Seven Kingdoms Beyond
This is an idea I had a while ago while I was planning out how the plot of Fire and Ice would go. This idea stemmed from the epilogue. This will spoil what happens after the end of my version of ADoS, which sort of ruins the non-closure ending I had in mind. If you don't want closure for Fire and Ice when I come out with the end of the story, don't read this until it's done.
"Jarvis, why do they always hold the council meetings at Casterly Rock?" asked Lady Daenerys Lannister.
Daenerys was an olive-skinned woman of Dorne, originally hailing from House Allyrion, named for the legendary queen that conquered the Seven Kingdoms in the Second War of Conquest. Since then, the Targaryens had tried to come back many times since. The Third War of Conquest was their first failure after the last Targaryen's bastard's grandson was discovered in the Riverlands. After the seventh try, the Westerosi decided just to let them stay as reigning lords of the Crownlands on the condition they never tried to take over again.
"It's not my job to determine where the Council of Nine meets, my sweet. Last time we held the meeting at Riverrun, so this time it is our turn to host," said Lord Jarvis Lannister, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands and Warden of the West.
Jarvis was a fair-skinned blonde with a bulky torso, though he was unmatched in the department of wits. There had been a saying that the Lannisters could only be smart or strong, but Jarvis had proved them wrong, advising the maesters of the Citadel and fighting in tilts on any given day. He had put an end to the stain on House Lannister that had been there since the rise of Queen Cersei the Brotherfucker.
The high lords and ladies of the Seven Kingdoms arrived at Casterly Rock at high noon. First came Princess Nymeria Martell of Dorne and her husband Ser Rhaegar Targaryen. Following the Martells came their greatest allies, Lord Daeron Targaryen and his wife Lady Laela Celtigar. Then came Lord Loren Tyrell and his wife Lady Alys Stark. After them came Lady Lyanna Stark, and after her came Lord Edmund Tully and his wife Lady Cassana Seaworth, and after them came Lord Gendry Baratheon and his wife Lady Tyria Lannister. Finally Lady Alayne Baelish came alongside King Urrigon Greyjoy, the representative from the Kingdom of the Iron Islands.
"Casterly Rock is always delightful this time of year," said King Urrigon, whose tone of voice suggested that he would rather loot it than hold council in it.
"Indeed," agreed Lady Alayne, "So nice of you to hold council here, Lord Jarvis."
Jarvis replied, "Anything for the realm, my lady."
The lords and ladies assembled in the council room of Casterly Rock, which Jarvis had the staff set up a week in advance. They sat at their assigned places, each decorated with the colors of their house. Princess Nymeria sat at a place decorated with the sun and spear of her house, with an orange and red chair to sit in. Lord Daeron got a red dragon place set and a black and red chair, and Lord Loren sat at a golden rose place set with a green and gold chair. A direwolf place set and grey and white chair for Lady Lyanna, a silver trout place set and a red and blue chair for Lord Edmund, a black stag place set and a black and yellow chair for Lord Gendry, a silver Titan head place set and a green and silver chair for Lady Alayne, and a golden kraken place set and a black and gold chair for King Urrigon. Their spouses sat next to them in chairs of equal size, but they were not customized and were the normal crimson and gold of House Lannister.
"You did a wonderful job setting this up, my lord," said Princess Nymeria, her words flowing like the Dornish lilt of her voice. It was one of the reasons Jarvis fell in love with Dany.
"Thank me not, Princess Nymeria. Thank my household staff, who did the work to prepare this meeting," said Jarvis.
"I hope your staff made us a good meal too," laughed Lord Loren heartily.
This. This is what we've all hoped for in the realm for thousands of years; lords and ladies who actually like each other. In truth, the realm had only had this kind of stability for a hundred years, ever since King Nestor V Arryn surrendered his crown to the Democratic Rebels, a band of political rebels yearning to take down the monarchy. Soon after, the Council of Nine was established, where it was decreed that there would be eight lords and ladies of the eight realms of Westeros, and a spot reserved for the king of the Iron Islands. The isles had gained their independence during the Second War of Conquest when King Aegon the Reasoned and Queen Daenerys the Fierce failed to take back the islands from King Euron III Greyjoy.
"I call this meeting to order," announced Jarvis. Since he was hosting the meeting, he was the one to call and adjourn it.
"Lord Jarvis," started King Urrigon, "I have a matter to discuss about the trade situation between our nations. It has come to my attention that the people of Lannisport are refusing to give their products to the Iron Islands. My subjects seem to think it was you who gave this order, my lord."
"King Urrigon, I may make ill decisions from time to time, but I am not so stupid as to cut off trade with the Iron Islands. My house has a cadet branch in the city, and I will send for my cousins to rectify this issue," Jarvis said politely.
"Excellent," the king said sternly.
"Now that we've gotten that easy matter out of the way, let's deal with the famine in the Riverlands and the North," snarled Lord Edmund, glaring at Lord Loren.
Edmund Tully was a gruff man, and not above insulting people to their face. But Lord Loren Tyrell controlled the Roseroad, as well as all contact to Oldtown, and insulting him would open a wound that might not heal.
"Indeed," agreed Lady Lyanna, "My maester has received threatening messages from Lords Karstark, Bolton, and Manderly. I am afraid one of them will raise an army against Winterfell, as they seem to think it is House Stark's fault for this famine."
"That's because they've got shit for brains," Lord Gendry chuckled, sloshing around the wine in his goblet.
"Settle down, my lord," said Jarvis. "Lord Loren, are you behind this famine? I received a raven from Lord Redwyne two days ago, asking if we could bring up an issue regarding the closing of the Roseroad."
"I'm not one to close the Roseroad for no reason!" exclaimed Tyrell. "Lord Edmund left out why I closed it. He threatened to send a fleet up the Mander if I didn't betroth my daughter Willa to his son Robb, so I threatened to close the Roseroad. I saw the silver trout flags sailing up the river from my chambers at Highgarden, so I closed the road the next day."
"Lord Loren, Lord Edmund, if this was going to cause an issue, why did you not wait until the next meeting? Didn't your maesters ever tell you about the War of the Five Kings? Nothing good can come from inter-kingdom warfare," Lord Jarvis scolded.
"Then let us make terms," said Lord Daeron. "I cannot afford to send food up the kingsroad much longer when my lands hold the biggest slum in the realm."
"Well remind me again who was supposed to fix that problem, Lord Targaryen," snarled Lord Tyrell.
Daeron stood up, his hand on his dagger in its scabbard.
"Settle down!" boomed Lord Lannister.
"You're acting like great buffoons, my lords, and I won't allow it in my house!" agreed Lady Daenerys.
"Father, Lady Lyanna, Lord Loren, Lord Edmund," said Ser Rhaegar calmly, "There must be an easy way to fix this."
Every meeting ends up like this, thought Jarvis, A fight breaks out and Ser Rhaegar Targaryen has to calm it down. In truth, Ser Rhaegar, called Ser Rhaegar the Breaker, was probably the best man in the realm to calm things down. He was given his nickname at first for his legendary defeat of Emmon Arryn in the Arryn Uprising, but now his name was used as an attest to his mediation skills.
"Lord Tully, why do you need Robb and Willa to marry?" asked Princess Nymeria.
"The Reach is the second most powerful kingdom in the realm! Why wouldn't I need to secure an alliance like that!" exclaimed Lord Edmund.
Lady Alys stood up in anger, "You could have negotiated that peacefully, instead of sending ships up the Mander because you wanted to take my daughter away from me!"
"We need to find a solution to this. Wars have started for less," said King Urrigon. "I would know, I started them."
"Enough of your japes, you kraken-fucking pirate!" Lord Edmund howled.
"That's it, Tully! You've gone too far!"
The Greyjoy king reached for his longsword, but it was Lady Baelish who broke the tension.
"If you warmongering barbarians refuse to stop this idiotic fighting, then all of you should be removed from your positions on this accursed council!"
That was when the voices stopped. Lady Baelish was a courtly woman who never spoke a word against anyone. No one would have ever expecting something like that to come from the lips of the Lady of the Vale.
Lord Gendry broke the silence, "Well, Lord Jarvis, you're the mediator. What say you?"
"I say that this marriage proposal never be spoken of again. No action will be taken because of it, nor will any action be taken because of this meeting. If I hear one more word of this, I'll have you all hanged."
"Have me hanged?" demanded King Urrigon. "You're not my sovereign! There's no sovereign in this whole bloody nation!"
"Then we'll have a vote – kingsmoot style, if it please you – for who will be the leader of this council," said Jarvis steely.
"Lord Jarvis, are you out of your mind? Remember what the Arryns did in the last dynasty? This would be akin to reinstating the monarchy," Lady Alayne asked, shocked.
"If reinstating the monarchy is the only thing that will keep civil war from happening because of a betrothal, then so be it. I will not allow this realm to fall apart as long as I live," Jarvis said coldly.
"Lannister, you realize if you do this, it means war," said Lord Edmund.
"And, if it does mean war, it's a perfect way for the Arryns or the Velaryons or any other exiled dynasty to come back and take the realm for their own," advised Lady Tyria. "Jar, you're smarter than that."
Lord Daeron spoke this time, "I think it's a great idea. A head councilman would be able to have supreme authority in the case of a tie decision, or mediate a growing feud such as this one."
"All in favor?" asked Jarvis.
To his surprise, his idea got a majority, with himself, Daeron, Gendry, Lyanna, and Loren supporting, while Alayne, Edmund, Nymeria, and Urrigon dissenting.
"Well, then we meet in Oldtown, where King Aegon I Targaryen was crowned, in two fortnights. King Urrigon, you are welcome to attend if you would like. This is for every man in Westeros, so send word to your bannermen. Major changes are required in our government structure in order for this realm to survive.