View source for A Fiasco of Ice and Fire

=== Act I Scene 3 ===
: Current dice pool: {{wd6}}{{wd6}}{{wd6}}{{wd6}} {{bd6}}{{bd6}}{{bd6}}{{bd6}}{{bd6}}{{bd6}}
: '''Austin:''' {{wd6}}{{wd6}}

: '' '''Austin:''' I'll choose to Resolve my scene, so go ahead and set it up as you guys see fit.''
: '' '''Andrew:''' How about this: Erich stumbles across the Septon who secretly converted Slandi; he'd come to see how she was progressing, and to provide some theological instruction.''
: ''Stake: will Erich wrest the truth from the septon and find out that his daughter no longer serves the Drowned God?''
: '' '''David:''' I'm thinking it might be time to bring in the Untoward Object. Maybe Erich is feeling rattled by Slandi's overtures, and starts plotting to gain the upper hand. This scene could be him trying to convince Maerys to go along with his plan to pass off a bastard child as theirs, and the scene's conflict could be over how that interaction goes.''
: '' '''Andrew:''' I like that even better.''
: '' '''David Leaman:''' So I think probably Erich and Maerys are the only characters in this scene, right? We have:''
: ''Conflict: will Erich convince Maerys to falsely claim his bastard as their child?''

In the morning after the wedding feast, Slandi's actions still weigh some on Lord Erich's mind. He stands at the window, looking out, feeling the salty air against his face. Maerys sits up on the bed, watching him, worried--whatever is bothering Erich, it's certainly troubling him strongly.

"My lord, this is my first day as a married woman, and my first day as the Lady of Blacktyde, to boot. Will you take me out today to show me this island of ours?" Maerys' attempt to distract Erich from his musing fails, and she tries a different approach. "What troubles you, my lord? I hope you are not struck by such a melancholy every morning."

Erich sighs, and turns to face Maerys, hesitation in his eyes for a moment before they become his normal expressionless steel-grey. "I... Maerys, I have tidings regarding our heir."

She looks puzzled, as they have not consummated the marriage yet. Lord Blacktyde notes the confusion on her face, and in a heavy voice says "I already have a bastard that will inherit my position as heir." 

Maerys makes a shocked noise of confusion and distress, before Erich goes on to say "He will be our child, make no mistake of that, and he is of my blood. This natural-born child has quickened and will be born inside of three months. As part of an agreement with... other parties... he will be adopted and raised by us, and we shall publicly declare him to be ours and ours alone."

Erich looks at Maerys' face as recognition and understanding dawn, and he leans forward for her answer to this unexpected news.

Maerys' jaw works as she tries to formulate a response to this surprise. "And I am to pretend now that I am three months short of a birth? Half your court saw me drenched to the bone yesterday; they know I am not with child. How do you expect me to support this foolishness?

"And why? What reason could you have to want to play this farce? I am not barren, so far as I or anyone anyone knows. Do you value this bastard of yours so much that you would put it ahead of any child you and I might get? Or its mother? I don't normally have a jealous nature, but do you like me so poorly that you would prefer I raise another woman's whelp than our own?"

As Maerys speaks Erich's expression only gets harder and colder, until she finally allows herself to believe the truth behind his proclamation. "And how about," she says through her teeth, "the heir you already have?" Erich's eyes flash darkly and Maerys continues, gaining in fervour. "I see. I have now struck at the truth of this. You are in a petty little feud with your petty little daughter. You want to supplant that piratical bint of yours before she decides to take your throne as plunder."

Maerys dresses absently, her mind calculating and her eyes fixed on her new husband. "You fear her so much you can't even wait long enough to get a son on me. Is that why you were in such a hurry to get my father's assent? He doesn't know your true plans, of course..." Her voice trails off.

"Well then, my ''dear husband'', what do I stand to gain from this? You certainly can't pull this off without my collaboration. What's in it for me?"

: '' '''Andrew:''' Y'know, given the way the scene is playing out--I think I'm gonna hand out {{bd6}} for this scene. Erich's probably gonna have to make some huge promises to get Maerys to play along.''

Erich narrows his eyes. "What's in it for you is that one of my primary rival for this region of the Iron Islands, Lord Sparr, will tithe us a not-unappreciable sum of dragons every year, as well as holding off from the reaving and destruction he would rain upon our heads if knowledge of his salt wife's straying were to become known to the court. This way he can be content in the knowledge that his blood is my heir, the court will be content in our marriage and its fruition in the form of our 'son,' and we can be content in the gold in our pockets and our heads on our shoulders. Understood?"

Maerys dissatisfied expression remains, but the terse nod she gives is interpreted by Lord Blacktyde as consent to the scheme.

"Good," he says as he releases his breath through gritted teeth. "Now, Sparr's wife will be smuggled here shortly before she is due to birth our child. She will raise it in secret until such a time as you can "birth" the child yourself. Maester Saltburn is also in our confidence, and has arranged for the tanner to craft a false belly for you, capable of being stuffed with sand over the coming months. The gods are fickle with their blessing of quickening seed, and I would not dare to allow my insolent spawn of a daughter even one additional hour with which to quicken herself and take my house from me."

The snort of derision from Maerys upon the mention of her birthing the half-year-old child made Erich turn on his heel. "It will work. No-one looks to closely at a babe, especially one covered in birthing blood, and we can always keep the child isolated and away from the gaze of the other houses for a year or so, long enough for his size and age to be unnoticeable. Beyond that they would only have baseless rumors, and the Drowned God take those unbelievers. It has to work."

Maerys says nothing beyond the tightening of her mouth, but Erich takes her silence as agreement. "Check with Maester Saltburn after the wedding, and he will help you affix the leather belly. Do not stray from wearing it, even for a single day, or it will likely mean all of our heads."

: '' '''Austin:''' I'll award the die to David, as Maerys is almost as stuck in this as Erich is at this point.''