There was a war on the horizon, I could smell it in the air.
Well, it certainly wouldn't be Westeros without some kind of war happening, even more so now when it wasn't even remotely unified in any sort of way. I still held hope though, hope that I could cut off any burgeoning conflicts before they could start.
I think and it all depended on people being reasonable and understanding.
Surely there were some people who were both reasonable and understanding in Westeros, right? Insanity just couldn't happen to be the norm of this place.
…
"How are the men?" I directed my question towards Ser Patrek. He might have been going on in terms of age, but he was still someone that was resolutely loyal to me and House Tully. When I get the chance, I was going to reward him with a keep or something. "In good spirits I hope."
It wasn't just me and Ser Patrek though, Ser Guyard Cox was also with us as we stood in my solar that overlooked Riverrun and the town that had grown around it over the years. Something that I had expected, but had been surprised by the sheer rate of growth the former castle village had turned into a castle town.
The rate of growth had made it rather difficult to make sure a proper organised planned settlement had been put into place. I had played enough sim games to know the benefits of well-planned cities. I wasn't about to let a London Fire scenario occur underneath my watch.
The loyal knight nodded as we overlooked the expanse of Riverrun. "At its highest your grace. We continuously drill them in preparation for combat. You've seen the gears of the water tower, no? They are like that. Well oiled."
My lips twitched a bit as they smiled softly. "Good, I think me and you both know that they are going to more than likely see action in the coming future. Keeping drilling at the same time, be prepared for them to be dispatched."
Ser Guyard never seemed to do anything but stroke that damned goatee of his every single time that I saw him. "So, you expect war, your grace."
"I expect everything." I replied with grim solemnity. "It is better to wake the day, expecting the worst so when that something happens, all one can be is pleasantly surprised."
The Knight of Saltpans blinked for a moment, stopping his goatee stroking. "Some might say that is quite morbid, your grace."
All I could do was shrug at the truthfulness of that statement. "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it." I turned away from Riverrun, with its dull grey bricked buildings with a vibrant mixture of thatched or tiled roofs to the vestiges of my solar. "I'd rather wish I wasn't expecting war, but most of the time, the world is filled with men just waiting to whip out their cocks and measure who has the biggest one."
Ser Guyard let out a snot of laughter as Ser Patrek turned with me. "Who do expect we will be fighting against then?"
"Everyone?" I offered as a plausible suggestion. Thing is, I could definitely see something like that happening.
"Then we are truly and royally screwed then, your grace if that is the case." The First Lord admitted with ease, as if he was talking nothing more than the weather.
Ser Patrek wasn't of the same mind as him though as he shook his head. "We have the best foot in the entirety of Westeros. We'll feed the crows of Westeros well with the bounty we'll take."
"Then the rest of the kingdoms will just drown us in bodies then." Ser Guyard pointed out. "There is only so many men that we'll be able to throw into the field of battle, good ser. If all of them are fighting, who shall be working in the field to feed all those dashing young men earning themselves glory and honour on the battlefield? The women and children? Perhaps, but I doubt that would be most wise. And that's not taking into account we might have to contend with our potential enemies at sea as well."
I kept half an ear on the two as they argued amongst themselves as I thought about anything that I could do that would tip the odds in our favour if it just so happened that war does visit our lands. For starters, if by some horrible luck on my part, every other southron kingdom decides to come at me, I was screwed.
I'm sure we could put up a fight, but for how long would be the question. How long before the riverlords revert back to their age old practice of stabbing their ruling king in the back for some control over the riverlands?
I wasn't willing to risk myself or my family on that.
So I needed allies, but who?
The north? Possibly. Torrhen owed me a shit load of favours at this point. I sold the north grain at far below the market value. The prospectors I had sent north had found valuable minerals in the northern mountains, everything from iron, tin, bronze, silver to precious jewels such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds among others in northern caves that seemed to go on for forever.
In other words, Torrhen had the resources at hand to build an effective mining establishment that could bring in a shit load of wealth that could go on to potential rival the Lannisters if he played his cards right (of course, I got a cut of the action since I had poured some of my own coin and time into the venture). All thanks to me.
The guy owed me and it would be pretty shitty of him to just leave me out to dry if I asked for aid. Then again, this was Westeros and the nobles seemed pretty shitty by default most of the time.
In other words? I shouldn't expect much from that front. What I would be sure of is the fact that the north would stay out of any war in the south, so my northern flank would be safe.
Thank the seven for the small stuff, eh?
What else could I do to keep my pretty little head on my neck? Let's see...to the east was the Vale, currently in the process of falling into a civil war by the sounds of it. Support one over the other? Instigate for a civil war to start early? Could very well potentially come back to bite me in the ass in a big manner.
The mountain clans? They raided this side of the Mountains of the Morn. Perhaps cut a deal with them? Tyrion was able to do the same with them. Arms and armour. Let them loose against the valemen. That should cause a shit load of trouble for them.
Again, could potentially come and bite me large in the ass.
Actually, everything had the potential to come back and bite me in the ass. The only way to solve this was to somehow stop the war that I could feel in my bones from happening.
I groaned as I realised I had to go see that old codger in Stoney Sept. Then there was this Luthor guy as well.
Fuck my life.
"Your grace?"
Ah, it seemed I had groaned a bit too loudly and the others had heard me. "Apologies, I just feel a headache coming along. I hope it's alright with you good sers to call a day to this meeting."
They both rose with me. "It's fine your grace. We shall see to the defences to the kingdom by your leave."
I gave them my agreement with a nod of the head. "And I shan't forget your leal service."
***
"Right little man, since I'll be gone for the next few days, do you know what that means?" I asked, holding in my arms my son and heir, Alfred. And I didn't name him for the shock of shaggy red hair that nestled on the top of his head.
The little boy looked at me with eyes much like mine. It was incredibly queer how certain traits seemed to pass on in this place. I mean, all of my kids sharing every shade of red possible between the two of them? That was freaky, especially with my wife having the more dominant gene of black/brown hair.
And I was sure red hair was a recessive gene as well. Well, back on Earth anyway.
"That I'll be the man of the castle?"
I poked him in the middle of the head. "Exactly, that means it's up to you to protect your sister and mother and all our vassals and subjects."
He nodded his head with the most serious look his four-year-old-self could muster. "I will."
I laughed, looking past him to Zhoe and Ciri and the assembled lords and ladies that consisted of Ladies Anya and Ellyn, Lords Lyam, Samwell and Brandon among many others, though them being the most prominent. "I think we have ourselves a fine heir for throne in the future."
Ciri skipped up to me, poking at her little brother playfully. "Well, he's a bit small, but I suppose he'll do for now. But hurry home father, we'll miss you."
"I know, I miss me too sometimes." Ciri pouted at my response and I could feel the roll of the eyes from Zhoe as she closed in on us.
Little Alfie couldn't help but cock his head to the side cutely in confusion. "How can you miss yourself? You are you."
His mother took him out of my grasps and gently put him to his feet. "Don't you mind him now, Alfie. Your father sometimes thinks himself a jester."
"A very droll one, I should add." I quipped before turning to the rest of the assembled court. "I won't be long and in the time I'm gone, my first minister shall rule in my stead along with my lady wife." They all nodded and gave their assent to the agreement.
Lord Brandon stepped forward, a pensive look on his face. "Your grace, I have my men in search of Luthor, what should I do when he is found?"
"If he so wishes, guest him in Riverrun, if not, keep an update on his location so that when I do return, I can meet him at a location of his own convenience and safe of mind."
The Blackwood scion inclined his head as he took the orders to mind. "Understood your grace."
I smiled and turned to my lady wife. "A kiss for good luck before I go?" Little shows like where all part of the game, especially in front of the court and everyone else who was making their way past.
Zhoe gave me a peck on the lips that would be considered appropriate, but I admit, I couldn't help myself when I forced my tongue into her lips, slid an arm around her waist and bent her back for all to see. A few wolf whistles and cheers went from the crowd before I relented and straightened ourselves up.
Zhoe was quite flushed from that little show of affection. I nodded and smiled. "Yeah, that was definitely lucky." I blinked when I looked down at Ciri who looked like she just saw something disgusting and had her hands covering Little Alfie's eyes who was struggling to remove them from his eyes. "...What are you doing?"
"Protecting Alfie's innocence." She sniffed her nose disapprovingly. "That was horrible. Not noble at all."
"And you are just too young to understand. I'll make sure to explain it all when you are of the right age." Ah, it was going to be fun having the birds and the bees talk with both of them. "Right then, I'll be leaving now."
With that, I made for my horse.