The feast I

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second chapter I will see if I can upload the third chapter of the week but I have many exams. 

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POV of Jon Arryn, seventh moon 284 AC

All the invited guests had arrived, except for the Northmen, who were invited but decided not to attend, as the date clashed with their annual meeting to discuss the purchase of grain from the south, and the Ironborn, although they were invited, decided not to attend.

All was in order and surprisingly quiet. The Prussians have kept quite aloof. From all but the Teutonic knights, who have become a sort of figurehead for the Prussians, as the small folks have begun to almost love them for all their charitable acts.

Varys had to keep an eye on the Prussian cooks who entered the castle because it is risky that they might put poison in the food that all the lords of the seven kingdoms might eat.

All seemed to be going well until I got my hands on a Prussian contract where Lord Tywin handed over huge economic benefits for the Prussians not to use their freshly mined gold.

'The crown must not intervene in this; as long as the Prussians pay their tax for extracting the gold, all is well... approved'

As I was still going through some papers, Pycelle entered my workroom, rather annoyed.

I stood watching the Grand maester as he adjusted his chains before checking the sleeves of his tunic and giving me a message.

''Lord Hand, I bring terrible news from my fellow Citadel members: we have failed to raise the necessary funds to be able to continue training more Maesters and continue our research'' Pycelle said,he was very concerned.

''I suppose they need the crown to intervene in this?'' I said as I set my quill down in the inkwell.

''Yes, Lord Hand, I fear that is the only solution. Without the necessary funds, our research and training of new masters will be severely affected. We need the crown's support in order to move forward, or you should simply order the Prussians to accept the masters into their castles and contribute again." Pycelle nodded regretfully, then gave an idea.

''I can't force them to do that. How much would this support they need be?'' I said this as I thought of where to raise funds for this.

''The citadel has a deficit of almost a million golden dragons because almost all of the reach no longer contributes donations to the citadel, and Oldtown only contributes a tenth of what it used to in the past. This situation is vital that it be resolved with the utmost haste. If this continues, there will be a decline in our order of knowledge, and we may not be able to train enough members to support the realm'' said Pycelle, running one of his hands through his beard.

''Phew, that's too much money, Pycelle; it's not something we can afford at the moment. You'll have to wait a bit before we can send such a large amount of gold, assuming it will be every year'' I said as I ran one of my hands over the top of my head.

''They are sacrifices that the kingdom must make, and this is the most important of all. The new masters might not have all the necessary elements for their studies; a new tax could help, for example, a new tax on the reach grains. That way, we can control that the price does not drop too much with the abundant harvests of the fertile granary of the kingdom, guaranteeing a steady income to the crown'' said Pycelle, smiling as if he had given the best idea in the world.

''If we did that, he could turn one of Robert's most loyal lords against him because it is a specific tax against him, and if against all the territories, we could have a rebellion that could drive Robert from power, something we cannot afford. Besides, in our deal with the Prussians, we gave them legal independence; new laws and new taxes must be approved by Lord Hohenzollern before they take effect, and no one would accept a tax increase without a good reason, especially given the huge expenses they incur in building in the reach'' I reminded Pycelle of the crown's dealings.

''But that would mean a decline in the quality of future masters lord hand; imagine what could happen with lords who are poorly advised by not having the brightest minds at their side'' said Pycelle, trying to convince me.

''I understand your concern, grand maester, but besides, what advice has your order provided in the last centuries? From what I understand, your new competitors in the pursuit of knowledge, the Prussian engineers, have shown great advances in technology while we are still using techniques we inherited from our ancestors'' I said, remembering Varys' reports.

''It turns out that they are a bunch of madmen; just like the alchemists who have no control over what they do, it is only a matter of time before their creations turn against them. In their insatiable search for knowledge, they will come against the harsh reality of this place that their creations will sooner or later end up killing them while we continue at a slow but steady pace, avoiding all the risks that may bring those new technologies. Just consider what my companions have discovered in their studies,'' said Pycelle, very annoyed.

''Wow... Could you share some details about what your peers have discovered in their studies? I was pretending to be surprised.

''Several masters have been studying the Prussian culture, and we have come to a common conclusion about them, they are extremely dangerous to the stability of the kingdom, and continuing to give them those privileges will only make them show their true colors sooner or later; they are even worse than the ironborn,'' said Pycelle, very angry.

I just signaled Pycelle to continue talking about his discovery.

''They are a violent and militarized culture that has demonstrated their capacity for conquest and oppression throughout history; they are used to wars; they had one to three wars every year in their kingdom, and you only have to see how crazy they are that they say it with pride as if the destruction that war brings is positive; what will happen when they miss the battles? Their bloodlust is satiated for now, but it is a problem that will continue to grow''.

''For as long as they maintain that militaristic culture, which they will teach their children, the kingdom can never be at peace; they will always be creating more conflict, foreign culture, foreign religion; they will only seek to destroy the seven kingdoms, and you must stop them, Lord Hand, for their war mentality and their desire for conquest will only perpetuate the cycle of violence. It is crucial that you, as Lord Hand, take steps to counteract this culture and stop them before they cause damage'' Pycelle concluded.

''Are you finished, Pycelle?'' I asked without much interest.

''Uh, yes, Lord Hand'' said Pycelle hesitantly.

''Because the answer is still the same, we can't do anything'' I replied dryly.

''but Lord Hand should consider...'' Pycelle tried to say

''Damn it, Pycelle, we can do nothing. Not long ago, the kingdoms were bleeding from a civil war. There are five Targaryen alive that will take advantage of any trouble we generate. Dorne will never be loyal and will always be a foothold for any Targaryen invasion. Out of five Blackfyre rebellions, four were supported by nobles from the seven kingdoms, and what you propose would make the breadbasket of the kingdom, the most populated and richest territory, not consider Roberth as its rightful king''

''TELL ME PYCELLE, what would we do with Dorne, the reach, and other lords supporting a Targaryen, the numbers of the reach armed with Prussian steel led by competent Prussian generals who are veterans of hundreds of battles and guided by a military genius who so far has not known defeat? I am the one that most would like everything to be stable and the kingdom to prosper, but no, at any moment a rebellion will break out and we will need all the loyalists we can get if for the Prussians to be loyal to us we must give in, we will give in'' I shouted at Pycelle for the stupidity he proposed.

''I understand, Lord Hand; just take it into consideration'' said Pycelle.

, "Go away, Pycelle; I have work to do".I said rather exhaustedly

The moment Pycelle left my workroom, I began to sigh.

'The pressure and stress of my job began to affect me physically and emotionally. My breathing became heavier, and my thoughts became darker. I realized that I was trapped in a situation where everything seemed to be going to hell. My hopes of Robert becoming a good king were slowly fading as I saw his true character. He only desired power and didn't care about responsibilities.'

'I had so hoped that Robert would act as he had done in the war, where he truly looked like a leader that his people could depend on, and that the boy I raised would show more dedication to his duty.'

'We will have to put all our hopes in Robert's heir when he has one, as he seems unwilling to assume his responsibilities as king. Let us hope that the next heir will have the character and dedication to rule properly.

I finished reviewing some administrative matters and headed to the hall where this important event would take place.

As I walked towards the hall, I could not help but feel anxious to witness the development of this crucial event. I hoped that everything would go as planned and that I could witness a successful event that would bring stability to the seven kingdoms and take the burden of a rebellion in favor of the Targaryens off our shoulders.

I knew that the success of this event was not only important for me but also for the future of the kingdom. Besides, I was aware that any mistake or setback could have serious consequences and destabilize the political situation even more.

There were some lords who had arrived earlier and were talking among themselves about some possible alliance, rumors, or just business. The feasts are good places to do everything.

I quickly made my way to my place on the right where the king would sit, trying to keep my composure and calm under the pressure of the event. I look around, noting the elegance and luxury surrounding the hall, further reinforcing the importance of this occasion.

Luxury was not lacking, as the organizers of this event gave us ample funds to host this grand event and make sure everything lived up to expectations. Guests, dressed in their finest attire, mingle amidst laughter and lively conversation, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and excitement palpable in the air.

Slowly, more and more lords were arriving, taking their places at the long tables that were distributed among the respective domains of the great lords, each with his retinue of followers and allies. The hall was filled with a constant bustle as the guests exchanged greetings and prepared to enjoy this great day.

When a great lord arrived, the herald immediately made them known to all present, stating their titles, so that their importance would be emphasized and recognized by all. In addition, you could feel the anticipation in the air as the guests anxiously awaited the start of the festivities and the surprises that awaited them during the event.

Everyone was already arriving; Lord Renly had already taken his place, as had Lord Tywin, who as always had a serious face; Lord Hoster was talking with some of his bannermen; at the table of the vale, it seemed that everything was quiet; and Doran was at his table, watching me attentively with his brother.

Almost everyone was looking at the Prussian table, since in a way they had broken the etiquette of the occasion. There were not only Prussian nobles but also commoner Prussian officials among the guests, since the Prussians had placed their governors at the reach of all their traits, looking for efficiency, which led to the fact that there were commoner governors at this feast, but at the same time they were governors of important lands.

This caused some discomfort and curiosity among the other guests, who were not used to seeing commoners in positions of power since most of them have less land and power than these commoners. However, the Prussians believed in meritocracy and considered that anyone, regardless of their social origin, could reach leadership positions if they demonstrated skills and competence.

Something rare to see in the seven kingdoms, where nobility and lineage were the main factors for positions of importance. This Prussian mentality challenged the established norms and generated controversy among the other rulers, who saw their status and privileges threatened by the rise of these commoners to power.

''Wilhelm von Hochzollern paramount lord of the reach,magrave of brandenburg....'' said the herald all the german titles, and various nobles turned to watch as the Prussian lord arrived at the feast.

Wilhelm arrived, followed by his fiancée, who was wearing a green silk and velvet dress and quite a lot of jewelry.

But he... wore a black suit with white trim that highlighted the medals on his chest, but what stood out most about him was that fur hat that had a shiny piece of metal that resembled a skull.

Many Prussians wore that helmet with the pike on their heads, and there were only a few who wore that other hat.

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