"I see you've already started changing things"
"Hard not to when there's wrong that needs to be righted"
The first time around the boy, now Robert had not recognized the man. This time though he had come in his true form. Robert was stood in what looked to be an underground room, the walls made of hard dirt and the floor covered with snow. Before him, sat a ghost intertwined with the roots of the tree that made his throne. His eyes were blood red and his skin clung to his bones in a way that gave him a rather skeletal look about him. This was the Three-Eyed Raven, who sat on his throne of Weirwood roots.
"So, I'm Robert Baratheon now? King of The Seven Kingdoms?"
"You are"the raven nodded his head.
"Couldn't have sent me back further? And not as the whore king of Westeros?"
A faint snort fell from the Raven's lips and Robert could have sworn he saw the man smirk. "Whore King," the Raven mumbled, the amusement clear in his words. "But I couldn't do that" the amusement was now gone and the previous serious tone was back. "Jon Snow needed to be born."
"The Prince that was promised?"
"The very same. Robert's Reign is the point from which you can change things for the better. I have thought closely about it. Trust me in this."
"I don't have another choice do I?" Robert questioned but the Raven remained silent. "Do I get any perks? Since you did pull me out from my world and put me here? Like maybe warging?"
"You are a Baratheon. Not someone descendant from the first men. Sadly Robert's blood holds no such abilities for you to use."
"So the best I can do is live as Robert Baratheon, be better than him and work according to your council?" he asked. There was a pause before the Raven shook his head.
"I'm afraid this will be our final meeting. Bringing you here and putting you where Robert Baratheon should be, took more than just a grand feat of magic. Robert and my life for yours. I had to choose who you would replace and pay for my negligence in choosing an heir for the Raven. I have already perished physically, what little magic I have I used to send this message to you. I regret to tell you this but you are on your own from this point on. Surround yourself with men you can trust and build a future that is better for the world. The Three-Eyed Raven dies with me, and all knowledge I have accumulated in the years I acted as the Raven dies with it. Farewell, your Grace."
"Robert!" the stern voice of Jon Arryn brought Robert out of his thoughts. Gregor Clegane had been moved away from the throne and people were already busy cleaning it. The new King turned to look at his hand, who looked worried.
"You were spacing out, wouldn't respond to me calling you. Are you alright my boy?" the hand questioned, looking at every part the worried father that he surely was to Robert.
"Just thinking Jon. I'm sorry" Robert shook his head, swallowing the revelation down. He was brought into this world by the Raven, and now he was here alone. The Raven was dead and he left nothing to help Robert. The thought brought a bundle of nerves out of him.
"She will be fine Robert" Jon spoke softly, gently squeezing Robert on the shoulder. It wasn't a surprise that Jon would assume it was about Lyanna, Robert started a whole war for the woman after all. But this was not the same Robert.
Robert feigned a grateful smile. "Ned is off then I take? Towards Storm's End?"
"He just needs for you to sign here" Jon held up the parchment. Robert accepted it and at first read through the document. He noticed a boy then, stood a bit away from Jon and with a quill and ink in hand. Robert beckoned him forward and took the quill to sign the parchment.
"Take this to Lord Stark and tell him that he needs to be as fast as possible" Robert told the boy who nodded his head and rushed off. He then turned to Jon who was looking at him questioningly. The man had probably expected to be given the letter to deliver to Ned.
"We have matters to attend to Jon" he patted the older man on the shoulder before he turned towards the throne. The blood had been cleaned off the throne, but there were still some remaining at the bottom of it. Robert shooed the men that were cleaning the throne and sat on his seat, his boots in the blood of the mountain.
"What do you want to deal with first?" Jon asked, sidestepping the blood and standing beside the throne.
"The first matter at hand would be the spymaster" Robert muttered and a dark look passed over Jon's face. Jon called for Varys to be brought forward. Varys was a plump and bald man with soft, white hands. His clothes were an outrageous purple and looked to be made of comfortable material such as silk or velvet.
"Your Grace" the eunuch gave a short but respectful nod, one that Robert returned.
"Leave us" Robert motioned for the guards that had brought Varys in, to walk out. The guards left, leaving Robert with just Varys and Jon. "Let's start our little talk with a simple question Lord Varys. Your allegiance, the realm or the throne?"
"Are they not the same, your Grace?" the eunuch questioned, his nonexistent brow rising a bit.
"You know they are not" Robert answered calmly.
Varys silently studied the new king under the guise of thinking. This was not the Demon of The Trident that the spider was expecting. This man was calmer, more collected. Not like the war-hungry warrior that he had heard of.
"I apologize your Grace" Varys bowed low. "I just had to know your thought process. The realm, my allegiance is to the realm."
"Is that why you advised against letting Lord Tywin in through the gates? Because Aerys was better for the realm?" questioned Jon Arryn.
"Aerys was someone who I knew of better than I know of Lord Robert who now sits as King. And from what I heard of him, I dreaded to think what he would be like on the throne."
"And what do you think of me now Varys? Now that you have spoken to me."
"You are not what I expected I confess" Varys tilted his head forward.
"Then I suppose you would think about my offer of joining my small council as my master of whispers?" the proposition surprised both Varys and Jon if their faces were any indication to it.
"Robert" Jon began but Robert silenced him with a hand to his shoulder.
"To run a thriving kingdom, we need someone who could get us the information we need, eyes on our enemies where they least expect it. And I think Varys is the right man for the job. If he could get the information about the secret meeting at Harrenhal, then I think he could come of great use to us."
"You flatter me your Grace" Varys hid a chuckle behind his hand, "I would be honored to serve under you and see the realm better itself."
"Excellent" Robert clapped his hands and looked to his new master of whispers with a grin. "Now we move on to what remains of Aerys. Rhaella and Viserys. Where are they Varys?"
"Dragonstone your Grace" the spider replied, the smile not yet leaving his lips.
"Your Grace, what do you intend to do with the child and his mother?" Jon Arryn asked, speaking in a tone that spoke of what he dreaded.
"Not what you're thinking Jon. I can promise you that much" Robert assured his hand before turning back to his spymaster. "How would you describe young Viserys?"
"He is his father's son" the eunuch replied dryly. His assessment was not positive. "He already shows the madness that we saw in Aerys. I fear he might be another Aerys in the making."
"I see" Robert frowned. Truth be told, he already knew what Viserys was like, thanks to the knowledge of his world. But he wanted Varys to relay the information to Jon so he would understand what kind of a child they were dealing with. He turned to Jon who looked pensive. He turned back to Varys. "Make arrangements to bring Viserys and Rhaella to the capital. Do it under the guise of you rebelling against me. Make sure that they do not figure out that you are acting on my behalf."
"It will be done" Varys bowed his head before slowly backing out of the throne room.
"Robert" Jon began but Robert silenced him by raising a hand. He waited a moment before lowering his hand. "What do you intend to do to Viserys? Speak to me honest please."
"I was honest when I said what I did Jon" Robert sighed. "I will not harm him. I will not harm his mother. I will meet them, I'll judge them both myself. But if what Varys says is true, then I suppose the wall will earn another prince in their ranks."
"I see" Jon mumbled softly, looking a lot less worried than he was a moment ago. "Rhaella wouldn't be happy about that."
"Rhaella would be happy that her son would still be alive" Robert corrected him. What Rhaella thought did not matter to Robert. Because she was close to giving birth and she was not going to survive that.