"So, I think that went rather well. Negotiations with Greyjoys have never historically gone well, and with both sides happy at that."
Ranta smirked at this, her daze of self loathing broken at the sound of the Lannisters voice. "Content is the word I'd use." she corrected gently. "Content then." Tyrion agreed, Ranta sighed heavily at the thought of what came next. Or rather who. Was she really ready to face the people who claim to be from her house? " I suppose this is the day you've both been looking forward to and dreading." Tyrion mused, " It can't be an easy thing, facing family you haven't seen in years or at all but it is something that will have to be done one of these days. Whether it be when you wear the crown of Westeros or continue to sit upon the stone throne of Mereen."
The young woman nodded her head at this, fingers subconsciously trying to scrape the skin off of the side of her thumb. Seeing this, the dwarf released a breath through his nostrils and closed the small distance between them. Taking her hands into his,Tyrion gently pried her hands apart and placed them on an individual knee each. "You're going to need the skin on your thumb." he smiled weakly at the look she gave him and returned to his spot.
"Yes, I suppose so." Ranta acknowledged with her own small grin before taking a calming breath, reached behind her throne where she hid a bottle of wine and solitary glass. Quickly pouring herself a cup and stashing the bottle away, Ranta signaled that she was ready for the next conversation to take place. But much to her surprise and Tyrion's as well, it wasn't a Naylor who stepped into the audience chamber but Jorah Mormont himself being followed shortly after the guards who led him in.
"Jorah?" the monarch asked in a small whisper. After climbing the first flight of stairs, the Mormont stopped on the first platform while his traveling companions continued to climb until they were in their usual spots. "Your grace." the scruffy blonde male knelt down onto one knee and bowed his head before standing once more. "I have heard of your call, requesting of my presence. I gladly return to your service if you'll have me." he declared and cut himself off to say more when the young monarch suddenly stood, placed her glass of wine down and descended down the stairs to close the distance between them, pulling the man in for a hug.
"It would be my honor." Ranta murmured and then pulled away after a moment."I see you have run into more members of your house, some of blood relation nonetheless." the Mormont commented with a nod of his head towards where he had passed the noble house to enter the audience chamber. "Yes, Magister Illyrio brought them to me along with Greyjoys." Jorah furrowed his brows and made to speak but was stopped at Ranta's raised hand.
"I'll explain later." she promised him before turning and returning to sit on her throne. "Conversing and hashing out compromises with the citizens, former masters, and new allies was easy, but just thinking about conversing with them outside in the hall..." she trailed off weakly.
"You rather jump down one of your snakes gullet's?" Jorah offered, earning a small smirk from her in return. "I've already done that before...I'll explain that later too." she added on after a thought. "So what is it you fear? What do you think will happen?" the aging bear asked. "That they don't truley want me...they only want to use me, hide in my shadow like everyone else is" Ranta muttered with her eyes down cast,.
Frowning, Jorah shook his head, "That's not true, your family loved you." he denied. "Then why didn't they ever try to find me? Why come to me now, when I'm grown and can pose a threat." the woman questioned. The Mormont hesitated in thought for a moment before gently lifting her chin so their eyes would meet. "Do you want to know what I think?" he questioned and watched as the monarch nodded her head.
"I think they left you because they knew they couldn't take care of you on the run, I think they never tried to reach out to you out of fear that you would be discovered by an enemy that would happily see you dead. And now that you are grown, and can take care of yourself, they no longer fear getting you killed by an intercepted letter and are eager to see you again. House Naylor needs you now more than ever, much like how the people you saved need you, and how all of Westeros needs you as well."
Sighing heavily the Naylor woman looked deep into eyes similar to her own for a moment before snorting and pushing his bearded face away from hers good naturedly. "Well at least now I know for sure that I'll get no irrational council from you once across the sea. That was incredibly sappy. It seems your time away has softened you, Ser Jorah. Or should I say bear cub?." Ranta grinned. "And here I thought that name would be forgotten." Jorah commented dryly but there was amusement in his eyes. "Not in your lifetime." the woman grinned before returning to her seat and signaled for the group outside in the hall to be brought in.
Oh he was going to die, Colren was sure of it. If he didn't die here in Mereen, then he'd die when Dasina next saw him. What a predicament he had put himself in, the severity of it had sunken in when those odd hundred Dothraki poured from the gates moments after the alarm had been sounded. When he was escorted into the city though and seen the same amount of prosperity, if not more than what he seen in the other cities of Slavers Bay, the hope he had inside of him flared.
When the Unsullied guard came to collect him and his party, the ravenette Naylor sent up a quick prayer along with the others behind him and followed the man into the room where their fate would be decided. Entering the spacious chamber the formerly hidden house took varying turns to observe their surroundings but all ultimately planted their eyes upon the blue haired woman sitting upon the stone throne.
Many she did not know though there were a few that caused something at the back of her mind to stir. Especially the tall ravenette with the green eyes that led them. She knew him, she knew the others she recognized too…
"You're trying to put a name to my face. Trying to remember who I am and how you know me." the green eyed man smiled lightly, voice soft. "I know who you are." Ranta countered, "Uncle." she added after a moment's pause. "Yes, I remember you. You were the one to tear me from my mother's arms and dumped me on the late Targaryen queen before fleeing with everyone else. What I can't figure out is why you are here. Why are you here after nearly spending twenty years out of my life? Why are any of you here?" she then addressed the others, "Jorah has given me a good idea why, and i believe him, but i would still like to hear it from you, amongst other things."
"I don't know if you've heard, but there's a war coming." one offered lamely. "So you've come to do what others have already." Ranta finished for him. "Forgive me if I am wrong but I believe that there wouldn't be much of a war to fear had house Naylor stayed united…then again, I wouldn't be where I am today if we had stayed together." she then acknowledged. For so many years she spent wondering what she would do when this moment came, how she would feel. But now...
"Help me understand." Ranta requested, "Where have you been? What happened the night house Naylor scattered? Why wouldn't you let my mother take me along with her?" she lifted her head and asked. "The night you were left in the care of the Targaryens," Colren sighed heavily as he revisited the memory. "The Mad King had fallen into a rage, one far worse than what we could usually cool…"
"Traitors! All of you! You think I do not see it?!" spit flew from the Mad King's lips as he stared down at his treasonous allies before him. " What are you talking about, my king? See what?" Dasina asked confused, glancing over and seeing even Jamie Lannister was unsure as to what the enraged ruler had been going on about. "Do not think you can bat your pretty eyelashes at me, whore, and lure me under your spell. I know you're after my throne! You want to take it away, I hear the whispers!" Aerys roared.
"What whispers?" Colren came to his sister's aid. From the other side of the female ravenette, a strawberry blonde male with one sky blue eye and one brown stepped forward a few steps. Dasina's husband and father of the blue haired daughter they brought into this world together.
" Who is whispering these lies into your ear, my friend?" Ronas asked with his own twin sister meeting him step for step. "Enough! No more lies! For years you've plotted against me, turning my allies into your own, learning my weaknesses, gaining my trust only to stab me in the back when the time is right!" the Mad king slammed a fist down on the arm of the pointed throne.
"That's not true." Dasina denied, " We've done nothing but support you, bring you allies, protected your weaknesses from others so they could not exploit it and even disposed of those who intended to stab you in the back. We are the most loyal thing you have outside of your family." she frowned.
"Lies!" the king roared again, " I know those peasants outside of this castle long to see you on my throne. I know that those worthless, pathetic houses outside our borders follow the same thinking! They cry for house Naylor to ascend the throne... well do you know what I cry for?" the quartet of Naylors shifted uneasily as a familiar look filled his face, noticing how a hand reached into the inside pocket of his cloak. They knew this look, they seen it all too well.
"I cry for fire! Fire and blood!" The Mad King roared and it was like time had slowed down drastically in Jamie Lannister's eyes. He watched the horror that filled the Naylors' eyes when a bottle of wildfire flew from the insane man's grasp and towards them- Ronas and his sister specifically since they were closest to the king. Jamie watched as Dasina lurched forward with an outstretched hand to come to their aid but was stopped by Colren wrapping his arm around her middle and pulled her back.
A wall of stone erupted from the floor curtsey of Dasina in front of the two mismatched blondes as their feet tried to distance themselves from their impending doom, but it only got halfway up before the bottle shattered against the stone and released the wildfire onto rock and flesh alike. The Lannister's hearing was muffled as he watched the site before him unbelievingly in a painstakingly slow manner.
Faintly he could hear the brief screams of agony coming from the blonde Naylors as the green fire overtook them and the female ravenette cried out in despair with tears running down her face. He couldn't see Colren's face but he was sure it was in a similar state. When a chunk of the ceiling structure hit the Lannister straight on the head he recognized the floor beneath his feet was shaking his well in tune with the woman's wails. "Kill them!" Jamie turned to his king who grinned as if the room was not collapsing in on itself.
"Kill them all! I want that house gone! House Naylor will not last the night!" Colren's red rimmed eyes widened at this and in one smooth motion turned and bashed his sister on the back of the head, effectively knocking her out and fled from the room. "After them! Guards, Guards! After them! The Naylors are traitors, bring me their heads!" The Mad King continued to bellow as Jamie's hand drew his sword and charged after the fleeing duo with his comrades in arms.
If he ever had any reservations about killing the Mad King before, they were long gone. If anything, what he had just seen before his very eyes encouraged the lion to drive his sword through the king's back and now there would be no Naylors to stop him once they were all chased out. With his sister slung over his shoulder, Colren struggled to pull the horn from his belt but once freed blew air into the curved instrument as hard as he could so the noise would echo throughout the castle. Very rarely was this horn ever blown but when it was, it was a signal for those who knew its' sound to evacuate and find shelter.
From out of the rooms he was quickly approaching, was a Naylor handmaiden who he snagged as he ran by. "My lord!" she squeaked, "Why are we running?" she ran alongside of him. "The Mad King turned against us, branded us traitors. He killed Ronas and his sister with wildfire and has sent his guards to kill the rest of us. We flee, but in separate directions. It'll be easier to hide that way. Dasina and I will flee to High Garden with Lady Olenna where we will catch a ship to the Arbor for a while, the rest of you will follow us there. If you cannot make it there send a raven. Go spread the word." the woman nodded at his instructions and broke away from him when there was a fork in the hallway.
Thankfully it did not take long for the ravenette to barge into the queen's room and at the same time he slammed the door behind him, Dasina stirred, renewing her hysterics. "No, no Dasina you have to be quiet. You'll lead them right to us" Colren hurriedly placed her onto her feet and covered her mouth, so her wails would not give them away though the earth continued to shake.
"Colren?"
"Mommy?"
Turning, the green eyed twins turned to see the silver haired queen herself, her two sons and one blue haired little girl staring at them concerned. "Mommy? Don't cry." Ranta broke away from the Targaryens with her own watering eyes at the site of her distressed mother and stumbled towards with reaching arms. Sniffling loudly, a small sob escaping as Dasina scooped her daughter into her arms and clung to her small body as if it were her life line.
The earth beneath their feet had stopped shaking for now. "Colren. What is the matter?" Rhaella furrowed her brow in concern having never see either twin shed a tear before. "Ronas and his sister are dead." the ravenette's voice cracked terribly, " The king released wildfire onto them in his rage."
"Wildfire?" Rhaegar and his mother repeated in horror. " He accused us of being traitors after his throne and life and declared a man hunt on us. We cannot stay here, innocents will be hurt in the collateral damage if we fight- if they haven't already" the man shook his head. "Where will you go?" Rhaegar asked with a frown. "The Arbor for now, but we will not stay there. The house will have to scatter into small groups to stay hidden." Colren replied and made to say more but suddenly paused and seemed to be listening to something.
In a flash he whipped around at the same time as the door was suddenly thrown open once more with a bang, causing Dasina to lash out an arm defensively and sent a barricade of pointed stone jutting out of the floor and towards the door and whoever stood at it. Jerking backwards, Ser Willem stared down at the stone spikes that attempted to impale him and raise his hands up defensively after raising his eyes up to see the two Naylors glaring at him dangerously, one with a sword drawn and the other ready to do what it took to protect her family.
"You have to go, now. For now the soldiers are not checking the docs but soon they will after they figure out no Naylors are hiding in the city." he informed them as they lowered their defenses. "We have to go, now Dasina." Colren looked to his sister. "Then let's go." she replied back and took a step forward but was stopped by her sibling. " No." he shook his head sadly, looking to his niece who looked between the two adults confusingly.
" We can't bring her with." Dasina flinched as if her brother struck her. " You can't be serious. We have to take her with!" she cried, tightening her grip on her daughter. " She won't survive our journey on the run." Colren explained. "How do you know?!" the younger sibling cried. "How do you know that we will even survive?!" the man shot back, "We can't protect ourselves and her. Ranta doesn't have powers to protect herself-"
"She's a late bloomer! She has powers, they just haven't come in yet!"
" All it takes is one moment of being caught off guard for an arrow to pierce her heart or for us to be over whelmed and she's stolen away while we're fighting for our lives." Colren continued as if she hadn't spoken. "So the solution is to abandon her?!" Dasina snapped tearfully. "It's her best chance at survival! For all we know, we could spend the rest of our lives on the run" her brother returned, "You would condemn your daughter to a life of uncertainty and suffering when she has the opposite here?" he questioned. "And who would take care of her? Protect her from the Mad King and those who would see her dead?" Dasina asked in return.
"I would." Rhaella suddenly spoke, silencing the room and earning the gazes of the trio of Naylors. "We would." Rhaegar corrected, agreeing with his mother. "You said it yourself, Ranta's powers aren't showing yet. What threat would she pass to the king? He wouldn't find it worth the time." the blonde dragon shook his head. Exchanging glances, Dasina and Colren looked to each other; one knowing and one pleading.
"You know it's her best option." the male ravenette placed a hand on Ranta's little blue head and sunk his fingers into her locks, scratching her scalp gently and lovingly. Hesitating for a long moment Dasina hugged her child as if trying to merge their bodies into one. "We will meet again, my love, that I promise." all too soon in the young mother's opinion did she feel Colren pulling her daughter out of her grasp and handed her off to Rhaella. " Uncle Ren? Mommy?" the little girl looked to the elders with wide blue eyes filled with confusion and reached her arms out again with a small whimper.
Subconsciously Dasina moved forwards to take possession of the small child but was held back by her brother once again. " We'll be back, Blue." Colren promised with a sad smile, "You just be good for Rhaella, Rhaegar and Viserys, yeah?" he backed himself and his sister up to the door as he said this and then finally pulled them through it and had them running down the halls of the castle. Both doing their best to ignore Ranta's own begging wails for her mother and uncle to come back and the loud booms of thunder and lightning coming from outside the castle walls.
"So that was why you left…"Ranta trailed off absently after the story had been finished. "Because we knew you'd be better of with Rhaella and Rhaegar." Colren nodded. That of course, did not last long now did it? "We never stayed in one place for long after touching base with the members of our house at the Arbor. Everyone went on their way, contact kept through the scarce raven sent twice a year as to not attract attention in whatever territory they settled in. House Naylor hasn't stepped foot in Kings Landing since that night."
"That doesn't answer my question."the monarch suddenly spoke. 'I asked where have you been, as of recently if your memory truley fails you...or do I have to send a raven to Magister Illyrio and ask him seeing as he was to ones who led you here."
Glancing amongst one another, none of the members of the house spoke at first. At least not until one brave soul stepped forward and turned his back on Ranta to adress the group. "All in favor of coming out of this conversation without bodily harm if we tell her, raise a hand and say Aye"
"Aye!"
Ranta snorted and rubbed her temple with a small smile on her face at the sight of the group of people before her all raise their hands and voice their opinions. " They aye's have it then." the man turned around and looked to the queen with a cross between cautiously and hopefull.
"We come from Volantis, right around the time you and the city leaders were at each others throats. We didn't know of your prescence in Essos until then." he informed. "And when you did learn of it," Tyrion voiced, "Why didn't you come. To Mereen." he clarified. "Oh we had every intention on it, make no mistake." the man assured, " But it's hard to sneak a group like this over to a city in the now liberated Slavers Bay. The leader's were watching the ports and roads like hawks, monitoring what letters left the city and which ones came in. We didn't want to risk being followed or captured for questioning."
Ranta supposed that was reasonable, hardly worth getting angry over. "Until your rise of power in Slaver's Bay, no one knew where you were for sure." Colren voiced, "but then the word was sent out into Westeros and now everyone knows." he finished. "Does that include you too?" Jorah voiced suspicious, "Was that really when you knew where she was here in Essos? Because I knew where she was long before she came into power and so did a select few others."
"Well considering the kind of slimy company you associated yourself with back then just to get a pardon, it doesn't surprise me." Colren bit back. "Wait," Ranta cut in stopping a retort from coming from Jorah, "How do you know about that?" she questioned. Stiffening in realization that he had successfully stuck his own foot in his mouth, Colren sighed heavily and shook his head.
"So King's Landing was not the only one with their spy. We had one too that has been watching you, ever since we left you with the Targaryens." he revealed. "Who?" Ranta asked in disbelief at the amount of spies that had apparently been watching her. "Not who," Colren shook his head, "but what." he corrected. "The mirror?" Tyrion questioned, "It's real?" he questioned in awe. The ravenette nodded, "It is very real, Aegon was successful because he knew where his enemies were, knew where to send his sisters and dragons. The only reason why he knew was because they used the mirror." he explained.
"And what exactly is this mirror you're talking about?" Ranta asked feeling out of the loop. "It's called the All seeing mirror, a mirror that let's the viewer see anything, anywhere." Jorah supplied. "Since the very beginning it's been in Naylor posession, under their lock and key because they're the only ones the mirror will work for. If anyone else would try to use it, nothing would happen." he shrugged. "And you've been using this to watch me ever since you left?" Ranta asked accusingly but Colren shook his head.
"The mirror can't be used consistantly on a day to day basis like that. The mirror needs breaks too, and when you do use it, it takes a year off of the life of the user…We were able to check on you during the rebellion, but the moment you landed in Essos- you were lost to us," the man admitted. "Something happened to the mirror and wouldn't show you to us, we thought you were dead until the mirror suddenly showed us you being taken in by Illyrio years later."
Ranta's brow furrowed heavily, so he didn't even know about her, Daenerys and Viserys being on the streets then…."We're done here" Ranta suddenly declared and stood from her throne, folding her hands in front of her and making for the staircase that led further into the pyramid much to the occupants of the room surprise.
"We are?" one of the bannermen asked and Ranta hummed in confirmation. "I have planning to do." she informed the group without turning, "Do what you want but you are to remain in the city and behave yourselves." she ordered, signalling for the dwarf and bear to follow minisculey. "Planning for what exactly?" Tyrion asked as he and Jorah followed after, though they stopped when she did at the base of the stairs to turn and look at them and in extension the other Naylors who had not moved yet. "For the end of the month of course. That's when we sail for Westeros."
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Missandei, Grey Worm, Daario, Barristan, Jorah, Varys, Tyrion, Yara, Colren, Tarla and Daenerys all clustered into one room with one queen. All discussing one thing. Though she wished it was peaceful discussing.
"We've discussed this before, you cannot put the Dothraki in the River lands."
"Then where do you propose we put them?"
Constant arguing.
"In Tyrell territory with Lady Olenna, their lands are flat and ideal for the Dothraki should battle come."
Over the same things.
"Forget the Riverlands. We have an army, a fleet, three dragons and two basilisk snakes that can thrive in water. We should hit King's Landing the moment it's in our sights. We rule the land, sea and air - the city will fall in a day."
Everyday.
"And so will the hundred of thousands of innocents living there during the firestorms."
For Weeks.
This was not what she had in mind when she wanted to plan. It was far from it. "And perhaps the lot of you are getting ahead of yourselves." Ranta snapped in her ire, tired of the squabbling in her ear. Yara and Tyrion did not mix well together contrary to the civil meeting they had when the Greyjoy siblings had arrived in Mereen. The female ironborn warrior had certainly gotten comfortable in her position as ally with the Naylor queen after her pirate lord cousin had sailed up to Mereen and cleared Yara's men after eyeing through them. Said pirate was sitting in on the meeting with Colren nonetheless though the two sat silent much like Ranta's seasoned advisors did.
Successfully chided, the lion and kraken ceased their battle, though it was far from over and far from the last clash they would have. "I have told you both before, that we cannot set plans in stone without the Martell's and Tyrell's actual presence with us. We will discuss strategies, battle wise, more in depth after we land." Ranta declared.
"And where are we landing, exactly?" Daenerys asked, having been silent up until now as well. The silver khaleesi had long been reconciled with the blue queen much like how Missandei had promised and therefore met her extended family in return.
Colren and Daenerys got along well enough, neither had qualms with each other and Tarla all but adored the Targaryen princess. Their equally fiery personalities is what drew the blood lipped pirate in the most. When it came to the dragon and the bear, there had always been a hint of hurt in her eye whenever Daenerys looked to Jorah, but the Mormont could understand that. It would take time to repair the relationship he had damaged.
"Dragonstone." Ranta replied. "We sail for Dragonstone, and make base there." The surprise on the violet eyed woman was as evident as the sun in the sky. "Dragonstone is your home, your birthright. It is only right that the island is the first part of Westeros we stake our claim on" Ranta smiled lightly, " It also holds a strategic planning. Dragon stone is in prime position to represent a blockade to those fleeing out of King's Landing. With us there, nothing moves out of the city without us knowing."
Hearing this, Tarla rose a hand and cleared her throat non too subtle. "Ah, speaking of that I have a question….or comment rather." The brunette stated. Ranta nodded and motioned for her to speak. " If you count Casterly Rock, the Lannisters hold two strategic locations. Are you splitting up the fleet to watch both locations? Cause ya run risk of running into Euron and his men if you do, being that the Rock is near the Iron Islands of course."
"Fair point." Varys commented ever so calmly. "What do you plan to do?" he asked. Pursing her lips, the queen thought briefly before looking back to her relative. "Do what you want, just don't kill the wrong Greyjoys when you're doing it." The grin on the pirate Naylor was absolutely malicious and sent shivers down a few spines. "That's all I needed to hear." she purred before pushing herself up and made for the door. "I'll be on my way then, til we meet again" she threw a hand up in departure.
"Tarla," Ranta's voice stopped her in the doorway. "Do what you want to Euron's fleet but do not do so until we arrive at Dragonstone and you inform me first, face to face. It will be the Naylors who storm Cersei Lannister's precious castle and I need you alive to do so." The monarch warned lightly. "I hear you my queen, I assure you, loud and clear." The brunette grinned again, gave a deep bow that could of been played off as mocking and then turned and continued her way out this time unstopped.
Watching the brunette disappear from sight through slightly narrowed eyes, Ranta snorted and shook her head, returning her gaze to the city down below she had been watching through the open balcony doors. "Your men have their new armor and sails, yes?" Ranta directed the question towards Yara."Yes, they're traipsing around in them now, the sails should be up as well." The woman nodded.
"Ours are ready as well. All you have to do is load the men onto the ships and we can sail." Daario added. "And they'll starve to death before we even reach Dragonstone." Barristan countered. "We're not properly stocked on medicine and food yet, we're still waiting for the farmers and maesters to send in what we've ordered." The Selmy explained. Ranta nodded at the information brought to her, "Good...Varys, you still have your little birds do you not?" she asked the spy master.
"I do." he nodded in confirmation. Ranta then turned to her uncle, "Do you know what my mother is doing right about now?" she questioned. Shrugging his shoulders, Colren shook his head. "Probably cursing my name to the seven hells as she watches us through the mirror if she hasn't already." he replied casually and honestly. "Do you think your birds could take her a message?" the exotic haired woman turned back to Varys.
Inhaling a breath in and exhaling through his nose, Varys tucked his hands into his sleeves. "For years we've tried to find the Naylors, whither it be upon the command of a King or not but the results were always the same. If directed in the correct direction though, it is entirely possible." Varys replied sliding his eyes to the ravenette along with the rest of the room.
"And where exactly is she? My mother." Ranta clarified. "Is she in the North? Cerran and Kiran said Naylors showed up at their home in Wolfswood once to seek refuge before heading for the mountains and Sea Dragon point." Scratching his cheek in thought, Colren found himself nodding in acknowledgement. "Aye, there are some of us there- the last we checked anyways, but it's not where my sister is." he shook his head.
"Send your birds to Tall trees town in the Sunset sea, South of Dorne." Colren instructed. "What would you like them to do once they find her?" Varys asked. "Deliver this letter." she pulled out a rolled piece of paper sealed with her house symbol from inside the folds of her dress, " I want her to start rounding up others of the house and have them congregated in one area and be prepared to meet us at Dragonstone."
Varys nodded and took the letter from Ranta's grasp. "Your grace." he bowed slightly before leaving the room. "Tyrion if you want a healthy supply of wine to yourself I suggest you go out and buy it now." The blue eyed woman unclipped her coin purse from her waist and shook it tantalizingly so the sounds of coins bouncing around filled the room.
"I will go with him." Daenerys stood and caught the pouch that was dropped into her palm. "I would like to see which wine causes him to drink himself into a stupor every so often." The silver haired woman mused with a pointed look that had the dwarf shifting on his feet as his puppy dog eyes stared up at the two sisters innocently. Huffing a laugh, Ranta clapped a hand to Daenerys' arm gently, "Have fun with that." The older woman smirked and watched as the little lion trotted after the Dothraki Queen in earnest.
" The rest of you are dismissed as well." Ranta informed the remaining occupants of the room, " Make sure the men under your leadership are prepared physically and mentally for this trip. Once we land in Westeros, this war has officially begun." firm nods were given in return before the scrapes of many chairs dragging across the floor filled the monarch's ears. Steadily the room cleared until it was just Ranta, Jorah and Colren left, the bear having been heavily eyeing down the ravenette with an unwavering gaze. "I do believe you've been dismissed." Colren pointed out. "So have you." Jorah returned easily. "I'd like a word with my niece-" the Naylor tried but was cut off.
" She's a queen first and a niece second. You'd do well to remember that." The Mormont admonished. "Peace Jorah," Ranta cut in with a knowing smile. "He can speak with me, it will be fine. Find something to entertain yourself with until he is finished." she instructed of the exiled knight. Internally groaning in frustration the blonde man gave a stiff nod before exiting the room, giving the ravenette a nasty look that was returned with fervor.
Once the green eyed man was sure the Mormont was out of earshot, Colren turned towards his younger relative a released a heavy burst of air through his lips. "By the gods is he a guard dog or a bear?" he asked exasperated much to Ranta's amusement. "A combination of both really but he does his job well enough considering I'm still alive." she replied. "Indeed" Colren pursed his lips, drumming his fingers on the table. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Ranta asked, twirling Rhaegar's ruby filled necklace in her fingers. " For someone who's just reunited with their family, you certainly don't act like it." Colren noted. "And how am I supposed to act?" the woman asked.
" A hug would be nice."
"My mother taught me not to hug strangers."
"But I am no stranger."
"You and the others have been gone for twenty years, the fact that I remember who you are should be counted as one of your blessings." Colren opened his mouth to respond but closed it. It was a fair enough point. " If that's your viewpoint now, your mother is going to be crushed when you don't go running into her arms when you see her again." The man perched his elbow up onto the table and rested his head on a closed fist.
"I am a queen, and queen's don't run." Ranta sniffed haughty but allowed her lips to turn upwards in a small smile. "No, I don't suppose you do." the woman's uncle smiled gently in return. "Those years I was lost to you in the mirror, did you know what happened to us? Daenerys, Viserys and I?" Ranta asked. Hesitating, the man shook his head.
" Not until Lord Illyrio contacted us to inform us that he had brought you into his home. He told us that the three of you were on the streets once your guardian had died and how he couldn't find you because he never knew where you were specifically. Told us how you….really survived those years, the things you and Viserys had to do to keep the three of you alive." He trailed off carefully.
"We always knew you'd end up in Illyrio's care once you were put on that boat for the first time in your life, we just didn't think it'd take so long for you to do so." Colren finished with a heavy sigh. "It's why I fight," Ranta murmured, " so no one goes through anything like that again. I fight so everyone after when I'm long dead and gone will have a better life than I did growing up, so they don't know what it's like to live in places like the slum areas. So people aren't treated differently because of social class, or have to worry about who will be the one to stab them in the back when they aren't looking. I want the Aegon's wheel broken and a world of peace left in its place."
It was a fool's dream, the pessimistic side of her knew, but it was one worth fighting for. "What you want is to shift heaven and earth to your desire essentially," the man grinned and stood from his chair, "Then let them shake, for I will accomplish my goal. One way or another. No matter how long it takes." Ranta met his grin with one of her own.
Chuckling, Colren clapped the young woman and looked down fondly at her, "I have no doubt about that and neither do the thousands that follow you and those who will come to join you as well….Now come." He pulled his hand away and put some space between them. "No queen or niece of mine is going to rattle the heavens to their core and not know how to wield a blade. We have little time to prepare." Colren mused walking for the door.
"I know how to wield a war mace." Ranta noted, instinctively following after the ravenette without a second thought. " A war mace is good for shattering bones, but is much slower when being compared to the time to slice a throat open or impale a man" the elder said as a matter of fact. Scrunching her nose up in distaste, "I don't like gore, it's messy." she commented.
"War is messy," Colren responded with ease, " and there are no easy choices in it. Remember that, dear one, because there are going to be a lot of difficult choices ahead of you."
While war was being prepared for by all by some degree, there was one who did not find the need to do so. Cersei Lannister heard the whispers, she heard the whispers long ago when the Targaryen and Naylor outcasts were making their debut with the Dothraki. But she did not care, they were no threat to her. Naylor or not. Jamie Lannister, the more sensible of the two on this matter, though did not share her sentiments. He worried well into the day, and well into the night. His dreams were plagued with worry, the night Dasina Naylor nearly brought the castle down onto their heads after her husband's and sister in law's deaths was as vivid as ever.
Though while Cersei was not openly preparing for war, she had to at least act like it. Which is exactly why she had gathered the noble houses of Westeros before her. "Some of you are bannerman of House Tyrell." Cersei began, her echoing voice silencing the murmurs. Her chocolate eyes found the ones of Randyll and Dickon Tarly easily enough.
"But house Tyrell is an open rebellion against the crown. With their help, the Mad king's daughter will have a place to put her Dothraki savages. Directly on our shores while the Blue haired Naylor follows right behind with her own savages, mindless Unsullied soldiers, and Second Son brutes. All of whom will destroy your castles and holds first. Dothraki heathens who will burn your villages to the ground, rape and enslave your women and murder your children.
This is how Olenna Tyrell awards centuries of loyalty to the crown. Remember the Mad king, remember the horrors he inflicted upon his people. Upon the Naylors themselves even, horrors so terrible that it has sent them scattering and to this day they remain unseen. His daughter is no different and she has spread her madness to the woman with the sea in her hair and the sky in her eyes.
While the Targaryen girl was conquering the Dothraki, the Naylor was conquering all of Slaver's Bay with brutality no less than the Mad king himself. She murdered every single noble family in all of the cities using her powers from the gods nonetheless, only stopping at Mereen because her advisors begged her not continue on."
A round of murmurs sprung up. "A Naylor with Targaryen madness?"
"It's nonsense, they are level headed and they don't use their powers on others. Not even when fleeing from this city all those years ago."
" I need your help my lords." Cersei ended the murmuring,"We must stand together, all of us here and now. If we can ever hope to stand against the storm coming for us." Another round of murmurs broke out amongst the men gathered. Many were uncertain and even afraid at the idea of standing against the Naylor coming for them, but at the thought of her not using her powers….well they believed they had a chance. A small one. However there was one lord in particular who had not been swayed in the least during the Queen's speech. Walking forwards, Randyll Tarly easily silenced the room.
"The Targaryen has three full grown dragons, and the Naylor has two full grown Basilisks that are just as big as the dragons if not bigger. Your grace." He added after a pause and then held his hands in front of him, "That's even more than Aegon had when he took the Seven kingdoms. How do you propose to stop them?" he asked knowingly. For a long moment Cersei said nothing and slid her eyes over to her Hand who cleared his throat nervously.
"We are currently at work, my lord, for a solution." So in other words, they had no idea. Smirking lightly, uncaring that Cersei had well seen it, the Tarly nodded his head once in acceptance of the statement. "Think long and hard over what I have told you today my lords, and have a safe journey home." the female lion dismissed the group evenly, grinding her teeth in frustration at the way the Tarly general all but pranced from the throne room with his son in tow. Without waiting for instruction, Jamie rushed forwards to try and keep up with the duo. If there was anyway of winning this war, it would be with the Tarly general on their side.
"Lord Tarly." Jamie called out to the veteran man and drawing him and his son to a halt. "Ser Jamie." He acknowledged, "I believe you know my son." He cast a quick glance to his offspring. " Ser Jamie." Dickon parroted his father's greeting. "Rickon, isn't it?" the one handed Lannister asked. "It's Dickon." the young man corrected. "Ah, yes. That's it." Jamie nodded before turning back to the Lord.
"Thank you for coming, you know the other lords look to you for guidance in times like these. I didn't think they'd come if you didn't." He may of been laying it on thick but Jamie needed to be on Randyll's good side. "When my queen summons me, I answer the call. Though I've heard what happens to those who defy her." the man narrowed his eyes on the Lannister with a twisted sense of humor in them. Sucking in a breath Jamie quickly nodded his head to the side and began walking away at a brisk pace away from prying ears.
Chuckling, Randyll looked to his son, "Watch and learn boy. Make note of what you are about to see and hear." His deep baritone voice instructed before following after the Lannister. "So you leave for Hornehill today?" Jamie asked once they were alone and wandering through the halls. "Yes, I have an army to mobilize. Won't be long until the fighting starts." He mused.
"And which side will you be fighting for?" Jamie asked but was only met with silence, "You were the only man to beat Robert Baratheon, not even Rhaegar Targaryen-" he tried. "It is a long ride to the Reach, Ser Jamie, what is it that you need" Randyll cut the lion off. "I want you to be my ranking general in the wars to come. I want you to swear allegiance to Cersei and I want you to help me to defeat her enemies. All of them." the trio of men came to a stop in the middle of the hall.
"Including Olenna Tyrell." the lord drolled knowingly and narrowed his eyes on the Lannister. "I'm a Tarly. That name means something." He spat. "We're not oath breakers or schemers. We do not stab our royals in the back or cut their throats at weddings. I swore an oath to the Tyrells." Randyll stepped forward to close the gap between them. "You swore an oath to the crown as well." Jamie countered not backing down. "And so did you. That is until you broke it." Randyll effectively silenced the one handed man.
"Do you see the choice before me, boy?" The man then turned to his son that had remained silent the entire time, " Choose the crown and I risk foreign queens unleashing Dothraki and fire breathing monsters on my land. Choose the foreign queens and I risk the crown destroying my lands and holdfasts with wildfire as she did to the Sept of Baelor. Quite the choice to make, isn't it?" Dickon shifted on his feet and nodded his head in agreement.
"I'd like to believe you are not a stupid man, Jamie Lannister, but the fact that you are here in front of me today asking who will I side with makes me wonder." Randyll mused. "You experienced a Naylor's wrath first hand, as indirect as it was. Had Colren not knocked out his sister that fateful night this castle would not be standing and Kings Landing would be lost amongst the stone. There is still damage evident from her despair to this day." Randyll took a hand and ran it over a deep spider web like crack in the wall that had been unable to be fixed and then looked down to the floor below where the painting of Westeros laid before them. There were several cracks throughout the map that divided territories in halves.
"The Naylor queen may not use her powers on others directly, but that doesn't mean they still wont be used indirectly. You forget that their powers have minds of their own." the Tarly lord proclaimed and Jamie inwardly sighed heavily in defeat, so he would not help then. Nodding his head slightly, Jamie bid the duo a silent goodbye and walked away.
"A Targaryen however holds no such power" Randyll spoke before he got too far, much to Dickon and Jamie's surprise. "I will face the Dothraki and get the scum out of Tyrell territory when they arrive but that's as far as my generosity will extend to the crown." the veteran warned. Grinning so widely, the Tarlys thought the one handed Lannister's face would split in two.
"Any help is greatly appreciated I will see to it that you are rewarded generously when the war is won. The South will need a new Warden after all." Jamie clapped Randyll's shoulder happily and then departed without another word, eager to deliver the news to his sister that they would receive some help, as small as it was from the Tarlys.
"Father, I don't...feel like that was the right choice. Lady Olenna was always kind to us, treated us right and the Naylor, if she seeks revenge…." Dickon trailed off worriedly. Sighing, the father looked into the youthful face of his son, "There are no easy choices in war boy and there are risks we have to take. Some are more costly than others…"
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" If I get even a whisper that you've let my city fall back into its old ways, I'll sail every single soldier back here and make sure no noble family makes it ten yards out of the city. Are we clear, Hizdahr?"
"Perfectly, my queen. The council you've appointed should help me keep the peace and further prosperity if it's even possible." Ranta smirked and patted the noble man's very lightly bearded cheek, "Good man." she bade and stepped up onto the wooden plank leading up to the ship she was to board. When the farmers crops and the maesters medicine had finally arrived into her grasp and been loaded onto the ships, Ranta finally gave the go ahead to start packing away horses and soldiers alike onto the ships floating in her harbor.
Thankfully the ships docked in Pentos from the White Harbor had arrived in time otherwise it would of been a stretch to fit everyone and thing during the one way trip to Westeros. The Second Sons had boarded their ships easily enough, along with the Unsullied but the Dothraki had put up a bit of a fuss until Daenerys had threatened to cut their braids off and dump their corpses into the poison water to rot for all of eternity if they didn't get on the ships and do it quickly. And if the goodbye and farewell wishes were not heart felt before when Ranta left for the Basilisk Isles, then they certainly were now.
Ranta honestly felt bad for causing so much grief to the people who looked up to her, but after assurances that she would return after making sure she brought the same amount of peace and happiness to Westeros as she did for them. "Well, I think just about the last of the Dothraki are being rounded up and boarded." Daario spoke as he walked up the wooden deck, boarding the queen's ship along with Jorah, Barristan, Missandei, Tyrion and Varys.
Daenerys had clamored onto a ship with Rakharo, Jhogo and other Dothraki 'officers' while Grey Worm took to his own ship filled with Unsullied, though the man was far from happy about it. Yara and Theon had also taken to their own ships with their men combined with Colren and the other Naylors along with some of the maesters dubbed seaworthy enough to last the trip.
"Curious to see how they do once we actually start moving." Daario grinned. "I reckon it won't be anything pretty if they are kicking up this much a fuss now." Jorah commented as matter of factly. "Roll call!" Penrose's voice suddenly called. "Unsullied?" she wondered if the warriors were all accounted for. "Check!" a ships crew worker cried from the nearest ship filled with the silent soldiers.
"Second sons?"
"Check!"
"Dothraki?"
"Check!"
"The Queen's beasties?"
"Check"
"We're ready to go then! Weigh anchor, full canvas! Let's get this show on the road, boys. Next stop is Westeros!"
A deep baritone horn was blown by the lips of the new Quartermaster to the female ship captain and in response similar horns followed suit from the other ships before the boat suddenly gave a lurch and began drifting away from dock. Having been hovering in the bay, the Basilisk brothers let loose their own bellowing cries and swam forwards to lead the charge out of the harbor.
From up above, the dragon trio were not far behind and with single solitary flaps of their wings, the flying creatures were gliding through the air and soaring after their brothers down below. Looking around at the multiple ships around her, flying her colors and fighting her for her cause…. "I can't believe it." Ranta murmured breathlessly. "Can't believe what, your grace?" Missandei asked gently.
"It's finally happening after all these years...I'm going home, we're going home." She corrected and looked to the Mormont, "Just as you promised me when we first met." Ranta smiled. "I told you we would." Jorah returned with ease, "You just had to be patient." Lips quirking in understanding Tyrion pulled up a crate for the young queen to sit down upon and then one for himself as the others found other ways to get comfortable.
"Well, you have your armies, your ships, you have your beasts, and your family. Everything you ever wanted ever since you were old enough to want anything. All yours for the taking. But let me ask you this...are you afraid?" the Lannister asked. Was she afraid? The Naylor liked to think that she wasn't, she spent years preparing for this moment. But at the same time, she knew that everything that she had built could come crumbling down around her in a blink of an eye. So was she afraid?
"Yes, I am afraid." Ranta answered truthfully. "Good, you should be." Tyrion advised, "You're in the Great game now and the Great game is terrifying." he warned. "Either you win or you die" Ranta recalled. "That's right and the only ones who aren't afraid of failure are madmen like the Mad King and my sister." Tyrion wisely stated.
"For as long as I can remember, I've been a cynic. I cannot tell you how many times I've had people tell me to believe in something. Family, gods, kings, myself. It was very tempting but then I saw where believing got people. So I said no thank you to that and yet here I am. Sailing back to the very lands I had sworn off and damned until I turned blue in the face. All because I believe in you. I know I haven't known you for years like the rest of your group has." Tyrion motioned to the audience around them. "But from what I have seen in the time I have known you is something remarkable.
You're not cruel, or malicious. You treat others with kindness and decency, even those with less than reputable backgrounds. You've stood firm in your stances on viewpoints, yet made room for compromise that best suited those who came to you and for yourself at the same time. You've managed to change an entire world set in their beliefs for the better, you've made the impossible - possible and if you can do that to Slaver's Bay, then I believe you are quite the contender in the Great game.
You are one of the few who actually stands a chance at winning and whose legacy will live on. You will not be the one who dies in this conquest, that I can promise you and it's rather embarrassing really but...I'd swear you my sword but I don't actually own one." he admitted sheepishly, earning a brief huff of laughter from the woman before calming. "Council Tyrion, it's your council I need." Ranta clarified.
" It's yours then, now and always." The dwarf vowed. " I've been doing a bit of thinking lately," Ranta revealed, " and I've come to the conclusion that a queen coming to take over Westeros without a Hand would look rather bad. So I began thinking of who it could be. I knew it could not be someone I would be sending out into the battlefields nor someone who knew the lands or people even worse than I do. That eliminates my whole set of advisors." Ranta laughed lightly.
"All except two of them anyways, and I need Varys out in the fields with his little birds so really that leaves one. One who has experience being a Hand and knows the ins and outs of Westeros. Someone who does not own a sword." Ranta grinned and watched as a small laugh worked its way through Tyrion's own lips as he looked up at her with emotional eyes. " I know it's probably too soon to be passing such judgement onto you. But you once said you were an excellent judge of character, and now I am stealing those words from out of your mouth and claiming them as my own. Prove to me that this is not a mistake, Tyrion." The woman pleaded lightly. "I will." The dwarf promised earnestly.
"We have a lot to learn about each other and a short amount of time to do it. So we best get started now while we still have some semblance of peace amongst us...but first thing's first." Ranta dug into the folds of her dress around her chest area and pulled out a metal pin all too familiar to the lion. "Tyrion Lannister, I name you Hand of the Storm Queen."
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ATTENTION: SNAPPPP, I know this entire thing was rushed but I was anxious to just get Ranta out to sail too! So anxious that I did not proof read this chapter XP.
DOUBLE ATTENTION: It's about to pop off the moment Ranta lands guys! XD, Reviews= my heart filled with love and motivation!
TRIPLE ATTENTION: There is only ONE update, I am changing the story cover and I'm not sure if that counts as an update so ignore it if you get another notification outside of chapter 15 being posted.