TDC: Missing Scenes and What If Scenarios

by Leilani972

This work is inspired by the The Dragon Cub by Alperez16, with the permission of the author. Each chapter is missing scene from key moments in the original story and a chance for us to answer a few what if questions. If you haven't read this story, please check it first. co-written with Arrow4131

30. What If Part 3 : IronBorn Epilogue

TDC: Missing Scenes and What If Scenarios

By

Arrow4131

And

Leilani972

Chapter 30: IronBorn Epilogue

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Summary : Changes have been made in the aftermath of the Robert's Folly. Who will benefit and who will suffer? Find out in the the final chapter of the IronBorn arc.

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Surprise! The great and wonderful Alperez volunteered his talent for this chapter. When we told him that we were writing this, he had so many ideas that we told him that he could co-author with us. So please enjoy this new adventure!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

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Ned Stark

Kings Road, 298 AC

He wanted to follow his instincts and to kill Theon Greyjoy ever since he saw him in their camp. After all the care he'd given to foster a bond with that boy, to educate him to be a better man than his father, to see what he had become had repulsed him greatly.

He didn't even care that the little brat escaped and made him look like a fool in front of the Seven kingdoms. That was part of his failure to open his eyes before Jae had forced him to and he would bear the humiliation because he deserved it as a punishment for almost failing his nephew, his family and his people.

But every time he looked at Theon, he couldn't help but feel disgusted by what he and his men had wanted to do. To invade a city, to pillage and sack it was already something repulsive in times of war, and all knew how opposed to that Ned was. To do so when you weren't supposed to be involved was despicable, and when Ned heard that the Ironborn had doubled crossed Robert's wish for them to plunder and raid the North, while part of him was mad about his former friend doing so, he actually laughed at the irony of it. Of course, it made what Theon and the rest of the Ironborn did even more shameful, but what in the seven hells was Robert thinking by making a deal with the squids of all people?

"Father, why can't we just… Deal with him now?" Robb asked, visibly upset.

"It is the King's right to decide his fate."

"But it's your duty to punish him for deserting the North. Jae will not mind if you swing the sword as you're supposed to."

"I know that he wouldn't, but it is bigger than Theon. What the Ironborn did was an attack on Three of the Seven Kingdoms, so they need to see justice done to the perpetrators."

He already had to explain to his Lords why they couldn't kill Theon yet. He was in all but name Balon's heir and he had the feeling that the Greyjoy leader would not look so kindly at Theon's failure. When they heard that Asha Greyjoy had been held captive after trying to kidnap little Shireen Baratheon, He let some of his men rough Theon up, but not too much. They needed him alive and, if not completely healthy, in pretty good shape.

The brat had tried to escape, once, and had been stopped by Grey Wind and Lya who clearly had no patience for his antics. Theon kept throwing insults and threats to them, thinking that the rest of the fleet would come for him and living under the illusion that what the Lord of Winterfell said about the Iron fleet being obliterated was just to get a rise out of him.

This time, however, when Robb reported to him what Theon had said about what he would do to his daughter once he would be free, Ned decided he had to intervene.

"Oh, so the Lord of Winterfell blesses me with his presence? Oh nice of you, my Lord, to -" the slap he got in answer to his mocking tone took Theon off guard.

"I'm not here to exchange pleasantries with you, Squid," Ned spat and saw Theon flinch for a moment. "The time for niceties is over and done with long ago."

"Then why did you come? You can't kill me."

"Oh I won't kill you, but I am going to hurt you as you wanted to hurt my little girl." Ned retorted and Theon flinched once more. "Do you think you can threaten a child of the North, a child of my blood, a Lady of House Stark and get away with this? People went to war for my sister, thinking she had been abducted."

"You must have felt really stupid when you realized she'd rather escape the North with someone she wasn't betrothed to than stay and follow your orders. I bet she would have made a wonderful salt wife for my father. That would have been the perfect revenge against the Starks."

His hand hurt a little after the punch he gave Theon, but it felt good to see the bewildered look on the squid's face.

"My sister would not have stooped as low as to associate herself with the likes of your father. She would have killed him and your kin if they'd so much as tried to touch her. As for you, you'd been a ward in my household for years and I thought we'd put some sense into you, but I guess Greyjoy stupidity is an unavoidable trait in your family. Even your men preferred selling you for their freedom rather than stick with you, as they did when your father rebelled first."

"My father -"

"Didn't care about you when he gave you away. He was ready to have you die like your other brothers. It was your mother who accepted the deal and saved your life that day. It was your mother who stayed your father's hand when we brought you to Winterfell, because you were dead to Balon the moment you left the Iron Islands. Your father could care less if you survived or not, and your mother was the one you should thank for still having a head on your shoulders, because she sent word every time your father wanted to invade the North."

"You… You're lying…"

"You think he cares? You really do? How many times did you receive letters from him? I know how many you've sent to Pyke throughout your childhood. None. He didn't write to you once."

"You've kept them all from me!"

"I wouldn't. You received none. Do you still think he will come for you? He never did."

"My sister -"

"Is a prisoner of the Crown, just as you are. You are all alone, Theon, and you will lose your head. You could have been Lord of the Iron Islands if you hadn't behaved cowardly. Why did you run away? Were you not treated well enough?"

"Not as well as I deserved."

"Yet we gave you far more than a prisoner should have. We gave you an education, we treated you like family, way better than my own nephew had been treated, to my shame. We wanted you to foster a good relationship with Robb, with the future Warden of the North, so that the one between the North and the Iron Islands gets better with time."

"Yet you treated me like shit when your precious bastard came back to Winterfell. Robb abandoned me..."

"Robb saw the errors of his ways and he saw how bad you were treating those you thought were beneath you. You were not even a Lord and you behaved like a cunt." Ned said and stopped Theon from protesting. "You called my daughters names, you almost struck one of them, you belittled Jon because you thought him a bastard. I know I had my part in your behavior, and so did my former wife, but when I decided to bring both Robb and yourself on the right path, what did you do? You fled. You ran away instead of facing the consequences of your actions and so refused to learn from them. I wanted you to become someone respectable, and instead you turned out to be your father's son."

Ned could see his words were hurting Theon, the disappointment he showed to his former ward seemingly affecting him, and he asked himself if he could have done more to make Theon choose a better path. Then he heard the lad chuckle and frowned in confusion.

"Yes, I am my father's son. You tried to change me, you wanted to be a father figure I would follow? You? That is rich coming from someone who couldn't even see how his own children were treated. If the bastard you now claim as your King now hadn't come, things would have never changed in Winterfell. Robb would still treat Sansa and Arya as they deserved to be treated, and you would still know nothing about it. Even your Trout wife let us do as we pleased when you were oblivious to what went on in your household. You didn't care back then, you wouldn't care. Your honor took a hit when Jaime Lannister and Jon Snow showed you that in fact, you were as shitty a father as mine was. Did they know back then, that he was a dragon mistreated by a wolf? Was that fear of losing everything that made you change your mind? Did they threaten to expose you for the man you really are? Someone who doesn't give a shit about his family as long as they appear to be happy?"

Theon words wounded him, for as much as Ned hated to admit it they rang true in his heart. He had been negligent and his family had suffered for it, Jae most of all. Were his nephew not aware of his true identity, Ned feared to think of what he would have done, but he refused to give Theon the satisfaction of seeing how right he was at that moment. He steeled his face, regaining the composure of the Lord of Winterfell, and was about to respond when a guard came to him with a message from his King.

The Old Gods had a funny way to answer his prayers, he'd thought while reading the parchment. How a little piece of material and ink could bring such emotions to a man was surprising, yet Ned welcomed them with pleasure.

"Gather the Lords," he ordered the guard while looking at his prisoner. "Tell them the time has come for justice to be served."

Theon's smirk dropped as Ned's grew on his face.

"Wait… You said…"

"I know what I said. Your fate wasn't mine to decide, until now."

"You cannot… You said you'll bring me to the King so I can have a trial."

"Things have changed. You will have your trial here and now." Ned said, walking away to retrieve a block.

As a stunned Theon and the Lords surrounding the captive watched him come back, he could see the curious stares of his people changing into determined ones.

"For the crime of desertion in the North, for your threats against members of my family and your attack of a city of the realm with the goal of destroying it, I, Eddard of the House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, in the name of Jaehaerys of the House Targaryen, Third of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm, sentence you to die."

"I demand a trial by combat!" Theon yelled desperately.

"You would, would you? I thought that your way was the Way of the Ironborn. Why would you forsake your ancestors' ways now?" Ned responded.

"I always knew he was a coward!" The Greatjon spat.

"You're supposed to be honorable! You have to grant me my wish!"

"You told me that I was not as good as your father. Tell me, Theon, is your father honorable? Ned asked before looking to his lords "We are of the North, we follow the Old Gods and the Seven hold no dominion over us." Ned declared to loud cheers.

"Fuck you!"

"Are they your last words, Theon Greyjoy?"

"What is dead may never die." Theon said as they put his head on the block, with a defeated look and tears streaming down his face.

"May your Drowned God keep you dead, else I will not hesitate to kill you again." Ned retorted, his steely voice the last thing his former ward heard before Ice detached his head from the rest of the body.

People stood around as he ordered the body to be removed with respect. He might have hated Theon Greyjoy at the end of the lad's life, but he would still send it to his home if he was able too, for his mother to mourn him decently.

"Father, why did you deny Theon his trial by combat?" Robb, looking shaken up, asked when he got closer.

"Not that I don't appreciate seeing the squid die by your hand, but are you sure it was the right thing to do, Lord Stark?" Maege Mormont added. "What if the King takes offence?"

"He will not," Ned replied, holding out the parchment he had previously received. "For he gave me leave to do it."

"This one is really a son of he North," Maege chuckled as she passed the parchment to the Greatjon who nodded in confirmation, the six simple words written in the missive all they needed to support their Liege's decision.

Our way is the Old Way.

Yohn Royce

The Bloody Gate, 298 AC

He understood they had lost as soon as he saw the beast fly right over their heads.

A dragon.

He could still barely believe it, yet he hadn't been the only one to see it. For a moment he feared for the Bloody Gate and the rest of the Vale, as the dragon seemed to fly to the Northern camp. He had figured out that the rest of Lords and Knights who stood behind Jon Arryn were all dead or captive and those who'd refused to kneel had been punished by fire. He'd hoped that refusing to fight had saved his family and his people, who since then had not thrown one insult at him.

His relief was short-lived when he saw the Bloody Gate still standing and the Eyrie not burning in the horizon. What would the people think of his change of heart? Would they see him as a deserter?

"All will be well, Father. Surely they've seen the dragon, if what Lord Stark had said is true, they'll understand."

He nodded at Andar, not really convinced by his son's reassuring words. They still had left the battlefield. They still had turned their back on their liege Lord. This would be something held against them should they have to explain themselves.

A huge knot nestled in his throat as he stopped, ready to face his fate. He could see Ser Donnel watching him from the bridge.

"Who would pass the Bloody Gate?" The knight asked solemnly.

"Lord Yohn Royce of Runestone. Knight of the Vale, willing to bring his men home. I travel with Lord Belmore, Ser Symond Templeton, Ser Gilwood Hunter, Lord Lyonel Corbray and Ser Morton Waynwood."

"Lord Royce, my Lords, brother, welcome. We had been made aware of your imminent arrival. Was your travel safe?"

"It... was..." Yohn answered, confused at the warm welcome he received. "You said you were aware of our arrival?"

"Yes. Prince Tyrion stopped here to warn us. He shared the news of the end of the war with us and to expect to see you and other soldiers come back soon."

"Prince Tyrion?" he repeated, dumbfounded.

"Oh, I'm sorry, my Lord. I forgot my manners. You've been on the road for a long time so you're probably not aware of all that has happened. Open the Gates! I will explain everything, my Lord. Welcome back."

They were given guest rights and led to the knight's solar, where other Lords and Ladies were waiting for him. He was surprised to see his son, and even more by Lady Anya smiling brightly at him and welcoming him as warmly as she did her own son.

"What is the meaning of this?" he finally asked. "Ser Donnel told me the war has ended. Did we... "

"We lost, my friend. And deservedly so."

"How can you be so happy about this, Mother?" Ser Morton said.

"Because the Seven Kingdoms now know the full extent of Jon Arryn's treachery. We almost paid dearly for it, Yohn, but as soon as they heard what he had done during the parley, we had a chance to redeem ourselves. You did well, my friend… Your decision to step away has saved many lives, my son's included."

"I… I wasn't sure about the attack, but… It was true?"

"Yes, we received word from Lord Grafton. Thanks to King Jaehaerys' warning, he had been able to prevent the attack and set a trap for those filthy Ironborn."

"And we're sure that Lord Arryn gave the orders? He was denying everything when we left. We followed Lord Yohn because he was certain that he was lying." Lymond said.

"Gulltown wasn't the only city attacked," Lord Redfort answered. "The scum went for King's Landing and Storm's End as well."

"All the more reason to think that they were allied with the Targaryens." Lyonel Corbray said without assurance.

"Except for the fact that Lord Arryn has been steadfast in saying that Gulltown couldn't be the target of the Ironborn," Yohn said. "That and his naming of Jon Snow as Ned's nephew made me wary of his motives. Why would he be so sure that the Ironborn wouldn't attack our coast if he hadn't talked to them?"

"You were right. I received a raven from my kin in the Stormlands who informed me that they have bent the knee to king Jaehaerys. Lord Stannis confirmed directly that his brother had sent word to Balon Greyjoy to reave the coast of his enemies. Why he thought that Balon would do his bidding is beyond me, but the fool did and it almost cost us." Anya said, looking angry.

Yohn shook his head while the rest of the Lords voiced their discontent. He was already disappointed in his Liege's attitude, but at that moment he felt a deep sadness for those who had stayed with him.

"What about the battle? What about the rest of the Knights of the Vale" he asked concernedly.

"It was over the moment the dragon came forward." Ser Donnel said. "Prince Tyrion has guaranteed that they all surrendered with minimal casualties."

"Jon Arryn still managed to make a fool of himself by trying to attack Ned Stark after surrendering, but he was quickly dealt with." Horton Redfort added.

"Does it mean… Is he…"

"Dead? Yes. He threatened the Warden of the North, whose direwolf showed him no mercy." Anya answered almost gleefully..

"And Robert?"

When Anya told him about Robert breaking parley, Yohn felt a deep revulsion for his former friend and ally. He knew the man could be impulsive, as Robert's Rage proved it not so long ago, but to go to these lengths. To break something as sacred as parley because of his hatred for a boy, added to what he had planned with the Ironborn, made him despise the man truly. That the former king of Westeros knew of the attacks and still decided to face Jaehaerys instead of helping his brothers and his people was disgraceful, and Yohn was relieved to have withdrawn his support before it was too late.

Before they were formally invited to King's landing to bend the knee to the new king, he decided to travel to Gulltown, leaving his sons back at Runestone. Yohn wished to look at the extent of the damages in the town and to offer whatever help Lord Grafton would need for repairs. He was pleasantly surprised to see the city untouched and his friend laughing heartily when he recalled the events.

"When we received word from King Jaehaerys, some were hesitant to believe it, but I convinced them to be on the lookout and to prepare for an attack. I knew that King Jaehaerys would not send us a message in all haste and reveal his network of spies if he wasn't certain it was necessary. After all, he managed to stay hidden and build his strength for years and I'm sure he would still have waited had Robert not forced his hand with the atrocities he'd committed. I must admit I thought it would be harder to push them back, but the boy was a bloody idiot."

"They really abandoned him?"

"One of them clobbered him so hard I thought he would never wake. They claimed they didn't want to follow a fool and they were tired of the Greyjoys' folly."

"So you let them go?" Yohn frowned, surprised.

"Well… Yes."

"You cannot trust them!"

"They are cravens, Yohn. And now they are cravens without a leader."

"It was a mistake to let them go."

"They will not bother us anymore. Not with a dragon protecting us," Grafton said. "Ser Richard and Prince Tyrion assured us that the Ironborn will not be a problem and that the King will take care of them, even if it means burning all their fleet with his dragon so that we can all live in peace."

Yohn felt conflicted by these words. He held no love for the squids but the idea of Jaehaerys using his dragon reminded him too much of Aerys. Mentions of what had happened in King's Landing did nothing to assuage his fears. He needed to see the king, he had to make sure they hadn't just traded one monster for another.

He didn't have to wait for long for the opportunity to arise, as he and the rest of the Lords of the Vale had quickly been summoned to come and bend the knee. Lord Grafton invited him to travel with him on his ship and he accepted the offer, eager to arrive at the city as quickly as possible.

As King's Landing loomed at the horizon, he had looked for any sign of the battle he had heard so much about, to no avail. Either the king had cleaned every trace of his passage or dragonfire was able to burn a ship to ashes. Yohn thought it to be more of the latter when he saw to his surprise more than one dragon flying over their heads.

"Princess Daenerys arrived with three more dragons," he heard one of the sailors say when he came down the deck. "There are five of them now."

"I pity those who would stand against the White Dragon!" another chuckled. "Thank the gods that we are on its good side."

Yohn nodded absentmindedly. People seemed to welcome the Targaryens and not fear them, which was a good omen to him. He still needed to make his own opinion on the lad, but the stories he had heard so far led him to believe that Grafton was right in his assumption, and the song sung near him as he drank with his sons reminded him what Jaehaerys had managed to achieve before the beginning of his reign.

What is dead may never die

but rises again, harder and stronger, aye

their drowned god must wallow under the sea

when he sees how stupid his followers be

these foolish men followed a Squid

who thought himself a Kraken

they chose to follow his lead

not realizing they were mistaken

What is dead may never die

but rises again, harder and stronger, aye

their drowned god must wallow under the sea

when he sees how stupid his followers be

the Squid leader, ever the coward

had sent his family to fight his war

forgetting that a squid out of the sea

was as dangerous as a babe can be

What is dead may never die

but rises again, harder and stronger, aye

their drowned god must wallow under the sea

when he sees how stupid his followers be

Their attacks united the kingdom

their common hatred made enemies allies

behind the Dragon's strength and wisdom

the Stormlords bowed and paid the Iron Price

What is dead may never die

but rises again, harder and stronger, aye

their drowned god must wallow under the sea

when he sees how stupid his followers be

Some of them melted under dragon fire

Some cowered between the Stags and snakes

Some found themselves trapped in a yellow tower

and trade their captain for their sake

What is dead may never die

but rises again, harder and stronger, aye

their drowned god must wallow under the sea

when he sees how stupid his followers be

these foolish men died for naught

tainting the history of the Ironborn

all for the folly of a squid who thought

he was as strong as a dragon

What is dead may never die

but rises again, harder and stronger, aye

their drowned god must wallow under the sea

when he sees how stupid his followers be

Vicatarion Greyjoy

King's Landing, 298 AC

Being held as a prisoner wasn't a new experience for him, though it being right here in the heart of the Red Keep was. He cursed Balon for once again leading their people into ruin, this time perhaps far more truly than the last. Would that it had been his brother who had fallen in the Reach all those years ago and not their father. How different would the lives of his people have been had it been so? Where would they be now had the reforms his father had begun to bring about been allowed to continue?

"I will bring back the Old Way."

Balon's words on the day he was given the Driftwood Crown sounded bitter to his ears now in hindsight. His brother had done as he'd said, he'd brought back the Old Way and they'd raped and reaved and taken Thralls and Salt Wives though it had not been his father's wishes that they'd do so. They followed the man who sat the Seastone Chair, cursed though that man was and despite the ruin he had led them to.

Victarion should have known better, the lessons of the Rebellion should have been learned and they shouldn't have tried to reach for more than they were able to take. It had always been his brother's way of thinking, to wish for more, to seek more, and it had always been his to follow without question. Mayhap it was he who was cursed then and not his brother. He that the Drowned God had abandoned because the man who follows a fool is truly the biggest fool of all and his brother had proved himself to be a fool with this idiotic plan of his.

Hearing the shuffling of feet, he readied for the insults and barbs that would soon be thrown his way and was surprised instead to find that none were. The guards simply opened the door to his cell and he was made to join them as they walked past other cells that were full of his men and those who'd joined him in Balon's Folly. Hearing them speak their words brought him no true comfort. For their resolve had already been broken by the sight of the white dragon as it laid down its flames and destroyed their ships, anything said since then was just bravado and that had never won a battle or a war. It took them some time to get to where he was being led and seeing the white cloaks and the number of guards that he passed, he knew it was to the king he was being taken to.

Surprisingly, he felt eager to see this boy king, to take his measure and to see the man who'd defeated the largest fleet the Iron Islands had assembled since the Rebellion. It was a far different feeling than the one he had when he'd been brought before Stannis Baratheon and his brother or when he'd looked at Eddard Stark as he and his brothers had been shamed. With a deep breath he nodded and was led into the room and he readied to be shamed once more.

"Lord Victarion Greyjoy, your grace." the guard said as Victarion looked to the man who would be king.

He was younger than he'd expected, naught but a green boy he'd have named him as were he to see him and not know who he was. Had he not seen the boy upon the white dragon as his ships were set aflame, then he'd have laughed were someone to name this the boy as the doom to his people and his house. Jaehaerys Targaryen, The Hidden Dragon, the White Wolf, the boy who'd formerly been known as Jon Snow and other than his house and his people, the only ones who'd have more to worry about concerning him were the Stags and the Falcon. It brought him little comfort to know that others would suffer a Dragon's Wrath too, and so he stood as straight as he could and readied for the sentence to be announced.

"Your niece and nephew live still, Lord Greyjoy. Though like you they've found their attacks to be not the surprises they believed them to be. Asha was taken by my cousins as she tried to capture prisoners in Storm's End, you should thank the gods that she was not successful in doing so." Jaehaerys said and Victarion stood silently "As for Theon, I doubt your nephew will enjoy his own imprisonment quite as much, he's been brought back to the wolves, Lord Captain, theirs to do with as they will."

"What is dead may never die." he said and the boy smirked as he looked at him.

"But rises again harder and stronger." Jaehaerys said and Victarion narrowed his eyes "Apt words from where I'm sitting I believe. For my house has risen from the dead and we are stronger than we've been in many a year."

"Indeed." he growled.

"I wish you to write a raven to your brother. To your king. I'll not force you to do so, nor cajole you with promises that I'll not keep. Your brother will lose his head, Lord Captain. Something that should have happened nine years ago and a mistake of Robert Baratheon's that I'll not make."

"You want my brother's head, then go take it. I'm sure Balon will make you pay the Iron Price for it." Victarion said with a smirk.

"What of the Dragon Price, Lord Captain? Are your people willing to pay that because your brother is a fool and a craven?"

"Fuck you boy." he said moving forward and only stopping because of the white blade that was inches from his throat, Ser Arthur Dayne and Dawn may give him a worthy end, but he wasn't ready to go to his god just yet.

"Should I have need of it, it'll be Pyke I go to, Lord Captain, and as Balerion proved, stone burns just as easily as the timber of your longships. Many will die and their blood won't be on my hands, nor will their deaths all be as quick as those lucky enough to face a dragon's flames full on."

"Lucky, you call burning men lucky." he snapped.

"A quick death is better than a slow one and so Aye, I call those caught by the flames lucky. Luckier than those who've faced you in battle, Lord Captain, luckier than those who've been forced to warm your beds or serve your whims." Jaehaerys said his voice even, angered though he clearly was.

There was silence for a few moments, Dawn had been sheathed once again and Victarion tried to picture what the dragons would do to Pyke. The flames would melt the stone and those inside would suffer. Unlike when Robert Baratheon came there would be no siege and given the words that the boy king said, no respite. Were the lives of more Ironborn worth Balon being able to name himself king for longer than he should? Was he even truly a king?

"What of my niece?" he asked, knowing that his brother and nephew were doomed and that more than likely so was he.

"I needs must speak with her before any decision is made. Though I am more inclined to see her free than not." Jaehaerys said as he looked at him and judged his reaction.

"You mean to name a Lady Reaper?" he asked while grinning.

"Mayhaps. The letter?"

"Aye, I'll write your letter, bid my brother to step down and face his judgement. For all the good it'll do."

"It may not do your brother any good, Lord Captain, it may do your people some." Jaehaerys said and Victarion nodded and asked for some parchment and ink along with a quill.

He wrote the note while standing there, then he wrote another to the Reader which he showed to the king who seemed more pleased with this one than the first one. Not the content of either, but that the second one may have a better chance to bring about the result he wished. Once he was done, he readied himself for the sentence that was to be his and wondered if it was to be the Wall or the loss of his head that he was to face. He didn't need to wonder for long.

"There are those on my council who'd seek your head, Lord Captain. Which would no doubt mean a Trial by Combat and good as you may be with your axe, we both know that you're no match for Ser Arthur and Dawn."

"Aye, I'll not deny you that."

"I've been told that you're a man of your word, a man who lives by his own bond, would you name yourself as such?"

"I would."

"I'm in need of warriors, Lord Captain. Men who won't flinch when what we're to face comes out from the darkness. A war is coming that must be won, a battle that all will be required to fight in. For those that distinguish themselves in that fight and who survive that war, all stains will be removed and all crimes forgiven. I seek your word that you'll not desert and you'll live up to the oaths of the brothers of the Watch until that war is over, will you give it to me?"

"Aye, you have my word, your grace." he said with a small bow of his head.

"Then Victarion Greyjoy, I sentence you to the Wall until the war is won."

Three days later he was on a ship once more and heading north to the Wall. How long it would be until he saw the Iron Islands again or if he ever did, he knew not and yet he believed that he would. Even should it come to pass and he did not, the king's words had taken root and he finally believed that he'd be fighting in a good and true war, one that honor and renown could be gained in and one that he had no intention of being on the losing side.

Renly Baratheon

King's Landing, 298 AC

He'd been allowed to move about freely or as freely as could be expected. The guards who followed him were Velaryon men and surprisingly they didn't sneer or belittle him. Though even had they, with how he was feeling he'd perhaps not have noticed. Ever since Michael had left he'd not particularly noticed much or to be more precise, cared for much. Renly had eaten because he'd needed to, he only drank to forget and soothe the pain in his heart and he had waited for the true judgment to come.

That day was now at hand and once again he was relieved to find it was to be done privately and not publicly or that some of it was at least. After washing and dressing, he broke his fast and then sat in the room he'd been given and waited. Being alone with his thoughts made him think back on how he'd gotten here and how far from grace he'd truly fallen. At one point he'd believed that he could be king. He'd considered himself more Robert's heir than Stannis was even though his other brother had been named as such.

When news of Robert's Rage reached him, he'd not given one thought to all those who'd paid for his brother's embarrassment with their lives. Instead his mind had gone to where his mind usually went, to what did this mean for him. How did this action benefit him and what gains could he make from it? It shamed him now to think that Michael had been the one to really make him think that way. True, he always was a selfish person, but during his time with the boy he'd believed he'd loved, more and more that had come to the fore.

So instead of mourning a boy he'd thought of as a nephew or a woman he'd named a Goodsister, he'd concentrated firstly on the fact that he'd not liked either of them. Then on the fact that Joffrey wasn't his blood and Cersei was an adulteress and finally his mind had gone to himself. Was that a sign of him not being as selfish as he now knew he was? Or more likely was it not a sign of him examining things practically before then assigning the results of those things to his own situation. He believed it was the latter and the more he now thought back onto those first few days when he'd heard the news of what had happened in King's Landing, the more he was certain of it.

"May I take the dishes, milord?" a servant asked, taking him briefly from his thoughts and Renly nodded and barely looked at her, though unless the servants were young and male he barely looked at any of them ever truly.

After the news had come about what Robert had done and before he'd truly known the reason for it or had heard about the Hidden Dragon, he'd considered what it meant for him and for the succession. Robert would no doubt marry again and given the number of bastards he had, he could very well bring a trueborn heir into the world, but would he believe it even if he did? Knowing his brother as he did, Renly was sure that even if he wed and had a son, he'd always remain doubtful. Which in turn would mean he'd seek either him or his brother to be his heir.

With how much disdain Robert had for Stannis and with a few choice words in his ear, he was certain he could get him to name him instead of his older brother. It was to thoughts of that rather than too many about the Hidden Dragon that he'd gone to King's Landing to serve as Regent. With that in mind he had sought to prove himself up to the job that Robert had given him and even though he'd never commanded men, or fought in a battle, that was perhaps the true reason he'd not run from the Ironborn.

"Not that I'd have been able to run fast or far enough." he said with a bitter laugh.

That in the end was the truth of things, he'd never have been able to run far and fast enough, not from a dragon. Now he was to be brought in front of that very same dragon and all those dreams, all those thoughts of how far he could rise, would forever remain just that. Instead it would be how far he was to fall that he should be thinking about and he felt it was to be very far indeed. This time when the servant called his name, he looked up and found himself staring into the face of a very pretty young man. He sighed as he looked at him and at the note he held out for him and as he took it from him and the man left, he wondered if after all of this he'd ever find himself with anyone ever again.

Opening the note, he thought back to Michael's words and how he'd made it clear it was his position and not for Renly himself that he'd been with him. How without him being the King's brother and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, without Storms End, he was not worthy of his time and consideration. Whatever was to happen to him now, he'd not be left in charge or either and so all he'd have to offer anyone was the one thing that hadn't been good enough for Michael. It was a sobering thought and he looked at the note and rose to his feet, before he walked to the door and bid the guards to take him to see the king.

The walk through the keep felt different, the way people looked at him felt different and it took him some time to figure out why that was. With the king in residence and the war truly over, the servants, the guards, everyone knew that judgements were to be forthcoming. They knew that those who stood on one side of the war that wasn't, would soon lose privilege, position, and perhaps even protection and some of them revelled in it.

Those servants he'd treated badly, guards he'd belittled or shown disdain for and the Smallfok along with Lords, Ladies, Knights who'd been of a lesser position than him, they knew that was no longer the case. He was to be brought low and had he been a nicer, kinder, more generous man to those he'd considered lesser, they'd have felt badly for him. Since he had not, they did not and he found he couldn't blame them for it in the slightest.

Upon reaching the King's Chambers he saw the White Cloaks, Ser Loras and Ser Walder Alyrs both standing at the door and neither truly looking at him.

"His grace, requests my presence." he said and the young Tyrell nodded before knocking on the door and then bidding him enter and Renly tried once more not to think about what may have been.

He'd known of Loras's tendencies long before the boy himself had perhaps truly known. When he'd sought him for his squire it hadn't just been the politics he'd been thinking of. It was his golden brown eyes, his soft features and of a boy on the cusp of manhood and looking briefly at him now, he wondered had things been different could Loras have loved him? Would it have changed anything or would he like Michael have in the end broken his heart. It would be something he'd consider much over the next few days, weeks and moons, but for now it was what was to happen inside this room that he truly should be concerned with.

Entering when bid, he looked to see Ser Arthur Dayne standing to one side of the boy king that sat at what had once been Robert's and had briefly been his own desk. Ser Barristan Selmy stood the other and sitting to one side of the King sat Jaime Lannister. The Hand of the King's pin was worn proudly on his chest and as he moved to stand in front of the table, he saw that Jaehaerys Targaryen was busy signing papers and writing orders and missives and he tried not to feel jealous. He tried, but found he could not.

"Lord Renly, your grace." Jaime Lannister said after a small cough to get the king's attention and then Renly found himself looking deeply into the dark grey eyes of the dragon who hid no longer.

"Indeed." Jaehaerys Targaryen said as he looked him over "You've been treated well, Lord Renly?"

"I have your grace."

"And you're aware of the news from the Stormlands and the God's Eye?"

"I am your grace."

"Your brother, Lord Stannis has departed from Storm's End and makes his way here to swear his fealty. Unlike you, my lord, he actually read the letter that was sent to him and so was forewarned about the attacks that occurred, proving himself a better lord in the process." Jaehaerys said reproachfully.

"I believed the letter to be a taunt, your grace." Renly bristled when he heard the chuckle that came from the boy king.

"Do I seem the type to need to resort to doing so? My quarrel was never with you Lord Renly and I was well aware of where your brother was. Had I wished to taunt Robert it would have been him and not you I sent such a letter to. Not that it matters now. Your refusal to open it could have led to dire consequences and were it for that alone I'd take issue with your regency." the words were biting and were not yet done "Tell me about the attack on the Tyrell warehouse, my lord?" Jaehaerys asked and Renly gulped.

"I felt it…"

"You took food out of children's mouths, my lord." Jaehaerys interrupted angrily before he calmed a little "So you could stay in comfort while they went to their beds with empty stomachs. Does that not shame you? Can you not see the wrongness in such?"

"My men.."

"Killed two guards in their storming of the warehouse, two men with families who only tried to do what they were told. What were the orders given to the men who stormed the warehouse, Lord Hand? What words did they speak when questioned?"

He watched as Jaeherys looked to Jaime Lannister and he could see the anger in the King's eyes reflected in the Hand's.

"To take the food stocks without regard for anything else, your grace. To use whatever force they deemed necessary." Jaime Lannister said and Renly shrunk in on himself when the king turned back to face him.

"That you actually gathered men and at least were ready to fight the Ironborn rather than hide behind the walls of the Red Keep is your only saving grace, Lord Renly. Other than that you'd find yourself faced with a choice of losing your head or serving the rest of your days at the Wall."

Renly breathed a sigh of relief, his worst fears having been shown to him and thankfully not the punishment he was to face.

"You will never hold office again, my lord. Never hold a position of note. I should by right attain you of your lordship but I won't shame your family more than they've already been and believe me on this, they will be shamed by your actions. I leave your future to your brother to decide, the caveats placed upon it will be well known to him. You are free to go about your business as you wish, though I'd not leave the keep without guards as those you stole food from are more than aware of such."

"I thank you, your grace.'' he said though he wasn't sure how much he meant it. He was relieved to not be punished more severely and yet for a man as prideful as he, perhaps he'd been punished harshly indeed.

"We are kin, my lord. Had you done as you should have, had you acted as a man who cared about those of lower status than he, that would have been remembered. Now it shames me to name you so." the king said and with that he was led from the room and he felt he'd shamed himself.

Balon Greyjoy.

Pyke, 298 AC.

Waiting for news was the worst part of being at war, Balon felt. The not knowing and being so distant from what was going on was at times unbearable. Were he a different man then he'd have led their armies himself, but that was never his strength. Oh he could fight when need be and he'd be a match for most he'd come across, but it was his mind and his will that were where he truly excelled and not in the strength of his arms. In that Victarion had him beat and Balon had never felt jealous that his brother was more a warrior or even a captain of a Longship than he.

So he ate, drank, and waited. Each day with no news made him more and more angered and annoyed and so by the time the raven finally arrived, he was already in a terrible mood. Reading the contents of it, soon made how he'd felt earlier seem almost giddy in comparison. The words his brother wrote couldn't be true, and yet were in Victarion's hand. Balon tried to put them down to his brother being forced to write them, to them being some poor attempt to make him worried and concerned, but he could not. For had that been the case then they'd have simply spoken of their failure and defeats and not the cause of those defeats.

It actually took him a moment to realize that it was a literal dragon that his brother was speaking of and not the so-called hidden one. Though the more he thought about it, it was about that one too. After all, someone had needed to fly the dragon that had destroyed the greatest Ironborn fleet he'd ever known. Even larger than the rebellion and more prepared was what he'd sent out to take advantage of the opportunity that Robert Baratheon had handed him on a silver platter. Yet just like at Fair Isle, his brother had once again been defeated by Greenlanders. Though unlike that time, this time Balon couldn't truly fault him for his defeat given the words that the scroll in his hands contained.

Gulltown hadn't fallen and Theon was once again a prisoner of the Starks. Storm's End remained in the hands of the Stags as now did his daughter too and Victarion had watched his ships burn and only survived because the dragon willed it so. Was that news not hard enough to take, then the threat that the dragon would soon be at his own door certainly was. Yet despite that threat he could not do as Victarion suggested. He was a king and he'd not kneel willingly, no more would he do so for a dragon than he had for a stag.

"If he wants my crown, he'll need to pay the Iron Price to take it from my head." Balon said, crumpling up the scroll and walking to the Great Hall to take his seat on the Seastone Chair.

Once there he called for the captain of his guard and ordered him to ready Pyke for a siege. The man looked at him as if he was mad but did as he said and over the next few days, he did all he could to be ready for the dragon's arrival. It wasn't the dragon that arrived first, though the flames he faced would be just as fierce. So when news came from Lordsport that the Reader and Allanys's ship had docked, Balon readied for the tongue lashing that he knew would come from his wife's mouth.

It had been moons and mayhaps even closer to a year since he'd last seen Alannya and her illness had taken what beauty she had once possessed. She had become a weak willed woman after the death of their sons and he'd thought of setting her aside more than once. Were it not for the fact he had his heir, he perhaps would have and yet he had always wondered if it was more than that. He believed he'd loved her once and that she had loved him. Whatever had been between them though had died nine years ago when Rodrik had been killed at Seagard by Jason Mallister and Maron had lost his life when the walls were breached by Robert Baratheon.

What had not been lost was her fierceness however and the look in her eyes when she stood in front of him was enough to warn him about the slap that she aimed at his head, though not enough for him to dodge it. That she did it in the privacy of his chambers was the only reason he allowed it to go unpunished, and perhaps he deserved it just a little. The Reader stood by his sister's side and Balon readied for the condescension that Rodrik had always shown him in word and deed and he was not to be disappointed by his Goodbrother.

"The attacks were folly, Balon, worse than the Rebellion and the losses even more severe. You've pulled on a dragon's tail, oh king of mine, and the dragon will not rest until he dines on some Kraken. Better it be you then your children or more of our men." The Reader said and Balon laughed.

"You always were a craven, Rodrik. Best you go back to your books and leave the fighting to those more suited for it." Balon sneered.

"Ha. When was the last time you actually used that blade on your hip, my king? The last time you actually stood on deck of a ship and reaved? For far too long you've sat and sent others to do your deeds for you and cost us men and kin alike. Your time is at an end Balon Greyjoy, how that end comes about is all we have to talk about. "Alannys said and Balon was stunned, more by the confident and assured way she spoke than by the words themselves.

"Would that you always had the wit you now seem to possess once again, my dear wife. How I could have used such counsel these past few years, how I would have welcomed such words rather than the incessant moaning about sons that sup at the Drowned God's table."

"You dare mention our boys to me….You dare…."

The roar stopped all conversation and the argument that he and his wife were about to have. He, The Reader and Allanys all hurried to the window and he looked out to see the White Dragon as it flew past. Balon could count the few times he'd truly felt fear on one hand. When the news came that Victarion had lost to Stannis Baratheon, hearing of the fall of Lordsport, looking out on the army that besieged Pyke and kneeling in front of Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark. All paled in comparison to how he felt seeing the dragon as it flew and then landed some distance away.

It was huge, far bigger than anything living had a right to be. Its white wings were tinged with the brightest blue and the three figures on its back seemed tiny in comparison. Two of those wore the white cloaks of the Kingsguard while the third was wearing the most amazing armour he'd seen in many a year. Whatever doubts he may have entertained about what Victarion had written to him about the dragon and what it had done to their fleet, were now a thing of the past and instead it was what it could do to Pyke itself that he concentrated on.

"Time's up, my king, it seems the dragon was even more eager to see you crownless than me." Alannys said almost gleefully.

"He had better be prepared to pay the Iron Price then." he said walking from the room and not seeing the look that was shared between his wife and Goodbrother.

By the time he'd readied the guards and ordered archers to the walls, the note had arrived from the no longer hidden dragon. There was to be no parley, no meeting between them as Jaehaerys Targaryen didn't trust him to live up to his word. Instead the words that had been sent were simple: surrender himself and face the King's Justice and save his people in the process or do not and face Fire and Blood.

"He dares give me orders." he said throwing the note to the floor "Is it he that wears the Driftwood Crown or sits the Seastone Chair. Last I looked it was a Greyjoy and not a Targaryen who ruled here. If he wishes to change that then he'll pay the Iron Price. What is dead may never die." he said to himself, to his guards, to anyone who would listen and the reply he got was muted but welcome all the same.

"But Rises again harder and stronger."

"Fools, you're all fools and any man who follows Balon Greyjoy is the biggest fool of all." Alannys said and Balon glared at her.

"Quiet woman, lest you feel the back of my hand." he snapped.

"Back of your hand, I dare you to try. I dare any of you to…" his wife said fiercely and he saw her then, the woman who he'd wed and had given him his children, he saw the woman he'd not seen since he'd ordered the attack on Lannisport nine years ago.

"I call on those present to remove Balon Greyjoy from the Seastone Chair and to hand him over to the dragons. Perhaps then we'll see my niece and nephew again, though I fear we may not. "The Reader said

"Fucking Harlaws, no wonder the whelps that came from your sister's womb were so fucking disappointing. Four children she birthed me and not a one of them worthy of the Greyjoy name. Rodrik beaten by a fucking Mallister and Maron by some rocks and as for Theon, by the gods I'm not even certain he was my son. Paid the Iron Price to get back here or so he said and yet I find myself questioning whether that was true. The only one of them with any fucking balls was the one born without any, and even she is a fucking disappointment."

"You dare speak of my children so, you dare…." Alannys said and the next thing he knew she was on him, her nails tore at his face and her hands pulled his hair and then he felt pain in his neck and looked to her in shock.

"What have…." he fell to the ground and felt the blood begin to pool in his hand as he pulled out the knife.

"What is dead may never die, but you should have been killed nine years ago. Two children you cost me Balon Greyjoy and now two more." Alannys said and spat on him "I curse you and promise you'll find no respite in the Drowned God's halls."

He heard Rodrik tell some men to bring word to the dragon that they were surrendering and he looked to his wife who bore such hatred in her eyes and then the world went dark and he knew he'd not be rising harder and stronger as he breathed his last.

Jaehaerys Targaryen

King's Landing, 298 AC

"Your Grace, Lord Stannis is here."

Jae waved his hand indicating that Loras could send the man in, while his other hand was briefly squeezed by Margaery. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jaime smirking at him and he felt annoyed that he couldn't glare at him before the door opened.

Of the three Baratheon brothers that he had met over the years, Lord Stannis was both known and unknown to him. He knew the man by his reputation and yet he had never been able to actually speak to the man himself before he had revealed his truth to the realm. When he had been told by Richard how the younger Baratheon had reacted to his supposed death, Jae had felt some hope that at least one of Robert's brothers could be a potential ally. But his Master of Whispers had dashed that hope by telling him that Stannis would see him as a usurper and fight for his brother.

Words that had initially proven to be true until Robert's Folly had destroyed any sense of loyalty that his brothers held for him.

Robert's Rage and Robert's Folly were now being sung far and wide throughout Westeros. And the words were making those who listened feel both anger and amusement. Another success for Ser Richard's Lips. The thought of which would usually cause Jae to smirk, but in light of the meeting he was about to have, he kept his features schooled.

But Jae couldn't help but raise his brow in surprise when not just one, but two Baratheons walked into the room. Yet he knew that he shouldn't be, after all, from everything that his cousins had told him about Lady Shireen, the girl was very bright and quite capable for one so young. So it would make sense that Lord Stannis would recognize that in his daughter and feel it necessary to have her attend the meeting as his heir.

"Your Grace. My apologies for bringing my daughter with me unannounced. She insisted on joining me for this meeting. Apparently it would have been unbecoming for my heir to be left out of any discussion that has to do with the future of our house and our bannermen." The Stormlord explained with a small trace of amusement in his eyes. Which had surprised Jae enough that he let down his guard a bit and smirked at the young girl.

"No apologies necessary my Lord. I have been surrounded by strong women for most of my life. So I know which battles should be fought and which ones I should gracefully surrender." He responded with a chuckle.

"I'll be certain to remember those words my love." Margaery said with a knowing look thrown his way.

"In any case," he said whilst clearing his throat. "I'm very glad that you brought Lady Shireen with you. I've heard glowing praise about your daughter from my Dornish cousins. They were very much impressed with how she handled herself when she was nearly kidnapped by Lady Asha. She is a credit to your house."

"Thank you, your Grace. She most certainly is." The older man said with pride in his voice, while his daughter beamed from hearing those words.

"Please sit."

After they had sat down and were given food and drink, Jae then got straight to the point.

"As I'm sure you are aware, I have begun implementing some changes in Westeros. Some of them are long term that will greatly benefit the realm for generations to come. Others will be short term and will cause some pain in terms of bruised egos. For example, in the Vale, the houses that fought at the Trident will see a 15% increase in their taxes for the next 5 years, while those who stood down see a decrease in their taxes. I had something similar in mind for the Stormlands as a punishment for rising against my family for a second time. However, since that never came to pass thanks to you and the other Stormlords bending the knee. The caveats that Her Grace and I have come up with will not be as numerous or severe as they would have been had you drawn steel against my uncle's forces."

"I had expected as much. Considering what my brother and his duplicitous foster father had put you and your family through during the Rebellion, I would have been very surprised if our house had been let off easily." Lord Stannis said whilst gritting his teeth in anger. No doubt remembering the words that had been written in his mother's letter to Robert.

According to Ser Richard, both Baratheon brothers had been furious to the point of destroying various objects in their rooms when they saw the letter for themselves. Who could blame them? Their suffering during the Siege of Storm's End turned out to have been for nothing. A waste.

"Be that as it may, you are kin and have proven yourself to be far more honorable than either of your brothers. So these two caveats are meant to be of a benefit to Westeros rather than an actual punishment or a slight against you and your daughter." Margeary said with a smile.

"For starters, as I'm sure you are aware, I intend to rebuild Summerhall and turn it into a seat for my heir. What you do not know is that the houses of the Stormlands that rose for me will from now on be sworn to my house and only my house. You will still be a Lord Paramount of a kingdom my Lord, but it will be a smaller kingdom to rule. The other caveat is that any potential match for your daughter must be approved by the crown first before anything can be finalized." Jae continued with the explanation.

Stannis clenched his fist and Jae could see the anger grow on the Lord's now closed face, not so much at the announcement of his reduced influence in the Stormlands, but at the one concerning his daughter and heir.

"You think I am incapable of seeing to my own daughter's future?" Stannis asked angrily.

"Not quite, Lord Stannis, but even though the Seven Kingdoms look united now, there are still those who fought against me. There are those from the Vale and the Riverlands who either doubt or question my legitimacy and who would wish nothing more than to see a Baratheon ruling the Seven Kingdoms. Shireen is your heir and could very well be used as a pawn in their games."

"And you think I would agree to that? That I would betray my oath to you so my daughter would be Queen?" Stannis insisted, visibly affronted.

"We do not doubt your loyalty, my Lord, else King Jaehaerys would never have named you Lord Paramount of the Stormlands." Margaery said softly. "You will still be able to choose a husband for your daughter, but we will want to make sure it will be one worthy of her and not one playing the Game of thrones unbeknownst to you."

"We accept, Your Grace!" Shireen suddenly said, stopping whatever protest Stannis wanted to voice. "As a sign of good faith from our family to yours, we accept."

"I thank you for this, my Lady, and in return I swear to you that we will never force you to wed anyone against your wishes." Jae said quickly.

"Can we get this in writing, Your Grace?" Shireen insisted, her daring look making him chuckle.

"Of course, but please, in private, call me Jaehaerys or Jae. We are kin after all and I want us to foster good relationships between us. The same goes to you, my Lord."

"Stannis, please, Jaehaerys." the Stormlord said clippily.

"You have nothing to fear from us, Jae," Shireen said happily as her father relaxed. "And a contract between you and Father would be impossible to break."

"You're right, cousin. I thank you for the idea."

"You should also do one for Renly and Robert's bastards. I heard from Ser Richard that you were taking good care of them, but they would be more inclined to betray you than we do." Stannis added.

"Is Edric well? Truly? Can we see him?" Shireen asked, suddenly more shy than before.

"Edric is with his family in the Reach, cousin. Soon he will have his own keep sworn to my house, as others will." Jae answered.

"You'll do the same thing in the Reach than in Summerhall, Your G.. I mean, cousin?" she frowned.

"Indeed, I will. If I doubted what they said about your daughter, Stannis, now I do not. She is indeed a real compliment to your House!"

The prideful look was back on Stannis' face and Jae internally breathed a sigh of relief. They went over other questions, about Renly's fate and Asha Greyjoy's, Stannis visibly angry that the woman who tried to kidnap his daughter would not be punished more, but Jaehaerys stressed the need to bring the Iron Islands back to the fold. His explanations and reassurance that no second chance would be given to the Ironborn should they rebel once more seemed to placate the Lord of Storm's End for now.

Asha Greyjoy

King's Landing, 298 AC

They had lost, easily, far too easily. Her men were captured or killed and they'd never even seen it coming. Who would have thought that Dorne would side with Stormlanders, that Prince Oberyn and his girls, The Sand Snakes, would be the reason that her father's and her own plans would end in abject failure. Though perhaps the battle would have been lost without them as they'd not expected to have the entire might of the Stormlands to face.

Had they arrived too early?

Had something occurred to halt the Stormlander's march?

Had someone betrayed them?

These were among the questions she asked as she sat in the cell, these and one more. What was to happen now? It was the last question that she pondered over the most during her captivity. Even more so than the other smaller question in her head that asked her how she'd lost to three girls from Dorne. Asha felt no shame for losing, the Sand Snakes were formidable in their own right and so to be beaten by three of them was no dishonor. It was more how they'd managed to stop her from taking the lady hostage. As for the other question, the answer to that was finally upon her.

"Get up, you're being taken to see the King." the guard said, kicking the bed and waking her from her slumber.

"About fucking time." she grumbled to a laugh from the other guard.

"I hear the dragons have been looking forward to eating some squid, even though it's all they've dined on for some time." the first guard said and Asha tried not to let them see the shudder she made.

The walk through the Red Keep was one that was thankfully done in silence. Her guards had been joined by others and these men did not seem the type for japes. They reminded her of the guards that Stannis had put on her as she was held in the dungeons of Storm's End and a little of the man himself. Dour, unfriendly, unshakeable, and she knew that just like he and them, there was no way to stop them doing as they wished with her.

She had not even dared to try and escape while held as Stannis's prisoner. The Lord of Storm's End having made it clear to her that it was his will and the King's orders that kept her from harm and that protection would end should she find herself on the other side of his walls. Asha could still feel the chill running down her spine at the words he'd said to her as they stood on the parapets of the imposing keep.

"My fellow Stormlanders would like nothing more than to teach Balon Greyjoy's daughter a lesson, my lady. Here in this keep and on the ship you'll soon be sent to King's Landing on, my will and the king's own will hold some back, out there." he pointed to the grounds in front of the keep "Out there it'll be the will of men who were wronged by your father, men who have lost friends and family and men who seek naught but vengeance for both."

It had been enough to keep her in her cell and to make her ready to accept the punishment of the boy king. At least with him she'd be treated honourably as no man raised with Stark blood in their veins could be anything but honourable, or so she believed. A trial by combat was perhaps her best bet and so it was to that she looked, and to that end she was glad of her treatment in the dungeons of Storm's End. Had she been held by a different lord than Stannis Baratheon then she'd have been half or more starved by the time the king sent for her. Stannis though would never see anyone go through what he and his family had during Robert's Rebellion, it was something she was grateful for.

"Ser Richard, his grace is expecting us." the dourest of the guards said to one of the two men in White Cloaks and she watched as he knocked at the door and they were bid enter.

The two Kingsguard took her inside and stood either side of her, in front of her she could see two more standing behind the boy king as he wrote on some parchment. One of them was well known to her and to any who'd grown up in Westeros, Ser Barristan Selmy alone would ensure the king had nothing to fear from her. As for the other man, looking at him and the famed blade he bore, she could barely believe it to be true. Ser Arthur Dayne, The Sword of the Morning himself and her ideas of a trial by combat were starting to look even more foolish by the moment.

Between them, head covered in dark raven hair that was untied and hung loose as he wrote what looked to be the latest in a long list of missives, sat the boy king. Jaehaerys Targaryen hadn't even acknowledged her presence. Was it not for the small cough that came from Ser Arthur, he may not have done so for some time. When he did look at her, she found herself being taken in by eyes so grey that they almost looked black. Eyes that belonged on a far older face than the young one that as of yet didn't even have a blade of hair on its chin.

"Forgive me, Lady Greyjoy. Had I known that being a king meant so much paperwork then I'd not have gone for the throne and it would be Robert Baratheon that you'd be facing now." the king said and for a moment she didn't realize he was japing, not until she saw the small curl of his lips.

"There is nothing to forgive, your grace." she said feeling that playing nice was the best card she had left to her.

"I beg to differ, my lady. There is much to forgive and the question we face is should I or should I not." the king's words and expression were much different now and there was no jape or smirk to be found as he glared at her "There are those who'd see you lose your head, Lady Greyjoy. Those who were they not fearful of what it means to make demands of a king, would demand it of me. I am almost of a mind to agree with them…..Almost."

She gulped as she waited for the second almost, to leave his lips, grateful when it did so and that there was a chance at least that she'd not be dying anytime soon.

"Were I not in need of putting the realm to rights and of preparing for what's to come then I may give into their need for vengeance and justice. Were I a different man then I no doubt would. However, there are other considerations to make and one of them is that you are the last of your line and I've already ended houses who deserved it far more than your own." the king said firmly.

Last of her line?

Theon, Her father, uncles?

Her mother?

How long had she been held prisoner?

What had happened in that time?

"My brother, your grace?" she asked and the king shook his head "My father?"

"Have lost their heads, my lady. Your uncle Victarion has been sent to the Wall and while you have two other uncles left, one I believe is a priest of some sort?"

"Aeron, he's a priest of the Drowned God." she said and the look from Ser Barristan had her quickly adding the king's title "Your Grace."

"Who will father no children according to my knowledge of your faith?" the king asked and Asha nodded "As for your uncle Euron, word has been sent to find this ship of his, The Silence I believe?" Asha nodded again "Should he be found in Westerosi waters then he's to be brought here for trial and sentence and he will be joining your brother and father in the Drowned God's halls." The king's words seemed almost personal, bitter even, and she wondered why that was.

"Euron played no part in our attacks, your grace." she said and had she thought for a moment then she'd have wondered why she was defending the Crow's Eye of all people.

"No, but Cursed is the Kinslayer, Lady Greyjoy and he will answer for those crimes."

"Kinslayer?" she asked while shaking her head in confusion.

"Your uncle Victarion mentioned that he suspected him of being involved in at least one of your other uncle's deaths. I've since found out that he was actually responsible for all three, Quenton, Donel and Robin I believe. Were that not enough then I have other reasons I'd see him dead and not free to reave shores under my protection. For he was responsible for the attack on Lannisport that led started your family's rebellion and that city has come to mean as much to me as those born there"

She didn't argue any further, she hadn't even intended to argue this much and had only done so out of shock more than anything else.

"And me, your grace?" she asked and was surprised to see a small smile on the king's face as he bid her take a seat.

Three moons later

It was not a Kingsmoot, but a Moot all the same and despite the fact that she'd been named as Lady Reaper by the king and that none could challenge his ruling on this, she still wished to give her people the chance to do what they'd always done. So she stood on the cliff top and amongst the gathered crowd, her mother by her side as she readied for whatever challenger dared to face her. Having her mother there with her was a great comfort and after hearing what she'd done to her father, even more so.

Never did a man deserve to die as much as her father did. Twice he'd led them to ruin and this last time he'd almost ended her house and their people. Given what the King had to call upon. Seeing the dragons for herself and that unlike Robert Baratheon, or even his own father before him, Jaehaerys Targaryen had seven kingdoms united completely behind him. Asha knew that had he but wished it, then the Iron Islands and House Greyjoy would be no more. As it was they were on the brink and she would need to do something that she'd not ever truly considered before, bring an heir into the world.

As the moot began she was happy to see there was no challenge. So with a nod to her mother, Asha watched as her name was put forward.

"I name Asha Greyjoy as the only one amongst us who can sit the Seastone Chair. The blood of House Greyjoy runs through her veins and it was always she who was the best of any of my children. She was a reaver amongst reavers and is Ironborn more than any who share her blood. Even the Dragon that sits the Iron Throne sees in her, what we all do. She is the right choice to lead our people forward." Her mother said and Asha never felt prouder of her or more happy to name herself her daughter as she did then.

"Perhaps he wants a cockless puppet like the ones that surround the princess. I claim the Seastone Chair and the Driftwood Crown." the voice called out and Asha and everyone else turned to see the Crow's Eye walk her way with his men and the sacks they were carrying.

"We thought you were dead, uncle." Asha said as she laughed.

"What is dead may never die, sweet niece of mine." Euron smirked "I claim the Seastone Chair and the Driftwood Crown and vow not to lie down and be a dragon's puppet. We are Ironborn! We don't' take scraps from anyone's tables, we take the fucking tables themselves!" Euron said loudly "I've sailed the nine seas and reaved every fucking one of them. What I've wanted I've paid the Iron Price for and look what it's brought me."

The nod he gave his men had them empty out the sacks and Asha and the others looked on as the treasures spilled out. Gold, Jewels. The bounty was unlike any she or any of them had seen before and had she not known what she did, then she'd have feared that the avarice she could see in some of the faces around her would lead to her losing her seat and her head. She smiled though when she saw the men on horseback and when she heard the dragon's roars as it landed a few feet from them..

Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Barristan Selmy, Ser Loras Tyrell and the King himself climbed down off the dragon's back. On the hill behind her uncle, she watched as the men on horseback rode hard to join them. Lord Gerion Lannister leading the charge and the horses quickly surrounded her uncle's men and them all, though it was only her uncle's men that were in any danger here. One of Euron's men moved to her mother and Asha laughed when he got what her father had, the knife in his neck was something he wasn't expecting and he died silently.

As for Euron, he moved towards her with his axe raised only for the white sword of Dawn to take his arm from him. The thinner sword of Dark Sister was then at his neck in the blink of an eye and mad as he was, Euron knew he was beaten. Still he laughed as he was forced to his knees and the blood spurted from where his arm had been. He was still laughing when Jaehaerys Targaryen took his head an hour later and when his crimes were announced to all.

Cursed is the Kinslayer the saying went and she wondered what that meant in regards to their deaths. What punishment the Drowned God had in store for her Kinslaying uncle would be something she'd ponder on for many moons to come. As would the fact that she'd accepted the Dragon's Demands willingly and that the Iron Islands would be forever changed under her rule. They had to change, they had no other choice, as the words that Jaehaerys had made clear to her in that room all those moons ago.

"What is dead may never die, my lady, your words are they not?"

"They are, your grace."

"I'll give you newer truer ones. Adapt or Die. Together we'll see the Iron Island, just like the rest of the Seven Kingdoms rises harder and stronger, Lady Greyjoy. Adapt or die, what say you?"

"Adapt, your grace." she said firmly and truthfully

Stannis Baratheon

Storm's End, 299 AC

So many things had changed since he had returned to Storm's End. Mere moons ago he was preparing for war against a dragon who had been angered by the sins committed by his older brother. Sins that should have caused him to stand down in protest, but he had been too dutiful and stubborn for his own good. So he had accepted his orders and prepared the men that had been assembled to the best of his abilities.

Thinking back, he should have realized from the numbers alone that their chances of winning the war were slim at best. He should have realized that defeat was inevitable. But Baratheons are a very stubborn lot, and Stannis was a prime example of that fact. Something that annoyed him many times whenever he thought back to the days before receiving his cousin's letter. His dear daughter never failed to remind him that being stubborn and dutiful wasn't necessarily a bad thing considering that Robert was far more stubborn and just outright foolish. And his bannermen would also comment on how he was doing a far better job than either of his brothers before him.

While Stannis felt quite a bit of pride whenever he heard those words, he also tasted something foul in his mouth whenever he was reminded of his brothers.

Reading that letter Princess Lyanna had written to Robert made him feel more anger than he had though ever felt possible for any man to feel. His dear brother was lucky that he had already gotten himself killed, for had he lived long enough to stand trial, House Baratheon would have been further shamed by having a kinslayer in the family. And Stannis refused to add to the already long list of sins that his brother had committed against Jaehaerys and the realm as a whole.

Robert's Rage, Robert's Folly, his brother's propension for siring bastards all over the Seven Kingdoms, his lie about the Rebellion and all the lives lost because of him, his last shameful act as he broke parley… As if it wasn't hard enough to bear, Renly's own shameful acts of stealing food from the starving children of Flea Bottom so he could withstand a siege, and the warning letter he hadn't bothered to open had damned Stannis' younger brother to a lifetime of scorn.

These were just a few examples of the shame that his House would have to endure for all of history. Shame that his daughter would one day have to face when he left this world.

Thankfully, Shireen had proven on several occasions that she was up to the task. Even more so when the blessing Jaeherys had bestowed upon her. With the grayscale gone thanks to the ruby the King had gifted her, his daughter had become more confident and sure of herself. She was now taking more lessons with him so she could become a worthy heir by her own right and Stannis could not be more proud of her.

He wished he could say the same about Renly. The former Lord Paramount was having a hard time adjusting his new status and had turned to drink. Stannis had been clear that all his privileges were abolished and that even though he would be treated decently, be fed and housed in Storm's End, he would not be considered more than a houseguard in other regards. No more would he be able to host feasts while using the Keep's coin. No more would his friends and followers receive gifts paid with the Stormlords' taxes. It seemed to Stannis that Renly's entourage had been greatly diminished ever since everyone had been made aware of his actions in King's Landing. Even Sebastion Errol, who was one of Renly's staunchest supporters and most loyal friends since childhood, had a hard time defending him. So much so that Sebastion didn't want to include him during the celebration of the betrothal Stannis had arranged between him and Jeyne Westerling. Renly of course had heard about it and had shown up in the Great Hall uninvited and drunk, causing a scene and embarrassing both Sebastion and Stannis before he got escorted out of the feast.

The next day, Stannis decided to talk to his brother, hoping their conversation would open his eyes about his situation. He found his brother sulking in his room, as he always seemed to do lately.

"Your attitude yesterday was way out of line, Renly. To insult a guest in our Keep as you did -"

"He was the one who disrespected me first! To abandon me so, to request I would not be invited in my own home after all I've done for him,.."

"And what exactly did you do for him?" Stannis asked, chuckling bitterly when Renly couldn't answer.

"I… I thought he was my friend!"

"He might have been, but have you ever been his? Do you really know what friendship is?"

"You're one to talk, you never had any friends."

"And you had too many. Look where it got you. You surrounded yourself with people who did nothing but flatter you, make you feel important and you never once did anything useful for them. You thought people loved you when in reality they were using your influence to stay relevant. Did you think that they would stick around you when you had nothing to offer them other than a bad reputation?"

"Yet you let Sebastion humiliate me overtly. I know you never loved me, but I am your family." Renly spat.

"Which is why you're here in Storm's End and not rotting at the Wall. But this, you rejecting the fault of your fate on everyone else but you, this has to stop and this has to stop now. I will not tolerate you whining and bringing more shame to your family. You did enough of that already. Nor will i have another brother who drinks himself into oblivion to cover for his faults"

"And what would you have me do, Brother?" Renly asked snidely.

"I would have you work to earn back the respect of our bannermen. You're not a lord anymore, but you are still a Baratheon. We accept the consequences of our actions like men and we work hard for what we wish to achieve. Our brother never understood that and he turned into a vile monster that he will always be remembered as. And there is no doubt in my mind that his sins have caused our parents to roll in their graves in shame. You have been given a second chance to better your life so I suggest that you take it. Starting with the training yard at sunrise tomorrow. You'll be training with the houseguard from now on. If you can earn their respect, then hopefully you will have succeeded in learning humility. Something you should have learned years ago."

Some moons later.

Stannis looked on as Shireen charmed the wives of three of his bannermen, his daughter even managing to make his wife smile as she basically held court in the Great Hall. Though not one for feasts he felt the need to throw one as things had gone so very well these last few moons. Despite the fear he had held that his brother's actions would lead to them becoming somewhat ostracised from the houses who'd been more Leal to the dragons then his, that turned out not to be the case at all.

They'd been welcomed in the trading deals and the extra coin was beginning to have an effect. His own relationship with the king was one that he felt would bear fruit in the future too, Jaeherys having asked him to meet him at Summerhall and he, Davos and Shireen had taken the opportunity to visit the ruined keep. He'd watched as the king had listened to his daughter speak about the events that had happened there all those years before, had smiled as the king japed that he knew now who to call upon to learn his family's history and that Shireen did so in a much more entertaining way than any of the dusty tomes that had been written by the Maesters.

As he had walked around it, he'd been told that in time there could perhaps be a position on the Small Council for him to take up, should he wish it so. Something which though he really did not, he knew he would as it would remove some of the stains from his family name. Jaehaerys had then taken him into his confidence about a war that was yet to come, he'd told him that in time he'd need him to train men in a way that may seem strange, but that it had and would need to be done. When he'd asked him why, he'd just been told that this war was the most important that any of them would ever fight in and that it was a war that they had to win.

"You can count on me, your grace, and the men of the Stormlands." Stannis said while taking a knee.

"Arise Lord Stannis and know that you've taken a weight off my shoulders, both in your oath now and in the one you swore in King's Landing. I can say with great certainty that I am happy it's my kin who rule the lands of the storm."

Shireen had even been given a ride on the dragon's back, something that few in Westeros were lucky enough to have experienced and other than the Kingsguard, all of them were people the king named as kin. When they arrived back at Storm's End it was to find Renly waiting for him. His brother had taken his word to heart and now rarely drank and spent most of his time in the yard training himself and other members of his household guard. In time he'd risen to become one of the Captains of his Guard and one day he hoped to get the King's leave to name him as Castellan. If he continued on the path he was on, that was.

"We need to speak, brother." Renly said, his expression one of worry and yet an eagerness too.

"About?"

"Not here."

He walked with him to his solar and Renly poured them both a mug of water before he took his seat. His brother handed him a letter which bore the white falcon of House Arryn and Stannis felt his lip tighten as he looked at the seal and then at the words of the letter itself.

"This is treason! The fool will lose his head." he said when he was finished.

"Aye, he will. But it's an opportunity to, brother." Renly said and Stannis glared at him, surely he couldn't be suggesting what he thought he was.

"Not in that way. I'm not fool enough to go along with those plans and I have no desire to usurp my brother's rightful place." Renly said so firmly that it brought a half smile to Stannis's face "Nor would I inflict that man upon my niece." his brother added disgustedly.

"Then what are you suggesting?"

"We play a mummer's role, brother. The letter may not be enough for treason, my testimony and Shireen's would."

"You would involve my daughter?"

"Who is far more clever than you or I." Renly said with a smile.

"Aye. That she is. We needs must send word to the King before we begin such a game." he said and Renly chuckled.

"Knowing Ser Richard, I would wager he already knows."

Later as he took to his bed, he did so with a feeling he'd not known in many a year. He was content, both as a Lord and as a man. He and Selyse had found something more in each other, his brother had already or was soon to become a man he could respect and Shireen was the light in his life. That he now served a worthy and true king and was playing his part in securing his reign, he could ask for nothing more.

---

Notes:

Sorry for the delay. Life takes sometimes an unexpected turn for the best and sometimes it goes better but it takes some time.
As Arrow's moving into her new home took some time from her (and we're happy for it), I on the other hand am on a recovery path that is both good since I'm feeling better and annoying because I, the usually insomniac one, am always sleeping to get better, and thus I am writing in a much slower pace. Thankfully, alperez was there to save the day and it was a real pleasure to work with him on this what if.

We hoped that you enjoyed this epilogue as much as we enjoyed writing it.

Next week's chapter will be about the Blackfish. It's a bit shorter so it should come out on time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.