Carliene Stark

II Chapter 34

Carliene

"Greenshield, Oakenshield, Greyshield and Southshield"

I was sitting bent over the old map in the library again, tracing my fingers over the depiction of the shield islands. 

Lomys nodded, his chain ringing softly as he did so. 

I traced my finger west along the shore of Westeros to the mouth of the Mander and then upriver directly to Highgarden. "With them defeated Highgarden is unprotected" 

The old man inhaled. "Your worry is unwarranted" he told me. "We have the largest army in Westeros gathered here at the castle"

"And when they leave they head east" I pointed out. 

He gave a small smile. "And still we will have men-at-arms and war galleys to defend the Mander and best of all-" he raised a thin arm to gesture around us. "- high walls" he finished. "The Ironborn may be a considerable force at sea, but on land the kraken suffocates under his own weight and shrivels in the sun"

A good thing that I wasn't planning on going on any sea voyages ever again. "Has the caste ever fallen?" I pondered. 

"Not in its current state" he assured, then he straightened to get on with the lesson. He placed a finger on the wetter shore, giving me a testing glance. 

I benched my fist and made a noise of ambition. "Wait, wait, this time I'll get it right" I promised and sorted the similar names in my head. "Bandallion, Brightwater Keep, Bitterbridge" I tapped on each castle going from west to north-west. 

The expression on Lomys face told me that I was correct and I celebrated internally. "And their Lords?" he kept his tone strict. 

That was easier. "Blackbar, Florent and Caswell" I stated in the same order, but my fingertip remains don Brightwater Keep a moment longer. "House Florent sided with Stannis after Renly Baratheon's death?" 

His small eyes tested me for a moment before he agreed. 

My gaze travelled across the rest of the map. "How many other houses chose Stannis?" I felt like maybe this would be useful information to have. 

"Of the Reach? Well let's see" he bend over the map, his expression full of concentration. "There was House Florent, both Houses of Fossoway, Varner and Willum. There was House Mullendore, oh and House Crane if I recall correctly" 

I raised a brow as I looked at all their seats on the map, most them I would never have suspected of choosing different sides than their Liege Lord. "And they were all pardoned?"

he gave a sullen shrug. "Well the Red-Apple-Fossoways lost both their male heirs in the battle and Lord Jon Fossoway of the green apple was captured. His wife was pregnant at the time so naturally he bend the knee to King Joffrey"

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, I had judged him to be such a pleasant man, i never would have guessed that he once dared oppose his liege lord and the crown openly like that.

"Most of the other Houses have similar stories, their Lords either captured to bend the knee or they were killed, passing on the lands, title and holdings to a successor that then bend the knee. such is the nature of war you see, you either fight for the winning side to begin with or you join them in the end to keep your life and all you hold dear" 

Wise words from someone who has only experienced battle from the sidelines. I leaned my arms on the table, looking at Blackwater Bay as I found myself wondering how many men of these houses I may have cut down in my attempt to escape King's Landing the first time. Granted I knew little and less of combat then and my goal was to get away unharmed and avoid as may confrontations as possible. But with so much fear and energy in my veins I at least wounded two or three men.