Even though I knew what I was going to see from my memories, I was still floored when I rode into Casterly Rock proper. The ground floor, around the entrance, was largely given over to stables but dead ahead was an honest to god field of carefully cropped grass complete with fruit trees. Looking up it was a straight shot the thousand or so feet up to the Rock's peak. A shaft perhaps three quarters of a kilometer in circumference shot straight down, and at the top was a ceiling of glass to allow sunlight to flow down. At every story as you ascended the Rock were terraced balconies looking out over the central shaft, all tastefully decorated with flowering plants, vines, and even the odd tree. Expertly sculpted networks of waterfalls and piping set into the walls provided the needed water, and beautiful water features; fed by massive tidal powered pumps that moved fresh water from the wells deep underground all the way up to the Rock's peak.
There were even song birds fluttering about. Gods, this made it so easy to see why Cersei would bitch about Winterfell. She had grown up in what was, by any measure, an absolute fucking paradise.
My brother, Tyrion, was waiting for me - in all his 4'5" glory - and as I dismounted he said "Look around, it seems regicide pays well brother." while waving an arm to encompass the whole of the Rock.
I chuckled slightly and reached down to ruffle his hair "Oh don't be so dramatic Tyrion. Would you prefer I sacrificed half a million lives, including my own, so that you could remain fathers heir?"
He winced and sighed, "No, no I wouldn't. But you took away one of my few pleasures, tweaking fathers nose about how I was his heir was great fun. You owe me Jaime."
"I suppose I do, let's head up to the Solar and we can discuss my making a down payment on the debt." I replied before turning to my guards, and most especially the six who had been with me almost since my arrival? rebirth? - whatever - in this new life "Take the chests to my rooms, and guard them for now. I'll be by to get things squared away later."
The six saluted even as I waved Tyrion's inquiring look off with a slight head shake more perceived than seen. He gave his own little nod before setting the pace towards the hydraulic lift that would take us all the way to the peak of this grand edifice I now called home.
"So what is our new king, and future goodbrother, like?" Tyrion asked.
"You with a quarter the brains and four times the body." I answered, only partly in jest.
Tyrion winced "That bad?"
"In the nine days since he took the throne he went through more Arbor Gold than the Red Keep had gone through in the previous four months AND averaged eight whores a day. His vices are bad enough, but he combines them with the political acumen of a zealous Septon and a fury that has proven itself capable of humbling even dragons." I expounded.
"So father is going to run circles around him, Jon Arryn is going to be de facto king, and the best we can hope for is Aerys without the fetish for fire?" he summarized.
I gave a slight chuckle "About that, yes. At least that's my best guess."
"God's, even Cersei doesn't deserve that." he bemoaned.
"How have things been going here? Father still have you overseeing the plumbing?" I questioned, deciding to change the subject away from Robert.
"Aye, and I'll have you know that I've been doing a grand job. By reworking the piping I've increased water pressure and flow by almost ten percent." he said sarcastically, although anyone who knew him well could pick up the carefully concealed pride he felt at a job well done.
"Impressive, and I'll say it even if no one else will." I complemented, and as we had arrived at the top floor of the Rock - the floor reserved entirely for its first family - I lead the way off the lift and nodded to the two guards standing at attention before opening the door into the solar.
Facing me was a long wall of solid glass and through it I could see all of Lannisport, and you could just barely pick up Tarbeck Hall in the distance if you knew where to look.
I chose not to sit behind the Lord's desk, instead taking a seat in one of the chairs set up as part of a more intimate sitting area. Selecting a fine brandy, imported from Essos at great expense, from Twyin's side bar I grabbed two snifters of gold inlaid dragon bone and poured for us both. After passing Tyrion his glass and taking an appreciative sip I said "About that debt I owe you, how would you like to train some whores?"
I timed it perfectly, just as Tyrion took his first sip. He choked and sputtered, causing me to break out laughing, before he got out a strangled "What?!" and put a moderately repressive frown on his face.
I settled down into a quiet chuckle as he dabbed at the mess on his tunic with one of the hand towels from the bar. Eventually though I said "Pretty much what I said. Robert isn't going to cut down on his whoring just because he is marrying the fairest maid in the Seven Kingdoms and we need an information network in King's Landing but especially in the Red Keep.
"With Cersei as Queen she will have pretty much unlimited authority to hire and fire the palace staff and giving Robert easy access to cunts we control will allow us to ensure no bastards are born, that he doesn't get the pox, and that no one else gains undue influence over our future goodbrother through Little Robert."
Tossing the towel to the side Tyrion took his first proper sip of the drink before saying "Ok, I follow the idea, but how did you get Cersei to agree?"
I gave a charming smile "I appealed to her better nature."
He chuckled lightly as he said "She doesn't have one of those."
"Now that all depends on ones point of view brother mine. Regardless, Cersei will play her part." I said, taking a sip before continuing, "No, it's father's reaction that I am worried about."
"Ah yes, the feared lions of Casterly Rock acting as common pimps for the royal scepter even as it insults us by straying from our beautiful lioness. Only the fact that he just got you back from the Kingsguard and that I would become his heir again if he killed you might keep your head attached to your shoulders when he hears about this." he said, only half joking.
I shrugged "Likely true, but I think if I talk fast enough I can convince him of the merits and let his pragmatism tamp down his instincts the rest of the way."
"That's on you Jaime, but what did you actually want me to do in this plan of yours?" he said, shifting his glass to his left hand and taking another sip.
I moved my head in the direction of the windows, and by extension Lannisport, "Go down to the city and find a Red Keep's worth of smallfolk who would be proud to serve as royal servants and have the right temperament. Pick up as many women as you can justify, and select them for beauty, brains, discretion, and lack of ambition. I want whores who will stay bought and not get ideas above their station.
"Then you bring them here, along with some experienced whores from one of the better brothels in the city, and train them how to properly pleasure a man while having the Rock's staff teach them how to be proper servants and you teach them spy craft. You can forget the pleasure training for the male servants, but feel free to reward them with roles as practice dummies in the women's training."
Tyrion looked at me with intent concentration on his face, clearly searching for something as I met his piercing gaze squarely. "You really are serious."
I gave a nod "Deadly. With the change in dynasties the game of thrones is going to reach a fever pitch for a generation and thanks to the upcoming wedding our house has no choice but to play, and as father always says. In the game of thrones..."
Tyrion finished the saying "...there are only two outcomes, you win or you die.
"I'll do it, but you're on your own when it comes to dealing with father."
I gave a nod "Good, you start recruiting your first Sparrows tomorrow."
"Sparrows?" he questioned, causing me to shrug and say "We have to call them something and it just seemed appropriate.", carefully not saying that it seemed appropriate because I was appropriating the idea from the KGB's Sparrow School - which was a universe away and several centuries in the future.
"Fine with me, and I do think this is a proper down-payment on your debt." Tyrion said.
I took another sip of my brandy before nodding again "Aye, and only a down payment. You're real reward is going to be a bit harder to get past father but I think you'll like it."
"Oh? You going to convince him to be proud of me?" he said, sarcastically implying that he thought few things would be more difficult than convincing Tywin Lannister to let Casterly Rock play host to a whore training school.
I winced "Even I can't work miracles, no. I was thinking about establishing a bank. Something like the Iron Bank but for Westeros and under our control, I figured that we could drain Castamere and rebuild it as a most imposing bank headquarters. The played out mines could easily be converted into secure vaults while the active mines could produce gold for coinage. I was wondering if you wanted to design the bank, both its architecture and policies.
"If you were willing, I would have you be its first Chairman. Now I can't make the position hereditary, if this works out it will just be too valuable in future generations to allow under the control of anyone but Casterly Rock, but if you prove as able a manager as I'm confident you will then I'm sure I will be able to prevail on father to give you lands and a keep of your own. And if not, I'll give them to you once I become Lord of Casterly Rock. Not sure where just yet, but I'll find something suitably grand. Let me know if you find some lands that you desire, would you?"
Tyrion's eyes went wide even as his mind worked through the myriad permutations of my proposal and analyzed it to a fair thee well. "You do dream big brother. Aye, if you can convince father to allow it them I'm onboard."
I held up a hand in slight caution "Be warned though brother, at best this idea is going to take years to come to fruition. We will need the plans done as soon as possible so that we can start construction but the actual bank is probably at least five years away even at the best speed. Maybe a bit faster if we decide to house it temporarily here at the Rock, but that's not all I have planned for you."
"Oh, what else are you going to conjure from your bag of tricks brother?" he said warily before finishing his brandy and replenishing it from the bottle.
"Just thinking about sending you on a trading trip to Essos, and perhaps even all the way to Slaver's Bay." I said idly, knowing that one of Tyrion's fondest dreams was to see more of the world.
His lit with barely suppressed desire "I would love to, but why? And how would you convince father to allow that?"
"Well I do want some elephants. I read about them in the Red Keep's library; the Golden Company uses them to great effect as war-beast's you know? I looked at our climate and it's really not all that different from what you would find in the free cities, so I think they should be able to survive just fine in the Westerlands. I'm guessing that if they can be trained for battle then they could be trained as beasts of burden and all reports suggest that they are stronger than horses." I mused.
Tyrion snorted slightly "Elephants brother? Somehow I don't think that will convince father to sanction this idea of yours."
I shook my head, a wry smile on my face "No, I don't think it would either. Establishing trading relationships might though. Regardless, I'll keep working on the idea."
I went silent for a while then, idly sipping my drink as I turned my head to look out the window, the sun just sinking below the horizon as the sun fully set.
Eventually Tyrion said "So what was that with those six guards? What's in those chests that's so important."
I sighed then "Something you need to promise me you'll keep to yourself, that means no telling father."
He started slightly in surprise but still gave a nod of agreement without hesitation "Now you've really made me curious, I promise."
Finishing off my drink I set the snifter down on the side table even as I stood "Come then, lets go take a look."
Tyrion gulped down his own drink in a dash and quickly joined me. It was only a walk of perhaps a minute to reach the suite of rooms set aside for me, the heirs suite. Like the Solar it had a wall of pure glass but my view was of the Sunset Sea. Standing at the rooms door were two of my men, Younce and Brooks.
Both saluted and I gave a nod of acknowledgement before waving for them to follow. Inside were the other four; Myers and Nash with their pins and Taylor and Cody without.
Once they were all gathered I made my way to the six foot high safe built into a discrete closet and quickly input the combination before taking out a huge sack of golden dragons.
I tossed the sack to Myers and said "Count out a hundred for each of you, that's your reward for good service."
The eyes on all six went almost impossibly wide and they stumbled over one another as they all tried to express their thanks at once. I held up a hand for silence and said "No need, you all performed exceptionally and so you've earned a fair reward for your services. Although if you all are still interested, I am looking at forming a unit of my own men and each of you has a slot waiting for you."
There eyes got even wider if that was possible and all stepped forward, eager to volunteer. 'ah the joys of good old fashioned bribery combined with compliments, social superiority, and a lifetimes habit of ingrained obedience.'
"Very good, there are quarters for the families more trusted retainers one level down. Once you have finished counting out your bonus why don't you head down and settle in for the night, we will talk more in the morning."
Nash spoke up first this time "Of course my lord, and thank you again for the generosity.", offering a salute followed by a full bow. I merely waved it off and waited until they had all left before unlocking the concealing wooden chests and then the much more ornate dragonbone chests inside.
As soon as he laid eyes on the dragonbone Tyrion gasped out a surprised "What did you do?"
I shrugged slightly, flipping the lid on the chest containing the dragon eggs and magical torches even as I said "Well it seemed like everyone was having fun looting King's Landing in the sack and it just didn't seem right not to participate."
As he looked at the eggs, hesitantly extending his hand towards one "Are these...?"
"Petrified dragon eggs? Aye. It's not my fault that no one else still alive and in the city knew the location of the Targaryen's secret storage vault, or the combination to its door."
Tyrion snorted softly before saying sarcastically "Of course not." even as he laid his hand on the egg.
"And it was all so pretty, I just couldn't bare to leave it all to gather dust down in that hole." I continued, flipping open the other two chests as he pulled back from the eggs and instead lifted one of the magical torches closer to his face; eventually extending a careful finger to the ruby colored stone that produced the light.
"Magic." he whispered in awe "True, real, magic and I'm holding it in my hands. I never thought I would see the day."
I smiled at the look of childlike wonder on his face before waving a hand at the chest full of books and saying "If you think that's impressive, how would you like to peruse the secret library of a house of Dragon Lords? If Aerys is to be believed then most of these far predate the fall, and most of them are on magic. Although I do think a few are journals of Targaryen Dragon Lords from the Freehold days that the family preserved."
At that he dropped the torch back into its chest with barely an instants hesitation and dove into the books, only to hesitate again as he slowly pulled out the one made of Valyrian Steel with a three headed dragon inset into its cover. He rapidly turned in all over before turning to me in question "How do you open the clasp on this brother? It doesn't even seem to have a hinge?"
I shrugged slightly and decided to tell a small lie "I was never told and never saw Aerys open it.", he didn't need to know that it would only open if the dragon engraving was filled with Targaryen blood of sufficient purity and magical potential. It's not like any was available at the moment anyways.
"Pity. Imagine what secrets it could tell. But what do you plan on doing with all this brother, it seems that you have looted enough to pay a kings ransom a dozen times over. Just those dragon eggs could buy you an army, not to mention what those Valyrian steel daggers would go for."
I shrugged "For now? Keep a few choice pieces with the explanation that I appropriated them after Aerys's death and bury the rest in one of the more secure underground vaults. It's simply too risky to do anything else at the moment, if anyone learned about this then our entire house would suffer greatly.
"It's a pity I'm unlikely to get access to Dragonstone anytime soon, there is another vault I know of over there. Unless the Queen knows about it as well and raids it."
Tyrion looked like a kicked puppy at my plans and I gave him a small smile "Of course, if you wanted to keep a book at a time in your safe as you read through them then that should be just fine."
He gave a grateful nod "Thank you brother."
-x-x-x-