40 Chapter 40: London City
While the mad king was ordering his men to open the gates, Varys has other plans. One of his spies sneaks into Princess Elia's room and a man in a brown cloak exchanges the babies. He then immediately uses a secret passage in the room to run away.
….
Among the secret tunnels, the man is surrounded by darkness. He can hear the yells and shouts above him, but he never says anything.
He hears the war happening above him and his hands shake slightly in nervousness. He knows just how he will be brutalized if he is found. Thankfully he has already given the infant in his arms a small dose of nightshade. He won't be waking up for some hour now.
Finally, he reaches the end of the tunnel and sees light. He can finally breathe a sigh of relief at this. 'What lord Varys said was correct. Everything will be in place from now on.'
He walks outside and he looks around, he can still hear the sound of battle and smoke coming from the city. But the man doesn't look back, he looks around and sees a small boat with sails and every essential within it. The man sighs in relief, he gets on the boat and sees within it, he sees some food, a place that looks like a box with glass on top, he can leave the baby there as he notices that the box has some breathing holes. As he opens the box he sees a note inside.
But he doesn't pay attention to any of that, what he is more concentrated on getting out of here. Any moment now, a soldier could come by and kill him.
So he pushes the boat out of the shore and sets sail. He looks at the chaotic city of King's Landing and sighs. "One day… the Targaryen dynasty will return to where it belongs. Once more, years of prosperity and peace for the seven kingdoms."
As the man says that, he gets further and further away from the city… until he can't even see it anymore. He looks at the royal infant and sees that he is still sleeping.
"You will be king one day." Says the man out loud. He then takes a hold of the sails and goes towards Gulltown. That way he can board a ship big enough to take him to Essos.
"Sadly he won't be." Says an emotionless voice. The man in the brown cloak feels something pierce his spine. He winces at this and is about to turn around, but another dozen stabs on his back and they put him out of commission.
Splash!
He is then thrown to the sea. The killer wears a dark cloak, he approaches the infant, opens his box, and stabs the infant. Once in the chest and once in the eye.
He is uncaring for any of this as he throws the baby in the ocean too. "A man is sorry for killing you young one. But the god of many faces shall be merciful to ones whose soul is pure."
A red hawk in the sky looks at the man below him, and once it sees what happened, it flies away.
...
...
...
And so the Rebellion ends in all but name, later on in the year, Stannis captured Dragonstone too, but the Queen of the Mad King, together with Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen had escaped from the place far before he even came there.
Robert was mad at this, so he 'gifted' Dragonstone to Stannis and had his younger brother, Renly take over Storm's End. The Seven Kingdoms were at peace once again.
Eddard Stark also gets a trueborn son and a bastard that he brings home, much to his wife's shame.
But during this year, something amazing happened too, Carclaw Point was all given to a man with astonishing achievements during the rebellion. Arthur Redhawk… a very controversial man, it is said that the deeds he did in The Reach were unspeakable.
But that didn't matter at all, as to Arthur, Carclaw Point was a strategic location, he built a couple of keeps with castles in them. Lord Davos Seaworth was given his small keep by the sea, Arthur took the castle that he had built by using thousands of workers whom he paid himself personally to build his castle.
Even a city was built around it, it was called London City, or otherwise known as the City of Opportunity. The citizens in it were all given education and the lord would pay for your tuition if you give your word to work for the Redhawk Family for the rest of his life.
Hundreds of thousands of people moved within the city in only a year, some even came from Essos, merchants, carpenters and many more businesses were opened along the city. The taxes were a little high, but not too high either as its citizens were able to flourish.
The Prince, Joffrey Baraethon is also born… to which the people rejoice, the king finally having an heir.
...
During this time, a small council meeting was being held.
Varys, Pycelle, Stannis, Jon Arryn, and some other people were sitting in the room. Except for the king… he was in another one of his hunts.
"What are the new transpirings in the kingdom?" Asks Jon Arryn as he looks at Varys for an answer.
"Well, my lord." Says Varys in a low voice. Almost as if it is a whisper. "It seems like The Reach has lowered their food prices once more, trying to outbid lord Redhawk.
But it seems like the latter used his connections to buy all of their food under a different name and then sell them all over Essos at a higher price."
"Very intelligent, that L -Lord Redhawk." Says Pycelle, sounding old like always, as if it's a miracle that he is even alive. "Truly a brilliant strategy."
Jon Arryn nods at that, though the Reach has been trying to snuff Arthur, he has only grown stronger.
"The king has also requested a Tourney for Joffrey's birth… master of coin, have you made the preparations?"
A fat man who seemed to be dozing off opens his eyes and looks around. "Y -Yes my lord had… everything is in place."
...
A week later and in London City, within the castle in the middle, Arthur opens a letter as he sits on his desk. The letter is a flowery invitation from the king.
'So that trash is born…' Thinks Arthur, he had wondered whether Cercei should have a 'stillbirth' just to be sure. But he decided to go the other way, Joffrey is too useful alive.
*sigh* "This is truly quite troublesome…" Says Arthur out loudly, thinking about something else. He is as rich as ever, and he has relocated his family here from Essos.
Of course, his mistresses are known to the others. So are his children, the ones that Robert legitimized. Oliver will be the next in line to inherit everything Arthur has… at least from an outside point of view.
He crumples the letter and leans back on the chair. He winces slightly as he does so, his back hurts. He opens a drawer and takes out a mirror. He looks into it and frowns, slight white hair and some wrinkles on the corner of his eyes. Normally he would dismiss such things, but not now.
'Damn… magic in this world sucks.' Ponders Arthur, his face filled with annoyance.
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