Blood of Dragons

The occasion of the wedding of Ser Wyman Manderly, heir to White Harbor, to Dancy Royce, beneath the dome of the Snowy Sept, was much anticipated and well-attended with many of the leadings lords and lances of the North, and a royal presence from Prince Daeron Targaryen and the many southron courtiers he brought with him. Afterward came a grand feast, the long tables heavy with food and wine. Lord Stark's sons moved among the lesser tables, dispatched by their famous father to become acquainted with the courtiers from the south, and all thought them worthy of Lord Cregan. There was dancing…

Thick fog clung to the New Castle's outer yard today as White Harbor played host to one of the most striking arrivals in recent memory: Lord Cregan Stark of Winterfell, the Old Man of the North, rode in at the head of a column two hundred strong. Cloaked in black wool stitched with the direwolf of his House, the sixty-eight-year-old Wolf of Winterfell cut an imposing figure even in the autumn chill, his pale grey eyes sweeping the yard with a hunter's measure. At his side rode his heir, Lord Jonnel Stark -- stern-faced, long of jaw, and the image of his father in younger form -- and his…

White Harbor's Merman's Court shone like a beacon against the harbor fog, its painted timbered vaults aglow with lantern light and the gleam of silvered plate. There, beneath painted krakens and sea-beasts, Lord Borian Manderly flung wide his gates to welcome Prince Daeron of Dragonstone, Princess Daena, Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, and a glittering company from across the realm. The occasion was the arrival of the Royces of Runestone for the wedding of Ser Waymar Manderly to Lord Andar Royce's granddaughter Dancy, a union of two of the great houses of the North and the Vale. None could…

After a smooth voyage up the Narrow Sea, the royal fleet made harbor at Gulltown beneath a slate-grey sky, the towers of House Grafton rising over bustling docks. Prince Daeron was received with due ceremony, alongside Princess Daena, Prince Aemon, and the rest of the royal company. Nobles disembarked to stretch their legs, survey the city, and briefly take in the salt-slick air of the Vale's eastern gate before Lord Grafton led the royal party to feast at his castle. Their arrival was marked, however, by another scene at the harbor's edge. Suspended in a crow cage near the seawall hung a…

On a brilliant autumn's afternoon, with the Blackwater gleaming under a sky of flawless blue, the royal progress to White Harbor set sail amidst grandeur, gossip, and more than a few surprises. Though the day was fine and the wind fair, one could not ignore the chill -- not in the air, but in the absence of the King himself, who did not descend to the docks to see his son off. Rumors were rife that they had been quarreling ever since the marriage of their cousin, Princess Elaena, ended as swiftly as it began. Daeron, the Prince of Dragonstone, stood at the forefront, flanked by his famed uncle…

hough the wedding feast of Princess Elaena Targaryen and Lord Ossifer Plumm ended in grief and scandal, the days that followed brought no quiet. Lord Ossifer's death in the bridal bed cast a long shadow over the Red Keep, one that deepened when Ser Alfryn Plumm, brother to the deceased, stepped forward to claim lordship in his stead. But the King, unmoved by grief or urgency, has withheld judgment. The matter, he declared, shall wait upon nature -- for it must be known whether the Princess carries a trueborn heir. In the corridors and chambers of court, the delay has not stilled the tongues of…

In the damp wilds of Crackclaw Point, where the trees crowd close and the soil swallows sound, a quiet but startling union has been struck. Lady Beranda Sarsfield, lately of Missy Blackwood's retinue and more lately still the subject of courtly whispers, was wed at Brownhollow -- but not to the man expected. For weeks in King's Landing, her name had been paired with that of Ser Osney Brune, heir to the Knight of Brownhollow. Rumor said their match was all but sealed, the young lady bound away from court to recover from recent scandal under the stern but obscure protection of House Brune. Her…

What was meant to be a gesture of justice ended in blood, clamor, and a child's first cry. Ser Omrys Baratheon, Reeve of King's Landing, descended into the depths of Flea Bottom to hold audience with the city's most wretched. Beneath the looming ruin of the Dragonpit and beside the muddy well that serves the quarter's thirst, he called the smallfolk to voice their grievances. They came by the hundreds: beggars and butchers, fishwives and sweeps, all burdened with petty thefts, rising prices, and crimes unmet by the Watch. But grievances, once stirred, do not sit quietly. As the crowd swelled…

In the Queen's Ballroom of Maegor's Holdfast, beneath golden torchlight and gleaming mirrors, the wedding feast of Princess Elaena Targaryen and Lord Ossifer Plumm unfolded with all the pomp and lavish excess of a royal celebration. Courtiers in their finest silks and satins toasted, danced, and dined on honey-glazed capon, saffron rice, and sweets that flowed as freely as the Arbor gold. Above it all, the royal family presided: the bride radiant, the groom grinning, and King Aegon IV seated in high spirits beside Queen Naerys, their children, and siblings: Princes Aemon and Daeron, Princess…

On a day veiled in the grey mists of autumn, with the chill damp clinging to the air and the tourney field churned to mud, scores of knights of the realm (and some from outside of it as well) gathered to celebrate the forthcoming union of Lord Plumm and Princess Elaena Targaryen. Though the elements were challenging, the spirit of competition burned brightly, witnessed by King Aegon IV himself, his companion Missy Blackwood, the royal bride-to-be, and her aged betrothed. From the first clash of lances early in the day, by late afternoon only sixteen champions remained. The lists saw their…

The promise of royal favor brought roaring crowds and clashing lances to the tourney fields of King's Landing, but also left murmurs and unease in its wake. Beneath the banners of House Targaryen, knights from across the realm contended fiercely, overseen by the Dragonbane's daughters and the ever-watchful court. This tourney, unlike most, bore a special twist -- the favour of Princess Daena Targaryen herself would travel from knight to knight. Awarded first to Ser Othan Bracken, the honour was to pass to any knight who unseated its bearer. The man who held the favour at day's end would be…

A grey and mist-veiled morning in the Red Keep's Western Outer Yard bore witness to a spectacle both grim and grotesque -- the trials of those vying for the office of King's Justice. King Aegon IV presided from a black-draped dais, with Mistress Melissa Blackwood at his side, while high lords, courtiers, and even commoners gathered to bear witness as the condemned were dispatched, one by one. Each candidate for the post proved their mettle not with words, but with the sword -- or axe, or arakh. Ser Halwin Selmy of the City Watch impressed with his clean and methodical execution. Others…

Under skies darkened by rain and thunder, King Aegon IV Targaryen gathered the realm's nobility, knights, and merchant lords in the Throne Room of the Red Keep for a court session that will long be remembered. Against a backdrop of blood-striped marble and the grim leer of dragon skulls, His Grace mounted the Iron Throne with a heavy crown upon his brow and a glint of restless humor in his violet gaze. The session opened with joyful news: the date for the forthcoming weding of Princess Elaena Targaryen to Lord Ossifer Plumm was proclaimed, and a grand tournament and feast promised. If Princess…

Ash and soot and broken barks greeted the troops from King's Landing as they pressed on, deep into the wildfire-ravaged parts of the Kingswood where the ruffians and rebels had retreated. The King's men had weaponry and numbers good enough for the foe to avoid open battle, and instead hole up in the blackened keep atop the ruins of Stoneback Hill. They were not to be dignified with investment and siege for more than a day. Late in the night, the muddy fields came alive with flame, a small fire in a flank of the supply train. Enough to draw the bandits manning the keep's ramparts to one side.…

For the supposedly dauntless rebels in the Kingswood, the greatest test has come. The troops from King's Landing have marched deep into their treacherous den, and brought with them the battle. The first task, to relieve the holdfast serving as the Wardenry's base from siege. Exposed by rebel scouts huddled up in the trees, the King's men had to be speedy and deploy their vanguard to attack; even then, they found the Knight of the Ashes comfortably ahorse in a distant ridge, the bulk of his "army" fleeing. He quickly followed. Behind remained a makeshift rearguard, still attempting to burn the…