Chapter 12: Back to Westeros 

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Chapter 12: Back to Westeros 

***

[Arthur XI]

After a long and daunting journey, the kind that reminded me why medieval times were so bad. But finally, I arrived at my destination, Harrenhall. The ancient castle still stood up there like a daunting fortress. It was quite an amazing build, and as an Engineer in my past life, I wonder just how much manpower and time it took to build such a monstrous castle.

"Sir, where should we set the tent?" one of the twenty men I had brought with me for the journey asked. They were here for my security and just in case I needed a meat shield against arrows. Thankfully we hadn't been attacked at all during the journey here. We were in horses and fully armored too, so any bandits that wanted anything to do with up would know that we were trouble. 

Usually, armored men on horses meant that they belonged to some lord or another, plus the House Frey flag on the chest of my armor said just that too. Bandits might be stupid, but they knew that if they went after noblemen they would be eliminated and someone like Walder Frey would even lunch their families just to send a message.

Even before we entered the territory of Harrenhal we could see the hundreds of tents put up by the different families who came here for the Tourney.

"Make a tent on the outskirts, but keep all of our things packaged and always make sure to feed the horses well," I ordered the man, who knew when this place could turn into a bloodbath and we needed to run. It was better to be prepared than to hope that the Mad King doesn't act… mad. 

**

We entered the perimeter the guards patrolled, one of them saw us and I nodded at them. They nodded back and didn't stop us.

When I got closer, it was even more cramped than it felt from far away. All around Harrenhal, I saw a lot of tents with different banners of all the houses of Westeros from the North to Dorne. All of the noble houses were here. Blacksmiths had opened small workshops and people rode on horses too, almost trampling others if the ones without horses weren't careful. 

A man's life here was cheap, even if a nobleman killed someone, they wouldn't get punished. Even in the Vale it was the same, and then was the place where 'chivalry' was practiced the most.

Far away, thanks to my hawk eyes I noticed a Frey tent and told the rest of my men. "Go and help build the tent. I will be okay by myself from here on."

When I rode to the Frey tent, I saw someone stand outside as a guard. It was a high chance that the weasel-looking guy was my sibling, and with his crooked teeth, he had that ugly Frey appearance. This was a reminder that even with my average looks, I was considered good-looking in that family.

"Hello there, brother," I smiled at the guard and stepped down from my horse with a smile. "How have you been?"

"Who the fuck are ya?" he asked crudely. There were bad intentions in his eyes as he then caught sight of the Frey banner on my chest. His gaze turned suspicious at that. "I haven't seen you around here."

"You don't even remember your brother, halfwit?" I said to him jokingly, but if I was being honest, I didn't remember him either as it had been around five years since I left home at sixteen. 

"Wha? I…" he stopped and seemed to think for a bit and then realization slowly dawned in his eyes. "Oh shit, it's you, Arthur. I thought you went and died on a ditch somewhere. Where have you been? Do you remember me? I am Yellow Walder."

Why do they call him that, because of his yellow teeth? But no, I don't remember him at all. Though I used to teach each of my younger brothers how to use a sword. "Yes I remember you, how are you with a sword now?"

"Heh," he smiled. "I can beat everyone else now, though Steveron and Black still whoop my arse every now and then."

We shook hands and hugged each other. His name still didn't ring any bells, but I kept acting familiar with him and even put my hand around his shoulder and asked a very generic question. "So, how are things with that girl?"

"Which girl?" He seemed genuinely confused, but I didn't let him think too much about it and continued.

"You know the one, don't act all innocent now." I elbowed him lightly to the side with a mischievous smirk. "You think I didn't notice it back then?"

That was when his gaze turned sour and he looked at the ground. "Ah, so you knew about Jamia… Well, father ended up marrying her."

Ufff… I just hit a weak spot right there. I will keep this in mind just in case I could use it later. But still, I didn't have time to talk with him all day, so I put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with a sincere look. "Never forget that I am still your brother, so if you need anything just tell me."

He nodded soberly and I gave him a Gold Dragon and winked. "I am sure some lonely lady of the night out there could use the company. They don't usually get any during the day."

He smiled happily and ran off. "Thanks, brother, I will never forget what you have done for me today."

I only waved at him and didn't mention anything about how he just abandoned his guard duty and how father would punish him for this later.

Opening the tent flap, I saw my father, Walder Frey, sitting on a high wooden chair. There were young men in their twenties talking to him and many among them I didn't recognize. Though, probably most of, if not all of them were my siblings.

At first, they turned towards the newcomer and saw who entered the room. None of the people recognized me at first, after all, the slightly long hair didn't do me any favors. Back then I always had short hair and was smaller.

Walder looked at me intently, more so than the others, and squinted his eyes. There was a trace of recognition in my father's eyes and he smirked amusingly. It seemed like he had figured out who I was.

But the same couldn't be said about my siblings, who even after seeing the banner on my chest piece, didn't diminish their suspicions.

"Ser," one of my siblings stepped forward and pulled out his sword. "We can see that you are a Frey banner-man so you must present yourself in front of Lord Walder Fray." 

I looked at the idiot who talked and he had the same weasel-like appearance that most of the Freys had. Who pulled a sword out so casually, weapons made people nervous, and pulling one out without the intention to use it could end up with your throat slit.

To prove that, I pulled out a pouch of coins the size of my head and threw it on the ground before the guy could react. Gold coins spilled out on the ground, taking everyone's attention. Except for Walder Frey, my father, and the man who will probably die after eating his son's flesh grounded into a pie.

"Last I heard you went to Essos," said Walder, taking a glance at the stack of coins too. He couldn't help himself.  "Did you make some money there too? How? Your own Sellsword Company?"

Well, he was horribly wrong on that. But I won't ramble on uselessly here to try and change his mind. Only fools bragged about their accomplishments out loud. 

Like saying that you won the lottery, that's asking for disaster to happen to you. 

"Yeah, something like that," I agreed with him, content with his assumption. Walder Frey didn't have a spy network, he wouldn't know of what I did. Rumors also weren't trustworthy. 

Because going by rumors, Joffrey was a wise and gentle kind. 

With that said, I walked towards my father and sat in front of him while my siblings stared at the small fortune that I had thrown in the ground. 

"So, how are things going nowadays?" I asked Walder with a trace of a smile on my face. "Did you get a new wife?"

"Kekekeke," Walder cackled. He didn't even bother answering me and asked questions again. "So you finally decided to show your face? Where the hell have you been all this time?"

"Oh you know, here and there, nowhere too important," I said vaguely. Deciding to not mention the small case of Monopoly I was making on the other side of the sea. "I heard a big Tourney was coming up, and you know me, that was a temptation that was impossible to resist."

**

After that, my lies flew out like water, building a background and adventures that I hadn't been to at all. 

Entering into a death competition in Essos was different from the Tourneys here. I wasn't stupid enough to risk my life out there.

Fighting for your life wasn't a smart way to earn money. It might seem like you would get a big sum of money initially. But that would be a waste of my time, the real money came from the monopoly I had built. Something that was unfamiliar in this world and there were no rules against it.

My ships were all positioned into strategic locations, essentially it was a chokehold into the trade. And when one had a monopoly, they could price their goods whatever they wanted and people would buy. Why? Because there was no other place to get them and no one else would be able to provide such products. 

Well, they could, but they might find themselves dead like many others who had crossed me have ended up.

Also, I was mostly dealing with medicine, spices, and other everyday things that were essential to life. I got the idea from the College Debt in America, so I tried to monopolize something essential. Just like how colleges raise their tuition, I could continue raising my price as much as I wanted. Why? Because things like medicine and education were something essential that people would pay any amount to get. At least medicine in this time, as now education wasn't something they cared about.

**

After some time talking with Walder, he in the end just cackled and said. "Well, you have made some money for yourself so that's good. Also, welcome back son…"

I only smiled contentedly. Who would need the welcome of a father like him? If it had been profitable, he would have been the first guy to be killed by me here. He was a shìtty father all around, I knew what he did with some of his daughters behind the scenes. Now, this was the medieval world, so no one cared. And I wasn't any different, I wouldn't fight with Walder for something that didn't affect me. 

**

After that, we talked some more. It was mostly just Walder Frey who kept throwing shots at me and trying to play some power plays. But I just acted dumb like I didn't understand them.

Playing dumb can turn a powerplay on its head. When someone has to explain exactly how they are threatening you, it becomes either laughable or plain evil, both of which are more easily resisted. 

Anyway, Walder didn't go into the evil way on how I got so much coin on me. That was what I wanted them to concentrate on, the coin and nothing more. With that done I got up and he asked me. "Where are you going?"

"To register for the Tourney," I said and walked out of the tent, waving at my siblings. Some eaves back, some didn't. Maybe I should get rid of them all and get myself the Twins, I had the means to do that now.

No, that would be too suspicious and invite needless trouble. Especially during the war, if Walder picked the wrong side, he would be done. Also escape from this place was virtually impossible in case the enemy was close.

Going outside of the tent I breathed in the fresh air, which mostly smelled of fire, meat, or generally shìt. Didn't these soldiers have a procedure where to defecate? Because if they didn't, then that would be bad, disease could run rampant. Well, it wasn't my problem. Plus some people dying here would only be beneficial to me in the long run. 

I walked towards Harrenhal Castle, where the person who registers people should be. 

What was that? From the corner of my eye, I saw a child looking at me intently even though he seemed like a beggar. Well, it appears that some people had me on their radar now. 

Was it one of Varys' little birds? Probably. Well, the spy will probably get bored looking at me after a while. 

What many people misunderstood was that these spies were human too, and if you didn't do anything or just stood around for a while, they would get bored eventually.

Once people understood this, they would know that a spy network wasn't something that made you all-knowing. Also, spies have greed, lust, envy, and all the other normal characteristics that define humans. So that can be taken advantage of, and turn them to my side. 

Sadly most of them just became double agents against me so I had to kill them. They thought they would be smart getting paid from both sides, but every man with a brain knew that spies could turn double agents at any time. That was why I had my families within my grasp… just in case they do something stupid. 

Still, though, I acted like I didn't notice the spy looking at me and just kept walking. Maybe I should send a couple of my soldiers to kill that kid. Letting Varys to his schemes uninterrupted wasn't a good idea, who knew what he might come up with.

Walking towards the castle I stumbled upon a merchant, one that had a slight accent. Unlike with the child spy, I stopped here and stared straight at him.

"Ser, do you want some armor?" I heard a merchant talk to a novice knight. "Fights always depend on armor and a good sword. How could you display your skills without the best armor and weapon? You are putting yourself in-"

That was when the merchant looked at me and noticed I was staring at him. Immediately he dropped the weapon he was trying to sell on the ground and he stumbled in fear.

"You okay?" asked the knight and the merchant smiled professionally and went back to doing his trade.

As expected, the Iron Bank also sent their spies. But I was feared in Braavos so any spy would just stumble away in fear as soon as our eyes met. They knew the horrible tales about me, I won't kill just him, his family will be on the table too. Many men can risk their lives recklessly, but not their family's lives, that was something no man would risk.

Even though I had an alliance with them, I was still expecting the Iron Bank to send some Faceless Men against me and try to take control of my Monopoly or copy the methods and principles behind it.

I welcome them to try. 

With that thought in mind, I continued going towards Harrenhall and searched for the Tourney registration. 

***

 I registered in the archery competition and the melee. 

After I took care of my registration… I went to the Stark's tent. It didn't have any guards outside as no one would dare attack the Starks. Or maybe the Starks were naive enough to believe that people would fight with honor? 

Well, it didn't matter to me, and I won't be getting into a confrontation with them about this.

When I went inside I saw a young girl who I assume was Lyanna Stark. She seemed to be nursing a young man. Then I  noticed the big guy in the room, he was probably Brandon Stark, then there was the kid teen, I assumed he was Benjen Stark and finally there was the only guy in this tent who I knew... Eddard Stark.

"Well, well, well if this isn't the Wolf pack altogether~" I said in a villain's voice.

They turned and looked at me. Ned immediately covered his face and sighed when he saw me. Like he had a memory he wanted to repress, yeah, I knew a lot of things he did in the Vale that his family didn't want him to know. 

Brandon Stark looked at me with a hard face like it was carved in stone and he asked. "Who are you?"

I turned towards Ned. "Hey c'mon now Ned… you couldn't have forgotten this face now could you?"

Ned just looked at me, I could see that he knew who I was. His twitching lip also showed that he was holding back a chuckle. "I am truly sorry but... have we met before?"

I then make a face like I ate a sour lemon and say."It's me, Arthur Fray."

Then his eyes brightened a little. "OH... I remember you..."

Ned sucked at lying. Also, he acted like he didn't know me? Well, 

"How have you been Arthur?" He inquired and did some hand signs, meaning to tell me something.

Sorry Ned, but our friendship isn't good enough for me to know whatever the hell you mean.

"Well pretty good. I traveled all over Essos from Bravos and all the way to Asshai."  

That was a lie. I was way too paranoid to travel like that. I loved my life way more than adventuring. Then immediately I started joking around with Ned. "So how is Bettie? Bessie? What was her name-"

*COUGH* 

Ned did a fake cough and shook his head with eyes filled with despair. I shrugged back. Again, sorry Ned, even if I know what you mean, in reality, I will act like I don't know what you mean. 

And I was better at lying than him. So I was about to make up a lot of stuff and tell it to his family.

"Bessie?" Lyanna inquired, looking at her brother and then at me. A mischievous look adorned her face. 

Brandon smiled too. "Oh~ seems like my brother wasn't as good of a boy as I thought."

Well, time to start getting to know the soon-to-be-dead Starks.

***

After separating from Ned and his family after half an hour and Ned having to do a lot of explaining. Right now he might curse at me, but after this, these memories will become things that he will remember his family by.

Dinner came by and a feast was prepared for all the lords that had come here. I too sat at the table where the Lords of the Riverlands discussed different things. I mostly kept to myself; they don't have anything useful for me. 

Instead, I secretly observed the sixteen-year-old Lyanna Stark. Even though almost every important Lord from the Seven Kingdoms was here, she was the one who would play the most important role in this part of history.

"Then I hope your night will become more enjoyable with my music." Suddenly a soft-spoken man said, though his voice was low, everyone in the feast heard him.

I look at the man. He was on the inside balcony where the singers were. Then he started singing some sad music. It was pretty good... for a medieval barbarian prince like him anyway...

Lyanna even started crying at the music. Benjen laughed at her, then she took a cup of wine and poured it into his head.

Robert Baratheon was dancing around and acting like a fool. I also saw Rhaegar secretly glancing at Lyanna.

Ok, so he already had his eyes on her. I knew how this would end. He will easily manipulate the dumb Lyanna and then put a child in her. Then do a classic Targaryen madness turn and make it seem like he kidnapped her. 

Then they will be in so-called love tragedy, a dumb and naive sixteen-year-old kid and a twenty-year-old man. These gross barbarians knew how to fuck things up, don't they? I mean in their unintelligent minds how did they think their so-called love was going to end?

Did they think it would be like the stories where the Prince took the princess away from an arranged marriage and they live happily ever after? 

Well obviously with her brother and father being massacred. I wonder what expression she will have on her face when she understands that her actions did that to her family.

God, just trying to comprehend what they were thinking makes me feel stupider. Madness and naivety, not a good combination. 

Well, enough about that dumb stuff like that, it will just make me angry at other people's actions.

My eyes wandered and I noticed a woman dancing with Barristan Selmy. 

She was a young, beautiful, tall, and fair woman, with haunting violet eyes. Her long dark hair tumbled around her shoulders… I just found something that might calm me down a little.

***

A/N: Arthur likes to look at other people's mistakes and make sure he doesn't do the same. His modern mindset makes him understand how things are and not make mistakes that historical figures made. Ex: Napoleon's try to conquer Russia and such.

P.S: Also WTF is wrong with the American education system? Especially college. It's so expensive!! Now I am sure that some other countries probably have the same problem but U.S is the most well-known about it. It's a shame since I met some American exchange students and they were very nice people. 

I was reading one day about it and got the idea for Arthur. After all, I wanted to explain what he monopolizes the most important things for the time, like medicine, spices, and other important essential things (for the time).