Chapter 8: Redgrass
Ok first thing I sorry this is way late. Things came up and stuff pile up. I try to update quicker but no promises.
Another chapter and end to the rebellion but their be more since ending the Blackfyre line all at once be overdoing it. I will say their future rebellions will be harder to get off the ground.
196AC
Lord Donnel Arryn welcomed us and was more than happy at nearly nine thousand reinforcements. He told us where to camp and I ordered my army unpack there while following him to a meeting.
At a large grey tent I introduced to Lord Wyman Webber, Wyl Waynwood, the knight of Ninestars Ser Louis Templeton, Kingsguard knight Ser Gwayne Corbray and a few more lords.
I greeted warmly but most ignored me and even look me coldy when Donnel asked about my House. Donnel and Gwayne were more than friendly when I announced the deaths of Robb and Audrey at Harrenhal. The situation at the moment was Daemon is coming and their still awaiting more reinforcements since Blackfyre coming with an estimated 30 or 40 thousand men.
It was decided to move me and my harden men to the flank but all my cavalry was to under Gwayne reluctantly agreed.
After the meeting I quickly prepare my men, earthworks are dug, trebuchets are set up and pitfall traps are put in front of our defenses over the next three days.
The rest of the army looks at us with disdain and especially at our defenses but Donnel see the value. And has some pitfall dug too and stakes put down. On the third day they came and with scouts rushing back reporting the force is bigger than expected. They camped far away from us that we couldn't attack without being seen and vice versa for them.
Later that night one of my guards caught an whore trying to sneak into my tent and I learned she had come from the rebel camp just hours earlier.
She claimed she was going to offer her "services" to me. I roll my eyes at her and had her along with every whore in our area arrested. After searching them and belongings important documents are founded which I after telling Donnel are look over.
Several of theses documents lead to a few lords being arrested for treason and all the prostitutes in the army to being arrested. Lord Arryn allows me to deal with them as I see fit.
The next morning
The rebels awoke to the new day with women being tossed at them.
" have mercy milord!"
" don't do this please!"
" no mercy please I innocent !"
Are some of the things the prostitutes screamed as they are loaded and throwed by my trebuchets. While Blackfyre rebels are out of ranged they can still see and hear them coming down. By the time we send the last one flying it's noon and rebels are fully up.
They form up as we waited and many of my men start praying to the old gods. There only 16,000 or so of us against maybe 50,000 rebels.
I formed up my men, some Riverlanders and Crownlanders joined us. The rebel vanguard advances under volleys of arrow fire on them. My trebuchets joined in and scores are killed or wounded as large stone ball smash deep in their formation. But the rebels kept coming until they charge with heavily armoured knights leading the cavalry. Donnel counter charge them with his own knights and heavy cavalry.
Both groups smashed into each other with a fury. By the time rebel infantry engage us their numbers had been lessen from arrows and the traps. They are meet by met by pikes, swords, spears, maces and axes as they crash into us.
I fight on foot this time and get in the thick if it. The next hour or so time seems to go slow as I fought. Many commoners fall to my sword and several knights too as a Valyrian blade can punch through their armor if I stab at them with enough force.
A Hightower Knight nearly got me when knock me off my feet with a war hammer, I save myself by hacking off one of his legs when he became distracted. I finish him off by thrusting Red Rain right through into his visor.
I take stock of the situation, we have been pushed out of our starting position, Lord Arryn's men are scattered, the right flank near collapse and their still plenty of rebels coming. I lead a counter charge with the last reserves and kill Lord Shawney during the bloody melee.
At the moment I slay Lord Shawney, a man steps up and I stare wide eyed in fear. He lean, tall, has purple eyes, dark hair and looks angry. His sigil of a winged stallion confirms my fears as I call out.
" Bittersteel I presumed?"
" surrender or die boy!"
He answers me and I shake my head. I try to kill him quickly with a discarded spear but caught it with his shield. I charged him head on with Red Rain in hand and a duel begins.
Right from the start he in control, while my swormanship has improved a lot over the last year. Bittersteel in a different league as I parry and block his strikes. Despite my poor attempts I just can't break through his defense and he able to knock me to the ground. Our duel ends when one of my Thegns hit him from the back with his mace before Aegor can strike a final blow.
Bittersteel falls to the ground in pain and I get to my feet fast. And kick his helmet with my foot as hard as I could. He goes out with a groan and I proceed to rip off his open face helmet. My Housecarls rally around as I toss Aegor's helm at the rebels.
" Bittersteel is dead!"
I roar out and my men take up the call. The rebels start giving ground and Gwayne has charge with his force into the Blackfyre center. I have Bittersteel stripped, tied and taken to the rear while I focus on a new task. With my Housecarls I cut my way through the rebels to reach the center now that the left has stabilise. The fighting even more vicious here with men killing each other like animals. Once there I witness the epic duel of Daemon Blackfyre and the Kingsguard knight. They fought brilliantly and with grace, it was truly a fight to see. They danced a deadly dance until the Black Dragon finally won.
We watch him ordering Redtusk to carry the severely injured Gwayne to the rear for treatment. At that moment arrows fell on the site where his banner is and a boy is impaled by several arrows. The black Dragon screams in anger at the slaying of his eldest son but its short lived. Because he pierced by seven arrows and falls to the ground twitching.
The Black dragon dies in a pool of his own blood and his second son joins his father and elder twin when he went for Blackfyre.
For just a second the world goes quiet as the shock of what has happened wears off. I charge towards the bodies and kill any rebel in my way. I slew four more rebels and retrieve both Blackfyre and Lady Forlorn. The bodies are also recovered and taken to the camp for parading. The rebel army begins to fall back and with no Bittersteel to rally them. It's become a rout and that quickly becomes a slaughter when Baelor with his host of Stormlander and Dornish soldiers smash into their rear.
I take part in the chase and hack down a score of running men. Enough of my own men had joined the chase to rally them to take the rebel camp. Which its remaining defenders surrendered to us in exchange for their lives. I sent for more to come and by nightfall its secured with us keeping out the others. As since we taken the camp I declared the loot inside ours and we nearly clash with southerners over the spoils.
Brynden Rivers and his nephew Prince Baelor stopped us from killing each other by stating since we Northerners took the camp. The spoils of the rebels are ours and Brynden demanded I turn over both Valyrian swords taken from the battle.
" yes milord"
I told him and personally gave him both Lady Forlorn and Blackfyre. Baelor thanked me for saving both swords and invites me to King's Landing as his guest. I politely accept his offer once we are done with the rebellion.
When later after getting back to my tent I just fell asleep in my bed I so tired and sore from battle I don't even strip off my dirty tunic or pants.
Next day
The day after Redgrass is bloody and messing. Nearly two thousand Northerners are dead and 2,500 WIA in the long bloody battle. But thousands more also dead, wounded or prisoners. The cleanup is grim as bodies are stripped, drag and toss into mass graves. Lowborn prisoners in my custody are released around noon in their birthday suits and much of the army laughs at their humiliating state.
The spoils are gathered and with our wounded sent to Harrenhal. Guarding them is much of my remaining able men with just a thousand to follow me to the capital. The bodies of Daemon and his sons are stripped naked, their heads placed in jars of honey and bodies nail to trees.
Bittersteel I decided to have special fun with him and is going to be my present to the king. Hundred of highborns and knights are taken as prisoners for ransom. I march with my remaining men to Daemon Blackfyre's seat but his wife, children, servants and remaining supporters had fled across the narrow sea already by the time we arrived two days late. I allowed my men to loot the place and then set it to the torch when we left.
New reaches me of the total dead from the battle of Red Grass is a staggering 25,000 KIA from both sides, 12,000 wounded and over 18,000 prisoners. A couple dozen noble and knightly houses wiped out or near enough. Dozens of men made their fortune and gain fame at Red Grass. I am being credited for capturing Bittersteel and recovering Blackfyre for House Targaryen.
The capital greeted us with plenty of cheering and chanting " Red Raven". I also finally picked the words to my house " Who dares, wins " and many of my minions agreed with it. The smell of the city nearly made me throw up breakfast and how can the Targaryens ignore this. Seriously improving the sewers and pouring money in building bathhouses or paying street cleaners will help in the long run.
I toss stags at the cheering crowd and watch them try to gather them. My army is billet at some barracks and I allow to enter the Red Keep with my guards plus presents for the king.
Once we in and reach the Throne room I stare in awe at the Iron Throne. The ugly twist metal throne is more impressive than the TV show version and I weren't dare try to sit on that especially with all those sharp edges.
The room full of hundreds of nobles and lowborn all staring at me as I bow to the King.
The king sat on the throne surrounded by his Kingsguards and family members. A lovely blonde in white and silver winks at me from the side of Bloodraven.
Daeron the good thanked me for my service in the rebellion and for recovering his family sword. I show him the heads of Daemon and his twin sons. Many in the crowd gasp as I display the heads and pass them over to the Kingsguard. The king himself look uneasy at the sight of his bastard brother's head.
I then announce a gift to Bloodraven who surprise I giving him something. My Housecarls bring in a barrel and they pop the lit then from it they pull out Bittersteel.
Or what left of him, for I had his limbs removed along with his manhood and tongue too. The reaction from the crowd in the room was shrilling, gasps and looks of horror. Bittersteel tries to talk but his lack of tongue makes it impossible and he moves his stubs. More than a few people look even ill or disgust at the sight of him.
King Daeron the Good looks at me with cold eyes.
" it had been better if you killed him than this!"
" I sorry I thought it was a fit punishment for him" I say and bow my head to him.
" end his pain and never do this again!"
He roars out to me and I pull my sword from its scabbard. I lift my sword over him and thrust downward into his throat. Bittersteel dies gasping and coughing out blood as the light in his eyes faded.
The rest of my meeting with the king goes quickly. Bittersteel is beheaded and head mounted on a spike. I found myself handed a chest full of gold Dragons, my title Jarl is confirm, granted a new suite of plate and a sack of stags too.
Once my audience with the king is done I go explore the city. First place I walk through is the street of steel and look through the shops there. I find one of the best shops there and have the smith commission me a suite of black plate and a sword for my squire Daeron.
Afterwards I resume exploring the capital and see stalls selling the loot of Redgrass. Arms, armor, banners and articles of clothing fill a street of stalls most of them still soaked in blood of their former owners.
I didn't buy any of the spoils from Redgrass. The city as I saw still in happy mood with the rebellion crushed and peace restored. I even visited Flea Bottom to see where Davos Seaworth and Duncan were born one day. As almost every character who described the place is right, its a dump and heck I saw the infamous bowl of Brown. Several pot shops were selling them to the poor or anyone who desperate for food.
The next few days are filled with attending parties, watched a small tourney the king held, drinking at a few taverns with my men and joining the royals on hunts. At one hunt I actually get to talk with Prince Baelor who now the Hand of the king. I try convincing him that expanding the sewer system, bath houses and street cleaners will help clean up the capital but he shrugs them off claiming it be too expensive.
My actions in the South also finally taint my reputation, the whole sacking The Twins and killing whores are frowned on by many people. Thankfully Bloodraven helps me by keeping the rumors down and having the king give the Freys some funds to rebuild. Another thing I notice is Jeans are imported from White harbor are becoming popular and burgers too.
Its hits wharfs first then spreads out to the rest of the city. Unsurprisingly it becomes a stable in Flea Bottom and the old gods help any poor soul who not getting one made of beef.
By the third week I offer the chance to join a diplomatic mission to Lys. I take it since seeing a free city is a big deal and make arrangements with my men while I am gone. Brynden also came too and by next week we left the capital on a ship with two escorts. The pirates of the Step stones don't bother us and stick to easier prey.
I try to get closer to Bloodraven but he keeps his distance and barely talks.
About twelves days later our ship arrives at the island. It's a tropical paradise with nice white sand beaches, palm trees, fruit trees, great weather and the people are beautiful.
A few days into our stay I meet Myrmadora the daughter of a minor spice merchant. She the very image of a Valyrian her hair silver-gold, fair skin, purple eyes, petite with a modest bust and a firm round back side.
As Bloodraven and the others perform their mission. I court Myrmadora after meeting her at the marketplace and discover she well educated. She speaks the common tongue with a cute accent and old Valyrian too.
We spoke of our homes, I told her of the Blackfyre rebellion and she was in awe of hearing how the Black dragon fell. She loves how I describe the North and even more when I asked if she wanted to go there.
I date her for several weeks before asking for her hand. At seventeen years old she in marriage age, I had to deal with her family and stay behind when the mission had to leave for Myr. After a week of talks, I hand over a bride price to her father and Myrmadora despite knowing how the North is still agree to be my wife.
Her father happily trades her off for two hundred gold coins and knowing he now has a soon to be countess for a daughter. He going to bank on my famous as the killer of Bittersteel for his own gains. During this time I got letters from my commanders and learned some of my forces had disbanded. They took some of our loot as payment and left for home or settled in the South.
Our wedding took place in the temple of the weeping lady. I wore a black tunic with my sigil, grey belt and black jeans with dark brown boots. Myrmadora had on a see through purple dress and just a jeweled girdle under it. Her family, several merchant families and a few noble ones attended. We said our vows, she took my cloak, shared a long kiss and she officially become Myrmadora Kynligia the Countess of Gondor
Our wedding feast went great her dad had went all out on it. Thankfully there no bedding ceremony here like in the seven kingdoms. But we still escort to a chamber and Myrmadora has a surprise for me waiting inside.
Sitting on our wedding bed is her cousin Lysara naked with a silver collar around her neck.
" Love my surprise husband? My uncle ran up some debt and my poor cousin was taken to be sold to pay his debt. And so I brought her for us to enjoy.
"Lysara show your new master how skill you are with that mouth"
Myrmadora say and undress as Lysara on hands and knees comes up to me. She unbuttoned my pants and pull them down exposing my now semi hard cock to her. Lysara engulf my cock with her mouth and went to work with her tongue.
She ran it up and down my shaft while looking at me with her purple eyes. She a copy of my wife just taller and with a bigger chest. I put a hand on her head to encourage her work and smile. Soon I spill my seed in her mouth and Lysara swallows it all without trouble.
I take off the rest of my clothing and take Lysara. I push her onto the bed and enter her. Her pussy grip my cock tightly and began squeezing it. She moaned and wraps her legs around my waist while I screw her. I fondle with breasts and pinched her hard nipples, I look to my wife and she smiles at me.
Lysara comes first before me and again I spill my seed in her. I stood up and walked to Myrmadora who kiss me before pulling me to bed with her for more fun.
The rest of the night I did things with my wife and her cousin that were unthinkable in my old life.
Our honeymoon lasted half a month and we visited both the free cities of Tyrosh and Myr. By the time we finally set sail to Westeros my wife had a fortune assembled of goods in her baggage and her own entourage of servants to follow her North. After docking in the city I gather my men in the capital, we march to Harrenhal to collect my loot there and I recall any garrisons I stationed during the rebellion.
At Harrenhal I find some of the loot "missing" but their still plenty of it left along with the gold from ransoming nobles. I paid off anyone who decides at this point to stay South for whatever reason.
I cross the Neck after a detour to avoid the Twins with just about 4,500 men left of the close to ten thousand I march South with months ago. With a new wife, riches and a plan for more reforms I looking forward to some peace.
197 AC second month
Gondor, The North
"Milord the harvest reports have came in"
" how much?"
" it three times bigger than the last Milord, more than enough for our needs and a surplus we could sell!"
My majordomo says exciting and hands me the reports before excusing himself. I look through them and see he telling the true. I sip some wine from a gold cup and look at my wife who is happy about the news too.
Since my return I have been on a roll improving the jarldom and launching the newest set of reforms. First changed up my household with new positions and titles.
Head of it is the Majordomo who oversee that everything runs smoothly and is in charge of running the jarldom if I gone unless my wife stays. Marshal of arms to be my military commander, keeper of the purse for finance, master of the stable for my horses, master of trade to oversee all the trade, master of the wardrobe to maintain my clothes, master of Gondor intelligence or GI, head cook for the kitchen, Grand huntsman for hunts, court musician that my wife insisted on and court healer.
Myrmadora has her own smaller retinue of chamber maids, handmaidens, ladies in waiting, seamstresses and in charge of it all is a mistress of the robes.
Another thing is Gondor is more like a city now with new inflow of people and expanding taking place. And several villages had grown also and led me to grant them town charters. Which beside allowing them to call their settlement a town, gives them privileges like electing their own mayors, set local tax rates in the town, appointing a reeve as law enforcement, establish guilds and few other rights.
Along with that I enlarge my Jarldom by taking the barely or near empty lands around the twin lakes and rivers. Most of the new lands were abandoned, under a distant lord who won't care and a few trade them for gold.
Carve out plots of lands for my veterans, some refugees and a few new villages had sprung up in the new areas. New roads, irrigation systems, public works and mills are being built. My income will be increasing the next years and Myrmadora also putting her merchant skills to work too.
With her establishing trade ties to Essoi and opening a factory in Gondor after I commissioned a spinning Jenning to be build a couple of months later. Didn't take her long to see how producing more yarns is better and profitable. So more spinning jenning were build and the Gondor Textile Factory is founded. Sadly cotton isn't produced in large quantity in Westeros, growing it in the North isn't an option, importing it through White Harbor from Essoi is costly and so it mostly wool that being spun.
The cost of producing clothing has drop and its had an affect on local cottage industry. Some complaining, a guild threaten a strike and almost a riot but several merchants or craftsmen are beginning to adopt the machine too.
My family also grown, my eldest brother and his wife had a son so I an uncle now. Ragnhild had twins with her husband Clovis Wulls and both are boys. My other brother Ulf still unmarried and rest of my siblings are living with our parents. But Dacy now wife of Lord Manderly heir Arnold after a courtship of letters and a visit. Her dowry was costly but now I got a good close ties to White Harbor.
My family and the Jarldom accepted my new Valyrian wife quickly. Lysara also came through at this point she my mistress and Myrmadora's chief handmaiden. Something that raise eyebrows but no one can really blame me for taking the hot cousin of my wife as my bed warmer.
Another is that bikes had become really popular with the small folks. There has been an increase of merchants that now their forming a middle class between the nobility and the peasants. The North never really had that much of a mercantile spirit or major industry but now Gondor beginning to over take White Harbor as a trade and Manufacturing hub.
Lord Ryswell wary of me now with the fact I have more resources, men and wealth than him. Thankfully my alliances with the now resurgence House Fisher and House Mormont should keep him off my back.
The Fishers are now the biggest supplier of fish products in the North along with income from whale oil, salt and metals from a couple of mines
Bear island and Deepwood Motte both now attempting to copy us. My spy network reporting their running into trouble trying to raise the funds. Maybe I should lend some help pretty soon.
Myrmadora starts organizing the harvest festival for the Jarldom when a Vaegon comes up to me looking wide eyed and shock.
" Lord Stark is dead, killed on Skagos by the King of Skagos!"
He nearly shouts out and all I can do is just smile at the news.
One month later
Gondor, The North 196AC
" under the terms of the treaty, all hostilities are to end for a period of ten years, at which it can be renewal, all claims of stolen property are to become void, any remaining prisoners are to be released, free passage to ships traveling to or from the North and trade relationships are to be established"
I say and pass him the treaty to sign, Lord Greyjoy gave me a deadpan look as he reads the terms and hesitate a bit before signing it.
The Ironborn party had mixed emotions about it but besides some looks they accepted Lord Greyjoy decision. Their mood change once gifts of gold were handed to them and a copies of now named Treaty of Gondor. There a feast that night where they gore themselves on my food and leave the next day back to their ships.
The North free from any raids for ten years and I secured trade rights in the Iron islands. The increase patrolling warships, watch towers on the coast and their heavy losses had discouraged them raiding.
Since Lord Barthogan Stark's death and Brandon taking the reins of the North. The region starting to breaking up and Stark authority beginning to crumble. Barthogan overtaxed the North and gotten too many men killed fighting Skagos.
House Bolton, Dustin, Hornwood, Glover, Umber and a score of minor houses are no longer providing taxes or men to the Stark. And the others are nominally still loyal through all the chaos caused by the famine has left many unable to support House Stark. The irony I find in all this is it reminds me of France in 10th century when Hugh Capet became King of the Franks. Brandon had to abandon the campaign in Skagos and save what left of Winterfell's levies.
Now he also has to deal with a nearly empty treasury after all Barthogan's spending. Political and financially the Starks are weak at the moment. Some of remaining sellswords Barthogan hired are also currently running around the Eastern half of the North pillaging after Brandon refused to pay them. At the moment he doesn't many men left to fight with and many lords on the Eastern half lost much of their levies in Barthogan's latest Skagos campaign.
The leader of the Skagosi rebellion Sygerrick Magner has declared himself king of Skagos. And with a mix fleet of captured or skagosi build ships raiding the eastern coast of the North then conquest. The Karstarks are in disarray after a pitch battle defeat on their lands and loss of their lord. Karhold held out but much of the surrounding region now under Sygerrick control.
For the next several weeks I ignore Brandon's pleas for men and just sent supplies. Garrison two tiny islands off the western coast that I name Ithaca and Odysseus as bases for a small squadron to guard against any Ironborn ship thinking of breaking the peace. The political scene changing in the North, Bear island, Deepwood and the mountain clan Wulls declared jarldoms.
Bear island taken Sea dragon point and now have access to more resources, House Glover expand a bit and my brother-in -law united the mountain clans by a mix of wealth and force to submit to him. And all announced their own Jarldoms copying me and some of my reforms.
House Fisher does the same a week later and by then the first ships from the South arrive to trade at his main port. The iron and lead of the mine from Iron islands are beginning to flood in. Several Ironborn houses are filling their pockets up from it.
Myrmadora and Lysara tell me their pregnant which excites me at the thought of children.
Eleven month 196AC
Gondor, The North
" so it's happened"
" Karhold has fallen but the Karstarks escaped to Winterfell, sadly that small comfort after the Manderly fleet was hit by that storm and survivors annihilate at the battle off Grey hills"
" great the whole eastern coast now free for Skagosi raiders and White Harbor lost the only fleet strong enough to stop them.
"What about land forces surely Brandon gathering men to drive them to the sea?"
" not enough men my Jarl, with Bolton waging a war with Hornwoods, those sellswords still roaming the North and old feuds between Houses flaring up not many lords can spare men"
I sighed at all the bad news and sent Veagon away. The eastern half of the North going to shit and Brandon being blamed. Damn Barthogan for dying at a worst time and for draining the North after a bad winter.
A force of two thousand are ordered to be assembled quickly to crush the band of sellswords and dispatch a shipment of supplies to Winterfell. I turn my thoughts from the current crisis and to my new campaign of introducing football(soccer) to the North. Several weeks ago I formed the first FC club the Gondor United, recruited some people to play, build a field, wrote down the rules which was a pain to remember but I remembered enough to do so and began their training. I now offering to fund any villages and towns that are interested in forming a club.
Hopefully the nobles and commoners take to the new sport fast.
Battle report
Blackfyre rebellion
Battle of Redgrass
Result: decisive Targaryen victory and end of Rebellion
House Blackfyre and supporters
Leaders: Daemon Blackfyre(KIA), Aegor Bittersteel(POW), Redtusk(MIA) and Lord Shawney(KIA)
Force: 50,000 estimates
Losses:15,000+ ( KIA) 18,000 (POW) thousands (MIA)
Targaryen loyalists
Leaders: Prince Baelor, Prince Maekor, Kingsguard commander Gwayne (WIA), Brynden Rivers and Harthacnut Kynligia
Force: 16,000 initially
45,000+ at the end
Losses: 10,000+ (KIA)
So the rebellion over but the North facing a major upheaval and disaster.
First thing is the Skagosi aren't going to get far in the North, I think their population small and give them something like 30,000 people with the ability to muster around 5,000 men or 10,000 if they push it. Just maintaining a hold Karstarks lands going to require chunk of their forces. So the best they can do now is raiding the coast and attack trade ships.
So Winterfell temporary unable to stop them at the moment when a good amount of your vassals refuse to provide men and money you're in trouble. Most of Winterfell direct levy of men are gone, lost with Barthogan and Brandon scraping the barrel for a new force.
Barthogan use of sellswords to supplement his army also backfired, once he died on Skagos they abandon his cause and fled back to the mainland. Brandon refused to pay since the Stark treasury nearly empty. And that led to pillaging sellswords which is worst since many Northernmen who were hit hard by the winter and then famine had joined them.
Also serfdom doesn't seem to be a thing in the North so I see many commoners in the east packing up and going west. It's a no brainer why stay in an area ravaged by famine, bandits, invasion and warring nobles. Also the lure of work, food, stability and opportunities going to attract plenty of them to the Jarldoms.
Which is going to lead to a lot of lords suddenly noticing their lands have less smallfolks and a sharp drop in their income.
The Boltons aren't overthrowing the Stark or at the moment plotting to. The whole war with them and Hornwood is over the poaching of deers in Bolton lands by Hornwood Smallfolks.
Their also going to be a cultural and social change in the North.
So I settled for a Valyrian wife and a mistress for Cnut.
Yes I a football(soccer) fan and it's the easiest sport I can see introducing in Westeros. Might take a few years to really spread but a paycheck and prize money should help the game catch on in the North.
Last their going to be boon in trade on the western coast as ships from the Reach, Westerlands, Dorne and other lands can now travel the sunset sea without Ironborn attacking them.
Next chapter the Skagosi situation be dealt with and the dust is settling in the North. The aftermath going to have some winners and losers.