What had I done to deserve this?' I had tried my entire life to do right by the people who I met every day. As I lay outside the bus bleeding out with the leg chains and handcuffs on, it wasn't hard to figure it out. My former business partners had paid someone to kill me before I had gotten on the bus to county jail. They were afraid I would cut a deal, as they should have been.
After several client accounts had been discovered to have been completely emptied, an investigation had been triggered. Unfortunately for me, I was the first one that had been arrested. My assets had been frozen and I was unable to secure bail, I had already instructed my attorney to get me a deal but the feds had wanted to play hard ball and make an example of me. It wasn't the first time I had been investigated for some shady shit, but this time I wasn't prepared.
I had warned my partners about making those investments with client funds, but they wouldn't listen. Now they had been caught. An account manager had turned whistle blower, unfortunately, she had gone directly to the authorities. I was suspect number one because I was the only one who hadn't been involved, so I didn't know I needed to cover my tracks. I had been blindsided and to make it worst, some of my other shady deals had been discovered.
I guess even if I was innocent of what I was accused of, I wasn't clean in the eyes of the law. The thing I regret was for all of the wealth and power, I had still tried to appear as if I was a decent upstanding citizen. While like a coward, I was always cautious. Like that I bled out on a concrete floor while chaos erupted around me, it didn't take long as I had been stabbed multiple times below the armpit before anyone realized what had happened.
...
Greetings Mortal, you have been granted a second chance at life. Do you accept Yes/No
A golden string of text appeared in the subsequent darkness. 'The fuck?'
Yes yes, I know death can be a little disorientating for lower life forms but make your choice before I pick one of the more unsavory types and let them have all the fun.
Yes/No
The words appeared again, this time furiously blinking that I couldn't ignore it. It only took a second to make up my mind. I was being given a second chance and from the looks of it, the offeror was not the patient type. I focused on the blinking Yes. Only to realize that I didn't have hands but that seemed to be enough.
Fantastic, you won't regret your choice. You don't need to know who I am, but know that I hold the power to bless you or make you suffer infinitely. The moral is, don't piss me off. If you are wondering why the text, it is for your own safety. Your mind cannot comprehend even the tiniest fraction of my magnificence. However, I have fell in love with Earth culture across the multiverse. That is why I am giving you a chance.
I happened to catch the end of your shanking and read your thoughts. I have a job that I think you will be perfect for. There is this stupid Lion who thinks himself too big for his own good, so I have decided to mess with his plans. I see that you are familiar with A song of Ice and Fire, so this should make it easier.
I will give you your chance. I want you to fuck up that stupid "Great Other" who serves the will of that dumb lion. You can do anything else you want in between and after your task is complete. Don't worry, there is no penalty for being good or evil. Only how others will perceive you. I will shield your soul for you. Unless you find religion then any of the Divinities will be able to perceive the changes to you. Remember if you attract their attention and fuck up my little prank, I will make you suffer.
And just like that everything went blank.
...…..
'Ahh, my head hurts. What the fuck happened?' As I reached for the blanket, I suddenly noticed how much smaller my hands were. 'Wait, I should be dead right now.' I began to examine my body as quickly as I could and then the room. 'I really did reincarnate into a different world.' How was I sure? I was now in the body of what could only be a teenager for one, and two, either I fell asleep at a renaissance fair or I was in some third world country that had a distinct taste for handcrafted furniture and bedding. Also, the complete lack of modern fixtures.
I closed my eyes and tried to remember everything that happened recently and it all suddenly came back. It was at that time I notice a small faintly glowing dot in the corner of my closed eyes. As I tried to focus on it;
____________________________
Name; Tywin Lannister
Age; 10
Blessings; Divine Guidance
Titles; Heir to Casterly Rock, Tytos Lannister's Son
Bloodline; (Inactive)
Status;
Attributes;
Vitality- 6, Strength- 6, Stamina- 7, Agility- 7, Mind- 10, Will- 7, Charisma- 8, Luck- 10
(Free Attribute Points 0)
Skills- Sword Proficiency (basic-1), Dagger Proficiency (basic-1), Shield Proficiency(basic-1), Ridding Proficiency (basic-1), Archery (basic-1), Handwriting (basic-1), Reading (basic-1), Arithmetic (basic-1)
Free Skill Points- 0
Quests;
*Defeat 5 or more opponents in single combat. (0/5) (rewards- 5 free SP on completion)
*Slay an opponent in battle. (0/1) (rewards- 3 free AP on completion)
*Gain 5 followers. (2/5) (rewards- 1 AP to Charisma on completion)
*Notice- The quests are optional.
____________________________
Never in a million years would I have thought reincarnation was possible, much less like the online fantasy novels about being recruited by powerful gods and gifted with a system. Well, whatever 'it' was that caused me to be here, it was obvious to me that this was real. The headache I was suffering was too painful not to be.
I slowly laid down back and with my eyes closed trying to both analyze the situation while not increasing the headache. I slowly worked my way through what I could only describe as my status screen. 'Tywin Lannister, one of the main antagonists in ASOIAF, and here I am in his body. Did he die or something?'
I suddenly had an idea; I began to try and remember what happened the night before picturing from Tywin's point of view. To my astonishment, it had worked. Tywin, the night before had been infuriated by his weak-willed father Lord Tytos. His father had accepted an offer from Walder Frey to marry his sister Genna to Walder Frey's second son. This had boiled his blood. This union would not benefit his family or his sister in anyway.
Walder's son had nothing to inherit in the family of rats. To Tywin, House Frey even if they had their own merits were not a house of quality, they were a house quantity. Apart from House Frey's seat 'The Twins' which was strategically placed between the North and the Riverlands. This allowed the House to have access to goods from both regions as well as being able to tax travelers along the route. This also made them a House that you didn't want to be on the bad side of, especially if you were from the Riverlands or the North.
However, this was the Westerlands, why the fuck would Tytos be afraid of House Frey or Walder Frey, they posed no threat to House Lannister. Further they were not even close enough to see any benefits in having them as strategic allies. Tywin would hear from his brother Kevan what had happened, how Walder Frey, had played his father.
The scheming rat Walder Frey and his sons had gotten his father Tytos alone in the great hall during the feast. Kevan was the only one standing next to their father. Walder had flattered him and played him like a harp, expressing how he would like to deepen ties with house Lannister. Like a fool, Tytos expressed how he too would like that. It was then that Walder began to lament that it was his son Emmon who he had been seeking a match for. The little rat had been squiring for a knight from House Lannister of Lannisport. Tytos not realizing that he was being baited, promptly offered Walder the opportunity to have him serve as a house knight at Casterly Rock.
Walder then graciously accepted, playing up how his son was a very moral and upstanding young man and that it would be an honor for him to serve House Lannister. As Tytos continued to praise the young man who was in his presence, it was at that time, Walder Frey struck. He then as a matter of fact, stated that since Emmon was such an upstanding lad and Genna was also not betrothed, then it was only sensible to have them married. Kevan had said that he had felt sick when he heard the proposal. He also said their father had seemed to also briefly seem to feel the same way but had successfully hidden it.
Tytos not wanting to insult Walder simply went along however didn't anticipate how ruthless Walder truly was. Not one to waste and opportunity, swiftly got everyone's attention in the great hall and announced that the wedding would take place in 3 months. Of course, Emmon would wait until Genna had flowered to consummate the marriage as she had only just turn 7. That was a smaller detail as the loverly couple would spend that time getting to know each other.
Tytos just stood there the entire time nervously laughing and agreeing to the terms put out in front of him. It was at that time Tywin had made his wait through the crowed and confronted his father. Ellyn Reyne could be heard cackling as the entire hall had gone silent. "Have you lost your mind Lord Tytos, would you the Warden of the West and Lord of Casterly Rock bethrowing your 7-name day daughter to some no name second son of a Riverlands toll collector. Have you taken leave of your senses." Tywin rebuked him.
Like an idiot Tytos just nervously chuckled while everyone began to whisper. As the whispers grew louder, Lord Roger Reyne loudly shouted insults that couldn't be understood before turned and stormed off through the crowd and left. It was then that Walder Frey sensing the potential that things might turn against him, came to Tytos defense. "Oh, what a fierce lion cub you have for a son, I wonder if he isn't speaking out of jealousy. If you want, I also have a beautiful daughter who would be willing to marry as well." And with that people in the crowd began to snigger and some out right laughed further to the back. This only served to make Tywin even more furious.
His eyes hadn't broken form Tytos' face for a second, his father never looking into his eyes as his face started to turn pale. "Have some shame at least, look Genna in her face when you tell her that she is to be married to this." His tone was cold as he pointed his hand at Emmon Frey, who seemed as if he was trying to sink back into the crowd. It was clear how furious Tywin was. Tywin then stormed out of the hall. He headed straight to the training yard and began to train the rest of the night with a practice sword in the dimly lit yard. Kevan found him later and filled him in on all the details.
As I sifted through Tywin's memories, I tried to pin down any clues as to what happened to the original Tywin that I was now inhabiting his body. I was coming up with a blank, it was as if he just went to sleep so angry last night and then I woke up in his place this morning. There had been nothing, the switch had just happened and I was now here as if I had always belonged here. This was the work of a truly unfathomable being.
As I reflected more and tried to understand the former owner of the body that I now occupied. I truly began to understand why he became such a cold and calculating man in the books. I slowly felt a cold fury as I combed through the memories. I was in the body of young Tywin Lannister, a man who in the book had cast a great shadow over Westeros.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Milord, your lady mother has requested your presence in the small hall to break your fast."
'Oh, mother… wait. Curious I made that connection rather seamlessly. Guess there is a lot of the old Tywin remaining besides just his memories. Either way, this is to my advantage, don't want to make anyone suspicious.'
"Tell her I will break my fast later, I have some matters to attend to, also send some servants to assist me with a bath." I replied and then heard the servant respond and quickly move away from my room.
If my memories were correct; I checked a small room in the corner of my bedroom and there it was. A large wooden tub and further in the corner, what I assumed was a drain for the water. The servants would have to bring buckets with the water. Even if I was in a medieval fantasy land, I wouldn't deviate from the standard bath in the morning and evening. If I was anything, it was clean, and from my memories, so was old Tywin. It wasn't strange for him to bathe on mornings when he hadn't bathed the night before.
As I made my way back to the bed. I observed that the headache was beginning to ease. Perhaps a side effect of having my memories from the previous life crammed into this body. 'Was I really reborn into this world? Or was it just my memories from my previous life transferred to this body? If it was the former then I am a new addition to this world and if I am the latter, then I'm simply just Tywin 2.0+. Well either way, doesn't change that I am living in this world now, just need to figure things as I go along. I will go with the flow for now but that doesn't mean I will I am going to become complacent.'
There was still the whole thing of the 'Great Other', also 'who the hell was 'it' referring to as 'the dumb lion'?. I would also need to build up my strength as well as the strength I command. Between being Tywin Lannister and the future Hand of the King, which was another thing I needed to figure out, I would have no shortage of the power I would command. I can't try to deviate too much from what I remember from the books and the videos I used to watch on the lore of ASOIAF. At the same time, I can't play it too safe, Tywin was cautious but a bold man in the books, while I was overly cautious in my previous life. Maybe if I had been more ruthless, my partners wouldn't have set me up.
Now back to the question of the system I now seemed to have access to. I closed my eyes and began to examine it. I simply now focused on the dim golden dot in the corner of my darkened vision and the 'Status Screen' popped up.
I looked closer at the floating text that appeared. The first 2 lines were self-explanatory. The line for 'Blessings; Divine Guidance' attracted my attention first. As I thought on what exactly were these blessing, my mind made a connecting to the Quests at the bottom. 'Was this some way for the Notice. Was this what was meant by Guidance, was it a tool to point me in the right direction or was I going to receive some type of 'sign' later on.
Moving on, next was Titles; Heir to Casterly Rock, did these titles have any effect on me, did they affect the way the world perceived me, did they affect my attributes or all of the above? As I thought of these questions, I notice something had been added to my skills as it was blinking. 'Observation (basic 1)'. Just like that another string of text opened.
Observation- the ability to perceive more details from the target of your attention.
'Finally, something I could work with.' I thought to myself as I quickly back tracked. Blessings- Ability/s granted by you patron. Divine Guidance- automatically generated prompts form the system that has been granted to the host, this will aid the host in accomplishing his tasks as well as avoid situations that may lead to failure.
'Huh, neat.'
Titles- what you are commonly recognized by others for, they affect how people perceives you as well as the level of authority and influence you can leverage.
Heir to Casterly Rock- All those who are pledged to House Lannister and their ancestral seat of Casterly Rock, treat you with the level of respect that comes from this position.
Tytos Lannister's Son- Tytos Lannister despite the authority held in the Westerlands, because of his actions, he is currently being held in low regard by the majority of those sworn to him. As a result, anyone related to this individual will likewise be held in a lower regard by those affected.
"FUCK YOU TYTOS!!!" without thinking I curse out loud. This was a serious problem. No wonder Tywin was 'bloody' in his early life. Just thinking about it made me angry. 'I won't be able to fix this soon as if I remember correctly from the book, Tywin will be shipped off to Kings Landing soon because of the incident last night.' I began to think what I will be able to do before I leave.
KNOCK KNOCK
"Tywin, father has sent me, he needs to discuss something with you." I recognized the young voice and quickly opened the door.
"What, is he scared to come talk to me so he sent you as a messenger. Rather impressive position for 8 name day boy, Messenger of the Warden of The West." I couldn't resist making the joke, however angry I was. The young blonde here boy just maintained a neutral expression the same as me.
"As do you, you have made the Warden of the West uncomfortable to be in your presence. You know he dares not face you alone, so he sent me here. Now get dressed and meet us in the small hall, I'm hungry." Kevan flatly said and turned and headed back down the corridor.
'No wonder why Tywin respected him in the books, they were cut from the same cloth. More importantly, what does my father want? Hmmm, again? I'll just go along with it, how easy is it to fit into this role as Tywin. Maybe I will get a skill for 'Acting' soon enough. Either way, I need to plan my way forward, I suspect my time in the West will be limited. I need to make some plans as well as complete as many of those 'Quests' as soon as possible.