Max walked into the city. Everything was abuzz, people running from one street to another, blacksmiths firing up forges like there was no tomorrow, men who looked like they had never held a sword in their lives were being handed freshly forged weapons. The news of war had escaped into the general public and people were conflicted. Families were being torn apart as fathers, brothers and sons were being conscripted to fight against the greyjoys.
"You there, bring these swords to the guard", a blacksmith handed Max a bundle of swords, which laid heavy in his arms and pointed at a guards building.
"Actually, I'm not-"
"You wear armor and carry a sword, you go to war. Be happy you get your own armor, most of the poor sods have to go in with nothing but the clothes on their back and a shoddy spear. They'd be lucky if they got a shield", the blacksmith told him before returning to his workplace.
"Guess I won't have to convince people to let me join", he chuckled and carried the swords to the building. A gruff looking man in the golden cloak of a city guardsman nodded, taking the weapons from him.
"Where should I go now?", he looked out, into the streets buzzing with activity.
"You can go fetch more of those weapons. We can use every help we can get. The king wants to start marching in five days. Not enough time in my opinion but who am I to question a lord, much less the king of the seven kingdoms", the gruff looking man handed the swords to a flock of other guards, who in turn disappeared with them.
He had no time to sightsee or relax. Five days of fetching weapons and food, of loading them onto carts and of going to sleep way past sundown and rising well before sunup. His only breaks were to eat and to shit. He would've loved to maybe sneak into the crypts beneath king's landing or explore the city but every hand was needed. The city worked like an ant colony during these days, marching in a chaotic way, yet never losing sight of the objective, the preparations for war.
When the fifth day arrived, everything was done, they were ready to depart. The king, handsome and tall, with plenty of muscle, rode in front of the rows and rows of soldiers. Max was near the front and so could hear the speech which the good king shouted out, "Today we march, not as sers, lords and smallfolk but as the might of the seven kingdoms! The squids think they can shit in our faces and we just happily wipe it off and smile through it all but no, I say! No to this disrespect! No to the little fuckers who think a stag is but prey! The stag has felled the dragon, ground it under its hooves and the squids will soon learn that it wasn't just by luck but by overwhelming might! Your sons and daughters, mothers and wives will wait for you to return and by the seven, it will be the greyjoys to blame if you don't. I will not sit idly behind you, waiting for one army to kill another… no! I will ride at your side and smash those ironborn cunts into paste! Today we ride out and carry our names into the history books! Anyone who can present me with a greyjoy head, I'll make you a lord, give you lands or -if you already have all of that- will grant you money which will make the Lannisters blush. Now, let's go! Ours is the fury"
The soldiers took a minute before they screamed in unison, a fire ignited within them. Some called out the baratheon words, whilst others called their liege lords' words. The noise was deafening. People crashed their weapons into their shields, creating deep, thundering *Boom Boom Boom*'s
Their march began with vigor but after even just a few days, the enthusiasm had died down, as they were monotonously marching through the land. Soldiers next to each other started telling their life stories.
"I was a baker's son just a week ago", one of them, a young lad with strawberry red hair admitted, "Mother was worried but I insisted on going. My father died fighting in Robert's rebellion. I will make it through though, I'll make him proud from up there", his hands tightened around a star of the seven, "I have to make it through, I promised my mother. What about you? You don't come from Westeros, do you?"
Max smiled, "I hail from far into Essos, from the golden empire of Yi Ti. I came to the seven kingdoms only recently. It was by sheer coincidence that the greyjoy's rebelled shortly after I came to these lands. I still haven't become accustomed to the lack of spice in Westerosi cuisine. Back in Essos, everything had so much more flavor"
"Cui- what now?"
"Cuisine, y'know… food?"
"Why not call it food? Why these fancy words?", the boy shook his head, "I think we have plenty of seasoning. I love my mother's garlic bread"
"You haven't tasted food until you had curry", Max swooned. Surely there was curry in this world, right? Essos was like asia after all, so they probably had more spices than what he found in the inns of westeros, hell, the lords and ladies probably used spices too, though he was -for now- a commoner… King Robert's promise of lordship for bringing him a greyjoy's head was tempting. Surely with Overhaul, he could breach the walls and get a few iron born cunts, as the king had so eloquently put it. He wondered what land he'd get if he managed to get one of the squids. Maybe a domain in the north? He liked the cold and the starks were honorable. Plus in the north, he wouldn't have to worry about being branded a heretic for using Overhaul. That was also true for Dorne but he didn't like the heat. Then again, he wouldn't say no to a place in the vale…