Making the Eight

Prologue: Kayne I

Crowned Prince Kayne Baratheon. The thought seemed queer to him, he was a bastard truly, legitimate for just over a year now. The whole series of events leading to this moment had been tiresome.

It all started when his uncle, Lord Stannis of Dragonstone, and the Hand of the King Jon Arryn had gone to King Robert, Kayne's father, with their suspicions that Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen were not legitimate and were instead Bastards born of incest between Queen Cersei Lannister and her twin brother Jaime The Kingslayer. All the proof they needed was in Kayne. He was a copy of what his father had been in his youth. Well over six feet tall at only ten and six namedays old, muscled like a maidens fantasy with thick black hair and deep blue eyes, traits every Baratheon had. His 'siblings' possessed none of those traits.

When confronted Cersei eventually confessed and she and Jaime were imprisoned by Robert. The Kingslayer had demanded a trial by combat, his opponent Ser Barristan the Bold had killed him during the trail and so Cersei was too deemed guilty and executed by Robert himself. Joffrey had not taken to this well and rallied all of the Lannister soldiers in King's Landing to protect him. Barely any did, though Joffrey still insisted on a fight. Kayne took on the boy he was once forced to call brother.

The duel was romanticised in the rumours that spread across the Seven Kingdoms, it was not some daring feat, not some legendary battle between two skilled warriors. The golden haired shit possessed little skill and Kayne struck him down in mere moments. To the boys credit, he refused to give up until he died.

With no legitimate children, Robert turned to his eldest bastard son, Kayne, and legitimised him on the spot. Only Lord Tywin took issue with it and he raised a host from Casterly Rock, a pitiful host compared to what Robert raised in return. No actual battles were fought as Tywin realised he could not take on the other Kingdoms of Westeros on his own.

That was half a year ago and now Kayne stood by the stables of the Red Keep, his horse saddled and readied as his procession prepared to leave the city. One hundred men would be leaving with him to travel the Seven Kingdoms and meet various noblewomen until Kayne chose one to be his bride and future Queen. His procession consisted of some sons of noble houses who hoped to befriend the future King. Garlan Tyrell, Alexander Hill and Samwell Tarly were the only three Kayne cared for, they were his friends before he was a Prince.

"Kayne!" His father boomed as he stomped over to him dressed in his royal attire that stretched over his large form, Ser Barristan and Ser Arys trailing behind him. "Are you prepared for your trip?" He then asked in a slightly quieter tone.
"Aye. We have everything readied and everyone accounted for... everyone save Alex." Kayne replied with a sigh, he knew exactly what his best friend would be up too.
"The Kingslayers bastard." Kayne clenched his fists at his fathers words and ground his teeth.
"Use his name, who his father was does not define him. He's a good man and my closest friend." He spoke up and Robert laughed.

"Aye fair enough. I have sent raven's to each Lord Paramount of the Seven Kingdoms and they will present you with the noblewoman they believe will be best suited for you. Whoever you choose I will accept." The King promised.
"Thank you father." Kayne unclenched his fists and turned to double check the straps on his saddle.
"You're a good lad, and I'm proud of you. Remember that alright? But I also want to ensure your safety so I command you to take a King's Guard with you. Ser Arys." His father said in his stern Kingly tone.

Kayne groaned, all the King's Guard save Ser Barristan irked him in some way, though Ser Arys was the best of them.
"Aye alright." He agreed and Ser Arys stepped forwards dutifully.
"I shall guard you with my life my prince." The knight said.
"I hope it will not come to that." Kayne finished checking his saddle and then did a scan of the men readying themselves for the long trip.

Garlan wore a fine tunic with his personal sigil of two roses, his wife was with child and waiting for the procession to arrive at Highgarden for her husband. He was talking politely with Samwell Tarly. The heir to Hornhill was not someone Kayne would typically befriend, but he had been sent to King's Landing by his father in the hopes that being around Kayne, Alex and Robert would turn him into a warrior. Sam was no warrior, but he was kind and desperate to see the ancient castles of each of the great noble houses, Kayne could not refuse his request to join them.

Countless knights and their squires filled the stables, yet Kayne could not spot his closest friend.
"Any idea where Alex is?" He asked Garlan and Sam as he approached them.
"Where do you think he is?" The Tyrell asked in response and Kayne rolled his eyes.

He stormed back into the Red Keep, past serving girls and high lords both, past LittleFinger and straight to Alex's chambers. Two guards in Lannister armour stood vigilant outside his door, though made no effort to stop the crowned prince when he pushed into his solar and then into the bedchamber. Alex was there, atop a pretty serving girl who moaned each time his hips gave a hard thrust into her.
"You're making us all late." Kayne spoke and the girl gasped, though Alex merely turned his head to face him, not slowing or stopping his coupling.
"We're going to be away for at least half a year, I am just making sure I say a proper goodbye to... this woman..." the Lannister bastard replied.
"Seven hells." Kayne grumbled, of course he didn't know her name. He was twenty nameday's old and had half a dozen bastards in King's Landing already. "If you are not dressed and on your horse in fifteen minutes we are leaving without you." He said sternly and Alex merely chuckled.
"Hear that? I'm in trouble with the prince. Oh I am sorry, your grace." He replied mockingly.

Kayne left the room with a rude hand gesture aimed at his friend which made them both laugh and he began to walk back through the near empty corridors. It only took him a few minutes with his quick pace before he was back outside. Everyone who was anyone in the city had gathered by the King's Gate to see the prince's procession off.

Kayne's thoughts trailed off to his friend, Alex was his first real friend ever since he arrived at King's Landing at age ten and three as his uncle Stannis's squire. They had been the bastards, relatively free to do what they wished. Alex is two years his senior and so was knighted first. Robert assigned him to be Kayne's personal guard, though Kayne rarely commanded him to do anything. They were good friends, spending many days sparring with Ser Barristan and Garlan and spending many nights in Chataya's brothel.

One area where they differed was their attitudes towards the women they bedded. Kayne had a permanent lover in Asha Greyjoy, until she returned to the iron islands, and when at Chataya's he only bedded Marei and Lyra. Alex on the other hand bedded any mildly pretty girl that showed the faintest bit of interest in him, which is exactly how he came to father a dozen bastards of his own in the city.

He was brought out of his thoughts as Alex ran over, his tunic half tucked in and his short blonde hair a mess.
"Glad you could finally join us." Kayne said sarcastically as his friend ran over, his squire Martyn Lannister close behind him.
"Calm yourself Baratheon, I'm here aren't I? You'll be with a pretty highborn woman soon enough no need to worry." He smirked in response, making Kayne roll his eyes before he climbed atop his horse.

He rode to the front of the organised procession, next to Garlan and Ser Arys, his father walked swiftly to him and handed him his famous warhammer. Forged by Donnel Noye and used to kill Rhaegar Targaryen at the battle of the trident. Kayne accepted it with a smile.
"I've wanted you to have this since the day you were born. You were a large babe, Ned told me they were all surprised you managed to fit in your mother's belly. Ha! But now you will make us both proud. When you get to Winterfell light a candle by your mothers statue for me." His father pleaded. Kayne struggled to love his father, he was half a stranger to him, more fond of wine and women than being a King and a father, but at moments like these... he could bring himself to love him.
"I will father, I promise you." Kayne replied as he spurred his stallion on and lead his companions out of the city.