Funerals for those of high nobility in King's Landing were quite the grandiose affairs. First, the bodies were tended to and prepared by the Silent Sisters. Then, they were laid atop an altar in the center of the Great Sept of Baelor, with the deceased positioned so that the head was pointed towards the back of the statue of the Stranger.
If they were male, then their hands were positioned clasping a sword laid upon their chest that pointed down towards their feet. Meanwhile, two funeral stones painted to resemble open eyes were put over their closed lids. The symbolism was supposed to remind the living that death was just the next step. Basically, you closed your eyes in one world and opened them again in the afterlife.
Meanwhile, men of Jon Arryn's stature and wealth could usually afford to have their corpses embalmed to slow the process of decay down. This apparently involved removing the internal organs likely to decay the most quickly and placing them in seven ceremonial vases at the foot of the body.
Finally, the body would sit in the Great Sept for seven days and seven nights, tended by members of the Faith of varying degrees of seniority depending on just who the deceased was.
This was how most funerals for someone like the Hand of the King would go in a place like King's Landing. But of course… the vast majority of that could not be applied to Jon Arryn.
There was no body for the Silent Sisters to tend to. There was nothing to clean up. No hands to clasp a sword, no eyes to cover with painted stones. No organs to extract and put in vases. Jon Arryn, much like Varys the Spider and Grandmaester Pycelle… had been reduced to naught but ash.
To their credit, the High Septon and the Most Devout still gave it their best go. There was a casket placed on the altar in the center of the Great Sept instead, said to contain the Lord Hand's ashes. Of course, Axel knew better.
The wildfire in the Small Council Room had burned and it had burned long. By the time the green flames finally went out, everything was pretty much unrecognizable. Sure, one could point to the part of the room where Jon had been sat and say 'those must be his ashes', but the truth was… the ashes of all three men, as well as the rest of the room, had long commingled by the time anything had been gathered up.
It was just one of the many indignities and injustices regarding Jon's death that Axel had to stomach. After all, what good would it do to throw a tantrum about the contents of a casket now? No, better to just swallow the lie and send the casket on to the Eyrie once these seven days in the Great Sept were over.
In the end, Axel would take some solace in knowing at least a small part of Jon would be buried with his ancestors.
Seven of the Most Devout, veiled so that their true identities are hidden and they might best embody the Seven Who Are One, suddenly enter the main chamber and begin to perform their daily rites, moving around the altar where Jon's casket is placed and speaking in unison with one another.
Axel watches from an alcove nearby, though he doesn't actually listen too closely. He's heard them do this enough by this point. Meanwhile, even as they're performing the ritual, he feels a presence come up behind him and step into place at his side.
"Your Grace."
Looking to Stannis Baratheon, Axel nods his head in acknowledgment.
"Lord Hand."
Stannis is quiet for a moment out of respect for Jon Arryn. But in the end, Axel's new Hand is not the type to mince words.
"Lannisport has fallen and Casterly Rock is under siege. They say Ser Kevan Lannister was slain in battle trying to hold the city. There are also rumors that Euron Greyjoy commands a monstrous kraken said to be large and powerful enough to destroy the city's walls."
Axel processes this for a moment, breathing in and then out. Finally, he turns to fully look at his uncle.
"Rumors?"
Stannis grimaces.
"The sources are reputable. The news is just… hard to swallow."
Yes, Axel imagines the sources would be reputable. After all, it wasn't like they really had access to disreputable sources anymore, not with Varys' death. All of his so-called 'little birds' had gone to ground, disappearing into Flea Bottom or maybe the depths of the Red Keep's tunnels.
Axel didn't really know where they'd gone or what they were doing with the death of the Spider. He just knew that any and all information coming to them these days would likely be official correspondence via ravens for the foreseeable future. At least until another Master of Whispers could be found.
"You had best learn to swallow even the strangest news, uncle. If someone like me can exist… then I should think a particularly massive kraken wouldn't be nearly as farfetched. It would explain how Euron Greyjoy was able to take over the Iron Islands without them holding one of their Kingsmoots, after all."
Stannis inclines his head in acknowledgment, before scowling.
"You're right. It would also explain why he acted so brashly. When his brother Balon declared his independence, he did so by burning the Lannister Fleet first and then announcing himself King. But Euron wanted the Lannisters to pull their fleet back to Lannisport."
Axel raises an eyebrow, prompting Stannis to elaborate further.
"He wanted them to leave the rest of the coast undefended so that he could continue raiding the fishing villages all up and down it. Plus, it allowed him to smash their fleet to pieces in one fell swoop. And a kraken of the size being reported would make the latter task… all too easy."
Yes, that made sense. It's good to see that Stannis still has all the sense of a man who knew his way around naval warfare. Unfortunate then, what Axel was going to have to do.
"You'll be staying in King's Landing when I depart with our armies."
Stannis stiffens, but Axel continues on unabated.
"Lord Seaworth will command the Royal Fleet and take it southward to eventually link up with the Redwyne Fleet at the Arbor, assuming they're still intact by then. I will take our armies over land to the Westerlands and we'll either relieve the siege on Casterly Rock or take back the castle if its already fallen."
Sighing, Axel waves a hand through the air.
"From there, we'll smash whatever Ironborn remain in Lannisport, kill this kraken if it shows up, and head for the Iron Islands to finish this once and for all. But you… I need you here, Uncle. Acting as my Hand and Regent while I'm gone."
He waits for Stannis to argue. To his surprise, the dour man eventually bows his head.
"… As my King commands."
Axel considers that for a moment. If it were Jon, he might have tried harder to make sure that the older man knew he meant no insult by it. But then, if it were Jon, Axel wouldn't have had to worry about an unintended insult anyways. Jon Arryn would have understood… but also, Jon Arryn had been an old man. His days of war were long behind him.
Stannis was… not young, but still young enough to fight. Unfortunately, Axel needed him more here than he needed him by his side in the coming war. Fortunately, it seems that his new Hand cares more for duty than glory. In that way, Stannis and Jon were quite a lot alike.
"How go the preparations for the Royal Fleet anyways? Are Davos and our ships going to be ready in a timely manner?"
Straightening up, Stannis nods sharply.
"Yes. Everything is moving without delay. They'll be ready to depart for the Arbor as soon as possible."
"Good. Very good."
For a long moment, Axel stares out at the casket upon the altar. The Most Devout who had been performing their rites are finished by now and have left the main chamber at this point. Stannis doesn't leave though. He remains… until finally he speaks his mind.
"Will you consider marrying before you leave for war, Your Grace? Having a Queen… and potentially one pregnant with your heir ahead of your departure would go a long way to securing the Realm in your absence."
Axel smiles softly. Now this felt like something Jon would have said. And if it were Jon standing beside him now, Axel might have even caved. But… no. He's made his decision and he's sticking to it.
"I will not. The wedding will take place when I return."
Stannis stiffens up beside him. His tone, when he finally speaks again, is actually hopeful.
"You've made your choice then."
Hesitating, Axel considers holding off from telling the other man for now. He knows Stannis won't approve. Jon wouldn't have either. But… Axel doesn't care. And besides, he doesn't like the thought of keeping secrets. Not from his Hand.
"Yes, I have. I've chosen both of them. Once I'm done putting Euron Greyjoy down like the mad dog he is, I will return and marry Lady Sansa Stark and Princess Arianne Martell. They will both be Queen."
The Hand of the King goes absolutely still at that. Axel isn't surprised. This time around, Stannis can't quite hold his tongue. That doesn't surprise Axel either.
"… Are you sure that's a wise decision, Your Grace? The Faith are not likely to be happy about such things. To say nothing of the Nobility…"
Here, Axel allows himself to grin.
"On the contrary, my Hand… the Faith will be quite enthused. I've already spoken to the High Septon. He agrees that if I wait until after I've won my war with Euron, when my reputation has never been greater, that the announcement, along with his and the Most Devout's vocal approval, will allow me to get away with quite a lot. Including taking two Queens instead of one."
Before Stannis can muster a response, Axel continues on.
"It will be likened to House Targaryen's Doctrine of Exceptionalism, though I assure you that I have no intentions of going as far as they did. Still, Lady Sansa and Princess Arianne… I couldn't bring myself to choose between them. And they've made it quite clear they're happy to share me, as it turns out. So if the Faith are onboard and the women are onboard and the smallfolk will be onboard… well, I suppose the Nobility will also fall in line, won't they?"
Jon would have been trying to talk Axel out of this by now. He would have sounded so disappointed too. Axel can almost hear the older man's voice now, telling him how he's going too far. But Stannis Baratheon is not Jon Arryn. He will never be Jon Arryn, not really.
"… What if you do not return from this war?"
Scoffing, Axel looks Stannis in the eye and raises a brow.
"That won't be a problem. Kraken or no kraken, I will kill Euron Greyjoy. I will return triumphant. And I will marry my two Queens. You don't need to worry about me and the war, Uncle. The outcome has already been decided. Euron Greyjoy is a dead man walking, he just doesn't know it yet."
Stannis' eyes drop down to his own sword for a moment and Axel knows he's remembering the events of the other day. Smiling slightly, Axel shakes his head… and draws Stonehart. This causes his uncle to stiffen, but Axel just takes the Valyrian Steel Blade and presses it against his palm. And then, gripping it tightly, he slides his hand along the impossibly sharp edge.
"The other day, I showed you that normal, Castle-Forged Steel could not cut me. As you know, on the day of the Trial by the Seven, Loras Tyrell managed to make me bleed with this very sword."
Pulling his hand back, Axel shows it to Stannis, revealing a complete lack of injury. There's the barest hints of a thin red mark across his skin, but even that is rapidly vanishing.
"Not even Valyrian Steel can cut me at this point, Uncle. A mere kraken, no matter how large, will not be the death of me either. I'll crawl down it's throat and rip it apart from the inside before I let a mere beast kill me."
In the face of Stannis' silence, Axel sheathes his blade and lets out a sigh.
"Like I said, you needn't worry about the outcome of this war. It's already decided, even if I have to swim to the Iron Islands and slaughter every last Ironborn myself. Instead, I want you to focus on other things while I'm gone."
That gets a narrow eyed look from his Hand.
"Such as?"
Looking back out at Jon's casket again, Axel hums.
"A new Small Council for one. Send a letter to the Citadel and tell them to get me a new Grandmaester as soon as their traditions allow for it. We will also need a new Master of Law to replace you and a new Master of Coin to replace Littlefinger. Another Master of Whispers would also be nice, but I'm not expecting miracles here. Work on having short lists for possible candidates drawn up by the time I return from the Iron Islands."
Thinking of something else, Axel continues.
"Oh and have you seized Littlefinger's brothels yet?"
"I have."
Axel smiles at his uncle's competence.
"Good. Have them turned over… feel free to destroy the buildings and dig a hole if you have to. Before I executed Littlefinger for his crimes, he tried to entice me into sparing his life by offering me the very gold he stole from my father back to me."
That gets a scoff from Stannis and a shake of the man's head.
"Craven fool."
Axel nods, having known that Stannis would sneer at the very thought of sparing Baelish's life. His Uncle was far too stiff to even consider bending on that sort of thing.
"Indeed. Needless to say, I didn't take him up on his offer… but it stands to reason that at least some of that gold of his has to still be in King's Landing. Not all of it, and admittedly Baelish would have been a fool to hide any of it in his own establishments… but it's worth checking."
Grunting, Stannis nods as well.
"Agreed, Your Grace. I'll put trusted men on it right away."
Finally, his uncle turns to leave… only to pause and turn back. Axel raises a brow, wondering what it was this time.
"Apologies, I almost forgot. Asha Greyjoy has been asking for a meeting with you for some time now. I've been stonewalling her while also making sure to keep her and her crew in the city, just in case it turns out they were in league with Euron Greyjoy. What did you want done with them?"
Axel blinks, tilting his head to the side even as he considers the frankly… wondrous conversation about Asha that he'd had with Sansa and Arianne just a couple days ago.
"Asking? Not demanding?"
Stannis doesn't smile… he never seems to smile. But he does raise an eyebrow in response, letting Axel know exactly what form Asha's 'requests' have taken. Grinning a little bit, Axel shakes his head.
"I don't think Asha Greyjoy had anything to do with her uncle's treason. But I might as well meet with her and get to the bottom of this once and for all. Thank you, Uncle. That will be all."
Bowing, his Hand finally departs, leaving Axel to turn his attention back to Jon's casket. He stays for a little while longer and then turns and leaves. It would seem he has a kraken to pump for information before he departs on his hunt.
-x-X-x-By the time Axel finally comes to see her, Asha can't help but be a little angry that it's taken so long. At first, it was rather understandable given that he was said to be on fire there for a while…
However, once he finally stopped being on fire and left the Great Sept behind, the excuses began to get downright outlandish. They claimed he was fine, while at the same time saying the strangest things about his whereabouts!
"I see you were finally able to make time to see me. You know they had the gall to lie to my face and say you were out of the city when I asked after you a few days ago?"
Chuckling, Axel shakes his head.
"That wasn't a lie. I really was out of the city at that time. I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner, but I had to hunt down the ones behind the wildfire attack and deal with them before they could do anymore damage."
Asha frowns.
"I suppose you succeeded then?"
Nodding at that, the King bares his teeth in a rather feral grin.
"Oh yes. They faced the King's Justice… just as your uncle will, soon enough."
Asha squirms, trying not to let Axel's grin get to her too much. It's been quite some time now since they fucked in that back alley and even though she'd taken up residence in the Red Keep and they'd had a few conversations, he hadn't come to her since for another roll in the sheets.
It was rather frustrating, really. She'd had a good time with him that day. Almost too good if Asha was being honest. So good, in fact, that she hadn't taken another man to bed in all that time since. Normally, she would have definitely fucked someone else by now, but the very idea seemed… pointless whenever she thought about it.
Axel had ruined other men for her. Nobody, not even some of the men on her own crew that she'd fucked in the past, had appealed when she compared them to her experience with Axel fucking Baratheon.
Still, Asha had her pride of course. She wasn't going to go crawling to him on hands and knees and beg for another go or anything like that. Instead, she'd been waiting for him to come to her. But while they'd talked and even sparred a handful of times, there hadn't been a repeat performance.
Now he stood before her somewhat different from the last time they spoke. There's something new in his eyes… and for the first time since they met, he seems to be growing a beard on that formerly clean face of his.
Letting out a sigh, Asha forces her desires down into the depths of her mind and focuses instead on Axel's words rather than his handsome mug. Crossing her arms over her chest, she grunts as she looks at him a little defensively.
"… You don't think I'm in league with my uncle, right? I know there have been some… accusations bandied about. But that bastard Euron killed my father, I just know it. I would never help him with… with any of this."
Sure, she might not have liked Balon much… in fact, she didn't like him at all. And as for love? Nah, not even that. But she was still his daughter and he was still her father and that meant something, unfortunately. She wouldn't turn on him, at least not for the exiled uncle said to be so vile that even their own people despised him.
Axel spends a moment staring at her in silence… before finally cracking another smile.
"No, I don't think you're in league with Euron Greyjoy, Asha."
Her heart flutters in her chest for a moment before she gets herself under control. Huffing, she looks to the side and scowls.
"Of course not. You're not an idiot. Fuck, the whole reason my father sent me to King's Landing in the first place was to find out what Euron was doing back in the area. Bastard must have slipped right past me while I was too busy chasing his tail to notice."
It pissed Asha off to no end, truth be told. Here she was on the wrong side of the damn continent while Euron Greyjoy had apparently sailed the Silence all the way around the Southern Tip of Westeros, made for the Iron Islands, and 'miraculously' showed up there the very day that Balon died and his exile was technically ended.
No, Asha knew the truth. Euron had snuck either himself or some of his men onto Pyke and thrown her father from the castle parapets. Made it look like Balon just had too much to drink and 'slipped'… but Asha knew better. She fucking knew better.
"Oh? Is that the only reason you were sent to King's Landing?"
Asha blinks, freezing up at Axel's teasing tone. Flushing hotly, she scowls and glares at the handsome King.
"Fine! Not like it matters anymore… but yes, my father sent me to get your measure as well as find out the latest news about my uncle. I failed twice over, alright?"
Humming, Axel tilts his head to the side before mercifully changing the subject.
"They're saying that Euron Greyjoy controls a kraken. Perhaps the biggest kraken ever seen. Apparently, he used it to not only smash the entirety of the Lannister Fleet but also destroy the walls of Lannisport so that the Ironborn could sack the city and lay siege to Casterly Rock."
That brings a grimace to Asha's face, her lips pursing. She's heard the same rumors at this point. News had been sparse for her here in the Red Keep, and she was only allowed limited contact with her crew. But still, his words match up with what she's managed to scrape together. Shoulders slumping, Asha sighs.
"It might be true. Would certainly explain a lot."
"Oh?"
Nodding, she elaborates.
"Aye. It doesn't make sense otherwise, see? My father's death and my uncle's return… that's one thing. And I can understand why the Ironborn wouldn't accept my brother Theon or me as our father's heir either."
Axel grunts.
"And why is that?"
She gives him a slightly suspicious look, wondering how much he's asking just to ask and how much he already knows. But… fuck it, he was raised a bastard. Maybe he actually needs the history lesson.
"… I'm abnormal enough as is being a female Captain, but there's precedent for it all the same. However, there's never been a Lady Reaper of Pyke in our entire history. And Theon… you Greenlanders don't really understand how we work."
Huffing, she rolls her eyes.
"The moment that Theon became a 'ward' of House Stark, he became tainted in our people's eyes. Maybe if my father died before yours did and Euron didn't come back, Theon could have been put in charge of Pyke… but he would never have had the respect of our people. His rule would have been a weak one."
Letting out a shuddering breath, Asha continues to explain. Honestly, part of her is just glad to have someone to talk this all through with, because she's been stewing in her own thoughts for what feels like an eternity at this point.
"What I'm saying is that there should have been a Kingsmoot called after Euron made his claim. Probably by my other uncle, Victarion, who hates Euron's guts. The whole reason Euron was exiled by my father in the first place was because of crimes that he committed against Victarion."
Axel nods along, showing that he's still listening.
"… That's why it's ridiculous that Victarion is apparently following Euron without question and without even settling things through a Kingsmoot. Everything has moved way too fast. The only way it all makes sense is…"
Asha trails off, so Axel finishes her thought for her.
"Is if the rumors of this massive 'mega' kraken are real. If Euron Greyjoy showed up on Pyke with the biggest kraken in the history of the Iron Islands at his back, the Ironborn wouldn't hesitate to bend the knee, would they? Even your uncle Victarion."
Hesitantly, Asha nods.
"Aye. The Kraken is our symbol of power, after all. There are stories all throughout history regarding krakens. Back when the Conqueror burned Harren Hoare at Harrenhal for instance, there was a man named Lodos on the Iron Islands who claimed to be a son of the Drowned God. Priests placed a crown of driftwood on his head and Lodos proclaimed that his 'divine father' would bring forth krakens from the depths around the Iron Islands to drag down Aegon's entire fleet of warships."
Asha snorts derisively and scoffs before finishing the story.
"Nothing happened. When the krakens failed to appear, Lodos the Priest-King filled his robes with stones and walked into the sea to have a chat with the Drowned God. Thousands followed him into the water and their corpses were said to wash up on the shores of the Iron Islands for years afterwards."
Axel's brow has lifted in a mixture of both amusement and bemusement at this story. Asha just shakes her head and gets to the point.
"So yes, if Euron has actually managed to tame a kraken of the size that's being reported… I could see why my people would side with him. Even Uncle Victarion wouldn't really have any room to defy him at that point."
Silence falls between them as Axel processes that. She wonders what's going through the handsome man's mind. Is he losing his nerve at the thought of having to face such a beast? He can't exactly cede the entire west coast of the continent to her uncle, to be fair. The rest of the Seven Kingdoms would eat him alive…
"And you? Do you yearn to go and serve under Euron Greyjoy, Tamer of Krakens?"
Asha blinks, but before she can do more than start to scowl, Axel continues on.
"What about your crew? Would they turn on you to follow Euron?"
That… brings her up short before she can answer the first question. She hesitates for a moment… but finally shaking her head vehemently.
"My crew is my crew. They'll do as I tell them to do as their Captain. None of them would betray me just because my uncle commands a big fucking sea monster. And I'm not about to serve my father's killer, even if I can't prove Euron had a hand in his death."
Asha wouldn't have survived this long as a Captain of an Ironborn ship if she couldn't trust each and every member of her crew to the hilt. Not even her status as Balon Greyjoy's daughter could have protected her if she weren't extremely careful about who she let on her boat.
After all, anything could happen out at sea and she… she was a woman. She had it ten times harder than other Ironborn Captain. She always had.
For a long moment, Axel regards her quietly… and suddenly, it dawns on Asha why he was asking. Perking up, she grows serious as she stares into the King's eyes.
"Let us prove ourselves. That's what you're considering right now, right? You have the Royal Fleet mustering right now under your Master of Ships. Let me take my ship and go with them. We… I will fight for you in the coming war if you'll let me."
Raising an eyebrow, Axel grunts.
"You'd follow orders?"
That… Asha knows he doesn't just mean his orders. Fortunately…
"If your Master of Ships were still Stannis Baratheon, I'd be a lot more reluctant to say yes. But even we Ironborn have heard of the Onion Knight. You making him the Master of Ships has only enhanced his legend, really. Davos Seaworth… aye, I'd follow orders from a man like Davos Seaworth."
He studies her silently before nodding again.
"Alright then. I'll let Lord Davos know to expect you and your crew to join him on the voyage to the Arbor."
Is that where they were going? Asha squirms a bit, trying not to feel too warm that Axel would trust her with such sensitive information. To be fair, it's not like it's too hard to figure out all things considered.
There were only so many places that the Royal Fleet could reposition itself and restock after leaving this side of Westeros. And under normal circumstances, the Arbor would be safe even from Ironborn predations given the size of the Redwyne Fleet.
Then again, these weren't normal circumstances…
"Are you not worried about Euron using his kraken to smash the Redwyne Fleet at the Arbor just as he did the Lannister Fleet at Lannisport?"
Axel frowns at that, ultimately shaking his head.
"It's a worry, certainly. But so far reports say that Euron's ship as well as this monstrous kraken are holding steady at Lannisport. Maybe your uncle has become obsessed with cracking open Casterly Rock and getting all the gold there or something. I honestly couldn't say, but the longer he spends in the Westerlands, the better for us all."
Aye, that was true. Still, what WAS her uncle planning? Asha wished she knew. It couldn't just be that Euron wanted control of the Lannister Gold Mines. Sure, gold was always useful, but it would be hard to spend with the whole of Westeros against him.
Did he perhaps hope to use Lannister Gold to buy off one of the other Seven Kingdoms and turn them against Axel? But no… Asha had spent her whole life being looked down on by Greenlanders for being Ironborn. Every even slightly official port they docked in, they were shunned and treated like lepers.
Euron's best bet would have been to take his kraken south to the Arbor and smash the Redwyne Fleet before the Royal Fleet could get there. Maybe he still would, there was still time after all… but the indecisiveness and lazing about off the coast of the Westerlands didn't make sense.
Then again, she hadn't understood most of how he'd managed to pull off certain things before learning about the kraken. Ultimately Asha was forced to acknowledge that underestimating her uncle seemed like a pretty bad idea at this point. Euron must have a plan of some sort. They just didn't fully understand it yet.
Still… why was he so focused on sieging Casterly Rock of all places? He had to know he was needlessly giving the Seven Kingdoms time to assemble their armies and move against him…
-x-X-x-