THE SOUND OF WAR

WINTERFELL

EDDARD

When the Raven from Dargonstone came Eddard is in his solar. "My Lord a Raven has arrived." Maester Luwin says.

He takes the letter from Luwin breaks the seal and read, "It is time…Maester Luwin…send the Ravens out and summon the Banners to Moat Cailin."

"Yes my Lord."

After Luwin leaves Ned calls his wife and son. "I am calling the Banners. The Targaryens are making their move."

"By the gods. Ned Promise me that you will come back to us."

"I will there probably won't even be a battle, let alone a war."

"May I come with you father?"

"Absolutely not!" Catelyn says protesting.

"Cat I was around his age when I went."

"That was different!"

"One day he will be the Lord of Winterfell. He needs to be seen at my side and learn how to lead other men." She didn't like it, but eventually she gave in. Two days later Ned and Robb lead four thousand men out of Winterfell. When they stop at Castle Cerwyn Robb tells Theon about Jon's secret. At first he is angry, but eventually he gets over it. As they leave Cerwyn two thousand men led by Lord Cerwyn march with them.

When they reach the Barrowlands the army from White Harbor can be seen marching from the east, by scouts; five thousand strong. When Ned's forces reach Moat Cailin the Crannogmen from Greywater Watch are waiting along with the White Harbor army. As they wait for the rest of the Banners to arrive Ned has the main hall benches arranged in a square around a large fire pit. The Grey Dire Wolf sigil of House Stark is the largest banner that will be displayed. The sigil of House Reed is a lion-lizard devouring its own tail. The Merman of House Manderly is on a stand by the wall where they will sit.

Over the next two weeks the Stark Banners arrived and when the Lords and Ladies, were all present with their armies. The Lords and Ladies gather in the main hall. "My Lords and Ladies I thank you all for answering the call to arms and honoring your oaths…When war came two years ago I asked you all not to lend Stannis your support and you obeyed my word. Some of you questioned me and now I shall give you the answers.

As you all know Prince Rhaegar married Princess Elia of Dorne…She bore him two children, but could not give him more. She gave Rhaegar permission to seek a second wife. My sister Lyanna became his second wife. Rhaegar did not kidnap or rape Lyanna…" As he speaks those gathered listen intently. "…Lyanna and Rhaegar fell in love and married in secret. My sister gave him a son and named him Jaehaerys Targareyn…His great Uncle Prince Aemon came to Winterfell and asked me to allow him to raise our nephew…My nephew wants the Iron Throne…He will speak with you all now through the fire."

Eddard takes a torch and walks up to the fire pit in the center of the room. He throws the torch in and the fire ignites. The flames wave and writhe as they take the shape of a young man. Some of the Lords jump up from their seats. "My Lords…I am Jaehaerys Targaryen the Third of his name…

HOSTER TULLY

When the Raven came Hoster Tully summoned his banners to Riverrun. All came even the Late Walder Frey. When they came Daenarys and her Dragon are present. The Riverlords swear to serve Jaehaerys Targaryen and get ready to march. "Your Uncle Brynden will join you at Golden Tooth. He is command of our forces."

"Yes father."

"And when you return you are going to marry Rosalin Frey."

"I'd rather marry Princess Daenarys Targaryen."

There is a knock at the door to the Solar. "Enter!"

Stevron Frey enters with his sister Rosalin, "My Lord Hoster may I present my sister Rosalin Frey…Rosalin Lords Hoster and Edmure."

"My Lords." She says with a curtsey.

Edmure looks at his father and then her. He gets up and takes her hand, "My Lady…I am honored to meet you. Rosalin that is a beautiful name."

"Thank you My Lord."

GOLDEN TOOTH

The Northern and Riverland forces march to Golden Tooth, with the Knights of the Vale a day behind them. Their combined might is Seventy-seven thousand troops including Lord Lefford's men. They are joined by Jaehaerys with his Dragon to march on King's Landing.

TYTUS

Meanwhile Tytus flies on his Dragon Tyza to Blackmont where the Dornish army is gathering in force. Once assembled they will march to Horn Hill and help Randyl Tarly take High Garden. Everything is coordinated to happen at the same time. So by the time the forces are assembled at Golden Tooth, the Dornish army is assembled and ready to march to Horn Hill.

Tytus stands by horse as Tyza goes flying off to hunt in the Dornish Marshes. When she is out of sight he climbs his horse and rides off. They cross the river and track through the rocky terrains. At the halfway point Tyza returns, but flies ahead to await them at the Mander River.

When they arrive Randyl has thirty thousand troops assembled. All loyal to him, the rest are loyal to House Tyrell and assemble at High Garden to march towards the Capital. The Tarly and Martell forces combined number seventy thousand strong. Three days later they march on High Garden. After a week long march they arrive at High Garden to face an army led by Wylis Tyrell.

Tytus flies his Dragon over High Garden and Wylis orders his men to surrender. "As long as your men do not commit treachery Lord Wylis no one will be harmed."

"You could have burned the castle to the ground and destroyed all my men. The fact that you did not my Prince speaks well of your character. I trust your word and you have mine."

AEMON

Meanwhile Aemon and Shiera lead the Dragon Army across land from Crackclaw Point. His army is made up of the 18,000 unsullied and the company of the Rose, then forces from House Valeryon of Driftmark and some of the loyalist Houses of the crownlands. The combined might is 22,000 fighters. The first castle in the way is Rook's Rest.

House Staunton was loyal to Stannis, but now follows King Tommen. In two years House Staunton's army stands at nine hundred men. Originally it was two thousand fifteen of which was lost fighting for Stannis. "Surrender Lord Staunton…and I will spare you, your wife and children, and all your men. Defy me and by sunrise tomorrow you and all your men will be dead…Your wife a widow! And your children orphans!"

"Go fuck one of your relatives ya Targaryen bastard!" He yells from the ramparts.

"Fool!" Aemon rides back to Shiera and their men. "We attack at midnight." She nods.

At midnight Shiera leads a force of a thousand men to the secret passage out of the castle; then they wait. When Lord Staunton's wife and children emerge with their guards the guards are slaughtered, the wife and children taken prisoner. Then Shiera and her men go up the tunnel. She uses magic to unseal the locked door and they enter the castle.

Meanwhile Aemon stairs at the Castle waiting for the signal. A torched is waved by the hunter's gate. "It is time." Aemon leads his men towards the hunter's gate. As they enter arrow range the archers start firing a steady stream of arrows which are blocked by shields. Aemon and his troops break into a run.

"The Hunter's Gate is open!" Someone yells.

When Aemon reaches the gate Shiera and her men are fighting to keep the gate open. Aemon focuses his mind on a torch on the parapet. Suddenly the flames leap off the torch and burn three men. He fights his way up the steps to the wall to take down the archers. He rolls beneath an arrow and impales an archer on his sword.

By sunrise the castle is taken as he predicted. Aemon sits on broken wagon with Lord Staunton's headless body at his feet. He wipes the blood off his sword as he is joined by Shiera. "That was easy."

He smiles, "I will try to find a castle more worthy of our skill."

She sighs, "I'm afraid my love that this is the only fight you and I will see for a long time…"

"Being able to see things before they happen does give one a major advantage in battle."

"So does having Dragons."

"I am surprised Jae didn't lead this attack himself." She says sitting next to him. "This will be the shortest war in history."

"I am glad of that…The Smallfolk suffer greatly when their Lords go to war."

She bumps Aemon with her shoulder, "We have time before we march again." She seductively says. They smile and run off like two children.