By the time I returned to the Red Keep in the morning after taking care of all the lose ends which could effect my plan, the castle was in chaos. Servants ran through the halls, their faces pale with fear. Guards stood tense at every corner, whispering amongst themselves.
I didn't get it, did they learn about Little Finger's dead this early? Not possible, Varys setup that the entire thing would look like an assassin's work and his dead wouldn't reveal for few weeks if their contingency worked.
Stopping one of the passing guards, I asked. "What's happening in the keep?"
The man swallowed. "The king, my lord… he's been Poisoned."
Poisoned?
My mind almost did a somersault at this. This never happened in the original story ? Who could done it.
Only one name came to my mind.
Who else it could be beside that vile woman.
"Damn you, Stark." By the time it hit me what might have happened, an surge of irritation rose in me.
Before I could ask more, we heard hurried footsteps. Renly Baratheon came rushing toward us, his face grim.
"Thor, you're back," Renly said, barely stopping. "Robert... He's... its not looking good."
"How?" I asked with part irritation and part resentment. Though he wasn't a good king, far from it, but he was a good man. Sort of…
At least he was a good drinking buddy.
"Don't know, people are suspecting traitors inside the keep, perhaps its a faceless man's doing." Renly said quickly. "At least, that's what they're calling it. Ned Stark and the others have been summoned. Robert is asking for you, too."
"I'll be there." Nodded.
Robert's health is the least of my worries now. If it was cersei's doing, then now comes the question who she will put this blame on ?
Suddenly, helping the wovles doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Maybe I should just let him die? He might be a good man but I'm not his nanny to look out for him.
Calming dow, I shook my head. It ultimately didn't mattered to me what happened. However, I would take action if it comes down to the she wolves.
Arya is someone I personally like, and Sansa, well what one more Stark to save when I go beyond my way to save another one.
Leaving that naive girl behind to be get ripped by those hyenas leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
By the time I entered the king's chambers, I saw Robert lying in bed, his massive frame weakened by the poison. His face was pale, his breath laboured. Ned Stark stood beside him, his expression grave.
Robert's bleary eyes found Thor. A weak chuckle escaped his lips. "Finally hear yer, what took you so long. I almost died, bastard." Robert said with laughter, clearly the fact that he was dying without any cure didn't put a damper on this man's mood.
"Apologies, I would have visited earlier but after learning that out of all the battles, wines and whores, poison is how you go, I need something to help me hold back my laughter. It wouldn't be good for a King's reputation after all." I shrugged.
Those words were enough to leave others gawking, even Cersei on the side, who I only notice now looked baffled for few seconds what I said.
After realising they are supposed to get angry upon someone insult their king, those guard tense up. However, Robert's laughter after that defused the situation.
"That mouth of yours is sharper than a woman's. Lose those muscles and put a dress on and you'll earn mighty fine in a whore house." Robert shot back.
"Perhaps. Though I doubt it would be men's gold I'll be pocketing. So, to not get chased by a horde of broken, furious husbands, I better spend my time on a battlefield." I smiled back. And after that Robert had no comeback.
Grumbling, he just let the matter go and then asked me to come closer to him. Not sure why but I did nonetheless.
"Before Stranger takes me, let's fix at least few mistakes I should have done before. Someone give me a damn sword." He struggled to sit up but failed. Instead, he turned to Ned. But others just kept on looking at him like they were watching a Panda trying to jump.
"I think I'm not dead yet for you cunts to not listen to your king. A SWORD..." Shouted Robert.
A guard quickly stepped forward, placing a blade in Robert's hand. The king gripped it weakly, then looked at Thor. "Kneel."
"Fuck you…."
"hahaha…"
Robert let out a tired laugh. "Ah, you remind me of myself too much. Fine, have it your way." He raised the sword as best as he could.
"By the Father, I ask you to be just.
By the Mother I ask you to show mercy.
By the Warrior I ask you to show courage.
By the Maiden, I ask you to defend the weak.
By the Smith you will raise your steel for right
And by the Crone you shall be bestowed by wisdom to guard the realm of men.
Thor, by my will as King of the Seven Kingdoms, I name you Ser Thor, a knight of my realm."
Robert had trouble doing this. I didn't want to be a knight but seeing him struggling and genuinely believing that this would at least do some good in his long list of wrongs, I just stood still and let him do it.
"Just don't expect me to wear those white cloaks anytime soon, red suits me better."
"Haha… Aye it does. Ned will see to anything you wish to have as per our bet." Robert said with a chuckle.
"No need, you handing over those assassins was more than enough. Just make sure I get the goal for winning the damn tourney and I'm be a happy man."
There was a silence in the room after that until Robert finally opened his mouth like he was reminiscing something.
"Lightning Strike." He said taking everyone by surprise but only Cersei, hearing these words, shuddered.
"Some few knew that my firstborn wasn't Joffrey but a stillborn, fewer knew that he wasn't actually a stillborn," Robert said and this took me off guard.
Who would have thought that Cersei wasn't lying when saying about her first born dying to Catelyn Stark in the show. Quite interesting...
"It was a lightning strike which took him. Like the heaven itself came for my boy. A bolt straight from heaven rained down, curved enough to enter inside the open window, directed to the cradle he was placed. Huh...if I wasn't present there, I wouldn't have believed myself. Like the Stranger himself was after that child's life." Robert said, for the first time I saw real pain in his eyes. For a man who got a hole in his stomach and could laugh knowing he got not much time. That is telling something.
But more than anything, Lightning Strike. This sounds too close for comfort. I secretly glanced at Cersei on the side and to my shock she had tears in her eyes, can't say whether they were real or she rent them from a crocodile but they did the job just right.
"Another golden head to my utter dismay I thought when I first saw him. But his eyes... they, they were like a stag. Like yours." Robert said, making me stiff for a second.
It's not like this possibility never crossed my mind. I have no recollection of the memories of this body I am in. I thought that I was in Thor's body but I looked too young for that, even if Thor really looked like that.
The fact that his firstborn died by lightning strike doesn't help in this regard. Too suspicious honestly.
And there was also this strange similarities in facial features and looks.
'Damn...just forget it, whatever it is, it's past and not even my past. Got nothing to do with it.' I said to myself before focusing on Robert again.
"With you, I for the first time felt like a real father," Robert said with misty eyes, can't believe a man like him was showing tears in front of others.
Ned who was standing behind at this further narrowed his eyes. Wondering are this two really not related ?
"I wasn't a good Father to Joffrey or Myrcella or Tommen. I..." He trailed off. Someone really said the truth.
Dying without regrets is better than living with them. Did I have any regret before I died?
"Forget what he did..." He said, making me come out of my daze. He knows...
But then I realised that one of the assassins was left behind. So those guards weren't from Joffrey or Queen but him?
Others clearly didn't understand what was going on. Only Robert and Me. He knew I understand and I knew what he was asking for.
The second assassins were send by none other than Joffrey. That crude way of doing things, who else it could be beside the idiot prince himself.
I didn't reply for a little while, here was a father begging for his son's life. However, my anger on that piece of shit didn't let me forget what he did.
I could have really died back then, at least there was a possibility.
"That all I ask, a dying man's last wish." Robert as of seeing my hesitation said.
'Really, blackmailing me, now.' Irritation rang inside me. I wasn't particularly close to this man but he bacase sort of a friend with me in this little time.
"Sigh...fine. However, I'll only overlook him this time. After this if he does anything to attract my Ire, I will strike." I replied with dejected tone.
I really wished to put a dagger in that head of that mad prince, however, seeing the pitiful state of Robert, I couldn't deny him.
Perhaps this was his only chance when he could act like a father for his kids, if this little thing could give him peace then sure.
I have no doubt the moment that little piece of shit gain power, he'll pull something even more ridiculously anyway.
That's when I'll get him.
"Good, now all of you out. I have to talk to Ned." Robert shouted.
xxx
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