Ser Jaime Lannister
All of this death and destruction, the burning, the raping, the pillaging all of it had been caused because of what he and Cersei had done. The realisation of that had only hit Jaime when he had heard of his brother Tyrion's death, his brother had always lived in his shadow and as such had tried to remove himself from that shadow and had gone out on a limb and tried to take on Rhaegon Blackfyre and had paid for it with his life. The thought that his foolishness with Cersei had cost him his family was far too much for him to take, he had always known that what they were to one another was far too risky and dangerous to ever become public knowledge, he had never wanted children, not if he could not have Cersei, and when he had joined the Kingsguard he had thought that he would still get to have her, especially if Elia Martell did not survive through Aerys madness, but then he had gotten to know Elia Martell and the guilt of his earlier thoughts had plagued him. When Robert had wed Cersei, at first he had thought that he had lost his sister but shortly after her wedding she came back to his bed, and he knew not what to make of it all. And so they had created three children and the world was bleeding because of that.
Sometimes he wondered what life would have been like if he had ever been able to think with his head and not his cock when it came to Cersei, whatever she wanted from him he often did simply because it made her happy, there was no other reason than that, and it did pain him now to think on it. All the pain Tyrion had suffered his life had been because Jaime had been too much of a craven to stop it, to stop their father and Cersei from causing him pain, and now Tyrion was dead. He had not even been able to see how his sister had actually lusted not for him, but for the power being Queen and mother to the future king gave her. He had simply thought that she had missed him as badly as he had missed her and that they were going to life the live they were always meant to live with one another, but of course once Joffrey was born there was little he could do, little that could be done, the urges were still there but there was no other way to remove them and it wore on him, and now here they were, Joffrey, Tyrion, the mighty Tywin Lannister and most of the Lannister family were dead and Cersei, Tommem and Myrcella were all in chains in King's Landing.
The war itself had started of reasonably well, Stannis Baratheon had declared himself king using the accusations that were true, but Jaime had been visiting his family in the Rock when the accusations came, his father had simply looked at him and then said "We shall teach the man a sharp lesson about slandering our family." And so the riverlands had burned under the wrath of Tywin Lannister, at the Golden Tooth Jaime had slaughtered more men than he had done during the Pirate War, at the battle for Riverrun he had killed far too many men for him to be able to sleep comfortably at night. Edmure Tully had been taken captive and each day, his life expectancy grew shorter as Hoster Tully rumoured to be ailing remained defiant. And then news came from Harrenhal, King's Landing had fallen to Stannis Baratheon and their family was in shambles. Jaime had wanted to ride for King's Landing at once, but his father had written to him telling him to take Riverrun before they rode to King's Landing.
And so Jaime had continued to siege Riverrun hoping against hope that the Tullys would capitulate, or that Hoster Tully loved his son more than Jaime's own father seemed to care about his children, but alas the man held out and Edmure Tully remained defiant as well saying that his father would never surrender. And then Gregor Clegane appeared with some 2000 men, speaking of the battle beneath the God's Eye where the men of the Vale had slaughtered Jaime's father, uncle and their host. His father and uncle were dead, and now he was the sole main Lannister left in the field, the thought was unnerving; he sent word to Casterly Rock asking for a new host to be raised and worried about what needed to be done now. It seemed the gods answered that question for him, Rhaegon Blackfyre began raiding the Westerlands shortly after Jaime's father was slain in battle, and as such he smashed through three different hosts before finally taking the Rock and in true rains of Castamere fashion having the Lannisters of both Casterly Rock and Lannisport put to the sword, men, women, children all were slain and none were left to live.
Jaime felt like his whole world had been torn to sunder when he heard what had happened at the Rock, his whole family was gone now, he was the last male Lannister left alive and now it was his duty to do something. He ended the siege of Riverrun leaving Edmure Tully in chains in the Whispering Wood before marching off for the Westerlands, at the Golden Tooth they met some resistance from the newly anointed Lord Gormon Peake who was wed to Alysanne Lefford. The battle was sharp and snappy, and at the end of Jaime had killed Peake and whatever garrison the man had had at the Tooth, from there he had marched his host through the Westerlands till they reached Oxcross where he had drawn up camp and had decided that it was necessary for them to discuss what their next set of tactics should be. Without there being any male Lannisters left apart from Jaime himself, the Rock would pass to Cersei and then perhaps Tommem, but Jaime knew that for them to have any chance at all they needed the Rock back. And so he had called a war council, apart from himself, there was Ser Gregor Clegane, Ser Armory Lorch, Ser Harys Swyft and Ser Hardwyn Plumm. "What word is there from the scouts Ser Armory?" Jaime asked.
Ser Armory Lorch was not a bright man by any means but he was good at what he did. "Well my lord, there has been some movement from the Rock, it seems as if the pretender knows or expects us to use the sealed route to get into the castle and as such has begun preparing for that. My scouts report that a host was sent out under the command of his aunt Visenya Blackfyre some three days ago, soon enough they will be meeting us and they seem to have orders to completely destroy us."
"How great are their numbers?" Gregor Clegane the butcher of the riverlands asked.
Lorch scrunched his face up for a moment before saying. "Some 20,000 men and women ser. That is what my scouts told me and that is what I have seen for myself as well. Visenya Blackfyre will want our throats soon enough."
"Let her come and try, what battles has she ever won that we must needs fear her?" Ser Hardwyn Plumm asked. "Her nephew has won all the battles that he has fought so far, and before that it was her husband and his bannermen who won their battles during the wars beyond the wall. She might be a good fighter, but being a good fighter and a good commander are not the same. Let us see what errors she makes, and when she makes one error she will pay for it with her life."
"You seem confident that Visenya Blackfyre will make errors that will be costly to her nephew's cause. Need I remind you that the woman has spent nigh on twenty years planning for the day when her nephew could sit the throne, I highly doubt that she will make any grievous mistakes that will cost her nephew that opportunity." Jaime reminded them all.
"Still she is a woman, give her a reason to fear for her safety or of those she cares for and she will wilt and her true colours will be exposed. All women are the same when it comes to fighting, they might claim they relish it but inside they will feel the fear and pain all that much more. Especially if those they love and care about are in danger that is evident." Ser Hardwyn replied.
"What are you suggesting Ser? That we kidnap her nephew or great nephew both of whom have proven more of themselves in this one war than you have in two?" Ser Harys Swyft asked his tone mocking. The usually meek man had found backbone from somewhere.
"No what I am suggesting is we take her squire, Shiera Snow, and we make it so that Blackfyre feels hindered in acting, that will cost her men and lives and time." Hardwyn replied.
"How would we do that pray tell?" Jaime asked.
"Simple we split them up, fly a Targaryen Banner and Snow will come charging at the one holding the banner, her hatred of the Targaryens is not exactly well hidden now is it?" Hardwyn replied.
Jaime simply nodded and then the plans were made, Ser Gregor Clegane was given command of the vanguard, and was tasked with leading Shiera Snow away from her master, Ser Hardwyn Plumm commanded the left and was tasked with throwing all of his might at the main body of the Blackfyre host. Jaime commanded the right and knew that he would need to kill Visenya Blackfyre himself to cause a significant enough blow to the Blackfyre cause in order to give them a chance of reclaiming Casterly Rock. On the fourth day of the twelfth month of the 299th year after Aegon's Landing the Final Roar as the battle would come to be known began. The battle was waged on the plains of Oxcross and was fought in close quarters, Jaime swung his sword left, right, and centre, cutting down men and women, swinging and swinging until his arms ached, but on he went swinging his sword like a man possessed his one chance at getting revenge for all the family he had lost, on and on it went swinging left, right and centre, his arms were tired, Brightroar was covered in blood the ground was littered with bodies, but the fighting wore on.
He swung left, right, and centre, and at one point the right of the Blackfyre host was broken when Jaime slew twenty men all of whom seemed to be skilled warriors perhaps from the golden company. The fighting continued, the screams were echoing in his helm, but he pushed on swinging his sword, left and right, and centre, through the haze of battle he charged. Fighting, swinging, hacking, cutting, ducking and dodging, doing all he could to make sure that as many men and women who were fighting for Blackfyre died, his sword was stained with blood, his armour was caked in mud, sweat and blood both his own and that of those he had slain. Bodies littered the ground, but still the fighting wore on, on and on it went, raise sword kill man, repeat, on and on it went, hacking and slashing, cutting through the throngs of people looking for Visenya Blackfyre, he could not find her but on he went, swinging his sword, hacking and slashing, cutting through the throngs.
Eventually he found her, Visenya Blackfyre, dressed in black armour swung her sword like someone possessed, they met in a clash of steel, the clang echoed through the valley, and on they went, swinging at each other, cutting one another, pushing through the throngs of people hacking at one another, Blackfyre seemingly had more power or will of mind then Jaime did, for soon enough Jaime found his sword knocked from his hand and then he was off his horse and her sword was at his throat and then there was darkness. Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, the Lion of the West was killed by Visenya Blackfyre on the seventh day of twelfth month of the 299th year after Aegon's Landing, he was thirty three, with his death the last male Lannister died.
Lord Jon Stark
He was a Stark, he bore the name of kings and conquerors, and yet he had grown up in the south, away from the cold north, he had never actually been to the north, to where his father and his father before him had grown up. He had grown up listening to tales of the Vale and what his father had gotten up to there with King Robert Baratheon, the stories that his father Lord Eddard Stark would tell of the north and growing up in Moat Cailin were often tinged with sadness for the loss of his brother and father and mother, and as such he did not often speak of them, though Jon had met his cousin Branda once before when she had come south with a few southern inclined northerners, and as such he had thought her to be a lovely girl, and he would have deeply liked to get to know her better yet she had only stopped off in Crow's Corner for a few days before heading to Dorne.
As for his own family, Jon was the oldest son of Eddard Stark and Ashara Dayne, and with his father's death the Lord of Crow's Corner the castle that sat on former Connington Lands, gifted to them by King Robert Baratheon following the cousin's war. His father and mother had had three other children, Jon's two brothers Brandon and Arthur and his sister Arya, Brandon and Arthur were neigh inseparable, doing everything together, fighting, climbing all sorts of things that they did were done together, both of them had their mother's dark black hair and violet eyes, whilst Jon and Arya had their father's brown hair and long face. Arya, was a little spitfire a fierce fighter and stubborn she did what she wanted when she wanted, and Jon loved her for that. His mother and father had been caring and loving to their children, encouraging them to do what they wanted within reason, and to go and try other new things as well, and when Jon had seen how some of the other children from noble houses in the Stormlands were restrained by their southern practices he felt grateful for growing up the way he had.
The freedom that Jon and his siblings had experienced growing up was one that his cousin Edric and his aunt Allyria had also experienced growing up in Blackhaven as well. Edric was currently a squire for Edmure Tully though he had spent a great part of his time in captivity alongside his master during the war and had only just recently been freed. His cousin was a wild boy, almost as wild as Arya was, and the two of them got on like a house on fire. His aunt Allyria, who was betrothed to Edmure Tully was a sweet and demure lady who was also fiercely smart and protective of those she cared deeply about, and as such there had been times when they were all growing up where Jon had thought that his aunt was more like his mother than his own mother had been sometimes, with just how strict and stern she could be. Jon's uncle Ullrick was a stern man, who could be nice and kind when he wanted to be but often was very serious and stern, something that Jon's mother said came from having to bear the weight of their house on his shoulders for so many years.
The war that had erupted following his father's death had been waging close to two years now, and as such it had caused a great sort of chasm to erupt in the Stormlands, Jon had wanted to march to war to fight for Stannis Baratheon when the man had called his banners, he had wanted to get revenge and justice for his father and for Princess Elia and her children as well, and yet his mother and uncle had both told him to wait and to patient to see how things went. When Stannis Baratheon had taken King's Landing things had seemed to settle down, but then Viserys Targaryen had invaded and he had gone about conquering castles in the Stormlands, when he had taken Storm's End the man had sent out ravens demanding all the lords of the Stormlands come and do him fealty. Jon had refused and had been threatened with having his castle and lands taken from him, and yet somehow such a thing had not happened, though he suspected his uncle Arthur, the Sword of the Morning a man he had never met but had heard a lot about had had something to do with that. Arthur Dayne was not a name mentioned unless in warning by either his mother or his uncle, and as such Jon could understand why, the man had aided mad Prince Rhaegar in the kidnapping and raping of Jon's aunt on his father's side Lyanna Stark now Queen Dowager of the North and Iron Islands, and as such Ser Arthur had lost the respect of his family.
Viserys Targaryen now held King's Landing, but Robb Baratheon, Jon's new overlord now held Storm's End once more having escaped from King's Landing just before the man had taken the city. But there was still a strong Targaryen presence in the Stormlands, with the houses of the Rainwood and the Marches led by Houses Connington and Martell remaining loyal to House Targaryen despite the obvious worsening of their livelihoods and influence. Rhaegon Blackfyre had landed in the Reach and had taken the Westerlands from there, and with Jaime Lannister dead the man would soon be marching on King's Landing, and as such Jon knew then that he would need support in taking the capital, and for that to be done the Targaryen influence in the Stormlands needed to be removed, how that was to be done though, Jon was not sure. That was why both his mother, his uncle, Lord Andros Fell and Lord Anthony Boiling were present here in Crow's Corner. "Now then my lords, we have news from the Westerlands, of course Jaime Lannister is dead his army broken, the Westerlords or rather those that remain have declared for Rhaegon Blackfyre. And due to his part in freeing Riverrun from siege, House Tully and their bannermen have declared for him as well, as have the Vale and House Baratheon. The question though remains how do we clear the path for Rhaegon Blackfyre to take what is his, when we are prevented from marching by the Martells and the Conningtons?"
His uncle speaks then. "We have had word from Storm's End, it appears that young lord Robb is marshalling what men he can to take the sword to Griffin's Roost and route out what Targaryen loyalists remain there. Lord Baratheon also wrote of how King Rhaegon sent one of the Osgreys to aid us in cleaning the Stormlands of the Targaryen presence, if I remember correctly, Ser Oswell When was sent to go and get Lady Arianne from Summerhall along with some extra 500 swords to defend King's Landing, if we were to march north to Summerhall we could easily take the castle and have done with it."
Lord Boiling speaks then. "Would that be wise though my lords? Doran Martell is not a strong man, but Ser Oswell was among the most deadliest knights of Aerys Targaryen's Kingsguard, and as such it is possible that he could still put up a great deal of resistance or call for aid from those riverlords who are marching south as well. We must play it carefully before we make any sudden moves."
"We have been playing carefully for far too long," old Lord Andros Fell says. "We must make a move and we must make a move now. Doran Martell is so caught up in his desire for vengeance that he would sell his only daughter of to the Targaryen scum. He does not realise what the return of the Targaryens would mean for the Stormlands. Rather than Robb Baratheon was still king, but alas better a Black Dragon than a red one. Rhaegon Blackfyre has done what no man has done before and taken the Rock, we must do what we can to aid him. If Wilbert Osgrey is marching for the Stormlands he will have to fight the riverlords led by Lord Raymun Darry before he can get here, or there will be battle in the southern riverlands. That will give us time to remove the Martell power from reaching King's Landing."
"Aye that would be the way to do it," his uncle Lord Ullrick said. "We must march and we must march soon otherwise we shall be facing more threats from the marcher lords such as House Caron and Cafferen, both of whom are able to muster considerable forces compared to what we can muster combined."
Jon nods and then says. "Very well, Lord Fell, Lord Boiling I want you to prepare your men we shall march for Summerhall in three days time and this time the Martells will realise what folly it is to support the Targaryens." With that the meeting is dismissed though his uncle and mother remain behind.
His mother speaks then. "I did not want to say anything in front of Fell and Boiling, but must you be the one to lead the host Jon? Why not leave the fighting to your uncle who has fought in many battles beforehand?"
Jon sighs and says. "I have to do this mother, father would not have sat idly by whilst his home was under threat, he did not sit idly by when aunt Lyanna was taken. Robb Baratheon has fought in battles and come out successful, what sort of lord would I be if I did not fight for my home and for my people? I must do this and the Martells must be shown the error of their ways. The Targaryens are a poison that must be removed for good from Westeros, otherwise we shall all burn under their madness."
His mother goes to speak but his uncle Ullrick speaks then his voice stern. "Jon is right Ashara. If he is to be as good a lord as Ned was, he must lead from the front, his men must see him at the front of the lines fighting bleeding beside them. The Martells have spent too long plotting for revenge they have forgotten what it is to be loved and to love, they have risen to high and they must now be brought down low."
His mother sighs then and says. "Very well but I am still not happy about it. Be safe sweetling, I cannot afford to lose anyone else."
Jon nods and says. "I will mother on that you can be assured of." Three days later 1,000 men march from Crow's Corner for Summerhall, the march is somewhat short and when they arrive at the old summer palace of the Targaryens they find the 500 men that were supposed to march with Ser Oswell Whent stood outside the gates of the castle, some blond haired man stood at the front of the men. "Surrender and we shall let you go in peace! We want no more bloodshed." Jon shouts at the man.
The man he sees has a white cloak billowing from his shoulders, and when the man shouts back his voice is deep and sarcastic sounding. "I will not surrender, neither shall House Martell. We shall end this with battle green boy and when your body lies there rotting I shall be sure to give it to your traitor of a mother."
The battle was fierce, Jon taking command of the left saw the battle raging on around him, but with his uncle Ullrick and Ser Gerold Dayne another cousin fighting beside him he was largely unhindered by the carnage that others were facing, he managed to cut down one, two, three, four men before he took a wound to the shoulder that forced him to march to the end of the line. But the battle continued on and on and eventually the battle for Summerhall ended and Doran Martell surrendered the castle and gave over his castle for use for the Blackfyres to use as a base of operations. Amongst the dead was Ser Oswell Whent of the Kingsguard, slain by Lord Andros Fell.