Somewhere in the Riverlands
Robb Stark
The Riverlands were almost destroyed, the Freys were the new Lords of the trident and were trying to take Riverrun, his granduncle was there holding his home, and Robb was in the woods with a company of outlaws, men that his father sent to protect these lands, now, they were protecting the people.
The thoughts lf Winterfell always brought tears to his eyes, the only home he ever knew, the castle where he grew up and played was gone, his brothers were alone there and he failed them, he had a wife that was with child, but he couldn't see her. The bitter thought of vengeance came then Lannisters and Freys they were all the same, but then he remembered how alone he was, his most trusted Lords were prisoners too in the Twins' dungeons, Roose Bolton ruled the North and his bastard terrorised the people.
"You must feel weird, now that you're free." Thoros of Myr, a red priest, said with his voice, Robb always thought of him as a drunk, but the man was more than that.
"I'm not free if I can't go home without being persecuted, that's not freedom." He replied bitterly.
"Of course not, but the Lord of light brought you here for a reason." The priest replied.
"Your Lord didn't drag me into the forests, you did." His anger was arousing.
"At least you're not in a cage anymore... something important is going to happen, I don't know when, but it's coming." Thoros warned.
"I just want to go home, raise my children there, take my wife with me." He said and the sadness came again.
"But you can't." Thoros said and crushed his dreams, "But Beric has been thinking and so am I." He stopped for a second, "Something inside me feels that the Lord want us to go to Riverrun, to help a Lord who really cared for his people. Do you know any man with such kind heart?" the priest asked giving him a knowing look.
Robb's heart was rushing with the news, his uncle Edmure was holding Riverrun and he let his people in even when many lords said that it was a terrible idea, but they were his people, a lord that doesn't care about his people is not worthy of that people, Robb understood that very well. "when are we leaving for Riverrun?" he asked excited.
"Tomorrow... Probably" Thoros said as he drank from a leather, Robb always saw him drinking, Ned Dayne told him once that he drank to forget the visions he saw in the fire. "First, we need to take care of our new prisoner." The priest said getting on his feet.
"A new prisoner?" he asked confused, they didn't took many prisoners, he followed Thoros to a clear were the brothers stood in a circle with torches, he found Lord Beric Dondarrion and his squire Ned there.
In the middle of the clear was a man tied with ropes and with a bag covering his head, he looked enormous even sitting on the floor. "And who's that?" he asked.
"The Hound, they found him getting out of a tavern full of dead Lannisters." Ned told him with notorious excitement.
"You stand here to be judged, Sandor Clegane" Lord Beric said solemnly. "As a Lannister Bannerman you are responsible too for the murdering of this innocent people and you'll be executed."
"Fuck off Dondarrion, I will not be executed by a one eyed cunt like you, not without a fair trial." The hound said bitterly. "I demand a trial by combat!" he barked surprising all the brothers.
"Your not in such position, Clegane, you can't ask for a trial by combat." Thores said mockingly.
"If the man wants a trial by combat you should accept his demand, he killed Lannister soldiers just like we did." Robb said to Lord Beric.
"What Robb says is true, my Lord." Ned supported his idea making him feel good, Ned was like a little brother for Robb, he reminded him of Brann, and Robb told him everything he knew about Arthur Dayne, Ned's uncle and favourite hero.
"The Lord of light doesn't approve trials by combat, but this man has grown in the faith of the seven, I'll be the Lord of light's champion." Beric declared as he walked towards Sandor. "Ned get this man a shield and a sword." The Lord ordered and the squire obeyed immediately.
Moments later both fighters were ready, Robb never believed his father's story about Thoros and his flaming sword during the Greyjoy rebellion, but Beric proved that his father was saying the truth back then when he just slid his hand along the edge of his sword and it lit on fire, magic, a trick or just faith, Robb didn't know the answer.
Robb noticed how terrified the Hound was with Beric's sword when he blocked one of his blows and his shield started burning, Joffrey's dog panicked then and dropped the shield, fear in his eyes and face. Beric kept swinging his flamming sword, but when you make a man face his fears, you must be ready to face the consequences of that, because the only time that a man can be brave is when he is afraid.
The hound blocked every blow until he became more aggressive, soon he started to deliver heavy blows that Beric could hardly block, the burned man was immersed on a frenzy blow after blow each one heavier than the least, he made Beric stumble and then a final blow found its way through Beric's shoulder and sword, a gruesome injury that killed the one eyed lord immediately, he remembered the Mountain, the Clegane brothers were stronger than most men in Westeros, if Sandor could almost cut Beric in two, then his late brother would have accomplished such brutal action easily.
Beric fell on his face and Thoros immediately ran and started whispering in his ear, Robb didn't hear the words and noticed how the hound looked like a beaten dog even after winning the trial by combat, there in the woods with the stars above the man looked tired of fighting, tired of killing he had a soft expression on his face.
"We should avenge Lord Beric! Kill him!" a man of the brotherhood exclaimed angrily and many men unsheathed their swords to fight against the man who killed their leader, it was then that Robb heard something that made him doubt about everything he knew.
"Nobody will hurt that man." Lord Beric Dondarrion said, his breath looked hard, like a man who just charged to battle, and he was alive and unharmed. "The man won his trial."
"Lord Beric... How?" Robb asked amazed.
"The Lord of light has a plan for each one of us, Lord Stark, my time to die has not come yet." Beric replied smiling. He walked toward the hound then " Now, Sandor Clegane, you're free to go, or to join us." The invitation surprised Robb, the man had just killed him and now Beric was convincing him to join them.
"I don't need to be part a fucking cult of fire worshippers." The hound said bitterly and walked away into the woods.
Meereen
Jon Snow
"Keep your bow arm steady" he said with a little note of frustration, he remembered when he was a boy shooting arrows in Winterfell, how he and Robb used to laugh during Bran's practice, how Theon never missed a shot. He grew angry with all the things he lost during the war.
"But it's hard!" a sweet voice replied, Dany was wearing her armour and practicing, she struggled aiming at the target, but she knew how to shoot properly. "And you're not helping with that bad mood" she said annoyed.
"How is it possible? You're probably the only Queen right now that is learning how to use a bow" Jon chuckled.
"Because I don't want to rely just in my soldiers, I need to know to fight beside them, how to protect myself and my family." She said proudly, and shoot another arrow. Her stubbornness made Jon feel comfortable, he always looked at him as a stubborn boy.
"They will fear you even more then." Jon chuckled as he took the bow from her hands and left it in a chest made specially for that bow made of Dragon bone, it was white as snow, stronger than any other bow, but more flexible too. Dany walked closer and placed a small and shy kiss on his lips, the sweetest kiss, Lyra came to his mind then, the long dead warrior that he met when he was just a boy with a hatchling and Direwolf pup, but another kiss brought him back from his memories it was more intense, an invitation to loose control, she bit his lower lip as they parted, the subtle pain made him look for more in those soft lips, when they kissed everything went quiet, he remembered the dark place where he was after being betrayed, surrounded by silence, but now he heard her breathing and her heart rushing, they were young, isn't supposed to love when one is young?
But he just enjoyed kissing her, both agreed to keep a low profile, she was the queen and most of the people knew him as a Bastard knight, his mother's leather meant nothing for the realms, a Septon couldn't nullify a marriage just because a man escaped with another woman, things didn't work like that, and to a certain extent they were right.
But that wouldn't stop him from being officially legitimised once they got to Westeros, once she sat on the Iron Throne. Also, a single Queen was a good way to get allies.
They separated after a few more kisses and left the Great Pyramid's garden to take care of the city, they had seventy thousand soldiers from New Ghis and Volantis marching against them and two fleets ready to block their docks. The sons of the Harpy were almost gone, but they needed to destroy the Harpy once and for all, to grant the freedmen the peace that they promised when they took the city with their help.
He found Arthur speaking with Maester Aemon in the courtyard, the old maester was growing weaker by every passing day, he was almost toothless and hairless, but his face inspired happiness and serenity in everyone who looked at the weak old man.
"Maester Aemon, I need your advice." He said respectfully, a little nervous.
"What can an old man like me do for such a young man like you?" the Maester replied as he chuckled, the man was happy despite of the heat of the East.
"You're a Maester, and you're the oldest man alive that I know." He said as part of his introduction "I... I'm prince Rhaegar's son, but my mother was Lyanna Stark, my family always told me that I was a true born son, b—" he said, but the old man was faster understanding his words.
"But you're a bastard, Jon Snow." He said more seriously, Jon didn't like to hear that. "Don't be offended by my words, boy, it's the true, a royal marriage can't be annulled without a reasonable cause, it doesn't matter for the citadel if your parents were married when you were born, you're still a bastard in their eyes and, in consequence, in the eyes of the Southern kingdoms, specially in Dorne." The old dragon said wisely, a hard truth that had to be told sooner or later.
"But Rhaegar loved Lyanna, he ordered me to protect her, she was his wife" Arthur said confused.
"Your friendship blinded you, Arthur, I cannot enjoy this, the last male of our line is a bastard in the eyes of Westeros." Maester Aemon said a little disappointed. "But... You have a dragon, just like your aunt, you just need to be legitimised publicly, but not here, in our homeland once Daenerys is recognised as the rightful queen, then you will be a legitimised Targaryen."
"I understand." Jon said with a note of disappointment in his voice, the conversation made him feel useless in a certain way, Robb crowned him because they thought that he was a true born son. "Why should I accept those things? Why being called a bastard when my parents loved each other?" he asked bitterly.
"Because you have grown living a bastard's life, my boy." The maester reached for Jon's face then "for many years, you were a bastard, until someone told you the truth about your sire, but you came at me as a bastard first, you travelled with Arthur through the North as a bastard, even now you feel more comfortable with your Bastard name." Aemon gave him an authentic smile. "There's a moment in every man's life that he most choose, duty or love? Honour or family? Your moment is yet to come, Jon Snow, let your actions speak for you, look at all the things you have done without being called Aemon Targaryen, all your actions have brought you to this moment." The maester filled Jon with wisdom, in certain way he was right, he never felt identified with his real name, even Dany called him Jon.
"But then no matter what I do or not, my enemies will always look at me as a bastard." He replied
"Your enemies will say many things about you, that's why they are your enemies, one day they can say that you're a demon, that you turn into a dragon to burn villages, it doesn't matter if your name is Aemon Targaryen or Jon Snow, they would find a way to undermine your reputation, like your uncle, who was forced to admit a charge for treason by that boy King." He added and calmed Jon.
"I don't know if I can accept that." Jon said disappointed.
"And yet you must, we must make sacrifices to succeed, imagine a life without sacrifices, without effort, Honour wold come easier then and men like you, or Arthur wouldn't be so important then." The Maester made Jon see reason with his words.
He liked his bastard name, he grew used to it, it was part of him, just like the name his mother gave him, Aemon or Jon, Snow or Targaryen it didn't matter, he knew who he was and what he was capable of. "Thank you, Maester." He said politely and raised from his chair.
"There's one thing that I need to tell you, boy, let me see your hands" the old man said. He touched Jon's hands and grabbed the one with a burn scar very tight. "Do you remember how you earned this scar?" he asked.
Jon gave him a puzzled look, but immediately understood the Maester's point. "The night that Lord Commander Mormont was attacked by wights."
Aemon nodded then. "As you already know, the Night's watch is already gone, your uncle disappeared beyond the wall and now the Wildlings live in the Wall, sooner or later the Stark words become truth, Winter is almost upon our home, my boy, and we must be united to face it as one." Aemon spoke seriously, Jon imagined all the things that the old Maester had seen at Wall before leaving, a shiver travelled down his spine with the memory of a dead man attacking Lord Commander Mormont.
"I'll do my best to convince the queen, uncle Aemon." He said.
"Of course you will, Ser Jon." The old man replied and his smile returned.
Somewhere near to Meeren
Tyrion Lannister
When Oberyn took him with Varys he laughed so hard that he almost pissed himself, a truly bad joke was that, then he travelled in a box through the Narrow Sea toward Pentos, he was Illyrio Mopatis guest, but he didn't like the man with his oiled beard, he was a slaver after all, and the man who sold Daenerys Targaryen to a Dothraki warlord.
And now he was almost there, in Meereen, thinking about Tysha at every moment, thinking about how bitter life, he cursed the gods then, if they existed. He was surrounded by gold, the banner of a dragon too, a Targaryen dragon.
"We are moving, Lord Tyrion" Ser Rolly Duckfield said, the Smith's son from the reach was his companion in the Shy Maid, the galley they used to get to Volantis with them, Griff and Young Griff.
Stupid names of course, but he didn't expect anything else of Jon Connington, the former Lord of Griffin's roost, but the boy was something different, Jon Connington protected him like a father protects his son, the boy who showed his silver hair now that the blue dye was starting to disappear, he truly had some Targaryen features, but what convinced Tyrion were his dark blue eyes, they looked almost lilac, not that he had much time to observe him, he was always with Jon, Rolly or his Septa.
Now they were marching to get Daenerys Targaryen's hand, with her Jon and Ser Harry Strickland, the general Captain of the Golden company, expected to solidify Aegon's claim, prove that he wasn't a pretender, that he luckily survived thanks to Varys. He was traveling with the most important sellsword company in Essos, a company that swore to give Aegon the Seven kingdoms, a company full of men who had fallen in disgrace and just wanted to go home.
They walked through the camp looking for Jon Connington, even if Duck was friendly, Tyrion understood his situation, he was a prisoner, maybe a hostage or an offering for Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons. "So, how much until we reach Meereen?" He asked politely.
Rolly just shrugged at that, "I'm not sure, maybe half day." He said. "Griff would like to warn Queen Daenerys about the enemies, I heard that they hired a khalasar to attack the city."
Dothraki fighting Dothraki, Tyrion wasn't surprised that was what they were used to, only when Daenerys Targaryen walled out of a burning tent they submitted at her, but there were more than just forty thousand Dothraki in the World.
"Rolly! Take that imp and tie his hands I don't want him to run away!" Jon Connington barked the orders, he clearly wasn't very fond of the Lannisters after what they did during the Sack of Landing, where his silver Prince's family got murdered under his Lord Father's orders.
Rolly tied his hands tight and locked him in a carriage, it had fancy seats with pillows and colored glasses in the windows, and had that smell, the same smell that he recognised from King's Landing and Illyrio Mopatis manse, perfume, Varys perfume. "I didn't know that you were here." He said with mistrust.
"The Prince needs all the help that he can get to convince his aunt of marrying him, even more with this Jon Snow as one of his sworn swords." Varys replied with his soft tone.
"Oh, so the boy is alive, it wil be fun to see Rhaegar's heir meet his brother." He said sarcastically, he knew that Jon's presence would make everything harder.
"Bastard brother, Lord Tyrion, that boy has no legitimacy in the eyes of the Seven and, in consequence, in the eyes of the south, much less in Dorne, but prince Aegon is Ellia's son, he's the only one that can keep Dorne as part of the seven kingdoms right now." The eunuch spoke with something that Tyrion could have said was excitement, but he knew Varys better than that, he just wanted a puppet to reign.
"I guess that you're forgetting about the North, Jon Snow can keep the biggest of the Seven Kingdoms in the Seven kingdoms if he gets crowned." Tyrion argued.
"The prince knows about Sansa Stark's presence in Meereen, we just need to take her with us to cooperate, with Robb Stark missing, and his brothers as well, she's the key to take the north." The spider was smarter than most men in Westeros, but Tyrion knew that he wasn't speaking with the truth, he always kept his plans in secret. "Jon Snow will see to that if prince Aegon offers him to be legitimised as his brother, it's said that he's a good fighter, that he's pure will and determination, maybe a new Orys Baratheon." Varys smiled at that and so he did.
"Volantis, New Ghis, a khalasar and the Yunkai masters are preparing to march over Meereen, looks like a difficult situation" he chuckled then, "And what about that disease, the white mare was its name?"
"Pale Mare... that's why Harry Strickland ordered his men to be careful of what they eat or drink, this disease just needs a corpse to destroy a city, Astapor is now a graveyard because of it." Varys said seriously.
"And this Aegon will save the city where his aunt reigns in order to hive her favor..." se said.
"Indeed, Lord Tyrion, indeed."
Meereen
Daenerys Targaryen
"Dragons are mighty creatures, your grace, burn the Green Grace and end this shadow war once and for all." Ser Jorah suggested as they rode to the plaza where the execution would take place.
"And then I'll become like my father used to be." She replied at Ser Jorah's suggestion.
"Not necessarily, child" a weak old voice came from the litter where Maester Aemon was.
"What do you mean, uncle Aemon?" she asked puzzled.
"You can make a difference, a common prisoner doesn't need to die by dragon fire, but this... Green Grace, isn't a common prisoner isn't she?" the maester asked her.
"She's the Harpy." She replied "killing her would destroy the Sons of the Harpy"
The old Maester nodded "Indeed, her death would send a message to those who fight for her." He said, "But when is enough? When do we must stop?" he asked.
"When all of them had bend the knee to us again." She said naively.
"Wrong, child!" Maester replied with enthusiasm "In that case you will never stop burning people, you can burn an authority, but you must speak with your council before making a decision, your father isolated himself, he saw enemies in every shadow, even the mice were his enemies by the end of his life, you must learn to hear the people, every decision we take has consequences, child." The maester said the truth that was so hard to tell, she never heard Ser Jorah or Ser Oswell complain or contradict her orders, just Rhaella, her mother stopped her some times of making mistakes and now Jon was giving her counsel in the same way.
"How are you feeling, Maester?" she asked curious, the old man looked weak and yet Dany fekt that he had something to live for.
"Like a hundred year old man in the dessert waiting to die" Aemon said with a teasing tone that made her smile, it wasn't a happy smile but a sad one, she desired that he could live forever, that he could talk to her about their family, but time was cruel thing.
They arrived at the plaza where the execution would take place, some of the freed men built a platform for the execution, the Green Grace, the Shavepate and Hizdahr were already there on their knees guarded by her Unsullied, Ser Jorah and Jon, a handsome man for sure clad in his armor, it wasn't a shiny one like Ser Barristan's, it had marks of some fights in the shoulder plates, his vambraces where scratched and some parts lost their scales showing the chainmail he wore, his eyes looked beautiful, looking directly at her from head to toes, his eyes could melt even the coldest ice, his long shaped face marked with scars of his battles just made her feel more attracted towards him, as always, he was frowning, brooding, trying to find answers that were hard to find.
She climbed down of her Silver to be received with a cheering multitude, many called for her saying Mhysa, and many cheered at Jon calling him by his Surname, Snow.
She wore a red gown made of silk, her house sigil embroidered in the chest, its sleeves only covered her from shoulder to elbow, her necklace looked like the collars that her people was forced to use for so many years, a tribute to all those who lived and died in chains, her silver blonde mane was braided and decorated with two red flowers, one on each temple.
She walked upstairs and now was standing next to the prisoners, she gave a speech about treason and how important was the safety of the city for her, the crowd cheered and then the moment came, the moment to claim the life of her enemies, the life of the Harpy. She focused then in calling Balerion not with words, but with her thought, she wasn't a warg like those of the Westerosi legends, she just bonded with her son and felt his presence just like he felt her own.
Soon after that a screech pierced the air and the sound of a pair of wings flapping grew louder, the people was scared and made space to let the formidable dragon land, her son's onyx scales were getting thicker, her fangs where of the size of person and his spines where sharp and dreadful.
She walked towards her son and patted him on his snout, Balerion let out smoke from his nostrils as he growled softly, not threateningly, it sounded more like a little kitten thanking her for her affection. "Ser Jorah, bring here the Green Grace" she commanded regally. And the Bear knight obeyed without hesitation.
"This is what happens when you claim lives that aren't yours." She said coldly in Valyrian. "Balerion, Dracarys" she commanded and her dragon obeyed, he rose his head a little pulling it backwards at the same time and then his black and Red fire consumed the Green Grace, it didn't last long, just a small column of fire and her bones turned to mere ashes.
"This is the price of the old world some of you chose to live in, that world is gone." She said and looked at Jon, he looked displeased, but carried out his duty without second thoughts, he unsheathed his sword and at her signal the Shavepate's head was rolling down the platform, then was Hizdahr's time and again a head rolled on the ground, the people cheered and screamed shaking their hands.
But Dany wasn't happy, the smell of smoke and charred bones made her think about her, was she better than her father? Jon carried her away from her thoughts when he brought her silver and helped her to climb on it, the heads were placed on spikes in the main gate as a sign for the enemies that were marching on them, she needed to be stronger, she wasn't her father, she was able to hear her advisors to take a decision, she smiled at the people then and shook their many of their hands, Jon rode behind her escorting Maester Aemon.
"The Queen's justice" her mother said looking proud at her.
"The people's justice, mother." She said and smiled at her.
Hours later she found Jon in the gardens caressing Ghost's fur, the wolf was amazingly big, just like a small horse, but silent like a ghost, its red eyes could pierce her and send shivers down her spine.
Soon Jon noticed her presence, and so did Ghost who only showed his tongue in a sign of happiness. "You ignored my counsel..."
"I did what I thought was right, I will not burn people for fun or without asking your opinion." She replied angrily. "We can't be afraid of who we are, Jon." She said putting his face between her hands, his beard wasn't long enough and tickled her hands palms.
"A queen and a Bastard." He said softly and smiled at her, a smile that melt her, that made her heart rush, she felt like a little girl with him, they were so young and yet they suffered too much. "I've been thinking about it, maybe all of Westeros remembers me as a bastard now." He said a little pained, her heart clenched at that, after so much suffering the man she fell in love with was right, a letter couldn't change the Realm's opinion.
"I don't love you for who you are." She assured him "I love you for the things you have achieved, because just like me, you make impossible things possible." She said and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "If we look back, we're lost" she told him softly.
"Your Grace, with your permission I –" Ser Oswell interrupted himself and apologized for interrupting them.
"what happened, Ser Oswell?" she asked patiently.
"The Golden Company is coming, the riders say that they carry a Banner of your House with them, Your Grace." The knight said quickly.
Dany looked at Jon with puzzled eyes, he felt confused with the news, the Golden Company refused to help his brother when she was just a girl and now they were marching with her House's banner, nothing made sense, but Jon's hand grip on her own made her feel secure, made her feel like the Queen she was.
