With filming out on locations seemingly wrapping up in an… interesting way, it looks like it'll be a long wait for an extremely packed Season 1 of House of the Dragon. I won't spoil it for those who don't want to know and for those who do the spoilers are on the r/HouseOfTheDragon subreddit, but it's an interesting choice by the showrunners.
Onto this Targaryen however, and as usual in my intros there is a couple of things I should mention before the chapter. This chapter features minor houses only briefly mentioned in the books, and so minor castle names have been taken from the Game of Thrones Crusader Kings 2 mod so that they don't all sound stupid like 'Brune Castle' and 'Pyne Castle'.
I've also been a bit experimental with the ages of the extended Connington's. All I know about their ages from both the books and the wiki is that Ronnet was a kid when the rebellion happened and that Raymund (Ronnet's brother) isn't a knight after (f)Aegon takes part of the Stormlands, so for this story I have their birth years and ages as:
Jon Connington– 261 AC, 40 years old
Ronnet Connington – 276 AC, 25 years old.
Ronald Storm – 293 AC, 8 years old.
Raymund Connington – 286 AC, 15 years old.
Alynne Connington – 290 AC, 11 years old.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I own nothing but the OC's, the recognisable characters and places are the property of HBO and George R R Martin.
It had been a quick turnaround in Highgarden, but ten days after arriving at the Tyrell fortress, Jon Connington found himself staring up at the walls of Storm's End with a smile upon his face. He had been to this castle many times as a child and a young adult and had often stared up at the two Baratheon banners hanging up either side of the massive gate marking the entrance to the famous castle. Now, however, the Stag had been cut down and two different banners had been unfurled. On the left of the gate it was the royal Targaryen heraldry, the red three headed dragon on a black field. Not Luke's personal sigil, but the Targaryen had decreed that it would still be used as the family banner. On the right of the large gate however was his own House heraldry of the two warring red and white griffins.
After regrouping with Ser Franklyn Flowers and Prince Oberyn Martell and doing his best to avoid both Ronnet and Shireen Baratheon, the collected army stayed in Jon's new seat for three days before the Dornish, turned Stormlanders and Ser Loras' Reach riders marched out up the King's Road. With the size of the army and the length of the supply train added to the cautious march they were undertaking to avoid any Baratheon loyalists trying to raid or attack them, it took almost 5 days on the King's Road before they saw Bronzegate.
The seat of House Buckler was a modest one, but it was strong and one that was necessary to be in Jon's hands for them to progress on to the Crownlands and King's Landing without much fear of a rear attack. A modest castle town had sprung around the castle and the Kingsroad ran through that town, with the castle overseeing the passers-by as they crossed the Stormlands Crownlands border.
As they approached the town, Jon noticed that the huge bronze gate that gave the castle its name was shut a few hundred yards to the east of the Kingsroad, something that only happened when the castle was threatened. Resigning himself to needing to take the castle, Jon set up siege lines around the town and dug in.
As he tried to drown out the sound of tents being built and trenches being dug out, the Hand to the Targaryen King stood out of range of the castle walls, but still stared up at them with Ser Barristan standing closely behind. Bronzegate was another castle that Jon knew well, and he also knew Lord Ralph Buckler, having feasted with the man on numerous occasions.
"You feel it too." He noticed a voice from behind him. Jon turned his neck to see the red-head and long beard of his cousin's son, a man he had actively been avoiding as best he could. "Lord Ralph is a friend. He was always kind to me despite King Robert's harsh punishments after the Rebellion. He even offered me his daughter to marry once, but she was at least 10 years older than I am." Ronnet scoffed. Jon said nothing, but he did notice that the Knight of Griffin's Roost had changed his surcoat. Instead of the Connington sigil, Ronnet now wore a surcoat of a lone red griffin on a white background. He must have noticed the staring, because Ronnet laughed. "It would be confusing to have two branches with the same banner.
"I would have changed mine." Jon muttered. "Griffin's Roost should keep the banners of our ancestors…"
Ronnet shook his head. "No, they call me Red Ronnet anyway, and this was my personal sigil before my Father died."
Jon didn't know what to feel at that moment as he thought on his cousin, the man left to pick up the pieces of Jon's failures. "Ronald must have hated me."
"He did." Ronnet said bluntly. "And he died still cursing your name. I hated you too, for a time. But this world is full of hatred, and I have no time for fighting kin. Stannis killed his brother and one kinslayer in the Stormlands is too many." The man stroked his beard.
Jon nodded, his stern face not showing his relief at the lack of animosity. They fell into a period of amicable silence for a time when Jon broke it by saying. "I hear you were instrumental in taking Storm's End."
Ronnet nodded, the smile on his face gone. "I knew those men, I had fought with them and trained with them. I take no enjoyment in tricking them as we did, but I swore to your Targaryen King and he bid us to take the castle, so I had my men put on battered armour, marched ahead of the Dornish as if we were fleeing and had Ser Gilbert Farring open the gates for us. We took the castle there and then when they weren't expecting an attack."
"A good ploy." Jon nodded, looking back up at the bronze gates as he noticed the pained expression on Ronnet's face about the death of Ser Gilbert. "Do you have an idea for this one?"
Ronnet followed Jon's gaze. "Perhaps." He shrugged. "As I said, I knew Lord Ralph well. We've not sent a parlay yet, I could go and speak with him to see if he will bend the knee too."
Jon at first didn't think it was a good idea, but the main goal was King's Landing and he wasn't eager to lose men needlessly before they were outside of the city. "Take Ser Barristan." Jon said.
"I would send Ser Franklyn if you wanted a Kingsguard knight, Lord Hand." Barristan Selmy said. "It was a long time ago it's true, but Lord Ralph still resents me for defeating his bastard uncle decades ago."
That was unhelpful, but nevertheless Jon nodded. "Take Ser Franklyn then, you speak with my voice but don't agree to anything without returning here first."
Ronnet looked like he wanted to argue, but instead he just bowed his head. "Lord Hand." He said exaggeratedly before he turned to go and gather his men.
Jon didn't move, and he simply watched on as four horses sped past him towards the Gate, a white banner flapping in the wind. The elder Connington stayed perfectly still as the parlay group waited by the gates, and it was only when the group were accepted inside the town that Jon relaxed completely, deciding that he should get a couple of hours rest while he could.
House Crabb surrendered peacefully, adding their modest strength to Luke's own as they pushed further into Crackclaw Point to accept the fealty of House Sunglass of Sweetport Sound, who's new Lord, Bartigan Sunglass, was extremely eager to spit on Stannis and House Baratheon for what he saw as the murder of his elder brother Lord Guncer in the flames before Luke had arrived on Dragonstone.
After Sweetport Sound and to avoid going further out of his way his next target was Dyre Den, home to the more senior branch of Brune's and led by Lord Eustace, who duly closed his gates and set himself up to defend his castle. Dyre Den was Luke's first taste of combat on the shores of Westeros and the Targaryen found himself first through the breach in the walls once the Golden Company had overwhelmed the Crownlander castle.
A few hours after Luke had forced his way inside Dyre Den the brown bear claw banners were down on the ground in piles waiting to be burned, and the Golden Dragon of Lucerys Targaryen was in their place. Lord Eustace, his sons and his grandsons had all been put to the sword during or after the battle leaving only an unmarried maiden granddaughter of the former Lord left alive.
As night fell on a famous day for the Golden Company a feast was had in the Brune's main hall, with young Lady Anya Brune at Luke's side, her face red with tear stains. Luke waited until the third and final course had been eaten and it was just the wine that was flowing before he knocked his goblet on the oak table loudly, waiting for the silence to fall over them.
"This is but the first step in our journey to retake my family's throne." He stated to the gathered guests loudly. "My ancestor, Aegon the Conqueror, had a policy of allowing those that bent the knee a chance to rise again as loyal allies, and I have continued that with our friends of Crabb and Sunglass." He gestured to Ser Matthew Crabb, the knight that had bent his knee and joined forces with Luke, before then gesturing to Lord Bartigan. "House Brune of Dyre Den, however, decided to fight instead of bend, and so also like my ancestor, his House is now no more." He listened to the cheers and the japes against House Brune for a few seconds before holding his hand up for more silence. "And like my Ancestor did with his friends, I shall do with mine. Ser Tristan Rivers."
With a lot of men that he trusted away elsewhere, Ser Tristan was one of the men on this side of the campaign outside of the Kingsguard that Luke trusted above all others having served him as first officer during the Battle of Dragonstone Bay. The bastard knight rose from his table and walked towards Luke's, bending his knee before the King. "Your Grace."
"You have served me well since long before I took control of the Golden Company. Even after you gained your knighthood you kept your bastard name not wishing to take the Darry name of your ancestors, but I would see that change. We spoke on the march from the Whispers, you and I, on what your knightly name and sigil should be."
Tristan nodded. "We did, Your Grace."
"Have you changed your mind?" Luke asked him.
"No, Your Grace." Tristan Rivers shook his head.
Luke smirked and nodded to Ser Rolly, who walked out of the room quickly to bring in a standard. It bore a white banner, with seven gold rings going horizontally forming a bending river within a double golden tressure. It was a banner chosen mostly by the bastard knight and so Luke had had it made for the man to be gifted at the first castle that was taken by force, and with that castle being Dyre Den, Luke had added the golden borders to have some form of continuity. "Then I name you Lord Tristan Goldriver, the Lord of Dyre Den." Luke proclaimed. "From now until the end of time House Goldriver will own the lands of the fallen House Brune, and you shall wed the last of them tomorrow at noon." He glanced to his side and saw that the 16-year-old Anya Brune was tearing up again. "Rise, Lord Tristan."
Tristan rose to his feet, unable to keep the smile off of his face. "I thank you, Your Grace, for your incredible generosity."
Luke waved away the praise. "The thanks is mine, for standing at my side in Essos and continuing to do so as we crossed the Narrow Sea." He stood up and moved away from the Lord's Chair. "Come, finish the night at the side of your new bride, Lord Tristan." Luke smirked at the cheers, catcalls and the applause of the rooms occupants as he passed Tristan, patting him on the back as he moved into the main section of the hall. Luke laughed at the awkwardness of the fearsome knight as he sat down next to the teenaged girl, before he held both hands up for silence one final time. "Our mission in Crackclaw is not done though, and there are still numerous Houses that need to bend the knee. I will send some of you out in two days to ride to these Houses with a simple message. Join the dragon, or he shall bring you nought but Fire and Blood."
As news filtered through of castles falling to the dragon banner, Tyrion Lannister watched on in a tense Small Council meeting as his sister was raging about the recent events. To their north, Lucerys Targaryen had pretty successfully united the Lords and Knights of Crackclaw Point with his taking of Dyre Den and had since gained the allegiance of the cadet branch of House Brune, House Pyne and House Boggs, adding almost another thousand men to the Targaryen cause even before they got to the strongest House in that region in House Hardy. News wasn't good in the South either, as an even larger host led by Jon Connington and Prince Oberyn Martell had arrived at Bronzegate with a strong force."
"We have 50,000 men marching towards us!" Cersei exclaimed angrily. "Why won't you do something! Bring the rest of the men from Harrenhal quickly!"
Tywin Lannister just stared his daughter down for what seemed like an age before he opened his mouth. "No."
"No?" Cersei scoffed. "We need them here to protect Joffrey!"
"We have 15,000 men within the city." Tywin explained. "And the Targaryen needs to get past Duskendale, Stokeworth and Rosby before he reaches us. They will bleed him, as the Kingswood will bleed Connington." He turned to Tyrion. "Your savages are in place, no?"
The imp nodded. "Hiding in the woods ready to harry the supply lines once Connington enters the woods."
"Then we continue with what we are doing." Tywin said bluntly. "We sure up our walls, keep training the archers and we keep the production of arrows and bows. One man atop a wall is worth a hundred down below."
"We need more!" Cersei cried.
"I have been warring for longer than you have been alive." Tywin stated coldly. "Do not presume to tell me what we need."
"There could be some good news, Lord Hand." Varys piped up. "I've had whispers from Braavos."
Tyrion was very surprised, and he could tell that his Father was too despite his stony appearance. "Do tell." Tywin prompted.
"Stannis Baratheon with his remaining fleet has resupplied after a meeting with the Iron Bank." Varys explained. "He did not wish to flee the Battle of Dragonstone Bay in the first place and has been at odds with Ser Imry Florent ever since. If he still wishes to rescue his daughter from Dragonstone, then the Targaryen's focus could be split."
Tyrion chuckled. "First we relied on the Targaryen to take Stannis' attention, and now we wish for the opposite."
"Find out where he is planning on striking." Tywin ordered the Spider. "And shut down the docks. If he has resupplied after the Iron Bank then they may have a vested interest in seeing Stannis Baratheon win this war, nobody is to enter the city from Essos."
Tyrion gulped as the implication settled in his mind. "Faceless Men."
"Unlikely, Stannis can't afford them." Tywin noted. "But the Iron Bank can, and if they see Stannis as a better fit for the Iron Throne then they'll just add that cost onto the debt that he would inherit." He turned to Tyrion. "Find what coin you can spare from the defensive efforts and send a ship to Braavos with a payment. Remind the Iron Bank that House Lannister has the Throne, and we will not give it up."
Tyrion nodded, scribbling it down in his notes. With Baelish having disappeared Tyrion had been appointed as Master of Coin, and for the first time ever the dwarf wished for Littlefinger to return to the Capital so that the Valeman could retake the job.
Robb Stark thought that the rage he was feeling would only have been limited to Lannisters, but as he and his battle guard rode through the gates of Riverrun, his thoughts were solely focused on his Mother. She had been given her own horse, but as Lady Catelyn Stark dismounted she was immediately surrounded by Dacey Mormont and Smalljon Umber.
"Escort her to her chambers." Robb ordered sternly. "I will call for her after I have spoken with my Grandfather."
Catelyn went to open her mouth to protest, but thankfully she thought against it and bowed her head, allowing the two Northerners to escort her away. Robb sighed and ran his hand through his hair exasperatedly, when he noticed his Uncle walking towards him with another, blonde man.
"Your Grace." Edmure Tully bowed his head respectfully. "Welcome back to Riverrun."
"Thank you, Uncle." Robb said. "I wish it were under better circumstances. Are the prisoners here?"
Edmure nodded. "We change the Kingslayer's guard daily, no man will ever guard him twice in case of bribery. The woman is less trouble, she just lays there and won't speak to anybody but Cat."
Robb was happy enough with that, though he looked down at his side at his loyal companion. "Go and stay by the Kingslayer's cell." Grey Wind just blinked before he prowled away towards the Riverrun dungeons.
"This is Ser Marq Piper, the man that caught them." Edmure gestured to the blonde at his side.
Robb held out a hand and shook it. "You have my thanks, Ser."
"I just did my duty, and they were on my lands." Marq shrugged.
Robb nodded again. "Is Grandfather capable?"
Edmure nodded. "It's a good day. Uncle Brynden is with him."
"Good." Robb stated. "I shall see them both now, take me."
And so the heir of Riverrun escorted the King in the North up to the bedchambers of Lord Hoster Tully, and the man himself was propped up on half a dozen cushions and pillows as he was being fed soup by a maid, with the Blackfish stood at his bedside. "Ah, grandson!" Hoster replied cheerfully, though his face looked sunken, and his midriff looked horribly thin.
"Grandfather." Robb smiled, moving to his other bedside as the maid forced one more mouthful into Hoster and then departed. "I am glad to see you up."
"Pah, up." Hoster scowled. "I doubt I'll ever remove myself from this bed now until I am moved to my funeral boat." He sighed. "Thank the Gods I still have a view."
"Is Cat here?" The Blackfish asked the King in the North.
Robb nodded. "She is to remain under house arrest. Either her chambers or your own, I would not deprive you of your daughter, My Lord."
"She's a foolish girl, but her mother's heart was in the right place." Hoster explained. "I will see to it that she stays out of trouble, Robb."
"Her sworn sword, she is no trouble either. She was simply following Cat's orders." Edmure stated.
The Blackfish tutted. "And what if Cat orders the same thing again? Best to get rid of the woman."
"I will speak to Mother, have her order Brienne away." Robb thought aloud. "I won't be returning to the West now anyway, I rushed here but my army will follow soon, we don't have the men for battles with Randyll Tarly's host, and from what I hear Tywin Lannister moved back to King's Landing."
The Blackfish nodded. "Harrenhal is still strong, but Tywin took a third of his host with him"
"We should retake it quickly." Hoster stated. "With Shella dead, Edmure is the rightful heir of Harrenhal through his Mother." He turned to his son. "Recall the banners, the Riverlands are healing now, it is time to show our strength."
"At once, Father." Edmure nodded.
"And you, Robb." Hoster said. "You will need to return North. Lord Mallister wrote to me yesterday saying Ironborn boats have been spotted heading that way."
Robb grimaced, the realisation of Theon's failure settling in. "I had hoped…"
"Never trust an Ironborn, especially one that has been isolated for so long." The Blackfish explained.
Robb felt his anger rising again at the insinuation, but he accepted the lesson. "Theon wouldn't…" He began, before sighing. "I must write to Bran in Winterfell, we must reinforce the western coast."
Hoster sighed, and then coughed. "Wed your bitch of a Frey, defeat the Ironborn quickly and then it may be time for more fights in the South. You received word of the Targaryen I presume."
"I did." Robb nodded, having completely forgotten about his betrothal in his time in the Westerlands.
"He'll hate me especially for siding with King Robert." Hoster chuckled painfully. "I'll be seen as the ambitious one, looking solely for personal gain despite men of my country being executed by that mad cunt." He coughed more. "I hate the fucking words, but the Frey's have it right. We will need to stand together."
"You will not be alone, I swear it." Robb insisted. "You claimed me as King of the Rivers as well as the North, I will do my part."
Hoster nodded. "You're a good lad, Your Grace. Now go and rest up, with the dragons back on the continent time is not on our side any longer."
Only one more House in Crackclaw Point had required Luke to put them to the sword, and that had been House Hardy of Erinmount. With the entire line exterminated Luke had granted the castle and lands to another of his Golden Company searjants in Dick Cole, and now the infamous banners that had once served the Kingmaker Ser Criston Cole were back on Westerosi soil after being extinct for so long.
After taking Erinmount by force, Luke and his men veered southwards towards Rook's Rest on the coast, finally leaving Crackclaw Point after weeks on campaign. There the Targaryen had been invited inside to meet with Lord Simon Staunton.
It had been a casual meeting, with a food taster proving to Luke that his wine was not poisoned before he settled himself into a comfy armchair beside the Lord.
"Our Father's worked well together." Lord Simon stated bluntly. "He saw the movements before the Rebellion for what they were, traitorous moves against the Ruler of House Targaryen. If only King Aerys had listened…"
"My brother was misguided in his actions, Lord Simon, but the overall goal was fair." Luke said warningly. "My Father was mad, rightful King or not, and he needed to be removed peacefully by his heir." He took a sip. "But of course, Rhaegar's actions spread until an avoidable war killed tens of thousands."
Simon Staunton gulped. "Forgive me, Your Grace… I did not think…"
"You did not think I held a negative opinion of my Father." Luke shrugged. "That's a fair assumption, but I did, My Lord. I never saw him at his best, only at his most dangerous." He sighed. "But I do remember your Father, and I remember his loyalty to my House. I trust that I can expect the same from you now that we are here drinking like old friends rather than across a battlefield from one another."
Lord Staunton nodded firmly. "I never liked serving the Usurper, but I bent my knee after my Father's death all the same to keep my lands. Now though he is dead, and if Stannis Baratheon is to be believed a Lannister bastard sits the Throne. I remember my Grandfather's vows as well as my Father's, both I and my bannermen, Ser's Cressey and Edgerton, will serve House Targaryen once more."
Luke could only grin. "Good."
And so a day after their arrival at Rook's Rest once the landed knights Ser Roger Cressey and Ser Harwood Edgerton had joined up with their humble force, Luke and his army of now nearly 13,000 left Rook's Rest and marched on, reaching the Duskendale Road just before nightfall. As the army set up camp Luke retired to his tent where Valaxes was snoozing on a crimson cushion. Smirking at the black dragon, Luke himself settled down, though both man and dragon were interrupted when Ser Rolly's voice sounded from outside the tent.
"Your Grace, a rider from Bronzegate." The Kingsguard whispered.
Luke got up and pushed the tent flap open, taking the letter and retiring back to his bed. As he lay down comfortably he noticed the seal of House Connington and quickly snapped it, reading about the exploits of the Dornish in taking Storm's End and how Ser Ronnet Connington had taken a daughter of Lord Ralph Buckler to wife to gain their swords. Finally, Jon wrote of his own mission into Highgarden, and Luke smirked at the final words.
Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, My King. House Tyrell accept.
Sighing, Luke placed the letter down on his side table before placing both hands behind his head and relaxing into the feather mattress. So far things had gone exceptionally well for him, and though the Targaryen should have been ecstatic about his progress, all he felt was a nervous anticipation. Crackclaw Point wasn't a strong region, and all together couldn't field the same numbers that House Rykker of Duskendale could. Knowing that the next few days would be crucial to his success or failure, Luke drifted off to sleep silently hoping that there would be more surrenders than battles as they neared King's Landing.
Taking the figures from CK2, in gaining the loyalty of Houses Crabb, Sunglass, Boggs, Pyne, Brune of Brownhollow, House Staunton, House Cressey and House Edgerton, added to the conquered strength of House Cole of Erinmount and House Goldriver of Dyre Den, Luke has an extra 3,000 men.
It's not stated at all, but there is an interesting thread on Westeros dot org about Tristan Rivers parentage. It's not stated in canon, but there is a quote in A Clash of King's that states "leaving no trueborn heirs of lawful Darry blood, but only a bastard cousin." I'm being creative once again and making that true, though for Tristan to be exiled in the Golden Company I doubt he'd be fond of his past and so he gets a new Castle, sigil and House. A tressure is basically a border, so the new House Goldriver's sigil is seven rings in a sort of bending shape (three on top, four on the bottom winding around like a river) inside two golden borders.
Robb is dealing with traitors all around him but cutting short his stay in the West and trusting House Tully has given him more time to make a plan rather than rushing around, and of course he hasn't met Talisa, who is currently in Dorne so he can still gain the full loyalty of House Frey rather than having them betray him too.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
Next Time: Tywin begins to feel the pressure, whilst Luke continues his march to King's Landing.
Reviews:
RHatch89: Thank you!
Guest (Dark Sister): Luke obviously has Blackfyre, but Dark Sister will have a part to play…
DarylDixon'sLover: Spoilers!
qwm: Jon Snow is a mid to late story character. He'll first be seen in Chapter 33 and his arc will remain as the show showed until the middle of Season 4.
Tony McNucklz: The Tyrell's are often difficult to get in a military way because they have so many men available to them, but you make a good point about the placement of commanders, given that Connington dislikes Mace Tyrell because of the Rebellion but he can't afford to insult the man.
suppes1: They're just a collection for him, so they'll probably be displayed somewhere personal to him.
Guadamontiel18:
Jay: Willas and Garlan aren't in this as it's a show fic. And because it's come up a couple of times already I'll actually announce a spoiler. Aurane really isn't important in the long run of this story so who I personally chose to cast him doesn't matter at all. I'm just sticking to the showverse casting of House Velaryon but if others don't like the idea of black actors as Velaryon's, then that's their choice.
Gtopia: She is also smart mind you, but you're right that wit and wisdom are different. As for the marriage, in universe Luke is refusing to do so before he has won the war and sits on the Throne, then he'll look to get that sorted in as grandiose a way as possible to make a statement on his potential new power.