Rise of the North (asoiaf)

Not even the Kingsguard were unaffected by the Dance. The seven sworn brothers split upon the death of King Viserys I. Ser Lorent Marbrand and Ser Erryk Cargyll were already at Dragonstone defending Rhaenyra and her blacks, later being joined by Ser Steffon Darklyn, the three forming the core of her new Queensguard. The other four—Ser Criston Cole, Ser Arryk Cargyll, Ser Rickard Thorne, and Ser Willis Fell—sided with Aegon II and his greens at King's Landing. Luceon of Tarth, a bard, later composed "Farewell, My Brother" about the purported last parting of the brothers Cargyll.

Desiring revenge for the murder of his heir, Aegon meant to descend on Dragonstone atop Sunfyre to seize or slay his half-sister and her "bastard sons". The green council managed to dissuade him. Ser Criston, the Hand of the King and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, proposed using stealth and treachery as the "pretender princess" had done. Thus, he tasked Ser Arryk with infiltrating Dragonstone in the guise of his twin, Ser Erryk. It is uncertain whether he was to kill Rhaenyra or her children, as accounts differ. But the twins happened to come upon each other in one of the halls of the castle's citadel and fought to the death. According to songs, the brothers professed their love as their swords clashed, dying in one another's arms after fighting for an hour with duty in their hearts. However, some who claimed to have witnessed the duel, said that they condemned each other as traitors and were both mortally wounded within moments.

With the worsening situation, Ser Criston Cole believed quick and decisive actions were paramount. Criston acted by marching a host on the crownlands first adding the strength of Rosby and Stokeworth, whose lords had recently submitted to the king to prove their loyalty to the greens, then moving on to Duskendale and sacking the town, having Lord Gunthor Darklyn beheaded for supporting Rhaenyra. Criston next turned his attention to Rook's Rest, for House Staunton had pledged their support to Rhaenyra as well.

Lord Staunton defied his attackers and dispatched a raven to Dragonstone. Princess Rhaenys answered the call for help and arrived on her dragon, Meleys the Red Queen, but Criston's men attacked the dragon with scorpions, longbows, and crossbows in the Battle at Rook's Rest in 129 AC.

When Sunfyre and Vhagar also appeared, the dragons fought a thousand feet above the ground. Meleys's jaws closed around Sunfyre's neck, and Vhagar fell upon them, causing all three dragons to crash. From the ashes, only Vhagar rose again. Sunfyre had one wing half torn from his body, whilst his rider, King Aegon II, suffered several broken bones and severe burns. Rhaenys was found completely burned next to Meleys. After the battle, Prince Aemond and Criston took Rook's Rest and put the garrison to death. The head of Meleys was brought back to King's Landing, inspiring fear amongst the smallfolk and causing thousands to flee the capital until the gates were barred by Dowager Queen Alicent.

Aegon was brought back to King's Landing, where maesters attended his severe wounds while he slept under the influence of milk of the poppy. Sunfyre was too large to be moved and was unable to fly. The dragon remained at Rook's Rest, where guards were posted to keep him safe and fed. With Aegon unable to rule, Aemond assumed the style of Protector of the Realm.

Lord Corlys Velaryon, upon learning of the death of his wife Rhaenys, threatened to leave Rhaenyra's cause, until Prince Jacaerys named him Hand of the Queen. They sent Prince Joffrey to the Vale of Arryn with Lady Rhaena and three dragon eggs and Joffrey's dragon Tyraxes. Prince Aegon the Younger and Prince Viserys were sent to Pentos on the Gay Abandon to be fostered with the Prince of Pentos, a friend of Daemon's, until Rhaenyra had secured the Iron Throne.

Jacaerys wanted to attack the capital with as many dragons as possible. With six riderless dragons present on Dragonstone, Jacaerys called out to dragonseeds, promising knighthood and wealth to anyone who could master a dragon. Many were injured or died (amongst them Lord Commander Steffon Darklyn), though four people eventually succeeded. Vermithor was claimed by Hugh Hammer, Silverwing by Ulf the White, Seasmoke by Addam of Hull, the supposed bastard of Laenor Velaryon, and Sheepstealer by a girl named Nettles. Corlys asked Rhaenyra to remove the taint of bastardy from Addam and his brother Alyn, making them true Velaryons, and he named Addam heir to Driftmark.

Meanwhile, ninety warships of the Triarchy sailing from the Stepstones chanced upon the Gay Abandon carrying Prince Aegon the Younger and Prince Viserys in 129 AC. The escorting ships were sunk or taken. Prince Aegon managed to escape by clinging to the neck of his dragon, Stormcloud, who was mortally wounded but delivered Aegon III back to Dragonstone. Viserys, having only a dragon egg, was unable to escape, and was made a captive of Admiral Sharako Lohar of Lys.

Aegon III managed to make it to Dragonstone, and Prince Jacaerys on Vermax flew to the Lysene galleys, quickly followed by the four dragonseeds. The warships tried to flee, but in the fighting Vermax flew too low and crashed into the sea. Jacaerys leaped free but was pierced by quarrels. A squadron of the Triarchy's fleet sacked Spicetown and butchered men, women, and children. High Tide, containing all of Lord Corlys Velaryon's treasures, was consumed by fire, one-third of his ships being destroyed. However, the Triarchy took such heavy losses that it played no further part in the war.

A fortnight later, Lord Ormund Hightower found himself stuck between two armies: Lord Thaddeus Rowan and Tom Flowers, from Goldengrove and Bitterbridge, came down on him from the northeast, while Ser Alan Beesbury, Lord Alan Tarly, and Lord Owen Costayne were cutting off the retreat route back to Oldtown. They closed around him, but Prince Daeron and his dragon Tessarion joined the battle. Tom Flowers died, Lord Rowan fled, the Alans were captured, and Lord Costayne was mortally wounded. The victory in the Battle of the Honeywine in 129 AC led to Ormund knighting Daeron, naming him Daeron the Daring.

Meanwhile, Lord Walys Mooton retook Rook's Rest but died attempting to kill the wounded Sunfyre. When some of his men returned, Sunfyre had disappeared. They found no tracks, suggesting Sunfyre had taken wing again despite his wounds. The dragon would not be seen for another half year.

While the North assembled forces, Prince Aemond believed Daemon and his host at Harrenhal to be the real danger. Aemond and Ser Criston Cole rode from King's Landing with a host of four thousand and the dragon Vhagar into the riverlands. Daemon knew of their plans before Aemond had left the capital, however, and he hastened south on Caraxes, staying well away from Criston's line of march. Aemond and Criston found Harrenhal abandoned after a nineteen-day march, believing themselves victorious.

An army of greens from the westerlands defeated the western river lords in the Battle at the Red Fork early in 130 AC. Their leader, Lord Jason Lannister, was mortally wounded by Ser Pate of Longleaf during the battle, however, and Ser Adrian Tarbeck was slain three days after the battle at Acorn Hall. Old Lord Humfrey Lefford took command of the Lannister host, which marched east with the intention of joining Criston and Aemond.

Roderick Dustin, Lord of Barrowton, commanded the first host of northmen who marched south, known as the Winter Wolves, made up of older men who feared a long winter and starvation caused due to war. Roderick led two thousand northern soldiers, mostly cavalry, known as the Winter Wolves, south of the Neck to support the claim of Rhaenyra Targaryen. They marched first to the Twins, where they met Lady Sabitha Frey, the wife of Lord Forrest Frey.

At the western shores of the Gods Eye, the westermen came across Lord Roderick Dustin with his Winter Wolves, who had combined his forces with Lord Forrest Frey and Red Robb Rivers. From the south, Pate the Lionslayer and Lords Bigglestone, Chambers, and Perryn locked him in. Lords Garibald Grey, Jon Charlton and Benjicot Blackwood joined with the northmen and other rivermen the following day, while Lord Lefford's ravens were shot down. The day after, they began their battle, which would become the bloodiest land battle of the Dance. Hundreds died that day in the Battle by the Lakeshore, also called the Fishfeed, which destroyed the Lannister host.

In the Battle by the Lakeshore along the western Gods Eye, Lord Dustin's Winter Wolves led the attack and charged at Lannister spearmen five times, with less than a third of the northern force killed or wounded in their victory. Lord Frey was also slain in the battle. Roderick was scarred in the fighting against the Lannisters.

With Criston Cole, Aemond Targaryen, and Vhagar away from King's Landing, Daemon Targaryen and Caraxes joined with Rhaenyra on Syrax above the capital, while Corlys Velaryon's ships sailed into Blackwater Bay. Grand Maester Orwyle, trying to dispatch ravens asking for help, was arrested before any letters could be sent. Riders bearing messages were arrested at the city gates, and the seven captains commanding the gates we killed or arrested, all by those gold cloaks still loyal to Daemon, who had once commanded them. The city gates were opened for the men arriving with the Velaryon fleet. King's Landing fell in less than a day.

Lord Larys Strong fled with King Aegon II, Princess Jaehaera, and Prince Maelor. Larys dispatched Jaehaera with Ser Willis Fell to Storm's End, and Maelor with Ser Rickard Thorne to Lord Ormund Hightower.

All from the green council remaining in King's Landing yielded, and Rhaenyra took her place on the Iron Throne. Dowager Queen Alicent was spared, but her father, Ser Otto was beheaded, as was Lord Jasper Wylde. Ser Tyland Lannister was given to the torturers, in the hopes of regaining some of the gold he had hidden. Princes Joffrey and Aegon the Younger, Rhaenyra's remaining sons (Viserys was believed to be dead) were called to King's Landing.

Aemond and Criston at Harrenhal could no longer agree on a plan of action. Criston wished to withdraw south to join with Lord Ormund Hightower and Prince Daeron Targaryen, while Aemond wished to attack the capital. Criston led the greens' army south, while Aemond remained to ravage the riverlands, hoping that Rhaenyra would send a dragon after him.

When she heard that Rhaenyra was planning new campaigns against Prince Aemond and Prince Daeron and was not planning to spare them if defeated, Queen Alicent pled for peace while in chains, proposing new terms where the Seven Kingdoms would be divided, with Aegon II ruled the Reach, the stormlands and the westerlands from Oldtown while Rhaenyra would rule the rest of Westeros from the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra rejected these terms and told Alicent that her sons gave up positions of honor in her court when they stole her birthright from her and took the lives of her sons.

At the beginning of the war, the office of master of ships had been offered to Dalton Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, by the greens. Rhaenyra's council offered Dalton something more to his liking, however, the oppotunity to reave on the coast of Westerlands and Reach with impunity, if he will not attack the houses loyal to her, and so House Greyjoy declared for the blacks. With Lord Jason Lannister dying after the Red Fork, his Lannister army destroyed at the Fishfeed, and the green armies of the Reach marching east to Tumbleton, the coasts of the westerlands only had skeleton defenses. For two years, Dalton and his ironborn raided and pillaged the coasts of the westerlands and the Reach. Dalton nearly captured Kayce and seized Fair Isle, and though the ironborn could not force entry into Casterly Rock after Jason's widow Johanna closed its gates, they sacked Lannisport.

Prince Aemond burned Darry, Lord Harroway's Town, Lord's Mill, Blackbuckle, Buckle, Claypool, Swynford, and Spiderwood. Ser Criston Cole, going south, found everything in front of him dead: forests, villages, horses, men. His scouts found scenes where armored corpses sat beneath the trees, rotting away, a mockery of the fallen throwing a feast. Seeing multiple "corpse feasts" during their march, Criston and his men grew accustomed to the sight. At Crossed Elms, however, the corpses were actually disguised blacks who attacked Criston and his men when they were riding past.

Criston's greens were ambushed by river lords and Roderick Dustin between the Gods Eye and the Blackwater Rush. Criston challenged them to single combat but was refused. The battle was the most decisive in the Dance, and after Criston died pierced by arrows, Roddy the Ruin sounded the horn that started the massacre known as Butcher's Ball where the Green allied forces were killed by the hundreds in the rout. The massacre marked the high point of Rhaenyra's fortunes.

Prince Daemon took residence at Maidenpool with Nettles, while Aemond terrorized the riverlands, striking at Stonyhead, the Mountains of the Moon, Sweetwillow and Sallydance, and many more. Each day Caraxes and Sheepstealer unsuccessfully searched for Vhagar from Maidenpool.

The army of Lord Ormund Hightower, accompanied by Prince Daeron and his dragon Tessarion, slowly advanced on King's Landing, defeating Rhaenyra's loyalists wherever they went. While Ormund was leading the siege of Longtable, Prince Maelor Targaryen and his protector, Ser Rickard Thorne, were discovered by a mob of Rhaenyra's supporters at Bitterbridge. Men and women clamored over the three-year-old boy, each trying to claim him, until the boy was torn to pieces. A vengeful Daeron burned the town with the sack of Bitterbridge. Princess Jaehaera Targaryen safely arrived at Storm's End with Ser Willis Fell.

Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer flew to Tumbleton, but Rhaenyra's forces there were greatly outnumbered by the approaching Hightower army. Some refugees were secretly greens who infiltrated the ranks of the blacks' defenders. In addition, Ulf and Hugh, since then known as the Two Betrayers, changed their allegiance to the greens as their ambition kept growing and were not satisfied by the lordship bestowed on them by Blacks. The dragons Vermithor, Silverwing and Tessarion let loose their flames upon Tumbleton, which was savagely sacked.

Roddy the Ruin's host helped the blacks achieve victories over the greens in the Riverlands and over Westerlands but the Winter Wolves were eventually lost in the First Battle of Tumbleton. Roderick died during the First Battle of Tumbleton while leading his remaining Winter Wolves against Lord Ormund Hightower. Although Ser Bryndon Hightower chopped off Roderick's shield arm, the frenzied Lord Dustin was able to slay both Hightowers before dying himself.

Upon learning of Tumbleton, Rhaenyra ordered the gates of King's Landing closed and barred. The Two Betrayers made the black council question the loyalty of the other dragonseeds, Ser Addam Velaryon and Nettles. Despite Lord Corlys Velaryon speaking in their defense, Rhaenyra ordered Addam and Nettles arrested. Addam, who had been guarding the dragons at the Dragonpit, was warned by Corlys and escaped on Seasmoke, causing Corlys's arrest.

There was chaos in both King's Landing and Tumbleton. Ser Hobert Hightower presumed to take command of the leaderless green army. Prince Daeron commanded him to stop the sacking, but Hobert was ineffective. Ulf the White, dreaming of Highgarden, became angry upon being granted only Bitterbridge. Hugh Hammer began to dream of a crown of his own. With the Hightower army leaderless, desertions caused the army to shrink every day.