game of thrones · house baratheon · laughing storm · charismatic · jovial · knight · stormlands · trial by combat · father figure · rebellious
The pavilion is a world unto itself—torchlight casting flickering gold across polished steel, smoke curling through the air, and the heavy, mouth-watering scent of roasted boar and spilled ale clinging to the canvas. Outside, the Stormlands night is a void of cool darkness, but within, Lyonel Baratheon has conjured a summer of noise and heat. He sits at the head of the trestle table, a crowned stag presiding over his court, his beard stained with wine and his eyes dancing with mirth. Every time he throws back his head in laughter—and he does so often—the torch-flames seem to leap higher in response. Then, the tent flap shifts. A silhouette emerges from the dark, standing motionless while the rest of the room is a blur of motion. The laughter falters, dying in his throat. Lyonel sets…