War

Both brothers knew that battle was approaching, both their respective King and Queen knew this very fact and so began the war for Westeros.

Loren's forces took the first steps, marching a vanguard of four-thousand towards the borders between the Reach and the Stormlands and set camp southwest of Fawnton. The force began launching raids, quick attacks on patroling Targaryen forces while they waited for the main forces to arrive.

Alas, Tyrion using his brother's spies to his advantage, leaked knowledge of him leading a great force towards Bitterbridge and from there attack and seize Tumbleton.

This act of cunning was relayed to the vanguard force under Ser Flement Brax and the young Lord Jon Cafferen. Feeling an urge to gain spoils and glory, the two took thirty-five hundred warriors down the Blue Byrn and wait to ambush Tyrion and his forces.

It proved foolhardy, Tyrion didn't arrive, but two-thousand led by Theon Greyjoy crossed the Mander and neared Bitterbridge when Flement and Jon launched their attack despite the night concealing the force across the river.

five-thousand hardened soldiers under Harmen Uller and Obara Sand, the Dornish spears were like a dagger in the night as they tailed the Lannister vanguard which fell for their encirclement. A bloody massacre occurred with the Targaryen forces losing only forty men out of the Lannister force who lost nearly half and the rest fled, leading them towards their camp which included a route that lost the Lannister's some much-valued territory.

Fawnton fell to Tyrion's plot, enraging Loren who had just left King's Landing with his men.

Not to be outdone by his brother, Loren devised a plan of his own by sending falsified documents to House Florent, a family that seized Highgarden when Loren abandoned the territories after Dorne was lost.

Expecting his brother to have laid traps along the road, Loren split five thousand men from his army to creep South and lay siege to the fallen Fawnton who will have their eyes set to the Roseroad, the Hand of the King charging Loras Tyrell in commanding them.

Taking his remaining forces, Loren marched North and followed safely towards Tumbleton which he took as his base of operations against Tyrion.

Preparing seven-thousand, he charged Merlon Crakehall with marching down the Mander toward's Bitterbridge and let Tyrion's patrols see them coming. The host stopped and waited three days for the expected arrivals who had Tyrion with them, "Something is not right, my brother wouldn't be this reckless." He was right.

With Tyrion left unaware of the battle at Fawnton, the defenders surrendered without a fight, Ulwyck Uller did so to save his men and was quickly taken and sent to King's Landing... Only after he was gone had Loras executed all three thousand defenders inside.

Tyrion cursed his brother and the two adversaries would stalemate for the next several weeks with little skirmishes and battles taking place around the Mander and the Roseroad.

At Loren's base, he had gathered his commanders to speak on the one factor they worry about... Daenerys.

He's charged Addam Marbrand's home forces to keep an eye out for ravens, riders on the road, and even boats going up and down the many rivers. He had even waited more than three months before launching this campaign, taking into account the risks of being on the bad end of a surprise attack if this Night King doesn't completely annihilate his enemies.

Lord Serrett's son, Archibald sighed in annoyance. "It was bad enough that Lord Tyrion is a formidable tactician, but he's had three months to dig in and fortify key strongholds such as Bitterbridge, Longtable, Cider Hall. We would have to take these before we even get to Highgarden." He regretted not burning these castles down, then his brother would have nothing to protect him.

Gritting his teeth, Loren glared with anger at young Serrett. "Tyrion is no Lord, he murdered my father and if you should so much as utter that title with the Imp again then you'll share his seat at the headman's block." He threatened and quieted the young man, then he returned his eye to the table where a map was placed to plan his next move.

His last battle with Tyrion is approaching, and his little brother is letting his stew and wait whilst he fortifies and waits at Bitterbridge.

Far from Tumbleton, at Bitterbridge's keep sat Tyrion with Lord Uller, Theon and Asha, and Lady Ellaria Sand and Obara Martell. The Hand of the Queen removed a dragon off the table, after the last battle at the Blue Byrn just two days ago which lost them three-thousand men and Tyene Martell who led them.

His and Loren's forces are yet even, slightly less so with how he's pulled some forces back to Longtable and Cider Hall as a pair of gates to defend Highgarden- Daenerys power base.

He's sent riders North to let the Queen know of the situation and sent ravens too, but after this many weeks, he's concluded they didn't make it. Now, he's finally using Varys little birds to inform the Queen but that's getting more and more difficult.

War is spreading throughout the Reach, so that meant the people are leaving the Kingdom or going to Oldtown or towards the Westerlands where Loren has no doubt set men on the roads and paths to check all for spies.

He'd go by ship but the Redwyne fleet travels up and down the Western coasts and ports and islands, their own fleet is still in anchor in Dorne and the Stepstones.

"Still no word from the Queen?" Theon asked and he shook his head, the last one that came from Winterfell informed them that the dead are marching fast on the Wall, that the forces fortified Winterfell to make their stand against the Night King.

Damon Lannister and Mace Tyrell lead the Lannister and Tyrell soldiers, his cousin and Lord Tyrell could very well possibly be turned with Damon away from Loren's influence.

"The inevitable battle with the dead is fast approaching, our own time becoming slimmer in taking out Loren and seizing King's Landing. We just need to defend, wait for Loren- " Obara spoke up, angered over him mentioning his brother.

"Listen, Imp! I say we throw our entire force at Loren, we have the morale and the rage... He made sure of that." He sighed in shame, remembering the defeat from a couple of days ago.

The army at Fawnton led by Loras Tyrell started to push South after Ulwyk's miserable surrender to save his own skin, Tyene Martell and her forces were stationed at Grassy Vale- The seat of House Meadows who died during one of the various small scale battles here.

Harmen Uller rode fast to get to his step-granddaughter, alas when they made it to the castle, they saw the Lannister flag raised above the castle gates, and below it was a naked and bruised Tyene Martell and it was enough to assume she died after being taken and raped numerous times.

The Dornish are agitated, angered, and hungry for revenge.

"Just throwing our men at them is what lost you a thousand of yours after the fall of Grassy Vale." Asha turned to face him next, "I understand the Queen wants us to hold our ground, but we don't have the resources and we're losing the men. I vote to pull back to Nightsong- " Harmen spoke up, accusing the Greyjoy heiress of being a cowardly raider with no intellect.

The bickering began to ensue, Tyrion looked and felt exhausted before falling from his seat and onto the floor.

Winterfell 

Damon pulled his furs closer, cursing the snow and cold weather that they faced all throughout their journey to the North.

Jon Snow's proven a valiant and sensible young man, sort of what he saw in Jaime without the smart remarks and such. His battle plan to defending and fighting the dead is doable, efficient though he had to insist the siege weapons be pulled further back and setting their cavalry better so as to not waste them on the first several moments of combat.

Daenerys and all the others took his advice with a grain of salt, becoming distant as soon as he arrived in this castle with his co-commander, Mace Tyrell who ogled the ancient look of Winterfell.

"I can't stand this cold," Mace complained for the fourth time since they got here, it was starting to irritate him.

"Maybe you should've packed more furs, my Lord." He suggested and the older man grumbled a response before continuing.

"I shouldn't have been picked for this, I should be in the Reach and fighting for my home- It's Loren who should be here." He tensed at the man calling out his cousin, the first time since arriving in this place.

Since the Coup by Jaime and Cersei, then the Incident at Riverrun and the Scarring of the Stormlands he didn't realize how calm and serene it's been not to be around Loren's cruelty and malice, it was refreshing.

He'll serve out his cousin's orders, for as long as he needs him but once that time comes to an end he will be taking a very long absence from public life- Perhaps a trip to Essos or find a quicker way to come back here and perform his duties as the new Warden of the North.

With his cousin's mistress, the 'key' to the North, and his foothold over the people here.

He felt the flapping of wings and turned around, a raven landed on the window and he took the letter that was meant for Daenerys. Damon opened it and read its contents, tensing as it informed on the 'dire' situation brewing in the South as Loren has begun his invasion of the Reach.

"She can't know about this, we have to give Loren enough time to destroy Daenerys foothold in the Reach." He said to his partner, Mace bristled at the notion of all this.

"When are we going to try less trickery against our enemies and more honor into how we secure victory, it's too shameful." He would like to agree with Lord Tyrell, perhaps more within their faction are tiring of the backstabbing and political plotting that's led to so many needless deaths.

When will Loren revert back to a simple man of ambition, then a madman hungry for all the power regardless of who gets in the way?

King's Landing 

Margaery observed Sansa and her 'guards' following around the garden, Cornelia cooed into her feeding on her breast which pulled her away from the observations.

She couldn't help but be happy, she was pregnant once more with Loren's child and a son will no doubt come this time... It has to.

And her friend, Sansa is growing bigger and getting closer to her time before she delivers a child to Loren. She hopes it is also a son, a spare should anything happen to her own child though she prays day and night for that to never happen.

"My Lady, your supper." She ushered Mira away with Cornelia, having her taster come inside and trying her food before she even thinks about sitting down and when the taster showed no change, she ate her meal in peace.

Things like tasters are needed during times of peril and war, one such peril still shows herself a fool.

Shireen Baratheon, the young Queen, and King Tommen finally shared a bed a month before Loren left to campaign. She has also shown signs of being with a child and she hopes the poor thing doesn't come out hideous like its mother but handsome like its father.

So many children being conceived in such a troublesome time, she smiled and rubbed her stomach. "The next generation is arriving, a new era is about to begin and you, my son, will be the catalyst for such a great change."

Qyburn entered and she quickly set down her cup, "What is it?" She asked of the Master of Whispers.

"I have set to plan what Loren and you spoke about, our arachnid problem is soon to be dealt with as we speak." A smile crept across her lips, she nodded and continued to eat whilst the man left her company.