In the chronology, I would say this falls before "ACOK: Tyrion III". It gets tougher winding Olyvar's own story with the original, but I love the challenge and I think I've kept his character and actions believable. Hope you guys are still enjoying it, thanks for 120+ reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I claim any ideas, places, or characters from the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series. Cheers

He sat in his tent alone for the evening, eating the bits and pieces of boar that remained from the feast with his generals earlier in the night whilst looking over reports that Colemon and Nestor Royce had sent to him along with the four thousand other men he had ordered down from the Vale. Now twenty thousand strong, his army was formidable, but not nearly enough to defeat Renly Baratheon.

"My lord?" Olyvar looked up to see Yohn Royce appear in the opening of the tent.

"Lord Yohn. Come, sit with me." Bronze Yohn took a place at the table, pouring himself a cup of wine. "I've been trying to formulate a strategy that will allow us to slowly pick off Renly's men and force him to give chase to us back up the Kingsroad."

"You would have us run instead of fight then, my liege?" Yohn raises his brow in surprise, but Olyvar knew it was a jest.

"Come, you know as well as I that Renly's men would destroy us if we fought fairly. The words of my house hardly matter in this instance."

Lord Royce flashed a grin and laughed at his lord. "Quite right. We are outnumbered heavily, as is everyone else in this war. But this strategy you are building, tell me about it."

"Certainly." Olyvar closed Colemon's report and procured the best map of Westeros that he had, laying it out bare on the table. "Renly's forces are near Highgarden." He pointed at the crown jewel of the Reach on the parchment." By attacking the Stormlands, specifically Renly's holding at Storm's End, we can draw him to the East. After that, we flee up the Kingsroad."

"I see. From there, it's only a matter of making sure his attention remains on us as we venture north." Yohn stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Such a thing would be possible, but then tell me, my lord. What would you do when we finally make it back to the Trident? Do we slip back into the Vale, behind the protection of our mountains?"

"A thought that I haven't considered. It is possible we could do that, yes." In truth, Olyvar admitted that the return to the Vale would be a safer play than his own idea. But safe plays would not win them the war, especially with their meager forces. "But I'd much rather drop Renly's host off at Tywin Lannister's door, on the grounds of Harrenhal. From there, we can use Robb's forces to help trap Tywin, and we can slip back down past everyone into the Reach, which will remain widely unguarded."

"And I assume after all of this, we will go and take King's Landing in Stannis' name." The old commander looked a tad worried. "Such risk, all for the opportunity of placing one enemy against another."

"We've risked worse before. I only wish that we had more men, it would not be as great of a risk then." The report that he had been reading before had been bleak in outlook. One of the tasks that he had entrusted to Colemon and Nestor Royce had been to obtain a detailed outlook of the Vale, from able-bodied men to an examination of crop numbers and the treasury. And while the latter two had been reports as being excellent, their manpower was severely overestimated.

"Aye, Robert's Rebellion proved to be costly to the Vale." Yohn Royce said, a glimmer in his eyes as he seemingly remembered back to his days fighting the Targaryen loyalists. "So many men lost. I remember your father lamenting about how the majority we had lost had all been quite young, as well. It's difficult to raise a new generation of youth with half of the previous killed."

"Indeed. Maester Colemon estimated that we only have ten thousand more men we could call on at any given moment, and even then I suspect they are all as green as me when it comes to actual fighting." Olyvar took a sip of his own wine, leaning back in his chair. "At least I sent word from Riverrun before we departed to call down the extras that were guarding the Bloody Path. Twenty thousand is better than sixteen."

"Agreed." Olyvar looked to Yohn Royce's face and saw the man was looking down, seemingly troubled. "My lord, I must confess to you that I am doubtful about a decision of yours."

"Why?" Olyvar was taken aback. He just said it was a good strategy. "Do you really think slipping back into the Vale truly is the better option?"

"It's not about strategy, my lord. It's about your marital status." Olyvar's nervousness turned into apprehension. Not you, Lord Royce. Anyone but you. "The betrothal to Myrcella Baratheon must be called off. I continue hearing whispers throughout the camp, from your own commanders, about how deplorable it is that you continue associating yourself with an enemy."

"But Myrcella is not the enemy." He pleaded. He did not want to argue with Bronze Yohn on the matter. He had enough of warring with his own lords over the matter of Myrcella. "She's innocent in all of this, and doesn't deserve to be slighted."

"My lord, I'm afraid you do not understand. Your men, your cousin's men, the men of the Baratheon brothers. None care whether the Princess is innocent of all of this madness that has been presented to us." The Lord of Runestone said with a stern voice. "I understand your reasoning for keeping the betrothal, but it will only hurt us in the war."

"Do you?" Olyvar answered with a tone that bordered on anger. "Then explain to me, Lord Royce. I am eager to hear it."

"As you wish." Yohn took a deep breath before beginning. "You have spent nearly your entire life living in the Red Keep, growing up with Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen Baratheon. They are, I'm sure, the closest things you had as siblings until Robert was born, and even then you would have been near seven. Even if you had utter distain for Joffrey, I'm sure you developed affections for the Princess and Prince. Am I wrong?"

Olyvar wanted to speak, but couldn't get the words to develop. Yohn Rocye gave a soft smile before continuing. "I have no doubts I am right on the matter. Those affections, however, conflict with your duty. You wish to serve Stannis Baratheon, yet continue to keep the betrothal with Myrcella active. Dare I say you fear what Stannis will do to her should we win this war?"

He had not felt himself moving as his commander was talking, but once Yohn had completed his statements, Olyvar was well aware he was leaning over the table in his chair, looking at his commander incredibly. "Lord Royce, you are a dangerous man."

"Then it is a good thing I am loyal." Olyvar chuckled as Yohn jested. How lucky I am to have such a man leading my army.

"You have been right with everything you've assumed. I don't do it out of love, although I think her sweet enough to where I could perhaps have fallen for her, given time." Olyvar looked away from Yohn to the table, reliving his childhood memories. "She was innocent and kind, pure as anything could be. And beautiful, gods the very image of her mother. Save her nature. Myrcella is not as cruel as Cersei."

"You say you do not love her, my lord. But from your voice, and the way you describe her, I'd say you are as close to loving the Princess as anyone could be."

"Perhaps I am, I wouldn't know. I still feel as if I'm far too young to feel such things." Another soft laugh escaped his mouth. "When Robert first suggested it, I thought him mad. I was only three and ten, she was only ten herself. Now we've both grown a year, and I find myself warring against her brother. What a shame, the idea of her being my wife grew on me every day we spent on the Kingsroad."

"I know you want to protect her, my lord. And I am sure that you will be able to convince Stannis to do no harm to the girl or her younger brother when we take this city." As he spoke sympathetically, Yohn Royce put his hand on Olyvar's shoulder. "But we must break this betrothal. It does not mean you must entertain suitors now, but it would help your image in the eyes of your men, which from experience is important."

Olyvar thought hard about everything. He did not want to slight Myrcella's honor by breaking the betrothal because of her now-known bastardy, such things were trivial in his mind. But Yohn was correct. They were on opposite sides of the war, and if he was to gain the full support of his men, he would have to break it. No, he suddenly thought. Not in a dishonorable way such as this. He looked back at Yohn. "How many days are we from King's Landing?"

"Two or three, I believe."

"Ready a messenger falcon." Olyvar was glad that the men who had joined them had brought the falcons that his father and forefathers had raised in the Eyrie to deliver swift messages, often outpacing the ravens of the Citadel by considerable time. "I wish to inform the capital of my impending arrival."

A/N: Well, considering King's Landing is on the way to Storm's End, why not stop it and say hi? :)

I hope you guys accept the explanation for the Vale's forces. Considering estimates ranged from 25-45K, I figured I would meet slightly in the middle and go 35K and explain it as the Vale lacking manpower, an effect of Robert's Rebellion. Besides, having a fully reinforced Vale force would take away from what I'm going to be doing with the story anyways.

To Mikle Silver: Although there are theories, there isn't an exact explanation regarding Robert Arryn's shaking syndrome. Some believe it's epilepsy, others think it's a result of his stunted intellectual and physical development. Perhaps we aren't meant to ever know the real answer.

Always remember to leave a review. It's greatly appreciated. Have a good day.