Celestial Hymn 59 (Patreon)

Celestial Hymn

Chapter 59

-VB-

Myrcella Baratheon

Time marched on, and her time to choose came toward her with warning but still too quickly. 

Today was one such warning.

She watched with tears in her eyes as her brother, Tommen, ascended the Iron Throne with the Crown of the Seven Kingdoms upon his head. They were adults now, and he was no longer the boy king but a true king of Westeros. 

And standing next to the Iron Throne was her betrothed with his god hammer in one hand and a gnarly staff with gold veins (but which did nothing and was for looks, according to him) in his other hand. 

“And thus King Tommen Baratheon, the First of His Name, the King of the Andals and Rhoynar and the First Men, and the Lord Protector of the Realm sits before you! Long live the king!” 

The court, packed to the brim, roared back.

“Long live the king!” they roared. 

As the festivities of a new prosperous - and more importantly peaceful - era began before her eyes, she watched everyone break up into smaller groups as the festivities began. Servants brought in food, and there were magical wonders and trinkets on display for people to marvel. 

But her eyes were on her betrothed. He was standing next to Tommen, talking with him with a smile on his face and advising her brother on how to talk to lords and ladies because … because … because no one else ever gave her brother the time of their day. 

It was why Tommen was also one of the people most hurt by Alan’s admission of leave in the future. Permanent leave. 

So she was here, having to decide between her betrothed and her brother. Her brother would have Uncle Stannis and Shireen while Alan would … he would have no one.

Oh sure, one of his acolytes who gave him her best fluttering eyes might climb into his bed one day but having that kind of relationship didn’t mean anything, not really. Just look at her mother and father. Their lives were horrible. Love … love was necessary. A deeper meaning in a relationship needed to exist. Whether it was the love of friends, love of their partner, familial love, or even just a hobby shared, there needed to be.

Or life would be an endless swim in the muck and gutter. A constant struggle to survive with no light at the end of the tunnel. 

It was what led to infidelity. Gambling. Alcohol. Or even war.

She didn’t want the one man who stood by her side for so long to suffer that but could she … abandon her last blood family?

This coronation was a warning for her. That her time to choose was fast approaching. 

-VB-

Tommen Baratheon

Why was his life always about someone leaving him? 

Father died. Mother died. Even if he hated Joffrey, it still hurt to have him die like that. An arrow out of nowhere? 

And now, the one man who kept him safe and helped him as much as he did was going to leave, too? 

“Is there anything I can do to have you stay for longer?” he asked tiredly after the latest Small Council meeting. It was no longer a Regency Council.

Alan looked over his shoulder and snorted. “You know my answer to that, Tommy boy,” he drawled. “I think the meeting just now also reaffirms my point, too.”

Tommen understood Alan. He really did.

The meeting had been nothing but half of the councilors butting heads with each other over minor bits and bobs of authority and power they possessed. They didn’t dare to challenge him directly because that meant challenging the Army Killing Mage who was still his protector, but there would be a day in the future when they would bring a challenge to him. 

That day would be as soon as Alan left. 

And that day was creeping up on everyone.

“Won’t it be the same anywhere you go?” he tried instead. “Why leave when you’ll only find more problems? At least here, you know the problem.”

Alan sighed. “Tommen, what do you think will happen if I remain?”

“... Nothing?”

“No. Not nothing. I am the closest thing to a mortal god. If I am not venerated, then I will be vilified. Essos will forever seek to fight me because they will be under the assumption that I will come to conquer them. It doesn’t matter that it’s false; they will think so because that’s what they would do with the power that I have.”

“Then you don’t have to do anything! You can repel them!”

“Aye, I can, but for how long before someone I love dies? Before someone goes to far and pisses me off?” 

The Small Council chamber remained silent.

“Tommen, if something like that happened, then I will scorch Essos. I will burn innocents and guilty alike because I don’t care about them, only that someone among them hurt my people. The same would apply to Westeros. Or do you not remember how skittish the Dornish nobles were when they saw me. I threatened to glass their kingdom over an assumption that they were the ones who poisoned Myrcella.” 

“I know.”

“If you know, then you know I can’t stay. Not if you want the world remain green and alive because sooner or later… I will burn this place.”

“... Then where will you go?”

“Someplace where life isn’t static.”

“... I still don’t know how to feel about that.”

He shrugged. 

-VB-

Oberyn Martell

He disliked Lord Marris but he also respected the man.

It was hard to not respect a man who decided to blow up the dragons and the Far North because he could. There was respect to be found in that power, and if you didn’t respect that kind of power, then you weren’t long for this world. 

It also made him question why a man with that much power was going to leave. 

Oh, the rumors of his hate for everything on this world had to be exaggerated… but it had to include an inkling of truth. He certainly seemed like he wanted to kill everyone at the Small Council meeting. 

So.

What did that have to do with him?

Well, the king would still rule. As much as the new king was much weaker than Lord Marris, Lord Marris also intended to leave behind a significant portion of his magicians behind to support the king. 

That was the rumor, anyway.

If that was true, then there would be problems about their attempt at revenge on the Lannisters. 

Especially since Lord Marris seemed to be aware of their ambition and now sat across from him. 

“Prince Oberyn,” he began. “Is your brother enjoying the trinket I left behind intentionally?”

“Yes, yes he is,” he replied with ease. “It has been extremely useful in getting the, ah, attention and loyalty of our vassals.”

“Hmm. Then he is wise. To use what he has right now rather than grinding the sword for revenge in the future.”

Oberyn’s smile tightened and he had to grip his fist underneath the table. 

The blank faced lord didn’t give a hint whether or not he saw the change but he probably did. 

“I will not get in the way of your revenge.”

He blinked. 

“But I will be upset if the younger generations are involved in your plots. If you decide to ignore the youngsters, however, then there will be no activation of … contingencies.”

Oberyn didn’t understand a tenth of the words spoken but it sounded like there was a trap that will be sprung if the Martells were to attack Shireen Baratheon or Tommen Baratheon.

Myrcella was a given, considering the lengths he went to already for her sake. 

“... You will not interfere if we go after the Old Lion.”

“I will not.”

He leaned back.

“... The House of Martells understand your stance on this matter.”

Nothing else needed to be said. 

… But he and his family would certainly probe or proxy the Lannister-Baratheon king’s defense after Lord Marris leaves.