Chapter 43: Sticking Out

Everyone laughs and smiles as old friends reunite. Robert, Ned, and Arthur smile and tell stories while Stannis just eats by the side of the table.

"And here I was, about piss out drunk and I just bashed my shield against Ned." Explains Arthur seemingly drunk. "The people cheering me while I was like, wait what? What just happened?"

"Bahahahaha…" Robert laughs while Ned chuckles. Arthur is telling how his win against Ned when he was drunk was just a fluke. 

"And so, I was known as Arthur the unbeatable knight." Announces Arthur.

"I would have become the pissing knight if I had a weaker bladder."

...

Stannis just looks at Arthur, the man who was said to be sick. Varys had said so and the man isn't one to report wrong info.

'This is not the man who slaughtered and r*ped his way through the Reach.' Concludes Stannis as he drinks a glass of water. 'He is dangerous, no one says anything about it. But when I bring up the fleet that he is building everyone laughs.'

Arthur smiles and laughs as he hears one of Robert's stories of when he fu*ked another big breasted girl.

'The Spider considers him dangerous.' Contemplates Stannis. 'I don't trust the eunuch at all. But when he says someone is dangerous I can take his word for it.'

Stannis can see through Arthur and knows that the man must be sick, but he is just hiding it. His children aren't the sharpest tools in the shed and he doesn't like that at all.

...

In the Iron Islands, Balon Grayjoy looks at the council around him. "What is the news on King Robert and his armies."

"Arthur has joined him." Says Euron from the side, a calm look on his face. He looks at the table absent-minded.

"He is dangerous, his fleet is huge, we must destroy it if we want to be able to even do anything more than just stay holed in our castles."

Balon nods. "That is true, that sick man seems to have gotten up. Euron, make sure that this is the last battle that he will ever participate in."

"Of course father." Says Euron, his face fully confident, he is confident in his assassination abilities. Plus he has learned recently that a group of people doesn't like Arthur at all.

...

Back in the meeting room Arthur, Ned, and Robert plan for their attack against the Grayjoy.

"I will use my fleet, my numbers are higher so I can absolutely destroy them." Says Arthur, he then points at the Iron Islands.

"Then we storm Pyke and we have Balon kneel… or have his head in a pike."

Robert nods at that. 

"I suggest that we kill the children too." Suggests Arthur, Robert seems to think about this. While Ned is appalled by this. "Let me explain, we shouldn't let them live, once a Grayjoy, always a Grayjoy, this way at least they can rest in the seven hells."

*bang* 

Ned suddenly smashes his hand on the table and looks at Arthur. "Are you mad!!" 

"No." Answers Arthur casually, not even a trace of fear on his face. "I am logical, after all, why take a risk with them? The Grayjoy have always rebelled. I say we get rid of them…"

Ned stares at Arthur with anger in his eyes, he couldn't believe that his old friend would be so cruel as to kill even children.

In the end, Arthur shrugs nonchalantly and says. "Of course, this is the King's decision to make. I will follow whatever he decides."

Robert looks at Arthur, he truly seemed to contemplate what his friend said. He thinks whether he should kill the children or not, after all in the future they are bound to grow into r*pists. 

But he still shakes his head, not knowing what to decide upon. "Arthur, you take care of the navy. I will decide what to do with the children later on."

"Of course your grace." Says Arthur as he gets up and bows slightly before leaving the room.

...

After Arthur leaves the room Robert sighs out loudly. "He won't be happy with my decision at all."

Ned breathes out a sigh of relief at that, and his body relaxes. "Well, the North will always stand by you, your grace."

Robert nods at that absentmindedly. 'Arthur… is he wrong though?'

...

[ Arthur POV ]

As I get out of the room, a slight frown adorns my face. This is all an act, I couldn't give a sh*t if the Grayjoy lived or died. But I did want Asha Grayjoy to bear me some children just in case.

How old should she be by now? Well, it doesn't matter, she should be old enough to give birth to children. That way I can have my blood in there, and once that is done, I can just control the Iron Islands from behind the scenes. 

If Robert decides to kill the Greyjoy children, Asha would escape due to my help. I also need to learn some magic from the Children of the Forest. That type of magic doesn't seem like the kind to give up lifespan.

Should I drink Shade of the Evening, that is drunk by the Warlocks of Qarth. It should give me enough lifespan to play around with, but that would degrade my mental state by a lot. Hmmm… no… I shouldn't use that damn liquid. After all, look at what it did to The Undying Ones. 

All dead, don't even breathe, have blue lips and eyes from drinking so much Shade of the Evening. I really should kill them all, they are so ancient that they are bound to be some of the best magic users around.

I am of course confident that I am… or used to be better than them. But now, my Life Fire (lifespan) which used to be like a bonfire is now only at the size of a flickering matchstick. I have tried many methods to regain some of it.

I have had mediocre success with stealing other people's Life Fire… the conversion rate is sh*t and the ritual needs to be done on the full moon. I would die of old age before I can regenerate even 20% of my Life Fire.

I need some more magic knowledge nowadays. I should explore some more, or have people explore for me and they give me their discoveries. Money can give one even magic.

…

…

Half a month later and I am in my main ship, I look at the Greyjoy fleet in front of me. I outnumber them more than 3 to 1 in ships. 

But I must still be careful so I do not fail this. I look up and see dark clouds approaching, Davis has charge of the ships. I don't want to endanger myself at all, that wouldn't be smart for me right now.

Fwish!

*stab*

Huh? I feel hot liquid run down my chest suddenly, I look down and see a knife stick out of my chest.

What?... ah… I see… I have been stabbed…

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For those that are curious, even though Arthur has created his immortality spell, he isn't sure it even works, so he has been dodging from taking that route as much as he can.

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