GOT: Reborn as a Martell

"She acts like a Southerner, almost a Dornishwoman. She's grown to our customs, and she's not shy of telling some suitors off."

"We'll see," Quentyn said with a shrug "If she wishes to stay, I shall not oppose it. Perhaps she could marry a Dornish lord? Ned, perhaps? But I still think she would rather leave and meet her family once again."

...

With that, Quentyn smiled and left.

Gerris raised an eyebrow, and with a sly smile, shouted at him."Where are you going now, my prince?"

Quentyn turned around and pointed at the keep."I have some duties to attend to. Do not wait for me to start dinner, I might be otherwise occupied."

Gerris just nodded.

Whether it was genuinely work, or making love to his paramour, Gerris didn't really care. All he cared about was to finish this war, and go home.

But for now, what he really needed most of all, was a bath and some rest. After all, he had spent the day in the streets of Blackhaven, with Quentyn, visiting the sick, feeding the poor, and going amidst the ranks to maintain morale.

Gerris took a few moments to breathe in some more fresh air, but soon followed in Quentyn's footsteps towards the Keep, heading to his rooms.

Unfortunately, Gerris did not have a room all to himself like Quentyn did, and as soon as he entered, he was greeted by an all too familiar voice.

"Well, hello there, Gerris," the voice announced, "how was your time with our dear prince?"

"Hello there, Cletus." Gerris frowned. "Perhaps you should have come instead of doing nothing in this dark tower."

"Hah!" Cletus rose from his bed and closed the door. "I think not."

"What's gotten to you?" Gerris asked, angered. "For moons now you've sulked and drowned in bitterness."

"Bitterness?" Cletus laughed. "I'm not bitter."

"Of course, you are. A blind man could see that." Gerris frowned.

"I'm merely expressing the sentiment that our 'friend' is no longer such."

Gerris' eyes narrowed. He felt like he knew where the situation was going, but did not raise any concerns, and contented himself with a simple, "Sure."

"You don't agree?" Cletus asked.

"Listen, Cletus, if you wish to turn your back on five-and-ten years of friendship, that is your issue and yours alone, do not drag me into this," Gerris growled.

"Friendship?" Cletus' face was red with rage now. "He spat on that friendship when he jumped into the Snake's bed!"

"Don't you dare, Cletus!" Gerris warned. "We both know you talk of this only because you are jealous."

"Liar!" Cletus shouted, stepping forward.

"Don't call me so," Gerris defended himself. "I've known you since we were babes, Cletus. I know you better than your own mother."

"Then speak, fool!" Cletus almost threw back his head in laughter. "What do I think?"

"You won't care for it anywhom." Gerris shook his head and made for his bed.

"You insult me, then you turn your back on me?" Cletus frowned. "Is that what our friendship means, then?"

"Don't talk to me about friendship!" Gerris snapped. "You clearly proved yourself unworthy of it!"

"We both know Quentyn stopped caring for us the moment he brought us into Sunspear!" Cletus yelled. "We're hostages, not…"

Gerris heard the blow, but did not realize he was the one to have struck Cletus until he saw the Yronwood tumble towards the bed.

Still, he managed to muster the courage to speak, towering above the shocked man."Now, listen carefully, Cletus, because I won't say this have I doubted my friendship with Quentyn, but I am seriously reconsidering yours with mine."

Cletus silently stared up at him.

"For years you've been teasing Quentyn. You knew he was a maiden, yet you continued to talk on and on about your 'conquests'. I knew how uncomfortable he was, but he endured. I went to see him, after your drunken rants, and he said nothing. He thought it was funny, perhaps." Gerris scoffed. "And when we finally managed to have him build up some confidence, to have enough courage to lose his maidenhood, that's when you changed."

"I didn't," Cletus protested. "Quentyn turned our backs on us when he visited Sunspear!"

"Why?" Gerris asked. "Because he finally found someone he was happy with? Why does it matter who that person is? Or were you jealous because that Snake spurned you?"

Cletus made to stand up, but Gerris brought his hands to his shoulders and pushed him down to the bed.

"And why Quentyn specifically? You cared not when I was married to Elinor, why Quentyn? And then it struck me. It was because you're a jealous man. Because you could act superior to Quentyn when it was easy to demean him. But when Quentyn finally had what he wished for: titles, gold, and a woman who loved him, that's when you became jealous."

"I never demeaned him!" Cletus countered. "I have never said a thing to him!"

"Haven't you? I recall that the only person to flaunt his conquests was you. The only one to tell Quentyn that 'one day, he would also experience the pleasure of women,' was also you," Gerris countered. "It was you who made him feel weak, and it was up to me and Arch to pick his broken pieces. Honestly, it is a miracle he has held this long."

"I followed you, to King's Landing and to Volantis!" Cletus once again tried to protest.

"But why so? Was it out of friendship for Quentyn like us, or more because you were waiting for an opportunity to outdo him, like with the Tyrell girl?"

"Don't talk about her!"

Gerris shook his head. "I suspected as much. You thought you loved her."

"She loves me as well, Gerris!"

"Then why are you here, without her? Is she at Yronwood, or at King's Landing?"

Cletus stayed silent.

"Every day that Quentyn showered his paramour with affection, it made you into more and more of a bitter man, Cletus," Gerris spoke with venom now, "you saw what love was and seeing that it was denied to you and offered to Quentyn, you started to hate him."

"I never hated you!"

"Because I'm of lower status than you, you and I both know it. You never had to show your superiority over me. " Gerris chuckled. "And even if you did, Elinor never travelled with me, while you had to endure Nymeria Sand's presence at all times."

"And it doesn't bother you?" Cletus asked through gritted teeth. "That this Snake parades herself around him all the time?"

"Does it bother me that my best friend is in love? That his chosen one returns his affections?" Gerris laughed. "The answer is no, Cletus, I don't care. Not as long as it doesn't keep me from sleeping, and I never had this problem with him."

Gerris looked Cletus dead in the eyes now."You want to be bitter and pathetic? Feel free to do so. But do not blame Quentyn for it, and for the Seven's sake, do not question our entire friendship for it! Or have you forgotten the fruits of it already?"

"I have nothing!"

"Nothing? Cletus, you travelled the world. You've met someone you love, and you've seen more than many could dream of. Your sister is on the Small Council of the fucking Seven Kingdoms. Just because you were stupid enough not to ask that Tyrell girl to leave with you should not mean that you must hate Quentyn for it. Instead, hate the real man responsible, hate yourself."

Gerris shook his head and made to leave.

"Where are you going?" Cletus asked, his voice softer.

"To sleep elsewhere," Gerris answered. "I have had enough of you, and we ride north on the morrow. I do not want to be hindered any further."

"Where will you stay?" he asked.

"Gulian or Ned can make space for me. Quentyn and Nymeria too, mayhaps. Good night, Ser Cletus."

With that, Gerris slammed the door, and felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders.

Wandering the halls, he looked a bit lost, wondering if he hadn't been too harsh on Cletus.

But then again…

He sighed.

There were no good solutions. He just hoped this would awaken Cletus. He longed for his old friend, not the shell of a man he had become.

With a slow pace, he made his way to Ned's rooms.

Lord Dayne was surprised to see him, but let him in nonetheless.

"Ned, can I stay the night with you?" he asked, "I fear Cletus is being a hindrance."

"What has he done this time?" Ned sighed, almost exasperated.

"He's being moody."

Ned looked around at the state of the room, and nodded.

"Aye, you can stay. Just warn me if you snore."

"Thank you, Ned."

"That's what friends are for."

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