A/N: Firstly, shame on you all for thinking so badly of my boy Edmure. The floppy trout is TRYING, y'all, and while it may seem partially contrived, there is a reason for all of this, I promise! This chapter will also probably be super controversial as all of the butterflies really start to reveal themselves, so welcome to the board of the Great Game, with seven POVs to really show you all how chaotic this is going to get. Let me know if you like it, and debate away!


INTERLUDE: Players of the Great Game

THE EXILED DRAGON

"Hand him to me," Daenerys spoke softly to the midwife in Dothrak.

Her birthing had been a long and arduous thing after her journey to Vaes Dothrak, and a balm to her soul after running away for so long. She had known that she was destined to be mother of a conqueror, a union of the great Khal's blood and blood of the dragon, but the sight that had greeted her was a different sight entirely.

Baby Rhaego stared at her with tufts of silver-gold hair, and violet eyes shaped like almonds. He was pale, but not so pale as Viserys and her had been; she suspected that her son would gain the coppery, bronzed skin of his father.

Her sun-and-stars was out on a hunt to celebrate the birth, after having stayed in Vaes Dothrak to await the birth of his son. He had crowed at how fierce she had become, with the birth of their son, of how his fire burned within her, and she had relished in it, relished in the fact that he was not Viserys.

I am not the last dragon any longer. If the news in the West had been correct, I may very well never have been in the first place.

She remembered her conversation with Lord Oberyn Martell of Dorne, the blood of her good-sister, Elia. Of how he and his riders had searched for her to inform her of her nephew's preparation to conquer the Iron Throne, and how he would be willing to ferry her to Westeros should she need it.

Her loyal bear, Ser Jorah, had been suspicious at first, claiming there to be a plot by the Usurper to lure her into a false sense of security. A plot that would end in her capture and death, and a great reward, but Lord Martell had proven that it was simply not the case, especially after he handed her a letter by her nephew.

Aunt Daenerys,

It may be a shock that I, your nephew, am writing this letter to you. You may think that I am merely a pretender, but I assure you that I am indeed real, and truly, Aegon, Sixth of His Name.

Though the Sack of King's Landing may have claimed the life of my mother, Elia, and my sister, Rhaenys; the spymaster, Varys, swapped me before the Sack with a tanner's boy. He had planned to swap me temporarily, and send me away to Dorne, until the end of the Rebellion, where he would reveal the swap, and keep our family safe, but unfortunately, the Usurper and his Lannister dogs interfered, and killed my mother and sister.

I was raised by Ser Jon Connington, a stalwart friend to my lord Father, and your brother, Rhaegar. Evidently, the spymaster had intended that we would stay separated, to ensure that the Usurper's assassins could not get to us. Eventually, my Uncle Oberyn found Jon and I, and offered us safe passage to Westeros. We are now working with House Tyrell and the Reach to prepare for a restoration, and have even managed to turn House Stark against the Usurper!

I understand how difficult life can be, fleeing from daggers in the dark. I further grieve for my uncle, Viserys, and his loss to poison. That is why I will do the same thing Uncle Oberyn did, and offer you safe passage to Dorne, if need be, and provide as much protection as possible. You would gain Dragonstone as well, as de facto Lady of Dragonstone. Not only that, if you are unmarried, I also offer you the option to become my Queen and unite our claims, and to fight for our home together.

However, I am told that you are married to a Khal, and if you do need any protection, or lack of it, I have commanded Uncle Oberyn to provide you an option for safe passage for Dorne, if you should ever need it.

House Targaryen has risen from its ashes, unbowed, unbent, and unbroken. We will take back our rightful throne with Fire and Blood, and cast the Usurper and his get out to create peace within the Seven Kingdoms.

Your nephew,

King Aegon VI Targaryen

King of the Andals, Rhoynar, and First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm

She had been shocked to hear the news, and to learn of other members of her house surviving. Of the possibility of her nephew surviving in the same way Viserys and she had, of them scrambling for scraps of their own. Anger had filled her, both at the thought of her poor nephew enduring the slights Visery had to, and of the fact that she had never been rescued by House Martell until now.

If Aegon and I had been of an age, and I had not been married to my sun-and-stars, perhaps I would have taken passage back to Westeros to marry my supposed nephew. And yet, how the Gods surprise us sometimes, as I am happily married to a man I was forced to marry.

She had thought once before that the most important thing in her life, that her dragon's blood, would lead her to come back to her Kingdoms of birth and conquer it, as Queen on the Throne, and yet, faced with the prospect of abandoning her sun-and-stars and what she had built here, she realized that perhaps, she needn't rush to the Seven Kingdoms. Not when she was not the only dragon left.

If my nephew's cause is able to take back our kingdoms, which Lord Oberyn assures is the case with the might of the Reach, Dorne, and the North by Aegon's side, it is likely that I could visit my homeland whenever I would like. My son is barely born, after all, and will need to be raised under the care of a mother, and my husband is a great Khal conquering the east. Perhaps my destiny as a mother will lead the dragons to conquer both the East and the West, after all, with my son as the Stallion Who Mounts the World.

Her sun-and-stars had appreciated the offer, but had staunchly refused to go West, claiming that there would be no need to cross the poison water if their son ruled all the lands. And so, Daenerys found herself deciding to politely refuse Lord Oberyn's offer to go to Westeros, but to stay with her sun-and-stars and her Rhaego as she raised her son to conquer the lands that had become his birthright. He offered her a retinue of Dornish knights, a few brave souls that were willing to teach Daenerys and baby Rhaego about the truth of Westeros, and an option to escape, should she ever need it.

Of course, she knew that she would need to prove to the Dothraki that they could cross the poison water and succeed, and so, she gathered the bravest Dothraki men and women she could find to accompany Lord Oberyn back to Westeros to assist her nephew.

"Moon-of-my-life, allow me to see our son," Khal Drogo said, as he entered the room. She found herself touching the dragon eggs nearby her and cradling it as her husband cradled their son, finding it warm to the touch, despite their origin of stone.

Perhaps this was not the red door she had dreamed of, but this was a red door nonetheless that she would take with both arms outstretched.


THE LION OF THE ROCK

Tywin crumpled the letter in his hand, fuming.

A coat of gold, a coat of red, a lion still has claws.

He had foolishly assumed that the golden roses were complacent, that they simply had accepted their role beneath the Lannister Lion. That he could broker betrothals that would tie the Seven Kingdoms together, and secure the Lannister Dynasty as it should be. And yet, the recent events in King's Landing threatened to unmake all that.

Ned Stark and Stannis Baratheon have the nerve to claim those disgusting rumors. As if Cersei and Jaime would be so foolish - my grandson is the rightful King on the Iron Throne and sundry to all those who say otherwise.

He had not expected to hear of armed confrontation occurring in King's Landing, and of Ned Stark's preparations as he threatened to unmake everything Tywin had spent his life building. It had been a near thing - if Tywin hadn't had the forethought to betroth naive Cerenna to Edmure, he would have found himself in an even worse situation.

By sending for armed guards in the guise of increased security in the wake of the recent troubles in the Twins, Tywin had originally planned for them to be there as insurance until Cerenna had married Edmure. However, the news in King's Landing had changed his hand, allowing him to surprise the Tully household and place them in a dangerous position, where a single misstep would mean the heads of their lord and only heir, Edmure, and by that matter, had forced the floppy trout to claim neutrality while holding him captured as a hostage. Cerenna had even protested Edmure's capture, as if she had a choice! The gall of that poor, naive girl, to question the Lion of Lannister.

We will continue the illusion that the idiot trout and his father actually wish to declare neutrality on the North. As if they would do so without threat of armed Lannister guards prepared to remove their head at any time. All the better to prepare a better counter-attack with, and destroy the Northern houses that threaten me so.

The Blackfish, however, had managed to escape the initial assault, and was most likely fleeing North. Tywin knew he would have to send a host to capture him before Brynden Tully attempted to free his brother and nephew. The Riverlords and the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, further, had no idea - Tywin had made sure to shoot down any ravens coming into Riverrun, and had his soldiers and hired sellswords command the household to follow his instructions to the letter, or risk the loss of the vaunted lord's head. All they would know is that Riverrun would not stand with the North and Reach, and that Cerenna and her trout would wed, and take care of old, ailing Hoster Tully.

If my goodson and daughter had not been so incompetent, though, we would not have been besieged on all sides. Dragons in the east, dragons in the South, and dragons in the North. Aery's blood must be utterly wiped out if House Lannister were to gain the Throne.

The reveal of Aegon Targaryen was nonsensical when Tywin had first heard it. Did the Vipers really think the spymaster managed to swap the child? Elia Martell certainly would not have cried the way she did for a tanner's boy. More likely that the boy was a pretender with the right name and the right look, and that he would need to wipe the boy out as well to secure his grandson's dynasty.

Daenerys Targaryen was a minor threat at best, as she had consorted with a Dothraki warlord. Though she had borne a son, it was not like that she would cross the Narrow Sea with her husband for a long while, if not ever. The Dothraki were terrified of the water, by all accounts, but he would hire a Faceless Man after he had eliminated the rest of the pretenders to leave nothing to chance..

Jon Stark, also known as Aemon Sand, however, was a surprise. Tywin had snarled at the thought of a threat to his reign so close to him, of Ned Stark's such blatant deception. And yet, it was another reason for the North to make common cause with Aegon Targaryen, and a threat to Joffrey's reign. He was, however, protected by the might of the North, and would likely not be surrendered so long as Ned Stark was captured..

Perhaps I could betroth Myrcella to this Aegon to resolve this succession dispute. Yet, why should the Lannister Lion bow beneath the snakes and the upjumped roses? Joffrey may be a tool to rule, but he is a Lannister all the same. If only Cersei was not so incompetent to eliminate her husband in such an obvious fashion.

The shadow of Stannis Baratheon was still cast, directly threatening King's Landing. Stannis Baratheon would certainly give no quarter, for all that he was a stone-cold and unlikeable man. Though the dragons were Tywin's biggest threat, Stannis Baratheon was the most likely to target House Lannister to the ends of the earth. If only Stannis had truly believed in Joffrey's legitimacy, and not been fooled by the unseemly rumors.

There is still more to be done to get the Vale under our grasp. Perhaps I will also take a page out of Aerys's book, and look to the Free Cities for an alliance. Malaquo Maegyr certainly has no love for the dragons, and his granddaughter would be a strong candidate for Joffrey. Lannister gold will certainly do much to resolve this issue.

Tywin knew that more needed to be done to secure the war. The Mountain would be especially instrumental in securing the Reach, and he knew that there were ways to turn his fortunes around, for he had done the same thing to the Reynes and the Tarbecks, after all. He was Tywin Lannister, and he would pay his debts and secure his family's dynasty.

Yes, now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear.


THE QUEEN OF THORNS

Pride was something the Queen of Thorns rarely felt, and dreaming, in her opinion, was a fool's game, and yet here she sat, at the eve of House Tyrell's crowning achievement.

My grandchildren have played all of their parts in this Game masterfully. Mace may be a dullard, and Mina and Janna, even worse, but all of my grandchildren have somehow inherited the best traits of House Tyrell to become formidable players of the game.

Mace's children were all already formidable players of the game, intentionally or unintentionally, and had all played a key part in the preparations of the Reach. If she thought back as to how

Willas had gathered Dorne to House Tyrell's side, and was an instrumental piece in cobbling together House Tyrell's alliance and negotiations with the boy king, Aegon. Not only that, the brilliant boy, with the help of Margaery's otherworldly knowledge, had spent his time in Dorne experimenting with his almost encyclopedic knowledge, and had managed to even find an alternate method to create glass that would ensure a bounty of glass gardens to keep the Reach, Dorne, and the North fed in the winter. Tyrell glass, a glass made from the combination of heated sand and wood ash, was durable and cheap enough to be mass produced, and all because Willas had evidently been fascinated by Margaery's idea (and likely vision) of glassmaking through heating sand until it was like water. By all accounts, Willas was instrumental to Arianne's work in Dorne, and even unintentionally, it seemed as though the Tyrell-Martell enmity had been cast away through Willas's sterling work.

Garlan had unintentionally earned the love of the Reach through his skilled swordplay and friendly demeanor, making him approachable and admired by his vassal lordlings. Though Garlan was not the sharpest at political maneuvering, Olenna had found that her coaching in a subtler approach that Margaery had called "networking" gave Garlan the confidence he needed to learn how to act politically and expediently. He had understood her hints about befriending Talla, and surprisingly, Talla's skillful handling of her sororities as well as her no-nonsense demeanor had already made them a well-liked pair within the Reach, which was only enhanced by their ability to socialize and carefully handle internal politics in the Reach. Though Olenna lamented over the loss of a prime marriage alliance for the Reach, it was clear that Garlan and Talla would marry to appease and entice Lord Randyll Tarly while ensuring the internal stability of House Tyrell, especially as Garlan's inconvenient attractions towards unsuitable candidates like Leonette Fossoway had reared its head again in his growing affections for Talla, his brother's betrothed. Garlan was certain to keep the Reach internally strong as his siblings played the Great Game, and that was all Olenna could ask for after a dullard like Mace.

Randyll Tarly is the best battle commander in these Seven Kingdoms, and with his daughter attached to Garlan, he will have no choice but to ensure our victory through any means necessary. He will follow the signs set out for us to lead House Tyrell to victory.

Loras, her little knight, had managed to somehow twist Renly Baratheon so thoroughly around his pinky finger that Renly Baratheon had managed to begin rallying the Stormlands towards Aegon, with the condition that Renly was to take control of the Stormlands at the conclusion of the war, which would certainly disappoint the Griffins. Loras was certainly skillful in battle, and would likely be among the great knights of their time, such as Jaime Lannister or Arthur Dayne, but somehow along the way, he had convinced Renly to instantly accept the condition of a Tyrell wife-to-be or to his heir, so long as Loras stayed with him. She almost felt bad for Renly's future wife, but she knew that a Tyrell cousin, her namesake, Olene, whose affections laid towards women, and more specifically, towards one of Olene's handmaidens, and would most likely offer her to Renly, to ensure that Loras and Renly would receive the happiness they were due for, while still contributing to House Tyrell's plans in the process.

And then there was Margaery. Sweet Margaery, her little Queen, had managed to manipulate the board in such an advantageous manner that House Tyrell's success was all because of her to begin with. She had prevented Willas's worse injury, enabling Mace to tie Willas and Arianne together; she had ensnared Robb Stark so thoroughly he would do anything and everything for her, including bringing the North to House Tyrell; and she had somehow managed to pave the way for Aegon VI's ascension, and was at the cusp of bloodlessly crowning herself Queen of the North in the process. Many of Olenna's recent victories were because of Margaery's innovations. Though Margaery was not a perfect player, considering her massive blind spot with the dragon girl, Daenerys, and her forgetting to prevent the Riverlands from being tied to Tywin Lannister, Olenna's granddaughter would in time, shape herself into the perfect successor to the Queen of Thorns, something that she had no doubt of.

Even Mina's children had followed their duties admirably, learning to play the Game in the way that scions of the Reach would, and were pawns at best, and yet, Olenna saw their efforts to learn and their efforts to grow strong, and had not found them wanting. Horas was preparing as Lord of the Arbor, with a bountiful marriage to Floris Rowan, second eldest daughter of Lord Mathis Rowan. Desmera had Theon Greyjoy entrapped through letters so thoroughly that he would marry her despite the clear enmity between Redwyne and Greyjoy, and would ensure that Theon would be a particularly useful puppet to root out the possibility of Greyjoy invasions of the Reach. Hobber had been at first confused as to why he needed to stay in Essos, but a Free City manse and a marriage allowed for there to be a designated survivor if the worst were to happen.

That being said, Olenna had not been idle with the information she had been given. She was the Queen of Thorns for a reason, and though war was not her specialty, internal politics was, and she had certainly prepared her own move in response.

The North, the Vale, the Stormlands, the Reach, the Iron Islands, and Dorne - Tyrell blood was set to rule each of the Seven Kingdoms save for the Riverlands and the Westerlands if the war were to succeed. The men can take care of the war, whereas I will take care of the marriage alliances.

Margaery's information allowed Olenna to secure a Tyrell cousin's betrothal to Harrold Hardying through Anya Waynwood. Ironically, she had used the same tactic Littlefinger had used in Margaery's visions - to wave sums of money and promise a prestigious marriage, and it had worked fantastically. By all accounts, Alla had Harrold charmed with her shy nature and pretty singing voice, and had even managed to stop him from straying from their promised bed. Robert Arryn was an especially weak child, prone to sickness, and it was likely that he would pass away, leaving Harrold Arryn and his beautiful wife, Alla Tyrell, to rule the Vale.

Her other marriage options allowed her to secure the realm in different ways, with no Tyrell wasted. Desmera, of course, had Theon Greyjoy wrapped around her finger, and Loras would ensure that he and Renly would raise a child of Tyrell blood alongside Olene and her handmaiden. Willas and Arianne, of course, would secure Dorne, and the Iron Throne, a generation later. Finally, Margaery would crown the North, and young Robb Stark, so that they would rule as Kings.

Internally, of course, Mace and Alerie organized plenty of marriages between bannermen alongside Garlan, and by the time the war started, House Tyrell would be well-rooted to prepare for what was ahead. Her guests sweetened the pot too, for if Olenna succeeded in soon-to-be Princess Sansa Stark to King Aegon Targaryen, with Daenerys Targaryen's elimination via unfortunate birthing and lack of dragons, the North and South would be united, and House Tyrell would be plenty prepared for the Long Night.

Whether Aegon was truly a Targaryen or a mummer's dragon did not matter - with the forces of House Tyrell and House Martell, a King of Tyrell blood would seat atop the Iron Throne, and if it were truly inconvenient, all she would have to do is aim for Robb and Margaery's survival to provide House Tyrell the legitimacy that they needed. Survival was the priority, and Olenna would do anything she needed to do to ensure that her family would be prepared.

All she needed was a tie to the Riverlands and the Westerlands. The Riverlands were a major issue, as a marriage to Leyla Hightower would have solved all of the current problems House Tyrell was likely to face in uniting their forces. Edmure and Cerenna may need to be eliminated discreetly, so that a child of Robb and Margaery, or perhaps young Bran Stark, could climb atop the seat of Riverrun. Yet, if Edmure was rescued, and Cerenna's naivety converting her to the side of House Stark, mayhaps a balm to Olenna's problem would be found right there, with two children with claim to the Riverlands and Westerlands securing both realms thoroughly.

As for the Westerlands, Margaery had originally argued for Myrcella as an option, and had nearly set that up, but it had merely forced Cersei Lannister's hand much earlier, and had made the escape attempt from King's Landing nearly fatal. If would be convenient if a hidden Reyne were to show up to oust House Lannister, and to tie him to a Tyrell, but either way, House Tyrell would survive the Long Night intact and at the head of the Seven Kingdoms.

Though her plans were not perfect, and were on a razor-thin knife's edge, the power of the Reach and the use it had to Aegon Targaryen would ensure that House Tyrell could crown Margaery, and eliminate Tywin Lannister and Stannis Baratheon. Littlefinger was also a worrying threat, managing to fully escape from the traps she had set for Ned Stark to find and trigger, but he had fallen even further in bed with Lysa Arryn and with the Lannisters.

She was hopeful, but she was not stupid, and so she would watch carefully, with gleaming eyes, and keep the board ready, so that the roses could grow and flourish.

The weeds must be culled out of the garden before the gardener prepares their gardens. And House Tyrell will ensure the same, and grow strong, in time for the Long Night.


THE STALWART STAG

The Seven Kingdoms is mine by right, and I shall take it, as my duty.

The situation, Stannis reflected, had unfolded beyond the pale. He had assumed at first that Ned Stark would rally the North, Riverlands, Vale and Reach to him, after Robert's untimely death, and their combined forces would storm through and destroy the Lannisters with superior numbers. Yet with the appearance of the long-dead Aegon Targaryen, the dragon pretender had managed to rally Dorne and the Reach to him, and would likely bring the North in question, especially after the Riverlands and Vale had both declared neutrality, once the Tyrell girl had sunk her claws into young Robb Stark and convinced him otherwise.

Mace Tyrell once again refuses to do his duty and swear himself to the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms. Once we are on the battlefield, he will sorely regret his actions.

Even if House Tyrell had sworn himself to Stannis, he would still have to punish them, as he did with Davos, for their actions in the past. Stannis himself had never forgotten the Siege of Storm's End, a contrast to his brother, Renly, who had fallen in bed with the Tyrells the moment he had been able to. Robert's continued snubbing of his loyal brother, and Renly's refusal to side with Stannis...he was not a man quick to anger, but both had angered him greatly, and would continue to anger him.

Can my brothers not understand their duties? Renly must rally the Stormlands to me, and we could destroy the Lannisters and the dragon pretender, to take the Throne together. I had even planned to offer him the position of Hand, and make him my heir until Shireen was to have another child, but Renly's refusal to join House Baratheon is oath breaking at best and betrayal of kin at worst.

Renly had found the gall to declare the Stormlands for Aegon Targaryen, leaving the Stormlands very divided. Renly was well-liked, despite his obvious decision to side with their house enemies, and so the Stormlands had found themselves wavering as to which King they would swear to, despite the obvious choice of Stannis in front of them. Now, he had half of the Stormlords, and the other half, sworn to Renly. Dragonstone was equally divided, but even so, Stannis would use his forces to ensure victory at any cost.

Fools! I am the rightful lord to Storm's End, if Robert had not seen to that, and as a Baratheon king, duty obligates them to join me. I will claim Storm's End through any means necessary, and then launch an attack into the heart of King's Landing to destroy my so called "nephew".

The red witch, Melisandre, had declared that he was Azor Ahai and would save the Realm from the Long Night, but it did not matter in the end, so long as he claimed his rightful Throne. If there truly were Others, if the Long Night truly was approaching, Stannis would do his duty and eradicate the Others.

Not all was lost, however - the chaos in King's Landing had allowed Stannis to rescue two of Robert's bastards as leverage, and send them to Dragonstone, away from Cersei Lannister and her bastard get. There was power in kingsblood, or so Melisandre had said, and his Florent wife had certainly celebrated that victory and their potential ascension to the throne.

Though the battlefield was stacked against Stannis, and his homeland had betrayed him, Stannis would do what he had always done and continue to endure and do his duty. There may not be a reward at the end of the tunnel, but Stannis was a dutiful man, and he would follow it to the Iron Throne regardless of the consequences, for his was the Fury.


THE SCHEMING MOCKINGBIRD

The chaos has been sown, but the board does not favor me. What shall I do now?

Sitting in one of his many brothels in King's Landing, Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin, thought about the explosive series of events that had nearly gone very wrong.

He had nearly been strung up upon a dangerous trap by the high lords, aiming directly at him, for the Queen of Thorns had nearly managed to orchestrate a series of events where Eddard Stark would find out about his and Lysa's "indiscretions", and murder of old Jon Arryn.

It had been a near thing - Ser Hugh had managed to throw Eddard Stark off the tracks that would lead to the truthful conclusion, and Cersei Lannister's interferences had managed to cement the reality that Eddard Stark would have never found his trail. Though Eddard Stark was not a player himself, Eddard would have been honor-bound to execute him if he had been caught within the trap, and how could Petyr climb the ladder if he was dead?

Chaos is a ladder, and yet the high lords forget that the climb is all there is.

He had learned at the age of fifteen that the high lords did not play by the same rules that he had, that everything could be taken away from him in an instant if he was not careful. He had internalized that lesson and let it mold him as he began the slow path to rising in the Seven Kingdoms, not through political alliances and marriage as many thought, but through a technique so simple and insidious that it would level the playing field easily; coin.

His quest to rise above his station and prove that old trout wrong started when he had realized the power of coin - how dependent every lord and lady was on coin. Their power, their status, their ability to play the Game of Thrones - all of those required that their house had enough coin to function. No matter how prestigious a House was, if they did not have any coin, they would fall down the ladders and break themselves in the fall. Mayhaps lesser men would use that fall to cling to such petty things as religion, or love, or illusions, but Petyr Baelish knew full well the power of coin in facilitating his climb. His plan to bankrupt the Seven Kingdoms had already been completed, save for the notice of House Tyrell.

And yet, here we stand, at the eve of a war that would define the Seven Kingdoms yet again.

He had planned to rise to a high enough station through collaboration with Cersei Lannister to marry Lysa Arryn, and begin his scheme to break the Vale, North, and Riverlands, and seat himself atop that seat. Yet, Eddard Stark and Cersei Lannister, in the chaos of their confrontation, had managed to ruin that possibility, and ruin his easy route to surviving the oncoming war.

Yet politics was not his specialty, his tool of the trade - rather, it was a necessity to facilitate the power of economics in creating the conditions for his climb. Lysa Arryn, an inferior Cat, would doubtless attempt to marry him - as she was a fool in love, and he would find the opportunity to do so. The Lannisters would have been a perfect vehicle for that front, as a major power with plenty of coin - for a family so obsessed with coin, only the dwarf seemingly knew how to count coin and keep track of money, a fact that Petyr could use to his advantage.

He was no fool, however. He knew the Lannisters were a doomed House, with the rise of Aegon Targaryen and the ire of all of the other Houses that would likely participate in this war. Tywin Lannister's brilliant scheme with House Tully had made him laugh - and oh, he had laughed at the thought of the old trout, Hoster Tully, and his useless son, brought down so low. And yet he knew that the Lannisters would lose that war. Petyr Baelish was many things, but he was not an idiot that would cling to a sinking ship, and as such, he knew he would have to disappear soon, or avoid being too closely connected to House Lannister.

If he had not been noticed by the old Queen of Thorns, and entrapped, he would have fled to Dorne to support Aegon Targaryen, the most likely winner of this conflict. Yet, House Tyrell posed too much of a risk, now that they had uncovered the mask beneath the affable and seemingly powerless facade that he had utilized in King's Landing, and would likely see him executed by the King for any transgression. That route to victory was closed to him indefinitely, because of that.

He knew better than anyone that the rules of the game played by the high lords would always favor the high lords, so why participate in the game? Save for finding a comfortable place to watch, and avoid the crossfire, he knew that the summer had been long and plentiful, indicating the possibility of a harsh winter that would wipe the foolish lords playing at war.

He had no need to get his hands dirty, having already sown the chaos that would assuredly wipe out at least three Great Houses clean from the slate. If he focused on the economics, and the investments, while playing at neutrality, he would be in a good position to influence the era after the war. The high lords, of course, would need a strong actor to wipe away debts, and that would be the vehicle that would facilitate his rise over all other crushed houses, especially House Stark.

Perhaps, he would even manage to influence young, moldable Robb Stark, and his Tyrell wife, to promise young Sansa Stark to himself, as the North needed money for grain in the harsh winter ahead, and he could secure a beautiful wife whose legitimacy was unquestioned. He had seen Sansa Stark in King's Landing - with looks so painfully like Cat that only her blue eyes and direwolf signaled her as a Stark.

A younger, more beautiful version of Cat, ripe for the picking. Not only is she a valuable piece to the Throne, with her blood ties to three regions, after the floppy trout dies, there will be need for a ruler in Riverrun, and what better candidate would there be than Sansa Stark? And then I would gain the region and the woman denied from me in the end, with Hoster Tully dead, and rolling in his grave, before ascending to the Throne itself, whether in shadow or in reality. How sweet of a revenge that would be.

What Petyr had to do was play for neutrality and wait. Wait for the chaos to envelop the Great Houses, and prepare to side with the least offending option, to slowly prepare for the climb. All the while, the heavy debts that houses would take would increase ever-so-slowly, as his coffers filled, and the high lords were taken down by simple debt. Then, he would orchestrate the strings instrumental to his victory, and stand at the top of the ladder behind whichever King existed.

That did not mean he simply had to stay out, though. Perhaps Stannis Baratheon would be amenable to an alliance and a more efficient route to attack King's Landing, to oust Cersei Lannister and her bastards earlier. He could be rewarded, and use that reward to continue ensuring that his position was well placed to marry his better version of Cat. he stood on a precipice, and just as the mockingbird on his sigil, he would mimic and play harmlessly until it was his turn to strike, and achieve his true victory.

And all that, with a younger, more beautiful version of Cat on my side. No one will doubt me again.


THE HIDDEN VIPER

When Oberyn had first told him the news of Aegon's existence, Doran had been shocked and lost for words. The toil and suffering that he and House Martell had to endure in the face of Elia's death was vindicated in the form of a hidden prince. And so he had invited Jon Connington and the potential Aegon to Sunspear, to assess the truth for himself.

It had been a difficult thing, for Elia had never talked about her son's birthmarks or truly identifying features, save for the fact that he looked vaguely like Prince Rhaegar, and Doran had never visited poor Rhaenys or Aegon before the injustice committed against their family. And yet, when he had seen Aegon, he had thought Rhaegar had come alive again in the classic Targaryen look - with purple eyes, white-blond Valyrian hair, and fair skin, and had cemented his decision. Perhaps it was foolish and sentimental of him, but a piece of Elia back in the form of his long-lost nephew was welcomed with open arms, especially with the backing of Jon Connington.

The betrothal between Arianne and Willas Tyrell, all those years ago, had managed to come into play beautifully. Back then, Doran had lamented over the loss of the possibility of Arianne as Queen, and had accepted the betrothal, realizing that he could not reject such a generous offer and olive branch that would avoid the possibility of a blood feud. Willas was a good husband for his Arianne, and his invaluable support in tying House Martell and Tyrell together for a Targaryen restoration would ensure that House Martell would remain unbowed, unbent, and unbroken, and ready to achieve their revenge against the Usurper and his Lannister dogs.

The Queen of Thorns was a canny ally as well, managing to tie House Tyrell thoroughly to the cause. Doran had feared that Margaery Tyrell would be Aegon's bride price, which would not have been a bad option, if not for the potential threat that Daenerys Targaryen could pose to Aegon's claim.

Even so, Margaery Tyrell had proceeded to marry Robb Stark and would likely rally the North to Aegon's cause, and Daenerys had, according to Oberyn, rejected the offer in favor of staying East with her Dothraki husband, while supporting her nephew's claim. Doran knew it was highly likely that Aegon would need to be married to Sansa Stark in order to proceed, though he had internally fumed at the possibility of the ambitious Tyrells using the North's crown as a bargaining tool for their support.

And yet, Doran found himself marveling over how differently his plans had turned out. Doran had originally planned for Viserys Targaryen to be quietly removed from the picture, so that his Quentyn could marry Daenerys Targaryen and land atop the Iron Throne. Instead, his long lost nephew had survived, and had grown into a responsible and dutiful man that he would follow as King.

Aegon had a hot temper that Doran thought had come from his Dornish side, and reminded him of Elia's fire, unleashed, and yet, he was still responsible and willing to take advice from his ailing uncle. Oberyn had delighted in Aegon's survival, and he was prepared to claim Aegon as his own son, but it simply was not necessary with Aegon's cover as "Young Griff" - the Usurper, in his stupidity, had never even bothered to check Dorne, much less his own marital bed.

The Usurper is dead and gone, and the Lannister dogs who killed Elia's days are numbered. Amory Lorch, Gregor Clegane, and Tywin Lannister will pay for what they did during the Sack of King's Landing, and all through Aegon and the armies of the Reach.

Doran also found himself hopeful for the future of Dorne. Arianne had grown into a ruler that Dorne needed, with Willas's calming influence, and a very frank talk between Arianne and Doran that had cleared the air, and any worries that she may have had about Quentyn gaining ability to handle her subjects well, as well as her innate understanding of the current implications of her political actions, paired with Willas as a stabilizing influence to discuss long-term consequences, truly reminded Doran of Mellario and he in their younger days, save for the stability that Mellario and Doran had never truly gotten.

Quentyn would tie House Yronwood to House Martell's cause, and unite an old enemy to their cause, and ensure Dorne's success in the wars to come. Trystane, and his brother's children, would then be used to further tie alliances to secure their revenge, and secure his nephew's dynasty. All of Doran's patience would then be rewarded with a daughter of Willas and Arianne, his granddaughter, as queen to the Iron Throne, as a union between his line and Elia's line.

Doran was a patient man, and he knew that. Growing up amongst a brother such as Oberyn forced a child to learn patience. Yet, in this instance, Doran knew that his patience had paid off.

House Martell is unbowed, unbent, and unbroken, and is prepared to take the Iron Throne. The rest of the Seven Kingdoms would simply have to follow the sun.


THE SPYMASTER SPIDER

Varys found himself smiling lightly as he thought about the future of the Realm.

The Realm is bright indeed, with a moldable puppet king such as Aegon. The boy would usher Westeros into a new era, free from the tyranny of dark magicks and foolish plots and schemes.

His decision to come to King's Landing to Mad King Aerys had been the best decision he had ever made. Once a lowborn eunuch terrified of magic, he had risen up alongside Illyrio and found a place where he could contribute to building a legacy beyond himself, beyond the back alleys that he had grown up in, and to eventually create a Realm where no child would be forced to endure what he had gone through again.

A spider has no choice on that front, but so little men do. That is why we stand in service of a better Realm.

He truly was unaware of whether the babies had been swapped or not. His little birds had performed the swap, and whether Aegon was truly the son of Elia or was simply a boy at the right time and place, Varys did not know. Yet, the illusions he had perpetuated ensured that the boy himself would be the perfect mummer to sit on the Throne to usher peace.

A Targaryen, to poor old Doran Martell and his get, desperately hoping for a piece of their sister and nephew. A Blackfyre to the Golden Company, masquerading as a Targaryen, to give them reason to come back home, and secretly support a Blackfyre restoration. And a lost son to Illyrio, who sees poor Serra in Aegon's eyes. All of that will provide the fuel to allow Aegon to claim the Throne, and then his identity would not matter then.

He had not, however, expected Aemon Sand, formerly Jon Stark, to appear out of the blue to threaten his prized mummer's claim, however. Nor had he expected Daenerys Targaryen to choose her Dothraki husband and child, rather than a chance at the Throne and a chance to unite multiple claims. And even so, Varys knew that the game was constantly changing, but that he would need to watch closely to ensure that his prized mummer would stand atop the Throne.

The Queen of Thorns and House Tyrell had readily agreed to the notion, though Varys had expected Margaery Tyrell as the blushing bride-price that his mummer would need to ascend to the Throne. Yet even so, they had surprised him by focusing up North with the young wolf boy, and so Varys had shifted plans to a union of ice and fire in the form of Sansa Stark and Aegon Targaryen, if the North truly had plans to crown themselves. The moment the North allied with Aegon, the Lannisters and Baratheons would be wiped, and a safer, more interlocked realm would be created.

Perhaps Daenerys Targaryen would have the sense to focus eastward, and her and her Dothraki husband, prepared to liberate, or at least, distract the Free Cities for his promised pawn's ascension. All Varys would have to do is to play the game, and work with his little birds to give his pawn as much information as possible, and then, Varys would subtly ensure that Aegon would be guided to protect the Realm.

Yet the rumors of magic in the North worried him. Robb Stark was a green-dreamer, which seemed benevolent enough, but Varys knew that the Northmen, in olden days, made blood sacrifices to their heart-trees. If Robb Stark or news in the North indicated that he was to continue those practices, Varys would have no choice but to discreetly remove the young scion.

Stannis Baratheon, too, had taken up with a red witch, and that could not stand on its own, for he was in line to rule the realm. Varys shuddered at the thought of a Realm so thoroughly corrupted by the magicks of the Priests of R'hllor, and resolved to have his mummer eliminate the Stag quickly, before even more danger was to arise.

Further rumors of the Long Night had also spread to Varys's ears. He did not believe it himself, and had mostly dismissed it as a child's fancy or an illusion, but Varys knew that if it were real, he would need to ensure that King Aegon would be able to wipe out the threat needed.

House Tyrell and Martell would likely be at Aegon's back, providing more than a hundred thousand swords in the process. Robb Stark would unite the North, and ensure his pawn had no disruption. And even in the worst of cases, the Golden Company would ensure victory. His pawn would sit on the Iron Throne, and Varys's life mission would be complete.

END OF ARC 3: KING'S LANDING


Ending A/N: Whew! What a chapter. Twists and turns everywhere, and absolute chaos, as the board is laid out completely opposite to canon with a single different person. I hope you liked my interpretations of all of the character's perspectives - I really enjoyed writing them.

I will do my best to release some kind of appendix soon with the timeline in chronological format, as well as all of the betrothals and marriages (because it's going to be confusing, with all of these changes), before we enter the War Arc. Fair warning, I'm not a very good writer of battle scenes so far, so any help or advice that I could be given would be massively appreciated so that I can provide you all worthy content that is not just a copy-paste of canon. The War of the Four (or Five, with the inclusion of Balon Greyjoy, ready to shank the North) has some explosive moments and twists planned, and fair warning, at this point, the Game of Thrones law of "anyone can die" is now in full force for this upcoming arc. Don't worry, I'm not going to have this turn into a grimdark fic where the only survivor is Margaery or something, but it IS Game of Thrones, after all, and we have to be consistent with the universe somehow.

On another note, just to let everyone know - I've began publishing a list of sidestories that are a part of the canon of A Rose By Any Other Name, but not necessary to understand the story that is unfolding in a fanfic called "The Rose Garden's Bloom" on my profile! Check if out if you'd like to read about Renly and Loras, and more stories that I will definitely end up writing soon!

Other than that, let me know if you have any questions, and I'll do my best to answer.