The Children of Spring

Lyanna IV - The Dragon's Wrath

After a few days, they arrived at the Trident. They intended to make camp there, it was near Riverrun and it had a good distance from where the battle would take place. The camp would have several colours, still the most seen would be the black and red of the House Targaryen. Lyanna was excited, this time she knew what she was doing, she knew what a Queen was supposed to do. This was her area of expertise, unlike the past few months. For the first time, Lyanna finally felt that she would manage to bring the Six Kingdoms back on track and deal with the Arryns and the Freys once and for all. She did not know why they were raising a rebellion against the Throne to get to the Starks. She wanted to know why, still Varys did not tell her when she asked, he just said that it was the past and that she did not have to worry about it. One day I'll find out, Lyanna had thought.
Before making camp at the Trident, they stopped at the Inn at the Crossroads. Jeyne and Marianne had heard lots of stories about that inn, Lyanna had heard some as well, it was the most famous inn in the stories of their family. It was not a large inn, still it was a good one, with a great reputation and it had stood there for almost 200 years. Although, the best thing for Lyanna was that the inn was completely out of the reach of lords and ladys and kings and queens. It was neutral ground. This time there will be no endless courtsies, Lyanna thought. The young women, Beric, Bryce, Sam, Bronn and the Hound entered the Inn, the innkeeper came to meet them.
"Welcome, my ladys, my lords. Can I get you anything?" The innkeeper said.
"We'd like to have some kidney pies and some hale and water." Marianne said. At least, Mary is with us now, Lyanna thought, it was good to have another person with them, she felt somehow even safer.
"Of course, take a sit, please." The innkeeper said and they took a sit in a table nearby.
"This inn has been here for years, right?" Lyanna asked.
"For some. It's a very popular inn." Bronn said.
"We've heard some stories about it." Marianne and Jeyne said, remembering the stories. Then the innkeeper came back bringing the food,
"Here. I hope you like it."
"Thank you." Jeyne said.
"May I ask what reduce you to these parts?" the innkeeper asked.
"War." The Hound said.
"Again? Wait, you're the Hound. Long time no seen." The innkeeper said and Clegane looked at him surprised.
"You're the pie boy, right?" Clegane said. Lyanna got confused and Marianne and Jeyne started to wonder if he was the boy from the stories.
"Aye. How's everyone?" Hot Pie said.
"In a mess." Sam said.
"Like I said, war times again." Clegane said.
"Well, they'll get out of it. It can't be worst than the last time." Hot Pie said.
"I'm not so sure about that." Bronn said.
"Do you know our parents?" Lyanna asked.
"Uh... I'm not sure. I knew Arry, I mean, Lady Arya Stark and I knew Gendry, back in the day." Hot Pie said.
"Well, I'm Sansa Stark's daughter, Jeyne, and she's Jon Snow's daughter, Lyanna." Jeyne explained.
"Sansa Stark? I remember some people came here looking for her, back in the day. I told them about Arya. Arya also talked a lot about Jon-" Hot Pie was saying.
"You're the one who fucking sold us out?" The Hound asked surprised and Bronn laughed a little. Lyanna and Bryce looked at each other, the two of them must have been the most confused of all. Beric knew everything, he just could not tell his friends, almost cousins.
"The Brotherhood without Banners had caught you and her. The lady said she would protect her-" Hot Pie said.
"Who was the Brotherhood?" Lyanna asked confused.
"Some outlaws who wanted to do justice against the other houses." Bronn explained.
"They were more than outlaws." Clegane said, looking at him. Beric Dondarrion was the leader of the Brotherhood, Beric thought.
"That's why I told them." Hot Pie said.
"Wait. Told whom?" Marianne asked. She knew that her mother and father and her aunt Brienne had been looking for her aunt Sansa for a while.
"Two ladys, one in armour and other in chainmail, she had saved me when I was a child once. They came here along with a lord, I think he was a squire. They were looking for Sansa Stark and Arya." Hot Pie explained.
"The armour, was it blue?" Marianne asked right away.
"Aye." Hot Pie said.
"It were my parents and aunt Brienne." Marianne concluded.
"What?" Lyanna asked confused. Alright, what does even make sense anyway?, Lyanna thought.
"Yes, it were your parents and your aunt. They came across us, after that." Clegane comfirmed.
"I knew they had been looking for her. But, they said they would protect my mother, from whom?" Jeyne asked confused.
"The Lannisters, especially Cersei, I think. At least, it was what was said at the time." Hot Pie said. Clegane and Bronn looked at each other and then at the innkeeper. They'll have to know sooner or later, Sam thought.
"Why? Why would Cersei want my mother dead? It doesn't make sense." Jeyne said. It really doesn't, Marianne thought.
"Because she was mad." Beric said.
"Beric." His father said looking at his son.
"So... Cersei was mad. That explains why she wanted to kill her siblings." Lyanna said.
"She wanted to do what?" Marianne asked surprised.
"Look, we can't talk about it right now. You'll talk to your parents when this is all over, alright?" Clegane said and they nodded.
"Not that anyone asked, but, yes, I met Tyrion in this inn." Bronn said, changing the subject.
"How did that happen?" Jeyne asked curiously.
"Well, he came to the inn, the inn was crowded and he needed a place to sleep, I offered my room, in change for gold. Of course, he did not need the room after it, but that's how it happened." Bronn explained it.
"That's great." Jeyne said.
"Anyway, so, after all, Beric and Thoros did well selling you to the innkeeper?" Clegane asked Hot Pie.
"Aye, they did. I own this now. And a good thing is that it's neutral ground, so no more fights here." Hot Pie said.
"Yeah, Joanna and Brienne thought it might be a good idea. Varys, Davos, Tarly, Stark, the King and Queen agreed, so did I." Bronn said.
"Thanks." Hot Pie said.
After sometime, they left the inn, they had to make camp before the night.
"Thank you for the food and the drinks." Marianne said.
"And the stories." Lyanna added.
"That too." Marianne said.
"You're welcome, my ladys, thank you for coming. And if it's not too much to ask, tell Arya and Gendry to come here some time. I like them to meet little Arry and little Gendry." Hot Pie said smilling.
"You named your sons after them?" Jeyne asked.
"I did, we had a good time together." Hot Pie said and they nodded.
Few hours later, the camp was being set at the Trident. Everything was in movement and all went acording to plan and Lyanna was happy for it. However she wanted to know what had happened back in the day, because she knew something had happened or else the innkeeper would not have named his sons after her aunt and uncle. I wish I knew. But I can't think about it now. I have to focus, Lyanna thought.
Marianne and Jeyne were a bit worried about the battle, eventhough they trusted Lyanna and they knew she could win. It would be the first battle and they would go without their parents, they had to be smart and not enter the bastards games. Jeyne had been trying to find something about Littlefinger, without Varys or Bronn noticing it. By then, she, Marianne, Lyanna, Beric and Bryce were all in the council tent, for Jeyne to give them the news about her research.
"So what did you find out?" Lyanna asked curiously.
"Well, somethings... Littlefinger was from the Fingers and he spent most of his childhood in Riverrun. He fought with Brandon Stark for the hand of my grandmother. He lost and was sent back to the Fingers. He claimed to never have loved any other woman." Jeyne said.
"Why then would his son go against us? If his father loved your grandmother..." Marianne said.
"She didn't love him. He was like a little brother to her. Anyway, I discovered that he was Master of Coin in the Small Council, during the reign of Robert Baratheon and the begining of Joffrey's reign." Jeyne said.
"He owned a brothel... The most famous in KingsLanding." Beric said shrugging.
"How did you know that?" Marianne asked.
"I heard about it somewhere." Beric said.
"And why would that be relevant?" Marianne asked.
"Depends on weather you want to know who used it or not." Beric said simply, smiling.
"I don't think I want to. Continue, please." Marianne said by the end, looking at Jeyne.
"Anyway, Littlefinger was made Lord of Harrenhal and of the Riverlands, after my father succeded him as Master of Coin, and he married Lysa Arryn. That's why Robin listens to this Jay Stone, because he is like a brother to him." Jeyne said.
"That explains somethings. But how come a man from the Fingers had that much power?" Bryce asked confused.
"Because he was a liar. With all teeth. That's the only way." Lyanna said.
"Also, he was the man without motive.
He had nothing, so no one suspected him." Jeyne said.
"So... how did he die?" Lyanna asked.
"He died at Winterfell. He was judged by my mother, aunt Arya and uncle Bran. He was considered guilty of murder and betrayal." Jeyne said. Alright, now we know why his son rebelled against the throne, Lyanna thought.
"For what crimes?" Marianne asked a bit afraid to know the answer.
"He murdered Lysa Arryn. He murdered Jon Arryn and sent a letter to my grandmother saying it were the Lannisters. He started the War of the Five Kings or the war between the Lannisters and the Starks. He also betrayed my grandmother and conspired to murder my grandfather." Jeyne explained a bit angry.
"So, our families were at war because of him. That man must have been a viper." Marianne said angry.
"It seems so. How could he do that?" Lyanna asked surprised.
"That's what he did. He turned family against family, sister against sister. Your mothers and your aunt Arya hated him." Beric said, first looking at Jeyne and Marianne and then at Lyanna.
"Then how come my mother didn't kill him before that?" Marianne asked confused.
"Because my mother needed the Knights of the Vale and he controlled the Vale. She needed him. Remember, when your parents and aunt Brienne told us about Riverrun?" Jeyne asked.
"Yes. They went to find the Blackfish." Marianne answered.
"Before that they mentioned something about crazy stuff and only your parents knew about it." Jeyne said.
"They did. James tried to get our parents to fess it up, but he couldn't. They only said that it was complicated and that what happens at the Wall, stays at the Wall. They asked us not to ask again." Marianne said. What happened..., Marianne thought.
"The year was 300 A.C. That year, Littlefinger travelled to Mole Town. The only persons that were seen in Mole Town in the same time were my mother and aunt Brienne. That was the same year they went to the Wall. If it was the same day that that happened, then that's why your mother didn't kill him, because my mother needed his men. So they went to meet him and your parents stayed at the Wall." Jeyne explained. What did they do?, Marianne thought.
"So you're saying that aunt Joanna could have killed Littlefinger, but she didn't because your mother wanted him to help her take back Winterfell, so she and uncle Pod stayed at the Wall, while aunt Brienne and your mother went to Mole Town?" Lyanna deduced, asking Jeyne. Alright, this makes my head hurt, how can they do this all the time?, Lyanna thought.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. It makes sense, my mother made a deal with Littlefinger. But she'd rather not trust him, so she wanted the Blackfish's help as well as the Houses of the North." Jeyne explained.
"That explains why my parents and aunt Brienne went to get the Blackfish. But what about after they got to Winterfell?" Marianne asked.
"Think about it. They're getting ready to fight the army of the dead, your mother was in the North. And-" Lyanna was saying, when Marianne cut her off,
"And my mother was Lannister. No one knew about Littlefinger and the northerners hated Lannisters. She couldn't get in fights in there, because everyone would be against her, just like-... Payne-Lannister... that's why I have my father's name, it's not only because it's my father's house.-"
"Wait, Mary, you aren't making sense. What do you mean?" Jeyne asked.
"Nothing. Forget I said that." Marianne said. I mean that the main reason for me and my siblings to have Payne in the name, it's not because it's my father's house. My father always says that his house never cared he existed, so my last name is Payne-Lannister, because it's my father's name, not his house, and because my mother did not want me and my siblings to have only the Lannister name. They were protecting us, Marianne thought confused and surprised. Uh? Alright... that must make sense, somehow, Lyanna thought. She knew that she would never understand that, because everyone of her cousins thought that they had both their parents houses in the name, because it was their parents houses. She just had Targaryen and she could not be more glad for it.
Jeyne and Lyanna looked at Marianne a bit confused, however they procceded.
"I'm going to tell Bronn to arrange a meeting. We have to see who are these Jay Stone and Axel Tully." Lyanna said and everyone nodded.
That night, Lyanna felt restless and alone in her tent, thinking about what they would be facing the next day. They had sent some scouts to investigate the enemy's camp. No one had come back yet. I hope this goes well. It has to go well. I'm my parents' daughter, I'll be fine, Lyanna thought, looking at Sky who was eating a piece of meat that she had fried herself, And if things go wrong, well then... dracarys. Lyanna was snapped out of her thoughts, when Marianne and Jeyne entered the tent.
"Hey, Lya." Jeyne and Marianne said.
"Hey." Lyanna said.
"Are you alright?" Marianne asked.
"Yeah, I was just thinking..." Lyanna answered.
"It's going to be alright." Jeyne said.
"We'll win. I'm sure of it." Marianne said.
"How can you know?" Lyanna asked.
"Because it's what it's right. We have people counting on us, we can't fail. Besides, we have something to fight for and we'll not give up of any of it." Marianne said seriously.
"Yeah, you're right. We might not know everything about the past, but we do know that Littlefinger hurted our family. Now his bastard and his somehow allies are going to do everything to hurt us and our family. We can't let that happen and we won't let it happen." Lyanna said seriously and determined.
"You're right, Lya. You're talking like a Queen." Jeyne said smiling and Lyanna smiled.
"Thanks, Jeyne." Lyanna said.
"We'll be alright. And the others will come back and we'll be able to help Winterfell." Jeyne said and Lyanna nodded.
"Mary, you've been quiet. Are you alright?" Lyanna asked.
"I'm fine, I was just thinking." Marianne said.
"About what?" Jeyne asked.
"About what Jo said. And she's right. What holds the power of our family is our parents past. We just have to find out if it was worthy or not." Marianne said.
"We will." Lyanna and Jeyne said.
Next day, the scouts came back, they could count 3 thousand men, 2 thousand at foot and 1 thousand on horseback. They had the numbers, even if it was nothing more than 3 hundred men plus. Most of the troops were fighting in the North, the enemy knew that. I hope they're forgeting that I have a dragon, Lyanna thought. She knew that she had to be smart, all of them knew. If Littlefinger could start a war, maybe his son could do the same. He learned with his father. However, she and Jeyne and even Marianne besides learning from their parents, they learned from Varys too. And if there was anyone who could outwitted Littlefinger, it were Varys and Tyrion. We learned from the best, Lyanna thought amused. They knew that Jay would probably try to decive them and make some lie and all of that. Lyanna lived at KingsLanding, KingsLanding was the city of lies, if she could make it there, she could make it anywhere. My parents begun a dynasty. This time it'll be like Aegon's Conquest, this time it'll not go down. I can't let it go down. Jorah wouldn't, Lyanna thought. She missed her brother and sister, she had to be strong and to protect their house for them.
Meanwhile, Marianne had told Jeyne to meet her in her tent. She knew that she and Lyanna had armours, Marianne had her Lannister armour and Lyanna had a Targaryen armour (which was a black breastplate made of black iron dragon scales with a red Targaryen dragon in the chest, the back was black and the shoulderplates were red and had small dragons heads in black), however Jeyne did not have armour and Marianne did not want her to get hurt or to go only in chainmail and leather. So she and Bronn had the smith made an armour for her. I hope she likes it, Marianne thought. Jeyne entered the tent and asked,
"What is it? Is everything alright?"
"It is. I just wanted to give you something." Marianne said.
"What is it?" Jeyne asked curiously. Marianne went to a stand that was in the tent, the armour was covered with a cloth. Jeyne looked at her confused, but also intrigued.
"Well, if you're going to battle, then you should have an armour." Marianne said and then removed the cloth to reveal an armour that had a non-bright silver breastplate with two direwolves heads in the middle, the back was grey, on the edge of the armour there were small details in gold and the shoulderplates of the armour were off white with small dark golden lions heads in the middle. It was the perfect combination for Jeyne, the base of the armour was clearly of house Stark, but it had also a few details of house Lannister.
"Oh, gods. It's perfect! Thank you, Mary." Jeyne said and went to her cousin and gave her a hug.
"I'm glad you like it." Marianne said, after the hug.
"How did you find this?" Jeyne asked surprised.
"Well, Jen has a hobby, which is drawing. It so happens that once she drew sketches of armours for everyone of us. I found the draws before leaving the Rock. I made a few adjustments and then me and Bronn asked the smith to make it." Marianne explained.
"It's perfect. I'll have to thank Jen, when she gets back. Did she draw armours for everyone? Really?" Jeyne asked curiously.
"Only not for her, but it's a secret." Marianne answered.
"Oh. She really has a touch for drawing." Jeyne said.
"She does. So are you ready to go to battle?" Marianne asked and Jeyne nodded, "Go try the armour then."
Jeyne went near the armour, although then she realized,
"I don't know how this works." Marianne chuckled a bit and went to her, saying,
"I'll help you, don't worry." After Marianne helped Jeyne putting the armour on, for they would have a meeting with the enemy soon after, Jeyne could not imagine how good the armour suitted her, it was as if this was meant to be. She loved the armour and she loved her cousins for making this possible.
"You really look like a warrior queen." Marianne said smiling.
"Thank you. Can I ask you something?" Jeyne said.
"Sure." Marianne answered.
"Do you think I'm up for this?" Jeyne asked.
"I do. Besides, if I and Jo can do it, so can you." Marianne assured her.
"Easy for you to say, you're the daughter of two knights. You've known how to fight since you're 8." Jeyne said, Marianne went to her and took her hands.
"Listen to me, Jeyne. You're the daughter of a King and a Queen of two of the most powerful houses of Westeros. You learn how to fight and never gave up. You can do this. I know you can. Gerion and Rickon would be proud, so would your parents." Marianne said.
"You think my brothers will be proud?" Jeyne asked.
"I know they will." Marianne said and Jeyne nodded.
After that, Lyanna entered the tent with Beric and Bryce, they were ready for the meeting, when they saw Jeyne, they were amazed.
"Wow. You look amazing, Jeyne." Lyanna said.
"She's right." The young men said.
"Thank you." Jeyne said.
They all exited the tent and met with Bronn, Clegane and Sam, before going to the meeting. They warned them to be careful and to be smart, they warned them that Littlefinger might have been one of the most dangerous men in Westeros and that his son could be just like him. Lyanna was confident that things would go well. Jeyne was a bit nervous, so after everyone left the tent she stayed inside for a little while to calm down, Marianne stayed with her, she knew that Lyanna would be alright, she always liked wars and battles, however Jeyne was new to all of that. Bronn came to check on them,
"Hey, everything alright?"
"Yeah, it's just I'm a little worried. I'll be fine." Jeyne said.
"I see. Well, there's a thing your father used for that." Bronn said, going to a table that was in the tent and pouring a cup of wine, "Here." Bronn said, going to Jeyne and giving her the cup.
"This helps?" Jeyne asked.
"It worked with your father." Bronn said, shrugging.
"Mary?" Jeyne asked.
"You can try." Marianne said and Jeyne drank it.
"So?" Bronn asked.
"It's like nothing changed." Jeyne said.
"It'll work." Bronn said and then looked at Marianne, "You want one too?"
"No, thanks. Let's go." Marianne said and they left the tent.
After a few moments, they were in their horses and soon were arriving at the place agreed. No one was there yet. If they won't bother to come, then we'll attack today, Lyanna thought sarcasticaly. She would not do that, though. It was not a honorable thing to do and her father always told her that honor would always come first, although Lyanna always had wondered if it would come first than family or would they be on the same level. Sky was flying above, near them, just for them to see.
At lenght, the enemy finally arrived. Two horsed young men seemed to lead the party. Jay Stone, a man with black short hair and gray-greenish eyes, similar to the ones of a cat, he was with a smug smile, that Lyanna hated the moment she saw it. Next to him, rode Axel Tully, a man with auburn hair and blue eyes, although he might have the Tully traits, he still had the weasel-like look of the Freys. Jeyne thought that he looked as if he had won the war or that his companion would win it for him and she was determined to proove him wrong.
The men stopped in front of them and Jay said,
"Nice to finally see who sits on the Iron Throne these days. Thank you for arranging this meeting. Now, whenever you want, I can accept your surrender." The only thing you're going to accept is my sword in your gut, Lyanna thought, still she said,
"I don't think you understand the goal of this meeting." And Sky roared, the men looked afraid for a short second.
"What makes you think it's we who will surrender?" Jeyne asked.
"Well, it's obvious. We gathered the Knights of the Vale and we have two armies at our dispossal. Almost all of your troops are in the North." Axel said. Since when?, Lyanna thought, still she would let them think that. Everyone of them would let them think that, Marianne just wanted to make sure they were a bit afraid at the end of that meeting, so she said,
"What makes you think that?"
"Uh...-" Axel was saying, a bit confused and clumsy. Like father, like son, Jeyne thought. The young man might be half Tully, still he had only inherited the bad traits of his father.
"You're good, I'll give you that. But, seriously, for how many years do you think this will work? I know who you are." Jay said smiling.
"You don't know anything about us." Lyanna said seriously.
"No? Well, let's see. How well do you know everything that happened before you were born?" Jay asked.
"And you do?" Jeyne asked.
"My father wrote everything in his journal. I know everything about every person in this land. I know everything about your parents." Jay said smiling.
"Mention our parents again and you won't live to see the battle." Lyanna said codly. He was going too far.
"You think we don't know anything about you or your father?" Marianne asked.
"No one really knew my father, so, no, I do not think you know." Jay said surely.
"No? Well, let's see. Your father was a great liar, maybe even one of the most dangerous men in Westeros, he grew up with nothing and claimed to only have loved one woman in his life. He wanted everything, he wanted to get the Iron Throne. But he would watch the world burn to get it. For him everyone was a puppet. But his mistake was that he couldn't control everyone, for much that he tried, he couldn't. In the end, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't control who knew the truth, about the War of the Five Kings." Jeyne said looking at him. He looked uncomfortable, however he tried to hide it.
"The War of the Five Kings? Or the war between Lannisters, Starks, Baratheons and Greyjoys? The greatest war after the murder of Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King. Madness runs in the Targaryen family, you know the saying, everytime a Targaryen is born the Gods flip a coin. Lannisters and Starks are always at each other's throats, sooner or later, wits and lies never deal well with honor and rules. So I ask you again, how many years do you think this will last? Sooner or later, your family will turn against each other again. It's the simple truth." Jay said.
"You seem to think you know our parents very well. I ask you, if no one knew who your father really was, what makes you think you know our parents?" Marianne said.
"We know better than you." Axel said.
"We may not know everything, but we do know that whatever happened was the reason our family to be what it is today. We don't care what happened and we know it won't happen again." Lyanna said seriously.
"That's admirable. Of course, in the end, family, friends worth nothing if you don't have what you want." Jay said.
"So, you'll take the Iron Throne then what? The country will be against you, your companions will have to go back to their lands. You'll be alone. What would it be worth then?" Jeyne asked.
"I'll rule the Seven Kingdoms." Jay said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Alright. You think that's power? Power resides where men believe it resides. It's just a trick. The Iron Throne is a story that we tell ourselves. People need someone to turn to, someone that will be there for them. That's why there are Kings and Queens. There's only one power that is worth taking the risks for... family. Family is power." Lyanna said seriously and the young men were without words,"I don't think you'll surrender, eventhough you should. So, we'll see you tomorrow."
As soon as she ended up talking a man with a crossbow shot Bronn near the heart.
"No!" Lyanna could not help to shout as the cowards fled as fast as they could. Brom fell from the horse and everyone went to him.
"Come on, it's going to heal. You'll see. Right?" Jeyne said.
"It won't, kid. Not this time. I'm sorry." Clegane said looking at Jeyne. I'm going to kill them all, Lyanna, Jeyne and Marianne thought.
"Kill... the... bastards..." Bronn said with dificulty and then died. Jeyne and Marianne stood up and were going to face the enemy, but they were long gone. Still, they were going to the woods.
"Where are you going?" Beric asked.
"They can't have gone very far. We'll find them." Jeyne said bitterly.
"No, you won't." Lyanna said seriously, Jeyne and Marianne stopped and looked at her, "That's what they want us to do. We won't give them that satisfaction. We'll wait until the battle, we have the numbers. We'll win. And, in the end, we'll make them suffer for what they did. Vengence is a cold dish, just so happens that they don't know what is coming for them." Jeyne and Marianne nodded. They knew what she meant and they knew she was serious. We'll make them pay, Jeyne thought. Bronn had helped her and her father. He might have a dark sense of humor, but he was still a knight and, despite all, Jeyne knew he was their friend. It was hard to see him go that way, by some coward bastards. Jeyne swore she would kill Jay Stone, if not Axel Tully as well. She knew that Marianne felt the same. Bronn was their parents' friend and he had helped them many times, even if it did not seem so.
The next day at dawn, the troops were at the field in the Trident. Last time, both my uncles were defeated in this place... One in the Trident and other in the Twins... I can't let that happen again, Lyanna thought a bit nervous. She was on her horse with Sky, flying above. The enemy's troops were in their positions as well. My uncle and grandmother died in the Twins, because of the Freys... and Jay Stone killed Bronn. This time it'll be different, Jeyne thought angerly, she was on her horse as well and Dreamer was near her, the direwolf was grown by then and still had to grow a little bit more, she must have felt her rage, because she was showing her teeth and roaring a bit. Marianne looked at her cousins and she knew that above all she had to protect them. Right now, I'm the eldest, Marianne thought.
"We're really going to do this?" She heard Bryce ask. He was next to her.
"I don't think, they'll surrender, so..." Marianne said.
"They chose this place on porpose. Many things happened here in the last few years. For exemple, my father fought at the Green Fork, back in the war." Bryce comented.
"I know that my father was in the camp when that battle happened, it was just before he went to KingsLanding." Marianne said.
"My father told me. Your uncle Tyrion fought too, as well as your grandfather and Ser Bronn." Bryce said. Lannisters against Starks, right..., Marianne thought, it was useless to think of that right then, but she couldn't help it.
"Did they win?" Marianne asked.
"They won the battle, lost the war." Bryce said.
"We'll make sure we win the war this time." Marianne said and he nodded.
"It's going to be alright. Don't worry." They heard Sam said, they looked at him and nodded.
The night before they had agreed that they would have to trick them, in order to open passage. The archery and some more man were going to attack them in the front while, the cavalary was going to attack them half at left of Riverrun and half at right of Riverrun. They would be surrounded and they would have to surrender.
Marianne was going to the left, Jeyne to the right and Lyanna would fight in the middle, she would not let her men face the enemy's army alone, she was their princess and at that moment their commander as well. She would fight beside them.
"Good luck." Marianne said to Lyanna and Jeyne.
"To you too." Lyanna and Jeyne said.
Then Lyanna rode her horse through the line of archers, saying
"Today is no ordinary day. Some of us have never seen battle, some of us have never been at war. But we did not cause this one either. This is not our doing. However, someone is threatening our kin and our homes, someone will see 17 years of peace and prosperity shattered so that they can rule, have power. Well, I was thaught that with power cames responsability and those people know nothing of that! In the name of Aegon and Danearys Targaryen, in the name of the people of the Six Kingdoms, today we will became the wall, the shield and the spear that protects our families and homes. In the name of the old gods and the new."
A cheer came from the army and Lyanna sized the moment,
"Archers! Nock!" And the archers put their arrows in the bows. Lyanna looked at the enemy and then at her cousins and they nodded. "Draw! Hold!..." The archers pulled the strings of the bows and waited, Lyanna went back to her inicial position and said, "Loose!" And that was the signal. Jeyne went right with Beric and Dreamer as well as the City Watch, while Marianne went left with Bryce and the small army gathered as well as some Lannister troops from the Rock.
Lyanna continued to comand the archery, waiting for the enemy's army to charge, at lenght when they realized that were being slaughtered, they charged in the field with men on foot and men on horse. At that Lyanna knew what she had to do.
"You ready?" Clegane asked. He and Sam had stayed with Lyanna.
"I am." Lyanna answered. Then she looked up to see Sky. She was still flying around. Lyanna looked at the enemy that was charging, coming in their direction. She unsheathed her sword and said, starting to ride her horse,
"It's time. Come on! With me!" And with that the army charged into battle against the enemy.
Meanwhile, Jeyne was already in position, so was Marianne. Despite being a considerable distance away, they would charge at the same time, Jeyne would give the signal.
Jeyne took her crossbow, she took a golden arrow and then fired the arrow to the middle of the camp, as it was sunny the arrow shone and that was the signal.
Marianne and Jeyne charged in attack. Bryce and Beric followed them. With the horses it was easy to take down the army guarding Riverrun, the men were on foot. Jeyne would not think her first battle would be like that, still it was a little bit exciting, but above all it was scary, Dreamer fought beside her and did one hell of a job. Marianne, Bryce and Beric fought bravely as well, still they were a little bit used to fight. Most of the enemy's soldiers were down or had ran into the castle. However, there was one more thing they had to do. They had to help the rest of the army.
In the other front of the battle, it was more dificult. The army had the Knights of the Vale and some more men on foot. Lyanna was fighting like never before, it was exciting and at the same time sufocating. Still, she was going to fight with all she'd got, until it was over and, ended as it ended, she would not go down without a fight. Sky was helping too. Clegane and Sam were fighting as always. Lyanna was starting to despair, for it were too much men and horses, when Jeyne and Marianne finally showed up and they brought the cavalary with them. With that they managed to defeat the army and at last, Jeyne, Marianne and Lyanna got down from their horses to fight on foot. They fought and fought until they got to Jay and Axel. Jeyne managed to defeat and disarm Jay, she had to contain herself not to kill him. Meanwhile, Lyanna was going to disarm Axel, however he offered his sword and surrendered. Marianne, watching her cousins handled the situation, was very proud of them.
"Beric and Bryce?" Lyanna asked.
"They stayed at Riverrun, with some more men to make sure there was nothing else." Marianne explained.
"What are we going to do with them?" Jeyne asked looking at Jay and Axel.
"They're going to be trialled." Lyanna said.
And so it was. The remaining troops of the enemy were gathered in the battlefield and Lyanna said seriously,
"Very well, men. I imagine that these two men must have told you that my parents abandoned their Kingdoms and that the Iron Throne was empty. And that we are doomed to repeat the past. I assure you that won't happen. We are not doomed to repeat the past. What happened in the past, is in the past. Or else we never leave this... wheel. The Throne is not empty and soon everything will be as it was. However, betrayal cannot go unpunished. So, you have a choice. Bend the knee and swear loyalty to the throne or refuse and... die."
Most of men stood still, however, as Sky roared at them in the air, they all bend the knee, except for Jay and Axel.
"You still don't believe me." Lyanna said.
"No. You're just a girl." Jay said.
"I am the dragon's daughter! The blood of Old Valyria and Winterfell runs through my veins! I'm not just a girl." Lyanna said seriously.
"You won't kill me. We're family." Axel said.
"Family? Do you want to talk about family? The family that you trapped in the North, hoping that they'd die." Jeyne said, angry. Marianne went to her cousin and put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. They'll get what they deserve. Don't worry, Lyanna thought, it was fair and they had to pay for Bronn's death. They'll get what they deserve, Jeyne thought.
"If you won't bend the knee, then you'll suffer the consequences." Lyanna said and comanded some soldiers to put the young men in the field away from the others.
Lyanna was about to pass the sentence when they heard,
"Wait! Wait!" It was Edmure Tully. Beric and Bryce were coming with him.
"He left the castle and surrendered. He said he wanted to talk to you." Beric explained to Lyanna.
"The battle is over now, why didn't you come sooner?" Clegane asked.
"I was locked in a bed chamber. I was going to stop this rebellion. Please, my princess, I ask mercy for my son. I won't excuse his mistakes, I only ask mercy. He is my son." Edmure pleaded to Lyanna. I shouldn't, but I have to, Lyanna thought and said,
"I understand, my lord. But betrayal cannot be unpunished, so, as he showed no signs of regret, your son will be taken to KingsLanding and my parents will decide his fate. I will sugest the Wall."
"Thank you so much, my princess." Edmure said. Lyanna nodded and turned to face the other young men.
"As of you, Jay Stone. In the name of Aegon and Daenerys of House Targaryen, King and Queen of the Six Kingdoms and Protectors of the Realm. I, Lyanna Targaryen, princess of the Six Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm in my parents absence, sentence you to die..." She sensed the fear raising from the defeated army as Sky landed next to her and she said, "Dracarys."
Sky breathed fire and Jay Stone was burned and with him, his rebellion. I hope I did the right thing, Lyanna thought. It's over... He got what he deserved... But... Bronn's still dead. At least, we avenged him, Jeyne thought. It's over. Almost. We have to get to camp, Marianne thought.
After the battle, they gave Bronn a propper funeral and said goodbye. The troops were healled and they headed back to KingsLanding. They had to reagrup again, in order to go to camp. As a precaution, Lyanna send a considerable number of troops to the Eryie to block the Bloody Gate and leave Robin Arryn trapped in his nest, until they had the dragons to be able to get to the Eryie and drag him out. It was the only way to get to the Eryie.
At the end of everything, no one regreted what they had to do to stop the rebellion, it were memories that would stay with them forever, still Marianne helped Lyanna and Jeyne to get over the shock of killing someone or sentencing someone to death.
They rode to KingsLanding hoping that there would be good news there and that everything would be alright and in time to get to camp. However, when they arrived, the news they found out left them in shock and feeling that they had to stop the warlocks, before they hurted any other member of their family again.