Less than an hour later, I still on a platform with Cersei Lannister and Sansa Stark, with Petyr Baelish one-step beneath us. Cersei had only recently stopped frowning at me since finding me lounging in my chambers instead of getting ready for this trial. I assumed because she assumed that I would be taking my duties as King a lot more seriously than I apparently had been. I was a little too stunned to really think all of this through. Apparently we had gone from apparent dream to actual reality in less time than it usually took me to wake up without access to caffeine. I was stuck in the body of one Joffrey Baratheon, King of the Assholes. And about to pass judgment on one of the most honourable men in the Seven Kingdoms!
Even as I considered and processed, the crowd below was beginning to get restless and noisy as Eddard Stark was led in chains from a nearby alcove up to our platform. I knew this scene, I knew where this was going, and as Eddard confessed to his so-called crimes, I pondered what I was going to do. In a few moments, Ned finished his piece in this act of theatre, or mummery, and the rock or potato or whatever the hell was thrown at him, before Grand Maester Pycelle was balling on about the Gods and mercy.
As he finished he turned to look at me, and the rest of the court did the same. I gave them what I hope passed for a confident grin before passing judgment. Stepping forward, I raised a hand to silence the slowly raising babble of the smallfolk and began to speak.
"Lords, ladies, and residents of King's Landing," I greeted. "This a serious situation with serious implications. Normally my justice would be swift and Lord Stark's head would be added to the pikes that line the entrance to this keep."
This earned some whispering from the crowd and some concerned looks from Cersei and Sansa. "But as the wise counselling of my mother," choking down deriving laugh at those words, "and the request for lenience from his daughter and my soon-to-be lady wife, Sansa Stark, I have decided to show mercy to Lord Eddard Stark."
That seemed to earn some positive noises from the crowd.
"I have also taken into consideration the years of service shown by Lord Stark and the friendship he shared with my father." With that I looked down at Ned and offered him a solemn look. "Therefore, I, Joffrey of the House Baratheon, first of my name, King of the Andels, the Rhoynar, and the Free Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm," take a short breath, "do hereby strip Eddard Stark of all titles and authority and sentence him to take the black as a member of the Night's Watch. There he will atone for his sins and restore the honour of his house!"
The crowd let their pleasure at my decision be known. It wasn't ear shattering, but it was definitely there. I guess the chaos of Joffrey's reign hadn't quite gotten underway just yet and I was being given the benefit of the doubt for the moment. Still Cersei was breathing a sigh of relief and Sansa was crying what I hoped were tears if happiness.
With a gesture, the man holding Ice stepped forward.
"Yoren of the Night's Watch, step forward!"
A few moments passed, but eventually a man left the crowd and approached the platform. Looking like he'd seen some hard living, he stopped at the edge and looked up at me. I gestured again and the ancestral sword was handed to him.
"I give this man and this sword into your care. While Eddard is to be your future brother, I would see his ancestral sword returned to Winterfell and back into the hands of House Stark."
Yoren nodded and I smiled, turning back to the crowd one last time, raising a hand in farewell before exiting stage right. As I did so, a sigh escaped my lips. That went remarkably well, I thought. I just hoped that I hadn't set the stage for more chaos down the line.
Later that day, I sat in one of the rooms that bridged my quarters and those of Sansa Stark as we ate lunch. I had specifically asked for her to presence, slamming the door in my mothers face as she attempted to join us. There was a heady power rush at denying Cersei Lannister anything, I looked over my companion.
"Milady Sansa, are you enjoying the food?"
She looked up at me with a deer-in-the-headlights look, before attempting a smile as she nodded.
"It is quite pleasant, my King."
I shivered slightly. Someone could get used to being called that. I just had to avoid it affecting me in the same way that it did Joffrey. I didn't want to turn out to be a petty, juvenile tyrant after all. Especially when it came with an eventual poisoning.
"Excellent," I declared with a smile. "And I hope you can appreciate the mercy I showed your father this morning…"
It wasn't a fish for compliments, but I did want to check in that I'd done the right thing here.
"Oh, yes your Grace, your mercy is unending. Thank you for sparing my father, your Grace."
Okay, maybe not what I'd hoped for. But she was something of a doormat at this point. She'd practically backed Joffrey when he'd lobbed off her fathers head in the original timeline after all. Possibly because she was trying to hold onto whatever views of the beloved Joffrey she'd formed in her mind.
"I can only hope that this doesn't come between us," I offered awkwardly. Being inserted into the body of an attractive teen had done nothing for my absolute lack of ability to talk to women. Even when I was the one with all the power in the relationship.
She shook her head. "Of course not, you were only dealing with a traitor."
"Even though the traitor was your father."
"A traitor is a traitor, no matter how close they are to you, your Grace."
A sigh escaped my lips. "We are to be wed soon, Sansa. Is there anything I do to get you to call me 'Joffrey' and drop this formal claptrap?"
She blushed slightly. "My apologies, you- Joffrey. But it has been a rather intense time."
I nodded in reply. "Of course, Sansa. And I apologise for that. Hopefully things can settle down and we can get back to normalcy."
Yeah, right. The bovine excrement was about to hit the air redistribution device if canon was anything to go by. Sending Ned to the Wall instead of executing him would by me some cred with Robb and the North, but it would be interesting to see if that translated to peace. There was still my so-called uncles to deal with.
Still, I managed to divert to more pleasant topics as we talked for a short time before departing each other's company. And I had to say, for a sixteen year old I hated to see her go, but I loved to watch her leave…
A/N: If you've gotten this far don't forget to leave a review and any constructive criticism(s) you may have.