Rebellion (part2)
4 994 of the Renewal (282 AC or 16 years before the events of Game of Thrones)
Riverrun, Riverlands,
In his room aboard the Vingilot, Harry sat behind his desk, reading Tywin Lannister's last letter intently. To facilitate the exchanges between the two men, he had given him a Vanishing Box, which like its big sister the Vanishing Cabinet, allows to transfer the contents instantly. The first box was in Harry's room, although this time he chose to bring it with him. As for the second, it was in Tywin Lannister's office in Casterly Rock.
The two men exchanged often, to the tune of one missive per week, or even two. Their exchanges were initially intended to be friendly, but their relationship quickly evolved, the two men having a mutual attraction.
Interesting thing, and at the same time disturbing for those who knew Harry. For several millennia, he had withdrawn into himself, detaching himself from society to dedicate himself to his people. Even Tormas, the former Dark Lord, had expressed strong concern about his grandson's lack of socialization. And although he didn't view the relationship between Tywin and Harry favourably, he had to admit that it was beneficial for Harry.
Tywin's letter was very interesting, at least for Harry. The latter had expressed doubts about the way forward for this war, the man not wishing to take the wrong side. Thus, and to protect his lands, Tywin had mobilized the banners of the Westerlands, all mobilized at the Golden Tooth in the event of an overflow of conflicts from the Riverlands.
Like Harry, he had received a letter from Aerys urging him to help him under pain of death, and another from Jon Arryn promising a thousand and one rewards for his support. And although Tywin was keen to join the rebels, in revenge for Aerys 'continued insults, he did not forget the Reach's support for the dragon, with Westeros' largest army capable of single-handedly rivalling the Vale, the North, the Stormlands and the Riverlands.
As a result, Tywin had remained neutral, waiting for an opportunity. And all his doubts, fears and plans were communicated directly to the one he considered his closest confidant, and romantic interest, Hadrian Sunstrider.
Harry having warned Tywin of his choice to join Robert, the man decided to act in return, knowing full well that Harry would win against the dragon.
Tywin Lannister intended to take his army to King's Landing, at full speed, to take the city and deliver it to Robert in exchange for a royal wedding. Harry didn't see any downside, other than the plan to wipe out the royal family for good. Oh, Harry sure didn't want to save the dragons, but he saw a golden opportunity to capture a few and experiment to find out their connection to dragons, and even imitate them. After all, you should never waste an opportunity.
Therefore, and taking a self- inking quill, he expressed his request.
My dear Tywin,
I can only approve your project, because offering King's Landing to Robert Baratheon can only please him. The little time spent in his company allows me to assert his visceral hatred for the Targaryens, which is ironic when we know that the Baratheons are the descendants of Aegon the Conqueror, and that the paternal grandmother of Robert is none other than Rhaelle Targaryen, Aerys' aunt.
However, I want to ask you a favour, however special it may be. I need you to capture Aegon and Rhaenys Targaryen, and if the opportunity arises, Queen Rhaella and her son Viserys. Even Elia Martell would help me, although not as important.
Knowing yourself, you probably want to know the reasons for my request, and being my closest confidant, I am willing to reveal them to you.
Historically, the Valyrians have been able to control dragons, and my people never thought to verify the origin of this link. However, the fall of House Targaryen offers me a golden opportunity, being the last living descendants of one of the Forty Families of the Dragon Lords of Ancient Valyria.
I sincerely hope that you will accede to my request, and I can't wait to see you again in King's Landing. In addition, I managed to make a breakthrough in the " Goliath " project , and you will be delighted to learn that it is now possible to reverse the dwarfism linked to a genetic defect, from which your son suffers.
With love and friendship,
Harry
Quickly rereading the letter, Harry gently placed it in the Vanishing Box before closing it. He heard a draft noise, a sign that the letter had disappeared. Getting up, a smile on his lips, he decided to join Riverrun for a feast given in his honour.
4 994 of the Renewal (282 AC or 16 years before the events of Game of Thrones)
Golden Tooth, Westerlands,
Tywin Lannister was a man feared and revered by the Lords of Westeros, especially those of the Westerlands, the domain of the Lannister family since the rise to power of Lann the Clever, first lord of House Lannister.
But no one, apart from Tywin, knew that Lann the Clever was the bastard son of Florys the Vixen, daughter of Garth Greenhand, thereby making the Lannisters a family descended from the Great King of the Reach, and one of the families who could claim the Reach at any time, although their rights are far lower than those of other families in the Reach.
For the occasion, Tywin was seated behind the desk of Leo Lefford, Lord of House Lefford and Lord of the Golden Tooth. Without even asking his opinion, Tywin had taken possession of his office, and his room when he arrived. Of course, Leo Lefford had not dared to contradict him, he was so scared of Tywin, which the lion enjoyed.
And as usual, he had brought with him the vanishing box given to him by the man he considered his future consort, Hadrian Sunstrider.
His interest in Harry had started during the Tournament of Harrenhal, when the latter openly mocked Aerys while offering Tywin a lavish gift in the form of armour, along with Brightroar in addition. Soon after, Tywin had started a correspondence with the Elven King to thank him, and little by little, they continued to exchange to the point that Harry sent him a box to facilitate their exchange.
Tywin had even gone so far as to join Camelot's Palace in Silvermoon City, thanks to a strange object called " Portkey " that Harry had given him through the box. And that portkey was reusable, and Tywin had to admit that in just one year, he had already visited the palace thirty times, each time to join Harry. But also, he took the opportunity to visit the Capital of this thousand-year-old empire, being the only human authorized in what the elves considered as the sacrosanct of their Empire.
And he had to admit that Silvermoon exceeded, by far, Lannisport and even King's Landing. The city was perfect, with the scent of perfumes and the scent of exotic fruits, streets so clean that every pavement shone, and above all, happy people without the slightest beggar, without the slightest prostitute. A perfect city, which he considered his sanctuary.
And the funniest part was the elves' welcome to him. It was obvious that his relationship with Harry was no secret, the elves viewing him with a certain friendship and reverence, something he appreciated. Even Harry's grandfather, Tormas Sunstrider, seemed to appreciate Tywin's critical and analytical mind. And on the other hand, Tywin liked to play chess with the one who insisted on being called " Voldemort " in private, something Tywin did not understand but accepted all the same.
Coming back to his thoughts, Tywin stared at the letter he had just received. Harry agreed with his idea, but he demanded that he spare the royal family, apart from Aerys. And it was obvious that Harry wasn't planning on leaving them in Westeros, but surely taking them to his kingdom for a bunch of experiments, a fate some would probably consider worse than death.
But Tywin didn't care about sheep considerations, for a lion didn't care about the opinion of a flock of sheep. As a result, he decided to accept Harry's request, himself interested in what he was about to find out. But what really upset Tywin was the progress of the Goliath Project. Harry had explained the name of the project to him, Goliath being a giant. But Tywin didn't know if he should be happy or angry.
Despite the years, and Harry's advice, Tywin continued to harbour a resentment against Tyrion, his dwarf son. The boy kept drinking and banging bitches, dragging the Lannisters' name through the mud. Yet Tyrion was remarkably intelligent, but he kept wasting the opportunities presented to him. Oh, Tywin knew full well that he was largely responsible for all of this, having treated Tyrion with disdain and contempt. But he expected his own flesh not to let it go, and to prove to everyone, as he did, that he was a real lion. But it wasn't, and each of Tywin's children turned out to be a disappointment.
Cersei, vain and foolish, believing herself to be the queen of manipulation, yet unable to see beyond the tip of her nose. Jaime, a knight born with a chick pitch instead of the brain, having only the ambition to serve a Mad King, to serve as a vase and bodyguard instead of ruling what is his right.
And Tyrion, who killed his wife on birth, suffering from dwarfism, and kept drinking and tumbling in whores' arms while damaging the reputation of the Lannisters, hard earned by Tywin.
And yet, Project Goliath provided an opportunity to curb this dwarfism, and could possibly put an end to Tyrion's downfall. Because he knew it well, Tyrion's handicap only attracted mockery and looks of disgust, which propelled the young man twice as fast into alcoholism and prostitution.
This project, this miraculous healing could change everything, and yet he hesitated to accept it. Could he forgive Tyrion if he turned normal? Tywin had no idea, and most importantly, he didn't want to.
For Tywin was hiding a secret, and was afraid that Tyrion's health recovery would reveal it : Tyrion was not his son.
Yep, Tyrion Lannister was actually Tyrion Hill, bastard son born from the rape of Joanna Lannister by Aerys Targaryen. He had only learned it very late, from a maid to Joanna who had heard Joanna Lannister's screams when Aerys performed the deed. And everything proved that Tyrion was Aerys' son.
Never before had a Lannister been born with a disability, or minnow eyes, an Aphrodite body etc. Never! But among the Targaryens it was very common. Two Targaryens, Alyssa Targaryen and Shaïra Seastar, were born in the past with minnow eyes, one green and the other of another colour. Apart from them, no other child from any household was born with this peculiarity. Moreover, the Targaryens were the only ones born with various disabilities, like twins with six fingers, winged children, all stillborn. Not to mention that very often, the births of Targaryen children ended in death ... And finally, Tyrion's silvery hair, similar to Aerys's.
Yes, Tyrion Lannister was not Tywin's son, and Tywin didn't know how to react. This was the real reason he refused to make Tyrion his heir, and he was afraid that everyone would find out when treating Tyrion for his dwarfism. But could he refuse treatment for this man's disability?
Letting out a sigh, he burned the letter, to prevent anyone from discovering his correspondence, and stood up. He had to order his army to take the direction of King's Landing, and once the deed is done, he will be able to look more deeply into the question.
4 994 of the Renewal (282 AC or 16 years before the events of Game of Thrones)
Riverrun, Riverlands,
Accompanied by Jason, Harry entered the Hall of the Castle of Riverrun. The lords were smiling and babbling merrily, the heavy atmosphere having given way to glee. They knew that with Albion's army the war was already over and its outcome decided. Yes, they were already celebrating their victory, and when Harry walked in, all raised their goblets full of wine or beer in his direction.
Across the room, seated behind a long table draped in linen, Hoster Tully was smiling and chatting lively with Jon Arryn. And next to Jon Arryn, Lisa Arryn née Tully was quietly enjoying a glass of wine, but you could see endless sadness in her eyes, the woman unhappy to be married to an old man.
Other people were at the table. Robert Baratheon, drinking thirstily and shouting his words he was so alcoholic, Eddard Stark, drinking a pint of beer in moderation, his wife Catelyn Stark née Tully by his side, beaming with happiness. And in all this, Edmure Tully stayed quietly in his place, also consuming as much beer as Robert.
And of course, two seats were to the left of Hoster Tully, probably for Jason and Harry. No sooner had they approached than Hoster stood up, with a certain difficulty that betrayed his age.
"Your Majesty, allow me to once again welcome you to my domain! Come, let's share the bread and the salt!"
"Thank you for a lovely welcome, Lord Tully," Harry thanked him as he sat down directly next to the trout. "So let us do, and allow me to accept the guest right bestowed upon by accepting this piece of salted bread."
With a snap of his finger, Hoster summoned a servant holding in his hands a tray containing pieces of bread and a plate of salt. Although he disliked the custom, Harry decided to submit to it and, taking a loaf of bread, dipped it in salt before swallowing it, wincing at the salty taste. Jason imitated him, the latter barely holding back from spitting out the filthy food.
"My hospitality is officially granted to you, King Hadrian! I will be able to provide for your needs as long as you are my guest!" Hoster said with a big smile.
"That's very kind," Harry smirked. "But allow me to introduce to you one of my close advisers, and friend, Prince Jason Stormwater, Marshal of the Empire, and Lord-Consort of the Princely House of Stormwater of Olympus."
"Nice to meet you, my lords!" Jason nodded.
"Marshal? What is it?" Jon Arryn asked, intrigued by the title.
Jason looked at Harry, the latter nodding. Redirecting his gaze to Jon Arryn, and the other equally interested guests, Jason decided to answer the question.
"The Marshal is the title granted to the leader of the land armies of the Albionian Empire, responsible for directing all armed operations taking place on land. As Marshal, I sit on the Royal Council, which must be the equivalent of your Small Council."
"And who takes care of your fleet?" Robert asked in a flash of lucidity.
No wonder, Robert Baratheon being above all a warrior and strategist, every subject concerning the war could make him forget the drink.
"This is my husband and consort, Prince Perseus Stormwater, Grand Admiral of the Imperial Navy and member of the Royal Council," Jason replied with a slight smile.
Nodding, Robert seemed satisfied with the answer. Only Catelyn Stark reacts to Jason's words.
"Excuse my rudeness, your grace, but did you say your " husband"? Are you a sodomite?" Catelyn asked, frowning.
She didn't notice the shocked looks of the other lords. Everyone knew that the elves accepted couples of the same gender perfectly, and that they could give birth together thanks to their magic. The angriest was obviously Hoster, very angry at his daughter's words, calling Jason Stormwater a sodomite, a derogatory term. As for Lysa, she smiled slightly as she noticed the blunder made by " miss perfect ".
"Catelyn, I will not tolerate such language to my guests!" Hoster cried, banging his fist on the table, startling everyone. "It is not your right to question the romantic relationships of Albionians, and even less of a guest as esteemed as Prince Jason!"
Eyes widening, Catelyn took the time to look around, realizing the mistake she had just made. All the lords, and even the soldiers, looked at her with a mixture of pity and anger.
"Know, madame, that we cannot tolerate intolerance among our own people. To tell the truth, I officiated Jason and Perseus' wedding myself, and any insults against them will be considered mine", Harry said icily.
Swallowing her saliva, Catelyn hurried to offer her apologies.
"Accept my apologies, your majesty, your grace," she said palely." I was not thinking wrong, and please accept my awkwardness."
"I accept, for now," Jason said, staring at her.
A heavy silence then began. Several minutes passed, without anyone daring to say a word. Finally, Robert decided to break the ice.
"I'm hungry!" he cried.
At these words, the guests snickered and the heaviness gave way to a warm atmosphere, the conversations resuming. For his part, Harry already regretted coming, but Hoster had made him understand that after the meal, a War Council would take place.
He decided to take his illness patiently.
\Two hours later/
The last guests left the hall, leaving the rebel leaders alone with Harry and Jason. Quickly a guard entered holding a large map which he spread out on the large table. It was a detailed map of the Riverlands.
"According to our information, the Royalist army is heading for the Trident, and will reach it in less than two weeks," Jon informed them, pointing to the crossing of the river dividing into three. "The army would be jointly led by Rhaegar Targaryen and Lewyn Martell."
"In that case, let's go!" cried Robert, clapping his fist. "I'm finally gonna kill that damn dragon and get my Lyanna back!"
"Keep your fury for the battle, Lord Robert," Jason said, looking at the map. "How many men do you have?"
"Taking our four Houses into account, we have a total of about 35,000 men," Jon replied. "We lost a large part of our forces during the defeat of Ashford, and lost a lot of men at Stoney Sept."
"Not to mention that some of my banners prefer to stay neutral, mainly Walder Frey!" Hoster spat, looking with hatred at the location of the Twins. "This coward prefers to hide in his castle and wait for the end of the storm. On its own it can mobilize at least 2,000 men!"
Nodding, Jason continued to glance at the map. For the occasion, Harry had decided to let his marshal do it, the latter being used to waging war.
"What is the strategy employed by your men? How do they fight?" Jason asked, looking at each of the lords.
"Bah, mine are tough!" Robert replied with a big smile. "There is nothing tougher than a Baratheon, and all my men know how to fight in groups ! We don't have many knights, nor horsemen or archers, but my infantrymen are unbeatable."
"As for the men of the North, we know how to fight in cohesion, the inhospitable North forcing us to cooperate day and night," said Ned Stark. "We have a lot of archers, used to hunting in order to eat, but not a single rider."
"Regarding the Vale, my army is made up overwhelmingly of knights," smiles Jon. "This is our specialty, and the Vale of Arryn prides itself on having the best riders of the Seven Kingdoms."
"Bah, my army is versatile. We have so many horsemen, archers and infantry" Hoster said simply.
Considering the information given, Jason noted the lack of a proposed strategy. They probably had to content themselves with throwing themselves into the fray and a few basic strategies, such as cavalry encirclement. Nothing very special.
"What about yours?" Robert asked with some excitement.
"We brought in 15,000 legionaries, 15,000 foresters, 10,000 pilgrims, but also 5,000 Arcane Golems, 2,000 Ballistae, 2,000 griffin and hippogriff riders, 1,000 flying brigadiers and a thousand magisters," smiles Jason.
"By the Seven, what are griffins or hippogriffs? Or a brigadier?" Hoster asked.
Harry chooses to answer the question.
"Griffins and hippogriffs are winged creatures, one half eagle and half lion, and the other half eagle and half horse," Harry said. "As for the Flying Brigadiers, they ride Flying Brooms and are among the air elite of the Empire."
The Westerosians were speechless when they heard Harry's explanation. They knew they had a big flying ship, but they never suspected that the elves had a full flying army.
"I propose to hurry to the Trident in order to confront the Targaryen army. My legionaries will form the front row, using our magical wards to form an impenetrable wall. Their spears will be used to repel enemy cavalry", Jason explained. "We will place the foresters behind so that they bombard the enemy with arrows, while our cavalry will bypass the river with the help of the magisters who will erect a bridge, in order to take the enemy from the rear. Finally, we will send the air units to the rear of the enemy army, they will hide in the clouds."
"Why don't you just destroy the enemy with your magic?" Ned asked, frowning.
"Although our Magisters could wipe out their army, I want to use this fight to demonstrate the extent of our capabilities," Harry smirked. "Know that elves are not just wizards, but seasoned warriors and combat experts."
"Well said! Nothing better than a skull crushed under a hammer!" Robert smiles, raising his mug of beer.
"Indeed," Harry drawled, giving Robert an unimpressed look.
For his part, Jon looked at the western part of the Riverlands.
"Any idea which side the Lannisters have chosen?" he asked. "They could take advantage of this fight to invade my lands and besiege Riverrun."
"No fear, Tywin won't attack you," Harry smirked.
"Ah? So the old lion chose to join us?" Robert asked. "Weird, I don't remember having received a response from him. What about you, Jon?"
"I received no response from Tywin Lannister," Jon said with a frown.
"Let's just say Tywin and I are on a good relationship," Harry informed them. "And please know that I hold him in the highest regard, which means that every insult to his name will be considered a personal insult. What's more, Tywin has decided to storm King's Landing while the Royalist army is occupied with us, which will quickly bring this war to an end."
"I didn't know Tywin was capable of having friends," Hoster grumbled.
"Well, well in that case, what are we waiting for? I have skulls to smash!" cried Robert, getting up.
The men at the table watched the future king rise, stagger to the door, whistling merrily. Robert Baratheon was completely drunk.
"In that case, I suggest we rest so we can leave at dawn tomorrow," Jon offered.
"Totally agree," Harry replied. "With that, I will rest in my personal quarters, unwilling to impose my person on your abode, Lord Tully."
Without waiting for his response, Harry left the Hall with Jason, leaving behind an annoyed Hoster Tully. Tomorrow they were marching on the Trident to confront the Royalist army.