At Dragon's Rest…

Drakon paced back and forth in the hallway outside his room, hearing the moans coming from within. Ser Samwell, Nymeria, and the twins were there with him; Rhaegon and Maelion were flying overhead, enjoying fresh air while every possible scenario played out in his head. He and Visenya had been watching Edric and Edwyn sparring when she had suddenly gone into labour. She was in their room even now, with Maester Lucas, Rona, and Jayne, while Drakon was forced to wait outside. A powerful shriek of pain sounded, and the muscular man turned to look at the door, deciding to go in there himself.

Ser Samwell stopped him with a hand on his chest. "It will be all right, my lord" the stocky Knight said in his deep voice. "Your wife is in good hands".

"I wasn't here last time" Drakon growled as he turned around and continued his pacing.

"It's okay, father" Edric said.

"Rona and I have had people testing all food and drink in the keep over the last year" Ser Samwell assured him. "What happened to your wife years ago will not happen again, you have my word".

Drakon eventually stopped, placing his hands against the wall and sighing.

At King's Landing…

"Your Grace" Ser Hugo said, bowing to the boy as he approached with two of his Kingsguard.

"Ser Hugo" Tommen replied. "Shouldn't you be at the trial?"

The Knight shook his head. "My men have everything under control, and to tell the truth, I feel that I am of more use elsewhere".

The boy King nodded. "Would you care to join me?"

"Of course" Ser Hugo replied, bowing his head. He then walked alongside Tommen as they both made their way down the hallway. "I'm sorry about all this business with your uncle".

"Thank you" the boy replied. After months of effort and discussion, the young Lannister had finally started to look on Ser Hugo as a confidant.

"Your brother's death was a terrible tragedy. Having your mother accuse your uncle of the murder must weigh heavily on you. Do you think Tyrion did it?"

"I honestly don't know" Tommen replied, shaking his head. "The trial will reveal the truth".

"Of course" the Knight replied. He knew that Cersei had rigged the trial so that a guilty verdict was all but certain; the truth didn't matter. They then rounded a corner, and came upon a room that opened into a balcony, with the sun shining down on it. "If I may be so bold: would you care to spar, Your Grace?"

He could see that the boy was considering the offer, and he could also see the two Kingsguard exchanging glances. "Very well" Tommen said at last.

Ser Hugo then walked over to one of the far walls and grabbed two wooden swords from their rack. He handed it to the boy King, after he handed his crown to one of the Kingsguard. "Have you sparred before, Your Grace?"

"Not really, no".

Ser Hugo nodded. "I'll go easy on you, then".

That afternoon, Ser Hugo stood in the Great Hall as the trial resumed after a short recess. As expected, Tyrion Lannister was surely going to suffer whatever fate his sister planned once the guilty verdict was passed. The gathered lords and ladies took their seats, and Ser Hugo saw the Kingslayer briefly speak to his brother as Lord Tywin took his seat on the Iron Throne. Beside him sat Oberyn Martell and Mace Tyrell, the other two judges. "The Crown may call its next witness" the elder Lannister called. A foreign woman then entered, making her way to the witness stand. Ser Hugo thought she looked familiar, and he could see that the Imp clearly recognized her. "State your name" Tywin Lannister said.

"Shae" the woman replied.

"Do you swear by all the gods that your testimony will be true and honest?"

"I swear it".

"Do you know this man?" the elder Lannister asked, and Ser Hugo had a feeling that she most certainly did.

"Yes", the woman replied, glancing at the Imp. "Tyrion Lannister".

"How do you know him?"

"I was handmaiden to his wife Lady Sansa".

"This man stands accused of murdering King Joffrey. What do you know of this?"

"I know that he's guilty" she replied, eliciting gasps from the crowd of nobles. "He and Sansa planned it together". There was a bit of murmuring and conversation, until Tywin called for silence. "She wanted revenge for her father, her mother, her brother. She blamed their deaths on the King. Tyrion was happy to help. He hated Joffrey. He hated the Queen. He hated you, my lord. He stole poisons from the Grand Maester's chamber to put in Joffrey's wine".

"How could you possibly know all this?" Oberyn Martell asked. "Why would he reveal such plans to his wife's maid?"

"I wasn't just her maid" the foreigner explained. "I was his whore".

"I beg your pardon?" Mace Tyrell asked. "You said you were his…"

"His whore".

"How did you come to be in his service?" Tywin Lannister asked.

"He stole me. I was with another man, a Knight in your lordship's army. But when Tyrion arrived at the camp, he sent one of his cutthroats into our tent. He broke the Knight's arm and brought me to Lord Tyrion. 'You belong to me now' he said. 'I want you to fuck me like it's my last night in this world'". The crowd started laughing derisively, until Lord Tywin called for silence.

"And did you?" Prince Oberyn asked.

"Did I what?" the foreigner asked, confused.

"Fuck him like it was his last night in this world".

"I did everything he wanted. Whatever he told me to do to him. Whatever he felt like doing to me. I kissed him where he wanted. I licked him where he wanted. I let him put himself where he wanted. I was his property. I would wait in his chambers for hours so he could use me when he was bored. He ordered me to call him 'My Lion', so I did. I took his face in my hands and said 'I am yours and you are mine'".

"Shae" Tyrion meekly called. "Please don't".

"I am a whore" Shae countered. "Remember?" She then turned back to the judges. "That was before he married Sansa. After that, all he wanted was her. But she wouldn't let him into her bed. So he promised to kill King Joffrey for her".

As the crowd began to murmur, Tyrion said "Father, I wish to confess. I wish… to confess".

"You wish to confess?"

Tyrion then turned to the gathered lords and ladies. "I saved you" he angrily spat. "I saved this city and all your worthless lives. I should have let Stannis kill you all".

My thoughts exactly, Ser Hugo thought to himself.

"Do you wish to confess?" Lord Tywin asked his son.

"Yes, father. I'm guilty. Guilty. Is that what you want to hear?"

"You admit you poisoned the King?"

"No, of that I'm innocent. I'm guilty of a far more monstrous crime. I am guilty of being a Dwarf".

"You are not on trial for being a Dwarf" Tywin retorted.

"Oh, yes, I am. I've been on trial for that my entire life".

"Have you nothing to say in your defense?"

"Nothing but this: I did not do it. I did not kill Joffrey, but I wish that I had. Watching your vicious bastard die gave me more relief than a 1 000 lying whores. I wish I was the monster you think I am. I wish I had enough poison for the whole pack of you. I would gladly give my life to watch you all swallow it!"

"Ser Meryn!" Lord Tywin called, standing up. "Ser Meryn! Escort the prisoner back to his cell!"

"I will not give my life for Joffrey's murder. And I know I'll get no justice here. So I will let the gods decide my fate. I demand a Trial by Combat".

The crowd then erupted into angry shouts while those at the head of the Great Hall were stunned silent by the Imp's declaration. Ser Hugo saw Oberyn Martell lean forward, appearing very interested, while the Knight himself was still getting over the initial shock. Cersei and Lord Tywin looked just about ready to strangle their little relative. It would seem that the die had been cast.

At Dragon's Rest…

Drakon opened the door, and beheld Visenya on their bed, holding a small bundle of cloth in her arms. It had been an entire day since his wife had first gone into labour, and the muscular man would have broken the door down eventually. Beside the bed stood Maester Lucas, Rona, and Jayne, but his attention was entirely focused on the crying baby in Visenya's arms. He sat on the edge of the bed, and looked down at the tiny child wrapped in cloth. It stopped crying and looked back at him, smiling. "My son" Drakon said, almost in disbelief. He hadn't felt this way since the twins had been born, and he could honestly say that it was one of the greatest moments of his life. The boy had a few wispy silver hairs on its head, and he stared up at Drakon with brilliant violet eyes. The muscular man then looked at Visenya, who was covered in sweat and out of breath.

He kissed her on the cheek, and she looked down at the boy and said "Daemon Blackfyre".

Drakon smiled, feeling it entirely appropriate that his son would be named after the founding member of their House.

"Congratulations, my lord" Maester Lucas said, washing his hands in a bowl. Jayne and the twins then walked over to the other side of the bed, smiling as they stared at their new sibling.

Suddenly, a servant entered the room, but was stopped by Ser Samwell. "A-Apologies, my lord" the man said, holding up a letter. "A raven came, for mistress Rona".

Rona walked over to the man, taking the letter. She read it, taking a few moments. Suddenly, her mouth fell open in surprise.

"What is it?" Drakon asked.

"It's from Alvyn, my lord" the grey-clad Spymaster replied. "Stannis Baratheon and all of his men-at-arms have sailed from Dragonstone".

The muscular man stood up. "Are they going to attack King's Landing again?"

Rona shook her head. "Alvyn sent this message from Braavos. He says that Stannis has taken his entire family and all the men still loyal to him and sailed north".

Drakon clenched his fist, a sense of opportunity washing over him. "This is a chance!" he exclaimed. Turning to Ser Samwell, he asked "How many ships can we spare right now?"

"Four, my lord" the stocky Knight replied.

"And how many men can they carry?"

"400, not counting sailors".

Drakon smiled. "Gather 400 men and have them meet me at the docks". Ser Samwell bowed and walked away with Nymeria in tow. The muscular man turned to look at Visenya, who smiled and nodded her assent. Drakon then walked out of his room, feeling a surge of excitement; his vengeance against the Lannister was close at hand, he could feel it in his bones.