Highgarden 298 AC.
Margaery.
Ghost had woken her from a nap and was dragging at her hand, pulling her with him and she worried something had happened to Jae but the wolf made it clear that it had not. Instead, he wished for her to follow him, so she did as he bid and very soon it became clear why. How they had gotten into the keep she didn't know nor who she could trust. That her own guards moved with her and that Ghost seemed comfortable with them was the only reason she was.
They turned a corner and found themselves face to face with more of their men, her guards moving to them only for Ghost to snarl. She tried to call them back but it didn't work and she watched in horror as they were taken down by the others. The three men who'd done so then moved toward her, one of them smiling at her and filling her heart with dread, only for Ghost to move as swiftly as she'd ever seen him. She felt no concern or regret at the loss of the three men's lives, Ghost dispatching them as if they were nothing only giving her relief.
The wolf bid her follow and she knew better than not to, on and on they moved, through hallways, ducking into rooms, Margaery wondering how Ghost seemed to know where was safe and where wasn't. Finally, it seemed her luck ran out, they were trapped, and ahead of them stood five men. Where she got the strength from she didn't know, only that she was a queen, Jae's queen, and she'd not cower from men like these.
When two men moved towards her, Ghost again moved quicker. The wolf taking them down and coming back to her side and Margaery looking down at him Gratefully. Jae had left her the best Kingsguard he could she thought as she stood straighter and watched the men in front of her. When she heard the roar she knew he'd arrived, and then before she knew it she saw him. Ser Arthur and Ser Barristan were standing by his side, and the smile quickly came to her face. That he asked the man to surrender to her only made the smile bigger and then before she knew it she was in his arms, his lips on hers and she felt as safe as she could have wished to be.
"You came?" she asked.
"For you, always." he said and she felt the butterflies in her chest as he looked her over, almost as if he was checking to make sure there was not a mark on her body, the look in his eyes promising retribution to all of her attackers if there was.
"I'm unharmed, Jae, Ghost, he protected me." she said and saw him rub the wolf's head.
"Thank you boy, thank you for everything." Jae said and though she wished to speak to him, she needed to know about her family, about the war, and about the battle outside her home.
"Jae, is it over?" she asked.
"Garlan is accepting the surrender of the Dornish army, Loras and Walder are with him. Sansa is with Fang and Willas, they're unharmed. I can't be certain about the rest of your family, but Ghost will take us to them." he said taking her hand.
He nodded to Ser Arthur and Ser Barristan to move the prisoners and they all followed Ghost down the hall. Quickly stopping at a room where Ghost scratched at the door and when it opened she saw Willas and Sansa, each of them running to their respective sibling. She asked Willas if he was hurt, just to be certain he was not, and smiled when she heard Jae do the same to Sansa.
"The battle is over, Ghost will take us to your family Lord Willas, both you and Sansa should come with us." Jae said, leaving no room for argument.
"Of course your grace, my brother, he is well? "Willas asked.
"Garlan is unhurt, Lord Willas, he's with Loras and Ser Walder." she said and Willas nodded, Margaery taking it quickly when Jae offered her his hand once more.
They began to move once again, Jae stopping when Ghost did or when Fang growled and then nodding to Barristan. Margaery watched as the Kingsguard moved with both wolves, the men in front of them soon taken care of and no longer a problem allowing them to move on.
"You may wish to close your eyes." he said to her and Sansa though both of them shook their heads, these men had attacked her home, as far as she was concerned they deserved all they had gotten.
When they made it to the hall where she assumed her family was she saw men lined up against them, though the wolves didn't seem worried or concerned by these and when she looked to Jae she saw he wasn't either. Even seeing the king didn't seem to be enough for them and so she and Willas stepped forward, the men then moving out of their way and allowing them to pass.
Before she knew it she was in her mother's arms, followed swiftly by her grandmother's. Her mother moving from her to Willas, who though he looked embarrassed welcomed the embrace. As Jae told them about the events outside, she saw her grandmother relax and then stiffen. She wondered what that was about but it was what Jae said next which took her attention from it to him.
"What do you mean you're going outside?" she said, anger and worry in her voice.
"We need to find out who is on our side and who is not, Ser Barristan and Ghost will stay here. I'll take Fang with me along with Ser Arthur and as we move we'll pick up more Leal men." Jae said.
"You can't." she said and saw both Sansa and surprisingly Ser Arthur agree.
"I have too, I need to know you're safe, that the threat is gone. I need to know it myself Margaery, me, not someone else's word, I need to know." he said looking at her trying to get her to understand, she did but she wasn't going to allow him to leave her and head into danger.
"It's not safe Jae, you're the king, you can't risk yourself so." she said shaking her head.
"I'll not, but I'll risk you even less. Trust me, if I sense anything that is more dangerous than what I've faced getting here, then Ser Arthur has my permission to knock me on my head and drag me back if need be." he said and though it was an amusing image it didn't comfort her.
"Please Jae, don't do this, for me." she said and he looked at her, her worry and upset finally getting through to him.
"As my queen commands." he said softly as he took her in his arms.
She knew if she looked up she'd see the relieved looks on Sansa's and her grandmother's face, both Ser Arthur and Ser Barristan nodded to her and took up positions in the room just in case they were needed. It was a couple of hours later when Garlan, Loras, and Ser Walder arrived. Margaery rushing to both her brothers to make sure they too hadn't been hurt.
Jae sat in the corner and called Ser Barristan and Ser Walder over, speaking to them both softly and then the two knights, Ghost, and three of the men Garlan had brought back with him left the room. Ghost sniffing at the men before they did so. Where he'd sent them she could only guess but given how he was now sitting with his eyes closed, she believed he was in the white wolf alongside them.
As Garlan explained that he'd taken lords and knights into custody and his men were guarding the remainder of the Dornish army. Jae finally stood up and walked over to them, seemingly whatever he'd gone to do was now done. They arranged for food to be brought though she had no real appetite and nor it seemed did many of the others. Garlan and the Kingsguard along with some of the other guards did eat though, Margaery envying their ability to do so.
"How are you feeling, Marge, truly?" Jae asked as she sat beside him, the plate of food in front of her untouched.
"I was unafraid, Jae, I don't know why. Ghost was beside me and I knew he'd not let me be harmed but I was unafraid, it was, I don't…the attack in King's Landing, was different." she said.
"I'm sorry my love, I'm sorry I've put you at risk, I'll make him pay, I swear it, I'll see him dead for this." Jae said and she nodded.
She knew he'd do exactly as he said, the resolve in his voice, the determination in his posture, the anger in his eyes, all telling her so.
"Let's not speak of it until tomorrow, I just want to be with my husband." she said and he reached out to take her hand and raise it to his lips, kissing it softly.
"As I want to be with my wife."
Highgarden 298 AC.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
His relief at making it on time was palpable, yet as he walked with Margaery to her room that wasn't what he was reflecting upon. It was instead her calmness, her poise, how she had looked when faced with men trying to take her from him. Hearing her bring up the attack in King's Landing only further strengthened his resolve to see Doran pay. That she because of that was more able to handle this, while making him glad of it, didn't do much to make him hate Doran any less.
Holding her hand and sitting with her as Garlan told him about the prisoners they'd taken, looking through Ghost's eyes as he, Barristan, and Walder rooted out any who had hidden, only proved even more just how strong she was. That more than even his relief was perhaps what was going through his mind as they reached her room, Arthur and Loras taking up position outside. When they walked into the room itself, Ghost sat down on the floor facing the door, and then she was in his arms kissing him, it was frenzied, rushed, as if she needed it like she needed air to breathe. Jae found himself needing it just as much and when it finally began to grow softer and sweeter, he moved from her so he could look into her eyes.
"My queen." he said softly, feeling yet not seeing her smile.
"My king."
She moved to the bed and lay down, Jae taking off his armor before joining her. Very quickly he was just enjoying the feeling of Margaery's head on his chest and of having his arm wrapped around her. When he lay down beside her, his hand brushed through her hair and he felt her move even closer to him, wrapping herself up tightly against him as he held her and never wanted to let her go. He felt her give a little shiver, then heard a small little gasp, and knew the emotion of the day was finally getting to her. Worried that she was finally going to realize just how much danger she had been in, he tried to distract her.
"I don't think there's ever been a king as lucky as I." he said softly and she raised her head to look into his face.
"Why?" she asked.
"My queen isn't just brave and strong, she's not just loving and caring or smart and beautiful." he said seeing her blush a little "She's fierce too and not afraid to tell her king when he's being a fool."
He chuckled when she did, Margaery looking at him with her lopsided grin on her face now. Whatever worries she had been close to giving in to, now forgotten, temporarily at least.
"Perhaps my dear husband will try and not be so foolish in future?" she asked both jesting and serious at the same time.
Jae looked at her as if he was deep in thought, staring at her just silently for a moment, and then when he knew she was on the verge of saying something he shook his head.
"No, there's no fun in that, beside's I like when my wife puts me in my place. When she shows her thorns." he said smiling.
"Jaehaerys Targaryen, I do not have thorns." she said pretending to be affronted.
"Maybe it's time for your grandmother to abdicate, my queen of thorns." he said his smile bigger now although soon it was to be knocked off his face, only to be replaced by loud laughing.
For a man who had trained with the best swordsmen in the land, who sparred with Jaime and Arthur almost every day, you'd think he'd have been able to duck the pillow when it hit him in the head. Even failing the first one, surely he'd have ducked the second. Yet over and over again she hit him with her pillow, her laughter ringing out and Ghost looking at them both before turning his head away from them, no doubt thinking they'd both gone mad.
"JAE." she squealed when he took the pillow from her and threatened to hit her back.
Her squeals then only getting louder when he dropped it and grabbed her, his tickling forcing her to move from side to side, her legs kicking out as she tried to move away from him.
"JAE PLEASE" she squealed as she laughed hard, tears falling from her eyes when he finally relented.
He leaned on the bed and watched as she got her breath back, Margaery breathing deeply as she looked up at him, her smile ever-present now. Moving down to her he kissed her softly and rolled back over, his wife moving back to her position on his chest and taking his arm and wrapping it back around her. She then laying contently and holding his hand in hers as he brushed her hair with his free hand.
"You should sleep." he said after a few moments.
"I don't know if I can." she said though there was no fear or worry in her voice.
"I'll not go anywhere, Marge, I'll be right here, I swear it." he said and she nodded.
"I don't think I'm tired enough, I mean I am, I just don't think I'm tired enough to sleep." she said.
"How about a song?" he asked and felt her nod and so he began to sing.
Come, my love, I'll tell you a tale
Of a boy and girl and their love story
And how he loved her oh, so much
And all the charms she did possess
Now this did happen once upon a time
When things were not so complex
And how he worshipped the ground she walked on
When he looked in her eyes, he became obsessed
My love is like a storybook story
But it's as real as the feelings I feel
My love is like a storybook story
But it's as real as the feelings I feel
It's as real as the feelings I feel
This love was stronger than the powers so dark
A prince could have within his keeping
His spells to weave and steal a heart
Within her breast, but only sleeping
My love is like a storybook story
But it's as real as the feelings I feel
My love is like a storybook story
But it's as real as the feelings I feel
It's as real as the feelings I feel
He said, "Don't you know I love you oh, so much
And lay my heart at the foot of your dress?"
She said, "Don't you know that storybook loves
Always have a happy ending?"
Then he swooped her up, just like in the books
And on his stallion, they rode away
My love is like a storybook story
But it's as real as the feelings I feel
My love is like a storybook story
But it's as real as the feelings I feel
It's as real as the feelings I feel
He felt her shudder against him and heard the sniffles as she cried. Moving slowly to look at her, Jae could see despite the tears Margaery was smiling broadly.
"That's so beautiful Jae, did your father write it for your mother?" she asked and he shook his head.
"No, I wrote it for my wife." he said and her tears fell heavier as she kissed him repeatedly.
"Sleep my love, please." he said after a few moments and she nodded.
"I love you Jae." she said and he kissed her forehead.
"I love you too Margaery."
While Margaery slept Jae did not. Instead, he closed his eyes and went to look for the doors, he needed to find out some things and he had the rest of the night to do so. When he closed his eyes though something strange happened, it was as if he was in a large keep, there were doors everywhere and as he opened them he found himself already inside animals, animals he'd not warged into, or had he.
He was in a rat in King's Landing as it scurried across the floor, Jae seeing as Illyrio and the Mummer's Dragon sat and ate in what he assumed were the royal apartments. Next, he was flying over Winterfell, the keep below him quiet in the darkness as men stood on guard at the walls. Over and over he entered door after door, he was a gull on Dragonstone, he was Balerion, a mule on a mountain pass in the Vale and a horse in the Riverlands.
A thousand eyes and one was all he could think of as he finally shut them out and began to wonder what exactly he'd done. Feeling Margaery as she snuggled tightly against him, he decided to forget about it, for now. He would have time to worry about that soon enough, for now, he had other things on his agenda and so he moved against her and fell asleep.
"Morning." he felt her lips on his as she kissed him again, his eyes opening to look at her.
"I could get used to being woken like this." he said and heard her giggle.
"Are you leaving today?" she asked and he shook his head.
"Tomorrow will do, I'd wish another night with my wife." he said and then noticed she'd been up and dressed for some time "Did you sneak from the room, or were your handmaidens in here?" he asked looking at her.
"They and Grandmother, you slept through them all." she said smirking.
"Gods." he said sitting up "Your grandmother?"
"Was most pleased to see you still dressed." Margaery said cheekily.
"Margaery." he said as her smile grew even larger.
"As were my brothers."
"Margaery."
"And father and mother.
"Margaery." he said as she broke into laughter, only stopping when the knock came to the door and Sansa entered.
Jae got up from the bed and walked to his sister, hugging her tightly and asking her if she was well.
"I am, Lord Willas and Fang made sure I was protected, Jon…I mean Jae.."
"Then I am indebted to them both." he said kissing her cheek and ignoring her mistake with the name, it would take some getting used to and in private it made no difference.
He walked to the door to see Walder and Barristan were now on duty and found that Loras and Arthur had gone to rest. Leaving his armor, for now, he, Margaery, and Sansa went to break their fasts. They were soon joined by Garlan, Willas, and Mace, Olenna and Alerie nowhere to be seen. After eating he asked them to join him and to find Olenna, Margaery taking him to a large room to wait for them all.
"Ser Barristan and Loras will be staying here when I leave, Marge, Ghost too." he said as they waited for the others to arrive.
"Jae, you're the king, you're in a war, they should be with you." she said and he shook his head.
"I have Rhaenix, Walder, and Arthur. If anything this shows how much I need Kingsguard's here with you and Sansa. As for the war, I'll explain about that when the others come but it's much closer to the end than you all think."
It took some time for the rest of them to arrive, Jae asking Sansa to stay also which his little sister appreciated. Once they were all sitting down he began to speak, it was time to tell them about what he had been up to and how things had gone with their plans.
"As you may already know Oberyn beat the Stormlords and he has taken Stannis prisoner." he said to nods "My uncles have also beaten the Knights of the Vale, Jon Arryn is currently in their custody."
"Father is safe, Robb?" Sansa asked.
"Are both unhurt, little sister." he said seeing her relieved sigh.
"The Iron Born attempted to take the North while its men were in the South, they were not successful. Arya and Bran are both safe, Sansa." he quickly added before she worried "Theon Greyjoy and his sister Asha are both resting in our dungeons."
"Robert and the Golden Company." Margaery asked and Jae took a breath waiting for the inevitable reactions.
"I challenged Robert to single combat, a surrender for a surrender." Jae said and heard the annoyed huffs and then he felt Margaery's hand in his "As you can see I won, Robert Baratheon is dead."
He looked to each of them, Olenna looking happy as was Mace, Sansa looking at him concernedly but that was he had no doubt more about the risk he took, then anything else.
"You killed him, your grace?" Willas asked.
"I beat him, struck a mortal blow but when he asked me to end him I could not. Ser Arthur executed him in my name." he said seeing some nods.
"Why not your grace?" Mace asked.
"Cursed is the kinslayer, Lord Tyrell, and my family cannot afford to be cursed more than it already has been." he said to nods.
"So the Golden Company surrendered?" Olenna asked.
"No, my lady. It turns out they have a new king, a boy claiming to be my brother, Aegon." he said his anger clear.
"But Aegon died." Alerie said.
"Could he have, is it possible?" Willas asked.
"My brother is dead my lord, of that there is no doubt. This boy is nothing short of a mummer. He already tried to pass himself off as my brother to my aunt. I'd assumed her was still in Essos, something happened though, her dragons perhaps." he mused.
"Your grace?" Willas asked.
"What you're about to see, don't let it alarm you." he said and asked for a candle to be brought, putting his hand into the flame and feeling Margaery pull his other hand and then even more frantically when he placed the flame under his chin.
"By the gods." Olenna said as Willas wrapped his arm around a clearly distressed Sansa.
"A dragon doesn't fear the flames, my lady. The boy claiming to be my brother is burned, half his face maybe more I'm not sure as he wears a mask. Rhaenix knows he's not Aegon, I know he's not Aegon, if he were then I'd give up my throne to him without thought." he said and felt Margaery squeeze his hand once again, showing her support.
"Then how? Who?" Olenna asked.
"Given who he was backed up by I think that's obvious, who do the Golden Company follow?" he asked.
"Blackfyres." Margaery said from beside him.
"So you now have to face a Blackfyre and the Golden Company, your grace?" Garlan asked, Jae not sure if he was sounding eager for more battles or if he was simply stating the facts.
"The Golden Company is no more." he said simply.
"Jae?" Margaery asked.
"After Robert's death the leaders of the Golden Company refused to live up to his terms, they told me they served another king and so a parley was called for. At the end of this parley, they tried to kill me." he said feeling Margaery's hand squeeze his own tightly.
"How your grace?" Garlan asked.
"An Arrow, thankfully my armor was strong. Unfortunately for them, they woke the dragon, both the one in me and the one in Rhaenix. Claiming to be our brother was bad enough, to then try and kill me, Rhaenix and I would not let that go. So rather than the plan I believe my uncle carried out on Lygaron, the Golden Company instead faced a field of fire."
Highgarden 298 AC.
Olenna.
She listened as the king spoke of ending the Golden Company, of the devastation he had wrought upon them and she smiled. A king needed to be ruthless and be willing to do terrible things, it should not be what he would normally do but people needed to know that he would. Having dragons and not using them to strike a certain amount of fear made them pointless. Jaehaerys was a dragon, he needed to be a dragon, and that he was doing so filled her with a sense of ease.
Given what had almost happened here, she needed it. She had barely slept the night before, her worry that her inaction had almost brought about the ruin of her house preying on her mind all night. Had the dragon not arrived when it did, then who knows how many of her family would be alive here this morning. Olenna tried to keep up with what was being said, but her mind kept going to Doran and wondering what the king would do to him.
"When I leave on the Morrow, Ser Barristan and Ser Loras will stay here, from now on Margaery will have a Kingsguard with her at all times, Sansa I'd ask you stay close to Margaery too, so Ser's Barristan and Loras can watch over you also." Jaehaerys said and Olenna felt a huge amount of relief.
"Dorne, your grace? Garlan asked.
"Oberyn and my cousins are with me, I'm not certain about Prince Trystane but given his age, I doubt his father involved him in his plans. As for Prince Quentyn, he's with Oberyn right now, planning to stab me in the back."
"What do you intend to do about him, your grace?" Willas asked.
"Quentyn will be allowed take the black, Doran will die." the king said simply and Olenna once again breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good, he has now twice tried to kill my granddaughter, I should have dealt with him the first time." she said and saw the king glare at her.
"Out, all of you, Lady Olenna, you stay." Jaehaerys said loudly.
"Jae?" Margaery said from beside him.
"You too, Margaery." he said his voice much softer now.
She looked at her son and Goodaughter, her grandsons, and Sansa nodding as she looked back to see the king, for that was what he was right now. Not Jae, not Jon, not even Jaehaerys, as she looked at him she could see he was holding his temper in, and it actually frightened her a bit that he was able to and at the thoughts of what he'd do once he let it go.
Once everyone had gone from the room, the king stood up and began to pace, Margaery looking at him worriedly.
"When did you find out?" he asked.
"I worked it out not long after the attack." she said and Margaery looked to her shocked.
"And you kept it from me?" he asked.
"We felt it best."
"WE?" he said almost shouting.
"A few of the other ladies and I spoke of it, we felt it for the best if it waited until, after the war. We never dreamed Doran would actually act before then."
"Did you not? It never occurred to you that the man who had tried to kill my wife would perhaps try again?"
"We increased the guards." she said defensively.
"And a lot of good that did you." the king said "Who?"
"Who, What?" she asked trying to bide her some time to think.
"Don't play games with me, not now. Trust me, my lady I am in no mood for such." the king said, and once again she could see how hard he was working to keep his temper in.
"Myself, Lady Genna, Lady Ashara, Lady Dacey, and my Gooddaugther."
"This was in King's Landing, after the attack?" he asked and she nodded.
"Jae, I'm sure my grandmother only wished to protect you." Margaery said.
"Me, what about you? Your grandmother and the rest of those who knew are lucky you were unhurt, had you been…" Olenna looked at him and didn't need to hear him finish.
"Jae."
"No Margaery, they held back information from me, vital information. Had I known then I could have predicted this, predicted him. So no, don't defend her, or them." he said and Margaery looked to her and then him and nodded.
"If you ever keep information from me again my lady, even on the assumption that it protects me, if you for a moment keep it from me then I'll forget I'm married to your granddaughter, do I make myself clear."
"Your grace, I.."
"Do I make myself clear, Lady Olenna?" the king said firmly.
"You do your grace, I apologize for not telling you sooner."
"For now I don't accept it." the king said walking to the door, stopping and turning to look back at her and Margaery "For now." he said a little softer.
Margaery glowered at her and then stood up and walked out after her husband and Olenna sat there alone, she couldn't fault anything he'd said and if anything she welcomed it. That he cared so much about her granddaughter only proved once more how right he was her. She would speak to the other ladies and let them know, no doubt they too would be on the end of an ear-bashing from the king. Olenna found herself sitting and wondering if this was what her son felt like after one from her.
Dinner that night was far more pleasant than she had expected, the king's attitude to her and Alerie seemed unaffected by the events earlier which she was happy about. Loras came over to speak to her once it was done, telling her that he and Barristan would be taking over the duty rosters for her guards. That between them and Garlan they'd decide which ones stayed nearest to family.
"You are not upset to be left here?" she asked worried he would be, that he'd wish to take part in whatever battles were left.
"His grace told me he trusted no one more to watch over his queen, he asked me not as a Kingsguard but as his closest friend and Goodbrother." Loras said proudly.
"I'm grateful you'll be here, you and Ser Barristan."
"It's an honor to have the Lord Commander guard the queen, the king knows the message this sends grandmother." Loras said.
The next morning she watched as the king said his goodbyes, Jaehaerys speaking to each of them before finally standing in front of her, Olenna looking at him nervously.
"I'll see it done and then end this war, my lady. Soon we'll be readying for a wedding and moving into the Red Keep itself, I hope you'll be joining us more permanently. I would welcome your advice and counsel." he said surprising her.
"I'd be more than happy to give it, your grace." she said and was surprised when he hugged her before he moved to Sansa and then Margaery.
The kiss they shared was anything but proper and yet she'd not begrudge them it. That morning just like the morning before she'd gone to Margaery's room to find he'd stayed the night and just like the other time, he'd slept fully dressed. As she watched him, Ser Arthur and Ser Walder climb onto the dragon's back, she closed her eyes and said a small prayer. She prayed things would be brought to a speedy conclusion, that he had good fortune and she asked the gods to keep him safe.
Margaery walked over to her once they flew off, her granddaughter showing her own concern and upset. Olenna did her best to comfort her but she knew she was a poor substitute for the man who'd just left. Looking to Ser Barristan and to Loras she nodded as they turned to walk back into the keep. The two Kingsguard walked no more than a pace behind them, both of them with their hands on their swords, and Olenna welcomed the security they brought.
"What do you think he'll do to Prince Doran, Margaery" she asked though she was more than certain herself what that would be.
"He'll bring him Fire and Blood, grandmother." Margaery said firmly and Olenna felt a shudder run down her spine, wondering just exactly how far the king would go.
The Riverlands 298 AC.
Littlefinger.
Word came that the northern army had begun to march away, the Vale had fallen and Jon Arryn was now a prisoner. He'd even heard that Ned Stark now carried a Valyrian steel blade and he cursed Lyn for fighting rather than coming to him. Littlefinger was sitting in his solar, the books open in front of him as he added up the numbers. His coin in King's Landing was lost to him, his assets there either to be swallowed up by the new king or by his own workers.
The account in the Iron Bank would make him comfortable but in Essos he'd be to the magisters little more than a pauper. The simple truth was that for all his schemes, his plans, plots he'd spent years working on, the end result was very little. It had taken coin to make his moves and he'd spent a lot on the assumption that more would be forthcoming.
Even when Illyrio had come into his life and he had access to more, he'd used most of it to further his interests in the Vale. Running one long term plot was costly, two was damn expensive. Yet apart from the woman sleeping in his bed in the other room, he'd not, in the end, come close to the dream he'd had all his life. Now if anything that dream was turning into a nightmare.
"My lord, your meal." the girl said and he nodded, letting her put it on the table.
"Is my wife still asleep?" he asked and the girl nodded before moving quickly from the room, those who worked for him knowing better than to incur his displeasure.
As he ate he found he'd little appetite, the food being eaten more for something to do rather than out of hunger. Two sisters, his life in the end had come down to the desires two sisters enflamed. One who desired him more than anything in this world and one he desired from the moment he saw her. He'd done his best to repel one and try to encourage the other and yet his luck was out and it had been the reverse for so many years.
From his bed recovering from the injury the wild wolf had inflicted on him, he'd planned. When she came to him and he was at his worse he planned, he'd see everyone who denied him, belittled him, or held him down, he'd see them all cower at his feet. Lysa was easy, her love for him unconditional, and as distasteful as it was for him, he had done what was needed to bring her on board.
Cat was much harder, distance, her marriage to Ned Stark, her father, and what she was to him compared to what she could bring him required much more thought. Edmure was useless though which was a boon and through Cat, he could perhaps gain the Riverlands, maybe even the North. Where Lysa only brought him the Vale. So he'd moved in the background, allowed Edmure to be even more useless and it had only required a nudge here and there to leave the Riverlands ripe for the taking.
Hoster was more of a problem, but a solution presented itself in the Maester and his lust being far more than his purse could afford. It wasn't supposed to be so soon though and for that, he blamed Ned Stark and his bastard. Their own moves forcing Cat into the field much sooner than he had expected and he couldn't take the chance he'd lose the opportunity.
"Petyr you didn't wake me?" Cat said walking into his solar.
"Forgive me, my love, you were so upset at the news, I felt you deserved some extra rest." he said.
"Aye I did, I missed you though, I had worried.."
"Cat, my sweetest Cat, we are wed now, together forever." he said getting up from his seat to kiss her softly "Go break your fast my love, I'll join you presently."
"What are we to do Petyr, Edmure, Jon Arryn they were our final hope." she said and he shook his head.
"There's still the Golden Company, Cat, but the battle being over in the Riverlands gives us an opportunity. We must make haste and move on, in the confusion we can perhaps make it to Wickenden and then to the Drearfort." he said.
"Your home?" she asked wondering why he'd go there.
"Aye, I have some coin and some papers there, if things turn for the worst then we'll head to Essos."
"My children, I'd not see them." she said worriedly.
"For now my love, we must see to our own heads before we can worry about anyone else's, especially should the bastard win." he said seeing her cringe "Would it not for the best if we're where he can't reach us?"
"Aye." she said and he kissed her and sent her to break her fast, finding some of the questions she'd ask him tiresome at times.
He had to admit it was not what he'd expected, to be with her and have her for his own. Whether that was down to her age, that she'd borne children for another man or simply that he gained nothing by being with her he wasn't sure. Things had not worked out as he had planned, and maybe that alone was enough to take the shine of the love he had thought he'd be gaining.
At times he cursed himself, he'd allowed Edmure to be weakened in the hopes that he'd be replaced by his sister's son. Cat being regent a better prospect than Lysa doing the same. Though the more he thought about it, the less he was believing it so, Lysa was pliant and while so far Cat was too, he worried as more and more of the truth came out she'd not remain so.
He stood up and looked out the window, the small town below them would soon give up their whereabouts, the Riverlands were no longer safe ground for them to hide in. It was supposed to be so different, Hoster dead, Edmure pushed aside, Cat regent and Bran as lord. Ned Stark would have been next to fall and then Cat's oldest would bring them the North, his moves in the Vale would soon bring that to him too. Years of work ended by not being able to kill a bastard, a bastard who was not one, and who had taken everything from him.
The next day they rode out of the town, the carriage carrying them both. He'd have loved to be able to go to Maidenpool, it'd be much easier to sail from there. But House Mooton had declared for the dragons once more and he didn't know if he'd trust them. No Wickenden and home and then Braavos, the sooner they were gone from Westeros the sooner he could return. He'd fallen a few rungs but the ladder still was there, he just hoped it wasn't burned away before he had a chance to climb it once more.
"Relax Cat, our retreat is only temporary." he said with a smirk.
Sunspear 298 AC.
Arianne.
She rode hard, Daemon and her last few trusted guards beside her, Drey having come to her aid and practically saving her life. How he had known was beyond her, she'd spent moons rooting out any she thought were spies, replaced guards that she doubted with ones she'd trusted implicitly. Yet it had all come crashing down and were it not for Drey, Daemon, and some others then she'd be facing her father's rage now.
Two days ago.
Daemon rode out with the men, two hundred in all ready to meet the three hundred they had close to the Water Gardens. The need to move against her father was one that hurt her to make but one that she knew she must. Dorne itself would fall if her father succeeded, he may think he'd see dragons brought low but he'd find he was very wrong. Jaehaerys's death would unleash a rage on Dorne not seen since the Dragon's Wroth.
This would be so much worse, Rhaenix was not just a dragon, she was a sister and a sister who had lost one brother already. For someone to take the other from here, then there would be no limit to what she would do. No length she'd not go to and the cost to Dorne would be one far too high to pay. No, she needed to save her father from himself and so she sent Daemon to do what was needed.
Waiting was hard, not knowing even more so, and though the Water Gardens was mere hours away it may as well have been in the North for all it took the news to reach her. Arianne paced in her room and then the shouts came, the screams and as she looked out she saw that Sunspear itself was under attack. At first, it confused her, and then she realized and knew she was in serious trouble.
"Guards." she shouted and her men came running.
"Princess, we must move, there are traitors amongst us." her guard said.
"How many?" she asked.
"More than us." he said and she gulped.
They moved her through the halls, men falling and fighting, some surrendering, the cowards she thought as one of her guards left her side to block men from coming at her. Quickly she ran, her dress pulled up and showing even more leg than it did normally. She heard arrows, crossbow bolts, men beside her fell and she was still too far away from an escape.
By the time she got to the courtyard it was clear she was done for, they'd be taken, she'd be taken, and she had no way out. The sound of horses startled her and she looked to see men ride in, arrows flew and lances hit, and leading from the front swinging a sword was Drey. The men wore Dalt colours, Ser Andrey's personal guard and Arianne felt herself smile.
"Perhaps the princess would like a horse." Drey said as he offered her a beautiful chestnut sand steed.
"Thank you kind Ser." she said climbing up, her dress flying and she for once was glad she'd worn small clothes today of all days.
They rode fast from the courtyard and through the shadow city, out into the open desert, and despite what had happened, Arianne felt herself enjoying the feel of her mount. They soon saw men riding towards them in the distance, Drey had his archers make ready but it was her colors she saw and Daemon leading no more than a dozen men their way.
"It's Daemon, lower your weapons." she said.
"Princess, can we be sure?" Drey asked.
"It's Daemon, Drey, if he's turned on me I've already lost." she said and Drey nodded.
Daemon was bloodied but thankfully not seriously so, his men looking he worst for wear too. He quickly explained what had happened, the 300 men turned on them as they rode. Her father had somehow gotten to them, enough to bring them to his side. Arianne wondered where they were and when Daemon said they were coming behind them, she felt the panic rise.
"Where, who?" she asked, seeking some plan or place to think.
"The desert, princess, the desert then Lemonwood and onto Hellholt. We need to get word to Oberyn and no one can do so better than Ellaria." Daemon said, Drey nodding his agreement.
"Tyrion and Jaehaerys too, it'll take a dragon now to bring my father to heel."
Now.
So they had ridden and they had lost them, or at least that's what they out when they turned back for Lemonwood just how wrong they wore. For almost a day they'd been chased, Arianne believing they'd lose them in the sands and for the briefest moment, it seemed they had, and then she saw the others and realized they were fucked.
She looked back and saw the one's behind her, looked ahead, and saw those in front. They were outnumbered four to one at least, neither facing those ahead or behind giving them the edge. She looked to Daemon to Drey, to the two of her guard who'd survived and she couldn't bear to see them fall, so she pulled up her horse and bid them do likewise.
"It's over, I thank you both." she said softly.
"Princess we could." Daemon said and she shook her head.
"I'll not see you fall, you deserve better, all of you do."
The guard in front of her arrived first and she saw Areo leading them, his axe in his hand and relief on his face. She knew the Norvosi cared for her, he always had, she had been his little princess when she was growing up. Yet it would make no difference here, here he was acting for her father and so nothing she could say or do would change his mind.
"If you step down, I'll grant you your lives." Areo said to Daemon, Drey and their men.
"We step down, Areo, though on this you're on the wrong side." she said looking at him.
"I am on the side I'm always on princess, my prince's."
"Perhaps that's what the princess means Areo. Prince Doran is making a terrible mistake." Daemon said and she saw the briefest glimmer in Areo's eyes.
"You know this to be true, Areo, what he's doing will see Dorne burn, see my father dead, or does he think a dragon will give him mercy."
"It is for my prince to command, for Hotah to obey." Areo said and she knew there was no reasoning with the man.
The others arrived then, and Arianne watched as Daemon and his men, as Drey and his and her guards threw down their weapons. She closed her eyes and wondered what her father would do, what was his plan now? Then she heard it and saw the horses spook, the roar sounding so much louder against the openness of the desert. As Rhaenix flew over them it laid down flames, none close to them but a warning all the same, and then the dragon landed. The king and his Kingsguard climbed down and moved a few feet from them.
"I'll accept your surrender now, do so and I'll not seek further punishment. Do not and each and every one of you shall burn and when I'm done with you, your homes, your families, everyone you love will burn also." the king said.
"You'd not do so, not with the princess here." the leader of the second group said.
"Princess Arianne is Unbowed, Unbent and Unbroken, I believe my cousin would rather die on her feet than live on her knees." the king said and she smiled as she looked to him.
"We'll not surrender, for Dorne." a man said moving, though watching Ser Arthur as he moved Dawn to meet him soon put paid to anyone else getting the same idea. The man falling before he was even close to the king.
"Anyone else? The next one won't face a sword, it'll be a dragon who ends him." the king said and Rhaenix roared loudly to let it be known his words were true.
All of the men, threw down their weapons, only Areo refusing to do so, Arianne begging him to comply.
"Serve. Obey. Protect. Simple vows for a simple man." the king said and Areo looked at him as if he'd seen a ghost "But who you Serve, who you Obey and who you Protect are as important as those vows."
"What know you of my vows?" Areo asked his voice strained.
"I know the man you swore them to is unworthy of them. Was his wife? Is his daughter?" the king asked and Areo looked from the king to her.
"What are your plans for my prince?" Areo asked.
"Help me and I'll not take his life, fight me and you'll die and so will he." Arianne gasped at how cold Jaehaerys sounded saying it.
"You give me your own vow, you'll not seek his death?" Areo asked.
"I'll not seek his death, I may threaten it but I'll not seek it." the king said and Areo nodded, his axe hitting the ground.
Arianne climbed off her horse and made her way to the king, curtsying in front of him and calling Daemon and Drey over.
"Your Grace, my men stand ready for your command." Arianne said.
"Your father is done for princess, no longer is he the Prince of Dorne, that you are kin is the only reason I'll not take his head. That he is kin is the only reason Rhaenix won't burn the Water Gardens to the ground with him inside it."
"What would you see done with him, your grace?" she asked worriedly.
"Ser Arthur tells me that Ghaston Grey is where traitors to Dorne are sent." he said to her shock "For the realm at large let it be known that your father was sent there. Sent as a traitor to Dorne and to me. After a few moons you may find somewhere more suitable for him to end his days, but he must be seen to be taken there and it must be known he was." the king said and she nodded.
"You intend to go to the Water Gardens?"
"I intend you to be taken there as these men's prisoner, let your father confirm what I already know. Ser Daemon strip the prince's men and dress your own in their armor, Areo Hotah will return with you princess, I'll arrive not long after." the king said walking away, Arianne looking as he spoke to the dragon and Rhaenix made her displeasure clear.
As bad as the sentence was, it could be so much worse and Arianne felt comforted by that. At least her father would live.
It took them a day and a half to ride to the Water Gardens, her father actually having the gall to smile at her when she was brought to see him. She briefly worried that Areo would give the game away but knowing her father would live and knowing the consequences of not going along with the King's wishes, the Norvosi played his part as well as could be expected.
"Did you really think I'd not planned for every outcome, that I wouldn't have known your mind?" her father asked.
"I thought my father still retained his senses, what are you thinking? You think Dorne won't burn when you pull on a dragon's tail so?" she asked and he laughed.
"Dragons are irrelevant, I've taken moves to remove them from the board, moves to see your crowned queen of the seven kingdoms, even if I fall afterward."
"Moves?"
"You'll learn of them soon enough, for now, I'll see you…"
The sound of fighting had her father turning his head as his men were taken by hers, Arianne even allowing herself a smile when she saw his surprised look. A larger one when he looked to Areo and realized the man was not coming to his aid. She was surprised by the panic in his eyes when he heard the dragon, the shock when he looked up as Rhaenix flew over them.
"You would sell me out to a bastard king?" he asked.
"You sold yourself, be lucky that this king thinks more of family than you do." she said as she looked to see the king and Ser Arthur and the giant man walking towards her father.
Water Gardens 298 AC.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
He'd fumed, plotted, discarded, and finally settled on what he'd do as he flew to Dorne, Sunspear, the Water Gardens, and finally the desert ending up as his destination. It had taken all he had to calm Rhaenix down when she heard him speaking to Ser Arthur the night before. They'd rested by the Scourge and Arthur had told him about Ghaston Grey and what it meant to the Dornish, suggesting that perhaps would suffice publicly at least.
"You're not letting him go, I mean it, Jae, I don't care, he cannot live not after what he's done."
"And yet I'd not see you hurt your uncle either, Rhae, he's your blood."
"You're my blood, you are all the blood I have left."
"Tyrion, Daenerys, Shiera, Oberyn, and his children, Doran and his, you're not alone Rhae."
"You're all I have of father, Jae, you're my brother, my blood. The others are kin, you and you alone are blood."
"As you are to me, Rhae, trust me there are worst punishments than death."
"If he lives he can plot, plan, one day he may come back for you, even were that not so, he deserves to die." she said angrily, Jae feeling the blood drip from his nose, so strongly did her feelings come across through their bond.
"Trust me, he'll get everything he deserves." he said and though she didn't agree with him, she trusted him for now.
After speaking to Arianne he'd waited in the desert, laying against Rhaenix's side as she slept, his sister calmer now than she had been. He could understand her rage, her anger, he felt it too, a part of him wanting to make an example of Doran's death. It had been with Olenna he'd realized it though, realized he could not. What she had done had angered him greatly, yet he couldn't see her hurt because it would hurt Margaery, Loras, and the rest of his Goodfamily.
What Doran had done was so much worse, and with Olenna it was never really something he would do, more he'd let his anger cloud his mind. So he had wondered if he was doing that with Doran also. He'd began to look at it differently, politically killing Doran would be an issue, more so then sending him to prison. Then there was Oberyn, Arianne, and the rest of his family to think of, right or wrong that his actions may be, they'd hurt them and in turn, he'd be hurting himself.
Now as he walked towards the man his course was set and first things first was to see how much he'd admit to his face. Would he try and lie or deny, try to sway Arianne to his side or would he man up and claim what he did was best for Dorne. Jae found himself eager to find out, to show this man for who he truly was, who Elia had always known he was.
"Prince Doran, finally, though I doubt you'd have wished to see me this way. On my knees, ready to give you your wish I believe would have been your preference." he said as he stood in front of a man who was as far from an uncle to him as could possibly be.
"I would, I nearly did." Doran said and Jae laughed.
"Did you indeed? I believe you've spent too much time playing cyvasse Doran, had you just asked I'd have given you a game to show you just how far out of your depth you truly were." he said as Arianne looked to them both.
"I made the moves the board allowed." Doran spat.
"I fucking own the board." he said back at him "So do you wish to go first, tell your daughter the moves you made and I'll tell you how they were countered?" he asked.
Doran sat there in silence, not looking at him only at Arianne.
"Very Well. You sent the Darkstar to kill my wife." Jae said to a stunned look from the prince and princess's face "Oh you didn't know that Margaery and I were married, hmmm like I said you were playing on my board."
"I'd have known." Doran said.
"Would you now, is your network better than mine own? Let's put that to the test, shall we? Illyrio Mopatis and the boy claiming to be my brother." he said and Arianne looked at him as Jae nodded his head.
"The true king, my true nephew." Doran said and Jae laughed.
"Do you know anything about Targaryen's Doran? Truly? About fire?"
"I…"
"A dragon cannot burn and I've seen this mummer. His scarred face may be hidden under a mask but I smelt the burned flesh, so tell me, is he still my brother, your nephew?"
"I..it matters not Arianne would be…."
"Queen? So that's what he offered you, a decent prize I concur, but one your daughter wants nothing to do with. Arianne will be princess of Dorne, is Princess of Dorne, and will marry my uncle, as both of them wish and you agreed to."
"Only because I didn't know that Aegon lives." Doran said shaking his head.
Jae glared at him angrily and Rhaenix roared.
"My brother died at the Mountain's hands, trust me there is no one who wishes it were not so more than me. This disgrace is an insult to his name, to his mother's name and to Dorne. Yet truthfully you care little about any of that, your sister named me her son and still you seek your will and not hers."
"You are not my nephew." Doran said disdainfully.
"On that, we can agree. I am Oberyn's though, Elia had at least one brother who cared for what she wanted."
"Don't speak about my sister."
"Your sister who you loved so much, who you only wished happiness for, who you'd have never hurt?" Jae said.
"My father loved my aunt." Arianne said.
"Did he, tell her about Ser Garrison?" he said and Doran paled.
"Father?" Arianne asked.
"Tell her."
"How do you know?" Doran asked his voice soft.
"I told you, you're playing on my board. But fine since you won't then allow me. Your aunt was in love with Ser Garrison Fowler, truly and with all of her heart. But duty beats love in some people's eyes and Elia did hers though it broke her heart.
After my brother was born and she could bear no more children, after living with Aerys and having to face him day after day, my father and Elia came to an arrangement. Aegon would be king and keep his place in line and if my father found someone then they'd part, Elia to live her life with her love and my father with his."
"Lies." Doran shouted.
"Is it, tell you daughter what you did to Ser Garrison?"
"I…"
"You poisoned him, took him from her, and even after it she still sought to see my father happy, your sister deserved a better brother than you."
"Father?"
"Read this." Jae said handing her the letter Elia had written.
He watched as she read it, her tears falling as she did so and the angry way she looked back at her father showed she believed her aunt's words and not his.
"I did what needed to be done." Doran said withering under her stare.
"Aye, but for who? Not for your sister, and not for Dorne. So would you like to know how badly you fucked up, truly, how far your plans went awry?" Jae asked with a smile.
"What do you mean?"
"Your son will take the black for his part in your treason as will the treasonous lords you brought to your side, Yronwood, the others all of them."
"Your grace, please." Arianne asked.
"Your brother planned to imprison your uncle, kill him if need be. Do you think Oberyn would have gone peacefully?" he asked Arianne and she shook her head "Yet Quentyn planned to move against him all the same, I cannot be merciful when it comes to treason, so he takes the black."
"Your wife's life hangs in the balance, you think my plans only relied on Quentyn?" Doran said with a smirk.
"Again you forget whose board you're playing on. Your second army has been defeated, Lord Vaith is dead, Lord Manwoody, Ser Symon Santagar and Ser Ryon Allryion are presently in the dungeons of Highgarden." he said to a shocked gasp from Arianne and a bewildered look from Doran.
"You still have to beat the Golden Company." Doran said and Jae laughed once more.
"Do I? Do you want to know what lies beneath the Bittersteel, Prince Doran? I can tell you because I burned it all away and beneath it lies only burned flesh and charred bones. Did you really think them a match for a dragon? This isn't cyvasse my prince, this is real life and here you're no match for me, here it's my board too."
He nodded as Doran was taken away, the guards ready to bring him back to Sunspear and onto Ghaston Grey. Turning he looked to Arianne and saw her upset, she was angry too, at him, at her father, maybe even at herself.
"I am sorry princess, truly, he left me with no choice." he said and she looked at him, a small barely perceptible nod of her head.
"I thank you for his life, your grace, despite it all he's my father still."
"Perhaps it's time to reach out to your mother, princess." he said and she gave him a soft smile.
"May I get the chance to plead for my brother, your grace, perhaps when cooler heads prevail?"
"Perhaps, as it is now I've got a final step to take before the realm is at peace. Do you need anything here?" he asked and she shook her head.
As they walked from the Water Gardens he turned to Arthur, seeing the knight look around at the place with a look of sadness on his face.
"Ser Arthur?"
"I used to come here as a boy, Oberyn, Elia, Ashara, and I, Doran was older but I felt he loved his sister. I do not know what happened to him, my king."
"Ambition can be a boon or a curse, Arthur, trust me I know."
"You should have killed him." Arthur said surprising him.
"He is her father, Oberyn's brother, his life is not mine to take but the gods are watching." he said and they were soon on Rhaenx's back and in the air.
They landed a short distance from Ghost Hill, the Sea of Dorne and the Stormlands could wait until the morrow. After eating and ordering Arthur and Walder to rest, telling them both they had a long day ahead of them and Rhaenix would keep them protected, Jae moved over and lay down beside his sister and closed his eyes. The door he was looking for this time far more specific.
This door he didn't knock at or wait to be invited in, this one he kicked open, and once inside he made himself at home. Words were wind, you let them flow and let people feel the breeze, and if it was just right they'd welcome it as if it was summer and not the cold winds of winter. Sometimes though it was what was left unsaid that was the most important thing, the words thought and not uttered. He'd said he'd not kill Doran and he wouldn't, no, Doran would eventually end himself, until then he'd suffer through and Jae would see it done.
"Your grace, your nose." Walder said when he woke him the next morning Jae looking at the blood that had come from it.
"I'm well, it's just a nose bleed." he said and though Walder looked at him suspiciously, he said no more.
After breaking his fast they were flying again, to Oberyn and then onto King's Landing, a mummer's dragon and a fat cheesemonger the last remaining obstacles. He felt Rhaenix underneath him, his sister eager to see the mummer dead, Jae smiling knowing she'd get her wish soon enough.
Dorne 298 AC.
Doran.
It had all come crashing down around him and he had no idea why or how. He'd been outplayed and he couldn't understand it, this boy shouldn't have been able to know so much. Were there spies in his ranks? He doubted it, his moves hadn't been countered until the end and who would let them move so far. Whatever it was or however he had been beaten showed him only one real truth, he'd underestimated the dragon badly.
Doran should have asked to meet him, got the measure of the boy before he planned his moves. Surely he'd have come to see him if he'd asked, but he hadn't and had instead relied on other people impressions. Was that where he'd gone wrong? Perhaps or perhaps not, either way, it left him where he was. That Arianne had wasted no time organizing the ship didn't surprise him, the king had made his wishes explicitly clear.
As he looked at Sunspear fading in the distance he tried not to reflect that when he woke up this morning he had felt on the verge of victory. The men with him, the ship's destination, and his daughter's words in his ear only proving how large his defeat had proved to be. The boy though had made a terrible mistake, one he'd not live to regret. Tou don't allow a snake a second bite, and Doran would not be out of the game for long. Knowing who he was playing against now, his moves would soon be tailored to his opponent and this time he'd leave nothing to chance.
"Do you need anything, my prince?" Andrey Dalt asked.
"No, I'll rest for the night, thank you Ser Andrey." he said as the man helped him to bed.
The fires raged, Sunspear first and he looked on as Arianne, Trystane and Quentyn burned, their flesh falling from their bones, their screams piercing in the night sky. The shadow city was next, people running but the flames were faster, the dragon giving no respite. The keeps soon followed, Hellholt and he looked as Oberyn and his children, as Ellaria and her father all burned and as they cried out for mercy.
Doran tried to move but the chains kept him from being able to, the dragon's roars as he flew only broken by the voice of the man behind him.
"You did this, each life that's lost, each keep that's destroyed, you did this." Jaehaerys said as they flew on.
For days he didn't sleep and the dragon never stopped. Ghost Hill, the Tor, Godsgrace, Yronwood, Wyl, Skyreach, Blackmont, Starfall keep after keep, person after person. Men, women, children, the dragon was indiscriminate, flame after flame, the stench rising and making him gag and still the dragon flew.
Sandstone, Salt Shore, Lemonwood, and finally the Water Gardens itself. Doran looking on as the children swam in the pools, their laughing smiling faces clear to him from where he was chained down on the dragon's back.
"Please no, they're innocent." he shouted as the dragon flew toward the children.
"You did this. Dracarys." Jaehaerys said and the dragon began to let loose her flames once more, children screaming in terror as the smell came to him yet again.
Finally, it landed, his chains were removed and he was dragged from her back, his useless legs not able to gain any purchase to stop him from being thrown into the pit. He felt himself falling and then hit the ground and the noises soon became clear. Snakes and manticores soon covered his body and he screamed as he looked up to see Jaehaerys smiling down on him.
"Behold the last living person in Dorne, the last of the Rhoynar, the man who cost Dorne everything. Goodbye, my prince, I bid you farewell. Aegon and Visenya stopped too soon, you should have realized I would not." Jaehaerys said as he moved away.
Doran felt the snakes begin to bite, the manticores begin to sting, he looked up and saw Arianne crying.
"Why, father, why?"
He shook his head and bid her away only to open his eyes and see Oberyn on his knees, holding his youngest babe in his hands.
"All of them, because of you I lost all of them."
Doran screamed when he saw her, his sister looking down at him with a spear in her hand.
"For my love." Elia said as she threw the spear and he looked to see it lodged deep in his heart, Elia smiling as his vision faded.
Drey found him the next morning, lying half in and half out of the bed, there was no marks or wounds on him, and were it not for the look of sheer terror on his face, he'd not understand what had happened. Something had scared him to death and Drey didn't wish to think what that was. Instead, he closed the prince's eyes and wrapped him up in his sheets before he left the room, shuddering as he did so.
A/N: Up Next As the armies converge on King's Landing, Jae stops off to speak to Oberyn, Dany arrives in Dragonstone to find out how much of the war she's missed and in King's Landing Illyrio and Aegon's plan is finally revealed.
A few days ago we lost Diana Rigg, someone I think we can all say who brought Olenna Tyrell to life in a way no one else could. Each time I write Olenna I picture her, think of her as her, there is to me only one Queen of Thorns and may she rest in peace.
Daryl Dixon: Just a little bit longer.
Vdwade: Doran really made a big mistake, ambition clouding judgment, Illyrio at least is almost forced into things, he had to move, Doran could have waited but thinking your clever doesn't always work out as you see.
Loner18: It's sir, so very happy to hear you say that and that your enjoying it so much, if it is unfinished it's because I'm dead, so don't worry it won't ever be abandoned.
Biohazard: So glad you liked it.
Guest: Groan elsewhere if it bothers you so much, it's been clear how Jae feels pretty much since the opening chapters.
KsVeela: The WF was known but the problem is not being in charge of KL kinda limits what you can do, had they sent people sneaking about in the tunnels to take care of the problem, they could have been caught, it could have been spun a certain way and for all Jaime knew of it's existence, he didn't know where it was. Doran felt he held a trump card because his info was wrong, he assumed Mace and some men guarding Marge and once he had Marge that's his trump card, same with Arianne, he had the pieces in place to predict and counter her moves, but the problem is he didn't know his enemy. Renly is needed because the forces at KL know he's in charge, if Faegon reveals himself they may revolt, so while Faegon is acting king, to the Gold Cloaks, household guard, Renly is giving them their orders.
Anarchichmind: So glad you thought so, I tried to make the three battles as different as I could both in tactic and tone so it didn't just feel like reading the same thing three times, so if this worked that way, that's a huge relief. Marge was the end game for the Dornish forces and a battle is a really good way to sew confusion in the enemies ranks, Mace and his men simply believed Garlan had sent more forces back and away you go. Plus once inside it's who do you trust, I did feel it would be something Doran could come up with, for me though the key thing with Doran, as you see here is that he never got to know Jae and so couldn't predict him.
Jman: Doran didn't count on the dragon or him being suspected, on taking the food it's what the lords/nobles did, in a siege they looked after themselves first. Stannis being besieged in Storm's End is one of the few examples where he suffered just as much as those under him, if he was a more pleasant man, the people below him would have loved him for it.
Debator max: We'll see more Arthur in a bit, on the Glass candles. So the green one acts like a control, think of it like a remote, the black ones are the tv screens, basically. So to make anything happen on the black ones, you have to use the green. Marge/Richard both have black ones but until Jae uses the green, they just sit there. Now once Jae uses the green one, he can make all the black ones come on and work. So again think of it like a tv, Marge has one but can't switch it on because Jae has the remote for it. So that's the basic how to work it.
Now after that it works in 4 ways.
1. You can look into the black ones and see what's happening in the present, then by using the green one you can change what your seeing, like switching a channel.
2. You can use the candle to speak to someone who has another, almost like a phone, just voice, it's not zoom lol.
3. You can look into the past.
4. You can see the future (this has happened twice Marge seeing herself in a wedding dress and Jae seeing Marge have her throat cut) here though two things, the future is ever changing so you see a possible and Jae can't or hasn't controlled this once.
Now all of these things require magic, blood and once used then cause the black candles involved into a cool down. How much magic, blood and how long the cool down increases based on what you use them for. So just seeing now, small magic, little blood, short cool down, speaking a little more, see the past a lot more and see the future, unknown.
Mystkji: So gad you liked it, Renly may be arrogant but he knows when he's screwed and outnumbered and he's not the worst sort. Him taking the food is a powder keg, on Lysa/Robin it's a tragic turn of events, I felt though it was unrealistic Jae could get to them and so the falcon will instead feel some of the backlash for that.
Svenion: he was on a dragon, burning the GC and making sure the army was beat, then lands is tired and takes care of the commanders of the GC and is not allowed chase after them himself. For all they knew Illyrio/fAegon are dead, once they know they're not, he has another army coming from their rear and logic goes, hmm, one man on a dragon or an army, who has a better chance of finding them. Also, their army is defeated, as much of a problem as they may be now, after that they're to all intents and purposes not one. Is it forced, yes a little, I think logically though it makes sense, he can't be too all seeing. On Doran you can see his actions have caused a little change in Jae.
Zyrus: Renly really did see the light so to speak, if he survives he could be in a decent position though. I always figured Willas would do that myself, he's smart, capable and when I was looking at the idea of a sword/cane I was stunned to see how long they'd been used, like centuries.
Remi: He really was unlucky, he'd have been able to offer terms and end this but well, Faegon/Ilyrio won't have qualms using the WF.
Sovietgod: So glad you liked it, Faegon being in Kl just seemed right to me, Illyrio can't run, he needs to win. LF I have a fate in store for him, it won't be long.
Boss85: So glad you like it.
Jessicanightmarewolf: Faegon/Illyrio's true plan will be shown next, Doran as you see he was totally screwed.
Emeraldduke: Really glad you liked it, hope you enjoyed how he paid here.
Mrspotter: Really happy you enjoyed it.
RW28: Jae is going to Oberyn next so we'll see him speak to him on Doran. Dany is almost here and I'll give that a look thanks.
Darthmaine: Him living may put him in a decent position.
Dragonfire: The giants will be in this, I can see why some see it as overkill, but they're part of the mythology, they're there and they exist, they really should be shown/used imo.
Vfsnake Hope you enjoyed Doran's death, as for Illyrio we'll see exactly what he plans.
Andrews: I'm going to do an around the world chapter next week so I may do a little of it in that or a more fuller look in a later chapter.
WhitedragonWarrior: I always felt he'd be the kinda guy who would. We lost a true queen with Diana's death.
Literally consumer: So glad to hear you say that. A year feels so short lol.
Baz4: Really happy to hear that.
Dunk: Faegon won't flee your right there, Illrio won't either, he's smart enough to know that it won't do him any good, it may buy him some more time, but you can't outrun a dragon and so he intends to try and force a win. On Doran, hope you liked this, with Arianne I always felt Doran knows her too well and I really wanted to show the difference between her and Jae, the enemy you know and can predict to the one you don't. With LF it's more the room to plot so to speak, the what plan he can come up with is almost second to being somewhere he can plan for now at least.
MSFleur: Exactly, Doran thinks himself in charge of all the moves, as Jae said to him, you're playing on my board. If you don't know your enemy, you're screwed. Doran could predict Arianne, Jae not so much. Faegon has been on a slippery slope ever since Sandorix burned him, so here it's just another huge step towards it.
Guest: With Drogo, it's not set in stone, just something out there, Westeros is a big place and there are lots of eligible men there too. Doran as you see messed up big time, hope you liked his end. Glad you liked the entrance in HG and the Ser Symond/Marge bit, I really felt Jae would be like, if Marge says you die, your dead.
Kitkatthecat: Elia's letter is something he cherished, the idea that this woman who suffered a tragic fate who some may expect to hold a grudge against him not only didn't but also felt him a son was a big thing for him. That she's Rhaenys's mother only bringing him closer in a way to his sister too, so I really wanted that to be a thing with Jae. Yes we all know he's going to be pissed about Marge, but that I wanted to be a part of it also.
With Ari, I really wanted to empathize Doran's mistake with Jae, he knows her, can predict her and counter her, with Jae he was stumbling in the dark. I'm glad you liked that, I think with Illyrio he's been planning this for 15/16 years, some of that with Varys so for him not to have backup plans, especially since Varys's death forced him into rethinks would be a bit dumb. Renly tried to do the right thing, just failed at it. We'll see soon with Jaqen, Sam is safe from him, but yes I think he'd have to, helping Jae led to so many deaths/disappearances it's got to take a toll and Sam is not cut out for that stuff.
On Mace, he's kinda who he is, in a way here he pretty much does what Jae wanted him to do, sit back and yes be a bit dumb but not cause a problem because of where you are. The problem is you can still cause problems. Now it's not his fault by any means, though Garlan wouldn't have fallen for it in a way. The WF will be a problem, but Illyrio and Faegon will have others to deal with too.
Sansa definitely did, we'll see her pov in a little bit, a more relaxed one. Hope you enjoyed the more expansive look at the warging here too. Jae really needed Jaime more than anything just then.
So glad that came across with Jae/Marge, your right Ser Symond was irrelevant to him once he was no longer a threat, his eyes only for Marge.
Douob: It's been slow paced from the start, like it's taking 100+ chapters and a million words to get to this point. In terms of the number of povs, I like to show reactions and other perspectives, I feel it adds to things rather than just have the same long drawn out pov where we have to imagine what others are thinking going through. But if you feel it at times drags, then I'll not argue with you.
Darkstarr: Lol, love me that poem, we do have a man in a mask, so who knows.
Dscot: It's more devious than that, we'll see it next, Faegon and fire, what could possibly go wrong lol.
Celexys: So glad to hear you say that, for me the characters are as important as the plot, something we lost in the last season of the show.
Guest: So glad you liked it.
Ronin cav: Really glad to hear you say that, it means a lot.
VWChick: He really did screw himself, hope you liked his end.
Ceelee: We'll see pretty soon how right you are.
The sphinx: So glad you thought so, a perfect title deserves a perfect poem and you brought it once again.
Anja: So happy you enjoyed it.
Riyer: A lot more to come, we'll be seeing LF run soon.
Aussiekay: Really glad you liked it.
Spartan: Garlan is very underrated imo, yep some nice Jon/Marge time and then go kill a snake hope you liked it.
Zsivlvah: Glad you enjoyed it.
Lady Octarina: Doran spends so much time at it in the books, his plans are so thought out but because he doesn't take action for so long, we never get to see how they'd actually play out. One of my fave things with Arianne in the books is her playing it, she is impatient and it's a nice little set up for her own plan, so I wanted to have the analogy here.
Illyrio's thing is he can't run, you can't outrun a dragon, he needs to win and well you'll see next how he plans to, as for the small folk we already know who they'd support and they are on edge.
I thought about having Garlan die and only for the dragon he would have but I felt it worked better to have Jae land and allowed Garlan have his moments. I agree about Ser Symon, he's actually someone who might but one of the reasons I picked him was over what he does to his daughter in the books. Marries his 21 year old daughter and heir to a 70 odd year old man, it always annoyed the hell out of me, so yep the wall for him.
Willas just screams to me a man who'd be clever enough to turn a negative into a positive, people not paying the cane any mind and then him using it to hid a sword, it just works and cane swords are cool lol. LF will run next, so that'll be fun.
Irish Hermit: Indeed, the world lost something special.
On Doran/Dorne they never wanted Sansa, wouldn't have taken her other than to get Marge, the reason they used all the names was to throw off that it was only Marge they wanted, to make sure that the Tyrell's didn't suddenly put a huge guard on her knowing she was the target. Thinking instead they want all of them, they can't over protect one. They wouldn't have taken Sansa for that very reason, Doran and the Dornish now very well what Ned did in canon, why he marched to war, to take his daughter would bring the north on them even after sorting Jae out, so it was a distraction.
Doran's biggest mistake is underestimating and not understanding Jae, had he then he may have adjusted his plans accordingly, Jae will speak to Oberyn next so we'll see how he reacts. Dark Sister has to be Jae's sword in this, it's key, needed in the war to come more so than Blackfyre. You'll see why as we go. Agree about Stannis, Renly should have shut down the city as soon as news came from the Stormlands, but he was never cut out to be king.
Melpomene: Lol, I hope it was a welcome surprise. We'll see Cat's reaction in a little bit, LF kinda hints at it here. Doran was screwed after sending the Darkstar, here he just threw dirt on top of his coffin. We'll see the extent of Faegon/Illyrio's plan next. Mace would have blustered and given an order to attack or something. Glad you liked the sword cane, it just seemed a Willas thing to do, you're right Ghost would never let harm come to her.
Denoltdn: Thanks for saying that, as you say men/dragons the war is one sided, but things can happen and this is also why a dragon provides a huge edge, to march from where Jae was to HG, they'd never have made it, a dragon does it easily. No Bloodraven is coming, this was all Jae, hope the above clears it up more. Jae is to wield Dark Sister so we'll see with Blackfyre. There are more than one faceless men coming, Jaqen is at the Citadel, we'll see why soon, the waif is on her way. The Kl plot was and is a last throw of the dice for Illyrio, he really has no other move.
Naruto: For Jon the more blood/magic he uses the more real it gets, so just watching events play out in real time or talking to Marge using the candles requires a little and is just as it seems, to look into the past requires a lot and so his connection is so much stronger. Ari tried as you see but her father was waiting, I think while Jon/Sam will never be close here, he needed to let him know. Glad you liked the Garlan bit.
Paulinep: So glad you liked that, the Willas thing is just, we have this guy who we're told is so smart, to me this is something he'd do and well, Sansa really appreciates it, her little crush just too a big jump. The Jacelyn part was just a little humour and glad it got a giggle. We'll see Faegon/Illyrio's full plan next, Jaqen in the next around the world chapter. Yohn is honourable, he may want to follow Jon A but not at the cost of that honor.
: So glad you're enjoying it, Jaqen's purpose is coming soon.
Xand007: Thank you my friend: As you see a prince falls and a princess rises, soon to have a dragon rider for a consort. We'll see with the WF/Faceless men. You too my friend, stay safe and well.
Silverglow: Jae does have a decent support around him, the rage/anger has opened up a big thing for jae, you see him looking at it here and it'll be more explained as we go.
That's the thing Ari completely messed up, she underestimated and just simply thinking him a messenger would have stopped that. But people always have their underlying biases, it clouds the issue, we see it with Cat/Jae and others. Tywin dismisses Robb as not a threat at first, simply because of his age, Olenna underestimates how far Cersei is willing to go in the show, it's human nature and the more you know someone, the more you sometimes do underestimate/misinterpret them, look at Robb with Theon.
As you see, her plans failed because Doran knew her so well, his failed because he didn't know Jae at all, so I really wanted the analogy between them.
Lysa did yes, Jae couldn't/didn't care she was imprisoned, let her rot there for all he cared, but he'll be regretful over Robin. I like the idea of little ripples, Jacelyn being one and Renly here taking Jae/Marge's food for the poor another. We'll see if that leads to a bigger ripple. Ser Preston yes we'll see it's coin/women though basically.
Barlos is Jaqen, with Sam, Sarella in canon forges four links in almost a year or so, I did want to just show a little bit of what he was doing, a catch up. Jae sent him the letter not long after the events, to put him at rest, I didn't want to go back to Sam though unless there was more of a reason to see Oldtown, we'll find out soon why Jaqen is there.
Mace sees allies, it was a little like the shout out to Tarly arriving with the Lannisters in the show, at some point HG had to hear that Tarly was marching and they'd go, you know what he's coming to help. Mace really did though what Jae expected him to, which is why Garlan being left there is so important.
Your right on Dany, there was also the idea of handing a city to a sell word too, but that's a big part of it also, the Illyrio and feeling she owed him. So I like the idea of the flip, him pretty much going, fuck it, I don't care lol. Illyrio knew Jon C was trying to walk the line, but Jon had not crossed it as far as Illyrio was concerned, he was wary he might but he still felt his love for fAegon would keep him with them, the knife changed that and then finding out that Faegon never saw it, worries him.
Jae needed that from Jaime, glad you liked the cane sword. Garlan I had thought of killing off but I felt this worked better. Doran never told them about the dragon's, so to them the dragon just meant Jae, had they known no they'd not have marched. With Sansa she's a distraction, they never would have taken her because of knowing what Ned did before, the Reach doesn't worry them.
On the KG, I honestly can't remember if I replaced Jaime or if I forgot, I need to go back myself, I know I had someone in mind, but I truly can't remember if I actually did it.
Hunstman: I'd love to have thought of that, I think I made it clear he's dead though, but damn I wish I'd thought of that.
Guest: In terms of flaws, yes he has some, but realistically what flaws do the characters have GOT, like actual flaws, not mistakes they make or errors of judgement, what flaws do they truly have. Jae has some anger issues which he tries to keep under wraps, he has a tendency to want to be over protective, a tendency to think harsher of himself than those around him and a reluctance to go fully hard when it's required. Are they not flaws?
Now also, there is something else going on, his blood, the magic in it, the idea of the PTWP, it's more here than simply he'll kill the NK, On the black/white/Grey thing, there are very few truly grey characters when you get down to it in ASOIAF, LF isn't grey, Tywin, Roose, Ramsay, Walder, Euron, Cersei,Joffrey are pretty damn black. The Starks in general are pretty white. Antagonist/Protagonist is pretty clearly defined imo, So who are the grey ones.
I don't mean this to come across as me defending my story and criticising your opinion, I'm actually genuinely curious, what you define as flaws and greyness?.
Matt Jackson: I felt with Robert he really didn't care about the dragon, where Jon A would have seen it as evidence all he'd worked for was at an end, for Robert it was more about Jae imo. It was indeed and why he's there will be explained very soon.
Hartleyskarsgard We'll see with Dany/Drogo, all I'll say is this is not the last we'll see of Drogo. Glad you're liking the battles, I'm trying to make them different so they don't feel repetitive. Doran had ended, hope you like it.
Xan Merrick: No worries my friend.
Desertsandbox: I know, we lost someone who brought that role to life so well. So glad you're still enjoying it.
Creativo: Un regalo digno de una reina.
Liza: Thank you my friend. Renly as you say is exactly that. In a way I think of the three brothers a little like the three pigs, except none of them get it just right. Robert is so wrong to be king, he should have been a sell sword, he doesn't have the discipline. Stannis is too rigid and doesn't have the empathy and Renly looks like he has more of both than either brother but he doesn't have the strength of will required.
Doran's move is really take Marge hostage and Jae won't use the dragons, more than that for her life he'd do pretty much what he wished. So the army under Quentyn joins with the GC and together they hand Jae's army a defeat, removing the military advantage, meanwhile he takes Marge hostage taking the dragons out of the equation. There were a couple of big flaws, one a dragon moves much faster than an army so rather than Jae sending a force to help Marge, he came on his dragon. Two, Garlan and not Mace was left in charge so you won't win a military victory either.
On the Wfyre, I remember all the times you brought it up and I kinda had to bite my tongue not to give away this was where that was going, I hope you'll like how it's resolved. I agree on the Reach, Garlan is one of the better ones. Sorry to hear that and you're right it's a scary terrifying thing, my own country is starting to see an increase, while we've not been hugely hit compared to some of the larger ones it's still scary and frightening, not just for myself personally, but more my parents, uncles, aunts who are more at risk, each day you kinda worry that someone you know will come down with it and so far, we've been lucky. Hopefully it'll be taken care off before either of us lose anyone we care about, until then stay safe and well and know you're in my thoughts and prayers.
Yay For Jae. 1. I'm so glad you think so, I really like Olenna, I hope that comes across in how she's written. To me we always see the other side and not the grandmother side and that's a disservice. Olenna loved her grandchildren, Margaery especially, yes was ambitious, cantankerous, and biting but that was always there too and I kinda wanted that to come across as much as the rest.
2. I didn't intend the comparison with Jaime but it is there, both are warrior, just at different ends of the spectrum. I love little lines/scenes that can play out in a slightly different context later on. Almost like a thread you need to follow and warriors readying for battle is one example where you can have that a lot, as all are kinda in the same position.
3. With each of the battles, I wanted them to be different from each other and not just in terms of battle tactics. Showing the multiple povs allows for that and I did at one point think of Garlan dying, but felt Jae's arrival would work better how it did if he lived. The realisation of being done for is a really fun thing to write. Death comes to us all, we can only choose how we face it, is such a cool quote and I like the idea of having characters face that. Garlan with his stoicism and thoughts of his wife is just one of the examples of that.
In terms of the others, that's little bit of showing each side, really to me allows the idea of the battle come across, more so than simply, a sword, lace, crashing of cavalry does.
4. I wanted the confusion of how to come across, how did these men get here, so thinking it an turncoat thing was a little what I wanted. With Willas I love the idea that this smart, clever man really took something people see as a slight, his cane, and turned it into an advantage. Fang was just like Ghost an mvp, and this has totally moved Sansa's crush up a few levels.
With Olenna, there is always an element of that with her, hadn't thought of the music but lol, on the Left/Right thing I kinda wanted Olenna to be somewhat out of her element but still be Olenna to a point too.
Ser Symon really was the voice of Dorne for me here, I wanted him to express as much as he could, with Maege it was the queenly nature and for Jae it was, Marge, but yes the will you surrender and the we follow for no king, was meant as a book end.
5. I like the analogy of the cyvasse, the Daemon line to her was from canon, it's foreshadowing her impatience and how reckless her plan is and how Doran was able to predict and stop her, so I wanted to use it here the same way. Arianne realized it, just too late and she'll not make the mistake again.
6. I agree completely about the lack of Sarella, in a way if I could change things I'd have sent her to the Citadel and allowed her most of Sam's things here, but I still have a role for her even though it seems likes she's been forgotten. But yes the Quill/Tankard kinda becomes a frat boy part without her and it was intentional. With Jaqen we'll find out very soon why he's there and yes Sam has met an even deadlier friend lol.
7. On Renly, while I didn't mean for him to be sympathetic, one of the things in the books to me is he and Loras are in love, despite Renly's many many faults, that's clear and should Loras be in danger I think all else pales, so here with Michael I want the same way, he knows he's screwed also in terms of the throne, so saving his love is all he has.
Yes, Faegon is on his way over the edge, has been since Sandorix, and yes Haldon's concoctions aren't helping. I got some pushback for him climbing and sitting the IT, some people unhappy he did so before Jae, but there is no way he doesn't if he's there, he's not waiting, no chance so he had to. Your right about Ser Preston, he's easily bought. On the Wfyre and Illyrio it's more the love of his son and Serra's dream for him clouding his mind, yes he worries but he thinks it the stress of not having his throne and once he has it all will be well. In terms of them running, the thing is Illyrio knows he'd be running for the rest of his life, and in the end can't outrun a dragon, also that Faegon won't run, so he needs to win or die basically.
We'll see the full extent of Illyrio's plan next.
