Blood of Dragons

King Aegon held open court in the throne room on a misty autumn afternoon, the hall well filled with petitioners, courtiers, officers, and the curious. His Grace sat upon the Iron Throne in black and red finery, while Lord Kennoth Bracken stood below him as Hand of the King, with Lord Butterwell and a number of clerks close at hand. It began, as such courts often do, with the less glorious work of rule: confirmations of minor household service, notices to officers who had served by custom rather than warrant, instructions that rolls be brought current, and word that the royal fleet, the Sea Watch, and several accounts would be reviewed. The mention of ledgers and arrears drew some attention toward Beron Buckwell and others charged with making sense of the king’s magnificence in coin.

Ser Luthor Rivers, commander of the City Watch, was called first among the petitioners. He asked that the Watch be restored to full pay, saying he had done what he could from his own purse but that the matter could not be forestalled forever. King Aegon spoke well enough of the gold cloaks, but Lord Bracken was the one who answered the substance of it: His Grace would authorize an immediate release for three turns’ back salary, while any full restoration would wait upon review of the accounts. As Ser Luthor was before the throne, the Hand also confirmed Ser Halder Frey as commander of the Old Gate, which was met with approval in some quarters and with comment in others by those who remembered the Frey knight’s deeds in Dorne.

Following this, Ser Clyve Bracken came forward and was granted a place among the harbor officers under Ser Harstyn and Ser Villem, his duties to be settled by those officers and reported to the Hand’s office. He then asked the king’s leave to name the child his wife carried Aegon if a boy, or Bethany if a girl. His Grace, amused, gave his blessing, while Lord Bracken showed no clear sign of what he thought of his daughter’s name being offered in that fashion. Then Ser Osney Brune, heir to Brownhollow, petitioned for payment for shipments of Crackclaw lumber sent for the court’s use. Lord Bracken promised an accounting through the Wardenry and royal works, with payment for verified shipments already received and used. So the matter was answered, if not quite settled.

During these petitions, Queen Naerys entered the throne room with Prince Aemon the Dragonknight beside her. The king began to welcome her and have a place made, but Her Grace said she had a petition. Once bidden to speak, she asked to be put on trial for treason against King Aegon by means of adultery, so that she might prove her innocence before gods and men. This was met with shock from the court, and not least from the king. Ser Morgil Hastwyck, the king’s Master of Horse and captain of the Band of the Dragon, was seen to be dumbfounded as well.

The king at first tried to treat the matter as meaningless court whispers, but the queen answered that the whispers touched His Grace’s honor, her children’s blood, the succession of the Prince of Dragonstone, and the peace of the realm. Lord Bracken then said, plainly, that nameless gossip could not stand as charge or evidence. The queen answered that it was not nameless. Her first witness, she said, would be Ser Morgil Hastwyck, who had spoken the words that accused her.

The name passed quickly through the hall. Ser Morgil was no small man to accuse, being the king’s companion as well as Master of Horse, and the Hand gave him a chance to deny the matter. Ser Morgil did not do so. He called it idle talk and hardly new, said it was wrong to repeat it even in jest, and apologized. This did not serve him. Ser Omrys Baratheon cried out that such words named the king a cuckold and that Ser Morgil, not the queen, should be on trial. Lord Bracken then declared that Ser Morgil had admitted repeating words that touched the queen’s honor, the prince’s blood, and the succession. When His Grace tried to call it a foolish jest, Queen Naerys answered that a jest might shame a woman, but this shamed the crown.

At that, Lord Bracken said the matter could no longer be treated as common gossip. Ser Morgil had acknowledged giving the words voice, the charge existed before witnesses, and it had to be answered. The king proposed that witnesses be gathered and the matter placed before learned men, but Queen Naerys would not have that delay. She asked for trial by combat, now and that day, and named Prince Aemon of the Kingsguard as her champion. More gold cloaks entered the hall, and it was noted afterwards that some of the men near Ser Morgil found reasons not to stand quite so near him.

Septon Elwood then stepped forward from among the Most Devout. He said that the queen had asked for trial by combat as was her right, but that the gods did not favor such matters being undertaken in haste. Turning to the young High Septon, he asked for judgment. After a moment before all the court, the High Septon declared that the trial must wait seven days for the Seven Gods, so that the champion and the knight accused might pray and the gods reveal their design. King Aegon accepted this, and Queen Naerys submitted, saying that the gods would reveal the truth of her innocence.

Not long after, the king cut his hand upon the Iron Throne and summoned the Hand. Whatever passed between them was brief. Lord Bracken then turned to the court and declared that grave matters had been raised before them, and that His Grace must retire to consider them. The audience was over. The remaining petitions went unheard, and the trial by combat was set for seven days hence.