"A Destiny of Ice and Steel
" is a Game of Thrones fanfiction which features Edward Cassel, son of Ser Rodrik Cassel.
Tropes that appear in this fanfic:
- Acrofatic: Ned notes that despite Ser Rodrik's girth, he's quick on his feet in battle.
- Adaptational Intelligence: Sansa is fully aware of what Joffrey is like after the incident at the Trident. This doesn't make things easier for her.
- Arc Villain: Harras Harlaw during Rodrik Cassel's Greyjoy flashback.
- Ascended Extra:
- Rodrik Cassel is the main POV for Chapter 8, which has flashbacks from his exploits during the Greyjoy Rebellion and his wife's death.
- Joffrey Baratheon takes part of a POV chapter in Chapter 7.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Edward weaponizes this in a sparring session with Joffrey. When Joffrey starts swinging wildly at Edward, Edward simply stops moving and gives Joffrey something to hit: his practice sword with more force behind it. Joffrey winds up caught off guard and Edward takes the offensive until Joffrey yields.
- The Berserker: Joffrey just wildly swings in combat, with little thought given towards finesse or defense. Things quickly turn sour whenever he's forced to go on defense.
- Betty and Veronica: Edward fits the Betty type (Sansa's Childhood Friend who is quietly attracted to her, encourages Sansa to go through with her betrothal to Joffrey despite his feelings for her, the Poor Suitor in the Rich Suitor, Poor Suitor) while Joffrey fits the Veronica type (rich but douchey, ignores Sansa's affections despite being betrothed to her). They invert the Arranged Marriage type with Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey (the trope page lists having the Betty as the arranged partner).
- Big Brother Mentor: Jory to Edward. Edward is also one for Arya.
- Blinded by Rage: When someone just wildly hacks without thought for technique or finesse, Ser Rodrik calls it an "immature tantrum."
- Canon Foreigner: Edward Cassel is the son of Ser Rodrik Cassel. Rodrik's only child who survived past infancy in the books was named Beth.
- Can't Hold His Liquor: Edward can only drink two cups of wine before getting a hangover.
- Chekhov's Gun: Jory's scar near his eye is used to identify his body when Edward comes upon the aftermath of the skirmish outside the brothel.
- Composite Character: Edward Cassel is a Gender Lift and Age Lift of Beth Cassel, Rodrik's daughter from the books. He also takes the place of Nymeria, who injured Joffrey at the Trident when the prince attacked Arya, as well as Mycah, the boy who spars with Arya and is threatened by Joffrey.
- Conflicting Loyalty: Sansa winds up with her affections torn between Edward and Joffrey. By Chapter 11, she no longer loves Joffrey, but she feels that she can't break the betrothal and taint her honor.
- Continuity Nod:
- Cersei makes a remark about not caring about what someone's father told them.
- Edward remarks that being trained as a soldier, he learned to die a long time ago.
- Syrio Forel gives Edward a similar speech that Arya received about calling his pupils "boy".
Syrio: Lord Stark said you are only 16. And I don't hear how Edward Cassel has fought any battles, or slain great knights, or laid with beautiful girls. So, you are but a boy. Otherwise, why would you need me? - Contrived Coincidence: Lampshaded when Edward speculates about Syrio Forel knowing Edward's mother's brother, since both were the First Sword of Braavos. It turns out that they are one and the same.
- Cool Sword: Nightfall, the Valyrian Steel Ancestral Weapon of House Harlaw. Rodrik takes it from Harras Harlaw after he kills him during the Greyjoy Rebellion.
- Culture Clash: When Edward goes to apologize to Cersei and Joffrey for his beatdown on Joffrey, Edward offers a handshake because it’s more forgiving and affirmative. Joffrey is confused by the gesture and makes him kneel instead, to emphasize that they’re not equals.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Edward inflicts two on Joffrey during training and at the Trident. In the latter case, Joffrey gets only one blow in, which gets his sword stuck in the ground, before Edward cuts his arm and knocks him down with the pommel of his sword.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Syrio Forel. He explains to Edward that he was attracted to a girl of higher rank, and dared not ask for her hand because she might reject him. Syrio's elder sister told him that the girl would accept his proposal if he became the First Sword of Braavos. Syrio succeeded and the girl accepted his proposal, but her father forbade the match and wed his daughter to another man. Syrio's father was a man of ill health, and eventually died; his sister left for Westeros soon after, the family fell into ruin, and Syrio had to leave Braavos.
- Dead Fic: Hasn't been updated since April 2018.
- Dead Man Writing: Alyssa Cassel left a letter for her son detailing her backstory in Braavos and how she met Rodrik.
- Death by Adaptation: Harras Harlaw. Instead of being still alive as he was during the books, here he was killed by Rodrik Cassel during the Greyjoy Rebellion.
- Dirty Coward: Joffrey on any given day, but much more here in the incident at the Trident when he challenges Edward to a duel and only allows Edward to use a stick, even though Edward has a sword nearby.
- Doomed by Canon: Lady, Jory Cassel. Robert Baratheon is slated to die in the next chapter.
- Duel to the Death: Rodrik fought and killed Harras Harlaw in a duel in Greyjoy's Rebellion.
- Empathic Environment: The rainstorm at the beginning of Chapter 6 reflects Edward's sullen mood after his argument with Sansa.
- Embarrassing Nickname:
- Edward doesn't like being called "Ed" by Jory or "Jon Snow the Second".
- Arya doesn't like being called "Little Lady".
- Engagement Challenge: Syrio's sister set one up for him with his love Melira; she would accept him as her husband should he become the First Sword of Braavos. The challenge was met... but Melira's father reneged on the deal and married Melira to someone else.
- Ensign Newbie: Edward is the youngest member of Ned Stark's household guard.
- Face Death with Dignity: Harras Harlaw practically orders Rodrik to kill him.
- Fainting: Some of the Stark guardsmen are not acclimated to King's Landing's climate, and collapse while on duty.
- Fatal Flaw: Edward has two: he is easily irritated and proves to have a jealous streak.
- Foil:
- Edward to Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. Both are of Braavosi descent whose families made their names through warfare (Petyr's grandfather was a sellsword and his father a wartime friend of Hoster Tully during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, while Rodrik took Harlaw during the Greyjoy Rebellion and slew Harras Harlaw), were brought up in the household of a Lord Paramount, and became attracted to the elder daughter of said Lord Paramount, a lady with red hair and blue eyes, The ladies they were attracted to were betrothed to the heir of a great house. However, Edward has the skill to back him up if he ever chose to challenge Joffrey and (so far) isn't as unscrupulous as Littlefinger.
- Edward to Theon Greyjoy. Both are young men fostered at Winterfell, whose fathers were on different parts of the social class system and greatly affected by Greyjoy's Rebellion in different ways: Balon Greyjoy led Greyjoy's Rebellion and lost, while Rodrik Cassel made a name for himself by taking Harlaw. Both have different skill sets; Theon is an excellent archer while Edward is a Master Swordsman. Theon is a hedonistic skirt chaser, Edward has only ever been interested in Sansa.
- House Cassel to House Clegane. Both are houses that are recently knighted; Cassel for taking Harlaw during Greyjoy's Rebellion and Clegane for saving Tytos Lannister's life only a few decades before the story started. However, while the Cassels have a reputation for honor, the Cleganes (particularly Gregor) are known for being violent and bloodthirsty. After the fight at the Trident, Edward worries that he could become like the Cleganes: apathetic, resentful, and bloodthirsty.
- Arya to Lysa Arryn, nee Tully. Both are the younger daughters to Lords Paramount, who grew up in the shadow of another daughter who was seen as better than them, and grew up alongside a ward raised there who is attracted to the elder daughter. However, Arya has no romantic feelings for Edward unlike Lysa for Petyr, and the dynamic between them is a more mutual master and apprentice relationship.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Jory has a small scar close to his right eye. It's used to identify his body when Edward finds the Stark guards dead after the confrontation outside Littlefinger's brothel.
- Heir Club for Men: Averted in Braavos, where the eldest child inherits no matter what sex they are.
- Heroic BSoD: Edward does not take Jory's death well, shutting himself up in his quarters and not eating or grooming for two days.
- Hidden Depths: In Chapter 7, Joffrey appears to have a small amount of conscience as he feels guilty about his actions at the Trident. However, this doesn't translate into wanting to change his ways, it just increases his disdain for the North.
- Hope Spot: Chapter 10. Edward has learned that he and Syrio Forel are kin, Ned Stark has resigned as Hand of the King and Edward has a chance to tell Sansa his feelings for her when Ned is persuaded to accompany Littlefinger to a brothel to meet Mhaegan and Barra, gets attacked by Jaime and Jory is killed. The resulting fallout makes sure Ned doesn't leave the capital and Edward drives Sansa away from him in his grief.
- If I Wanted You Dead...: When questioned about Joffrey's injury, Edward tells King Robert and Queen Cersei that if he wanted to maliciously hurt Joffrey, he would have cut off his hands rather than cut his arm.
- In-Series Nickname:
- Edward is sometimes called "Jon Snow the Second" because he and Jon look very similar, apart from the fact that Edward is taller (he's 6'2" while Jon is 5'8") and Edward has hazel eyes. Edward's also called "Ed" by Jory.
- Edward calls Arya "Little Lady".
- Intimate Hairbrushing: Edward and Sansa have a bonding moment as he brushes her hair. He also remembers doing so for his mother.
- Irony: Despite the mutual attraction between Edward and Sansa and both knowing what Joffrey is like, Edward persuades Sansa to go through with her betrothal because the King and Queen would be offended if it was broken off.
- I Shall Taunt You: Edward during his sparring round with Joffrey at Winterfell, mainly to vent his anger at Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey.
- I Take Offense to That Last One: Joffrey is mainly unperturbed by Edward's description of trying to kill him (Edward) and Arya, but what gets him angry enough to attack is when Edward threatens to tell King Robert and Lord Stark.
- Junior Counterpart: Jory directly compares Edward to Jaime Lannister: an accomplished swordsman who joined a high lord's guardsmen at the age of 16, the youngest member yet. Edward doesn't appreciate the comparison.
- Kick the Dog: After kissing Sansa in front of Edward, Joffrey taunts him about Jory's death.
- Kneel Before Zod: Joffrey seems to get a kick out of getting Edward to kneel before him.
- Knight Templar Parent: Edward's impression of Queen Cersei is that she is absolutely ruthless against her children's enemies.
- Late to the Tragedy: Edward and three Stark guardsmen come upon the skirmish outside Littlefinger's brothel, finding Lord Stark wounded and Jory dead.
- Long-Lost Relative: Edward is Syrio Forel's nephew, the son of his sister.
- Love Triangle: Between Edward, Sansa and Joffrey. Edward is attracted to Sansa, who is betrothed to Joffrey. Sansa is slowly becoming disillusioned with Joffrey and realizing her feelings for Edward, but feels like she has to go through with the betrothal.
- Master-Apprentice Chain: Rodrik Cassel and Syrio Forel —> Edward Cassel —> Arya Stark.
- Master Swordsman: Edward is the best swordsman at Winterfell and can hold his own against Syrio Forel.
- Missing Mom: Edward's mother Alyssa died several years before the beginning of the story.
- Moment Killer: Dorin interrupts an intimate moment between Edward and Sansa to tell him that Lord Stark and Jory hadn't arrived back from their visit to Littlefinger's business.
- My Greatest Failure: Syrio Forel feels immense guilt for not being there for his sister when she needed him."Our family words are 'Strength from loyalty', and I never helped her through her struggles, as she had done for me. I had gone against our words, and the Gods sought to punish me for it."
- Non Sequitur: Jon's section of Chapter 7 is the only part of the chapter that does not take place in King's Landing.
- Number Two:
- As Vice Captain, Edward is Jory's second-in-command of the Stark guardsmen.
- Another Stark guardsman named Dorin becomes Edward's second in command after Jory's death.
- Off with His Head!: Harras Harlaw met this fate at the hands of Rodrik Cassel.
- Oh, Crap!: Any conversation Edward has with Cersei or Jaime Lannister causes one of these for him.
- Older Sidekick: Dorin to Edward as his second-in-command.
- The One That Got Away: Melira for Syrio Forel.
- Parental Marriage Veto: Syrio Forel's intended Melira accepted his proposal, but her father rejected the proposal and had Melira marry another man to spite Syrio. Edward fears that Lord and Lady Stark would turn him down if he ever proposed to Sansa.
- Posthumous Character: Alyssa Cassel, Ser Rodrik's wife and Edward's mother. Rodrik has a flashback to her death, Edward has memories of brushing her hair, and Syrio Forel is her brother.
- Put on a Bus: In Chapter 11, Dorin leaves to accompany the men sent to apprehend Gregor Clegane.
- Rich Suitor, Poor Suitor: The two young men vying for Sansa. Joffrey is the Rich Suitor; he's the heir to the Iron Throne and his maternal family is one of the wealthiest in the Seven Kingdoms. Edward is the Poor Suitor; he has no lands and no title, all he can offer her is his love.
- The Rival: Theon for Edward, with Theon mocking Edward for his father's low position while Edward bringing up Balon Greyjoy's failed rebellion. This winds up being small potatoes when another rivalry brews between Edward and Joffrey.
- Shadow Archetype: Sandor and Gregor Clegane are the personification of what Edward fears he could become if he started to like killing.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Ned Stark and Rodrik Cassel. Ned has flashbacks to a battle whenever he sees training in arms, while Rodrik doesn't like to talk about how he got his knighthood.
- Shout-Out: At the end of Chapter 5, the author states "Home is behind, the world ahead, and there is one Kingsroad to tread."
- Signature Scent: Sansa has pine and frost, while Edward has peppermint and steel.
- Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Alyssa Forel fell for Rodrik Cassel because he was honest, good-hearted and kind.
- Soldier vs. Warrior: Discussed. Cersei refers to the North as having good soldiers, while Joffrey is a warrior like his "father" Robert. Edward refers to himself as a soldier, adhering to logic and honour rather than emotion.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Edward when he and Arya encounter Sansa and Joffrey on the banks of the Trident, with Sansa holding a wineskin.
- Title Drop: Chapter 6 is titled "A Gentle, Good Lady". Edward repeats the same sentence when he says his goodbye to her before Lord Stark kills her."She's a gentle, good lady. She doesn't deserve this."
- Tragic Keepsake: Rodrik gives Edward a pendant that belonged to his mother. It's revealed that the pendant is an heirloom of her house, which happens to be the same as... Syrio Forel.
- Tranquil Fury: Edward feels oddly calm when he fights Joffrey at the Trident, which frightens him.
- Uptown Girl: Sansa for Edward. She's the daughter of a Lord Paramount and betrothed to a prince, he's the son of a knight with no title or lands of his own.Syrio Forel: I understand, boy. You would happily tell this girl how you feel, but your honor and your respect for her betrothal, along with your lack of titles and such stops you from doing so.
- Weak, but Skilled: Edward isn't physically weak, but his fighting style banks less on powerful attacks and strength and focuses more on footwork, defense, and finding a weakness he can exploit.
- Wham Episode: Chapter 10. Edward learns that Syrio Forel is his uncle, and Jory is killed by Jaime Lannister, leaving Edward as Ned Stark's captain of the guards.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Although Nymeria doesn't bite Joffrey, she wanders off altogether off-page.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Sansa asks the Lannisters to kill Lady rather than Edward when Cersei orders his execution.
- You Are in Command Now: Edward becomes the Captain of the Stark household guard when Jory is killed by Jaime Lannister.
- Young and in Charge:
- Edward, who is 16, becomes Captain of the Stark household guard after Jory's death.
- It's mentioned that Jory became Captain at 17.
