Game of Thrones
The Moon's Child
Chapter 29
The Ninth
305 AC- The Stormlands- Nightsong
"Bread" A happy Kendra squealed as she dropped a chunk to the floor, Lilly looked at the blue eyed child and gave a frustrated sigh. "Bread" The child giggled again.
Lilly picked the bread up, shrugged and took a bite herself "If you are some child of destiny you won't inspire the people by dropping your breakfast on the floor." The child beamed widely as her eerie blue eyes shone, she held out a tiny hand and giggled "If I give it back to you, are you just going to drop it on the floor again?"
"Bread" Kendra laughed happily, as Lilly placed the crust in her hand, only for the delighted child to immediately drop it to the floor again, with an excited clap of her hands.
"You don't say much, but you know what makes you happy." Lilly half grinned as she put the piece of bread on the table. "Do you want a go at feeding her?" Lilly called over to Ky, who was sitting opposite the two at the breakfast table.
"No point, she doesn't respect me." He said honestly while reading over a parchment
"Ky, she's two." Lilly looked over at him
"I know when I'm beat." Ky shrugged
"You seem unusually distracted today." Lilly continued as she broke off a bit of bread, dipped it in some butter and popped it into Kendra's mouth "You're not actually earning your pay by taking this whole Reeve thing seriously are you?"
"Well I'm a little concerned about the ten thousand Dornishmen who have marched through The Stormlands and made camp at Storm's End."
"Well your friend Connington said he'd be taking his seat there soon, and isn't his friend in The Nine, Prince of Dorne now?"
"Yeah…" Ky began hesitantly "... but something strange is happening. And if Connington and The Vulture King are involved, I imagine we will be shortly."
"Any news from Storm's End?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"One of our riders got back yesterday, Gendry hasn't returned from The Great Council, no ones seen Une."
"Strange." Lilly replied as she handed Kendra a slice of apple
Before Ky could answer her the door to their chambers opened and Albert walked in "Morning" he greeted them "We've got a slight development."
"Go on" Ky sighed
"We've had word from a trader, a large force has entered the Stormlands."
"Yeah… The Dornish." Ky nodded
"No" Albert said with a slight cringe "A trader saw them, sent his son here to tell us. Looks like they've come out of the Kingswood, passed Storm's End and are heading for the coast."
"Fuck" Ky sighed as he dropped his parchment down on the table "How many?"
"Thousands." Albert sighed "Foot and mounted"
Ky drummed his fingers on the table "The Stark King?"
Albert shook his head "He didn't recognise the banners."
Ky let out a sigh "If they're travelling along the coast, that means they're not heading towards here… but that could change. Prepare the Castle for siege, and get ready to accommodate the townsfolk within the walls. Send riders to the other Stormlords, tell them to do the same, I'll ride out under a peace banner, see if I can make contact with them, find out what they…"
"That won't be necessary Reeve." A voice spoke from the doorway, as Ashara Dayne entered the room.
"My Lady?" Ky greeted her
"I know who those soldiers are, and where they are going."
"Don't suppose you want to share that information do you?" Albert asked
"In good time." She smiled deviously "I plan to meet the commander of that army, you gentlemen will escort me."
"Will we?" Ky rolled his eyes slightly
"Yes you will Reeve." she said sternly "Remember who it is you serve. We leave within the hour."
There was silence in the room as Dayne left, Lilly gave a sigh and a shrug of the shoulder as if to say, oh well. Kendra stirred in her seat slightly "Bad" She said simply.
…
305 AC- The Crownlands- King's Landing
"Your Grace, Lady Meera Reed." Brienne called Bran. Bran sat in his chair, in the rocky God's Wood of The Red Keep. The leaves had fallen from the trees, leaving barren branches and crumpled leaves. An icy wind blew through Bran's hair as he felt his skin goosepimple beneath his blankets. He made the slightest gesture with his hand, indicating for Meera to come forward, she approached cautiously, bracken and leaves crunching beneath her boots.
"Your Grace." She dropped to a knee.
"You don't have to bow Meera" Brad spoke in a cold distant tone.
Meera got back to her feet and looked around "So this is what passes for a God's Wood in the south?"
"Different isn't it?" Bran almost smiled
"Not even a Heart Tree… how are the God's supposed to see what is happening?"
"I see." Bran answered her coldly
"Why have you called me here Bran?" Meera sighed
"I need something from you."
"I thought you didn't need anything anymore."
"Your father sent you to me, when I was going beyond The Wall. I survived The Night King, I might not survive what's coming next."
"And what is coming next Brandon?"
"Hard to say… the Ink has not dried on this future. I see an evil coming, a nine headed serpent… a black goat. All bent to the will of a child."
"A child?"
"A child" Bran nodded "One who has near unlimited power… Your father is dead."
"What" She half choked
"Your father is dead." Bran repeated
"How… how do you know?"
"I saw it myself." He said coldly "I sent him on a most important mission. He did not come back."
"And you didn't do anything about it?" She swallowed hard
"What could I do from here?" Bran turned to look at her "I gave him the tools he needed to complete his mission. But The Child was waiting. She grows stronger by the day."
"How did he die?"A tear formed in her eye
Bran hesitated for a moment "Perhaps it is best you do not know."
"Tell me or I leave now." Her voice was wavering, but defiant.
Bran took half a breath "He was burned to death…. At a stake."
"By who?"
"A nobody." Bran sighed "A puppet. Your father's work is…. Incomplete."
"Which is why you sent for me." Meera nodded
"Yours in an ancient family Meera, strong in magic. You helped Brandon Stark become The Three Eyed Raven, which is why I need you to complete this task The Old Gods have laid before us."
"My father couldn't."
"No" Bran nodded "He couldn't… but you will not be alone."
…
"Ah Your Grace." Kyburn gave a warm smile as Ser Podrick closed the doors behind them. The older man, his head still bandaged and covered in a hood rose from his table "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Brandon looked upon Kyburn's table, to the moaning giant strapped to a bed, his treetrunk like legs trembling as a strange liquid leaked out of every orpheus. "I thought I made it clear I had use for your monster."
"You made it quite clear, Your Grace." Kyburn bowed
"He doesn't look like he'll be much good to anyone, what have you been doing the past few weeks?"
"On the contrary Your Grace." Kyburn smiled "Ser Gregor here, knows he has to be better than he was, he knows he has to be more loyal…" Kyburn's smile disappeared, as his voice took on a sterner, colder tone "... he needs to remember who his friends are. Don't you Ser Gregor?" The giant strapped to the bench let out a pained cry "There…" Kyburn smiled again "...we're all on the same page."
Bran gave a nod "You said you could make more."
"And I have Your Grace."
"Good."
…
305 AC- The Stormlands- The Dornish Marches
Ashara Dayne sat atop her horse, her hooded lilac cloak blowing in the wind, she turned her head slightly to cast her violet gaze on Ky and Albert "They're here Reeve." There was a slight grin on her face.
Both Ky and Albert brought their horses forward, over a hill in the distance, banners started to appear blowing fiercely in the wind, formations of horses came over the brow, followed by a winding column of infantry followed them. The two looked at each other, as the army snaked towards them in perfect form. Before too long, the banners became visible, a collection of golden skulls hanging from a red spear. "You recognize that sigil?" Albert asked nervously
"The Golden Company." Ky nodded coldly "How many do you reckon?"
"About ten thousand." Albert shrugged
The two watched as a smaller group of riders broke off from the column and rode towards them. As the Golden Skull banners fluttered closer towards them, the man leading then became clearer "Ah fuck." The two men said in unison. At the centre of the riders, a powerfully built, older man, with greying red hair. "Master Connington." Ky bowed
"Reeve." He spat dismissively, before turning to Ashara "My Lady" He bowed
Ashara looked past him to the army waiting in the distance "Congratulations, Captain General." She smiled
"A long time overdue, My Lady." Connington nodded back "It's just a shame it didn't happen before that traitor Strickland lost half our men."
"Still… Daenerys, took care of him." Ashara reminded him.
"Indeed." He nodded "I take it all is in place?"
"It is" Ashara nodded eagerly "After all this time, we are ready."
"Then finally the Usurpers and their dogs will have their day." He allowed himself to smile "Reeve! Have you and your boys fall in, we've still got a bit of a ride."
"Yes Master." He nodded "May I ask where we are going?"
"To Griffins' Roost" He called back over his shoulder "The rest of The Nine await us."
…
305 AC- Carcosa- The Golden Palace
Sat atop his throne, in the Citadel of his far flung city, the man who would be The sixty ninth Yellow Emperor of all of Yi Ti, looked at the blood smears on his marble floor, he taps his long nails on the edge of his chalice and drinks the strange blue liquid within. He let out a sigh and reclined in his great seat of power. He breathed deeply as his eyes closed.
"Hello Emperor" A soft voice spoke to him
His eyes snapped open as he shot to his feet, he looked upon the petite girl stood on the steps of his throne, dressed in a flowing white gown she had fiery red hair and unnatural piercing blue eyes. The Emperor's eyes widened as a green glow gathered at his hands "Guards!" He called out.
"Don't worry about all that." She smiled as she stepped closer to him "I'm not really here you see, and you're not really awake."
The Emperor stepped back warily as the green glow at his hands dissipated "A dream?" He asked
The girl hesitated for a moment "More complicated than that." She walked past him and went to the arm of his throne, where his chalice rested. She picked it up and sniffed it, before pulling away and grimacing "Ooh, Strong Stuff, you'll be asleep for a while. Do you know who I am?"
"The Moon's Child." The Emperor replied suspiciously "But you are just an infant, you're not this old."
"Don't worry about that." She grinned "You've been looking for me since the day I was born."
"Long before" He corrected her
"Why?" She demanded
"Dragons roam the sky, The Dead walk The Earth, The Deep Ones Stir…a Three Eyed Raven has been Crowned. The Prince that was Promised has Broken their promise, the Blood Betrayal has happened again... These are all signs… you are a powerful weapon."
"The Dragon's are dead." She snapped
"Not all of them." He reminded her.
"The Dead are vanquished."
"We've heard that before." He cut her off
"The Deep Ones are Gone from this Earth."
"According to whom." He grinned "You see child, you are an ancient power, but merely a babe to the world. You have done well. You have survived my assassin, my fellow Sorcerer and The Three Eyed Raven's assassin. But we will keep coming for you. From Carcosa, From Ashaai, from all over the World. Whoever controls you controls the fate of magic… a mere child can not be trusted with it."
She slowly descended the steps of the throne to the marble floor below, she stopped a carefully considered the blood smears on the floor.
"How many of your daughters have you killed in search of me?"
"Not just in search of you." He said gravely "I love my daughters, but there is power in a King's Blood."
She turned to look at him, her eerie blue gaze locked on his "The whole world has heard of Yi Ti, most have never heard of Carcosa, those that have believed it a legend. You are King of a fairy tale, and will never be Emperor of Yi Ti. I grow stronger everyday, I've already survived your assassin, I've already survived your fellow sorcerer. Consider this a friendly warning… You, Your friend in Ashaii, Quaithe, Seastar….give up your pursuit… Or you will all die."
"You are not the first person to threaten me in vain child."
"We shall see." She nodded "Look to your sins Dear Emperor… for the night is dark and full of terrors."
He woke with a start on his throne, sending his chalice clinking down the stairs to the marble below.
"Emperor" A guard asked as the door to the throne room opened
He quickly composed himself "Have this blood cleaned up. And prepare an escort for me… I leave for Ashaii."
….
305 AC- The Stormlands- Griffins' Roost
On the windswept shores of Shipbreaker Bay, a small but strong castle serves as the backdrop for the unfolding scene. The Golden Company… Now Jon Connington's Golden Company begins to form up into rows of men, alongside the ten thousand Dornish Spearmen already assembled. A large crowd had gathered, Small Folk, nobles, fellow craftsmen. Connington and Ashara Dayne had left them, told them to watch and enjoy the unfolding events. "Who do you reckon all these people are?" Albert asked under his breath.
"Members of The Order I imagine." Ky replied back as he scanned the crowd. "There." He nodded into the distance, on the edge of the crowd surrounded by beggars, honey blonde curls in thigh locks, a ragged sleeveless ivory gown clinging to her body. "Come on." Ky and Albert made their way towards her through the crowd "Monica" He called out.
"Kylon Wheelwright" She greeted him with a grin "It seems like such a long time since you were at The Low Tower."
"Certainly has been" Ky nodded "Still with the Fox King?"
"Of course." She nodded
"I've thanked the man himself, but thank you for your part in dealing with that assassin, The Faceless Man and Howland Reed back in Oldtown."
"Like you I am a loyal servant of The Nine." She smiled Wryly, all gratitude should go to them."
"Of course" Ky nodded "You know what's happening here?"
"No idea" She shook her head "The Fox King does not leave The Low Tower often, and he leaves The Reach even less, this is a big deal for The Nine, theres at least five of them here."
"We've just arrived with two more." Ky pointed to Asara and Jon Connington "Looks like they're all going to be here."
"Monica, Reeve, Albert," A voice greeted them, as several men approached
"If it isn't the Lord of The Howling Hill." Albert greeted them as Une and his men approached.
"Looks like the whole Order's here." Une nodded "The Golden Company?"
"Connington" Ky told him simply
"Hmmm" Une nodded "I thought The Prince of Dorne bringing ten thousand spears was a bit overkill, they're obviously trying to make an impression."
"And you've brought The Lord of Storm's End with you." Ky noticed Gendry amongst Une's men. "Don't tell me you've joined this silly little order of ours?"
"Um no…" an annoyed Gendry spoke up "I'm a prisoner."
"What the fuck Une?" Ky exclaimed with his arms open.
"Not my choice." He held up his hands "An order from The Prince of Dorne himself."
Ky and Albert shared an awkward glance "This is very awkward." Albert muttered
"Sorry to hear about that Gendry."
Before the Lord of Storm's End could answer, bugles began to play, men at arms began to marshall the crowd into position, and the assembled soldiers stood to attention. "Looks like whatever is happening here… is about to happen." Monica nodded towards all the activity.
Servants rolled a huge red carpet from the rocky shore to an assembled pavilion covered in cloth of gold. While several others moved a huge throne into place at the end of the red carpet. The Throne was carved out of smooth black rocks like the old Valyrian roads and the walls of Volantis. It's back and arms carved into a huge dragon. With another burst of the trumpets, the entrance to the pavilion was pulled back, and eight figures emerged, four stood each side of the Throne. On the left hand side of the throne, Tycho Nestoris of the Iron Bank of Braavos, Salladhor Saan, Pirate Prince of Lys, Ryslik H'Ghar, Harvest Prince of Lorath and Illyrio Mopatis, Magister of Pentos. On the right hand side of the throne stood Jon Connington, Captain-General of The Golden Company, Mors Martell, Prince of Dorne and Vulture King, The Fox King, ruler of the Under Cities, and Ashara Dayne. "Well, thats eight of them." Albert said to his assembled comrades
….
There was a hush over the assembled crowd, the ranks of soldiers remained standing to attention. On the shores of Shipbreaker Bay, a small covered boat came alongside the shore. A figure emerged, a young woman, voluptuous in appearance, wearing a silver gown that hugged her body, she wore a white cloak fastened with a silver dragon pendant, her hair shining silver. She made her way along the red carpet and eyed the crowd with her beautiful but mismatched eyes, one dark blue sapphire, one emerald shone beneath the silver frame of her hair. "She nodded to the eight assembled members of the Nine and stood before the Throne. A herald stepped forward "The Lady Sheira Seastar of House Targaryen."
"People of Westeros!" She called out "You have suffered much. A great evil sits in The Red Keep. A crippled boy possessed by dark magics… A pretender… A usurper. But Westeros will not cower to this dark magic. You have a saviour Westeros… You have a true King." There was a rumbling in the crowd as another form exited the boat and made their way to along the red carpet. A man of around twenty five, six foot tall and broad walks toward them. His hair, the silver gold of House Targaryen, his eyes a piercing violett. He wore polished armour of black plate, so dark it seemed to drink the light, the three headed dragon of house Targaryen etched across the heart in red rubies. He wore a great red cloak, pinned to his armour with two broaches one the three headed dragon of House Targaryen, the other a red sun pierced with a spear. At his side a longsword in a black scabbard, a half sun at its hilt. He walked to his Throne, and took a seat, the eight figures at his side dropped to a knee.
"People of Westeros behold your rightful king, who claims the throne by right of birth and blood as the son of Prince Rhaegar of Dragonstone and Princess Elia of Dorne. Behold Aegon of House Targaryen, the sixth of his name, King of The Andals and The First Men, Lord of All Valyria, Protector of The Realm, Sword of The Morning."