By the morning, I came to my senses more or less, having thought about everything. Of course, the country's position was bad. It seems that the worthy poets and singers, people are unconditionally highly moraine and cultural, call such a "fucked legendary scale", but there is nothing in this world that could not make a powerful magical artifact in my face. In the end, everything is not so bad.
The foundation on which the kingdom stands is rotten and is about to collapse, but I can handle it. Step by step, I can take this country from the edge of the collapse, although it will be difficult for everyone.
The whole night I was considering steps to restructure the state, and in the morning I decided to attend a meeting of the Small Council, at which the Lord Eddard Stark was to be present for the first time as the king's right hand. The king himself considered it below his dignity to engage in state affairs and therefore almost never went to meetings.
Members of the Small Council have already gathered in the hall for meetings and even Lord Stark was in his new place. My appearance caused general surprise.
- Your Highness? What are you doing here? - Eddard Stark asked me puzzled.
"Like the heir to the throne, I would now like to attend meetings of the Small Council," I replied. - To gain experience and absorb the wisdom of the advisers of my father-king. I hope you will not mind this? I give my word, I will not interfere and will not sore a single extra word.
"Of course," it seems that Stark was a little confused, but was able to cope with yourself, "you are free to attend the meetings of the Small Council, but, as you should understand, you do not have the right to vote, except that King Robert will dispose of otherwise.
"Of course, Lord Stark, thank you." Do the rest of the dear lords also do not mind?
"I do not mind, nephew, unless you, being the king, will not ignore the meetings of a small advice, like my brother," Renly Baratheon, the master of the laws and the king's brother, accordingly, Uncle Joffrey, grinned.
"I believe that nothing bad will happen if the prince got used to participating in the affairs of the state in advance," Petir Bailish, a master over a coin, expressed his opinion.
"For us all your presence will be an honor, Your Highness," Varis spoke friendly as always.
The great Master Piel, an incredibly old man, was barely audible in a glance from his place and, as I understand it, he also did not express any protests.
Stannis Baratheon, the second brother of the king and the master over the ships, for some reason was not at the meeting, but I did not emphasize this, preferring to sit on one of the chairs a little to the side of the Council table, preparing to listen carefully and think a lot, many.
"My brother," Renly handed Starka a small piece of paper, "instructed us to arrange a tournament in honor of the appointment of a new right hand."
- Hmm, and how much? - Bailish asked vividly, since all the issues of finances lay on his shoulders.
"Forty thousand gold dragons to the winner of the tournament," read Lord Stark, "twenty thousand for second place, twenty thousand winner of archers.
- Will the treasury withstand such expenses? - Piel asked in a weak voice.
"We'll have to occupy, Lannisters will help us out," Bailish quickly calculated the capabilities of the royal treasury. - We must Taiwin three million gold, which means eighty thousand more.
- You want to say, the crown of the debts has three million?! - sharply asked Stark.
"The crown of the debts has six million," Petir answered with a half -smile.
- How could you allow this?!
- The treasurer finds money, and the king and the right hand are spent ...
I did not listen. After the words "debts for six million" I just did not listen.
In one golden dragon two hundred and ten silver deer. In one silver deer - fifty -six copper pennies. There is also a silver moon worth seven deer.
I managed to find out something about the prices of Westeros for these month and a half. So, for example, a bunch of bread in the royal harbor cost three pennies. For one deer, one could eat and get drunk in a decent tavern. For ten gold dragons - buy a decent chivalrous armor, weapons and a good horse. For a hundred dragons, you could buy a dozen jugs of excellent Dorn wine. Thirty dragons for commoner are a whole wealth on which you can buy land, house, workers and other cattle and live happily until the end of life.
A debt of six million gold dragons is a real disaster. If earlier I thought that the seven kingdoms are on the threshold of the crisis, now I am absolutely sure of that. I will not give this country and five years of calm life, if you do not start correcting the situation for the better right now.
And after all, this duty did not appear yesterday, he accumulated over the years, while dad Joffrey was drunk and fucked whores!
The Lords argued, Stark was furious due to debts, and I perfectly understood him. While I was outside the field of their attention, I quietly got up from my place and went towards the royal bedchamber. The dog, who took his place behind my back from the very early morning, was moving after, like a shadow.
"You know," I suddenly told him, "everything is not as bad as it seems." At least, at any moment I can abandon the throne and run away to another continent. And you do not have to solve the problems created by my father.
Dog, I am ready to swear in this, smiled at the edge of his lips, but only for a moment.
What should the king do when, in his native patrimony, a natural mess and debt collectors are already knocking on his door? Drink wine, of course! This will definitely solve all problems.
So thought King Robert Baratheon, otherwise I cannot explain the reason why he was drunk in the morning. Fat, stupid pig! From one type of red face I wanted to crush his head. And it is better to sell it to Herontophile perverts to one of the cities of the Essos, and this would be the biggest contribution of Robert in the repayment of royal duty and, without a doubt, his greatest act as a king!
Unfortunately, there was still no time for such actions. Maybe later?
- Ah, son! - After traveling from Winterfell, Robert no longer called me the "boy" and "guy", it seems I was able to gain some respect. - Will you drink?
- In the morning? Of course I will drink.
The king laughed and immediately filled another goblet, which I accepted. Yes, alcohol after a meeting of the Small Council is the best solution. Maybe a miracle will happen and I will forget about everything that I found out?
- This is my son! - the king approved my choice.
"In fact, I came not only to drink with you, father."
- Yes? And why did you come?
- Yesterday in the library, I read a book dedicated to your uprising against Targaryen ...
- It would be better if you spent time to fuck some girl! Do not spend youth on books and other nonsense.
- Perhaps, but I liked what I read. You raised an uprising against the strongest house of Westeros, gathered an army and defeated the royal army on a trident, personally killed Reagar Targaryen.
-Ha ha ha! - The king laughed so much that he spilled all the wine from his bowl on himself, but this did not worsen his mood. - That's right! Glory was time! I crushed the chest plate of this bastard with one blow, and after that I smashed his head!
"You led the best Westeros warriors and led them to victory." For this everyone respects you and, most importantly, they are afraid.
- You say correctly! They are afraid of me and this fear restrains all seven kingdoms! Not money, not an army, not communication - namely fear!
"And this is my problem, father."
- What? What are you talking about? - Robert in surprise even set aside wine.
- I do not have the second Reigar of Targaryen, whom I could break and the victory over which would make the Lords of Westeros me be afraid of me. And there is no war on which I could gain the experience of command and battle. When I become the king - why will the Lords respect me? For the fact that I am your son? But time will pass, ten or twenty years, new Lords will come, who will no longer be afraid of you.
"The seventh bake, why are you sticking, Joffrey?"
- Father, I need to find out what it is - to command the soldiers. I need victories so that the Lords and Knights have no doubt that I am the son of my father and do not give in to you on the battlefield. I must show them that I am also suitable for something. And for this ... I want to take command of the city guards.
- What the devil to you are golden raincoats? They are not soldiers!
"But they protect the royal lands, fight the robbers." If I will lead them into battle, no one will say that I am a coward and not worthy of your name.
Robert was silent. Although he drank a lot, now he did not look drunk. The king carefully looked at his son, thinking over my words.
"Well ... you're right in something." But do you think that you can take into battle even the guards? In battle, soldiers will spit on your origin and money. And the enemies will spit especially.
"I can handle it, father, because I am your son." And if difficulties arise, I can always seek advice for the best warrior and commander of Westeros - to you. Or, if you are busy, for the second better warrior and commander - Lord Stark.
I did not read about the uprising of the Baratheon, I just heard the stories of a drunken soldier and retelling whores. And I did not consider the King of the Swig a warrior or the commander. But flattery is a strong weapon, if you know how to use it. And King Robert leaned on my flattery, I could not help but lead.
"Be you think, son!" Renly is engaged in city guards, give him my order to appoint you the commander of the guards. And do not fail!
"I won't let you down, father, you will be proud of me."