Jeyne Arryn I/Artys Arryn I

264 AC

I was awoken by the sound of screaming and a sharp tug on my head. What the fuck was going on? I was surrounded by darkness and was unable to open my eyes. Suddenly, I felt a sucking sensation and the feeling of cold air on my body. Completely disoriented I thought this has got to be the weirdest dream I have ever had. That idea lasted right up until I received a hard slap on my bum and let out a shout. Wait, that wasn't a shout, why do I sound like a baby?

"It's a healthy boy Lady Arryn, congratulations", wait did she just say Lady Arryn? I slowly opened my eyes the harsh light making it difficult to see. Once everything came into view, I could see the face of a beautiful young woman covered in sweat and looking rather haggard. Her eyes however were filled with life and shined with love and affection, immediately I knew she was my mother. As I was adjusting to all this new information I was suddenly overcome by a feeling of mental and physical exhaustion and drifted off again to sleep.

Jeyne Arryn I

As the baby drifted off to sleep, Lady Jayne Arryn nee Royce looked up at her husband Jon Arryn Lord Paramount of the Vale and gave him a radiant smile. Maester Coleman took the babe from the handmaiden and swaddling him in blankets handed the babe over to his father. Jon looking down at his son with pride spoke to Jayne, "He will be called Artys Arryn, named after the 'Falcon Knight', the first King of the Mountain and Vale, he is going to bring the Vale to new heights I just know."

Carefully passing Artys over to Jayne he let out a sigh of relief, it had been a hard birthing on Jayne and at times It had looked like he might lose both of them. Although, there wasn't much love in their marriage as it was a political arrangement, they were good friends and had been betrothed at a young age. Jayne looking down at Artys, little tufts of sandy blonde hair covered his head, thought to herself that he was the most precious thing she had ever seen.

"Artys Arryn, I like it. It is a good strong name, free and unbound like a falcon should be," Jayne mused to herself out loud, imagining her son in the future with pride only a mother can have. Soon the stress of the birthing caught up to her and she handed Ronnel over to the handmaiden so that she could rest.

Soon the news spread all over the Vale and the 7 Kingdoms that there was a new heir to the Lord Paramount of the Vale. In the Vale this was widely celebrated as many worried that Jon Arryn was sterile, already approaching his 46th name day many assumed that he wouldn't have a child. Now however, the succession was clear and stability was ensured.

Artys Arryn I

As I woke up again and slowly looked up at the gilded ceiling complete with blue falcons, the main thought in my mind was that I am fucked, completely and utterly fucked. I had reincarnated into a world with a stupidly high amount of ways to die. After quickly barreling down the rabbit hole of depression it took a while, but I eventually calmed down. I thought back to how this could have happened, I knew pretty quickly it must've been that stupid quiz that I filled in. After raging against the quiz and getting angry at whoever had thrown me into a dangerous new life taking me away from my nice cushy old one, I regained my calm again and began to think my situation through. If the quiz is what was responsible for bringing me to Westeros, then my wishes must have come true too. Realizing that I'm a newborn killed any chance of me being able to test the super soldier serum out for the moment. However, I think I can feel the effects of the enhanced mental capabilities though, my thoughts are streamlined, and I managed to calm down quickly enough after the initial revelations. As a newborn I couldn't exactly test out the magical knowledge on runes, but I was surprised by a different tree of magical knowledge in my head belonging to the Arryns, it was a form of mental manipulation that could be used with limited success on individuals but thrived when used on large groups. King Artys I had used it with great skill in battle, raising the moral of his men at key moments and striking fear in his opponents which is how he successfully defeated thousands of First Men in the Battle of the Seven Stars with only 500 knights. That left the knowledge, I called out in my mind for the Library of Heavens Path and felt a click in my mind.

I was brought into my mindscape and immediately my breath was taken away. The sheer volume of books was astounding. I knew that I could immediately absorb the information in its raw form and everything in this huge library would become my knowledge. However, I didn't do this, screw spending the next 6/7 years of my life being insanely bored because I had nothing to do. I decided I would spend the next few years of my life while as a baby slowly making my way through the library to pass the time. That should allow me to be entertained, while learning.

I am definitely not going to do the cliché webnovel MC thing where I show my genius intellect at 3 and running around creating tech and being some devil child when most 3-year olds are still crapping in their pants. Therefore, commence operation normal child until the age of 5. My plan is to start showing signs of genius at an age when it is expected of me to become a page for a knight. Once I have reached the age of 5 then I will work on my strength and super soldier serum enhanced physique. While starting to show some academic genius. I will not, I repeat will not be trying to break societal conventions and bring along some sort of renaissance while still in nappies. Firstly, because who the fuck is going to listen to a child, secondly, the Vale is super religious and follows the Seven wholeheartedly therefore I don't want to be branded some sort of devil child even if there is the chance people believe I am the Smith, the Warrior and the Father all wrapped up in an adorable pre-teen.

So, as I lay there, I began planning the next stages of my life. Seeing as I am born in 264 A.C Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark should be arriving in the Vale in roughly 5 years as they will be 6 and the right age to start fostering at the Eyrie as pages for my father. Obviously, using some future knowledge I want to get into that group and make friends with them as they are going to have a huge influence over the future of Westeros.

However, my main goals lie in following the timeline leading up to the Tourney at Harrenhal in 281 A.C. By then I will be 17, hopefully fully prepared for the events following that. I am not going to try to alter the war because it will be the foundations upon which my power will be built. By the time of Harrenhal I want a position of power already cemented for myself. The plan to ensure that is as follows:

1. As soon as possible I want to start breeding horses, the aim is to breed Dothraki stallions with the horses of the Vale. The reason for this is I need a more versatile horse, following inspiration from the horses used by the Polish Hussars I want a powerful warhorse that still has the stamina and agility to be used in my lancer units. Therefore, the plan is to have this new breed of horse ready by the time I am 13. 6 years to fully grow and be trained is plenty of time. Even if there is a small number of horses that should be fine as for the initial stages, quantity isn't the aim.

2. The purpose of the horses is to equip my new units of mounted cavalry, styled after the heavy shock troops known as the Winged Hussars. They are going to be my 'Winged Legion'. Although the Vale is the cradle of chivalry and the culture of being a Knight is ingrained in the population, I am going to break that idea. Armored with a 18ft steel tipped lance, one handed war hammers and a 1.6m long estoc sword used for stabbing through mail and the gaps in plate, they are going to be my elite cavalry. Protected by a scale helmet, cuirass (breastplate), gorget and shoulder and leg protection weighing 15kg in total. They should hold up against any mounted foes and be a nightmare for infantry.

3. This all hinges on being able to get my father to allow me some responsibility at a young age, around 9/10 when I am about to become a squire. Fingers crossed I can squire for a Royce living at the Gate of the Moon. I want to be in charge there and have cause to raise an army.

4. While attempting to raise my army, I will also be attempting to repair the relationship between the main family branch and the cadet branch the Arryns of Gulltown who have been scorned for their copper counting ways. Why you ask? Because Gulltown is one of the largest cities in Westeros with a population of over 50,000 people and a major trading hub located there I want it back under control like the Lannister's of Lannisport are overseen by Tywin in Casterly Rock.

To do all this I need to show academic genius and serious martial talent, the aim is to win a tourney at a young age or do very well in one. This should give me the leverage to ask my father for some individual responsibility, i.e. control over the Gate of the Moon the old Arryn seat of power under the pretense of experience for when I become Lord Paramount. It will also give me publicity and the fame needed to call people to my new legions.

After planning for the future for a while I took a break and just reflected on what I had lost. I didn't have family that I had left behind as both my parents had died in a car accident when I was 18 but, I did have a large group of friends who had been a substitute family for me. I wondered how they reacted to my death, hoping it didn't impact them too much and that they all had a fulfilling life. I lay back and got comfortable, this is was going to be my life now and I was going to make sure it was the best possible.