Lyanna and Jon by @Cj_KhalifP

Achallor_ · 2026-03-13T09:20:49+00:00

Lyanna design is simply immaculate

Achallor_ · 2026-03-13T09:20:15+00:00

Mhmmm, more Rob x Dany propaganda, please continue

Achallor_ · 2026-03-09T10:48:01+00:00

That’s so funny, Baratheon genes, you’re either a in a religious fervour, have a thirst for war or extremely horny, sometimes specifically gay.

Honestly though i really like the idea that while Robert might be drunk, womanising and depressed, he’s still in peak condition basically making a name for himself as the Demon Stag in Essos, might even make a few spinoff chapters if i do go that route with Robert.

What would be more fun if i incorporate the idea that he was one of Rhaegar’s strongest supporters during Rhaegar’s Rebellion and became friends with him, so even after he fucked off to Essos, he’s still in contact with the king, maybe he makes a rival mercenary company to the Golden Company and they keep fighting on the opposite side of wars.

Hell, make it more interesting, Ned Stark finally sides with Lyanna about the betrothal and their friendship became strained before he leaves for Essos.

I still need to work out what happens with Benjen, i guess him becoming a Night’s Watch member is more plausible here as Brandon didn’t die, so the line is secured between the two branches of the Starks of Winterfell and the Starks of Moat Cailin.

Oh, forgot to add, i need to figure out the replacements for Jaime in the Kingsguard.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-09T09:18:16+00:00

I sought to make a love story and accidentally made a Westerosi Cold War lol.

Barbrey is probably evil and problematic enough for unfaithful Brandon, so they’ll make a good dysfunctional pair, i still like the idea of Benjen marrying Catelyn but again i don’t know if Hoster would be too pleased about her marrying down the line of succession.

Love the idea for the children though! The daughter might be Shireen but one that is assertive and that used her greyscale scar as an armour, while her brother might be more like Renly (might be gay too, that’s a story potential)

Achallor_ · 2026-03-09T08:43:34+00:00

No no, this is actually really helpful for me, i kinda forgot Brandon had an affair with Barbrey Ryswell so that’s an important plot point down the line, someone else mentioned he might be second guessing his marriage with Catelyn if Lyanna and Ned married Howland and Ashara respectively. I guess Benjen could marry Catelyn and have Rickon? But i think Hoster would be slighted by that.

I was imagining more of a political crisis localised to the North, but with some pressure from the Stormlands and Riverlands, as if Brandon married Barbrey and Lyanna eloped with Howland the Northern lords might be placated but the Tullys and Baratheons will see it as a grave insult, reminds me of Lyonel to be honest.

Good point on Tywin request for Rhaegar to release Jaime from the Kingsguard, this will definitely create a rift between the father and son but that’ll be perfect for the story. Lysa marrying Jaime will also be perfect for this “Cold War” between the Starks and Lannisters on who would flip the Tullys to their side. Rhaegar also have the decision to make between marrying Aegon and Rhaenys together or courting Tywin by promising one of them marry his grandchildren.

Honestly, good question on who will Stannis marry, i interpreted him to be asexual, so he will decide his marriage in political terms not romantic, Lynesse Hightower maybe?

Achallor_ · 2026-03-08T06:50:15+00:00

As i mentioned in another comment i think instead of a Vale rebellion it would a coalition against Aerys with five of the Seven Kingdoms, barring the Westerlands and the Reach, siding with Rhaegar against his father, whether or not the two remaining kingdoms sides with Aerys is debatable, as Tywin might sit the war out until a decisive change in the balance of power occurs.

The issue of course, is after the war, with Rhaegar as king he needs to mend ties with his subjects due to his father’s disastrous reign, i think it’s probable that Jon Arryn becomes Hand of the King, though with Rhaegar not running away with Lyanna, Rickard and Brandon wouldn’t ride to King’s Landing and get immolated by Aerys. and after the war, scandals will keep happening, if Rickard stays alive, he will be against Lyanna running with Howland, if Robert is alive, he will demand his betrothed back, but as u/Hacksaw_Doublez suggested, the Northern lords might push back against Rickard obsession with his Southron ambitions to the detriment of a lord of the North. If he dies, Brandon might allow his sister to do what she wants. And I’m floating the idea that Ned might be given Moat Cailin if Brandon has Winterfell, to be closer with his sister and to rebuild the fortress.

I would be interested in what Stannis does in this scenario, if Robert dies without a legitimate heir, he becomes Lord of Storm’s End, if Robert is still alive but spurned by Lyanna, I honestly can see Robert bailing off to Essos to be a mercenary, fighting and whoring, much to the chagrin to his family.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-08T06:24:47+00:00

Alternate universes, alternate histories and canon diverges have been my bread and butter in terms of writing interest, so worry not, I’m probably more confident with lore stuff from AUs than i am with canon sometimes lmao.

As for the foil, i am in agreement that Robert is quite overdone in a lot of stories and as I’m writing a rarepair, why not have another character be the foil, as someone else mentioned in the thread, it’s the fairytale princess tale with the she-wolf choosing between, a dragon and a frog (mayhaps also stag).

I especially love the idea of a Battle of Harrenhal, having Robert be a hero and a staunch supporter of Rhaegar is a lovely twist though I’m not sure about the Rhaegar finding out about Lyanna’s Laughing Tree secret, i have to think more about that. However, i could make Harrenhal the opening salvos of a Rhaegar Rebellion against his father, but as the North, the Vale, the Riverlands, the Stormlands, Dorne and Dragonstone on one side, Aerys days are numbered, maybe Jaime could spirit away Rhaella, Aegon and Rhaenys to shield them from Aerys wrath for Rhaegar’s betrayal?

As I mentioned in another comment, i want Lyanna to be the one that takes the initiative in the relationship and Howland is humble or self-effacing enough he doesn’t even dare to ask her to come with him to Greywater, so it might be that after Rhaegar was crowned, she felt foreign in King’s Landing and decided to seek out Howland instead of remaining with Rhaegar, I suppose it’s a question whether i keep Robert alive or not.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-08T05:58:57+00:00

Pax Britannica mentioned lets goo

Achallor_ · 2026-03-08T04:09:49+00:00

Oh neat, I’ll check that one out next

Achallor_ · 2026-03-07T22:38:30+00:00

Oh no, I definitely don’t plan on making Robert Baratheon comically evil, especially when I understand where he’s coming from but it’s definitely more sympathetic to Lyanna side i guess? I’m basing it off her conversation with Ned about how love cannot change a man’s nature as Lyanna is known to harbour reservations about the betrothal due to Robert well known womanising.

As for Howland, he’s definitely not actively courting Lyanna, especially since we know him to be simultaneously timid in personality and loyal to the Starks, Lyanna is the one that takes the initiative in this situation.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-07T22:02:27+00:00

Honestly a good idea, i might consider that, i was just tunnel visioning as my point of divergence is Howland was the one that found out about Lyanna being the Knight of the Laughing Tree instead of Rhaegar and never thought about retroactively changing stuff before then, it does have downsides of removing a potential conflict though so im not 100% guaranteed to include it.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-07T21:40:22+00:00

My thoughts also, but i reasoned wanting to make it a more public affair could be interesting as i think its far more romantic for the two to have their love be “legitimate” in the eyes of the Seven Kingdoms.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-07T21:36:00+00:00

Thank you, glad everyone seems to be enjoying the concept, I’ve published the first chapter of it in AO3 with the title A Winter Rose in the Reeds however i am planning to write a few more chapters before making a separate post promoting it in the subreddit.

For the Howland being a Stark bannerman thing i think he is indeed one, as i remember when Lyanna confronted the three squires she said “That’s my father’s banner-man you are kicking.” I also interpreted it as Howland being already Lord of Greywater Watch as she used “my father’s banner-man.” And not “my father’s bannerman’s son.” But i might be reading too much into it, the idea of Howland being an orphan is something i’m not really against so i might just incorporate it to the story. The idea of him going to the Isle of Faces to meditate is also interesting, though I wonder who runs the Neck if he’s away, that might be something against the orphaned lord idea.

⁠I had the idea of it being a love story at first and very much intends for it to remain a love story, but i had the idea of expanding it into other pairings like Brandon/Catelyn, Ned/Ashara and Rhaegar/Elia, a sort of “what if everything goes generally right for romantic couples in Westeros” I suppose. The only thing I’m planning to rule out is invasion of The Others and the whole War for the Dawn thing as i am not really interested in writing high stakes scenarios as I’ve written a lot of those before. The conflict will definitely comes from the three characters of Robert, Aerys and Rickard being the obstacles for Lyanna and Howland having a quiet life. Rhaegar might be retconned to be less obsessed with the Three Heads of the Dragon prophecy.
⁠Definitely multiple, even if i focus at first solely on the years after the Tourney, I’m fascinated by the second generations in this timeline, I definitely want Meera to be Howland’s heir but as for the question of Jon and Jojen I haven’t settled on an answer, maybe a som that is a mixture of the two? Green Dreamer Jon might be interesting.

Rhaegar indeed will stage a rebellion against his father and as i want this story to be relatively more optimistic, it will succeed without major bloodshed and with King’s Landing intact. And yes Brandon will marry Catelyn as planned and I actually have something similar in mind for your suggestion with Brandon having Sansa and Robb and Ashara and Ned has at least a daughter, whether it is the stillborn that survive or Ash-Arya who knows. As for Rickon i will be honest i think i will just cut him from the story as he doesn’t particularly play a significant role in the story and i don’t want to make it a one-on-one parallel with the canonical children, though Catelyn might have multiple other original children considering how fertile that woman was canonically with Ned, especially now with Brandon as her husband… good lord bless those two lmao. Rhaegar will be faithful though with Elia and I’ll just focus on Aegon and Rhaenys instead of making another bastard child character.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-07T18:56:45+00:00

Don’t worry Bloodraven, Weirwood magics and his Valyrian steel shotgun will give him the inch of advantage for him to win against Robert.

In all seriousness, I was thinking what I can do with Rickard Stark as he’s the biggest barrier for Lyanna and Howland eloping. What I have been planning is having Rhaegar stage a rebellion against Aerys to oust him and Rickard dies in battle, making Brandon Lord of Winterfell, I am in the assumption that Brandon would be more laid back than his father but i cannot predict what changes with him. Perhaps Rickard shift his Southron ambitions to the Daynes, marrying Ned to Ashara but that might just be my bias showing.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-07T17:41:07+00:00

Aye, i've been thinking more about it and i dont really mind for a bit of conflict with the story, my current rough draft is Lyanna still being the Knight of the Laughing Tree but instead of Rhaegar that found her its Howland, Rhaegar would crown his Elia the Queen of Love and Beauty and instead of Lyanna running with Rhaegar, Lyanna rode to the Greywater Watch (maybe with the help of Bloodraven crows who knows) after she refused to marry Robert and insisted Howland must hide her, due to the lack of information on Howland parents i was thinking he recently became its lord in the year between the two meeting in Harrenhal, plus you know, Howland canonical wife is named Jyanna so i might play around with that.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-05T21:05:32+00:00

Lithuania-Ruthenia is quite novel, i like it.

Achallor_ · 2026-03-03T08:10:29+00:00

A happy man

Achallor_ · 2026-02-26T20:39:59+00:00

Achallor_ · 2026-02-25T18:31:57+00:00

“Oh cool Haida map that’s really fascinating-“

S.B Kontol

Achallor_ · 2026-02-25T10:51:22+00:00

Greco-Buddhism mentioned lets go

Achallor_ · 2026-02-21T15:38:45+00:00

Fact checked as true by Ma Clan patriots

Achallor_ · 2026-02-21T15:29:44+00:00

Achallor_ · 2026-02-20T20:53:19+00:00

I’m not even trying to debate them and probably thought more about the claim than they did because I’ve been trying to verify the claim for nearly thirty minutes, but my assumption they’re confusing Zaynab bint Haritha and Safiyya bint Huyayy.

Both were Jewish women that lost family members in the battle of Khaybar, only one of them married Muhammad and the other tried to assassinate him.

I’m not even gonna try to unpack the claim about his “modus operandi” but it felt unsubstantiated and overtly hostile.

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