Siege of Longtable

After the victory at Honeywine, Lord Ormund Hightower and Prince Daeron pressed on, forcing the Rowans, the Oakhearts, and the lords of the Shield Islands to bend the knee one after another, each of them under the shadow of Tessarion, all of it done in Aegon II's name.

In the capital, meanwhile, Rhaenyra was taking King's Landing. Ormund turned his host toward Longtable, seat of House Merryweather, one of the last black strongholds still standing in his path.

Lord Merryweather himself was not there to defend it. He had been in King's Landing when King Viserys I died, had refused to swear to Aegon II, and the King's Hand, Ser Criston Cole, had him put to death shortly after.

How long Longtable held out under siege is not recorded. What is known is that Lady Merryweather eventually negotiated directly with Lord Ormund and handed over the castle before matters grew worse.

The terms were simple: neither she nor her people would be harmed. Ormund kept his word on that, but stripped the castle of everything it held, gold and stores alike, to feed a host numbering in the thousands.

Ormund had expected to meet Ser Rickard Thorne at Longtable, the Kingsguard knight guarding young Prince Maelor Targaryen. The two never arrived: both were killed at Bridgetown instead.

Lady Caswell, hoping to soften what was coming, sent the dead prince's dragon egg to the castle. It changed nothing — Lord Hightower and Prince Daeron marched on Bridgetown regardless and sacked it.