I plastered a fake smile onto my facade as I rode up to them, and got of my horse, before bowing, Cersei was still Queen Regent, after all.
"Your Grace." I said simply, as Cersei walked forward.
"Stand up, Lord Alexander." She said and I nodded, and I stood up.
"Congratulations on your victory in the Vale, you deserve your title of Master of War, and you have proved it to us." Cersei said with a smile, and I responded it.
How can one almost glaze oneself while talking about others achievement.
However, as I went to greet the other parties at the gathering, the door was slammed opened and 6 Kingsguards rushed through it.
Jon and Jorge stepped closer, their hands on their swords, but I held my hand up, stopping them. And at last, King Joffrey Baratheon, came through the doors.
And I went down on one knee immediately after, though I didn´t enjoy kneeling for others, I knew that it was a necessity.
"Your Grace." I said, while kneeling.
"Hmm, you sure as hell took your time in the Vale, and to think you'd stoop so low as to use savages." Joffrey said with a grin, and I didn´t respond.
"Your rule over the Vale will be acknowledge, but you'll swear another oath to me, right here and now." He said, as he stood infront of me.
It was clear as daylight what he was trying, for me to swear an oath now, instead of in the Great Hall, was disrespect in itself, but for me to have to swear a second one, was even more so.
I suppose Joffrey, or perhaps Tywin wanted to put me in my place.
But anyhow, I gritted my teeth and swore an oath.
"I, Lord Alexander Bracken, First of my name, Lord of House Bracken, Lord Paramount of the Vale and The Riverlands, Lord of the Rivers and Mountains and Master of War, do hereby solemnly swear an oath of fealty to King Joffrey Baratheon, first of his name, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, House Bracken, The Riverlands and the Vale are steadfast supporters of you, your grace. And we shall listen and respond to any call you make, for you are the true King of the Seven Kingdoms." I said, while kneeling. Infront of the entire welcoming party.
I made up most of that speech in the moment, as I expected at least some time to prepare.
"Good, you know your place." Joffrey stated, before he turned around with all his Kingsguard, except Jaime.
I slowly stood up as the King disappeared.
Surprisingly, I spotted Cersei with a confident grin, as if she had won.
Oh, what a foolish woman, she truly that believed that Joffrey would inspire loyalty with his arrogant attitude, and as if swearing a second oath made any difference.
It might have worked on individuals like Ned Stark, but I was no such person.
And after smiling, Cersei too left. Welp, I didn´t care much, for a new player had entered Kings Landing, the Tyrells.
Previously, the Lannisters were the only one with real influence and power, but the Tyrells are perhaps the only rivals to House Lannister, and there was a reason.
They were currently weaker, in terms of pure political power, but that was entirely due to Joffrey, but the Tyrells held the largest grain reserves, and the largest armies, the Lannister outmatched them in pure wealth and army-quality, but not for long.
However, suprisingly, Lady Olenna Tyrell was the one to approach me, stretching her hand out.
"Please walk with me, dear." She said, and I nodded.
I had yet to actually properly speak with her.
"So, how was the conquest of the vale?" She asked, smalltalk. As we headed towards the gardens, Margaery and Sansa were walking behind us, talking.
"Well, I´d say it went quite well, House Bracken now has a new ancestral sword, and I'm the Lord Paramount of two regions, making me the Lord ruling the most regions, after King Joffrey." I said.
"The two weakest regions." She stated, as if it wasn't even a question.
"Well, I suppose that's all subjective. The Vale is the strongest in terms of cavalry, and honour." I said, and Olenna smiled.
"The Vale is not yet, loyal to you. Though, it takes years, even decades of ruling for your legitimacy to settle amongst said "honourable" lords." Olenna said and I nodded.
"Perhaps their honour, is a two-sided sword." I said, and Olenna nodded.
"Well, if weakness is subjective, then my subjective definition, is that neither of the regions grow enough food to last the winter, especially with the recent wars." She said, and I knew what she wanted, but I´d play along.
"Oh, so my regions are destined to die? And who would be our Knight in shining armour?" I asked, and Olenna just smiled, as we reached a part of the Garden which was isolated.
"The Crownlands and the Westerlands, neither of whom possess the storage, nor the growth to sustain themselves and 2 other regions. The Seven Kingdoms is in debt to the Iron Bank, so none of the free cities would sell to a Lord under their rule. So there are only 2 regions whom can produce the necessary food." She said.
Of course, it was obvious. The North couldn't produce enough for themselves, nor could the Iron Islands, and the Stormlands were lacking in even more men than the Crownlands and the Westerlands, leaving Dorne and the Reach.
Dorne has isolated themselves from politicking, and they would never sell me enough food without heavily outpricing me, whether in prices or favours. Which left the Reach.
"Nothing comes free, I understand what you're saying. So what is your price, Lady Tyrell?" I asked, as we both stopped and turned to each other.
"Your support, and a mutual alliance." She said, as she smiled slightly.
"The Seven Kingdoms are exhausted, the Targaryens and the Baratheons to the east, the Iron Born to the west, all those are powers which oppose the current King, King Joffrey Baratheon. And Dorne possess a deep hatred from the Lannister, and neither of us are foolish, the child has golden blood in his veins." Olenna said, and I nodded along.
"The Crownlands are exhausted, Stannis took half their men, and killed them in the Battle of Blackwater Bay, the other 15% died on our side, so the Crownlands cannot muster any more armies. And the Westerlands has lost even more, over 30 000 Westerlands are dead, by the Robb Starks hand." Olenna continued.
"The Lannisters, need us, for they have nobody else to turn to." I said, as if understanding it now, but it was all obvious and it had been for long.
"Indeed, the north won't help the Lannister, neither will the Iron Islands, nor Dorne, nor Stormlands. And together, we control 3 of the 9 regions, and 4 other hates the Lannisters. If we allied, they'd be desperate to keep them by their side." Olenna said, and I sighed slightly. Sure it was a solid plan, but she hadn't taken in the factors of the White Walkers, or Daenerys with her dragons.
I'm honestly just tempted to send a faceless man to kill Daenerys, sure I´d be thousands if not millions in debt, but I would work it back soon enough. Or perhaps they wouldn't, because the Iron Bank wanted Joffrey dead, who really knows.
But I needed her to fight against the dead, and for that reason only, she will be alive. But after that, I´ll make sure she's assassinated. But I will never oppose her publicly, her dragons follow her, and her only. They're bonded to her, and when she dies. They wouldn't automatically transfer to anyone, perhaps just fly away and roam free.
However I put that into the back of my mind, as I turned around to face Olenna again.
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