NOVEL WEB Chapter 5: 5. Opportunities
After dinner, Tytos and I returned to his office. "Thank you for conceding to Lord Frey, I know that you are very proud son, but you cannot make enemies out of allies. Today you showed me that you have the qualities of a good leader." Tytos said trying to sound fatherly.
'This Mother Fucker, you were the one that got us here in the first place, you actually think that this was a good outcome for us. Tytos you delusional cunt.' "Thank you for your kind words." I simply responded not saying what I really thought. I didn't want any further delay.
"Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" Tytos finally asked and chose not to beat around the bush.
"In two weeks when I leave with Uncle Jason, what arrangements have you made for me. While I am in Kings Landing, like accommodations, protection, expenses and such?" I asked, probing to see what he had originally intended to send me off with.
"I know we haven't really spoken about this arrangement, but you do not need to worry. You will have your own apartment in the Red Keep. I was also planning to send 2 of our household guards to accompany you, your uncle will make the arrangements and they will guard you while you outside of the Red Keep. As for expenses, each year we give you and your siblings 100 gold dragons on you name day, I wanted to increase it to 500 while you are in King's Landing.
You will be there for around 6-8 years. After your time at court, I hope that you will be able to squire there and when you are knighted, return to help me to run the affairs at home. This will be a very important time in your life. At court and in King's Landing, you will have the opportunity to make friends, make contacts, learn politics and probably even get a marriage proposal, this is a great opportunity and I want you to enjoy it." Tytos gave me a big grin, as if he was pleased with himself.
"Thank you, father, I just have a few concerns that I hope you can assist me with. I have already taken charge about the issue of my protection. Today I took Ser Garrand Prester and his squire Robar Hill in my personal service. I need men who are loyal to me personally and they have met my basic requirements. I will be paying them from my own allowance but I would like to equip them with armour and gear from the Amory" Tytos was surprised at my response.
"I am happy to hear that you have taken such steps, the armour isn't a problem, I will write up a note to the Master-of-arms. Anything else?"
"Do we have any other property in King's Landing?"
"My uncle had a large house near the Old Gate, the deed is still in the family, and sometimes we use it when we have business in the Capital that we don't need to visit the Red Keep, but why do you ask?"
"It brings me to my second request. I would like 5,000 gold dragons. I want to seek out business opportunities while I'm in the Capital. If you want, I can take it as a loan and return it when I return home." 'Yeah right, you just gave away 50,000 as a Dowry. Do you really have the belly to tell me to pay it back? Your move.' I sneered in my head.
"No, that's alright, I will give it to you, you do not need to pay it back, consider it an investment into your future. You have proven yourself quite capable."
"With regards to the property, I will need somewhere to use as a base while I seek my business opportunities."
"You've really thought this through, I will speak with your Uncle Jason, and he will show you the property when you get to King's Landing. I will also assign you a few more guards, they can secure the property while you are at court."
And just like that Tytos had given me everything I wanted. Yet I was even madder at him for it, he was just giving away money.
...…..
After the meeting with Tytos, I was extremely tired and simply wanted to go to bed. Upon entering my room, I thought that I must be in a fairy tale. There was someone sleeping in my bed and she looked a lot like Goldilocks.
"Hey what are you doing in my bed?" I gently nudged the sleeping Genna awake.
She struggled to open her eyes but when she did. "Did you speak to father about the wedding?" She asked with the most pitiful look on her face, she was really placing a lot of trust in me.
"Yeah, actually I did, I wanted to talk to you alone so…I have good news and bad news. But first I want to ask, you do know even if this wedding never happens, one day you will need to marry someone right?" I asked her.
"Yes, but not Emmon, he's so skinny and ugly and gross. I want to marry someone like you, handsome and brave." I guess she was using me as the standard which she was measuring her future husband. That would be a pretty high standard to meet, not wanting to be too arrogant.
"Well, I spoke with both father and Lord Frey, there is no way that this wedding is going to be cancelled but." She already looked like she wanted to cry, that change when she heard the 'but'. "You won't be leaving home; you will be here and he will also live here separate until you are old enough. He won't be able to or will he touch you until then. You will have some years until that time. This is the best that I could do for you for now, one day when you are older, I will tell you the rest of the details.
With that she began to cry and was about to stomp off, "I believed in you, I thought you would help me, you're just like father. "She began to say while trying to pull out of my grasp but I held her tighter.
"Hey, I tried my best. This was the only deal I could make to keep you here and safe. He won't touch you until you become a woman. Besides he is a total coward, he's scared of me. If he ever gets you mad, just tell him that you will tell me about it."
"But you will be …in…King's Landing. "She managed to get out in between sobs.
"Yes, but I will give him something to be scared about even while I am gone."
And like that she hugged me and cried, until she fell asleep. I lay down next her, I was so tired, but I need to do one last thing before I slept. I checked my status screen.
____________________________
Name; Tywin Lannister
Age; 10
Blessings; Divine Guidance
Titles; Heir to Casterly Rock, Tytos Lannister's Son
Bloodline; (Inactive)
Status; Exhausted
Attributes;
Vitality- 5(6), Strength- 4(6), Stamina- 3(7), Agility- 4(7), Mind- 8(10), Will- 7, Charisma- 9, Luck- 10
(Free Attribute Points 0)
Skills- Sword Proficiency (basic-3), Dagger Proficiency (basic-1), Shield Proficiency(basic-3), Ridding Proficiency (basic-1), Archery (basic-1), Handwriting (basic-1), Reading (basic-1), Arithmetic (basic-1), Observation (basic 4), Inspire (basic 3)
Free Skill Points- 0
Quests;
*Defeat 5 or more opponents in single combat. (1/5) (rewards- 5 free SP on completion)
*Slay an opponent in battle. (0/1) (rewards- 3 free AP on completion)
*Tying up loose ends– Aenys Frey harbors deep resentment against you and is plotting against your family. Kill Aenys Frey outside of battle before leaving the Westerlands (rewards- 5 free AP)
*Notice-
____________________________
"Sigh!" 'Guess I'm going to have to free up some space on the Frey family tree faster than I thought.'
My mind was too tired to come up with anything at the moment. I knew it would be trouble some but this was bound to happen, I had hurt his pride. Either way, now his faith was sealed, only thing was a matter of how. However, all of that could wait for morning. I gently adjusted myself and hugged Genna and went to sleep.
...…..
The next morning, I woke up to a squirming in the bed. Genna had woken confused before remembering where she was. She got up and left my bed and snuck out. The candles had already gone out, but it was already close to dawn from what I could see outside my window.
"What a lovely day." I got up off my bed feeling refreshed, it was better than how I had woken up yesterday. I couldn't remember the last time I had gone to bed that early or slept so soundly.
I quickly reviewed my status screen and refreshed myself on what I needed to do today. At the top of my list was murder. I needed to figure out how I was going to kill Aenys Frey. I also needed to try and complete the other tasks on my list. I had an idea of how to kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
I got up and got dressed in simple clothes suited for training and headed to the family's personal training yard. No one else was up apart from a few guards and the occasional servants who already attending to the chores.
When I got to the training yard, it was barely before dawn and I started some calisthenics. Some simple running in place and then moved on to stretches and burpees. This was a routine from my past life that I use to follow but as I got older, I had leaned into weight training, all the good that that did for me when I got shanked.
Then I started some pull ups, using a wooden wrack that was usually used for pole arms but was empty at the time. By the time I had gone through 5 sets, Ser Garrand and Robar had just arrived. I was already covered in sweat when they entered, the sun only now completely up.
They quickly greeted me and was surprised to see me already here. "My Lord, your up rather early, I will not lie to you, I half expected to have to wait some time before we met this morning." Garrand added.
"Aye, and I also am pleasantly surprised that you are here on time as well. But let's get down to business, is all well?" I asked.
"As well as it could be my lord." Answered Garrand and he looked to the side at Robar who had been mostly content to let him do the talking. He got the que and finally spoke us. "Yes, my Lord, all is well."
"Good to hear, I spoke with my father last night and he sent word to Ser Denys Marbrand informing him that he is to supply you with whatever standard gear and armour you need. So, after you leave, you can head to the Armoury and get whatever you need for yourselves."
"Thank you, my Lord." "Thank you very much, my Lord." They both answered but Robar sounding extra enthusiastic. His armour was more on the basic side, if you looked closer, some were even mismatched. Whatever they didn't have at the Armoury, they would have the smith resize for him. He would finally have a complete set of form fitting armour for once.
"I want you to speak with Ser Marbrand as well, my father is to assign me some guards to accompany me to King's Landing. Tell him I want 6, unmarried men who won't mind spending a few years in the capital, hardworking and not the type who would easily slack off. At the same time not too rigid. They also need to be able to ride and not have any problems killing. Understood?"
"Yes, my Lord, I already have a few ideas for some of the men. Any specific ages?"
"No, just not too green, unless they are extremely promising. Also, not too old, I want men who are willing to serve long term."
"Very well my Lord. Anything else before we go?"
"Yeah, do we have any criminals in the cells or any request to hunt bandits?"
Garrand paused for a moment to think. "Might well be, there was a man who recently raped and murdered one of the servants, I heard he is to be executed in a day or 2. I'm not sure about the bandits. But stuff like that always come up, mostly in Lannisport thought but if they need help, they request men from here."
"Very good, confirm that he's still in the cells, also find out if the murdered servant had any family. Get moving, I want you to meet me here by midday, with the six guards, if possible, dismissed."
...…..
They quickly left. I too left and went to get cleaned and get something to eat. I then made my way to the kitchen and left some instructions regarding lunch and where I would be having my meal. Then I joined my family to break our fast. Genna had given me a bit of a cold shoulder, she must still be upset I couldn't do anything to have it cancelled.
The morning was quiet and then the 3 of us made our way to Maester Brayan's chamber for our lessons. He greeted us on arrival and just as I instructed, he thought Kevan and Genna more about house Frey and their banner men while I started reading a book from his shelf about trade in the Westerlands.
At first the book was a little difficult to read as it was hand written and read more like a journal, but after I got used to it, I was quickly able to finish it. This was possible as I had speed read it and the book itself wasn't all that thick. It mostly spoke of the movement of trade for the last hundred years to and from Lannisport and surroundings, the various disruptions to commerce and events and laws of significance.
By the time it was almost midday, Kevan and Genna was finished. Maester Brayan let Genna go, she left without saying a word to me and went to her other lessons. Maester Brayan then turned his attention to me as he saw that I wasn't making an effort to leave.
"Anything I can do for you, my Lord?"
"Yes, I need your help draft a document, this is an agreement between House Frey and House Lannister."
With that I told him of the terms that we had agreed to with Walder Frey. The more I said, the angrier Kevan got until eventually he stomped off. I could only sympathise with him. He didn't know the extent of my plan and to him, he couldn't understand why we were giving House Frey such favourable terms. Even if it was for Genna's sake. As grown as he acted, he was still a kid.
I instructed Maester Brayan to have the completed document reviewed by Maester Hollard and then have it sent to my father.
"Also, Maester, no classes in the morning, we will be taking a trip to Lannisport. You are included, is that understood?" I didn't leave any room for discussion.
"Yes, my Lord. Will this be for the entire day?"
"Most likely, so I suggest you free your schedule."
"Understood my Lord."
...…..
I left and then headed to the small training yard. Ser Garrand was already there and along with his squire Robar, there were also 6 Lannister guardsmen in the yard. Kevan was nowhere around, so I assumed that he went to the regular training yard.
"Ser Garrand, any problems with the tasks from this morning?"
"Not much. Only when I told Ser Denys about you wanting 6 men, he was a bit upset that he would have to find replacements for them. We didn't have much trouble with the armour and gear." I had already noticed both him and Robar in a new set of black chain mail on gambesons and sporting matching Lannister tabards.
"Not bad, what off the murderer I asked you about?"
"He's to be executed tomorrow, beheaded my Lord. He's currently in the dungeon" He answer bluntly.
"And the family of the murdered servant."
"Only, her mother Mya, she works in the Kitchen here in the Rock. The servant's name was Merys, she was her mothers only child, she was 15." I could see the anger now in Garrand's eyes.
I took a minute to think, this was an extremely fortuitous opportunity for me. "Ser Garrand Prester, form up your men and let's go, we will be paying the dungeon's a visit."
As we walked to the dungeon I wondered if this was a result of my high Luck attribute or was it divine assistance. I had been trying to figure how I would get to Aenys and within the space of a minute, 2 opportunities presented themselves. I didn't have the full picture yet, but I was beginning to see a way forward, maybe this wouldn't be as hard as I thought. As for now, I needed to focus on the task at hand.