The Lion's Roar:
Tytos Kicking Ass:
100, 98,85, 100
(Tytos POV)
"You are weak."
Weak… that was all you ever heard behind your back. Weak, ineffective, soft, craven.
Those words filled your ears as a ale fills a mug. You accepted it of course, your father had been a great ruler, a proud ruler, one that made men crawl towards his feet if they wished to speak to him. He made the Westerlands rich, flowing with Silver, Gold and Jewels. The Fleets of Lannisport were strong, easily the strongest deterrent to the Iron fleet on the western coast.
A knight, an administrator, a champion of the West.
You, Tytos Lannister, were not your father.
You had many faults and many sins. You were a squire, never knighted, and you lacked the stomach for combat. You were not brave like your father and brothers, nor even as skilled an administrator. You did not inspire confidence or radiated fear to cow your lord's into subservience. You drank a little too much and slept in just that much longer in the morning and spent far too much time mulling over decisions that needed decisive action.
You were just a normal man. Not the Golden Lion the Rock needed at the helm.
Possibly the gravest of all your sins.
For a time, you were lost, your shoulders weighing a responsibility that was both heavy, and unwanted.
And then Roger had called him weak to your face.
The Lord of Castamere was always quick to insult your diminutive stature, your lack of strength and stomach in battle and in court, but always behind your back, and in whispers. You always ignored the insults, the hurdles, taking them and proving him wrong by doing right by the other bannermen.
Something in you, finally snapped. And you enacted you plan.
You stood from the high table that overlooked the feast and slammed your hand to silence the lord's.
Your outburst, one that many have never seen you do, quickly silenced them.
"Lord Reyne… would you care to repeat that?" You slowly walked around the table, your wife and children clearly shaken. They were wondering what had happened.
"I have called all my bannermen here, as a celebration, for the birth of my son, Gerion. So that we may all celebrate a new life being born, and friendships and oaths can be remade, stronger than before. And all I hear is weakness. Weakness, and lies about the host of this Grand feast."
The entire world it seemed, was focused on the Red Lion and the Gold one. But you were speaking to all of them.
"I have maintained the West as my father and his father before him! But I have been generous, both in loans and the collection of the taxes are due!" You paced in front of the feasting Lords and Ladies, all whom were clearly watching your every move. "But my generosity, has limits."
The doors slammed shut, and your guards barred the entrances. "I have heard every one of you, clamor on about my… sickly disposition, my poor stomach, and even my... weakness." The entire room looked ready to erupt into protest. "But, I ignore them, because your petty rumors, are beneath me. I have have continued to bring wealth and prosperity to the West."
Every lord was getting the message now. "Clearly, my generosity has limits. Every single one of you, will understand that."
Your guards then pulled out papers and quills and ink, and each of them was placed in front of them. "I will not just be taking oaths of loyalty, but I am also going to be collecting what the Lannisters are owed."
Roger Reyne stood tall, but even he was not stupid enough to draw his blade. "What is this?"
"Collection notices, My Lord." You stated. "As you march home, you will be followed by Lannister Tax collectors. If the money either in full or an installment is not paid, lands and mines will not only be confiscated until the debt is paid off, but one of your sons will need to squire with one of my knights until he is of age, and serve within my retinue for a continued three years to pay off your own debt and his own."
"This is extortion!" Lord Payne shouted as he threw the parchement down. "50,000 Dragon is outrageous!"
"No it is not actually." You replied. "Taking the amount owed and the interest of said gold into account, including loans given by my father that were not forgiven, the payments are more than reasonable." You replied. "Especially since that payment collected will not even cover a quarter of your debts you owe the Lannisters."
"You are willing to take our sons away?" Lady Tarbeck shouted in protest. "For gold?!"
"No… I am not taking your sons away for gold… I am collecting on debts owed. If you all were not so careless, minded your spending habits, and balanced your budgets." You paused. "I would not resort to such methods."
The Lord's and ladies were silenced. The feast was over.
Gone was the man called the Laughing Lion.
In was the man they call, the Hungry Lion.
And a day later, words were said around Casterly Rock. "A Lannister gets what he is owed."
AN: So… Lesson here. When taking a loan from the Lannisters, always be ready to have a cash reserve.
Because the Lannisters always get what their owed.
