Alright, time for the next chapter, hope you all enjoy, Sorry this took so long, real life, getting sick, hectic work schedule, and just general BS, delayed this SOB for a while. Hope you enjoy, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Darkness Reborn
Chapter 22: An Allegiance with Darkness and Light
-Meereen-
Dany sat staring out into the middle distance, replaying everything she had learned from Yara Greyjoy in her mind.
So much information, and yet all of it passed through her head on repeat, over and over and over again.
She had a nephew, a still living nephew. The son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark. This nephew was supposedly trueborn, Rhaegar having married Lyanna, something that Barristan admitted was in character for Rhaegar, he wouldn't have sired a bastard, and Daenerys believed her Hand, he knew Rhaegar better than most. If he said it was likely, than she believed him.
This young man, who'd once gone by Jon Snow, was actually Aegon Targaryen. At some point, he'd gone north of the Wall, and then he came back, with an army of orcs at his back. These orcs swept south, taking back Winterfell which had apparently fallen into the hands of the Ironborn, and then sweeping the rest of the Ironborn into the sea, including Yara.
Yara told them how she'd retreated back to the Iron Islands and of the stories she'd heard while she was there. How Aegon continued south with a massive army of orcs, numbering in the tens of thousands. She spoke of how she'd heard that he attacked the Twins and put the entire Frey line to the torch, butchering almost every member of the family, for reasons that Yara didn't know. Robb Stark, the King in the North had bent the knee, swearing fealty to Aegon, as did the Riverlords.
Yara spoke of how she'd heard that Aegon had a dragon, and he'd used it to burn the Golden Tooth in the Westerlands. The last bit of news that Yara had heard from the mainland, was that Aegon's army had marched on Casterly Rock and Lannisport, and took both locations in only a few days.
Barristan could hardly believe that, yet Daenerys had sacked Astapor and Yunkai, about as quickly, using clever tactics, so it wasn't impossible, just unlikely.
Aegon taking Casterly Rock was the last bit of information Yara had, as not long after hearing that news, her father Balon fell from a high bridge to his death.
The Ironborn gathered to select a new leader, at first leaning towards Yara, but then, Euron Greyjoy arrived. A man Yara hadn't seen in years, he was rumored to have been dead, but those rumors proved false. The man was very much alive, and he was unlike anything Yara had ever seen before.
His hair was as black as night, as was his beard. He was a handsome man, despite his years at sea. He wore an eye-patch, had lips stained blue from drinking shade of the evening.
He had a horn with him, that he called Dragonbinder, which he claimed he could use to bind dragons to his will, an item he supposedly got from the ruins of Valyria, which, considering who lived there now, meant that he either lied about it's origin, managed to escape the threat of the Dread Lord's forces, or he was in league with them.
Yara had basically won the Kingsmoot when Euron arrived, and stole her victory out from under her. Many Ironborn still supported Yara though because Euron was crazy, and terrifying. He promised to give the Ironborn the world, and that great powers were waiting for them. That his people would receive bounties unlike anything they'd ever known before, and all they needed to do to gain such bounties, was to follow him.
The Kingsmoot was split, almost evenly, but enough turned to Euron, to get him the majority, so while he was being anointed, Yara had stolen as many ships as she could along with all her supporters, and they fled the Iron Islands.
Yara warned that it was likely that Euron intended to side with Aegon and his sorceress. Whatever powers he was after, he seemed convinced that Aegon and the sorceress at his side, could help him attain them.
Rómestámo looked grim as this was all explained to them. His visage darkened as he heard these things, and when it was all said and done, they asked Yara to step out so that Daenerys and her advisers could discuss what they'd learned.
The existence of this Aegon Targaryen was a complete shock to everyone, his allegiance to the dark powers was also a blow that greatly unnerved Daenerys.
"It's her, I know it is…" Rómestámo quietly muttered to himself.
"What are you saying?" Barristan asked the ancient wizard.
"She's the source of the dark powers I've felt echoing across the world these last few months. She is the one the Balrog is covering for, trying to hide. This sorceress is the true power in the west, she must have enthralled the young Aegon, turning him to her cause." Rómestámo answered.
"But who is she?" Daenerys questioned him.
"I do not know. I have my suspicions though." Rómestámo replied, sighing as he did.
"And those suspicions are?" Barristan pressed.
"This 'sorceress', I believe she is most likely Sauron in disguise." Rómestámo offered them his speculation.
"He can do that, just turn into a woman if he feels like it?" Daario asked, giving the wizard a curious look.
"As easily as breathing. Sauron is a master manipulator, and a capable shape-shifter. He supposedly lost his ability to assume a fair form when he was injured long ago, but perhaps he has found a way to heal himself, and has taken on the form of this sorceress, in order to beguile the young Targaryen boy. He no doubt is using him for his name and family ties, in order to bring some of the kingdoms of men, over to his side. The poor boy most likely has no idea the darkness that he's become involved with. If I'm right, Sauron will twist this Aegon into a puppet and use him to control Westeros. And once Westeros falls, he'll begin an attack on the East. Valyria will be unleashed, and the Balrog will march across the continent, assailing all of the kingdoms of men, toppling them one after the other, until all is brought under the Dark Lord's dominion." Rómestámo answered back, earning unease from his fellows as they contemplated all that they'd learned.
Barristan quietly pondered this revelation, doing all that he could to recall the young man he'd seen at Winterfell, what felt like a lifetime ago. Rhaegar's son. How he had missed that… Barristan was kicking himself for it. Had he known the truth, he could have taken the boy with him, brought him to the capitol, taught him to be a knight, if he'd done that, he may have been able to take the boy with him to Essos, and bring him here, reuniting the last two Targaryens.
Such possibilities danced in his mind, filling him with regret.
Daenerys listened to Rómestámo as he laid out the threat they all faced. Her nephew, was fighting to claim the Iron Throne in Westeros, at his back was an army of orcs, and by his side was a sorceress, who may very well be the Dark Lord in disguise, and even if it wasn't, this woman was no doubt a servant of Sauron or the Balrog. Either way, her nephew was in great danger, her last living relative.
"What will we do, my queen?" Missandei asked, drawing Daenerys' attention to her.
Dany pondered the question for a long moment before turning to Rómestámo.
He offered her a sad look, as if he was able to read her intentions and desires, without her having to voice them.
"I want to help him." She stated.
"I know." Rómestámo replied, sighing as he did.
"There must be some way… some way to lure him away from this sorceress, and get him in a position where we can talk with him. The boy was raised by Eddard Stark, and from what I can remember of him, from my short time in Winterfell, he was well liked by the people there. He was kind, and noble, loved by his family members. Surely if we could just get him away from this sorceress, we could show him the truth." Barristan suggested, hopeful that the wizard could offer them some form of hope that Rhaegar's son could be saved.
Rómestámo was quiet for several long moments has he pondered several possibilities. After a few long moments he let out another sigh.
"Saving young Aegon will not be easy, and each day he falls further and further into the Dark Lord's clutches. If we want any chance of making it to Westeros, we must defeat the forces of darkness here, in the East. Until the Balrog in Valyria is dealt with, this continent is in danger, and any attempts to move on Westeros will be thwarted by that terror. If we march on Westeros without dealing with the Balrog first, it will simply follow us. With your dragons, you are one of the few threats to it's power here on the continent, myself being one of the few others. With both of us together, it will focus on dealing with us first, before marching on the Free Cities, and the rest of western Essos." Rómestámo laid out the grim position they were in.
"Not exactly an enviable position to be in." Daario noted.
"What if we sent a message to him? Tried to get word to him in secret, to contact him without this sorceress knowing?" Daenerys suggested.
"This sorceress will be watching him closely, and has no doubt taken the position of an adviser. I know not if Aegon knows of your existence, but if he does, this sorceress may have already begun painting you as a potential rival. Without knowing the enemy's full intentions, I can only speculate on the nature of the relationship between the two, but she will no doubt be high in his council, and he would share such messages. The Balrog also knows of my presence, and will no doubt have informed it's allies in the west, so Aegon may be convinced it's a trap and refuse to come, which would further damage your image in his eyes." Rómestámo responded to her suggestion.
"What about deception? We could send them an offer for an alliance. What if we laid a trap for this dark sorceress, by feigning ignorance about her truer nature. We could send word to Aegon, informing him of our recent discovery of his existence, and how his aunt is desperate to meet him, and reunite with the last of her blood. She offers a military, or marriage alliance, or whatever you think is most likely to work, to draw him in. The sorceress will follow, aiming to try and kill the wizard, she or he, or whatever the hell it is, will think it has the upper hand, but we'll have a trap in place. Something to separate your nephew from this sorceress." Daario offered a scheme, plucked from his mind.
Rómestámo listened to his suggestion with a furrowed brow. He pondered it as the mercenary captain laid out his idea. As Daario finished, Rómestámo turned his gaze away from the group, and considered if it was at all possible. If the old wizard was right, and this was Sauron in disguise, than it was unlikely a trap would work. Sauron was a master of deception, and would have contingencies in place. Even if he didn't, a direct confrontation with Sauron, was unlikely to succeed.
Rómestámo was in a unique position here in Essos. He was no longer on Arda, and thus the rules of his mandate no longer applied. At least he hadn't been commanded to remain bound by those rules, when he was asked to come here. So he could technically unleash his full strength, and directly confront the Dark Lord, the problem was, he was nowhere near strong enough to defeat Sauron, even knowing that the Dark Lord was in a weakened state, due to his loss of the One Ring, Rómestámo still didn't like his odds in a direct battle. Hell he doubted he could defeat the Balrog if it came to a direct confrontation, Sauron was an entirely different matter.
Rómestámo had fought against Sauron for thousands of years, though in all that time, facing the forces of the orcs and the dark men under Sauron's thralldom, he had never confronted the dark lord directly, nor had he opposed him in a direct manner. Despite Rómestámo's achievements, he had never confronted the dark lord in person, and thus, felt less assured of himself, and his capabilities.
He knew they needed to try something though. This Aegon would be used as a puppet to rule the kingdoms of Westeros, and that would allow Sauron a massive base of operations with which to wage a campaign against the rest of the world, and the ancient wizard had no doubts that Sauron would eventually try and find a way to bring his forces here, back to Middle-Earth in order to conquer it, so he had to be stopped, there was no other way about it.
Daario's idea had some merit, but Rómestámo was unsure of whether or not such a plot would lead to a direct confrontation with this sorceress. If he was right, and she was Sauron in disguise, than he had his doubts that they could trick the Dark Lord, and he had even further doubts that they could beat him if it came to a direct confrontation. But perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps he was simply being paranoid? Maybe this sorceress was just an agent, perhaps a Númenórean, that had survived under Sauron's thralldom? That was a possibility. Despite being a shape-shifter, Sauron was a masculine spirit, so there was a possibility that his woman wasn't false.
Still, the wizard was unsure of himself.
Any move they made would be a gamble, and it would require getting Aegon to come to Meereen, because without defeating the Balrog in Valyria, there was no marching to Westeros. They simply couldn't do it.
The only possibilities that came to mind, involved trying to get word back to Valinor. If Sauron was here, and meddling in the affairs of another world, than perhaps the higher powers would deem it necessary to intervene in a more direct manner, and they would send further aid. That was the only real hope Rómestámo had at beating Sauron outright. Beyond that, they would have to be clever.
"Rómestámo?" Missandei inquired, seeing him staring off into the middle distance.
"It will not be easy. If I am wrong, and this isn't Sauron impersonating this sorceress, than we may have a chance. But if I am right, if it is him, a direct confrontation would most likely lead to our deaths. Sauron is diminished, weakened, yet he was always the greatest of my kind. Even in a weakened state, his powers may rival my own, possibly even surpass them. At full power, he'd no doubt defeat me. But Sauron's power is not his greatest strength. It's his cunning and deceptive mind, that are his greatest tools." Rómestámo began, turning his gaze to Missandei, and then to Daario and then to all of Daenerys' other advisers and guards before finally settling on her.
"Once, there was a great civilization of man. The Númenóreans. They were seafarers, majestic, long-lived, noble, and grand. One day they could have had a civilization that surpassed the Valyrian freehold, in scope and majesty. They were the greatest civilization of men, in my lands." Rómestámo began, taking a step towards Daenerys as he locked eyes with her.
She listened to him as he spoke, taking in his every word, knowing that a lesson lay there.
"When Sauron declared himself king of all men, the Númenóreans took offense to that, and marched against him. Clad in golden armor, the sheer power and might of their army, sent Sauron's forces scattering like roaches. His legions broke and fled at the sight of the Númenórean host. So grand were they, that they were able to march right into Sauron's kingdom, right up to his fortress, and demand his surrender. To all of our surprise, Sauron did surrender. His armies were broken and scattered, and he could not face the greatest civilization of men, alone. At least… we thought he couldn't. He surrendered to their king, humbled, and laid low. He was taken prisoner back to Númenor, and for decades he remained there. Slowly, he worked his foul and deceptive mind, plucking honeyed words of malice from his brain and feeding them to the lords of Númenor. Within a short time, he was no longer a prisoner, but an honored adviser, who stood by the king's side, whispering in his ears. Sauron slowly turned the Númenóreans into a wretched people. Turned them to dark sorcery and blood magic, to sacrifice, and accursed rituals. His greatest sin though, came when he convinced the king to march on mine own homeland. To lay siege to me and my kin, in the hopes of stealing from us, the gift of long life. Their attack failed. The almighty himself, struck down their fleet and their army as it arrived on our shores, and he broke their great kingdom, drowning it in the sea. Sauron survived, and fled home. His task was completed. He had toppled the greatest kingdom of men, and he'd done it alone. He is a force beyond the measure, and should not be underestimated. Their tale, the fall of this great kingdom, is a warning for all the other mannish powers… do not underestimate the Dark Lord, and do not let him whisper in your ears." Rómestámo told them the story, summarizing the fall of Númenor, and the loss of that great people.
The group sat in silence for many long moments as they pondered the wizard's story, and the warning it provided. After several agonizing minutes passed, Daenerys spoke. "If what you say is true, than we cannot allow Aegon to remain in the clutches of this sorceress. If she is Sauron in disguise than she will use him, and turn him the same way he did these Númenóreans, and if you are wrong, and this woman is not the Dark Lord, than their exists the chance to defeat her, and free my nephew from her control, granting us an ally in the west."
"True… I agree that we must act, and a trap is our best chance. But we must be cautious, and we must be ready to face this Aegon, if he has fallen too deeply into the enemy's service." Rómestámo agreed, offering a warning to Daenerys, that she accepted with a sigh.
"I know. I know there is a chance he's already beyond saving, but I have to try. He is the only family I have left. The only other Targaryen in the world. I have to make the effort." Daenerys accepted his words, while still displaying her resolve. Rómestámo nodded at that, and took in a deep breath.
"Alright then. A trap? We'll need to be clever, so let us take some time to plan this out. We must be ready for it all to go up in flames at a moment's notice." Rómestámo began, earning a nod from Dany as they settled in to begin planning how to get Aegon away from this sorceress.
None of them were confidant in their chances, Rómestámo's warning ringing strongly in their ears, but the queen was committed to trying. And even those who had no interest in Aegon, knew that if he conquered Westeros and handed it over to their enemies, than any chance of putting Daenerys on the throne would die then and there. So they all had to do something.
-Pentos, around the same time-
"Will you stop giving me that look." Tyrion Lannister responded to the glare his sister was giving him.
"This is your fault, putting ideas into his head." Cercei spat at him.
"Tommen is far smarter than you give him credit for. Varys is right, we need allies here in Essos. Taking a gamble of Daenerys Targaryen, is the only hope we have. Aegon's assassins will come for us, for Tommen, do you plan to just wait here for them to arrive?" Tyrion argued in response.
Cercei let out a huff, and turned her gaze away from Tyrion, glaring off into the middle distance.
For weeks, the despondent Lannister host lay up in Pentos, in the home of a friend of Varys. While it was nice to remain in the lap of luxury, it was obvious they were wearing out their welcome, and with Varys planning on leaving, they had to make a choice of what to do next.
It was obvious to most of them, that their entire world had come apart, though some refused to see it.
Varys had approached them, offered them the chance to go with him to Meereen to meet with Daenerys Targaryen and plead for protection and possible form an alliance with her. They had a great deal of information to offer her about her nephew, a nephew she most likely knew nothing about, and that may be enough to convince her to spare them.
Cercei didn't like it, and Pycelle argued against it, but Tyrion saw logic in what Varys was saying. They needed a powerful ally in Essos to keep them safe, and if they ever wanted to return to Westeros to reclaim Casterly Rock, they needed to endear themselves to Daenerys. Even if she chose not to fight her nephew, if she returned, and the two formed an alliance, perhaps Aegon may even be willing to return Casterly Rock to them, if they were known to be allies of Daenerys.
It was a longshot, and perhaps Tyrion was being overly hopeful, but what other choice did they have. Tommen saw it, clear as day. Why Cercei and Pycelle could now, Tyrion didn't know.
Once Varys left, the Lannister host would be put to the streets. Cercei made sure everyone knew of her displeasure and it won her no friends here in Pentos. While it could momentarily be assuaged as a mother's grief over the loss of Joffrey, it was quickly wearing on the nerves of their host. Tyrion knew, their momentary reprieve from homelessness was about to end. So either they took to the streets and tried to rebuild something here in Essos, or they went with Varys, and tried their hand with Daenerys Targaryen.
At the end of the day, both roads had their dangers, but Daenerys path was the only one that had the possibility of returning home, and possibly reclaiming the Rock, hell it was the only chance they had at ever seeing Myrcella again.
That was enough to convince Tommen. Despite Cercei and Pycelle both insisting that Tommen was now king, Tommen refused the title. The boy was far smarter than his mother gave him credit for. He could see the forest for the trees, and knew that he'd never be a king, but there may still be a chance to save his sister. But they needed help in order to do that, and that meant taking a risk on Daenerys.
She'd most likely kill them, of that Tyrion had little doubt, but he'd rather a swift death, that he could see coming, rather then living in fear for the rest of his days, waiting for Aegon's assassin to finally catch up to them, and put a knife in their backs.
Tyrion was quiet as he made his way out of the room, finding Jaime in the hallway, leaned against one of the walls. He seemed deep in thought, and this didn't go unnoticed by his younger brother.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Tyrion inquired.
"Just thinking…" Jaime replied.
"That's obvious. What about?" Tyrion asked.
"I'll… probably be dead here in the next few months." Jaime responded, blinking several times as he stared off.
Tyrion gazed at him for a long moment, knowing that Jaime was probably right. There was a good chance that Daenerys would kill them all, and an even better chance that she'd execute Jaime at least for killing her father.
A part of Tyrion wanted to suggest Jaime not come with them. That he stay behind or take Cercei and runaway. He knew that wasn't going to happen. Neither were going to leave Tommen, and the boy had been convinced to go and speak with Daenerys, to try and form an alliance with her.
No, Jaime was the lord commander of the Kingsguard, and Tommen was now the king he was sworn to defend. He'd follow him, and protect him for as long as he could. That he was his son, just added to it.
"Probably. Then again… maybe we'll all be surprised. These last few months have held nothing but surprises, and perhaps our fortunes may soon change." Tyrion offered.
"Always the strangely optimistic one." Jaime noted with a halfhearted smile.
"Someone has to be. Come… let's find Tommen and see to it that he's prepared to leave. We've got a long voyage ahead of us, and we need to start planning out what to say, so we can make the best case for ourselves. A lot is riding on the success of this meeting. Our future, our lives, little things like that." Tyrion said to him, earning a nod from his brother as the he followed alongside him.
Despite his attempts to remain optimistic, Tyrion couldn't overlook the fact that Jaime was probably right, and that worried him deeply. Still… die here, die on the road, die on the streets, or die in Meereen. They had to do something, take a risk. Only by taking risks could they hope to win something of value from all of this.
So Meereen it would have to be.
-Westeros, two weeks later-
The Stormlands were burning. Civil war raged between a dozen houses as they fought for survival. Houses loyal to the Lannisters, fought in the name of Tommen, still fearing the name Lannister, and holding to what they believed was Robert's line. Houses loyal to Stannis fought for who they believed was the true and rightful king, and finally houses that had sworn fealty to the new king Aegon, out of fear or loyalty to the old Targaryen line. These houses were spared the onslaught as Randall Tarly marched throughout the Stormlands with a massive army at his back, sacking keeps, castles, and villages, bringing each rebel to heel in turn.
Hordes of orcs, and men washed across the kingdom, burning and killing as they went, slaughtering the rebel lords, and their armies.
Lord Tarly was brutal in his efficiency, and commanded the men and orcs with extreme precision. Despite their monstrous appearance, the Lord of Horn Hill found that he enjoyed commanding the orcs. They were vicious, and ruthless, and unlike some of the men he commanded, they never hesitated to carry out his most vile of commands. War was terrible, and one must be terrible in order to wage it. The orcs were not soft, nor did they have weak stomachs. They were happy to carry out his commands, their love for battle making them near perfect soldiers in his eyes. They only lacked discipline, but that could be trained, which is exactly what Randall Tarly did. Whenever they weren't in battle, he was busy drilling his forces, turning them into a proficient fighting force.
Three keeps, and half a dozen villages had already been sacked by the Lord of Horn Hill, but nearly as many had surrendered peacefully. All those who refused to bow to the new King of Westeros, were met by his armies. Even now, they were marching on a castle of one of Stannis' supporters. Slowly but surely, the last of the Stag's supporters were being put to the torch.
In King's Landing, festivities were being prepared. Aegon's marriage to Lilith was the talk of the city, and was on everyone's mind. The two intended to wed before Aegon marched against Stannis, and then went to deal with the Ironborn, so preparations were quickly being made for the occasion.
What went unspoken was the worry building within the staunchly faithful. Over the last several weeks, signs had been appearing that Aegon was going to be far from a pious King. In fact, not long after Baelish had taken up his old position as Master of Coin, he began feeding Aegon information on some of the High born nobles within the city, in an attempt to further ingratiate himself to the new king.
One of the people he delivered information on was a local Septon, who was revealed to engage in sexual activity with a number of women within one of Little Finger's brothels.
The High Septon himself had perished during the attack on King's Landing, having apparently been crushed by falling debris. A new High Septon had yet to be chosen by the Most Devout, so this man had taken it upon himself to preach to the faithful of King's Landing, who were absent a religious leader. His preaching had not gone unnoticed by Aegon and Lilith, as he directed the populace towards the Faith of Seven, and in some not so subtle ways, warned against the strange powers of Lilith.
His preaching had earned him the ire of many of the faithful, as some of them were among those that Lilith and Aegon had healed with their powers.
The man made himself appear the fool, as any intelligent conversion artist would have used Aegon and Lilith's actions as a way to convert others, claiming them to be their gods in physical form, or something of the like. That's at least what Aegon would have done in the same position, but instead the man stuck closely to scripture, and warned against them and their strange ways, as well as how Aegon should join them in declaring for the Faith and forsake the barbaric ways of the Old Gods.
The idea of there being a King who not only refuted the Faith of the Seven, but actively worshiped other gods, terrified this particular Septon, and no doubt scared his fellows, as well. Aegon and Lilith were both waiting for the moment when this would come to a head, and they'd be challenged by the Faith, so with each passing day, they won further support from the smallfolk, and highborn alike. Cleaning the city, putting people back to work, making sure they were fed.
To afford such a battle of hearts and minds, gold flowed from the Red Keep, and no one really knew where it came from.
Much of the wealth was actually freshly made gold, that Lilith created using the Philosopher's Stone.
With the stone, they had access to near limitless wealth, so long as they kept their source of wealth a secret. The process of creating gold with the stone was a long one as well. The stone could transmute any object into gold, so long as it was used as a medium for the alchemical process. So Lilith had large stones brought into the keep, which she then turned into solid gold. Most of these stones were about man height, and about as wide, and each one would take about eight hours to fully transform into solid gold, which then needed to be smelted into coins. So the process was far from instant, and with Lilith and Aegon being the only two with access to the Philosopher's Stone, it was slow going, but even still. One of these rocks, if it weighed a ton, could then be transmuted into a ton gold, which could be used to create an exorbitant amount of gold coins, so they didn't need to perform this task often. And most of the time, these stones weighed more than that.
Needless to say, money was of no issue for the two, as with time, they could make as much as they wanted, and if the two ever deemed it necessary to speed up the creation of gold, then they could make more Philosopher's Stones. Again, it wasn't needed, but it was an option for them, if it ever came down to it.
So with gold flowing out of the Red Keep, and into the hands of merchants and peasant-folk, many people found themselves going back to work. With the war almost over, peasants were returning to the fields, especially now that Aegon's armies began to patrol the country-side, putting down errant rebels, and bandits.
With their popularity among the populace on the rise, and the High lords taught to fear them, the two were in position to begin undermining the Faith and converting the people to worshiping them. The process would begin once the continent was secured, so for now they bided their time, and continued to further raise their standing among the people.
As the royal wedding was prepared, Aegon and Lilith set about securing their hold on the continent by establishing bases for themselves. Lilith had been officially granted Harrenhal, and she sent a small army there to begin tearing down the ruin in preparation for the construction of a new fortress. Within the city, the Dragonpit was beginning reconstruction, though it's purpose would no longer be for the housing of dragons. Instead it would be shaped into a fortress, a citadel of dark magic, that would serve as a training center for an army of sorcerers, and mages.
At least once a week, Aegon would travel down into the city with Margaery Tyrell, to walk among the smallfolk. He allowed them to feel his presence, and he would heal their wounds, and hear of what ailed them. The smallfolk were not difficult to please. All they really needed in life was a place to sleep, food in their bellies, and safety, and most of them would live happy and content lives. Provide those three things to them, and most of the time, you didn't even really have to pay them, and they'd still be happy.
So Aegon's presence, and his actions to better their lives was seen as going far above and beyond what was normally done. Despite how easy it was for him, it meant a lot to these people. On one of his trips down into Flea Bottom he delivered a call for laborers, offering anyone, who had the strength to haul wood and stone, a job that would pay them twenty-five pennies for every ten hours of work. Which considering the current prices for food, was a considerable sum for the average peasant. Considering the work was simply labor, and hauling material where it needed to go, a person didn't need even an ounce of skill to do it.
It had the intended affect, as soon thousands of people were employed as laborers within the city, working on whatever projects that Aegon required of them. He had these groups searched for those who actually had skills as builders and had them drawn into his service with greater offers of payment, but soon, large numbers of civilians found themselves off the streets, and put to work, which helped to clear out some of the cramped city streets, as well as allowing the people the ability to begin spending money on things that they wanted. Current prices for a single melon were around six copper pennies, meaning on a days work, a peasant could actually afford to eat three times a day, which was a luxury, and they'd still have money left over.
To the smallfolk, Aegon was quickly earning the reputation as a benevolent King, one who looked out for the smallfolk and aided them when they were in need.
While the peasantry began revering Aegon, within the Red Keep, he was bringing the High Lords further and further in line, using tactics of fear, manipulation, coercion, duty, and cunning.
Petyr Baelish made sure to offer the king what information he could in regards to the various lords and ladies of the court, telling Aegon their secrets, and acting as an unofficial spy master. He was desperate to find his way into Aegon's good graces so he offered whatever information he could, and if Aegon ever showed a particular interest in a person, Baelish would do what he could to gather further info on them.
The name of the game these days was a battle to ensure ones position within court. So much about Aegon was foreign to the people of King's Landing, at least on first appearance. He was a northerner, who supposedly had northern ideals. He probably held to the Old Gods, and was thus, more like a king from the First Men days. He walked beside beasts and monsters without an ounce of fear, walked the streets of King's Landing with a focused and critical gaze. He was quick to institute new policy changes, and brush away old or broken systems.
He was frightening and charming, terrifying and alluring. There was a danger to his gaze, and a power there that everyone could see but almost no one could comprehend. His sorcery was miraculous, and terrifying, his servants were loyal and fearful. It was like he possessed all of the charm of Rhaegar Targaryen, with all of the ruthlessness and cunning of Tywin Lannister.
And on that note, Orpheus, the demon who had once been the man Tywin Lannister, now stood beside the king during court. While not officially named Hand of the King, the vampire lord carried out similar duties, though his motives were far from what they once were.
Consumed by the will of Sauron, and a newly born hunger for blood, Orpheus was now a doomed soul, forever trapped in the Dark Lord's thralldom. Despite having the face and mind of Tywin Lannister, the spirit was gone. In it's place was something dark, and twisted. Something that had become far more monstrous than Tywin had ever been.
Orpheus was pale as a ghost with cold, blood red eyes. He still looked like Tywin did, but there was a corpse-like aura to him now. Something haunting, that unnerved all those who came near him. Most people found themselves unable to meet his gaze, their eyes dropping as Orpheus turned his gaze towards them.
With each passing day, the vampire developed greater focus and control. He possessed the keen mind of Tywin Lannister, but was now under the control of the Dark Lord. Any time thoughts of rebellion or resistance would rise up, Aegon's voice would whisper into Orpheus's mind, chiding him for such thoughts or mocking him with images of what he'd done to his own family members. Hope didn't last long in the vampire's mind. Especially as he was brought people to feed on.
When sated, Orpheus found that he could resist the urge to feed, but only for a few days. No matter how much he ate or drank, none of it satiated his thirst. He never felt hungry and his thirst lay only for blood. Anything else he consumed left him feeling only a momentary satisfaction, but it rarely lasted more than a few moments. Blood was the only things that could sate him now. And if he didn't partake he'd find his mind quickly consumed with an overwhelming thirst.
When he grew bloodthirsty, he'd begin to appear ragged, and feral. His eyes would become more bloodshot, his limbs would start shaking, it was almost like an addiction, and in that state, he often couldn't be sated unless he drank all of the blood in a human body. Animal blood could keep him fed, and he found that when he cooperated, and did as Aegon commanded, the king was perfectly fine with feeding him the blood of animals, but when he resisted, or tried to hold off, than Aegon would grow sadistic, and begin tempting him with humans, urging him to commit murder and cannibalism.
The first week was filled with these terrible lessons, but Orpheus was a quick learner. And with his pride shattered, he had little reason to resist.
In spite of his hatred for Aegon or Annatar or whatever his name truly was, Orpheus found himself to be completely trapped, mind, body and spirit. His first few days were filled with resistance and also learning. Aegon took the time to explain to him what he was, as well as the powers he possessed and what he could accomplish. He also learned of his weaknesses, and how he was now doomed to stalk the night forever more.
Aegon explained to him that he was now a vampire and what that meant. He explained how there were three stages for a vampire to be in. Bloodthirsty, sated, and blood drunk. When he refused to partake in blood, he'd become bloodthirsty, and would feel the effects of withdrawal that would get progressively worse until it consumed him and he just went crazy attacking everything in sight. If he fed regularly and took in, between a pint and a gallon of blood every day, than he would remain sated. In a sated state, he had full control over his faculties, and his mind, and could operate with almost no issues. If he consumed more than three gallons of blood in a day, he would become blood drunk. If he became blood drunk, he'd almost enter into an intoxicated state of hellish euphoria, that was almost like a battle high, that would grant him far greater power, but at the expense of his mental faculties diminishing, making him more rampant. He wouldn't lose complete control like he would if he was bloodthirsty, but he wouldn't be able to focus as well as he normally would.
So long as he fed normally and remained sated, he'd have access to the full powers of a vampire, while also having complete control over himself.
When he wasn't assisting the king in his duties, Orpheus was learning about his new powers, and how to access and use them.
As a vampire, he had many unique gifts. He was a lot stronger than he had been before. Easily able to lift a grown man over his head with one arm. He was much faster as well, able to accelerate to speeds faster than that of a horse in the blink of an eye. He was near indestructible. As the only way to kill a vampire was by destroying their heart, by cutting off their head, or by burning them alive, and each of those methods wasn't as straight forward as it seemed. As while any one of them could kill the vampire, vampire's were technically already dead, so death wasn't necessarily permanent when it came to them. If you stabbed a vampire in the heart, you had to leave the instrument used for the stabbing, in place, otherwise the heart would regrow. If you cut off their head, you then had to destroy the head, because if someone put their head back on their body, they'd heal. If you decided to burn them, you'd have to ensure you burned them to ash because vampires regenerated very quickly, and they could simply outlast the flame.
Vampires were incredibly difficult to kill, so on top of his newfound strength, speed, and agility, he now had almost no reason to fear death. Not even the passage of time meant anything to him any longer. Vampires were immortal, and no longer aged past the point of their turning.
Beyond his new physical abilities, he now also had access to a number of other powers as well.
Vampires could shape-shift into various animals, taking the form of wolves, bats, rats, and cats. They could also turn into mist, or vapor, allowing them to travel quickly and almost unseen. They could hypnotize people with their gaze, and a natural power called Allure. Allure would cause them to appear more desirable. Increasing their charm, charisma, and beauty. Beyond just being able to hypnotize people, they could also mind control them, and also read their thoughts.
This power also extended to animals, as vampires could control baser creatures like the ones they could change into, such as bats, rats, wolves, but this extended to things like insects and spiders as well.
He had access to many other powers as well, and his strength would only grow as he aged. With each passing year as a vampire, he would grow stronger, and faster, his healing speed would increase, and the powers he commanded would grow and expand.
The most sinister of his many powers though, was his ability to create other vampires. If he injected his blood into the body of someone else, it would create another vampire, one that would be bound to him, and under his command, similarly to how he was under Aegon's command, though their bond was different, as Aegon wasn't a vampire.
What Aegon was Orpheus had no guess. He was far from human, as Annatar had made a point of iterating many times throughout his service to the Targaryens, but what he truly was, was anyone's guess.
The only logical answer was that he belonged to the same species as Lilith, as both her and Annatar shared in the pointed ears. Beyond that though, Orpheus had no clue what he was truly dealing with, and found no avenue to pursue answers. His power base was gone, and he was no longer in control. He was the servant now, and had no choice but to follow.
It went unsaid but the threat of further damnation still hung over the vampire's head. Myrcella was now in the castle, and a hostage of Aegon's. If Orpheus tried to rebel or resist, than Aegon would simply feed her to him, forcing him to endure further torments.
So the vampire served, and was constantly present beside the king, offering advice, and carrying out the king's commands. From this day forward, the vampire would serve as a warning to all those who tried to resist the will of Aegon and his sorceress.
-King's Landing, Three days before the Royal Wedding -
Lilith stood atop the battlements of the Red Keep, her gaze drawn out into the east.
Essos, the vast expanse of the remainder of the world. Countless civilizations, countless kingdoms, having risen and fallen throughout the millennia. Now it all stood poised for the taking.
A cruel smile danced across her lips, as her mind whirled with possibilities. Already she could begin to smell the fires of industry. She could feel the old world burning away, and in it's place, something new, and powerful. A world of order, built on power and magic. A world built by her hands, and shaped by her beloved Sauron. Together, they would build a vast empire, one that would span the whole of the globe, and when the time was right, they would march on Arda, and seize Middle-Earth for their own.
Then, and only then, would they be ready to march on Valinor, to face Eru and his servants, and bring low the old Headmaster. All was coming together, and soon, even now, here in King's Landing, things were beginning to change.
Lilith turned and began to stroll along the battlements, passing the occasional guard, who would bow to her, as the whole of King's Landing came into view.
Her gaze slowly fell onto the Dragonpit, where scaffolding could be seen slowly rising around the few portions of the structure that still stood. Old walls would need to be knocked down, but from the foundation of that prison, a citadel of magic would rise.
She allowed her eyes to drift over the city. A place that seemed beautiful and majestic from a momentary glance but take a closer glance and you'd be disgusted with what you'd find. The smell of shit was a constant assault on the nose, but Lilith had grown use to worse. Orcs were not the cleanliest of fellows, so that didn't overly bother her. The packed city streets, flooded with refugees, was a nuisance, but it offered an abundance of workers, who were easily employed. The powerful were clearly set above the powerless, here in King's Landing, and it showed. Lilith didn't mind it, but there was little in the way of securing such power.
The powerful had a right to stand above their lessers, that's how power worked, but if you had no way of controlling the powerless, than your power was merely an illusion.
The riots in King's Landing had proven that. There were so many refugees in the city, that if they banded together, they could easily overwhelm the noblemen and take all that they had. If anyone came around to organize these peasants, they'd command a powerful army.
Margaery Tyrell had the right idea when it came to them. Show them a bit of comfort, and they'll happily sing your praise until their lungs gave out. That was the benefit of an ignorant population. People didn't know any better, so it was easy to convince them of things. Offer them the bare essentials and they'd do pretty much anything you wanted them too. Even cast aside their faith.
On occasion, Lilith found herself walking through the city streets. Often time she was alone, and went unnoticed.
She would find her way into the darker corners of the city, to where the thieves, and the murderers resided, and she would quietly recruit them. The thieves were turned into spies, and the murderers, into assassins. She would bring these individuals to the Red Keep, and place them in the care of highly skilled agents of hers and Saurons, and these agents would train these people, teaching them better methods, and even a bit of dark sorcery to aid them in their endeavors.
The spies were sent to keep watch on the peoples of King's Landing, from the highborns to the lowest amongst them. Meanwhile, the assassins were being trained for a more particular task. These men were taken into the Red Keep, and taught to kill with greater efficiency, all the while, they were also slowly brainwashed to serve Lilith and Sauron. Their eventual task would be to form the foundation of a shadow organization that secured power throughout their eventual empire.
They would form the groundwork for what would eventually become a guild of assassins, that served the Dark Lords. A group dedicated to keeping stability by killing dissidents and troublemakers.
It was all very early stage right now, but it never hurt to get started.
A devilish smirk spread across her face, and she quickly apparated down into the Red Keep. She passed by the throne room, gazing into it's interior to find Aegon sitting upon the throne, carrying out his kingly duties.
Some lord or another was spouting about grain holdings, something monotonous, that would barely hold anyone's attention, but Aegon listened closely. Only once did his gaze leave that man, and that was to lift towards her, as she stood outside of the throne room.
For a moment, a smirk touched at his lips, but it quickly faded as he lowered his gaze back down to the man, continuing to listen to whatever it was he was seeking the King's assistance with.
Lilith let out a short chuckle as she continued on, happy to leave him to the malaise of courtly life. Sauron had the patients for it, and actually found most of it to be interesting, or at least worth hearing about. How he managed such patients, she had no idea. She was a patient woman, having allowed centuries to pass as plans took form throughout her long life, but when it came to comparing the two, she came off as rather rash. She liked to say that if she had the patience of a Saint, than Sauron had the patience of stone.
He could definitely endure boring, a lot longer than she could.
As Lilith strolled through the castle, she began to wonder what she should do after her wedding.
For now that was the biggest item on her agenda for the coming days, so until that came and went, she was left with little else to do, other than wait, and plan for afterward. Not to say that she wasn't excited to finally call Sauron her husband, but the two had always shared such a powerful bond, and already shared in everything, that such a marriage ceremony was little more than a formality in her mind. They had already proclaimed their love for one another, and had sworn to each other, a marriage didn't change any of that.
So as excited and happy as she was for it, it was not all consuming in her mind.
A hiss caught her ears as she was walking. She turned her gaze and found Euryale slithering along the edges of the hallway. Lilith let out a chuckle and approached the serpent, offering her hand to it.
The Basilik turned her gaze towards Lilith and than to her hand. After a moment it began to slither up her arm and over her shoulder, and then down her other arm.
Lilith picked up the rest of the serpent and proceeded along her way, playfully stroking the serpent's head as the two carried on into the deeper recesses of the castle.
Lilith strolled along, no real plans in mind for the moment, for now, she was just content to continue her exploration of the ancient castle, and it's many secrets. Perhaps locate one of the many ghosts that stalked it's halls, and commune with them, learning of ancient secrets, and forgotten pasts.
The following day was filled with similar monotony, though the day afterwards held some interest.
Lilith was strolling through the castle when she came upon Myrcella. The young girl was staring out a window overlooking King's Landing.
Lilith had taken little notice of the girl up until now. Something about the sight of her, caught Lilith's attention. The way she stared out over the expanse of the city, the gentle rustle of her hair fluttering the breeze, something about her, made Lilith take pause.
It took her a moment to draw up a memory of why. The blonde hair, pale skin… she reminded Lilith of an old 'friend'.
Myrcella Baratheon, or Lannister or No-name, whatever people wanted to call her, was quite lovely. If her parentage was true than she got most of her looks from her mother, and if it was not, and she was a child born of incest, than she got both of her parents looks.
Regardless of who her father way, Myrcella was a beauty, and now that she took a moment to take in the young woman, Lilith found herself intrigued by the young woman.
"Hello there." Lilith approached her, offering a pleasant greetings.
Watching from the shadows was Tauriel who felt her gut sink as she noticed the look in Lilith's eyes. Much to her dismay, the elf was starting to understand the various looks of her master. And this one, did not bode well for Myrcella.
"Hello, my lady." Myrcella offered in response.
"I don't believe we've met. I am Lilith." Lilith offered in introduction.
"Oh I know. I've seen you by the king's side. You are soon to be his queen. Forgive me… my name is Myrcella." Myrcella responded, turning her gaze to Lilith.
"Myrcella, what a lovely name. How does it feel to be home? I do hope you're being treated well." Lilith said to her.
"I am. As for how I feel… its… difficult to say." Myrcella responded, sadness and loss dancing in her gaze.
Lilith could clearly see these things, as well as the loneliness that swelled with the young woman.
"Come… why don't you show me around the castle. I've yet to receive a proper tour, and am still finding my way about. I'm sure you know all sorts of fascinating things about this castle." Lilith offered, earning a genuine smile from Myrcella, who brightened at the idea.
"Alright than. This way." Myrcella led her on through the castle, taking her to see all of it's various sights. Despite Lilith having found many of them herself, she entertained the girl, allowing her a reprieve from her loneliness.
All the while, Tauriel stalked them from behind, hoping beyond hope that she had misread her master's intentions. She doubted it though. She was starting to know Lilith well enough to understand that her master had no desire for female friends, at least not ones she couldn't fuck.
For a moment, the idea of warning Myrcella slipped into her mind, but the burning of her collar chased the idea away almost as swiftly as it arrived.
This world was growing ever darker, and Tauriel found herself surrounded by a growing sea of nightmares where innocence was devoured and perverse evil flourished.
On the third day, the day of the royal wedding, Lilith finally allowed her excitement for the event to overwhelm her cool demeanor. The normally aloof and mysterious woman was unable to hide her joy. She had spent the night before in Aegon's arms, making love to him, her focus only on him.
The beginning of the royal wedding was the ceremony itself. Despite neither holding to the faith of the Seven, much of the populace still did, so the two agreed that in order to keep the peace, and ensure stability in the kingdom, they would allow themselves to be wed in the light of the Seven, though Aegon also intended to marry her in the manner of the First Men, to show his northern roots.
Lilith didn't really care. She would happily marry him a dozen times over, and each would be as meaningful as the last.
Their recent work with the populace of King's Landing ensured a monumental crowd had gathered as the two made their way to the Sept of Baelor. Low born peasants and city-folk cheered for the two, showing that even after only a few weeks, their efforts to earn the adoration of the smallfolk was paying off.
At the Sept, the ceremony was carried out. Overseen by the same Septon that had been at odds with Aegon, a manner of an olive branch being extended, and to make the fool believe that there was still some hope that Aegon could be turned to the Light of the Seven, and away from the old gods or whatever else he may hold faith in.
To escort her to her new husband, Lilith had asked Robb to escort her down the aisle. Having no father to speak of, or other close male figures that weren't some of her monsters, he seemed like the best ideas, and again, it helped to show unity between the new monarchy and their northern allies.
For the first time in a long time, Lilith actually felt her nerves fray a bit as she was brought to Aegon. It was definitely a moment she wouldn't forget, as her maiden cloak was replaced with a bride cloak, and she shared a kiss with her beloved Aegon, as the septon bound the two together in the sight of the New Gods.
The feast that followed was uproarious and wild, more like a northern feast than King's Landing was use to. Orcs and soldiers, cheered and sang and danced before their newly married king and queen.
With Lilith's marriage to Aegon, she was finally recognized as the official Queen. Addressed now as her grace, and with equal adoration, though she had hardly been lacking in it before.
During the feast, a great tourney was held, as knights and lords jousted to the awe of spectators, tourneys were not uncommon for weddings, though melees were, but the rowdy nature of orcs, and Aegon and Lilith's love of battle ensured that one would be held.
For the first time in a long time, Lilith allowed some of her walls to come down. She smiled and laughed, and seemed like any other bride would be on their wedding day. Filled with joy and love. It was an unusual sight to see the dark lady so elated, but she didn't overly care. When Lilith was a child it was said that a woman's marriage was the second happiest day of her life, second only to the birth of her children.
Lilith never knew if she believed that, not until now that is.
She spent her time fawning over Aegon, now freshly shaven and appearing as dashing as she'd ever seen him.
Sansa and Tauriel both took note of Lilith's state, having never seen her so happy before.
And while Sansa was happy for her, having formed a bond with the Lady of Darkness, Tauriel found it difficult to grasp. To see such a being so happy, and joyful. It seemed almost impossible. Tauriel knew what Lilith was, knew her as the source of all evil, so to see her in such a state was difficult to comprehend.
The feast and celebrations lasted long into the night, and into the early morning when Aegon finally carried Lilith to their room, and the two spent the night consummating their marriage.
Several hours before dawn, Lilith found herself in Aegon's arms, the two lovingly gazing into each other's eyes.
"Ya know, I can't remember a time when you were this happy." Aegon noted.
"Me neither. All is right in the world for just a moment, and I couldn't find more joy in it, if I tried." Lilith responded, smiling as she did.
"I regret it took this long for it to happen." Aegon stated, a small sigh escaping his lips as he did.
"Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like, had things been different. Had we stayed together, married, had children, lived our lives without the headmaster's interference?" Lilith inquired after a moment of silence.
"I haven't thought about that in a long time. Most of my youth was spent wondering about that. Most of our war with each other, I spent my time wondering about what could have been. I just wish I hadn't been so blind back then. I wish I'd just given in to my feelings. No matter how wrong it is, I've never felt happier. You're my wife now. You're my wife… Merlin I can't believe it's finally happened." Aegon responded, earning a chuckle from Lilith as she cuddled deeper into his embrace, taking in the warmth of his chest.
"If this is a dream, I hope to never awaken from it." Lilith whispered.
"It's hard to believe that anything other than a dream could be this perfect. But I'm willing to go on a bit of faith that all of this is real, and if it isn't, than I'll make it real the moment I wake up." Aegon said to her, placing a kiss on her forehead, causing her to smile and glance up at him.
The two stared at each other for several long moments before Lilith sat up, straddling his waist.
"Ready to continue?" He inquired with a smirk, his hands drifting over the soft flesh of her thighs.
"Hell yes." She replied, reaching back to grab hold of his member.
As she sank herself down onto his engorged cock, neither one had any intention of letting this night end. Neither got an ounce of sleep, as the made love well into the early hours of the morning.
Come the following day, the new king and queen of Westeros appeared before the gathered lords and ladies, ready to finally go on the hunt for Stannis Baratheon and put an end to largest threat to Aegon's claim on the Iron Throne.
Though two days after the Royal Wedding, something happened that neither dark lord had anticipated.
That morning, Aegon lay with his new wife, and their two concubines. Sansa was cuddled into Lilith's side while Tauriel lay off on her own. Aegon quietly watched as Lilith and Sansa slept, both wrapped in a loving embrace, and tucked deeply into the realm of dreams.
It was early in the morning, the sun barely cresting over the horizon. Aegon would soon arise and begin preparing for the day ahead. He was often the first to awake, he definitely rose earlier than Lilith did.
Suddenly there was a pounding at the door. The sudden noise, startled Tauriel and Sansa awake as Aegon sat up.
Lilith's eyes snapped open, and a disgruntled sneer spread across her face as Aegon crawled out of bed and threw on some pants.
As he was, the knocking came again, hard and heavy.
Sansa pulled the blankets over her naked chest, as did Tauriel while Lilith simply sat there, glaring. No doubt she had just been torn from a very pleasant dream. Never in her life had she been a morning person, and so whoever it was pounding at the door best have a damn good reason for waking her.
"Enter!" Aegon called out as he finished pulling on his pants.
A guard quickly came in, his breathing heavy and deep, as if he had just run he from across King's Landing.
"Your grace! A thousand apologies for waking you. Twelve ships have appeared in the bay, bearing the crest of house Greyjoy. A golden Kraken on a black field. The lead ship is sailing into port under the white flag of truce… and… they say that ship, the lead one, is the Silence, Euron Greyjoy's ship…" The guard informed him as quickly as he could, through his heavy breathing.
Aegon stared at the man, blinking several times before glancing back at Lilith. Her angry glare softened slightly, curiosity taking the place of her annoyance.
"Greyjoy… someone tied to Balon?" Lilith inquired.
"His eldest younger brother." Aegon replied, causing Lilith to raise an eyebrow.
"Have him brought to the throne room, and fetch my advisers." Aegon commanded earning a quick nod from the guard who turned and raced out of the room.
Once the guard was gone, Aegon and Lilith quickly dressed, as did Sansa and Tauriel.
This early in the morning, the Throne Room was basically empty, save for Aegon, Lilith, and their advising lords and generals.
After a short time, the doors to the Throne were opened and in was led a string of pirates and reavers, and behind them a collection of servants carrying small chests. Leading the troop was Euron Greyjoy himself.
The infamous pirate strolled with confidence as he was led forward.
He was tall, with pale white skin. Despite his ghostly appearance he had a handsome face. He wore a patch over his left eye, though his right was one of the bluest eyes any of them had ever seen. His lips were a pale blue, and stood out even when surrounded by a black beard that was well trimmed. His hair was as black as Aegon's and about the same length, though it was straighter. All it all, the famous pirate was a hodgepodge of strange traits, being both handsome and weird looking.
Though, one aspect that was near unmistakable, was his aura. An aura that those like the werewolves in the room, Robb, Sansa, and Benjen could all sense, a dreadful feeling that set them instantly on edge. Tauriel felt it too. From her spot by Lilith she felt her blood run cold at the sight of the man, something about him filled her with fear and uncertainty.
Clear as day, Aegon and Lilith could see him for what he was. Black magics coarsed through and around the man. He was a sorcerer of some power, one who had tampered with hellish arts, and drawn great evil into his soul.
The darkness within this man could rival and even surpass some of the sorcerers already under their command, those that had been trained for generations in the darkness of Tantibus Arcis, the Nightmare Citadel.
"You stand before Aegon, Sixth of his name, of Houses Targaryen and Stark. King of the Orcs, the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, the Gift, the Wall, and the Far North, and Protector of the Realm." Aegon was introduced by Maester Aemon.
Euron stared up at Aegon, a smirk spreading across his face as he did.
He offered Aegon a bow, one his fellows silently mimicked.
"Well met, King Aegon. I am Earon Greyjoy. King of the Iron Islands, King of Salt and Rock, and Lord Reaper of Pyke." Euron declared, his words earning whispers from several of the surrounding lords.
"Am I to assume that means that your elder brother has met his end?" Aegon asked as he held up his hand, silencing his servants.
"Aye. He fell off a bridge during a terrible storm. The Kingsmoot was held, and my fellows chose me." Euron responded, his tone cool and pleasant.
"I see. Why are you here, King Euron? Your elder brother declared war on the North, even proclaimed dominion over it. Your people have paid grievously for his misstep." Aegon asked him.
"My brother was a fool. I've come to correct his foolishness. And I bring gifts." Euron responded, offering them all a charming smile as he motioned for his servants to step forward.
Once in view these servants placed their carried chests on the ground and opened them. There was ten in total, and each one was filled to the brim with gold, jewels, and jewelry. Again whispers broke out amongst the gathered lords, and Aegon shared a glance with Lilith. The two were a bit off balance by this sudden arrival, and were curious to see where this was going.
The whispers were silenced when Aegon rose to his feet and began to descend from the Iron Throne.
"You come here, to deliver coin and jewels as an offer of repayment for your attacks in the North?" Aegon questioned as he reached the bottom of the throne.
"As a sign of good faith, and much more to come. My brother was the man interested is measuring cocks with everyone in the world. My interests are far grander than some petty wars fought in the name of desperation to be what our ancestors once were." Euron responded.
"If I recall correctly, you led your brother's armies during the first rebellion. You were the one who sacked Lannisport, and burned the Lannister fleet at anchor all those years ago." Robb spoke up, eyeing the man with suspicion.
"I was, and it was fun. Though I was younger then, and wilder, even then I knew we'd fail. I told my brother that if he wanted to be king of the Iron Islands, all he had to do was give King Robert a tour. Those broken chunks of rock aren't worth the blood that's been spilled over them. I don't know why anyone would want to be king of them. But I did as my brother commanded, and when the time came for him to rebel again, I was in exile so I wasn't in place to tell him what a shit idea it was." Euron responded, shaking his head, and letting out a snort of amusement, his smile never waning.
Aegon stood before the pirate lord, watching him closely. His eyes were drawn to the man's eye-patch, where dark powers swirled behind it.
"So does that mean you have come to submit to the Iron Throne? To swear your service to me?" Aegon questioned him.
"I'd happily submit to your service, you are my king now." Euron replied, earning strange looks from the various lords, many of them not buying this.
"We've held King's Landing for a while now, and it would have taken you equally long to sail around the continent, why not send a raven swearing your allegiance? We've been planning for how to deal with the Ironborn for weeks. Why choose now to submit yourself to the king?" Edmure Tully asked.
"He wasn't my king a few days ago." Euron replied, simply.
"What do you mean by that?" Robb questioned him, not quite understanding.
Aegon watched the man closely for a moment, before glancing over his shoulder at Lilith, who was thinking much the same as he was.
"You'd sworn yourself to Lilith in the past?" Aegon inquired, his words earning the attention of everyone.
"I've never seen her in person, though I must say, tales of her incredible beauty did not do her justice. But yes, in my travels I came upon servants of the Lady of Darkness. With their aid I was able to find my way into the heart of Valyria where I laid eyes on the Fortress of Bones. I learned many secrets, while I was there, distinguished myself before the Dread Lord, even aided in the teaching of some of his privateers. Before I departed his service, I swore an oath that I would serve his master, the true power in this world. Morgoth. I was marked, as a sign of loyalty." Euron answered, pulling open his shirt to reveal a large blackened tattoo on the right side of his chest and stomach. Black markings, in the shape of a dragon breathing flame, inked into the skin.
Aegon approached the man, his eyes drifting over the tattoo. Slowly he reached out, and as he did, his gaze lifted to meet with Euron's. As Aegon's fingers just barely brushed the tattooed flesh, the mark began to smoke.
Around the edges of the tattoo, the dim glow of heat could be seen. The mark revealed itself to be more than a mere tattoo. It was a rune, a symbol of loyalty and servitude. The dark powers of a balrog lie within this marking, as sure a sign as any, that Euron spoke the truth.
As the mark heated and smoked, releasing blackened wisps, a devilish smirk began to appear on Aegon's face.
His eyes began to glow a hellish orange, as he matched Euron's gaze, recognizing the man as more than a simple servant of Dathrag. Despite what Euron had said, it was obvious from this marking that Dathrag considered him more than just a servant. There was power in Euron. Great power, and a strong will to go with it.
The mark burned with heat, and most others would show visible signs of pain, they may even be gasping or shaking, as the mark would burn with the pain of one being branded, yet Euron did not flinch, nor did he wince or cry aloud.
The only emotion he showed was a cool confidence, and a sudden interest as he took note of the glow of Aegon's eyes.
Aegon removed his hand and turned to Lilith, the two sharing a look with one another, speaking mentally to one another.
Euron was a powerful sorcerer, of that neither had any doubt. There was a cruelty and a dark passion within him that would surpass many of their followers. With proper training, and guidance, this man could one day rival some of their chiefest servants.
Monsters like Euron, willing to sell their souls to evil, were a rare thing in the world, yet the Lords of Darkness tended to draw such evils to them. He was not the first of such nightmares to emerge seemingly out of nowhere, and he would not be the last.
Ambition filled this man to the brim, he would never stop climbing. Under their command, he would serve as a powerful instrument of terror and devastation.
"You have come to swear the forces of the Ironborn to me?" Lilith questioned, approaching the two, her eyes a startling blood red.
"That I have. To serve the Lady of the Abyss, the lord of this world, its always been my calling." Euron answered.
"What is it you seek, Euron Greyjoy? What is your hearts desire?" Lilith inquired.
"To become what I was always meant to be. To finally know what it's like… to be whole." Euron answered.
"And what is it, you wish to be?" Lilith asked, her gaze cool, but backed by devilish intent.
Euron smirked at her, before closing his eyes and taking in a long breath.
Before he spoke, both Aegon and Lilith saw into his mind, saw an image that answered Lilith's question.
A nightmarish desire dwelled in Euron Greyjoy. That, that he wished to be, was beyond human. A monster of incredible power, terrible fury, and hellish design.
Both of the them saw it, an eldritch thing of slime, and water. Of pale flesh as cold as the sea. An entity, vaguely human in shape, long arms, with clawed, webbed fingers. A face and head, devoid of hair, and draped in a mass of writhing tentacles. Eyes as black as the abyss, with naught but the crushing darkness of the void, laying within them. That which Euron desired to be, was a thing of nightmares, and unimaginable power.
"I wish to become what I have always dreamed of being." Euron said to her.
"Such a thing is not without it's sacrifices. Yet I suspect you're willing to do whatever it takes, to see it happen." Lilith noted.
"I am. Your grace." Euron responded.
"Very well then. What is you have to offer?" Lilith inquired.
"I have brought you many gifts, my Queen, my King. As a showing of loyalty, I also offer you the Iron Fleet. One hundred of our finest long-ships, plus two hundred additional ships, and all the reavers I have at my command. Twelve thousand men. With time I can call up more ships from the various lords, but that's all that remained after my brother's idiotic excursions." Euron responded in kind.
Aegon turned thoughtful, sharing glances with some of his advisers. Many of whom showed their distrust and hesitance when it came to the Greyjoy lord.
After several long moments of thought, Aegon spoke.
"The crimes of House Greyjoy are many, though I cannot hold an exiled man responsible for the actions of his elder brother. Balon Greyjoy is dead, and with him, much of the blame for the most recent crimes of your people. I am not without mercy, or forgiveness. But you must understand that the treachery of the Ironborn is a thing of note for the rest of the continent, so I will require a showing of loyalty, beyond the measure. I have a task for you, a mission of great importance. See it done, and I will forgive House Greyjoy and the Ironborn of all their crimes during the War of the Five Kings, and allow you a place at my side. You will gather your fleets, and your army of reavers and you will sail on Dragonstone. You will root out Stannis Baratheon, and see the Stag King dealt with. Slain or captured I do not care which. You will capture the island in the name of House Targaryen and the Iron Throne, and you will bring me Stannis's daughter Shireen Baratheon, alive and unspoiled. Do this, and I will welcome the Ironborn back into the fold." Aegon declared.
Euron offered a chuckle in response, and a bow.
"I'll see it done, you grace. I'll bring you the girl, and Stannis himself. Your family's ancestral seat will be yours once more." Euron said to them before turning and heading out from the chamber, his servants and guards following behind him.
Aegon stared after him for several long moments, as Lilith stepped up beside him. Orpheus stood in the background, watching with a calculating gaze, while Robb and Edmure approached Aegon.
"I don't trust the Greyjoy." Edmure noted aloud.
"Nor I. But pirates have their uses, and the Ironborn have a fleet that's perfect for our needs. Their ships are designed for landing on beaches and swiftly delivering infantry to land. When the time comes to invade Essos, I will need a powerful navy. The Ironborn longships are swift, and light, perfect for speedy attacks and raiding strikes. Our campaigns in Essos will be long indeed, and we'll have great need of them." Aegon responded.
"True, but Euron Greyjoy cannot be trusted. He's devious, and there's something about him that unnerves me." Robb made note.
"He has dabbled in dark sorcery, and it's effects still reside upon his body. Yet you needn't worry yourself. Euron Greyjoy will not betray us. That mark upon his chest, ensures it. He received that mark from the lord of my forces in Valyria. Were he to attempt to betray us, the mark would ignite and burn him alive. Euron Greyjoy can be killed with a thought, so any attempt he makes to undermine us, will end with a swift death. I believe his intentions are genuine." Lilith stated.
"Yes, but what are those intentions, what does he want?" Edmure asked.
"Power, lord Edmure. He wants power, and he knows the only way to get it, is to submit himself to the strongest power in this world. Me." Lilith replied with a smirk.
"We'll watch him closely, and if he proves himself capable by defeating Stannis, than he'll have dealt with our last issue on the continent without any of us having to expend our resources to do it, and if not, than Stannis will be further weakened, allowing us to move in and finish him off with ease." Aegon added.
No one argued against the King's logic. Not having to sail out to Dragonstone to deal with Stannis was a blessing, and it meant this war could be over all the sooner.
If the Ironborn submitted themselves to the Iron Throne and dealt with Stannis that would put an end to all of the threats on the continent.
Things were going very well for the lords of darkness, and they were about to get better.
-Six Days Later-
"So it's true…" Saruman the White noted as he gazed upon the foundation of Barad-Dûr. Thousands of orcs and trolls busied themselves with repairing the Dark Lord's fortress. Massive piles of raw material had already been gathered and slowly but surely, the fortress was starting to rise out from the ground.
"He's here. I know it." Saruman thought to himself, as he began his decent down towards the outermost camp surrounding the foundation of the fortress.
Somewhere down below, the White Wizard knew that Sauron was hiding. Never in his wildest dreams, had he ever pictured himself being here, but after what he had seen at Dol Guldur, Saruman knew he had to act fast.
For decades now, his faith in the forces of the West had been diminishing. Their power was fading, the elves were weakening, the dwarves were spent, the humans were splintered, divided and leaderless. Only the orcs were flourishing, only the forces of darkness were progressing in the world. Not even the greatest of the elves could hope to contend with the will of Sauron. He had seen it first hand.
Despite being diminished, despite not having a body, despite everything Lady Galadriel had gathered to amplify her powers, Sauron could not be banished, she had called upon all of her strength, plus the Ring of Adamant, plus the light of one of the Silmarils, and all of it combined could not chase away the dark lord, instead he fled on his own. Choosing to flee after marking Lady Galadriel.
Than there was the Battle at Erebor. A disaster for the forces of the West. Thousands of Dwarves and Elves had died in that battle, and the already pitiful showing of mannish forces had been reduced as well. Erebor may have been reclaimed by the dwarves but the dragon Smaug still lived and had joined forces with Sauron.
Had it not been for the intervention of the Eagles, the battle would have been lost, and Sauron would have taken the mountain, and gained easy access to the former kingdom of Angmar.
Now, as far as anyone knew, Sauron had an alliance with a Balrog, and the last of the Great Dragons. Such allies would see massive destruction brought upon the forces of the West. Forces that were already greatly diminished.
Gone were the days of old, where the Elves could field massive armies, and the dwarves summon great hosts. All that was left of their strength, was used to hold what little they had left. More and more it seemed that the fate of Middle-Earth would lay in the hands of men, and Saruman knew well enough, that men were weak.
After seeing Sauron's power first hand at Dol Guldur, Saruman knew without a shadow of a doubt, that there could be no victory against him. Soon Sauron would regain his full power, and he would be unstoppable, even without the One Ring.
Saruman was left with a choice now, having realized this. He would either continue to support the losing side, or he could risk a gamble that would see him elevated. If Middle-Earth fell, than Saruman would be doomed to return to Valinor a failure. He couldn't see any other way around that. As far as he could tell, Middle-Earth was doomed. Each day he became more convinced of it.
So he either accepted failure and fought on until he was eventually defeated, and than… who knows what may happen, perhaps he would be banished for his failure, perhaps he would spend an eternity being mocked and ridiculed by his fellows for failing to guide the peoples of Middle-Earth to victory, whatever fate had in store for him, Saruman wanted no part in it.
More and more he was convinced that this task was doomed from the start, that he had been set-up to fail.
His pride stung at that realization, it burned at his spirit, and filled him with malice. The idea that he had no chance of victory, and they had let him volunteer for this mission regardless, it stung at him in ways that soured his very soul.
Having fought so hard to guide the peoples of Middle-Earth to victory, he found them severely lacking. There was so much chaos and disharmony in the world, that no one could accomplish anything without bringing all of that rampancy to heel.
He thought he could help deal with some of those problems but he found that the mandates of the West, the rules that kept him in line, limited his ability to help, preventing him from doing what was needed to defeat Sauron.
The more he compared himself to the Dark Lord, the more he found that he agreed with some of his motives. Sauron wished to rule over this world and bring order to all of it's creations. Of all his studies into Sauron's methods, he found that he admired them. Had Sauron not been evil, than Saruman would have been hard pressed to disagree with his agenda.
After the White Council attacked Dol Guldur, and Saruman bore witness to the strength of Sauron's will, he began to question the nature of evil, and the part it played in the ordering of the world.
After all that he'd seen, and all that he'd experienced during his time in Middle-Earth, Saruman couldn't help but feel that the time had come for a change. The powers that be, had failed. The world was broken, weak, and filled with chaos.
The strongest force in Middle-Earth, was that of darkness, and that darkness sought order and strength, things Saruman found he agreed were needed for progress to be made.
So Saruman the wise was left with a choice. Either fight on, and lose, and perhaps spend the rest of his immortal existence in exile or at least in shame, or he could side with the greater power, and so long as he was cunning and maneuvered himself correctly, he may end up aiding in the ruling of this world.
He wished to see Middle-Earth brought to order, to see it progress, and grow. In order for that to happen, it needed a new master, one not content to sit back and leave it to it's own devices.
Though if he wished to secure a place of power within Sauron's ranks, he'd need to move fast.
While the Dark Lord was still in a weakened state, Saruman had bargaining power.
He could ensure that he gained a high position, and wasn't relegated to a mere servant or tool. But only so long as he got to Sauron quickly. Once the Dark Lord regained his powers, he'd be far less inclined to concede to some of Saruman's desires.
It was a gamble, and it always would be, but with each passing day, the odds of getting everything he wanted out of such an alliance, became less and less likely.
So with that in mind, Saruman quashed any remaining doubts he had and began to advance towards the camp.
Over the course of the following day, he infiltrated the camp, sneaking deeper and deeper into it's recesses using stealth and magic to hide himself. So he came upon the innermost encampments around the base of Barad-Dûr's foundation, and he knew he could no longer hide himself.
He revealed himself before the guards, commanding them to bring him before their master, that he had come to treat with Sauron.
Fearful of the wizard's power, the orcs did as commanded, guiding him deeper into the encampment, until they were halted by a man, draped in shadows.
"Welcome, my Saruman the White, to Mordor. What has brought you so deep into my master's domain?" The figure questioned him.
"Who are you to demand my intentions?" Saruman responded boldly.
"I am my master's word, and voice. You have come to our home, and I would know why." The hooded man responded.
Saruman gazed at the man for a long moment, recognizing him as the Mouth of Sauron, the leader of these camps. A Black Númenórean.
"I have come to entreat your master. There are things I wish to discuss with him. Matters of great importance. Bring me to him, so that we may see to such matters." Saruman answered, earning a curious look from the shadowed man.
"Ah… very well. Follow me." The Mouth responded after a moment of thought.
The dark sorcerer led the white wizard deep into the foundations of the dark tower. They passed many an abominable sight as they descended deeper and deeper beneath the earth. They finally arrived at a large chamber, where Sauron was waiting for them.
Saruman strode into the chamber, emanating an aura of confidence, despite his fear. Their hovering in the air was a blackened shadow. An aura of blackness, that eked malice and corruption.
The shadow hung in the air, unmoving. Once Saruman got within a dozen meters of the shade, it suddenly rushed forward. Closing the distance between the two. Saruman held his staff forward, not so much in challenge, but ready to defend himself if necessary.
"You are a long way from home." Sauron intoned.
"I have come to speak with you, Lord Sauron." Saruman responded.
"Speak? You come to the heart of the darkness, to entreat with it? How curious…" The shadow responded, before coalescing, taking the shape of a man, much like the one it had during the battle at Dol Guldur. "What is it you wish to speak to me of?"
"The world is changing. I have seen it first hand. I have seen the failings of the forces of the West, I have see their weakness. I know now that without order, and guidance, this world will be swallowed by chaos. I have come to pledge my support to your cause. To see this world brought to order, to see the chaos wiped away, and progress finally made." Saruman declared.
Sauron stared back at him, disbelief shining through for a moment, before a cruel smirk spread across his face.
"So you have seen the truth then? This world is in desperate need of change. You wish to join forces with me? What is it you want in return? What price would need to be paid for such an alliance?" Sauron questioned him.
"My safety, first and foremost. A position of prominence among your servants, knowledge of your arts, ad dark crafts. And a hand, in ruling and ordering Middle-Earth." Saruman answered, showing his hand at this critical moment. All of what he had said was true, in regards to his desires, so if Sauron refused any of them, they could work towards a manageable partnership, and if Sauron accepted them, then Saruman needn't worry about his ambitions coming to light when Sauron regained his full power.
Sauron stared at him for several long moments, a dark smirk adorning his face, his eyes alight with hellish flames.
"And what is it you offer?" Sauron asked.
"Knowledge about your enemies, the Wise, the White Council, the Free Peoples. I offer all I know of their plans, and will, of course, continued to act as their comrade until the time comes to reveal my true allegiances. I also offer you the strategically valuable location of Orthanc, from which you may strike out at the various kingdoms of men and elves. With time, I can prepare Isengard as a breeding ground for an army that will bring doom to all the free peoples of the north, as well as Rohan. I offer you my strength, my council, my knowledge, if you so desire it." Saruman laid it all out, as Sauron quietly took in the offer.
The Dark Lord was silent for several very long moments, long enough for Saruman to begin to grow uneasy. After almost a full minute passed, the Dark Lord smiled, and let out a chuckle.
"You drive a hard bargain, Saruman the Wise. A hard bargain indeed. Very well… I will consider your offer, but only if you do something for me first." Sauron declared.
"And what is it you would have of me?" Saruman inquired, maintaining his composure and not getting his hopes up.
"You will follow me, and I will take you to a place where we may finish our discussion. That is all." Sauron answered.
"I need only follow you? To where?" Saruman questioned him.
"Not far. It's here in the fortress. Come… if you truly desire this alliance, and all the benefits that come with it, than you will follow me." Sauron responded, marching past him.
Saruman was hesitant for only a moment before taking a breath and following after the Dark Lord.
As the Dark Lord's Avatar led the White Wizard towards the portal to Westeros, back in Westeros, Aegon was quickly tracking down Lilith.
"Lilith, there you are." Aegon called out to her, as he spotted his wife standing upon the battlements, gazing out at the sea.
"Yes? You seem excited." Lilith noted as Aegon approached her with a devious grin.
"We need to make a trip up to Tantibus Arcis. You're never going to believe this…" Aegon declared, offering her his hand.
She stared back at him for a moment, blinking with curiosity, suddenly she smiled, knowing that whatever had Aegon in a mood, would certainly be worth her attention.
The two dark lords quickly apparated, rushing back to their northern fortress, neither one truly knowing just how much the world was about to change, nor how vast the ripples of their actions were.
The power of darkness grew with each passing moment. And soon, it would swallow the whole world.
-To Be Continued-
Alright, there you guys go. Hope you enjoyed, leave your questions and comments. Sorry this took so long. Hope to hear from you all soon. And hope to be back on a regular update schedule here soon.
