BENNYT II

BENNYT II

        A chirping bird came flying to Bennyt's window. She came and flew away when she saw Bennyt standing at the window with a glass of Pearlish wine as usual. His eyes didn't notice the bird as they were busy staring at the garden. For a moment, he was amazed at the girl's endeavour to be what she wanted to be. Aerys had been mistreating him unexpectedly since the Prince had arrived. Bennyt was diligent and committed to his duties as an advisor, he knew how Darron, the Conqueror had slaughtered the Sunryders in their home and had snatched it to create a glorious history.

      He was imagining many impractical things, looking at the couple wandering joyously in the garden. He wanted to throw the Prince into Queen's Bay from the Tower of Mercy. Drowning must be a mercy for him, his hatred wanted to cause brutal damages to his body as a revenge of Alyster, the drowned. Bennyt hated the House of usurper and wanted the entire country to follow his ambitions to destroy them. But he was born centuries after the Battle of Alphaville. It had been more than a century that Savys had made a peace treaty with the slayers of his family. On the approval of Darron's widowed Queen Ciliz, Glasslands was declared not to be a part of the kingdom of Noharas. 

       "And one day, just opposite to this, our Queen would be walking behind the young blue-eyed Prince Charming and if possible, so would do their sweet children", he said to himself, but his words created a hush behind him. Lady Isabelle rose her head trying to figure out the situation. She was holding a glass too. She took a sip and waited for her husband's next words. 

      "And our fate stops here for ever. Servants ! That is what we are", Bennyt was unhappy but his voice was strong and clear.  "You're not a servant, My Lord", said Belle "You're the special advisor of Queen Aerys of House Sunryder, Master of Coins and Lord Father to Herbert of House Sunspear of Golden Pearl. There's not a single possibility of you being a servant". 

       Bennyt looked at her with a look of disagreement. "Thank you for your kind words, my Lady", he thanked her. "But I see things from a different perspective". He was unhappy. Lady Sunspear was simple and she wouldn't think that much before speaking. She would think herself as the smartest Lady in the Glasslands and Bennyt knew it was her pride of being married into House Sunspear despite being one of the Eastmen.

       "You fear the Noharas that they would betray us ? But why would they do so ? They need a part of our army to fight against the Foreigners and that, we should provide them. We have the largest army in the country, it will not make any shortage of men in our Kingdom. They'll fight alongside our men and win the war. They'll be forever grateful to us. And we'll stay high of honor and prestige", sais Lady Sunspear with a proud voice.

        "What if they lose ?", asked Bennyt. He was certain that his wife would be unable to answer this. "We don't need to provide them what they want. They will fight with their men and die. And when they come for us, we will still have the largest army in the country. And we can defeat them. We don't need to partner with them. We can take our revenge for the bloodshed they had been caused to our Queen's family. History always repeats". Bennyt explained his intent to his Lady.


        Belle got up and came close to Bennyt. She took his hand in hers and made a strong eye contact with him. Bennyt didn't understand what she was trying to do. "If that's what pleases you, my Lord, I don't have any issues with it". Belle held Bennyt's shoulder as they gazed outside the tower window. "They look lovely together", said she.

  Bennyt was not amazed by the statement. Everyone would admire the new bond between Aerys and Shannon. It was adorable. People of Queen's Landing had been cold for years, Conquest of Darron and destruction of House Sunryder had probably vanished from their psyche. Bennyt hated the way people were frigid to such a tragic event of the history. None of the Sunryder rebelled against the Noharas. They needed peace. Perhaps that is the reason why Aerys would be the last Sunryder to sit on the Glass Throne. House Sunryder was going to extinct peacefully.

      "A raven from the God's Hill brought bad news the day I started my journey to Queen's Landing. Lord Garlan is dead. Lady  Moonhills suspects the Florences. Lord Tyler has fled and is hiding somewhere in our country. Your brother-in-law  wants us to search for him", said Lady Sunspear staring at the couple. Bennyt wondered why Lady Catherine forgot to inform him about it. "I've heard tales of their friendship. I'm a bit shocked at hearing this accusation", Belle added with disbelief.

     "If Lady Moonhills doesn't wish us to be acquainted with her husband's death, then it is not a matter of our business. We shall stay well out of this. She's a clever woman. Who knows what plot she would make against us ", Bennyt said.

     "He was uncle to the Prince. He should be informed about it. Perhaps this loss would take him back to Alphaville", Isabelle mocked. She took a final sip of wine and distanced herself from the window. She sat in front of the mirror and started setting her brown hair with a wooden comb. Bennyt wished if the mock could become true, but he knew the Prince had strongly determined to trap Aerys. Seven days, they had been spending quality time together and Bennyt could do nothing to stop them. He had underestimated his Queen.

  "How long are they staying ? The Glass Palace has become a guest house. We need to free it from unnecessary guests", Belle said looking herself in the mirror. 

   Bennyt had no answer to the question. The queen could not take any decisions in the absence of her Lord Commander of City Watch. Ser Torrhen had been gone to pay a visit to his ailing old mother Lady Susan, it had been a fortnight. Eastcity was not far away, it takes a ride of a day or two only. 

   "I wish my sister lives a little longer. She is not much older than me though. She thinks she's too old and sometimes thinking becomes true. But she has suffered a lot. Her patience had begun to shatter. Poor she ! I'll pray the Gods to ease her pain", said Belle. Bennyt understood that her wife had answered her question herself. She continued,"I understand, my Lord. Once Ser Torrhen returns from Eastcity, this matter will be closed, at least for now."

 Bennyt wished if it could be possible. But the Queen seemed determined to get trapped in love, perhaps. He was not sure if she had started to love him. But she wants to cross the boundaries of her ancestors, that much was beyond dispute for Bennyt. "Perhaps our Queen has set her mind to help her guests. She wants to build a new world without destroying the old one. She has grown quite selfish and doesn't wish to think of her people. This aid will not please them", he said.

      "The Queen? She's a child. You are her advisor, my Lord. Make her understand", Lady Belle tried to advise her husband. She was nearly done with the hair.

    "It's difficult. I've been trying hard. I'm still trying. But all my efforts are in vain. The Prince's blue eyes has intoxicated our Queen so rigidly that none of my words are working out on her", Bennyt's tone suggested disappointment.

    "She's in love. She is incapable to imagine the consequences of this deal. The Eastmen will put swords in their hands and come for us to tear us into pieces. This relationship will destroy everything, that we've built so far. Put it to an end before it grows stronger", Belle said and stood up.

     Bennyt imagined it. He had already imagined it many times. "Yes, Pray to the Gods. She is young. Young people make terrible mistakes and they don't even atone for them. I must keep her away from the Prince. We should never stop trying. Trying is the key for triumph", he replied to his wife.

     Isabelle was half a decade younger than her husband. She belonged to Eastmensburg. Eastmen's blood ran through her veins. Marrying an Eastborn was a great deal of honor for any of the Southerners. Bennyt was lucky enough to get this honor. House Sunspear and House Eastborn had tied up the Sunlands and the Glasslands in this affiliation. Bennyt was in support of his wife's words. Eastmen were cold, but they had kept up the rivalry between the Sunryders and the Noharas for years. One wrong decision would make their blood warm and they could do unimaginable things.

     "I'll take my leave, my Lord. The girls can sleep all day without any interruptions", said Belle as she had to leave.

     Bennyt didn't really care about his nieces. Ashara and Dolores Bartlett were as useless as Bennyt's sword. Both of them had been grown up in their home Sunscape, far away from Queen's Landing. Lord Bartlett wanted Ser Bennyt to get his girls two gallant young man. Herbert Sunspear was still unmarried and the most eligible bachelor in the South. But Bennyt had least of his intentions to pick up a flower from the dirt and gift it to his son. 'Bartletts were not trustworthy' - he used to think, but his father had given Sheryna's hand to Lord Elburt Bartlett. Golden Pearl was affiliated with another ancient noble house. Bennyt only cared about wealth, and House Bartlett was the second wealthiest family in the country, thanks to the gold and diamonds mines. 

     Wealth could give a new life to anything in the world. He had already wasted a fine amount of the wealth by making preparations for the guests. He said, "Make them fall in love, both of them are chained up with us for no good cause. But Lord Bartlett is rich and ambitious. A promising combination ! His ambitions must be fulfilled so that his House would become grateful to us. And we'll get what we want from him. Men do stupid things for their ambitions". He scoffed. 


     "I think they are unfortunate. They are lazy and stupid. I've introduced them to many of our knights, Lords and son of the Lords. But they don't seem to like any of them. However I believe Ashara is mad for Ser Torrhen. Oh ! House Bartlett is truly unfortunate. I pray the Gods for their well-being", Belle said with expressing well wishes for her nieces' house.

     "It's the curse. The wizard was evil", said Ser Bennyt in a deep voice.

   "Indeed", Belle nodded. She opened the door and left.

    Bennyt sighed and filled his glass with more wine. He had to try harder.