(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.)
(Firmridge, the Riverlands)
Erlend looked on at the assembled guests within the Great Hall. Lords and Ladies from all over the realm sat at their assigned seats waiting for him to speak.
The heralds had done a good job spreading the word all over the realm.
Knights and squires had shown up in droves, hoping to showcase their talents and attract the eye of a noble house or impress the realm with their skills. Making a name for themselves was their primary goal.
He'd been kept busy these past few weeks. While he could have let Horton and Wyman deal with it, considering it fell under their duties, there was no way he could simply stay out of this.
Not if he wanted it to go the way he envisioned it.
This would be the first Grand Tourney since Harrenhal. It had to go perfectly, any other outcome would be a stain on his reign.
All the great houses were present, including the north, a novelty since few expected them to bother showing up.
There was the chance that they were mainly here to get a measure of Edmund. See if his son was worthy of being his successor.
Erlend wouldn't be surprised if some of the more ambitious nobility attempted to have their daughters seduce his son, never mind the fact that he was only five.
Then again Rhaenys was becoming very protective of Edmund, his daughter in all but blood was always doing her best to keep her perceived 'enemies' away from the little Prince.
Poor Jon and Steffon were only 'allowed' to befriend Edmund in exchange for keeping the sycophants away.
Erlend felt like this could become troublesome if Rhaenys went too far, but at the same time, it reassured him that she would be receptive to their engagement in the future.
His other adoptive daughter Saera was proving to be Arya reborn, the girl got into just as much trouble as her siblings did on her own.
Only he and Lyanna could keep her from going too far. What made it worse was that picked up the curse words Lyanna tended to spout when annoyed, which was another can of worms on its own.
On the other hand, Dany the most peaceful of the bunch, preferred to stay close to him most of the time. The little Dragoness could be often seen taking a nap, reading a tome or just relaxing in his solar as he worked through the god-forsaken paperwork that plagued him.
Sure she was a bit aggressive when it came to his wife and lovers, but for the most part, she kept the peace. A Targaryen quirk that she would grow out of he assumed.
The kids made the Castle quite lively and kept things interesting. A nice reprieve from the constant scheming and planning that had quickly become the norm.
Unlike in the books or the show, Catelyn didn't seem to mind the presence of his natural-born son Arthur, showering the baby boy with affection. He was her nephew after all.
The best way to describe his red-headed wife was that she was placid.
Unfazed by anything happening around her, a serene look could always be seen on his face. It was only in bed that her personality shifted as she tended to pounce on him like a fox on a rabbit, much to his amusement.
This made her the peacemaker in his harem, Lysa not caring a wit for anyone else and Rhaella being far too passive in keeping Elia and Lyanna from at each other's throats.
Go figure, those two tended to fight the most. It was startling how they were both so similar, yet so different at the same time.
Putting his attention on his most notable guests. There were the Durrandons and the Stark, of the great houses he trusted them the most to have his back, hence why he greeted them with a warm welcome once he was out of his workshop.
A pity he wasn't there when either arrived, but there had been a breakthrough in the study of the stone and it could not be left lest he lose trace of it. Malora had been instrumental in helping him achieve that breakthrough, earning her quite the reward.
Next to them were the Tyrells and the Lannisters, whose loyalty would last as long as their interests aligned.
Interestingly, the imprints left to observe them had noticed some sort of friction between Tyrion and Olenna. Whatever Olenna had schemed must have pissed off the littlest Lion because he looked ready to murder the old hag.
Alerie was, as usual, ignoring her oaf of a husband who was boasting about something to Paxter. The Hightower was more interested in fussing over her daughter and getting up to speed with his latest lover Janna.
Janna only ever gave out news to the Tyrells that she knew Erlend didn't care for. Malora had made sure that their newest addition understood that.
Margaery herself was a sweet angel, though he could see hints of the shrewdness and wit she would be known for in the future.
Erlend knew full well he didn't love his lovers equally, only an idiot could spout such bullshit and expect anyone to believe it. He had his favorites and the girls seemed fine with it as long as he allowed them their freedom, something he didn't mind as long as they remained loyal.
Gazing at his guests with a blinding smile, "My lords and Ladies, I welcome you all to the tourney of Firmridge!" the guests all cheered at his words.
"For too long has Westeros suffered. Many here have lost loved ones to this war." Murmurs of agreement could be heard all around, yet he pushed on.
"Gone are the treacherous Ironmen who have plagued these lands and for the devastation they have caused."
"Gone are the mad fools who plunged this continent into despair."
"Let this tourney be a sign of better times to come. Let it usher in an era of peace and prosperity so that their sacrifices won't be in vain," he said loud and clear for all to hear.
Lorimas was the first to respond, "PEACE AND PROSPERITY!."
The guests repeated his words with fervent excitement, stoked by his Uncle.
"PEACE AND PROSPERITY!"
"PEACE AND PROSPERITY!"
"PEACE AND PROSPERITY!"
Erlend simply stared at the energetic guests, motioning for their silence.
"Now then, enjoy yourselves, my Lords and Ladies. For the following days are sure to be exciting."
As if his words were a signal, the doors opened as servants began to pour in, carrying dishes filled with delicacies and tantalizing cuisine.
The guests eyed the food with hunger and anticipation.
Erlend sat back in his seat as he watched everything unfold with satisfaction. This tourney would be the fire to light the flame that was his reign, may it burn bright.
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