The Fallen - Joffrey Baratheon

009

Unedited

"You will bend the knee to me, won't you Lady Briar? You will pledge loyalty to your new King."
"Of course My King, anything for you."
Joffrey smirked at the girls instant submission, it gave him great pleasure watching others instantly comply with him.
"what is to be of Ned Stark?"
"Ned Stark is a traitor to the throne."
Joffrey spat angrily,
"Sansa has foolishly begged for mercy for her traitor father."
"And are you going to grant him mercy?"
Briar asked hesitantly, fearing for the life of her friend Arya's father.
"I won't be a merciful king."
Briar swallowed, not liking the the crazy look in Joffrey's eyes,
"Meaning?"
"You'll see won't you."
Joffrey smirked tapping his finger on her nose. Briar smiled uncomfortably.
"Can I be candid with you My Grace?"
"Always My Lady."
"I think it would be wise for you to show mercy to Ned, the North is very powerful."
  Joffrey scowled at her,
"I will not take advice from a stupid girl."
"You're right Joffrey but if you would just consider t-"
"I'm not going to consider anything! I AM KING!"
  he yelled angrily standing to his feet and banging his fist in the table,
"Of course Your Grace."
  Briar swallowed looking down.

<><><><>

"Petyr you have to save Ned!"
Briar exclaimed running to catch up with her betrothed,
"And what makes you think he needs saving?"
  He asked curiously turning to look at the girl,
"Because I know Joffrey, he won't do the right thing."
  Petyr nodded his head,
"Yes, and what makes you think saving Ned is the right choice? Or that I'll help you at all?"
"Becau- because I am to be your wife!and you and I both know he is innocent!"
She argued frustrated in her voice
"No."
Petyr spoke simply turning away and continuing to walk down the path,
"We aren't done here."
Briar hissed causing Petyr to smirk and stop in his tracks,
"Why do you want to save Ned Stark?"
"Because Ned Stark is a good man, a powerful man. If Joffrey kills him the North will be out for revenge."
  Briar said trying to reason with him.
"According to the boy who seems to fallow you around like a stray mut Ned Stark is a traitor."
"Why would you support Joffrey? You have hated him for as long as he has been alive!"
  Petyr said nothing,
"Petyr answer me."
  Briar demanded crossing her arms over her chest,
"Maybe you should stop getting involved with politics, it's no place for a Lady like yourself."
"You're right Petyr. I'm just a stupid girl, I shouldn't bother my pretty little head with things like innocent men dying."
Briar spat sarcastically,
"Finally you are seeing my way."
Petyr smirked walking over to Briar and pulling her into a stiff  hug.

<><><><>

A clock tower rang silencing the jeering crowed, Briar stood fearfully beside Petyr on the raised platform above the crowed with the rest of the royal family and Sansa. Everyone was silent as the cuffed man began to speak,
"I am Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Hand of The King."
  Ned paused looking back at his daughter, as if looking for confirmation, Sansa nodded quickly, believing that her father would live to see tomorrow's light.
"I come before you to confess my treason, in the sight of gods and men. I betrayed the faith of my king and the trust of my friend Robert, I swore to protect and defend his children but before his blood was cold I plotted to murder his son and seize the throne for myself."
  Briar had never seen a Lord look so weak and tired, the crowed jeered awful things at the innocent man eating up the lies the throne had forced him to confess, it was as if all of Ned's honour had been stripped away, something he prided himself so highly on. Briar could tell he was doing this for his children and not for himself, he would rather die a honourable man then live a scoundrel.
"Let The High Septor and Baelor the Blessed bear witness to what I've said. Joffrey Baratheon is the one true heir to the Iron Throne........by grace of all the gods, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm."
  Briar looked back at Joffrey, to already find him staring at her, a cruel grin on his face causing her to frown.
  "As we sin, so do we suffer, this man has confessed his crimes in the sight of gods and men, the gods are just, but beloved Baelor taught us they can also be merciful. What is to be done with this traitor Your Grace?"
Grand Maester Pycelle stepped forward as he asked the new King.
"My mother wishes me to let Lord Eddard join the Night's Watch... stripped of all titles and powers, he would serve the realm in permanent exile. And my Lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father. Lady Briar Tyrell also wishes for me to Pardon this man.....But they have the soft hearts of women... so long as I'm your King treason shall never go unpunished! Ser Ilyn, bring me his head!"
"NO!"
  Sansa screamed trying to reach Joffrey as the crowed roared,
"PLEASE, PLEASE STOP HIM!"
  Sansa cried as the Mountain held her back from running to her father. Briar tried to block out the screams of the young girl behind her, bile beginning to rise up in her throat with knowing that she lived in a society that cheered at the prospect of watching a mans head get chopped off.
  Arya pushed through the crowed of cheering people, desperately trying to reach her father before he took his last breath, she felt like she couldn't breath as bodies pushed against hers the sound of her older sisters fearful cries rang above it all, this couldn't be it.
  "Don't look!"
A man yelled grabbing Arya, she looked at the man tears welling up in her brown eyes,
  "Let me go! Let me go!"
She cried trying to rip away from his tight grasp.
  "Shut your mouth. Look at me! LOOK AT ME!"
he yelled shaking the poor girl when he wouldn't meet his eye.
   Briar looked away as Ser Ilyan drew his sword, letting Petyr pull her to his chest. And then in a instant the sound of steel slicing through flesh filled the air and Sansa's last ear piercing scream left her lips before her fathers head rolled to the floor.