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Chapter preface:
Chaos simply is.
It had only been a week now that her father had come back from the Wedding that Never Was, yet Cersei had never seen him move about so much before. Tywin Lannister had always been the lord that sat behind his goldenwood desk and stared at the men in front of it until they moved to do his bidding unsaid. Which happened very quickly, as it usually went. If it did not, well, there were always people looking to work for the richest family in Westeros.
Now, though, now Tywin Lannister was spending his time in discussion with Lannister merchants and Lannister miners and Lannister relatives every second of the day in a frantic rush, almost, to do… something. Cersei did not ask what, her father had made his opinion abundantly clear on what a woman's position was supposed to be when he banned her from the training yard, what her position was supposed to be. A queen, but a woman still.
However, it wasn't like Cersei was oblivious. Aunt Genna talked to her, as did Uncle Tygett and Uncle Gerion, and many a maid knew not to cross her. The private docks of the Rock had seen unprecedented activity, though nobody could tell her what happened there. In fact, no one but her father and his closest confidantes got in or out of there. Uncle Gerion's smile had grown strained, and that was always a reason to worry. He'd been barred from the cellars, too, much to his displeasure. Something was up.
The presence of their new guests told her that the Ironborn were involved. Euron, Theon and Asha Greyjoy were treated more like valued friends instead of the imprisoned hostages that they were. Treating the squids like people was already a concession in Cersei's opinion, but her father had even instructed her to be courteous. It did not help that the only adult Greyjoy seemed to know next to nothing either and was weirding Cersei out besides. Alannys Harlaw, the mother of the two squidlings, seemed not entirely there regardless, so conversation with her was an exercise in futility.
Cersei craved information to make sense of it all. Her last life plan burnt to nothingness like wildfire, now that her silver prince had revealed himself to be poisonous mercury instead. Elia Martell had been the prince's father's folly, but Lyanna Stark opened Cersei's eyes to the faults of the Targaryen heir himself. If only she'd seen it before Harrenhal, Jaime would still be with her. Now it was all too late. What was she to do?
Tywin Lannister was clearly on the war path, there could only be one goal that remained for him. The crown. Her father had tasted blood in Riverrun, Cersei was sure of it. The lions were on the prowl. Cersei needed to claim her own place in the pride. Genna had managed it, her mother had, so why did her father not even try to notice his own daughter's capabilities?
Cersei thought about praying to the Stranger for a demise worthy of song for the Targaryens, but knew her father cared little for the Seven and their septons. One of the few things Cersei remembered vividly about her mother were walks in the Sept under the Rock. They did not pray much, but had many a talk with the septons. After her death Cersei's father rarely visited the building, and Cersei followed his example.
Still, there were some maidens there she paid a visit at times. Maybe she'd ask Rohanne and Cyrelle to join her in another prayer, those two knew to keep quiet after all. Maybe Elia Martell would join their Silent Circle after the dragon's fall. Cersei felt herself smile at the thought. She'd love to see the Dornish whore join her father's guard Ser Ilyn and her two favorite Sisters in their own silent circle.
A knock at the door interrupted her musing, and her uncle Kevan did not wait for her to bid him enter. He looked restless, as far as Cersei could see. Tywin was running him into the ground in his frenzy. The last Cersei had seen her father this frantic was in the hours leading up to her mother's murder and after. But then he'd been distraught, too, and now he definitely wasn't. He seemed driven, and dare Cersei say it, happier. But she could not know for sure, for Cersei could scarcely remember what Tywin looked like in his happier moods.
"Cersei," her uncle Kevan said, "your father demands your presence. Follow me."
They went down into the bowels of the rock, deeper and deeper. Kevan took Cersei along paths usually barred to everyone in the castle, past a multitude of old guards at numerous checkpoints. The rooms they passed looked like the vault they used to display their gold for guests, all of them. Hallway after hallway, floor after floor, Kevan and Cersei went down and down and down.
At long last Kevan finally stopped in front of one of the many doors, this one made of solid gold by the looks of it, before turning towards his niece.
"Cersei," Kevan said, "Tywin is inside. I believe the next hours will be… challenging for you to grasp. They were for me, when your grandmother took me down here the first time. What Tywin tells you inside, never speak a word of it to outsiders. You will learn to understand of Lannister power, and that is dangerous knowledge."
After he finished speaking Kevan abruptly turned around and left. Unsure what to expect Cersei gave the golden door a push. It opened seamlessly. Stepping through Cersei was met by golden prison bars with an elaborate gate made of gold, open and inviting. Cersei went on through. The sight beyond defied all her expectations.
Cersei came upon a chamber made of solid gold. It had a golden walls, a golden bed with a pillow and blanket of spun gold and a golden table with four golden chairs. On the golden table stood replicas of food made of gold on golden plates, four cups of gold and a golden carafe, filled with water. Cersei's father Tywin Lannister sat on a golden chair, clad in their colors of crimson and gold, waiting for her. Next to him on the second golden chair there sat a skeleton, pale and sad. Its eyes seemed fixed on something behind Cersei's back, somewhere beyond the bars of solid gold that kept it locked in its golden grave.
Tywin looked at Cersei, and once again Cersei wished she could just know her father's thoughts, wished to understand Tywin Lannister. Wished that Tywin Lannister understood her.
"Take a seat, Cersei," Cersei's father addressed her, startling her, "do you remember the cautionary tale of King Corlos X., my daughter?"
Cersei took her seat across from her father, but internally she scoffed at the question. Was that why had her father summoned her to this golden prison in their ancestral vault, to ask her about the bedtime stories of her childhood? Cersei could not tell whether this was a joke she did not understand, or a lesson she was supposed to learn. Seeing her father as serious as ever, she gave her answer.
"Of course, father. Mother used to tell it to us seventh day, no matter how sick we'd gotten of it. It did not matter that Jaime wanted to hear of Florian and Jonquil or that I wanted to hear of Lann the Clever. Mother would just smile at me and recount the story of the king with the golden touch."
Tywin had that glitter to his eyes, the one thing his children remembered a constant fixture on Tywin's face when his wife had still been alive.
"Indeed, daughter, I can imagine Joanna smiling at your request. But please, indulge me. Can you tell me the story, like your mother told it to you?"
Cersei thought of her mother Joanna sitting on her bedside, with bright eyes and a kind smile, and Cersei retold the story she'd heard hundreds of times from her mother's lips.
"Once upon a time, when heroes roamed the world, there was a king named Corlos, son of Corlos, the tenth of his name, whose wealth exceeded that of even the gods. Corlos lived on a mountain of gold, an everyday he brought more of it to the surface, for he loved nothing more than the sight of gold. But with his wealth grew his hubris and so one day he built a statue of himself made entirely of gold, the greatest statue to ever grace the face of Planetos.
"And when the statue was complete, he looked at it and said: «Behold! There is no finer sight, no greater creation on this world than this golden statue. Not even the gods can rival it in its glory.»
"However, his words angered the gods of the forest, the rivers and the earth, the very same gods who had blessed King Corlos' line with all their wealth. With all their wrath they descended on Corlos in a dream and they cursed him with the golden touch, that everything he ever touched would turn into solid gold, and that his gold would be his downfall. And when Corlos woke, he woke in a bed of gold, and he laughed.
"Unable to contain his joy, King Corlos ran out of his room in his silken robes of cloth-of-gold and, foregoing breakfast and his daily bath, became lost in touching everything he came upon. Corlos touched chairs and tables, knives and spoons, trees and bushes, and all he touched turned to gold. Corlos only returned to his castle when the sun had reached its zenith and he had run around and had touched all the things he could see. By now he was exhausted from all his excitement, so he asked his servants to draw him his bath.
"Yet when Corlos stepped into his golden bath tub, he did not sink into comfortable warm water, rather, he found himself smothered in golden powder. He asked his servants to pour more water into his bath. But as soon as the water touched his skin it turned to gold. Still, Corlos loved the golden shine, so he was content even without his bath. Instead, Corlos asked his servants to set his table so he could break his fast.
"Yet when Corlos sat on his golden chair at his golden table and grabbed a loaf of bread to eat, the bread turned into solid gold in his hand, and his stomach rumbled. So Corlos ordered his servant to bring his silken gloves, and as soon as he wore his gloves of spun gold, he picked another piece of bread. Biting into his food with a relish, Corlos found the bread turned into gold the moment his teeth came into contact with it. A little angry now, Corlos grabbed a golden cup and tried to drink some water, yet the water turned to powdered gold in his mouth and he had to spit it all out. Growing more and more desperate, Corlos tried to eat one piece of food after another, but they all turned to gold the second his body came into contact with them.
"Corlos in his rage grabbed his servant by the wrist as he was brought a fresh platter of meat and to Corlos' horror, his servant started turning into gold. After a few seconds the servant's face was forever locked in a golden scream. Corlos looked at his hands and at what he had wrought and he fled to his chambers and locked himself in, hiding under a blanket of gold. So shocked was Corlos that he did not notice his beloved wife entering his room to see what was wrong with him.
"Corlos only came to when his wife took Corlos' face into her hands to ask Corlos why he was so frightened. Corlos could not avert his eyes as his wife started turning into gold. Corlos sobbed and begged at the gods to lift his curse, yet the gods remained silent. All of the king's servants fled his castle the same day as they learned of the queen's and the servant's fate, and only Corlos and his daughter remained in the great golden castle.
"After Corlos had cried himself to sleep his daughter beseeched the gods of the forest of the forest, the rivers and the earth to take their curse from their father, yet the gods remained silent. So Corlos' daughter offered her own life in exchange, as long as her father was spared. This time the gods heard her prayer and once more returned to visit Corlos in his dream. The gods lifted the curse and told Corlos of his daughter's sacrifice.
"But gods are a vengeful lot. All the things Corlos had turned into gold would remain frozen that way in eternity. And instead of just taking Corlos' golden touch away, the god made it so that all the gold that Corlos came to touch henceforth would turn into dust. And Corlos' woke in a bed of dust and found his daughter lost to him, and Corlos cried.
"After looking everywhere for his daughter Corlos went around his golden castle and touched every piece of gold he found, turning it into dust as he could stand its shine no longer. The last thing Corlos touched and turned to dust was the giant golden statue he had built of himself. The only two things Corlos did not dare touch were his wife and his servant turned to gold, forever screaming in golden silence of Corlos' folly. Now Corlos was truly left with merely his life. King Corlos X. disappeared from his kingdom that day, never to be reunited with his daughter."
There was a moment of silence after Cersei finished the tale. Tywin looked at her as if transfixed before speaking after a second.
"Just now you truly reminded me of your mother, Cersei. You have even used her exact words. Will you do me the favor of telling your children this story in exactly this way to your children when they are old enough to hear it?"
Cersei could feel the tears stinging in eyes at her father's words. Tywin almost looked vulnerable as Cersei nodded in promise to his request, finding herself unable to answer with words.
"Can you tell me, daughter, what you think the story means, and why it has been told to all the children of the main Lannister branch for more than 6.000 years, ever since Lann the Clever took this Rock away from the Casterlys?"
Cersei startled at the revelation about something she had merely regarded as cautionary tale, before pondering the story through the eyes of a Lannister.
"Is it a metaphor for a bad famine? Does it mean that besides gold, we Lannisters need to watch out for our food stores, so in time of need our smallfolk don't abandon us and we lose our hold of our power despite our wealth?"
"No, it is not a metaphor for a famine," Tywin said, not unkindly, "though the story is framed in such a way that it is a conclusion people can draw from it. Let me tell you a truth and a story, so you may understand what significance the story of King Corlos X. holds for us Lannisters.
"First, the truth: Gold is not special, it is simply a good like any other. Its value is ultimately determined by its rarity, as gold in itself has no intrinsic use like produce or cloth. And now let me tell you a story. Do not interrupt me, even when my story surprises you. And it will. It is the story of Lord Corlos X. Casterly, the last of the Casterlys:
"Back in the age of heroes, when there were no roads through Westeros and 100 kings ruled the lands, the Casterlys found the mountain with the biggest gold deposits in the entire world. Their family grew wealthy and plentiful because many kings came to their home to exchange their wares for gold, for kings and lords all loved the gold's luster. So great was the influence of the Casterlys that they never had to leave their unassailable Rock or keep up relations with any petty kings, as all kings clamored to remain in the Casterlys favor.
"It came the reign of Lord Corlos X. By then, the Casterlys had grown complacent in their position of power and left the administration of their lands and their wealth to their branch families, the Casters, the Terlys and the Calys. But there was a second son of one of their branch families, Lann Caster, who wanted more out of his life than just being the steward for another's wealth. He became a powerful and rich merchant, the first man from Westeros to trade all around the continent and even as far as Essos. And he fell in love with the only daughter
"Lann was already rich and powerful by the time he was twenty and the Casterlys saw him for what he was, the most skilled in the land in handling wealth. So Corlos X. convinced Lann to become his steward by promising Lann the hand of his daughter. Lann toiled for in the position of steward for five years, greatly increasing the Casterlys coffers. When he approached Corlos again ask again about the wedding between Corlos' daughter and Lann himself, Corlos…"
Cersei looked up at Tywin as her father's voice seemed to break of for a second, surprised to see unbridled fury in his eyes. The moment passed in a heartbeat as Tywin continued.
"When Lann approached Corlos so that the Casterly would complete his side of their Corlos said to him: «You are a mere Caster, Lann. A servant. You are not fit to marry my daughter.»"
Cersei almost forgot to breathe as she Corlos' words. They were almost an exact fit to the insult Aerys had delivered upon her father when Tywin had asked the king to betroth Cersei and Rhaegar. Yet Tywin just spoke on, his jaw set in controlled rage.
"Lann was incensed, as is only natural at such an insult. He left the service of Corlos the same day and struck out on his own. He knew the other petty lords, Banefords, Crakehalls, Westerlings all had their own mines. So with his great wealth Lann bought an army and started his own mines. He had a stroke of fortune and stumbled upon the second best mines in the Westerlands. That is where Lann build his castle, and he named it Castermere, named for the insult that Corlos had thrown at his feet; the fact that he was a mere Caster.
"Many people wondered why he did not give his castle a grander name, but there was a lot of wisdom in his choice. He was a lowborn son in a world ruled by lords. You, Cersei, will have to fight for your place in this world even harder than Lann had to. Just because you are a woman.
"Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.
"And you are more than just any woman, Cersei, you are my daughter. I will see you triumph in this world of men, for you and Jaime are my legacy. And you alone, Cersei, can take on Joanna's legacy. So from now on I will teach you personally all that the Lannister legacy entails, and how you defend and increase it best.
"But let us return to our story first. In Castermere Lann found a great abundance of gold and silver. Of course, the gold vein wasn't nearly as big as the one below Casterly Rock but on the other hand, there is nothing else but gold below Casterly Rock. Still, the resources Lann found in Castermere were instrumental in the plan that earned Lann his moniker.
"You see, as Casterly Rock's steward, Lann was in charge of welcoming trade envoys from all over Westeros. He knew all the passes envoys used to cross the mountains. So Lann posted men along all the ways leading towards Casterly Rock that would exchange gold to the incoming envoys against whatever they brought, and at better rates than the Casterlys. Lann also went on to spread a huge amount of gold amongst the smallfolk under the direct rule of the Lannisters. So much that all the farmers and craftsmen around Casterly Rock had more gold than they ever needed.
"And so, through Lann's clever schemes, in the lands around Casterly Rock, gold ceased to be a rarity even amongst the poorest beggars. But as the value of a good is in determined by its necessity and its rarity, the smallfolk soon realized that to them gold was practically worthless. Yes, the gold was pretty, but everyone had pretty golden nuggets, and none of the smallfolk wanted to exchange their products of labor for gold anymore, be the product the food a farmer brings in or the sword a blacksmith made. There just wasn't anyone around that would take the gold of their hands again, as everyone had it in abundance.
"Something like that had never happened before, and has not happened since. In a short period of time, Lann managed to make gold practically worthless in a small area. And all the gold that Corlos X. had could not buy him a loaf of bread or a piece of clothing, while Lann happily loaned the smallfolk more gold to pay their taxes to the Casterlys. At the same time, Lann introduced silver as the replacement currency for gold. After all, he had an abundance of both metals in Castermere, whereas the Casterlys sat on their pile of gold, starving and threadbare.
"It took less than a year. Less than a year, for Lann Caster to outright buy Casterly Rock from Corlos X. Casterly in exchange for Castermere with its silver mines. The other thing Lann demanded from Corlos was the hand of Corlos' daughter which the last Lord Casterly could not refuse anymore.
"It took two decades for Lann to reclaim all the gold he had given away to the smallfolk, but his taxes were overall more generous than those of the Casterlys had been. In his lifetime Lann laid the foundation of Lannisport to actively dominate and control the gold trade in Westeros so no one could ever use the same trick against Lann that he had used to swindle the Casterlys out of their castle.
"Already five years after Lann had taken the Rock he bribed a contingent of Casterly servants in Castermere to poison Lord Corlos and his army before his own troops took over and eradicated every trace that was left of the Casterlys on this world, aside from his wife. At the end of his life Lann changed the name of his family to Lannister to sever the last connection that could remind anyone of his former status as a servant to another. With the years Castermere became the Castamere of the Reynes and subsequent generations of Lannisters shrouded Lann's actual taking of the Rock in legend and tall tales for children. Ever since Lann took the Rock for us have the Lannisters reigned supreme in the Westerlands.
"Today the Lannisters have mined Casterly Rock for around seven millennia, amassing the greatest quantity of gold in all of Planetos. At a conservative estimate, by weight alone, we Lannisters store at least seven tenths of all the gold ever mined in the Known World in the vaults beneath the Rock and we store another twentieth in banks from Oldtown to Asshai. It is our foremost interest as a dynasty to forever keep the world supply of gold at a level that leaves it the most precious metal for currencies everywhere. This will allow us to retain the ability to control any economy anywhere in the world at our convenience."
By the time Tywin finished talking Cersei had been shocked into silence for several minutes already. It took a little longer still to find her voice again and ask her father the all-important question on her mind, even if the words came out shaky and trembling.
"But why are you telling me all this now, father?"
"Because, daughter, instead of merely marrying you to a mad tyrant to secure a crown, I have struck bargain with the Starks, the Arryns, the Greyjoys, the Baratheons and possibly the Martells to destroy the dragons on the Iron Throne and again redraw the borders of Westeros, leaving us to once again rule as Kings of the Rock over the Westerlands and large parts of the Reach and the Riverlands.
"And seeing that Jaime is either a hostage of our enemies or compromised through his developing relationship with the queen, you may consider yourself heiress presumptive of the Lion Crown, to assume the mantle of queenship after I have passed and rule as my successor. For that reason, I will assume the role of your teacher in matters of rule, power and finance. I will see you become worthy of the legacy you will take on. And I will see the Rock ruled by a true Lannister, not a dragon knight in disguise."
Cersei did not know what to think. It took her a second to realize she was gaping at her father, an affliction she quickly remedied. Gaping! Horrible. She had not done that since before her mother had died. And now she was rambling in her head, just great.
Then euphoria hit, as Cersei understood. Before, she'd been a pawn. Truly. She had been supposed to marry well and secure an alliance, and leave her family and her name behind. Now she had become more. The pawn had turned into a queen had turned into a player herself. She would not have to leave the Rock upon marriage, but rule it supreme in her own right!
"Has aunt Genna ever seen this room?" Cersei asked, breathless. Her father shook his head in denial.
"Has Jaime?" Another shake in answer, and a flash of a grimace on Tywin's face. Cersei was not sure if she felt elation or despondency.
"Why is there a skeleton next to you?" It had seemed so inconsequential from all these revelations; Cersei almost had not cared. But she knew, Tywin always had a purpose for the things he kept around him.
"That", her father answered her, "is Erol Honeytongue."
The name sounded familiar, yet it took Cersei a second to place it.
"The singer?", she asked, "the one, you know father, the one who…" Cersei faltered before she finished her sentence.
"Yes", Tywin finished for her, "the singer who started the saying us Lannisters shit gold. I was going to let it slide after banning him from the Red Keep and the Westerland, yet he kept walking around spreading the tale. The joke was gaining too much traction with the smallfolk, so I had him taken."
Tywin looked at the pile of bones next to him, disdain clear on his face before he continued talking.
"He would have lived if he had simply shut up. But he did not, so I took him down here and left him to starve in this golden cage. The only thing he was given was cow manure. He died when he grew hungry enough to eat it and died over days from the diseases the shit contained. For all the gold around Erol, I had made cow shit more valuable to him than all the gold combined, only because it allowed him to live longer than if he ate nothing. This is lesson one for you, Cersei. For us, gold is practically worthless.
"The second lesson relates to your grandfather. My father Tytos understood the first lesson well enough. However, it was the only thing he retained about gold: That it was worthless to him. He had more than almost the rest of the world combined, after all. That is why he always forgave our bannermen when they defaulted on their loans. Why he left the Tarbeck whore and the Reyne brothers to run roughshod throughout his reign. After all, even if they mocked him, he could do the same. All his lords were fools for something as worthless as gold. This is lesson two for you, Cersei. For everyone beside us, there is nothing of greater worth than gold. Use this knowledge, and you will always have an angle with which to control them."
And as Tywin saw his daughter soak up his teachings like a sponge, he felt something akin to pride. He knew now was the time for practical education. Well, the lesson he was going to teach Cersei was actually a theoretical thought exercise by his forefathers, but Tywin was now going to make it a reality.
"Cersei, when do you think civil war will erupt in Westeros?"
Cersei looked at her father, pondering, before she answered.
"Skirmishes might happen earlier, as opposing patrols chance upon another, but I doubt open warfare will start soon. The lords of the realm are in the unique position that they know war is unavoidable and coming soon, so everyone will stockpile arms and train their men to increase their chances to come out on top of the chaos to come."
Tywin's eyes smirked at Cersei, even as his face did not.
"You've been listening to Tygett, haven't you, daughter?"
"I did", Cersei smiled back, with just the right amount of practiced cheek, "you did tell me he is better than you in manners of tactical warfare, so his opinion seemed the most sensible."
"He knows better how to lead men in battle, it is true", Tywin stated without an ounce of envy, simply assessing the fact, "Which is why I tend to leave him in command of my men when we fight, but Tygett is not as proficient in reading the strategic layout. The first uncertainty you must always remember is that the war may break out any day. Aerys is mad enough to just push us over the brink any second, so every prediction for a timeframe has to include our king as an uncertain fallacy. Bar the possibility that Aerys does something stupid, war will not break out for a year, but then it will happen quickly. Think Battle of the Gullet."
Cersei looked at her father for a second, before her memory kicked in. Where Jaime had read tales of knights of valor, Cersei had read battle reports before her father had forbidden the librarian from giving her the relevant books.
The Battle of the Gullet, the most devastating naval battle in recorded history, fought in the Dance of the Dragons. Important because it marked the entry of foreign powers into the domestic affairs of the Seven Kingdoms, when the Three Daughters razed Spicetown and broke the power of the Velaryons.
"You think", Cersei slowly spoke as she answered, "powers across the Narrow Sea will meddle, either to push their own interests or at the invitation of one of the sides in the war."
"I do not think so", Tywin said in a mirthless tone that yet contained mirth a plenty, "I know so. For I myself already have set into motion the hiring of sellsword companies in Essos. I have been given intelligence on some of the movements of our allies. Rickard Stark has been preparing masterfully for a war of secession for over a decade."
Rickard Stark. Both aunt Genna and uncle Tygett had already talked of him. Tygett had spoken well of his skill and that of his men, yet he had been hesitant of the man's cunning and intent. Genna on the other hand had praised his cunning. She'd also given plenty comments on the good looks the Starks seemed to breed, from their imposing builds to their stalking gait to their impeccable beards.
A lot. Genna had talked a lot of the Starks' looks. Cersei could understand Genna's roving eye with a husband like Emmon Frey, but why did her aunt have to share her saucy fantasies with Cersei? Cersei did remember Brandon Stark well enough from Harrenhal. Probably every maid at the tourney did. The man was a vision. And that accent, a burr to break hearts.
The highest family of the North definitely left deep impressions back then. And lasting ones, especially the now disgraced heir. A minor Lannisport Lannister had birthed a grey eyed girl nine months after the prince first showed his inclination towards Lyanna Stark, and Cersei knew of at least one noblewoman from the Reach that had caught the same affliction. A Fossoway. Yes, green appled. Brandon Stark had not been shy with his attentions.
That was not important now, though. Rebellion had been in the making for over a decade. Of course most people had seen the bloc forming between the North, the Riverlands and the Vale, along with the Stormlands, yet those four regions could not have hoped to beat the other five united. The goal must always have been for the Vale and the North to splinter off the Seven Kingdoms, seeing how they could close the ways into their domains perfectly.
"What has Rickard Stark done in preparation for the war?" Cersei could not help ask.
"A lot, daughter. He will be a good ally. Yet I need you to be wary of the Starks. Rickard has given us a great opportunity, and the North will back you if you come to take power over the kingdom we will build ourselves. After all, his youngest son is to be your prince consort."
Cersei froze. She tried to remember the youngest Stark, Beren Stark. Brynden Stark? Something with B, and a name that was not Brandon, despite the apparent obsession the Starks had with that name. Seven, Cersei knew the boy had been at the tourney, yet all she could recall was faceless boy soaked in wine.
"Bernhard Stark?" Well, it might be the name. Hopefully.
"Benjen Stark. He's a year younger than you. Raised in Rickard's house, not fostered out. Apparently wicked with a bow. And he will take on the Lannister name, when you two wed. Your children will be Lannisters, kings to rule for eternity come.
"A daughter of you and Benjen will have to marry a Northman and she will be given stewardship of Moat Cailin in the Starks' name. If she marries a cousin, a son of Prince Eddard, she'll even become lady of the keep, with her sons to assume the mantle of the lord. Either way, our houses will be bound firmly for two generations."
Cersei tried to picture herself and her husband. She saw herself beside a younger Brandon Stark, younger but just as boisterous. She saw herself beside Rhaegar Targaryen, plucking his lute for her. She saw herself beside others, Robert Baratheon, Elbert Arryn, Addam Marbrand. She saw herself beside Jaime, her Jaime, her mirror in this world. There was only one thing that never changed, no matter who she saw as her husband.
Cersei herself, resplendent on her throne of gold, her husband on a lower step beside her. Cersei always saw herself rule in her own, as a Lannister, and Cersei felt glorious. It did not matter, she recognized, who the man beside her was.
"A good match", was all Cersei said, "thank you, father."
Tywin gave the nod of a man who never entertained the possibility of refusal, and who had never been proven wrong in that regard. Cersei knew she would master the same certainty herself.
"Good. We will talk of Rickard Stark's plans later. Let me first explain how we will channel Essosi influence away from the war in Westeros. Tell me, Cersei, which forces in Essos do you believe could have an impact on the Westerosi war theater, and which do you believe could not?"
Cersei took a second to think before answering.
"Any of the Three Daughters, probably. Yet their might has diminished since the time of the Triarchy. Separate as they are they can will not have any lasting gains. Slaving raids might increase. Pentos cannot employ an army. Braavos will have financial interest, yet their anti-slavery stance has them isolated in Essos so fights across the Narrow Sea would be too much of a drain on their forces. Qohor and Norvos are landlocked, so their armies cannot move as easily. Lorath does not have the power. Lastly, Qarth and Ibb are too far and the Dothraki will never cross the waters. Volantis. Volantis will be the threat to stability."
Tywin looked at her, a little astonished. Cersei knew her father had discouraged Cersei's interest in unladylike topics and interests, yet now her defiance must've been a welcome surprise for Tywin. Cersei allowed herself a small smile.
"That is an accurate evaluation", Tywin said, and Cersei felt her heart soar, "at least, it would be if Essosi conducted themselves in war just as we do. Which they do not. War is more… of a mercurial nature across the Narrow Sea. It is not motivated by dynastic interests in power and dominion, but by mercantile notions of potential gains and losses. Every city state may send insurgents or armies in their employ. Except Lorath or Pentos, you are right in your assessment of the two of them.
"Yet Pentosi magisters may employ private armies, as may the nobles of Volantis or of any of the Daughters. The true threat, however, are the readily available sellsword companies and the purchasable slaves. Therefore, I have undertaken measures that will see Essos west of the Bone Mountains sink into chaos, bind the majority of all mercenary companies to the different warring parties and see the slave trade in shambles.
"Already in Riverrun I set into motion a flood of blood and a storm of steel that will drown Essos for generations. They will never know who wrought it, but believe me when I tell you, I bought the war that will define the fault lines for the web of alliances and enmity dominating Essos for the next five centuries."
Cersei could only look at her father as he spoke calmly of the death of millions like it was a discussion of the dinner menu, and she felt fear and awe and anticipation. One day. One day, it would be Cersei who could decide the fate of the world. She'd always felt it her destiny. Now it had become certainty, for Tywin had never lied to his children. His truths always served her father more.
"How are you going to break Essos, father?"
"What did you learn today, about the nature of gold, daughter?"
"It is worthless to us, but there is nothing of more worth in the world to everyone else."
Tywin remained silent, not disapproving, but looking at her to bring up something else. So Cersei did.
"Gold is a good, just like everything else that is being traded."
"Correct, daughter. Now, what determines the value of a good."
"Rarity and necessity."
"You've listened well, but there as a more apt term for it in the context of all goods. Supply and demand, Cersei. In Essos, the value of a person is determined not by blood, but by supply and demand. And because most of the supply of slaves comes from Slaver's Bay, I have flooded Qarth and Volantis with gold as my first order, to empty Meereen, Astapor and Yunkai of all their… produce."
Cersei heard the words, but she did not understand. Her father looked at her and continued, seeing the question in Cersei's eyes.
"In Slaver's Bay there is the greatest supply of slaves on the market, making the price of a slave purchased there cheaper than anywhere else. Yet all clients that go Slaver's Bay to purchase their slaves have to pass through either Volantis or Qarth. Slaves are available in those places, too, yet they are naturally more expensive than in the cities of the harpy. This is because the slave merchants incur costs in bringing slaves over to either Qarth or Volantis, and those merchants want to drive a profit.
"I will pay gold well above the market price for ships, for spices, for luxury goods and for real estate in both cities. Those goods I will bring here in part, but the majority will simply be destroyed. The goal is not the exchange of gold for other objects of value, but the devaluation of gold. Therefore, the corresponding objects of value will have to disappear, because it means an increase in the amount of gold entering the markets without while trade goods of corresponding value simply cease to be a factor. Now, this process will take time, and in this time the market price for slaves in both cities will fall. Let me explain.
"Without their ships, less people will make the journey from Volantis or Qarth on to Slaver's Bay. As a consequence, the markets there will suffer, forcing the slavers themselves to ship their slaves out of Slaver's Bay if they want to make a profit. And as the slavers reach either Volantis or Qarth, they will find many people a lot richer in gold than usual, in both of those cities. Additionally, the slavers will be able to demand a higher price and earn more money than in Slaver's Bay, just because the standard market price in both of those cities is higher than in any of the cities of Slaver's Bay. And the Volantene and Qartheen that have suddenly found themselves in the possession of large amounts of gold will be very willing to buy the slaves the merchants bring.
"This is because because there is now a greater amount of slaves in Volantis and Qarth and their prices will fall from the perspective of the clients. Not down to the level of Slaver's Bay, of course. But the supply of slaves in Volantis and Qarth will increase, naturally decreasing the amount a Volantene or Qartheen pays for a slave. This will drive up demand, leading the slavers to continue supplying slaves to Qarth and Volantis at an increased rate. The demand for slaves will not decrease, but I will get to that point later. Are you following my explanation thus far, Cersei?"
Cersei simply nodded, so Tywin continued talking.
"So, Slaver's Bay is slowly being emptied of slaves, to be sold in either Qarth or Volantis. Qarth will continue trading with the far east, Yi Ti and beyond, but that is a topic I will again go further into later. First, the second part of my plan. I will set the Free Cities on the war path against the Dothraki. Why? Because they are a scourge that is universally despised. They only survive because it is generally cheaper to pay them off, than to fight them. We do not have that problem.
"A call will be sent out, from Qohor. For years now Qohor has been hounded by a Khal Zekko, who returns again and again to demand a tithe from the city. Again, I will pay above the usual amount of money for sellsword companies and slave legions to give battle to the Dothraki outside Qohor. While the Dothraki are feared, they pose more of a threat towards loose populations on open field. They are vulnerable against armored infantry because their blade of choice is designed to hunt down fleeing men on foot. They are vulnerable against bowman and heavy cavalry because they are too stupid to wear armor. The biggest danger the Dothraki pose lies in their archers on horseback. Again, heavy cavalry, longbowmen and armored infantry. Too expensive for most people, but…"
"… gold is irrelevant to us", Cersei jumped in as Tywin trailed off. Her father looked his grim way of content and continued.
"Exactly. Now, slave legions will continue joining the fight from Volantis, because slaves there have become cheap. Meanwhile, a second host will set of from Saath. The last Sarnori city carries the worst grudge against the Dothraki because they are responsible for the death of their empire. Together, I do not doubt that the Qohori and Saathi host will have a problem destroying Khal Zekko's host. With some of the ships we purchase we will organize for logistical support along the Sarne, so that the combined Saath-Qohor host continues to push for Vaes Dothrak.
"The Saathi will be easy to convince, and at least the slave companies will go along. Yet Vaes Dothrak is too important to the Dothraki as a people to allow such a challenge. I predict the Dosh Khaleen to pressure all remaining khals to meet the Saath-Qohor host on the field. That is exactly what we want. Because while the Saathi carry the heaviest grudge against the Dothraki, their revenge is entirely irrelevant to us. There is another empire with a grudge against the horselords, yet their empire still stands.
"The Ibbenese will prove far more potent a knife against the Dothraki. Their holdings on the Essosi mainland have been destroyed time and time again by different khals. Yet the distance between the Forest of Ifeqevron to the Womb of the World is a lot shorter. So when a large portion or all of the Dothraki ride to meet the Saath-Qohor host in the field, a third group comprised of sellsword will sail down from Ib Sar to descend on Vaes Dothrak. There they will raze the Dothraki capital to the ground, salt the earth and scatter the ashes.
"It will not matter that the host from Saath and Qohor will be destroyed by the horselords. When Vaes Dothrak is sundered, the Dothraki will go to war against all that participated in the fight against them. And with our gold we have ensured that people from all the Free Cities will take part in the Qohori host. In their impotent rage the Dothraki will strike out against all the Free Cities, for they will never reach Ib across the water. And after years of paying off the Dothraki, all nine Free Cities will find that this time, they will have to fight. And for that purpose they will once again bind the scattered sellsword companies, leaving our enemies in Westeros without purchase among them. The sellsword companies follow the gold because, in difference to us…"
"… gold is of more worth than anything else to everyone in the world." Cersei whispered the answer as Tywin once more slowed in his talks, awed and scared at the scope of Tywin's actions to come. Cersei's father nodded approvingly, before he continued talking.
"Now, there is one more step to my plan of sinking Essos into chaos, and another of limiting the spread of the caarnage: I will get the Tigers elected in Volantis and set them on a warpath, and I will get Qarth to close the Jade Gates, keeping the nations of the far east out of the thick of the fighting. First, the Tigers. Nothing, Cersei, nothing is surer of getting all the Free Cities up in arms and making alliances with each other than the First Daughter hungry for Conquest once again.
"There are two more goods we will trade in Volantis: We will sell arms for cheap, and we will buy food for all prices. The arms will be welcome in arming the slave companies, yet not all of the weapons will leave the cities. As won't the slaves, for Yunkai and Meereen trade mainly in slaves that make… less than adequate fighters. So the amount of slaves will rise, as will the amount of slaves per freedman. I can guarantee that a slave rebellion will already be in the works in Volantis. We just have to remove the limiting factors and provide the means and incentives to fight for the poor and destitute.
"It will take some time, but Volantis will be swamped in slaves and arms in time. Plus, we will control the majority of the food supply. We simply have to destroy that food supply ourselves and find ourselves a scapegoat. It doesn't matter who that scapegoat is. What matters is that Volantis will be full of people that are poor, angry and, most importantly, hungry. They will take up arms themselves, and existing forces will take over to direct the storm of violence in the right direction. The only place where there is food left in the city, the larders of their masters in the old city.
"There will be anarchy in the street. And quite coincidentally the old blood's blood will be boiling from a series of assassinations targeting prominent Tigers. Some flimsy veiled connections between the assassinations and the major cities nearby will leave the Tigers with the nice opportunity to declare war on any of the other powers in Essos, provided they manage to win against both the slaves and the Dothraki without major losses.
"However, even if the Old Blood loses a few pounds of flesh, the other powers that be in Essos will see a Volantis on the brink of collapse, but still under the rule of the expansionists. I reckon Braavos or Tyrosh will be the ones to launch a preemptive strike in that case, to prevent Volantis from recovering under the Tigers. Whatever happens, we will help war come along.
"Finally, Qarth. In Qarth I will try a blueprint for the destabilization of a city state that will work similarely if applied in, say, Braavos or Ib, if the need ever arises. I will set the merchants and the nobility against each other by strengthening one faction and starting a ruthless assassination campaign against the other.
"This time I intend to kill the purebloods that control the guard forces in the city, with the merchants as the obvious beneficiaries. It only takes one pureblood stupid or angry enough to lash out at the obvious targets to bring the whole house tumbling down. If it all works out there will be open fighting in the streets, and Qarth will close itself off from the world, as they are virtually unassailable from without. That will provide the added benefit of keeping any ambitious god emperors from Yi Ti on the other side of the very much closed Jade Gate.
"To ever achieve a similar effect in Braavos, I'd probably kill the Keyholders. In Ib it'd be the members of the Shadow Council. I am not even sure who I would set against the Shadow Council. Maybe the Whaler Guild? Something to ponder if it ever becomes an issue. I don't believe we'll be needed to stir the pot anymore after Volantis anyways. Now, do you have any questions, Cersei?"
Cersei just sat there, trying to comprehend all that she had been told. It all made sense, in a logical sense, yet at the same time, it was so… unreal. So much chaos, so much power. It was difficult to think of a question when such a vivid vision of the future was laid out before her, and yet…
"Father", Cersei finally asked, a little hesitant, "won't the decrease in the value of gold hurt the rest of our stores? And what do we do if the events in Essos don't develop as you predict?"
"Good questions, daughter", Tywin said, nodding approvingly, "but easy to answer. Yes, the value of gold will decrease, but we almost won't notice it here. The two key steps in pumping money into the two cities are the speed of the influx of gold and the restriction of travel for the populace.
"We want there to be too much gold concentrated in one place, leading to economic collapse. When the dust has settled and the gold spreads out from Volantis and Qarth, the value of gold will balance out again. It is likely that the Qartheen will take their gold further east, as Yi Ti will still value gold highly and on the other side of Qarth is, well, Volantis. As the Volantene spend their new gold on sellsword companies and the war, the gold will be disseminated all over Essos. The loss in value we will feel here in Westeros will be negligible. And, after all, gold to us…"
"… is irrelevant", Cersei finished once more.
"Exactly", Tywin said, "as for your second question, things won't develop the way I tell you. There are smart players in Essos just as there are here in Westeros. Some will reveal themselves that I don't even know existed. I have no insight into the dealings of Norvos, and the religious aspects of the war in Essos are impossible for me to predict. I am not even certain what will happen here in Westeros, and that is just accounting for the Church of the Seven. I will have to talk with Genna about that, and I expect you to come with me then."
Elation. Satisfaction. Pride. There was no other feeling Cersei had ever felt as pronounced. Yet one question remained stuck in Cersei's head. Something that almost left her feeling a little empty.
"Father. Does all our power come from our money?"
"No, Cersei. Power has many facets. Money is power. Knowledge is power. A name carries power. Sometimes, power is just… power. It's where men believe it lies. And it's where men are confronted with it."
Tywin almost wore a grin as he continued on, his face taking on sardonic lines.
"Just do not make the mistake of projecting illusions onto power. It isn't good, or bad. It does not provide opportunity, only a divide between the strong and the weak. Opportunity only exists when power is uncertain. When there is chaos. Which is why Essos will really tear itself apart:
"Because they will see the chaos around them as power for the taking. They will fight for it. They will die for it. For some chaos will be a pit they fall into. For others chaos will be a ladder to climb. But for most, chaos is like power. Simple. Chaos is chaos."
Notes:
The Chaos chapters end here, even if chaos in Planetos is just starting. Stay tuned.
Now the important parts:
ECONOMICS
No, I do not claim Tywin's scenario to be 100% fool proof. In fact, it would probably go horribly wrong. His share of the world's gold supply is ridiculously large here. But I've seen too many fics that went with the mines drying up. There's not a single piece of evidence, not even a hint pointing to that conclusion in the books. So here you've got a 180. And bullshit economics. However, if you're trying to argue that a single person cannot crash the value of gold I point you to Mansa Musa who did it by accident across all of northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula when his vacation spendings went a little overboard. Cairo took decades to recover. Or the problems Europe faced when the influx of gold brought from the Americas to Europe led to the Spanish Price Revolution. Imagine that as targeted economic warfare.
PREVIEW
The next chapter is either from Ashara's or Brandon's POV and will return to the day after the feast outside Riverrun. It will end the first phase of the story where I let quite a few bulls loose in a china shop. I've decided, at the height of my boundless creativity (*cough*), to call this phase the ignition phase, laying down some fault lines for the war ahead. After comes the consolidation phase, where you will see the major powers clean house and get their unruly bannermen behind them. Yep, Ryswells are coming up. Rickard will be pissed. Look forward to it.
Review responses
BadReader: Thanks. I mean, it's a Wall… made of ice. Either it follows the established rules of sacrificial magic and Brandon the Builder killed some Others to lay the foundation, or the ice fae with ice magic helped build the ice wall.
00-night-eyes-00: That's the last for now, gotta get back to writing. Though, this time I'll try not to take 3 months again ;)
Which Brew: Thanks. How interesting could a faction ever be if it did not have an intrinsic motivation? And be that motivation as simple as greed for money (which obviously isn't simple if you follow the rabbit down the hole). No, I want each of my factions to act in a way that makes my readers think: "Hey. This shit makes sense. I might not identify with this (formerly) immortal ice wizard that tries to eradicate humanity, but I can see where he/she/it is coming from."
BabyDab: Thanks! You can never have enough (well-established) factions. Hm. Those lines are always snappier without the proper modifiers. MOAR FACTIONS. And in caps, of course. I've actually got a half-finished chapter of BoB sitting on my laptop. RL kept me from it, and the Pit&Ladder arc had my focus. I've got one more chapter planned that concludes Phase 1 of this story, where after you will see the different factions consolidating their power before the every-way war starts. I might do BoB after, though a three-chapter story set in the ASOIAF canon is tickling my brain that begs to be written. But BoB has not been abandoned.
Cancer-Chris: Thanks. The strings of fate as Martin set them by prophecy and a lingering dualism of humanity vs. The Others needed to go for my story, and not addressing the big bad would have irked me in hindsight. So, down the drain all the strings had to go, and the Others had to be brought down to a more… combatable threat level. I think you'll like what I have in mind for them. I'm giddy for their plotline, as it is the most meta in theme.
Max20.7: Glad you like my take on the Others. The big monologues are in this part of Chaos, though… Still alright with you? There're a few big ifs blocking easy success of the Northern alliance: The Reach has enough troops to hold back most of the other Kingdoms combined. As long as any one of the parties within comes out of the fighting with the other houses subdued, they might survive the war. Whoever comes out on top will definitely follow a more competent tactical commander than Mace, even if they carry Highgarden's banner. The Riverlands are more heavily fractured here than in canon, probably leading more of their lords to declare for either Rhaegar or Aerys. Hoster will not ally with the Starks. Connington is in the Stormlands. Despite his demolition by Rickard, this gives him the opportunity to convince Stormlords to join Rhaegar's cause. Rhaegar is not missing somewhere in Dorne, so he makes for a better rallying point here. Dorne is undecided on their course of action, but they can easily claim neutrality when Rhaenys and Elia+Aegon are held in different camps. Everyone knows the war is coming, so everyone will be prepared when it hits. Robert will not be able to claim three successive victories in the Stormlands, because his opposition knows what's coming. But most importantly: Everyone's alliances are always… fluid. Rickard's got Tywin in his corner. Doesn't he? Quellon's successor right now is Euron. Shella's plan relies on Brynden betraying his brother. Tarth has something planned. You cannot win the game forever. And then you die. Nothing is certain yet. You'll have to see what you feel about magic being destroyed as it happens. I'm not giving any spoilers what so ever on that. Imo there are quite a few problems with Rickard destabilizing the Vale. Jon A is his staunchest ally as far as we have seen. The man loves Ned. There are friendly ties between Rick's heir and many nobles in the Vale. Presenting a united front in the coming war will be crucial. The mountain clans are not a threat to the Vale lords, more a nuisance. They are not subservient to Rick, merely loose allies. If they manage to become a threat that forces Jon to abandon Rickard's war to the south (like the Ironborn forced Robb to abandon conquering the Westerlands), Rickards negotiating position weakens a lot. That's not even addressing the damage to the Stark's reputation if Rickard pulls one over on his allies like that. He'll lose the trust of potential allies. Rickard would have a ton to lose compared to questionable gain if he pulled that move during the coming war. Backstabbing his son's foster father would not be a smart move for Rickard.
ashenerden: I don't quite agree with magic being a force of evil. Simply a force. The problem with magic in Planetos was the disparity of distribution. Dragons are basically your magic nukes that gives one side an overwhelming advantage, and immortal ice necromancers are not going to value human lives. There is little tension when decks are stacked without a chance for surprise moves. If every faction had magic of comparable power, I wouldn't be opposed. But they can't, therefore, magic needs to go. And yes, politics and intrigue will rule supreme! (…along with wealth and armies)
Sir Omega: While agree with you in essence, it would be a disservice to Martin's creation to simply… leave the Others out in this fic. I'm trying to stick to canon as closely as possible before the point of divergence. And the Others are a huge part of that world. I could do away with the whole magic stuff and blame it on the time line, yet certain prophecies and their implications would have to be observed. Now, I could have simply omitted the prophecies and so on. But hey, go big or go home. So more factions, bigger clashes, Others. BAM!
Sciny: Thanks, that's awesome to hear. Hope I can catch your attentions many times over going forward.
Princess101855: It is going to be fun! Though, why do you believe Ricky upset the others?
WhiteDragonWarrior: Gasp! Not just because of Jon Snow? Why do people keep bringing him up? He's a non-entity here. Bloodraven's plot goes deeper. When the Others return for their meeting with Rickard, you'll get a short introduction into the six magic factions I teased here. And yes. Bloodraven was a crafty bastard. Happy you like the chapter. Continue to enjoy
NightlyRowenTree: Thanks!
magnus374: So how do you like the plan behind the chaos to the east? Yeah, Vic's still one of my biggest deviations from canon. I like him like that. Happy you enjoyed He-who-Buries-Mountains-in-Snow and my magic twist. Ha, puns.
Guest: Again? Like, why? And what?
Someguy the anon: Thanks! The situation's still going to get cluster fucky-er. Right. Cause that's a word. Victarion approves.
Guest: Lore! Factions! World history! Things that IncognitoMe looks for in stories. Glad you found it in mine. Hope you'll continue to enjoy.
Greatazuredragon: Thanks. My personal fave here is actually Xaro's and Tywin's part for payoff and conclusion, and the set-up of the religious wars. Magic's last stand™ is going to be grand, but it'll happen before the endgame. In other words, it's gonna play its part in the progression of the war, but will not have any input after the war is over. Still, Magic's last stand™ is going to be, dare I say, epic. Better yet, fun.
-Black-Riddle-Malfoy: Glad I could surprise you with my take on Martin's big bad. Continue to enjoy.
Sito uzumaki namikaze: Glad you like the story, but I'll have to disappoint you in regard of focusing the story more exclusively on Rickard. While I'll keep most of my future POVs in Westeros, other characters will come more into focus besides Rickard. Also, the more factions' the better!
Ruki88: Because something as great and terrible as magic needs a swan song just as great and terrible. Who ever said magic was leaving the world without a bang?