Well, to answer the last questions...
Yes, Ciri is a representation of the character from The Witcher. I fell in love with her when I was a teenager.
The name Orryn just came about because I thought it was a nice name and I didn't want to use Steffon, after that I developed the story of Stannis' mother choosing that name for another son.
Stannis is indeed a little light on Orryn's bastard, but he softened after his son almost died. Not to mention that Melisandre now has the ear of the king, and she's always running to save Orryn's ass.
Now to Margaery and the Tyrells.
To be honest, I loved writing Orryn's interactions with Margaery, I think they were made for each other.
I also know it was a foolish move on the part of the Tyrells, but that's because of my inability as a writer. I wanted to tell a story, and leaving them married was not that story.
The Tyrells had to go because I didn't see a way for Stannis and Orryn to have significant complications, apart from Daenerys and the others, with the Tyrells still around. So I had them betrayed, but with an army that could still fight for the throne.
Orryn
Eastwatch-by-the-Sea
I rode the ice road around the frozen fields of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. The Patrol's easternmost castle was on the edge of the sea, where ships traded, fishermen worked the crab pits, and Wacth members broke their vows with whores.
We disembarked the army, the cold was terrible, worse than when I had visited Winterfell years ago, but we would deal with it, we had to.
"I'm leaving your mother, Shireen, and Arya here. It won't do any good to take them with us into battle... things can always go wrong." My father said as he rode up beside me.
"The leader here... Cotter Pyke, will he give us some men to lead us along the trails at the edge of the wall?
"Yes, but we can't stay that long. The village and the castle can't hold that many men".
"Not with 14,000 of us and only three whores in the tavern, one of whom I hear is the wife of the tavern owner. I said bitterly, Ser Rolland has already had to punish a few men for fighting.
"For me... these places would not exist." My father replied with a scowl. It was true, he had done it at Dragonstone and It wasn't very popular.
"Not all men can be like you, Father... I'm not saying it's wrong, it's just that others lack the will, lack the strength. I myself have things... things I can't give up." I was talking to my father in a rare moment of openness. We had become closer since my injury, we were more open to talk.
He was silent for a while, only the sound of the wind and the horse's hooves answered me, until he finally spoke.
"I went to a brothel when I was your age... it was my name day, Robert took me. He was in Storm's End on one of his rare visits and he wanted to celebrate."
"Uncle Robert liked parties and prostitutes from a very young age." I smiled as I remembered my uncle, even though I knew his behavior was inappropriate, he always managed to amuse everyone.
My father gave me a stern look, gritted his teeth and spoke again. "We drank a lot that night. The brothel was near Storm's End and the owner already knew Robert. I was young, and even though I was serious, I admit I felt lust when I saw those naked women hugging and laughing at me."
I was silent, I knew there would be a catch to this story, so I waited.
"If Robert had paid for an older woman, any woman, I would have taken her and left there happy. But no...the owner told him there was something new, a virgin girl, and Robert chose her for me...".
"Was she your first woman, Dad?" I asked quietly and he shook his head in denial.
"No... it was your mother. But believe me, I've never forgotten that girl's face, because that's what she was, a girl. You can say she had already blossomed, but if her was 12 days name, that was a lot."
I pressed my lips together at this information and said nothing again.
"She was really pretty, with brown hair and big honey eyes. She also had big front teeth and reminded me of a squirrel. She had puffy eyes from crying and a skinny little body that shook like a leaf. She was afraid of me, not of Stannis Baratheon specifically, but of any man who came into that room to use her. I didn't, I gave up when I looked at her."
"She must have been taken to the brothel to pay off her family's debts. I commented sadly that this practice still existed.
"I don't know, I never asked. I do know that Robert got into an argument with me, saying that I didn't know how to value such a gift... so he went into the bedroom...".
"...".
"When I asked him about it the other day, he said she was just a whore. And that was it, I became disgusted with these places and the men who frequent them. When I saw this young woman carrying a girl of Robert's, she was a virgin until the night before, she was old enough to be his daughter... I remembered that day...".
"I have never been with a whore, I resisted even when Uncle Robert forced me to follow him. But I won't lie to you and say that I've never been with women... just know... I never forced it, I never forced who I was". I spoke with red ears from embarrassment and fear of reprimand.
"Are you talking about your sister's manservant? The one who gave birth to your bastard son? My father spoke simply and I opened my eyes wide, almost falling off my horse in astonishment.
"Father... that's..."
"I've seen Shireen playing with the baby a few times... he looks like you at that age. Melisandre also told me about the boy." My father interrupted me with a neutral voice.
"I am ashamed of this... that I cannot call the child mine, not even Storm or Waters could I call him. I'm ashamed that I can't let go of Ciri and that I'm not like you, Father". I said sulkily and my father said nothing.
"Ser Borys was a bastard, you know. He was a great man."
"No, he never told me anything about his own life, he said I shouldn't worry about an old man like him, and just don't give him a reason to beat me up."
"Ser Borys was from Estermont. His father was a bastard, my mother's cousin, named Ser Bruce Storm, if I'm not mistaken. Ser Bruce died young, but not without leaving behind a supposedly pregnant servant. Lord Estermont washed his hands of the mess and sent Borys to Storm's End to be a guard one day, we always needed more men."
"Did he help you during the siege?" I asked curiously and my father nodded.
"When some men tried to desert, it was Borys who caught them and gave them to me. I saw him for what he was, an unshakeable, solid and loyal man. I knighted him after that, and I know that I lost a great and trustworthy man in that battle in the capital".
"He never married or had children, did he?"
"No... but he was like your son with the maid. Wash your hands of the child or give him a decent future and education, it doesn't matter, if you give him a chance he will do great things in the future. Melissandre said that and I agree."
"I don't just want to wash my hands of it. I want to help him."
"Then do it. Keep the girl as a mistress if you want, just don't ever embarrass your future wife. That was my father's advice, and I never expected to hear it from him.
"Have you ever had... you know... a woman other than my mother?
"I'm also susceptible to certain charms, even if I don't think so, life surprises us. Don't think too much about it, your mother knows and doesn't care, in fact I think she approves of it".
It was a strange comment and an idea crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it, there was no chance of that.
"When we march, you will lead the army. Do you think you can do it?". My father asked me after a while.
"Yes, and this time I will surely bring victory". I said with conviction.
"Before victory, I need you alive, understand?".
"Yes, sir." I replied with a smile, I think I saw the shadow of one on my father as well.
"So get ready, we've got a lot of work to do."
"Yes sir!" This time I would show the kingdom that our cause was not lost, that we were not in exile, that the true heir to the Iron Throne still had the strength to fight.
The Wall
Free Folk Camp
'What hasn't happened recently? The world is collapsing under our heads...'. Jon thought bitterly as he descended the wall to negotiate with the free people.
'They think Mance Ryder is going to kill me or I him... they don't care about the real problem'. He thought again, the descent was long and his mind was willing to wander.
Mance Ryder himself had requested the negotiation, knowing that attacking the wall more often would be costly in terms of lives and time.
Tucking the dagger into his belt, Jon thought about what to do, and he wasn't sure of anything. 'Can I really kill him this way?'.
Under the gaze of many tribal leaders, Jon walked towards the King's tent beyond the Wall. Tormund, The Terror of Giants, was the one who welcomed him. No jokes, no laughter, just a knowing look. It was he who guided him the rest of the way.
"I didn't expect them to send you...". Those were Mance's harsh words as soon as he walked in, and his gaze was even worse, he didn't even stand up. "I don't think your word is worth anything."
"From what I know of him, Mance... at least let him talk." Tormund said in Jon's defense. Mance may be king, but Tormund's word was still respected among the chieftains.
Jon looked around the tent, Dalla, Mance's wife, was there with her immaculate white clothes and the round belly of her advanced pregnancy. Val was there too, playing with her bone knife as she looked at him.
"At least I shouldn't be trying to convince you that the Others are real." Mance said with a bitter laugh. "You know, Jon... we don't have any more time. I can't lose any more warriors trying to get through the Wall, you'll get us the pass."
Jon shook his head, he knew it wouldn't be possible. That was the duty of the Watch, their only duty, he couldn't give in.
"You know that won't happen... you know that the Watch will not surrender or fail in its duty. It's been that way for 8,000 years."
"I know their numbers aren't great, I know that two out of every three crows on the Wall are scarecrows filled with hay." Mance said as he began to strum his lute. "Our real enemy is the others, and now you know I was looking for something, and I tell you what, I found it."
With a wave of his hand, a cloth was removed and a war horn was revealed. It was large, eight feet long, black in color, and decorated with gold and the runes of the First Men. "Here is the Horn of Winter, the one that, according to legend, can awaken earth giants and bring down the Wall if touched."
"...". Jon looked at the horn. Ygritte had told him about searching the tombs of ancient kings and heroes, but he didn't think they'd ever find it... if they ever found the real thing.
"I know what you're thinking." Mance smiled. "You're wondering if the horn is the real one, and I'm telling you, I don't know, and I don't want to find out. What I want is to get through to the other side with my people, to let the Wall and the magic protect us from the enemy... but believe me, Jon... if I have to, I'll touch the horn and we'll see what happens."
There was silence, all eyes on the horn of winter, and for a moment Jon imagined the sound of a war horn.
When the sound was repeated, this time louder, he snapped out of his stupor and ran out of the tent with the others.
Flags waved and even from a distance Jon could see armored horsemen coming from the south. Thousands of them.
A banner that looked to him like a Baratheon stag in flames was waved and the horn sounded again. Turning to look, Jon saw that Mance was already wearing his raven-winged helm. He was shouting orders, trying to rally men on horseback to fight the enemy.
"It's useless... Jon thought as he saw the number of coming men increase. 'They could decimate all the free folk gathered here with this army'.
"Mance! Raise your banner and demand a negotiation! Mance!" Jon shouted, and the king's eyes turned to him. "It's the Baratheons, probably Lord Stannis! He'll respect a negotiation!"
Mance continued to look at Jon, then nodded to the side, and the men on horseback rode off in wedges to face the approaching enemy. The Baratheon knights attacked as well.
It was a brutal shock. The wall of steel that was the southern knights crashed into Mance's wedge. Jon saw Tormund in the confusion with his son Dormund, but soon lost them. They tried to form lines of spearmen to keep the attack from going deeper into the camp.
Mance's black cloak with its red silk patch was visible from afar. No one became king beyond the Wall unless he was an exceptional warrior; indeed, many older rangers said Mance Ryder was the best of them.
All that skill got him nowhere, not against an armored knight. Wearing a stag antler helmet and a flaming breastplate, the knight parried Mance's attack with his shield and part of his shoulder.
Turning the gray stallion he rode with great force, the knight slashed at Mance, ignoring the wildling king's second attack and letting the sword strike his breastplate before striking again.
Mance fell from his horse, and with him the entire organization of the free folk.
The southern knights kept advancing, kept killing. They're going to slaughter everyone! Jon thought as a sense of urgency filled his chest. He ran back to Mance's white tent, he would try to protect those who were there.
Cries of pain were their greeting, Dalla was giving birth at that moment, the worst possible.
The sound of hooves thundered near the tent and the dismounting of the riders could be heard. Jon drew his dagger, Val did the same with his bone knife.
The Baratheon knight who had struck down Mance entered the tent with a cautious step and raised shield, stopping when he saw Jon standing there.
He lifted the visor of his helm and the bastard of Winterfell stared into a face with a hideous scar, he recognized who it was.
"Are you Jon Snow? Are you with them now?" Orryn asked with a scowl, his sword always drawn and ready, fresh blood dripping from the blade. More knights came up behind him and took position beside him.
"I came to negotiate with Mance Ryder when the attack came." Jon said, still a little confused by Orryn's appearance.
"Mance Ryder is my prisoner, I suspect his family is too. That's the end of your negotiation." Orryn said, looking around the tent and all its occupants.
"You must stop the attack Orryn, we have bigger problems than the wildlings.
"And what problems would that be?" The prince asked with a raised eyebrow, his eyes still focused on the captives.
Jon noticed that the light blue eyes of the big knight next to Orryn never stopped staring at him. They were still suspicious of him.
"That which causes the wildlings to flee to the Wall is a great evil. Believe me, Orryn, the more bodies that remain here, the worse it will be later."
Varamyr, who had been outside the tent trying to help with the attack, came in screaming madly, hands on his head, eyes bulging with pain, bumping into everyone on his way to Orryn. The prince slit his throat with one swift cut.
There was no silence, Dalla was still shouting, but no one spoke for a while.
"Do you swear on your honor and your father's honor? Do you swear that this is not a deception?" Orryn was the first to speak.
"I swear. I swear we must stop this attack and focus on the real enemy." Jon nodded seriously. "We can still have the wildlings... I mean, the free folk as our allies."
Orryn nodded back and turned to the knight, whose face was also scarred. White moths decorated the man's shield; he looked like a murderer. "Ser Horpe, send the order to stop the attack. Also order Ser Justin to bring Mance Ryder."
Dalla's cries grew louder and Orryn looked at the scene, his eyes softening slightly.
"Send a Maester who accompanied us here to help, Mance Ryder's wife needs help."
"Yes, my lord." The knight said as he bowed slightly and turned to leave.
"We don't want any help from your gray rats." Val said angrily and Orryn gave her a stern look.
"I didn't ask for your opinion or permission, you're my prisoners." Orryn replied, keeping his gaze on Val's eyes. Jon could see that Dalla's sister was going to attack, and Orryn was not going to stand by and do nothing, that much Jon knew for sure.
"Even though they belong to the free folk, Mance Ryder's family is important. Please, Orryn, treat them with dignity." Jon pleaded and the prince nodded.
"You have my word." That was all he said before turning and leaving the tent, the large armored knight at his side doing the same.
The battle under the wall was short, hard, and bloody. The attack stopped as ordered, but the damage was already done.
Orryn Baratheon led his men to victory, a crushing victory. He would have to deal with the consequences later... he and his father had duties to perform.