Though the Greens struck a devastating blow with the death of Jacaerys and sacking of
Driftmark, their allies in Essos were now out of the war and the Velaryon Fleet remained
in control of the narrow sea, meaning the Battle of the Gullet was technically a Black
victory as the enemy failed to end the blockade of the capital.
Distraught by the death of yet another son, matters worsened for Rhaenyra during the Battle
of the Honeywine in the reach, when her allies were on the brink of victory against House
Hightower, only for Prince Daeron, the youngest brother of King Aegon, to fly his dragon Tessarion
into battle, defeating the Blacks.
Next targeting the Riverlands, the Greens Aemond and Criston Cole led an army to Harrenhal,
expecting to face Daemon Targaryen, but the fortress was empty as the Rogue Prince departed,
eventually making his way to Maidenpool, where he remained for a time with the dragonseed
Nettles, possibly beginning a romantic affair.
Seeking to join Aemond’s host in Harrenhal, House Lannister of the Westerlands led over
8000 men into their eastern neighbour.
Yet the Lords of the Riverlands knew their territory well and were committed to victory,
repeatedly throwing themselves and their warriors at the Lannister army, whittling down enemy
forces.
Despite House Lannister winning the Battle at the Red Fork and Battle at Acorn Hall,
they lost 2 commanders and many men along the way, with the River Lords continually
regrouping and renewing their attacks.
The last stand defence against the Lannister advance then followed at the Battle by the
Lakeshore, where the River Lords were joined by Lord Roderick Dustin and the Winter Wolves,
2000 hard fighting Northern warriors unwilling to wait for the larger Northern host to gather,
and marched south seeking a glorious death, in keeping with the tradition of older men
voluntarily leaving their homes to die in the wilderness, thereby ensuring more food
for their family during harsh winter months.
Thus the Winterwolves were entirely prepared to die, making them possibly the most fearsome,
devastating fighters in the entire war.
Engaging in what was alternatively called the Fishfeed, the Lannister army was entirely
destroyed, while the blacks lost 2000 men, including 2/3rds of the Winter Wolves who
fought with unparalleled ferocity.
The defeat of the Greens in the Riverlands then went on to have reverberating affects
across the continent, leading to many more victories for the Blacks, like in the Westerlands,
where the destruction of their armies meant the wealthy realm was largely undefended.
This in turn caused the Red Kraken of House Greyjoy to declare for the Blacks so he could
plunder the Westerlands and Reach, capturing Kayce and Fair Isle as well as sacking Lannisport.
Meanwhile, Rhaenyra was still heartbroken by the death of her sons and could hold back
her wrath no longer.
Organizing the invasion of King’s Landing, Rhaenyra and her husband atop their dragons
took the capital in less then a day, as the Green armies were on campaign and the garrison
was betrayed by the Gold Cloaks, city watchmen loyal to their former commander Daemon Targaryen.
Finally sat upon her rightful throne, Rhaenyra set about dealing with those captured during
the conquest.
Unfortunately for the Queen however, these did not include her still injured rival Aegon
II, who escaped under the care of Larys Strong.
Neither did she find the king’s children Jaehaera and Maelor as they were sent away
with kingsguard to supposedly safe locations.
Yet while Jaehaera arrived at Storm’s End without issue, young Maelor was attacked and
killed by an angry mob at Bitterbridge in the reach.
Though Rhaenyra was robbed of these captives, those remaining in the capital included the
increasingly depressed Queen Helaena, held captive in her room but largely left alone
until she finally threw herself from a window, ending her own life possibly after learning
about Maelor’s death.
Another valuable prisoner was the Queen’s longtime hated rival Alicent Hightower, who
was spared physical harm, but nonetheless suffered greatly in captivity, ripping apart
her clothes and cursing Rhaenyra when she learned of Helaena’s death.
Others on the green council like Alicent’s father Ser Otto Hightower and Ser Jasper Wylde
were executed while Ser Tyland Lannister was given to torturers.
At the height of Rhaenyra’s reign, when she made plans finishing off her enemies,
Alicent tried to negotiate with the Queen, offering a compromise where the kingdom was
split in two, but Rheanyra refused, explaining that she would have given her enemies positions
of honor in her court, but they gave up any chance of generosity when they stole her birthright
a killed her sons Back in the Riverlands Aemond and Criston
Cole heard about the many Green defeats across the continent and left Harrenhal, with the
regent going on a one dragonrider campaign of terror across the region while the Hand
of the King led his army to the Reach.
Yet the warriors of these lands were now hardened veterans with burgeoning reputations, who
alongside their ferocious Northern allies, were unwilling to let the hated kingmaker
retreat without issue, whittling down his forces through hit and run attacks until their final
victory in the Butcher’s Ball, utterly slaughtering the Greens and killing Criston Cole.
Having won a great victory in the reach, Ormund Hightower marched his Green army west hoping
to take back King’s Landing.
Along the way they continued to accumulate victories against House Merriweather in the
Siege of Longtable and House Caswell in the burning of Bitterbridge, where Daeron and
Tessarion sought vengeance for the death of his nephew Maelor.
With their enemies reinforced by men from the riverlands, the next battle was fought
at Tumbleton, where they might have won a great victory if not for traitorous Dragonseeds
Hugh Hammer and Ulf the White who betrayed the Blacks and secured victory for the greens.
Yet this battle was not a total loss for the Blacks as the Winter Wolves of the North fought
with such ferocity they carved their way through enemy ranks to kill the commanders Ormund
and Brynden Hightower.
This victory also had other negative consequences for the Greens, as Hugh Hammer and Ulf the
White proved to be honorless vagrants without loyalty to anyone but themselves.
Back in King’s Landing, the increasingly paranoid Queen was appalled by the betrayal
of 2 Dragonseeds and feared the others might turn as well, ordering the arrest of Addam
Velaryon and Nettles.
Warned by his grandfather, Addam escaped King’s Landing on his dragon Seasmoke, leading to
the arrest of Corlys Velaryon which in turn caused his Fleet to abandon the Queen.
Nettles meanwhile was under the protection of her possible lover Daemon Targaryen, who
refused to comply with Rhaenyra’s order, instead sending Nettles flying away to safety,
while he dropped all other priorities and spread the word he would wait for Aemond Targaryen
in Harrenhal.
The brother of the King then arrived on Vhagar and engaged Daemon upon Caraxes, in the Battle
above the Gods Eye, ending with both dragons locked together as they crashed into the ground.
Just before impact, Daemon ensured his enemy’s death by jumping from his seat to launch through
the air, stabbing Aemond through his one eye with the Valyrian Steel sword Darksister.
Eventually, the remains of the dragons Caraxes and Vhagar were found, along with the corpse
of Aemond Targaryen.
Daemon’s remains however were never located, causing some to claim he survived and spent
the rest of his days with his beloved Nettles.
Finding herself in an increasingly difficult situation, Rhaenyra unknowingly suffered yet
another blow when Larys Strong smuggled the recuperating Aegon II onto Dragonstone, where
he reunited with his dragon sunfyre.
Gathering all those willing to betray Rhaenyra, they launched a coup and took Dragonstone
for the Greens.
Princess Baela, the daughter of Daemon rode Moondancer against the enemy, but her dragon
was killed by Sunfyre and she was captured.
Aegon II survived the fighting but once again suffered a terrible injury by breaking his
legs.
With the Queen’s fortunes crumbling all around her, rioters were creating chaos in
the capital, allowing petty usurpers to rise and find followers, like when the knight Ser
Perkin the Flee declared Trystane Truefyre as King of Westeros, claiming his legitimacy
as the bastard son of old king Viserys I and bestowing knighthood on any willing joined
them.
At the same time a mad prophet called the Shepard rallied a great mob to Storm the Dragonpit,
hoping to slaughter the remaining dragons of House Tagaryen, naming them Demons bringing
forth the doom of men.
Desperate to protect the dragons and fight like his brothers had, young Joffrey Velaryon
disobeyed orders, mounted his mother’s dragon Syrax, and flew into battle.
Unfortunately for the prince, Syrax was unaccustomed to his weight and tossed him off mid-flight,
sending him falling to his death below.
Losing her mind with worry, Rhaenyra was sought aid in retrieving her son, causing 7 courageous
knights to voluntarily ride out amidst the chaos, seeking the boy.
Remembered as the 7 who rode, Ser Gyles Yronwood, Ser Willam Royce, and Lord Commander Glendon
Goode were killed, while the rest successfully found Joffrey’s remains and brought them
to the Queen.
Meanwhile the Storming of the Dragonpit continued, resulting in the deaths of numerous dragons
including Shrykos, Morghul, Tyraxes, Dreamfyre and Syrax.
They in turn burned and killed a great many rioters, eventually collapsing the doomed
roof to crush all beneath.
With the city lost, Rheanyra fled with Aegon the younger, believing he was her only surviving
child, though Viserys still lived, as a captive in Essos.