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

[vorrutyer]

Plotting! Am I plotting?

[bruxisms]

YOU SEEM LIKE THE SORT WHO EASILY COULD. OR YOU'RE THE SORT WHO WOULD BE SWAYED ALL TOO EASILY BY ANOTHER TO TAKE A THRONE THAT IS NOT YOURS.

[ is he projecting Renly onto a near-stranger? perhaps. ]

[vorrutyer]

Oh, the latter seems decently like me. I'm quite swayed by all the pomp and frills. Have you seen the sorts of things that kings and emperors get to dress in? Let someone else be the power behind my throne; let me look handsome.

[bruxisms]

FOR YOUR FAMILY'S SAKE, I HOPE YOU DID NOT HAVE AN ELDER BROTHER.

[ if this fool could be any more like Renly, he knew not how. ]

[vorrutyer]

And why is that? Wouldn't you have preferred it if there were some responsible elder Vorrutyer to cut me out of my non-inheritance?

[bruxisms]

YOU WOULD HAVE LIKELY ONLY CAUSED THE POOR MAN A HEADACHE, OR ATTEMPTED TO USURP HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE.

[vorrutyer]

Do you have a younger brother, Your Majesty?

[bruxisms]

A YOUNGER AND AN ELDER.

[ it's not like his middle child syndrome is obvious or anything. ]

[vorrutyer]

I should have guessed it. And which gave you more headaches, mon frere?

[bruxisms]

THEY SEEMED TO BE IN A CONSTANT COMPETITION IN THAT REGARD, THOUGH I SUPPOSE ROBERT, THE ELDER WAS THE MOST INFURIATING.

[ Renly was just... disappointing. ]

[vorrutyer]

[ Wow, Stannis is just...trashin' his brothers, huh. ]

And what was wrong with him?

[bruxisms]

[ he does not like to speak ill of the dead, but... Robert and Renly are not dead here, now are they? ]

HE WOULD RATHER EAT, HUNT, AND FREQUENT BROTHELS THAN GOVERN THE REALM. HE PROMOTED SYCOPHANTS AND PARDONED TRAITORS. WHILE I AND HIS HAND RAN THE KINGDOM, HE WOULD DO LITTLE MORE THAN BANKRUPT IT. AND WHEN I HELD OUR CASTLE FOR A YEAR, REDUCED TO EATING LITTLE MORE THAN RATS, I RECEIVED NO THANKS FOR THE TASK.

[vorrutyer]

So how did he die?

[bruxisms]

A BOAR RAN HIM THROUGH, THOUGH I SUSPECT HIS LADY WIFE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. THE CHILDREN SHE GAVE BIRTH TO WERE NOT IS, BUT ABOMINATIONS BORN OF INCEST.

[vorrutyer]

Oooh, scandalous! Did he know about this?

[bruxisms]

I KNOW NOT IF HE DID, IN THE END. ORIGINALLY, I HAD BROUGHT MY SUSPICIONS TO HIS HAND, THE KING'S TOPMOST ADVISER, AND TOGETHER WE INVESTIGATED THE RUMOURS. IN THE END, HIS HAND WAS MURDERED BEFORE WE COULD PRESENT OUR EVIDENCE.

[ and Robert would have likely thought his accusations were little more than a shameless power grab. ]

[vorrutyer]

You lived, though.

[bruxisms]

AFTER THE HAND'S DEATH, I LEFT COURT. WHILE I CONTEMPLATED MY ACTIONS, EVENTS MOVED FAR MORE QUICKLY THAN I COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED.

I NEVER WISHED TO BE KING. IF THAT WOMAN HAD DONE HER DUTY, THIS WOULD HAVE ALL BEEN AVOIDED.

[vorrutyer]

Oh, come now. You didn't? Not at all?

[bruxisms]

NO.

[ he just wanted his ancestral castle and his brothers' love but look we can't all get what we want, now can we? ]

[vorrutyer]

Even though I'm sure you look so pretty in a crown?

[bruxisms]

ONLY A MAN WHO HAS NO COMPREHENSION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO RULE WOULD SAY SUCH A THING.

[vorrutyer]

What, do you think you wouldn't look pretty? I'm sure it'd suit that strong jaw of yours.

[bruxisms]

A CROWN IS FAR MORE THAN IT LOOKS. AND DO NOT MOCK ME. FALSE FLATTERY WILL GET YOU NOWHERE.

[vorrutyer]

Dear good sir, what on earth is "false" about it? You are a handsome man.