Eradication

277 AC

Eradication

The Lord Denys Darklyn, though he begged for mercy, along with his family and House Darklyn kin living in Duskendale were all beheaded, with no court nor trial, but rather recklessly. House Hollard; Ser Jon, his wife and son were executed together. The only life that was spared was Dontos Hollard who was only granted mercy after Ser Barristan Selmy, the man who had rescued the King himself, had begged for it. The wife of Lord Denys, Lady Serala, had her tongue and womanhood torn out, and the King ordered her burned alive. The lands and incomes that once were House Darklyn's were given to House Rykker, while House Hollard's villages were burnt, the castle was torn down and titles were taken away.

Rickard could not believe what he had just heard, his mind refusing to accept sich atrocious commands had come from Aerys, not the same Aerys he had fought alongside with. He was sat in the Great Hall on the high seat of the Kings of the North, clutching onto the arms that were decorated with carvings of snarling direwolves.

"You are sure this is what message comes from Lord Hoster?" Rickard repeated to the aging Maester in front of him. Hoster Tully had been kind enough to inform the Northern lord of what had occurred once the King had been rescued from Lord Darklyn's hold, just one of the advantages of betrothing his eldest to his daughter, Catelyn Tully.

Maester Walys nodded, "yes my lord."

He bit the inside of his cheek, would this see the end of the plans he had worked greatly to set in place? No. Brandon would still marry Catelyn Tully, and Lyanna was to wed Robert Baratheon. House Darklyn was foolish, with a foolish Lord and foreign Lady at its helm. Rickard knew time was valuable, and quick temper was no way to express anger.

House Darklyn, had prematurely tried to convince Aerys of providing them with the same luxury given to House Martell of Dorne, the freedom to reign as Princes' within their homeland. Something that could not be done without extensive planning and backing of loyal Houses.

Kidnapping the King, Rickard huffed, rolling up a scroll in front of him. He was tending to the North's current disputes, farmers not being paid enough, lords wanting to cut taxes on trade, ward offerings and the like.

He rubbed his hand on his forehead, dismissing Maester Walys with a nod as he did so. He was left alone now in the Great Hall, to think properly. Having seen fully the repercussions for outwardly defying the King, as it seemed that he had taken to not listening to Lord Tywin Lannister - his hand. Perhaps it was because many had said it was truly Tywin who held the Seven Kingdoms together, there was a truth to that statement. Tywin was the one to settle debts with the Iron Bank, the one to smooth over territory and tax disputes, he was the one who cared for the Kingdoms. King Aerys, second of his name, was the one to bolster great plans and forget about them within a moon.

"Father, father she bit me!"

"I did not! You're such a babe Ellena."

"Girls!" Rickard shushed, standing from his seat as his two daughters burst through the double doors, waking him from his deep thoughts. Why did the two find it so difficult to go to Old Nan with their issues, he rolled his eyes as they both began petitioning their sides of how their current argument had come to be.

Lyarra would have been perfect for this, Rickard thought to himself, his ears tuning his daughters' voices out.

His wife had died giving birth to their youngest, Benjen, one and ten years ago. And every day, especially when the children were in desperate need of a mother, Rickard was reminded of her absence. He refused to remarry, as not to introduce any more fights within the family, besides, he was happily content with Old Nan and their Septa as motherly figures to his five.

Rickard held his hand up as Lyanna began to pull at Ellena's hair. "Lyanna," he gave her a disapproving look.

Ellena, who had just turned ten and three, always found a way to upset the younger Stark, who was exceptionally vicious for a girl aged one and ten.

"What happened? And one at a time now." He stepped down from the high table, sitting on a step to get a better view of them both.

"I was pla-playing with-"

"She was kissing Brandon, so I told her to stop! It's disgusting Ellena!" Lyanna exclaimed, her little body bursting with anger as her older sister stuck her tongue out at her.

Oh, gods.

"And where is Brandon?" Rickard asked them, wanting to know if Lyanna's words had any claim to them.

Brandon, who was visiting his family from his place as a ward in Barrowton, had managed to already make the two fight on his first day. He was five and ten now, and every moon, Rickard received word from Lord Dustin of Brandon's development. He knew that Brandon had always been hot-headed, much different to his brother's and bastard sister but similar to Lyanna. So he was not surprised when Lord Dustin had told him of how Brandon would spend weeks in the Rills or sneaking away with Lady Barbrey Ryswell.

He was surprised when Brandon had asked him to marry the young Ryswell girl, something he couldn't allow to happen, so he refused him.

Lyanna's footsteps retreated from the Great Hall, to fetch her brother of course, and Ellena looked down at her feet in shame. Her dress, which was brown at its edges thanks to the Northern rain, had spots of embroidered flowers.

"Ellena," Rickard said, causing the young girl to squeak and cover her face in embarrassment.

She began to cry and her dark hair fell to her face as she did so. Rickard sighed, moving her hands from her face. "I just wanted to know what it was like it all." Her voice came out shaky, and her words were interrupted by her sniffs and whimpers. So they had kissed, now to see what Brandon had to say for himself.

Rickard stood as Lyanna ran back into the room. She had always opted to wear leather pants and simple tunic whenever Old Nan and their Septa had allowed, or given up in convincing her.

Brandon who was growing exceptionally fast, and tall, and big, walked confidently in behind her. His cheeks were rosy, hair tied behind his head, and right hand was placed on his newly commissioned sword.

"Yes, father?" Brandon asked Rickard, standing in between his sisters. He looked down at Ellena, who was turning red under the gaze of their father. Brandon could not help but grin, sure they had kissed, but he saw no problem in it and was annoyed when Lyanna had caught them.

Ellena had been sitting on the courtyard floor, watching Lyanna chase Benjen after the boy had something offensive to her. She enjoyed watching them fight. Rickard had made sure that she was included in all their activities, but could do nothing more as Ellena insisted on watching rather than participating herself.

"Hey!" Ellena cried out, turning to see who had pulled her hair behind her head in such an aggressive manner. "That's not funny Brandon," Ellena huffed, moving her hair from her back to the right side of her shoulder and twirling it.

He sat down next to her, comfortable on the soft grass beneath him. "Did you miss me?" Brandon asked her, watching as Benjen tripped Lyanna and they disappeared up the steps that led to the castle Keep.

"I miss Ned," Ellena responded truthfully. She had always gotten along better with him, but he had been away for six years now at the Vale. He wrote to her often, telling her what he and the other ward to Lord Jon Arryn, Robert Baratheon got up to in their spare time. Robert was to wed Lyanna when the time came, and judging from Ned's letters, he was similar to Brandon in arrogance and skill. "I missed you too, I guess." Ellena laughed, amused by Brandon's hurt ego. "How is Barrowton?"

Brandon shrugged his shoulders, "boring." They sat in silence, watching as workers of Winterfell went about their days. Some sharpening swords and other's carrying baskets of clothes to be hung and dried. "Come," he stood up, holding his hand out for her to take. She looked at him suspiciously, but stood up nonetheless and followed after him as he led them to the godswoods. "Have you ever kissed a boy E?"

She pushed Brandon, offended by his statement. "Of course I have!" Ellena lied, crossed her arms over her chest.

Brandon scoffed, doubting her words. He sat down under the shade of the large weirwood tree. "I kissed a girl," he proudly boasted. "And she has promised me her maidenhood when I return."

"Liar."

"Barbrey Ryswell," Brandon nodded back to Ellena, his eyes following her as she sat down next to him. "Who did you kiss?"

Ellena pursed her lips, unsure of what to respond with. "A stable boy."

"What was his name?"

"I don't know," she looked away from Brandon.

Brandon let out a hearty laugh, moving closer to her. "Do you want to kiss me?" She was hesitant. "What? The Targaryen's do it, and they're Kings and Queens." Ellena stayed silent, waiting for Brandon to lead the way. He placed his lips delicately on hers, moving his hands to the back of her head as he did so.

Ellena pulled away abruptly, Lyanna's voice taking her from her very first kiss. "You're so gross!" Lyanna shouted, nearing the two. Brandon rolled his eyes as Ellena stood from the floor to confront Lyanna. The younger girl was quicker, and she pinched Ellena before running back to the courtyard. "I'm telling father!"

"Did you kiss her Brandon?" Rickard asked. Brandon had grown so tall he almost levelled with Rickard, and it impressed him.

"No," Brandon responded confidently.

The silent hall was awoken with a sharp slap. Rickard had slapped Brandon across his cheek, a bright red mark appearing on his pale face. Brandon looked ahead rather than at his father, his confident mood changing into one of anger and annoyance. His grey eyes refused to lift up and listen to his father as he spoke.

"You are never to do such a thing, do you both understand?" Rickard asked the two, looking at Ellena now. Rickard slapped Ellena next, and she grabbed her cheek in shock, gasping as her father's hand stung her skin. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, father," Ellena responded, clutching onto her cheek as she ran from the room, Brandon followed closely after her, his footsteps growing quieter.

Rickard turned to Lyanna. "And you, are not to spy on anyone, alright?" Rickard told Lyanna, ruffling her hair as he did so.

Lyanna smiled proudly, standing on her tiptoes and holding her hands behind her back. "Understood."