Seven Kingdoms - A Game of Thrones MultiplayAAR
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House Targaryen
Part 8: 23-25 AL
Part 8: 23-25 AL
One king, seven kingdoms. With Dorne annexed by the Targaryens, the words finally rang true. There was no longer any doubt if Aegon the Conqueror truly was the rightful king of Westeros: he'd forged that title with fire and blood. But all he'd accomplished had had its price, and taking Dorne was no exception. While he had the whole Westeros backing him in the invasion and the odds were highly in their favor, still thousands had perished in the war. Their demise was not because the spears of the Dornish, no; the Battle of the Ghost Hill was the only notable fight during the whole war, and even that Aegon had won decisively. It was from illnesses spreading among the invader ranks that slowed them down, only to let the burning sun and the hot deserts of Dorne finish the job. Thousands had perished, among them the Conqueror's own brother and Hand of the King, Lord Orys Baratheon of the Stormlands.
But the horrors of war were behind now, with whole Westeros united with fire and blood. Out of respect for his fallen friend, King Conqueror took his namesake, Orys' son and heir as his ward with the intention to raise the young Baratheon to be as great man as his father. A bargain had been struck between the Conqueror and Lord Loren Lannister, and so the natural born grandson of the Lord of the Westerlands took a place as the King's ward as well when it was time to return home from the war. But instead of leaving his grandson alone in a foreign court, Lord Loren also travelled to the capital with the royal fleet to take up the position as the new Hand of the King, replacing the deceased Lord Orys. The capital was a familiar place to Lord Loren for he'd spent some time in the past serving in the small council as the Master of Coin. King Aegon had dismissed the Lord of Casterly Rock from the position when Queen Visenya had insisted, but to make it seem less like an insult the Conqueror had also given his daughter Elaena to be fostered by the Lannisters. Princess Elaena had grown to be a brilliant steward and Aegon had left her in charge of the realm as he went to war. With Lord Loren taking the spot of the Hand of the King, the teacher and the student had come to sit around the same table in the service of the crown.
Elaena had given birth to a son, Maelys Targaryen, just before Aegon had invaded Dorne. Despite becoming a mother and having duties to her newborn child, she'd found the time and patience to concentrate on sitting on the Iron Throne in her father's absence. The times of war are seldom good for a realm's coffers, but with Elaena in charge of the capital the kingdoms were making profit instead. She put most of the extra money to build more ships to join the royal fleet. The Targaryens already ruled the lands and skies of Westeros, but with their power at sea growing, they also extended their reach over the Narrow Sea.
The Crown Prince Maelys Targaryen had answered the call and headed to war with his father despite becoming one just recently before Aegon's invasion. The prince had made a name for himself and earned his spurs during the war - and lived to see the end of it. Now that he was back at the capital, he was finally given the time with his son and the wife who he'd grown to love in time. While Elaena and Maelys were blessed with happiness, Aegon struggled to please his sisters. Though there were two queens in Westeros, there was no doubt which of them was the one in truth. While Rhaenys had given Aegon only daughters, Visenya was the mother of Crown Prince Maelys and Prince Aerion. Rhaenys had never gotten over that fact, and time had turned her into a bitter old woman.
Perhaps wanting to prove to the warrior king that she was as much a fighter as her sister, Rhaenys gathered sellswords to her cause and went out to carve out a realm of her own. The Stepstones, a group of islands located between the Disputed Lands and Dorne, were commonly used as hideouts by pirates and smugglers. The location of the chain of islands is what made it so important; all the merchant ships sailing between the Narrow Sea and the eastern lands need to pass by it. Whoever controlled the islands controlled the trade between Westeros, Essos and the Free Cities. The pirates had never managed to exact a toll with anything but cold steel, but if the one controlling the islands had a dragon at hand he - or in this case she - could easily persuade the passing merchants to pay tribute.
Seeing what an opportunity Rhaenys' plan held, Aegon offered assistance to his sister in her conquest like she'd done to him years earlier. Together they rode to war as Queen Visenya was left at the capital, along with the rest of the royal family. As Lord Commander Greatheart had been maimed in the Battle of Ghost Hill, Aegon named his son and heir Maelon the new master at arms of the Red Keep. The eldest son of the Conqueror had done enough, and the King deemed it best to leave him in the capital with his son and wife instead of taking him once again with him to war. While being left behind didn't please Prince Maelon, being given a new position and a place in the Small Council did help to appease him.
Hand of the King Loren Lannister ruled in Aegon's name as the Conqueror helped his sister in her war. While the pirates fought and burned or fled and lived, the Starks of Winterfell once again caused headache to the ones down south in the capital. Lord Brandon had imprisoned his lady wife Lanna Lannister for one reason, and Lord Loren didn't hesitate to react. While King Aegon was fighting a war, the Hand of the King declared a war to rescue his daughter from captivity. But before he could test the strength of the Westerlander army against the defences of Moat Caillin and the men holding it, Lord Brandon released his lady wife from the dungeons of Winterfell, bringing an end to the war before it had truly even began. The lion was released from her cage, but not from her vows to the wolf. Despite all that had happened, Lady Lanna remained at Winterfell.
Rhaenys' conquest soon came to an end, for no army could match the combined fury of Balerion and Meraxes. Though Rhaenys was proclaimed the Queen of the Stepstones, her realm consisted only of a single island. She made Sunstone her seat while all the other islands were added to the vast kingdom of Westeros to be ruled in King Aegon's name. The fact that Aegon seized control of the rest of the Stepstones disappointed the Laughing Dragon for she had planned to press her claim over them. The Conqueror, true to his nickname, had robbed her of that. But even though her plan to become the sole ruler of the Stepstones hadn't come true, she took her newly-gained position seriously and began ruling her island of Sunstone. Every slave, captured from raids done by the pirates, were given freedom. Most of them returned where their home once was, but some settled down and became citizens of their liberator's realm.
The fact that the Stepstones were located near the Broken Arm made Dornishmen targets for the pirates. Bringing an end to all the troubles they'd caused helped in making the Dornishmen accept their new king. Princess Obara Martell, a sworn enemy of the Conqueror, even sent a message to King's Landing to comment how the King had done a great service to her people. But though it seemed that the relations between the crown and the Dornish were getting better, a snake is still a snake even if it won't bite. A former lowborn slave Jojen who Aegon had free'd from the Stepstones, now the King's newly-appointed Master of Whisperers, had been sent to Sunspear to keep an eye on the Martells. He'd discovered that Obara's prince consort, a man named Perros, was plotting to murder one of Obara's distant relatives. The message Aegon received didn't explain whether the Princess of Dorne was also part of the plot.
Words of wisdom are said to be a powerful weapon but the only one the Conqueror knew how to use was a sword. Pretending he did not know about it might've helped in keeping the relations between the Targaryens and the Martells going to a better direction. But the Conqueror was a soldier, not a diplomat. There was no room for mercy for the wicked in his heart, and so Prince Consort Perros was brought in chains to King's Landing. Before the Martells could plead for mercy, Aegon ordered Hand of the King Loren to hold a trial for the Dornishsman. Based on the evidence found by the Master of Whisperers, he was found guilty and sent as far from Dorne as possible - to take the black.
The true reason for Jojen's presence in Sunspear was now clear to everyone, and so it was no surprise when the Master of Whisperers soon died in 'a boat accident' when on his way back to the capital. To make sure the same wouldn't happen to his son and heir, Aegon assigned Ser Clarence Crabb of the Kingsguard as the personal bodyguard of the Crown Prince Maelon who recently had been the Lord of Dragonstone. The title was only formal however as Maelon's duties as the master at arms of the Red Keep bound him to the capital.
It can not be said that things got more peaceful in Westeros now that there were no more lands to conquer. The Tullies of Riverrun turned one another and the Riverlands bled once more. Lord Melwyn had the numbers and it was clear that sooner or later his younger brother Mathis would have to give up, should he not find allies to back his plans to overthrow Melwyn from his seat. As no request for intervention came to the capital, Aegon decided to let the Tullies finish their dispute with swords. Even if a peace could be settled with diplomacy, the house of Tully would be divided. In the end, there can only be one big fish. While Mathis was an excellent steward and would no doubt make a fine Lord of the Riverlands, his elder brother was an experienced soldier who'd received his training from none other than Lord Orys Baratheon himself.
Orys himself had been Aegon's most loyal bannerman and a friend and his son and the King's namesake wanted to rise as high and prove himself worthy of his father's legacy. Lord Aegon was daily seen out on the yard of the Red Keep, practicing swordfighting - at the cost of his lessons with the Grand Maester. The boy was as strong as his father had been at the same age, and his skills at combat and the scar he'd received as a child only strenghtened Aegon's reputation among the young of the Red Keep.
King Aegon's other squire, Alyn Hill, was a good-natured boy but lacked all the excellency with swords. His father Ser Lyman the Lionknight was as brilliant at fighting as the Prince of Dragonstone, but it seemed that Alyn could never hope to reach the same level. Hand of the King Loren noticed the same and tried to take the things into his own hands, forcing Alyn to train harder. It proved a great mistake and only made the boy more reluctant, turning him into a lazy lad who had lost even the little interest he'd earlier had for learning to fight. Both the King's sons had grown up excellent soldiers, but failing in teaching Alyn made King Aegon question what he truly was capable of.
Even more Targaryens came to the world when Princess Valaena, the widow of Lord Owen Tyrell and the current wife of Prince Aerion Targaryen gave birth to twin daughters. Despite Valaena's history of giving birth to stillborn children, both girls were born healthy.
With his master at whisperers dead in a suspicious accident, Aegon needed another one to take the spot. To bind the Ironborn more closely to the crown, the King decided to offer the spot to Lord Harren Greyjoy. His father Lord Vickon had served as the Conqueror's first Master of Whisperers but had died only a year later in circumstances that never had become clear. When the Lord of the Iron Islands came to the capital, the city of King's Landing was a changed place. The young lad who once had come to the royal court as Lord Torrhen Stark's ward now arrived to a city twice as big as it had been back then. The Red Keep was still under construction, but large proportions of it were already at use and the palace by the bank of Blackwater Bay was truly a seat worthy of a king.
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Interesting to see the Tully brothers go at each other, since they seemed to be pretty good friends 10 years ago.
Bryan Tyrell
21st through 22nd Years Since Aegon's Landing
Only days after the wedding, war would return to the Seven Kingdoms. King Aegon had now decided to bring Dorne under the Targaryen banner. Bryan, owing the king for giving him control of the Reach had no intention of declining the order to join the war.
In early June as the full might of the Reach converged on Highgarden Ser Franklyn brightling, a courtier serving one of the petty lords of the Reach requested that he come to Highgarden to serve Bryan. Giving his genius intellect and martial ability, Bryan accepted his request.
Further good news for Bryan arrived at the end of June, Cyrenna was found to be pregnant and the future of house Tyrell seemed less bleak. During the following months the full military might of the Reach marched into Dorne through the Princes pass. Over 20000 men laid siege to the Tower of Joy with the siege being led by Bryan himself, the remainder of the Tyrell forces which consisted of roughly 10000 men were led by Edwyn Roxton, Samwell Tarly and Ganton Greyshield. The objective of this army as set out by Bryan was simple. They were to catch any Dornish forces that escaped the other armies of Westoros while the remaider of the Reach forces continued to siege the Tower of Joy.
The war dragged on, and defeat was imminent for the Dornish. They had no allies and despite their best efforts, thousands of men poured into Dorne by land and sea. By the 6th of January 22AL the Tower of Joy had fallen and victories continued to come in thick and fast for Aegon. Later that month on the 24th of January the future of house Tyrell was secure, a son was born to Bryan and Cyrenna named Bryon.
May arrived and news reached Bryon that Samwell Tarly leading a force of 6000 Reachmen had cornered 4000 Dornishmen in the county of High Hermitage. The Dornish were lead by Ulwyck, the ruler of the Tower of the Sun in Sunspear, he commanded the centre of the Dornish force. The commanders of the flanks were courtiers by the names of Artos and Syrio.
The battle itself began with a skirmish, with each side trying to get the measure of the other. The Dornish had the advantage of hills to aid them. They rushed forward and briefly skirmished with the Reachman before retreating up the nearby hills to exhaust them. The sun beat down on both sides and many Reachman wearing heavy armor collapsed in the heat unable to rise again. The Dornish who wear much more lightly armed and armoured seemed to fight harder under the scorching sun. The Reachman soon formed a line and charged the Dornish, they assumed that this was a suicidal charge and quickly formed their own line to counter the charge. However when both sides clashed it quickly became apparent that the numerically superior Reachmen where making quick work of the light equipped Dornishmen. Ulwyck gathered his forces for an impressive last stand and many Dornish fought until they were brutally cut down by the Reachmen. The Dornishmen quickly routed under the tide of foes and roughly only 1300 men were able to flee the field. The Reach lost only 1500 men in the battle.
By October 22AL the Dornish were forced to surrender and the seven kingdoms were now united under one king, Aegon Targaryen.
Only 1 or 2 chapters to go until I have used up all the images from the second session. I'll try and get the next chapter done over the next two weeks.
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Oh huzzah, a new generation of Tyrells, up for a meeting with the cruel, heartless axe of fate.
I'm trying something new this time with titles.
Chapter 6: Harren VI
Crouching Modder Hidden Sword
30 AL
Harren was leaning over the railing on the ship he'd hired as Fashbinder approached and spoke. "Say, Lord Harren, I've been meaning to ask why you hired a merchantman instead of sailing with the Iron Storm."
Staring pointedly at the deep water, Harren replied. "You know, I don't rightly know myself. Divine will perhaps."
Fashbinder grunted and leaned over also. A long time passed until Fashbinder spoke again. "Say, Lord, isn't that another ship on the horizon?"
Harren glanced up and squinted. Yes, that was another ship on the horizon, flying the... skull and crossbones. Of course. Harren groaned. "Amateurs. They bring a bad name to pirates and reavers everywhere." Harren straightened. "I'll warn the captain. When those idiots come over here Fashbinder, kill their captain." The man nodded.
The time before the pirates caught up was surprisingly boring. Neither ship had archers, which was an impressive display of idiocy on the parts of both captains. Harren had enough time to go and raid the ship's store of alcohol - not that he did.
The pirates themselves were rather lackluster. Unfortunately, so was the ship's crew. The two exceptions were Fashbinder and the enemy captain. Their fight was exquisite and beautifully terrible, but Fashbinder slipped up. He got caught in an awkward parry and the enemy captain ran him through. Luckily for Harren and the crew, however, Fashbinder lived long enough to stick his axe into the pirate captain's head before he gurgled blood and collapsed, dead. The pirates quickly lost heart after that, and were driven off, albeit at a high cost. The survivors were barely sufficient to act as a skeleton crew, but it was enough.
Or, well, WAS enough. When a storm sprang up a day away from Valyria, the ship started to break. Masts snapped and the hull cracked, and the crew was too undermanned to save the ship. With a loud crack, the center mast broke and toppled onto Harren, knocking him unconscious and sealing the fate of the ship.
Harren woke up an indeterminate amount of time later on a sandy beach. Coughing as he emerged from the surf, Harren looked around for survivors and found none. Instead, he found a jungle. Grimacing, Harren strode through the jungle. Cursing his ill luck, Harren almost missed the giant snake that descended to consume him. Harren managed to avoid being wrapped up in its voluminous mass, but its fanged maw caught Harren on the shoulder as he ran. A wild swing from Harren detached the snake, but his shoulder burned from the bite. He ran for what seemed hours, and finally stopped, panting, outside a dark cave. Seeing no other course of action, Harren entered and sat down to rest. He bound his wounds with what remained of his soggy clothes, and lay down to sleep, too tired to care about his surroundings.
He woke up feeling terrible. His shoulder was burning something fierce, but Harren gritted his teeth and bore it. He felt around the cave until he realized it was too unnatural to be one. All the walls were straight and dark, and it turned out to be a square passageway. Continuing through in a haze, Harren found a mural on the wall. Its contents were confusing - something about dogs and crows and direwolves. It made little sense to Harren in his state, and he eventually continued on. A short distance later, he came across three square pillars with a single lever before them.
Each of the four faces bore an animal - a crow, an eagle, a dog, or a direwolf - and the pattern was repeated across every pillar. Recalling the mural, Harren groggily turned the pillars until he saw what he thought was the correct configuration. Then, bracing himself, Harren pulled the lever and let go.
The lever reset, and Harren heard the faint clicking of cogs. Then, the wall behind the pillars started to shake and rise, and a deafening clatter filled the room. Harren fell to the floor clutching his head, and curled up into a ball until he felt it stop. Harren shakily stood up and proceeded through the gaping hole.
Inside, it looked like a typical treasure vault. Piles of gold surrounded a nondescript treasure chest that took up the middle of the room. Tottering towards it, Harren looked for a lock until he finally gave up and tried to force it open. It took some effort, but Harren finally lifted the lid and opened the chest.
A shimmering steel blade with an ornate hilt was inside. The way the steel shimmered meant it was Valyrian Steel. Harren laughed, or at least tried to. Taking up the sword and using it as a walking stick, Harren went around the room and filled what remained of his pockets before tottering out of the treasure vault.
_________________________
Harren stumbled towards the smooth black walls of Dragonstone. The trip from Valyria had taken months, and the rowing to shore from the ship he had hired had tired Harren out. He had no doubt that he was dying - the only reason he was still alive was his copious consumption of the milk of the poppy, which was killing him just as surely as the poison.
The guards at Dragonstone's gate called out for Harren to identify himself, but he was too tired to do so. He made it to the physical gate before he collapsed. Harren grasped at his chest in order to make sure the letter he wrote was indeed there, but instead Harren slipped into a deep sleep.
He was brought into Dragonstone proper, where Prince Maelon confirmed that Harren Greyjoy was indeed Harren Greyjoy, but Harren didn't wake. The Prince's Maester confirmed Harren's death a few hours after his arrival, and Lordship of the Iron Islands passed to his sole legal child Gwyneth.
He died a widower at the age of 34 having left three daughters, two of which were bastards, and an irate court.
Gwyneth from a later date:
Chapter 6: Harren VI
Crouching Modder Hidden Sword
30 AL
Harren was leaning over the railing on the ship he'd hired as Fashbinder approached and spoke. "Say, Lord Harren, I've been meaning to ask why you hired a merchantman instead of sailing with the Iron Storm."
Staring pointedly at the deep water, Harren replied. "You know, I don't rightly know myself. Divine will perhaps."
Fashbinder grunted and leaned over also. A long time passed until Fashbinder spoke again. "Say, Lord, isn't that another ship on the horizon?"
Harren glanced up and squinted. Yes, that was another ship on the horizon, flying the... skull and crossbones. Of course. Harren groaned. "Amateurs. They bring a bad name to pirates and reavers everywhere." Harren straightened. "I'll warn the captain. When those idiots come over here Fashbinder, kill their captain." The man nodded.
The time before the pirates caught up was surprisingly boring. Neither ship had archers, which was an impressive display of idiocy on the parts of both captains. Harren had enough time to go and raid the ship's store of alcohol - not that he did.
The pirates themselves were rather lackluster. Unfortunately, so was the ship's crew. The two exceptions were Fashbinder and the enemy captain. Their fight was exquisite and beautifully terrible, but Fashbinder slipped up. He got caught in an awkward parry and the enemy captain ran him through. Luckily for Harren and the crew, however, Fashbinder lived long enough to stick his axe into the pirate captain's head before he gurgled blood and collapsed, dead. The pirates quickly lost heart after that, and were driven off, albeit at a high cost. The survivors were barely sufficient to act as a skeleton crew, but it was enough.
Or, well, WAS enough. When a storm sprang up a day away from Valyria, the ship started to break. Masts snapped and the hull cracked, and the crew was too undermanned to save the ship. With a loud crack, the center mast broke and toppled onto Harren, knocking him unconscious and sealing the fate of the ship.
Harren woke up an indeterminate amount of time later on a sandy beach. Coughing as he emerged from the surf, Harren looked around for survivors and found none. Instead, he found a jungle. Grimacing, Harren strode through the jungle. Cursing his ill luck, Harren almost missed the giant snake that descended to consume him. Harren managed to avoid being wrapped up in its voluminous mass, but its fanged maw caught Harren on the shoulder as he ran. A wild swing from Harren detached the snake, but his shoulder burned from the bite. He ran for what seemed hours, and finally stopped, panting, outside a dark cave. Seeing no other course of action, Harren entered and sat down to rest. He bound his wounds with what remained of his soggy clothes, and lay down to sleep, too tired to care about his surroundings.
He woke up feeling terrible. His shoulder was burning something fierce, but Harren gritted his teeth and bore it. He felt around the cave until he realized it was too unnatural to be one. All the walls were straight and dark, and it turned out to be a square passageway. Continuing through in a haze, Harren found a mural on the wall. Its contents were confusing - something about dogs and crows and direwolves. It made little sense to Harren in his state, and he eventually continued on. A short distance later, he came across three square pillars with a single lever before them.
Each of the four faces bore an animal - a crow, an eagle, a dog, or a direwolf - and the pattern was repeated across every pillar. Recalling the mural, Harren groggily turned the pillars until he saw what he thought was the correct configuration. Then, bracing himself, Harren pulled the lever and let go.
The lever reset, and Harren heard the faint clicking of cogs. Then, the wall behind the pillars started to shake and rise, and a deafening clatter filled the room. Harren fell to the floor clutching his head, and curled up into a ball until he felt it stop. Harren shakily stood up and proceeded through the gaping hole.
Inside, it looked like a typical treasure vault. Piles of gold surrounded a nondescript treasure chest that took up the middle of the room. Tottering towards it, Harren looked for a lock until he finally gave up and tried to force it open. It took some effort, but Harren finally lifted the lid and opened the chest.
A shimmering steel blade with an ornate hilt was inside. The way the steel shimmered meant it was Valyrian Steel. Harren laughed, or at least tried to. Taking up the sword and using it as a walking stick, Harren went around the room and filled what remained of his pockets before tottering out of the treasure vault.
_________________________
Harren stumbled towards the smooth black walls of Dragonstone. The trip from Valyria had taken months, and the rowing to shore from the ship he had hired had tired Harren out. He had no doubt that he was dying - the only reason he was still alive was his copious consumption of the milk of the poppy, which was killing him just as surely as the poison.
The guards at Dragonstone's gate called out for Harren to identify himself, but he was too tired to do so. He made it to the physical gate before he collapsed. Harren grasped at his chest in order to make sure the letter he wrote was indeed there, but instead Harren slipped into a deep sleep.
He was brought into Dragonstone proper, where Prince Maelon confirmed that Harren Greyjoy was indeed Harren Greyjoy, but Harren didn't wake. The Prince's Maester confirmed Harren's death a few hours after his arrival, and Lordship of the Iron Islands passed to his sole legal child Gwyneth.
He died a widower at the age of 34 having left three daughters, two of which were bastards, and an irate court.
Gwyneth from a later date:
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Damn, as if CK2 wasn't deadly enough, those damned sword quests seem to be a death sentence 9 times out of 10. Are either of Harren's two illegitimate daughter's tough enough to take on the Warrior Princess Gwyneth?
House Targaryen
Part 9: 26 AL - 28 AL
Part 9: 26 AL - 28 AL
Not long after the birth of Prince Aerion's twins, another Targaryen was born. Prince Maelon of Dragonstone and his wife Princess Elaena were blessed with another son who they named Lucerys Targaryen. Whereas once the realm had lacked a male heir, now there were plenty male members of the House Targaryen which ensured the continuity of the Conqueror's line. The newborn prince became third in the line of succession with only his father and elder brother Maelys still preceeded him. While young Lucerys was not destined to rule by the right of birth, time and again fate had shown that second, third - or fourth sons could achieve greatness. One such an example was Ser Tyon, the third son of Lord Reyne of Castamere.
Tyen Reyne had shown great aptitude even from an early age and his father had sent him to Casterly Rock to be fostered by none other than Loren Lannister. When duties had called the Lord of the Westerlands to the capital to take up the position of Hand of the King, young Tyon had come along. Like in Princess Elaena's case, Lord Loren shaped a brilliant steward out of the young Reyne. When he came of age, his name was passed along when it came to picking a new Master of Coin to replace Princess Elaena who now had other duties as the Lady of the Dragonstone and wife of the Crown Prince. Ser Tyon, the youngest person ever in the Small Council, was named the Master of Coin at the age of 16.
As his first task the young Reyne was told to overseer the taxation of the people in King's Landing. It was his own suggestion that he'd also be named the Commander of the City Watch to give him the authority required. The memory about Lord Harlan Tyrell's fate was still fresh in some people's mind and so King Aegon consented. After the incident with Commander Valarr, the position had been held in ice and the King had placed trust in several officers instead of one. But Aegon had high expectations about Ser Tyon and decided to revive the position and grant it to his Master of Coin.
Following the recent appointment of Ser Tyon to the Small Council, King Aegon decided to make a change in some of his closest advisors. Though the council was meant to consist of the finest minds in Westeros to be able to help the king govern the realm as best as they could, a place in the Small Council could also be used as a weapon of diplomacy. While receiving an offer to join the king's council was considered an honor the holder of such a high position was also required to stay in King's Landing under the watchful eye of the Conqueror. There was one person specially that the King would've wanted to keep on a short leash and burdened with tasks so she would not have the time to plot against the crown. But Princess Obara was foolish - or perhaps clever - enough to say no.
After the Conquest of Dorne, things had turned to the worse for the Martells. First Princess Obara's firstborn child Delonne succumbed to an illness. Only a few months after that the Prince Consort had been imprisoned by the king and banished to the Wall. The next year Obara's second child, Quentyn, died of an illness as well. His passing was mourned more than his elder sisters for whereas Delonne was unremarkable, Quentyn was a brilliant strategist and an excellent diplomat. He had been married to Lord Orys Baratheon's first child, Lady Ravella, in an effort to fix the relations between the Dorne and the Stormlands. It had been an odd move from Princess Obara to be sure, considering the Dornishmen had been the ones behind Orys' death. Most likely it had had something to do with Lady Ravella being the heir of her younger brother as Lord Aegon was still too young to marry and have children of his own. But with Quentyn Martell dead without an issue, his widow had no reason to stay in Sunspear. When Lady Ravella received an invitation from the king to join the court at King's Landing where her younger brother, Lord Aegon Baratheon was too, being raised by the Conqueror himself, she took it. It was a relief to King Aegon to have her inside the walls of the Red Keep where he could protect her from those who wished to use her for their own purposes.
When word received King Aegon that Qarl Orkwood, a well known Ironborn diplomat, wished to join him at the capital in exchange of a small compensation, the Conqueror could scarcely refuse. His first thought was that Lord Harren Greyjoy, the current Master of Whisperers, would be delighted to have a fellow Ironborn in the Small Council. But when the news reached the Lord of Pyke, his reaction was exactly the opposite of what the king had expected. Lord Harren, already struggling to keep his vassals in line, had had a dire need of Qarl Orkwood's talent at words to ensure that his younger brother, Nute Greyjoy, would succeed him instead of one of the other Ironborn noblemen.
As Qarl Orkwood was reluctant to simply return to Pyke, King Aegon came up with another solution to keep all sides happy. Qarl was made the Lord of Torturer's Deep, one of the islands recently taken in the Conquest of Stepstones, but instead of swearing fealty to the King he'd serve Lord Harren. Therefore Qarl was made a lord and the Ironborn received a new holding on the other side of Westeros which they could use as safe harbor to their ships returning from raiding. And what did King Aegon gain from this? A recompensation from Lord Harren to cover the expenses that hiring and bringing Qarl to King's Landing cost. But it was not all about the money: with the Ironborn getting their hands on one of the islands of Stepstones, they now had something to lose should an external power attempt to seize that territory. The King had lost one island, but in exchange he now had Ironborn sailors passing through the Stepstones whose reputation was enough to keep pirates and other lowlifes away.
During the reign of Lord Ronnel Arryn, the Vale had enjoyed peace and prosperity. Years had been kind to King Aegon's old squire who'd sired many children and lived in a happy marriage with his wife Lady Valiete Tyrell. The only downside thus far came up when Lord Elys Sunderly defied his liege lord's request to revoke the sisterman's high lordship and instead rose up in a rebellion. No other vassals of Lord Arryn joined the traitor Lord Sunderly's cause, and so Lord Ronnel informed King's Landing that he would not be needing any assistance in suppressing the revolt. It was an odd thought that the boy that once had relied on Aegon now said he no longer needed his assistance. Realizing the fact that all the boys he'd looked after and raised personally had become grown men made Aegon both sad and proud.
Though Owen Tyrell had met his end too soon, Ronnel, Maelon and Aerion yet lived and watching the men and remembering the time they were but young lads humbled the ageing king. He'd done his best in raising them, but there were certain thing even beyond his capabilities. The world was his to rule, but fate and fortune was something even he could not fully control. Owen Tyrell had died all the same, and Lord Sunderly had risen up against Ronnel despite the fact that few men were as good-natured and kind as Lord Arryn. The wheel of fate, unruled as always danced ever-on its dance of chances. It had blessed the king with two strong sons and two beautiful daughters - but life is not a fairytale where people end happily ever after. The day would come when another would occupy the Iron Throne, and it'd be up to Maelon to bear the burden of the crown and the responsibilities that come with it - including grooming his firstborn son Maelys to be a good king after him.
A tourney had been held in Sunspear a year earlier but King Aegon, having seen enough of Dorne for a lifetime, politely answered that he would not attend. The Conqueror, content from winning one tournament, had deemed it best to leave competiting to younger men from there on. It however did not stop him from organising one in King's Landing. The capital had grown in size over the years, and though the Red Keep was still yet under construction it was largely finished already. The word spread quickly, and soon people flocked to the city to spectate the grand event. Lords and ladies from all around Westeros gathered at the mouth of Blackwater, expecting an event grander than any other before. Certain repairs and alterations were required, but soon the city was ready to accomodate all the guests road brought.
Maelon Targaryen, the Prince of Dragonstone and the Lionknight, Lyman Lannister, were the people's favorites from the start. As expected, both knights made it through the first day undefeated. The second day was when the true competition began. Lord Janos Harte defeated both Ser Hectyr Florent of the Kingsguard and Ser Quentyn Florent, but in the end he himself was unseated by Lord Alliser Chelsted. The fate decreed that two lions would meet one another and so Lyman the Lionknight, heir to Casterly Rock met Ser Byram Reyne, heir to Castamere. Although a formidable fighter, the Red Lion was outmatched by the Lionknight. Later Prince Maelon managed to beat Lord Tyeon Vikary and Lord Manfryd Payne, but in the end he was unsaddled as well by Ser Elwood Ashford. Next to everyone's surprise the crowd's favorite Lionknight was also defeated by the former master of laws, Lord Alliser Chelsted, in the semi-finales. He advanced to the finales, along with Ser Elwood Ashford who managed to defeat the Prince of Dragonstone. The Lionknight and Prince Maelon met one another in the joust for the third place, and in the end the young Lannister defeated the heir of Westeros. Then the finale between Ser Elwood Ashford and Lord Alliser Chelsted was ready to begin. After eight jousts, Lord Alliser prevailed and was crowned the champion of the tournament.
Although in the end the tourney turned into a victory celebration of mere lords, the tournament helped to raise the people's opinion of their king and so Aegon Targaryen was held by them in higher regard than ever before. The celebrations received an abrupt ending, however, when Hand of the King Loren suddenly died from a serious wound he'd received two months earlier in a hunting accident. His son, heir and bodyguard Lyman the Lionknight was already in King's Landing to participate the tourney and swore fealty to the King and in return was named the Warden of the West in place of his father. Though uncrowned and placed only third, Lyman returned to Casterly Rock as a lord, bringing back home with him the remains of his father.
With seven Kingsguards keeping Aegon safe, Hand of the King Loren had decided to look after his own safety as well. To allow his son and heir Lyman to learn everything he needed to know about ruling, the Lionknight had joined his father at the capital after the Conquest of Dorne and the two were seldom seen apart. In return of knowledge and experience he'd received, Lyman had kept his father safe - up to a certain point. Even the Lionknight couldn't prevent his father from being wounded whilst hunting, and the once-king of the Rock slowly succumbed to his wounds. Casterly Rock was now Lyman's - but whether a brilliant swordsman and a chivalrious knight made a good ruler remained yet to be seen.
Prince Maelon's efforts in the tournament were left unrewarded, but his wife soon gave birth to yet another child. The marriage of Princess Elaena and Prince Maelon resulted with a third child, a boy they decided to name Maekar.
Loren Lannister's passing marked the death of the second Hand of the King under Aegon Targaryen. Needing a new man to take care of the realm with him, the Conqueror turned to his Master of Coin Tyon. The young Reyne was the best at what he did, and it showed in his accomplishes: he'd become a knight at the age of fifteen, Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing and Master of Coin at sixteen and now two years later the Hand of the King at the age of 18. There was grumbling if a mere boy like Tyon was truly fit for such a high position - but all those reluctant to accept the King's decision did not know Tyon Reyne personally.
With Commander Tyon being appointed the Hand of the King, the spot of Master of Coin was left free. The best choice would've been Princess Elaena, but with three children and duties of her own as the wife of Lord of Dragonstone she was too occupied to take up yet more responsibilities. So instead Aegon turned once more to his paramour, Belarra, who'd served once in the Small Council as the Master of Coin before being replaced with Elaena. Other new face at the table was Mundello, a Dornish slave who'd been free'd during Rhaenys' conquest of Stepstones. As naming neither Princess Obara Martell nor Qarl Orkwood the Master of Laws didn't go through as planned, the Conqueror had turned to Mundello instead.
Unlike once upon time, the male bloodline of House Targaryen was secure. Now Prince Maelon and his three sons stood to inherit the Iron Throne and Aegon's second son Prince Aerion was the fifth in the line of succession. With so many pretenders to the throne, the Conqueror made a decision to form a law regarding who had the right to occupy the Iron Throne. As titles inherited by women passed to her children who traditionally were of her husband's family, Aegon Targaryen wanted to avoid the same happening to his kingdom. The name Targaryen would live on through his sons and grandsons, as would the Conqueror's legacy.
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And then only two of the original lords were left... Quite the formidable council Aegon has assembled, too.
With Prince Maelon being the brightest star. And at this point he has yet to tame a dragon and inherit a Valyrian steel sword, mind you..
Nope. The Summer Islander likes Gwyneth and the youngest daughter is still growing up. Picture of Gwyneth up btw.
Well, it's looking like the 3rd King of Westeros will end up being mad one way or the other. I can only wonder on what sliding scale of mad, from Baelor to Aerys II, he will land on.
House of Arryn
22 AL – 24 AL
With the end of the war and things settling down in the Vale, the rest of the year 22 AL continued on quietly. A happy moment came in the next year when, in May of 23 AL, Ronnel received news that his eldest child and daughter, Myranda – his precious Myr-Myr – was returning home. She had finished her wardship under Queen Visenya and had reached majority age, and was now the responsibility of House Arryn once again. Ronnel moved down to the Gates of the Moon to meet her, and sent a small guard to the Bloody Gate to escort her once she arrived. Eventually, word was sent that Myranda had ridden to the Bloody Gate and was now on her way to the Gates of the Moon. Ronnel told the servants to send her to the main hall, then went and attempted to relax as he eagerly awaited his daughter's return.
When Myranda stepped into the main hall of the Gates of the Moon, the lord paramount found that the little girl had left to return a woman. There was much of her father in her face, but she had her mother's beautiful eyes and lovely hair for certain. It was majestic to see his daughter grow up to be as beautiful as his wife, but it was also tragic in a way: that little girl who would sit on his lap and speak silly, child-like things to him, while giving him pleading eyes that begged to get whatever she wanted, that little girl was gone forever. She was a woman now, and would have to take her place in an adult's world, where things were not always as gracious or loving as t hey should be.
She entered the hall accompanied by a small guard of Valemen, most of them knights who had gone out to meet her. On her body was a gold colored bodice, with tight brown pants and knee high boots. She had a lithe, athletic figure that showed she had been put through quite a bit of training. At her side was a sheathed sword of high quality – no doubt one the Targaryans had given to her once she completed her training (or so Ronnel assumed). With one hand she held the sword by the hilt, while the other hand gripped the belt that went around her slim waist. She seemed to be quite happy, for a slight smile was on her face. When the lord paramount approached her, she stopped, eying him a moment...and then ran forward, giggling as she leaped up into his arms.
“Lord father!” she cried out. “How are you?”
Ronnel let out a laugh and patted her on the back. Such a greeting from his daughter, after so many years, did his heart good. “I am so much better, now that you are home, Myr-Myr.” He broke from the hug, only to grip her by the cheeks. “Look at you. So much like your mother. You've become a woman. That's what your father feared the most.”
A hue of red came over her cheeks, and Myranda looked away with a bashful expression. “Father...”
Ronnel laughed again. “Forgive me. You know I'll always be your father, even when you've had forty name days.” He hugged her again, then finally let her go to walk with her a little. “How was your time in King's Landing? Did you spend your time with the dragon lady?”
“Yes, but she never did let me ride the dragon. I wouldn't mind having one to destroy anyone who dared oppose me in battle. That is how Aegon took the Seven Kingdoms, you know.”
Ronnel raised an eyebrow at his daughter's frankness. “Yes, but that is not how your father runs the Vale. You know that, I hope.”
The lord paramount's gentle rebuke was met with a warm smile from his daughter. “Oh I know, father, but you do not have to conquer the Vale, and all your lords love you.”
“If that were only the complete truth,” Ronnel said with a sigh. There were a handful of lords who were not terribly fond of him, for one reason or another. Oswell Pryor, the Lord of Pebble, for example, had some negative feelings towards Ronnel's relaxed, unambitious rule. The lord paramount had sent gifts and compliments to the Lord of Pebble in the hopes of distracting him from any serious thoughts of revolt or worse. “Still, I suppose there is much to be said about life here.”
“Did you ever think you were a little too content, lord father?” Myranda asked. “I once heard his grace King Aegon comment that he loved you as a former squire and vassal, but you should really come down from your mountain and show your face around King's Landing more often. In fact, some in his court have stopped calling you 'The King Who Flew', and now they know you as 'The King Who Perched.'”
Ronnel blushed slightly. “Perhaps I will visit King's Landing someday, Myr-Myr.”
He glanced behind them to look towards the footmen following. As he did, he caught their gazes directed slightly below Myranda's belt. No sooner had he turned his head that they quickly looked up and away, shifting their hands on their spears nervously. Ronnel gave a cold glare, but otherwise let it go, putting a hand around Myranda's shoulder. The brief incident was a sad reminder that his little girl was not a little girl any more, but a woman.
Myranda continued talking, oblivious to the exchange. “I was hoping to be your Master at Arms, father. Or a general in your army.”
Ronnel gave a soft laugh. “Your kinsman Arstan is already my Master at Arms, and he is handling the job quite well. As for a general, we shall have to wait and see what the Vale has in store for you.”
Myranda turned and looked at her father – and he readily recognized that look in her eyes. “I don't want to simply sit around and be a maid all day, like mother wanted me to be. I was trained by Queen Visenya herself – I can handle a sword as well as Arstan or any man in the Vale.”
That look, Ronnel thought, why must she give me that look? “I promise you, should something come up that would be well suited for your skills. You have my word as Lord Paramount of the Vale, but more importantly...as your father.”
In April of 24 AL, news came from the Bloody Gate: the clansmen of the hills had begun to strike out against merchants and locals around the fortification. The clansmen were the remainders of the First Men who had dwelt in the Vale before the Andals came on their boats, and who had nearly pushed the Andals out before Ser Artys Arryn, the Falcon Knight, defeated them in a massive battle at the foot of Giant's Lance. The battle had killed most of the First Men lords, causing chaos among their leadership, and with the influx of Andals from Essos immediately following the victory, most of the First Men were pushed into the mountains. There they retained their ways, and became even more barbaric, and had continued to fight against the Andals of the Vale for centuries. They tended to appear based on the capabilities of the Vale ruler: if a weak man ruled the Vale, they came down in droves; if a strong man ruled the Vale, they remained in their mountain cliffs and fought amongst each other. Clearly, they believed Ronnel to be a man of weak mettle.
“Who are they?” Ronnel asked in the emergency council he held over the matter. Arstan, his Master at Arms, and Ser Robert, the Master of Whisperers, were present with him. Ser Robert was a smallfolk who had risen to prominence in the court of Lord Morgarth of Sunrise Keep, and who had personally asked to be transferred to Ronnel's court, out of admiration for the lord paramount. He became a replacement for the old Master of Whisperers, Ser Damon Coldwater, who had likewise asked to be transferred to the Eyrie, but who had soon proven too good for the job of Master of Whisperers. That is, he was cruel, he was proven to choosing bloody solutions, and had become so vile that even the septons considered him an ungodly beast. For the sake of the dignity of his court, Ronnel went with Robert.
It was this new Master of Whisperers who spoke first. “According to scouts and eyewitnesses, there are markings of burning on some of the tribesmen, while some carry ears around their necks.”
Ronnel nodded. “So the Burned Men and the Black Ears.” He had learned quite a bit about the different clans over the years. There were ten well known clans, since smaller ones tended to either be wiped out by the Vale or swallowed up by the bigger ones. The Burned Men and Black Ears were among those major ten groups. The Burned Men were so called because, in order to prove that he is a man, a youth must give some part of his body to the fire, and engage in rituals involving flames. The Black Ears took their name from the fact that they took the ears of defeated enemies as trophies. Ronnel had read quite a bit on them...as well as many other topics, which had benefited him in the long run.
A map was rolled out before the men on a table, and Ser Robert now leaned forward, pointing his finger to a spot on the map. “From what I last heard, these clansmen are here, near our marble quarry. I think they mean to strike at it...or they wish to make us think they are, and are merely taunting us to go into battle.”
Arstan let out a loud cry that was tinged with annoyance. “If they want battle, let's give it to them! That is the only thing these people understand: a good mace to the head.”
“Would we be able to launch a sufficient attack against them?” Ronnel asked, shifting his eyes towards the Master at Arms.
Arstan gave his lord paramount and kinsman a wide grin. “My lord, give me but a hundred knights, and I will make short work of these hillmen.”
Ronnel nodded. “Very good. Then do it. Send these clansmen back to the Mountains of the Moon, and let them know to stay there.”
Ronnel did not see the battle himself. Let the court in King's Landing call him “The King Who Perched” - he did not care. It was not that he was above leading armies into battle; it was simply that he trusted those under him to carry out their duties, and he did not take away their opportunities to prove themselves. When he sent Arstan with the detachment of knights, he knew that the clansmen were as good as dead. This assumption proved true when Arstan returned: his army was bloody and dusty, and looked tired...but they also appeared to be in good spirits. Arstan especially was all smiles as he dismounted outside the Gates of the Moon, where the lord paramount met him.
“That will show them!” the Master at Arms said, stamping his chest. “We sent most of them to the Seven Hells, and those who survived ran with their tail between their legs back to their mountain rocks.”
“Excellent news!” Ronnel said, smiling. “Anything else to report?”
“Yes, your daughter fought well.”
Ronnel blinked. “What?”
It was then that someone rode forward on a horse and dismounted. They seemed to be thinner and smaller than the knights, and wore lighter armor. In a moment, Ronnel saw the long hair and blue eyes, and knew who it was.
“Myr-Myr!”
“Hello, father,” the daughter said, waving.
Ronnel's mouth was gaping open, staring at his dust covered daughter, with traces of blood on her arms and legs. “Are you hurt?”
“No, but she 'hurt' quite a few clansmen!” Arstan said, laughing.
“Kinsman Arstan said I could come, father,” Myranda said, knowing ahead of time what Ronnel would have asked.
The lord paramount glared at his Master at Arms a moment, then to Myranda. “You should have told me.”
“And you would have said no.”
“Yes, well...” Ronnel let out a sigh, then said in a low voice, “Just promise me you won't tell your mother...”
These updates from the Vale are just such lovely reprieves from the rest of Westeros and its maddening death rate. Ronnel is wise to Perch, I'd say. 
House Targaryen
Part 10: 29 AL - 31 AL
Part 10: 29 AL - 31 AL
The King's paramour, Belarra, hid her pregnancy even from the father of her child. She'd feared of being forced to drink moon tea, should her state be discovered. By the time that eventually happened, it was too late as the pregnancy had gone far enough. She wanted to have the child, no matter what, but in the end all her hopes and dreams were crushed. As the umbical cord was wrapped around the baby girl's neck by the time it came time to do the labour, she was strangled to death even before she'd truly been alive. Giving birth to a stillborn was heavy to Belarra, whose dreams of one day having a child of her own slowly faded. She was in her mid-thirties and already well past the best age to bear a child, without even mentioning that whatever children she'd have as an unmarried woman would be baseborn. The King himself was already past the age of 50 and had seen his young children grow up to become adults. Death was something he'd seen a lot in the past as a soldier, and so the fact that his bastard was born dead did not affect him as much as it did Belarra. He loved the woman and mourned that she mourned, but as a King he had learned to subdue his feelings when in front of others.
Though King Aegon Targaryen was the most powerful man of Westeros - or perhaps the whole world - there were still things that even he could not affect. It was as if the Gods had cursed him first with a dead child and then with a plague. It had first appeared in the port town of Duskendale, most likely carried by some sailors or rodents from across the Narrow Sea. The plague had already spread south to Rosby, but a complete lockdown of the kingdom's capital was out of question. The City Watch of King's Landing had doubled its guards at the gates and performed thorough searches of the passers, making sure no sick people entered the city. But Rosby and Duskendale were close - too close.
Brandon Snow's time as the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard came to an abrupt end mere months after his appointment. The old wolf was given a peaceful death in his sleep and his remains were returned North to be buried beneath Winterfell in the crypt. He was a bastard and had spent more than half his life in the capital, down south, but in the end he was a Stark of Winterfell and was treated as such.
While the duty of the Kingsguards was to keep their sovereign safe, there were some dangers even they could not protect him from.
The plague had come to King's Landing.
THE PRINCE OF DRAGONSTONE
Maelon Targaryen
25th Year Since Aegon's Conquest
Maelon Targaryen
25th Year Since Aegon's Conquest
Now, the Targaryens alone had managed to survive the Doom of Valyria amongst the many dragonlords that had once been. It had been by faith that Aenar had humbled himself, believing in the prophetic dreams of his daughter, Daenys, and sold all that he had, flying west to the bleak island of Dragonstone, a magicked citadel located beneath a smoking mountain set in the Narrow Sea. After him had come Gaemon the Glorious, who with Daenys the Dreamer begot Aegon and Elaena, who together begot the sons Maegon and Aerys. It is from Aerys that three mighty sons were raised, Aelyx, Baelon, and Daemion, lords of Dragonstone all. From Daemion came Aerion, and from Aerion came Aegon, called the Dragon and Conqueror, the first King of the Seven Kingdoms. Thus it was that Dragonstone had seen seven generations born beneath the Dragonmont before Aegon the Conqueror set out for his conquest, leaving Dragonstone upon Balerion the Black Dread to make subject the kingdoms of Westeros. In his wisdom, and hearing the council of Loren Lannister, the Hand of the King and Warden of the West, Aegon decreed that his successor and their successors after him would rule over the island of Dragonstone until the appointed time when they would sit upon the Iron Throne.
Thus it was that at the age of one-and-twenty that Maelon, son of Aegon, was given the honour of Prince of Dragonstone, and all his father's leal subjects from before the Conquest were made to swear fealty unto him. Now Maelon had grown and matured, and the Seven had blessed him mightily. His height was like the height of the sentinel trees, and his strength like the oak. All the Seven Kingdoms knew him to be a virtuous man, pious in his devotion to the Seven as his father had been before him, bowing to the Seven in the Starry Sept of Oldtown as he was acknowledged as King of All Westeros. In reward for his devotion, the Seven had blessed him with a sober mind which dreamt great dreams, and he knew no peer in all the Seven Kingdoms for his swordsmanship. Having served at the Red Keep as his father's master-at-arms for many years, it was late in the twenty-fifth year after the Conquest that Maelon set sail for the dragon-keep of Dragonstone.
Notable amongst those lords and knights was Lord Matarys Velaryon, who had aided Aegon the Dragon in his Conquest, and had the honour of being called his cousin. He alone out of those many Valyrian lords who set out for fire and blood had managed to see Aegon's son to majority, for the Seven had a purpose for him yet. He lingered in a state of poor health, and it was only through the aid of his servants and kin that he made the voyage from Driftmark to Dragonstone to present himself to his new lord. Though weak of body, Lord Matarys continued to go to great lengths to present himself as the dashing Valyrian lord he had been in his youth, garbing himself in fine silks of his house's colors. Close by him stood his sons, Aenarys and Matarys the Younger, the latter of whom, though slow of wits and given to his father's hedonism, bore a startling resemblance to the man his father had once been. His eldest son, Alyn, had been noticeably absent, for he had chosen to take up the Black, serving the Night's Watch as a ranger at the Shadow Tower, rather than inheriting the wealth of Driftmark.
Looking out over the mass of people, lords and smallfolk alike, Maelon took a deep breath, and then announced, "However! My father has need of me, entrusting me to the ready training of his leal knights and the noble youth of his mighty lords. Thus it is that I shall not be able to linger here." With a mighty hand, he gestured to Lord Velaryon, whose gaze was fixated upon his sister-wife, the wine beginning to affect him some. Maelon then boldly declared, "In my stead, it has been decided that Lord Matarys of House Velaryon, the Lord of Driftmark, shall preside over you as castellan until my services are needed no longer in the Red Keep." This news seemed to shock the old lord, whose goblet of wine spilled from his frail fingers. Though some may have questioned the ability of Lord Matarys, given his age and the infirmity that had come with it, none questioned the worthiness of House Velaryon, themselves having been noble lords of Valyria in ages past.
Elaena's heart was greatly distressed when she heard that her husband and brother would be riding to Dorne, taking no comfort in the steel protection Ser Clarence offered. Knowing the Dornish to be a treacherous people, men and women who slew her uncle, the Princess clung bitterly onto her husband. Moved with sympathy, Maelon comforted his wife and lay with her, boldly declaring, "A serpent's poison cannot lay low a dragon." Thus it was settled that the Prince of Dragonstone would journey to Sunspear. Though Maelon had been well trained by his father, the lists were not one such skill he had acquired, and on the first day, the giant of a prince was unhorsed by a knight by the name of Ser Symeon, a dashing man of Salty heritage. Even dishonoured so, Maelon's presence seemed appreciated, and his cousin, Lady Ravella Baratheon, was named the Queen of Love and Beauty. The Prince of Dragonstone did not linger in the sandy dunes of Dorne for long, and he returned to King's Landing upon the eve of the birth of his second son, Lucaerys, whose stature promised to equal his father's own.
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I can't help but imagine Maelon refer to himself in the third person all the time now
Maelon isn't certain how to feel about this :blink:I can't help but imagine Maelon refer to himself in the third person all the time now