In Westeros, there is an unspoken rule: when the King's banner appears, everyone—from peddlers and beggars to high lords and princes—must make way.
So, when Stannis's sails, emblazoned with the Flaming Heart and the Stag, appeared on the Blackwater Rush, merchant ships quickly steered toward the banks, clearing a path for the royal fleet.
Just then, however, an inconspicuous small boat approached Stannis's fleet.
The captain of the royal ship had to slow down abruptly, causing the nobles on board to stagger. Upon learning of the interruption, they immediately sent men to intercept.
Everyone was still jumpy after the Battle of the Blackwater. But they soon discovered the boat had been sent by Jon Snow. Mund, who was on board, was brought before Stannis.
"You should be at the River Gate preparing to welcome His Grace. What are you doing boarding the King's ship?" Alester Florent, reinstated as temporary Hand, asked with a frown. In his view, Jon was getting ahead of himself, daring to stop the King's vessel.
"Your Grace," Mund began, "Lord Jon sent me to suggest that Your Grace enter King's Landing through the Iron Gate instead..."
Before he could finish, Axel Florent cut him off. "Since when does a bastard decide where the King enters his own city?"
Axel's tone clearly annoyed Stannis. Truth be told, Stannis currently had little patience for anyone from House Florent. Still, he silenced Axel and asked directly, "Why? Why does Jon want me to do that?"
Mund recalled Jon's instructions and explained, "Your Grace, the people of King's Landing have suffered greatly from the war. Many of them live hand-to-mouth. Lord Jon says if Your Grace's fleet docks near the Iron Gate, it will disrupt the common folk's daily lives the least. Otherwise, if their work is interrupted, many won't finish their tasks before dark, and if they don't finish, they don't eat. They are all Your Grace's subjects now. If you enter through the Iron Gate, the people will be grateful for your mercy."
Listening to Mund's explanation, Stannis gave a barely perceptible nod, his dark blue eyes showing a hint of approval.
For a young man like Jon who dared to offer such "frank counsel," Stannis felt less suspicion and more respect.
Most lords in Westeros wore their ambitions on their sleeves. There were no good actors—except for maybe someone like Littlefinger, who could shamelessly flip-flop.
But Jon's high-level political performance was operating on a completely different dimension compared to the sycophants surrounding Stannis.
Moreover, his reasoning was sound. In the end, Stannis ordered the fleet to proceed to the Iron Gate as Jon suggested.
By this time, Jon had already prepared a grand welcome near the Iron Gate.
He made sure to fly both the Stark direwolf banner and Stannis's fiery heart stag banner.
Many people had come to welcome the King. Court officials like Varys and Pycelle were there, of course. Considering Pycelle's age, Jon had even thoughtfully provided a stool for him to sit on.
Although the old man was a snake, the Grand Maester served for life. A small favor now to have him say a few good words to Stannis later was a worthwhile investment.
Besides, the old "national teacher" was still vigorous. If he had the energy to visit brothels at eighty, he probably had a few years of service left in him.
Apart from them, there were also Stevron and Ryman Frey.
The two old brothers had rushed to King's Landing two days ago. Upon meeting Jon, they had laid on the flattery thick. Ryman had even brought his son, Robert Frey—whom he had previously promised to Jon as a squire.
Their excuse was that Jon had left too quickly after stopping Robb's coronation, and they had accidentally left Robert behind.
In short, the two of them were practically clinging to Jon, eager to show House Frey's "unwavering stance" alongside Stannis.
Even though Stannis's army, including prisoners, might not even number ten thousand right now, the title of King commanded vast resources.
People often spoke of the "Seven Kingdoms," but politically, it was more like "Seven Kingdoms, Nine Powers."
The extra two were the Crownlands and the Iron Islands.
With Jon backing Stannis as King, Stannis immediately controlled the Crownlands and the Stormlands. Scraping together thirty to fifty thousand troops wouldn't be hard.
In the future, Littlefinger would surely latch onto royal power, likely bringing the Vale into the fold.
That would give Stannis control over nearly half of Westeros.
Dorne was far south and isolated. Even if they didn't swear direct fealty, they served as a check on the Reach. And the Reach would have to publicly bend the knee to Stannis soon enough.
Stannis might lack Robert's charisma, but a King was a King. House Frey saw this clearly, which was why they had rushed to King's Landing to show their faces.
Standing not far from Jon were Sansa and Arya. Jon had also found Jeyne Poole, the daughter of Winterfell's steward.
She had been in Littlefinger's brothel, unharmed and untouched. Littlefinger had apparently been "training" her, likely to fetch a higher price later.
In the original timeline, Jeyne Poole was forced to pose as Arya Stark and marry Ramsay Bolton. But Jon reckoned Littlefinger's plans weren't that advanced yet; he was likely just keeping his options open.
Littlefinger claimed he was protecting her. Jon didn't believe a word of it, of course. If Littlefinger hadn't been the envoy for the Tyrell peace talks, Jon would have gutted him already.
The man was truly the "Master of the Game," flexible beyond belief. Though hearing he lost a hand on Dragonstone felt like justice served.
Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr were also present. They had contributed significantly to the defense of the city, and Stannis likely wouldn't be stingy with their rewards.
At that moment, Varys quietly approached Jon, a glint of interest in his violet eyes. Everyone knew the Spider had played a key role in the defense, so people tactfully gave them space.
Jon had already written to Stannis detailing the siege, making sure to mention Varys's help, fulfilling his promise.
Now, Varys likely had new intelligence to share, a gesture of goodwill to strengthen their cooperation.
"Jon, I've heard some news from Dragonstone. I think you'll find it interesting." Varys tilted his head slightly toward Jon, his lips barely moving. To onlookers, he appeared to be just another courtier staring into the distance, waiting for the King.
Varys told Jon almost everything that had happened on Dragonstone. How someone initially proposed making Jon the Lord of Harrenhal, and how Littlefinger, freshly maimed, had suddenly suggested making Jon the Duke of Casterly Rock.
Varys's details were precise, leaving Jon marveling at the Spider's network.
"Jon, given your achievements, Harrenhal is beneath you. But Casterly Rock... that might be a bit beyond reach. However, if you volunteer to lead the campaign, conquer the West, and take the Rock yourself, then becoming the Duke of Casterly Rock would be justified," Varys analyzed.
"As I see it, there are two main hurdles to you becoming the Duke of Casterly Rock. First is the difficulty of taking the West. You know the saying: Casterly Rock never falls. And it truly never has. Second, if you ask for it directly, King Stannis will likely suspect your motives. Even if you succeed and rule the vast Westerlands, he will undoubtedly plant spies around you. With my humble intellect, I truly don't know the best way to navigate this."
As Varys spoke, Jon saw a cavalry unit flying Stannis's banner slowly approaching.
"Jon, you keep claiming you want to return to the Wall. I don't know if that's true or false. If it's true, you are the greatest saint in thousands of years, holier than Baelor the Blessed. But if you are actually playing the Game of Thrones... then you are a far more skilled player than Lord Eddard ever was. That is all. I shall take my leave."
With that, Varys slipped away from Jon's side and went to help Pycelle up. Someone quickly removed the old man's stool.
Jon glanced at Varys's bald head gleaming in the sunlight. The man was indeed a master of whispers. His ability to gather and analyze intelligence was top-tier.
Varys was right. The hardest part now was striking a deal with Stannis: "I conquer Casterly Rock, and you grant it to me—without interference."