Celestial Hymn 54 (Patreon)

Celestial Hymn

Chapter 54

-VB-

The removal of the Iron Islands, the participation of the Starks, Baratheons, and Lannisters, and the eventual arrival of the Tullys set the stage for realpolitik that would decide the fate of the Seven Kingdoms.

Personally, I thought that all of this was a waste of time but not in the way that a casual observer might think it. Yes, my primary focus in life was magic - as well as Myrcella lately but primarily magic. Politics was just a form of people screaming at me in numerous annoying ways and distracting me from what I wanted to do.

… Still, politics and human nature were part of life, so I supposed that I was the dumb one for trying to avoid it. Rather than ignore the problem, I had to master the problem so that it didn’t remain a problem but became a tool for me.

Unfortunately, my inexperienced ass only really had two tools to use in politics: overwhelming power and influence. My influence was both limited and deep. I had connections to the royal family, the Baratheons, the Lannisters, and even the Faith of the Seven who still regarded me as a saint. However, those connections didn’t guarantee me anything beyond getting people to hear me out.

Which left me with only one tool to use in politics.

“You want the throne for yourself?” I asked Stannis incredulously.

“I am the eldest Baratheon with my lineage uncontested,” he replied back to me. “By the laws and rights of the Seven Kingdoms, I am the one solely fit to be on the throne.”

This was a private meeting after the first ever great council meeting of the three Lord Paramounts and myself. I stared at him across my desk while he stared back evenly.

“... And why would I support you, Lord Baratheon?”

He stiffened. “It is my right,” he said like an American would say that they had the freedom of speech, who always forgot that the First Amendment applied to government intervention, not to private citizens. He had the right, yes, but this was politics where caveat and exceptions were applied liberally and frequently. “If not me, then who?”

“Prince Tommen has the higher right.”

“And his lineage is in question,” he snapped back.

“Yes. It is in question, not disproven.”

Stannis stared at me. “What are you suggesting?” he asked me. “Being in question is enough.”

“Enough for you, maybe Lord Renly, and maybe even the Tyrells,” I replied with a shrug. “But not to me. Lord Baratheon, what would happen if you take power?”

“I would rule justly.”

“Justly? That is a fine idea, milord. Except you forget where I come from.”

He frowned. He didn’t get it.

“I was a smallfolk, Lord Baratheon. Your justice is not my justice.”

Now, he was snarling. Though we had been acquaintances and allies so far, this was where I was drawing the line. The favor I had with him was already used up to bring him to the table. There was nothing else that I had to work cooperatively with him.

So this … this was where I was pulling out my true one and only tool in the game of politics.

“Besides, milord, have you considered?” I asked with a smile. “That the most powerful man in all of the Seven Kingdoms must have things he wants as well?”

He gritted his teeth. “Then what do you want? Speak instead of playing this coy game.”

“Like I always said. I do not care for the throne for myself or even for Myrcella. Have I not told you before, Lord Baratheon? What I want is peace, and your ascension to the throne will bring anything but peace to this realm.”

He stared at me in surprise before anger began to bubble up inside of him. “You think that I will destabilize the realm?” he demanded.

“Personally, I think that in a vacuum without other players, you will be a decent enough ruler in a time of peace,” I replied. “However, we are not in a time of peace and will not be in a time of peace for at least a decade. If we do not find a resolution here, then all of us will meet on the battlefield. This will cause problems for the stability of the realm even after the end of the succession crisis. Even if we vote to make you the king, you will be fighting the entire realm to keep it from tearing itself apart. On top of that, you are currently not the man capable of balancing the interests of the lords, the stability of the kingdoms, and the future crisis.”

Stannis glared at me. “And you are capable?”

“Even if I am capable, I don’t care enough about the Seven Kingdoms,” I replied with a polite smile.

“... How did Renly raise someone like you to lordship?”

“Magic may be my focus but I am a very, very good sculptor.”

He grumbled wordlessly as he leaned back into his chair. “Then what? If I am unworthy, then the rest of the goddamn Seven Kingdoms is unworthy.”

I nodded. “You’re right.” He stared at me, waiting for me to continue while giving me a deadpan stare. “So we’ll push it back.”

“What?”

“We’ll just push the selection of the king back and have the Lord Paramounts rule as -”

-VB-

“A regency council?” Lannister sneered. “That is a show of weakness. It tells everyone that House Lannister cannot keep its proper place among the sheep.”

“You can take it or leave it, milord,” I replied. “Because you know as well as I do that the Starks don’t care, Baratheons want this, Dorne would see everyone burn, and the Tyrells are scheming thorns that will sit on the fence forever if that’s what it takes for even an iota of advantage.”

Tywin Lannister huffed. “And that is justification enough to bring about a regency council? With members who had proclaimed the royal children as inbred bastards? No, I will never accept it.”

This time, I huffed. “Lord Lannister,” I smiled. “You can’t refuse, Lord Lannister… because of the implications.”

He stared at me. “That sounds like a threat, Lord Marris,” he rumbled out.

“No, no, no. This is not a threat. After all, I am merely recommending that the regency council is the way forward not only due to the damages all of the participating parties - except I - have received. Allowing this issue to divide us right now would cause such an issue that … you will accept due to the implications,” I replied. “Let’s say that Lord Stannis says no. What’s he going to do?”

“That sounds like a threat, Lord Marris.”

“No, no,” I replied, shaking my head. “After all, if the regency council is rejected by all those participating today, then I will have to step in. Because of the implications of what will happen if I step in, everyone will say yes because those who say no will have to deal with the implications where I will actively work on battle magic to use in potential future battles.”

Lannister was not a man who agreed to those whom he saw as lesser. When dealing with such men, there was only one option: bring out the big stick and make vague gestures at it as bluntly as possible.

The Forge briefly connected with me … and gave me nothing.

I turned my attention back to a … definitely upset Tywin Lannister.

“How will you vote, Lord Lannister?”

-VB-

“Can you please vote yes when I ask for a regency council?” I spoke up bluntly.

Robb Stark looked at me a little critically for me before nodding. “Just don’t forget about what you implied up in the North. About a tower of magicians for the North.”

“I won’t forget about it. If it’s not me, then I will have my better acolytes set up a branch.”

“That’s good enough.”

“... If you don’t mind me being honest…”

“Yes?”

“I thought you would be more upset at not hearing that I would do it personally with assurances.”

He grimaced. “After what I’ve seen, I’d rather have magicians we can control and not a monster.”

“Fair enough.”

Dealing with the North was the easiest.