Anythingdrabble Challenge 87 - Stay or go

[m_findlow]

Title: Stay or go
Fandom: Game of Thrones
Characters/Pairings: Jorah Mormont, Lord Varys
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 87 - Healing at anythingdrabble
Summary: Ser Jorah faces a difficult decision.

Jorah winced as he pulled back the shirt from his chest, raising his arm to inspect the damage. The greyscale that mottled almost his entire arm, now crept underneath it and was radiating towards his shoulder and chest. It was spreading faster now, taking over.

'Does the Queen know she has a stone man in her midst?' came the silken voice of Lord Varys, standing in the doorway.

Jorah quickly pulled his shirt back over his shoulder, fearful at being caught out. 'The Khaleesi must not know of this. Please.'

'And yet I fear it will not be long before you will be unable to hide it,' Varys countered.

Jorah slipped his surcoat back on, tugging at it angrily as it refused to comply. 'Did your little whisperers tell you that?'

'I listen to the tales of a great many eyes, but for all the hours I spend listening, I also spend watching. You have been a subject of much scrutiny.' Varys stepped forward into the room, his robes swishing gently across the floor. 'I take it that this happened on your travels to Meereen?'

Jorah eased his weary body down onto a short stool by the fire. 'We took the river through Old Valyria. The stone men ambushed us on the water.'

'And Lord Tyrion? Was he also afflicted?'

Jorah shook his head. 'The dwarf escaped unharmed.'

'That is well since he is now Hand to our Queen. The scale is a terrible curse. Children sometimes survive it by the grace of the gods, but in grown men there is only one outcome. Perhaps you should have stayed in Valyria, for I expect it is your fate to join the stone men soon enough.'

Jorah watched Varys standing there still as a statue in the flickering light. 'You are a learned man, Varys. You must know of some way to cure it.'

Varys bowed modestly. 'I thank you for your faith in me, however I am not a learned man, only a slave who once escaped his bonds and made a vow to serve out my remaining days in service to the realm.'

Jorah gave a heavy sigh. 'Then it seems my fate is sealed.'

'You could try the Maesters of Oldtown,' Varys offered. 'If any cure should exist, then certainly it would be contained within their great libraries.'

Jorah stood up, a sudden anger washing over him as he came to tower over the eunuch. 'I cannot abandon our Queen. She needs me.'

'She need counselors who can guide her decisions. She has Lord Tyrion as her Hand, Missandei to advise on the ways of the people of Essos, Grey Worm as her military arm, and me to listen to the whispers of the common folk. She will be well attended in your absence.'

Jorah ground his teeth at the suggestion he leave her. 'Oldtown will take two months to reach by sea.'

Varys leaned close. 'Then I suggest you leave soon should you wish to survive the journey.'