Chapter Text
“Your clothes aren’t even in order,” Ray chided Michael, shaking his head disparagingly. “What have you been doing? You can’t go in front of the king looking like this.”
Michael grimaced as Ray brushed some dust from his doublet and straightened his cloak like a mother hen. “I’ve been with my wife,” he said, vaguely grumpy. “I got a son on her somehow, Ray, you may have guessed. Or do you still need to have that talk?”
“Fine, go in looking a mess, see if I care.” His hands fell away from Michael’s shoulders and he tried to look annoyed, but his face slipped into a grin despite himself. The smiles came easily, these days. “Surprised to see that you’re here so early, I thought Jack would be the first one.”
“I thought the hour was later than it was. If I’d known I’d have more time, I wouldn’t be here.” Michael’s answering smile was just a flash. “Have you heard about the uprisings in the Reach? The Rightful King Ray Rebellions, they’re calling them.”
“There are no uprisings. It’s a ridiculous rumor.” Ray’s stomach twisted up every time he heard the words rightful King Ray, which had been coming more and more frequently recently.
“They’re saying that Gavin killed the monster, but you killed the king.”
“I’m no kingslayer. King Ryan fell on his sword, everyone knows that. I won his stupid challenges and lost the chance of greater glories to Gavin, and that’s all.” He struggled to push back the memories of those days; he’d gained back the weight he’d lost, he’d shoved away the nightmares and vivid flashbacks of five blood-soaked men practically signing their own death warrants. He hated being reminded of it all.
Michael looked unconvinced, and that scared Ray more than anything else. For all the talks of him being the rightful king, he knew that public opinion could turn on him in an instant, and there was no man on Earth so accursed as the kingslayer. He trusted that at least his companions knew the truth, believed him when he said he had no part in the king’s death. Of course, that wasn’t completely true; it was Ray who had knowingly let Ryan’s queen take the chance to kill her husband. He may not have been there but he had been her accomplice all the same. Still, he didn’t want suspicion falling on her, when she’d escaped with her children to somewhere safe. Of course, maybe Gavin had killed the king after all. He didn’t know. He didn’t want to know. “Alright,” he said finally. “I just thought you ought to know.”
“What, are we already planning to depose this king and put me on the throne instead?” He laughed; he’d thought Gavin so unsuited for rule before, but the realm was happy and healthy under him. “No, ser, I think not. Gavin the Good, they’re calling him.”
“Gavin the Git, more like.”
“Not before I even have a chance to marry. Hard enough with Jack shoving his marriage in my face–”
“Excuse me?” Jack’s voice boomed out, and Ray jumped. He came around a corner, his pretty new wife Caiti holding onto his arm and beaming at all of them. Ray didn’t think there was a more beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms than Jack’s wife, except his own betrothed, Jynessa. Her spear was sharp and her tongue sharper, but her laughter came easy and her kisses were warm.
“Seems not that long ago we all lined up to be presented to a different king.”
“Different times,” Ray said quickly. “It wasn’t– oh, Michael, here’s your wife.” Michael’s head snapped up, and sure enough, there was Lindsay, content as ever in a dove grey gown, carrying her baby son. Michael embraced her, kissing her full on the mouth. They whispered their affectionate words under their breaths, and Ray turned away to Jack instead. “Where’s Geoff? Have you seen him?”
“He was right behind us,” Caiti said, and then Geoff was there, wife on one side and daughter on the other. Griffon, even now, had never fully forgiven Geoff for sending her away during Ryan’s challenges, but Millie had embraced her father’s return wholeheartedly, and was happy as could be.
“Ser Geoff,” Ray acknowledged, standing to attention with an overdramatic salute that made Geoff laugh.
“I hear it’s to be Ser Ray soon enough. Knighthoods for all, I’m told.”
“And I hear you’re going to be the Lord of Griffon’s Roost now, instead of the Knight.”
“It’s a good day. I was a lord in all but title already.”
“Well, I was a knight in all but title, too. Chin up. It’s an honor. I hear he’s considering naming Michael to his Kingsguard.”
“Well, I’m not taking it,” Michael said brusquely, getting into a neat line with the others so that they could be presented to the king. “I’m staying home with my wife and son.”
“It’s an honor–”
“The Others take the honor. I don’t want honor. I fought for glory and all it got me was a bloody broken hand and a dead king.”
“Michael,” Lindsay chastised softly, and Michael closed his mouth. It was safer to speak his mind now, but he never did learn when the best course of action was to shut up.
A steward threw the doors to the throne room open then. “Presenting,” he called in a reedy voice, “Ser Geoff of House Ramsey, Knight of Griffon’s Roost, Lady Griffon, and daughter Millicent. Jack of House Pattillo and wife Caiti. Ray of House Narvaez.” That had been the only honor Ray had cared for. He wasn’t a bastard anymore, he was a legitimate heir to his father’s house, and all he wanted was to keep his name and live at Uplands with his family and his lady. “And Michael of House Jones, Lord of Strongsong, and Lady Lindsay.” They strode into the throne room, families together, heads high and boots shining.
“Kneel before your king, Gavin the Good, first of his name, rightful king of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.” They knelt.
“Oh, what in the Seven Hells did you tell them to do that for?” the familiar Braavos-tinted voice of the king said. “Friends, stand. You don’t have to kneel before me. You put me here, and I love you well.” So they stood again, and Ray looked at the king, lounging on the Iron Throne. He was smiling, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He wore supple leather gloves over his hands, but when he moved, fiddling with something, one could see bandages on his wrists below his sleeves. “I had you come so that I may praise and honor you, not have you kneel before me like beggars.”
Ray noticed that he was fiddling with a gold dragon and felt an uncomfortable feeling start to grow in the pit of his stomach. Gavin looked Ray dead in the eye, smiling a little wider… and flipped the coin into the air.