webnovel

hfdn6

s

supahsanic6969 · Book&Literature
Not enough ratings
12 Chs

c7

RHAEGAR POV

He was currently sitting inside the Great Hall of Casterly Rock waiting for Hadrian Stark to arrive. After hearing about the Northern victory againt the Iron Born. He sent Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard to the Iron Islands to order Hadrian Stark to attend him at Casterly Rock, so that they could discuss the issue surrounding the Northern occupation of the Iron Islands.

The Northerner's victory against the Iron Born wasn't something that he and the members of his Small Council were surprised at. The Northern Army is a professional army unlike the iron born army which was mostly made up of Iron Born reavers. Though their profession made them more dangerous than the peasant levy that made up the bulk of the armies of the other kingdoms. That still did not make them a match for the professional army the North has not to mention the Northern army was better equipped and disciplined than the Iron Born.

The lack of equipment and discipline that the iron born has was always their greatest flaw since even though the same could be said about the bulk of the rest of six kingdom. At least they in their midst they have a core of well train and well equipped soldiers in the form of the knight and the household guard that almost all nobles have.

However the speed and almost bloodless victory that the Northerners were able to achieve against the Iron Born was something that they were surprised at. Since even in there wildest calculations they never expected the Northerners to win that fast.

What they were expecting, was that it would take the North at least a few months to pacify and conquer the Iron Islands but their calculations were wrong since the North was able to conquer and pacify the Iron Islands in less than two weeks and most of that was travel time. Of course an argument could be made that the Northerners were able to conquer the Iron Islands and then pacify the Iron Born that quickly was the lack of a proper defence in the Isles. Since most of the Iron Born and their fleet were sent South to engaged the Royal and Redwyne fleets, paving a clear path for the Northerners to attack it without any problems.

But even if that was technically true, somewhat, they still had to give the Northerners their due. Of course because of this Randall Tarly has already began pushing again for the creation of a standing Royal Army.

The Master of War and Lord of Horn Hill has been pushing for the creation of a royal army, every since Varys gave them the news of the Northerners having created a standing army in one of their small council meetings. Of course at first no one was really interested in creating a standing royal army since it would not only be expensive but it would also cut the power of the nobles since the creation of the royal army would give the crown more power. But with the Northern army having proven its value, the same people that rejected the idea in the first place were pushing for its creation.

He had already started hearing rumours that both the Lannisters and the Tyrells were thinking of creating a standing army for their kingdoms to make sure that there would never be an attack in their land similar to what the Iron Born did these past couple of months. The Great Hall of Casterly Rock itself was fully packed with nobles from every corner of the Seven Kingdoms. The reason why so many noble was here was because they wanted to participate in putting down the iron born rebellion.

Of course the reason they were eager to stop the Iron Born rebellion wasn't just because it was their duty to follow their king to war, but for more personal reason with the usual being gaining glory, fame, richest and other reason. But their hopes for glory, fame and riches were squashed after the Northerners annihilated the Iron Born. Of course some people were able to have a taste of glory and fame, but this small group that was mostly restricted to the members of the royal and Redwyne fleet, or people who live along the coastlines of the Reach, Westerland, and Riverlands. His musing was be interrupted went the announcer would said that Hadrian stark has arrived.

''Presenting Lord Hadrian Stark, heir to Winterfell and the North''. The announcer said snapping every noble in the Great Hall from their conversation and their activity. The heir to the North himself wasn't alone, entering the Great Hall, he brought with him some Northern Lords and Lady with him not to mention he also brought his guard with him.

''King Rhaegar'' Hadrian said with a nod of his head when he finally stood before his sitting form. The lack of respect that the heir to the North was showing him was something that shocked not only him but also most of the nobles in the room. But it wasn't just the heir to the North that was showing him a lack of respect since the other members of his entourage were also showing it by refusing to kneel before him.

''Lord Hadrian''. Rhaegar said almost speechless from the lack of respect that heir to the North was showing him, something that had never happened during his tenure as king. But this was something that he should have expected to happen. Since he know how the North hated him because of the rebellion and his mistake in declaring his second son as bastard. He had just started gathering himself form the shock of being disrespected, to start the speech that he and his Hand had prepared beforehand. But he was prevented from doing so by Mace Tyrell Lord of Highgarden saying something that was stupid to the Northeners.

''You should show the proper respect to your king boy, didn't you're father teach you better''. Mace Tyrell said to the heir to the North, shocking both himself and most of the noble in the room for the stupid and ignorant rebuke done to curry favour. After processing what the Lord of Highgarden said he sent a withering glare toward the fat lord, who cowered from his glare.

''My father died before he could teach me anything important or did you forget that Lord Tyrell''. Hadrian said with hollow smile toward the Lord of Highgarden, who was now looking very nervous.

''Perhaps we should start with the reason why the king has summoned you here Lord Hadrian''. Jon Connington said quickly, trying to salvage what supposed to be a dialogue between the heir to the North and him about the war against the Iron Islands and the other important matters between the North and the rest of Westeros.

''Perhaps you should''. Hadrian said toward his Hand who then signalled to him to start the speech that they had been preparing to give the Heir to the North about the Northern occupation of the Iron Islands.

''Lord Hadrian as the king of the seven kingdom and protector of realm I would like to thank you for helping defeat the Iron Born and restoring order to the Iron Islands, with that said I would like also for you to start withdrawing most of your troops from the Iron Islands and allows the people that masterminded this rebellion to be sent here so that they can be put to trial for their crime''.

"I'm afraid I can't do that''. Hadrian said

''And why is that, lord Hadrian?' 'his Hand asked the heir to the North

''Because they're already dead''. Hadrian said with shrug of his shoulder

''You already killed Balon Greyjoy and his accomplices, Lord Hadrian?''. his Hand again asked to confirm that the heir to the North had ordered the death of Balon and the former Lords of the Iron Islands inner circle.

''Yes but it isn't just Balon who died since every Iron Islander from noble to common folk have also been been sentenced to die for the crimes they have committed against the North and her people for generations '' the heir to the North said with an uncaring tone in his voice like he was just talking about the weather instead of the massacre that he had conducted against subjects of the Crown.

''I'm sorry perhaps I'm hearing this wrong but did you just said that you have sentence the entire population of the Iron Islands to die'' Jon said.

''Yes, I did''. Hadrian said still with that uncaring tone, shocking most the people in the room since this would be the second massacre that the Northerners had carried out in the span of a few years. But that shock soon turned to fear after hearing how the Northener had massacred the Iron Born and then talking about it with an uncaring tone.

However not everyone was unhappy with the Iron Born no longer existing since he can spot most of the Lords of the Riverlands, those from the coast of the Westerlands and the Reach looking quite happy with the Iron Born being gone. He couldn't really blame them for being happy about it since most of the Lords of these lands have been the ones to truly feel the effects of the Iron Born raids. But he couldn't just allow the Northerners to massacre another subject of the crown without being punished. He was about to say something but once again he was pre-empted by another High Lord, this time it was Jon Arryn his Master of Justice.

''So you are saying that you knowingly conducted a massacre against the population of the iron island?'' Jon Arryn ask the heir to the North once again, he of course know why his Master of Justice was saying this since Jon wanted to make sure that everyone in the room heard it, so that when he pushed for a trial against the heir to the North no one could object to it.

"Yes, came the bored reply.

TYWIN POV

"Yes" Hadrian said

A simple answer for a question that could result in the execution of the young heir to the North if the Master of Justice had it his way. But even then he knew the heir of the North wouldn't be punished for anything he did.

Although most of the noble in the room were shocked at the massacre carried out by the Northerners on another people. He knows that in their minds, they didn't really care about Iron Born, much the same way they didn't care about the population of the Three Sisters that the Northerners had also massacred. To them, the Iron Born were a nuisance that had been plaguing Westeros for millennia and many of them including himself were glad they were gone.

Of course he wasn't happy that it was the Starks that defeated the Iron Born and then taking the entire wealth of the Iron Isles with them. Since he was planning to use the spoils of war to help rebuild Lannisport and his fleet. Now however he has to use his House's personal wealth to rebuild those two things, something he wasn't really happy about. Even though his family's personal wealth was still massive, the amount of gold needed to rebuild those two thing was still going to cost him a lot. Not to mention the mines beneath Casterly Rock had started drying up after thousand of years of mining

He cursed his luck that just when most of his ambitions were this close to be fulfillment, his biggest and most important asset was getting exhausted. Were this twenty years ago he would have just claimed the Castamere mines and no one would raise an eyebrow but that avenue was now closed since he had already gifted Castamere to the Crown for his daughter Cersei's and Rhaegar's marriage. The Castamere mines and castle were gifted by Rhaegar to his younger brother Viserys, who was given the title Prince of Castamere. Viserys himself already had a child with his wife, making it very much impossible for him to try to have one of his relatives to married him, so that he can control the mines that way.

''Then you know that there would be an accounting for what you have done'' the Master of Justice said snapping him out of his musing. It would seem that Jon Arryn was still speaking to the heir to the North about the Iron Born massacre. He didn't really get why the Master of Justice was pushing for punishment this much. It wasn't like the Iron Born were well liked by the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. But Tywin is certain the real reason why the Master of Justice was pushing this so much, was because he still wanted the North to pay for what they did to the Vale.

This was a sentiment he could understand, since if anyone tried to annex even an acre of land from his kingdom, he would do anything in his power to make sure that person pays. It's not for nothing that his House had the saying ''a Lannister always pays his debts''. He did quite respect the young heir to the North for what he already achieved at such a young age but that didn't mean that he liked the young Stark, after all because of him the North has beaten the West as the most powerful kingdom in Westeros.

Hadrian POV

" Of course, Lord Arryn after all the law must be uphold'', Hadrian said with a mocking smile toward the Master of Justice, something that would make the poor man even angrier.

He had to admit that his first impression of some members of the Small Council wasn't really that great. With the idiotic remark from the fat lord of the Reach when he first entered the room, the Hand of the King trying to sound fair but still glaring at him for whatever reason, and then of course the master of Justice who was trying to have him punished for conquering the iron island, oh and then massacring the entire population of the Islands.

He knew the Master of Justice didn't really care for the Iron Born and instead was using what recently happened as a pretext to push for him to be punished for what he did to the Three Sisters.

While his assessment about the king was mixed to say the least, something that he can attribute to him barely interacting with the king. After all most of the talking was being done by members of the Small Council. From the few moment he was able to interact with the king it seems that at least know how much he and the Northerners hated him.

''Good, then you know that a trial will be conducted to make sure that the punishment for your crimes are fair in the eyes of the gods and man'', Jon Arryn said with smugness lacing his tone, something that he can attribute to the Master of Justice thinking that he had already won. It was almost a shame that he has to wipe the smugness from his face with his next sentence, almost.

''Of course Lord Arryn but since we are talking about justice, I also wanted an injustice that has been done to my family to be righted'', Hadrian said with a smile that grew wider at Arryn's expression, the smugness nowhere to be found.

''What injustice that has befallen your family Lord Hadrian?'' Jon Arryn asked with a nervous note in his voice. He really enjoyed making the smugness from the master of law disappear and changing it to nervousness.

'The murder of my father and grandfather and the kidnapping and rape of my aunt'', Hadrian shouted .

''Oh don't be like that, you all the ones who wanted to justice for the Iron Born and I only ask that justice also be serve to the people who are responsible for the death of my kin''. Hadrian said to the people in the room who were very much uncomfortable with the topic of discussion

''King Aerys is already dead Lord Hadrian, justice has been served'', Jon Arryn said trying to lay the blame at the Mad King's feet something that was technically true but he wanted everyone that was responsible for it to die.

''Aerys may be the one who ordered the death of my father and grandfather, but he isn't the only one responsible for it and not to mention the one who kidnaped my aunt and then force himself on her causing her death, still lives to this day and hasn't been punished for it''.

''This is absurd what you're asking Lord Hadrian''. Jon Arryn said

''And what do I ask except for justice, that you as the Master of Justice have an obligation to see done''. Hadrian said

''See this is the face of justice, pathetic, you standing there and calling me a murderer for killing the Iron Born , who have for thousands of years terrorised the people of this continent and even those in Essos, what I did to the Iron Born is justice, but when I demand Justice for what has been done to my family you would deny me?''

"Lord Hadrian' 'the Hand of the king said

''What ?"Hadrian shouted

''Perhaps we should continue this conversation tomorrow since it seems that you are tired from your long journey'', the Hand said

''I'm not tired, but you're right perhaps we should continue our conversation tomorrow''.