Hey!

This is Thursday's update now :)

We bounce around geographically speaking in this chapter which means a return to the story for some characters that have been out of the picture for a bit :D

Enjoy :)


Chapter 74: The Golden Rose

Next morning …..

Inside the Great Pyramid, Meereen, Slavers Bay, South Essos


The first thing Cersei noticed when she woke up was the incredible warmth that surrounded her. It was everywhere along her back, over her shoulder and across her belly.

It was comforting.

She moved slightly and that told her a second thing. She was not alone in her bed.

She opened her eyes and she saw that she had been mistaken. She wasn't in her bed.

It all came flooding back to her.

She turned over in the sheets to be confronted by the charming features of Oberyn Martell. He was lying flat on his back with his eyes closed but judging by the beaming cat like grin on his face he was awake.

"Morning," he purred as he opened his eyes and rolled so they were facing each other, "Did you enjoy last night as much as I did or will I have to try harder next time?"

"Bold of you to assume there will be a next time," Cersei muttered as she threw the sheets back and started to exit the bed without giving Oberyn an answer.

Obeyrn's firm hand on her wrist stopped her.

"I know it was our losses that brough us together but what I said earlier is true, you need someone and I want someone."

Cersei looked at Oberyn's hand on her wrist, "What we did last night was fuck away our losses and numb ourselves to the pain, nothing more."

"And I am not complaining," Oberyn said releasing her, "but I still feel the pain of my losses and I will for some time."

Cersei rolled her eyes, typical man fucking away his problems but she paused halfway in her condemnation as she knew deep down, she had done the same thing in the past.

Oberyn just leaned back on the bed and admired the view as Cersei quickly dressed herself.

"Should I be expecting a repeat performance or was this a one off to get over our collective losses," Oberyn asked seeking clarity.

"My losses are great," Cersei said not meeting Oberyn's eyes before making for the door.

"I look forward to seeing you again then," Oberyn smirked as Cersei slipped through the door.

Oberyn knew sleeping with Cersei was reckless even if she held no real power in Meereen but having sex with troubled and beautiful women was a habit he had not yet learnt to break and Cersei was a fine prize in bed.


Next day …

Just outside Meereen's walls,Slavers Bay, South Essos


"Where is your beggar Queen?" one of the three Masters asked arrogantly, "I will not wait here all day when my ships could demolish what is left of Meereen."

Cersei held back her biting remark long enough that Grey Worm could reply instead, "She will be here soon and when she does appear you will show her the respect she deserves."

"Or we will make you show her," Jorah bristled beside Ser Barristan.

Cersei shot a questioning look at Varys who shrugged at her unspoken question of where their Queen was. Missandei stood rock still beside Oberyn only to smile when the distant flapping of wings could be heard in the distance.

All eyes looked to the sky to see three dragons gliding through the air.

The three Masters shuffled towards their slave soldiers as the three dragons landed to cast a combined shadow over all in the rocky enclosure.

Daenerys dismounted with help from Jorah and stood in-between Grey Worm and Missandei.

"I am here to discuss the terms of your surrender," the dragon rider announced in a tone that left little room for negotiation.

But negotiate the Masters tried.

One dressed in fine silks stepped forward shakily as he eyed the looming dragons that screeched below at the little humans moving around in front of them.

"You do not belong here, just leave and return Meereen to the Masters of the city."

Daenerys's eyes locked onto the one that has spoken, "I will not let the aberration of slavery return to Meereen. The people of Meereen are free and they always will be. So will the people of Astapor and Yunkai know the taste of freedom."

All three Masters looked at each other with panicked looks and concern etched on their faces.

"I have come here to propose a treaty," Daenerys said clearly before taking one step forward, "Put down your arms, leave all of your ships behind and lead what is left of your armies back to Astapor and Yunkai. You will enter a peace truce with Meereen and leave the city to govern itself. I will give Astapor and Yunkai seven years to abolish slavery and copy the ruling structure of Meereen."

"You can't be serious," one Master scoffed despite Drogon's presence above him.

"I am deadly serious. The alternative is that I burn your entire fleet today, destroy your armies today, and send your heads back to your respective cities with the message that I am coming to burn them to the ground too," Daenerys threatened flawlessly.

"You would kill the people you wish to free?" the Master asked incredulously.

"At least then they would be free from your tyranny and future generations will revel in your ashes," Daenerys replied without hesitation.

"It is more advantageous to you to provide Queen Daenerys with the means to travel to Westeros rather than deny her so she has to remain in Essos," Cersei cut in hoping to calm the situation and make it clear to the Masters that they had an opportunity to simply move Daenerys on and let her bring her dragons and fire to Westeros instead of it remaining in Slaver's Bay.

The three Masters convened and discussed in low Valyrian for a minute before they all turned and unanimously nodded their heads and bowed.

"Excellent," Daenerys said before climbing back onto Drogon who had lowered himself to the ground to assist her.

As the two smaller dragons launched themselves into the air to keep up with their mother and big brother Cersei felt a presence beside her.

"Wonderful beasts, aren't they?" Oberyn said staring into the sky.

Cersei pursed her lips thinking of her brothers and father, "Yes they are but I rather think they would be monstrosities if you had to face them."

"Yes, but luckily we don't," Oberyn replied offering his arm to the Lannister Lady.


Next day …

Southern Coast of Dorne, a days ride from Sunspear


"I and my host stay with you," Robb forcefully said as he paced around the makeshift tent that had housed the war council of the leaders of the Crown alliance only moments ago.

Kenna gave Lord Royce, who was linger at the open flap of the tent, a soft nod. Lord Royce inclined his head and left his Queen to work on the riled-up King in the North.

"I did not go all the way to Pyke to rescue you just to leave you again," Robb exclaimed as his pacing stopped and both hands landed heavily on the chair opposite to where Kenna was sitting.

"No," Kenna agreed getting up from her chair and rounding the table to stand beside Robb, "You came to Pyke to rescue me and defeat Daenerys Targaryen. You did the former now let us do the later."

"Why combine your forces with the Lannisters and march on Sunspear? We could combine our forces and let the Golden Company and the Lannisters pursue Trystane Martell in the mountains."

Kenna leaned back on the table as Robb released the shoulders of the chair and let out an exacerbated breath.

"Because I don't trust Tywin Lannister with Commander Strickland. He is the only person that could outbid me and I do not want what happened to Stannis to happen to me. I am suggesting you march with the Golden Company because," Kenna took a few steps towards Robb and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "I trust you, Robb. I don't trust Tywin Lannister."

Robb felt his lips curl into a slight smile as he took in the knowledge that Kenna trusted him but there was still an argument to be concluded and he wasn't going to be distracted by her charms.

"Fine, your Arryn men and the Golden Company mercenaries can march on Sunspear and the Lannisters and myself can go after the Dornish armies in the passes."

Kenna smiled hesitantly then inspected her hands.

"What?" Robb said following her eyeline to her hands, she was twirling the rings on her fingers.

"I don't trust you not to kill him."

"Who? Your husband for throwing my little brother out of the Broken Tower or Tywin Lannister for organising the Red Weddings where I lost my mother, wife and unborn child," Robb replied with fury in his voice, "An event you nearly didn't survive either."

Kenna rubbed her forehead, "Both and you have just outlined the reasons why I prefer to keep you away from the Lannisters."

Robb conceded the point but turned his back on her, trying to control the raging impulse and the sense of injustice he was feeling.

"You are right," Robb said as he felt Kenna presence behind him, "For the sake of the alliance I shouldn't be anywhere near the Lannisters," he turned back to see Kenna leaning once again on the table, "but don't forget once this is all over you promised to march with me against them."

"I keep my promises," Kenna said sharply, annoyed that Robb was questioning her integrity.

Robb softened his features, "Sorry but trust these days hasn't got me very far."

Kenna slipped off the table and squared up to Robb, "You can trust me. The Arryns and the Starks are allies and as long as we are alive it will remain that way. I consider you a friend not just an ally."

Robb placed both hands on her shoulder and lowered his forehead so it touched Kenna's, "I will head to the Prince's Pass, Strickland can take the Boneway, leaving Sunspear for you and the Lannisters."

"Thank you," Kenna breathed back, knowing Robb was not content with the situation.

Robb broke the embrace, "I need to get my men ready," he said before looking her over with his conflicted blue eyes and exiting through the tent flap at speed.


Only a few moments after Robb's exit Lord Royce practically charged back into the tent, "Did he agree?"

"Yes," Kenna said tapping her fingers on the wooden table still feeling uneasy that Robb had questioned her promise and was clearly dissatisfied with the alliance. It was a situation she would have to remedy when she had more time.

"Good, we can start to mobilise then," Lord Royce thought out loud before noticing how Kenna sagged back into her chair that she had sat in through the earlier meeting.

He walked over to his Queen so she sat in his shadow, "How are you?"

Kenna looked up at Royce and gave him a kind smile while closing her eyes, "I survived Pyke, I beat back the chill of the ocean, all my bruises have healed and my back hurts less every day. I am fine."

She didn't need to open her eyes to know her mentor was frowning at her and when one of his hands went to her chin, she knew he was demanding the truth.

Kenna opened her eyes, "I am tired Yohn. I want to be with my children and I miss the Vale."

"We are all tired," Lord Royce knelt and took Kenna's hands in his own, "such is the nature of war but there will be time to rest once we have won and the safety of the Vale and your children will be assured when we win as well."

"Even if we win the war with the Dragon Queen the fighting won't stop. It will never stop," Kenna said sourly, remembering her promise to Robb.

Lord Royce started to rub his thumb over Kenna's hands in a comforting gesture, "Let's worry about wining our current war, not the next one."

Kenna gripped Lord Royce's hands tightly, "I can always count on you to put me back into perspective and tell me when I am being ill-tempered."

"Someone has too," Royce smiled fondly back at her.

"I am eternally grateful to you, you know, for everything you have ever done for me."

"I know," he winked back.

Kenna laughed at the unusual display of playfulness from her mentor.

"I think I better go and inform Commander Strickland and the Lannisters that King Robb agrees with the plan now," Kenna said as she attempted to push herself out her chair but she was stopped by a large hand on her shoulder.

"I will do that and see to the preparations, I am your Hand after all," Lord Royce said bringing himself to his full height, "You should rest."

"Mmmm," Kenna murmured not wanting to agree but knowing it was for the best.


Next day …

Red Keep, King's Landing, Seat of power of House Baratheon (Lannister/Tyrell) in the Crownlands, Capital of the Seven Kingdoms


"You are not with Margaery?" Tyrion prodded as he stared at the empty seat his nephew would normally occupy.

"She can give birth just fine on her own, no need for me to be flittering around when my talents could be used elsewhere," Olenna replied.

"I am happy to assist if necessary," Qyburn said from across the table.

Olenna turned her sharp tongue on the chainless maester sitting opposite her, "You have my confidence in designing dragon killing weapons and treating battle wounds but giving birth is a whole other realm little man."

Qyburn inclined his head but wore a wily smile as if he had enjoyed Olenna's words and not been cowed by them.

Olenna's wiry fingers danced on the polished wood of the Small Council table, "While the King and Queen are indisposed perhaps, we may get to the business of ruling?"

"Yes," snapped Kevan impatiently, "I did not come all the way from Casterly Rock to discuss the line of succession but rather how we might stop the Dragon girl from taking the Throne."

"Of course, Uncle," Tyrion tempered before Olenna could get a word out, "Father, Robb Stark and the Arryn forces successfully took Pyke, rescuing my brother and good-sister. The Ironborn will trouble our coasts no more with their raids and I believe they have a new King in the form of Artys Arryn."

"He goes by Artys Greystone King of the Iron Islands now but the title fools no one. All his power derives from his Aunt, Kenna Lannister," Olenna chimed in.

"And my latest correspondence with my father indicates that they will land in Dorne any day now and take Sunspear as well as engage with the Dornish forces mustering in the mountain passes."

Olenna scoffed, "I pity the poor Dornish having your father, the Young Wolf and the Bloody Falcon coming to tear their throats out."

"I am sure they pity us with the thought of three dragons coming to burn us to ashes as well," Tyrion replied.

"Enough, my brother will handle Dorne, we need to handle King's Landing," Kevan turned to Qyburn, "I understand the scorpions line the walls of Kings Landing and there are a few dozen on the Red Keep's walls."

Qyburn nodded.

"Good," Kevan continued, "What else can we do?"

"About the Dragon, not much more but," Tyrion's eyes gleamed, "about her armies and ships I have a few more ideas to implement."

A few minutes later the entire table was busy discussing the defensive military strategy with everyone contributing.

"The Reach can provide the necessary supplies for all the armies to converge on King's Landing and enough food for the city if we have to endure a long siege," Olenna stated.

"Good that may well happen," Tyrion acknowledged.

"Our combined armies should be more than a match for Daenerys's," Kevan chipped in, "We have the numbers and the martial superiority."

"As far as I know," Tyrion started cautiously, "she has roughly ten thousand Unsullied at her command, two thousand Second Son mercenaries under the leadership of a Daario Naharis and maybe a small contingent of freed soldiers from Meereen but as of yet no ships."

"Her strength doesn't come from her men," Olenna interrupted, "but her dragons."

All three Westeros nobles shifted their gazes to the lone scholar who had been content to listen for the past few minutes to their proposed stratagems.

Qyburn cleared his throat, "As I have previously demonstrated my scorpions are capable of piercing through dragon bone and if the tales from the fighting pits of Meereen are to be believed they will pierce dragon scales too. We just need to hit the target."

"Easier said than done when the target moves fast and spews fire at you," Kevan noted soberly.

"Quite," Qyburn replied, "But I believe I can help Lord Tyrion on his wildfire idea-"

Suddenly the doors to the Small Council chamber burst open and Tommen came running in out of breath.

"It … It's a boy … I am a father … ah," he bent over to catch his breath, "We … Margaery and I named him Steffon."

"Congratulations," Tyrion offered warmly, genuinely happy to see Tommen bask in fatherhood.

Kevan stood up and wrapped a hand around the young King's shoulder in a supportive manner, "A child is the best blessing in the world."

"Yes," Tommen said looking nervously at everyone in the room, "I wanted to be the first to tell you but I must get back to Margaery."

Tyrion watched as Tommen ran back out the still open doors leaving Kevan in the open space observing his great nephew sprinting down the corridor being followed by his heavily armoured Kingsguards.

"Shall we continue? Olenna suggested from the table, "One can never be prepared enough for a dragon invasion."

Kevan re-seated himself as Tyrion sat at the head chair with his fingers steepled in front of him, "Yes let us continue."


Author's Notes

Oberyn being reckless and letting Cersei dig her claws into him or just two grief-stricken people numbing themselves to their pain?

Dany without Tyrion to curb her more destructive impulses and with Cersei sitting on her shoulder encouraging them she is already a bit more ruthless and explosive in her quest to fulfil her destiny of sitting on the Iron Throne. Fire and Blood, Y'all! The reason the Masters didn't get roasted is because Daenerys needed them to be the messengers of their agreement/truce and hand over the ships peacefully.

I thought we hadn't had Kenna Lord Royce cuteness for a while and it fit perfectly with showing what recovery stage Kenna is at from her treatment at Pyke and her emotional state, I am guessing waging a war and being kidnapped will strain you somewhat but I can't confirm this with personal experience :P

Tyrion hasn't really been in the story all too much recently but he will come back into it as the story progresses back to King's Landing and the looming war with Dany gains some momentum.


BIRTH

Steffon Baratheon (Father Tommen 'Baratheon' – Mother Margaery Baratheon 'nee' Tyrell)

Tommen is still young (15) but no one can resist the charm of Margaery I guess :P Named after Tommen's grandfather … well Robert Baratheon's father Steffon Baratheon that died at Shipbreaker's Bay before the start of the series. Baby Steffon has the green eyes of the Lannisters but the auburn/brown hair coloring of his mother.


Reviews:

Supremus85 – With Tyrion not holding her back and with Cersei maybe nudging her forward Dany isn't going to be as cautious. I mean historically yeah Dorne is considered unconquerable but then again historically Casterly Rock and the Eyrie were never supposed to have been breached but they were in this story :D Thank you!

NightlyRowenTree – Your welcome :)

DannyBlack70 - I mean you can probably tell from my writing but I don't think happy endings are generally a thing in the GOT universe and none of the Lannisters really deserve one to be honest but what one person thinks is a happy ending is another person's horror show :D

I am trying to be careful with the way I portray Cersei because she is very wrathful, aggressive and favors the more violent approach to ruling and life but she is also capable of great manipulation and smart plays in the game of thrones (maybe sleeping with Oberyn is one of those?)

Only for the Northern group? :P I think I have been pretty good with the whole keeping the characters alive thing. My original outline had more character's dead at this point!

Guested (commented 9/11/2020) – Sad for you I guess but if you were expecting a punch up it would be underwhelming. Jaime doesn't have a massive reaction to Tywin sleeping with Kenna because he already knows (Chapter 55) and already confronted his father over it in Chapter 69. Jaime doesn't care that Kenna & Tywin are fucking because he only has eyes for Cersei (Brienne is already dead). Jaime didn't care for Joffrey (mad/cunt) either, he cares more that Cersei is upset over it. Tywin defuses Jaime successfully here because he promises Jaime everything he ever wanted – a life with Cersei (if they win the war). Also, Jaime isn't like his brother or sister he doesn't have the temperament to go toe to toe with his father, he just doesn't and he isn't the person to call Tywin out on how his actions have affected his family. So, I don't think I am "brushing anything off". Other characters reactions will come when they cross paths with Kenna or Tywin, like Tyrion taking the mickey in Chapter 39.

IMO, Tywin is very strategically minded both in the political and military sense for example he ruled as Aerys Hand for twenty years giving peace, plenty and prosperity (political) despite Aerys descending into madness. Tywin's destruction of Castamere by diverting a river was a tactical masterstroke (military). Also, the Red Wedding could be a combo of both political and military strategic accruement as well. For glorifying Tywin's weaknesses and vices, give examples?

Now consequences, and to a lesser degree character growth, is an interesting topic and all I would say is my story isn't finished so you can't judge either completely at this moment but I think you are ignoring the whole Greyjoy Arc, Ellaria paying for murdering Doran, Lysa & Littlefinger paying for murdering Jon Arryn, Cersei stabbing Tywin for murdering Joffrey & joining Dany, Tyrion not murdering Tywin leading to a better relationship between the two, Pycelle's death, Alyssa dying because Kenna couldn't see through Lysa's deceit, the Eyrie's fall and Kenna's imprisonment in King's Landing because she entered the War of the Five Kings due to thinking the Lannisters killed her father …. I mean I think there is a lot of consequences played out already …. Maybe just not ones that you appreciate.

PS: Are the twins not "visible consequences" of the affair?

The bloodthirsty, cruel, vindictive point I think I answered well enough in response to your last review on Chapter 68 (pretty sure that was you). How about you look back at what I said there and maybe reply to that. I don't like repeating myself.

Kenna is the main character.

If you disagree that is fine but disagree with examples to back up your points like I have.

Tohka123 - Thanks for reading and I will :)


Next Up: Dany feels the wind in her hair, Sunspear feels the combined wrath of the Falcon and the Lion, and Trystane experiences his first real test as the leader of Dorne.

If you are enjoying this story please *Toss a coin to your writer, Oh valley of readers* and review, follow and favorite!

IMPORTANT NOTE: That is stage 1 of ARC 3/III done. So, I will take a little break from writing now to go over my notes and the outline for section 2 to make sure it still makes sense to me. This means I will be back updating the story on 19/11/2020, 26/11/2020 or earlier I am not sure ...