Chapter six

Robert's downfall

Sansa

Robert Baratheon died one moons turn after he first collapsed in his quarters. Sansa was extremely shocked when it was announced he had taken ill and had been to the sept every day since to pray for his good health. It was not only the right thing to do but Sansa knew that Joffrey was not yet ready to be King. He had indeed improved since her father had taken over his education, but he was still prone to bouts of anger and was a spoiled prat.

In the moon since the king fell in Sansa could count the times, she had been with her father on one hand. He had been either with Joffrey trying to teach him as much as possible, with the small council, with Arya who had been acting strange the entire time or with the King watching over him awaiting him to awaken. Sansa had to admit she was feeling quite lonely as she missed time with father and even with Arya as the relationship, they had been building seemed to have all but disappeared. Sure, Arya still wasn't as annoying or mean as she was back north but in fact Arya wasn't anything. She didn't explore, she didn't play tricks, she didn't even grumble when going to lessons.

Sansa had taken to walking around the castle walls each afternoon as the gardens had grown quite tedious after a short while. She enjoyed being in the open air and the differing views she could take in from the walls. Some days she chose the ones over near the sea but others over the town and she could spend hours watching the townspeople go about there every day lives. It was a day, just a week before the king passed, that she was on this side of the keep when Prince Tommen first came to speak with her.

"Lady Sansa." Tommen said as he approached.

Sansa quickly dipped into a low bow. "My Prince."

"Just Tommen is fine. My brother is the prince that matters." Tommen said with all seriousness.

"You matter, your grace. You are next in line after Prince Joffrey, if the worst happens to both your father and your brother should pass you would be king." Sansa said. "Of course, you should not be planning this but maybe should prepare so that you are not caught unawares."

"I never thought of that, my lady." Tommen mused. "Everybody focuses on Joffrey for being crown prince and Marcella for being a girl, but I'm just forgotten."

"The nobles might. But in the North, we know that the support of the small folk can be the difference between surviving winter or not." Sansa paused. "Aegon the third, Baelor and Aegon the fifth spring to mind. All loved by the small folk but not by the nobles."

"But they were Targaryen's and father said that they were all mad and evil. I don't want to be evil." Tommen cried.

"It's ok, your grace." Sansa calmed him down. "It is true that a lot of Targaryen's were mad, how could they not be? Marrying brother to sister. But there were some who were notable for good."

"You have given me much to think on Lady Sansa. Would – I mean – Would it be ok for me to seek you out again for your wisdom?" Tommen stuttered his face flush.

Sansa thought quickly and replied "It would be wonderful. I am here every second day."

Sansa and Tommen had met every second day since that day and discussed much. Tommen had opened up to her about his childhood and the way his mother and Joffrey treated him. He was miserable. His mother always compared him to Joffrey and found him lacking. Joffrey used to hit the poor boy, but he was relieved it was mainly insulting now. They had discussed him going into the city to view the small folk and help as he could but agreed that until the king awoke it was unsafe.

It was during one of these walks that a solider came to them and requested Tommen's presence in the King's quarters.

"My Lady, please can you come with me? It feels odd to see father lay abed not moving." Tommen looked at her with wide eyes and Sansa could not find it within herself to refuse.

They approached the rooms with the kingsguard stationed outside and they opened the doors without comment within were the small council including her father, Joffrey by his side as usual and Marcella.

"Sansa what are you doing here?" Father asked.

"Tommen asked me to bring him, we were walking the walls. I'll leave you with my father Tommen." With this Sansa walked away back to her rooms.

Ned

Robert lay as he had this past moon. Pale, unmoving and with increasing amounts of loose skin around his face. He looked half dead already. Ned had told Joffrey that his father's condition was serious and that he would most likely be king before the year was out. At first Joffrey's reaction confused Ned as he noticed his eyes shine but after a moment Joffrey bowed his head in shame. Now it was time, his breath was coming in rasps and his body was failing. His friend was dying.

As Ned stood beside the bed, deathbed really, of his oldest and greatest friend as his children cried upon his chest Ned reflected upon his relationship with Robert. As children there were no two different characters but somehow Robert was able to get him to smile and Ned was able to curb some of Robert's more outlandish personality traits.

They'd fought a war together. A bloody war and although it was called Robert's Rebellion by many it was surely the Starks Revenge as it was the taking of Lyanna and subsequent torture and murder of the Lord of Winterfell and his heir. Of course, Ned didn't want to take the crown, he would be an awful king, but it was all a lie. Lyanna wasn't taken. Robert say's he loved Lyanna but how could he of? He didn't really know her not really. Lyanna would have never wanted to be a Queen.

Ned was pulled out of his thoughts when Marcella led a crying Prince Tommen out of the room and the small council followed and he and Joffrey were left with the King.

"I always thought that I would be ready. That I would be happy when he died, and I became king." Joffrey paused. "But I now realise I am not ready. He was not a good father not really, he just berated and ignored. Not like you. You advise me and show me how to solve the issues in front of my eyes. I am sad however that my father will be gone and that there will be no conclusion to our relationship. I will need you Lord Stark for there is much I still do not know."

Ned agreed. "Aye. I will help you Joffrey just as I promised."

They both turned to the King and watched as his breaths became shallower before finally coming to an end.

Ned turned to Joffrey with a sad smile. "May the gods judge him wisely. The King is dead. Long live King Joffrey Baratheon."

Small chapter today but many seeds planted! I'm really enjoying this story and hope whoever reads this does too.

Have a good week!

xxxcrazyxladyxxx