I own nothing, George R. Martin owns the world and characters
Baelish watched shore of Driftmark pass by his ship. His escape from the city had been a narrow thing, fortunately he still had a few servants in the Red Keep that were happy to take his money in exchange for a few silver. When they told him the master of coin had been very busy reviewing past ledgers he knew it did not bode well for him. His sudden dismissal hadn't given him a chance to clear his office due to the fact he wasn't in the city at the time, he had gone to try and buy the Tyrells for house Lannister.
So rather than wait to see what they had found he left for the Vale immediately. He knew that he would not be able to stay there, even if Lysa wanted him to. While she was easy to manipulate the rest of the major lords and ladies of Vale would not hesitate to throw him in chains and deliver him to Stannis's feet.
So now he just needed to retrieve a few chests saved for such an occasion before sailing to Essos, maybe to, Tyrosh or Lys. With luck, he would be gone before anyone in the Vale had a chance to send men to his keep.
But that didn't mean he couldn't stir the pot one more time before he left. He went to his cabin and pulled out a sheet of paper and began to write a letter
'Dearest Lysa'
Tyrion watched the column of men as they marched north. Lead by Ser Oakheart, the knights and soldiers marching were the ones destined for the Night's Watch. They numbered a little over 400, the weapons they had owned had been taken from them for the duration of the march and were in the custody of their escorts. Leaving with them was most of the Northern host to ensure they arrived at the wall and didn't disappear into one of the towns along the way. They would also be collecting the prisoners from the various castles of the Riverlands.
Traveling with them was Lady Stark, who was going North with her husband's bones to bring them to the Winterfell crypts. Sansa Stark was also going home despite the Tyrell's invitation to highgarden. They tried to persuade her repeatedly, but after a Tyrell cousin received a punch to the face courtesy of the hound, they decided it was best to leave her be. Brandyn Tully would also be leading his men home to root out any bandits and deserters who still lurked in the area.
His looked away from the column and walked to the horse that was to be his ride to the Westerlands being held in place by the ever faithful Pod. They and the rest of the defeated Lannister host, what was left of it, was to return home as well. A quick look around made the magnitude of their defeat very apparent.
When his father and Jaime left the Westerlands they had a host of 40,000 men and knights. Tyrion was now leading roughly 4,000 soldier back home with no knights, except for his cousin Tyrek.
Traveling with them to Casterly Rock was a host of 8,000 Northerners following Robb Stark, 5,000 Riverlanders lead by Tytos Blackwood and 5,000 Reachers under Mathis Rowan. They were traveling with them to retrieve the reparations that house Lannister along with the houses of Crakehall, Banefort, Brax, Sarwyck, Marband, Lefford and the Lannisters of Lannisport had been sentenced to pay for their part in the war.
"Lord Tyrion!"
He looked over and saw Robb Stark riding towards him. While the young wolf had been a gracious victor, he was still understandably angry about his sister being lost. The result was every conversation between them was short, blunt and to the point.
"Good day Lord Stark. Time for us to leave?"
"It is, the Reachers will lead followed by half your men, then my forces with the rest of your men after us and the Riverland forces bringing up the rear. Understood?"
"I'll have my men divided appropriately."
"Be quick about it." Then he rode back to his own men.
"Tyrek?"
"Yes my lord?"
"I will take the forward half of the men, you will be in charge of the second. Be sure to keep the men from doing anything regretful. Last thing we need is to have them start an altercation with one of the other forces."
"Yes my Lord." His cousin bowed before urging his horse over to the middle of the army to divide it in two.
Tyrion rode to the front of his men and when signaled by the reachers he turned to face them.
"Men, let's go home."
They gave him a weary but heartfelt cheer in reply and began their journey.
Stannis watched from the Red Keep as the two columns marched out of sight before turning back to the room and sitting down at the table. A moment later his small council began to arrive one by one, the last two arriving were his uncle and his master of ships.
"Uncle, Lord Davos. You called for this meeting because you said you have identified a threat to the crown?"
The pair sat before Davos replied "Yes your grace, I was approached on the docks by a man who didn't give me a name but his accent and his attitude told me he was from the Iron Islands. He had given me a letter then left, after reading I went to Lord Argilac at once. The letter is from Lord Harlaw, he claims Balon Greyjoy has been rebuilding the Iron Fleet."
Stannis thought only for a moment before replying
"Do either of you believe the letter?"
"Your grace," Interjected Argilac "Had it been from another Ironborn lord I would've doubted it. Lord Harlaw however is a unique case, he is probably the smartest man on the islands. He also lost his two sons in Balon's rebellion, which he was reportedly against from the very beginning. I think he is trying to prevent any more deaths due to Balon's lack of intelligence."
"Then if we trust the contents of the letter, what options do we have?"
"Nothing short of direct action," Mallister looked grim as he spoke. "Balon Greyjoy is a more stubborn than a mule and if he has been rebuilding his fleet he must have already written off his last son."
Tarly was quick to agree, "A show of force from multiple kingdoms would be ideal. We may have to take his daughter prisoner as well."
"I agree with lord Tarly, We can utilize the Redwyne fleet, the royal fleet and maybe even the Lannister fleet." Rogers paused before adding "Given Balon's actions should we send men to collect Theon Greyjoy to be brought here for execution?"
"Beggin your pardon Lord Rogers, but I feel that his death would mean nothing to Balon. If he had been concerned with his safety he would have refrained from doing anything that put him at risk."
"True, but the terms of Balon's surrender were clear."
Stannis looked at them all before speaking again. "Have Robb Stark informed of the situation, tell him Theon Greyjoy is to return to the Red Keep with our men, he will not be executed but he will be kept here till we decide what to do with house Greyjoy. Prepare the royal fleet to depart as soon as possible. Send a raven to Lord Redwyne telling him to prepare his fleet, the royal fleet will meet them and go to fair island together. The Lannister fleet will also go with them, but the northern forces will be used instead of the Lannister soldiers. Davos, offer Salladhor Saan sail with the fleet, tell him his fee will be paid with Greyjoy's gold."
"And who will be in charge of the fleet?"
"Lord Davos will be in overall command of the fleet, Lord Stark will oversee the troops should if a siege of Pyke is required. They will search for and confiscate the iron fleet. They will also arrest Balon Greyjoy for breaking the treaty along with his brother Victorian. They will also deliver a letter signed by the council to inform Lord Harlaw he is the new lord paramount of the Iron Islands."
His announcement was met with grim faces and nods of approval, Davos then spoke up. "Then perhaps we could leave a few ships for Lord Harlaw? He will likely need them to keep the rest of the lords in line."
"Lord Davos raises an excellent point." Said Mallister, "Some might use the change of lordship as an opportunity for nefarious activities. Best to provide Harlaw with the means to keep them in line."
Stannis nodded in agreement and told Davos to decide what he thought would be a reliable number of ships to give Harlaw before dismissing the council members who setoff to their tasks. He returned to his desk once they left and returned to the reports he had been going over prior to the meeting.
Shireen walked through the castle hall following the guard sent by her mother to find her. It had been several weeks since they had heard from her father, his last letter had stated they were marching to King's Landing. She had checked the maps in his solar and by her estimates they should have arrived and beaten the Lannisters. The possibility of her father losing had never entered her mind. She knew he had plenty of experience at war as well as four kingdoms supporting him, she had read enough history to know that the Lannisters would not defy her father for much longer.
The guard opened the door to the main hall where her mother was seated at the high table eating her dinner.
"Shireen, where have you been?"
"I was with Measter Cressen. He had found a book for me about roads of Valeria and we got carried away with discussing it."
Her mother let out a sigh, "Well at least you were learning something instead of playing with the fool. We have received word from your father."
"Really!" She walked over and sat beside her eagerly listening.
"He has taken King's Landing and defeated the Lannisters. He has sent for us to join him at the Red Keep. We will be leaving in four days, understood?"
"Yes mother!" she smiled as a servant laid out her meal for her, after thanking her and eating a few bites she looked to her mother. "Who else will be coming with us?"
"Measter Cressen will come to continue your studies. A few members of the castle staff as well as a few guards."
"Is the Red Woman still advising father?" She hoped not, the woman always scared her and Ser Davos didn't trust her.
"She…. is not." Shireen looked at her mother, who seemed to look conflicted.
"Did father dismiss her?"
"Your great uncle Argilac killed her when he had arrived at Storm's End."
"Oh" She looked down at her food, "I didn't want her to die, I was hoping Uncle Argilac would convince father to send her away."
Selyse looked at her sharply "What do you mean?"
"I had told him about what the Red woman had been telling father and what she had done to the Sept. I also told him that she frightened me and Ser Davos didn't trust her nor did Cressen."
"Oh Shireen, I know you didn't like her but she is...was the voice for the lord of light, what she did she did for the good of us all." She looked like she wanted to be angry at her, yet before she could say anything else an approaching servant caught her eye.
"Yes? How may I help you?"
The servant was a man Shireen had seen several times before. He worked in the stables for several years now. He still had some hay stuck to his clothes in some places. What looked odd was the expression on his face, he was pale and looked as if he was struggling with something.
"I couldn't help but overhear you, your grace. Is it true the Lady Melisande is dead?"
"Selyse gave him a said smile "I am afraid it is true, tonight we will hold a ceremony in her honor on the beach with the people who followed her."
The man nodded absentmindedly, then looked at Shireen. "You sent the king's uncle to kill the lady?"
Shireen shock her head "No, I didn't want her to be hurt. I promise that wasn't my intention."
"But you sent him all the same, you're the reason she is dead!" His eyes had started to widen in anger, he gripped his hat so tightly his knuckles turned white. Her mother tried to calm him but he didn't listen to her.
"You are the reason she died, it is only right that you be given to the Lord of Light!"
Shireen's eyes widened at his words and next thing she saw was a flash of steel as the man revealed the dagger he had been hiding in his hand.
"THE NIGHT IS DARK AND FULL OF TERRORS!" After shouting he lunged at her over the table.
Shireen barely had time to scream before she was shoved out of her chair by her mother. When she picked herself up from the floor the sight before her made her cry out in anguish.
Her mother stood in front of where she had previously been sitting, the man's knife plunged deep into her chest. Selyse held the man's hand in an attempt to keep him from taking the knife out and chasing her only child. She struggled for a moment before the man punched her and ripped his dagger free. Turning back to her he leaped over the table and ran at her, she scrambled backwards as the rest of the people in the hall ran forward trying to stop the man.
Shireen pushed through the door and ran down the hall, the guard at it was taken aback by her barreling out the door and before he could understand what had happened the dagger wielding maniac crashed into him cutting his throat in the process.
The chase continued until the man grabbed her arm and threw her against the wall.
"Your death will appease The Lord of Light and he may forgive us for letting his priestess die!"
She waited for the blade to strike her but she saw a hand grab the hand at the last moment. An arm then wrapped around the man's throat and pulled him of her, she looked up and saw Patchface over his shoulder.
"Run milady!"
She ran to the corner of the hall and looked back as the two struggling men backed against the wall, the man tried to shake Patchface off by slamming him into the wall several times before he missed the wall and hit a window instead. Shireen watched wide eyed as the two men fell through the window, heard the scream of the madman, then a crunch. She slid down the wall and hugged her knees as she began to weep. The guards and the servants found her and brought her to Cressen while they tended to the dead.
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