Author's Notes: Here's chapter 3 and I hope that you enjoy reading this.
The Seven Kingdoms during King Rhaegar's Reign, by Jon Stewart. Mjolnir: Storm Publishing, 1518. 565pp. Notes, index, bibliography. Paper, $29.51. SN-06345-18659-68123.
Pgs. 156 – 160
When Rhaegar received word of his father's death, he entered King's Landing determined to restore the city to its pre-siege activity and bring back trade into King's Landing once more. But before he can implement all of his plans, he decided to first strip the city garrison of its weapon and sent them home.
During the siege of King's Landing, the late King Aerys saw that he was woefully outnumbered five to one and in order to feel more secure and comfortable, he declared every able-bodied man in the city to take arms and defend the besieged city.
Due to the blockade and subsequent end of the trade that it caused, the most affected was the dockworkers and small-time merchants. This resulted in them becoming the first set of people to join the garrison and for their trouble, they were paid four stags per week.
But as more men started to lose their jobs and professions, many more joined hoping to gain coin to feed themselves and their families which lead to the price of food like bread and grain to rise up as a result due to the influx of gold and the decrease of food supplies.
It was during this period of the siege that led bakers to become the most despised inhabitants of the city when some bakers were caught adding sawdust to the bread that they were selling. Smuggling and crimes arose until the King took some extreme actions to curb anything that can lead to dissidence.
He ordered all grain and other types of food in the city to be confiscated and put under royal supervision and to be supplied to the men who volunteer for the defense of the city. Thus, any volunteers that worked on the garrison were paid one pound of grain and radish per day, making food as the de-facto currency of the besieged city and resulting in copper, silver and gold coins to be almost worthless.
Upon ending the service of over forty thousand men without immediately finding a way to compensate the volunteer garrison men or setting up ways of returning them back to their previous occupations, Rhaegar had left four-in-five residents of King's Landing to starve.
Rhaegar's actions though were opposed by the High Septon, an old and stoic man who've endeared himself into the populace during the siege. When an outbreak of Pale Mare started to spread in the city, he led many of the Faith to go to the areas affected by the Pale Mare and nurse them back into health, leading mass prayers and sermons and donating food and clothes to those who are affected by the Pale Mare
The Faith also cooperated with the Gold Cloaks, with them quarantining the areas that were infected and the Faith doing the containment of the disease thus resulting in the outbreak to be kept to a minimum.
The morning after Rhaegar entered the city, the old High Septon begged the new King outside the Red Keep to not end the grain subsidies that was implemented by the former King but this was met with vague promises that the King refused to clarify when the High Septon asked for clarification.
At the same time, rumors began to circulate that the King has married Lyanna Stark and Cersei Lannister. Many initially thought that Rhaegar kept Lyanna as his mistress and Cersei as his own lover but when the rumors were confirmed that Rhaegar was married to the two of them, many angry voices spoke out their opinion on King Rhaegar.
Led by the High Septon, many of the city's inhabitants went to the Red Keep to protest the actions of King Rhaegar but this time, they were met with silence. Frustrated that they were being ignored by the King, they left vowing to return the next day with the High Septon taking an oath that he would not put a crown on an another Maegor.
When the sun rose up the next day, the inhabitants of the city woke up to hear that the High Septon has died during the night and like Wildfire, rumors begun to quickly spread with the main one being that the King has ordered for the High Septon's death. What many didn't realize though was that the High Septon was suffering from the Pale Mare for quite some time, a secret that he kept in order to maintain their morale high during the siege but was eventually told to the new High Septon on his deathbed and was later used to address the people of King's Landing.
With the city being on the verge of anarchy, Rhaegar made plans to start handing out grains to the city's inhabitants as a way of showing to them that he intends to keep his promise that he made on the late High Septon. The plan was supported by the King's confidants until the new High Septon stepped in and convinced the King that while taking such an action would fix it in the short-term, it wouldn't bring him any benefits in the long-run.
Instead, the High Septon told the King that he should wait for a week for the annual Mother's Day and crown himself, then use that as an excuse to hand out the grains. Rhaegar agreed and the initial plan was delayed for a week. While many in the King's confidants protested against the High Septon's words, the King had the final say and he agreed with it.
In order to stop any uprising that might occur in the day proceeding his coronation, he ordered a sizable portion of the army – mainly Westerlanders and Riverlanders – to garrison the city.
While their presence has suppressed much of the initial discontent against the King, the days prior the coronation was mired by violence against the people of King's Landing. Many were robbed, tortured and raped while the commanders of the men turned a blind eye on the situation. Despite having the same King, the besiegers believed that this was their chance to finally let out the stress that was accumulated towards the besieged.
The violence was not the worst part of the Occupation but rather its worse part was that the soldiers feasted on the granaries that were denied to the inhabitants of the city.
As hunger gripped the populace, the disease that was initially contained by the Gold Cloaks rapidly spread. Starting from the Dragon Pit, where it was contained and the Riverlander's garrison, it rapidly spread from the Pit into Flea Bottom. From there, it quickly spread out throughout the entire city.
The new High Septon did nothing to alleviate or even combat the disease and as such, people started to listen to fanatics that preached to them that the Gods have abandoned the city and how they must cleanse all of its abominations.
As the discontent grew, more people protested the King's inability to respond to the disease's threat. Their response would be met with silence and on two days before Mother's Day, an angry mob dragged the High Septon out of a pillow house and tore him apart with their bare hands.
This would be the last feather that would break the horse's back and on the eve of King Rhaegar's coronation, the people of King's Landing raided the armory of the Gold Cloaks and brutally murdered the garrison that was stationed there.
Stannis I – 284 AC
When Robert returned back home, Stannis was expecting Robert to be his usual self: a drunkard, blunt at his words and apathetic towards him and Renly. Ever since their parent's death, Robert drunk a lot more and became more distant.
He always refers to his friend, Eddard when he sends his letters and it made him angry due to the fact that Robert considers him more as a brother than his real ones. So of course, Stannis has many reasons to hate him.
And when he saw him at the gates of Storm's End, laughing and regaling the troops of his time during at the Vale, he expected him to be the same person that he was four years ago. And he is, but he also changed.
Stannis could safely say that he isn't good at reading other people but when it comes to Robert, he's proficient at knowing his state of mind. Thus, when he saw him at the gates, he immediately noticed that something in him changed.
The way his eyes became more focused and sharper, his interactions with his soldiers and his jovial attitude becoming more of a façade. He was surprised when he called them to his solar and the first thing that he did was to give a hug.
Obviously, Renly was giggling at Robert's hug while Stannis is evaluating his action. He made no show of rejecting his hug. Even though he didn't want it, he doesn't want to say that he likes it.
After that event, they chatted for a while: Robert asking how they've been, playing with Renly and becoming a brother towards them.
Then out of nowhere, Robert announced that Stannis would have to marry. At first, he was indignant and you can't blame him, it was so sudden. After being calmed, Robert started to explain his plan on remaking Stormlands.
That was two years ago. Now, he was the new Lord of Summerhall and married to Allynne Grandison, an elegant, outspoken woman who doesn't hide her opinions when Stannis makes a mistake and he appreciates it.
When Stannis first arrived at Summerhall, he saw its walls being overcome by nature's touch and its famous garden burnt into the ground. At the beginning, Stannis was apprehensive because he didn't believe that it can be rebuilt back to its former glory but with Robert's newly acquired funds due to his inventions – he still doesn't know where he'd gotten that type of knowledge – they were able to rebuilt Summerhall in under two years, just in time for Robert's marriage to Mylenda Caron, a house whose dedication to the Storm Lords can only be rivaled by the Tarth and Estermont.
Ever since the announcement of Robert's betrothed being married to King Rhaegar, Robert immediately searched for a new wife and he was picky about it. It took him about six months before he settled for his current wife, Mylenda Caron.
"Well, it seems that Lord Baratheon is having fun with his new wife, dear." Allynne quietly said to Stannis, causing him to grunt in agreement.
"It's a good thing that we've managed to finish rebuilding Summerhall in time otherwise we would've had their marriage in the fields and we don't want that to happen." Allynne continued while slipping her hand to Stannis, causing him to grip it in response.
They sat still for a while, looking at the vassals that've come to the marriage of his brother. He isn't surprised when everyone but the Stormlords didn't come, considering that King Rhaegar is still busy on bringing peace to the capital.
His thoughts were interrupted by Allynne leaning into his ear.
"With everyone still enjoying Lord Baratheon's marriage, we should… slip for a while. Don't you think, My Lord?" Allynne seductively whispered into his hear.
Stannis couldn't agree more.
House Stark as of the Year 296 AC
Warden of the North and Lord Paramount of the North: Rickard Stark
Spouse: Lyarra Stark – Dead in 275 AC due to Natural Causes
- Heir of the North: Brandon 'Wild Wolf' Stark – Born in 262 AC
Spouse: Catelyn Stark née Tully – Born in 265 AC
Children of Brandon Stark:
- Rickard Stark – Born in 283 AC
Betrothed: Wylla Manderly – Born in 284 AC
- Eddard Stark – Born in 284 AC
Betrothed: Alys Karstark – Born in 284 AC
- Lyarra Stark – Born in 286 AC
Betrothed: Cley Cerwyn – Born in 286 AC
- Ethan Stark – Born in 290 AC
- Bennard Stark – Born in 294 AC
- Sansa Snow – Born in 284 AC
Betrothed: Gawen Glover – Born in 285 AC
- Arya Snow – Born in 285 AC
- Alysanne Snow – Born in 289 AC
- Artos Snow – Born in 291 AC
- Beron Snow – Born in 293 AC
- Castellan of Harrenhal: Eddard 'Quiet Wolf' Stark – Born in 263 AC
Spouse: Ashara Stark née Dayne – Born in 264 AC
Children of Eddard Stark:
- Robb Stark – Born in 286 AC
Betrothed: Joanna Mallister – Born in 285 AC
- Robar Stark – Born in 288 AC
Betrothed: Bethany Blackwood – Born in 289 AC
- Rodrik Stark – Born in 290 AC
- Rickon Stark – Born in 292 AC
- Alys Stark – Born in 295 AC
- Lyanna Targaryen née Stark – Born in 266 AC
Spouse: King Rhaegar I Targaryen
Children of Lyanna Targaryen née Stark:
- Lord of Harrenhal: Jaehaerys Targaryen – Born in 286 AC
Betrothed: Celia Tully – Born in 286 AC
- Princess Visenya Targaryen – Born in 290 AC
- Lord of Westbay: Benjen 'Direfang' Stark – Born in 267 AC
Spouse: Jonelle Stark née Cerwyn – Born in 269 AC
Children of Benjen Stark:
- Barthogan Stark – Born in 287 AC
Betrothed: Brenda Waterman – Born in 286 AC
- Roger Stark – Born in 290 AC
- Beron Stark – Born in 292 AC
