Wylis was surprised. It made no sense, but at that point, making sense didn't matter anymore. The concept of such bound loyalty itself was absurd. He just dismissed it as yet another Tyrant Squire's effect.
Still, Genna hadn't stopped lapping him. She was still licking him in tiny teasing strokes, even more giddily now.
"My lord?" He called, trying to wake Jon up from his deep thoughts. "What are you thinking?"
Jon Arryn spoke calmly, "I'm weighing what effects such a thing would have upon the realm. If the people begin to feel a desire to be more learned…"
So you knew, you old goat.
Wylis had plans for his own fief to increase the literacy rate. But it seemed Jon also knew what would happen if too many people became literate.
"It won't come to pass in a year or two. It will take decades. But is that not the way of any realm? When the land prospers, its people grow wiser. When the lands grow wealthy, the crown grows strong beside them."
The fact about Robert's reign was that the realm wasn't moving forward. It had stagnated, and it seemed Jon and the Small Council were content in keeping it that way. No progress, no regression, just where it was, which wasn't a very good place.
"And how, in your judgment, should the Crown respond to those who refuse obedience to the royal registry?" Jon asked.
"Simple enough. The offenders will be merchants, and merchants tied to noble banners. Break the law, and they lose the right to trade in King's Landing and the other cities. With King's Landing at the heart of trade, that alone should suffice. If it does not, we set bounties for their capture."
"Bounties?"
"I'll pay the cost myself, if such trouble comes," Wylis said quickly, before Jon could start on the Crown's empty coffers. "This is only to guard what I'm raising here, my lord. You know the North as well as I do. We're not rich. What little I have, I must keep safe."
At last, Jon nodded.
"Making the registry is simple enough. When I return to King's Landing, I'll see that it is done."
Wylis still couldn't get up.
"When are you leaving?"
"Robert will head to Winterfell in four days. I will leave at the same time."
Four days? That's… great.
Finally, Jon rose to his feet to leave. "What happened last night is not without my regret. The Rebellion demanded more than swords; it demanded faith, and the Crownlands were difficult to win. House Blount showed uncommon resolve in standing against the Targaryens. Robert saw fit to reward that stand with a post in the Kingsguard. I would ask that you not judge him harshly for it."
Wylis said nothing and just gave a firm nod. Ros was with his babe, if something had happened to her or the life in her womb… that was why he was still angry.
He was angry at Robert for slowly turning into the fat, whore mongering piss drunk King he remembered.
"I'll go spar with him."
"Thank you, my lord," Jon said and left the solar at last.
Wylis pushed his chair back right away, already hard again from Genna's hard work. He pulled her up, turned her, and shoved her over the table until her tits flattened, his hands fumbling with her gown.
"We don't have long, Genna," he warned, gripping her gloriously soft, wide, pale hips, spreading them. She was scorching wet down there.
"I'll bite my teeth."
There was no gentleness. No slow entry.
Wylis drove in and gave her what she desired. And he received what he hoped for, loyalty.
####
Casterly Rock, Westerlands,
"Have you made up your mind, my lord?"
Tywin said nothing, tapping his fingers on the table. Days had passed since he had received a clear response from Genna, detailing what Lord Wylis desired. It was a thought-out proposal, and a long-term one. He could feel how confident Lord Wylis was.
Fifty ships, the right to mine with ten of his men, and keep whatever he'd find. The terms were detailed with fail-safes and time limits. It wasn't too much, but at the same time, curious. What did he aim to gain with a mere ten men in the mines?
Tywin had deliberated a lot over the past few days. He wasn't a stranger to making deals, and usually, he had to push a few hands to gain the upper hand. But in this case, a deal had reached the table that benefited him immensely, and gave the other side marginal benefits.
He couldn't help but doubt Lord Wylis' intentions.
"It's a great arrangement, my lord."
Tywin looked up at Kevan. "That is exactly why I weigh this so carefully. No man with sense, who knows the mines' locations, would trade them for a handful of ships and consent for ten men to dig."
"Brother, I see it no clearer than you did. After weighing it, I find only one answer. His aim is goodwill with House Lannister. Pushing us would bring him no benefit. As a fledgling house, he stands to gain far more from an alliance than from short-lived gains."
Tywin sneered, as if the idea was nonsensical. "Would you go this far for mere goodwill?"
"I would not," Kevan said plainly. "The gains in the short term are simply too great. Still, I find Lord Wylis to be a most unorthodox man, something of a riddle. He isn't easily read."
Tywin nodded to that. He had followed Lord Wylis' journey from the day he arrived at Casterly Rock during the bandit hunt. Half the realm thought the giant was King Aerys' pet. But then the giant escaped and joined the Rebellion.
Going as far as killing the King with his own hands and saving the city. Jaime had attested to everything.
And it was that very fact of how unpredictable yet ambitious Lord Wylis was that Tywin tried to be careful. Any man who could go from a stableboy to a knight and then a lord, with name and fame both, was no ordinary man.
"We should have forced him to become a knight under House Lannister at the tourney," Kevan blurted.
Tywin found himself agreeing with that. He had lost the Mountain already, and Wylis was a far greater version. Having a dog like that would have made matters much easier to deal with.
"Send word to Genna. She is to return to Casterly Rock. There is no urgency in finding new mines. We will wait."
Kevan's jaw tightened.
Tywin noticed it. "You have something to say?"
"Brother, such terms are offered only because Lord Wylis amounts to nothing. He has no coin, no fleet, no true authority. If we delay and grant him time to grow, do we not invite harsher terms in return? Ones far less favorable than these?"
Tywin hummed and relaxed back in his chair. Of course, Lord Wylis' journey had been nothing but remarkable until now. But rising in ranks and growing wealth were two entirely different things.
"How much can he truly grow in a year or two? We will use the time to learn his intentions first. Send a few competent eyes and ears to live in Ramsgate."
####
Ramsgate,
Bam!
Wylis had defeated Robert three times already. The King's hammer was no match for his sword. But then Robert suggested they fight bare-handed with a bet. So, both of them removed their armor. Wylis removed his tunic as well, going bare-chested, showing his sculpted body.
Robert did the same, but his belly had grown a bit. Still, the King was just as imposing, but a little shorter than Wylis.
Thud!
Wylis gave Robert the true wrestling experience, rolling in the courtyard mud, putting him in various types of locks where he could break bones. He made sure Robert felt it, each time, how close he came to losing one of his limbs.
Wylis had locked Robert's arm between his legs, keeping him pinned.
"Gaaaah! Seven hells!"
Robert roared and got up, lifting him with his sheer strength.
Wylis was amazed, but not in danger. He quickly released the arm and stood straight, dodging a few punches from Robert, then hit back with a punch square in the center of Robert's belly, sending visible shockwaves through his flesh.
"Wraaaaa!"
Robert still didn't admit defeat. Of course, there was a reason behind it. The bet was enticing.
"You… giant… bastard!" Robert roared, lunging forward, both his feet leaving the ground.
Wylis smirked, crouched slightly, bringing himself under Robert's leaping body's trajectory. He grabbed Robert mid-air and hauled him down, slamming him into the mud, face-first. Since the mud was rather soft, there was no risk of killing the King.
Fuck, just stay down.
Wylis was out of breath, to his own surprise. Although he hadn't gone all out yet, sparring for that long with Robert was exhausting. And unlike others who danced around Robert, dodging, he clashed head-on. That seemed to have woken something up in Robert.
Moments passed. When Wylis saw that Robert wasn't getting up, he hurried over and tried to roll him on his back.
Don't die, don't you di—
Woosh!
Thud!
"Bah! Got you!"
It was a trap.
Robert rolled, grappled Wylis's head, and pulled him on top of himself back to his chest, finally landing a firm headlock. He squeezed hard on the neck, using more strength than needed, truly trying to knock Wylis out.
Wylis chuckled, feeling the effect of the headlock. Robert was likely one of the few men in the realm who could do this to him and maintain that lock. But still, he was inherently stronger, the same for his neck.
"I won!" Robert bellowed. "Give up!"
Wylis said nothing and turned over, pulling Robert along with himself. He rolled onto his belly, tucked his knees, and tried to stand up, keeping Robert on his back the entire time, maintaining the headlock.
It was the most absurd sight. Wylis and Robert were both behemoths of men. And there was Wylis, lifting Robert in the air.
"Uuuuugh!" Robert squeezed harder. "Give up! Hand me Chett! I need a new Kingsguard!"
"Keep… fucking dreaming!" Wylis barked back. "Chett's… mine!"
"..."
That was the bet.
Poor Chett, injured, standing not far away watching, dumbly looked left and right at the mention of his name. He felt embarrassed thinking about what was happening.
The King of the Seven Kingdoms and the Lord of Ramsgate were fighting over him.
______________________
Advance chapters on [PATREON] are in long-form format. I have 11 long chapters of this story on P@treon. That's equal to 40-46 Webnovel chapters.
Check out Wylis X Lyanna Stark NSFW Art & Wylis with Kids SFW ART, and advance chapters at [email protected]/MrPlotThickens Or Subscribestar.adult/mrplotthickens
Old Free Art on Discord: https://discord.gg/W5FdB6WXaP