The peal of bells rang through the city, bouncing and reverberating off the hills. Crowds jeered and yelled at the prisoners as they were led up the steps to the platform. Stannis stood at the top with the King and the rest of the Small Council. Beneath them the sea of humanity roiled and churned against the shops surrounding Mason's Square.

Finally the last echoes of the bells died away, leaving only the low buzz of excitement from the masses waiting below. Robert stepped forward to cheers from the people. He was dressed magnificently today in rich silks, as befit a king, though Stannis noticed that the waistline of Robert's doublet looked uncomfortably strained. The King's golden antlered crown was prominently positioned atop his unruly mop of greying black hair.

With a flourish Robert proclaimed the treason of the Queen and her brother to the murmurs sof the waiting commoners. "They have been found guilty and will pay for their crimes!" he declared to their enthusiastic shouts.

With a sidelong glance, Stannis saw that Cersei and Jamie stood next to each other. Jamie held his sister's hand and was whispering something in her ear. Despite over a moon's turn in the Black Cells they still held an air of dignity. The twins looked calm as they faced their end.

Justice will finally be served, Stannis thought as the former Queen was taken from her brother's side and led to the block. She stood proud and tall as she faced her death, just as she had during her trial. She offered no defense for her actions, then or now, only staring at Robert with cold hatred. She was forced to her knees. The colorless eyes of Ilyn Payne, the King's Justice, looked down at her indifferently. The sword swung.

Ser Jaime was next. He limped to the block with the same pride as his sister. He had not been silent during the trial, boldly declaring that had he not been lame, he would have proved their innocence in a trial by combat. What a foolish way of determining guilt, Stannis thought, to leave it up to uncaring gods to decide. It could hardly be counted as true justice. Nonetheless, Jaime's skill at arms would not save him now. He would not be able to block this sword strike.

Boros Blount was led to the block, still crying his loyalty to the King just as he had during the trial. Robert had not believed him then and did not have mercy now. The knight had betrayed both the King and Queen. They had captured him when he tried to bribe a Gold Cloak to get out of the city. Die now, coward, Stannis thought coldly. The Kingsguard would be well rid of cravens such as him. The blade was bloody and the block slippery; the pathetic knight's squirmings only resulted in it taking two blows to take off his head. As it rolled, Stannis thought he saw disgust on Ilyn Payne's normally blank face.

Finally the old Grand Maester was brought forth, stripped of his maester's chain and robe. Stannis and Renly had been unable to prove his knowledge of the Queen's treason, but Varys had presented evidence that he had been complicit in the murder of Jon Arryn if not the direct poisoner. A chained maester using the Citadel's knowledge to take a man's life! The thought of it shocked Stannis, and it had been more than enough for Robert to call for his head. The sword rose and fell. The mob cheered. It was over. Their crimes had been punished; justice was achieved.

Stannis stood atop the ramparts the setting sun to his back. The heads of the traitors faced outward on spikes; already they had begun to fester. Stannis' stomach turned at the smell of death and rot. He took no pleasure in their deaths unlike the masses; the traitors had received their just punishments.

"Ah, Lord Stannis, I was hoping to meet you" a smooth voice came from behind him.

Stannis turned to see Littlefinger striding up the stone steps to join him. The Master of Coin was impeccably dressed as always, not a hair out of place in the pointed beard at the end of his chin.

"Littlefinger," Stannis muttered through clenched teeth, "what brings you here? Don't you have some whorehouse to attend to?"

Littlefinger spread his hands in a gesture of peace. "Why Lord Stannis, it almost seems as if you didn't value my company. I should hope that my wit and charm are well-recieved wherever I go," he said with a silky smile.

Stannis merely grunted. He couldn't stand the cocksure manner of the Valelord, and the man's habit of buying brothels for profit hardly helped Stannis' estimation of him. He was one of the many vipers King's Landing held and was one of the most dangerous for the power he now held controlling the Realm's treasury.

"I came to give you some free advice," Littlefinger went on apparently oblivious to Stannis' attempts to ignore him. "This will mean war. Tyrion Lannister's deal was our ticket out. If only the King had been more relenting or Lord Tyrion more amenable… I tried to persuade all involved, but alas, the King held firm, and now the Lannisters will be out for blood. We have killed two of their own and sent the rest to exile on the Wall. How will Tywin Lannister respond to that?"

"It doesn't matter," Stannis replied. "We will crush Tywin Lannister if he tries to rise. We have five times his strength. All the gold in the world is useless against cold sharp steel."

"Is it indeed? And what if he demands repayment of our loans? The Iron Bank may also demand its coin and other Essosi banks as well. I may have a good head for numbers, but even I cannot wave away millions of golden dragons. How well will your army fight if there is no coin to pay for it?

"And that's not to mention the cost in lives that will come from war," Littlefinger continued, "Even if you destroy the West's armies, how many will die for it? And, at the risk of sounding too much like the Starks, winter is coming and there will be fewer hands for a last harvest. How many will starve for the sake of this folly?"

"It isn't folly, it was justice. The laws must be followed and those that break them demand punishment. If war comes from that so be it."

"Well," Littlefinger said with a smile, "you can keep your justice, Lord Stannis. I prefer to have my brothels and riches."