their arms roughly and pulling them towards the table after they had been cut free. The men struggled and cried out for mercy as their hands were lined up, the footmen planting their grips on their upper arms, just below the wrists. Bryen was watching the scene in abject horror, his mouth practically on the floor as his wide eyes stared from Lorys to the struggling, panicking thieves. Bartimos also seemed concerned, turning to Lorys and saying in a low voice:
"Your lordship...far be it from me to correct you, but...mercy might go a long way here."
Lorys laughed, gripping his sword with both hands, "Mercy? Mercy will only encourage more rustling...and besides, I want to see if I'm able to do this."
He walked over to the side of the table, lifting the sword high. The men screamed for mercy, crying out for someone to help. Eglantine felt a chill go up her spine as she heard them scream to the gods to save them...and then all prayers turned to blood curdling cries as the sword went down, and all three pairs of hands were severed from the arms. The men fell back as the footmen released them, blood dripping down from their sleeves and onto their clothes. Arrec shouted at Bryen, who then ordered the men removed from the room.
"Arrec, be sure to tell the servants to come in and clean this table," came Lorys' nonchalant command. He sheathed his sword and turned, walking out of the hall without another word.
Bartimos remained standing where he had been when the sword dropped, staring blankly at the door Lorys had just left. Eglanting came up behind him and murmured, "I pity you, Maester Bartimos...you are a true man in a hall full of cowards and beasts..." Then, she too turned and stepped out of the room, leaving the maester to brood over all the events in the past few minutes.
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