[ The conversation between Viserys and Baldr is one Jorah has been keeping a close eye on, just in case he should need to reel Viserys in. He had come close to requesting Baldr not to provoke Viserys so openly, but the conversation had luckily been brought to an end before he could intervene. The old knight is surprised to find a message from Viserys so soon after, though. And on the subject of the Targaryen Madness? Hooo boy. Jorah does not look forward to this conversation ]
Aye, the men of Westeros do speak of such.
[ And not just of Aerys. Aerys's rule is merely freshest in the minds of the people of Westeros. There were many mad Targaryen kings, princes and queens before him. There are many who would feed Daenerys lies and hate and spite, but the Targaryen Madness is a historical fact. Jorah certainly believes in it. ]
Would be that she has heard whisperings, though none of my own. We have met many men on our travels--men of Westeros and the Free Cities alike. Often times, rumors travel more quickly than ravens.
[ It's all he can say. The Targaryen Madness is no secret. The way Jorah sees it, Daenerys never needed to be told; she witnessed it first hand in her brother. ]
[Viserys does not need babysitting. He can speak freely, and if he feels he cannot? He can contact someone in private. In fact, he has.]
I spoke to the Stark boy about it, Robb. He is named for the Usurper. I know what has been said about my family, and I know the names of ones they would say to her to "prove" such a claim. I will do what I must to make sure she never has to hear it spoken of at length. I taught her our history as any true Targaryen should speak of it.
[Which is to say, he spoke of them as worthy, as superior, as deserving the Iron Throne and the adoration that comes with it. Which is to say that, those members of his family others might cite, have been omitted from his teachings. Which is to say that, while he is a Targaryen and has done his best to deny, justify, and not think of it too much, he knows what must be said. He knows that there is some truth in it, as much as he hates it. He knows that many speaking to her when she has only him to fall back on could confuse.
He knows he means nothing and if too many agree on this, she may see him as more of a liar than he ever was before.]
Others have appeared that would say the same. I would do my best to silence them in this matter against my sister. Whatever they might say to me is nothing I have not heard before. I can take care of myself against their spite and hate and attempts to hide their treachery for what it is. My sister, however, must never hear of it too deeply. I will not allow it. You love her, Ser Mormont. I saw as much. I said as much. You never denied it or said that I was correct. I love her, too, whether you believe otherwise or not. I do love her. She became my everything when all that I knew was taken away. I am glad to hear you kept this from her.
If you know any others here that might listen to you, I request you see that they never mention this. The Kingslayer has spoken to her already. She knows not to believe a word he says. I made sure of that. She also knows he was there with my father. If he speaks too much, if she thinks on it too much, he might do the most damage. He is good at seeing to the suffering of Targaryens. She is a true Targaryen. For all the hate I fed her about him, she may begin to think he might have merit, having seen it for himself.
[Mentioning Jorah loves her? Yes, he knows. Maybe it's taken the wrong way. This time, however, he's careful not to mention the idea that Jorah really wants nothing more than to strip her naked and dine on her. He wants something other than his ire.
Had he spoken to her of this, perhaps he would lived. He cannot change that. He cannot change his death. And even though she did it to him, and even though he sometimes hates her more than he could ever love her? He will not stand for their name being soiled and her coming to believe it.]
[ Dany and Jorah seem to think Viserys needs babysitting. Viserys weaves his words well, indeed, but he doesn't quite get that it's possible to weave too many words--or the wrong words.
Bringing Jorah's love of Daenerys into the conversation hits a sore spot. After all the trouble it's caused, the old knight has been trying his best to push that into the back of his mind, but it just isn't working out for him. He loves her too fiercely. He vaguely wonders if Viserys realizes that it's more than just lust--but then again, he really doesn't like how well Viserys knows him already. Just gonna...not...answer that bit thx. ]
I understand why you wish to keep this from her. The men of Westeros speak poorly of your House, and they have done for many years. But half of Westeros is in this city now, and I ask you: what good does it do to shelter her from these rumor?
You sister has seen and experienced a great deal. Certainly you have noticed that she is no longer the young girl you last saw in Vaes Dothrak. I believe she can handle a mere tale.
[ Except she totally knows about it being real. Gotta sugarcoat things for Viserys, though. ]
[He doesn't know Jorah's story, not his history, not his past, and certainly not his future, what would be his future to him, dead as he is. As for love and lust? What does he know of the difference? He had once loved.
Once.
She took it away, took it all away, a mother in pain and a storm raging. How could he ever love again? He won't press.
Yet.]
I've never breathed a word of it to her, Ser Mormont, nor did I ever intend to. I would rather have cut out every tongue that would dare speak of it once we returned home, every mouth that opened with that nonsense ready to spill out of. Sew them shut, burn them off, anything to keep them quiet.
You have not spoken to her of it, you say. I have not either. If all of Westeros here tells her as much and agrees on it, there is only you and I to look to for assurance it is not true. Do you want that, Ser Mormont? You from Westeros, I the last of a dynasty? We would know. She would be able to conclude that. Do you want her to realize we knew these whispers and kept them from her?
[Yet again, he drags Jorah down on his level. He has not heard of his exile, has no idea about it. He tries to show that he's concerned for both of them, tries to make it seem that way. Jorah may take it for something else: Viserys is begging for his sister to not think even worse of him for keeping this secret, and he'll drag Jorah into that "fear" if he has to.
Is it for her this time, or is it for him?
Both. Neither. As far as he's concerned, it's for one thing: the name Targaryen.
Something he's ruined and sullied as gold rained down on him, didn't he?]
Edited (how OCULD he ever love again? no one knows) 2014-02-25 16:07 (UTC)
[He wants so badly to set the record straight for Viserys. To lay it all out there and explain that none of this needs hidden from Dany because Dany has already seen the Targaryen madness at work. ]
[ Each time he speaks to Viserys, Jorah has to muster every ounce of the patience he has ever had within him. If this were anyone else, he might have told them the truth of it from the start: that the Targaryen madness is real, that Daenerys knows, that she's seen it grow and consume her elder brother.
But Viserys is mentally fragile, to say the least. It's easier for Jorah to subject himself to stooping down to his level than it is to argue until he sees things as they actually are. ]
I will say nothing. You have my word.
[ He actually does, though. Jorah doesn't just go around spouting off comments about the Targaryen madness.
Except for the fact that Viserys could not sweep a stable with 10,000 brooms. ]
[That's all he wants to say. He should be obeyed, should have everyone's word or have their heads for refusing. That is his right, it is in his very blood for him to have that power, to have absolute authority. He has no need to say "please" or "thank you" and certainly doesn't feel as if he has to. He has never needed those words unless they were on behalf of his survival, a "please" for a loaf of bread, a "thank you" if he thought it would get him another if he needed to return to the same place...
He wasn't taking advantage by not being grateful. He was doing what a king should have done, he was doing
nothing to earn favors, apparently.]
Thank you.
[Had he ever said that to Ser Mormont before? He can't remember.
When was the last time he said it, truly?]
I am certain we will see each other again eventually.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text;
Aye, the men of Westeros do speak of such.
[ And not just of Aerys. Aerys's rule is merely freshest in the minds of the people of Westeros. There were many mad Targaryen kings, princes and queens before him. There are many who would feed Daenerys lies and hate and spite, but the Targaryen Madness is a historical fact. Jorah certainly believes in it. ]
Would be that she has heard whisperings, though none of my own. We have met many men on our travels--men of Westeros and the Free Cities alike. Often times, rumors travel more quickly than ravens.
[ It's all he can say. The Targaryen Madness is no secret. The way Jorah sees it, Daenerys never needed to be told; she witnessed it first hand in her brother. ]
text forever, etc.
I spoke to the Stark boy about it, Robb. He is named for the Usurper. I know what has been said about my family, and I know the names of ones they would say to her to "prove" such a claim. I will do what I must to make sure she never has to hear it spoken of at length. I taught her our history as any true Targaryen should speak of it.
[Which is to say, he spoke of them as worthy, as superior, as deserving the Iron Throne and the adoration that comes with it. Which is to say that, those members of his family others might cite, have been omitted from his teachings. Which is to say that, while he is a Targaryen and has done his best to deny, justify, and not think of it too much, he knows what must be said. He knows that there is some truth in it, as much as he hates it. He knows that many speaking to her when she has only him to fall back on could confuse.
He knows he means nothing and if too many agree on this, she may see him as more of a liar than he ever was before.]
Others have appeared that would say the same. I would do my best to silence them in this matter against my sister. Whatever they might say to me is nothing I have not heard before. I can take care of myself against their spite and hate and attempts to hide their treachery for what it is. My sister, however, must never hear of it too deeply. I will not allow it. You love her, Ser Mormont. I saw as much. I said as much. You never denied it or said that I was correct. I love her, too, whether you believe otherwise or not. I do love her. She became my everything when all that I knew was taken away. I am glad to hear you kept this from her.
If you know any others here that might listen to you, I request you see that they never mention this. The Kingslayer has spoken to her already. She knows not to believe a word he says. I made sure of that. She also knows he was there with my father. If he speaks too much, if she thinks on it too much, he might do the most damage. He is good at seeing to the suffering of Targaryens. She is a true Targaryen. For all the hate I fed her about him, she may begin to think he might have merit, having seen it for himself.
[Mentioning Jorah loves her? Yes, he knows. Maybe it's taken the wrong way. This time, however, he's careful not to mention the idea that Jorah really wants nothing more than to strip her naked and dine on her. He wants something other than his ire.
Had he spoken to her of this, perhaps he would lived. He cannot change that. He cannot change his death. And even though she did it to him, and even though he sometimes hates her more than he could ever love her? He will not stand for their name being soiled and her coming to believe it.]
no subject
Bringing Jorah's love of Daenerys into the conversation hits a sore spot. After all the trouble it's caused, the old knight has been trying his best to push that into the back of his mind, but it just isn't working out for him. He loves her too fiercely. He vaguely wonders if Viserys realizes that it's more than just lust--but then again, he really doesn't like how well Viserys knows him already. Just gonna...not...answer that bit thx. ]
I understand why you wish to keep this from her. The men of Westeros speak poorly of your House, and they have done for many years. But half of Westeros is in this city now, and I ask you: what good does it do to shelter her from these rumor?
You sister has seen and experienced a great deal. Certainly you have noticed that she is no longer the young girl you last saw in Vaes Dothrak. I believe she can handle a mere tale.
[ Except she totally knows about it being real. Gotta sugarcoat things for Viserys, though. ]
no subject
Once.
She took it away, took it all away, a mother in pain and a storm raging. How could he ever love again? He won't press.
Yet.]
I've never breathed a word of it to her, Ser Mormont, nor did I ever intend to. I would rather have cut out every tongue that would dare speak of it once we returned home, every mouth that opened with that nonsense ready to spill out of. Sew them shut, burn them off, anything to keep them quiet.
You have not spoken to her of it, you say. I have not either. If all of Westeros here tells her as much and agrees on it, there is only you and I to look to for assurance it is not true. Do you want that, Ser Mormont? You from Westeros, I the last of a dynasty? We would know. She would be able to conclude that. Do you want her to realize we knew these whispers and kept them from her?
[Yet again, he drags Jorah down on his level. He has not heard of his exile, has no idea about it. He tries to show that he's concerned for both of them, tries to make it seem that way. Jorah may take it for something else: Viserys is begging for his sister to not think even worse of him for keeping this secret, and he'll drag Jorah into that "fear" if he has to.
Is it for her this time, or is it for him?
Both. Neither. As far as he's concerned, it's for one thing: the name Targaryen.
Something he's ruined and sullied as gold rained down on him, didn't he?]
no subject
[ Each time he speaks to Viserys, Jorah has to muster every ounce of the patience he has ever had within him. If this were anyone else, he might have told them the truth of it from the start: that the Targaryen madness is real, that Daenerys knows, that she's seen it grow and consume her elder brother.
But Viserys is mentally fragile, to say the least. It's easier for Jorah to subject himself to stooping down to his level than it is to argue until he sees things as they actually are. ]
I will say nothing. You have my word.
[ He actually does, though. Jorah doesn't just go around spouting off comments about the Targaryen madness.
Except for the fact that Viserys could not sweep a stable with 10,000 brooms. ]
no subject
[That's all he wants to say. He should be obeyed, should have everyone's word or have their heads for refusing. That is his right, it is in his very blood for him to have that power, to have absolute authority. He has no need to say "please" or "thank you" and certainly doesn't feel as if he has to. He has never needed those words unless they were on behalf of his survival, a "please" for a loaf of bread, a "thank you" if he thought it would get him another if he needed to return to the same place...
He wasn't taking advantage by not being grateful. He was doing what a king should have done, he was doing
nothing to earn favors, apparently.]
Thank you.
[Had he ever said that to Ser Mormont before? He can't remember.
When was the last time he said it, truly?]
I am certain we will see each other again eventually.
[Maybe with 50,000 brooms.
And a Dothraki screamer for each of them. Maybe.]