Better Judgment
Lord Jon Arryn, The Red Keep
Jon Arryn had never seen his foster son so upset before. Angry and turbulent as any storm, but never depressed. He was so upset that he didn't even drink as much as he usually would.
“Robert, Renly is here in the city, do you wish to see him?”
He received no response outside of a growl. It was a growl of warning if ever he heard one.
“Robert -”
“I have no patience for brats right now,” Jon gave a resigned sigh.
“He's your brother -”
“I have no patience for that either,” Robert glared at him. “Not after hearing about how those traitors were taking my beloved to that frozen wasteland instead of bringing her here. She belongs in a place where the sun can shine on her not in a fucking crypt! She belongs with me.” The last part was whispered and if it wasn't so quiet in the room, Jon didn't think he would hear it.
She was never yours, Jon wanted to say. He wanted to remind his foster son that Lyanna never fancied him when they met for the first time. He wanted to remind him of the fact that he was soon to be king and he would need to put aside any personal matter for the good of the kingdoms.
Taking a good look at his foster son, Jon realized that it would do no good. Robert hardly listened to him when he was in a good mood and on a good day as it was, but now he was unreasonable. It had been days since they received word about Renly's impending arrival and the death of Lyanna Stark. Robert was more focused on the latter than the fact that his flesh and blood needed him now.
“I'll deal with Renly then,” Jon sighed again when Robert just muttered to himself, mainly about how to deal with the Stark family.
“I'll deal with all the fuckers myself if I have too,” He heard Robert say as he made his way to the door. “I'll kill them all.”
Jon began making plans for preempting his foster son or for the fall out that would follow. He also had to make plans to appease Lord Tywin on the apparent misplacement of his son, Ser Jaime. Gods be good, why did that boy have to leave after he was released from his vows?
Ser Davos, The Red Keep
Davos could hardly contain himself when he set his eyes upon his wife. He picked her up and gave her a hearty kiss, mindful of the babe she held.
“Davos, what's happening? Why are we leaving?” Marya frowned at his hand. “What happened to you?” She demanded, their other children shuffling nervously at her tone.
“I will explain my love but we must leave now, I've managed to secure us a better place to live.” He ushered her towards the ship that Lord Stannis had given him as a gift to take his brother to the North. Marya frowned at him but she complied with their children following.
Lord Renly stood near the ship, speaking to an older man with Thoros of Myr and Ser Mark Ryswell standing guard. Davos took note of the distressed look on the young lords face and the tense postures of his fellow guards.
“Stannis and I held our home for him,” Renly said angrily, tears forming at the corner of his eyes, hands formed into fists. “We betrayed our king, we broke the law and he won't even come say goodbye to me?!”
The little Lords voice grew steadily louder with each word until he practically screamed the last word. Davos ushered his wife to board the ship while his youngest child started to cry. Renly looked at him then his child and just covered his face as his shoulders shook.
“Perhaps you should take the young lord to his quarters, Ser Davos.” Mark Ryswell didn't bother to take his eye off of the man Lord Renly had yelled at.
“Aye, he seems tired. Maybe he should rest.” Thoros opined with a rather lazy gesture but Davos saw the dark look in the eyes of the priest from Myr. Renly snapped a glare in his direction but Marya placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Come along young one,” She still bounced their wailing son but she gently ushered young Renly away with their children. Some way during the trip, Renly huddled into her side and cried some more.
“I cannot allow him to leave,” The older man said after a moment and Davos felt his spine tense at his words. His mangled hand pressed itself against the scabbard of the sword he was given and he took point with his fellow warriors.
Warrior? He scoffed internally. He was nothing more than an orphan from Flea Bottom who somehow made it to knighthood. He was no Duncan the Tall, meaning he could brawl with the best of them but he was normal sized and lacked skill with a sword. His lack of fingers was going to be a problem as well.
“My liege has commanded me and these men to take that boy North, we all swore that we would.” Ser Mark said calmly before he clucked his tongue. The horses that came with the men in front of them jerked a little the trotted up to their side and stared at their riders aggressively . Ser Mark had said that he was good with horses, but Davos did not take that to mean that he could exert some control over them.
There was growling from behind them. Davos didn't need to turn to know that it was the Direwolves that sailed with them, the fear on the faces of the knights in front of them told him the whole story.
“My liege respects you lord Arryn,” Ser Mark continued. Ah, Davos thought, this was Jon Arryn. The man who needed to take a young bride though his heir had already been decided. Davos couldn't pity the man more than he already did. He didn't have his letters or a lot of his numbers really, but he had spent enough time around high born people to know that this man was in for a world of trouble.
“But respect only goes so far. Lord Renly will foster in the North as was requested by the lord of Storms End, Stannis Baratheon.”
“The King will decide what happens to his brother,” Jon Arryn returned, looking unperturbed by the change of events.
“Your King has no say in this,” Thoros shrugged. “If he's even king for that long.”
“You would threaten his grace-”
“Oh shut up man,” Thoros interrupted the blustering knight that began to speak. “I don't threaten. Robert's a good fighter and an even better drinker but don't tell me that everyone will be falling before him after all that has happened.
“I may be a foreigner but Westerosi politics is not that foreign of a concept. Robert has more enemies than he can count and he needs all the help that he can get. His biggest supporters don't support him any more and anyone that could support him, well, they'll want something in return. Something that he might not be able to pay.”
Davos, as if possessed, spoke up, “This ship will leave even if we are not on it. The people on this ship will die protecting Lord Renly and the other passengers. My friends and I will die here to give them the chance to flee. You and your men may die as well. Could you leave your foster son without your guidance, Lord Arryn. Have you raised him enough to let him stand alone?”
Jon Arryn considered him for a moment.
“You speak out of place, Ser...?”
“Davos, of house Seaworth, m'lord.”
“I must confess, Ser Davos, that I've not heard of your house.”
“It's rather new I'm afraid.”
“And what gives you the right to speak to me in such a way?”
“Nothing of import really,” Davos said honestly. “Even though I've been knighted, and I am to be given Northern Lands, I am still a former smuggler and son of a crabber. I'm not the most educated man here but I know men. From what I've heard, you seem to be a good sort my lord.”
“I can't say that I've ever been complimented by a crabbers son before,” Jon Arryn looked at him with intrigue instead of disdain like all the others usually did. “How is it that you became a knight and in the service of Lord Rickard Stark?”
“I smuggled some food to Storms End, Lord Stannis rewarded me with a knighthood and a shorter hand.” Davos showed him the mangled appendage. “For my crimes I lost the joints. A more than fair trade I say.”
Lord Arryn still looked at him the same way but the other two knights snickered at his hand. Laugh now you bastards, we'll see if you'll be laughing when this is all over. Davos thought with a slight scowl.
“And why did you do such a thing?”
“I heard about what was happening to all those people,” Davos began. “How after all this time they still held strong. I admired that and I grew concerned when I heard that they were low on food. I know what its like to starve and I've seen people die from a lack of things to eat. I had the food and the means to help and well...no one ever said that I was smart.”
He wasn't going to mention that a note was given to his wife from Queen Rhaella, begging him to help her cousins children. She left two bags of gold for his family as extra means to get him to do the job. In times like these, Davos knew that any mention of the destroyed royal house would see him jailed or dead. The only one who knew beside his wife was Lord Stannis and probably Lord Rickard now that he thought about it.
“I suppose the reward was a nice bonus then?” Jon Arryn gave him a raised eyebrow.
“Yes it was, since it means that my family will have a better life. And a home that doesn't lead to a street covered in shit. I won't say I'm sorry about my past or the reward I got.” He added with a hint of defiance.
“Nor should you be,” Jon Arryn murmured with a small smile. “Any man worth his salt will do what is necessary to protect and provide for his family. I commend you Ser Davos.”
Davos was still a little fuzzy on the meaning of that word but he remembered that it meant good things so he nodded his head. The knights standing near the old lord still looked at him with disdain.
“You three leave me in difficult position.” The old lord sighed. “I cannot, in good conscience, allow the kings youngest brother go to a kingdom that has rescinded its support of the Iron Throne.”
Davos tensed further and readied himself to draw his sword.
“However, I tire of fighting and this potential skirmish will not help promote peace. Against my better judgment, I will let you go. Be warned that his grace will not like this and will retaliate in some fashion.”
Davos did not relax until his feet was firmly on the deck of the ship and they were sailing further out of the bay. When the city was in the distance behind him and no one seemed to follow, he breathed a sigh of relief. As he made his way to his family, Ser Mark and Thoros gave him sharp nods of approval.
“You did well,” Ser Mark said with a grin and Thoros just drank and nodded his head. “You'll have to learn how to fight, so your threats don't sound like a bluff next time.”
“Who said there's going to be a next time,” He shot back with a slight smile that turned into a grimace when some of the crew hauled a man towards them and threw him at their feet.
“Stowaway Sers,” One of the men, Bane as he was called, “Found 'im behind some of the cargo.”
The stowaway lifted his blonde head and green eyes looked at them with slight amusement.
“Ser Jaime?” Mark exclaimed in surprise. “What in the seven hells are you doing on this ship?!”
“What does it look like, I'm traveling with you of course.” The younger knight smirked. “As cold as the North is said to be, its better than the shit hole we just left.”
Well I'll be buggered, Davos thought with a groan and he put one hand to his face. They barely got away with taking lord Renly with them, now they had this one to deal with. What were they supposed to do now?