Winter is Coming: House Stark Quest

With the Onion Knight at your side - representing the King's will even in this time of melancholy - you set to work. Many things had been expected, anticipated upon your victory. There was no longer a precedent for this sort of victory, not with the High Septon a likely heap of scattered ashes and the throne forged in Balerion's flames now lost to history.

Renly had been His Grace's brother, and despite everything it seemed he had still loved him. The late Lord of Storm's End would be buried in his ancestral home. But those who followed him would not be shown such gentleness. One by one, those who had knelt to the usurper were attainted. You stripped them of their lands and titles, their ranks and holdings. Men wept and begged, but you had no more patience for those who would bring death to the realm for their greed. You and Ser Davos spent hours examining family trees, finding daughters, sisters, and nieces to wed to loyal and unlanded knights that might assume their new holdings.

You made and unmade two dozen great houses that night.

Among the notables were the Peakes, who had time and time again escaped the consequences of their ambition and disloyalty. No longer, for Lord Titus had died and his only son was to be exiled. So too had their immediate neighbors, the holders of Dunstonbury and Whitegrove. It was with some hidden satisfaction that you named Wendel Manderly Lord of Dunstonbury and granted him dominion over all the lands once held by their former rivals. He would wed Talla Tarly, heiress to her father after his son Dickon.

Dickon meanwhile would wed 'Queen' Margaery. She was a lovely maid, and had won your respect by not entirely losing her composure. She had lost a brother, and would now lose all but her mother (to join her in Tarly's court until enough time had passed that an heir could not be painted as Renly's son).

In a more peaceful life perhaps she might have been yours.

Her cousin, Desmera Redwyne had been left Heiress to the Arbor by her brothers' death in King's Landing. The Redwynes had forsaken Renly in the end, and so Desmera would be allowed to inherit in time. You might find her a good husband from the North in time. Or perhaps she would join Myrcella as another girl you had been silly enough to save from her treasonous family's actions.

You had seen to it that the power of the Reach was broken somewhat. The lands bordering the Crownlands were transferred directly to royal control (something that would be of great help with the treasury lost and winter on the way). A battalion of Valemen were deployed to see to it that His will was done, and that a sympathetic HIgh Septon was elected. Those lords in the Stormlands who had proven treasonous were somewhat simpler to replace. Ser Davos (Lord Davos now) had many sons.

The Onion Lord would be remaining behind to watch over the ruins of King's Landing and to protect the survivors of the great blaze. Until the city could be rebuilt (years, certainly), Storm's End would serve as its capital. The Stormlands would be incorporated into the Crownlands, recreating the greatest extent of Argilac the Arrogant's empire. King Stannis had already sent for his wife, the Princess Shireen, his personal Maester (now the Grand Maester by his own decree) and others.

Lastly you had seen it that Bronn was knighted. Your sellsword had gutted Loras Tyrell and felt more than proud of himself. His reward would be the hand of Brienne of Tarth, who seemed to be a more haggish Dacey Mormont. She had served Renly as one of his Rainbow Guard, but her father had remained neutral and begged clemency for his "troubled girl". Bronn would keep her out of trouble. Or she would gut him.

Truthfully you did not know if the peace would last, if the kin and servants of the Lords you had displaced would accept their stolen titles. But you had bigger concerns. The Targaryen pretender was still out there, and it seemed he planned to win the Dornish to his side if he had not done so already. One last fight. Then you could rest.

A Dornish army was on the move (not necessarily the Dornish army you supposed). Your schemes at Yronwood had failed and likely alienated them, but still a peace might be possible with the right terms. After all, the so-called Aegon more likely than not was an impostor using a dead boy's name and Daenerys Targaryen to legitimize his claim.

As for the Targaryens themselves, you had no idea where they were, but you couldn't help but imagine the destruction of King's Landing and near overwhelming defeat of Renly Baratheon had forced them to reevaluate their schemes. Your thumb stroked the bottom of your chin - rough with stubble where once it had been smooth. How to win the war?

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