Chapter 21: The Aftermath
Soon after the battle was won, the time of naming Tywin the Hand of the King happening. As I was walking towards the Great Keep I spotted Margaery and I approached her.
"Ah, greetings, Lady Tyrell." I said as I gave her a small bow.
"Greetings, Lord Alexander." She said.
"So you know me?" I asked, I actually didn't think she would know whom I was.
"I have. Your bravery at the Mud Gate and the rumours of your battle prowess has indeed been resounding through the Red keep. Additionally, Renly can't stop talking about you." She informed me.
"Ah, didn't expect it to be known to all so soon." I said
"There is nothing escaping these walls, you have also gained a nickname or knight name. Lord Alexander Bracken, The Guardian or The Trident Guardian." She said
"Oooh? Interesting." I exclaimed.
"Indeed. Other rumours says you led a unit of
250 undead men to fight the Baratheon men, others says you fight 15 men simultaneously alone and some some says all of your men wears Valyrian steel armor and swords." She said.
"Ooh. Very interesting. Now let's talk about you, or specifically the Tyrell's." I said
"Hmm?" She asked
"Your recent move. You gained little for attacking the Baratheons, except if you are finally joining the main area of the game. You, Loras, Oleanna and Mace. The entirety of House Tyrell is here, you're making moves aren't you?" I said
"Quite perceptive indeed." She said looking into my eyes.
"And there is no man in the Seven Kingdoms who doesn't know of your wish to become Queen. So you wish to marry Joffrey, eh?" I said
"Perhaps, but there's already someone married to Joffrey." She said
"Aye, well not much longer. I foresaw your decision to help us after Renly died. You couldn't join Stannis, he wouldn't marry you and you are too old. Additionally Robb Stark won't win, so Joffrey is your target." I said staring back at her.
"Quite right, and how did you put Sansa out of the way?" She asked.
"I married her to Tommen. If you manage to befriend her. You control the heir and any future heirs. Additionally you can have Sansa take over the North when Robb dies." I said
"Oooh! What a power play!" She said.
"And what would you require from this?" She asked.
"You will learn it soon enough. But I have the most power in King's Landing. Not most political power, nay, not most physical power right now, nay. But when your armies leave, I am strongest. My 200 men as you've heard, can hold off a force twice as strong, however something you might or might not know, is that I control the city watch. The Lord Commander is my subordinate and 80% of the City Watch is from Bracken." I said
"Ooh? So you are quite strong and an important ally?" She asked.
"I may be, and I may not. If I didn't help Cersei and joined Ned, Stannis would be king. But if Joffrey confronts me, I have no power. I have power by allying a strong house." I said.
"Hmmm, and whom is your ally?" She asked
"Lannister, but Joffrey is getting harder to control, therefore I shall support you in controlling him. In response I request the honor of marrying one of my children to one of yours, if either of us ever have any. Plus I'd like cheaper prices for food and resources from the reach and priority. Winter is coming." I said.
"Hmmm, that can be done, Alexander." She said.
"Very well, Margaery, I hope our friendship will result in something better for the Riverlands and the Reach." I said
"Aye, shall we enter together?" She asked as she held her hand Infront of me, asking me to lead the way. Which I did and together we entered the keep and stood beside each other, with Baelish on my left and her on my right.
That's when the ceremony began and Tywin came riding in and Joffrey did the formalities.
Then Baelish came forward, he was granted Duskendale and not Harrenhal, as I was here and it would be disrespectful to give it to him.
Then Loras was called forward and he asked Joffrey to marry Margaery, she stepped forward and they flirted from afar, however this time they directly announced their acceptance.
However before people could clap, he called me forward.
"Lord Alexander Bracken! Step forward!" He said, and I did. I stepped Infront of the throne and bent my knee in a proper formal bow.
"For you good service and genius defense of King's Landing, I declare that you shall be give the Seat of Harrenhall and all it's lands. Additionally I excempt you and all your vassal
houses from royal taxes these next 10 years. And lastly, you shall gain 2 favors from me, if I can fulfill it. You will have it. You have given us the hole advantage against the Stark's and single handily beaten them, done what we could not, we hope that you continue to serve the crown and that you shine as a perfect example of how a Lord shall be. And your great feats and sacrifices in single handily holding King's Landing for 20 minutes with barely 200 men against 5000 Baratheons." He said.
"My Lord, I am beyond shocked of your gifts, I am but a simple Lord of the Riverlands serving House Lannister and the crown as I should. I have been granted the Riverlands to rule over, and now 2 favors, my thanks cannot be said through mere words, therefore I shall use this for the good of the realm." I said as I looked at Cersei.
"Firstly, I have known Sansa Stark as a fair maiden, she has stood against House Stark's atrocities for long, she does not dare be punished by her families traitorous deeds, therefore I ask both you and Queen Mother Cersei that you marry this fair maiden to Tommen Baratheon, she will serve him well. I also wish to keep my remaining favour and use it when I need it." I said. This made Sansa stop, she was about to leave, this also made Baelish who was about to go manipulate her stop as well.
"Hmmm, Sansa is indeed a fair maiden, and she has bled. Aye she will be a good match for my brother. Therefore, in front of this good assembly I announce Sansa Stark of House Stark and Tommen Baratheon, crown prince of House Baratheon to be married when he reaches the age of 9!" And with that clapping began for the two couples about to be married.
That's when I saw Sansa walk off with a smile and Baelish follow, I soon did the same.
"You have a tender hearth. Just like your mother did at that age. She was like a sister to me." He said I then decided to interrupt.
"Aye, the sister you made believe could trust you, but then betrayed her and got her husband killed." I said
"Lord Bracken, I was speaking to Sansa, would you please leave us?" He asked.
I then stepped up beside Sansa.
"Would you want me to leave, Sansa?" I asked gently.
"No, Alexander." She said.
"Lord Baelish, please stay away from Sansa. She is no longer the pawn you could play with. And I will have you know she is under my protection, if you every try anything, you know you cannot stay here for long, and you can't retreat to the Vale either." I said, making a power move by exposing his relationship with the Vale.
"Excuse me if I have stepped over the line, My Lady, My Lord." He said as he turned to leave. I then signalled for Sansa to leave which she did.
"Lord Baelish! Please stay." I said
He turned around
"Yes?" He asked
"I respect you, I know a lot probably have said this, but I truly do. If I hadn't done as well as I did in the Riverlands, Harrenhal would be yours. You have grown from the weakest Lord in the Vale, till the one with the most influence in it. Only Lord Paramount Houses and a few others can compete with you. But you forgot yourself. Knowledge is important, but like Cersei said. Power is power. Don't only build relationships and information, relationships can be gone quite soon, if Lysa dies you're back as the weakest House. Instead build your own House. Build a power, that's the way you can do good, and punish those who look down upon you." I said
"I shall take that wisdom, Lord Alexander." He said
"I lack a bit of knowledge as my information network is weak, but I have the strongest power in King's Landing, if it wasn't for me you would control the city Watch, but I do now. So we can help each other. If you give me knowledge, I give you strength." I said before turning around and leaving.
Immediately after I decided to visit a certain brothel, a redhead named Ros.
I simply had the City Watch do a search and I snuck in.
"Greetings, Ros." I said.
"Ah, Lord Alexander, I didn't take you for that type of man. But how do you know my name?" She said.
"I'm not that type of man, I'm here for something entirely else, and I know your name because you're special. You have certain talents." I said.
"Ooh, are you sure?" She said as she took of her clothes.
"Aye, well. I know what your current employer did and how you got tortured for it. I also know that deep down you're afraid. You have seen what knowledge can do and it's limitations." I said.
She became silent.
"You surely must have heard of the CW search right now. Well, that's my doing. You see, unlike Baelish who pays them. I control them. I placed the Lord Commander there and as such. Guess who has the most strength in King's Landing." I said.
"You do." She said
"If you work for me, I will protect you. Not even Baelish can find or pay people to fight 2000 men, even less the 200 men who held off 5000, and as such you will be safe." I said.
"And what will I do with you?" She asked.
"The same, lead my brothels, tavern, my information network and expand it, and in return you can call on any of the city watch to help you, and I can get you into the Red Keep, where you can play against Baelish." I said
"Very well, Lord Bracken." She said with a smirk before following me out.
When I came back to my office, there was a letter waiting for me.
"To Lord Alexander Bracken;
I have taken over Harrenhal, I currently have 500 Light Cavalry with me and we are ready to depart at any moment. The 200 prisoner has been saved from the mountain and we are waiting for the Stark's. Scouts say they are 2 days away.
- Tytos Lychester"
Very good, with this I could keep House Stark away from my lands.
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Sorry for not making new last 4 days, my automatic chapter releases fucked something up