Winterfell, The Northern Realms
Aryan Stark was returning to Winterfell alongside his retinue, seeing his home always brought a smile to his face. When he entered Winterfell, he immediately dismounted and scanned his eyes alongside the familiar faces of his elite castle guards.
He smiled when he saw the old master-at-arms Rodrik Cassel remembering his refusal to take the Bolton lands that he divide in 6, Winterfell and House Stark took a third, House Hornwood took a sixth, House Karstark and House Cassel also took a sixth of the former Bolton Lands, but the castle, Fort Cassel, was given to Jory Cassel who married the niece of Lord Ryswell. For Rodrik's loyalty, he paid the dowry of his daughter, Beth, and married her to Lord Karstark's third son and gave them the island of Longsister to rule.
"Welcome back, my lord," Ser Rodrik greeted him.
Aryan nodded in acknowledgment. "Ser Rodrik, prepare a gathering in the Godswood. Let us not waste time needlessly."
The news of his return from Fairmarket has already spread like wildfire and the assembled northern nobility were waiting in anticipation as well as in reverence. It has been centuries since someone was given the Blood Eagle in the Godswood of Winterfell. Aryan was sitting near the Heart Tree and was polishing Ice waiting for the criminal to be brought forth.
Aryan addressed the gathered lords and ladies, his voice echoing through the Godswood. "Septon Bernard, an emissary of the so called Faith of the Seven, sought to impose the Faith of the Seven in our lands, just like Argos Sevencunt tried to do, just like Baelor the Mad tried to do and just like them he will die from the Lord of Winterfell's hands." his words were making the blood of all his lords and ladies boil, their northern sentiment was stronger than ever.
He continued, "Just outside Wintercity and in the Wolfswood, justice was served according to the Old Gods, the worthless Warrior's Sons were destroyed by Northmen, those cravens dared to attack the Whitehills while talking about friendship. Today, we stand here within the heart of the North, in Winterfell's Godswood, to continue the solemn duty that binds us since our ancestors spilled the blood of the first foolish andal mongrel that dared attack the North." cheers for the North and his house erupted as well as insults towards the andals, the southeners and anything that wasn't northern in common and in the Old tongue.
The bound septon was brought forth by his loyal guards, they dragged him by his hair, naked as the day he was born. His eyes were wide with terror when he met Aryan's gaze. The purple eyes of the Lord of Winterfell fell upon him as he was forced to kneel in front of the Heart Tree and the Warden of the North only said one word to him "Words."
Aryan took his silence and incredulity as him having no last words and nodded to his guards that started to bind the septon. They spread his arms along the alter and when the nailed his hands, did the septon finally snap from his stupor and screamed. Not caring one bit of the screams, Aryan cut along the spine and opened his back with his dagger and spread the flesh, he then broke the ribs outwards with his axe to make wings. Finally he removed the lungs and the entrails of the septon and threw them to the branches of the Heart Tree.
The septon was long dead and the shirtless Lord of Winterfell covered in blood looked around him to the spectators of the execution and told them "Justice is done." and he left the godswood under the cheers of his people.
After cleaning up, he went to play with his children before tucking them to sleep, he then went and pass some time with his wife.
"Stannis routing Merryweather opened the Reach for him. Ashford and Longtable were sacked. The lands around the Grassy Vale were pillaged and burned." his wife told him.
"The only man who can defeat Stannis is Randyll Tarly. However, Mace Tyrell didn't want him to gain too much glory so he asked him to defend the border with the Riverlands." Aryan told her.
"What about Tywin?" Gabriella asked him.
"What about him?"
"Can't he defeat Stannis?"
Aryan snorted at that "Yeah the Great Tywin Lannister will destroy him" Aryan didn't even try to mask his sarcasm "With all his experience as a commander, let me check..." and he started counting on his fingers "Got his uncle killed at the Stepstones, couldn't rout Roger Reyne even while outnumbering hims ten to one, sacked a city that opened its gate thinking he was their savior, got his entire fleet burned in one night, is getting destroyed left and right by Harrold Arryn and Edmure Tully.." he looked at his wife and scoffed "Yeah that man will defeat Stannis Baratheon."
Gabriella laughed at that and told him "Hundreds of villages are being put to the sword in the Westerlands. Deep Den, Sarsfield and Hornvale were brutally sacked. The lords of the West are still loyal to the Old Lion for fear or loyalty but their heirs are getting angry and are doubting his ability to lead the Westerlands. Should we move some pieces? Start a rumor about the Reyne and Tarbeck lads?"
Aryan thought about it, smiled and kissed his wife's forehead "No, let the doubts and anger foster. The more it fosters, the harder they will snap when they will attack the Lannisters. No need for us to do anything, especially about the Red Claws, nothing unite a kingdom better and faster than a common enemy. Let them sharpen their claws in Essos for now, they matter little to us at the moment."
Gabriella nodded and looked at him "Speaking of Essos, was the butchery that happened in Bhorash necessary?"
Aryan sighed, annoyed "No, I wanted the bloodline of that fool exterminated and I would have preferred milk of the poppy in the night for a peaceful death for the women and the children. The men I wanted their deaths to be an exemple. But rape and cruelty seems to be a weapon of war and threats in this world. I never forbid the cruelty and will not punish it, it annoys me but that's it."
She didn't look sad, even in their previous world that was way more advanced than this one, such actions were still common during wars just a couple decades past during WWII. She asked another question that was more of a concern to her than a worthless family from one of the weakest Free Cities "What about Braavos?"
This time, Aryan looked annoyed "What about them? Fuck them." after the War of the 5 Kings started, Aryan increased the tarifs in the Cailin Canal, this coupled with Lys taking territory from Braavos's puppet, Pentos, annoyed the more warmongering people of the Sealord court. Three sennights ago, one Karstark ship, one ship from Skaagos and two Manderly ships were sinked by the Braavosi fleet. As retaliation, Mallador Locke put to the sword nine ships of the Braavosi fleet. Aryan put all his trust in Wyman to deal with this situation as he wish for.
Envoys from the Iron Bank are being sent to negotiate peace but at this point... The Sealord of Braavos and the Eastern Fleet of the North are on the brinks of war.
~
King's Landing, The Crownlands
Tyrion Lannister was in his father's office, the Tower of the Hand to have a discussion about their enemies.
"Just as I anticipated, Stannis Baratheon is our most dangerous enemy." Tywin declared while his cold green eyes were burning with determination, "We cannot afford to continue like that, he has gained total support of the Stormlords after routing Merryweather's forces. We need a victory. A decisive one."
Tyrion nodded, knowing the importance of quelling the grim Baratheon threat swiftly before Stannis continues to destroy their forces. "We have the advantage numbers, but Stannis is one of the best commander in the Seven Kingdoms. We can only send Randyll Tarly to face him." Tyrion knows that between the forces loyal to the Iron Throne, only his father and the Lord of Horn Hill is capable of defeating Stannis.
Their conversation shifted to the unlikely alliance between House Tully and House Arryn, a development that raised Tyrion's brows in contemplation. "The Riverlands and the Vale joining forces is a concern, we thought they wouldn't do that as the Arryn declared independence and the Riverlords declared for Stannis. But now their positions are strenghtened, they are burning the West and protecting the Riverlands and Vale together."
"Do not worry about them. Some battles you win with a sword, others with a pen." Tywin interrupted without looking at him. Tyrion recalled the letter his father sent to House Corbray, to House Grafton, to Sybell Spicer the mother of Edmure Tully's future bride and one to Emmon Frey.
As the discussion went towards the impending royal wedding, Tywin brought up the matter of invitations. "We will extend our invitation to House Stark and House Martell. It's a gesture of unity and if they come it will be a political blow to House Baratheon and Arryn."
Tyrion's expression turned thoughtful. "The Martells are thirsting for revenge father. We cannot predict what they will do if the come."
The room fell into a contemplative silence before Tyrion broached the topic of the North "Father, our biggest concern should be the North. How can you be sure that they will come for the wedding? Even if the do come, are we really sure that they will not continue the alliances that destroyed House Targaryen?"
Tywin's gaze hardened. "Why should we concern ourselves with them? They do not care about the South. Aryan Stark despises the Tully and will not waste a single life to avenge Jon Arryn, he and the old falcon hated each other. And do you really think he would ever align himself with the Targaryens? Aryan Stark may very well be our best ally."
~
Petyr Baelish was in his best brothel and his eyes were fixing King's Landing. The last couple of moons were not the best for him. Losing Lysa who was the key to the Vale was both an annoyance and a source of wrath for him. He couldn't help but fill irritated that the Vale was losing lives and ressources during this war when he has plotted for years for the Vale to keep his strength while the others fought on and exhausted themselves.
He was thinking of how he could plot to his benefit about the royal wedding of House Lannister and House Tyrell. Invitations has been sent to Winterfell and Sunspear and he was hoping that they came to the nuptials.
A smile couldn't help but form on his lips when thinking about his new plots to get powers in both the Vale and the Riverlands in one swoop.
~
Moat Cailin, The Northern Realms
Catelyn Stark was at the top of the highest tower of Moat Cailin and silently sighing while looking South. The deaths of her sister and nephew as well as the looming threat that was over her maiden House were weighing heavily on her heart. She couldn't help but clench her fists in anger when thinking about her husband's nephew refusal to march south. She still remembers how she felt when the news of her sister and little Robyn came, she was inconsolable and wanted revenge but the Lord of Winterfell didn't care one bit. She once overheard her husband asking Aryan why he wouldn't go to war and Aryan's dry response was that he couldn't care less for Jon Arryn and that he wouldn't spare a single northern life in a war that will see the Tullys put one of their kin on the throne.
Her mind now went to her children, all of them forging alliance with the North, none marrying the South. All five of them worshipping the tree gods of the North and not the Seven-Who-Are-One that she worshipped so much. She couldn't help but feel disconnected with her southern roots and the North's actions against the gods and their emissary also intensified her inner turmoil. She couldn't believe that a Lord of the Seven Kingdoms would butcher a man of the Gods like that.
She wanted to help so much her family and she knew that with the Northern Army, the Lannisters would be destroyed and would me made to answer for their crimes. She knew that Aryan Stark was at Winterfell and neither Ned, the Greatjon, William Dustin nor the bastard were at Fairmarket. Her son Robb was in commande of the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Northern Army. She decided to send a raven to her son, maybe he will help the other half of his family.
~
Oldtown, The Reach
House Hightower and the Starry Sept were just learning of what transpired in Winterfell and they were angry of such butchery. The whole city of Oldtown was feeling it.
"A septon! An emissary of the Gods butchered in front of heathen trees! This is unacceptable!" septon Triston screamed.
"I talked to my father about this, he will send a raven to Winterfell demanding explanation." Ser Garth Hightower told the septons of the Starry Sept.
"An explanation? No, there is no explanation needed. It isn't the first action taken by these heathens against the true gods and all went unpunished. If it is Holy War that House Stark want, it is Holy War that we will bring them."