The Unyielding Stag (Game of Thrones AU/Invincible)
Chapter 26: Trial by the Seven Pt. 1

A/N: The Trial begins.

-x-X-x-

The day of the Trial arrives at long last. Axel won't deny that he's been chomping at the bit for this. But Renly insisted on pushing it back an entire week for some reason. Hell, they'd just received word that the North's armies had reached Greywater Watch, while the armies of the Vale and the Riverlands waited for them at Darry.

Even Tywin Lannister's forces had left Casterly Rock by this point and were said to be venturing down the Gold Road. No matter what happened today, everyone would soon be arriving at King's Landing one way or another.

Though obviously, there was only one outcome to all this madness. Axel was going to win the Trial by the Seven, no matter the cost. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he would come out on top either. He would try to conceal his true nature as best as possible, but he refused to lose, even if it meant revealing that he was something other than a man.

His Uncle's armies have moved back from King's Landing, while the location where they'll be holding the Trial has been placed far enough outside of the city's walls that they're not within range of any bowmen on Axel's side who might try to take an opportunistic shot.

Each of them have been allowed to bring fifty knights along with the Champions who will be fighting in the Trial. On top of that, Axel brings the majority of his Small Council as well as the High Septon with him… but leaves Stannis behind in the city.

Perhaps it's a little bit too on the nose, but if the impossible does happen today, then Stannis will become King of the Seven Kingdoms. He is, after all, the next in line for the throne no matter what Renly and his faction might think.

On Renly's side of things, it would seem he's brought his own 'Hand', Mace Tyrell… as well as his Queen. In fact, the moment Axel lays eyes on Margaery Tyrell; he feels something towards Renly that he's never felt before… jealousy.

Truly, Renly's Queen is a beauty among beauties. She's even more gorgeous than Cersei, Axel can't help thinking, his eyes lingering on her figure for a moment as the two groups approach. And she's entirely wasted on Renly too, if the rumors of his sword swallowing are true.

The fifty men that each of them have brought form a half-circle perimeter on either side of the location where the Trial will take place. Jon and the rest of the Small Council stay back, while Axel and his chosen champions stride forward.

The six men that he's brought with him from King's Landing are the best of his sparring partners. They're the knights who never held back when they fought him, nor did they give up when it seemed like he was an insurmountable challenge. Each and every one of them continued to try long past the point where a sane man would have stopped… and indeed, the point where many of their compatriots had stopped along the way.

Ser Arys Oakheart and Ser Meryn Trant had been left behind in King's Landing to continue looking after Myrcella and Cersei. By leaving the Queen Dowager and Princess in King's Landing as well, Axel imagined Stannis would have the bargaining power he needed to make sure Tywin fought on his side… if it somehow came to that.

Meanwhile, any of these men who survived the Trial would be immediately elevated to his Kingsguard. It would be rather awkward if all six of them survived, but Axel didn't think that very likely. After all, surely Renly would pick similarly skilled champions, right?

… Looking over his uncle's fighters, Axel suddenly has his doubts. While he and the six knights on his side of the field are all adorned in full plate armor without much differentiation or independent identity beyond the crown atop Axel's brow, the same cannot be said for Renly's men.

Axel had heard that Renly called his version of the Kingsguard the 'Rainbow Guard', but he hadn't really thought it was literal. And yet, here they were. Each of Renly's knights wear armor dyed in a different color of the rainbow, save for the one who must be his Lord Commander. Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, is the only one wearing normal armor, though he still has a rainbow cape hanging off his back.

It's all very colorful, Axel has to admit. Perhaps a little too colorful. In the end, he just tries to ignore it and focus on the matter at hand… as well as the man who played the biggest role in bringing them all here and making this all necessary in the first place.

But of course, just as Cersei had warned him… Renly hangs back. In fact, he has chairs brought forth for him and his Queen, taking a seat with a smile on his smarmy face even as his Rainbow Guard all stride forward to meet Axel and the six knights at his sides.

Admittedly, he's far less angry than he would have been if he hadn't had the chance to prepare for this eventuality. That's what allows Axel to force a smile across his face as he calls out to his treacherous uncle.

"Not going to take part, Uncle?"

Renly's Rainbow Guard parts for a moment to give their liege unrestricted line of sight to Axel. The seated self-proclaimed King just smiles as though this is all some game to him.

"I am a King, young Stone. I did not appoint these brave warriors to my Rainbow Guard just to leave one of them on the sidelines."

The casual disregard for Axel's legitimacy and Kingship prompts no small amount of bristling and shifting from the six men at his side. Axel holds up a hand to keep any of them from saying anything though. He looks his uncle in the eye from across the field. And he asks the question that's been burning in his mind since the moment Ser Vardis died.

"Why did you do this, Renly? My father made you Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. He named you Master of Laws. You had everything you could have possibly wanted… and you threw it all away and spat on his final wishes. Was it worth it? Was all of this worth it? Truly?"

Now it's the Rainbow Guard's turn to bristle. Loras Tyrell in particular is scowling most furiously at Axel. Renly though… Renly reacts rather strangely, letting out a low sigh and shaking his head in regret.

"This wasn't what I wanted, no. I'm afraid something got… lost along the way. The knights I sent after you and Lord Arryn on the Kingsroad were only supposed to take you into custody. But I suppose you fought back and so the point is moot. Still, if you want someone to blame, if you're looking for a villain in all of this… look no further than the man who has put lies in your head, Stone. As regrettable as this all is, it remains my solemn duty as Robert's brother to make sure Jon Arryn doesn't get away with defrauding the Seven Kingdoms."

Axel's teeth grind together for a moment before he snarls.

"What proof do you have that Lord Arryn lied?! What evidence gives you the confidence to besmirch the name of a man who's honor is known far and wide across the whole of the Seven Kingdoms?!"

Renly smiles sadly, looking almost like he pities Axel for his 'confusion'. Axel isn't confused, to be clear. He's angry. And maybe part of him wants to force at least some of Renly's men to be forced to consider the idiocy on display here.

"I have the three servants who tended to my brother in his final moments. Three sisters who have all told me the same thing… Robert was in no state to pass on any message to anyone before he died. Jon Arryn is indeed a liar. And you are his puppet."

"Then produce these women! Where are these women that you claim know the truth about my father's death!"

A flash of anger appears in Renly's eyes as Axel raises his voice. But then he just shrugs rather flippantly.

"I cannot. They're back in Storm's End, where they're safe from any would-be assassins. But really… it doesn't matter at this point, does it? We're not here to debate or argue what is and isn't true. We're here to settle this once and for all with a Trial by the Seven."

Renly smiles cheerily, though Axel senses something fake in his uncle's eyes.

"The Seven will determine who is telling the truth and who is lying. After all… the Seven Who Are One wouldn't let a liar prove triumphant over an honest man, would they?"

Axel can tell that Renly's words are intentionally mocking the Faith. And while Axel himself might not be nearly as devout or pious as he's tried to appear, it still angers him somewhat to hear the other man act so… two-faced.

Straightening up, Axel squares his shoulders and solemnly nods.

"You're right. This will be decided here and now on this field with this battle. Let this be the first and last battle of this ridiculous, pointless war."

Finally, that gets under Renly's skin. Axel can see the other man bristling a little bit. But he maintains his cool all the same, even as the High Septon carefully and gingerly steps forward with some guards employed specifically by the Faith flanking him on either side.

"Ahem. T-Today we are gathered for a Trial by the Seven, a most ancient holy rite. Today we stand at the crossroads of justice and mercy, where the Will of the Seven will be made manifest through mere mortal hands. Let us remember that this is not a Trial of Vengeance, but of Justice. This is a Trial of Divine Judgment and Heavenly Adjudication. M-May the Seven guide the blades of all the Champions, so that their Will might be done this day."

As the High Septon speaks, Axel and his men prepares themselves, watching Renly's Rainbow Guard do the same opposite of them. This prompts the High Septon to stammer just a little bit as live steel is bared on either side, the portly man sweating a tad as his eyes flick back and forth.

Finally, taking a step back, he clears his throat.

"L-Let the Trial commence!"

As the High Septon and his guards pull away, Axel moves forward and so do the men on either side of him. Likewise, Renly's Rainbow Guard strides forward as well.

For a brief moment, Axel had considered aiming for Loras Tyrell first. The Knight of Flowers was said to be more than just Renly's Lord Commander… he was also apparently the man's lover.

It went against the Faith of the Seven taught in the Seven Pointed Star, but truth be told, Axel didn't much care beyond wondering how the hell Renly ever expected to produce an heir, or why someone as beautiful as Margaery Tyrell would be happy playing the cuckold.

Still, Axel doesn't immediately go for Loras because taking the man out too early might turn this into a one-sided slaughter and not only does Axel only have five open slots in his Kingsguard, he also doesn't want to win too easily. It needs to look like it was at least a little challenging.

Fortunately, Loras also doesn't make a beeline for him, allowing Axel to instead choose the biggest man on the enemy side to approach. Wearing dented steel armor dyed a deep blue cobalt color, the knight turns to face him, wielding a sword in his hands.

Axel grins viciously, even as he lifts his own sword. The sounds of battle begin to ring out all around him, signaling that each of the seven on either side has found their first opponent. This early in the trial, it would be one on one until someone lost, at which point things would eventually begin to grow lopsided one way or another.

But for now, it was seven separate duels… just the way Axel wanted it.

"You're a big one, aren't you?"

His taunt is met with the giant in blue scoffing heatedly from beneath his helm.

"You've caused King Renly enough headache, bastard. You should have stayed in the Vale."

Not bad in terms of banter. Not bad at… wait a second… Axel's brow furrows, even as the giant lunges forward and he makes a show of barely dodging out of the way of the sword thrust. He's distracted, though not nearly enough to let any of the subsequent blows land.

Still… that voice hadn't sounded particularly masculine. In fact, if Axel didn't know any better…

"Hold on, are you a woman?"

The blue giant freezes up and Axel could have taken advantage of that… but he doesn't. Because he knows he's hit the nail right on the head. This massive warrior in blue armor is no 'he' at all. It's a she. Finally, she snarls and sets her stance, holding her sword before her as she introduces herself.

"… I am Lady Brienne of Tarth. I am Brienne the Blue of King Renly's Rainbow Guard. Underestimate me at your own risk, bastard, for I shall show you no mercy."

Well shit.

-x-X-x-

A/N: "Hang on a second, nobody said anything about having to hit a girl!" – Axel, probably.

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