3: Cleaning Up Robert's Mess Part 1

(Blackhaven, Dornish Marches, Stormlands-Dornish-Reach Border, The Stormlands, The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Westeros, GoT Universe)

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(Durran Baratheon POV)

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Durran Baratheon rode Into Blackhaven atop a Jet Black Courser, he was taking a liberty, riding to Blackhaven just to see his friend after settling the mess started by Armond the Greedy Griffin. His party wasn't expected and the preparations were half done and Hasty as a result.

He rode in and found his friend awaiting him. Durran leapt from his Horse and clasped forearms with Beric.

''If it ain't the Young Lightning Bolt Lord.'' Durran said.

''And if it isn't the Young Buck!'' Beric replied in kind.

''Lord Raymund.'' Durran acknowledges Beric's father.

''Young Lord, welcome to Blackhaven. We were not expecting you.'' Says Raymund.

''Decided to pop in and see Beric for a day or two before heading back to Storm's End. Been dealing with the Connington's latest attempt at theft. I trust I can count on you to help spread the Tittle I have given Armond Connington? The Greedy Griffin?'' Asks Durran.

''Of Course Lord Durran.'' Raymund replies before turning to face Beric. ''Beric show Lord Durran to a room, and find him a meal. We don't have much, but the Hospitality of Blackhaven is yours Young Lord.'' Says Lord Raymund.

''My thanks Lord Raymund.'' Durran said before Beric lead him away.

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(POV Shift: Eldon Estermont)

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BY THE GOD'S HE WAS HEAVY!!!!

Eldon Estermont was carrying his nephew Robert over his back after they were ambushed by the Bandits. Every man with them died except he and Robert, Robert took an Arrow to the leg, but they were able to escape, of course now their horses were dead and Eldon was carrying what amounted to the Smith's Hammer and Anvil. Robert's Warhammer being the Hammer in this particular instance.

How was it a five Namedays old boy was so fucking heavy? He wasn't fat, he wasn't muscular, but by the god's he was giving Eldon a Hernia!

If the Stranger didn't take them he'd never let Robert hear the end of this for as long as he lived!

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(POV Shift: Durran Baratheon)

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Durran and Beric were having a good time, Durran had offered Beric a place at his side as the second-in-command of his group, something he'd nicknamed Stagheart. Stagheart was going to be a force of men Five Hundred men strong with a support force of a minimum of Seven Hundred and Fifty men strong give or take a couple dozen or so. He wanted Beric beside him leading the men with him, and planned for Lester or Gulian Swann to become his left hand in charge of the assets and logistics.

Beric wasn't a born leader like Robert, but he was a natural leader, he did lead the pursuit on the Mountain, he failed, but the fact Ned chose him over his own men meant that Beric was skilled and experienced enough to be given the command.

He planned to keep Beric alive and not stuck in a resurrection loop, and he wanted a Valyrian Steel Blade to call his own. House Targaryen, House Stark, and House Lannister each held or once held Valyrian Steel Blades, those were just the Great Houses, Lesser Houses such as House Tarly, Corbray, Mormont, Harlaw, Drumm, Royce, Roxton, and Hightower all have, had, or once upon a time had an instance of having a Valyrian Steel Blades in their hands. It was insulting that being born of Targaryen didn't entitle his family to a Valyrian Knife at least. But that would change, even if he had to sail to Essos and pry it out of some nobodies cold and dead hands.

Of the Mercenary Companies of Essos the most likely to Have Valyrian Steel would likely be the Golden Company or The Windblown. They seemed to be the most likely to have and not part with it, Maybe the Stormcrows, but certainly not the Second Son's or Brave Companions. Out of all the Free Companies the Windblown held his respect the most, because their founder, the Tattered Prince basically told the Pentoshi Fat Men to get fucked and has the goal of taking control of Pentos away from the Magisters who appointed him.

The Golden Company were comprised of Westerosi Rejects, Exiles, and Traitors...mostly. The fact that they've never broken a contract is exceptional, but not as impressive as one might think it to be. So they've never broken a contract, so frigging what? That just goes to show that they don't know when it's best to cut their losses.

Loyalty is one thing, stupidity is another matter entirely it's why The Company consistently lost in their participations in the Blackfyre Rebellion. , why win by war when it's so much simpler to take a page from Lann The Clever's playbook and win through subterfuge and manipulation by way of marriage and political alliances before setting the war back on.

It's just a shame that Tywin understood this far too late, for him that is. If he'd broached the Matter of Cersei being betrothed to Rhaegar years prior to the Defiance of Duskendale and the Tourney he'd held in honor of Viserys birth earlier, his chances of getting what he wanted would have been exponentially higher than it had been after the fact. Granted Aerys was still a bit mad prior but the chances of it actually happening would still have been far higher than as a result of waiting to press the Matter so late in Cannon.

Not that Durran would tell Tywin this until after the Targaryen's fell. Question was, would they need to? House Targaryen could potentially stay in some form of power if they agreed to renounce their Royal Titles and remain on Dragonstone as Lord's of the Narrow Sea. The Potential was there but for now it was little mote than a small Dream amongst many many different possibilities and for every possibility there was ten different ways for to get all fucked up and ruined.

Anyways the time to return to Storm's End was very near, He'd already delayed his return in order to visit Beric, and He missed his mother....

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(Storm's End, Shipbreaker Bay, The Stormlands, The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Westeros, GoT Universe)

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(Time-skip: 3 days later)

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Durran rode into Storm's End three days later, a little bit upset, as they'd been hit by a Bandit Ambush. Robert probably pissed them off and this was retaliation. They didn't lose a man however as a pack of Hounds apparently smarter than average warned them off before the Bandits got impatient and attacked.

It had been a simple matter of quickly nocking his Arrows, drawing back his Bowstring and burying his Arrows with pinpoint precision and accuracy.

All but Two of the Dogs died in the attack, both of them too young to participate but smart enough not to attack him. He took both Pups in, feeling like he was meant to find them as strange as it was to believe.

He dismounted and found his mother waiting.

''I need to have words with Robert. Whatever he did pissed off the Bandits just enough to attack my returning party.'' Durran informed his mother.

''Durran, Robert hasn't returned and we've just learned his escort was killed and he and Eldon weren't amongst the bodies. Your father has lead men in search of the Bandits and Robert and Eldon. Your Lord of Storm's End until his return.'' Cassana says gently.

''Crap, alright get the ranking authorities still in Storm's End to gather at Father's Solar, I want to hear it all from the beginning.'' Says Durran.

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(Steffon Baratheon's Solar)

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Durran had assembled the few men of suitably high rank still within the Castle in his Father's Solar. His mother stood beside his chair.

The only men of note present were Cortnay Penrose and Maester Ebrose....yeah, Ebrose, didn't make much sense to him either, but Ebrose was capable at least.

"Robert has made a mess, I don't know why I'm surprised, now it's my job to help father clean it up. He pissed the bandits off and they came for my head. I want it spread throughout the Stormlands that anybody who brings the information forward that leads to the location of the the Bandits will receive Two Thousand Gold Dragons, provided the Location is legitimate. Furthermore offer an addition three thousand for the location of Robert and Eldon or intelligence that points us onto their trail. In the mean time, send an order to the Lord's Fell, Grandison, Morrigen, Mertyns, Wylde, and Buckler to send routine patrols out in search of the Bandits or Uncle Eldon and Robert. Five Men for each Patrol, two Mounted Knights, an Archer, a Man for hounds, and a Whisperer. Each group will rotate cyclically throughout the areas of the Stormlands they have under they purview." Durran says, handing the Maester a list of instructions on how to maximize the effectiveness of the strategy.

"What of Lord Steffon?" Asks Cortnay, and Durran noted he'd not yet gotten his spurs.

"Until my father returns I am the acting Lord of Storm's End, so unless he decides to return and finds fault in my decision, the matter stands. That said, I plan to eventually join the hunt for Robert, but only when we have pinned down a location or have dealt with the bandits. Until then, bring me a list of the current incomes we have and the records of said incomes for the past few years. I want to see if there's anything suspect." Says Durran, thinking that these Bandits are more than just simple bandits....

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(Time-Skip: Two Days Later)

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Durran had been pouring over the records, trying to establish whether or not someone was dirty and if the corruption coincided with the reported Banditry. Odds were if someone was skimming off the top they were also capable of getting their hands on the necessary intelligence that would explain how these bandits had been so effective. So far nothing had established this, but there were numerous discrepancies that couldn't be explained and if they were it happened too often to be valid.

It was clear that something was corrupted, but not whom or what. Durran at first believed the Kingswood Brotherhood had been involved, but this was far more organized for even them. It was almost like a coordinated surgical one man strike team was taking down an entire cartel. That was what he compared it to because it was the closest he had. Someone was working for the enemy, the bandits, but someone else was also dirty and withholding profits. The big question was where the connect? How are the Connected? And why didn't they notice this before?

The saying: Something Was Rotten in Denmark, came to the forefront of his mind, but a even bigger issue had revealed itself, how did something this important not come up in the TV Show or the Books? It's the sort of bullshit you'd expect from Littlefinger, but that little puss ball is still sucking his mothers tit right about now, or maybe he's not, whatever he's doing isn't the important point, someone is pulling strings, and doing it well, the question is who?