Tyrion was going to kill her.
Tyrion and everyone else left on Dragonstone. Ranta worried about her inevitable reunion with them in the future, she was well aware that she was already in hot water for not being completely forth coming with her true intentions when she departed for High Garden originally with Missandei. When they got word that she was going to be traveling through Dorne and the Reach with no protection from her Unsullied... they would lose their minds.
Grey Worm was already at that point internally, the constantly ticking muscle in his jaw as he stood dutifully over her crouched form told the monarch that much at the least. No dragons and no soldiers would accompany the woman to Sunspear except for Rhaegal who was to drop her off before making for Dragonstone himself.
In the Naylor's defence though, she needed to present herself as a queen who fully trusted her allies. Marching through Dorne and the Reach with Unsullied or pirates at her back and three dragons flying above would do the exact opposite. Instead she would do such a thing with the Martells and the Tyrells - who were to be collected later as they traveled further into their country.
Vaithe, Hellholt and Starfall were the Dornish holds she would visit outside of Sunspear. Bitterbridge and the Stony Sept were the only places she would visit with in Olenna's lands. If any neighboring settlements wished to come and see the new queen they were fighting for then they would have to come to High Garden.
Once they reached the Stony Sept, that is were the Tyrells would leave them and allow the Dornish and Ranta's Second Sons to begin the seige of the Riverlands. With Vaemarr and Laemyx leading the charge nonetheless, wheither the monarch would join the frey or not was still up in the air. Not to mention, Olenna and Oberyn needed to know about the wights and to see them with their own eyes.
"Your grace."
Ranta looked up from the paper she had been writing to her Hand, explaining everything that had happened and what was to happen in the near future. To the Naylor's surprise it had been Jon Snow, how the man hadn't gotten tired of looking at a would be usurper was beyond her. "Afternoon, my lord." Ranta returned politely, rolling the letter up and stamping her seal on it.
"Not tired of me yet?" she poked at him. " Wouldn't still be here if I was." Jon returned easily, eyes drifting over to the more than usual tense Grey Worm. He reckoned the man was bound to explode in some form sooner than later if he didn't release his pent up frustration. Ranta spotted this as well and was quick to address it, "Go take a walk Grey Worm, why don't you go and check on Daenerys and Missandei?" she suggested but was only met with silence and a look from the man.
"I know you don't like what I'm doing." Ranta said gently, "But it is necessary if I am to place trust in the people I am to rule in the future. I can't have you or Tarla over my shoulder during the walk through of Dorne and the Reach, it'll be counter productive. I will have an army protecting me at all times during my travels, along with my gifts if anything. No one will be able to touch me, not even the white walkers if they manage to find a way to break free of their binds" the woman seen the captain's face relax slightly as understanding filled his eyes.
"If it'll make you feel better...I will also instruct Missandei to make sure that Penrose helps Vaemarr and Laemyx get to Sunspear before we leave for the walk through. Will that settle your worry a bit more?" Ranta asked hopefully and was met with a nod. "Good." she returned to common with a light laugh before jerking her chin in the direction she last seen her sister and translator.
Bowing respectfully, Grey Worm turned on heel and marched away- leaving the two rulers alone. "Sorry about that," the blue eyed woman commented offhandedly, breifly watching her stoic friend disappear into the Forrester home before focusing on Jon.
"Was that about me?" the northerner frowned in concern, joining the Naylorian on the blanketed ground on the other side of the empty crate she had been using as a table to write her letter. "No, no. Grey Worm just-…" a small sigh escaped her lips, " he just had some misgivings that's all." she finished with a wave of her hand.
"Was there something you needed?" Ranta then quirked a brow, only to be taken aback by the guilt ridden facial expression of the Northern King. "You almost died." Jon began slowly. "Which time are we talking about exactly?" she asked evenly. "You went beyond the Wall and nearly died trying to see if what I had said about the white walkers was true." the Stark asserted firmly, seemingly speaking to himself more than to her. "Why?" the man demanded, "Why would you do that knowing that you didn't believe me?"
Ranta looked to him a bit strangely, "I never flat out didn't believe you. I juggled the possibility moments after you told me they were coming, I had no room to doubt you much considering the company I keep." she shook her head, " Like I mentioned before, you wouldn't have come if there wasn't some danger knocking on your door great enough to even save the Wildlings. You brought no proof to speak of so I decided to find out for myself...least to say that this discovery has only made my life only that much more stressful." Ranta took the moment to massage her head through her blue locks of hair.
" It was so much easier when all I had to worry about was dealing with the living than the dead. I am entirely too old to be dealing with this, quite frankly." the monarch's head dropped, her fingers grasping her hair at the back of her head. It was silent for a long moment before Jon broke it tentatively. "With all due respect, your grace….I did try and tell you that you were old back on Dragonstone." he smiled cautiously.
Ranta snorted, shoulders shaking in silent laughter until she was unable to keep her laugh quiet any longer and picked her head up to openly show her amusement to the world. Joining her in laughter, neither ruler noticed the sharp eyes of the youngest female wolf on them who decided to remain behind unlike Sansa who took Baelish and returned to Winterfell.
"Thank you." Jon said once they had sobered, "Thank you for believing me about them." he clarified at her wondering look. "I am also sorry," he admitted, "I'm sorry you were nearly killed for my mistakes." the Stark frowned heavily. "Had I of brought a wight to you for you to see for your own eyes instead of just telling you about them then you would have never even bothered to go past the Wall."
There was truth in the wolf's words and Ranta acknowledged this with a nod, " Proof typically does get people to be more willing to accept that what you say as truth." she commented with a nod. "May I ask something of you, your grace?" Jon then asked, " Becareful when you're showing the white walkers to Lady Olenna and Prince Oberyn." he pleaded.
"How did-" Ranta began to ask considering he shouldn't have known about her intentions. "Dorne, the Reach and white walkers doesn't exactly sound that much different in….in...in the other language you speak with Grey Worm." Jon finished awkwardly, much to Ranta's amusement. "High Valyerian." she informed with a smile. "High Valyerian." Jon echoed with a nod. " You have my word." Ranta smirked mischeviously before dipping her head to the Northern man and walking away.
When the blue haired queen was out of ear shot, Arya took the opportunity to appear by her elder brother's side as he rose to his feet himself. "Why is she doing this, Arya?" he asked without taking his eyes off of the exotic woman. " She's been due to return to Dragonstone for a long time now and she owes us nothing. Why is she stretching her neck out for us?" Jon rattled off.
"As opposed to what, exactly?" Arya quirked a brow, " Do you think you would stand a chance in Sunspear or High Garden? They would strike you down before you reached Olenna or Oberyn, a scheme from the North to cut off the heads of two powerful countries." she forewarned. "But I'm not scheming!" he protested, looking to his sister. "Not to them you're not. Not when you show them those undead creatures, they'll take it as a threat. Best let the pretty face introduce them to her new friends." she commented as a matter of fact.
"Those soldiers she has" a thoughtful look filled the young wolf's face when she abruptly spoke again, "...the Unsullied." Arya motioned to where they were all gathered before Ranta along with their Forrester hosts, Missandei and Daenerys. "I have read about them before, they battled the Dothraki outnumbered three to one once and still won the fight." Jon's brow furrowed at this, shifting his weight from side to side. "What about it?" he asked lowly.
"How do you plan to fight them after the Great War?" she wondered off handedly. Before her brother could reply, the two siblings were jerking their heads up to the sky when dragon cries sounded. Circling the camoflauged castle, the trio of beasts slowly made their descent to the ground - half perching on the vine covered wall as they did when they first arrived.
"Tarla's off helping with the restoration of the trees with Lord Forrester and Asher but I want you guys to head on home when she's done and take a long rest once back on the island. You all have deserved it." Ranta could be heard saying to her warriors. "I will make for the homes of our allies with our … cargo." she looked to a chained crate holding the bound and gagged white walkers.
"We will be waiting for Daario's men in the Stony Sept, where they will move forward and begin the siege into the Riverlands." the abrupt switch into Valyrian let the Starks know that she was clearly discussion battle tactics while keeping mind of them. "I still think this is a mistake." Daenerys frowned. "You'd do well to make peace with it because it is what is happening." Ranta returned just as easily, handing Missandei the letter to Tyrion, climbing Rhaegal's offered wing first and settling on his back.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Ranta looked to the remaining Forresters and politely nodded her head." It was nothing, your grace." Elissa smiled warmly, "We wish you all safe travels." the mother smiled. "The crate, Rhaegal, grab the crate." Ranta whispered, patting the tan dragon's neck. Swinging his head down low, the tan eyed beast grabbed the crate by the chains offered by Daenerys.
Ranta flashed a wave to her party below, even gave one to Jon and Arya before Rhaegal took off into the sky with his rider and cargo in hand. "Let's go home, Missandei." Daenerys murmured lowly, offering a polite good bye to their hosts and boarding Drogon.
Missandei was quick to follow by example but unlike the Targaryen, she actually did offer the two Starks a small wave before her mount took off after his brother. "You never were good with every woman you came across." Arya smirked, not ignorant to the eye roll she recieved in return from her brother.
0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o0o.0.0o.0o.0o.
"You know you look nothing like your daughter, did you know that?" Daario said plainly to the woman who's claimed parenthood over the monarch for the last week now, strolling the island grounds. Dasina had been running a hand through her hair as Daario's mind continued to grapple with how anyone on the island could be this woman's kin when she looked like no one there.
From beside him, Jorah rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Yes, I have been aware of it." Dasina replied smoothly nonetheless, Tyrion and Varys remained silent as the trailed along as well. "You continue to mull over this as if it were some great mystery." Jorah poked at the captain. "It's obvious the queen copies her father in looks. You look like your father dont you? I thought you said your mother was a blonde. " he asked, referring to his brown hair.
" I also said that she was a whore. There's no telling if I could look like my father or another member of family." Daario prolonged the conversation, though it was at that moment a raven flew in and landed of Daario's shoulder, a note attached to its' leg. Freeing the message from the dark colored bird's leg, the animal flew off once more seeing as its mission had been completed.
Unfurling the paper, the sell sword captain quickly scanned through the beginning contents with succession, "Found her." he said simply, waving the small parcel of paper. "What?" the mother looked to the man lost. "The queen." Daario amended. "Got a letter from some Lord Forrester. They were with them most recently along with Tarla and a group of twenty Unsullied..." Daario trailed off as he continued to read.
" The king in the North made an appearance and tried once more for an alliance to no avail until Petyr Baelish whispered in her ear and somehow managed to get the Queen to agree on a temporary alliance to defeat the enemy beyond the wall." he reported.
"Baelish?!" Tyrion frowned concerned, "Aren't you and Tyrion the ones supposed to be doing the whispering?" Daario looked to the duo, confused. "Trust me, we're just as disgruntled as the rest of you are." Varys mused equally disturbed. "Petyr whispering in anyone's ear is not preferable to anyone. The man courts chaos, reveling in the heart of the storm of it as its effects tear apart those around him." he said unabashed.
"And yet he still found a way into her ear." Dasina commented unsettled. "Not permanently." Tyrion hurriedly countered, "I suspect they're on their way back home if he sent that letter." he pointed out. "Or it could of been meant to arrive weeks earlier." Jorah gained everyone's attention. "That bird showed signs of injury" the Mormont explained at the imploring looks he gained from the others.
" It had a wing with a bone slightly jutting out yet was still able to fly. Something caused a bone to break and mend out of place, slowing its speed. That letter was meant to be here earlier." Jorah concluded however no sooner did he finish his sentence did a large cluster of shadows pass over head, causing the group to look up curiously.
Above, were the resident dragons of the island who had finally returned after a long leave of absence however what threw the men off was Drogon and Rhaegal continuing their flight further into the island while Viserion made a descent for them. Landing with a graceful thud, the green dragon lowered his body with a low rumble deep in his throat.
"Rest well, Viserion, you and your brothers have earned it." Missandei whispered to the great creature who let loose a snort before using his legs and wings to propel him into the air to join his brothers. Missandei wished she could say that it was good to see such familiar faces of her friends again, but the weight she carried on her mind was far too great. And clearly it showed, for the first question out of Tyrion's mouth was a question regarding what bothered the translator.
"It is in my experience that no one looks this worried unless something has gone awry and someone has died or has been gravely injured. Tell me, Missandei. What is wrong?" Tyrion probed. "Neither of the last two options has occured." The woman denied, "But the queen has-" Missandei cut herself off when she caught a look at Dasina. "Who is that?" Missandei asked suspiciously.
"No one important." Daario cut in, "The queen - Missandei, what about the queen?" the captain brought the topic back on course. "The Queen has chosen to further delay her return to Dragonstone." Missandei spat out with a grimace, "Before we left the company of the Forresters, she decided that she would go to Dorne...alone. No Unsullied, no pirates, no Second sons, no dragons but Vaemarr and Laemyx she did request to be sent there...and only them." she brought out a handwritten note from the folds of her dress from the monarch herself.
" Soon the Second Sons and Dornish warriors are to make for the Stoney Sept in the Reach and be prepared to siege the Riverlands together." she reported as Tyrion took the letter and began reading it. "The Riverlands?" Jorah's brows raised, "What's making her go on the offensive now?" outside of taking Casterly Rock, it was to be believed that their Queen rather content to staying on the defensive for now.
"She did not say." Missandei shook her head, " I do not think she even told Prince Oberyn about this ahead of time, I believe she will be telling him when she gets to his home if she is not there already." she said honestly. "A siege on the Riverlands." Varys hummed, " Without given option to kneel?" he looked to the curly haired woman who could only shrug helplessly.
"Well given option or not, Dorne will have no problem marching on them." the spy master mused, "They've always wants those lands, for hundred's of years in fact. And last I heard, the Tully's were under Lannister thumb from the last major battle there." Varys then looked to Tyrion, "I presume Lord Edmure is still in Lannister custody?" he quirked a brow.
"He should be, at the least." Tyrion answered absently before his eyes snapped back to the present and looked to Missandei stiffly. " You went beyond the Wall...to hunt monsters that may or not be real?" his tone was furious, though Missandei did not even flinch. She had faced worse wrath from her old master. Jorah, Daario and Varys were left wide eyed at this being brought to light.
"The queen was knocked off Rhaegal and sent into a river nonetheless. What were you two thinking?" The Lannister demanded. "I was thinking that we were following orders," she replied, her tone stiff. "Either we followed her over the Wall, or she went by herself. There wasn't much of an ultimatum to work with." Missandei defended herself and Daenerys.
Tyrion began to say a rebuttal but quickly held his tongue before it could fully come out and took a deep breath, "If she dies." he began slowly, "We're all lost. Everyone and everything." Tyrion said bluntly. "I know that, more than anything." Missandei agreed. "If our queen dies, then so does all of Westeros." It was no secret to any of them that Ranta was the only thing keeping Daenerys from unleashing the Dothraki upon this world with no true restraint. The dragons and basilisks would soon follow.
Ranta's health was top priority, even claiming the iron throne comes second to it. "So you went beyond the wall to see the apparent monsters there." Daario cut in, beginning to piece together the bits and pieces of information he understood.
"The queen took a tumble into the river but is clearly fine otherwise we would be having a different conversation entirely. You guys flew over to the Forresters to recover, and now she is making to travel through Olenna and Oberyn's lands to meet the common people. She wishes for me to get my men ready to take the Riverlands with Dorne once we get to the Stony Sept...I understand all of that perfectly fine." he said honestly.
"But when you were over the Wall...did you guys even see anything?" Daario asked. That was the only part he had questions about. "Yes." Missandei and Tyrion answered together, "They captured quite a few of them as a matter of fact." the dwarf noted with a sigh. "Then she intends on showing them to Oberyn and Olenna." Jorah spoke, looking to Missandei. "Isn't she?" he asked, earning a silent nod from the translator.
"So she has committed to this war between the living and the dead then." Varys proclaimed. "So it would seem." Tyrion sighed. "Considering that this is true then attacking the Riverlands is a mistake." Varys said looking amongst his companions, " We cannot fight three different wars at one time - one being with Cersei, one against Jon Snow and the final one against the Night King. How many white walkers did you see when you went over?" Varys then looked to Missandei. "One hundred thousand at the bare minimum, and not all of them feared fire." she reported gravely, thinking back to the creature who commanded them all.
"Then it as I feared then," the spy master mused, " Something will have to give. We cannot put all of our men into fighting those dead men. They aren't exactly well suited or adjusted to fighting in the cold, I don't imagine the dragons took to the cold well either." he quirked a brow. "No. They were slowed and showed much displeasure at being there." Missandei admitted.
"Which means Vaemarr and Laemyx will be no better." Jorah noted thoughtfully. "Precisely." Varys nodded. " We cannot risk losing a good portion of our army during this war if we hope to stand a chance against Cersei and Jon Snow after words. If we are to take care of the Night King then we are going to need every abled bodied man in Westeros ready to fight. Our queen is doing right by bringing the white walkers to Lady Olenna and Prince Oberyn, but I do not know what she is doing with her intentions on sieging the Riverlands." Varys admitted.
"Perhaps she is trying to get them on her side so that they have no choice but to fight with her against them." Daario suggested. "That is possible but not as effective." Jorah quipped, "What we need is for something to give, as you said." he nodded his head towards Varys. "We need a total standstill on all sides until the threat of the dead is gone." Tyrion suddenly spoke, "All sides including my sister." the Hand's jaw twitched in thought. How were they going to get Cersei to agree to a halt on the war?
"Cersei Lannister will not pull her armies back." Dasina spoke for the first time since Missandei arrived. " Nor will she believe in these wights and white walkers." the ravenette shook her head, "How do you propose to get her to?" Dasina questioned. "We show them to her." Tyrion said slowly as he thought. "Yes but it'll be rather pointless to bring them to her if she has us murdered the moment we enter the capitol. By all means we have her against the ropes in this war so far." Varys stated.
"What's to stop her from seizing such a good opportunity as this one should she somehow be convinced to even allow us in." he stated more than asked. "Nothing." Tyrion acknowledged, "Nothing perhaps my brother, who I'm sure she still listens too despite opposing feelings on this war between us." he rubbed his bearded jaw. "And Jamie may listen to me. If not because of our past but because of debt he owes to the queen. She could of easily had him killed but spared his life, didn't even go through the trouble to hold him prisoner like others have done before….he is our best bet." the little Lannister said with finality.
"It sounds like there is a lot of convincing that will need to be done." Daario shifted on his feet. "Which is why I'll be going to Sunspear with the basilisks." Tyrion stated with finality.
Missandei's face twisted into displeasure, "No. You cannot leave." she frowned. The men were surprised to hear the woman stand her ground and give an order with such certainty that came from herself alone. "You are Hand to the queen. You are to act in her place if something happens, you need to be here." Missandei argued. " This is not Mereen, I do not know how these lands or people work. You have to stay here. Penrose can deliver the message to the queen when she arrives in Dorne with them" she insisted.
"She's got a point." Jorah noted, " I don't really think much of anyone should be leaving the island anymore. The Queen is gone, Tarla is gone, Yara and Theon are gone watching over Casterly Rock and Barristan is still gone along with his escort in the Stormlands." he summarized. "He's been gone longer than the queen." Daario realized with a heavy frown, "Should it take this long to cross the lands to earn allegiance from them?" he wondered. "It is his home lands," Varys said slowly, in thought. "Perhaps he is taking bit longer than necessary." he tried.
"Or something's gone wrong and he and his party have been captured." Jorah's pessimistic voice came. Before anyone could comment on the dark thought, Dasina's voice cut through the air. "Is that, Theon Greyjoy?" her eyes were narrowed into focus on the stumbling figure coming towards them as fast as it could.
"It is." Jorah's eyes widened in surprise, taking off towards the struggling Greyjoy at a rapid pace just outside of a jog with the others on his tail. The man was covered in soot, ash and blood. Wounds littered his body from where he was too slow to block a sword strike or narrowly avoided a stray arrow.
"Casterly Rock was retaken." Theon gasped for air, coming to a stop once they were before him. " Our troops and ships are gone. Either captured or destroyed. Yara was one of them." Theon's face was pained as he said this. "How did this happen?" Tyrion questioned. "I thought her fleet was defeated?" he pointed out. "She still has men left to fight with?" Daario's surprised question came. A haunted look suddenly filled Theon's face as he recalled the details of what had just transpired not too long ago.
"No...only Euron's ships were destroyed and they weren't even his best ones...she supplied them." he mumbled absently. "She supplied them with what?" Daario's echo brought him back into the present.
"Cersei" Theon twitched violently, "Cersei supplied her fleet with..."
0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.
"So we will visit Vaith, Hellholt and Starfall." Ranta's eyes traced the path her finger drew over the map beneath her. " After that, Bitter bridge and then High Garden. If those of Oldtown, Tumbleton or Old Oak wish to meet me then they will have to travel there. After we convene with Olenna, you and I will make for the Stoney Sept. There we will wait for my army to appear." the woman finished, straightening her back from its previously hunched over position. "Does that sound alright to you, prince Oberyn?" Ranta asked with her eyes still glued to the map.
However when she didn't get an immediate response, the woman looked up and seen the Dornish prince merely smiling devilishly at her from his spot on the couch in his usual elegant orange, brown and golden robes the revealed part of his chest and gave the prince plenty of room to fight in.
Ranta huffed out an exasperated laugh, shaking her head lightly. "Prince Oberyn have you heard a word I said just now?" she pushed away from the table and held her hands behind her back. "Of course, of course." the man purred in his accented voice, standing to his feet and closing the short distance between them. "Every last word, your majesty." the dornish man lightly tucked a loose strand of hair behind Ranta's ear.
"Ever since your winged beast dropped you off at my doorstep I have been listening." Oberyn assured her. "And from the moment you landed, nothing but battle tactics have escaped past those plump little lips of yours. I have to admit I am a bit heart broken." Ranta looked at him strangely when he said this. "You are here to talk strategy and here I was thinking that I would finally get a taste of Essos again as you get your own taste of Westeros." Oberyn grinned lecherously.
Ranta scoffed good naturedly, retreating to the other side of the table to put necessary space between them. "I think you have baked under the sun for too long my friend." the monarch hummed. "Is it because I am a man?" Oberyn ignored the comment, his smile never leaving his face as he slowly walked towards her. "Because I can find you a woman to join us if that is what you truly desire." Ranta made sure to keep herself moving around the table to avoid being in arm's reach. "And what on earth would cause you to think that a woman is what I desire?" she quirked a brow.
"You and your little advisor...Missandei." Oberyn recalled, "You two seemed very close last I saw the both of you on your island. I am sure she was also very reluctant to leave you here. The fret of a lover or lover-to-be, if I am not mistaken." he assumed.
"Oh you are very much mistaken." Ranta assured, picking up a figurine of his house and waved it pointedly. "Now if we could-" she tried but was cut off. "Come take a walk with me, my queen." Oberyn suddenly offered, extending his arm for her to take. Ranta looked to the prince suspiciously, "This walk isn't going to lead me to a bedroom is it?" she questioned.
"No, no." Oberyn chuckled fondly, "Not unless you want it to of course." he finished with a grin. "No! A walk will do fine, thank you." the queen cleared her throat and tentatively accepted the dornish man's arm once she appeared by his side.
"So…" Oberyn began their walk to where ever he had in mind. "You must be fairly happy with the way things are going with your current victories. I imagine your council of advisors are too." he supposed. "I would imagine they would be...outside of Missandei, I haven't seen any of them in months." Ranta disclosed. The prince was a bit taken aback at that, "So the rumors were true then, you really did fly deeper into Westeros after checking in on HIgh Garden. You've been North all this time." Oberyn proclaimed.
"Yes, very much so." Ranta sighed lightly, "and quite frankly I have no desire to get near that place again." she said bluntly. " And what business exactly did you have with our northern inhabitants for so long?" he asked, lightly touching a potted plant leaf they passed in the castle hall. "Well the Forrester alliance had to be confirmed and a temporary- and I do genuinely mean temporary- alliance has been made with the king in the North." Ranta finished with a sigh. Just thinking about why the alliance had been made in the first place stressed the monarch out.
"Is that so?" Oberyn mused with raised brows, "Would this temperary alliance have something to do with the mysterious crate that you have bound in countless chains and have my men guarding as we speak?" he stated more than questioned. "It even explains why I gave Jon Snow the resources I did before he left the island." Ranta quipped. He had spoken the truth and there was no reason to lie.
The crate holding the wights were in one of his dungeons being guarded with his men having the instructions to kill the creatures should they somehow manage to get out. The Naylor made sure that there was a healthy amount of fire down there for them to utilize. "That reason being...?" the prince trailed off pointedly. " Once could say that I have my monsters and Jon Snow is facing his own. He needs help with them at that." she admitted.
"And you have brought them here." the prince held a contemplative look on his face as he stared out at nothing in particular. "Yes." Ranta answered unashamed. A long silence drew out between the nobles as the dornish man processed her words.
"I do not want to see them." Oberyn finally said. "What?" Ranta said in shock. "Do not show them to me." Oberyn repeated. "Wait until we are with Olenna. Two birds with one stone." he proclaimed. The woman's jaw worked from side to side but she ultimately nodded in agreement. "Very well. With Lady Olenna then." the duo had only just reached the courtyard during their journey, the guests and servants of Oberyn's home bowed in respect to the duo. "You have lost your brother to sickness, yes?" he asked. "One of them, yes. Long ago now." Ranta informed somberly. " Mine as well. Yet the pain does not seem to waiver any less no matter how much time passes, does it?" Oberyn mused.
"No, it doesn't. You only grow used to it." Ranta stated. " Viserys was a good brother to you? I imagine Rhaegar was, naturally." Oberyn plucked a leaf off a potted plant and twirled it between his fingers. "Viserys was sick for a long time." the monarch granted, "In mind and then body, but I remember when sickness was but a far off impossibility. He was a good brother then and even one after he contracted his illness. Reasonably lost, but still good" Ranta said honestly.
"What did he have?" she asked abruptly of her companion. " Gout bound him to his beloved wheel chair and memories of war plagued his mind." Oberyn's gaze was distant. "Many thought he was weak for not being more like me...aggresive with those who insulted us. But they didn't know my brother." Oberyn shook his head. "Doran was just as ruthless and decisive as any other member of our house. He was simply better at hiding it - until the moment that he struck. Then there was my sister Elia" he then smiled fondly.
"She could walk among the vipers and none would bite her….your sister can do the same with fire can she not?" Obery asked. "Yes, she can." Ranta answered. "She is also sick in mind." Ranta's head whipped around to look at him so fast that her neck bone should of snapped clean in half. "Daenerys isn't sick. She isn't like Viserys." the monarch denied.
"When my sister married Rhaegar, we seen plenty of Targaryens." Oberyn drolled. " I will give it to my former brother in law - he and perhaps his mother are the only ones who did not carry the Targaryen madness along with the children Elia produced." he stated.
"Daenerys isn't crazy." Ranta glared lightly. "No? The Khaleesi of the Dothraki is of stable mind? So if I were to kill you now" Ranta remained calm when the dornish man suddenly placed his hand against her throat to mimic a blade. "She would not burn these lands to the ground, unleash her soldiers on the world in retaliation? " Oberyn quirked a brow.
"If your siblings were alive and if you had the opportunity to do so...would you not?" Ranta returned evenly. Oberyn smirked, lowering his hand, "A million times over." he answered truthfully, " If your Hand was here then I would ask the same of him."
"Except his answer would differ." Ranta pointed out. She doubted he would raise that kind of vengence for the loss of Cersei. His older brother on the other hand...well that was another story entirely. "Yes, his answer would differ." Oberyn agreed. "Queen Ranta!" a small boy's voice called. Turning in synch, Oberyn and Ranta seen a little boy with a shaved head and in robes rush up to them.
"May I help you?" she asked kindly, while Oberyn sported a confused look on his face. He did not recognize the boy to be one of his servants. Without saying a word, the child offered her a letter - desperation in his eyes. "Who is it from?" Ranta asked concerned, watching as he then turned the letter over to reveal a very familiar seal symbol on it. The boy was one of Varys' little messenger birds and this letter was from another one of those under Varys' wings instead of from the man himself.
Stretching the letter out a bit more for her to take, Ranta accepted the letter and watched as the boy then bolted as if a pack of direwolves were on his tail. Blinking, the monarch shook her head slightly before breaking the seal on the letter and began to scan the contents of the letter which wasn't long overall.
However, no matter the length - her heart still dropped into her stomach and anger burned the rest of her insides. Oberyn looked to the sky along with the rest of those who wandered in the courtyard when thunderclouds rolled in, lightning dancing behind the clouds. "Cersei Lannister," it had been a long time since the dornish prince had heard such a murderous tone come from anybody.
" You truly have no idea who you're dealing with."
0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.0o.
Collect the clothes, wash them, hang them out to dry, deliver them to their respective rooms later. Collect the letters from the maesters, deliver the letters. Go to the kitchen, help with meals, set the table, inform those of meal times. For years it was a constant cycle on repeat with varying other jobs she had to do too. However those were just the more tedious ones Mira Forrester had to do.
Working in the Red Keep, she seen a lot of people come and go of all ranks. Seen a lot of people 'disappear'. Heard many things she shouldn't of. How she wasn't 'relieved of her duites' yet, was a miracle in its self. Though she supposed with her controlled tongue and eyes that favored looking to the ground, there was no reason to be released from her job.
" You've been working here for a long time, haven't you?" Mira tensed at the cold voice that sounded. Even after all these years she had never gotten used to Cersei Lannister's voice.
"Yes, your majesty." the quiet brunette answered politely with a bowed head. "What is your name?" Cersei asked through narrowed eyes. From where he sat in her room, Jamie looked over at his sister rather boredly - wondering why she suddenly took an interest in a servant girl. She treated them all like trash anyways. "Mira Forrester, your grace." she answered honestly.
"Forrester." Cersei huffed, a small smirk sliding over her lips. "I give you credit. Many in your position lie about their name." the strawberry blonde commented. "Lying hasn't done me any favors, your grace. So I don't do it." Mira answered simply. "But if I were to ask it of you." Cersei implied. "Then I would." came the steady reply. For a moment the lioness didn't say a thing, just scrutinized the servant woman for a long moment.
"Your family is in the North, are they not?" Cersei asked. "They are, my lady." Mira nodded. "Do they bow to the Bastard King there?" the strawberry blonde questioned. "I do not believe so, your majesty." the Forrester answered truthfully, her insides twisting at where this conversation was headed. "Do they bow to me then?" Cersei tried knowingly.
"Most likely not, your majesty." Mira frowned. " Then they bow to the Savage Queen who has come across the sea with her armies and monsters." Cersei stood from her chair and approached the brunette woman. "Yes, your grace." Mira forced herself to stand her ground, only momentarily meeting the older woman's gaze before shifting her eyes down to the floor.
"Hm." a cold smile worked its way across Cersei's lips, "You do realize how that makes you look doesn't it? A low life, dirty spy here to collect the secrets of the Keep and report them at a later date to her traitorous family in the North." her hand had been trailing over her face as if she were her lover.
"The girl has been working here ever since father was around." Jamie spoke to the girl's defence. "If she wanted to turn traitor then she would have done so already." he said. "How do we know that she hasn't? How do we know she isn't sending letters this very instant" Cersei was unyeilding, her hand suddenly reaching into her long brown locks and giving a harsh pull. Mira did well to keep her face stoic.
"Because father would of found her out and even if he hadn't, no one in the Keep can send letters to the outside world without them being read over by the post maesters you have employed." Jamie reasoned. "I suppose, you have a point." Cersei eventually released her. "The possibility still stands." she mused. "Yes, well we all have the odd man out in the family don't we?" Jamie commented sarcastically.
"That we do." Cersei agreed with a hum. "Well since you are such a loyal servant as my brother claims you are then one would rather think you are allowed to see what we have in the dungeons...or rather who." Jamie's brow furrowed at this. He had not been aware that they had taken anyone into custody recently. "Come. Let us make the trip now." the lioness turned away from Mira and Jamie alike and made for her bedroom door.
The Forrester servant scrambled on her feet to follow afterwards, skirting around Cersei to open the door for her and Jamie. "Tell me, Mira, what do you think of the Lannisters remaining on the irone throne? Our overall preformance of keeping the kingdom safe from those who would see it destroyed?" Cersei asked as they walked. "I think your family has done beautifully, your majesty. The kingdom is still standing and standing strong." Mira answered skillfully.
"Even with a foreign queen on our door step." the monarch hummed. "Even with a foreign queen on our doorstep." she acknowledged, "I don't imagine there is much different you could do to fend her and her army off." Dull green eyes narrowed on the path before them. "Now I see why you have lived this long." the Lannister muttered, causing Mira to tense.
"You say what your superiors want to hear. Just being the good little sheep that you are." Cersei grumbled. Mira remained silent, something that did not go unnoticed. "At least you're smart enough to some degree." she acknowledged, "Any other fool would be rambling off excuses and utter nonsense at this accusation." the rest of the journey to the dungeons was a silent one. Not a word uttered between the three of them.
Even the trip into the dungeons was a silent one, only the occasion drip of water from the ceiling echoed along with their footsteps. " I do not like snakes, Mira. I hate them just about more than anything in this world." Cersei's voice rang out. "A woman takes great pride in her garden, in her family. I consider the people and lands of Westeros to be both. All too easily can they be ruined by the smily, vile slithering creatures who do nothing but poison and choke the life out of anything they come across, swallowing them whole at the bitter end." she came to a stop outside a certain cell.
"Do you know what has destoryed my family, Mira?" Cersei looked to the brunette servant. "Do you know what I have found in my garden?" she asked without waiting for a resoponce. "A snake. Quite a few of them actually." Cersei spat, " It's a good thing my men have rounded them all up before they could poison and kill anything in my garden even further."
Mira hesitantly looked into the cells on her left and seen that they were men bearing the house sigil of the Naylor's. The men were bound in chains, beaten bloody raw and were unmoving. Jamie gaped at the sight himself, "Are those Ranta Naylor's men?" he asked, watching her sister grin.
"Some of her Second sons." she acknowledged. "Where were they found?" Jamie questioned, the state of the men severly reminded him of the time when he spent time as prisoner of Robb Stark. It also made him wonder if he had been captured during the failed sack of High Garden, would he be in a similar state. " Our men found them as they were about to leave the Stormlands, we got a report that they were trying to sway the lords and ladies onto the Storm Queen's side. They've been here for quite some time now" Cersei hummed, all too pleased with herself.
However Jamie, was feeling an entirely different feeling. If the Naylor ever found out that her men were down here… "Wait you said they were in the Stormlands?" Jamie repeated with a raised brow before quickly looking over to the cell on his right where Cersei was all too proud to lean against. Stepping closer for a better look, Jamie paled at who was being held in this particular cell and seemed to be in a similar if not worse condition then his companions.
"Ser Barristan Selmy?" he asked breathlessly. The aged man didn't even twitch, Jamie wondered if he was even alive. "I told you she wasn't invincible" Cersei smirked. "I told you that she would slip eventually...and she has." Mira's heart cried out to help the men trapped behind bars, but while her heart wailed for them - her face was emotionless. "Not only have I captured Ranta Naylor's men and her captain of the Queen's guard - one of her most trusted advisors….but I also took back Casterly Rock." Cersei revealed.
"You what?" Jamie looked to her with wide eyes. "How did you do that?" he asked, already dreading the answer. Cersei had worked behind his back, she didn't even tell him of anything brought to light. Inside he already knew that he would not like her answer no matter what is was. The sinister grin on her face as genuine joy flooded her eyes did not settle his nerves in the least bit.
"The might of their ships and of their men are nothing when you have a large supply of wildfire on your hands."
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A/N: Just to be clear TWO different things have occurred. Ranta has been made aware of Barristan's capture, she doesn't know that she lost Casterly Rock to Cersei or that she used wildfire. Tyrion and the others know about the Casterly Rock loss.