Chapter 14 The Past

Bran Stark walked beside Brynden Rivers better known as Blood Riven in a grassy field in the distant past. Both of these men where the three eyed ravens, normally there would only be one but thanks to time travel both of them now held that title. Walking with them but unable to see them because they wheren't really there was the brother of the night king and possibly the last hero, Eldric. The two of them had been watching this ancient hunt as Eldric and a band of a dozen other hunters three of whom where women and two large dogs.

"In the tales of the last hero, it is said he led a dozen men into the woods to find the children with a horse and a dog." Stated Bran as the two of them strolled through the grassland watching the party of first men hunt for the children to save the soon to be night king.

"Stories change over time, this is supposed to happen after the rise of the Night King not during." Countered Brynden as the older man moved with the strength of a much younger man. In truth neither of them where actually moving their legs, Brynden was attached to a weir wood tree North of the wall. That tree provided all the food and energy he needed to live while Bran was in a wheelchair before the weir wood tree in Winterfell's Godswood.

"Jon arrived back at Winterfell and told me about how the order of the Green men want me to come to them." Stated Bran as the two of them followed the hunting party. There was no reason for them to attempt to hide from what was about to happen so they spoke openly.

"You should go to them; I wish I had." admitted Brynden as Bran looked at him wanting him to go on. "I wasn't discovered as a green seer and possibly the next raven until after I had joined the Night's Watch and the Raven before me, a woman named Marei was up here."

"A woman was the three eyed raven?" Said Bran as Brynden nodded his head.

"The gift comes to men and women and of every class, Marei was the daughter of a prostitute in Mole's Town just south of Castle Black, I was the bastard of a King and you are the trueborn son of a high lord." explained Brynden "After you, the gift may be found in some knight in dorne or a sailor out of Lannistport but odds are it will be found among those who have first men blood or the blood of the dragon within them. I have both, Targaryen father, House Blackwood mother."

"Aegon the Unworthy." said Bran as Brynden nodded his head.

"But you knew all this, why bring it up." added Brynden

"I wanted to know why you didn't go to the heart of the network." stated Bran

"Wasn't needed." Stated Brynden as he looked at the hunting party which still moved forward. "The heart of the network is on the isle of faces, but that heart is broken."

"How so?" inquired Bran

"According to Marei and the Raven before her and the one before that going all the way back to the first three eyed raven the weirwood network used to stretch across the world." Explained Brynden "One could sit in Winterfell or what would one day become Winterfell and through the trees see events happening in Slaver's bay, the great empire of Yi Ti which sits beyond the jade gates of Qarth and even Asshai by the Shadow before the rise of the Shadow."

"What happened?" inquired Bran

"The link was broken in the attempt to limit the spread of the Night King by destroying the land bridges between Westeros and Essos. They broke the one in the South in the Broken Arm of Dorne and one in the far North." stated Bryden "Now imagine a spider web with all its strains spreading out over a large area. Now each of the weir wood is where the strains meet but when the first men came they began to destroy the weir woods weakening the links and the network as a whole. Then came the destruction of the arm of Dorne and the Land Bridge between Northern Westeros and Northern Essos. With that link broken the web was cut in half and we are only able to see events that have had happened on this side of the Narrow Sea we can't cross over to the other parts of the web."

"I believe I understand." stated Bran as he placed his hands behind his back as a question formed in his head. "The web can only travel over land but what about islands? We can see what happens on Bear Island or the Iron Island with ease."

"It is only a theory, but I assume the network can only reach so far off shore and with a broken link we can't see beyond the lands of Westeros." answered Bryden "You see…"

Before Bryden could go on a beam of blue light shot up from the other side of a small line of hills. All the first men hunters got down on one knee lowering themselves into the tall grass to provide some cover. The birds in nearby trees took to the air out of fear, as multiple snakes and small animals began to run away. A charging moose ran out of a nearby woods by the base of the hill followed moments later by a pack of dire wolves which where sprinting as fast as they could away.

"What is going on?" inquired one of the hunters.

"I don't know." Said Eldric as the dogs which had been beside him began to back away in fear, but they didn't run.

"He is here." announced Bryden as out of the woods marched a bare-chested blue man dressed in furs which were quickly frosting over. His eyes where blue and his hair was gone but that was Eldric's brother, the Night King.

"Bran!" yelled Eldric as he stood up as the Night King came ever closer, with each passing step the ground around him began to freeze. He came to a stop only a few feet away from his brother. "Bran…what did they do to you?"

For a long moment nothing happened and then with inhuman speed and strength Bran…the Night's King true name sent a backward slap toward his brother Eldric sending him flying through the are as if he was a child's toy. He crashed into a tree with a load snap, the nearest of the hunting dogs rushed forward toward Eldric who now laid on the ground not moving. Bran kicked the hound with such force his bare foot went halfway into the poor animal's rib cage and when it came out his foot was covered with blood and guts. Maybe as a small mercy the dog died almost at once as the dozen hunters launched their attack, flinging stones from slings and stabbing him with fire harden staffs. The stones bounced off the Night King and the staffs broke when they hit his skin.

The Night King was unarmed but it didn't matter, he grabbed the arm of one of his former friends and with inhuman strength ripped it not only out of its socket but clean off the shoulder. The man's blood sprayed across the freezing soil and over the Night King's face. With slight annoyance he whipped away the blood before grabbing a charging woman by the throat and slamming her so hard into the ground her spin snapped.

The rest of the party fared no better as one by one all of them were killed.

"Good, very good." said a new voice as Bran and Bryden looked toward the tree line to see nine children of the forest, half of them seamed young an youthful with green in their hair but three among them looked old and ancient looking with brown dead leaf looking hair and an aged look to them. The Night King turned and looked at them as well and looked at the children with his cold blue eyes.

"With this we will turn back men and reclaim all that has been lost." Stated another as slowly the Night King raised his hands. This caused confused looks from the warriors among the children of the forest however their elders where too busy basking in what they had just done. Only when the first body rose to its feet did they notice what was happening.

"It isn't supposed to do that…is it?" stated an elder as one of the newly raised dead threw a spear striking the elder in the chest.

"Elder!" yelled one of the warriors and like that the tables were turned as the Night King advanced along with the newly raised dead and began to slaughter the children. Their dragon glass weapon managed to kill some of the dead, but it bounced off the skin of the Night King, one brave but foolish children of the forest even drove his dragon tipped spear into the Night King's chest. It only slowed him down.

"Can nothing stop him?" inquired Bran as they watched everything unfold before them.

"Maybe nothing can." Stated Bryden as he pointed toward one of the elders, he was wounded and moving toward the tree line. Just now standing up was Eldric, he was bloodied and bruised, his arm looked clearly broken but he was still alive.

"Help me human." pleaded the Elder as Eldric looked at the battle before him and then after a moments paused to gather his coward he rushed to aid his enemy and grabbing him up in his good arm the two of them headed North deeper into the woods. By now it was over, the Night King stood around the ever-freezing landscape with four wight humans of his former tribe and seven of the nine children of forest. The elder was running North while a lone child, Leaf was running to the south away. The Night King either didn't notice the elder running away or didn't care because he turned and started to head south along with the first wights in history.

"I say we follow, Eldric and the Green seer." advised Bryden

"Agreed, Leaf can tell us what happened to her." added Bran as they followed Eldric and the Green Seer into the woods. They wheren't hard to follow, both of them were wounded and they quickly came upon them.

"What did you do to my brother…?" stated Eldric

"Made him our weapon against you." Said the Green Seer with blood pouring out of a wound in his chest. "We needed to stop you…"

"What will he do now?" inquired Eldric as they moved through the woods.

"What he was made to do, kill all living things." stated the Green Seer weakly as the color began to fade from his body. "We never considered that we were part the whole living thing."

"How do I save him?" inquired Eldric desperation in his voice. "How can I bring him back?"

"You can't." chuckled the Green Seer "He can't be killed, he is immortal, no weapon can hurt him, no sickness can claim him, time will not harm him either. He will never sleep; he will never eat all he will do is what he is supposed to do…kill everything with warm blood in its veins."

"You must have had a way to stop him." pleaded Eldric as the green seer chuckled a bit. "Please tell me."

"He…can't be killed…but he can be contained." Answered the Seer as he coughed up more blood. He slowly stretched out his hand and pointed North. "Answers you can get in the city of Irrodos…"

"Irrodos?" inquired Eldric confused.

He wasn't the only one both Bryden and Bran where confused and looking at each other neither of them had heard of a city called Irrodos and never of a city North of the wall. The closest the free folk ever got to a city was the small village of Hard Home where some Bravos and Novas ships would come to trade much to the annoyance of the Night's Watch and the Iron Throne. Unicorn horn, rare pelts and the like could only be found North of the wall and the Free Folk where more than willing to trade these rare items for common items south of the wall, so some ships kept coming.

Eldric dropped the now dead Green Seer and headed north through the woods as fast as possible. Bran and Bryden followed him through the woods, both of them wondering how far this city of Irrodos was. They didn't have to wait long, Eldric burst through the tree line into something that shouldn't have been there, fields. Not a grassy field or a small clearing in the woods but a field of wheat…it was a farm of some kind. As far as either of them knew no one North of maybe Old Town in was farming, the tribes of first men where hunter and gathers they didn't know how to farm yet here one was. It only got stranger as Eldric ran through the wheat and onto a dirt road.

"This wasn't made by first men." announced Bran as he looked around at the perfectly laid out fields of grain. "This is far beyond them."

"Aye…" confirmed Bryden as a screeching sound filled the air. Out of the sky descending on leathery wings where three large beasts. Eldric looked up in amazement as out of the sky these three creatures landed before him, they were covered with sharp spins, they where a deep green in color with black horns and spins. Sitting on their backs where a group of men, armored in steel plate and looking down at a scared Eldric. "Dragon riders…dragon riders in Westeros in the Dawn Age?"

"Those aren't dragons…" announced Bryden as Bran looked at him and then at the dragons. "Those are Wyverns…they are close cousins to Dragons they are smaller than Dragons and don't breath fire but they are said to be even more deadly than dragons. Notice the fact that instead of scales, those beasts have flesh and their front has a beak not a snout. Never heard of anyone riding a Wyvern not even the Valeryians did that."

The riders shouted out commands in a language that Eldric couldn't understand but Bran and Bryden could. The magic of the weirwood network translated their words for them.

"Who are you?" yelled the main leader as he dismounted from the Wyvern, he was shorter than Eldric who stood his ground even as the figure moved toward him, hand resting on the hilt of a sword. "I say again who are you?"

"I don't think savages like him speak our language." stated another Wyvern rider as the leader turned his head and looked at him. All of them where in full armor, with only their eyes visible through their visors. "These southern primitives may not have even a Wyvern or even steel."

"We need to figure out what was that flash of light." countered the leader as suddenly out of the tree line multiple creatures running for their lives. They ran through the fields rushing past the Wyverns which were acting up as well.

"What is going on!" yelled another as the crops in the field began to die on mass. A couple of yards away the Night King emerged from the now died and freezing field along with his undead.

"Run we need to run!" yelled Eldric not that the Wyvern riders understood him, but they too now looked at the Night King in fear. One of the riders charged forward, his Wyvern running forward using its wings as legs. The Wyvern was larger than a horse, but no way the size of a dragon being maybe three times the size of a horse. The Night King made no attempt to dodge the attack instead he grabbed the charging Wyvern by the head stopping it dead and then with ease he snapped its neck.

"Get out of there!" yelled the commander as he looked to his fellow rider who had been thrown forward in his saddle by the sudden stop of his Wyvern. He was now eyeball to eyeball with the Night King as the Night King with one hand reached up and grabbed his helmet and crushed it almost flat. This sent an explosion of blood and brain. Seeing this and clearly dead men and children of the forest who now gathered behind the Night King, the Commander did the only thing he could. "Fall back!"

Eldric was already about to run into the field when the Commander reached out and grabbed his wrist and spoke in the same language of Eldric.

"Come with me." He ordered, Eldric looked at the Wyvern and the steel armored figure before him. You can't outrun whatever this is. The Night King for the moment seemed more interested in the Wyvern as he attempted to raise it but failed, along with the man he had crushed to death. Seeing the fear in Eldric eyes the figure ripped of his helmet to show that he was actually a she. A women, with deep red hair and strangely lilac eyes. "I am human, come with me if you want to live."

Seeing no other option as the Night King Eldric allowed himself to be pulled toward the Wyvern and pulled up into the saddle and with one move they took to the air and headed North. The other rider had already taken off and headed North.

"This doesn't make any sense…what is going on." Inquired Bryden as suddenly both Raven's fell to their knees, pain ripping into them as both their heads felt like they were about to explode outwards. It was horrible as both of them screamed in pain but as they did images began to flood their minds, images of stuff which hadn't happened on Westeros. They saw slaver's bay, the dortlatic horse lords charging into a line of war chariots in an ancient battle and more flashes of images from across the world.

Both of them where breathing heavily as they got back up only, they were no longer in a field but on a snow covered hill. It was freezing cold and they wheren't alone, only a few feet away on his undead mount was the Night King looking down at the two Ravens. Slowly both Ravens got to their feet and looked up at the Night King.

"What happened?" inquired Bran

"He brought us here." answered Bryden as the Night King pointed behind them, both turned and looked behind them. Before them was a large ice-covered field and in the distance was an outline of a ruined city with a handful of ships sitting on the distant shoreline. "I think we are on Essos, the land bridge must have been remade."

"How?" inquired Bran, somehow, he knew that Bryden was right all the flashes of events in Essos still filled his mind. "Even the Night King isn't that powerful? Only a grand council of elder children can do that and they are dead."

"He just saw him raise the elders who made him, he killed the rest during the long night if he can pull on their power even in death then he could do this." added Bryden "But if that is the case then why couldn't he just destroy the wall, he would have that power."

"Unless it is limited, or he couldn't risk losing them." Stated Bran as he looked around him as they started to put the pieces together. "If the Green Seers are destroyed then maybe he wouldn't have access to their power."

"Possible." Confirmed Bryden as he eyed the Night King behind them who seemed to be listening into their talk enjoying watching them try to figure it out.

"Could…could the Night King gain access to the memories of everyone he raises?" inquired Bran as he turned and looked at the grin which began to form on the Night King's face. That was all the conformation he needed. "By the old and the new gods, he gains access to everyone he kills memories then he doesn't even need the weirwood network."

"Why did you bring us here?" inquired Bryden with defiance as the Night King turned his gaze from the Raven to the fields beyond. Raised his hand as the ground shock a bit as the sound of breaking ice filled the air, Bran watched in horror as multiple undead began to slowly rise from the ground. Somewhere dressed in frost covered bronze armor, almost all of them had not a single piece of flesh on them. They just kept rising and rising, figures dressed in ancient looking armor, almost all of the skeleton in nature, among the dead where beasts as well, horses where the most common but rising out of their graves where giant spiders. Some of them where missing limbs but the sight was still enough to cause fear to wash over both Ravens. Then rising out of the ground wing missing was a giant beast, it wasn't as large as Drogon or Rhegael, maybe two times the size of a horse but it was clearly a dragon.

"A dragon…he has a dragon?" inquired Bran as the beast came pushed toward the front as best as it could on only three limbs, then to his horror more like it began to rise some of them still had bony wings but all of them where skeletal in nature. An entire army of undead skeletons and there had to be six or seven of these small dragons. Then he realized that they were not Dragons. "No…Wyverns not dragons."

"But if we are on Essos it is only a matter of time he finds dragons either dead or still alive….he could march on the civilizations of the East.." stated Bryden but before he could go on his body began to fade away, he didn't turn to dust all at once like he had before when the Night King killed him. Instead he slowly began to fade away as if he was losing the ability to connect to the weirwood network and he seemed to be in a great deal of pain.

"Bryden…" said Bran as the old Raven fell to one knee. "What is happening?"

"You are a bastard…" said Bryden his voice just above a whisper as he faded in and out as he looked up at the Night King who looked down with a sick grin on his face enjoying watching the old raven gasping at his horse's feet. Bryden turned and looked at Bran. "He or his forces I should say are cutting down the weirwood tree I am connected to…without it."

"You die." confirmed Bran as Bryden nodded his head. Both of them knew that Bryden got all his food from the multiple roots of the ancient weirwood tree which had pierced his body, that allowed him to stay in the network for a lot longer than Bran but it also meant if the tree died then he would die, possibly a very slow death if they just let him starve to death.

"Good luck young raven and tell my daughter I love her." Said Bryden as he disappeared leaving Bran kneeling alone in the snow as he looked up at the Night King. The Night King already had him marked so there was no point in doing that again. Instead he raised his head toward his newly raised army and pointed back across the Land bridge. As one the army began to march, the undead Wyverns attempted to fly but lacking any flesh on their wings they couldn't take flight instead they walked. Then as an insult the Night King turned his horse around and headed away from the land bridge away from Westeros deeper into Essos and possibly larger armies which could be buried in the ground there.

Bran opened his eyes, gasping for air as his heart pounded in his chest so fast it sounded like a herd of charging horses. He looked around, it was just before dawn and kneeling before the weirwood try was his Uncle Benjen, he held a long sword out tip in the snow. He was deep in prayer and didn't notice Bran at first. Then his eyes turned and locked on his nephew.

"Bran…?" inquired Benjen as he moved forward, putting his sword away. Bran lifted his eyes and looked at his Uncle, he was as dead as the last time he saw them. He was as heavily armed as he was before, he carried two swords and a ball and chain which he could alight. His totally black shield still rested on his back but his eyes while dead they were still their normal color, not a deep blue.

"I know…I know what the Night King is hiding." stated Bran as he reached up and rubbed his eyes, as Benjen looked down at him. "He…well as least he can't be killed but he can be imprisoned."

Benjen rubbed his chin as he looked at his nephew.

"Alright, that is something do you have anything else." inquired Benjen "How do we imprison him?"

"I don't know, I have a lot more, more question but I need to rest." explained Bran his breath still coming fast as Benjen nodded.

"Aye, you may be one of the two Ravens but you are still human." stated Benjen as Bran shook his head.

"I am the only Raven left." announced Bran as Benjen lowered his head.

"I see…it was only a matter of time but I wished it was later. Lets get you something to eat and gather the others." stated Benjen as the 1st rays of light from the sun broke through the trees of the Godswood.

Before the sun had risen, everything was peaceful and the entire house was asleep, the doors where bared and everything seemed normal. That was until there was a knocking at the door. The sound caused the rancher to tense up and grab a short sword as he approached the door, he was only a half day ride from King's Landing North on the King's Road. No robber had yet to attack the farm, but he had couldn't guarantee that this wasn't the first. He hadn't been forced into any of the many armies because he had something, they all wanted. His family while not noble had a large track of land which raised a lot of the horses used within King's Landing. He had warhorses, riding horses and common draft horses. He didn't have as many as normal, most of his herds where gone off to fight leaving him with only a handful minus the breeding stock he had to keep at all costs.

"Who goes there?" inquired the rancher

"Someone who needs to buy a horse off you and a dozen goats or two cows depending on which you could part with." Said a male voice as the sound of clinking metal filled the air, the sound of coins. "How does 75 golden dragons sound."

The Ranch's eyes widened as he looked behind him at his wife, daughter and young son all of them had awoken by the sound.

"Who are you?" inquired the Ranchers

"Ser Jaime Lannister." Said the voice on the other side of the door as slowly the door opened and there in the moon light he could see a man. He wore Lannister red but the armor was wrong, he looked older than the one time he had seen the King Slayer and he was missing a hand and the armor was more leather then the normal plate of Lannister forces.

"So we have a deal? I need your best horse and either dozen goats or two cows your choice." Said Jaime as he held out the bag of gold. The man looked at the money and they were indeed golden dragons; this was more money than he had ever seen in his entire life. It was enough to buy a small herd of horses and an army of goats. Then he heard movement behind the so-called King slayer, he lifted his eyes away from the gold and into the two pairs of eyes of great beasts. "If you don't mind, we are in kind of a hurry and the dragons are getting hungry."

There sitting outside his ranch were two full dragons, with two other figures on the ground beside them. The farming family who had maybe a dozen horses which they had raised to be sold as mounts for the highborn stood with their mouths opened at the two dragons.

"We could also use a hot meal is you don't mind." Added Jaime with a grin as he pulled two silver stags from a pouch on his hip.

"I'll start making some food." Stated the wife not fully believing what he was seeing.

The sky was still dark as King Robb Stark lead his horse once again across the bridge which connected the two castles of the Twins. He wasn't alone of course, aside from his guards his mother rode beside him.

"Think you will be back in Winterfell come nightfall." Stated Robb

"Yes." Said Catelyn still not fully believing it, the plan was for her to wait here while Daenerys and Jon flew the Dragons to King Landing to deliver their terms before they returned here. Once done Daenerys would fly back to Winterfell taking Catelyn back to her home to see her children while Jon flew to the Vale.

As they crossed the bridge, they could see that the camp was full of activity, the forces of the Vale where preparing to ride and even as they spoke the lead scouts where already heading out. By dawn the main body would be gone. Waiting for them at the far end of the bridge just outside the far castle gate, Lord Royce sat on top of his horse in full armor awaiting them.

"Morning, King Stark." Greeted Lord Royce as the Northern party moved forward.

"Morning Lord Royce, I come to bring my mother and to take my little sister." explained Robb as Lord Royce nodded his head.

"I believe Lady Arya is on her way, but she hasn't arrived yet." explained Royce as he looked out at the sea of tents which were being taken down and loaded up into carts which would follow the main body of the army. The Knights of the Vale where all putting on their armor, eating a quick breakfast and mounting up. They had multiple days of hard riding in front of them to reach the bloody gate and return to the Vale. "Your army is on the march as well I assume?"

"Yes." confirmed Robb as Royce grinned a bit. "What?"

"I am remembering how many times I tried to convince Lady Lysa to join the war of the five kings and now I have a second chance to fight beside you just like I fought beside your father in Robert's Rebellion." stated Royce

"There to fought against the Targaryen's now you fight for them." countered Robb as Royce nodded his head confirming it.

"Aye…yes I did and I fought beside the Mad King during the War of the Nine Penny Kings in the step stones and I had rode in tourneys with your cousin's father Prince Rhaegar before the rebellion." countered Royce "Personally I see a lot of Rhaegar in Jon and I see greatness in Queen Daenerys, the two of them together will make great rulers."

"With your aid of course…I heard how you are Master of Laws." Stated Robb as Royce chuckled a bit.

"Yes, and your sister is also on the small council." added Royce "Your brother Bran…is as well to a certain level as well. Religious advisor for the Old Gods, Daenerys sent a letter to the High Septon asking for an advisor form the faith as well, but I will not expect that until we take King's Landing."

"You seam confidant that you can take King's Landing?" inquired Robb, he had never even considered an attack on King's Landing. Threaten an attack yes, but never an actual attack.

"I am." confirmed Royce as the sound of marching feet reached them, around a bend in the tree came a group of men wearing black armor, with spiked helms with large shields and spears. Their armor was totally foreign to Westeros and so where the color of what little skin they showed. "The leading edge of our Unsullied forces just started arriving."

"Slave soldiers?" inquired a Stark Guard

"They used to be, Queen Daenerys freed them and then in our time ended slavery in Slaver's Bay." Explained Royce, Robb and Catelyn had heard that story from Daenerys the night before, but they didn't fully believe it. Ending slavery in the heart of slavery seemed impossible and they still didn't believe it.

"Where is Arya?" inquired Robb, he couldn't keep his Lords waiting, they wheren't happy with this deal already and he needed to get back to his forces. Catelyn was wondering that as well and then she noticed a figure across the busy foot path from them, it was the right size to be her daughter and the frame was also the same. However she wasn't alone, a tall man was with her. Both of them where facing each other and sharing a tender kiss, she focused on them but in the darkness she couldn't be sure. They slowly separated, the women going back in for a quick short kiss before turning toward them. Head on and coming closer to some of the torch light which lined the foot path, Catelyn realized that it was indeed Arya.

"Ah…Lady Arya." greeted Royce as Arya nodded her head and tossed a bag over a waiting horse.

"Sorry for keeping you." stated Arya, she grumbled a bit at being called Lady but had accepted it as something she couldn't escape but it still bugged her.

"Lord Royce." said a new voice as the tall man had come forward as well. He was the same man who had stepped off the Dragon with Arya, Jon and Jaime Lannister. It took Catelyn a moment, but her eyes widened a bit, this man was the spitting image of Robert Baratheon almost 20 years earlier.

"Ah…Gendry you will ride with me today so make sure you get everything ready. Go to my Squires and they will show you what to do." ordered Royce "You will ride with me in the front."

"Aye…my Lord." said Gendry as he shared a look with everyone, but his eyes lingered on Arya who showed a small smile, it was small and fast but it was noticeable. Gendry moved off, Arya watched him go with her eyes before speaking in a foreign tongue which caused both Robb and her mother to look at her. She didn't respond and instead turned her horse and started across the bridge.

"Lord Royce who is this Gendry?" inquired Catelyn as Robb looked at him as well, Arya stopped and turned to look at Robb and Catelyn.

"Robert Baratheon bastard son." explained Royce as he looked over his shoulder toward Arya who had stopped a few yards away.

"He is the man I love." added Arya "Now…lets go."

"Young Lady…" started Catelyn only to get a death glare from her daughter, she was ready to kill if she had to and everyone could see that.

"Lady Stark…you have no say over me." restated Arya before she gave an evil grin that sent a chill down Catelyn and Robbs spine. Even Lord Royce was put off by that smile, it reminded him of a shadow cat ready to strike. For a moment he feared Arya would go for her blade, he had seen her battle the undead while he watched from one of the towers in the rear of Winterfell so he knew what she could do. In the end Arya found a much sharper blade then her sword or her Valerian steel dagger to use on her mother. "Besides the reason why I was late was because I we were enjoying each other."

That caused Catelyn's eyes to widen, her little girl was sleeping with a man outside of the honor of marriage. That was a sin against the Seven and what sort of husband would accept a woman who wasn't a maiden. Worse still this Gendry was a Bastard…King's bastard yes but a bastard still, with no land, no titles and no way to support Arya or help House Stark.

"Now…lets go." announced Arya as she turned and headed across the bridge.

"Arya gave her maiden head to a bastard?" inquired Catelyn stunned.

"Gendry is a good man; I have been told and is highly approved of by Lord Jon Stark and Lady Sansa Stark has approved of him as well. Queen Daenerys has shown him favor as well, he is the one who made the royal armor and they appear to be master level craftsmanship." stated Royce as he came to Gendry's defense. Catelyn eyed him, Jon's support of him that wasn't a point in Gendry's favor for her and while a Blacksmith may be a good match for a daughter of a low level knight it wasn't the equal in status to a Lady of Arya birth. "Lady Sansa Stark has advised Queen Daenerys and I agreed, I am going to take Gendry under my wardship for a bit and in short order he will get a Knighthood."

A bastard born knight while better then a blacksmith was still not the level of a daughter of a great house.

"I should give him Knighthood now, he fought in the battle of Winterfell anyone who makes it through that has earned Knighthood." added Royce "However Gendry has great things in front of him."

"Like what?" inquired Robb

"Depending on what Lord Stannis does Gendry will either be Lord of Storms End and lord paramount of the Stormlands or if Lord Stannis bends the knee Gendry will be Lord of the Twins." Stated Royce as Catelyn and Robb blinked at that news, the lord of either the Twins or Storm's End would be more then worthy for the hand of a Daughter of one of the great houses. The Lord of Storms End would be the higher position, but the Twins was a valuable and important castle, it was only really looked down upon because of the Freys. "Personally, I never cared for Stannis and I believe many Lords would rather follow Gendry then Stannis. I can't deny that Stannis is a great military mind and we need that in the wars to come. Now King Stark I must get going…Lady Stark if you would come with me, I wish to introduce you to Grey Worm Master of War under Queen Daenerys and commander of the free Unsullied. He will be in command here while I am gone."

"Good luck Robb." said Catelyn as she looked at her son before leaning over in the saddle and hugging him before she rode off. Robb and his force turned around and headed across the bridge to find Arya waiting for them. Without saying a word, Arya moved up and rode beside her brother. Robb kept looking at her, she was supposed to be six years his junior but now seamed to be as old as he was maybe older. This was just so strange.

"You aren't the little girl, who I used to call Arya-underfoot or Arya-horserace." Announced Robb as Arya shot him a look that could have killed a male brown bear, but it softened a bit.

"And you are alive, which is strange enough for me." Countered Arya with a slight chuckle as she pulled a waterskin and took a drink, when she pulled it away a greenish blue liquid rolled down from her lips before she whipped it away.

"What are you drinking?" inquired Robb as Arya looked at him for a moment before offering the skin. He sniffed it for a moment and then took a drink, it was strange maybe the strangest thing he had ever drank in his life. It seemed almost ice cold, but it had a strong taste of wild berries and it was strong very strong. He didn't like it at all, and it was all over his face. He coughed as Arya took it back and drank again, she didn't cough at all. "What is that?"

"Bravosy ice wine." Explained Arya as she touched her saddle bag and pulled a half-drunk bottle. "The Twins had a case and I took it, had a small amount when I was in Bravos. One of the best I ever had, better than Arbor Gold truth be told."

Robb blinked, his sister had been to Bravos, he wanted to ask more but Arya didn't go on as they rode on as the sun began to rise.

The sun had fully risen, and Jaime didn't know what to think as he approached King's Landing, he pulled over to the side of the road and simply looked. He was on top of a small rise which looked down toward the walled city, he remembered being here when the first snows began to fall on King's Landing when he abounded Cersei, his twin, his love and the mother of his children. Now she was in that city and so was their father and two of their sons. He hadn't decided yet how he was going to deal with that, Myrcella down in Dorne she knew that he was her father but when did she figure that out. He didn't know.

He snapped himself out of his own self-doubt and looked around, outside the walls of the City was a massive number of tents. Somewhere red marking the Lannister forces and others a lot more of them where Tyrell Green. He took a deep breath and raised his hood on his cloak and headed toward the city, as he did he entered the mass of humanity heading into the Capital. He headed toward the Dragon Gate, kind of funny considering but it was the Northern most gate. The city watch was out in force collecting tolls to enter the city, he paid the silver stag for him and his horse. He could have dismounted and paid only a few coppers, but he wasn't going to do that.

He road through the square on the other side of the Gate, pass a statue raised by Robert showing him killing a Dragon, not that Robert ever faced a real Dragon. If Robert was still alive then he would have been eaten by the Dragons and the only way he would have hurt the dragon would be if they choked on his bones. He pushed his mount forward passing through the square and around the hill of Rhaenys where remains of the Dragon Pit, he rounded the hill then pushed through River road and then up to the King's Square in the heart of the city. The streets where full of people and it slowed him down, but he finally reached the King's Way which lead from the King's Square up to the Red Keep on Aegon's High Hill.

None of the gold cloaks paid him any mind as he rode into the city, he was wearing Lannister red and had the looks of a lord about him. He paid the gate tax and began to ride up toward the red keep on top of Aegon's high hill. From the nearby Visenya's Hill the bells of the not destroyed Great Sept of Baelor began ringing marking the end of morning prayer to the seven and the true start to the day as the city began to come alive around him. He past by Lannister guardsman and soldiers of the Reach none of them paid him any mind. Small folk began to call out as they attempted to sell freshly baked break for the common men to break their fast.

The Red keep was as imposing as ever, with all the banners hanging from the ramparts and towers, the Lannister Lion and the Tyrell Rose being among the most common but over the main gate and flying from the highest point was Joffrey's personal sigil, the Lion and the Stag. His world was about to come crashing down as he rode up toward the keep. As he approached the crowds lightened because the common folk had little business within the Castle unless they worked in it. He was before the main gates themselves and the massive banner of Joffrey showing his sigil with slightly smaller banners of House Lannister and House Tyrell hanging on either side of the gate.

"State your business." stated Lannister Guardsman as Jaime grinned before getting off his horse, his hood still masking his face. "Who are you? State your business now!"

"Ser Jaime Lannister." answered Jaime as he pulled down his hood to show his face the guards eyes widened. "A hand less and older but I am Jaime if you will please escort me to the throne room, I have an important message to deliver."

Outside the city along one of the watchtowers which lined the coast around blackwater bay a few Lannister man stood watch. They were keeping an eye out for ships during peace it was cargo ships and traders coming into the great city, during war it was warships. There wasn't much chance of enemy warships at the moment, Stannis had been crushed and the only warships which were on route was the Red Ryne fleet which would be at least a week if not a fortnight away. So, the watchers manned an easy post and watched the water.

"Anything?" inquired the head guardsman

"Some fisher folk out but other than that no." confirmed another guard as he looked over the bay, then his eyes caught movement in the distance. He saw dark shapes flying over the sea, judging by the size, they had to be very big hawks of some kind. He pointed it out but the guards paid agreed what they likely where.

On the freshly remade docks of King's Landing Lord Petyr Baelish stood with a small escort of Knights and men at arms, all of the either House Lannister or House Tyrell men. He had no men who carried his mocking bird symbol as a sign of loyalty to him. Still he had to have an escort for his future wife and most of all the Lord of the Vale of Arryn and currently the only living member of that ancient house, Lord Robin Arryn. He let out a slight sigh, as the ship flying the Moon and Falcon Banner came closer to the docks. He hadn't wanted her here, that wasn't part of his plans. He wasn't supposed to be here, he was supposed to be in the Vale when Joffrey's murder took place. Now that was thrown for a loop, it was unlikely that Olenna would have Joffrey killed by poison now, they would be alert to that and if he died by poison then eyes would fall on her and him.

Then another way maybe, the best way would be a faceless man but he didn't want to imagine how much they would charge to kill a King. Maybe all the wealth of house Tyrell and that wasn't an opinion. A catspaw to stab the King or find a way to make him be thrown from his horse the next time he went riding. Joffrey had to die, but he needed to find a way without putting any shadows on him or Olenna.

"LINES!" yelled a voice as Baelish looked up to see the men on the ship tossing heavy rope to the dock workers as they undid the sails. Standing on the deck waiting for the ship to come into the docks, Lysa Arryn stood in a dark blue dress and she smiled wide and truthy at him. How he hated her, she was a fool, the Vale of Arryn was in a panic and she had to rush here to marry him. Still he was master of turning things to his advantage as an idea formed in his head. Maybe he could convince Lord Hand that the King needs to be seen as a military leader and what better then a "simple" task of leading a force to restore order in the Vale. There it would be easy for his horse to take a fall off a cliff side or an arrow from a Wildling from the Mountain Tribes to kill him. That could work but all of that could only happen after the wedding and he wasn't sure Olenna would wait that long.

"Petry." Said Lysa with joy in her voice as Baelish gave her a smile in return, she wasn't Catelyn that was the Tully he wanted but he could use this one for the moment.

Back in the city Jaime was now surrounded by a dozen armed Lannister Guards while another ten began to run off to fetch his father, likely the King, Cersei as well and who knows who else. As they entered a small courtyard, Jaime looked down expecting to see the large pained map of Westeros on the floor but that hadn't been made yet. He looked down at where the map should have been as two knights in White Armor approached.

"Halt." Ordered the knights before he noticed Jaime. "Lord Commander?"

"Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Preston Greenfield will you stand aside we are on the way to the Throne Room." stated Jaime as the sound of running feet filled the air. Jaime turned toward the sound to see Cersei running into the yard, it was as if she had stepped out of his memories, she still had her long golden hair, she wore her long red dress and she didn't look like a monster but he knew she was. She stopped and looked at gathering taking a moment until she recognized Jaime with a beard and his older look. He wore Northern armor colored red and gold but it was clearly Northern armor and one of his hands was covered with a tight glove and not moving. She had seen that before on men who had lost their hand on the battlefield.

"Jaime?" Said Cersei her voice soft.

"Cersei." Said Jaime somewhat coldly which took his sister aback. "I assume you got our Brother's letter?"

"Those fake letters." countered Cersei as the sound of horn blasts filled the air.

"They aren't fakes." answered Jaime as he looked up toward the crystal blue sky. "They are here."

Lord Tywin Lannister wasn't in the best mood, he sat on horse back on the King's Road south of King's Landing. Around him was the thick tall trees of the King's wood and a couple days ride to the South was Storm's End. Around him where multiple guards carrying the banners of King Joffrey and his own Lion of Lannister. Behind him he could see the walls of King's Landing and in the distance was the Red Keep. Truth be told, he didn't want to be, he would have sent Tyrion but his son had disappeared and the that raven message which hinted at his master plan to destroy the Northern forces at the Twins still weighed on his mind. How could someone know if it, none but him and the people at the Twins and Roose Bolton knew of it. Yet word at gotten out, this tall tale of time travel had to be false, a spy at the Twins was the best answer.

"My Lord Hand, I see them." Said a guard as he looked down the road to see a column of riders heading toward him. He could see multiple banners of Dornish houses with the red sun with a spear going though it of house Martell in the lead. He had been informed that Prince Oberyn Martell the Red Viper was with them. He didn't want him here, but he needed Dorne to truly bring the Seven Kingdoms together under his grandson's rule.

The riders slowed down as they neared each other.

"Lord Hand…Tywin Lannister." greeted Oberyn Martell with venom in his voice.

"Prince Oberyn welcome to King's Landing." Greeted Tywin "King Joffrey will be very pleased to have you and your lords and ladies join him at the royal wedding."

"I remember the last time I was here was for another royal wedding." Said Oberyn as he moved a little closer to Tywin. The two leaders glared at each other for a moment before more could be said a blast of a horn filled the air. It was a warning horn and coming from the sea.

"The Redwyne fleet is still days out, who is coming." Whispered Tywin "Certainly not Stannis?"

For their part Olenna and Margaery where enjoying a peaceful walk through the gardens when suddenly all the birds which had been filling the air with their music stopped. After a few moments after the birds stopped singing horn blasts filled the air.

"What the?" inquired Margaery

"Is that stubborn fool Stannis trying to attack again?" inquired Olenna before thought for a moment. "No, he doesn't have the ability to."

King Joffrey was enjoying shooting at small rabbits which were being freed by his men, one at a time to give the King more practice with his crossbow. The wall behind which he was shooting was full of holes from the crossbow bolt pricing the wall, as well as a handful of dead rabbits which he had left up to keep track of his kills. One was actually still moving a bit, but he let that go.

"Open it!" ordered Joffrey as he prepared his crossbow as a small rabbit ran out of a cage, as he raised his crossbow. He took careful aim and led his target and pulled the trigger. The rabbit stopped mid stride as the bolt crossed in front of it, missing it totally. Scared of the sudden attack, the rabbit bolted toward the open door and out of the chamber.

"Get me another one…" ordered Joffrey his blood boiling a bit since he missed his shot. It only got worse as the sound of the horn filled the air. "What is that!"

The watchers manning the lookout tower had finally realized that the two birds where not in fact birds, as they grew closer, he began to realize that they were too big to be birds. He tried to think of what they could be and then he finally gave voice to what he was seeing.

"DRAGONS!" yelled the first guard as the other four with him looked at him in confusion until they noticed the look of horror on his face. They followed his gaze and their eyes landed on the two great beasts which were heading toward them.

"Sound the alarm!" ordered the commander as he tried to remember if there was a call for Dragons, they had to have had one in the past but Dragons where long gone.

"How many blasts?" inquired the other guard

"Just keep blowing!" ordered the commander as the beasts came closer, he could see them now, the largest was black as night while the other was deep green like a forest canopy. Then he saw that each one of the dragons had riders on them, two dragon riders where approaching and there was only one house that road Dragons. House Targaryen had returned.

The cold wind blew past them as King's Landing came into view, for Jon who had never seen the city from above it was something else. Even for Daenerys who had seen it from above before was taken a back at the mass of humanity all crammed into one location. The two dragons roared as they banked in an arch around the outer wall. As soon as they made their first turn past the River gate, better known as the mud gate the sounds of bells could be heard. The bells where alerting the city to the sudden threat as Jon noticed the number of men and women all looking up as two Dragons now flew over King's landing for the first time, at least in this time in over a hundred years. They made a turn passing close to the Red Keep even as more bells began to ring and the city was called to actions.

He had heard the horn, followed a few moments later by the bells and wasn't sure what it meant until he looked up and saw them. Instantly his heart turned to ice as he saw the two great beasts fly over the Red Keep, two Dragons, two living dragons where now flying over the Red Keep.

"That can't be possible." Whispered Tywin Lannister as he stood beside Oberyn on horseback watching as two dragons flew over King's Landing.

For there part Margaery and Olenna Tyrell where also taken aback as they strolled through the garden only to look up in amazement as the two shadows passed over them.

"By the Seven." said Olenna as Margaery stood as if struck and terrified at the great beasts, as one the big black one came a little lower circling the red keep and the raised garden which looked out toward the sea. They could see a figure dressed in red and black armor sitting on top of the black dragon, judging by the long silver blonde hair it was a woman and there was only one Targaryen woman left in the world. Daenerys, but unless that letter was true she was supposed to be on the other side of the world in slaver's bay.

"We need to get you inside now!" yelled a guard as he all but carried Olenna into the Red Keep while Margaery ran beside them. All around them the castle garrison was running to prepare for an attack.

The people of King's Landing cried out in fear as panic filled the street, men where rushing around heading toward the Wall. The logic of that being that the wall was the best place to defend from an attacker trying to take the city but most attackers couldn't fly. There were some siege weapons on the wall, left over from the Battle of the Blackwater, but they were mostly catapults, a few small scorpions could be seen but they were as small as the ones on the wall and no threat to a dragon at a distance. Outside the city the panic was even worse as the massive tent city which had arisen as multiple Lords, knights and man-at-arms which had gathered for the King's Wedding and then to go battle afterwards rushed to prepare for battle. None of them had been expecting an attack either and so it was a mad dash to prepare for battle or find a place to hide.

Down by the docks, Lysa was running for cover grabbing her almost 8-year-old son as if she was a newborn child. She ran as fast as she could toward the River gate, better known as the Mud gate to get cover from the walls. Baelish stood at the docks looking up at the two beasts which now circled the city like predators circling an animal looking the moment. They were living Dragons, fire made flesh, they were living Power.

Cersei looked up not believing what she was seeing, two dragons one a pitch black the other a deep green where circling the red keep. All around them the guards where rushing around, the sounds of bells filled the air as a normal peaceful day fell into a panic.

"Your grace we need to get you somewhere safe." ordered Ser Meryn Trent as he moved to grab the Queen mother's arm.

"She is fine, they aren't going to attack, not right now at least." countered Jaime as they looked at him. He pulled out from a pouch on his belt a letter, on it was the red three headed dragon of house Targaryen. "I come to bring a message form the court of Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen first of her name, rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros to the royal court in King's Landing."

Cersei turned her eyes away from the Dragons to her brother, the father of her children the man she loves and saw for the first time in those eyes, hate…hate for her. She took the letter in her shaking hands and looked at the seal. The blood red three headed dragon of House Targaryen looked up at her as well as other seals.

"They are terms for your surrender." finished Jaime

Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the background I am building up about where the Night King came from. I must admit I had some trouble with it, not really sure I got all I wanted but I will make sure to clear it up in later chapters. Now until next time please keep reading, Thanks Wilkins75.