Two months passed ever since the "fall" of Lion's Keep. Banners raise high and they wave against the wind.
Tywin looked on with pride as he saw the banners of his clan instead of the Dogs. Never has he felt so in peace at the sight of the lion, roaring on a slope of red.
"Now that this place is free... What are you going to do? Two months have already passed since then." His son asked him.
"Recuperate." Tywin began. "Our banners may have risen again, but we only have the dead on our side, and that is not enough. But I will say this." He turns around to look at him. "This may be a symbol of hope. Hope for the other ones beyond this keep."
"And what's next?"
"Simple: Living in peace. Those dogs did end the war, but now they rule over us, and so far, I am only disappointed by the results. City streets filled with whores and men... and an army that's barely disciplined to even deal with this mess. If you ask me about that Necromancer, I'd say his crusade is an easy one."
He gave his son a pat on the shoulder, and gave him a bit of a mournful look. As if he's remembering the horrors and struggles that he had to deal with when he was growing up.
"If you still have your mind on that, forget it for now..." He said as he pulls him in a hug. "I am glad that I still have you, my son."
Whispers throw themselves across the chamber as men and women quietly argue in their chairs, amidst the table of food.
Now. One may think that this is a simply a meeting between the many officials of the Kuroinu Empire, but in reality, it's partially correct.
Glossing over the women who are not being used as sex toys, they argue over the looming threat of the Necromancer, and his undead army. Along with the news of the banners flying above Lion's Keep, it became an urgent matter as they realize that this is not just a laughing matter.
"It has already been two months ever since that slaughter, can't you see it?! First it was nothing more but silly rumors, but we can't deny that war is upon us!?"
People chortle an agreement to that statement, but before they can bicker some more, they were silenced by three clinks. Three clinks by a man tapping his glass with a dagger.
"Quiet." He said. "Remember, this is our own little council. Even if we're far down underneath Rad, we can't risk them knowing."
"But sir-"
"I know, so quiet." He yelled in a stern tone, but he made sure that even then, it was low enough. "Our brothers can enjoy themselves drinking wine and impregnating whores, but here, we are the ones that are left to ensure that this Empire of theirs remain standing."
He looked over them once again. When he's sure that both men and women are quiet and are now willing to listen, he continued.
"Like I said, we might as well be the last ones standing here to discuss this. Volt will here about this one day, but until then, we must asses our enemy."
He turned to the aged ragged man, and looked him in the eye. "Report!"
He cleared his throat as he stood up, grabbing a couple of notes as well.
"Our enemy has been spotted around the Green Fields last week, and the scouts have reported that the undead horde has been growing bigger and bigger with our men. Not only that, patrols have been reported to be missing too, and it's easy to assume that they are now one of them. "
"How about now?"
"He wiped out a settlement hours ago. And it's not just any settlement... it's from one of our vassals in the Wild Hunt, few managed to escape, but it's a slaughter."
The burly man took a deep breath as he pondered. Looking around the room, and sometimes looking at the men and women. He took a deep sigh and asked the man again. "What else did he do?"
"That's about it, but the world appears around appears to be following. Ever since Tywin raised his own banners, many villages have went against us, fighting off the men and even the slavers passing by. Some were quelled, but it appears that a revolt will begin soon, now that some have witnessed them grouping together."
"When did this happen?"
"Yesterday, my Lord."
He gave him a curt nod, and told him to sit down after telling him to give the letters to him, and told them that they will have to arrange plans to meet him in hopes of putting out the fire.
He looked over at the Maesters of War, and with some War Maidens, and have them discuss the next appropriate action.
They all gave their ideas, each coming with their own specific set of risks and advantages, but they're all going with one thing, and that's minimizing the casualties for any battles soon to come.
"We can rally over to the weakest land. Think about it! Ever since the dogs have taken Celestine as a whore, the magic has faded away, but it Feoh had taken it the worst! If we go there, we'll be able to defend it!" An Elven Warmaster argued.
"But that would mean us leaving the garrisons from across the land! We need to convince the Mages to join us, or we'll die for nothing!" argued a Magus.
"Fuck those old, bearded bastards! Who needs them?! We have the dwarves, and with their cannons and flintlocks, we can pepper them with shots! And let's not forget about the pirates that joined us from the oceans! Pirates that have Krakens! Krakens with man arms!" Argued by a pirate.
"Have you gone mad?! You forgot how long it takes to load those things! By the time you get a next shot ready, we're overrun! Even with warbeasts from beyond, he's a necromancer! He'll bring them back when one dies!"
They argued again and again for a better plan.
"We can recruit the Tribesmen."
Everyone looked over to the girl said that.
The room went eerily cold the moment they looked. By the short white hair that drapes her head, dark gray eyes that gleam under the dimly lit chamber, and the smug grin that adorned her mouth.
She leaned back on her chair, and rests her feet on top of the table as she looked at all of them.
"Remember. Even if the dogs succeeded in turning this continent into a brothel, and pretty much made it a living hell for women, and a paradise for wankers, we didn't win every single person over."
She raised a finger as if to prove her point.
"We still have a resistance to deal with. Before the necromancer, we had them. People loyal to Celestine, and her Seven Shields. We won every fight so far, but they're still out there somewhere, hiding. It may be a simple plan in comparison to the others, but we need to assess that."
She gets up from her own seat, and she walked over to the wine table. As she poured her chalice, she continued.
"It's only a matter of time until they band together and do something stupid like attacking them head on. Once we recruit them, we must bring this to the lords across the land, and we have to warn Volt! I'm not sure if he knows about this, but if he does, I'm afraid he's only busy fucking his favorite bed slaves."
"Hey! Don't talk to him like that!" The pirate yelled and gave her a glare after she said that.
"Pipe down, boy!" One of the older Maesters yelled. "This is the reason why this shadow Council was made in the first place! Those Dogs above can enjoy all of the raping as much as they want, but if the lands beyond fancies an invasion, we will die at their hands. If you think he can just pay them with whores and gold, you will be mistaken."
"We can go with her idea! We need to pull every single Vassal away from the outside, and the same goes for the patrols. They're vulnerable out there, and they'll get slaughtered if they even try to attack him."
"Then it's settled." The burly man yelled. "We'll prepare the soldiers and every single fighter we can get! Everyone. You can leave."
The people muttered to themselves as they rose up from their seats. However, before they were able to leave, they were greeted by a squire. His face is aghast and sheer terror is riddled across his eyes, breathing heavily as he looks at all them.
"The horde! They're marching down to Rad!" He yelled to the top of his lungs.
Everyone in the room gave him a look of concern. They started looking and chattering at themselves in light of the fire news.
"Just thought you'd all like to know." The boy said as he collapsed to the ground, winded from what happened today.