Have been busy for a long time with job. Got some time and penned it down. Hope you all like this. This story is rated 'M' for a reason. I am just enjoying this story to write and I don't care about the negative reviews I may write. Hope you like this story. Comment down about your reviews and I hope to work on them. I will also be redoing the previous chapters to remove the errors.
Severus looked at the huge castle from where they were riding. Harrenhall was huge in size, the walls of the castle may be damaged and destroyed by the fire of dragons, but the castle was still intimidating in size and sight till this day.
He could now understand why the Lord of Harrenhall thought that he would be able to withstand Dragon Fire. The walls sure were long and thick, the huge castle made with stones giving the confidence to anyone who resided inside it.
Besides him was riding Robert along with Ned. Apparently Robert liked to lead the men which was one of the reason he was loved by the soldiers. For some strange reason, Robert had decided to latch into him for company along with Ned. From the slight Legilimency he had done, the Lord of Storms End believed him to be able to control him like Ned from making any rash decision. He was already thinking in his mind about offering him a seat in the Stormlands which amused Severus to no end. Robert believed that it would bind him there and make him stay close to him as he had no lands here in this world. The thought made him strangely feel nice, that there were men who still cared about people like him.
"Are you saying that your Lord Father is arriving too!" He head the astonished voice of Robert Baratheon who had been pesturing Ned about the rider they met earlier.
"Aye, he is arriving here. Apparently he is arriving with our whole family," Ned spoke looking at his fellow foster brother.
"Wait, how would I deal with your father now?" Robert asked looking horrified at the whole thing. While he did had met other Great Lords, he wanted to make the best impression on his future Good Father's eyes after the advice of Severus.
"You are a Great Lord Robert. That makes you a man of equal position like my father," Ned explained back. The riders were already sent to the castle carrying the message of their arrivals and the soldiers were on alert and anxious about the biggest tourney of the realm.
"Severus," Robert said suddenly looking at him and Ned felt relieved that his friend had someone else to pester on for now.
Severus had to sigh, he really missed the long years of solitude he had been experiencing after his supposed death.
"Don't make bawdy jokes and act like the Lord you are going to be..." Spoke Severus as he tried his best to explain to the Lord of Storms End more.
The walls of Harrenhall were thicker than he imagined, was the only thought inside Severus' mind as he looked at the walls and the 14 murder holes on the top of their heads.
The walls and the towers were made alike of black stones. There were five very tall towers, however some of them were burnt, lumped or cracked from the melting of the stone.
Even in the gate he could see many banners of Noble houses already present and their men at arms wearing the sigils of their overlords.
They were lead to the camping ground by the men of House Whent along with the eldest son of Lord Whent and Lord Whent who had arrived to greet them. Lord Whent had graciously offered bread and salt for the guest rights. Apparently the rooms were being prepared for the Great Lords and Royal Family while the bannnermen were told to camp on the grounds.
Robert had denied the offers of the rooms in Castle as he preferred to camp with his bannermen. Severus knew that most of the Great Lords would be doing something like Robert to be among the bannermen as the King was reputed to becoming mad and frenzy nowadays and none wanted to irk him and direct his anger towards them.
It had been a recent news but apparently the King was arriving here to the tourney along with his council. Severus believed that it was because that such a large event could also be used as a means to plan a coup against him, he didn't knew how right his thoughts were on the matter.
The tourney was afterall funded, it wouldn't make sense that a Lord whose sole income source was his fields, could give away prize money of 70000 and 80000 gold dragons. It just didn't made much sense for him.
"Severus, you will be using the tent on my side. Stannis is already coming, if he is not already here. Renly will be here too," Robert said boisterously looking at him.
"Fine," was the only reply from Severus as he inspected the campsite. Most of the bannermen looked from Reach area with the house sigils.
They finally found the Baratheon camp some minutes later where everyone from Stormlands were camping. There were the bannermen of Robert who were present there and they started to greet Robert as they saw him.
It was a little surprising to see Robert charming his fellow bannermen as he walked with Ned. Apparently House Stark had yet to arrive since the tourney had still to start for next four days. According to Ned, they were going to arrive by the dusk of tomorrow.
Twenty minutes later in which he saw Robert playing with Renly a little and awkardly greeting Stannis, they all were talking inside the tent. Robert had dragged Ned and him to the central tent where he was to stay apparently.
Robert was asking Stannis more about their journey and pestering him to have some fun when the tent flap was opened and a soldier arrived inside wearing the armour of House Baratheon.
"M'Lord, there is a man who wishes to meet Lord Severus. He claims to be a family member and tells his name as Armand Slytherin," the soldier said bowing his head a little.
The name shocked Severus very much, as far as he knew there was only Armand he knew and that was his ancestor. Slytherin, the name of the House whose Head he had been for so long.
His shock and alertness wasn't hidden from the members present in the tent. Robert and Ned were alert too as they remembered that he was alone in this world.
"I shall take my leave," he said softly looking at Robert and Ned who tensed a little.
"Wait, I shall accompany you along with Ned, Stannis you stay here for some time. I shall arrive shortly," Robert said as he stood up firmly and picked his warhammer. If Severus needed some military help then he would give it.
Ned too got up silently, his posture becoming alert.
Severus didn't said anything. He couldn't refuse the Lord of Stormlands in his own tent and infront of his own men and brothers.
He simply nodded and got up. The three of them walked out of the tent and Severus recognised the person at a little distance of the tent. The person had similar features to a man he knew but with an inhumanly beauty with him. He was wearing Black leather tunic and had a longsword strapped on his waist. Severus was baffled, as far as he knew, there was no magic that could bring back the dead but the person in front of him was so similar to his ancestor that he couldn't help but be baffled.
"Severus, it is good to see you again. Narcissa and Delphius are awaiting to see you once again," the man spoke happily looking at him pointedly.
The name of Narcissa sent a shock to his spine before he composed himself. He didn't knew who was Delphius but Narcissa was someone he knew very well. A friend for whom he had cared so much and so deeply that he had later realised that he have fallen for her. How could she be here unless, his will had been read and she had visited the Prince Manor and investigated enough about his disappearance or death and followed him here.
"I see you are already eager to meet Narcissa. Atleast introduce your brother to your friends however," Armand spoke up looking at his descendant, hoping that he would take the hint.
"I will meet them later, regardless they know everything about me and you. Robert, Ned, this is my brother Armand Slytherin," Severus replied back smoothly looking at him calmly conveying fully well what he meant by it. Robert had to say that he was hearing first time Severus speaking like this and it was baffling to hear the smoothness in his voice. His voice sounded more like a high Lord than his own had ever did.
Armand had the urge to facepalm himself. Why would his descendant go around proclaiming to be a man of other world to two people? Did he really misjudged for Severus as a wise and intelligent boy. No, he trusted his descendant enough to know that something drastic would have happened which led to spilling his secret to the two boys in front of him. From his knowledge about this world and what he have gathered and witnessed so far, the taller one was apparently Robert Baratheon; The Lord of Storm's end. While the other one was apparently Eddard Stark, the second son of Lord of Winterfell and Warden of North. His descendant was making good connections, he thought inwardly judging from the company he had kept.
"Narcissa and Delphius would be pleased to see you, Infact we too have arrived here to see the tourney, Our tent is over there," Armand spoke up looking at him as he indicated to the area where their tents were present.
Severus looked at the area where he was pointing. The area was inhabited by the guests who came from outside. His heart beat a little faster as he thought about meeting Narcissa after so long.
"Come on brother. They would be pleased to meet you and your friends," Armand said with a small smile. He was going to enjoy this, Narcissa and Delphius didn't knew that he had found Severus. The compass had been with him for the last seven days and he had sensed the arrival of Severus by the compass first. He wanted it to be a little surprise.
"They don't know anything about you and your friends. It would certainly be a surprise and quite fun to see considering it had been two months since we have found ourselves here," Armand said with a mischievous smile and Robert already started to like the man.
The men of House Baratheon and Stark around them didn't understood much but Robert and Ned understood the meaning behind the two months. They had long thought if the sorceror was claiming false things, but appearing out of thin air and then managing to show magical things and drinks that could make them breathe fire was too much of an evidence to not believe him. Besides they weren't going to divulge his secrets to anyone, Robert had convinced Ned about that.
"Very well than, Let's meet them," Severus spoke calmly, looking at his ancestor whose face donned a familiar smirk.
"Ofcourse, let's go then" Armand replied looking at him happily back as he had finally managed to track his descendant down. It was time for an interesting conversation to take place.
Five Minutes Later...
Severus looked at the two tents present infront of him.
From the feel and looks of it, it was clear to him that the two tents were magical in nature. He already had three similar ones in his pouch but he hadn't taken them out considering that it would simply freak out the soldiers and people of this world more than anything. It seemed his other friends weren't that cautious as him.
The site at which they had arrived was a group of tents, the tents and the people looked at the curiously. He spotted soldiers who were holding spears and were obviously Unsullied and some other men whom they had gathered here and there. The Unsullied weren't hard to discern after the stories and descriptions he had heard from the Lord of Storm's End who had explained about the various martial men of this world to him.
The guards who were guarding the tent didn't asked any question as a single look and sign of Armand's hand was enough for them.
Robert raised his hand to the guards with them as they were told to wait outside quietly with a gesture of his raised hand. They bowed and immediately went alert looking at the people around them with a calm gaze. "Let's go," Armand spoke slowly looking at them.
They all entered the tent slowly and Severus immediately saw a boy and girl around 18 sitting at the table and eating breakfast. Their eyes met as they felt them entering by the sound they made while the flap of the tent was lifted slightly.
It was the man whose eyes Severus met first but the eyes only held a little confusion and then recognition dawned on them. It was the second amethyst eyes which however made his entire body go rigid with shock. The colour of those eyes may have changed, but there was still the same emotions present in them. There was no need to recognize her, his body's reaction was enough to guarantee it.
"Narcissa," he breathed out slowly looking at the two as he didn't dared and bothered to think about the "seven hells!" uttered behind him by the Lord of Storms End and the gasp of wonder by the usually calm and silent Ned Stark.
"Severus," came the similar name from Narcissa's lips as she looked at the perstom infront of them. There was no doubt that the boy infront of her was Severus, his features may have changed and he looked inhumanely beautiful with his features. But the tenseness and the dark eyes which could make her feel appreciated and terrified was still present.
She however was not going to be this easy to be convinced. She still remembered the act he had pulled, she composed herself and stood up. She gazed at him for a moment, her eyes showing nothing as she stood up.
"Severus, please sit and join us for breakfast. We have guests I see" she said formally, her voice calm and composed, no emotion laying in it. Afterall if there was one thing which Narcissa Black had it in her in since childhood, it was being indifferent.
Severus didn't missed the emotion nor the coldness in her eyes which made his heart ache a little. Regardless he was going to play with her nonetheless, "thank you Narcissa. This is Lord Robert Baratheon, Lord Paramount of Storms End and this is Lord Eddard Stark, the son of Lord Stark." He told her, telling more about his companions. It was a little funny to see Robert looking wonderfully at the insides of the magical tent. The lavish spacious room with furniture he hadn't seen before and items which he didn't knew use of.
"It's a pleasure M'Lords. I am Narcissa Baelerys and this is my brother Delphius Baelerys," Narcissa spoke up cordially giving the best regal expression as she looked at them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you M'Lords," Delphius whom by now Severus had identified as the Dark Lord's child spoke up with a smile.
He was however more confused about how could Delphius was a boy. He had seen the babe and helped in the delivery. The last he had seen the child, it had been a girl. He was more curious about how the whole gender of the child had changed.
It was going to be a long breakfast, he thought inwardly as his eyed met with the indifferent gaze of Narcissa.
