RETURN OF THE DRAGONS
PART 1. THE HAUNTING OF STANNIS BARATHEON
STANNIS
House Baratheon can be traced back to invasion of Westeros spearheaded by Aegon the Conqueror. It was founded by Orys Baratheon Aegon's half-brother who conquered the Stormlands. From Storm's End the Baratheons have ruled the Stormlands. After Robert became King, Renly was made Lord of Storm's End and Stannis was given the old Targaryen fortress of Dragonstone. The three brothers have never gotten along, their parents died when Robert was 11, Stannis was 9, and Renly was 5 years of age.
Stannis is married to Selyse Florent and they have one daughter, Shireen Baratheon by name. A fourth child in a line of three miscarriages. One night as Stannis is preparing for bed he hears a scream and the guard comes to fetch him. They run to Selyse's room. "Demon! A demon of fire!"
"Calm down woman and tell us what happened."
"It came out of the fire place. In there go see for yourselves."
Stannis and three guards enter the room and stare dumbfounded. The bed is half burned and there are scorch marks on the floor in the form of animal like footprints. The fire is still blazing in the fire place. "What in the seven hells did this?" A guard asks. Stannis takes a bucket of water and throws it on the fire. Then he goes to check on his daughter who is sound asleep.
"Take my wife to my room and give her milk of the poppy to help her sleep." Stannis says to Maester Cressen. Two days later while working in the kitchens the flames belch fire, Then the flames leap from their places into a ball of fire and form a creature. Everyone runs from the kitchen in fear.
"This place is cursed…We need to leave!" Selyse says to him. "We need to leave." They are alone in his room.
Some of the servants quit their posts along with three guards who had also seen fire demons. Stannis questions Maester Cressen about magic, the gods and curses, but he has no answers.. All is quiet for the next few days. Stannis is in his study when the fire place belches flames and a fire monster forms before his eyes. It has four arms and two legs; a pair of flaming wings on its back. He draws his sword and drops it as the heat melts the blade and burns his hand. As he runs from study the creature writes on the wall get out.
Having seen one of the fire apparitions for himself Stannis orders the servants and guards to pack everything to leave. "Father where are we going?" Shireen asks.
"Home…My old home at Storm's End." It is a short trip from Dragonstone to Storm's End by ship. The Sea Stag sails down the coast towards the Island of Tarth with fifty ships carrying servants, supplies and eight thousand men that had been stationed at Dragonstone. It sails in between the Island and the coast. After a week at sea they finally reach Storm's End. The castle is ruled by Ser Cortnay Penrose Castellan of Storm's End.
"Welcome my Lord…My lady."
"Thank you Ser Cortnay." After everyone is settled Stannis and Cortnay talk in private.
SELYSE
This is where they were supposed to live. By the laws of men Stannis should be the Lord of Storm's End since he is the second son, but no. Renly is the Lord of Storm's End and all the Banners of House Baratheon respect him greatly. Selyse stays in the company of others out of fear that the fire demons will return. Then she remembers that the demons did not bother her daughter Shireen so she stays close to her.
"Mother are you alright?"
"I am fine. Why would you ask such a thing?"
"You are acting very weird."
Selyse dresses for dinner and heads to the main hall. She sneers at the presence of Edric Storm a highborn bastard of Robert's. "Boy! What are you doing at this table?"
"Lady Selyse…Edric has been living here all his life."
"He's a bastard! And I will not have him eat the same table with me!"
"Then you can leave and go find somewhere else to eat."
"How dare you!"
"Mother stop it!" Shireen says.
"What is all this noise about?" Stannis asks entering the hall. "Selyse let it go." Stannis says after both sides speak on the situation.
"Let it go! You are siding with him? A Castellan and a bastard!"
Ser Cortnay signals the servants to serve the food. Not trusting Selyse and her attitude Cortnay has Edric move into his room. Despite her mother's attitude Shireen befriends Edric and he her.
EDRIC AND SHIREEN
"I am sorry for my mother."
"Its okay I am not hurt by her words…I have heard them all before. I am glad to meet you my cousin."
"As am I…May I ask you a question?"
"You just did."
The two children laugh, "Its about your mother do you know who she is?"
"Her name is Delena Florent…She is married to Ser Hosman Norcross. They have two children…"
"Have you ever met them?"
"No the Florents want nothing to do with me."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be…I'm happy…Ser Penrose has been like a father to me and says he will knight me when I am old enough." Edric takes her on a tour of the Castle. "May I ask you a question?"
She smiles, "You just did." They laugh again, "You want ask about my face don't you?"
"I'm sorry yes…Is that greyscale?"
"When I was a baby a peddler came to Dragonstone and sold my father a doll. It was infected with Greyscale…My father had many Maesters try to save me and they did."
He sighs, "How can people be so evil?"
"My father loves me and then there is the Onion Knight Ser Davos. He comes by often or he did when we were at Dragonstone. I hope he still comes by."
"Why did you leave Dragonstone?"
"My parents think I don't know, but it was fire demons or so they believe."
"Fire demons? What do you mean?" She tells him what she heard, "If it wasn't fire demons what was it?"
She smiles sadly, "The Targaryens...They wanted their castle back."
"Their Spirits?"
"No the real Targaryens or what is left of them. Sometimes I have visions of what will happen." she looks at him, "Don't tell anyone that...They will think I am crazy."
"I won't I swear, it will be our secret."
PART 2. FIRE AND BLOOD – HORN OF FIRE
JAEHAERYS
Disguised as merchant ships, the Targaryen fleet moves up the Narrow Sea a few ships at a time to Dragonstone. The first five ships carry the Targaryens and their closest advisors, their gold, some soldiers, and supplies. They reach the Castle Island at midnight and enter the castle through a secret passage. "The last time I was here…" Viserys says with a heavy heart.
Dany walks up to his side and places a hand on his shoulder, "The last time you were here brother I was born."
He smiles, "Yes."
"Dragonstone." Jae says, "From here Aegon launched his conquest of the seven kingdoms."
Aemon stands at his side and says, "And from here we will take back what is ours."
Jae's eyes turn white touching the mind of his Hawk Orion who is back with the rest of the Targaryen army. The Hawk's squawks are a signal for the next group to set sail. Viserys takes them on a tour of the castle and to the place where his mother is buried. They end their tour in the armory. "Its here." Jae says. He takes his dagger and runs it across his hand. Then he smears the blood on a dragon symbol. The three headed Dragon slides into the wall and a door opens revealing a room that was built by Bryden the Bloodraven when he visited Dragonstone.
They all stare in wonder at the treasures within, bars of gold and silver, jewels, chests of gold and silver coins; weapons of Valyrian steel and Dragonglass, books, manuscripts, and sitting on a silk pillow on a pedestal are three Dragon Eggs; one black, one red, and the third green. Brynden had gone to Old Valyria and found these treasures. Jae crosses the room and grabs the black egg. He is joined by Dany who grabs the red egg and Tytus the gold egg.
They head to the beach and build a fire pyre. They set the eggs on the stand and pour the blood they had been saving over the eggs and the wood. Then they light the fire pyre, the wood bursts into flames. First the flames turn black, then they turn bright red, and then golden flame. As the fire burns Jae, Dany, Ty, Aemon, and Shiera all chant in the Valyrian language.
When the fire goes out many hours later three baby Dragons crawl from out of the ashes. Jae picks up the black Dragon. "Rhaegon…After my father." He says naming the Dragon.
"Viserion after my brother." Dany says looking at him. He hugs her and pets his namesake.
"Tysa after my mother." Tytus says.
MOPATIS ISLAND
Meanwhile on the Island of Mopatis at the same time Melisandre leads Aegon in the ritual that will hatch the three Dragon eggs Ilyrio has; they are blue, silver, and bronze. Aegon is now fifteen name days old, same age as Jaehaerys. He runs a dagger across his hand and slathers his blood on the three eggs and the horn. "Only a true Targaryen with Dragon blood can blow the Dragonhorn and wake the Dragons."
"By my blood and this horn…Dragons awaken!" Aegon says in Old Valyrian. He blows the horn and when he does the glyphs on the horn glow bright red. Then Aegon's body bursts into flames.
"Aegon!" Jon Connington yells running forward, but Mopatis' men hold him back.
"Stay away Jon Connington or be consumed in the flames." Melisandre yells.
Aegon's clothes burn away, but his skin remains unharmed. Then the eggs burst into flames and when the fire extinguishes three baby Dragons crawl towards Aegon and climb onto his naked body. They place the three dragons is separate cages and return to the castle. "That has to be the greatest thing I have ever witnessed." Jon says.
"How long before they are big enough?" Aegon asks.
"Two years." Melisandre replies.
"As I was in the flames I saw…I saw three more eggs being hatched through blood magic…How can these pretenders hatch Dragon eggs."
"Dark Shadow Magic my Prince." Melisandre replies.
"These pretenders will either bend the knee or die!"
Later Mopatis meets privately with Melisandre, "Is what my son said true? Did he see three other Dragon eggs hatch?"
"Yes I saw it as well."
"We need to kill them and take the Dragons."
"Or we may end up having to have to fight them."
"Why?"
"My fire sight is blind as to where they are and what they are doing. You must contact your friend in Westeros…Tell him to spy out where they are."
"My agents in Braavos say that they are still there."
Melisandre shakes her head, "No! This is a trick…They have played us false."
DRAGONSTONE
Every three months more troops and supplies arrive at Dragonstone. In the second month at Dragonstone the Targaryens are visited by Princes Doran and Oberyn, his daughter Princess Arianne Martell; Lord Randyl Tarly, Lord Leo Lefford, his daughter Lady Allysane, and the Starks of Winterfell.
"Welcome my Princes, Princess, my Lords and ladies…" Aemon says making the introductions.
"Princess I am honored to finally meet you in person." Jae says Arianne.
"And I you my Prince."
"Lord Stark…Your bastard huh…I should have known. Especially with your reputation." Randyl Tarly says to Ned.
"We lie to protect those we love…I am sure you would do the same."
They sit in map room to talk, "In a few months Cersei Baratheon will move against the King and kill him." Jaehaerys says taking charge of the meeting. Renly will be taken hostage by the Queen. Stannis already knows that Cersei's children were not fathered by his brother. When he hears of his brother's death he will call his banners and send word to the Kingdoms to stand with him."
"My King…what of Jon Arryn? I do not wish to see him harmed."
"Do not worry Uncle…Jon will leave the Capital long before Robert dies…We need you to convince him not to fight for Stannis"
"Why?"
"Because Stannis will lose this war…The Tyrells are going to help Lannisters keep Joffrey on the throne."
"If I am called to battle and I do not answer I will be deemed a traitor." Randyl says.
"Which is why you will fight Lord Tarly and we will give you knowledge on Stannis' every move and how to counter it." Aemon says.
Jae starts speaking again, "The Lannisters will win and then Joffrey will become enraged when Houses Stark, Tully, and Arryn do not answer the call…He will want to make war, but his Grandfather will not let him. There will be two years of peace, but Joffrey will not be King for long."
"Why?" Lord Lefford asks.
"Because he will show his true colors. At any rate there will be two years of peace and after that we make our move…Tytus will marry your daughter Lord Lefford and become the Warden of the West. I will marry Princess Arianne and we will take back the Iron Throne." Questions are asked and answered then the Targaryens take their guests to see the Dragons.
