Late at night, the Hand's solar remained brightly lit.
Gathered around the table were the remaining members of the Small Council. Grand Maester Pycelle was absent, his advanced age excusing him from late-night meetings. Present instead were Queen Regent Cersei Lannister, Tyrion Lannister, and Lord Varys.
The atmosphere was tense.
A brazier crackled softly in the corner as Varys warmed his pale hands over the flames.
"To think that Renly's army of tens of thousands would collapse after a single battle," Varys said thoughtfully. "It is almost unbelievable."
Cersei snorted in disgust.
"I always knew Renly was nothing more than a handsome fool. He was better at charming crowds than leading armies."
Tyrion smirked.
"A man who tells jokes is still more useful than a man who swings a hammer without thinking."
He swirled the wine in his cup.
"I had expected Renly, Stannis, and Gendry to tear each other apart at Storm's End. Instead, the entire conflict ended before it truly began."
Varys sighed.
"Unfortunately, my intelligence network is not as omniscient as some people believe."
The Queen Regent drummed her fingers impatiently against the table.
"Do we have any plans besides sitting here and waiting for disaster?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Lord Varys, surely your little birds have brought us something useful."
The eunuch offered a nervous smile.
"If Your Grace and your noble brother continue arguing at every meeting, His Majesty may soon find himself ruling without a Small Council at all."
Cersei ignored the jab.
"Could the reports be false?"
"Unlikely."
Varys folded his hands together.
"We all know Stannis Baratheon. He is many things, but a liar is not one of them."
"Ravens have already departed from Dragonstone and Storm's End announcing his fealty. Every report confirms the same story."
He paused.
"It appears Renly Baratheon has already been sent to the Wall."
The room fell silent.
Tyrion took a long drink of wine before speaking.
"Joffrey will be terribly disappointed."
Cersei frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"He spent weeks preparing an especially long spear to display Renly's head above the city gates."
Even Varys chuckled at that.
Tyrion's expression quickly darkened.
"Whether Renly truly reached the Wall is irrelevant. The important fact is that Gendry is the clear victor."
That was the part none of them liked.
Tyrion had secretly hoped the Baratheon brothers would destroy one another.
Instead, Gendry had emerged stronger than ever.
"Renly's entire army has surrendered," Tyrion continued.
"At this very moment, Gendry is likely marching north through the Kingswood with those soldiers under his command."
He set his goblet down.
"And unlike Renly, this man is dangerous."
"Renly inspired loyalty through charm. Gendry inspires loyalty through victory."
"That is far more troublesome."
Varys nodded.
"He also possesses powerful allies."
"The North."
"The Riverlands."
"The Vale."
"The crabfeeder fleets."
"Every month his influence grows stronger."
Cersei's expression darkened.
"And the Stormlords?"
"They have all bent the knee."
Varys's answer came immediately.
"One by one, the banners of the Stormlands have been lowered."
The Queen Regent cursed under her breath.
Tyrion rubbed his forehead.
"If only we could simply kill him."
"My lord," Varys replied dryly, "you truly do dream boldly."
The eunuch leaned forward.
"Gendry is protected by Ser Barristan Selmy and that mysterious Red Priestess."
"Neither are easy targets."
"Not to mention Gendry himself."
"Reports describe him as an exceptional warrior."
Tyrion sighed.
"Renly failed because the people never truly loved him."
"They loved what he represented."
"The image of Robert Baratheon in his youth."
He glanced around the room.
"Stannis cannot inspire that kind of affection."
"Renly could imitate it."
"But Gendry embodies it."
That realization unsettled everyone.
The young claimant possessed Robert's strength, Robert's courage, and enough humility to avoid Robert's worst flaws.
A dangerous combination.
Yet Tyrion was not ready to surrender hope.
"As long as we seize the right opportunity," he said carefully, "people may yet discover Joffrey's better qualities."
Cersei immediately straightened.
"Exactly."
"My son is a king."
Tyrion wisely chose not to comment further.
Varys cleared his throat.
"Before we discuss future opportunities, perhaps we should focus on surviving the present."
"The Stormlands are lost."
"We must decide how to secure the territories that remain."
Though his expression remained calm, Varys's thoughts wandered elsewhere.
If King's Landing fell, he still possessed methods to eliminate dangerous enemies.
The hidden tunnels beneath the Red Keep remained unknown to most men.
His little birds waited patiently.
Should Gendry ever enter the castle, opportunities would surely arise.
Tyrion interrupted his thoughts.
"We need allies."
"Powerful allies."
"Preferably allies with armies."
Varys laughed softly.
"My dear Lord Tyrion."
"You speak as though great lords can be purchased like livestock in a marketplace."
Tyrion grinned.
"In my experience, they are not very different."
The Queen Regent rolled her eyes.
Tyrion continued.
"Buying a lord is often easier than buying a chicken."
"A chicken at least has the dignity to demand grain."
"A lord only requires titles, lands, castles, honors, and enough flattery to choke a horse."
Even Varys smiled at that.
"Perhaps."
"But bribery alone will not purchase Highgarden."
"True."
Tyrion's expression became serious.
"To win House Tyrell, we require something more valuable."
At that moment, Cersei remembered something.
"I heard Lord Mace Tyrell's youngest son was injured during the battle."
"The Knight of Flowers."
Varys nodded.
"Indeed."
"And his connection to Renly Baratheon was considerably closer than most people realize."
A knowing smile crossed the eunuch's face.
"Fortunately, his handsome face survived."
"Unfortunately, boiling oil burned much of his neck and back."
Cersei's eyes narrowed.
"Lord Mace cannot be pleased about that."
"Certainly not."
Tyrion leaned forward.
"Loras Tyrell is important."
"But he is not the only key."
"Lord Mace loves all his children."
"Particularly his daughter."
A slow realization spread across the table.
Varys smiled.
"Ah."
"Now I understand."
Tyrion nodded.
"The answer is marriage."
Silence followed.
Then Cersei groaned.
"Of course."
"The oldest trick in politics."
"The most effective trick in politics," Tyrion corrected.
"The blacksmith taught us that lesson."
He was referring to Gendry.
"His marriage alliances gained him valuable supporters."
"Now we must do the same."
He spread his hands.
"We have royal children."
"We should use them."
Varys immediately understood.
"You propose a marriage between King Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell."
"Exactly."
"And perhaps Princess Myrcella could be matched with either Ser Loras or Lord Willas Tyrell."
For a moment nobody spoke.
Then Cersei exploded.
"My children are not livestock for sale!"
Tyrion remained calm.
"My dear sister."
"If we lose this war, you will discover there are far worse fates than marriage."
The Queen Regent glared at him.
Tyrion continued relentlessly.
"If Gendry wins, Joffrey and Tommen may lose their heads."
"Myrcella's future would become uncertain."
"The world is not kind to defeated royalty."
Cersei looked away.
Deep down, she knew he was right.
The truth simply hurt too much to hear.
"But Joffrey is already betrothed to Sansa Stark."
"The engagement can be dissolved."
Tyrion shrugged.
"What value remains in a marriage alliance with a fugitive?"
Varys nodded.
"House Tyrell is richer, stronger, and far more useful than House Stark."
"And Margaery is renowned for her beauty."
"That argument alone might persuade the king."
The discussion continued deep into the night as the Small Council debated alliances, marriages, and survival.
Outside the Red Keep, King's Landing slept peacefully.
Inside its walls, however, every man and woman present understood the truth.
The game was changing.
Renly's fall had shifted the balance of power across Westeros.
And unless they acted quickly, the Iron Throne itself might soon stand alone against a rising storm.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)