Chapter 16: The Dragon's Peace (I)

293 AC

Street of Flour, King's Landing

"Twenty Copper stars for two fruit tarts," Pate incredulously exclaimed, "That's daylight robbery,"

"Robbery" The Baker snorted, "This is King's Landing, boy, and as far as King's Landing is concerned this is rather cheap"

"In Ashford, a fruit tart is worth no more than three Stars," Pate replied,

"That may be but this is King's Landing didn't anyone tell you before you left home that King's Landing is expensive," The Baker asked,

"I knew that but this is beyond me," Pate replied,

"Well, get used to it, so yay or nay on the tart" The Baker then asked,

Pate shook his head, "Nay, if this is the case then I need to save my money else I become penniless after my first day," Pate answered,

"Good for you, not so good for me, so get out of my shop, you are holding up the line," The Baker said pointing to the impatient people waiting outside,

Pate walked out of the bakery, his cousin Karl who was waiting outside asked, "Well, did you buy anything?"

"No, it was ridiculously expensive," Pate huffed,

"I warned you didn't I, let this be a lesson for you, buy what you need not what you want especially when you are short of money," Karl sagely said,

Karl had been old enough to be levied by Lord Ashford during the Pretender's War and was taken to Storm's End following the Trident, Karl survived both and after the war when King Rhaegar set up the Royal Army, Karl chose to join as it meant a chance to rise higher in life,

After ten years of service and a Greyjoy rebellion, Karl was promoted to sergeant at Fort Balerion after which he came back home to take Pate with him to join the Army,

"How do you live with such expenses?" Pate asked as they walked towards a tavern,

"Benefits really, in the Army you have free lodging and three square meals a day, not to mention a healer should you need one, and after your service is over, you get a pension along with a house built for you, your children get to be taught in schools that would be otherwise unimaginably expensive," Karl answered, "And a whole slew of other benefits that I can't remember and now I take them for granted,"

"I thought only officers could marry and have children," Pate asked,

"That's true, but after the twenty-year service is over, people tend to start families don't they," Karl replied,

"So even the children of commoners can study for free in those schools, I heard that the schools were expensive and only rich merchants and Nobles could afford to send their children," Pate asked,

"That's right," Karl nodded, "It is expensive but for those who serve the Crown, and when I say Crown I mean everyone whose wages and pensions come from the King, get to have their children sent to Schools free of charge,"

The Jolly Dragon Tavern

"Now before you start dreaming, you do know that you need to pass through the training first," Karl warned him as they entered the tavern, "Not to mention you need to survive twenty years in service plus the five years in reserve,"

"That's alright, Karl, I will pass through it," Pate confidently said as they sat on one of the tables and ordered two mugs of ale,

"Trust me when I tell you this Pate, that joining that Royal Army is not like the training that you are given back home if you are given anything that is, the training is to put it simply grueling, back-breaking, and bone-crushing, you will shed your blood, sweat, and tears" Karl seriously warned him,

"Blood, sweat, and tears, are you japing," Pate incredulously remarked,

"I am not and I haven't even mentioned the nobles in your batch who will be merciless during training," Karl continued to warn him,

"I don't understand," Pate said,

"Every batch of recruits will be around hundred to two hundred with both nobles and commoners in that group, to become a Private all you have to do is survive and pass the ten-week basic training and after that, you will be sent to whatever extra training you have been chosen for, less than a hundred make it through training,"

"I knew that, you have told me that as well," Pate said,

"Yes, but what I haven't told you is that in every batch, the top ten are selected to become Officers," Karl revealed, "At the end of every week a list will be released and those who are at the top ten at the end will be selected,"

Karl continued, "Before the Greyjoy rebellion not many nobles used to join but in these past few years the number of nobles in training has increased, there are now more nobles than there are openings for officers which means that the competition is fierce,"

"These nobles have trained their whole lives in weapons, some might be green boys while others might be veterans, but there is no difference to a commoner like you, these nobles will never accept to join the rank and file so if they fail to get in the top ten they will leave, which means more shame and dishonor for them and their house which in turn means that every noble in your batch will be out for the top ten spots and they will be relentless,"

"Do any commoners get to become officers," Pate asked gulping,

"Yes, the Hedge Knights, the veteran sellswords, the experienced men-at-arms tend to be in the top ten as well, not to mention that during service, those from the ranks get to join the Officers when they get promoted for acts of bravery," Karl answered,

"With Nobles and battle-hardened soldiers with you in your batch, trust me when I say that it will get dirty," Karl says, "I am not saying this to frighten you but rather warn you, do the smart thing and don't chase the top ten spot, do whatever the drill sergeant tells you to do and do your best, don't screw it up and obey everything that the officers tell you, remember insubordination will not be tolerated and never give up, you get me" Karl put his hand Pate's shoulders,

Pate gulped, "I do,"

"Good, now drink," Karl said pushing another mug towards Pate, "Tomorrow morning we will get on the cart that will take us to Fort Balerion,"

(Same Tavern)

"I am not sure if I will pass the exams," Hal moaned while his friend Jeff hungrily ate the roasted chicken on their table,

"Why are you bitching about the Civil Services Exam that happened two weeks ago," Jeff remarked as he washed the chicken down with some ale,

"Because the results are coming tomorrow and how come you aren't so concerned you wrote the same exam as me," Hal asked his friend who simply shrugged,

"I studied well and I wrote what I knew, what more do you expect out of a person," Jeff asked,

"My father spent a fortune to get me into Queen Rhaenys' School, I can't fail him and we are not like those orphans who are assured that the Crown will take care of them," Hal replied,

"That's true but you seem to forget that the Royal Bureaucracy is rather vast," Jeff then remarked, "The top rankers will get to be in the Central Superior Administrative Services while the others will be placed in the other parts of the bureaucracy,"

"And then of course there are the administrators meant for King's Landing, then Dragonstone, then Summerhall, and every single castle, town, and village that comes under the control of the King," Jeff continued,

"And then there is the Bank," Hal reminded him,

"Yes, the Bank," Jeff then said, "You are good with numbers, I am sure that you will get a placement there and that's not all, we have the positions of Sheriffs as well,"

"Deputies, you mean, nobody becomes Sheriff right away," Hal then said,

"I am hoping for that," Jeff said to Hal,

Hal snorted "You are hoping for a chance to be stuck in a remote village and be forced to arrest all the drunks and brawlers after every tavern fight,"

"That's a bit of a generalization," Jeff replied narrowing his eyes,

"There are less than two hundred placements for this year's Civil Services, do you think either of us can get in," Hal asked,

"Of course, there may have been more than a thousand aspirants but let's face it, only the students from the Schools and the Nobles have a chance, and say you take all of the students and nobles into account I would say that fewer than a hundred of us are there combined, so we all have a solid chance," Jeff reassured his friend,

"There is always the chance to join the Medical School, Engineers School, Law School, or even Arts School" Jeff then remarked as they drank some more,

"Each of them has an exam of their own and I am not interested in doing any of that," Hal remarked,

"Well, if all that fails then you can always become a teacher," Jeff then said with a grin he couldn't suppress,

Hal broke out laughing and Jeff followed him, "If I wanted to be a teacher then I would have gone to Oldtown,"

Then suddenly a huge roar was heard and immediately smaller screeches followed,

"Looks like the King has arrived," Hal remarked, as a few patrons fell from their seats while others went out to see,

"Aye and so have his children," Jeff said as he looked around to see how many patrons were shocked out of their seats,

Those who have been living in King's Landing had gotten used to the King's dragon flying overhead over the past four years and soon following that the dragons of his children and sister, it was those who were new to the city that tended to be shocked on hearing the dragons.

Schools of Westeros

King's Landing

1. King Aegon's (I) School - Aegon's High Hill

2. Queen Visenya's School - Visenya's Hill

3. Queen Rhaenys' School - Rhaenys' Hill

4. King Rhaegar's School of Medicine - Visenya's Hill

5. King Jaehaerys' (I) School of Engineering - Rhaenys' Hill

6. King Viserys' (II) School of Law - Aegon's High Hill

7. King Daeron's (II) School of Arts - Rhaenys' Hill

Dragonstone

8. Prince Aegon's School

Summerhall

9. Prince Maekar's School

Dragon's Lair (Heart's Home)

10. Queen Rhaella's School