Ashara Dayne
Winterfell, North, Year 282 AC
My dearest friend,
It warms my heart to know that you are alive and well and at the same time, it pains me to know that we are on opposing sides in this bloody and stupid war…
The Queen, the girls, and your adopted little dragon niece share the same opinion as me on this matter and worry not because none of us will say anything as you probably guessed already.
Hopefully, this stupidity ends soon and we can meet each other again...
Much Love,
Elia Martell.
Elia's letter warmed Ashara's heart a lot. She missed them all and wanted to see them again, but it could not happen without the bloody war ending first, preferably with King Aerys being killed.
Ashara wanted her Ned to return to her, so she could kiss and hug him and tell him she is pregnant with his child…she couldn't even tell him because she did not know where he was by now…
And she had a bad feeling for some odd reason…
She was certainly happier because the damned puking ended after two horrible weeks where a bucket became her best friend. Now, she could feel her belly starting to swell, it wasn't much but enough for her to eradicate any doubts that she was indeed pregnant.
Her spy network had been revived as letters between her and spy friends in the capital were coming at a considerable pace. The plan she was conceiving involved some of her spies to become gaolers in the Black Cells in order to free Brandon, then the rest of the spies would create him an escape route to the docks or the walls of the city, she was sure about it yet.
For such plan to work, King's Landing couldn't be at their absolute best condition, the Gold Cloaks needed to be depleted and that was the major problem that tormented her head…Ned and the Rebels could potentially make Aerys send his Gold Cloaks to war but it was big if, and a big if was not good…
She did not wish to endanger Elia but since her friend was at King's Landing, perhaps it was better for her to order the plan to begin rather than Ashara who was very far…and besides…she had to tell Elia that she was with Ned's child…
"Ashara." Called Benjen with a big smile. "Lady Sharley and Lady Jonelle are here."
It wasn't her decision to call both ladies to Winterfell, but Benjen, the Maester, that very old woman apparently called Nan and many servants she still did not know the names off, insisted that she nominated a couple of ladies-in-waiting to help her when the pregnancy began troubling her and to get accustomed to the Northern ways as it was very likely that she would live there with Ned.
Lady Sharley Dustin was about her age and had some experience in helping deliver babies, apparently some of her cousins and had a reputation for being calm and sweet towards everyone. Lady Jonelle Cerwyn was a few years younger than Ashara but was also kind and had a vast knowledge on all things tied to running a household despite her young age.
"Great," she said as she got up from her seat and joined her good-brother on a walk to the two ladies. "Have you checked the warehouses?"
"I did," Benjen replied but with an expression, she did not like. "The wheat is almost gone…"
"That's troublesome…" she sighed. Winter lasted way too much and Winterfell's reserves were nearly empty…she hoped that the New Year that is coming will finally bring Spring back otherwise they would be face dire times…
"Perhaps we can start importing some from the Vale?" Suggested Benjen.
"I doubt we would get much from them…" she deduced aloud. "The Vale is at war like us and their reserves should be in a similar condition to ours."
"You are right…" Benjen agreed. "So what can we do?"
"Well…we might have to approach the Free Cities…"
"Which ones?" he inquired.
"Norvos, Qohor, and Lorath are out of question, the climate and distance are troublesome…" she explained. "Volantis is too far too, so we have Braavos, Pentos, Myr, Tyrosh and Lys."
"It still quite a lot of options…"
"We will send envoys to each one and see which of them offers us the best terms," she concluded. "We can't harm the North's economy, especially during wartime."
"Wise words, wise words." Benjen nodded with his mischievous smile.
The two Northern ladies were by the entrance. Lady Sharley was pretty with hazel eyes and hair together with a fair complexion, she had a pious look in her. Lady Jonelle was brown haired and eyed, a little big boned and homely.
"My Ladies." Ashara greeted as she approached both of them.
"My Lady." The ladies bowed in respect towards her.
"I welcome you both to Winterfell," Ashara said with the biggest and brightest smile she could muster in order to make some friends. "I'm sure you both visited the castle before but know that I'm very excited to have you both here helping me."
"The pleasure should be ours, My Lady." Said Lady Sharley. "Congratulations on the pregnancy."
"Thank you."
"I hope to be useful to you My Lady." Lady Jonelle said.
"I'm sure you will all be," she assured both. "But please call me Ashara."
"Certainly Lady Ashara."
"Just Ashara is enough," she stated with a smile in order to make them feel comfortable because they were nervous, especially Lady Jonelle. "Can I call you by your given names?"
"Yes, My…I…Ashara…" Blurted Jonelle stammering and blushing.
"Ashara." Nodded Sharley with a cute smile.
"Come, let's have a walk and get to know each other," Ashara suggested. "Benjen be a darling and see that her trunks are in their place."
"But…Gods be damned."
Jon Connington
Somewhere by the Gold Road, Riverlands, Year 282 AC
Jon led an army of some twenty-five thousand men by the Gold Road. They were mostly Crownlanders and Rivermen but there were still some loyal Valemen and Stormlanders amongst them.
Their job was rather, find and kill Robert fucking Baratheon who fled with his tail between his legs after his confrontation with Lord Tarly.
By the reports of brought by the Reachmen's messenger, the stag's army was substantially weakened, they even managed to kill some lords, including the turn cloak Lord Cafferen.
The King received the heads of those traitors with a lot of joy, laughing nonstop, praising Lord Tarly endlessly and almost called Jon's expedition to hunt Robert Baratheon off. He changed his mind when everyone on the Small Council convinced him that the expedition was in the best interests of the crown.
"Lord Connington." Called Ser Jacaerys as he approached Jon and Myles. "How fare you?"
"Well enough, Ser Jacaerys." Jon replied with a smile.
"Wonderful." The Velaryon remarked. "Ser Myles, I hope I can have the same answer from you."
"Indeed I will reply the same." Myles smiled towards the Valyrian knight.
"Have we gotten any news about Lord Baratheon's position?" Inquired the man.
"The scouts didn't find anything of note yet but I doubt he is in Reach by now." Explained Jon. "We will take control of the Gold Road and with it, we will cut the Stormlands from the rest of the Rebels."
"And it will be a question of time before we find Lord Baratheon." The Velaryon knight concluded. "I like the plan."
"I'm glad, Ser Jacaerys." Jon nodded. Though the Velaryon knight had Valyrian traits and looks, he wasn't as handsome as Rhaegar, however, Jon could see this man attracting the lesser sex.
"Let us hope everything goes smoothly so we can end this bloody war as fast as possible and return home." Expressed Ser Jacaerys.
"Aye to that Ser Jacaerys." Agreed Myles. "The sooner we are done, the better."
"I shall explain the plan to my brothers, with your permission, Lord Connington, Ser Myles." The Velaryon knight nodded and reduced his pace in order to meet his younger brothers who joined the expedition as soon as Jon was made Hand. "Brothers."
"Jace." They said in chorus.
"The plan is to cut off the Stormlands from the rest of the Rebels and then hunt Robert."
"Understood, brother." They replied.
"Jace, I have been meaning to talk to you about this but…I think Heiley cheated on you..." Said the youngest of the Velaryons present, Ser Corlys named after the Sea Snake who apparently always had a smirk in his face.
"Stop being like father Corlys." Dismissed the other brother, Ser Daemion, the second oldest who was brawny in appearance. "Heiley is a good woman, she wouldn't betray Jace, she loves him."
"But I just can't see any other reason on why the boy does not have silver-blond hair or violet eyes!" Retorted Ser Corlys. "She must have done the same as Rhaenyra!"
"Corlys." Called Ser Jacaerys with an angry look. "Have you have wondered the color of Heiley's hair and eyes?"
"I…"
"She has brown hair and eyes unlike Rhaenyra or Laenor so it does make sense that Jaehon takes it after her."
"Still…"
"You might be my brother, Corlys." Ser Jacaerys had a fearsome look in his eyes that placed his brother in his place quickly. "I will not tolerate anyone else questioning her virtue or calling Jaehon a bastard, am I clear?"
"Yes, brother…"
"We have a task to finish." Ser Jacaerys stated as he glanced his siblings. "We have to defeat Lord Baratheon."
"Aye, we will his army!" Shouted Daemion. "FOR THE CROWN!"
"FOR THE CROWN!" Many of the soldiers shouted proudly.
"The mood changed rather quickly…" Murmured Myles.
"All the better, we are going to prove our worth to the King and Rhaegar." Jon said with a proud smile, thinking about his Silver Prince complimenting him…
It was in that moment that Jon saw a yellow point in the distance, a man who quickly rode away… "ENEMY SCOUT UP AHEAD!" he shouted. "ENEMY SCOUT SPOTTED! ROBERT BARATHEON IS NEAR!"
"GET READY MEN!" Commanded Ser Jacaerys as he rode around the length of the army. "GET READY TO ENGAGE!"
"INCREASE THE PACE OF THE MARCH!" Jon commanded. "IT'S TIME TO END THIS!"
"FOR THE CROWN!"
Robert Baratheon
Somewhere by the Gold Road, Riverlands, Year 282 AC
Robert and his army had been marching north for quite some time after the many confrontations they had with Randyll Tarly who luckily didn't chase them for too long.
They had crossed the border between the Reach and the Riverlands and were now camped by the area to spend the night. Messengers had been dispatched to the Eyrie, Moat Cailin and even Riverrun where he hoped Jon and Ned would be.
"Lord Robert are you alright?" Asked a concerned Lord Mertyns. Robert had taken a rather bad looking injury during one of the confrontations with the Reachmen, it was contained but not properly as they had no Maester amongst them.
He feared the injury could get infected as the pain was increasing so he thought that perhaps it would good if looked for a Maester to hopefully heal him.
"I think it's turning quite nasty…" Robert admitted laughing. "Nothing too serious I'm sure."
"We should look for a Maester…" Suggest Lester. "Infections can be fatal if left untreated and frankly it looks nasty…"
"Maybe…" Robert nodded, it was hurting quite a lot so perhaps it would be better that way. "Anything else?"
"We lost nearly five thousand men against Randyll Tarly." Said Lord Grandison. "Our army has been considerably weakened."
"I'm still sure we could have won against Tarly." Robert retorted. "Still…you are right…we took a heavy toll and I'm sorry for it."
Lord Grandison sighed. "At least we still have the bulk of our army which we can reform," he said. "But it's not going to be easy from now on."
"No, it won't." Robert agreed.
"MILORD!" Called one of the scouts he sent, his horse was almost dying from the hard ride he proved was forced to make. "Milord, I saw a huge army coming by the Gold Road in this direction."
"Whose banners?" Asked Narbert Grandison.
"I saw two griffins, sea horses, salmons, knights and porcupines amongst them." The scout explained.
"Connington…" Robert murmured bitterly. "The fucker is coming after us…"
"What are we to do Robert?" Questioned Lester worriedly. "We don't know how many men they have…"
"They can certainly surpass our numbers by a large margin…" Added Lord Horpe.
"We should make a stand!" Pushed forward Lord Tarth, all pumped up. "Like the Stormlanders we are!"
"And die?" Dismissed Lord Grandison. "Don't count me in."
"You are a coward Grandison!" Barked Lord Kellington.
"And you are a dimwitted fool!"
"ENOUGH!" Robert commanded and both lords back down and scoffed, pissed. "I can't continue without seeing a Maester, so I will ride to Stoney Sept which will probably the closest place I can find one."
"Alone?" Lester interjected.
"Yes." Robert nodded. "The rest of the army will go under Lord Swann and Lord Penrose to Riverrun."
"Why Riverrun of all places?" Asked Lord Grandison confused.
"It's the likely place that Lord Arryn and Lord Eddard will go since Lord Tully seemed to have a good relationship with Lord Arryn before this all begin." Explained Robert.
"And what if they capture you, My Lord?" Inquired the Silveraxe.
"They won't," Robert assured with a cocky smile. "I won't let them."
"Goodluck Robert." Wished Lester and soon all the lords did the same.
They waited until Connington's scouts spot them to split up and going on their separate ways, Robert hoped that Connington's army would follow him and that Ned and Jon would come for him otherwise, he might be done for…
Eddard Stark
Riverrun, Riverlands, Year 282 AC
The castle of Riverrun stood right in front of Ned as he dismounted his horse. Beside him came Jon, Elbert, Willam, Jon Umber and many more lords while behind them came two huge armies.
He had met them by the Crossroad Inn where Jon and his men had been camped for three days extra and now they came to hopefully bring Lord Tully to their side.
He was lying if said that he wasn't nervous because he clearly...it was his first major diplomatic engagement as in Moat Cailin he was talking mostly to friends or known people, here he was talking to a Great Lord which he knew little.
"I have a bad feeling…" Confessed Jon.
"Why?" Ned asked confused.
"I don't know…" Admitted Jon. "We were on the same side but now I just don't know what he is planning…"
"You must be overreacting uncle." Dismissed Elbert. "Surely Lord Tully wouldn't betray us when he can be traced to your plot."
"It doesn't hurt being prepared to every situation," Jon said while glancing his nephew. "You should learn that."
"I…I will…"
"Ned just to be sure pick two loyal men to take and two to stay outside commanding your troops ready to intervene." Jon instructed.
"Do you really think it will come to that?" Questioned Ned aghast as he was for the lord had to be insane to try anything against them.
"I like to be prepared." Jon said.
"Then I guess I will take Howland and Mark with me and leave Willam and Jon Umber in control of the army."
"Fine choices, Ned," Jon said as he clapped Ned's shoulder. "Now let's go and meet that damned fish and hopefully be done with it."
"Aye."
After he told his men about the conversation he shared with Jon and they agreed to everything decided, Ned, Howland, and Mark met Jon, Elbert and Lord Hardyng and together they approached the drawbridge where the Blackfish himself was waiting.
"Lord Arryn, Lord Stark, My Lords." he said with a polite nod and a plain expression as they all shook hands.
"Ser Brynden, I believe you know why we are here?" Began Jon.
"I sure do, Lord Arryn." The Blackfish replied with a cocky smile. "My brother is already waiting in the Great Hall."
"Then let us not make him wait." Concluded Jon. "We will follow you."
"Of course."
Ser Brynden led them inside, Ned noticed many of the soldiers glancing them with wary looks…Then inside the triangular Great Hall was Lord Tully seated writing in some papers, surrounded on both sides by two very beautiful women of red hair and deep blue eyes and equal dresses, there was also a kid with the same coloring next to his older sister. The Lord saw them and quickly smiled.
"Jon and I believe Eddard Stark!" The man said as he got up in order to shake their hands. "Welcome to my humble home of Riverrun."
"It's always a pleasure to visit, Hoster," Jon said with a dismissive look. "But alas we have very pressing concerns to settle."
"Of course, of course." Lord Tully agreed. "Let us start the negotiations right away then. I want a marriage between you and my daughter Lysa."
As soon as the smallest of the two redheads heard this she began making sick faces, Ned loved Jon as a father but he was way too old for such a young girl…
"So this is what you have been waiting for, heh?" Jon inquired with a smirk. "I had a feeling that it was this but I didn't want to believe it."
"Life is complicated Jon." Lord Tully remarked plainly whilst shrugging his arms. "My daughter is in need of a husband, you can't blame me for wanting to see her married."
"What if instead of me, it's my nephew who marries her?" Inquired Jon, slightly pissed.
"Well…he is the heir of the Vale…and if you father no more children…"
"I don't wish to marry again." Jon quickly said.
"Then I guess we have a deal."
Ned watched the girl and she seemed much happier than when her father proclaimed his intention, Elbert himself seemed taken by her as well…
"Now…Lord Eddard, shall we now discuss your marriage to my Catelyn?"
Wait, what? "Excuse me?"
"Your father promised me that my Catelyn would be Lady Paramount of the North." Explained the Tully lord.
"Yes but my brother is still alive." Ned countered.
"And for how long I ask?" Enquired the lord. "I don't one is expected to live long in the Black Cells, especially with King Aerys as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms…"
"He is still alive."
"My daughter will not marry a man who has been sentenced to die and most of all, can't think straight." Lord Tully kept insisting.
"I'm a married man, My Lord," Ned explained. "I'm sorry but I can't do it."
"Married?" Inquired the Riverlord surprised with the news. "To whom?"
"I married Lady Ashara Dayne at Winterfell a couple of moons ago."
The lord began laughing quite loudly. "You married a Dayne?" he said. "A Dornishwoman who is certainly acting as a spy to undermine you? Are the Starks so ignorant?"
That pissed him a lot. "My Lord, I have been nothing but politely towards you," he stated as he clenched his fists. "But I will not have you insult my wife!"
Ned felt a hand rest on his shoulder, it was Jon's… "Calm down Ned." he soothed before he turned towards the Tully lord. "The Northmen have been proudly applauding Eddard's marriage and there is even an eye witness, I'm sure one marriage is enough to…"
"It's not!" Lord Tully countered, angrily. "Catelyn was promised the title of Lady Paramount of the North and she will be exactly that, and her husband will not be a dimwitted fool who runs into a viper's nest screaming kill me!"
Ned was boiling with anger with all this crap. "My Lord, my brother is alive and I'm married," Ned said as he turned towards Lady Catelyn. "Lady Catelyn is beautiful and I will not deny it but she will not be my wife."
"Set the Dornishwoman aside!" Lord Tully demanded, clearly showing signs of despair. "The Dornish has most likely slept with more men than you, she is not fit to be Lady of the North."
Ned hit the lord's desk angrily. "I'M TIRED OF YOU DISRESPECTING MY WIFE IN SUCH A CRUDE AND VILE MANNER!" he barked. "I WILL NOT DISRESPECT HER, NOR MY BROTHER OR YOUR DAUGHTER!"
"SET HER ASIDE NOW!" The Lord insisted one more time.
"Hoster, what the fuck is the matter with you?" Asked the Blackfish aghast. "Are you hearing the bullshit you are saying? The boy is married for fuck sake!"
"SHUT UP!" Lord Tully hissed. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAKING, YOU THAT REFUSED TO MARRY BETHANY REDWYNE!"
"This again?" The Blackfish inquired. "She was lovely but I didn't wish to marry."
"YOU DISRESPECTED ME!"
"That was years ago, leave the boy out of this!"
"GUARDS SEIZE THEM!" The trout lord shouted and Ned was captured along with his companions.
"This is an outrage!" Barked Elbert.
"Hoster, what the fuck…"
"I'm going to deliver these two traitorous lords to the King." Lord Tully concluded, bitterly. "This is the last time that someone will look down on House Tully!"
Jon began laughing in a weird manner. "Do you seriously think that by delivering us to the Mad King that he will spare you?"
"It's none of your concern."
"Then you will find out the hard the way that he will not," Jon said. "He will give you the fairest of trials like he did to Rickard."
"We will see about it."
"Hoster this is madness!" Interjected Ser Brynden. "You got a marriage with the Arryns and Brandon Stark can very well be freed after we take the capital!"
"I'm done waiting for ungrateful fools!" Lord Tully barked indignantly. "All the betrothals are nulled!"
"Father!" Interjected Lady Catelyn aghast. "You can't do this to me!"
"Hoster, there are some fifty thousand men outside this castle for fuck sake." Announced the Blackfish. "We have less than two hundred here, they smash our walls with a day, this is suicide!"
"I can do what I want, and Riverrun will stand proudly as it stood for thousands of years!"
"You lost your wits have you not?"
"I have not."
"Ser Brynden is right, Hoster." Said Jon. "Our men will know that we were captured and will take precautions and then I will feel pity for the innocent."
"We will see who laughs later, Jon." Lord Tully said with a cocky smirk. "And it will be me. Take them away!"
For God's sake can't we simply have luck for once? Gods be damned…Ashara…
Oh boy, what just happened at Riverrun? Things are not looking well for the Rebels at all...
I would like to thank all the reviews regarding my last chapter, I'm glad people accepted the way it went and for the support.
I do have a few I wish to spend some time on:
The guest who said it's crap and she is 14, I assume you mean that she is underage? She would be in our standards but in the middle ages she was not and besides, people didn't really care about age, when a city was sacked, I doubt they would leave the children alone for as much as it bothers me.
To Swarthyness, thank you for the suggestions to make the battles scenes better, I will try my very best to incorporate those suggestions in the future battle scenes. Regarding why not Rhaegar POV, well you have a valid point, I wanted to do in Lyanna's POV because I wanted the readers to have that "No, don't do it!" reaction that you had and to show her waking up to the mess she was doing and to show her grief. I have been foreshadowing Rhaegar's obsession with the prophecy in his past POVs where he thinks about it and then on Elia.
Once again thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day.
