[Chapter Size: 3000 Words.]

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Third Person POV

North, 297 AC.

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“This is outrageous!” exclaimed the High Septon, rising from his chair with a reddened face.

This was a closed meeting, and the new High Septon, who had taken the place of the previous one, deceased three years ago, was present with Robert Baratheon and Jon Arryn. The three men were discussing Lord Stark’s letter, received that very day, which had forced them to convene the council immediately.

“Well, I can’t say I disapprove of that kind of behavior against a child…” Robert commented, a bit lost. He certainly disliked cruelty but couldn’t say he felt any sympathy for Jon Arctic, especially after the naval war in front of King’s Landing.

That battle had deeply marked the king to the point that he didn’t know how to react. He lamented his reliance on his fleet, now destroyed, rendering him a king unable to win his wars for the first time in his life after fighting through two of them and, in the end, losing to a child who built a force in the wildlands. This only added to the instability of the realm.

Jon Arryn immediately agreed. “The High Septon has valid reasons for his stance, Robert. Jon Arctic is a real threat. He follows another faith and even mocked ours after killing so many subjects of the Seven so dishonorably…” he said.

“Jonny, you of all people?” Robert retorted, surprised. “I thought you wanted stability for the realm. Don’t you see this is a move by the North and Ned to avoid becoming the enemy beyond the Wall?”

“The realm is already dividing, Robert. The people, whether commoners or even nobles, fear Jon Arctic. His attack on the faith, his growing fleet… We simply don’t have the strength to face them, but we need to prepare for them, and the North owes its due to the realm, whether it’s your son or not…” Jon Arryn responded seriously.

“So you disagree with the potential alliance Tywin Lannister wanted with his granddaughter? You also don’t want us to propose the betrothal to my daughter?” Robert asked, clearly confused.

“I must say the girl is frightened, Robert. You know this, after all, she has been seeking you out as well and needs to understand it. You’ve heard the rumors about what they did to the bastard of Dorne. Bastards are driven by greed and desire. What do you think might happen to your daughter, going into the wildlands? In recent moons, Myrcella has come to me several times, begging us not to let this marriage happen,” Jon explained, trying to keep a diplomatic tone.

Robert fell silent for a moment. He knew that marriage was an opportunity to stabilize the friendship between the two realms, but he was also Myrcella’s father and would never allow a woman to be taken as Lyanna had been, much less his own daughter.

“All right. We’ll deal with this later,” the king replied, sighing. “Anyway, are we not going to annul Ned’s marriage?” he asked, looking from Jon to the High Septon.

“Obviously not, Your Grace. Jon Arctic has deeply offended the Seven Kingdoms. No lord will look favorably on us helping him in any way,” the High Septon interjected, his voice laden with reproach. “Even if we appear unjust, popular opinion will be against the Arctic king. He has disrespected our laws and our faith; he is not someone welcomed in any of the Seven Kingdoms.”

Silence settled in the room. The king remained pensive while the counselors waited for him to speak again.

“All right, then we will have to deny Ned’s request,” Robert finally said, though he had already made his decision, making it clear that the authority rested in his hands.

“I also think we should revoke the request to send Lady Catelyn to Riverrun. She must remain as Lady of Winterfell to protect the faith in the North,” the High Septon commented. But even Jon Arryn gave him a strange look, while Robert grimaced.

“Of course, it can’t be like this, High Septon! We cannot interfere in such a decision by a lord, no matter how much we disagree with his actions,” Robert replied firmly.

“But, Your Majesty, we cannot allow Lady Catelyn to leave the North,” the High Septon insisted.

“That’s a bit too much, High Septon. We cannot meddle in such a decision by a lord, even if we do not agree with his actions,” Jon Arryn said in a weary tone.

He was much older than he used to be, and the weight of the kingdom’s responsibilities seemed to crush him. Beyond the kingdom’s growing debt to the Iron Bank, which continued to rise, they now had Arctic—a shadow looming over all the Seven Kingdoms.

The attempt to send 16,000 men to the North had failed, resulting only in grief for countless families and widespread fear, while Arctic grew ever stronger, maintaining an air of mystery. No one truly knew what the kingdom beyond the Wall was like; only its actions drew everyone’s attention.

“I still disagree!” exclaimed the High Septon, trying to assert his position. “I will write a letter to Lord Stark, demanding, in the name of the Seven Kingdoms, that he revoke this decision. Furthermore, he must treat Jon Arctic as a declared enemy of the Seven Kingdoms.”

The High Septon hesitated for a moment before continuing. “We could take a Stark ward. Since they share the same blood, we could use him as a hostage,” he suggested.

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room heated up. Robert rose, furious, and cast a glare filled with rage at the High Septon, who seemed to shrink before the king upon seeing this.

“Do you think I would use a Stark to fight against Arctic? Never dare to suggest something like that again!” Robert roared, his voice echoing against the room’s walls. It was clear that among all the families of Westeros, the Starks were one of the few he respected more than his own.

“Very well, I apologize for angering you,” the High Septon replied, trying to calm the situation. “But I would like to suggest one more thing.” He hesitated for a moment, seeing the expression of anger still etched on Robert’s face, before continuing. “I would like to request permission to reopen the Faith Militant.”

Robert was visibly uncomfortable with the suggestion, and the High Septon continued. “Your Majesty, I believe we can use it exclusively against the Articans. The common folk across all the kingdoms are afraid. I believe this is a chance to try to reverse the situation, make the people believe in the Seven Kingdoms again, and restore their faith in both the crown and the faith. We need to defend the faith,” the High Septon insisted.

“Perhaps he has a point, Robert. We should reconsider this idea,” Jon Arryn interjected, attempting to mediate.

“Jon, are you certain about this?” Robert asked, still skeptical. He knew he hadn’t lived during the times when Maegor the Cruel had faced the Faith Militant, but he also knew that allowing the faith to accumulate military power was dangerous. Still, Robert pondered for a moment and concluded that if the militia fought only against the Articans, it might prove useful.

“Very well, we will think about it,” Robert said in the end, unable to imagine how his decisions could alter the course of Westeros.

Leaving the council chamber, the High Septon returned to the city, at least satisfied with the possible return of the Faith Militant.

The chamber began to fill again with other council members. First came Varys, followed by Renly, Stannis, the old Maester Pycelle, and, shortly after, Queen Cersei accompanied by her brother Jaime. Then, Ser Barristan Selmy also approached, heading directly to the king. The room was nearly full when Littlefinger entered, his disfigured face a constant reminder of the events from years ago. Even so, his gaze always drifted skyward, as if he still feared the attack from the birds that had traumatized him during that episode.

“Well, let’s start our little discussion. We have some decisions to make, as we’ve received news from the North,” Jon Arryn began, while Robert, without saying a word, poured himself wine and drank silently. The king’s mood was far from good, as everyone could see; despite drinking, he didn’t seem particularly interested in participating in the meeting and merely listened.

“So, we’re back to talking about the Articans, even though they’re not here in the South,” Renly commented, trying to steer the conversation.

“Not necessarily, Lord Renly,” Varys interjected. “After all, some of my little birds have been to the Wall and told me what they saw. The Artican ships are heading back south.”

“All those hundreds of ships again?” Stannis asked, curious. The council had previously discussed when the ships, heading back north, had been spotted departing for some unknown destination in the South.

“Yes, all of them. From what I’ve heard, they should be arriving in Braavos at this very moment. They are probably resuming trade with them,” Varys replied.

“That’s a bit troubling,” Littlefinger raised his voice. “I’ve heard they’re selling food in large quantities to Braavos. Moreover, the North is interested in buying back supplies since it’s still cheaper than purchasing from the South.” He had to crack a smile.

“We cannot allow the Northerners to finance the wildlings of the North,” Maester Pycelle murmured, his weak voice barely audible.

“I doubt we can simply order the lords of the North to stop buying cheaper food,” Stannis countered pragmatically.

“Perhaps we can’t directly stop them, but we can’t allow them to aid a real enemy,” Jon Arryn stated. Robert, hearing this, looked at him with a tired expression.

“Sorry, Robert, but Arctic is our enemy. We can’t let any of the Seven Kingdoms strengthen him, even indirectly,” Jon Arryn insisted. Robert sighed, clearly avoiding further arguments.

“This will surely cause dissatisfaction in the North,” Stannis commented, crossing his arms.

“They were of no help when we sent the army against Arctic,” Cersei interjected, disdain lacing her voice. “They could have been useful, but the only thing they did was watch as 16,000 men were killed. The Starks are not to be trusted.”

“And what have you decided regarding Lord Stark’s request?” Varys asked, directing his gaze at Robert.

Jon Arryn sighed. “We will refuse the annulment of the marriage, but even so, we cannot send Lady Catelyn back to Winterfell,” he answered firmly.

“I understand, but still, it’s so cruel what is being done to Lady Catelyn. She is a lady who did not deserve such humiliation…” Littlefinger murmured.

“So, are we fully committed against the Articans? I assume my niece will no longer be used as a means to reconcile the two sides, correct?” Renly asked with a tone of disapproval.

“Obviously not. My daughter will not go to that savage, and I hope my husband agrees with this,” Cersei declared, her voice heavy with contempt. Her greatest challenge was convincing Robert, who still seemed inclined to proceed with such an agreement. Seizing upon the doubts she saw in the king’s eyes, she pressed further.

“We’ll see,” was Robert’s only response, his tone evasive, knowing that he had already received a letter from Tywin regarding the matter without notifying his daughter.

“Still, if we are to deal with them in a way other than an alliance, we must prepare,” Stannis stated bluntly. He had preferred the marriage, believing it could create instability between the two realms, but it seemed Robert would not follow that path.

“How many ships have we managed to produce since we authorized the construction of a naval force across the kingdom?” Robert asked Stannis directly.

“The Ironborn have produced 280 ships,” Stannis began. “The Redwynes, 110. We’ve managed to build 100 ships, and I believe the Stormlands have made another 80,” he continued, with a hint of resentment as he mentioned the lands that should have been his, casting a forced smile at Renly. “The port cities of the Vale have over 200 ships. With the exception of the North, which hasn’t produced many, we now have more than 1,100 ships available.”

“1,100 ships! That’s excellent! We can fight those damned Northerners this time,” Cersei said with a confident tone.

“But still, we don’t have their weapon. We would lose easily, as we did in the last battle,” Varys murmured, his worried gaze reflecting the tension in the room.

“Have we made any progress on producing wildfire to use on the ships?” Jon Arryn asked Varys, who shook his head.

“No, my lord. The alchemists of the guild cannot produce anything stable enough for transport or even to be launched through the air. It seems to be a unique technology of the Articans. We don’t know whether it’s the formula or the way they launch the fire. They use giants, and we don’t have giants like their army,” Varys replied calmly.

He never mentioned Daenerys Targaryen in the meetings. After all, she had been suggested by the Arctic King, and it would not be wise to incur his wrath at this moment. So, he obeyed his request, with Illyrio urging him to do so for now. Despite the Arctic King being a potential future threat to the throne, they could afford to wait a bit longer until things unfolded the way they wanted. After all, he had a few special pieces to start playing the game of thrones himself. They just needed to bide their time.

Meanwhile, Varys could continue sowing discord among the kingdoms to weaken them. The Articans were perfect for this at the moment, though he also aimed to weaken the North.

“Perhaps we don’t need giants. Aren’t we testing with scorpions, like the ones that brought down a dragon in Dorne during the Conquest?” Cersei asked, crossing her arms.

“Not yet, my queen. We haven’t succeeded in launching wildfire. The tests are extremely dangerous, and even the alchemists are hesitant to participate. Not even common folk are willing to get involved, no matter how much money we offer, after seeing many of them explode into ashes,” Varys explained.

“Then double the amount,” Jon Arryn suggested. “We must conduct these tests. We need something to fight this enemy or be prepared for an attack from them.”

“Additionally, another matter I wish to discuss with you is the return of the Faith Militant,” Jon Arryn announced, surprising everyone in the room. Even Littlefinger and Varys, who always seemed to be in control, were caught off guard.

“You want to create the Faith Militant? Doesn’t that seem a bit dangerous?” Stannis asked, suspicious.

“It is dangerous, but we must use everything we can to fight this enemy,” Jon affirmed.

“Damn it, we already have the Ironborn fleet potentially attacking us again, and now we have the Faith Militant. I hope this doesn’t all backfire,” Renly murmured, worried, while some nodded in agreement.

“Even so, we must use everything to destroy the enemy in the North,” Varys agreed with the Hand’s words.

The discussion continued for some time as the counselors tried to prevent the Articans from launching an economic attack against Westeros. They worried that their products could indeed harm local producers. In the end, they decided to forbid the North from purchasing Arctic goods in Braavos and increased the military power of the kingdom’s fleets, reinforcing constant surveillance to prevent attacks at sea.

“One more thing. Arya Stark is still in Winterfell. She lived in Arctic. We haven’t gotten anyone back from there, but surely she might have information,” Cersei suggested suddenly.

“I don’t think that’s a bad idea, Your Majesty. I even tried to convince Catelyn to place her under the protection of Lysa and Jon Arryn,” Petyr Baelish added, with a calculated tone. Jon Arryn looked at Robert cautiously. While he, too, was inclined to believe this might be the best solution, he knew Robert wouldn’t accept it easily.

“No! That’s not going to happen. I won’t simply take a girl by force, especially Ned’s daughter. No one lays a hand on the girl. Are we clear?” Robert said in a serious tone. Seeing that the king wasn’t joking, no one attempted to oppose him. It would be futile to argue with him about it.

In the end, the meeting continued for a short while longer until everyone began leaving the council chamber, except for two people. Stannis and Jon Arryn stayed behind, exchanging serious looks once they realized they were alone.

“Did you see the… boy in the city?” Stannis asked carefully.

“Yes, and he is exactly as described,” Jon replied with a sigh.

“If it’s true, this will indeed cause another crisis in the realm,” Stannis stated gravely.

“Yes, which is very bad for all of us,” Jon agreed.

“What are you thinking? Are you considering not telling Robert if this turns out to be true?” Stannis accused, with a hint of distrust.

Jon took a deep breath before responding. “If we have the realm splitting apart with an enemy army coming from the North, we will be completely torn apart, Stannis. Perhaps, even if we uncover the truth, we should keep it to ourselves for now. Still, we need to be sure. We need to know whether it’s true or not. Let’s continue investigating. Once we’ve resolved the crisis with the Northern Kingdom, we’ll tell Robert everything. Understood?” he asserted firmly.

Stannis merely sighed, clearly dissatisfied but without better options. He hoped justice would prevail and that, if Robert’s children truly were not legitimate, they would relinquish their claims to the Iron Throne. However, that would simultaneously create a disastrous relationship with the Lannisters. With Arctic as their enemy, it left them in an even more precarious position.

Raccoon Here: I couldn’t create an accurate council through AI, but I believe this is perfect for a timeskip at this moment. Let’s move forward in time and see how Jon has progressed with the realm, as well as some news that might lead him to march with an army to Essos.

The council also doesn’t know about what happened in the Free Cities yet, as it was very recent and will take a few more moons to reach them.

————-Nexts Chapters —————-

Chapter 231 – The She-Wolf of the North

Chapter 236 – Rise of the Stark Pack

Chapter 246 – Status of Westeros

Chapter 255 – An Offer to the Free Folk 02.

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