Returning to Harrenhal, Arthur retreated to his solar in the Kingspyre Tower.
The stone walls were still draped with the yellow and black bat banners of House Whent, illuminated by the warm, flickering glow of candles.
Arthur stared at the bat sigil.
"I will be harvesting heads during the Greyjoy Rebellion. Not even the Drowned God will be able to save those Ironborn."
The men who distinguished themselves most during the suppression of the Iron Islands were Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, Stannis Baratheon, Paxter Redwyne, Lord Jason Mallister, Jorah Mormont, and Thoros of Myr.
For the ground commanders, everyone looked to Robert and Ned. While Ser Barristan commanded a portion of the army, he wasn't the main driving force. For the naval commanders, the glory went to Stannis and Paxter, who jointly commanded the royal armada.
The honors for the vanguard—the first men over the walls—went to the Greatjon and the Red Priest, Thoros. For single combat, Lord Jason Mallister took the crown.
Afterward, Jorah Mormont went on to win the celebratory tourney, fighting like a man possessed.
As for Tywin Lannister? His Lannisport fleet was burned to cinders at anchor. During the rebellion, the great Lord of Casterly Rock essentially played second fiddle to a bunch of younger men.
Within the Riverlands, Lord Jason was the only one who truly stood out. The rest of the Riverlords gave an embarrassingly lackluster performance, essentially just showing up for participation points. During the celebratory tourney at Lannisport, Jorah Mormont consecutively unhorsed Lord Jason, the sons of Old Walder Frey, and Lord Whent.
While these houses had indeed supplied troops as loyal vassals, their actual impact on the war was entirely unremarkable.
The Riverlands army didn't even feature Hoster Tully or his heir, Edmure. Old Hoster was in failing health, and, likely fearing his son's incompetence, kept Edmure out of the fighting entirely.
If Arthur was going to enter the fray, he needed to carve out a massive chunk of military capital for himself. The depressed, defeated remnants of the Royalist faction desperately needed a champion to rally behind.
Evening had already fallen when the maester arrived with new tidings.
"A raven brought news from Starfall, my lord. Lord Alleras Dayne has extended an invitation for you to visit his seat," Maester Tothmure said as he entered the room.
Lord Alleras's situation was rather tragic. Currently, the only members of his immediate family at Starfall were himself, his wife, and his young sister, Allyria Dayne.
A guest from a distant land might be just what they needed to dispel some of the gloom hanging over the castle.
"Excellent," Arthur said, taking the letter. The wax seal still bore the unmistakable sigil of a sword and a falling star.
Ser Lucas had already given Arthur a heads-up about this, so he was mentally prepared. Arthur had never served as a squire or ward for another lord, much like Edmure Tully or Robb Stark. While most high lords sent their children away to foster and build alliances, some preferred to keep their heirs close to home.
Given the strong relationship between House Whent and House Dayne, a visit like this would only strengthen their ties. There was no reason not to go.
"Earl Walter is already aware of the letter's contents. He asked me to confirm your intentions," Maester Tothmure added. He had served at Harrenhal for years and was firmly embedded in the Earl's inner circle. This was common for maesters; after serving at a castle long enough, they were essentially viewed as part of the household and the ruling family.
(In the original timeline, Maester Tothmure served House Whent until Lady Shella fled, then served Tywin Lannister, before ultimately being executed by Roose Bolton.)
Arthur had often considered the Citadel's assignment methods. They likely placed maesters at particularly important castles with great care. But for the vast majority of keeps, assignments seemed almost random, with the Citadel paying them little mind. Maesters assigned to Harrenhal or Dragonstone fell into this category—it was almost like being exiled. One castle was famously cursed, the other notoriously barren.
And then there was the Night's Watch, which was basically a death sentence for a maester.
Arthur carefully read the letter. Lord Alleras's handwriting was elegant and flowing, his invitation to Starfall warm and enthusiastic.
"Maester Tothmure, please draft a reply to Starfall for me. First, express my deepest gratitude to Lord Alleras. Inform him that I intend to visit Starfall sometime next year."
"As you command, Master Arthur," Maester Tothmure nodded.
They all shared the same home, which meant they all shared the same interests. Seeing the revitalization of Harrenhal's fortunes brought genuine joy to the maester's heart. The castle was finally pulsing with life again, shedding its suffocating aura of melancholy and despair.
"Are there any other important letters?" Arthur asked.
Maester Tothmure shook his head. "Only news from King's Landing. As usual, nothing out of Riverrun. Aside from the birth of Prince Joffrey Baratheon in the capital, we received word of the birth of Lady Sansa Stark in Winterfell."
Riverrun was simply too quiet. The castle was currently occupied by Hoster and Edmure—two bachelors. If you counted the self-exiled Blackfish in the Vale, House Tully was basically run by three single men.
While Edmure certainly enjoyed chasing skirts, he remained unbetrothed. Hoster was holding out for a highly prestigious match for his heir, having already rejected proposals from Houses Frey and Bracken. So, they continued to wait.
Arthur nodded. "We should ensure the household sends appropriate gifts for both occasions."
Joffrey and Sansa were born in the same year, so their ages were very close.
"Of course, my lord."
The birth of a "royal heir" was an event of paramount importance. Robert currently had no idea he was a cuckold wearing a crown of green stag horns; likely, only a handful of people and Varys the Spider knew the truth. Lords great and small across the Seven Kingdoms had flooded the capital with lavish gifts for the little prince.
As for Sansa, despite the slight awkwardness between the two houses, they were still technically family. A polite gesture was required. Catelyn hadn't forgotten her Riverlands relatives; her heart remained tied to the south, and she fully intended to marry her children back into southern houses. She wasn't a pure Northern isolationist.
"I will take my leave, then."
Arthur saw the maester out.
He had already plotted his route to Starfall: he would travel overland from Harrenhal to Oldtown, then take a ship the rest of the way.
Sitting back down at his desk, Arthur turned his attention to a rough map of the Harrenhal lands he had drawn himself.
The Gods Eye was the center point.
He had marked Gods Eye Town on the southern shore, Harrentown, Harrenhal, and Greenhand Manor on the northern shore, and the Third New Whitewalls on the eastern shore. He had even noted Lord Harroway's Town and Darry further afield.
This was his immediate sphere of influence.
Arthur picked up his quill and began jotting down notes on the map.
First: Sweet Corn and Carrots. These were Harrenhal's premium cash crops. He also noted milk and wine, which would remain centered around the Third New Whitewalls.
Second: Personnel and Talent. His core inner circle consisted of his squires, Wylis and Lucas, along with Ser Lucas Dayne. Moving forward, he would need to recruit from within his own lands and poach talent from the ranks of hedge knights.
Third: The Riverlands Longbowmen.
Fourth: The Gods Eye Fleet.
Arthur looked at his notes with satisfaction. These four pillars were completely interconnected.
Once this combination of economic, agricultural, and military initiatives took effect, Harrenhal's true power would gradually climb to unprecedented heights.
Outside of those four primary goals, Arthur wrote down one final, crucial word:
Fifth: Dragon Eggs.