The Hand of the King
Jon Arryn, lord of the Eyrie and Hand of King Robert I Baratheon, listened wearily as the Grand Maester Pycelle read the letter that had arrived in a crow from Sunspear that morning. Jon Arryn was almost sixty years old and that, coupled with the immense responsibility of being King Robert's most important adviser, made him extremely tired, and much more so that morning he had had to get up early unexpectedly.
The king had summoned them as soon as he heard the news, perhaps in the secret hope that the negotiations would have failed and would have to go to war against Dorne. Robert often boasted that he would conquer Dorne in one fell swoop, unlike the Targaryen kings who tried and failed in their conquest of the arid kingdom. Robert has always liked war more than ruling. However, despite Robert's wishes, it seemed that his brother had managed to achieve peace with the Martells.
"... and the children of this union will bear the name Nymerios Martell, but if any of them receive inheritance and land from their father, they will be able to take the name Baratheon, thus renouncing their rights over Dorne," the Grand Maester Pycelle continued in a tired voice. He was a bald old man with a thick grey beard that he liked to caress. "Written in the eyes of the gods and men under Stannis of house Baratheon's sign and seal and that of Doran of house Nymerios Martell", he concluded by leaving the letter on the council table so that all members could read it. The long chain that the maester was wearing around his neck jingled when he sat down again.
It was one of those less and less frequent days when the whole Small Council was assembled, including the king. Robert Baratheon presided over the Small council's table, a seat that used to be empty more often than not. Jon, as befits the Hand of the King, was sitting next to him. Next to them were the Grand Maester Pycelle; Lord Varys, the Master of Whispers, who had managed to maintain his post after the rebellion; Ser Barristan Selmy, the new commander of the Kingsguard, who had also been forgiven after the rebellion, sat next to him. There was also Eldon Estermont, the king's uncle and Master of Laws, although Robert planned to replace him with his younger brother Renly when he came of age. Finally, there was Ser Harys Swift, the Master of Coin. A man from the Lannisters. Jon was convinced that Pycelle also secretly served Tywin Lannister's interests, though he concealed it better than Ser Harys. I have to find a replacement for him somehow or the Lannisters will end up having more power in court than they had at the time Tywin Lannister was Hand of The King for the Mad King.
The only one missing from the council was the king's other brother, Stannis, the new lord of Dragonstone and Master of Ships, and yet he was more present than ever.
"What do you mean they'll bear the name Martell?" asked the king as he drinked a glass of wine. "Why?"
"It's common in Dorne for children to belong to the mother's house, Robert," Jon replied. I explained it to him a dozen times when he was my ward, but he never paid too much attention. "According to Dornish law women inherit in the same condition as men, so Doran Martell's daughter is Dorne's heiress and the prince will want the Martell house to continue to rule Dorne after his death."
"Bah!" spat Robert with contempt. "Stannis has always liked to follow orders without squealing, I'm sure he didn't even try to oppose him. Anyway, answer Prince Doran that we give the bethrodal our blessing. Any other business?"
"Perhaps we should consider this marriage more thoroughly," Ser Estermont said. "The Martells have been loyal allies of the Targaryens for decades and with this pact a Martell could be the next lord of Dragonstone, which would pose a fair danger at the gates of the capital."
"Are you questioning your nephew's loyalty, my lord?" asked Jon in disbelief. He knew there was no great love among the Baratheon brothers, but Stannis had fought on Robert's side during the war and had been about to starve for it.
"I do not question his loyalty, but that of their future children. They will be bred in a viper's nest as is Dorne, surely the Martell will turn them against the crown."
What does he intend to gain by questioning Stannis? He's his nephew, he should be one of those who will support him the most.
"It's certainly a worrying problem, your grace," Ser Harys added. "With two Targaryens still alive, having Dragonstone in the hands of the Martells is a danger."
"Your grace, the wisest thing would be to revoke the lordship over Dragonstone from Lord Stannis after his marriage and give it to a loyal family to the crown or to your heir, as tradition has been for centuries," the Grand Maester said in his hoarse voice. To the Lannisters you mean, Pycelle. He didn't know why Robert and Stannis' uncle had decided to support the Lannisters in this matter, but he was sure Tywin Lannister's hand was behind it.
"Stannis is the king's heir, in case you have forgotten," Jon interrupted. "It may be years before the king has a son."
"Ha, ha, ha" laughted Robert. "Don't be so sure about that, Jon. Tell him Pycelle"
"Her grace Queen Cersei came to see me a few days ago and, after examining her, I can confirm that she is pregnant. Soon we will be able to celebrate the arrival of a new prince or princess," said the Grand Maester.
Jon was puzzled at the sudden news of the queen's pregnancy. The rest of those present feigned surprise and offered their congratulations to the king, but his intuition told Jon that they were already aware of the news long before Pycelle said so. Why am I the last to hear this news? By the gods, I am the Hand of the King!
"I'm glad to hear that splendid news, your grace. I'm sure you'll have a strong, healthy son" Jon said without yet coming out of his astonishment.
"By the gods Jon, enough of your grace and so many formalities! You and I are something much closer than a king and his hand," Robert said laughing. "As for my son, of course he will be strong, I have begat him after all! I'm sure in a few years I'll be able to fill the court just with my children alone."
"Now that I think about it Jon..." Robert continued as he stroked his beard. "Wouldn't it be wonderful to hold a tournament for the birth of my son? I want the whole kingdom to come, from the Wall to Dorne! It will be even more impressive than Harrenhal's. May the winner receive a hundred thousand golden dragons, and half of that for the second and the winner of the melee and thirty thousand for the winner of the archery tournament."
Jon looked at him overwhelmed. It wouldn't be a year since Robert held a similar tournament in honor of his wedding to Cersei Lannister and soon before another for his proclamation as king, so the royal treasure had not yet recovered from the expenses they incurred. Only with the tournament prizes and the expenses necessary to carry out the treasure could be practically empty. Holding a tournament like this so soon could bankrupt the crown. It's crazy.
"Robert, I think the awards are too excessive. If we reduced them by half at least..."
"No! The birth of my son must be the most important event the kingdom has ever seen. I won't spare expense! Spend what it takes from the treasure and if there's not enough, ask Tywin Lannister. He paid for my wedding so I'm sure he'll pay for his grandson's tournament."
"Surely, we will be able to find the gold to carry it out, your grace. Don't worry," Ser Harys said in a carefree tone. That's what he says whenever Robert gets to hold a new tournament. I have to put someone I trust in that position soon or it'll lead us to ruin.
"Your grace" said Lord Estermont. "If we can go back to the theme of your brother and the Dornish..."
"Ah, yes. There's nothing to worry about, my lords, Stannis will do as I command," Robert said carefree. "In five years, when she marries that Dornish bitch, she'll give up Dragonstone and give it to my son. I'm sure he'll thank me, he keeps complaining about me giving him that damn island, and now he's going to have one of the Seven Kingdoms for him alone."
Stannis is not going to take this well when he returns from Sunspear, Jon Arryn thought. He had already been really angry with Robert when he appointed Renly as Lord of Storm's End instead of him.
"Well" said Robert as he rose from his seat. "If there are no more urgent matters that require my attention, I have other matters to attend to. Jon, you take care of the rest."
Truth be told, the small council meeting had only just began, but by the time Jon wanted to react Robert had already left the room while Sir Barristan was on his heels.
"Who will inform Lord Stannis of the news when he returns?" said Varys in his soft voice as he let out a giggle. The burdens of perfume that the eunuch released could be smelled all over the room.
"I think we'll soon have to call him Prince Stannis, or Prince Consort Stannis at least," Ser Harys said, laughing. "Besides, you can't be Lord without owning land, can you?"
"Well, you keep calling me Lord Varys, don't you? And not only do I not own lands, I am a eunuch, after all, but I do not even belong to a noble house."
"Members of the king's council have always been treated with the title of Lord since King Aegon I the Conqueror formed this noble institution," Pycelle said. "If only as a token of respect."
"Then Ser Eldon and myself should also be treated as Lords, shouldn't we?" replied Sir Harys.
"What? Well... Yes... I guess you're right in that regard... Lord Harys" replied Pycelle hesitantly.
I'm not going to call one of Tywin Lannister's lackeys Lord in my life, Jon thought. Let alone that one.
"I will inform my nephew of the king's decision as soon as he returns to the capital" Ser Eldon said, clearly wanting to finish this council as soon as possible. He also begins to notice age and tiredness, thought Jon resigned. I still have to find out how Ser Harys learned about the content of the letter before me or how he was able to convince Estermont to remove Dragonstone from his own nephew. He suspected that Pycelle had been the one to inform them before, but still the stamp of the letter seemed intact. He had to find a way to reduce the power of the Lannisters in court. Pycelle could not be cast out, for this it was necessary for the masters of the Citadel to hold a conclave to choose a new one, and they did not usually do so unless the current Grand Maester had died or in extraordinary circumstances. In addition, a new Grand Maester could be perfectly another Lannister server. I'm sure Lord Tywin has contacts in Oldtown.
"Anyway, if we're done with this, we can focus on how we're going to pay for the new tournament..." Jon said.
The council meeting lasted until late noon and there were times when Jon thought Ser Eldon and the Grand Maester had fallen asleep in their sit. He also felt very tired and a part of him wanted to return to the Eyrie with his new wife and rest now that the war was finally over. But Robert had named him Hand of the King and could not leave his former pupil alone in this viper's nest, he wanted Robert as if he were his own son.
I have to find someone to replace Harys Swift. That man is only loyal to the Lannisters, and if he continues to lead the finances, he'll ruin us all. Once he could place a loyal man as Master of Coin and Lord Renly replaced his uncle on the council, perhaps he could resign his position as Hand of the King and leave it to someone younger and more energetic. Lord Stannis has always wanted this position. Or maybe Ned may want it, if he ever reconciles with Robert. Jon couldn't believe they both ended up so badly after the war, though from what he could see, Lyanna Stark's death seemed to have brought them back a little closer. Maybe in a few more years...
But at the moment he couldn't think so long-term. He had to find loyal men who knew how to skillfully handle money, and the less they were related to the Lannisters, the better. Maybe his wife knew about someone, he should talk to her about it.
A/N: I had the intention to take Dragonstone from Stannis since the beggining, but I didn't really know how to justify it. It seemed to me that the Lannisters would try to keep the balance of power in the kingdom somehow, so giving Dragonstone to Joffrey or some other member of the Lannister family after Stannis gets married was the best possible option.
On other things. The identity of who were the Masters of Laws and Coin before Renly and Littlefinger isn't revealed anywere in the books or the show, so I decided to put Ser Eldon Estermont (Robert's uncle) and Ser Harys Swift (In OTL, he becomes Hand of the King for Tommen and, when he is replaced, Cersei names him Lord Treasurer).
Thanks again for the amazing reception this story has get, and see you in next chapter: The Wedding.