Chapter 13: Catch The Lions In Dragon's Teeth

Jon

Hours turned into days, which turned into weeks which turned into a month. That was how long they spent in the ruins of Castamere debating where and how to take Casterly Rock. Had it been any other fortress, Jon knew that the northmen would have started grumbling about this, that and the other, but considering they were talking about storming and taking Casterly Rock which in its entire existence had never fallen, he knew that they appreciated the need for a detailed plan of action. It had become quite clear early on though, that because of the severity of the wounds he had sustained fighting Devan Lannister, Jon would not be able to lead the men as they attacked Casterly Rock, loath though he was to admit it, even walking straight was hard enough to do, let alone mount a horse and wield a sword. So it had been agreed that Robb would lead the 4000 northmen that included Lords Karstark, Umber and Glover as well as Lady Mormont to attack Casterly Rock.

As to who would nullify the threat of the city watch of Lannisport the lords had debated over this issue for many a day before it was eventually decided that Randyll Tarly's host of men could be put to good use there. So Jon had written to Riverrun informing Lord Tarly that his services were needed and the man had come two weeks after the letter had been sent. He had arrived from Riverrun with his 20,000 men who contained men from Houses Appleton, Ambrose, Ashford, Butterwell, Caswell, Crane and Cuy. All of those houses in Tarly's army according to Lord Tarly himself contained members or Lords who had grown to despise Mace Tyrell's plotting and scheming and wished to renew their loyalty to the Targaryen cause, of which Jon was the sole heir. When Lord Tarly had arrived he had also brought news from Riverrun and the battles in the rest of Westeros he had reported that Mace Tyrell had been sent by Tywin Lannister from the city with a host of 60,000 men to assail the Riverlands. Mace Tyrell according to Lord Tarly in all his ineffectual leadership had decided to split his host in two. He led one host that last Lord Tarly had heard was laying siege to Harrenhal. The other host was being led by Lord Rowan and last Lord Tarly had heard Lord Bolton had marched out with a host of 15,000 men to deal with Lord Rowan's host at the Trident.

Jon found himself sat in the command tent in the ruins of Castamere going over the last minute details of the attack on Casterly Rock and Lannisport, before the men were due to head out tomorrow morning leaving Jon and 1000 men behind. Jon spoke " So if Lord Stark leads his host directly south from Castamere and then attacks the Rock from the North that should allow you Lord Tarly to lead your men round the Rock and his Lannisport from the east correct?"

Lord Tarly nodded and said "That is right Your Grace. If our forces split at Oxcross we should be more than able to spring a surprise on the Lannisters left in the city."

"Good." Jon said. "Lord Tarly I want you to put their ships to the torch, no one leaves the city. Any who try to you put to the sword. Women and children are to be allowed to live. Is that understood?" Jon would not do a Tywin Lannister, he would deal with the Lannisters but the innocents would live.

Lord Tarly nodded. "Crystal clear Your Grace."

Robb spoke next "Will Serrax be coming with us, Your Grace?"

In the month that they had spent in Castamere debating and creating strategies Serrax Jon's black dragon had grown from being the size of a full grown aurochs to being the size of two full grown mammoths, and many of the lords in Jon's councils had debated whether or not it would be prudent to bring Serrax without Jon either to persuade Casterly Rock to peacefully yield, or to allow him to go to Lannisport where he could burn the Lannister's fleet, and render any escape attempts useless. Till then Jon had remained silent on the issue. He knew that he could control what Serrax did even from as great distance as Lannisport, for he had been able to navigate the dragon's flights when he went hunting in the mountains, so as not to draw too much attention to himself. He was just a bit wary of allowing the dragon out of his sight for too long in case he could not help make sure Serrax did not try and kill any allies of theirs.

Ser Barristan broke the silence and said "Your Grace if I may speak?"

Jon nodded.

Ser Barristan continued "Whilst it might be prudent to allow Serrax to fly with Lord Tarly to Lannisport as it would make it much easier to burn down the Lannisters fleet. Perhaps it would be wiser to keep Serrax here with you, Your Grace. As not many people have seen or heard of Serrax and as such, no information is like to have reached King's Landing. I would argue that it would be better to keep Serrax here with you, Your Grace, and keep him as your secret weapon until you march on King's Landing or meet Tywin Lannister in the field yourself."

There was a chorus of agreement once Ser Barristan had finished speaking, as all the Lords seemed to together as one voice how much wiser it would be to keep Serrax here where Jon could control him and the Lannisters would not learn of his presence. It was if they had never even mentioned bringing Serrax with them in the first place.

Eventually Jon raised his hand and silence fell around the tent. He took a breath and then spoke. "Serrax shall remain here with me Lord Stark. But once you have taken the Rock and Lannisport is ours, write to me and I shall come. Then the whole of the West can see the might of the dragon and wolf. If that is all my lords, I would request your leave, it has been a long and tiring day and I do so wish to sleep."

At that all the lords except Robb left the tent and made their way back to their own respective tents. Once the last lord had left, Jon slumped in his chair and sighed. "I thought they'd never leave."

Robb chuckled at that and said "I don't know how you put up with all their constant yammering Jon. If I were King I'd be half tempted to have Greywind take their fingers off."

Jon laughed at that and then said "Where are Greywind and Ghost? Still hunting?"

Robb nodded and said "It's good that you're staying here Jon. You look like death. I still don't know what you were thinking charging head on into that assault. Sansa will kill me if you die before you two get married."

Jon laughed and then said "Speaking of Sansa, have there been any more letters from Riverrun or from Winterfell?"

Robb shook his head and said "No apart from the letter Lord Tarly gave you there has been nothing from either Riverrun nor Winterfell."

Jon nodded and then with Robb and Ser Barristan's help got up from his chair and walked back to his tent. At the entrance he dismissed Robb saying "Go get some rest Stark. If I look like death, I'd hate to say what you look like. Go get some rest and I'll see you before you head off."

Robb laughed and headed off.

Jon turned to Ser Barristan then and said "Would you care for a drink Ser Barristan?"

Ser Barristan seemed to hesitate as if having a drink with his King and standing outside on guard in the freezing cold was a conflicting choice, before he eventually said "Of course Your Grace."

They entered Jon's tent, and sat down in two of the chairs facing the entrance, Jon poured them both a glass of wine before speaking. He asked "What do you think of the plan Ser Barristan is it a good one?"

Ser Barristan seemed to be considering for a moment before he answered. "I believe the plan is wise Your Grace. With the Lannisters unable to call upon anymore men in the West and their bannermen unwilling to fight for them, or being stuck in King's Landing, the plan is as sound a plan as any could be for taking Casterly Rock. As for the attack on Lannisport that too is a good plan, for it will distract the city watch and prevent them from making for the Rock once the castellan sounds the alarm."

Jon nodded and after taking a drink said "And do you trust Lord Tarly and his men to stay loyal?"

Ser Barristan said nothing for a moment before he said "I do. Your Grace. Had it been Mace Tyrell I would have cautioned you against trusting the purity of his motives, the man has always been far too ambitious. Lord Tarly has more honour and will stay with you until the bitter end now that he has sworn himself to your cause."

Jon nodded and then said "But he shall be wanting a reward once the fighting is done and assuming we are successful in taking King's Landing. I presume he shall want me to make him Warden of the South. That could mean stripping Highgarden from the Tyrells, which could cause its own problems."

Ser Barristan was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Perhaps Your Grace could give Lord Tarly Brightwater Keep as well as allowing him to remain in Horn Hill, and give him the riches from Highgarden."

Jon nodded and then said "It grows late Ser Barristan. I find myself quite tired. I shall see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

Ser Barristan rose and bid Jon a goodnight before he left the tent to stand guard outside. Jon rose from his chair and changed into his sleeping breeches and a light shirt before getting into bed. As he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep his thoughts were of Sansa, and when he would see her again.

Danaerys

Across the still blue water came the slow steady beat of drums and the soft swish of oars from the galleys. The great cog groaned in their wake, the heavy lines stretched taut between. Balerion's sails hung limp, drooping forlorn from the masts. Yet even so, as she stood upon the forecastle watching her dragons chase each other across a cloudless blue sky, Danaerys Targaryen was as happy as she could ever remember being.

Her Dothraki called the sea the poison water, distrusting any liquid that their horses could not drink. On the day the three ships had lifted anchor at Qarth, you would have thought they were sailing to hell instead of Pentos. Her brave young bloodriders had stared off at the dwindling coastline with huge white eyes, each three determined to show no fear before the other two, while her handmaids Irri and Jhiqui clutched the rail desperately and retched over the side at every little swell. The rest of Dany's tiny Khalasar remained below decks, preferring the company of their nervous horses to the terrifying landless world about the ships. When a sudden squall had enveloped them six days into the voyage, she heard them through the hatches the horses kicking and screaming, the riders praying in thin quavery voices each time Balerion heaved or swayed.

No squall could frighten Dany, though. Danaerys Stormborn, she was called, for she had come howling into the world on distant Dragonstone as the greatest storm in the memory of Westeros howled outside a storm so fierce that it ripped gargoyles from the castle walls and smashed her father's fleet to kindling.

The narrow sea was often stormy, and Dany had crossed it half a hundred times as a girl, running from one Free city to the next half a step ahead of the Usurper's hired knives. She loved the sea. She liked the sharp salty smell of the air, and the vastness of horizons bounded only by a vault of azure sky above. It made her feel small, but free as well. She liked the dolphins that sometimes swam along beside Balerion, slicing through the waves like silvery spears, and the flying fish they glimpsed now and again. She even liked the sailors, with all their songs and stories. Once on a voyage to Braavos, as she'd watched the crew wrestle down a great green sail in a rising gale, she had even thought how fine it would be to be a sailor. But when she had told her brother, Viserys had twisted her hair until she cried. "You are blood of the dragon," he had screamed at her. "A dragon not some smelly fish."

He was a fool about that, and so much else, Dany thought. If the rumours I heard in Qarth are even half true, he was not the rightful king, no more than I am the rightful queen.

After the House of the Undying had been reduced to ash by Viserion and Rhaegal, Danaerys had heard rumours at the docks of Qarth that a Targaryen had conquered half of Westeros. At first she had thought that perhaps she had misheard, for after Viserys' death she was the last of her family, the last of the dragons. But then on the docks of Qarth sailors from Westeros spoke of a Targaryen by the name of Jon, who claimed to be the son of her brother Rhaegar, and Lyanna Stark the girl who had started a war. The man claimed that the boy had taken the Westerlands and had the North and the Riverlands by right of his relations. Dany had asked Ser Jorah if this boy who called himself Targaryen could truly be her nephew. Ser Jorah had merely shrugged and said that no one truly knew what had happened between Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark. The usurper was wont to say that Lyanna had been kidnapped and raped by Dany's brother, but both Dany and Ser Jorah had a hard time believing that, and Ser Jorah had gone onto describe the mysterious set of events that had led to Eddard Stark emerging from the war with his sister's body and a bastard son, and three of the Kingsguard dead. He had said that perhaps it would make sense for the Kingsguard to be at the Tower where Lord Stark had found them if they had been guarding whom they thought to be the rightful king. Dany had then said that if this was true and this Jon was then her nephew and her rightful king. Ser Jorah had cautioned her and said that until they got to Westeros she would be best waiting to see what happened if this boy was truly a dragon or not.

Which was why they were sailing toward Pentos now. Dany hoped to gain some answers from Magister Illyrio as to whether the boy calling himself Rhaegar's son was truly his son, or whether he was simply playing everyone false, and using Lord Eddard's dying confession as an excuse. Ser Jorah had warned her not to put too much stock by Lord Stark's confession saying that any man who made that sort of a confession with a sword hanging above their neck had most likely been paid to do such a thing.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Captain Groleo coughing next to her. Dany turned her head to look at the captain, an old Pentoshi sailor who had told her that he had been sent by Magister Illyrio to help her back to Pentos. Groleo had initially been scared of her dragons as had most of his crew, but the time they had spent on board the boat had made them more used to the dragons and even given them a faint sense of pride whenever they spoke.

Captain Groleo spoke "We shall be arriving in Pentos soon. Your Grace."

Dany smiled at the captain and said "That is good Captain. I fear my Khalasar is growing weary of travelling by boat."

Groleo merely nodded.

Dany continued " I shall not forget the service you have done for me when I come to the Iron Throne Captain. You shall be well rewarded."

Groleo bowed and said "It was an honour Your Grace."

Yes thought Dany, now let us see what Illyrio Mopatis wishes to see and what he wants, or he may yet learn what it is to wake the dragon.

Randyll

Lannisport glistened like a beacon from down below, from where Randyll Tarly, Lord of Horn Hill sat atop his horse. His son Dickon was mounted on a horse next to him and gasped at the sight of the harbour city. "That's Lannisport?! It looks like it's made of gold!" Tarly heard Jon Connington snort to his left, Connington had all but begged to come with Tarly when he had marched from Riverrun to the west on King Jon's orders. The man clearly wished to see his Prince Rhaegar's son, Randyll too had been curious to see what his king looked like, and found him to look like a younger version of Eddard Stark, like Eddard Stark had looked when he had come to lift the siege of Storm's End all those years ago. He even carried himself the same way Eddard Stark had though he spoke in an iron tone that reminded Randyll of the few times he had ever met Prince Rhaegar. Yes though Randyll, King Jon was certainly a strong warrior and would make a good king, a king worth fighting and dying for. Something neither Renly nor Joffrey would have been. Renly because the boy was a summer knight and Joffrey because the boy's mother would never let him leave from behind her skirts. It was said in Riverrun that when Stannis Baratheon's fleet had landed in King's Landing Joffrey had fled back to the safety of the castle, like a babe. Mace was a fool for ever thinking that the Lannisters would make good allies, and now he would be about to pay the price.

Randyll turned to his son and said "Aye the Lannisters like to show off their extravagance. Worry not though. For soon it shall all be ours, and King Jon's. Sound the horn Derryk. His squire Derryk Appleton was a good lad and a good soldier but a bit slow on the up, but he relished blowing that horn of his and when he obligingly blew it this time, Randyll knew that the upcoming battle would be one that the singers would sing off for years to come. Drawing his sword from its scabbard he lifted it into the air and shouted for all his men to hear "Today we shall destroy the lions once and for all let us win some glory my men!" The men's answering cheer was so loud, birds began to fly out and chirp in protest from the nearby trees. Randyll turned his horse and spurred it down the hill, Dickon and Lord Connington not far behind him.

As the walls of Lannisport came into view Randyll shouted "Raise the battering rams." He saw through the slit of his helm as the men raised the battering rams and charged at the doors to the city and watched as they began to creak on their hinges. The Lannister city watch were quick to respond firing arrows off in ones and twos, some struck their targets and brought men down, others missed by near inches. Randyll's own archers fired back and had the same amount of success. The cracking near the front of the army told Randyll that the gates were open, Lannisport was now theirs for the taking, turning to Dickon he said "Stay close son and if it seems to be going bad retreat and regroup." Randyll saw his son nod, and then led the charge through the gates.

Randyll cuts through the throats of several men of the Lannisport city watch, hacking and slashing and watching as they crumple to the ground, and their lifeless forms get trampled on by the horses of his men. The streets are deserted apart from the city watch, and he thinks that perhaps the Lannisport Lannisters are less cold hearted or at least have more sense than their cousins, for he cannot imagine Lord Tywin ever consenting to allowing citizens to remain indoors whilst the enemy raided their town. But perhaps that will be their undoing, he thinks as he cuts his way through yet another batch of City watchmen, Dickon close behind him hacking and slashing and brining men down with equal ease, it would make Randyll proud were he not focussing so fiercely on getting to the port to burn the ships.

"The way to the port is clear my Lord!" Ser Torrance Ashford said, a big burly man and heir to House Ashford. Randyll nodded and then spurred his horse on cutting down any man wearing the Lannister red that came within his sights. The harbour of Lannisport was as Randyll remembered it from the Greyjoy Rebellion, grand and flamboyant. There were lions emblazoned on all the ships and all the wood and poles and such. Randyll had he been a flamboyant man would have felt sad when he said the words to have the entire fleet of ships burnt, but he was not and he moved his horse back a bit to allow the flames to completely engulf the ships and the water, and watched as the water became orange as flames danced on the Sunset Sea.

Once the last ship in the port had burnt and been reduced to ash, Randyll led his men toward the castle of Lannisport, where he found the gates thrown open and saw that some of his men had already entered the keep and had taken some of the plunder that was up for grabs. Lord Harmond Crane awaited him in the main courtyard and so Randyll spurred his horse on past his men and their plundering, though he left Dickon to enjoy some of the spoils of their successful take of the city.

He rode into the main courtyard and found Lord Harmond standing in front of three blond haired men who could only be the Lannisport Lannisters. As confirmed when Lord Harmond said "My Lord my I present to you, Lord Loren Lannister and his sons Tytos and Tywin."

The three men kneeled with their heads held high and with a defiant glint in their eyes. "Will you surrender the castle peacefully or do I need to take your heads?" Randyll asked though he already suspected what the answer would be.

Lord Loren replied "We shall never bend to a dragon or a wolf. Take our heads and be done with it traitor."

Randyll sighed and said "Very well then. Ser Hyle if you will." Randyll remained a horse as he watched Ser Hyle Hunt bring the sword down on the three Lannisport Lannisters heads and watched as their heads role from their bodies to the floor. Once Ser Hyle had sheathed his sword Randyll said "Mount their heads on the walls, and tell those who wish it that if they bend the knee and accept King Jon as their king, they will be spared those who don't will join these three as heads on the walls."

Robb

Casterly Rock was just as imposing a castle as Robb had heard about during his lessons with Jon and Theon back in Winterfell. It made him feel slightly sad that the one time that he would be able to actually look at the Rock, he was there to capture it and possibly put the garrison to the sword. He turned to Torrhen Karstark and asked him "How many men did our source say make up the garrison of Casterly Rock?"

Torrhen replied " Fifty my Lord."

"And they have heard our terms?" Robb asked. Before he had left Jon had told him that before he attacked he was to offer terms, if they surrendered peacefully then they would be spared if not then they would die.

Torrhen replied "Aye my lord."

"They refused to submit?" Robb asked though he already knew the answer.

"Aye." Was all Torrhen said.

Robb sighed. "Very well then let us end this." He drew Ice from its scabbard, it had been given to him by Lord Tarly when the man had come to Castamere all those weeks ago, and shouted loud and clear "Men of the north. Let us end this. For the north and King Jon." They answered with a roaring cheer and then they charged up the mountain toward Casterly Rock.

Before the gates of the castle were broken open by the rams they had brought, they lost many a man to the arrows fired from the walls. The northern archers managed to bring down roughly twenty men by the time the gate broke open and they poured into the main courtyard of the Rock. As Robb hacked and slashed his way through the main courtyard and towards the great hall where he had been told that some more Lannister men were, he thought about all the blood that had been shed because of the Lannisters and felt justified and felt that justice was finally being given to them. When the Rock fell as it would soon do, they would know that they had messed with the wrong family when they removed Robb's father's head from his body.

Robb hacked and slashed his way through the doors leading into the Great Hall and when he entered he found that the fighting seemed to have already entered the great hall. He saw Rickard Karstark fighting a big burly man with golden hair who appeared to be Damion Lannister, the castellan of the Rock. He saw Torrhen Karstark battling a boy no older than himself, and watched rooted to the spot as Torrhen shoved his sword through the boy's chest and then lopped his head off. Lord Karstark had managed to kill Damion Lannister, shoving his sword through the man's armour with such force than, the sword was stuck inside of Lannister's chest and only came out due to the force of Lannister's fall to the ground.

Another golden haired and green eyed man in red armour advanced toward Robb with his sword raised. Robb managed to bring Ice down in time to block the Lannister man's swing, but soon found himself swinging at the man as well, the sound of steel on steel reverberated around the hall, and soon both men were bloody and tired. But still they fought, for every swing of the sword that was blocked by sword or shield, another two blows landed on the other's armour. This continued for a long moment before Robb spied an opening between the man's neck and chest, and feinted to his right in order to draw the man forward, when the man did so Robb quickly kicked him in the shins and when the man's head bent with pain he quickly slashed his sword to the left and watched as the man's head split from his body and fell to the floor.

As the Lannister man's body fell to the ground to join his head at Robb's feet, Robb looked around the hall Lord Karstark and Torrhen were no longer fighting and instead were standing breathing heavily, Robb turned when he heard the door to the hall open, and turning around he saw Smalljon Umber walking in holding several people- both girls and boys- in chains as he pushed them to the floor he said "Lannister prisoners my lord, found them in the armoury hiding."

Robb nodded his thanks and then looked at the prisoners. There were six Lannisters in front of him one a babe at the breast, one was a woman of middle age, and the one boy Robb thought he had seen before though he could not place where. As he looked at them, they looked at him in the eyes all except the babe stared at him defiantly; he took a deep breath and said "You are my prisoners now. Casterly Rock belongs to his grace King Jon Targaryen. You have a choice, you can surrender now and swear fealty to King Jon and you shall be spared. If you do not do this then you will either be sent to your death or to the Silent Sisters," he looked at the boy and said "Or the night's watch as the case may be. It is your choice."

The middle aged woman spoke first "I believe I speak for all of us here my lord when I say that there is no point for further bloodshed, we shall surrender so long as you treat us acceptably."

The boy who Robb thought he remembered burst out then saying "How can you do this mother. How can you surrender to these northern savages, when they still have Willem?"

Ah so that's where I've seen him before, this it Martyn Lannister, Willem's twin. Robb thought.

The boy's mother replied "Stop it Martyn! They have won, we won't see Willem again if you continue to resist."

Martyn Lannister remained defiant though and looked at Robb and sneered. "Ha I shall never bow to a northern savage be he Stark or Targaryen. You might as well kill me now Stark for I shall never bend to your king. Joffrey is the only King in the realm."

Robb sighed and looked at the boy's mother she merely looked straight ahead, though there were tears forming in her eyes. Robb nodded then and said "Very well then, if that is your wish. I shall execute you myself. Though away from the women. Your sister does not need to see this."

Martyn Lannister sneered some more as Torrhen and Robin Flint carried him outside back to the main courtyard. As he walked past the boy's mother Robb stopped and said "I am sorry my lady."

She did not speak for a moment but then said "Give my son a clean death Lord Stark. He deserves that much."

Robb nodded and then walked out the doors and stood to the side of Martyn Lannister and spoke in a clear voice. "I Robb Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North in the name of his Grace King Jon Targaryen first of his name, King of the Andals, First men and the Rhoynar. Lord Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. Do hereby sentence you Martyn Lannister to death. Do you have any last words."

Martyn Lannister said nothing for a moment before he said "Long Live King Joffrey the one true king!"

Robb unsheathed Ice, which was still covered in blood, raised it high above his head and then swung it down in one big arc. Martyn Lannister's head fell from his body in one stroke and rolled to the floor. After it was done Robb had his men move the body and the head to somewhere where it could not be seen and then found the castle's maester and told him "Send a raven to Castamere, tell King Jon that the Rock is his and awaits his pleasure."

The maester nodded and walked off to send the letter.

Two weeks later Robb was stood in the main courtyard of the Rock as he saw a big black shadow block out the sun, and as the shadow came closer to the ground he realised that it was Serrax, and in his teeth he held Ghost by the scruff of the neck, and on his back was Jon his crown glittering in the sunlight. Jon got down from his dragon and walked with Ghost toward Robb, they embraced and though Robb could tell Jon was still in some pain by the way he winced when they broke apart.

Robb then got to one knee and said in a formal voice. "Your Grace, you asked me to take the Rock and Lannisport. I have done as commanded. Casterly Rock and the Westerlands are yours, Your Grace."

Jon replied "Rise Lord Stark, and know that I am proud of what you have done and thank you for doing so. I would see the hall and speak with the prisoners then we may rest and prepare for our ride to Riverrun."