Chapter 16 Robb

A week after Robb arrived, his ships still hadn't arrived from Braavos, but plans and documents were already in place. Stannis resumed royal hearings, with Robb attending as lords from the Reach, Dorne, and the Vale sought audience. Robb had interests in this discussion, so he attended their presentations.

He was present when representatives of the delegations were announced by the royal spokesperson. From the Reach, there was Mace Tyrell, his daughter Margaery, son Loras, Garlan Tyrell, and the Queen of Thorns. Ten others accompanied them, unnamed. From Dorne, only Oberyn Martell was named, bringing his lover and two bastard daughters. The spokesperson valued Oberyn's head highly.

Oberyn was displeased, but Stannis was not known for being gentle, and he dared not protest. Robb suspected that his own declaration to deal with Dorne had reached their ears.

Finally, representatives from the Vale were presented: Lord Yohn Royce, accompanied by Ser Harrold Hardyng, the second heir of the Vale. No one bet on the first surviving beyond adolescence, as Robert Arryn was a sickly child.

In Robb's opinion, Harrold was akin to Robert Baratheon's rubbish, but unfortunately for him, Stannis was not Robert, and he would be disappointed when attempting to marry one of the former king's bastards, if she was indeed pregnant. Robb would have to inquire with Bran's ill-boding brother about the matter.

"Lords, now I will hear your excuses for not answering my call and disregarding my orders," declared Stannis, seated on the Iron Throne.

At its feet stood Ser Davos, with the hand of the king's insignia on his chest, followed by Jeyne Poole, now the whisperer's advisor, and Wilys Manderly, the new ships advisor.

Roose Bolton had been offered the position of laws advisor, but he valued his head and knew he and Stannis would not have a good relationship, so he politely declined.

In front of them were the only two current members of the Kingsguard: Ser Arys Oakheart, who arrived with the Dornish, and Ser Balon Swann, who was already there.

Stannis hadn't had time to reorganize the Kingsguard and used his own men, Stormland knights, as guards. Twenty of them protected the throne. In addition to diplomatic commissions from the Vale, the Reach, and Dorne, the hall was filled with lords from all over the realm, especially the North and the Riverlands.

When Stannis finished speaking, Lord Royce, a sixty-year-old, tough-looking man but nowhere near as Ser Barristan, stepped forward.

"Majesty, as you know, our lady lost her senses due to the sudden loss of her beloved husband, Lord Jon Arryn, lord of the Vale, so she ignored your orders.

"But now that Your Majesty has appointed me regent of the Vale, I will ensure our responsibility is fulfilled, and the Vale is willing to accept its guilt and Your Majesty's provisions for us," declared Lord Royce, and his entourage of twenty applauded his words, making Stannis grind his teeth, leaving them frozen and no longer in the mood to applaud.

Robb had already informed Stannis about the true culprits behind Jon Arryn's death and that Lysa Arryn had completely lost her mind after Petyr Baelish's death. She claimed they killed Jon Arryn together and vowed to kill anyone trying to take her son away.

Stannis only accepted Lord Royce's words for the sake of the realm's peace and because Lysa Arryn was his aunt. Judging her, already mad, made no sense, only inviting more problems, of which the king had enough.

Stannis glanced at Oberyn Martell, an average-height man with sun-kissed skin, short hair, loose clothing, and shrewd eyes. His lover stood beside him, but Stannis did not look at her.

"Majesty, my brother, Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne, apologizes for not being able to attend in person before the throne due to his illness, which confines him to a chair," explained Oberyn Martell. "Following his instructions, I remind you that the Iron Throne had promised justice for Dorne in the case of my sister Elia's murder, in exchange for our return to the realm's peace.

"But such promises have always been ignored, so we never had any obligation to the Iron Throne. We continue to maintain our neutrality, waiting for the old promises to be fulfilled," declared Oberyn Martell, leaving all the lords looking at him in surprise.

Oberyn Martell wasn't looking at them but at Stannis. He probably hoped to see him surprised or enraged, but Stannis smiled and looked at Robb.

"My Lord Wolf was right; your legal excuses are pathetic," declared Stannis.

Robb shrugged, and the red viper reached for his dagger, causing the twenty-two knights guarding the throne to put their hands on their swords.

"If you wish to die and lose Dorne in the process, you can draw that dagger," Stannis said sternly. "As king, I will not tolerate challenges to my authority, and one of my lords has promised me great gains for the crown if I exile your family and hand over Dorne," reprimanded Stannis, and all eyes turned to Robb, who had declared in front of everyone that he desired Dorne.

This time, it was Oberyn Martell who gritted his teeth but let go of the dagger.

"And what will His Majesty do?" Oberyn Martell asked, as if giving a warning rather than asking a question.

"I will enforce the laws of the realm; that's why I am the king. And those laws are clear: admit your guilt, and you will remain in the king's peace. Declare yourselves out of the king's peace, and it will be my duty to see if negotiation or the war my lords demand is warranted. Declare yourselves neutral, and I will also act accordingly," Stannis pronounced coldly.

"Does that mean you will disregard your brother's promises?" Oberyn Martell insisted. Stannis looked at him. Robb nodded.

"According to your own words, neither Dorne nor King Robert placed any value on this deal. The former king never fulfilled his part of the bargain, and you also ignored yours, so such a deal was never of any value.

"If you had answered the current king's call, that would mean you fulfilled your part of the agreement, and now the current king, as the successor to his brother, would be obligated to fulfill his part of the agreement. But that didn't happen, and such an agreement has no value, as both parties blatantly refused to fulfill it," explained Robb. Stannis nodded and cast a grim look at Oberyn Martell.

"Which leaves us in the same situation as before. Will you admit your guilt, or declare yourselves out of the king's peace?" Stannis declared. "I will not repeat myself," Stannis warned.

"As His Majesty has declared our agreement invalid, that leaves us in the same situation as when your brother took the throne.

"Dorne has not yet been brought to your peace, but we are willing to accept returning to it without any conflict, provided we are granted justice for the death of Elia Martell, Princess of Dorne, and her children, Aegon Targaryen and Rhaella Targaryen, murdered in the taking of King's Landing during your brother's rebellion," declared Oberyn Martell. Stannis sighed.

"Your brother and you are persistent, but I am not my brother Robert nor Jon Arryn. In fact, I am said to be cruel and merciless. And it may be true, for right now, your claim seems absurd to me. On what laws do you base your demand for justice?" Stannis asked. "What happened to your sister and nephews should never have occurred.

"My brother was lax and complacent with his lords. In his place, no one would have dared to commit such an act and then present themselves before me with the results.

"But according to the law, that's all I can say or do in your case. Your sister was the wife of a Targaryen prince, involved in a fratricidal war for power, who was killed in the capture of a city, as happened with thousands of others. Her children were murdered alongside her, reportedly in the worst possible way.

"Still, as I told you before, there is no law against their deaths or to judge their killers. What do you want me to do? As king, I cannot go against the laws of the realm. I can only declare that Tywin Lannister, who ordered these deaths, has no honor or morality.

"The killers he employed, known to all as the Mountain and Ser Amory Lorch, have no honor and do not deserve their knightly titles, but that has already been made clear and judged by me when they were denounced by the lords of the Riverlands as the perpetrators of the raids that started this war.

"Therefore, I have stripped them of their knightly titles, and as their attacks occurred outside the king's peace, and their rebellion failed, they are now condemned to death, just as would have happened to all of us if our rebellion against the Targaryens had failed.

"So, I ask you again, as the king of the Seven Kingdoms, on what law do you base your demand for justice for the murder of your sister and her children, knowing that their deaths occurred under the protection of a battle?" Stannis asked. As he spoke and explained the facts, Oberyn Martell clenched his teeth so hard that blood started to come out of his mouth.

"Frustration and helplessness," said Robb, and everyone present looked at him, including Martell, who looked at him with anger. "I understand that feeling," Robb admitted. "In this war, I have stained my hands with the blood of many children who were just beginning to grow facial hair. But I am not the only one.

"Upon returning from Winterfell, on her way to King's Landing, Queen Cersei Lannister ordered the assassination of a nine-year-old boy simply for being present when her beloved prince, the bastard Joffrey Waters, was hurt in his hand by the actions of my little sister Arya Stark.

"The boy was hunted, and his death occurred when a sword nearly split him in two. The queen praised the knight who carried out the act, congratulated him, and warned others that the same could happen to them, while the lords of the Seven Kingdoms applauded…" Robb grimaced as the northern lords spat on the ground in unison to show their disgust and rejection of such actions.

"Prince Oberyn, it was your own laws that condemned your sister, the same laws that condemn thousands of innocents to death at the whim of their supposed lords, who according to the law have the duty to protect them, care for them, and ensure justice for them. But these same laws give them the privilege to kill, murder, and abuse them without any consequence.

"Prince Oberyn Martell, if you truly seek justice, the king will establish a council of nobles, whose privilege will be to present laws and projects for the welfare and development of the realm. If approved by His Majesty, they will become part of the new laws of the realm."

"As part of this council, I will propose a modification to the law that demands the head of any Lord who sends children to war, allows looting and rape in war, and deprives anyone, including the king, of the right to take another's life on a whim, without a prior trial and concrete evidence.

"If a Lord murders someone, along with their honor, they will lose their head. I assure you that crimes like those against your sister will no longer be treated as a matter outside the law…" Robb had to stop speaking because the lords in the throne room caused an uproar, even the lords of the Riverlands.

The only ones supporting Robb were the Northerners, spitting on the ground and cursing the infamy of the Southern lords. Robb didn't know if they did it to support him or because they agreed with his proposal because despite their father never supporting such acts in the North, these lords were not clean, and each had their own story.

"Silence!" reprimanded Stannis five minutes later when the discussion, far from ending, became more intense, and some were already threatening violence. But with the king's thunderous shout, everyone reluctantly shut their mouths.

Stannis gave a threatening look to the lords, and when it was clear that no one would speak, he looked at Prince Martell, who had remained silent throughout the lords' quarrel.

"My Lords of Dorne seek justice, but I already treat them with justice, according to our laws. However, I promise you something more, if what you truly want is justice. Indeed, in the future, I plan to create a council of nobles, from which laws and projects for the realm will arise.

"Everyone is free to participate in this council; I will even appoint a number equivalent to five percent of this council from the common people of the realm, selected from maesters, artisans, and merchants, named by yourselves.

"And at once, I promise you that if your consciences allow it, and this law is proposed before me, with an approval higher than eighty percent of the noble council votes, I, Stannis Baratheon, your king, will be proud to approve it, and prouder to cut off the heads of those who dare to profane it.

"If, on the contrary, you decide not to approve it and continue in the future putting the blood of your children and relatives on their heads, you can never again say that their deaths were not in your hands," Stannis pronounced, looking with disgust at the entire court, which remained silent. Some were swallowing bile, others reflective, a few as disgusted as the king himself, a third indifferent, while they calculated costs and benefits.

Robb counted on these last ones for his law to be approved because he was about to bribe them all. For those who seemed reflective, he would see if he could bribe them or it would be more profitable to exert pressure on them. As for those who were scandalized, he directly noted them down, to leave them in ruin before the vote took place, so they themselves would come to beg for a bribe in exchange for their vote…

"I truly have earned my nicknames," Robb thought, evaluating his own thoughts. But he didn't care because he had a plan for the development of this realm, and that included his justice system, where the lords were gods and the common people, who would be his workers, were nothing more than glorified slaves, whose lives were in the hands of their lords and subject to their whims.

With laws like these, it would be impossible to develop an industrialized realm, as its citizens could not legally leave their lords and migrate to their own territory in search of better living conditions.

After waiting for two minutes, with no one speaking, motivated by Stannis looking at everyone as if seeking someone to unleash all his anger on, Stannis looked at Prince Oberyn Martell.

"I still await your answer," said Stannis.

"Dorne will return to the king's peace and also support the North's law regarding common justice for all," declared Prince Oberyn, which reignited tempers and curses.

"Silence!" reprimanded Stannis before the uproar escalated further. "I will not declare on this matter again; the future will judge us all.

"Now, I will continue dealing with my lords and their loyalty," declared Stannis, fixing his gaze on Mace Tyrell, who tensed, knowing it was his turn to make excuses and he had the least to argue in his favor. He had supported a traitor, just like the Lannisters, but he couldn't excuse himself with the pretext of supporting his family or claiming ignorance about Renly being a traitor.

Mace trembled like a child under Stannis's gaze but took a step forward, surpassing his family and wearing a determined expression.

"Your Majesty, as a representative of my entire family, I have no excuse, and therefore, I will present no excuse. I will accept that I was ambitious, and I will also accept the punishment that your majesty judges upon me," declared Mace Tyrell, surprising all the present lords, who were scandalized once again, rushing to point fingers at Mace Tyrell and demand his head as justice for the king.

Stannis ignored them all, even Mace, who started sweating profusely. It was evident that he struggled to maintain his upright posture as he looked at the Queen of Thorns and made a grimace.

Robb shared the sentiment because there was no way this act of valor was Mace's idea. He would already be begging for mercy on his knees while crying, but now he stood tall, offering his head on behalf of his family and bearing all the guilt.

"Don't think your theatrics move me, my lady," reprimanded Stannis. "Nevertheless, I have forgiven half the realm before, and I will let you keep the pig's head of your son and your traitor granddaughter. Indeed, your army never faced mine in battle, and we suffered no attacks from your side as you withdrew from the conflict in time. But don't believe for a second that your theatrics will spare you from punishment for your attempt at treason against your family and your lords," Stannis sentenced. After swallowing hard for having saved his head, Mace Tyrell deflated from sheer relief.

The Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell, a withered old woman in a queen's dress and carrying a cane, looked Stannis directly in the eyes without showing the slightest reaction to his words. However, at her side, her hand gripped her granddaughter's with force, who they deliberately avoided sending to the front with Mace, even though she proclaimed herself queen alongside Renly, and by law, she should be accepting the blame along with her father.

"For your ambition and attempt at rebellion, I order you to pay compensation to the crown of one million gold coins, two hundred fifty thousand of which will be in cash, and the rest in kind.

"Your traitorous son, Loras Tyrell, will be sent to the Wall or his head will roll. As for your daughter, who desires marriage so much, I have decided to do her a favor and unite her in matrimony to one of my loyal lords, the future lord of the Riverlands, Edmure Tully. Their wedding will be officiated in no more than a week, in this very fortress," Stannis sentenced.

"What?" squealed a voice strangled by panic, but it didn't come from the Tyrells. To the shame of the lords of the Riverlands, it was Edmure Tully who shrieked like a pig being led to slaughter at his imminent wedding.

Then, when the laughter of the Northern lords flooded the throne room, with Greatjon's laughter above all, Edmure turned as red as a tomato from embarrassment.

"My lord of the Rivers, do you have any objections to my sentence? I remind you that I had already ordered that you should be married and with children," Stannis asked with a harsh tone.

"Your Majesty, my nephew is just somewhat surprised; he did not expect to be granted the hand of such a beautiful and sought-after lady," the Blackfish hurried to intervene, now the official guardian of Edmure until he matured and could take care of himself.

Robb thought that now that he would be married to Margaery, he would merely become a puppet, and she would rule the Riverlands. But it didn't matter because it would serve to bring the disaster family in line.

As a bonus, his children might inherit some intelligence and cunning from their grandmother, restoring some dignity to the future lords of the Riverlands. His grandfather would undoubtedly be pleased, and he still had time to try to set things in order in the Riverlands.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for my surprise," Edmure said under the sinister gaze of his own lords. They had no respect for him, Robb understood.

If Margaery couldn't tame Edmure, it would be impossible for him to continue ruling the Riverlands.

Stannis nodded, and the Queen of Thorns made a grimace while Mace knelt to accept his punishment, not asking for a lesser sentence because with Stannis as king, he should be thankful not to lose his head.

Margaery Tyrell, a girl who seemed the same age as Robb, with long brown hair, fine features, somewhat pale skin, and a slender figure, cast a resigned look at her reluctant and embarrassed future husband.

"Welcome to the king's peace," declared Stannis to Mace Tyrell, and he rose to bow. "My lord, besides your son Loras, I know you have another one of the so-called Kingsguard of my brother Renly," Stannis said.

Mace seemed not to understand anything, but he hurried to nod.

"Very well, send him to the Wall along with your son," Stannis sentenced. Mace widened his eyes and seemed very uncomfortable.

"Your Majesty… He… She is a woman," Mace Tyrell stammered.

"Brienne of Tarth, my lord wolf has already informed me about her. He has also informed me that both she and Renly insist on claiming my head for the death of my brother Renly. Besides, she insists on being treated as a warrior, even a knight, despite being a woman.

For this reason and her physical abilities, she was accepted into the so-called Rainbow Guard, earning the admiration of my Lord Wolf of Winterfell, who has pleaded for her head. So, just like my brother, a false king, can appoint her to the Kingsguard, I am no less, and therefore, I sentence her to the Wall. If she does not accept, my headsman will have hers," Stannis sentenced.

The lords were scandalized, but there had already been a precedent, and none of them would dare to deny this right to the king.

"So it shall be, Your Majesty," Mace accepted, and Stannis nodded, then looked at him to remind him that he had already fulfilled another of his requests, and it would be deducted from his merits. But Robb had many merits to claim yet, and he didn't mind spending some of them for Brienne of Tarth's head.

"My lords," Stannis said, drawing everyone's attention. "Two and a half kingdoms supported my ascent to the throne against the rebel Lord Tywin Lannister, who sought to usurp my rights. I have nothing to reproach to these kingdoms, which fulfilled their duty, and indeed some merits, which will be repaid, and whose rewards I have already discussed.

However, three kingdoms and half another refused to acknowledge my right to the throne, and despite accepting them into the king's peace for the sake of the realm, as king, I must judge and make them pay fair compensation for their actions.

"Firstly, Dorne must cede the port of Dorne and no less than ten kilometers of its coastline to the lord of the North, Robb Stark, for his administration. He will cancel any present tax to Dorne at the time of this decree and will have exclusive rights along the entire Dornish coast for the creation and administration of ports.

In addition, he will be allowed to construct a railway through his lands, extending parallel to the Kingsroad from the North to the port of Dorne, and its administration will also be in the hands of the lord of the North, but he will also pay the taxes established by Dorne," explained Stannis. The lords were in a daze, and it seemed they didn't understand half of Stannis's words.

"What is a railway?" asked Prince Oberyn, as confused as the other lords.

"It's a track of iron and wood, on which a machine will move, propelled by a steam engine. It will be able to transport tons of supplies and, as promised by our lord of the North, once finished, it will traverse the continent from the North to the port of Dorne in six days, taking into account the time for stops to replenish the wood that fuels its engine, boarding and disembarking passengers, raw materials, or products at its various stops," explained Stannis, and all the lords looked at him in disbelief.

On his last journey, it had taken King Robert Baratheon three months to travel from Winterfell to King's Landing, which was half the distance between Winterfell and Dorne.

"This is a project that is under construction in Braavos, with whom I have forged an economic alliance for the construction of ships that operate with this steam engine, and a fleet is due to arrive in port no later than tomorrow, and my lords will be able to see these steam engines in action.

As for the railway project, the North will retain fifty-one percent of the rights to it and will make available to the other lords a forty-nine percent stake, which will be established based on the final contribution of each participant," explained Robb, taking advantage to pitch the railway transport industry.

Robb expected the lords to swarm him, demanding to participate in the project, but he only received blinking eyes and confused faces, looking at him with incomprehension, as if they couldn't understand in what language he was speaking.

"What is a percentage stake?" asked Lady Olenna Tyrell. Robb made a face, realizing that he would have to teach these savages economics before he could do business. That was…

Robb blinked. "God, these savages know nothing about modern economics," Robb thought with his heart in his hand, and his grimace turned into an enlightened smile, as if he had just realized that paradise was before him…

Robb was pulled out of his reverie by a stern growl from old Karstark. It was a growl warning him that he was on the verge of risking the honor of the North.

Robb cleared his throat and composed himself, seeing that most of the lords in the hall, including the Queen of Thorns, looked at him with disgust, as if a dangerous viper were in their way showing its fangs filled with venom.

"My lords, as an honorable lord fulfilling his duty, your distrust offends me," reprimanded Robb.

"If your smile were just a bit less like that stranger's, perhaps I'd trust you with a fingernail," said the Queen of Thorns coldly.

Robb looked at her with indignation, while the rest of the lords didn't dare to expose their envy, but Robb knew they thought the same. He felt indignant and planned to tell them a few truths, but when he opened his mouth, his calm returned, and he remembered that this bunch of credulous people could and undoubtedly would be easily deceived by him at will.

It wasn't worth gettingg angry with them. Here, he was a god, and they were humble beggars too low for him to bother getting angry with. Simply not worth it. Robb closed his mouth and refrained from engaging in silly arguments with his inferiors, exchanging his indignation for a genuine smile.

"Old woman, your jokes amuse me, but this is a serious event, and we cannot afford to be distracted. So, I will explain the question you asked earlier.

"A percentage stake is simple to explain. If a project required a million gold coins for its construction and operation, that million would be the one hundred percent stake I am talking about.

"And since I have claimed fifty-one percent ownership for the North, that means the North would pay a total of five hundred ten thousand gold coins for the project to be realized. In return for this, the North will get fifty-one percent of the profits from this project when it is operational, regardless of the territories where those profits are obtained.

"The same will be done with each participant and their contribution to the project," explained Robb calmly. The lords set their brains to work and began to do the math…

"The Reach will finance the rest of the project," declared the Queen of Thorns, causing the other lords of the Riverlands, the Stormlands, and even Oberyn Martell to give her murderous looks.

"Silence!" reprimanded the king when they began to stir and insult each other. "This place is not your private chambers; discuss your business dealings outside my audience chamber. Now let's get back to the previous matter," he added. "In addition to the compensations paid and the punishments imposed, the Vale, the Reach, and Dorne will send their armies to the Iron Islands, for which they will summon their lords, whose efforts and contributions will be counted and taken into account.

"Lord Mace Tyrell, I have heard that the Reach and its lords gathered eighty thousand men for my traitor brother Renly, and I must warn you that if the census shows even one man less than this number, your head will roll for treason.

"As for Dorne and the Vale, they will each contribute no less than twenty thousand men. As your king, I will not leave you alone in fulfilling your duties, and the royal fleet will serve as transportation to take your troops to battle, but I also expect to see any available fleet in your domains joining mine," concluded Stannis, looking at Mace Tyrell sternly. Knowing they were talking about the famed Redwyne fleet, he hastened to nod.

"The Iron Islands will be your war booty," declared Stannis, and Oberyn Martell and the Queen of Thorns grimaced.

The Iron Islands were one of the worst territories in the Seven Kingdoms. Their iron mines couldn't be efficiently exploited with medieval technology, they had no cultivated lands, and they couldn't leverage their fishing resources due to the time it would take to bring the fish to port.

It was a territory far from the gods' hand on the other side of the continent, and its poverty justified why all its inhabitants lived off piracy.

Robb smiled from ear to ear, but this time he made sure to do it only in his mind, reveling in how treasures kept pouring over his head. All the problems he mentioned before meant nothing to him. He could unlock the full potential of the islands and turn them into the third most important commercial port in the kingdom.

Unlike these savages, who insisted on sailing along the coasts to avoid losing their way, he could develop technology to launch himself into the middle of the sea without deviating a centimeter from a pre-programmed course. This meant that, for him, the Iron Islands were a quick access to the other side of the world.

The fishing resources would also be exploited using industrial freezers, and the iron mines would shift to industrial production under heavy machinery… Well, they were steam engines, but it wouldn't take him long to find oil and switch to diesel engines.

Electricity and electric motors weren't a big deal either; he just had to make sure to have enough copper at his disposal. Money to set everything in motion wouldn't be lacking either, as he had reserved the juiciest businesses for himself: the salt and sugar business, which in this world were worth more than gold.

"My lords," said Robb confidently while the representatives of Dorne, the Vale, and the Reach cursed Stannis' black and ruthless heart in their minds, as he sent them to a war from which they would gain no benefit, only losses. The lords looked at him suspiciously, but Robb offered them a sincere smile.

"My lords, it is no secret that the Iron Islands have always been a constant threat to the North, and their pirate activities have claimed the lives of many of my subjects.

"Therefore, and as the Lord of the North, considering your contribution to my cause and that this war should be my responsibility as the Lord of the North, by my honor and duty, I cannot let you do my work and fulfill my responsibilities without offering you compensation in return.

"So I feel obliged to claim your spoils and offer you some coins, which I believe will seem like a more appropriate bounty," declared Robb and squinted his eyes, pretending to calculate an appropriate amount. "Let's say three million gold coins, to be paid over the next three years," offered Robb, and he chuckled inwardly seeing the nearly bulging eyes of Mace Tyrell.

The Queen of Thorns looked at him suspiciously, as if she wanted to extract information from his head with the sole use of her inquisitive gaze, which made Robb's internal laughter multiply.

"Fools," thought Robb with disdain. "Clearly, I'm cheating them here. So what? Not in a thousand years would they understand the value of the islands, nor could they derive any benefit from it. It's garbage in their hands, and although they know it's a great treasure for me, they can only kiss my feet and thank me for my generosity in paying them for a territory that will only cause them great losses and no rewards," thought Robb.

"We will accept that deal!" said Oberyn Martell, chewing his words as if they were something bitter he didn't want to swallow.

"We will also accept your deal!" said the Queen of Thorns with a sigh. Finally, Ser Yohn Royce nodded in acceptance.

"My wolf lord, I remind you that you are already the lord of the North, and the Iron Islands are part of the kingdom of rivers and islands. You cannot exercise your authority as lord there; you will have to appoint a lord, and this one will no longer be your subordinate but will pledge loyalty to the Iron Throne," warned Stannis, not opposing his advance purchase of territories but establishing his authority to make it clear that he would not allow him to expand beyond his territory.

Robb turned around and nodded to Stannis. Then, he turned and looked at the she-bear woman.

"Lady Maege Mormont, the Greyjoys and their vassals will soon be expelled from the kingdom, and your king will need a new and loyal lord in their place. It would be an honor for the North if you took the position, with the full support of the North and Winterfell by your side," said Robb, causing another uproar in the throne room as the southern lords opposed a woman taking the place of a lord in the kingdom, even if it was half a kingdom and on islands they considered rubbish.

The northerners cursed heartily, asserting that their she-bears were worth ten of them and that the North would be safe with the she-bears on the islands, keeping the pirates in check.

"Silence!" reprimanded Stannis indignantly. "I am the king, and I don't recall relinquishing the authority to appoint lords over conquered territories!" Stannis scolded, glaring at his frightened southern lords with fury. When everyone was silent, Stannis looked at Lady Maege Mormont.

"My lady, if your lord keeps his word, you will be named the lady of the islands. However, considering your age, your heir must be married within two years and produce legitimate offspring within no more than four years, or I will appoint another lord in your place," declared Stannis.

His lords grimaced but did not complain. Lady Maege thought for a few seconds, looked at Robb, and, as he nodded to confirm that this was necessary for the North and their plans, she knelt, and Stannis named her the lady of the Iron Islands.

As their new lady, she would accompany the royal fleet and the armies of Dorne, the Reach, and the Vale in the conquest of the islands, and as the lady, she would pass judgment on everything that happened there.

Note 1: Everything is politics in this chapter; I hope it hasn't bored you, but it was necessary for you to find out what will happen after the war.

Note 2: As Renly could appoint Brienne as part of the Kingsguard, Robb has taken advantage of it so that Stannis could send her to the Night's Watch.

Note 3: Now the three kingdoms that did not participate in the war have been sent against the Ironborn, with the royal fleet backing them and an army of one hundred and twenty thousand men.