Reign of the Fallen

A Game of Thrones Fanfiction

By Millie55

Cassius

Kneeling before House Bolton had released the tension in the air. It had brought satisfaction to the bastard, putting the lord of Fort Stryder at ease. He no longer felt as if his life, or the lives of his family were in danger. They had sworn fealty to the new Warden of the North. Was it the right choice? In Cassius' mind, it was the only option. There was too great a risk in defying him. The last thing he needed was his family and home being burned to the ground. They had lost too much already, as they stood divided across the lands. He would rather be known as a traitor in the future, than be a dead man in the current. Ruling over Fort Stryder, and keeping his family safe in these dangerous times meant Cassius needed to be thinking ahead, and his strategy could have no flaws. The cracks in his foundation however, were already evident. Cassius had many weakness. All of them, were members of his family.

The very thing that made him strong, was also the delicate framework that could make him falter. With the loss of Zachariah, Cassius was hit by a heavy blow. Left heart broken, and although he was surrounded by those who cared for him, Cassius felt very much alone. Losing someone so close to you, a twin, it was if a part of you soul was gone. Leaving a great emptiness in his being that he was trying desperately to fill.

In hindsight, the compulsion of taking a bride was the first attempt in making himself whole again. The new lord could hold her close, finding the physical connection he craved. Could this attraction they shared surpass such it's physical nature? Was this a woman he could love and trust in these times? Thoughts like these were ones Cassius attempted to push into the back of his mind. They weren't exactly his favorite thing to think about while he was cock deep in his more that blushing bride.

Strong arms extended forward, they found leverage at the headboard of the bed. Calloused hands gripped at the wood, its stability drawing deeper into the whore he had made his wife with much greater force. The pleasure it gave her was evident in the air, Lady Ingrid was not a quiet lover. The lord attributed this to her training. Walking past the old brothel, all one could hear was the passionate moans of the whores inside. It was a wonder if those moans were genuine, if the pleasured sounds of his lover were genuine. Mind taking over again, Cassius grew frustrated. Thoughts begged answers, many of which called himself and his lordship into question.

With the abrupt creak of his chamber doors, thoughts were silenced. Glanced back over his shoulder, balls deep in an awkward situation, Cassius shouldn't have been so surprised to find Jonus. He was a man that did not know what knocking or privacy was. "As you can see brother, I am quite busy at the moment-" the smile that took his face was quite coy, spreading from ear to ear. Cassius had no shame as he remained sheathed inside Ingrid's moist warmth.

"My apologies but an issue has come to my attention that I had thought you would want to be brought forth to you. If you would rather I can take the issue on myself and leave you to your...business," Jonus made his purpose known before shying away behind one of the doors.

"What begs my attention?" Cassius ignored all need to continue to love his wife and fell into his role of lord with ease. His duty came first.

"A man has rolled up to our gates. Claims to have the bodies of those who lost their lives at the twins. He asks for payment Cassius, but he has Zachariah-"

Removing himself from the bed he took awkward strides to retrieve his trousers. "Rush to the gates, do whatever it takes to prevent the man from his departure. I will not risk the body of my brother being dumped into the river. Zachariah deserved so much more than that."

With his command, Jonus as made haste, leaving the lord and his lady in there chambers alone. Glancing back over his shoulder, it didn't take Cassius much to notice that Ingrid was less than satisfied. "I can't even tell you how many times we have been interrupted, I swear we truly have no time alone Cassius. Someone is always there with something to tare you away from me."

"You maybe be my Lady, Ingrid. I was a lord before I was a husband. My duty cannot be ignored. Not while the risk of threat is so great."

Dressed now, Cassius moved for the door, but a grasp took hold of his bicep, squeezing tight to prevent him from going further. "Please don't leave me-"

"This matter is one regarding my brother, it is not one I am going to hand off to another. It remains too great a deal to me. I will be back soon," the promise left his lips before they could find the warmth of her forehead. A frown found him, as she pulled away. How could she not understand? This was his family he spoke of, did she not see any value in his loyalties? A knot formed in the pit of his stomach, his mind looming over his family. Did Ingrid put them at risk? The thought nearly brought the lord to illness, but he let the rotting corpses on the delivery cart finish the job.

Graying bodies lay limp, piled upon one another like trash. Arms and legs were bent every which way. There was even one arm that hung off the cart by the body's thread, blackened nails scraping the dirt with each wind induced sway. Atop the throne of corpses sat late Lord Zachariah Gwhendel. His body remained in his blood stained armor, but had been picked clean of any silver and gold that could be sold. Lifelessly, his head lulled back, mouth agape to let out silence screams. Around his head, buzzed a crown of flies, laying their eggs in the portion of his skull that had been crushed in during the battle.

Looking down at his feet, Cassius felt great sorrow. This was not a state he wished to ever see his brother in. Composure was hard to find as he was caught between many emotions. Anger. Sadness. Disgust. Even happiness. It was one he did not expect to feel as his icy eyes looked into those of his brother that were once full of life, but had now found they grey fog that was death. His brother was home. That was all he could ever have asked for. "Pay this man the money he asks for," he made clear and directed townsmen to retrieve the body of his brother from the cart. "Zachariah, take him to the crypt where he will lay with those who have passed before him. Ready him for his eternal rest. We will pay our respects at night fall. What we do with the rest I care not-" he made clear, earning disappointed mutters for the lesser folk who had gathered around the fortress' gates. This made his body tense, he could not have these people question his ruling, "have those with family lost claim them and follow the custom of their choosing. Burn the rest."

Taking one last look of heartache towards the body of his brother as he was carried away, Cassius then turned on the heels of his boots and moved to make his way back to the castle. He would not let anyone see him cry. Not his people, his brothers and sister, mother nor his wife. He needed to remain strong for them. The lord needed a place to seclude himself from the rest of the world, and he knew just the place.

It was the tallest tower in Fort Stryder, this structure weak as Cassius swore he felt the stone shift when the winter wind blew strong. From above, he could see almost all of his land and his people. They looked much like insects from this height and it put him at ease. From here he felt as a lord should, powerful. Down there, among them he felt helpless. This was something he was not ready for. The decisions, and choices, they left his mind screaming. Desperately he wanted to seek help, but no. That would be a sign of weakness. He could not be a weak lord. He would not disappoint his father.

Hands balled into fists at his sides, Cassius did his best to find control over the chaos in his mind. Instead, he only found himself growing more frustrated. Soon, his breathing was heavy, and his brows set into a scowl. Anger pulsed through him, from heart to every limb. Ear splitting was the scream that left his lips, echoing off the fortress walls. Thankfully, he was far enough away from the nearest handmaiden, commoner or family member to be heard. Fists met the stone walls, the force broke skin and shatter knuckles, leaving blood streaming down the walls until he could no longer stand the pain he inflicted upon himself. Stepping back, he was left trembling from the pain, his stomach twisted in knots as he was faced with the threat of vomiting. It was one he battled with little difficulty.

Leaving a trail of blood behind him, the young Lord began his journey towards his chambers. He wished to have no one see him this way. Damaged. Weak.

Blood slid down the skin of his finger tips. Staining the gray stone beneath him with the splatter of drops. Distant eyes watched them fall, just missing his boot with every step he took. Only did the damaged lord look up when he heard a tiny gasp. Head raising to rest strongly on his shoulders he found that the gasp had left feminine lips. Those of his little sister.

"Sofya-"

"What happened to your hands?" her small voice took the air as she rushed to him. Her small hands found his, they were cold, and her tough brought a groan from his mouth. Lips moved to answer, but the adolescent gave him no time to respond. A fist grasped him by the tunic and was leading him off through the corridors of their home. Cassius did not fight her grasp. On did not challenge the youngest born daughter and get away with it. Not even the lord.

"Mother!" the voice of Sofya chimed when they had reached their final destination. The throne room. Inside there was a quarrel at play between Adilayde and Jonus. The yelling only brought a pounding to Cassius's skull. It was almost as if Sofya sensed this and shouted again. "Shut it! Shut it! Shut it! Mother! Cassius did something stupid!"

Those were the words that brought silence to the air. Mother and son held their tongues only turn their attention to the young lady. "I thought I told you not to talk about that any further," came the voice of their mother. That? The thick brows of the lord came together. Just what was she speaking of? What was his family keeping from him? What had be done to drive them into such secrecy?

Soon his mother stood before him, taking his bloodied hands in her own. Looking down at her, he could see he pain in her eyes. Not caused by just his hands, but the events of days passed. If he could, he would do anything to go back an trade places with his brother Zachariah. His family would be better off then. Wouldn't they?

"Your sister is right, you did do something stupid," his mother told him, only for his face to wrinkle and disapproval. "We'll get you patched up and sent off for a bath, you need rest Cassius. Between Ingrid, House Bolton and your brother you have gotten little time to rest," she frowned as a hand reached up to stroke the strength of his jawline, "you are going to drive yourself mad if you keep this going."

"I need to," a sigh left his lips as he pulled away from his mothers touch, "for father. Until he returns to Fort Stryder. He put trust in me to watch our lands for him, to ready for the battles to come. I will not just sit back and watch everything fall around us. Not after what happened to Zachariah. I will get justice!"

Silence took the room, Cassius' body captivated by the heavy breaths of anger. It was also now that the pain of his hands took him, earning a further groan. Letting his mother take him, he was seated in his throne. Adilayde sat on the ground before him, taking in the sight of the damage. It wasn't long until the maester had been fetched to tend to his injury. Mother kept close, and Sofya was sent off to her chamber, yet Jonas remained lingering along the walls. Cassius couldn't help but to notice the glances her kept sending their way, and the way his brother kept looking down at his feet and mumbled to himself in thought.

"There be something on your mind brother, it is in your best interest to share it or it will be you that is driven mad," Cassius advised him and tried to ignore the uncomfortable pressure that the bandages left on his hands. His spoken words caused his little brother to jump in the slightest. This only made the lord more curious.

"Mother has asked me not to speak of it," Jonus started as he approached his brother with confidence in his steps, "but if you ask of me to speak I shall not remain silent. We have received a letter from House Forrester. Lord Ethan, he- he has been killed by Ramsey Bolton and they are under the threat of Lord Whitehill. They write to us in their time of need as friends and as allies. This is not something that can go ignored brother. Not when the North has been left to the reign of a monster. Not when it is justice you seek."

"House Forrester is greatly weakened. Their only heir is a young boy, aligning ourselves with a dying house would only weaken us further," Cassius claimed before lowering his head to quietly thank the maester for his service.

"House Forrester has access to iron wood, some of the strongest for battle. This will not be an alliance that goes one way. I will take it upon myself to ride to Ironwrath myself and speak with Lady Forrester. I am not here to ask for you permission, but to tell you that I will stand with House Forrester and fight for them with or without your support."

If Cassius could clench his hands in his fists, that was the moment in which he would have chosen to hit his brother. Who did he think he was, speaking to him in such a manner, and acting in the disinterest of his own house. Cassius could not just sit there and let it happen, could he? If his brother was to ride to Ironwrath, House Gwhendel wanted something in return. "You ride to Ironwrath, but we will not aid without payment. I am not wasting resources on a lost cause unless there is something to take from it." A smile then took his features. He knew exactly what he could take from them. Another seat in the North.