Alright… there it was again—Lord Eddard's damned sense of honor flaring up. Did this man ever stop to think before he spoke? You don't just blurt things like that! Ever heard of "don't meddle in another family's quarrels"? They're brothers, for gods' sake.
Aedric rubbed his temples, already despairing of the way Northerners' minds worked. Finally, he decided to teach Ned step by step, like a child.
"Uncle, don't say anything unnecessary," he began patiently. "Just send Stannis's letter to Renly and tell him the North can support his claim to the throne—but only if he first convinces Stannis to step aside, so there's only one Baratheon claimant."
He continued, "And do the same in reverse. Send Renly's letter to Stannis, with the same message. The North can't support both brothers at once—they'll have to sort it out among themselves."
"As for how they 'sort it out,' that's their family's problem. We Starks shouldn't interfere."
He smiled faintly. "After all, Uncle, you wouldn't want outsiders meddling if the day ever came when the Starks had a family dispute, would you?"
"That's absurd!" Robb Stark, the "Young Wolf," jumped to his feet. "No matter how serious a family quarrel is, it's still a family matter! No outsiders should ever get involved! Never!"
Aedric just spread his hands toward Ned, then pointed meaningfully at Robb—as if to say, See? Even your son gets it.
Ned sighed deeply. He'd realized the logic, even if it made him uncomfortable. "Fine," he said finally, sinking back into his chair. He turned to Catelyn and nodded. "We'll do as Jon says. Let the Baratheon brothers settle it themselves. The North won't interfere."
"Jon," Arya tugged at his sleeve, her big gray eyes curious. "If one of them does become the only Baratheon… will we have to swear allegiance to him?"
Aedric smiled, patting her head affectionately—he was really starting to enjoy this big-brother feeling. "That depends on how they settle it. If it's an open fight, both will be badly weakened, and neither could stand against the old lion of Casterly Rock afterward."
"But if one resorts to assassination—using something like the Faceless Men—then whoever wins that way is no better than the Mad King himself."
He looked to Ned. "In that case, Uncle, you'd have every right to declare independence. A man who breaks the laws of nobles isn't fit to rule the realm."
"You make it sound like House Baratheon is doomed," Ned said, frowning. He still had a soft spot for Robert's family—after all, they had fought and bled together.
"Unless the two brothers reconcile right now and unite their forces," Aedric replied with a shrug, "then yes, they're finished. Working together, they'd have about a fifty-fifty chance. But apart? No chance at all."
He leaned back lazily. "Old Tywin Lannister isn't someone you can underestimate. Who in all the Seven Kingdoms can claim certain victory against that man?"
The room fell silent. Everyone knew the Lion of Casterly Rock's reputation—ruthless, cunning, and utterly without mercy.
"So," Aedric continued, "I suggest you prepare for a Lannister victory. The Iron Throne will, most likely, remain in Cersei's hands."
"What?! You expect me to just watch those incestuous wretches sit on my friend Robert's throne?" Ned slammed a fist against the table, his face hardening with anger.
"If you truly want the Iron Throne for yourself, Uncle," Aedric said calmly, "you could march south with your banners tomorrow. Every one of your vassals would follow gladly."
"But," he added, ignoring Ned's glare, "if you only want to avenge your dead friend and plan to give the throne away afterward, then you'd better think carefully—because your men won't be willing to die for that."
"Your bannermen have no personal loyalty to Robert Baratheon. They swore to you. They don't care whether a Baratheon or a Lannister sits that throne. If you drag them into a southern war for another man's legacy, you'll lose their support—and possibly even the North's stability."
He looked Ned straight in the eye. "Uncle… don't tell me you value your friendship with Robert more than the future of House Stark."
Aedric had no intention of letting the North be weakened like in the show. The Wall, Winterfell—these were humanity's first line of defense against the army of the dead. They couldn't afford to crumble.
"Eddard…" Catelyn's voice was soft but firm.
"Father…" Robb and the children looked at him imploringly.
Ned sighed, the fire in his eyes dimming. He knew they were right. Whatever his personal feelings, he was the head of House Stark—and the family had to come first.
Aedric saw he was calming down and continued, "Even if the Lannisters win, they'll take losses. Their position won't be unshakable."
"Besides," he added, "there's still the matter of Joffrey's bloodline. That's a weakness they can never erase. To stabilize the throne, they'll need powerful alliances through marriage."
He smiled slyly. "Now, tell me—among the Seven Kingdoms, which one has the strongest military force and no ambition for the Iron Throne?"
The others exchanged glances—then all turned toward Eddard Stark.
"Exactly," Aedric said, nodding. "If the Lannisters want peace, they'll have to maintain their alliance with the Starks."
"But I already told Queen Cersei," he added with a mischievous grin, "that if she wants that alliance to continue, she'll have to remove Joffrey and let her second son, Tommen Baratheon, take the throne."
Everyone stared at him. "Why?"
Aedric resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Northern political instincts really were terrible.
"First of all," he said, "Joffrey's a complete bastard—figuratively and literally. When I captured Myrcella, that little monster didn't hesitate to order his guards to attack, even if it meant killing his own sister. That tells you everything you need to know about his character."
He smirked. "Tommen, on the other hand, is kind and humble—a decent boy. I've watched him closely. He'd treat Sansa well."
The family nodded in agreement.
"But," Aedric continued, his smile turning sharp, "that's not the real reason."
"Even if Tommen is a good boy, his claim to the throne is weaker than Joffrey's. Forcing him to replace his brother would inevitably pit them against each other—just like the two Baratheon brothers now."
"When that happens, both House Baratheon and House Lannister will be torn between the brothers. Neither the father's side nor the mother's side could intervene too openly. That's when the queen's family—Sansa's family—becomes the deciding factor."
"If Tommen becomes king and Sansa his queen, then to challenge Joffrey's claim, he'd need the backing of the North and the Riverlands."
"And if the North also secures an alliance with Highgarden, then Sansa's support base would include three great powers—Winterfell, Riverrun, and Highgarden. Her political weight would surpass even the king's."
Aedric leaned forward, eyes glinting. "At that point, even if Joffrey has the Lannisters and the Crownlands on his side, he still couldn't match the combined power behind Sansa."
"And when that day comes, Sansa won't just be a queen—she could become the Queen Regent, the true power behind the throne. She could seize the greatest victory without ever drawing a sword."
He smiled. "And that, Uncle, would be the best possible outcome for House Stark."
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