Hello, everyone! I bring to you all chapter 22.
Chapter 21: Arrival of Stars and Crannogmen
Edric
"That's Moat Cailin?" He asked his cousin, it looked almost abandoned considering the emptiness of the field.
Boggy. Muddy. Wet. The North is colder and he had to double down on his furs, "Aye, sorry for the cold." Arthur apologized for the weather, chuckling as he pulled his furs close.
They traveled with haste, he borrowed the Manderly and Mallister force his fleet he brought to the Riverlands.
The plan is that House Mallister, Manderly, Blackwood, and Mormont will go by ship and sail up the Saltspear, the death of King Balon gave them leeway in this as the majority of the Ironborn fleet will have left for home.
While the Ironborn escape is shut down, House Stark, Tully, and his House with the Northern and Riverland vassals that decided to aid his cousin will lay siege to the fortress at the Neck.
"What about House Reed, will they have a part in this?" He asked Arthur who nodded, not even glancing at him.
"Lady Maege Mormont, Galbart Glover and Lord Reed will hinder them and aid our forces around the territory. Moat Cailin is an impregnable fortress, but attacked from the North and South? No, the Ironborn that hold it will fail and either surrender or flee." He nodded, choke the enemy into submission with minimal loss of life.
His people rarely fought the Ironborn, none thought that Dorne was as plunderable as the Reach or the Westerlands. None really see the beauty of Dorne, no one can appreciate how the moon and winds blow about the sands like the tide brushing the beach.
The Lord of Starfall wonders if his liege lord and Prince will allow him to return home once he is done aiding his kin, there are those who still believe him foolish for choosing to declare for Arthur, some believe that the bastard King of the Iron Throne is a Stag where he believes otherwise.
He smiled and thought to himself, he fears going home and hearing Prince Oberyn's voice because where the Red Viper goes, blood can and will surely follow.
"I wanted to thank you, again, Edric. I know we aren't exactly close- " He stopped Arthur very quickly, putting a hand on the Wolf King's shoulder.
"My aunt, our aunt, I mean- She read every letter to me, I wanted to write you and Jon but I was always too nervous to pick up a quill." He confessed and Arthur smiled, thinking it all humorous no doubt, "I've wanted to meet you and Jon for quite some time, it was one of a few reasons I came here with my men, though, I hoped my distant family in High Hermitage would have borrowed me more than 1500 men." He said with half of it being an apology to Arthur but the older men shook his head.
"No need to apologize, Edric. This war, nobody knew who would have, or will win and it's understandable that they would send only half of their men." Arthur spoke with conviction in his voice, it sounds so much like what his father and aunt Allyria had described about Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. Though, he is a little more slender than uncle Arthur, no doubt that he got it from Lord Stark. He thought as he and his cousin made their way back to camp, passing the trebuchets on the way.
Once he was alone, he sat down to write to his aunt, seeing how everyone was doing back home and if what he'd done has caused trouble with their overlord.
"Dear aunt Allyria... "
He finished the letter and wrapped it up and tied it shut before giving it to a raven which began flying South, he brought a few from home as they prepared for their voyage.
"Sending letters home?" He turned around and saw Lady- Princess Arya standing not far from the entrance. He chuckled and scratched his head before nodding.
"To my aunt, I said I would write to her as often as I can." Arya smiled, appreciative of his caring attitude, "Walking around before the men go to battle? I'd assume you'd want to rest." He guessed that a Lady would want that rather than wander around camp in the middle of the night.
Arya shook her head no, it left him quite confused until she spoke, then he became shocked.
"I am joining the battle, tomorrow." She said and he was left astounded by her intention, though he isn't surprised that she'd want to participate in any battle.
Women in Dorne weren't shy maids, they didn't fear or feel wrong about picking up a spear and fight. He just didn't expect the North to have that kind of woman, and a highborn one at that. Consider me impressed, another thing that makes Dorne and the North the same besides the bloodthirst against all enemies. He thought with a wide smirk on his face.
"Then I hope to see your blade with more blood than my spear, Princess." He wished he could take back what he said, Arya smacked him in the arm rather hard. "Wh- What was that for?" He asked and she huffed and stood tall.
"I am not a Princess or a Lady, I am Arya of the House Stark, just Arya and nothing else!" She said so with such a hard tone, her eyes glimmering like steel swords. She stormed off and he chuckled to himself, the North again surprises him with how alike his and the Starks countries are.
It makes him excited to see it all for himself, rolling hills and barrows and forests compared to the dunes, red mountains, and shores of Dorne.
Oberyn
Preying eyes of darkness watched the little lioness wander around the Water Gardens with his nephew and future Prince of Dorne.
Future? Not the right word for it, He is a Prince. A smirk ran across as he turned away from the sight to hear the rest of his brother and the Maester's conversation.
Oberyn Martell often ran from ruing anything, he enjoyed his freedom and the free time with his children and paramour, Ellaria. He also is loyal, at his brother's beck and call whenever he has need of him, and, this is one of those times that he is called upon.
"Prince Doran, I urge you to make an example of House Dayne's offense, the Lannister's will expect it." He grunted and that scared the Maester, the fool backed up and got a good two feet from his brother who relaxed.
He never trusts many but his family, his children, his brother, his nephew, and paramour. Everyone else is a stranger or servant to him, they have been since his sister and her two children were betrayed and murdered before they could live.
"I respect Edric for making such a bold move, going so far for his cousins in the North." He admired the young Lord of Starfall, though choosing to declare for House Stark was a poor choice.
House Stark. They were one of the Great Families that declared for Robert in the Rebellion, not that he can blame them, Aerys had burned Rickard and forced Brandon to choke himself to death. He resented the Wolves for their part in the rebellion, and for Lyanna Stark seducing Rhaegar to leave his wife and children at a bad time.
Years later, the Starks faced treachery themselves when Ned Stark was beheaded for treason, whether it is true or not. Stark's sons launched a revolt to avenge him, even slaying a few of Tywin's cousins and nephews, even marking the 'King' with a spear.
The happiest achievement was when he heard of Gregor's death at the hands of Lord Stark's bastard son. A name I will remember and be envious of... Arthur Snow, or Sand considering where he was born. He chuckled and imagined the look on the Mountain's face as he faces death.
The Mountain was killed by a Dornishman, half a Dornishman but one nonetheless. Elia was avenged and so was Rhaenys and Aegon.
"Brother, you are thoughtful, care to offer advice on these new situations." He sighed and crossed his arms, eyeing his older brother with a hard stare.
"I say support Edric. Rally our people and join the fight, choose any King you wish but as long as the enemies are Tywin and his people." It could be his craving for vengeance or perhaps he is aching to test his skills in battle once more but one thing never changes.
It is true, Gregor raped his sister, bashed his nephew against a wall and Rhaenys killer was slain in the dark at Harrenhal. They aren't the culprits, the man who ordered it sits Joffrey's throne when the Boy-King is off making mad decisions. The Hand of the King is the one who made the decision to murder his family just as it was no doubt his decision that brought about the Red Wedding that nearly left the Starks decimated.
Doran looked at him with sympathy, "Gregor Clegane is dead. Amory Lorch is dead. Tywin is nearing sixty and five, he won't live long and not with the Starks still fighting them." He huffed in frustration, thinking that his brother has played the dutiful vassal to the Usurper's reign long enough. "My son is to marry Joffrey's sister, how can I force Myrcella to turn on her kin or have my grandchildren remember their father and great-uncle had destroyed known kin?" A scoff escaped him, his brother has to be this way.
"Leave us, chain-man." He commanded the Maester who scurried off a moment later, "Send her home, break the betrothal and allow me to lead our armies North and destroy Tywin, let me get my vengeance and- " His brother cut him off.
"You and many want blood, brother. I regret not giving it to you but Lord Dayne has left mistrust between us and the Iron Throne, Tywin would know of our intentions before we've assembled a thousand men." He hates it when Doran is right, even when he wishes it was right. "I have a plan, brother, things just need to be in our favor... And so it has already come, here." He furrowed his brows, taking the letter from his brother and the wax had the lion on it.
"A royal wedding invitation? They want us in their city and at their table?" He asked his brother who shook his head no, "They want you?" Doran nodded.
"They want someone they could capture without resistance, they want a hostage... But I am not going, you might get your vengeance if you place your cards right." He smirked widely as he thought about what he could do to Tywin when he goes there.
"If I am going, then I'll need an extra hand at my side." He hinted to his brother who sighed.
"... Very well, I will send a raven to High Hermitage and have Darkstar ready for a journey."
The vipers are coming, Tywin Lannister, and you should be frightened when he and his party arrive.
Sansa
The gardens have been more of a home than anything these days.
She's spent a lot of time thinking about how much of a horrid person she was, betraying her father, alienating Arthur, and Jon when they were children. She would cry as she remembered the night her father and brother left, Arthur wanted to stay and get her but she knew it would lead to their deaths.
She doesn't hate him, not for leaving her and not for trying to protect her, especially when she was so oblivious to Joffrey's true side.
Gods, and I was going to let him and Arya get hurt... Arthur DID get hurt and I could have stopped it. She breathed heavily as she picked at her food, she wasn't even hungry and yet, she was.
She felt the eyes of her husband on her, she wanted to laugh at the word as she was supposed to be married to a King, then to the heir of Highgarden and now, she is a Lannister, wife of the Imp.
Tyrion, she knows he is a good man, more good than the rest of them but he is still apart of the family that had her father arrested and nearly executed for treason. He is family to those who attacked her mother's homeland. Tyrion is son to the man who no doubt orchestrated the event that everyone is calling the Red Wedding, the very same that killed her elder brother, her mother and from some reports, her own nephew or niece.
"Sansa, you need to eat." She shook her head, "Food will help, it always helped me when I was upset." Tyrion chuckled but it only served to make her more upset, especially at herself.
"You know I see them, every night, when I am sleeping or trying to sleep or think." She can picture it, as sad as it is. She can see the shock of her brother and how he was murdered or whatever happened to her mother. "I want nothing more than to go home, to leave this place and never come back." Her eyes widened as she said this, she didn't mean to and Tyrion looked at her with pity.
He nervously reached over and put a hand on her own, she tore it away the moment he touched her.
"Someday, I will take you there, I promise." He said with a lightened smile, she frowned and narrowed her eyes.
"You mean after my last two brothers and sister are dead?" He wasn't sure of what to say back to her, she shook her head and got her feet. "I am going to the godswood." She was done asking for permission, Tyrion nodded and jumped up as well.
"Yes, prayer is helpful." She wanted to scoff, tell him off with every curse she's heard her brothers and most of all Arya says.
"No, the godswood is the only place that no one talks to me." She left soon after telling Tyrion this, she rushed to the stump where the Weirwood would have been to get away from everyone she has come to despise, she hates them all.
She took a moment to look around, especially to the edge which led to a fall to the sea below. She wondered if it was more merciful for her to jump, to save her remaining family from coming to get her and die fighting the Reach and the Lannisters.
It offered a lot of benefits, one being that she would never be hurt by the King, she wouldn't hurt anymore and never cry again. One fall it would be and a moment of suffering and then she'd be with her family, with her mother and father, with her three brothers, with everyone who was harmed by the South and their ilk.
It was so tempting, she was brave enough to step near the edge, the wind was strong enough to knock her into the waves. Just another step, I am sorry, Arthur, Arya... Jon-
"What are you doing?" She turned and nearly tripped only for Dontos Hollard to reach out and bring her to safety.
"Ser Dontos? Why are you here, I thought you would have left when you failed to take me away?" She asked the fair knight though a fool now, she saved him on Joffrey's name day tourney.
He smiled and shook his head, "I have not stopped fighting to free you, my Lady, but we MUST tread softly." She reluctantly nodded.
Perhaps she will still see home.
Moat Cailin
Arthur walked over the cliff that gave him the sight of Moat Cailin. The Dread Wolf took a deep breath and unsheathed Ice, steadily holding the great-sword up.
The siege began with a rain of trebuchet shots, boulder and pitch lit on fire hit the ground and walls of the First Man fortress.
Nodding to his left, a Tully soldier blew a horn and dozens of infantry, 300 strong began marching up the only clear road. Volleys of arrows were launched from the Moat and the column of soldiers protected themselves with their shields as others carried ladders and a ram.
Stepping away and facing West, he signaled for a Stark bannerman to light a fire arrow and launch it into the sky, the day was dark enough to see it gleaming.
A mile away from the battlefield, Howland Reed led some Dayne, Mormont, his own and a dozen Stark men to sneak up the bank of the Fever River. The Lord of Greywater Watch saw from the sky the signal that Lady Dacey spoke of.
"Now." A hundred or so fire arrows left their bows and struck the remaining ten longships that the Ironborn had left at Moat Cailin, the Greyjoy retreat is now not an option for the raiders.
Up the Northern side of the Kingsroad, a force about 700 strong road hard and bore the banner of House Manderly and Cerwyn. Leading the force was none other than Galbart Glover and Maege Mormont, they looked at one another before calling out 'THE KING IN THE NORTH' and charging downhill with infantry and siege weapons following, courtesy of Lord Wyman Manderly in White Harbor.
The Ironborn fought hard enough, but their attempts to hold the Moat was fruitless as they were caught on three sides. The Dayne and Mallister fleet closed their escape, Reed and other allied forces torched their ships, both entrances of the fortress was being assaulted by their enemies, Arthur smiled as he watched men scale the fort, slipping through the cracks of the ruin and could hear the sounds of battle.
"Horse!" He called and mounted up, "Charge!" Together, the remaining forces marched down the hill and started making their way towards the fortress.
Within the Moat, Gregor Forrester, Tytos Blackwood and his son, Brynden Blackwood fought at the entrance, alongside their friends and newest allies from Dorne. The Lord of Ironrath slew three Ironborn and nodded for his son, Rodrik to help him raise the gates whilst a group of men from Deepwood Motte raised the gate from the North.
Both gates raised, the Northmen, Rivermen and Dayne soldiers flooded the castle just as the raiders did at Winterfell and killed or forced the remaining men in chains.
Arthur, Edric, Arya, and the Blackfish entered the ruin. Arya Stark dismounted and rushed up the steps that had the Greyjoy sigil, she used a sword and cut it down and unfolded a Stark dire wolf over the ledge. In response, the men within cheered and cried out 'King in the North' and 'The North Remembers', Arya smiled and whispered to herself that winter has come for House Frey and Bolton, and soon the Greyjoys.
"Moat Cailin is yours, my King!" Arthur heard Greatjon say and he nodded.
"But the fight is far from over, we will liberate each and every piece of land that the Ironborn has defiled, and oust the traitors that followed Roose Bolton or force them to their knees!" The statement was met with approval, everyone agreed with the plans going forward from here on out.
Howland Reed and the others had just entered when the King in the North made his promise, he could swear that he saw Ned in Arthur's appearance, a true man but he noticed a sadness in the younger man's eyes, also the same sadness that Ned had at the Tower of Joy.
It made the Lord of Greywater Watch remember the second reason for Maege and Galbart coming to find him, the legitimization of Jon Snow.
Jon isn't who everyone thinks he is, Ned would have everyone believe Jon was his son, one of two born from Lady Ashara Dayne. Arthur is his father's son, a little more ferocious but so was Ned when it came to family. Jon is not Ned's son but the child of his savior, Lyanna and the Last Dragon, Rhaegar Targaryen.
Now whether Jon is legitimate via marriage between the two is a matter for debate, alas, one thing is very clear, Robert would have murdered the boy if he'd known and Robb would make Jon not only a Stark... But a Targaryen and would be making the boy a claimant for the Iron Throne.
"A matter for another time, Arthur needs to be focused right now." He muttered to himself before joining the Greatjon in cheering the victory, a small but very significant one nonetheless.
That night the Northmen rested for the night, preparing for the dawn to come.
Meanwhile, a cloaked figure was riding her mare over the cliff and watched the Northern encampment be at ease. The figure removed her hood and Ashara Dayne showed a wisp of a smile before she continued down the hill and was nearing the gate before she was stopped by a Stark and Dornish warrior.
"Who are you, the North is no place for a woman alone." The Stark guard said in warning as he flashed his torch up, shining her face in the light. The Dornishman soon realized who she was and hit the other man in the arm, "What's that for!" the wounded man demanded and the other guard announced her.
"Surprised you don't know who this is... It's the Lady Ashara Dayne, back from the dead."
AN: Wow! An awesome impactful update, yeah? I hope so, anyway. So the Siege of Moat Cailin was a decisive victory for the Starks of Winterfell. Oberyn and Doran talk about current events and the deaths of their family and Gregor Clegane. Sansa contemplates her position and about her remaining siblings still fighting for their House. Then the most shocking is the arrival of Ashara Dayne!? Big reveals are coming. A surprise character reveal happened in this chapter, wonder if anyone missed it...
Let me know what yall think, would love to hear from you all.
Sparky She-Demon, Thank you, I am honored. I have great plans for Oberyn, though they truly won't come in until around Season Seven.
Metal Flash, Arthur won't be completely ruthless, Arya and Jon and many more will be a sort of anchor to bring him back from becoming Theon The Hungry Wolf reborn. There will also be those pushing for more carnage and wrath against the Norths enemies. Mya's story will be taking a different turn and will lead elsewhere when she wakes up. It was, I am going to work on making Jon's PoV's longer but it is hard because he'll mainly keep to his canon storyline until the Battle of the Wall.
CEW, Moat Cailin was a short battle but its significance is a great step for House Stark and Arthur the Dread Wolf. Ramsey Snow and Asha Greyjoy will be tricky obstacles as I am going with the books on House Greyjoy (Yes, Victarion is here, but not long) Doran and Oberyn will portray an action against House Dayne but will allow Edric to set his own course for his House.
Hear My Fury, Ramsay's importance is lowered in this story, he is his usual menace but isn't a super threat like the Greyjoy's are at the moment. Asha will follow her book counterpart along with Theon but Stannis and his group will meet Arthur after the former is dealt with. Edmure should keep the Lions at bay for now with the royal wedding of Joffrey and Margaery coming up, many of those guys will want to relax.
Nachtdemon, Yeah, I try to make them more than a thousand words but some scenes I don't want to stretch too long. Hmm, A Song of Fury and Ice is the only story where I am keeping single PoV's.