Hello to every one out there.
So an explanation is owed, over the last couple of months I've been through some stuff and I originally had this done a few weeks ago but then one of my first cousins passed away and I needed some time away to mourn so I would like to make up for it by delivering this chapter, enjoy.
Chapter 47: Revenge, Justice & Ambition
King's Landing
Jaime walked the dreary hallway leading to one of the few areas his sisters had been consistently going to, Cersei's two new Kingsguard opened the doors and for a moment he wondered where the others were.
He shook his head, they were no doubt killed or dismissed after Tommen killed himself after Margaery and all those others who died at Baelor's Sept.
What he didn't expect was how cold-blooded Cersei's become, she didn't even feel for their son's suicide or the looming threats coming from the North, Vale, Dorne, and now the Reach as Olenna blames them for the deaths of her son and grandchildren among the other nobles from that region.
Did a part of him want to stop his twin, seize her, stop her growing madness, and then go away from here? Yet I didn't, I can't. He thought grimly, he had made his bed and should lie in it as they are the last of their House... The last holders of their father's legacy.
Legacy... What does it even mean, anymore?
Entering the gallery, he was amazed that his sister's project was nearly complete albeit missing a few key locations.
"Plan on traveling?" He couldn't help it, trying to suffer through this madness as much as he could.
Cersei rolled her eyes at his jest, "It's all ours now, we need only to take it from the traitors." traitors? Arthur's re-declaration of independence from the Iron Throne and Mya Baratheon's usurpation in the Vale's made things very difficult to simply conquer the Realm, that, and Doran's been especially quiet since news broke about the extermination of House Dayne of High Hermitage.
It worries him as Myrcella- Their last child is still behind enemy lines, and Cersei has yet to order her return or send someone for her.
"Have you gone to see him?" She stopped and knew whom he meant, his sister lifted her head and gave him a cold stare.
"The dead can't be brought back, brother. He betrayed us by doing what he did, and now we must look to our legacy." Legacy? The Lord of the Westerlands grunted a response, growing more and more irritated with his sister's change. "I want Myrcella returned home, once we've brought the Reach back into the fold we shall set our eyes on razing Sunspear to the ground." With what army are they going to accomplish this, Jaime thought with a dark humorous scoff.
The most loyal soldiers stationed in the Crownlands have returned to the Reach, halving their force, and Lord Randyll Tarly and his men have been quiet- Neither answering his or that of Olenna's commands to come and serve them.
"Cersei, we have barely twenty-thousand men and tired might I add, how are we going to defeat the Reach without more men or ships?" He asked and Cersei smirked, walking closer and he took a hesitant step back causing her to eye him curiously.
"Are you afraid of me, brother?" He couldn't tell, maybe he was and it bothered him how this feeling makes him feel. "What you should be afraid of is that dangerous protege, the King in the North." Arthur? Yes, that's one thing he can actually be afraid of.
He defeated Roose Bolton and Walder Frey. Unified the North and conquered the Wildlings. Defeated Stannis at the Dreadfort. Even married a Wildling Princess, from what he has heard.
His former Squires skill is noteworthy as well, especially when spoken about his twin, Jon Snow.
"He has control of the North and the Riverlands. His army is starting to feel the cold from Winter, and his soldiers are as tired as ours are." He explained and looked at the Vale. "His once dead wife sulked to her homeland, married Robert Arryn then seized control. The Vale was also continuously defeated by myself and Lord Tarly." He looked up at her, eyes trained. "Even weakened, they could still outmatch us. So, sister, where will more men come from?" He asked her.
"We simply buy them, the Golden Company." The name alone made him look on with astonishment, not that they are buying the famous band of mercenaries but that they could afford them.
The once fierce Blackfyre army used several times to try and take the Seven Kingdoms, the last time being on the Stepstones and ended by Barristan slaying Maelys. "Ten-thousand infantry, five-thousand cavalry, and five-hundred war elephants." His sister named off what the mercenaries are armed with.
"Sister, how did you pay for them to break their contracts? More importantly, how in the Seven Hells are they getting here? They have no fleet." Both were important questions he wants to be answered quickly before he becomes even more out of the conversation.
They barely have a fleet anymore what with House Redwyne pulling their ships back to deal with the Ironborn threat and Euron Greyjoy who was named King of Salt and Rock.
"I've made arrangements with the Bank of Braavos to have their payments in full before the next year and in return, they offered me the loan to buy Captain General Harry Strickland's men for our campaigns." She waved for the man working on the floor to leave, once gone she continued. "As for a fleet, I have tasked Aurane Waters with cutting every tree in the Kingswood for new vessels, and I have found an ally to bring the Golden Company to Westeros."
And who would that be? Jaime sighed, noticing his sister wanting to end that specific conversation. "Tyrion is in the service of Daenerys Targaryan, she's chosen him as her Hand and right now, they are coming here with her army and three dragons." That's news, Jaime remembered one night after defeating the Valemen, Bronn brought up his brother and he had a few choice words to say. "When she gets here, where will she land?" He put his foot near the only place he could think of.
"Dragonstone. It's where she was born- It'll send the right message and there are mortar ports for her ships. Stannis also left the castle unoccupied so it won't be defended." Cersei's expression turned pensive, then angry, then calm all in a span of moments.
"Enemies to the East. Enemies to the South, Doran who still holds our daughter. Enemies to the West, Olenna- The old cunt, another traitor. Then the enemies to the North, Ned Stark's mutts, and Sansa, the bitch stands beside them. And Mya, the pesty little whore who stole the Vale, calling herself 'Queen Mya Baratheon'." She named off all their obstacles, each of them needs to be dealt with before Winter finally arrives in full.
Jaime scratched his chin, his beard growing day by day. "Randyll Tarly hasn't moved from his position, rejecting calls from both you and Olenna, we get him on our side then that there is a victory by itself." He stopped a second, "But, you do realize that no one wants to be on the losing side, and right now we seem to be the losing side." Cersei scowled and smirked.
"I'm Queen of the Seven Kingdoms- " He cut her off, correcting her in her assumption.
"Queen of three, at best. I'm not sure you know how much danger we are in- " It would be her turn, now, cutting him off with a clenched response.
"I understand whoever loses dies, I also understand the winner could launch a dynasty that can last a thousand years." There it is again, legacy. Jaime shook his head and felt his ghost hand itch.
"A dynasty for what? Our sons are dead, Myrcella is a prisoner of Dorne."
"That's why we shall crush Dorne and retrieve her, she's our legacy, now. The only one worth fighting for." Cersei lifted her glass of poured wine, then turned her head slightly towards him. "That'll be all, Lord Lannister. I'm sure you have your hands full at the moment." Having had enough, Jaime left and her 'guards' closed the door after he exited the chamber.
After a while, he slowed his pace and took let out a deep sigh, and gripped his remaining hand.
Some part of him wishes this would all just stop, he is a warrior but even warriors grow tired of fighting battles at every minute of every day of every year.
The Kingslayer rested his hand on the hilt of his blade, resigning to the potential fate that awaits them at the end.
Sunspear, Dorne
Doran held his head in his hand, thinking of the 'diplomacy' that the Queen Mother has showcased with this man standing in his court.
He had thought this day wouldn't have come, so soon after punishing Ellaria and her father and House Uller for their blatant revenge on House Dayne and their cadet branch at High Hermitage, much so that the second most loyal to Dorne became vassals to the North.
Lord Uller and his sons were sentenced to Ghaston Grey, and Ellaria was banished from Dorne but he allowed her to take a ship to wherever she desired, just without her daughters who are his blood and will be raised as such. Hellholt is now a keep belonging to his cousin, Manfrey Martell, and his family.
Ser Osfryd Kettleblack showed nothing but sheer arrogance when he entered and made Cersei's demands at him, showing the Princess the least amount of respect when detailing the late King Tommen's sudden suicide at the Red Keep.
He does have to give the woman some form of adoration when she seized her son's- Now her daughter's throne for herself but in that is shown how insane things have gotten for House Lannister.
Not that they didn't deserve any of these actions but children should never be the target of such karma, it should be unto those such as Tywin who was killed by his second son or the great fall of the Mountain by the Dread Wolf. Amory Lorch, however, is yet to be slain for his actions during the Sack of King's Landing.
"I misheard your 'Queens' demand, Ser. Might you repeat it for us?" He asked in a calm, threatening tone that made the knight shift nervously for the first time since he walked into this hall.
Osfryd cleared his throat, stepping forward and reading the scroll aloud. "Her Grace, Queen Cersei of the House Lannister, first of her name and Protector of the Seven Kingdoms do hereby order the return of the Crown Princess, Myrcella Baratheon and her betrothed the Lord Trystane Nymeros Martell." The man took a breath and continued, "If done so, Dorne and its citizens and nobles will be left in peace, also, Trystane and numerous Lords within Dorne may be considered members of the new Small Council." Finishing, Osfryd rolled up the scroll and waited for him to respond.
It was all ludicrous, insane to make demands as if she were actually legitimized as the ruler of Westeros. That chair doesn't make you Queen or King, no matter how many people you murder. Doran scoffed, hearing of the reports coming from the capital about Wildfire destroying the Great Sept of Baelor, killing the actual Queen and most of her family, Kevan Lannister as well.
"I might have been out of the loop but as I recall, King Tommen had no children to speak of, so shouldn't the crown and title of ruler had gone to Myrcella- Being that she is the last of Robert's seed and both Renly and Stannis joining him soon after his own death?" The Knight was stunned into silence while the Princess shared nervous looks with Ser Arys Oakheart and his son, Trystane.
House Lannister is done for, no allies to call upon and fewer soldiers than they had when Tywin was alive.
The doors to the court opened and in came Areo Hotah, his polearm red with blood belonging to the Lannister soldiers who accompanied Osfryd to Dorne. Doran, using the armrest of his chair stood for the first time in years to make his declaration.
"I am afraid Dorne cannot recognize the Queen Mother's authority, for usurping the Crown, you'll be escorted to the cells to await sentencing by your true Queen... Myrcella Baratheon." With that, the facade was finally over and he could raise his own hand to fully get justice for his family. "I am sorry, Princess, we shall see you are protected at all costs." His son ushered the distraught Myrcella away as Osfryd was tackled to the floor.
After the room was emptied, only himself and Areo standing together over the scroll that Osfryd dropped as he was seized.
A war with the Lannister's might have been out of the way of possibility before today, he had told Oberyn this before his little brother took to the Kingsroad in search of justice against Tywin and his mad dogs, well one mad dog what with the other being eaten by wolves.
But now, now all the lion has is a power-hungry woman and a one-handed oathbreaker, they have nothing left to stand so proud, even the Highgarden Rose is not aligned with them, must be seeing that ambition has costs and it dealt them a hard one to remember.
"I'll need a raven sent out, my friend. I hope you haven't lost any skill with that polearm of yours?" He joked and Areo chuckled darkly, nodded to his jest with fixed eyes on their goal.
The end of House Lannister, the justice deserved to all who he's lost in the last twenty years is finally coming to fruition.
Dragonstone
She couldn't believe they finally made it home, after so many weeks at sea and through strife and storms that sunk several of the ships they brought with them after her father and his men fell.
Even the pirate, Sallahdor Saan lost his life after the last storm rocked their ships. Ah, but now they were finally home at Dragonstone.
Devan said it wasn't a good idea to come here, not when they are no doubt being pursued by the Dread Wolf's pack.
"The wolves lost interest in us, it's the lions we have to worry about." It's been a long two months at sea, tearing much of her old self away and leaving her bitter as her father used to be.
Looking at the mortar ports where what's left of her father's fleet was laying anchor, she saw that they only can muster up to five hundred men if that. That's enough to defend the castle, the causeway is a death trap for any invader, Shireen smiled and pulled her father's furs closer as the chilling sea caused her to shiver slightly.
The smallfolk scurried to their homes as they marched up the road, the scars of the Red Woman's tyranny still in effect which caused her some small pang of shame that her father fell so deeply into such madness.
Devan and some others opened the gates, she walked past without uttering a word and was sided by her personal guard whom she was introduced to as Gryff.
The place felt dusty, her father and mother ordered the castle to be abandoned after they returned from Braavos with the ships and sellsword army.
She turned to Devan, "Send someone to the nearby villages, ask for volunteers to get this place cleaned up." Her first command since being crowned on the ship, a young Queen with a handful of soldiers, belonging to a single island, no banners to rally... She's literally all alone now.
She's a Queen, now, she'll need to act more like an adult.
It would be a few hours before Devan's men returned with near a hundred people, all of them afraid and wary of what to expect. She had to gather some courage, speaking and relieving their worries, and said she would never harm them.
After a few moments they seemed to relax, greeting her, and then she released them to begin working on getting the keep restored.
For the remainder of the day she wandered about, first going to her chambers and then her mothers and fathers- She even went to the Maester's tower where she had learned quite a lot in her short life. A chill crawled up her spine, thinking about all she had lost.
If she had an ounce of rage within her, she'd swear vengeance against Arthur Stark for attacking them and killing her family and friends.
Nearing the room of the painted table she saw a raven sitting at the end of the table, by a dusty cup that had either water or wine.
It was here she turned to Gryff and Daven, "I am fine for now, can I be by myself?" They both look at one another before nodding, exiting the chamber.
It was here, by her father's seat that she finally sat down and cried her eyes out.
Winterfell
The return back home was quite the quiet one, especially for Sansa Stark.
Much has been shown to her hearing that it's been hard to even concentrate or think, knowing that Jon- Her once half-brother is actually the son of her aunt Lyanna and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.
More staggering is that Arthur knew about this as well without telling her or Arya or even his own mother, someone he had been giving a lot of trust towards.
Anytime that they were alone she would ask him about it, the last time was when they camped at the edge of Long Lake and he narrowed his eyes at her in frustration.
"I said to leave it alone, Sansa, I command you to never bring this up again." She wanted to argue and understand but the sound of his voice actually frightened her, almost like a growl which reminded her too much of their father when she or her other siblings had been up to no good.
"Then we just keep lying to him? Arthur?!" She exclaimed in futility, then sighed in frustration and crossed her arms together.
And then there is Bran, her sweet little brother who had been either cold or distant since they had been reunited. She did see him smile when Arya all but cried into his arms when they had ridden through the gates an hour ago. Being in the North changed him so drastically, and Meera Reed's explanation as to why was both troubling and unbelievable.
Well, not so much as she had seen what's behind the Wall and that her family is gathering the other Seven Kingdoms to fight it.
The looks of surprise on some of the highborn's faces when they rode through the gate worried her for a moment, could Bran's return stir feelings of honor and confusion to them? Such as if Arthur should turn over all titles to him as their father's last trueborn son? Sansa shook her head, the Dread Wolf retook and secured the North, Arthur has their undying trust and loyalty.
And her brother has a new wife, and already has a child on the way despite the reoccurrence of his former wife who had supposedly died at the Twins when the Frey's and Bolton's betrayed Robb.
It's unnerved him because of that realization that Mya was not only alive but in the Vale and as a Queen in competition for the Iron Throne which Cersei Lannister sits upon.
"Jon is a Targaryen, by all rights and blood ties the Iron Throne and the Kingdoms should be his." She said to herself, closing her chamber doors and remembering the abuse that was thrust upon her by Cersei and Joffrey.
It would only be right, would it not? Their family suffered far too much for the sake of other Kings, perhaps they should take a strategy from the late King Robert and seize the throne for themselves after the Night King and its army are defeated.
Looking herself in her vanity, Sansa then heard a horn blow once- A tradition borrowed from the Night's Watch to signal the return of someone.