Game of Thrones: Reborn as Drogon

Though Pycelle had long since been sidelined by Qyburn, he was still the realm's Grand Maester in name. Marwyn naturally assumed that, under the new regime, Pycelle would continue occupying the position.

[That old lecher Pycelle isn't fit to be Grand Maester.]

Just thinking about the man—forever pretending to be frail and senile while trembling his way through Small Council meetings—made Drogon uncomfortable.

Daenerys herself knew little about Pycelle, but she had heard enough from Varys.

The old maester had secretly served House Lannister for years and had only been discarded once Cersei no longer found him useful.

According to Varys, Pycelle's greatest talents now were political maneuvering and putting on an act. Beyond that, he contributed very little.

Daenerys had no intention of allowing someone like that onto her Small Council.

As for Marwyn's request, she had already noticed the way he looked at Drogon and had begun to suspect his true motives.

That left her uncertain whether she should allow this mysterious archmaester to remain.

To Daenerys, the Citadel's representatives were outsiders.

By Westerosi custom, the Grand Maester held a permanent seat on the Small Council, but she disliked the idea.

It always felt as though someone from outside was peering into her private affairs.

Drogon, however, found Marwyn rather interesting.

The man was the only archmaester at the Citadel to possess a Valyrian steel link dedicated to the study of magic and the occult.

Ordinarily, that would have earned Drogon's attention.

Unfortunately for Marwyn, after his lengthy discussions with the sea god Adins, Drogon had already learned far more than most scholars could dream of.

Marwyn was still researching theories.

Drogon had already touched the truth itself.

What use did he have for academic speculation?

Marwyn, meanwhile, had expected his request to be welcomed.

An archmaester volunteering to remain at court should have been a valuable asset.

Yet after speaking, he noticed hesitation in Daenerys's expression.

His confidence immediately faltered.

After a brief pause, he hurriedly added,

"I... while my primary field is magic and the occult, I am also well-versed in medicine, astronomy, and metallurgy. I am confident I can be of service to Your Grace."

Afraid of hearing a refusal, he eagerly promoted his own qualifications.

The truth was that his desire to remain in King's Landing had little to do with politics.

It was Drogon.

The idea had first taken root when Marwyn learned that Drogon had transformed into a four-legged dragon and could freely alter his size.

That revelation alone had convinced him to petition the Conclave for assignment to Dragonstone.

Then came the battle outside Dragonstone.

When Marwyn heard that Drogon and Daenerys's fleet had defeated a coalition of gods, his determination only grew stronger.

He was willing to lower himself, abandon prestige, and do whatever was necessary to remain close to the dragon.

Daenerys watched him carefully.

The more desperately Marwyn argued his case, the more suspicious she became.

His intentions weren't difficult to guess.

The way he looked at Drogon practically gave him away.

Whatever his reasons, she didn't want anyone using Drogon for their own purposes.

It didn't matter that Drogon could now stand against gods themselves.

She still refused to let unnecessary trouble come his way.

"Archmaester Marwyn..."

Daenerys began, preparing to decline.

[Let him stay in King's Landing and make him Grand Maester.]

Drogon's sudden thought interrupted her.

Daenerys was just about to refuse when Drogon's voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

The moment Marwyn heard her begin to speak, and saw the hesitation still lingering on her face, his heart sank.

He had already humbled himself far more than he ever thought he would. If even that wasn't enough to change her mind, then there was little hope left.

Resigned to failure, he lowered his head and prepared to leave the moment she finished speaking.

Yet the rejection never came.

A few moments passed in silence.

Confused, Marwyn looked up again.

Daenerys was frowning slightly, as though carefully reconsidering something.

The sight left him utterly bewildered.

After hearing Drogon's suggestion, Daenerys quickly swallowed the refusal that had been on the tip of her tongue.

She couldn't understand why Drogon not only wanted Marwyn to stay but also wanted him appointed as Grand Maester.

Still, this wasn't the time to ask questions.

After a moment's thought, she spoke again.

"Archmaester Marwyn, I am willing to allow you to remain."

Marwyn's eyes immediately brightened.

"But," she continued, "you must persuade the Citadel to appoint you as Grand Maester. Pycelle will not retain the position. You may also convey my wishes directly to the Citadel."

Marwyn stared at her in stunned disbelief.

His mouth actually fell open.

Moments ago he had been convinced he would be rejected.

Now not only was he being allowed to stay, he was being offered the position of Grand Maester.

Yet instead of joy, his first reaction was panic.

Convincing Daenerys had suddenly become the easy part.

Convincing the Citadel would be far more difficult.

The Citadel despised magic.

For generations, its scholars had worked toward creating a world free from sorcery, prophecy, and the supernatural.

As a result, very few maesters pursued the study of magic and the occult.

Marwyn was the lone exception.

He was the only archmaester who possessed the Valyrian steel link representing mastery of the higher mysteries.

That distinction made him unique.

It also made him unpopular.

Most of the Citadel regarded him as an eccentric at best and a dangerous fool at worst.

The position of Grand Maester, meanwhile, was one of the most coveted offices among the archmaesters.

Dozens of scholars spent years competing for the chance to serve kings and shape the future of the realm.

Why would they ever choose someone who practically lived on the fringes of the Citadel?

The irony was that Marwyn didn't particularly want the position himself.

Much like most archmaesters disliked serving as Seneschal of the Citadel, he feared administrative duties would interfere with his research.

To many scholars, the office of Grand Maester was immensely prestigious.

They attended royal councils, advised kings, influenced policy, and ensured their names would be remembered by history.

Naturally, competition for the role was fierce.

But Marwyn cared little for politics.

His passion lay in magic, mysteries, and forbidden knowledge.

The thought of endless Small Council meetings and court responsibilities was hardly appealing.

Yet if becoming Grand Maester was the price for remaining close to Drogon, he was willing to pay it.

After hesitating briefly, he asked,

"Your Grace... what if the Citadel refuses to appoint me?"

Daenerys answered without hesitation.

"Then I simply won't have a Grand Maester."

Marwyn immediately felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

The Citadel might dislike him.

It might even despise him.

But it would never willingly surrender the office of Grand Maester.

If it abandoned the position now, it could lose its seat on the king's council forever.

No archmaester would allow that to happen.

Suddenly, the task seemed much more manageable.

After offering his thanks, Marwyn departed.

As soon as he was gone, Daenerys turned to Drogon.

"Why did you want him to become Grand Maester?"

Drogon had long been suspicious of the Citadel's practice of placing maesters in the service of noble houses throughout Westeros.

The Citadel constantly proclaimed its neutrality, yet nearly every maester eventually developed political loyalties of one kind or another.

Beyond that, the institution itself gave him an unsettling feeling.

Something about it never sat right with him.

For that reason, he didn't want the Citadel sending one of its favored candidates to sit on Daenerys's Small Council.

At the same time, outright rejecting the office of Grand Maester would break centuries of Westerosi tradition.

A more elegant solution was needed.

Back when Marwyn first announced his intention to travel to Dragonstone, Drogon had asked Samwell about him.

From Sam, he learned several things:

Marwyn was the only archmaester to wear a Valyrian steel link dedicated to the study of magic.

Most members of the Citadel avoided him.

He kept largely to himself and rarely participated in academic politics.

In short, he was an outsider among outsiders.

If a Grand Maester had to exist, then Marwyn was the ideal choice.

A man distrusted by the Citadel.

A scholar with little interest in political games.

And someone far less likely to act as the Citadel's eyes and ears within Daenerys's court.

For Drogon, there simply wasn't a better candidate.

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