With the King's procession entering the city, the roads were naturally cleared well in advance. Carts, wagons, and common carriages were moved out of sight, while the ordinary folk were allowed to stand on the sides of the street to welcome their new ruler.
The people of King's Landing craned their necks and widened their eyes, eager to get a good look at the new King. As residents of the capital, witnessing such history was bragging rights for later.
Of course, there were also people planted in the crowd to lead cheers, creating an atmosphere that the King was popular and his arrival was the will of the people.
Stannis sat with his back straight, eyes fixed forward. He spoke without turning his head, so only Jon could tell he was talking.
"I knew you would ask," Jon thought. He leaned in slightly to respond. "Your Grace, these direwolf banners do not represent Robb. They represent Lord Eddard. In a way, he was the first man to give his life for the realm."
Jon looked straight into Stannis's blue eyes as he spoke. He could have been more blunt—"My father died for your crown"—but that might have felt too forced. Given Stannis's straightforward nature, subtlety might be missed, but this explanation struck the right balance.
Sure enough, hearing Jon's explanation, Stannis's expression softened.
Soon, the procession passed through the gates of the Red Keep, which were already open. Soldiers Stannis had sent ahead had secured the castle, and his flaming stag banner already flew from the high towers.
The rest of the retinue followed closely behind. No one went elsewhere; everyone headed straight for the Great Hall and the Iron Throne.
When Jon and Stannis first entered the hall, their footsteps echoed in the vast emptiness. But as more people filed in, the echoes were swallowed by the crowd.
The group was a mix of young and old, walking at different speeds—not to mention the Queen and her ladies who had arrived by carriage—but they all made it in time.
Everyone in the hall moved quietly. Sansa and the other girls stood behind Queen Selyse as her attendants.
Stannis's courtiers, though divided into King's Men and Queen's Men, didn't blatantly separate themselves into two sides.
Under everyone's gaze, Stannis walked step by step toward the towering, jagged Iron Throne. All eyes were fixed on him, witnessing the birth of a new reign.
In that brief moment, Jon's eyes met Varys's. There was a hint of a smile in the Spider's gaze.
Clang. Stannis's boots struck the iron steps. When he finally sat upon the throne, Grand Maester Pycelle proclaimed loudly: "Long may he reign!"
"Long may he reign——"
The crowd echoed the cry.
Alester Florent stepped forward. "Your Grace, now that the Iron Throne has welcomed its true master, I believe we should immediately prepare for a formal coronation ceremony."
"Yes, Your Grace. A proper coronation is in order."
Others chimed in. The ceremony on Dragonstone had been hasty; a true King should follow proper protocol, like being crowned by the High Septon at the Great Sept of Baelor.
Looking at his defeated generals, the excitement in Stannis's eyes faded into coldness.
"A coronation?" he said icily. "The traitor Tywin holds the West. The usurper Robb calls himself King at Riverrun. Balon Greyjoy is rebelling again. How can you expect me to sit peacefully for a coronation?"
Stannis had little patience for the Queen's Men's frivolity and scolded them openly. Axel Florent and the others shut their mouths in embarrassment.
Though the scolding had nothing to do with Sansa, she instinctively shrank behind Selyse.
This wasn't her first time seeing a King angry. She remembered two Kings: Robert and Joffrey. Joffrey was a monster, but when Robert got angry, his roar could be heard across King's Landing.
This new King was different. His anger felt like freezing rain pouring down your collar, chilling you to the bone.
Stannis's blue eyes swept the hall. No one whispered. No one looked around. Everyone stood silently, waiting for the King to speak.
"Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, gave his life to uphold the justice of the realm. I hereby restore his honor and order his bones returned to the North."
Stannis's first decree as King was to honor Ned Stark. It was unexpected but fitting, and the court praised his wisdom and benevolence.
"The former Queen, Cersei Lannister, is guilty of adultery, polluting the royal bloodline, and attempting to usurp the throne. She is stripped of her royal status and nobility. Her remaining children, Tommen Baratheon and Myrcella Baratheon, are also stripped of their royal status and shall bear the bastard surname—Waters!"
The first two decrees centered on succession and legitimacy, which wasn't surprising.
Cersei and her children were currently under heavy guard on Dragonstone. With Tywin still holding the West, Stannis needed to establish these facts as irrevocable truths quickly.
From now on, there was no Myrcella or Tommen Baratheon. Only Myrcella and Tommen Waters—bastards of the Crownlands.
However, this first court session began by turning legitimate children into bastards, and the next step was to turn bastards into legitimate heirs.
Stannis looked at Martin and Mund. "Martin Rivers, Mund Rivers. You aided Jon Snow in ambushing the Mountain and liberating King's Landing with great merit. From this day forth, I legitimize you as Martin Darry and Mund Darry. I will find new lands for you."
"Thank you, Your Grace!" The brothers knelt in unison. To carry their father's name was the dream of almost every bastard.
"Will Jon become a Stark like us?" Arya whispered to Sansa from behind Selyse.
"Of course. Isn't it obvious?"
"But if Jon has the biggest merit, why didn't he get rewarded first?"
"The greatest reward is always saved for last," Selyse said. Though she didn't turn around, her voice reached the sisters' ears clearly.
After Martin and Mund, it was Beric Dondarrion's turn.
He knelt before Stannis to receive his reward.
"Beric Dondarrion. Though you failed to capture the Mountain, you remained loyal to your King's command. You actively raided the Westerlands' forces in the Riverlands and played a crucial role in liberating King's Landing and slaying the false king. I grant your lands tax exemption for ten years and will expand your holdings."
"Thank you, Your Grace."
Beric accepted the reward, still kneeling.
Soon, the most distinguished figures had received their due. Thoros of Myr, the Brotherhood Without Banners, and several knights of House Darry were all rewarded.
This left a sour taste in the mouths of the King's Men and Queen's Men. They were the ones who had followed Stannis the longest and sacrificed the most.
But there was nothing they could do. They had lost. If not for the people being rewarded right now, they would be finished.
Finally, after all the secondary figures had received their rewards, Stannis called out Jon's name.
"Jon Snow."
The moment the name was spoken, every eye in the hall focused on Jon.
Varys watched with calculating scrutiny. Pycelle smirked. Sansa and Arya clasped hands tightly. The Frey brothers stretched their necks so far their age spots showed.
They thought the best time to propose the marriage alliance was right after Jon received his reward, while he was happy.
Selyse pursed her thin lips, looking at Jon as if she wanted to eat him up. In her eyes, if not for his birth, a young man like this would be the perfect husband for Shireen.
Beric, Thoros, Martin, and Mund—those who had fought beside him—watched with pride.
Alester, Axel, Penny, Adrian Celtigar, and the other courtiers stared wide-eyed, wishing they were the ones standing there.
Jon's heart rate sped up. Varys was right: Lord of Harrenhal was beneath him, and Lord of Casterly Rock was currently beyond him.
Everything depended on this moment. Jon knelt on one knee, waiting for Stannis's decree.
"Jon Snow. You fought Tywin's rebel army at the Green Fork, ambushed the Mountain to protect the people of the Riverlands, liberated King's Landing, and executed the false king. I believe if Eddard Stark knew of your deeds, he would be greatly comforted. From this day forward, you are no longer Jon Snow. You need not bear the name of a bastard. I hereby legitimize you as Jon Stark, and I will personally knight you as the Knight of the White Wolf!"