Chapter 20: Part 20 - Lannisters' plan of ascent
281 AC
(Rickard Stark POV)
The Hall of a Hundred Hearths is Harrenhal's great hall. It has only thirty-three hearths but is said to be able to entertain an army. And truly that saying was correct.
Looking around the giant hall was nothing short of impressive. If one of the servants is to be believed when he told me about the kitchens, then their kitchen is as large as our great hall in Winterfell.
The floors and walls are smooth and slate. The grey rock is often used in flooring and roofing. This must have cost a fortune to build all those years ago. A shame that Aegon the Conqueror burnt Harrenhal and its towers down.
I look around the tables to look at the other guests eating and drinking. So many high and minor nobles attended this tourney. It was no wonder we from the North also came to attend. This was the perfect way to find a bride for my sons.
Even though I like to give them their freedom, I know they'd do what I ask of them should a good marriage proposal come. Brandon will not have any problem finding someone, unlike Eddard. The younger boy was still shy and his fostering under Jon Arryn wasn't helping him grow some balls.
*Sigh*
I sigh and look at my daughter that is silently eating and also observing the lords and heirs. She has a disgusted look on her face for some reason. I follow her gaze and see Robert Baratheon laughing, drinking wine with Richard Lonmouth and groping one of the maids.
My jaw unconsciously clenches when I see this. He truly is a brute and a whoremonger of a man. I wonder how my son got to be so 'honourable' while the other foster son of Jon became ... that.
A drunkard whoremonger that almost lusts for blood in battle. If he didn't have the Baratheon name and I hadn't already agreed with Steffon ... I would never allow my daughter to marry him.
But sadly the North needs good relations and those relations help us get food and good trade deals. Still ... it pains me to see my strong and willful she-wolf suffering because she has to marry him.
And yet ... the young stag's charisma is through the roof. That's also the reason why my son and he understand each other so well. And I'm not talking about Eddard.
I let my gaze roam around and see all the northerners that are eating to their heart's content. It is a special scene to witness this many northerners attend something like this all at once.
Besides Starks and Howland Reed the Lord of Greywater Watch, other Northmen in attendance were Dustins, Hornwoods, Manderlys, and Mormonts. All of them were unsure about attending but now relaxed more after they started to drink, eat and laugh.
(Escanor POV)
I had an epiphany after I heard that the great feast was held within the Hall of a Hundred Hearths. It was THE opportunity to gain something out of it.
The Lannisters would not attend ... at least not personally, but that didn't mean that we didn't get any news sent by ravens every day.
Father, at my wishes, had tasked the Lords from House Payne, Brax and Lefford to send us updates every day about the happenings at Harrenhal. We didn't even think about asking the Cleganes. We both understood their strength didn't lie above their shoulders.
If I couldn't attend there personally, I at least wanted to know everything that happened. The more gossip and whispers the better.
I walked through the halls of Casterly Rock towards the solar of my father where I knew him to be at the moment.
I knocked and waited for him to allow me to enter. Thankfully my pride had burnt away my pettiness and I understood the pride of a man like Tywin Lannister. Therefore I waited patiently until he allowed me to enter. Respect your elders and especially your parents. And my father was someone to be respected, so it worked out well.
"Enter."
I opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door in order not to be disturbed right now. The next few hours were far too important to be disturbed by anyone.
Father was writing a letter as usual. He did that almost every time someone entered his solar. That served multiple purposes. For one he used it every time he could to get work done and secondly, it also worked as an intimidation tactic.
You might not consciously realise it but unconsciously it's disrespectful towards you when your counterpart doesn't even look at you and continues his work like you're not important enough.
I didn't care in the slightest though. For one I had lost all my pettiness, as I already said, and for another, he would very soon stop writing when he hears what I had planned.
"What is it Escanor?", Tywin said still writing. Surprisingly though, he stopped writing and lifted his head to look at me. Ever since that one breakfast about a sennight ago, he looked at me differently. Almost with pride and respect ...
"I apologise for disturbing you Father, but I believe that I thought of something that might be of interest to you and the entire House Lannister."
Tywin had his typical amused-like small smile that he wore whenever something went as planned or he was just amused at someone's stupidity.
"Enlighten me."
"I was thinking since we got the report from Lord Payne about the upcoming feast at Harrenhal. I understand your reasoning for not attending and I agree with you. But it still stands that we are letting an important chance slip through our fingers to tie new connections, make business proposals and even marriage alliances.
This is not good but it is what it is and maybe ... just maybe it can also become an unimaginable chance for us."
Tywin narrowed his eyes. He didn't like to be reminded about the humiliation and he of course knew perfectly that he was letting this chance go because of losing face. He was not angry though ... not yet, because he knew that Escanor didn't mention it to anger him or annoy him.
"What chance?"
"A chance to lay down our own spider webs. A chance to rise to the top in the future. A chance to infiltrate the other regions of Westeros without anyone being aware of it."
"..."
"..."
"... Explain!"
"Here's what I thought. All the attention of Westeros and its Lords is in Harrenhal at the moment. Many important highborn nobles and even many lower born are there attending what might as well be the grandest tourney in history.
It stands to reason that they are therefore not paying attention to their respective lands and regions."
"What are you trying to say? Get to the point Escanor!"
"I will Father, just a bit of patience. This is important."
Tywin exhaled and leaned back in his chair.
Escanor continued right away with his idea.
"What I'm trying to say Father was that we as House Lannister are probably the only major House in Westeros that is not attending the tourney at Harrenhal and interestingly enough ... we have a good reason.
No one will be suspicious of us, for not attending and we will use this momentary lapse of observation from other Houses to strike.
We will strike right into the hearts of the different regions. We will address all those houses in the entirety of the seven Kingdoms that are unhappy with their current situations and Great Houses of their respective region."
"For example, we will address the Boltons in the North and whisper promises of riches and power into their ears should they stand with us when the time comes to fight against the North and the Starks.
That way we will get allies and weaken the North substantially.
And there are many such cases throughout the other regions. All the Great Houses have houses in their regions who are unhappy with them and wish to rebel. I mean the Lannisters know this best. After all, you were the one to eradicate the Reynes and Tarbecks in 261 AC."
Tywin had a thoughtful look on his face. He was probably thinking about the probability of this plan working out and what would need to happen.
"The idea has indeed some merit. But do you think that it's that easy to do? Others would have done it long ago if that were the case."
"Ah, you are of course correct. But remember the reason for this tourney. If the rumours are correct then conflict is brewing very soon. Should Prince Rheagar truly be the hidden backer and funder of the Tourney at Harrenhal then there is a big change coming. And through conflict, we can reap what we sow right now.
The benefits we could get this way would be immensely helpful for our ascent in the future.
About the funding ... don't worry too much I have quite a few ideas on how to make money."
"Hmph ... That is an interesting idea Escanor. Due tell me who are the ones you thought about that would gladly stab their Great Houses in the back."
"Ah, I had a few ideas here. The first one as I said before has to be House Bolton from the North. Just look at their banner .. if that doesn't say: give me the means and I'll flay those you want, I don't know what does. Apart from that they also have quite a negative history with House Stark and would probably thirst for a chance to rise above them."
"Indeed that is a good idea. Who else?"
"Well, there is House ....
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Escanor with all his pride is a true Lannister and a son of Tywin. His knowledge allows him to make such long-term plans and Tywin is of course interested in this to secure his legacy.
I will cover some of the Tourney at Harrenhal while also addressing what Escanor is doing in each chapter.
That way the story doesn't just cover the tourney but also moves forwards.
I hope that this pleases most people.
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