What if Ned Stark Demanded a Trial by Seven

The night [music] is dark and full of theories. [music] What if Ned Stark demanded a trial of seven? Let's explore the depths of it in the video. If this video gets 3,500 likes, we'll release part two. >> Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North and disgraced hand of the king. The whole court goes silent as the herald finishes his announcement, and the prisoner is brought forward. Ned shuffles forward with his hands and legs, manicult, and [music] escorted by a pair of gold cloaks. He walks past the courtortier, hearing the barely concealed whispers. They mutter the words, "Traitor and usurper." Others simply remain silent, though he can see their judging gazes upon them. Yet, he can shrug those off without a second thought. Their opinions are nothing to him. Instead, he looks towards Sansa, who stands at the end of the throne room. Her eyes are wide as she regards her father, hands gripping the sides of her gown whenever she gets nervous. She stands beside Joffrey, who offers a cold smile as he taps the side of the iron throne. Cersei looks equally [music] triumphant as she regards the disgraced lord. A servant brings her a goblet of wine, which she absently sips as [music] Ned is brought to his knees before them. >> So, the disgraced hand wishes to confess his crimes. Very well, let us get this unpleasant business behind us. Lord Stark, I have told you before that my son is a merciful man. If you bend the knee and pledge yourself to him, I see no reason why we cannot be merciful. >> Confess my crimes. The only crime I wish to come before you to confess is that I failed my job of protecting the king but not doing enough to curtail Lannister influence. >> Fool, are you so eager to die that you will throw your life away like this? >> From her beliefs in my honor without question, just as I am prepared to fight for it with every ounce of my strength. If you are so quick to condemn me, then let me defend myself. I demand a trial by seven. The whole court gasps as they hear this. There hasn't been such a trial since the days of Sir Duncan, the tall and king maker. Even Joffrey looks at Ned in surprise, sitting upright and staring at him. The boy's face twists with fury as he considers this idea. Yet Ned remains resolute. But then Cersei's face relaxes and she begins to smile. >> A trial by seven, you say? I must say you are bold and confident that you believe you can find someone here willing to stand by you, much less seven. I assume you will be one of the combatants. I am injured. Does that not mean I can call upon a champion? [music] Just as I am sure the king will call upon one as well. >> Count yourself lucky I don't cut you down for that. If you want a champion, so be it. >> Already, the Hound, Sir Marin, Preston, and Boros all step forward to offer their swords to represent. When Ned glances around, most of the lords are reluctant to meet his gaze. A month ago, they had proclaimed themselves willing to die in his name. Yet that was when he was still in office. But that was before. And when he looks now, he sees not a single man willing to fight. I shall fight for Lord Stark. The Old Knight suddenly strides into the hall before the Herald can begin his announcement. His eyes blaze with purpose as he glares at [music] Joffrey. Ned notices there is blood on his knife, but chooses not to say anything. Suddenly, the king's [music] guard do not look so confident, while Cersei's arrogant look crumbles as she stares at the knight. Joffrey surges to his feet and calls him a traitor, but [music] Sir Barristan ignores him and stands beside Ned. There are no words exchanged between the two, but Sir Barristan offers the tiniest nod and allows Ned to see the remorse in his eyes. The sight of one of the greatest knights alive standing beside the supposed traitor galvanizes others. Sir Balen Swan soon follows and joins them. Soon it goes from oneon- four to three on four. Though the odds have firmly swung in Ned's favor. May I offer a suggestion? It appears that both our sides require time to gather seven knights. Allow me to write to my son. Have him come here with his army. There will be champions there, and if I am found guilty, I shall have him bend the knee as well. Cersei is angered by this idea, but Joffrey is intrigued. He is never one to shy away from the idea of having men fight to the death in front of him. And this situation will at least allow the Lannisters to call their best knights back to take part. Eventually, the royal family agrees, and they begin to hammer out the details. As they said, Rob shall witness this event and will bend the knee if Ned is found guilty. But at a sign of goodwill, he shall be allowed to bring a contingent of soldiers for his protection, while the rests shall remain in the Riverlands. Alongside the Lannisters, they will halt all military action. Word is sent to the armies to gather their forces. The Lannisters act first, sending their contingent under the command of Sir Jaime. [music] Rob is surprised by the news, and while some urge him to take advantage of this opportunity, Roose remains skeptical. He considers what this might mean and the dangers it poses, assuming this is not a trick. What reason will the Lannisters have to follow through with their side of the agreement? As their army crosses the twins, it puts them in a dangerous position. By now, they have fully committed to battle, but leaving to take part in this trial by seven. Leaves their original plan out the window. They cannot act. But Tywin might now have a good idea for their forces. And without hostages to barter for, they have nothing that will cause him to stay his hand. All of this hinges on Lannister honor. Truthfully, I'd rather pin my hopes on Frey's bravery or Greyjoy loyalty than on Taiwan honoring his word. I do not like it either. But what choice do we have? If I were to refuse, it [music] would only give the Lannister his cause and sign my father's death warrant. He may still fight. He will not find seven men to stand to fight for him. And if he does, I would not trust them. He needs Northmen. And so do the Lannisters. We cannot discount the possibility that this might be their way of decapitating our leadership. If we send our lords, that is fewer people to be able to lead their army. I hope you are not suggesting that we leave my husband to die. Uncle, >> nothing of the sort. But we must prepare for every real possibility that this is a trick by the Lannisters. For one, we must ensure that there is someone to take command of the army should the worst come to pass. That is reasonable enough. I can surely find someone to take command. Roose Bolton. He's a better commander than he is a warrior. That makes him the ideal choice to leave behind. Willis Manderly can also remain with him in case the Lord of Dreadfall is slain. And he can take charge. That is good. But our armies are not enough. We command 20,000 swords. The Lannisters have two to one. Even if we were to rally the riverlords, it would take time and would alert them to our intentions. We must reach out for allies beyond the likes of the Baratheonss. >> I have heard that Renley has crowned himself in the Reach with the blessing of Mace Tyrell. That gives him the strength of the Stormlands and the Tyrells. Not even Lannisters can match those numbers. >> And then there is Stannis. He might have only the strength of the narrow sea by his side, but he's close by. Both men provide pros and cons. There is much debate about who to write to until a decision is made. By morning, a small contingent of 2,000 men marches out, headed by Rob and the Blackfish. Catelyn Stark watches them go from the twins, wishing them best of luck as she writes to the Baratheonss who might provide them with aid. They arrive just a day later than the Lannister contingents. With both sides now arriving, the seven champions are selected. On the Lannister side, they have six men of the King's Guard, Sir Preston Greenfield, Baros Blunt, Marin Trant, Mandon Moore, Jaime Lannister, and the Hound alongside the Mountain. For the Starks, they have great John Umber, Barristen the Bold, Balen Swan, the Blackfish, [music] Rickard Kstark, Jason Mallister, and Hostin Frey. The two sides stand opposite each other in the turning grounds. Joffrey stands in a pavilion erected for this occasion. They are joined by the entire court, including Ned Stark, who is seated at one end, leaning heavily on his cane as he watches the men who have volunteered to die for him, and takes a deep breath. He feels his son place a hand on his shoulder, and Rob offers a reassuring nod, though he understands the pain in his eyes. They will win, father. You've done your duty. Now, let them do yours and eat. As the septum finishes off his sermon, he glances back on both sides and then closes his eyes and proclaims the start of this clash. The somber silence is broken by the sound of the great Jon's roar as he barrels forward, rushing right towards the mountain. This was just as the champions had planned as the mountain was the biggest threat and Lord Umbre was the only person there who could match him in strength. So his job was to keep Sir Greor occupied. Even the mountain was taken aback by this attack and nearly fell to his blades sinking into him. He eventually manages to push the weapon aside before roaring as the two hammer blows against one another. The remaining 10 champions all cry and rush at each other, turning the empty turning ground into a cloud of dust and sparks as their weapons all strike and their cries fill the air. Sir Barristan engages the king slayer in one-on-one combat, advancing cautiously but inexurably upon the young younger knight, unwilling to let him use his youth to his advantage. Though taken off guard at fighting the man he had long admired, Jaime does not give in and continues to defend against these [music] attacks, looking for the perfect opportunity. Beside him, Sir Host and Rickard Karstark double team the Hound and both strike from either side, stabbing and slashing their blades as Sander roars and knocks their weapons aside before trying to [music] divide them. Despite his size, he moves with remarkable grace, preventing them from simply cutting them down. In the center, Sir Balon and Jason Malister stand back to back as they face off against Sir Preston, Mirin, and Boros, who all circle them. And lastly is [music] Sir Mandan, who squares off against the Blackfish. Both grizzled veterans with their eyes set in determination. The first to fall is Sir Boros, who was never a great warrior to begin with. He takes an ax to the shoulder and collapses in a spurt of blood. Yet, Sir Preston drives his spear into the riverman's side and causes him to grunt before Balon sends him scurrying back with his morning star. The blackfish also finds himself hardpressed as the veil many faces advances upon him. His cold eyes stared almost unblinking at his opponent, revealing nothing and only promising a cold death. This is a promise that the Blackfish rejects as his blade connects with Mandon's sword a dozen times, filling their section of the ground with the scrapes of blades. Seeing him unable to land a blow, the Veilman advances and takes that for a weakness. He presses his sword against him and aims to take the Blackfish's head. But when his blade aims at [music] Sir Brendan's neck, he manages to bring up his own weapon and catch it at the crossguards. While their swords are locked, the Blackfish headbutts him and leaves their helms ringing out like bells. However, he ignores the rattling and rushes forward. His sword punches through Sir Mandon's scale armor and sends him falling to the ground. After making sure he's dead, the Blackfish turns to see that the four king's guard are struggling. Miran Trant joins [music] his companions in the dirt, but not before he and Sir Preston managed to take down the ruler of Seagard, who was slowed by his wound. A sword cracks his helm and leaves blood pouring through his wound before falling. However, Sir Preston does not have a chance to enjoy this victory for long as Sir Balen's morning star cracks him across the chest and sends him stumbling back. He crumples to the ground and lies there to die. But it isn't over yet. The knight stands over him and waves the weapon over his head before bringing it down into his skull. Meanwhile, the pair fighting the hound are not doing well. They failed to coordinate their strikes properly and both of them are focused on bloodlust rather than strategy. Sir Host advances ahead of the furious lord, swinging his ax and trying to leverage his strength to cut him down. Rickard is just a step behind, ready to step in at the right [music] moment. Finally, when the Hound and Sir Host swords lock, it seems like the perfect opportunity, [music] and the Lord of Carold roars and stabs his sword at him. However, at the last second, the huge warrior grabs [music] the Frey by his Gorgot and shoves him between them. Rickard's sword buries itself into Hust's back, leaving the knight crying out as blood pours from his lips. The Hound kicks them both back and swings his sword, taking both men's heads at the same time. The fight leaves him panting heavily, but he has little time to rest as the Blackfish and Balon Swan both advance on him. This pair does a better job coordinating their strikes with their movements just a single step behind each other. Balon swings with his morning star while the Blackfish thrusts his sword at his neck. When the hound blocks the former, the latter wrenches into his side, leaving him gasping out in pain. With his free hand, he tries to backhand Sir Brendan and sends him stumbling back. It isn't enough, so he throws his full body against the aging knight and knocks him into the dirt. In the same breath, he turns and blocks another swing from Balin's weapon. He catches the weapon, but tightens his grip on his sword hilt once the chain wraps around him. With a fierce tug, he manages to wretch it from his hands and then follows with a vicious punch. Balon barely brings his shield up to intercept it. However, without a weapon, fighting defensively is all he can do. That is until the Hound hooks his crossuard against the rim of his shield and uses it to knock Balon off balance. As he stumbles forward, he moves right into the Hound's fist. Though Sir Brendan manages to graze his thigh, the massive warrior drives his sword into the younger knight's chest. Balon drops to one knee with his last strength, pulls his durk free, and stabs it into the man's side. The hound turns back to face the blackfish, [music] but stumbles. The wound slows him down, and he advances. Still, Sander fights like a cornered beast, refusing to back down and snarling whenever the blades collide. The blackfish cannot break through the defenses at first, but time is running out for the Hound as his movements begin to slow from his wound. Eventually, he begins to grow clumsy, and he sways from side to side. Seeing him falter, the Blackfish takes this chance and presses the attack, swinging his sword and striking at his battered armor. It punches through the plate mail that has already been damaged [music] from the earlier fighting. The hound gasps, looking up as the blackfish rips his sword out and presses the tip against his back. With a single thrust, he [music] buries it into the hound and ends his life. That leaves only two combatants left for the Lannister side. Great Jon and the mountain continue their spar, their blows echoing as they roar at each other's faces. For the first time, Sir Gregor faces off against someone who does not shrink back from his blows, and that angers him greatly. He roars and fights with all his strength, aiming to cut down the Northmen who savage a blow. Yet, as he catches this blow, Great Jon twists and pushes the blade aside and drives his sword into the mountain's cheek. He stumbles back and both men are breathing heavily as they groan. Taking a few deep breaths, they glare and come at each other again. The Blackfish lets them fight and moves over to Sir Jaime and Barristan. Both men have suffered several serious wounds, but and can barely stand. The king slayer has a wound on his shoulder that makes his attacks stiffer while Sir Barristan [music] is leaning more on one leg as the other sports a nasty gash. The Blackfish moves to his side and raises his weapon. Looking at the two, Jaime takes a deep breath and prepares to advance on them. They attack from opposite sides, but the new Lord Commander whirls in a flash of his cloak as he turns to catch each strike. His youth gives him the advantage as he can move faster than either of these men. This allows him to stay just one step ahead. And while he can continue to fight in spite of his injuries, the other two are not so lucky. Seeing this, they decide to fight smart instead, and both attack in quick concert. The Blackfish unleashes a flurry of quick strikes that force Jaime to beat back each one. As Sir Barristan approaches from behind, the blow forces him to defend until he sees the movement from the corner of his eyes. When the last strike comes, Jaime pushes it aside and turns to see Barristin bold. He halts any killing blow, but the strike hits him from a top the temple, leaving him hissing in pain as blood pours over his eyes. It isn't a serious injury, but rather an inconvenient one as he must keep clearing his vision. Now it is his turn to slow down as the two of them move side by side and start [music] to attack him yet again. Jaime gives ground and curses, trying to keep watch over them. But between them and the blood pouring over his eyes, it is a constant fight. That is until wiping his clean eye, Sir Barristan slips to his blind spot and strikes. The Perry comes too late and Jaime feels the blade sinking into his side. The sword bites through his armor and leaves him glancing down at himself. Staring at the injury, he starts to gasp and then drops to the ground. From the gallery, Cersei screams as her brother falls, but the two old men ignore her and hurry to join Lord Umber. By now, the mountain is trying to bring his fight to a swift end and bull rush the massive lord. It sends him back as the knight's fingers wrap around him and the great Jon desperately counters with a series of blows to the face, but it's as though the mountain barely feels it as he ignores the blows. What finally slows him down is the blackfish, embarrassed and rushing from both sides, holding him back. It's like fighting a raging bull, one they can can't fully stop. But it does give Great Jon a chance to wretch himself free from his grip. As he shakes off the mountain, he bellows and rushes back at him and lunges at him. This time with the two knights assisting him, they are able to knock him to the ground. And once he is there, Great Jon reaches for his sword and drives it through his neck. Sir Gregor continues to thrash until the blade fully sinks in and emerges from the back. Only then does the man stop struggling. With that, the whole court goes silent as they see this. With the mountain's final death pass, it marks an end to the trial by seven with victory for the Starks. Eddard lets out a low exhale, silently thanking the old gods for this victory, but also offering a prayer for the fallen men who died in his defense. Rob reaches out and helps him to his feet before turning towards the queen and king. Both stare with their mouths hanging open. >> I think not. This trial was only to determine your guilt in your treason. We have nothing to talk about regarding my position or Joffrey's legitimacy. Now, I only give you the chance to recognize his rule to return home. That was not our agreement, your grace. My father is innocent of what crimes you accused him of. >> Then he should have no problem bending the knee to the king. >> I shall not, and I am leaving this place, my lady. >> Kill them. Kill them all. I command it. >> Though his sworn swords might be dead, the other Lannister guards draw their [music] swords. Rob pushes his father behind him and readies his own blade as the Stark men rush forward, turning the gallery into a battlefield. Rob pulls his father towards the exit as their men try to buy them time. But not all of the Lannister guards join the fight. Others grab crossbows and take aim towards the field blow where the surviving champions take cover. The Blackfish sees a fallen shield and raises it over himself to try and defend against their attacks. The Great Jon pulls them over himself and shields them with his body. As Rob emerges, he shouts for some of his guards to come with him to clear the area so they can make their escape. The entrance for this arena is wretched open, allowing the three of them to make their escape, though not before the great Jon is struck by half a dozen arrows. He grunts and stumbles after them. Meanwhile, outside the turning grounds, the rest of Rob's men are in chaos as the Lannisters attack them alongside the gold cloaks. Hundreds of them are now pouring out from the city gate, aiming to crush this threat. Then and there, Rob takes a horse and leaves his father in the care of his guards as he rides to rally these men. He appears along their camp, raising his sword and shouting for these men to follow him. >> Soldiers of the north, you've been betrayed. The Lannisters do not honor their agreement. Lord Eddard is safe. Now is the time to fight for yourself and to punish them for their treachery. Hearing this, the Stark men begin to shout, and they slowly rally as order is restored to their ranks. Defensive lines are slowly formed as they form a children that beats back the initial assault. Ned and his guards are placed in the center, followed by the three wounded champions who soon stumble upon the turning [music] grounds. Though they're outnumbered, this formation allows them to hold back the initial attack. Even when a squadron of mounted gold cloaks arrive, they are thrown back by the wall of spears that bristle out like a hedgehog. What begins to turn the tide is the arrival of crossbow men who rain quarrels upon them. The rest of their forces pull back and aim to whittle their soldiers back. Among [music] them are Cersei and Joffrey, who stumble from the turning grounds. Finish them off. Kill every last one of them. >> The guards are certainly capable. As more crossbow bolts arrive, bringing enough ammunition to destroy them from a distance. The few northern longbow men fire back, but they are badly outmatched. Rob is tempted to order a charge and tries to bring them to a close quarters fight. But as more gold cloaks arrive, the deficit [music] between their numbers begins to tell. He grips his sword and prepares to raise it up and order a charge. That is until one final goldcloak arrives. This one has a banner upon his horse that marks him as a messenger. He rides up to Joffrey. >> Your grace, we must pull our horses back now. >> Are you mad? We have them right where we want them. >> It is not them we must worry about. There are ships coming from the horizon. >> Ships? >> She sounds incredulous, but her mind is also racing. There is only one fleet large enough that can attack them on such short notice. She curses herself as she puts two and two together, realizing just what this might mean. Slowly, she shouts for her soldiers to begin pulling back while Jenna slint leads the mounted contingent to withdraw from the walls. Even the crossbow men's fire begins to slacken as some of their numbers begins to pull back. Rob is about to let them go, but the Blackfish places a hand on his shoulder and urges him to finish them off and not let them get away as most of the soldiers retreat inside, including the royal family. It doesn't matter as the Northmen spring forward, their blades flashing and arrows flying above them as they clash with the few remaining goldcs. This time it is their turn to crumble as they do not expect the ferocity from a force they were expecting to finish off. Hundreds fall as they face a desperate rear guard action that buys the others time to escape and the gates are shut behind them. It doesn't matter though as a large threat is looming in the city. Rob smiles to himself as he hears the horns blowing in the distance that mark the arrival of Stannis. Ned notices this and places a hand on his shoulder. Your doing, I presume, not just mine. I simply did what I thought you would have done. You thought, "Well, let us hope that this gamble pays off." Defenders rush across the city, aiming to reach the docks and fortify them as best they can. But it is a losing battle. Most of their forces were expecting a fight on the landward side of [music] the walls where the trial was to take place. This was just as Rob had expected and why he sent ravens to Stannis [music] so they could coordinate their forces. Now the Baratheon fleet makes its way through the Blackwater, moving in two squadrons. The first of these rushes to engage the few ships still loyal to House Lannister. They fight fiercely and they are outnumbered almost 2 to1 and the King's Landing ships are thrown back, boarded or sunk. Their section of the river becomes a mess of colliding hulks, intertwined masks, and a flurry of crossbow bolts and ballista. Yet, it does not cover the entire river as Stannis has a second squadron sailing south of them in a deep flanking maneuver. These consist of his slower, heavier ships, those less suited for a fight like this. Instead, their job is to land troops loyal to Stannis. Arrows and ballista answer their arrival, trying to sink the ships. And while a few crack under the attack, most of the ships land unscathed and deposit cell swords, free riders, and men at arms loyal to the narrow sea lord. Among the first ships to land is Stannis Baratheon himself. He advances at a walk, raising his sword up high as his men stream past him. Some of them carry massive battering rams and smash the gates. Soon enough, the gate is smashed open and the Baratheon soldiers begin to pour inside. They rush through the streets, cutting down anyone who pledged loyalty to the Lannister regimes. Seeing the writing of the wall, the remaining gold cloaks throw down their weapons and open the gates for the Northmen to follow suit. With two armies now pouring into the streets, the red keep [music] soon falls and Cersei is seized alongside her family. Stannis arrives in the throne room and finds Ned Stark there leaning on his cane alongside [music] Rob the Blackfish embarrassed in Selme. He approaches the former hand and has Melisandre and Davos by his side. A letter appears in his hand as he holds it up. I received your letter, Lord Stark. I'm glad to have learned the truth of this madness. To my great shame, I have failed to control it and Robert paid the price for it. What matters is that justice has been done and now we have the rightful succession. Although the capital is now under their control, the war is still ongoing, and there is no time [music] to rest just yet. With the capital now under his control, much of the Crownlands soon follow alongside the North and Riverlands, which eagerly pledge themselves to Stannis. The new king begins his rule by scrubbing the royal court clean, as he had long promised to do. Many flatterers and traitors are removed. Among them are Pycel, Varys, and Jana Slint. Littlefinger is stripped of his position, though he manages to escape as he had slipped out from the capital before it fell. Everyone Stannis does manage to round up are summarily executed. However, some controversy emerges regarding what shall be done with Cersei in the aftermath of the fall of King's Landing. Malisandre and the other queen's men call for their death through the burnings. A wicked woman like her and her demonic spawn like Joffrey would make a fitting sacrifice for the Lord of Light. Yet Ned does not want anything like that. While he cannot deny their crimes and has no desire to see them spared, the thought of them burning in public leaves a bad taste in his mouth. and he is certain that many others would agree. >> A public burning, you grace, is that truly necessary? You must recall it was barbarity like this that turned the people against Joffrey. To mirror his cruelty might make the people believe that they've replaced a tyrants with another tyrant. >> Cruelty? This is an offering, Lord Stark, [music] to burn away the impurity and corruption of the Lord of Light. >> For doing what exactly? It was not his fire that liberated the city for ye to grace. It was the blood of the Northmen and Riverfolk. It was the ships of the narrow sea and the swords and lives of my champions. >> You speak of them with such certainty as if it were not the Lord of Light who had determined your path. It was Rola who guided their swords and minds during this battle. >> If you wish to debate this matter, we shall be here the whole day. But it does not matter. It only matters what the people have seen. And what is it that these people have seen? It was because of us that the city was captured. Yet, if you allow Lady Malisandre to have her way, you will have people questioning if she is the one who truly rules [music] the kingdom. It has been some time, but not so long that people have forgotten the defiance. And Serella of Mir, I am not as foolish as the late Lord Darkling. But I see your point, Lord Stark. Lady Melisandre, if your lord is truly powerful as you claim, then he shall best serve me well in the coming battles. Lady Cersei shall die by the headsman's sword. Ned nods and later that day, Cersei is dragged [music] out in front of the Red Keep. Thousands of people have gathered to watch the execution. Hundreds bear their teeth, and Rain curses on the queen as Stannis takes Lightbringer in his hand. Raising the blade above his head, he brings it down. It is only a single blow that takes her head. Joffrey is no different. And once they are taken, Marcela and Tommen are spared because of their youth. They are sent back to Dragonstone as hostages just as the war resumes and Stannis marches out with his army. Starting to gather more lords from the Crownlands in the marches. When Tywin hears of this, he immediately musters his army and prepares to confront them. He sends riders to rally Jaime Lannister's host, which is now under the command of Forly Prester. Together, the two attacks begin a renewed offensive in the Riverlands, striking at the Riverlords, who had just retaken their castles. Yet this time they are not the only ones there. Roose Bolton begins his attack. He organizes a forced march and strikes at Lannister forces, aiming to crush their defenses before they have a chance to destroy them. However, Tywin has expected this and his [music] forces are ready. The first strike is beaten back and the northern cavalry faces stiff resistance from the ferocious Lannister Spearmen, who form defensive walls that leave no opening. From their camp, Sir Adam Marbrand rushes out and drives them back. Though they suffer some losses, the Lannister forces beat back this assault, though Roose continues it to attack. Seeing that Tywin proves to be a more cautious commander, he does not commit a full battle. Instead, probing and keeps his attention distracted while Stannis marches from the east. He soon gathers another host of some [music] 10,000 men and crosses into the Riverlands. With their forces pinned between armies, Tywin moves from the south, abandoning his position in the south of Harrenhal. [music] He knows he cannot take them alone and decides to retreat towards a more defensive position. Lord Tywin expects both armies to pursue him, but the larger force of Roose Bolton instead turns westward, aiming to confront the other Lannister host in Riverrun. This leaves only Stannis to confront Tywin. As he marches, he gathers whatever many he can muster in the Riverlands. The Wayward Lords swelling his host by hundreds more, slowly closing the gaps and numbers of their forces. However, the advantage still remains firmly with Tywin. And behind the walls of Harrenhal, there is little he can do. But he does not intend to fight. While he marches and gathers his forces, Melisandre whispers to Stannis, [music] promising to deliver him victory. All she requires is for Stannis to besiege the castle. The king agrees once the massive spires of Harrenhal become visible. He has his men make camp around it and begin constructing siege weapons. The western men try to beat them back, launching sorts against their entrenched Baratheon [music] forces, though Sirred and Godfrey Fairing managed to beat these attacks back. All of this as the siege towers and battering rams begin to rise. The sight of the siege engines spooks the defenders who prepare for the oncoming assault. All focus is directed towards countering them and trying to destroy them. Even Tywin is preparing for the inevitable clash as he makes his rounds through the castle, meeting with his officers and getting them ready for battle. Because of that, no one notices the shadows slipping inside. In the dead of night, as Tywin returns to his chambers, there is a faint breeze in the wind that causes his candles to flicker dangerously. He pays them little heed and instead looks through the reports on his desk. Because of that, he does not notice one of the shadows starting to move from the corner of the room. It slides from a darkened al cove and slithers behind Tywin, unseen until he glances at the mirror and sees its inky form behind him. By then, it is too late as the man can only let out a short gasp before feeling the dagger plunge into his heart. Tywin gasps and feels a coolness spreading through him. He glances at the dagger and then at his killer, who remains cloaked in [music] darkness. save for his face. There he sees the sitting image of Stannis [music] Baratheon. As the knife is pulled out and drops on the ground without a sound, he is only found in the morning when his servants bring him his meal. No one knows how he was killed. There were no signs that someone managed to sneak into the castle. All the centuries are questioned, but they find no clues that anyone was there, and this leaves many unanswered questions. Many of them mutter that this is the [music] ghost of Heron the Black. striking once again. The paranoid men begin to wonder who's next, questioning that if the same fate shall befall them, and that the soldiers outside should not be what they're worried about. Without Tywin to keep their soldiers in check, panic begins to spread, and Kevin struggles to keep them around. Soon enough, some soldiers begin to mutiny and desert, slipping into the dead of night to go home. But one group of men at- arms has a different idea. Rather than just try to fight the oncoming attack and die or wait behind Harrenhal for its ghosts to get them, they decide to open one gate and allow the army in. In the dead of night, hundreds of Stannis' men come rushing inside. They open door and storm the castle. The Lannister men are awoken to the sounds of slaughter as their companions are killed where they sleep. Kevin stumbles from his chamber only to find his castle falling around him, but there is nothing he can do as by morning he and most of the garrison are disarmed and detained. Many of the worst offenders in the war are killed, but the rest are allowed to go home, provided they bend the knee. Meanwhile, in Riverrun, as word reaches them of the fall of Harrenhal, their soldiers question what they are going to do there. They initially started this war to punish the kidnapping of Tyrion Lannister and to defend Joffrey's claim to the Iron Throne. However, Joffrey is now dead and Tyrion has returned, leaving them with less reason to keep fighting. So instead, when Roose Bolton's army arrives, they meekly drip dip their banners and surrender to the Northmen in exchange for being allowed to return home. In a matter of weeks, the Lannisters have been completely knocked out of the war, leaving only Stannis's younger brother to contend with. Renley was careful to observe all of this from his position in High Garden. He sees how Stannis managed to crush the Lannisters and win over the Starks. He was hoping they would all destroy each other, but this was as close as they could get, and he decides now is the time to act. He calls upon all [music] his banners consisting of the Stormlands and Reach numbering over 1,000 men. Even with the new territory that Stannis managed to capture, he is in a difficult position. The Riverlands are battered and he cannot fully depend on the Westerlands or Crownlands for the coming war. Soon enough, Renley begins to split his army, taking 15,000 men with him through the Stormlands, where he intends to capture King's Landing while leaving the rest under the command of Ma Tyrell and Randall Tarly. They begin an all-out offensive across [music] Stannis's territory with one force attacking the Westerlands and the other attacking the Riverlands. Stannis is forced to strike at Randall Tarly, who was already advancing towards Craigall as the Northmen are angered at the thought of having to defend the people who nearly killed their lord. This leaves Ned and the Blackfish to guard the Riverlands. However, as a precaution, Stannis sends a small force back to [music] King's Landing to keep watch of everything, consisting of Sir Axel Florent and his most trusted men along with Melisandre. This is under the advisement of Ned, who suggests the Red Women be kept away for fear that any victory might be deemed to be her success rather than the king's. This is a sentiment mirrored by Sir Davos, who remains to help Ned. By the time Stannis arrives in the Westerlands, he finds that Craig Hall has already been taken and the army is in chaos, battered not only by the disastrous war, but also by the loss of leadership. To handle things, he names Kevin Warden of the West and promises him Casterly Rock if he helps him. [music] Now with some clear leadership, things begin to improve for them and the king gains additional troops. Rather than using the main road, Stannis decides to strike boldly. As Randall marches through the coastal roads [music] with the support of the Reach, he aims to march straight toward Lannisport. Stannis sends Devon Lannister to block his advance, giving him the army of fresh levies Kevin was raising along with some Crownland houses to stiffen them. All of this was meant to simply block their path and slow them down. When the reach forces arrive, they find a forest of banners as Stannis gives them twice as many banners as usual and allows them to appear larger than expected. It is enough for Randall to hesitate, if anything, for a short time. However, he soon comes to his senses and begins to launch probing attacks on them with archers and lighted infantry and determines that [music] the force is not nearly as strong as expected. Davin roars and feels his lines buckling from the ferocious attack. Especially when the Lord of Hornhill is personally in command, riding up and down the lines with Heart Eater in hand. Yet before they can break through entirely, they receive word of attacks from their rear. Raiders are hitting their supply lines and trying to cut off access to Craigall. However, far from being a few raiders, this turns out to be a massive army as Stannis and Kevin crossed through the foothills, smashing aside their rear guard and forcing their army to retreat in chaos. Seeing this, Randall realizes he has been outflanked and their position is unattendable. Rather than risking further war, he decides to retreat and keep his forces intact, clinging to his towhold before it's overwhelmed. Meanwhile, Mace begins his offensive across the Riverlands. Whereas his bannerman fights with strategy and careful tactics, the Lord of High Garden uses his overwhelming numbers to simply smash the defenses. Wave after wave of reachmen advance into the interior, aiming to overwhelm the defenses, though many fall to the concentrated guerilla raids and ambushes of the riverlords. Many more survive and continue to attack, and their numbers seem endless. Ned sees all of this from Harrenhal, which he uses as a command center, deploying troops as needed. Although the massive castle is along the path, it is protected from siege, as each time the reachmen gather their forces for an assault, the Blackfish would take them at their rear and prevent them from properly entrenching. This causes them no small amount of anger as Sir Loris regularly rides out in pursuit of his forces only to be stymied at every turn. Those who are captured are turned over to Roose Bolton, who takes this chance to relieve stress through torturing these prisoners. Though Mace commits everything he has to breaking them. It does him little good as the Riverlords and Northern men remain stubbornly resistance. And so stalemate begins, but slowly the ground shifts as the reach's numbers continue to press them in certain positions become unattainable. Meanwhile, Ned and Davos command the reserve, keeping watch of everything that is [music] going on and sending support as it is needed. The two men work closely together, and Davos can see that the lord is an able ally [music] to have, someone who can be trusted with his fears and worries about Stannis. My lord, his grace is lucky to have you helping him plan his defense of the Rivals. His grace has a strange way of showing it. Stannis has always struggled with showing gratitude. You know how he thanked me for saving him at Storm's End. Chopped off four of my fingers. But he rules fairly. I think his sense of justice has always been strong, just as I suspect yours is. Your words are kind, said Deavos. I only focused on what was right and my duty required. Now that is something I understand. Duty. That is something that Stannis understands as well. Yet I worry whether he will not become blinded by the red woman's whispering into his ear. Does he truly believe in her Lord of Light? No. He tells me she is merely a means to an end, a way for him to use her powers. But the more she grants him success, the closer she comes to his ear. He's already started to put aside other advisers who've not been able to provide the results that she has. I fear I fear the good men who follow him will be forgotten. Then we must make sure our contributions are not forgotten either. And just in time too, as with their defenses starting to weaken, Mace throws everything in an all-out offensive. His men soon seize Fair Market and from there strike out across all the Riverlands. They let the gorilla attack them, but he's learned from it and keeps his armies close, usually a short ride from each other, so they may assist one another. The system is not perfect, so they often are attacked along multiple fronts, but they put up a spirited resistance, and slowly the riverlords are more often pushed back than not. Seeing that their tactics no longer succeed, Ned and Davos evacuate Harrenhal and send word to Roose Bolton to bring his forces forward. They do not retake the towns already lost despite Edmure's protests. The man who defends everything loses everything, and they are not prepared to take that gamble. So instead, [music] they allow Mace to advance deeper, fighting only in rear guard actions that give the image of their forces on the run. Seeing this, the Lord of High Garden believes that he has at last broken through and now simply must sweep up the remaining defenders. He urges his forces forward until he reaches the end of the crossroads. And this is where the Starks spring their trap. Davos rides ahead with Ned, ordering the Harrenhal army to take a position along the opening. They form up in a slight rise that gives them the defender's advantage. Mace is not too concerned and orders his men to advance and dislodge them. Soon, the ground is churned up by the feet of thousands of reachmen and heralded by a swarm of longbowow men. Ned takes a position and stands in front of the defenses in front of a wall of stakes and along some hedges [music] just as the reachmen crash into them. The Northmen tighten up, leaving their forces to crash against them. Above their heads, horses rear and scream as they are run through with spears while Northmen tumble and they're knocked aside. The battle is chaos as the cavalry charge is blunted. But even as they falter, waves of footmen take their place and throw the lines into chaos as the men begin to buckle under the weight of this attack. Ned continues to rally his men, fighting in the front of his lines and waving his sword around. Thankfully, they are not left alone, as while they are fighting, Davos is riding. The Onion Knight is no great warrior or inspires bravery, but slipping past defenses is what he excels at, and he begins guiding bands of soldiers back to their position, including Roose. As the army attacks from the flank, Mace realizes what has happened. But it is too late. He must beat a hasty retreat. Though his left flank is ravaged as the Northmen and Ned's garrison ravage their armies. Soon much of the ground that Mace has gained is given up from this humiliating retreat, allowing Ned to retake the field. But as his army regroups, word reaches them that King's Landing is under attack. At long last, Renley and his forces have emerged from the Stormlands and advance toward the capital. Stannis also hears this news via Raven, but is too far away to do anything, forcing Ned and Davos to ride back to reinforce them with whatever troops they can spare, while leaving the Blackfish in charge of harassing their forces [music] as they retreat. However, in King's Landing, the Queen's men charged with its defense, hurry to make whatever preparations they can. They strengthen the walls and repair the ruined gates, while the gold cloaks are restored with new soldiers. They work day and night, but it doesn't matter. Their defenses are complete, but the relief army remains days away. As Renley arrives, he laughs and looks at the defenders, hurriedly trying to strengthen their battlements. [laughter] Look at them working like ants. Attention people of King's Landing. You opened your gates for a Baratheon once. Why not another one? You all know me, Renley, first of his name, master of laws, lord of Storm's End, the better of the surviving brothers of Robert. That is why you know I am sincere when I say I have no desire to see your city sacked. So I offer you this chance. Open the gates and you shall live. >> And who are you to say who lives and who dies, Lord Renley? >> Why, the rightful king of the seven kingdoms, of course. >> So, just a man. Only the Lord of Light knows the fate of all. Only he truly knows who lives and dies. You speak as a charlatan who has gained too high an opinion of himself. >> Ah, so you are the red woman I've heard so much about. Then tell me, what does he say will happen if I attack the city? Then you shall die. >> By your hand, my lady. >> By his. >> He had intended to laugh off her words and leave it at that. But there is something about them, a finality in them that rocks Renley to his core. Instead, he grips the reins of his horse and wheels it around to begin riding off. When he returns to camp, he begins planning his next move. The city is lightly defended, but he leaves nothing to chance as he makes preparations to storm it, ensuring that he finds a protected area for himself to oversee the battlefield. But as he plans, the wind snaps and leaves his cloak billowing. He doesn't initially realize that he is shivering until he [music] hears his teeth chattering. Before he can warm himself, the cool wind grows colder, and then he hears it approaching. Renley turns and sees a shadowy figure raising a knife. He opens his mouth to scream, but is cut off by the shadow assassin driving its knife into his chest. The guards hurry over to him, but it's too late as the assassin disappears [music] into nothingness. Without a trace of it, Brienne calls for a search across the camp. But while the Baratheon forces begin to stir inside the city, the gates open and the queen's men come rushing out. With the death of their king, the camp is in chaos as people search for assassins not there. And barring that, someone to blame for this misfortune. Yet, as the cavalry crashes into their lines, most soldiers simply turn and flee, throwing their weapons down and running away. While those who fight manage to give a good accounting of themselves, the rest simply run away. The queen's men storm Renley's tent and find his corpse there. They take his head and begin parading it in the streets just as the city begins to wake. They turn to see the victorious queen's men marching back inside, chanting hymns of the Lord of Light and parading the head of Lord Baratheon, which remains mounted at top a spear. Once Ned arrives, he sees the grizzly sight as they leave it hanging in the sept of Bor. While some cheer this and jeer at the false king, others are shocked both by the desecration of this holy sight and by seeing the death of Renley. Davos feels his hand clench into a fist as he shakes his head in disgust, but Ned continues to look on at the macob sight, recalling how close he was to ending up like that with his trial by seven. Bile builds in his throat as he looks around and shakes his head. He might not believe in this madness, but his followers certainly do. As news spreads across the seven kingdoms, the great lords all hear of this, whispering of the madness of the red woman. Among them is [music] Loris Tyrell, who sees the murder of the man he loved and silently swears vengeance. Remember, 3,500 likes and we'll release part two. That's our theory. Westeros is a land filled with exciting stories and possibilities, and we'd love exploring them. If you want to accompany us on this journey across the Seven Kingdoms and beyond, then please like, share, and subscribe to our channel.