Chapter 32 (Revamped)

(Erlend Mudd, Firmridge - 289AC)

He had been quite busy these past few years, mostly focused on improving the Riverlands and the Vale on a smaller scale. He could not allow his core power base to remain behind the other kingdoms.

Since the fall of House Justman, the Riverlands had been somewhat of a joke within Westeros, long known as the Battlefield of Westeros or the land of the bickering lords.

Many of its neighboring kingdoms had conquered it at least once, even the North had tried to do so. In fact, the rise of House Frey could be attributed to the Northerners wiping out their predecessors who once ruled the area.

That decision certainly came to bite them in the ass.

Reconstruction of his behemoth of a castle had been completed a year after his wedding, just in time to welcome the birth of his rapscallion of a son Edmund Mudd. His son and Rhaenys were thick as thieves, often dragging Mya into their little bouts of mischief. 

Something he didn't mind all that much, as the closer they were, the easier it would be for them to accept each other. While Erlend did spoil both of them occasionally, he knew well when to put his foot down. There would be no young masters nor Joffrey's in his home.

Gone were the days when the massive behemoth that was Harrenhal, dominated the skyline. Now it's known as Firmridge, a fortress that stressed practicality and security.

The whole castle had been renovated and many of the unneeded and unused structures were removed such as the Hunters Hall or the bear pit. The barracks were improved to properly house the Banners. The Kitchens were now better maintained and an emphasis on cleanliness had been imposed on the castle as a whole. These were just a portion of what had been changed.

Antiques and prized objects lined the castle hall, showing off the wealth that had been accumulated throughout its history.

Even his throne had a sense of symbolism to it, being made of stones that could be found within each kingdom and fused, creating the impressive seat that was regarded as the 'Realmstone Throne'.

While it was no longer the imposing behemoth that was its predecessor. Firmridge was still one of the largest and most formidable castles in Westeros.

Construction on the castle itself had been finished, but Erlend doubted it would stop there, his descendants would certainly do their best to expand and improve upon it. Even now, Edmund would chatter about what he would do to improve it when he got older.

Many survivors of the 'Burning of King's Landing' who sought shelter and a way to make a living had settled outside of the castle. Crownlanders, Valemen, and Riverlanders also flocked to Firmridge, leading to the beginnings of what many would consider a town being formed outside of the walls of the Fortress.

Not wanting to make the same mistake that was King's Landing, Erlend had set up strict guidelines on the specifications of buildings that could be built around Firmridge.

One had to first gain a building permit to begin construction, secondly, they needed to ensure that the structure complied with given ordinances and covenants. Sufficient plans and details were also required.

It was a lengthy process that ensured the structure didn't just fall apart right after construction, wanting to avoid another fire; stone would be the primary material used.

Naturally, for the majority of the smallfolk, this flew right above their head, thus Erlend had his planners draw up several templates from which the commoners could choose the design that suited them the best and they would proceed to construction.

Was it a bit much? probably… it was just that Erlend had little desire for the cesspool that was King's Landing to repeat itself within his new capital.

…

In preparation for the long winter he knew would come, Erlend had imported grain that could be grown in harsher climates. While the Riverlands would never lack in food and could probably survive it, he would rather not risk it.

He was vaguely aware of what could be grown in winter, which included wheat, potatoes, peas, onions, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and carrots. There was of course more, but these were the ones he was mostly aware of. 

Many of these could also be stored for longer durations, increasing the life expectancy of his people during winters. It would also reduce the reliance on grain, and avoid the occurrence of monoculture which could cause long-term damage to the soil.

Winter in itself helped improve the soil, helping it regenerate in certain ways, the snow insulating the soil and its microbes and invertebrates.

It wasn't that difficult to convince the Riverlords to take on growing these new vegetables. Combined with the large amounts of fishing that could be done due to the geography of the Kingdom, the diet of the average Riverlander suddenly became far more balanced.

These changes had thankfully bore fruit and the Riverlands was starting to export a significant portion of these veggies that weren't stored to Essos, primarily Braavos. At least at face value, that city was Erlend's most reliable ally in Essos.

Erlend was well aware that the success in the adjustment of these crops could be partly attributed to his passive abilities and that the productivity and vitality of all living beings, including plant life would be enhanced in any territory 'officially' considered his.

This didn't mean the crop would not have been grown without the passive effects, it's just that they would not have produced as much, nor been as successful as it currently was.

What constituted territory owned by him was quite complicated.

For example, the Riverlands and the Vale were considered part of his territory, as he was the de facto 'Lord Paramount'. The same could not be said about the other kingdoms, as while he was their 'King', his hold over them was tenuous at best, with the word of their Lord Paramount being considered more important than his.

In Westeros, the system of governance was rather straightforward, yet also troublesome. The 'King' could go about ordering his direct vassals such as the Lord Paramount and the lords located within their territories, but those who were under the purview of a 'Lord Paramount' were technically out of his reach, at the least, it was taboo to do so without tactile approval from their Lord Paramount.

This was one of the main reasons the Targayens didn't interfere in the Reyne Rebellion despite Tywin and Aerys' friendship at the time.

Only in the face of war, unexpected events and crisis could Erlend get around these unwritten rules and directly order his indirect vassals to do his bidding. Naturally like always, there were exceptions to these rules such as marriage and trade.

That was an issue on its own he wanted to tackle but held off, as he aimed to strengthen his hold over his core territories first. His achievements and dragons may have cowed the lords for now, but completely upending established norms could ruin it.

It has to be said that this did not apply to the Reach, mainly because it was effectively impossible for the Tyrells to fully suppress their vassals, their legitimacy coming from Erlend rather than the several millennia-old rule that the other Great Houses enjoyed.

He had no intention of allowing his Empire to become a mirror of the late Holy Roman Empire, there would be no Habsburg inbreeding, nor would he allow for another Prussia to rise.

No, his was the way of Frederick the Second and Otto the Great. The Riverlands was going to be that Prussia and woe is the fool that got in his way.

…

A continuous stream of migrants still came in from outside of the Riverlands, providing Erlend with a seemingly limitless labor force that was used to complete the construction of projects he set out. In exchange for working for him a set amount of time, they would not only be paid for their work but also if shown merit would be granted living accommodations within the growing Capital.

A man works his best if you give them the proper incentive, especially when he might end up living in one of the buildings he helped make. Slowly but surely, Firmridge was gaining a large pool of skilled labor it could put to use.

Something interesting had popped up three years ago when a raven had been sent by Yohn informing him of iron and coal deposits found among the mountain of the moon. It seemed the mountain clans had known about them, but couldn't utilize them due to not having anyone they could sell them to.

There was also the fact that if his Arryn ancestors had been aware of it, they would quite definitely have fallen upon them with a bloody vengeance.

Sure they would probably fail like the past invasions, but the animosity would've been pushed to new limits. God knows that the Valemen were currently cursing the clansmen to their twentieth ancestor at this sudden revelation.

Still, steel was now easier to produce, since the mountains were directly under Erlend's purview, giving him utter control in equipping his Banners.

The Kingroad was another project he pursued, seeking to improve and expand upon it, allowing better mobility for his Banners and trade.

There were several projects in progress, the most important ones being the Five Fortresses, Kings Road, Capital, and the integration of the crownlands back into the Riverlands.

Their success or failure would have a lasting impact on his reign.

An interesting tidbit would be the Ironborn.

They had gone quiet for the most part, since the death of Quellon Greyjoy, who had been assassinated by his son Euron, though only he and Euron were aware of that fact. Anyone else who had been in on the plot had met their demise.

The Greyjoy siblings were planning and preparing for their silly 'Rebellion', which would give him all the justification he needed to wipe them out.

A good man would have stopped them as soon as he caught wind of their plot. Unfortunately for Westeros, Erlend was not that man.

Robert secured his position as King partly thanks to the Greyjoy Rebellion and Erlend wanted to replicate that. Dragons might have quietened the unruly into subservience, but it would not grant him the loyalty he needed to keep the throne firmly in his line.

The conqueror's death proved that even with Dragons, House Targaryen could've been kicked out or at least greatly weakened, had it not been for Maegor. Sure, his 'Stepson' was a cruel son of a bitch and his foolishness was his downfall, but he knew exactly what had to be done and his actions ensured that Jaehaerys' reign would be successful.

It's a shame the old geezer fucked it all up in the end, just because he couldn't get over the fact that Rhaenys didn't have a cock. Laws had been put in place if such a situation occurred again, a Dance of the Dragons was not something he wanted to be repeated.

Here's to hoping his descendants were smart enough to heed his warnings.

…

Sat in his solar, Erlend looked over the reports of projects he'd undertaken and other changes that had been implemented within the Riverlands.

These changes had put his core Kingdom at the forefront of Westeros. Even when you ignore the immense wealth House Mudd had built up, lost, and built up again over its history, the income generated these past few years easily made it the third richest kingdom behind only the Westerlands and the Reach.

It wasn't poor by any means before his ascension, but its internal divisions made it extremely difficult to maintain a solid position over the other kingdoms.

When you add the wealth of House Mudd into the mix, that immediately pushes them into the second spot. Why not the first?

Well… The Lannisters have been mining their gold mines for a minimum of 4000 - 5000 years. He found it absolutely absurd that they managed to spend all that gold by the time of canon events, show-wise. 

Erlend refused to believe that a House known for its cunning and wit hadn't made contingencies for the fact that their mines might eventually run dry, especially after seeing what happened to some of their vassals who had to deal with similar issues.

There was also the fact that they wouldn't allow the Westerosi economy to be flooded with gold, bringing down the value of their primary source of wealth. Finally, there was also the almost guaranteed possibility that they had more than a few vaults within Casterly Rock filled to the brim with gold and treasure. 

(A/N: Think the golden caches Stark wank fic authors love to give to their wolves, but multiply it.)

He could probably check for himself if he wanted to, but it wasn't something he cared much for, considering how busy the Lannisters had been doing their best to stabilize their position. Tywin had a lot of enemies, even among his bannermen, and considering how long-lasting feuds between Houses tended to be, well it didn't paint a pretty picture.

If it wasn't for Kevan's survival and Tywin's siblings remaining united in their support of Tyrion, the Westerlands would also be wracked by civil war as the minor Lannister branches vied for power, this was further prevented by his backing of the young dwarf and the confirmation of his position as Lord Paramount.

Since he had been a child, Erlend had sought out as much knowledge as possible. Knowing the trajectory of this world was one thing, but learning about its culture and history was eye-opening, to say the least. Planetos, while smaller than Earth, was rich with its own wonders and accounts of what had been and what could be. 

Its major continents both mirrored his old World, yet still had a unique twist to them that made them stand out on their own. This was no longer a world that could only be explored through the pages of the book. It was one he was living and breathing in and one he intended to leave a lasting impact on.

Alongside the reports was information collected on all the Great Lords and the actions they've undertaken.

When he was declared King in the Great Council, he took advantage of the fact that most of the major movers and shakers in Westeros were in place to draw into his influence.

Stannis was one such person, who he discreetly brought into his sphere of influence, the man cared for his family above all else, even duty. For he was the only 'King' in the war of the five kings who actually cared about governing the realm. 

When warnings of the Wildlings and the Others came south, only Stannis responded. Having sailed his entire army to prevent the destruction of the Night's Watch.

As for the burning of Shireen. That was an absolute load of bullshit that the showrunners decided to pull out of their ass. 

This was the man who sought the best healers to save her life when she first contracted with the greyscale and who gave explicit orders that should he fall, his men should fight on in her name, and stop at nothing to make her Queen. Not because he couldn't let go of his 'ambition' even in death but because as one of the few legitimate heirs to the throne, anyone else who sat on that wretched chair would seek to get rid of her, to solidify their hold. 

It was for all instances and purposes one of the most surefire ways to guarantee she had a chance at surviving. There was also the fact that he was one of the most skilled tacticians in Westeros.

It was for this reason Erlend immediately put his aura and magic to use in bringing the man into his sphere of influence. Unlike the Tyrells, he was assured of Stannis's loyalty as long as he didn't do anything to harm his family.

Hells, the man agreed to retake the Durrandon name, just to ensure his son didn't get dragged into a potential civil war. That was someone he could respect and rely on.

Benjen was another, the wolf pup carried great remorse and self-hatred for his part in Lyanna's folly that's true. Yet, he still cared about her despite the consequences of her actions, including little Saera.

He was also a Stark, enough said.

These two lords had been the primary ones Erlend knew he'd be able to trust. The others not so much. Tyrion needed him to remain secure in his position, the same with the Mace, where Doran was a snake ready to strike at any moment. They were opportunists who would strike at him if it meant their rise, plain and simple.

The good news was that Elia and Oberyn kept Doran at bay, though it was unlikely Erlend would ever trust the gout-ridden prince, hence why he made no move to heal him.

…

Despite being sure of his position presently, Erlend wanted the Riverlands to be powerful enough to take on the rest of the seven kingdoms with ease. While he already had something in the works that could guarantee the loyalty of the Great Houses, it wasn't foolproof.

There will come a time when magic could prove ineffective, and the Banners would have to do the job instead. 

Hand in hand with the army was the naval situation, which was coming along fairly well. The Royal fleet would remain stationed on Dragonstone and regularly patrol the narrow sea and the Twilight Isles. The fleet that he had from before the conquest and the acquiring of the Royal one had been moved to a hidden cove within the Cape of Eagles, in preparation for the Ironborn attack on Seagard.

Braavos or more precisely the Sealord had complained about the loss of the Banners and the added protection his fleet used to provide for trade. Something he had no time for, telling the fool that he had his own damn fleet and gold that could be put to use.

The Royal fleet was charged with protecting Westerosi ships and securing his portion of the narrow sea from pirates. The Braavosi would have to deal with the rest on their own.

The messenger hadn't taken it well, unfortunately for said messenger, Erlend had no time for the grasping fool and had him thrown out of Firmridge.

He was fully aware of the plot Aerys and those paranoid fuckers within Braavos had been cooking up. Fortunately for them, he still had to secure Westeros before he could make a move to pay them back for their plot.

For now, he'd make do with the fact that they were bleeding gold.

…

Looking up from his reports he saw a familiar gaunt face, "Your Majesty." Its owner bowed.

Showing no surprise at this, Erlend asked, "Ellar?"

"These are reports sent by the wardens stationed beyond the Wall." the man said as he placed the documents on his desk.

"Have they found what I asked for?" Erlend asked.

"Not at the moment, it appears that every time they get close to the cave, they find themselves disoriented and moving away from it," he responded with a frown.

Annoyance flashed in Erlend's eyes 'Of course the little tree demons have fucking redirection charms…'. Pinching the bridges of his nose, "Change their objective to observing the wildlings, I'll deal with the cave later. " Erlend made it clear. No use wasting manpower on something above their pay grade.

"As you wish, your Majesty," Ellar replied.

"Anything else?"

"Lord Durrandon has expressed worries of movement by the three daughters, he's worried they might try for a second Triarchy."

Erlend seemed non-pulsed by this information, though he could understand Stannis's worries. The last time the Triarchy was allowed to exist it captured a lot of the Stormlands nobility including a member of his wife's House, and sold them off as slaves to pillow houses.

While the rogue prince and the sea snake had put a stop to its shenanigans. Daemon had failed to bring it down, in fact, it would be the three daughters themselves with their internal struggles that saw it brought down.

"Have the royal fleet increase patrols and alert for anything they might try. Assure him that they'll first have to take the stepstones before they can make a move against Westeros. Giving us more than enough time to retaliate should they try anything."

The spymaster nodded at his words. "Volantis has been suspiciously quiet as of late."

"They're plotting. As they always do." Those fuckers couldn't get over the defeats at his hand. They also loathed his House for its part in preventing their own attempt at a Valyria. Hell, they probably saw it as an insult that he managed to bring Dragons back to the world when their 'pureborn' couldn't do so.

A ridiculous idea, when you considered the fact that they had barely a drop of Dragonriders in their veins. What with them being descendants of soldiers and colonial lords…

"Is that all?"

"Indeed, your Majesty."

"You can take your leave then." Keeping his face straight, the spymaster bowed once again before leaving the solar.

Erlend contemplated his next move, knowing that the daughters were likely to take advantage of the fact that he would be busy with the Greyjoys to prevent them from forming their renewed triarchy.

Initially, he would've just had the key players killed, forcing the whole thing to collapse on itself. Instead, he decided to let them be, mostly because it would distract Braavos and those idiots hiding behind the scenes while he dealt with issues in Westeros.

Erlend found it amusing that his enemies, in an effort to weaken him, foolishly propped up their rivals, who planned to turn on them immediately. Naturally, neither of these two forces could deal with the other without leaving themselves open to an attack from Volantis.

It gave his vassals more of a reason to look towards him for solutions, seeing the real possibility of a trade war occurring, which would disrupt their trade flow and make them more reliant on him.

The irony of the matter hadn't escaped him, he wondered just how desperate were these lot getting, to do such a foolish thing.

======

Note: Erlend knows his enemies are making moves, but he's letting them get away with it because it benefits him in the end, instead of forcing him to hunt them individually where some fish are more likely to slip through the net. This confidence stems from the fact that he is very much capable of steamrolling them, not to mention there's also Visenya, who has been fanning the flames even further much to the unknowing dismay of the bald eunuch.