Disclaimer: I don't own A Song of Ice and Fire. And I certainly don't like the ending of Season 5 of Games of Thrones either...

raw666: Asha is opportunist and intelligent, so exploiting the weakness of the Lannisters is definitely in her character. As far as negotiations goes, she has a lot of gold to bargain with. More gold than she will ever need in her life. That opens a lot of possibilities.

The fate of Tyrion will be revealed in a later chapter. For now, we're going back in the Reach and the Stormlands.

X59: And the best part of it is that it's absolutely canon, revealed by the fate of Aeron Greyjoy. Of course, it doesn't imply there were many others with him, but would Tywin have sent only one Ironborn to mine the entrails of Casterly Rock? I think not.

For now it's the sellswords who are mostly a problem. All the other sides are smart enough to know big battles are a non-affordable frivolity with winters coming. The mercenaries however are not that smart, some are even on the level of the Mountain subordinates.

And while Tyrion's reaction will be interesting, his fate and those of the other prisoners with him are not anymore in his hands.

Master of Dragons God: Thanks!

Guest(s): The problem is while Olenna, Willas, Garlan and Margaery Tyrell are very smart, they're not in command and they need generally time to ensure Mace's idiocy will not have long-lasting consequences.

In terms of politics, appearances, vassals' relationships and good propaganda, they have really no rival. The problem is this story, contrary to canon, relies even more on military acts than on politics backstabbing. And they lost Randyll Tarly, whose very importance was exactly to advise Mace on such a thing.

Also to note is the fact we are arriving to a point in the story where things generally took a bad turn for the Reach. The question is if the unity of the Reach is enough to compensate for their relative lack of experience on the battlefield...

Revan3363: Glad you liked my plans for Sandor Clegane.

Paul: Emmon Frey and Genna Lannister died at Casterly Rock. Cleos is still a prisoner at Riverrun for the time being. Sandor is leading a band which is a mix between the Kingswood Brotherhood, the Brotherhood without Banners, Robin Hood, all added with a touch of Clegane influence.

Sandor and Asha have other concerns for the time being than each other, that's all I'm going to say.

Yes, Theon is going to regain some importance, although it will not be for quite a while. Euron's reaction to this news will be shown, as will be Mace. Both might surprise you (though they will not learn of it immediately, as Asha didn't send them ravens to inform them).

Gremlin Jack: For the moment, the Hound and the Kraken zones of influence are not in contact with each other. Though who knows what may happen in the future...

TheAlagoano: the lords and knights who haven't been involved in any atrocities can hope to avoid the rope and the axe, though they may not escape the Wall. Those, who have, however...

This Stag is Immortal

Winter's Dawn Part II

"Surrender is not a word in Stannis Baratheon vocabulary." Ser Brynden Tully, 300AC.

"Stannis Baratheon is not vanquished. This man will only be vanquished when he is dead. And even then I would not let my guard down if I were you, your Grace. "Tyrion Lannister to King Robb Stark, 300AC.

"STANNIS! STANNIS ! STANNIS KING! STANNIS KING! "Battle cry of the Stormlands army at the Battle of the Kingswood.

It is said a man is never more dangerous than when he has lost everything he cares for. The saying was perfectly adapted to the character of King Stannis Baratheon. Time and time again, the second son of Lord Steffron Baratheon and Lady Cassana Baratheon suffered major reverses in his life. Only for each time climb up to retain power and status. Still, the Battle of the Four Armies was one turning point for the Baratheon King. In a single battle, not only King Stannis failed to take the capital for the second time, but half of his army was destroyed. Again. Personal losses were also a critical part of Stannis history. While Rolland Storm survived against all odds the battle (prisoner of the Starks he was ransomed immediately back by his King), Melisandre of Asshai, the Red Priestess who had proclaimed Stannis Azor Ahai, was dead. In the following days, the Master of Storm's End would learn his wife was dead too, having taken too literally the injunctions of R'hllor and the Red God religion, and thrown herself into the fires (some said the woman had never tolerated well the executions of member of House Florent, while others affirmed Lord Davos Seaworth pushed her in the flames to save Princess Shireen from the same fate).

Despite the defeat, the Stormlands army stayed loyal to Stannis. In truth, it was certainly due to the character of the King. While many in Westeros loathed the former Master of Ships as a dour, rigid, smileless man, the reality was that Stannis was a good general, one which walked in the mud with the common soldier, who didn't feast in a luxurious tent while the common soldier got cold in the night, who shared and endured all the privations his warriors took during their campaigns. This one was no exception. Even then, King Stannis would likely have suffered severe desertions in his camp if not for the lax control Mace Tyrell exerted over his bannersmen.

Indeed , learning of the Battle of the Four Armies, House Caswell, Bridges, Footly, Inchfield, Norridge and Roxton had mobilised all their remaining troops available and prepared to assail the army of King Stannis at the western edge of the Kingswood should the battle turn against the last Baratheon pretender. It did, but the Reach lords massed there were overconfident and paid for it. Of the 8 000 men mobilised there, less than a third were cavalry, and more than half were conscripted smallfolk levies which had really seen little military training. In fact, most of these men were wary of the winter approaching, and would have rather preferred being at home ensuring their families were ready for the cold and the snows. Not that it was the only mistake these lords made. Once news of the complete destruction of the capital was known, the Reach army under Lord Lorent Caswell followed the road, trailing at a slow pace towards the crossroads of the Kingsroad and the Rose Road, where the Stormlands army was supposed to be. Lord Caswell had given the order to camp for the night when King Stannis and 2 000 tired but extremely well motivated men went out of the woods and charged the poor sentinels. In strategic terms, it was worse than the Battle of Oxcross won by King Robb Stark. Unlike the Lannisters, very few men in the Reach thought of raising their swords, never mind forming the ranks, using torches or banding their bows. The battle was over before it even begun. 2500 men of the Reach ran fast enough to escape. Around 300 men died, including Lord Inchfield, Lord Footly and Lord Bridges. The rest, nearly 5 200 men, were made prisoner. In that number were included Lord Garth Norridge, Lord Mace Roxton and Lord Lorent Caswell.

The impact of this victory should not be understated. Before: a massive defeat. After: a glorious victory, while being seriously outnumbered by the enemy (never mind that a quarter of the enemy had never seen a sword fight in their lives). King Stannis also captured the entire train of supply of the Reach force, meaning his army could be now fed and paid without any deed to continue rationing. The numbers also were not a problem anymore. Having escaped the inferno of King's Landing with less than 4500 men, now the Stormlords saw hundred s of opportunists swirling to the Stag's banner. It was Bronzegate and Storm's End all over again, but this time there was no accusation of treachery, magic sorcery or other act against the Seven. Stannis Baratheon had won a decisive victory all by himself, which was going to have a serious impact on the rest of the war.

By going on the offensive in this manner, Lord Caswell and his friends had had to deplete the eastern defences of the Reach, which were not the most formidable of Westeros in any case. At a moment where Lord Mace Tyrell and Lord Leyton Hightower were mustering every man of age who could wield a spear to defend their coasts again the Ironborn threat, the Reach had just been left completely undefended from this direction. King Stannis Baratheon was not a man who was going to let pass chances like this. Under the leadership of Ser Justin Massey, 500 Stormlands warriors and 4000 freshly liberated Reach smallfolk marched westwards, with the command to rally the maximum of knights, smallfolk and lords to Stannis cause. At the same time, the king and the rest of his army marched towards Storm's End, rallying on their way the troops lost in the rapid succession of marches in the Kingswood.

What Stannis Baratheon hoped to do by that point remained a subject of controversy to this day. Unlike King Robb Stark, no one was under illusion that King Stannis would renounce to his claims over Westeros as a whole, but for the first time in months the cadet of Robert Baratheon seemed to do exactly that. Some historians have try to refute these claims , pointing the Code of Laws written by Stannis himself (who would not be fully completed until 331AC by his grand-daughter Cassana Baratheon ) and the plans to rebuild a new capital were hardly the plans of a man who was going to keep ruling over "only" the Stormlands and the Narrow Sea Houses . By the time Stannis had settled himself and his army at Storm's End, the Baratheon area of control extended to the Narrow Sea Houses and Dragonstone from the north to the island of Estermont to the south. With one notable exception. Tarth.

Of all the Rainbow Guard of Renly Baratheon by the time the Battle of Four Armies ended, only two were alive. Ser Emmon Cuy and Ser Robar Royce had lost their lives at the hand of their sworn brother Loras Tyrell. Lord Bryce Caron had died in the First Battle of King's Landing. Ser Guyard Morrigen had received an axe in his skull in the same battle, courtesy of Tyrion Lannister. Ser Parmen Crane disappeared in the inferno of the Battle of the Four Armies and was never seen again by mortal eyes. Ser Loras Tyrell was still alive, but he was currently an occupant of the dungeons of Storm's End. That left only Brienne of Tarth alive and free, Brienne the Blue to be exact. According to most witnesses, it was the opinion of Renly's former sworn sword which made Lord Selwyn of Tarth not bends the knee to King Stannis. It was not wise. While following the cause of Renly could be explained while the youngest Baratheon was still alive (though not in King Stannis's presence ) , following him while he was dead and his cause destroyed served no purpose and was ultimately very dangerous. Stannis, who had just ordered to Lord Davos Seaworth to bring back his daughter to Storm's End, did not appreciate the defiance. Since the First Battle of King's Landing, several small galleys had been rebuilt by the Stormlords, enough to retain a naval superiority over the western coast. Now these war galleys plus the survivors of King's Landing would be used to end this rebellion, while Salladhor Saan and his Lysene sellsails continued to prey on the Narrow Sea's shipping. Lord Davos Seaworth was put in command of the operation.

The Defiance of Tarth, as it became known, was a singular affair. A few days before Stannis gave his orders to his loyal admiral, a lowly knight in Tarth colours arrived on the island with a Valyrian blade and a singular story. According to his words, the sword had been formerly the propriety of Lord Tywin Lannister, but had been stolen from him in the chaos after Bronzegate and passed hand in hand until he recuperated it in the darkness of the Kingswood. What he didn't tell was all the men wielding the weapon had the unfortunate tendency to fall dead soon after, often in violent circumstances. It was one of the two Valyrian swords forged from the ancestral Stark sword Ice, but unlike King Robb's sword Wolf's Paw, its twin sword forged a sinister reputation, almost as if no one but a Stark could wield it and survive.

When the attack upon the island came, neither Brienne of Tarth nor her father managed to stem the tide of Baratheon troops. Brienne the Blue fought as a knight, trying to force her enemy on open-battle. Lord Seaworth was a former smuggler, and used strategies more adapted to the reality of the battlefield, including fire arrows and scorpions from his war galleys. Brienne of Tarth perished with the Valyrian sword in her hands, and so did seven men of her House (although the number seven may have been brought by a septon). Lord Selwyn was executed for treason, and a low-born knight of the Stormlands named Ser Andrew became the new lord of Tarth. Of the Valyrian sword now called Black Dawn, a Stormlands men-at-arm managed to recuperate it. But the deaths and the tragedies didn't stop with the fall of Tarth for the owners of this sword.

By comparison, the campaign in the Reach was less nightmarish. Ser Rolland Storm, now legitimised as Ser Rolland Caron, had rallied the Dornish Marshes to King's Stannis cause, while Ser Justin Massey and his troops captured without great effort Tumbleton, Grassy Vale and finally Bitterbridge (through there, having the lord of the place hostage no doubt helped) .Could Stannis Baratheon have conquered the whole South before the nightmarish threat coming from the North forced him to enter a battle to save humanity? No one will ever know. Because in this seventh month of the year 300AC, just as the Battle of Oldtown entered its decisive stage, the impossible happened. A large fleet entered the Dornish Sea, a large number of transports full with troops. And at the top of their masts, they were floating a banner that no one had hoisted in Westeros for more than fifteen years. A red-three headed dragon on a sable field. The Targaryens had returned. The Eighth King had arrived...