Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by Priapus, Malcolm Tent, Beans
The Unbound
Chapter 29: Two Flowers
– Arianne Martell –
Sitting in her family's suite, she frowned to herself as she considered everything. With her mother joining the Small Council, House Martell had gotten a permanent place within King's Landing. Somehow, she knew her father was currently seething back in Dorne and that only put a brighter smile on her face, even if her current goal of attaching herself to the King's side had hit a wall.
"Lady Stark? Huh, who would have thought," Nymeria snorted as Tyene spread her latest piece of information. "It'll be hard not to smirk the next time she sneers at me for being a 'bastard'. Don't give me that look, Princess, I won't say a damn thing."
"I didn't think you would," Arianne reassured, leaning back with an amused smirk at the idea of the proud Catelyn Stark submitting to Orys. More importantly, Margaery had been there and had actively taken part in the domination? That was valuable information indeed. It was clear now that there was no chance of her moving between Orys and Margaery; the pair shared a bond that she simply could not hope to cut. No, if she wanted to go through with her plan, then she needed to make sure Margaery approved of her joining them, if she didn't want to face a far more insurmountable wall.
She had come to King's Landing with the same expectation that everyone had had at the start. That things wouldn't change that much compared to his father's reign. But Orys himself had called this the dawn of the Age of the Gods, and it was looking like he was right. For better and for worse.
"I do have some unfortunate news. I fear my attempts to infiltrate the new order of septas are doomed to fail," Tyene admitted, getting their attention as Arianne gave her a questioning look. "During Shireen's operation, I wasn't able to heal. The other septas could do so, under Orys' guidance, but Orys had to… fake it for me."
"Because you have no faith," Arianne realised with a quiet laugh. "You can't fool the Mother."
"Oh, I believe, of course. Who wouldn't in days like these? But believing and being seen as worthy of her blessing are two different things. I can fool the High Septon, I can worm my way into the Most Devout, but I can't fool the Mother herself. I felt… something during it, and it wouldn't be wrong to call it a mother's disapproval. Not angry, just scolding and disappointed," Tyene confessed with a quiet laugh.
"And yet Orys covered for you," Nymeria asked, sharing a look with Obara.
"As he covered for you when you put a knife to his throat," Arianne replied for her, getting a flush on Nymeria's cheeks. None of the Sand Sisters had forgotten that Nymeria had almost gotten them all into a dangerous situation with her jumpy actions.
Orys hadn't been the King, nor the Blessed, at that point but she still was a bastard who'd put a knife to the throat of the Crown Prince. Even if all the witnesses were either Sand Snakes or Martells, it wouldn't save them if Orys had told his parents and Oberyn would have had to choose between fleeing back to Dorne to save Nymeria from the headsman's axe or handing over his daughter. It could have even led to war if Oberyn had refused, as he certainly would have, given the bad blood at the time. He still despised the Lannisters, but Oberyn was far more neutral toward Baratheons and downright positive about Orys himself.
But then, the Mountain's corpse being on display in Sunspear was proof that Orys was not his apathetic father or monstrous grandfather. It amused her that her father had been forced to acknowledge Orys and her parts in Elia's killers facing justice. Oberyn had nudged things in her favour and lied about just how much of a part she'd had in the negotiations, pushing that it had been her urging during the tournament and her friendship with Orys that had sparked the fire that engulfed the Mountain and the Manticore.
Nymeria could have ruined it all, and she knew it. None of them blamed her. They'd had every reason to be paranoid about someone intruding in their tent right after Margaery had nearly died from a Dornish poison. But she knew it all the same. When the best case was likely her own death, and possibly the deaths of the other Sand Snakes, and the worst case was an outright war, Nymeria knew she owed Orys for being so… understanding.
"Exactly. Our beloved King saw through me in an instant, but made sure to make it look like I was the one healing. I think the only one who noticed was Shireen herself, smart girl that one," Tyene admitted with a small chuckle.
Dorne was going to fall behind thanks to her stupid, stubborn father. Orys was sharing his blessing freely, but her father was so determined to sit on his hands and do nothing that Dorne was going to be left behind as the other provinces grew closer and benefited from Orys' powers. A year ago, septas healing with a blessed touch would have been seen as some mummer's farce, and now there was an Order dedicated to the Mother that was learning under a divine king. Soon, those septas would spread across the Seven Kingdoms, bringing each and every province further under Orys' aegis.
Ah, wait… he didn't trust the maesters? It didn't surprise her, in truth. The maesters were infamous for their anti-magical teachings, and while Orys' powers were seen as blessings, it was going to come down to the difference between Faith and Learning. He didn't want maesters whispering in their lord's ears about the dangers of such powers, powers they didn't understand and couldn't control, so he was making sure there would be septas with healing powers speaking to their lords of Orys' divine blessings.
"You aren't worried about Stark growing suspicious of you? She's bound to learn that you are a Sand Snake, an oh-so-terrible 'bastard'," Arianne pointed out, but Tyene just laughed.
"In any other situation, she'd turn on me the moment she heard that, but not this time. I am officially a septa, now. The High Septon was so impressed with my devotion~" Tyene laughed.
"You fucked him," Nymeria snorted, getting a disturbed look from Tyene.
"Please, Nymeria. I do have standards. There's exactly one divine figure I'd drop to my knees and pray long and hard for, and it's not that fat, old bastard. He just wants more influence in Dorne and thinks I can be his tool," Tyene laughed. "But the end result is the same, I am officially a septa thanks to my work with the Most Devout. More importantly, Lady Catelyn is desperate for someone to tell her she did the right thing. She never would have confessed if I hadn't ambushed her in a moment of weakness. But now? I know her secret and am happy to whisper in her ear that she did nothing wrong. She's so desperate for absolution she doesn't care who it comes from."
"The High Septon and Lady Stark are both 'using' you, unknowingly letting you use them back. Impressive," Arianne admitted, giving the Sand Snake she was closest to a proud smile. "Nymeria. The Fowlers?"
"More or less what you expected," Nymeria admitted. "Lord Fowler can see how the winds are changing and suspects that something is amiss between you and him. With Oberyn seemingly aiding you and your part in avenging Elia and Dorne, he's placing his bets on you coming out on top. Since you are pushing for closer ties with the crown, he's sent his daughters to mingle with the highborn of the rest of the provinces. No betrothals yet, but you know the twins don't want that, and he spoils them."
The Fowlers took freedom seriously, their words being 'Let Me Soar'. She had marked them as a potential ally if she had to take what was hers by force.
"There have been some… worries about your mother seemingly working with Tywin fucking Lannister of all people," Nymeria admitted. With so many Dornish highborn in court, such a thing was always going to cause a scene.
"They're on the Small Council together, and as the Master of Foreign Affairs, it's part of her job to aid with foreign trade. Remind people that Orys plans to make a Master of Trade position, and that both my mother and the Master of Trade will reduce the power the old lion has. For now, she's making sure that Tywin's deals benefit the crown, not House Lannister," Arianne replied, getting a nod.
"It's still making the old cunt look good in front of the King," Obara pointed out, but Arianne just laughed.
"Tywin Lannister doesn't need to look good in front of Orys. He raised the King, Obara. Orys was fostered at Casterly Rock for most of his life," Arianne reminded them. "Family is a blind spot for even the greatest of minds. My mother working beside Tywin means she knows what foreign deals he's making, and he can't risk pushing for anything that empowers House Lannister without it aiding the Crown more so."
The last thing she needed was for the Dornish highborn to think her mother was helping the most hated enemy of Dorne, and by extension, that she was friendly with the fucking Lions. Especially as her mother had used her to contact Sarella Sand to start trade with the Summer Islands, as Sarella took after her mother with a love for trade. The Summer Islanders wouldn't trade their oh-so-special wood, but they still had plenty to give and a need for much that the Seven Kingdoms could provide.
"Remind them of Littlefinger and how his unchecked corruption caused so much trouble. Watching Tywin limits his power, rather than aid it," Arianne continued, watching the Sand Snakes nod in agreement. "My mother is representing Dorne's interests while keeping the Lion in check."
Today was the Day of the Father, the second to last day of the grand wedding itself as the seventh day was dedicated to the Stranger and had no public events. In truth, she should be happy. The more Orys built up his reputation, the easier it would be to push for the Doctrine of Exceptionalism for him.
She wasn't happy for one simple reason. She was horny. It was stupid, but she wasn't going to risk her chance with Orys by bedding another man, even when her loins were demanding attention. She'd been the picture-perfect heiress while in King's Landing, doing nothing scandalous once she'd realised that squabbling with Margaery was only hurting her position.
In truth, the reason she'd kept her distance during the wedding itself (beyond interfering with the fat slaver's game), was to get herself on Margaery's good side. Margaery didn't like her flirting with Orys during the tournament, but even Arianne would take offence to a rival flirting with her betrothed during the wedding itself. Margaery might be open to Orys taking lovers, but she was threatened by Arianne during the tournament and took offence to her presence more than she did to anyone else.
With Willas healed, House Tyrell had stopped seeing her uncle as a foul being from the Seven Hells, and while they still didn't like him (or House Martell, really), it had stopped the rivalry from growing out of hand. She'd even danced with Willas during the Day of the Maiden, and if she didn't have her eyes on a greater prize, she might have ensnared him for a different type of dance.
Her plan, if it all went the way she hoped, was to end with Orys gaining a Queen for each of the provinces. She would be the Queen of Dorne, of course. She'd even pushed her friend, Sylva to sabotage any attempted betrothal her father tried with one of the more central highborn so she could take her as a handmaiden. Orys's interest in Falia Flowers implied he had an interest in more curvy forms, and Sylva Santagar had breasts almost as nice as Arianne's own. Maybe the Fowler twins as well?
Margaery wasn't going to be the Queen of the Reach but the High Queen. It was the best way to ensure the girl who had already won didn't oppose her plan. If it meant getting what she wanted, she didn't mind submitting before Margaery. In fact, she'd rather enjoy it.
And with Margaery having dominated Lady Stark, she was hopeful that Margaery herself would see the… benefits of Arianne's plan.
Finishing her morning strategy meeting, she and the Sand Snakes set off for the Red Keep where the Day of the Father was being held. As the Father was the God of Judgement, Orys had a full schedule of handling cases in the Father's name. It was a day that Margaery had little to do during, as the Day of the Father was dedicated to the groom rather than the bride.
She had to give the Tyrells credit. They'd done wonders in ensuring that the smallfolk were thrilled to have a Tyrell queen with the grand feast for them. It had coincided well with Garlan the Gallant's crackdown on the Goldcloaks' crimes and oppression of the smallfolk, and ensured that as far as the common man was concerned, a Tyrell Queen was the best thing to ever happen to King's Landing. They didn't understand the political importance or the games being played by the highborn, only that they had full bellies and no armoured foot on their neck.
More so, they'd seen the worst offenders in the Goldcloaks stripped of their positions and punished for crimes against the smallfolk, which left them praising Orys and Margaery to the heavens. She liked travelling through the streets rather than rushing through, as many of the highborn would. It gave her a clearer idea of what the current energy in the capital was like. To the smallfolk, these men and women who had never even seen him before, Orys was as much a God as the Seven themselves. The same fanaticism and idealisation that had smallfolk of old seeing being fucked by a Targ as a blessing were just as willing to worship their new King. She suspected that Orys could reinstate the rite of first night and many of the women of King's Landing would welcome it with open legs.
She smirked to herself as she spotted some of the new Goldcloaks. House Tyrell and Lannister men, of course. House Tyrell had generously volunteered their men for the security of King's Landing, and true to nature, the Lion had rushed to ensure that the Roses didn't get complete control of the security of King's Landing. House Baratheon had also sent some men, though fewer, as their banners were raising to go to war in the Vale and the North.
If her father wasn't being so stupidly stubborn, it would be the perfect time to show the strength of Dorne but instead he sat in Sunspear, scheming a way to strip her of her rightful position. She couldn't even find him aggravating anymore, merely pathetic. Even the Fat Flower was hard at work ensuring that the Reach benefited from the chaos and what was her father doing? Nothing.
Too petty to admit he'd been beaten, too spiteful to let Dorne benefit from her work. She wouldn't be surprised if she returned to find that he'd recalled Quentyn from Yronwood in the hope of somehow salvaging his ruined schemes. She had allies in Sunspear, especially after the death of the Mountain, and she'd know if he tried anything, but even ravens took time, and she was far from home.
But she was in too deep to stop now. If she returned to Sunspear without getting what she wanted here, she'd just make her position worse. The Seven held sway in Dorne, but not as much due to the presence of the Red Temples to R'hllor. Dorne followed the Seven more than the North or Iron Islands, but it wasn't as complete as the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, so Orys' blessed state held less sway as a result. She'd need to consider how the Red Priestesses would react to her 'faith' when she took her rightful position. By tying herself to Orys, she tied herself to the Seven as his rule was intertwined with the Gods at this point.
The Red Temples in Dorne were not as powerful as the ones in Essos, as they could not use their common tactic of purchasing slaves to raise as warriors, priests, and temple prostitutes. That didn't change the fact that they did have a fair amount of influence in Dorne and may become issues or worse, allies to her Father and Quentyn.
Moving on, she arrived at the Red Keep and was pleased at how easily she was accepted in. Dorne was viewed with fear and suspicion by much of the rest of the Seven Kingdoms but there had been a shift since her arrival. The steward announced her, and while she still got suspicious looks (mostly from highborn wives seeing their husbands' gaze lingering on her curves), it was far less than when she'd first arrived at the tournament. Her public vow of loyalty at the crowning and her work since have been helping dispel the worst of the rumours of Dornish schemes.
The Sand Snakes spread out, her eyes and ears moving to aid her cause. Tyene truly was a godsend, which was probably a sin to even think given her blasphemous nature, and the finger she had on the pulse of the Faith had given Arianne hope for getting the Faith's support for her scheme.
The general feeling she got from the Most Devout varied from sheer ambition to zealous faith. Some were schemers, seeing a way to increase the influence of the Faith after decades of being sidelined by both King Robert and Aerys the Mad, while the others truly believed in the blessings of Orys and saw him as a messenger of the Gods. She feared the zealots more than the ambitious ones, as they were less predictable.
Moving through the gathered highborn, she wondered if anything was even getting done in the rest of the Seven Kingdoms while all the lords and ladies were spending their time hanging out in the Red Keep.
Still, most of them weren't of any interest to her right now. Sure, she'd made sure to spend some time building connections from outside of Dorne, where she was sure her father had little to no influence, but they weren't her focus.
She did head into the throne room, watching as Orys oversaw several trials of all manner of severity. Today was a day that anyone could bring their grievances before the highest authority, and both smallfolk and highborn alike looked to him for justice. From merchant squabbles to highborn bringing broken oaths before Orys. Orys spotted her in the crowd, but he merely gave her a simple nod before turning his attention back to the pair of highborn lords before him.
It was the Lords Blackwood and Bracken, at it again with their endless feud. As always, they were at each other's throats with accusations of schemes and betrayals, but it seemed to be a land dispute as the pair of Houses had fought each other and taken land from one another so many times over the years that the lines had become muddied with Blackwood and Bracken blood.
She… didn't actually care how this ended, and moved on to her actual objective as she moved gracefully through the castle. Reaching a certain garden, Loras Tyrell gave her a suspicious look before he went further into the garden and then returned, permitting her entry. She gave him a grateful smile that would have any man flustered, but Loras just remained stoic, a hint of distaste in his eyes. She had to praise Orys, having his Queen guarded by her brother removed the potential threat of a liaison if he feared Margaery's loyalty. She doubted it would be the first time a Kingsguard had bedded the Queen they were guarding.
Of course, Loras preferring swords to flowers meant Orys might have to worry about the knight seeking to sheath his sword in Orys's sheath rather than in Margaery's. Or maybe that was what he was hoping? He didn't seem offended at Oberyn's flirting. The idea of Margaery and Loras working together to… polish Orys' sword made her bite her lip before she shook her head and focused. She really did need a good fucking if she was so easily distracted. A shame Orys was playing hard to get.
"Princess Arianne," Margaery greeted, looking unsurprised at her arrival at this little… tea party. Several other Highborn heiresses and daughters were gathered, and Margaery's eyes flickered over to Sylvie knowingly before they moved back to Arianne.
"Lady Margaery… or is it Queen, now?" Arianne mused. Orys referred to her as his wife, not his betrothed, but they were not officially married until tomorrow.
"It remains Lady, until this time tomorrow," Margaery confirmed easily. "Please, join us."
Taking the offered seat, Arianne looked around the table with curious eyes. She recognised more than a few, including Princess Mya and Bella, who both looked a little out of place as recently claimed bastards, and Sansa Stark. No Arya, but she got a feeling the Little Wolf wasn't the type to want to sit around and gossip with the other girls. Myrcella gave her a curious look from beside Margaery, and she was sure that Myrcella was far smarter than her age and bratty attitude suggested. On Myrcella's other side was a girl she didn't recognise personally but was introduced as Shireen Baratheon, wearing a beautiful dress with a beaming smile on her face.
Brienne of Tarth, Knight of the Mother, was positioned nearby, in her fancy white and gold armour. She looked… very good, actually. Still taller and more masculine than any of the highborn girls, but her hair was lush and golden, her lips full, and her eyes entrancing. Noticing Arianne's gaze, the knight looked away with embarrassment. She wondered if Orys had already claimed his knight, imagining Orys dominating the older, larger woman before she focused again, scolding her needy quim to behave. She supposed Brienne was the perfect guard for such an event, rather than a male knight whose presence might make the girls less eager to speak freely.
Despite being clearly here as a guard for the highborn ladies and the future Queen, Brienne was more or less treated as 'one of the girls' as the tea party continued. Somehow, Arianne suspected that Brienne wasn't entirely used to such a treatment.
As the conversation continued, she realised what Margaery was doing. She was feeling out for a bride for Willas. Or, more specifically, she was giving the highborn girls who had come to King's Landing with their families a chance to impress her so she'd put in a good word for them. Willas was a free man, healed by the Blessed King and set to inherit the positions of Warden of the South and Lord Paramount of the Mander. Plus, while Mace was seen as Olenna's puppet… well, the old woman was just that. Old. Time would remove that issue entirely, leaving Willas without a puppet master. That, plus the clear rise of House Tyrell, meant Willas was likely one of the most eligible bachelors in the Seven Kingdoms right now.
It was clear that Margaery had already disqualified her, Myrcella and Bella from this… audition, but not Mya, curiously. Arianne didn't take offence, she knew that Margaery was well aware of Arianne's true desire. She wouldn't settle, not even for someone with as much potential as Willas. Margaery wasn't interviewing people, instead she was holding court herself and letting them approach her, each eager to show off their value. She was acting like a Queen, not a peer.
Arianne wasn't sure whether to be pleased or insulted when Margaery off-handedly mentioned Quentyn, reminding the crowd that there were other potential husbands available. Most weren't overly interested in a Dornish husband thanks to old grudges and the distance between Dorne and the rest of the provinces, both geographically and politically but that didn't mean none were. Especially with their mother being Orys' Master of Foreign Affairs and Orys showing an interest in bringing Dorne back into the fold. And yet… controlling who Quentyn married would help her keep things going the way she wanted, wouldn't it? Her mother would only agree if it was a genuine good match, but still.
Arianne confirmed Margaery's words, speaking fondly of the brother she had long only seen as a rival. She giggled about his innocence and how awkward he was with women, thanks to his inexperience, ensuring they knew he wasn't the second coming of Oberyn. She could be more blatant than usual, as this was just some girls gossiping, nothing serious. Margaery's stare was unnerving, a flash of gold in her brown eyes, before the future Queen did something that shocked Arianne.
It was subtle at first as something brushed against Arianne's leg, but as she considered the positioning and the seat Margaery had made sure was free for Arianne, she realised what was happening before Margaery took it any further. They were seated at a long table that had been arranged beautifully, but the seat she took was directly opposite Margaery, which had seemed odd for that seat to be empty at first. Now, it made sense. The Tyrell was playing footsie with her, rubbing her bare foot up Arianne's leg and under her dress as Arianne gave her a questioning look and Margaery responded with a challenging one. Arianne considered her options before she made her choice and fluttered her eyelashes at Margaery as she gave the future queen a submissive look, head bowed.
Margaery didn't gloat, which meant she had better self-control than Arianne herself, only giving her a small approving smile as Margaery turned her attention back to the shy but delighted Shireen.
Meanwhile, the Rose pushed further as her foot moved up and pressed directly against Arianne's womanhood, brushing against her undergarments as Arianne did her best to hide her reaction to this very public teasing. She had… underestimated Margaery in the best of ways, and the tea party became a test of her self-control as Margaery teased and toyed with her for what felt like hours.
At some point, Arianne's underwear had been lost, dragged down by both Arianne herself and Margaery's surprisingly dexterous toes, and as the tea party came to a break, Arianne nearly let out a sigh of sheer relief.
"I do think we got off to the wrong foot, Arianne," Margaery finally said, as they got a moment of privacy. Given that Arianne had just gotten off to the right foot, she'd have to agree.
"I believe so, my lady," Arianne agreed, glad her darker cheeks made it harder to spot her flustered face.
"I'm… arranging a present for my betrothed, tonight. Something of a surprise party, before we are officially married. I'd be honoured if you could attend," Margaery offered, Arianne's eyes widening. "As long as we understand each other. I am going to be Queen, you won't get in the way of that."
The sultry look in her eyes faded for a moment, replaced with something darker as Arianne nodded. The Little Rose of Highgarden had grown her thorns. Arianne was just glad that she'd decided to change tack, as she had no desire to be stung by them.
"I have no desire to take your place by Orys' side," Arianne answered truthfully. "I'm quite… content with being beneath you both."
Which was also true, as her plan would see Margaery as the High Queen, the main wife.
"Oh, I'm sure you will be," Margaery agreed, that golden flash in her eyes again. "Come to the Royal Suite once the court wraps up. I want you there before Orys arrives."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Arianne replied immediately, licking her lips. She'd wanted Orys since the first day she'd arrived here, and she wasn't going to miss out on a chance to get him. "Do you intend to wrap his gifts up in ribbons?"
"I didn't, but it is customary to gift wrap such pleasant surprises, isn't it?" Margaery agreed, as the pair shared a look.
Tonight couldn't come soon enough.
— Bonus Scene — Tyrion Lannister
Being put in charge of the massive brothel network had admittedly been a blessing, once he had gotten over what all the changes actually meant. Jaime was the heir of Casterly Rock once again, and had even knocked up his new bride already, well and truly fucking Tyrion's chances of ever inheriting.
Not that Tywin would have ever let him, but he had convinced himself that one day, Casterly Rock would be his and now it was not to be. If he had to lose it to anyone, it was good that it was Jaime. Orys had apologised for crushing even the slim chance that he would inherit, but Tyrion had accepted reality. If Tywin had died and Jaime had remained a Kingsguard, his bitter father would have given it to… anyone who wasn't Tyrion. Uncle Kevan, Joffrey, Tommen, fucking Lancel.
If every official Lannister except his father and Tyrion died today, Tywin would start legitimising bastards while fucking every whore in Casterly Rock in a desperate attempt to make more before he let Tyrion claim what was rightfully his.
So, Tyrion was not exactly happy but he was content to know that he wasn't going to be left with nothing as he took over Littlefinger's empire for Orys. Sure, it was all officially property of the Crown, but Tyrion's cut was substantial and would make some of the poorer highborn houses gape in shock at just how much coin he was making. He also didn't need to hide his relationship with Shae, as he was once more just a nobody with a lion's name in the eyes of the highborn and who cared if he was fucking a whore on a regular basis?
Sure, the reformation that Orys had requested had by no means been easy but at the same time, Tyrion had enjoyed the challenge. In addition, the presence of Moonshadow and the Black Pearl had been an additional blessing as they were able to help reshape the Westerosi brothel scene into something more… cultured, calling on their Braavosi expertise.
In the end, he did exactly what Orys had requested. From across the Seven Kingdoms, the brothels were reporting good results from their changes. The security he had hired from Littlefinger's former thugs proved good at preventing robberies, abusive clients or worse and once he'd made an example of a couple who thought protecting the girls gave them free access to them, things ran much smoother. Of course, the girls weren't shy and he'd shown the idiots that being the heroic protector meant the prostitutes would be most grateful. That, plus some employee discounts, kept them in line.
Educating the brothel matrons and whores on how to be more sanitary had proven a greater challenge, but one that he was making good progress on. Disease and sickness were steadily declining, and the Faith had even started to pull their weight by agreeing to have septas dedicated to the Mother handle any childbirths. If the whore didn't want to raise their child in this life, they would be taken to one of the new orphanages the Faith were making in the Mother's name, to be raised for a better life.
In the end, while they didn't approve of prostitution, with Orys throwing his name behind Tyrion's project, they were at least willing to admit that improving living conditions, sanitation and the general health of brothel girls was a good thing. If for no other reason than so they'd have to deal with fewer highborn praying for a cure for their itches. Good health also meant better looks, which meant he could charge more.
It had cut into the profits, but he had also adopted the payment structure of Braavos, with some modifications. Essentially, the girls were being paid better for their services. When he cut out the corruption Baelish left, it still meant the brothels were making a profit across the board.
Baelish really could have just gone to Essos and lived like a king if he'd just been a little smarter and a lot less ambitious. The best wine and women at his fingertips, and he just kept reaching for more and more until someone took offence and broke his fingers.
Effectively, the Street of Silk was evolving into a safer, better-smelling and more profitable location. His own little fiefdom. Going over his reports from the brothels beyond the walls of Kings Landing, he paused as he reached a specific report that he had been waiting for.
Going over it, then going over it again, he scowled to himself at the reply from Happy Port. He had effectively audited the brothels, as best he could without travelling there in person, and one thing stood out. A fourteen year old girl with blonde hair and green eyes. Her mother, a whore known as the 'Sailor's Wife' for 'marrying' each patron she bedded, had neither.
His uncle Gerion, who travelled that way in the search of Brightroar fifteen years ago, had both. Even her name, 'Lanna' had gotten his attention. Her description had only further Tyrion's suspicion, as she was said to have highborn features despite her common mother. Thinking back on his uncle, the youngest of Tywin's brothers and by far the happiest before his doomed venture, Tyrion made a decision and sent back his response. He wasn't sure if this Lanna was truly his cousin, but if she was, he wasn't going to leave her to such a life.
"Busy as always, Uncle," Orys said, making Tyrion jump. Orys could be damn sneaky for a man that was constantly trailed by several heavily armoured knights.
"By your decree, Your Grace," Tyrion snorted, gesturing to the work that Orys had dumped onto him.
"Fair point," Orys admitted. "I've been reading your reports. Sorry, I haven't had time to speak to you in person."
"As busy as I am, it seems you're doubly so," Tyrion laughed, well aware that the demand for Orys' time was at an all-time high. "I'm glad to know I wasn't just wasting ink. I take it you've come to put more work on my little shoulders?"
"As small as they may be, they can clearly carry a lot," Orys said unapologetically. "I'm making you my Master of Development. It's a new Small Council position dedicated to the Development of King's Landing and the Seven Kingdoms itself."
"...have you told Father?" Tyrion asked simply. In truth, he shouldn't be surprised, as Orys had sent several other requests to him that went beyond his new duties as the… Master of Bodily Fluids.
"Grandfather said, and I quote, 'do not embarrass House Lannister, imp'," Orys admitted with an apologetic smile. "He also suggested I have your woman sent away so she wasn't distracting you from your duties. I declined."
"Of course he did," Tyrion sighed, that all-too-familiar sting in his chest. It was less painful now that he had accepted the simple truth that Tywin was never going to accept him as his heir. Still, he paused and considered Orys' words. Working on the Small Council? Or was it just the Council now? Well, it could remain small as he only counted as half a member.
"He also made it clear your services were not needed for the development of the Westerlands. Beyond that, he accepted. More or less," Orys continued, giving him a sympathetic smile. "As such, I have a proposal."
"More than sticking me on your Average Council?" Tyrion asked with a snort.
"More than that," Orys agreed easily. "Form a cadet branch."
For the second time in this conversation, Tyrion paused, at a loss for words.
"Go on."
"I'll give you lands and a title here in the Crownlands. I've got a piece of land that the Mother is sure is fertile but undeveloped. I intend to create a grapeyard there to create a new wine as an export for the Crownlands, long story," Orys explained, well aware that half his words didn't make sense to anyone who was not so divinely blessed. "It's owned by the Crown at the moment, but it's undeveloped and frankly useless without the time and effort to develop it."
"And who better than the Master of Development to do so," Tyrion continued.
"Exactly so. Make a Cadet Branch, out from under Grandfather's thumb, build a home, marry a woman and pump out some babies. I can make sure your… condition does not pass on," Orys offered, not unkindly but well aware that Tyrion had no interest in bringing more dwarves into the world. "Hells, make Bronn a knight and marry Shae for all I care. Spend your days growing grapes, making wine and fucking your hot lover, when you aren't helping me drag this Kingdom into the future kicking and screaming."
"It does sound good when you put it like that," Tyrion admitted. If Tyrion was being honest, Orys had him at 'get out from Tywin's thumb', but the rest was nice too. "You truly are a generous king."
"Fuck generous. You're too damn smart for me to waste your talents," Orys laughed. "I want you close by where I can put you to use."
"Ah, I had wondered if you'd forgotten everything Grandfather had taught you so quickly," Tyrion snorted. "In that case, I am at your command, Your Grace."