Silver Stag

Death Of A King

"No."

"No."

"What about strength?"

"Yes. Strength. King Robert was strong. He won the rebellion and crushed the Targaryen dynasty. And he attended three small council meetings in seventen years. He spent his time whoring and hunting and drinking until the last two killed him. So, we have a man who starves himself to death, a man who lets his own brother murder him, and a man who thinks that winning and ruling are the same thing. What do they all lack?"

"Wisdom."

"Yes!" Tywin said as it seemed Tommen had landed on the correct answer.

"Wisdom is what makes a good king."

"Yes. But what is wisdom? Hmm? A house with great wealth and fertile lands asks you for your protection against another house with a strong Navy that could one day oppose you. How do you know which choice is wise and which isn't? You've any experience of treasuries and granaries or shipyards and soldiers?"

"No."

"No. Of course not. A wise king knows what he knows and what he doesn't. You're young. A wise young king listens to his counselors and heeds their advice until he comes of age. And the wisest kings continue to listen to them long afterwards... Your brother was not a wise king. Your brother was not a good king. If he had been, perhaps he'd still be alive. Now, as the king, you will have to marry. Do you understand why?"

Tywin and Tommen began walking up the steps to leave the Sept.

"A king needs a queen."

"Yes, but why? To further the family line. As your sister has. Do you know how that happens?"

If Aelinor didn't wish to strangle her grandfather any of the other times he had angered her, she certainly did now.

The boy's brother's body wasn't even cold, and here he stood telling the King of ten and four he needed to marry and produce heirs.

Because if he died without an heir, the crown would fall to her, and Aegar after her, his children after him, and so on.

"Yes." Tommen answered.

"Yes, but has anyone explained the details to you?"

"I don't think so. It's all relatively straightforward."

Jaime entered. "How are you?" He asked Tommen, his only remaining son, even if he didn't know it.

"I'm all right."

"You are. You will be. I'll see to that."

Tywin and Tommen exited.

"Please give the queen a moment alone with her son." Jaime said.

"Yes, my lord. All of you." The High Septon snaps his fingers and the priests exit.

Sensing they wanted to be alone, Aelinor did not wait to be asked to leave. It wasn't a hard decision. Some may call her cold and unfeeling. Sure they had met Joffrey, the King, but they hadn't met Joffrey, the brother. The brother who took great pleasure in the suffering of everyone, especially his siblings. And, as heir to the Throne, he often got away with it.

He approached his twin who was staring at her eldest son's body.

"It was Tyrion. He killed him. He told me he would. "A day will come when you think you are safe and happy and your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth." That's what he said to me. You saw it. You saw Joff point at him just before he..."

"I don't know what I saw."

Everything had happened so fast.

"Avenge him. Avenge our son. Kill Tyrion." Cersei pleaded.