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Chapter 83: Plans and Tourney!
🕑 Added 2024-05-01 19:15:19 +0000 UTCAt the luncheon in Pyke's great hall, the air was thick with revelry and the scent of salt and roasted meat. Lords and captains raised their cups to Damian, their new lord, their voices echoing off the stone walls with chants and cheers for his victory and ascension. Yet beneath the clamor of celebration, weightier matters forged the undercurrent of conversation.
As the feasting wore on, King Robert, Lord Stark, and Damian retreated slightly from the throng, their heads bent in earnest discussion. The jubilant noise of the hall seemed to recede as they contemplated the grave task of governing the Iron Islands and ensuring the fragile peace was maintained.
Ned pledged the support of the North with five hundred strong and steadfast men to lend their strength to Damian's security for a year's turn. He also offered gold to feed and equip these men, but Damian, understanding both the limitations of Northern wealth and his own resources, declined this additional aid. He insisted his new dominion would sustain itself and its defenders.
King Robert extended his help through fiscal reprieve—no taxes would be levied on the Iron Islands for two full years, providing much-needed relief as Damian worked to stabilize his rule. More significantly, Damian would also get Robert's political backing as long as he displays unbroken loyalty and work to change the reaving culture that had long defined the Ironborn.
The matter of the Greyjoy remnants was settled with a stark decree: a bounty placed upon Euron's head, a grim choice of the black or the block for captive Victarion and Aeron, while the futures of Asha, Theon, and their mother were entrusted into Damian's care. Lady Alannys would be permitted to retire to the safety of her brother's keep, while her children would remain at Pyke under Damian's watchful eye, a measure intended to foster reconciliation—or at least acceptance—of the new order.
As for the proposition of marrying Asha Greyjoy to solidify his control, Damian dismissed it after much thought. Such an act, he argued, would breed only resentment and strife. He was confident that with his governance, economic benefits and the formidable capabilities awarded by the system, he could secure the loyalty of the Ironborn without resorting to forced alliances.
Damian told his vision for the Iron Islands with clarity born of careful planning. Lord Farwynd of Lonely Light, had been the first to bend the knee voluntarily, though his loyalty was observed with a wary eye.
To ensure Old Wyk's allegiance, the center of Drowned God's fate, Damian bestowed its lordship on Raymond, a knight summon whose loyalty was beyond reproach. The seats of the extinguished Houses Wynch and Botley on Pyke would also be given to his chosen men or women, for example, Dacey, if she agrees. This would ensure complete control on the Island from where he was going to rule.
Arsen was given the charge of Harlaw to act as a counterweight to Lord Rodrik Harlaw, while decisions on the leadership of Sealskin Point on Great Wyk, Salcilff, and Blacktyde were still pending. The latter was particularly delicate; the young heir of Blacktyde, barely seven namedays old, was to be fostered under Raymond's guardianship, a move designed to mold him into a loyal vassal in the fullness of time.
Orkmont, surrounded by islands now loyal to Damian, posed little threat of rebellion. Nevertheless, Damian planned to excise a portion of their land and entrust it to a loyal follower to oversee the island and quell any unrest.
While Damian had considered bestowing a seat on Jory, his trusted friend, Jory's future as the next in line to House Cassel precluded such a grant. Instead, Jory had chosen to remain at Damian's side as his confidant.
Their counsel concluded, and the three men returned their attention to the hall, where the feast continued unabated.
A palpable sense of scrutiny drew Damian's gaze across the room. Lord Tywin Lannister, the formidable Warden of the West, was observing them intently. Their eyes met, and with a measured nod, Tywin raised his glass in a silent toast before taking a deliberate sip, his expression unreadable.
Compelled by decorum and the intricate rules of highborn courtesies, Damian mirrored the gesture, lifting his own glass in acknowledgement and taking a sip. The cool wine did little to clarify his thoughts on the Lannister lord. Tywin was a master of the Game of Thrones; his strategies and intentions were always cloaked in layers of subtlety and silence.
Damian's display of martial prowess and commanding presence at today's duel might have shifted Tywin's calculations. Whether Tywin's reassessment would tilt towards favor or increased caution remained unclear, but Damian suspected the latter. The Lannister lord was a master at long games, and a player as unpredictable and capable as Damian could be viewed more as a threat than a tool.
Damian can never let his guard down against this man.
It was in this moment of observation that he noticed Tywin rising from his seat, his gait measured and commanding as he approached their table. The clink of his goblet on the table drew the attention of King Robert and all those around.
"Your Grace," Tywin began, his voice carrying the refined, resonant tone of authority and old gold, "in light of our recent triumph over the Greyjoy rebellion, I propose a celebration to mark the unity and strength of the realm." His eyes briefly met Damian's,"I would like to host a tourney at Lannisport in honor of this victory."
Tournaments were not merely spectacles of knightly prowess but arenas where alliances were forged, reputations made, and political power displayed in full view of the realm's watchful eyes.
Robert, who was always enthusiastic about martial festivities, responded with a hearty laugh, slapping the table with his large hand. "A tourney, you say, Tywin? And at Lannisport? It sounds like a grand idea! It would indeed be a fine way to celebrate our victory and showcase the might of the realm united under the crown."
Tywin nodded, his expression composed, every inch the statesman. "Indeed, Your Grace. I believe it will serve as a fitting celebration for your victory," he stated smoothly. "I have taken the liberty of initiating preparations. By the time we arrive, Lannisport will be ready to welcome its distinguished guests. Formal invitations will be dispatched forthwith to all lords who stood with us against the rebellion, ensuring their participation in the festivities and competitions."
