I own nothing the world of ASOIAF belongs to the honorable Mr. Martin

Argilac walked next to the Blackfish as they followed the young boy who Tyrion had called Pod to the tower of the hand. Tyrion had sent a runner to tell the men there what had transpired at the meeting with Stannis, but the two men hadn't lived so long by expecting the best outcome.

They survived by being pessimists on the battlefield. So when they were lead into what had, until recently, been the Lannister's seat of power, they did so with weapons at the ready. They came to the tower and saw several Lannister soldiers at the base with what looked to be a sellsword at the front of them talking with the messenger Tyrion had sent. Once they saw the two older men and the multitude of armed men behind them, the sellsword and the others laid down their weapons and raised their hands to their heads.

"Lead them over to the wall, search them for weapons then have them seated in rows next to it, make sure we get archers on the wall above them as well."

The several men rushed by the Blackfish to carry out his orders as he and Argilac went into the tower to see which nobles were present. As they introduced themselves to the various nobles located there, Ser Robar Royce and Ser Justin Massey lead the rest of the men through the Red Keep corridors.

They rushed throughout the keep at a near sprint. All the men hoping to be the one to capture the pretender king and his mother for Stannis. Doors were thrown open, wardrobes and pantries searched, every tower and hall echoing with the sound of thudding boots. When they found no trace of a self righteous blondes in the upper levels, as well as bound and disarmed the soldiers they encountered, the flood of soldiers moved to the lower levels.

It was down there were a man found an unassuming door partly hidden by a pile of baskets. He shifted them and opened the door, then nearly died. He saw the crossbow and ducked just as the bolt meant for his head missed by a hair. He promptly charged into the room at a sprint leading with his shield and collided with the wielder who shrieked in pain as a loud crack signified the breaking of something. After the Stormlander recovered from his charge he brought his shield up and blocked a descending sword. He swung at his foe to give himself some room and see what he was facing. That was when he realized his foe had a white cloak and a crown on his breastplate, a glance to the sobbing blonde boy being cradled by the equally blonde woman confirmed it. He had found the Lannisters, and a kingsguard knight who didn't look to be in the mood for talking.

The kingsguard snarled at him and launched a series of attacks aiming for his head and legs. He managed block and dodge them but he realized he was outclassed. He didn't have years of experience like the man before him did and it was becoming alarming apparent. He kept his defenses up the best he could, relying heavily on his shield as he tried to think of a way to get out of this alive. That was when he notice a rope tied to a peg on a nearby beam, following the rope, after throwing a sack of turnips at the knight, he saw what it was tied to. A idea formed in his head, not a smart one, but he knew he was limited on options. He ran at the knight who sidestepped his charge and cut a gash into his thigh causing him to stumble. He bite back a cry of pain and the saw the knight walking towards him with a condescending sneer on his face.

"Pathetic, you should have stayed home lowborn scum."

He watched the knight ready his bloody sword, then smiled. With a quick lunge off his good leg he brought his hammer down on the peg which let out a loud snap before a creaking made the other three people look up just in time to see a wagon wheel used as a candle holder fall right on top of the kingsguard who didn't have time to scream before being crushed, dying instantly. The stormlander looked to his left and saw the woman trying to load the crossbow her son had dropped.

"Don't try it!"

She looked up at the man who was now holding his hammer at her.

"Toss it away, now."

"Who are you to command me? I am Cersei Lannister, the Queen of the seven kingdoms!"

"No, you are a lot of things, but you are no longer a queen," He grabbed the crossbow from her and after stepping a safe distance, cocked and loaded it. He pointed it at the two Lannisters "Now get him up and start walking."

"And if I don't you intend to shoot a unarmed woman? Doesn't seem like a very chivalrous course of action."

"I could just shoot your son in the leg to make sure he doesn't go anywhere then lead you to Stannis by yourself if you prefer?"

The former queen didn't respond, but the glare she gave him could have punched a hole in the walls of Storm's End. She bent down and helped her son to his feet then they walked out the door. The three were alone momentarily in the hallway as they walked to the throne room. The pounding of boots herald Ser Justin and his group of men who all froze at the site before them before letting out a loud whoop and began to congratulate their comrade for being the one to catch them. Ser Justin had four men take custody of the former royals before walking up to their captur.

"Well done, where on earth did you find them? I thought we had searched this part already?"

"There was a partly hidden door that I had opened to check, the boy had tried to shoot me and when I charged in that is when I realized who I had found Ser."

"Who was it that gave you that gash?" Ser Justin asked indicating the wound on his thigh.

"There was a kingsguard with them Ser."

Massey was visible taken aback.

"You bested a kingsguard?!"

"Aye Ser. Not sure which, I've never seen any of them before."

"Well the kingslayer was already captured, the Hound left the Lannisters, Ser Moore had drowned, Balon Swann was killed by Ser Robar, Oakheart surrendered, Meryn Trant was killed in a duel. So you must have faced Kettleblack then. I've seen him fight, so i must confess I am pleasantly surprised you survived your ordeal."

"As am I Ser."

Massey let out a laugh and took the the crossbow as two men helped their injured comrade walk to the throne room where Stannis was waiting.

They arrived at the doors to the great hall the entrance that was guarded by several men in Baratheon colors who bared their way.

"Sorry lads, the king is holding court now. You'll need to move along."

Massey walked up to them with his helmet under his arm.

"Men we have some gifts for the king," he indicated the blondes in their midst sporting the Lannister crimson."So I think the king might be willing to endure this interruption."

The guards looked at their captain who nodded and then opened the double doors.

The room quitted as the party lead by Massey walked towards the throne. Once the people in the hall spotted who were being escorted by newcomers, the jeers and insults began to be flow.

The vaulted ceiling echoed with the sound of the dozens of men and women present. The small procession passed by the various lords, ladies and knights from the various kingdoms till they arrived at the front of the Iron Throne. Seated on the throne of swords was Stannis, still wearing his armor with his trademark stone face. Massey halted then dropped to one knee.

"Rise" stated Stannis, once he stood back up Massey addressed the king.

"Your grace. We bring you Cersei Lannister and Joffery Waters"

"Well done, You and your men will be rewarded for being the ones to find them."

"Pardon me your grace, but we only escorted them here," he gestured to the injured man who limped forward with a hasty but tight bandage on his leg."This is the man who captured them. Not only that, but he also faced and killed Ser Osmund Kettleblack by himself!"

Massey's statement was met cheers and applause from those watching. The man, after a prompt from Massey, raised his hand in acknowledgement to their cheers. The cheers died down then Stannis spoke again.

"We will decide on a proper reward for your services at a later date. Till then you will have your leg treated and will stay in the Red Keep as my guest."

The man was escorted from the hall and then all eyes fell back on the two prisoners.

"Now for you two."

Argilac looked down from his window at the top of the gate, more precisely the spikes there and the heads adoring them, side by side were several blonde heads. Joffery's face was frozen in a look of terror, while his mother had a scowl etched in to hers, and Tywin had somehow managed to retained his aloof yet stern expression beyond the grave. Alongside them were their various cousins and conspirators that had been executed or killed in the battle.

When they had initially meet in the throne room, Stannis had told Joffery and his mother of the crimes they were charged, as well as the date of their trials. One week later they along with the rest of their family and allies were tried before King Stannis. Joffery was a simple case as he stated repeatedly that a king could do as they like, therefore the murders he did were not a crime.

He was sentenced to death in short order and Robb Stark volunteered to do the deed with his recently reclaimed family sword Ice. Other members of Joffery's family relented and confessed to aiding in the wrong doings after being brought before Stannis in hope of leniency, they were disappointed. Stannis sentenced several knights to the wall along with roughly a dozen men at arms, a handful of women were to join the Silent sisters.

Cersei was charged with usurping the line of succession, ordering the deaths of the soldiers and the servants Lord Stark had brought with him south. She never ceased her claim to be the queen or her son's legitimacy, even after Stannis presented a letter from the late lord Stark of his discovery before being arrested, Lady Stark's testimony of what she had found in the broken tower of Winterfell and her brother Tyrion's testimony regarding his sister's actions in the capitol. Her only reply to the allegations was to demand a trial by combat and named the Mountain as her champion, only to have his head thrown at her feet. When she named the hound who happened to be in attendance, his reply was to the point and two words long. When she argued that no man there would be allowed or willing to champion her and therefore her fighting against a man would make the trial an unjust one, Lady Mormont stepped forward and offered to fight her. Cersei refused despite the northern and river lords urging for her to accept. Stannis ended the moment by proclaiming her guilty and passing down her sentence, which was to be death alongside her son.

The trial of Tyrion was amusing to some as the man never failed to demonstrate his wit throughout the ordeal. He also was very helpful in identifying which Lannister did what or who paid for what deed. But what was frustrating was the fact that he had not actually done anything wrong in terms of the law. His trial by combat in the Vale cleared him of being charged for the two attempts on Brandon Stark. He had not partook in the plan to invade the Riverlands, only participating with his family in a single battle before being sent to the city and never part took or ordered any raiding. Which only showed that despite his treatment he was still loyal to his house and lord. Then the battle of King's Landing was lead in an cunning but honorable way, not breaking any rules of chivalry nor laws. In fact it seemed that his presence in the capitol was the only thing that reigned in the actions of Joffery, and he also cleaned the city watch of the most corrupt members. Along with Tyrion, Tyrek Lannister was also found to have not participated in any illegal actions and the only action of note was his aiding in getting Cersei's handmaidens to safety during the riot of King's Landing.

The deliberation on what to do with them lasted an hour, eventually Stannis decided to spare two of them but he brought his foot down on the rest of the family. Those prisoners captured by Robb's army that bore the name Lannister were sentenced to take the black along with all their knights that had also been made prisoners. Several Lannisters that currently in the Westerlands were to join them and their wives were to go to the Silent sisters for their part in planning the invasion of the Riverlands. Add to this the tithes that the West would be paying for the next ten years and the cancellation of any debt the Iron throne owed house Lannister, they were going to be feeling the effects of the war for years to come.

There had also been rewards given to those who had fought for Stannis during that week. While Argilac had named as the Hand of the king, Lord Randyll Tarly had been chosen as the new the Master of laws. Lord Corwin Rogers had been appointed to the post of master of whispers due to the fact that Varys had disappeared during the battle and Stannis never trusted him anyways. Lord Baelish was dismissed from his post and Jason Mallister was named as his replacement as master of coin. Ser Donnel Locke was chosen to serve as the new commander of the City watch. Stannis also finalized his kingsguard, choosing Robar Royce, Sebastian Errol, Horas Footly, Willis Wode, Merek Lolliston, and Rolland Storm who was named the lord commander.

A knock at the door drew his attention from the view. He moved from the window to his desk, "Enter."

His steward, who had served with him as an accountant and scribe during his travels, came through the door leading the now famous and newly anointed knight who had captured the Lannister king.

"Ser Reinhardt, I am glad to see your leg is much better now. How has your stay in the capitol been so far?"

"It has been a bit strange my lord hand, I'm still getting used to it."

"It takes some getting used to but you'll get there. Now, I asked you here regarding the issue of your reward."

"My lord, I thought the knighthood was my reward?"

"It was initially, but Stannis has elected to offer you a position in his personal guard. With it comes a steady wage, training, new equipment and you'll be housed in the barracks of the red keep."

Reinhardt looked shocked at the offer "I appreciate the offer but I have a wife back home. I don't think I could bare living away from her."

"What does she do for a living?"

"She's a seamstress mi lord."

"Well there is a need for a seamstress here to help keep the guards and servants clothes in good order, you can tell her that she will have a job available here if she decides to come live here."

"I will have to ask her first, if I could have leave to go home mi lord."

"Of course, there is a group of riders going to Weeping Town tomorrow. You can Travel with them."

"Thank you mi lord, may I have your leave to prepare?"

"Granted, safe travels."

Once Reinhardt left, Argilac's steward approached him. "My lord the master of coin as asked to meet with you. He has stated that he has a matter that requires your attention."

"Very well, is he here?"

"Yes my lord, he is waiting in the hall."

"Send him in"

Lord Mallister walked in through the door with two large ledgers in his arms and set them on the desk before finally speaking.

"My lord hand, I believe i have evidence of theft on a magnitude that I have never seen."

Argilac raised an eyebrow, "A bit dramatic Lord Mallister, do you have any suspects yet?"

"Initially two, but I have narrowed it down to one. With your permission I would like to work with Lord Rogers and his wife to prove my theory."

"If you deem it necessary then you may do so. Who is your suspect?"

"My predecessor, Lord Baelish."

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