The Unyielding Stag (Game of Thrones AU/Invincible)
Chapter 28: Bureaucracy

A/N: Dealing with the bureaucracy~

-x-X-x-

Jon Arryn sits and waits, holding in the weary sigh that he would almost certainly have released by now if he were alone.

Renly's war is over at least and thank the Seven for that. Deciding everything with a Trial by the Seven had made it perhaps the cleanest war that Westeros had ever seen as well, though Jon wasn't a Maester and couldn't be certain. All the same, the fact that so few men had to die for peace to be achieved… that was a blessing to be sure.

Still, it's said that the bureaucracy never sleeps. Not entirely accurate, given that Axel's Small Council is meeting a day later, not the very same day as the Trial. However, Jon himself had barely gotten any sleep given how much work he had to do, so in a way it was true.

Seated at the head of the table in the Small Council Room, the exhausted Hand of the King smiles politely, even as Pycelle arrives last like usual and takes his own seat at the table. Stannis, Varys, and Petyr are all already in attendance of course… as is Ser Arys Oakheart, standing there looking nervous but also anticipatory.

Clearing his throat once Pycelle is sitting down, Jon taps the table as all eyes turn towards him.

"This should hopefully be a relatively quick meeting. Everything has already been decided by the King, this is mostly just so that we all understand his Will in these matters."

Nods are had all around for a brief moment before Jon continues.

"First things first, the King is in good health all things considered. He would be here, but he needs a bit more time to heal up first. Grandmaester Pycelle has provided a number of tinctures and poultices to help the King along, so I imagine he'll be up and raring to go in no time."

The Grandmaester coughs at that, speaking up in his usual doddering tone.

"Y-Yes well, if I were allowed to i-inspect the young King's wound, I would most likely have b-been able to render a more… specific judgment on what sort of remedies he needed."

Smiling plainly, Jon shakes his head.

"It was a simple sword wound. Nothing worthy of your time, Grandmaester."

That obviously wasn't quite true. Axel was the King after all, even the slightest unsettling of his stomach was worthy of the Grandmaester's time. The truth was, there was actually nothing keeping Axel from being here today. Nothing at all. In fact, he'd likely made a full recovery before they even left the battlefield.

It was… strange in a way. On the one hand, seeing the impossible young monarch bleed for the first time had been terrifying for Jon. But on the other hand, all that Loras' single blow had managed to do was reveal to both Jon and Axel just how quickly he healed even when they did find something that could harm him.

Jon himself had recognized the wound Loras had managed to deal to Axel as well, and much like Loras and Renly, he'd thought for a heart stopping moment that Robert's son was a dead man walking. But no… while a gouge along the inner thigh like that would have killed any normal man, it had barely slowed down Axel.

"Secondly, onto the matter of Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell. As our King agreed to, Renly will be allowed to take the Black. Until such time as he can be transported North, the King has decreed that he will stay in the upper levels of the Black Cells. Similarly, Loras Tyrell has survived the loss of his hand and demanded to take the Black as well in spite of his father's protests, so he too will be confined to the Black Cells until he and Renly can be taken to the Wall."

There are nods all around the table at this. If Stannis is upset that Renly won't be executed for his crimes, he doesn't really show it… his face is as stoic and inscrutable as ever. The others don't seem to rightly care one way or another.

Unfortunately, this next bit of news was something that would probably cause a few scowls. Even Jon wanted to scowl just thinking about it. But in the end they would all just have to stomach it. Letting out his weary sigh at long last, Jon delivers the bad news.

"Thirdly, House Tyrell will remain the rulers of Highgarden and Mace Tyrell will remain Lord Paramount of the Reach."

That curdles Stannis' expression in a way that the news of Renly taking the Black did not. To be fair, Jon isn't happy about it either.

"There will be consequences, however. For the next three summers and winters, the Reach will be required to supply food to the Crownlands, including King's Landing, for a minor fraction of the usual cost. On top of that, Lady Margaery Tyrell will be remaining here as a Ward of the Red Keep for the foreseeable future, joined by her grandmother, Lady Olenna Tyrell."

Margaery and Olenna would be hostages in all but name to ensure that Mace didn't step out of line again. Jon would have liked to send Mace Tyrell to the Wall along with Renly. Hell, he would have loved to attaint House Tyrell and see them replaced as Lord Paramounts of the Reach as well. There was just one major issue with that unfortunately. Namely, the fact that every single noble house in the Reach had answered their liege lord's call to war.

Not a single one of them had balked at Mace Tyrell's orders, or at least not openly enough to see them replaced. Even the likes of House Florent, who had married one of their women to Stannis, or House Oakheart, of which Ser Arys was a member, had not tried to deny Mace's call to arms.

Put bluntly, all of them were complicit in the same way that the Storm Lords had all been complicit in following Renly into treason. And if they went about punishing every single lord who played a role in this stupid, insipid war, than while the Night's Watch might thank them for the influx of recruits, the Southern Kingdoms would no doubt harbor resentment for years and years to come.

No, in the end, the ultimate responsibility for this mess lay with Renly. In the wake of his defeat, he'd at long last confessed to making up the story of Jon Arryn's dishonor and lies, as well as convincing the three servants he had stashed away in Storm's End to support his lies as well.

All three sisters would have to join the Silent Sisters for their crimes, and Renly and Loras would be taking the Black. But everyone else was going to get off relatively easy, allowed to fall back on the claim that they'd been hoodwinked by Renly's deception. Of course, the Reach was still going to be paying their debt to the Crown for a long time to come. And the Stormlands…

"Fourthly, by order of the King, Lord Stannis is hereby granted the seat of Storm's End, where he will now rule as Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. He will also keep custody of Dragonstone in the King's name for the foreseeable future."

Stannis brightens up considerably at this, rising from his seat and giving a stiff backed bow that Jon returns with an indulging nod. The man still doesn't smile, but he nevertheless manages to look the happiest that Jon has ever seen him… until the next thing.

"Furthermore, if you will accept the position, the King wishes for you to be made Master of Laws as well, Lord Stannis."

Freezing up in surprise, Stannis furrows his brow for a moment in confusion, allowing Jon to continue on with explanation.

"It is the King's opinion that a man with your sense of duty and honor is far more suited for the position than your brother was… and given your long and robust history as Master of Ships, he also wishes for you to put forward your recommendation for your successor if you choose to accept this new role."

That causes a bit of a stir around the table, even as Stannis sits there looking dumbstruck for several long seconds. After all, while its unusual for a Small Council Member to switch positions while remaining on the Small Council, it's not unheard of.

However, the King allowing that same person to publicly choose their replacement, as Jon is implying here, is somewhat unprecedented. Kings didn't often like to give up their power, after all. But as Axel had told Jon, there was simply no one better than Stannis himself to figure out his successor. He was the man with the most experience in the role after all, and therefore he should know best.

In the end, Axel felt that Stannis needed to be rewarded beyond just becoming Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Those were titles he would inherit simply by being the only Baratheon left for the role, after all. It was expected that he would be given such things with Renly bound for the Wall.

Axel had wanted to do more though, to make it clear to both Stannis and the rest of the Realm that he was valued and appreciated for his service to the crown. Especially given how rocky and fraught with danger the early days of Axel's reign had been.

Much like Tywin Lannister had done, Stannis could have sat back and waited for the dust to settle to see who would come out on top here in King's Landing. Instead he hadn't hesitated to swear his fealty to Axel and help keep King's Landing from starving any worse than it had due to the siege.

Jon is just about to tell Stannis he doesn't have to decide now when the stiff backed man suddenly speaks up.

"… I will accept the position of Master of Laws. My recommendation for the position of Master of Ships is Ser Davos Seaworth."

From across the table, Petyr Baelish lets out a choked-off laugh.

"The Onion Knight? Isn't that the one you cut fingers off of for smuggling food to Storm's End during King Robert's Rebellion?"

Stannis' gaze sharpens as he jerks his head in a nod.

"Yes. Ser Davos took his punishment without complaint and put his smuggling days behind him. He has proven to be a loyal subject to both the crown and myself ever since. He is also one of the best sailors I know and would be perfect to succeed me as Master of Ships."

Baelish looks bemused while Varys just smiles. Pycelle, meanwhile, looks as lost as ever by the exchange. Jon just sighs and nods his head.

"I will take your recommendation to the King, Lord Stannis. I have no doubt that he will weigh your suggestion quite heavily against any other would be options."

Translation, they would almost certainly be going with Ser Davos given what Axel had told him. This leaves Stannis looking pleased as he nods in satisfaction, while Petyr looks almost like he's bitten something sour. Perhaps he had his own idea for who could take over as Master of Ships, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

With the matter settled, Jon turns his attention to the final bit of business, his eyes moving over to where Ser Arys Oakheart stands near the door.

"Ser Arys, come forward please."

Straightening up, the Kingsguard strides up to the table, stopping with his hands clasped in front of him.

"The Kingsguard has remained at a mere shadow of its former self since the wildfire tragedy and the suicide of Ser Jaime. You and Ser Meryn have done your duties to the best of your abilities in that time, and the King has decided you are to be rewarded for staying true to your oaths and protecting the Queen Dowager and Princess. With that said, you are now Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Take a seat."

Looking appropriately honored by this, even if he had to have suspected it was coming, Ser Arys, now Lord Commander Arys, pulls out the chair normally reserved for the head of the Kingsguard and sits down after pulling his white cloak to the side.

"The four Champions who fought alongside our King and survived the Trial by the Seven will be sworn into the Kingsguard in the next day or two once the King is recovered enough for such things. A seventh will eventually be found to fill out your number as well."

Inclining his head, Arys clears his throat.

"As you say, Lord Hand."

Sweeping his gaze around the room, Jon moves his eyes from the newly appointed Lord Commander to the newly appointed Master of Laws, and then on to the Master of Whispers, Master of Coin, and the Grandmaester. After so long, they were almost whole again, with only one empty seat left at this point. And that would soon be filled by Ser Davos.

Finally, Jon gives a single sharp nod.

"That will be all for now. Dismissed."

As the rest of the Small Council leaves the chamber, Jon remains seated, leaning back in his chair and letting out a sigh of relief. It was over. Renly's insipid war, the question of his honor, and Axel's claim to the throne… all of it.

Sure, part of Jon would have preferred that Axel play things a bit safer in the Trial and not take quite so many risks or showboat as much as he did. But he'd already spoken with the High Septon and the rotund man was more than happy to spread word of Axel's piety and faith carrying the day for him.

To be fair, if there was any public setting in which it was perfect for Axel to come across as a little abnormal, it would be a Trial by the Seven. After all, such Trials were blessed by the Seven, right? It was said that the Seven would not let the honest party lose such a thing, and even if it was only the smallfolk and the most pious of nobles who believe such trite things, it was still good enough in the end.

Yes… at long last, everything has worked out for the best. At long last, the Realm is at peace. Though that did not mean the work was done. Far from it. The Lord Paramounts, who had all already been on the road to King's Landing would continue to come, albeit without most of their armies. Everyone would soon be gathered in the city to swear fealty to Axel Baratheon in person.

And of course, now that things were settled with Renly… Axel needed a wife. He needed a Queen and he needed proper heirs. Only once that was settled did Jon think he would finally be able to truly rest easy.

But if nothing else, at least the violence was over and done with.

-x-X-x-

A/N: Thank the Seven that the violence is over and done with!

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