Game of Thrones
The Moon's Child
Chapter 21
A Strange turn
304 AC- The Stormlands- Nightsong
He treads softly across the cold stone floor, dressed in elaborate robes with his hands concealed within his massive sleeves, his smooth bald head glistening slightly. He stops before a table and makes an elaborate bow.
"Reeve, it is an honor to meet you." His voice was warm, yet cold at the same time, a hint of menace beneath the sugar coated exterior. "Our Queen was grateful for your assistance."
"Thank you Lord Varys." Ky nodded, he sat at a small round table between Lilly and Albert.
"Though it is an honour to make your acquaintance, I was told I would be speaking to The Lord of Nightsong. Or his mother."
"They trust me with some small matters Lord Varys." Ky nodded towards a chair, indicating for the eunuch to sit "I'm sure you understand."
"More than you know." Varys smiled softly, "And you, dear lady." He turned his attention to Lilly "The Seven Kingdoms are brighter for your presence." He turned from Lilly to Albert, "And the silent partner, from Crackclaw Point to Stannis' Army to a Castle in Westeros. A fascinating journey."
"You're well informed." Albert replied suspiciously
"We share friends, the four of us." Varys smiled as he rested his hands in his lap "And they are very interested in your development."
"I can't imagine we mix in the same circles Lord Varys." Ky spoke up
"Perhaps not" Varys smiled "But we do walk in the same world. And I know nine people who have invested in the three of you."
"Are you one of the Nine?" Lilly blurted out
"No my dear." Varys' words were soft like velvet "But a very close friend of mine is. Do you know where I have just come from?" The three of them shook their heads. "King's Landing." He told them, his voice taking on some grandeur. "Our Queen, and Cersei Lannister have agreed to a truce."
"Good news for the Kingdoms" Ky said coldly
"They have agreed a truce so they can fight the dead." Varys said gravely "Not too long ago I would have found that statement ludicrous. But I saw one, up close and personal, I shudder to think what an army could do." Varys looked straight at Lilly, "This one knows, dress her up however you want, she is a Wildling though, I know, that she knows that what I am saying is the truth."
"I trust there's a point Lord Varys?" Ky asked
"Our Queen is leading the fight against the dead, with her two dragons."
"Two?" Albert asked "A few weeks ago it was three."
"Things change" Varys conceded "She is going North, with the Unsullied, and the Dothraki, you have some Dothralki camped at Harvest Hall I believe."
"If by some you mean several thousand, then yes." Ky nodded
"Well you'll be pleased to know they will be riding North soon, along the King's Road. Despite reports The Vulture King has not completely subdued Dorne, and with the unfortunate business at High Garden the Fox King has his own problems. You'll have to keep an eye on the South."
"Is that an order from the Targaryen Queen?" Ky asked
"No… A request from Illyrio Mopatis and his eight friends." Varys grinned "A request you should take seriously."
"We serve The Nine." Ky said unfeelingly
"Of course you do." Varys smiled "We'll have the Dothraki out of your hair shortly"
"See Lord Varys out" Ky called to one of the men at the door
Varys stood and smiled politely, he headed to the door before stopping and looking over his shoulder slightly "How is the child?" He asked with a hint of menace "Still no name for the little one."
….
304 AC- The Wall- Eastwatch by the Sea
The world looked small from above, even an army of a hundred thousand, complete with giants, even the Wall itself. He had forgotten how old he was, why count, when years and centuries seem exactly the same. He thought he had seen and felt everything in his long existence, but this was different… to fly was an experience he had not imagined before. Dropping beneath the cloud line, his unnatural blue eyes locked on his target, the symbol of his struggle these thousands of years. The Wall. Snaking across the frozen landscape from sea to sea, the Night King and his frozen dragon dart through the sky, he rears the beast up as the Wall comes closer and closer. He watched as tiny men, scurried around like ants below him. The dragon let forth a brilliant blue frame. The Wall shook, ice and stone fell to the ground like snowflakes, before finally, after eight thousand years of standing sentinel, the wall crumbled.
When the dust settled, the Wall that had guarded the Seven Kingdoms for millenia stood breached. And slowly, they marched, for the first time in a long time the dead walked in Westeros.
…..
304 AC- The Stormlands- Nightsong
"Something's upsetting her." Lilly sighed as she rocked the crying child "She's been like this for hours."
Ky grimace slightly "The last time she was upset a wizard was trying kill us all, hopefully it's not that again."
"Be serious" She sighed in frustration as the child continued to cry "She hardly ever makes a sound, and now this."
"Do you want me to get the Maester?"
"No" She said sternly "If he's not asleep, he's drunk."
"Do you want me to take her for a while?"
"No" She sighed in frustration as the child continued to cry
"Well, I'll leave you to it then."
"Fine" She replied distantly
Ky turned to leave before hesitating "There's no one else you know Lilly" He looked to the floor, then to the Wildling "You've been in here since the day I met you" He told her genuinely, resting his hand on his heart.
Lilly allowed herself to smile, softening slightly, she crossed the room stopping slightly in front of him, she tiptoed and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "You're a good man kneeler." She rested her head on his chest for a moment. "She comes with me kneeler." Lilly said in a near whisper as she held the child tighter "We're a package."
"I wouldn't have it any different." He whispered back placing a kiss on each of their heads
"I guess that means I'm your wom…" Lilly was interrupted as the door was opened suddenly.
Albert stood in the doorway and paused for a moment "Sorry to interrupt" He said suspiciously before turning his attention directly to Ky "We've got a rather interesting development"
"I'm all ears." He told him while stroking the child's cheek
"The Red Woman's here." Albert told him matter of fact.
"I know" Ky nodded in Lilly's direction "I can see her."
"The real one"
…
304- AC- PENTOS
"Illyrio" Jon Connington politely greeted his host as he was shown into the great reception hall of his mansion
"Connington." Illyrio Mopatis was a Magister of Pentos, a large ageing man with a full head of grey hair and a thick beard braided into two forks. He wore rich robes and his fingers were adorned with gold rings.
"Must be important for you to invite me to your home."
"Come now Connington." Illyrio grinned "You're a fellow member of The Nine, you're always welcome here. However you are correct this is important."
"What is it?" Connignton asked, stroking his greying beard
"I've had word from Varys. Daenerys has left Dragonstone. She's in Westeros."
"That's sooner when we expected." Connington nodded "But no matter, the Lannister's wont be able to withstand her."
"Don't be so sure." illyrio said hesitantly "She's not going to King's Landing. She's going North."
"For what purpose?" Connington demanded
"To fight the dead apparently.
"The dead?" Connington spat "A myth."
"So I thought." Illyrio nodded "But Varys has seen proof, and it has been confirmed that the Wall is down. Varys tells me she has become… close with the King in the North There are already talks of marriage."
"That cant be allowed to happen" Connington sighed in frustration "She's to marry someone else, we've worked too hard to have this ruined by a foolish romantic endeavour."
"Well there's nothing we can do about it for now." Illyrio shrugged "She is a Queen, and she has two dragons."
"You're right, we'll alter our plans accordingly… wait. What do you mean two dragons? What happened to the third?
…
304 AC- The Stormlands- Nightsong
"Lady Melisandre" Ky greeted her coldly, as he and Albert entered the reception room and closed the door behind themselves. "What brings you to Nightsong."
Melisandre took down the hood of her cloak and stared at the two as they took their seats opposite her. "You don't sound happy to see me? I don't know what you have heard about me... about my faith but…"
"Cut the shit." Albert cut her off "We know you."
"I don't recognise you." Melisandre said coldly
"Why would you?" Ky answered "We never ate in the King's Pavilion."
"You served King Stannis?" Melisandre asked "Then I am in the right place. You are the Reeve?"
"I am" Ky replied suspiciously
"I have seen something Reeve, in my flames. The Lord of light has shown me something. Something of great importance."
"Lady Melisandre, the men under my command are ardent followers of The Lord of Light, which is why I have seen you. But we marched with Stannins, from the Stormlands to the Blackwater, from Beyond the Wall, to Winterfell. We've seen the consequences of following your visions."
"You may not have believed then Reeve, but I can see it in your eyes, you believe now. And that is why I am here."
"I'll humor you." Ky told her coldy
"The dead have breached the wall, they now march in The Realms of Men. I thought Stannis Baratheon was the Lord's chosen, the only one that could defeat them. I was wrong. It's…"
"Daenerys Targaryen." Albert interrupted her
"Jon Snow." She corrected him "But the flames have shown me I have a part to play in wars to come. I have seen a great battle in the snow, I have to go to Winterfell."
"Well good luck with that." Ky leaned back in his chair "Winterfell is a long way North, follow the King's Road and keep going, you can't miss it."
Melisandre allowed herself to smile "I know the way Reeve, I have been there before. But there is something here I need before I can go."
"And what might that be?" Ky asked with a roll of his eyes
"The child"
…..
304 AC- The Narrow Sea- The Valyrian
"Put some clothes on." Connington sighed in frustration as he slammed the door to his cabin shut.
"Not to your liking?" His companion asked seductively as she lay on her front on his bed, thumbing through an ancient tome. "No" She continued as she looked straight at him, one blue eye and one green eye staring through him "Not to your liking at all."
Connington tossed a blanket over her "We have a problem Shiera."
"Do we have a problem? Or do you have a problem dear Connington?" She teased
"The Spider says Daenerys has gone North to fight the dead. Dragon's, undead, you're a sorceress, that's your area of expertise. Are they real?"
"Very" She answered in a near whisper.
"Then the girl may not survive?" Connington swallowed hard
"The stars are aligned against her."
"Then it's a good job we have the boy."
….
304 AC- The Stormlands- Nightsong
Melisandre hit the floor with a thud as blood flowed from her lip, Ky grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her to her feet, shoving her violently against the wall he brought a dagger from his belt and held it to her throat. "The last child you needed was burned at the stake." His voice was cold, menacing "And now you come here asking for mine?"
"I'll get someone to dig a hole." Albert spoke up "We'll bury the bitch here, like Stannis should have done."
"You may well have powers Witch, but can you survive having your throat cut?"
"I do not want to harm the child." Her voice trembled slightly "I heard her scream. The world heard her scream. I know the sorcerer who's head sits above your gates, I know what he wants. Tell me Reeve… Has she been crying, when she is usually so silent?"
Ky hesitantly took the dagger away from her throat "How do you know?"
"I have seen the child in my flames, I have heard her in my dreams. She is The Moon Child, she is powerful Reeve."
"Who was the sorcerer?" Ky demanded "How do you know him?"
"I trained in Ashaai, the man who came here is an ancient and powerful sorcerer. An associate of the Patriarch. He's not the first to come, and he won't be the last. But you should all be dead. He has been the difference in wars, he has spent centuries learning the darkest of arts. And yet she took his powers from him. One of the most powerful sorcerers in Ashaai, beaten by an infant."
"Why's she crying?"
"The Wall has fallen. The Dead march, she can feel them."
"You want to use her to stop them" Ky asked with a raised eyebrow
"No." Melisandre shook her head "She is not the one chosen to win this battle. But she has a small part to play."
Ky and Albert looked at each other for a moment "This is a truly shit idea." Albert said, shaking his head.
…..
They could hear the child's crying from the other end of the corridor, Albert held the door for Lilly as she entered carrying the crying babe. Melisandre looked at the young girl in the crimson gown up and down "Nice dress." She nodded "You should not mock the Lord of Light. How old is the child now?"
"About a year" Lilly hugged her closer
"She appears healthy."
"We know how to look after her." Lilly shot back defensively
"May I?" Melisandre asked, holding her arms open. Lilly looked at Ky who gave a slight nod. Lilly reluctantly handed the screaming child to the Red Woman. She cradled the babe and placed a finger on her chin "Such blue eyes. They shouldn't be so blue." Melisandre looked straight into the eerie blue of the child's eyes, the child stared back and was silent. The two locked in an almost trance like state stare in silence. "She feels him" Melisandre whispered "She feels the great her" She told the three assembled before her. Ky and Albert took tiny hand each, Lilly placed a gentle hand at the back of the babes head.
A wave of cold coursed through their bodies, they saw flashes of death, heard the death screams of a hundred thousand dead slaves, they heard the voices of a legion of cold creatures, like the cracking of ice, they saw the piercing blue eyes of a horned monster, sat atop a cold dead dragon, they felt the darkness, and then it stared back, entering the minds of all three, the heart of winter. All three pulled away, breathless and wide eyed "She's been seeing that." Lilly asked, tears in her eyes.
"Since the Wall fell." Melisandre told her plainly "The Great Other can see her. Now he knows she exists he will come for her after he is finished with the Three Eyed Raven. But by the time he gets to her, most of the country will be dead anyway."
"Why have you come here?" Lilly asked as she stepped forward to take the baby
Melisandre stepped back slightly, "She took that sorcerers power, drained it from his body in an instant. So too will she increase mine, and unlock something in me. Something I need to make a difference in this war."
"She can do that?" Lilly swallowed
"Why do you think so many want her?" Melisandre asked
"If you hurt her…" Ky began
"I will not." Melisandre told him honestly. She closed her eyes and held the babe aloft, there was a breeze, furniture began to shake, and the flickering flames of the candles and lamps lighting the room went out. They all stood in darkness for several moments, Melisandre opened her eyes, they burned like flames, she exhaled and the candles and lamps all burst into flame again. "It's done." Melisandre handed the baby back to Lilly.
"What now?" Lilly asked as she took the now silent child
"Now I go North." Melisandre said simply, "The child has unlocked a deep power in me, but the Lord's fire is not mine alone, I must bestow it on others if we stand a chance."
"And do we?" Albert asked nervously
"We all saw the same thing." Ky answered him "There's so many. The Dothraki, The Unsullied, even with the Northerners it's not enough. They need every sword they can get."
"Daenerys has dragons." Albert swallowed hard
"So do they." Ky sad mournfully
"This power is not a guarantee of victory." Melisandre spoke ominously "The Great War needs to be fought. The King in the North needs every sword. And I need to get to The North."
"It's a long road to Winterfell." Albert sighed "You might not make it along the King's Road."
"This is true." Melisandre nodded "I have enemies here, there are those in the Crownlands who blame me for the Battle of Blackwater, those here in the Stormlands that blame me for Stannis' defeat, those in The RIverlands that will think me a member of the Brotherhood without banners. Then there is The North itself, The King in the North has sentenced me to death if I return."
"You'll need an escort." Ky sighed
"You're not seriously thinking about this?" Lilly gave an empty laugh
"You saw it Lilly, you saw what's coming. What's coming for her. If getting the red woman to Winterfell means we can stop that, well… then she gets an escort to Winterfell. You say the King in the North needs swords… I'll bring five hundred Baratheon loyalists with me, they're all believers in your God. We'll get you there… and we'll try and help you do what you have to do."
"We're going to Winterfell?" Albert spat "We ran from Stannis' army a year ago because we didn't want to die at Winterfell. And now you've decided just like that we're going back?"
"No… I've decided I'm going back. I'll take five hundred of the faithful with me, you do what you want."
"You fucking prick." Albert spat "You absolute prick"
"You coming along then?" Ky asked unfeelingly
"Of course I'm fucking coming!" Albert yelled as he stormed out the room "You'll get yourself killed without me."
The door slammed behind him "He's not happy about this." Ky sighed before turning to the Red Woman. "We leave at first light, I don't have five hundred horses so we'll sail to White Harbor, it's much quicker… besides the amount of enemies you've racked up The King's Road will probably get us killed."
"You have ships?" Meisandre asked
"I'll take care of it." He nodded "One of the guards will see you to accommodation tonight." Ky watched the Red Woman leave, he could feel Lilly's eyes drilling a hole in the back of his head. "I take it you're not happy with this either."
…..
In the darkness of her chambers Lilly rests her head on his chest, she presses her naked body against his, and with a finger gently traces the lines of his face. He shifts his weight slightly and places a kiss on the top of her head before gently stroking her flaming red hair. "I'm your woman now Kneeler." She said softly "I'm yours and your mine. We're not like you Southerners, we don't have some Septon tie our hands together and say some pretty words. We take each other and that's it. I'm your woman now Kneeler, which means she's yours as well."
"I know." He kissed her head again "I lov…"
She shifted her weight and pressed a finger to his lips "Don't say it. Don't say it tonight and
Leave me tomorrow. Come back to me."
…
"Well, I never thought I'd be marching under that banner again" Albert scratched his beard as he saw the flaming heart banners blowing in the wind. Five hundred men stood in formation at the gates of Nightsong, rounded helms, grey great coats, chainmail and plate. Many still carry the long shields adorned with the stag and flaming heart. Albert hoisted himself into the saddle of his horse "Is everything sorted here?"
"I've told Lady Caron I'm leaving her three hundred men hare, she seems happy to see the back of us." Ky told him as he saddled his horse. He turned to Lilly and placed a kiss on her lips, and then one on the head of the silent babe, who wrinkled her nose and smiled slightly. Ky hoisted himself up in the saddle.
"I'm going to name her while you're gone Kneeler." Lilly told him with a wry smile
"That doesn't seem fair" He came back dryly
"If you want to know her name, you'll have to come back alive won't you?"
"I'll see you soon." He smiled
"See that you do." She nearly whispered "You too big boy." She called out to Albert. "I want to see you back here as well.
The two brought their horses to a trot as they left the gates of Nightsong. They pulled up either side of a third rider, dressed in red robes. "You ready?" Albert" asked her, as Ky gave the order for the men to start marching. Melisandre led the column, she looked back over her shoulder to see the flaming hearts flying behind them. "Look to your sins gentlemen. The night is dark and full of terrors"