Hello everyone.
Chapter 48: Eyes on the Horizon
The North
The horns signaling a return were met with several heading to greet the returnees, either Princess Arya Stark or Jon Snow.
Jon embraced the breeze that struck him when the gates opened, he was really tired of being away from home. Sighing, he dismounted his horse and saw Ghost wander towards Grey Wind and Dusk who were accompanying Arthur.
Things did indeed change around the area and within Winterfell, such as the trenches being completed and more siege weapons getting built with the help of House Forrester. Tyene Sand greeted him who was accompanied by Edric Dayne, it made him question why they were so close, he'd assumed Edric and his sister were getting closer.
Perhaps Winterfell can weather the Night King's army, that's if they fail in defending the Wall which has also been getting reinforced and prepared for the greatest battle that will be waged within the North since the Invasion of the Andals.
Among those he'd seen on the road and now, he didn't see Arya, he would've guessed that she would be home faster than him. He smiled and approached his Kingly brother, he wasn't wearing his crown. Val must be off somewhere else, what with her being with Arthur's child and all.
His brother embraced him tightly, "I'm glad you're home, Jon." He wished he could be only that.
"Arthur, there is something you should know- " His twin cut him off, shaking his head while doing so.
"I know, Jon." He wondered how that was possible, Arthur gestured for him to follow and they walked to the Godswood.
He noticed Mance was there, Val and his and Arthur's mother too. They spread out and he stopped abruptly, seeing someone he hasn't seen since the day he left home all those years ago.
Bran spotted him, smiling and nodding. Beside him was a girl, she had curly dark hair and had the Reed sigil on her left shoulder, one of Lord Reed's children.
Jon smiled sadly and hurriedly embrace his baby brother, the emotions running wild within his head as to how he survived all this time beyond the Wall. Jon then noticed his brother was too calm, when he expected him to be excited to be reunited.
"How in the Old Gods did you survive out there?" It was a question his little brother explained in full.
Jon Snow knew that the boy he was wouldn't have believed a word Bran said, nothing about the Three-Eyed Raven or meeting the Children of the Forest or being marked by the Night King. Yet, he believed him because the very fact in this world is true, magic and the unknown are real.
He was resurrected, brought back from the dead by Melisandre whom he hasn't seen yet and must be elsewhere. He saw the Night King, his horde of corpses that he means to unleash on the Realm. Jon shook his head, there are even rumors of dragons in the East.
Bran mentioned the loss of Old Nan's son, Hodor. And Summer, his brother's direwolf. Meera Reed and Lord Reed said they lost Jojen, Howland's son in the North as well as the last of the Children. Bran also said that he'd found their uncle Benjen, now an undead rogue attacking the Night King's scouts and burning many.
Val gave a look of frustration, "He said that he's seen the Great Other, in a vision." He looked to Bran, the cripple nodding to the comment.
"He is coming. Waiting near the Eastwatch, his army is numerous and outnumbers yours by a great sum." He knows that, he tried to save all he could while he was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch but the Night King proved to be persistent.
"Together with the Vale we will have near 80,000 men," Arthur said, turning to speak to him. "We need more. The remaining Kingdoms of Westeros must aid us, and... " And what? Jon wondered why Arthur was so quiet.
"And... What, what else do we need?" Mance cleared his throat, stepping forward to speak for his fellow King.
"Daenerys and her dragons, she is coming here and we need her fire to put a real edge to our victory." The man put a hand on Arthur's shoulder, "We won't be treating without terms, but I am sure once she sees the threat, she will come around." Nodding, Jon understood the necessity of getting Targaryen aid when their House was the one to help Robert dethrone them.
Part of him believes it's a step in the right direction of obtaining peace, another part feared having an actual Targaryen claimant for the Iron Throne waging war in the Crownlands.
Arthur is pensive, he must be seething inside about having to even suggest seeking help from the House who warred with their own in the rebellion. Daenerys clearly has no intentions of claiming only a part of Westeros, but that's how it has to be when she gets here.
"Then let's get it done, who is going to treat with her?" He asked and everyone became a little silent, all but Arthur.
"We both will go, when she lands with her army." Jon and Arthur nodded to one another, as most dispersed out of sight he and his brother remained. "I have received a raven from Riverrun, Arya is returning with vows from the Lords of the Riverlands that they'll be fighting with us against the Night King." He was glad to hear it, the Lords fought with Robb in the Westerlands, then Arthur at the Twins, and now in the North.
"I'm sorry, Arthur, about Mya." He watched his twin's expression harden, "She's agreed to fight with us, right now she is securing forces and supplies for the battles to come." Jon added and Arthur nodded his head slowly.
"I don't know how I'll feel, seeing her after so much time apart." He couldn't truly understand, he hasn't been deceived as Arthur has. "I suppose I'll need to forget her, Val is my wife and soon the mother of my child." He patted his brother on the shoulder, assuring him and to show his support.
"And Bran? He seems different." Arthur hummed a response, "Will you relinquish your title to him? He is our father's last surviving son." Jon added and stopped just short of the entrance to the godswood.
"The Lords and Ladies haven't said anything, and if so then it will be discussed after the Night King and the Lannister's are defeated," Arthur explained, he had agreed to his reasoning towards the succession rights. "Right now, let's have some supper, and begin planning for Daenerys or Mya's arrival."
The Vale
"Lord Andar, you are well?"
Mya, Queen of the Vale entered Runestone and was greeted by her vassals and their own vassals gathered to depart from the Vale.
"I am well, Mya." He replied to her question, together, they walked inside with the other Lords and Lady Waynwood.
Over the past month, she's sent out ravens and ordered for a host to be assembled here. Looking back she saw a camp, near twenty-thousand strong and prepared to fight alongside the Starks of Winterfell.
She wished she could bring more, but from the short war with the Lannisters, a great many fighting men were lost. Then there is the constant threat from the Mountain clans, she can't leave the Vale without any protection otherwise she would have brought thirty-four thousand instead of twenty.
She's calculated the risks, Cersei could try to get to her and invade her lands, or things could go terribly in the North, and she and Arthur might fight one another.
Andar seated himself next to her, she smiled and appreciated his closeness. The new Lord of Runestone took his title in stride, forever wearing black until the Lannister's are defeated and his father's death is avenged.
Donnel Waynwood suggested him as a potential match after the war in the North. Royce and Baratheon would cement the rule for her own child but she nearly dismissed it because she doesn't really intend to marry or bear children.
She's heard from a herder from the fingers of a handful of ships passing by, they bore sigils from Peasbury, Musgood, Morrigan, Bar Emmon, Seaworth, and her uncle's personal sigil, a crowned stag in a heart of fire. She's also asked Jon about her cousin, Shireen, he had said that Arthur found no sign of her after the Siege of the Dreadfort.
If she is alive, then she will be her heir within the Vale and when she takes the Iron Throne.
"How many ships have we gathered, Lord Gyles?" She asked her Master of Ships.
"Enough to carry our army across to White Harbor, Mya. But, only half of our horses can be fit in the fleet." Ah, she figured that would be the case, considering the large army that will be going North.
"Then pack as many as you can, my Lord, the Vale's strength lies in our cavalry." She told him and he smiled, despite being so young and losing his father in the Crownlands. "Jon and Arthur sent word of a threat coming to the Seven Kingdoms, that it takes no captives and cannot be bargained with... I was once the Dread Wolf's wife, I chose the path of justice over love, but, I will also hold the tight bond between the Vale and the North." She brushed her hand over the map.
Lady Waynwood stood, a proud smile worn beside her son. "I knew both yours and the King of Winter's father, they were brave and honorable men, we stand behind you Mya Baratheon." She nodded to the older woman.
Knowing everyone was behind her, she took a deep breath and stepped back. "At midday, we set sail for the North, may the Gods bless our voyage."
The fleet would leave after a few hours, Mya looked back at Gulltown and Runestone behind it. She prays to see it again someday, after the dead to the North are vanquished and the cunt Queen to the South are slain, with her brother.
Meereen
The city looked so peaceful, so content since all those months had passed.
She had planned to quell the Harpies by marrying one of the Nobility, she reopened the Fighting Pits with the exception that free men would put their lives at risk besides forcing people to.
And Jorah, he had snuck in as a fighter with someone she never thought to meet, Tyrion Lannister who her protector had offered as a way to make amends for the things he had done to her. She refused to accept Jorah, but did take Tyrion and through several chats had named him one of her advisors.
She will need someone like him to understand the political layout of Westeros, such as who will side with her when she eventually lands with her armies and dragons.
For a period of time, things seemed to improve until the day of the games when the Harpies attacked and killed many nobles and innocent freedmen, a great many of her guards were also slain. Jorah had rescued her, despite her turning him away he still tried to get her trust back.
She thought there was no end, no escape as they tried but it seemed like it was futile. Waiting for an end, then she hear a screech and smiled as Drogon descended and lit many assassins aflame.
Feeling an urge, she climbed atop Drogon and left, to where? She didn't know, her child landed on the top of a hill and looked like a den of sorts.
She was later captured by the Dothraki, Khal Pono. Taken to Vaes Dothrak she plotted her escape as she grew tired of being someone's pawn since coming into her own after Drogo's death. She didn't have to plot long, as Ser Jorah and Daario Naharis came to get her out but she instead had them aid her in defeating Khal Pono.
Gathering Pono and his fellow Khals and their Bloodriders, she then burned the temple they were within and claimed the credit in killing them which won her the loyalties of the 'Ko'.
Then, together with thirty-thousand Dothraki screamers and Drogon, she saved her army and friends from an invasion by the Yunkaii, Astapor, and Volantis. She then spent a number of weeks retaking control of the Bay of Dragons and its cities, slaying both traitor and enemies and finally breaking the Son's of the Harpy and their ambitions to reinstitute slavery.
It was after the fighting that Jorah told her about his affliction, how the greyscale neared his elbow so she made him swear a promise. "I command you to heal yourself, Ser Jorah, then return to me." She realized how he loved her, how she had begun to love him after so long, and teared up when he promised her to find a cure no matter what.
After saying farewell, she put to work reorganizing her fleet that was burned. Daario Naharis recruited two thousand more men into the Second Sons, along with forging a force of eight thousand soldiers to patrol Meereen, Astapor, and Yunkai when she leaves this place.
Tyrion and his mysterious friend, Varys worked alongside her loyalist nobles and learned freemen to choose a leader to rule the three cities as well as work with the less loyal former Masters in gradually accepting the new way of things so that no man, woman, or child will slink back into chains once more.
"The treasury is getting full again," Daario said, he and Tyrion, and Varys entered the hall. "Your grace, it's been months since we've restored the Bay of Dragons, our fleet numbers a hundred ships and can carry hundreds." Tyrion would continue after him.
"The granaries have stockpiled well, too. Enough supplies for seven years or more, well, let's hope it won't be so long." She nodded to their reports, turning back to look at the city below the great pyramid.
Barristan once asked if she wanted to remain here, that she could build a life and a new dynasty for her House rather than chasing the Iron Throne like her ancestors on the Blackfyre House had done. She can imagine it, maybe see if she can bear a son or daughter to carry on their House when she is gone or live to see her grandchildren, surrounded by a warm fire.
After all these years since she's been on her own, since she lost her husband and son, and getting these advisors and friends to help her achieve her dreams and ambitions.
For this reason, she can't bear to abandon her quest to get the Seven Kingdoms back, bring justice to those who killed her father and brother, for that reason she can't stop.
"Then we shall prepare for departure within a fortnight, so get some rest, my Lords."
AN: I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter, we are getting closer to the beginning of the Long Night, but before that is an awkward reunion between man and wife, and ex-wife.