177
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299 AC
Storms End
Stannis Baratheon
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Walking through Storms End during the last time I was sieged in this castle was a nightmare of broken spirits and sunken in cheeks. Dark looks and even some fear of treachery in each turn of a corner waiting for a knife to slip between my ribs. Surely it would be the same this time around if not for me preparing in advance and having food and arrows stacked high in preparation.
The men don't even seem affected by the long days and nights surrounded by enemies solely because of who they are. Targaryens and Dornish, the two people the Stormlands hate the most and would never yield to. If it was a Reach force like last time maybe I would have to worry about knives in the dark but with who is at the gates I do not need to worry. I can hold this castle for months without even beginning to worry about supplies and by then I will have gotten the deal I want.
But the silver-haired fool has only sent in demands for the surrender of the castle and the extinction of House Baratheon. He will show mercy to my men but refuses to accept an outcome where any Baratheon blood survives. If he wants it to be this way then he will have to take the castle from my corpse, I will not yield my family's home.
Coming to a stop at a window high in Storms End I look out at the large force outside of my walls while gritting my teeth. They don't sit around feasting as Lord Tyrell's force did, they have dug in and made defenses. They are playing out the long game even if the Targaryen sending his words seems anxious and ready for this castle to fall into his hands. Viserys the third or whatever he wants to call himself does not seem to be a leader of men.
The first few days saw almost a hundred or more of his men die trying to climb the wall before someone else likely called off the assault. I can still remember the furious look the silver-haired man had through my Myrish far eye. But it does not bode well thus far for my plan to maintain Baratheon rule over the Stormlands. For all I know me and my Daughter are the last Baratheons at this point and this Targaryen wants both of our heads.
He will have neither unless he is able to claim them through battle, I won't have my House end the same way it started. I won't die and have my daughter stripped naked and put into chains to be dragged out as an offering to whoever will sit in this castle once my family ends. neither I nor my Daughter will meet our end the way the last Storm King and Storm Princess did.
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299 AC
Storms End
Arthur Dayne
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Gods above, I never expected to see someone so full of wroth about hearing their family home was reclaimed. Word from Kingslanding did not bring a smile to 'King' Viserys but instead almost had him throw a table. He has been a changed man over the last few months but almost like a spilled cup his short temper is pouring out. It truly is a tragedy to see, all the training and steps forward he made have seemed to blow away.
"He is acting as a Regent not as a King, his title of King is not him claiming Westeros but instead the Summer Kingdom he formed." Lord Yronwood tries to calm the storm that is Viserys Targaryen but makes no moves from his seat as he reads the raven's message.
"I care not for his Summer Kingdom of savages!" Viserys shouts before coming to a stop and taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "He is holding Kingslanding and even slayed the Usurpers son in combat before the masses. Soon he will even start holding court and lording over the small folk of Kingslanding and digging his claws deeper into my city... into my realm." Viserys shakes his head before looking around the tent with narrowed eyes.
"Your Grace, forgive me but I do not think Eragon is trying to claim Kingslanding for himself or he would not have wasted time putting up a farce of being a regent. He has Dragons and the King's sword if he wanted to press a stronger claim than your own... not to mention being able to sit on the Iron Throne while you cant. I believe this is exactly what the words of the message entail, your Brother is simply holding the city after freeing it from the Baratheons." Lord Vaith speaks trying to calm things down and thankfully his words seem to hit the mark.
"I see." Viserys stops while squeezing the hilt of his sword and looking out the entrance of the tent toward Storms End. "Send word to Stannis, I want to speak to him as soon as possible." Seems another demand will be issued, hopefully, this time with better results.
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299 AC
Kingslanding
Eragon Targaryen
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Walking up the iron steps I feel a bit guilty I am taking this seat before the rightful owner, but I won't stand at the feet of a throne when meeting the Lords of the Vale. I will sit on the throne as the King I am but acting as a humble regent for my Brother, in the end, Viserys is not here and Kingslanding moves on. The Great Game as they call it, Mother told me about how people love to make a game out of the movements of the court, but the game goes on regardless of who holds the city. Stability will come from someone sitting it regardless of who does it and that is all that matters at this moment.
Making it to the top of the steps I turn and sit on the chair feeling it not give in anyway like a normal seat would. Unlike my throne in the Summer Isles this seat was not made for comfort or to look expensive and luxurious as the people of my islands respect. No, this seat was made to look down upon people from while looking like a beast resting within twisted steel. Balerion did not melt these swords together for someone to have a comfortable perch to sit on, he melted them to show power.
Setting my arms on the blades beaten flat for armrests I adjust myself with surprising ease not feeling any points jabbing into me. No, instead I feel secure as I ease into the chair many Targaryen Kings have sat on before me, not comfortable... but secure.
I look down at my family positioned in various spots either sitting in a chair beside the throne or standing beside one of the chairs. Armed guards are before them making a wall with their bodies and equipped in case a fight breaks out. The Knights of the Vale are here to help and they did their task well, but I won't let myself be cornered by them if they want to show their hidden motives at the first opportunity.
"Bring them in." I command while holding the golden dragon head of Brightroar in my palm and having the point stuck into one of the steps beneath me.
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299 AC
Kingslanding
Yohn Royce
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Walking into the throne room I spot the Targaryen King who named himself regent for his Brother. Sitting upon the throne like a cat resting on a ledge at Runestone just above the sharp cliffs, one wrong movement and disaster could strike. Dressed in all black other than the silver circlet on his head holding back his hair and also being the first time I have gotten to see his face well. I don't see any resemblance at a glance to his Father but I certainly see some of his brothers in him and how high his cheekbones are.
Beneath the throne is a line of chairs being sat upon by the various Queens of the Targaryen King. Each with there own unique look to them but all of them have the same piercing look in their eyes as they look over the Lords of the Vale.
"That's close enough." Eragon lifts his free hand not spinning his Valyrian steel sword and rests his head against the throne's tall back. "I would like to start this off by thanking each of you for your part in the return of House Targaryen to its rightful place. Although my Brother is dealing with Stannis and the Stormlands I know for a fact he would be grateful to each of you." The King stops and it's hard to not notice the shifting of the Queens before him as those words carry across the room.
"We did as we were commanded to by our Lady." I speak up keeping a close eye on how the King reacts but he just smiles a little and gives a short nod.
"Indeed, I and House Targaryen are ever grateful for Lady Arryn for her part in all of this." I am sure you are, the Lady even birthed you a daughter!
But I would not dare to say it aloud in this very room where this boy Kings Father burned Lord Stark and had his Son strangled. I am not a fool and what is done is done, we can only move on and hope for a better future at this point. It is without a doubt that the realm was starting to see the effects of the mismanagement of its resources over Robert's reign. Things that even during a bad Targaryen King's reign never was really a problem other than maybe during the 'Unworthy'.
Eragon looks to be an Unworthy himself with all the wives he could get his hands on, even Lady Arryn's first born Daughter. But as far as I am aware Eragon intends to return to his foreign Kingdom once things settle and his preference will not matter. Even if the Seven frowns upon his actions it won't matter if he is across a sea and upon his islands.
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299 AC
Kingslanding
Rhaenys Targaryen
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"That was not so bad, let's go flying!" I jump up from my seat and turn to look at Eragon who is sitting on the throne with a frown.
"That went well, but we still need to sort out the soon-to-be arriving Reach Lords who seem to be following the food they had delivered. No gift is free and we need to be ready for whatever they are going to ask for." Eragon speaks up still talking a little loud causing his voice to carry across the throne room. "We don't know their goals but it's convenient that they are coming and can bend the knee before the throne. To swear to be loyal for the rest of time to House Targaryen just as their ancestors did and they failed to uphold once before." I hear a few snorts of dissatisfaction as everyone here holds a grudge against the poor showing the Reach had in both wars in our lifetime.
"So no flying?" I ask while pursing my lips and crossing my arms.
"We can fly after we manage to get those skulls out of the dungeons and back into the throne room. I want to have them back where they belong and hopefully, we can have all the Stags and Lions carved out of the castle before Viserys or the rest of our family arrive." I sigh knowing just how much Viserys would rage seeing the lions and stags covering 'his castle'.
Eragon stands from the throne sheathing his blade and walks down it with a smile on his face.
"We will be in the sky before you know it." He closes the distance and embraces me and I wrap my arms around him tightly before even more arms join the embrace as we are joined by others.
"I still can't fly yet." Daenerys huffs but I feel her head force its way between everyone so she can be in the middle of the group hug.