A/N: War Council Time~
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Once Davos and the combined Royal and Redwyne Fleets arrive, they all get together to hold a proper War Council. Of course they do, there's too many self-important men among the armies that have assembled outside of the Ruins of Lannisport for anything else.
It's all so tedious in Axel's mind… but he's the King, not a tyrant. And that means making a show of listening, even if only a handful of the men that crowd the massive tent are saying anything worth his time.
Though if anything else, he has to admit that the sour look on Tywin Lannister's face is uplifting. The Lord of House Lannister wasn't happy about what happened between Axel and the Mountain, but there wasn't much that he could do about it.
Everyone had seen Gregor Clegane draw his sword on his King. Never mind that Axel wasn't wearing his crown, or that 'Ser Gregor' didn't even get a swing off. The Mountain had drawn live steel on the King of the Seven Kingdoms and as a result he'd been put down like the dog he was and that was that.
On the flip side, Lord Stark wasn't very happy with him either. Axel had taken the older man aside and done his best to gently explain what would be happening after the war with Euron. How he would be making Sansa his Queen but also Arianne as well. And how the High Septon had already signed off on it.
Eddard Stark hadn't made too much of a stink about things, but Axel could tell he wasn't exactly pleased with the idea of his daughter sharing a husband with any other woman. It wasn't the 'done thing' even up in the North. But Axel had been quite clear that Sansa was fully on board with the idea and that Lord Stark would be welcome to come back to King's Landing with him when this was all over to try and persuade her otherwise himself.
That had ultimately mollified the Lord of Winterfell, alongside Axel promising that he would happily let Sansa do whatever she wanted because her happiness was the most important thing to him. His heartfelt sincerity seemed to have resonated with the older man, at least a little bit.
Of course, then there were the men in the tent who were quite happy. Or rather, one man in particular. Axel hadn't expected it, but Prince Oberyn Martell had come with the Dornish Spears his brother had sent with the Royal Fleet. The Red Viper himself sat rather casually and without much care in one of the chairs surrounding the massive table that dominated the center of the tent, and he had been grinning at Axel ever since they'd assembled.
Axel had a pretty good idea of why the Dornish Prince was so happy with him of course, but that didn't make the staring or the grin on the Dornish Man's face any less… uncomfortable. It was almost like the other man was undressing and fucking him with his eyes…
Of course, there were other important men in the tent as well. Davos Seaworth, his Master of Ships. His counterpart, the Redwyne Admiral who's name Axel hadn't bothered learning. Lord Paramount Edmure Tully, leading the armies of the Riverlands (Axel wishes it were the Blackfish, truth be told). Lord Randyll Tarly, leading the armies of the Reach (Mace had been smart to stay home and out of Axel's sight in all honesty. Cowardly, but also smart.)
And many, many more than that too. There had to be easily fifty men in the crowded tent, though the ones just mentioned were the vast majority who actually got a seat at the table close to Axel himself. Everyone else was relegated to the other end of the table or forced to stand. All the while, Ser Arys and Ser Sandor flanked either side of Axel's chair.
A proper War Council, with everyone wanting to make themselves heard. Axel just wished… they weren't just repeating all of the things he'd already thought of himself.
"Euron Greyjoy is a coward! He flees at the first sign of our forces!"
"It's a trap, obviously. He means to draw us out to sea where that monster of his can scuttle our fleets and drown us!"
"Bah! Between the Royal and Redwyne Fleets, we outnumber the Ironborn boats three to one! A single kraken isn't going to turn the tide of battle against us, we'll crush it and this upstart Greyjoy, just like last time!"
"You haven't seen the kraken in question. It's bigger than anything that's ever been recorded on this side of the Narrow Sea. It destroyed the walls of Lannisport and then half the city besides! I can't help but wonder if our scorpions will be able to so much as pierce it's hide!"
On and on they go, round and round in circles. Everyone wants to say their piece. Everyone wants to be heard. Of course, the smarter men at the table hold their tongue and speak only when absolutely necessary. But the rest… the rest jabber constantly, as though rehashing the same exact points over and over again will change anything.
… He's probably let them all talk long enough, right? Lord Davos has already given his opinion. So has the Redwyne Admiral. Both men knew more about boats than anyone else in this room, including Axel. However, neither had actually laid eyes on the kraken that Euron Greyjoy was said to command.
Still, Axel knew that they'd both been to the Ruins of Lannisport by now and seen the damage wrought by the kraken's appendages. And even then, they were both cautiously optimistic about being able to kill the beast and that was without knowing what Axel was capable of. But really, even if they weren't… there was only really ever one option, wasn't there?
"Enough."
When he finally decides to speak, Axel's voice cuts through the clamor like Valyrian Steel through flesh. Word of what happened in King's Landing has reached the ears of every man in this room by now. Some, he suspects, still don't believe it. Some do and look at him with either fear or reverence in their eyes.
They've also all heard about the incident with the Mountain by now. Only Tywin is truly upset about Gregor Clegane's death, but there's certainly a degree of… wariness in the men as he speaks, everyone going quiet and turning to look to him, their King.
Axel smiles thinly, his eyes flinty as he looks them all over.
"There is no choice. Are we to cower away in our castles and let Euron Greyjoy rip the Seven Kingdoms asunder? Are we to hide from his Kraken as he lashes out at our coasts without reprisal? Lannisport first… what next? Oldtown? The Arbor? Sunspear? Perhaps bolder still. Perhaps Storm's End, or Dragonstone, or King's Landing itself."
The mood in the room becomes more somber with each place he names. Even Oberyn Martell's ever present smile dims when Axel mentions Sunspear as a target.
"No. The combined might of the Seven Kingdoms stands ready to nip this threat in the bud here and now, as it did years ago under my father against another Greyjoy entirely. To turn back now would be worse than folly… it would be cowardice."
Asha and Theon are both in the back of the tent, though not next to one another. Axel notices Theon squirm as several people look his direction at the mention of his father's rebellion. Asha gets the same treatment, but she stands tall and proud, having eyes only for Axel. He gives her the smallest of nods before turning his gaze to Davos and the Redwyne Admiral.
He probably should ask the man's name… but at this point, doing so would ruin all of his momentum. Instead, he gestures to both men.
"My Master of Ships and his counterpart from the Arbor have my utmost confidence. They shall work together to form a proper plan for the voyage ahead. Once they're done, we will depart and bring an end to this… rebellion once and for all."
Silence falls over the tent. Many look like they have something to say. But none actually try and say it. In the end, Axel gives them all plenty of time to speak up. When nobody does, he waves a hand through the air.
"This council is over."
Everyone begins filing out of the tent. Well, almost everyone. It's not long before Axel, still seated at the head of the table, is disturbed by Ser Arys leaning down to murmur in his ear.
"Your Grace, there are men asking for an audience. One of them is Oberyn Martell. The other is Tyrion Lannister."
The Imp of Casterly Rock. Axel furrows his brow, wondering why Tywin Lannister's only living son would want to speak with him. In the end, he shakes his head.
"Send in the Prince."
When it comes to people he wants to talk to, anyone from House Lannister is going to be naturally lower on the list than the uncle of one of the women he intends to make his Queen. Even if the Red Viper HAD been making strange eyes of Axel throughout the entire fucking War Council.
A moment later and the Dornish Prince strides back into the tent, grinning from ear to ear. He walks right up to the chair he'd been sitting in before, just a couple down from Axel himself, and drops himself back into it, lounging there as he gives a perfunctory bow of his head.
"You have my eternal thanks, Your Grace. And the thanks of Dorne as well."
Axel smirks and shrugs, being blunt and honest.
"I didn't do it for you, Prince Martell. I didn't even do it for Arianne."
But of course, Oberyn isn't even fazed by that. He grins, shaking his head.
"No, you didn't. You did it for the man behind you, didn't you?"
Of course he'd heard. No doubt Nymeria and Obara were reporting to their father the entire time. Even as Sandor Clegane bristles at his back, Axel just sighs and shakes his head.
"The Mountain was not worthy of the gifts that the Seven gave him. Most of all, he was not worthy of the air he continued breathing. I took his life because most of all… he did not deserve to continue living."
Silence falls for a moment before Oberyn slowly nods, looking impressed.
"Well said, Your Grace. Well said, indeed. You know, my paramour and I would love to host you in our tent later tonight for some wine… Ellaria has just been dying to meet you, the bastard who became King."
There's a suggestive lilt in Oberyn's voice that has Axel narrowing his eyes in response. So those looks earlier… he wasn't just imagining things. Finally, he decides to just be truthful with the man.
"You would not enjoy that very much, I don't think."
Oberyn's smile becomes a bit more rigid, a hint of confusion entering his eyes.
"… Oh?"
Axel just smiles thinly.
"I do not lay with men. And if I were to bed your paramour, you would no longer be able to satisfy her. No other man would feel the same after I got through with her."
Oberyn's eyes bulge out of his skull a little bit at Axel's boast. The thing is, it's not empty. He means every word and he thinks the Red Viper can tell too. After a long moment, Oberyn Martell chooses to throws his head back and laughs.
Axel lets him get it out of his system before continuing on.
"Besides, it would not be proper seeing as I intend to marry the Princess and make her my Queen."
Now THAT gets Oberyn's attention. More than that, Axel can tell he's managed to surprise the Dornish Prince for the first time.
"Oh? That is glorious news, Your Grace!"
So Tyene wasn't informing on him to Oberyn like Obara and Nymeria were? How very interesting.
"Indeed. Once Euron Greyjoy is dead and the Iron Islands are pacified, I will return to King's Landing and marry both Princess Arianne and Lady Sansa in the Light of the Seven. You are, of course, invited to the wedding."
To his credit, while Oberyn is once again shocked by Axel's words, he doesn't do anything so foolish as claim that the Faith will never let him marry two women or something like that. Instead, with a considering glint in his eye, the Red Viper finally rises from his chair and gives a proper bow.
"I concede, Your Grace. You have managed to astound me more times in a single conversation than any other man can boast. I must rescind my offer of wine… if only to protect my paramour from your seemingly insatiable lusts."
Arys and Sandor both bristle a bit at that, but Axel just smirks, taking the comments in the spirit they are given. Oberyn's words might seem insulting on the surface, but in actuality, Axel got the impression that he was really being complimented.
He waves the other man off with a hand and watches as Ser Arys escorts him out for a moment before returning with a frown on his face.
"Tyrion Lannister still waits outside, Your Grace."
Truly? Well, that was a minor point in the Imp's favor, Axel supposed.
"Very well, bring him in."
A few moments later and the dwarf steps into the tent. He's… certainly something to look at. With mismatched eyes of green and black, thin flaxen hair, and a stunted body but a rather large forehead, he was… well, unnatural was one word for it.
But then to be fair, Axel was just as unnatural if not more so. He was just lucky enough to be handsome and tall. His unnaturalness hid beneath the surface, while Tyrion was forced to wear his on the outside for all to see.
Unlike Oberyn, Tyrion doesn't wait to bow. The littlest Lannister immediately bows at the waist, massive head all the way down.
"Your Grace, it is a great honor to finally meet you."
Axel stays quiet, not having much patience for Lannisters. Not after Tywin Lannister played games during Renly's rebellion and not after finding out Cersei Lannister had been trying to kill him all his life. Still, their actions were not Tyrion's actions.
Finally lifting his head, the dwarf seems to hesitate for a moment… before forcing a bright smile onto his face and clasping his stubby hands behind his back.
"I simply wished to thank you, my King."
… Thank him? For what?
"You didn't have to defend my honor so viciously when you beheaded the Mountain, but I must say… I will appreciate it forevermore."
For a long moment, Axel doesn't get it. But then he recalls the words he'd spoken to Gregor Clegane in order to get the larger man to draw his sword on him and justify his death. Specifically, he'd claimed that the Mountain's cock was smaller than that of the dwarf now standing in front of him.
Axel can't help himself. A bark of laughter leaves his lips and he finds that he approves of the littlest Lannister just a bit more than he did previously. For all that he's stunted and malformed, Tyrion Lannister seems to have a sharp mind and a sharper wit. Grinning now, he inclines his head in Tyrion's direction.
"Your gratitude is accepted, Tyrion Lannister. I do so like a man who enjoys a good jest."
Seeing him in a good mood, Tyrion dares to move closer to the table, until he can rest one arm on it and tap away with his stubby little fingers.
"I'm glad to hear it, my King. Here's another then… me as Master of Coin."
Axel pauses, his good humor departing as quickly as its arrived, his eyes narrowing as he regards Tyrion more coldly.
"Your father sent you."
The dwarf offers him a wan smile, one that shows he knew exactly how this would go over with the King. And yet, he's making a go for it anyways.
"Yes, Your Grace. According to him, I'm not much use for anything other than numbers. And the position is currently empty, so it would seem to be the perfect fit."
… He finds it hard to hate Tyrion Lannister. But that doesn't mean he's going to just capitulate to something like this. Axel is already shaking his head, ready to reject the idea entirely… when another thought comes to mind and he stops.
Leaning forward, he looks Tyrion right in his one green eye.
"The Crown still owes your House far too much gold for me to consider putting a Lannister in charge of that very debt. Go and tell your father that the only way I'll consider you for Master of Coin is if he forgives the rest of the debt beforehand. All of it. Down to the last copper star."
Tyrion's jaw drops open.
"T-That's almost a million golden dragons, Your Grace!"
Axel smiles thinly as he sits back in his chair. He might not hate Tyrion… but that didn't mean he was going to let himself be manipulated either.
"It is, yes. Now go. Tell your father. I'll give him until I'm back with Euron Greyjoy's head to make a decision. Goodbye Tyrion Lannister."
Swallowing thickly, looking like he wants to say more but is clearly too smart to outstay his welcome, Tyrion bows again and departs from the tent as quickly as his stubby little legs allow. Axel watches him go for a moment before shaking his head.
At least Tywin had kept Cersei Lannister well away from him so far. Axel didn't know or care where the woman was at this point so long as he didn't see a single glimpse of her while he was here in the Westerlands.
Their departure for the Iron Islands couldn't come soon enough…
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A/N: Tyrion has his first encounter with Axel! It didn't go too badly, truth be told!
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