Who Dares Wins
Chapter VII
A few days later, Dragonstone
Rhaegar
Finally, all the lords had arrived on the island.
They were currently all in the now crowded Chamber of the Painted Table. Rhaegar, his closest advisors and the most important Lords well are seated around the Table, while the knights and the minor nobles were standing around them.
The absence of some of the most notable Lords was certainly noticed while the presence of some of the others was…regretted.
"We should attack Driftmark as soon as possible, your Grace ! Before they regroup with the other loyalists !" Lord Massey bellowed, his voice echoing off the chamber walls. His face was flushed with anger, his fist slamming down on the table for emphasis.
"Let us make peace with the King, I say ! We need to stay united to face the rebel dogs !" Lord Bar Emmon replied loudly over the bickering of the other nobles, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Ah ! I knew you would be the first to propose to do so ! Have you forgotten that Aerys tried to kill King Rhaegar ?" Lord Massey said mockingly to his neighboring Lord. The two Houses had never been able to reconcile after the Dance of the Dragons when, after Rhaenyra's death, the Lord Bar Emmon of that time chose to follow Aegon II while the Masseys stayed loyal to the Realm's Delight's line and bent the knee to Aegon III.
"I believe it is still King Aerys, is it not ?" Lord Bar Emmon remarked victoriously before turning to Rhaegar. "I believe you would be better served reconciling with the King, your Grace. The House of the Dragon cannot be divided."
"For once something intelligent came out of his mouth, we cannot remain divided." Rhaegar mused silently. "We need to deal with my father before anything else."
"Coward, I name you !" Now the two Lords were face to face and pointing fingers. "You would betray King Rhaegar for his younger brother in exchange of what ? Money ? Lands ?"
"A good point coming from Lord Massey. What will Aerys promise the Lords to keep them loyal ?" As the reflection turned in his head, he decided to stop the bickering of his lords.
"My Lords. Enough." He did not have to speak loudly or raise his tone. As soon as his voice was heard, all conversation stopped and the Lords turned toward him.
He took a moment to observe them in silence. As was his right, he was seated at the head of the gigantic table, presiding over all. Elia was on his right side, listening to the bickering nobles with a frown on her face. Ser Willem was on his left, reading the various messages the Lords sent back to Delin in answer to his ravens. The maester himself stood directly behind Rhaegar, his birth status not permitting him to seat with the nobles or talk without being addressed first.
"Stupid rules. Delin is probably smarter than half of them combined." Rhaegar cursed his current precarious position in the world. He could not risk offending the few lords that came to his side by inviting a 'commoner' to their table.
All around the table sat a, regrettably, minor part of the nobility sworn to the Prince of Dragonstone. No House from the Crownlands answered his call, which was predictable.
The old Lord Bar Emmon and the younger Lord Massey were positioned face to face due to their geographical proximity and each of them brought their heir, who were seated on their right and left side respectively. They were probably hoping for a good position in the army he was sure to muster in order to raise their house's standing. Glory in war was the main driving force behind most of the nobles' decision-making.
Beside these four were seated the two other close Lords who answered Rhaegar's call. Lord Rambton came early in the morning accompanied by his second son—a surprising arrival considering that particular House's closeness with House Sunglass—while Lord Bywater arrived the day before with his heir, the young Jacelyn Bywater.
He had to admit that he was a bit disappointed that House Brune did not come. It would have been easier to plan a later attack on Claw Island if they were on their side. Regrettably, they did not answer the raven.
"I have summoned you here to plan a war, my Lords. Not to watch you bicker with each other." Rhaegar reprimanded, cold lilac eyes watching over everyone present.
A silence fell over the assembly before Lord Bar Emmon broke it again.
"But your Grace…" He began weakly with a pleading tone. "Why can't we sue for peace with the Crown ? Surely, a war is still avoidable ?"
"I am afraid not, my Lord." Rhaegar replied solemnly. "Do you really understand what happened in King's Landing ?"
A heavy silence fell on the room as each of the occupant thought of the horrific way the Starks had died. Rumors had already travelled far and wide across the kingdoms and now everybody and their mother were aware of the fact that a Lord Paramount and his heir had been executed by the King.
"The trial was —" Lord Rambton began, his oily voice grating on Rhaegar's nerves.
"It was murder." He coldly interrupted the old lord. "There was no trial. The Starks had no chance to defend themselves. The King decided to kill them for his 'enjoyment'. If he can do that a Lord Paramount, what will he do the other Lords ? What about the smallfolk ?" Each question was heavy and the nobles bowed their head in submission.
He then stood up to look at them in the eyes each in turn.
"My Lords, my father is not the man he once was and no one here can dispute the fact that he is no longer fit to rule. As his eldest son, the Crown now belongs to me and I will recognize no King other than myself. Is that clear ?"
His voice was glacial and he knew that he was probably roughhousing them a bit too much but their self-interest and short-sightedness had angered him and he needed them to understand the position the kingdom was in.
"My sword, and my life, are yours, my King."
Rhaegar turned his gaze toward the person who spoke and felt a wave of discomfort at the clear blue eyes filled with devotion that were fixated on his own.
Jon Connington's arrival the day before was…unexpected, to say the least.
*Flashback / Yesterday evening*
The sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows across the courtyard as Rhaegar played with his children.
Rhaenys giggled as she chased her black cat, Balerion, across the cobblestones, her laughter filling the air and eliciting chuckles from the guards around.
Little Aegon, still too young to join in the chase, sat in Rhaegar's lap, his tiny hands reaching up to tug at his father's hair.
Rhaegar smiled down at his son, a rare moment of peace settling over him. These moments with his children were precious, a brief respite from the burdens of the war that weighed so heavily on his shoulders. He could almost forget the turmoil beyond the walls of Dragonstone, almost.
"Your Grace," a voice interrupted, pulling him back to reality. Rhaegar looked up to see one of his guards approaching, his expression tense. "A ship has been spotted, approaching the harbor. It bears no sigil."
Rhaegar's smile faded, his mind immediately shifting to the possible threats the ship might carry, images of desolation coming to his mind. "No sigil?" he asked, gently lifting Aegon from his lap and setting him down on the ground beside him.
The guard shook his head. "None, Your Grace. But it's making for the harbor with purpose."
Rhaegar stood up, his demeanor shifting from that of a father to a King preparing for the unknown. He glanced at Rhaenys, who was still engrossed in her game, and then at Aegon, who looked up at him with wide, trusting eyes.
"Take them to their mother," Rhaegar instructed the guard softly, a hint of the tenderness he reserved for his family lingering in his voice. "I'll meet this ship myself."
The guard nodded, scooping up Aegon and calling for another to fetch Rhaenys. Rhaegar watched for a moment as his children were led away, then turned on his heel and headed for the stables. His mind raced with possibilities, who would approach Dragonstone without a banner, and why ?
He turned to the guards who were around the courtyard, most of them looking at him with concern.
"I need twenty strong men to ride with me. If it is indeed a threat, then we need to deal with it in the harbor." Rhaegar announced with determination. No matter what, he will never allow what came to pass in the books to his family.
"Your Grace, I have been informed of the ship. Our horses are ready." The welcome voice of Arthur Dayne sounded near him. He turned to his oldest and truest friend as he handed him a sword.
Rhaegar thanked him with a nod and, with a gesture to the guards, they mounted their horses and rode to the harbor.
The air was cool, the scent of salt mixed with volcanic ash strong in his nostrils as they raced down the keep. As he neared the docks, he could see the ship, a modest vessel with weathered sails, approaching the shore. The lack of a sigil was unnerving, but something in his gut told him that this was no enemy.
The ship was of Westerosi design, easily distinguishable from Dornish ships or those coming from the free cities, which reassured him.
As it docked with practiced ease, and the gangplank was lowered, Rhaegar dismounted, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. He waited, tense but composed, as figures began to emerge from the ship.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see the area clearing of civilians and dockers, all fearing a confrontation in the harbor.
The first person to walk down the gangplank was a familiar figure to Rhaegar and he immediately relaxed his posture—memories of their teenage years, when they were squires together, resurfacing in his mind.
Jon Connington was tall and broad shouldered, his short red hair gleaming in the sunset. He approached confidently, not worrying about the guards putting their hands on their pommel, and his eyes did not waver from Rhaegar's.
He only stopped about two meters away when Arthur did a simple gesture of the hand. It always amazed Rhaegar, the power that his friend had on people. They afforded him a respect that was near religious devotion, and with due cause too.
Jon immediately dropped to one knee when he halted and bowed his head in submission before Rhaegar.
"We came as soon as we heard the news, Your Grace. We would swear ourselves and our Houses to you." The redhead said, lifting his head to stare in his eyes, nearly drinking his features.
"We ?" Rhaegar asked, frowning.
Jon Connington did not answer verbally and just sent him a small smile as the sound of someone stepping on the plank was heard.
Rhaegar's eyes moved to the source of that noise and felt his mood immediately lift up as he crossed the amused gaze of another old friend.
"Well well well, isn't it just…dramatic ?" Richard Lonmouth, his other former squire, asked in a joking tone as he stepped off the ship.
"Kneel, you fool." Jon whispered furiously.
"Um ? Ah yes, of course, you are a King now Rhaegar…I mean…my Prince…um…Sire…" Richard stammered embarrassedly, kneeling.
Rhaegar heard a soft chuckle coming from behind and did not have to turn around to know that it came from Arthur.
"Rise, my friends. It is good to see you ale and hearty." He laughed, while walking to his two kneeling friends and helping them up.
He saw all guards relaxing even as more men came out of the ship, carrying crates and shouting their greetings to him.
"There are still leal Stormlanders, your Grace. We won't be the last to join your side." Jon said seriously as they clasped arms.
"And where is Os ? Has he stayed behind with Elia and the children ?" Richard asked loudly and seemingly without a care in the world.
Rhaegar felt his smile vanish from his face. When he was his squire, Richard was the best of friends with Ser Oswell. Both of them were reputed as jokesters and immediately got on well when the young Lonmouth first came in the capital.
"I…do not know, Richard. He was not with us when we escaped from King's Landing." The King answered slowly, throwing a look in askance at Arthur. The latter only answered with a shake of the head and Rhaegar understood. He, too, had not received news from his brother.
"Oh, I see." His old squire answered, his smile losing a bit of his shine.
"I will be there to protect you from all threats, my King." Jon interjected strongly, a bit out of place.
Rhaegar was discomforted by his tone. It was filled with a strange kind of devotion and he insisted a lot on the word 'my'. Strange.
Flashback ends*
He had not realized it on the moment, and it's only when he had talked about it with Elia that he remembered what he knew from the books. Jon Connington was supposed to be homosexual and in love with Rhaegar. Elia also said that he was always disagreeable with her and often disparaging in his comments.
Rhaegar did not know how to feel about that. While he could not in good conscience blame the man for something he had no control over, he also could not tolerate anyone speaking ill of his wife.
The strange obsession the redhead had toward him did not help matters too.
He was brought out of his musing as the Lords continued to talk.
"Your sword is one thing, Lord Connington, but it will not be enough to stop the rebel armies. We simply do not have the men to match them." Lord Bar Emmon said, apparently giving up on suing the Crown for peace.
Rhaegar sat back on his chair and sent a look at his wife on his right side and, with a gesture of the head, indicated that it was time for her to speak.
"My Lords, I have sent a raven to my brother, Prince Doran. He has pledged Dorne's support to King Rhaegar and will muster twenty thousand dornish spears for the war. They will march under my brother, Oberyn, as soon as possible." Elia spoke like a Queen, articulating each word calmly but with steely determination.
"I fear it still won't be enough, my Queen." Lord Massey began grimly. "I believe that the rebels will raise at least seventy thousands soldiers with more than twenty of those mounted. Do we know where the loyalty of the Tyrells and the Lannisters lie ?"
The mood became somber as everyone understood the gravity of the situation.
"They have not answered my ravens, that is true. But that does not mean they will be our enemies." Rhaegar said confidently.
"I am afraid I do not understand, Sire. Why would they not be our enemies ?" Lord Bywater asked confusedly, echoing the thoughts going through everyone's head.
"As I said before, while allying with Aerys is— in theory—the best option, they know that my father is not in his right mind anymore. Lord Tywin has spent the last years being slighted by the King and will not be eager to send troops to his aid." Of course, Rhaegar knew exactly where the loyalty of the Lannisters lied, but he could not reveal their plot openly.
"But what about the Tyrells, your Grace ? They, alone, can muster near a hundred thousand troops. What if the Crown promises them a marriage ? They have wanted a royal betrothal for generations." This time it was the young Joffrey Massey that spoke, after a nod from his father, and he brought a good point.
"You are right, my Lord. That is why we need to prove to everyone that we are the better option. If we rally the Tyrells to our cause, we will be able to match the rebels in battle." Rhaegar said firmly.
"Will you offer them the hand of the Princess Rhaenys, Sire ?" Lord Bar Emmon asked hesitantly.
Rhaegar was perfectly aware of the glare his wife levied upon him, she obviously thought that it would be his next course of action. What she did not know, however, was that he had absolutely no intention of betrothing his daughter to the Tyrells as he knew that Lord Mace would have a daughter in the years to come.
He quickly thought of an answer to shut down that idea.
"I am afraid it will not be enough, my Lord." He faked a regretful voice as he discreetly placed a calming hand on Elia's thigh to make her understand what he could not say out loud. "Nothing but a Tyrell Queen would be enough for them."
He felt his wife relaxing under his touch, she had understood his plot. He squeezed her leg in appreciation.
"Lord Mace does not have a daughter, your Grace." Lord Massey interjected with a frown.
"Indeed. But I believe an agreement for a betrothal between a potential future daughter and Prince Aegon would be enough to attract their interest." Rhaegar answered calmly, silently daring them to contradict him.
"But not enough to secure their loyalty and their army." Of course, Richard chose that moment to open his mouth. Rhaegar sent him a half hearted glare at his amused tone.
"No, not enough for that. That is why we must win a victory, and quickly."
"But your Grace, how can we win a victory in these conditions ? We do not have the men and even if we did, we are lacking a fleet." Lord Rambton quickly said in a scared voice making the other Lords scowl at him. Good, they were not cowed yet.
"How many men do we have, my Lords ?" It was a rhetorical question and they knew it but they also knew that they had to answer.
"I believe Dragonstone can field about fifteen hundred men, your Grace." Ser Willem began speaking for the first time in this meeting. "Houses Massey and Bar Emmon should be able to raise about a thousand more each."
"I am sure that if I leave this evening, I could bring five hundred soldiers to your cause, Sire." Lord Bywater said, his heir nodding alongside his words.
"I will need the men for the harvest, your Grace…" Lord Rambton began weakly, immediately bringing Rhaegar's gaze upon him and making him pale. "W…Well…I suppose I could bring two hundred soldiers, Sire." He stammered, his double chin jiggling.
Rhaegar kept his glare on the fat lord for a few moments before he turned his eyes to Jon and Richard.
"How many men can you muster, my friends ?" He emphasized the last word to quell any discontent amongst the lords. There was much grumbling when the two stormlanders came in the room but if anyone thought those two were loyal to anyone other than himself then their judgment was poor indeed.
Jon Connington kept his gaze on his King but his eyes turned pensive as he stroked his beard in thought. "I believe I can field around two thousand soldiers, my King. But Griffin's roost is far from Dragonstone and my ships would have to cross the straits of Tarth to reduce their travel time. It would be a risky venture, your Grace." The redhead said, echoing the thoughts running through Rhaegar's head.
He already knew the issues he would have bringing troops from the stormlands.
"While my keep is closer than Lord Connington's, my House cannot field more than five hundred men and I believe they would be better served securing a way in the stormlands, your Grace." Ser Richard declared, his usual smile still on his face though he refrained from joking in this grim situation.
"I agree with you two." Rhaegar said, before raising a hand to stop the coming protestations from the other lords. "I know that we are severely outnumbered, my Lords, but numbers alone do not win a war."
He stood up again and the atmosphere in the chamber changed. Gone was the amicable King they saw and in his place stood a leader of men. He put both of his hands on the table and leaned on it, all eyes in the room on him.
Finally, after a few seconds of silence, he pointed the island of Driftmark, the fire under the painted table making it bigger than it was in reality but now it proved a good way to emphasize his point. The light shined under the letters and showed everyone the target their King chose.
"Lord Massey is right. Driftmark must be taken before anything else." Rhaegar declared calmy, as if he was talking about the weather.
A heavy silence fell on the room for an instant before a cacophony of noise exploded around him, all lords and knights trying to be heard over the others.
"Silence !" Arthur screamed from behind him and everyone obeyed at once, proving once again the kind of influence his best friend had on the people of Westeros.
He sent him a grateful nod before turning to the assembly.
"Please, my Lords. One at a time."
"Sire, the entirety of the Velaryon fleet is docked at Driftmark and probably a good part of the royal fleet too ! Attacking them is suicide !" Ser Harridun cried, and he was the only one courageous enough to say what everyone had to be thinking. The nobles did not want to appear cowardly after all.
"That is true, and there are Celtigar and Sunglass ships there too." Rhaegar agreed easily with a nod.
Now, all the people in front of him were looking at him with incomprehension, as if he was talking in another language.
"Husband, there must be at least ten thousand men on that island while we can barely field forty hundreds. I agree with Ser Harridun, that is suicide." Elia said worriedly, she probably thought that he was once again guided by his visions on a fool errand.
"Attacking them head on is suicide, indeed. But that is not what I plan to do." Rhaegar answered firmly.
He then moved from the table and went to one of the windows overlooking the harbor of Dragonstone.
"Have any of you ever gone to the seat of the Velaryons ?" He asked without turning to them. He did not wait for an answer before continuing. "I have, and more than once. The harbor of High Tide is a bay, used to protect the ships from the capricious tides of the Gullet."
As the lords, knights, maester and princess were still looking at him in silence, Rhaegar decided to explain his intentions clearly.
"Their docks are not made to hold that many ships. The Velaryons are merchants before anything else and their vessels are always coming and going. Now that they must hold that many ships, the bay must be crowded and they will need time to move the bigger boats." He saw realization dawning on a few of them as they thought over his words, they probably began to have an idea of his plan.
"That is a good idea, my King. We could sink the entirety of their fleet if we set a few of their ships on fire and then blockade the island to stop them from leaving." Jon said with a bloodthirsty smile, provoking nods and frowns from the other lords.
"Your Grace, such a move would clearly mark us as enemies of the Crown. Is it wise to do so now ? Especially with two Lords Paramount rebelling ?" Lord Bar Emmon asked, and while some would brand him a coward for that question, it was still a important one to ask. The fact that he thought that only the Starks and Arryns were rebelling was concerning, however.
It was hard to reconcile what he knew would happen with the present. He had to focus on each conversation in order to not seem mad by speaking of things he could not know.
"I do not intend to sink the Velaryon fleet, not all of it at least. Nor do I intend to kill the ten thousands men on the island." Rhaegar answered firmly while looking at each lord in turn in the eyes.
He saw a few of them glancing back at the map with frown on their faces, clearly not understanding his point. Elia was looking at him in askance, she probably had some idea of what his plan was but did not think him foolish enough to go through it. Arthur and Ser Willem, however, clearly understood his intention and gave him a nod of confidence.
"The Old, the True, the Brave. These are the words of the Velaryons. Everyone, from their highest captain to their lowest sailor, is fiercely loyal to the House of the seahorse. If we capture the Lord, the fleet will surrender." It amused him to think that not even one month in this world and he was already thinking of attacking the island with the one of the biggest fleet in the world and capturing their lord. Who dares wins, right ?
The lords and knights were not so amused, however, and a cacophony of noise exploded when he had finished speaking.
"Madness, this is madness !" Cried one.
"Your grace, Lord Lucerys will never order his fleet to surrender to save his life !" Shouted another.
"Driftmark has never been taken before ! We will never succeed !"
"This is suicide, Sire !"
On and on it went, and Rhaegar let them. They spoke valid points, but they did not know what he knew.
When the last noble finished screaming and all of them were looking at each other breathing heavily, he spoke.
"I do not believe Lord Lucerys to be present on Driftmark." He said slowly. "He was always a firm supporter of my father and the chance to influence my young brother would be too good to pass up. There is also the fact that the rebels do not posses a fleet capable of competing with the royal fleet, and my father would not send a trusted advisor away for no gain."
"That is true, my lords. During these last few months, Lord Lucerys bragged to everyone at court that his young son of five and ten years, Monford, is already managing the island better than most lords. He would not go back to Driftmark without due cause." Elia continued for him, her voice urging the nobles to listen to them. Her support proved, once again, to be invaluable.
"Your Graces, I mean no offense to you but…" Lord Massey, usually one of their biggest supporters, began hesitantly. "How does this help us ? This venture can cost us everything."
"You are right, my lord. But it can also be a great victory for our cause. Need I remind you that we need one to bring more allies to our cause ?" Rhaegar asked back severely, a bit disappointed to be questioned by one of his lealest lord.
"How do you envision us taking the island then, my King ?" Ser Willem asked to quell the rising objections. He made a note to thank him privately for this after the meeting.
"As I said before, I believe that by taking the young lord Monford hostage, the Velaryon fleet will surrender." Rhaegar said strongly and he did not show any of the doubts that plagued him. He needed the lords to be sure of their victory. "However, we cannot face their entire might head on. That is why we will need a distraction."
He saw their faces changing a bit after that. They were reassured that he did not intend to storm High Tide, and they were at least intrigued by what he was proposing. Good.
"The current velaryon doctrine of naval warfare is to fortify their harbor and protect their biggest warships by placing merchant ships—preferably foreigners—as the first line of defense." He continued while unfolding a map of the island. He then took a few wooden miniature ships and placed them on the map to demonstrate his point.
"That means that the harbor will be crowded and the fleet will be slow to move. That plays to our advantage." Lord Bywater agreed pensively, a few nobles nodding along.
"Indeed. Lord Massey, you will take three thousand men and you will attack from the north of Driftmark." Rhaegar took another wooden figurine and placed it accordingly. "There, I want you to show yourself and make some noise. You will take a few barrels of whale oil too and I will count on you to make the biggest fire that island had ever seen. Let everyone on the island know that you are here and looking for a fight."
He saw from the corner of his eyes a few nobles wearing disgruntled frowns, evidently they had wanted to be given command. However, he knew that for a mission like that, he needed a reliable man that was capable of obeying orders. The other thing to take in account was that he had to give command according to the lord's rank. Lord Massey was the only viable choice.
"Who will second him ?" Jon asked, still frowning from what he perceived as a rejection. He was indeed one of the three candidates for the position of command but Rhaegar had another role in mind for him.
"Lord Bywater will." He answered, and he had to retain a chuckle as he saw the redhead frown even more severely. The position of second, while not the most prestigious, was still one who brought glory to the lord.
As Jon opened his mouth to protest, he was interrupted by Richard's voice.
"What are the objectives for this army ?" The young Lonmouth asked, but Rhaegar had not doubt that the knight had already guessed at least part of his plan.
"Lords Massey and Bywater will need to keep their ships close to the shore. The young Lord Velaryon will not tolerate such an 'attack' on his domain and will send his soldiers on you. I do not want you to engage them. As soon as you see them, I want you to lead your troops back on the ships and leave." Rhaegar explained, aware that they would not be pleased with such a plan.
"Why would we do that, your Grace ? We could trap the field and prepare for their charge. I believe that with correct preparations, we could win such a battle." Lord Massey said, a frustrated note in his voice.
"Because these are my orders, my Lord." Rhaegar answered firmly. "I want the Velaryon army to be at full strength when they bend the knee to me."
His confidence was maybe a bit premature but he knew that his plan could work. The nobles evidently disagreed from their gobsmacked expressions.
"But…But…My King ! You want to make them submit without fighting them ?" Lord Rambton exclaimed, nearly panicked.
"This is exactly what I want, my Lords." Rhaegar began calmy, as he took another figurine and placed it near High Tide, in the harbor. "While most of the army will attack north, I and a few soldiers will come from the south."
A heavy silence fell on the room as the nobles digested what their King proposed but surely, they had heard wrong ?
"A few soldiers, husband ?" Elia asked coldly, hiding her worry behind anger.
He felt sorry to put her in this position but there was no choice. It was the only way he could protect her and their children.
"Indeed. A few trusted soldiers, twenty at most." He answered, while locking eyes with her. "We will sneak in the harbor and sabotage the merchants ships blocking the entry. Then we will go to High Tide and take Lord Monford Velaryon hostage. We will wait for a moonless night and take one of the smallest ship we have, then the infiltration will be made with a rowing boat."
The usually proud lords at the table were looking at him with jaws hanging and eyes wide.
The kind of plan he was proposing was something new to Westeros, but he knew that in order to win a war like this, they needed to fight differently. He took inspiration from the numerous operations the French SAS conducted during World War II and tried to apply them to a medieval setting. The lack of explosives was difficult to compensate for, but he knew a thing or two to make up for it.
"This is suicide, your Grace." Lord Bar Emmon said, ever the pessimist. "The Velaryons will never fall for such a trap."
"No, it could work." Lord Bywater replied pensively, stroking his beard. "Driftmark has never been attacked before and the young lord will not want to disappoint his father after years of good gestion."
"This is my thought as well, my lords. But I do not believe Monford will take part in any fighting—he is still too young. That is why we must attack High Tide at the same time." Rhaegar said firmly.
"How will you stop the ships from leaving, your Grace ?" Lord Massey asked, intrigued.
"By doing two things. First, we will cut the link between the steering wheel and the daggerboard, then we will break the lever used to pull back the anchor. The ships will not be able to move." He replied confidently.
"There is no honor in this." Lord Rambton muttered, loud enough to be heard by everyone.
"It is not honor that wins wars, my Lord." Rhaegar glared at the fat noble. "We will worry about being honorable when we have won the battle."
"I agree with you, sire, but are twenty soldiers enough to protect you in enemy territory? Could you not send one of us in your place?" Jon said, bringing them back to the subject at hand and nearly gritting his teeth from frustration.
"I agree with Lord Connington, husband. Should you fall, our cause would be lost." Elia added, for once aligning with the redheaded lord of Griffin's Roost.
"No, I need to be present. None of you knows the halls of High Tide as well as I do. And I believe the Velaryons would not surrender to anyone but me." Rhaegar replied.
"Who will you take with you, then ?" Elia asked bitingly.
"Jon, Richard, can I count on you ?" He asked, already sure of their answer.
The two men stood up before kneeling in front of him.
"We are yours to command, Sire." They answered in unison, their voices echoing in the chamber.
Rhaegar turned his head and addressed his friend.
"Ready for another adventure, Arthur ?"
"Do you really need to ask ? As I have told you time and time again, where you go, I go." The Sword of the Morning agreed easily.
Rhaegar could see a weight lifting from everyone's shoulders as they understood that if he had Ser Arthur Dayne with him, he was most likely safe for everything but the Gods. And even them would need to work for it.
"Are we all in agreement with this plan, my Lords ? Sers ?" Rhaegar asked, standing up and addressing everyone present in the room.
The men and the woman present meet his eyes and no one looked away as they answered and nodded.
"Aye, your Grace."
"You can count on us, Sire."
"We will do as you command, King Rhaegar."
He turned his head to look at his wife and saw her reluctantly nodding. They will probably have words tonight.
"My King, I would beg the honor of joining you in this attack." A young voice called out to him.
Rhaegar turned around and found himself facing the young Jocelyn Bywater, the heir of Blackwater Keep.
"Do you agree, Lord Bywater ?" He asked the father of the boy that he estimated to be around six and ten years old.
"I do, your Grace. I cannot imagine more prestigious company for my son." The middle aged lord replied proudly, patting his son on the back.
"Then it is settled. I swear to protect your son, my Lord." Rhaegar answered the man before turning to the other nobles. "Is there any other volunteer ?"
Immediately, Ser Harrold Brightlyn and Ser Harridun stepped forward, both them kneeling and swearing to serve him on this mission. Rhaegar threw a look at the other heirs present but none of them could meet his eyes. Disappointing but not unexpected.
"Very well then. Jon, Richard, Arthur, I want you to look for potential candidates to join us. My Lords, Sers, I would ask you to muster your men and bring as many troops as you can on Dragonstone. I will leave you to discuss the logistics with my castellan, Ser Darry." He declared before offering his arm to Elia.
The Princess of Dorne stood up to take it and both of them left the room with Arthur following behind. The nobles took a bow as they did so before returning to discuss the coming attack.
Now, it was just a matter of time before they entered this war.
At the same time, Maidenpool
Lyanna
A fortnight had passed and still no raven ever came from King's Landing or Dragonstone.
Lyanna was, once again, pacing in her room in Maidenpool and cursing as a myriad of emotions coursed through her.
She had not slept more than one or two hours these last few days, not since she had learnt of her Father's and brother's death. She could not. As soon as her eyes closed, she saw their bodies being cut open and she heard their screams in her head.
Ser Myles had brought her some essence of the nightshade multiple times, but nothing helped. She was plagued by nightmares every night and haunted by memories every day.
The distress and sadness she had felt at her fate had turned into regret and rage. Rage at the world, at the King, at herself, and even at her family for putting themselves in harm's way to help her.
But most of all, she felt a great rage toward Rhaegar.
Even as she thought his name, a wave of bitterness threatened to engulf her.
Lyanna tightened her fists and her features, once fair, contorted with hate.
She had believed in him—the Silver Prince with the beautiful sad voice and haunting lilac eyes. She had trusted him when he told her that he would keep her safe and free. That he would protect her from Robert Baratheon when he inevitably learned that she did not want to marry him.
What a fool she had been.
At first, everything had been perfect. She had escaped Harrenhal with no one being the wiser and those few days on the road with the Prince and his two guards were some of the best in her life. Finally, she was free.
But Rhaegar had changed after that night at the campfire. He did not look at her the same way again and his voice was dismissive when they talked.
Lyanna did not think much of it until he ordered guards to remove her from the Ser Myles' solar.
She had only felt disbelief then. Her Silver Prince wouldn't abandon her, would he ? She had screamed, fought, raged and shouted, but nothing helped her.
The guards forced her to drink the essence of nightshade and she did not remember anything else from that day.
When she woke up, she had screamed her voice hoarse as she banged on the door locking her chamber. No one came to see her.
Lyanna had thought that Rhaegar would come and explain things to her but he did not. She learnt later from Ser Myles that he had left with Ser Arthur and Ser Oswell for King's Landing.
She did not remember how much she cried but she knew she did. She cried for the life she would never have and for the freedom she thought she had won.
A few days later, a raven came announcing the death of her family and she finally shattered.
All of this was too much for her to bear.
For the next few days, she had nearly succumbed to her grief but, as she stood on the edge of the abyss, something pulled her back.
Her grief turned to hate and her pain, to rage. Most of it aimed at one person. Rhaegar.
She kept pacing in her chamber as her hands worked. In them were the sheets she had accumulated this past week.
Every time a servant came to her room, she had refused to open her door so, unable to do their work, they had left her meal and clean sheets in the corridor in front of her room for her to pick up.
Now that she had enough, she had begun tying them together by making solid knots. They needed to support her weight after all.
She had stopped eating or sleeping, consumed by her goal. Her desire for freedom and most importantly for vengeance.
When she had finally finished the improvised rope, she had picked up her meagre possessions and she began climbing down the window.
It was late at night and most of the guards assigned to her side of the castle were busy getting drunk in brothels rather than keep watch over her.
The air was chilly on her skin as she descended over the rope but she did not let it stop her. Distantly, she could hear the waves crashing over the shores and laughter, shouts and merriment coming from the city.
Lyanna threw a quick look down to estimate how high she still was and rapidly looked up again.
Her chamber was not high enough for a fall to be deadly but it would certainly be crippling and she could not accept that.
She would rather die than be crippled. Not because she feared the loss of mobility but rather because then she would not be able to take revenge anymore.
All of this motivated her to keep her feet and hands steady as she climbed down and soon, she found herself standing on the solid ground.
She had done it. She was free, again.
And now, Lyanna had an account to settle with Rhaegar.
A few weeks later, The Bite
Eddard
He had ridden harder than ever before.
Since the news of his father's and brother's death came, combined with the abduction of his younger sister, Eddard had only one goal in mind : bring the House of the Dragon to justice.
He had spent a week drowning in grief with his only support being Robert, who himself alternated between extreme rage to crippling despair. He taken Lyanna's abduction harder than even himself;
Eddard could not understand how all of this came to pass.
Lyanna should have been with Brandon in Riverrun. She should have never crossed Rhaegar's path.
And then there was the trial in King's Landing. His Lord Father was a good man, a just man. Why did the King order his death ? It went against everything he believed in.
Nonetheless, once he could think rationally again, he went to see his mentor—Jon Arryn— to ask him for advice on how to proceed.
There, the now Lord Stark learned that the Vale was now in open rebellion against the Crown and Jon beseeched him to raise his banners too. He had hesitated at first before finally caving when the Old Falcon informed him of the King's orders to bring his head to the capital.
Robert had sworn to go to the Stormlands and raise his banners too. However, it was more complicated for him to do so. Indeed, just before his departure, Eddard learned that Lord Grafton of Gulltown had mustered his forces in support of the Crown.
While he would have preferred to stay and fight at his mentor's and best friend's side, he knew that his duty was to go North and raise the banners of House Stark to fight in order to avenge their Lord and his heir.
That is why he had ridden at dawn with a small retenue of loyal men, leaving behind his family of the Vale to fight without him.
They had made for Heart's Home, the seat of House Corbray. There they had taken a ship that would go directly to White Harbor.
He still had not processed the fact he was now the Warden of the North, him, the second son. The most he had ever hoped for was the Lordship of Moat Cailin when Brandon succeeded their father but now the burden of leadership fell upon him.
He would do his duty, however. That was the way their father had raised them and when it was his time to face him in the afterlife, he wanted to meet him as a proud man, an honorable man who had accepted his duty and accomplished it to the best of his abilities.
This, Eddard swore.
A few days later, Casterly Rock
Tywin
It was... unexpected.
The recent events had surprised him, and he was not a man easily surprised. Oh, Tywin had always known that Aerys was the greatest threat to his own reign, but he had never thought the King would go as far as sentencing his own son to death.
Now, the realm was more divided than it had ever been since the coming of the dragons, and Tywin was planning to take full advantage of it. Chaos bred opportunities, after all, and no man had more opportunities than the Lord of Casterly Rock.
He refused to fight for Aerys; that was a given. The man did not deserve his help after all the slights he had dealt him, and Tywin would see him die for it.
He had to choose between joining the rebel lords or answering Prince—or rather, King, as he called himself now—Rhaegar's call.
Tywin knew another way, however. He would pose his conditions to both sides and choose the one that offered the most to his house.
"Kevan," he addressed his dutiful younger brother. Both were in the lord's solar of the Rock, accompanied by their two other brothers, Tygett and Gerion Lannister. "I want you to raise the banners of Lannisport and prepare the fleet for war. Tygett, you will travel the Westerlands, give my orders to the lords, and tell them to muster all the men they have. Gerion, you will handle the logistics of the army. Make sure we have enough food, horses, and steel for at least thirty thousand soldiers." He ordered sternly, his eyes cold and unforgiving.
"Are we going to war for the Crown, brother?" His youngest—and most impertinent—brother, Gerion, asked. Tywin did not deign to give him an answer, simply returning to writing his orders to the nobles of the Westerlands.
"How will we be able to join the rebels if Jaime is still in the Red Keep?" Kevan asked. At least this brother already understood that they would raise their banners against Aerys.
Tywin lifted his head, his cold green eyes settling on his three brothers.
"I do not intend to join the rebels—yet," he said, his tone giving nothing away. "You have your orders. I want you to raise as many troops as possible. Once that is done, we will regroup on the Gold Road near Deep Den." He said nothing else and dismissed them with a wave of his hand, returning to his writing.
House Lannister would emerge from this war as the absolute winner. He would make sure of it.
There we are ! I hope you liked it !
For those of you that wonder about it, i know that House Bywater was more prominent during the event of Game of Thrones but it's hard to find reliable sources for the lords that were sworn to the Prince of Dragonstone. I have decided to change a few things to better help my story.
Don't hesitate to leave a review, it's always a pleasure to read your words and i will always answer everyone. In private for those of you that are logged on their account and in the next chapter for the guest reviews.
Cya guys !