10: Black Wolf Meets Old Lion amidst Tourney Action For A Stag's Memory

(Moat Cailin, The Causeway, The Neck, The North, The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Westeros, GoT Universe)

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(Time-skip: Three Weeks Later)

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Barthogan and Cassandra had been consummating their marriage for three weeks. More than once another woman joined them. Having just spent several hours in copulation, the two laid in bed their covers over them.

''Have you thought of a name?'' Asks Cassandra.

''If it's a boy, I wish for him to be named Cregan. If it's a girl, I wish to name her Cassana for her Grandmother.'' Says Barthogan.

''And if it's Twins?'' Asks Cassandra.

''If it's Twin boys then Cregan and Steffon, if Twin Girls then Cassana and Josephine. Anything more and we will decide then and there.'' Says Barthogan as he kisses his beloved wife deeply.

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(Time-skip: Three Months Later)

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It was official, Cassandra...was...pregnant.

Barthogan and Cassandra had not stopped consumating until it was confirmed by Maester Luwin. Now Robert had a reason to be more celebratory than mournful as the Tourney held in Lord Steffon's Memory was getting ready to be held.

Barthogan and Cassandra had plans to attend, and Barthogan knew that he could easily kill the Pedophile, and lay the Ground rules With Tywin Lannister.

Since the conversation they had regarding Baby Names, Cassandra had been researching the histories of Houses Stark and Baratheon in search of other names for additional future offspring.

Barthogan in that time had focused heavily on improving his skill with his new blade. Practicing constantly and at a consistent pace to make him a formidable foe in battle.

The Rebellion was set to begin soon, which made this an important thing to do. Everything that Barthogan had done up to this point was meant to make the Rebellion Less Costly and place him in prime position to reap the benefits of such a dire situation.

The only question was, should he sit upon the Iron Throne or not? He couldn't do worse than Robert as that would be tantamount to crowning Littlefinger as King. Thing was, it would be difficult to sit on the Throne, but perhaps sitting on it and not being inclined to abdicate was the real challenge. Any scenario that didn't have Joffery alive and Elia Martell Dead was a Good One.

Fuck, it's gonna suck having to do what he has to do, but it'll save him or Robert a fucking load of problems in the long run.

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(Time-Skip: 279 AC)

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(Storm's End, Shipbreaker Bay, The Stormlands, The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Westeros, GoT Universe)

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The Blackstark's were riding into Storm's End for the Tourney in honor of Lord Steffon's Memory. Barthogan Blackstark sat atop his Beautiful Black Destrier, while His Wife rode beside him, a Noticeable bump to her belly. Wearing Gleaming Black Plate with a Snarling Direwolves Head Helm, and Red Rain at his hip, he rode forward with three reasons outside of paying his respects to Lord Steffon. Number One, have that sit down with Tywin Lannister. Number two, gut that fucking Pedophile. And Number Three was to lay the final pieces of the puzzle to becoming a King.

As for Cassandra, her reason for being here was to reunite with little Renly, check in on Stannis, and protect her husbands Interests. Barthogan had laid out his plans, from the dreams he had to his immediate plans for the future, trusting her without reservation, and relying upon her much.

Her job was to set up a Northern Charter for their Growing Trading enterprises. With The Unprecedented Golden Age of Trade and Naval Power the North has been experiencing, Barthogan has entrusted to her the duty of setting up a Charter in the Stormlands. While he focuses on his business with Tywin Lannister.

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(POV Shift: Tywin Lannister)

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Watching from atop the Battlements as Barthogan Stark came through the Gates of Storm's End with his Pregnant Wife, Tywin had one thought: Why now?

Lord Blackstark somehow got a message past his own network and that of Varys, and into his own Private quarters. He stated it was time they sat down, and had a frank discussion of where things stood before one of them crossed a line. That normally wouldn't be of particular interest to Tywin, but this boy's network of Contacts, Business Partners, and his own ingenious creations made such a meeting beyond important.

If Tywin was able to negotiate a deal with the Young Lord, then perhaps an accord of mutually beneficial arrangements could be met and made to last. The boy had promise, and the fact Prince Rhaegar said as much was rather telling, it made Tywin recall the words of his future goodson:

"Barthogan Stark turned the North from poor to rich overnight, went from one merchant fleet to a full Three Thousand Strong Fleet, and raised the might of the North to a Hundred Thousand Men. This is a man who knows what he wants, how to get it, what to use, and when to get it. That's the type of man you want on the Small Council, a Man who could easily be Master of Coin, Master of Ships, Master of Laws, or Master of Whispers and still have the intelligence to succeed as the other positions better than their own office holders."

But again that one thought of Why now? That repeated itself within his mind, because why would Barthogan Blackstark want to meet now? Why not sooner? Why not immediately after becoming so influential? The answer was easy enough for him to deduce, yet it offered no insight for him to glean.

Barthogan Blackstark, wanted something from or of him, but the question was what and why?

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(POV Shift: Barthogan Blackstark)

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"See it done, make it painful, let him bleed out slowly and in a way that he cannot possibly survive." Barthogan instructed his assassin.

"Just him? No one else?" Asks the Assassin.

"Just him for now." Barthogan confirms.

"Got it." Says the Assassin as he leaves.

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Having dispatched his assassin, Barthogan knew it was time to meet with Lord Tywin. The Tourney was in full swing, which meant there would be few prying eyes as to what they discussed.

The time had come to settle the matters with Tywin before he began to prepare his troops for War and begin the Gradual shift from Merchant Ships to Warships.

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Tywin Lannister would've been intimidating if not for one simple fact, Barthogan had a trump card.

"You wanted to talk, I am here, so get to it." Tywin says.

"I want to open a Charter for my growing Trade Empire, one in King's Landing and one in the Westerlands. You will help me in this, in exchange I will offer you this little piece of knowledge, Aerys has plans to marry his Son to someone whose name isn't Cersei of House Lannister. I can provide the name if you agree to assist me in the building of these Charters. Only when I am satisfied in their construction or Completion will I give you the name." Says Barthogan.

"Say I agree, what's to stop you from reneging? Or me for that matter?" Asks Tywin.

"I got a message to you in your own private quarters, under the noses of every Spy in the City, past the Kingsguard, the City Watch, and without Varys even knowing. Whose to say next time It won't be knife between your ribs instead? But whether or not what I say in regards to the prince is true shouldn't be your main concern, your main concern should be: Can I afford to risk everything if it is?" Barthogan retorts.

"Just tell me one thing, how did you bypass the guards?" Asks Tywin.

"Same way Varys knows every little detail from within the Red Keep. King Maegor's Tunnels." Says Barthogan, but that was a lie, he'd actually sent a Raven to sneak it in, but Tywin didn't need to know that.

"So be it, I'll see it done." Says Tywin.

"Now that that's done, let's discuss a small set of rules I want recognized. You don't come after my family or me and I won't air every little secret of House Lannister out to the World. Like the fact that your late wife, may she rest in peace, discovered Cersei sexually experimenting with your heir. I know what you'll say, but ask yourself this? Is it worth denying without at least investigating. If someone else were to make that claim after your daughter hypothetically became a Queen it would mean war. So check it, and get back to me." Says Barthogan as he stands and departs. A smile on his face as he effectively just said your legacy is fucked to Lord Tywin.

Barthogan was similar to an Excitement Arsonist, he got off on watching the Chaos unfold, not unlike Littlefinger. But in this case the critical difference to take into account was that it was more the taking in of Satisfaction in the profound horror at the implications of such things on Tywin's face. This was the type of thing at this stage in the Old Lion's Plans that could make or break everything he'd worked for. That realization was truly magnificent in the knowledge that Tywin understood his implications.

All that was left for him to do was watch, wait, and prepare for the chaos to unfold....