LONG MAY HE REIGN

ROBB

The pieces were in play and the game afoot. The Queen was making her moves early, but Robb would not give her the chance or the satisfaction. He makes his way from the godswood to his room. In the chest of drawers he takes out a lock box and inside is a heart made of ice. Inside a lock of hair that belongs to Robert Baratheon. The magic placed on the ice heart keeps it from melting. Robb raises the heart and lets it fall the floor, where it shatters. Robb sighs, "It has begun." He whispers. Robb takes the next few days spending as much time with his wife, son , and family, before the war starts. Talisa wants another child, but Robb wants to wait until after the war ends.

KING'S LANDING

The tournament to celebrate the betrothal of Prince Joffrey to Lady Sansa of Winterfell, turned to a tournament to honor Prince Joffrey's memory. So far Ser Jaime Lannister, Brynden the Blackfish, Lord Patrek Mallister who is entered in all three contests, Dickon Tarly, and the Knight of Flowers Ser Loras Tyrell had perfect rides unhorsing all opponents they faced on the list. The Archery contest had already been won by Lord Patrek Mallister heir of Seagard. The sword competition was nearing its end and Loras Tyrell who was also entered the sword, was tied in victories Ser Arnell Redwyne, and Lord Mallister.

Both Jon and Ned will wait until after the tourney to tell Robert. Robert himself is in his tent with one of the servant girls. A new one who started working in the kitchens a few months ago. "My King truly is a Stag." He was about to reply when he grunts grabbing his chest. "My King! My King!" He rolls over and falls out of bed. "Someone help!" She screams jumping out of the bed and kneeling beside the King.

Ser Barristan and Ser Preston were on duty and when they heard the girl's voice they rushed into the tent. "What happened?" Ser Barristan asked.

"I don't know…He started grabbing at his chest and fell over."

"Summon the Maester…One of the Maesters from one of the Camps." By the time Maester Wells of House Swann arrives it is too late.

CERSEI

Cersei arrives just before the Maester. "A heart attack…A massive one." He says just as Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark arrive. When she heard the news she was overjoyed on the inside. Disappointed that she would not get to do the deed herself.

"Robert!" Ned says kneeling down beside him.

"Rob!" Jon Arryn says.

She could almost admire them for the concern they showed. Almost, "Ser Barristan summon the rest of the Kingsguard to take up the King's body. An honor guard." Cersei orders.

Jon looks at her, "Can we have a moment? Your Grace."

She looks at Jon Arryn. "Ser Barristan do as I command and announce that the tourney is over."

"Yes Your Grace at once." Ser Barristan solemnly replies. He nods to Jon and Ned before looking at Ser Preston. "Remain with the King's body." She watches as Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark exchange looks. Whether they knew it or not she had the upper hand.

"Your Grace." Jaime says entering the tent.

"Ser Jaime!" She runs up to him and gives him a hug.

"My condolences on your loss Your Grace." Both of them playing their parts perfectly. She the grieving widow and he the concerned brother.

JON ARRYN

He watched as they carefully placed Robert's body on a wagon with a flat bed. They decorated the wagon with the crowned Stag of House Baratheon. Pulled by six white horses Ser Barristan led it and the Kingsguard taking flank around the wagon back to the city from the tourney grounds. Jon had ordered one of his men to take the girl back to the tower of the Hand.

Later he meets privately with Eddard Stark. "I cannot believe it."

"Me either. A heart attack."

"He did live a reckless life…Eating, drinking, and women."

"The girl he was with, what became of her?" Jon can hear the concern in his voice.

"On a ship headed for the Vale. She will be well provided for. I hate to think what the Queen may do to her."

"Speaking of which, how do we proceed?"

"I am thinking that we should wait until after the funeral rights." Jon Arryn replies pouring wine for the both of them.

He summons Janos Slynt, after Ned had suggested they send a letter to Stannis. "I am telling you this in confidence Lord Slynt."

"You have my trust m'lord."

"The Queen has been unfaithful to the King. Her children were fathered by the Kingslayer Jaime Lannister. Her son Tommen has no right to the throne."

"You have proof of this?"

"Yes…All Baratheons. All true Baratheons are black of hair and blue of eyes. The seed is strong…And none of Cersei's children are like the King when he was at that age."

"What do you intend to do?"

"By succession the throne goes to his brother Stannis. The Queen will have to arrested and the children sent to Casterly Rock."

"And Ser Jaime?" Slynt asks.

"He will have to be charged with treason and judged…For now we will wait until after the funeral rights are held." The Funeral rights are held three days later. Renly Robert's brother had left the Capital after seeing his brother's body. Neither Jon nor Ned could believe that he had asked them to support him as King before Stannis. He had made a compelling argument and Jon was a little tempted to support him, but his honor won the day.

Many nobles were already in the city for the Tourney. And so the funeral rights were held in a short amount of time. Unknown to Jon and Ned Lord Janos had already told Cersei and Jaime about their plans. Cersei had been secretly planning Tommen's coronation the day Robert died. Jon was in the middle of changing his clothes when Addyson came. "What is it?"

"A message from the Queen…She wishes you and Lord Stark to attend her son's coronation."

"What!" Was Jon's shocked reply. It didn't take long to get Ned and his men and then his own with Janos Slynt and a hundred gold cloaks. "Do you have the Palace surrounded?" Jon asks.

"Yes My Lord."

Jon had fifty men and Ned has fifty men, "Remember if the Lannister men drop their weapons no killing." Ned says.

They march to the throne room with purpose. The Lannister men guarding the doors are arrested. Then they barge into the throne room. The Kingsguard draw their weapons. "What is the meaning of this?" Tommen demands sitting on the Iron Throne.

"No one comes into the presence of the King armed!" Lord Barristan says holding his sword.

"Ser Barristan…" Jon says, "…I know you a man of honor. I speak the truth when I say…"

"Silence!" Cersei commands.

"You bought this on yourself woman. Step down or you will be removed."

She smiles, "Oh poor Jon Arryn. When you play the game of thrones you play to win. Now Ser Janos!"

The White Cloaks begin attacking Jon and Neds' men. More White Cloaks burst into the throne room overwhelming them as for a short time Jon and Neds' men were holding their own and winning. Ned had killed his seventh man when he is stabbed in the leg. Jon his fourth when his sword hand is severed. "Take them away!" Cersei commands.

SER BARRISTAN

He could not believe it when Jon Arryn and Ned Stark came into the throne room heavily armed. And the more he thought about what they had done, the more questions were raised in his head. The reputations of both men are above reproach. He needed answers and much thought and inner turmoil he decides to go see them.

Both men had been taken to the black cells. "I am sorry my lord orders from the Queen. No one is allowed to see the prisoners." One of the guards says when he arrives at the cell.

"I am Ser Barristan Selmy…Lord Commander of the kingsguard. Now open the door or I'll show you why they call me the bold." The man quickly obeys. Just before entering the cell, Ser Barristan stops and gives both men five gold dragons each. He felt guilty for threatening them. "What the Queen doesn't know will not hurt her." He says taking a torch off the wall.

It was very cruel to place these two Lords in the Black Cells. Robert had ordered them closed. They had been built on the orders of Aegon the Conqueror. "Ser Barristan?" Jon says as he and Ned shield their eyes. They had been in the cell for the past two days.

He places the torch on the wall, "I came to ask why?"

"The Queen is a traitor." Ned says.

"How so?" Barristan asks.

"The Queen has been unfaithful during her marriage to Robert. Tommen and Myrcella were born of incest." Jon replies. "Fathered by Ser Jaime her brother."

Barristan frowns, "You have proof of this?"

"I knew Robert as a young man."

'So did I." Ned says speaking up.

"Joffrey was nothing like his father. Neither are Tommen and Myrcella…More than that…There is bastard living in the Vale. Myra Stone by name, if you had seen her you would know. All Baratheons…all true Baratheons are black of hair and blue of eyes. If my word is not enough and you need more proof, go to the street of steel and ask for Tobho Mott. Ask to speak with his apprentice Gendry Waters and you will see."

Barristan turns to leave, "Ser Barristan!" Eddard calls. He stops and looks back. "My daughters…are they safe?"

"The older one Sansa is…The younger one…" He pauses, "…Arya!" Both Barristan and Ned say at the same time. She ran off…No one can find her." He leaves the Black Cells and heads out of the Keep. His feet taking him to the street of steel. He hypnotically walks there not taking his horse. His mind filled by what he had learned. Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark are honorable men. They would not lie and neither would they try to make a power grab.

After several hours he finally arrives, "Are you Mott?"

"I am and you are Ser Barristan the Bold. What may I do for you M'Lord."

"Your Apprentice Gendry by name may I speak with him." Mott frowns and calls Gendry.

"M'Lord." Gendry says when he walks up. Ser Barristan is dumbfounded staring at the boy. "M'Lord?" Gendry asks looking confused at Mott.

"My apologies lad…If I may ask of your mother, who was she?"

"Dead! Since I was seven."

"And how did you wind up apprenticing here?"

"A man paid me to take him on. I am both regretting that and liking it. Gendry is very talented…If ever he opened his own shop when he finished his apprenticeship he would put me out of business." Mott says responding.

Barristan smiles, "The man…what was his name?"

"Told me his name Gibbens. He…he was pudgy, with a beard and long hair. Paid me to take the lad on as an apprentice."

Ser Barristan leaves the Street of Steel and returns to the Red Keep. It was true what Arryn and Stark had told him. He was not going to serve a Bastard. His thoughts are interrupted by two gold cloaks. "Ser Barristan would you come with us?" One of the men asks.

His hand falls to his sword, "Why?"

"We serve the Spider M'Lord since we were children on the streets. He had us trained to use the sword and we both were given places among the gold cloaks."

Cautiously Barristan follows them to the catacombs beneath the Red Keep. "Thank you Davyn and Karl." He says throwing them a bag of gold each. "Ser Barristan welcome…And thank you for not killing Davyn and Karl."

"What do you want?"

"To know your intentions Ser."

"I intend to leave quietly and swear my sword to Stannis."

"Ah Stannis…I remember a young Prince and his Kingsguard and that Prince would go to the streets in disguise and sing for money. Then he and his companion would sometimes give the gold away or get drunk on it."

Barristan takes a shaky breath because he is speaking of Prince Rhaegar and Barristan was the Kingsguard. "What of it?"

"I just wonder what Prince Rhaegar would have thought of his friend swearing oaths to the Stags."

"I shall die a knight in service of a true King!"

"What if you had other choices?"

"How so?"

"I speak of Princess Daenarys Targaryen…She lives and has married Khal Drogo of the Dothraki last I heard…"

"Who is or was her mother?"

"Queen Rhaella gave birth to her on Dragonstone."

Then he remembers something, "What became of Prince Viserys or King I should say?"

"Dead…The Dothraki do not abide weakness…There was a deal. The King's sister for an army of Dothraki. The Dothraki do things in their own time and as I said they respect strength. Viserys pushed the issue and even threatened his pregnant sister if Khal Drogo did not fulfill his promise."

"How did he kill him?"

"He poured melted gold over his head."

Barristan shakes his head, "I should have been there for both of them."

"No…Viserys showed signs of madness like his father."

"And the Princess?"

"A true Dragon…"

"I must go to my Queen."

"You will need a letter of introduction. First head to Pentos and ask for my friend and ally Illyrio Mopatis…He will insure you are granted a safe audience with the Queen and her husband."

Barristan takes the letter from Varys. "You've been plotting to place a Targaryen on the throne for some time now haven't you?"

He just smiles, "I have a ship waiting to take you to Pentos." Ser Barristan shakes his head and Starts to leave, but stops, "I would like to leave a message for the Queen."

"Of course m'lord." He replies and then Varys hands him a bag of gold.

A/N: Sorry this took so long my Name Day came up and I wanted to chill also working on publishing two books and reading the Dragoncub story which is very good anyway enjoy