Litle Pig, Little Pig, Let Me In...
Darkness came soon. Total darkness. But then everything turned into light.
Something as simple as a catastrophe. Everything he had created was destroyed by a single batch of dead. It couldn't be the worst thing that had ever happened to him. But after all he was a simple old man now. His turn had come. It was time to leave the world of the dead to the younger ones.
But when it was all over. It all began.
He was not in heaven, or hell. No. He was standing with a glass of wine in hand. About to raise it to his mouth. His hands were young again. His gaze was grey and tired. He could barely regain his sight. His mouth was dry. He had eaten something. It was sweet, sticky and dry. He needed something to drink. Before raising the cup to his lips, he saw the ring on his fingers. One was gold with a black gem. The other bore the symbol of the Lion. The insignia of a very familiar house.
Then he realised what a horrible colour outfit he was wearing at the time. Something he would never have worn in his previous life. His clothes were yellow or gold - he couldn't tell the difference - but he knew they were a dress made for women. Then he turned and saw a woman in a blue dress or was it white? Blonde or red hair? He still couldn't get a good look, but she was very beautiful and the smell here was better than where he lived before.
"If it pleases your grace, Lady Sansa is very tired and she wishes to retire." The voice came from his left. A small man had spoken to him as if he were royalty. And then he saw him. It was Peter Dinklage, or rather Tyrion Lannister. Then he realised where he was, and what he held in his hands was the destiny of his second life.
To his right was Margaery Tyrrell scooping more cake onto his plate. The little flower did not know. No. She had ambition. But she didn't know what her grandmother was up to. But soon enough they would know who Joffrey Lannister was. Best put alone, Joffrey. They would all be Joffrey soon enough. His ears, and omnipresent eyes throughout King's Landing.
The Tyrells had a strong motive for killing him: he was too stubborn to be swayed, in stark contrast to his sweet and gentle brother, so the Tyrells would get rid of him to make Tommen a puppet king, easily controlled by Margaery. But that was not to be. He would not allow it.
"King Joffrey?" asked his uncle. Looking at him. No. They were all looking at him. As if he'd blacked out or didn't know where he was. His mother was about to run out of the chair to where he was and catch him in her hands. How sweet. Ha. If it wasn't for his grandfather, Tywin, and his uncle-father, Jaimie, he'd already be making other plans for his aunt-mother's future.
He acted as if drunk, bending his knees, and throwing his body back. "Excuse me. I've had a revelation," were his first words with a smirk. He went towards the centre of the wedding area. "Guards." As quickly as they were called they appeared behind him more than twenty in all. By this time everyone at the table, except Tywin, had risen to their feet. Tywin on the other hand cupped his hand over his face for a moment and then reached for his wine glass. He was not ashamed. No. Tywin was more annoyed than anything. But what he didn't know is that Joffey. WAS. THE. KING. Not him. Not Cersi. Not Daenerys Targaryen and certainly, not Bran the Broken. Joffrey. He was the King in King's Landing. A King who was soon to be a husband to a corpse. He has to do it. There were rules for a reason. Nothing matters if you're dead.
"I want you to hold Olenna Tyrell on suspicion of attempting to assassinate the king."
"What!?" whispered many of the guests.
Olenna Tyrell said nothing. She just sat there under duress. No reaction came from her. As the soldiers of the realm stood behind her awaiting their king's orders. She was an old woman after all, she had nowhere to go. But of course she could order the Highgarden people to attack but that would not be looked upon kindly in the kingdom that she planned to sow her granddaughter as sole queen.
However, "Joffrey-" said Tywin, "what's going on here?" At last the man behind the king stood up. The one who ruled the kingdom behind his back.
"Yes. I know, Grandfather. Our alliance with the Tyrells is something that must stand. And it will stand through Loras Tyrell's and my mother. A union that many will raise their voices against, but it is the only choice now."
"These accusations - where do they come from?" Finally, the old woman asked.
"Olenna Tyrell put something in my wineglass a few moments ago. I saw it with my own eyes."
"Joffrey, enough," Cersei said.
"Of course, mother. You won't believe me without proof. All right. Sweet Margaery, would you be so kind as to prove me wrong as a drunkard and save us all this trouble? Just drink from my cup as my queen."
"My king-" said Margaery.
"Drink." Clearly, she had no idea of the contents of the cup. Only her grandmother knows the contents.
Margaery took the cup and slowly brought it to her lips. "Enough! Stop!" the old woman said, rising from her chair, but one of the soldiers put his hand on her shoulder and sat her down again.
"Do you have anything to say, Lady Tyrell? Of course, if I may still call you 'Lady' for what you have done today. I don't think it's a worthy title for an old woman like you. It doesn't fit."
She opened her mouth to say something, but he could only see the hatred in her eyes. She wanted to kill him. But of course she wasn't the only one still after his life right now. There was still the mastermind of all who should be in the harbour waiting for Sansa right now. Littlefinger.
"Speaking of titles. Where's my favourite pet, Dontos. Where is he?"
"Here your majesty."
"Ha. Yes. Guards."
In an instant the guards took him from the side of the post where Sansa stood. And they held him for the moment, if he let him go, Littlefinger would know he had failed. And he couldn't let him leave King's Landing. Though if he did he would come back anyway and die another day. But it was best to be sure, than sorry.
"I do apologise, uncle. That little performance was part of my plan. I had to get the old rat out." Tyrion raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a confused look on his face. As if Joffrey wasn't Joffrey, and he was absolutely right.
"Where were we? Oh, yes. My queen, come. Drink from the cup brought for me by my uncle from Lady Tyerell's table."
Then the old woman screamed again, "No. Don't."
"Guards, bring me my crossbow." When the guards came and handed him the crossbow he pointed it at the old woman. There was more commotion behind him and they all pulled out swords and started looking at each other like dogs.
"Now my dear. Take the drink or she will pay the price. I really don't want to do this. Kill an old lady? It's not my style. There are rules for a reason. Nothing matters if you're dead."
Margaery was frightened. Her breaths were through the roof. He could feel them so close to him.
"It's alright. It's all right. It's just a misunderstanding. It's going to be alright." And in one gulp she downed the entire contents of the cup.
The old woman closed her eyes and let a single tear fall. At this point Margaery stopped looking at her grandmother and looked at Joffrey with tears falling from her eyes. In a few seconds she fell to the ground and began to roll over and curl up on the floor. Her eyes filled with blood and her vomit on the floor. There were screams from her brother who came to pick her up in his arms. Shouting her name, the Highgarden staff were still frozen and had not attacked without any orders yet.
Her brother stood up and punched the king in the face. Joffrey let out a small laugh. No one in his house was saying anything. Tywin had a confusion on his face, maybe he wanted to laugh at his potential or maybe he was angry that he killed a future ally? Joffrey didn't care. Cersei was in tears, but they were not of fear, dread, or hatred. No. She was smiling. She was happy that her son played the old witch's trick first and won. That her son was actually smart, pretending to be a brat.
"Seriously. That's not going to hold up in my court. The first one was free." With that the king pointed his crossbow and drew the trigger. An arrow slammed into Lady Tyrell's chest, pinning the old woman to the saddle and taking her life. She could not react in time. More shouting songs of agony played in the vicinity of the wedding.
"You're a monster!" Loras shouted, trying to save his grandmother. Before standing in front of the king, ready to face Joffrey.
"Is this how you thank me? I, Joffrey of Houses Baratheon and Lannister, the First of His Name. King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Protector of the Realm. I defended myself against someone who wanted to take my life. And set an example for all who would dare to challenge my future rule."
"You didn't have to kill them! You could have found another way to solve this."
"Which reminds me, you're the head of your family now. And you have me to thank for that, of course, after all. I, considering what happened, will still let you hold my mother's hand to secure a bond between houses."
"W-What?"
"Of course I accept your proposal to settle this in another way. Would you tell your men to put down their swords now?"
Loras stared at him in spite.
"Please?"
Loras said nothing. He only nodded his head and his men lowered their swords at his command. Of course, his title will be worth nothing until it is official when he returns to Highgarden. But for now it will serve him well.
Loras could not hold an intelligent conversation for long. His hands covered in blood, and with his body with a racing pulse and rapid breathing, Joffrey could tell that he was perhaps even trembling with fear. Of course, he was. He was at King's Landing and his men were not enough to take the kingdom and get out alive.
The king handed his crossbow to his men and was on his way out of the area when he turned again and approached Loras, who was on the ground holding his dead sister in his arms.
"You forgot something."
"Wh-what?" he said between sighs, having already lost his voice.
"What do you say to someone who has given you a second chance at life?"
"T-Thank you."
The king smiled and leaned close to Loras' ear. "In case you haven't caught up. I just slid my dick down your throat, and you thanked me for it," Joffrey whispered.
Loras was at a loss for words. Joffrey made his way into the crowd back to the castle. "Mother!" Cersei quickly joined him at his side at his call. He had many plans to make, closing the castle now was something that would put Littlefinger on alert, so it would be best if he came to him in due course. For now perhaps, Tyrion and Sansa would pursue their plans to rule the North. Nothing much would change from this point on. That he remembered. He had much more to think about for his future in Westeros. And of course he could not forget about the little Stark, Arya, who would take the boat to Braavos on Essos where a future that could easily end the king's life would await. He had to get rid of the little one. Bringing a few guards and spies with him to port town Saltpan would be the perfect opportunity to capture her. Or be her Saviour.