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dragonprince (dragonprince) wrote in awod,
@ 2010-06-10 00:21:00

Entry tags:

chapter 2, jaehaerys targaryen, william stark

Who: William, Jaehaerys
Where: Jaehaerys' rooms, Summerhall
When: During the joust.
Rating: PG-13/R
Status: Closed closed closed. Unless you really want to risk the Targaryen temper...?

Jaehaerys strode into his rooms in a manner that very nearly merited the term 'swept.' His face was impassive, but that was the usual expression he wore when he was less than amused. In the minutes since he had left the tourney, his mood had taken a turn for the worse as he imagined what lunacy would have led William to send for him. Send for him! As if William was king.

A part of him knew he was edging toward irrational, but by the seven, why all the secrecy? Why not send a note with one of the pages...? Something was amiss. He thought again of Elia's empty seat but did not let his mind linger there. Instead he glanced around his room and greeted Stark even before he saw the man. "William, if I miss Lord Selester's ride, I swear I'll create an embassy to the Wildlings and send you on it-- no, better yet, I'll order your lady wife to join the court." The king crossed his arms.

"Now, what is this about? I was in middle of teaching your daughter how to gamble."

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lordstark
2010-06-10 09:46 pm UTC (link)

William had been pacing, but stopped as the King entered. A visit to the wildlings would be preferable over the news he was about to share. His expression was troubled, his blue eyes clouded with concern. There was no gentle way to say what needed to be said, and if he should suffer the King's wrath for bearing the message, then so be it.

"Your Grace, I would not have asked you here if the reason was not critical. Your..." He swallowed hard, his tongue as heavy as an anchor as it rose from the murky waters of blackwater bay. How did you tell a man the woman he loved was dead? Many a marriage in the Seven Kingdoms was a political match driven by men's desires to increase their power, but Jaeraerys had chosen his own queen. He swallowed again. It would not do to keep the information any longer.

"Lady Elia Martell was found murdered, Your Grace."

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	dragonprince 2010-06-11 12:59 am UTC (link)
	The tiny spark that was left of Jaehaerys' good humor faded instantly. "That is a poor jest, William. If you're hoping to soften some news of her being found abed with someone, just out with it. Now, what's truly happened? I'd hate to have to kill Daryon Uller in a duel but I suppose it could be arranged." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lordstark
2010-06-22 03:42 pm UTC (link)

"I don't believe jesting is in the Hand's job description, your grace. This is no joke." William wished his words were not true, and that Princess Elia still walked among the living. But beyond that, the state of the body could leave no doubt about the horror of the crime committed against her. "If I had better news to share I would, but I don't. The princess was murdered, and the culprit still walks free. Your uncle is doubling the guard as we speak and he and I will ride to... find out more information shortly."

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dragonprince
2010-06-22 06:17 pm UTC (link)

Murdered. The word exploded in the air around him, shrapnels of thought spinning out of reach. Jaehaerys put a hand over his eyes. He swore for a moment he heard her laughing in the next room, but he looked again at William Stark and the phantom laughter stopped. He should have picked a liar for his Hand. "How?" he asked, unable to understand. She had just been there, in the starlight.

"I can't... believe you," he said, his tone bemused at the truth of his own words. "I will see her, first. And then..." And then someone would die. "Then we will ride."

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lordstark
2010-06-22 06:51 pm UTC (link)

William closed his eyes for a moment, the image of Elia's body unsettling behind his eyelids. When he opened them, he shook his head. "I know you will not listen, but my advice is to wait until the maester has prepared her for burial." [i]And then we will ride.[/i] William should have known the King would insist on coming. "Your grace, I'd advise you to return to the tournament. The masses will begin to question your absence, and I would rather your Uncle and I discover as much as possible before this gets out. The realm... the Martells, will rage when they find out. Better to have something to present them with then a jumble of excuses about how we know very little."

He quickly told the King of the orders he'd already made, about Elia's retinue, and the guard, and the rest of it. "The Kingsguard should be notified. I worry about your life as well, Your Grace. And Aenyris. If this is connected to your father..." William had no idea if the two murders were related, but Jaehaerys needed to prepare himself for the idea that someone was out to destroy what was left of the Targaryen family.

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dragonprince
2010-06-23 12:30 am UTC (link)

"You are right, I will not listen. Where is she, William? Take me to her. The masses can hang themselves until I have seen her."

The idea of danger to the rest of his family did sink into the rage building within Jaehaerys. His heart was pounding as he tried to remain calm enough to think clearly. "Send two of my guards to Aeny. Rhaeys has his own men--" the mention of Paegon stopped him. "I will need to speak to my mother."

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lordstark
2010-06-24 02:32 am UTC (link)

Standing next to Jaehaerys as he looked down upon Elia was the last thing William wanted to do, but he was a loyal hand and he'd do as his King bid. "I didn't figure you'd listen to me, anyway. Come, I'll take you to her. Perhaps the maester will have finished his examination." Not that William wanted to hear the report while the king raged. As they exited the room, William turned to one of the guards. "Put two extra men on the Princess and send for the Lord Commander to meet us below in the basement." The man in charge of the King's safety needed to know what they were dealing with as well.

The walk was nearly as long the second time, although this time felt more like entering the lion's den. As they approached the door William turned back to Jaehaerys. "Are you sure about this, Your Grace?"

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dragonprince
2010-06-24 02:55 am UTC (link)

Jaehaerys was silent as they walked. There was nothing to say. Stark was lying- had to be lying. He recognized their path, however- the dark cells beneath Summerhall. Remnants of the earlier castle that had once stood here- the castle that had claimed the best and brightest of the Targaryen line centuries ago in the fabled fire, still sung of as the Grief of Summerhall. Jenny of Oldstones and the Prince of Dragonflies...

The door loomed before them out of the dark. Jaehaerys didn't bother replying to his Hand. He pushed the door open, stepping into the flickering light. He blinked away the momentary dazzlement from the bright lights until he could focus on the room before him.

The maester was hurrying forward, but not quickly enough. There on a table lay a body whose curves he would have recognized in the most crowded of rooms. Shining black hair, skin so pale--- pale?

Jaehaerys moved swiftly to her side and stood staring. He reached out to touch her but his hand stopped, a hair's breadth from her skin. There was no warmth. Her throat--- gods her throat--

"Tell me." His voice was rough, sounding choked. Her arm... her neck... the bruises and blood... "Everything you know, my lords. And tell it quick." His heart was beating fast, blood rushing through his veins while hers was still. He kept breathing, staring at her as if willing her heart to match his again, pull her from the Stranger's grasp.

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lordstark
2010-06-25 08:57 pm UTC (link)

William waited for the King to push past. He didn’t relish the look he knew would appear on the King’s face at the sight of the body. It was one thing to lose Elia, but in such a gruesome way? Just imaging what the woman had faced at her death was unspeakable. He’d seen her once before, not even an hour past, yet the sight of her pale skin and blood streaked throat roiled his stomach again. This was no way for a princess to die – no way for any woman to die.

William let the maester prattle on about his findings. The man was doing his best to sound scientific and detached, but everyone in the room knew emotion was about to hit the walls hard, the way the tide swelled up the cliffs of Shipbreaker Bay. The King’s face told the story as the maester spoke, detailing out each of the injuries and how they might have been inflicted. The man held nothing back; a wise decision in William’s mind. Jaehaerys was often light and jovial, but William sensed the man could rain fire as easily as the next Targaryen if he felt crossed.

As the maester finished, William stepped forward. His voice wavered slightly; he was nearly as disturbed as Jaehaerys, but one of them had to attempt to stay sane. “Your Uncle spoke to the family who found her, but I want to interview them again, and search the location for clues. Before we leave, your grace, is there anything you wish of me? Or anyone you want to speak to?”

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dragonprince
2010-06-26 12:38 am UTC (link)

Blood, everywhere. There would be fire, he vowed. As the maester spoke, tripping over his own words in places, Jaehaerys' fury grew. Trauma, forced, brutalized... His stomach hurt and his brain felt as if it was trying to crawl out of his skull and away from the Maester's voice.

"Why?" it was a bare whisper, directed more at the air around him than the others in the room. "Why?" His resolve broke and he touched her hair, half praying it would break the spell. But no one woke up from those wounds. Tears threatened, but he would not shed them here. Dragons did not weep, even if their hearts were being torn from them.

"Lia, forgive me. I failed you..." His hand shot away from hers and caught a shelf full of vials, which went flying. The sounds of glass shattering on stone was not loud enough to drown the screams inside his head.

He turned to William, his eyes blazing. "I will speak with my cousin. You, find what clues you may. This--" Jaehaerys took a steadying breath, "this is not some pale assassin. This monster will be found, and when he is I will devise such torments as this realm will never see again. Anyone who helped him, anyone who knows him- they will burn for it." And they would scream as they died.

"I leave her to you, Allyns." He blinked, the fury of a moment ago somewhat clearing from his features, but only a just. "William, I trust you. Between yourself and my uncle, this must be solved. I ask you to follow this trail as if it were Elixabet upon that table." There was always a chance it might be, if Stark failed him in this.

"Come, there is much to do. I will find Aenyris, and I will ride out to meet you later. Leave word where you are going."

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