The Bronze Dragon-A House of the Dragon fanfic

Chapter 47

With the war now having well and truly begun, each side began preparing for the inevitable beginning of the war for the skies. Dragons had not duelled in the skies of Westeros since the days of Maegor, but a clash between riders was inevitable. Indeed, I believe the desire to pick off the Blacks' dragons was Cole's main strategy.

As Prince Daemon took Stone Hedge, my father began steadily marching north through the Vale, taking castles and strongholds as he gradually began cutting out Ser Eldric's base of support. Of course, what he didn't know was that Ser Eldric was rallying what was left of his forces in the far north of the Vale.

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Duskendale

It was as the sun was going down that Aegon and Aemond landed on Sunfyre and Vhagar outside the city. Ser Criston had emphatically said that he wouldn't need their assistance to capture the city, and looked like he was right. Aegon's banner-a gold three-headed dragon on a black field-flew over the Dun Fort by the harbour, and soldiers had been put on watch.

The Rosbys and Stokeworths had capitulated easily enough with their lords held hostage in King's Landing, but it seemed that Lord Darklyn needed a reminder of who his king was. With the city now in their hands, they had deprived Rhaenyra of her most significant ally near King's Landing as well. Good. We need to secure our surroundings before attacking further, Aegon thought.

The two of them made their way through the gatehouse and into the market square behind it, though the market had been suspended in favour of a venue for executions; in the middle was a crude wooden platform with a headsman's block placed on it. Evidently Ser Criston had decided that making the executions public instead of holding them at the Dun Fort would send a message.

"Your Grace!" One knight said, running to them. It was Ser Gyles Belgrave, one of the Kingsguard's recent appointees, easily recognised without his helmet by his balding head and goatee. "Ser Criston is in the Dun Fort with the other commanders. Lord Darkyln is being held there as well, to await your judgement."

"Good." Aegon said simply before gesturing for Ser Gyles to lead them towards the stronghold of House Darklyn. The Dun Fort was an impressive structure; built on cliffs overlooking the Duskendale harbour and with a rectangular keep protected by four large drum towers. Inside, the main hall of the keep seemed to have been turned into a temporary war room, with map tables all over the place. Ser Criston himself was studying one of them as Aegon and Aemond entered. "Congratulations on your victory, Ser Criston."

"Hardly a victory, Your Grace." Ser Criston replied. "They were so surprised that we'd taken the arsenal and the harbour before they'd realised what was happening." He explained. "The men who refused to swear allegiance to you are dead, apart from Lord Darklyn."

"I'll sentence him myself." Aegon said. "Bring him to the market square on the morrow; he can answer to Sunfyre."

Criston winced. There was no need to subject Lord Darklyn to such a needlessly cruel death, especially when they were still trying to win over support from other lords, but he couldn;t defy a king's command. Not when they were so close to the culminating engagement he had been pushing for with his strategy. Regaining his composure, he nodded. "Very well. Your mother dispatched a raven as well; the Queen has departed for Oldtown on Windfyre."

"What is your plan from here, Ser Criston?" Aegon asked, walking up to the map table. "We've taken Duskendale, and Daevar's victory at Ironoaks is more a problem for Rhaenyra than us."

"From here, we advance on Rook's Rest." Criston pointed to a spot on the map. "It's about three days' march from here. We'll take the castle from Lord Staunton and then prepare an ambush."