DRAGONS REBORN: The Era After SI (GOT story)

Part 24

"Robert! Robert!" he heard the man shout as he reached for the man and began to command the men around him, to carry away the man.

And as he got back to his feet, he recognized the man in white armor. It was one of the Kingsguard, the only one present here.

Benjen Stark. He saw the man look to his sides, cutting down two of his men, as the men behind him carried away the injured Baratheon lord. The man looked around and when his eyes landed on him, he heard him shout.

"Retreat! Pull back to the boats!" and as he ordered the treat, he rushed forward to try and kill him, he struggled to his feet, though before the man could reach him, other members of the Golden Company stepped up and stopped the man in his tracks. The man struck down a few of them, but when he saw four people still surrounding him, he saw her grunt as he began to pull back with the rest of the army.

"WE WON!!"
"THE DAY IS OURS!!!!" he heard the men shout as they gave chase to the retreating army, though he looked to the side, and found the bodies of his men strewn across the ground.

They had won, but at what cost.

0000

EDMURE TULLY

The newly enthroned lord of Riverrun walked towards his solar. The atmosphere in the castle was tense with the rising tensions with the Royal Family. The shadow of his father's death still loomed over the castle, and his sudden death had taken him by surprise. Lord Hoster Tully wasn't perhaps the most accomplished lord amongst his peers, but the man had always done right by his people.

The lords of Riverlands had respected the man, and now, with his demise, the mantle of the Lord Paramount of the Trident had fallen onto him. Edmure had always tried to live up to the expectations placed on him, to make his father proud.

Edmure had grown up fairly religious and was a devout follower of the Seven, and the rising tensions among the followers of the Old Gods and the followers of the Seven had been a headache for his father, who had grown frail and weak. And so he had decided to step up, to relieve the pressure from his father. And so he had called the leader of these devout followers, and had begun negotiating with him.

The Preacher, they had called him, was a thin and short man, with bright blue eyes. He was a man of inquired intellect and had the Seven's blessing. Edmure had ordered the man to calm down the preachers. The man had hoped for permission to build more sects so his people could preach safely, and sway away those with sinister minds towards a more peaceful approach.

He was a good man, a devout follower of the Seven, and yet The Crown failed to see that. The Royal Family had been growing more and more estranged from the Gods, and now they had begun to target those who did the Gods' work. They had staged an attack on Lord Eddard Stark, and had written to him about banning the Seven's work.

Edmure had been conflicted, and had sought advice from his friend the Preacher. The man hadn't asked for his support and had told him to just be neutral in the conflict, saying that the Seven would understand him not being able to support their cause in the open.

He had followed the man's advice and had written to the Crown about his stance. Yet the Crown had replied with a strongly worded letter, threatening him with severe consequences.

The nerve! Maybe Preacher was right. The Royal Family had truly forsaken the Seven and had fallen prey to the scientific heathens. The sad part was that his own wife didn't even support him in his endeavor, and had tried to keep him away from the righteous path. Yet he knew he was right. He was simply assisting the Seven in their work, helping spread the true word of God in his lands.

There was a knock on the door of his solar, and he looked up and spoke after a moment.

"Come in," already aware of who was on the side of the door, the guards had informed him about the arrival of his friend and the door opened and walked in one of the most devout followers of the Seven he had seen.

The Preacher, walked in with a serene smile on his face, and Edmure felt his heart light up as he saw the man.

"May the Seven bless you for eternity, it is good to see you Lord Edmure," greeted the man, and Edmure nodded.

"May the Seven bless you, as well. Have a seat, we have much to discuss," he began, and the man sat down opposite to him. Edmure didn't make small talk and picked up the Royal missisve and moved it towards the man.

"I received a reply from the Crown about my earlier position. The Crown isn't happy with me and has called me a traitor and has asked my bannermen to ignore my words, and raise their men to retaliate against you and your men," said Edmure, in a saddened and angry tone.

"That is troubling news, my lord. But it was expected," replied his devout friend with a sigh and Edmure leaned back into his chair.

"House Motton and House Blackwood are already raising levies going against my command, and other houses are following suit as well," he added, Rosalin's house had also raised their levies and had ignored his command. It seemed to him, that they had all forgotten just who was their liege lord.

"The Crown has threatened to strip me of position as Lord paramount. You were right about them, it seems that the Royal family has truly forgotten their duties to the gods above and have fallen astray," said Edmure sadly.

"The devils surround us and corrupt us, my lord. And when one is as powerful as the Royal family, the devil's words sound ever so sweeter and make one forget that they are here on this Earth only to serve the Gods above," said Preacher.

"Indeed," said Edmure.

"I know that you are troubled my lord, but the Seven will not abandon you, I shall pray for you and your house. And as for your bannermen I am sure that there will be those among them who haven't gone astray yet, and will try and lead their lords towards the right path," assured the Preacher.

"The Crown has called its men and plans to come to the Riverlands. If I don't open my halls to them, they will lay siege to my castle," added Edmure looking at the man.

"I want you to assure me that you and your men had no connection to the attack on Lord Stark and have no idea where he is at the moment?" said Edmure, and his friend nodded.

"I swear on the Seven, my lord, we had nothing to do with this. We are peaceful preachers who wish to spread the word of the Seven across the world. I swear on the Seven above, my lord. The Crown is trying to frame us," the Preacher assured him. Edmure nodded.

"Ok, then I shall write once more to the Crown telling them of your innocence. Perhaps we could have the Prince meet you and your men so you could talk to him directly," said Edmure, a plan forming in his head.

"Of course, my lord. The Seven will bless you for your devotion to the faith," said his friend, and Edmure motioned for him to leave, knowing that his actions would not sit right with his wife.

Why couldn't she just understand that he was doing the Seven's work. Well. May the Seven show her the right way.

0000

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