Chapter 13: The Big Players Reaction

Royal Ballroom, Red Keep, King's Landing

5th Moon, 259 AC

(General POV)

Silence descended over the hall as the Crown Prince announced his betrothed name. No one was expecting a Northern Lady as a bride to the heir, and how could they? Since not once after the coming of the Andals, had a King or Prince south of the Neck, chosen a Northern bride. Not even after the unification of Westeros, had House Targaryen ever considered a Northern Lady for their Princes.

No one saw the appeal of tying themselves to the frozen wasteland called the North, especially with the cultural and religious differences, as well as the isolated nature of the Northerners.

Most Nobles were at a loss for words for a while, moments later some people started talking in hushed voices, which quickly rose in volume until the hall became a mess of noises.

(Lord Luthor Tyrell POV)

I was momentarily stunned after hearing the words of the Crown Prince, after a while I managed to gather my wits, and with it came the unstoppable rage at House Targaryen, how dare they? Was it not enough to shame my House by breaking my betrothal to the then-princess? Now they choose a heathen barbarian over my young and beautiful flower Mina, what they take me for, I am the Lord Paramount of the Mander, Lord of Highgarden, Defender of the Marches, High Marshal of the Reach, and Warden of the South, my Kingdom is the strongest amongst the Seven Kingdoms, my House is the Strongest in Westeros, we feed the entire realm, and House Targaryen will woe the day they choose to insult us.

(Lord Aethan Velaryon POV)

This is it, I have had enough of this humiliation, House Targaryen has stepped over the limit, they have chosen a barbarian over the Old Blood. We are the legacy of Old Valyria, we are the most worthy to have our blood on the Throne. No one is more worthy to be a Queen but my daughter, House Velaryon won't take this lying down, I will have my word with the King to cease this folly at once and to stop the princeling from playing king. If this folly won't stop I will show them what it is to anger the Master of Ships, without House Velaryon the conquest of the Stepstones won't be but a dream, and the Royal Fleet won't have any Ships, and the Realm won't have anyone fit to be a Master of Ships.

(Lord Axel Tully POV)

Hearing the Crown Prince's announcement, I was baffled for a moment, this doesn't go with what I know about the young prince's personality, from what I heard about him he doesn't strike me as a very committed person, he may be intelligent and studious, but persistent and far-seeing were not associated with his traits, but this change things, for maybe our 'neighbor kingdoms' in the south look down on Northmen, and some of my bannermen as well, but I know that most of it, is septons and ignorant maesters spreading lies, I've dealt with Northmen during my reign, and as brash and frugal they are, but they are leal, truthful and honorable as well, and for the Prince to choose a Stark for a bride is very foresightful of him, gaining the loyalty of the North will come a long way to mend House Targaryen hold on the Seven Kingdoms. But this is a very opportune chance at hand, from what I know, Lady Branda's younger sister is yet to be betrothed, and I have to secure her hand for my son and heir Hoster.

(Lord Jon Arryn POV)

This is it, this is the opportunity I was looking for, The Crown has neglected their Northern Kingdoms for so long, but with the Heir to the Throne marrying a Stark no less, this means that the Sountren Kingdoms' hold on the Court will weaken significantly, as I don't imagine any other reason for the King to choose a Northern bride for his but counter the ever-growing presence of the Reachers and Dornish on his court, this marriage open the door to any Lord north of the Crownlands to play the Game. I have to work hard to extend my alliances outside of my kingdom, starting with the Riverland, looking at the aging Lord Axel I notice the look of recognition on his face, this will make my job easier it seems, turning my attention to the Warden of the Reach inflating red face only strengthen my conclusion of the King's intentions, Lord Stark face, on the other hand, is the ever frozen status, a face that many fools take as a lack of feelings as a result of the hostile environment of the North, but I know better, House Arryn didn't manage to hold a stalemate during the thousands of years of conflict, by underestimating House Stark and the North. Heathens they may be, but inferior and incompetent they are not, and House Stark is full of ruthless and efficient leaders, Lord Edwyle Stark has been a ruler since his childhood, and he is a very sharp man, it was always my intention to bury the old grudges and forge an alliance with the North, but this present a one in a lifetime opportunity to not only establish good relation with my neighbors but to also get closer to House Targaryen, and rekindle the old familial relation we once had.

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(Princess Miriam Martell POV)

My oh my, if this is not the biggest surprise, then I don't know what can be counted as one, I didn't imagine a Targaryen to be this foresighted. And to this daring when in a such vulnerable situation, the easiest choice was to marry a Velaryon, a Crownlader maybe, could even choose a Reacher bride, but to take a Stark as a bride, this so absurd it's not funny anymore. With this move, the Crown alienated the Realm breadbasket as well as their cousins, as I am sure, without even considering the looks of Lords Tyrell and Velaryon, most of the Reach and some Crownlords will perceive this a slight. But this is an opportunity for House Martell to gain some advantage over the Crown, with their soon-to-be sour relationship with the Reach and House Velaryon, it will hinder their plans for the Stepstones, and with it, they will have to rely on Dorne and especially My House to ensure they don't fail their whole campaign. And boy will I suck them dry when they are in desperate need of that help.

(Lord Quellon Greyjoy POV)

Now, I may not be as knowledgeable about the Greenlanders' politics as I now wish I am, but the fact the Andals don't like the First Men has been known for the Ironborne since we took hold of the Riverlands, the Valyrians did inherit that disdain, and House Targaryen didn't care about House Stark only when they f****d up and needed their army to wipe their shit, that is something the Ironborne made sure to know, so they could raid and take wood from the North, knowing the Iron Throne won't do shit about it, of course, I made it explicitly clear that such behavior won't be tolerated by me, as I saw the North as a viable trade partner if I wanted to change my people ways, something young Rodrik Harlaw did wonder about, but my reasoning is simple, the only people who have any constant contact with us in the North are the Mormonts, other Northmen don't have that much of contact with us, and that because of the barren west coast of the North, which while may be our fault, but it's been a some time since the Ironborne had any big contatc with the North not since Gradfathef Dagon Greyjoy folly 50 years ago, and while 50 years isn't really that long, especially with the blasted Northmen long memories, but my strategy was to bank on the fact of the Northmen much bigger disdain for the fat and foolish Reachlen, what both the Ironborne and Northmen lacked was food, so we had a mutual need, but what the North lacked was a fleet to facilitate trade, trade that will bring the much needed gold, that in turn will bring much more food, we had that fleet, but on the other hand lacked the wood needed to maintain and expand that fleet, and , while the usual raid will keep our fleet functional, to go further East where we can both raid slaver and pirates, as well as trade with the Free Cities for food that the Reach will not provide or sell at an outrageous price, and by making an alliance with the North, we will be sloving our mutual problem. Sadly for me and my Lands, I had a lot of opposition from my unruly Lords, while I managed to tame many of the Iron Fleet captains, my Lord's stubbornness made it difficult to implement my plan, and to convince Lord Stark of my sincerity was another problem, so I was in dilemma. But then all of a sudden, the Crown decided to start a campaign on the Stepstones, and half of my problems went away, the Crown's coming campaign presented an opportunity to legitimately move my entire fleet without causing everyone to be on guard of me, thus I will not be afraid of any interference. But now, with this new development, I have a golden chance to establish successful contact with House Stark, my recent meetings with the Crown Prince have raised my hopes of eliminating my people's unsightly ways, and his unexpected choice of a bride has further strengthened my opinion of him as kindred spirit who is seeking to eliminate the negative aspects of his people culture, he is the Targaryen who will finally make the Seven Kingdoms a united One, and I will be there alongside him to accomplish such a dream.

(Lord Tytos Lannister POV)

This is a marvelous piece of news, and to think that my young Tywin was jesting when he told me about his plans for both his cousin Joanna's marriage as well as his intentions for seeking the Stark girl's hand for himself, but it seems our dear Prince was truthful in his concern for House Lannister position, and not like those friends I had who turned to be fake, just like what both of my son and brother had been telling me about, I didn't want to believe them, but now even the Prince told me the same thing, and not only that but he made me see them for who they are. And to think I did my best to please them, but it all was for nothing, even a minor Riverlord has declared I betrothed my daughter to his second son, thus forcing my hand to wed her to him, less those who I thought were my friends think of me as an oathbreaker, but it was all to humiliate me, now I see everything of what it is. And for the prince to not only tell me of this but also secure my son a betrothal to the sister of the girl he chose for himself, will go a long way to repair my House standing, the standing that I by my foolish decisions had brought low, it's about tile that I will stand down and give Tywin my seat, but before that, I need to let him make a name for himself, and by making him the leader of the Westerlands army during the coming campaign, as the Prince suggested, will go a long way to ensure that, and putting my brother Jason and Roger Reyne as his advisors, while depriving Roger younger brother Reynard and his good brother Walderan Tarbeck from gaining any merit by assigning them the reserves, and I will make sure to send cousin Damon with enough gold to the House of Black and White, and let's see how that conniving snake Ellyn will survive the Faceless Men. 'Forgive me, my dear Jeyne, I will make sure our son will be the man you wanted him to be and will make that snake Ellyn pay the price of all her transgressions against you and our House, I will not be a coward anymore'.