It was not a long voyage to arrive in Gulltown. In fact, we were so early, that Marq Grafton had yet to even close the port down for the coming siege. Although there were guards warding off anyone who wasn't prepared for it.
"The city will be closed by nightfall, I would recommend heading south!"
I stood on the docks of Gulltown. Docks was a proper term as well, as most of the infrastructure was made out of stone. There was no beach on this side of the city, and as I looked around the cliffs on either side of the dock, it became obvious that the builders had carved this port out of the stone that had existed before.
We were anchored to a bigger pier, although one that didn't have the foundational work that my own did. It was just wider, was all, with massive tree trunks that pierced into the ocean floor as the beams holding it up.
They have to replace them often. I thought as I stood on it.
"I am no merchant Ser." I told the guard at the end of the docks. "I am Lord Baelish of the Fingers." I introduced myself as I gestured to my ship behind me. "And I have brought supplies for the supporters of the crown! Go to Lord Grafton and announce that I have come to join him and oppose Jon Arryn." I told the guard, speaking loudly for all to hear.
Had I really decided to defect and join the Targaryen's? Fuck no.
But I had an opportunity to make a legend for myself, as Robert had done in the books here. Robert had been the first man to breach the walls of Gulltown in the books and had slain Marq himself.
I was going to make it much easier on everyone.
I sat down on the docks, and waited for my host to allow me entrance.
"Lord Baelish." Lord Grafton greeted with wide arms as he descended to the docks.
"Lord Grafton." I said with a slight bow. "I have brought supplies, and men of my own to reinforce the city. It is not much.."
"Nonsense Lord Baelish, any help is welcomed. Jon Arryn is two days from laying siege." Marq said as he walked up to me.
He was not a very tall man, nor was he impressive by any means. In fact, the prosperity of his city had made him fat, apparenlty. There was a sword on his waist, but I doubted the man could use it very well.
"We arrived with time to spare then." I said as I waved Davos forward. "This is Davos Seaworth, my personal shipmaster." I introduced. "Will you have a man show him the storehouse?" I asked politely.
"Of course." Lord Grafton said as he pointed to two guards behind him and snapped his fingers. They got the message and took Davos off.
"Come, let us walk the city. Is it your first time in Gulltown?" Marq asked as we began ascending into the biggest city in the Vale.
"I'm ashamed to admit that I am unfamiliar with your city." I said as I walked beside him.
"There is no shame in it at all, my lord. I would be happy to show you around. We even have a proper godswood." Lord Grafton commented.
So my reputation precedes me then. I wonder just how many outlandish stories have been told about me.
"That is good to hear. I find the white bark of weirwoods to be calming. Did you know it was possible to grow them?" I asked, playing along with his game of words.
"Only because of your exploits. I was under the impression they didn't grow so well in the mountains." Lord Grafton responded, continuing to probe me about the weirwoods.
Does he want to know how to grow them? Or does he want me to admit that it is blood that feeds them?
"Proper sunlight and nutrition is all they need. In ages past, the weirwood covered Westeros." I told him, quoting the stories that were told in the North and the Vale.
"I see. Ah and this is the market street…"
Lady Grafton was surprisingly attractive. I had been told her first name earlier in the night, but for the life of me I couldn't remember it.
She was younger than Marq, that was for sure. She couldn't have been older than 35, and was still fit from activity. She was obviously from good stock, having a body like that after many children. She had dark brown hair, and blue eyes. I would have to find out the family that she came from.
"I have heard tales of how you earned your knighthood, my lord." She said with a smile. "Is it true you slew thirty mountain clansmen by yourself, freeing your people from the savages?"
I laughed at the exaggerated tale.
"Not quite my lady." I said before delving into the tale of my arrival into Baelish Keep.
I told the story of how we were surrounded, only to jump out of a three story keep to flank the mountain clansmen. I may have made it seem much more grand than it actually was. Yet there were children around, so I kept it relatively harmless. As harmless as it can get when describing a massacre.
"And then we led the Calvary into the hundreds of mountain clansmen, freeing the knights from the tower and saving the townspeople from certain death!"
I was looking at the youngest Grafton boy as I told the tale. He was hanging on to my every word and when I said the last word his eyes lit up. I knew that kid would idolize me for a long time.
I looked up at the dinner table we were at to see that almost the entire hall had been enraptured with my story.
But there was one that was giving me an entirely different look.
As the hall clapped for my story and my deeds, Lady Grafton was giving me the most obvious 'fuck me' eyes of all time. In that moment, my grand plan I had concocted to take the city was restructured slightly.
I stood up and bowed. "Now Lord Grafton, I am tired from my journey and wish to rest. Could you have a servant show me to my quarters?" I asked looking around for one.
"No need."
Hook, line, and sinker!
Lady Grafton stood up. "I'll show Lord Baelish to his quarters husband. After such a fantastic tale, perhaps he will have more to tell."
"Excellent idea, my love."
As we left, I caught Davos' eye in the corner of the room and nodded to him. It was an obvious signal, and one he knew the meaning of.
'Smack'
'Smack'
'Clap'
"By the gods!"
'Smack'
'Clap'
"I'm going to …"
I thrusted even hard into the quivering lady beneath me. Her left leg, smooth and pale, was on my right shoulder, and her right was spread out with my other hand. I held nothing back, fucking the poor woman into the Lord's bed and the same bed she shared with her husband.
"Cumming!"
I kept pounding into her, unrelentless in my assault. I wanted the entire castle to know just exactly what was happening to their lady at the hands of a young lord. I was trying my best to make her walk funny the rest of her life.
Lady Grafton came many times that night, and when it was my time, I did not pull out but instead decided to dishonor her husband even further.
Nails raked down my back as I finally finished inside her with a grunt.
I heard the shuffling of armor behind me at the door just as my orgasm began to fade.
Completely nude, I pulled out of the Lady beneath me in a hurry causing her to moan in delight and slight pain. My sword graced my hand just as the door opened.
"What is this?!"
Lord Grafton was pissed, and I didn't blame him. His eyes took in my nude form and he looked down for a moment. His face immediately flushed red as he realized what had happened.
The worst part for him, must have been his wife's completely nude form on the bed. You see, this was seen as the ultimate form of intimacy in Westeros. Most of the time, Lady's would rarely be seen completely nude even in front of their husbands, as it was sacred.
I had ripped the Lady's dress and underclothes right off of her, baring everything to the world. Not only that, but she was ruined for her husband if the way she acted was an indication.
"Marq!" She said in shock as he came into the room. Her hands reached for the skins on the bed to cover her beautiful tits and leaking twat.
"Kill him!" Marq said.
Four city guards poured into the room, and I immediately felt bad for them. They had drawn the worst shifts of their life.
The first one didn't even hesitate and moved forward to with a stab. My long sword deflect the blow in a way that would send him tumbling into another of the rushing guards.
The third guard fell to the ground holding his throat as I turned the parry into a strike aimed for his carotid artery. He would die quickly, at least.
The fourth guard paused for a moment instead of charging, and I feigned a strike to the head only to turn it into a stab that pierced his sternum. The other two men had just recovered with one being behind the other and not in a position to attack at the same time. I sent an overhead strike I wanted the first to block.
He did, and another cut disemboweled him. It would take a long time for him to die.
The other lasted for three blows before a slice to his leg had dropped him to a knee allowing me to open his throat immediately after.
Lord Grafton watched on in anger and his hand dipped to his sword.
I moved forward quickly, not allowing him to draw his blade completely before his hand was cut off at the wrist.
"No! Please stop!" The lady behind me screamed. I felt bad for her. She went from absolute euphoria to panic immediately.
He fell backwards as he had tried to escape the blow.
"Ah! My hand!" Marq cried out as he held a bloody stump to his chest while looking at me.
I put my palm on the pommel of my long sword and thrusted. Just as I had done to his wife for the last half hour, I stabbed Lord Grafton, only this time it was with a different sword.
"No!" The newly widowed Lady Grafton screamed as her husband died.
"In the name of Jon Arryn, Lord of the Vale, Warden of the East, I reclaim Gulltown from the oathbreakers." I said as the light left Marq Grafton's eyes. It was more to torture the man as he died. I wasn't really sure why I said it.
Men ran into the room then dressed as Gulltown guards, men I recognized. Especially the one at the front with a bloody sword in his hand.
Davos took one look at me, and with a calm that only a sailor could possess he spoke. "Get dressed, they are waiting for the signal."
I smiled as I removed my sword from the dead man's chest and in one motion I swung it again.
We ran through the city. I was following Davos as I wasn't sure of the best routes to take to the gates. He had been surveying it all day since he had unloaded the supplies into the city earlier in the morning. The feel of greasy hair in my left hand was barely even recognized through the glove I was wearing.
While it was the biggest city in the Vale, it did not take us long to reach the front gates.
All twenty of the men behind me drew their swords as I did. It was night, and the only guards on duty were on the walls as patrols. They didn't expect the army to arrive tonight, exactly as we had planned.
Davos continued forward and pointed me towards a set of stairs off to our right. I trailed off, and our party split with ten men following him and ten following me. I was to be the distraction and to signal the army lying in wait outside the walls.
Sure enough, a peregrine falcon sat on top of the tallest tower of the city. It was the signal Lord Arryn and I had agreed upon. How they managed to train the massive bird to do such a thing is beyond me.
All I had to do was signal that the gates were opening.
A guard holding a torch heard us coming from about ten yards away, but he didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. I slew him before he could draw his sword.
I sheathed my sword and took the torch out of my hand before reaching back and throwing it outside the city walls, towards the trees.
My men swarmed the walls, taking advantage of the skeleton crew and killing the half awake men. At the same time, gears creaked as the walls were forced open by the other men I had sent with Davos.
The horns sounded then, as my signal was recognized. The sound of charging hooves could be heard. Then eventually, the famed Knights of the Vale, all mounted, rode into the city.
I stood on the walls with Lord Grafton's head in my left hand pointed towards the sky.
We would not sack the city, but we would take control of it and kill any guards that did not surrender.
In the end, as word got out that their Lord had been slain, most threw down their swords.
Ping!
New Commander Talent unlocked: Conquering!
'Equip'
Commander Talents: Cavalry, Conquering, Attack.
New Commander Skill unlocked!
Commander Skills:
Unrelenting Charge! (Elite.)
Troops under your command charge headstrong into battle giving them 7% strength and 7% stamina! Cavalry troops receive 15% strength, 15% Stamina!
This City is Mine!
While attacking a city, troops under your command will fight with unrivaled bravery. Troop agility increased by 5%! Cavalry agility increased by 10%! Defenders receive -5% morale!
Locked**
Locked**
Locked**
I immediately delved into the Conquering constellation of the Game.
10 Talent Points Available!
My eyes widened at how many levels I had received from taking Gulltown. I dumped all ten into the first skill, second skill, and then one of four that I had chosen.
In the end I had a total of +2.5% attack while attacking cities, +2% defense while attacking cities, and a -10% in damage taken by defenders.
All in all it was a damned good day.
"Ahahaha there he is!"
I smiled as I walked into the hall the morning after the battle. For once, Robert Baratheon was not hung over, nor did he have a wine skin in his hand. Instead, he carried his warhammer around and was dressed in full armor although he did not have his antlered helm.
"The man who pierced Lady Grafton with his cock, and pierced Lord Grafton with his sword. Gods what a story!" Robert bellowed as he pointed his hammer at me.
The entire hall, which was filled with many lords and knights let out a war cry of a holler. My smile widened even further as I bowed.
"You were very brave Lord Baelish." Lord Arryn said from his seat at the high chair in the room.
The entire hall quieted as their lord spoke. "But you took the city with dishonorable means, and dishonored the Grafton family."
Everyone in the hall didn't utter a peep.
Well fuck, what is he going to do now? I wondered as I looked at my lord.
"Had you taken the city with honorable means, I would have gifted it to you and your family until the end of time." Jon Arryn revealed. That was a major shock to me and had I known it I would have gone about it a different way. Then again, the testosterone in my blood made me think that I had done it the perfect way. I had conquered the town in the best way I could imagine. My blood still sung at the idea.
"What are my house words?" Jon Arryn asked. His face was impassive and It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
"As high as honor, my lord." I answered quickly and accurately.
"Exactly. You will receive half of the Gulltown fleet, half will stay here with the new Lord and oldest of Marq Grafton's children." Jon Arryn said, casting judgement. "And while you are the conqueror of Gulltown, you have no claim on the resources within. Instead that will go to the war effort."
Anger immediately ran through me.
It was tradition that the conqueror of a city was allotted the extra stores of food it had accumulated, in addition to the gold within. Gulltown was a rich city, and was sure to hold a healthy amount of gold in it's safe. It was the entire reason that I had concocted the plan of taking the city.
My face turned from a happy one, to one of anger intentionally. I directed it all towards Jon Arryn.
"Piss on that Jon, the man is a bloody hero!" Robert stood up as he said the words.
"I will not hear a word more from you Robert! He dishonored himself, Lady Grafton, and the Vale itself!" Jon Arryn roared back at Robert.
No wonder Robert had respected the man so much. He seemed to be the only one capable of standing up to and commanding Robert in such a way. I promised to develop that one day, and also promised retribution to Jon Arryn for this.
Robert sat down, and grabbed a wine cup in front of him. The hall quieted once again.
"Dismissed. Now, Lyn Corbray has seen the error of his ways…"
I interrupted the Lord, as I still stood front and center of the hall. I wasn't sure what came over me. I knew it was foolish and disrespectful of me to do so. But all I could think was how fucking high and mighty Jon Arryn was acting. It pissed me off. I was angrier than I had ever been.
"You would have rather killed more men trying to take the city your way? I saved hundreds, maybe thousands of lives yesterday and this is my reward!?" I asked. I did not yell, but anger was prevalent in my question.
"Watch your mouth boy!"
I turned to Yohn Royce who stood off to the side in his rune covered armor. His anger matched mine within a couple of seconds.
"That is still your Lord!" He finished as his hand dipped to his sword.
Jon Arryn held a hand up to Yohn, causing the man to stop drawing his sword.
"You are angry Lord Baelish and you are young. I will forgive that only one time. Take your ships and be happy I gave you anything after your actions." Jon spoke in a dismissive tone.
It took everything I had not to explode on the old fucking man. Instead, I decided to preserve my dignity and keep my head on my shoulders. So I pointed my nose to the sky, turned around and fucking stormed out of the hall.
On the way out, I found Ben's eyes and swung my head motioning for him to come with me.
"Lord Baelish."
I stopped hearing Jon Arryn's voice again. I took a deep breath before turning around, trying to make myself calm down.
"Yes, my lord." I managed to get out of my mouth.
"Robert needs passage to Storm's End. See that he makes it in one piece."
Robert stood up with his warhammer in his hand and a smile on his face.
"Let's go rile the bastards up Petyr!"
"There is a reason they call it Storm's End, my lord."
Davos yelled over the rain and lightning above us. There was an absolute downpour in Shipbreaker Bay, on our way to Storms End.
"Should I worry?" I asked as I gripped the side of my ship as we crested another wave.
"Aye my lord, you should worry. But I will see us through it." Davos said as he gripped the wheel of the ship with a vice grip.
"Ahahaha, you won't take me you bastards! You won't take me like my father!"
I turned to where Robert stood in the middle of the ship with his warhammer lifted to the sky, taunting the Gods of Sea and Storm. Lightning flashed in the sky, almost as if it was responding to Robert's cry with one of it's own.
Robert is going to get me killed one day!
The castle was just as legendary as its name was.
A single tower stood in the air, high and mighty. The castle looked to have been built into the cliff side. The stone was smooth and shone bright. I was surprised that there was no mold or algae from the constant rain. Perhaps the wind and rain was strong enough to keep the castle clean.
There was a dock at the base of the tall castle, where brave ships were anchored. The dock was smaller than Gulltown surprisingly, but that was probably because the storms would wash it away if it wasn't.
"She's beautiful isn't she?" Robert asked as he stood beside me.
"That she is, Robert, that she is." I told him as I slapped him on the back. It felt like slapping pure marble, but I did it anyway. Roberts face sobered up as I said that.
"They took her from me Petyr. We're going to get her back!" He said seriously, with all the anger in the world on his face. He muttered his houses words, and I believed every single bit of them in that moment.
"Ours is the fury."
"What do you mean they did not answer the call?!" Robert bellowed at his little brother.
Stannis stood around 6 foot 4 inches and was not a small man by any means, but Robert was bigger and taller than him and dwarfed the 17 year old. Stannis was wilting underneath his anger and stature.
"I sent the ravens. Lords Grandison, Cafferen, and Fell have amassed their forces but for the crown and not us." Stannis said, weathering the glare of his brother.
"Where?" Robert asked, in the intense and loud voice that he made look effortless.
"Near Summerhall." Stannis answered immediately.
"We march tomorrow! Spread the word." Robert said as he stormed off.
Stannis stood in the same spot, looking at him leave. He was so young, it was hard not to feel bad for him. Well I suppose I was younger and smaller, but I had been a Lord for over a year by now. That and years of another life in my head was bound to make me more mature.
"Don't take it to heart Stannis, he doesn't blame you." I told him as Robert faded from sight.
"He didn't even greet me." Stannis replied with a clenched jaw. "I haven't seen him in years and he didn't even greet me."
"Keep your head up Stannis. Robert is upset that he can't find Lyanna. Remember your house words and you'll understand." I told him as I too decided to leave him alone.
"Hold Storms End brother. I will see you soon!" Robert bellowed from his position on a horse beside me.
Stannis didn't say anything but he did nod towards his older brother. I had been talking with Robert trying to get him to reconcile their relationship. It wasn't going as well as I wanted, but if his farewell was anything to go by, I was making progress.
Robert raised his warhammer and pointed it towards the road in front of us.
"To Summerhall!"