《Game of Thrones/ASOIAF: King Business - Tommen OC-SI》Chapter 53
Advertisement
The singers never sang of the monumental amount of letters and writs I had to go over and sign in a normal day as king. I could even see how a man like Robert Baratheon would become the fat whoremonger he was in his final days living a life like this. That man should’ve thrown that crown they put in his head as far away as he could and taken ship to the Free Cities to join one of the companies. A life of the sword suited him more than the king’s pen.
After putting away the High Septon’s diary, I sat down on my desk to go through stacks of paper, rubbing my temple at the incoming headache that would come with it. Sometimes a man just wants to swing a sword at another man and be done for the day. At least I was lucky enough I had an efficient Hand who sorted everything out in order of importance to me.
I started at the top. The Reach wasn’t the only Kingdom where castles and rewards had to be divvied up. We were carving the Riverlands up, handing this and that castle to the highest and noblest bidders. For the big ones, Darry would go to Lancel after he married Amerei Frey, the lady who’d been recently humiliated by Margaery. Lancel didn’t have the time to fully convert to sparrowhood this time, though I’d seen him roaming around the halls of the Keep wearing simpler clothes than his usual garish fare. Apparently, he became a pious man after Cersei’s death.
Harrenhal had been booned to Littlefinger for his services in bringing House Tyrell back into the fold, but with a flick of my pen, I stripped him of all his lands and titles and incomes, and then denounced and attained him, so he wouldn’t even be considered a noble anymore. Letters would be flying all over the kingdoms as early as tomorrow.
Next was Maidenpool, a town that had been burned thrice during the war, and Saltpans, which the Brave Companions had sacked and pillaged. We had Lord Mooton of Maidenpool a prisoner in his own castle, and the Knight of Saltpans, Ser Quincy Cox, had closed his gates while his smallfolk were butchered and violated like cattle.
I had been of a mind to strip them and their families of their lands just to save me the headache, but now I meant to have them for myself. The Crownlands were a puny stretch of land that suited me not, and I wanted to expand the houses sworn directly to the throne. That included Maidenpool and the Saltpans. All I needed was to have them swear me fealty, instead of their rivermen overlords, which would now be the Freys. I would cut the Riverlands in half, everything from the God’s Eye River, up to Harrenhal then Darry, would become part of the Crownlands.
Advertisement
However, I knew that my grab for more power would not go well with any of the lords, even Tywin, who would see this as a violation that could set a precedence to be used against House Lannister. And old Walder would froth in the mouth and stab me in the back if he even heard a whiff of my plan.
For now, I would wait until my power was at its zenith and none could contest me. Tywin and Walder would not live forever, after all. The Twins would come down to a small civil war when the old fart passed away, and Jaime was as easy to manipulate as a kitten.
I was interrupted when a knock sounded at the door; when I called back, Ser Lyle escorted Qyburn in.
“Your Grace,” the former maester said, bowing. The strongboar nodded to confirm I wanted to be left alone with my guest and stepped back outside.
“Qyburn.” I pushed the papers aside. “What can I do for you?”
He shuffled closer and produced a stack of tiny scrolls from the folds of his robes, together with a single sheet of white vellum paper. “I have this week’s report, my lord, and its sources.”
I took them from his hands, holding in a sigh. I didn’t want him to know how much I would dread reading through for a few minutes what must have been days of work for him. “Anything I should concentrate on?” I asked.
“Not particularly, Your Grace, no. Some court drama, whose wife is sleeping with whose knight, which lordling speaks against you in their cups.”
He made to go on, but I waved him off. “I think I understand the picture. I’ll be sure to go over them and remember the names. But we have more important matters to speak of, my friend.” Gesturing to the chair opposite my own, I waited for Qyburn to settle down before I started again. “Though I fear dumping more and more work on you has become a habit of mine, what I have to ask of you is too important to dawdle upon. Before his death, Varys let slip something he must have thought I wouldn’t catch on, but smart men love to think they have the only brains in the room.
“I need you to start looking at the Golden Company, Qyburn. Last I heard, they were stationed near Volantis on contract, but I fear they will move at any time—and they will do so aiming at us.”
Advertisement
The lines on Qyburn’s face deepened. “Your Grace… do you mean to say someone has taken, or will take, a contract with the Golden Company against the Iron Throne?”
“Yes,” I answered flatly. “I know it for a fact. And we must be ready for it.”
“It will be hard, Your Grace, to infiltrate a company like this one. I believe they even have their own spymaster.”
“I don’t expect immediate results, but attempts must be made.” I looked him in the eyes. Omitting Aegon’s identity was a two-fold test for Qyburn, of his competence, and his trustworthiness. I wanted to see how long it would take for him to come to me with news of this new king, or if he wouldn’t come at all. “If you wish to start somewhere, then look to Pentos, and a Magister named Illyrio Mopatis. He was an old friend of Varys I have reason to believe has some connection with this Golden Company contract.”
He nodded. “As you will, Your Grace.”
“Don’t use Varys’ leftover birds for that. Illyrio was his supplier of mute children,” I told him. “And I’m afraid I’m not done troubling you. There’s two more persons of interest I need eyes upon. One person and one Kingdom, actually.”
Qyburn kept his silence and waited for me to go on. “Dorne,” I said. “Though I’ve tried planting certainties and friendships, now I’m afraid I’ll be sowing a field of doubts and treachery. I need eyes on them, as many and as fast as possible.”
The chainless maester graced me with a thin smile. “Our sources in Dorne are… well placed, my liege.”
“Ah. Of course,” I said. I’d forgotten about the girl, truth be told. “Still, I want to know about Doran’s position with his bannermen. Would Yronwood betray him for the title of Prince of Dorne? Will the lords of the Torrentine wage war against the throne if called upon, or can I hold them off in their valley with promises of gold and grain?”
“It shall be done.” Qyburn’s hands rubbed against each other. I think he didn’t like being out and about half as much as he liked lurking in his torch-lit dungeons. “And the person?”
I swallowed the dryness that came to my mouth. “Euron Greyjoy,” I whispered, as if the words were blasphemy given name and form. “I expected him to show up in the Iron Islands to make a bid for kingship soon enough, but now… I don’t know where he is, or what he’ll do, Qyburn, but he’s a dangerous man. See to it that whoever you send after him is expandable.”
His sunken eyes widened in their sockets. My uneasiness seemed to have taken him aback. “I… I will see what I can do, Your Grace.”
“Good, good,” I said. “And thank you, Qyburn. Let me know if there’s anything else you need for your work.”
He bowed low and scuttled away. I turned back to my desk, going straight for his summed up report in the sheet of paper. My eyes were swimming as I read through the contents. It wasn’t exhaustion or nausea, it was straight boredom. Until I stopped at one the last ones, which reported homesteads and farms burned in the kingswood, and several grain wagons and merchant trains lost to banditry.
A hot flush of energy spread through me. “Ser Lyle,” I called loudly.
The knight was inside in a second, hand to his sword. “Your Grace?” His eyes roamed the solar, looking for any threats. For all his booming and bluster, he was a competent man.
“We have a bandit problem in the kingsroad. In the kingswood, south of the roseroad.” I took to my feet. “Summon the white swords, ser, and prepare a proper escort. It seems you’ll be getting that action you so looked for, after all.”
His face broke into a wide grin. “Hah!” he laughed. “Just wait until Ser Jaime hears this. One hand or not, I know he’s been itching to get out there. He’ll love it.”
In the books, Dickon (Hah!) Tarly marries Eleanor Mooton, after his father Randyll occupies Maidenpool during the tailend of the War of the Five Kings. Here, that didn’t happen. Also, in the books, Petyr Baelish is made Lord Paramount of the Trident. I followed the show for this, and it’s Lord Walder Frey who became the Riverlands’ overlord.
Advertisement
The Primal Hunter
On just another normal Monday, the world changed. The universe had reached a threshold humanity didn’t even know existed, and it was time to finally be integrated into the vast multiverse. A world where power is the only thing that one can truly rely on.Jake, a seemingly average office worker, finds himself thrust into this new world. Into a tutorial filled with dangers and opportunities. In a world that should breed fear and concern, an environment that makes his fellow coworkers falter, Jake instead finds himself thriving.Perhaps… Jake was born for this kind of world, to begin with.***Author Note: Tags and content warnings are mainly to give me creative freedom later on. This is my first novel ever, and English isn’t my native language, so go easy on me chaps.
8 949Killshot Apocalypse
Trace Taylor was at a shooting range when the world was kidnapped by the alien species called the ‘Esvol’ to begin humanity's integration with the System. Each individual person is given a femtochip implant and a class to fend for themselves before being sent back to Earth. Once Trace returns, she finds that the planet too is left scarred by this encounter, now filled with Dungeons packed with monsters and Gates that lead to the multiverse. With nothing but a handgun and her trusty new AI by her side, how will Trace come to survive this newly-changed planet? This story is a YA take on the “LitRPG Apocalypse” genre. It takes place in an alternate reality where, in addition to numerous other things, Earth's population reaches ten billion in 2030. I do hope you consider giving it a shot— no pun intended. Proof of ownership: KillshotApocalypse.com
8 209Freedom in the New World
Has since been abandoned. Follow the story of James, his life, death, and rebirth into the world of overlord. What happens when an American with knowledge of the story of overlord, gets to the new world? You will have to find out. Please forgive me I'm still starting out in being a writer i hope you enjoy the story. IF YOU DON'T LIKE OP CHARACTERS, THIS STORY ISN'T FOR YOU. Before anything else if you are easily offended, dislike Easter eggs, or aren't willing to give an aspiring writer a chance, turn back now. If you have read this or failed to read it, I will not be held liable if your feelings are hurt, you have been warned. If you cannot be bothered to leave a comment and try to help me improve the story, please don't rate my story. I don't own the cover image, i just wanted something to help sell the image i'm trying to create. Due to time constraints new chapters will be added once a week for the time being. No more and maybe less.
8 71Metal Lich
Here ends this novel. I want to start another novel in another world with the same character to give me an opportunity to continue growing thanks for following me and I hope you like the next novels more than this one, thanks for the comments and for following me. ................................... He was a college student in an era when the technology was so advanced that MMORPGs can be played with augmented reality. When suddenly mad king with the power of a God, he speak to him directly to his mind. He told him that everyone's life would change. With which they are empowered to become a fantasy character while they are submerged in a zombie apocalypse. However when he is in the middle of his first battle, he is lose against zombies and he is forced to survive with only one head.
8 92Colors of Lightbulb // an Inanimate Insanity AU
This is based on the Teen Titans GO episode called colors of Raven. I used to LOVE that episode so I decided to make an II version of it! ^w^Test Tube is exploring the cave, when she finds a weirdly shaped gem. She takes it back to Hotel OJ for further research. In the hotel, an accident occurs, which causes the gem to split Lightbulb into five different beings with five different colors! At first, everyone is ok with it, but they quickly realize five Lightbulbs isn't the best thing to have, so they have to put her back together. But the Lightbulbs escape and now everyone has to go and catch them all...Will they find all the Lightbulbs? Read to find out!They all live in the hotel by the way.The cover is made by me!I don't expect many reads on this, but I don't mind, since it's just a funny lil thing I thought of :)
8 94The Land of Stories: Quotes
The top 5 quotes from each book in my favorite book series DISCLAIMER: The Land of Stories belongs to Chris Colfer.
8 176