Rickard Stark was not a happy man. It had been some weeks since the raven from Dragonstone arrived at Winterfell, sending word of the impending visit from the crown prince along with several honored guests.
It wouldn't be long before the Targaryen prince arrived.
The timing could not have been worse.
'When was the last time the dragons bothered coming up here?'
And it just so happened to be when he was helping build a political bloc that could challenge the authority of the crown in the future.
Was it treason? That depended on one's perspective.
To be fair, Rickard cared less for Jon Arryn's motivations than he did for the benefits that it would secure the North. Even before the reign of Aerys, Jon Arryn had been concerned with the previous actions from the crown, most notably the overreach of Aegon V and his policies. Jon Arryn was one of the few lords who was old enough to still remember the early days of Aegon's reign and the unrest it had caused among the lords. Aegon's ascension had been marked by a Great Council, but even despite that there had been a noticeable number of lords who had remained unhappy with the vote. They considered Aegon to be too lowborn with his thinking on account of his upbringing. They felt their fears were justified when Aegon began to put policies in place that favored peasants over the lords that served him.
It was from the fear born out of that overreach that Jon Arryn thought to create a faction powerful enough to check the authority of the crown in the event of similar actions.
The War of the Ninepenny Kings had helped Jon make the connections he needed in order to get the ball rolling with his political ambitions. He had made friends with Rickard and Steffon, and now a Stark and a Baratheon were fostering in the Vale in order to continue the unofficial alliance far into the future. Steffon wasn't aware of Jon's true intentions, something the Lord of the Eyrie had only seen fit to share with Rickard. Why? To convince him to support his efforts of course, and Steffon remained a close ally of the king.
His maester, Walys, had counseled Rickard to accept the informal alliance for now. Ever since he was young Rickard had held the belief that the North was far too isolated. They needed to start building alliances in the south if they wanted to make any sort of improvement. He was certain that most, if not all, of the northern lords would not agree with him, except maybe for Lord Manderly. His was a house that was originally from the south, so he better understood how the game was played.
Jon Arryn was aware of Rickard's intentions. Rickard had told the man, after all. Jon promised his support with securing further future alliances with other houses so long as Rickard remained faithful to Jon's faction.
So long as it was not outright treason, Rickard was willing to go along with it. After all, he could understand where Jon was coming from. King's Landing was far removed from the North or the Vale. What did the king understand of the concerns plaguing their individual lands?
Having a way to check the crown's authority in the future would not be the worst of things, especially if they tried implementing policies that would only hurt their individual kingdoms.
They had started to reach out to Hoster Tully as well, to test out the waters to see where the lord's mind was at. Rickard was unhappy with the way the Tully had taken advantage of the North's suffering during the previous year. To wrestle more coin out of them when they desperately needed food was insulting, but Rickard was willing to swallow his resentment if it meant that a deal could be worked out.
The king remained oblivious to any of this thus far, and no raven from King's Landing had ever been sent to inquire about their actions. It had made Rickard believe that they were safe.
Now, this impromptu visit changed everything. Rickard had notified Jon Arryn of the scheduled royal procession to the North, but Jon Arryn had told him to not worry. They hadn't committed treason. There was no crime the crown could levy on them. Of course, Jon Arryn had been more vague with his words, in case anyone intercepted their ravens, but Rickard understood their true meaning well enough.
Jon also pointed out that if the crown suspected something then they would not be sending the crown prince to visit the North.
Rickard knew that these were sound arguments, but a part of him still couldn't help but worry.
"You're going to kill yourself from overthinking too much, my love."
His wife's voice helped Rickard come out of his paranoia.
Lyarra entered his solar with maester Walys in tow.
The sight of her always softened Rickard's heart. He had nearly lost her when their fourth child, who they named Benjen, had been born. It was a miracle that she had survived, and Rickard thanked the old gods every day for it. Of course, after that grueling pregnancy, maester Walys advised that it would no longer be safe for Lyarra to give birth again. Rickard was content with that. He already had three strong sons and a beautiful daughter. A man couldn't have asked more from his wife.
Still, Rickard couldn't remain sentimental forever, and his thoughts drifted back to the problem that he was now facing.
"Are the preparations complete?" he asked.
Maester Walys nodded. The man had served in Winterfell for many years now, even before Rickard's father's reign, but in recent years his age had started to really catch up to him.
"Yes, my lord. I have received word that all the houses, apart from house Manderly, ride to Winterfell. They should arrive before the crown prince."
House Manderly was staying behind at White Harbor in order to greet the crown prince as he entered into the north. They would then ride together to Winterfell, where Rickard would host the crown prince for however long he planned on staying here.
That was the plan anyway, but something was making Rickard very uneasy. Was it just his paranoia again?
"I've also instructed Brandon and Lyanna to be on their best behavior," Lyarra said with a small wistful sigh. "I swear, they act more wild than Benjen, and he's the youngest."
Maester Walys chuckled softly. "They say it's the wolf blood, my lady."
"I've heard that excuse more times than I care to repeat, maester."
And yet, it was more true than Rickard cared to admit. As his son and heir, Rickard did not mind Brandon's behavior. It often helped him win friends. He had sent Brandon to Barrowton for fostering, and he had made good friends with house Dustin and the other minor lords in the Rills. It was only because of the crown prince's visit that Rickard had summoned him back. He had been half tempted to do the same with Eddard, but eventually decided against it.
No, it was Lyanna's behavior that was the most difficult for Rickard to contend with. As his only daughter, she had a very valuable role to play in any future alliance that he might want to forge in the south. Rickard was already planning on setting up a northern match for Eddard, to appease the grumbling that would no doubt come from his bannermen, but Lyanna would better serve the interests of his house by going south. But how could he expect a southern lord to accept his unruly daughter when all she wanted to do was train with a sword and ride with the horses? It didn't help matters that Brandon was encouraging her behavior. He always denied it, but Rickard wasn't blind.
The southern kingdoms were far different from the North, and Lyanna's behavior wouldn't be tolerated if she married into one of their families.
If only she understood this.
Alas, his Lyanna was still young and had a fiery temperament that matched Brandon's. Eddard was the more reserved out of the three of them, and Benjen was somewhere in the middle. As the youngest, he was often roped into Lyanna's shenanigans, however, even without his consent.
"They will need to be on their best behavior. The crown prince is not just another lord." The last thing Rickard needed was for there to be a scandal in his own castle. The Targaryens were said to be overly prideful, and this crown prince had magic on his side. Rickard could only imagine the type of temperament that he had.
"I will do my best to keep my eye on them." It was the best that Lyarra could do. Hell, it was the best that Rickard could do too.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting.
And that was always the worst part.
---
Rhaegal held one last feast at Dragonstone the night before their departure. It wasn't a grand one. He didn't want anyone too hungover to be of use tomorrow. That would be counterintuitive.
During the feast, Oberyn had cracked jokes at Monford, asking him why he had been absent during most of their sparring sessions.
Monford had to defend himself, explaining that he was more interested in sailing than becoming the best fighter in Westeros.
It was a silly excuse. Rhaegal knew that Monford didn't want to get publicly shamed by sparring with any of them, except for maybe Mace. Monford and Stannis were probably evenly matched, but then again Stannis didn't much enjoy sparring either.
Euron had been the quietest during the feast, and the Greyjoy looked around the castle as if someone was out to get him. Obviously there was something going on there, but trying to get the boy to talk had been pointless so far.
Rhaegal was nothing if not persistent. He would wear him down eventually.
However, Rhaegal had to turn his attention to the coming voyage first. If everything went well, then his preparations would be for naught.
If not….
Rhaegal might just experience his first taste of combat.
On the day of their departure, Daeron and Shaena both tried to get him to take them to the North with him, but Rhaegal refused. This wasn't going to be a place for children. He did the same to Ashara after she asked him as well, but she had expected the answer. So she just smiled with acceptance but also displeasure.
Elia wasn't happy about his departure either. She had just arrived, and he already leaving. But Rhaegal's mind was already made up. He wasn't going to waste anymore time now that the last of his guests had arrived.
And so, the Velaryon fleet gathered on Dragonstone, with the men and supplies all loaded and ready to set sail. A combined force of eight hundred men were going to accompany Rhaegal to the North, not counting himself and the others. Lord Ardrian Celtigar was going to be joining them as well, as well as a couple of others from his house.
Of those eight hundred, three hundred were mounted men, two hundred were archers and crossbowmen, and the rest were divided between heavy infantry and spearmen. Unfortunately, he didn't have any pikemen to call upon, but he would make do. He did not include them in the count, but Rhaegal was also bringing several members of the Alchemists' Guild. They were being led by Hallyne.
Eight hundred was the most that Rhaegal could call upon without leaving Dragonstone and the other islands unmanned. He also didn't want to take men away from keeping the trade fleets secured, so it also meant leaving ships behind. Less ships meant less men.
Annoyingly enough, pirates had been cropping up again in the Stepstones now that there were more ships passing through thanks to the opening of new trade routes. Those damned islands really needed to be subjugated once and for all.
Dragonstone's biggest weakness was always its low manpower, and right now Rhaegal was feeling it. On the other hand, assembling this small of a force hadn't raised the eyebrows of the rest of the kingdom, especially since they were all his bannermen. Trying to bring in more could cause the court to start asking questions, and until the dragon eggs were secured or hatched Rhaegal wanted to make sure that no one knew of their existence.
When Prince Lewyn spotted the fleet as well as the men on the ships, his eyes narrowed.
"It seems to me like you're on a war path, my prince."
True enough, this wasn't the kind of company one would keep if they were going on a mere royal procession.
Rhaegal smiled. "The seas can be treacherous. I'm just making sure my guests and I remain in safe hands during the duration of our voyage."
It was obvious Lewyn wasn't buying his excuse, but he didn't push him any further either. He knew that he couldn't stop whatever was happening here even if he wanted to.
"Are we really going to war?" Mace looked nervous at the presence of the war fleet before him.
"Just get a move on already." Oberyn was amused by Mace's reaction as he pushed him to board the flagship.
Tytos and Stannis kept their thoughts to themselves, but it was obvious that they were questioning many things at the moment.
For the first time, Euron's eyes flashed with interest.
"Are we really just going to the North?"
He was young, but he was not stupid.
"Before you return to the Iron Islands, I'll show you something worth talking about," Rhaegal simply said.
Euron hummed, suddenly looking more alive than he had since arriving on the island.
Brynden didn't say a thing, his face impassive.
Qyburn was already boarding, eager for the journey ahead.
Arthur was looking at him and Rhaegar with suspicion. No doubt he would feel somewhat betrayed by being left out of the loop, but Rhaegal was leaving everyone in the dark about this, save for his brother and Melisandre. Lucerys and Monford only knew that they were sailing to Skagos, but they did not know why. Lucerys was a loyal man, and after offering so much support to the Velaryons in their efforts to rebuild he would remain one for as long as he lived. Monford too.
Despite the wariness now in the air, Rhaegal and the others boarded the flagship.
Soon, they were setting sail, leaving Dragonstone behind.
---
Ashara felt Dragonstone had become a much more gloomy place now that Rhaegal and her brother were gone. She had only asked to come to the island because Rhaegal was coming, and now she was left behind.
'He's always so stubborn.' Ashara would have words with him when he came back.
Ashara was aware that she had liberties with the crown prince that no one else dared outside of his family. She could attribute this to her bond with him that they had built over their time together at King's Landing.
That, and their mutual attraction.
Ashara was but two and ten, but she was not blind to the way that men would leer at her, even the ones old enough to be her grandfather. Even now, as she walked through the halls of Dragonstone, some of the guards gave her passing looks, admiring her. She was always at Rhaegal's side, but now that he wasn't around they felt emboldened to glance in her direction. It was both the power and curse of her beauty. She wasn't a woman grown yet, but already she could manipulate men with a simple glance.
It was the same wherever she was. In Dorne, her eyes made her seem exotic. In King's Landing and Dragonstone, her overall looks did the same, with her dark hair and less than fair skin when compared to the other ladies from the Crownlands.
Despite her house's lack of power in the grand scheme of things, Ashara was fairly certain that there would be many requests for her hand in marriage when she came of age, assuming that her father didn't already have a match in mind for her.
Unfortunately for them, which included her father, Ashara wasn't going to let herself get bartered like so many other ladies.
Truly, she was walking down a dangerous path, but Ashara's mind had been made up for sometime now. Not even her father could dissuade her from it.
Now if only Elia understood that.
Unfortunately, her friend seemed to have a disagreement with her, and sure enough, when Ashara returned to her room, she found Elia waiting for her there.
"You walked fast."
"I didn't want to waste any time," Elia said. "My uncle says that we're going to be leaving for King's Landing tomorrow."
Now that Rhaegal was gone, Daeron and Shaena were going to be escorted back to King's Landing. One of the Kingsguard had stayed behind, along with another knight, to ensure their safety. Ashara couldn't remember their names. Elia's uncle was also here, so Rhaegal's siblings were pretty safe.
Ashara didn't respond as she led Elia into her room. She had already packed most of her things in preparation for their trip tomorrow, so there wasn't much for her to do at the moment. Besides, she wanted to make things clear as well.
And so, here they now stood in Ashara's room, neither looking away from the other.
"I see things have been comfortable here," Elia began with a smile. "Your letters mentioned how much fun the capital and Dragonstone have been."
"The city has its charm," Ashara replied. "When you forget about the smell."
"Does it really smell that bad?"
Oh, yeah. This was going to be Elia's first trip to the capital.
Despite the situation, Ashara grinned. "You better prepare your nose for the momentous occasion."
Elia's nose crinkled. "That doesn't sound promising."
Yeah, it really wasn't.
"I don't think you ambushed me just to talk about the city." Ashara didn't want to beat around the bush.
"I wouldn't say ambushed…"
Ashara just stared at her.
Elia went quiet before sighing. "You and the prince have become good friends."
"Did our letters not confirm that?"
"You never specified how close."
"I don't know what you mean."
Elia's eyes narrowed. "Who's being coy now?"
"You wound me, princess." Ashara wasn't sure why she was being so petty right now. "As I recall, you are the one who kept meddling with us."
A look of concern flashed on Elia's face for a moment. "Is that what he said?"
No, Rhaegal hadn't said anything.
"And if he did?" Ashara challenged her nonetheless.
There was another moment of silence, and when Elia spoke again her tone was more composed.
"You realize that he has already been promised to his sister, don't you?"
Ashara's eyebrow rose. "Of course I know."
There was no one in the kingdom who didn't know.
"Then what do you expect to get out of this, Ashara? Do you plan to shame your house?"
Frustration started bubbling inside of her. She didn't need Elia questioning her about anything.
"Before you start throwing around accusations, you should first look at yourself. I'm not sure what your true motives are, but you must know that the king will never break the betrothal between his children. And Rhaegal doesn't plan to either. I don't know what your mother promised you, but her schemes will never work."
"I'm not planning anything!" Elia said, also frustrated. "I just don't understand-!"
"It's not for you to understand." Ashara cut her off. She wasn't interested in continuing this conversation any further. "You can continue with your childish infatuation of Rhaegal if you wish, but don't involve yourself in my affairs."
Ashara didn't miss the irony of her words. Calling Elia's feelings a "childish infatuation" when she was younger than her. However, she was too angry to care about that right now.
"I would ask you to leave my room now."
It was not a request.
Elia looked defeated. She opened her mouth to say something more but then thought better of it.
"Very well. I apologize for the disturbance."
With those parting words, Elia left the room in silence.
Ashara was left standing by herself, feeling tired. Being around Rhaegal had made her become more bold. She had just gotten into a fight with the princess of Dorne. It could cause her and her family so many problems down the road that it made her even more tired just thinking about it.
Honestly, this was not how she imagined she and Elia would reunite.
What a day.
---
Oberyn did not much enjoy drinking water. Wine was much more suitable to his tastes. He had been drinking wine for as long as he could remember, and so he had built quite the tolerance for it. He was sure that he could drink fully grown men under the table by now.
Now if only Rhaegal would believe him. Instead, ever since setting sail over a week ago, Rhaegal had ordered all of them to keep to water so that their senses wouldn't leave them. That decree, along with the fact that they had sailed past White Harbor…well, if Oberyn had any doubts before, they were practically nonexistent now.
"So what kind of battle are we getting into here?" His words cut through the cabin.
Earlier, he and the others who had been summoned to Dragonstone by Rhaegal had been ushered into the prince's cabin. Inside, Rhaegal had been waiting for them with his Kingsguard. That fish was there too, as were Rhaegar, Monford, Arthur, and that red woman.
The gang was all here! Only Monford's father remained topside, commanding the fleet in person.
"We really are fighting?" The lord of roses had been fidgety ever since they had left Dragonstone. Oberyn didn't find him particularly bright or skilled, but even he hadn't missed that something was amiss here.
Arthur looked apprehensive. "Do you mean to assault the North?"
Oberyn had to fight back a laugh at that. "We only have eight hundred men with us. Such a paltry force could never hold anything up here."
"The North is a part of the kingdom," Rhaegar said. "We would never attack a loyal subject."
"Then what is the plan, my prince?" Tytos asked. He too wanted to know what they were all doing out here. They had traversed farther north in the Shivering Sea than what was expected.
Rhaegal gestured to Barristan who walked to the round table in the cabin and rolled out a map on it.
Right away Oberyn's eyes could tell what the map was of.
"Skagos." Arthur looked like he had bitten into something sour when he said this.
Stannis' eyes gleamed with interest. "We're going to Skagos?"
"What for?" Euron was inspecting the map with barely subdued excitement. For an Ironborn like him, going to a place like Skagos was probably like going to a vacation spot.
"My brother and I wanted to take a look around before we made for Winterfell," Rhaegal answered with a calm voice.
Oberyn had to really fight back the urge to snort. There was no way that the prince expected them to believe that, right?
Brynden certainly didn't, but instead of arguing the knight said, "Going unannounced will more than likely be seen as an insult to the Starks, my prince."
"Skagos is part of the Seven Kingdoms, and thus is under Targaryen rule," Rhaegal said dismissively. "If going to see one of my father's vassals requires permission from another house, then of what use is the crown, Ser?"
Such a bold statement! Rhaegal was directly challenging the authority of the great houses. In the past, no one would have dared to object to that Targaryen arrogance. But in this era where the dragons were extinct, the crown had to be more careful about disrespecting the great houses. It could lead to open rebellion. The Baratheons had done it once. Who was to say that another wouldn't try their luck?
Oberyn didn't personally mind Rhaegal's statement. He dared say he found it attractive even.
"No Targaryen has ever set foot on Skagos," Rhaegal continued after Brynden didn't respond to his provocation. "Now that we're here, I mean to change that. It'll be a historic moment in the history of the Seven Kingdoms! And you will all get to be a part of it."
Why did that sound like an excuse? Oberyn didn't think that Rhaegal was the kind of person to do something on a whim like this. He wasn't like the king. Oberyn wouldn't say that they were the best of friends, but he thought that he knew Rhaegal well enough to understand this much.
So what could it be then?
No one seemed to believe Rhaegal's words, except for Mace who looked relieved.
"So there won't be a battle then?"
"We hope to avoid one," Rhaegar answered. "However, the Skagosi are not known as the most reasonable of peoples."
They were hardly known at all.
"What do we know about them?" Stannis instantly asked.
"Very little," Rhaegal admitted. "They don't allow outsiders on the island, not unless it's for trade. And they don't get very far. They're supposed to be under Stark rule, but they have revolted many times in the past. Even in the last hundred years, they led a revolt that took the Starks years to put down."
So the mighty wolves had struggled, huh. How interesting.
"Needless to say, we don't know their exact population on the island, which is why we hope to avoid an engagement if possible," Rhaegar continued.
"I'll share what information we do have," Rhaegal jumped in here. "However, if a fight breaks out, I expect all of you to be in the rear. I will not jeopardize your safety."
That seemed to calm Mace.
Oberyn was a little annoyed. "Oh, come now. If you've come all this way to antagonize these people, the least you can do is let us be a part of the fun."
Euron seemed to agree. "I'm with the Martell. You said you were going to show me something worth talking about. Why keep me away from that?"
Rhaegal's face was amused. "I was speaking of something else, but if you mean to put yourself in danger, then be my guest."
Euron's grin was predatory. "You underestimate me."
To be fair, none of them had seen Euron spar before.
"Or you overestimate yourself," Rhaegar said with a shake of his head. "These Skagosi are reported to be good warriors."
"Brawn but no brain." Euron was dismissive of Rhaegar's warning. "I've had my fair share of those types of opponents. But don't worry, my prince. I don't intend on putting myself in needless peril. I'm smart enough to know when I can't win a fight."
He was probably smarter than most Ironborn then. They thought that they could take on the world by themselves, the fools.
"This feels like an unnecessary risk," Tytos said, his face conflicted.
Arthur agreed. "Yes. I'm not sure what you expect to get out of this."
It was what Oberyn wanted to know too. But sadly, neither brother shared their true motives to them. Instead, Rhaegal began to lay out the plan to them and how he was organizing his forces.
If things went awry, then it was entirely possible that Oberyn would be facing his first true taste of battle. No doubt his brother and mother would be furious when they heard of this, but Oberyn did not care. He was looking forward to this! Him, the first Martell to do battle on Skagos. His name would down in history.
How exhilarating!
---
Skagos was a large island that was located in the mouth of the Bay of Seals. Theoretically the Starks were meant to be the overlords of the island, but in actuality the Skagosi were only loyal to themselves. They had rare contact with the rest of Westeros, and the maesters had plenty of theories about their true origins. Some said they were a remnant from a lost race from Essos. Others say that they share blood with the big and hairy Ibbenese. Others say that they are a mix of all of these while also sharing blood of the First Men.
You couldn't forget about the unicorns and the cannibalism either. Yeah, Skagos was half a legend by this point.
Rhaegal did not much care for any of that. The Skagosi were tough warriors, no doubt. They had been in open rebellion for years at one point, and that did not happen unless you knew what you were doing. But they were still subjects to the Iron Thrones, and thus his subjects as well. If they thought that they could keep their isolation forever, then they were mistaken.
Thanks to Melisandre and her magic, the war fleet had favorable winds when arriving at the island. It was not winter, but the cold was still a pain to deal with.
At least it wasn't snowing. That would have made any potential battle here more hazardous.
The biggest problem for Rhaegal and his forces was the lack of information. What they knew about the island came mostly from the book The Edge of the World, and that was more about rumors and tall tales than any potential facts. Rhaegal needed solid information to rely on before he could make further plans.
First things first: Rhaegal was going to have to establish a beachhead.
The island was big, so at which point where they going to land? From what information they had, there were three main castles on the island: Driftwood Hall, Kingshouse, and Deepdown. That second one was more than a little pretentious, but no matter. Deepdown was the southernmost castle on the island, and it was also the closest settlement to Rhaegal's objective.
The closer they got to the island, the more strongly Rhaegal felt a tug deep within him. It was almost like a burning sensation, only it felt pleasant. Like he had been in its presence all his life. It was pointing him toward the island. This proved that Melisandre's visions were true. Skagos was the right place.
If only Rhaegar could sense it too. Unfortunately, his brother felt no such sensation.
House Crowl was said to be in command of the castle, so if there was anyone for them to speak to it would be them. But Rhaegal was the crown prince. He would not come to them. No, they would have to come to him.
When the island came into view, Rhaegal donned his armor. Rhaegal had his custom made. Eventually he would grow out of it, he was sure, but then he would have it remade.
Rhaegal's armor was very reminiscent of the Young Dragon's armor. It was a black and gold plate armor with a golden three-headed dragon sigil displayed proudly on his chest.
Rhaegar wore night back plate armor. Still very much elegant.
Before disembarking, Rhaegar made sure to keep his harp stowed away safely in his room. Rhaegal hadn't realized that his brother had brought it onboard with him until now, but perhaps he should have expected it. The personalized harp had been Rhaegar's name day present from their father.
'The ladies of the court will probably swoon when he gets better at it,' he thought to himself with amusement. Rhaegal did not know why his brother had suddenly decided to take up the instrument, but he wasn't going to judge him for it either.
The others made sure to wear their personal armors as well. Although with the cold, perhaps they should all be wearing fur coats too.
"I'm not built for this place," Oberyn said while shivering.
"I cannot help but agree," Arthur said. Somehow, he was keeping his composure better.
Rhaegal snorted. He felt it too of course, but the longer he stood in the cold weather the more he was getting used to it. Perhaps it was because of his inborn fire magic?
Melisandre didn't seem to be struggling either, but then again she was wearing a fur cloak for herself.
Anyway, enough about the cold. Rhaegal needed to keep his focus on the important stuff.
Under Lucerys' command, the fleet began to land ashore. This side of the island had no ports or harbors, and any port that might exist here would probably be too small to accommodate the fleet. Searching for it would just take too long, and Rhaegal didn't want to get caught at sea. So far, Melisandre was doing a good job of keeping the winds and the sea calm, but nature always had a way of being unpredictable.
Or maybe he was just trying to justify his impatience.
There was no contested beach landing. No one was expecting their arrival, after all. All of Rhaegal's forces managed to land successfully.
Rhaegal ordered for Lucerys to keep the ships ashore for now. In the event that they had to retreat, he wanted to make sure the ships stayed close. And since Melisandre was keeping the sea calm, there was less worry about the waves damaging any of them.
With a beachhead secure, Rhaegal then ordered the construction of a camp. It was going to be their base of operations for the duration of their stay here.
There were hardly any trees around, and the coastline itself was rugged. Thankfully, Rhaegal and Lucerys had accounted for this and brought enough supplies to start building trenches and palisades for an outer perimeter. It was going to be rough and would have little comfort, but Rhaegal did not plan on staying on this island for too long. Not if he could help it.
Once the construction of the camp was underway, Rhaegal ordered Brynden and Gerold to lead a unit and go on a scouting run on horseback. He did not know where Deepdown was exactly, but step number one was going to be to establish contact with house Crowl. To accomplish this, Rhaegal sent a letter bearing his signature and seal with Gerold. It contained his fabricated reason for being here as well as summoned house Crowl to come to him and bend the knee in person.
"Is that wise?" Tytos couldn't help but ask as they all stood inside Rhaegal's tent after Brynden and Gerold had departed. "The island has little to no contact with the rest of Westeros. They'll probably take this as an insult."
"They don't even accept the Starks!" Mace cried out.
"Either they accept or they don't. We'll know what to do based on their answer."
Deep down, Rhaegal knew that he just would not allow himself to go to them like a mongrel pup.
"If they stand in your way, then they deserve to be bathed in the Lord's fire," Melisandre said softly.
Hallyne would be more than happy to carry that out, no doubt.
The scouting party would not return for several more hours. During that time, the camp was set up properly on the beach, and an initial perimeter was secured. They had brought enough supplies to last them for around three weeks, maybe less, so his small army was not required to put itself in danger by going out and foraging.
Part of the scouts then returned and brought more information about the island and what they had seen. They had run into several small villages set up deeper inland. The area around them was practically all lowlands, and it appeared to be where most of the small villages were set up. Or at least, the ones that they had seen.
Unfortunately, the scouts had been unable to gather any information from the villagers or explain their purpose here as they had been hostile and distrustful from the start. The men's horses and armor had given them away as outsiders, and it did not seem like the Skagosi were fond of outsiders. It also seemed like very few of them spoke the Common Tongue, as many had shouted in a language that the scouts did not understand.
All of that was more or less expected.
The scouts had moved on in order to avoid a fight that they could not win. In doing so, they were able to successfully map out most of the southern tip of the island, which was where they had landed. There was a bigger forest inland, close to where they found Deepdown. They explained how the castle was situated close to what appeared to be a volcanic plateau, where they spotted several deposits of dragonglass or obsidian. It was possible that there were hidden valleys past that, closer to the mountains, but Brynden and Gerold had sent them to return with this information while they moved toward Deepdown.
"So there is a volcano here," Rhaegal said.
The island was said to have a mountainous inland, and the Skagosi were known to trade obsidian blades and arrowheads. At least that rumor turned out to be true.
"It lies dormant, now, my prince," Melisandre said. "There is no need to fear its presence."
Of course she had already known.
Stannis went on to ask the scouts details about what the Skagosi looked like, his curiosity getting the better of them. Arthur and Tytos also listened in.
Euron was just disappointed that there wasn't a fight already.
It was an hour later that Brynden and Gerold finally returned, and right away Rhaegal could tell that they had not brought good news with them. Two of the riders were wounded. One still had an axe stuck to his leg. The fact that he rode in that condition and was still conscious was a miracle.
"What happened?" Rhaegal asked as Qyburn went to tend to the two wounded riders.
Brynden's face was grim.
"House Crowl says that it does not recognize Targaryen rule over the island. They're going to be marching on us soon, my prince."