King's Landing - 297 AC
Rhaegar has always admired Queen Rhaenyra, like many Targaryen she had been his favourite ruler by far. Not only did she create the alliance between the Crown, Dorne, and the North, throwing us into an economic boom that paved the way to become the most advanced realm.
Not only, did she show her strength by conquering the Stepstones, his ancestral home, and crushing the Hightowers, Citadel, and iromborn. She also showed it by bravely changing the rules of the game and allowing anyone with the desire of knowledge to achieve it, with free health care and education.
She was a legend. The most beloved ruler of Westeros. Rhaegar will go as far as to say she is the most beloved ruler of the Targaryen Dinasty!
He could not imagine how hard it must have been back then, when everyone wanted a male on the Iron Throne. Yet, she stood tall and proved them all wrong. He could not imagine a realm where only males inherited seats, Dorne has had more Ruling Princesses than Princes, the Vale has been lead by women so many times in history, and even the Stepstones and Driftmark has seen their share of ruling Princesses and ladies.
So, he put her as a role model to follow, when he unexpectedly took the throne. Everyone knows that her son was King Viserys I Targaryen's heir. But when the king died suddenly by a sickness, her son was too young and she had to take the throne herself.
Had she been scared like him? Had she mourned the previous king like he did? Was she unsure of what decisions to make like him? Keeping those questions in mind and having Lyanna, the light of his life, kept Rhaegar sane.
But no matter, how much he wondered what she would have done on his place, or how hard Lyanna held his hand under the table, there was nothing keeping him sane in this situation.
Nothing.
This was Westeros' greatest scandal!
He was just so happy that all of his children were already off age and married. He did not wish to know what could have happened if they had gotten involved with this mess! Bad as is it is that the Martells got dragged into it!
Rhaegar looked around the Small Counsil chambers. No one wanted to be there, not even Varys or Ollena Tyrell!
The Small Counsil members were:
Hand of the King: Ollena Tyrell
Master of Coins: Tywin Lannister
Master of Whispers: Varys
Master of Laws: Stannis Baratheon
Master of Ships: Monford Velaryon
Lord Commander of the Kingsguard: Barristan Selmy
Lord Commander of the City Watch: Oberyn Martell
Grand Healer: Melisandre of Asshai
The king and queen were in the meeting, like always, but this time around the focus was on Stannis and Tywin, and to a certain degree Oberyn.
"Ok, that's enough!" Lyanna finally said, getting fed up with the whole situation. "Let's get this started with! Lord Baratheon, Lady Tyrell, congratulations on the wedding between Lord Renly and Lord Loras. It is especially touching that House Tyrell allowed it and Lord Loras convertion to the Fourteen Flames of Old Valyra, taking into account their House's religion."
"All we want is for my grandson's happiness," Ollena replied, rapidly collecting herself- there's a reason they made it this far.
"They are to take the position as castellans of Storm's End, isn't that right?" Rhaegar quickly followed his wife's lead.
"That is right," Stannis answered this time. "My younger brother and his spouce will take that position..." he lead on, before turning to Tywin and back to the royal couple. "My daughter Shireen, will be fostering with them, to learn more about her future household."
Silence reigned in the chamber.
No one could forget the reason of why this change of heirs happened on the first place. Robert Baratheon had "fallen in love" with Lyanna Targaryen nee Stark the momento his eyes landed on her. He did not take well when she was married off to his cousin Rhaegar Targaryen. He never forgot about it, even after marrying Cersi Lannister and having three children with her. Everyone throughout Westeros knows that. It was the main reason why the Lord of the Stormlands have been exiled from King's Landing, his drunkard scenes having become too much for the royal family to stand.
The only issue with that statement, was that Robert Baratheon had sired none of those children. The father of Cersi's children was none other than her own twin. That was discovered the following day of the wedding between Lord Renly Baratheon and Lord Loras Tyrell. In a moment of drunk rage Robert Baratheon killed his own wife and almost did the same with her twin, but the guards stopped him right intime.
Which lead us to the actual situation. Which is only made worse as Myrcella Storm was betrothed to Prince Trystane Martell, dragging Dorne to the dispute between the Stormlands and Westerlands.
Normally, the Targaryens would have not mind incest at all, have you seen their family tree? The issue, however, fell upon the fact that Cersi tried to pass down her children as Bratheons, trying to steal the birthright of the Bratheon line of ruling the Stormlands. She also tried to pass down her daughter as a trueborn and have her marry a prince of Dorne, insulting two bloodlines that have Targaryen blood running through their veins. Not smart at all.
"As Her Grace has said, let's cut the chase, what will be the punishment for my house?" Tywin finally spoke up, looking at the king with determination that only a lion could muster.
"Jamie Lannister and Joffrey Storm will be sent to the Wall," Rhaegar answered with a heavy heart. "Normally, I would not send a child there but after your daughter's death, many crimes against the commonfolk came out. Both Cersi and Joffrey had committed atrocious crimes and need to be punished." Tywin nodded his head with a grimace. "Good-brother," Rhaegar turned to Oberyn. "What is the stance of House Martell on this issue?"
"We do not hold House Baratheon or House Lannister accountable for this," Oberyn answered, earning various surpised looks. "What's gotten you so shocked? It is clear that neither house knew about it, the true perpetrators are dead or going to the Wall. The only thing we desire is the annulment of the betrothal contract between my nephew and Myrcella Storm."
"As she is not blood, I do not have a say on this," Stannis replied, clearly uncomfortable and hurt with the situation.
He might not have liked Joffrey, but Myrcella and Tommen were a delight that their uncles enjoyed spending time with. Poor Renly had to take them away from Storm's End, in case Robert's fury got turned on them. One thing that everyone agreed on, was that those two were innocent.
"I agree," Tywin frowned.
"Then, as of today, Prince Trystane Martell and Myrcella Storm are not betrothed," Rhaegar announced. "Lord Stannis, what is House Baratheon stand when it comes to the children?"
"They are innocents, Your Majesty," Stannis answered. "We desire no punishment to fall upon them. Renly and I are quite fond of them and still see them as family despite not sharing the same blood. We watched them grow for years…" the hurt of the whole situation was clear on his eyes. "However, we believe it would be best for them to be moved to Casterly Rock. Renly had to take them away from our brother in fear he might hurt them."
Now the whole table looked angry, especially Tywin. No matter what, those two were still his grandchildren!
"Would House Baratheon mind their legitimization as Lannisters?" Rhaegar asked to everyones surprise, but should they have been surprised?
The Reyne and Lannister debacable civil war in the Westerlands was still fresh on everyone's mind. It had gotten to a point where almost both houses were ended, forcing House Targaryen to put a stop to the whole thing. At the end, on Castamere, only the Lady wife of Lord Reyne and their infant son survived, and on Casterly Rock, only Tywin and his children got to live. Even then, Tywin's youngest son had, Tyrion, had died. No matter, how much Tywin might have grumbled about his brothers' ineptitude and was ashamed on Tyrion… their deaths hurt the Old Lion.
"There are no Lannisters left," Stannis replied slowly. "House Baratheon understands that and will not protest to it, as long as it is clearly stated that they will never inherite any land belonging to House Baratheon."
"Lord Tywin," Rhaegar turned to his Master of Coins. "Is this solution agreeable to you?"
"It is," Tywin replied, his expression softer. "There's no way I am leaving Casterly Rock to the Pyke Branch house, who has not carried the Lannister name in over two centuries!"
"Good, as for Myrcella Lannister's betrothal, we would strongly encourage you to talk with House Reyne," Lyanna told him. "The heir Roger Reyne is only six namedays older and this will stop further disputes between both families from happening. As for, Tommen, do you think there will be any issues finding him a bride?"
"The biggest issue would be his bastardy, but as he has been legitimized and is heir to Casterly Rock, many Westerlands houses won't mind a betrothal contract with him. I know that House Westerling will be more than willing and they have a daughter around his age, Jeyne Westerling." Tywin replied, holding his tongue about mmarrying his blood into that dammed Castamere household. His position and his grandchildren's position was already delicate as it was. They needed the backing of House Targaryen and they've been quite generous as it is. "Will there be any changed with my position as Master of Coins?"
"Neither House Baratheon or House Martell see any fault on House Lannister as a whole," Rhaegar replied. "Why should we see this as more than two individuals rebelling? You shall remain as Master of Coins, unless you need to go back to Casterly Rock for any reason? Oh, and your grandchildren are more than welcome to stay in the Red Keep. I'm sure Lord Stannis will enjoy their company."
"That I will," Stannis smiled warmly, or as warmly as a man like Stannis could smile.
"I think they'll enjoy the change of scenery," Tywin agreed, bowing his head in respect and gratefulness.
"Is there any other issues?" Rhaeger inquired. When no one said anything he sighed. "Then this meeting is adjourned!" With that he stood up and offered a hand to his wife to escort her out of the chambers. "Thank Arrax! I don't think I could have stand another second in that chamber! Why is it always us that have to deal with this shit?!"
"Because we are the King and Queen of Westeros!" Lyanna laughed, feeling just as relieved as her husband.
"It is still totally unfair!" Rhaegar continued to whine, as his wife laughed.