A/N: WHATS UP, MUCKACHUNGAS!? It's Travez here, and, a really long time ago, I had promised to create a Crossover using Dracula and a Song of Ice and Fire, and I honestly wanted to do it, but, if I am being perfectly honest, I had so many options in which to do it, I was in over my head, so I decided to put this one on the backburner until I could think of how I could actually pull it off. Then one day, recently, I come across a Youtuber called "Pointy Hat" who gave me an idea on how I could actually work with this, and it even opened up other avenues I could do in the future if I wanted to create more Dracula or D&D recreations of vampiric characters!
In any case, this Dracula that I'm going to be using will have his last name be a combination of his modern interpretation (Dracula) mixed with his historically accurate name (Dragulya), thus creating the name "Draculya". But more than that, this version will also combine aspects of his Historical "Vlad the Impaler" with some aspects of different versions of vampires from sources like the vampires from the "Legacy of Kain" Series, the Higher Vampires from the "Witcher 3", Vlad Dracula from "Dracula Untold", "Vampire Hunter D", "Blood Rayne", "Kamen Rider Kiva", the "Rosario+Vampire" Manga, the "Van Helsing" movie from 2004, some Harry Potter Vampire Lore, and using Pointy Hat's Ranger that he developed for his Video "The problem with D&D Rangers" as the basis for this version of Dracula.
Anyway, I am planning on having this Dracula meeting the following Criteria:
-Race: Dhampir (Obvious, you can't play a full blown vampire in D&D so this fits)
-Class: Swarmkeeper [Ranger] (The Majority of the Movies and Games I told you about are covered here)
-Background: Witherbloom Student (Rosario + Vampire at work, plus a Free Feat! Plus despite this background, Vlady is a noble by birth, but this works for me, plus it gives me some extra experiences to draw on)
-Feat: Witherbloom Initiate [Wisdom]
Now that I think about it, I think I might need to add the "Castlevania" anime to the list, now that I've remembered something about the Witherbloom Student Background! Anyway, I will let the story explain the rest, so I hope you guys enjoy the show!
Welp that's enough out of me! Be sure to Follow, Favorite, Review, and Share this story! Catch ya on the Flipside! DRACARYS!
Prologue: The Hour of the Bat
Greywater Watch, 2 AC
Young Lord Howland Reed sits before the Great Weirwood of Greywater Watch, sitting in prayer as he prepares to leave the Watch for a time, however, that is when suddenly he feels something, the Old Gods calling to him… Obeying their summons, he places a hand upon the weirwood, his eyes rolling back as he sees what the Old Gods wish to show him… A creature of darkness descending upon Greywater Watch, falling down from the heavens above, carried by a cloud of bats… His eyes look as the pale moon light reveals the swarm falling towards him, and, acting on instinct, he jumps out of the way as the Watch has violent tremors, and everyone is awakened by the force of the impact. Many make their way to the Godswood quickly as Howland picks himself up off the ground, and looks towards what appears to be a vortex of bats flying around something that appears to have crashed into the soil before the Weirwood.
A crater is before the Heart Tree, and something reaches up, a human hand with 9in long claws upon each finger, the talons digging into the soil as there is the sound of what sounds like a human's groan of pain and carnivorous snarl, and everyone turns to see a young man, at a glance he appears to be barely 23 years old, but in his mouth are two pairs of large fangs, fangs that shouldn't be in the mouth of any human. Not only that, the man has two long pointed ears. His claws retract as he climbs out of the crater, returning to the size of the average human's finger nails, only slightly longer and pointed, his fangs and sharp teeth turning into human teeth, and when they look upon him, he has ashen-gold hair, with eyes of an icy blue, whilst having pale skin. He holds his head, looking at the people before him, before shaking off the pain. "Hello…" He says to them, "My apologies for crashing like that… Could you tell me what Material Realm I happened to blunder myself into?"
"What?" Lord Howland Reed asks…
A Short While Later…
The stranger smiles as he uses his knife and fork to slice off a small piece of lizard lion meat from the food given to him, and he smirks as he tastes it. "Mmm! I haven't had good food like this in over a week!" The man says, "I thank you for your hospitality…!"
"It… Is no trouble…" Lord Howland says, "So if you tale is correct, you're not from this world?"
"No I am not… I've never heard of a "Lizard-Lion" until today, but I have to say it is very delicious!" The man says, "But how rude of me, I hadn't introduced myself… I am Count Vladislaus… Draculya…" He bows his head respectfully, "I am a Dhampir from another Material Realm, or World as you call it, known as Anora…!"
"And you are what you call yourself…" A bat flies over head and finds a place to rest on the ceiling, "A Swarmkeeper?"
"Yes, those bats up there are my swarm… I am what you would call a Ranger, or a Warrior of the Wild… I can utilize natural magics to aid me and others in combat, among other things… I was also enrolled in Strixhaven University, a magic school." Vladislaus explains, "I specifically studied at it's Witherbloom Academy, where I learned all about the Sciences of Growth, Decay, Naturalism, and Medicine. Though to be honest, I was a bit of a loner."
"I see…" Howland says, "Wait, did you just say you are a Healer?"
"Yes, to some extent, I'm not as specialized as a Cleric or a Druid, but I am trained in the making of medicines and administration of Medicines." Vlad explains.
"Then I think you might be able to help somebody important to the North!" Lord Howland explains, "Our Liege Lord, Rickard Stark, has a daughter that has fallen ill with a disease that not even the Maesters can identify…" This catches Vlad's attention as he listens.
"Do you know of the Symptoms?"
"No, the Lord is trying to stop this disease from spreading, though their Maester is doing his best to discover what is going on." Lord Howland says, "If this is a disease you have encountered before, could you help her?"
"I'd need to see her first, but I think I can help her!" Vladislaus says, "Which way to this Lord's home?"
"I can guide you!"
"That would be helpful, but you don't need to worry about getting a horse for me, I can keep pace with most horses…" Vladislaus explains. After dinner, Vladislaus takes time to gather his things, making sure his equipment is undamaged, and, thankfully, it isn't. Once Howland is ready, they depart from the Neck, though, much to Howland's surprise, Vlad seems to be rather relaxed.
"Do you not fear the swamps?"
"Witherbloom is built inside of a bayou, so I feel right at home here!" Vlad explains. Howland is leading their little boat northward, in which they soon come across a ruined castle that Lord Howland knows too well, whilst Vlad is fascinated by it.
"Castle Dracula? Here…?" Vlad asks, shocked.
"No, that is Moat Cailin, an ancient ruined castle that acts as the Gateway to the North beyond the Neck!" Howland explains, "Do you have a similar castle in your Realm?"
"Yes, Castle Dracula, a magnificent palace built in a similar manner to what this one may have had, built amongst the mountains and swamps of Skycrown. It too acted as the gateway towards the Northern Province of the Empire, and my family, whilst not the most powerful family, were it's gatekeepers." Vlad says, smiling, but his smile is a bit sad, "So this is what would have happened to my family's home had it not been carefully maintained… I now see why my father was so insistent on making sure everything was properly taken care of…"
"It is indeed sad…" Howland says, as the group makes landfall, in which Howland's men, having transported a horse for him, set up the horse for riding. Vlad, in the meantime, stretches his body, preparing to move. "Are you sure you don't need a horse?"
"Absolutely, my lord!" Vlad says, finally getting ready, "Let's get going!" He then kneels down into a Runner's stance, and smirks as his eyes glow for an instant. Howland starts moving his horse only for his horse to rear up as Vlad begins running at his maximum speed. "Hurry up, my lord, or eat my dust!" Vlad laughs as Howland is stunned, but then gets his horse into a full gallop to keep up with the Dhampir.
Some Time Later…
"Rider approaching the gates!" A guard says, in which Lord Rickard Stark walks to the battlements of the gate to see Howland Reed approaching.
"Lord Reed, is that you?" Lord Rickard asks.
"Aye, it is me, My Lord! I had heard of Lady Lyanna falling ill, and I have brought someone who can help her!"
"Would this someone happen to be the stranger next to you?" Lord Rickard asks.
"That would be so, my lord!" Vlad says, "My name is Vladislaus Draculya, I'm a traveling doctor from Essos!"
"You certainly have a form of Essosi accent, though I cannot say which of the Free Cities it is from." Lord Rickard says, "But that can wait… You said you can help my daughter?"
"Yes, my lord, if you will allow me in and have your Maester explain to me what is going on." Vladislaus says, bowing respectfully. Rickard is stunned at the man's modesty, but can sense he is nervous, and a bit awkward, but what is most intriguing are the bats.
"One question, why do you bring bats into my castle?"
"I had overheard how your house is able to bond with Direwolves, my house can do something similar, only with bats. They shall not harm you or your people, so long as you do not have the intention to do me harm!" Vladislaus speaks plainly, to which he opens his cloak and the creatures fly inside his cloak, hanging from the fabric.
"Alright then, open the gates and allow them in!" Lord Rickard says, in which Draculya smiles as he looks around. The Lord Stark leads the way to Lady Lyanna's room, and to the Maester who is tending to her. "Maester Mikkan, this is Vladislaus Draculya…! He says he can help."
"My lord, I have done everything I can, there is nothi-" That is when Vladislaus walks over to Lyanna and carefully looks her over… His knowledge of medicine comes to bear as he looks at how pale Lyanna's skin is, almost as if she has been nearly exsanguinated, her canine teeth becoming longer and sharper, but more than that, he sees hear ears are doing the same, with two tell-tell signs of something he fears was causing this. "What are you doing?" The Maester asks, agitated.
"I know whats wrong with her, unfortunately, it's not good…" Vlad says.
"What is wrong with my daughter?" Lord Rickard asks.
"She is suffering from a disease that shouldn't even be here… Vampirism…"
"Vampirism?" Lord Rickard asks, to which Vlad pulls his cheek and reveals he has sharpened teeth in his mouth. "By the gods!"
"Don't worry, it's not a contagious disease, but it can be transmitted via bites, and the ingesting of the carrier's blood…" Vlad explains, "However, there is a problem, this isn't a brand of Vampirism that I know of… I know every variant of the disease, but this is entirely new to me… Still, the fact that she has been bitten and being slowly drained of blood means that she has been target to be changed."
"How is she being changed?"
"Blood Magic… I assume you know what magic is…?" Vlad asks.
"That's impossible, the Higher Mysteries have never been proven true by the Citadel!"
"Really, and this Citadel is your College, correct?" Vladislaus says, "How foolish… You have to be born with the talent for magic, it's not something you can force to happen."
"How dare you-!" The Maester says, but Lord Rickard stops him.
"There is something we are missing here, what exactly is a Vampire?" Lord Stark asks.
"Vampires are something not of the living world… As we traveled here, Lord Howland Reed told me stories of the Long Night and the White Walkers… Where I come from, there is another name my people give them… Liches…" Vladislaus explains, "A Vampire is an undead creature that is infected with a disease-like curse created by the Demon Lord Orcus, and if the process is allowed to complete itself, then the infected will lose any shred of goodness in them and become extremely powerful and evil beings…"
"That can't be possible!" Lord Rickard says. "But… Then again… Are you a Vampire?"
"No, I'm a Dhampir, a creature half-way between human and vampire… Most Dhampirs are born half-vampire because one parent was a vampire themselves who managed to reclaim their soul through an excruciating process… There are other ways of becoming Dhampirs, but I don't know how I became one…" Vlad explains, bringing out his medical supplies, "In any case, becoming a Dhampir frees you from Orcus's control, and allows you to retain all of your morals and ideals… The only downside is the hunger…" He then brings out what appears to be a needle as he wraps a cord around his arm, wipes a solution on his arm. "I can explain further, but I need to save my patient, and there is only one way that I can think of that can work…"
"And what is that?" Lord Rickard asks.
"I need to give her some of my blood… If I do so, we can prevent her from becoming a full-Fledged vampire, and I can train her to control herself." Vlad explains, "I don't know who the vampire in this city is, but I can't leave my patient vulnerable while I search for him. My lord, with your permission, I request you let me cure your daughter, she will be changed but also the same…"
"Will it save her?"
"Yes, my lord, and if you command it of me, I shall serve your family for as long as I remain here…" Lord Vladislaus explains, to which Lord Rickard thinks about it.
"My lord, reconsider, he isn't a Maester! He could be lying to you!" Maester Mikkan says, looking nervous.
"I couldn't tell a lie to save my life, believe me, the last time I lied, I got beaten within an inch of my life because I was so terrible at it!" Vlad explains, blushing with embarrassment, but then… He notices something about the Maester, a faint scent on him, and a slight light to his pupils. "If I didn't know any better, you were trying to stay as close to Lady Lyanna as possible!"
"Of course, I am Winterfell's Maester!" Maester Mikkan says, looking at Vlad with agitation.
"True, but the fact that you weren't willing to accept the help give to you, as any great servant of the people would, it's a bit suspicious…" Vlad explains, to which Lord Rickard looks to his Maester. Rickard then notices something… There is a window right past Maester Mikkan, in which he sees his own reflection, but not Mikkan's.
"Draculya… A quick question… If you were to hunt a vampire, what signs would you look for…?" Lord Rickard asks.
"Well there is a general knowledge about vampires, but since they sold their soul to Orcus, they have no reflection in any reflective surface, silver burns their hands, and if they are within sight of a holy symbol of the religion they believed in, then their eyes would have an intense burning sensation… Also…" Draculya says pulls out what appears to be a Garlic blossom, in which Mikkan, instinctively, holds his nose as he backs away. "Vampires have a much keener sense of smell than humans, and strong ingredients like onions, garlic, and pumpkins tend to overload their sense of smell."
"GUARD LOCK THE DOOR!" Rickard says, to which Vlad carefully sets down his Syringe and grabs Mikkan, the two of them falling out the window and into the courtyard, landing in some hay as Mikkan runs away. However, as he does so, he looks up into the sky as the clouds begin to part. "MIKKAN!" Rickard shouts, outraged, to which Vlad's bats erupt from the haybale as Vlad follows close behind.
Mikkan snarls and sees the door to the crypts and forces it open as he dashes downstairs."MY LORD, SEAL OFF THE CRYPTS!" Vlad shouts, charging after Mikkan, into the darkness. Under Lord Rickard's orders, the crypt doors are sealed off, and they all pray to the Old Gods for the success of this Dhampir.
In the darkness, Vlad's eyes glow a faint blue in the darkness… "It was all so easy until you showed up…" Mikkan says in the distance, snarling. "I would've had the Stark Girl be mine and I would've lived life peacefully and quietly…"
"Like I would ever believe that…" Vlad says, sniffing him out… Finding nothing yet… "Vampires like you who pose themselves as doctors always have a motive…"
"Do you think I would have an ulterior motive? I am a servant of the people, I had been given a great gift to live beyond my lifespan, to learn more, and to help the people of the world!"
"Beings like us shouldn't exist, but… I can hear the truth in your words, you truly desire to help people… So why Lady Lyanna?" Vlad asks.
"I, like many others, fell in love with her… And while I can't have her, I can at least ensure her beauty will live on forever!"
"By the way you fled from the sun, I'd assume you're a Fledgelin Vampire…" Vladislaus says.
"Fledgeling?"
"It means you haven't obtained your true power… So whoever or whatever turned you left you to die…" Vlad explains, concentrating on finding Mikkan's scent.
"Oh really? Then let me ask this, how do I achieve my true power?"
"You simply drink the blood of the one who created you, but that is easier said than done.." Vlad explains, "Surrender now, and I promise you shall get a fair trial from Lord Rickard."
"You don't know Lord Rickard like I do, welp…!" Mikkan says, moving to a new hiding spot stealthily, however, his foot scrapes something and the soundwaves create a map in Vlad's mind on where the Vampire is.
"Then I guess I have no choice…" Vlad says, taking his stance as his teeth and claws slowly transform. Mikkan rushes forward as Vlad moves his arms and opens his cape, his bats flying out from his cloak, their screeching reaching through the holes left in the doors, and Lord Rickard, with Ice at the ready on the outside entrance to the crypts, listens as Vlad let's out a screeching roar, ringing out what sound like family words. "BLOOD FROM STONE!" Vlad shouts as he clashes with the Vampire, the two swinging their claws at each other, snapping at one another as Vlad moves through his cloud of bats. In the first exchange, Vlad lands two powerful strikes with his claws, leaving a burning acid in his wake as his bats fly in and deal their lot in harm… Mikkan, not trained as a fighter, screams in pain, his scream a demonic snarl as he recovers and goes for an attack of his own. One of Mikkan's claw attacks lands a strike on Vlad's face, only to miss on the return swing, in which Vlad counters with his own claw attacks, his first strike missing as Mikkan ducks under it, but the arrogant fledgling doesn't see the second attack coming with bats following close behind.
The Maester snarls as he goes in for another pair of strikes, only for one to land as Vlad dodged the first, only to recoil right into the second, this one hitting the opposite side of his face. Vlad, deciding it is time to end this, swings with his claws and pierces Mikkan's heart, before spinning around rapidly and using the other hand to slice open his back. "Find peace in the Afterlife…" Vlad says, grabbing the maester and sinking his teeth into the Fledgeling Vampire's neck, indulging in his dark hunger, drinking deeply as he pins the screaming maester to the ground. Once he was finished, the Vampire turned to ash, and Vlad scoops some up into a bag, and walks towards the entrance outside. "My lord… It is done…"
"Open it up!" Lord Rickard says, to which Vlad walks out, his face covered in claw marks, whilst blood coats his lips and chin. His fangs and teeth are stained red as well as his eyes glow red with lust. "Is he?"
"He was a Fledgeling Vampire… Meaning the one who turned him is still out there…" Wiping the blood from his face, "I need to get back to my patient…" Lord Rickard, places a hand on Draculya's shoulder, the ranger looking at him.
"Save her, I don't care what it takes…" Lord Rickard says, "Just save my daughter!" Vlad nods, to which the Lord leads Vlad back to Lyanna's room, Brandon and Benjen looking at Lord Rickard and Vlad, eyes filled with despair. Vlad takes a tool from his bag, a stethoscope, and listens to her heartbeat. "How is she?"
"I took too long defeating that fledgeling… It's going to require more drastic measures than what I had planned…" Vlad says, taking a knife and cutting his wrist open. "Look away if you can't stomach it."
"Don't you-!" Brandon says, but Benjen stops him. "Let go Benjen!"
"Please, brother, let him do what needs to be done! If you don't we'll lost Lyanna!" Benjen begs his brother, to which Lord Rickard places a hand on his shoulder as Vlad raises Lyanna's head to his wrist, gently opening her mouth. The blood drips past her lips, and Lyanna's eyes slowly open as she forces her body to wrap her sharpened teeth around his wrists and to drink deeply. Vlad let's her drink for several second, before forcing himself out of her grip and Lyanna falls back onto the bed, swallowing the last of the blood as she grips the sheets, her face becoming scrunched with pain, gritting her teeth as she tries to keep herself from screaming.
"My Lady, don't pay the pain any mind, your body is adapting to the curse and unlocking your hidden potential… Pay the pain no mind, just focus on something that will allow you to focus…" Vlad says, breathing hard as he takes out a vial from his bag and drinks it down, his body gaining a finer tone as his body cut wrist heals before their eyes, much to the shock of the Northerners. Thankfully, Lyanna does as she is instructed, and finds something for her mind to focus on, the full moon that is rising as the sun sets, her eyes focusing entirely on it. "Good, the moon, feel her presence and power, let it suffuse you, and let it empower you…"
Lyanna focuses on the moon as the pain dies away, and she feels stronger than before, and she sits up, looking at Vlad, the woman getting out of bed, though weak, she offers her savior her hand, to which Vlad gratefully takes as he stands. "Lyanna?" Rickard asks, looking at his daughter.
"Father…" Lyanna rushes over and attempts to embrace her father, but Vlad steps between them. "Move aside!"
"No, my lady… Your elation may keeping you from realizing, but you need to feed… If you don't you'll attack the first person or animal you see…" Vlad says, guiding the lady back to her bed, and he brings out six what appear to be empty vials. "Sniff each of these, and we'll see which of these you desire…" He then opens the bottles and allows her to sniff each of them one by one, until she reaches the one labeled "raw meat" and Lyanna's eyes glow slightly at that. "Looks like we have a winner…" Vlad says, and tells Benjen to have the servants bring some raw meat, red meat preferably, and it doesn't matter the amount.
"Right!" Benjen says.
"Ben…!" Lyanna says, "I don't know why… But… For some reason… I'm craving venison…" Benjen nods, and not long after, he brings his sister a piece of venison, large enough for a man, and when Lyanna is given it, she attacks it as if she were a hungry wolf, the blood in the flesh flowing off her lips as she moans loudly as she eats, and once she finishes, she licks the blood off her fingers and mouth, gasping for breath, and, strangely, she feels a wave of satisfaction flow over her. "What… What just happened?"
"My lady, in order to save you from turning into a Vampire, I had to pass on my own brand onto you… Right now you're much more than a human… You are a Dhampyr, a Half-Vampire…" Vlad explains, "And it seems your Wolfblood merged quite nicely with the vampirism in my own that you fed upon."
"What…?" Lyanna asks, looking at her hands in horror. "Does this mean I will attack others as well?"
"No, my lady…!" Vlad says, smiling, "I can teach you how to control your new abilities so that will never happen unless you are trying to defend yourself." Lyanna looks down then looks to the Moon.
"Why do I feel stronger in the presence of the moon?"
"It is possibly, as I said earlier, the Wolfsblood in you that is reacting to the Moon… I think I know what is going on with you… I can teach you how to control it on the next full moon." Vlad explains, to which Lyanna nods, and Lyanna's brothers hug their sister, overwhelmed with their emotions that Lyanna is alive.
A Month Later…
The Lords of the North have gathered at Winterfell for a great meeting, everyone anxious and chattering amongst themselves on what it is their Vassal Lord will wish to speak of. They are also concerned about the rumors of a creature known as a Vampire that had infected Lady Lyanna Stark with a near incurable illness, until a stranger came and healed her. However, silence begins to reign over the Great Hall as Lord Rickard Stark takes his seat. "My Lords and Ladies of the North, I thank you all for coming on such short notice. I know things have been a bit difficult lately with this Winter, and the Maesters having to recheck their charts to name this coming year as "The Year of the False Spring". However, there is much we need to discuss."
"My Lord, we had been hearing rumors about a monster known as a "Vampire" having attacked Lady Lyanna, please tell me this is a joke."
"I wish it were so… If it were not for the timely intervention of the stranger whom young Lord Howland Reed brought North with him, my daughter would have become one of these monsters." Lord Rickard says, "This stranger also discovered that the vampire that had forced the affliction upon my daughter was only a Fledgeling, a lesser vampire that had not come into it's full strength, that means the one who created him is still out there, likely waiting to strike again."
"How are we to defeat such a creature?" Lord Glover asks.
"I know this creature's weaknesses…" Vlad says, "Having suffered them myself… The Physical Wounds dealt to a Vampire are fleeting, their immortal flesh will begin to close as soon as it is cleaved. Vampires need only fear wounds that impale or enflame…" Vlad says, walking to the high table, "Silver burns and temporarily prevents them from healing, water scorches like acid, and both Fledgelings and Full-Fledged are devastated by Sunlight's touch… The North is next to the perfect place to trap a vampire, but also for it to roam freely in daylight, as the North, from what I've studied, rarely has a clear sunny day, a time where a vampire would fear to walk outside, but the snow and rain will force a vampire to avoid leaving it's hiding place."
"How do you know so much about hunting Vampires?"
"Because I once traveled with a group that specialized in Hunting Vampires…" Vlad explains, "The truth of the matter is, and I shall be frank with you, I am not of this world… Lord Reed can attest to this, but I somehow got transported from my world to yours, and now I don't know how to get back home, and as long as there is a vampire here, I will find and hunt it until nobody need fear the darkness again."
"And what do you ask for in return?" Lord Manderly asks.
"Only a place to stay until i defeat the vampire and can find my way home…" Vlad explains, but then Lord Stark stands, catching everyone's attention.
"And you shall…" Lord Stark explains, "I have sent a letter to King's Landing… And thanks to your intervention in saving my daughter, and from what I have heard of Howland Reed, I know of the perfect place for you to stay… If the Vampire finds a way to move southward, there is only one place it can go through, and that will be your best opportunity to keep him from leaving…"
"My Lord?" Vlad asks.
"Until the time in which you can return to your world…" He brings out a scroll, "With the Authority of King Aerys II Targaryen, you are hereby named Lord Vladislaus of House Draculya, the Lord of Moat Cailin, Lord of the Causeway, and Gatekeeper of the North!" Vlad looks at Lord Stark with shock written on his face, not expecting this. "I have also sent out a request to all lords with suitable daughters, even those of the North, that, as the rising Lord of the Causeway, you will be in need of a bride." Vlad's pale skin turns paler as the stress builds up, and he tries to rationalize everything.
The meeting quickly moves on from this as Vlad tries to calm his mind, with Lady Lyanna bringing him a cup of water. "Here you are, my lord."
"Thank you…" Vlad says, drinking it slowly. "I can't believe I've actually been elevated to the Status of a Lord!"
"Well I believe you have earned it, only problem is the thing is now sinking into the bogs, and there is no way to grow crops there…"
"Not necessarily…!" Vlad says, "In my home realm there were crops that grew well in swampy conditions, it's just a matter of finding enough land to plant them that isn't too deep!"
"You don't say?" Lyanna says, smiling. Not much later, though, a messenger comes into the Great Hall, bringing a message that causes Lord Rickard to blanch, "What is wrong with Father?"
"That can't be good…" Vlad says, looking at Lord Rickard.
"It seems there has been bad news…" Lord Rickard Stark says, "Lady Elia Martell has died, she has been found raped and murdered in King's Landing…" He then offers the note to Vlad, who walks over and reads it, and Vlad's eyes turn red with anger. "Is it describe what I believe it is?"
"Unfortunately, yes, my lord… The Vampire has already made it's way south…" Vlad says, looking down, "But there is more to this message…" He hands it back to Lord Rickard Stark, who is shocked.
"Lyanna… The King is seeking a new bride for Prince Rhaegar… He has asked you to be Prince Rhaegar's new bride…" Lord Rickard says, to which Lyanna looks shocked, and blushes, but then smiles and nods. A dream of hers coming true, and she does her best to contain her emotions.
Meanwhile, King's Landing…
Rhaegar is hiding from those who know him, having entered the King's Landing Godswood, sitting against the Heart Tree as he weeps for his wife… Oberyn Martell walks towards the Prince as anger flows through him, but… He sees Rhaegar weeping for his wife… They had been close, though thanks to Aerys, the closeness had been nearly ruined, but for a man to weep for his wife so is something that even Oberyn can empathize with his, now, former good brother with. "Rhaegar…" Oberyn says, walking over to him, "We have found a clue in the mystery surrounding Elia's murder…"
"What?" Rhaegar asks, looking at him, to which Oberyn reaches into his pocket, and slowly brings out a cloth, wrapped around what is inside. It appears to be a ring, a ring carrying a strange sigil upon it. "Is that… a Signet Ring?"
"Yes, the maester found it it attached to the murderer's finger, which Elia likely used her final moments to leave behind a clue as to who her murderer was. That is not all, however…" He looks at Rhaegar, "Apparently this man left behind something in Elia as well…" He then brings out what appears to be a tooth, it was slightly rotted, but it was a tooth. "Whoever killed her used his teeth to tear out her throat, like an animal, and this tooth broke off in her skin."
"What kind of person could do this?" Rhaegar asks, unsure of how to process this, in which a knight walks over to them, Ser Jon Connington, walks over.
"My Prince, King Aerys summons you…!" Jon says, walking over.
"Thank you, Jon…"
"My Prince… I may not have liked Elia…" Jon says, looking down, "But she was a good person before she was murdered, please know that I am behind you, no matter what you choose to do."
"Thank you… You're a good friend…" Rhaegar says, making his way to the throne room, in which Jon looks at his Silver Prince sadly. Jon, despite his feelings, know that Rhaegar will never like him beyond that of a friend, however, he has decided to use his feelings as a tool to serve Rhaegar and remain loyal to him, as while Gryphons Mate for Life, they also forge bonds far deeper than most other creatures, only being rivaled by dragons and direwolves.
Rhaegar, for his part, makes his way to the Throne Room of the Red Keep, doing his best to calm himself to avoid upsetting his father… Long and hard had he and Elia worked to end Aerys's Reign of Terror and Madness over Westeros, and just when they were reaching the point of no return, she is raped and murdered. The injustice of a kind, beautiful, and just woman being assaulted and murdered in such a way only infuriates him, but he must keep his calm, he can mourn Elia on his own time, right now he must…
"Rhaegar, my son!" Rhaella says, walking over to Rhaegar with Viserys at her side.
"Muna… Viserys…" Rhaegar asks, looking at his mother and brother, the latter of which is trying, and failing, to control his tears.
"My boy… I am so sorry for what happened to Elia…"
"How is Rhaenys doing?"
"She needs you to help her grieve, and Aegon… He is fast asleep…" Rhaella says, looking at her son.
"I will go to her after what Kepa has to say… Hopefully, he allows me to find the bastard who killed her…" Rhaegar says, trying to keep his calm as he hugs Viserys.
"I can't believe Elia is gone…" Viserys says, rubbing his eyes as he hugs his brother back.
"I can't believe it either, Viserys, but we must remain strong for her…" Rhaegar says, "We can't let father see us mourning… We can mourn her when we have our own time…" He turns back to the doors of the Throne Room, in which the Crown Prince takes a deep breath as he opens the door, seeing King Aerys sit on the throne, chuckling and smiling as the windows have been covered with what appear to be curtains. "Your grace, you summoned me?"
"Ah, Rhaegar… My Heir…" King Aerys says, the madness emanating from his voice. "I trust your investigation is going well?"
"We have only just begun, your grace, we've only stumbled upon a few clues as to the bastard's features…" Rhaegar says, looking at his father. "What did you need?"
"I know you are mourning the death of your wife, but you must learn to smile… To put on a brave face for those who need it… And to marry once more…"
"Marry, father? So soon after Elia's death!?" Rhaegar asks, shocked.
"Yes, from what the Maester has told me, this killer seems to have a taste for blood… As Elia's corpse was drained of all it's blood, and not much was left behind on the floor from where her corpse was found… I have also heard whispers in the North about a creature called a Vampire having attacked Lady Lyanna Stark, and a stranger battled it and destroyed it, only to reveal it was only a Fledgeling… Meaning the monster has escaped the Warden of the North and has made it's way south…" Aerys says, smiling and giggling. "But Lady Lyanna survived the attack, and now has powers beyond our imagination… I want that in my bloodline… But how to do so without provoking the Ire of the North and that of Dorne?"
"Father…" Rhaegar begins.
"HOW… Do I arrange a marriage with the North so soon after Elia's death without provoking the Ire of Dorne and the North?" Aerys says, raising his voice as his eyes seem to glow red for an instant, Rhaegar paralyzed with fear at the moment of seeing those eyes, with Viserys hiding behind Queen Rhaella upon seeing those, the Queen taking her youngest son's hand in fear. "You tell me…?"
Rhaegar looks down, thinking, knowing that not answering his Father correctly, or giving him what he wants is dangerous. "There is one way… The Pact of Ice and Fire was never fulfilled by Queen Rhaenyra… And having Aegon remain my heir would placate Dorne…" This brings out a round of applause from Aerys, who laughs whole-heartedly.
"Well done, my son! Now, be that as that may, I need to make this announcement public to all of Westeros… As such, I have heard of you arranging a Tourney at Harrenhal, I have extended an invitation to House Stark, and they shall come to us…" King Aerys says, smiling as the light from his eyes reveals his father's teeth in their faint light. Rhaegar can't see them all that well, but he can swear that they are all serrated and razor sharp, with four being longer than the rest. "As for my reasons as to why I wish for this to happen, Tywin is plotting something, I know it, and thus I wish to not only complete the Pact of Ice and Fire that has gone unfulfilled for too long, but with the North on our side, including this man who knows how to fight Vampires, I have no doubt that your wife's killer will be found sooner rather than later." Rhaegar can't help but feel the blood drain from his face, and he is on the verge of tears… "I have kept you here for far too long, my son, go… Mourn your fallen wife, comfort your Dornish Brats, and prepare to fulfill your duty in three months time…" Rhaegar, clenching his fist, bows to his father and leaves with his mother and brother, in which Rhaella is completely terrified of what is to come.
Rhaegar, doing his best to hold back his tears, aimlessly wanders, only to hear the sound of crying, and he follows it, finding his daughter Rhaenys, and he sees the toddler looking to her father, rushing to him. Rhaegar kneels to his daughter, pulling her into a hug as they both cry, and silently mourn their mother, only for Aegon to start crying and chime in. The Prince takes his infant son into his arms, and begins to hum his son a song to calm him, in which the three mourn the passing of Elia Martell, and for Rhaegar to swear that he will bring her killer to justice, no matter who it is. That night, after putting his children to bed, Rhaegar himself has a dream…
Standing upon a beach of white sand, he finds verdant green grass, the Crown Prince following it to see Elia sitting on what appears to be a rock. "Elia…" Rhaegar says to her.
"Rhaegar…" Elia says, holding her husband close and kissing him. "I am sorry, I wasn't strong enough to fight him off… Though I hope my sacrifice left you clues to the creature's identity."
"They have given us a place to start, but my father seems to think it's some sort of creature called a Vampire…"
"And in that he speaks the truth…" Elia explains, "The creature is not of this world… The Stranger that your father spoke of, Vladislaus Draculya, is the only one of this realm who knows how this creature operates…" She then brings up the Ring that she had managed to remove from the Vampire, "This is but one of seven rings that contain the creature's symbols. These rings are cursed, whosoever wears them shall be turned into Vampires, and thus will spawn vampires in turn… One Ring for Each of the Seven Kingdoms… You must stop these creatures and destroy these rings, for these are tools corrupted by an ancient evil long sealed away by the Last Hero…" Rhaegar thinks but can't recall who she is talking about, "However, you need not fear, for you shall be joined by those who will help you, including your new bride…"
"Lyanna Stark…" Rhaegar says, looking down, but Elia places a hand gently on his cheek. "Elia… I can't marry again so soon…"
"Then bond with her… See who she truly is at the Tourney, and if you can accept who she is and what she has become, then you will find a bride who will love you as I did…" Elia says, "Now go, my love… End this madness that your father has caused, and save our kingdom…"
"For you, Elia…" Rhaegar says, to which the vision fades, and Rhaegar wakes with a new purpose, smiling, but then looks to the ring on the desk, and he glares at it. 'Whoever and whatever you are, monster, just know one thing… You have woken the Dragon, and I will bring Fire and Blood to you and those who wear these rings!'
Back in Winterfell…
The Night gathers upon Winterfell as Vlad, situated in his room, hangs upside down from the ceiling in the Maester's Tower, sleeping soundly as he feels the darkness take him, and the bats quietly chatter a song to him to help ease him into sleep… However, as he falls into his slumber, he feels something enter his mind… It is a Dream, a dream of himself and a number of others…
He sees himself at the head of them, with Lyanna standing behind him, older but still beautiful, holding hands with a handsome man, older, with silver hair with violet eyes, having a short beard on his face as to his right are a woman with blood red hair and menacing red eyes, a haunting smile on her face as she stands next to a man bearing the sigil of a black stag on a yellow field, his eyes glowing yellow as he smirks at the woman next to him… And behind him, a pair of taloned hands run across his shoulders as golden hair and glowing green eyes smile at him. She is beautiful beyond comparison, and the six of them look ahead of them into the snow… Seven stand before them, six of them being creatures he recognizes… Vampires… However, the one in the center wields a great svardstav, or a spear mounted with a sword blade, made of ice, glaring at them with impossibly pale blue eyes and pale skin.
Behind this creature is a massive army of undead, however, out of nowhere, three large Drakes appear from behind them, breathing jets of flame that cut off the Vampires and the army from the Lich, in which Vlad smiles as he reaches to his side, and looks at the creature, it is a sword hilt without a blade, and he ignites the weapon, causing a blade of pure light to erupt from it's hilt, a blade of blood red light, it's silver handle and blue gemstone glowing as he charges forward towards the creature, their weapons clashing with a flash of light that lights up the sky. Waking him as the sun rises peaks over the horizon… Today is a new day, and whatever that creature was, he knew this was going to be a long and arduous journey… So might as well go with the flow and adapt to what happens next.