It's a holiday, yaay. So here you go lads, extra chapter today.
283 AC – The Trident
pov Eddard Stark
The tent was dim with maps lay strewn over a long table of rough planks, weighed down by tankards and daggers. Hoster Tully stood with a goblet in hand, pale and drawn from wounds not yet fully healed. Jon Arryn sat opposite, eyes keen despite the hour. They had been discussing troop movements and food stores when Ned entered.
He didn't waste time.
"There's something you need to hear," he said.
Hoster raised a brow. "If this is about Robert again, I've heard enough for one night. The man is celebrating with enough ale to drown a Frey."
Jon Arryn motioned to a stool. "Sit, Ned. What troubles you?"
Ned remained standing.
"Torrhen came to me tonight. He believes Tywin Lannister is on the move."
That made them both pause.
"Believes?" Hoster said slowly. "Or knows?"
Ned hesitated. "He's certain. And I believe him."
Hoster looked skeptical but Jon Arryn leaned forward, his foster son would not come with this to them at such a late hour if he didn't think it important.
"Go on."
"He thinks Tywin means to sack King's Landing. To offer the city to Robert, blood and ashes and all. A gift to crown his new king and make his daughter a queen."
"Hmmm..." Jon's voice was quiet. Calculating.
Hoster scoffed. "And what? Tywin sits idle for a year only to leap into battle once we've won it for him?"
"Yes," Ned said grimly. "That's exactly what he would do. Wait for the fight to end. Then strike when there's no risk."
Arryn exchanged a glance with Hoster. "There were rumors," he admitted. "Ravens from the west. Lannister men gathering at Casterly Rock. But nothing confirmed."
"They wouldn't send a raven when swords speak louder," Ned said. "And Tywin wouldn't hesitate. You both know what he did to the Reynes. To the Tarbecks. He doesn't leave enemies alive."
"You mean to suggest he'll butcher the royal family," Hoster said, his tone still guarded.
"Elia Martell is in that city," Ned said. "With her children. Rhaenys and Aegon. If Tywin gets there first, they'll die. We all know it."
A beat of silence followed.
"And Robert?" Jon Arryn asked softly.
Ned closed his eyes. "He won't stop it. He hates the Targaryens too much. He'll see it as justice."
Hoster drained his cup. "And what do you want us to do? March on the city ahead of him?"
"No. Just a vanguard. A few hundred riders. Enough to reach the gates before the lions do. If we're inside first, we can keep order. Protect the innocents. Keep Robert from being crowned over corpses."
Jon Arryn tapped the table with one finger. "And you'll lead this party?"
"I will."
"And Robert?"
"I'll speak to him," Ned lied. "When the time is right."
Jon gave him a long look, as if weighing more than just the words. "This comes from Torrhen?"
Ned nodded. "He sees things... I don't always understand how. But he told me in advance casually about Robert killing Rhaegar personally at a point in time where we didn't even know about the Prince returning to public."
Jon's jaw tightened. "He's young."
"He died and came back with a mind full of riddles," Ned said, almost to himself. "But there's clarity in his madness. And this... this feels true."
Hoster stood, slower than usual, favoring his leg. "It's bold. Risky. But Tywin is a snake. I've always said it. If there's even a chance this is true... we can't sit idle."
Jon Arryn looked at both of them, then finally gave a single nod.
"Gather your riders, Ned. Ride hard and ride fast. If King's Landing must fall, let it fall cleanly — not under Lannister boots. I will speak with Yohn Royce and Lyn Corbray. They will take charge of the Knight's of the Vale and come with you while I stay behind and take care of things here."
"Lyn Corbray?" asked Ned with surprise, "Isn't he the second son of Lord Lyonel?"
"He is indeed" Jon nodded with a sad smile "But Lord Lyonel has been gravely injured upon which Lyn took Lady Forlorn and slayed Prince Lewyn."
"I have decided you may also take the cavalry of the Riverlands under the command of Jason Mallister and my brother Brynden with you. They might not be the Knight's of the Vale but if the Lannisters sack King's Landing with a proper army then you will need everyone you can get to keep the bloodshed to a minimum." said Hoster, not wanting to personally involve himself and his men but also not wanting to lose face with his allies.
Ned exhaled. "Thank you. Both of you."
"But gods help you if Robert finds out and takes it poorly," Jon muttered. "He may love you, Ned, but he has the temper of a wildfire."
Ned gave a wan smile. "Then let's keep the wildfire from lighting."
He turned to leave.
"Ned," Jon called after him. "If you see Elia... do what you can."
Ned paused. "I will... though I think Torrhen already knows how we can protect her."
And then he was gone into the night, a Stark riding toward fire before the lions could reach it.
**Scene Break**
Outside the walls of King's Landing – 283 AC
pov Tywin Lannister
He had received the words of the arrival of the rebel cavalry just moments ago but their presence didn't deter him from his plans.
"My Lord, will our orders remain the same?" asked Ser Amory Lorch in front of him.
"What do you think? Pycelle will soon make sure the gates are open and then we will be free to take the city. I don't know why the rebels have decided to seperate their cavalry from their infantry but it does not matter, their camp is too far from ours to prevent us from taking King's Landing. You are right however, tell Clegane it won't hurt to take a few more men with you to scale the walls of the Red Keep."
"Yes, my Lord" Amory Lorch said, bowed and left the tent.
Soon his old friend would be dead, the Targaryen remnants destroyed and his daughter be queen, Robert's betrothal to the Stark girl be damned. Soon his blood would sit on the throne and with that his legacy secure.
Though it can't hurt to make sure the Stark girl will not make it alive to King's Landing...
**Scene Break**
Dust rose behind them like a trailing storm, thousands of hooves pounding the dry earth to ruin. The war was not yet done—though the Trident had been won, the true prize lay ahead: King's Landing.
The remaining cavalry of the North, the Vale, and the Riverlands—some five thousand strong—moved like a spearhead through the Crownlands, stripping the land bare of rest and mercy. Their horses were foaming, their riders grim and tight-jawed. The whisper of urgency had become a roar.
Ned rode at the head of the column, flanked by Yohn Royce, Brynden Tully, Lyn Corbray and Jason Mallister. Behind them, banners cracked in the wind all riding not in celebration, but in desperation.
Rumors had done their work.
"The city is soft," they whispered in every rank. "Only green boys and old men guard the gates."
"The lions are marching faster. They want our share of the gold."
"Tywin means to take the city and the glory. All that bloodshed, and for what? To hand it to the Lannisters who have done nothing but sit on their arses in their castles?"
The whispers were born of fire and fed with steel. Yohn Royce had spoken them in the tents of the Vale. Jason Mallister had ridden down the line himself, sowing them like grain. And Ned Stark had done nothing to stop them.
Now the city's walls loomed in the distance, black against the bleeding dusk. Just beyond the rolling hills lay the Lannister host—bright banners visible in the fading light, golden lions prowling just outside the capital's gates.
They made camp in the saddle of a hill, where the terrain gave a wide view of the fields below. Fires were lit, horses hobbled, but few dared sleep.
A horn sounded as dusk slipped into night. A meeting had been called.
The great lords of the host gathered beneath a large tent hastily pitched and flapping in the wind. Ned stood beside a table of raw wood, the wax of old candles pooling across its surface. Yohn Royce loomed like a mountain in bronze plate, his face carved in stone. Jason Mallister, silver-haired and sharp-eyed, leaned forward as if he meant to spring into battle from the tent itself.
When the lords had gathered – Royce, Tully, Mallister, Corbray, Grafton, Waynwood, Reed, Umber, Bracken, Blackwood, Karstark and even Frey (whose Lord Walder Frey had recently gained the nickname "the late" and whose cavalry had reached the camp a mere hour before the meeting) Ned raised his voice.
"Tywin Lannister camps outside those walls. He's made no declaration of loyalty, shed no blood for Robert, risked nothing for the realm. And yet he waits to claim the prize."
Grumbling and nods of assent.
"Excuse me Lord Stark but this is a gathering of the Lords that came with you, no? Not Lords and their families? If yes then what is your bastard brother doing here?" asked Lyn Corbray with a raised chin.
"I apologise if his attendance disturbs you Ser Corbray but he is the reason we know about the Lannister's movements in the first place" Ned said resisting the urge to rebuke the man, he was right after all.
"Riiight" said Ser Stevron Frey "You want us to believe that your bastard brother of what, ten years? Is a spymaster in the making?"
"I know it sounds hard to believe Ser Stevron but during my time in the beyond I have been given glimpses of what would happen if we didn't intervene."
"You expect us to believe that Snow?" asked Lord Jonos Bracken.
"You think the Lannister camp outside the gates of King's Landing are just for show?" boomed Jon Umber, looking imploringly at Lord Bracken who avoided looking at the giant, knowing that Torrhen's intel had already proven to be true in this case.
"Okay then Snow, anything or anyone we need to look out for when we storm King's Landing with the Lannisters?"
Torrhen grunted in frustration "First my Lord we will not be storming the city alongside the Lannisters, rather we will be defending the city against them."
Confused rumbling started among the lord but Torrhen stared them down and continued, "Grandmaester Pycelle is an elderly man who came to befriend Tywin Lannister during Lannister's time as hand of the king. If he hasn't already he will soon start to counsel the Mad King to open the gates saying that the Lannisters are here to defend the city while the new master of whisperers Lord Varys will counsel Aerys to be cautious. I don't know when but soon Aerys is going to order his men to open the city gates. With our presence added I can only assume this is going to happen sooner or later. But this is not all my Lord. A few men lead by Gregor Clegane, a giant of a man even taller than Lord Umber, is tasked by Tywin Lannister to remove the future of the Targaryens meaning Princess Elia, Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon. They will storm Princess Elia's chambers where Clegane personally smashes Aegon's head against the wall and rapes Elia until she dies while one of the knights accompanying him stabs little Rhaenys exactly fifty times. I will not, no I simply cannot let that happen so if none of the warriors in front of me will help me defend an innocent noblewoman's virtue and the lives of two innocent children then I will do so myself" Torrhen spoke, his voice becoming more and more passionate.
Shit, I overdid it at the end I think he thought with a wince but he could see the respect of the majority of the men in front of him increasing and he noticed Ned looking at him with pride in his eyes.
"This is more than a little disturbing... and quite specific I have to say" Yohn Royce admitted openly with other Lords nodding along.
"I have a few questions for you Torrhen" Brynden mused aloud.
"Go ahead my Lord" Torrhen said respectfully to the blackfish.
"You mean to tell me you have seen all of that happen in these... visions exactly as you said?"
"Yes, my Lord"
"How are Clegane and his men going to enter Maegor's Holdfast? Entering the city is one thing but I doubt the Targaryen men at arms will open the gates to the Red Keep once they see the Lannister men sacking the city."
"They will not need to. Gregor Clegane and the others are going to scale the walls and won't have any trouble reaching the chambers of Princess Elia."
"That is an impressive undertaking to say the least.. then how are we going to stop them from accomplishing their goals?"
"We will attack the Lannisters once they enter the city from behind and slaughter them to show the Targaryens men at arms at the gate that they can trust us."
"...You truly believe what you are saying boy, aren't you?" Brynden asked softly.
"Yes, my Lord with all my heart"
"Then you will have my sword at your side, young Torrhen" Brynden said with a nod , unsheathing his blade. Brynden smiled faintly, amused at pledging his blade to a boy barely out of childhood—but he'd seen enough in Torrhen's eyes to know this was no ordinary boy.
He was soon followed by Yohn Royce, Jon Umber, Rickard Karstark, Lyn Corbray, Jason Mallister, Tytos Blackwood and finally even Jonos Bracken causing a few raised eyebrows.
"A Blackwood and a Bracken agreeing on something, the wonders are never going to cease today, are they?" Brynden said with a laugh.
"This is madness" exclaimed Stevron Frey wildly with Lords Grafton and Waynwood nodding along, their faces grim, "How can you the proud Lords of the Rivers, the Vale and the North believe these mad words from a bastard and even swear to follow this boy, a boy of ten and two no less, into an imagined battle?"
"Watch your words Ser Stevron, bastard or not, he is my brother" Ned rebuked sternly for the first time today.
I swear by the gods, I would send him back to Jon and Hoster if we didn't need his men soon Ned thought with an internal growl.
Help came soon from an unexpected source, Howland Reed, "His words may sound like madness to you but even if what he says is not going to come true we cannot take that risk when we have a chance of preventing it." the small man said, speaking up for the first time that noon.
"Lord Reed is right, no doubt the Dornish will be incensed should they learn of their beloved princess and her children being massacred like this. I would not be surprised if they're going to harbour an immense grudge against the Lannisters and Robert by extension in that case" Ned said factually causing a few winces among those who knew how prickly the Martells and the other Dornish houses could be.
"I see I cannot change your minds, my Lords but I will not take part in this madness" said Ser Stevron with a shake of his head.
"You will not be missed Ser Frey unlike at the battle of the trident" Brynden said causing a small round of laughs, "Besides I think not all of us aren't needed at Princess Elia's chambers"
"He is right" said Yohn Royce before looking at Torrhen questioningly, "How many men did you say again were going to assault the Princess?"
"Ten at most, though really only Clegane and maaybe Amory Lorch will be any difficult to cut down" said Torrhen with a thoughtful face.
"I see, so who of us are you going to take with you, young Torrhen?" Brynden asked respectfully with the others looking at the ten and two year old with great expectation.
"Clegane is a monster of a man so we will need someone of atleast nearly his size to take him down so Jon Umber it is" he said causing the man in question to grin, "I will not disappoint you Snow".
"Right, Valyrian Steel Swords will always be useful and Ser Lyn proved himself more than adequate with it when he took down Prince Lewyn. I will also take my brother Eddard, Lord Yohn and Ser Brynden with me to the Princess' chambers. To the others, please understand that is in no way meant as a slight against your prowess"
"Do not worry Snow, Lord Karstark, Mallister, Bracken and I could simply take a tour to the throne room and deal with Ser Jaime Lannister and the Mad King" said Tytos Blackwood with a nod.
"Indeed, us four against the young kingsguard should be more than enough no matter how good he is with his sword" Jonos Bracken agreed.
"Oh no need, my Lord. Once Aerys realises he has been betrayed by his old friend he will scream bloody murder and order Jaime to bring Aerys' his father's head upon which Jaime has enough and ends the madness of Aerys II." Torrhen said with a small smirk causing the other men in the room to growl with surprise outrage.
"Are you certain?" Brynden asked to which Torrhen only nodded.
"The man would betray his oath of the kingsguard and murder his king?" asked Ned, a heavy frown on his face.
"Don't judge Ser Jaime too fast, brother, he will have a good reason for doing so if all of the crimes of the Mad King aren't enough in your eyes which is why you and I are going to make a small detour with Lords Karstark, Mallister, Bracken and Blackwood towards the throne room where you can ask him yourself."
"You know something but won't tell us what" said Rickard Karstark with narrowed eyes.
"Yes, but even knowing the madness of Aerys it will be hard to believe what he has done in the past moon so Ser Jaime will tell you himself" Torrhen said with a sad smile causing the other Lords to swear.
What could possibly be worse than has already been shared? They asked themselves.
Yohn Royce stepped forward, his voice soft but commanding nethertheless.
"Then our course of action is decided, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes it is" replied Torrhen, "I remind you, we do this not just for gold or glory," he said. "We do this for the people inside. For the innocents who would die beneath the heel of Tywin Lannister. No looting. No rape. No killing without cause. We are not lions. We are men of honor."
A beat of silence followed. Then another murmur—softer, but respectful while Ser Stevron and Lords Waynwood and Grafton only snorted with disdain.
Ned met each lord's eye.
"We end this war tomorrow. But we do it with justice. Let that be what the realm remembers."
They started to file out of the tent when a messenger arrived, panic on his face, his voice urgent, "My lords, the Targaryens opened the gates but the Lannisters have attacked the city and started sacking it".
His voice caused the group of men to swear and run towards their respective camps while the trio of dissenters looked at the boy whose words they had demented so heavily with great discomfort.
Despite their believe the Lannisters would defend the city they had been proven wrong while the vision from a heathen bastard had proved to be true and they didn't know what to make of that.
Torrhen didn't let that affect him, he walked camly but quickly past them towards his personal tent knowing it would take atleast ten minutes for all the men to mount their horses and form up.
**Scene Break**