"KINGSLAYER! GET YOUR ARSE IN HERE!" Robert roared as Jaime entered the tent where Robert, Ned and Stannis stood around, inclining his head towards the King and the two lords Jaime stood to attention.
"You called, Sire?" He asked, a hint of mocking in his tone.
"I've received a raven from the South, apparently my Small Council want me to dismiss you from the Kingsguard and make you Lord of the West. What do you make of that, Lannister?" Robert asked as Jaime looked shocked.
"I've never wanted the West, Your Grace." Jaime told him truthfully. "I was honoured to join the Kingsguard and despite everything, I still prefer that to ruling the West."
"Piss on it, Kingslayer. Would you be a better ruler than your brother or Tommen?" Robert asked him.
"I profess that whilst Tyrion would be a much better lord, he wouldn't have the respect of the Western Lords that I would have. Nobody could hold the respect and power my father commanded, but I would be in a more secure position than my brother or nephew, unless my nephew had a powerful regent in his place." Jaime told the assembled men.
"Ah, seven hells." Robert grumbled. "Alright, I'll give the West to Tommen, and you, Kingslayer, will be his protector AND regent until he comes of age, at which time you'll return to the Capital to continue to serve your King." Robert decreed.
Jaime nodded his head in acceptance and left the tent as Ned and Stannis turned to Robert.
"Why the Kingslayer? I could have kept the West in line." Stannis ground out as Ned frowned.
"I don't see much reason for the political manoeuvres but I have to agree with Lord Stannis, Jaime Lannister killed his King, and after his brother and your children, he would be the rightful Lord to the West if released from his vows, something your Small Council already want you to do, Robert. They'll try to convince you to release him and if he goes, how long before he usurps the boy? He's already proven oaths mean nothing to him over the years." Ned warned Robert.
"He won't do anything, Ned. Lannister knows his position won't be as secure as his father, and if he tries to usurp my son, he'll find the Crown revoking his titles, or supporting a rival claimant to the West" Robert promised him, eyes shining with the thought of potential future war and the chance to use his mighty warhammer again on an enemy.
"I still don't like the idea. If you must give him the West in trust for Tommen, do so Robert, but watch him." Ned told his old friend as Stannis nodded his consent. Even if Robert didn't think Jaime Lannister may betray him, Stannis would watch him like a hawk. Lannister had helped kill his brother, and he was a thorn in Stannis' side, even when a captive of the Young Wolf. If it came to war this time, he'd have to be quick to defeat Lannister.
/
"There's little so see out in the wilds of the Dothraki Sea, your Grace." Ser Friendzone counselled Viserys Targaryen as they prepared to ride out with the Khalasar. "We could remain in Pentos, until the Dothraki are ready to ride. Illyrio has offered this service to you."
"I see your point, Lord Mormont." Viserys told him calmly.
"I'm not a Lord, Your Grace." Jorah interjected.
"You are the rightful Lord of Bear Island, and once I have my throne back from the Usurper and his dogs, you'll be made the Lord of Bear Island and Lord Paramount of the North in my new Kingdom." Viserys promised him, to the shock of Jorah, who knelt before Viserys in reverence.
"Your Grace, I'm not worthy of the honour." He mused as Viserys waved him up.
"Just don't let your loyalty waver, Lord Mormont." Viserys warned him, a hint of the famed Targaryen madness in his eyes. "You do not want to awaken the dragon, do you?"
"Of course not, Your Grace." Jorah nodded as he rose. "So, are we staying in Pentos, My Liege?"
"For now we shall depart. I do appreciate the offer, but with the assassination attempt, perhaps we should avoid Pentos for now. Inform Illyrio that we shall return in a year or so, I will be going with the Khalasar for now, at least to visit their city, I have to see for myself what savages pass off as culture." Viserys sneered.
"You should be careful with the Dothraki, your Grace." Jorah warned him.
"I understand their ways, do not worry Lord Mormont." Viserys said testily. "As long as we do not tread too far, they'll have no reason to attack us. Once we visit for a while, we'll ride back to Pentos. For now though, we'll see where this takes us."
/
Davos Seaworth lined up with the Small Council by the steps of the Red Keep as the royal party arrived back in King's Landing, as the King, Ned Stark and Stannis rode up and dismounted, Lancel Lannister and Jon Snow just behind them, the squires dismounting and following their lords as they strode towards the Small Council, who all fell to their knees as Robert reached them.
"Rise, you fools." Robert ground out as the Small Council quickly rushed back to their feet.
"Welcome back, Your Grace." Grand Maester Pycelle wheezed as he unsteadily got back to his feet.
"An honour, Your Grace, and welcome back from the North." Baelish bowed again, words as sweet as honey as Varys copied him.
"I am at your service, as always, My Liege." Varys informed him.
"Your Grace." Barristan Selmy said shortly, bowing to his King and falling into line at his right, with Jaime Lannister heading to take position at the left of the King.
"Brother." Renly bowed to Robert.
"Your Grace, an honour as always. Welcome back, and congratulations on your appointment, Lord Stark." Davos told the two men as they approached him.
"Walk with me and tell me what the state of the Realm is like." Robert imperiously demanded of his council as the troupe all walked through the Red Keep.
"My Lord, the assassination attempt failed, as you're aware, and since then our spies in Pentos have reported that the Targaryen's have ridden East with the Dothraki." Varys told him flawlessly as Robert frowned.
"The dragonspawn must die. Find as many men as we can in the far East who may be willing to solve the issue. A lordship to whomever brings me their heads." Robert decreed as Varys nodded to him.
"A wise decision, Your Grace. We shall see to it immediately."
"With the death of Tywin Lannister, whilst it may be dishonest, we may be able to avoid repaying House Lannister all of its loans to the Crown over the years." Baelish told the King, a small grin appearing on his face at the looks of utter hatred that Jaime Lannister and Ned Stark flashed him.
"What say you, Ned?" Robert asked, catching the look of anger on his friends face.
"That's despicable, Robert. The Crown borrowed that money from the Lannister's, we should repay it still." He said, as Jaime nodded approvingly. Stannis held his tongue, whilst duty would respect that decision, that gold would be used to finance a Lannister war effort in the coming years if Stannis wasn't careful, and Stannis wasn't going to allow the war and the Kingdom itself to be lost to the traitors and usurpers.
"Ah the Gods take your damned honour, Ned. The Lannister's will get their gold." Robert told him, missing the scowl on Baelish's face.
"As Your Grace commands." Baelish told Robert with a simpering smile.
"Everything else is normal, My Liege." Renly said with a bored tone. "The Kingdoms are at peace apart from the obvious issue with the West and there are no known threats other than the Targaryen exiles."
"That's not entirely true." Stannis said quietly, causing everyone to turn to him.
"What is it, Stannis?" Robert rumbled.
"I've heard rumours that the Wildings beyond the Wall are amassing an army behind a King again, with the Night's Watch less manned than ever, if we're not careful, in a year or two we'll need to send an army North to defeat this King before he overruns the Wall." Stannis told them.
Mance Rayder may want to try and head South to avoid the White Walkers and the other dark forces of the far North, but for now, nobody would believe that threat exists, except for maybe Lord Stark, and one man alone wouldn't be enough. They'd need to get everyone North to fight the Wildling's, so that they could see when in the North that the White Walkers were there.
Soon the Kingdoms would thank Stannis for saving them, but for now, he'd need to try and stop the War of the Five Kings from happening.
/
As preparations began in the South to combat the threat in the North, in the East, a young man plotted his rise to the top.
'Now that I'm back, I'll ensure this time it goes according to my plan. The savages will fight for me, my sister will be mine and the Iron Throne will be under Targaryen control once again.' Viserys Targaryen thought to himself. He didn't know how he was alive, especially after getting a golden crown from that oaf Khal Drogo, but now he was back, he'd make sure he wouldn't be killed, and instead, would kill all of his enemies.