Room 518; Friday Evening [ 07/13 ].

[thelobsterking]

Stannis Baratheon was in a stormy mood, brought on by the culmination of at least two weeks in this truly absurd, baffling, and frustrating place. This mood had inspired him to take to pacing, moving back and forth across his bedroom with a brooding determination to practically wear the floor down. And there was grinding, so much grinding, of his

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[abitlowkey]

"Are you well?" He was starting to think this boy was in need of serious medical help.

[thelobsterking]

Stannis paused in his pacing at the sound of a voice, and his teeth stopped grinding for at least a short amount of time. He frowned at Loki as he thought of how best to answer.

"By most definitions of the word," he finally concluded, "I suppose I would be, though I am certainly not pleased. I cannot decide whether or not I should send a raven with the news of how much I despise my current position."

[abitlowkey]

"Is it the heat? For that passes with time!"

[thelobsterking]

Though Stannis did pull a little bit at his tunic, he complained, "It is not the heat. I merely find this place...unsatisfactory. But I suppose I must regard it as a test of my mettle and suffer through it to become a better man when it is all through."

[abitlowkey]

Loki nodded slowly at that. "Well, I am certain this island grows on you. Like a fungus. I have certainly begun to enjoy my time here."

[thelobsterking]

"If I'm going to have something grow on me," said Stannis, "I'd rather it not be a fungus. It has its merits, to be sure, but I feel I could be much more useful back home in Westeros. Still, I suppose you are right in that there's no point in complaining about it. I'm here, and will be expected to remain here until it is decided otherwise."

[abitlowkey]

"That is the spirit! It could always be worse."

Like having your brother turn into a corgi. AN ADORABLE CORGI.

[thelobsterking]

Stannis grunted a little, passing over a look to inform Loki that such pep talks were not about to win him over any time soon. He sighed heavily. "It seems as though whenever anyone states that it could always get worse, it usually does," he said darkly.

[abitlowkey]

"Mine brother is a dog," Loki informed him dryly. "Always worse."

[thelobsterking]

"Is he...normally a dog?" Stannis asked.

[abitlowkey]

"Not normally, no." A beat. "He was a frog once. I believe it was the fault of the Enchantress."

[thelobsterking]

"You can't trust those," Stannis said sternly. "Enchantresses. Magic. About as trustworthy as they can be thrown. What has he done to deserve his current canine state?"

[abitlowkey]

"Nothing!" You bite your tongue, Stannis. Thor was perfection. "He has been cruelly transformed by the island for no fault of his own. He is the best brother one may have."

[thelobsterking]

"If that is true," said Stannis, trying his best not to sound bitter as he squared his shoulders and clenched his jaw again, "then you are luckier than most. Others are not so lucky in the way of brothers."

Though he supposed Renly was still quite young; perhaps things could fare better with him, but it wouldn't be easy to form a bond when you were literally worlds away.

[abitlowkey]

Loki nodded at that. "He has protected me from grievous harm."

A beat.

"Do you lack in brothers? I have several others, but they have died."

SORRY, TYR AND BALDER.

[thelobsterking]

"I am not lacking in brothers," said Stannis, "but we are lacking in brotherly love. Robert and I do not exactly see eye to eye on things. He seems far more interested in wine and women than anything else, hardly a suitable legacy to uphold. Meanwhile, Renly is so young that I can hardly leave a formidable impression on him if I am cast aside like some shameful bastard. Gods help us if he should have only Robert to look to as a mentor with our parents deceased."