A/N: A big thank you for all your reviews!

Ragnar took off after the defeat in Paris. I wanted to keep it as canonic as I could, and maybe we will one day get far enough to reintroduce him.

And of course I know that there are historic examples of long-time disputes between dynasties, I only mean for one generation, three failed invasions would be enough... And considering that Dany is the last (official) member of her house, there is more pressure on her.

I have to admit, the varangian guard did not even come to my mind, but it is a pretty good comparison IF they succeed in taking King's Landing...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 55 The Game for the City

"They what?" Tyrion asked as Missandei had returned from her mission.

"They laughed", the translator sighed, "They said we must be very desperate if we were offering them money before they had even begun their attack."

"Did you deliver our message?" Dany wanted to know.

"I …tried, Your Grace", Missandei stammered, "The woman, from what I get she's the other leader's sister, said that their father agreed to fight as a mercenary a long time ago for another King. It was the biggest mistake ever made by them."

"So they will not let themselves talk into fighting for someone else…" Tyrion said, "I guess then we will need to hold the city and hope for the best."

"Are you sure they will not let us talk with them?" Dany reiterated, "There must be a solution."

"I don't think this will help", Missandei shook her head.


Sansa stood up on the prow of her ship as the warriors rowed the boats towards the harbor of Mereen. Sansa flexed her hand, ready to draw her sword from its sheath. This attack had to fail. It was so obvious that there was no wall around the harbor, it equaled an invitation. Yet, they would need to probe here.

The sails were taken down and powered by the oars, the boats slid into the bay of the harbor. It was filled with all kinds of ships, ships like they had never seen before. Large trading galleys, their fat bellies drifting in the water. Enormous warships, the rams at the bows made of polished iron, now glistening in the bright sunlight.

Sansa pointed at one of the ships that was tied to the pier. Some of the men took grappling hooks in their hands the others prepared themselves for the fight. Sansa took her shield in her hand and smiled.

On a curt command, the men threw the hooks onto the war-galley and soon the Viking ship was latched alongside it. Sansa jumped over to the other deck, the warriors followed and a melee began.

Sansa opened an archer's face with her sword before the pommel hammered down on another one's helmet. Her shield caught a blade and she stabbed at her attacker, cutting through his throat.

She caught a sword with her own blade and now spun around, before the rimming on her shield hit her opponent at the base of his neck. She heard the spine crack and buried her sword in another soldier's helmet.

She punched her shield against the shield of her opponent, exposing the legs. A short stab at the unarmored inner thigh, and blood spurted high as the blade cut through the artery. Retracting her sword and already swinging it in an upward arc, the blade separated a mereenese soldier's head from his shoulders.

Sansa watched her opponent drop to the floor and took a look around. The melee was already at its last stages, most of the mereenese soldiers wounded or dead. Gathering her warriors around her, she stepped onto the solid ground of the harbor wall. Sansa saw a light barricade that had been constructed to keep them from entering the city.

Behind the barricades, the citizens of Mereen were standing ready, clutching their spears tightly, and waiting for the Vikings. Sansa and her warband marched over to where the city walls adjoined the basin of the harbor. There it would be the shortest way to the gates.

To her surprise, none of the mereneese soldiers fired upon them, as if there were no archers around. Once they had reached the right spot, Sansa took a deep breath and led the charge at the barricades.

She squeezed herself in the space between two of the spikes, then gripped her shield tightly before charging at the inhabitants of Mereen. Obviously these were not trained warriors, just some kind of militia, because as soon as Sansa and the others in her path mixed with them, they started to run. Merciless, Sansa stabbed her sword at the leg of one of the men, causing him to fall.

The mereenese militia started to rout and soon the way to the gates was open for the Vikings. Sansa raised her right arm and guided them to the gate, only now realizing the cut on her upper arm. The Northmen opened the gates and the rest of the army quickly entered the city.


"Your Grace, they're inside the city!" Tyrion reported breathlessly.

"How could that happen so fast?" Dany asked in shock, "They only arrived yesterday."

"They made a daring move and entered the harbor", Tyrion said, "They fought their way through the militia we had posted there and then made it to the gates."

"So what happens now?" Missandei wanted to know.

"Now we will hold the pyramid", Grey Worm told her, "They will have a harder time against Unsullied."

"No offense, my friend", Daario told Grey Worm, "It was never to be expected that the militia could hold long against professional warriors, but they cut through them so swift, they must be really good. I don't know if I want to bet on the Unsullied."

"Wait, did you just say you planned on having the city fall to them?" Dany asked angrily.

"No, Your Grace", Tyrion tried to calm her, "But the long, unwalled harbor was never any good at defense. Once they had made it inside, they would eventually overcome the militia. We placed them there to get experience and to warn from attacks so we could reinforce where necessary. But they cut them down so quickly, by the time the message had reached the reserves, the gates had fallen."

"Very well, Grey Worm, you will hold all entrances to the great pyramid", Dany ordered.

"Yes, Your Grace", Grey Worm bowed and walked off to issue the orders.

"I wish my dragons were here", Dany said sadly, "This would all be different then."

"Probably", Tyrion agreed, "We might also consider negotiations again."


Two days later, Sansa and Bjorn were sitting in their tent, both sweating heavily in their heavy battledress.

"What do you think?" Sansa asked, "The city itself was easy enough, but that pyramid is a tough nut to crack."

"Eventually, they'll break", Bjorn assured her, "We can starve them out, if we need to. They'll break."


Bjorn was clutching his shield tightly, as the entrance to the pyramid came into sight. He was leading this group of warriors through the dark streets at night towards the pyramid.

A fire glooming in the distance, he could see the entrance to the pyramid and a couple of soldiers guarding it. He signaled for the men to be silent, then they carefully came closer.

Just as they were close enough, they jumped into the illuminated space, their weapons ready. One of the guards was quickly cut down, the other one had managed to block Bjorn's sword with the shaft of his long spear. Bjorn punched him with his shield, but the man just took the hit and staggered back, while he called loudly for his fellow warriors. Soon the hallway was filled with both Northmen and Mereenese spearmen, engaging in a heated melee.

He hacked at a spearshaft, diverting the thrust away from his chest, before digging the blade of his sword into the eyeslits of the man's helmet. He caught another spear with his shield, before he stepped around another spearman, while cutting at his leg, severing it at the knee. Bjorn whirled around before he smashed one opponent against the wall behind him, the rim of his shield leaving severe dents on his metal helmet.

Bjorn stabbed one of the spearmen in the chest, and as the man fell, the sword was twisted from his fingers. Without hesitation, he punched the closest opponent with his shield, while his right hand found the axe on his belt.

He pulled it out and immediately buried the axehead in his opponent's shoulder. Looking up, he saw another large group of spearmen approach from the interior of the pyramid.

Soon the Northmen would be outnumbered. At the moment, most bodies were of mereenese origin, but soon enough this ratio would change. This time they would not be able to break through, he realized.

"Fall back!" he ordered, before stabbing his opponent, and leading the survivors of this attack away from the pyramid.


Sansa was sitting in her tent. A stray arrow had hit her in the leg during the fights in the city, and the wound had prevented her from joining the attack. She had a horn of ale in her hand and wished she could be up there, fighting. She was bored to death down here in camp.

She looked up, when she saw Bjorn enter the tent. He angrily threw his shield aside, before he grabbed a horn of ale and gulped it down thirstily.

"How did it go?" Sansa asked carefully, although she already suspected what answer she would get.

"We can't get through", Bjorn stated.


The next day, the Queen of Mereen and Westeros was watching her advisors.

"So you are saying that the Unsullied finally found their defeat?" she asked angrily.

"We are not defeated", Grey Worm told her, "But it was close. I fear we will not be able to stop them forever."

"I believe we should try and come to terms with them, while we still can", Tyrion said, "We are still stronger than after they have taken the city and taken us all captive."

"I agree, we should try and talk with them", Missandei said, "We make peace with our enemies, not with our friends."

"I doubt that they will accept your terms", Yara Greyjoy added, "But in lack of a better idea, I agree."

They all shuddered, when the big pyramid was hit by rocks, thrown from the small catapults the northmen had built down in the city. The rocks glanced off the outer walls, yet inside the pyramid, it was an enormous, loud thunder as the rocks found their target. Dust spilled down from the ceiling and everyone in the room looked up in fear.

"I believe, it will probably for the best if we tried to come to terms with them", Dany finally agreed, "Missandei, will you bring the message to them?"


Bjorn and Sansa were sitting in their tent, joined by Floki, Helga and some of the others and looked at the messenger form the city. She was pretty, Bjorn had to admit. And despite her city being besieged, she stood proudly before them.

"I was asked to arrange for an official meeting to negotiate terms of an agreement", Missandei began.

"Why should we agree to this meeting?" Bjorn wanted to know.

"Our commanders agree that you will not take the pyramid", Missandei promised, "Not when it's defended by Unsullied."

"I say we can take it", Sansa disagreed, "So why should we listen to your pleas?"

"You can starve us to death in there, true", Missandei pointed out, "But it will either take a long time, or it will cost you many men. I believe it is worth talking about, is it not?"

"You may have a point", Sansa reluctantly agreed.

"Where would we hold this meeting?" Bjorn objected, "As soon as my sister and I enter the pyramid, we will be killed. And I doubt that your leaders are willing to take the same risk with us."

"We propose that the meeting is held between one of your leaders and one of ours. Within the pyramid, in the middle of the hallway, so that both sides can see it clearly", the translator suggested, "When warriors of both sides are nearby, but at the same distance, it should be save for all."

"That is a good idea", Sansa decided, "Tell them, I will met an emissary tomorrow at noon."

Missandei bowed and left. As soon as they were alone in the tent, Bjorn turned to Sansa.

"Are you mad now, sister?" he snapped.

"Do you have a plan how to get into the pyramid?" Sansa asked, "It never hurts to listen to their offer."


Tyrion was sitting in the middle of the hallway, just between the Northmen and the group of Unsullied in his back. Judging by the looks the Northmen threw at him, he began to doubt that this place for negotiation was such a great choice.

Sansa had planned her appearance almost to perfection, with a little blood smeared on her shieldmaiden braids, darkening her hair and covering parts of her tattoos.

She walked into the hallway and took her first look at her partner for these negotiations. A dwarf, she thought. She seemed to be attracting them somehow. A long lost memory surfaced from the back of her mind.

She walked forward. Surely her mind was playing her a trick, but he looked exactly like him. But it seemed rather doubtful that he would have survived after the purple wedding, wouldn't he? Yet, this was not exactly King's Landing, wasn't it? On a third look she was almost sure – she was staring into the familiar eyes of Tyrion Lannister.

Without giving away their familiarity, Sansa sat down in front of him. Both eyed each other for a moment.

"You have asked for this meeting, maybe you want to tell me what you want?" she offered with well-trained arrogance.

"We want you to consider how many of your lives it is worth to take that pyramid", Tyrion told her.

"Are you the King of this city?" Sansa asked, although the Hand-shaped pin on his chest already gave it away.

"No, I am what is considered Hand of the Queen, Daenerys of House Targaryen, First of her Name and Queen of Dragon's bay and the seven Kingdoms of Westeros", Tyrion introduced herself, "My name is Tyrion of Clan Lannister, the Imp, the shame of my house and the Hand of the rightful Queen."

"The rightful Queen?" Sansa asked in surprise, "It would seem, the circumstances have not become much better since I last visited Westeros."

"You have seen the seven Kingdoms?" Tyrion wanted to know, genuinely interested.

"I was there a time of my youth", Sansa shrugged, "I don't have the best memories about it."

"Probably not", Tyrion agreed, "The thing is, I believe you will not easily defeat us. If you do, you will be weaker than before. If you stop your attack and let us prepare for our upcoming invasion of Westeros, we will pay you. If you decided to join us, we would reward you for your service from the plunder of the cities of Westeros."

"A tempting offer, I must say", Sansa smiled, "I will need to think about it and then talk with my brother about it. But who is the King in Westeros? Who would we be facing?"

"My beast of a sister reigns as Queen", Tyrion began, "She has the power of house Lannister behind her. Since all of the Tyrells and Starks are dead, these houses cannot contribute in either way. The Boltons and Freys in the North and the Riverlands are allies of the Lannisters. The Baratheons are gone as well, so it's basically us against everyone."

"Well in that case, I guess I will have to talk my brother into helping you out, imp", Sansa grinned.

"I guess you don't know better, but I really hate that name", Tyrion said dangerously.

"Oh, but I do know better than to call you dwarf", Sansa laughed, "Although I would say I take the right of a long lost friend to call you that."

"Long lost friend?" Tyrion was now confused, "I am sorry but I don't remember you."

"Now you insult me, dear Tyrion", Sansa grinned, "After all, we used to be married…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: I'm sure many of you hoped for this alliance from the beginning of the chapter, but I hope it was worth the wait...

Don't forget to review!