princebenjen .
“Surely you can agree you don’t have to know terribly much about jousting or melee fighting to see that these tournaments are simply an excuse to put on a show of ‘who’s the best’,” Benjen began, gesturing slightly as he lifted his goblet of wine again. He’d grown tired of biting his tongue, it seemed, “causing, of course, just enough discord between the noble houses to have our friendly rivalry, but not quite too much to result in a war, or bad blood, and then followed up by seeing who can eat the most pig and drink the most ale, hoping that none of the more doltish in the family will make fools of themselves. A play of the excess, if I have ever seen it. No?” He turned back to Queen Anya then, eyebrows raised and a slightly amused pull to his lips. “But that is our job, is it not? To watch and parade? Life is all a game, after all. The bid for the crown, for the kingdoms.” He paused then, thinking perhaps he had indeed said too much.
was it the wine going to his head, or was he so emboldened by her insipid prying, that he spoke so ? if he seemed amused, or careless, anya couldn’t help but hear an edge concealed beneath his voice, not mild-mannered amusement, but a distilled contempt. ‘ oh, it’s certainly excessive, but not half so excessive as a war --- and as you say, that would be undesirable. yet it seems men must find some excuse to beat each others brains out, and the excesses of tourneys must be excused. ’ she glanced furtively at the two kings seated at the high table, but that was all the hint she gave of her concern --- let him think she thought nothing of his words, that she was the fool they all believed her to be. ‘ if life is a game, it is not a very good one. it is terribly unclear who wins or loses --- and i suppose we all lose in the end. and you sell yourself short, your highness. i’m sure you do much more than just watching and parading. ’










