Lucas' horse raced across the stretch of empty lands a few kilometres south of King's Landing. After nearly an entire day of reconnaissance, he had finally marked the area where the new city would rise.
He arrived at a naturally elevated mound. It was neither a true hill nor a steep cliff, but a broad, gently sloping rise that culminated in an abrupt 80 foot drop at its edge.
"This would serve as a great place for a castle," Gary remarked, eyeing the natural incline. "A formidable defensive line could be built around it."
"Yes," Lucas nodded. "The sloped path leading up to the castle can be easily defended from above. Any attacking force climbing the incline would be crushed under a rain of stones."
This was the spot. The location where the castle of the new city would stand. Its stated purpose was going to be as a royal castle for the 'royalty' but Lucas was going to build according to his liking and desires. Just that royalty in this case was going to be him.
Nearby, a stream cut across the landscape, providing a natural source of water for the future inhabitants. Even more promising, the terrain offered a suitable site for a port, a natural harbour, though the port was not part of his immediate plans. But eventually, sooner or later, the port too would be constructed.
Lucas surveyed the vast expanse of land stretching before him, his gaze eventually settling on the forest lining the western edge of the envisioned city. These lands were widely considered unsuitable for farming. The lands were tough with unyielding soil that resisted cultivation. It was hard to plough and drill them with the inferior quality of iron tools commonly available. There were no systems of irrigation to support the crops apart from natural rain.
But Lucas had other plans. He would transform this land into fertile farmland.
The labourers he had called for from King's Landing would become the first generation of farmers here. And they would not be left to struggle with subpar tools. Lucas intended to provide them with superior equipment. Stronger shovels, sharper ploughs, and other high-quality tools forged in the Metal town.
With such tools in hand, they would be able to break the stubborn soil and begin cultivation. But tools were only part of the solution. Lucas would also supply them with superior seeds.
Where would he find them? He would use his purification power on the available seeds, enhancing them and refining them into high yield varieties. He would also be building power irrigation systems. Canals and piped drainage.
Self sustaining agriculture would solve one of the greatest challenges. Feeding the growing population.
"Have the teams departed?" Lucas asked, his eyes still scanning the horizon.
"They should have left yesterday," Gary replied. "The ships as well. We can expect them to reach King's Landing within ten days."
Lucas nodded in acknowledgment. A team of two hundred workers, craftsmen, architects, and other experts had been summoned from the Westerlands. These were men and women who had worked under Lucas for the past years, individuals with deep expertise in construction, architecture, and, most importantly, experience with the new metals Lucas had been developing and refining in the Metal Town.
Alongside them, more than a dozen ships had set sail, loaded with heavy with metal beams, bars, pipes, hooks, and other vital construction components. These materials marked only the first shipment. More would follow as the work progressed.
(2 Days Later)
(Casterly Rock)
Tywin Lannister was sitting in his solar, a deep frown was etched onto his face. A crumpled piece of parchment lay on the table before him, its contents still fresh in his mind.
His gaze, however, was fixed outside the window, staring into the endless expanse of the sea as the sound of waves crashing against the rocks drifted into the solar.
And his mind was churning with a whirlwind of thoughts and possibilities.
A raven had come not long ago, sent by Grand Maester Pycelle, carrying news of all that had happened in King's Landing in the past few days. And though Tywin had read the message only once, every word of it had imprinted itself upon his thoughts like ink upon parchment.
To be honest, Tywin was not sure whether he was truly surprised or not. When Lucas had declared that he would not accept any gold for the work he intended to do, Tywin had known that nephew would demand nothing less than something outrageous. He had expected some bold and outrageous demand. But even so, he had not foreseen this.
With both the economy of the city and the muscle of the city, The City Watch, Lucas was certain to have King's Landing in his firm grip. And Tywin, he knew Lucas better than most.
He knew that beneath his nephew's charming exterior was a mind sharper than the finest of the steels, and a will that did not bend to anything.
He would waste no time. While the other players were still thinking and moving their pawns across the board, Lucas would already be thinking five moves ahead. He would be quiet, swift and methodical but would complete the game before anyone even realised that it had already ended.
In all of this, Tywin was not sure how to feel from the perspective of being a Lannister. He should have been happy.
The letter had also described a small conflict that had emerged between Lucas and Joffrey. And it was an alarming development. In fact, it was worrying.
He had no delusions about his grandson. Joffrey was a fool, arrogant, impulsive, and entirely unfit to bear the weight of the crown. At a time when every lord in the realm would be vying to build a relationship with Lucas, the one person who already had a blood bond with him seemed hell bent on destroying it.
Oh, how he wished he could smack some sense into that idiotic boy. He could only hope that Cersei, though not much better, would have the presence of mind to realise the value of Lucas and act swiftly to mend the relationship. If she had any political sense at all, she would make it her immediate priority.
At that moment, Tywin made a decision. If the situation worsened, he would personally travel to King's Landing. Not only would it allow him to gauge the true intentions of his nephew, but it would also give him the opportunity to fix the fractured relationship between the future king and the man who might very well end up shaping the future of the realm.
A knock on the door snapped Tywin out of his daze.
"Brother, it is me," the voice came from outside. Kevan Lannister.
"Come in," Tywin said as he picked up the crumpled parchment and placed it in his robes. He would inform Kevan about what had transpired in King's Landing but not everything written in the parchment was for his eyes.
Kevan, Lucas' father, and his mother and siblings were in Casterly Rock. This was a leverage which always gave a sense of comfort to Tywin with regards to Lucas. It was the strongest card he held in his hands. And he knew that his brother loved him dearly and as long as he did not do something outrageous, Kevan would never turn his back against him or Casterly Rock. At least, till the time he himself was alive.
*
*
*
[Add the book to your collection. Send some power stones and leave your opinion.]
[Access to Advanced chapters on P@treon. One extra chapter released per week on P@treon. Replace @ with a.]
[email protected]/shadowauthor