3rd Month of 284 A.C. King's Landing
Lord Rickard Stark
After all the negotiating and the nervous tension that had come since finding Lyanna and her son, they were finally in King's Landing. Not as the conquerors but instead to discuss the claims of both his own grandson Jonothor Targaryen and the oaf that was Robert Baratheon. The lords of the realm were all gathered here, in their splendour with many retainers and other such amusements. The throne room was packed with all the lords great, minor and small, the throne room was filled with banners of the various houses denoting where they should be sat, which it seemed had been denoted by where they had all been camped before being welcomed into the city. As it were Rickard and his allies were stationed near the doors of the throne room, specifically the right door, whilst Baratheon sat the Iron Throne with his gall and Kingsguard standing guard, a mimic of what Rickard's grandson's own Kingsguard were doing, both were staring at one another a contest of wills. Baratheon's allies started with the lion of Lannister and went all the way down to the left door of the throne room. There was murmuring a plenty but soon enough it stopped when Grand Maester Pycelle that old dithering fool stood up.
He cleared his voice and spoke. "My lords and ladies, in the name of the Iron Throne, and Westeros as a whole, I thank you all for coming here today. This is the first Great Council in fifty years, and as such is a momentous event for all of us. In case you have all forgotten, we are here to decide which of the two claimants deserves to sit the Iron Throne, that was forged by Aegon the Conqueror and his dragons all those years ago. The two claimants are his grace King Robert Baratheon, first of his name, and Jonothor Targaryen the son of Prince Rhaegar and Lady Lyanna Stark. I now invite both claimants, to press their case for why they should be named king. For there to be a clear winner after all votes have been counted, the winner must have a clear seven vote lead. So with that in mind King Robert if you please."
The hall was completely silent as Robert Baratheon stood up from the throne and said. "My lords and my ladies, thank you for coming. Whilst it is a shame to have to go through this farce of a council, when it is clear who the rightful king should be. During the rebellion, we fought to remove the Targaryens from the throne and from power, we succeeded in doing that the minute Rhaegar Targaryen died on the God's Eye, for no matter what I think of him he was the only true hope the dynasty had of surviving and continuing. He is dead, his children are dead and his brother is truly the mad king's son. We are also in a deep and long winter, I do not see the sense in appointing a child, no a babe, as king. You will want a man who has seen his own share of winters and knows how rule during them, not some babe who will never remember this. Rickard Stark is an oath breaker and a traitor, he swore vows to see me on the throne, and I called him family, this was to be our grand alliance, and yet the minute his daughter died, he stabbed me in the back and declared for a bastard child. Do you want such a man ruling through the king? I think not."
Murmurs followed that speech as the man sat back down on the throne, Rickard though knew where to begin. He stood up and in what his wife, his Lyarra, called his lord's voice said. "My lords and ladies, thank you once more for coming to King's Landing to discuss this most important issue. Whilst I can see how some might see the rebellion as a way of removing the Targaryens from power, truly I was never one to decide as much. I fought to find my daughter and to gain justice for my son, who was murdered no matter what Aerys might have called it. When we joined Robert Baratheon, the man had already named himself king, and we went along with it, for not doing so would have soured the alliance and lessened my chances of achieving my aims. I had thought the man would make a good king, but seeing him after the sack of King's Landing, my thoughts have changed enormously. A man who can so easily forget that innocents are exactly that because of whom they are wed to and whom their father is, I do not think should sit the throne. Robert Baratheon's crown was won over the dead bodies of Princess Elia and her children. And the man revelled in their deaths, and would have done the same to my own grandson had he gotten his hands on him. He in fact sent a hired assassin after my grandson and tried to have him killed." He pauses, as the hall gasps to see Ser Barristan turn round and throw his white cloak at the oaf's feet before, striding from the throne to stand next to his sworn brothers, who look at him for a moment before welcoming him back into the fold. Rickard smiles somewhat at that and continues. "A knight such as Ser Barristan the Bold is disgusted with the king, and that should speak volumes for the man. If you want a war mongerer and a butcher then choose the man who sits on that throne, if you want someone who will bring peace and stability and whose family knows this kingdom well, choose my grandson."
More murmuring follows Rickard's own statement, and when Pycelle stands up to speak the hall is growing louder and louder with excitement. "My lords and ladies, we have now heard from both the claimants. If there is anyone else who wishes to speak for either claimant please will you stand and speak now."
The murmuring continues and then Lord Jon Arryn stands up, looking old, aged and haggard. "My lords and ladies, both claimants have put forward good and convincing arguments. All I can say to add to King Robert's arguments, is that despite what Lord Rickard has said, the king is a good man. He is a man who knows honour and knows his duty to the realm and its people. He will do all he can to ensure that the realm continues to prosper and that the peace of this realm remains. Having a child on the throne will only cause more trouble, we have all heard of the dangers of the regency, let us not have that happen again."
The chattering continued to grow, and then the flower stood up. "Arryn and Baratheon, are deluding themselves if they believe the realm will ever truly heal with Baratheon on the throne. The man is a condoner of child killing, everything that stands against chivalry, and honour. The man picked no bones about marrying Tywin Lannister's daughter just moments after the lady Lyanna had died and news had reached the realm. Such a man shows he has no scruples and this news of him sending a hired assassin after the King Jonothor, shows he is a coward."
Lords and ladies alike began whispering most fervently at this, Rickard smiled, the flower might not be the most politically savvy but he did know how to be dramatic. The oaf on the throne was glowering now, it was telling that everyone fell silent when Tywin Lannister stood up. "Fellow noblemen of Westeros, Robert Baratheon is a true man, a man of honour and a man who takes his oaths seriously. He stood by the Starks when it would have made more sense to turn of Eddard Stark or bend to Aerys. He stood by the Starks because he knew they were family with his betrothal to the Lady Lyanna. That Rickard Stark has turned cloak and betrayed him, is something I think is more telling of the pure opportunism behind Stark and his own motives than the king. The king did the politically sound move in marrying my daughter, who as you can see shall soon have a child and an heir for the king. This council must decide, do you want an oath breaker ruling, or a man who knows the value of an oath."
Doran Martell stands up then and the room remains quiet, as they wait for what the Prince of Dorne has to say. "I will not give the flatteries the others have given. My sister and her children were brutally murdered so that, that man on the throne could sit his arse on it. They were innocent children who suffered for their father's actions. I do not see how anyone could stand by to allow a man who condones child murder and the murder of an innocent woman, to be king. It makes no sense to me, and I know for a fact that my people will not stand for it either."
The lords and ladies gathered begin making more noise chattering away quite animatedly, at the not so veiled reference to war that Prince Doran had just made. Interesting, a turn that he had not seen coming nonetheless Dorne will vote for Jonothor that he is sure of. Pycelle stands up then and asks. "Now is there anyone else who wishes to speak?"
Lord Yohn Royce, a fierce fighter and a loyal man stands up and speaks his voice booming off of the walls. "My lords and ladies, I have heard both arguments from the two claimants and their allies. I must admit, that I am thoroughly shocked at some of the revelations made. Stark broke his word, but only after his grandson was threatened, and we can speak of honour and duty, but at the end of the day that is all horse shit. The one true thing that matters is family, and the protection of it. For that reason I cannot stand by and allow a man such as Robert Baratheon sit the throne." He walks away from Robert's contingent and comes to sit in a vacant seat next to Rickard, Lords Corbray, Redfort, Upcliff and Lady Waynwood follow him to vacant seats. Rickard smiles, and Baratheon blusters on the throne.
Lord Bracken stands up then and speaks. "Robert Baratheon knows what it is to fight and to see your family die for something you believe in. He knows honour and he knows duty. I do not think these lords here do." With that he walks over to where Jon Arryn and Tywin Lannister are sat, he nods his head at them and sits down. Lords Cox, Frey and Deddings follow him.
As the lords and ladies murmur at all of this, Rickard wonders what will come next. The answer comes in the form of Lord Guncer Sunglass, who stands and speaks. "Myself and my friends, have reached the conclusion that this issue, is one that only the gods can decide, and therefore we urge for there to be a trial by combat or trial by seven to settle the matter. Failing that we wish to remind the King on the throne that his own grandmother was a Targaryen and his hostilities towards them make him seem petty. With that said and done, we wish to remove ourselves from this council."
The chorus of lords and ladies talking grows louder at this, and Pycelle looks not at the king but at Lannister and Arryn who both nod, Pycelle then says. "My lord, you and your friends may remain here in this hall. But when it comes to voting, you should remain seated."
More talking occurs, and then the king stands, anger making his words sound slurred. "NED!" the man bellows. "NED! For god's sake man, look at what is happening. You have made your point NED! I am sorry for what I have done, but I did it for Lya, for you, for Brandon. It was revenge and justice that saw those children killed. We can build the realm anew together. Please Ned, your place is by my side. My brother."
Rickard looks at his son as do most everyone else in the hall, and his son is deathly silent for a long time. Then he stands and his voice is hard as iron when he responds. "Brother? Would a brother harm their fellow nephew if that were the case? You are not the man I thought you were Robert. You sent a hired assassin after my nephew and you tried to kill him. You broke any semblance of family bond with me when you did that. You would never allow my nephew to live, so long as you are king. I cannot allow that threat, for him and for Lya's sake."
Rickard has never felt quite so proud of his son as he does at that moment, and then they hear the Stag give a roar. "SO IT IS TRUE. YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME JUST AS YOUR FATHER AND SISTER DID. I WILL END THIS NOW!" the man charges down the throne, his anger carrying him, a hammer- by the gods where did that hammer come from- in his hands, charging towards whom it is not clear. Lords get up and move out of the way out of fear, the Kingsguard have their swords drawn and ready.
The man comes closer and closer, and then Mark Ryswell appears and there is the sound of the stag grunting as Ryswell's fist hits his stomach. They all hear Ryswell as he says. "For man of your size and experience you are awfully slow Baratheon. But then again maybe that is why stags are always prey to Dragons and Wolves."
There is a lot of laughter at that, as the Stag is slumped over, before members of his Kingsguard come to escort him back to the throne, where he sits down and waves them off. Clearly still winded and his ego bruised. Rickard stands up and says. "This is a clear example of why the man sat on the throne right now should not be given the chance to be king for long. Such irrational displays of anger will cloud his judgement and run this kingdom into the ground. Do we want another Aegon the unworthy?" there is a chorus of no and of course not from various lords.
Pycelle stands up then and his voice is stronger than it had been before. "My lords and ladies, we have now seen the actions of both claimants, we have heard their arguments. Let the voting begin, I would like too clearly state that those who wish to vote for a particular candidate must stand up when that candidate is mentioned, and those who wish to abstain must remain seated. And once more, a clear seven vote lead is needed for there to be a clear winner declared." The man clears his throat, "Those who wish to vote for King Robert Baratheon please stand now."
Rickard watches with interest as the lords from crownlands, stand up, one lord after another, he counts ten standing up from the crownlands most of them being seated over in Baratheon's corner, one or two in his own. Lords from the Westerlands, every single lord on Robert's side is standing up, following Tywin Lannister's lead his iron eyes looking at them all, from the Narrow Sea Rickard counts one lord, Lord Adrian Bar Emmon alone amongst the tide, from the Stormlands, twenty six lords of the Stormlands stand for Baratheon amongst them Dondarrion, Cafferen, Buckler and Tarth, the notable thing is that House Swan is conspicuous in its absence from those standing. Baratheon of course is standing for himself. It is clear the Riverlords are torn, Rickard counts ten standing for Baratheon including Frey and Bracken. Lords of the Vale are torn as well it seems, thirteen for Baratheon Arryn and Belmore amongst them. None stand for the man from the north, and eleven lords he counts from the Reach led by House Florent and House Peake. Not a single house stands for the man from Dorne, he waits for a moment and then Pycelle after speaking with his fellow maesters speaks. "Votes for Robert Baratheon, one hundred and four."
Some murmuring Baratheon looks confident, and then Pycelle speaks. "Those who wish to vote for Jonothor Targaryen please stand now."
Rickard and the whole of the north stand as he knew they would. All of Dorne stands as well which elicits some gasps of surprise, vengeance for Elia and her children hot on their minds, he will have to deliver now. Most lords from the Reach follow the flower's example and stand for Jon, good, the man will keep to his end of the bargain it seems. None stand from the Westerlands, in the Stormlands, Connington of course stands for Jonothor, and surprisingly, House Swann do as well, as well as do house Caron, it seems Lord Durran kept true to his word. From the Vale, Lords Royce, Templeton, Waynwood, Upcliff, Redfort, Wydman and Corbray all stand for Jonothor. From the Riverlords, it seems Hoster has delivered on his promise, Blackwood and Whent leading the charge, if he gets it right they have just piped Robert by four votes in the riverlands. The crownlands is also somewhat similar though they lose out to Baratheon by one vote, and clearly win in the narrow sea region with eight votes.
Once all the counting is done, Rickard and the other lords wait with baited breath for the tally to be announced, Rickard saying a silent prayer, he does not know if they have enough for a clear victory or not. Pycelle stands and in his quavering voice says. "Votes for Jonothor Targaryen, one hundred and seven. Not enough for a clear win."
The hall erupts into chaos at this, with various lords and ladies shouting various things, but Rickard has only eyes for Robert Baratheon, who stands and bellows for quiet. "I demand trial by combat," the man roars. "I won this war in battle once, I will win it again."