Chapter 1
Dale Lane
It had been 15 years since he had visited Kings Landing, yet Dale Lane Lord of Steel Lake, could still remember riding down the streets, disgusted at what the Lannister's had done. Men, women, and children were sprawled across the streets, doors were kicked in, houses were sacked and put to the torch, he was not riding far from Eddard Stark, their eyes met fumingly silent over the destruction before them.
He and several other lords were chosen to follow Lord Eddard to siege to Kings Landing and capture the mad king Aerys Targaryen and then bring him before Robert. But Tywin Lannister had already sacked the city, promising to help the mad king only to then betray him. Tywin's son a member of the king's guard, sworn to serve and protect the king had killed the mad king, though Dale did not judge the young knight as harshly as most.
If he was to choose between his king or his father he would have done the same, and he honestly hoped his children would as well.
The memory faded as the spring breeze rustled the branches overhead. That was long ago, when he was still strong and skilled with a sword, now he had gained a lot of weight, lost all his hair except for on his chin and instead of the dead sprawled in desecration the streets were now filled with the living, some were happy but many were sad and begging, constantly bugging him for a stag.
His eldest son Jasper rode next to him, small for his age, Jasper was about as tall as your average girl, though he was brawnier then you would expect from his size. A sensitive subject for the young Lord especially since his younger brother Dutch was already an inch taller then him at 16, he tried not to let people know his sized bothered him but it was fairly easy to see he hated jokes about it.
They had ridden to King's Landing for the tournament to celebrate the new hand Eddard Stark, after the passing of the previous hand Jon Arryn.
"Get out of my way!" Jasper Shouted. "If you want a silver then shine my shoes, if not then move!" Dale shook his head. "Jasper, there is no need for such harshness, remember what I always tell you?"
Jasper realized what he had said and relaxed. "I know father, I don't know what has happened to them for them to end up like this. But it still angers me how I see so many men and women who are quick enough to ask me for silver but won't work for it."
Dale sighed "That is not what I meant, I meant that you do not need to speak exactly what you're thinking, People will not look at you favorably if you treat the weakest such as that, you must control yourself."
Jasper nodded, "I know father, I just forget."
"You have a bad habit of that, now let's hurry, we must prepare for the joust, I expect you to unhorse ever knight that stands before you."
Jasper laughed and shook his head "Easier said than done, I have higher hopes for the melee personally, it's easier to fight on my two feet then on a horse."
"That's why you must practice."
Dale sent one of his knights to rent an Inn for their group as Dale and Jasper rode to a joust training area. There were dozens of people, armored knights with long lances to peasants who looked like they were betting everything they had on winning. "Alright Jasper, you see the men over there?"
Jasper squinted in the direction his father was pointing. "The ones in plate armor?"
Dale shook his head "No, those are just rich boys who's dad bought them a horse, I'm talking about the group next to them. The older men with scars and cheaper armor."
Jasper nodded "Oh I see them."
Dale folded his arms. "Go joust them."
Jasper looked at his father, his eyes filled with confusion. "Why them?"
Dale locked eyes with his son to make sure he was listening. "They are not so high born as to have been spoon-fed their entire life like those lads over there. They bought their arms and horses with hard work and skill, you could learn something from them. But don't ask them to teach you, they're likely to ask you to pay them for their advice, you're like me, you learn by doing, not by being told how to do it, watch them, fight them, learn from them."
Jasper, studied the men silently and then turned to his father, "If you say so Dad, I'll see you in a couple hours."
As Jasper approached the group of men, Dale turned his horse and rode back into the city. There he bought some venison and vegetables, rode to the inn, and told the innkeeper that the food will need to be ready in 2 or 3 hours, the rotund man bowed his head and said that it would be done. Dale walked up the stairs and entered the room. He laid down on his bed and closed his eye, Oh, to be young again and not have to rest after such a long journey, he envied the young, but of course who doesn't?
As he slowly drifted off to sleep, he dreamt of his eldest daughter Breanne, married to a intelligent man, with a sturdy boy to lead them all into the next generation, the day he heard he was a grandfather was the happiest and saddest moment of his life, then came visions of his next eldest Alli, traveling through Essos, learning all new languages, and trying exotic food, then came Dutch who was currently at the Eyrie squiring for Brynden Tully, he pictured Brynden yelling at Dutch to keep his shield up before cracking a wooden sword across his head.
Then the dreams drifted back to the war, it was known as Roberts rebellion but Dale called it the stupidest war in Westerose history. It all started because Rhaegar Targaryen wanted Lyanna Stark, he didn't know if she went with him willingly or if she was taken by force but either way all because of one stupid prince thousands of people had to die, and in the end nobody truly won. Westerose is now ruled by a fat, lazy king instead of a mad king; he snorted at the thought an improvement but not by much. He just hopped that Joffery would be a better king the either of them, it would be hard to be worse.
