Author's Note:
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Well, my loyal readers, with this chapter, we're almost out of chapters in this latest load of votes from my loyal Discord voters.
Now the chapter after this is the last one, after which I'll post two or maybe three chapters to a stress-relief write, and then give you Aethan of Cidaris as my Discorders voted.
However, because a lot of ya's aren't taking advantage of it on Discord I'll be posting a story whose sole purpose is for voting. You can get yer votes in that one and your voice can be heard, from that I'll hopefully get a bigger turnout.
Be advised that if you vote here and on Discord your votes will be subject to certain changes. A double vote here and there for the same story will result in only one counting and your second being randomly placed elsewhere. If you vote on two different ones here and there your selected options will be voided and your two different voted placed elsewhere randomly. Do not try to screw the polls this way.
Other than that, though I have no problems.
Enjoy!
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(Winterfell, The North, Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Westeros, GoT Universe)
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(Lucion Lannister POV)
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Lucion Lannister had said goodbye to his mother, uncle, and aunt.
It wasn't easy by any means, but Lucion tried to remain stone faced throughout it. Only when he saw his mother's carriage leave Winterfell did he allow a single tear to be shed.
Because for the moment that was all he needed. He could miss his family later.
There was a time and a place for all things, but only a fool tried to control that perfectly. Say what you will about Littlefinger, but he got one thing right....Chaos is a Ladder. From the Fortunes of Peace and Fires of War any Chaos is an opportunity to advance oneself and their House. Peacetime was the time to cement your latest advancement, while Wartime was to be dedicated to pressing old advantages and gaining new ones.
And if you gained more territory along the way? All the better. But you must never overreach on a gambit with more risk vs reward.
This mentality made his desire to wed Lyanna all the more important. But more specifically it was strategic move. Lucion would do his damned best to keep Jaimie out of the Kingsguard, Erich meant it was critical to arrange a suitable match before the induction and for himself to stay out of the light until Duskendale had passed hands from the Darklyn Family.
It also meant it was crucial to arrange a Match for Cersei with one of Jon Arryn's Heirs and keep the little fucker alive long enough to get Cersei Pregnant.
Now the reason was simple.
Assuming Brandon lives or not and so long as one of the elder Stark Boys marries Catelyn Tully this would lock the Riverlands down two different ways. North, Southwest, and West. If Jon Arryn agreed and it happened, this looked to be the upper part of Westeros getting locked down against the Targaryen's.
Which by Semi-Cannon Source Estimates was somewhere between two hundred thousand troops and getting gang-raped in the ass by the entire male populations of The North, The Vale, The Riverlands, and The Westerlands.
Still time and a place for everything...
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(POV Shift: Rickard Stark)
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Of all the Noble Families in the North, there was only one who could be considered the closest to the Old Gods...House Reed. Lord's of the Neck and the primary Crannogmen Housr, the Reed's perhaps were the answer to finding a teacher for Rickard Stark's new Ward.
Even if House Reed themselves was unable to furnish him a teacher directly, the should at least know where to Potentially find one. And if not, perhaps they knew an old legend with which they could potentially provide themselves with an important clue.
Which was why Rickard was calling for Lord Reed and his son and Heir to come to Winterfell. He hoped at least one of the two knew something, as Crannogmen were naturally superstitious folk, and children were inherently more curious than adults. So hopefully this made something useful happen.
Failing that there was Old Nan, though how useful she would be was anyone's guess. She was becoming increasingly deaf to new things as the days passed. A Lannister who was a Warg and Greenseer may just tip her over the edge.
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(POV Shift: Tywin Lannister)
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Tywin Lannister was not a man easily angered. He was easily frustrated or even irritated, but it took a heck of a lot more to visibly anger him.
But Varys came by with a report, someone had shot his son in the back with Arrows. Joanna's letter shed additional light.
Tywin felt a measure of pride, his Din dnd heir had tamed three lions. But it was the arrows that angered him.
''Tywin, is he okay?'' Asks Aerys rushing in.
''Yes, your Grace. There'll be some scarring, but he's otherwise unharmed.'' Says Tywin.
''Tywin, it's Aerys when we're alone. And that's a relief. You have my permission to leave for the North to see him if you wish.'' Says Aerys.
''Tempting, but Joanna assures me he is well. And besides Lord-Commander Gerold is the only one I trust to serve you half as well as I am able to as Acting Hand.'' Says Tywin.
''You flatter me my Lord, but the Laws of the White Book are Clear, The Lord-Commander may only serve as Hand of The King During Wartime, Acting or otherwise.'' Says Gerold, who -as always - stood at the King's Side as Tradition dictated.
Since it's inception, The Kingsguard had several important traditions. The most Important of which was that in the Words of Queen Visenya, the Architect behind the Kingsguard's creation, the Lord-Commander unless commanded otherwise stay by the King's Side always. Thus whomsoever was appointed to stand beside the Crown Prince, was seen as the next in line for the Position.
It was the Fact that Lord-Commander Gerold was in many ways more similar to Tywin than not, and how he led by example than by ideal that Tywin would only ever be comfortable enough to trust the White Bull to be his temporary successor.
If Lucion's life was at stake, he'd take Aerys offer up gladly, but Joanna assured him it wasn't. He didn't get this far by not trusting his wife. Joanna's counsel had yet to led either of them astray.
She was the only person whose trust he would never break, and the only person who had the ability to say they had his support in all things always.
''Your modesty does you and your credit.'' Says Tywin.
''No, my dedication does me Credit, my strength at arms honors the Kingsguard.'' Gerold refutes.
''You're to hard on yourself, both of you.'' Aerys cuts in, before all three share a laugh.
The only one missing from this scene was Steffon Baratheon...the one who helped make friends of them all, despite their differences and own unique Circumstances.
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(POV Shift: Lucion Lannister)
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Dusk was setting upon Westeros, From this day until at least six more years, he would Cell Winterfell and the greater North his home.
But he'd set the table for his Northern Strategy during his duration here.
He was looking Forward to many things, potentially getting between Aunt Genna's legs, actually getting between Lyanna's legs...most of all, he was looking forward to killing Ramsay Snow eventually. He'd have to try and fuck Myranda and Violet eventually as an extra fuck you to the cunt, but it wasn't at the top of his agenda.
He wanted nothing more than to see Ramsay Crucified and set on fire. A bit extreme perhaps, but who could honestly say they didn't have their own death fantasy for the sadistic little fucker.
Anybody who did was a fucking liar!
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