Winter's Promise

8th Month of 298 A.C. Riverrun

King Aegon VI Targaryen

Crossing the Twins had been a harrowing experience, he and Robb and entered there with Ser Arthur and some ten other men to negotiate with Frey. Lord Walder Frey, an old decrepit man who had made no secret of his scepticism of the truth of Aegon's parentage, it had taken his entire force of will not to kill the man there and then, even upon seeing the dragons, the old man had been sceptical. Eventually he had conceded and allowed them to cross with his four thousand men, his full strength added to theirs gave them some thirty thousand men, it was a true force to be reckoned with and the battle of Riverrun had shown that. Tywin Lannister and the Lannister men had camped in four distinct divisions around the castle, and that had made it easier for them to surprise them. Sheer force of numbers and the presence of his dragons had won them the day in the barest of terms, it had taken some great skill and thinking to really force the old lion back, but back he had gone and Riverrun was free, though they had taken casualties. Ser Edmure had died of his wounds, Lord Blackwood was dead, as was Lord Vypren, three commanding figures, and now they were thinking through their next move. The faces of the lords before him, all of whom had sworn their allegiance to him were looking at him now.

Aegon takes a deep breath, his dragons flying around the room, Ghost at his feet, and then he speaks. "Tywin Lannister and his men have been given a bloody nose nothing more. He will keep coming back for more and more, and he will not stop until we are all dead, or he is dead. Ser Stevron where did your scouts report the man retreating to?"

Ser Stevron was an old man, as heir to the Twins he had been waiting some fifty years to inherit the seat, and he was not like to get it anytime soon. He was a kind man, smart as well, something which was a rarity in the family, as Aegon was quickly coming to find out. His words are calm and measured when he responds. "Our scouts report that he retreated back to Tumblestone Your Grace, not to the river as such, but more to the fortress that sits there. It is an old fortress, built before the conquest, and one that will not last long with the presence there now."

Aegon nods in acknowledgement, before turning to his cousin. "How many men did Lord Tywin leave with Robb?"

His cousin seems a bit distracted, and has done as of late, but Aegon does not blame him for it, they are at war, and his wife is with child. Gods knows what he would do if his wife was with child. Regardless, Robb is Eddard Stark's son and soon responds. "From what I have gathered, he left with some twenty thousand men Your Grace. Not an overly sizeable force compared to what he had, but enough to cause worries."

"No doubt Tywin will come back with more men, the Westerlands can raise at least sixty thousand men at a stretch." Lord Bolton says his voice eerily quiet and loud at the same time.

"Surely that is only when he pushes his kingdom to its limit?" Robb asks then. "Raising that many men would leave him completely undefended within his own lands. And whilst he might be many things, I do not think Lord Tywin is a complete idiot."

"It does not matter what he is, he is a threat hanging over us." Lord Mallister says. "Your Grace, he must needs be dealt with once more, either before he is ready to emerge from the Westerlands once more, on his own territory as a surprise attack. That, I think is the only way to ensure that things go according to plan."

"Attacking him in the West is bound to bring its own issues Your Grace." Lord Bolton says then. "Lord Tywin will know the terrain far better than we could ever hope to know, and furthermore, he will suspect an attack like that to come. Especially if you take your full strength with you."

"Now that he knows about the numbers we have, there is nothing stopping him from circumventing Riverrun and marching along the Gold Road straight to King's Landing though." Robb points out. "If he is as smart as we all think him to be then that would be what he would do surely?"

Robb makes a valid point, Aegon knows, but there is something about Lord Tywin shying away from a fight that just does not sit well with him, turning to look behind him to where Ser Arthur, the Lord Commander of his Kingsguard and Ser Jaime Lannister, Lord Tywin's son and heir stand. "Ser Jaime," he says then. "Tell us, what do you think your father will do. Will he do the smart thing and head to the Golden Road and then to King's Landing or will he try to attack us once more?"

Silence follows his question, and he can tell Ser Jaime is considering his answer very carefully, though the man led the defence of Riverrun nobly and well, he is still mistrusted by many within this room, and Aegon does not blame them, he himself is still slightly mistrustful of the man. Eventually, just as his patience is about to run out, the man speaks. "I believe he will split the host, one part will go toward King's Landing and the other part will come back to Riverrun."

"And which part will your father command?" Aegon asks, placing emphasis on the word father to see how the knight reacts.

To his credit, Ser Jaime barely blinks as he responds. "He will most likely be torn Your Grace. He will want to go to King's Landing to make sure that the city is safe, but he will also wish to come back here, to ensure that he can reclaim me."

That statement interests Aegon. "He places a lot of value on you?"

"Yes Your Grace." Ser Jaime responds.

"Because he still sees you as his heir, despite the presence of your brother Tyrion and your vows?" Aegon asks once more.

"Yes Your Grace, my father has never accepted the fact that I took vows." Ser Jaime responds.

Aegon thinks through this and then says. "Well then, it is clear to me that we cannot afford to take any chances, we must place a piece of bait before Lord Tywin and see whether or not the man is desperate enough to bite. Ser Jaime, you shall command a host of men alongside Lord Bolton and head out toward the border of the riverlands and the Westerlands, and challenge Lord Tywin to combat. Let us see whether your father will be able to deal with that."

There is a moment of silence and then Ser Jaime speaks. "Yes Your Grace." Aegon thinks he detects a hint of trepidation there, but then before he can press the matter, Lord Mallister speaks. "Are you sure that is wise Your Grace? No offense to Ser Jaime, but sending the man he considers his heir off to fight him would smack of suicide would it not? Better to keep him at your side at all times surely?"

Aegon looks at the man, his dragons coming to rest on his shoulders, they are growing heavier and bigger, but still they fit enough to rest on his shoulders and his arms, Ghost looks up then looking at them with inquisitiveness. "I think that this is the perfect chance for Ser Jaime to show the kingdoms just who it is he is loyal to. His father will not expect such a move, and with Lord Roose here leading as well, there will be a balance."

Lord Bolton speaks. "I quite agree with Your Grace, it makes the most sense to act this way. Lord Tywin might not seem a sentimental man, but I do think that deep down he is."

Aegon looks at the man and can only think of the oddness involving the man's son, who has kept a distance between himself and Aegon and Robb, and Jojen Reed, Howland Reed did not meet them at Moat Cailin, but Aegon knows the man will hold the neck for them, should any dare come close to attacking that way. Still there is something about that entire family that makes him curious and suspicious. Eventually, he looks away from Bolton and says. "Very well that is settled. I shall march out from here in a few weeks' time toward Hollow Hill or Deep Den to await the host that comes toward King's Landing. If we can stop a Lannister host assisting the traitors in King's Landing that will make things so much more interesting."

There is a part of him that wonders why such a thing would be interesting, but the larger part of him does not really care, all he wants to do now is to get his revenge for the killing of Uncle Ned, and to protect Sansa and Bran, if he has to destroy an entire family to ensure that, then he will. He looks Robb then and asks. "Lord Stark, tell me, what word has there been from Darry?"

His cousin is silent for a moment as he looks through his notes and then he responds. "Lord Darry reports that there has of late been little to no disturbances with the border with the Vale. He does report that his riders did manage to find something interesting at Harrenhal."

"And what prey tell was that?" Aegon asks.

"Lady Sansa and Lord Brandon are in Harrenhal. It seems that they arrived there safely some two weeks past with their direwolves and the household guard that Lord Eddard had taken with him." Robb responds.

Aegon feels a slight thrill go through him then, the thought of seeing Sansa again, and being able to speak to her again is something he is really looking forward to, but of course as King he cannot express any such emotion and therefore he simply says. "That is good. I am sure Lady Whent will look after them well." He pauses for a moment thinking of how best to introduce this next issue, eventually he says. "Speaking of which, with Ser Edmure's death, and Lord Hoster's illness, a key issue is now the succession to Riverrun. Maester Vyman who are the candidates?"

"Lady Catelyn Stark and her children Your Grace, they are the main candidates for succession to the River seat, then there is Lady Lysa and her son Lord Robert." Vyman says.

"What is the situation of the Vale?" Aegon asks.

"They have not responded to any letters Your Grace." Robb responds.

"Then they are not being considered for the succession." Aegon says immediately, he will not tolerate family being silent in this time. "Go on Maester Vyman."

"And then finally there is Ser Brynden Tully, who at present is at the Vale." Vyman responds.

Aegon considers this, he thinks it through, and whilst he is not a complete expert on history, that was always more Sansa's thing, he does know that there has been a Lady Tully once before, or that her son took the Tully name to continue the dynasty once long ago. Right now though, they are at war, and he must ensure that the rules of the land are followed. "My lords, if it is acceptable to you, I would name Lady Catelyn as her father's heir and ask that you recognise her as such, alongside recognising Brandon Stark as her heir."

There is a moment of silence and then "That is a wise choice Your Grace." Ser Stevron says.

"I will gladly acknowledge her as her father's heir." Lord Mallister says and many others follow his example, swearing oaths and making statements, that Aegon suspects they will not keep if this war goes badly for him. All of that just fills him with more determination to succeed.