Game of Thrones
The Moon's Child
Chapter 1
The Child
The Gift- 303 AC
Alone, on a hard wooden table at the edge of the world, a man lays still. His body scarred and cold to the touch, the man naked, save for a cloth to cover his modesty, has been left to rest. Killed by his own brothers, his watch has ended. At least it should have. Earlier in the night some words had been spoken, some rituals followed, and a true believer, strong in Magic had sought to retrieve the man from death. And with a sharp intake of breath his dark eyes opened to the world once more.
But this is not his story… not entirely. His Father had declared him the Prince who was Promised, and certainly, only a man of destiny could escape death's clutches, but can anyone be sure nothing else came back with him.
Further South of our recently revived Prince, though still in the shadow of The Wall he served at, another life springs forth in the Gift. The Gift was not of the North, nor was it Beyond the Wall, it was a land between worlds. And here in a long abandoned settlement we find two young women. One laying on her back in some hay, her legs spread, her brow soaked with sweat as the pain courses through her body. "Push" The other woman pleads. "Push Nayla".
"There's too much blood" The woman half whispered "I'm feeling tired"
"No…" Her companion wept "Look… the babies coming I can see its head. On more push Nayla." For what seemed like an eternity the woman continued to push, until finally the baby was breathing the cold night air. Gathering the infant in furs and cutting the chord with a bone knife she handed the bundle to the exhausted mother. "It's a girl" She smiled. "You've got a baby girl Nayla."
"She's not crying." The woman breathed heavily "Why isn't my baby crying?"
"Shhh it's fine" Her companion reassured her "Look."
It was true, the babe did not make a sound, yet she looked up at her mother with serene blue eyes and seemed to smile. Reaching out with a tiny hand she seemed to grab at her mother's hair. Smiling with delight and crying with despair at the same time, the new mother reached out a hand to her companion "Lilly… take her. Make sure she lives long enough to have a name."
"No sister, you're going to be fine." The girl dismisses her "You just need to rest."
"I'm dying Lilly." She came back with a heavy sense of realisation "You are my baby sister, you have to take her. Go South… always South… there's no Walkers in the South… never let her forget her mother loves her ve….."
Emerging from their makeshift shelter in The Gift cradling the newborn infant in her arms. The girl, Lilly looks up at the night sky, with tears in her eyes she looks to the babe, and then up at the large hunters moon above her, and for the briefest of moments she could have sworn the moon bled.
…
Kings Landing
A far cry from his humble beginnings, a once humble Maester now servant to Royalty and a Master of Whispers goes about his work. Where once he worked in shadows, now he works in the splendour of the Red Keep. His subject, strapped to a bed continues to writhe as he runs a scalpel along the flesh again. "Do try to keep still." He sighed in a frustrated but still friendly tone "My friend, I know it hurts, but you have no idea how many will benefit from your sacrifice." He was about to insert the scalpel again when something caught his eye, leaving the poor soul strapped to his table he walked out onto his balcony, a smile crept across his face as he looked up at the moon. "Well, isn't that interesting."
…...
Old Town
"Arch Maester" an excited voice called out as he ran into the grand chamber of the citadel "The moon has bled"
"You are certain?"
"The observatory has confirmed it." The young Maester smiled "They haven't been this excited since the comet. This is a time of prophecy Maester Ebrose."
"Lets not get ahead of ourselves… Prophecy can be misleading to say the least."
….
Qarth
The House of the Undying, the stronghold of the Warlocks of Qarth for centuries, their numbers have dwindled in recent years, and since the dragons came to Qarth, their fearsome reputation had diminished somewhat. In an empty dimly lit room a lone figure sits crossed legged on the floor. His head shaved, his eyes sunken hollows and his lips an eerie shade of blue. He lifts his head slightly as the door to his chamber creeks open. A large form steps through the door, dressed in cloth of gold with a large curved sword at his belt, he had the look of a summer islander, yet wore the garb of a noble of Qarth.
The Warlock dips his head again "The King of Qarth." He spoke coldly
"Pyat Lynx" He replied in a stern voice "I must admit I preferred your predecessor's company to yours. What gives you the right to summon your King here."
His pale blue lips curled into a sinister smile "A child has been born Xaro Xohan Daxos, the moon has bled."
"That's not really my concern" The King shrugged
"When the sky last bled you became a King… and now with Princes who were Promised and Dragons back in the World… You could control so much more than Qarth."
"And what would your price be, Pyat Lynx?" The King eyed him suspiciously
"Just the child."
"Very well" He nodded
…..
Bravos
The House of Black and White, a temple to the Many Faced God, where its devotees can come for the ultimate gift. A small waif like girl drags yet another pilgrim from the pools to the preparation rooms. She turns to a man in a cloak who had been watching over her. "We've given a lot of gifts today." She grunted as she lifted the large man onto the table.
"Just so." The man nodded "It's a good job you have some help now."
The Waif looked over to the other novice they had been training with and shook her head "She's not one of us."
"Nor is this girl yet." The cloaked man laughed a little as he looked at the Waif
"It doesn't explain why there are so many." The Waif continued, as she pointed to the many visitors they were receiving.
"Just so." Her master nodded "The God of Death does not normally claim so many… Perhaps he has lost something."
…
Carcosa
On the shores of the Hidden Sea, nestled among the Mountains of the Morn, the legendary city of Carcosa stands eternal. Behind its solid walls, a golden castle stands on a floating island. Inside this castle, the 69th Yellow Emperor of Yi Ti rules his city with an iron fist.
In a forbidden chamber deep within the Castle's Bowels a dozen cloaked figures, each holding a torch stand in a circle, chanting in a long forgotten tongue. Two more hooded figures lead a young girl to the center of the circle. The girl is small, her delicate frame wrapped in simple white shift, free of adornment and jewellery she is left in the centre of the circle as the others continue to chant.
Finally another form enters the circle, a large powerfully built man, his jet black hair tied up into a bun. His skin a dark bronze, he wears golden armour over flowing yellow robes, two thin curved swords are attached to his belt. His fist is clenched around a bone handled dagger with a curved blade, his nails long, each finger adorned with a ring of gold.
He looks at the young girl for a time before she silently offers him her hand. Without hesitation he drew his bade across her hand, as the blood flowed he took a finger and began drawing strange symbols on his cheeks and forehead. The chanting from the circle became louder, the Yellow Emperor dropped to his knees and began chanting a spell of his own. Two hooded figures stepped forward, one handed the girl a smoking potion which she took and drank without hesitation, the second cut the white shift from her body, revealing strange symbols all over her now naked body. The potion began to take hold as he eyes rolled back into her head, she began chanting in tongues, the emperor rose to his feet, he cupped the girls cheek in his hand "Beloved daughter." He spoke warmly "Show me the secrets I seek." With a lightning quick movement of his wrist he drew the blade across the girl's throat. She gasped and collapsed, catching her in his arms the Yellow Emperor cradled her "Tell me daughter." As the blood drained from her body she brought her lips to her father's ears, and spoke so only he could hear her. "Of course." He whispered. The Emperor stood, soaked in his daughter's blood "The Moon Child has been born, in a place where wolves once walked, crows once flew and the dead covet. I will find the child."