𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝...

Chapter Forty Seven

I sat on the chair and examined the letter, it was written by Maester Gerardys, informing us by the latest changes us we keep Harrenhal a stronghold for the blacks army.

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It said that Ser Criston had led an army of little under 3000 Greens into the lands of Black loyalists on the mainland who did not have protection against him. They caught Duskendale by complete surprise and unprepared. It quickly fell to Aegon II's forces and was sacked, while the ships at the harbour were set afire. Lord Gunthor Darklyn was beheaded for treason. Most of his household knights submitted to Aegon, although a few decided to follow Gunthor in death... After the Sack of Duskendale was complete, Criston moved the loyalist forces to Rook's Rest, the seat of House Staunton. Unlike Duskendale, by this time they had forewarning of Aegon II's advance and barred the castle gates, leading to a siege while the greens despoiled the surrounding lands. Lord Staunton asked for aid from Dragonstone, and nine days later, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen arrived upon Meleys to aid the Lord of Rook's Rest and burned down Ser Criston Cole's soldiers by Dragonfire. But what she did not expect was to be face to face with the usurper, his brother, and their dragons.

Meleys was then attacked by King Aegon II Targaryen atop Sunfyre and Prince Aemond Targaryen atop Vhagar. The aerial combat between the two dragons of the greens and the one dragon of the blacks saw the deaths of Rhaenys and Meleys. Aegon suffered severe burns, however, and Sunfyre was rendered flightless from the fight with Meleys.

Aemond, Criston, and the surviving greens took Rook's Rest and killed Lord Staunton and his garrison of one hundred soldiers.

Ser Criston Cole lost eight hundred men, Prince Aemond Targaryen became regent as while his brother recovered, Sunfyre was left behind to recover in Rook's Rest while guards were stationed to protect the dragon. Lord Corly's Velaryon blamed the Queen for the death of his wife and threatened to leave her cause, but Prince Jacaerys came forward and in an effort to calm the tension in Dragonstone he named Corlys Velaryon as Hand of the Queen, and it worked. He also took charge of sending his siblings away to safety until his mother took the Iron Thron. He sent Joffrey to the Vale of Arryn with Lady Rhaena, three dragon eggs, and Joffrey's dragon Tyraxes, and they sent their half-brothers Viserys II and Aegon the Younger on a Pentoshi cog named the Gay Abandon, while the Sea Snake sent seven of his warships as an escort. Leaving only his half-sister and betrothed Baela, himself, Lord Corlys, and the Queen in Dragonstone.

Prince Jacaerys has called for the Dragonseeds, Targaryen bastards, to ride the unclaimed and wild dragons on the island because he was planning to attack Kings Landing as quickly as he could. Where Hugh Hammer bonded with Grey Ghost, Ult the White bonded with Moondancer against Baela's refusal to take her dragon, but they couldn't just the dragon sit around since Baela would not fight upon her father's order, Addam of Hull bonded with Seasmoke and was legitimised by Corlys Velaryon with his brother Alyn as Velaryons, and lastly a young girl named Nettles bonded with Sheepstealer by bringing him sheep.

Gay Abandon encountered the Triarchy's fleet that had allied with Aegon II in revenge for Daemon's and I's action in the Stepstones, which had sailed up to the Gullet. The Gay Abandon was taken captive and her escorts sunk or captured. Possessed only a dragon egg, Viserys had no way of escaping from the cog and was made captive by a Tyroshi captain. Aegon escaped the Gay Abandon on his young dragon, Stormcloud. Sailors attempted to bring them down and Stormcloud was wounded by arrows and scorpion bolts. Nevertheless, they flew to Dragonstone, where Aegon delivered the news of the threat from the east. Stormcloud died at Dragonstone from his wounds.