THE WAR OF THE TWO KINGS
JON ARRYN
When Jon Arryn's ship reaches Gulltown, he is greeted by his cousin Lord Aron Hadryn. "My Lord Welcome."
"Any word from the Capital?"
"Um…well. The King demands that if you are seen to arrest you for treason."
"And will you be arresting me?"
"Of course not cousin." They start walking towards the castle. "A message is waiting for you from Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell."
To the Lord of the Eyrie and Warden of the East
Jon I am glad you saw your dream as a warning and left the Capital. You are right in your assumption that Robert was poisoned. This may be hard to do, but I ask that you stand down. Do not call your banners or give Stannis support of any kind…He is going to lose this war. I am not going to support Stannis and I have convinced the Tullys not to support him as well…
With Regards
Your son Lord Eddard Stark
"Cousin! Send Ravens to the Lords of the Vale to assemble at Wickenden."
"Yes my Lord."
After changing his clothes Jon Arryn heads back to the docks and takes a ship to White Harbor.
TYWIN
When word came from Stannis Tywin Lannister the Lord of Casterly Rock, House Lannister, and Warden of the West became enraged. He is not a man to suffer insults or accusations against his family. So he summons his banners and orders them to assemble at Deep Den. He orders Lord Lefford to send scouts into the Riverlands and watch their activities.
"My Lord another Raven arrived. This one from the Capital." Maester Creylen says.
Tywin is with his sister, her husband, his brother Gerion and his nephew Ser Cleos Frey by Genna. "What does it say Uncle?"
"Renly is denouncing his brother's claims."
"I knew they were untrue." Emmon Frey says.
"Words said with a knife at your throat hold little sway." Gerion replies. "Lord Lefford reports that the Riverlords are not mustering their forces."
"They could be waiting for us to move." Cleos says, "We take the field and they march on our rear."
"We will divide our forces…Send half to reinforce the Capital and leave the other half here to guard the west. Gerion you will take charge of our forces here, while I take the rest towards the Capital."
BALON GREYJOY
He sails his fleet beside the Lannister Fleet towards the Arbor to join Lord Redwyne's forces to attack Stannis' fleet. "I do not like this brother." Victarion says.
"It is revenge brother…We can regain our reputation by helping to destroy Stannis."
"For the blood of all Iron Born brother."
They sail through the sunset sea heading south, a fleet of three hundred Iron Born ships, two hundred Lannister ships, and four hundred Redwyne ships. His daughter Yara Greyjoy commands another one hundred ships that will attack and plunder the Step Stones when the time comes. When they arrive at the Arbor Island, they meet aboard Lord Redwyne's command galley.
"My Lords to our success and the long reign of King Joffrey." Lord Redwyne says toasting.
JON ARRYN
When Jon arrives in White Harbor, Eddard Stark is waiting for him. "Ned!"
"I figured you would come here. Come we will talk inside." They ride to New Castle.
"How did you know about my dreams? And how did you know to meet me here? And why won't you support Stannis' claim as King?"
"I was told about the dream and to meet you here. As to why I do not want to support Stannis. Jon Snow is not my son…He is my nephew by Lyanna and Rhaegar. His mother named him Jaehaerys. He is going after the Iron Throne. He has an army loyal to him. There are other Targaryens supporting him. And he has three Dragons as well. I have seen them with my own eyes."
Jon stands up, "I don't know what to say. Men…my men died fighting the Targaryen rule!"
"So did many Northmen…We fought or I fought to bring Aerys down. Rhaegar was not my enemy. Nor was his wife and children. And yet they died at the hands of two knights. Joffrey has no right to the Iron Throne. Neither does any of his siblings, but the Lannisters will do anything to stay in power."
"Did you truly know about Baelish and my wife? Did you really have spies in the Capital?"
"Prince Aemon told me about that."
STANNIS
Stannis has twelve hundred ships and a hundred thousand troops at his command. The Lords of the Stormlands are gathered in the main hall of Storm's End. "I am sorry my Lord there has been no word from the Tullys, the Starks, or Lord Arryn." Maester Cressen says.
"Then they are all traitors to the true King." Ser Axel says. Axel Florent is brother to Queen Selyse.
"Let us assume that Tyrells are supporting the Lannisters and that the rest of the Great Houses are staying out of the war. If we do this right we can win this war." Lord Tarth says.
"We send the fleet to attack the Arbor." Stannis says placing a stag marker near the Arbor. "Ser Axel will lead the attack."
"I thank you for the honor my King."
"Meanwhile I will lead our land forces against the Tyrell army at Tumbleton." When the meeting is adjourned Stannis goes to the docks to see his goodbrother off to fight the battle at sea.
SER AXEL
"Signal the fleet…I want all ships with full sails and oars out…And pray to the new gods that we reach the Step Stones before the enemy." The plan is to use the steps stone Islands as an ambush point. They reach the Step Stones in five days and spread through out the islands. After three weeks of waiting the enemy fleet is spotted at sea by scout ships.
Lord Redwyne sends his fleet in waves, after realizing that the Baratheon fleet is waiting to ambush them in the Step Stones. To counter this ambush tactic ships sail into the Step Stones ten to each group in between the Islands, four groups. With another group sailing behind to help with ambushes. At first Ser Axel.s forces are able to ambush many ships, but are attacked as other ship sail to help their allies.
Catapults launch flaming jars and rocks, javelins launch huge spears. Some ships are rammed and others boarded. Balon Greyjoy sends word to his daughter to join the battle. The second battle of the Step Stones lasts two weeks with Lannister, Redwyne, and Greyjoy forces standing victorious.
RANDYL TARLY
Meanwhile on land Lord Randyl Tarly sets up a defensive line that stretches from Tumbleton to the King's Wood and then back towards the blackwater rush. The line angles southeast, crosses the Rose Road and ends a few miles in between the Grassyvale and Fawnton. It continues back north across the edge of the King's Wood and stops near the Blackwater rush.
His army is made up of men from the crownlands and new recruits from the Capital. They were trained by Lord Kevan Lannister and a sell-sword named Bronn. Bronn is given command of the new recruits. Tyrion Lannister had also commissioned hundreds of catapults built and sent jars of wild fire to be flung at the enemy.
Knowing what the enemy will do before they do is an awesome advantage in battle. Tyrion's added contributions makes Randyl feel sorry for Stannis. Almost makes him feel sorry. Randyl is in the command tent with Garland Tyrell, the Sell-Sword Bronn, Lords Oakheart and Hightower. A man enters tent, "My Lord our scouts report Lord Tywin's forces on the road heading this way…At least half heading this way and the other half heading towards the Capital."
"Lord Hightower ride with me to greet Lord Tywin…Ser Garland you are in command until we return…Tell the cooks to prepare some food for our return."
"My Lord."
The horses are saddled by their Squires, then they ride out to meet Lord Tywin with twenty men. They meet Tywin's scouts and then Lord Tywin himself at the edge of the Mander River. "Lord Tywin welcome."
"Lord Tyrell." The Lords ride side by side, "What news of Stannis?"
"None yet My Lord…I have scouts watching the King's Wood as far as Fawton and the River…We should get an early warning."
"My scouts say your forces are spread out across a large area."
"Aye…I have kept my Calvary forces together. They can ride to wherever they are needed most."
"You are the only man to ever best Robert in battle…You are the best choice to lead us against Stannis…I defer to you My Lord, in how you wish to deploy my men."
When they return to Tumbleton tents are set up. Randyl dispatches the Lannister forces and then they feast. For three days the army waits and then the Baratheon army is spotted. Stannis' army marches along the base of the mountains near the ruins of Summerhall and turns toward Grassyvale and the river behind the defensive line. Randyl deploys the archers towards the Rose Road along with his Calvary. Stannis' Calvary forces ride out of the plains to attack head on. They are greeted by a hail of arrows and then a charge from the Lannister, Tyrell Calvary. The Mander splits into the Blueburn and the rest of the Mander river. Tumbleton, Grassyvale, and Bitterbridge form a triangle with the two rivers and then the Rose Road. The two forces battle in the middle for dominance.
"Sound a withdraw…Calvary and archers. Archers first." Randyl says to Squire who sounds the horn giving the signal. Stannis' forces press the attack, but now they are in range of the Catapults. "Calvary to secondary position infantry units 1 through 4 to join with archers attack on command."
"My Lord Catapults signal ready to fire."
He nods, "Unleash the seven hells."
The field becomes a raging green inferno of Wildfire. Tywin looks at Randyl, "Wildfire?"
"A contribution from your son among other things."
Stannis' Calvary is decimated. "My Lord…scouts report that Stannis is withdrawing his infantry. Do we attack?"
"No he still has his archers…Let him make the next move. All forces return to first positions."
STANNIS
Stannis withdraws his forces and retreats to Bitterbridge which had been abandoned by Lord Caswell who is a Banner of House Tyrell. With his Calvary lost and the enemy using Wildfire of all things his army's moral is very low. After everyone is rested, bathed and fed, among his commanders they gather in the main hall to talk. "We just lost all our heavy Calvary." Lord Carron says, "We have another ten thousand in reserve at Bronzegate that we can send for."
'Send for them." Stannis orders, "They won't risk moving Wildfire very far."
"A good flaming arrow could ignite…A small group could slip pass their scouts and take out the Wildfire."
Stannis shakes his head looking at the map, "No…we need a valuable target. One that would cripple the Tyrells or the Lannisters."
"We march west and attack Cornfield. Burn their crops. House Swyft supplies the majority of food to the Western lords." Lord Morrigen says.
We send for the reserve Calvary and then attack Cornfeild. The Raven is sent and reply is sent back by Raven. The reserve forces will travel by night to keep from being spotted. The Lannister forces do not advance on Bitterbridge. There are skirmish fights between scouts of apposing forces but things remain the same for weeks. Finally the reserve Calvary force arrives and when they enter the castle the men begin attacking. The Baratheon reserve force was ambushed and slaughtered. Their armor and uniforms taken and the Lannister/Tyrell men take their place.
As the battle unfolds the rest of the Lannister/Tyrell Calvary join their comrades with the Infantry. Stannis is taken prisoner by Randyl Tarly himself.
