Jacob II (ACOK)

"This is a fool's game, Your Grace. Your father will not be pleased of this." Daven Seaworth said, following his prince into the dead of the night.

Prince Jacob knew Devan was right, but he was too busy spying on Uncle Renly and his limited forces in this part of the land, rather than the other 100,000 men stuck in Bitterbridge, which gives Jacob and his father an advantage.

Nevertheless, Jacob and his father will be going up against seasoned battle commanders like Lord Randyll Tarly and Lord Mathis Rowan, but he did not see Mace Tyrell, Paxter Redwyne or the other lords of the Reach with him.

"Probably hiding like cowards, because Tyrell and Redwyne are not for the battlefield, but are for politics and court."

Prince Jacob was no fool; he had spent most of his childhood around the Reach lords, more than his own Stormlords, because they didn't like him, being just like his father.

Dour, humourless and boring.

The prince didn't care what those lords thought, because a battle was coming. Brother against brother and uncle against nephew.

Jacob did not want this fight to go on, but he overhead Uncle Renly and his commanders talking about battle strategy, but he knew his uncle was dumb enough to give the vanguard to Ser Loras, when he could have given it to Randyll Tarly.

Seeing Lady Catelyn made Jacob reflect a little, because she was a mother and was tired, by the exhausted look in her eyes and her face.

He felt bad for her, having lost her husband, having to leave Bran and Rickon in Winterfell, to provide a voice for House Tully and the Riverlands in Robb's war council.

The relations between Stark and Baratheon were fractured, not what Uncle Robert would have wanted, but Robb was a traitor, his enemy and will die soon.

Jacob was hanging outside one of his Uncle's pavilion tents with Devan, and two knights with him.

He knew he would be caught and used for ransom against his father, which will complicate things even more.

Jacob heard many things, of how Uncle Renly told Lady Catelyn, how he was jealous of how clever he was in the field of intrigue and how lords and ladies feared to look at Jacob, afraid he could cut them down by the stare in his sapphire blue irises.

"Hmmm...He would tell Lady Stark things he can't tell me to my face, afraid of being wrong and admitting his shame. I must watch for Brienne of Tarth, she is strong and could crush me, if she wanted to with great strength."

The young man was looking around to see if any knights were present, as some parts of the camp were gathering for battle.

"Be careful, Your Grace." Devan warned, afraid for his prince being caught and killed by Renly's men.

"Don't worry, dear boy. I'll be fine." Jacob replied, placing a hand on Devan's shoulder to reassure the boy of him not dying so early in the war.

Jacob and his three men were creeping around the camp, as he was making his way down to the local village near Storm's End, but many of those people were familiar with his face.

Arriving at the village sept, with the seven walls of the seven gods all crooked and cracked, but it was fine for the time being.

The prince looked around to see small candles being lit in a vigil, as he knew death was coming after this foolish battle is over.

Prince Jacob remembered going into the sept, when he was a child, praying alongside the Tyrells and going into the small sept in Winterfell.

In his mind, prayer and belief was what separated his negative emotions from him and learned to calm himself in peace and tranquillity.

The prince started to light up seven unlit candles, all representing the Seven gods with his men.

The father to give honourable justice to those who stained the Great Sept in the blood of an innocent man and who have deceived the common folk into being ruled by a king born of incest.

The mother to give mercy and compassion to my mother and sister, stuck in Dragonstone and give them good fortunes and courage.

The maiden to protect the innocence and virtue for those who will need it the most, as war has a way of taking innocence away and changing people.

The smith to give my father aid, when he needs it, so the mad red woman does not influence him more with her mad religion.

The warrior for strength in battle, for my father, myself and all of our men, who are loyal to the rightful king.

Guide me wise Crone. I do not know where I am going or whether I am doing the right thing, doing my duty to my father and my king.

Finally, the stranger to take the sinful, dishonourable lot into the graves with them. All traitors, oathbreakers and ambitious cowards.

From the corner of his eye, Jacob saw someone in a dark cloak praying towards the Seven, with him knowing it was a woman.

Prince Jacob started to follow the woman out of the sept, and into the village town, as he had an idea of who she was.

Outside, in the dead of the night Prince Jacob had followed the woman back to his Uncle's war camp, as the men were getting ready for battle.

Then, the young man was close enough to the woman to approach her carefully, not wanting her to be spooked or frightened.

"It seems you visit the sept more than often, Lady Stark." Prince Jacob called, quietly, as it was dark.

"It's the only reassurance I have, since I lost Ned and my daughters are not with me." Lady Stark replied, pulling down the hood from her head, to see her from her Tully features of red hair and light blue eyes.

"It's good to keep faith, especially in times of war."

"I saw you at the sept, which is strange, since your father allied himself with a red priestess."

"I still keep to the faith of my childhood, fostering with the Tyrells and spending time in the Great Sept has made me more pious in my faith." Prince Jacob said, in a clear and low voice.

"Your uncle will harm you, if he saw you in his camps. It's clear he dislikes you, his own flesh and blood."

"My uncle only cares for himself, and no one else. You must leave, Lady Catelyn, this battle could get bloody and my father doesn't tolerate traitors and those who are loyal to them in his realm."

"What happened to you, my lord? What happened to the boy of five and ten, who stayed within the walls of Winterfell? Who was kind to my daughters, forged bonds with my sons and played with the horses." Lady Catelyn pleaded.

"Death, my lady. I lost Uncle Robert and Maester Cressen, but I have to face the fact of losing more people I care about in this war."

Whilst Lady Stark walked back into his uncle's pavilion, it made Jacob feel a bit regretful, as he had forgotten the bond he forged with the Stark children.

He even helped Arya, by roping in friends from House Hersy of Newkeep to help her stay in a protected region, where it was untouched by war.

A loud, high-pitched scream was heard through the tent, as he ran towards it and pulled the sheets out of the way to see knights gathering around.

Jacob forced himself to see Lady Stark shaken with fear, alongside the knight of Tarth holding his uncle's body in her arms.

Prince Jacob looked down, as he saw his Uncle Renly, all blooded and lying lifeless on the ground, with blood straining his green and gold armour.

All the blood and mess made the prince feel sick, as he has seen his fair share of death and killings.

Jacob's first reaction was to run from the tented pavilion in a rush, as he knew if he had been seen, then it would spell trouble for him.