168
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299 AC
Summer Isles - Ebonhead
Eragon Targaryen
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Looking at the plan laid out by Lord Velaryon that arrived today I smile seeing how the Crownlands are practically already under House Targaryen. The only castle not under the dragon's banner is the Red Keep itself which is kind of funny seeing how House Targaryen made it. But it won't be too long before the dragon reclaims the Red Keep and I finally get to see it in person. I look forward to walking the halls of the Targaryens long passed on and gone, to see the work they did with my own eyes.
It will help to plan the future and what is to come, to see where they went wrong, and then plan to not let it happen again. With dragons back in the skies I am sure it will be impossible to happen the same way. No armies will rise to face annihilation on the field to dragon fire after all. If we make a new Harrenhal out of one of the traitor Lords we could ensure it sticks in their mind better as well.
It would be a waste to do it to Storms End or Casterly Rock, but they are not the only traitors anyway.
I want to see a vast majority or even all of the Stormlands annexed to not only improve the direct amount of men sworn to the throne but also teach a lesson. If the Stormlands die off and become a part of the Crownlands everyone else will be scared of it happening to them and keep their mouths shut. If they don't then they can get annexed as well, then one army will be formed to keep everything in order and to keep the peace.
But that is not something to do immediately, there is a lot of damage to heal and that takes priority.
The Reach needs to be left out of war as much as it can be, we need their stores of food to remain untouched. It will be important in the aftermath of the reclaiming of Westeros and making sure no one starves. If the common folk all start starving it will be a horrible start to the return of the dragon and it will be remembered more than the indulgent Stag King making everything so bad to begin with.
The people will expect aid, it's not exactly fair to House Targaryen but after all the shit Targaryen Kings it is natural they will have their eyes on us. We have dragons to keep them in line but I would rather them not be bent for fear as much as possible. I won't stop fear from being used or hold back when it needs to be used but I would rather it not be used, it seems hurtful in the long run.
I would rather people not think of Targaryens as Mad and Cruel and instead think of us as Kind and Benevolent.
"You feeling fine?" Visenya asks as she ruffles the wolf at her side and I nod.
"We will be leaving soon." She smiles and I can see the joy in her eyes.
"I look forward to seeing Dragonstone, I will miss what has been built here but we will see it again one day." We will, especially when things calm down in Westeros we will come back to our new lands.
"It would be a shame to not see the Beauty of these islands ever again." I look out the window seeing dragons lazing across strong stone rooftops and the daylight making their scales look like gems.
The Summer Isles has started to feel like home just as much as Braavos was to me, both places I will see again. Dragons are fast after all and I certainly will have time enough to see all the sights the lands hold.
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299 AC
Dorne - Sunspear
Doran Nymeros Martell
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I sigh watching my daughter rock her babe and push aside the thoughts of war.
Things are slowly coming into place and we will soon see our goals met, we will see the heads of our enemies roll. The men heading through the Stormlands are making good progress and things look good. No one as of yet has stirred from their castles as far as my network has been able to see, a good sign. The Lords of the Stormlands are split between the Baratheon brothers and also not wanting to oppose the dragons who are rising.
No one wants to be against the dragons even if they are still 'small' as they all know they will grow. Once they are grown every man has heard the stories of what they can do, and no one wants to face them.
Little Nymeria, I still can't help but chuckle at my daughter using that name for a few reasons. She already has a cousin with the name and she still used it regardless since she wants her daughter to be a 'Nymeria'. I also hope the babe will take after her ancestor and will have just as sharp of a mind as Nymeria. She will need it with how things are shifting around and pieces are moving into places that are hard to predict. Hopefully, she will have an easy life and not have to worry about too much.
But I am not confident it will turn out that way, so I will keep my eyes open to see what I can do to help my Granddaughter.
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299 AC
Stormlands - Storms End
Stannis Baratheon
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The Dornish.
They took no time to sway House Grandison of Grandview and now are pressing on, either for Griffin's roost or for Storms End. The raven I received telling me of the current state of Grandview was the last I have gotten in days. It is like Storms End has been cut off from the rest of Westeros... it bears ill for the state of the war.
I do not fear though, with the number of men I have in Storms End and the food we have stocked up there is nothing to fear. At worst we will be sieged and we will hold the castle, just as I did in my brother's rebellion only this time I am prepared to defend my home.
Renly is in the wind as well, I do not know if he will try to rouse some men from the other Houses of the Stormlands or not. He might even join the Dornish for all I know at the price of being seated in Storms End once more. He might also be dead in a shallow grave somewhere, I know not but it does not matter as of now. The only thing that matters is holding this castle and trying to sway people to my side to defend my lands.
It should not be hard to fire up the Stormlands after the Dornish persists in their attack, old hate will rise them to their feet. The North is not the only kingdom to remember and the Stormlands will never forget how the Dornish have attacked time and time again. This will be yet another failed attempt on their part once the men see it for what it is and make a move.
If it does not happen I am sure at some point in the siege that I know is surely coming I will be able to negotiate a good deal. The Dornish are on the side of the dragons and the dragons are after the Iron Throne, they won't want to waste time sieging a single castle. Their dragons should not be big enough to burn a castle so their only option is to negotiate and I will secure my seat. Lord of the Stormlands as I should have been after my brother was crowned.
That does leave me with the problem of finding a match for my young daughter so she can have a good match. She is my heir and will be Lady of Storms End, she needs to have a strong match to ensure she has a good position. This is of less importance to securing Storms End but it is also high on the list of priorities, there will be a lot of marriages after the war.
Lords and Ladies will be forging new alliances to secure what they have or gained and so it will be the time to secure someone for my daughter as well.
I shake my head and turn to the man standing beside me.
"Send for more scouts, the last group has not sent word in days and they are likely dead. Have the men sent out told to prioritize staying alive and giving any information over trying to get as close as they can. I would rather something over nothing at this point..." A stiff nod before he bows and turns to leave lets me know he will get the job done.
It is just a waiting game at this point.
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299 AC
North - Winterfell
Eddard Stark
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Reading everything that was set aside over the last few days I feel a deep dread settling into my bones. The Neck is fortified with as many men as my Son could get in place but the Westerlands forces are moving in fast. They burned and destroyed anywhere they stepped in the Riverlands and Lord Tully is furious.
But even with that being the case things will change quickly, they won't get through and now there is a report of the Ironborn attacking the Westerlands. They are raiding and stealing away the undefended women that stayed home while their husbands went to war. If that does not turn around the Lions to march back home I do not know what will, but it is also a good opportunity for us to further reinforce Moat Calin.
It could also be what is needed to end the conflicts here and now, things won't settle easily but this might be what starts it. If the Lannisters turn around they will show their backs and after they angered the Riverlands I don't think they will want to let the opportunity go. If the Targaryens are able to get their support or support them themselves through their allies then the Lannisters might get killed off from this move. The Ironborn are helping the dragons either purposefully or unintentionally, the Vale might move in during this chaos.
The Vale will be making a move sooner rather than later, they either will go for the Lions or Kingslanding. Dorne is unknown to me at this point other than they are marching into the Stormlands. I am sure that will keep the Stormlands forces distracted and they won't be helping anyone at this time other than themselves. So it all comes down to who makes the first move to strike someone down, and I think with the Lion's current position they will be striking or getting struck.
If the North is attacked at the Neck we will easily beat them back as all the previous attempts of Andals invading have gone. But it would be a good opportunity to attempt to take them down, and if I can get the Tullys to muster their forces so that they can attack the rear we can finish them here and now. The Lannisters won't settle at this point, they have shown their fangs when they marched through the Riverlands and they can't hide them now.
The problem will be making sure neither the North or the Riverlands takes too much damage going forward. We are all we have together when it comes to staving off the Targaryens who will likely want some blood for the past rebellion. We will need to preserve as much strength as possible to get a good deal from the Dragons when the smoke of war clears. Things have gone horribly, I just wanted to keep the North out of this mess but it is far too late to regret decisions made.
Winter is coming and the days grow cold as the bodies stack on the field of war.