#hubert oryn

[asoiafandotherbooks]

TWOIAF/Fire & Blood: The King Who Flew Flies One Last Time, Lodos Reborn, A Vulture King Emerges, and Harren the Red Runs Wild...

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

Aenys has only been king for a few months and he’s already endured a challenge to his authority in the Riverlands. Unfortunately, his tepid response has only encouraged rebellions in other regions.

Aenys returned to King’s Landing only to discover that Lord Ronnel Arryn, The King Who Flew, has been deposed and imprisoned by Jonos Arryn, his younger brother. Jonos then proclaimed himself the “King of the Mountain and the Vale”.

In the Iron Islands, a drowned priest proclaimed himself Lodos the Twice-Drowned, finally returned from visiting the hall of the Drowned God. It’s been 36 years since Lodos drowned himself, so that was quite the visit.

In Dorne, a man calling himself the Vulture King rose in the Red Mountains of Dorne. Princess Deria Martell denounced the Vulture King but thousands flocked to his banner. The siren call of avenging the evils the Targaryens visited on the Dornish was too tempting to resist.

Lord Harmon Dondarrion wrote to Aenys of the Vulture King: “This Vulture King is half-mad, and his followers are a rabble, undisciplined and unwashed. We can smell them coming fifty leagues away”.

The Vulture King must have taken great offense to the question of his personal hygiene as Blackhaven, home of the Dondarrions, became his first target. The Vulture King’s followers stormed the castle and the Vulture King himself sliced off Dondarrion’s nose. His followers then torched Blackhaven and marched away.

Aenys sat befuddled and indecisive in King’s Landing. Grand Maester Gawen stated the King couldn’t understand why this was happening. The small folk loved him, why don’t these rebels? If they had grievances, why not come to court and tell him – he would listen! Aenys would make a decision only to countermand it shortly after. For instance, he ordered Hand of the King Alyn Stokeworth to sail a fleet to the Vale to aid Ronnel Arryn, only to recall the fleet as he was afraid to leave King’s Landing undefended. As if King’s Landing could be undefended with Visenya and Vhagar only a short flight away on Dragonstone. The only concrete decision Aenys made was to send Queen Alyssa and the children to Dragonstone.

Aenys thought the next move should be to hold a grand council to discuss options. Dowager Queen Visenya decided to skip the council and issue orders.

The Rise of the Dragons has a passage not in The World Of Ice And Fire or Fire and Blood: “During Aegon’s reign, Visenya often assumed the daily tasks of ruling while Aegon was off on his royal progresses. Visenya’s role changed when Aenys assumed the throne, and she became more an advisor – and an often unwelcome one – rather than a co-ruler whose decisions had the force of law. It could truthfully be said, however, that Dowager Queen Visenya was still the most influential woman in the realm during Aenys’ reign – even more so than his own queen, Alyssa. But Visenya’s lack of direct power – and her clear preference for his own son, Prince Maegor – would eventually alienate the two entirely.”

First, Alyn Stokeworth accompanied by a few hundred men entered the Riverlands to hunt down Harren the Red. (To be fair to Aenys, he had input into this decision – but only this decision).

Second, Lord Allard Royce of Runstone (on his own initiative) assembled loyal bannermen and demanded the release of Ronnel. Jonos granted that request by throwing Ronnel through the Moon Door. The Eyrie is impregnable to any conventional assaults, but Visenya had a solution to that: sending Prince Maelor astride the recently claimed Balerion the Black Dread, Jonos’ lackeys lost their nerve upon spotting Balerion and threw Jonos through the moon door in an attempt at mercy. Maegor “mercifully” executed the traitors by hanging instead of burning. The World of Ice and Fire notes the traitors all died by Maegor’s hand, so Maegor seems to be a “man who passes sentence must swing the sword” type. Hubert Arryn, a cousin of Ronnel and Jonos, was installed as Lord of the Eyrie. Hubert had six sons by his wife, a Royce of Runestone.

Third, Goren Greyjoy, the Lord Reaper of Pyke, marshalled a hundred longships to descend on Old Wyk and Great Wyk. He put thousands of Lodos’ followers to the sword. Goren then had the head of Lodos prickled in brine and sent to King’s Landing. Aenys was overjoyed by the gift and granted Goren a boon. Goren asked for the right to expel every septa and septon from the Iron Islands, which Aenys reluctantly granted.

Fourth, was the Vulture King. Princess Deria continued to denounce the rebellion but did nothing to stop the Vulture King. Many suspected she was sending the Vulture King men, money, and supplies. The Vulture King had thirty thousand men under his command but made a fatal mistake in splitting his forces in two.

The Vulture King took his force to march west against Nightsong and Horn Hill Lord Walter Wyl, the son of the Widow-Lover, commanded the force sent to besiege Stonehelm, seat of House Swann.

Orys “Orys One-Hand” Baratheon left Storm’s End one final time to defend Stonehelm. He smashed the Dornish forces. Walter Wyl was then delivered to Orys: “Your father took my hand. I claim yours as repayment.” He then proceeded to take Walter’s other hand and both feet as “usury”. Apparently, Lannisters aren’t the only one to pay their debts.

Orys died on the march back to Storn’s End from wounds taken in battle. Davos, Ory’s son, said he died content, smiling at the rotting hand and feet.

By this point, the Vulture King had to abandon the siege of Nightsong. He marched east only to have Lady Caron (of Nightsong) join with a strong force of marchers led by the the noseless Harmon Dondarrion. Then “Savage” Sam Tarly decided to join the party with several thousand knights and archers. Savage Sam personally cut down dozens of Dornishmen with Heartsbane, the Tarly Valyrian sword. The Dornish broke and tried to retreat to the mountains only to be cut down by the marcher lords in the “Vulture Hunt”.

The Vulture King himself was taken alive and tied naked between two posts by Savage Sam, dying up thirst and exposure, his corpse feasted upon by vultures. His death is considered the end of the Second Dornish War but few Dornish Lords actually participated.

Harren the Red was both the first to rebel and the last to be put down. Harren was cornered in a village west of the Gods Eye. Harren slew Lord Alyn Stokeworth before being cut down by Bernarr Brune, Alyn’s squire.

King Aenys knighted Bernarr Brune and granted gold, offices, and honors to Davos Baratheon, Samwell Tarly, No-Nose Dondarrion, Ellyn Caron, Allard Royce, and Goren Greyjoy. Prince Maegor returned to King’s Landing to cheering crowds and proclaimed a hero. Aenys named Maegor as Hand of the King.

Up next, my thoughts on the rebellions.