"Dawn of War
" is a A Song of Ice and Fire fanfic that centers around Austin Sand, the illegitimate son of Ser Arthur Dayne who is forced to flee his home and journey to the North.
A longer version can be found here.
This fanfic features the following tropes:
- Age Lift: Edric Dayne is about 12 in the main series. Here, he's about eight in 285 AC, making him about 10 years older than in the books.
- Big Brother Mentor: Edric is trying to teach Robb to be smarter.
- Child Soldier: Bronn has been a sellsword since before he was 12 years old.
- The Coup: Cersei and Littlefinger launch one to put Joffrey on the throne after the Hunting "Accident" fails, putting Ned Stark, Austin, Jory, King Robert, and Lord Commander Barristan Selmy in the Black Cells.
- Despair Event Horizon: Arthur Dayne seemed to have crossed it after the death of his lover, as he joined the Kingsguard and practically abandoned his son.
- Familiar: Ingavar, a bear who is Austin's companion.
- Fridge Brilliance: In-universe, Austin recognizes Jon Snow as the infant Ned Stark brought to Starfall when he returned Dawn.
- Irony: Austin and Edric have to seek refuge with Ned Stark, the man who is believed to have killed Ser Arthur.
- Killed Off for Real: Unlike certain rumors, Ashara Dayne is definitely dead as Austin watches her die by jumping from the Palestone Tower.
- No Name Given: The name of Austin's mother is not mentioned.
- Original Character: Austin Sand, illegitimate son of Ser Arthur Dayne.
- Parental Abandonment: Austin's mother died in childbirth while his father Arthur became a Kingsguard after Austin was born and was later killed by Ned Stark, meaning that Ashara took up a parental role for him.
- Promotion to Parent: Austin has to take care of the eight-year-old Edric while on the road to Winterfell.
- Punch-Clock Hero: Bronn. Once he gets paid for escorting Austin and Edric to Winterfell, he's on to the next job though he and Austin part on friendly terms.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Bronn was at the Battle of the Trident but fled the battlefield when Prince Rhaegar was killed.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Austin is haunted by the fighting of Greyjoy's Rebellion and lives as a hermit for nine years.
- Sherlock Scan: Bronn is able to pick out that Austin and Edric are young lords by the quality of their weapons, clothes, and the fact that one of them (Austin) knows how to use a sword.Austin: I didn't say we were lords.Bronn: Didn't have to. Castle-forged steel, sword training, fancy clothes, good horses. Made it easy for me.
- Skilled, but Naive: Austin himself has a lot of skill for a boy, but Bronn teaches him to fight dirty.Bronn: You know your skill is impeccable for a lad your age. But you're not creative.
- Spared by the Adaptation:
- Jory Cassel because Austin persuades Ned Stark to not fight Jaime Lannister.
- King Robert survives his hunt because Austin accompanies him on the hunt and Ingavar tears out the boar's throat.
- Time Skip:
- Between Chapters 4 and 5 from 285 AC to 289 AC, the outset of Greyjoy's Rebellion.
- Nine years pass between Chapters 8 and 9 from 289 AC to 298 AC.
- The Usurper: Two years after Robert's Rebellion, Gerold Dayne comes to Starfall to seize control of House Dayne.
- Young Future Famous People: Austin and Edric bump into a young Bronn near Bitterbridge, and he helps escort them to Winterfell.
