The show of power

Jon POV

It felt like I was in this position for more than ten years, and I felt like I was growing older that fast. Sometimes, it is hard to reflect on my life because I don't know how far I should look. In the past year, so many things happened that I have only started catching up to it. Before I became the king, I didn't do anything and was nobody. Just faint memories were left of my life before I became someone else.

Jaehaerys Targaryen, the third of his name. It still sounded foreign as the first time I heard my true name. Jon Snow had disappeared after that name emerged. How long until Jon Snow is forgotten? Probably, once I die, since I am the only one that remembers that name. It was still weird. I felt like an imposter sitting on the Iron Throne, donning a false name that didn't belong to me.

"This was the last petitioner, your Grace," Lord Mallister said as people started to leave the throne room.

"What next in my schedule?" My bones had gone stiff for sitting on the throne for hours.

"The Queen has planned to visit the city," Lord Mallister reminded me. "Should I inform her that you cannot join her?"

"No, I will join her," I replied as I left the Throne room.

It was only afternoon, and I was already tired. But I had a duty to fulfill. A visit to the city was something I needed to do periodically. The people needed to be familiar with my face and name. I had to be recognized. Lady Arianne had hammered it into my head long ago that my ascension to the Iron Throne differed from anyone else. So, I had to prove myself and make an effort for people to get familiar with me.

At least familiar with the idea of me. It wasn't difficult to spread rumors about me. The faith has done just that, and even now, many believe that I was nothing but a wildling from the North with no different set of morals and beliefs. Ghost staying by my side didn't help with these rumors, but with time, people started liking the silent giant white wolf protecting me.

Even toys started to spread among the children of Ghost. It was a rare beast that hadn't been seen south of the Wall for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Once people started to get over their fear of the direwolves, they got curious about them. As every member of the Stark family had one by their side, the rumor that they sign of our significance as the gods deemed right to grant us protective beast.

It didn't hurt that Ghost was tame and didn't let out a sound. I don't think children would dare to come to pet Grey Wind. I have heard Robb's direwolf snarl. It scared horses. Children would run away crying at that sound. But Ghost was silent, and as long as he was in my sight, he would not harm anyone who didn't wish to harm me.

"I have been waiting for you," I barely entered my chamber to change for lunch before Margaery ambushed me. "As always, you're late. Quickly put up your robes; the Kingsguard are waiting for us."

"Where is the rush?" I managed to ask as Margaery removed my clothes and started arranging my robes.

"Nowhere," Margaerys stopped as she took my shirt and touched my bare chest. "I suppose we still have some time to spare."

I could only smile slyly as Margaery started to push me to the bed. Suddenly, she didn't seem in a rush as I lay in the bed and watched her take off her dress. Of course, all good things end quickly, and before we could even start enjoying ourselves, a servant started knocking on the doors to our chambers. At first, we ignored it, but the knocking didn't stop.

"I swear," Margaery pouted as she got dressed. "What the point of Ghost if he can't scare people away?"

"I will have a word with him," I chuckled, getting up and opening the doors to let Ghost enter and revealing a servant. "What is it?"

"Your grace!" The servant girl exclaimed and blushed, seeing that I was half naked. It was amusing at first to get such a reaction from girls, as when I was still a bastard, girls would call me indecent and crude in these kinds of situations. Now, in Margaery's words, it was endearing. "Lord Mace is looking for Queen Margaery and you."

"Inform him that we are on the way," Margaery replied, anger clear in her tone, and the servant girl quickly left. "I swear, there is less and less time for us to spend alone."

She wasn't wrong. If I wasn't busy, then Margaery was. It was lucky if we found a few hours to spend time together in a week. I could tell that Margaery was frustrated that she still wasn't pregnant. And the gossip around the Red Keep only made it worse. And I felt pressure, too. We needed an heir. People around us liked to remind me almost every waking hour.

…

The Red Keep can feel a bit stuffed at times. But riding through the streets did feel better. And even though we were surrounded by the Kingsguard and other soldiers and servants that came with us, it still felt freer than sitting on the Iron Throne. Our visits to the most misfortune parts of the city, where houses were still in progress of being built, were a regular thing now.

At least twice a month, we would ride through the city, offering food and medicine to those who need it. It was Margaery's idea to show direct support to my people. It was to portray me as a kind and compassionate king. Until recently, I was unknown to most people, and it was an advantageous and disadvantageous position I was put on.

People didn't know me, so I had a chance to be someone people would readily accept. But I had to show myself more often than anyone else, otherwise, they would start making assumptions about what kind of man I am. The faith wouldn't help to brighten my image. I was from the North, and all the faith needed to know to contemn me to be a faithless bastard.

It took a lot of effort to make the faith back off. We had to crack down on all of the septons and septas. Making their words untrustful. Then, for those who were left, we had to appease them so they would be on our side. Most of the work was done by Lady Arianne, and she has done well to control the faith to our advantage.

The day went on as we visited one place after another, providing people with the supplies they needed the most. To me, it felt like we were showing off our power. We were manipulating people by offering them the things they should have had to begin with. But it was politics, and I was shown that I had no say in some matters.

"Smile, dear," Margaery riding next to me said. "Your brooding is counterproductive."

As we continued through the city, I tried to heed Margaery's advice and forced a smile. The people cheered, especially the children, who quickly recognized Ghost, the silent protector by my side. Margaery gracefully interacted with the people, listening to their concerns and offered words of comfort. At the same time, I preferred to interact with children.

The smiles on children's faces as they petted Ghost and received sweets were genuine. Not polite or fearful most people had. And not the fake smiles everyone wore in the Red Keep. It was refreshing. And it gave me a reason to continue with my duties. Otherwise, by this time, I would probably have run away. It was one thing to fight for these children and another thing to do the same for greedy merchants, power-hungry septons, and glutinous lords.

"Your grace, it is time to leave," Ser Rolland informed me as we both turned to the setting sun.

I nodded and quickly wrapped things at my end. It was too dangerous to be out at night. No matter how well-protected we were, it was better not to give a chance for someone to harm us. There was no Flea bottom anymore, and the streets were always secure with guards on patrol. But even then, the road back to the Red Keep wasn't short, and who knows who would want to harm us?

…

Back at the Red Keep, Lord Mallister was awaiting me. He probably wanted to discuss something with me, but Grandmaester took me before Lord Mallister could say anything. Maester Marwyn was eccentric and didn't have much politeness for me or anyone else. If he wanted to show me something, he would take me away, and it didn't matter if I was in a meeting or sleeping.

"What is it, Marwyn?" I asked with a tired sigh. I was too tired and hungry to deal with him.

"A letter came from the Citadel," Marwyn said, providing me with the said letter.

"Was it Sam?" I asked before taking the letter.

I have sent Sam and Serella to the Citadel to find more information about the Others and supernatural things, as the maesters here didn't seem to want to respond to my commands. It was frustrating to deal with them, as I couldn't do much against the Citadel; their order was too old, and their influence was far-reaching. I could only swallow my pride and repeatedly ask them to provide us with their support.

Ultimately, I had no choice but to send Sam and Serella there. Serella was familiar with the Citadel, and Sam was heir to the House Tarly. And with my explicit order, the Citadel had no choice but to accept them. Still, I got nothing so far from them, but I had expected it to take time to find more information that not long before was considered nothing but legends.

"Yes," Marwyn replied as I started reading the letter.

"You think it is true what Sam is saying?"

"That they are hiding information about magic and similar things?" Marwyn asked back, and I nodded. "Not particularly. They don't want to acknowledge that magic exists. It is easier for them that way. Pretend like something doesn't exist until it is forgotten."

"I will consult with Lady Arianne and see what can be done," I sighed once again as I returned the letter to Marwyn.

I was too tired of all this, but I had to do my duty. Taking a last glance at Marwyn inspecting the head of a wight made me more determined. How many months have passed since the head arrived to us? Yet, its bright blue eyes still moved. I needed to find out how it all worked and what could be done to stop them. If it comes to it, I was willing to take over the Citadel and every book they had.

"Oh," Marwyn stopped me as I was about to leave. "A letter from Riverrun just arrived. Bring it to Lady Arianne after you are done with it."

It was a letter from Lord Edmure. A message that he has arrived at Riverrun safe and sound. I wouldn't have read it, if it wasn't addressed to me too. Lord Edmure faced some trouble with the refugees settling in the Riverlands and asked permission to set up a separate military force for security. And he wanted me to nominate someone I knew as the commander of the new military force.

I was too tired to think about it. Lady Arianne can nominate anyone she wants as long that someone wouldn't be biased towards anyone in the Riverlands as Lord Edmure asked. I wasn't against the idea, but as Lord Edmure, I saw the same problem. Anyone who took command of it would receive too much power, and that power could turn against either of them at any moment.