wow

Song of Anne Bonny

Grace O'Malley queen of the pirates song

This is incredibly well written. I enjoyed the manipulations the Charles puts to motion. The waves are certainly felt.

Yikes! This is amazing! Hope there's more to come!

OMG! Last time I read your stuff, you did it to Sean. Now you're doing it to Mr. Dance? This is going to be interesting. But, please...

Be kinder to him than you were to Sean... ;)

This is...truly superb and fascinating.

The show couldn't begin to show us the nuance, the list of petty officials in the court that must have supported one faction or other. Jockeying for position. You portray this excellently.

And now this. I have to wonder however about Stannis.

The man just see that the longer he stays on dragon stone the more that tywin entrenches himself.

Or is he with waiting for some revelation about cersei's children to come to light.

So Charles Dance/Tywin Lannister and Ned Stark override Robert's order to have Daenerys killed. Unless someone else plots against Daenerys, does this mean that she won't have that assassination attempt made on her? Since Robert is still alive, does this also mean that Daenerys will not have the advice and reputation of Barristan the Bold to guide her? No assassination attempt, no oath of Khal Drogo in invading Westeros. No oath of Khal Drogo, no attacking villages, no Mirri Mazdur, no motivation pushing Daenerys towards Westeros. Unless Drogo dies by the hand of Mirri Mazdur, Daenerys is unlikely to waken her dragon eggs. There might be other ways...

Charles as Tywin is taking a very indirect form of leadership. Although everyone can see his way of manipulating conversations and the King, very few can really go against him.
very smart given his position.
I wonder what Stannis was thinking about all this.
in canon Tywin identified him as the true threat, how will our protagonist deal with him?
Renly seems to be running out of patience with the old Lannister, is that what it takes to make a mistake?
on the other hand one should be surprised at how difficult it is to get good collaborators in westeros, it seems that everyone is only there to save themselves. ruling to be a very tedious business in such a situation.
very good chapter.
keep writing.
blessings and good health to you and your loved ones.

Oh that was cool

Smart - Oberyn will 100% have poison on his blade.
Hmm - can he be hung for cheating?

Wow I never considered Tywin's assessment of what could of happened to Daenerys. I could see Robert liking the idea of her becoming a broodmare for the Dothraki.

The moment Dany starts to shelter woman from Dothraki rape, she will put Drogo in a lot of problems, I could see his tribe fracturing and diminishing in numbers and strength, with many warriors joining other tribes.

interesting that Robert is getting more involved.
I guess the fact that most consider him a terrible king, doesn't escape the fact that he WAS a King and was qualified as an experienced man with it all, Intelligence was never Roberts Problem, WILLINGNESS was.
but hey! functional problems he actually has to deal with.

ive always found something a bit darkly amusing about the statement the will is strong but the flesh is so weak, as it neatly oh if I was but ABLE to... Im a large strong fella when im of a mind so ive got vastly more complicated issues on that.

but Robert! give him some structure and hes good to go!

but still interesting talks, our Charlwen dealing with the say you know what would make sense for a bloody Targ exile? finding that bloody ARMY OF THE BLACKFYRES DANG IT.

like the fact that its a mercenary company doesn't escape the fact that its pretty much bigger then any single house could put to field easily without calling upon their lesser principles.
ive seen numbers as like what the kingdoms could do with ought utterly devastating their lands
Reach at its best probably something like 130,000? their problem is always more mobilizing then never having enough men for the job.
the West apparently with its money had something onto 60,000 to 80,000 , mostly cause they got the wealth to finance it
the riverlands probably being the next most populas, lets say generously 40,00 -60,000, probably more the west in terms of people, but arming and funding those people before multiple armies converge on you has to be the biggest problem. the riverlands are DEFENSIBLE, just the problem is that they have MULTIPLE fronts that they only have the strength o hold off ONE kingdom coming for them at a time.

? and then the North, Vale and Stormlands being in the rang of 30,000- 45,0000 ish
with Dorne and Iron Islands /Crownland being something like 20,000 ish.

course that if given enough time for full mobilization and complete time to prepare but hey.

but like the golden company by ITSELF gives 10,000? less then any other kingdom, but that is still a huge chunk of it that you've fought multiple wars against dang it.
they should be Watching the bloody thing a lot more carefully then they do, especially with the Blackfyres claim of being legitimized Bastards, they got a established just legitimize their own bastards threat just ready in the wings really.

so good points from our dear Tywin! good arguments on I don't have great knowledge and wisdom coming from mystical answers but I can certainly make DECENT arguments that lead where I want to go...

not sure on that deliberately leave threats out their for future generations bit? I note that you diddnt have Robert really respond to that which is interesting...

ill say Ned having only they are CHILDREN Robert felt especially stupidish? I get that's a bit part of Neds knowledge, but his honest argument that they could throw them back into the sea is not without merit, I mean our Birds eye view knows that the kingdom is especially crippled against intelligence on enemies movement? that most armies would already be here and causing a fuss before they are really ready, but Ned assumes more loyalty and competence on their part then that is correct.
but the thought that the Storlmands being predominantly Baratheon power and Stannis having a strong royal navy, you could certainly cause unholy hell against them even in transit, and even if they DO land in dorne, as much as Dorne is hell to invade, hitting it all on the cost with the ships as well as blocking the passes into he mountains is not unfeasible. then a foreign transplanted Light Calvary Horde is smooshed right into Dorne with no where to go which would be AMAZINGLY terrible.

course id like more honest talk cause Robert fear a Reach/Dorne alliance and the redwines helping out, with the possibility of some crownlanders going onto the other side which is still most likely BEATABLE but ALOT more of a unholy havoc.
course that make an argument that the Renly/Margery dynamic is down right necessary.
in pure objective terms a Sansa/Roberts actual heir alliance is actually GREAT for terms of keeping the alliance strong nearly all of the five kingdoms of the B.L.A.S.T alliance is now kin to the royal family to be in some way or form so that's good going.

but the the madness of Mercy perspective on Roberts and neds… issues are something interesting.

did love that it came to a vote, that's certainly interesting from Roberts perspective on allowing it rather then just bull charging everyone's opinion, honestly im LIKING what your doing with Robert, he aint no saint and a bit of a mess? but hes a bit FUNCTIONAL adjacent through it all at least...
there is a REASON this Man won the war after all and decisively crushed the greyjoys.

but god Tywin is a SMOOTH operator there, I LOVE how he targets his argument... ending on Robert still wants to KNOW what shes up to and how and what shes going to do... cause that's only fair sense.

still Tywin! god man is good on perception here, its AMAZING.

seriously I do like everyones points, perspectives and the idea of their own positions for the things that they offer cause yeah.
even the fact of how chancy a thing like that WOULD do...

it still.. I get tis for book and plot but how trusted Varys was to just do his thing IRRITATES me a lot. its a bit nice that your showcasing all the smaller and lesser positions in the kingdom with the keepers and master of this and that. really fleshes out an actual GOVERNMENT instead of leaving it vauge and only 5 people doing stuff. good stuff on that at least.

anyway im quite curious about Stannis now, cause Mel surprise shadow baby is always an option, and if he is denied to his mind sane legal correct and necessary options... well what then but the other bit?
perhaps if he was willing to let the years pass on by, although in canon he had to be concerned that Jon died and Robert was probably soon to follow so retreated to save his own house and kin...
course didn't expect the cluster muck of Ned AND Robert going off the cliff like that but hey.

still so many options for him! cause doubt hes going to just come in and bluntly get into it, which means seeing Stannis trying to play games at court would be quite lovely, keeping his lounge bit on what he knows but GLARING a lot... lovely stiff. much teeth grinding! he and Renly can bond!

Tywin doing say combining Tommen and Shireen in betrothal so assuring House Baratheon their second seat continues under their power would sure be great wouldent it? best to keep Dragonstone under House Baratheon. not so much as a wink to Stannis about it, but he KNOWS what that is.

Renly is of course young enough to keep Storms end of course, especially cause he needs to marry , but still certainty of succession after all!

and Stannis having to ARGUE with himself and rally and face DECISISONS on right and good for the realm and finding how to reconcile what is possible versus what he feels hes gotta….

course if instead he and Mell just make a perfectly normal hum drum Bastard, that would be almost even MORE delicious, show up with my wife turned to a foreign religion and I somehow got a bloody Paramour with a Bastard... god Renly and Roberts FACES at it, their brains might break under it!
also Mel has some wit to her, it could be great. couse what she makes of tywin would be curious.
along with Stannis not willing to talk about ALL of it!

still everyone felt like they wernt just responding by rote or catch phrases that some fall into and I appreciate that! all had actual dialogue going on! its great, really refreshing thank you.

Damn, your update speed is something else. Good new chapter as always.

The news of Daenerys pregnancy helps to place where current events stand compared to the canon timeline. This story is further down the road than I thought, though I shouldn't be surprised. The search for Jaime and Cersei would have taken up quite some time and since that there were many preparations for the tourney.

How Tywin manipulated Robert here is nothing short of brilliant. He managed to advocate for sparring Danenerys and Viserys in a way that left everyone convinced it was done out pragmatism/stone cold logic. Bravo.

The reactions from everyone else are in line from what I would expect based on their canon portrayals.

Regarding the two new members of the council. While it is only natural to name people to the posts with Baelish dead and Varys presumed so, the guys named seem weird. Josmyn I can sort of get. It isn't like there are a plethora of Lords with any experience in spycraft. Naming the guy previously in charge of singers, dancers and the like, with the logic he would use these people to build a spy-network is not the worst idea. Though some of the more mercantile Lords would be a better pick. Heck a Frey would be a good choice. Those have relatives EVERYWHERE.

But Blanetree? Surely there were some better candidates. Ned could have pushed for Manderley. Tywin for a cousin of his (since he is in effect currently financing the crown it would make sense). And in general there are quite a few Lords that are sufficiently engaged in trade business to take up the post. Naming someone on the council, while certainly a matter of getting someone to do the job, is also about rewarding allies or winning important Lords. So naming someone from the Riverlands? Sure, it shows the region is appreciated. It would have been a better choice to name Mooton though.

In any case. Josmyn. Poor fellow. He isn't in a enviable position. Varys didn't exactly made sure that his successor could easily pick up his work. In fact he made sure the exact opposite would happen. And now he is forced to learn on the job in a sink-or-swim trial.

One last thing though. When Pycelle gives his opinion on the assassination matter you write that Tywin stared at him with grey eyes speckled with gold. Tywin's eyes are canonically green, speckled with gold.

Thanks for your good work. Until next time.

How nice that the reason Josmyn said no to killing the Targaryens was that he didn't know how to contact Mormont. Tywin is going to make some money out of his bet (it was quite daring of the new master of coin to inquire after it) but I wonder why he's against killing Daenerys. Does he want to make a good impression on Stark and does he think that things will change enough for now?