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The New Big Player

-Poniente. Crownlands. King´s Landing-

-Red fortress-

The Red Keep was possibly one of the best built castles in all of Westeros. Using Valyrian techniques without their magic as well as the best knowledge of the maesters the castle was built to be strong. He was the vigilant guard of what was the capital of the kingdom in the form of King's Landing. However there were several flaws. It seems that the builder was inept as he was unable to put in a proper drainage system making the city smell so bad that scented candles were needed throughout the castle. It was one of those damned expenses that were ever present and possibly one of the biggest complaints of the Targaryen dynasty.

In a rather normal office there was a young man of no more than twenty years. This was Rhaegar targaryen. He was the prince and heir to the seven kingdoms and lord of Dragonstone. He was a highly intelligent young man hailed by the people as one of the greatest dragonlords possible. However Rhaegar had long ago learned that when you play politics you have to have many faces. One is the one that you let see and he did that, revealing the face of a person who cared about the town and his people. He displayed intelligence but also modesty. He clearly showed himself to be a great warrior but without pride. He was the smart thing to do to confuse the masses of what he really was that he was not pretty

Rhaegar was a politician. A skillful one. His mother Queen Rhaella had raised him. He had taken care of his upbringing to make sure he wasn't myopic or blind. He was quite a smart young man who had noticed many flaws. One of them was the weakness of the Targaryen dynasty that was the result of neither more nor less than the loss of the dragons. Without the dragons he was aware of the weakness of his kingdom because he knew that the other lords did not fear them as before. Sure they could use Wildfire and take down a fortress but they still needed to produce and transport it which wasn't easy by any means at least not in Rhaegar's mind.

The smart thing would have been to tie the great houses one by one to the crown. But there were flaws with such plans, one of them being the obsession of some family members with keeping the bloodlines pure which he found idiotic if he had to say so himself. On top of that were the policies of each of the kings that had marked the dynasty. While Rhaegar was aware that there were ways to rule, he was far from foolish enough to believe that he could do it in no time. At least at the beginning of his reign, his father demonstrated intelligence by having two very powerful allies on his side: Baratheon and Lannister. His father had been close friends with his cousin Steffon Baratheon and also with Tywin Lannister

Unfortunately his father had demonstrated his incompetence or at least his lack of government quality in his actions. His father was very ambitious, which some could translate as a gigantic problem. This problem came from empty promises and words. The kingdom had considered many of his father's so-called plans as the actions of an idiot and so they began to trust more directly in his hand: Tywin Lannister. It was obvious at least in Rhaegar's eyes that it would end up biting all of them the hard way because if there was one thing Rhaegar knew it was that even as a young and still stable father his father showed traits of a touch of unbelievably great jealousy.

Naturally his father was enraged by that factor and charged making Tywin Lannister's life miserable. It didn't help that he had this whole mentality that he was king and above it. If it weren't for his mother being the intelligent woman that he was, he wouldn't be surprised that Joanna Lannister and Melania Martell would have been raped by him. Rhaegar grimaced, aware of the trouble that could have brought to the Targaryen house. Raping the wife of the Lord of the West and the future princess of Dorne? It would have been a war on two fronts, or worse, Melania would have killed him with poison without anyone being able to do anything. No. His mother proved to be incredibly intelligent and she acted as she should if she had to.

But now the kingdom faced a brutal crisis. His father was talking about marrying him off and he had sent his uncle to Essos in search of a Valyrian wife. Rhaegar winced knowing that the chances of that happening were very low. Unlike the Targaryens, the Valyrians of the rest of the world seemed to have learned a valuable lesson in what to do and what not to do. On top of that no one would send one of his daughters after what happened to the Rogare family. People quickly learned how things worked and it didn't matter what anyone said about it but the bottom line is that House Targaryens were on their own in that sense which was bad enough.

His father had rejected the marriage with Cersei Lannister. Make no mistake he was happy about it. He found the girl such a manipulative idiot with airs that he thought she could fool a person with a high level of thinking when she was so transparent that he was boring. However, the way his father had rejected Tywin had turned the man against him, which if you add to the death of his wife and the birth of a dwarf, he knew that now the Targaryen house had a formidable enemy in the form of by Tywin Lannister. The question was not how but when Tywin would take revenge on the Targaryen house since the man would not be one of those to tolerate such actions.

And now they had an even bigger problem than he ever thought. The North. The kingdom most forgotten by all. The kingdom that everyone thought was rubbish. Two weeks ago the Stark heir came to what was the capital to be sworn in as Lord Stark. Of course at first everyone was going to ignore him until he showed up. He was wearing superior quality black Boots as if made from animal skin. His pants were actually the same color. A high-quality silk shirt with a leather jacket as he called it that was held together by a single button made of what he could tell was gold, a pitch-black Valyrian steel Direwolf emblem with a diamond on it. Not to mention the great Ice Sword on his back

Rhaegar didn't give much thought to House Stark. For him, House Stark was just another pawn. Since the founding of the great kingdom, House Stark was what some Targaryens had mentioned as the attack dog of the family. Very funny. Very funny. That was what he thought until he saw it. The man in front of her was not a dog. He was a Direwolf. A predator among predators. And when the people saw him he was surprised. So of course Rhaegar sought information on this hariric Stark. On one hand he looked at what he had of his spymaster Lord Varys and much more. And he was making an unflattering image for himself if he had to say so.

His mother entered his room. Queen rhaella had seen better days. Her health wasn't the best if he had to say so himself. Between how her father treated her and good being a Targaryen, things were not pleasant to her. The loss of so many children hadn't done him any good either. And yet his mind was possibly the most advanced mind in the seven realms if he had to say so himself. There was nothing and no one more intelligent than his mother if he had to say so. His mother calmly entered what was the room and began to read one of the reports, this was a report from the maestros that she had obtained talking about how Hariric Stark had been in the citadel and left considering them myopic fools.

His mother laughed as Lord Stark explained his opinion of what maesters were. She couldn't blame her in the least. Maesters weren't his favorite people if he had to say so. Yet he himself had read the report. At first he had thought he was insignificant at best but his mother was very interested reading the notes about Hariric Stark. Apparently she was building her character. When she finished reading about him she just gave him a cold look that he knew quite well.

''Tell me son, what exactly has House Stark done now to gain the crown prince's attention? I very much doubt that it is due to the fact that he dressed in a way that was far superior to any gentleman and I also doubt that it was because of how he looked at everyone that day. Rhaella had seen how Hariric Stark looked at all the nobles and lords of the realm that day. The cold and merciless gaze. The look of a person who had no doubt that he would tear you apart if he had the chance. That was a lord in his mind. She hid it very well but that was a man you didn't want as an enemy in the slightest and she knew one day they would be on opposite fronts

"When he came to court I expected a no-nonsense man who would look down on every southern nobleman with a look of arrogance and think he was above us in some way. Instead what he saw of us was someone who was studying us and found us beyond disappointing in any case. I don't know who he is but hariric Stark is a complete threat``. Rhaegar's opinion was that Hariric Stark was not an idiot of any kind. He was a true lord who made his life screw other lords. It was like a sport to him if he had to say so. He possibly knew how to play the game better than some people and that was a threat.

´´The North has never been a threat. Since the destruction of Moat Cailin by our allies and also their inability to acquire what is food without buying it from the south are an easy way to be finished. So unless you tell me that this young Stark has somehow managed to fix that problem, I don't see the military threat. Rhaella might be a woman but she knew a lot about the art of war. She was well educated in the sense and thus she was smart enough to deal with threats from all sides. However, her daughter's look told her that she was going to be surprised in the least pleasant way that one could expect in a case like this and that would not be good.

´´For years the lands of the rivers have seen a reduction in taxes. They still offer and sell their good quality food both to the West and to Valle. But its main buyer was neither more nor less than the Northern Lands. It was they and nothing more than they who bought. And the Tullys were taking advantage of it by exploiting them…that's over according to the reports I've been reading``. The information he was reading should have been learned before. Without this information they were at a complete disadvantage if he had to say so. It was not the most pleasant thought in his mind and what is worse it put a lot of pain in the Tully house, who was an important player in his plans.

oh really? It seems then that the young Lord Stark must have discovered foods that can grow in the cold north. How interesting. I find it hard to believe that those whiny fish haven't tried to complain more times about buying them food and more of that stuff``. Rhaella knew the Tullys. If there was an annoying family that was them. They weren't just arrogant like they thought they were on top of the world. There was also the point that the Tully family believed very much that they were worthy of being lords of their lands, forgetting that the only reason they were there as lords was because the Targaryen house supported them, neither more nor less that bad things were.

´´They have launched complaints. Every year there are at least fifteen complaints about it. But since the North has not been paying taxes for what it is to pay for the food trade, the lord of the currency did not find it so strange. The man is a faithful aide to Tywin and I have a feeling that Tywin is somehow up to something against the riverlands. The Lannisters were possibly plotting to put a lot of pressure on the river lands to force them to lower their food prices. Not that he could question it. However, that was not his problem. His problem is that the north had eliminated a very large weakness on his part that was something that could be taken advantage of.

''fascinating to know. And I guess there's more of a headache because the north has somehow managed to rebuild the Moat. If so the North will have protection against land armies but still lack defenses from the west unless they have somehow built a fleet. But the North lacks shipyards as well as lacks the methods to build ships by lacking the ship masters in question``. Rhaella found all of this good if she had to say so. However if the north became strong enough they could fight for their independence somehow which would be bad. The situation was bad enough. If the north did that, although they could unite all the south against the north, he doubted they would win

´´The moat has been rebuilt but in a very different way. According to an observer of Varys who has in the area the moat are now two small cities that are called the gates of the north. Each one connected by a large penta that is located on what they call a channel that allows the connection of the West and the East that have obviously exploded due to the need of certain parts to move from one side to the other``. Rhaegar growled. The Twin Wolves were two moderately sized cities with interesting architecture from what I had heard that they were basically a fortress on both the north and south that was impossible to conquer. A real nuisance in Rhaegar's eyes.

oh really? What a fact that House Stark was able to do it. The expense was monumental after all. Not only because of the purchase of materials but also labor. I also find it hard to believe that the construction work of this so-called canal has been cheap in the slightest. Has House Stark hidden profits or something from the crown?``. If so, they could demand compensation from the Stark house. What better way to remove the moat than in such a way? It was a good plan. But she saw it crash at the same moment that his son growled in anger at the fact that he was shaking his head.

No. House Stark complies with the demands of the conquest the tax demands. It turns out that they must pay according to what is basically the work of commerce. And even with that they have been paying a higher amount so I asked Varys to tell me that he was able to pass. The discoveries are not pleasant at all``. He hated not knowing. How was the Targaryen house supposed to be able to be ready for what it's like to rule if they didn't know all the resources of their vassals? There is no mistake. Without having to pay for food the north would actually take a huge tax burden off their part. Not to mention the damage it would do to other kingdoms but that didn't matter so much

oh really? What has the North managed to offer that has been making it money in a way that is so good?``. Rhaella was curious. She had always wondered why the North, which had a monstrous mountain range in both Stark territory and the mountain clans' territory, had not found anything of value. To her surprise she could see that she was wrong. This was not according to her plans in the same if she had to say so. House Stark was a house that she had endured a lot. This meant in a nutshell that they would have a lot of trouble with house targaryens and could be a big problem to bother with in the future.

''I asked myself the same thing. Varys is back. The North has been selling a number of high-quality products directly to Braavos. Not only food but alcoholic drinks, spices and silk. That from bravos it is sold to the rest of Essos or at least the free cities. It goes without saying that the North has removed a ton of gold. He has to pay a tax to Baavos but it's much less than they originally thought. Rhaegar could almost imagine the look of indignation from the members of the Iron Bank as well as the sealord at the loss of money. They were taking taxes it's true but paltry compared to what they could get if they hadn't made said deal or at least the faulty deal they did

´´I find it hard to believe that the North has made such a convenient deal with Braavos but at the same time it is one thing that has been adding up. These new drinks must be very dear to those and that's just the free cities. Why don't you think son they've actually been selling the product to the South?``. It was a pointless question. She already knew the answer to it. She knew that the North would not sell out to the South in any way, not as long as the South might try to exploit it. First they would put themselves in a position of power. This was not the typical behavior of the houses of the north. This was very different. Almost as if they were facing a different opponent from the big game actually

´´Braavos had no choice but to accept although I would not be surprised if in a matter of time they make a deal with the intention of striking back to the north. Not that it matters. They have used that gold to rebuild the Pit. And if the amounts they are paying in taxes are true, they may have built more. Without the need to buy food it will also mean more gold. Right now I can say that the potential of the North is completely unknown to us and not in the best way of all``. This was bad in Rhaegar's mind. In short, it meant more damage for him because if you didn't know all the game pieces you couldn't play clearly against your opponents. It also meant in a few words a great pain in his mind for being a lost potential asset.

''And Varys hasn't been able to find out about it? He has the largest spy network in the seven kingdoms. If his words are to be believed, he also has agents in those. That should mean that he has the means to find out about things. This is bad because if they have been able to hide such a movement from our head of the espionage division it could be dangerous that they have hidden more``. Rhaela growled violently at the thought that something like this could have been overlooked. It wasn't good news in her mind since she did a lot of damage to whatever plan they might have in mind about it. This was not how things were supposed to work

No. Varys has discovered nothing. There's nothing I've been able to find out. That means another unpleasant news. The North has in short a powerful intelligence division force. They have been using their own sources to neutralize ours so that means they probably have a decent idea of ​​whatever plan we have in mind and therefore we should also watch any move against the North``. Rhaegar saw the weakness of his situation. They had always had to play carefully with the other houses especially Lannister and Tyrell. But now a new house had appeared: the Starks. And they had almost three hundred years of great desire to launch against them

´´The good news is that if this has somehow been made known there is a chance that the other great houses have found out too. We are not alone in this dealing with the North. Possibly we can count on the Lannisters and the others to launch their own forms of attack against the North which is one way their weaknesses can be probed. Rhaella saw him for what he was. Tywin would not allow a potential threat to his legacy. Olenna would not tolerate a new player who could weaken the Dominion. And well, the less said of Arryn and his strong contempt (although hidden of course) of him by the followers of what the old gods were, the better. There were many ways to attack the north in his mind

´´It is a mother possibility. However, I fear that knowing nothing we have no idea. If I know one thing, it is that the three sisters are full of looters, pirates, thieves and more scum. If the valley tries to use them to launch an attack on northern business interests this will simply mean that the North will act accordingly. It's something we can get into maybe. Rhaegar's thought was to further the spark a bit. But a look from his mother told him it was a bad idea. Letting it be would be a better option actually if you stopped to think about it. It was in the best interest that the Starks should have no excuse to claim the separation of the seven kingdoms. It would be very harmful

''Let things be son. If there is something to be very good, it is that at the end of the day people fight over the slightest thing and Arryn will not tolerate any attack against the sisters by the Starks if the sisters try something idiotic. We don't have to get our hands dirty either way``. Rhaella saw it as a simple thing to do really. It was so simple if you stopped to think about it. However at the same time she had certain concerns. They had no idea in the slightest what the north was now capable of and and therefore could mean in a few words that they might be able to defend themselves against them in an efficient manner which would not be good.

Rhaegar nodded to his mother. However fate is a bitch. None of them knew it but three different forces had been plotting the downfall of the current Targaryen force. One was in Essos acting as a simple merchant who had a good friend in the capital. Another was a man who had a strong grudge against those who imposed himself on his family long ago. The other was a man with unpleasant ideas that he believed was his unique moment. None of these forces would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. But neither had any idea what they would unleash in the process.

-Westerlands. Roca Casterly-

If there was a way to describe the Rock it was like a Great castle. Casterly Rock Castle was built on a great mountain. It was not at the top but at its entrance. Casterly Rock was also the entry point to the famous gold mines of the house of Lannisters. The great mountain that was there was basically the main source of wealth for said family along with lannisport that served as the only port of entry for elements to what was their wonderful kingdom. It was the place from which Tywin lannister looked down on them all and it was a well known fact not to fuck with the fearsome golden lion of the rock by any means

Tywin was a man in excellent physical shape. He was not a man with big muscles but he did have a well trained body. What stood out about this man however was his presence. There was a time and time when this man was warm to one person: his wife. But her death had cooled his heart in the worst way and he had come to the conclusion that life was transitory and that what mattered was not her life but establishing the future so that the Lannister house could prosper in the future. future. For this reason, Tywin, despite being a man that some would say started promising, had become something from which it was better to stay as far away as possible.

Tywin looked at the reports and grunted. He had long known that it was his place to put his house in its place. His father's incompetence as well as stupidity in winning the love of his vassals had cost him dearly indeed. No vassal feared the lions anymore and it was said that they were planning a small rebellion. That was what he thought. Since he was a child he had used every moment to plan and plot which was basically to make sure that House Lannister didn't fall into grief because of his father's incompetence. And that was how his legend would begin and the beginning of his legacy that would serve to ensure that no one ever dared to put a bad look on his house.

When he went to the Ninepenny Wars everyone thought he was another idiot boy. Showing a cruel and brutal look, Tywin led the western lords by war in such a way that he earned himself a renown among the western army. When the war ended all those who had gone to war returned home and discouraged their families from helping in any war. That the young lion would seize power and tear them apart. Because in the end there were those who were better off with the Lannister rule and they knew that if they fell they would have to negotiate which was not very ideal.

Only two idiot houses had refused to accept it. He hated that day. Some might question it but the day the reyne and terbeck houses fell was the worst day possible did people really think he wanted to be remembered for killing children? Send a bad message. Reputation in a world like his was everything, and a bad reputation hurt business. He knew that at the time he did what he did, many saw the Lannister house in a bad way. They feared them, it is true, but he knew perfectly well that unless he had a strong legacy, his house was destined for death. So obviously he had concerns that he knew had to be addressed as best they could so they didn't blow up in his face.

Being made the king's hand despite all the good it seemed to be only brought him heartache. Tywin wouldn't deny that being a hand was good. He was the second most powerful man in the seven kingdoms. But he didn't want to leave the West without his careful way. Fortunately, Kevan was loyal to him and he knew how to do the job well. He was still deciding how to reward his brother in any case but the bottom line was that his sister had kept the West afloat and kept the order of what was the kingdom and made it flourish. Also like kevan he was far from being an idiot of all things and he quickly started looking for his family people

One thing that both brothers were clear about is that they would not tolerate a family member not being useful. So they started their work. She quickly sought to put the family in order. Her younger brothers Tyget and Gerion quickly reciprocated. He appointed Tygett as the head and commander of the military forces of the Western lands as well as the one in charge of dealing with any internal threats in the kingdom. This action earned his brother a lot of renown who, despite knowing that he hated him for how well he had lived his life, had kept his word and quickly gained renown for not only his way of solving problems but also for his dedication to what What was law enforcement in the West?

Gerion was different. Of the brothers, he was the most…unique. He was much less serious of the three and was a man very into the role of being the joy of the family. One day he found out that the reason for this was that Gerion felt that with so many serious people he needed what was a little joy in the family. Tywin and the rest rolled their eyes at it but Tywin recognized Gerion's work in not only rebuilding the Western fleet but also being able to understand and study what the iron man attacks were which meant being able to see them. come a long distance

The rest of her family was quickly forced to follow her law. If one proved to be inept and useless, he would go to the teachers, period. He wouldn't have a waste of any kind in his house. They couldn't afford it. The Lanister house had to be more powerful than ever, it was something he was clear about. That's why he was happy with how things had turned out in the end, at least it seemed that way until a few weeks ago when he saw Hariric Stark coming and got the surprise of his life and not in the most pleasant way of all if he had to say so himself. . A surprise that he would have preferred not to take in the slightest because of the meaning it had

Two weeks ago Lord Stark brought his heir to swear before the king that he would be the new Lord Stark. This might have surprised some people but it was also a unique event because some might have expected a young man who was easy to manipulate (they should have known that if he was dangerous others could be the same) and when he came it was over. Hariric Stark was your typical Northerner. Big in size. Pure muscle that showed how fit he was. He wasn't afraid of being there (at first he thought he was an idiot) and that surprised him. Hariric Stark was dressed quite well. He dressed in leather which was not silk as many gentlemen wore but the quality of this leather quickly became clear. He also the emblem of the house Stark in the form of a Valyrian steel pendant with a diamond in the

Hariric Stark demonstrated his intelligence that day by captivating the king (although he knew it was only temporary) and showed more brains than many nobles. When Lord Tyrell drunkenly insulted him, Hariric only told him that the only thing flowers could say was how they could be collected and if one killed, it was with poison. This action that more than one look funny at the fool and idiot. He hadn't just called him worthless at best. But he also reported that he knew that the best methods to harm were with poisons. The Dominion was the supposed birth of chivalry. It was a brutal insult and I knew that when word got out it would only do more damage to the renowned Tyrell.

Yet Tywin knew that to have had just the piece would mean one thing: gold. So he started doing research and discovered that House Stark had a thriving business in Essos selling not only brand new spirits but also silk and spices. This gave a brutal blow. How had she not found out about it? As the hand of the king she should have known that the North was paying higher taxes. But he didn't find out by any means what was wrong. So she had traveled to Casterluy Rock to meet with his family and discuss future matters actually which was very important.

´´Brother, it´s rare to see you outside the court and these days, has something happened?``. Kevan approached his brother. Kevan was clear on several points. When his brother knew something was wrong, it had to be changed as quickly as possible. For what reason? Because if Tywin saw him as a problem there was too much chance that he would end up negatively affecting the family. Kevan could see his brothers the same way. They knew his brother well and they knew that seeing his older sister out of the capital meant more trouble than good. Tywin made himself as comfortable as possible and took a sip of a Norteño red wine he had purchased and found the taste excellent if he had to say so.

''First of all I want to congratulate all three of you. Gerion you have rebuilt the Lannister fleet in an incredible way. I feel like you've done an excellent job. Tygett I have to say is impressive. The western law and justice system is very good. You have done a magnificent job. And you, Kevan, have managed the kingdom well. Good job to all three``. It might seem strange but Tywin knew how to recognize the work of his brothers as something good. He was far from an idiot unable to recognize his brother's work for what he was. Judging from the look of his brothers all three of them felt satisfied. However, his brothers still had an idea that something bad was about to happen or hit them.

''Your recognition is more than satisfactory, brother, but we are aware that there are many more things than some think. However, that you have said this means in a few words that you have encountered a serious problem or at least you have seen a possible discomfort in the Lannister house``. Tygett spoke in his calm, confident voice. Some might argue that he felt bad with his brother for the fact that he had as much power as he did, but he recognized that to get where he had come, his brother had sacrificed a lot and he had no intention of sacrificing his life just to outdo his brother. brother in some way and even less when it was meaningless

Yeah. I have encountered a troubling event that may have more than unpleasant effects on the Western Lands. Several weeks ago the position of Lord Stark has been occupied by Hariric Stark eldest son of Rickard Stark and at the same time possibly a very potential threat to our house``. Tywin knew how to recognize threats by sight. He knew how to see a person as a danger and the young Stark was a complete danger at least in his mind. He knew that he had the potential to harm them unless they subdued him or sided with him in some way. Although some might think that his reasoning was hard, it was no less true if you stopped to think about it for the Lannister house, which was important to understand.

´´Excuse me brother, but do you find a Stark dangerous? The Starks prefer to stay in what is basically their north and all that shit. They like to do things their own way and just not have any problems with the rest of the seven kingdoms. So forgive me if I find it strange that the North as you are explaining it is a threat of some kind``. Gerion couldn't see his brother's problem. Make no mistake he could respect the potential threat and all but he still had a hard time believing what his sister was saying was true in that kind of sense. The North had never had an interest in the South. They found them idiots for playing the game of thrones

No. I'm not wrong. The North is a potential threat. Normally I would have agreed. Except that when Lord Stark came to see his majesty he came with a better quality set of leather clothing than I've ever seen and most importantly animal. A Valyrian steel pendant with the emblem of his house and a diamond on it. As well as the reformed ice sword from what I can tell and a silk shirt with hints of silver on it. This Stark dressed better than what we expect from the lords of the North``. The North rarely wore such clothing yet Lord Stark was. He could already see the mentalities of his brothers working.

´´The pendant alone should already be expensive. I should have found Valyrian steel somehow and had it reforged which isn't cheap by any means when you think about it. Also from your description of the sword the hilt and guard are different. The hilt is made of dragon bone with a Valyrian steel ring and the wolf's head of the same metal as well as the guard. That is money``. Kevan quickly reasoned things out for what they were. It was easy to guess that indeed the Stark house had money now more than ever, which could be a threat because they did not know where the Stark house got the money, which was something that was not easy to see happen

´´If what you say is true, the North has to have a new source of income. There are two options. The first is that the North has somehow found valuable resources on their lands and House Stark has reclaimed them or has even started to make more use of the resources that are scattered throughout the North. The other option is that they have increased their trade but in the case of this second you would have found out since according to the laws of Aegon the North should only pay according to their commercial work, neither more nor less``. Tygett frowned. This was potentially dangerous. The game was at this time very balanced. But the way he saw it, things would side with someone else.

´´Or maybe both options. Perhaps House Stark has found multiple resources that are possible to exploit in their different territories and at the same time they have started to increase trade between the North and other parts in some way``. Although Gerion liked being able to say that House Stark had a better chance of the former than the latter, he could see the potential that both options were viable which meant in a nutshell that House Stark had somehow made large amounts of money but they had not found out but at least they could say that the payments had not been hidden in any way

´´I don´t know about the first possibility but before I came I managed to learn that the north has been selling since bravo products of multiple types to all the free cities. Each product is valuable in itself: more diverse drinks like its red wine, silk, spices and other drinks. The North is creating a larger market that they are safely taking control of. Tywin saw his brothers look in disbelief. Clearly House Stark had a reputation and they had never been one to pull off something like this. But apparently they were more wrong than any of them had ever been able to count. It was just meaningless in the minds of all of them

´´If the North has really seen its trade increase, why the hell haven't you heard? As lord Hand of the seven kingdoms you would have heard of any tax increase in any aspect``. Kevin couldn't believe it. This was not typical of his brother in the least. He knew his brother well enough to know that he was always there. He was always looking closely at every last thing and he always kept a close eye on things to make sure that no one could surprise him in the slightest. That's why he couldn't believe what his brother said. Because as a hand he would have found out about the higher income on his part

''I don't know, all I know is that the North has somehow seen an increase in profits. But that is far from the only thing. The north has stopped buying food from the riverlands which is another considerable increase in what is basically money not only from not having to deal with the twins in the slightest but also from having to pay the prices from Tully``. Tywin wouldn't admit it but he was actually impressed with it. With that he would hurt Tully in the worst possible way. He couldn't do better for a climbing house like that he thought he could say was on the same level as the great houses when they were risen to power by the Taargaryens.

''we are blind. This is not good for any future operation. We need eyes in the North. People who are willing to spy on the Starks and their movements for us. It is a more than risky move but it will come to its benefit if someone with half a brain really stops to think about it``. Tygett of course as the top military commander knew that acting without his adversary's knowledge would be the worst possible idea they could get their hands on. If they really wanted to have some control and possibility over the North, they needed to know as much as possible about the North in order to act accordingly. They couldn't afford to be blind to anything, let alone this.

''The North has these three so-called alliances. On one side is the Winter Alliance led by the Starks. Then there is the red alliance led by the Boltons. Finally there are the neutrals led by the karstark. I think I can honestly say that if we can somehow manipulate the Reds we have a safe spy in the North. Tywin knew that even though the north was united against external threats, they would surely still be vulnerable if one of his lords got too ambitious. He was normal too but if there was one thing he knew it was that someone like Hariric Stark at least had the threat to his government under control. Not that he could blame him on that aspect of it because that's just the way things were.

''You don't seem so sure you're capable of dealing with that. If I had to guess from what you're describing about that Stark, he's actually a person with more of a mind that knows who his enemies are before moving. He must know by now that the so-called Boltons are a threat to his future and he will be waiting for a move from him. Gerion had seen it as the daylight of dawn looked at night. It was too easy to prevent from his point of view. From what he could tell, his brother had the same idea as him that Lord Stark would be waiting for him somehow.

I do not have any doubt. We need to get a better idea of ​​this Lord Stark. We need to know as much as possible about him. That's why Gerion will go. As the most laid back of the family he could honestly say that it is possible though not so high that he will not be taken seriously by the northern lords as a threat``. Although he knew that there was the possibility of the opposite. Hariric Stark didn't seem like one of the blind idiots. He even saw the potential threat of the so-called nobles who were at court seeing them as a possible pain and taking note of them to possibly deal with in the future. He couldn't blame him for it since it's the same thing he would do about it.

''Brother, are you sure to send one of our family to Hariric Stark's wedding? It will look like we are already trying to get into their business. He might see us as a direct threat to him and look for ways to deal with us or at least make life difficult for us``. Kevan knew that when his brother had something on his mind it was hard to get it out of his thoughts. Although he did not like at all to send a person from his family there, at least he knew that the North took very seriously what the meaning of the messenger is not guilty and at the same time he had a more or less reasonable idea of ​​treating the guests, which was more than could be said of some gentlemen

''I have full faith that Gerion is more than capable. I'd like you to take Cersei and Jaime with you. I want you to see and get an idea. Also if possible take Cerenna with you. That girl is very smart. She possibly she will open a door for us with the North. Being able to cajole some northern lord would be a well-sought advantage for us``. Tywin saw things for what they were. Cerenna was a bright and intelligent girl but also a potential threat because he knew she was ambitious. If he managed to marry her off to some lord from the North, he would get rid of her and at the same time he would have a spy there fixed and safe. Of course just getting rid of her was a bonus in her books.

''As you command brother. But I think it would be better if you took Myrielle. Cerenna is very cunning and she might decide to get married just to screw with us somehow. And before you say it's a good idea because you get rid of her, I still believe that a family as good as her should deserve better. Sighing, Gerion left. He would have to plan. But a part of him was excited. What will he discover in the north? What new advantages did the north have? Who knows, you might be able to discover something valuable that would be well worth your time. Though he made a face carrying Cersei. The girl would complain big time. Jaime was easier to deal with. Although he did not feel that he was a good successor to his brother

Tywin made himself comfortable and enjoyed the wine. He had to admit the wine was much better than Dominion lands or Dornish wine as well. He could see the north making money off of this alone. If his plans could work out he had to move to make what is of House Stark his own and become more powerful. They might be sitting on a mountain of gold but Tywin was far from arrogant enough to think that he was eternal. Silently he cursed that Hariric Stark was not born as his heir and that he would have turned out much better than his own children had, which was truly a pain.

-The Dominion. Highgarden-

Olenna Tyrell was described as the bitch of bitches and she didn't give a shit what anyone said about her. She frankly didn't give a shit about people saying she had foul language. Being told that she was vulgar. For what reason? Because she didn't matter. What mattered was that she was powerful, period. However this power came with decisions on the part of her that although she did not sincerely regret seeing the results she had to wonder if the Tyrell man's head was full of air because they didn't seem to have an ounce of brain. Look at her stupid husband she killed herself on her horse falling off a fucking cliff and that was just the last straw in her mind

I love your husband. She could be a bit of a jerk but together they were a power couple that brought his territory under control. It didn't help shit that the Tyrell house had some problems. To begin with, there were those who felt that they had risen to the position of lords by being stewards. Hey she didn't blame people. They took advantage of an advantage, which was good and if she had to say so herself, one must not play fair. If not dirty and on top of that, take advantage of all the opportunities that she has in her hands to come out on top. Did anyone have a problem? It wasn't her fault in the slightest and fuck those who are complaining because they were losers in their mind

Contrary to what many thought, House Tyrell was not the strongest in the entire Dominion. Oh yes they generated great income but insignificant compared to the income of houses like Redwyne which was their main producer of wine which was of course very good. As well as the hightower house, which is where most of the Dominion's products left for other parts of the seven kingdoms except for their food caravans that went to King's Landing and of course to the Stormlands. However this did not mean that they were weak just that they were slightly outmatched. Fortunately she decided to marry into House Tyrell and she was more than determined to take advantage of it.

It was clear to Olenna that if House Tyrell was to have the advantage over the others in the Dominion lands, they needed to have military supremacy. That's why she married giving an important alliance and fleet to the Tyrell house and then married her idiot of a son with the daughter of Hightower who was also very powerful. He built alliances with various lords of great and vast military strength and there you have it. For the first time in the last hundred years the control of the domain was complete of the house tyrell and except for the idiots of the Florent no other house dared to raise their heads but the florents were blind and myopic it was not so much of a problem for her

However, as a friend of his once said, no plan survives contact with the enemy. It doesn't matter how good the plan is. In this case the flaw in his plan was a foolish and useless son who thought that being lord meant that he was above others and therefore did not have to answer to anyone. House Tyrell was shit if these were its members. Fortunately the young Willas who was his grandson had a lot of potential. A good mind and a cruelty that was hidden behind a facade of kindness and being nice. Clearly her grandson was much better than her son if she had to say so. Those were far from the only problems in the Dominion.

As any sensible person knew that the reputation of a house is how others would see it. In these times the most feared house were the Lannisters. Their cruelty and brutality in dealing with threats to the house made them ideal in many ways for dealing with people. The Lannister house had a lot of power on their side. Power that she could have tapped into somehow. However the Lannisters preferred many things. He was also aware that messing with a house of people who had zero problems with breaking you was a very bad idea. So in his mind the best way to deal with them was to leave them. When Tywin dies, Willas may be ready for them, or at least he thought so.

Unfortunately like anything the winds changed. Now it turned out that the north was flourishing in a way like no other. She was very interested in the north because she knew that they had mountains that made those of the west look small and yet they never exploited them for her benefit, which was silly. As if that wasn't bad enough there were all of her supposed weaknesses but that had changed and in a way that she could never have somehow imagined since the current Lord Stark had made the north flourish. She had no doubt that she had discovered the secret value of the north and was exploiting it.

Unfortunately, his son screwed up again and released inappropriate words about it. Citing Lord Stark as little more than a worthless dog. Lord Stark only commented that flowers thrive on shit and that when they can kill it is by the poison of their thorns. He had basically insulted the Tyrell house by quoting the house's own words. Nutrients are needed to grow strong. To kill with a scratch, strong and potent poison was needed. She wanted to insult Lord Stark but she knew better than to. Although a part of her told her to eliminate something, she also told her that it was foolish to move before having complete control of the situation for her benefit, which unfortunately she was not in the slightest now.

With her was Leyton Hightower. The man was smart. Cunning. Cruel. Ruthless. There were no better ways to talk about a politician. Thanks to him and his alliance the Dominion was very much at peace. When she had found out about the new lord she had asked to know as much as possible about him. She imagines her surprise when she finds out that said new lord spent time in oldtown. And she never knew. He never knew shit that young Stark was there and he never found out that young Stark had a not bad but next level opinion of the maesters who were one of the biggest sources of espionage for house tyrell due to an association between the two and that obviously the order of masters was aware that if they were pissed off they were screwed

Hence the third person present who was Gomon an important master of the citadel known for his strong alliance with House Tyrell. The man didn't look pleased with the current situation, could he be blamed? If she had to guess he would say that the maesters had tried to make the northerners weaker. The North was not only an almost impossible kingdom to conquer, but on top of that it was the only kingdom that still upheld the faith of the old gods. The masters disdained that faith and considered those who followed it little more than uneducated and stupid. But she knew how to see one thing: fear. There was fear in the teachers to the North

The situation was very bad. He had tasted the quality of Norteño wine. Pure curiosity born of his interest to see what they had done. His surprise came when the Northerners had not only made a wine far superior to that of the grill but of impeccable quality, his spies had informed him that because of Lord Stark's marriage to Ashara Dayne they intended to put workers to help improve the Dornish wine production. If that was done the chances of selling the Redweyne wine would plummet not to mention that he had found out about many more drinks that the northerners produced which was not a good thing if he had to say so.

He could also see the anger in Gomon's eyes. Something told her that she wasn't alone in her anger against the Starks by any means. She sincerely felt that if that was the case, she could count on an important ally. There was only one problem. If the citadel ended up doing something that would draw too much Stark attention to them it would do colossal damage to the Dominion houses as they were its main defenders. It was not good. There was also the rumor that the north had its own city dedicated solely to education. If that was true they could spell serious trouble for the Dominion with the removal of agents as well placed as the Maesters.

´´Things have gotten very bad. My idiot of a son has insulted a lord. A lord who if the reports are true has in his power the ability to financially ruin the entire domain in one fell swoop. The anger in Olenna's voice was so clear that some would have trembled with fear. While the Dominion made money selling food, he also made money selling his wine. If the North decided to fuck with the South they would sell their product simply better and then the Dominion would lose considerably one of its main outlets for selling and earning money which was not in the plans of the woman who actually ruled the kingdom.

''A marriage alliance would be the best option. Although it is true that Lord Hariric is getting married, his brothers remain without a wedding. There is also talk of a brutal fight between Lord Hariric and Lord Robert Baratheon as Hariric seems to consider the storm idiot less than horse shit. Gomon had the front-line information delivered by none other than the master of the nest himself. Apparently Robert was betrothed to Hariric's younger sister thanks to Lord Jon Arryn's plans and other actions. What none of them counted on in the slightest was the whore nature of the man who enjoyed sex too much, constantly insulting his fiancée and who was therefore insulting Lord Stark in the worst possible way.

Yeah. We can take advantage and marry a girl from our houses to either Ned Stark or Benjen Stark. Both are as I have gone not so capable and at the same time if some disaster happened to lord Stark the next one would take charge of the north``. Leyton scoffed only to receive a hard look from the older woman. Leyton was intelligent and knew how to see the pure look of disdain in this woman's eyes. Clearly she didn't agree with his plan in any way. Hell, he himself could see the flaws in said plan in the worst possible light since if they failed they knew the North would feel that someone from the South was meddling in their business.

please. Knowing this boy, he possibly knows that Doran Martell himself must already be plotting that once it is confirmed that he has several children, he will try to kill him. He must already have his guard up and ready for any threat. This is the same young man who has clearly turned a kingdom of pure shit into possibly the most powerful kingdom of all. It did not matter in which way it was seen nor did it matter in which way the matter in question was considered, it is that the Stark house was now led by a more than competent young man who was neither blind nor myopic, which gave him the advantage against his enemies and opponents of all kinds

´´The boy is certainly intelligent. When he was here a while ago he was clear that he could not trust the people of the south. He also has a way of thinking far superior to most lords in this realm. If I have to say it, the boy will be a serious problem``. Gormon had only met the young Stark in passing. The boy was clearly more intelligent and capable than anyone could count. There was no better expression to refer to the boy than as a true wolf. And now he had drawn his fangs to attack all those who were a threat of some kind. It wasn't the most pleasant thought if you had to really stop and think about it.

''And the boy possibly does not have the order of masters in the best sense, right? Tell me, Gormon, how much did you try to limit the boy? How much did you try to make him believe that he was below you? And most importantly, how many times did you try to kill him only to fail in the process?``. Olenna knew the maester's order well enough to know that when they saw a potential threat they had it dealt with somehow. She was not mistaken when she saw the look he was giving her. You didn't have to be a genius of any kind to know what that look really meant and she knew right then and there that things weren't going to be easy for them due to the actions of the maesters.

´´Then the position of the maesters can be harmed because the current Lord Stark has bad memories of his time with them coming to the more than logical conclusion that they are not only untrustworthy but on top of that they can try to kill him for the back. Fantastic. Curiosity, why didn't you try to kill him even more when he was in the North?``. Leyton growled as he watched the plans go awry in the worst way possible. This was not a good omen from his point of view and even less for the houses of the domain. If Hariric Stark was anything like veteran family members he could expect unparalleled ruthlessness when it comes time to deal with threats.

´´Oh it gets much worse Leyton. Hariric Stark will undoubtedly be an opponent not in the big game itself. If I have to admit it to myself, he may not even care. No. Hariric Stark will play the game of eliminating all those who are a threat to his family. He doesn't care about the big game. He doesn't care what the balance of power is. He only cares about seeing his business flourish and his family endure, no more, no less. Olenna could almost tell that she would respect Lord Stark for that. But she would be lying if she said that a part of her didn't expect Lord Stark to end up dead somehow. Some would say that she was overreacting on her part but she quite frankly wanted the threat to her family removed.

''Then it is all the more reason to move to deal with the young man. I don't intend to let that boy dare to think that he can somehow move against us. Because I'm sure that when the time comes he will move to settle what he thinks are a threat to House Stark``. Gormon frankly knew that this included maesters in the worst possible way. He didn't want to die thanks so naturally he wanted to see that things turned out well for him and his family. To his surprise Olenna just huffed. Clearly she didn't take her word for it as if she thought she was stupid or at least pointless.

''Really Gormon? The boy will not move and say that he wants to kill maesters. No. What he will do I do not know but I know that he will not move until he feels that it is possible that it is the fixed and his victory. Not that he can blame him. It's the most logical thing to do if I have to say so. However I will not deny that a part of me hopes that Lord Stark decides to let it be``. It was not said that she wanted the North or meddled in the affairs of the domain. Having to fight a political war with the north would also mean having a fight against the Lannisters. They were already at war with the Lannisters. Things wouldn't be easy for them if she had to be honest.

´´That may be easier said than done. The fact is that many of the businesses of the North could be considered as invasive of ours. They could start which is hurting the Dominion economy which is very bad news and our vassals will demand that we do something olenna your best no one knows about that``. Because at the moment that the products of the North begin to be sold everywhere, it was very possible that people would stop buying what are elements of the Dominion. Although the food being sold was fine, he knew that the wine would hit all of them hard in the worst possible way.

´´You are not wrong about that Leyton. In fact you are absolutely right if I have to be honest. But I think or at least I think that House Stark hasn't moved at the moment for some reason. Maybe if someone suddenly started attacking their element shipping caravans if they got to the south then they would realize what a loss that would be. The best plan is the one that works destroying your enemies with the economic loss. If the North didn't see enough money in what it meant to sell their wares to the South, she knew Lord Stark would have no choice but to relent on not selling just like that. But she also knew that it could be very bad and attract the worst kind of publicity that could be brought to the South of all things.

''I think it's rather stupid. All we have to do is take out the current Lord Stark and after that support Ned Stark. From what I understand he is being raised by Jon Arryn. It's a good puppet to use if you really have to stop and think about it``. Gomon growled. He was sure that the plan would succeed. You kill the current Lord Stark and then Ned would take over and then since the guy was Jon Arryn's good puppet he would be manipulable and easy to use in some way. Olenna Tyrell's snort was easily heard and Leyton's look basically told him how stupid the plan was.

"Not counting the fact that we're talking about a boy who is obviously smarter than possibly most lords and has a clear head over his men tell me, do you really think the boy let his brother be sent south without a guarantee?" And how to make sure he was properly raised and was able to think for himself? Lord Stark is or at least to my understanding what we have learned is much more intelligent than the vast majority of idiots that populate the kingdom``. Olenna laughed annoyed. Did Gomon really think that the Stark would let his brother become a puppet of the South? that was a very dumb joke

''Not to say otherwise. Hariric Stark didn't strike me as someone who lets tales go to people's heads. In fact, if I had to guess, I would say that it is very possible that Hariric actually raised his brother from childhood to know certain things and that the honor that is so defended by the valley is one of the biggest foolish mistakes there is. ``. When the boy dealt with the subordinate's problem, he showed a boundless streak of cruelty and brutality. It was quite obvious at least in his mind that Hariric Stark was not one to tolerate what was a weakness and sending his brother to breed would not mean that he would leave him without the necessary tools.

Gomon complained about it but he knew that what his allies said was no less true. Hell if he had to say it, they were just telling more truth than he wanted to hear. The young Lord Stark was a clever boy. He possibly saw education in the South as an attempt to plant a spy or at worst trying to make the North more vulnerable and weak. He wouldn't stand for it. This was bad. If the North continued to grow, how could the order press for much-needed changes there? The North was the only kingdom that did not tolerate the idiocy of the Andals if you had to stop and think about it

´´I will personally go to the North. It is the best. I think a wedding of such a high status as Lord Hariric Stark's wedding would be the best and I would like to try to solve the problems between House Stark and House Tyrel caused by my idiot son. A small group of gentlemen would be best. Leyton trusted you to choose wisely who would represent you in the North at said wedding. Olenna had no intention of allowing the North to become an enemy. Maybe a marriage arrangement between Ned Stark and a southern girl was a good idea. But at the same time, she knew perfectly well that Lord Stark could see it as an attempt to meddle in his business in some way.

''It won't be a problem Olenna. I have in mind a suitable son for it. However, I would like to point out that Lord Stark may not be in the best mood. Not if it is true that Robert Baratheon will attend the wedding of all things``. Leyton grimaced. Of all the future lords the Baratheon boy was possibly the most idiotic. The way of living his life was not typical of a lord. That the man was idiot enough to possibly make any play in the North could in a nutshell lay the seeds for hariric Stark killing him. It was a possibility if he himself had to say it since the north did not forgive transgressions of any kind

''Then we'd better pick someone who's politically savvy enough to make sure he doesn't accidentally piss off Lord Stark. I just hope that idiot lout with more brawn than brains doesn't think in any way that it's a good idea to pester Lord Stark with some idiotic, nonsensical idea. It was for the best at least in my opinion``. Olenna complained. Things would not be easy. Not with the stupid there. She might do something stupid like try to get into Lord Stark's sister's pants while she was there. She shuddered. She didn't want to imagine the consequences of that. But hey, if she angered the Baratheons, all the better.

What she didn't see was Gomon's gaze. The maester decided that he could have found the right ally to hurt the north in some way. If he somehow got together with Lord Baratheon and planned well he was sure he would be able to hurt them. What Gomon would have no idea about is the repercussions of his actions. After all Robert Baratheon was not the smartest person in the world and it would be easy to see a hand on his back. It wasn't that hard to see. However, that was for another time. Preparations had to be made. The North must have fallen by all means because of the threat it was to the entire world if you stopped to think about it.

-Lands of the Rivers. Riverrun-

Jon Arryn was a man with blond hair and pale blue eyes. Known by all as a man of honor and pride, everyone thought of him as a man who would never do an action that would cause damage to his pride, much less to his honor. However something that people forgot is that Jon was Andalo. In short, he was a staunch defender of the faith of the seven and, more importantly, a staunch enemy of the faith of the old gods. However, he had learned from his father that the best way to win a war was not always with swords but with diplomacy and that is what he had done.

Jon sneered over his head. Long ago he had been able to profile the king. King Aerys was a man who at the end of the day was a simple man who wanted to leave his mark on the history of Westeros. It was so easy to predict if he had to say so himself. So it was not easy to maneuver it for what he called the cleanup operation or also the conversion of the north. For too long the North had been a realm of power of the first men. What did not help was its increase in population that was a firm follower of said faith instead of the seven. He was annoying at best if he had to say it and he was more than interested in changing it.

He had spoken with the king commenting on the lack of union of the north to the seven kingdoms. Not that it was impossible to see. The North, unlike the other seven kingdoms, did not unite because of its power and strength, but because its king and leader thought that its people were worth more than the pride of being called a king. So naturally he made it look like the North didn't have the best impression of the crown. Good thing he did it before and not now because otherwise the North and the other kingdoms would be at war or at least in the worst possible way. He was glad he hadn't done it in the slightest.

The king back then had a certain political mindset and much more brain than he could say he had now. It was easy to convince him that showing the benefits of what being a follower of the faith would bring. And so he commanded that Eddard Stark become a ward of House Arryn. Not that it mattered that it would be a brutal insult to House Stark after all House Arryn already had a ward. It didn't matter that House Stark wouldn't trust said heir. What mattered was having an expendable pawn easy to mold in his hands. That was Jon Arryn's plan, a plan... that had failed in the worst way imaginable in the mind of the Arryn lord if he had to say so.

Rickard Stark showed that while he certainly wasn't a politician, he wasn't an idiot. According to Rickard, he could educate his son as a lord of that there was no doubt. But at the end of the day his son Ned was still a Stark and needed the education of a family member. So he sent his sister-in-law Branda to continue his son's education. Any argument would have met with failure because it would have been seen as a possible line theft attempt. And although he could argue that he was not Rickard, he just had to make it look like that so that the king himself would not trust him. it was not the best time

When Branda Stark arrived with her nephew, a defense team thought they could eliminate her. Her poison failed her and attempts to kill her with wild raider attacks failed as well. The Northern Guards demonstrated efficient military discipline. Even an assassination attempt failed. It wasn't the best time of her life and she tried to think of ways to avoid what this was. But House Stark continued to keep Branda in their home, and young Ned was educated, although in the South it could be said without a doubt that he had the upbringing of a pure fucking Northerner. The boy did not have so much belief in the so-called way of being honorable, which was very bad and on top of that he had a lot of backbone

Ned displayed unprecedented brains and intelligence. He had an impressive tactical and military genius, easily coming to easy conclusions on how to solve things. Ned's Stark upbringing went a long way. Some southern knights tried to show him to be a man (on his word) and he taunted them by citing that he preferred to follow his own ways. Some took it the wrong way but no one could doubt that Ned Stark had his pride and honor from him. Because he demonstrated it with his actions. Ned Stark was a good Northern man which was obviously what he hadn't wanted but he still had his plans on the matter that he had faith would work since he had gotten the king's word.

Citing how good it would be for the Stark house to be more united with the other kingdoms without putting them in the royal family, he managed to make a marriage contract between Robert and lyanna Stark. Yet even though he practically forced his way into House Stark (which he didn't know had made his house a target of his wrath) he could see the flaws in his plan. Robert had had a bastard daughter named Mya Stone. He didn't know that she had become the girl's, but if there was one thing he knew, it was that this was more than bad because if the Starks found out about it, the marriage would not take place. There were many insults that could be tolerated but that before marriage he had bastard children he was a big no.

Jon was also nervous. The North had discovered the valuable resources they had in their possession. I knew about such resources a long time ago. What kind of idiot doesn't know about gold in his mountains? of the money? of iron? That was stupid. But as if it were more, the North had begun to offer, according to its spies, elements that were earning money. A lot of money. Although they only sold through Braavos to the rest of Essos he knew it was only a matter of time before the north was centered on the south either west or east. He had heard of the North Channel and had sent agents to see it. He had never seen such constructions if he had to say so. and that was bad

Now he was here along with his greatest ally: the Tullys. The Tullys were aware of how they were viewed by the other houses in the seven kingdoms. Considered only a great house due to the support of the dragons. They needed the support of a large and strong house to stay in power and thus become a powerful house by right. Hence he wanted to create a marriage alliance between the North and the Tullys. There was only one fucking problem and that was that Hariric Stark had decided to marry Ashara Dayne, which was more than bad news if he had to say so himself. Ashara Dayne was in itself a real danger since she was not a stupid and mindless girl.

Ashara dayne was one of those young women who were educated. In Dorne any daughter who was to marry out was raised to manipulate and manage her husbands and raise her children in a way that was beneficial to their houses of origin. Ashara could have been that. But at the same time hariric would not have decided to marry her if it was a possible weakness. Also such an intelligent woman could help her husband not only with the management of the kingdom (which in the mind of an Andalo was unthinkable) but also to educate his son of all things which would be more than bad in reality at least for him

At that moment the office door opened and Hoster Tully entered through it. The so-called lord of the trout. A man known by all to be an impeccable politician. No one knew but he he he was the true power of the Tully house. However with the changes that had begun he had no doubt that the Tully house had to be starting to have serious problems. It was more and more bad news at least in Jon's mind as he knew that if the River was divided he would lose much of its power. He saw it coming and took out a bottle of wine that was from the Rejo. However, he knew that this was about to start to change, seeing that the North would soon be selling its products to the South.

´´You know, Jon, things have changed radically. The issue is at least in my mind that when we spoke we agreed that my daughter would end up becoming the lady of the north and with that the resources of the north would be at the disposal of the Rios. Why is that no longer possible?`` . Hoster had found out about Hariric Stark's marriage to Ashara Dayne and was not happy. Like Arryn he had found out about the resources of the North and not that he was asking for it in any way. But now that was far from possible with Hariric Stark marrying a Whore of Dorne. And not just any whore but one that was in a nutshell really dangerous for their interests

''I have no power for that. I have already spent a lot of my resources with my actions. Meddling in business by practically demanding to educate ned has gotten me into a painful crosshair and any other lord with half a brain would have seen it as clearly meddling in the business of a realm. As well as basically forcing the marriage of lyanna Stark and Robert. It's not the best thing that could happen. He now he regretted the last thing more than anything else. He should have used it to marry hariric to the fish girl but at the time he thought he had better get a hostage. He never counted on the stupidity of his other pupil if he himself had to say it

''He is marrying a Dornish girl. We will never have the resources of the North in our hands. She is not an easy jerk girl to manipulate. I've heard of Ashara Dayne Jon. She known to all as possibly as bad a thorn as the queen. She is not the best match possible``. Hoster was obviously furious. Of course he could try to kill him and her too but he knew that if he bit him on the back again he would be dead. The riverlands lacked defensive measures against invasion of any kind and only the valley's backing would save him and he even doubted it if he had to be frank or at least aware of how things were.

´´All things can be changed. Ned can marry your daughter. If something ends up happening to Hariric Stark it's no one's fault but the man himself. With that he will be eliminated as a threat and your blood will end up dominating the North, isn't that good enough in your mind my friend?``. Jon could see Hoster's manipulative mind plotting and planning. He knew that Hoster had no intention of sharing anything with him but he himself had his plans. With Hariric eliminated and Ned married to a river girl he would get rid of Hoster and be in complete control of all things which would be a better thing than anyone could say.

''That's a big if. And that will only be possible if you manage to eliminate Hariric Stark and Ashara Dayne, not to mention prevent them from having a child. And as I understand it, the present Lord Stark is not a brainless idiot. He's not all brawn and little brains. Look how he has rebuilt the North``. He was worried. It didn't help that Lord Stark had sent him only one letter. If he doesn't control the actions of the freys he would kill every last one of them. Any invasion of the Northern domain by Frey would be considered an assault and would be war. The confidence with which he told himself spoke volumes about how little Lord Stark feared him in any case if he had to say it.

´´Everyone has their weak points Hoster. Everyone cannot be under surveillance 24 hours a day, let alone every day. One day the North will be weak. And then it will be possible to hit. On top of that there is also the factor that we can take advantage of the Boltons. I'm sure they could very well open a breach``. Despite the fact that Lord Bolton thought himself intelligent, he was an idiot unable to realize how much he could be manipulated in this regard. Not that it was too big a problem in his mind. To him all it was and meant was that it could be easy to hurt the north. In addition, the Boltons were another house that he wanted very dead in reality if possible to destroy his potential

´´It is possible, but how can we make the marriage between ned and my daughter Catlyn possible? Lord Stark doesn't have to agree. Even though young ned is more than capable of choosing a wedding of any kind, it's hard for me to see him agreeing to it in any way. Ned Stark wasn't a genius like his brother but he was also smart and he knew that he wouldn't give in any way to get married if it was without a good reason. The Norteños did not respect that of arranged marriage. If you weren't useful to them in some way then there was no wedding as simple as that. And Ned Stark would never endanger his house in any way.

it's a posibility. It is always a possibility my dear friend and I have no doubt that young Ned might object at first but I am sure that with a little tact he would be more easily moved in the direction of marrying your daughter. What worries me is how to sell marriage as a necessity. A wedding for the north was a very serious matter. Trying to tell Lord Stark that she had to get married just like that wouldn't end well for them. Hell trying to tell Lord Stark that the wedding would happen yes or yes and then putting a useless companion for his brother would be so stupid and pointless that it would not end well at all.

The two lords thought they had it all figured out...the only thing they didn't know was that they weren't that far ahead