Willem made his way to his father’s chambers with Bernier padding close behind him. Outside stood two knights of the royal guard Sir Thonir of Frostfall and Sir Natari Taelir of the rivers. Sir Thonir a former sellsword from the frozen kingdom of Alesannor who was knighted by his father for his actions at the battle of Flintforge. Sir Thonir was a burly man and well of six feet almost seven, his heritage proudly displayed through his beaded beard and the runic tattoos that covered most of his bald head. Her prefered the axe over sword that was clasped on his hip. His armor was a polished plate of the royal family colors with the head of crowned fox with two crossed swords on his chest, with a cyan and white cloak embroidered with gold flung around his massive shoulders.

Sir Natari Taelir was from the Redfork in the riverlands in the east. The riverfolk kept a fewancient Asdorian customs alive as shown on the young knights face in her war paint, the white three dots above both her eye brows and two horizontal slashes across her cheeks and on her forehead four intersecting lines that formed a diamond. Her hair was a massive curly pouf that stayed elegant and lively atop her head wrapped in a bright crimson and gold head wrap, the colors of her house. She carried twin swords on her waist with pommels of the blades were crescent moons, she donned the armor of the royal guard with ornate polished plates. Her cloak was short and hung down her right shoulder.

The two knight bowed respectfully and placed their right arm across their chests as he approached the door. “Is my father in his chamber Sir?” asked Willem, “Yes my prince” answered Sir Natari as she turned around to address the king. “Your grace, the crown prince is here to see you” she stated after knocking. “Send him” his father said in raspy voice from the other side of the door “Right away your grace” she said as she hurried and stepped aside and opened to the chamber door. “The dog stays out here, my prince” Sir Thonir said in his thick accent which made over enunciate the vowels in words. Bernier let out a solemn growl and the large war hound took a seat next to the two guards, Willem patted him on the head “I will be back shortly” he said softly as he walked into the chamber and closed the door behind him.

Willem found his father buttoning up a cyan doublet that he put on over a black tunic with black trousers and high fine leather boots. His curly silver hair and beard was now trimmed short and his crown a simple circlet. His body was thin and his eyes had dark blotches around them, underneath it all he looked more like a cadaver. Yet he was moving about so maybe he was getting better Willem, hopefully he is. “Your name day is coming up soon, and your mother and I have been talking” he said as he shuffled his way towards Willem. “You are old enough to be knighted this year, therefor a title will be given to you making you an adult” he continued as he took a seat on the large bed. “Willem a marriage proposal arrived yesterday from Lord Hywin” he was quiet a moment. “Alliances must be made and secured for generations to come” he chuckled “Your grand-father told me that when I married your mom.”

“I do not want to marry a woman, I do not know” Willem said softly, his father’s arm went around him gently. What was supposed to be warm embrace felt cold, “I understand, I really do. Your mother was not the woman I wanted to marry either, Lady Eldaya Wenton a woman of the Rheyashi noble bloodlines” he smiled. “Yet war and duty kept me from her, after the rebellion Vallond had to be restructured and house Fayne gave me the security to do that.” “What did they give you exactly?”

“A large army, a wife and secured Kaylor’s crossing.”

“What will marrying Lord Hywin’s daughter give the kingdom?” Willem asked, his father sat quietly for a few moments before he answered “The security of the Summerlands and their alliance until the end of days, a lovely wife, brothers-in-law who will hold castles in your name, and helping your father fulfill a promise to an old friend.” His father got off the bed and made his way towards the bookshelf, grabbed a bookshelf and shuffled back over to the bed. His father opened the book to a pages of two maps “The war changed a lot and its unfair to ask you to carry a burden we created, but look” The map on the left was dated 218 U.C., it showed the nine realms with each of the hold colored in with the colors of each high lords house that ruled, there was twelve he noted. Twelve, he had learned that nine holds were held by the nine great houses. “Twelve noble houses?” he asked astonished, his father simply nodded and added “Twelve houses, three great houses became extinct after the war.” His father pointed at each and named the extinct houses “House Evedywr in the Pale mountains, House Northrend of the north gate in the crossing. House Symte of Starkpass.”

“Why was there a war?” asked Willem avoiding his father’s gaze “A man named John Redwood” his father said softly, “Your cousin Armond when he comes of age will wed the daughter of Lord Ludoc Carane and secure an alliance of the western lords. Janna will wed the oldest son of Lady Celeste Modron and secure an alliance with the eastern lands” he said quickly changing the subject “Soren Hywin will make a powerful ally, the summer lands hold the most wealth and the second lagrest army in the kingdom.” Willem grimaced “How far is the march from the rest of the kingdom? Weeks, months?” asked Willem defensively. The Summerlands before used to rule all the way from Serpent’s rest in the Midvale to Pinella’s pass at the horn of Vallond, those lands were succeeded when lord seneschal of the Midvale became high lord.

“I know Willem this is hard, a king must do what must be done?” he half demanded, the other half sorrowful. His father stood up "You will be king one day. So I will tell you, a war is coming. We will soon have enemies at our gates trying to siege our gates one day and these allies will help. Not a love we think we want. Thirty thousand summer knights, forty thousand pikemen, ten thousand rivermen with bronze shields, twelve thousand Rheyashi lancers, the mountain men. A powerful army will secure your throne. " His father's voice seemed to fade away in the distance.  

"War is coming" a distorted strange voice somewhere far off seemed to reassure him, "You are already surrounded."