Chapter II: How the King buried his brother and began the ruling of his Realm
The body of King Daeron arrived from Dorne ahead of a large procession. More than a thousand lords and knights, and septons followed the Young Dragon's body from the Gate of the Gods to the Red Keep. First came the knight who had fought with him in Dorne, then various lords who had joined the procession on its way from Blackhaven. Nearer to the litter carrying the King's remains where Silent Sisters and members of the Most Devout. Surrounding the coffin where what remained of the Kingsguard: Ser Aemon Targaryen, freshly confirmed by King Baelor as the order's Lord Commander and carrying the drawn sword Blackfyre with him; Ser Edmund Warrick and Ser Dennis Withfield.
A litter carried the bones of the fallen king, hid under a lifelike effigy, dressed in clothes of black velvet, crowned with the Dragonbane's circlet. The effigy was covered under a cloth of woven gold, above it a canopy of the same. Following the litter was Viserys Targaryen, Hand of the King, King Baelor and his sisters, accompanied by the Great Lords who had reached King's Landing in time: Stark and Arryn, Lannister and Tully, Baratheon and Tyrell.
Between the Gate of the Gods and the Red Keep the entirety of the men of the City Watch were lined with torches, dressed in cloths of black. Soon, the remains arrived at the Red Keep and were placed on a catafalque in the Royal Sept, covered with black velvet and veiled with a crimson cloth bearing the Targaryen dragon. The sept was likewise covered in the banners of House Targaryen and full of lit candles. The body was to lay there for seven days, under the vigil of both King Baelor and the Dragonknight.
When the King's body was lowered under the floors of the Sept, the Hand of the King and the Masters of the Small Council laid their signs of office over the coffin. Following such, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard laid Blackfyre, the sword of kings, over the coffin and the herald cried: "Seven willing, have pity and mercy on the soul of the most excellent, most high and most powerful Daeron, First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm". Then Ser Aemon took the sword again and having risen it high, the herald cried again: "God give a long life to Baelor, by the grace of the Seven King".
The funerals of King Daeron were unlike any of the kings that came before him, the ceremony being of the new King's making. Though some maesters argue that Baelor meant to show the might and splendor of his House, it was more likely a way to honor his brother, for before the moment of his own death, he requested that his own funeral be the same as any man's, with no pomp or ceremony.
Septon Jonos, The Life of Blessed Baelor
The Red Keep
Small Council Chamber
Baelor
My first meeting with the Small Council was quite the portent of change. Beyond the fact that another expedition to Dorne was to be planned, those in the Council were worried about their own seats, some more than others. My uncle was quite assured of his own power, and so did the Oakenfist. As it was the first of my meetings and because the occasion permitted, I had invited the Great Lords of the realm to offer me their counsel.
Having seated ourselves at the oak table in the Chamber, the Hand took the initiative in starting its proceedings.
"First amongst our concerns, Your Grace, is if the Small Council will keep its members under your new reign. Have you any of your own men in mind for these posts?", he started.
"I have no intention of changing you with a septon, uncle. As for my late brother's counsellors, I believe they are competent enough to advise me. What needs to concern us is the fact that my Kingsguard has only three of its members, four if you count Ser Joffrey Staunton. We need not seek for a new Lord Commander, for I trust my cousin with that honor. As for Ser Jeffrey, his shameful surrender to the Dornish is not one I would forget and as such I had not bothered to ransom him from Lord Wyl. I suspect that his soul has reached the Father's judgement, knowing his captor."
Lord Hunter, the Master of Laws, interjected: "Have you in mind any knights for these honors, Your Grace ?"
"I have no men that I favor, save for Sir Olyvar Ferren, with who's worth I do not doubt that my Lord Lannister agrees. His feats in Dorne have brought him fame enough so that he may honor his white cloak, instead of the reverse, and I find his temperament suited for one who might guard me." I replied. Ser Olyvar was a man near forty years, of few words, taciturn and melancholy, on account of some romantic misfortunes in his youth, which had turned his hair to silver. He had a tendency to drink when he was without purpose, but the man was responsible for my martial education since Blackhaven, and I had grown found of the man since.
The Lord Lannister was quick to assent to my words, extolling the Silver Ferret's deeds in such flattering words as if the man was his own son. The young Lord Tyrell was quite enthusiastic in naming what appeared to be the entirety of flower of the Reach's chivalry, and Tully followed him with the suggestion of his own uncle Oscar, a man near fifty, but covered in glory since the days of the Dance of Dragons. Lord Hunter had his own nephew in mind, though he was not one to be considered, since the man managed not to find his way in Dorne during Daeron's wars. Ossifer Plum, who held the treasury, offered the name of one of his household knights, Lord Baratheon that of his wife's cousin, Joffrey Arryn graciously agreed with the Master of Laws, and Baratheon assured me there where plenty men among the Marcher houses that would be honored to serve me. Cregan Stark sat and said nought.
Names were considered and discarded, knights where lauded and insulted. After long deliberations and countless names thrown around, some semblance of unanimity was reached. My counsellors were quick to assent on Ser Olyvar, eager to earn my favor, but other names were not that easily agreed upon. Yet agreed upon they were. As such Ser Karyl, the Bat Knight of Castle More, Ser Olyvar's cousin Ser Vallyn of Lannisport and Ser Armen Storm, the Bastard of Rain House (of whom it was rumored that he once sought to become a septon) had been chosen.
Once that matter had been settled, I took once again the reins of the meeting and proposed that alms be given to the poor of King's Landing on the occasion of my coronation so the smallfolk may be joyful alongside the highborn, a proposal that only met some murmurs from Lord Plumm and praises from most of the other lords. Having easily settled that, I took to matters of a more serious nature, that of the administration of the Crownlands.
"I have no intention to speak ill of my late brother, but his attention was more often than not preoccupied with matters of war rather than peace. As such, though not of his fault, the Crownlands have suffered. It is my intent to see my lands put to rights. Thus, let it be known that I will take no men into my service whose hearts are not bent towards justice. Let it be known that for the officers of my own household, or my bailiffs, seneschals and provosts in the Crownlands, are not to receive, either themselves or through their families, any presents of anyone, save food and drink. They are not to receive oaths from those under their power, or those who seek redress from them."
"Your Grace, such is the customs for such men," said Lord Hunter. "I cannot be judged for faults that were not seen as such during your father's and brother's reigns. May the Seven rest their souls!"
"I do not seek to find fault in you, my lord. But in my reign, my men shall follow my will. I ask you, Lord Hunter, to send knights inquisitors to all men in my service to see if their conduct is just and honest and if they safeguard the privileges offered to my subjects by my royal predecessors, and if not, to relieve them of their offices. I mean to establish the Iron Throne as a throne of justice. Find then men of valor and send them to me so I may ascertain their worth and send them forth in my kingdom. Bid them to swear every man to an oath to render justice, without distinction of persons, according to the approved customs of the place; to swear that they would give or send nothing to any member of my own Council, or their kin, or to said knights inquisitors. And bide them to keep any disgraced men in the land of their office, until charges are brought against them, and that as such time they should appear before the Iron Throne, on pain of death."
" I will see to have your will done forthwith, my king" said the Master of Laws, with a pained expression on his face. I began to wonder if he were a man I should keep in my council, if my justice pained him so. His replacement could wait though, until I had cause to doubt his good and honest service. It might well depend on if he found me twenty good men for my investigators, or men of a lower nature. If not, I would find myself good and honest septons for the matter, though I could not very well call them "knights inquisitor".
My uncle ended his silence and bade me consider the matter of the envoys to Braavos I recalled: " What plans you have, nephew, on the negotiations with the Sealord ? He might well feel slighted by the recall of my envoys without any due case."
" I have no ill will towards the Sealord, uncle. However, I see no wisdom in offering my sister's hand to a man whose heir would not follow him in his rank. Let us send my cousin Aegon then to treat with Braavos and let the honor of royal envoy wash away whatever slight they may perceive."
"Though Aegon is mine own son, I must advise to send men more old and wiser than him" said the Lord Hand, no doubt considering what trouble Aegon would find himself in with courtesans.
I laughed at his hesitance: " Fear not, uncle! I do not mean for Aegon to travel alone. Send with him men you find suitable and give them instructions as you may please."
Lord Plumm made to speak his own mind, but I then spoke to Lord Tully: "My lord Robin, though I know that the Lordship of Harrenhal swears its fealty to your own House, I find it wise to keep it for the moment in my own keeping, so that the coin for war with Dorne might be easier gathered. I mean no slight to you, and since you have so eagerly offered your uncle into my service, I would be most joyous to name him as castellan".
Robin Tully accepted the matter with much joy, for it was better for his uncle to hold the castle than another lord. Having been done with the Muppets, Lord Plumm opened his mouth again: "Your Grace, we need to speak of the coin for your war with Dorne.".
His luck fled him once again, for I silenced him once more: " Let us speak of this another day, for the day has gone and I must see to my prayers". And with such the Council disbanded, though not before I invited the Great Lords to hunt and dine with me in the morrow.