GOT : Battle Royale[ An ASOIAF Fanfiction]

A young blond nobleman emerged from the tailor shop.

He was clad in a deep purple hunting coat, meticulously fashioned from fine brocade and velvet. A richly woven shawl of silver thread and soft red gold draped from his left shoulder, showcasing the distinct layers of two high-quality fabrics—lining and surface.

Around his waist, a gold-plated belt, intricately striped with floral patterns, secured an exquisite Lannister heraldic sword.

It was rumored that this particular set of hunting attire had once belonged to a sworn knight of the Whent family. Now, it was being sold in a tailor shop directly owned by Lady Whent. Such was the unpredictable hand of fate.

Since the Whent family had confederated Harrenhal in 281 AC, they had been counted among the most prominent families in the Riverlands, indeed, the most powerful vassals.

In the very year they captured Harrenhal, Lord Whent hosted a grand tourney there. It was during this event that the then-Crown Prince, Rhaegar Targaryen—the Dragon Mother's elder brother—claimed victory in the jousting championship.

However, his subsequent actions created a monumental scandal: he galloped past his own wife, Princess Elia Martell of Dorne, and instead placed the crown of winter snow roses, a symbol of the 'Queen of Love and Beauty,' upon the lap of Lyanna Stark. Lyanna, at the time, was betrothed to Lord Robert Baratheon, who now sat as King on the Iron Throne.

Soon after, Lyanna was believed to have been abducted by Prince Rhaegar. In their quest for justice, Lyanna's father and brother were tragically slain by the 'Mad King' Aerys Targaryen II.

The following year, in 282 AC, the "Usurper's War" erupted, forever altering the political landscape of Westeros. Lord Jon Arryn, Duke of the Eyrie, unfurled the banner of rebellion and appointed Robert Baratheon as the leader of the uprising. Allied with the Stark family of the North, the Tully family of the Riverlands, and the Baratheon family of the Stormlands, they spent two years overthrowing the Targaryen dynasty, which had held sway over Westeros for nearly three centuries.

The Whent family of Harrenhal, having mistakenly sided with the royalists, found themselves stripped of much of their power.

To this very day, the ruler of Harrenhal, the Countess of Whent, can only utilize a small fraction of the vast halls of Harrenhal. Her forces amount to merely a few hundred men.

The numerous weapons, armors, garments, and jewels that once graced the knights and ladies of the Whent family are now sold in properties directly belonging to the Countess of Whent, providing much-needed funds to subsidize the family's increasingly strained finances.

To acquire this well-fitting hunting coat and the accompanying belt, Ian had paid a considerable sum: five gold dragons and 180 silver deer foreheads, much to the praise of the old blacksmith.

In essence, Ian had spent the majority of his money ensuring his image aligned with that of a genuine aristocrat.

Consequently, he was now in a somewhat tight spot, also needing to find a good horse.

After leading his own horse to the stables of Harrenhal, Ian began to ponder whether his status as a Lannister noble knight might allow him to borrow a fine horse from Lady Whent stable master.

After all, the Lannister family, as the wealthiest house in Westeros, lived by the motto: "A Lannister always pays his debts." He reasoned that by offering a higher return, he might indeed secure a good horse.

Upon revealing his identity as a Lannister knight to the stable guards, Ian successfully gained permission to enter and survey the stables.

Stepping into the surprisingly empty stables of Harrenhal, Ian was suddenly struck by a profound sense of solitude.

The building itself was immense, and judging by its sheer area and the number of horse troughs, it could easily have accommodated perhaps a thousand horses.

Yet, now, it appeared less than a tenth of it remained in use. Roughly thirty horses were kept in a corner, a poignant testament to the enduring, albeit diminished, existence of the Whent family of Harrenhal.

Ian recalled a visit to the stables of an ancient European castle. According to his guide, those stables once featured specialized rooms for storing particular hunting coats, riding boots, wine, vinegar, olives, oil ointments, and more. There were even dedicated chambers for horse armor, heraldic horse barding, hunting bows, and other weaponry.

In the section reserved for warhorses, not only was there high-quality wheat for feed, but also slots for oil lamps. Every winter, the stable steward would light these lamps to provide warmth for the warhorses.

Such a stable, Ian mused, functioned more like a small military encampment. Noble knights could complete their full equipment within, and even rest inside, at any given moment.

Here, however, these functions had clearly been lost.

Ian's arrival caught the attention of a groom who was in the midst of pouring water into a manger. The groom quickly ceased his task and trotted over to Ian.

"Hey, that home, sir," he began, then, recognizing Ian's distinguished attire, quickly corrected himself, "I'm sorry, sir, these are the Countess of Whent private stables. Outsiders are off-limits."

"Of course, I know where this is, but I still came in, didn't I?" Ian deliberately turned sideways, appearing to observe a docile brown horse nearby. In truth, he was subtly displaying the side of his hanging sword to the groom, hoping he would clearly see it.

"Oh, yes, Sir." The groom responded blankly, then his memory caught up. There was a team of guards outside the stable, and yet this knight stood before him. This meant the knight must have obtained permission.

"I am Ser Lucien Lannister, son of Ser Damion Lannister," Ian stated, fabricating an identity for himself. When dealing with non-player natives, he found he could improvise more freely.

"I wonder what your business is here, Ser?" The groom immediately inquired, his tone respectful, upon hearing Ian's name.

Though he had never heard of Ser Lucion Lannister, this did not prevent him from bowing his head to the knight.

"I wish to temporarily stable my horse with you," Ian said, not immediately revealing his full purpose. He gestured to the docile horse he held. "Of course, I will pay for it."

"Of course, Ser, it would be my honor. I promise to take good care of your horse." The groom readily agreed. Assisting passing noble knights with their horses was part of their duty, and knights typically paid a generous fee for the horse's upkeep.

"At the same time, I also need to borrow a horse from you," Ian added.

"Certainly, no problem, Ser, please have a look." The groom extended his hand and led Ian further into the stable. He harbored no doubts that the Ser was a deceiver; after all, his own horse was left right there, wasn't it?

"I am headed to Maidenpool for William Mouton's hunt," Ian explained, his eyes scanning the horses within their stalls.

Most of the horses there were merely ordinary riding horses; only a few were true, large warhorses.

Soon, his gaze settled on a particular white horse.

Ian estimated its shoulder height to be over 1.65 meters. Compared to it, the river horse he held, which stood less than 1.4 meters at the shoulders, could only be described as petite and charming.

"That one," he declared, pointing. "How about it?"