News of Eddard's beheading was still spreading like wildfire throughout the Seven Kingdoms, its repercussions continuing to grow.
Winterfell, in the North.
Upon learning of his father's death, Robb Stark immediately began calling his bannermen.
"The North never forgets."
Tens of thousands of northern warriors began gathering at Moat Cailin, swearing to crush the south and avenge Lord Eddard with Lannister blood.
When Catelyn received the news, her vision went black and she collapsed. By the time she woke, her tears had run dry. All that remained was numbness and fear for her two daughters.
In the Riverlands, House Tully naturally stood with the Starks, but their lands lay on the front line of the war, so they were the first to taste its flames.
The Lannisters struck first. Lord Tywin dispatched two armies, one commanded by the Mountain and the other led by Amory Lorch. Disguised as bandits, these two butchers of the Westerlands entered the Riverlands, burning, killing, and plundering. The entire Trident basin went up in flames.
By then, Old Lord Tully was elderly and ill, unable to command. His heir, Edmure Tully, was a lord with no talent for warfare.
Faced with the raids, he scattered the Riverlands' forces, posting men in every village in an attempt to protect everyone. As a result, the armies of the Westerlands defeated them one by one. Heavy losses in a short span of time left House Tully on the back foot.
Stannis of Dragonstone now found himself in the most awkward position. Of all the major powers rebelling against the Iron Throne, he was the weakest.
He publicly proclaimed himself the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, but all he had under his command were Dragonstone's fleet and a pitifully small castle garrison. Dragonstone was his only holding, and