Traitors and Executions

Jacob was sitting on the Painted Table, as he had just gotten the news of how Uncle Robert was injured, during a hunt and was defeated by a wild boar.

He didn't like the sounds of that, because as a child, he had always known his Uncle to be strong and to win wars, and kill those who crossed him.

Not the sad, excuse of a man he was nowadays, who wanted to whore and drink himself into a grave.

Just now, a raven had come by to deliver him a message, which came from King's Landing, no doubt from Lord Eddard, as he was still Hand of the King after all.

His squire Devan had just delivered the letter to him, as he went back to spend time with his brothers and his father.

Jacob had known all seven sons of the Onion Knight, named Dale, Allard, Matthos, Maric, Stannis, Steffon and his squire Devan.

The young lord was charmed, as two of the sons of Ser Davos were named after his lord father and late grandfather, which made Jacob a bit sentiment.

Jacob had seen the seal of the king on it, as he was adamant of reading the message before it had been too late.

It read:

Lord Jacob.

This message may seem in haste, but your Uncle doesn't have much time before he is dead, and pandemonium will presume in the Seven Kingdoms.

Your Uncle has apologised for how he treated you on the King's Road and wishes you to inherit his old stag pendent, which was all he had of his lord father, before he died in shipwreck many years ago, when he was a young man.

Things in court are dangerous, especially the knowledge I possess, which will label me a threat to the Lannisters and their hunger for power. I should have listened to you, as you have more experience in playing this dreadful game, learning from the Tyrells.

Lord Renly has left the city of King's Landing and I suspect he is going to the Reach, alongside the Knight of Flowers, and I do not know why, since his brother is close to death.

As your uncle tells me you are an expert at intrigue, have studied under the tutelage of the Tyrells.

Speaking off, Lord Renly had suggested days ago, for your Uncle to marry Lady Margaery in exchange to set Queen Cersei aside.

It was a fool's game, as the Lannisters do not take slights very easily, as destroying two houses in their own lands because those lords were foolish to challenge Lord Tywin's authority.

Speaking of the old lion, he has been burning the homelands of my wife and my son has gone down south to liberate the Riverlords with much of the Northern host.

If things go wrong, and I end up in the grave, alongside your uncle. You might be the only person capable of saving the kingdoms.

My own son is honourable, but doesn't know the game, Lord Renly has his own ambitions and your father is no friend of the nobility or the smallfolk.

You have a mind for the game, but the prowess of a battle ready warrior. I have faith in you, my lord and your father, if he receives my message soon.

Lord Eddard Stark

Hand of the King and Warden of the North.

Jacob felt a coldness inside of him, as Uncle Robert was dying and he couldn't do anything to save him from such a fate.

Maybe, for him, it would end his suffering of being stuck to a wife, he hates and children he couldn't give less of a damn about.

"I didn't know Lord Stark liked me so much." Jacob thought in his mind. "His hands must be tied, with my uncle dying and the Lannisters waiting to get rid of him."

Jacob found the golden pendent, along with the letter, as it was fashioned from real gold and it still looked, as good as new.

The pendant must have belonged to his grandfather Lord Steffon, then had given it to Uncle Robert and now it's in his hands.

Jacob felt a bit honoured, as it kind of made up for what had happened on the King's Road between uncle and nephew.

He placed the pendant around his neck, as it made him feel like a real Baratheon with the symbol of his house around his neck.

"It's a shame, my Uncle can't give it to me himself, I bet Joffrey would have been jealous." Jacob thought.

The thought of Uncle Robert dying hurt Jacob, as he would be losing his favourite uncle and being left with the uncle he hated the most.

Jacob didn't like his Uncle Renly very much, as the two always clashed and fought over the simplest of things, such as appropriate cloths and wanting to go to court with him.

He didn't like how his uncle pranced around court, wearing expensive clothes, in which Jacob wished he had worn, being the rightful heir of Storm's End after all.

"He maybe the Lord of Storm's End and my Uncle, but he will not get away so easily."

Two days afterwards, his Uncle Robert had died, as he had apparently wanted his pain eased by the milk of the poppy.

Jacob felt a stoniness inside, as he didn't want to talk to anyone and kept himself away from most of the people on Dragonstone.

It was too late, because Lord Eddard would be in danger, not knowing how to play the game and being surrounded by fools and bootlickers.

The worst were the people sitting on the Small Council, a position Jacob would have liked to have taken, but Uncle Renly didn't like the idea of him stealing his seat.

The eunuch Lord Varys, as he was the strangest of them all and was a foreigner, which was something Jacob had to be aware off.

The old Grand Maester Pycelle, who liked to play up this act of being frail, but underneath the chain was a sad, chinless man, who was loyal to one lord, and it was Tywin Lannister.

The one Jacob despised the most was Lord Baelish, the lowborn upstart, who got lucky because of his childhood connection with the former Tully sisters and was given the position of Master of Coin, by Jon Arryn himself.

"I bet Baelish had something to do with Arryn's death, since he didn't like him very much." Jacob pondered.

With Uncle Robert dead and Joffrey is King, the kingdoms are going to burn, before peace can last throughout the summer.

In Jacob's eyes, Joffrey wasn't qualified to be king, because he wasn't educated, as a king should be.

It was obvious, the poor bastard was just a figurehead for the Lannisters to control the Iron Throne.

Jacob was in black clothing, as he was still grieving for his Uncle and didn't want to talk to anyone, a part from Shireen, Maester Cressen and his mother.

He had a brief argument with his father, about him being able to grieve properly and how his father hardly had any feelings towards his now dead brother.

Others would assume his father Stannis had a cold heart and didn't care for anyone, but he closed off his feelings because he wanted to appear strong and put together.

At the corner of Jacob's eye, he caught his father entering the Chamber, with a sullen look on his face, as he had time to mourn for his late brother.

"I see you are wearing your uncle's pendent." His father asked, seeing it around Jacob's neck.

"It's the last thing he gave me." Jacob replied.

"It's unfortunate, on how this game seems to take good people away and leave the bad ones behind."

"What do you mean?"

"Soon, son. We will be at war and it will not be a pleasant time for most in the kingdoms."

"Why?"

"I suspected for a long time, the royal children were not sired by your uncle, but by the Queen and the Kingslayer." His father sat down, and said the statement in a hush whisper.

"Incest?" Jacob said, with his eyes wide open. He didn't think such a thing can still be in the Seven Kingdoms, when the Targaryens left.

"Lord Arryn and I suspected for the longest, but it cost the man his life and I was lucky to be alive."

"Who else has knowledge of this?"

"Lord Eddard, he sent me an important message, but I cannot tell anyone else until the time is right."

"It's better that way, since there might be spies on the island, working for the Crown."

"Lamwick fools looking to earn a little gold."

"If what you say is true father, then you are king and I am your heir." Jacob said quietly.

"I'm afraid Lord Eddard might not live to see this war transpire."

"The Lannisters may be cruel, but they are not stupid enough to kill the Warden of the North, it will send the North and the Riverlands in rebellion, not to mention if the Vale joins Robb."

"They will remove any obstacle in their way to power, even if it means starting a war."

"A lot of blood will be shed, for a king who doesn't belong on the throne, and for rebel lords wanting to win their way into court."

"Renly fled the city, the smartest thing that fool has done in a long time."

"Father, Uncle Renly may have motives of his own, like putting himself forward as a contender for the throne."

"That would be reckless and not to mention disrespectful."

Jacob's previous prediction was coming true, two powerful players in the game had to be killed, in order for a war to begin.

Uncle Robert was already dead, but Lord Eddard was already going to make his way down to a grave.

It was a shame, because the two men were ignorant of the backstabbing, scheming and arse-licking around them.

As a young man growing up and soon to be a young lord of six and ten; Jacob was ready to take a chance and become the man, his Uncle Robert wanted him to be.