[Chapter Size: 1500 Words.]
---------------------------------------
Eight thousand men marched across the Riverlands toward Riverrun.
Theon lifted Myrcella down from her horse. She gazed at Riverrun with wide-eyed curiosity. The fortress, rising like an island amid the rivers, stirred her wonder.
At that moment, Yara and the others lowered the drawbridge and came out to greet them. In passing, many noticed Myrcella holding Theon's hand, and all had already heard whispers of their marriage.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, the Queen!"
The greetings overwhelmed Myrcella. She longed to ask Theon why they called them king and queen, but she knew some questions could never be spoken in public.
Theon led his host into the city. Riverrun had been rebuilt, and at his command the people's taxes had been reduced.
The lords of the Riverlands had been sorted into four fates: some executed, some suppressed, some won over, and others newly appointed by Theon himself.
Common folk across the Seven Kingdoms often bore hostility toward outsiders, but such sentiment was nothing compared to the relief of lowered taxes.
No one sets himself against his own interest. The world is driven by gain, is it not?
The smallfolk, ignorant and illiterate, needed no ideology to sway them. When Theon declared that levies would fall to forty percent, they were grateful enough, turning their hands eagerly back to the plow.
Theon also understood that only by granting land to the smallfolk could he increase both population and revenue. Taking advantage of his purge of the old order, he ordered Yara to redistribute farmland around Riverrun to peasants.
After settling Myrcella, he summoned his ministers to plan the Riverlands' future.
The Riverlands were not the Iron Islands. With Robb Stark dead, Roose Bolton had withdrawn north to seize power, leaving chaos behind. Many of the old nobility lay slain or scattered.
This gave Theon his chance. The Riverlands, though exposed and lacking natural defenses, were fertile ground for agriculture. The Trident flowed straight east to the Narrow Sea, a perfect artery for trade, needed only reform, and it could sustain a permanent host.
After "discussions" with the lords, and some "friendly persuasion" from Theon, it was resolved that a city-guard system would be implemented across Riverrun.
Under this system, the king himself would appoint each city's governor and its military commander.
Towns and villages below the rank of city would remain under feudal lords, but the lords themselves would hold their titles only from the crown.
All taxes were to be rendered yearly. Cities would deliver seventy percent to the crown, retaining thirty for defense and development. Townships would render half.
No lord was permitted to impose extra levies, and the grain tax could never exceed forty percent.
These reforms applied only to the Riverlands, not to the Iron Islands. Even so, the announcement left many nobles uneasy.
Yet while some fretted, others rejoiced. Theon's newly appointed lords, many of them farmers by birth, eagerly supported his decrees.
The older houses looked on with alarm. Even though their own feudal rights on the Iron Islands were untouched, they could see where Theon's mind was headed.
But Theon now had the strength to enforce his will. Those who had fought beside him knew too well the power of his enchanted armor. And his reforms won him the loyalty of the rank and file.
He was aware of the discontent among the nobility but made no move against them. His ranks of capable men were too thin; he had no choice but to let others govern villages and towns.
If he had enough literate, skilled men, he would never have allowed local lords to hold sway at all.
Staring at the tens of thousands of words drafted before him, Theon collapsed back into his chair, exhausted. Myrcella came behind him and gently massaged his temples.
Only then did Theon realize the weight of his undertaking. To build from nothing was no easy thing. Problems lurked everywhere: how to collect taxes efficiently, how to prevent large-scale land seizures, how to stop nobles from amassing both soil and smallfolk.
And beyond all that, the matter of the army. How to train it? Could old and new methods be blended? Certainly he could not adopt modern drills in full. Theon lacked the meat to fill his men's bellies, and without meat, no soldier could endure the rigors of such training.
Without food in the stomach, it is impossible for anyone to adapt to the current methods of military training.
Previously, Theon wandered back and forth, trying to gain some advantage in the War of the Five Kings, without carefully considering how to secure his future. Now that he had suddenly stopped, he felt as though endless problems surrounded him.
In truth, if they simply divided the Riverlands in the traditional way, there would not be many difficulties. But Theon's main goal was to build a centralized empire.
As for Westeros's feudal system, Theon had no interest in it. He refused to allow his descendants to rally the "vassal kings" of the realm and tear apart the empire he had built after his death.
While Theon was reflecting on his new policies, a new round of the Game of Thrones began in King's Landing. The one in the most difficult position was undoubtedly the former acting Hand, Tyrion Lannister.
After Tyrion awoke, he immediately went to Tywin to claim what he believed he deserved: Casterly Rock.
But Tyrion underestimated Tywin's contempt for him. As Tywin declared, he would never allow a drunken, debauched dwarf to inherit his ancestral seat. That would disgrace the family.
"You still ask why? You killed your mother when you were born, you are a twisted, disobedient freak. Why should you inherit Casterly Rock?"
Enraged, Tywin rose to his feet and advanced on Tyrion, speaking mercilessly:
"You are filled with envy, lust, and cunning. The world tolerates you carrying my name and wearing my colors only because I cannot prove you are not of my blood!"
Tyrion's cheek twitched at his father's words. For the first time, he felt anger instead of fear when facing Tywin.
But Tywin did not stop. "The Seven have taught me humility, forcing me to watch you flaunt the lion's sigil, the sigil of my father and my grandfather!"
"Get out. Now."
At last, Tywin coldly ordered Tyrion to leave.
Though Tyrion burned with anger, his old fear of Tywin still prevailed, and he left powerless.
As he walked away, Tywin said behind him: "Never speak of inheriting Casterly Rock again."
Tyrion left his father's chamber without hesitation.
The next day, at the royal council meeting, Pycelle, once imprisoned by Tyrion, appeared. He had always been a man of Tywin first, and only secondarily a servant of Cersei.
Tyrion, though stripped of office, was also summoned.
Tywin arranged the seat to his left and sat at the head of the table, establishing his authority.
Varys moved forward, ready to choose a place, but Littlefinger suddenly darted ahead and claimed the chair nearest to Tywin. Varys pursed his lips and took the second seat.
Pycelle obediently sat in the third, while Cersei placed a bench on Tywin's right.
In the end, only Tyrion remained standing in the entire council.
Glancing at the others, he dragged a chair opposite Tywin. Because of his short stature, the legs screeched loudly against the stone floor, the sound harsh in the silent chamber.
Looking around at their varied expressions, Tyrion gripped the chair with one hand, pulled it forward, set his hands on the table, and surveyed the council.
At last, he said: "This place is truly delightful. I do so enjoy sitting this close to my esteemed colleagues."
At that, Cersei could not hide her disdainful smile. No one else spoke. Finally, Tywin broke the silence and began the session.
The main subjects were straightforward: sending Pycelle to the Vale and secure its loyalty, and appointing Tyrion as Master of Coin.
The second matter concerned Margaery Tyrell. Just days earlier, envoys from Highgarden had arrived in King's Landing. Littlefinger's lobbying had succeeded, and Margaery herself was eager to become queen and elevate House Tyrell to the pinnacle of power.
The two parties quickly reached an understanding, and Joffrey had already decided to wed Margaery. The happiest of all was Sansa Stark, for to be betrothed to Joffrey was, to her, the greatest torture imaginable.
Yet this scene did not escape the eyes of the Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell.
Seeing Sansa's joy, Olenna frowned. She immediately sensed something amiss. Casting a sharp look at Joffrey, she suppressed the doubts stirring in her heart.
Tyrion, however, knew well the state of the treasury from his time as Hand, especially after it had been plundered by a bastard king. The coffers were nearly empty, with nothing left to fund Joffrey's grand wedding.
Even so, Tyrion accepted the position. He needed power. Any official role was better than none at all. He wanted to prove to Tywin that even without the family's backing, he, Tyrion Lannister, would never be lesser than anyone.
—————————
Author's Note:
If you're enjoying the story and wish to support me, you can visit my P-@-t-r-3-0-n, where you can read 50+ extra chapters ahead!
Thank you so much for your support. It means the world! 💙😊
P-@-T -r-3-0-n [.] com / DylanBriak