Chapter 1
5,000 BC (Before Conquest)
Winterfell.
Alyn had never seen the castle so frantic. Yet he supposed this is what normally happens when the North was at war. Entering his father's solar, Alyn looked around to see everyone already there. His father looked the splitting image of what a King should look like, Tall with broad shoulders. Dark black hair, as dark as the night sky, with strong steely gray eyes. That being said, he also looked stressed, a frown seemed permanently etched on his face these days, especially since the Ironborn invasion.
3 other men stood in the room, Alyn's elder brother, Beron Stark. Both brothers looked just like their father, same dark hair and, the same eyes. The only real difference was their height. Beron inherited their fathers' height, his elder brother towered over Alyn and had broader shoulders also. While Alyn inherited their mother's slender figure, narrower shoulders, and a smaller height set the two brothers apart, that and a three-year age difference.
The only other member of the family in the room was Bernard Stark, Alyn's uncle. Bernard was said to be a joyous man once, married to Celia Cerwyn. The two had a single child together before a horse riding accident killed his aunt, and a case of fever took his cousin. Since then, he had rarely seen his uncle smile. The man had aged a thousand years it seemed, gray hair and a large unkempt beard made him stick out from the rest of the family, while his always serious nature had rubbed off on Alyn who loved sticking close to his uncle.
The only other person in the room was Theon Cassel, the captain of the Winterfell guards. That being said, Alyn did not spare the man a second glance, he rarely spoke at these meetings and always stood in the background.
"Good, you are here. I am afraid to announce, we have more bad news." His father started, which worried Alyn more than it should have. A full moon ago, the night's watch reported a king beyond the wall had been named, Tormund Goatsmilk, and despite the stupid name the man was said to have nearly twenty thousand now under his command. The night's watch stood at six thousand strong, yet they were mostly greybeards or criminals and had begged for the King's help.
That alone, while bad news, was only worsened when a week later House Mormont reported an Ironborn army invading their shores. Two thousand men attacked Bear Island, and despite amazingly fending them off, reports of a massive Iron fleet had been reported, another army twenty thousand strong was at the North's shores and had already started reaving up and down the coast.
Alone, either of these problems could be sorted easily enough. The wildlings may be fierce in battle, but they were ill-disciplined, and a seven-hundred-foot wall stood between them and us. The Ironborn may be begrudgingly good at sea, yet on land they were beatable. Or so Uncle Bernard claimed, yet he also said dealing with both at the same time would be a major challenge.
Not waiting for anyone to ask, King Arnold Stark continued. "An Andal warlord has sacked White Harbour, he has crushed all the masterly lords in the area, and has set up camp in the town, Curse our forefathers for being so stupid." The last bit muttered to himself, yet we all heard and understood what it meant.
As history goes, Nearly five hundred years ago, House Bolton and House Stark were in a war, when House Ryswell turned cloak and supported the Red Kings. It was only the fact that House Manderly had come from the Reach begging to be allowed to settle in the North did Alyn's ancestors defeat both. For their support, the then King Jon Stark granted the Manderly's half of the Ryswell lands, a punishment for traitors, and a reward for friends all in one. Yet many have argued since that the Manderly's should have been settled in the remote town of White Harbour, which had been without land since House White Water went extinct. Instead, the lands were left without a proper Lord, or protection either. And the North would be paying the price for that, it seemed.
"They have to all be working together, three foreign armies at one time, It cannot be a coincidence." Declared his brother, yet that simply earned a shake of the head from their uncle.
"The White walkers will walk the lands before a wildling, an Ironborn and an Andal manage to work together. No, we just have shit luck, it would seem." The graying man spoke, which earned a nod from the king.
"It does not matter if they are or not. What matters is how we plan to stop them." Alyn declared, finally speaking properly in the meeting.
"It seems rather simple to me brother, The houses of the east will form a host under Uncle Ramsay Bolton, He will march to face the Andal. Meanwhile, the Umbers and my father-in-law will march towards the wall. As will the mountain clans, Together they have enough to smash the wildlings. The rest of the houses, which must have gathered their levies by now, will march towards Glover lands, that's where we last heard the Ironborn were reaving. Father or Uncle Bernard will lead our host to defeat the Ironborn." Beron stated, and while Alyn knew he would be a good king one day, he also knew his brother was not the smartest at planning for wars, thankfully he did not have to voice that as his father spoke up.
"You do not even know what the Andal's host numbers are at son, Alyn. What do you think." His father asked him, Alyn had an idea in his head, yet he did not say it as he was doubting himself. His father, however, must have taken it as if Alyn wanted his father to speak. "The Andal seems to have a host of around twelve thousand." He clarified, not that it changed Alyn's answer.
Clearing his throat, Alyn spoke. "House Reed and Flints of the Fingers should garrison Moat Cailin, while the rest of their host, including Dustins, Cerwyns. Hornwoods, Woolfield, Flints, and Boltons should gather the white knife splits. Uncle Ramsay should lead the host, which would number nearly fifteen thousand, and head towards the Andal's. The Karstarks and Umbers should defend the wall. The mountain clans are spread out and remote to gather on time for that. While every house east should muster and meet near Deepwood Motte, to counter any Ironborn assaults." There was a silence after that which unnerved Alyn, he felt like he had messed up, yet his uncle seemed to agree with him, judging by the rare smile on his face.
"No, neither we shall do," Father said, deflating both young men. "Remember boys, your mother may be a Bolton, Yet not thirty years ago they were kings in their own rights. I would be a fool to let a Bolton lead such a big army." Alyn understood his father's weariness around their uncles. He may be married to one, but he also saw his grandfather slain fighting the Red Kings and probably never got over such a thing.
"Your uncle and I have already agreed that four thousand men from our lands will head east. There we will meet up with House Manderly, Ryswell, Tallhart, Tallhart, and Glover. We should number nearly ten thousand strong, we will be outnumbered, yes, but I will be taken by most of the Cavalry, the Ironborn should not have any, at least according to our reports." It seemed too little in Alyn's eyes. The Ironborn may be poor land fighters, but still, they would have a massive numbers advantage. Especially with no help expected for at least four moons.
"House Bolton, Karstark, and Umber will defend the Wall. I have already placed Umber in charge. That gives them just over seven thousand men, joined with the six thousand the night's watch has and the giant wall they will be defending, should be enough to either starve the wildlings out or defeat them outright. Meanwhile, Bernard will take a thousand Stark men, the last we have. He will march to where the white knife splits, where he will be joined by house Reed, Cerwyn, Dustin, Hornwood, Flint, Woodfield, and Locke. He will number just over eleven thousand strong. With almost no cavalry, he will not be aiming to defeat the Andal. He will delay, slow and harass the scum until either myself or the Umbers succeed, where we will march to aid him."
It was a lot to take in, In theory, it was sound, yet Alyn still believed too much emphasis was put on the wall instead of the Ironborn. He wanted to argue, yet all he could say was, "Where am I going?"
"You shall go with Bernard, and Beron will march with me. Beron, we march in the morning. As do you, Alyn, go get ready."
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AUTHOR NOTES
For those wondering, this is the first ever chapter I will publish to the world. I have written privately but never got around to posting.
This is a basic introduction chapter. We meet the Stark family, and up until this point meet the only bit of past history I have changed. The Manderlys instead of being granted white harbor were granted half the Ryswell lands. If you look up a map of the north where all the major Lordships are and what they rule, you will see a little river with a big mouth into the sea. Simply draw a line from there all the way east to Dustin lands and everything south of that is now the Manderly lands.