Blood of Dragons

With word of the king's safe arrival at Blackhaven reaching the city, and the feasting and rest he would find there from the open hands of Lord Dondarrion, the business of the court becomes all the more hurried as preparations of all sorts are made to ensure that the Young Dragon's arrival in King's Landing will be one to remember. There at the verge of the Red Mountains, the larger part of the king's host will disperse, leaving only a core of the men from the crown lands and the isles of Blackwater Bay, and a number of other doughty knights and lords who choose to share with him the great…

Word sweeps like wildfire through the Red Keep when a raven from Dorne announces that King Daeron has decided to return at last to King's Landing after nearly two years spent conquering and pacifying Dorne. The news spills over its high walls to the streets below, and excitement is in the air; in some quarters of the city, flurries of celebration -- near-riots, according to the City Watch -- erupt spontaneously. The bells of the septs of the city, from the greatest to the very meanest, toll with joy, and not long after it's said that his grace's kin are seen amidst a small throng of the court…

In the dark hours of the night, Princess Naerys was brought early to the birthing bed after great pains ripped through her heavy womb. The labor was mercifully brief, but alas the child (a daughter) had been dead in the womb and came into the world stillborn. It's said that the princess in her grief has been terribly weakened, and her apartments are hushed as maesters and septas constantly sweep in and out to see to her. Her father and brothers both have visited her, though it was the Dragonknight who has been said to spend the most time with her.

With all the turmoil in King's Landing, where it's said many a knight seems to forget his vows when at court, the sight of Prince Aemon the Dragonknight always brings such talk to a stop -- at least when he is around. Finally fully recovered from the poisoned wound he took months ago in the service of his cousin, King Daeron, the prince has spent much time about his duties as the sole Kingsguard in the city, and he has kept his bedridden sister company in those hours which he has had free. For acquaintances and friends, he has had a little time, but they have noticed that even that has…

Much of interest has taken place in King's Landing of late, some of it causing a stir due to scandals that surround them. The tales told are not all clear, but surely they must have some substance to them? Ser Jonn Lannister, allegedly involved in a scandalous relationship with Reyna Tyrell, attempted to put off his knighthood. This was seemingly done to avoid further rebukes from Lady Reyna's cousin, the famed Ser Almer Connington, who challenged him to a duel which he refused! It did not seem to work as intended, for the hot-tempered stormlord publicly beat him in the city, leaving him…

With the word from Dorne a mixture of good and bad heaped with healthy servings of general frustration, the court of King's Landing has continued on with barely a pause. Much has happened of late against this background: It's been said that Prince Aegon has been carousing in the city, or spending days hunting in the kingswood, and all the usual activities that he was accustomed to before the war with his boon companions. Yet the most recent word from Princess Naerys's ladies-in-waiting suggest that there might be more than one cause for this, for the princess has taken to her bed, visited by…

Since the glad word that Skyreach had fallen to Lord Tyrell, little news has come from Dorne of any note, save for the advance of King Daeron and Lord Tyrell to take the final resisting castle of Kingsgrave. But early in the morning, a raven from Sunspear arrived to reveal that things had changed dramatically: not only was Kingsgrave still free, but Blackmont too had gone over to the rebels ... and worst of all, hundreds of leagues to the east the gutted town of the Tor had risen up under the incitement of the rebel lord, Caston Vaith, and trapped the garrison within the castle. Lady Jordayne…

"Black wings, black words," it's said, but this is not the case when the latest raven from Dorne wings its way to the archmaester's tower. Soon enough, word spreads throughout the castle: Skyreach has fallen to Lord Tyrell's siege. Details are sparse as to how this transpired, but it seems losses were entailed in the process. King Daeron had not yet joined Lord Lyonel's host at the time of the successful taking of the castle, but was known to have left Hellholt some days prior to it, and so is expected within the next few days.

On the evening of the sixth day of the month, a swift galley -- the Black Sword -- dispatched from Oakenfist's fleet in Dorne arrived at King's Landing unheralded in the night. A pair of knights from the ship oversaw the offloading of some materials before commandeering horses from the City Watch at the River Gate. At the Red Keep, the pair let their business be known, and the result was that they were ushered to Prince Viserys in the middle of the night. By the afternoon of the seventh day, news began to spread through the castle of just what the visit meant: after much delay, the first…

Among the gold cloaks garrisoned at the Red Keep, the word spreads that Ser Richard Harte has notified them of a change in the status of the Dornish hostages. After three weeks under close guard in the castle, Prince Viserys has allowed for them to now leave the walls of the Red Keep to the city below. The hostages will, naturally, have a close escort of guardsmen to make sure they have no ... difficulties when in the city. However, the Hand has reissued orders to the captains and officers of the gates of the city that none of the Dornish hostages may be allowed past them. Although it has been…

Prince Viserys Targaryen, the Hand of the King, had let it be known that he would hold an open court session on this day. In the days prior, petitioners could be seen coming and going from the Tower of the Hand to have the prince decide whether they would be called upon. When the day came for the court to be in session, anticipation was high that the prince would reveal news from Dorne and perhaps even some of the king's decisions as to what lords and knights would receive rewards. They would not be disappointed. Many lords and ladies were in attendance, among them Carmella Dondarrion, Jonn…

Almost two weeks have gone by since the arrival of hostages and heroes from the Conquest of Dorne, since then anger has seethed in curt word and wrathful glances amongst those who compete for the love of the commons and the Iron Throne. The King's Peace was shattered, however, when Ser Sarmion Baratheon appeared in the training yard with naked blade in his hand, his ire keen on the full plate mail clad Ser Doran Dondarrion. Harsh words were tossed at the Blackbolt of Blackhaven by the Stormbreaker, calling him both liar and murderer for his deeds on the Boneway. These insults were met with…

Three weeks at sea, and at last the sails of Lord Arryn's fleet were sighted from the high walls of King's Landing in the afternoon. News spread through the city, which had anticipated this day since the news of King Daeron's victory came from Sunspear. By the time the ships were still an hour away, the stretch from the red walls to the docks was a veritable sea of people. Nearly all the City Watch, personally led by Ser Richard Harte, marched to the River Gate to make sure all was calm as the Hand, Prince Viserys, rode down from the Red Keep with his daughter Naerys and the king's siblings.…