Chapter 12

Chapter 12

We have already mentioned and discussed the betrayal of House Greyjoy in quite some detail. However, it must be noted that they weren't the only House that was a part of the rebellion. While no other major Houses rebelled against the Targaryen regime, there were other betrayals, some of which were more individualistic and personal. And the biggest of them would have to be the betrayal of Renly Baratheon, the youngest of Lord Steffon Baratheon's sons. Little is mentioned of the youngest Baratheon in the history books before his betrayal, and perhaps this anonymity made the youngest Baratheon try and carry out a coup against his own kin.

He would be supported in his efforts by Gelsaro Ferdinand, a sellsword, who is said to share his bed, and a man from Vale called Baelish. Petyr Baelish is an interesting character and was said to be the man known as 'the Preacher', the person who tried preaching against the Royal family, specifically against their incestuous ways. He presented himself as a man of clergy, yet later details about him show that the man dealt heavily in the business of the flesh—something which the Seven forbade.

0000

RHAEGAR TARGARYEN

The sky had turned dark, and the clouds thundered as heavy rain poured down, drenching them all. The Fair Isle strait was filled with a flurry of activity as ships crashed into ships, and men cashed with men. Swords cleaved armor and shields like butter, cutting through flesh and basking the waters below into crimson red.

Yet the two forces weren't equal. Not equal at all. The Royal army was armed with castle-forged steel armor and sword. Few men among the Ironborn had proper armor, and the realm's finest swordsmen had trained fewer for years to fight collectively as an army.

Yet even in spite of such challenges, Rhaegar would have to commend the Ironborn for their stubbornness and resilience as they clashed against his men with complete abandon. There could be several reasons for such fervor, it could have something to do with their religion or their collective identity as Ironborn, or perhaps it could have something to do with the man that stood opposite to him, clad in full armor wearing his signature Kraken shaped helmet, and wielding two giant axes.

Rhaegar gripped his sword tightly as the giant man moved unexpectedly quickly and swung an axe at him. Yet all his years of training in the yard against the realm's best fighters showed results as he simply dodged to the side, leaned closer to Victarion, and swung up at his shoulder, trying to cleave his arm off.

Yet the man was faster than he expected and could swing his axe straight at his head, making him abandon the attack as Rhaegar used his sword to block the attack.

BANG!

And the sheer force of the attack pushed him back, and he saw Victarion raise his other hand, preparing to bring it down on him. So, he shifted his weight on the other foot and kicked the man in the gut.

"AGHHH" Victarion grunted as Rhaegar took a couple of steps back and to the side. He noticed how Barristan and Arthur were fighting to isolate him and Victarion. Together Victarion would have been an easy target yet Rhaegar wanted to crush the Rebellion himself.

"No man can run away from his own story," his father's words rang through his ears as he gripped his sword once more.

Victarion straightened up once more and took off his helmet.

"You must be foolish to think you can beat me at the sea. I am Victarion Greyjoy, and We are the sea itself. HAHAHA," he broke out into a cruel laugh as he swung back his hair before taking a stance again.

"I am going to end this whole farce right now. It's time the dragons learned their lesson," and with that the man charged at him faster than before. Rhaegar got into his stance. He noticed Arthur looking at him as he swung Dawn and brought down two Ironborn with a single strike.

"Rhae…" but Rhaegar cut him off as he readied his sword, as Victarion jumped, bringing down his axes straight at his head.

"NO. This is my fight!" shouted Rhaegar as he jumped back, avoiding the attack, and in an instant, swung his own sword straight at Victarion's now exposed neck. But the man raised an axe and blocked his blow, but before Victarion could attack using his other arm, Rhaegar closed the distance between their heads as he bashed him straight in the face.

"AGHH!" without armor, Victarion howled in pain as he reeled back, dropping his axe. Rhaegar picked it up and threw it at the man as he jumped after him.

Victarion's eyes widened as his own axe headed towards him, and the man raised his arms to defend his face. The axe hit his armor but couldn't fully pierce it, but the pained scream and the dripping blood showed that it had cut him nonetheless.

Rhaegar knew that this was his chance as he swung his sword at his neck, but the giant Greyjoy jumped forward and slammed his body into his, pushing them both to the floor. Rhaegar's sword dropped from his hand as Victarion sat on top of him.

"It's all over," said the man, bringing down his axe.

CRACK!

Rhaegar shifted his head to the side at the last moment, though, and he did feel his helmet crack at the side. But this had given him enough time to take out the dagger strapped to his leg.

"Yeah, it's all over now," said Rhaegar as they pushed the dagger into the man's thigh.

"AHHHHHH!" Victarion howled in Pain as Rhaegar continued to cut him up, as he pushed himself up and as Vicatrion swung his arm again, in sheer desperation and pain, he simply held it back as he took out the dagger from his thigh and aimed it right below his chin.

"Now, it's over," and with that, he plunged it straight up, and blood spluttered, and Rhaegar felt his arm limp off as the light faded from Victarion Greyjoy's eyes.

"HAAA, HAAA, HAAA," Rhaegar huffed as he pushed his massive body off of him, as he suddenly noticed pain radiating from the side of his face. He touched the side and found his helmet cut clean off, as blood covered his hand. He was injured.

0000

JAMIE LANNISTER

Jamie Lannister watched as the Ironborn men began to rattle around him and began to retreat. He glanced to the side and saw Victarion Greyjoy lying there in a pool of blood.

"AGHHH!" suddenly, a jolt of pain ran through his side, as his distraction had given Himar Drumm an opportunity to land a blow on him. Jamie was pushed back as the knight continued to attack.

"Do not let go! ATTACK!" screamed the man, and he saw Ironborn rally at his call as Jamie was pushed back. Jamie could only defend against the flurry of activity, and suddenly his foot landed on a body, and he tripped, and his heart dropped as he saw Red Rain heading straight for his neck.

But before the sword could cut him, there was a blur of white, and he watched as the infamous Dawn of House Dayne blocked the sword.

"Are you fine, Jamie!" said Ser Arthur Dayne of Kingsguard as he blocked the attack and pushed Hilmar Drumm back.

"Dayne! Finally, a worthy opponent!" snarled Drumm as he tried to attack again, but the white knight seemed unbothered by the attack and simply got in his stance. Jamie's eyes widened as he saw Arthur's sword blur through the air, and then suddenly, he was showered with blood.

"AGH!" and he watched as Hilmar Drumm dropped down, headless and dead.

"IRONBORN!" suddenly, he heard King Rhaegar scream, and he looked to the side as the new king stood there, blood dripping from the side of his face, as he held up Victarion Greyjoy's head.

"SURRENDER OR YOU ALL SHALL SUFFER THE SAME FATE!" the King screamed, and he watched as the Ironbor scuttled back and huddled as the Royal army clustered around them. They whispered and whimpered before one man finally dropped his sword and dropped down to his knees.

"We surrender! Please spare us! WE YIELD!"

0000

CERSEI LANNISTER

Cersei Lannister sat in her room, resting as she nursed her daughter. She smiled as Joan slept soundly by her side. The commotion that had begun when Robert had called for levies had ended with his departure, and now the castle was at peace. Renly had arrived a couple of days ago, accompanied by a foreign friend who went by the name of Gelsaro. And something in that man's gaze had put her off.

The way the man had been looking around at the castle did not sit right to her, and so she had informed Duncan, Robert's man at arms, to keep an eye on the man. She frowned as she thought about Renly, and Robert's youngest brother seemed to have also changed. Unlike Stannis, who was rather dour and unsavory. Renly had always had a silver tongue. He had always been a dreamer of sorts and had spent much of his time in Riverlands, where Ser Houster Tully had fostered him for half a decade before he had finally decided to venture to Essos. He had returned a couple of years ago, and had returned to Riverrun to stay with a friend there.

Robert had been unconcerned about Renly, saying it w good that he had his own circle of friends, yet Cersei found it all suspicious. Especially with the recent developments, she could feel that something was wrong.

And suddenly, her worries were proven right when suddenly the castle was filled with sounds of steel clashing and men shouting. She shifted in her bed and stood up, and walked towards the window to see what was going on.

"AMANDA!" she called for her maid as she saw down at the yard, and her heart dropped as she saw the yard covered in blood with a number of bodies strewn across several of them clad in Baratheon colors.

Her maid entered the room, shaking and white as a sheet.

"My lady, out there. We are being attacked!" Cersei's heart dropped as she scanned the courtyard again. Her mind raced as she thought of a solution.

"Send the guards outside to the library. Tell them to bring Steffon to me and have the master send ravens to all the surrounding Houses as well as the Royal family asking for aid," she ordered, and the maid nodded as she left the room to comply with her order.

Cersei rushed to her bed, gently picked up her daughter, and placed her in the cot to the side before she pushed the bedding to reveal the bottom of the bed. And there below the bedding lay a sword. Her sword. She took it out, took it out of its sheath, and swung the thing blade in the air. It had been some time since she had taken to the yard, the last time was over a year ago before she had gotten pregnant with her little Joanne, yet the familiarity wasn't completely lost.

She was broken out of her stance when her maid returned to her room.

"I have done as you ordered, my lady," and Cersei nodded as she rushed towards the window once more and saw the ruckus outside, her mind still racing as she contemplated a way to escape from this ordeal.

Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her room, and dread pooled in her gut. She immediately ordered, "BOLT THE DOOR!" she said as she walked in front of Joane's cot, her heart thumping as she prayed to the Gods above in her heart.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Who is it?" she questioned loudly as Amanda shivered by her side, and her relief filled her heart as she recognized Duncan's voice.

"My lady, it is me, Duncan. I need to speak with you," said the man, and Cersei sighed as she ordered her maid to open the door. Amanda opened the door, and Duncan entered her room with half a dozen men, armed in full plate armor, with some of them covered in blood.

"What's happening, Duncan?" she questioned him immediately, and the burly man took off his helmet as he replied.

"We have been betrayed, my lady. Ser Renly told us that he would be getting visited by some friends of his today. I felt something fishy and decided to have the retinue searched and found it armed," and she saw him hesitate a bit before he continued.

"I believe that Lord Renly has betrayed us," he finished, and Cersei gritted her teeth as she spoke up.

"What will we do?" she asked him, and the man's face became grim as he spoke up.

"The men have already infiltrated the castle, but their numbers are few. Once we regroup and get some reinforcements, we could regain control of the castle. But for that, we must move you and Young Lord and Lady to safety first," and she nodded. That was reasonable. She glanced back at the cot, at her daughter, and she nodded.

Had this been a year earlier, she would have decided to stay here and fight the invaders, but she couldn't risk the life of her precious little reassure like that.

"I have the horses prepared with as many guards as I could spare. I believe we could rid to Griffin Roost, for traveling through the sea could be troublesome with the ongoing war," and she nodded once more.

"I have also had the master send ravens to the neighboring lords and the Royal family, asking for reinforcements," Duncan nodded, and the man suddenly turned around and stiffened, and suddenly two more guards appeared outside her room. A young boy followed behind them, his black hair leaner than her eldest son, yet with those same blue orbs.

"Steffon," she called, and the boy rushed towards her, and she wrapped her arms around her little boy as she kissed him and looked him over for any injury.

"What's going on, mother? Are we being attacked?" he questioned her, and she nodded.

"Yes, but don't worry, we will be fine," and she looked toward Duncan.

"I believe we should hurry," and the man nodded. She looked back at her maid, and Amanda stood there, ready with her daughter in her hands. She nodded as the guards all put on their helmets and surrounded the three of them.

They rushed out of her room, and she was immediately with the stench of blood and gore, and she saw that the halls and corridors were littered with bodies of men and women. She hardened her heart as her guards cut off any attacker as they rushed through the carnage.

They reached the stables, and she saw that a dozen or so horses were ready, and she mounted the horse, and just as they were about to leave, they were interrupted by a rather obnoxious voice.

"And where do you think you are going?" and she looked up and found the traitor Renly Baratheon standing in front of her with half a dozen men.

0000

ELIA MARTELL

The Queen of the Seven Kingdoms sat with the dowager Queen as they discussed the latest letter from Rhaegar. In her heart, Elia was praying for Rhaegar as he waged battle in the West, yet she was confident in him that he would return triumphant.

"It is a good match," she began as she talked to her good mother and Queen Rhaella had been rather distracted throughout the discussion. She had noticed this over the last couple of days, as her good mother had seemed rather disturbed.

"Mother," she called her again, and then she finally looked towards her.

"Sorry, I missed it. What did you say, dear?" said the Queen with a smile. And Elia smiled before she spoke up again.

"I said that a match between Daenys and Jamie would be suitable, he is the heir to Lord Tywin, and Rhaegar has assured me that he seems like an exemplary young man," and the dowager Queen nodded.

"Indeed, Aery thought the same. I will bring it up to Daenys as soon as I get an opportunity," and Elia nodded before she slowly spoke up again.

"Is everything all right, Mother? You seem rather tired for the last couple of days?" she decided to ask her and the Queen waved away her concern.

"Ahh, it's nothing. I am just a bit anxious about the funeral, that's all. Hopefully, Rhaegar will return soon, and we can finally lay Aerys to rest," and she nodded even though she could sense that that wasn't everything. But she thought it better not to push. She had just lost her husband and had stayed steadfast despite all the hardships.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her chambers, and she looked up and found her good brother Aemon entering the room with a couple of guards. His face flushed with rage. And dread filled her heart as she saw that face.

"What happened?" she asked immediately. And Aemon gulped before he replied.

"Renly Baratheon has betrayed us. He has joined forces with the enemy and is trying to take control of Storm's End," and her eyes widened as she heard those words.

"GODS!" she cursed as she thought the man had betrayed his kin. Aemon was enraged as well, given by the balling of his fists.

"What are we going to do?" the dowager Queen questioned from the side.

"I have sent Stannish with as many men I could spare, and I have written to Lord Jon Connington of Griffin Roost and Lord Selwyn Tarth to immediately provide reinforcements to Storm's Ends," and Elia nodded. That seemed reasonable. Suddenly she remembered about the young Baratheon that was visiting them.

"Have you told Ormund?" and the man shook his head.

"Not yet, I didn't want to worry the boy. I was hoping you could break the news to him," and she nodded.

"I will, but do try to update me as soon as there is any update about the situation," and he nodded.

"I am doubling the guards around the castle. Please, make sure that you are with a minimum of two guards at all times," and she nodded. Rhaegar had given all such authority to him, and she knew she could trust Aemon implicitly with her and her children's life.

Yet it seems Cersei Lannister wasn't so lucky. And suddenly, she remembered the young girl she had just given birth to, and Elia prayed to the Gods above to protect the innocent little girl from all dangers.

0000

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