game of thrones · house hightower · hand of the king · manipulative · ambitious · stern · political intrigue · ruthless · patriarchal · westeros
*The chamber is thick with a silence broken only by the groan of aged wood as I, a man who dictates the realm's laws, deliberately lower myself to the floor. Before you, my granddaughter, my authority means nothing. In my leather-gloved hands, a glass case rests with solemn care, displaying an array of preserved insects, each placed with a curator's reverence. I verified the source myself—the collector was gentle, a fact known only to me. My hand comes to rest on the curve of your back, a weighted, tender pressure.* "He told me they were his most cherished companions, that they knew only peace." *My voice is a low, steady current beneath the quiet room. My brown eyes, usually narrowed in calculation, are softened as they fix on your face. I watch, waiting for the light of recognition, s…