An- smaller chapter toady and updates might be rarer due to exams starting but I will make an effort.
Clara Cailin, Lady of the Moat, Moat Cailin, 302.
Clara was in the nursery with her children, she was telling them the tory of Edrik Cailin or the young breaker as he's known in the north.
"When Theon Stark called the banners to kill the andals that landed at Widows Watch Edricks father left to bring his troops to his liege Lord, when Theon Stark sailed across the Narrow sea to kill the Andals for what they did to the north the Andals in the south saw this as the perfect time to rape and pillage the north, They had learned that the North was guarded by a ten year old and his 5,000 warriors. The Andals attacked the Moat with 200,000 people, that's more people than live in the city!"
"Really mommy, The city is huge!" exclaimed little Lya while her 5 year old brother just looked confused.
"How can 5,000 beat 200,000?" he asked.
"Because these were warriors of the moat, and the Moat has never fallen. We Cailins are the best warriors in all the world and we must never let the Moat fall." she told them. " Anyway little Edrik held theMoat for 2 weeks and killed 140,000 andals, then he got reinforcements from Winterfell and the Andals Broke against our walls."
"When I grow up I will be the best Warriors in all the world like you mommy." Said Lya.
"No I will." said Ned stubbornly.
"You can both be, the important thing is you stick together and hold the Moat at any cost, we are charged by the Gods themselves to hold it thousands of years ago." she told them and they nodded enthusiastically.
Much has happened in the past few years. In the North Robb Stark had married Alys Karstark and had a son called Theon after the hungry wolf, Sansa had married Rodrik Dustin heir to the barrowlands, and Brandon was betrothed to Wynafred Manderly and would take the Maderly name as she was the heir. The Cassels were made Lords of the dreadfort and Beth Cassel had been betrothed to Clara 's cousin Daryn to cement an alliance. She and Brandon had not had any more Children but Arya had come to foster with her much to Lady Catelyn's annoyance and her happiness. Arya was now very proficient with a sword and spear, not near as good as her but she was still very good. Eddard has started to learn to fight already and enjoyed it immensely, he was also taking lessons with his sister on basic tactics, geography, houses and geography, Clara and Brandon would teach them themselves as is custom in the Moat.
In the south tensions were rising. The king had stupidly allowed Margery Tyrell to marry Viseys and their only Son had been betrothed to Jon Arryn's daughter, while the crown prince had married both his sisters. Jon Arryn had died, his only son Robert had become Lord of the Eyrie with his Mother Lysa as regent, who was by all accounts, mental. The Cailins unlike most Northerners were very proficient at the 'game' as they called it, after all they had to protect the North and there's more than one way to attack it, Politics and intrigue both things they needed to protect it from. She knew there was more to it than that and that a Civil war was coming with the King's death which had been on the decline recently, but now her liege Lord was to be dragged into it, Jon Arrys last act was to recommend his foster Son as hand and the King was on his way North along with the entire court. Clara was for the first time in a long time, nervous.
"The king will be here in an hour." Said Bran as he walked in, her and him had fallen in love after the birth of their son and theirs was a very happy marriage.
"Come little finnan's (Soldiers/warriors in old tongue), we must get ready for our esteemed guest's." she said, picking Lya up. All her bannermen had come to the Moat for the royal visit, they were the only guests truly welcome in the Moat. She sent the children and went to find Jon, she found him beating a dummy with a training sword.
"You know, there's a merchant in the city who speaks of his daughter's talent with a paintbrush, I'm sure she'd be happy to give the dummy purple eyes and silver hair if you so wished." she said walking up behind him, he turned and smiled at her.
"I might go visit her, though I doubt Lyra would like it." Jon had married Lyra Mormont after he was granted his keep at the east mouth of the Canal. His house controlled who passed through on that side of the canal.
"No I don't think she would." She smiled then her face darkened "Come the King arrives soon." No one ever called him Jon's father, Jon was a Northerner and everyone knew it.
"Aye, my lady"
Princess Visenya Targaryen, The Death Road, Outside the Moat 302.
Princess Visenya Targaryan had never known her mother, and a small part of her was thankful for that, by all accounts she was mad, while Visenya was much calmer, Funnily enough it was her sister Rhae who was more like the Visenya, the conqueror's wife while she was more like Rhaenys of old. When she and Rhae first learned they were to marry their arrogant brother they were distraught and angry at their father, he was obsessed with some prophecy of old and married them because "The Dragon must have 3 heads".
Now though they were on the death road, and my god was it aptly named, they felt like they were being watched from the swamps at all times and she could imagine the andals marching up this road being harassed by the Cranogmmen and men of the Fingers. There was no way through the swaps and they had to go up this road. It was specifically designed to be narrow and funnel attackers. The neck alone was a thing of nightmares for Attackers. Suddenly a huge fortress with 20 towers came into view. The stone walls looked to be 4 Meters thick, Scorpions, catapults and helmets of defenders could be seen on the top of the walls and in the towers. It was a Narrow pass that only 100 men at a time could attack and the gates were no better. Made of Extremely thick Ironwood which was as strong as iron had a Design on it. On one side was a Man in armour with a Shield in one hand and a spear in the other which crossed the spear in the hands of the Armoured woman who had a babe in one hand and a spear in the other, there were Ruins on the walls in the Old Tongue, she would have to ask someone about them. There was a moat surrounding the walls that seemed full of Lion Lizard's and only thin wooden bridge that could be lowered to allow access. It was a complete death trap and would be impossible to take even without the crannogmen that would be harassing you in the back, poisoning your supplies and making your life hell.
"I would rather pull my own eyes out then attack this fortress." said Ser Jamie, her sworn kingsguard and uncle.
"Aye, it's impossible to take even if it was Levy's who manned the walls." Gulped Loras Tyrell a new Knight of the Kingsgaurd.
"Pfft you are all carvens, give me 20,000 men and I could take it in a day." Said her husband and brother arrogantly, She hated him, the only good thing he ever did for her was get her and her sister pregnant. They hadn't told anyone yet though.
"Euron Greyjoy thought the same and he was killed by an eight year old girl who is currently the lady of this castle." Said their father
"A few savage Northmen and an arrogant bitch who refuses a dragon as a husband dont scare me." he replied
"They should, I saw Martyn Cailin cut through 200 Ironbron at pyke with that magical spear of theirs, and I heard Lady Clara did the same to the Blton men to get to Roose Bolton and killed him and a sellsword commander single handedly" Said Ser Arthur Dayne.
Aegon would have continued to be an idiot but they had reached the Gates.
"WHO SEEKS TO PASS THE MOAT THIS DAY?" asked a heavily armoured guard from the walls.
"KING RHAEGAR TARGARYEN, OPEN THE GATES FOR YOUR KING." Shouted Ser Barristen Lord commander of the Kingsgaurd. It took a while but eventually were let through the thick wooden gates, but to their shock the defences did not end their, it was in fact a curtain walled castle and the gates opened into a small courtyard that was surrounded on all sides by the same type of walls with archers and scorpions aiming at it. There was no cover and it was an even bigger death trap with again only one entrance into the main keep which they traveled into.
They entered a much larger but no less defended courtyard where the keep came into view, the castle personal was lined out on their sides, but the Royal company barely saw them, all eyes were looking at the base of the keep where probably the most beautiful family she had ever seen stood. In front sood two young children, a handsome young boy with ink black hair, pale skin and bright golden eyes, his sister looked the exact same, it was clear she would be a beauty, it was strange both wore boiled leather armour with a dagger at their waist. Behind them stood a young man with brown hair and blue-grey eyes, he was in armour made of a plate chest piece, chainmail and boiled leather with fur on the neck line for warmth, he was handsome but even he was outshined by his wife. Lady Cailin looked to be the most beautiful person Visnenya had ever seen. And she was a Targaryen! She wore armour similar to her husband but hers was tighter fit and somehow only only brought more attention to her ample curves instead of hiding them like armour should.
After a while they all kneeled after their Lady did, although no one failed to note how hesitant it was.
"Rise all" said her father clearly expecting the cool welcome."
"Thank you, your grace, you and your family are oh so welcome here." she said not even attempting to disguise her sarcasm.
"Yes we could tell, what with all those weapons pointed at us as we came in." Said her brother.
Someone on the walls shouted something in a language they didn't understand but the entire courtyard burst out laughing apart from Lady Cailin who only cracked a smile.
"Oh do share the joke." Said her sister clearly a bit angry.
"She said that the last time this many andals came to our walls they attacked." Said Lord Cailin, still smiling. Visenya and Rhaenys cracked a smile at that. Though their brother didn't find it funny.
"So you are the savage your whore wife picked over a prince off the blood" he sneered and the courtyard immediately went tense. Suddenly someone on the wall started laughing, and that set the rest of them off.
"I think you have overstayed your welcome here Prince Aegon" Said Lady Cailin with a sugary sweet smile at him, The Royal court gaped at her, It was unheard off to deny a prince welcome.
"My Lady my son meant no offence, he will apologize." Said their father.
"I'm sure he will, but alas I don't want to hear his voice or see his face within my walls." She said, still smiling.
"Come, my lady, let's not make any hasty decisions." he replied.
"Your right, Prince Aegon can have a tent in the Red Courtyard." She said and the Northerners laughed again. "Lord Whitestark, why don't you go show your brother to his… accommodations." She said smiling.
"That arrogant little boy in no brother of mine, My lady." Said a young man. Visneya's breath was taken away. This was her brother that was abandoned by her father simply because he wasn't a girl, because he wasn't Visenya.
"Alas he is." She replied as if it was the most tragic thing in the world. Eventually they were allowed inside the keep though Agon was forced to stay in a tent that was in the middle of the courtyard in between the curtain walls, She would be shocked if he could be able to sleep in that deathtrap.
Clara Cailin, Lady of the Moat, Moat Cailin, 302.
The royal family had disappeared since they arrived yesterday, Today a welcome feast would be held in their... Honour, though Aegon wouldn't be joining the celebrations his sisters would and she was looking forward to talking to them, she wanted to see what they were like, were they the same as Aegon? Or more like Jon?
She made sure to seat them on her side of the table while the King was on Brandon's side, an insult but she didn't actually care. Her children were seated beside Jon and Lyra and they were entertaining them with stories.
"My, Lady I heard that Lady Arya was fostering here, may I ask where she is?" asked the King. Queen Elia had died of sickness 4 years ago now and Rhaegar has not remarried.
"Arya was called to return to winterfell pending your visit." she said.
"I see, may I ask why she fostered here?" he asked.
"Arya had been learning to fight from me since she was 4 years old, we see each other as siblings and she wanted to stay with my children, they call her Aunt Arya, though she is only 12 years older than them."
"I see, and lord Stark allows his daughter to fight."
"She is a Northerner, she is allowed to fight if she wishes, though Lady Stark would have her be a southern Lady like her sister."
"Ah, I see."
"What about you princess Rhaenys, you are half dornish, do you fight?"
"I do, My Lady, I use a spear." she replied.
"Good, mayhaps we could spar on the morrow."
"I agree, my lady,though if half of the rumors of Cailins are true I doubt I will last long."
"Mayhaps, what of you Princess Visenya?"
"No I am more like my aunt, I prefer the more femine art's no offence my Lady."
"None taking Princess."
"My Lady, may I ask why you rejected a royal marriage?" Princess Visenya asked.
"The same reason you married your brother." she replied.
"Which is?"
"A Cailin has never married a Southerner and never will, especially not a prince who is by all account mad." She said.
"Viserys has an unfortunate temper but he is not mad." Said the king sternly
"Of course not."