If there's any cross readers here who also read my Mass Effect story, I'm not ignoring that one I promise. I should be posting a new chapter for it within the week.

Ned IV

If there was a time in his life where he had been busier than his first few weeks in King's Landing, then Ned could not recall it. His first order of business had been limiting the royal family's budget, much to the dismay of Cersei and Renly, who found he no longer had access to it for all the clothes he purchased. That had been why he needed Robert at the very next council meeting, to make sure it was heard coming from the King himself, because while he thought Renly would likely respect Ned's authority, he knew Cersei would not. She had argued with Robert, but he had put his foot down and for that Ned was grateful.

With the help of Vayon Poole, he poured over the various books provided by Baelish that went over the Seven Kingdom's financial information. The records went back a few years and he was able to see everything the realm spent even a halfpenny on. Baelish was meticulous in his record keeping, and nothing seemed out of place to Ned or Vayon. The one thing it showed was that even without all the tourneys and feast held, it would take a century to pay back all the debts owed. Robert's great great grandchildren would still be paying off the debt.

To help speed up the repayment process Ned had increased the tax on all imports from Essos by two percent. For singular purchases, it didn't amount to much but for those who bought in bulk it could add up. He also increased the tax on the sale of alcohol by an extra silver stag per barrel of wine or ale sold. He knew such increases would not make him a popular man amongst the common folk but there was an overwhelming debt he needed to start paying off. He told Baelish that at least half of the money from these new taxes, which would amount to thousands of extra gold dragons a month, should be used to set up monthly payments to help pay off the debt of the realm, starting with that owed to the Iron Bank. It was true that they owed more to Tywin Lannister but as long as Tywin's grandson was to be heir, Ned doubted interest would be added to that sum.

He wrote a letter to Stannis asking the reason for his leave of King's Landing and his duty to the realm as the Master of Ships. He stated in the letter that they would either need a suitable excuse or Stannis would have to return to the city. Otherwise, they would have no choice but to replace him on the council. He had Robert sign his name below his own, since it was both Robert's council and his own brother. He looked into possible replacements while he waited to see if Stannis would respond.

Ned had taken to sending some of his men into the city, in plain clothes so as not to be identified as being with the Hand, to gather information. He wanted to hear what the people had to say, for potential problems that plagued the common folk that he wouldn't hear of as a lord. A disturbing thing he kept hearing about was the corruption of the Gold Cloaks, whether it be extortion, bribery, assault, rape, or any number of other crimes. He had asked Harlan to discreetly look into it further, to get names of all those who committed these criminal acts, especially those in charge, and to build a case against them that he could use to deliver justice.

Next he made an offer to the people of King's Landing - either ten silver stags, a gold dragon, and five acres of land, or ten silver stags, a plot of land less than a quarter of an acre, and six gold dragons, to any family who left the city to settle in the land around Moat Cailin. The silver stags would be paid before they left, so they could afford the journey, and the other two would be given to them when they arrived. The five acres of land would come with an already built hovel and the gold dragon was to purchase supplies when they arrived, like tools to till the land and crops to grow, or materials to build a pen, and livestock such as chickens and goats to fill it. The second offer was to encourage those to come and build businesses like bakeries, crofters, tailors, and the like. This would all come out of the Winterfell coffers, and Ned would give them the silver stags from his personal money pouch.

Eighty-seven families, almost three hundred and seventy people in total, mostly the poorest of the poor from places like Flea Bottom, accepted the offer, draining the personal money he brought with him to King's Landing considerably but he knew he would be receiving a monthly sum for his duties as Hand so he wasn't too concerned. Most of those going took the option with more land but those who had some experience at a trade took the extra money instead. He wrote a letter to Steward Tallhart explaining the situation and advised him to start divvying up the land and hiring builders to build the hovels. He wrote another letter to Robb to go to the Winterfell vault and gather the money owed to the families, and to Steward Tallhart for the builders, and to send it to Moat Cailin.

The number of people accepting the move north was fewer than he had hoped. Too many were afraid of what they believed they would find in the north; a never ending winter and a savage people, the same the people of the north believed they would find if they ever adventured beyond the Wall. King's Landing was still overpopulated, and he needed to find more ways to mitigate the issue before a plague befell all those who lived within the walls.

"I could be hunting," Robert groaned as he sat at the head of the small council table.

"You could be," Ned agreed.

Robert and Ned were the only two in the room, as it wasn't an official meeting of the small council. There were a few things Ned wanted to run by Robert, some having to do with the realm, and one having to do with a request Robert had made of Ned back in Winterfell. In front of them Ned had sprawled out two maps, one of the Crownlands and the other the Stormlands. In Ned's hand he held a scrap of parchment with what he wanted to discuss.

"Well, let's get on with it. The less time I spend in this room, the better."

Ned dipped his head in acknowledgement. "At Winterfell you said you wanted my help in fostering Tommen and Myrcella."

Robert straightened up in his seat and leaned forward. The bored and uninterested look on his face fell away, and he gazed intently at Ned.

"You looked into it?" the King asked.

"I did," Ned answered with a nod. "I spoke with some of the people at court from both the Crownlands and the Stormlands, and used the same logic I used in deciding who to foster Robb and Jon with. For Myrcella, I propose fostering her with Lord Rykker of Duskendale." Here Ned pointed to the city on the map, not that Robert didn't know where it was. "The Rykkers are one of the strongest and richest houses in the Crownlands, so building good relations with them is smart."

"They fought for the Mad King," Robert muttered.

"Half the realm did," Ned reminded him. "The Dun Fort is a few days' ride from here, should you or the Queen wish to visit. Lord Rykker doesn't have any daughters around Myrcella's age, but he does have a handful of nieces who are."

"And Tommen?"

"Lord Buckler of Bronzegate." Again, Ned pointed to the location.

"Ralph's a good man."

Ned knew Robert was fond of Ralph Buckler. He was one of the first Stormlords to pledge support when Robert arrived in the Stormlands to call his banners at the start of the war. That was one of the reasons why he chose Bronzegate. There were a few more powerful lords in the Stormlands, but they were too close to Dorne for Ned's liking. He knew the Martells were still bitter about what happened to Princess Elia and her children, not that he could blame them. While he didn't think they would be so brazen as to make a move against a prince of the realm, Ned felt it was better to be safe than sorry.

"A ten day ride from here, between King's Landing and Storm's End, both seats of your power. Lord Buckler has four sons, the youngest of whom is of age with Tommen."

Robert's hand disappeared into his beard, to rub at his chin, as it often did when he was in thought. It was a habit Ned had noticed he had picked up sometime since he had last seen him on Pyke.

"I agree they are both good choices. Let me ponder this for a few days, and speak with Cersei, before making a decision."

"Of course."

Ned rolled up the maps since he no longer had any use of them. There was a drawer in the room where maps like this were stored but he would wait until after the meeting before putting them away.

"Is that all?" Robert asked, making a move to rise.

"No, your grace."

Robert grumbled but leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms across his chest and harrumphed. Ned felt a smile making its way across his face but repressed it. There was so much of the boy he had grown up with still evident in this man who was king that sometimes Ned couldn't help but let better memories wash over him.

"Stannis hasn't responded to the raven sent to him, and it has been over two weeks. We have heard nothing about him stirring from Dragonestone."

Robert scowled and his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. "When Stannis sets his mind to something he rarely deters from it. He has set his mind to abandoning his post, for a reason he will not give, and nothing we write will change it. I will strip him of Master of Ships and declare it to the realm. I assume you have someone in mind to replace him?"

"I have two options for you to consider. Lord Monford Velaryon of Driftmark." Ned noticed Robert's frown. Monford's father had served as Master of Ships for the Mad King. "While their wealth has waned, the Velaryons still boast one of the strongest navies in the kingdoms. And Driftmark guards the entrance to Blackwater Bay. There is a reason the Masters of Ships has been a Velaryon more often than not."

"Stannis will see it as an insult, replacing him with one of his sworn lords, but then again what doesn't Stannis see as an insult? Who is the other?"

"Lord Paxter Redwyne of the Arbor."

Not much needed to be said about Lord Redwyne. His house controlled the second largest fleet in the Seven Kingdoms, after the Royal Fleet. Paxter had joined his liege lord, Mace Tyrell, in siding with the Targaryens during the war. His fleet had blockaded Shipbreaker Bay, preventing any resupply from reaching Storm's End by sea during the year-long siege that had only been lifted when Ned had arrived with his northern army, shortly after the death of the Mad King. A siege that had seen Stannis, Renly, and most of the garrison almost starved to death.

"Another name Stannis will be insulted by. Is that what you're trying to do, Ned? Insult my brother?"

Ned had been told that Robert had done two slights to Stannis that the middle Baratheon had been unable to get over. The first was Robert sleeping with one of Lady Florent's cousins in the wedding bed on the night of Stannis' wedding to Selyse Florent, before Stannis himself could. The second was giving him Dragonstone to rule and not Storm's End, the ancestral seat of their family. Ned had no comment on the wedding night situation, but he knew Robert gave Dragonstone to Stannis because it was the ancestral seat of the previous power and it was always given to the heir of the kingdom to rule, which Stannis was at the end of the war. What Stannis saw as a slight, Robert thought was an honor. Even though their personalities were different and the two often clashed, Ned knew Robert loved his brother. He just wondered if Stannis knew it too.

"Besides Stannis they are the two most competent candidates. Unless you want me to look at an Iron Islander."

"That's the last thing the realm needs. Very well, let me think that over as well."

Two of four things were discussed, and Robert was still in the room paying attention. If nothing else was accomplished that day, Ned would consider it a win.

"Speaking on the small council, I wonder if we shouldn't look into replacing Grand Maester Pycelle."

"Pycelle?" the King's eyebrows rose in surprise at the suggestion. "He's a bit old, but still has his wits about him."

"During council meetings he's asleep more than he's awake," Ned stated bluntly. "He's over eighty years old, and has held the position for forty years." And he's a Lannister man, Ned wanted to say but dared not.

"I can not unmake a Grand Maester," Robert pointed out. "That is for the Citadel to decide, as you well know."

"We can at least write to the Citadel suggesting the idea. I will write a letter and if you find it satisfactory, you can sign it and I will send it out."

Robert sighed. "Very well then."

"Thank you. Now there's just one more thing I wanted to discuss."

"By the gods Ned, you're worse than Jon was!"

This time Ned allowed the smile to make its way onto his face as memories of his youth, during his fostering in the Vale, came to mind. As a teen Robert had always been exasperated with anything that didn't involve fighting, riding and hunting. As an adult that had expanded to include drinking and whoring. It had only been through the nagging of Jon Arryn that Robert had received a proper education, and likely that was the reason Robert did any ruling of the realm. It looked like Ned had picked up where Jon had left off.

"I can always go back to Winterfell, if your grace wishes."

"Oh no, you'd like that."

Ned chuckled before taking a deep breath and moving on to the final topic. "The Dragonpit."

Robert scowled again. "What about the blasted thing?"

"I want to tear it down. It's the last overt symbol of Targaryen power in this city, a reminder of their rule, but the Targaryens are gone and it is the Baratheons who rule now."

"It's a ruin, just like their dynasty."

Ned had thought Robert would be all for the idea of destroying it simply because it had been built by the Targaryens. Either he had misjudged his friend's hatred of the dragon lords, or he hadn't realized Robert was astute enough to see the symbolism of the destroyed and warped Dragonpit and how it reflected the status of House Targaryen. He would have to try the practical approach.

"It's the largest building in the city by far, and it hasn't been in use in over a century. The city's population is at a tipping point, and not nearly as many as we hoped are leaving to head north. We need the space knocking it down will provide. We can build houses, shops, even a godswood open to the people."

"Tear it down or leave it as is, do as you wish. It doesn't matter to me."

"Thank you."

"Is that all?" the King asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice.

"That is all."

Robert stood up so fast he knocked his chair over. He didn't bother to pick it up as he quickly walked from the room, as if afraid Ned was going to say, 'Just joking, I have ten more topics to discuss.'

Ned shook his head ruefully as he stood from his own seat and picked up Robert's chair from where it had fallen. Once it was up in its proper place, he grabbed the rolled up maps and moved to put them away.

If they were going to tear down the Dragonpit and build new buildings there they would need architects, stonemasons, and builders, amongst dozens of other professions. The Crown would pay for everything but they would also own whatever buildings went up, and could rent them out for monthly fees to make back their money, and then some.

Ned stood with the King on the walls of the Red Keep, overlooking the city. With them was only one member of the Kingsguard, Ser Jaime. As he stood there in his white armor, the man looked exactly like one would imagine a knight to look. Although he couldn't see them from his position, Ned knew that two of the others, Ser Mandon and Ser Preston, were down in the courtyard below, blocking the stairs up to the battlements.

From where they stood, they could see most of the city spread out before them. The wealthy citizens with their homes and shops atop Visenya's Hill and Rhaenys' Hill, and the rest who scratched out a living on the lower lying lands between the three hills that made up the city.

A top Rhaenys' Hill was the Dragonpit, which workers had started working on dismantling a few days ago. Already the remnants of the large dome that had once sat atop the structure had been removed, along with all the stones that littered the inside of the building from previous collapses, and the towering walls were slowly being shortened stone by stone.

They had just come back from seeing off Myrcella, as she traveled to Duskendale to start her fostering with Lord Rykker. The princess was accompanied by Ser Arys Oakheart, ten members of the castle guard, and a pair of handmaidens, the daughters of lesser lords who were a few years older than Myrcella.

Tommen had left yesterday for Bronzegate with Ser Meryn Trant and ten members of the castle guard in tow. Cersei had been seething in silent anger after Tommen left, and that anger had exploded after they made their way back to the Red Keep today. Robert had allowed her to scream at him for a minute before walking away to where they stood now. For someone with the temper he had, Robert could be rather stoic in moments where others would rage.

"Did I make the correct decision, sending my children away?" Robert asked after a moment of silence. Cersei's anger must have shaken Robert.

"Cat was devastated when Robb was fostered, and when Bran left to become a page," Ned stated. "Mothers never wish to be separated from their children, but Robb is a better man for it and my family's relations with the Karstarks has never been stronger."

The King took in Ned's words with a grim look before turning to his Kingsguard protector. "What about you Jamie? Were you ever fostered?"

The Kingslayer shifted from one foot to the other and rested his hand on the pommel of his sword. "I squired for Lord Sumner Crakehall from eleven to fifteen. I like to imagine my mother would have cried when I left but, well, she was dead and my father isn't the crying type."

Ned disliked the smirk that was on the Kingslayer's face, though he found he disliked much and more about the man ever since he had walked into the throne room all those years ago to see a young Kingsguard member who had broken his oath and killed the first king he had sworn to protect.

"Hmm. Perhaps you are right Ned, it's for-"

The ground beneath Rhanys' Hill erupted outward in a cloud of green flames with an ear shattering BOOM. Every building that sat atop the hill was destroyed, the stone and wood of the various structures tossed high into the air. The force of the explosion washed over them on the wall but they were far enough away where it was just hot air blowing against their faces.

All three of them could only gape in shock as the stone and wood and bodies of anyone unfortunate enough to be on the hill when it exploded, started raining back down to earth. The green fire, which could only be wildfire, caught the nearby buildings and began to spread. Brutal screams of pain and fear ripped through the city. Ned didn't know if this was an attack or some other cruel joke of the gods, all he knew was that they needed to do something. Ned turned to the King, and noticed the look on Ser Jaime's face; he looked like he had seen a ghost.