Back for another one, then another one, then another one. (Couldn't help it, saw that DJ Khalid commercial).
Chapter 37: The Good Don't Wash Out the Bad
Edric
Edric limped to get himself some water, using the cane offered to him by the Maester.
The young Lord of House Dayne cursed his poor training during that a few days ago, everyone did so well, even Arya but him? He got caught distracted and fell to Gerold's loose hand which is why a dagger found itself into his knee.
Maester Wolken, and even his aunt Ashara were able to help in keeping his leg but he won't be in fighting shape for up to six months.
It wasn't the results he was hoping for, in fact, he threw quite the fit when he was told after a night of rest. More so, he wondered why Stannis would attack them, or even why Oberyn's daughters would come so far just to kill him, his cousin, and Gerold Dayne.
The more senior members are pushing for heavy retaliation, he's apart of that very same direction.
The young Lord supposed that it doesn't matter, now. Arthur will be expelling Stannis and his army by the month's end, and I won't even be able to stand at the front. He gritted his teeth from the frustration, gripping his cane and feeling more soreness from his knee.
Downing his cup of water, the sound of his chamber door opening caused him to turn and find his King standing at the entrance and his wolves standing right behind him.
"I don't deserve the honor, your grace." He bowed his head to Arthur who waved at his courtesies.
"You've been with us for how long? In the North, you save those courtesies unless we're in the public eye." Arthur walked over to his bed and sat down at the edge with a robed weapon.
"Apologies, my- Our, aunt Allyria drilled such things into my mind." Arthur chuckled in an understanding way, making him believe that they had similar training as children. "What's that?" He asked and Arthur rose and uncovered the sword to reveal Dawn, the guard remade like it was never damaged.
"I had the smith sharpen it and replace the guard, it's yours, Ed." His grace tried handing him the sword, he wished he could take it and wield it again but instead, he pushed it back into Arthur's possession, it caused some confusion from his cousin.
"... I won't be able to properly use that blade for several weeks, you should use it or give it back to Ashara for use in the upcoming battle." He knows Arthur already has Ice on his back, but he's sure that his cousin could wield two with ease.
Wielding Ice and Dawn? Any man would call him mad to make such an idea, and Arthur is sure to be a legend for doing so.
Arthur told him that there is a saying said in his family, that a Stark must always remain in Winterfell, his kin then asked him to oversee things here with Sansa as Ashara and Arya insist on going to defeat Stannis.
Edric found himself chuckling alone as he thought about seeing Arya with blood on her cheeks, the girl is rather ferocious when put into situations of combat and has little conflict in killing men on the field. 'They are the enemy, it isn't necessary to give them any thought', Is what she said when he mentioned it.
He smirks fondly on her telling him that he has to be more careful when in a fight, she practically ordered him not to ever get injured again.
Well, he bids them all a good hunting, then, and an equally safe return home. Home, I like that. Edric smiled and laid back down to rest while hearing the sounds of men arriving from the western side of the North for the fight against King Stannis of the House Baratheon.
Ashara
Ashara was walking into town, under guard, and looking for Nymeria Sand. The guards from Winter Town said that she's taken one of the abandoned homes. She thought as she neared the town which is a short trek from Winterfell's walls, even now, she can hear the bustling sounds of both civilians and soldiers coming in through the West.
It has been four days since the attack on them, on her son and especially herself and Edric. She was so concerned for her nephew, Allyria and her brother would never forgive her if anything were to happen to him.
As for Oberyn's daughter, Arthur said she was free to kill Gerold but then the girl was supposed to leave the North with the remains of her two sisters but that obviously isn't the case.
The creature that murdered Nymeria's sister also killed several other men in the kennels, the scene of it was horrid and Arthur commanded for the monster to be put into a stronger cage and hands, arms, and feet being bonded by chains and rope.
Mance had the bodies burned, ignoring the protests from other Northmen, Arthur allowed it then explained
Then there were those men of Stannis who attacked, she couldn't believe that Robert's brother would be so bold. I only met him three times, not once had I seen him so recklessly foolish. Someone else must have planned that attack, someone or someones who want to push a conflict against Arthur and Stannis.
It's for this that she's insisted on traveling alongside him, in the case that all of this is a huge misunderstanding then she might be able to calm Arthur down.
"I don't think Arthur would want you seeing this woman, my Lady." One of her guards urged, she scoffed and looked back at the two guards.
"I've lived with strangers, fought battles, and made my home in several cities, I'm sure that I can take care of myself." Arthur, most of knew this because after the shock wore off, her son bombarded her with questions and curiosities of her adventures in Essos and beyond.
Her guards scratched their head and chin in embarrassment, remaining silent as they neared the empty home and seeing smoke behind it.
She told her guards to stay back while walking behind the home, her curiosity was satisfied when she saw the smoke belonged to a pair of funeral pyres and between them was Nymeria who had a look of despair in her expression.
Ashara felt some pity for the woman, losing siblings is rough and she can compare that to when she lost Arthur's namesake and then hearing about Edric's father across Essos.
The fellow Dornishwoman turned and saw her standing behind her, looking at her with caution and a free hand going to one of the two daggers on her hips. A simple gesture of her hands signaling that she doesn't mean any harm did the trick, the girl didn't lower her guard but she did allow her to get closer.
"I wanted to bury them, they wouldn't make it all the way home but your people demanded I burn the remains," Mance said that they don't need to worry as those men weren't slain by a White Walker, but without Jon Snow to assist them, Arthur didn't want to take any chances.
"I am sorry for that," She waited a moment before clearing her throat and getting to why she was here, eyes sharply going to stare at her. "You and your sisters aimed to slay all in House Dayne... Does that mean the Daynes at Starfall and High Hermitage are dead?" She asked and Nymeria twitched, nervously so.
The air was thick and that wasn't just because of the Northern air, both her and the young woman remained silent until one spoke.
"... Not all, Starfall was empty when we marched on them." Marched? Does that mean Doran ordered his family killed, all for the death and actions of Gerold Dayne? The thought caused her to grimace.
House Dayne has been most loyal to House Martell, even to House Targaryen, to the bitter end when it came to Arthur's demise by Eddard. She found it hard that Doran would turn on her House for Oberyn's death when he didn't go to war against Robert after the Sack of King's Landing, the deaths of Elia and her children.
Although, the knowledge that Allyria escaped the slaughter made her breathe a sigh of relief. But where are you, sister...
Arya
The swiftness in her hand which held Needle was getting quicker, even more deadlier as she poked the heart and throat of the dummy with just a couple of moments.
Needle was given to her by Jon, she choked back the memory of him promising that they'd meet at the same castle. "You promised... " She whispered to herself and threw herself at the dummy, the strike leaving her weapon a little bruised but a good sharpening will repair it.
She wondered if Jon will be sent home soon, he needs to be interred into the crypt next to Robb and their father and her mother. I won't let his body get burned, I will not. She thought bitterly and began hitting and poking the dummy again.
The youngest Stark thought about the attack from a few days ago, how Edric got hurt and Arthur defeating the man who came to kill them.
She can't wait to see Stannis dead for his attempted assassination, she wished Arthur would have executed that Dornishwoman too and sent their heads back to the South as a warning against further attacks.
Nymeria, her wolf and not the woman came up to her, sensing her emotions getting flustered and frustrated. Arya knelt and scratched the back of the wolf's ear, "I need you to help me in the next fight, Nymeria, can you do that?" Her companion used a paw to put on her shoulder and looked into her eyes.
She always knew that their direwolves were far more intelligent than normal hounds and wild dogs, Sansa only laughed and Arthur doubted it too.
"Arya, your brother is looking for you." She groaned and turned to see Asha Greyjoy looking at her, a pair of Ironborn men behind her.
"Just because you are sleeping with Arthur, doesn't mean you can call me by my first name." Asha gave a shocked expression, as if she wasn't supposed to know about her and Arthur being like he was with Mya.
"How did you figure it out?" She was asked and she waited a moment, putting Needle back into its sheath before answering.
"I saw how you looked at him, I only know one other person who does that... And she died." She didn't say another word and left Asha to think about what she just uttered.
The She-Wolf quickened her pace, walking until she found her brother who was standing by the kennels which held that beast that escaped its prison during the fighting, and when her brother saw her, she only saw him smiling.
"Your mistress told me you wanted to see me?" She said but not so loudly that someone could hear her, Arthur scratched his cheek with a reddened face that held his embarrassment. "I don't care, brother, I'm glad you aren't mourning 'her', anymore." She said coldly which spoke the opposite to what she said.
Of course, she was hurt, Mya was her friend and became a better sister than Sansa ever was, it's hard to even think that Arthur would take another without choking on the thought of somehow betraying Mya's and her late nephew or niece's memory.
"Arya... There's not a day that goes by that I don't dream of having Mya in my arms, again." She was set aback by the response and the genuine tears falling from her brother's face, Arthur wiped them away before getting back to why he wanted her. "I brought you here in an attempt to stop you from going with me, am I right to assume it's a fruitless attempt?" One cheeky smirk and her brother turned her away, both of them walking towards East Gate.
"You've improved a lot since the Red Wedding, even before that when you survived those few days before getting father out of the Black Cells." She doesn't think so, her swordsmanship pales to Syrio or Arthur's or even the great warrior maiden, Visenya.
She couldn't save her father, Syrio, Robb, or her mother. She isn't worthy of such praise from her brother.
Arthur stopped suddenly and put a hand on her head, "I love you, Arya, my little Warrior Wolf." tears welled up in her eyes from the affection and she leaped into her brothers embrace, nestling on the neck and squeezing as if it would be the last time.
Davos
Davos of the House Seaworth swallowed his disgust as Axell Florent was executed, given to the Red God for his irresponsible actions.
The raven arrived just hours ago, the King was beyond furious but that fury got the culprits to this trigger that began a war they can't win. He sighed and had warned Axell from doing such a foolish thing, the 'highborn' Lord scoffed and thought he knew better than a crabbers son.
Before being taken to his fate, Axell was pushed to surrender the one truly responsible for this incident.
Stannis saw to his wife's imprisonment immediately, not even bothering in watching Axell Florent and his fellow compatriots get burned at the stake just now. Gods, she howled and cursed and pled her innocence. Yet his grace did not care to hear it, it was still just a betrayal to the King.
The Queen never looked at him with much respect, perhaps because he was a simple peasant when she was a daughter to a highborn House of the Reach. The Florents, descended from the balls of some forgotten Gardner before they were annihilated by House Targaryen.
Honestly, he never let the words of his 'fellow' nobles bother him- Even going as further as to use the onion he fed to Stannis and his soldiers as his sigil.
In the former smuggler's mind, he worried about Princess Shireen and how she must be feeling. Turning to look at the highest tower, he noticed that the girl hasn't even left, even still, it doesn't drown out the cries echoing from the possibility of losing her mother.
"Lord of Light, cast your guidance to us as we sacrifice these men! These, who betrayed your champion!" Davos gritted his teeth, not caring to hear the Red Women's calls to her tyrannical god.
Axell and Selyse, plus all those who are burning or had died trying to kill Arthur Snow were followers of Rh'llor, heretical and crazed by hearing Melisandre's sermons on the burning of people, statues, and anything that she denounces as obstacles to Stannis.
"Father... " He smiled and turned to his last eldest boy, Devan had a worried look on his face which no thirteen-year-old should have to express. "What will happen to us, now?" Devan asked and for a long moment, he didn't know what to answer his boy with.
It's hard to tell what the Dread Wolf might do when he comes to get his retribution for that attack, he imagined the thousands of their heads being staked and put on display for any would-be invaders.
The stories even reached them, Arthur Snow hunting stray Lannister men and taking their heads as trophies to boast after a battle. He doesn't wish that fate on his boy, his last eldest son while his wife and two children wait for the two of them to return home.
Davos was then reminded of something said to him by Stannis, "The good don't wash out the bad, nor the bad the good." He'll do one last good deed and that is to send his son home before the Dread Wolf comes to take their lives.
Looking down at his son, he started hearing for the stables. "Son, listen to me, I want you to ride North, all the way to Eastwatch and have our ship prepare for departure." He explained and helped his son on the horse, his boy looked at him with a terrified expression.
"What about the King? Or you? Father!" He couldn't bear to tell his son the truth.
Someone needs to protect Shireen, he's the only one he can trust to make sure she gets out of this place alive and well. Devan waited for his response but he could only lie with tears and a smile.
"The King will be well, and I'll be right there beside you... If I don't arrive within ten days, I want you to go ahead, yes?" He asked his boy. the child reluctantly nodded in understanding. "Good... I love you, son, now go!" He said emotionally and Devan rode out of the Northern gate, he will get there by the time Arthur comes and he'll have had time to send a raven to his captain to sail home.
As he returned, his ears picked up the sounds of the King trying to rally the men against their adversary but he was more interested in the worried expression on Melisandre's face. Did she see something in her fires? Or is she finally realizing how insane her followers have become? He ignored it and continued back to the side of the King, he is the Hand of the King...
He will continue fulfilling his duties to Stannis, even if it meant that he'd die in doing so.
AN: The conflict begins in the next chapter, I hope you all enjoyed the update despite not having enough action into it.
CEW, And you are correct that Selyse was the architect, the same with Cersei's canon (show) path. Sarella might still have a home, as she was still in Oldtown, Nymeria isn't as she partook in the slaughter of House Dayne. No, Arthur and Asha are not going to have children. On the Elder Scrolls? Yes, the Empire definitely seems the choice.
Silver Crow, I believe Sansa did so because of her 'marriage' to Ramsay which didn't occur in this one. I like Arya's involvement too, mostly on the inspiration from that scene in Pirates of the Caribbean 4. Arthur warned Stannis of his advance, partly on his own arrogance. Melisandre still has a part to play, Stannis has quite a bleak future.
Guest (1), Melisandre's influence did indeed make Selyse very unhinged, it might cost her everything. Her fate is decided in the next chapter. It probably isn't any secret about who Arthur's going to end up with but I still cannot say.
Guest (2), Asha and Arthur are lovers at best, at the moment he's filling the void with anything he could. The matter of Bran's arrival and his blood being stronger than Arthur's will be decided at least shortly after the conflict with Stannis. Mya's path will lead her North but it isn't to go back to Arthur. She also isn't barren, she just has no interest in bearing anymore.
Until next time, I must bid you all a good night.