GoT One-Shots!

The Mark of a Good King (Joffrey Baratheon x tutor!reader)

"Y/N? Am I a good king?" You looked back over your shoulder at your pupil, King Joffrey. Though he was now King of the Seven Kingdoms, Joffrey's mother had insisted that you continue with his studies. "That is not my place, Your Grace. I am paid only to tutor you," you answered diplomatically. Joffrey glared daggers in your direction. He wanted an honest answer. "Am. I. A. Good. King?" he asked again before sighing, "You've always told me the truth, Y/N. Should I have executed Eddard Stark?"

"I am not your Small Council, Your Grace. They would be better suited to answer this question," you replied. You knew Joffrey had a soft side, but you also understood that angering him was a bad idea. Joffrey groaned loudly. He simply wanted a straight answer and you were refusing to give him one. "Do you think I am a good king?" You eyed him for a moment. You knew that the way your phrased your answer could possibly cause your fate to be the same as Eddard Stark's.

"I believe you could be a good king, Your Grace. Possibly even a great one. The mark of a good king is compassion. Knowing that, sometimes, it is best for the realm that you show mercy. Forgive those that you feel have wronged you and make amends to those you have wronged," you told him before excusing yourself. Joffrey stayed behind and contemplated everything you had said. Mercy and Compassion. The two things Sansa had begged for from him.

For several weeks, Joffrey sat and thought about what you had told him. How could he make amends for executing the Lord of Winterfell? For leaving his people hungry and poor when he was living in the lap of luxury? Joffrey decided that the best way to start would be to take down the head of Eddard Stark and insure he had a proper funeral. He quickly rushed to you and informed you of his plan. Somehow, Joffrey knew he could trust you more than anyone else in the Seven Kingdoms, even his mother.

For once, you couldn't hide behind you mask of "devil's advocate." You were almost jumping for joy which pleased Joffrey immensely. He immediately set out to right the first of many wrongs. After a while, the people of Westeros began to see a reformed Joffrey. While there were still those that would never come to love him, Joffrey eventually became the king you always hoped he would be.