The King and the Man He Dislikes

"The King and the Man He Dislikes" is a Season 4 Day 2 (February 15, 2015) thread which takes place between Haddock and Blunt. It takes place directly after "Reassurance" and right before "The Final Confession."
==Summary==
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== Full Text ==
Blunt Donz: Haddock was wrapping up for the evening, Stonegit had been put to bed, despite the boy’s desire to stay on guard duty, and he and Vox had finished their conversation. But there was one more person who still had words for Haddock.
The only thing that notified Blunt’s approach, was the sound to two guard crossing their spears in front of him, blocking his advance on Haddock. “Hold up there Blunt,” one of them muttered. “The King does not want you near him.”
Blunt reached up his elbows, resting them on the crossed weapons, raising his eyebrows at Haddock. “I don’t like you,” he said simply, a wry smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “But you and I have something in common.”  
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock looked intently at Blunt, not bothering to hide his distaste for the man. “And what would that be?” he asked warily.  
Blunt Donz: "We both want to make things right by Stonegit," he said plainly, and it was only then that Haddock saw that Blunt’s eyes were slightly red. "And if he’s worth as much as you say he is to you, you will swallow your pride for just two minutes and let me talk freely. I will neither insult you nor accuse you. But for the love of god let me tell you this so that kid can have a reason to smile again."  
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: The king ran a hand through his hair. “Very well,” he said, grimacing. “Guards, let him through. And let us… speak… privately…” He very clearly hesitated at the last command, as though frightened of what might happen, or recalling something that once before occurred.  
Blunt Donz: "No worries," Blunt said as they walked to a privet room. "I am not my grandfather." he heaved a sigh, pressing his hands together, collecting his words. "For one thing…I have never killed a man in my life, but I’m willing to make Orskaf my first. Secondly, Stonegit, thank the gods, was not in fact, raped to the full extent of the word. But he was viciously, viciously manhandled. I tell you this because he is nowhere near emotionally ready to tell you…but you needed to know, since you are clearly the most important person in the world to him."  
At that moment Haddock saw a flash of jealously in Blunt’s eyes, but the man blinked the look away. “You want to know what you can do to make all this right. But he’ll never tell you. He’s too scared, he’s afraid you’ll take his words as accusation or insults. But if you want to really, really know what you can do. Then I would suggest ordering him, as your King, to tell you, and give him every reason to believe that he will not regret his words no matter what they are.” 
Blunt inhaled deeply. “He didn’t tell me much. But the one thing he did tell me, is that in his mind, what those soldiers did to him…takes second place to all problems between the two of you have. And it’s driving him into the ground.”  
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: The king was sober and silent as Blunt spoke, occasionally turning away to blink rapidly or wipe at his eye, but he always presented a stoic face to the other man when he made eye contact. He nodded slowly when Blunt gave his suggestion, but as soon as the Donz gave those last sentences, Haddock’s eyes jerked up, wide. A brief flash of horror flitted through hazel green irises before he blocked his expressions, and asked, in as steady of a voice as he could manage, “He… said what?”  
Blunt Donz: "Look this is the part where I am very careful not to insult you," Blunt said. "Apparently Stonegit wronged you at some point, somehow. He apologized, but apparently you didn’t…" Blunt changed his words, doing his best to be diplomatic. "Apparently you were not emotionally ready to forgive him. Also, even though Stonegit may never be selfish enough to say this, all he wants from you is words of kindness. Kind words that don’t rely on some life or death situation to produce."  
Blunt heaved a sigh, and then looked away. “I don’t know these things because I know him better. I’m a sneak…a manipulator. He was drunk when he told me these things its the only reason I know them…but they needed to be known…by you. Stonegit said the sting of unforgiveness hurt worse then the very gang rape he suffered under.”     
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: Haddock wishes that Blunt were lying to him about this. Or that he had good reason to yell at Blunt for trying to give him advice on how to treat Stonegit kindly. But he could not fault for the man for what he said.  
Still, it was with a little bit of heat the king said, “I do not enjoy what you speak. I do not enjoy how you present it to me, even if you are attempting to be kinder, so you say. Insults almost might have been taken better.” His voice quieted as he swallowed his pride. “But… I will rectify the situation, as I can. For indeed it needs to be, regardless of what else has happened.” He could feel the painful fiery throb of the burn mark on his skull.
"I did apologize though,” the king said stubbornly. Of course. The one time Haddock actually apologized, he made it a matter of pride. “He must not have understood me. But I will make it clear again.
"Anything else?" The king cocked an eyebrow and looked intently with Blunt, as though his stare alone could make the man disappear.  
Blunt Donz: "Three things…" Blunt admitted. "One, I still don’t like you, but! You are a good man…and King. I know I insulted you with this, I can hear it in your voice, take it out on me as much as you want, just not with Stonegit, he’s going to be as sacred as a rabbit when you get him to talk."  
"Two, when you apologize, be specific what you are apologizing for. Just ‘how I treated you’ or ‘for everything’ is cheap and doesn’t cut it." Blunt’s jaw tightened. "Third…" he motioned with his hand. "My grandfather, gave you that mark…wrongfully. I no longer hold any pride for my family name, not in the slightest. My apology may mean nothing, but I hope my actions will suffice. For as long as I remain with the cursed Donz name, I will be here to support the Haddocks and the rebellion, no matter what kind of dark days is brought upon them."    
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: "Very well then," Haddock said. "I suppose that is it."   
He turned away.
As a very late afterthought, the king shifted back to Blunt and held out his hand. “It’s a good deed you did tonight,” he admitted, though with the carefulness of a man giving a public speech. “I thankfully accept your support and think of you not in the same vein as your grandfather. There is a heart in you I had not before seen, and that conviction I can - and do - respect.”  
Blunt Donz: Blunt starred at the hand, pursing his lips, and then reaching forward, batting his hand back and forth once with his own, before grasping it tightly and shaking once. “Spiffy,” he said, and then pointed a finger and giving him a hairy eye. “Now don’t tell him I told you, pretend you came to this all by yourself. You may get the benefits, but that’s ok, because in the end…I’m gonna win,” he said, and then marched out, not really specifying what exactly he was trying to beat Haddock at, or even explaining why he thought it was a competition.   
Gareth Ragnar Haddock the Second: The king stared, baffled, as the man left. Going to win… what…?
  He shook his head and walked back to the throne.  
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