The One True Heir

Chapter 17

Leaving the matters of finding the evidence he needed to bring the responsible to justice to Qyburn had been a blessing of sorts to Edric. He was more focused on ruling his kingdom, of listening to the plight of his people, and helping patch up or improve the state of the capital. An improved harbour, an improved sewage system, better streets, the slum areas being fully removed and instead being expanded on for more housing lands. The work for the relocation and rebuilding of Flea Bottom had begun well before the death of Jon Arryn. It was a slow process due to a lack of funds, the people living there were assigned to work on the farmlands that were outside the walls of the capital, working as lumberjacks who would cut the trees in the forests surrounding the Capital. The people would have probably not liked it if there wasn't money involved. Everything earned on those farmlands and lumber lands was split into equal halves, half to them and a half to the Crown. Their old homes in the City were demolished while new ones were built for them closer to where they worked. Flea Bottom had all but vanished, a new area named the Storm's Grace standing in its place. Most people chose not to return, instead living close to where they work for the ease of travel. It gave birth to an outside town of sorts, still part of Kings Landing but known as the Storm Town. Both were named after Edric Baratheon for obvious reasons.

More than a year had passed since Edric had given Qyburn the orders to find the culprit, a year where he worried not about that and instead for the realm and his family.

His sister was married at thirteen to Ser Harrold Hardyng, the Lord of The Eyrie, who was also six years her older. The consummation would not happen until Myrcella turned sixteen, as was agreed by the King and his Warden of the East.

His brother Tommen, his heir and the Prince of Dragonstone was betrothed at age eleven to Bethany Blackwood of Raventree Hall, who was two years his younger. They would marry when Tommen would be of age. There were only two options for the prince, a Blackwood and a Bracken. In the end, Edric went with the Blackwood.

It was obvious that more than the King, it was the Hand that had played a part in these matches. The King kept the demands and requests in check but relented to things he'd agree on. Myrcella's marriage solidified a connection between the Vale and the Crown, one that had all but vanished with the murder of Jon Arryn. The betrothal of Tommen and Bethany Blackwood was more of a silent warning to their liege Lord, that the duty of liege could very well shift if something goes amiss.

It was not only his siblings that Edric married off or betroth. The new Lord of Riverrun, Lord Edmure Tully had been single and there were many vying to marry their daughter to him. Fearing unrest in these lands, Edric and Desmera had planned a royal progress to the Riverlands. They had gone around visiting the various houses before finally resting at Riverrun. The Queen and Lord Edmure had long discussions, about who he should marry and why the Queen was backing one family in particular. It bound a rather strong Riverlands house to House Tully through more than duty. And with the investment of their blood in the seat of Lordship of the Trident, they'd be inclined to rush with sending their support. Lord Edmure had been unhappy with the choice of woman, but once he had seen the woman he couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. Edmure Tully married Roslyn Frey not long after.

It was also during the wedding that Lord and Lady Stark had finally agreed to the help that the King had offered them so many years ago. Robb Stark was already married to a Northern Lady in Alys Karstark, and had already produced an heir, a healthy boy named Hoster after his grandfather, and had another child on the way. Sansa Stark they wanted a southern match but were having problems with finding one. The discussion went into detail about which Houses had available heirs, which were honourable and which would treat their daughter right. In the end, the one chosen for Sansa was Dickon Tarly, son and heir of Lord Randyl Tarly of Horn Hill. With his brother in The Watch, it made Dickon the heir and whoever the father and mother had thought of marrying their son off to, did not exactly stand a chance against the one presented by the King and Queen themselves.