36 The King is Dead, Long Live The King

King's Landing, The Crownlands

In his main brothel where he conducted much of his business, Petyr Baelish was frowning. His mind was always plotting to gain more power and many of his carefully thought out schemes were about to fall in place. He expected Ned Stark to become Hand and he also expected him to reject Robert, both of the situations would have allowed him to step up his plans. However, he never expected the fact that the honorable Ned Stark was not even in Westeros anymore.

The war between the Lannisters and the Starks that he had been planning for so long should have been coming closer and closer with each passing day. His spies reported to him that neither Tywin, nor his daughter or grandson like the power that the wolves wielded and he also knew the despise the Stark have for the lions. Petyr smiled with sick enjoyment of the potential tens of thousands to die for his ambition.

~

Eldon Estermont arrived at the council meeting and immediately saw everyone was already here. After a little chat with Renly he sat down and asked "Where is the King?"

Renly smiled and said "Not here."

"His Grace has many cares, he entrusts some small matters to us that we might lighten the load." Varys chuckled.

"We are the Lords of small matters here." Baelish joked.

An uncomfortable silence came in the room before Renly declared "My brother instructs us to stage a tournament in honor of our uncle's appointment as Hand of the King."

Baelish probed "How much?"

Eldon answered "Forty thousand for the champions, twenty thousand for the runner-up, twenty thousand for the winning archer."

"Can the treasury bear such expense?" Pycelle questioned.

Baelish smirked and said "I'll have to borrow from the Lannisters. We already owe Lord Tywin two million gold, what's another eighty thousand?"

Eldon was shocked and asked "Are you telling me that the crown is two million in debt?"

Baelish responded "I'm telling you that the crown is four and a half million in debt. Two to the Lannisters, two to the Iron Bank and half a million to the Tyrells."

Eldon demanded in anger "How could Robert let that happen? How could you?!"

Baelish answered with a smirk "The master of coins finds the money and the king spend it."

Eldon asked "How did Jon Arryn allow that to happen?"

Pycelle answered and said "Lord Arryn gave wise and prudent advice but I fear His Grace doesn't always listen."

"Counting coppers he calls it." Renly interjected.

Eldon said "I'll try speak to him tomorrow."

Before the meeting end Varys said "On another matter, Gabriella Stark gave birth to twins, Sirius and Ashara Stark. We should send a congratulatory raven." which everyone agreed.

~

In another room of the Red Keep the Crown Prince was with his mother, the Queen, he was walking around the room and suddenly said "We allow the northeners too much power, they consider themselves our equals."

Cersei raised her eyebrows and asked "How would you handle them?"

Joffrey thought a few seconds and declared "I'd double their taxes and command them supply twenty thousand men to the Royal Army."

Cersei surprised, asked "The Royal Army?"

Joffrey continued "Why should every Lord command his own men? It's primitive, no better than the hill tribes. We should have a standing army of men loyal to the crown trained by experienced soldiers instead of a mob of peasants who've never held a pike in their hands."

"And if the northeners rebel?"

"I'd crush them, seize Winterfell and install someone loyal to the realm as Warden of the North. Uncle Kevan maybe."

"And these twenty thousand northerners, will they fight for you or for their Lord?"

"For me, I'm their King."

"You just invaded their homeland, asked them to kill their brothers, had their sisters raped."

"I'm not asking. I'm commanding."

Cersei shook her head and said "The North cannot be held by an outsider. It's too big, too wild and too loyal. And when winter comes, the seven gods together couldn't save you and their royal army. A good king knows when to save his strength and when to destroy his enemies."

Joffrey smiled "So you agree? The Starks are enemies."

Cersei took his hand and smiled while caressing his cheek "Everyone who isn't us is an enemy."

~

"Robert still wants to make Ned Stark his Hand when he comes back." Cersei was in her room with Jaime and they were talking about Joffrey's ideas.

Seeing his worried sister Jaime asked "Why are you worried?"

She looked at him and said "What if he finds out about our children?"

"He won't and we don't even know when he will come back and if he will take the position."

"If he finds out, we will have to kill him and Robert."

Jaime eyes grew and said "No. We can't kill Ned Stark, no matter what."

Cersei sneered and said "Why? Are you afraid of the Quiet Wolf? It is understandable, after all he is the man who slew Arthur Dayne."

Jaime scorned "I never believed the story about him defeating the Sword of the Morning in single combat. The reason that I don't want Ned Stark to die, even more by our hands and in this city is because he is the only who hold the reins of 'The Bloody Wolf'. We can't afford that even more with Stannis' mysterious moves."

Cersie looked at Jaime and said "So our only choice is to kill Robert before Ned Stark comes back to Westeros."

~

Winterfell, The Northern Realms

"And who's a good girl?" Aryan said with his baby voice to his six moons old daughter. He smiled when he saw his daughter giggle. "Did you know that your uncle Jon is a dog? Yes, he stole two freefolk girls while touring the North. A blond haired and a redhair. Oh, you also think that he isn't back because he is trying to steal a black haired one? Me too, you are so smart little princess." Ashara continued to giggle thanks to her father even though she didn't understand anything.

"What are you teaching her, seriously? I'm scared for her future. What if she one day fancies a boy?" Gabriella said with Sirius in her arms.

Aryan chuckled and said "That's where you're wrong woman. My daughter won't fancy a boy until she's at least eighty-three."

He then looked at his son who is in his wife's arms and declared "As for that brat, he will need to start pulling his own weight soon."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and said "You are so unreasonable. Let us forget about Ashara but how can a grown man like you be upset because your son cries when you take him from my arms?"

Aryan started laughing with his wife and they went to the nursery and had their twins put to sleep. They decided to go to their solar for a meeting.

"Nice to see you again, Kinvara. Tell me about Dragonstone."

"Well, Azor Ahai..." she was interrupted by Aryan "Don't call me that."

"Yes, my Lord. There is a Red Priestess around Stannis. His wife is already worshipping the Lord of Light."

"Do you know her?"

"No, but I felt her, she is powerful."

He nodded at Jaqen and looked and asked "Any news about my uncle?"

Jaqen answered "He succeeded in his mission and left Ibben. He will arrived in White Harbor in a couple of moons."

~

The Riverlands

Tyrion was whistling happily while walking with his companion who asked "Will you shut up? They are bandits all around here."

"If I am to die. It may as well be with a song in my heart."

"I should just take your food and leave you here. What would you do then?"

"Starve. Most likely."

"You don't think I'd do it, do you?"

Tyrion stopped and looked at his companion "What do you want, Bronn? Gold? Women? Golden women? Stick with me and you'll have them all. But as long as I'm around and not a second longer. But you knew that, that is why you so valiantly saved me when my escorts died from bandits."

"Fair enough but don't go looking for me to bend the knee and 'My Lord' you every time you take a shit. I'm not your toady and I'm not your friend."

"Though I would treasure your friendship. I am mainly interested in your facility with murder. And if the day ever comes when you're tempted to sell me out, remember this, whatever their price, I'll beat it. I like living." He then started to continue whistling with Bronn following him.

~

King's Landing, Th Crownlands

Littlefinger was alone in the throne room and was watching the Iron Throne with greed but was interrupted when he heard Varys' voice "First to arrive and last to leave."

"You do move quietly."

"We all have our qualities."

"You look a bit lonely today. You should pay a visit to my brothel this evening. First boy is on the house." Littlefinger said with a smirk.

"I think you are mistaking business with pleasure."

"Am I? All those birds who whisper in your ear are such pretty little things. Trust me, we accommodate all inclinations."

Varys tilted his head and smiled "Now I'm sure you do. Lord Redwyne very young, I hear."

"I'm a purveyor of beauty and discretion, both equally important."

Varys interrupted "But though I suggest beauty is a suggestive quality. Now is it true that Ser Marlon of Tumblestone prefers amputees?"

"All desires are valid to a man with a full purse."

"And I heard the most awful rumor about a Lord with a taste for fresh cadavers. Must be enormously difficult to accommodate that inclination, the logistics alone, to find beautiful corpses before they rot."

"Strictly speaking, such a thing would be in accordance with the King's Laws."

Varys advanced and looked at Baelish right in the eye "Strictly speaking." before leaving the room but was called my Littlefinger "Tell me, does someone, somewhere, keep your balls in a little box? I've often wondered."

Varys turned around "Do you know I have no idea where they are and we had been so close once... But enough about me, how have you been since we last saw each other?"

"Since you last saw me or since I last saw you?"

"Now the last time I saw you, you were talking to the Hand of the King."

"With you own eyes?"

"Eyes I own."

"Council business. We all have so much to discuss with Eldon Estermont. Especially since Ned Stark will soon return and take his place."

"Everyone's well aware of your enduring fondness with Ned Stark's wife."

Littlefinger smiled "But you know something, I believe I saw you even more recently that you have seen me."

"Have you?"

"Yes, earlier today I saw talking to Lord Estermont in his chambers?"

Varys scoffed "Was that you under the bed?"

"And not long after that, when I saw you escorting a certain... foreign dignitary... council business? Of course, you would have friends from across the narrow sea. You're from there yourself. After all, we're friends, aren't we, Lord Varys? I'd like to think we are. So you can imagine my burden, wondering if the king might question my friend's sympathies, to stand at a crossroads where turning left means loyalty to a friend, turning right, loyalty to the realm..."

Varys interrupted with disdain "Oh please."

But Baelish continued "..to find myself in a position where a simple word to the king..." before both heard Renly coming in "What are you two conspiring about? Well, whatever it is, you'd best hurry up. My brother is coming."

Littlefinger, surprised, asked "To a small council meeting?"

Varys started to follow Renly and answered with glee "Disturbing new from faraway. Hadn't you heard?"

~

"The whore is pregnant." Robert said with anger.

"Who?" asked Lord Estermont.

"The Targaryen girl." Renly answered.

"Based on whose information?" asked the Hand.

"Rayford Waters, son of Balman Rykker." Varys responded.

"Rykker? Why should we believe a Targaryen loyalist?" the Hand asked.

"Because we promised him the Rykker name and the lordship of Duskendale if he spied on the Targaryen for us."

"We should've had the Targaryen killed years ago." Renly said.

"Do it. Have them killed. Both of them." Robert said to his council with none of them disagreeing.

~

Cersei entered her husband, the King's solar, she saw him sitting alone, drinking, "I heard about your decision to have the Targaryen's killed. Ned Stark will never tolerate the murder of a pregnant woman. You may lose him forever. Is it worth it?"

"I don't know. But I do know this: If the Targaryen girl convinces her horselord husband to invade and the Dothraki horde crosses the Narrow Sea... we won't be able to stop them."

"The Dothraki don't sail. Every child knows that. They don't have discipline, they don't have armor, they don't have siege weapons."

"It's a neat little trick you do: you move your lips, and your father's voice comes out."

"Is my father wrong?"

"Let's say Viserys Targaryen lands with 40,000 Dothraki screamers at his back. We hole up in our castles. A wise move. Only a fool would meet the Dothraki in an open field. They leave us in our castles. They go from town to town, looting and burning, killing every man who can't hide behind a stone wall, stealing all our crops and livestock, enslaving all our women and children. How long do the people of the Seven Kingdoms stand behind their absentee king, their cowardly king hiding behind high walls? When do the people decide that Viserys Targaryen is the rightful monarch after all?"

Cersei pours herself some wine "We still outnumber them?"

"Which is the bigger number, five or one?"

Cersei rolled her eyes and said "Five."

Robert holds up his five left fingers "Five." and clutches his right fist "One. One army, a real army, united behind one leader with one purpose. Our purpose died with the Mad King."

Robert then pours himself a drink and finish it immediately, "Now we've got as many armies as there are men with gold in their purse, and everybody wants something different."

"What do you want?"

"We haven't had a real fight in nine years. Back-stabbing doesn't prepare you for a fight. And that's all the realm is now: back-stabbing and scheming and arse-licking and money-rubbing. Sometimes I don't know what holds it together."

"Our marriage."

Robert looks at Cersei and bursts out laughing which is joined by Cersei's laughter.

~

It has been a moon since they decided to have the Targaryen girl and her brother killed, and Eldon Estermont was walking in the Red Keep when he heard Renly shouting his name, he turned around and saw him full of blood "It's Robert, we were hunting... The boar..." he said before going back.

He arrived in the room after following Renly to see Robert saying goodbye to his wife and children. He then looked at him and told him how he killed the boar as retaliation "Uncle, I want the funeral feast to be the biggest the realm has ever seen and I want everyone to taste the boar that got me." he then looked at everyone and said "Leave us the lot of you, I need to talk to the Hand and Ser Barristan."

"Robert, my sweet.." Cersei started but Robert shouted "Out, all of you!"

"Paper and ink, on the table. Write down what I say. In the name of Robert, of the House Baratheon, First of.. you know how it goes, fill in the damn titles." and Eldon wrote his titles, 'I hereby command Lord Eddard of House Stark to serve as Lord Regent and protector of the realm upon my death to rule in my stead until my son Joffrey comes of age." But Eldon who was on Renly's side, wrote 'my rightful heir' instead of 'my son Joffrey'. He then gave the paper to Robert for him to sign.

He then left the room after Robert's said goodbye asked something for the pain from Pycelle. He looked at Renly who left. He passed the will to Ser Barristan for safe keeping.

He saw Renly, who has changed himself and washed all the blood from himself, Renly asked him about the will and he responded "The Queen won't care." Lord Estermont nodded. "Give me an hour and I can have a hundred swords."

But Eldon shook his heads and said "No, we have to retreat to the Stormlands or the Reach but there is more redcloak than there is of us and all the Gold Cloaks will follow Lannister gold. Striking right now is akin to suicide." Renly agreed and with all the Baratheon's soldiers they decided to leave King's Landing discretly.

~

"Ser Barristan! Ser Barristan!" he saw a courtier coming to him and raised his eyebrows "King Joffrey and the Queen Regent requests your presence in the Throne Room."

Ser Barristan was surprised "King Joffrey?"

"King Robert is gone, the Gods give him rest."

Ser Barristan walks in the Throme Room with the King's will in his hands. He sees Joffrey with a crown on his head sitting on the throne with his mother and uncle near him. He hears him say "I command the council to make all necessary arrangement for my coronation. I wish to be crowned within the fortnight. Today, I shall accept oath of fealty for my loyal council."

Ser Barristan walks in front of the Throne and shows the will "This is King's Robert will unbroken. Given to me by the Hand Lord Estermont." seeing the curious looks he opens the will and reads it but is interrupted by Cersei "May I see the letter, Ser Barristan?"

Ser Barristan gives it to her but Cersei rips apart, Ser Barristan distraught said "But... Those were the King's words."

Cersei arrogantly said "We have a new king now. Long may he reign."