DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. Enough said.
A/N 1: This has been a plot bunny for weeks now so I decided to get it out of my mind and into paper sort to speak.
A/N 2: Grammatical errors have been kept to a minimum.
"House Martell" Characters speaking
'House Martell' Characters thinking
Hope you enjoy the story.
House Martell, the ruling House of Dorne. Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken.
A House known for its caution and patience.
A House which retained its royal title.
A House known for resisting Targaryen conquest.
Truly, they were only House in Westeros to have never bent the knee to the Targaryens. No. The middle finger is what the Targaryens and their overgrown flying lizards got. Not bent knees. Middle fingers.
And House Martell, like all the other Houses, had its fair share of heroes. When warrior Queen Nymeria arrived in Dorne, married Mors Martell and set to conquer all of Dorne, House Martell revealed its secret at the time: Chiyo Martell.
Chiyo was the mother of Mors Martell and a woman with an unusual talent. An unusual talent which she would seemingly pass on to her descendants. An unusual talent which allowed her to cut down all those who stood in House Martell's conquest of Dorne. She was already an elderly woman at the time but that did not stop her from assisting her House.
When Aegon Targaryen and his sisters had so arrogantly thought they had conquered Dorne and left it in the hands of Lords Rosby and Tyrell, three more heroes presented themselves: the Princess Temari Martell and the Princes Kankuro and Gaara Martell.
Each one contributing to Dorne's independence during the First Dornish War.
If the rumors are to be believed, then one had to wonder just how did Prince Gaara of the Desert – the youngest of the three siblings – bury Lord Tyrell and his army in the very desert he claimed as his domain. The tales say he was a wizard who had power over the sand. Of course, tales were just tales. Only House Martell knew the truth.
His older brother Prince Kankuro Martell had led some of the forces which fought Orys Baratheon. He had the same skill as his ancestor, Chiyo. And when the time came when Orys and his men's ransoms were paid, it was Kankuro who ordered their sword-hands to be caught off in order to insure they would never be raised against Dorne again.
Some of his men however thought it was a sick joke of some kind. The idea of Hand of the King losing his hand was more than enough instigated gleeful laughter amongst the Dornish troops. Histories say that Kankuro did it personally and in front of his men and they laughed and mocked Orys.
Princess Temari – the eldest of the three –, with her unusually large fan, was said to have used and manipulated the wind. If she could help it, she would put out the fires the Targaryens unleashed before they could do major damage. And on one occasion, she led to the scorpion bolt that embedded itself in the eye of Queen Rhaenys's dragon resulting in the Targaryen Queen's downfall.
Unfortunately, no such heroes had lived during the Second Dornish War when King Daeron Targaryen the Young Dragon attempted at conquering Dorne. But that did not stop the Dornish from putting the young, pompous King in his place… or grave with all things consider.
Once, they and the whole of Dorne were the thorns to the Targaryen's side but now they are the only allies it has left.
But Dorne being filled with Targaryen loyalist is not entirely true. Not even the entirety of House Martell was loyal to the Targaryens.
The previous Princess of Dorne had only four children to have made it to adulthood. The eldest was Doran and by the time he had any surviving siblings, he had been a man grown.
All four members of that generation of House Martell were well known across the Seven Kingdom. Doran was said to be a man of great cunning who's every word and action were weighed in great measure. Elia was remembered as the tragic Princess who died near the end of Robert's Rebellion. Oberyn was called the Red Viper, a man of excellent combat prowess.
So it only made sense that the youngest of the bunch would be known for something as well with his own moniker to boot. While Oberyn was the Red Viper, Prince Sasori of House Martell was called the Red Scorpion.
And he was acting the Champion for Tyrion Lannister's Trial by Combat.
Reborn in a new world to a new family, Sasori wanted to live, to grow up with siblings. He saw his new life as a second chance of sorts and he made the best of it; putting family above all else. He grew to love his siblings and his parents. But some things never change.
Once a puppeteer, always a puppeteer. And by the time Elia had married Rhaegar, he had constructed hundreds of puppets in secret.
But the human puppets would not come until after a certain Rebellion occurred.
When he was young, he had started to earn a reputation for himself. Like his ancestors, he was unique because he made human-sized puppets and used them as weapons. How he was able to accomplish such a feat was a mystery to everyone. Not even Varys the Spider could figure regardless of how many Little Birds he sent to spy on Sasori. Little birds that Varys had to periodically replace since Sasori had a habit of poisoning his Little Birds.
Littlefinger was not met with any better luck.
To everyone else, they simplified it as magic. The only ones who knew how he did were his siblings and siblings only. None of his nieces and nephews knew.
Like his older brother, Sasori used poison. But much like his fighting style, his poison was unique. He made sure no one would be able to synthesize a cure but him. His poison was slow and excruciating. His weapons were coated in it. Some things truly never change.
He soon discovered that he was not the only one being given a second chance. He had found Deidara who had been reborn as a member of House Lannister. But much like all of Tywin's children, he was a disappointment to his father. Deidara choose to relinquish his inheritance, abandoning his supposed duties and leaving Tywin with only Tyrion as his heir.
In his younger days, Sasori had been betrothed to Lady Allyria of House Dayne. His family was good friends with the Daynes. Ashara Dayne was Elia's best friend. Arthur Dayne was his and Oberyn's friend. When Elia married Rhaegar, Sasori had asked Arthur to look after his sister and any children she would have.
Sasori could still remember what Arthur told him.
"My old friend, you insult me by having to say that. Of course I'll look after Elia. As a Kingsguard, I would gladly give my life for her. No, as Knight, I would have given my life for her. As long as I live, no harm shall you come your sister. I swear it."
Sasori remembered smiling contently and nodding his head at Arthur's answer. A few years later, Sasori would make it known to everyone just what happens to people who swear oaths to him and then break them.
When the Tourney at Harrenhal occurred, Sasori was not there. Months prior, he had asked to establish a keep of his own at another part of Dorne. It was more of an underground stronghold then a keep. In the vast deserts of Dorne, Sasori and Deidara found an underground lake. It was meant for him and Deidara to work in secret without disturbance or interruption. So no, he was not at Harrenhal when Rhaegar Targaryen had passed his sister and placed the Crown of Blue Winter Roses on Lyanna Stark's lap.
Had he had been there, had he had seen Rhaegar humiliate his sister and shame his House, it only goes without saying no army, no dragon or even an army of dragons could have stopped him from murdering that supposed Dragon Prince. Consequences by damned. He did not fear Aerys or his Kingsguard or any other man.
His eldest brother had calmed him down after the fact because he would have hunted Rhaegar. He relented and followed his brother. But then he later wished he didn't. Several months after the Tourney, Rhaegar had made off with Lyanna. Whether he kidnapped her or she went willingly was of no concern to him. War had broken out, armies were fighting and people were dying. His Uncle Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard had led the armies of Dorne at the Trident but he died and the loyalist army had lost.
It was clear the Targaryen's were losing. Prince Rhaegar himself was killed by Robert Baratheon. He was not angry that ten thousand of his fellow Dornishmen were lost and that his own Uncle was killed in battle. What made him angry were the deaths of his sister and her children.
Sasori and Deidara were ready to ride north to where the battles were being fought when he had received the raven with the dreadflu news. Elia was dead and so were his niece and nephew. Elia was a harmless woman and her children were but babes. It was Ser Gregor Clegane and Ser Amory Lorch who responsible for their deaths under the orders of Tywin Lannister.
But he did not blame Deidara. Deidara had nothing to do with his sister's death. Deidara knew nothing of the plot and Sasori knew Deidara would never go along with it. They may not have the best people in their previous lives and they weren't saints in their currents lives but even they wouldn't kill children. Maim, probably. Kill, no.
Little Birds were spies first and foremost. Sasori and Deidara would not suffer spies.
Knights had killed Elia and her children. So where were the Knights sworn to protect them? Where were Arthur and the rest of the Kingsguard who were not at the Trident? Why did they not protect his sister?
'Oh that's right' Sasori thought angrily as he and Deidara rode on 'They're at the Tower of Joy, protecting instead the Stark Bitch!'
It was then Sasori had a change of plan. Forget King's Landing. There was nothing there worth going to. Not anymore. They were going to the Tower of Joy. But it wouldn't be so once he was through with it.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" announced Sasori venomously
That had alarmed Arthur, Gerold and Oswell and their hands reached for the handles of their swords. Seeing it was Sasori, they relaxed. The Prince of Dorne rode on a cart being pulled by two horses.
"Sasori-"
"That's Prince Sasori to you, Arthur." They were good enough friends that Arthur didn't need to address him as Prince.
"Three Kingsguard, un!" Deidara had made his presence known
The three knights drew their swords. "You brought a Lannister here?!" demanded Ser Gerold Hightower, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
Deidara smirked smugly "Contrary to popular belief, I had nothing to do with what happened at King's Landing. My old man did that, un!"
Sasori decided to drew their attention towards him "I had heard you weren't at the Trident."
"We were not there." Was Arthur's answer
"Woe to the Usurper had we been." Added Ser Oswell
"No, you weren't. You were here." And Sasori began "When King's Landing was sacked, you were not there. When one of your fellow knights butchered my niece, you were not there. When the Mountain killed my nephew, you were not there. When my sister was raped and murdered, you were not there." Each word he said was laced with venom.
"Those men are no Knights!" Gerold countered but Sasori paid no mind
"You Knights, you so called defenders of the helpless, you failed to protect the members of the Royal Family, the very people were sworn to protect! My sister needed you but you were here guarding that wolf-slut!"
"Prince Rhaegar ordered us to remain here and guard Lady Lyanna!" Defended Ser Gerold
"Did he now?" Deidara's smirk grew larger. He knew what was coming. "Lyanna Stark is no member of the Royal Family. Rhaella Targaryen, Viserys Targaryen, they are members of the Royal Family. It appears your beloved Prince decided his cock-sleeve was more important than his mother and brother, un!"
"We did our duty to the Prince!" Gerold defended again.
"And failed all the rest. Some knights you people are, un! Clegane and Lorch were no knights, you say? Well neither are you. You three are just oath-breakers."
Such words did not suit the three Kingsguard well "You dare say that when it was your father who ordered their deaths?!"
"Are you deaf? I had no involvement in any of that. I'm innocent. Don't blame me for your failures. In fact, didn't you two" Deidara pointed at Arthur and Oswell "helped Rhaegar take the Stark Bitch which ultimately lead to this war which got your King dead in the first place?" Deidara laughed "So much for your honor and your vows and your chivalry."
"We did-"
"Enough!" Sasori had had enough to hear of whatever excuses they had "Do you want to know why I am here?" Sasori took a step forward and dug his hand in one of his pockets.
"Prince Sasori, I know you are angry because of what happened to Princess Elia but-" Ser Gerold tried to reason with him but it was worthless
"Angry? Angry! No. Angry does not even begin to describe what I feel right not." Sasori pulled a scroll out of his pocket.
This put Arthur on high alert. He was a good friend of Sasori – or at least he used to be – and knew the significance of his scrolls. Ser Oswell and Ser Gerold followed suit.
"Arthur Dayne, you, a knight of honor, swore an oath to me to safeguard my sister and her children. You broke that oath." Sasori opened the scroll and a puff of smoke revealed one of his puppets. It was this world's version of Hiruko. "So no, I'm not angry. I. Am. Pissed!"
It was at this point Deidara took out a bottle of Dornish Wine and poured some in a small glass. 'This is going to be very entertaining' he thought
"Let's get this started, shall we. I don't want to keep Lyanna Stark waiting."
"So it begins" Arthur took up a defensive stance.
"No. It ended the moment you let Elia die."
The ensuing fight took up less than ten minutes of Sasori's time. But the end of it all, Sasori didn't have a scratch but Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell and Ser Gerold all laid dead on the ground.
"I won't be long, Deidara. I'll keep this quick." The youngest Prince of Dorne said as he entered the tower.
By the time Ned Stark had arrived with his companion, he first spotted the cart Sasori and Deidara brought with them. Then he saw Deidara sitting on top of Arthur's body. It was undignifying, ill-mannered and strange.
"Lannister!" Ned shouted "Came here to finish your father's work?"
Deidara simply rolled his eyes "Starks, so full of honor leaving very little room for anything else." Deidara did nothing but sit on the body knowing full well those honorable Northern fools wouldn't strike a man who wasn't even defending himself. Unless of course they were Boltons, which none of them were.
"As I told these dead Kingsguard," Deidara patted the cheek of Arthur with the back of his hand serving to only further disturb Ned and his companions. "I had nothing to do with what happened in King's Landing."
Deidara poured wine once again into his glass and took his time drinking it down "I'm not your enemy" He wipe his mouth "We don't have to fight."
Lord Howland Reed stepped up "Did you kill them? The Kingsguard I mean."
"Nope. This was all Sasori's work." Deidara stood up and playfully kicked the head of Ser Oswell "He was very pissed at them, un!"
Ned couldn't help but be curious "Why?"
"Clegane and Lorch may have done the deed under my father's orders but Sasori held them just as accountable and punishable for their inaction." He hoisted Oswell's body, went over to the cart and unceremoniously and even harshly dumped his body on it.
"Have you no respect for the dead?!" Ned was outraged at how Deidara callously treated the body of a fallen knight
"Why should I, un? The dead can't and won't complain about how I treat their bodies." Deidara smirked at the new Lord of Winterfell "They're oath-breakers. They should have been protecting Sasori's sister, niece and nephew but they were here instead… protecting the Wolf Bit- I mean your sister." That was no slip of the tongue.
Deidara went over to Arthur Dayne's body and treated it no different.
Ned tried to remain calm letting his anger simmer down "Where is the Prince of Dorne? Where is Prince Sasori?" Ned was starting to get worried
Deidara, just after dumping Gerold Hightower's body into the cart, smiled and pointed at the tower with his thumb. Then they saw Sasori exiting the Tower of Joy.
"Oh hello there, Eddard. You must be here for your sister."
Eddard Stark and his companions knew they had to be wary of the man. They knew Sasori to be a man who uses poison on his weapons and was not ashamed to use them. They knew the man did not fight honorably and frankly did not care for honor. If he took down three Kingsguard single-handedly then he surely wouldn't go down that easily.
"Prince Sasori, you have my most sincere condolences for the death of your sister." Ned thought he could empathize with Sasori considering they both lost their sisters in one way or another. Ned could only hope Lyanna was still alive.
"Spare me, Lord Stark." Sasori was harsh dismissing Ned "I am not in the mood. I did what I came here for and now I am leaving."
"The Kingsguard…?" asked Lord William Dustin for confirmation
"I killed them of course." Sasori said so callously
"Why? They were loyal to the Targaryens?" asked Eddard again but this time from the main source
"And they failed. They were here guarding the wrong person. I made them pay for their failure. You want your sister, right Lord Stark? Then I suggest you make haste. She was already bleeding by the time I left. A sister for a sister. Seems fair."
Ned was furious. "You poisoned her!" He unsheathed Ice and was ready to attack the Red Scorpion
No. Sasori didn't poison her. He had planned to kill her but as it turns out, he didn't need to. Not that he would deny what Lord Stark accused him of. Let him figure it out for himself.
"Do you want to fight? Or you want to be there for your sister in her final moments? Of course if you choose the former, I am most willing to oblige."
To Ned, there wasn't much of a choice. He could stay and fight. If he won, which would be very unlikely, Lyanna would be dead by the time he could finish. If he lost, then he'd be dead too. Ned sheathed his sword "I want my sister. That's all."
"So did I." Sasori went over to Deidara. "And one last thing, Lord Stark. Go to Starfall. Lady Ashara wants a word with you."
With that, Sasori went home and began turning Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent and Gerold Hightower into Human Puppets. The famous sword of House Dayne, Dawn, was never returned to the Daynes. That plus Sasori's killing of Arthur meant that his betrothal to Allyria Dayne was broken. Not even Doran could convince him to return it.
Afterwards, Oberyn wanted to continue the war in Viserys's name but Sasori nearly violently disagreed. Sasori would serve no Targaryen and he certainly did not want any more Dornishmen dying for their cause. No, Sasori wanted independence. Sasori had enough puppets to use as an army. But Doran was the head of House Martell and the Prince of Dorne so his word was final. Peace had resumed and House Martell did as they have always done. They waited until their time came.
Years went by; nearly twenty years. Now here was Sasori, Oberyn and Deidara in King's Landing once again to attend the wedding, the wedding of a King who was rumored to be a bastard of incest. Not that he cared. Neither he nor Deidara cared for Kings or Queens.
The boy King then choked on his wine. Sasori and Oberyn knew immediately it was the work of the Strangler. Tyrion Lannister was accused of murdering Joffrey and his farce of a trial ended with him demanding a Trial by Combat.
Deidara immediately volunteered to be his younger brother's champion. Deidara may have had abandoned his duties as a Lannister but he loved his little brother and his older brother Jaime. They even caught up with each other during the time he spent in King's Landing. Not so could be said with Cersei and Tywin. Tywin held no love for his second son for leaving House Lannister. And Cersei… Cersei is Cersei.
But Sasori talked him out of it and the task of being Tyrion's champion fell to him. Oberyn, on the other hand, was not pleased.
"Brother, you know what this means to me. To fight and kill the Mountain, I have waited nearly twenty years for this opportunity. I should fight him."
"I know what it means for you, brother. I apologize if it upsets you but I feel I am more suited for the task."
"Not all of us may have chakra and your skills in puppetry but I am more than able to fight toe to toe against the Mountain."
"I do not doubt your skills, Oberyn, but I will fight him and that's final."
"Why? Why must it be you who will fight him?"
"Because three Knights failed to protect our sister." Was his answer "I think it's only right that they avenge her death." Oberyn wondered what his brother meant by that but Sasori walked away before anything further could be said.
In Tyrion's prison cell, Jaime, Deidara and Tyrion were having a conversation.
"The Red Scorpion." Tyrion lamented "He didn't get such a title by just having a name that means scorpion?"
Deidara simply answered "Nope."
"I wouldn't worry too much, Tyrion." Jaime rested his hand on Tyrion's shoulder "This is the man that killed three Kingsgaurd without as much as a scratch." And he thought 'The man that killed my mentors, my brothers in the Kingsgaurd and the knight who knighted me.'
"You'll be a free man before the day ends tomorrow, un!"
"I certainly hope you're both right otherwise I may just end up a head shorter."
And so did Jaime. He wouldn't deny that someone capable of killing three of Aerys's Kingsguard, back when the Kingsguard were actually the best of the best, but he was skeptical of his puppets. Cersei had considered it a bluff, a baseless declaration and an empty threat. His father, Tywin, didn't give it much thought instead concluded that Sasori was just a man who was very skilled in battle.
What Sasori wore the next day didn't help Tyrion's anxiety. Sasori wore no armor. Not even a helmet. Deidara told him to stop worrying and relax, sit back, drink some wine and enjoy the fight. Or sleep. Sleep was good.
"And where are his puppets? Where are the puppets he is supposedly so infamous for?"
"Don't worry. You'll see them."
"You wanted to fight that?" Tyrion heard Ellaria Sand ask Oberyn
Oberyn replied "I wanted to kill that."
"He is the biggest man I've ever seen."
"Size doesn't matter if he can't even get close enough to inflict a wound. This chance to kill the Mountain should have been mine but my brother had deemed himself better fit to fight him instead."
"But your brother is, my love. You've said so yourself."
Oberyn could only sigh "Yes, he is." He smiled at Ellaria "You should watch closely and savor this as much as you can, my love. You've seen my brother perform puppet shows for the children back in the Water Gardens but you've never seen him use his puppets as weapons."
Grand Maester Pycelle's opening speech was ceased by Tywin midway and the Trial by Combat began.
Sasori asked "Do you know who I am?"
"A dead man" replied the Mountain who made the first move.
But Sasori evaded him "I am the brother of Elia Martell. I will have you confess before all this is done. You raped my sister. You murdered her. You killed her children."
The Mountain's response was another attack. "I see you won't make this quick. Fine then." Sasori pulled out a scroll "Ser Gregor Clegane, meet" puff of smoke "Ser Arthur Dayne."
Indeed it was Ser Arthur Dayne now a puppet. He held in his hands Dawn.
This earned gasps from the crowd.
Move by Sasori's chakra strings, the puppet went to attack the Mountain. "Now meet Ser Oswell Whent." Another scroll, another puff of smoke, another puppet, another opponent for the Mountain.
"I heard your brother's puppets were truly human-like but I did not expect for them to be this human in appearance." Tyrion mentioned to Oberyn
"That, Lord Tyrion, is because those puppets were once human."
"I beg your pardon."
"Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Gerold Hightower, Ser Oswell Whent, my brother held them accountable for our sister's death as much as Tywin, Clegane and Lorch. He killed them at the Tower of Joy, as you probably know, for failing to protect our sister and her children. After that, he turned them into this."
"And last but not least, Ser Gerold Hightower, former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard." The Mountain now had three puppets to content with.
"By the Gods… Out of all the ways to desecrate a man's corpse." Tyrion mumbled "I can't even imagine what my brother must think of this."
"I'm right here, you know, un!" said Deidara "And I don't care."
"Not you. Jaime!"
"Why would that be of concern?"
"Have you forgotten? Jaime looked up those knights. And now… Now they've been reduced to this." Tyrion was not a man or one who cared not for honor. He cared more for the skill. But most people especially the smallfolk admired knights and the supposed honor they had. Dayne, Whent and Hightower were once the most honorable knights in the realm. Now they were nothing more but puppets on a string.
Ellaria whispered to her paramour "Is this allowed?"
"In a trial by combat, champions are allowed to pick whatever weapon he so-ever chooses." Oberyn laughed darkly "It just so happens no one has ever used weapons like his before." Outside of Dorne that is.
To Oberyn, now it all made sense. Why Dawn was never returned, why their bodies were never buried, why he said they would avenge Elia's death. His brother had basically desecrated their bodies and turned them into human puppets. Had it been any other person, Oberyn would have been disgusted and would mince words with his younger brother. But these men did let their sister die. Damn Rhaegar's orders. Their duty was to protect the Royal Family, not the Royal mistress.
"There is some sort of irony to this, isn't there?" Ellaria commented
"I believe so."
Sasori now fight against the Mountain with three Human Puppets. "Say it!" Sasori nearly yelled "You raped her! You murdered her! You killed her children!"
The Mountain did his best to block each strike the three puppets sent him. When he tried to attack Sasori head-on, the Red Scorpion would just have one of the puppets block his way.
"Elia Martell, say her name" Sasori sent all three puppets in at once. The Mountain parried one but could do nothing against the other two which pierced the weak-spot of his armor. Shallow enough to not be fatal. Sasori choose to forego the use of poison this time as it would kill the Mountain too quickly.
Sasori pulled his puppets back. "Say it!" and sent them at the Mountain one-by-one. "Confess!"
"You raped her!"
SLASH
"You murdered her!"
SLASH
"You killed her children"
SLASH
This went on and on until the Mountain was on the ground, heavily bleeding from the multiple gushes Sasori had inflicted upon him.
Tywin had a cold look in his face. Cersei was angry. Everyone else couldn't help but be frightened of the prospect of fighting Sasori's puppets. Until now, the rumors of Sasori's abilities were just that: rumors. But now...
At least now, Varys had a good look at what the Red Scorpion can do and the implications. Sasori would be a great aid to Targaryen restoration but he had no clue Sasori would serve no Targaryen. Not even those claiming to be his long-dead nephew.
"No, no, no! You can't die yet. You have not confessed. Say it! Say it now and I will end your miserable existence. Elia Martell! You raped her, you murdered her, you killed her children!"
"E...ia ...ar...ll" the Mountain tried to spoke but couldn't say anymore.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you."
"Prince Sasori!" Tyrion called out "Just finished it already. The man's probably choking in his own blood for Gods' sake."
Sasori took a deep breath. It was true. The Mountain was most certainly too injured to speak. So he ended it. With one swing from Dawn, the Mountain was a head shorted. Sasori sent the Oswell Puppet to retrieve one of the red Lannister banners and wrapped Gregor Clegane's head in it. Then it gave it to Oberyn.
"Of course!" Oberyn said smiling. The irony was not missed "To better conceal the blood with."
The Gerold Puppet lifted the body and tossed it over the cliff and into the waters below.
Afterwards, Tywin had no choice but to declare Tyrion innocent of Joffrey's murder and was free to go. Cersei was seething in anger. Jaime, while appalled at what his fellow Kingsguard were reduced to, let out a relieved sigh. His brother was proven innocent.
Oberyn had offered Tyrion a place in Dorne. Deidara, who owned his own piece of land in Dorne, even offered for Tyrion to stay at his keep. It was an offer Tyrion gladly accepted.
Days later, Ellaria, Sasori, Deidara and Tyrion were boarding a ship headed for Dorne.
"Must you stay, Oberyn?" Oberyn had decided it was best to send his paramour home.
"I am Master of Laws here in King's Landing." The Red Viper answered "I have duties here. But concern yourself not. I am capable of taking care of myself." Oberyn pulled Ellaria into a kiss "Take care" he told her.
While that was happening, Jaime was having a conversation with Sasori "Prince Sasori, I thank you for this hand you made for me" Jaime lifted and presented his new prosthetic hand crafted and given to him by Sasori.
It was a shock really. Jaime knew it wasn't real yet when he thought about moving the wooden fingers, it somehow respond. Well it certainly would make wielding a sword easier again. But when he asked Sasori how it was possible, the Prince gave no answer.
"Do not thank me, Ser Jaime. Thank your brother. He had asked me to make it for you."
"You have my gratitude nonetheless." Sasori nodded his head.
Years ago, Sasori had contemplated about killing Jaime and Barristan as well. But he reconsidered. Jaime had already stained his reputation by killing the King and Deidara had convinced him that that would be enough. As for Barristan, Doran persuaded him to let it go. But had he done so and finished both Jaime and Barristan, Sasori would have probably earned the title of Kingsguard Slayer.
"I suppose this is goodbye then" the three Lannister brothers were having their moment as well
"It was really good to see you again, Jaime, un!" the three brothers hugged though Jaime and Deidara had to bend down to Tyrion's level.
"Watch over him, Deidara. Don't let him drink or whore too much" Jaime spoke after breaking the hug
"Now, now, brother. You make it sound like I am a child who needs watching." And they shared a laugh.
After giving one last wave of farewell, the ship went its way.
Tyrion soon found his brother staring the Red Keep as the ship sailed further and further away into the distance.
"Missing the Red Keep already, brother?" Tyrion approached his older brother, holding a wine goblet in one hand.
"Oh no. I'm just waiting for my art to present itself."
"Your art? I never knew you to be an artist, brother."
"He isn't" Sasori interjected "He believes that art is something to be beheld in an instance. However true art is what stands the tests of time and lives on after the artist had passed."
This soon started an argument like no other Tyrion has ever witnessed. Sasori and Deidara kept pushing to each other their interpretation of art. It went on back and forth with no clear winner. Ellaria soon walked by so Tyrion asked her "They're always like this, aren't they?"
Ellaria rolled her eyes and sighed "If only you knew, Lord Tyrion. If only you knew." She turned and walked away, obviously not willing to listen to their banter.
"All right, shut up! I think it's about to happen" Tyrion had never seen his brother so gleeful
"What's about to happen?" asked the Half-man
BOOOM!
And smoke was seen from the Red Keep.
Tyrion was astounded and terrified. He pointed at the Red Keep with a shaking finger. His brother had done that. "Brother, what… how… what did you do?"
"Oh he probably placed his Exploding Clay somewhere in the Red Keep." Sasori answered for Deidara. He didn't sound impress. He was bored actually. Then he left them.
"Exploding Clay?"
"It is as you hear it, brother."
"And where may I ask did you put this Exploding Clay?" Tyrion asked if only for Jaime, Tommen and Oberyn's sake.
"In the Iron Throne." Deidara said casually
"Are you mad?! Did you not stop to consider whether our brother, our nephew and our good friend would be there?!" Tyrion said angrily
"Of course I did. I gave Jaime and Oberyn a head's up. I'm sure Oberyn steered clear and Jaime would have made sure Tommen wasn't anywhere near the Throne Room."
"And what of the ot…" it was then Tyrion remembered he did not care for anyone else in King's Landing "You know what, nevermind. If you want me, I'll be drinking more wine in my quarters."
Deidara nodded and went back to setting his sights on the smoking Red Keep. He grinned "Art is a Blast!"
And there you have it. Review or comment. No flames please.
A/N 3: Yes, I can see that the fight scene is very lacking and disappointing. I apologize. I am not good when it comes to fight scenes.
A/N 4: I did plan on introducing Kisame, Konan and Kakuzu here as well. But ultimately I decided against it. All I can say is that Kisame, Konan and Kakuzu are alive in Westeros (the former two) and Braavos (the latter).
Well that's done and done with.