Homeless but looking. Cassana wants to go where her children are, though.

[motherbaratheon]

Lady Mundane:
I know that you are considering sending me somewhere, that you told me. And that there's little to none possibility that my Steffon would be there, something which is terribly saddening. But please, could it be a place where I could be with my children? Of course I know Robert is five and ten and Stannis three and ten, but no matter what anyone says, they are still children. And Renly is a little babe. As commendable as is Maester Cressen's work with their education, they need their mother.
Yours sincerely
Lady Cassana Estermont

Comments

[edric]

[He smiles a little. Tears come to his eyes but he wipes him away quickly. He doesn't want to cry in front of his grandmother.]

Yes, you may.

[motherbaratheon]

[He will end up getting ALL THE HUGS, though. Starting with his one, after which, she'll sit by his side.]

You said that your father is the king. [IHHO the idea of her (not-so) bitty Robert being king is, well, strange to her. As so is hearing that both Stannis and Renly style themselves as such.] Do you know what happened to the previous one, King Aerys?

[edric]

He was killed by Jaime Lannister after he went mad. Then father became king. [Edric looks down, wondering if he should tell her the next bit of information or not.]

Father's dead, grandmother. Uncle Stannis and Uncle Renly want the Iron Throne now.

[motherbaratheon]

The son of Tywin Lannister? Well...
[She's certainly surprised. She remembers her last visit with Steffon to King's Landing and the audience with the King. Aerys was certainly an intimidating presence and even scared her a bit. But he was Steffon's cousin.And she had to accept everything that came with it.]
Did your father marry? [Because if he married and you have siblings, then you uncles' claims stand no ground.]

[edric]

Yes. To Cersei Lannister. Their son Joffrey Baratheon sits on the throne now. [He doesn't look up.]

I'll never be a king like my father. I'll always be a bastard. We don't matter.

[motherbaratheon]

[She did not like the Lannisters much. She would have prefered that Robert had married a girl from the Stormlands. But alas, politics are politics.]
[Also, she might have to consult her kids, but there's something strange behind all this.]
[Also, sorry my dear boy, but HUG.] Believe me, being king is no fun. I am no king, of course, but trust me, if helping rule a land fills you with worries and headaches, imagine what would happen with an entire kingdom...

[edric]

But I want to be great like father was! I know I can be. [He stands up quickly.] I can fight just like he can. I've been practicing with the war hammer he gave me...

I could be a great king. If I was only given a chance...

[motherbaratheon]

[Just to not continue the discussion...]
A warhammer? [She is jus beginning to have certain flashbacks of a certain discussion she had with Steffon regarding the idea of giving Robert a warhammer as a present...]
You could show me how you manage it if you want.

[edric]

Yes, father gave it to me. I love it. [Edric holds the war hammer up and beams.] I'll show you what I can do.

[He back away from his grandmother a bit. His grasp on the war hammer tightens and without warning, he swings it...a little too hard.] Ahh!

[Edric lands flat on his face. Not quite like Robert yet.]

[motherbaratheon]

[And there's Cassana to help him to get up.]
You are quite the fierce warrior. [and she means it.]

[edric]

You really think so? [His face is red with embarrassment.] You're the first person to tell me that.

[motherbaratheon]

Yes I do. And you will be greater and fiercer when you grow up. [You are a Baratheon kid, after all]

[edric]

[Edric hugs his grandmother again, but this time he doesn't let go. He doesn't want to let go.]

[motherbaratheon]

[And yes, the hug's welcomed, very much.]
You are a good boy, and you will be a great man. Everybody with enough sense can and will see it.

[edric]

[He clings to her.] I don't want to fail, grandmother. I can't fail. Shireen won't like me anymore. [He values her opinion above all others.]

[motherbaratheon]

Sometimes failing is not that bad. [She thinks for a moment.] Do you know the story about how your grandfather and I met?

[edric]

No, I do not think so. [He's still clinging to her.] How did you meet?

[motherbaratheon]

In a tournament in King's Landing. My brothers were also participating there, so my lord father deemed fit for me to accompany them. I cheered for them, but also for Steffon, as he was the son of our liege Lord. Then, he fell against my eldest brother. Quite literally because he fell of his horse, which was a bit of an untamable beast as I learned later. But anyhow, I visited him right after they took him to the care of the Maester. I accompanied him during the following days and after he recovered, he went to my brother Eldon and asked him for permission to marry me.

So, you can see that even failures can lead to successes.

[edric]

Truly? [He looks up at her, smiling a bit.] I guess if that had not happened...father, uncle Stannis and uncle Renly would not exist. I would not exist.

Perhaps someday I'll be lord of the Storm's End. [He knows this is unlikely, but he can dream, can't he?] I'll be a fair and just ruler. People will love me like they love uncle Renly. I don't want to be like uncle Stannis because he scares people. He scares people because of that red woman...

[motherbaratheon]

Quite indeed. But the gods wanted it to be like this, and so you all are here. [She smiles]

Perhaps [She pets his hair slightly] But you uncle Stannis was a good boy when he was your age. [now wait a moment] What red woman?

[edric]

Melisandre. She's always with uncle. I don't know why he likes her so much. Maybe it's because she's prettier than his lady wife.

[motherbaratheon]

[Clearly, Stannis needs his mother to tell him to look at his life and choices.]
And who's his lady wife?

[edric]

Lady Selyse of House Florent. [He bites his lip to stop himself from laughing.] She has a mustache that would rival father's.

[motherbaratheon]

[Bit of a chuckle. She won't tell, she promises.]
And I suppose she has the Florent ears. [Guilty as charged because she used to make fun of the Florents with her companions. Even though she was almost, ALMOST bethroted to one.]
[But good gods the mental image.]
I wonder what made him chose her, then.

[edric]

Yes, as do I. [He points to his ears and frowns.] I try to hide them. They're distracting.

Uncle believes in duty. That's the only reason he married her I think.