The door opened and the Kingslayer entered. The sun shone on the man, his golden hair shining brightly in the light, his armour resplendent. Robert was not such a fool that he could not admit that the Kingslayer looked the part of a King. A part Robert hadn't looked for years.
"Your Grace." The Kingslayer said bowing low.
"Rise." Robert commanded gruffly. He paused, wondering how to go about this. The reason he'd summoned the Kingslayer was simple, the man was right. But that didn't mean that Robert had to like that fact.
He cleared his throat. "You were right."
The Kingslayer raised an eyebrow. "Sire?"
Robert shifted irritably. "About the Hound. You were right about him." The Tourney of the Hand had been held a few days' ago, and right at the final moment where Ser Loras Tyrell had unhorsed the Mountain, the brute had taken badly to it and tried to attack Ser Loras, something that had caused Robert's fop of a brother, Renly, to cry out. Before the Mountain could so much as hit the Rose of Highgarden, the Hound had attacked.
Their fighting had continued even after Robert had ordered them to stop. The two men had only stopped when Jaime had bellowed out a command. It had been humiliating.
"He is dangerous and not a good influence for Joffrey, whatsoever." Robert said. "He is unpredictable and his anger at his brother will cause all sorts of problems."
"I agree, Sire." The Kingslayer said.
"So, what would you recommend?" Robert asked. He already had a rough idea of what he was going to get the Hound to do, but he wanted to hear a suggestion from the Kingslayer himself.
The Kingslayer didn't hesitate to answer. "By ignoring your command to cease his fight with the Mountain, the Hound committed treason. The punishment for treason is death, Sire. However, that would require Your Grace to also execute The Mountain, something that I know for a fact my lord father would not appreciate."
Robert grunted, he was aware of that. Why Tywin Lannister liked the Mountain he did not know.
"Therefore, I propose an alternative course of action." The Kingslayer continued. "Banish the Hound for a period, send him somewhere he can be useful."
"To Essos, for example?" Robert suggested.
"Exactly, Sire." The Kingslayer said. "In Essos, he can prove himself capable and do things that he would otherwise be prevented from doing. Furthermore, his antagonism to his brother could stand him in good stead should he discover the Targaryens."
"Use him to get close to them and remove them slowly." Robert mused. He had considered such a strategy, but he had dismissed it as too risky. But if the Kingslayer was suggesting it…
"Yes, exactly, Sire. Either it works and the opportunity to remove the Targaryens is taken, or it doesn't work, but the Hound is removed for good." The Kingslayer said.
"And either way the issue is resolved." Robert added. That was an oddly sensible suggestion from the Kingslayer, which was why Robert was happy he was going for completely the opposite of what the man had suggested. The Hound would be banished, but not to Essos. No, the man would be sent to the Westerlands, to see if he could remove his brother and Tywin Lannister.
"Sire, if I might ask a query." The Kingslayer said then.
Robert frowned, this was most unusual from the man. "Speak." He commanded.
"Is it true that Your Grace intends to have one of Your Grace's sons become heir to Casterly Rock?" The Kingslayer asked.
"No." Robert lied. He saw no reason to antagonise the man before him, given that said man was close to Tyrion the Imp.
The Kingslayer's eyes widened, and he seemed as if he was about to argue the point, before he nodded and said. "Of course, Sire."
Robert waved a hand and said. "If there's nothing else, you may go."
The Kingslayer bowed once and departed, Robert watched him walk out and took a deep breath. Too much would need to be sorted out and soon.
