69 AC (6th-12th Moon)
The final months of the year 69 AC saw the continuation of the conflict between the Starks and the Tullys, as Eddard Stark, Warden of the North marched with some 15,000 men to meet a Tully host of some 12,000 men upon the plains of Whitford, and drive them out of the North so that he might counterattack south and siege the Twins, a plan made much more feasible as the dragon Moondancer was still heavily wounded by poisoned arrows loosed by the Crannogmen and unable to fly.
The battle of Whitford was not, as many claim, a single battle but rather a series of engagements over several days leading up to the final decisive clash on the boggy marshland just north of the burned fortifications at Moat Cailin, and in fact by the time of the final battle, the engagement had long since moved from the confines of the region of Whitford.
The Northmen had the better of the fighting on the first few days, winning several minor engagements and forcing the Tullys to retreat south towards Moat Caillin, however as the ground began more marshy and soft, further retreat with an army of pursuing Northmen began untenable, forcing the Tullys to make their stand, leading to one of the bloodiest days of fighting the realm had seen since the Lion's Rebellion in King Vaemonds reign, rivaled only perhaps by the conflicts in the Dornish Marches between the Tyrells and Baratheons.
As in the previous days, the ferocity of the Northmen began to win them an edge in the fighting, and the battle seemed to be going well, but victory would come at a cost.
Eddard Stark had survived the flames of the dragon Moondancer months earlier mere miles from the spot he fought on that fateful day, but he would not survive the Battle of Whitford.
The Warden of the North was leading a charge of his heavy infantry on foot against a shield wall led by Lord Adam Bracken when he met his fate. The two sides came together in a clash of shields and spears upon the boggy and uneven ground north of Moat Caillin.
In the midst of the fighting, the man who had designs of becoming King in the North and winning his peoples independence would see his dreams fade away as well as his lifeblood as a sword wielded by a man-at-arms of House Paege would pierce his gorget and his throat in the fierce melee just moments before the Tullys sounded the call for a general retreat if the tales can be believed.
The Warden of the North would not be the only man to fall that day….well over four thousand northmen and riverlanders would lay dead and heavily wounded as a result of the several days of engagements, with most falling on the marshlands near Moat Caillin.
The consequences of the battle would be significant. Following the death of Lord Eddard, the North would fall to his daughter Mariah, an infant who, just a few months old, would be named Wardeness of the North. The northern lords may have been willing to follow the lead of Lord Eddard but they would not follow an infant, and just days after the battle, a peace with the Riverlands would be brokered, with the North paying a tribute of gold and silver to end the war.
The consequences of this battle were seen not just in the North but far to the south as well, with the Princess Alyssane losing by far her most powerful ally, a massive blow to her hopes to depose her older sister. Information on the actions of both Alyssane and Vaekar become much scarcer following this event, with records suggesting they, along with Laena were content to lay low for a time following the death of Eddard Stark and the debacle at Blackbridge, an uneasy peace ensuing between the siblings for a time.
A calm would fall over the realm in the wake of this battle, and little else of note happened in the final months of 69 AC except a raven from Sunspear arriving in Kings Landing informing the royal family that the Princess Larrisa was expecting her first child with the young Blaise Martell just months into her marriage.
70 AC
The first event of note in the year 70 AC did not occur in Westeros, but rather in far flung Mantarys, thousands of miles away from the epicenter of our story, but nonetheless important.
As the records show, prior to the year 70 AC the city of Mantarys was rapidly growing in influence and power, in large part due to the fact that the city had two dragons under its control, Meraxes, the largest dragon in the world had bonded with the sovereign of Mantarys Lady Rebagyr, while the white and gold dragon Aelesar had bonded with a Valyrian woman of impressive height, who had sworn her loyalty and dragon to the lady Rebagyr.
These two dragons were a great boon for Mantarys, which saw the resumption of tribute and gifts from Slaver's Bay, Tolos, and Elyaria as it had been in the days of Lord Zobridar years prior, also thanks to the presence of Meraxes.
This great influence was not to last however, as Trianira, rider of the dragon Aelesar would be found in bed one morning, her body covered in stab wounds and the dragon egg from Aelesar she kept in her chambers missing. Following this untimely death, Aelesar would fly off once more and Lady Regabyr would soon follow of natural causes, with Meraxes also being lost.
Trianiras' killer or killers would never be found, but some have theorized that Queen Laena may have been involved, stating that it was entirely possible the Queen of Skulls' web of informants, hired knives and influence stretched all the way to Mantarys. Upon news of the dragon rider's death and Aelesars flight away from Mantarys, it is said that the Queen remarked that ''There shall be no second coming of Valyria.''
Lending further credence to this theory are the records of the dragon keepers in King's Landing, which report the acquisition of a new egg just months after Trianiras murder, and unlike other hatchings, no record was made as to which of the Targaryen dragons had lain the egg. If this dragon egg was in fact stolen from Lady Trianira's chambers in Mantarys and brought back to King's Landing, it must be said no small amount of tragedy would stem from this acquisition, and it would cause the Targaryen family much more grief than it would happiness.
70 AC would also see more word from Sunspear, as the Princess Larrisa would announce the birth of her first child, Rhodry Martell.
Just as the gods give, they also take away however, which House Martell would learn all too well. Just three months following the child's birth, Blaise Martell, Larrissas husband, would journey towards the Princes Pass to visit his uncle Lord Lyonel Fowler.
While traversing the mountain roads of Yronwood however, the young Prince's horse would stumble from the road and tumble down off of a cliff face, sending both the horse and the Prince into a cold mountain river.
The Prince's retainers would pull the young man from the water, but not before he had swallowed nearly half the river barely conscious when they fished him out and hastily rode towards the castle of Yronwood.
Despite the best efforts of the castle's Maester, the Prince would catch a cold, comatose except for the wheezing hacking coughs that racked his body, and he would die the following day, leaving Dorne in the hands of his infant son Rhodry, and leaving Larrisa a widow after just a year of marriage.
The Prince's untimely death left the realm in a most unusual state, though one quite advantageous from the crown. Four of the realms seven Kingdoms were held by children, Terrance Lannister was just 13 years old, Ellard Tyrell was just six years old, and Mariah Stark and Rhodry Martell were just babes, with Rhodry being the Queen's own grandson.
That is not to say the lords of the realm posed no threat to the crown, the loyalty of Highgarden and Dragonstone were of course nonexistent, and the ending months of the year brought whispers of a new threat to the court of King's Landing.
A large gathering of lords and captains had occurred in Pyke on the Iron Islands in 70 AC, and the mood there was clear….independence should be sought, with many lords and reavers pledging their ships and men to Lord Oswin Greyjoy in the event that he should raise his banners.
While in the end nothing would come of this, the threat of Ironborn rebellion would remain high for several years, and the Queen herself would be aware of it, allowing her generals and commanders to draw up preemptive battle plans in the event it came to war. While the Iron Islands as a whole would not in the end rise up against the Iron Throne, many Ironborn with ambitions of creating an independent state for their raiders would look to achieve this ambition through conquest and force of arms, eventually bringing them into conflict with the Iron Throne itself, though this is a tale for later in the chronicle.
71 AC
The beginning of the year 71 AC would see further instability far to the North, but this time involving the brothers of the Night's Watch and their bitter enemies the wildlings, the people that dwell north of the wall.
The lands beyond the wall had been united by a figure known to the histories as Ice Snake Srizbak, who was named King Beyond the Wall.
The King Beyond the Wall assembled a powerful host numbering almost six thousand men, with the intent of marching on the castle of Greenguard, located just west of Eastwatch by the Sea
The sworn brothers of the Nights Watch were waiting for them.
Lord Commander Donnel Flint had no intention of letting these ''savage whoresons'' as he called them advance on the wall, and have it written that under his command he allowed the wall to be assaulted.
Taking a strong force of sworn brothers the Lord Commander sallied out from East Watch by the Sea, taking position on a forested hill which the wildlings call the first hill in the forests just west of Hardhome.
Lord Commander Flint and his men waited for the King Beyond the Wall and his ramshackle host to approach before descending upon them.
Nearly 1100 mounted rangers and 250 knights thundered down the hill towards the wildling host, led by the clawman ranger Ser Jarman Hardy, Ser Lucien Paege, ''The Bastard of Castle Black'' and the Lord Commander himself, with their infantry not far behind.
It is a known fact that a wildling army cannot stand against a charge of heavy horse, and this was proven once again at the battle of the First Hill, where the wildlings, having just 200 mounted warriors, most of them lightly armed and armored were rather predictably routed, with the battle quickly becoming a slaughter.
By the battle's end, nearly 3500 wildlings lay dead, heavily wounded or captured, at the cost of just 200 sworn brothers.
Lord Commander Donnel Flint, a kind hearted man in truth, released the wildlings that had been captured rather than putting them to the sword, but with the harsh warning to the survivors that it didn't matter when they marched on the wall next, either in ten years or a hundred ''there will be some Flint or another waiting for you.''
The Queen Laena had never had much interaction with the Night's Watch, and was quite frankly disinterested in their affairs, believing their constant requests for gold, supplies and weapons were foolish expenses, but her daughter was of another mind, never possessing the miserly nature of her mother.
The Princess Lianna praised the bravery of the Black Brothers in front of the court, and feasted several visiting Nights Watchmen beside her in places of honor, granting them as much coin and supplies that were within her power. Though the tale of the sworn brothers atop the first hill would spread throughout the realm for several months, in the end, like all the exploits of those forgotten protectors, it would soon be forgotten and the Nights Watch would once again drift to the periphery of the realms consciousness.
The year 71 AC would also see yet another departure as the Princess Daeoril, youngest daughter of the Queen Laena would set off to Storm's End to take her cousin Boros II of the House Baratheon to husband.
5th Moon, 8071
The Kings Gate, Kings Landing
The Queen sat in her palanquin as she was borne through the streets of the city, the first time she had left the comfort of the Red Keep in nearly two years, the last time had been to similarly see off her daughters Lianna, Jaehera and Larissa on their journey to Sunspear.
She had kept the curtains open so that she might watch her daughters, Lianna, Vaella, Jaehara and Daeoril all mounted and riding together along with their father Jaekar, chatting happily, the Queen had of course been invited to join them but she had not sat a horse since she had been a young woman and much preferred the comfort of a litter.
The sight of her daughters conversing happily both warmed her heart and caused a wave of sadness to fall over her…..another one of her daughters was leaving the Red Keep, and her youngest child at that.
It had been hard to see Larissa depart for Sunspear of course, but deep down Laena had never been all that close with her daughter, hard as it was for a mother to admit, she had practically been raised by her older sister Lianna, always following her around and accompanying her sister on various progresses and meetings around the realm, leaving little time for bonding between the two.
While she had never spent much time with Larissa, she had spent many long hours with Daeoril, her youngest girl. She had always been a quiet child, even as a babe on Dragonstone she had hardly cried. Her youngest daughter had never been far from her since then, always knitting or working on some stitching in the corner while Laena plotted and schemed, serving as a silent yet constant reminder to the Queen as to why she did the things she did…for her daughters.
The Palanquin came to a halt, and Laena surmised they must have arrived at the Kings Gate, where Daeoril was to depart for Storms End with half a hundred mounted dragon cloaks, personal servants and Ser Vahelion Celtigar of the Kingsguard. Lianna had wanted to accompany her younger sister as she had Larissa, but Laena had forbade it….soon Daeoril would be joined with Boros Baratheon in marriage, giving her a certain amount of protection, but Lianna would have no such safety, and if she entered Storms End then Laena would not put it past her sister Cymella to try something, and what's more Lianna was expecting another child.
Surprisingly her daughter had not offered much resistance when Laena pointed out that if she entered Storms End she would be putting both herself and her unborn child in danger, agreeing to stay in the capitol. Laena for one was quite glad that her daughter was at last beginning to understand that threats were everywhere, and not all would hold to the same ideals of justice and honesty such as herself.
The Queen pushed these thoughts out of her mind, her full attention needed to be devoted to her daughter,not only because of the fact it was impossible to know when she might see her again, but also to make certain things clear to her daughter about the situation she was entering and what was expected of her.
She exited the litter, feeling a heavy breeze, despite the crystal clear skies and the bright rays of sun, it was a rather chilly and windy day.
She watched as Jaekar embraced their daughter, kissing her on the cheek before pulling away, he had always been a good and doting father to their daughters, and that was something she would always appreciate about him, even if she did not love him and sometimes believed some of her daughters soft natures stemmed from his kindness.
Each of her daughters said farewell to Daeoril in turn, first Lianna who imparted some final wisdom about the notable Storm Lords she would need to know as the Lady of Storm's End, then tearful Jaehara, and finally Vaella who gifted her with a fine jeweled dagger, before they all withdrew to give the Queen and her daughter some privacy.
''Walk with me.'' Laena commanded and she and her daughter made their way up the steps of the Kings Gate to the city ramparts, by the end of it her legs aching with exertion, but the effort was made worth it of the few of the surrounding Crownlands and the waters of Blackwater Bay.
They took in the sight in silence for a moment, Daeoril taking her mothers hand.
It was the Queen who spoke first ''You will find little in the ways of a warm welcome at Storm's End I fear….and your cousin Boros will be predisposed to disliking you from the very start, his bitch mother will have been poisoning him against you for years….but you must make him yours, and turn him away from his mother…always counsel loyalty to the throne.''
Daeoril hesitated for a moment ''Mother I…..I do not know how…I barely know him, he has known his mother for his entire life.''
''But you do my daughter….it is said the boy is lazy, as is my own sister….you have always been a hard worker…he will come to rely on you to handle important matters so long as he is left to feast and hunt…you will become indispensable to him..my sister will not have a strong hold on the court either, as I said she will likely have left the governance of Storms End to others in her regency, and she has taken an unlanded common hedge knight as her consort,breaking courtly procedure and spurning many of the Storm Lords in the process….it will not take long for the court to become yours….Lord Baratheon may sit the throne…but it will be you that truly rules the Stormlands.'' Laena said before pausing.
''Besides…..you have learned from the very best.'' Laena said, the smallest hint of a smile on her face.
Her daughter looked up, her small hatchling Flameweaver perched upon her shoulder also looking at the Queen with interest.
''Come now Daeoril….I know you were not mindlessly sitting and sowing for hours at a time with that needle of yours in my chambers….you were listening….perhaps the only one of my daughters to truly listen to my lessons…you understand the way the world works…and how to make it work for you.''
Daeoril was silent at that, giving a small nod, confirming her mothers theory.
''When you arrive in Storms End….a cloak of yellow and black will be draped upon your shoulders and they will name you Baratheon…but remember in your heart daughter that you are a Targaryen…the blood of the dragon runs through your veins….never forget that.'' Laena said, lightly running her hands through her daughter's beautiful curls, which were blowing in the wind.
The Queen and her youngest daughter stood together on the ramparts of the Kings Gate for a long time, taking in the view and eachothers company before at last the Princess departed to Storm's End.
71 AC (6th Moon-12th Moon) - 72 AC
In the months following the Princess Daeorils departure for the Stormlands little of note happened, with the uneasy truce between the Queen and her siblings still holding, and we have no further recorded attempts on the Prince Vaekars life during this time period, or any reports on the Prince himself for that matter. Following the attempt at Blackbridge, Dragonstone became extremely isolated, with the Prince closing the port to prevent any visitors and traders from entering the island and mounted near constant naval patrols of the water surrounding the island.
The end of the year did see one significant arrival, or rather return to the Red Keep with the Princess Larissa and her infant son Rhodry arriving by ship in King's Landing from Sunspear for a visit, ostensibly to support her older sister Lianna and be by her side at her pregnancy.
In truth it was the other way around, with the heavily pregnant Lianna supporting and comforting her younger sister. The death of her young husband Blaise had left her alone in a foreign court in Sunspear, far different than the court of Kings Landing, the food and accents were strange and the people were even stranger and Larissa was clearly shaken by the responsibilities of managing a foreign court as an outsider and being a first time mother to the Heir of Dorne, returning to the capitol far more timid than she had been before she left.
Larissa had been educated in diplomacy and courtly etiquette by her older sister, and while familiar with the basics, she was by no means an expert and quite frankly in over her head.
Lianna spent much of her sisters visit gently counseling and informing her sister about Dorne, its numerous cultures and the differences between the Sandy, Salty and Stone Dornish, its traditions, and the heraldry and histories of houses great and small.
In the end, Princess Lianna suggested her sister might feel more confident in Dorne, if she went to the dragonpit and bonded with a dragon, which would no doubt earn the respect of the Dornish people who saw her as a timid outsider as well as remind herself that she was the blood of the dragon.
It had taken some urging by both her mother and by Vaella, but the Princess had consented in the end and eventually had bonded with the newest arrival to the dragonpit, the pale green dragon Chalfyre over the time period of several weeks.
This claiming was significant as in addition to the loyalty of Dorne by Larissas son Rhodry and all the spears and shields that came along with it, the crown had gained another Dragonrider to its cause, further fortifying the Queen's position against her siblings.
In the early months of 72 AC, Princess Lianna would give birth to a healthy son whom would be given the name Aemorys.
Like his cousin Aenys, the Princelings appearance would be most unusual for a Targaryen, as, while having the typical purple eyes associated with the Targaryens, as he grew older his long hair would be brown in coloration. While this would be seen as somewhat odd, it was not a large scandal as it was commonly agreed the boy simply took after his Waynwood kin, Ronnel Baratheon's mother was a Waynwood after all and they were known for their brown hair.
The time period of the Princesses pregnancy in 72 AC also saw a most curious addition to the Dragonpit of King's Landing as the records of the Dragonkeepers record that Aelesar, the white and gold dragon that had once belonged to Prince Matarys had once again returned to the oversight of the Dragonkeepers, decades after it had fled the city following its riders death.
The last concrete mention of Aelesar comes from Mantaryan sources which claim the dragon fled from the city following the assasination of its rider Trianira, a killing some attribute to the Queen of Skulls. The acquisition, much like that of Chalfyre, is shrouded in mystery. While some theorize the wild dragon was captured by an expedition of dragon keepers to the east and brought back to King's Landing others have a far more sinister theory, that the dragon had taken a new rider, who was invited to the Red Keep and promptly murdered, a theory fitting with the nature of the Queen of Skulls and given credence to by future events. The Princess Lianna was known to have kept detailed court records of all visitors to the Red Keep, but she makes no mention of any foreign dragonriders arriving at the court in 72 AC, though the Princess, heavily pregnant at this point and occupied with her sister Larrisas visit had temporarily given up some of her responsibilities and it is possible any potential arrival simply escaped her notice. The Grandmaester Josmyn wrote in his private records of seeing a peculiar Valyrian mystic arriving to the court in 72 AC, though he would never be mentioned again in the Grandmaesters diaries.
While we may never truly know how the dragon Aelesar was reclaimed by the Targaryens, though future events lend credence to theories it was not honestly gained, one thing was for certain, the dragon Aelesar returned to the dragonpit in 72 AC and the Queen of Skulls gained yet another advantage over those who would defy her authority.