Diclonius Queen of Westeros

by Professor Majora

In the Game of Thrones, there are the players and the pawns. There is an important distinction, yet there is one participant that is above the rules. She doesn't care about the Iron Throne, but is still the most desired piece to have control over. She is Lucy of House Cinder, and she will change the Game forever. Lucy/Daenerys, possible harem and gore.

2. Chapter 2

Hello there. I come here with the next chapter of Diclonius Queen of Westeros. Firstly, allow me to say that I am so glad to see the positive responses you guys have given to the first chapter. I hope that this chapter will be just as good.

However, do note that I have done a couple of updates. For those that haven't read the updated version of the first chapter, allow me to fill you in on what they are:

- Firstly, Daenerys and Lucy didn't just spend weeks together - they spent several months together.

- Secondly, Lucy's clothing. If you are wondering how Lucy looks like now, imagine that she looks like Witch Beatrice from Dark Souls, though without the hat.

Aside from those two things, there are not many major things that I have updated, but I wished to let you know to clear up any misunderstandings that could otherwise arise.

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

[Disclaimer: I don't own any of the franchises in this story.]

Diclonius Queen of Westeros

Chapter 2

-Winterfell, the North-

-Year 289 AC-

Lucy was staring at the great castle ahead of her, and its walls that dwarfed her small form. Interesting how the lords of the world seem to be so fixated on building large structures to live in, even if they couldn't fill more than half of these structures. Though, even Lucy in when at most bitter moments, couldn't deny that the grand castle had a certain charm to it. Whether it was the admittedly impressive towers and walls, or the strange feeling of grey cold, yet white warm that the castle seemed to exude from every brick. That very feeling seemed to be centred primarily at the from those banners depicting a growling, grey wolf on a white field.

"So, this is the fabled Winterfell and home of the Great House Stark", Lucy muttered to herself, as she contemplated what to do with those gates in front of her. "I could probably break that down if I had to… but that wouldn't serve my purpose, now would it? Especially when they are open" After her monologue, Lucy stepped forth towards the gate.

The horned girl had wandered for about two weeks in the wilderness. After being dropped off at Sea Dragon Point with the supplies and gold she had been promised, she went on her way. From there, she had essentially gone to the east, when she ended up in a large forest that seemed to spawn for eternity. Then, at night she would hear the howling throughout the woods. Truthfully though, Lucy wasn't worried about the wolves or the boars that inhabited the forest. After all, the former seemed content with avoiding her presence and the latter was the source of her food during her time in those forests. After a long travel through the forest, she had eventually gotten to the large castle of Winterfell and the outlying town that existed near what seemed to be the main gate. Though, this town was strangely devoid of people and the ones that were present seemed quite keen on avoiding the hooded girl whenever she came near. Of course, she was more surprised about the former than she was about the latter.

Now, after a few weeks of travel, she had finally gotten to one of the first major settlements in this country. She had intended to visit whatever settlement she could find; not for protection, but for information. Information that may lead her to not only understanding this country, but more importantly, finding Dany. Lucy smiled at the thought of Dany, her eyes made of amethysts, and her hair made of silver and gold. The horned girl would be reunited with her friend again, one way or another.

Lucy approached the gates, where a couple of guards were standing, talking to one another. It was clear by their general mannerisms and the few words that any bystander could pick up that the two of them were discussing and bragging about various women they had bedded. However, they stopped as soon as they saw the young girl walking towards the gates, and the two guards stepped in front of her.

"'Ey, little girl. Where do you think you're going", said the first guard, who was quite pudgy and had a thick beard.

"I'm need to go inside. I need to gather information.", Lucy replied with her cold voice. This caused the two guards to chuckle mockingly at the young girl.

"You're not walkin' in here, you're not", said the other guard, who was a lanky man with a barely any facial hair aside from his eyebrows.

"I need to get in here", Lucy repeated herself, not even looking at the two of them.

"Oh really? You need to get in 'ere", the pudgier one said. "Well, I need you to fuck off."

"I need to see Lord Stark", Lucy persisted, before taking a step forward. This caused the two guards to tense up at the persistent behaviour.

"Alright lass, I was amused before, now I'm just really annoyed. Fuck off, farm girl", the pudgy guard said as he and the other guard stepped forward to escort the girl out. Lucy's red eyes swiftly turned towards them, before suddenly; the two fully grown men were punched away by an invisible force, with such power that they flew into the air and crashed into the ground several feet away from the young woman. They coughed and groaned in pain as they both put their hands on their injured body parts.

"I told you not to get in my way", Lucy said with a cold, detached voice as she kept on walking through the gates and into the courtyard. People had already scattered after seeing two men being violently thrown into the courtyard. Soldiers were running forward with crossbows and longbows and aimed at the hooded girl.

"Stop right there or we will fire", a young man shouted, clearly the captain of the guards. He had brown hair and a fresh scar just by his right eye. When Lucy gave no response, but instead kept walking; the same captain turned towards the archers. "Archers – loose!" At his command, the archers fired their arrows at Lucy.

However, before they could hit, they were stopped in the middle of the air, by an invisible power only known to Lucy. She didn't smile or make any facial expression as her Arms stopped the arrows in their trajectory. She kept walking forward to the men, that started to fire arrows wildly at the hooded girl, even though she managed to avoid getting hit by every single one of them. The hooded girl kept walking forward, slowly but surely approaching the soldiers. At this point, she had decided to just get rid of them. They were becoming quite… vexing to her.

"STOP RIGHT NOW", a loud voice echoed through the courtyard. Everyone turned and bore witness to the grim face of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell himself, as he marched determinedly towards the battle taking place at his courtyard. Lucy stopped walking as she and everyone else turned towards the Lord of Winterfell.

Lord Stark was accompanied by a few other soldiers and other people. The most noteworthy soldier was a man with long, grey hair that was braided together around his neck. His other features were also very reminiscent of the captain of the guard, albeit aged. Said captain, who had been previously attacking Lucy, was now bowing towards the Lord Paramount of the North.

"My Lord, be careful: this girl is-"

"Jory, stop", Eddard interrupted the young captain. "This girl is… an exception." Lord Stark turned his grey eyes towards Lucy, before giving a polite bow. "Lord Cinder, I must say that this is a surprise. I had not heard anything about your arrival?" As soon as they heard the girl being referred to as Cinder: every person in the courtyard tensed up.

Words and rumours had spread all over Westeros the past two weeks since the Siege at Pyke. However, some people had started calling it the "Massacre at Pyke", when it was revealed that a young girl with magical powers had singlehandedly slaughtered over four hundred Ironborn,

"I sent no word about my arrival. I was not even sure where anything was located", Lucy responded with an indifferent voice. Her words surprised most people around her, after all she had just admitted to just stumbling into Winterfell with no real sense of direction to her journey.

"I see", Eddard responded somewhat unsurely, before straightening up a bit. "Then may I ask why you attacked my men?"

"They told me to fuck off, not even bothering to ask for my name." Her words caused Stark to turn his solemn face, which gained a grim expression as he narrowed his eyes at the two guards that had just got up from the ground. Judging by their winces, it was clear that they understood the meaning behind his glare. After a while, Lord Stark turned back towards the young yet deadly girl.

"Well, you have my apologies for any insults that my men have laid upon you, and I assure that they will be reprimanded. They should have asked for your name and then told you to wait for words from me." He then locked his grey eyes with her red ones. "However, I must confess that I am puzzled as to why you felt the need to come here to Winterfell. Not that your presence is unwelcome, it is more so that I wish to know your reason for coming here at all."

"I needed to meet you, Lord Stark, as I need information", the Lord of House Cinder replied with a serious voice, though the reason seemed to confuse people even further. Why would she need to meet the Warden of the North in order to gather information? There would hundreds of other people she could turn to. Lord Stark had no reason to agree to this ridiculous request-

"Alright. Follow me, and I shall take you to my study where we can discuss privately", Lord Stark replied, which caused everyone to stare at him with wide eyes. The man with the grey, braided hair next to him stepped forth and started whispering in Eddard's ear.

"My Lord, I must urge you to reconsider. We have no idea what this girl wants, and she is clearly dangerous. Maybe it would be better if we…", the man started, but stopped when Lord Stark's firm gaze locked onto his own.

In that moment, it became abundantly clear why Lord Stark had agreed to this request to meet with this dangerous girl. It was BECAUSE she was dangerous, and he would not risk offending her and putting her on a warpath with everyone in this castle. By essentially appeasing her, he was also protecting the people within the castle walls from any threat that she posed. Though, it was clear by Eddard's gaze towards Rodrik Cassel that he also wished for them to be prepared for the worst possible outcome, something the Master-at-Arms at Winterfell could understand.

"Please, Lady- I mean, Lord Cinder… this way", Eddard said calmly after turning his eyes back to Lucy. She made no real reaction, aside from a polite nod, as she followed the Stark Patriarch to his solar. The other men in the courtyard started carrying anyone who was injured inside, so they could get medical assistance if it was needed. They also prepared for the worst-case scenario… though, they all silently prayed that it would not be necessary.

-Meanwhile, in Lord Stark's Solar-

The door opened as Eddard "Ned" Stark allowed Lucy entrance into his solar. Wordlessly, he guided her to a chair that was seated in front of the main desk of the room, where several documents and letters were neatly piled. Meanwhile, Ned seated himself in front of the horned girl, who was staring at him with an apathetic expression. He reciprocated with the grim visage he was known to have most of the time.

"Well, Lord Lucy, now when we are in private, I think it's safe for me to ask why exactly it is you require of me", he asked with a calm voice, as he poured up two mugs of water, which she accepted somewhat hesitantly.

"I thought I told you earlier – I need to get information from you", Lucy replied, tilting her head in confusion.

"Oh, you did – I just wish to know why you need information from myself. Why not from a Maester or anyone else for that matter", Ned clarified for the young girl, whose eyes made it clear that she understood his inquiry.

"Well, Lord Stark, after I landed on shore, I tried to find my way around, hopefully finding some town where I could ask for information. However, they surprisingly didn't have any information whenever I asked, or they simply refused to meet with me", Lucy explained, with a detached voice, though even in her detachment – Ned could hear the underlying frustration. "In the end, I found myself walking through a forest and after several days of travel – I found myself in the village outside your castle walls. However, it seemed that there was barely anyone present."

"Ah, that is not surprising", Ned stated somewhat nonchalantly, as he sipped from his mug.

"Because of my horns", Lucy asked, her eyes narrowing as she asked the question. Ned shivered at her gaze, and as he suspected: people had made a very big deal about her deformity.

"No, you misunderstand. The town outside Winterfell is called Winter Town, which is a very appropriate name. Not only because it is located just outside the castle Winterfell, but also because it is pretty much only filled during the autumn and winter. During Spring and Summer, only about a fifth remain living in Winter Town.

"This is the reason why you could barely find anyone in the town outside this castle", Ned explained as he locked his grey eyes with her red ones. Maybe he was wrong, but he could actually detect some curiosity in her gaze.

"Oh, I understand. Because of the warmth this castle exudes, the Winter Town becomes a good place to live at during Winter, in order to keep yourself warm, am I right", Lucy asked with a tilt of the head.

"Precisely", Ned confirmed with a small smile, which caused the girl to nod back. "Though, if we travel back to the original topic – why did you seek me out specifically?"

"Because I remember you during the Siege of Pyke", Lucy replied casually.

"Um, with all due respect, my lady – but we never spoke during the siege, or after the siege."

"No, we didn't – but I remember seeing you not far off from the king. You had a grim-looking face, but you seemed to be close to the King. In turn, I feel you are hopefully more trustworthy. Not to mention that I spoke with Jorah Mormont, who seemed alright with my presence. Considering that he is one of your bannermen – I felt inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt", Lucy replied with an uncaring voice.

'Well, she is blunt, I give her that', Ned thought to himself, while sipping his water. "Alright, fair enough. Then, may I ask what it is you wish to know about?" After his question, Lucy seemed to fidget around a bit nervously, gripping at the mug in her hands.

"… I am looking for someone", the horned girl replied, her voice becoming so soft that Ned had to strain his hearing in order to hear her.

"You are looking for someone that you believe to be here in Westeros?" Ned asked causing Lucy to nod. "Well, who is it and why do you believe that this person is here in Westeros?"

"Her name is Dany. I met her in the Free City of Pentos several months ago. She and I swiftly became friends, but after we were attacked, I lost track of her. I don't know where she went, but she always spoke of how Westeros was her true home, so I came here in hopes of finding her", Lucy explained. For some reason, she felt that it was alright to entrust this to the man in front of her. She could only hope that her instincts weren't wrong. If she was proven wrong, well… it was easily fixed.

"Why do you try to find her anyway?" Ned drank more of his water.

"Because… because, she is my first real friend that I have ever had", the horned girl replied. Her lips twitched into a smile, as she was thinking about Dany's smile and violet eyes.

"Dany you say… no I cannot really say for sure if I have heard that name. Besides, Westeros is such a large country, that it's impossible to say if she really was here or not", Ned replied.

"I see…", Lucy replied with a cold voice. However, Ned could see that deep in her eyes, behind the unemotional gaze; there was a sense of sadness welling up. She was hiding it well, but as someone who was well-experienced in sadness and loss like himself; Ned was familiar with that gaze.

"However, that doesn't mean it is impossible to find her. Tell you what, maybe if you give me more information, I can help you on your way", Ned suggested. Lucy started blinking as she focused on the Lord of Winterfell.

"That would be much appreciated, thank you very much."

"Alright, perhaps you could describe some characteristics about this girl and maybe it will help me think of someone", Ned urged the girl in front of him. Even if he knew that he would most likely never be able identify this girl, he didn't want to crush the girl's hopes. He had a feeling that she had been through enough already, considering the carnage she brought on during at the Iron Islands.

"Well, she's a few years younger than myself, she has pale skin and a very bright shade of hair, almost like it was a mixture of silver and gold. Her eyes are violet- oh, and I forgot to mention that Dany is her nickname. Her real name is Daenerys", Lucy started explaining, but stopped as she saw Ned's eyes slowly getting wider for each word that came out of her mouth.

Eddard Stark felt himself freeze in shock at the suspicion that was bubbling within him. It couldn't be a mere coincidence. The girl that was being described clearly had Valyrian features, resided in one of the Free Cities and whose real name was Daenerys. Even her estimated age was enough to ring a warning bell in Ned's mind. Though, he had to make sure.

"This… Daenerys… did she by any chance have an older brother", Lord Stark asked. His mouth was feeling as dry as sand. Lucy narrowed her eyes at him as he asked this question.

"Yes, she did. His name is Viserys", she replied with a slight unease in her voice. "You know them, don't you?"

Ned had to remind himself to breathe, as his heartrate was accelerating at this revelation. Lucy Cinder, the girl who had singlehandedly killed hundreds of ravaging Ironborn and their ships without taking any injury, was a close friend to the exiled Targaryen children!

'This is not going to end well', Ned thought to himself. He contemplated lying, but she had already noticed his strong reactions and he knew that she would most likely not believe any lie he told her. He could try, but he would rather not risk igniting her wrath by lying. 'It's probably best to just be honest with her.'

"Yes. I know who your friend is. I am guessing that she never gave you her full name because she was chased by someone, correct?" At Lucy's nod, Ned continued, feeling the trepidation rise in his chest as he opened his lips. "Her full name is Daenerys Targaryen."

"Targaryen… that name sounds familiar", Lucy muttered, squinting her eyes as she tried to recall where she had first heard that name.

"I am not surprised you may have heard of them. After all, House Targaryen was formerly the Royal Family of Westeros, ever since Aegon Targaryen conquered Westeros almost three hundred years ago", Ned replied with a calm voice, hoping it wouldn't give away his current anxiety.

At this response, Lucy's mind started racing at the influx of information. True, it had only been a few words, but those few words were like the final puzzle piece that revealed the entire picture that Lucy hadn't even been aware was in front of her until that moment. Not only was she reeling by the fact that her Dany was the Princess of Westeros and royalty, but also the implications of that role, especially after Ned mentioned the word 'former'.

"Dany told me that she wished to go to her home here in Westeros. However, that was not possible because of someone usurping her home. So, when you say former… are you saying that Robert Baratheon is the one that took Dany's home from her?" Lucy's sharp gaze locked with Ned, causing him to feel discomfort at the peculiar girl sitting in front of him.

"Yes. Nine years ago, I fought alongside Robert Baratheon in a civil war against King Aerys II Targaryen, also known as the Mad King. After the Mad King was overthrown, Robert became King thanks to his distant relationship to House Targaryen", Ned replied.

"I see", Lucy hissed, as her eyes narrowed threateningly. "Then I guess I have to take care of that problem straight away." If Ned thought that Lucy's eyes were intimidating before; it was nothing compared to how her red eyes seemed to glow, as a cold rage built up within the girl before him, who was currently standing up with determination fuelling her body.

"Wait, you are not thinking of going after Robert, are you", Ned said with an edge in his voice, as his grey eyes locked with Lucy's red ones.

"Dany told me that the Usurper had never allowed her to have a home. How he stole it from her. She told me how he had constantly sent people to kill her and her brother. I will NOT allow him to hurt Dany.

"In fact, now when I think about it…", she said, before narrowing her eyes at Ned. "You just said that you fought with Robert and helped him ascend the throne. You stole Dany's home from her!" After her shouting, Ned's instincts told him to jump away, which was fortunate as the chair he had been sitting on was violently thrown into a nearby wall by an invisible power.

'She is trying to kill me', Ned thought worriedly, as he saw the sharp gaze in her eyes. It was like she wasn't fully there, but some demonic force within her was now in control. He had to stop her, but he wasn't sure if he could kill her. He had to find a way to make her calm down, maybe make her see reason.

"Listen Lucy, I understand that you are concerned with the Targaryen regime and hoping to bring it back, but you have to understand that the Mad King-" Ned was interrupted by an invisible force pushing him into the wall behind him.

"The Targaryens? Why would I care about them?" Lucy's question made Ned tense up in realisation. "You pose a threat to Dany! I CANNOT ALLOW YOU TO HARM HER!" Lucy walked forward and reached out her Arms towards the Lord of Winterfell, intent on destroying this threat before it could do anything else.

"I was against her exile!" Ned shouted as Lucy approached. He closed his eyes in preparation for his demise, but when he felt nothing, he dared to open them. Ned saw the girl in front him standing motionless and with a confused expression on her face. At this moment, Ned felt a small victory blooming within him. He had forgotten that she wasn't even aware of her Daenerys's status as a Targaryen, much less cared about their revival. She was only concerned about Daenerys Targaryen herself!

"What do you mean?" Lucy's eyes were narrowed suspiciously at Ned. He knew that he had to choose his next words very carefully. If he was successful, then she may just cease her current plans against his childhood friend.

"I was never supporting the idea of Robert's pursuit of Daenerys and her brother. I swear by the Old Gods that I hold no ill will against Daenerys Targaryen." After his pledge, Lucy was staring at him for a while, appraising him and his words. It felt like an eternity, but eventually she stepped forward and reached out her hand to him, offering him help to stand up, albeit a bit awkwardly. At first, Ned was hesitant, but he decided to show good faith in her and accepted Lucy's hand. After being helped up from the floor, Lucy turned her gaze to the floor.

"I apologise for the harsh reaction towards you, but Dany means a lot to me", she explained.

"I understand, but likewise I ask that you understand the full story before you make any rash decisions", Ned implored. He got a hesitant nod from the horned, pink-haired girl, before he brought up his banged-up chair from the floor, which had miraculously not been destroyed by the powerful impact. Still, Ned made a mental note to have the chair replaced just in case the wood was damaged internally.

After he and Lucy had sat down in their respective chairs, Ned decided to continue his explanation, even with the tension rising through the air.

"Robert's Rebellion began because Lyanna Stark, his fiancé and my sister, was kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen, the Crown Prince and Daenerys's oldest brother. My father Rickard Stark as well as my oldest brother Brandon went to King's Landing to demand her safe return from the Mad King. Sadly, the Mad King had my father burned alive with wildfire, while my brother was choked to death trying to save him. This was the point when I joined the Rebellion against the Mad King.

"Now, while I had full reason to loathe the Mad King alongside most of this country; I never held any disdain against any of the other members of House Targaryen. I don't even really hold any disdain against Rhaegar, even if I should, and while I wanted Robert to take the throne; I didn't wish for House Targaryen to be removed from history. The point I am getting to, is that my hatred against House Targaryen died with the Mad King.

"Robert, on the other hand, held on to a raw hatred for House Targaryen and everything relating to them. As such, he ordered deaths on the heads on both Daenerys and her brother Viserys. Now, while I do not support this; I do understand where this blind fury of his comes from. Robert was madly in love with my sister and has never been able to fully recover from her death at the hands of Rhaegar Targaryen. Imagine if someone killed Daenerys, wouldn't you chase down the guilty ones to the end of the earth?"

At Ned's question, Lucy became silent as she contemplated the question. He was right. She would chase down the one that had killed Daenerys and make sure that the murderer and their entire family was erased from history. She would most likely do what Robert Baratheon had done.

"That is true, but it doesn't change the fact that Robert is still aiming to kill Daenerys. I will not let that happen", Lucy replied, her voice growing colder at her proclamation.

"I understand, but even if you did: it wouldn't help. Currently, Robert's hatred for the Targaryens is strong, but he is too concerned with managing the Seven Kingdoms than he is with the fate of Daenerys and her brother. She is currently no threat to him whatsoever, which allows her to avoid his direct attention. Not to mention that supporters of her family will try to keep her safe.

"However, if you walked up to Robert and killed him, then that would not really fix anything. In fact, you may inadvertently cause more problems for Daenerys as you would not only push her home into chaos, but you would also put more attention onto her", Ned explained. This explanation made Lucy pause in her actions, as she considered the applications of killing Robert. While Ned may have been exaggerating due to his loyalty to King Robert, Lucy couldn't deny that Lord Stark brought up some pretty strong arguments.

"I'm… not sure what to do", she said absentmindedly. Ned nodded at her words, before he leaned forward and looking at the girl in front of him.

"I understand. You hold strong loyalty to your friend, and I find that admirable. As such, despite your previous altercations against my men and myself; I will allow you to stay here for a while as my guest. Take your time to really think what do next, and don't do anything rash. If you require any knowledge about Westeros, I'm sure that Maester Luwin can provide", Ned offered his hospitality, causing Lucy to nod absentmindedly.

Even if he had just been attacked, he could see that this girl was just reacting out of love for the exiled Targaryen. She had no interest in the fact that Daenerys was a Targaryen; Lucy only cared about the young girl for herself. Ned couldn't help but respect that. Not to mention that he just wished for her to not turn her wrath toward anyone her in Westeros. However, that could be difficult if King Robert decided to focus more resources into killing the surviving Targaryen children. He had already considered the desire dishonourable, but now Ned had extra incentive. If he put Lucy against his old friend – Ned was pretty certain that not only would his friend die, but the Seven Kingdoms would suffer from the counterattack.

Hopefully, Lucy of House Cinder would calm down enough to approach this reasonably. It was perhaps his only hope of avoiding pointless bloodshed.

-The Small Council Chamber, the Crownlands-

The Red Keep, the castle of the Crownlands and the location of the Iron Throne and the King of the Seven Kingdoms. It was a magnificent castle complex, built on top of what is called Aegon's Hill, where Aegon the Conqueror first landed nearly three hundred years ago, which was the prelude to his infamous conquest. Its massive status threw a shadow over the people, leaving them in awe and fear of the power that the complex left of them. Overall, its mere presence highlighted why King's Landing was the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

And within the Red Keep, adjacent to the Great Hall, one would find the Small Council chambers. The Small Council was the royal advisory body that counselled the King on various matters and implemented his policies and wills, ever since it had been made a formalized council by the decree of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. Currently, the Small Council was gathered, and to their surprise: King Robert himself was sitting in his designated chair, with a goblet of wine next to him.

Now, this surprise may confuse most people, as they would expect the King to be present at most council meetings. However, in the case of King Robert I Baratheon, a King that had only been present at one or two Small Council meetings thus far; one would be forgiven for being surprised over his presence. In fact, Robert had already been present in the room when the Small Council arrived with the Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, at the helm. They had all sat down on their respective seats around the King, after giving him a respectful bow.

"Your Grace, you honour us with your presence", Jon Arryn greeted his monarch, before sitting right next to him.

"Oh, come off it Jon, you are surprised about my presence, as are all of you", Robert replied while looking at the averting gazes of the rest of his council. "Now, let's get this meeting started. I have some things that I want to settle."

"At once, your grace", Jon said respectfully, as the rest of the Small Council nodded their heads in respect for their king. Though Jon didn't say it out loud, he was internally surprised that Robert appeared to be sober at the moment.

"Is there anything in particular you wish to discuss, your grace", asked Lord Petyr Baelish, the newly made Master of Coin. His sharp, grey-green eyes were filled with a curious gleam as he wanted to eagerly know what could pull the King out of drunken stupor for enough time to attend a Small Council sober.

"Lord Cinder", Robert replied with his strong voice. Those two words were enough for the whole council to visibly tense up.

After the Greyjoy Rebellion had ended and the subsequent declaration of Lucy becoming a friend of the crown; Robert had kept true to his words and supplied Lucy Cinder with food and gold. Then, Lucy had simply made a small, careless bow towards King Robert, before leaving with one of the ships that went to the North. As soon as they had reached shore; she reportedly departed without another word.

Since then, people had been gossiping, speculating and building up rumours about the strange, horned noble lady that now lived in the Seven Kingdoms. Usually one rumour was crazier than the next and tended to reflect a certain disdain towards her abnormal features and powers, but that's not too surprising, considering that a young girl that had yet to become a fertile woman had managed to singlehandedly slaughter four hundred Ironborn and destroy at least seventeen longships in the span of a few hours.

"Why do you wish to discuss about her, your grace", Jon asked tensely, causing Robert to scoff.

"I know that some of you have done your research about her, some of you have simply formed opinions about her, and some of you have done both. And I don't want you to do anything behind my back when it comes to this girl. So, let's get this topic over with", Robert said sternly, before turning towards a bald, pudgy and slightly effeminate man wearing fine robes with large sleeves. "Spider, what do you know?"

"My lord, this Lucy is something of an obscure figure to say the least. From what my little birds and rats have told me, she used to be a fighter in the Fighting Pits of Meereen. Aside from that, there is surprisingly little", the Spider replied with his silky voice.

"How come there is so little about her, Lord Varys", Jon asked, surprise evident in his voice. Lord Varys, as befitting the nickname of "Spider", was the Master of Whisperers, who in turn controlled an impressively large array of spies all over the world. As such, for something to remain hidden to Varys was very rare to say the least.

"Well, from what my little birds tell me she disappeared about three years ago after winning several battles in the Great Pit of Daznak in Meereen. After that, there is nothing aside from the words of a captain that escorted her to a port in the North after being paid a small bag of silver", Varys explained.

"Anything else", Jon asked, eager to know anything about this strange girl. However, when Varys shook his head, Jon felt admittedly disappointed. The same disappointment could be seen with the King himself.

"So, we know next to nothing about her then", Robert stated bitterly as he gripped his wine goblet so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"What about her family name? Surely there must be more about the name Cinder", a man looking quite similar to Robert wondered out loud as he stared at Varys. The man was younger then Robert, but it was clear that they were related. This was Stannis Baratheon, Master of Ships, and Robert's younger brother.

"Well, the name of Cinder is a family name I have not heard in many years outside of history books and fairy-tales", the Spider replied.

"What do you mean", Baelish asked curiously.

"As you know I grew up in the Free Cities. While House Cinder has been long considered extinct; they are very notorious throughout Essosi history. The Cinder name is an old one that marks the legacy of a family of conquerors, sorcerers and powerful men as well as women."

"How old are they exactly", Stannis wondered.

"No one can truly say, but rumour has it that House Cinder is far older than even the oldest houses in Westeros", Varys replied with a satisfied tone in his voice, as he saw the shocked expressions in the eyes of other Council members.

"With such a rich line, I'm surprised that Lady Lucy is here in Westeros and not in any castle or palace of hers in Essos", Baelish said with a dreamy yet disdainful tone in his voice.

"Not too surprising, considering they don't have one", Varys remarked.

"What do you mean about that", Jon asked.

"House Cinder may be a name with a rich history full of power and conquest, but they have long since faded into obscurity. They hold no lands, titles or even wealth worth speaking of. Their name may be influential on its own, but it has little power beyond that. Like I said earlier, House Cinder is widely considered to be extinct. I was truly surprised when young Lord Lucy announced that the family name was still alive", Varys explained.

"But would her name mean anything in terms of marriage or political power", Jon asked.

"Oh, are you having ideas of having her wed your new son, Lord Arryn", Baelish asked, with an almost mocking tone in his voice.

"Silence Littlefinger", Robert said angrily, causing the Master of Coin to instantly quiet down. "I am also curious; would her name hold any political worth?"

"Hard to say, your Grace. Like I said, the name has long since lost any real wealth, but it has always been considered an Ancient and Great House in Essos. Here in Westeros, that could be considered attractive to some noble families, especially since you declared Lord Lucy a friend of the crown, your Grace", Varys answered with a speculative tone.

The Small Council was quiet for a while as they processed the information that Varys had just suppled them about Lucy, but more importantly her family name. After a while, Robert knocked his goblet against the table like one of his hammers, which immediately gained the attention of the rest of the council.

"Well, that is good and all, but what are your thoughts on this? I want to hear what reward should be given to her for what she has accomplished", the King asked loudly, which caused the rest of the council to look at him confusedly.

"Forgive me my Lord, but I thought you already rewarded her after the Siege of Pyke", an old, stuttering man asked. His chains and robes revealed him as Grand Maester Pycelle. "She asked for supplies and you gave her that."

"Of course, I gave her that, but that is not enough for what she accomplished. A girl of her strength and valour deserves something more like an official title", Robert proclaimed loudly.

"My lord, are you sure that is wise?" Pycelle asked, his voice quivering with anxiety. "She is an abnormal foreigner with strange powers, should we really put her in a position of power?"

"Why not – that girl killed more men in that battle than any of the knights I commanded ever did", Robert stated sternly.

"I must agree with Grand Maester Pycelle on this matter, your Grace. We know nothing of this girl and it would be risky to put this unknown girl in a position of power", Jon stated seriously.

"Indeed, your Majesty", Pycelle continued. "This girl is a strange girl from a strange part of the world. She may prove to be a threat, especially since she has no qualms about disrespecting your Grace's authority-"

"SILENCE", Robert shouted, interrupting Pycelle's stammering and silencing any other words that may have been spoken from the old man. "Lord Lucy deserves to be recognised for her valour, and you are going to judge her for her horns and powers?! Now do as I say, and make sure that she is properly rewarded for her deeds!" For a while, the Small Council was quiet, before Varys found the courage to speak.

"Your Grace, if I may speak freely?" At Robert's grunt, Varys continued. "I understand your desire to reward those who have helped the people of the Realm with no thoughts of reward for their deeds. Furthermore, I hold no qualms against the girl for her unique features, if anything they intrigue me. However, I do also urge caution with considering her reward."

"What do you mean, Spider", Robert asked, his anger having slightly mellowed out, but remained present.

"I say that instead of handing out a reward blindingly, we wait and see what her intentions and desires may lead her. For now, she is already a friend of the Crown, and while that is nothing official: it is most certainly a most prestigious honour to be associated with you. Let's wait and see if perhaps some opportunity presents itself", Varys explained. Robert was quiet for a while, as he grabbed his chin in thought.

"Alright, let's do that. We'll hold off for now and see whatever the future may hold. For now, I want you to send her an invitation to come to the Red Keep to meet with me. If she ever arrives to King's Landing, I want to know.

"Also make sure to tell the other Kingdoms that Lucy is considered a friend of the Crown and should be treated as such. Even if I haven't given her an official title; I want that the other kingdoms to remember that I hold her in high regard", Robert ordered.

"Understood, your Grace", Varys replied with a bow.

"Your Grace, I do implore that you do reconsider her as a friend of the Crown. We know nothing-"

"Be quiet Pycelle, before I have you thrown into the Black Cells", Robert interrupted the Grand Maester once more. "I will not hear any more of this. And we are not going needlessly antagonise her just because of any prejudice – do I make myself clear?!" The Small Council bowed in understanding to their King's command. "Good, now let's continue the meeting", Robert ordered, before he filled up his goblet to the brim with wine and downed the whole cup in one gulp.

-Winterfell, the North-

In the Castle of Winterfell, it wasn't uncommon to see a lot of people running around in the courtyard, constantly working on something, whether that was forging weapons and armour, or tending to the food and water supplies, or practicing their abilities with the sword or bow. Even if Winterfell wasn't as populated or busy as say the Red Keep much less King's Landing itself; it was safe to say that there was often plenty of activity occurring at Winterfell.

However, if one looked carefully; one could notice that people seemed to currently avoid a certain area of the courtyard. Upon closer examination, one could notice that it wasn't really the area people avoided, but rather the person inside this finite space, who was currently sitting on top of a barrel leaning against one of the castle walls: Lucy of House Cinder. Whether it was due to her horns or the rather powerful impact she had left upon her arrival; people avoided her general vicinity.

Honestly though, Lucy didn't mind. Her mind was far too occupied by the thoughts racing through her mind. Every single thought was concerning the same question that was plaguing her ever since her conversation with Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell: what should she do next?

She had returned to the Seven Kingdoms to locate Daenerys, only to find out that sweet little Dany wasn't only there, but also that she was the exiled Daenerys Targaryen, and arguably one of the true heirs to the Iron Throne, depending on your allegiance. Truthfully, Lucy was a little hurt that Dany had kept such an important secret away from her, but at the same time: Lucy could understand why Dany had kept it secret. Now, while Lucy gave about as much care to royal allegiance as she would to dog shit; she was far from an idiot. She knew that Dany's role as a Targaryen played a bigger part than Lucy could have ever anticipated.

If Dany was one of the "truthful" heirs to the Iron Throne alongside her older brother, that alone increased her list of enemies exponentially. However, being an exiled princess from an almost extinct House… that in turn increased the number of enemies drastically. These realisations were easily deducible, but they also raised the same question again in Lucy's mind: what to do with this information?

As much as she loathed to admit it, but Eddard Stark was right. If she killed Robert Baratheon, then she would only be increasing the problems for Dany. But if she did nothing, then Dany would still be in danger. And she refused to hurt Dany with her inactivity. There had to be something she could do to help Daenerys.

With a sigh, Lucy reached into her bag to get out a bottle of water. After drinking a bit and putting it back; she felt her hands graze something. She looked down onto the leather covering of a book that resided in the bag. The book was strange, as it looked old and worn, and yet it looked stable and relatively fresh at the same time. The leather was of a dark colour and the edges of the book was adorned with golden markings. The cover of the book was further emblazoned with several strange symbols that looked akin to runes.

However, the most noteworthy rune was the golden marking in the centre of the cover that appeared to be a circle of flames, which roared silently from the cover. This circle of flames on a dark background was the same pattern as the ring that Lucy was wearing on her finger, which in turn marked this book's connection to House Cinder. However, whenever Lucy saw it, it reminded her first and foremost about him.

The man that had taken her in…

-Flashback, Forest of Qohor, Essos-

-Year 288 AC-

It was a dark night that covered Essos, when the small horned girl was walking through the Forest of Qohor, a vast woodland that stretched far and wide from the Free City of Qohor and further into the east. In fact, it would take about two weeks to cross these forests on horse, so one can imagine how long it would take to walk the entire distance.

However, Lucy hadn't entered the Forest of Qohor to traverse the whole way. She had simply entered to avoid people. She had been wandering through Qohor recently in her journeys and had gotten sick of the humans around her. Their gazes were always locked at her, showcasing their judgement and disgust towards her deformity every second of the day. In the end, she just wished to be rid of them.

In the two years she had wandered Essos on her own, she had entered the Essosi Forest every now and then. It served as a good place to stay away from people. True, they came to this place to gather the lumber that the Free Cities required for their ships and constructions. However, the forest was so large and dense that it was more common to spot another person by walking straight across the Dothraki sea than by wandering through the Forest of Qohor.

Though, it seemed that her desire for being alone would not be fulfilled. She saw a humanoid shape standing alone in a nearby clearing. Lucy was about to turn around, when instinct and pure curiosity compelled her to see what this person was going to do. To her surprise, the person grabbed a sword from… somewhere, before stabbing said sword into a pile of rocks and wood. Then, the person stared up towards the sky. By impulse, Lucy followed the person's gaze and noticed that the dark clouds were parting, revealing a full moon.

Lucy had always enjoyed the full moon and its serene nature, so when she saw it and locked eyes with its elegant beauty; she almost missed the moment when the person in the clearing reached their hand over the sword in the ground, which suddenly caught fire. The person then sat down on the ground right next to the fire, seemingly enjoying its warmth.

Meanwhile, Lucy was in awe at the sight and stared as the small flames burned around the sword. How had this person managed to light up a flame around the sword with no flint? The horned girl shook her head to get rid of her intrigue. She turned around to get away from the clearing, when she heard a voice speak to her from the clearing:

"Please, step forward, young child of the unknown." Lucy felt her whole body freeze up at those words. The person, supposedly a man by the voice, knew about her presence.

Right now, she could just run away and not look back and she was very tempted to do so, but she also felt… interested in this strange person. However, just because she was curious, it didn't mean that she was naïve. She had been hurt too many times and was prepared to kill this man if she needed to.

Thus, with a deep breath, Lucy stepped forth into the clearing. The light coming from the flames revealed her horned form, covered in the leathery rags that she was wearing. Her red eyes shined brightly thanks to the fiery light, as she took in the appearance of the person in front her. The man… supposedly… was wearing a white robe, that covered most of his body and even white, linen gloves. These robes were adorned with several golden chains and trinkets, given it a rather ceremonial look. There was also a noticeable ring on his right hand that was emblazoned with a wheel of flames.

Though, Lucy couldn't be sure if this was a man or not. The reason why she was so uncertain of this man's gender was because he/she was quite effeminate. True, his voice was somewhat deep, but she had encountered women with deep voices before, so that on its own didn't say much. The person even had a curvaceous form, reminiscent of a slender woman's body. It didn't help that the upper half of the man's (?) face was covered by a mask, showing only the pale, soft skin of his lower face, with only his white hair being visible from underneath this mask.

The mask itself was crafted out of a dark shade of gold, and covered the top of his head, but the front of it had seven long, sharp points sticking straight out. These spikes created the image of a sun, but it also looked like he was wearing a crown. This man, or woman, was very peculiar to say the least.

"I beseech thee, girl of the unknown, to step forward to the pyres. Please, accompany this weary shadow on this beautiful night", the man's soft voice reached Lucy's ears. In response, Lucy said nothing, but simply stared at the man.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea. I have never met you, and I feel that if I stay for too long; you will force me to kill you", Lucy said coldly, trying to frighten the man in front of her. Instead, the man simply looked in her direction and stared back at her with his hidden gaze.

"Oh, by the Sun, I meant thee no harm. I shall confess that thy powers, albeit unknown, intrigue me. Thy strength invigorates me; thus, I request of thee to stay with mineself for just a while", the man said as he reached out his hand, gesturing for her to sit down.

"Wait, what do you mean 'my powers'? Are you talking about my horns or my Arms?", Lucy asked confusedly as she was uncertain whether to step toward or away from him.

"'Arms', thou sayeth? What a peculiar name for thy unknown strength. By thy words, I presumeth that thou hast never learned of thy full strengths and weaknesses. Tis a shame", the man stated sadly.

"What are you- oh never mind", Lucy said exasperatedly. "You are interested in my powers, so what? I see no reason in discussing this with you. I may not see your eyes, but don't think I haven't felt them lingering on my horns. You find them repulsive, just like everyone else do." She practically hissed at the man, as her red eyes glowed in the embers thanks the fire in front of her. Lucy felt her arms flare up, readying themselves to tear this man apart, like so many other men had been torn apart before him. However, instead of any denial, deceit or any other form of veiled disgust could be uttered: the man started laughing. It was a soft laugh, befitting his effeminate looks.

"Oh, thou art right; I hath been gazing upon thy horns, unknown child. But tis not for the reason thou presumeth." His initial response made Lucy raise an eyebrow at the strange man. "May I asketh for thy name, child of the unknown?"

"… Lucy. My name is Lucy." This caused the man to smile softly.

"Ah Lucy. What a glorious name. Thy name meaneth 'light' in certain, older tongues. Befitting of thy presence, which hath brightened mine soul with thy powers", the man stated with a jovial voice. "I believe thou art here in this Forest of Qohor, to escapeth the prosecution of men?" Lucy stared at the man in front of her for a while, before nodding softly.

"Yes. Yes, I am here to avoid them." The man nodded solemnly.

"Thy pain… tis I understand well, young Lucy", he said cryptically. "For thou shall realise, that mine powers respond with the moon and the illusions it bringeth. It allows mineself to hide, but I need time to recover mine strengths. These woods allow recuperation and rest, allowing mineself to hide further. But now, allow this shadow to show why I know the same pain as thyself."

Suddenly, the man in front of her seemed to glow and glisten. This strange sight lasted for only a few seconds, but when it ended; it was like the whole world stopped for Lucy. In front of her, the man looked pretty much the same. He had explained how he had used illusions, and she figured that he most likely hid himself for some reason. She had expected perhaps a hunched back or an older form.

She had certainly not expected the light to reveal nothing different about the man's form, aside from the long serpents that crawled out from underneath the bottom of his worn robes. This man had no visible legs, but only serpents that slept or slithered around while hissing and staring at Lucy with their green eyes.

Lucy shook her head to try to wake herself up, but when the serpents were still there: she realised that she wasn't dreaming. She then subconsciously placed her hands on her own horns, before sitting down by the fire, right in front of the man, in absolute shock.

"You… you are like me", she said with a slight stutter, absolutely amazed by the events that had just revealed themselves to her. The man said nothing, but simply nodded at her with an understanding look.

"Indeed Lucy. Indeed, I am similar to thee. We art both children of the strange and hold powers different from the rest", he said, before reaching out a hand towards her in greeting. Allow me to introduce mineself. I am the Dark Sun Gwyndolin, Lord of House Cinder."

-End flashback-

'Gwyndolin…' The first meeting with the effeminate man (and yes, despite his incredibly feminine form, he confirmed that he was indeed a man from birth) had been quite amazing. He had been intrigued by Lucy's powers and had felt how they empowered his own magical abilities. After spending some time near that bonfire, Gwyndolin had asked if Lucy would like to stay with him. Together, they had started to explore Lucy's powers and he had taught her to properly read and write, as well as teaching her about mathematics, the human body, rules of etiquette and even the unknown. He imparted a large part of his knowledge upon Lucy and was glad to have such a reciprocating student such as herself.

Sadly, nothing lasts forever, and the time eventually came when they had to go their separate ways. Gwyndolin's health deteriorated as he was suffering from an illness and was thus slowly approaching his final days. But before he left to conduct his final business; he used a powerful blood magic upon Lucy. After gaining her consent, he used his and her blood to link each other. By doing this, the magic and power of House Cinder would be hers by right, and his ancient family wouldn't die out. Furthermore, this also meant that Gwyndolin essentially became Lucy's father.

Then, before leaving, Gwyndolin gave Lucy three things. First was the cloak that she wore, even if they were several sizes too big, which was inscribed with various runes to protect her and regulate her temperature. Then, he gave her the title of Lord of Cinder, along with the family ring. And finally, he gave her the book she was holding onto.

This book was in fact not just a regular book – it was a grimoire. This grimoire was full of stories, theories, spells, potions and everything in between, which were written by the previous Lords of House Cinder. Despite its regular exterior and thickness: the book was actually thousands of pages long, filled to the brim with knowledge from ages past. Because of this, the book was rather valuable and also… enigmatic. Yet, it held a deep importance to Lucy. While she may or may not be able to learn these spells and tricks; the book contained important history about her House. The House that Gwyndolin cherished so deeply.

Overall, the magical adoption wasn't difficult for Lucy to process, as Gwyndolin was already the closest thing to a father she had ever had. Yet, the emotions that went through her at this realisation were no less difficult to deal with. She had gained a real father, but sadly only had him for less than a year. Then, before he left: he departed with a few choice words.

"Don't shut thyself out from others, Lucy. Despite my departure, thy shall always find someone to hold close. Hast no fear, my Lucy."

And he had been right. She had found Daenerys in Pentos a few weeks later. In fact, it was because of Gwyndolin's words that she decided to give the girl a chance. A final hope that maybe, just maybe; there could be someone else out there that could bond with Lucy of House Cinder. But she had not expected the sheer impact this girl would have on her.

While Gwyndolin had been Lucy's first touch of anything resembling a genuine parental figure; Daenerys Targaryen had been her first true friend. The impact Daenerys had in her life was more monumental than words could describe. She refused to lose Dany like she lost Gwyndolin!

Lucy looked down at the Cinder Grimoire in her hands, remembering the lessons she learned from her father figure. She had learned several things from him and later from this book, but sadly not enough about ruling a nation or properly handling a government. However, he had offered her a very short, blunt and perhaps cynical explanation about politics: Politics is a game. It's a game about manipulation and control played by its players, and they all want to win.

Now, Lucy had little interest in this game, but when she expressed this; Gwyndolin had retorted that she would eventually have to play. Because sadly, people with power are dragged into this game. As such, he gave a simple advice, which was similar to Eddard Stark's own advice: be careful. Don't act rash. Whether she was dragged in involuntarily or if she had a grand plan that involved something she truly cared about; Lucy would have to plan accordingly. Originally, she had put this plan in the back of her head, but now; those words were very fitting for the situation she found herself in.

While she wasn't good with politics, even she could understand that Dany returning to Westeros wouldn't happen anytime soon. And going through the Free Cities to find her would be a gamble at best, considering that she had no clue of where to look. True, spotting two children with such delicate features would not be that difficult, but there were still nine cities to consider. These cities weren't small: they were large and expansive enough to practically function as capitals for separate kingdoms on their own.

So, searching through the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea would not do. Until she had a clear indication of where Daenerys was located, as well as the means of getting there; Lucy would likely not venture to Essos. However, there had to be something she could do here in Westeros, but in order to do that – she required information about the Seven Kingdoms themselves.

Without a word, Lucy stood up and marched through the courtyard. Several people avoided her, but she could care less about them. Soon, she reached a tower that led her up to the Maester's chambers. Upon arriving, she knocked on the door, at which point Maester Luwin opened the door. Maester Luwin was wearing a robe of grey wool, upon which he carried a chain of several links. His white hair covered the sides of his head, but despite his old, wrinkled face; there was a tireless spirit within those dark-brown eyes. The same eyes that were now wide at Lucy's arrival.

"Lady- I mean, L-Lord Cinder. H-how can I help?" Maester Luwin asked, trying but failing to hide his nervousness. He tugged on his chains nervously at the girl in front of him, knowing fully what she could do.

"Maester Luwin, Lord Stark said that if I required information, I could turn to you, correct", she asked with a simple voice.

"Well, yes I suppose. Though, it ultimately depends on what information you require", Luwin replied, as one of his eyebrows arched in contemplation. Her words seem to calm him down somewhat, but he was still very tense about what Lucy may request of him.

"I require information about Westeros in general. Anything you can provide about the Houses, their locations and whatnot", Lucy replied casually. Luwin blinked in surprise at her request, as he had honestly not expected this from her, even if Lord Stark had previously informed him that she may request such information from him.

"Um… of course, my lady- I mean my lord", he replied, while opening the door to her. She entered his chambers, where papers, books and objects were cluttered all over the place. The Maester went over to a book and picked it up, knowing exactly where it was. Lucy was amazed that he could anything in this mess. "Where would you like to start, Lord Cinder?" His question broke her out of her thoughts, before she smirked at him slightly and simply replied:

"Let's start with the Greater Houses and the overall regions. I think I remember a few, but it wouldn't hurt to refresh my memories."

-The next day, Winterfell Courtyard-

Hours would pass in the Maester's chambers as Lucy and Maester Luwin went over the general knowledge about the Noble houses of Westeros. To Luwin's surprise, Lucy seemed to absorb what he was teaching her at an exceptional rate. Within less than an hour, Lucy had already managed to memorise practically all the Houses of Westeros as well as their words, and the regions. They started expanding further into the history of each of the Seven Kingdoms, and Lucy seemed to absorb the information like a sponge. Then, she started studies of her own amongst the books that he had in his chambers, regardless of the topic.

In the end, Maester Luwin's earlier anxiety and fear seemed to fade away and be replaced with his excitement of having a such a prodigious student; something he shared warmly with Lord Stark that same night. Though, he would admit that he got nervous and had to calm himself down once more, when Lucy used her powers to levitate books around her and to help her read more books, completely absorbed and oblivious to the world around her.

That had gone on the entire night, and Luwin had later found her asleep, face down in one of the many books she had been absorbing. The sight had caused him to smile warmly and he let her be. She had woken up not long after dawn the next day. After she had gotten up and taken part of a breakfast offered by the servants; Lucy had stepped outside into the courtyard to contemplate the information given.

Maester Luwin had offered plenty of knowledge about the regions of Westeros and their respective Noble Houses. It had also given her plenty to think about in terms of her future plans in Westeros. As she was gathering information, Lucy recalled what Lord Stark had said about some of Dany's secret supporters for the Targaryen regime and how they would help Daenerys stay safe from King Robert's wrath. Well, if there really were Targaryen supporters, then these people could help Lucy with facilitating Dany's return to the Seven Kingdoms. And with the information that she had gathered about the history of the provinces as well as Robert's Rebellion nine years ago; Lucy was getting closer to getting these allies.

However, she was also faced with a dilemma. True, she gained plenty of information about the Great Houses and the provinces, but they were also more general and not very detailed to make her feel entirely confident. She could not be certain which House was supportive of Dany's return to Westeros or not. True, House Baratheon and House Lannister were easily deducible in this debate, but it wasn't crystal clear with the other Great Houses, not to mention the multitude of smaller Houses that inhabited this country. Furthermore, despite the amount of information she had gathered; there was no way to know how much had changed in the past few years, let alone past few decades. In the end, she needed to actually visit these places in order to make the proper assessments of each and every location. Her theoretical knowledge alone wasn't sufficient enough.

Suddenly, Lucy's concentration was broken by the noise of metal hitting against other metal. She tensed up and prepared herself out of pure reflex. Though as soon as she saw that the noise wasn't aimed at her, she allowed herself to relax. The horned girl stood up and started walking toward the noise.

Soon enough, she found the Master-at-Arms, Rodrik Cassel or something, standing alongside two boys a few years younger than herself. Both boys were training with sparring swords that, while made of metal, were blunt and relatively harmless. However, soon the two boys stopped, most likely due to the Master-at-Arms not saying anything after noticing her approach. The two boys soon turned towards Lucy, staring at her with a mixture of interest and uncertainty.

It was clear to Lucy that the two boys the moment she got a good look at them that the two of them shared many similarities to Lord Stark, meaning that these two boys were most likely his sons. Though with that said, it was interesting how they took after each parent on their own. One of the boys had the same long face, dark-brown hair and grey eyes, though his grey eyes were also of a much darker shade. The other boy, while he was clearly similar to his father, seemed to take more after his mother's looks than his father's. Instead of having the same grey eyes and dark-brown hair, the boy had blue eyes and a red-brown hair, most likely from the mother's side.

Lucy stared at the two boys, though she would admit that they seemed to be just about the same age, which in turn confused her a bit. Perhaps they were twins or something. The horned girl decided to ignore it and was about to turn around to leave, when she was interrupted by one of the boys.

"Excuse me, my lady, but can we help you", the more Stark-looking boy asked. Lucy stared at him for a while, blinking in surprise at the rather polite question.

"No. Nothing really, I was just wondering what the noise was. Turned out it was you learning how to swing your swords. I shall not intrude", she replied somewhat stiffly to the shy yet curious look she got from this boy.

"Actually, we are sparring", the other boy interjected with a slightly indignant pout. "Rodrik has already begun teaching us about a year ago, so we are currently sparring and not learning. Though, I can see why you would be confused."

"Excuse me", Lucy asked, blinking in confusion and shock at what the boy was saying. Surely, he couldn't be suggesting what she suspected he was saying, right?

"I mean, as you are a lady, you may not understand the full nuances of sparring and swordfighting. It's nothing to be embarrassed about." Yup, he was suggesting it. Essentially that because she wasn't a boy: she wouldn't know how to fight.

Of course, Lucy had faced that kind of comments during her time fighting in the Fighting Pits for several years. However, she managed to disprove and lessen those comments swiftly during her time in the pits. In fact, with all the death she had caused over the past few years, she hadn't heard a comment like that for some time. So, to hear someone judging her fighting skills on her gender was very jarring when one considered her killing streak.

"Robb, wasn't that a bit rude", the more Stark-looking boy asked his brother with his soft voice.

"Perhaps, but I'm just being honest, Jon", Robb replied. "It's just a fact that men are more capable of fighting than women."

At these words, Lucy felt herself getting irritated as her eye twitched in annoyance. A small part of her contemplated eviscerating the blue-eyed boy, but she had to admit that was a bit extreme, even for her. So, after breathing deeply to calm herself down. She wouldn't kill him, but this would certainly not go unpunished.

"Oh, my apologies, I thought by the rather sloppy movements that you were still learning. My mistake", she stated; her barb so thinly veiled that the veil was practically air. And both Robb and Jon could tell, as they stared wide-eyed at the brazen girl that was only a few years older than them.

"Really? Sloppy? You think you can do much better, huh?" Robb started asking, as his indignant, boyish pout returned with full force.

Lucy gave no response, instead she walked over to Jon, grabbed his sparring sword and stood in front of Robb. Robb just looked at the horned girl for a while, before deciding to show this strange person what it meant to fight and knock her off her high horse. At least, that's what he intended to do.

As soon as Robb swung his sword at Lucy, with the intention of disarming her; Lucy swiftly moved her own sparring blade with swift precision; parrying the blade and striking Robb's hand, which resulted in the Stark heir to drop his blade and grab his aching hand. Both Jon and Robb stared at the swift movements from what they presumed was just a weak girl, even if she was older and slightly taller than them.

After a while, Robb picked up the sparring sword once more and prepared himself to fight this girl more seriously. He swung his sword at her, but she parried the blade before redirecting it and then aiming her own blade against Robb's neck. Robb sneered a bit as he backed away from the blade and charged with new vigour. The younger boy tried to attack her from any angle, discover any weak point, but it seemed that every time he tried to find another one: Lucy turned it against him and swiftly bested him. Her movements, while still rough, were swift and practiced.

Robb tried to attack more frequently against her, swinging the sparring sword against her sword with determination. Lucy didn't immediately retaliate, but instead parried the blade. Suddenly, she parried and kicked one of his legs from underneath him, causing him to fall hard on his back. Robb looked up a bit dazed and shocked from the fall and saw Lucy standing above him with her sword pointed down at him.

"I'm pretty sure that Rodrik would have taught you not only the proper grip, but also proper footwork when fighting with a sword", she said. At Robb's embarrassed blush and avoiding look; it was pretty clear that Rodrik had taught them, but that Robb had not been thinking about his lessons properly when sparring with Lucy. "I recommend you train more." She couldn't help but rub a little salt in the wounds, making his loss to this so-called defenceless girl even more embarrassing.

She then turned towards the other boy, Jon, who had already picked up another sparring sword and standing in a fighting position. While she had no need to fight him, as he hadn't been part of his brother's prejudice; Lucy could see the excitement in his eyes. He wanted to spar against her and try to see how he would hold up against her. Thus, Lucy put herself in position and prepared for another spar, which soon began when Jon attacked her.

While Lucy didn't set out to humiliate Jon; she was still faster and more adept than he was. Yet, she wouldn't deny that Jon was strong and agile for his young age. Perhaps it wasn't due to him underestimating her or attacking her blindly like Robb did. Either way, she soon found herself enjoying herself fighting against Jon, even if she won each time. Though, to give some credit; she had to put in some extra effort when Jon proved to be swifter than she expected.

Soon, they were joined once again by Robb, who had picked up his sparring sword and indicating that he wanted a rematch. Lucy smirked and took turns fighting between the two boys. Time flew by and Robb seemed to be better now when he wasn't blindly flailing his sword at her. Though, he was still a bit vexed about having lost so badly to her before.

"Robb", a loud voice called out from a distance, interrupting their sparring session. The sparring children turned around and saw a woman walking towards them, with Eddard Stark not far behind her. One look was enough for Lucy to tell that this woman was without doubt Lady Stark, wed to Eddard Stark and father of his children, as evident by the looks she shared with Robb. However, to Lucy's confusion, she saw Lady Stark look lovingly and worriedly at Robb, but seemed to stare with pure disdain at Jon. What was going on here – wasn't she their mother? Was she playing favourites based on their looks?

"Lord Cinder", Ned Stark's voice broke her out of her thought process. "I see that you have met Robb Stark and Jon Snow. I hope they haven't been causing you any problem."

"Oh no, they have not, I assure you", Lucy replied. After hearing Ned introducing the two boys, it all made sense.

One of the things she had learned from Luwin's lessons were the concept of bastards, essentially children born out of wedlock. The stigma of illegitimacy was so powerful in Westeros, that all acknowledged bastards born to at least one noble would have to be identified through a specific surname, which in turn was different for each region. In the North, that surname was 'Snow'. So, when Ned told Lucy Jon's surname; this knowledge, in combination with his appearance and Lady Stark's venomous gaze, revealed that not only was Jon a bastard, but he was also Lord Stark's illegitimate son.

"Are you sure?", Ned asked once more.

"No worries, Lord Stark. We had a… small dispute earlier but resolved that one very quickly. It was over in mere seconds", Lucy stated with a dry but smug voice, as she looked towards the pouting face of Robb Stark. Robb then turned towards his half-brother Jon with a glare, when Jon snorted a bit at Lucy's jab.

"Well, Lady- Lord Cinder, I do hope that my son has been acting like a proper gentleman", Lady Stark inquired, while looking at Robb with a stern look, causing him to shy away from said gaze.

"Oh, he was acting honourably and proudly. In fact, if one considered the flailing of his sword angrily at me flattery, then I am very flattered indeed." Lucy couldn't help driving the thorn deeper, and smirked when Lady Stark's look turned even harder at the embarrassed boy.

Ned smiled at the sight. He had actually been there from the beginning of Lucy's spar against his two sons. After all, Ned tried to watch his sons grow in skill, sometimes watching them in secret so they didn't try harder just to impress him. It always filled Ned with glee seeing Robb and Jon grow stronger and learn how to properly wield their blades. True, they were very much novices in terms of skill, but he still felt joy upon seeing their elated faces when they improved and learned. It reminded him of when he learned to use a sword with his brother Benjen so many years ago. Yet, the pride he felt now was different from back then. This current pride was the one that came from seeing your children grow stronger.

However, Ned had not expected Lord Cinder herself to make an appearance. Judging by her initial look, she had just been curious about the noise of sparring swords and checked what it was about. He thought she was about to leave, but then Robb made a rather blunt remark about Lucy's status as a fighter in relation to her gender.

Now, Ned wasn't really of either side in the whole argument regarding genders and combat. However, he remembered the fierce spirit his dear sister Lyanna carried, which in turn made him consider himself to be at least open towards the idea. Overall, he tried to judge each person based on their skills and character rather than their gender. So, when his son bluntly told Lord Lucy of House Cinder, a girl that had singlehandedly slaughtered hundreds of men, that women were less capable of fighting than men; Ned couldn't help but be afraid for his son while also silently reprimanding him for such a stupid comment.

Thankfully, it seemed that Lucy restrained herself from using her strange powers against him. Instead, she picked up Jon's sparring sword and utterly humiliated Robb in their spar. Ned was impressed that Lucy was so skilled at using a blade. Considering her powers, one could forgive her for just relying on those, but it seemed that she had the skills to handle a blade as well. Ned knew that he and Lyanna would have gotten along rather well, if the latter had been alive.

However, this was not the reason why Ned had smiled at the sight. No, the reason that he smiled was because he saw something new in Lucy. He saw joy. It wasn't much, and one couldn't compare it to the elation she expressed when talking about Daenerys Targaryen, but there was still a joy in the horned girl's eyes. She expressed herself with some glee akin to a child around these boys, especially seen when she was teasing his firstborn. Considering how cold and hollow her gaze had been most of the time; Ned would admit that seeing that glee, no matter how small, was something remarkable.

"Catelyn", Ned stated. "It's true that Robb was rude against Lord Cinder here, but I think he has learned his lesson when he reaped what he sowed, didn't you Robb?" He then turned towards his oldest son and heir.

"Yes father", Robb said softly as he looked down on the ground, still a bit embarrassed. He then turned towards Lucy. "I'm sorry my lady, for offending you."

"Apology excepted, Lord Stark", Lucy replied with a smirk. "But next time, try to be careful to not think too narrowly about women."

"Understood, my lady." As soon as he had replied, Lucy lost her smirk and the small semblance of joy shimmering in her eyes.

"Thank you for your time. Now, excuse me Lord Stark…" Lucy excused herself with a small bow. She then gave the sword to Rodrik Cassel, who accepted it, before she left the area. Ned smiled softly, before turning to Robb and Jon.

"Now, finish with your lesson with Ser Rodrik and then get cleaned up. You have lessons with Luwin after this", Ned ordered sternly, as the two boys nodded vehemently, before continuing where they left off.

-A few days later, by the South Gate of Winterfell-

"So, you are leaving", Ned stated to Lucy. She was standing near the gates of Winterfell, carrying a bag around her shoulder.

"Yes, I am. I thank you for your hospitality, but it is time that I depart", she replied while nodding towards Lord Stark.

"I see. So, have you decided what to do next", Eddard asked with some worry in his voice.

"If you are worried about our previous topic, don't worry. I won't blindly go after Robert. I thought about your words and I agree that it would just cause more trouble than it would have been worth. Instead, I will just focus on Dany for now", Lucy explained.

"That's good", Ned breathed out in relief. "So, where are you going now?"

"South. I will travel Westeros, learn more about it, and see if there is anything that can help me with reuniting with my friend", Lucy replied as she adjusted the bag on her shoulders.

"Well, before you go; I would like to give you something", Ned said, as he gestured towards one of his men, who was pulling the reigns of a dark horse towards them. "This is a gift to you. As gratitude for your service during the Rebellion. I know you asked for no reward, but I still wished to reach out for helping and stopping the Greyjoy Rebellion, which could have killed and ravished to many people's lives", Eddard explained. Lucy's eyes widened as she stared at Lord Stark and the horse in front of her.

"Um… you don't have to… I-I mean, it's nice, but you really don't need to", the horned girl stuttered, while shuffling her feet around.

"It's alright, Lord Cinder", Eddard stated in return. "Please consider this a gift from House Stark. A gift that will help to reach out and form bonds between our Houses. You need a way to travel the Seven Kingdoms, and I would feel safer if our new ally was riding on a trustworthy steed at the very least."

"Well… th-thanks, I guess", Lucy replied shyly as she carefully went up to the horse, and started petting it gently, causing the horse to snort at her.

Ned was smiling at what he was seeing. Despite the small interaction she had with Robb and Jon; Lucy kept mostly to herself and didn't show much emotion otherwise. This was perhaps one of the few moments when Lucy was acting like a girl her age. Though for Eddard, it came with the terrible realisation that Lucy most likely had very little in terms of parenting and love in her life.

"Listen, whatever your reasons for killing the Ironborn, you protected the Realm when you ultimately helped stopping the Rebellion. For that, you have my gratitude, and you can consider yourself a guest at Winterfell whenever you please", Ned offered with a serious look.

Lucy said nothing as she petted the horse in front of her, but she seemed to register what he said. She then climbed up on the saddle that was on the horse and grabbed hold of the reins. After she adjusted herself on top of the dark horse; she looked at Ned once more.

"Thank you, Lord Stark. You have been very hospitable and kind for someone like myself", she said softly with a smile.

"Lord Cinder, it has been my pleasure. And I hope that you enjoy your voyage through Westeros", Ned replied. "Don't forget to visit us, House Stark is a friend of yours."

"No, you're not", Lucy retorted as her voice grew cold. Ned stiffened at her words.

"My Lord, I fail to understand. Have we offended you somehow?"

"No, of course not. I find your family to be rather pleasant. Your sons are polite and kind. None of you have made any remark about my appearance. Overall, I find myself impressed with your House and would perhaps even consider you allies in the future", Lucy replied with a soft smile, before it disappeared. "But I will not consider your entire House a friend of mine. I am very selective about that distinction and I am not sure if you have earned that right yet."

Ned stared at the girl on top of the horse with a newfound light. This was a girl that had been hurt and burned so many times by people around her that it had left her afraid to reach out. She kept the word 'friend' very close to her chest and evidently took the definition very seriously.

"Then I hope that in the future, you will consider us friends as well", Ned replied with a smile as he backed away.

"We shall see", Lucy stated softly, before she turned away. Then, she nudged the horse forward and the started to ride away from Winterfell, leaving a contemplative Eddard Stark alone by the gate as he watched her riding further away into the distance.

-At nightfall, Lord Stark's private chambers-

Ned was lying in his bed, his right arm wrapped around Catelyn's shoulders as she was leaning against her husband's chest. She looked up at him with some concern in her eyes, noticing how his own eyes seemed distant and distracted.

"Are you okay, my love", Catelyn asked him. This caused his eyes to focus as he looked down at his wife.

"Oh, I'm sorry Cat. I find myself a bit distracted", he replied.

"What ails you, my love?" Catelyn rose herself up and locked her blue eyes with his grey ones. Ned looked back with a sombre smile, before he pulled her closer with a sigh.

"I was thinking about Lucy Cinder… I must confess, I'm uncertain what to feel about her", Ned started explaining. "On one hand, I feel she is powerful and dangerous, but on the other; I cannot help but feel sad about the girl's circumstances. I wish she hadn't suffered as much as she clearly has."

"You're not alone in your sentiment towards that girl. I can tell that the girl has been through a lot, more than any child should have to go through. The only thing I am worried about is if she would be dangerous around the children, but so far she has been rather gentle, if not a bit shy around them", Cat replied as she held on to her husband tighter.

"I understand what you mean, but I think that we don't have to worry about her causing our children any harm. Lucy seems to not be unreasonable to the point where she would hurt our children. She is too concerned with her friend to worry about anything else", Ned stated casually.

"Friend? What friend", Catelyn wondered, arching her eyebrows.

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" After Cat shook her head, Ned continued. "Well, the reason she came here to Westeros was to find the only girl she considers her friend. The fact that she would go that far for one person says a lot how much she values this particular friend."

"I say, she is definitely dedicated to this friend if that's the case", Catelyn agreed. "Did she tell you who this friend was?"

"Well, this is where it gets even more complicated. The friend that she is looking for is Daenerys Targaryen." As soon as Ned had uttered those words; Catelyn froze up in shock.

"Wait, are you telling me that she is looking for Daenerys Targaryen? Lucy Cinder is a Targaryen supporter?!"

"No, she is not a supporter of House Targaryen", Ned explained hurriedly before Cat launched for the quill and paper to write a warning to her sister. "She only cares about Daenerys."

"Why haven't you said anything or sent a warning to Robert?!" Catelyn was getting hysterical and frantic with this.

"Because, it would only make matters worse." His words seemed to make Catelyn calm down a bit, if only due to her sheer confusion. "I managed to convince Lucy that if she went after Robert now; it may make matters worse for Daenerys. She won't blindly attack the King of the Seven Kingdoms just yet, as long as Robert doesn't do anything drastic."

"'Robert not doing anything drastic' – Ned, this is your childhood friend Robert Baratheon we are talking about. The man that practically embodies the words of his House: 'Ours is the Fury'. After all, he went into an open Rebellion against the Targaryens and has been ruthlessly wanting them dead ever since", Cat retorted exasperatedly.

"I know, but if I also know Robert – he will be too busy focusing on other things than two children across the Narrow Sea. He may send assassins after them, but he will not be too invested in their fates other than that", Ned explained.

"I hope you are right, Ned. Because if Lucy is as attached to Daenerys Targaryen as you say she is, then she may just kill Robert if she finds him to be too much of a threat", Cat retorted.

"No, I'm not worried about Robert. I think she is presently too focused on finding a way to get together with Daenerys to worry about him. But…"

"But what", Catelyn asked worriedly.

"Robert is possibly saved from Lucy's wrath thanks to his royal position, the fact he is distracted by other things, and Daenerys's supporters will keep her safe, and finally the fact that she can relate to his background", Ned explained seriously. "Though, I cannot say the same for anyone else."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, let's just say that it is in our best interest not to do anything that jeopardise Lucy's quest to reunite with the Targaryen girl. As long as we do that, I think Lucy will have absolutely no reason to hurt us", Ned replied seriously. "Lucy is a wounded, complicated girl, and she is devoted to Daenerys. I pity anyone who gets in the way of that."

-Meanwhile, on the Kingsroad-

The night had covered Westeros like a dark blanket. Lucy was riding along the Kingsroad, not feeling threatened by the things lurking in the night. She had faced those things on several occasions. She had ridden for about a day since leaving Winterfell, just stopping at one point to hunt a rabbit and allowing herself and her horse some rest. Now, she was riding South to explore the different regions of Westeros until she would get tired enough.

During her time in Winterfell, she had not only gained a map and several valuable pieces of information; she had also gotten an idea regarding her future actions in this country. Lucy was aware that there were certain supporters of the Targaryen dynasty out there, but she was uncertain of who these were. As such, she would venture through Westeros and try to figure out who these people are. Lucy would gather political allies and try to pave the way for Dany's return to Westeros. She would find a way to give Dany her home back. It would take years, but it would be well worth it!

While Lucy was riding and being slightly preoccupied with her thoughts; she heard loud laughter not far away from her position. She looked over and saw a group of four armoured men sitting around a campfire. Lucy shrugged her shoulders and was about to keep on riding, when she heard what they were speaking about.

"So, have you heard the story about the demon girl? You know, the one who took down Pyke?" One of the men asked.

"'Course we have heard about it! It's absolute horse shit thought", said another man in response.

"Actually, I've heard it's the truth. Apparently, this horned girl from Essos, claiming she's some kind of noble, came to Pyke and fuckin' cut all Ironborn to pieces! I met a man who had been there – he swears that's what happened", the third man stated. The other two men agreed, before the fourth man switched topics.

"Speaking of noble-folk in Essos, isn't Essos where those Targaryen brats are hiding?" These words caused Lucy to freeze up. She had occasionally ridden past men that had been speaking loudly about the Targaryens. Before, she had not understood what they were talking about and simply ignored them, but now… Now she knew that Daenerys was a Targaryen. All those men had spoken ill and cursed the name of her precious Daenerys.

"Yeah, I heard that they are hiding in the Free Cities. Bloody dragon spawn", the first man stated angrily.

"I agree. It's better if those children were just killed. Targaryens are nothing but shit anyway", the third man agreed.

"Or they could be sold into slavery, considering their looks. Especially that daughter I've heard about", the second man interjected. "I remember the Targaryen Queen. While she was a dragon, she had tight arse. If her daughter grows up to be like her mum, then I wouldn't mind ploughing that sweet bum of hers." The three men started laughing at this comment, unknowingly crafting their own coffins with those roars of laughter.

Infuriated, Lucy jumped off from her horse and landed on the ground, before walking to the camp. The men turned around towards the noise of her approaching them. They were surprised when a young, hooded girl stepped up into the light the campfire gave off.

"Um, what do you want?" One of the men asked. She gave the man no response. "Hey, are you deaf? What the fuck do you-"

"Do you hate the Targaryen children?", Lucy asked them suddenly, her voice cold enough to freeze even the hot springs of Winterfell. While the men felt unnerved by her cold voice, they soon found themselves ignoring it as the chuckled at her question.

"Of course, those dragon-fuckers shouldn't be alive-"

The first man didn't have any time to keep speaking when his head suddenly dropped off from his shoulders. The other men stared shockingly at her, before they went to their weapons, though only two of them got the chance to reach for them as the second man was torn apart by the invisible Arms that Lucy wielded.

"IT'S THE FUCKING DEMON OF PYKE-" The third man shouted, before his limbs was torn apart like his friends. The last man looked at Lucy in complete panic, before he dropped his sword and collapsed on the ground.

"Please, please – don't kill me", he whimpered at Lucy's intimidating eyes. She said nothing, but no words were necessary when the tearing of skin said enough.

The horned girl looked at the bodies strewn about. Their emblems on their shields depicted a red man on a black background, though Lucy didn't care to remember which House that emblem belonged to. Instead, she returned to her horse, mounted him and then started riding away. She would soon need to find a place to camp, but for now: she just wanted to get away from these vermin. These pests that dared curse Dany's name.

Lucy was determined to get back to Daenerys, but she also knew that Dany wanted to go back to Westeros one day. Thus, Lucy would make her friend happy. She would help cleanse Westeros and prepare for Dany's return. Even if people like these had to die. Lucy didn't care, it would just make things easier. True, she may not kill the Usurper just yet, but she would certainly not have anything killing worthless people like these.

That's the end of that! I hope you enjoyed it. I look forward to your responses and thoughts.

See you next time!

Prof. Majora