Eddard Stark. King's Landing.
We had finally arrived in King's Landing, the center of the Seven Kingdoms and my new place of employment and piles of unresolved business and responsibilities. And now I was in Robert's study, whipping wine as usual, while his seemingly fifteen-year-old squire, Lancel Lannister, poured him more and more, reminiscent of a tireless messenger from the king to the kitchen and back again.
Sansa, Arya, and the rest of the royal family, along with the Lannisters, were resting in their chambers after the long journey. My men, on the other hand, were spreading out around Red Castle, meeting with those Lady Kinvara had sent. She'd warned me before she left that her men would come to us, but I still wanted to know who to trust. Primarily because of Sansa and Arya, whose protection was hard to come by here, unlike Winterfell.
- More wine! - Robert said in his usual gruff tone.
- 'But, Your Grace, it's finished...' Lancel replied in an uncertain tone.
- Again?! - Robert made a disgruntled face. - Then bring some more!
The squire nodded quickly and a little fearfully, and then practically ran out of the office, giving me an apologetic look. I sighed tiredly and looked at Robert.
- You should stop drinking. You should go and get some rest," I told him.
- I am the king! I can drink as much as I want and when I want! - Robert replied firmly, draining his glass. - Why are you here? And why don't I see the symbol of the right hand on your chest yet? Didn't Pycelle give it to you yet?
- I will take it, don't worry," I reassured him. - I know that the meeting of the Small Council will be held in three days, and I would like to see all the members present. Preferably sober ones.
- You are the Hand and can make decisions on my behalf. I have no reason to be there unless the topic concerns that whore and her savage.
- Nevertheless, I would have you present," I insisted. - And Stannis too.
- That fanatic? - Robert wondered. - Why do you need him? Or is it because of that woman you had in the castle? You think I didn't realize she was a Red Priestess?
- I want everyone at the meeting with me as Hand. Stannis has been ignored long enough, and he was instrumental in the war against the Mad King. Yes, I understand why you gave him the Dragonstone, but he didn't take it as expected, as evidenced by his conversion to the Red Faith and essentially isolation.
- I don't care how that hard-headed fool took my favor. Dragonstone is his, and he can do what he wants there, including taking offense and acting like a child who's been given the wrong whore," Robert said. - And I don't recognize you, Ned. You're beginning to remind me of those snakes that hang around.
- It's... hard to explain, Robert, and I apologize for that," I said.
- Forgive me, just explain why you want Stannis," Robert demanded firmly, but with a touch of warmth.
- It's because of Solomon," I sighed tiredly.
- A sorcerer? Have you completely lost your mind?
- Maybe so, but considering what he's done for my family, I just can't ignore what he said," I began. - Solomon said that he could see the future to some extent, and that we were all in for a big change that would be extremely difficult to adjust to. He didn't mention it, but I'm sure his words had a sequel. And if I'm right, we need to stick together to keep the Seven Kingdoms together.
- And you believe him? - Robert asked doubtfully. - Have you got a brain freeze in the North?
- Solomon has never been wrong once in all my time with him, so I tend to believe what he says. And as unfortunate as it sounds, I consider John's death to be the first sign of this change.
- He was already a decrepit bag of bones that he couldn't go potty on his own! - Robert said, and then squinted. - Or do you think that...
- Yes, he was murdered. I have no proof, only speculation, but I think he was," I nodded, and Robert's gaze grew serious through his drunkenness.
- Just because you're my friend, I'll believe you, Ned," he said after a few seconds, and I smiled gratefully. - But if you're right, is his wife involved?
- Lisa? What about her? - I didn't understand.
Lisa Arryn was Cat's own younger sister, daughter of Hoster Tully and John's wife. And even if their marriage was political, and therefore not for love, I don't think she could have had a hand in it. Yes, their relationship was chilly, but still, if only because of Robert, her own son, Lisa wouldn't have gone to such lengths, or would she?
Now I didn't know who or what to believe anymore. Solomon had planted in me the seeds of doubt about everything, but also an understanding of how the world worked. Even so, I wanted to believe the best in people.
- Right after John's funeral, she fled to Eagle's Nest with her son, even though I was against it and planned to send the boy to Dragonstone," Robert said, "Do you think she did it?
- Let's not jump to conclusions. I'll try to find any clues or evidence, and then we'll make plans.
- Whatever you want, but keep me in the loop. I don't want to be the next John, and I don't think you do either," Robert nodded. - And Stannis?
- We know him, and he wouldn't do something like this. Stannis may be stubborn and callous, but he's not a schemer. Surely he can help us clarify John's death, and you two should be reconciled. After all, blood is thicker than water.
- Okay, you win. Pycelle will send him a raven on my behalf. Happy? - he said grudgingly.
- Yes, thank you, Robert," I smiled and headed for the exit. - And go to your chambers. At least this way you won't drink for a while. Maybe you'll lose a little weight.
- That's not for you to decide," Robert grinned. - Where's my bloody wine?! He went to Dorne to get it?!
And a few moments later, a Lannister boy came running into the study with a jug full of wine and his head down.
- I apologize, Your Grace, I thought you and Lord Stark were having an important conversation," he said, walking over to Robert and filling his glass.
- We're done," I nodded and left the room, heading for the throne room to Grand Maester Pycelle for the symbol of the Hand, and my men at the door followed me.
Walking through the stone halls of the Red Castle when no one else was here but us, Harold, the same guard from Winterfell, handed me the note that was usually attached to the Ravenclaw.
- What is it? - I asked.
- Somehow it ended up in my pocket, my lord," Harold said, to which I nodded and opened the message, read it, and then wondered.
- Is everything all right, my lord? - Harold asked in confusion.
- Yes," I said and put the message in my pocket. - Go to the Hand's office, and I'll be there later.
- Are you sure? - He asked, obviously concerned for my safety, to which I nodded briefly. - As you command.
And while my men left to carry out their orders, I kept my step and thought about the words in the message: "We have more allies than we expected. The most likely sender would be the Red Men, and I'm inclined to believe that was the case. However, who exactly did they have in mind?
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Tyrion Lannister. King's Landing.
After spending a stormy night in a brothel upon my arrival in the capital, and then returning to Red Castle, I headed to my dear sister's chambers to tell her a couple of important things. She hated me, there could be no doubt about that, but there were a few things she should know at the moment.
And as I made my way through corridor after corridor and up several staircases, definitely not built for the likes of me, my figure appeared before the right door, guarded by Lannister men. When they saw me, they nodded briefly and let me inside, where my Cersei was drinking wine and gazing out into the afternoon sun, clearly pleased with something.
- Enjoying your new toy, dear sister? - I asked, pouring myself a glass of wine and sitting down across from her, my feet dangling off the floor in the usual way.
I was referring, of course, to Sansa Stark, a clever, skillful, but inexperienced girl. She had visited Cersei's tent several times during her journey to King's Landing. It didn't take a genius to figure out exactly what they were talking about there.
- "A toy?" I wouldn't call her a toy. She's pretty good, and she's clearly in love with Joffrey. And he likes her, too.
- Wow, I suggest congratulating her on that, since she's earned the praise of the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms herself," I grinned, and her face changed to the exact opposite.
- Why are you here?
- The Martells.
- What about them?
- They're in King's Landing," I said, and Cersei looked up at me in surprise.
- Then why haven't I heard anything about it? - she asked. - So what of it? They wouldn't dare do anything in our presence. Just another noble house, nothing more.
- I, too, find their presence strange, as well as the silence about them at the Red Castle," I nodded, "However, you are only half right. Just as they wouldn't dare do anything, neither would we. Everyone knows of Elia Martell's tragic fate at the time of Robert's rebellion and the Martells' resentment toward her father and the Lannisters in general, whose orders the Mountain carried out. Or do you want another civil war?
- Nonsense," Cersei waved it off. - All of King's Landing walks under our house, and who's going to side with them?
- The question is not who will side with them, but who will be next after them. You forget that our house has many enemies, and the Lannisters always pay their debts.
And therein lay the crux of the problem. I was a dwarf, but I had eyes and twists in my head. Did Cersei and Jaime really think their relationship could go unnoticed by everyone? All the Baratheons in the family tree had black hair, not blond. Robert officially has three children, and yet they all had Lannister hair. Once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, and three is a pattern.
If the Martells rebel, then if this information is revealed, our enemies will be the Baratheons, Starks, Tullys, and Arryns, as they were all connected to Robert and Lord Stark. The Tyrells would most likely support them, as they would want to side with the victor, and in the end only the Greyjoys were left that would choose to do the same as the Tyrells. One great house against all the others.
Given my relationship with my family, I shouldn't care, but Myrcella and Tommen are innocent and can grow up to be good people, and Jaime has saved me many times from Cersei and my father. And besides, if there is a war, I don't think I'll be spared just because I'm a dwarf. A Lannister is a Lannister, huh?
- I get your point, but not why you're here, Brother. Do you want to get some recognition from your family? - Cersei asked with a chuckle.
- I'm only concerned about my life, and unfortunately, it doesn't depend on me much. And besides, the brothels of the whole kingdom would go bankrupt if I died, and there are some very skillful whores among them.
- Don't you dare say that in front of the children," she said. - Is that all?
- There's more. We know Joffrey's character, but only you can influence him," I began, giving him a small compliment. - He needs to go easy on the Stark girl and her strange beast, unless you want to get Lord Stark's attention.
- I know what to do with Joffrey myself," Cersei replied. - You think you're the smartest, brother? I'm sorry, but you're not even half right.
- Perhaps I am. But I'm definitely our father's smartest child," I grinned and left her chambers without looking at her disgruntled face.
As sad as it sounded, my father made me somewhat safe from Cersei's attacks, and I could afford a little more than I could without him. Our father, Tywin Lannister, Lord of the Westlands and Casterly Rock, was obsessed with the family name and reputation.
I was a dwarf, a demon, half-husband, but still a Lannister, my father's own child, bearing his family name and blood. He was a terrible father, that he would do anything for the prosperity of the house, but, I must admit, an excellent lord, perhaps the best in the Seven Kingdoms.
He was feared even by us, his own children, for he viewed us as tools and nothing more. Yet it was that attitude that made the Lannisters the true strength of the country. And for that reason, Cersei can't do anything to me unless I step out of line, obviously.
Almost reaching my chambers, I caught sight of the Spider, or Master of the Whisperers, who seemed to be waiting for me here, making me curious with a hint of apprehension.
- Good afternoon, Lord Tyrion, may I take a moment of your time?
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