Duskendale was the first major castle prepared to resist Viserys after he entered the Crownlands. Its walls were not particularly high, but they were thick, built from the brown stone unique to the Crownlands. The local lord's castle was also called Duskendale, and for that reason it was known as the Brown Keep.
Now, the banners of two houses flew above Duskendale's outer walls. One bore the arms of House Rykker: two crossed black warhammers on a white saltire against a blue field. The other bore the arms of House Rosby: three red chevrons on ermine.
It seemed the two houses had joined forces.
After all, although House Rosby was a wealthy house of the Crownlands, its seat at Rosby was only an ordinary castle, nowhere near as sturdy as Duskendale.
Duskendale had originally belonged to House Darklyn, but after the Defiance of Duskendale, the house had been utterly wiped out by the original owner of his body's father, the Mad King Aerys II.
Although many people in Duskendale still bore the surnames Dark, Darkwood, or Dagood, they were merely minor offshoots of House Darklyn. They had little power and could not inherit Duskendale.
Aerys II had therefore granted Duskendale to House Rykker. They had also done much for Aerys during the War of the Usurper, but unfortunately, a single earl's house could not change anything.
In the end, Robert had even sent House Rykker's heir, Ser Jeremy Rykker, to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. The current head of House Rykker, Ravella Rykker, had once been a supporter of Robert.
Judging by Viserys's abilities and Targaryen intelligence, Duskendale now held roughly eight thousand defenders. House Rykker's original garrison numbered two thousand, while peasants levied from the surrounding area had barely brought in another four thousand. House Rosby had