Between Haze and Fog 4 - or 'This game of GoT CK3 sure is turning vicious' (ASoIaF, GalladonTarth!SI)

Robert I

Arriving in Storm's End a few weeks into the start of his rebellion, Robert Baratheon, future King of the Seven Kingdoms, was pleased to learn that Lyanna had been found and given shelter.

The same good feeling didn't extend in knowing that the bastard prince had been kept in a prison and not killed just yet. When Robert arrived with his troops back 'home', and he was greeted by Stannis over these details, he had demanded, reasonably angry, why the bastard prince hadn't been killed just yet. And the answer had left him a bit baffled.

"After consulting some of the Stormlords, it was agreed he was best worthy alive than dead for the time being."

"Oh? And what worth would this bastard have, Stannis? He kidnapped Lyanna-"

"And scorned his wife and children through this attempted infidelty. Causing a civil war also has his legitimacy questioned and easy to exploit," His brother had barked back, just not as strong as the claimant to the throne. "Dorne has been hesitant to attack us, with the promise of them having the chance to retrieve their relatives and give Rhaegar a trial where they can preside as part of the judges, we will have ten thousand men less to worry about ravaging the south."

The idea was sound, but the mere notion of keeping that scaly bastard left the tall and stronger Robert in a very frustrated mood. Lyanna was around and he was able to check on her condition. As fine of a rose as she was back the last time they met, the woman was a bit shaken by her kidnapping but asserted that 'a good king would judge Rhaegar properly'.

"He tried to hurt you," He reasoned, weakly sounding for a moment and yet the softness mellowed the unease on the Stark Lady. "I can't just... I can't just ignore that."

"Then don't. But be mindful of what you do with that anger of yours, Rob. You are still a good man and I know you will be a good king, just not let your anger turn you in those you are fighting against."

Robert would have rebuked quite strongly the one who would have told him that had it been a comment given to him by someone else. But Lyanna's words reached deep as Robert had to admit his usual wrath wouldn't do the trick in solving this big mess.

The Baratheon was definitely going to make the Targaryens pay for what they did to Ned and Lyanna's family, but he couldn't afford to be a prick himself. He had to be more careful about what was to be done next. And in this moment of self-consideration that was as rare as one would expect from someone as blunt and bold as Robert, he finally met the one behind Lyanna's rescue.

Despite being a child, Lord Galladon Tarth gave off a 'Stannish' maturity mixed with a people's attitude not many would be keen to expect from someone like him at first impression. When Robert thanked him for his good service to their Rebellion, the boy kindly took the words, bowed and then returned the thanks for 'taking the fight on the Mad King'.

The conversation that ensued lasted a few hours, and Robert barely got distracted through the entirety of it. It was just him talking with a little child that was filling him with good enough ideas. The few cups of ale made him a bit unfocused once too deep into the talking, but the boy spoke and he seemed endless in his chatting.

Rob still listened, intrigue flashing as he felt his newfound hatred for the Targaryen being spread to a few situations he hadn't considered about the Seven Kingdoms' current situation. First, if he wanted to really 'purge' the Targaryen, he would have to get rid of those things that had left a mark on history in this land.

The current form of government, that had barely seen changes in the last two centuries, was indeed too small to be worthy of being the 'King's council'. The Small Council had to be expanded. Not necessarily with too many positions of relevance, but about its 'staff'.

Then this idea of 'embassies' felt like a smart thing. Instead of just having the Lords having to exert themselves as the primary representatives to the king, men and women would be chosen to represent them in court. That would lessen the burden behind emergency discussions as those lords and ladies would be there to represent their domains' interests on the immediate.

It would be convenient, but not as convenient as reforming the situation in King's Landing. He had heard much of the place, the stench and the presence of far too many people and too few houses really displeased Robert for his first years of his reign.

That could be fixed, yes, but it was going to take a while. Looking for a solution at the earliest felt like a good idea, so he allowed 'little Galladon' to plan out a 'Capital Infrastructure Rework'. He wasn't utterly sure of some of the things he heard, but he could tell that those were positives to his kingdom.

And as he went to rest and recover from that journey, Robert didn't expect to then be woken up by a messenger confirming that the Redwyne Fleet had been set on fire. The idea that the Royal Fleet was also struck by this as the Targaryens had planned to muster a powerful naval assault on Storm's End to end his Rebellion meant that the Loyalists had lost their capacity to exert Naval Supremacy over the Rebellion.

The news was definitely going to instigate troubles with the Greyjoys, but Robert was aware Ned would have his fleet ready... leaving just the Lannisters and the Tyrells to face the wrath of the Ironborne. Quite a convenient situation considering that the formers were 'unknowns' to keep in mind during this rebellion as they had decided to stick by the fench and not take any side, while the latter was the most pressing issue as those mustering the most effective Army against the Stormlands.

The most amusing detail, or at least the one that left him laughing loudly through the entire morning, was that the source of this clever act of sabotage was the little Lord of Tarth. If before he thought that the kid was just some idealistic child with no weight beyond saving Lyanna, this deed was definitely putting him on a higher pedestal.

If before he thought the kid was going to be just a modest figure in this rebellion, now he was made aware he was going to be a 'big part of it'.

Robert also knew he was going to need a 'good enough reward' to keep this good-natured mad kid under check once this war was over.

-d-d-d-d-

Qarlton I

When Lord Connington was sacked and then burned mere days after being appointed for the fall of his domain under the control of the Rebellion, seen by King Aerys II as a subtle proof that the Hand had been betraying him, Qarlton claimed the role of the Hand of the King with mixed feelings.

This war was not the kind of situation the Seven Kingdoms needed. With the growing divide between the Crown Prince and the King, the former Master of Coin had been working intensely to avoid this mess from unfolding- yet, Rhaegar had gone too far and created a situation that ultimately led to this.

To say that he had been glad to learn that the Crown Prince had been captured by the Stormlords would be an understatement, yet even the brief delight this gave him had not kept him in a good mood as he heard the King go through a rant that 'the Crown Prince had to be vindicated'.

Part of him wanted to assert that the 'Prince had warranted this', but Aerys had created a situation where it was a matter of House's honor. The Hand could understand it, but he was worried of what this would mean in the long run considering that the mustering of the Royal Army was taking a long time due to how unusual it was for this to happen after so many decades of peace.

The tipping point, but also an opportunity that Qarlton didn't let untouched was the burning of the Redwyne Fleet. He had suggested picking a safer spot closer to the capital to keep a safer security around the naval rally, but this circumstance was ignored and the events that came out as a result vindicated his point.

Likewise, when the angry king demanded answers on 'how this could have happened' after going through a few hours of wrathful ranting when the message that 'the wonderful fiery spectacle was due to Lord Galladon Tarth', the Hand knew he had to shield himself somehow.

And he found a way to kill two birds with a stone by both protecting his status and actually putting the blame on the one thorn to his side from the very first day as the second most powerful man in the entire realm: the Alchemists' Guild.

These fanatics of Wildfire had been growing far too influential due to the recent fascination of King Aerys II over their craft. But as investigations were pushed through, the news that some of the caches used for the burning came from the Guild gave Qarlton the best idea possible.

Forging papers was nothing new for a man that had to fudge some numbers to make things go well in the long run, so it was easy for the Hand to prepare false documentation to present as proof of the Guild's treachery. The King was told and shown that major elements of the Guild had been involved in 'destroying the fleet to further push the mad fool into their arms'.

By employing as many words akin to insane and mad, the claim gained abstract relevance. The King was thus livid and swift in demanding the execution of those 'treacherous fools' with Wildfire. Qarlton happily signed their Death Warrants, the executions of Rossart, Garigus and Belis was indeed a grim affair, but one that allowed the Hand to put a leash on what was left of the guild.

Less money for them and with the budget of the navy now directed to the army, the planned Royal Army's mobilization would have yielded roughly twenty thousands soldiers to smash the Southern Trouble.

There was, however, a major flaw in this grand plan: the King wanted an immediate retaliation force. And proceeded to send six thousand man rather than the planned twenty thousand troops to 'teach the Stormlands a lesson'. And while Qarlton tried to use his influence to advert this critical move, the King rebuked him that 'he should know that Family came first for the Dragons'.

The man then went to ravage his queen a few hours later, truly showing to the diminishing loyalty of Qarlton that, perhaps, a change of rule was truly necessary.

Maybe it was time to start grooming Viserys as the new king...


AN

Butterflies! And Fire!