8 The king is dead, long live the king

Lyonel POV

The next couple of weeks were quite peaceful with the Hand's tourney end and with Sandor as commander of the city watch I managed to take care of all Littlefingers men. I was enjoying a nice day when I heard the servants talk about how lord Stark has left the small counsel with an angry king behind him. It seems I should talk with Ned, it has been a long time since we have a conversation. It was an evening when he decided to show up.

"I have been waiting for you, Lord Stark." I began immediately after he enters.

"My apologies, it was a long day." He answers me with a bow.

"Yes I have heard, King is quite angry, he prepares for the hunt," I inform him.

"I am sorry, but I had enough of the Kings Landing." Lord Stark says. "I will be leaving in the morning for the North."

"No, I should thank you, with you here I was able to deal with lord Baelish's men, I only need to find concrete evidence to confront him," I tell him and pour some wine for him.

"At least there was some good that happened with me there." He did not take the wine cup.

"Yes, I have already prepared a ship for you and your family, it will bring you to the white harbor." I already had planned for this, I will not give Littlefinger a chance to kill Ned and then frame Lannisters. "I still have some work for you once you come back to the North, I heard rumors about the rebuilding of the iron fleet, I want you to keep an eye on them."

"How reliable your information is, my prince?" He's not even surprised anymore, he has learned a lot in here.

"It's reliable enough, but it could be wrong that why I ask you for this. It would be my uncle Stannis's job, but he seems to be preoccupied." He takes my orders well or he is simply too tired to argue with me. "I know you have friends in the Vale, I ask you to ask them to keep an eye on lady Lysa, as Littlefinger gets cornered, she might do something foolish."

"You believe she will go to war for him?" He asks perplexed.

"I do not know, but I know Littlefinger is getting desperate, everything could happen with him." I try to explain to him my actions.

…

The next morning lord Stark has left Kings Landing with his family and Robert went hunting. It is time for me to prepare a reception for the Tyrells, they will come any day now. Firstly I went to Sandor, he becomes a lot easier to talk about after the ordeal with the Mountain. I can only hope my gift bought some time with Martells, well they still going to support Targaryens, that I am sure of it.

After meeting Sandor and ordering him to increase the number of gold cloaks. I went to the throne room, without the Hand and the King, somebody has to hold the Court, so it became my time to show my worth. Inside the room, I was met with my uncle ser, Jaime.

"My prince, you have come early." There not much love between us, I ignore him most of the time, he is just too arrogant and showoff to my taste.

"Have I now, well I should get comfortable, while we await the Court." I simply replay as I sit on the Iron throne, it is indeed uncomfortable as it looks.

"You look good, sitting on the throne." Ser Jaime compliments me, trying to fill the silence, he is like a child, can't be quiet even for a few moments.

"Tell me, uncle, had the Mad king looked good too before you killed him." That seems to shut him up.

The Court was boring, to say at least, a merchant complaining about another merchant, a minor lord accusing another minor lord of something, can't even remember what most of them were. That how most of the court sessions have become after a week of it, I was hoping for father to return so I don't have to sit there anymore. Still, I did not let it show, I always had a slight smile on my face.

…

Father was still gone when the Tyrells has come to Kings Landing and with them about 200 men. After meeting them at the gates, I promised to have a feast to welcome them. I think the first impression was good, we give each other pleasantries and then went for red keep.

At the feast with my family and Tyrells, minus my father and uncle Renly and Stannis, everyone was here. Margaery dress in a beautiful dress, she was already pretty, but with this dress, she looked very lovely.

"You look very lovely tonight, my lady," I tell her that as I lead her to our table.

"Thank you, you look dashing too, my prince." We smile at each other and sit at the main table.

The feast was boisterous, with freely flowing wine and no stop music, Tyrell proved to be at the same level in the flaunting power and showing off gold. As we were enjoying the evening, I had a few words with Willas Tyrell, the heir of Highgarden. As the feast was at its end, Joffrey went up to me.

"Congratulations to you, big brother, to you and our alliances with Tyrells." He said with a smile and give me a cup of wine and took one for himself.

"Thank you, little brother." I took the cup from his hand and as was about to drink, I stopped when I put my lips to the cup, big brother, he never had called me that.

"What have you done Joffrey?!" I yell as I stand up, I see that his smile has frozen.

"What do you mean, big brother." He stutters as he takes a few steps backward.

"Guards! Guard! Arrest prince Joffrey…" I did not finish my sentence when my cousin Lancel smashes the ballroom door and ran's in.

"Your grace! Your grace! The king is dead." He yells with all his voice.

The last thing I hear before I blackout is the panic of the people and then there is only silence and darkness.

The Hound POV

I take prince Joffrey in custody, as the panic began and when I see prince Lyonel fall to the ground I understand what had happened, I quickly order the guards to take Joffrey to the cells, and then I take the prince into my arms and carry him to master.

I kick open the doors of maester's room and see him half-naked with some wench in the bed, I had to drag him out of the bed and quickly put some robes on him. The stammering fool only then sees his prince.

"What happened, why is the prince in this condition?" The fool still does not understand what was going on.

"He was poisoned, he did not drink the poisoned wine, but he has to touch it with his lips, so do something before is too late, and he dies, it will be your head that will roll," I said to him hastily.

My prince had always been careful, this time he even somehow caught Joffrey's act. I already know who truly is behind this attempt to his life. The ensuing chaos was Littlefingers work, my prince always talked about how the chaos was his preferred weapon. Littlefinger was not in the feast, so he probably already trying to flee the capital. He won't get away not this time, there won't be any trial needed. I think as I leave Red keep and go to the harbor.

…

I was waiting for him on the ship, that my prince had discovered belonged to some merchant from the Vale, but it has not left after selling its wares. After interrogating the captain we find out the ship was waiting for someone to bring them to the Vale, my prince has deduced it was waiting for Littlefinger.

It was late in the night when he showed up, when he opened the door of his cabin and saw me sitting in there on the chair, he seemed to be surprised. He looked behind and found two more men standing there. We looked at each other before he began to speak.

"I can give you more gold than you could carry, I will give everything you want if you go with me to the Vale." He says

"Our prince has already given us everything we ever wanted, it is the end of you, Littlefinger" I answer him and he only lets a grasp as I went through his chest with my sword.

When I pulled the sword out, he already was dead, I chain him with some weight and throw his body overboard.

Tyrion POV

It was chaos at first only after Sandor took Joffrey in custody and carried Lyonel to the master, the order started to settle in. What a mess it has become, it is good that gold cloaks learned to obey my command or it would have ended worse. I ordered them to take all the quests to their rooms, I went to see ser Barristan and lord Renly, to see what happened to King Robert.

"What has happened?" I demand answers as I walk in on the ser Barristan as he rushes somewhere.

"Lord Tyrion, the king has died, he was poisoned, when he drank his wine he started to choke, and then he died." He answers me with a defeated voice. "I have to go see prince Lyonel, the assassins might have attacked him next."

"Is too late, there was an attempt on him already," I tell him and he looks at me with horror on his face. "Prince Lyonel is still alive he only touched the drink with his lips, so he should be fine, I was going to see him if you want you could accompany me."

"Very well lead the way, lord Tyrion." It seems my words have calmed him down even if just a little bit.

As we enter the maester's room I see my nephew lying on the bed, he seems to breathe normally and sleeping peacefully. When I spot grand maester, I go to him.

"How is he?" I immediately ask him.

"Lord Tyrion, ser Barristan, the prince will be fine, it was a strong poison, but it seems he has not consumed it directly otherwise it would be a different story," Some good news at least.

"Tyrion." I hear a quiet voice.

"My prince, you need to rest, please leave, you can't disturb him." The grand maester is already on Lyonel.

"Tyrion." I hear him again this time his voice was firm.

"Get out of the way." I shove Pycelle of the way. "I am here, what do you need."

"Do not let my mother take control, you are my hand now rule while I recover." He says and then slips back to this sleep.

"Have you heard him, ser Barrtistan?" I turn to and ask him.

"Aye, lord Hand, I have heard him." He answers with a firm voice.

…

The first thing I did the next morning was to see if Joffrey was imprisoned and secure, then with ser Barristan help, I called for the small counsels meeting. What I have left of it has come and it seems Cersei had invited herself too, a good thing that Sandor too invited himself in the meeting, with him there I can rest assured, he is very loyal to my nephew.

"Why are you here, Tyrion?" My sister asks me immediately with hate-filled eyes.

"Ser Barristan, if you would please explain, to them?" I ask him, it will be better if he says it.

"His grace the king Lyonel, have ordered lord Tyrion to be the King's Hand and rule in his stead while he recovers." He explains with a serious voice.

"Lies, why would son trust him?" My sister starts to deny it.

"Ser Barristan is the most honorable man, he would not lie and besides, my nephew, trust lord Tyrion with many things." Lord Renly defends me.

"Out, everyone out!" She begins to scream.

"You do not order me, and it seems the imp is in charge, so quiet down or I have you arrested." Sandor seems pissed and he definitely won't take any shit from anyone.

"Well it seems we have calmed down, let's start the meeting," I say when I see Cersei has quiet down. "Firstly, it seems last night's attack was well organized, lord Varys do you know anything about it."

"All I can say that I have not foreseen this and my little birds have not brought me any word." He replies to me with a concerning voice.

"It was Littlefinger, the little shit Joffrey has confessed he gave him the poison and then told him that if prince Lyonel died he would be the king." Instead, it was Sandor who explains what has happened.

"That is my son you talking about, what have you done to him, I want him freed at once." Demands my sister.

"He will be freed only on my king's command and not anyone else." It seems the Hound won't take any of her demands.

"Where is Littlefinger then, he needs to answer for his crimes." Lord Renly proclaims.

"He is gone, he had left the city last night." Answers Sandor seemingly not disturbed that his king's enemy has fled.

"I want him found, he will answer what he did to my sons." Again my sister demands.

"Grand maester how is the king feeling?" asks ser Barristan.

"Ah, he is resting, he will be able to move in a couple of days," Pycelle reports.

"The Tyrells wants answers to what has happened, should I explain to them?." Lord Renly is next to ask.

"Talk to them to calm them down, but to not reveal them everything, say that king Lyonel will be fine," I answer him after thinking a bit. "We need to be ready for crowning once, the king is feeling better."

"I will see to it." Surprisingly it was Cersei who answered this time.

"Then I call this meeting over." After I say it everyone leaves except for ser Barristan and Sandor.

"I do not trust anyone to protect my king, so I will stand by his side." Declares the Hound.

"No, you will be needed as a commander of the city watch." I denied him. "Ser Barristan will watch over the king."

"Fine, but will check on him regularly, so if something happens to him I will kill you, ser Barristan." He is not satisfied with it.

"Do not worry, I will protect my king with my life." Answer ser Barristan meeting the Hound's eyes.

It seems that have satisfied Sandor as he leaves too, then Ser Barristan goes do to his duty and I am left alone. I start to write a letter to Stannis he has to come back from whatever he is doing. As I pour some wine into my cup I look at it and then throw it away, I have to order to check all wine to see if is not poisoned.