Son of the Stag

by NeonZangetsu

One good deed does not wash out the bad, nor the bad, the good. A night of foolish passion comes back to haunt Stannis Baratheon in the form of a son. A boy who will change everything. For he is the Son of the Stag, and he will carry the world on his back or trample it under his feet. Westeros!Naruto. NarutoxDaenerys? NarutoxMargaery? NarutoxArianne? Vote! Season 2 Spoilers.

2. Wicked Game

A/N: HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY CRAP! JUST SAW THE NEW GAME OF THRONES (RED BAND) TRAILER ON YOUTUBE! WATCH IT! NOW! I'm sooooo fired up for this and my muse has just LEAPED into overdrive!

But then again, I'm sure you could tell that by the word count.

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you!

THIS CHAPTER IS OVER TWENTY! THOOOOOOOUSAND! WORDS!

Now, before the second chapter, let's clarify things:

FIRST!

This Naruto is a godless one, as he believes that said gods took his mother from him. He had to grow up with a man who didn't know how to truly be a father at first, as well as a crazy step-mother who values religion over her own children. Throw Melisandre and her "Lord of Light" crap into this as well as the so called "voices" he keeps hearing and you've got a pretty fucked up childhood. A VERY fucked up childhood.

SECOND!

Remember, both he and Stannis don't rightly know what happened to Naruto's mom, and they won't for some time. Its actually a major plot point here, as to who she is and where she came from.

THIRD!

Now that we've gotten that bit of business out of the way, lets clarify a few things for this story ahead. I'm going with the character ages in the show of GOT rather than the books. As to the events themselves, many of you have asked, and I have answered! I take a few liberties with new characters here, hell, and yes...

...the title is named after the song in the trailer! Please tell me what you think! I put a LOT of effort into this one! It has a little bit of everything. Including this:

CHARACTER DEATH AHOY! Aye, Cersei and Joffrey are vicious idiots and fools, which accounts for their poor decisions in this chapter...

"I choose violence."

~?

Wicked Game

Shireen saw the door swing open.

Saw him standing there.

Then she squealed.

"You're back!"

Her guest was scarcely a step through before she bolted from her bed and tackled him. Well-as much as a little girl could tackle her considerably taller and older brother. Naruto-for it was Naruto indeed!-grunted audibly in surprise and caught her, steadying himself against the wall. Strong arms encircled her, holding her tight and swinging her around in a happy circle. For a brief, fleeting eternity. Shireen was weightless. Freed from the four walls around her, the iron door that sealed her in this room, and all the cares that came with it.

Alas, all too soon her beloved brother released her.

Gingerly, he lowered her toward the ground.

Shireen squeezed him tighter.

"Naruto!"

"Oof! Alright, alright! I'm happy to see you, too." A note of amusement crept into his voice as she strengthened her hold on him. "You're getting strong! I might be in trouble at this rate!" Shireen knew he was lying; she had once seen him lift an an entire cart by himself. Before that, he'd broken a man's arm for speaking ill of her. Even so, she didn't care. Suddenly, a thought occured to her. He'd come through the door. Naruto had not used the door since...since...

"Why didn't you use the window?" she asked. "You never use the door anymore."

Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"Notice that, did ya? Think of it as a special occasion."

Stepping away, she realized he was wearing armor as well. Not the heavy plate of soldiers or guards, but the light leathers one might expect from infantrymen. All black with none of their father's colors, he looked like a thief in the night than her brother. But the smile was his all the same, one she hadn't seen in a very long time. Now Shireen was a learned girl, she knew few things were capable of making her one and only brother give a grin like that, anymore. Coupled with his usage of the front door-an act that was near guaranteed to get him caught-and it was easy to put two and two together.

"Is Father making you his heir?" she deduced. "I was wondering when he would do it."

Her brother froze, mouth half-open.

"How in blazes did you...

Shireen beamed happily, twirling away from him. "I knew it! I knew when he came to visit me that he'd pick you!"

Behind her, Naruto went very still.

"Visit you?"

"Mmm!" Shireen plopped down on the bed and spun to face him. "He came to see me a few hours ago. We talked."

"And he mentioned me?" the blond deadpanned, striding to the window after her. "He asked you about me?"

"He didn't have to, silly." She answered, swinging her legs to and fro. Really, it seemed quite obvious to her. "Father respects you, and your strength. Of course he'd want you to be his heir. Why? Does that upset you?" Indeed, Naruto's bleak expression spoke volumes on the matter and what he thought of it; she was one of the privileged few to ever see how he truly felt these days. Trust wasn't something he came by easily, years of imprisonment had left him leery to most, even their lord father.

"He loves you, you know." she added, prodding.

"Love, huh?" A muffled snort reached her ears. "You always were better at understanding these things than me."

The scarred girl nodded emphatically.

"Of course."

Mother always said Naruto was a demon, a devil, a creature born out of darkness and spite and that she was not to speak him. Why would she say such awful things? Naruto was her brother. Oops. Half-brother. He was nice. He always snuck in during the night and read to her when she couldn't seep. Sometimes he would even sing to her when she wouldn't. He had a terrible singing voice but she loved it all the same and loved him for trying. He cared for her, and she cared for him.

Because Shireen loved her brother.

It seemed a silly thing to think, to feel, but she did.

With this thought in her heart, she dared ask what she'd been dreading all this time. That Naruto was wearing armor and his daggers meant one of two things. They were either under attack-unlikely, as the bells weren't ringing-or he was gearing up for departure on Father's orders. Neither thought was particularly appealing. Naruto might be stronger than most, but he could be hurt. She'd seen it before. He could get himself injured. Or worse...

...he could die.

There were worse things to happen, of course. That eerie red woman could get her claws into him. Shireen shuddered at the thought. There was just something...very wrong about Melisandre. She couldn't put her finger on it, but whatever it was she had good reason to want to stay away from that woman. Thankfully Naruto felt the same, but the thought of him being out there-alone-away from her, was nearly enough to make her nigh but mourn the truth; one that she already knew

"Are you going away?" she whispered.

"Full of questions, aren't you?!"

Her brother laughed at her small fears; uttering a wry, bemused chuckle as he moved to sit beside her. Shireen didn't resist when an arm encircled her shoulders, didn't fight when he pulled her head into his chest. Her fingers fisted tight against his traveling leathers of their own accord, as though she could somehow stop him from leaving. It felt painfully like another one of his farewells, perhaps the last one if he was riding off to war for Father's sake.

"You are, aren't you?" she demanded, looking up at him intently.

His smiled collapsed abruptly, sucked away into the void.

Shireen stared back right at him, piercingly so.

"Just for a bit." he conceded with a nod.

Shireen's gaze fell to the floor.

"..."

"I, ah, made something for you, ya know." Naruto said awkwardly, suddenly, drawing her curiosity once more. "I was going to wait until your next name-day, but, given the circumstances, I suppose now's as good a time as any." he pressed something into her hands and her palms curled around it and held fast. When next Shireen dared to look, the sight of it nearly took her breath away." It reminded her of the presents that the Onion Knight-her good friend Ser Davos-oft gave her. Indeed, at first glance, it might even have been mistake for one of them.

Her fingers traced slowly over the small creature for a long moment before she realized what it was-Naruto's favorite animal. The one he claimed to see every night in his dreams. Carved with loving detail in every edge, from its high-bearing nine tails to the curvature of its snout, it stared back at her. Odd, it almost seemed to be smiling.

It was a small wooden fox.

"When did you make this?" she marveled at it, turning the item end over end.

"Spent all of last week working on it." Naruto laughed nervously; it was one of those rare sounds he made when he was being true with himself.

Tears gathered in the young girl's eyes. It was his finest work yet, and she felt utterly unworthy of it.

"Naruto, I can't-

"Oh, no you don't. I want you to keep it. Here." he replied stoically, forcing her fingers around the small idol -totem?- with his own. "It'll keep you safe until I return." He did not say if. When. In his mind, his return to Dragonstone was an absolute certainty. Shireen admired that. His courage, unflinching resolve. He would do whatever Father asked and more, and would come back to sing songs to her in that terrible, awkward voice. Or maybe he wouldn't. Maybe this was his time-a thought she didn't relish-and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Well...its getting to be that time." Naruto rose and turned to leave. "Sweet dreams."

Abruptly, he paused.

Thought better of it.

"Fuck it." he muttered to himself.

Before Shireen could ask what he meant by that, her brother darted backward and swept her up in an embrace so fierce she nearly felt her bones break. Planting a soft kiss against her forehead, he lowered her back to the bed once more and tucked her into the covers. He lingered a moment longer, shook his head, and embraced her again.

"Stay safe, sweet child."

Shireen's heart caught in her throat, choking the words.

"You too, brother." she whispered.

With a wan smile, Naruto departed, leaving her with her thoughts.

"That was quick."

Stannis was waiting for him near the stairs as he closed the door, his normally stern countenance all but unreadable. Naruto nearly snapped at his father for his brash impatience but remembered to held his tongue at the last instant. He couldn't fault his old man for wanting to get underway anymore than he could his love for his sister. Not the kind of "love" those Lannisters perpetuated of course, but something far more pure. The love one had for a sibling, for family, was something that truly could not be understood by outsiders, let alone expressed through words.

Love made you do all sorts of things.

Terrible things.

Horrible, bloody things.

"Satisfied?"

Naruto paused, drawn fro his thoughts, blinking as his father spoke to him.

"No." he said at last, nonplussed.

They descended the stairs together in relative silence after that, the tension broken only the muted footfalls of their muddied boots. Stannis struggled for words that wouldn't come, something to put his bastard at ease. It stemmed from equal parts concern and desire both; a father's loving-albeit somewhat awkward-concern for his son, and a commander's desire to ascertain his own soldier's readiness for the task at hand. Whether he was or wasn't mattered greatly; the difference between victory or defeat.

Life.

Death.

"Your men think I'm a monster," Naruto spoke suddenly, drawing a concerned look from his sire. "They might not obey me."

"It doesn't matter what they think." Stannis replied flatly, taking another step in stride. "You are what you are."

"And what do you think I am, father?"

In that fleeting eternity, the waning light of a nearby torch cast itself across his face, painting his shadows into something monstrous. Stannis wondered if it was a sign of some sort. His boy was terribly clever, might even pretend to be civil behind closed doors for Shireen's sake, but they both knew his grasp on reality was tenuous at best; nonexistent at worst. He was about to unleash a demon on King's Landing, one of his own making. A force he had little to no control over. Naruto might as soon sack the city as take it for his father.

Was he making the right choice, here?

Melisandre had cautioned him time and time again against releasing the boy. She insisted that Lord of Light would grant him this victory with her at his side, that the bastard wasn't needed. Time and time again she had pleaded with him to ignore Davos's counsel. But Stannis was nothing if not stubborn. He was many things. Aggressive. Brutal. Cold. Determined. Genuine. Honest.

But, as he was in all things, Stannis Baratheon was not a liar.

"You are my son."

Naruto nearly missed a step.

"I suppose I am." A brief flicker of emotion flitted across the boy's face. Stannis grunted, satisfied.

Naruto was his son.

In that area at least, his loyalty was absolute.

At length they came to the door itself.

Stannis knocked and it swung open straight away; leaving the courtyard of Dragonstone stretched before them in all its glory-dim in the night but no less imposing for it. Naruto followed after him, smiling softly. Stannis supposed he understood, this was the boy's first day as a free man after all. No longer would he have to creep through the shadows, avoiding guards. Now he could walk openly among them. Naruto took a deep breath, exhaling sharply. Then his eyes drifted towards the gate. Paused. Narrowed.

Widened.

"Shadow?"

A loud whinny answered.

Naruto's gaze snapped to Stannis with such force his head seemed ready to tear itself from his shoulders.

"You kept my horse." he exclaimed breathlessly. "Shadow!"

Before Stannis could answer, Naruto bolted.

Shadow certainly lived up to his given namesake; he was a great, large stallion, black as raven and thrice as fierce. Wild as the storm itself, he had refused to breed or be ridden by anyone beyond its master since Naruto'd gotten himself locked away all those years ago. Now the beast reared mightily, nearly ripping itself free from its handler before its owner crossed the yard. Indeed, Stannis had kept the beast well fed and groomed while his boy was imprisoned, it lacked for none of its partner's enthusiasm.

The horse tossed its head and stamped a hoof at him in challenge as he drew near. Stannis wasn't about to gratify that with a response. It didn't matter in any event. Naruto was positively giddy.

"Best. Father. Ever." he cried. "Remember when we used to ride together? I'd race you, but I always lost."

Stannis did remember. It had been a simpler time. A happier time.

"You ride within the hour." He reminded his bastard, watching him keenly whilst he tenderly stroked the beast's head. "No colors. You're posing as a band of sellswords. At this point, they'd be a fool to turn you away...

...until we slit their throats." Naruto mused quietly as he tugged on a strap, securing the last of his gear on the horse. "You know, I never thought the Lord of Dragonstone would dirty his hands with something like this. Surely there are better ways. Cleaner ways." By way of answer Stannis offered a noise somewhere between a grunt and a sigh.

"You sound like Davos."

"Do I? Maybe he's right."

A haunted look flashed across his father's face.

"Cleaner ways don't win wars."

"Allies do." Naruto pointed out, grasping the mount's reins when it tried to canter. "You're not gonna have any if you keep assassinating everyone who threatens you."

"Just do as I say," Exasperated by the boy's continued impudence, Stannis experienced a great and terrible anger, roiling inside of him like a wild beast clamoring to get free from its cage. "Secure the Stark girls, then kill Jofrrey and Tomen. Mount their heads on a spike, if you wish." he added, after a moments thought. "If you must spare the queen or the imp that'd work just as well. Tywin Lannister isn't likely to attack the city-not if we're holding one of his precious children hostage. But kill the boys. I'll hear no more of it beyond that-

"Oh, yes you will!" Naruto slung the words right back in his face before he could finish. "You're going to draft a letter and send a raven to Mace Tyrell. Right now. Tonight."

Stannis glared back as his boy, incredulous. If there was a point, he wasn't seeing it.

"Why?"

"Because he's a dirty little boot-licker who'll back the winning side...or whomever has the largest army." His heir replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "With Renly's forces added to our own and our new ships, that'd be us...for the time being. Tywin's too busy with Robb Stark to march on us yet; he thinks the Young Wolf's going to move on Casterly Rock."

"How do you know this?" Stannis blinked.

Their own scouts had reported no such activity!

"How else?" Naruto beamed, happy to at last have his father's full and undivided attention. "I already told you. I hear things. Whispers among whispers. As I said, you can be damn sure Mace will do whatever it takes to make his daughter queen. Right now, he thinks the Lannisters are the surest path to that goal."

"Unless I can sway him." Stannis interjected with a shake of his head. "Unlikely."

A blue eye swung towards him.

"You're capable of murdering your own brother-my uncle-and yet you don't think you can do this?"

"That's one thing and another-

"No, it isn't." His son shot his protest down like a raven in flight. "Margaery and Loras may loathe you for what you did, but they won't defy their father."

"And you're proposing what, exactly...?"

"Now you're getting to the meat of it." came the nod. "Offer him riches, lands, a betrothal, whatever you please. Hmm. On second thought," the blond paused on a sudden, considering, "better send that raven to his mother, Olenna. Those Tyrells may hate you for stealing their chance at royalty but if you offer them another better opportunity," Naruto continued, shrugging on his cloak, "Even the Queen of Thorns will bite. All we have to do is bait the hook."

"And you think they'll bite."

"Ha!" Naruto scoffed. "I think we know who holds the real power in Highgarden. Whether out of fear or foolishness, they won't refuse us. But make damn sure you don't have Mace riding against you when you come to take King's Landing. If he joins forces with Tywin and attacks from the rear, you'll be smashed against the walls of Kings Landing." A note of audible pain crept into the bastard's voice as they each considered this. "I'm you son, but I can't fight an entire army for you. I may be good, but I'm not a miracle worker."

"You'd be willing to marry Margaery, then?"

Naruto made a gagging sound.

"No...but I will do my duty."

"I seem to recall you saying the same to Walder Frey, once." Stannis mused thoughtfully. "When he offered you one of his daughters. You turned him down in the end."

"Ugh." The boy shuddered visibly. "Don't speak of him. I'd kill that old lech if I could."

"You were seven."

"Aye" Naruto snarled crossly, "And if I knew how to use a knife back then, I would've shoved it right up his-

"Anymore suggestions?" Stannis quipped dryly before the young man could continue.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Naruto replied thoughtfully, his brief flash of anger fading. "Robb Stark."

The brief flicker of amusement Stannis had once felt guttered out at the mention of that name.

Oh.

Oh, he didn't like where this was going.

Not one bit.

"What about him?"

"You need to make peace with him." Naruto pleaded earnestly. "Before your assault."

"The Young Wolf? He is no ally of mine." Stannis bristled coldly. "An upstart pup whose bitten off more than he can chew. He'll be crushed, just like the others."

"Is that so?" Naruto guffawed openly, exploding into scornful laughter. "Seven hells, Father! If he's an upstart, what am I? I'm only a few years older than him and you're sending me to attempt regicide!"

"I'll not hear of it!"

That was the wrong thing to say; Stannis realized it the moment those words burst from his lips. He wasn't accustomed to his children talking back to him. His son had gone beyond that, to outright questioning every bit of his authority. Where Shireen was happy yet silent in her protest, Naruto was determined and fierce, easily provoked and driven to anger.

Which was precisely what he'd just done.

"Oh, I get it." Like a spark to fire, the whiskered warrior drew back, incredulous. "Is that all I am to you, then? A blunt tool? A silent hammer to smash against your enemies?"

"Don't turn this on me." Stannis warned. "This isn't about you."

"But it is! That's the truth, isn't it?" Naruto challenged, clicking his tongue. "You don't want me to advise you, you just want me to kill for you."

"No more!"

"GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE AND LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE OLD MAN!" His only son rounded on him with such vehemence that the Lord of Dragonstone nearly drew his blade outright. "He only wants the North to himself. And can you blame him?! That little twat of a Lannister took his father's head, and holds his sisters captive, tormenting them daily. He's as much an ally in this as any! More than most! Promise him the vengeance he so desires, give him his sisters, let him have the North! Do that, and he'll bring his banners to your cause! Twenty! Thousand! Men!"

"And what good are they?!"

"Men between us and Tywin Lannister's wrath if this siege goes south, that's what!" Naruto roared back, eyes flashing like dread rubies. "Because without me, it will!"

With that, the boy's outburst abruptly ended and silence rushed in to fill the void. Falling over the two Baratheons like a wet blanket, thick and cloying. Stannis glared at his son with a thunderous expression and Naruto returned it with a blaze of his own. Just as it had been back in the sealed tower, it seemed that neither would yield. At length, one spoke:

"I...

"I?" Naruto growled.

...will do as you ask. I will send a raven." Stannis relented to common sense with a sigh. At Naruto's smug expression, he hastened to add, "On your head be the consequences if he or Mace Tyrell refuses!" He almost hoped that they would; if Naruto's incredibly unlikely idea did succeed, he'd never hear the end of it, even if he did take his rightful place on the Iron Throne.

"I know men almost as well as I know women, father." the blond said, his soft voice hard. "We only have to plant the idea. Now, if you'll excuse me." He spun back to Shadow without another word and yet another beat of silence forced itself between them. Stannis nearly growled in exasperation. How did this boy always managed to make him look like the villain? It was ridiculous! He didn't deny that the boy was just like his mother-as sharp with the sword as he was with his wit, but this...this pushed boundaries, even for him!

"This all hinges on you." With nothing more to say, he found himself driving this point home once more. "Make me proud."

For a moment, Naruto seemed to consider those words.

Then those blue eyes hardened into diamonds.

"I will do whatever is necessary."

Stannis grunted quietly.

"Good."

He'd never been any good with open displays of affection, even in his youth. War and rebellion had hardened him, forged his body and soul like iron. But he loved his children, even if he didn't truly know how to show it. Even so, he surprised himself with his own actions. Naruto started, the first open act of emotion on his father's part shocked him greatly. The firm embrace lasted all of an instant, but the look of utter consternation and utter befuddlement on the lad's face was well worth it, he decided.

"Try not to burn the city to the ground." A hand lingered, grasping the boy's arm.

Naruto grinned.

"I learned from the best."

In the end, the Lord of Dragonstone relented, watching with a practiced eye as his only son and heir waltzed away from him, capering towards the men he would soon lead into battle. This lot had been selected just for this task, men who didn't deem themselves too noble to kill women, the sort of killers who would use poison, surprise, or even outright treachery, to accomplish their goals. These men, they weren't soldiers. They were butchers. Criminals. And they were being led by the worst madman of them all. His beast of a son, who put on airs and pretended to be something he wasn't. He would either lead them to victory, or get the lot of them killed.

Either way, heads would roll.

Stannis waited just long enough for his son to meet the men, telling himself he wanted to make certain Naruto wouldn't kill any of them. Then he would depart.

He had letters to write, after all.

"So. You're the one leading us."

Naruto looked away as he felt the weight of his father's gaze settle firmly upon him; in the end, that was as much an admission of confidence as he'd ever receive from his parent. Turning to address the men who would be serving under him, he found himself rather...appalled, all things considered. He'd asked his father for men who didn't fear death, men who were "pretty damn ballsy" as he'd so eloquently put it. These lot, they were most likely murderers, rapers and thieves, vile-looking bastards, the lot of them.

The goliath who'd spoken proved no exception.

Aye, he was a tall one; a great big, brute of a man standing nearly two heads taller than him, bearing an equally large axe. Naruto imagined this fellow might give the Mountain a run for his money in that area alone. He certainly had the personality down pat. Dark of hair with a square jaw and a scarred face, he scowled down at him, exposing yellowed teeth and rotting gums.

"Is it you?" the man repeated.

"Aye." he flicked the man a dark look. "That'd be me. You got a name?"

"So Stannis sends a bastard to lead us." the giant disdained, ignoring him. "Shows how much he cares."

"Aye, I'm a bastard." Naruto chuckled. "The lot of you are probably bastards, too! We're a regular band of bastards, eh boys?!"

Laughter greeted his words.

Stannis knew his son; he knew what was about to happen as soon as the men started to laugh, once his son began to laugh with them. He wasn't at all surprised when Naruto decked the instigator, hit the man so hard the dirt seemed soft by comparison when he crashed into it. The poor sod yelped like a struck pig and lay there in the mud, groaning. By the time he finally recovered, the laughter had all but died. A deathly pall seized hold of the courtyard, the night broken only by the man's groans and crackling of torches.

"You little shit!" With a roar, the brute came up spitting and swinging. Naruto knocked him right back to the ground again before he could draw his weapon.

"What in seven hells was that?!"

"Well, that was me. Knocking. Your. Ass. To. The. Dirt." Rolling his shoulders, the young commander turned to face the rest of his men, feeling more alive than he had in years. "Anymore questions on whose in charge here?" When none dared to speak against him, he decided to take that as a show of acquiescence. "Right, then." he continued, scowling. "My father's probably paying each of you an absolutely ridiculous sum of money to complete this task, and if you want to live to collect it, I suggest you remember that. Now I'll have your names. Speak up!"

"Marcus."

"Roth."

"Toth."

"Gavin."

The giant he'd felled growled around a swollen lip, "Ulric."

So the endless list of names rattled on, and like any good commander Naruto committed them to memory, one by one. Marcus was an unparalleled lockpick, or so he claimed. Roth and Toth-brothers he suspected-knew their way around a bow. Gavin boasted skill with twin daggers, an infamous cutthroat in Flea Bottom who'd fled to escape the authorities. Ulric was little more than a brute, but Naruto was surprised to learn that he was an Umber, not a Wilding from beyond the wall as he'd suspected. He looked like he knew how to swing that ax of his, at the very least.

He was just about to move down the line when he heard another voice.

"Eleanor Flowers. Formerly of Highgarden."

All eyes turned to the one who had spoken.

Naruto included.

His mouth drew down into a frown as a lithe figure stepped out amidst the others. He'd almost missed her in the dark, her smaller body hidden by the larger men. That frown drew deeper still, as she removed her hood. Deep green eyes framed by a bewitching red curtain of hair, cut severely short well below her chin with a matching scar against her neck. Her face might have been called soft, in another life. Now there was a hardness to it. A bitterness unmatched by those surrounding her, and anger that few could hope to know.

"We have a lady among us, it seems."

She gave the speaker a once over and frowned, unimpressed.

"That's a noble name." Marcus muttered. "From a noble house, eh?"

"I was." she replied simply, flecks of emerald flicking toward him. "I'm not, anymore."

"Why might that be?" Naruto found himself asking.

"What, you want my life story or something?" she scoffed. "Fine. My mother was a Redwyne. father was a visiting Lannister who raped her." came the harsh reply. "Obviously, the latter wouldn't claim me. Mother didn't take kindly to my "habits" after awhile, either, so here I am on my own. A sellsword."

"What habits were-

Thunk.

The jagged edge of a curved shield slammed into the ground with enough force to startle the nearby horses. Naruto whistled softly, eyeing the indent mere inches from his foot had once been. If he hadn't moved at the absolute last instant there, he'd be missing most of his toes. With a sharp tug, Eleanor ripped her unconventional slapped the sharpened instrument onto her back to join its twin and afforded him a grim smile. He knew the answer to his question in that instant, but her words confirmed it.

"Killing Lannisters."

Naruto whistled softly and offered a grin of his own.

"Welcome aboard."

The rest varied wildly in their chosen profession beyond that in both origin and otherwise; there was even a man who'd apparently fled from the Watch and found refuge with Stannis. Poor sod wouldn't give his name, so he was dubbed Shaggy thanks to the tangled mess he called hair and his bristly beard. He didn't protest the name. They all seemed to hold one thing in common, however.

For better or worse, some reason or another, they all despised the golden lions.

"And who are you?" Naruto asked as he came to the last of them.

This one looked downright tame compared to the gang of cutthroats he'd just seen. By contrast, the boy had no weapons beyond the sheathed sword in his belt. His leathers and cloak were more that of a seafaring man than a warrior, and he didn't seem to have a violent bone in his body. Indeed, he seemed almost lost amidst Ulric, Eleanor, and the others. But he straightened up sure enough under Naruto's glare and replied in a firm, strong voice:

"Matthos, m'lord!"

"Any relation to Davos?" he asked, intrigued.

The lad faltered momentarily, but managed to recover. "His son, m'lord."

Naruto frowned.

"Stop with that "m'lord" crap." the assassin waved him off. "Just Naruto will do. I'm little more than a bastard given command for now, no need for titles." He paused as a dark thought occurred to him. "Say, does your father know you're here? No, wait. I know that look. He doesn't, does he?"

Matthos looked away, shamed. "He does not m-Naruto." he hastened to amend at the blond's withering glare. "His Grace thought I might be useful to you."

"Useful how?"

"I know how to sail, that is, my way around ships, and I'm good with a sword." When the bastard didn't interrupt, he dared to press on. "P-Please sir, don't turn me away," he stammered out. "I have faith in the Lord of Light. I have faith in our cause. I have faith in the son of the true king."

Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"Stannis isn't king. Not yet."

"But he will be." the lad insisted.

"Great." Gavin muttered. "He's religious."

"Little man." Ulric groused blackly. "Won't be much use in a fight."

"Shut it, the lot of you!"

In that moment, Naruto understood why Stannis had sent him this-seemingly unaccomplished-lad to aid him. Here was someone whose "faith" in the Lord of Light-and by definition Stannis-was nothing short of absolute in its sincerity. He was loyal, where others might not be. Faithful, where another man might be paid off. Devout, it seemed Mathos was precisely that. Almost absurdly so. It certainly helped that he knew a thing or two about ships. Perhaps that knowledge might prove useful in the capital.

"Alright," he relented. "Dismissed. Get your gear and horse ready with the others."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Aargh, don't call me that! Off with you, the lot of you! We leave in five minutes!"

The Son of the Stag lingered a moment longer as his unlikely band rushed to the horses, suddenly aware that his lord father was no longer present in the yard. Just as well. He wouldn't want him to witness that lapse of wisdom just now-

"You lead them well."

Naruto bristled even before the newcomer finished speaking; because he knew precisely who-or rather whom-it was. He'd heard her voice countless times before during his forays outside the tower and had always taken great pains to steer clear of her after their first encounter. Now it seemed as though all that work over these last five years had been in vain. He saw her across the way. Coming towards him.

Melisandre.

Granted he had only seen the Red Woman a handful of times before but he'd gone out of his way to avoid her each and every one of them. Having seen the effect she had on his father, the webs she wove, he had no intention of being caught in the lair of this spider. That she dared to approach him now could only mean that she wanted something. Be it his confidence-or his ear-or something far more sinister, he refused to give it her. It took everything he had not to bolt as she drew near. Not out of any real fear of course, but an emotion far darker.

"My lady." he forced through out through gritted teeth. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You're about to depart." it was not a question.

Shadow whinnied anew and tried to edge away from Melisandre.

Naruto restrained his mount by the reins and ruthlessly bit back the urge to draw his blade and stick it somewhere he shouldn't.

"Yes," he said, "I'm afraid we're on a bit of a tight schedule."

"And you you believe you will succeed?" Her eerie eyes flitted to Mathos and his band of renegades. "With them?"

"I believe we have a chance, yes." he ground out through gritted teeth. "A small group has a better chance of eliminating the royal family and throwing the city into disarray beforehand." His hands clenched into fists at his back, itching to wrap themselves around her throat more and more for every instant she spent in his presence. It was only with a supreme effort that he managed to still them. Still, the subtle look of scorn lingering in her eyes was nearly enough to make him start forward.

"Many of them do not believe in our Lord."

"Begging your pardon, red," the assassin shot back icily, "But you don't need to be religious to swing a sword. And you mean "your" lord. I don't pray. Or did you forget?"

"I see."

"I suppose you do." Naruto shot back.

The wind took hold of her cloak as he looked on and sent it swirling in vile patterns, like a carpet of living flame. It almost seemed...alive, somehow. As if her very shadow was trying to swallow his. He drew back, more than a little repulsed by the sight and the image it conveyed.

"You're afraid of me." she sounded almost amused, noting his disgust.

"I fear what is dangerous, my lady." he rumbled.

"And you hate me." came the smile.

Something snapped deep inside Naruto.

Like a dam breaking, its floodwaters bursting forth, his anger tore itself from him. Losing hold of the tenuous leash on his own emotions he surged forwards!

"Aye, I hate ya." Snarling, the bastard swung around and took hold of her cloak, looking her square in her startled eyes. "I despise you!" every word proved a furious hiss, blacker than the darkest pit. "I'd gut you right now and toss you in the sea if I thought I could get away with it. You have my father burning men and women at the stake in the name of your precious "Lord of Light". How long until Shireen, or I find ourselves there? How long until you convince him that his bastard boy and disfigured daughter are sinners? Before you tell him we don't belong in this world?"

"You have the blood of the one true king within your veins." Her hand rose to cup a whiskered cheek and infuriated, he shook it away. "I would never misuse you."

The look in her eyes enraged him even more.

Whether it was his own intuition or something far darker, he knew not, but something drove him to speak again.

"Don't touch my sister."

"On the contrary, I did not come here to threaten you or your sister." the red woman laughed melodiously. "Since our Lord's chosen has seen fit to give you this mission, I came to bring you a gift." Withdrawing a pair of flasks from her sleeves, she held them up for Naruto to inspect, then offered them to him.

The blond eyed the vials with a keen eye, still wary of her. "And this is?"

"Throw them on the ground and they will produce a black mist no man can see through." she offered. "It may be useful to you."

He snatched them up and stowed the flasks in his belt.

"I'll keep that in mind-

"I am offering myself as well."

Naruto nearly choked on his own spit!

"I beg your pardon?!"

"Your mission is of utmost importance and it is vital that you succeed." Melisandre continued in her strange, placid voice. "I have been expressly forbidden from traveling with the armada." she pointed out, continuing. "I was not, however forbidden from traveling with you."

"I have twenty good men-

"-you're counting the boy?-"

-and I don't need you." he finished flatly.

"I can give you a son." she cajoled.

Despite his own anger, Naruto felt his cheeks turn red as a sugar beet.

"Are you mad?!" he sputtered! "I have no need of children!"

"How do you think your father slew Renly?" Melisandre purred, rich in her satisfaction. "My "son" slew him with no danger to your father."

"Then get another "son" off of him with your bloody magic!"

"I cannot." the red woman shook her head. "The process will likely kill him. I would require someone...else." Her gaze seemed to bore into him as she spoke, hauntingly so. The implications of her words were clear, and against his will, he felt his eyes flick downward. Itwas rather tempting, wondering what was beneath that robe...

"Me." Naruto deadpanned.

"Yes. Do you not want me?"

Something in her words snapped him out of the trance and the youth's hand flew to his dagger.

"Enough!"

Melisandre backed away, relenting.

"For your sake, I am going to pretend we didn't have this conversation." He put in with a fierce bluntness, leading his horse away briskly from her. "And that you didn't just try to defy my father's orders. Good evening, Lady Melisandre."

"Remember young prince," she called to him, "The night is dark and full of terrors."

Naruto frowned. "I'm not a prince." he called back. "Never have been."

The Red Woman smiled in return.

"But you will be."

Her words chilled him.

Setting his mount into an easy canter, he started towards the gate where the rest of his merry little band had gathered.

He didn't dare look back until he was certain the woman-witch!-had left the yard.

Naruto experienced unutterable relief once Melisandre was out of sight. Attractive though she might be, the woman rubbed him the wrong way. With her oft-unblinking eyes and soft spoken manner, her prophecies and eerie devotion, there was just something...off, about her. He didn't fear that she'd betray his father, oh no, rather, he feared what she might compel him to do. What she had nearly compelled him, to do. Stannis prized victory above all else, but the way that this red woman shadowed him everywhere he went...it was almost as if-

"Crazy witch."

The blond cocked his head aside as Eleanor capered up to him on her horse, spitting curses. Her bright eyes burned fierce with barely restrained anger, her face set in a stern scowl. For a split second he actually thought she was going to chase after Melisandre and run her down. Now wouldn't that be a sight? But no, the redhead stayed her mount beside him at the last instant, dashing that brief fantasy of the Red Woman's demise. "My lord." she nodded at his questing stare. Those eerie green orbs bored into him like daggers and he returned her bleak stare with one of his own.

"Please tell me she isn't coming with us." Eleanor said at last, the words a silent plea.

Naruto shook his head.

"She isn't."

...good." The young woman visibly deflated, relieved. "That's...good. Good. Thank the gods." she shook her head slowly, the motion sending her scarlet tresses swirling, lofting around her head like a halo. In that instant he thought he saw something in those haunting green eyes, a flash of vulnerability gone with the breeze. Whatever it was, it vanished when next she looked at him. Curious, the bastard stayed his feet. Her reaction was nearly identical to his own, as

"You have something against her?"

"Don't have to. She's a Red Priestess." Eleanor spat viciously on the ground and threw a wild look at him. "We have a more colorful word for them back in Highgarden, my lord."

"I can't imagine what." Naruto sighed. "And why must everyone call me that? I'm not a lord."

"Take it from someone who knows; once a lord, always a lord." Her horse stamped a hoof impatiently, and the smirk disappeared into the dust. "Shall we, then?"

"By your leave, my lady." he snarked back.

That almost got a smile out of Eleanor.

"Maybe you're not so bad after all, my lord." she answered loftily. "Lets see how well you can ride."

Naruto grinned at the challenge.

"Now's as good a time as any I suppose."

Mounting his horse, the Son of the Stag cleared his voice and spoke in command:

"Hear me!"

Heads turned as the thunderous shout of his words pierced the yard, demanding attention. It was a trait inherited from his father; he knew how to take charge. How to lead. Naruto took a small moment to savor the full weight of their attention. It was a rich, heady feeling, being in command again and the darkest part of his soul thrilled at the prospects of the impending slaughter to come. He'd been holding himself back now for far too long now, ignoring the voices in his head, abstaining from his darker impulses and his hands itched to kill.

Soon.

"Come with me, and lay lions low!" He cried, drawing his blade! "Come with me, and take Kings Landing! Come with me and claim your fortune! Come with me and have your vengeance! They will sing tales of us! We will be legends! The Terrible Twenty! The ones who destroyed the Lannisters from within! The killers of kings! Destroyers of dynasties! With me now! WITH ME NOW!"

Loud cries answered him.

"Hiyah!"

Cracking the reins, he set his mount into a fierce gallop and pounded through the open gate.

---

(Some Days Later...)

---

And so it went.

Days of hard riding with nearly no rest followed; they had to make good time to the capital before Stannis set sail. There was precious little time left for conversation, for all they knew, the fleet could be sailing to King's Landing even now. There would be no reinforcements. If they failed they would be executed, and the coming siege would be that much more difficult. If they triumphed...now, in that way lay riches and glory. Fame and fortune awaited, so long as they succeeded. They weren't even accosted on the road.

It was easy.

They were let into the city without so much as a passing glance; it was just as Stannis said, Kings Landing couldn't afford to turn away any sword. Even if they had to pay said swords to fight beside them. "King" Joffrey forces were sorely undermanned and the Crown was more than willing to pay any who would throw in with them against the coming storm. Of course, someone had to be certain that these blades wouldn't turn on them at the drop of a hat. Someone who saw knives in every corner, someone so excessively paranoid-rightly so in this case!-that she felt the need to question him straight away.

Almost too easy.

So really, Naruto wasn't surprised to find himself trussed up in the middle of the night, yanked out of the inn, and brought before the Queen herself. Eleanor hadn't been happy about the interruption at that either; the guards had chosen perhaps the worst possible moment to interrupt-while she was atop him. He'd barely had time to bar the door and shimmy into something resembling his armor before they'd broke in. It was a piss-poor way to ruin what had been shaping up to a fine evening.

What?

He was a man!

A man had his needs!

It helped that the son of Stannis had been expecting just such a thing of course; given Cersei's reputation. She wasn't half as smart as she thought she was. A lesser man might've been horribly frightened by the whole ordeal, but he'd lived through far worse. He'd been beaten, burned, stabbed, shot full of arrows, fallen from incredible heights and lived to tell tales of them all. By contrast,a little late night roughhousing meant nothing to him.

It was all part of the plan.

Rough hands flung the door open and hurled him down on the floor just a touch too harshly; adding insult to injury, someone slugged him from behind when he tried to find his feet. His head kissed the marble floor with a loud crack and he tasted acid in his mouth. Blood boiling, Naruto narrowly managed to restrain himself and feign weakness instead of ripping the man's lungs out of his ugly mouth. Not now. So, he lay there, groaning softly, pretending to have no strength at all.

"This is the one?" a rich, cultured voice liked poisoned honey trickled into his still sringing ears. "Not very impressive, is he?"

"Afraid so, your grace." one grunted. "Didn't even put up a fight."

"Make him stand." came the command.

He didn't need to see to know that his tormentors were smiling.

"Alright, you, get up!"

A hand drew back to strike him again-

-and Naruto lunged upward and slugged the man with enough force to shatter his jaw like glass. He was out before his boneless body hit the floor. Cursing, his partner spun and moved to draw his blade, only to find his very sword arm wrenched down with an agonizing crack. He didn't have a chance to scream before a back-fist drove him to the floor and into blackness. Two men, beaten in twice as many seconds. And not a sound was to be heard.

Pausing to inspect the fruits of his latest conquest, Naruto took a step back and bowed gracefully.

"Greetings, your grace. Perhaps, now that we've gotten the riffraff out of the way, we could dispense with the formalities?"

Cersei Lannister scowled.

Naruto simply smiled and awaited her answer. In that time, he took stock of the Queen Regent.

Hair like spun gold. A dress of Lannister red, with more gold.

Uck.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he was able to lay eyes on the one responsible for all this trouble-for getting his blood up in the first place-only to realize she was no one at all. Just a simpering women who acted as if she had all the power in the world when she really had no claim to at all. Nothing. At. All. He tamped down the instinctive surge of resentment upon realizing that this fool of a woman had allowed Ned Stark-whom he'd nothing but good things about from his father-to be slain in cold blood while she stood mere feet away. This was the mother of King Joffrey-little shit!-and a woman who couldn't control her children was worth less than dung in his eyes.

A parent was meant to counsel and console a child, not give them free reign to do as they pleased! Stannis had raised him with a firm hand, and whenever he'd gotten into trouble, the fault had been his own.

In that moment, he did have one positive thought of the Queen, however:

She had nice cheekbones.

"I should have you arrested." The Queen's gaze flicked to her two remaining guards, neither of whom dared to approach this suddenly dangerous interloper. "You've assaulted my guards." Ha! Some Kingsguard. Ah, but there it was at long last, that same scornful expression he'd been expecting ever since he'd left Dragonstone. Naruto found he wasn't surprised by Cersei's replies; if anything, the queen's less-than-subtle threat amused him, for he had heard worse highborn threats before from those who were actually willing to back them up.

"I did," he admitted handily, nodding in admittance of his guilt. "But to be fair-they assaulted me first at the inn." he loosely nudged one of the unconscious men with a boot. "While I was having sex with a very lovely woman, mind you. You are a lovely woman yourself." the words slipped out before he could think to stop his tongue or himself for oh, he was enjoying this far more than he should. "Surely you understand how it feels to be interrupted during such...activities?"

At this remark, Cersei's eyes became thin, angry slits of green.

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing at all, my lady." Oh, he was implying many things. "Merely that one does not enjoy life long without a lover. You must be lonely since his majesty died..."

Ah, perhaps he'd gone a bit too far there.

'Brother fucker.'

Despite the danger, the words danced at the tip of his tongue and he longed to speak them, if only to see her expression. Honestly, bedding your own brother was nearly bad enough, but to have children with them? To place a product of incest on the throne and let him do as he would?! Who did that these days?! Dark and twisted though he might be, even he had limits! Apparently so did the queen, because she all but exploded out of her chair, fair purpling.

"You come here, into MY city, my home, and insult me?!" she shrieked. "You dare make threats?! I'll have your head!"

"Threats, your grace?" Naruto forced an innocent blink. "I am a humble sellsword. I do not make threats. People pay me to kill other people. Threats," he repeated, shaking his head. "No, I nothing of the sort. Promises, now, those are a different matter...

Cersei's mouth twisted in a rictus of disgust and fury at this remark, made absolutely livid at the subtle jab. And Naruto was left once more to wonder at the mindset of this woman; a queen who acted like an impetuous little girl, flinging threats that held little to no weight for him.

In all his years of experience he never had the privilege to meet royalty before. He'd been cooped up at Dragonstone like a badge of shame ever since the incident. Suffice to say, he was not impressed. Some said the Lannisters shit gold. Cersei certainly had golden hair and she was indeed beautiful, but in person she looked like a very harried woman who drank entirely too much for her own good. He couldn't help but wonder if her grace was already deep into her cups when she'd demanded his immediate presence here.

He was suddenly immensely grateful that Eleanor had prevented him from bringing his weapons. They'd surely have been taken from him, and then where would he be? Unarmed.

Granted, he was unarmed now, but at least he knew his gear awaited him once he escaped.

If he escaped.

Not that it mattered; he was wholly confident he could snap the Queen's pretty little neck with his bare hands if it came down to it. Evading the guards was another matter, but one he still remained confident in. But, as much part of him wanted to simply lunge across the room and end her life at this very moment, he recognized the ill-timing of such a decision.

Now was not that time.

"Putting promises aside, to what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected audience, your grace?" he asked amicably, sidestepping her ire as easily as one would a large log. "My men and I only just entered the city and I'm afraid they're not presentable at the moment. I was going to present myself to you on the morrow and ask for you, but-

"Get to the point." the words were a hiss.

Swallowing his laughter, Naruto bent the knee before her.

"I wish to offer myself and my men into your service."

Cersei blinked, but recovered quickly from the shock of his proposal.

Her reaction was much as he'd expected.

"Kill him!"

---

(Meanwhile, Miles Away...)

---

Robb Stark was not a man of conviction.

Once he made up his mind, he could not be swayed.

More often than not he followed his heart in all things. And though this had seen him no end of trouble, he'd resolved to follow it through to the end when he'd gone to war. He'd never lost a battle since. Never once felt the cold knife of fear down his neck. Some might say he was too young to be afraid, to know the risks and consequences of his actions. Perhaps he was.

Now, however, he felt his hands tremble.

But not from fear, rather...

...excitement.

A pair of twin letters lay before him bearing the seal of Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone.

Each was written in a crisp, clean hand. Each was no different than the other in that they were written by the same man and though they contained two parts of the same letter, overall, it was, well...astonishingly blunt. Delivered by raven and armed escort both, which further drove the point home. Whomever had written these letters-and he knew well by now whom!-had wanted complete and utter assurance that the message reached its intended recipient. No less than ten armed guards had escorted a harried looking man to their camp to bring him the latter. They'd arrived only days after the raven.

Together, they read:

Young Wolf,

I offer my condolences on behalf of your father.

Once, I considered you an enemy. Recent events have given me reason to think otherwise. I will not lie; my first instinct was to destroy you, like the other pretenders. But my son believes in second chances. So for his sake and yours, I offer you this opportunity. There will not be another. Bend the knee to me, swear your fealty, and I will help you do what all your men cannot. I am led to believe that you have no interest in the Iron Throne, that you'd only wish for justice and the safe return of your sisters.

We shall see.

A man named Davos awaits you in the group that delivered the second portion of this letter. He is trustworthy. Give him your answer. If deemed satisfactory, he will send a raven to me and we will plan from there. If I do not hear from you within a week, or if Davos does not return, I will constitute this as an act of war and march on your forces with all my might once I've taken the Iron Throne.

Come with me to Kings Landing, join your forces with mine, and I will allow you to remain King in The North. I will not force Sansa nor Arya to marry my boy. They will be returned to you and such matters fall under the realm of your house not mine.

Come with me and take back what the usurper has stolen from you.

Come with me and take this city.

Take back your pride.

The choice is yours.

I await your reply.

~The One True King, Stannis Baratheon.

Yes, blunt was the best way to put it.

Baffled, Robb read it over again, peering over each word.

Stannis had a son?

He vaguely recalled hearing of something like that once, then nothing more of it.

Regardless, this was a grand opportunity, here before him. An alliance, of sorts. The idea of bending the knee to another king rankled him somewhat, but in the same vein, Stannis had been upfront with him. Clear and concise in the realm of terms. All he had to do was bend the knee and ride to Kings Landing with him. But a thorn of doubt pricked at him and held his hand back. Stannis had more than a hundred thousand men at his back. And now he wanted his?

Did he dare trust him?

Stannis was an honest man, it wasn't in him to betray someone. He knew that much. But did he trust him? He knew he didn't have enough men to take King's Landing. Not on his own. Not yet. And what if he refused? Stannis outnumbered him ten-to-one. If he didn't they be crushed like an ant beneath a giant's boot. Did he dare drag out this war any longer on the matter of pride alone, when such an easy victory was offered unto him? Winter was coming. His bannermen grew more and more restless with each passing day. They wanted to go home. And once word about Talisa got out, he'd lose Walder Frey's support...

In the end, the answer was obvious.

Rising, he opened the flap to his tent and called for a guard.

"Bring Ser Davos to me." he said.

"My lord?"

"I have an answer for him."

---

(Back With Naruto...)

---

"Is this really necessary?"

Naruto hadn't moved when the remaining Kingsguard drew their blades; nor had he blinked when they began a slow advance towards him. He'd remained standing there all the while, hands clasped behind his back. His eyes never left the Queen. When they were finally within range, he unclasped them and sighed. A sword passed through the space he'd been standing, nimbly dodged in a flowing retreat. One of the guards frowned and made a second attempt, only to find empty air, not blood at the end of his blade.

"You're going to be difficult about this, I see."

"I'm afraid I am." Cersei sneered. "I'm more inclined to send them your head instead."

"I do not believe that would be entirely successful, your grace."

Naruto restrained a thin smile of his own. Stupid woman. Did she really think she could intimidate him? He had no concern of his twenty being bought; you couldn't buy hatred like that, or loyalty. It made them difficult to control at times, but in their days on the road he'd come to understand that his unlikely band wanted nothing more than to see Lannister heads mounted on a spike. Really, it was almost frightening, or it would have been if he wasn't so used to the concept...

"Do you?" she snapped waspishly. "How so?"

"You would not be able to take my head, because I, unlike that child-beater behind you," blue eyes drifted to Ser Meryn Trant, "I am an accomplished killer and I practice, regularly. So, no," he answered stoically, for in that at least, he spoke the truth, "Your guards would die terrible, horrid deaths long before they could lay hands on me and there isn't a damned thing you could do about any of it." Naruto finished with a demure smile, watching her face purple all the while. Let her hate him. Let her seethe in her spite. In a few days, it wouldn't matter what she thought of him.

"You are unarmed, and I have two men with their swords drawn." she exclaimed, irate. "What could you do?"

But for now, he had a role to play, and he aimed to play it well.

"Might I demonstrate?" Naruto inquired, smiling. "You can at least let me defend myself against one of your men."

"I don't think so-

"I need only your writing quill." he interjected.

Cersei fixed him with a flat look. She didn't believe him. Naruto didn't expect her to. He'd killed a man with less. Of course, she didn't know that. How could she?

"You have two more guards and I am unarmed." He pointed out quietly, shrugging. "You said so yourself. What could I possibly do? If I fail, I die. If I succeed, then you still have another guard by which to slay me. But you won't."

"And why not?"

"Because you're going to hire me in a moment."

Silence stretched between them like a band of rubber drawn taut and about to snap.

"Oh, very well." she sighed at last, waving one of her men away. "Humor me before you die."

Naruto nimbly caught the quill in hand and took three steps backward.

"You heard him, Ser Meryn." Cersei said, indicating the very child-beater he'd spoken of. "Prove your worth."

"My lady?"

If looks could kill, the man would've been a smoldering pile of ashes on the floor.

"Kill him, you fool!"

Naruto drew back an arm, smiling. "Any last words, friend?"

The Kingsguard laughed.

"You won't be able to-

"Do I have your permission to kill him, your grace?" the blond continued, ignoring the abuser's ineffectual rant.

Cersei arched an eyebrow, intrigued. He couldn't possibly...

"You may try."

Trant balked. "WHAT?!"

"Good."

Naruto spun and hurled the writing implement with all his might before the Kingsguard could finish; the resulting was nothing short of spectacular. The quill leaped from his hand like an arrow from a bow, slicing into Ser Meryn Trant's unprotected throat as a knife would through butter, burying itself deep and cutting off his cries entirely. The armored knight gurgled in surprise, gawking at the hole in his neck, struggling to decide whether or not to pluck it own-

-until Naruto did it for him.

In a single liquid movement, the blond crossed the room and reached around, plucking the quill from the man's neck and opening his throat.

Then he slammed it into his forehead.

Ser Meryn Tranr tottered for a moment, eyes rolling in the back of his head like broken marbles. Then as if at some unseen signal he collapsed face forward. Forced through his skull upon his awkward landing, the impromptu dagger emerged into a grisly red spatter through the abuser's skull, spattering the floor crimson in gore. Cersei gawped, mouth working wordlessly as the scarlet stain crept across the floor. She had felt the impact most keenly, as if she had been the one slain, not her guard.

The remaining man looked like he was about to soil his breeches.

Instead of attacking however, Naruto merely raised his hands, showing himself to be defenseless once more.

"If I can do that with a pen, imagine what I can do with a sword." the once pleasant words became a growl by the end, his calm eyes dark and angry. "If I wanted to, I could kill you right now, and you wouldn't be able to stop me. Then I'd kill the next man who came through that door, because you would scream when you died. And the next. Eventually I'd escape, and then I'd do the same to anyone whoever crossed me. Would you like that, your majesty?"

Thusly rattled, the Queen eyed him warily.

...I would not. What do you want?"

"As I said, I would like to serve you, your grace. Money would be nice, I suppose," Naruto returned to one knee, bowing and kneeling, lying and scraping as if he had been born to it. "But what I truly desire is simple acknowledgement. The chance to be a part of something greater than the life of a sellsword; to be a part of history. These men," his eyes rolled disdainfully in the direction of the quivering guard, "They are not men. They are boys in armor, boys who will die defending you when Stannis comes, because they are not warriors. You will die. Your children will die." After a moment, he added, "There is nothing wrong with protecting those you love."

Now came his least favorite part.

The waiting.

For a moment, Naruto feared/thought she'd call his bluff and have him killed anyway. He hadn't been lying when he claimed he could kill her and her guards. But he could only kill so many before he slipped. Still Cersei maintained her silence, still. Then her expression turned thoughtful.

"Leave us."

Cersei banished her remaining guard with a gesture.

"But my lady-

"Leave us!"

Once the heavy door had closed, she fixed the blond with her most withering stare.

"Talk."

---

(Late the Next Morning in Highgarden...)

---

Mace Tyrell felt as though he'd read the letter a dozen times now.

The words stared back at him from the parchment, clear and concise.

Tyrell,

If you still wish your daughter to be queen, you have a choice to make.

I suggest you choose wisely.

~The One True King, Stannis Baratheon.

How long had it been since the raven had delivered this? He couldn't even remember, such was the stress. How had a few lines driven him so mad?! What'd once seemed like a clear path to glory for his family only days before was now a murky, muddled mess. One he didn't know how to get himself-or his family for that matter-out of.

By right and law, Stannis was king. If the "rumors" were to be true, then Joffrey had no claim on the throne at all. Mace didn't much care for word of mouth

No, he wouldn't be telling Tywin Lannister of this, not at all. There was too much to consider. A fool he might be, but he knew better than to back the losing side. But which was that? Stannis? Rumor had it he'd slain his own brother and taken his banners for himself. Now word was the Young Wolf had gone to treat with him in person. From Dragonstone it was a short sail to King's Landing, and with those numbers, Stannis would surely wreak havoc on the defenders. Yes, it was all about the numbers.

Numbers added up in the end.

Tywin might prevail in this.

Then again, he might not.

Would it be wise to push this alliance with them through, or should he wait and see the victor for himself? Lord Baelish had worked tirelessly to negotiate such a pact, but that was before...this. Odds that might've once swung in the Lannister's favor were now beginning to tip ponderously towards Stannis Baratheon, and his would-be-ally in Robb Stark. Lannister or Baratheon. Joffrey, or Stannis. Only one could emerge victorious from the coming Battle of Blackwater. But which was which?! Worse, if he backed the losing side, he had no doubt he'd be annihilated!

All the Lannister gold in the world wouldn't save him if he chose wrong.

Fussing quietly, he pushed a clenched fist against his skull.

"Seven Hells...

---

(Once More with Naruto and Twenty...)

---

"You. Absolute. Bastard."

"What can I say?!" Naruto crowed happily the next morning as Eleanor wrapped herself around him. "When you've lived the life I have you learn how to appease highborn idiots. Or barring that, intimidate them. Oh, she swore she'd have me killed at the first sign of disloyalty and all that, but what can I say? The woman loves her children. She'd to anything to keep them safe. Even hire killers like us."

"Seems almost a shame to kill 'em." Ulric muttered, sipping at his ale.

"Almost." Gavin scoffed.

Naruto snickered.

"Aye, almost."

More laughter followed.

After a harrowing evening resulting in a tremendous victory and a score of dead city watchmen on their behalf-t'was the fools own fault for ambushing dangerous individuals late at night!-Naruto and company had retired to another, well fortified inn and paid the man enough money to ensure possession of it for the foreseeable future.

Stannis's gold hadn't gotten to waste, here.

Half of their number stood on watch in plain clothes near all the entrances-doors and windows both-to prevent another such intrusion or barring that, eavesdropping. If another such forced sortie was attempted by the city watch, or anyone else, the poor sods would find themselves sent right back in a bloody box from whence they came.

"I can't believe the queen actually made you her personal...what, exactly?" Roth asked, pausing as he painstakingly crafted another arrow. "You didn't tell us, boss."

"Ahem." the blond coughed, his voice piquing in imitation of Cersei herself, "I believe the term was royal guardian and protector-mmph?!"

Eleanor clamped a hand around his mouth before he could continue.

"Quiet, you!" she chided, tightening her grip. "Loose lips make for loose talk." Even positioned as she was on his lap, his fellow bastard held his attention. "We can't keep talking like this!" When she finally spoke again he turned the full weight of his gaze upon her, her green eyes piercing his like jagged emerald daggers. "Have you forgotten that the Spider dwells within this city with all of his little birds? None of this must leave this room." those scorching orbs swept cross the room, pinning each man in turn. "Not a word."

"Spoilsport." Gavin grumbled, returning the whetstone to his blade. "Anyone tries to rat on us, we cut their throat. Dead men tell no tales."

"And slaughtering innocents doesn't?" she challenged coldly.

"S'worked for me so far." the one-eyed man sneered. "Don't see why not."

A beat of silence passed between the lot of them, broken swiftly by the another.

"So, ah, boss?" Toth began, echoing his twin's earlier statement, "Does that make you Joffrey's knight?"

"Ugh, no." Naruto moaned. "Don't remind me. Matthos and I have to meet the royal twat by noon today."

"Where is the little bugger, anyway?" Gavin asked, looking up from his now freshly sharpened blade.

"Reconnaissance." was all Naruto would say. "He's got Max with 'im. He'll be by short-

As if waiting for that very moment, a series of harsh thumps echoed against the northern door, a cod rattling off as he listened. One knock. Then two. Followed by four. Naruto had designed such a system in hopes of fooling any would-be intuders or spies who might come calling. Each and every one of his twenty had a different one and wouldn't be admitted without.

"Speak of the devil!"

Eleanor fixed him with a dry look. "I'm coming with you."

"Max and Mathos will be more than-

Her glare intensified.

-fine, fine." he relented. "Max will stay and you can take his place. Sound fair, my lady?"

His shield warrior flashed him a grin.

"As you say, my lord."

"I TOLD you not to-

The door swung open with a harsh clang, interrupting whatever else he might've said. Mathos shambled in, helping a swearing Max. One look at the stalwart man told all; his left leg was a bloodied mess, wrapped up in what one could only assume had once been cloth of some sort. A beat of awkward silence fell in the inn, until finally, Gavin surged out his chair and barred the door with a resounding clang. A furious oath answered him for his efforts.

"Seven fucking hells! Not so loud!"

"The hell happened to him?" Ulric laughed.

Mathos grimaced, helping the swearing soldier to a chair.

"He threatened a guard and took an arrow to the knee."

"Oi, seriously?"

"You did kill him, right?" Naruto groaned, pinching the brow of his nose. "Please tell me the guard is dead."

"Tossed 'em over the wall." Max grunted. "Into the sea. Lets see him swim with that fancy armor!"

"Did anyone see you?"

"I-

"Max."

"N-No." the man hastened to add. "Least, I don't think so...

"Mathos?"

"No one saw us, my lord." the boy responded clearly. "Someone may have heard the shout, though...

"Lovely."

Shaggy frowned, grunted a question and gestured with his odd-fingered hand.

"Nah, we'll be fine." Naruto hissed, words dripping with sarcasm. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Sighing, he pushed Eleanor off his lap and sat up.

"Was the information worth it?"

Matthos told him in no uncertain terms.

"Wildfire, eh? Nasty stuff."

And so he did.

Until duty called.

---

(...)

---

The halls of the Red Keep were rather gloomy, all things considered.

Under King Joffrey's reign, many of the flowers had been plucked, and the prior decor stripped away; everywhere he went he saw Lannister red. It was there on the walls, and the floors and the ceiling. Servants scurried about with their heads down, avoiding his gaze. The few lords and ladies of the court who dared to look at him didn't do so for long, the presence of his entourage saw to that. The guards were even less friendly than he remembered; their faces were openly hostile, hands remained firmly fixed on their swords whenever they passed.

"Friendly bunch." Eleanor muttered crossly.

"Look at them," Mathos despaired at his left, "How can the possibly live in this squalor? Is this what their gods tell them to do?"

"Quiet."

Naruto shushed him, but his mind was elsewhere.

Fear.

It was strong her, so tangible as to assault his own senses. He could taste it in the air, see it in every averted gaze, hear it in their whispered voices when he stalked by. Many of these people were outright terrified; not of him, but of what might happen if they lingered. More than once he heard Joffrey's name pass their lips like a prayer, sometimes a curse. His name wasn't mentioned in the least, but their faces were telling enough. I have a bad feeling about this...

He suspected his audience with the King was going to be...

...unpleasant.

This lot shouldn't be frightened of their own king. A king was someone who served the people, not the other way around.

Naruto quietly vowed to change that once the Lannisters were outed. He might enjoy violence more than most, but he didn't relish fear. Well, fear in his victims mayhaps, but not in bystanders unless-stop. Narrowly reining himself back in, the blond ruthlessly redirected his focus to the ceiling in the hopes of distracting himself. He had to maintain the facade; this mask of civility. Wait until he knew for certain that his Father was moving. There would be plenty of time for killing then.

Later.

"Be ready for anything." he muttered to Eleanor. "I have the feeling our welcome won't be a pleasant one."

His right hand grinned.

"Always."

As if to echo that very thought, a young woman in a torn blue dress hastened past them, momentarily diverting their attention. Red curls lofted past Naruto's vision, briefly framing a heart-shaped face and damp eyes. Something about it seemed familiar, enough to jog his memory and slow his pace. Red hair...red hair...where had he seen that before? It wasn't altogether an uncommon trait in King's Landing, yet it caught at him all the same.

"Poor thing." Mathos muttered.

Naruto paused.

...what in the...?"

The memory came back to him in a rush.

Sansa Stark had red hair.

He wasn't sure what prompted him to call out to her; to speak to this strange woman he had never seen her before in his life, yet something game him pause. She reminded him of a spooked rabbit in a hall full of lions, terrified that something might spring out and devour her at any moment. He knew how it felt, the words were out of his mouth before he could think to take them back:

"Lady Stark?"

The lass spun, looking like a frightened doe, clutching the tattered remnants of her dress about her shoulders. Eyes red and puffy from crying blinked back at him, wholly bewildered.

"M-My Lord?"

"Not a lord." Naruto soothed, lowering his hand. "Just Naruto. a hired sword. Do you have a moment?"

She eyed him warily, clearly wanting to flee.

"I'm afraid we haven't met, Naruto. I must be going-

"Now wait just a minute!"

"You're hurting me!" Sansa cried out as he spun about and took hold of her arm and pulled her backward. Passerby glanced at the scene, but no one dared to challenge him. Why would they? Most probably thought this girl an enemy of the court itself-they didn't care what happened to her. True enough, her struggles were useless against him; unlike Eleanor she hadn't been trained in the art of combat and possessed precious little strength to speak of. However, a thorn of compassion pricked him and held him back.

Loosened his grip.

"What would you say if I could reunite you with your brother?" he asked, after a moment. Behind him, Eleanor and Mathos bristled. Ah. They feared he was blowing their cover and perhaps he was. But something inside Naruto, that small tiny sliver of humanity that still existed deep inside him wouldn't let it slide. He imagined Shireen-his own sister-in this very situation. Sobbing, terrified, in tears, her dress ruined, and something furious sparked to life in him. "Answer me!" he hissed. "Would you like to see your brother again?!"

Sansa's face went blank.

"My brother is a traitor." She recited the words on rote, as if from memory. "I am loyal to my King-

"Look at her. She's scared shitless." Eleanor bulled in before she could finish, scowling. "None of that, girl. We're not your enemies-

"And what have we here?"

Naruto spun to face the voice.

Crap.

Approaching down the corridor were, not a pair of guards as he'd feared, but someone else entirely. A rather roguish-looking individual who was clearly a hired mercenary of some sort, and a much shorter man bearing a golden badge on his tunic. Naruto recognized the insignia dead away and released Sansa, swearing softly to himself.

Double crap.

Well, so this then was the infamous imp he'd heard so much about. Strange. He didn't look the monster most made him to be. Oh, he was short to be sure, but beyond that he seemed quite normal. Even so, Naruto felt himself bristle as Tyrion drew near. Anyone who'd been named Hand of the King, even temporarily, was worthy of respect. And extreme caution. There was no telling what he might've overhead. He hadn't said anything incriminating, but no, this looked more than suspicious...

"Only a day in the service of my beloved sister and already I find you plotting behind her back." Abruptly, his stoic expression collapsed into a wry smile. "I'm joking, of course. No, no, by all means!" he waved them on merrily, "Plot away. Anything that brings Cersei trouble is a welcome sight for me."

"My lord." Sansa curtsied hastily.

"Ah, Lady Sansa. I'm terribly sorry for that mess in the throne room," Tyrion replied. "I'm afraid I must apologize once again on my nephew's behalf."

"N-Not at all, my lord. It was I who was at fault."

"Just Tyrion will do." The dwarf shook his head. "I'll have a new dress made and brought to your quarters straight away."

"You are too kind."

Sansa scurried away quickly before Naruto could get a word in.

And just like that, the Son of the Stag found himself trapped with the Hand of the King. Mathos looked like he wanted nothing more than to keep walking. Eleanor had gone positively rigid, her eyes locked on Tyrion like a hawk as the silence stretched on. Naruto was beginning to fear that she'd do something horribly foolish and get the lot of them apprehended or worse when, finally, someone coughed.

"Well," Tyrion began, "here we are."

"So it would seem," Naruto ventured cautiously, uncertain of what to say, of how to explain this situation away. "Can't say I've had the pleasure, your lordship." He found himself wholly out of his depth here, uncertain what the man wanted with him. Encountering Sansa had thrown his thoughts into disarray. Meeting Tyrion hadn't been a part of the greater scheme either and he was forced to take a step back and reassess just what he would say to a man who could make the next few days a living hell for him if he wished.

"What were you doing with Lady Sansa?" Tyrion asked abruptly.

Eleanor swooped in before he could think.

"Why don't you tell us what happened, first?"

"Ah, that." The Lannister actually had the good grace to look abashed, at the mention of the incident. "I'm afraid my nephew's been in a bit of a sour mood, as of late." At the woman's questing look, he frowned. "You haven't heard? The Young Wolf joined his armies with Stannis." these words emerged as a painful grimace. "Rumor has it they routed the Mountain and now they're marching on King's Landing as we speak. Alas, our wise king chose to take his anger out on Lady Sansa...

Inwardly, Naruto rejoiced.

'Yes! He listened, after all!'

Outwardly however, he forced a small sigh of his own. "Well, that's poor news for me! I have an audience with him at noon." Tyrion blinked, then turned his gaze to the garden, where the sun was just now beginning its descent. The beginnings of a smile plucked at his square jaw. Clearly, he didn't adhere to the Joffrey's every whim, either.

"I believe its well past Noon."

"Well," the blond shrugged, "Kings can't always have their way now, can they?"

The Hand of the King seemed to consider that, for a moment. Then, inexplicably, he relented.

"Bronn," he introduced. "Meet Naruto. He's to be your replacement once this mess is behind us-or so I hear." After a moment the sellsword extended his hand. Naruto took the offered arm and gripped it firmly, fighting back a smile of his own.

"Hear you knocked around some of my lads last night." the taller of the two quipped.

The assassin blinked. "Your men? I wasn't aware you commanded idiots."

Bronn chuckled.

"I don't. Queen took charge of a few without tellin' me." then he noticed Eleanor. "And who is this?"

"Death on legs." the shield maiden quipped dryly.

Bronn gulped.

"Noted."

"If there's nothing else, I should be going-

"Might I have a word?"

Naruto froze.

Tyrion was no fool; he couldn't be baited or tricked like Cersei, and he wasn't half as paranoid. He was dangerous. As acting-Hand of the King he had every right to be. The slightest slip might give him away. Perhaps it might be better to just cut his losses now? Eleanor was spoiling for a fight, one he didn't want to give her, but if it came down to it...

His frown deepened, put on edge by the inquiry. "Need something else, your lordship?"

"Given the choice, would you choose peace? Or violence?"

Naruto smiled thinly.

"Depends."

"Oh?"

"Yup." the killer found himself nodded slowly in agreement, thumbing his chin. "Peace is nice, but violence, I can understand. Violence I can predict. Violence, I can control. Don't get me wrong, quiet's all well and good when the violence is over. A good fuck, a bit of rest, something to eat, and right back to it. I can usually tell which way a brawl or battle's going to swing. That's the thing about peace, though. Ya can't. You can't control it. There's always someone else who wants to knock you down, and once they do, it starts all over again...

"I'll leave you to it, then." He turned to depart. "Oh, and Naruto, was it?"

"Hmm?" the blond blinked quickly.

"Good luck...

'He knows!'

...with the king."

'Or not.'

Naruto watched him go, and in that instant, wondered what in the seven hells just happened. Had he been found out? Tyrion wasn't your typical Lannister. By his treatment of Sansa just now, he was downright atypical. He genuinely seemed to care for the people of this city. It was almost a pity he had to die. Didn't he? On one hand, talking to someone on his own mental level had been downright terrifying. On the other, he found that in hindsight, he'd almost enjoyed their little verbal spar. There were precious few beyond his father who could so easily take his words and turn them on their head.

Naruto sighed and strode to the doors, hesitating.

Someone's voice could be heard even through the thick plating, and that someone did not sound pleased. Evidently, Joffrey wasn'ttaking the news of Stannis's well after all. Which in turn, was going to make him even more of a bore than he already was. He didn't have to ask to know that the brat was going to be a right and proper pain in his ass; everything he'd heard about Joffrey thus far hadn't painted a very good picture of him. And they hadn't even met yet! Exhaling softly, he steeled both his body and mind for the ordeal ahead. It was going to take all of his restraint and determination to survive this meeting without killing someone.

Honestly, it was almost enough to make Naruto want to turn around, march out of the Red Keep, and pretend he'd all but forgotten this blasted meeting.

But he couldn't do that without blowing his cover now, could he?

"Little prick on a throne." Eleanor brooded, falling in beside him. "This'll be fun."

Naruto sighed.

"Let's get this shit over with."

With one swift push, he forced them open.

The flicker of killer intent was his only warning.

Twang!

The doors had scarcely parted for entry when an angry bolt shrieked through them! Eleanor's shield thrust itself up mere moments before it would have struck its intended target; the stern metal denting slightly as a crossbow bolt caromed off it. Naruto was not behind that shield. In he time that it had taken his right hand to raise her right arm he'd already moved to the right, leaving the archer to look quite the fool indeed. Said archer awaited them at the end of the hall.

Joffrey awaited him upon the Iron Throne, crossbow half-cocked.

His expression was absolute priceless; Naruto wonder if he could frame it when he inevitably took the boy's head. Ah, what a fine picture it would make!

Baffled eyes flicked to Naruto in disbelief, back to Eleanor, then to where he'd been standing. The woman shot the king a black look, muscles jumping in her jaw. She looked all of three seconds from lunging across the hall and shoving that crossbow somewhere it didn't belong. Naruto was tempted to let her. Joffrey seemed to remember that there were other lords and ladies of the court present then, and hurried to compose himself, to no avail, as the deathly silence would attest.

"A fine shot, your grace." Naruto began loudly, for all to hear. "I thank you for testing my reflexes."

Joffrey bristled.

"Yes, well, you're late." he sulked, sinking back into his throne like the petulant child he was, "I thought it prudent to see if you were as nimble as my mother claims. Perhaps its the company you keep?" Eleanor made a noise of disgust but Mathos tugged her back before the hotheaded warrior could do something foolish. Naruto merely nodded in false agreement, his attention already elsewhere.

It was very impressive, the Iron Throne.

All jagged edges and melted swords, it was both a thing of terrible beauty and immense sadness. How many lives had been lost, fighting over this thing? In a rare moment of profound sorrow, he realized that his actions here today and even in the near future would put nearly this entire city-and many in this very room-to the sword. There would be raiding, raping, pillaging and plundering alike once Stannis sacked the city. Thanks in no small part to this foolish little twat who took it upon himself to be an absolute ass to everyone he met.

And what happened when his father took hold of it?

Doubtless more bloodshed would follow.

All this, for a Game of Thrones.

No, not a throne he'd like to sit anytime soon, all things considered.

"I understand you killed Ser Meryn." the boy was continuing as Naruto came back to himself. "With a writing quill."

Naruto smiled softly at the memory.

"I did, your grace."

"How?" Joffrey demanded, sounding far too intrigued for the assassin's liking, "I wasn't aware that was possible."

"Easily, your grace." At the latter's muffled consternation, he continued ably, spinning his tale, "When you kill as I often as I do, it must be up close and personal. It can't be from afar-oh no! That simply won'd do. I find you you have to watch the life leave his eyes, to see them die and know that you're responsible for ending their lives. Only a coward kills from afar. Surely your grace knows this?"

Joffrey reddened.

"Why has my mother hired you lot?"

"Your mother wishes you to be protected, your grace." Eleanor spoke up before he could think to stop her. "Since you cannot fend for yourself."

A deathly pall fell over the royal keep.

Joffrey balked. "What did you say?"

Realizing her mistake, the shield maiden cast him an anxious look. By now, the king's expression had become downright murderous. Leaning forward in his chair, Joffrey shrieked:

"What did she say?!"

"Forgive her tongue, your grace. She spoke out of turn, but her words were my own." Taking a deep breath, Naruto stepped forward, deflecting the boy-king's wrath away from the worried warrior and onto himself. "It was I who meant to say that you cannot fight. Anyone who can't swing a sword is useless on the battlefield." For all his efforts to be blunt, he could feel the conversation getting out of hand, the situation slipping away despite his best efforts. If this was all it took to

"I should have your tongue cut out!" Joffrey raved! "You and your woman's!"

Naruto could feel himself slipping; when he reached for patience, he found only anger.

"You may try, your grace."

"I AM THE KING!"

"Yes! You are." The assassin snapped back with more irritation than he let on, "But until you can kill a grown man with a quill as I have, you are not a warrior and as such, an easy target." He drew back a step, exhaling softly. "And as such, you do require protection. Your fabled kingsguard are useless against anyone of reasonable skill and your Kingslayer uncle is not here to protect you. My men and I, however, are and we have been paid handsomely to do so. But we cannot protect you if you insist on being unreasonable-

"Off with his head!"

"Oh, for the love of-!" Infuriated, Naruto spun and lashed out with a knife before anyone could close with him. The nearest guard went down with a wet gurge, collapsing in a bloody mess, his golden armor stained red with gore. Naruto was up the steps quick as you please before the dead man finished crumpling to the ground, eyes livid. It was, Eleanor thought, perhaps the most terrifying of him she'd ever seen. The man had nigh but vanished and the beast had come out to play.

Kill.

"You stupid, insufferable little shit! Look what you've made me do!" The son of Stannis snarled. He didn't hear Joffrey's reply, if there was one. The voices were hissing at him furiously, drowning out all else. A curtain of red draped itself across his vision. The next man to attack the enraged blond found himself ripped off the floor and hurled across the room to the doors. Eleanor and Mathos balked at this inexplicably feet of strength but neither moved. No one moved but Naruto.

Kill him.

Joffrey backpedaled wildly at his advance until he retreat no more, his back slamming down into the throne. Naruto loomed over him, a terrible specter of wrath, but he did not touch the king. The insidious whispers in his ear-in his own mind-raved all the more for this failure, demanding action, demanding blood. It would be so simple, they argued. So easy. Why did he have to wait until the attack? Do it now! Take his head, Cersei's head, and all the heads of Kings Landing! They deserved it! Yes, yes, they deserved...

Kill him!

A hand twitched toward his blade.

KILL! HIM!

"No."

Joffrey collapsed backwards in a boneless help as the Son of the Stag leaned over him, teeth bared like fangs. Naruto sniffed, noting with no small satisfaction that the boy appeared to have soiled his trousers. Good. Let the little king stink like the shit he was. Let him sit in his stink

"N-No?"

"If you mean to kill me, draw your weapon boy and draw it now!" Naruto hissed! "The man who passes the sentence, should swing the sword! So swing it, if you dare! No?" Wild eyes the color of old blood fixed firm on the king. "Make your choice. Here an' now. Your men can't kill me. And neither will you. Your mother ordered me to keep you safe, and by the gods above and below I mean to do it! Even if its from your own stupidity." Forcing a trembling hand from his sheathed sword, he straightened. "I'm not going to attack you. This time. Don't do that shit again."

Joffrey didn't move.

"Tell his lordship I'll meet with him when he isn't trying to kill me." Naruto snarled at the Hound. "And inform the queen."

Joffrey's man afforded him a grim smile.

"Her grace won't like that, sellsword."

"Then you can tell her that her fucking son shot at me with a bloody crossbow for no fucking good reason." he spat, fling the expletive in his face. "She's lucky I didn't gut him like a pig. Now, if there's nothing else, I do believe our business has been concluded for the day."

'For now.'

Spinning on his heel, the blond stormed down the steps at a brisk pace and marched out of the throne room, Eleanor and Mathos follwing at his heel. Neither said a word to him until they were well beyond the keep and within the streets Kings Landing, and even then the talk was scarce. It wasn't until they'd returned to their fortified inn, locked and barred the door, that any of his party dared to challenge him with anything resembling a look.

"That bad, eh?" Ulric chuckled, seeing the blood on the blond's face.

"Piss off, Umber."

"Ah, he speaks!"

In due course

Finally, Eleanor swallowed thickly and resolved herself to speak.

"Look, back there-

"Not. A. Fucking. Word." Naruto spun on the Redwyne, slamming her into the wall with such force she was sure her head would fly off. "Do you have any idea what you started?" the words were something beyond a hiss; a snarl that barely resembled him at all. "What I nearly did back there when you couldn't keep your mouth shut?" Eleanor tried to meet that gaze and failed horribly, something in her quailed at the eerily blank expression that her lover now wore. She'd seen him snap in the throne room, seen a new ripple in what had, until now, been a calm pool. Now, she understood why.

Naruto wasn't sane.

"You almost killed the king?" she ventured warily.

"I ALMOST KILLED THE FUCKING KING!" he exploded, roaring furiously, hands flying into the air to tear at his hair. "And what good would that have done, huh?! Nothing! No, don't you fucking look away! You're going to hear this, every bit of it! One dead king and a city prepared for attack. Not only would we have lost the element of surprise and tipped our hand, but any chance of sabotaging their plans would be gone. Out the window! I'd be dead, and the rest of you would be hunted down like dogs and flayed for sport. And we still might be after that outburst."

"I can't believe you actually did that." Mathos murmured. "The way you threw that man...I've never seen that...and your eyes..."

Baleful blue orbs swept towards to him like wildfire, silencing the sailor before he could finish. Eleanor took that chance to slink away and salvage what was left of her pride. Everyone recognized the rift that had formed between the pair; only time would tell if it would ever be repaired. Then, inexplicably, she paused at the edge of the threshold.

"Look, I'm sorry." he voice wavered. "It won't happen again."

"...just go." Naruto groaned into a hand. "Please."

"I said I was sorr-

"Get."

Eleanor.

Got.

"..."

"Wait, wait, wait, I thought you wanted to kill him?" Gavin frowned once he was certain she had all but sealed herself in the adjoining room. "I mean, I get the speech, but why not just kill all the bloody Lannisters now and leave 'em leaderless? Wouldn't that work just as well?" At the latter's silence he grew bolder and dared continue, "So far I'm hearing an awful lot of talking, but you seem to be the only one doing the killing around here." Rising from his seat, he thrust a knife at him across the table, demanding, "When do we get to see some action?!"

The assassin growled softly; it was the sound of a predator preparing to pounce.

"You will. We will. On our terms. Now put that knife down before I shove it up your ass."

Reluctantly, Naruto complied.

When no one dared challenge him further, Naruto reclaimed his seat near the hearth.

"Now," He began icily, "We are going to go over the plan one more time...

Days passed.

Plans were made. Discovered. Unmade. And then, almost before he knew it...

...the time came.

---

(...The Night of the Assault...)

---

A cloaked shadow slipped out of the Red Keep and onto Lancel Lannister.

The poor sod never saw his death coming; never felt the sweet kiss of steel against his skull until it was too late. Strong arms caught the falling body and ruined skull both, marched them into a dark alley and left them there to rot with the rest.

Then the shadow moved on.

Clinging to the walls and avoiding the moonlight, it lurked in the darkness. Slithered down the streets and vanished over the wall. Within moments it scaled the imposing cliff face and descended to a waiting boat that'd been moored near the eastern gate. Once there, it rowed quietly towards a distant vessel, strong arms pulling the small craft inexorably forward. Some might've found themselves lost in the fog but the shadow did not waver, ever knowing of its destination.

Barely there unless you knew precisely where to look; insurmountable against the fog, far from shore and the naked eye. Anyone else would've wound up rowing in circles trying to find something that simply should not be there, but there it was and the man kept rowing. After what felt like an eternity the wraith finally saw it-a shadow against the mist, rising up in the still waters. He saw the emblem painted against its hull-the mark of the burning stag he knew so well-and sighed quietly to himself a the sight.

It felt like coming home.

A rope ladder awaited him against the hull.

Docking against it, the wraith secured the mooring and scurried up with all swiftness of a skilled climber. Near the top, a pair of firm arms reached down, took ahold of him and pulled him up. Cold steel touched his neck in an instant, only to be withdrawn just as suddenly. When his vision cleared he found himself staring back at a bearded face, worried and worn, made haggard by stress but still one he knew. An pair of strong arms like iron clamps encircled him and drew away, holding him at arms length.

"Gods boy, look at you!" a hearty, if worried voice greeted him. "You've grown!"

"Davos?"

"Aye. Almost didn't recognize you under all the mud."

Naruto felt himself flush, and from more than a little shame. The man was like an uncle to him; he'd always done right by him all these years. And how had he repaid his kindness? By riding off with Mathos in the middle of the night without telling. He'd expected to be greeted with wrath and anger, not...this. He felt he owed it to the seaman to explain.

"Look, about Mathos, I'm sorry for just spiriting him away like that-

"Matthos?" Davos stiffened. "He's alive?"

"And kicking." Naruto found himself beaming at the mention of the man's son and squire. "I wouldn't have pulled this off without him. Your boy knows his way around a ship." his smile darkened. "And how to sabotage one." Mathos had been impressive in that pursuit; most impressive. Whereas the son of Stannis knew next to nothing of ships and how to sail them, Matthos knew much. That expertise had proved invaluable when the group had learned of the Lannister's plan to use the wildfire...

Davos's frown and words drew him away from the memory too soon.

"Sabotage? What do yo-

Before he could finish the sound of determined footfalls on deck demanded their attention. Soldiers formed ranks and drew aside. Naruto turned to face the newcomer, the ghost of a smile plucking at the corner of his mouth. For who should appear but Stannis Baratheon himself, the sea of men parting on the deck to make way for him. Naruto inclined his head curtly, but didn't bow, much to the consternation of Davos. By the time Stannis descended to the deck, the blond found himself smiling openly. It felt like ages since he'd seen him last. As though years had passed instead of weeks.

Father and son locked gazes.

"You need a shave." Stannis grunted after a long moment.

Naruto laughed.

"I suppose I do."

"What do you have, then?"

Just like that they were down to business. Naruto told his father in no uncertain terms what he'd been up to, what he'd done, the traps he'd prepared, the confidence and trust he'd secured and the dark seeds of chaos that had already been sown and were just waiting to take root. All that was needed now where the armies his father was to provide. And at the end he waited for a response, a word, some mention of acknowledgement or the praise he so desired.

"You exceeded my expectations."

That was as much a "thank you" as he could ever expect from his father, and it pained him slightly.

It would have to do for now.

"I don't have much time," he warned. "They'll be missing me and I'll need to get back before you begin."

Stannis smiled then, and it was a grim and dangerous thing that reminded Naruto precisely why he respected this man. "They'll be missing more than that once I'm through with them. Come and see." With one arm he turned and swept a hand towards the upper deck. Cloak swlrling in the mist, Naruto moved to follow him, hastening up the steps after his sire. He peered into the fog and frowned softly as it began to clear. At first, the sight didn't impress him. But then as the mist peeled away, tendrils of steam sweeping forth to reveal more and more sails, he felt his spirits begin to soar.

"Where did you get so many...

"You told me I needed allies." Strannis muttered sternly. "I found allies."

"Well, you'd do best to keep them back until I'm out of sight." Naruto replied, frowning. "Unless you want them to be cinders."

"Why?"

"Wildfire." he warned. "Tyrion's plan to cripple you. Your fleet would've been decimated if you charged in."

"Would?" Stannis seized on the word. "You have a plan?"

The boy beamed.

"We've already begun."

Without another word he leaped back into his tiny boat and began rowing like mad for the distant shore.

---

(...)

---

"This way."

"Yes, m'lady." Eleanor ruthlessly swallowed another brewing insult as she followed the queen out of her chambers and towards the safe room. Her fingers twitched ruthlessly towards a hidden dagger as they walked, longing to plant it between the queen bitch's shoulder blades. Right in the vitals, severing the spine. It'd be a fitting end for someone so vicious and cruel. But she couldn't do it. It wasn't the presence of frail, young Tommen that stayed her hand, she told herself. She just couldn't do it, yet.

Not yet.

"Keep up!"

Gavin groaned quietly.

"Perhaps if m'lady would stop speaking?"

Eleanor was beginning to consider shoving that knife elsewhere, now.

Much to her chargin, she and Gavin had been charged with the oh-so-important duty of "protecting" Cersei for the duration of the siege. Alongside an assortment of Lannister Guards, of course. The real warriors were on the wall with Joffrey and anyone else he could scrounge up. Naruto was nowhere to be seen nor found, though the queen claimed he'd gone to protect Joffrey. Stupid woman. Why she would ever trust him to begin with was beyond her, another trait of the Lannisters for her to hate.

"As you say, your grace."

Cersei opened her mouth to issue another venemous retort-

That was when they heard the drums.

It started slowly at first, a distant rhythm in the air.

Then it grew louder, a furious pounding that drew closer and closer with each passing moment. One drum. Then another. And another. And another still! A cacophony of sound to tickle at Eleanor's ears, this eerie, enchanting pulse that seemed to echo relentlessly over and over, looping endlessly. Bewitching. Dark sails swept into exist in the mist-made visible through the thin slit of the window-numbering in the dozens-no, hundreds!

Cersei balked, frowning.

"What was that?"

Eleanor sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"Finally!"

Gavin's roar of approval was the only warning before all hell broke loose.

Eleanor slashed with the razor edge of her poisoned blade, tearing a vicious rent in the face of her nearest companion. The Lannister sentry, caught completely unawares by the sheer savagery of her assault, crashed against a wall, screaming as he struggled to hold his torn visage together. A quick thrust with her blade put the man out of his misery.

Gavin's assault was far more vicious.

In a single fluid movement the cutthroat sprang forward and slit the nearest guard's throat. The blade bit deep and opened a red river there, soon joined by another as he turned upon the remaining guard. Startled as he was the poor fellow didn't last a moment. Twin daggers buried themselves in the man's eyes and emerged in a grisly red spray. Two more men fell to their blades and then it was done, and the dead were left to rot at the feet of those they had sworn to protect.

Realizing their treachery at last, Cersei shrieked and made to flee.

"Traitors!" she cried! "I'll see you hang for this!"

Eleanor struck her roughly with the back of her shield, sending the Queen Mother sprawling to the floor.

"You're not in control anymore, bitch. C'mere, lad!" Moving to block her, Gavin plucked Tommen from the queen's grasp and flung the witch herself at Eleanor. "Here. You take the wench. Make her watch." Despite the man's demand she spun away, averting her eyes as cold steel flashed out. A killer she might be, but something in her keened at the sight.

Cersei screamed.

"No!"

"Shh," Gavin's voice cooed as a wet gurgle reached their ears. "Quiet, boy. Don't fight. Yes, like that. Just like that...

When Eleanor finally dared look back again, little Tommen was slumped on the ground, a broken puppet bereft of its strings. Tiny hands clutched a a red hole in his stomach, fisting feeblyagainst the stain in his clothes. Cersei all but collapsed in her arms, the fight draining right out of her. Eleanor let her go, feeling oddly numb. Was this it? Was this what she'd wanted? It felt...hollow somehow. Empty. Her hands felt numb, cold despite the armor they wore.

Cersei barely even noticed her remorse.

"No, no, no no no...

"Now now, no tears. Come here. I've a message for you from my employer."

Then, still smiling like the madman he was, Gavin pulled the Queen close, forcing the distraught mother to look at him. Blank, unseeing eyes regarded him as her child continued to cling to life. A dagger flashed out like wildfire, cutting wildly against the woman's face, disfiguring her. It was an ugly cut, dragging over half of her face to tear out part of her ear, a nasty, ugly thing. Cersei cried out and tried to scrambling away, but Gavin merely held her closer still. Smiling, he breathed:

"The Baratheons send their regards."

If Cerseif understood the meaning beyond the words, her wails didn't show it.

Then the bastard started cutting at her clothes.

"That's enough." Eleanor warned, growing agitated when the killer didn't listen. "Gavin! Enough! Stop!"

"Fuck you. I'm getting my money's worth." came the hiss. "What, do you think I mean to rape her? Ha! That'd be a mercy! No, I mean to rip this dress off her and parade her before the men! Do you have any idea what this bitch did to my family?! Do you?! This is justice!"

"If you kill her, Naruto will kill you."

"The boss wants me to do this."

Eleanor didn't stay long enough to learn if he was lying.

---

(...)

---

"Ships approaching!"

"Aaaaaaand that's my cue to wrap this up."

Naruto hummed quietly as he heard the distant cry from his freshly-claimedperch on the battlements. He and his precious "twenty" had already tasted Lannister blood more than once tonight and the siege hadn't even truly begun. Working from the darkness as a silent vanguard, they had already inflicted more damage on Tywin Lannister's precious legacy than any of his father's ships would. It was imperative that they secured Kings Landing before reinforcements arrived, which made his task all the more vital.

Twenty good men indeed.

Twenty good men were dangerous..

Led by him, twenty good men were downright lethal.

Doubtlessly his blades and theirs would drink their fill before the night was through.

He paused, considering his next targets.

The Hound.

Nope. All kinds of nope. He knew better than to mess with a man like that by himself.

The Imp.

Seemed a shame to kill him just yet. He was a competent strategist, but beyond that, a good man. Good men were in short supply these days, even if some of them were Lannisters. Slowly, almost lazily, he turned his gaze to his third and final target. A pompous little fool stamping about the battlements like a petulant child, shouting orders.

Joffrey.

Well, that decided things.

"Banzai." he muttered blackly to himself.

Positioning both feet on the ledge, he gathered himself up, took a running start and leapt...

...then he fell upon Joffrey like a shadow.

---

(...)

---

"Do you hear that?"

Tyrion turned slowly, frowning as a distant whistling registered in his ears. Like the sound of a far-off arrow, or a distant explosion, perhaps. Or something falling very, very fast. That was ridiculous, of course. There was nothing to fall on their heads just yet-for now they were safe. For now. Yet still, that infernal whistling persisted! Where was it coming from?! Did it stem from his own paranoia-or was it something far darker? The dwarf didn't know, and not knowing was far worse.

"What is that?"

"I don't hear shit, dwarf." The Hound grunted.

Then the shadow fell upon Joffrey.

"Where are the rest of them?!"

Tyrion dropped the torch.

And nothing happened.

He waited moments, minutes, what felt like arrows, and nothing happened. Then, as he looked on, the ship began to list. Slightly at first but more and more noticeably until he realized what was wrong. Sinking. Before his very eyes the unmanned vessel began to yaw to the right, away from the approaching fleet. Damnit, Bronn! If he was going to fire now was the time. Now, before the ship sank! But no arrow came, and by the time Tyrion thought to order one of the men to knock one it was already too late. The ship sank to the bottom of Blackwater, and he felt his hopes for victory sink with it.

Somehow, someway, someone had sabotage their only hope for victory.

"What's going on?!" Joffrey demanded.

"Not now, you little fool!"

The boy purpled.

"I am your KING and I command-

"Incoming!"

It was a spectacular assassination that the bards would write songs off; bold, precise, thorough. And absolutely lethal. By the time Joffrey realized what was happening it was already too late to save him. Even as Tyrion realized something was amiss the assassin crashed down onto Joff's shoulders like a heavy bag of flour, driving Joffrey to the ground with a dull crunch of bone meeting stone. The savage assault had the added bonus of driving near everyone back, affording the acting Hand of the King a prime view of the king's last moment.

"Aaaargh!"

At this distance it was all Tyrion could do not to flinch at the lad's bloodcurdling scream. His very blood shivered. He felt the impact most keenly, almost as if it was his own. He heard the boy's back break, and his heart twinged. A cruel little creature though the king might be, no one deserved such a fate. If the killer took any pleasure in this his masked face reflected none of it. Blazing blue eyes leered out at him from within the slit of the visor, narrowing intently.

Then he started stabbing the king.

Down came the daggers again and again, descending mercilessly upon the boy's back. Puncturing armor and piercing vitals.

Cersei's vicious little bastard might have survived such injuries -men had done so in the past- until his assailant drove one of those valyrian steel daggers deeper into the boy's body. The blade found his throat, carving him a bloody red smile from ear to ear as it dragged across his jugular. A single twist of the wrist was all it took to cut off his gurgles entirely.

"Oi!"

Say what you would about Sandor Clegane, he was quick on the draw.

A furious storm of sword and fists descended upon the king's killer. Out of the whirlwind, he thought he heard laughter. The killer weaved away from his wild swings, backing away towards the parapet. Hooking a blade against the Hound's massive sword he dragged the larger man away with him, parrying furiously as he went.

One of Joffrey's Kingsguard cried out:

"To the King!"

Tyrion knew it was already too late to save him; Joffrey was already dead or dying. A grunt told him the Hound had fallen. Literally. He turned just in time to see the wraith kick the man off the parapet, forcing him the short drop to the ground below. Not enough to kill a man like Sandor Clegane, but enough to stun him. In a blur of black it spun on him, dagger drawn back, ready for the killing blow-

Then, incredibly, the wraith paused.

"Well, fancy meeting you here." the words were a hiss.

Tyrion couldn't find his voice.

He knew that drawl.

"You-

"Don't move!"

The assassin grinned and raised his arms high, hands clenched into fists. For a moment, Tyrion thought that he might surrender. Then he cast both hands down and hurled the contents of his palms to the ground. For a fleeting moment, the imp thought he saw a flash of glass in the firelight. They danced in the air for a long moment, spinning wildly end over end as they raced to the ground...

Then the flasks exploded.

Thick, noxious smoke poured forth from the depths, strangling his sight and taking his senses with it. For a moment-a terrible, awful moment, there was silence. Then the shouting began. Screaming All around him men were screaming. Dying. Knives flashed like silver in the smoke, dealing death to any who stumbled near. Blood soaked the stones with screams and something else; because over the sounds of blood and battle he heard something new, smelled it, felt it-

A roaring explosion.

The flash of green told him precisely where some of the Wildfire had gone; someone had just hurled a massive jar of it at the mud gate. Even as he looked on, a flaming torch was flung against the wood. Time seemed to force itself into knots, slowing into a single eternity of a second. He watched the orange fire climb across the accelerant, creeping up towards the stone-

THOOM!

Tyrion was lucky; he was just far enough that the blast that ripped open the gate merely hurled him to the ground, rather than into the flames. Splinters of wood and stone swept past and he shielded his face, wincing a bit as the aftermath of the explosion swept over him. And then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone.

Dazzed, he stumbled away, scrubbing at his eyes.

What he saw there nearly broke his spirits entirely.

The mud gate lay open before him, and all of Stannis's army and his allies poured through it like a raging fire. So many. Too many. For every man a Lannister killed, five more fell to Baratheon blades. And were those Tyrell banners there amongst them? Seven hells, they were! He turned to his men and found them fighting for their lives. The Hound was gone, having either fled as the defenders were overwhelmed or perished somewhere in the fray. The tide was turning...

...and it was turning against them.

With his fleet wholly intact, the usurper Stannis continued to land his countless ships and disgorge more and more of his soldiers, shoring up his vanguard. Tyrion had no such reinforcements to speak of. The men knew this and, disheartened and bereft of their king, they began to falter. Thousands of men crashed against the rock that was King's Landing and slowly, that rock began to crumble. Piece by piece, pebble by pebble, it came apart, chipped away at its very foundations.

Where was the wildfire?

Bronn, where was Bronn...?

As Tyrion was processing this, an arm wrapped around his throat and slammed him against the parapet. He struggled fiercely but his attacker was too strong; his grip too sure. Desperate, the Lannister reared back and smashed his head against his attacker's stomach. An annoyed grunt snaked through his ear.

And then he heard the voice.

"Someone once asked me if, given the opportunity, I'd choose peace or violence. I think I finally have an answer for you."

The vice on his windpipe tightened.

"I choose violence."

"You?!"

That was Tyrion's last thought before something hard and blunt struck his head...

...and the sweet slumber of sleep took him.

A/N: And there you have it! VICTORY for Stannis! What consequences will this have down the line? What repercussions? And YES, before anyone worries, Tyrion lives!

STANNIS! WINS!

...The events of GOT ought to be quite different with him on the Iron Throne...will Naruto make it out of this one alive? But the questions don't end here! Now remember that Naruto at the moment, has little to nearly no power in this fic beyond his superior strength, stealth skills, and of course, his wit. He's still himself, just...hardened. And, in the end there will only be one king upon the Iron Throne, and all bloody hell is about to break loose!

So...in the immortal words of Atlas...

...Would You Kindly Review the story of this humble man? And enjoy the triple (POSSIBLE) preview! Dragons are coming! And where exactly is Naruto? Why is he here? VOTE on whether you want to see this or not! Or perhaps all three?!

(Preview(S)

Stannis was silent for a long moment.

Then he stood.

"Kneel."

Naruto immediately did so.

After what felt like an eternity, the words washed over him.

"I, Stannis Baratheon, first of my name, do hereby declare you Naruto Baratheon, heir to all my lands and titles...

---

"You play the Game well, my friend."

Naruto looked up from the infuriating letter on his desk. Scowling, he crumpled it up and tossed it into the flames. Together, they watched the parchment blacken and curl amidst the fire, folding in on itself until it, and the hated words within were little more than ashes warming the hearth. Petyr noticed something most strange, then; when the prince's eyes flicked up to him, they were red as rubies.

Blood.

Red.

Slits.

"I am not," The son of Stannis began slowly, "nor have I ever been, your friend."

"Come now, you've gone from a nameless bastard to the most eligible man in King's Landing, all in less than a fortnight." Lord Baelish smiled softly. "Everyone wants to be your friend. Those who served you in the battle of Blackwater are now lords themselves. What's next?" In the ensuing silence, he dared to circle the desk, continuing. "I suppose you COULD try and get your little whore officially recognized as a Redwyne, though that wouldn't sit well with the Tyrells. Rumor has it Margaery's pining for you-

THUNK.

Littlefinger blinked, frowning as a dagger thudded into the stone floor.

"Careful." the blond warned.

"You don't trust me?"

"Better safe than sorry." he returned "What we don't know is usually what gets us killed."

"A fine saying." Littlefinger quipped.

"And I still don't trust you."

"A better one."

---

Naruto whistled softly as he stared at the tiny creature before him.

A dragon.

"Hsss!"

"Wow," he hummed, "You're a fierce little guy, aint'cha?"

Drogon hissed and nipped at his hand.

The whiskered warrior laughed.

"Hungry, too!"

R&R! =D