The Stag that Burns (Torin, Halaevia, Open)

[Stannis Baratheon]

Stannis watched as Ser Torin conceded defeat and wrote the letter to his father, he wrote like he was under no pressure at all, he was cool and calm about the situation. Maybe he knew his father would pay then he would be off to start the work he claimed he would do. Stannis did not care, he didn't care if he went off to Casterly Rock and raised and army to invade Dragonstone, Stannis would have the Lannisters gold, even if Tywin Lannister had diarrhoea he couldn't shit that much gold and have enough left over for himself, his plan would succeed. He would raise an army and but the boy kings head on a spike, then he would deal with Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and Daenarys Targaryen.

Ser Torin handed over the parchment and Stannis read over it. It was exactly how he wanted it. Then he noticed "Praise the seven". Had he showed his true colours or did he fear Tywin Lannister? He hoped it was the latter, if he feared Tywin's response to R'hllor then that was only good for Stannis. In fighting within the Lannister ranks would weaken them significantly. Tywin held the Westerlands together, should Torin and Tywin both die, his vassals would certainly not follow Cersei or Tyrion and would be up for grabs.

Torin and Halaevia both asked for leave, Halaevia would escort him back to the room where he was being detained.
"You have my leave. You should pray that your father doesn't reject my terms."
Stannis allowed the two to leave and then sealed the letter with his own wax and left the room to find the maester to let the letter travel to Casterly Rock.

[Torin Lannister]

Ser Torin cast a glance at either guard when Stannis gave leave. He could practically smell how badly they wanted to gut him and get to claim they were the one that killed the great Torin Lannister of Casterly Rock. They stepped out of the Chamber of the Painted Table and made way down the Stone Drum. The Stone Drum was called so because of the booming sounds made by the wind. Casterly Rock did something similar. But in Casterly Rock the booming sounded like thunder. Even in that Casterly Rock was superior. To think that this miserable place was built by the Targaryens.

They descended towards his room, it didn't even have a window so he could watch he Raven take the letter to his father. It didn't matter. He'd be home soon and after he had taken care of R'hllor's work he'd return here and burn it to the ground. He'd siege it, kill all the soldiers and take the rest hostage, then he'd fill the place with wildfire and burn it all. Then he'd piss on the ashes.

His little room was in the Sea Dragon Tower, close to the Maester's office or some such so the healing woman could fetch all manner of things to apply to his chest. Withered old cunt just wanted to get her hands on him. She was probably gossiping about it now. Regardless of handsy old women, once they were in the tower Torin made his move.

It was a blink and you missed it movement, one elbow came up to strike the guard to his left while his right hand went for the sword at the hip of the guard on that side. With one movement he drew the longsword and brought it around to cleave open the neck of the guard on the opposite side, his free hand shooting out to take Halaevia's hair in his iron grip. With the first guard dispatched he brought the sword back to drive it deep into his belly before kicking him away and down the stairs.

Why they hadn't put him in handcuffs they'd never understand. Because he was a Knight they'd behave? Any possibility of Torin playing nice went straight out the window when Stannis threatened to fucking maim him. With the guards dead and Halaevia very firmly in hand. King Baratheon could fuck around with Torin, but with Halaevia's husband dead, seeing to her well being had fallen to Stannis. It would never do if Torin made her kids orphans. "Forgive me, but I need to get off this island. Be a dear and don't make me put this sword in the only place my cock has never been." With threat of horrific murder in place Torin pulled Halaevia by her very lovely ravenlocks up to the Maester's chambers before booting the door open.

The Maester was likely at the rookery, perhaps with Stannis, seeing off that letter. But once he returned Torin had a message. "Fetch your liege and tell him to prepare a boat to King's Landing." There was only one small door into the Maester's chamber. If the guards tried to rush him they'd have to come in one by one. Not to mention he had a hostage.

[Halaevia Baratheon]

It all happened so suddenly that Halaevia's first perception that anything had gone amiss came as Torin yanked her backwards by her hair, just as one of his guards fell forward, blood spurting from a savage-looking neck wound. The red spray fell upon her dress, and then on the periphery of her vision she saw the second guard tumbling down the stairs. Halaevia shrieked, instinctive reaction to the sheer horror of it, and then she tried to pull away from Torin, to run from him.

He held her fast. 'Let me go!' she demanded. 'Torin, let me go!' Her voice rose in panic as she struggled to get free of his grasp. The sharp pain as he tugged at her hair worsened, and she imagined that if she did pull away, it'd be by leaving him holding a bloody clump of hair torn from her scalp. He wasn't about to let go. If she'd had a knife she might have cut off the hair herself - and his hand with it, damn him, what did he think he was doing?! - but so convinced had Halaevia been of her safety that she hadn't even that.

Finally realizing the futility of her efforts, she tried to turn in towards him instead, curling her slender fingers into fists and trying to strike at him. It was obvious even to her that she wouldn't be able to do him any real damage, but it might have proved enough of a distraction for him to relax his iron grip.

It was not to be. Instead, he spoke to her, and his words drained all the color from her face in an instant. She'd been so intent on getting away from him that his purpose had been a distant second thought. Now it was obvious. He'd killed the guards, but not her. She was his safe passage out of Dragonstone, at least so long as it remained convenient. If she was less than co-operative, he didn't seem to have any qualms about putting her to a gruesome death. The thought of it was more than enough to frighten her into submission. This wasn't Torin Lannister she was dealing with, neither the young man she had known nor the one who had spoken about being R'hllor's champion with wonder and light in his eyes. This was a madman. He might well kill her anyway, once he had what he wanted. Halaevia's heart pounded so fast and loudly with fear she felt it must have been near-audible. Her breath came short and shallow, and she began to feel a curious sort of dizziness, as if she'd had her maid lace her gown far too tight and then over-exerted herself.

Words failed her, and the only indication she gave of having understood what Torin had said at all came a moment later when he again began pulling her along, up the stairs. This time, Halaevia was perfectly compliant, following without objection, all of her attention focused on keeping her balance, not tripping on the steps or on her skirts - there was blood there on her skirt, spatters of it. She knew it wasn't her blood, but the knowledge seemed distant somehow, and then her vision blurred.

No! Halaevia knew what that meant, and she fought against it. If she lost consciousness, Torin was more likely to murder her where she fell than to carry her. She had to keep going. She knew she wasn't a brave woman, and never had been, but allowing the terror to overwhelm her was possibly the worst thing she could do now.

As they continued their ascent of the tower, she began to pray, her voice only a little above a whisper. 'Lord of Light, see me through this darkness. Protect me in my time of greatest need and do not let this fire go out. May your enemies be turned to ashes and dust, and the Light shine through, defend me from those who deny you...'

She kept it up all the way to the Maester's chambers, prayers and fragments of prayers blended together in a desperate litany. Only when the Maester returned to be given Torin's message for Stannis did she fall silent again. She was still alive, and if the fear was still just as sharp as it had been, at least she knew that it would not get any worse. There came a point where it couldn't, the feeling only went so deep. She waited for Stannis, whose actions she supposed would determine her fate, and she wondered if Torin actually believed he would be given a boat, or if he knew just how unlikely that hope was.

[Stannis Baratheon]

((Sorry its late and short!))

Stannis had left the room with the painted table with the letter in hand. He was happy with Torin's easy submission, though his face didn't show it. Tywin Lannister would sail his fastest ship with the money for his sons safe return to Casterly Rock where Torin would begin laying the foundations for the Lord of Light to strike the mainland and purify all the none believers. They will accept Azor Ahai reborn as their righful King!

Stannis met with the Maester and they went up to the rookery. Stannis wanted to send the letter himself. The Maester picked the right bird and handed it over to Stannis who attached the letter to its poach and let it fly from the Stone Drum to begin its journey to Kings Landing, where Tywin Lannister had taken up the position of the Hand, casting his Imp son aside. The money from Tywin would cripple his finances and allow Stannis to launch another invasion and claim the Iron Throne for himself. As a thank you to the R'hllor, he would sacrifice the entire Lannister clan. The thought of this made a small smile appear on Stannis' face but that did not last long when the Maester had returned to bring news that Torin Lannister had taken Halaevia captive. Lightbringer was quickly unsheathed as he descended from the rookery. There he came face to face with Torin and his captive.
"Let her go Lannister! If it wasn't for her you would be dead already." Stannis voice boomed, his face showed clear signs of rage, if there was one thing Stannis hated it was being betrayed.

[Torin Lannister]

Stannis eventually arrived on the scene, Ser Torin still had Lady Halaevia in one hand and the bloodied sword in the other. "More than you know Stannis! The Lord of Light has put me on a different path and provided me with Halaevia as my means away from you!" Somehow it all made perfect sense to Torin in his head. He had to prove himself a Champion in his own right and that meant putting him into contest against Stannis. Of course that's how a God would do it!

"And don't think I'm trusting a word out of your twisted mouth! Halaevia is coming with me to King's Landing where we'll do R'hllor's work and if you so much as try cross the Narrow Sea again I'll send her your head for free. Now, a boat!" Torin didn't trust Stannis, not one single bit. He had planned to treat Torin as both a criminal and a hostage, punished as a criminal but refused freedom unless his father paid a fortune for his release. Even Torin had more honour then that! Even Torin!

His face was twisted into a scowl and his knuckles were white he was gripping Halaevia's hair so tight. His instinct was to rush Stannis and drive his already bloodied sword straight into his heart but he had to keep himself in check. He couldn't fight his way off this island, he needed Stannis to clear the way to a small boat and he'd sail all bloody night if he had to but he'd be free in the end!

[Halaevia Baratheon]

Despite everything, the sight of Stannis brandishing Lightbringer gave Halaevia hope. He wasn't going to let Torin kill her, she thought. He wouldn't. No matter that his words seemed almost a reproach to her, and a deserved one. If she had left Stannis to deal with Torin as he had planned, instead of pushing her own agenda, they wouldn't now be in this situation. Torin would be dead. Better Torin than her.

Hallie bit her lip. She was focused now, the look of vacant fear had gone from her eyes. She wasn't about to collapse into hysterics, not in front of Stannis. Dragonstone women ought to be made of sterner stuff. If what Torin had to say surprised her, then, she gave little indication, though her mind was troubled greatly by it. He thought this was R'hllor's doing? Either he was carrying out a pretense far beyond where it was necessary, or he believed what he was saying, and had done all along. She wasn't sure which was worse, now. She did know that the Lord of Light wouldn't have put her in Torin's path for him to take her hostage and threaten her. That was absurd.

And King's Landing! Her life was here at Dragonstone, she couldn't go with him. 'Stannis is R'hllor's chosen,' she said, and if her words were a little more rushed than usual, they were still clear. 'It is not R'hllor's work you are doing now, it is-' Halaevia stopped mid-sentence, a terrible thought coming to her. There was every possibility that this wouldn't end well, that Torin would kill her if Stannis refused him a boat, or take her to King's Landing otherwise, regardless of what she had to say on the matter. Ignoring that would be irresponsible. She looked to Stannis and spoke intently: 'If he...you'll see that my children are taken care of, won't you? They haven't anyone else. Promise me that.' This was no plea for sympathy on Halaevia's part; she didn't expect that. It was a quiet, reasoned request, and one that she felt she had to make.

[Stannis Baratheon]

((Sorry its so late!!))

Lightbringer was held in Stannis' right hand, he could fight Ser Torin Lannister and the battle hardened Stannis would mount his head one a spike and send his body to his father in Kings Landing as a statement but that would also mean having to hold a funeral for Halaevia too. The decision was an easy one to make, Halaevia was a Baratheon. A person may die but their name lives on, the Stag will not be exterminated by the Lion. Stannis believed that the Lion was behind the death of his brother King Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark knew the truth about the Lord Commander, Ser Jamie the Kingslayer and the Queen Regent, Cersei Lannister and he lost his head for it. King Robert also died for it, the wrath of a dead an could harm no one, had Robert found out there would have been a war but Jamie Lannister was more than capable of slaying Robert now. However had Robert been the man he was during his rebellion, no man would have stopped him. Not Ser Jamie, not Ser Barristan and certainly not Tywin Lannister. One swing of that war hammer could have slayed Aegons Dragons... Stannis could only dream of being that physically strong. Stannis was a leader of men and was a hard man. Some say he could be an honorary Ironborn, he was a master of both land and sea battles and now with lightbringer and r'hllor on his side, he could kill anyone in personal combat, but he would not have his taste of blood today.

"Very well Torin, you will get your ship. Lay the foundations for my coming, gain me the support of others and weaken your own families. The time is coming, the flaming stag will fly over Kings Landing soon and all Lannisters will burn." His face was stern and hard as if allowing Torin free passage of Dragonstone was burning him from within, though his face lightened when he spoke to Halaevia.
"Your children are my family, I shall look after to them as if they're mine own."
Stannis turned to the guards that had arrived on the scene.
"Get him his boat and be quick about." Stannis pushed past to exit the room, he had no desire to watch his captive sail off with a member of his family. He needed to sit down and plan his next move, maybe it was time to come to an agreement with the Kraken or the Wolves.