At The Gates

Darron Flynn

The Crownlands….

Darron rubbed his face and groaned in frustration as he sat by himself around a small campfire, the night had fallen and most of the camp had gone to sleep save for a few sentries who patrolled the camp, But Darron couldn't sleep, he kept thinking about Casterly Rock and what Jon had done to drive Jamie away, the two men had spent three years together sleeping in mud and shit, when they said goodbye Darron didn't realise it was forever.

It all made sense now, why Jon sent him away with the knights of the Vale, why Jon had refused to let Jamie in on the war council, why he summoned Smalljon Umber to take command of his armies, it was all for the massacre at Casterly Rock.

"Can't sleep?" A gruff voice asks, Darron raises his head to See Lord Randyll Tarly standing before him.

"Never can the night before a battle" Darron answers, Grabbing his cup of wine and draining it down"

"So you sit here drinking yourself into a stupor" Tarly says with a disapproving tone.

"I have good reason to" Darron counters.

"We all do, yet you are the only one doing so instead of something important and worthwhile"

Darron sighs before smirking and tossing his cup to the side "Is there a reason you are here my lord"

"Your father was a Stonemason was he not?" Tarly asks.

"He was" Darron answers "A shit one as well"

"Tell me, how does the son of a stonemason become one of the greatest commanders Westeros has ever seen?"

Darron sighs "forty-three years ago During the war of the war of the Ninepenny Kings, my father and I were conscripted to fight in the royal army, I was only fifteen years old but we were only militia which meant we got to stay in Westeros guarding it, months passed and I thought I was going to get home without a scratch, but before I knew it we were rounded up, placed in a fleet and sent to the Stepstones"

Darron looks at Lord Tarly for any kind of reaction but the old man just stares at him with steel-cold eyes "My father was killed and I was terrified, I was so close to Maelys the Monstrous I could see him, I was going to run but then I saw Barristan Selmy cut through the golden company and straight to Maelys Blackfyre" Darron smiles at the memory "And I followed, I killed four men to help Ser Barristan, I even managed to cut Maelys himself"

Darron sighs "You know the rest, Ser Barristan killed the rebel leader and became a hero but he remembered me, he took me as a squire and spent the next five years training me, eventually I was knighted and given a family name, when Robert Baratheon's Rebellion started Ser Barristan recommend me to Rhaegar and I became a commander in his armies when the war was over Rhaegar gave me a holdfast and asked me to be the head of his armies and I accepted"

Tarly nods "You are a impressive man" he says "But have you considered if you are fighting for the right side"

Darron stares at the man before snickering "So that's what this little visit is about, trying to convince me to change sides"

Tarly smirks "When this war is over my king will take the throne and he will remember those who served him" he says "Some of the kingdoms will be absent a Lord paramount and in need of a new ruling family, You could be one of them"

Darron tilts his head to the side "A tempting offer" he admits before sighing loudly "But for better or worse, I'm afraid I will have to stick with my king"

Lord Tarly scoffs "Why?"

"Because I swore to Rhaegar that I would serve him and his heir to the day I die," Darron says "And no offer you make will make me break that promise"

"You have a daughter don't you Flynn?" Tarly asks.

Darron's heart skips a beat but he maintains his composure and simply nods.

"I would keep her in mind," Tarly says "Daegar Targaryen is not someone to be taken lightly"

With that, he stands and walks away leaving Darron to his thoughts.

Daegar Targaryen

Daegar stared solemnly over the body of Loras Tyrell, the knight of flowers was still dressed in his armor, his neck was hideously twisted out of place and his face was bruised and swollen. Daegar rarely called any man his friend, most the lords who had sided with him only did so for their own selfish agenda, Mace Tyrell did so to make his daughter queen and himself had of the king, Randyll Tarly seemed to be loyal but only because his liege lord commanded him to but Loras had served him continuously and faithfully, never refusing an order and always following Daegar despite the heavy risks.

Daegar turned to the man riding the cart Loras was in "Have his body taken to Highgarden" he says "If anything happens I will hold you personally responsible.

The man nods before cracking his horse's reins and riding off. Randyll Tarly steps next to Daegar "He was a good lad" the man says "A loyal and brave knight"

Daegar nods "He was exactly the kind of person I needed at my side," Daegar says "He didn't deserve this fate"

"Most people rarely do," Randyll says "But this is war and people die in war"

Daegar turns to fully acknowledge the mand "Did you have any luck with Ser Darron?"

Randyll shakes his head "No, the man is nothing if not loyal"

"No matter," Daegar says "It would have been useful to have him on our side but we don't need him"

"If I may your grace," Randyll says "The Red viper's days are numbered, even the gods themselves can not save him now, your brother is the problem now"

"Do you suppose I have not considered that?" Daegar demands "But most of our men were destroyed against the Blackfyre king we have no choice other but the grand council"

"The grand council is a sham" Tarly says "Your brother is King Rhaegar's designated heir, he has the bigger army, he has three of the seven kingdoms backing him and now he has Blackfyre the ancestral sword of the Targaryen kings, Forgive me your grace but you don't stand a chance against him"

Daegar sighs "Then what do you purpose Lord Tarly?"

The gruff man steps close to Daegar "Your brother is known to put himself in the heart of battle" he says "When we attack king's Landing put me close to him, I'll gut the pretender and win you this war, his followers will think it was one of Oberyn Martell's men and the seven kingdoms will be yours"

Daegar hesitates the offer was tempting but there was one problem. "No," he says flatly.

Tarly sighs "You grace I-"

Daegar raises his hand to cut him off "This is a war between brothers "Oberyn may have killed my father but I started this war….and I will be the one to end it" Daegar takes a deep breath "When the Red Viper is dead I will be the one to earn my throne, I will be the one to kill my brother"

Before Randyll can answer a soldier interrupts them "Your grace, two riders are approaching" he says.

"Do you know who they are?" Daegar asks.

The man shakes his head "It's a woman and a young girl" he asks "they are asking for your brother.

Jon Targaryen

Jon marched through the camp with his mother and Ser Barristan following closely behind, they eventually came to the place where their visitors were waiting, Jon instantly recognized the two figures, the first was his cousin Arya, she had grown since the last time she saw her and Jon couldn't help but smile at seeing the young girl again.

Then there was the other woman, the woman who had betrayed him but also saved his mother's life, Jon cringed at the memory of Jamie rushing into his tent, his mother in his arms and covered in blood, Illyria of Bravos was dressed in black leather breeches, her upper-body was dressed in sleeveless brown leather garment with straps to hold many small knives, her wavy light-brown hair covered the left side of her attractive face but Jon knew it was just to cover the scars he had left.

Arya practically charged at Jon before bounding into her arms and hugging him tightly, Jon smiled widely as the young girl pulled away "are you okay" he says softly, Arya nods before hugging him again.

Jon's smile disappears as he turns to Illyria "Where is Robb?" he asks.

Illyria frowns and shakes his head "The Red Viper has him" she says.

Jon frowns deeply, white-hot anger begins to build up in his chest "What happened?" he growls

Arya turns to the Bravosi, a look of hate on her face "She let him be taken" the young girl snaps.

"Oberyn knew we were coming" Illyria says defensively "We were surrounded, he could have had us killed right then, but instead he let us go, if I didn't accept they would still have Arya and Robb"

Jon sighs, his anger slowly begins to subside 'Why would he let you go?" Jon demands "When he had all of your right in his grasp?"

"Because he had a message to deliver" Illyria says "And he let me take Arya because he needed to be sure I would get it to you"

Jon steps close to the woman "Well what was it?"

"It's not for you" Illyria states, her eyes turn to fix on Lyanna and she reveals a opened and scrunched up letter and offers it to Lyanna.

Lyanna hesitantly takes it and begins reading, a small gasp leaves her lips.

"What's it says?" Jon asks .

Lyanna shakes her head "Not here" she says "Later"

Jon nods before turning to Illyria "You did what I asked of you" he says "Your free to go"

As he turns away, the Bravosi reaches out and grabs his arm "Your Grace wait" she says, Ser Barristan says steps forward, his hand falls to the hilt of his sword but Jon raises his hand to stop him and turns to face Illyria "I know I betrayed you" she says "And I know you may never forgive me, but if you will allow it I would like the chance to earn your trust back because there is nothing left for me in bravos anymore, I feel my fate lies with you and Westeros"

Jon hesitates, "For all that it is worth" Illyria continues "I did and still do consider you to be my friend"

Jon sighs "You can stay for now," he says "You might still be useful"

The bravosi smiles happily "Thank you, your grace"

Jon nods but notices the disapproving glare from Arya "Come with me" he says.

Minutes later….

Jon walked with Illyria through the camp and towards the large war tent, there he found Daegar already inside, Jon notices Illyria instinctively go for her blade, but Jon grabs her arm stopping her, Daegar gives them a smirk "I didn't realize we were having guests brother"

Illyria looks at Jon "Forgive me your grace" she says "But last I checked we were fighting against your brother, not with him"

"Circumstances have changed that," Jon says before turning back to his brother "Daegar this is-"

"Illyria Of Bravos," Daegar says cutting in "The water dancer Oberyn Martell hired to spy on you"

Jon sighs "I see you kept yourself well informed," he says "Your men are ready?"

Daegar nods "We are ready when you are"

"Good," Jon says "Because tomorrow we take our home back"

Daegar's face darkens "And we find out which one of us will rule it," he says quietly before leaving the tent.

Illyria turns to Jon "Do you really think you can trust him?" she asks "after everything he's done"

Jon glares at her "I trust him about as much as I trust you" he says before storming off, Daegar was right, tomorrow was the day the fate of the seven kingdoms would be decided.

Oberyn Martell

King's Landing….

The Next Day….

Oberyn sighed contently as he went through the familiar motions of strapping on his armor, the leather was painted orange and red to reflect the colors of his house, the buckles were shaped like a sun, the armor was flexible enough to allow him to move around easily but strong enough to protect him from arrows.

The red viper grabbed his spear, the weapon was made to look like two snakes coiling around each other, the blade was wavy a curved and the butt of the weapon was made of metal to allow for maximum damage.

Oberyn took a long sip of his cup of wine as he walked onto the balcony, he looked over at the city, a wide smirk appeared on his face as he watched a large army appear on the fields of King's Landing, thousands of soldiers covered the fields, hundreds of banners were flying over the army, among them were the Tullys of Riverrun, the Tyrells of Highgarden, The Starks of Winterfell and of course the red dragon banners of the Targaryens.

Oberyn lets out a laugh soon he would finally have his long-awaited revenge for his sister and her children, soon the Sons of Rhaegar Targaryen would be dead "Now it ends" he says quietly to himself taking another sip of his wine.

It's the beginning of the end my friends….well kind of, the next chapter will be long and action-packed.