Robert Baratheon

He was fuelled by anger, a constant anger and a sense of injustice. Rhaegar bloody Targaryen had kidnapped Lyanna, sweet Lya, his Lya, Ned's sister. The Dragonspawn had taken what was not his to take and had left Robert with nothing had made his family a laughing stock. When Robert had heard, he had been in the Vale and only Jon and Ned's soothing tones had prevented him from storming straight to the Red Keep his war hammer in his hand and demanding that Rhaegar come out and die. Jon had instead told him that he had written to the king asking for explanations to be made. But the King, was but a boy who lived under Aerys and Rhaegar's thumbs and would do nothing, and in fact had done nothing, not for the longest time, and by the time he had finally stirred himself to do something Lyanna could have been dead.

Then Aerys Targaryen staged a coup and the boy king left King's Landing like a whipped cur, no dragon. More madness from the Targaryens Robert thought, though Jon Arryn urged him to return to the Stormlands and to Storm's End for safety should mad Aerys turn his eyes towards him. Jon's reasoning Robert had to admit was sound, for his father and Aerys were cousins and Robert had always thought that Aerys Targaryen had been slightly scared of Steffon Baratheon. And who wouldn't be, Robert had for the longest time lived in fear of his father, for Steffon Baratheon was a big man, and smart and cunning and harsh when he needed to be. Now that he thought about it his father was a lot like Stannis, except unlike Stannis he knew how to laugh and smile.

Robert had returned to Storm's End to the news that his father was gravely ill and close to dying, and that the north had called their banners as had the Westerlands. His father was torn between declaring for the boy king and remaining neutral, after all they were family towards Aerys and that mad bastard Rhaegar, but Robert wanted vengeance he wanted Lyanna back. She was his and he was hers, that was the way it was always supposed to be and so after some very heated arguments with his father, the ravens were sent out and the banners called. Not all the Stormlords responded positively to the summons, Lords Dondarrion and the Rainwood lords remained loyal to Summerhall and marched against him towards Argilac's Rock.

With his father unwell, Robert had taken command of the Stormlords who had come to Storm's End, Estermont, Tarth, Buckler, Boiling, Errol and others. Stannis came with him, his brother just as serious and dour as he had been even as a small child. And a fierce battle had been fought on Argilac's Rock in the pouring rain they had fought. Robert had revelled in it the feeling of his hammer in his hand and the ability to vent the anger and frustration he had been feeling for so long. Whichever fool was stupid enough to come in his path was felled by his hammer, and he made a bloody path through the rebel Stormlords, swinging them down with a thunder and strength that he had never known he had possessed.

The battle lasted well into the night, the rain had made the ground and the rock slippery and muddy, and Summer Dondarrion would not give up the fight, more and more men were sent to their graves because of Dondarrion's blind insistence on sending his men out to die. Robert did mind, in fact he revelled in the fighting, swinging his war hammer, he realised that this was what he had been born for, not for ruling lands or listening to complains, but for the swinging of his war hammer and the feeling of power he had gotten from knowing that someone's life was in his hands, and he could play god deciding whether or not that person got to live or die.

He did eventually come face to face with Summer Dondarrion, and they clashed on the peak of Argilac's Rock where legend held that Argillac had slain the father of Harren the black as a lad. They met in a clash of steel on hammer and though both men were tired from the day's battle they fought hard and they fought long. For every blow Robert landed on Dondarrion, denting his armour and potentially winding him, Dondarrion struck him on the arms or the legs or the chest and opened up a fresh new wound for him to feel and suffer through.

Eventually though Robert's youth came good, he was not as tired as old Summer Dondarrion and managed to fell him with a mighty swing that sent the whole world a spin. Dondarrion's chest was caved in from the blow and he dropped down blood and gore and all kinds of other things came falling out of the marcher lord's mouth and wounds. Robert watched the man breath his last before roaring for more men to come out and die. None did though, the marcher lords who had rallied behind Dondarrion either surrendered or died.

After the battle, they camped and tended to their wounds, and Stannis insisted that he deal a harsh sentence to those who had rebelled against their liege lord and their rightful king by siding with Aerys the usurper for that was what he was Aerys Targaryen for all intents and purposes was the usurper. Robert though knew that he would need all the men he could get for the battles that were to come and for the march north to the Riverlands where it was said the north and the Westerlands were currently camped and so the rebels were pardoned by Robert and accepted into his army, only an extra 500 men but they were skilled fighters.

News came from Storm's End, it appeared that a fleet had blockaded the port at Shipbreaker's bay and that their food supplies were beginning to run low, both Robert and Stannis wanted to go running back to their home to help their people, their father was too ill to do so. But then Lord Boiling pointed out that the only way they could help their family was by defeating and taking Summerhall and so they marched on and now the castle was coming into sight.

"We won't be able to storm the walls Robert. They've got their archers pinned right on us. The minute we move is when we shall die." Stannis said through the rain.

"Aye, we will need to figure out what other way to take the castle my lord." Said their grandfather Lord Eldon Estermont.

Robert merely grunted. "There are men inside those walls; the Targaryens have more pride than sense. If we charge them some may die but others will live and whoever holds the castle will need to come out and defend their home, and we shall kill them and then take the castle."

"What will you do about Princess Elia and her children Robert? They are our kin through marriage; surely you cannot mean to harm them?" Stannis asked.

Robert sighed. "Princess Elia and her children will remain unharmed; they are innocent in all of this. They will serve as hostages for us, against Aerys."

"Our scouts report that, Prince Aelix holds Summerhall for his nephew. It is possible we will have to fight him and his men, and if that is the case we might face a tougher task then we first thought." His cousin Ser Aemon Estermont said.

Robert merely grunted. "It makes no matter Aelix or Aerys, the man must die if Summerhall is to be ours. Raise a banner of parley, I will speak to these fools before we kill them." And so a banner was raised and they rode out towards the gates, where after a few moments another rider rode out Prince Aelix Targaryen looked like Rhaegar had done at Harrenhal, with the silver hair and purple eyes though his eyes were hard as stone. "Prince Aelix," Robert began. "I have come to offer you terms. Surrender the castle to me bloodlessly and you shall be spared as will Princess Rhaella and Princess Elia and her children. Once you surrender your men are to join me and mine as we march for the Riverlands."

For a moment it genuinely did seem as if old Prince Aelix was about accept the terms Robert offered but then the old man sighed and said. "And to what purpose would my men be used for in the war in the Riverlands? I know you have not declared for King Aemon nor have you declared for King Aerys. How I to know my men am won't be used in an attempt to usurp the throne from my family? I am afraid that I cannot give you my men without knowing what it is you intend to do with them once I have given you them."

Robert growled then. "If I wanted to remove the Dragonspawn from the throne I would have done so by now, I am not one to play games Prince Aelix. Your men would be used to help seat King Aemon back on his throne whilst Aerys and Rhaegar burned in all the seven hells. Now will you give me your men or do I have to kill you for them?"

Robert saw the Prince's eyes harden. "Return to your men Robert Baratheon, and be ready to fight. I will not give my men to someone who does not appreciate their worth. Now return and be ready to die."

They rode back and soon enough the battle began anew. The men met in a clash of steel, Robert felt the battle rush hit him then, swinging his hammer like a man possessed he swung and swung and men fell to their deaths at the hand of his hammer. On he went, crushing breastplates and wounding more and more men, the blood he saw only fuelled his anger and his strength; he would show the Targaryens what it was to see the Baratheon fury. On it went, swinging his hammer, more men died than got even close towards him.

He kept swinging clearing a path through towards where Prince Aelix was, on his way he killed Lords Cafferen and Grandison, swinging his hammer with pure strength and noticing briefly the blood and bodies on the ground, the blood pooling like a river at the feet of his horse. Aelix Targaryen was an old man now but he was still a skilled fighter, Robert watched as the man brought down four men many years his junior, when he wounded Stannis though Robert roared and advance and their dance began. Swinging, hacking cutting and slashing. Aelix Targaryen gave as good as he got, Robert was wounded and tired very quickly, but still he was the younger of the two men and soon enough he had knocked the prince off of his horse with one deadly blow to the head he killed the prince.

It took a while for the man's men to realise what had happened but when they did they either broke and fled or they surrendered and dipped their banners. Robert rode at the head of the army towards Summerhall, where he shouted up at the gatemen. "Your prince is dead, open these gates now and be accepted into the king's peace once more." The gates opened after what seemed an eternity, upon entering the castle grounds, Robert found himself looking straight at his father's cousin. Princess Rhaella was a dignified woman and reminded Robert of his own grandmother somewhat. Once he had dismounted she came up to him and asked softly. "What is it you mean to do with us Robert?"

Robert was silent for a long moment before he said. "For the love my father bears you, you shall be spared as will Princess Elia and her children. For now we shall make use of Summerhall and then we shall ride out north."

Much later once everyone was settled in they held a war meeting to discuss their losses and their next move. "We lost some 2,000 men to that battle it was near suicide. These lords will never fight for us, they are to ingrained in their loyalty to Princess Rhaella." Ser Delton Staedmon said.

"They will do as the Princess commands them. And as she has given us the castle, she will give us her men." Stannis said firmly.

"There is other news you should hear Robert." Eldon Estermont said. "The reachmen led by Mace Tyrell are marching towards Summerhall, with a great host. We must move from here and head north soon if we wish to avoid being slaughtered."