Chapter 13

POV Change- Varys:

Walking through the garden of the royal keep, I thought back on all I knew and had witnessed through the past year since the princes return. Much had changed and it left me wondering whether I had made the right choices in my life and if I should change my plans.

Thinking of the eldest princes brought a shiver down my spine, thinking of the beast that wore human skin, I remember when I saw the prince after he had landed, I started to wonder if all the rumours were true or not.

The prince was built like a god, he had muscled that rippled with power and no amount of silk could hid the power his body contained. His body alone left nothing to be desired and when I thought of the Warrior, I could only picture the prince's body for the lad was sculpted like a war god.

When the Prince Alexander first arrived after his exile, I remember he had long hair that was braided and reached down to his waist, a symbol of his undefeated battle record that was on display for the whole world to see. But after a talk between King and Queen he was forced to cut it and now his hair was like the mane of his lions as it reached just below the neck.

However, putting his terrifying physical prowess aside, the changes brought by his return were so glaringly obvious that it often left one wondering who the King in the Capital was.

After the prince and his forces had settled the first thing, he did was have ten thousand (10,000) of them leave and head for Harrenhal where they would take permanent residence. Leading this force was a captain by the name of Aiden and his second was, if my little birds were to be believed, a woman by the name of Envy. They did what the prince had once done years ago and hunted bandits.

After having sent a large chunk of his forces away the prince managed to convince the King to raise the taxes of the kingdoms sixfold, his reasoning for the massive increase was that through him and his merchant friends he had already raised the income tenfold, and they had raised the taxes of their lands threefold already which meant that they had had enough time to fill their coffers.

After having the taxes increased, he spread the word throughout the realm listing all the reasons for the increase, but he didn't act on the supposed increase and instead drafted fifteen thousand (15,000) men from the capital to join the newly established royal army that was built on his existing men.

After three months of training the new recruits he sent another five thousand (5,000) men to Harrenhal to join the others, this was when things began to change. All the minor Houses that refused to pay the new tax were put to the sword and their House was erased and then replaced.

As for the major Houses that refused the new taxes, they would find that merchants stopped trade with them all together and the gold they were trying to keep all but disappeared and that was when we all remembered that the one who brought the merchants and trade to the realm was Prince Alexander Baratheon which meant he singlehandedly controlled the economy of the realm.

Soon enough everyone fell in line and those that tried stealing or paying less than they really owed would find themselves erased from the world only their blood and dismembered bodies remained as a warning to all those that would try the same.

Truly Alexander had shown us that he was more than just a warrior blessed by the gods as he now if not in name ruled the realm and was slowly bettering it by spreading gold and wealth.

After the tax incident the prince then began other projects, using the new taxes to build better roads and new towns and cities throughout the realm. He even had projects to rebuild and strengthen the capital by repairing the walls that had crumbled due to age and build new defences, this created jobs for the people.

He went further and recruited another ten thousand artisans to help serve the royal army and then had twenty thousand from Flea Bottom shipped across the Narrow Sea to Storms Rest the new city he was having built in Essos and the border of his lands.

Food is no longer a problem for most of the realm and even the yearly earning of the poorest family has more than tripled and now he gives the people jobs as well, I don't think there was ever a man that has managed to do so much for the realm while not being King or Hand. To think that he could have been our next King.

I wonder if I could arrange a marriage with them and him, he is what the realm needs and the people love him as well so if they were to manage to get him on their side then not only would they receive the best advisor I can think of but they would also get his seasoned army that is undefeated and lead by seasoned generals and the War God himself.

*DING* *DONG* *DING*

Looking up at the sky as the bells rang, "Will you finish what he started, or will you let that which is yours be taken..." I whispered to no one.

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POV Change- Alexander Baratheon (18):

Hearing the bells ring throughout the city I knew they signaled the end of the prelude and the beginning of the endless wars to come. So, in preparation I wrote the necessary letters and had them sent out to my forces out in the vale that had been sent to help with the mountain clans and those stationed at Harrenhal as well. Those stationed in the vale would withdraw and join the main force in Harrenhal under the guise that due to the success of their campaign in culling the mountain clans' numbers and driving them deeper into the mountains there was no need for their large presence in the Vale. By ordering the withdraw of my troops I hoped to lower the guard of both Petyr Baelish and Lysa Arryn and have them lulled into a false sense of security. After joining with the main force my orders were for them to increase their activity and presence in the Riverlands as well as the North while increasing the defences of Harrenhal as well as the scouts sent out into their surroundings.

My other letters were sent to my spies and assassins from the Creed to increase their vigilance and oversight of the houses in the Stormlands, Riverlands, Vale and the Reach in preparation of the wars to come as well as to cull a few minor lords from the respective lands over the next few months to secure key locations I had marked out to be used for future supply lines and resource depots.

Satisfied with my preparations I looked over to Apollyon who was standing beside me fully armed and armored I couldn't help the small smile that formed as I questioned, "Do you know what those bells signal?"

She shifted slightly to fully face me, "The death of someone important and seeing as Lord Arryn of the Vale has been in poor health, I would wager the old fool has passed."

Ignoring the insult to the only man in the city to ever show me any form of compassion or love in this cesspit of a city I knew she had lost any and all respect for the man after I had shown her proof of the affair his wife was having with Petyr Baelish as well as informing her of the doubts, I had of the legitimacy of the current heir apparent of the Vale.

*Sigh* "I suppose that is one answer…"

I saw the question forming in her eyes through her helm and I answered before she could ask, "That is the signal for the wolves of the land to gather and sharpen their gangs."

Standing up from my seat, I straightened my attire and made for the door as I whispered just barley loud enough to hear, "War shall be upon us soon."

With those last words between us I made my way to stand vigil for my father's father figure and the man that had planned to place me on the throne.