Chapter 52

(Erlend Mudd, Firmridge)

It was finally time for the much-anticipated event.

He'd gone all out this time, even more so when compared to the Tourney just not long ago. Hell, the cost of the decorations alone would render a minor House bankrupt.

However, that hardly mattered considering the fact that the fortress's vaults were overflowing with gold, silver, and precious gems. 

Erlend would admit that the Dothraki could be a very charitable bunch, ceding away their spoils to him after he generously gave them an early ticket to meeting their god… Sometimes his kindness knew no bounds.

There was no reason for their god to target him, he only was making it easier for them to meet their recluse of a deity.

Admittedly that would be ironic if his suspicions were correct.

Rhaella was currently fussing over his clothing, making sure he looked every part the King he was.

Erlend was amused, for all her demure nature, the woman could be very opinionated on certain topics, primarily his clothing. Ever since their relationship blossomed, the Targaryen matriarch had made it a point to always check on his clothing before every event, or public appearance.

She wanted him to always look his best.

Naturally, wherever Rhaella was, it wouldn't be surprising to find Dany following closely behind. The little dragon princess even withheld from glaring enviously at her mother this time, just to make sure he looked presentable.

No doubt, this was a shared trait between the two royals that brought them closer.

"You look dashing, my love. Isn't that right sweetie?" Rhaella said, whilst looking at her daughter.

"Of course, His Majesty always looks dashing." Dany puffed up arrogantly.

Honestly, Erlend didn't know where this pride came from, perhaps it came from her time as Queen or was it an inherent Targaryen trait she got from the mad idiot?

Regardless, he brought Rhaella into an affectionate hug, while placing gentle kisses on her head. "I do appreciate the effort you put into it, dear. Seven Knows I'd be lost without you."

Rhaella's cheeks turned pink, embarrassed by his bold actions, and in front of her daughter no less.

Annoyed at the display of affection happening in front of her, Danaerys sniffed haughtily, while looking away from them, clearly unamused.

Despite her embarrassment, Rhaella did not pull away, which further infuriated the young princess.

Erlend merely chuckled at her reaction but did eventually stop, the event would be starting soon and there was no point in dragging it out.

He was well aware of the panic felt by his Vassals. The longer it was put off, the likelier someone would do something stupid due to misunderstanding his intentions.

Fear might be a useful tool, but it also required moderation, otherwise, he'd find himself dealing with headaches that could have simply been prevented with a few words of reassurance.

Old man knows, those lions have been walking on pins and needles since his intentions for Cersei had been made clear. Hell, by the looks of it most were under the assumption that their days were numbered.

Speaking of Lannisters, he turned to look at his most dangerous ward, "You've had far too much fun poking at the Lannisters, Dany." He pointed out, though there was no hint of blame in his tone.

"Who told them to try and use you for their own gain? They should be happy I didn't go any further." The dragon princess looked utterly unrepentant.

As expected of the Mother of Dragons, her memory was long and her grudges lasted even in the next life, Tyrion was going to suffer a lot it seemed.

He wondered what she would have done to Tywin had he still been alive. Scratch that he was genuinely curious how she would treat Aerys and Rhaeger had they somehow survived their stupidity.

Not that would have stopped him from going after Rhaella, only a retarded fool wouldn't be able to appreciate her.

"As long as you don't go too far, everything is acceptable." He wasn't going to stop her, at the end of the day, it benefited him more if the Lannisters did something stupid and got themselves killed in the process.

It would save him a lot of future problems if they all just dropped dead. Shame he wouldn't be able to get away with it, for now…

Rhaella shook her head at the antics of the two people she loved the most, she didn't mind their little plots and schemes, she had lost both her grandchild and son to Lannister machinations after all.

While the two bantered with each other, Rhaella placed her head on her lover's shoulders, looking forward to what was to come.

She doubted anyone aside from the Council realized Erlend's intentions yet, his vassals could be remarkably pessimistic at times.

…

(Alerie Hightower)

Everyone stood quietly within the Grand Hall, waiting for the King to arrive.

Of the Royal family, the Crown Prince and his betrothed Princess Rhaenys were present, with Princess Elia hovering protectively behind the two.

Young Jasper was far too young to bring to such an event, thus Lady Lysa had begged off from attending. As for the She-wolf, Lyanna stood with her daughter Saera, Princess Danaerys, and the former Queen Rhaella. They were chatting amongst themselves, seemingly unconcerned with the others in the Great Hall.

There were more than a few people present who were looking unkindly at the Stark woman, but her relationship with the King and the vigilant Royal Guard around them dissuaded her would-be enemies from doing anything particularly stupid.

The surroundings seemed uncharacteristically somber, reminding her of the day Erlend was declared King.

Malora had assured her that nothing too terrible would occur and that no heads would fly, but that didn't stop her from worrying about her children. The only bright spots from her marriage would always be her highest priority, and she feared the King's next actions could put them in jeopardy.

"You really don't have to be afraid you know. Erlend would never harm those he considers kin." Janna murmured near-silently into her ears, sensing her distress.

"You can never be too sure Janna. For all we know, Mace could've done something stupid." She whispered back fiercely, though that merely earned her a look of exasperation from her closest friend.

"My brother may be foolish, but he's not stupid Alerie, have some faith."

Letting out a breath to calm herself, Alerie found it hard to believe that Mace hadn't done anything to arouse the King's fury. Then again with the way the Lannisters were fidgeting about, maybe they had done something instead.

"I know, but this is Mace we're talking about. You really can't be too careful around him." She spoke with great certainty.

Having no response to that, Janna pursed her lips in disapproval, her thoughts drifting to the times her brother had done something ridiculous. It really was hard not to doubt the fat oaf.

Eventually, all whispered conversation came to a halt, as the herald cleared his throat, signaling the King's arrival. "Presenting His Royal Majesty, King Erlend Mudd, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord Protector of the Sunset Kingdoms, Lord Paramount of the Vale of Arryn, Lord of Firmridge, and Lord of the Twilight Isles." He announced, his voice booming throughout the Great Hall for all to hear.

The Herald didn't stop there, almost immediately following up with, "Accompanying him is Her Majesty, Queen Catelyn Mudd, Queen Consort of the Sunset Kingdoms and Lady of Riverrun."

A glint of envy appeared in her eyes before it disappeared just as quickly, while she was jealous of the woman, Alerie was well aware that it would've been impossible to tie herself to the King, even if her husband had dropped dead.

The lords of the realm would've rioted at the idea of a widow becoming Queen.

From her House, the only ones who had any chance to wed the young King while he was still available would have been Lynesse or Malora.

If only she was younger, not an uncommon thought among the ladies of the Realm.

He looked regal and graceful as he made his way to the Realmstone Throne, holding his wife's hand, the two looked like they came straight out of the tales her mother used to tell her when she was a child.

A perfect pair some would say.

Alerie knew she was witnessing history, whatever Erlend planned to do, would surely affect the Realm for centuries to come. She just hoped it was a pleasant effect, no one wanted to see another slaughter, not so soon anyway.

As the Conqueror sat himself on the symbol that represented the Realm's unity, he eyed those present. Every time his gaze fell upon a certain individual, they would straighten themselves unconsciously, holding themselves up for fear of embarrassing their House.

One only needed to look at who was placed closest to the Throne, to judge which House held the King's favor. The Starks and Durrandons were nearest, followed by the Hightowers, Mallisters, and Royces.

These families were the ones that benefited the most out of all nobility, as for the Martell's, of the brothers, only Oberyn and his lineage were looked upon favorably. Since Erlend's crowning, Doran has done nothing to show his sincerity and loyalty to the King.

She wondered what the Snake was thinking, here he was handed a perfect opportunity to get close to the King and the bastard was still dragging his feet through the sand.

Pride was the undoing of many a great lord.

Finally, as if satisfied with what he saw, the King made his voice clear for all to hear, finally getting to the matter at hand.

…

(Erlend Mudd)

Looking at his vassals, "Today can be considered a day of celebration." Erlend started.

"Lorimas Mudd, Oberyn Mudd, and Balon Swann. The victors of their respective contests, men who have shown their worth to the Realm. Yet…" This time pausing to look his vassals in the eye once more.

The gathered lords held their breath, wondering what he intended to do.

"... They aren't the only ones, are they?"

"One need only look around you to see that there are many who served the Realm faithfully, who have toiled away to ensure that it can run as smoothly as can be. From Yohn Royce, Wyman Manderly to Eldon Estermont, every single member of the Council has served diligently, and faithfully."

"It is why I have decided to reward these men, as well as others who have contributed to maintaining stability within these lands."

Like a signal, his words were followed by several servants standing in front of the throne, bowing their heads politely to the nobles present. With them were several elegantly designed boxes, which after a nod from the King were opened for all to see.

Their contents were small and enchanting brooches, carved into the gems on them were masterful depictions of the symbols that represented each of the council members' Houses.

What caught most people's attention was the distinctive rippled patterns on each brooch, their metals looking so dark, that they almost appeared to be black.

"Valyrian Steel!"

"How extravagant!"

"Isn't this a bit much."

"..."

Several gasps and exclamations could be heard, some in shock, others from jealousy. None of that mattered to Erlend, who motioned for the members of the Council to step forward and accept their brooches.

Yohn Royce, Horton Redfort, Wyman Manderly, Eldon Estermont, Monford Velaryon, Raymond Feld, Lorimas Mudd, and Marwyn the Mage.

Each of them stepped forward and reverently accepted the valyrian brooch that represented them and their respective Houses. Only his Master of Whisperers, Ellar Feld, remained absent, as was his duty.

Erlend was hardly going to reveal his spymaster just for the sake of grandstanding.

As they each received their brooches, polite applause rang through the Hall, though many could not hide the envy in their eyes. Valyrian Steel was one of the most expensive materials in this world, and for Erlend to use it as a reward of all things, showed just how much he valued these lords.

He couldn't help but be amused at their reactions, while Valyrian Steel was truly something, he was hardly going to give away something so precious for free. Woven into each brooch were several enchantments that induced loyalty to a certain bloodline, his bloodline to be particular.

It wasn't 'permanent', but it would last for at least centuries due to the magical nature of the steel, and would influence the wearer subtly over time, rather than instantly.

Valyrian Steel's magical nature made it easier to place stronger enchantments, as well as its immense value, which would encourage the lords to pass it on to their heirs as a family heirloom.

That on its own made the staggering price of creating them worth it. Gold was meaningless if it could not be used to benefit one's self.

Of course, these weren't the only gifts.

After everyone returned to their places, their brooches placed proudly on their clothing, Erlend clapped his hands once more, signaling for his servants to bring in the second batch of gifts to its recipients.

"Of course, we cannot forget the Lord Paramounts, who have guarded the Realm from all those that dare encroach on our lands, and ensured the security of our people." As he spoke, the servants each opened their packages, revealing their contents.

These were not brooches but rather rings.

Each ring had a striking display of precious valyrian steel inlaid with a sculpted pattern that showcased a particular scene taken from the respective Great House's history.

From the Builder overlooking the Great Wall to the Durrandon standing defiantly against the oncoming Storm, shielding his beloved from divine wrath. Every inscription managed to capture the heart of the moment and the essence of their legacy.

One only needed to look into the eyes of the Great Lords to witness their appreciation of the gift. Even the dissatisfied Lannister lord could not help but be drawn to the precious gift that was presented to him.

Like the brooches, each ring was encrusted with a priceless gem, be it ruby red or emerald green, there was no denying the worth of each ring.

Erlend watched as each of his vassals gingerly placed the ring on their fingers, with only Oberyn standing out from the rest as he accepted the ring on behalf of his absent brother.

Satisfaction filled him as he felt a connection flaring up to each of these Lords, their thoughts, fears, and emotions open to him to see and slowly change. Little did they know the true value each ring brought him and his successors.

While the rings couldn't directly give him control over them, they were useful enough to slowly but surely give him a subtle hold over each Great Lord and their descendants, as the ring inevitably became an heirloom due to how valuable it was.

It was no joke to say that this 'gift' would become one of the most precious items for each House, and unfortunately their biggest shortcoming.

Erlend wondered what their reaction would be if they knew the truth, though that was impossible, the sheer complexity of the enchantments and runic art woven into the rings, made it so that only someone of Dumbledore's level or stronger would be able to uncover the truth behind them.

There was no such being in Planetos if one did not take into account the divine, let alone the fact that they'd first have to understand the Potterverse enchanting branch before they could even begin cracking open that can of worms.

Each of the Great Lords dropped onto their knees, profusely thanking him for their invaluable object.

Smiling at this display of submission, "There's no need for that, it's only fair that I reward each of you for your contribution to the Realm." He declared magnanimously, bidding for them to rise.

Turning his eyes to the rest of those gathered, "Today shall stand as a historic one, for we shall show the rest of the world the growth and prosperity of the Sunset Kingdoms."

"Long has this continent been divided… Well, I say, NO MORE!" His voice rang throughout the Great Hall. "LET OUR ENEMIES KNOW THAT WESTEROS IS NOT WEAK."

His voice went lower once more, though its impact was no less, "So tell me, my Lords, will you allow those leeches to continue to take advantage of us, or shall we show those savages what true strength looks like?"

Silence filled the hall, as the implications of his words echoed through their minds, before hesitation and indecisiveness could grip their hearts, someone rose.

"There is no man I'm willing to follow other than you, your Majesty. House Templeton will follow you into the depths of the Seven Hells if need be." Symond boldly declared.

As if the floodgates had opened, lords began to follow his lead, declaring their intentions for all to hear.

"House Royce shall lead the vanguard for His Majesty. We shall let the King's enemies taste our steel!"

"As a Tarly, how can we stand aside when the Realm goes to war!"

"It doesn't matter who we face, we shall always remain loyal to His Majesty!"

"Winter is Coming!"

"..."

Declaration after declaration came out of the gathered lords, Erlend couldn't help but let out a genuine smile as he witnessed these rambunctious lots make their loyalty clear.

Each word was more outrageous than the other, yet none of the lords had time to care as they did their best to outdo the former. Only by showing sincerity could they be rewarded just as generously as the compatriots had been.

Inwardly sneering at their insincere outbursts, he showed an amicable smile to those gathered.

Perhaps it would soon be time to let his foes know what true battle tasted like, for he had been passive for too long. Erlend felt invigorated by the momentum that had spread throughout the Great Hall.

This game of cloak and daggers had gone long enough, it was time to send a message.

======

Note: So we finally came to the 'gifts' trope, honestly I've been planning on Erlend doing this for a while now. It would be kind of silly not to do so, especially with how 'open to interpretation' Potterverse magic can be, HP tropes can be terribly cliched and angst-ridden, but damn do they have their uses. Erlend's choice to stir up his lords against these 'leeches' will have an impact soon enough, just a bit of magical shenanigans need to be made before that. As for the overblown reactions by his vassals, well it's somewhat justified considering Erlend's past actions.