JOANNA
The royal steward led Lord Stark in. "All hail His Grace, Joffrey of the Houses Baratheon and Lannister, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm," he sang out.
Joanna was both happy and saddened by her father's death. Whilst it meant that Joff was King and didn't have to marry her off it also meant that her father was dead. She may not have been close to Robert Baratheon she still spent the day crying. Half of everything she was had died, and it was then that she had realised that she had always prided herself on her Lannister heritage so much that she had all but ignored the Baratheon side of her. Just because she didn't look like her father didn't mean that that side of her didn't exist, she was as much Baratheon as Lannister and it was then that she understood the King whenever she looked at her sadly.
It was a long walk to the far end of the hall, where Joffrey waited atop the Iron Throne. Supported by Littlefinger, Ned Stark slowly limped and hopped towards her twin. The others followed.
Five knights of the Kingsguard—all but Ser Jaime and Ser Barristan—were arrayed in a crescent around the base of the throne. They were in full armor, enameled steel from helm to heel, long pale cloaks over their shoulders, shining white shields strapped to their left arms. Cersei Lannister and her two younger children stood behind Ser Boros and Ser Meryn. Her mother wore a gown of sea-green silk, trimmed with Myrish lace as pale as foam. On her finger was a golden ring with an emerald the size of a pigeon's egg, on her head a matching tiara. Joanna on the otherhand was right by Joffrey's side, her hand on the arm of Throne, holding her brothers hand.
Prince Joffrey sat amidst the barbs and spikes in a cloth-of-gold doublet and a red satin cape. Sandor Clegane was stationed at the foot of the throne's steep narrow stair. He wore mail and soot-grey plate and his snarling dog's-head helm.
Behind the throne, twenty Lannister guardsmen waited with longswords hanging from their belts. Crimson cloaks draped their shoulders and steel lions crested their helms. But Littlefinger had kept his promise; all along the walls, in front of Robert's tapestries with their scenes of hunt and battle, the gold-cloaked ranks of the City Watch stood stiffly to attention, each man's hand clasped around the haft of an eight-foot-long spear tipped in black iron. They outnumbered the Lannisters five to one.
Ned's leg was a blaze of pain by the time he stopped. He kept a hand on Littlefinger's shoulder to help support his weight.
Joffrey stood. His red satin cape was patterned in gold thread; fifty roaring lions to one side, fifty prancing stags to the other. "I command the council to make all the necessary arrangements for my coronation," the boy proclaimed. "I wish to be crowned within the fortnight. Today I shall accept oaths of fealty from my loyal councillors."
Joanna smiled at her brother's confidence, the crown would lose power within the year with a weak ruler and Joffrey was many things but weak was not one of them.
Ned produced a letter letter. "Lord Varys, be so kind as to show this to my lady of Lannister."
The eunuch carried the letter to Cersei. The queen glanced at the words. "Protector of the Realm," she read. "Is this meant to be your shield, my lord? A piece of paper?" She ripped the letter in half, ripped the halves in quarters, and let the pieces flutter to the floor. Her actions surprised Joanna as she knew that her mother did not grieve her husband she thought she would at least respect his wishes.
"Those were the king's words," Ser Barristan said, shocked.
"We have a new king now," Cersei Lannister replied. "Lord Eddard, when last we spoke, you gave me some counsel. Allow me to return the courtesy. Bend the knee, my lord. Bend the knee and swear fealty to my son, and we shall allow you to step down as Hand and live out your days in the grey waste you call home."
Joanna knew that Lord Stark would not serve Joffrey easily she would never have anticipated his following words.
"Would that I could," Ned said grimly. If she was so determined to force the issue here and now, she left him no choice. "Your son has no claim to the throne he sits. Lord Stannis is Robert's true heir."
"What?" Joanna stammered, confused. She genuinely had no idea what Eddard Stark was talking about. Joffrey was Roberts son and therefore first in line of succession. Just because Lord Stark didn't have much love for her twin didn't mean that he got to choose who ruled.
"Liar!" Joffrey screamed, his face reddening.
"Mother, what does he mean?" Princess Myrcella asked the queen plaintively. "Isn't Joff the king now?"
"You condemn yourself with your own mouth, Lord Stark," said Cersei Lannister. "Ser Barristan, seize this traitor."
Joanna was suddenly seized with panic. If he was imprisoned and was looking for reasons to get Joffrey off the throne then he could easily reveal their relationship and whilst it wouldn't be reason for him not to be King it would certainly make matters harder.
The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard hesitated. In the blink of an eye he was surrounded by Stark guardsmen, bare steel in their mailed fists.
"And now the treason moves from words to deeds," Cersei said. "Do you think Ser Barristan stands alone, my lord?" With an ominous rasp of metal on metal, the Hound drew his longsword. The knights of the Kingsguard and twenty Lannister guardsmen in crimson cloaks moved to support him.
"Kill him!" the boy king screamed down from the Iron Throne. "Kill all of them, I command it!"
This was slightly extreme, Joanna knew, but Joff was not just her twin, he was also the King, and that meant supporting his actions. So Joanna couldn't do anything but watch.
"You leave me no choice," Ned told Cersei Lannister. He called out to Janos Slynt. "Commander, take the queen and her children into custody. Do them no harm, but escort them back to the royal apartments and keep them there, under guard."
"Men of the Watch!" Janos Slynt shouted, donning his helm. A hundred gold cloaks leveled their spears and closed.
"I want no bloodshed," Ned told the queen. "Tell your men to lay down their swords, and no one need—"
With a single sharp thrust, the nearest gold cloak drove his spear into Tomard's back. Fat Tom's blade dropped from nerveless fingers as the wet red point burst out through his ribs, piercing leather and mail. He was dead before his sword hit the floor.
Myrcella shouted and Joanna grabbed her and Tommen and hugged them, hiding their faces from the blood.
Ned's shout came far too late. Janos Slynt himself slashed open Varly's throat. Cayn whirled, steel flashing, drove back the nearest spearman with a flurry of blows; for an instant it looked as though he might cut his way free. Then the Hound was on him. Sandor Clegane's first cut took off Cayn's sword hand at the wrist; his second drove him to his knees and opened him from shoulder to breastbone.
As his men died around him, Littlefinger slid Ned's dagger from its sheath and shoved it up under his chin. His smile was apologetic. "I did warn you not to trust me, you know."
She felt like crying but held it in. It would do nothing except scare Cella and Tommen. Joanna knew that Lord Stark had little love for her family but she didn't expect him to be a traitor. But at the same time she was confident in her family. She knew that what he was saying was a lie and that Joffrey was the true King and anyone who claimed otherwise was a traitor. Despite this she worried about what Stark would say.
It was then that Joanna made a promise to herself: that she would do anything to protect her family, Joffrey, mother, Myrcella, Tommen and Uncle Jaime and the rest. Anyone that wasn't blood couldn't be trusted.