Dorne 298 AC.
Doran.
He read the letter, again and again, the offer it carried was intriguing and Doran would be a liar if he said he didn't find it so. Yet numbers were the key and so after asking for a quill, ink, and some parchment, he began to work them out. Each way he played this out in his head they just didn't have the numbers, but the offer of the marriage gave him far more than Jaehaerys did.
That the Darkstar had failed was annoying, that he'd been so overly dramatic in how he'd gone about things, Doran should have expected. Thankfully though everyone knew how he felt about Ser Gerold and so no one would look his way. Still, had the man just done the damn thing right then this would be so much easier. Putting the quill down he picked up the letter once more, reading it again as he tried to decide what to do.
Prince Doran,
I write to you with news that I hope will lift a weight that you've been carrying ever since the events in the Red Keep, during the rebellion. The truth of that day my prince is one that I've needed to keep secret for reasons you'll soon understand. Your sister Princess Elia was a brave and strong woman and she knew the dangers she faced, that her children faced.
She tried to save them both but Rhaenys was too well known to all in the Red Keep and Aegon being just a babe was far easier to switch. So with the help of Lord Varys a decision was made, if she couldn't get both her children out, then she'd ensure she got her son to safety. She'd ensure that one day he could rise and if need be avenge his mother and sister or if things played out differently, reunite with them.
Which is where I came in to play my part, Lord Varys sought my help and so I raised the boy in safety. Bringing in Jon Connington to act his protector and teacher. Always with the idea of bringing him back when the timing was right. Many times over the years I considered reaching out to you my prince, Aegon wished to see his family and I know seeing him would have brought you comfort. But even unknown as he was, the knives kept coming for your nephew and his protection was something I deemed to be more important than his wishes at that time. If you feel the need to blame someone for these lost years then I ask you to blame me and not Aegon, in this he had no choice.
Each year I planned and readied myself for the right time to bring Aegon home. I enlisted the Golden Company, ingratiated myself with the fat stag, and even went so far as to offer him up Viserys so I could be close enough to strike. The time has come my prince and I now have him where I wish. Aegon is ready to strike the final blow against the Stag and the Golden Company stands ready to strike down this pretender to his throne.
It is time to bring your family together my prince, for Aegon to reunite with his kin and for Dornish spears to rise to see the son of Princess Elia on the throne. I am ready to do whatever it is you wish of me to see it done, but Aegon's line must continue and to that end, I make you this offer. A crown for your daughter my prince, let Martell blood be united on the throne as it should be.
I await your answer in hopeful eagerness, I pray it's the right one and that it comes quickly for Aegon marches to battle with or without his kin. I'd prefer it was with them my prince, or I fear we march in vain.
Illyrio Mopatis,
Hand to his grace King Aegon Targaryen the Sixth of his Name.
He called for some wine and began to look down on the numbers once more. In the end, they were irrelevant and it would be the dragons that decided this war. His fingers began to drum against the paper, Areo standing watching silently as always. After the servant came he sipped the wine and found himself contemplating the way forward, what to do, what to do? He thought to himself as he looked at the numbers once more, the letter once again. Before he began writing frantically, the letters and the raven scroll carrying his orders to where they were needed.
He had serious doubts over the boy's legitimacy, Elia would never have sent only one of her children to safety, no matter what the letter may suggest. But he also felt a spark of hope in his chest, if it truly was his blood than shouldn't he support him, shouldn't Oberyn support his kin?. Would he though? He wasn't sure and that was why he'd taken measures just in case.
They had wished him to wave the army off, to send them off to fight for Jaehaerys with his blessing and he'd begged off. Let them think him ill or weak, or anything which would hide his true intentions. His reasons were far more political than they'd ever imagine. If he didn't send the army off personally then he could use that later if needed. Use it to explain why Oberyn was in the wrong, should his brother go against him. How he'd overstepped and how Doran had not wished them to fight for this false king. Now that he wished them to fight for Aegon it could be used when he recalled his army.
"Ask them to send Quentyn in to see me." he said to Areo and his giant guard did as he was bid.
It took a few moments for Quentyn to arrive, his son smirking when he entered the room, though it left his face when he saw his own expression.
"You wished to see me father?" Quentyn said.
"I did, it's time Quentyn," he said handing him the letters.
"Where do we march father?" Quentyn asked.
"You set sail tonight to the Stormlands, from there you march to join with the Golden Company, strike hard and fast Quentyn. Lord Yronwood is on your side?" he asked.
"He is father, the Golden Company?"
"Will contact you when you get there, go with great haste my son. Should Oberyn give you trouble." he said softly.
"I'll see my uncle is unharmed father." Quentyn said as he turned to walk to the door.
"Be careful my son, for Dorne will have need of its heir." he said and Quentyn nodded before smiling as he left.
He asked Areo to send for the Maester and handed the man the raven's scroll, telling him to send it immediately. Once the man left Areo turned to look at him, his guard obviously having something to say.
"You wish to object?" he asked.
"It's not my place to object to you, my prince, you order I follow." Areo said and Doran smiled.
"Speak your mind old friend." he said.
"Arianne, Ellaria, should they hear of this?".
"Then they'll try and have me taken prisoner, I'm well aware of what my daughter may do. I've taken steps my friend, in case they are needed." he said and Areo looked to him and nodded.
Later that day as he sat looking at the children playing in the water and allowed the sight to calm him as it always did, he wondered would he need to take those steps. Should he move first or allow Arianne to show her hand, give her the chance to prove her loyalty was to him and to no one else. For now he felt she deserved that chance, besides it was much easier to counter her moves than to show his own hand too soon.
When Areo informed him that the raven had gone and that Quentyn had left, Doran felt himself relax even more. The army was ready at Vulture's Roost, House Manwoody, Allyrion, Toland, Vaith and Santagar, not quite as strong as the army that Oberyn led but he couldn't risk the larger houses absence lest Oberyn began to suspect. They'd soon march North and into the Reach itself, and then the Dragons would cease to be a problem.
This war would end with two moves and he'd made them both now, a snake at the back of Jaehaerys army and a knife to the throat of the woman he wished to name his queen. It could all have been so much easier had Ser Gerold done his job but Doran was nothing if not resolute and he so enjoyed these games. Especially when no one truly knew which game he was playing.
Atranta 298 AC.
Edmure.
He had heard the songs, the whispers, the japes at his expense. Edmure caught with his breeches down, as if there was something wrong with going to the damn privy of all things. He Hadn't been the only one to be caught, Marq, Hugo, Karyl, all of them were caught too. They had lost five hundred men and the same in horses and had thought about going back to Riverrun, only to fear being bogged down in a siege. Edmure listening to Marq when he said that the keep could withstand one but were they there if it came, then they'd be out of the war and no use to anyone.
Now his scouts had come back to tell him that the army that was encamped at Riverrun was huge, over 20,000 men and Edmure tried not to bristle at the fact that some of them were his bannermen. Now was not the time for that, instead, he needed to come up with a plan of attack and so he called a meeting in Lord Norbert's solar. The lord having some more information to share that Edmure was keen to hear.
Entering into the room he was pleased when Lord Norbert gave up his seat so that he could take pride of place, at least one of his Lords showing him the deference he was due. Norbert and his sons, Roland and Hugo along with Marq Karyl, and Lymond were all sitting around the table as Norbert looked to him.
"Lord Edmure with your permission?" Norbert said and Edmure nodded his assent "I've received further word that the force which besieges Riverrun is led by Gerion Lannister, it is as you've no doubt heard quite substantial."
"Aye, we've heard." Karyl Vance said.
"I've received a raven from the Stoney Sept telling me that another army marches our way. This one led by Jaime Lannister and with the king himself is a part of it, it marches east and should reach us soon." Norbert said and Edmure glared at him when he called the bastard a king.
"So we're fucked?" Hugo said.
"We're left with little options Aye, what of King Robert and Lord Jon?" Marq asked.
"King Robert marches I'd assume to meet the king's army while Lord Jon will pass the Crossroads soon enough." Norbert said.
"They're besieging my home, we need to attack them. We need to do to them what they did to us." Edmure said and Lymond looked at him and shook his head.
"No my lord, we don't have the men or the element of surprise. It would be foolhardy to do so, we have but three choices. We surrender." Lymond said.
"Never." Edmure said shaking his head, glad to see others doing so too even if they were less adamant than he was.
"We ride to join with the king" Lymond said and Edmure saw some of the men consider it "Or we ride and join with Lord Arryn.".
Edmure began to consider each of the options, part of him wished to march to Riverrun to see his home safe and make sure Cat was unharmed but Lymond was right, that would be foolhardy. Which left two options, join with the king and march to face the bastard or join with Jon Arryn and perhaps with his help take back Riverrun. In the end it really wasn't a choice at all, they weren't exactly certain where they'd meet up with the king. Where with Jon Arryn they had a much clearer idea.
"We march to join the Hand, my lords. To give our forces to his and to see the Riverlands in our hands once more." Edmure said and saw much firmer nods this time.
They rested up and ate well that night, Edmure feeling he'd made the right decision, truly the only decision he could make. As he drank more and more though he grew ever more annoyed, the idea of facing the bastard one he tried not to let prey on his mind. He woke the next morning, hungover, tired, and yet knew they couldn't dally here any longer.
So after readying his men he set off, there were now only a little over 5,000 of them a pitiful force but allied to the Vale they'd soon swell those numbers. They set off and soon arrived at House Lychester, adding another three hundred to their forces. Spirits were high on the march and Edmure began to feel ever more confident as each day went on.
The closer they got to the Ruby Ford the more Edmure began to fume though. The bastard was actually forcing him to ride away from his home, the so-called dragon had stolen his men from him. When he saw it in the distance he saw the opportunity for revenge, for justice for the wrongs done to him, yet he couldn't convince his lords to do what he wished.
"Darry, Lord Raymun rides with the bastard's supporters, I say we take his keep." Edmure said stopping the march.
"We cannot besiege a keep my lord, we don't have the equipment." Marq said looking at him.
"We have the men Marq, we can take it with our men." he said.
"No my lord we cannot, we must ride to Lord Jon, otherwise we are wasting our time out here." Karyl said.
"We take the keep." he said loudly.
"You do this then I take my men and ride back to my own home, my lord. I'll not be a part of this folly." Lymond said.
"Aye, Lymond has the right of it my lord. I'll not besiege a keep, so you do this then you do so without House Vance." Karyl said.
"House Piper too my lord." Marq said and it was like an arrow to his heart to hear his friends, men he'd drank and whored with, men he'd known his whole life basically suggest they'd abandon him.
"Perhaps Lord Jon has siege equipment, my lord." Hugo said.
"Aye, perhaps, forgive me, good Sers. I fear having my home under siege weighs heavily on my mind." he said accepting the chance to save face.
"Understandable my lord, come we'll stay in the inn tonight and on the morrow ride to Lord Jon. Soon we'll put the Lions and the Dragon in their place." Marq said.
"Aye, come I could do with a drink." Ronald said and Edmure chuckled.
"Some things never change." he said to laughs.
Yet as they crossed the Ruby Ford and made their way to the Crossroads Inn, Edmure couldn't stop himself from looking backwards. If he got the chance he'd see that lords like Raymun would pay this time, he'd not be his father and allow them to get away with not answering the call. The Riverlands would run red with their blood if he had anything to say about it.
Highgarden 298 AC.
Margaery.
Each day ravens arrived and Margaery waited anxiously for news. Though in the end, it was always going to be easier to speak to Jae through the Glass Candle, than to expect a raven to tell her something had or hadn't happened. It had made the days until she was able to use the candle seem to just stretch on and on. Margaery doing her best to pass the time by keeping herself busy.
She and Sansa would talk, she'd watch Ghost and Fang as they played or listen to Mira and Elinor as they spoke of their crushes on this knight or the other. Sometimes she'd speak to Garlan about military matters, have him explain to her the numbers on Jae's side, and the numbers they faced. Allow him to reassure her that they had more than enough.
Willas would speak of things to come, of the future and she'd take great comfort in that. While her mother would speak of her wedding and of what it would be like to be married in the Great Sept. They had begun to have her dress made and that had made her smile, her grandmother was overseeing it so it was just right. She had spoken to them both of the reasons why they would seek to wait. Though she was glad that Jae had spoken to her grandmother about the wedding also, just as he had promised her he would.
"My grandmother will wish us to wed Jon, as quickly as possible." Margaery said as they lay on her bed, her head resting on his chest.
"I know, I do too Marge, truly. But we must do it differently, I see that now. A true wedding not just for us or for our families, but for the realm also." Jon said "Besides I want to see you have the wedding you deserve, to see the realm see what I see when I look at you.".
"What is it you see?" she asked leaning closer.
"I see my queen, my love, my reason." he said and she felt a little tightness in her throat.
"You've gotten better at that." she said a moment later after composing herself.
"At what?" he asked curiously.
"At telling me how you truly feel, I..I've known you loved me for some time and you've never not told me but, lately, it's, it feels different." she said feeling him nod.
"It is different, soon we'll be together properly Marge. No sneaking off for moments or worrying about someone seeing us, no concerns for propriety. Soon it'll only be what we care about and I find myself ever more eager for that day to be this one." he said as she moved up to kiss him.
The knock on the door woke her from the dream and she blushed as she remembered how long they'd kissed for, how both of them had longed to go further and yet had held back. Getting up from her bed she sighed when she looked down at the book on the floor, she'd only come in to read and yet once again had found herself dreaming of the days he'd spent with her. She smiled when Ghost licked her hand, the wolf usually alternated between sleeping in her bed and on her floor, though mainly it was the bed which won out.
"Margaery, are you in there?" she heard her grandmother's voice.
"Aye, coming grandmother." she said placing the book back on the table by her bed and walking to the door.
She opened it to find her grandmother staring at her curiously, though whatever it was she was looking for it seemed she didn't find.
"Were you sleeping, sweetling?" her grandmother asked.
"I was, I've to speak to Jae tonight and I didn't wish to be tired." she said though that was half a lie which her grandmother let pass for now.
"I'm sorry for waking you, your mother has received the dress Marge, she wishes you to come try it on.".
"And she sent you?" she said her eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face.
"I was coming anyway, don't be so cheeky." her grandmother said with a chuckle.
They walked from her room, Margaery, her grandmother, Left, and Right, and Margaery's own guards along with Ghost. Her family made sure she was heavily protected ever since the attack in King's Landing. Two guards while she was indoors, four when she went out into the gardens and a veritable army when she visited the town. Yet as she brushed her hand over Ghost's fur, she knew it was to the white wolf she sought and felt most protection from.
Her mother and Sansa awaited her, along with Leonette, Mira, Elinor and Megga, all of them looking at her excitedly as she walked into the room. The seamstress asking her to step into the other room to dress and looking nervously at Ghost as he walked with her. Even after countless fittings the woman still hadn't gotten used to the wolf's presence.
"Oh my love, my love, you look incredible." her mother said when Margaery walked back into the room wearing the dress.
"Truly, Margaery you look like a dream." Sansa said her smile beaming as she looked at her.
Her cousins and Mira thought so too but it was to her grandmother she looked and then to Ghost, glad to see the wolf's eyes and not Jae's. She'd come to recognize the little differences when Jae was checking in on her through Ghost's eyes. The way the wolf would look at her was so much like how Jae would, that it was easy to see once you knew what to look for.
"Grandmother?" she asked.
"You look like a queen, my love, a queen the realm will love just as much as we all do." her grandmother said and Margaery could see the small twinkles in her eye from where the tears threatened to fall.
They had dinner that night and it was, as usual, a large one, her father insisting his knights and commanders ate with him each night. Garlan who actually seemed more in command in her view, managed to move amongst them, giving each of them equal time while her father concentrated on the higher lords and knights. After finishing her dessert she felt Ghost brush against her hand and knew it was time to go and speak to her husband.
Making her excuses she hurried from the room and once inside her own, she took the Glass Candle from the chest, smiling when it came on almost immediately.
"Jae?".
"Marge, gods it's good to hear your voice." Jae said.
"Yours too, Jae, you are unhurt, everyone is unhurt?" she asked.
"We are, I need to speak to Garlan, Marge, and your grandmother. Can you get them for me and we'll talk once I've spoken to them?".
"I'll call them right away, is there something wrong?" she asked worriedly.
"No, I just need to tell them some things and this is quicker than a raven." he said and she told him she'd be back in a moment.
She arrived back with her grandmother and Garlan and listened in as Jae told them that Robert had the Golden Company and that he marched to meet them. He told them about the Iron Born but Garlan let him know that they'd gotten a raven from Tyrion. So Jae asked Garlan to be ready just in case. Once they left she was alone with him once more, his voice soon grew softer and not for the first time she noticed how now it seems he had two.
"Sorry?" he asked.
"You speak with two voices now Jae, your king's voice and the other one." she said giggling.
"The other one?" he asked.
"Just Jon's." she said and heard him laugh.
"Well I do remember a certain lady from the Reach telling me that's who I was, so perhaps it'll please my lady wife if I tell her that Just Jon only speaks that way to her." Jae said and she felt her smile perk up and knew if she looked at herself in the looking glass it would be as lopsided as ever.
"The Golden Company Jae, you didn't expect them?" she asked.
"No, but I expected an army Marge. I had thought it would be the Stormlords but no matter who it is we have the men. Lord Tarly marches to join with us and Lord Jaime has a considerable force, we outnumber them and Rhaenix will play her part.".
"I thought you didn't wish to use her?"
"I knew I'd always have to, it's just how to use her, but enough talk of war. I will be safe and high in the sky my love and I'd prefer to speak to my wife on other things. Things far more pleasant." he said.
"Such as?" she asked.
"Is your dress ready?" he asked.
"It is, you haven't seen it have you?" she asked slightly worried.
"No, I've only been in Ghost once when you met the seamstress, I left right way."
"Thank you Jae, I wish it to be a surprise." she said happily.
"It will, I promise. I miss you Marge, each day I miss you, yet each day I know I'm closer to being with you and that fills me with so much hope, so much resolve. That and the favor I wear." he said.
"You still wear it?" she asked though she knew the answer.
"My lady's favor has brought me good fortune and to see it reminds me of her, aye, I wear it daily." he said.
"I miss you too Jae, I love you."
"I love you too, we'll be together soon my love. Until then, know that I carry a piece of you with me and you carry my heart always." he said and as she went to answer she saw the light go out.
Ghost jumped up on the bed to allow her to hold him tightly, though it took her some time to sleep when she finally lay down.
The North 298 AC.
Moat Cailin.
Eddard Karstark.
The raven was his second real test, the first had been hosting the Northern Army as it marched forward and greeting his future goodfather. That he was to be Lord of Moat Cailin came as a great surprise and honor to both he and his father, that he was to marry came as a shock to only him.
"I've received word from Lord Stark, he means to name you Lord of Moat Cailin." his father said and Eddard looked at him shaking his head.
"Me?" he asked.
"Aye, you boy. Funds will be directed to rebuild the Moat and lands made ready so you'll have an income lad, you'll need it for you and your new wife."
"Wife?" he asked stunned as he tried to come to terms with what he'd just been told.
"Aye wife, you and Lord Reed's girl, Meera. You're to be married in a year or two and named Lord of the Moat, this is a great honor Lord Stark is giving you, the Moat is the key to the North lad and to see one of mine own as its lord please me greatly. It's far more than I could have ever given you.".
"Marriage, father?".
"A lord needs an heir and Howland is a leal and good man and close by too. Handy if you need to call on him."
"Very well, I'll accept."
"Of course you'll bloody accept, you think it was a choice I was giving you boy." his father said laughing.
So he had set out with Torrhen and made his way with a hundred men to Moat Cailin and in the almost a year he'd been here, he'd set the workers to task. It would be many years before the Moat ever regained anything like it's former glory, maybe his sons or theirs would be the one's to do so. But he had built a fine garrison and when his father, future goodfather, and Lord Stark had arrived with the Northern army they had been impressed. His father patting him on the back and even Harrion seeming proud of him, though the meeting he was called to that night soon stopped his own pride at what he'd done. Leaving him more eager to prove that theirs wasn't misplaced.
"Prince Tyrion tells us the Iron Born are ready to reave, so I'll leave another thousand men with you Lord Eddard, Howland will give you a hundred archers too." Lord Stark said.
"I thank you my lord, but I already have two thousand men I can call on, is that not enough?" he asked.
"It may be, better to be safe than sorry. The watchtowers have ravens?" Lord Stark asked.
"They do my lord.".
"Good. Send them word to warn them to be on the lookout and it should be enough. From the towers to here is a long way and Howland's men will bleed them if they come. You need to finish them if they do Lord Eddard, the Moat must hold." Lord Stark said.
"It will my lord, on that I give you my vow." he said and saw his father look at him and nod, his pride clear.
The raven brought the news, ships had begun to sail up the Fever River and Eddard called for Torrhen who was serving as his Master of Arms.
"They come brother?" Torrhen asked.
"They come, let's send them back to their drowned god." he said as Torrhen went out to ready the men.
Deepwoond Motte 298 AC.
Robett Glover.
To give battle, win glory and make a name, he'd wished for it so much, and yet as he arrive back at his home he felt happier than he had on the march. At first, he'd taken issue with rising for a dragon, but he'd been won over by what Lord Stark had said, what the others had said, and the dragons themselves, all of them. Jon Snow was a decent lad when he thought him a bastard and Robett had never cared which side of the sheets a lad was born on. Larence was a good lad too and so bastard or true it mattered not.
Finding out he was actually Jaehaerys Targaryen didn't really change that opinion and so he was willing to ride and fight for the boy, he'd be a far better king and friend to the North than Robert Baratheon had ever been. Yet a part of him even after hearing some of the truth that Galbart had gotten from Maege and Wyman wasn't fully on board. The loss of Ethan may be on Jon Arryn's and Robert's and Hoster Tully's hands as much as anyone but it had been a dragon he'd died for. So when his brother and Lord Stark had come to him and told him what the other dragon had said, he'd in a way welcomed it.
"The Iron Born have gathered a fleet Robett, I fear we'll come under attack." Galbart said.
"Aye, I wish you to take two thousand men Robett, some of your own, some of mine and others. Take them and make sure Deepwood Motte is protected, help out Lady Alysanne if she calls." Lord Stark said.
"As you wish my lord." he said looking to the lord and then to his brother who nodded.
"I've sent a raven to Winterfell, the Blackfish is there with Ser Rodrik. He's a good man to have in a fight Robett, call for him if you need and he'll come." Lord Stark said.
"I will my lord." he said and then looked to Gablbart when Ned Stark walked away.
"Protect our home brother, see the fucking squids pay a heavy price should they come." Galbart said embracing him and patting him on the back.
"Be safe brother, Deepwood Motte will await your return and the squids will feel the strength of my fist should they dare try to take our home from us." he said placing his fist over his heart as Galbart did the same.
Arriving home he was welcomed by Sybelle with surprise and by Gawen with joy. Taking the time to go and see his babe and finding Erena asleep in her crib. After telling his wife the reason for his return he set to make sure the defenses were set, they had more than enough men and so he began to look for weak spots. Once he was certain he'd sorted any out he set up watches and waited, if the ships came they'd not find him lax. He was ready for them and the North would remember the day the Iron Born fell at Deepwood Motte.
Winterfell 298 AC.
The Blackfish.
After a few days of almost apathy, he had begun to feel like himself once more. He'd stand by Bran when he heard petitions, offer advice when called for or an ear when needed. In the mornings and evenings he'd spar with his great-nephew and at other times with some of the other men of Winterfell. He'd been left a decent garrison and along with Ser Rodrik, he put them through their paces.
Yet it was when the raven came that he felt truly alive. The idea of a fight against Iron Born scum something he could get his teeth into and he found he needed it, needed to fight and kill men who deserved it. The war was not something he could take part in, his war was here, and while he wished no one on his side would need to die. He knew if it came he was ready to.
That he had Ser Rodrik to guard the keep and keep Bran safe helped a lot, as did the men when they arrived. 500 with another 1,500 sent to Torrhen's square and the Stoney Shore. They had men a plenty should they be needed. Ser Rodrik suggested and he agreed that half these men should go to Wintertown and that while they were there should raise half as many again just in case the town came under attack.
"It's too big a target for the Iron Born to attack but attack it they may, best it be ready nephew." he said and Bran nodded.
"Ser Rodrik, see that it's done." Bran said and Brynden nodded at him.
"I will my lord." Rodrik said before leaving.
"Did I do alright uncle?" Bran asked nervously once the other knight had left.
"You did fine Bran, come let me show you how to prepare in case you're besieged." the Blackfish said.
He took him around the walls of the keep, showing him where to post guards and why before taking him to the stores to show him what he needed to ensure they had enough of. Truthfully there had not been much for him to do to ready the keep, Ned kept a firm hand on his men and stores, Ser Rodrik was more than capable and Lady Elle managed the day to day running of the household.
When Bran wasn't with him or seeing to his duties, he spent most of his time in the lady's company, and despite himself, Brynden had found he liked the woman. Perhaps had Cat not played such a large role in her situation herself, or if Ned had set her aside simply on his own back then things would be different. Or maybe had Elle being a different sort of person he'd have thought less of her but the woman never lorded it over him. She allowed Bran to act as he should and to him, she was courteous and respectful whenever they spoke.
"You intend to ride out if needed Ser Brynden?" Elle asked after Bran had gone to bed that night.
"I do my lady, Ser Rodrik will command the garrison here and I'll ride with 1,000 men to wherever needs our help."
"You think they'll come?" she asked.
"I do my lady, but they'll be broken against the walls of Winterfell should they ever make it that far, and I'll ride them down long before then." he said as he noticed her rubbing her hand on her stomach.
"I'm glad you're here Ser." she said as she nodded to him and got up to leave.
The news came a few days later, multiple attacks and a large scale invasion was underway and Brynden readied his men to ride out.
"I should ride with you." Bran said as he readied his horse.
"Your are the Lord of Winterfell until your father returns, this is where you need to be. I'll be safe enough, it's the squids who need to worry." he said and saw the boy swallow deeply.
"I'll await your return Ser Brynden." Bran said a moment later.
"It shall be soon my lord." he said jumping up on his horse.
Rosby/The God's Eye 298 AC.
Robert.
He had to admire how the Golden Company marched if nothing else, the army moving far more quickly than he was used to. They were experienced, prepared and though their leader was to the best of Robert's estimation, a coward, the men under him were anything but. He found listening to some of their tales to be enlightening, contracts they had taken, battles they fought, Dothraki on an open field, unsullied, gods the stories alone got his blood flowing in a good way.
Which was more than could be said about some of the company. Most of them were men he found something in common with, men who hated the dragons as much as he did. Though only because they supported a different dragon, those men though he could get used to and enjoyed eating with. The one he was looking at now, not so much, Robert watching as Jon Connington took a seat.
He remembered all too well Battle of the Bells, hiding out in the brothel and the women he had taken. That part he looked back fondly at but the man he eyed now had killed men he'd called friends. He would have if he'd had the chance seen him dead and his love for the dragon prince was well known. When he'd seen him first it had almost led to a fistfight, Harry Strickland, Ser Franklyn flowers, and Illyrio himself stopping him from giving into his temper.
"What's he doing here?" he shouted angrily.
"Your grace?" Harry Strickland asked.
"Him, the fucking Griffin, the Dragonlover." he said as Connington walked toward him.
"Jon is a captain in the company your grace, a much-valued member of the company." Harry said.
"He's a fucking traitor, a fucking Dragonspawn supporter." he said as Jon Connington stood in front of him "Those were good men you killed Griffin, Denys Arryn was a friend of mine."
"As Ser Myles was one of mine, your grace, war leads to strange bedfellows, yesterday's enemies become today's friends."
"You're no friend of mine, Griffin, Dragonlover." Robert spat.
"A different dragon, a different day. I serve the company now and the company serves you, your grace." Jon Connington said yet something about his voice was off.
Robert moved towards him only for Ser Franklyn to step beside the Griffin, Illyrio moving far more quickly than he usually did, coming to stand beside him.
"Your Grace, the company's men are theirs to deal with. Should you continue this then their contract with me becomes null and void."
"Very well, get him from my sight, let that be the service he does for me." Robert said storming away, not seeing the masked silver-haired boy glare at him or Illyrio look to Jon Connington and nod.
As they readied to ride past Rosby the riders rushed out from the keep. Lord Gyles leading them himself and Robert wondered what was so urgent. It didn't take him long to find out and so they camped at Rosby for the night, Robert taking over the Lord's Solar and asking for a map. How Stannis had managed to be defeated was beyond him, yet it wasn't that which concentrated his mind.
Instead, it was the other news, the raven from Lomas telling him that the Western Army marched under the Dragonspawn and the Kingslayer, marched past the Stoney Sept, and headed his way. He looked down at the map and saw the God's Eye and began to smile, he'd killed one fucking Dragonspawn by a river, this one he'd take pleasure in drowning in the lake.
Calling for Illyrio, Harry Strickland, and the other captains of the Golden Company, he kept the new of Stannis's defeat to himself. Telling them instead that they had the chance to end this if they marched quickly. He lied that if they could bog them down at the God's Eye they'd be joined by the Stormlords riding North and the Western Army would be caught between both sets of forces.
"How many men has Lord Stannis under his command, Your Grace?" Harry Strickland asked.
"15,000 at least, probably more, 20-25,000 if he gathered all the men." he said.
"I had thought we'd join with Lord Jon?" Illyrio said.
"Aye, but this is too good a chance Illyrio. We can end this here, without the dragon they're done and he'll come to face me." he said and Illyrio nodded.
They marched hard and Robert felt himself grow ever more eager, he had but one chance to win this war now and in a way he felt as if he was back in time six and ten years earlier. Just like then, he was marching to war outnumbered and yet not outmatched. He cursed not having Ned with him, not having Jon by his side, but he'd killed one dragon and won a war once, he'd do so to another he thought as they marched.
Each morning and each evening before he retired he spent it sparring in the yard. He'd still not been able to swing his hammer but he felt fitter and stronger than he had been in years. The meals he had were simply for food and not for comfort, the wine basically all but cut out. He was sleeping better, even shitting better than he had for longer than he could care to remember.
Even with the Golden Company, with the Knights of the Vale, and should the Iron Born prove themselves useful, Robert knew they couldn't compete with the numbers. If it came down to one big battle they'd lose and he'd resolved himself to that, as long as he could see those who'd betrayed him dead. Ned, the Kingslayer, the Roses, and especially the Dragonspawn. As long as he fell then he'd go to his own grave happy, but he'd almost feared he'd not get the chance to face the boy.
"They'll not split their forces, Robert, they'll know better than that. We must keep them from uniting, use the distances between them against them." Jon Arryn said.
"Aye I know Jon, I just want them dead, to see them in the ground. I'll see the whole fucking realm on fire before I see a dragon sit my throne." he said angrily.
"We'll prevail Robert, if we stick to our plans we'll prevail. Our men fight for us, for a true king, theirs fight for glory and position." Jon Arryn said.
Each night though he had wondered if that was true, Jon seeming to think the Dragonspawn was a puppet king, Robert was not so sure. The boy seemed smarter than that, better than that a voice in his head called out but he shook it away. It was his betrayal he felt even keener than Ned's, a part of him almost admiring his friend for what he'd done, for not being able to see Lyanna's boy dead.
The larger part of him was angry and upset, he should have been his, theirs, he should have been their son. Each day he'd seen him, he'd thought so, thought how proud he'd have been if that had been his boy, his heir. To see him rise, to knight him by his own hand and watch him put the very best in their place. It had been a dream and it had turned into a nightmare.
"You stole him from me, just like you stole her from me, you stole my son." he shouted in the tent, his sleep having been disturbed and he waved the guards away when they came in.
They crossed the God's Eye river and he saw them in the distance, the golden Lion flying next to the Three-Headed Dragon. After setting up their position he sent word for the parley, Illyrio saying that he wished to stay behind and so he let him. Instead, Robert rode out with Harry Strickland, with Ser Balman Byrch, Ser Laswell Peake, and to his annoyance with Jon Connington.
Looking to the hill he saw the horses ride towards them, hearing the gasp and glad it came from Jon Connington and not him. He recognized the golden armor of the kingslayer and the white cloaks that rode behind the figure who had caused the Griffin to gasp. The boy's armor almost mirrored his father's and Robert felt his rage begin to rise at that, yet he found he couldn't stop looking at it either. The armor glistened in the light and Robert found himself mesmerized for a moment. It was an exquisite set of pitch black plate and mail reminiscent of the style of the ancient Valyrian warlords, the paintings of whom he'd had removed from the Red Keep. Upon the breastplate and set in glittering rubies the three-headed dragon stood out and it made his own armor look poor in comparison.
That he wore no helm also had been what had caught his eye, his hair flowing and apart from the color, looking so much like his father's that briefly, Robert was in another place at another time. But it was the crown he wore on his head which soon made him stare, that and the sword at his hip. Something that both he and Jon Connington were both looking at with interest.
As they drew ever closer, he heard another gasp and this one had indeed come from him. The four white-cloaked men now very familiar to him, the Fat Flower's son that had been so close to the boy, the giant he'd tried to take for his own and Barristan the Bold. Those three alone would have been enough to draw attention. Yet it was the last man with the milky white blade on his back that had drawn his gasp and made Jon Connington speak his name aloud.
"Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning." Jon Connington said as the horses stopped and both sets of men stared at each other.
The Trident 298 AC.
Ned.
It had taken them some time to march and when he saw it in front of him, he shuddered. Of all the places he had imagined this fight may go down, this was not one of them. The Trident held many memories for him, none of them good. Over the years he'd wondered about that day, thought about what could have happened had he known the truth.
Would he have been able to change things, to reach out and parley with the man he now knew had been his goodbrother? Had the die already been cast or could things have happened differently? Would Robert have fought if the North hadn't? Would Jon Arryn have fought? If they had then would he have fought them?. He tried not to let his mind go to such places and yet it was impossible not to.
The world could have been a different place. Had they stopped it then had Rhaegar lived would Lyanna have lived also?. Would his nephew have grown up with his mother and father, with his sister and brother if men had not conspired to see the dragons fall? Anger was something that he felt rarely, true he'd get annoyed and he could lose his temper occasionally. But true anger, he could count on one hand the number of times he'd felt it.
Hearing of his father and brother's deaths. At the Tower when Lyanna told him the truth. When he'd learned what the Maesters had done and when he learned what Cat had tried to do. Now though he felt it race through his veins, his blood rising and he looked to see Lya staring at him, her calmness allowing his anger to recede. Allowing it to simmer rather than to boil.
"Thank you girl." he said as he stroked her fur.
He was still stroking her when Maege, Howland and the Greatjon came his way, the outriders had returned with the news that the Knights of the Vale marched toward them.
"We should offer them the king's terms, at least. Any news on Prince Tyrion?" he asked and Maege shook her head.
"We may need to do this on our own, Ned." Maege said.
"Then we do it on our own, Maege, fuck the Knights of the Vale." the Greatjon said.
"Prince Tyrion will be here, he, his army and his dragon will be here on the morrow." Howland said and Ned didn't even bother to question him, knowing that Howland knew best.
"Send riders to arrange the parley. We're set up here?" Ned asked.
"We are, Rickard and Galbart are seeing to it with Roose's lad." Maege said.
"Seems a good lad." he said to nods.
"Aye, better than his father at any rate." Maege said.
"Any word on Roose?" he asked the Greatjon.
"It doesn't look good Ned, he's been leeched so much that he can barely move. Whatever it is that's in him will end him I fear."
"Howland?" he asked.
"Nothing I can do for him Ned, nor would I wish to." Howland said and Ned looked at him when he walked away.
The sickness had come out of nowhere. Not long after passing Moat Cailin, Roose had fallen from his horse. It had caused some panic until Howland explained that it was nothing to do with mosquitoes in the Neck as some had suggested. Still until they'd entered the Riverlands men had worried they'd be next. Ned had gone to the man and spoken, he'd had words with his son and despite things had found the idea of Lord Domeric to be one he could live with quite comfortably.
They were eating lunch when word came back and Ned readied his men to ride out and treat with his former foster father and with men he'd once called friends. He, Lord's Jorah, Howland, Galbart, and the Greatjon, Ser Wylis and Ser Wendell, Rickard, Maege, Medger, and Ser Domeric acting in his father's stead made up the Northern party. He saw them on the hill above them and they rode up and were soon face to face with men they may soon be fighting against.
Jon Arryn, Yohn Royce, Lord's Belmore, Corbray, Egen, and Hunter, along with Ser Symond Templeton. Men he had known for almost half his life and had broken bread with in each of their halls. He saw them stiffen when he dismounted and Lya walked by his side. Ned watching them as they did likewise and soon they were standing face to face, Jon Arryn looking him in the eye.
"I'm sorely disappointed to see you here Ned, sorely disappointed, to see you abandon honor so." Jon Arryn said.
"Me" he snorted "You think I've not seen that raven you sent out, naming me a man without honor. A man who slept with whores, I think you've mistaken me for your other foster son, Jon." he said to laughs.
"You rise against the King, Lord Stark, seek to put a bastard on his throne." Yohn said.
"Do I Yohn, some kings don't deserve the crown they wear, not after the lies they and men that serve them spread. Nor do they after the crimes they've participated in. To murder a boy with your own hands, to so in front of his mother, to kill every member of a household and to do so without trial. Is this the honor you taught him, Jon, is this what the Vale has come to?".
"Even here in front of men who once called you friend you lie, Ned, is there no depth you won't sink too." Jon Arryn said shaking his head.
"When I've been the one lied to all his life? I'll not take rebuke from the man who told the gravest lie of them all. How long did you know Jon? You and Robert? How long did you know of Lyanna and the letter she wrote? Why did you keep it from me?" he said his anger rising.
"I know nothing of your sister, other then Robert loved her and you now seek to sully her memory with lies and untruths." Jon Arryn said and Lya began to growl.
"Careful Jon, I may not break parley but I'll not make the same guarantee about my wolf. You lied to me Jon, to me the man you once called your son. Knowing that, I'm sure I'm not the only one here you've lied to." he said looking to the others.
"How dare you sully your betters savage." Lord Egen said.
"Betters, all I see are a load of fancy fools in armor, fools who forget it wasn't the Knights of the Vale who won the rebellion, it was the North, or do you not remember your broken army? Or Robert's broken army? Do you forget when we were the only ones able to march on to King's Landing." Maege said.
"Had the truth not been kept from us then, it would have been a march to crown the rightful king and not to place a usurper on his throne." Jorah said.
"Something that we've managed to rectify all these years later." the Greatjon said laughing.
"Even your lords are spouting the same lies now, Ned. The boy is a bastard, your bastard, are you so desperate for the throne that you'd use her name to claim it?" Jon Arryn said.
"Don't mention my sister in my presence again, Jon, lest we find out just how far you can fly. Tell these men the truth for once in your life, let's walk from here as friends and I'll seek my nephew's forgiveness and give you mine own. Keep your head and those of your men Jon, stop the lies." he said.
"The only liar here is you Stark and I curse the day I ever welcomed you in my halls." Jon Arryn said.
"As do I, Jon, as do I. Well since you won't tell the truth then I shall, your wait for Stannis will be a long time coming, or has he not told you that Dorne rises for the true king?"
"Lies, Damn Lies." Jon Arryn said though Ned saw one or two men look to the lord.
"My king offers you but one chance. Bend the knee and he'll forgive you rising, he'll accept your claims and seek no retribution, do not, and when we win this war and we will, then you'll face a dragon's wrath." he said looking to the men.
"I spit on your terms Ned and offer you mine own, give up this folly and I'll let your son keep Winterfell. Your lords can return North and we'll seek no further respite. You can take the black and join your brother and your nephew will lose his head." Jon Arryn said.
The laughs rang out then, the Northern lords almost doubling over and Lya's growls were the only thing louder.
"Your line ends with you Jon, just like Robert's, your child is not yours. House Arryn dies tomorrow and just so you know, I'll take the greatest of pleasure in it, Listen Jon." Ned said as everyone quietened down and Lya began to howl "The quiet wolf is quiet no more and wolves are far better hunters than falcons.".
They mounted up and rode away and Ned for once felt ready for war, eager for the battle to come. He had given him the chance to come clean and the man had shown who he truly was, as high as honor were words and they meant nothing. Chivalry and being a faithful man meant nothing, liars deserved all they got and this liar had cost him far too much. Winter was Coming for Jon Arryn and as he rode he felt his lip curl into a snarl and when he looked down at Lya she seemed eager to feast.
Braavos 298 AC.
House of Black and White.
The Kindly Man.
The man had waited a number of days for an audience and they kept him waiting on purpose. The Kindly Man spending his time speaking to his god and asking what his plans were, yet finding no answers for quite some time. After half a week he gave up and allowed the man to enter, enjoying the nervous way he looked around the hall. The other petitioners were either speaking to priests, praying to the gods, or sitting and praying by the pool.
"My master sent me to speak to you." Afodar said.
"And what does Magister Illyrio require of the Many-Faced God?" he asked seeing the man's shock that he knew who he served, these pitiful men not knowing the truth of the world they lived in always amusing him.
"A death."
"Who does he wish the gift given to?" he asked and watched as the man nervously handed him the note.
He opened it and looked it over and was unsurprised to see the magister had told the full truth of the man he wished dead. Some had tried to lie to them and their fates were enough that no one would dare try to do so again. To save coin and pretend that they or the life they sought ended were inconsequential was such a foolish thing. But the man they asked them to bring the gift to was known even to him, known by many names other than the one written on this note.
Jaehaerys Targaryen,
Trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen,
King of Westeros.
The Kindly Man knew this man well, the White Wolf, the Winter Dragon, the Prince that was Promised, even the Many-Faced God had an interest in Jon Snow. He looked to the man who was watching him nervously and so he smiled, putting him at ease somewhat.
"What offering does the magister make for this man to receive the gift.".
"A million gold dragons" Afodar said.
"Pitiful." he said walking away.
"A million and half." Afodar shouted after him.
"Two." he almost screamed forcing the Kindly man to stop.
He turned and walked back to him, looking him in the eye before he smiled and saw the man breathe a huge sigh of relief.
"Come back in three days and we'll give you our decision." he said and Afodar nodded before hurriedly leaving.
The Kindly Man walked past the pool and up the stairs. When he reached the third floor he passed by the faces on the walls, moving to the holy sanctum and kneeling down to pray. Asking his god once again for guidance and smiling when it finally came, he rested easy that night and woke early the next morning. He watched on as the Waif continued her training and as the servants cleaned the floors and readied the house for the day ahead.
Later that day he met with some of his fellow priests and watched as men and women were sent on their way. Some to journey far and wide to deliver their god's gift and some to go no further than a few streets away. They met and discussed their work and their god, the Kindly Man listening as some of their most sensitive secrets were discussed. Smiling when he heard tale of Jaqen and where he was sent, laughing at the irony of the man being where he was and of what they could use him to do if they wished it so.
When Afodar came back, the Kindly Man asked him to sit with him. Both of them sitting down alone by the pool, the room was empty for once. He told the man that their god had decided the gift must be given and saw his smile before he offered him the water. The man looking at him strangely before he reached into the pool and took a cup for himself and drank it down and Afodar did likewise.
"Death holds no sweetness in this house. We are not warriors, nor soldiers, nor swaggering bravos puffed up with pride. We do not kill to serve some lord, to fatten our purses, to stroke our vanity. We never give the gift to please ourselves. Nor do we choose the ones we kill. We are but servants of the God of Many Faces and today he's decided is to be your last." he said as Afodar fell to the floor, the Kindly Man looking on as the man was carried to the room to be prepared.
He called for the Waif and handed her the face, telling her to leave immediately. The Many-Faced God had work for her to do and a name for her to offer to him.
"I'll see it done." she said.
"See that you do." he said as he walked away and left her alone.
The White Wolf had nothing to fear from the Many Faced God, for even death feared the cold winds that blew, and without Jon Snow, there would be no further offerings made, and no one left to make them.
Riverrun 298 AC.
Gerion.
It took them far longer to actually set up then he had hoped and so it was mid-afternoon rather than noon when they began to move against the walls. The siege towers were moved just outside of the archer's range. The trebuchets fired small rocks against the walls of Riverrun, enough to let them know they were there but not enough to do any serious damage.
Using portable wind wheels, Gerion set up some of the crossbows he used at Castamere, these ones adapted to fire a different type of bolt. His men looking on amazed both at the distance and accuracy as they aimed them at the soldiers on the highest walls. Forcing them back into cover after more than a few hit home.
From all three sides of Riverrun they attacked without fully attacking, using long-ranged attacks and moving siege towers close but not close enough. The mummery needing to be enough for the watchers to keep their eyes on them and them alone. When night fell they put guards on the towers, just in case there were brave souls inside the keep who'd risk riding out. Gerion calling for his lords and for Cregan, the boy arriving first and Gerion glad to see him looking unperturbed by the siege going on around him.
"You sure you wish to do this?" he asked.
"I do, Dusk does." he said and Gerion nodded, sending guards with him and waiting for the lords to come to him.
When they were there he told them of his plan and asked for volunteers, Roland and Addam doing so immediately along with two of Tytos's lads and Raymun. In the end, he ended up getting the numbers he wished and asked Raymun to find the boats and get them ready. Dusk started to howl long before the lords left and he chuckled as he went to sleep that night, the wolf keeping it up through the darkest hours and he could only imagine what that may sound like to those inside the keep.
The next day it was the same again, crossbow bolts fired, siege towers moved a little closer, the wolf howling through the night and on it went for three nights straight. Finally they were ready and he asked Jonos and Tytos to see it done. Lord Jason was left in charge of his defenses and Gerion made his way to the boats, Cregan making him take Dusk with him despite his arguments against it.
"My mother would never forgive me if I didn't send him with you, my lord." Cregan said.
"Your mother would never forgive me if you were hurt, Cregan, so for tonight I ask you to stay with Lord Jason." he said looking at the boy and seeing him nod.
"I will my lord.".
"Gerion, lad, we're kin now." he said with smile.
"Gerion." Cregan said and Gerion climbed into the boat and watched as the others moved in front of them.
Their armor was light leather and some mail, no plate, as it was not conducive for swimming. The boats moved silently across the water and Gerion heard the cheers and saw the flames in the distance. The siege towers burning just as he had ordered and he was glad they'd used ones that were poorly suited to the task, and not the larger better ones they possessed.
As the boat reached the Water Gate he was surprised to see it almost fully raised. The note from Richard saying it would be partly open to them and they'd need to swim underneath. He looked to Dusk to see the wolf resting comfortably and thought on what Jon had said, motioning to those with him that they weren't rowing into a trap. Soon they were underneath and he and the others quickly climbed from the boats, their work would need to be quick and as he looked around at the others he saw they were ready.
Almost twenty and seven men he had with him and one very large wolf and they moved through the route that had been drawn out for them. Soon finding themselves in the courtyard below. Above them, attention was focussed on events outside the walls and so they moved quickly to the guard and gate houses, finding less than ten men in each. Half of whom were asleep and quickly subdued, allowing them to lower the gate and the drawbridge.
They heard the shouts from above them and so quickly grabbing a torch, Gerion waved it in the air. The crossbows began firing and the horses rode fast toward the now open keep. He heard a sound from behind him and watched as Dusk took a man down, another soon to follow and then the fighting truly began.
"Remember, the soldiers, none of the servants. Any man who doesn't listen will lose their head this night." he said and was glad to see so many nods.
They moved through the Godswood and he heard the groans as two of his men were taken down with crossbow bolts, then the screams as the men who'd fired found they couldn't reload faster than a wolf could run.
"Thank the gods he's on our side." Addam japed and even Roland laughed at that.
They reached the keep itself to face men with pikes and Gerion watched as Dusk dodged away from them and Roland ran towards them. The Crakehall Lord scaring even him as he charged with half a dozen men.
"None so Fierce." Roland shouted and quickly lived up to his house's words, the large lord cutting through Tully men as if they weren't there.
By the time dawn broke, it was done, small fires were being put out and prisoners were marched to the dungeons. Gerion walked to the lady's chambers to accept Catelyn and Littlefinger's surrender and as he looked around at the keep he felt his anger rise. She had come here for help, a liege lords duty was to provide it and protection and she'd been given neither. He tried to put it out of his mind and looked on as a young girl ran his way, he waved Tytos's boys off when they tried to stop her, once Dusk had seemed to take no issue with her presence.
"They're gone milord, the lady and her husband, they snuck away by boat two nights past." the girl said.
"Why should I believe you? How do I know they're not hiding somewhere inside?" he asked looking to the girl.
"It were me who sent you the note milord, sent it to Alayn, Pearl's my name I've been one of Alayn's people for some time." the girl said and Gerion looked at her, Richard had said he had people inside, this was one of them? Obviously so.
"Why didn't you send me another?" he asked almost angrily before he breathed deeply "You couldn't, forgive me, Pearl. Have any of the servants been harmed?"
"No milord, what's to happen to us?" she asked worriedly.
"Alayn is a good friend of the king's, Pearl, you'll not be forgotten."
"The others milord?"
"We'll see them right." he said and asked Lucas to follow with her the Blackwood boy moving to do so before Gerion thought of something else the girl could help him with "Any word of Edmure?" he asked her and she shook her head.
He walked past the lady's chambers and into what he assumed was the lords. He was standing in Hoster Tully's rooms and he allowed his rage full reign.
"You, you killed her, fucking fishes, you killed her." he shouted as he began destroying the furniture, not noticing when Cregan walked inside.
"Gerion, Gerion." the boy shouted and he turned to look at him, tears falling from his eyes as he now felt no satisfaction from taking this keep.
"Ask Lord Jason to gather the cavalry, we ride in search of Edmure fucking Tully." he said as he sat down when Cregan moved to do as he asked.
He closed his eyes and pictured her pleading for their help, waiting for them to come. He imagined Joy getting to spend time with her mother and though he'd not give up Ashara for anyone, he felt guilty that he loved her and couldn't love the mother of his child in the same way. That he had not been able to stand up to Tywin and it had led her here, to these weak fishes, that it had cost her, her life.
"For Briony." he said as he got up from the seat and walked from the room.
The God's Eye 298 AC.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
He spent most of the night with Jaime, Arthur, and Barristan going over their plans and glad to hear they thought his one the right one. Robert's army was days away and Randyll's would arrive after they did. It would actually work out better as if they knew exactly what they'd be facing then there was a good chance they'd turn, instead go and try to join up with Jon Arryn's forces rather then face them.
After confirming his plans, he spent some time with Ser Bonifer. The man telling him about his grandmother and how he had loved her, Jae sympathizing with him, and trying not to imagine what would have happened had Mya not spoken her prophecy. It was hard to look at the man after that. Bonifer had never forgotten his love for Jae's grandmother and it had not diminished in all the years since her death. For Jae though it was the knowledge that events had conspired to ensure he was born. In doing so lives had been changed irrevocably, Ser Bonifer's among them.
"I'll sleep with Rhaenix tonight, could some of you at least try to rest." he said to his Kingsguard, watching as Barristan sent Loras and Arthur to rest while he and Walder stood guard over him.
His sister was eager to take the fight to the Golden Company, more so when she knew that Robert rode with them, Jae having to almost calm her down so she didn't bring the fight to them right now.
"I know Rhae, I feel it too, soon, we'll do it soon." he said as he lay against her.
"Sleep little brother, you need your rest." she said and he chuckled.
"Aye, you too big sister." he said as he lay down against her warm scales.
He slept a dreamless sleep and was glad of it on the march the next day, more so knowing that he'd speak to Margaery that night. He rode with Jaime and Lord's Brax and Banefort, listening in as Quenten told tale of the Greyjoy Rebellion and Andros spoke of the Golden Company and the War of the Ninepenny King's. Both men giving him much to ponder on.
When Richard told him what Tyrion had seen, he'd been stunned and had thought of flying to the islands and facing the fleet himself. Though he knew he could not and that his place was here. He had been glad to hear that his uncles were preparing and had sent the word out. The tales of the Golden Company had him looking to Barristan for more, the knight a fountain of knowledge, and Jae most eager to learn.
"I know Bittersteel founded them Ser, but didn't the Blackfyre line end when you slew Maelys?" he asked as Tommen looked on while they sat around the campfire.
"Aye, your grace." Barristan said.
"Did he really have two heads? Tommen asked to a chuckle from the knight.
"He did lad."
"How would you rate the Golden Company, Ser Barristan?" he asked.
"Formidable your grace." the knight replied.
The next morning he felt lighter. Having spoken to Margaery and just hearing her voice, knowing each day only brought him closer to being with her, even if it also brought him further away from where she was. He resolved to fly to her when this was done, to see her before they marched to King's Landing and to ready her to join him there. He sparred with Jaime and with Arthur, a little with Barristan and then with Loras too.
After breaking his fast he sparred with Tommen, showing the boy some moves and trying his best to make the boy laugh. Though he'd taken it well, there was a sadness in him that hadn't been there before he'd found out about his mother's death, one Jae wished he could take away. So as they rode he did his best and the boy smiled a little more each day. Jaime telling him that Tommen was happier that he was with him than he had been travelling with him alone. When they finally reached the God's Eye he knew it would be soon, the eagle he set high in the sky seeing the Golden Company and Robert were just a day or so away.
"We'll camp here, they'll arrive on the morrow." he said to Jaime, and after eating they went over the battle plans once more.
Rhaenix flew some miles behind them. His sister was annoyed at being left behind but the time for them to see her hadn't come yet and he wanted to ensure they were lined up before they did. He found he slept well that night, surprising himself. Though the dream he had was no surprise and once again it was the Trident he saw, the swing of the hammer, the rubies falling into the water feeling almost close enough for him to grab them.
"Your grace, it's time." Ser Barristan said and so he readied himself.
He told Tommen to help some of the others and rode out with his Kingsguard. With Jaime, Lord Brax, and Lord Banefort and then he saw him in the distance. Robert looked different and it took some time for him to realize why. The man had lost weight and looked stronger, obviously, he'd been preparing for this fight. He heard Arthur and Barristan say a name and he looked closer. Jon Connington was a name he had heard before and Jae was surprised to see him riding on Robert's side.
"Dragonspawn." Robert spat out when they faced each other.
"Usurper." he spat back and smirked when he saw Robert's expression change.
"I'll not offer you terms, Dragonspawn." Robert said and Jae laughed.
"I'd not accept them from a monster such as you. A man who killed a boy in front of his mother, who ordered the deaths of countless innocents to cover for his wounded pride. A man who could never accept that women don't fall at his feet and worship the ground he walks on." he said looking at Robert as the man grew angrier.
"Then why parley?" a tall thin man wearing gold said.
"I said I'd not accept his terms but I'd offer you mine. Turn and go back to Essos and I'll not follow, leave my lands without incident and I'll seek no retribution but stay and fight and you'll learn what the Golden Company has learned many times before." he said looking to the men in gold and to Jon Connington who was staring at him, his eyes almost tearful.
"Which is?" the man asked.
"That Beneath the gold may be Bittersteel but gold melts, steel melts, and each time you've faced a true dragon in the past you've been burned. Do you really think today will be any different?" he asked looking to each of them.
"You think you're a dragon, you're just as mad as the rest of your family." Robert said laughing.
"Your family too, or have you forgotten that Kinslayer?" he said, and were it not for Arthur and Barristan towards him moving then he was sure Robert would have attacked him.
"You look like him." Jon Connington said softly, his words barely carrying in the wind.
"My father called you a friend once, to see you ride by the side of his murderer is shameful." he said and saw the man bow his head.
"We reject your terms, your Westerosi knights are no match for the Company." a man said and Jae looked at him and shook his head.
"You've heard your answer Dragonspawn, when next we meet one of us will die." Robert said getting ready to turn and ride away.
"Why wait?" he said and Robert looked at him.
"What?".
"You may not care for your men, but I care for mine, so why wait? There's no need for thousands of men to die here today, only one of us. Let's settle this the old way, you against me?" Jae asked looking to Robert.
"Hah, you do have balls boy." Robert said.
"I win, then you men leave these lands and go back to Essos where you belong." he said and Robert stared at him.
"And when I win?" Robert asked.
"The war begins and ends with me." he said and Robert nodded.
"Fine boy, you'll feel my hammer soon enough. One hour here." Robert said as they turned to ride off.
"Your grace, Your grace." Jaime shouted as Jae rode back to the tents, Arthur and Barristan, and the others behind him.
He was no sooner in the tents then it began, Jaime, Arthur, Barristan, even Loras, all of them other than Walder who just stood silently.
"You can't risk this, Jae, you can't." Jaime said his voice strained.
"Aye my king, let Arthur or I stand in your place." Barristan said.
"I lost your father to that man's hammer, I'll not risk you too." Arthur said gripping dawn.
"Jae, don't do this." Loras said his voice the quietest and yet his face along with Jaime's the most worried and full of emotion.
"How did you think this would end? Did you think I'd allow anyone else to take this from me? That man is the reason my father died, my mother, my brother and sister, and their mother. He killed Viserys with his own damn hands, you think I'd let any of you take this from me? Do none of you know me at all?. This was always how this would go and as your king, I'll command you if need be. I ask you to trust I know what I'm doing." he said and walked from the tent, mounting up as the others followed.
When they arrived back it was to see a larger group waiting and Jae sent for more men, just in case. Only riding forward when they were evenly matched.
He looked up to see Illyrio standing some distance away, to see a young masked man beside him and to see Robert walking down towards him. Behind him, the thin man from earlier and some others and Jon Connington followed. He watched as one of them helped put an antlered helm on Robert's head, as he then handed him the hammer and Jae took off his crown and handed it to Jaime. He took the helm from him before leaning in close to whisper in his ear.
"This is what you trained me for, Jaime, and you trained me well." he said softly as he moved from him to face Robert.
The two of them stood but a few feet apart, Jae drawing Dark Sister and seeing Robert's eyes behind his helm as they looked to the blade.
"You took everything from me. Taking your life won't come even close to making up for it, yet I'll take great pleasure in doing it." he said.
"I'll see you dead Dragonspawn." Robert replied.
"When you get to hell, tell them that the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Targaryen sent you there. The brother of Rhaenys and Aegon, the son of Elia and nephew of Viserys and Brandon, the grandson of Rhaella and Rickard. You tell them Jaehaerys Targaryen sent you." he said as he swung the sword and felt the hammer crash against it.
The force of the blow would have knocked the sword from his hand, but Jae was well used to deflecting such blows and when he swung back he found that Robert wasn't used to his speed. Dark Sister crashing against the armor and almost cutting through, Valyrian steel against plate leaving only one winner. The swing Robert aimed at him in return he easily dodged and then he began to truly move.
Left and then right, inside and out, forward and back, one moment he was attacking Robert head-on and the next he was behind him, forcing him to turn. He began to use thrusts, seeing the gaps in Robert's armor and feeling the sword as it struck home. The pained gasps from the usurper music to his ears. He could feel the sword call out for more, her thirst for Robert's blood easily matching his own.
When he caught him on the back of the knee, he saw him fall and then stumble back to his feet, Robert favoring one side now. The blow that caught him knocked him some feet away and he cursed himself for getting so careless, waving to Jaime and the others that he was well and rolling away from the next shot. He could see Robert was tiring, the exertion of trying to keep up with him, and the loss of blood where Dark Sister had struck home both taking their toll.
When he raised the hammer, Jae struck and Robert looked on shocked as the shaft broke in two where Dark Sister cut right through it. The hammer's head falling to the ground and as Jae thrust once more beneath the shoulder he felt the man almost collapse against him, the blow was mortal and Jae knew he'd soon bleed out.
He helped him take off his helm and looked in his eyes, seeing the pain and something else there, something that he swore looked like pride. He heard him cough and saw him look at him, the blood coming from his mouth.
"End me, end me clean." Robert said and Jae looked at him, getting ready to raise his sword and yet he knew he could not, he turned looking back to where his Kingsguard and Jaime stood.
"Arthur, please." he said, and then he saw Robert smile.
Arthur walked over quickly with Dawn in his hands and Robert leaned forward with his head down before he turned and looked up at him.
"You're her son, she'd have loved you lad, don't ever let anyone tell you different.".
"In the name of His Grace King Jaehaerys Targaryen, the Third of his Name, I sentence you to die." Arthur said as Dawn rose in the air, the milky white blade soon covered in red as Robert Baratheon was no more.
A/N: Up Next The Iron Born attack and we look through Arya's eyes at events before, during and after while one king falls another rises and Jae learns of a hidden truth. We also find out where Cat and Littlefinger are gone. I would also like to thank 1 for designing Jae's Armor.
VdWade: I wanted to give Cat a small moment where she thought she had turned a corner only for her to find that there are worse things around that corner. See her world crashing down. Jon A has a lot of explaining to do. Edmure is well, as you see his usual self. That's one of the things with Illyrio, he's certainly not built to run, Jaime I think knows all to well both his bears at home will roar.
Mhaleowen: It's funny that as the familial bonds can be so intertwined in Westeros and don't seem to matter to a lot of houses. Ok I know the Frey's aren't a good example but they're married into everyone, Walder's son Emmon is married to Tywin's sister Genna yet he made a deal with Cat and joined with the Starks. He's not alone in that, it seems they don't all hold to it. Hell the Baratheons have closer bonds with the Targs and that didn't stop them.
Daryl Dixon: I know I'm sounding like a broken record but it's getting closer.
Canuck: I'll pass you regards on to Anonmg.
Solarblack: The fall of the falcon, capture of the fishes and roasting of the Stag, perhaps lol. If Jae gets his way The War for Justice and Honor.
Platinum Bro: With Dany you're right she's getting something she wants, hope this chapters shows why plans can change and odds can flip. I feel with the planning and I'm no military tactician by any means, but we see in the books that Jon is quite good at it, the plans we then saw in the show, like no one ever looked at them and went, these are good. Placing men outside a keep in a line to fight a war, kinda defeats the idea of a keep, what they were built for, there are so many videos on Youtube berating just how bad tactically the battles were in GOT.
Zyrus: One of the things with the battles is unfortunately putting all the pieces in place, a lot of them I'm going to try and make long and detailed. With the WW either we'll see the battle for the dawn here, or I'll have set it up that we'll see it in a sequel, one way or the other though, this Jon Snow will be shown facing off against the WW.
KSVeela: I understand the idea behind the Iron islands being burned, they get a lot of deserved hate, one of the things which is funny is no one ever wishes to see regions who've technically done worse, burn. Like given what the Lannisters and their bannermen done and comparing it to what the IB did, they probably deserve it more. What I think is that the idea of what they do has to be slapped out of them, they continue that way then the crown has to keep going further and further until they don't, it's ridicules they get away with that for so long. The funny thing is also, that Balon's father, Theon's grandfather was stopping it. Dragons trumps the GC as a surprise and now Jae knows of them he can plan, Robert cannot.
Jman: it's so funny, Cat and LF really does make you want to barf doesn't it lol. We'll see with Robert.
Darthmaine. If you notice he changed the lyric a little as he's now the Lord of Castamere so yep, it is kinda his song now.
Biohazard: So glad you liked it.
Creativo: Joanna es linda, tienes razón, no es tan agradable escuchar sobre el pequeño Rickon Baelish lol. Me alegro de que te haya gustado la canción.
Kunochi: Cat's pov will be next week, it'll cover a lot, you're right about Robin, it's just hard to figure out how he would be saved.
I'll be showing the other songs at some point, I'll pass on to him that you liked it, it really is and Tywin funny enough knew this better than most, the Rains was really his legacy. As you see here, this is what happens when people know you're coming they prepare so yes the IB are in for a nasty surprise. We'll see from House Redfort as to why they haven't answered sometime next week, Richard's lips are everywhere and yes some of Jon A's lies are coming back to bite him. I like to think the horse survived, but that's just me, so lets say they did and it was just the riders who fell. The things he found in Dragonstone are very important, a good few of them. So glad you liked the Jaime family scene, Myrcella is a treasure and Tommen too and both will have a better life actually, Myrcella is to marry Bran. In a way LF realizes it and so he's going for what he wants, but he also is playing the angles too, if things actually swung his way, he could end up with the Riverlands. That's exactly it, propaganda is key and Cat/LF weren't the only ones listening in when he met them, above them the men on the walls heard that song.
Supremus: That's fine, we are allowed to disagree, I hope to write a story where he'll be different too, it's something I try to do so in a future one just like with some other characters he may be more to your liking. You're right about LF, this is kinda a win for him.
Debator Max: Hope this made up for it regarding Robert. As you see with Dorne it's more Doran playing odds.
Dirtycat: So glad you liked it, we're almost there.
Vfsnake: Hope you liked this, so happy you liked the song. LF is slimy though explaining and twisting things is his true strength.
Cheryl Pollock: Thank so much, glad you liked it. Love that post btw, Valar Morghulis. No worries about the misspelling, It happens and I can understand you're words, so don't fret about it.
As you see one extra one, so it's some of Dorne, the GC, Edmure and his men, Some Stormlands forces, Robert and his men and the Vale.
FAegon is the last in the line, if he falls then House Blakfyre is truly no more. The IB have no idea of what they're in for.
With the rest of the enemies, hubris, their own actions etc all of it has combined to leave them how they are, Jae has planned this well and now the time to execute those plans is at hand. Dany has a large obstacle to get past before she comes to Westeros. Hope you liked the take on the HOBW, the faceless men have their own agenda. The FM rose because of the war and because people were hungry and starving, here we'll see if there is a reason for them as for the IB, well they can be dealt with easily.
Denoltdn: I agree it's something we rarely see too. I will at some point in this show a little of Daenys, either in the book Jae felt or perhaps a vision so while not exactly showing the flight, it will cover it a little. Glad you liked the COTR part, we'll se the talk Aegon and Brandon Snow had at some point. Here Edmure kinda made the only move he could, so in that sense a good one. The Black Dragon bit is coming, you're right Jon C finding out who's on Jae's side really will bring things home. Arthur is perhaps my fave character in that I love the potential of him living, with Jaime I end up doing his redemption more often than not, I think partly because the other way doesn't really give many options. He's either redeemed or goes through some sort of redemption arc or what? He's a bad guy, Jaime as a bad guy kinda doesn't seem right in that all he really is mainly is an excellent warrior, but like most other characters at some point I may flip him.
Scarila: So glad you liked it, this was why when people wanted to see her dead, keeping her alive works so much better.
Anarchicmind: I think there is so much of the interesting lore we never got to see, not just in the show which cut off great chunks of it and didn't use so many cool characters, Arianne, Val, so many others. But even GRRM tends to do this with characters, Like Bonifer and the 100 have such a cool back-story, and we see them like twice in the books and that's pretty much it, so it's fun to bring them in here. Also they're now sworn directly to Jae and so he's getting them as basically a praetorian guard.
With Cat, this is exactly what she deserves, to suffer before whatever her end fate is, here it was fun to give her a brief moment where she thought all was well and then pull the rug from under her. I think so too with Jae/Marge, plus given what they did for the people in Flea Bottom it makes sense they'd wish for a KL wedding, also the quickie wedding thing would be so wrong for them, they've done it, now do a big one.
Prince Loki: Lol, I knew it was you Sidious. He has in a way yes, this is truly one of his dreams, though he's so far from the others now.
Desertsandbox: We'll see.
Dunk: Thanks so much, that's my thoughts on them too, This story is on AO3, there I can answer people's questions directly, Here I could Pm but it takes so long for the messages to show up, this works easier. I do intend to make it up in the battles to come. Cat as you say kinda turned Sansa into a clone of what she felt a lady should be, it's why I take so much issue with her as a character, she's flawed which is fine but she actually passes them flaws onto her children. Here it's a case of basically just blaming her entire existence on Jon Snow and refusing to take any responsibility for it, what makes it worse is if she kept her mouth shut on him all those years ago, look at where she'd be now.
I like Gerion as he's an unknown in canon, as you see Riverrun has fallen. I had thought about having him do that but I felt it may derail things so much that the other stuff wouldn't come out, like he may have basically pulled Cat inside, she needed to figure the Cregan part out to really allow stuff to hit home.
One of the things and I've been remiss in showing this, so the Arthur/Jae part is kinda that, is that you'd imagine being surrounded by some of the people he is, Jaime, Oberyn, Gerion, Tyrion, Barry and Arthur, Jae has had some of these type of conversations before, here as you see Arthur pointed out the little flaws in things allowing the plan to be modified. I also wanted to do a little nod to Farscape, the end of season 1 when they come up with a plan and Crichton realizes he's the key, it has to be him that he's the only one Scorpius would follow.
We'll see with the war. As you see with Doran he's made his move as for Jaqen he's already in Westeros.
Guest: Thank so much. Dany may have to face a big obstacle in her way. So glad you liked the different pov it allows for a completely different look. Jon C is dealing with some new revelations and well he's reeling. We'll see the GC and Jae next.
Naruto: So very glad you're enjoying it.
Dievalgo: So happy you liked it, with Gerion as the Lord of Castemere it gives it more poignancy.
Remi: Very big, someone explained it to me that they grow very fast quickly so that only another dragon can harm them and I also think magic feeds off magic too. I think Asha was the most practical of them, the rest were far too idiotic and never learned their lessons, so here she kinda has. With the GC them not being a surprise really helps and well Jae has dragons so they'll be bringing their own surprise. Well Cat cares nothing about others, her family yes but that's it and as for Doran, he thinks he's so clever. We'll see with Aemon, lets just say I have an in lore solution.
Shining anchor: That was it exactly, to twist the knife in, Cregan knew that Cat would have laughed him off so to speak thinking him a bastard, so him being trueborn would have more of an effect, it also would set her mind to turmoil later as she may now start to think of Robb and her children's inheritance, see a truer more valid threat. He did only do it though because Gerion knows and Addam doesn't care and it'll not get back and cause trouble for the Ned. For me one of the main reasons to keep Cat alive is so she can find out just how much she's screwed and how false her thoughts are.
The Sphinx: Great poem my friend. That's exactly it, at first her mind is Brandon, all on him and what that means and later it'll hit her omg Robb's really going to lose WF.
Bao Earthdragon: Did I put five children in here? If so it was an error.
Anja; So glad you liked it.
Mrs Potter: Exactly, a brief moment of happiness and then finding the world crashing around her, so glad you liked the song.
Xand007: Thanks my friend. That's the thing, even the GC in the end were meh, anyway we'll see about the elephants, on so many dying it's hard, there's a war and people will die but you still if you're Jae want to save as many as you can, it's a catch 22, too many and it may bite you later, too few and the war drags on. You too my friend, stay safe and well.
Jessicanightmarewolf: Daenys most certainly wrote about that and a few other things, we'll see them in a bit. That's the thing with the song, Gerion being the Lord of Castamere can give it a new meaning, still as a scare tactic, men heard him sing that song and that helps.
Pontiac: Can't say without spoiling, all I can say is her fate will be I hope deserving and appreciated, Jae offered her a way out, she's said no.
Bellaswan: The reveal of the dragon and of Jae riding it is going to be a game changer for a lot of people, so far his allies have seen him, his enemies are about to and see what a dragon can do first hand. For Jon C learning of Arthur, or Richard and then the dragon is huge.
VwChick: So glad you liked it.
Silverglow: The landing of the GC meant Jae wished for the Stormlands ended quicker so he got involved, by warging Aemon's and few other horses.
Cat basically is both emotionally and physically exhausted and it's the perfect storm for LF to take advantage off. We'll see both his original and his latest plans in his next pov. We will see Horton in a bit and find out why he didn't rise.
Jon A/Robert finding out about Dorne would have devastating effect, their own position was already weak, as you see a lot of chickens are coming home to roost. One of the things with Arthur, Barry the others and with Jae is as king he needs to be the one to make the plans, of course though he has these guys around him and so he can make a plan, say it out loud and if it's a dumb one they can go, eh, no, maybe do this, so it's very helpful. Mace delayed but Randyll didn't basically Jae's original plan was to stop the Stormlords and keep them bogged down, to go after Robert with Jaime's army and stop Jon A joining him, the GC changed all that as they are player on the board now.
Ser Richard to Myrcella proved himself a true KG and so she wished what he deserved, Myrcella here is slated to marry Bran and get Riverrun, just no the LP and so a much better life perhaps than she'd have faced. We may see her side yes, certainly some of it. Bonifer and Rhaella loved each other, he crowned her QOLB in a tourney and then ghost of High heart made her prophecy and Rhaella was married to Aerys, Bonifer vowed never to marry or love another and formed the 100. Here he's now sworn to Jae and well, they'll serve as kinda a praetorian guard.
We see more little twists and well the adventures of Edmoron and Catfish aren't over just yet lol.
One of the problems is that self righteous people can't accept when they beat, Cat was given generous terms, others too, by not accepting them you force people to fight and die and well there are consequences.
We will see the other songs, either Anon will do them or I will, I'll pass on your good wishes.
Hartley: So happy you're enjoying it, the angst I try to keep down but there is bound to be some and I at least try to make it fit the context. We'll see Dany meet back up with Drogo very soon. House Tully is hanging on by it's fingernails, Bloodraven is about to make his presence felt very soon.
Spartan: So glad you liked it, yep we're right thee now.
Lady Octarina: I'll pass it on about the song, I wanted to give Cat this almost Théoden moment were she thinks everything is going to be alright and then realizes it's really not. She's in a way right where LF likes people, under his thumb. Glad you liked the Gerion/Cregan parts, as much as we want Jae to be there, we needed them there for this part. Oh the Knights of the Vale are in for a surprise too, but yes the IB really are about to find a much different north.
Joanna is a little over three. You're right death would be preferable than upsetting Dacey lol.
With the GC, them landing actually made Jae look to the Stormlands, he wouldn't have got directly involved only for them. I agree on Arthur, Jaime can do it too, but there's a time and place but sometimes he needs to be called out too, to be challenged. When it comes to military stuff he's surrounded by men far more experienced them him, yes he may try and come up with the plans, but like the bit with Arthur here, he listens and accepts if he's wrong, sometimes at least.
YayforJae:
1. One of the things is that men wise this is an easy war, Jae wins, he's got the men and he's got the dragons. But that's not the be all and end of war, the targs should have won the rebellion, they had the men, far more than the rebels, they lost because tactics and logistics. Here as you say Jae and others are able to adapt, they still haven't show their secret weapon yet either.
2. Here with Jaime it's the earlier the change I think, one thing most don't' forgive him for is pushing Bran out the tower, now since I freaking hat what bran turned into, I only hate that he didn't kill the fucker, sorry for my language lol.
But I think you need to show the emotional side to make the other side work, it's why the end of the show is so messed up, emotionally the characters died, they weren't the ones we knew, loved, hated, etc, they were plot points. Like they tried to make us care about Cersei's death and hate Dany, both in the blink of an eye, that's just wrong. Having seen Jaime as Jae's father figure and him being mostly responsible for his growth it allows his own growth to work.
foes as you see more are coming out of the woodwork, more allies too, its' a strange world. We'll see with Cat and LF next, LF's old plot and his new one and where Cat is mentally. On Jon A he's a far more predictable foe and well Tyrion is up next too I think we're about to see the Frey's for the first time.
things in the cave are very important, some I was tempted to have him go more into right there and then but I held back, but the magic aspect is a big thing of this and I do have explanations. Dragonstone and him being able to hug his mother is a big thing too.
was Sun Tzu. You're right in a way Jae has been planning this war for so long, more importantly those around him have too, so again when it comes to his tactics, the ones he's arrived at would have been scrutinised and discarded if they weren't' good. Robert/Jon A and Illyrio both have had to scramble far more and also aren't aware of the big surprise so they had a disadvantage other than numbers. The biggest move of this war wasn't any that Jae made, it was Richard killing Varys as it gave them free reign for so long.
6.I'm so glad you like those things, I think little moments like that add such a lot to things, not only fleshing out the world and characters but just maybe making you laugh or go Ahww or even if lucky enough to wipe a tear, but it adds to things and a lot of them have bigger meaning later on, here Rhaella's appearance was both an ahww moment and a bigger example of magic at work.
7. I'd love to be able to do that, I think if I can get any to trial it'll be a lucky thing.
Don't worry about writing a lot, I find it most fun to read and answer so feel free to say what's on your mind, this story is also on AO3 and up to day and there it allows comments directly which I can answer when they're posted.
Irish Hermit: On Cat it's exactly that, the fall from where she was to where she'll end up. The thing is had she just ignored Jon, she'd be in such a better position, hell Bran would be Lord of Riverrun and LP, Robb future Lord of WF and Sansa possibly married to the Lord of HG. All she had to do was ignore.
Genna made Jae promise not to bring Daven to war, she didn't want the children losing their father and so Daven is at the Rock with Myrcella, getting to know her.
Oh the realm will find out, Jon A's legacy is going to be very tarnished. He really did, Bonifer and the 100 will serve as kinda a praetorian guard for Jae. Robert I thought long and hard about it, this was the ending I felt best for him and having Rhaenix show up just felt wrong. I'll love to hear your thoughts.
