Stafford Lannister is the son of Tylin, and Bearsha Lannister making him a member of House Lannister through his father, and a member of House Talbot through his mother. Stafford Lannister is married to Lalana Lannister of whome is a member of House Ordos, and the two were happy together until after giving birth to Daven Lannister she became overcome with madness and was forced to remain in a tower within Stafford's personal estate. With Lalana he has three children in the form of Daven, Myrielle, and Cerena of which Daven is a strong warrior of whome is close to Jamie Lannister to current heir of House Lannister, while his daughter Myrielle runs the personal families estate as well as much of the finances of his personal affairs, while Cerena was married to Darek Nighting but he died and she is now being married off to the child Jamie Tully of House Tully after a long and tough dowry fight.
Stafford Lannister would join the forces of House Lannister as they moved against the Gondorians in the war of the east. He fought with courage during the conflict and would become known to Jamie Lannister as a competent fighter and someone he would rely upon in the future. During the Invasion of Westbridge he was one of the few Lannisters that remained behind as he was suffering from an illness and this caused him great shame as the rest of his family gained the rewards of that great victory. When the Lannisters moved heavily into the east when the Boltens moved against their ally in Koenisburg, and Stafford Lannister would lead some five hundred cavalry alongside Jamie Lannister.
“I want my children kept safe from all this. I can keep William safe. I need to get the rest of the children out of here before. Before this thing in my head does something terrible.”
— James Lovie II.
Its Aelfwynn Turnidlon that is sitting with Wuldrik as they prepare the recharge of the Pendant of Understanding which they have been using as a means of understanding when the monster has gained control of James. During the casting of this spell everything is going well but the Pendant shows signs of cracking, and this leads to Aelfwynn and Wuldrik Toyne stopping the spell. Unable to fix the issue themselves they decide to speak with Kieth Schwartz to discuss the construction of a new pendant to replace it. Finding out that Kieth has left the Spire for the Cloud Tower they head there accompanied by several men at arms. Arriving at the Cloud Tower they are let inside although Aelfwynn is delayed watching William, Leven, and Alice playing the garden. Watching this she becomes jealous of Leven who is wrestling with William and feeling the attraction between the two she marks Leven as an enemy in her pursuit of William. Going to the 13th floor they find Kieth inside already talking with Carlisle Cullen, Wilhelm Kisssling, Fabian Klauseburg, and James Lovie II. of whom are discussing the declining mental stability of James. Unable to get the time needed to replace the damaged Pendant of Understanding its Wuldrik, and Aelfwyn that go back to the Spire under orders to recharge the pendant despite the risks. The spell is completed but Wuldrik is badly burned during the event leading to him being taken away by Catrin Heissler and a group of Restoration Magi to fix him. With Wuldrik too injured to travel its Aelfwynn that travels with the royal party of the Gulltown tournament of 5119 without him taking charge of keeping James under control.
Coming of the Cleganes[]
“I want you to be happy my boy. I love you son. You are my heir. My hope for the future. That does not mean your happiness comes above this family.”
— Rupert Clegane
Hedrik joins a boat with a fleet of seven ships from House Clegane making their way towards the port of Stillwood. Hedrik is leaning on the side of the boat speaking with his friend Konstantin Gaimen when his father comes up from his quarters alongside Hedrik’s mother and seeing them arrive he says goodbye to Konstantin and goes to speak with his father. Speaking to his father about the proposed betrothal of Hedrik and Accia Potenza of whom he admits to being his lover but indicates that this love is one of friendship and he doesn't see it going further then friendship. Rupert tells Hedrik that although he wants his son to be happy, he wants to honor the relationship that he has with House Potenza. Rupert is reluctant to simply end the betrothal instead telling Hedrik that if he wants something different, he needs to find a better match. Following this he goes back to the front of the boat where Konstantin has now been joined by Hedrik’s sister at his side, and his lover Accia Potenza, and best friends Meinolf Ostriger. Joking with his friends its Hedrik that watches his father of whom from his own personal thoughts seems to be very loyal towards but has a growing lack of respect for several of the lords around his father including most critically Vopiscus Lentini of whom he sees as a coward turning his father into a coward. Reaching the port of Stillwood he watches his father and Vopiscus meet with Caius Norelli while ignoring the lord of House Stillwood in the form of Gregory Stillwood and realizing the insult that is being made, he approaches Gregory alongside Meinolf Ostriger and the two discuss with Gregory that Hedrik will speak with his father regarding the insult. Despite calming it down its still Gregory that storms from the docks to return to Castle Stillwood leaving Perwyn, and Jeyne to speak with Hedrik about their next steps. The three decide that Jeyne will go and stay near their father to make sure he doesn’t do anything rash while Perwyn will go with Hedrik to speak with Rupert. Perwyn goes alongside Hedrik to speak with Rupert Clegane who has gone to the estate of House Norelli. Arriving at the estate it’s Perwyn’s friend Flavius Norelli that leads them inside. Meeting with Rupert, his lords, and Caius Norelli they learn that the reason for the snub was that Rupert was angry that the other wives were at the initial meeting. Learning from Caius they are told that Gregory had agreed to only bring his primary wife to the meeting and thus when all were present Rupert took this as an insult. The group agrees to not take any further action and since they will be leaving for the tournament its decided that they will cancel the planned dinner the next day and just restock the boats before leaving together. Perwyn leaves to and speak with his father about what has been discussed but Hedrik and Perwyn agree as he leaves to keep the lines of communication between them open no matter what their fathers do.
Protecting Accia[]
“Don't worry Accia. I'm here for you. I promise that I wont let anything happen to you.”
— Hedrik Clegane III.
Hedrik spends the rest of the night with his family who remain at the Norelli estate and then before going to bed he joins Accia in her room where the two sleep together. After finishing having sex its Accia that burns her arm while she helps him get dressed and Hedrik helps her by putting wet cloth on it. Staying with her for some time until she eventually falls asleep he tucks her in and falls asleep in her room. Hedrik is woken from his sleep by Accia who is crying as she shows him her now healed burn. Telling him that she fixed it just by looking at it and thinking about fixing it. Skeptical of this he tries to support her but when it becomes clear he doesn’t believe her she gets a dagger from his pack and cuts her arm. As she bleeds, he uses his blanket to control the bleeding and then goes to get help when she blocks the door and removes the blanket causing her arm to bleed onto the ground. Trying to stop her she begins once again staring at her arm and as he watches the cut begins to close itself and the bleeding stops.
Betrothal of Dylan and Mary[]
“On one hand this was my chance at a future. As much as I loved Laera, there was simply no future there. I couldn't marry her. That was a dead end. This Mary Kilgor was a bright shiny door. No obstacles with her.”
— Dylan Steinmare
Dylan Steinmare is eating dinner with his family at Castle Steinmare where he is visiting before he leaves for Gulltown and the tournament there. Spending time with his family its father that takes him for a walk with just the two of them following dinner. During this walk his father tells him that he has been working at a betrothal between him and Mary Kilgor of the prominent House Kilgor. He is told by his father that he is to travel to Mirador Keep meeting with Lord John Kilgor. Following this meeting he will join the Kilgor party on the road to Gulltown and make a good impression with Mary Kilgor and her father. Dylan is quite happy about this news as the Kilgors are a major family and while he doesn’t know about Mary, he is told by his father that she is very good looking which makes him smile. Dylan attempts to bring up Laera Griffon who he has feelings for, but before he can his father blocks discussion of her saying he has sent Laera back to Griffons Roost to not distract Dylan from his new reality. Dylan travels from Castle Steinmare alongside his mother Melina, and the members of his Palatine. Arriving at Mirador Keep they are met at the gates by a contingent of nobles sent by House Kilgor. Among these are Mary’s father John Kilgor, her brother Leopold Kilgor II. and her aunt Corina who is well know for her political prominence. Leaving Mirador Keep its Dylan that rides alongside Mary and the two get along very well as he continues to be blown away by her beauty but as they spend more time together he is further impressed by her intelligence as they talk about the history of the Valley and she is able to not simply keep up with him, but he accepts with a laugh that she knows more than he does.
Hiding Leofrich[]
“We have been given short notice of the plans of the royal family to visit Runburgh on there way south. You know this means you must be hidden.”
— Andar Royce
Its Leofrich Nune III. that is sitting in the water with his daughter Gorlinda and his nephew Karl and playing with the two children is interrupted by the arrival of a very pregnant Charlotte Royce holding a baby Wendelin Royce who joins her family in spending time together at Royce River. Returning to Runburgh with his family he sees the city in state of chaos and Karl to guard his family he rides ahead into the city where he learns from Ordenmarshal Franzal Tuhlbeck that they got short notice that King James Lovie II. and a large party of the royal family are on their way to Runburgh where they will stay for the night on their way southward. Realizing that the coming of anyone from the capital means danger for himself he goes to Runestone. Making his way through guards and checkpoints he eventually reaches the Keep where he meets with Lord Yohn Royce who is standing around a table planning things out with his brother and Hochmeister Wolfram Royce alongside his sons Andar, and Robar. Also as the table are the Burgomaster of the city in Alaric Opehlbeck of whom Leofrich thinks is a coward and if given the chance would tell the first person who paid him about Leofrich’s existence in the city. Listening to the group from the corner of the room he whispers with Landmeister Tristan of Royce of whom he has grown close to over his time in Runestone and the two discuss where they think Leofrich should go while the king is near. As the meeting ends its Landsgrave Yohn that calls Leofrich forward leaving him to talk with just Yohn and his son Andar. The three talk and it’s decided that to protect Leofrich and by extension Yohn’s daughter Charlotte and grandchildren its Leofrich that will hide with the Guild of Runes. Accompanied by Andar to the Peak of Runestone its Andar that asks Leofrich to tell him about the last time he saw anyone from the capital. Using the lift to the peaks its Leofrich that talks with Andar about his time hiding in the forest following the massacre at Nunedorf. During this time, he hid with different farming families before eventually fleeing into the forest where he kept his daughter and nephew alive through hunting small game and picking mushrooms. This went on for several weeks with Leofrich coming to live within an old, abandoned watchtower, and while it was a tough life, he was able to stay alive and keep his family alive. This ended with the arrival of a search party led by Horton Jestife who surrounded the watchtower but to his surprise it was Horton that let them go telling them to leave the area and never come back. Andar asks him how he made his way to Runburgh, but Leofrich is close to tears thinking about his past and tells Andar he will tell him more another time. Reaching the peak of Runestone its Leofrich that is let inside the Hall of Runes by Thomas of the Guild of Runes who takes him to a apartment within the hall of Rune where a bed is to be prepared for Leofrich to stay. Leofrich remains in the apartment reading for days leaving only to use the latrine during this time.
The Dragon Moves[]
“My sister is getting married. Going to Gulltown signals that it shall be me getting married next.”
— William Lovie III.
Its Aria Arryn is sitting with Oswald, Jasper, and Lyanna as they talk about their coming departure from the capital for the wedding of Matilda at Gulltown. The trio talking is interrupted by the arrival of Aria’s father Byron, and her father Byron who tells Aria to go to see her mother and help assist with the plans for leaving. Saying a quick goodbye, she heads towards the Manor house that her mother was staying. On the way there she stops briefly to talk with Dallia her Malatine mistress and the two share a nice talk as it is clear there is a close relationship between the two. Arriving at the manor she finds her mother who is ordering around her servants and generally being the difficult person that Aria knows her to be.
“The time will come when its going to be just us. We are the only ones who we can truly trust in this world.”
— Jasper Hale
Aria rides on the carriage with William, Leven, Rosalie, Jasper, and Oswald which brings her great happiness although she feels jealousy at how close romantically it appears that William and Rosalie are growing. Hanna Arryn is riding beside Blake Cullen, Adela Aven, Erica Steinmare, and Eddara Floren as they follow behind the wagons carrying the royal family and their entourage. Hanna is silent as the other girls gossip over boys with Blake having a crush on Jasper Hale while Erica and Eddara discussing how handsome they think William is. Hanna is uncomfortable with this conversation and so allows herself to fall behind the other girls and instead rides beside the House Bell part of the baggage train and begins talking with her friend Hanah Bell of whom she laughs that she first became friends with due to having the same name.
“I want you to have this armor Prince. This was made by the hands of both myself, and Grand Master Daniel Schunemann. No effort has been spared in marking this as the greatest suit of armor I have ever been involved in crafting.”
— Eadwig Schuhbeck
Following leaving Lucerne the group is traveling on the road making his way alongside most of his friends and family to the port of Nortburg accompanied by what is as a large army. Traveling on the road with him is his best friends Jasper Hale, Lyanna Starke, Edward Cullen, Byron Arryn II., Rosalie Hale, Dylan Steinmare, Aria Arryn, Rachel Nighting, and Leven Martell as well his sister Alice Lovie, and as they travel on the road the relationship between this group is expanded on. During this journey we see the members of William's personal guards as well in the form of Einhard Rosler, Erik Fahnrich, and Gilbert Fouline of whom Einhard is shown as someone who is very close to William acting as a stand in for his father James who is in the convoy but is inside a covered wagon as he passed out. His father is revealed as the King but is also revealed as an addict of opium leaving William to be raised by his guards, but also by his sister Matilda who they are traveling to see the wedding of. The party arrives at Nortburg at night and thus it is the army and the servants that prepare tents for everyone to sleep in that night in preparation for leaving on the boats in the morning. As William and his friends attempt to all stay in one large tent it’s Carlisle Cullen that forces them to share two tents with the boys in one and the girls in another. As Rachel is preparing to go to bed it’s a man carrying the sigil of her family crest on his chest armor that passes her a note and then walks away. As this is happening its Rosalie that whispers for William to hide her. Feeling very attracted to her he hides her with the help of Jasper and Dylan. Staying the night in a tent with Aria, Lyanna, Leven, and Alice but the girls become openly bitter that Rosalie managed to join the boys in their tent. Rachel and Leven discuss the situation with Rosalie and William with both girls barely containing their jealousy and Rachel for her part believes that she could better control Leven then Rosalie and thus views Rosalie as a threat to her attempts with William.
The Nighting's Move[]
“You are to keep close to the prince. When the time comes you will need to tell us what you hear while near him. Everyone who is anyone is going to be at Gulltown. We need all the information that we can get.”
— Leonard Nighting III.
Once the other girls go to sleep its Rachel that reads the note she was given, which tells her to leave the tent silently and to find a Nighting man and then follow him. Reading this she gets up and leaves the tent finding a man of her family’s sigil adorning his armor and following the man into the forest outside of the tents they move past the sentries and soldiers guarding the camp and reach a clearing outside. In the clearing its Rachel that meets with her great uncle Leonard Nighting III. who details to her the plans that are being given to her.
Time at Runburgh[]
Hanna Arryn is riding beside Blake Cullen, Adela Aven, Erica Steinmare, and Eddara Floren as they follow behind the wagons carrying the royal family and their entourage. Hanna is silent as the other girls gossip over boys with Blake having a crush on Jasper Hale while Erica and Eddara discussing how handsome they think William is. Hanna is uncomfortable with this conversation and so allows herself to fall behind the other girls and instead rides beside the House Bell part of the baggage train and begins talking with her friend Hanah Bell of whom she laughs that she first became friends with due to having the same name. The convoy arrives at Runburgh and so Hanna leaves Hanah and returns to the Malatine where she scoffs as they are still talking about Jasper and William. As the convoy stops its Hanna that joins the others of Alice’s Malatine in traveling ahead of the convoy into the city where they will prepare the room for Alice. The group stops at the town of Runburgh where William, Edward, Jasper, and Dylan are gifted a suit of armor by Lord Yohn Royce, and the Grand Master of the two Runestone Guilds. The suit made for William is described as something above anything they have ever crafted before, and behind the scenes it had runes crafted on it that make William immune to the effects of Magi while wearing it. Following being given this gift its William, Alice, Leven, and Edward that are taken into the Great Peak of Runestone where Grand Master Eadwig Schuhbeck, and Grand Master Daniel Schunemann show them the entrance to the forges of the Inner Rune which have never been entered by anyone outside of the Inner Circle of the Runestone Guilds.
“Think of where we are my friends. We are sleeping in a place barely anyone has been allowed to enter. We are blessed by Glaurung himself this day.”
— William Lovie III.
Following this tour, the group is given lodgings inside the mid-level of Runestone leaving the eight of them to all stay in a large open-air room where they can see out for miles. Alice leaves to go and see her Malatine before bed, and in passing William tells Alice to bring one of them back as a reward for their work. Alice arrives at the room her Malatine had prepared for her and thanks each of them for all their work, and then they all sit down and talk together about how things went for Alice in the main carriage. Alice reveals how close her brother William and Rosalie are getting and at this both Eddara and Erica make petty comments about Rosalie to which Alice says nothing, but Hanna does say that her sister Aria says that Rosalie has a mind for the politics of being with William. After this conversation its Alice that reveals she will be staying with William and the others in the open-air room prepared for him and says that she can bring one person with her. To the shock of the Malatine she asks Hanna to come with her stating quite honestly that she is the only one who Alice believes can control her feelings. Hanna follows Alice as they enter the lift and travelling up its Hanna that begins to get quite nervous, but she is calmed down by Alice who holds her hand and smiles at her. Hanna goes to sleep that night with the rest of the Shadow Council and for the first time she feels like one of their friends, and not just the sister of Aria. Going to sleep William lays beside his sister to one side, and Rosalie Hale to the other with the two talking romantically for some time before going to sleep. Following the night Hanna wakes in the morning before Alice and does her best to prepare something for her, but is stopped by William, and Edward who instead force her to go to the edge of the room and look out with them. Edward does a Magi trick and William makes them all laugh, and Hanna can’t help but find herself attracted to William. When the others begin waking up and join them its Hanna that tries to get away but its Aria that refuses to let her go and despite her nerves, she begins to join the conversation more as the time goes by.
“What happened to your family. What has happened to so many families. It cannot be left unchecked. Will you help me when the time comes?”
— Catherine Lovie
A journeymen runesmith that had been delivering his food tells him of the arrival of the royal party and Leofrich feels a overwhelming fear that his one time good friend James is near. Leofrich is locked within the apartment as the prince and his party are to stay in the Hall of Runes and during this time its Leofrich that catches a glimpse of the prince and his party through a peeping hole in the wall and feels fear looking at the prince due to how much he looks like James. That night its Leofrich that is moved by a knock at the door and when the door opens its Daniel Schunemann, Yohn Royce, and Catherine Lovie that come inside the room. Catherine begins crying telling Leofrich that she is so sorry for what happened and wishes she could go back and change it. Realizing that Catherine is not like her brother he forgives her and then listens as she tells him that the time will come when she needs him to avenge what happened to his family and many others, and he agrees to help her when the time comes.
“Watching my father act this way was never easy. It was embarrassing on the surface. Beneath that feeling stood fear. Fear that perhaps I was destined to become my father.”
— William Lovie III.
As they leave Runestone its William that speaks once more with Yohn Royce who asks him to take with him his middle son Andar Royce who would accompany them and take in the wedding. William agreed and Andar joined the group as they made their way south towards Gulltown. Arriving at Gulltown they are met at the gates by Matilda Lovie his elder sister and seeing each other they hug as she takes them towards her lodgings at Castle Shephard, and while walking there its Matilda that tells them about how she has been in the months since she left Lucerne for Gulltown to get to know her betrothed Marius Scott. Marius Scott is introduced to William, and Alice for the first time and William has a good feeling about Marius during this conversation. The good times are interrupted by the arrival of their father James who William can clearly tell is high from his opioids as he comes into the room, and despite William feeling embarrassed by his father its Marius that lightens the mood and appears to get along well with James. Following the meeting with his sister and Marius its William and his friends that go to the Temple of Kyne as Lyanna wants to pray and forces the rest of her friends to go with her as is her usual way. Arriving at the Temple of Kyne they enter the Temple being let into a special area of the Temple by Otwin Erdenstoud the Bishop of the Temple. Going inside they pray for a time before William and the group outside of Lyanna leave the temple to go and walk the streets of Gulltown exploring.
The Picnic[]
“Men came to our village. They took everything. Took my sister. Took my mother. Please help us.”
— Ceolwith of Nune
Walking the streets, they go to the market where they buy food and plan to go to hiking west of Gulltown and have a picnic while doing this. Accompanied by a dozen men at arms and several knights the group leaves Gulltown heading west and while leaving they meet the Crane group arriving at the city led by Dustin Crane, and his son Orival Crane. Speaking with the group for a time its Germira Cranewel that leaves the Crane force and travels with them hiking on the idea of forming an alliance for the coming melee tournament. Germira and Jasper get close during the hike but for William his mind is constantly on Rosalie and the spend most of the hike talking and becoming increasingly flirtatious. While riding to the mountain spot that they plan to have the picnic at its Leven, Aria, and Byron Arryn that are speaking. Byron is discussing the alliance he has formed with the team led by Harrold Hardyng for the coming melee, but for Leven she can barely focus as she watches with jealousy William and Rosalie. Leven thinks on her desire to be the one riding beside William, and she plans to tell him her feelings once they arrive at the picnic. Arriving at the picnic its Leven that tries to talk with William but is blocked by Dylan who tells Leven that he thinks Rosalie and William need some alone time. As the group sits for the picnic its Rosalie and William that sneak off and sitting together the flirtation goes to the next level when William and Rosalie kiss. Leven storms off but is followed by Aria Arryn who consoles her friend telling Leven that she knows how Leven feels about William. After talking things over its Leven, and Aria that return to the main group where they find Draco Highmore searching for William. Jasper, and Dylan lie to Draco to give William his alone time, but in her jealousy its Leven that can’t do the same.
“I thought I could stop them before they started. Seeing her happy face when Draco dragged them back to the group told me I was wrong. I was too late.”
— Leven Martell
When Draco follows the lies of Dylan and Jasper its Leven that follows him and reveals where William is. The arrival of Draco Highmore and several guards bringing them back to the group ends this kissing but this has opened a door between the two of them. Leven returns to the group who doesn’t know that she revealed the truth, and she watches as Rosalie and William return. At first Leven is happy that she has done this but watching the two happily return she realizes she was too late. Her feelings are made even worse when Rosalie comes to her and hugs Leven revealing to her what happened before calling Leven her best friend. Leven sits with Aria and Rosalie for the rest of the picnic and listens as Rosalie tells the two of them how strong her feelings are for William. Aria looks to Leven with sadness but they both do there best to be happy for their friend. The groups picnic is further interrupted by the arrival of a group of peasants who are attempting to reach Gulltown after what they describe as the destruction of their village. William attempts to get his force to accompany the peasants back to their village and help the remainder but as more peasants begin streaming up the road its Draco that forces the group to return to their horses and return to Gulltown. Draco promises William and the group that he will send forces back but they cannot be here with the crown prince while that is happening. Before being forced to flee its William that gives one of the Ceolwith of Nune one of his rings, and a bag of coins which is a significant amount of money. Riding back to Gulltown its William that gets into an argument with Draco but it becomes clear that Draco is under personal threat if he would have stayed and thus William forgives Draco but plans to confront his father.
Choices[]
“I thought I could stop them before they started. Seeing her happy face when Draco dragged them back to the group told me I was wrong. I was too late.”
— Leven Martell
Its Aelfwynn, Cuthwin, and Ostara that accompany James into the Shephard Castle where he will be staying during the tournament. By this point in the day, he is already almost unconscious from opioid use attempting to keep Vhloraz beneath the surface, and thus the servants get him into bed. Aelfwynn watches him go to sleep with no one in the room daring to speak lest they interrupt James going to sleep. Once he has fallen asleep, she places chains on his arms locking him to the bed and then locking the door the room behind her leaving only Ostara, and Cuthwin inside the room to watch over him. Having locked the door she thinks on Cuthwin, and Ostara coming to see the changes in the two as they have spent more time watching over James as he sleeps, and she thanks Glaurung that she has been given that task. Leaving the room, she travels to the walls where she sits in a quiet tower by herself and spends several hours praying to Glaurung attempting to find peace from her constant thoughts of William. As she prays a vision of William appears and she talks with this vision with the two flirting, and eventually kissing. The kissing ends when she hears arguing in the courtyard and the vision of William disappears. A tear falls as he leaves her, but she goes to the wall and watches as William, Leven, and Jasper attempt to get inside the castle.
“I thought I could stop them before they started. Seeing her happy face when Draco dragged them back to the group told me I was wrong. I was too late.”
— Leven Martell
Returning to Gulltown, its Leven and Jasper that accompany William as he attempts to meet with his father about what happened at the picnic. Arriving at the gate to Shephard Castle they are let inside by the guards but find Kieth Schwartz, blocking the courtyard with a handful of Jestife, and Schwartz men at arms as well as several knights. Speaking with Kieth its William that is blocked from seeing his father and as William attempts to force his way through its Kieth that commands the men at arms to restrain the three of them. A brief skirmish breaks out but the men at arms and knights can easily restrain the weaponless three. As they are held its Kieth that goes to William and tells him to never come to a conflict without weapons. The two argue briefly with the argument only ending with the arrival of Carlisle Cullen.
Arrival of the Cranes[]
“Take the Orane girl to the temple. I don't care how you feel about her. You will cement the betrothal. Go now.”
— Dustin Orane
The House Crane group enters through the front gate of Gulltown and Orival Crane alongside his friends, follow his father and his most prominent bannermen. As they continue following his father he looks back to the rear of the group and sees his betrothed Estrid Orane. Estrid smiles at him, and while he returns the smile, he is still unsure of her due to her opinions on the Swabians. The group runs into a group led by William Lovie III. and while Orival doesn’t get to speak to William he sees the opportunity to form an alliance in the coming melee and sends his friend Germira Cranewel to organize this with William. Continuing into the city his father leads them towards the keep where they are to meet with a House Shephard representative who is to take them to their lodgings. Once they reach the keep his father meets with Ratmann Rickard Taubman. Rickard leads the group with the assistance of his son Timothy Taubman, and daughter Amalia Taubman towards their lodgings. During this final trip its Orival that is brought to the front by his father and Orival listens in as Rickard discusses the situation in northern Lucerne. Arriving at the camp its Orival that is going to spend time with his friends when his father whispers to him that he is to instead take Estrid to visit the Great Temple of Kyne. It’s implied from the words of his father that Orival is having doubts about his betrothal to Estrid, but Orival is unwilling to resist the words of his father and pushes this aside. Listening to the words of his father without question he goes to Estrid who is getting his mother Falena’s tent ready.
“It speaks to your misplaced loyalties that you send that Swab to make deals for you.”
— Estrid Orane
Going to Estrid she is clearly excited to see him approach her, and she goes into the back of the tent to change for her trip to the Temple. While Estrid is changing the main person pushing for him to treat her well in the form of his mother pulls him into a hug. Orival thinks it’s nice to have her back around, but he is sad when he realizes that once his marriage to Estrid is completed then his mother will return to the Grand Temple of Crane. Orival and Estrid walk together to the Great Temple of Kyne and the two have a good time on the way until Estrid notices a group of Swabian selling goods at a booth and begins making racist comments about them. Orival ignores this and tries to have a good time with her but can’t ignore it anymore once she attacks Germira. The two have an argument on the steps leading to Orival abandoning her at the temple and making his way back to their lodgings but he becomes lost and eventually winds up back at the Swabians booth that Estrid had insulted earlier.
Conversation Incoming Loneliness is a disease just like any other. The worst part of the disease is the cure isn;t always to be surrounded by those who love you. Many times the desease spreads despite the logical reasons why it would nothing vulnerable in the host. Loneliness is a disease. I know because I have it..
“It’s very nice of you to give the swabs a handout, but you really should be careful keeping them so close.” I had heard enough and stopped walking up the steps.
“Do you have to call them Swabs?” She turned around looking at me with confusion in her eyes.
“I don’t mean to offend. It’s simply what they are.”
“They are my friends. People who will be in my life.” I took a step towards her.
“Until they stick a knife in you.” My hands flew in the air and again the confusion in her eyes was clear.
“Stop it.”
“We are to be married. I’m simply being honest with you.”
“As of right now. In this moment, I hope to avoid your honesty.” It was the truth. Not a kind truth but it was still true. How could I ever accept a person who felt this way. The Swabians were a big part of the Cranehold population in many areas. It wasn’t possible to take the ideas of her father and bring that to the court without there being big problems in the future.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I don’t really see how we could make a life together with the way you think about things.”
“There just Swabs.”
“They are people. They are my friends.” With that I stormed away from her. I could hear her yelling after me as I left her on the steps of the Temple. I made my way angrily through the winding streets of Gulltown finding myself moving with the crowd.
Watching the group speak Swabian he thinks back on his positive experiences with the Swabians through the years and approaches the group buying a shirt from their booth. Returning to the camp without Estrid he is reprimanded by his mother who forces him to return to the temple with her. Accompanying his mother back to the temple she explains the different life experiences that people have, and why these things don’t make having different opinions evil. Listening to his mother they enter the temple to find Estrid inside at prayer and as he kneels beside her joined by his mother, he looks at her face and sees that she has been crying. When his mother steps away to speak with the bishops of the temple its Orival that apologizes to her for leaving her. Estrid to his surprise apologizes for what she said about Swabians, and while she doesn’t understand his love for them, she promises to attempt to see what he sees.
Arrival of the Cleganes[]
As the Cleganes are preparing to enter Gulltown when Accia begins losing control causing Hedrik to stop the march. Hedrik does his best to stay in control as he commands the force to set up camp here instead of entering Gulltown, and then he tells Konstantin to ride back down the road and tell the rest of the Clegane forces that they will camp here outside the city. As the group begins preparing the camp its Hedrik that continues holding Accia hand who is at this point on the verge of losing complete control. Hedrik sends Meinolf to go and find help regarding this Magi event while Dylan and Accia head into the forest. Once they reach the edge of the forest its Accia that goes limp in his hand, and he watches as she passes out. Hedrik tries to wake her up but nothing he does can wake her. As she struggles with what to do its his cousin Theresa that comes upon them, and without time to explain he has her watch over Accia while he runs to find out if Meinolf has had any luck. Reaching the camp, he does his best to not show what is happening and joined by Servius of Clegane he goes into Gulltown attempting to find Meinolf and he can’t to find help himself. As they enter Gulltown they are met on the road by Meinolf who is accompanied by a man and women who he doesn’t recognize. They are introduced to him as Wynne Tanlader, and Er-Khadgar Morgrave and they tell Hedrik they will help Accia.
Before the Wedding[]
“I have never felt this way about a girl before Alice. Maybe its time I take a chance.”
— William Lovie III.
Carlisle takes the three away telling them they must go to his sister who is preparing for her wedding and that this is beneath them on such a day. As they walk its Jasper that leaves them to return to the rest of the shadow council, but Leven stays at Williams side. As they walk, they talk about the picnic and the arrival of the peasants. William reveals his terror at being unable to help them and sensing his sadness its Leven that holds his hand as they walk. Arriving at the estate of House Scheck where Matilda is preparing its William that waits in the courtyard with Marcel Lovie while Leven goes inside the estate. Inside the estate she goes through the halls eventually reaching the room where Matilda is staying and surrounded by handmaids and servants, she almost cries at how beautiful Matilda looks. One of the girl’s helping Matilda is Rosalie and seeing this Leven thinks jealously that was why Rosalie didn’t accompany William to the castle. Watching Matilda get ready its Leven that feels out of place and becomes increasingly angry at Rosalie as she watches as she looks so at home in this environment. As she watches its Leven that thinks back to her childhood and her uncle stressing a need for good skill at war before her skills as a good lady. Spending hours helping Matilda its Leven that exits the preparations to go and spend time with William who she finds in the courtyard. Going to him the two have a conversation where Leven wants to tell him about her feelings for him, but the arrival of Rosalie ends their conversation and causes rage inside Leven.
“Seeing her touching him. Seeing them kiss. It makes me angrier then I have ever felt before. It's an anger that scares me Aria.”
— Leven Martell
Rosalie takes William away as they must leave for the wedding, and this leaves Leven behind. Sitting on the bench she is approached by Aria Arryn and Aria comforts her on her feelings for William which Aria has already guessed at. The two speak for a time about this with Aria also revealing that she has feelings for William and unlike her jealousy towards Rosalie its Leven that feels nothing but love for Aria. Aria leaves to go back for the final preparations for the wedding and Leven follows her back into the estate. Returning to the estate she and Aria are stopped in their tracks by seeing William and the shadow council drinking in a hallway. While Aria keeps walking its Leven that goes to the boys as she feels a pull she cannot ignore towards William. Unable to control herself she goes to William and pulls him into a kiss. As they kiss its Jasper and Dylan that block the hallway. William pulls away from the kiss first, and the two share no words with Leven fleeing the scene in nervousness. Running down the halls she finds herself face to face with Catherine Bell who seeing the state of Leven takes her into a hug. Calming her down its Catherine that takes her into the room as the final preparations are being made for the wedding, and the whole time she holds Leven’s hand. The chapter ends with Leven stepping off the boat and onto the dock of Sunspear Hold, and with a tearful look eastward she thinks on William.
The Melee[]
The Joust[]
Its Marius Scott that watches as Jamie Lannister defeats Brandon Starke and wins the joust tournament. Marius is sitting with his friends Lucas Oakheart, his wife Melinda Ladybright, Reginald Madritch, his wife Ingrid Madritch, Alke Erlic, and Gretchen Rivel with her husband Edric Rivel. Marius begins talking with Reginald about his nervousness about the wedding. Marius is nervous about Matilda loving him as she is so beautiful, and he has accomplished very little so far in his life. Reginald, and Alke convince him to move past his nervousness and trust that she will love him, which he reluctantly attempts to do as he watches her from afar. As the winner of the tournament in Jamie Lannister, alongside Brandon Starke come to stand before the kings stage its Marius that is waved over by his grand father and joining Peter and the King in their stage he watches as Jamie makes his declaration. Jamie doesn’t ask for the winnings but instead requests from the king to have his nieces Myrcella and Lanna Lannister join the royal family as ladies in waiting with a special point of putting them on the list of potential betrothals to William. The King stands and makes a kind speech declaring Jamie’s bravery and skill and accepts this request. Standing in the stage as the king is mingling with finalists of the joust its Marius that sparks up the courage to make a joke to Matilda who smiles at his lame joke to her. As his shyness begins to overwhelm him, he smiles and prepares to leave but is stopped by her hand on his shoulder and turning back to her she requests him for dinner that night. Catherine Lovie who is standing watching interrupts telling her that is against tradition, but a desperate Marius uses his own Christianity as a means of forcing the dinner. Catherine agrees to host the dinner with Matilda’s friend Domeric Highmore standing as a chaperone for the dinner.
The Wedding[]
The Aftermath[]
Watching the door close behind a tear falls and only the hand of William keeps her moving forward. Alice and the rest of the Wostellian family make there way towards the Shephard Castle, and Alice continues crying as they walk as she is afraid of losing her sister. Arriving at Shephard Castle she tries to go to her room, but William forces her to come with him to the Bath houses to spend time with their friends. Having fun together in the bath houses she and William eventually get alone time and she opens up to him that she feels like shes losing her mother of sorts in Matilda, and he comforts her as she lets out her feelings about it. Rosalie, and Leven join them in the corner of the bath house, and they all talk about different times that Matilda was a mother to them and talking it over with everyone she feels better.
“We have come here to make you an offer. We can give you control of the entire county of Ross. Think of the rich places that we could hit from safety of my families lands. We just ask for your protection. In return for that protection, we can both profit.”
— Mikael Ross IV.
Emma Arryn is getting off the boat at the docks of Gulltown, and as her husband Mikael helps her over a box that was blocking her path, they share a laugh together. Emma, Mikael, and two of their knights in the form of Conrad Dosst, and Eckbert of Dosst movie into the city joined by several men at arms as they make there way towards the marketplace where they to meet with Ingolf Frightling a member of the Nighting Crime Syndicate. Arriving at the marketplace they find Ingolf with several other Frightling men and after a quick conversation he leads them towards the Shephard Castle. While walking its Ingold who is quite openly talking about the excitement they all have for Emma’s pitch and Emma is shocked to hear him speak so openly about slavery. Ingolf laughs at her and tells her that this is the crownlands, and that there is no resistance to them here. Following the agreement of James Nighting to name Mikael a Minister in the Nighting Crime Syndicate its Emma, Mikael, Conrad, and Eckbert that leave Shephard Castle to go back to the docks where they will go back to their boat and discuss things. Emma, and Mikael make love that night and once Mikael falls asleep its Emma that lays beside him thinking about how sad her life was before she met him. Emma dreams of the first time she met him. Emma had run away from home as her depression was getting so bad that she wanted to escape her mother’s home and go to the capital where she hoped her sister Aria would take her in. While on the run she had fallen off her horse and had then gotten scared by a wolf howling and had run into the forest. After tripping and falling down a hill she had been knocked out by the fall. When she woke up it was Mikael that was beside her taking care of the wound on her head, and startled at first, he took care of her, and then listened to her when she asked him not to take her back to Arryndale. Mikael wakes up as shes thinking of this and the two make love once more, and after this she falls asleep as well.
It was Gaidrion would travel to the Gulltown tournament of 5119 and a major result of this time was an agreement that Edelhend should be officially brought into the Kingdom of Lucerne and agreeing to this he would travel the valley of Lucerne gathering support for this eventuality. Alongside Gaidrion it was Paidrion and his wife Glindia would travel to the Gulltown tournament of 5119 alongside his father and during this time he took part in the negotiations with the Circle of Magi but was disturbed that his father was just trading Mordor for another similar group and begin to doubt his fathers leadership
The Plot Against House Swan[]
“You want to destroy the Swans. I want to avenge my family. We can both get what we want.”
— Mildred Gleckourd
Mildred travels to the Gulltown tournament and meets with the Circle of Magi forming the arrangement that will lead to the Forks Civil War. Also while at the tournament she attempts to kidnap her sister and this leads to a fight where one of her knights is killed but she escapes blame and becomes a guardian to Alice Lovie.
Fabia's Truth[]
Fabia would travel to the Gulltown tournament with her daughter in order to see her friend again and while there she did was jealous of the affection he clearly had for Mildred and thus did not tell him about the abuse she was suffering at the hands of Marcus.
Moving Alice[]
“This is going to feel like a punishment. I want you to be strong and not take it that way.”
— Einhard Rosler
Alice is finally having fun when Einhard Rosler comes inside and tells Alice to come with him and rejects William joining them despite his attempt to go with her. Following Einhard she is taken to the Shephard Castle Dining Hall where she finds a large gathering inside waiting for her. Taken to a seat by Einhard he joins her in the seat beside her, and as she sits down its Kieth Schwartz that begins speaking. Kieth tells the assembled parties that he has been placed in charge of the betrothal process for Alice and that at the advice of many advisors he has chosen to have preliminary discussions with House Yernese at Pomeria. A shocked Alice listens on as they discuss that Alice, and a party will head by boat following the meeting towards Pomeria and despite wanting to speak up her nervousness leads her to remain silent. The meeting ends and Einhard takes her by the arm and gently leads her to the door. The moment they go through the door, and he closes it behind them she smacks Einhard in the chest and tries to run away from him and back to William but runs into a tall woman. Knocked to the ground by their collision the girl helps her to her feet. Looking at the girl she is amazed at her beauty but she up and then the girl smiles at her before speaking to her in a language that Alice doesn’t understand. One of the girls behind the women introduces herself as Adelhelma Beckstoud a handmaid of the women that she begins translating for. The translations by Adelhelma reveal the women is Mildred Gleckourd the Viscount of Gleckheint and will be joining Alice on the journey to Pomeria. Alice attempts to leave but is taken by the arm by Mildred who leads her to her boat and going through the streets the only thing she can think is hoping that she sees someone she knows. Getting on to the boat she watches as the ramps are quickly put up and as she stands on the side with Einhard she lets tears fall as she watches Gulltown fall into the distance.
Supporting Alice[]
Leven is met by Catherine who in a rush tells her there is no time to explain and that she needs Leven to race to the docks to find Alice and go with her. Catherine tells her that there will be a boat waiting for her, but she needs to make sure that she gets to go on that boat. Leven does as she is told and races to the docks where she at first cannot see Alice but does see the Gleckoud boards. As they reach the dock its Alice that sees Leven running towards her, and as Leven approaches its Alice that lies and tells her that Leven is a member of her Malatine. Comforted at least a bit by the arrival of Leven this goes away as Leven is forced onto another boat while Alice joins Mildred on what appears to be the main ship of the Gleckourd fleet. The chapter ends with Leven stepping onto the boat that Catherine has directed to follow the Gleckourd boats heading towards Pomeria, and despite not wanting to leave her friends its Leven that knows she must try and protect Alice.
Lucernian Invasion of Rhunian One day you men will look back and ask yourself what the hell you did here. You attacked us while were fighting monsters. So much for the honor of the Dragons.
“James Lovie second of his name forced us to invade a realm we had only shared interests with. He saw a chance to take advantage of a realm fighting against a shared enemy, and for that there can be no forgiveness.”
— Eddard Starke
The Lucernian Invasion of Rhunian begin after an increasingly devolving James Lovie II. recieved word from Gondor that they needed help in fighting the Orcs on their eastern border. James would summon the council of Lucerne and reluctantly everyone outside of Forks came to the meeting but instead of proposing assistance to Gondor it was James that discussed his desire to attack and gain control of the Rhunian region of Gondor. Upon hearing this the Starke forces that were present would react with shock and resisted this heavily, but in this they were supported by none of the other members of the council who all have been successfully intimated by what everyone knows was James reaction to the last time the lords resisted him in the form of The Plague. When Eddard Starke continued to resist the wishes of James it was James Nighting and several guards who brought Rickon Starke, and Lyanna Starke and in front of the council Rickons life was threatened if Eddard did not agree to follow through. Unwilling to lose his son and sister it was Eddard that agreed to lead his forces in assaulting Gondor, and alongside Winterfell it was the Grand State of Castamere and several other prominent areas in the Valley that would be commanded to begin preperations for the assault on Rhunian. Eddard would remain behind after the rest of the council was sent away and it was made clear that Rickon, and Lyanna would remain in Lucerne and that if the Starke's did not make good on their word then not only would Rickon, and Lyanna be executed but the next council meeting would be about removing House Starke from their position.
“Your father sent me letters detailing how many troops he was planning on sending us in support. He spent weeks lying to me. Promices are tough to hear from a Lovie.”
— Tari-Aragorn Elessar III.
While this was being planned it was James that was communicating with Gondor about his plans to support them in a push into Umbar to create a barrier between the two nations, and thus Gondor was moving troops to the Ethring region while Lucerne was moving troops to the Gondor border. Rhunian thus would have only its own forces, and a small amount of reserves from Gondor to defend it if the Lucernians attacked the land, but one element that the Lucernians had not anticiapted was the arrival of Tur-Eldarion Elessar a prince of Gondor who arrived in Langstrand to begin recruiting troops in Rhunian and this drive for recruitment would bring thousands of extra troops into Rhunian. When the Starke's did little more then send small outriders against northern Rhunian, and a contingent of Mormont men from Bear Island it was left to the Lannisters to actually instigate the conflict. Tywin, and Tygett Lannister would send hundreds of cavalry into central Rhunian against the villages along the border, and proceeded to ransack and pillage the entire area leading to at first confusion from Gondor who had signed alliance papers and had principally agreed on a mutual plan to attack Umbar. Gondorian diplomats were imprisoned in both Castamere and Winterfell and attempts to communicate were met with silence leading to a shocked Gondorian prince Tur-Eldarion to send word to the Gondor capital that was was now declared with Lucerne.
Lannister Invasion of Langstrad[]
“I looked at the conflict in two different lenses. The first was my belief that the king was increasingly moving in the direction of a mad King and this decision wreaked of a lack of foresight. On the other hand control of Lanstrand would be a great addition to the power of House Lannister.”
— Tywin Lannister
As the Gondorians were mobilizing it was the Lannisters who smashed into the western areas of Rhunian taking control of dozens of villages and putting four towns under siege. House Lannister moved their main army straight out of Lannistane alongside all of their vassals, and other houses and moved directly towards Langstrand. The Lannisters were led by Tywin Lannister of whom took complete charge of the siege of Langstrand, and then he sent his family members to take control of the various villages, and castles nearby. The defenders of Langstrand were offered quarter, but refused under the command of Haalbrad and demanded the Lucernians leave their lands or else face the consequences. The defenders were outnumbered, but Langstrand sat on the edge of water, and the river bed was shielded by cliffs which meant they could get some supplies inside, thus making the siege even longer.
Invasion of Tolhnen[]
Elements from Mander, and southern Castamere landed by boat in southern Rhunian and placed the town of Tolhnen under siege as well as spread out throughout the coastline of southern Rhunian attempting to gain control of the entire southern coast.
Sack of Tolhnen[]
Invasion of Torginiath[]
With his brother Guntram still missing it was Arwin that took command of the House Jest forces during the Lucernian Invasion of Rhunian and his forces would launch a naval invasion of the port town of Minas Torginiath, but before he could reach the port he took part in a brief naval battle outside Torginiath where he sunk most of the Gondor navy. Having gained control of the port of Torginiath it was Arwin that situated his forces in a garrison position as per his commands from the Lannister high command, and prepared for any sort of invasion by the forces of mainland Gondor. During this garrison duty he would become close with the Admiral of the Torginiath naval forces in the form of Ka-Alisse Maethadis, and their friendship would allow for a more peaceful control of Torginiath as Alisse assisted him in controlling the city. Arwin would agree to Alisse's desire to travel to Tolhnen and try and save her brother and sent her there with three men, and before she left the two shared a kiss and promices of more for the two of them hung in the air as she left Torginiath for Tolhnen.
Exodus of Torginiath[]
The men that Arwin had sent to accompany Alisse to Tolhnen returned and told him that she had been executed alongside hundreds of other innocents by the order of Alberich Grefford, as well as telling him that Alberich was on his way to Torginiath. Realizing what Alberich would do if he came to Torginiath he would take his ship and meet with Admiral Ka-Nethion Authion and would faciliate the exodus of hundreds of high ranking nobles out of Minas Torginiath by boat, and when Alberich arrived this exodus was almost complete and once again in his desire to continue his ethnic cleansing program it was Alberich who attempted to order a fight with the Gondor navy. This attempt was resisted by Arwin and once again Alberich prepared to fight a fellow Lucernian force, and this time there was no high ranking Lucernian commander to stop him and thus started the Skirmish At Torginiath. During the brief skirmish between the forces loyal to Arwin and those loylal to Alberich hundreds were killed but when the population of Torginiath came to the streets in support of Arwin it was Alberich that forced to flee the city leaving Arwin firmly in control of Torginiath.
Invasion of Adrahil[]
With the Lannisters fully preparing to invade and once that war being declared it was the Starke's no matter what they wanted, and they massed all their vassals into the area now known as Arathor and prepared to attack into Central Rhunian and upwards, while the Lannisters already had mobilized were preparing to attack southern Rhunian, and upwards from there. It was this point that James Lovie would send forces from his own Circle of Magi of whom led by Kieth Schwartz, and accompanied by men from House Lerman under the command of Faedra Lerman, and Logan Lerman and these forces were sent to watch over the leadership of House Starke of whom James Lovie had no trust in. The strategy of House Starke though was for their forces to thrust against the large town of Adrahil, while there forces then moved against the villages north of Adrahil in an attempt to draw the Gondor soldiers into pitched battles that worked against them. They would be led by Eddard Starke, and Brandon Starke of which the two brothers would lead the siege of Adrahil.
Gondorian Counter Attack[]
“It was just another tick in a nearly endless supply of failures given to us by Bill Lovie. He told us noone would come, and here we were facing the might of the two princes of Gondor and a weaker but still substantial army.”
— Eddard Starke
Following this the conflict escalated very quickly when despite the conflicts on the eastern half of their Kingdom the forces of Gondor moved significant forces to the western half against the forces of Stormwind. During this escalation the forces of House Lannister, and House Starke moved increasingly to the front, with both sides employing different strategies. House Lannister and its forces continued to move against the area around the large Gondor town of Langstrand which they had surrounded with forces, and moved a smaller force of more elite irregular troops led by many of their more elite forces to harass the lands south of Adrahil where the main thrust of House Starke was moving against. This strategy worked with both the forces assisted by a small detatchment sent from House Ordos. House Ordos sent an elite force of siege experts that assisted with both the siege of Langstrand, and Adrahil with both logistics and leadership for goals of the sieges. On the other side of the conflict was the defenders of Gondor of whom were led by Eldarion Elessar, his brother Ildarion, and their uncle Halbaard Elessar. The conflict in the east was dire, and thus Gondor was forced to rely on the two princes, and the forces they brought were relatively weak auxiliary forces from south western Gondor, and not the more battle hardened eastern troops. The forces of Gondor were obviously relying mainly on defenders made up of the forces of the two major towns Adrahil, and Langstrand and because of this they were in a lot of trouble when it came to the massive forces being brought to bear by Castamere, Winterfell, Mander, and Hillsbrad. The northern town of Adrahil was led by the two sons of the King, while Lanstrand was held by Halbaard Elessar making for serious leadership in the two towns.
Hiding[]
“Did my father expect me to leave you here Liana? Did he think I would turn away? I hope he thinks more of me now then he clearly thought of me back then.”
— Philip Prester
It would be at this time that Liana Beyne would be nearly completely in love with Philip Prester by the time the two were fourteen and it was this love that led Philip to take drastic actions when his father sent him word about the invasion of Rhuthian. The word came in the form of several pages, and a man at arm in the form of Tristen of Feastfires of whom would take Philip aside and tell him he needed to come with them as the attack on Rhuthian was weeks away. Learning this he would in the dead of night sneak away from the sleeping Tristen of Feastfires and go to Liana's father Menagil Beyne of whom would assemble his family after hearing what Philip had to say, and would put complete faith in the young Philip Prester when he handed him over his two daughters for protection, and with only supplies and horses he sent them away from Castle Beyne for the west. Tristen of Feastfires would awaken and realizing quickly what had happened left the castle with little resistance from House Beyne of whom was happy to have him and his two squires gone. Philip would reach the Gondorian port town of Leghland where they found passage to Lucerne where shortly after arriving on shore they found a large encampment of Lucernian forces carrying the banner of House Starke. Going into the camp of House Starke Philip Prester would present himself to the Starke leadership of whom listened to him as he was the heir to a powerful house, and they would do the honorable thing when they sent him northward with Liana and Vellia to Winterfell. As the conflict neared its beginning his presence in Winterfell would become known when Tristen of Feastfires finally found his trail after weeks of looking, and would lie saying Tywin Lannister himself had summoned Philip, and with this command in place Philip would tearfully say goodbye for a time to Liana Beyne while traveling with Tristen to the forces of House Prester.
Chasing the Prince[]
When he was given word that Ildarion Elessar had fled Adrahil and was moving south he sent his most trusted commander in his son Jaime Lannister north to chase him down with most of the heavy cavalry and the entire force of House Reyne that had come with House Lannister. Jaime Lannister would move quickly north, but was very careful to move his large force out of sight of any force that they saw and through this strategy he moved undetected through Gondor and begin stalking Ildarion Elessar and his force so that he could capture the prince before the Starke's got him. Jaime got close to Ildarion Elessar twice but both times Ildarion was able to meneaver himself away from the forces of Jaime Lannister, and escape. Either way the forces of Ildarion were basically reduced to running around for nearly a month as they were chased by Jaime Lannister and this left them unable to take part in any actual fighting.
“My father may not have noticed but while Jaime was running about chasing around Ildarion Elessar, I was taking control of an entire province of Gondor.”
— Tyrion Lannister
While Jaime was searching for Ildarion Elessar his brother in Tyrion Lannister moved throughout the region between around Langstrand with a largely weakly equipped ground force and begin capturing the various castles, and forts that dotted this region. These forts, and castles were far weaker then they had ever been because the west was seen by Gondor as the area that they least needed to be worried about. Despite this though Tyrion had to deal with each of these defences of which the largest was the fort of Amon Hen of which was defended by six hundred men of Gondor and was perched on a cliff overlooking the valley around it. Tyrion would use great skill in traversing the valley around the fort which allowed him to sneak his forces to the depths surrounding the fort. The forces of Gondor in many places fought to the last man, but were clearly given some orders for larger garrisons to surrender and save their lives. In Amon Hen the defenders lost some three hundred troops in the suprise attack, but still held on for hours before they surrendered and were sent westward as prisoners. With Tyrion sacking castle after castle he finally had managed to block the eastern river approach into Langstrand thus closing the city off from supplies by the water, and thus making starving them out once more an option.
The Chase Expands[]
“I knew I had to take control of the situation before the Lannisters got their brand of victory. The only problem was that I knew Halbaard very well and I didn't have any violent quarrel with the city.”
— Eddard Starke
Theon Greyjoy joined Robb Starke in a raiding party that was basically meant to harass, and capture large tracts of land in the hopes of getting the Gondorians to leave their fortifications and walk into traps north of Adrahil. While they did this Jon Snow led a smaller group of heavy cavalry against the villages of this area, and he slowly but surely became a sort of vangaurd for the larger cavalry force of Theon, and Robb. At this point with fighting breaking out all over the region the main army of Eddard Starke supported by House Baratheon and some logistics sent by House Ordos moved against the town of Adrahil and put the town completely under siege. Before they could get the entire town under siege though one of the brothers in Ildarion left the city from the west with a large force of heavy, and light cavalry and made his way south to defend Langstrad where the the city was more capable of falling quickly. With Adrahil under siege and the objective of starving the town out until it surrendered Eddard gave the command to begin the heavy harrasment in the north. House Mormont and the Bear Island troops would capture nearly all the mines, and livestock of the area and bring it westward, while the other Bear Island troops ransacked northern Rhunian and took the spoils into Lucerne. While this was happening the forces of House Tarly of whom commanded a large force would move eastward towards Lamedon, where they would arrive and thus block off the ability of Gondor to send any kind of supplies or reinforcements into the area. Randyll Tarly would hold two castles west of Lamedon, and despite attempts by the Lamedon troops to dislodge him, he was a master tactision and was unable to be removed.
“My father gave me strict orders that I wasn't to die.”
— Robb Starke
Theon and Robb would command together a force of cavalary of which they used brilliantly and after raiding the village of Meadow's Grove they noticed a rather large group of Gondor soilders marching eastward and they immediatly begin following the group. After a full day of marching the Gondor forces set up camp inside a forest and they believed they had the night to rest before marching again. This was a large mistake, and the forces of Theon and Robb moved quickly to surround the camp. While they surrounded the camp the forces of Jon Snow moved against the only real chance of the Gondor force to be saved when they moved against a cavalry force led by one of the local commanders. In the coming Raid on Groilline Jon Snow would discover that Ildarion was with that camped force, and would send word to Robb about this, while Jamie Lannister was not told or made aware of any changes.
Raid on Groiline[]
“My success in the capture of Groiline would allow me to get out of the shadow of being a bastard son of the Lord of Stormwind, but it also sent me to the north.”
— Jon Snow
During the days of the war with Gondor, Jon Snow was tasked with a small unit of troops that he was tasked with raiding the northern farmlands in order to draw out the outstretched Gondor forces into the trap of the army of House Lannister, and House Starke. In Jon's role he would become aware of how outstretched the Gondor forces were when he chased a force of Gondor cavalry through the night and as he passed by the village of Groiline his scouts reported no defenders. His scouts informed him that the cavalry had no intention of stopping as they were moving eastwards towards Prince Ildarion of whom was being shadowed by both Robb Starke, and Jaime Lannister. Seeing this as an oppurtunity he would stop chasing the cavalry and would instead move his force to Groiline and capture the village, thus unknown to Ildarion Elessar and his forces the road west was free for them to go back through, but without knowing that they made camp that nigh with no knowledge they were trapped on all sides except one.
“I followed my orders to the letter. I chased that foolish prince through the forests for weeks, and each time I got close he ran a little faster. When I finally caught him I was failed by my scouts of whom I can only assume died for their mistake.”
— Jamie Lannister
As Jamie Lannister made his way north his scouts were constantly scanning the woods, and the villages that they moved through, and around in the guise of finding Ildarion. As this continued they reached just east of Castle Beyne when they caught the scent of Ildarion as he was travelling north of the castle fighting a running battle against a House Starke cavalry force. His scouts reported to him that the forces of House Starke that were involved were those of his rival in Robb Starke so he moved quicker then he wanted to in order to catch Ildarion. As he moved with less stealth now his force was noticed by a local garrison of whom was led by the able commander Aegnor Tal-Villion of whom begin shadowing the larger Lannister force. Aegnor was a Numenorian just like his friend Ildarion Ellessar and knew the importance of his prince, and thus he made the decision to stop Jame Lannister by whatever means necessary. Aegnor quickly realized as he followed Jamie's forces that Jamie was attempting to harry his prince, and thus Aegnor prepared most of his men for the defence of their fort, while he and a company fifty cavalry begin to harass the rear echolon of the Jaime Lannister force. Jaime
Lannister was in a meeting with his scouts of whom informed him that Ildarion was only a few hours away and if they marched now they could catch him. As he prepared to give the command the cries of battle went out as the cavalry of Aegnor crashed into the camp killing at random. As they charged into the camp Aegnor would set off extremely loud horns and cut the ropes that bound the horses thus causing the Lannister horses to go screaming into the night. Jaime moved into the fray, and after a brief fight the cavalry of Aegnor calmly retreated from the field. The Lannisters had lost nearly two hundred men in the brief fight, and their supplies were in tatters following the ambush so Jaime was forced to deal with the forces of Aegnor and resist the capture of Ildarion as he didn't have the capable forces anymore. Having saved his prince from capture Aegnor retreated to Castle Trenabal where they bunkered in for the inevitable counter assault.
Ambush at Meadow's Grove[]
“The culmination of everything over the past months was finally coming together, and the closeness of it gave me slight pause. I moved into that camp with the belief that I would either be sealing his coffin, or walking into the trap that sealed mine.”
— Robb Starke
Before Jon Snow had moved against the village of Goiline he had sent a raven scout northwest towards where he believed his brother to be with the information that he had Ildarion surrounded from the north, while Jaime Lannister was in the south blocking that route, and a force of cavalry was coming from the west to alert the Ildarion force of their predicament. Realizing they had to stop the cavalry force Robb Starke ordered a bold move when he moved his entire force south west into the path of the cavalry. His force would get off their horses and quickly prepare and ambush for the force of maybe fifteen cavalry, and when the force arrived they quickly saw they were in a lot of trouble so they surrendered with only two casualties of whom had attempted to flee. Robb's force would quickly gain the information from the cavalry about where the prince was precisely located, and with this information they were sent to the rear lines by some of the men, and the rest of the force moved towards the force of Ildarion. With no hope of relief, or any new information they knew they had Ildarion this night if they worked this well. Theon, and Robb's forces moved silently in the night and proceeded to take out the scouts that had been posted to watch for just this event. With the scouts taken out the forces moved into the camp, and went tent to tent killing the nearly 300 strong Gondor force. Quickly into the attack the Gondorians woke up on mass after a large death scream, and combat raged across the camp with the House Starke force vastly outnumbering the Gondorians and completely surrounded and without their equipment on. The force had been chased by Jamie Lannister for well over a month, and due to House Tarly closing the supplies they were not able to be releived as often, and thus for all of these reasons by the time they were now in battle they were no longer even capable of fighting. After only a few minutes the Gondorians begin to surrender, and it was during this end of the fighting that Robb Starke noticed that one of the fighters who had remained fighting was Ildarion Elessar the son of the King of Gondor.
“Seeing him like this was exactly what I thought it would look like. He was unarmored due to the fact that he was probably catching the first true sleep he'd had in over a month, and this was how it turned out for him. He killed two of my men before I was able to intervene, and fighting him made me realize how much training I still needed to do. If he wasn't half asleep, and ragged from being worn down for two months I would have never won that fight, but he was and I won.”
— Robb Starke
Robb immediatly engaged him in combat and on his own velition was able to defeat him only because he could tell that Ildarion was half dead from fatigue, and being unequipped with armor, or a shield. When Ildarion fell defeated the rest of the Gondor force was swiftly throwing down their weapons and surrendering leaving the full Starke force with a nearly complete victory. With Ildarion defeated Robb was egged on by Theon to kill him, and for a moment Robb contimplated listening to his friend but he then thought strategically and realized that if they had the prince they could basically ransom whatever they wanted from the Gondorians. With this in mind Robb decided instead of killing him he would instead take him in as a prisoner, and ordered the force to pull back to their original position with their now sixty prisoners along with the prince of Gondor.
Prisoner[]
“I never thought I would be captured. Even as I was chased I just assumed I would get away.”
— Ildarion Ellessar
Robb Starke would pull his force back behind the lines, and there would set up a camp for all the prisoners they had captured and then sent word to his father about the capture of Ildarion, which would then spread like wildfire. When Eddard heard of this news he sent word to Eldarion in Adrahil of whom then sent word to Aragorn of this change in events. Aragorn had two options in front of him. The first option was to engage the Lucernians in a full pitched battle which he might lose, and if he didn't lose he would most likely lose on the east because of all the causualites. Or he surrendered most of the Gondor lands west of the River Rhine. In the end he would send word to Eldarion that their forces were going to surrender under the terms that all Gondor citizens, and forces be allowed free pass into Gondor, along with the return of Ildarion, and all prisoners. Bill Lovie would send word to Eddard that he was incoming to the camp that Eddard and Tywin Lannister were meeting, but when the letter came the servent that brought it told them that Bill planned to execute Ildarion on the spot.
“The King was coming to kill the prisoner that stood between me and a lot of power. I couldn't let his stupidity and blatent attempts at war to stand between me and all that. Luckily for me Eddard Starke was able to ignore his honor for a second and do exactly what had to be done.”
— Tywin Lannister
Both commanders understood that if they did this it would mean all out war which was stupid since they could have all of this land with no bloodshed. Because of this they hid the note, and told the scout that the prisoners were already in transfer back to Gondor. With this information Bill Lovie would return to Lucerne instead of seeing the two Lords, and they both knew they had made an enemy that day. When this happened Ildarion was given word by Robb Starke that he was to be released along with all of his men. The two would discuss the coming world that they both lived in, and Robb Starke would gain a lot of respect for Ildarion, and the same would be true of Ildarion for Robb Starke.
The Early Arrival You just sent me away Will. You sent me away on what I thought was a real reason, but from where I stand it looks like it was worth nothing. You could have sent any of them, but instead you sent me. I did what you asked me and in return I lost everything I had ever dreamed of. I must now stand here and watch the future I dreamed lived out with that Italian. I lost everything while I was away. For nothing. For absolutely nothing. What makes it worse is you still can't see.
Going to Stormwind[]
“I trusted William with my life, and it was the only reason that I would have ever travelled so far from anything I knew. His belief in me pushed me forward, and drove me to be better then I could ever have been without him.”
— Leven Martell
Leven alongside her sisters, Lyanna Starke and Ellia Snow would join with a group of twelve Martell men at arms of whom was sent to join them on their trip to Stormwind, as well as a group of four men at arms for House Fraizen who were led by Taelan Fraizen to also accompany them to Stormwind. The group would arrive at the tiny port of Castle Dalmatia and stayed the night there meeting briefly with Landsgrave Modius Dalmatia of whom Leven did not reveal anything she thought to be important but gave enough when she revealed that she had been sent by William. Modius was a devout loyalist to James having been at the Battle of Lyons and this loyalty led to him sending his brother Decius Dalmatia to Lucerne to find out what was happening. Leven and her party left the next morning accompanied this time by Appius Dalmatia the heir of House Dalmatia who Modius had given orders to watch everything Leven did and then come back. Arriving at the port of Littleheim south of Stormwind they would not reveal their purpose and made no attempt to meet with local leadership and instead made their way directly to the city of Stormwind. As they made their way northward it was Lyanna Starke that would be saddened by how little assistence she was able to provide for their journey as she barely remembered her former home. Reaching the outskirts of the city there arrival was expected by House Starke who met Leven Martell and her group with Robb Starke of whom would be sent as the envoy for the house since Brandon, and Eddard Starke had traveled to the south in order to meet the Lannisters and try and get them to join with William Lovie III. and thus assist the young prince. Robb immediately became the source of much interest for Leven`s sister Obella of whom would watch him very closely and he would do the same as he alongside his father`s vassals led them throughout Stormwind. Getting Leven a room in the Starke estate in Stormwind she and her sisters would get a good sleep in before their busy day the next day. Leven and her sisters would wake the next day and meet with Robb Starke again of whom told them that Eddard had promised the entire support of House Starke to the efforts of William Lovie. Robb Starke would take her throughout the city of Stormwind where Robb and her sister Obella Martell grew closer and closer before eventually Leven suggested that Robb show Obella privately the second tier of the city while she and her sister Dorea Martell were escorted by Robb's sister Sansa Starke of whom showed herself to be a beautiful and charismatic young lady just younger then Leven, but the same age as Dorea.
“Carlisle had told me to expect stiff resistence to the idea of going behind the kings back. He hadn`t told me they hated the king without pause.”
— Leven Martell
On the second day of their stay in Stormwind it would be Eddard and Brandon Starke that arrived back in Stormwind accompanied by a large force of House Starke. Following introducing himself it would be Eddard Starke that would meet with Leven alone, as she would make it clear in letters from William that she was a completely trusted member of his forces. Eddard thus spoke openly to her in a way that they were unable to do in letters, and really let her know about the things that James Lovie had done and the level of hatred the people had for him. Revealing to her first as well that he believed he had failed in his goal of gaining the support of the Lannisters he was dismayed that it seemed to him that the Lannisters would support the regime, but Leven was thankful for him having even attempted that knowing from her lessons how much division there was between the Lannisters and Starke's. At nearly this same time Decius Dalmatia would arrive in Lucerne where he would attempt to seek an audiance with James Lovie II. in order to let him know what was happening in the area. James was at this point battling for control with Vhloraz and thus was hidden away in the Cloud Tower by Khadgar, and Kieth and thus was not present at the Keep. Tristan Lovie would be told of the arrival of Decius by Tavin Slynt and learning of this he would meet with Decius and learn the location of Leven Martell and from the location of where she was going Tristan guessed that she would soon learn the extent of the rebellious elements of Lucerne. Taking the opportunity it would be Tristan that fabricated a letter from his father and gave this letter to Decius with the letter detailing his command to kidnap Leven Martell and bring her to Lucerne as a hostage.
Look at the world father. You were born into this land. You grew up here. These people swore their lives to you. How could you have done all of this? Look at everything you have done. You destroyed a city. Killed hundreds of good men out of fear. Is this how you want to be remembered father. Is this the world you want to leave behind? I know you were a good person once. Don't end it all here. Don't do this. For me father. For everything I supposedly mean to you. Don't do this.
"I wish nothing but the best for your friend, and the prince of the land in Lord William but his father isn't capable of leading anymore."
"So what are you suggesting?"
"I am suggesting Milady that prince William when he done in Forks should come to Stormwind and we shall do everything we can as a people to remove his father and place him on the throne." Picturing William on the throne was something I had done more times then I would ever admit to throughout my life, but hearing it out of the mouth of one of the most powerful men in Lucerne was something that I scarsley believed I had just heard.
"You understand I've know the King for my entire life."
"I know you have seen him your entire life, but my lady what do you truly know of this man." I thought about it and I had eaten dinner down the table from him hundreds of times, and what little had spoken while kind to me had always been for the ears of William. It was no secret that he wasn't a great man, but to suggest he was a tyrant as Eddard had wasn't something I understood.
"I'm not his blood, and he places the ideals of his family...prince William above all things." The honorable Eddard Starke could barely control himself at my near mistaken use of family over William. Sadly noone even his most direhard supporter would call Bill a family man. He was devoted to Will, but to his family...I dont think so.
"I'm sorry milady but when you are forced to exclude the entirety of his family outside of the prince he is not a family oriented man. I know the king well from when we were children, and the man I knew I can say is gone. He used to dote on his sister Catherine you know." He looked at me clearly wanting that to sink in. I had heard him yelling at Willliam's aunt but I had never seen any sort of time between them that would have indicated anything more then hate." For years she was everything to Bill. Then he met Lisa Tyrell and everything in his life just got even brighter."
"He loved her back then?" The fact that it was shocking that Bill loved his wife was something that struck me as odd. I had never thought of it before today, and that as well struck me as strange.
"He loved Lisa Tyrell like there was not another soul in the world. I was there at that tournament when he made her the Queen of Love and Beauty and I watched the two fall in love as they stared at eachother. It was pure love. But milady...lady Martell when he returned from Lyons he was changed."
"Changed how?" I knew the Battle of Lyons well. Thousands upon thousands of Lucernians had gone to war, and but a slimmer had returned. The destruction of the human alliance at the battle was legendary, but I had never heard William's father mention it once, so hearing Eddard say it was a defining moment in his life was shocking to me.
"Things no longer made him laugh. Everything was dark and twisted through his eyes. He pushed aside everything that had mattered to him including Lady Tyrell." He looked out the window as if remembering some distant event that pained him.
"Are you alright Lord Starke?"
"I'm fine milady just coming to terms with the fact that my old friend is gone was a painful thing to do, and its no easier now."
"You mean you came to this conclusion long ago?"
"Yes back during the days leading up to the Plague he was lost in madness and shouting during a meeting of the Lords and I realized it."
"The Plague my Lord?" As he went to speak a knock on the door brought our attention there and left the question hanging.
"You may enter." The door opened immediately after and I saw Robb open the door. Behind him walking away was another Starke man I remember as Brandon Starke II. while accompanying him was my sister Obella of whom was most likely leaving Robbs side for the first time since we had arrived.
"Father there is a party of Lannisters entering the city who wish to meet as well with Lady Martell." Eddard nearly burst from his seat before coming around to my side of the table and grabbing my cloak from the hanger on the wall.
"I am sorry Milady but we must cut our conversation short and meet with the Lannisters." He helped me up, and despite never needing the help I knew the reasons behind it, and I took his arm and pulled myself from the chair where he would place the cloak over my shoulders.
"I thought you believed it didn't go well speaking with Lord Tywin?"
"I guess the minds of people like the Lannisters are difficult to read for simple soldiers like me." He laughed as he said it before leading me out the door following behind Robb who led us through the winding hallways and out into the courtyard.
"Where are we to meet the Lannisters Ser Robb?"
"Meetings with the Lannisters are held in the High Keep." As he said High Keep I remembered from yesterday as we had made our way to the third teir of the city, and how high up it was. I wondered why two groups such as House Lannister, and House Starke would have ever thought it was a good idea to meet in a place so easily formed for throwing people off ledges in anger. Laughing to myself brought the attention of Robb of whom looked back and smiled to himself as if knowing I was laughing at some joke I told myself.
Walking along we were joined at the gate to the third tier by a young man dressed all in red armor, and a large Lion Emblem on his chest. It wasn't difficult to know he was a Lannister but Robb walked up to him and clasped his hand in what to me looked like friendship. The man smiled at Robb briefly exchanging words before the two laughed. The laughter of the two ended when me and Eddard reached them, and behind the young Lannister was approached by an older Lannister man with a massive Blond beard.
"Lord Eddard Starke it has been a long time since I have seen you."
"It has Ser Stafford. What brings you and your nephew to the gates to meet us?" So the young man was the nephew of Ser Stafford Lannister. Thinking back to my class time that could mean it was Lucion, Lancel, or Tyrek Lannister. I doubted Lucion as he was known as Lame Lannister for his ugly appearance and slow brain, but Lancel or Tyrek were both possiblities.
Stafford Lannister stepped forwards staring at me before speaking "To meet with the beautiful Lady Martell is more then enough reason to come here Lord Starke." He gave me a strange look as he said it, and I felt my arms instinctively pull my cloak around me a little further. It was cold so the act would be seen as such, but it was meant for more then keeping the fall snow off me.
"From our last talks it didn't seem your brother was willing to make the trip."
"You must have mistaken. We left a few hours after you did, and we are more then happy to meet a representative of the true King of Lucerne in William Lovie third of his name." Well that was shocking, but if he had wanted to let it sink in he didn't wait long before he nearly immediately turned around summoning the younger Lannister with a look to follow behind him and led us towards High Keep.
During this conversation Eddard would first reveal the emotional damage that was caused against Bill Lovie during the Battle of Lyons including the fact of how kind, and funny a person that Bill Lovie was before the events of the Battle of Lyons. Also revealing the first mention of the fact that Bill Lovie was responsible for the destruction of the Lucernian city of Tree Hill this would be a shocking revelation for a girl that was one of the few people who had been almost always treated with kindness by the King as Leven was one of basically three people that Bill Lovie did not outright hate.
“The Arrival of several Lannisters was shocking for everyone around, as Eddard had said the conversations hadn't indicated they would come. Something was changing in the air when the Starke's were willing to abandon the king, and the Lannisters were willing to do anything.”
— Leven Martell
As Leven talked with Eddard they were interrupted by Robb Starke entering to alert his father that several Lannisters had arrived in the city to meet with Leven. Eddard would lead Leven, and her sister to the Lannisters who waited in the main keep where it was said Tywin, Stafford, and Tyrek Lannister had come. Tywin would join Eddard and Leven in meeting, and Tywin appeared to Leven to be nothing like the man she had heard legends of back in Lucerne as this man in front of her discussed wanting to assist the prince, and wanting to eliminate the tyranny that his father had brought on the land. Eddard and Tywin would argue briefly over an event they called the Plague, but she knew nothing about it, so she made a note to find out about it later. Tywin did suggest that he wished to meet with the prince, as Eddard had and Leven knew her time in Stormwind was over and her time for returning to William was upon her he had one major truth to reveal. Eddard would take Leven to the top of Stormwind once more where joined by his wife he would reveal to Leven that James had orchestrated the destruction of Tree Hill, and that he was still actively resisting attempts to save those inside the city. Horrified by what this meant she would take a letter written by him and still in shock prepare to leave the city to return to William. While this was happening it was Decius Dalmatia that returned to Castle Dalmatia with the orders that he believed had come from James Lovie II. but were in fact false orders given by Tristan Lovie.
Stormwind Negotiations[]
“If he turns out to be a monster Robb do not fret. We have our out. I will not force your sister to marry any monster. I promise you this.”
— Eddard Starke
Following the departure of Leven Martell from Stormwind travelling to Forks in order to meet with William it would be the Lannisters that called a meeting with the Starke's. Meeting together at the the Keep of Stormwind the group would discuss moving forward as the Starke's were very clearly completely behind William Lovie III. but the Lannisters would quickly point out that in order to move forward and join this alliance they would need more. Discussions would begin when Tywin requested that Sansa Starke be betrothed to Joffrey Lannister of which was rejected initially but was eventually agreed to once assurances were made that if the relationship was not acceptable to both parties upon meeting then new arrangements would be made instead. With marriage ties to bind them there were deals made on trading and control of the Rhunian region of which more regulated what was quite a chaotic region, and thus the Lannisters would agree to join with the Starke's in their support of William. With the Lannisters now joining the forces of William it was the spies for James at the negotiations that would send word ahead of what had transpired in Stormwind. This word was taken by Canius Opimius westward, and while Canius himself would travel all the way to Lucerne to alert James it was Canius that also stopped at Castle Dalmatia to alert Landsgrave Modius Dalmatia of what was transpiring.
“You had a different feeling about the land after you heard the words of the honorable Eddard Starke. This was a man who you just knew from hearing him that he spilled out honor, and yet he was telling his horrible tales you just didn`t want to be true.”
— Leven Martell
With the loyalty of House Starke assured and Eddard promising to do his best for the rest of eastern Lucerne Leven would return to Lannistane and back to the boats which would take her directly to Forks. While this was happening the James loyalist Modius Dalmatia would be preparing an ambush in order to capture Leven and hold her as a means to bring William to the table. While the main ambush was being prepared at Castle Dalmatia it was Franzal Nighting and a group of Nighting soldiers present at Castle Dalmatia that would take a boat and attempt to make their own move against Leven. Franzal was hopeful that if he gained Leven before House Dalmatia then James Lovie II. would begin to favor House Nighting again. Before leaving for this ambush it was Franzal that left a letter for Rachel in Castle Dalmatia where she was rushing towards in order to find Franzal before anything could happen. The Nighting ship would use the cover of fog to join the small fleet of Leven Martell and getting inside their ranks it was Franzal and his force that would use rafts to get right beside the boat of Leven Martell and then used ropes to get on to the boat. Once on the boat they would spread out throughout the top deck where they would quickly kill the captain and two guards on the main deck in preparation for their move against Leven. Leven and Dorea were unable to sleep due to the snoring of Obella and thus decided to go to the main deck and sit for a time. Leaving their sleeping sister Obella they went to the top deck, and while at first, they brought nothing with them it was Leven that watched Dorea grab her dagger that led Leven to also grabbing her sword.
“I hope this letter finds you in good health Rachel. I want you to know I will always be thankful to you for raising me. You were the mother I was lucky enough to have, and for that I will always have nothing but love for you in my heart.”
— Franzal Nighting
When they reached the top deck, it was completely pitch black out, and the only light was the single flame burning beside captains’ wheel. Leven would approach the captain and find him with a knife in his neck and bleeding out all over the deck. Reaching for her sword she barely got it out before a dagger narrowly missed her head and slammed into the pole behind her. Sliding to the deck she was forced to defend herself as a red masked man charged at her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dorea fighting against another man, and she could hear commotion as the rest of the boat clearly awoke from the fighting. Initially Losing her fight to the red masked man she would finally kill him after he tripped on one of the bodies strewn about the deck, and she would slice his head from his body before he fell into the river (The attacker would later turn out to be Franzal Nighting after Rachel Nighting revealed one of her cousins had been killed by Leven and this was the only instance that makes sense). The crew then broke through the locked door keeping them below and the other man would jump into the river to escape where two were killed by arrows fired at them but the remainder were able to swim back to their boat. Following this attack, the crew remained on heavy alert as they made their way westward and decided to stop at Castle Cerintha instead of Castle Dalmatia as they had originally planned due to Appius convinsing this was the best option. Appius for his part had become completely broken by what he had learned in Stormwind and now the assassination attempt made him even more confused over the truth, and thus while Leven stopped at Castle Cerintha it was Appius that took a ship and traveled to Castle Dalmatia.
1. Appius is stopped during his attempt to reach Castle Dalmatia 2. Camped army of Modius Dalmatia prepares to sail towards Castle Cerintha 3. Army of Modius lands west of Castle Cerintha in preperation for the Battle 4. Arrival of the Dalmatia fleet who blockades the port of Castle Cerintha 5. Meeting of Castle Cerintha where the negotiations for the surrender are made.
“We have to stop her because she found out the truth. Our loyalty to the king does not end. It doesn't matter what he has done.”
— Modius Dalmatia
Appius did not have to travel far before he ran into a blockade led by ships carrying the flag of his household. Approaching the ships he met with the captain of the fleet in Juventius Ovidus who told him that his father had camped on the shore and to speak with him of which Appius did and discovered what appeared to be thousands of troops all camped on the riverbank. Appius would meet go to his fathers tent where he found his father and all the Dalmatia vassals meeting in regards to what he quickly realized was an ambush on the fleet of Leven Martell. While Appius did not reveal that Leven was at Castle Cerintha it had already been revealed by one of the survivors from the Nighting failed attack, and thus the army was planning to move against Castle Cerintha while the fleet split up with most moving to Castle Cerintha to blockade the castle while the remainder split in half to block any attempt to relieve the castle from west, and east. While the vassals moved about to get ready to march, and sail it was Appius that met with his father telling him that Leven was a good person who was loyal to the prince. To his shock it was Modius that told his son he already knew that James had ordered the destruction of Tree Hill, and that was the reason they had to stop Leven, and then use her capture as leverage. Shocked by what he had discovered it was Appius that took command of several ships in the Dalmatia fleet and joined Juventius, and Pisentius in moving to Castle Cerintha to blockade the castle.
“This isn't personal Lady Martell. I just serve a different king.”
— Modius Dalmatia
Realizing that the words of his father had been lies, and they were following a mad king it would be Appius Dalmatia that would conspire with the loyalist Pisentius Larcius to gain control of the Dalmatia forces and stop his father from getting them all killed. While the fleet was blockading Castle Cerintha it was Appius and Pisentius that took a group of soldiers and made there way to the flag ship of the Dalmatia ships in the form of The Medee and would meet with captain Juventius Ovidus. Juventius was an honorable man, and had lost a brother at Tree Hill and thus when he was told what had actually transpired there he would join with Appius and with Juventius on their side they gained the fleet. Juventius would have several captains he wasn't sure of the loyalty of removed to their quarters, and with this control now in place it was Appius that attempted to end the battle before it could start. While the army of his father was preparing the siege it was Appius that took a raft and while carrying a white flag entered the port of Castle Cerintha. Quickly taken by the Cerintha forces he was brought to the main hall where Leven, and the Cerintha forces were planning for the coming battle. Meeting with them he revealed the changed loyalty of the fleet, and that if Leven would call a parlay with the Dalmatia forces he believed he could convince the other leaders of his fathers army to stand down.
“I would be within my rights to have you executed for what you have done. What you nearly did. I will instead allow you to return to your home under the watch of the new Lord of Dalmatia. You are not to leave your families lands until this is all over with. I trust you will watch over him Appius.”
— Leven Martell
Taking the advise of Appius its Leven that meets one last time with the forces of Modius and sending a messenger to the Modius forces she lies and says the meeting is where she will surrender to Modius. Leaving through the gate of Castle Cerintha with just Lord Atrius Cerintha, Dorea, and Titus Numonis she watches as Appius hides his face under a hood as he carries a white flag alongside the group as they walk towards the riders that have come from the Modius forces. Reaching the Modius group she can tell that he has brought many of his vassals to watch her surrender and realizes that Appius was right about what his reaction would be to her surrendering. The two barely speak before Appius removes his hood and calls out his fathers lies in front of the Dalmatia vassals, and the two argue for a few minutes before Clodius Cervidus the most powerful of the Dalmatia vassals voices his support of Appius. Realizing that he has lost its Modius that agrees to stand down and face the consequences of what he views as his devotion to his oaths. Following a discussion between Leven and Appius it is agreed that Modius would be placed under house arrest at Castle Dalmatia and remain there until William had made a decision on him. Appius would be given lordship of House Dalmatia by his father in front of their most prominent vassals and then while Appius commanded the vassals to prepare their forces to return home he had Juventius Ovidus who had just arrived at the meeting to take Modius to the Medee and personally take him back to Castle Dalmatia.
Arriving in Castle Dalmatia[]
“It was actually the first person I have ever killed. He moved quicker then anyone I had ever fought before. He tripped on a body and as he got he stumbled on the blood and I took his head from his body. His red mask was the only thing that didn't fall in the water.”
— Leven Martell
Arriving in Castle Dalmatia[]
“You killed my cousin Leven. He was seventeen and just wanted to help his family. He didn't deserve to die on that river.”
Invasion of Westbridge The Fall of Westbridge would shake the entire continent to its core.
For the Starke's, and Lannisters there attack on Westbridge would form the critical suprise assault on the very inside of the defences of the port city. There success and failure would determine how quick a victory the Lucernians would have.
“This would be the first time that we would be asked to work together since the War against Gondor. During that conflict both sides had not worked together at all and had basically moved however they wanted in order to take as much land for their respective house. This time we were being shuttled by the new Order of the Red Dragon and thus we would be landing where the commanders had decided it was best to land.”
— Robb Starke
William Lovie III.'s quick conquest of the Riverlands, and Fairmarket had led to the Lucernian Kingdom becoming a main part of the Empire foreign affairs to the point that the feelers were out to the Malfoy's of whom they would attack Hogwarts in their attempt to grow the relationship. House Starke, and House Lannister were tasked with leading the attack that Lucerne would launch from the sea, and they would bring all of their vassals and head northward from the Port of Stormwind. Over the course of several months dozens and dozens of ships had been constructed, or purchased from Westros and elsewhere in order to provide the required ships for the invasion, and these ships had all packed into the rivers of Castamere as well as the coasts of Bear Island. Eddard Starke was the leader of the Starke forces that were assembled to take part in the Invasion, and he along with House Lannister was tasked with using the ships that had been constructed to land on the two islands that existed in Westbridge, and hold them while spreading out from there leaving the Malfoy's attacked from all sides and no where to retreat too. On the lead up to the campaign it was members of the Kreigs Marine that were brought in as mediators for the two sides that despised each other and basically tasked with making sure that they worked together for the good of the invasion.
“I had to make them understand that the conflict between the Lannisters and the Starke's wasn't something I could have happening right now. If it meant I put a non-starke or Lannister in charge I would, and I just hoped that threat was enough to push them off.”
— William Lovie III.
Eddard and his council met with Tywin, and his council at the Port of Stormwind where there armies were camped west of and together over the course of two days they decided on the best course of action. Eddard did make sure to show the letter he had recieved from William Lovie III. of which detailed the fact that if the two groups could not work together then Randyll Tarly would be placed in charge of the Starke's while for the Lannisters Hanzal Reyne would be made commnader. This was a great insult to Tywin Lannister and thus he would meet outside the room with Eddard and the two would come to an agreement that they would work together and not let this ruin the potential of this for the two families. They decided to land the majority of their troops on the main island, while they split their vassals, and banner houses into attacking the individual islands that dotted Westbridge city so that there would be no holdouts left. On the days preceding the leaving for the invasion Eddard relunctantly led his forces along with House Lannister on to the boats of the Kreigs Marine fleet, and they sailed up the river Rhine to coincide with arrival during the night.
“The Trident was the only place we didn't control along the route to Westbridge, and thus it was of supreme importance to peacefully get past the city. I knew they would be angry, but what they demanded was beyond comprehension.”
— Robb Starke
The Trident would become the main block in the route of the Starke/Lannister forces moving northward, and it was thought of heavily by the overall battle commanders. Lucerne had sent several spies into the Trident, and on the days before the Invasion fleet landed they would spread rumors that the Riverlands had gone into rebellion and there was fighting across the entire land. When the fleet reached The Trident they were stopped by the Trident forces led by Symond Frey, Ryman Frey, and Walton Frey of whom forced the leadership of the Stark and Lannister forces to meet on the docks of the city. Following this it was Jamie Lannister, Robb Starke and a few other commanders that would meet with the Frey detachment led by several prominent Freys but mainly Symond Frey would be in charge of the direction of the negotiations. The talking went better then they thought, and after believing they had permission to leave the Starke's and Lannister forces went to leave but were stopped by Symond Frey of whom told them the conditions to get through.
“Poor little Brann would be forced to live his life without any choise. Arya was going to kill me.”
— Robb Starke
The first was a major payment of gold of which they knew was coming, and the second was the marriage of two Starke's and several other nobles to Freys. Symond Frey would declare knowledge of Robb's bethrothal to Obella Martell and thus let it be known that Brann, and Arya Starke would be the two Starke's while the others would be decided later. Robb was forced to accept this knowing that the fleet could not take the Frey navy as they were not meant for heavy combat, and even if they did they would suffer terrible casualties and be unable to go any further. Agreeing to the arrangement they would leave, and as they were travelling back by boat to the fleet Jamie Lannister would insult the arrangement and Robb's failings and because of this the two got into a heavy fight which forced them to be pulled back from each other.
The Starke's had visited the island of Kul Tiras during the initial annexxation and for this reason many within the house had built some relationships with the leadership, while only Keven Lannister had visited Kul Tiras. This all added together to create a situation where the Lannisters were forced onto an uneven playing field with the Starke's.
“When we stopped for the night at Kul Tiras you knew there was going to be trouble if everyone wasn't seperated so sadly enough the fleet split into the two sides with the Starke's landing in Boralus, and the Lannisters landing in Drisburg.”
— Daelin Proudmoore
The fleet would stop for a night in Kul Tiras where they were forced to split in half so that there wouldn't be any trouble. While there Eddard Starke would meet with Daelin Proudmoore who took him throughout the capital of Kul Tiras and told him of the lands, while in Drisburg the Lannisters made little contact with the Kul Tiras people and stayed mainly on the boats. As they left it would be the next day that they would land on the islands once they got the sign that the city was under siege by the flags that House Lovie would plant on the towers of the southern gate, as well as a message arriving from a griffon of the Luftwaffe. On a normal occasion their boats would have been discovered by the Westbridge lighthouses that were located throughout the islands, and this would have led to the fleet of Westbridge ships launching to stop them, but the lighthouses were taken out of commision by the work of the Order of the Violet Dragon and thus Westbridge was blind to the ships movements. This would be the first time that the fleets of the Kreigs Marine would be used in this manner, and the hundreds of ships litterly packed themselves on the River with many ships litterly bumping into eachother because of their close proximity. The Fleet would plant anchor within range of the island, and all throughout the night the men on board waited for the flags to be raised and the griffon to arrive. When the Griffon arrived and the flags were raised the Kreigs Marine moved its ships to land on the main island.
The North Islands[]
“It was the first time many of my men had seen real combat since the conflict with Gondor, and there was some worry that they would panic under the pressure that was surely going to come our way.”
— Robert Baratheon
The attack on the northern islands was mainly an attack on the small wall estate that controlled the largest island, and its walls were small enough that the ships dropping them off would only need to make a few small holes in the wall in order for the troops to be able to spill into the estate and quickly take control of the island. The defenders were controlled by House Brand who controlled several vassals on the northern islands and was well fortified in the estate, but its vassals had been silenced by the Order of the Violet Dragon greatly weakening their defences.
“They fell like the traitorous swine that they were. You need to have loyalty and I don`t think there was a single soldier that I fought that I felt was ready to die for the cause.”
— Randyll Tarly
The troops landed on the islands without much problems but a gaurd on the wall noticed their arrival as they spilled into the homes of the people of the northern island, and when this happened the bells went off, and the estate became aware of the attack. As Randyll Tarly led his forces into the breaches created by the ships the combined vassals of House Starke made simple work of the few defenders that had managed to wake themselves up in the middle of the night. As they broke the ranks of the defenders it was Dickon Tarly that dueled Ryan Brand the heir of House Brand and defeated him but spared his life, and this caused a general surrender of the House Brand forces and the northern islands with it.
The Southern Island[]
“I had been told by the Order of the Violet Dragon that the defenders of the southern islands were mainly kept in line by the defenders of House Rangold of whom were very rich and powerful. I knew the right of control, and if I was able to best the leader of the house, and then he was knighted by me I would gain them as a Sworn House. The taking of the southern Islands were never in question once William captured the southern gate, so I knew my main purpose had to be taking control of House Rangold.”
— Hanzal Reyne
The Southern Islands were heavily populated and even more heavily defended, but its main problem was the fact that House Lovie and the Order of the Red Dragon once they broke the southern gate would be coming at them from the front, while the forces of House Reyne, and House Tarback alongside their sworn houses would be coming in from the relatively undefended rear ranks. As the siege moved to the more heavily defended bridge areas of the southern islands the Kreigs Fleet moved the vassals onto the island, and then proceeded to move towards the main contested areas where they targeted the defenders with their on board archers, and balistas. The members of House Reyne made a straight movement towards the forces of House Rangold, while the remainder of the landed forces captured the southern islands one after another before taking the defenders of the main southern gate from behind and allowing inside House Lovie, and the Waffen Army. House Reyne led by Hanzal made their way into the House Rangold esate and shocked the house by having Haznal challenging the Lord of House Rangold to a duel. The two would fight for some time but Arthur Rangold fell, and prepared to die. Hanzal offered him the choice of death or becoming a sworn house, and Arthur chose to become a sworn house, and thus Hanzal had gained exactly what he wanted with basically no losses.
The Main Island[]
The Lannisters, and the Starke's had taken the other islands, or at this point were atleast contesting them but the staunchest of resistence was assumed to be found on the main island, and thus all the heavy infantry, and the leadership were full into the assault of the main island. During the attack noone could have anticipated how effectively the Order of the Violet Dragon would have been in forming a fighting force of rebels, but their success led to a debilitating failure on the defenders as they were attacked from all sides.
“So many things can go wrong when you attack a fortress using suprise. Maybe they were all aware we were coming, and the moment we got off the boats we would be met by a hail of arrows. Maybe the siege machines would fail and we wouldn't be able to get past the walls. So much could have gone wrong, but when we landed aside from a few strong points they fell without much of a fight.”
— Jamie Lannister
While the attacks on the northern, and then southern islands were more easily accomplished it was the main attack on the largest island that would be the most interesting. It was here that the House Malfoy forces led by House Labeouf, and their vassals were the strongest, but it was also here that the forces of the Order of the Violet Dragon had become the most intermingled in the attack. When the forces of House Lannister, and House Starke made their way onto the island carefully planned rebels forces attacked Malfoy forces all across the island, and this was followed by the loyalist vassal houses openly turning against House Malfoy, and thus chaos was brewing behind the main lines as the forces of House Starke, and House Lannister engaged the forces of House Malfoy in the streets. House Malfoy was barely mobile at this point but its commanders were able to atleast launch a defence of the streets, but they were cut down as they were defending against a very well prepared and more numerous oponenet. With the death of several commanders of the defenders the defence collapsed and they begin retreating into the attackers hoping they would be able to surrender, and they were as this was part of the attackers mandate.
“He was the one I wanted since I was a little girl. My armor, and my swords had left me in a disadvantage in comparison to the dresses and beautiful ladies of Stormwind. I deffinetly never had a chance against the Martell girl.”
— Dacey Mormont
As the attacking Starke forces under Robb Starke moved forward they met with a detatchment of Mormont troops, and Robb and Dacey Mormont would chase several Malfoy men into a house where the two would battle alongside several other Starke, and vassal soldiers. Killing the Malfoy men the others left the house to continue the attack, but Robb and Dacey would remain and in the violence of the fight they begin kissing. There kissing became fevorous and they would make love amongst the dead within the house, and after they were finished Robb held her and she professed her love for him, but knew they couldn`t be together because of his relationship with Obella Martell and she accepted that. Leaving the house they joined the remainder of the mopping up and noone realized what had happened between the two lovers.
Death of Lucius Malfoy[]
“The town was burning around me, and it seemed hopeless to believe we could survive after the arrival of Severus, and the members of Hogwarts from within our ranks. Nothing to do but wait. Nothing to do but wait and hope my family surivived.”
— Lucius Malfoy
With the fall of the final gatehouse into the main city, and the quickly debarking marines from House Starke, and House Lannister the forces remaining under the command of Lucius Malfoy waited for his command, and he ordered them to retreat to the Malfoy Keep for what everyone believed was a last stand. At this moment more then half the remaining men under his command would lay their swords down instead of retreat, and thus Lucius travelled over the bridge with less then thirty men left and ordered the men to prepare for the final attack. He was reported to by a messenger that the Hall of the Deatheaters had just fallen, thus meaning their final means of escaping the city was gone as the forces of Hogwarts alongside the Order of the Blue Dragon had teleported directly inside the building after the wards had been destroyed by traitors within the Malfoy forces. With Westbridge fallen to the forces of Lucerne Lucius saw this as his chance to finally die. As his remaining men prepared to die in the last stand, he knew he had to make sure that his son Lucius wasn't going to make the same mistakes that he did. Lucius first went to his youngest son, and the only one left in his family who he felt had any morals left and told him the following.
Lucius had finally come to the end of resistence and understood it was all over for him.
“You must listen to me son. What has happened here was for the best. We are morally bankrupt, and the pain weve caused must be paid for, and I plan on making the first deposit. No matter what happens son never allow vengeance to consume you or elce you will make the mistake my brother made. I love you son.”
— Lucius Malfoy
Following this he took out his sword and walked to the center of the bridge connecting the main island to the palace, and stood waiting for the forces of Lucerne to come. His men waited around him horrified but still remaining loyal to the end, and in that moment he ordered them to lay their swords down, and return to stand with his family. After a few minutes Joshua Jackson arrived on the bridge with his men, and told Lucius to stand down and accept the surrender of the city. Lucius just laughed at them and said that his time was over, and if they had any compassion they would end him. Joshua knew something about compassion for the weak, and he ordered his men to stand down while he engaged Lucius in a duel. The two fought and as Draco watched on Lucius was killed by Joshua Jackson, and then released gently into the river.
“You just never think your hero is going to die. You always assume after reading books, and hearing stories that the hero lives. Either everything I'd ever read, or heard was a lie or my father wasn't the hero. And if he wasn't the hero that means he was the villian. And if he was the villian what does that make me?”
— Draco Malfoy
Joshua would lead his men across the bridge and find the remaining members of House Malfoy and their vassal aristocrats lying on the ground with their swords thrown away. Seeing this he ordered his men to take them into captivity until they knew what to do with them. As the House Jackson men moved to do this, Draco finally came to the conclusion that would change everything. Draco would rise from the rest of the surrendered troops and stand up. His mother would yell at him to lay down, and think about his wife who was in another part of the city, but he had to escape and so he ran from the group and climbed to the top of the House Malfoy keep. Chased by the men of House Jackson, and the now arriving Lovie forces, and the shouting of his mother he would jump from the ramparts into the water nearly thirty feet down barely missing the rocks. Hitting the water he stayed under as long as he possibly could before hiding under the outcropping of rocks so that none could see him. The Jackson men believed he was dead, and thus he managed to escape but left behind much of his family and his wife and young son.
“My King we have control of the city. Its truly happened Will, you took Westbridge.”
— Leven Martell
With the death of Lucius the capture of remaining resistence within the final Malfoy keep the city of Westbridge was well and truly fallen into the hands of Lucerne. William would meet with the commanders of the attack at the center of town, and already news filtered in about the fall of Yerness, and the numerous towns south of Wesbridge having fallen as well. Realizing he had a true victory William would have the Labeoufs brought to the center of the town where the large population of the town was brought forward, and from there he named the Labeoufs the new Arch Lords of the Grand State of Westbridge. Promicing to assist in rebuilding the city, the people would chear as the Malfoy`s and their madness was pushed out and the new Lucerne-Labouef union began.
"The Kingdom of Bolten was the first time we were ever met agressively by an oponent, and at first we were shocked at their actions. I determined quickly that they had to be stopped at any cost, and this led to our promise to defend our two major allies in the region, and a massive influx of our troops into the region."
-William Lovie III.
With the taking of Westbrige the region of Bolten became more interested in its own growth and in particular they really wanted to get the Lucernian army involved in pitch battles which they had the numbers to survive. In order to do this they begin threatening several allies of Lucerne in western Westros in the form of Koenisburg, and the town of Jeutenburg. While these threats rancheted up the Kingdom of Lucerne did exactly what the Boltens hoped they would do when they brought huge forces to bear on the defences of the Westros river crossing of Levin. The Lucernians also made it known that any action taken against their allies in Koenisburg, or Jeutenburg would be deemed a decleration of war against Lucerne itself. This promice to defend meant a lot to the two towns, and most believed that with that the conflict would be ended before any blood was spilled. This idea changed quickly when the Kingdom of Bolten sacked Jeutenburg in a massive siege that took place in the guise of a peace mission.
"The fool camped for an entire day on the words of a man he hated. He deserved what came on him that night."
-Jordin Bolten
What Ramsey did not anticipate was the fact that the moment that Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Britt Lancave and Hedrik Clegane returned to Koenisburg they sent a raven to Jamie Lannister telling him to move against the Boltens. Ramsey had not realized that Jordin Bolten had joined his army but discovered his presence and begin to plot to kill Jordin. Before he could do this Ramsey was fed falce information by Jordin Bolten about a scouting party from Grandlen nearbye which caused Ramsey to camp for an entire day and gave Jamie Lannister enough time to catch Ramsey's force on the bed of the River Creek. Jamie Lannister and his three thousand cavalry would smash into the camp of Ramsey Bolten and in less then twenty minutes nearly the entire force was massacred. It was as everything was falling apart that Ramsey Bolten would switch clothes with his servent Reek of whom he would smash the face of beyond any recegnition so that he could not be found to be not him. When Jamie entered the tent of Ramsey attempting to kill Ramsey or take him prisoner he found nothing but the supposed Reek standing over the destroyed body of "Ramsey Bolten". In that moment Jamie went to kill Reek but was stopped by Jordin Bolten who said to let Reek go as he was nothing but a slave they had captured from the Greyjoy's years past. Trusting Jordin Jamie would let "Reek" go and thus Ramsey Bolten escape the battle and made his way back to the Dreadfort.
“Green Creek led to everything. After Green Creek there was only madness, and winds that killed everything.”
— John Cole
Following the defeat of the Bolten army at the Battle of Green Creek the army of Bolten was in complete retreat, but what forces remained would move under the command of Domeric Bolten and move north of Karhold where they hoped to resist the Lannisters castle by castle until relief arrived at Karhold and pushed back the Starke`s who were incoming as well. These Bolten forces under Domeric would split into half when Domeric took much of the army including many of his finest men in order to deal with the Siege of Hornwood. With the departure Jamie Lannister would push against the castles of the area and took them hold after hold until he reached Castle Whisperwind where he sacked the castle after it surrendered to him upon arrival.
“It was either I gave the Lions what they wanted, or I watched my entire family killed and my castle burned. I did what any sane man would do. Maybe honor would have led me to é die with my family, so I guess I can forget honor under those terms.”
— Laryn Whisperwind
With Castle Whisperwind under their control Jamie Lannister would deploy some one thousand troops into the castle, of which were mainly Reyne men, while he led the main force south of the city into the forests beneath the plains that led into Castle Whisperwind. Kevan, and his son Lancel moved to the north of Castle Whisperwind and south of Hayford
The Trap[]
“The noose tightened around their neck, and for yet another time in the history of the war an entire army of Bolten was ambushed.”
— Jamie Lannister
The arrival of the forces of House Starke under the command of the Lovejoys and their command structure south of the growing Bolten army signaled the final piece of the noose around the Bolten army. The Bolten army begin movement towards defending the castle when the Reyne`s would send out Visin Whisperwind to the Bolten army telling them that the situation had changed and they needed them immediatly as the Lannisters were already besieging the castle. Not truly believing Visin the Bolten army was stopped and they sent scout out in all directions. Of these scouts nearly all returned stating seeing no signs of a trap, but some returned saying that farmers stated seeing large troop movements nearbye. At this point Tahlin Pree attempted to turn the forces back but was overriden in this decision by Paul Holmgren of whom believed his cousin`s family in Castle Whisperwind.
“As they camped for the night everyone surrounding them all knew in the morning it was over. They would walk into the path of Castle Whisperwind and then be surrounded and destroyed.”
— Sasha Lovejoy
In order to buy even more time for the Lucernian forces to move into position the envoy of Visin Whisperwind would pass on a raven from the castle saying that they should camp the night and then come in during the morning as the Lucernians appeared to be pulling away for the moment. At this point in the night several of the commanders of some of the more diligent houses including House Istin, and House Rella would attempt to form a reargaurd so that they could abandon the trap that they believed was coming, but they were not allowed to leave as Paul Holmgren, and Tahlin Pree believed they were cowards.
Defeat of House Isnet[]
“We knew the Hornwood`s were one inch from joining us, and that meant House Isnet had to be given every chance to escape the trap relatively unscathed.”
— Roland Tarbeck
While the majority of the forces moved north to deal with the very large Bolten army it was the responsibility of House Tarbeck to defeat the side army of House Isnet. Knowing that House Isnet was a vassal of their potential allies in House Hornwood the forces of House Tarbeck and their vassals were commanded to do their best not to utterly defeat the Isnet army and to try and not kill family members or lords of the army. House Isnet was on the move when the larger Tarback army appeared in front of it, but instead of charging the leadership of House Tarbeck called a parlay with the Isnet`s and met them between the two armies. Meeting together Brodin Isnet would be shown letters from Halys Hornwood where the Tarbecks indicated they wanted no violence against the Isnet`s. Unable to fully trust the Tarbecks but also believing the letter from the Hornwoods they would make the deal that the Isnet`s would move their army into the relatively nearbye Fords of Oirun where they would await word from House Hornwood. House Tarback by this point having achieved their commands would escort the Isnet army to the Fords, while taking exchanging several prisoners between their forces as signs of the deal being honorable.
The Battle[]
“Our war against Lucerne was over. It was just completely and utterly over.”
— Medger Cerwyn after hearing of Battle
Now completely surrounded by the forces of Lucerne and the wayward forces of House Whisperwind the army of Bolten would unknowingly walk farther into the trap when they marched on Castle Whisperwind. Approaching the castle they were fired upon by archers and catapults from within the walls forcing them to pull back from the castle and move back to the ambush position. By this point Jamie Lannister and the main army appeared beside them, and Paul Holmgren was quickly able to move the forces in the Lannister direction to meet them. Seeing the Lannister force was significantly larger then them he ordered defensive positions while he sent a small troop of cavalry east to get assistence from Hayford, and Bolten while sending more troops south to try and find House Isnet and their forces. While they waited hopelessly for reinforcements many of their scouts returned bringing news that forces had appeared in the north, and east and also they could see the forces streaming from Castle Whisperwind itself. Seeing himself trapped he commanded the army to split into four and defend each angle of attack. Now surrounding their enemies on four sides the main army under Jamie Lannister moved against the now horribly outnumbered southern echolon of the Bolten army. Arrows fell into the Bolten army in three waves until finally the Lucerne army would charge the dimished force. The battle would be over in minutes as they melted the moment they were attacked, and retreated. Suffering terrible casualties as they fled into the other forces of Lucerne, they would either surrender or were killed by the rampaging Lucernians.
Family Members[]
Tyrek Lannister - Second Cousin
Relationships[]
Flinter Deoloce - - - - - Enemy/Victim - - - - - Thorald and Flinter had known eachother for years with Flinter being the main merchant for the goods that Thorald sold and over the years the rich merchant Flinter constantly took advantage of the desperation of Thorald leading to a burning hatred from Thorald which eventually culminated in Thorald torturing and then executing him during the sack of Loutiville and taking his daughters as wives for his sons.
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