Chương 21: What If?: Bad Influence 1

"No, Tanya," Steve said. He rubbed his temple.

"We're not robbing them blind."

"It is not robbery," Tanya said, fists at her hips.

"It is an equitable redistribution of the resources of the defeated force for the advantage of the victors."

"By helping ourselves to their treasury," Steve said.

"That's what I said." Steve looked over to Naerys beseechingly, but she raised her hands, warding him off. She had been not quite wary, but dubious of the blonde child ever since they had taken her in. Part of that likely had to do with Tanya attempting to sell them the armour of the dead knight they had found her beside on a lonely country road. He just thought it was a tragedy that she'd had to resort to selling her father's armour to survive.

"If we confiscated the money of those that surrendered to us in good faith, it would reflect poorly on us," Steve tried to explain. Tanya had clearly been educated, but it didn't seem like she'd had too many positive mentor figures in her life.

"I see," Tanya said, considering. Steve smiled, happy that he'd gotten through.

"So you believe it would be advantageous to crush the enemy in its entirety in the future," she said, nodding. He held back a groan, fighting the urge to pray for deliverance. There was a knock on the door. A servant entered.

"Lord Roxton has been released by the maester and is ready to see you now, Lord America," he said.

"Thanks," Steve said. He glanced at Tanya.

"We'll talk more about this later." From the guest chambers they'd been accorded after capturing the castle, Steve followed the servant to what looked to be the lord's work office. There the Lord of Ring Castle waited for him stiffly, not because of his attitude, but because of the broken ribs Steve had given him after tackling him off his horse. A maester inspected him, and the man's heir sat beside him. Steve took a seat before the large desk, nodding his greetings.

"Lord America," Roxton said.

"I would have had another chair brought had I known we needed it."

"I'm sorry?" Steve said.

"Your daughter," Roxton said, indicating with a tilt of his head.

"I'll not judge on gender, but it was unexpected." Steve turned and was startled to see that Tanya had followed him.

"You did not dismiss me," Tanya said, smoothing her dress and drawing attention to his symbol stitched upon its chest.

"She's - right," Steve said. It wasn't worth getting into.

"How are the ribs?"

"Better than could be expected, and in good position to heal," Roxton said.

"I appreciate the delay in this meeting."

"The next castle isn't going anywhere," Steve said, "and it's the barest courtesy."

"Still, given your need for haste in your campaign…"

"Lord America is a strong supporter of proper courtesy," Tanya said.

"Feasting etiquette, armour ransoming, introductions. Guest right." Roxton's smile grew stiff to match his posture.

"Speaking of introductions, allow me to present my son and heir, Rory." The boy bowed jerkily in his seat. He looked no more than sixteen, scuffed the armour he wore only helping slightly.

"Pleasure," Steve said.

"You know me, and this is Tanya." It was too late to correct Roxton's assumption, but at least this should be their only meeting. Tanya curtsied, picture perfect after the lessons she'd wheedled from Keladry. Her gaze was fixed on Rory, reminding Steve of a shark watching its prey. Roxton noticed too, but his reaction was a tolerant smile, followed by a considering look.

"I won't waste your time. What would you have of my House?"

"You'll bear no arms in service to House Targaryen for the remainder of the war, and you'll swear fealty to the new regime at the soonest opportunity," Steve said. There was a pause, as every other person in the office waited for the rest of his demands. When the silence stretched on long enough to be awkward, Roxton dared to speak.

"... and?" The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Before Steve could answer, Tanya spoke up.

"My father wishes to hear your suggestions on suitable recompense."

"Tanya," Steve said, chiding. He didn't mean to make her think she should lie for him.

"Several profitable trade routes run through our lands," Roxton said.

"Perhaps five percent of tariffs for the next five years?" Steve frowned, shifting his attention back to Roxton as Tanya clasped her hands together, wordlessly apologising.

"Although your mercy in battle and in healing after brings to mind the virtues of the Seven, so perhaps seven percent for seven years," Roxton said hurriedly.

"I would have to speak with my seneschal, but I don't see why not," Steve said. Had he insulted Roxton by asking for too little?"

"The Seven are to be venerated," Tanya said, smiling, although there was almost too many teeth involved to call it so.

"And if it would please you, perhaps my son could accompany you as a squire, given the difficulty in reaching the reb - Baratheon to swear fealty," Roxton said.

"He did keep his wits in battle," Steve said, considering the kid. Said wits mostly involved surrendering after Steve had walked through five other knights and his father, but it was more than those five knights had after watching him walk through their levies.

"You and your wife don't want to keep him close until he's an adult?"

"He is near a man enough now after today, save his knighting," Roxton boasted.

"And, if it's not too presumptuous, it may give you time to consider the advantages of a more personal union." He glanced meaningfully at Tanya. Steve took a moment to understand.

"I do not agree with arranged marriages." Roxton looked disappointed.

"I had forgotten the rumours painted you a foreigner, you know our customs so well."

"Speak with Keladry, my 2IC, before the day is out," Steve said to Rory.

"If they think you've got what it takes, you'll leave with us tomorrow." The rest of the meeting passed with busy talk, and afterwards Steve and Tanya returned to the guest rooms.

"Sorry for not correcting Roxton on the daughter thing," Steve said.

"It was to your advantage," Tanya said.

"A clever deception that baited Roxton into offering his heir as hostage in hopes of a match."

"Still," Steve said.

"I know you've settled in with us well, but I don't want to make you feel like I'm trying to replace your father." Tanya stared at him blankly for a moment, before her expression smoothed.

"Of course not. I hardly remember him." Steve cocked his head for a moment, confused, but his attention was drawn by Keladry, her post battle duties seen to, and he focused on more important matters. X Steve was starting to grow concerned about his new ward.

"Tanya. We're not firing arrows at our own men as a training exercise."

"But if you don't they'll go into battle unprepared," she argued.

"They need to be ready. If they don't know what it's like, they can't prepare for it." Given that he was having this conversation before the men in question, who had somehow been assembled on Tanya's command, he felt somewhat put on the spot. He tried to catch Keladry's eyes where she was leading another group through shield drills, but she resolutely ignored him.

"Try to see this from my point of view," Steve said.

"As their commander, why do you think I don't want to shoot arrows at my own soldiers?" Tanya held her fist up to her mouth, thinking.

"... because arrows are a limited resource?" she guessed.

"Because it's wrong to risk injury or death in a training exercise," Steve said.

"But you can shatter steel and you train with the men," Tanya said.

"I can control my strength," Steve said. Tears began to glimmer in Tanya's eyes.

"I just don't want any of them to get hurt." Steve swore he heard one of the hardened veterans coo.

"How about you choose another drill for them to do today?" The tears receded.

"Anything?"

"Y - within reason."

"Full armour suicide runs," Tanya said. There was not a hint of mercy in her blue eyes.

"If they can't keep up with you, they can't protect you." Steve looked over the men. They seemed resigned to their fate.

"Well, you heard the lady," he said.

"I'll set the pace." X"They just took it - stole it!" Tanya ranted, as she paced back and forth in the tent.

"The entire harvest, like locusts!"

"That is what armies do when they march," Naerys said. She was seated at a table, updating their supply situation.

"They didn't even offer recompense!" Tanya said, throwing her arms up.

"They're acting no better than common bandits."

"All we can do is pay a fair price for our own supplies," Steve said. He inspected the bruise on his thigh, a souvenir from the battle the day before when he'd been swarmed by a dozen knights.

"That won't help this village," Tanya said.

"How can they meet their obligations when a passing warlord steals everything they have?" She glowered at the tent door.

"They might as well seize the means of production while they're at it."

"A lot of people would see this as just what is owed," Steve said.

"I'm glad you can see their side of things."

"We could make a complaint," Tanya said, hardly seeming to hear him.

"If their superiors were to receive word of their misbehaviour, they could force them to correct it." Steve sighed, mouth twisting in displeasure. Tanya noticed.

"What?"

"They were following orders when they seized the harvest," Steve said.

"Following orders," Tanya said.

"Following orders! As if that makes it acceptable."

"It's not," Steve said.

"But we can't feed the army on bark, and I've made it clear where the line stands in the treatment of the lands we pass through."

"That's why there's three rapers hanging outside the camp and five horse thieves emptying latrines," Naerys said, eyes not leaving her parchment. Tanya returned to pacing, delicate brow furrowed as if pondering deep thoughts. At length, she spoke.

"I was wrong, Steve," Tanya said, with the air of someone admitting great fault.

"It's clear that the ruling class cannot rule effectively or without taking liberties with their people. This nation would be improved if you were to overthrow the nobility and install yourself as ruler." She looked up at him, an expression of unchildlike solemness on her face.

"I will support you in your bid for kingship." Steve stared at her for a long moment.

"No." He got up, and left the tent. As he ducked through the tent, he heard Tanya turn and speak to Naerys.

"Was it something I said?" X King's Landing was only two day's ride away, and Steve was leading a column of his men atop Fury. Beside him rode Tanya, on a horse of her own that she had named Lergen for some reason. She wore a copy of what had become the uniform of his men, those that she enjoyed bullying the most having somehow come up with it at one of the towns they stopped at.

She surveyed the lands like a general, looking overly serious, and Steve was reminded of the one Bring Your Child To Work Day he had seen at Stark Tower. She had even taken to giving orders here and there. Steve wasn't sure what it said that they were followed.

"You know," Steve said idly, "I never did ask what you and your father were doing on that country lane, Tanya." Tanya glanced over to him, bemused.

"That knight wasn't my father. Why do you think that?"

"What? You said, 'please, buy my father's armour so I don't starve.'."

"Oh. No, that was just a selling technique." Steve looked at the little girl riding beside him from the corner of his eye. Maybe he could see why Naerys was so dubious of her.

"Who was he then? How did you end up next to a dead knight on a country lane?"

"He wanted me to pretend I was the lost daughter of a lord so he could get the reward for finding me. We had an interpersonal conflict, so I stabbed him sixteen times in the chest."

"An interpersonal conflict," Steve said.

"It was resolved to my satisfaction." Steve could imagine the kind of 'interpersonal conflict' a grown man would have had with a little girl to make her react in that way, and didn't press the issue. Privately, he resolved to continue making sure that Tanya and Toby were never left alone together. It'd be a shame if she picked up any bad habits from him.