Chapter 16: Forging the Alliance: Contracts, Ceremony, and Consolidation
The Tower of the Hand, once a symbol of Aerys's increasingly erratic trust and then his murderous paranoia, now became the temporary den of the Lion of Lannister. Within its stone walls, Lord Tywin convened with his son, Jaime, a private debriefing that was less fatherly concern and more a ruthless CEO evaluating a surprisingly independent subsidiary.
"This… Robert Baratheon," Tywin began, his voice a low growl as he paced the solar, the crimson and gold of his doublet a stark contrast to the grim tapestries adorning the walls. "He is not the fool I was led to believe. Explain his transformation. And your role in this… 'new management.'"
Jaime, lounging with a deceptive nonchalance in a heavy oak chair, recounted the events: the silent infiltration, the shocking confrontation with Ser Barristan, the effortless dispatch of Aerys's guards, the cold, brutal efficiency with which Robar had neutralized the Mad King and seized control. He spoke of Robar's unnerving calm, his predatory intelligence, and the almost palpable aura of power that seemed to radiate from him. He did not mention the Haki or the subtle tremors by name – he had no words for such things – but he conveyed the sense of a man operating on a level far beyond normal human capability.
"He offered me a choice, Father," Jaime concluded, a cynical smirk playing on his lips. "Continued service to a lunatic about to incinerate a city, or a 'consultancy' with the new regime. Given Aerys's recent penchant for pyrotechnics involving his own counselors, the choice was remarkably clear. Baratheon may be a ruthless bastard, but he's a sane ruthless bastard. And he seems to value competence. A refreshing change."
Tywin listened impassively, his pale green eyes, flecked with gold, missing nothing. He had sensed the dangerous capability in Robar, the chilling pragmatism. Jaime's account only confirmed his assessment. This Baratheon was a new breed of predator, one who thought in terms of assets and liabilities, profit and loss. Such a man could be a powerful ally, or a devastating enemy. The key was to ensure House Lannister was positioned to benefit, regardless.
"He offered you a consultancy," Tywin mused. "And what of your Kingsguard oath?"
"Oaths can be… reinterpreted, Father," Jaime said lightly, though a shadow crossed his eyes. "Especially when the king you're sworn to protect is actively trying to murder half a million people, yourself included. Besides, Baratheon seems more interested in my knowledge of the Red Keep's inefficiencies than my sword arm, for now."
Tywin gave a curt nod. Jaime's disillusionment was useful. "This Baratheon understands power. And he understands value. The marriage to Cersei will proceed. It is a necessary merger. You will advise your sister on how to manage this… new husband. He will not be easily manipulated like the old Robert."
"Cersei manipulate him?" Jaime laughed, a short, sharp bark. "Father, you haven't seen him operate. It would be like a kitten trying to manipulate a kraken. She will be an asset, a broodmare for his legitimate heirs, a symbol of our alliance. Nothing more, unless she is far cleverer than I believe."
While the Lannisters strategized, Robar's BCR teams were already hard at work with Tywin's nominated advisors, primarily the stoic and meticulous Ser Kevan Lannister. The "Articles of Alliance and Matrimonial Consolidation," as Robar's legal team termed it, were drafted with the precision of a corporate merger agreement. Clauses detailed military cooperation (a "joint defense initiative"), economic partnerships ("preferred creditor status" for Lannister gold in BCR infrastructure projects, BCR expertise offered for "optimizing" Lannister mining outputs), and political appointments. Tywin Lannister would indeed be named Hand of the King once Robar formally claimed the Iron Throne. Cersei's dowry was substantial, but BCR's reciprocal "investment guarantees" to House Lannister were equally impressive, framed in terms of projected returns on a stable, prosperous Westeros under their combined influence.
There were points of contention. Ser Kevan, on Tywin's behalf, pushed for greater autonomy for the Westerlands in certain trade sectors. Robar's team, backed by his unyielding directives, insisted on BCR's overarching regulatory authority to ensure "market stability and standardized best practices." Robar himself intervened only when a critical impasse was reached, his cold logic and subtle intimidation usually breaking the deadlock in BCR's favor, though he always allowed the Lannisters enough concessions to maintain the illusion of a balanced partnership. He understood the art of making the other party feel they had won, even when the primary victory was his.
With the agreement nearing completion, raven-borne messages sped to Casterly Rock. Lady Cersei Lannister was to prepare for her journey to King's Landing. Robar had seen portraits of her; Robert's memories supplied images of a stunningly beautiful young woman. His own assessment was purely clinical: she was a high-value asset for alliance consolidation and dynastic propagation. Her personality, which Robert's memories painted as ambitious and vain, would need to be managed. He envisioned pre-nuptial clauses detailing performance expectations and behavioral guidelines, though he doubted Westerosi law would accommodate such an advanced contractual concept. He would have to rely on more… direct methods of asset management.
The formal announcement of the Baratheon-Lannister alliance and the impending betrothal was a grand affair, orchestrated by Robar for maximum political impact. In the throne room, before the assembled court of King's Landing (a much-thinned, more nervously compliant version than Aerys had known), Robar, with Tywin Lannister standing beside him in a display of united power, proclaimed the new pact. Grand Maester Pycelle read the official proclamation, his voice quavering slightly as he detailed the "joyous union" that would bring "peace, stability, and unprecedented prosperity" to the realm. The narrative was clear: the two most powerful houses outside the Crown were now united, their combined strength unassailable. It was a message to the Tyrells, the Martells, and any other remaining Targaryen loyalists: the game was over. Join the winning side, or be liquidated.
While these high-level negotiations and public pronouncements unfolded, Robar's administration relentlessly consolidated its grip on King's Landing. Maester Vaellyn's wildfire neutralization teams worked with grim efficiency, each neutralized cache a testament to the city's narrow escape. One particularly large deposit, discovered beneath the Great Sept of Baelor itself, caused a city-wide panic when rumors of its existence (and the controlled demolition of its trigger mechanisms) leaked. Robar used the incident to his advantage, appearing publicly to oversee the final stages of its neutralization, projecting an image of calm, decisive leadership in the face of grave danger. BCR "hazard pay" for the workers involved, and a public commendation ceremony, further cultivated his image as a pragmatic savior, albeit a terrifying one.
BCR's economic restructuring continued apace. New tax schedules were posted, more efficient and less arbitrary than Aerys's, but also designed to systematically extract maximum revenue. Port fees were standardized under BCR control. Guilds were "encouraged" to adopt BCR's "best practice" guidelines, which usually involved BCR taking a percentage of their profits in exchange for "market access and regulatory stability." There was grumbling, but the undeniable order and the suppression of the petty corruption that had flourished under Aerys meant that for many legitimate merchants, business, while different, was becoming more predictable.
The fate of Aerys Targaryen was decided in a closed-door meeting between Robar and Tywin. Both agreed that a public trial was necessary. It would serve as a powerful piece of propaganda, legitimizing their actions and condemning the Targaryen dynasty. Tywin, with a cold glint of satisfaction in his eyes, offered to oversee the compilation of Aerys's crimes. Robar readily agreed, assigning BCR legal experts to "assist" Lord Lannister. The trial would be a show, carefully orchestrated to achieve the desired political outcome. Aerys's execution, Robar had already decided, would be swift and public, a final, emphatic full stop to the Targaryen reign.
News of the Baratheon-Lannister alliance rippled across the Seven Kingdoms. Ned Stark sent his cautious approval from the Riverlands, though he expressed private concerns to Jon Arryn about Tywin Lannister's fox-like cunning now being so close to the center of power. Jon Arryn, his negotiations with BCR's envoys in the Vale proceeding favorably (the prospect of modernizing the Vale's ports and quarries with BCR capital was proving irresistible), sent his congratulations and pledged the Vale's full support once the agreements were finalized. Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden, upon hearing of the alliance and the continued successes of the Ironborn raids on his coasts, reportedly fell into a blustering rage, followed by a period of panicked indecision. Doran Martell, from distant Sunspear, remained silent, his response as enigmatic as the Dornish sands.
Robar, standing on the balcony of his solar, reviewed the latest BCR reports. Revenue streams from King's Landing were stabilizing and beginning to show growth. His military forces were swelling, augmented by new recruits drawn by the promise of BCR pay and the prestige of serving the clear victor. The Stormlands were a productive powerhouse. The Kingswood was nearly pacified, its timber already feeding his shipyards. The alliance with the Lannisters secured his western flank and brought immense wealth and military power into his coalition.
The next phase was clear: neutralize the Tyrells, either through diplomacy (a BCR-brokered "merger" where they bent the knee and accepted a junior partnership) or decisive military action. Then, a formal coronation. He, Robert Baratheon, first of his name (or rather, Robar, CEO of Westeros Inc.), would claim the Iron Throne not by bloodright, but by right of conquest and superior management.
A lavish, yet meticulously budgeted, ceremony was planned for the following week to formally announce the betrothal of Lord Protector Robert Baratheon to the Lady Cersei Lannister, whose arrival in King's Landing with her retinue was expected any day. Robar had already reviewed the projected costs and expected political ROI of the event. It would be another calculated display of power, unity, and the dawn of a new, ruthlessly efficient dynasty.
The forging of his empire continued, one contract, one ceremony, one strategic consolidation at a time. The ledger of Westeros was indeed being rewritten, in bold, black, and gold ink.
Word Count: Approx. 3050 words