It was decided to summon Stannis' family to King's Landing instead of paying a visit to them at Dragonstone. Robert insisted on no more travel, using more profanity than Ned thought necessary. Also, Ned felt that staying in the capital would allow the new Hand to devote more energies to his recently established administration.
Who would succeed Stannis, Renly and Shireen to the Iron Throne? Renly, already being in King's Landing, had been fully informed of the situation, and still had no great interest in siring heirs of his own. His niece was a sickly girl of eight.
As far as the maesters could tell, they were the last legitimate descendants of the Baratheon lords, including Steffon, the father of Robert, Stannis and Renly. Robert had won his crown on the battlefield, but in theory through Steffon's mother Rhaelle, daughter of Aegon V. Aegon V's only other legitimate descendants were Viserys and Daenerys. To reinstate that dynasty would be to throw away the victory of four-and-ten years prior, especially if they'd inherited their father's madness.
Yet there were many illegitimate descendants through Robert, and it was a king's prerogative to legitimize bastards whether or not they be his own. Edric Storm was the only one of Robert's bastards whose mother was also trueborn nobility. "The realm ought be more accepting of him than the son of a whore or tavern wench," Ned pointed out. Or gods know what other type of slattern, Ned thought to himself disapprovingly.
"Do make sure he travels to King's Landing along with the others," Robert said.
"Your Grace?" Ned interjected.
"Yes?" the king responded.
"He is fostered at Storm's End, not Dragonstone," Ned pointed out, surprised that he seemed to know more about the king's child than the king himself. Well, it was the spymaster Varys who actually sent the boy's nameday gifts, but Ned did not wish to belabor that point.
Ned's own Arya apparently wished to go to Bear Island, whether or not one called it fostering. It seemed a good place for her, now that he dwelled more on the matter, and not only because he was committed to sending her new friends there.
"Have them meet on the Kingsroad," Robert said, reminding his Hand of the affairs at hand.
"Mayhaps they should not travel together, Your Grace," Eddard insisted. "After all, you gave Delena your seed in Stannis and Selyse's wedding bed."
"By the gods, my brother can hold a grudge!" Robert agreed as he reached for yet another flagon of wine. "Summon them separately, then."
"I've been meaning to bring some of my bastards to court anyway. Would have, had the Lannister cunt been more abiding," he continued. Cersei's disapproval, mayhaps related to her own bastards, was an issue no more. Yet ravens sent to the Eyrie came back with word that Mya of the Vale had disappeared. She was the only one of Robert's bastards he and Ned knew of besides Edric.
Mayhaps they would find some others, but Robert's next command to his Hand related to Edric alone. "Prepare a legitimization decree for my seal."
Robert felt no need to get winded repeating his long-winded titles. He knew Ned was aware of them, and told his old friend as much. After all, I helped him win them, Ned told himself.
And I say them while carrying out executions in my section of his realm. Robert had never understood that. After all, it was a custom of First Men like the Starks, not those of Valyrian descent like the Baratheons. Also, Robert had craved the thrill of a fight moreso than the bloodshed of delivering the final blow. Ned would see no honor in swinging the sword for Robert – leave that to Ser Ilyn Payne, he thought.
Ned got back to the business of drawing up the decree. "You wish for Edric to come after your current heirs?"
"Yes, Ned, just write the gods-damned thing," an exasperated Robert responded. After all, the man did not have patience for the realities of governing. Yet those tasks nevertheless had to be fulfilled. That is how Ned now served, and Jon Arryn before him.
By decree of Robert of the House Baratheon, first of his name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm:
Edric Storm, bastard son of Robert Baratheon and Delena Florent, is hereby legitimized into his father's House. He is to be Robert's heir only after Robert's siblings and their lines.
Done this two hundred and ninety second day of the two hundred ninety seventh year after Aegon's Landing
Much had been accomplished in these few lines, Ned thought as Robert pressed his seal into the wax. The other members of the small council in King's Landing met in their usual chamber of the Red Keep to bear witness – Renly, as his brother's Master of Laws, Grand Maester Pycelle, Kingsguard Lord Commander Barristan Selmy – if there was a more honorable knight alive, Ned did not know him. Master of Coin Petyr Baelish and Master of Whisperers Varys here too, though Ned held significantly different opinions of them.
Robert's Master of Ships, that being Stannis, was not present. The middle Baratheon brother had earned that title, outsmarting and outfighting no less than Victarion Greyjoy and the Iron Fleet when the ironborn had risen against Robert. Stannis' victory had cleared the way for Robert and Ned to lead the armies landing on the Iron Islands themselves.
So Edric was now fourth in line for the Iron Throne, after Shireen, though a hypothetical future son of Stannis, Renly or even Shireen herself would come ahead of the girl. Sometimes bastards were legitimized when there weren't any other potential heirs, yet if their parents had other living relatives, it was unclear where the bastard came in the line of succession. Ned made sure to account for that in what he wrote down for Robert.
Some other recent work of his quill may not have held such import for the whole realm, but it was of great interest to the few people concerned. Through ravens to and from Bear Island, he had learned that Lady Maege Mormont was quite interested in playing host to his second daughter and some of his guests.
It seems some of the girls are forthright by even by the standards of their realm, and your keep is in my mind the best place this realm can offer them. One has proved herself a superb archer. Not keen for tournaments, he refrained from elaborating on the manner of that proof. Arya and two of their friends from home wish to travel with them. He was certain Maege knew the name of his third trueborn and second daughter.
He confirmed her positive reply as soon as he cracked the scroll and could find the people involved. "Time for another adventure," the archer told the flower.