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House Blackwood of Raventree Hall
#House Blackwood#Raventree Hall#Riverlands#Alysanne Blackwood#Red Robb Rivers#Benjicot Blackwood#House of the Dragon#hotd#Game of Thrones#asoiaf#A Song of Ice & Fire#GRRM#Fire & Blood#Westerosi Houses#Westeros#Westeros Houses
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Red Robb Rivers and your two archers, you will always be iconic for killing Criston Cole.
Longleaf the Lionslayer, you will always be iconic for saying, "I'll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker, there's tens 'o thousands dead on your account." Over his corpse
#a song of ice and fire#asoiaf#fire and blood#house of the dragon#house of the dragon spoilers#hotd#hotd spoilers#red robb rivers#house blackwood#longleaf the lionslayer#this is gonna be fun
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House Blackwood stays winning.
#brynden rivers#robb rivers#daemon blackfyre#daemon i blackfyre#ser criston cole#criston cole#three eyed crow#bloodraven#red robb rivers#a song of ice and fire#asoiaf#fire and blood
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Calling for a peace banner, King Aegon’s Hand rode out to treat with them. Three came down from the ridge to meet him. Chief amongst them was Ser Garibald Grey in his dented plate and mail. Pate of Longleaf was with him, the Lionslayer who had cut down Jason Lannister, together with Roddy the Ruin, bearing the scars he had taken at the Fishfeed. “If I strike my banners, do you promise us our lives?” Ser Criston asked the three of them. “I made my promise to the dead,” Ser Garibald replied. “I told them I would build a sept for them out of traitors’ bones. I don’t have near enough bones yet, so…” Ser Criston answered, “If there is to be battle here, many of your own will die as well.” The northman Roderick Dustin laughed at these words, saying, “That’s why we come. Winter’s here. Time for us to go. No better way to die than sword in hand.” Ser Criston drew his longsword from its scabbard. “As you will it. We can begin here, the four of us. One of me against the three of you. Will that be enough to make a fight of it?” But Longleaf the Lionslayer said, “I’ll want three more,” and up on the ridge Red Robb Rivers and two of his archers raised their longbows. Three arrows flew across the field, striking Cole in belly, neck, and breast. “I’ll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker,” declared Longleaf. “There’s tens o’ thousands dead on your account.” He was speaking to a corpse.
Fire and Blood (George R. R. Martin)
#ASoIaF#Fire & Blood#valyrianscrolls#ch: The Dying of the Dragons: Rhaenyra Triumphant#Criston Cole#Garibald Grey#Pate of Longleaf#Roderick Dustin#Red Robb Rivers#Butcher's Ball#Dance of the Dragons#Blacks#V#GRRM#books#quotes#Damn!#How is it that Greens have historians on their side#yet the most badass characters belong to Blacks?!
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I can’t wait for Season 2′s secondary cast for HOTD, I’ve loved this story for years and just refreshing my memory gives us feminist lesbian Jeyne Arryn, Daeron the Daring and the Blue Queen Tessarion, Black Aly Blackwood with her bow and her lesbian bestie Sabitha Frey, them shepparding ‘the Lads’ Kermit Tully (son of Elmo, I kid you not), Oscar Tully and Benicott Blackwood, a bloke called ‘Roddy the Ruin’ and his Winter Wolves who literally mows through his foes on the verge of death, Red Rob Rivers who’s the best archer of the lot and kills a very hated character, and guerrilla fighter called ‘Black Trombo’ and Cregan f*cking Stark who literally says ‘the North Remembers’ as he cleans up the Lannisters’, the Baratheons’ and the Targs’ mess.
Not to mention Nettles, Addam of Hull and this witchy woman you might have heard of called Alys Rivers.
#house of the dragon#fire and blood#cregan stark#black aly blackwood#roddy the ruin#sabitha frey#jeyne arran#daeron the daring#tessarion#kermit tully#oscar tully#benicott blackwood#Red Robb Rivers#black trombo#nettles#addam of hull#alys rivers#don't know how much we'll get of them but we better get something
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Fire & Blood: Remember Red Robb Rivers?
Me: Oh ~yeah~ a Blackwood bastard! And a really good archer, right? I should remember that, he may prove useful for story plans.
Fire & Blood: He also had a hand in the death of Ser Criston Cole.
Me: GIVE THIS MAN A LORDSHIP, HE SHALL BE THE VELARYON BOYS’ FOURTH FATHER FIGURE AND KNOW THE BEST OF MARRIAGE PROSPECTS AND SHALL HAVE THE HAPPIEST AND PROUDEST OF ENDS AND FEATURE WHEREVER POSSIBLE—
#anti-criston cole#anti criston cole#house of the dragon#hotd#fire & blood spoilers#fire & blood#hotd spoilers#red robb rivers
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All this was but prelude, for the Lords of the Trident had been gathering their forces. When Ser Criston left the lake behind, striking out overland for the Blackwater, he found them waiting atop a stony ridge; three hundred mounted knights in armor, as many longbowmen, three thousand archers, three thousand ragged rivermen with spears, hundreds of northmen brandishing axes, mauls, spiked maces, and ancient iron swords. Above their heads flew Queen Rhaenyra’s banners. “Who are they?” a squire asked when the foe appeared, for they showed no arms but the queen’s. “Our death,” answered Ser Criston Cole, for these foes were fresh, better fed, better horsed, better armed, and they held the high ground, whilst his own men were stumbling, sick, and dispirited. Calling for a peace banner, King Aegon’s Hand rode out to treat with them. Three came down from the ridge to meet him. Chief amongst them was Ser Garibald Grey in his dented plate and mail. Pate of Longleaf was with him, the Lionslayer who had cut down Jason Lannister, together with Roddy the Ruin, bearing the scars he had taken at the Fishfeed. “If I strike my banners, do you promise us our lives?” Ser Criston asked the three of them. “I made my promise to the dead,” Ser Garibald replied. “I told them I would build a sept for them out of traitors’ bones. I don’t have near enough bones yet, so…” Ser Criston answered, “If there is to be battle here, many of your own will die as well.” The northman Roderick Dustin laughed at these words, saying, “That’s why we come. Winter’s here. Time for us to go. No better way to die than sword in hand.” Ser Criston drew his longsword from its scabbard. “As you will it. We can begin here, the four of us. One of me against the three of you. Will that be enough to make a fight of it?” But Longleaf the Lionslayer said, “I’ll want three more,” and up on the ridge Red Robb Rivers and two of his archers raised their longbows. Three arrows flew across the field, striking Cole in belly, neck, and breast. “I’ll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker,” declared Longleaf. “There’s tens o’ thousands dead on your account.” He was speaking to a corpse.
Fire and Blood, by George R.R. Martin, pg 475-476
#butcher's ball#criston's death#fire and blood quotes#fire and blood#ser criston cole#criston cole#dance of the dragons#dying of the dragons#asoiaf#a song of ice and fire#garibald grey#roderick dustin#red robb rivers#pate of longleaf#longleaf the lionslayer
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#red and red and red. everything around her is red and it has soiled the wolf’s fur and now she bleeds too#the blood of the wolf has spilled and out pours a thousand words of love and regret and dread and yearning for just one more look.#one more hug one more i love you one more of your mama’s always going to be here for you#the wolf has been butchered and it’s blood has been spilled into the river and the fish swim in it now#asoiaf#sansa stark#a song of ice and fire#catelyn stark#robb stark#valyrianscrolls#arya stark#bran stark#rickon stark#webweaving#house stark#house tully#do you ever think.#catelyn tully#catelyn tully stark
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[Sybell Westerling to Jaime:]"She would not give up the little crown the rebel gave her, and when I tried to take it from her head the willful child fought me." "It was mine." Jeyne sobbed. "You had no right. Robb had it made for me. I loved him." Her mother made to slap her, but Jaime stepped between them. [...]
Jaime had to canter past the Westerlings as he rode down the column on his way back to Riverrun. Lord Gawen nodded gravely as he passed, but Lady Sybell looked through him with eyes like chips of ice. Jeyne never saw him at all. The widow rode with downcast eyes, huddled beneath a hooded cloak. Underneath its heavy folds, her clothes were finely made, but torn. She ripped them herself, as a mark of mourning, Jaime realized. That could not have pleased her mother.
[Jaime, to the Freys:]"Tell me, is Ser Raynald Westerling amongst these captives?" "The knight of seashells?" Edwyn sneered. "You'll find that one feeding the fish at the bottom of the Green Fork." "He was in the yard when our men came to put the direwolf down," said Walder Rivers. "Whalen demanded his sword and he gave it over meek enough, but when the crossbowmen began feathering the wolf he seized Whalen's axe and cut the monster loose of the net they'd thrown over him. Whalen says he took a quarrel in his shoulder and another in the gut, but still managed to reach the wallwalk and throw himself into the river." -Jaime VII, aFfC
And Robb. Robb who had been more a brother to Theon than any son born of Balon Greyjoy's loins. Murdered at the Red Wedding, butchered by the Freys. I should have been with him. Where was I? I should have died with him. -Theon I(/VII), aDwD
something just so endearing to me about the way robb finds love and friendship with the children of enemy families. their parents still consider him an enemy and work for his downfall, and it would be in their own interests not to get so emotionally involved over the guy who took their castle by force (in jeyne w. and her siblings' case) or the heir of a captor/would-be executioner (in theon's case). but it just keeps happening with robb anyway. he just replaces one enemy's offspring at his side with even more of them. sybell spicer westerling and her brother rolph were secretly still loyal to tywin, but all her kids just gladly transferred their loyalty to a new king with no apparent misgivings. well, almost all of them, we can only guess and assume in eleyna's case. (bc we don't really see her after their intro scene, jeyne's-hips-don't-lie conspiracy theorists! you will not take jeyne's best moments away from her!) robb's younger brother-in-law was so eager to squire for him he was disappointed not to join his last war march and wasn't even ready to leave robb alone with catelyn after he introduced them. jeyne refused to hide her widow's grief once robb was gone and her mother's true feelings were known to her, risking physical abuse from her mother to boldly make her true loyalty known to the lannister regime who murdered her husband and have responsibility for her future. and jeyne's other brother, raynald, he died for robb at the red wedding, no, to be precise, he died for grey wind at the red wedding. robb's direwolf may have distrusted sybell and rolph spicer, and made jeyne uneasy, pushing robb away from his lupine other half at riverrun, until only the lack of most of the westerlings got the wolf back at robb's side where he belonged on the way to the rw, but when the freys came to kill grey wind it was that westerling knight who fought to aid him. when grey wind died, possibly with robb's spirit also inside him, raynald westerling was the one there dying loyally with him.
and ofc, there's still theon too. theon, who, even after everything, after fighting against the starks at wf, so that robb spent his last months waiting to come home and kill him, after all that, he still idealizes robb as his only true brother, wishing he could have been able to die with him at the twins as raynald westerling did. (catelyn was more right than she knew when she thought jeyne's brothers were standing in for those robb had lost, theon included.) part of that is surely down to just how badly theon's conquest at wf worked out for him, earning him the enmity of all the northmen and ending in his prolonged torture by the son of robb's killer, a kingslayer who thanked theon for helping bring down the starks, all giving him cause to idealize his earlier captivity at wf (and feel guilt for his deeds there), but we know his brotherly affection for robb was not merely invented by trauma after the fact. the love was always there, even if it was hidden.
that's what made robb such a potentially good king if circumstance and youth had not been against him. his charisma was such that he not only won the undying loyalty of most of his bannermen but could also win the hearts and minds of those who should have only been enemies. sure, he couldn't change the minds of their parents, who were ultimately in charge, but that wasn't really his fault. and it doesn't nullify the love he did inspire in those children of his enemies, their love was real and it still mattered. it's true both of his sisters gained the protection of the hound, joffrey's dog, and that bran and rickon had the fierce loyalty of osha after she first met bran trying to rob him, and ofc jon snow had multiple wildling allies after he used to fight against them, but robb's the only starkling to gain the love of would-be enemies from two different enemy regions, isn't he? it's just all really indicative of robb's greatest inheritance from ned: ruling through getting to know all your people and making them care for you (with robb taking it further by extending this to hostages) as opposed to the lannister method of ruling only through fear. sansa was right that love is a surer route to people's loyalty than fear, it's just an unfortunate fact that not everyone can be won that way.
#valryianscrolls#asoiaf meta#asoiaf#robb stark#jeyne westerling#theon greyjoy#we follow our hearts ... wherever they take us#I should have been with him. Where was I?#rollam westerling#raynald westerling#long post#we don't talk enough about jeyne's older brother getting killed trying to save grey wind#and people who ignore/forget jeyne's righteous grief and just lump all the westerlings in w sybell really annoy me#it really says a lot abt little loyalty they had to joff and tywin to so easily jump in w a foreign invader king#happy wolf pack wednesday!#(c)lsb
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So I don't really have a concrete theory or anything, but...
Dany dreams she is fighting the "usurper's rebel host" (aka Robert Baratheon's army) but these icy enemies are obviously Others; see how they melt away the way Ser Puddles did when Sam killed him.
That night she dreamt that she was Rhaegar, riding to the Trident. But she was mounted on a dragon, not a horse. When she saw the Usurper’s rebel host across the river they were armored all in ice, but she bathed them in dragonfire and they melted away like dew and turned the Trident into a torrent. Some small part of her knew that she was dreaming, but another part exulted. This is how it was meant to be. The other was a nightmare, and I have only now awakened. She woke suddenly in the darkness of her cabin, still flush with triumph. Balerion seemed to wake with her, and she heard the faint creak of wood, water lapping against the hull, a footfall on the deck above her head. And something else.
Dany III, ASOS
In a later Jon chapter, in the very same book, an "enemy" bursts into the fray to scatter the wildlings. This enemy is a Baratheon king - Stannis. This Baratheon king claims to be the legendary Azor Ahai, but he's not (Dany is, "the dragons prove it").
Trumpets were blowing all around, loud and brazen. The wildlings have no trumpets, only warhorns. They knew that as well as he did; the sound sent free folk running in confusion, some toward the fighting, others away. A mammoth was stomping through a flock of sheep that three men were trying to herd off west. The drums were beating as the wildlings ran to form squares and lines, but they were too late, too disorganized, too slow. The enemy was emerging from the forest, from the east, the northeast, the north; three great columns of heavy horse, all dark glinting steel and bright wool surcoats. Not the men of Eastwatch, those had been no more than a line of scouts. An army. The king? Jon was as confused as the wildlings. Could Robb have returned? Had the boy on the Iron Throne finally bestirred himself?
Jon X, ASOS
I find it interesting that Jon initially thinks it's his brother, a military commander with a near spotless record, coming to rescue him. Then thinks that it should be the king on the iron throne; he's expecting a boy, but it's wasn't a boy who came.
I think that we're going to see a repeat of this in ADOS, with Dany as the real Azor Ahai and king coming to rescue Jon. Upon hearing that the Others have come and receiving Watch's call for aid, Dany will immediately choose to go North. Think of Stannis saying:
"Yes, I should have come sooner. If not for my Hand, I might not have come at all. Lord Seaworth is a man of humble birth, but he reminded me of my duty, when all I could think of was my rights. I had the cart before the horse, Davos said. I was trying to win the throne to save the kingdom, when I should have been trying to save the kingdom to win the throne.” Stannis pointed north. “There is where I’ll find the foe that I was born to fight.”
Jon XI, ASOS
Also notice how Dany's Trident dream alludes to a fated battle involving icy monsters.
This is all just conjecture right now but, Jon's chapter has Stannis breaking the wildling siege on Castle Black. In Jon's (obviously prophetic) ADWD dream, he's besieged by a wildling host who turn out to be Others/wights - this dream is literally a play by play of the battle at Castle Black; like to a tee, it's crazy. Jon is fighting alone in that dream, just as he was alone among the wildlings before Stannis came.
So my thinking is Jon gets besieged and he is fighting alone, in need of a helper.....
They are all gone. They have abandoned me. Burning shafts hissed upward, trailing tongues of fire. Scarecrow brothers tumbled down, black cloaks ablaze. “Snow,” an eagle cried, as foemen scuttled up the ice like spiders. Jon was armored in black ice, but his blade burned red in his fist. As the dead men reached the top of the Wall he sent them down to die again.
Jon XII, ADWD
...then enter Daenerys, who is above all a savior.
“But,” Prince Aegon said, “without Daenerys and her dragons, how could we hope to win?” “You do not need to win,” Tyrion told him. “All you need to do is raise your banners, rally your supporters, and hold, until Daenerys arrives to join her strength to yours.” “You said she might not have me.” “Perhaps I overstated. She may take pity on you when you come begging for her hand.” The dwarf shrugged. “Do you want to wager your throne upon a woman’s whim? Go to Westeros, though … ah, then you are a rebel, not a beggar. Bold, reckless, a true scion of House Targaryen, walking in the footsteps of Aegon the Conqueror. A dragon. “I told you, I know our little queen. Let her hear that her brother Rhaegar’s murdered son is still alive, that this brave boy has raised the dragon standard of her forebears in Westeros once more, that he is fighting a desperate war to avenge his father and reclaim the Iron Throne for House Targaryen, hard-pressed on every side … and she will fly to your side as fast as wind and water can carry her. You are the last of her line, and this Mother of Dragons, this Breaker of Chains, is above all a rescuer.
Tyrion VI, ADWD
Dany dreams her fight is for the iron throne, but she is obviously fighting the Others. Tyrion thinks Dany is coming to rescue Rhaegar's son in his bid for the Iron Throne, but she will rescue him as he fights to save the world (and not doom it with more war). Notice how Jon atop the Wall dons house Targaryen's colors. Notice how he too is symbolized with Azor Ahai imagery, waving a beacon to light Dany's way. It's Aegon the Conqueror reversed. Dany's not here not for the throne. She's here to fulfill a prophecy, which Aegon never did.
TL;DR
Dany will save Jon while he's besieged by the Others :)
(small rant below)
This initially started as a post talking about Dany the war commander and kinda morphed into something else....
But it's funny to me that when people talk about the war for the dawn, it's always Jon and/or Bran who are made to be the natural war commanders or battle planners. And that's not a bad thing...but neither one of them has experience planning for and staging pitched battles. Bran has zero military experience to begin with and didn't receive the same education that Robb did. People assume that he'll be the commander because his skinchanging can be used for reconnaissance and thus battle command, but the one who canonically uses their skinchanging to spy on enemy troops and use the intel is Jon.
Jon, on the other hand, has battle experience but he was defending against a siege and not leading a fight in an open field. And that's not to say that he would be a bad tactician. He did an incredible job in ASOS defending the wall and ADWD also shows us that he can come up with intelligent plans on the fly. Anyway, aren't we told that people get stuck in their castles starving and with nowhere to go? Jon has experience leading sieges so he's the most suited for that. But he's not the most suited for breaking sieges and leading open battles because he doesn't have experience doing so.
DANY is the one who actually has experience as a more well rounded military commander. It's literally in her name: Daenerys, the sacker of cities. She has a spotless record as a military/war leader in Essos. That's Robb Stark level of prodigious ability, yet she does not get nearly enough respect in fandom. Robb will often get touted as one of the top commanders, even making top three/five for a lot of people, but doesn't Dany have similar stats and way more disadvantages? Shouldn't she be up there too? So out of anyone, shouldn't she be the war commander?
I was just annoyed that she has this insane record overturning enemy lines and breaking sieges and no ever talks about how that invaluable skill can be used against the Others. It's always "someone else will command her to go here and do this and do that". When talking about what looks like a war of attrition, why is no one mentioning the human battering ram being the key to success?? Feelsbadman :(
#asoiaf#jon snow#daenerys targaryen#valyrianscrolls#didn't put it in the post but my theory is that this siege might be at harrenhal and not the wall#mostly because of jon and dany recreating rhaegar and lyanna's meeting in that cursed place - plus it's “the seat of kings”#but we have lyanna 2.0 and rhaegar 2.0 meeting and falling in love in a castle that doomed their predecessors#but this time their love saves the world instead of destroying it#plus think of how aegon never sat as king at harrenal so it would be awesome for dany to be there just for a while#it will be kingception in there - jon bran dany playing 'who wants to rule a cursed kingdom?? not me!'#I'm always just thinking thoughts all the time#they swirl around in my head like protons in a nuclear reactor until they combust into crackpot garbage
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HOUSE BLACKWOOD :: THE DANCE OF DRAGONS ( insp )
The Blackwoods are an ancient house descended from the First Men who ruled the Wolfswood in the North before being driven south by the Kings of Winter from House Stark. House Blackwood is home to many greenseers, skinchangers, and woodswitches, with origins believed to date back to the Warg King and his alliance with the Children of the Forest.
Lord Samwell Blackwood became the Lord of Raventree Hall after the death of his father at the hands of Ser Jonnel Bracken. He avenged his father's death in the Year of the Red Spring, igniting the conflict between both houses once more. He was a shrewd and honorable man who refused to stand by when it came to injustice and was believed to have more north than Riverlands in him. A cunning military strategist, he was the mind behind the Battle of the Burning Mill, which saw the first blood drawn in the Dance. Lady Jocelyn Blackwood nee Stark is the only daughter of Bennard Stark of Winterfell and his second wife Lady Alyssa Strong of Harrenhal. She was sent to ward with her grandfather where she was courted by Samwell Blackwood. She is known as the Witch Wolf, a moniker mocking her relationship with her cousin, Alys Rivers. She was often in contact with her cousin and half-brothers in Winterfell, and convinced them to send men on behalf of Queen Rhaenyra. Cassana Blackwood is the eldest child and daughter of Lord and Lady Blackwood. An unusual and lonely child, her mother sent her to ward in King's Landing with House Strong, where she became fast friends with Jacaerys Velaryon and Daeron Targaryen. She was called home after the Bracken-Blackwood feud ignited again and was staying at Harrenhal when the fire broke out. Miraculously, she survived. She later studied healing and medicine under her mother and the Maester of Raventree Hall. Benjicot Blackwood is the eldest son and second child of Lord and Lady Blackwood. He spent the first three years of his life abed with a sickness none could cure. His lady mother prayed to the Old Gods at the dead weirwood every night for his health as the ravens gathered. When it did, he was left with a large splotch of red on his back and up towards his neck. Some say he fought with an insatiable bloodlust--a touch of the Old Gods within him--and gave him the name "Bloody Ben." Lady Alysanne Blackwood was known as "Black Aly" and is the younger sister of Samwell and Willem Blackwood. As fierce as any man, she was fearless and bawdy and the best archer aside from her bastard half-brother Robb Rivers. She was rumored to be fond of Lady Sabitha Frey, but married Cregan Stark by the end of the Dance. Alysanne was said to have a mind as sharp as her tongue, and often made political decisions for the House when her kin could not. She is credited with the temporary ending of the Bracken-Blackwood feud by marrying her nephew Benjicot to the Lady Catelyn Bracken. Ser Willem Blackwood is the younger brother of Samwell Blackwood and is the only member of House Blackwood in recent memory to follow the Faith of the Seven. He has often been quoted as the Black Sheep of the family due to his preference for his mother's Andal traditions. Later in life, he became known for eschewing honor in order to achieve victory, although this is widely believed to be slander as it came from Amos Bracken. He attempted to win the hand of Princess Rhaenyra and slew Jerrel Bracken, Ser Jonnel's eldest son, in a duel for her hand. Robb Rivers is the elder half-brother of Samwell, Alysanne, and Willem and the uncle of Cassana and Benjicot. He was known as "the Bowman of Raventree" due to his skill with a weirwood bow and "Red Robb Rivers" due to his bright red hair, which contrasted against his sibling's black locks. In contrast to the Blackwood sigil, Robb bore a white tree on a red escutcheon blazoned with a flock of white ravens on black. His mother was believed to be a stable hand at Raventree, although this has never been confirmed.
taglist: @bisexualterror @foxesandmagic @iron-parkr @camiemendess @a-song-of-quill-and-feather
@arrthurpendragon @starcrossedjedis @drbobbimorse @kingsmakers @noratilney
@stanshollaand @astarionbae @darth-caillic @mystic-scripture @aliverse
@misshiraethsworld @asirensrage @eddiemunscns
@princessmadelines @impales @waterloou @stelstellakidd
HOTD TAGLIST: @misskatiewrites (wanna be added? Lmk!)
#ocappreciation#allaboutocs#ochub#fyeahgotocs#house of the dragon oc#daeron targaryen x oc#Daeron Targaryen oc#house blackwood#house blackwood oc#house blackwood face claims#oc: cassana blackwood#oc: jocelyn strong#my edits#my ocs#fic: east of eden#davos does not exist here im sorry bracken wood lovers
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The Green Fork ran swift and deep here, but the Freys had spanned it many centuries past and grown rich off the coin men paid them to cross . . . when they were done they'd thrown up stout timber keeps on either bank, so no one might cross without their leave. -AGOT, Catelyn IX
The Freys have so far proven to be one of the most faithless houses in the series. They use their position as Lords of the Crossing to secure themselves the best offer, always demanding a toll.
It brings to mind the tale of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," a troll under the bridge, always greedy, was willing to forgo one goat for the next if the next one was bigger, meaning he offered a larger meal. Lord Walder himself is a grumpy and greedy figure like the troll, always hungry for the best deal for himself. With things coming in threes, the Freys join their cause to royal candidates and are quick to throw them aside and turn their cloaks if the next candidate is stronger and brings potentially more rewards.
The Freys first allied with Robb Stark, King in the North. He offered them a marriage and fostering two Freys. They then cast him aside after his broken betrothal, and Lord Walder had been wanting to switch sides after the Battle of the Blackwater. They are now allied with the Lannisters the wealthiest house, with the alliance with House Tyrell, the two strongest kingdoms, making them the strongest players on the field. They made the Freys de facto lords of the riverlands and offered marriages like the Boltons making Walder's grandaughters' the Ladies of the North and Darry and prizes like Riverrun. However, we know like with Robb Stark, the Lannisters' success won't last due to Cersei's mismanagement, the desire for vengeance over their past actions and another player coming onto the field from across the Narrow Sea.
"And what if I do not choose to pay this toll?" "Then you had best retreat back to Moat Cailin, deploy to meet Lord Tywin in battle … or grow wings. I see no other choices."
The fairy tale ends when the third goat arrives, the biggest and strongest of the three. The hungry troll sees him as his best meal, but he misses that his size took away the troll's leverage in threatening him as the goat knew it was capable of challenging the troll and rams him into the river to drown. The last candidate that will make them turn their cloaks and offer an alliance to will of course be Daenerys, the strongest of the three candidates.
Knowing she will need to face King Stannis, they'll demand large rewards from her. Like possibly amongst other things, to be made liege lords of the riverlands or even Riverrun and Winterfell given Walda was supposed to be Lady of the North. I also wouldn't put it past Black Walder to offer Daenerys marriage. Of course, in doing so, they overplay their hand.
They missed as each royal house they made their offer to got stronger that meant they could demand more rewards it also meant their leverage was weaker. They had the most leverage with Robb who absolutely needed them to get from the North to Riverrun and vice versa. Their leverage lessened with the Lannisters as they knew the Freys had nowhere else to go if they pulled the Red Wedding, and did not need the Crossing as much, being able to send men from King's Landing to the North or riverlands via the kingsroad. With Daenerys, she will have learned of their history of treachery, having proven themselves to be untrustworthy allies who had made themselves pariahs and lost much of their military strength in the North and reprisals over the Red Wedding. They will demand much while offering her little, or overcharging for their services. Along with having a large army, she will have dragons, something none of the other candidates ever possessed, that will allow her to fly over the Twins without paying their toll.
Looking at the opportunity costs, she may also find that they made themselves so universally hated, that it would do more for her cause to crush them.
Daenerys's reply to their offers of alliance will likely be met with "Dracarys." The Twins will likely be burned in dragonflame, and the ones who survive the flames will jump into the river to drown.
The Freys always demanded a toll, but failed to see that if they didn't live up to their side of the bargain of providing assistance, there would be a price to pay for their faithlessness and treachery.
#asoiaf#a song of ice and fire#house frey#walder frey#the riverlands#robb stark#house lannister#daenerys targaryen#house targaryen#queen daenerys
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Arya and Sansa storyswap: an exercise in imagination
Premise: I tried to speculate what might happen if Sansa manages to escape King's Landing and Arya gets stuck in the capital. I collected my thoughts on this scenario trying to make logical, credible choices that respected the characterization of the characters and the timeline of the books (the wiki was very usefull for this). I discarded all the scenarios that end in "…and then she dies horribly" because they're boring. I write with assumption that they would still remain POV characters and therefore mantain a minimum of plot armor. Like everyone, I have my biases so it's not perfect, but I tried to put myself in the most neutral mindset possible. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts. Part 1, Part 2
Part 3/3: Reunion
A Storm of Swords
Sandor and his “squire" are captured and bringed to Stoney Sept in the Riverlands. The Brotherhood without Banners takes them to Hollow Hill. Clegane is put on trial for various atrocities committed by Lannister soldiers, but he survives and is freed.
Arya is recognized by Harwin and Sansa. The two sisters reunite and remain under the "protection" of the outlaws. Because of this, the story takes a very different turn from here on.
For example, I don't think Arya would try to escape the Brotherhood so soon. As a result I don't think the Hound would be unable to kidnap the Stark girls again. However, the Hound could also decide to stay with the Brotherhood. He could plan to go to the Twins, introduce himself to Robb as Arya's savior, and ask him for a job.
So the Brotherhood proceeds as planned, they now have another valuable hostage and intend to take both girls to Lord Edmure's wedding and ransom them to their family. A group of men (like Lem, Harwin, Tom, etc) accompanies the sisters to Harroway to cross the Trident, but their journey is delayed because they find it flooded (like in Arya IX).
They reach the Twins just in time for the Red Wedding, and the outlaws manage to drag the Stark sisters away and save them. Arya and Sansa go through a complicated period of mourning but the fact of being together helps them. The two want to hold onto hope that perhaps their mother might have survived.
One night Arya has her first wolf dream in a long time: she sees Cat's body and drags it out of the river. In the morning Sansa suggests asking the men to go back and look for the woman, but Arya tells her that she's dead. As per canon Lord Beric, Thoros and the others come across the corpse and Dondarrion dies to resurrect her.
Lem's group continues their journey, this time they intend to take the girls to Lysa Arryn, but they discover that the mountain clans are bolder than ever and decide not to take the risk and return to the Riverlands.
The Stark sisters are getting impatient, Arya suggests that the two could run away and try to get to Winterfell alone. Sansa has to inform her sister that Winterfell was conquered by Theon months ago. She is devastated and abandons all plans. Lem's group returns to the Hollow Hill to discuss a new plan with Beric or perhaps to take more men as escorts before returning to the Vale.
Waiting for them in the hill, there isn't the lightning lord but Lady Stoneheart! Mother and daughters reunite.
A Feast for Crows
That's it. Final cliffhanger, sorry.
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But Longleaf the Lionslayer said, “I’ll want three more,” and up on the ridge Red Robb Rivers and two of his archers raised their longbows. Three arrows flew across the field, striking Cole in belly, neck, and breast. “I’ll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker,” declared Longleaf. “There’s tens o’ thousands dead on your account.” He was speaking to a corpse. (Fire and Blood, The Dying of the Dragons, Rhaenyra Triumphant)
*****
Then the tabletop that the Smalljon had flung over Robb shifted, and her son struggled to his knees. He had an arrow in his side, a second in his leg, a third through his chest. Lord Walder raised a hand, and the music stopped, all but one drum. Catelyn heard the crash of distant battle, and closer the wild howling of a wolf. Grey Wind, she remembered too late. "Heh," Lord Walder cackled at Robb, "the King in the North arises. Seems we killed some of your men, Your Grace. Oh, but I'll make you an apology, that will mend them all again, heh." (ASOS, Catelyn VII)
*****
Jon Snow had seen enough. "Now," he said. [...] One arrow took Mance Rayder in the chest, one in the gut, one in the throat. The fourth struck one of the cage's wooden bars, and quivered for an instant before catching fire. A woman's sobs echoed off the Wall as the wildling king slid bonelessly to the floor of his cage, wreathed in fire. "And now his Watch is done," Jon murmured softly. Mance Rayder had been a man of the Night's Watch once, before he changed his black cloak for one slashed with bright red silk. (ADWD, Jon III)
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never the same river
Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire Pairing: Ned Stark x Catelyn Tully Stark Tropes: developing relationship, arranged marriage, fluff and spice, mutual pining, idiots in love, dirty talk Rating: T+ Words: 2k Summary: Ned learns Catelyn used to be fond of swimming. He has no idea what he's doing.
for @nedcatweek day 6 prompt: "I want you to feel at home" [AO3]
“It is beautiful here,” Catelyn said, looking around. Ned observed her as she dismounted and gave the reins away to one of their host, before they were left alone. The weather had reached this sweet spot on the cusp of high season, when it was warm, but not hot enough to become unbearable. Late though and tentative, summer had indeed come to the North. The ice floe on the river had long melted, the flowers were yet in bloom, but the trees had for some weeks now been clad in the most verdant foliage, making one forget that the Winter was, indeed, coming. (Because Winter was coming. Tomorrow, or in twenty years, it was always coming, Ned knew.)
The idea to come here had arisen in Ned’s mind during the cold months. He had to bear Catelyn’s nostalgic looks on Harvest Day, then her barely visible flinches and chills in response to the cold drafts in the castle during winter. Though she might hide it well, Catelyn did not feel at home.
“What are we to do now, my Lord?” Catelyn asked and looked at him. Would that he could find his words easily. Alas, he’d never been skillful in conveying his meaning. Why had he brought her here? What were they going to do now? He wasn’t sure himself.
He wanted her to feel more at home. The Sept that he’d commissioned for her two winters prior hadn’t been enough, if her wistful sighing and withering glances were anything to judge by. Ned blamed himself. If only he’d made her feel more welcome. He had tried to keep her company whenever he could, but he wasn’t sure if his quiet, brooding presence had been any help, or if it had only made things worse. (Because he’d been brooding, Gods help him. He knew he’d been.)
With the first vestiges of spring, Ser Brynden Tully had come to Winterfell, bearing greetings and letters from Lord Hoster. The Blackfish had stayed in their Castle a fortnight and spent most of those mornings observing little Robb at play, and most of the evenings trying to get Ned to drink with him. Ned had very good reasons to not over indulge (what with the secrets he carried), but he would indulge a little, on occasion. And so he had played the gracious host, indulged a little in the cups with his guest, and had used the opportunity to pry subtly about Catelyn’s life back in Riverrun. One of the memories shared by Brynden had struck him as a particularly happy one. It was that of young Catelyn and Lysa going swimming in the Red Fork River in the summer. So, Catelyn liked river swimming… This seemed to Ned an extravagant passtime, but what did he know? He was from the North; he did not understand southern customs, and therein lay the whole problem.
“I thought we could go swimming in the river,” he said simply.
“... Swimming, my Lord?” she asked. Had he announced he was going to re-paint the walls of Castle Black bright crimson, her eyes could not have gotten any rounder. Taking her swimming had been his plan, ridiculous though it might now seem. The swift currents of White Knife, sure to be carrying the chill of northern glaciers even now, did not seem particularly enticing, he had to admit.
He regarded his Lady. She looked beautiful when surprised. To be precise, she looked beautiful at all times and all moods, to Ned at least. He would admire her quietly when she would glide through Winterfell, swishing about in her gowns, which she took to tailoring according to Northern fashion, but which retained the elegance and lightness of the worldly South. She would brighten his dour abode with her mere presence, but here, among nature, with the warm sun glinting in her teal eyes and setting her hair aflame? Catelyn Tully took his breath away.
“Perhaps the hot springs near your castle would serve better for that purpose, my Lord?” Catelyn asked, when he prolonged his silence. Her surprise had turned into visible amusement. “You know you can call for me whenever you want for company in the pools…”
Ned felt his ears turn red at the memory of their last time at the hot springs. He had noticed the cold did not serve his Lady well, and proposed they visit the caverns in the Godswoods, where the temperature in the pools was particularly high, so that she could warm herself and forget about the snowstorms that had been plaguing Winterfell. Catelyn had accepted this offer, but, instead of an endeavor towards the betterment of her health, she thought it primarily an effort to introduce some variety to their marital duties. And so their hot spring experience quickly turned… steamy.
Not that their bedroom needed any more steam. Ned would visit Catelyn’s chambers regularly, although never without her prior invitation. And she would invite him often. Every other night, in fact, whenever she was not through her menses. Ned knew this was what Maester Luwin advised her in order to quicken again, as Catelyn was bent on giving him another son.
Thing was, Catelyn had already given him one perfect son. Whenever Ned even looked at little Robb, he could not help but wonder. He had never thought he would ever get to be this happy. Not after… After… More still, she had given him another child, a sweet little babe, a daughter. Sansa favored her mother, and that made her beautiful to Ned’s eyes. Still, his Lady wanted to bear him another son, and it didn’t seem likely she’d give up before achieving that goal.
He could not help but feel guilty. Was it because of Jon? Was it that because Jon existed, she felt like one legitimate son wasn’t enough? Oh, he did feel guilty, after Jon, unworthy of those constant invitations to her bedchamber of wonders. For all his guilt, he’d never suggested that one heir was enough, though. He wondered if he maybe should, for her peace of mind, but then their nighttime activities would likely cease, and he just couldn't give her up. Wretched as he was, he came to rely completely on the reprieve that her touch offered. He would not show it, but most days he lusted after her, he awaited her signal impatiently like a man starved. It took a lot of effort on his part to not lose himself utterly with her, to not bite her soft, creamy skin, to not yank her lush red hair, not to take her a little too eagerly. She seemed so delicate, so refined. Ladylike.
He had earned the nickname the Quiet Wolf, because in his boyhood he’d been perceived as calm, in contrast to Brandon. Ah, Brandon… How his brother would now mock him, if he could see him so… lovesick. Ned had always been the sensible one. The reserved one. But not with Catelyn, he wasn’t. Not after having tasted her. Sometimes he thought one look of her eyes alone could make the wolfblood in him awaken. The wolfblood that he had used to doubt he had a drop of, but that he could now feel cursing through his veins whenever she lay under him. He restrained himself, fearful of offending her and losing her good graces, losing the privilege of sharing her bed, that he had nearly forfeited when he had brought Jon in. So he tried to remain calm during their couplings. Calm, gentle. Attentive to her whims and needs. He made sure she had her pleasure too, because Gods knew he had his aplenty with her.
“What is the true purpose of this outing, my Lord?” Catelyn asked, snapping him out of his musings. She was getting impatient, Ned knew. No wonder - they had spent the entire morning on horseback to get here, on his urging, and he’d kept her in the dark as to their destination. “Why have you brought me here?”
Ned sighed.
“Ser Brynden has told me you were fond of the river as a child,” he said. He could not bear to look her in the eye, so he instead looked at the murmuring crystalline waters. “I wanted you to feel more at home…”
Catelyn’s expression darkened visibly, at that. This was, apparently, the wrong thing to say, though for the love of the Old Gods, Ned could not figure out why.
“You do not get it, do you?” she grumbled, and he could tell she was bitter. He said nothing, as was his way, and let her speak. “I’ve lived here for four summers already! Winterfell is my home! Would that you saw it. Would that my welcome here was warmer.”
“What do you mean?” Ned was alarmed by her outburst. “Have I not seen to your comforts, my Lady? Has anyone in the Castle mistreated you?” Whoever had wronged her, Ned would not let them get away with it.
Catelyn sighed and shook her head, dejected.
“The truth is, I do find the North so very… cold,” she said quietly. “And not for all the snow and winter winds… I know I am unlike the women around here. Not as… hardy. The glances I sometimes get... I am a foreigner in everyone’s eyes. And, worse still, in your eyes…” She looked so sad that Ned’s very heart clenched painfully. “Sometimes I feel like I shall never belong.”
“No,” Ned rushed to appease her. He took her hand in his, hoping she’d turn around, hoping she’d look at him. “Of course your place is here! You are my Lady. My wife!”
“That I am…” She uttered a mirthless chuckle. “And you are ever so dutiful a husband. So stern, so focused, when you come to my chambers.”
“Have I been amiss with my attentions towards you?” Her comment, offhand as it was, stung deeply. He prided himself on doing his very best whenever they lay together.
“I do not deny that you are.. attentive,” she whispered. “Yet I always wonder if you even want to be there. With me.” The vulnerability in her voice rendered him near speechless. He hated himself for making her feel this way, for letting it come to this.
“Wherever else would I be?” he asked, genuinely bewildered by the very concept.
“You tell me,” said Catelyn and finally regaled him with a look. Though her words were quiet and her face ablush, thunder and lightning danced in her eyes.
Ned was frustrated. He was well aware of his many social shortcomings, and of how much Jon’s presence had soured things between them, but he had been trying his very best to be a good husband to her. He’d made many attempts at conveying how much she meant to him, but all of his efforts had failed, it seemed. He felt his temper rise, for the first time perhaps where she was involved.
“Then what would you have me do, my Lady?” he asked, not trying overly hard to smooth his speech this time. “Would you want me to grab you by your beautiful, downright sinful hair and take you roughly against the wall? Would that convince you of my commitment?”
This was, shockingly, somehow the right thing to say. Catelyn’s entire face brightened momentarily and it made something in Ned’s stomach stir in anticipation.
“You would want me like that?” she asked, breathless. Contrary to Ned’s every prediction, she did not look appalled nor frightened by the idea of them coupling roughly.
“I have… thought about it,” he admitted carefully. Her expression softened further, so he allowed himself to reveal even more. “In truth, I have been thinking of little else for many months now…”
“And you like my hair?” she asked.
Ned did like her hair, Gods help him, and he liked how her voice vibrated with excitement. He’d suddenly got many more ideas on how to make his wife feel more at home…
This is my contribution to NedCat Week 2024. Thrilled to be part of it and in awe of all the awesome writers making it happen <3
[my fanfiction masterpost]
#ned stark#catelyn stark#catelyn tully stark#nedcat#nedcatweek2024#nedcat week 2024#ned x cat#ned stark x catelyn stark#asoiaf#asoiaf fanfiction#game of thrones#game of thrones fanfiction#got fanfiction#eddard stark#[song of ice and fire]#ass deep in demons
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Interpretations of the red comet:
Daenerys:
Jhogo spied it first." There" he said in a husted voice. Dany looked and saw it low in the east. The first star was a comet, burning red; the dragon's tail. She could not have asked for a stronger sign.
AGOT, DAENERYS X
It is the herald of my coming, she told herself as she gazed up the night sky with wonder in her heart. The gods have send it to show me the way.
ACOK, DAENERYS I
Maester Cressen:
An omen of blood,foretelling murder...yes
ACOK, PROLOGUE
Ser Arys Oakheart:
[Sansa]"What do you think it means?"she asked him.
"Glory to your bethrothed" Ser Arys answered at once. "See how it flames across the sky today on His Grace's name day, as if the Gods themselves have raised a banner in his honor[...]
ACOK, SANSA I
Smallfolk on Kings Landing:
[Ser Arys]" The smallfolk have named it King Joffrey's comet".
Doubtless that was what they told Joffrey; Sansa was not so sure. "I've heard servants calling it the Dragon's tail".
ACOK, SANSA I
Osha:
[...]The way she said it made him silver, and when he asked what he comet meant, she answered" Blood and fire, boy, and nothing sweet"
ACOK, BRAN I
Septon Chayle:
Bran asked Septon Chayle about the comet while they were sorting through some scrolls snatched from the library fire. "It is the sword that slays the season", he replied and soon after the white raven came from Oldtown, bringing word of autumn, so doubtless he was right.
ACOK, BRAN I
Old Nan:
Through Old Nan did not think so, and she'd lived longer than any of them. "Dragons" she said lifting her head and sniffing. She was near blind and could not see the comet, yet she claimed she could smell it."It be dragons, boy" she insisted. Bran got no princes from Nan, no more than he ever had.
ACOK, BRAN I
Greatjon Umber, Edmure Tully, Catelyn Stark and Brynden Tully:
[Catelyn]"The Greatjon told Robb that the old gods have unfurled a red flag of vengeance for Ned. Edmure thinks it's an omen for victory for Riverrun - he sees a fish with a long tail, in the tully colors, red against blue."She sighed . "I wish I had their faith. Crimson is a Lannister color".
"That thing's not crimson" Ser Brynden said.Nor Tully red, the mud red of the river. That's blood up there, child, smeared across the sky".
ACOK, CATELYN I
Theon Greyjoy:
It's my comet, Theon told himself, sliding a hand into his fur-lined coat to touch the oilskin pouch snug in its pocket.
ACOK, THEON I
Selyse Florent:
Queen Selyse was adamant" None of them was chosen by R'hllor. No red comet blazed across the heavens to herald their coming. None of them wielded the Lightbringer, the red sword of heroes.And none of the paid the price. Lady Melisandre will tell you, my lord.Only death can pay for life".
ASOS, DAVOS V
Melisandre:
[Melisandre]"You are he who must stand against the Other. The one whose coming was prophesied five thousand years ago. The red comet was your herald. You are the prince that was promised and if you fail, the world falls with you".
ASOS, DAVOS VI
Aeron Greyjoy:
The priest had dreamed the same dream, when he'd first seen the red comet in the sky. We shall sweep over the green lands with fire and sword, root out the seven gods from the septons and the white trees of the northmen...
AFFC, THE DROWNED MAN
#a post of ice and fire#valyrianscrolls#Daenerys Targaryen#maester crassen#arys oakheart#smallfolk#osha#septon chayle#old nan#greatjon umber#edmure tully#catelyn stark#brynden tully#theon Greyjoy#selyse florent#Melisandre#aeron greyjoy#the red comet
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