*I can see, how currently, things may work out too easy for House Stark. Bare with me. I too am a lover of a strong House Stark, but I can also NOT stand fanfics that make them outrageously powerful. Hard times shall befall both sides of the growing rift.


299 AC

Jon Arryn

Over the couple of months, he had begun to heal. His muscles were still weak, and he required a cane at the moment. He was unable to walk for more than a dozen or two paces, but he was getting better. When he had first awoke, he could not walk at all, his legs still failing him. It was hard some days, but not today. For today, his son would arrive in the city. Ned Stark's party had been seen marching down the Kingsroad. He had made it to the city safe and was being escorted in now.

How Ned had managed to ensure that a majority of the Lannister guards were sent back to the West was beyond him, but that didn't matter now. For the time, he had been serving as acting Hand of the King. Now, he would be able to rest. Still, when the orders from King Robert came, the Queen had been irate.

With much assistance, and a great amount of time, he was able to make way to the Small Council chambers. He would ensure that he received Ned with the rest of the council.

To his right stood the unofficial lieutenant of the Lord Hand and the Small Council since the days of Aenys I, the Master of Laws. Unfortunately, this honor was granted to Renly Baratheon. He did not hate Renly, but the younger brother of the king was as useful as his legs at the moment. Next to him was his gruff brother, Stannis, the Master of Ships. He had nothing against Stannis, in fact, he was his most preferred councilman. His dour and humorless character was off-putting to some, but it was what he needed in the den of snakes.

After Stannis stood Petyr Baelish. At one point, he had considered his vassal one of his close allies in this place, but his brush with death opened his eyes. The Valeman had caused him no offense, but he kept his eyes of the small lord. After Baelish stood the ever-serene Lord Varys. That small smile plastered on his face per usual.

Lastly was Grand Maester Pycelle. Bumbling around, seemingly a day away from falling ill. Too bad the old crone hadn't already kicked the bucket. But finally the waiting ended when he heard the chambers open.

Eddard Stark looked as he always had. The grim, cold, and unfeeling Northman. But he smiled when he saw him.

"Jon!" Ned embraced him in a fierce bear hug, quite out of nature for the normally stoic Quiet Wolf.

"How have you been? Healing properly I hope?"

"Oh don't worry about me Ned. I may be old, but I have a few more days 'fore me."

"Good. I am gladdened to hear of it."

Next to Ned stood two people. He faintly recognized them. It was the oddest thing, it was almost at the edge of his cloudy memory, but he couldn't place it.

"Jon, these are my two most trusted men. This is Ser Jory Cassel, captain of my household guard during my duration here. And this-" He put his hand on the shoulder of an aged man, grey whiskers on his cheeks. "-is Ser Rodrik Cassel, his nephew, and the master-at-arms of Winterfell." That was it! He recognized them from the Rebellion.

"Dare I say, it surprises me that you bring both your captain and your master-at-arms."

Ned's mood soured. "Yes, well…it was fortunate he sailed after me. News needed to be shared. I cannot think of what would have happened had he not reached me before hand."

He gave a confused look, but Ned just motioned it off. He whisper 'later' to him. He was very curious as to what it was. But for now, Ned moved down the line, introducing himself to the council. Then Ned's mood shifted when he stood before Baelish.

"Baelish." Ned had said before he had a chance to introduce himself. He went so far as to forcibly grab the Master of Coin's hand, and brough him in roughly to a manly shake. Ned still did not let go, and the grip apparently increased if the slight scowl on Baelish's face said anything.

Without saying another word, Ned forcibly pushed his hand away again, almost making the man stumble back. Ned quickly gave his name to Pycelle. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ser Rodrik eyeing his own vassal. They know something.

There was an awkward silence before he finally sat down from exhaustion and held out his closed hand.

"Ned. I am old and tired. I must rest. But before you go, the King bid me to give this to you…I must admit I am annoyed that he decided to go for a hunt instead of receiving you."

As Ned approached, he opened his hand. In his palm, lay a golden circle, with a hist holding onto it, with the pointer finger extended outward. It was the symbol of office.

"Eddard Stark." He only ever used Ned's full name rarely. "Allow me to be the first to officially name and congratulate you at your new appointment as Hand of the King."

There was a small round of applause, mostly from himself and Renly.

"My lords, thank you for the kind work. But let us get down to business now."

And Jon smiled. Because these lords had never seen Ned Stark before. He was sure most assumed he would rest first or enjoy a feast. But no, Ned Stark, still in his riding leathers, took his place at the council table.

He was amused of course. He would leave soon, he needed to lay down again, but he wanted to watch this first.

The council was standing in shock before finally Stannis Baratheon moved to take his seat. Once seated, he looked mildly impressed. Renly and Varys were quick to follow before being closed behind by Pycelle. Baelish was the last standing before taking his seat.

He just chuckled and turn to walk back to his chambers.


He lay in his bed. Reading the tome that he had been reading before he had fallen ill. It had been a moment of great joy to see Ned once more, but he had his own investigation to see to. He just finished re-reading the chapter on the Baratheon family when he heard a knock at his door.

"The Lord Hand to see you, my lord." One of his household guard announced.

The door opened and Ned walked in, still in his leathers and furs.

"Gods be good man, have you even rested yet?"

"There is still work to be done."

"Ah." He waved a hand at him. "Had only Robert held to that principal."

"What is that you're reading?"

"Oh, just some interest, thinking about old friends no longer with us." Ned gave him a sympathetic smile. If only you knew. He would let him know at some point, but Ned had enough trouble at the moment.

"What can I help you with my son?"

Ned broke his stoic demeaner and looked around paranoid.

"Worry not, the Spider may have eyes and ears, but He cannot see what is written down."

Nodding, Ned silently took a scroll from his cloak, and set it before him. "This arrived with Ser Rodrik, he had made landfall in King's Landing last night, and made sure to catch me before I arrived at the Red Keep."

Taking the letter, Jon opened the broken seal and gazed at it.

Oh.

"Oh."

Taking some parchment out, he wrote out a response.

Is this true?

Looking at it, Ned took the quill from him.

Aye. Arrived today from Ser Rodrik. He arrived last night in King's Landing and approached me before I got to the Red Keep.

I am sorry Ned.

Is there any possibility, however small, that Baelish is capable of doing this? Don't lie to me Jon, you know your bannermen like I know mine.

He sat back and thought. Baelish had never caused offense. He had been nothing but a capable servant. But…he was slimy, he was sure of it. How far would he go? He had no idea, but he could see it.

He has done nothing to cause confusion, but I can see the possibility.

Ned read it and about shouted before Jon quickly put his finger up to his own lips. The walls have ears. He hoped Ned understood. Apparently he had, as Ned quickly closed his mouth.

Advise?

You are the Hand. Remove him if you want.

And replace him with whom?

That stopped Jon. He grabbed his chin in thought. Than a thought came to him. Brilliant! He quickly grabbed the filled parchment, and threw it in the blazing fire. He watched until it burnt to a crisp before he took another parchment and started anew. Ned watching curiously the entire time.

Tyrion Lannister!

Ned looked confused.

With the Lannister guard sent back, Tywin will need concessions. Appoint his son as the new Master of Coin.

The Queen?

The two hate each other.

Ned nodded. Jon once more took the parchment and threw it into the fire. The new Lord Hand looked at him gratefully.

"Thank you for the advice. It has been too long."

"Aye, it has. One more thing Ned."

"Aye?"

"When you have finished business with…this matter." He quickly stopped himself, never knew whose ears were listening. "Come find me, it will be good to reminisce about old friends."

Should someone be listening, it would sound like a foster father wanting to spend time with his son. But they wouldn't have noticed the small movements of Jon Arryn's eyes, looking over to the large book that he had been reading.

Jon sighed. Evidently Ned didn't know what he was talking about. But perhaps that was for the best.


Eddard Stark

It wasn't until the morning after his arrival that he saw Robert. He had been summoned by his old friend to break his fast with him privately.

"Ned! Finally, your frozen ass finally made it!"

"I arrived yesterday Robert."

"Oh; yesterday, today, tomorrow, it doesn't matter! We need to celebrate! We'll hold a tourney for your appointment!"

Perhaps most man would have simply acquiesced to him. After all, Robert was king, and his word was law. But Eddard was not most men. "No Robert. A tourney now would be far too outrageous an expenditure."

"Oh is that so? Is that any way to talk to your king?!"

"Robert, you asked me here because you and I are brothers. You asked me here because you told me that you trusted me, you asked me here because you wanted me to run your kingdoms for you, yes?"

Robert crossed his arms and let out a sigh. "I may remember a few of those words."

"Then let me! Let me run it!" He raised his voice, but it was more of a tone of begging than of yelling. "I cannot rule for you if you leave me no coin to actually do it."

Robert still sat, arms crossed, before he finally dropped them down to his sides. "Ah, you've the right of it old friend. I'm a terrible king."

He didn't have the heart to fight it, so he did the next best thing. "Then take this time to be better. Let the maesters write of Robert the Just, the Great, not of Robert the Fat, or the Lusty."

Robert gave him a hard look but relented. He did offer a smirk. "Robert the Lusty does have a certain ring to it, aye?"

The two old friends chuckled before silence overtook the chamber.

"Robert…one of the reasons for your realm being so terribly run, is at fault for the Small Council. Let me change the make-up, give me your leave."

"In what way?"

Eddard had to be careful about this, he wanted to replace Renly, amongst other. He would have to offer a different reason then incompetence, however. "First and foremost, I would remove Renly as Master of Laws."

"Renly!?"

"Aye, he is barely in the Stormlands. Lord Renly is young; he must build the loyalties of his bannermen. Allow him to go back to Storm's End." Now, the time to sell it. "Additionally…perhaps the king's youngest brother would enjoy the company of the king? Back at home, hunting at their ancestral seat?"

He saw Robert's eyes widen and he knew he had him. "Ha! I'll show him how to hunt as a true man! Oh do with the Small Council what you will, consider all appointments have my approval! And organize a party for Renly and me, we'll leave in the coming fortnight."

"Of course, Your Grace." It saddened him to have to use underhanded tactics to manipulate his dear friend, but it was necessary. Besides…perhaps some time away from this rat's nest of a city would do his old friend good.

As he walked out of the king's chambers, he made way for the Tower of the Hand. He had a few minutes before the Small Council meeting, and he wanted to finish up one last thing. Arriving at the main chamber, he summoned Ser Rodrik and Sansa to him.

"Sansa, Ser Rodrik, sit. Sansa, I have been discussing the betrothal to you and young Edric. He is willing to bring the Dayne back to Starfall and assist him from there. You will leave in the coming days." At this he turned to the old knight. "As for you Ser Rodrik, I must make a special request of you."

"Of course my lord, what do you require?"

"Unfortunately, I am unable to escort my daughter all the way to Dorne. I ask that you serve as Sansa's escort until you reach Starfall, at which point, you may return to Winterfell immediately."

"It is my honor; I shall ensure she reaches the castle safely."

"You have my thanks, old friend." He finished up the pleasantries with his daughter and sworn knight before once again leaving the tower and approaching the Small Council chambers. Entering, he saw himself as the last person to arrive.

"My lords, apologies, I was speaking with my household and forgot the time."

"No worries Lord Hand." The old maester croaked out.

"My lords, I must admit to you now, that I have no need to discuss the realm at the moment. We are here to discuss this council itself." He turned to the youngest Baratheon. "Renly. You are hereby dismissed from the Small Council. You are ordered to return to your castle of Storm's End."

"Lord Stark, what is the meaning of this? This is highly irregular-"

"Additionally, you are to escort your brother the king to Storm's End, where he wished to assist you in the ways to ruling and Manship." Eddard interrupted him without any pause.

Renly looked to argue, but hearing that this was approved by the king, made him silent. Eddard looked at him quietly until Renly got the message and stood and left the chambers.

"Lord Stannis."

The middle Baratheon brother gazed at him, revealing nothing from his calm demeaner. "My Lord Hand?"

"The realm needs a new Master of Laws. I can see no one better than you to fulfill this office. Stannis Baratheon; I hereby dismiss you as the Master of Ships and appointed you as the Master of Laws."

Stannis's face made it seem he was expecting the same treatment that Renly received. But now, he stood and took Renly's old chair.

"The first order of business. Does anyone have any suggestions on who to replace Lord Stannis as Master of Ships?"

Stannis himself spoke first. "I have a man in my employ named Ser Davos Seaworth. His abilities on the water are second to none."

Pycelle decided to join the conversation. "I have heard of this man; he was a smuggler. Lord hand, I suggest a Lord of good station. Perhaps a Farman of Faircastle?"

Before he could respond, Stannis spoke first. "Oh, you advise another Westerman? How shocking."

"Perhaps a Mallister or a Grafton my Lord Hand?" Petyr Baelish advised, though not as vocally as he would usually. Perhaps he noticed the hostility of the new Hand and elected to be more subservient.

"Then perhaps a Redwyne?"

"My lords, my lords. These are all good suggestions. I myself would like to see a Manderly as a candidate. I shall be blunt however; I shall not have a Grafton on this council." He turned to Stannis. "And though I have heard of his Onion Knight, I am afraid that the lords would be unacceptable of a former smuggler as a member."

"Regardless of his skill? He is a landed knight as well" Stannis tested.

"…At the present, aye, regardless of skill. Perhaps he can be entrusted with other duties, and prove himself to me, than be made the new Master of Ships."

Stannis looked to disagree, probably on the grounds that other lords need not prove themselves. But he realized he would not win this time.

"So we have Lord Redwyne, Lord Mallister, Ser Wendel Manderly, and Lord Sebaston Farman."

"The Queen is enough representation of House Lannister, we need not more." Stannis said, scowling and annoyed.

"Though I am fond to agree, he is still skilled, he has had to resist the Ironborn for decades."

"Aye, so has Lord Redwyne and Lord Mallister."

"My lords, I will shorten the list to Lord Redwyne, Lord Mallister, and Ser Wendel Manderly. That is all for today."


Stannis Baratheon

With that, the new Hand of the King abruptly stood and left the chambers. So far, Stannis was impressed with him. He was cold, distant, loyal to his brother, and held an immense dislike of the Lannisters. He had heard from Jon Arryn that it was Eddard Stark who was to be thanked for emptying the city of Lannister red.

He only hoped that the new Lord Hand was able enough to hold onto this grasp of power that he now held. He had been angry at the rejection of Ser Davos Seaworth. He was a landed knight, why does he need to prove himself? He had hoped that Lord Stark was a man of honor as his elder brother oft spouted. It seemed that he was just another boring man. But he had a duty to follow the Hand's decision.

But his first order of business was to establish himself as the new Master of Laws. His first goal? To wrest control of most of the administration of the capital from the slimy hands of Petyr Baelish. For some incredibly stupid reason, Jaehaerys I Targaryen thought it best to put the City Watch under the authority of the Master of Coin. Why this was done is open to interpretation.

On one hand, during that time, the Royal Treasury still had many more officers to it, including a massive mint within the city itself. Besides keeping order, part of their orders were to handle the security of the royal coffers. But much of the treasury office had been dismantled over the years. Now, it was time to change that oversight.

As for Renly, he was his brother. He had ensured he had been fed and taken care of during the Siege of Storm's End. And what had he done with this chance at life? Thrown it away for fine silks and sycophants. He thought him to be the mirror of Robert…at least Robert knows how to fight at the very least. He would protect his younger brother as he would his own, but he privately supported his dismissal from the council. Perhaps he did not agree with Ned Stark's methods, but at least he was trying.

Just before Lord Stark left the chambers, he called out to him. "My Lord Hand?"

Stark turned in response and raised his brow. "Lord Stannis?"

"My lord, I must speak with members of my household, but may I request a meeting with you within the hour…privately?"

"Of course my lord. I shall inform my guards to keep watch for you." With a nod, Lord Stark left the chambers.

In reality, he didn't need a full hour, he just needed to make arrangements to support his maneuvering. He had no doubt that Lord Stark would approve of his request. As such, he would need to move quickly to secure the city watch from the corruption that had befallen it. Leaving through the main entrance, he found Ser Davos standing outside, waiting for him. He bowed once he saw him and stepped in line behind him as he continued to march.

"Ser Davos. I require your services."

"What do you need of me, my lord?"

"You are to set sail to Dragonstone immediately. The island is home to three hundred and fifty men-at-arms as well as forty knights." They stopped once he reached his solar. Sitting behind it, he began writing a letter before sealing it with his personal sigil. "This is a letter for you to present to any who demand proof. I hereby call upon two hundred of the men and half the knights to join me here. Strengthen you spine Davos; I too have sycophants amongst my halls. If my wife's family seeks to obstruct you…deal with them in any way you see fit. Should they put up more resistance, simply call upon the entire garrison to join you. Leave the barren rock to that blasted family. Am I understood?"

Davos seemed to be taken aback by the quick instructions but nodded in understanding. "Aye my lord, I shall see it done. What men do you believe may assist me?"

"Jate Blackberry would be trusted, but I don't wish for him to leave. He can keep an eye out in my stead. Have Ser Hubard Rambton and his three sons accompany you."

"Any others?"

"Aye, have your two eldest join you as well."

"I'll see it done."

"Good, go. Fly quick and fly true. I expect your return within the sennight."

Ser Davos bowed and left. One more thing left to do. Standing, he made his way to the Tower of the Hand. He let out a sigh he didn't know he was keeping. It truly was an easier place to reside without the stink of lions all over it. Reaching the tower, he made the long journey upward. Stopping at one of the small wayrooms along the route, a man stood in his way.

His was a lithe but muscled man. He possessed unbraided and untied, shoulder-length hair. It seemed to be a dark brown. The man rested his hand on his sword's pommel. His gambeson bore arms of ten white wolves' heads. "May I help you my lord?" The man asked him.

"Yes. I am Lord Stannis, the Master of Laws. I had a meeting with Lord Stark scheduled."

"Of course, my lord is expecting you. I am Ser Jory Cassel, allow me to escort you."

As the knight led him the rest of the way, he learned that despite his younger appearance, he had served during the Rebellion and had led the Stark household guard for many years. But enough of that. They had reached the Hand's solar. Ser Jory knocked on the door before a voice answered.

"Lord Stannis Baratheon to see you my lord."

"Enter!" A voice called from within. Ser Jory opened the door and offered him entrance. Once he entered, the door closed behind him. Before him, Lord Stark sat behind his own desk, reading some report or another.

"Lord Stannis, what can I do for you?"

"I'll be blunt my lord. I wish your leave to have the City Watch transferred to under my authority."

Lord Stark didn't immediately answer but he noticed a glint of…respect? In the man's eyes. "At least some here can ask for what they wish without turning into a snake. As to answer you…from my understanding, the city watch had traditionally been under the Master of Coin's prerogatives."

"Yes, and I am sure you have seen how effectual he is doing his job." Others would have called it a sarcastic response, but to him it was the simple truth.

"Should I agree to this…what would be your next steps?"

"I must be honest and inform you that I have sent Ser Davos back to Dragonstone to ferry much of my household guard back to city. Much of them will be used to supplant the currant watch until more trustworthy members can be found. I agree with you assessment that this capital has turned into a den of lions."

"And then?" Lord Stark hadn't changed his expression.

"I would remove Janos Slynt as Lord Commander. Frankly, it is insulting that he has been allowed to be in command for this long. With your assistance, I would continue a campaign of ridding the Watch of it corruption."

Eddard Stark leaned back into his chair, staring into his eyes the entire time. This was the first time for both of the men. For much of their lives; they were the dutiful, honorable, quiet members of their families. They were the dependable one's, always seemingly difficult to impress. But they soon found a respect in each other.

Slowly, Lord Stark leaned forward.

"Very well." Stannis perked up at that. "I give you my leave. Issue the declaration immediately."


*I have found that writing for Stannis Baratheon is one of the most difficult POV characters. If any of you have written from his pov, please let me know and give any advise you can!