Chapter 6: Readying for Battle
Stormlands
Stannis in his chamber looking out of the window as he gritted his teeth. He looked upon the storming sea and felt another storm raging. This one was in his heart. He could not believe his brother started a bloody rebellion. For a woman. A woman that did not even want him. A woman that was married to the King. To his King. He loved his brother. He really did even of Robert did not love him back. Robert was rash and this decision was rash also. But what is done is done and now they must live with the consequences.
Stannis now stood before the hardest choice he ever made. He had to chose between his brother and his King. Blood or honour? Stannis gritted his teeth once again. He knew his King ruled Westeros by all the laws of men and knew the price of defiance but Stannis knew older and deeper laws were the younger brother bowed before the elder and now he will bow before Robert and like Robert aid he will man the castle. Make sure that their ancestral home is not taken by anyone.
Robert now was on his way to Summerhall where he will prompt an attack where Lord from his Kingdom were meeting to make a plans and move against Robert. He will fight and kill them all. Robert was not the forgiving type. Stannis knew that. Robert never forgiven Stannis for not crying when they saw their parent shipwreck. Stannis did not cry. Not because he was not sad. His heart broke that day. He knew he had to be strong for Robert and Renly. He saw them falling apart. He saw them crying. He had to be the strong one. Now he was being the strong one again and standing by his brother when all of his instincts and his gut were telling him to stop this madness. He gave his word and he will stand by it.
Stannis left his bedchamber and went to find his new guest. His Queen. Lyanna Stark or now Targaryen. She was in one of the guest bedchambers being checked of it is alright. He knocked the door and entered the bedchamber to find the woman laying in bed and one of the maids were feeding her some soup. The woman looked at Stannis with fear in her eyes and tried to sit up but Stannis raised his hand and shook his head and the woman was back in the position that she was before.
"My Queen I do apologize about the way that you have been treated so far. You will nit be hurt here I promise you that." Stannis said feeling awkward. He never was good in the presence of women. He was nervous and his hands began to sweat. Lyanna looked at the man in front of her. He was as big as Robert but less muscular. She sat up in the bed and looked at the man with pleasing eyes.
"Please My Lord you have to let me go. You have to let me go home." She pleaded with the man. She knew she could not run away from here. The castle was a fortress and there were too many guards.
"I cannot do that Your Grace. My brother wanted you here and I have to fallow him." Stannis said walking to the window and looking at the sea. He was less nervous like that. He could focus more.
"If you let me go My Lord the foolish war will be over and we can all go home and leave this mess behind us." Lyanna tried to reason with the man. She knew that it may be with no effect but she needs to try. This thing has gotten out of control. Half of the bloody country is at war.
"Your Grace your kidnapping was just a catalyst for this war. It was brewing in the air for many years with the mad King. Even if Dorne and the Reach will not be a part of the war Robert already has half of the Vale and Riverlands standing by his side. By tonight he will also have the Stormlands fighting for him. All of it. The Mad King had many enemies and they do not believe in your husband. They fear he also had the mad trait. It was an excuse to start a rebellion and get the Targaryen's off the throne. The people want a new dynasty and a new King." Stannis said and looked at Lyanna who was still in bed. He knew this was bigger then the woman. People were scared and angry at the mad King and now the years of his Tyranny is the result of the rebellion.
"They want Robert as the new King. "Lyanna scoffed and looked at Stannis with disgust at the mere though of that man rulling the country.
"This whole country will turn into his personal brother when he becomes the King." Lyanna continued. Stannis was impressed with the woman. She really was wolf-blooded like the rumours stated.
"I never said Robert would be a good ruler. He will chose people that will rule for him if he wins. I also never said that he will win. There is a very likely chance that he will lose. Your husband has more powerful allies." Stannis said and Lyanna shook her head at him
"If both of us already know that he will lose why are you fallowing him?" Lyanna asked and Stannis turned away to look back at the sea. It was calming him down.
"He is my elder brother. I do what he commands" Stannis said in a low voice. Lyanna wanted to rip her hair from her head. This man was driving her insane.
"Why are you keeping me hostage here. Let me go home. This war is a lost cause. We can end it" Lyanna said and Stannis shook his head.
"You may think that I am keeping you hostage here Your Grace but I am keeping you safe. They will not attack the castle. They will put a siege onto it and then we can wait it out of worst come to worst. On the road you do not know who is your friend or who is your foe. This war is far to gone to be stopped now. It is beyond you and me my Queen. This is the safest place for you. No harm will come to you here." Stannis said and Lyanna became mute. As much as she wanted to go home and wanted to end this war Stannis was right. This war has gone to far. There will be many battles. Many will die. She could not stop it.
"Rest my Queen. You will have all the care you need here for you and your child." Stannis said and Lyanna;s head fell backwards and she closed her eyes in defeat.
"What will happen when I birth my child and the war is not finished or by some miracle Robert wins. What will happen to my Targeryen child?" Lyanna said as tears were forming in his eyes. Stannis turned from the door and looked at the woman.
"No harm will come to your child My Queen. You have my word." Stannis said and left the room. He was doing the right thing. He was. He was betraying his King but he was fallowing his brother. His kin and blood. He was doing the right thing. Stannis kept that mantra in his head and tried to squash teh dreaded feeling that he was doing the wrong thing.
King Landing
The King was sitting the small council meeting and with the people who tried to make a plan of action.
"Robert is said to be at his ancestral home right now. I will take two thousand men I brought with me and lay a siege on the Castle. It will cause less bloodshed if we starve them out. Especially of they have the Queen there. If they have her storming the Castle is a bad idea. I will send Jamie at the head of the vanguard. I will also send ravens to my brother to send more men to the Stormlands." Tywin said in a low and steady voice and Jamie was nodding to every word his father as saying. He knew that in this war. This is where the glory he wanted would find. It was not in this castle. He needed to be out there.
"My father and Elbert Arryn are meeting Brynden at Riverrun and will march on the Stormlands as well. If we can contain it all there there might be less bloodshed." Brandon said.
"Some of the Lord of Riverlands and the Vale are fighting for Roberts side. Even if Mace Tyrell said he will be neutral some of the Lord from the Reach are also joining Roberts side. I cannot rule over half of the country where the other half does not even want me to take the throne. They saw an excuse and they are fighting with the Usurper." Rhaegar said standing from the chair and pacing the room.
"Even if he gathered some men we still have a better chance at winning and we have more men. The lesser Lord are fighting a lost cause Your Grace. They will lose." Tywin said unimpressed like always.
"He is getting two thousand men from the Vale and two thousand from the Riverlands. He is getting another thousand men from the Reach. That plus the Stormlands he will have an army of ten thousand bloodthirsty men who want me off my throne." Rhaegar said and Tywin looked at the King.
"We have three times the men. If they do not want you as their King they will die. Those are the rules of war." Tywin said and Rhaegar shook his head.
"They would rather die then see my on the throne." Rhaegar said shaking his head.
"Your father left a mark on this country. A dark mark and you will have to show them you are not your father. You will show them you are better than him and your rule will be prosperous like your fathers was at the beginning. You already made the first step towards that by picking Lord Tywin as your hand. When you will rule together peace will be restored to the realm." Lord Varys the bold eunuch said all looked at them.
"We will finish this war and put all of this mess behind us once Robert Baratheon and all of the people who fallow him will die." Brandon said and Eddard winced at the thought. Even if Robert was a traitor he was still his brother and he loved hi dearly and it will hurt him bad if he will be the one to kill him.
"Then it is settled my armies will march on the Stormlands and you will meet your father and Arryn boy at Riverrun. Then we clean this mess once and for all." Tywin said. All of the men nodded and began to leave the small council meeting.
It was dark outside when Brandon walked to his bedchamber. He found his wife sitting on the bed with the candle burning and reading a book. She looked magnificent like this. His heart grew larger looking at his red headed wife. His love. She looked at him and smiled and he walked over to her and kissed her lips gently before touching her cheek and putting his forehead against hers.
"Your leaving soon." Catelyn stated. He did not even had to tell her anything. She already knew.
"The day after tomorrow. I am meeting Elbert and my father at Riverrun. Elbert will marry Lysa and we will march for the Stormlands." Brandon said looking at Catelyn who had a sad look on her face.
"I will not see Lysa getting married." Catelyn said as tears sprung from her eyes. Lysa was her little sister. She always protected her. Lysa was delicate and gentle creature. She was scared for her.
"I am so sorry my love." Brandon said and Catelyn wiped her eyes and looked at him.
"Promise me you will make sure she is happy when she is married." Catelyn said and Brandon nodded. He loved the girl as a sister. He will make sure she is happy.
"I promise my love. I will kill him if he mistreats her in any way." Brandon said and Catelyn took his face in her small hands and kissed him deeply.
"I love you my wolf man. Promise me you will return. Promise me our children will not grow up fatherless." Catelyn said and Brandon closed his eyes.
"Cat this is war. I cannot promise you that I will not die but I will damn right try. i do not want to leave you to bear everything alone. Not to mention just thinking about you having anther husband drives me crazy with anger." Brandon said and Catelyn chuckled and shook her head
"You are one of a kind my love. One of a kind." She said and a baby started to cry.
"Let me." Brandon said and stood from the bed and walked over to the crib to see his daughter laying there crying and rubbing her big blue eyes. Brandon still could not believe that this beautiful creature was his daughter. That he was able to product something as pure and innocent as this. He picked her up and starting to rock her gently as he soothed her.
"There we go my little wolfling, there is no need to cry Pappa is right here. I will always protect you. No matter what you can always count on me." Brandon said soothing the little girl. Although she was only two moons old she had wise eyes. Just like his mother. Catelyn got off from the bed and took Willam to bed with them. He was also asleep. His red curls all over the place. He was a handsome lad. A very handsome lad. He is his heir. He will be great one day. He will make sure of that.
Brandon took the little lady with him and sat in the bed. They all laid down with Brandon and Catelyn at the side and the children were in the middle of them. In that very moment life was perfect. If he was to die this is the moment he will remember. Where all of his life was on one bed.
Jamie walked into his bedchamber when he saw his wife on the balcony. She wore a light gown her olive skin glowing in the moonlight her dark hair blowing in the wind. He took his armour of until he was only in his breeches. He was shirtless and walked over to his wife kissing her shoulder. She moaned and put her head back on his shoulder. His hands roamed her body making her shudder.
"Jamie." She said and bared her neck for Jamie to kiss and bite.
"I am leaving tomorrow Elia. Laying siege on Storms Ends." Jamie said while biting her ear making her gasp making him smile.
Elia turned around to face him and kissed him hard. He picked her up and took her and put her on the bed. He took his breeches off before taking her gown of her. She looked at him with dark clouded eyes and he kissed her hard entering her in one swift motion swallowing her moans. She bit his lip making him growl and raked her fingers on his back arching her back to him.
Jamie was pounding in her hard and fast making her scream. He ravelled in those screams. He wanted to remember those screams. He wanted to remember her her skin, her smell, her clouded eyes. He wanted to remember everything.
"Fuck Jamie there just there. Oh love I am coming." Elia arched her back screaming his name as he made her come with a force that brought tears to her eyes. He fallowed her soon after spilling his seed inside of her her lips swallowing his moans.
"Jamie please come back to me. I do not want you to die." Elia said laying on her side looking at her husband. He chuckled and looked at Elia.
"Have you come to care for me my wife?" He asked and looked at her and for the first time she did not answer with a jape but kept a serious face.
"Am I indifferent to you husband. Am I just a warm body to warm you at night? Am I just a vessel for your children?" Elia asked and Jamie looked at her for the first time with a serious look.
"No Elia you are mu wife. You are the woman I will spend my life with. You are my companion. You are my confidant. My equal. And you are my Lady of Casterly Rock." Jamie said and Elia kissed his lips.
"Do not die Jamie. Come back to me please. I do not want to be a widow." Elia said and Jamie nodded.
"I do not have any hard job. I will be fine. I will come back to you and together we will make beautiful babes. Many of them. They will run around the Casterly Rock like I have and they will play in the sea like I have. We will visit Dorne and our children will bathe in the water gardens you like so much. We will spend many years together. We will be old and grey before we die and we will die together." Jamie said and Elia looked at him and smiled.
"I like that future." She said straddling his hips kissing his jaw.
"I like it too. Very much so. Now let us make those babes." Elia said chuckling
Ned entered his bedchamber and he saw Cersei combing her blond hair sitting at her vanity. She stopped when she looked at him and stood up.
"How was the meeting? What is the plan now?" She asked coming over to him helping him take of his armour.
"Your brother is taking your fathers men and going to lay siege on Storms End. We are moving towards Riverlands to meet my father and the Arryn army and take it from there. Catelyn sister will be wed at Riverrun before we move again." Ned said sitting on the bed. Cersei sat behind him and began to massage his shoulders. She knew he was stressed. This whole war was taking a toll on him. He loved Robert like a brother and he betrayed him and stole his sister. He took all the blame for it. He blamed himself for this. That he did not do anything to stop his friend from taking his sister.
"I just hope that the war is over soon. I hope that he will see the reason in his actions and stop this madness." Cersei said hugging Ned and he kissed her hand.
"Robert will not give up. He will not stop until he is stopped. He was always like it. Once he sent a goal he will see it through even if he was going to lose." Ned said as Cersei sat next to him taking his hand in hers.
"Ned I know you blame yourself for this. Please do not. It is not your fault. He is his own man. A crazy man. You are doing the right thing. You are getting your sister and out Queen back." Cersei said and Ned looked at her with soft grey eyes. They were full of love and Cersei had to look down. His stare was too intense.
"I know you loved another and I know you still harbour feeling for him and he took you first, I do not want you to say those words until you are ready but I want you to know that I love you Cersei. I love you and I am lucky to have you." Ned said and Cersei felt her heart rate pick up. She cared for her husband but she did not love him yet. She was still getting over Jamie and it felt not right to love Ned yet. She will love him she knew that but she needed more time. So she kissed Ned with all of her emotions that she could muster. That night her husband made love to her in so many delicious ways that she felt like she lost all of her bones.
Well there it is another chapter. Sorry for the late update. I tried to get into Stannis's character hopefully I done him justice. He is not married here yet and he will not marry Selyse. I have other plans for him. Last chapter one of my reviewers said that Boltons supporting Robert was out of character and not very strategic and after some thought I agree. I wrote that in a spur of the moment and lest just say it was not thought out. Lets just say that it never happen and Boltons are still with the Starks. Well please review and let me know if you liked this chapter.