„But your grace, I must ask that you punish this man accordingly. Had it not been for the city guard, he would have robbed me of everything I possess! He attacked me in broad daylight!"The nobleman cried indignantly, as he stood before the throne. He had come to accuse a lowly beggar from the poorest district of the city. Usually this matter would have been resolved easily, since there had been no proof of the apparent crime and this would have never been brought before the court. But the man was a nobleman in the king's employ, one who had lent the Iron Throne the funds for several events the king had hosted in the past, so he could not be dismissed that easily, when he demanded a trial and the king's judgment.

Unfortunately for the man, King Robert was no longer present King's Landing. He had left weeks ago to fight his war and left his son behind to act as king in his stead. And said son looked at the nobleman with barely concealed loathing, much unlike his father, who was actually quite fond of his sycophants.

No, Joffrey Baratheon was not a happy prince at the moment. It had started with his father's dismissal of him, when he had asked to come along. Robert had made it very clear, in front of the entire court, that he was not even considering the idea of bringing his son with him to the battlefield. He had called him too young. Too untried. He had claimed that Joffrey would only bring shame to the Baratheon name, would he fight in his sorry condition. His father had humiliated him, in front of everyone. All that, just because he had not been able to beat his own cousin in a duel... or at least Joffrey was sure that this was the main reason. Or maybe not. He could not really understand his father's motivations.

Then his father had ordered him to mind his throne in his absence. So he could learn how to rule, so he wouldn't be entirely useless. And Joffrey hated every single moment of it. He did not even have the aid of the Hand of the King, as his father had stubbornly insisted that only Ned Stark would be suited to fulfill this role... once the man had gotten over his stubborn refusal to see reason. His mother had insisted to act as his regent, something that he had considered, but ultimately declined as well. She had been acting very strange, ever since she had met her brother at Highgarden.

So he had to face the tiring games at court all on his own and he hated it. He almost dreaded the day he would have to wear the crown for ever. He was not sure that he would be able to keep himself from punishing some of those insufferable nobles for wasting his time.

And this man especially was asking to get hurt. "And what exactly has he done? How did he attack you?"

"You grace, I beg your mercy. I've only stumbled and fallen against his carriage. I didn't mean to offend!" The beggar pleaded. He was scared, that much was for sure. He was alone in a room filled with people who only looked at him in contempt. The beggar had all right to fear for is life. He had no hope for a just treatment.

"He attacked my carriage," the nobleman accused once more. "He..."

"SILENCE!" Joffrey yelled, to cut off the damn man's never ending rant. He could already feel a headache coming. "Are there any witnesses to this so called attack?"

"My servants and guards..."

"Any witnesses who are not getting paid by you?" Joffrey asked again, more insistingly.

The noble man spluttered indignantly, barely able to contain his anger. Joffrey was sure that the man was most annoyed that his words were doubted by a mere boy of two and ten name-days.

"As there are no witnesses and there is no proof of this crime, I shall dismiss this case. The man can go and we will speak no more of this assumed crime." Joffrey proclaimed loudly. He was sure that this was the just decision in this case. He tried to imagine that this was what Ned Stark would have done. At the very least it was what he believed to be the best cause of action in this case.

He really could have used the aid of the northern lord, but much to his own sufferance, Ned Stark was just as stubborn as he was honorable.

"That was very just decision, my prince," Lord Varys, one of his last few remaining advisers said silkily. Joffrey was never sure whether the eunuch was actually mocking him or if the compliment h had been a genuine one. In the end it wouldn't matter either way. He paid the bald eunuch only the minimal amount of attention that would be appropriate, before his attention was once more drawn towards the now enraged nobleman.

"You can't be serious! Your grace!" The man cried out in indignation.

"I can and I have. No begone, I've seen enough of you," Joffrey dismissed the man, feeling nothing but contempt for the annoying noble. The sooner the man was gone, the better. He really did not want him in the capital at all. Dealing with the likes of him always gave him a headache and all this talking made the young prince quite thirsty. He wondered whether this was also a reason for his father's lavish consumption of wine. But he would not drink wine. Joffrey had quickly come to the decision that he would rather not follow his father's example here.

"The king would have never allowed..." The man started, but stopped in shock, when Joffrey jumped up from his throne and threw the goblet, from which he had drunk before. The golden cup hit the ground, only a few feet away from the audacious nobleman. The clattering sound of its impact could be heard in the entire hall, as all other sounds had ceased immediately.

"In my father's absence I am your king!" Joffrey hollered, "And I will not abide such disrespect! Guards, cease this man at once and throw him in the darkest cell you can find. Some time there should cool his temper and caution his tongue."

The guards reacted immediately and dragged the man away. He was kicking and screaming in outrage, as he tried to resist his capture. But he stood no chance against the armed guards of the king.

Joffrey took a deep breath, as he realized what he had just done. Again his temper had ruled him and lead him to making a hasty decision. This decision had not been just. Far from it. He had allowed his anger from being disrespected to mix with his anger at his father. And the result was not what he wanted to be. He needed to talk to Ned Stark. He needed real advice. And by looking at the people in the throne room, no one here would be able to provide it. Most of the people looked at him with a mixture of dread and disgust. He needed to leave the room. Quickly. So he climbed down from the throne and walked towards the nearest exit at a fast pace, his personal guards, Ser Meryn and Ser Arys, always at his heels.

"And that was the justice of Aerys Targaryen," Joffrey heard from Peter Baelish, the Master of Coins for his father. It sounded almost gleeful, but the prince decided against acting on this slight. One mistake was already too much.

He saw his mother following him as well, but he was not in the mood to deal with her. Not right now, when his mind was already troubled enough as it is. "Ser Arys, go and keep my mother away from me. I do not wish for her to bother me." He ordered one of the Kingsguards.

The man complied and quickly went to keep the queen from following her son. At least he could rely on these few men his father had left him behind. Two members of the Kingsguard and less than a thousand men at arms, that was all his father had left behind. Even with the gold cloaks this would be nowhere near enough to protect the city, should it ever come under siege. But at least the men were somewhat loyal.

He continued on his way, until he had reached his intended destination. For a moment he pondered to knock at the door, but the idea vanished as quickly as it had come. He was the ruling king right now, he could go where it pleases him, whenever it pleases him. This was his castle now.

At first he believed that the room was empty, before his eyes found the man, sitting on a chair near the window. Even after months of incarceration in this room, Eddard Stark was still able to look like the proud and dignified lord he was. But the lines on his face had obviously become deeper. From worry, most likely. He was imprisoned, when his family and his people would have to fight in a war. He was doomed to do nothing.

"Your grace, I had not expected your visit," Ned said calmly, as he watched the prince enter. His expression quickly morphed into a frown, when he saw the troubled look on Joffrey's face.

"I... I need your advice," Joffrey said, as he fully entered the room and closed the door behind him with a loud bang. It was plain obvious to the northern lord, that the young prince had done something.

"Something bad has happened, I take it?" Joffrey found it almost amusing. This foreign lord knew him better than his own parents did.

"I snapped... I just got so angry when this man continued to disrespect me in front of the court... I..." Joffrey rambled. His anger returned, as his mind replayed the entire scene that had happened before.

"What exactly has happened?"

"I just had a nobleman arrested, for disrespecting me," Joffrey admitted freely.

He saw Ned sigh deeply. A heavy silence spread in the room, as the prince waited for some kind of answer from the lord. He already expected to be chastised by the man who had raised him for the last few years. It would have been the right thing. But instead, Ned Stark remained silent and watched the prince intently.

"Say something. I have come here to get your advice!" Joffrey demanded angrily. He would be able to live with anything. Anything but silence!

"There is nothing I could tell, that you do not already know," Ned said calmly, "When your father had put your upbringing in my hands, I taught you everything I have taught my own sons. Now it is upon you to use or disregard what you have learned from me."

Joffrey groaned in frustration. This was not what he wanted to hear. But what did he want? Was he here to get punished? Was that what he wanted? A parental figure to scold him, whenever he did something wrong? His father always treated him as if he was a mistake and his mother would never see any wrong in his actions... all she tried was to coddle him and badmouth his northern upbringing. It was tiresome.

"I need you. The realm needs you. You denied my father, but can you deny me? I need you as my Hand of the King!" Joffrey finally said.

"And you know why I cannot do this," Ned replied stoically.

"Honor," Joffrey breathed deprecatingly, "All for honor, right?"

"When we throw away our honor, we are nothing more than mindless killers. Honor is what makes us men and not just animals."

"And you are happy like this? Imprisoned, caged like a dog in the kennels? Does your life mean so little to you?" Joffrey's anger was increasing once more. How could his mentor, the man he had grown to respect, accept this so calmly.

"You think that my life means much to me? That I would trade my honor for freedom? I have expected you to know me better than this, my prince."

"So you will not help me? You abandon me when I need you the most?"

"There is nothing more for me to teach you. All from now is experience you have to gain yourself."

Joffrey couldn't help himself, but lash out in this anger. He took the nearest thing he could get his hands on, a small table with a bowl filled with fruits on it, and threw it across the room. He screamed in frustration. Let it all out, right in front of the man who refused to help him.

"Fine! Abandon me, like all the rest of these cowards. I will succeed without any of you!" The prince yelled. "Give up on everything and rot in this golden cage if that is what you wish. But never forget, you are not just throwing away your chance to help me, but you also abandon your own family. I can only hope that Robb is ready to protect the family you have given up on."

He looked at Ned, waiting for some kind of reaction, but he did not get what he wanted. All he saw was pity, nothing more. Oh how he hated this expression. He would show him. He would show all of them. He would be the greatest of all kings. Aegon, Aerys, even his own father, all would be forgotten. History would only remember one king! Him! He would show them all.