CHAPTER 10. HAIL TO THE KING

KING'S LANDING

EDDARD STARK

Life in the Capital was harder than Ned Stark thought it would be. Josselyn Lannister had paid off the crowns debts, but Robert was spending gold faster than it was coming in. His niece Josselyn had given him Five Million gold crowns on his last name day and Robert had all but spent it all. When Eddard arrived he had a meeting with the small council, which was Varys Lord of Whispers, Renly Baratheon the King's brother Master of Laws, Janos Slynt Lord Commander of the City Watch, Stannis Baratheon Master of Ships, but he was represented by his cousin Lord Florent on the council, and Grand Maester Pycel. With Petyr Baelish dead his position as Master of Coin goes to Lord Mace Tyrell.

Then there is the Tourney held a few days after Eddard's appointment as Hand of the King. With all Eddard has to deal with his daughters are fighting because of an incident on the King's Road. Arya's Direwolf attacked Prince Joffrey after he attacked Arya and her friend Mycah the butcher's boy. Then Sansa who is betrothed to Joffrey lies before the King and Arya attacks Sansa calling her a liar. As time passed the two became civil to each Eddard starts investigating Jon's death. One thing leads to another and then his daughter says something that leads him to the truth.

JOFFREY

When Joffrey learned that his cousin Josselyn had killed herself in a fire he laughed. He never actually liked the bitch. All those times she put her low born hands on him and then there was her freaky eyes. He decided to make peace with Sansa as he had not spoken to her since the incident on the King's Rode. He invites her to a picnic in the garden.

"The Capital agrees with you my Lady…You grow more beautiful everyday…"

"Thank you my Prince and you more handsome…"

"I can't wait to be your husband…Our wedding will be more grand and elegant than what we witnessed at Winterfell…Barbaric marrying before a tree…"

"They follow the old gods in the North my Prince…I am sure your cousin was just trying honor her new husband…"

He laughs, "Josselyn is not a true Lannister…Her mother was some whore my Uncle Jaime paid to lay with the Imp…She was not of noble birth like you and I…"

Sansa frowns, "Excuse me my Prince but why did you speak in the past tense?"

He smiles, "I will tell you a secret…My Grandfather Tywin Lannister paid the sell swords Josselyn hired for her new castle triple in gold. Then he goes to Moat Cailin and forces that bitch to sign an annulment…"

"But…Josselyn was the King's ward and Jon was legitimized…"

He grunts, "That doesn't matter…Despite her mother she has Lannister blood and don't just go ad marry some low born bastard…"

"Yes of course my Prince…"

"Bitch is dead anyway…She agreed to marry Lancel Lannister and then on the night they were to consummate their marriage she set a fire killing herself and Lancel…" Sansa places her hands over her mouth. Joffrey takes her hand, "I told you that in confidence…Don't tell anyone…"

"I won't…I give you my word my Prince…"

JAIME

Jaime come to the garden tonight I need to see you

Love Cersei…

Jaime smelled the letter one last time before throwing in the brazier. "An admirer?" Sir Barristan Selmy asks.

"Yes but I am a member of the King's Guard I swore off women…"

"Of course you have…"

Jaime smiles as he goes on duty for the King. As usual he stands at a door trying to ignore the sounds from the room. The King with his latest prize, Jaime hated wearing the cloak of the King's Guard. At least Robert made it demeaning with all his man whoring on his wife Jaime's sister. There were two reasons he remained in the guard, one to escape his over bearing father and two for Cersei's sake. Then there was the children he could not claim least he forfeit his life and theirs. Joffrey was something else, he often wished he could beat some sense into the boy or he wished Robert would. Mycella and Tommen were okay and he wished he could tell them the truth. He often caught Mycella stairing at him and he wondered if she knew.

Jaime's shift was finally over and he could leave his post replaced by Sir Meryn Trent. As he walked to the barracks he thought about Josselyn. He would miss her and he wondered how could she go to such an extreme. Killing herself by fire, ("Was she trying to burn the whole castle down?"). A part of Jaime wish she had succeeded then Tyrion would inherit the Rock and he would be free of his father's constant demands that he resign from the guard. Later that night Jaime goes to the garden and is ambushed by ten men. He manages to kill four and is saved by two Lannister men.

"Who put you up to this?" Jaime asked.

"Go fuck yourself!" The man replies.

The incident is bought before the Hand of the King as King Robert had gone hunting. "And why did you go to the garden?" Lord Eddard Stark asked.

"I received an urgent message concerning the King's business…"

"What sort of message?"

"My son was attacked and all you can do is question him…" Tywin Lannister is there to speak with the Iron Bank representative concerning Josselyn's gold and businesses.

"Lord Tyrion I will get to the bottom of this I swear…and justice will be served…"

"In the meantime I will do my own investigating…" Jaime wondered if his niece had told the Starks and they had tried to seek retribution. The man they captured was held in a secret place and tortured, but no matter what they did to him he would not confess.

TYWIN

Because Tywin went against the King and forced Josselyn's annulment he had to move quickly and used the excuse to speak with the Iron Bank Representative as an excuse to come to the capital. The meeting went as he thought it would. The Iron Bank had a law that if a customer died without a will the bank could keep the money and everything attached to it. Since the money came from Josselyn's dress business and the race track the Iron Bank was entitled to both.

"Without my granddaughter's designs I am afraid T, T, and J dress designs will falter…"

"You are correct Lord Tywin, but we have discovered a new young protégé just as talented in dress design as your granddaughter was. She has filled the role nicely…Therefore we have decided to keep the businesses open."

"I gave my granddaughter her inheritance before she married and killed herself…I want that gold back…"

"I am sorry Lord Tywin, but our laws are clear…All the gold is now ours…"

He stands up and leaves without saying a word. Tywin tried but it was time to implement the second part of his plan.

JOFFREY

Joffrey was at study with Maester Pycel and his siblings when he received word that his father the King had been injured while hunting. When he arrives in the room there is a bandage over the wound. Eddard Stark is there and so is his mother. "Father…"

Robert smiles at him, "I am so sorry…I should have been a better father to you…Be a better King than I was…Be a better man…" he looks at Cersei, "Come here woman…" Joffrey watches his mother as she slowly walks up to the bed. He sighs, "Forgive me…I…" He coughs, "I know that is asking a lot from me…I was a bad husband to you…I'm sorry…" He reaches for some letters from Pycel, "Give this to Myrcella and Tomen…" He says handing Cersei the letters, "Now everyone leave me I need to speak with Ned alone…"

Cersei takes Joffrey's hand and leads him out, "Is my father going to die?"

"Yes my son and you will be King…"

He watches as his mother balls the letters up, "Why did you do that?"

"Was he ever a father to you or sister and brother?"

"No I suppose not…" Cersei prepares a coronation over the next few hours. The next morning the bells ring announcing that the King is dead; Joffrey is taken to the throne room where the High Septon crowns him King. Then Eddard Stark bursts into the throne room with guards.

"Lord Stark have you come to bend the knee to your new King?"

When Cersei says this Joffrey looks at her then at Eddard Stark smiling. "Sir Barristan no one here can impune your honor…"

"What is that?" Joffrey asks as Eddard Stark hands Sir Barristan a letter.

"This is the King's seal…" he says before opening it. "This names Lord Eddard Stark Lord Protector until Prince Joffrey comes of age to take the throne…"

Joffrey looks at his mother, "May I see that?" Cersei takes the letter and tares it up. "You think you can steal my son's crown Lord Stark…he is the rightful King…Now kneel…"

"He is no King and you are no Queen…"

"How dare you guards seize him…"

A fight breaks out and Mace Tyrell betrays Eddard Stark on the promise that Margaery would become Joffrey's bride. Then the Lannister men kill all of Eddard's men and hold's Sansa hostage. Arya escapes the Red Keep. "The Palace is secure my lord…" Janos Slynt says at a meeting with the King and the small council.

"I am afraid your grace that I am needed in High Garden…" Mace Tyrell says, "Family business…"

"You have my leave Lord Tyrell…" Later Cersei has Sansa send a letter to her brother and Tywin Lannister had gone back to Casterly Rock to raise an army.