Black Council

The **Black Council** was compromised of the seven regents who would rule over the realm of the Seven Kingdoms during the regency of Queen Baela I Targaryen. The Council would be compromised of regents from some six Houses who fought for the Blacks during the Dance of the Dragons, and but one who fought for the Greens, hence the name. During their time as regents, the Black Council would carry out a number of acts, though none more infamous, or famous, depending on one's view, than the Hightower Trials.

## Black Council

T’was at the innocence of years three and no more at which Rhaenyra I’s crown would pass to the next, for the second time. This time, with Aegon II’s body rendered lifeless at the Third Battle of Tumbleton, his young daughter would be brought to the throne, and made Queen, even if she wore the crown from behind a wall of regents.

Suffice to say, the realm was not pleased. It had been but some four and ten years since the Dance had seen itself bring an end to many of the dragons of the Targaryens and many a great name within the royal House, and now, now upon the throne of the Conqueror, upon the throne of Maegor, and of Rhaenyra herself, sat regents in place of a toddler. Stirrings were heard all across the kingdoms, discontent spurred, and no doubt treason echoed in some halls, but once Baela’s regents were named, and her council assembled, action came swift.

As the Grand Maester of the time, a considered and thoughtful man by the name of Mancaster would write,

*“The young Queen’s regents were drawn from some of the finest Houses of the Black cause some years four and ten ago. The most eminent among them was the Ser Corwyn of the House Corbray, husband to the Princess Rhaena Targaryen, daughter of Prince Daemon Targaryen. Ser Corwyn was indubitably the most well-positioned of Baela’s regents at the beginning of her regency, and did rather so set the direction of the kingdoms. On from Ser Corwyn, Baela’s council’s next saw the Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark, the Lord Velaryon. The Lord Velaryon was a pensive man, but despite his many thinkings, he was no Corlys Velaryon. The third regent, so too of the Crownlands, and a considerable orator, was the Lady Ysabel Massey. The Masseys had proven themselves in the Dance, and with Lady Massey’s stalwart performances at court over the last half decade, and with the Queen herself being of the womanly persuasion, it was thought that the Lady Massey would make a fine addition. The fourth regent, and by all rights the loudest and all accounts the most unwashed, was the Lord Flint of Widow’s Watch. The Starks had proved leal Blacks in the war, bringing the defeat of the Baratheon Stags when they were at the gates, and so a position in perpetuity was given them, and this regency would see the Lord Flint seat it. Flint, it is safe to say, was the main man responsible for the Hightower executions. The fifth regent, came from the port town of Maidenpool. The heir to the aging Lord Mooton proved a valuable addition. Ser Norbert Mooton proved a trained and distinctly advantaged mind in all things copper, bronze, silver, and gold. Never was there a monetary matter on which Ser Norbert did not have opinion or consequence. The sixth, and final, of the Black regents, and assuredly the most notorious, was the Lord Clubfoot of Harrenhal. Never was there a decision nor debate the Lord Clubfoot did not have his foot in. The Clubfoot lead much and turned more, and while the Lord Flint can be attributed for the Hightowers’ fall, there is no failure of evidence to suggest the Lord Clubfoot was not too greatly involved. As for the seventh, and only Green regent, the Lord Swyft hailed from the West. I note now, that Lord Swyft tried, Lord Swyft pleaded, Lord Swyft hoped, but Lord Swyft was in the minority. His was sidelined, and his was of no note.”*

And so it was. With the regency council named, and the Blue Dragons pretenders and the Lord Hightower imprisoned, the first of this council’s acts would come about. The supposed ‘Prince’ Aemond met with the torturer's until he gave confession of his falsehood and then swiftly found a noose about his neck. But the Lord Hightower, for his part, for his House’s party, suffered arguably a greater pain. The House of Hightower were commanded come to the Queen’s hall, come hear their Lord’s treason, and make account for it. And so they did, for not once, but twice now, had they been crushed beneath the Dragon’s bootheel. By the conclusion of what would become known as the “Hightower Trials”, or among more poetic circles, the “Hightower’s Crumbling”, and whispered in the halls of the Greens as the “Hightower Massacre”, the House of Hightower would find itself no more, with the Lords Flint and Strong spearheading their trials, they would all find death, one way or the next.

This proved the most notorious act of Baela’s regents, all of whom, by what some would call a miracle, would last to see the girl reach her majority and beyond.

Yet, one other distinctly notable act of the Regency Council remains, that of the issue of the royals Aemon Targaryen, and his younger sister, Naerys Targaryen. Long had the royal pair shown affection for one another, and now, as the years passed and they came of age, the two wished to wed, but they were young, but babes still in the eyes of the Council, and so when they pressed the matter, the Lords and Ladies protessed, offering up the names Manderly, Florent, Penrose, and more, but the two held firm, and in due time, the Council were forced to back down, for fear of seeing enemies by the name of Targaryen earnt them, and the pair were wed.

But theirs was not conciliatory, no, the regents of Baela I Targaryen tore greater divides in the kingdoms than were there when Baela had inherited at the tender age of three. And as time passed, as the regents found themselves more and more encumbered by the trappings of great office, and the power that came with it, the throne was not handed back to Baela at the age six and ten, nor at the age of seven and ten. No. The Queen would spend the first two years of her majority a servant of her own crown. But, in the hundred-and-sixty-first year since Aegon’s Conquest, the Queen would find her mark. Lord Flint found himself on the Stranger’s doorstep, and a change of heart struck about him. Providing vital aid to the young Queen, and handing her the Goldcloaks, whom he had long been responsible for providing.. Additional payment, and with the persuasion of the Lady Massey and Lord Mooton, in the deep belly of the Red Keep, and of the night itself, Baela I Targaryen struck. For the first time, she climbed the Iron Throne, the throne of old, the throne of Kings, and now, of *Queens*. Before their Queen was hauled her councillors, brought to kneel, and made to see the might of the Dragon, and so it was, that on this bloodless night, the reign of Queen Baela I Targaryen began in earnest.