Disclaimer: I don't own Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire

Alyssa I Targaryen

Book : The War of the Four Sovereigns

Chapter 7: Securing the City

Beta:

Trigger warning: Canon typical underage, nudity

Escorted by all five of her current Queensguard, Alyssa entered the Throne Room of the Red Keep in triumph. All around her, her men cheered her as she walked down the center of the hall towards the Iron Throne even as they held much of the Lannister regime at swordpoint and waiting her judgement. Even some of these prisoners, the nobles of the Lannister court mainly, cheered her procession to her birthright.

As she ascended the raised dais upon which the Iron Throne sat, her loyal Queensguard arrayed themselves protectively before her even as Ghost clung to the side of the towering keep and pressed his massive head to the glass of the windows that overlooked the hall. Without any hesitation or fear, Alyssa took her seat on the throne of her ancestors and leaned as far back as she could while still maintaining a sitting position before rising uncut.

This was a sign for the cheers to reach a crescendo as Loras proclaimed at the top of his voice, "All hail Alyssa Targaryen, First of her Name. Queen Regnant of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men and Lady of the Seven Kingdoms."

"All hail Queen Alyssa!" The many soldiers loyal to her in the hall shouted and Ghost roared his enthusiastic agreement.

I wonder what they'll say if they knew I was only so daring because I'm clad in Mage Armor? Alyssa thought to herself with some amusement even as she raised a hand to call for silence.

"There is much to celebrate my loyal soldiers," Alyssa told the hall when it quieted enough for her to be heard. "But before we begin our celebrations, there are some matters that we must attend to."

This was met by approving nods from many quarters, some more sycophantic than others.

Ignoring them, Alyssa continued. "First order of business, Lord Mace!"

"Yes, your grace?"

"Have Cersei Lannister and her incestuous spawn Joffrey Waters hauled to the black cells. I will see to their execution on the morrow." The Lord Paramount of the Reach nodded with a bloodthirsty eagerness that Alyssa honestly thought was beyond the usually genial man. "As for the rest of the Lannister regime, they will have to sit in the black cells a little longer as trails or other special arrangements are made for their fate."

Of course, Cersei and Waters screamed defiance and all kinds of empty threats. But Alyssa did not dignify them with a response. She did not have much choice in the matter, not when a visibly pregnant Sansa, though not as far along as Alyssa herself was, rushed forward. Brienne of Tarth, sensing a potential threat, tried to stop her but a tall thin man with black hair which fell over his black eyes and a stubble of a beard intercepted her. Thus her sister was unmolested as she fell to her knees before the Iron Throne.

"Your grace, please spare my husband!" Sansa begged.

That must be the captain of the Imp's guards. Alyssa thought as she ignored her sister's plea for the moment and instead gesturing for Brienne to stand down. He shows remarkable loyalty for a sellsword.

"The Imp stays." Alyssa said to the pair of Northmen who had been in the process of dragging him away. "For now."

"Thank you, your grace." Sansa said sincerely as she watched her husband be released and toddle over to her side even as Lady raced out of the crowd, almost tackling the dwarf over in the process to reunite with her human.

And where exactly did she come from? Shouldn't she be with Arya back in the camp!? Alyssa asked even if she could guess. There was no way the direwolf so long divided from its human companion would stay behind when a reunion was so close at hand.

Robb moved towards Sansa but Alyssa signalled to him to wait. She had no idea where their sister was going with this call for mercy, and she'd wager he didn't either, so they best hear it out. Besides with Lady at her side, there was no telling what harm Sansa could cause if she chose to.

"It is only a temporary reprieve." Alyssa told her sister with a frown. "Tell me, Sister, why should I spare the man who you were forced to marry and who put a child in you? Both against your will?"

"He's a good man." Sansa insisted. "He married me to protect me! And he didn't touch me for moons because he didn't want to hurt me, even though it was fully within his rights as my husband to do so. I had to beg him to lay with me."

"You only did that because of pressure from the Lannisters. His family."

"No! I did it because he's my husband. I did not want to live with a sham of a marriage. We might not have chosen each other as husband and wife, but fate decreed that was what we were to be and so we are." Sansa said fiercely. "So please, sister! If you love me at all, spare my husband!"

Everyone was left a little speechless by Sansa's heartfelt speech, even her husband who looked like someone had slapped him. And metaphorically that was exactly what had happened.

"That's why?" Tyrion Lannister whispered just loudly enough to be heard over the stunned silence of the hall.

"Yes, husband, that's why." Sansa told her spouse, taking one of his hands in her own and giving it a squeeze.

This makes things complicated. Alyssa thought as she overcame her shock.

"Sansa, even if I believe you that he is a good man. Your husband is hated by the people of the city for raising taxes to hire the sellswords that the Lannisters tried to use to defend the city."

"A city that I, his pregnant wife, was trapped in." Sansa pointed out. "He was merely doing what he needed to do to protect his family."

"He was doing it for the Lannisters." Alyssa insisted. "They killed our Father!"

Sansa winced at the reminder of Father's fate but stubbornly replied, "I am a Lannister now and so is my unborn child. Will you judge me for that too, Sister?"

Alyssa growled in a way not dissimilar to Ghost as the frustration got the better of her.

"Fine." She barked. "I'll pardon your husband as not doing so would make me a kinslayer."

"You have our thanks, your grace." The Imp said with a bow.

"Do not be so hasty with offering me thanks, Imp." Alyssa spat. "If you betray me or my Sister, I will have your head. Is that understood?"

"Yes, your grace. You have nothing to fear from me. I would never do anything as foolish as betraying Alyssa Targaryen, the second coming of Aegon the Conqueror. The woman who will conquer all of Westeros whilst pregnant. Doing so would jeopardize my family's lives and that is something I would sooner die than do."

His words had a sarcastic edge to it and Alyssa's eyes narrowed in displeasure, prompting Sansa to shoot her a pleading look. Sighing, the Queen let it go.

"You better live up to those words, Imp." Alyssa warned one last time. "Robb, please see that our sister and her husband are taken care of. The rest of you out, I would like a moment of privacy."

Robb nodded his agreement and escorted Sansa and the Imp away, their loyal guard captain trailing behind them alongside Robb's own guardsmen. Meanwhile, the rest of the court and soldiers filed out slowly. It took a long while for them all to leave but Alyssa waited with the same patience that had her camping in Bitterbridge for the better part of a year waiting for the proper moment to strike.

Only when the Great Hall was empty save her Queensguard and Ghost who still looked on curiously from the window, did she step down from the Iron Throne and standing before it bowed to the ugly looking thing.

"I've done it. Sister Rhaenys, Brother Aegon, I've reclaimed our birthright. Grandmother Rhaella, the Dragon is restored to glory. Father, Mother, as you hoped I have retaken the Iron Throne. Renly, husband, I've achieved our ambition. Uncle Ned, I've become Queen despite your wishes." Alyssa said, tears running down her face. "All those who have died to bring me to this day, I offer you my thanks. I pray to the great Nameless god that I shall prove worthy of this burden."

Her prayer of thanksgiving complete, she rose and retook her seat on the Iron Throne once more.

She might have imagined it but she thought she heard faint, otherworldly applause echo around her. And as she sat on the Iron Throne once more she saw Nameless standing in mid air and looking down on her approvingly whilst surrounded by all those she'd invoked by name and many more besides. They had been the source of the very real applause.

Her Queensguard didn't see the specters she was sure, for they did not react.

Once more she leaned back, but this time her Mage Armor had long since faded. She sat up uncut nonetheless and the various ghosts knelt or bowed as befitting their ranks in life in acknowledgement of her before one by one they vanished. Nameless left last, offering her a pleased grin before he too vanished.

Thus began the reign of Alyssa I Targaryen, Queen Regnant of Westeros.

"So Theon Greyjoy was killed during the battle?" Alyssa asked Varys as they sat in a quickly constructed pavilion as they waited in the square before the Great Sept of Baelor for the execution of Cersei, Jaime and Joffrey. The Kingslayer having been hastily transported to the capitol from his cell in Riverrun via Gate so he could die alongside his lover and eldest son.

"Yes, your grace." The eunuch informed her with a nod. "He was killed in the fighting on the Blackwater Rush. We fished his body out of the river earlier this morning."

A fitting end. Alyssa mused thinking more of the man who had sacked Winterfell and killed two of her brothers in her past life than the Theon Greyjoy of this one. Now if only the rest of the Ironborn can follow suit.

"And the Hound?" The Queen asked, letting none of her genocidal thoughts surface.

"No word, your grace." Varys said with a frown. "He has not been seen since he abandoned his post and disappeared on the first day of the battle."

"Find him," Alyssa ordered. "He is the last of the Lannister Kingsguard unaccounted for. I do not like loose ends."

"I will do my best, your grace." Varys told her. "Ah! The condemned have arrived."

Turning away from Varys, Alyssa caught sight first of the damaged Great Sept. The building having taken a direct hit from several stray shards of her Blizzard spell when she'd used it to destroy the trebuchets that had been mounted next to it on Visenya's Hill by the Lannisters during the battle. Fortunately for her relations with the Faith of the Seven, the damage was relatively minor and she'd already agreed to help pay for the repairs plus an overall renovation of the building besides.

Her eyes however did not linger long on the Great Sept as they soon fell on the pitiful figures of Tywin, Cersei, Jaime and Joffrey as they were dragged before her. Gone was their finery, replaced instead with rags. Gone also was their fiery defiance and haughty arrogance, covered in filth from the dungeons and gagged they looked absolutely pathetic. Trailing behind them and looking intensely nervous but still dressed as befit their old stations of Princess and Prince were Myrcella and Tommen. Alyssa was tempted to offer them, especially her old friend and savior, a comforting smile but they were in public and she had a personae to maintain.

"Show time," Alyssa muttered under her breath as she stood to address the gathered crowd of onlookers, packed full of smallfolk and highborn alike.

"My subjects," Alyssa began. "People of King's Landing. All peoples of the Seven Kingdoms. We are here today so I, your Queen Alyssa Targaryen, may pass judgement over the treasonous usurpers that stand before us now."

This was met with cheers and calls for death for the Lannisters. Alyssa ignored those. She well remembered the way the crowds had called for the unjust death of her Father on this very same spot a year ago. The crowds were fickle and knew nothing of justice. That would be hers to deliver.

Ghost, if you please. Alyssa sent her familiar who responded by suddenly diving down from the clouds with a roar before landing on the steps leading up to the Great Sept so he overlooked everyone in the square below. An action that silenced the crowd instantly as they looked warily at her dragon, remembering well the death and destruction he unleashed on her enemies during the recently concluded battle.

I asked you to silence the crowd! Why did you have to be so dramatic about it!?

Alyssa's exasperated rebuke merely received a burst of smugness in reply.

"Let us begin," Alyssa said into the quiet her dragon's entrance created, studiously suppressing her irritation with her dragon's love of dramatics. "Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen, children of Cersei Lannister. I hereby denounce all three of you as as Waters and the result of the treasonous incest between your mother and her twin brother, Jamie Lannister."

Joffrey tried to shout something but thanks to his gag it came out unintelligible and she was spared his whining or posturing. His parents just looked resigned though Cersei defiantly shot her a venomous look that earned her a painful blow to her head from the Northman guarding her. Myrcella and Tommen though looked fearful, with the young boy seeking comfort by pressing into his sister's side.

I need to speed this along before they have a break down.

"However, as Myrcella and Tommen Waters are blameless in both their own conceptions and in the crimes of the rest of their family, I shall spare them a life of shame and legitimize them as Myrcella and Tommen Lannister."

This was met with dissatisfaction from the crowd of onlookers but that was quickly silenced by a loud growl from Ghost.

Thank you, old friend. Alyssa sent her dragon and received a roll of his eyes in reply.

Suppressing a giggle, the Queen continued with her sentencing.

"Furthermore, I take Myrcella Lannister as a concubine."

The crowd almost erupted in protest but Ghost shifting and sending sending some loose rock falling down Visenya Hill quickly reminded them of who had the power here and they stifled their cries. Alyssa wished she could so easily do the same at her discomfort at the idea. Sadly, she could not. She could see the merit in the scheme that Margey and her grandmother had devised. Having a harem of concubines made out of ladies from all the Kingdoms of Westeros would certainly enhance her legitimacy. That it would offer a way for Alyssa to keep the innocent daughters of her enemies safe was another bonus. Yet unconsummated or not, as she expected her relationship with Myrcella would be, it sat uneasy with Alyssa. Especially since the latter advantage could easily be achieved by simply taking the girls as her wards. Yet, Margey and her Hand had insisted and against her own better judgement she had agreed. Damn Margey and what her tongue could do to her!

To Alyssa's surprise instead of being horrified or disgusted, Myrcella looked pleasantly surprised by the announcement of her fate. The girl was even blushing shyly!

What in the Nine Hells!? Alyssa thought, receiving only amused laughter from Ghost in reply as she inadvertently sent her thoughts through their link.

Shoving the whole matter into the back of her mind for further consideration later, Alyssa barreled on ahead.

"Her brother, Tommen Lannister, will be sent to the Citadel where he will study to forge his chain and become a Maester to serve the Realm."

This announcement at least earned her a modestly positive response and whispers about how merciful she was, which was comforting after the crowd's dislike of her previous judgements.

"Now onto those who are truly guilty." Alyssa said, causing a murmur of excitement to spread through the crowds. "Tywin Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister and Joffrey Waters. For the crime of treason against the Crown and many other crimes besides you are all hereby sentenced to death. May the gods have mercy on you for I do not."

With that the four were dragged towards four wooden posts and tied to them by their guards who hastily backed away once their captives were secure. A wise precaution indeed.

"Ghost!" Alyssa cried as her dragon crawled forward so he loomed directly over the four condemned who cowered, even the supposedly fearless Kingslayer trembled slightly. "Dracarys!"

At her command, her loyal friend unleashed his dragonfire of frost and flame setting the four Lannisters that had brought such harm to the Realm and Alyssa's life alight and froze them solid all at once. It was a glorious sight and the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms luxuriated in its beauty.

Alyssa did not have long to bask in the death of some of her most hated enemies however as she had another set to deal with so as to properly secure King's Landing. That being Dragonstone and Stannis' forces on the island. Located just south of the capitol in Blackwater Bay, it was the perfect staging ground for attacking the city, Whilst Stannis' forces were all but depleted by his defeat in the Battle of the Blackwater, it was nevertheless a threat that Alyssa simply could not allow to go unchallenged. That it meant liberating her family's most ancient seat in Westeros was just a bonus.

Thus it was that almost as soon as the executions had been completed, Alyssa had mounted Ghost with her escort of Ser Wendel and Loras and they leapt into the air to join the fleet of defected Crownlands ships as they sailed to take the island. The fleet had set sail a three days ago and would likely be almost at Dragonstone by now.

"Remember Ghost don't outpace the ships." Alyssa reminded her dragon as they caught up with the fleet and in his eagerness, her dragon shot ahead of the ships. He sent back a burst of acknowledgement mixed with exasperation and Alyssa patted his side comfortingly.

I wonder if I can Gate an entire fleet into directly into battle? I've managed it for an army but what about a naval fleet? Alyssa pondered. It hadn't made sense to try in this case, not when her forces needed time to regroup after the Battle of the Blackwater. Many had attempted unsuccessfully to chase Stannis down when he had made his retreat thus leaving her fleet scattered. Especially since Stannis had cunningly split his forces to throw off pursuit. Even now squadrons of loyalists ships from all over the Blackwater were still joining the fleet. And she had to wait, for Dragonstone was a formidable island fortress and unless she intended to level it with Ghost, she would a sizable fleet to the men they to secure it.

Maybe I could have gathered it by Gate too? Hmm... Such an undertaking would probably too tiresome to be worth the effort considering how many different squadrons that needed to be consolidated. Or maybe force a surrender with Ghost then Gate troops in? That have might worked actually. Alyssa concluded. Things to consider for my future campaigns I suppose.

"Your grace, there's movement north of the island." Ser Wendel shouted suddenly, his keen archer's eyes spotting something that everyone else missed.

Ghost swung his head in the direction and began sending Alyssa images of what he was seeing. It was a small fleet of ships with Stannis' sigil of a crowned stag in the middle of a flaming heart sailing away from Dragonstone.

"It's Stannis," Alyssa declared. "He's trying to escape. Ghost don't let them."

Her dragon roared in reply and banked towards the fleeing enemy ships, picking up speed. As he did, Alyssa used the Message spell to contact Lord Monford Velaryon, commander of the her loyalist fleet below.

Lord Monford. Alyssa told him hurriedly. We've spotted Stannis' fleet attempting to escape. Moving to stop him.

Without waiting for a response, Alyssa cut her connection. Just in time for them to reach the first of the enemy ships.

"Dracarys!" Alyssa ordered without hesitation, sending Ghost into a dive at the ship as he breathed dragonfire and setting it ablaze.

"The next one!" Alyssa shouted at her familiar when he hovered and attempted to finish off the first ship. "This one is done already."

Ghost growled in dissatisfaction but obeyed, winging over to the next ship.

Ship after ship was set mercilessly ablaze all whilst the enemy were helpless to stop her. They had shot arrows at Ghost, some more skilled ones even aiming at her or her Queensguard but the Mage Armor she had cast over all of them kept them safe. The same could not be said of those Ser Wendel had shot at in retaliation.

There were only a handful of ships left and Ghost was pivoting in the air after lighting one up to attack another and Alyssa was preparing to lob a Fireball at yet another when suddenly a massive fireball hurtled at them from the furthest of the enemy ships.

"Your grace!" Both Loras and Ser Wendel shouted as they wrapped themselves around her protectively as the flames consumed them and Ghost howled in pain as the fire burned through his protective Mage Armor. She would have used Frost Armor but that made him too heavy to fly properly and Fire Shield made it impossible for him to carry riders as even armored with magical protection which would protect them from burns, the heat created by that spell would have made anyone near her dragon unbearably uncomfortable.

For a moment the world lurched as Ghost almost fell out of the air, but he thankfully managed to work through his pain and leveled his flight. His riders had almost been thrown off by his bucking but he recovered quickly enough and the Queenguards' grips strong enough that they managed to hold on.

"Ghost! You're hurt!" Alyssa shouted, ignoring all of that as she felt her familiar's pain through their bond. The dragon unconsciously sharing it with his mage.

"Ghost! Get us away from here! We can't risk another hit like that!" Loras shouted even as the dragon was already banking away from the still fleeing enemy ship as quickly as possible.

Alyssa meanwhile was calling on her magic.

"Healing Touch!" She cast, sending healing energies into Ghost that knitted his wounds and dulled his pain.

That's not going to be enough. Alyssa noted. But judging by his pain, I don't think I can heal all his wounds with just Healing Touch.

"Regeneration!" The Queen cast next, hoping that enhancing Ghost's own supernatural healing would do the trick. It would not be spontaneous like it would with Healing Touch but the effect should be more powerful. By the relieved growl that Ghost gave as the spell took hold, she had done it right.

"Is anyone else injured?" Alyssa asked belatedly, looking between Loras and Ser Wendel.

Both knights shook their heads.

"What was that, your grace?" Loras asked though. "I thought you were the only mage in Westeros."

"I don't know, Loras." Alyssa admitted. "If I'd hazard a guess that was the Red Priestess Stannis has admitted into his court that we've heard so much about."

"The one we think created that thing which killed Renly?"

"The same." Alyssa told him with a nod.

"Then we must be careful when fighting Stannis, your grace. We have no experience fighting another magician."

"We will Ser Wendel," Alyssa assured him as Ghost made it back to the relative safety of the air above their own fleet which by now was already landing their first troops on Dragonstone. "We will."

The next day on the captured island, Alyssa took stock of the situation with Lords Velaryon, Celtigar, Bar Emmon and Sunglass on the cliff that Ghost claimed for his own. While her magic and his own supernatural healing meant he was no longer injured, Alyssa was worried enough that she had spent all her time on the island by his side even sleeping in a tent set up beside his lair rather than inside the island's castle.

"We're confirmed through interrogation of the survivors we fished out of the Blackwater that Stannis, his wife Selyse and the Red Priestess have managed to escape." The man with long, fair hair that showcased his Valyrian heritage that was Lord Velaryon informed her. "However, we did manage to capture his daughter, Shireen Baratheon."

"She was not with her parents?" Alyssa asked, surprised by this development.

"Apparently in a bid to increase the chances for someone in his family surviving in case of an attack by dragon, Stannis acting on the advice of his Red Priestess split his family up and sent them to separate ships." Lord Celtigar explained. "At least that's what the girl said her father told her."

Alyssa nodded.

"What should we do with Lady Shireen, your grace?" The plump Lord Duram Bar Emmon asked.

"In order to ensure her safety and to strengthen my claim on the Stormlands, I intend to take her as a concubine."

If Margey insists I go through with this idea then I might as well go all the way.

Lord Sunglass looked disapproving and Lord Bar Emmon uncomfortable at her declaration.

"A wise move, your grace." Lord Velaryon expressed his support, to Alyssa's surprise, even as Lord Celtigar nodded his agreement.

"Thank you, Lord Velaryon." She told him sincerely before moving on before Sunglass or Bar Emmon could comment. "As for the island itself, until such time as a proper castellan can be appointed for Dragonstone to hold it for me and my child, I'll be placing it under the management of Lord Velaryon as Driftmark is the nearest seat."

"It would be my honor, your grace."

"I trust that you will do brilliantly, Lord Velaryon. Though whilst you are in charge I would like you to start mining the dragonglass from the old tunnels beneath the mountain."

"To what ends?"

"They will be used to make weapons for a war to come."

Velaryon, all the lords really, looked at her skeptically.

I suppose I'll have to sweeten the deal.

"To facilitate the mining operations, the Crown will cover the costs and pay market price for all the dragonglass extracted."

"That is very generous, your grace." Velaryon blinked in surprise. Market price for dragonglass was not an insubstantial amount. Whilst not highly sought after, the material was often used in exotic jewelry or weapons and commanded a decent price. Considering the amount of dragonglass that could be mined from Dragonstone, paying market price for what was extracted would make the venture quite profitable indeed. Of course the influx of all that obsidian into the market would inevitably drive prices down but not before Velaryon made a lot of gold.

It will be immensely costly. But it is a price we must pay to survive the Long Night.

"I know you do not believe me yet, my lords, but rest assured that we need the dragonglass." Alyssa told them firmly. "Now is there anything else that we need to urgently discuss?"

The four lords exchanged looks but one by one they shook their heads.

"Then," Alyssa said as she stood from the camp chair from whence she'd been holding council. "It is about time I met my new concubine."

Since her rescue from the Blackwater, Shireen had been held in her old rooms in the castle and kept under constant guard. It was thus there that Alyssa met the girl with blue eyes, a square, jutting jaw inherited from her father, and a pair of large ears as she cowered away from her even as they sat across from her in a quaint sitting room. The sight almost broke Alyssa's heart, she was terrifying the poor adorable little thing.

"You are afraid of me," Alyssa noted as she fought the urge to pull the younger girl into a comforting hug. "Why?"

"I-I- You almost killed me." Shireen stuttered out. "O-On the Blackwater."

"That's not it." Alyssa said, her eyes narrowed. "I've seen men and women traumatized by a near death experience. You do not look quite shaken enough for it."

The Baratheon girl flinched at that, probably not expected to be called out on her lie. Gritting her teeth, the girl tried another.

"I-I'm just upset at being separated from my parents a-and the death of my friend, Patchface. He was on my ship with me but he d-did not make it."

"The court fool?" Alyssa asked and Shireen nodded even as she rubbed tears away from her eyes. "That is part of it, I think. You do genuinely feel distraught over his death but I suspect there is something."

Shireen looked like a startled doe at once more being called out, but to her credit she recovered quickly and sucked in a deep fortifying breath.

"You want the t-truth?" She asked, actively trembling.

"Yes." Alyssa told her sternly.

"I-I'm afraid of b-becoming like Myrcella."

"My concubine?" Shireen nodded. "That is what I have planned for you."

Shireen recoiled away from Alyssa in fear, rocking her chair back so badly that it only barely avoided toppling over.

"Don't be afraid." Alyssa said coaxingly, calling on all her experience dealing with younger siblings from both her lives whilst simultaneously cursing Margey's idea to the Nine Hells. "The title of concubine is merely ceremonial, part of my attempt to secure the Seven Kingdoms. An empty fiction if you will."

Shireen just shook her head in disbelief and Alyssa was tempted to just scrap the idea entirely. Stannis' daughter was a very sweet girl, Alyssa could tell that much, and it pained her to see her so distraught. But doing so would mean she had to back down from an idea she'd already publicly informed her lords about. She simply could not allow such a display of weakness.

Maybe there's another way to win Shireen over.

"Healing Touch." Alyssa cast suddenly and reached out with her glowing hands to touch the cracked and flaking, gray and black skin that were the Grayscale scars which covered most of Shireen's left cheek and much of her neck.

"What are you doing?" Shireen cried out in alarm.

"Look," Alyssa told her as she use Levitate to pull a hand mirror over and Shireen fearfully obeyed only to gasp in shock at the sight.

Alyssa's healing spell had caused the scarred skin that dominated her left cheek and most of her neck to glow and the edges to flake away, revealing unblemished normal skin beneath.

"H-How?" Shireen asked in breathless shock as the light of Alyssa's spell faded and she pulled away.

"Healing Magic," Alyssa told her, handing Shireen the mirror . "I don't know much but I do have a few spells. It seems a single spell isn't nearly enough but I'm sure with repeated application I can remove those scars entirely."

Shireen touched her left cheek experimentally as she surveyed the change with the help of the mirror.

"It's shrunk." Shireen gasped in disbelief. "It's really shrunk. And the new skin. It feels normal!"

"Yes, it has." Alyssa told her gently. "And like I said, with a few more treatments I think I can get rid of them completely."

"Yes! Please!" Shireen said, prostrating herself before Alyssa. "Do that, your grace, and I'd do anything you ask."

Alyssa just blinked in confusion.

I didn't think healing her would be this effective. I guess it was affecting her more than anyone expected.

Leaning down, Alyssa pulled the girl to her feet and acting on an impulse that she didn't even fully understand kissed her. She fully expected Shireen to pull away in shock despite her words but instead, the Baratheon was only shocked for a moment before she tried to return the kiss in her own inexperienced way. The two girls were so preoccupied that neither noticed the sparks of magic that arced between their lips as they kissed and the few servants present were completely blind to their presence.

When they finally pulled apart, Shireen collapsed into Alyssa's front.

"That was amazing!" The Baratheon girl said in a soft voice. "Can we do it again?"

"If you'd like." Alyssa said with an amused grin, even as Shireen was already moving to kiss her again.

The two would spend the next couple hours kissing, much to Nameless' great amusement as he watched unseen.

While the Queen was on Dragonstone getting to know her newest concubine, Margaery had just arrived in King's Landing and was busy readying the Red Keep for its new lady. This involved much remodeling of the royal quarters of course, and an expansion as required by the plan for a harem like she'd convinced Alys to form. But more important than that was the human element, which was why she had summoned Lady Jeyne Darry to meet with her in the privacy of what would soon be Alys' royal bedchamber.

"You summoned me, my lady?" Lady Darry greeted Margaery with a perfect curtsy as she entered the room.

"Yes, close the door behind you would you?" Margaery asked as she surveyed the room and took note of what changes to make that would make it more amenable to Alys' tastes.

Less ostentatious for a start. The Tyrell thought as she frowned in distaste at the sheer amount of gold on display. I'm nowhere as austere in my tastes as Alys and even I find this extravagant.

"We're alone, Lady Margaery." Lady Darry declared a moment later, pulling Margaery from her thoughts about remodeling.

"Good." The Queen's Mistress said as she turned to face the other woman. "Now let's talk about you feelings for Alys."

Her fellow brunette startled at the blunt statement but contrary to Margaery's expectations did not deny her feelings.

"I'm sorry, my lady." The Riverlander said with a deep bow. "I can't help how-"

"Stop." Margaery said before the other woman could work herself up. "You misunderstand. I did not summon you to reprove you. In fact I approve of your feelings for our Queen."

Lady Jeyne just looked at her with a stupefied cast to her face that made Margaery giggle and understand, at least somewhat, the affection her lover had for this woman.

"How can you be alright with someone else being in love with your lover while being in close proximity to her?"

Margaery just shrugged.

"Did you know I fell in love with Alys at first sight?"

"The same for me."

"Did you now, Jeyne? You don't mind if I call you that? You can call me Margaery or Margey if you'd like in return."

"Uh, yes, um, Margaery." Jeyne said and Margaery pouted at her choice to use the less intimate name. "I did. Fall in love with Alys at first sight I mean."

"I thought so," Margaery nodded. "She tells me it's because of her magic. It reaches out to people who are compatible with her and brings them in. I don't know if I believe her. And I don't care either way. I love her and that's that. But if it is true, and it very well might, than it raises a problem."

"A problem?"

"Yes. Magic or not, Alys is still attracting and is attracted to other women even after we became lovers. And I know she's been resisting it, but she shouldn't have to. I love her too much to ask her to deny herself." Margaery said, voicing her honest feelings. Her grandmother hadn't understood when she'd tried to explain it to her as part of convincing her to support her plan for a harem but she had a feeling Jeyne might.

"I know what you mean," the other woman said, proving Margaery right. "I don't think I could deny Alys anything she asked, but she's never asked anything."

"And she won't." Margaery said with a sigh at her annoyingly stubborn lover. "That's why we must be the ones to be bold here."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

Margaery just offered Jeyne a coy look. "Did you know that on more than one occasion Alys called out your name when we were making love?"

Jeyne looked horrified and opened her mouth to say something apologetic but Margaery silenced her by putting a hand over her mouth, and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Our Kings of the past had many multiple mistresses, why can't a Queen? I've already gotten her started with Myrcella. Why hesitate to join in?"

The Riverlander didn't need more convincing than that.

That night, Jeyne sat nervously in the Queen's bedchambers naked and second guessing agreeing to Margaery's suggestion.

T-This is stupid. This is no way to get Alys to take me as her woman. I'll just come across as a whore! Jeyne thought as she stood to get dressed and leave when the door to the room opened and Alys's familiar voice gasped in surprise.

Jeyne spun to her to find the Queen standing in the door with Margaery who was smiling like a cat that got the cream.

"Jeyne? Are you sure?" Alys asked breathlessly as she walked towards her while Margaery closed the door behind them.

Despite her earlier doubts, Jeyne didn't hesitate. "Yes."

The next day, Jeyne woke up in the Queen's bed with her naked back pressed into Alys's front.

"Morning Jeyne." Margey greeted as she sat on the side of the bed and was wiping herself down with a washcloth.

"M-morning." Jeyne stuttered as the sight of Queen's Mistress' naked body reminded her of just what they'd done, all three of them, the night before.

"Morning~!" Alys said with a yawn as she let go of Jeyne and pushed herself into a sitting position.

"Morning," Jeyne joined Margey with more confidence. She might be uncertain about sharing the Tyrell heiress' bed but she had no doubts about having made love to her Queen.

"Shall I call for a bath for us?" Margey said, slipping on a robe that she'd laid out on a nearby chair.

"Yes please." Alys said as she slipped out of the bed and stretched, giving both her lovers quite the show. "Make it an extra large one. All three of us can share it. It'll be quicker."

"Alys!" Jeyne said sitting up at last and shooting the Queen a look. "The servants will talk!"

"Let them." Alys said dismissively as she walked over to the washbasin that Margey was using earlier. "Besides Marge called a servant to get this water and towels for us right?"

"I did." Margey agreed before she poked her head out into the antechamber and began relaying Alyssa's orders for a bath.

"Then the servants already know."

Jeyne put her head in her hands.

"So we're just going to be shameless about this?"

"If loving you is shameful, then I'll brave being called a harlot." Alys said confidently as she began cleaning herself of the secretions of their lovemaking with one of the two unused towels by the basin.

"I've already been called worse." Margey said with a shrug as she came and took hold of Jeyne's hands.

Giving them a comforting squeeze, she pulled her off the bed. "We really don't mind and you shouldn't either."

"Exactly." Alys said handing Jeyne the last towel. "Now clean up. As much as I would like to spend the whole day in here ravishing and being ravished by you two, I have work to do and as my handmaiden you'll need to accompany me."

Accepting the already helpfully dampened washcloth, Jeyne began cleaning herself.

"Let's just hope the High Septon does not decide this is too much and finally decides to act."

Watching the three women as they cleaned up, an invisible Nameless chuckled knowingly before retreating entirely.

Done!

Some might be wondering what is going on with Nameless and setting Alyssa up with multiple women. The simple answer is I like harems and wanted it included, so there! The second is a little more complex. Basically, its commentary about two things:

i) Railroading of plot points. I think all writers, at some point or another, is guilty of this. Nameless' (aka me) heavy handedness in how he's engineering things so Alyssa gets the lesbian harem outcome he wants is my attempt to point out how it can happen. I tried to make it heavy handed enough for it to obvious but logical enough to not be a stretch within the world of the story. Because I think we can all agree that a ROB with no qualms about interfering repeatedly would totally do something like this.

ii) The absurdity of harems without some kind of magic or massive power disparity involved. Not saying it isn't possible as multi-partner relationships are a thing. However, they are vanishingly rare. Thus to facilitate the one Nameless (aka me) wants, he had to resort to magic to get it to work. And as you can see he's increasingly moving away from subtly nudging Alyssa towards the women he wants her to hook up with to full blown mental and emotional manipulation via magic. Something that folds back to the other point quite nicely.

Long AN is long. So I think I'll not make it even longer and sign off here. Till next time antio sas!