A/N: FINALLY! I HAVE BEATEN SEKIRO! COMPLETELY! I AM FREE OF IT! FINALLY FREE I TELL YOU! FREEEEEEEE!
Now then...
FOR THE THRONE!
Wanted to release a little something considering the final season of Game of Thrones has begun...
...why do I get the feeling someone's going to die in the second episode?
I'm really not ready for the show to end...T_T
So here we are a short interlude for you all while I get the story up and running. I've had a few people complain that Naruto is OOC and that may well be true but consider this; if you were raised in the Game of Thrones universe by a man like Stannis Baratheon, how different would you be?
Now for your questions!
Q: Where have you been?!
A: Missing a bloody hand that's where I've been! I finally have use of both of them again!
Q: Can we expect more frequent updates?
A: Now that I'm finally free from the bane-of-my-existence known as Sekiro? Certainly!
Q: Why did it take you so long to update?
A: Because I want to do this story justice. The fans demand it.
Q: More deaths! For the THRONE!
A: Oh, you'll bloody have them in the up-and-coming chapters. So yes, for the throne indeed.
Q: Did you see the latest episode?
A: Truth be told, this chapter (interlude) was written the day before, but I found it meshed remarkably well with the theme of it.
And as to the evens of last chapter...again this IS Game of Thrones after all. Wouldn't be a good story without a few twists here and there. Once again, thanks to everyone for all the love and support, your reviews truly do feed my perpetual engine of creation. I may be ill, but I refuse to let this sickness beat me. Bloody defective heart...
All set?
Sorry if its short!
Now then, off we go!
Note, this takes place after Naruto's wedding.
Hope this makes you smile as we carry on into the future.
"Don't think of this as an end; think of it as the beginning of something new."
~?
Empathy (Interlude)
"Are you going to ride that dragon?"
Shireen's innocent inquiry caught Naruto at the worst possible moment; were he more prone to suspicion and baseless paranoia he might've thought it a deliberate act of malice on her part. She'd waited until they were along-separated from the others-before springing this on him after all. Was she teasing him? No. Surely not. His little sister was too good, to pure to have meant any thing filthy by that question just now. The notion that she might actually be growing and taking an active interest in his life-and all those he'd brought into it that came-was anathema to him, inasmuch as the idea of leaving her in King's Landing alone.
Regardless, her question did cause him a bit of discomfort in the short run.
"Pffft!"
Not only was he in the process of scoffing down the last remnants of a hasty meal as they rode ahead of the others, but now the sound of him spitting out said food caused his new mount to rear up in surprise with a strangled whiny. Snarling, the prince hauled back on the stallion's reigns to and gripped the saddle with his legs, nearly biting his own tongue in his haste to calm the beast before it could launch him backward into the dirt. Naturally the beast fought him every step of the way for control, further exasperating the situation.
Only when he'd finally reigned him in-and was certain he wouldn't be breaking his neck-did the fiery youth shoot his sibling a glower. There were so many dirty euphemisms for that phrase; he scarcely knew where to begin! What brought this about?!
"Where did that come from?!" he hissed.
Clad in riding leathers and astride a small pony of her own, his dear sister merely tilted her head. "What? I was simply curious, brother. Viserion seems to like you. It only makes sense that you'd be able to ride him when he's big enough."
Oh.
Heat rose to his face. "I thought you meant something else."
An almost curious frown dawned on her marked face. "Whatever did you think I meant?"
...I'll tell you when you're older." Naruto coughed into a gloved fist. "Much, much, MUCH older...
"Aw!"
Somewhat taken aback by the fiery path his thoughts were now blazing he stifled his initial urge to apologize and spurred Trampler forward into a swift canter. Content by the change of pace his mount allowed itself to be goaded forward, leaving his sibling to click her tongue in admonishment and follow at her own pace. This gave him enough of a respite to turn his gaze back and make certain they hadn't left the rest of their escort in the dust, nor the others too far behind.
Sure enough a distant black trail wove across the road in the distance, creeping ever forward.
Too far, then.
If he squinted hard enough, Naruto could just behold three familiar forms wheeling in the afternoon air, their wings barely discernible among the clouds. Distant cries came to him, carried on the wind as they called to one another, and for a moment he wondered what it must be like, to simply fly away without a care.
Discontent with his sullen silence, however, Shireen caught up to him and favored him with a stern look. "You're doing it again."
"Doing what?" he feigned ignorance as they rode together.
"That thing you do when you're embarrassed." she pointed out. "You always clam up."
Somehow her words dragged a laugh out of him and he reached out to muss her hair. "I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean."
Nudging his horse about, he pushed Trampler into an easy trot, reluctantly allowing his sibling to match him. Daenerys and Margaery might well tear strips out of his hide if they thought he ran away. The thought was not without its merits of course; there was something infinitely pleasing about having the open road sprawled before oneself.
Here, he didn't have to wear that infernal crown.
Here, he could do as he pleased.
Here, he was free...
...even if he was saddled with that infernal Red Woman.
His mind bristled at the thought. Must she be here? Must he listen to her? Must she watch over him like some sort of mad minder? Was he not trusted enough to go about his own business, doing the King's work? Hmmph. At least if she was with him, it meant she wasn't near Father. Nor could she pour her poison in his ear. He could take some cold comfort in that, he supposed. Perhaps given time, his head would clear as he was rid of her, so much so that he'd be glad to be rid of her entirely.
Having chosen to eschew a carriage in favor of riding themselves, he could could almost believe it.
The journey to the Twins would prove to be a long one, and wasn't without its own perils. Thus they required guards. But did there have to be so many? Stannis had been adamant at the time, but he'd hoped to talk him down. Instead he found himself saddled with nearly five hundred armed and armored men. A bit much perhaps, but he could understand Father's caution. With so many present at Robb Stark's wedding, some might view it as a prime opportunity for treachery.
'Well!' a small, petty part of him preened, 'If Walder Frey tries anything, he'll be in for quite the surprise."
He had no intentions of releasing his weapons, either.
The old fool could fuss all he liked.
Perhaps sensing the disquiet boiling within him, Shireen reached between their horses to tug at his sleeve.
"You never answered my question, brother."
A fiery brow rose. "Didn't I?"
"No, you didn't."
With a flick of his wrist he nudged Trampler closer, enough to bring himself well within arms reach of his sister. Before she could guess at the stubborn glint lurking in his eyes ,he pounced. The decidedly unlady-like yelp that followed as he plucked Shireen from the saddle and deftly plopped her into his lap was downright musical to his ears. Her pony didn't so much as whiny a protest at the sudden absence of its rider, rather, the tame beast happily took the opportunity to graze as the price made off with its stolen mistress. He'd done this countless times before in years past, yet Shireen still jolted all the same on the landing.
"Brother?!"
"Relax," he laughed when she nearly flailed." I've got you!"
Shireen clicked her tongue in mild admonishment and swatted at his hands but didn't deny him further.
"You need to stop doing that." she said with an air of someone who was actually quite satisfied. "I'm getting too big. People will talk."
"About what?" to her surprise he roared with laughter and unbent enough to muss her hair with his off hand. "Spending time with my sister? Bah! Let them!"
They rode in silence for what felt like a comfortable eternity before he finally mustered up the nerve to speak again.
"To answer you, I'm not sure. Viserion and I just get on well. Not much else to it. 'Sides, he's not quite large enough to be ridden safely yet. None of them are." much to Naruto's surprise, the confession came quite candidly to him in spite of his fears, veritably springing forth from his lips. He nearly said he'd never ridden a dragon at all, but that...was slightly less than true. If he said that aloud and word got out...well. He'd yet to test the limits of Dany's patience, but if he started boasting like a braggart he suspected she truly would tear something out of his hide in the bedroom.
"He always comes when you whistle." she pointed out.
The rare ghost of a smile brushed his lips again. "No, he doesn't."
Shireen must've taken that as a challenge, for she put two fingers to her lips and did just that. Naruto scowled.
"Hey! Why did you-
Scarce had he spoken than the dragon in question swooped in to settle upon his shoulders with a high trill. Both of them. Oomph! Grimacing both beneath the dragon's growing bulk as much as the sharp claws biting into the straps of his armor, the prince nevertheless stoically bore the weight for all of five seconds before he gave up and flailed spectacularly.
"Viserion! Off! You're too heavy for that!"
He hadn't known a dragon could look smug until this very moment. Rather than take flight the young dragonling merely snorted and hopped off him to alight upon the saddle instead. Trampler offered an irritated snort at this unexpected guest but proved surprisingly tolerant of his presence. Viserion visibly preened at what he no doubt viewed as a submission to his dominance. Wait. Was he smirking? Dragons were much more difficult to read than people. No, that was definitely a touch of pride in those amber eyes-
A hand settled over his.
"They are growing quickly, aren't they?" a familiar voice hummed.
With a jolt Naruto realized their slow canter must have finally carried them back to the main body of the caravan, but beyond that, to the Mother of Dragons herself. He hadn't even heard Daenerys-nor her approach!-until she'd made herself known to him just now. Judging by Shireen's faux-innocent expression he suspected she'd seen her coming quite a ways away and had chosen to remain silent if only to get him back in recompense for his earlier temerity. There would be a reckoning for that later, he swore. Pranks. Loads of them.
"You're staring." Dany's voice jerked him back to reality.
"I am, aren't I?" he offered a small, dismayed chuckle. "Shouldn't be doing that...
As always, he found himself briefly taken aback by the sight of her astride her gray mare. She wasn't wearing armor-though he'd insisted that she at least carry a knife on her person for some semblance of protection-but that blue dress...well. It very much became her. That blazing gaze met his in challenge, her chin lifted just so as she awaited a response. In that moment the waning sunlight caught her pale hair and seemed to set it afire from within, wreathing her head in a burning halo. She was life and defiance personified and something deep within him warmed at the look she was giving him. Spirits, this would take some getting used to...
Much to Naruto's chagrin, his mind blanked.
Gods above, this was his wife.
Wife.
As was Margaery, who-thankfully-hadn't chosen to make an appearance beside Dany. Yet.
He wasn't sure what he would do if they decided to gang up on him. Right. Because that would happen. Sooner or later. How on earth had Father managed being married to just one person? Two? Two was madness! He was suddenly intensely glad that he'd left Arianne back in King's Landing. If she were here he had no doubt that he would be undone by the three of them. Yet he'd given his word, his oath, his honor, and despite his slip, he'd since resolved that he would hold to it for as long as he was able, even if it destroyed him.
Daenerys's gaze shifted.
"Might I steal him for a moment?" she inquired of Shireen.
His sibling offered a small nod and slid from the saddle with practiced ease.
"He's all yours." she preened, quite satisfied with her handiwork. "Thanks for the ride!"
Naruto absolutely hissed as his sister skipped away. Skipped! Actually skipped away from them! 'Traitor!'
But then Daenerys took his hand again and he found himself very much occupied with other matters that didn't involve his sibling.
He let her trail his palm over Viserion's hide, the scalebound flesh rippling with movement. The dragon trilled happily, rubbing its head against his chest. The prince grunted and stumbled back, momentarily surprised by its strength. To be so young, and so large already...these dragons were going to be monsters when they grew older. And if they laid eggs, eggs that subsequently hatched...well, that went without saying. The Baratheons had the means to forge an everlasting dynasty, if they played their cards right. Indeed, it might even lead to a return of the great beasts themselves...
Just the thought made him shiver with quiet anticipation.
"You could ride him someday, if you like." Daenerys offered, sensing his quiet longing.
Naruto stiffened at the implied promise. "You're going to ruin horses for me, I hope you know that. Among other things."
"And whatever might those be?" not one to be outdone she favored him with a long, searching look, as much an invitation as it was a challenge.
Ah, and there it was.
If there was one aspect in which the Mother of Dragons truly eclipsed Naruto, it was her pride.
Margaery had her wit and truly, he loved her for it, but Daenerys Targaryen could be just so damned stubborn at times and he adored that about her.
He had his moments of course, but at the end of the day he was willing to set his ego aside for the greater good of the realm. Daenerys still struggled-grappled really-with it in the day-to-day. It was part of the reason he empathized with her as strongly as he did. They'd both come from next-to-nothing; he, a loud bastard boy with nothing to his name and she, an exiled princess living in fear for her every waking moment. No one had thought anything of them. In the eyes of the world they were nothing-no, less than nothing. Thus, those in power were quite taken by surprise when those they'd thought to be nothing rose up and cast them down.
They'd fought for every inch of power they now possessed.
She was the last Targaryen that the world knew of, raised to trust in no one but herself. Thrust into an alliance against her will, one that was only just beginning to blossom into something more. She might bend at times, perhaps, to a wise council and sage advice, but never would she break. Naruto wouldn't deny her that. He would do his best to live with her, to love her, just as he did Margaery, but he could at least work to curb some of her more...dangerous tendencies.
And yet for all her fire, she was open with him. They were equals in this, and she knew it.
Perhaps she saw a bit of herself in him, as he did in her. They each had their own faults, their own failings. They'd come to a...what was the word? An understanding. Yes! That. Remarkably, Littlefinger's machinations-may he prowl the void forevermore-had prove a boon to them both. Regardless, if she didn't expect to pounce-not to pick up the gauntlet she'd just thrown down-she was going to be disappointed. He was all too happy to nip her little taunt in the bud before she got the better of him, or better yet, return the favor tenfold.
Leaning in across their horses, he pulled her in close. forehead resting against hers. "Well, now that you mention it...
His lips brushed her ear as he continued to speak, whispering softly of just what he intended for her. Daenerys gave a small shiver in her saddle, but made no move to pull away. On the contrary. She proved all too happy to meet his words with actions. At this, Viserion offered a questioning trill only to find himself summarily ignored by both parties, each lost in one another. Irritated by what he viewed as a blatant and inexcusable lapse on their parts, the dragon gave a small hiss and loudly took wing, finally startling them apart.
"Pity," Naruto caught himself feigning a sigh, "And here I'd thought to have my way with you."
A small, bemused smile rewarded him for his attempt at humor.
"You truly can be a bastard sometimes, can't you?"
Her laugher warmed him more than sunshine.
"Tell me something I don't know!"
A/N: Yes, yes, yes, I know this chapter was tame compared to the rest of what I've written...
...next chapter's going to be an absolute madhouse. In more ways than one!
Felt good to finally get back to his after a year, now that my health is holding together. You can certainly expect more updates soon, dare I say monthly? I want to say weekly. In an ideal world, that would be better, but my job's beating me to hell and back. I may have a team now, but that's only for SOME of my stories, such as Die Another Day and others. This bad boy right here was once written with the help of a dear one who has...well. Suffice it to say she's moved on. I don't begrudge her it, and I continue in her stead.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly?
No preview this time...
...who am I kidding?
Here you gooo~!
(Previews)
"Wearing armor to a wedding." Tyrion groaned. "Why am I not surprised? Have you taken leave of your senses?"
"Never really had them to begin with, so...
The dwarf gave him a black look.
"That reminds me! When's your wedding? Shae needs a present."
"Urk."
"Ha! I win!"
Margaery palmed her face.
"Honestly, you can be such a BOY sometimes."
A cheeky grin flashed back at her. "Would you have me any other way?"
...I suppose not." she amended after a moment's thought, threading her fingers with his.
"I knew it!" Shireen cried. "You ARE going to ride a dragon!"
Naruto clamped a hand over his mouth.
Not so for Daenerys.
She laughed.
"And so it begins."
"No." A voice hissed in his ear. "Now it ends."
The dagger struck straight and true, finding his heart in an instant.
R&R! =D