The Years of Consolidation

### Outcome

Consolidation of Westeros under one monarchy once more under Queen Myrcella I BaratheonHouse Baratheon of Storm's End re-established

House Lannister of Casterly Rock re-established

The Years of Consolidation was the period of time in were the War of the Five King's came to an end and saw the reintegration of Westeros into one realm once more under Queen Myrcella I Baratheon following the Great Council of 301 AC. The Years of Consolidation were followed by the War of the Two Dragons.

## End of the War in the South

### Second Riot of King's Landing

In 300 AC, another revolt takes place in King’s Landing as relations between the Iron Throne and the High Sparrow’s movement escalate. It’s unclear what exactly sparked the riots but the  trials following Cersei’s walk of shame, are brought to a halt when soldiers, smallfolk and the Faith Militant clash across the city as fire and chaos spreads through all corners of the capital. King Tommen was secured within Maegor’s Holdfast and yet even as the King was safe, those who’d inhabited his city were anything but, nobles were attacked within their manses, merchants found their shops being raided and burned and there were pockets of all out brawls in the narrow streets of King’s Landing. As the sun begins to set and the fires rage further on, it’s clear that the riot will continue heavily on throughout the night.

The next morning pockets of fighting continue on, as rumors that an army of Reachmen was approaching the city spread further. A sole report burnt through King’s Landing just as the fires had the night before, claiming that King Tommen had died in Maegor’s Holdfast. The Red Keep was still on lockdown and so those outside its walls were unable to verify it yet the High Septon and various other parties who’d laid siege to the streets proclaimed it from every corner, disheartening the soldiers who’d started to take back the city. Fighting slowly began to come to an end and by the point in which Randyll Tarly's forces arrived in King’s Landing, all he’d returned into the capital was the smell of blood, burning buildings and broken troops. As he and his forces moved to confront the High Septon, a messenger from the Red Keep rushed out to meet them. They’d confirmed the death of King Tommen and the ‘suicide’ of Cersei Lannister the morning his body was found.

With overwhelming forces, Randyll Tarly moved to secure the Red Keep before sending out men to secure the Lady Margaery. Having decided to clear the streets on their way, the Tarlys forces moved towards the Great Sept butchering any belligerent forces they came across through the streets of King’s Landing as they sought to secure the Tyrells who were taken captive. Once Randyll arrived, his men having cut through a portion of the Faith Militant. It would be at the steps of the Great Sept that he’d proclaim that they’d either hand him an unharmed Margaery or he’d send his army forth and kill all those who’d locked themselves within the Sept.

They were given a day, if Margaery was not released, the Tarly forces would march forth and end the Faith Militant once and for all. And as they neared the day mark, the doors swung open and once more Randyll was successful. The Lady Tyrell was firmly in his custody and just as he’d promised he’d marched back to the Red Keep where he issued the order to disarm the Faith and forbid them from rearming, those who resisted were freely killed without hesitation. By the time Mace rushed into the city, the Faith Militant were dead in the streets or had surrendered their arms for fear of their lives.

Standing with an army at his back, no claimants in sight and virtually little threats within the city, Mace Tyrell takes control of the King’s Landing and calls for a Great Council after speaking with his own advisors.

After the bloody siege of Dragonstone, which resulted in the wounding and death of Ser Loras Tyrell and so many other young valiant knights, the ships of House Redwyne sail home to defend the Reach from the Ironborn invaders who’ve taken hold of the Shield Islands and have been rumored to be pushing further along the coastline. Preparing for the Redwynes to rejoin the Reachmen, Lord Garlan gathered his forces at Oldtown in preparation to combat the Ironborn, where the Florents under Alekyne Florent joined him, reasoning that pushing out the Ironborn was more important than a feud between their fellow countrymen. It’s agreed within the city that for the time being their forces will work as one in fear of what the Ironborn will do should they be able to best both forces should they be separated, now more so than ever with the bulk of the Reach forces fighting in other regions of Westeros.

### Garlan the Gallant

Along the coastline, smoke and fires rise high into the sky as the Ironborn raid and rape their way along the coastline on their way into the Whispering Sound. As they draw closer, Garlan begins to worry that the Redwynes won’t make it in time, yet he hides his worries and proceeds to tell the lords and knights in Oldtown that once the Redwynes arrive they’ll make way to combat the Ironborn. Yet his worries become his reality once it's reported that the Ironborn have been spotted entering the Whispering Sound. With the Redwynes location still unknown, Garlan and his forces reluctantly sail out to meet the Ironborn. It’s said that the confidence and assurance of Lord Garlan was enough to convince his men that even against such horrible odds they stood a chance against the Ironborn.  And it would be there, some ways north of where the Whispering Sound met the Redwyne straits that they first spotted the Euron’s fleet upon the horizon.

The battle began as the Hightower ships let loose arrows upon the approaching Ironborn, nearly all of which hit nothing but the sea below given the vast distance. But as they drew closer, arrows flew from both fleets until the first of many ships came crashing against one another. Lord Garlan was amongst the first men to jump from his own vessel onto that of the Ironborns, it’s said the young Tyrell fought as if he were the Warrior himself. There are claims that Lord Garlan cut through whole men before they were able to so much as attempt to strike him, others however say that the young man was protected by the warrior, causing steel to bounce off his armor as he put down those who swore to the Drowned God. He and his men moved from one ship to the next, as blood, bodies and broken ships overtook the seas below. And though Garlan fought furiously, throwing his life into the fire with only the Gods to protect him. It was clear that without the Redwyne fleet they stood no chance and for every ship they took down, two of their followed suit.

Euron himself had taken great joy in the slaughter that ensued around him, as he butchered through the Reachmen. Through the bloodshed and the masses, he stood apart, standing tall in smokey and dark steel forged in Valyria. There was a sense of dread when he’d leapt from ship to ship, boarding one and slaughtering them just as he had done the previous vessels. Even as the Reachmen fought valiantly, they’d sailed into a fight they couldn’t win and soon their losses began to mount up. Garlan did his best to press on alongside other nobles who’d taken to the seas to combat the Ironborn. Knights who’d never fought upon the seas found themselves quickly being engulfed by it, some nobles themselves ended up being crushed as ships collided or being swept into the sea as full chaos ensued.

But just as Euron saw victory in his grasp, a sole vessel was spotted on the horizon. It’s sail bore that of a grape upon a blue field, the sight of that ship alone rekindled the fire within the Reachmen who had all but accepted their defeat. Yet it wasn’t until two hundred more vessals, all with the remarkable grape sigil planted upon their sail, that they’d let out a breath of relief. The fleet of Lord Paxter Redwyne, which had encountered storms on their way, had finally arrived to join the fight.

The morale of the Reachmen was nearly broken before the Redwynes had joined, Lord Garlan had fought tooth and nail yet even he had begun to worry about the defeat that was to come. Thankfully Lord Paxter’s ships moved to hit the Ironborn from behind, cautiously he watched on from afar as his fleet smashed the Ironborn, who’d attempted to turn about a portion of their ships to face the oncoming Redwynes.

Euron spared no time however, as the Redwynes drew closer, he continued to cut a path through the Reachmen fleet. The Ironborn were now outnumbered and facing a force that unlike them, was still fresh and unbloodied, they’d held Garlan’s fleet by the neck but now being burnt at both ends, they were unable to stand tall upon the sea. And it would be in a moment of weakness that Lord Garlan would strike further.

The young man who’d cut down heathens, who was said to have been blessed by the Gods and so many other tales during this fateful battle, came across Euron, the monster clad in Valyrian armor. Atop the seas which now served as a graveyard for Ironborn and Reachmen alike, the two nobles came to blows. Euron, a skilled warrior who’d fought across Essos and Westeros, came at the younger man, moving with great ease and speed as if he wore no armor at all, his first hits barely missed the young man. Garlan in turn retaliated with strikes of his own, both of their weapons tangled and sparked upon each strike. The tides below and the sky above grew fiercer with each blow, it was as if the Gods themselves had taken a vested interest in what was unfolding.

All around the pair the Ironborn were being beaten back by the now combined fleet of the Reach. And just as quickly as the tides had turned against Euron’s fleet, so did his fight with Garlan. The Tyrell had proven to be a far more skilled swordsmen, and their battle came to an end quicker than Euron had expected. A well placed strike where the Valyrian armor wasn’t protecting was all it took to drop the Greyjoy, driving the final nail down onto the Ironborn fleet.

By the end of the Battle of the Whispering Sound, the sea had been painted with the blood and corpses of the fallen, now among them was Euron and his dreams. Instead, Lord Garlan the Gallant and his fleet regrouped and prepared to move onward, to liberate the Shield Islands. It took them some time to recuperate but eventually they set sail and made way for Southshield, the island held by Andrik. It took them no time for them to land their men and move on to the castle, where they’d begin one of many sieges. Upon the Island, Andrik and the Garlan came to blows, yet another mighty duel took place. Garlan cut away at Andrik, though still recovering from the one he had with Euron, he’d taken a blow during their confrontation. Yet as he’d done before, Garlan took down the man with a blow to the side of his head. The injury he took left him unable to personally fight as he took the other islands but he commanded with power and secured each one after the next.

After House Chester was snuffed out by the Ironborn, their seat was left vacant and Mace once more granted his son Garlan yet another keep, coupled with rulership over the Shield Islands for his actions in ensuring they were liberated.  For his efforts, Garlan ensured that Alekyne Florent was granted Brightwater Keep as he hadn’t wished to hold the title of a man who’d aided him and the Reach against the likes of the Ironborn. This would mark the creation of House Tyrell of Greenshield as well as the reinstatement of the Florents as the Lords of Brightwater Keep.

## The Great Council of 301 AC

The entirety of Westeros was invited to attend the Great Council of 301 AC, though the North does not attend alongside the Vale which instead sends a ‘delegate’ in place of Robert or Lysa Arryn. Stannis does not attend either as expected and claims the throne as his right. Though none in the south wish for him to be their King. From Deepwood Motte he declared the Great Council to be illegitimate as he was already the King of Westeros. But to the surprise of many Aegon Targaryen called off his conquest in the Stormlands and made way to King’s Landing to push for his claim upon the throne, it’s there in the city that for the first time since the death of the Mad King that the gates of King’s Landing are swung open for a Targaryen.

There the handsome young man rode through the streets as its citizens and nobles looked on. Behind him stood a portion of the Golden Company who’d come to protect their King. Unlike the others would-be contenders, many of whom attempted to push their claims using marriages and bloodlines that dated too far back for any true and solid claim to the throne, Aegon was met with cheers, young and old knights alike swore oaths to him, believing him to be the King who’d put an end to the era of violence they’d lived in.

The reaction upon him entering the city worried many who’d sided with Myrcella, and brought forth plots to solve the issue should the nobles decide to back his claim. Contenders from across all of Westeros appeared in King’s Landing to make their case such as the Plumms and Penrose of Parchments claiming to have Targaryen blood in them through previous marriages. Reach houses such as Oakheart, Ball and Peake claiming to have descended from Garth Greenhand, the High King of the First Men. As well as those advocating for Edric Storm to take the Throne.

Amongst the sea of claimants, there were but two true contenders, Myrcella Baratheon, Daughter of King Robert, and Aegon Targaryen, Son of Prince Rhaegar. The rest were unable to find any true footing amongst the nobles. Through backroom deals and marital arrangements, including a shift in a betrothals orchestrated by Olenna Tyrell and House Martell, Prince Trystane Martell’s betrothal to Myrcella was broken and he was instead given the hand of Margaery, a valued position upon Myrcella’s regency council, Ser Robert Strong, and the Warden of the South title. After further deals and negotiations were settled the Lords of the Reach, Stormlands, and Westerlands sided with Myrcella and though Aegon had a sizable backing, it was unable to stand against that of the last legitimate child of the late King Robert Baratheon. Forever marking her as the first queen to sit upon the Iron Throne at the age of ten. It would shortly after be announced that Myrcella was set to be betrothed to Wilas Tyrell, further uniting the Tyrells and the Baratheons.

Immediately after his defeat Aegon fled King’s Landing with the remnants of the Golden Company, sailing off to Essos with haste as he ran in fear of what would come from those who backed Myrcella if he had not left the city. Once out at sea, he finds himself lost and defeated, with little purpose in the world now that he’s lost his shot at the throne both through conquest and diplomacy. His advisors do their best to reassure the young Targaryen, informing him that perhaps he doesn’t need to seek the throne by himself. Given that Daenerys still sits in Meereen and that perhaps the two would be stronger together, more so Aegon given how his aunt birthed dragons, the last the world had ever seen. And so he sailed off to meet with her, in hopes of standing by her side when they took the Iron Throne.

In the capital after having settled the ‘Crown Issue’ a regency council was formed with Mace Tyrell at its head. Its other members were Prince Doran, Randyll Tarly, Nestor Royce, Ser Jaime Lannister, and Petyr Baelish. Now they decide to look outward, towards the rest of the realm to fix the countless problems that all the wars, betrayals and plotting have birthed.

## The Fall of Stannis Baratheon and the Return of the Starks

While the Crown Issue raged on in the south, Stannis and his army marched on from Deepwood Motte after defeating the Ironborn. Having now swung House Hornwood, House Cerwyn, and House Tallhart to his side alongside various other Northern houses, he made way for Winterfell through weather that continued to grow harsher with each passing day. Across the north letters were sent to from the Crown informing them of the Great Council, not a single house decided to attend the Great Council, many Northmen decided the best course was answering with silence, while others completely refused to acknowledge the Great Council and instead further entrench themselves with the man they viewed as King, Stannis Baratheon.

Fighting against harsh weather and starvation, Stannis’ army begins to deal with more hardships and slower travel. Many of his southern soldiers having never experienced such weather slow down the army as a whole. The Northmen however deal with the weather better given they are more accustomed to what the north holds during harsh weather. After what seems to be over thirty-four days of marching, they came to a halt at a village near Winterfell. Within the nearby keep, Roose Bolton finds himself dealing with several dead Bolton men and growing tensions between his bannermen as each points the finger at one another. It further escalates when Lord Manderly throws an insult directed towards the late Little Walder which sparks a skirmish within the walls of Winterfell that results in deaths on both sides.

Enraged by the fighting and having heard rumors that Stannis was waiting nearby, Roose orders both the Freys and Manderlys to prepare to march out into the blizzard to face the Baratheon. Still furious that Myrcella was named Queen, Stannis also prepares his forces for a push towards Winterfell, much to the displeasure of some of his advisors in hopes of securing Winterfell and the North for his cause. Prior to his march, the dead, deserters, and other criminals were mounted upon pyres and set ablaze as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light for the coming battle.

Prior to his departure, Ser Justin Massey is ordered to make way for Braavos to recruit more sellswords that’ll join Stannis’ army once he takes Winterfell. The pair speak about what the future holds and the possibility of Stannis falling in battle, his orders to Massey are clear in that regard. He’s to push his daughter’s claim as should he die she’d be the rightful Queen, and though Massey asks to stay and fight alongside him, Stannis pays that no mind and furthers his orders as Stannis leaves, he asks that the Massey swear upon his honor as a knight that he’d ensure that Shireen sat upon the Iron Throne, no matter the cost. With the Lord of Light as their witness, Justin swears his oath and the pair parted ways with Massey heading to the Wall as Stannis rode for Winterfell.

The Freys and Manderlys both marched out from opposite gates, it was clear from the start that both forces lacked any true communication and were simply marching at the same village from different directions. That would have proven to be fatal to the Freys, Ser Aenys fell prey to a trap laid by Mors Umber planted near Winterfell leaving the Frey forces under Ser Hosteen.  He’d be the first force to come across the Baratheon’s forces as he drew near Winterfell.

Stannis had been informed prior to the appearance of the Frey forces that Ser Aenys had perished as per the Umbers traps and it had allowed him to prepare to deal with Hosteen. It would be in a snowy forest, just under two days' march away from Winterfell that both forces came across one another. Hosteen seeing no point in a parley sent his forces headfirst into Stannis’ men, proving to the Stag King that he was in fact as dimwitted as he’d expected. There in the forest, the Baratheon’s forces laid traps and ambushes, awaiting for the Frey forces to push in. The Clansmen of the North were the first amongst Stannis’ followers to bloody the Freys, during the battle the Northmen took their revenge upon the Freys showing them no mercy as they cut their way out of the forest. By the end, Stannis stood the victory and Hosteen was injured but captured. Some of Stannis’ northmen wanted to butcher the man and move on but he dragged him along.

Alongside other captures, it was let known that the Manderlys had also left with the Freys but no-one recalled seeing them during the battle. To Stannis it seemed as though they’d all but abandoned the Rivermen and allowed them to die, and he’d be correct. Under orders from Lord Wyman, the Manderly forces swung far north on their way to Crofter’s Village while the Freys elected to march directly west. It had not only allowed the Manderlys to avoid Stannis’ forces but it had also lessened the chance that they and the Freys would be nearby once they came across him. For all practical purposes, the Freys were left to be butchered as the Manderlys proceeded onward towards the village unharmed.

Stannis pressed forward towards Winterfell upon realization that the Manderlys seemed to have avoided conflict. Though he sent a messenger to inform them that they were to swear fealty to their rightful King or once he took Winterfell he’d view them as nothing but rebels and crush them. As expected, Wyman failed to reply with a solid answer, instead electing to watch from afar as Stannis moved to take Winterfell.

As he prepared a siege, Houses Manderly, Flint, Umber and Glover had gathered additional forces at the White Knife where they’d prepare to march on Winterfell upon hearing that King Stannis sat at its walls. Ever loyal to their late king’s legacy and with Rickon handed over by the Skagsosi, they moved to act. Wyman’s forces at Crofter’s Village moved to Winterfell upon receiving word that the other forces were doing the same and there they gathered with Stannis’ army. The King of Westeros and the Northmen prepared to take on the Flayer and his monstrous bastard. Through heavy battling, the filth that took Robb Stark and so many other Northmen were purged from the North.

But the question of whether the Northmen owed Stannis Baratheon in exchange for him aiding in putting down the Boltons for the final time. Some declared that they’d follow no other than ‘King Rickon Stark’ while others understood that they were bound to aid Stannis for they couldn’t refuse to aid the man who’d liberated them. To the surprise of those who’d wanted both sides, Stannis told them he had no intention of heading south until he dealt with the threat to the North. Some knew what he meant by that, the cold undead who sought to destroy life as they knew. Others believed him to be nothing but a mad foolish man.

And yet men from the North followed Stannis’ army into the unknown, directly into the jaws of winter never to be seen again.

### The Lone Wolf Endures

Stannis and the men who followed him vanished beyond the wall, but in the North, the young Rickon Stark took his rightful place at the head of the Northmen. Though he was but a boy, Lord Wyman Manderly ruled as regent in his place, just as Mace Tyrell and the regency council did to the south.

The men of the north were at this point drained, both from the War of the Five Kings as well as from having to take Winterfell back from the Boltons. They knew they couldn’t stand yet another war but just as they’d promised, they’d prepared to follow the young wolf no matter the cost. Thankfully, Rickon nor Wyman had wanted a war. The young boy simply wished for his family to be brought back to him, a small want they many thought would be impossible.

That was until of course, they’d received a letter near the end of 301 AC from the Eyrie itself. With the death of the sickly Lord Robert Arryn, the Eyrie was seized by Yohn Royce and Sansa Stark, who’d wed and installed Harrold Hardyng in power with the backing of the Royces. She’d informed her kin at Winterfell of the presence and marriage to the new Lord of the Eyrie. This union with the Arryns would have been the foundation to eventually bringing the Starks back under the Iron Throne.

Wyman accepted the request to negotiate the North’s return after Sansa and her Lord husband visited her ancestral home and her brother. Though it does take some time and concessions, including the betrothal of Rickon’s future daughter to the heir to the Iron Throne, Wyman ushers the North back into the fold and begins his long reign as the de facto Lord of Winterfell until Rickon becomes of age.

## The Queen's Man

After word reached Massey that Stannis had taken Winterfell but vanished further North beyond the wall in 301 AC, he moved to quickly secure Shireen at his side in Essos and prepared to use the funds of the Iron Bank to finance the army Stannis had sent him to gather. Instead he was met with a bank that refused to transfer any funds, instead they claimed that the disappearance of Stannis meant a halt in their agreement until he reappeared.

That never came to be, instead during his time in Braavos with Shireen, Ser Justin heard claims that Stannis ‘the King Who Fled’ would never be heard from. But his mission pressed forward as Massey did his best to fulfill the final oath he swore to his King. Though he had no funding from the Iron Bank, Massey did his best to gather sellswords, promising great wealth and lands once they’d taken Westeros in the name of the Baratheons. He’d gathered a small force of men who by all accounts were common thugs, ruffians or simply taking a chance with the Westerosi noblemen and his Queen.

After nearly two years of attempting to gather sellswords, in 303 AC, Ser Justin turned his attention back towards Westeros. There he attempted to send envoys to sway men back towards Shireen and her claim. Pressing the Stormlanders and any house that would listen, Massey claimed that Shireen as Stannis’ only child was the rightful Queen. And yet, that fell on deaf ears. It seemed as though no house with any true power wished to back the daughter of the King Who Fled.

Pressing further and further, Massey found himself for the first time in years feeling as though his mission was a failure. It didn’t help that Shireen was growing and asking questions, about her father, about her homeland and so many other things that Massey just couldn’t bring himself to answer. The man had grown to adore the little girl he’d taken under his watch and to see her growing so far away from her homeland, with no power, no wealth and nothing but her name made him feel heartbroken. The man who’d held his ambitions high felt as though he ought to put the girl first.

He knew Stannis would have beheaded him for losing faith, for not doing what was required of him no matter the cost but he bent in the final moons of 303 AC. A letter was sent from Braavos, Ser Justin Massey had informed the Regency Council of King’s Landing that he held in his possession Shireen and that he’d wished to negotiate her safe return under the protection of her cousin, Queen Myrcella Baratheon. To his shock, Mace sent an envoy to speak terms with Massey.

By the start of the next year, Shireen and Justin would be on a ship heading for King’s Landing. The terms agreed were that Shireen would renounce her R'hllor faith and proclaim before all of Westeros that she renounced her lines claims to the throne and that the true Queen was her cousin Myrcella and her children after her.

It’d be there in King’s Landing that the daughter of Stannis Baratheon would live as a guest in the Red Keep for years, no harm would have come to the girl and in fact her and the Queen, her cousin, grew closer to one another during that time. And that would have benefitted Shireen more than she could have ever hoped for in the years to come.

## Wedding of the Rosegold

As it grew time for Myrcella to put her regency council to the side and begin her reign, Lord Mace Tyrell moved to finalize preparations for her wedding with Wilas Tyrell. It was said that the Rose Lord wanted to convey power, not just for the Tyrells but for House Baratheon as well. If all went his way, Myrcella would have been the final Stag Monarch and he wished to show the world that the mighty Baratheons and Tyrells would forever be joined through those who’d come after her.

And so on the 2nd Moon of 306 AC, as spring took hold of Westeros, the Wedding of Wilas Tyrell and Myrcella Baratheon took place. It became one of the largest weddings in Westeros as Lords from all corners of the continent attended. Marking the first time since the end of the War of Five Kings that lords from so many regions came together for a sole reason. The sheer vastness of the tournament alone had moved to propel knights and nobles alike as they showcased their talents to the masses who’d attended.

But it was not the melee nor the joust that brought everyone together, it was the wedding of their Queen and her Rose. After years of planning, the Tyrells finally succeeded. Mace Tyrell watched proudly as his son, Wilas wed Myrcella and became her King-Consort. Many were surprised to hear they 'd been given such a title and what would come next however shocked even more of those in attendance.

During the feast, Queen Myrcella called her cousin, Shireen before her. There she’d announced her plans to grant her Storm’s End and the Lady Paramountcy. As the two last Baratheons, she said she hadn’t wanted her cousin to be left with nothing. Claiming that she knew her father, King Robert Baratheon wouldn’t have wanted her to leave the child of his brother Stannis as but a ‘guest’ in the Red Keep. And with that, there was once more a Baratheon in Storm’s End.