(Disclaimer: I do not own A Song of Ice and Fire nor its characters. Those all belong to George R. R. Martin, aside from my OC.)
(Casterly Rock, the Westerlands)
"I see you're hard at work Tyrion." Uncle Gerion voiced as he entered the solar.
"Uncle, It's good to see you back. How was your trip?" Tyrion looked surprised that Gerion had come back so early.
"As well as could be expected nephew," Gerion responded.
With so many focused on the Iron Islands, Tyrion has asked his Uncle to travel the Riverlands and find out what exactly their King was up to.
They had heard tales of the massive projects the King had been undertaking and rumors of its completion shortly before the attacks.
Now that his Uncle was back, he hoped to get a better understanding of what exactly the Royal Family sought to achieve with these changes of theirs.
"It's best we wait for Genna and Kevan to arrive. I'm afraid we'll need their thoughts on this matter." Gerion said.
"Is it that important?" Tyrion asked.
Looking grave, "Unfortunately Yes." Kevan said.
Tyrion frowned, his Uncle was by far the most cheerful of the family and it to see him so grave, felt off. Whatever he found it, didn't bode well for their family. At the least it meant trouble was brewing.
Aunt Genna was the first to enter, giving her brother a firm hug before kissing his cheek and seating herself on one of the seats.
Before either of the pair could react she smacked her brother in the head, "Honestly, what were you thinking sneaking like that into the Royal Domain." She scolded her brother.
His Uncle Kevan was next, followed by Tygett and Stafford who greeted Gerion warmly.
Whilst Kevan and Stafford glared at their brother almost immediately, Tygett expressed his opinion by punching his brother in the chest.
Sending the most carefree of the lions onto the ground.
"Yeah… I deserved that." He groaned in pain.
"What in seven hells were you thinking Gerion," Tygett exclaimed.
Stafford looked on, baffled by the actions of his kin. The man was unaware of what exactly Gerion had been up to.
"That's enough." Kevan stopped Tygett before the two could get into a brawl. "While it was incredibly foolish of you and Tyrion to make such a daring move. I'm just glad you're safe."
"I can feel the love brother," Gerion said jokingly only to receive a sharp look from his eldest brother.
"I take it that you have some information for us."
Gerion nodded at them, "Indeed I do."
"Than out with it." Genna prodded impatiently.
"When I first entered the Riverlands, the most obvious change I noticed was the paved roads, linking all the major holds within the Kingdom."
"Paved roads? That hardly seems all that troublesome." Stafford pointed out.
"Quite the opposite Stafford. Paved roads allow for better trade and swifter movement of an army." Tygett answered his cousin.
"Still, that doesn't seem that problematic." The man still looked skeptical.
"During peacetime, it allows for smoother trade and travel. Which would be attractive to merchants, that means a lot of gold passes through the Riverlands just for that alone." Kevan said.
Tyrion agreed with that, merchants would no doubt insist on routes that go through the Riverlands when traveling through Westeros just for the security it provided. When passing through they're more likely to spend their coin there which would earn the Riverlands a reasonable profit and that's if they didn't simply insist on setting up trade there.
"In war, they could also be better able to move their armies from one location to another. Allowing them to quickly respond to any potential enemy in a matter of weeks rather than months as is the norm." Tygett added.
"The Royal Banners are already the most powerful army in Westeros. This just made them more dangerous." Gerion sighed. "There's another issue too."
Kevan motioned for his brother to continue, "The Five Fortresses project." Gerion said.
"The What?"
"Five Fortresses have been built around the Riverlands. Guarding key entry points into the Kingdom. The Twins, Blackwater (King's Landing), Stoney Sept, Stoneyhead, and Fieldstone"
"By the seven he's preparing for a potential rebellion," Genna exclaimed.
"Not necessarily, I doubt anyone is stupid enough to do so in Erlend's lifetime," Tygett said.
"With fools like Mace Tyrell in power, you never know." Genna deadpanned.
"I don't get it, he has Dragons, why would he need fortresses?" Tyrion questioned his Uncle.
"The Targaryens lost their dragons due to their foolishness, who's to say the Mudds won't do the same?"
"Gerion makes a good point." Kevan agreed with his brother.
The Dance proved to Westeros that having those monsters as your mount didn't mean you wouldn't be vulnerable.
"That would make the Mudds their own worse enemies." Tygett looked thoughtful.
"It will be decades before any cracks to show," Kevan said. "What about the Royal Banners?"
"Even when a significant portion of them were sent to the Iron Islands, they still had more than enough men to man the Five Fortresses," Gerion spoke. "The only weakness I saw was that there was a certain lack of patrols that you would expect during peacetime."
"So bandits can still prove troublesome to them during War."
"I wouldn't recommend it. They were pretty ruthless with those brave enough to commit crimes."
"It's still something we can use. There's bound to be someone foolish enough to do so given the right price." Tyrion said.
No one disagreed, Gold could make even the most sensible man lose their wits. Gold and Woman.
Gerion proceeded to give everything he had gathered about the five fortresses, having visited them all. He had been unable to get too close, but what he provided gave them a general view of the significance of the forts to whatever their King planned.
"So… the King effectively turned the Riverlands into a man-made fortress," Tyrion said.
"Can't blame him, it has always been the most vulnerable of the Kingdoms," Gerion replied. "I'm sure you've also heard about the Tourney he plans to hold."
"Why didn't he hold one after the Greyjoy Incursions?" Stafford finally asked.
"Lands and Titles had to be redistributed, borders altered and many people had to be returned to their homes or given new ones." Kevan sighed. "Short as it may have been, the attacks by the Ironmen devastated Westeros."
"No one had time for a Tourney, now that everything has been largely dealt with, there's no reason for him not to hold one." Genna continued.
"I take it we'll be attending then," Tyrion said.
"Obviously, not doing so might be seen as an insult and our enemies won't hesitate to use it against us."
"Even the northerners are going to attend it. This is the biggest Tourney Westeros has seen since Harrenhal."
"Speaking of Harrenhal, who's going to tell Cersei that Lyanna and Elia will both be there," Tyrion smirked at his kin.
The Solar was plunged into silence as everyone dreaded the Golden Lionesses' reaction to that particular information.
"Can't we just leave her here?" Gerion whined.
"And let her cause more damage than usual, are you mad?" Genna looked incredulously at her brother's words.
Kevan merely shook his head at his family's words. Not that he planned to be the one to inform his niece. No, thank you.
