Prince Daemon Stark
The war was four years gone and yet there wounds of it still lingered on in the north. Crops and fields had been bunt by the Targaryens as they had attacked White Harbour, there had been disturbances within the city and the countryside between those who had grown to hate the seven gods of the southerners and those who wished to defend what they saw as the right for religion. Daemon had dealt with those who had caused the trouble in the same fashion he had dealt with trouble makers since the war had ended, discussions were held and a settlement was reached, where there were no settlements the offending parties had two choices repent and lose the offending limbs that had caused chaos, or be sent to the wall. Needless to say the wall received many new recruits since the war had ended.
Daemon had learnt lessons from the war that he might not otherwise have learnt, he knew the importance of having proper lookout towers along the coast and though the neck and Moat Cailin remained nigh impenetrable, White Harbour and the coastlines were not. And so Daemon had decided that towers and patrols would become mandatory any suspicious looking ship or cog would be stopped and searched and if those who searched the ship did not think that the ship or cog was safe for travel, it would be moored in at Pyke or at Cape Kraken. Alternatively they were turned round or their captains were questioned thoroughly. So far that method had been very useful, some bastard from the south had been carrying dangerous cargo onboard his ship, in fact several bastards had been carrying similar dangerous items all of which Daemon had learnt had been meant to cause chaos in the north. Needless to say the captains were no longer alive, their crews dead or at the wall.
Daemon had also seen to the rebuilding of White Harbour and Widow's Watch and Ramsgate ensuring that there were more formidable defensive outposts in the locales that the southerners had attacked and that the men who manned them were well trained and knew exactly what to look for. Daemon had also made sure that the Stony Shore benefitted from the same defensive fortifications; the money to pay for these repairs and the buildings had come from the royal coffers and had so far been repaid through trade with Dorne and with the free cities such as Pentos, Lorath and Qohor as well as Volantis.
Daemon had also noticed how since the war the Faith of the Seven had lost a lot of its influence and power in the coastal regions of the kingdom. It seemed the people were turning back to the old gods, in search of something that they felt the seven statues could not give them. Even the Manderlys those staunch supporters of the seven had begun questioning their allegiance to the seven. With Rhaena Targaryen dead, the faith of the seven had lost its most prominent supporter in the north and Daemon's grandfather was no longer as willing to stick up for a religion he did not believe in or care about. This had given Daemon the chance to expel most of the blithering idiots that made up the majority of the faith of the seven's delegation in the north. The people of the north were more than willing to see these people gone, seeing them as possible spies for the southerners and that idiot Aegon Targaryen, those northerners who had chosen the faith of the seven as their own were allowed to remain but were told any agitation on their part would not be tolerated at all.
When he was not dealing with rebuilding the north or dealing with those southern idiots in the faith of the seven, Daemon spent a bit of time with his family, his sisters and grandmother as well as his cousins. His sisters Rhaenrya and Maege were quite happy, wedded and with children, Rhaenrya's own son Jeor had fought alongside Daemon in the last war and was a good lad, Maege was wed to Devon Blackwood and had three children by him, both of his sisters were good company and allowed Daemon a way to remove himself from his grief over his wife and daughter and allowed him to remember what it was to smile and laugh. His grandmother Dacey was getting on in years, but she was still a formidable woman, Daemon often went to her to ask for advice when the council presented him with a difficult issue that he was not sure how to deal with effectively. His grandmother had always been a smart lady and his respect for her had only grown since he had become a proper part of the council.
Daemon also spent some time writing to his brother Gyles, his brother who had been legitimised as a Stark by both their grandfather and King Berros Yronwood. His brother held a position of some influence within the new Dornish court, and Daemon was deeply proud of him. There were times when Daemon did miss his brother, it was all well and good speaking with his sisters and grandmother but there was nothing compared to the friendship and comradeship he had had with Gyles, he missed that and he knew his brother missed it as well, but there was nothing they could about it now, they both had a lot to do now.
Daemon was deeply hopeful that he would be able to actually visit the land of his father's mother's birth, his father had never been able to visit Dorne, but hopefully this peace would be more lasting and this time Daemon did sniff an opportunity to see his brother and his Dornish family and perhaps learn more about the type of woman his actual grandmother had been and the type of person his grandfather had been before this madness had started. Daemon was not someone given to fancy, but he did believe he was right in hoping that this peace could be lasting, after all his grandfather had actually snapped at one of the councillors Daemon could not remember who it was now, who had suggested that perhaps they should launch another invasion of the south to teach them a proper lesson. Daemon's grandfather had fumed and said that there would be no more invasions and no more war, and that the next person who suggested it would be hung for the traitor that they were. Daemon had agreed with that sentiment, there was nothing but death and pain for them in the south.
And it seemed his grandfather had finally realised that as well, after Rhaena Targaryen's death Daemon had seen his grandfather fall into a state of depression. He barely spoke, he barely ate, he barely did anything anymore, except for spend time in the private sept Elaena and Rhaena Targaryen had had in White Harbour and spend some time with Daemon's cousins and nieces and nephews, all of whom loved the king deeply. Daemon knew his grandfather was ill and would likely not last for much longer and that the only thing keeping here was his promise to that bloody fool Daemon Blackfyre and to Daemon's own grandmother, but if he was being honest with himself, Daemon would rather his grandfather die than have him continue to mope around looking miserable and sorry for himself.
Still, at least the old man attended council sessions now, even if he did not speak. As he was not doing now, Daemon looked across the room and took in the council members. Lord Commander of the Winter's Guard, Edrick Snow was sat stern faced and silent, High Admiral of the northern fleet Lord Edrick Cassel was silent and patient, High Steward Edwyle Stark was silent as well, Master of Coin Lord Torrhen Manderly was listening attentively and Grand Maester Aemon spoke passionately. "My lords, my prince we have had word from Lord Donnor Reed. It would appear that the wildlings are growing in number north of the wall and seem to be preparing for an assault."
"How many men do they have and who are they rallying under?" Daemon asked.
Maester Aemon looked at the letter before him and said. "Lord Reed believes that there will be some 500 of them marching under someone called Thunderfist."
"Thunderfist? Aye that one will be a tough nut to crack. Likely they will serve as a diverging force for an even larger host of wildings. My brother Ser Mark has heard about this man on his rangings. The man is brutal but not all that clever. The watch should be able to deal with him and his band of wildlings." Lord Edrick said confidently.
"That is not all Lord Donnor has managed to find out from his time north of the wall my prince" Maester Aemon said. "He has also learnt more about how deeply undermanned the Night's Watch truly is, their castles are weakly fortified and they are letting stragglers through the wall far too easily. It would not be hard for the wildlings to sneak through unhampered and plan a big attack from there."
"Well then Maester Aemon, you know what must be done. Thank Lord Donnor for his work and observations and tell him that he is expected back in Winterfell before the moon ends. I want a letter sent to Lord Commander Bracken and tell him that he needs to be on his toes. I want Lord Umber and the mountain clans fully prepared for any possible raiding, and if necessary we shall need to march for war. I do not want these free folk anywhere near Winterfell." Daemon said.
Lord Edwyle spoke then, most found the man scary and intimidating, Daemon did not, to him the man was simply a good servant and a useful ally. "There has also been word from Volantis my prince. It appears that the rumours we heard about the Ghiscari trying to hatch dragon eggs were not false. Their leaders all died in an attempt just outside Volantis itself. It appears the eggs were undamaged and Aerion Targaryen has seized them for his own. He has also marched off for war to fight the Myrish-Tyroshi alliance and asks if we could spare some help for him and his."
Daemon was silent for a moment and then said. "Write back to him and tell him that no northern army shall leave northern shores unless they are threatened, and unless he is telling us that Myr and Tyrosh would be so foolish to risk breaking our trading contract we shall not war against our trading partners. I want you put out an missive to the lords though, any of their sons that wish to fight in this damnable war may do so, but they should find their own way to the east. Now Lord Edwyle has there been any word from my uncle Jonnel?"
Jonnel Stark, Daemon's uncle and the youngest of King Daeron's children was known as the bloody wolf for the amount of time he had spent in Essos fighting for various sellsword companies, the list included the Second Sons, the Company of the Cat, the Tatters Alliances and the Golden Company, the man was a prestigious fighter and very, very capable commander. It was he who provided most of the information the northern council got from the east. Lord Edwyle looked at his notes and said. "Aye there has been my prince. It appears that Yunkai and Astapor are at war, and have roped the Golden Company into their war, Prince Jonnel fights for the company who fight for Yunkai. He believes that Yunkai shall emerge triumphant simply because the Astapori are seeing riots amongst their fighters, something is giving them cause for trouble, but what it is he is not sure."
Daemon nods and says. "Very well, write back to him and tell him to keep his ear to the ground and to write back if he learns anything more of import. Now if that is all I would wish to speak with Maester Aemon on my own." The lords left, though his grandfather remained. Daemon looked at Maester Aemon and then at his grandfather and asked. "Who is on the list of women that I must see today then?"
Maester Aemon glanced down at the paper before him and said. "Ladies from Houses Ryswell, Dustin, Karstark, Dreadstark, Berstark, Umber, Glover and Greyjoy my prince. If I might be so bold I would recommend you spend more time with the Greyjoy and the Dreadstark ladies."
"And why is that Maester? Do you believe they might cause us trouble in the future should I not court their women properly?" Daemon teased.
His grandfather spoke then his voice sharp. "It is smart to do so because Dreadstark is a hero and his daughter is someone who could strengthen the ties between Winterfell and the Dreadfort, and the Greyjoys are not to be completely trusted making their daughter a queen would prevent any subterfuge on their part."
Daemon nods and then says. "Very well, let the games begin...again."
Lord Gyles Stark
Summer, it was a strange thought seeing the sun and no snow, the warmth of the sun made everything seem brighter. The people of Dorne had become warmer with the sun and the weather that it brought with it; there was no more doom and gloom from the lords or the smallfolk about the crops failing, or the need for one last harvest. After the uncertainty that had been winter and spring following the rebellion, things were looking up once more for Dorne, and that he had been a part of it made Gyles feel all kinds of proud.
That his uncle had thought to legitimise him and name him Lord Marshal of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear was the icing on the cake. Gyles was honoured by the titles that his uncle had bestowed upon him, they were a clear sign of the regard that his uncle and king held him in, higher regard than anyone bar Daemon had ever held him in before. Being Lord of Sunspear also gave Gyles control over the Dornish fleet, and he had put it to good use, seizing cargo ships that contained many types of foodstuffs and other items that had since been used to fill Dornish coffers and replenish the land and encourages business and trade within the kingdom and with the free cities.
As Lord Marshal of Dorne, it was down to Gyles to spend his time rebuilding Dorne's defences. He knew from experience that the Prince's Pass could be a very threatening place and that if used effectively, any invading army could be squashed there and then. As such, he had overseen the rebuilding of Vulture's Roost, a place that had once been a ruin was now the strong fort it had been in times past, Gyles had named Sevros Sand, a friend from the campaign and a trusted ally as the commander of the Roost. The tower between the Roost and Kingsgrave had been rebuilt as well and would serve as a second command post and watch tower, manned by men from Kingsgrave and the smallfolk from Starfall and High Hermitage who Gyles had trained thoroughly so that there would be no more massacres of defenceless smallfolk in the wars to come.
He had also made sure that there were watch towers along the Dornish sands and that each noble house had men stationed in these towers observing the comings and goings of the people and that if any suspicious activity was seen or thought of, then it was to be reported immediately and then the lord of the tower was to deal with the issue or if it was too serious it was to come to Gyles. As such crime within the kingdom had been deeply reduced as bandits and thief's lived in fear of meeting Gyles cold steel, for he knew the reputation he had, the sand wolf he was called, a feared warrior and none were foolish enough to challenge him.
Ports had been built on the rivers Vaith and Scourge and Planky Town had been turned into a proper coastal town. Each place had its own reserve war galleys in place and strict instructions with what to do with trade vessels and with suspicious vessels, the Targaryens had made clear what they intended to do with rogue kingdoms, and Gyles would not take any risks not now, not with this that he had worked so hard to ensure. As such nothing serious had happened and no more pirates raided near Planky Town or near the eastern or western coast, the reachmen had remained good to the peace that remained uneasy at best.
The peace within Dorne had itself been secured with marriages. Lord Berros' son Edgar Yronwood had been wed to Serra Fowler sister of the new Lord of Skyreach, and Gyles himself had been wed to Velaena Toland, a match made to show that the new royal family of Dorne would not be harsh to those who had opposed them. As such the marriage to Velaena had been useful for Gyles in that it had made sure the Tolands and thus many other houses such as the Allyrions were kept in check and it also provided Gyles with a group of warriors he could train and ensure that their loyalty was to their king first and not to their overlord. Something that had proven especially useful in the early days of his uncle's reign.
His wife was a good lady, kind and gentle, she was smart and good to talk to and though there had been some awkwardness at first, with the birth of their son Daemon, they had grown closer and if there was not love between them then at least they were fond of one another and were friends. Gyles was able to learn more about his people, for that was what they were now. He might be born and raised in the north, but he felt more of a connection with Dorne and its people and customs than he ever had with the north, even if it pained him to admit it. That was why he was unsure about whether he wanted to visit the north again, even if it did become possible he did not want to lose that feeling of acceptance he had from almost everyone here in Dorne, that was lacking in the north, his family had always welcomed him but the others at court had not and he had hated it, he did not want to feel like that again.
Still he knew that if he thought he had it tough sometimes, his brother had it much worse. A widower and a grieving father was Daemon and yet he continued to pursue his work on the council with a relentless dedication and efficiency that would make their grandfather proud. His brother often wrote of the council and the north, and Gyles could not help but feel extremely proud of how much his brother truly had done to help heal the north following the war. Of course he knew his brother would never truly accept praise, unless it was from his wife, and his wife was dead now and so he worked on and on and drove himself to the bone. Much like Gyles did, it seemed to be a family trait.
Shaking his head, Gyles walked toward the council chamber, the King had called the council to meet and discuss various issues of state and as such Gyles nodded to the two knights stationed outside the council chambers, they nodded at him and let him pass. As he entered he saw that the king was already seated, King Berros was much older than he had been some years ago, the grey in his hair was much more pronounced as was the bulge that was his belly, though he was still an intimidating sight. His son and hand Edgar was a big man as well muscled and smart. Spymaster Ser Desmond Blackmont was a sharp man with bucket loads of cunning and street smartness, as was master of the peace Gerold Allyrion. Gyles often felt out of place in the more minute discussions of intrigues and politics. Still he was here and he would see what needed to be said. Once he was seated the king spoke. King Berros' voice was deep and booming. "My lords I thank you for coming. It has been sometime since we last met, and as such I would hear what has changed in my kingdom since then."
Blackmont spoke first as was expected in such a situation. "Well, the free cities continue to war with one another. The Myrish-Tyroshi alliance has fallen apart and the Archon of Tyrosh has sent a plea out for what help he can. Volantis fights alongside Yunkai against Astapor and Meeren, and the Golden Company continues to batter through the siege lines of Astapor. The Ghiscari have broken and have faded into the shade. And Lys looks to the Stepstones for wealth and riches."
"That is all well and good, but do we know if Lys means to attack Dorne itself or if they simply wish for more gains in the Stepstones?" Ser Edgar Yronwood asked.
"They wish to take what they can from the Stepstones no more no less my prince." Blackmont replied.
"Then they are welcome to it." The king said. "Let them have it, we want nothing from the Stepstones not now at least. Still Gyles I want you to keep the fleet on alert in case something should go awry with their mission. I want no pirates prowling our waters. Now what of the rest of the world. What do they do?"
Blackmont cleared his throat and then said. "The rulers of Asshai continue to evade any sort of detection as to what they are doing, though the closest of my spies has told me that there has been movement amongst the red priests and that something is most definitely happening in the shadow. What it is they do not know."
"If I may Your Grace?"asked Maester Derros, the grand maester of Dorne. When the king nodded he spoke once more. "Asshai has always been a strange and fascinating place for many though it holds a sinister reputation. It would not do to draw their attention not with the Targaryens still a threat to our safety."
All were silent for a moment and then the king nodded and said. "Aye that is true. Now what word from the north. What are the Starks doing?"
"They continue to build up their strength once more, and are currently assessing a threat from north of the wall." Blackmont replied.
"Trade continues to prosper though Your Grace. With the north and the free cities, the royal coffers continue to grow." Allyrion said.
The king nodded and said. "That is good, that is very good. All is well in Dorne this I know, but it is those outside of Dorne I am more worried about. Ser Desmond what word do our contacts in King's Landing have of what the fool Aegon Targaryen is planning."
Ser Desmond was silent for a moment and then said. "He consorts with his council and with his lords and speaks of what his next move should be. He speaks with the Martells and with the Dayne boy, and he speaks of getting them justice for what happened to them during the war. He speaks and speaks, and yet does nothing. I do not believe we need to fear from him, no it is his son Prince Duncan we must fear. That one is the one who rallies the men to the meetings, and speaks with his father's voice saying the words the king does not say aloud. Men rally to their banners and prepare for war."
"Are you certain of this?" Gyles asked. "If we are to prepare for war we must be completely sure that this is not a ruse to make us look bad to the rest of the world. The Targaryens would not be above such things by now."
Blackmont went to speak but the king interrupted him. "He does not lie Gyles, I know for a fact that the Targaryens are preparing to march against us. I rode to the Pass some days ago and heard reports from Manwoody that he had seen a lot of activity north of the marches and even some near the Roost. They are coming and we had best be ready. Dorne will not fall to the Targaryens, they shall not enslave us again."
On that day the ravens flew from Yronwood castle to all the lords of Dorne, calling them to war once more. The Targaryens would try to invade, and this time the Dornish would not fall prey to surprise or captivity, the Yronwoods would do what the Martells could not, and keep Dorne free and brave through the dragons wrath, after all they were not the dragons anymore, no more than the Martells were unbent, unbowed and unbroken. A new era had begun and so it would continue.