Between Haze and Fog 7 - or 'This game of GoT CK3 sure is turning vicious' (ASoIaF, GalladonTarth!SI)

Tywin I

The posturing of the Westerlands had been one of armed neutrality.

His excuse for his 'inaction' being one of 'timely mustering', but Tywin's true plan was one many would easily envy as he could afford to sit by the fence for as long as it was needed. This Rebellion created by Robert Baratheon was an opportunity, but the old lion had reasonably thought that it would have taken some time for either side to show any strong chance of victory.

By all means, the Royalists should have been able to have a fairly fearsome force to encircle both divided rebellious regions, but the Rebels under the name of Robert Baratheon were pulling through seasoned troops. And, as Tywin soon learned, even some tactical geniuses among their ranks of officers.

When the name 'Galladon Tarth' first came up, Tywin had reasonably been surprised but not enough to value the boy as nothing more than a peculiar intrigue-master. The use of spies and bandits to coordinate the finding and the retrieval of Lyanna Stark while also securing Prince Rhaegar had been impressive, but nothing about it could have then led him to believe the boy could have done far worse to crush the Targaryens.

Kevan refused to accept his assessment that the young lord was beyond the destruction of the Royal Fleet together with the Redwyne's own impressive ships, but Tywin's expectation for more displays or feats to confirm his growing suspicions were welcomed by the recent news of Lord Mace Tyrell's defeat. And such defeat was monumentally positive for a potential entry of the Westerlands into the conflict by Robert's side.

That oaf had actually squandered a chance to be victorious by allowing someone to trick and use his inability in strategy to bite him in a most horrendous fight. Tywin actually cracked a grin as he read the report. That boy, he had done something so impressive and yet so calculated that it was clear he was the best gem the Stormlords could have asked for.

It was the best tool at their disposal and he now was given freedom of raiding around the Reach with minimal interference from any remaining force. At this point, it was clear that if Tywin was to enter the war by Robert's side, there would be no reason to worry retaliation from the Reach. At the same time, however, there were a few plans that truly concerned Tywin.

While he was sure that using his original plan of relying on his neutrality and 'support to the crown' to sneak an army through the walls was sound to some extent, he had been made aware that the recent losses had made Aerys more terrified of losing, causing him to be far more paranoid than it was needed. He still believed in victory as his Hand was purposely withholding numbers related to the recent defeats and inflating the rallied troops.

Any attempt to 'lend a hand' may be seen by Aerys as something to distrust. And with Jamie being close enough to an hostage, this mindset could truly push Tywin to pause his plans. No, he had to be more careful with how things were moving. It was a fortuitous occasion for sure, but that didn't mean House Lannister was going to be able to move freely with simple plans.

Of course, a solution to this dilemma could be found after he made sure to take care of the child that had enabled this lucrative chance to gain new favors for the future new King of the Iron Throne. First, he had to entrust this chore to someone he could rely upon and he had quite the person for such a task.

His brother looked a bit 'excited' himself at the news that the Reach had been defanged as he entered his study room, but he was reasonably hiding away his amusement at this chance to make some good gains through this rebellions.

"Kevan, you will take a small retinue and approach Lord Tarth. I wish for you to open a diplomatic talk with him."

"In regard to our potential entry to their side?" Kevan asked, and Tywin nodded quietly.

"Yes. But I also want you to study the boy. I want to know what you can find personally on him that may give us a chance to sway him to our side. Even partially so."

His brother bowed at the request, raising no issues. "As you ask, milord."

Soon... Soon Tywin will have a better view of who this boy truly was.

Robert II

A boisterous laugh erupted from Robert Baratheon as he finished reading Stannis' letter. He just received it as he sat by his tent, recovering from a quick skirmish against the Royal Army's troops. He succeeded in routing them, trading a few dozens dead soldiers for around three hundreds before sending them running back.

He would have given chase if not for the fact that the treacherous path to the north was perfect for some small groups to cause him some delays- no, Robert had opted to be patient with his thrust upward in the map, aware that while the Mad King was mad, his lords held some wisdom in the matters of war.

As glorious things were going, he couldn't risk things and... this was paying off quite well as the letter from his brother gave him two big fucking news: first, the brat had done it again! He would have sold his armor just to see the face that idiot Tyrell had when he got wrecked by a child with a smaller army.

The 'greatest Royalist force' and it had been shattered by a child that wasn't even 10! The mental image was enough to drive him in a wildly amused mood, enough to make him sip a bit more from his wine as he nodded along the second good news, that this move allowed for more soldiers to be sent to reinforce his own army.

All things considered, the boy had done him an even greater service. First with Lyanna, then with the ships and now with the Reach. At this point, many would be questioning if the brat was trying to outpace him or something, but Robert wasn't that kind of idiot.

The boy was just eager. He had the chance to meet him, to speak with him, and hear his displeasure in dealing with the kind of paperwork at home- confirming also he would despise being made a Hand to a king or even a King himself.

Truth be told, that shit spooked Robert too. The idea of being stuck nose deep into ink and paper truly leaving him dreading but... surely Jon was going to take the most out of his desk, right? Like hell he was dying on some paperwork. Maybe on a wench's tits, or drinking himself a happy dead man.

Or maybe with Lyanna by his side as an old man.

That last one felt the sweetest and, as stressed by Ned, Robert had been trying to write letters to Lyanna. The woman was still shaken, but slowly recovering as Stannis was keen to report. He didn't exactly monitor her through the entire day all the time, but he could tell his brother was truthful in her recovery.

She was hesitant in her replies, maybe afraid of his promise of swearing off booze and whores the moment she allowed him to be her husband. But Robert himself was reluctant to drop both himself. Not much because he truly liked them enough to never let those go, but because these things had been the things that had kept him from thinking of how shitty the world was for him.

For his family, how it was tough to understand that rule-stickler Stannis and the bratty Renly. It just didn't feel like handling Ned or Jon- it truly was not. And at times it felt like he was barely a Stormlander himself with how accustomed with the Vale's way he was through Jon's strict education. He could talk and boast, and he could bite for as much he barked, but that didn't mean that Robert was thick-skinned against everything.

Lyanna disarmed him as he felt like he could break her if he fucked things up. Everytime he tried to drink or think of what lady to bring to his tent, he would be hesitant to do either when thinking of Lyanna. He barely slept around anymore, and booze was more of a comodity to keep him awake some of those days. Not like he was trying to be a happy drunk bear, but rather keep the cold thoughts and the chilling feeling of making things wrong with her go away.

It just didn't seem to work.

And as he contemplated this, plus his future as a king, and anything tied to his future, Robert came to the same realization that would make him drop the booze he was clutching and growl at himself for being a coward for even considering this but...

But Robert was having second doubts about being a king.

It wasn't just about feeling 'ready' for it. He trusted Jon when he said that he could make a good king, but he was also sure that Jon had not visited King's Landing in a very long time. And the chance of the rot that had led to all of this persisting really made Robert uneasy.

The worst upsetting feeling was about Lyanna himself as... he knew the woman would be afraid of going to the very place where other Targaryen Loyalists would be able to hide away and be a threat. Towards her in particular due to the fucking shit that Rhaegar tried to pull on her. He just wanted to kill the bastard dragon, but Robert was once again rebuffed by logic and 'common sense'.

The shithead had a worth and it was working as the mad king was being careless as he thought his son hadn't been really kidnapped. He was lazy, careless, foolish- all those things helped Robert in his victory.

But as he sat down and contemplated about being a king, he thought of what it could mean for him, for Lyanna, for Ned and Jon, but also the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. And as he looked at these things as those were, he couldn't help but have a very odd and crazy thought. Nothing concrete, but food for thought that gnawed at him as he finally conceded to a brief nap.

Wasn't the Tarth Boy related to a Targaryen? A grandmother or something? Can't he just hurl the brat at the throne or something?

AN

Robert... no! Paperwork bad, don't do it!