Power Moves and Power Plays

Gerold Lannister had been both blessed and cursed, he hated slow shit, or more specifically shit that was dragged out unnecessarily. It'd been six years since the Trade League had formed, and Volantis had finally come crawling to them, begging for a seat at their table since by that point The Summer Isles, Asshai, Ibb, Yi Ti, Qohor, Norvos, and Elyria had all joined them.

Gerold's Trade League required a majority ruling when it came to new members, and it had to be an unbiased and unanimous decision. But Volantis had been dragging it's heels, trying for a better deal. In exchange for better rates and taxes the Volantene Triarchs had tried offering Slaves, but the First Rule of The League was no Slaves could be accepted as goods. It seemed like Volantis was on it's last legs, as the Trade League had taken the bulk of the Contracts that had the most profitable outcomes. Their Merchants got access to goods at better rates, receiving League Guards specifically trained to work in crowded areas like markets. Volantis had neither the coin nor the goods to match them.

In regards to Tyrion, he was still a dwarf, but mother was still alive, but she was now barren. All in all while slightly more difficult, Gerold knew things would also be easier with Joanna alive. Gerold Doted on Tyrion frequently, and Cersei was a hell of a lot kinder to him than in Cannon.

Gerold's training of Jaime had progressed right up until he was sent to be fostered by Lord Sumner Crakehall. Gerold had instead turned his attention that otherwise would have been on Jaime to instead jointly focus building up the Lannister Navy. In recent years their Navy had risen to just over a Thousand Militant Ships in the Westerlands themselves, while the Stepstones Lannister Fleets numbered some Five Hundred Ships.

As for the Lannister Army, it had undergone a complete Restructuring, becoming more dynamic, structured. and efficient. Their Cavalry had spent a the last Six Years specifically breeding certain Horses from Certain Regions.

Vale Horses were naturally Resilient and Sturdy, while Northern Mounts had Endurance and Strength. Reach Horses had Intelligence and Constitution, while Stormlands mounts were Adaptive and had very high Stamina. The Dornish Sand Steeds were Swift and Agile, while the Riverlands Mounts were Majestic and Perceptive. Thus breeding them together to farm certain traits was incredibly useful to any true Cavalry Force. Gerold's Changes weren't limited to breeding however, he'd altered their diets, changed routines, and much much more.

As for Gerold's girls, Ashara and Janna were initially frosty with each other, as well as with Bellegere, but things were at least Cordial.

Gerold had managed a betrothal with Jaime and Elia, but Rhaegar still found someone else, some Lysenei Bitch. Gerold had also been searching for a bride for Tyrion, but there weren't many available brides for Tyrion or anybody really, Westeros had temporarily dried up, so Gerold had begun looking towards Essos instead, looking into profitable matches in Braavos, Tyrosh, Myr, and Lys. He'd found a few potential brides for little Tyrion, but Gerold was waiting on his mother's approval for them.

Gerold's wedding to Janna Tyrell and Ashara Dayne would be soon coming up, as it was presently 277 AC, which Left about a good five more years before everything went to shit. It was in essence the Calm before the Storm.

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(Joanna Lannister POV)

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Joanna Lannister was bubbling in excitement because her eldest Cub would be wed inside of the next six months. Joanna and her Gerold had run Casterly Rock and Castamere well in the last six years, Gerold had fostered Addam Marbrand, Benjen Stark, Stannis Baratheon, and The Young Edmure Tully. The four boys were Gerold's Squires. With Gerold paying almost doting attention on Stannis and Benjen. He already called Stannis; The Just, for his uncompromising view of loyalty, honor and duty, while he'd named Benjen; The Young Wolf.

Addam Marbrand was called Addam The Good by Gerold, while Edmure Tully was named Edmure The Quick. Edmure liked to think this was because he was fastest, but in private Gerold said it was because he would likely end up ignoring anything else if it meant potentially taking out a strong enemy leader before his liege arrived. Strategy be damned.

The Time for change was nearly at hand, Gerold had several projects cooking up, but refused to divulge any of it, even to Joanna herself. But even Gerold couldn't keep everything from her, especially since Little Tyrion was her Little Lion who fed her scraps of what he heard and saw his brother say and do.

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(Bellegere Otherys POV)

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Bellegere Otherys had done well for herself in the last six years. Attaching herself to Lord Gerold had been beyond a good thing. House Otherys became a Vassal of House Lannister of Castamere, which would be led by Gerold's second and third Son's.

Meanwhile her and Gerold's future offspring would inherit the newly raised Otherys Bastion, a large fortress built into a mountainous Hill with a secondary lower Castle of the Motte and Bailey variety that was connected to the Main Bastion.

Their lands were relatively small, but thanks to Gerold the Hill in which their Castle was formed had been hollowed out to form an underground system of deep caverns which were used to brew the alcohol that got Gerold's family even richer. The steam that came out of those distilleries as Gerold called them was then funneled through pipes that warmed the entire Castle.

The Whiskey that these distilleries produced had enriched the Otherys coffers, and House Otherys could call three thousand men at the current time. But Bellegere knew the signs, and if it was what she thought, then The Otherys Family's future was potentially brighter still.

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(Gerold Lannister POV)

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Gerold eyed the setting sun, the future looked bright, despite the darkness that Gerold knew was on the horizon. He'd put a lot of effort into raising his own numbers at Castamere, as well as Uncle Gerion's own forces. Uncle Gerion can raise forty five hundred men, while Gerold could raise Twenty Thousand Men on his own. Five Thousand Cavalry, Three Thousand Archers, Twenty Five Hundred Crossbowmen, and Ninety Five Hundred Foot.

Gerold's plans for the future had changed, He still wanted on the Small Council as Master of Ships, but the independence would have to wait until the War of the Five Kings. Gerold would declare his independence after putting up with Joffery's idiocy for so long, Tywin and the Small Council would talk his ass down, but after that one more show of idiocy and Gerold would pull out the Lannister Forces and sue for a ceasefire with Robb Stark, it made the most sense. When Tommen Took over, Gerold would willingly step away from his Crown, but Gerold would be gone by the time that Green Shit happened.

Plans might've changed, But they remained the some in the end. Gerold wanted shit controlled or at least wild and slightly controlled...The time for change was near, and Gerold knew that the Calm before the coming storm was his last chance to fortify everything. Time was now!!!