Blood of Dragons

After the masque hosted by the Dornish hostage, Prince Cadan Nymeros Martell, with the soon-to-be-wed Princess Daena, all that was left to happen was the wedding itself. With so many great lords and ladies present in the city -- including the Lord of Winterfell, Cregan Stark -- the royal marriage promised to be the most attended event since the king's Grand Tourney the year before. The royal household, with the assistance of various courtiers, made all ready. Princess Daena was radiant in her bridal gown, and it's said she looked forward to the ceremony, but Baelor . . . Baelor chose to fast,…

The first week of the Sealord's presence in the city of King's Landing proved to be one full of events great and small, as Ferro Antaryon was ushered amidst the royal household and that of the Great Houses from day to day to keep him entertained between the meetings -- the several meetings, in fact -- he had had in private with King Daeron, his Hand Prince Viserys, and various lords of the small council. And if it seemed that the royal councillors were thoughtful after such meetings, none could blame them. Great things were, clearly, afoot. But amidst these meetings, some of which involved…

Sails were spotted on the horizon three hours before the great galley and its escorts, all of them purple-hulled, arrived at the docks of King's Landing. In the hours between, the Red Keep and the royal household flew into activity, making sure all was ready so that the king might show the power and wealth of the Seven Kingdoms to best advantage before the mightiest lord of the Free Cities. As the _Titan's Fist_, a great galley of four hundred oars, and its escorts pulled into the docks, it seemed half the city had turned out to try and catch a glimpse at Ferro Antaryon, the Sealord. Called…

The Sealord is due to arrive in little more than a week, the Starveling's power has been broken, and a royal wedding is to take place in little more than a month -- why not have a feast? So the courtiers of King's Landing gathered in the Old Keep's great hall, to dance and drink, to gossip and be entertained. There was, of course, the question about the host of the feast, or the precise excuse for throwing it. Some whispered it was to do with the nameday of Lord Baratheon's heir, others thought it had something to do with the Master of Coin learning of a grandson, and others still believed…

The success imprisonment of several bandits allowed the expeditionary force in the Kingswood the opportunity to put them to the question. Few of the men resisted long, and soon enough they revealed more precisely the location of the Starveling's main encampment, and even the signal they used when approached by the guards that Starion Flowers kept posted. Later that evening, everyone was surprised when Ser Endros Buckler, the missing knight and officer of the Kingswood, appeared out of the forest like some wild man of the woods. The reunion with his father, Ser Lormon, whose efforts proved…

The expedition into the hingswood, under command of Ser Sarmion Baratheon, the royal warden of the woods, at last came into contact with a bloodthirsty and desperate troop of outlaws. The giant Baratheon had determined to lure the bandits out of hiding, sending a small company of his men disguised as crofters with a wagon along a forest path while a troop horse followed a good distance behind, awaiting the signal of a horn. Men of the City Watch were there in plenty under their commander, Ser Dagur Saltcliffe, and the infamous Lormon Buckler had a small troop as well. The heir to Casterly…

The great hall of the Old Keep saw amusement and revelry, as the king and his court watched the antics of his fool, the dwarf Tall Tom. Surrounded by courtiers -- many of them young gallants, veterans of the Dornish campaign, and others fair maidens -- and at times dictating letters to a scribe, the king was most happy when his sister, Princess Daena, entered the hall with her train of ladies. The king welcomed them and had seats freed beside him for Daena and her companions. One in particular, Carmella Dondarrion, had the king's particular attention as the two discussed matters of her home in…

After weeks in which fears mounted concerning some deadly force in the kingswood, following the disappearance first of Ser Endros Buckler and other officers of the Warden of the Kingswood, and then reports of missing carters and travellers who were travelling to and from the city, and then finally by the disappearance of Ser Endros's father, the infamous Ser Lormon, and a company of men-at-arms and sellswords he took into the woods to attempt to find his missing son, it seems an answer to the mystery is forthcoming. Early in the day, a haggard company of men crossed the Blackwater by ferry and…

Anticipation grows in the court of King's Landing, as the royal wedding of Prince Baelor -- heir to the Seven Kingdoms -- and his sister Princess Daena is set to take place little more than four months hence. Ser William Waxley, the royal steward, has been in daily conference with the king and Princess Viserys regarding arrangements, as well as with Lord Cargyll the master of coin, and the various ladies and gentlemen attached to the households of the prince and princess. Merchants have been contracted, seamstresses have been found, and even still more needs doing. Courtiers have offered their…

After all the courtly intrigues, the gossip, the rumors about who would become the next commander of the City Watch -- that Ser Richard would be reinstated, or Prince Aegon was going to be chosen; that Ser Sarmion Baratheon had been interested in the office, or Lormon Buckler; that the king would invite Beslon the Bad to take up the position if he left Vaith in the hands of a garrison commander, or that his grace was looking to try a well-known justicar recently come from Braavos -- it seems the king has made his choice, with the agreement of the small council. In the midst of deliberations,…

After seven day of festivities, the mood of King's Landing was lightened, although in certain quarters the violence and bloodshed of the riots were still a sharp memory. The City Watch of King's Landing maintained an iron watch over the city, to make sure there'd be no repetition of the troubles that led to the disgrace of the former commander, Ser Richard Harte, and this included the day of the tourney in the Cobbler's Square sponsored by the guildhalls of the city. Thirty-two knights and esquires fought for the glory of victory, as a good portion of the court made an appearance. Prince…

Following the unrest of the previous week and more, ended with bloody resolve by King Daeron, certain guilds of the city of King's Landing have banded together (at the crown's suggestion, some whisper) to throw a festival throughout the city to celebrate the dawning of the new year. Already, the guild of the stonemasons has thrown a public feast before their guildhall, distributing bread, roast pork, and quantities of apple cider and wine. Feasts, public performances by mummers and minstrels, processions, footraces and more over the rest of the week will culminate in an open tournament with a…

In the wake of the Dornish Bread Riot, much speculation at court has been concerned with the fate of Ser Richard Harte, Commander of the City Watch. Word spread after the final crushing blow against the rioters that King Daeron was less than pleased with how Ser Richard and the Watch had performed during the matter, and many wondered if Ser Richard was not now too aged to continue to serve well and honorably. After all, was it not the City Watch that failed to deal with the first inklings of riot with swift, sure force? Ser Richard was too gentle, many said, and too slow to adapt to the facts;…

The latest day and night of riot in Flea Bottom and the surrounding area proved too much for Ser Richard Harte and the City Watch to deal with, as the commander's efforts to bring a relatively bloodless end to the disorder proved futile thanks to the worst scum and villains of the city egging on their fellows with the hope of rich pickings from the wealthy areas to the east of Flea Bottom. When King Daeron learned of the latest setback, some say he raged aloud, while others say he took it calmly before calling for his retainers and captains to be roused and his squire to be woken to arm him:…

The butcher's bill: The body of the missing gold cloak officer, stripped of armor and clothing alike and left in a gutter, was recovered from an alleyway beside the Bakers' Square. Three other watchmen have been killed, and a dozen more wounded, since the rioting began Two bakers, five bakers' apprentices, and three hired guards buried at a sept on Rhaenys' Hill. At least two dozen more dead, victims of the initial riot and the chaos that has followed, gripping Flea Bottom and threatening to spill into the more wealthy surrounds. The riot that begun the previous day has continued almost…