"Do not expect people to behave perfectly rationally. We are idiots, one and all."
Surprisingly, despite being surrounded by law enforcement, I was not too concerned. Yes, there were cudgels leveled at me. Yes, I was surrounded by forces that few people would consider hospitable. And yes, my brother was in the middle of trying to arrest me on unnecessarily short-sighted charges.
But I was calm. This was fine. Because I was in control.
As the circle closed in on me and my friends and my wife, I broke the silence.
"Addam," I addressed the nearest guard. Young, half a boy, really, with an attempt at a bear disfiguring an otherwise common face. "How fares your father? I remember his bakery made some very delicate cakes when I was young."
"He fares well. Better than ever, in fact," the man admitted. "The bakery's got a different name and a different owner, but it's still the same cakes. He's never been happier, now that he doesn't need to worry about suppliers and can focus on baking."
"Excellent, I will have to pay him a visit later," I said, fully meaning every word, before turning to another man. This one was noticeably older, older even than Aemon. "Jason. Your brother just recently finished his apprenticeship as a weaver, did he not? How is he doing?"
"Almost as well as Addam's father. He has started weaving fine linen," he revealed. "Bought a house, turned it into a workshop, and now supplies three different tailors. Found a girl, too, so I might become an uncle before the year is out."
"Bought a house? At his age? Just after finishing his apprenticeship?" I asked. "That is quite impressive. How did he manage that?"
"With a loan from the bank, Your Grace," the man said slowly. He knew who owned the bank, meaning me, and knew that I knew he knew. His eyes widened marginally, and it was clear that he knew what I was doing. "From your bank, Your Grace."
"Then give him my kind regards," I said with a smile. "And should you become an uncle, do let me know. Some things are worth celebrating."
Next, I turned to yet another man of the city watch. This one was older still, looking old enough to have sired me. Even so, he looked a decade younger than my father.
"Ben," I addressed this man by name as well. "Your son works as a laborer for the Guild of Builders, does he not? I trust they are keeping him busy?"
"If anything, he would rather Your Grace stop trying to rebuild the entire city," the older man joked. "He hardly knows what to spend all his wages on."
"I make no promises," I countered.
"What is the point of this?" Aemon asked. "And men, why have you not taken him in yet?"
"And put the livelihoods of your friends and family at risk?" I asked the gathered men of the city watch. "That is what my brother takes exception to. All the time, effort, and coin I have invested into King's Landing."
"So you think you are too important to be held accountable?" Aemon asked, whirling around to glare at the men of the city watch he had brought here. "Nobody is above the law. Men, arrest him!"
But the men did not move.
At my side, Desmond opened his mouth as if to speak, only to falter. He was the Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing, appointed by and answering to the Master of Laws, and I knew him well enough to be able to guess his thoughts. Could he really order these men to ignore an order from his direct superior? More importantly, could they ignore the Prince Regent?
I intervened before my friend was forced to commit actual treason.
"My apologies, friends, but my brother is not feeling well," I told the dozens of men who had been sent to arrest me. "Please see him out, safe and unharmed. His guards, too."
"What do you think you are doing?" Aemon asked, storming towards me. Still armed, and still clad in black plate, it was not an encouraging sight, but the men of the city watch were already closing in, forming a wall of bodies in front of him. "You do not command the city watch!"
"I am merely asking my friends for a favor," I corrected, not moving an inch as the men of the city watch formed up, now fully surrounding my brother as his guards tried to form a protective circle around their master. "And in doing so, am doing you an even bigger favor. Leave. Think things over. For our mother's sake."
My brother's gaze flicked around the room, flashing over the ranks of men whom he had brought to back him up. But whatever he was searching for, he did not find it. He turned on his heel and stormed out. The men of the city watch did not bar his progress, though the captain he had brought was following him closely.
"And Aemon…" I called out to my brother's retreating form. He paused mid-stride as if contemplating whether or not to heed my voice. Blessedly, after a moment's pause, he did turn his head towards me. "Settlement of the Stepstones has been arranged, so my men will be returning from the Stepstones in a few weeks' time. For their dismissal."
If anything, that hastened my brother's exit, the men of the city watch closely behind him. The doors slammed shut behind them, leaving me with only my dearest friends and companions.
"That went better than expected," I admitted.
"Better than expected?" Martyn gave an amused snort. Were we of a lower social station, I did not doubt he would have opted for raucous cheering. As things stood, he settled for a comradely clap on the shoulder. "Vaegon, you turned an arrest into a show of dominance. I don't think it could have gone better."
"Mayhaps if he managed to guarantee our posts for the next year," Desmond offered. "After this, I suspect the city watch may face a restructuring."
"That is an interesting way of saying His Grace the Regent would need to dismiss half the men in his service," Martyn said. "No, nothing so swift. He is not so bold, else he would have thought his personal knights to be sufficient."
Maegelle, however, remained silent, her brow wrinkled in thought.
"Though he is well within his rights as regent to strip us of our posts," Corlys mentioned. "Vaegon's dismissal I can almost guarantee. The rest of us…" he trailed off.
"He might try to turn us to his side?" Braxton offered. "Or at least to keep our distance. We are his good-brothers, too. It would be politically unwise to antagonize either of us, I think."
He had a point. Both Corlys and Braxton could be less than a year away from producing potential claimants. Two of them, with holdings on opposite sides of the continent, could be dangerous. Especially when one of them was but a few hours away from wild dragons.
"Which still leaves Martyn and me on the proverbial edge of losing our positions at court," Desmond pointed out.
"Only if he keeps pursuing this matter," I said. "If he sees reason, if he recognizes that the people will not stand for it, if he recognizes that what I am doing is helping people, he might back down."
"Really?" Corlys asked. "We're gambling on your brother being reasonable? Again? Remind me how that went not half an hour past."
"He will not," Maegelle said softly. "The light of The Crone's lantern reveals wisdom, but Aemon chooses to stand in its shadow."
"Continuously," I agreed. "But he still has the choice to step into the light of wisdom, and he stands quite close to it."
"Care to say that in words ordinary people will understand?" Martyn asked, clearly unaware of the irony of his words.
"His past foolishness does not guarantee future foolishness," I said by way of explanation.
If he did not… if he did not abandon this foolishness, he would undo all the good I had done for the realm. That could not be allowed to happen. Or rather, he could not be given the opportunity to undo my actions.
That could not be allowed to happen.
This meant Aemon could either allow my work to continue… or he would need to be removed from power. From the regency. From the line of succession entirely. Whether by royal decree or by seven-forsaken means, damning the man that gave the order. As if my soul would not be damned for going against my own brother.
No, Aemon needed to see reason.
"An interesting idea," Corlys allowed. "But difficult to implement."
"For me, certainly," I said. "But that is why I have you."
"I do not like the sound of that," Braxton said. "But go on."
"Return to the Red Keep. Get my brother to allow my work to continue. Have him speak to our mother, to the Kingsguard. Make sure he listens, please."
"And what of you?"
"I will go into hiding," I admitted. "For a few days, at least. The city loves me, enough to keep me from official notice until the next time Aemon holds court."
"Why until the next session of court?" Martyn asked.
"You plan on confronting him," Maegelle said. It was not a question, Maegelle knew me well enough.
"I have given him an out. He knows he can put an end to this in an instant in a way that benefits everyone except his own pride in a way that nobody but him will know. And he knows that his time is limited since my soldiers are returning. He will not dare to move against me if I have soldiers in the city. No doubt he will begin to prepare. If I force a confrontation before he is ready, he may be forced to accept my suggestion."
"Those are a lot of 'ifs'," Corlys pointed out. "I suppose you have a plan to tip the scales in your favor?"
"A few," I admitted. "A message to the court septon for a service on conciliation and compromise, instructions to the masters of the guilds to speak of the wellbeing of the city, speaking with Ser Joffrey before I get him off my trail…" my voice trailed off. Three ways to improve my chances of not dooming the realm. Three ways and faith in my companions.
It would suffice.
"That is still quite a risk," Braxton said.
"And that is the advantage I must press," I said. "My back is to the wall, my choices exile or death. But Aemon has the luxury of retreat, and he knows it."
"And if he chooses not to compromise?" Maegelle asked, and the silence hung in the air. "Vaegon, I have no desire to raise our children on my own."
That… that was a cruel thought, but one that had crossed my mind before. I would not be like Mother and Father, relying on my older children to raise the youngest. But if Aemon did not see reason, if I chose not to raise my weapon against him, I would be leaving my children without a father.
And the Seven Hells were a small price to pay to keep that from happening.
"Then Aemon cannot be allowed to continue as regent," I said softly.
...
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