Awakening

The young man woke up in a small house in a town near Highgarden. In this new world he found himself in a simple but cozy room, with stone walls and a window that let in the morning sunlight.

The sound of birds and the hum of village life could be heard from outside. His clothing was simple. A black tunic that reached his knees, and beneath it were worn pants.

Suddenly, all the memories accumulated over 12 years came flooding back. And with them a great pain that knocked Ethan to the ground. The hardness persisted for about half an hour.

"I can not believe it!. "I'm in Game of Thrones, I thought I would go to an unknown world, it seems that I was somewhat lucky at least I have basic knowledge about this world, and the events that will happen." - thought the young man, still on the ground. "The timeline seems to be that of the series, since the king is Robert Baratheon. And right now I'm in the domain, it's not a bad place to start this new life, I also have a last name, thank god I'm not a commoner. Astaroth is not a surname that appears in the series, I suppose it originated with my arrival to this world."

Ethan got up from the floor and sat in a chair. More memories came to him with every minute that passed, little by little.

The surname Astaroth was not unknown in The Reach as they were a lineage of knights named by the Tyrell family upon obtaining the rights to Highgarden. They did not have a spectacular history but they had always served loyally until now when the last knight had died at the hands of some warriors from Dorne, leaving his house with a tragic fate. His mother also died giving him birth. Of all the previous lineage, the only one alive was Ethan.

The Astaroth family, apart from the stone house they owned in a town near Highgarden, also had a few lands dedicated to cultivation. It was not a great fortune but it allowed to ensure, at least for now, a certain income of money.

"My main concern for now is survival. Luckily I don't have other relatives or anyone who can claim anything from me. I have to look for people who are useful to me, who have the potential to help me truly establish myself in this world and, above all, are loyal to me." - the young man thought as he prepared to leave the room.

Ethan ended up exploring the entire house before heading out to the village. He found in his father's room, in a small hiding place behind a rug, a wooden chest with wrought iron around it.

When opening the chest, Ethan's eyes shone as he saw the misshapen gold coins with a dragon symbol on them. After counting all the coins in the chest, the Golden Dragon coins added up to 46 and the rest were Silver Stag with a total of 118 coins. A more than acceptable sum to start doing business.

Apart from the chest with money Ethan found nothing else that caught his attention. The house, apart from his room and his parents' room, also had two other smaller ones, perhaps designed for servants. A banquet hall, near the entrance, designed for visits and important meetings. The banquet hall was the largest part of the house, since it occupied half of it. In the space between the rooms and the banquet hall, there was an interior backyard, with a water well and many different flowers and plants.The kitchen connected to the backyard. Ethan remembered that every day a villager from the town came to prepare the food. At the back of the house there was a stable for horses and a corral for different animals.

The young man picked up the sword from the shelf.and decided to take a walk through the town. As he walked, he noticed that the villagers stopped from their chores momentarily to greet him with respect and cordiality. Some of them were more familiar faces than the others, since the old Ethan wasn't much for leaving the house. His main hobby was practicing with the sword and he rarely went out for a walk through the town.

Continuing with his walk, some villagers suggested that he visit the old man on the hill, a wise man who used to work in Highgarden but who now, due to old age, spent his remaining days in this town, away from the bustle of the big city.

Ethan arrived at the old man's house and greeted him respectfully. They sat together to talk, and the old man expressed his condolences for the death of the young man's father, fondly remembering the times they had shared together.

The young man thanked him for his words and then asked if he had any information about what was happening in Highgarden, the nearest large city.

"By now they must be about to organize the annual festivities. A great event without a doubt. You should go since there are many opportunities for everything, and if you are a smart boy you can take advantage of them to improve your position and that of your house." - said the old man.

He also explained that these festivities were known for their splendor and included knightly tournaments, dances, banquets, and other celebrations.

After a while more talking. Ethan thanked the old man for the information and promised him that he would visit him again soon. Then, he stood up from his seat and prepared to leave for Highgarden, eager to discover more about his mysterious situation and the festivities that lay ahead in the town.

The young man, on his way home and almost at night, decided to make an announcement in the local tavern, where there were many people enjoying their wine and relaxing after a day of work. He stood at a table to make sure everyone could hear him and announced determinedly, "House Astaroth is hiring mercenaries. Those interested, please report to my house at noon tomorrow."

The news attracted the attention of some of the young people who were present in the tavern. Some of them were intrigued by the job offer, as serving a noble house could provide them with a stable salary and, even more attractive, take them out of the fields and offer them a chance for adventure and glory.

Murmurs and conversations began to arise among those present as they discussed the possibility of joining House Astaroth as mercenaries. Some of them were already tired of the daily routine of work in the fields and saw this offer as an opportunity for a change in their lives.

Ethan satisfied with the initial response, continued observing the people in the tavern while thinking about how to conduct the interviews the next day and what qualities he would look for in potential mercenaries. The night wore on, but his mind was filled with expectations about the people who would show up and the decisions he would have to make in the days to come.