A WAR OF WINTER
SETTING: in George r.r. martin's fictional world of westeros, 312 years after the exile of the targaryen dynasty and the reign of Robert baratheon.
MICHAEL
ONLY ONCE IN MICHAEL'S LIFE WAS HE EVER CALLED TO THE CAPITAL. THE SNOW RAINED HEAVY AND BLURRED HIS EYES, BLOCKING THE ROAD INFRONT OF HIM. THE JOURNEY HAD BEEN LONG, BUT KING'S LANDING WAS CLOSE. THE WINDS OF WINTER BLEW THROUGH HIS HEAVY CLOAK AND ARMOR AS HE ROAD HIS HORSE TOWARDS THE CITY. IN THE DISTANCE HE SAW FIGURES OF SHADOWS, MOVING FAST. OTHER RIDERS. MOST LIKELY OTHER LORDS ATTENDING THE MEETING AND ANSWERING THE CALL.
"RIDER, WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE ARE YOU SET TO GO," MICHAEL SHOUTED ACROSS THE WHITE WASTE.
THE REPLY WAS SLOW BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE WIND. "I AM LORD ASTER STERLING OF THE REACH, LORD OF GREENWAY KEEP. I TRAVEL TO KING'S LANDING TO MEET WITH THE KING. AND WHO IS THE KIND STRANGER TO WHOM I SPEAK,"
"IT HAS BEEN LONG, LORD ASTER. IT IS LORD MICHAEL CHRZANOWSKI OF THE RIVERLANDS. THE CITY IS NOT FAR AWAY."
"IT HAS INDEED BEEN LONG, LORD MICHAEL. I HOPE YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE TRAIL FOR I AM LOST IN SNOW AND COLD. "
THE TWO LORDS CONTINUED ON HORSE THROUGH THE TREACHEROUS SNOW. MICHAEL HAD HOPED THE SNOW WOULD LIGHTEN AS THEY CLOSE IN ON THE SEA, BUT IT ONLY GREW WORSE. JUST AS MICHAEL HAD THOUGHT THE SNOW HAD MADE HIM LOSE HIS WAY, THE GREAT RED BRICK OF KING'S LANDING SHOWED THROUGH THE SNOW. THEY HAD ARRIVED. AS THE PAIR GREW CLOSER, THE GREAT METAL GATES WERE OPENED AND THEY WERE GRANTED ENTERANCE. ICE FELL FROM THE LIFTING GATE AND SNOW TOPPLED TO THE GROUND. SUDDENLY THE SKY CLEARED AND IN ITS PLACE A GREAT SHOWER OF FLAME AND THE ROAR OF DRAGON'S.
"TARGARYEN'S," THE WORDS THAT CAME FROM LORD ASTER'S LIPS WERE ENOUGH TO SEND CHILLS DOWN MICHAEL'S BACK. NEVER BEFORE HAD MICHAEL SEEN A DRAGON. THE ONE CLOSEST TO HIM WAS A DARK BLACK WITH TAIL AND FACE OF GREY. AN IMPRESSIVE CREATURE, MICHAEL WONDER HOW SUCH A FREE BEAST COULD BE TAMED.
"YOUR FACE HAS TURNED A PALE AND NOT FROM THE COLD, MY LORD. DO NOT FEAR THE DRAGON'S, THE TARGARYEN'S ARE ONLY SHOWING OFF. WE MUST REACH THE RED KEEP."
THE PAIR CONTINUED ON THROUGH THE CITY. FOR THE MOST PART, THE STORM WAS BREAKING ANG THE SUN PEAKED OUT FROM BEHND THE CLOUDS. THE ROADS WERE BARREN AND COVERED IN SNOW, NO PEOPLE TO BE FOUND.
"I THOUGHT THE DRAGON WOULD AT LEAST BRING SOME PEOPLE OUT…," MUTTERED MICHAEL AS THEY TRUDGED THROUGH THE SNOW.
"WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE CAPITAL, THE TARGARYEN'S AND THEIR DRAGONS ARE NO LONGER AN UNCOMMON SIGHT, WITH DRAGONSTON JUST LEAGUES AWAY FROM THE SHORE." ASTER REPLIED.
THE RED KEEP WAS NOW DEAD AHEAD. THE GUARDS OF HOUSE BRADSHAW, WITH SHIELDS OF THE BLUE AND GREEN HORSE WERE NOW VISIBLE INFRONT OF THE KEEP'S GRAND STAIRS. THE PAIR SLOWLY APPROACHED THE STAIRS, QUICKLY BUT CAUTIOUSLY ASCENDING THE MANY STEPS. SUDDENLY A GREAT HEAT AND A LARGE THUD WAS BEHIND MICHAEL. HE QUICKLY SWIVELED HIS HEAD, STARING STARIT INTO THE EYES OF A GREAT DRAGON. THE COLOR WAS A GREAT GREY AND LIGHT WHITE, SWIRLING AND FASCINATING MICHAEL. UNSURE OF WEATHER TO BE AFRAID OF THE GREAT CREATURE OF EMBRACE ITS PRESENCE, MICHAEL SLOWLY BACKED AWAY.
"NO NEED TO FEAR RHAGEARUS, LORD MICHAEL. HE IS MY LOYAL COMPANION AND WILL HARM NO ONE WITHOUT MY CONSENT. WELCOME TO WINTER IN KING'S LANDING, MY LORDS. KING TYLER AWAITS US." VISERONUS, PRINCE OF DRAGONSTONE JUMPED FROM HIS MOUNT AND HEADED FOR THE GREAT KEEP. MICHAEL AND ASTER FOLLOWED BEHIND AS THE REACHED THE FINAL STEPS OF THE STAIRS.
"WELCOME TO THE RED KEEP, MY LORDS. HIS GRACE AND THE OTHERS AWAIT YOUR ENTRANCE. YOU MAY PRECEED." A GUARD SAID AS THE GREAT DOORS TO THE KEEP WERE OPENED.
THE GREAT HALL WAS UNUSALLY LOUD AS THE THREE LORDS ENTERED. THE HALL WAS FILLED WITH OTHER LORDS OF WESTEROS, CONVERSING OR ARGUEING.