text | un: stormsend

[bruxisms]

GREETINGS. I AM STANNIS BARATHEON, ONCE RIGHTFUL KING OF WESTEROS, AND LORD OF DRAGONSTONE AND STORM'S END, THOUGH OLD TITLES MATTER LITTLE HERE.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR ALL "REFUGEES".

[ is he using capslock because he believes that is the proper way to type? because he accidentally got his phone stuck on it? because he just wants to? the true reason will likely be lost to time, and none will ever know. ]

HAVE ANY OF YOU EXPERIENCED AN ODD OCCURRENCE WHERE YOU MEET SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE ACQUAINTED WITH, AND THEY RECALL EVENTS FAR DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU? NOT MERELY A LAPSE IN THEIR MEMORY, BUT ENTIRELY DIFFERENT EVENTS, SUCH AS A MAN STILL BEING ALIVE WHEN YOU KNOW HIM TO BE DEAD, OR HEARING THAT YOU MARCHED YOUR WIFE AND CHILD INTO BATTLE WHEN YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE UTTER FOLLY AND RECALL LEAVING THEM SAFELY UNDER GUARD?

[ he still cannot believe that anyone would do that, least of all a man who seems to share his name, personality, and so many of his memories, yet is very much not him. ]

I WOULD KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR THINGS WITH THOSE THEY KNOW. AS THOUGH THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS OF YOUR WORLD. ONE THAT SOME OF YOU RECALL, AND ONE THAT OTHERS DO.

AND EVEN IF YOU DO NOT, I WOULD ALSO HEAR OF WHAT YOU KNOW OF DRAGONS FROM YOUR OWN WORLD. AS A MEMBER OF THE SIMWE INSTITUTE, ONE OF MY TASKS IS TO STUDYING THEM, AND I WOULD HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

YOU HAVE MY THANKS, AND DO NOT WASTE MY TIME.

Comments

text; un: ironborn

[reek]

The once and always false king of Westeros.

You sound half mad. Has your Targaryen ancestry caught up to you?

[ Yes, pot meet kettle, this post speaks volumes, but Theon doesn't trust Stannis as far as he can throw him, so he'll stick to taunting him rather than sharing his own information. To him, Ramsay's explanation sadly still makes the most sense. ]

text;

[bruxisms]

WITH ALL OF HIS LIMBS, ONE WOULD THINK THAT A KRAKEN MIGHT BE ABLE TO WRITE NEW PHRASES, NOT RECYCLE OLD FALSEHOODS.

[ he is not overly fond of speaking to Theon, particularly when he offers no counter explanations and instead buries his head deeper and deeper, stubborn to the end.

now who's the pot. ]

TELL ME, TURNCLOAK. IS IT ANY MORE MAD THAN ALL OF WESTEROS BEING DESTROYED BY A "STORM", AND WAKING UP AMONG THE STARS? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS EXPLANATION IS SENSIBLE AND SIMPLE ENOUGH.

text;

[reek]

This from the fool who continues to proclaim himself the once rightful king of Westeros. Tell me again which of us recycles old falsehoods?

[ Theon enjoys getting a rise out of Stannis on his better days. That’s about the extent of it. He refuses to share more than he already has, which was already far too much. ]

Aye, it does, particularly coming from you. Do you know you've used nothing but capital letters from the time you've arrived?
It doesn't make your words seem more important, if that's what you intend.

[ Implying that Stannis is the one who seems unhinged... ]

text;

[bruxisms]

WHILE I AM SURE THE IRONBORN DO NOT PLACE MUCH VALUE IN THEIR HISTORIES, LORD STARK IS A FAR DIFFERENT MAN. HE SHOULD HAVE HAD YOUR MAESTER TEACH YOU THE MEANING OF THE LAW.

[ a disappointment as a greenlander and an ironborn. HOW DOES IT FEEL THEON. ]

I AM AWARE. YET IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR OTHERS TO READ.

[ is this his true reason? is he trying to save face? regardless, the fact remains he is going to keep with his manner of typing, for he cares little what a petty traitor thinks. ]

text;

[reek]

[ It feels pretty shitty, thanks! He has a really big identity problem—WHAT DO YOU CARE YOU’RE NOT GONNA ADOPT HIM. ]

The law which says that I would be the one to lose my head should my father rebel once more? Your claim means even less to me than that.

[ Someone is still bitter. ]

It makes you look like a halfwit.

text;

[bruxisms]

YOUR FATHER SHOULD HAVE NOT REBELLED, THEN. WERE IT UP TO ME, HE'D HAVE LOST HIS HEAD, AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A REGENT LORD PARAMOUNT UNTIL YOU CAME OF AGE.

[ IF YOU PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT THEON, MAYBE ONE DAY HE WILL. ONE DAY. though Jon will still be his favourite not!son. ]

WHY SHOULD I PLACE ANY STOCK IN THE WORDS OF A TURNCLOAK WHO UNDERSTANDS LITTLE AND LESS OF THE LAW?

text;

[reek]

That doesn’t sound like abiding by the law at all, Lord Stannis.

[ Mocking? Just a bit. He wouldn’t have wanted his father to be beheaded any more than he would have wanted to be beheaded, but even he has to admit that Stannis’s idea sounds significantly more fair.

He just won’t admit it out loud. Which is why Jon will always be the favorite. ]

[bruxisms]

TRADITIONALLY, THE PUNISHMENT FOR TREASON IS DEATH, TURNCLOAK. MY BROTHER LIKED TO FORGIVE FAR TOO MUCH FOR MY LIKING.

[ and yet, he found he had to forgive on some occasions. it was not exactly something that he would say he liked, but it had proven necessary. ]

[reek]

It never felt much like forgiveness to me.

[ The truth of the matter is that no difference would have ever been good enough to make Theon happy. The hand he was dealt in life has seen him age into a bitter, resentful adult, and he seems intent upon staying that way. Jon has reached out to him, tried to show him acceptance, and Theon vehemently refused. The only person stopping Theon from being happy is Theon.

Tragic, tbh. ]

[bruxisms]

IT WAS. AND IT WAS A MERCY.

[ Stannis is much the same way. perhaps it is a trait inherent in those of Westeros.

but also... ]

I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES TO MYSELF. IT SEEMS THAT THERE WERE INDEED TWO WESTEROSES.

[reek]

I'm certain you have. You're free to believe such nonsense if you like. You've already proven yourself half mad, after all.

[ Theon is too stubborn for all that, and too intent upon seeing himself sent into a downward spiral. ]

Or is it a quarter mad?

[bruxisms]

TELL ME SOMETHING TURNCLOAK. IF I AM A QUARTER MAD, WHAT IS YOUR PROOF TO BACK UP YOUR BELIEFS? I WOULD BE EAGER TO HEAR IT.

[ it is simple logic. ]

[reek]

You're being lied to. How much more complicated does it need to be?

[ It's just the easier explanation, isn't it? It makes complete sense to Theon, who is so burdened by his guilt that he feels only he would be the target of falsehoods from all sides. Stannis playing dumb is clearly just a part of it. ]

[bruxisms]

RAMSAY SNOW ALSO SAID THE SAME THING.

BE THAT AS IT MAY, I TRUST THE WORDS OF THE ONETIME LORD COMMANDER OVER THE BASTARD OF BOLTON.

[ perhaps easier, but not more logical. ]

[reek]

The man you believe to be Ramsay.

[ Is he trying to play it off like he hasn't been in contact with Ramsay this whole time? He sure is. ]

[bruxisms]

DO I HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE OTHERWISE?

[reek]

You've not seen his face. Anyone can call themselves by his name.

[bruxisms]

THEY WOULD NOT SPEAK OF THE SAME THINGS THAT HE DID.

[reek]

You've no proof.

[bruxisms]

YET.

BE THAT AS IT MAY, I HAVE NO DOUBT THE TRUTH WILL COME TO LIGHT, TURNCLOAK.

[reek]

I have a name.

[ He knows he's a turncloak. The least you can do is use his name at least once, buddy. ]

[bruxisms]

THEN PROVE YOURSELF WORTHY OF IT.

[ be grateful you're not called Lord Too-Fat or Ser Stupid. ]

[reek]

[ I mean, there's always Reek. ]

Prove yourself worthy of a crown.

I do not need to prove myself worthy of my own name.

[bruxisms]

I REQUESTED THAT ALL TRUE MEN AND WOMEN OF WESTEROS BE SAVED. AS A KING, I PROTECTED MY PEOPLE.

BUT YOU WISH TO PROVE YOURSELF WORTHY OF NOT BEING ONLY KNOWN AS A TURNCLOAK.

[reek]

I know what I did. It isn't as though I can take it back.