*white flag of peace waves behind a tall wall to protect me from any anger that is left from all this hiatus I've had you on*
HEY REALLY QUICK! I decided to give Yara and Dany a new saying of their own for their united house. House Targaryen will still be "Fire and Blood" and House Greyjoy will still be "We Do Not Sow" (so Victarion and Theon keep their words), but Yara and Dany will get "Fire and Iron" whenever they show up. That being said, enjoy!
Fire And Iron
Lady Reaper
-Winter Is Coming-
"Sansa?" Arya knocked on her sister's door softly, in all honesty not feeling like she had the past few years, it was very strange to even think about being able to talk to her sister or see her again.
The heavy door swung open to reveal the redheaded, who had a writing quill hooked behind her ear, her hands stained with ink in various parts, a mess of parchment and scrolls on her desk, and on every possible surface in the room that wasn't already occupied.
"Arya!" The eldest Stark's hands went to her dress, trying to straighten herself up a bit, as unfamiliar with the situation as Arya was, and also very uncomfortable with her sister seeing the usually regal and posh Sansa Stark in a tizzy "it's late, are you well? Do you need anything?"
"No, no nothing like that" Arya awkwardly patted her sides, trying to keep her hands occupied "I uh, I haven't seen you today is all, wanted to make sure you're eating right" 'yes, tough self sufficient Arya Stark, trained by the faceless men to be a ruthless killer, checking on her sister, get a grip Stark'
"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you" Sansa's face turned into a scowl, gazing to the nearly untouched plate on her bedside table, only thing missing seemed to be bread and lemon cakes "Jon left me to make sure everything is running in the north and we have our new plan for the wall ready to go so… uh… would you like to come in?"
"Me? No, I'd just get in your way" it was almost comical to see Arya's eyes open widely like an owl at the thought of having to write anything. Not that she couldn't, she hadn't in awhile, but she was never as handy as Sansa, and if even her perfect prim sister was a mess she would only make it worst.
"You can help me organize the scrolls. Not being home makes information a lot harder to keep in order. I've had the new maester send every scroll until we go back, hence the mess"
"If you're sure…" Sansa smiled and opened the door wider, inviting her sister in. It was strange for both of them to be so civil, they had never interacted so much, at least not nicely, but here they were, with a new opportunity to try harder
"Take a seat wherever you can find and a handful of scrolls,"
"I feel as if I will sit on a handful of scrolls—sorry"
"I've been making an effort not to myself" Sansa sighed, picking up a couple of goblets from the desk, passing the larger one to Arya. The younger Stark took a whiff, her eyes opening possibly wider than the had before "Sip slowly"
"But this is… you don't…"
"You would be surprised at the things I do" Sansa took a swig of her drink before sitting "Anything that mentions the wall or any of the castles goes here. Winterfell, Bear Island, the last Harth and Moat Caitlin here. All other castles here. And everything else you can leave on the desk"
"Yes mom" the two sisters smiled at each other, before getting to work on the copious amount of scrolls "oh, and Sansa"
"Hmm?"
"I took you for a wine girl, but Ale? I'm impressed"
-The Lone Wolf Dies, But The Pack Survives-
"Not a single nosy noble in 20 years, and two would be royalty in two days, must be our lucky week" Jon tried to not let the annoyance show in his face at the iron born man who was nonchalantly taking up his time "you're looking for that cockless bastard Theon Greyjoy?"
"We are looking for prince Theon, yes" Daavos made sure to get ahead of Jon's possible explosive answer "I assume he's come through here?"
"Up in Pyke. He's not wanted here"
"We will see about that"
-We Do Not Sow-
Theon went through the meticulous process of removing and adjusting his gloves for the thousandth time that morning, it was nearly as calming as sharpening a sword with a wet stone, which he'd be doing if Tristifer hadn't taken all their weapons upon entering Pyke. Theon suspected it was only to annoy him by wearing his sword, but it was something that remained to be seen. For now all he had was the comforting feeling of the gloves in his maimed hand, and the steady thoughts of throwing Botley into the freezing waters below his window.
"wakey wakey prince Theon" Tristifer sundered in, a Cheshire wide smile on his face and a spring in his step—there's no way he didn't know how much Theon hated him right now "you have a visitor"
"is it the sanity that everyone in this bloody island seems to have lost when they let you in here?" shoving his shoulder into the smug wannabe lord, Theon sulked all the way to the entrance, where the brooding Jon Snow stood, flanked by Ser Daavos, Thormund Giantsbane and the shadowy ever present Littlefinger "Jon… I mean, your grace"
"Theon" Jon scowled at Theon's back, about as amused as the Greyjoy himself with the new self styled Lord of the Iron Islands "and you are?"
"Lord Tristifer Botley" smirk on full force he approached Jon, not as a Lord approaching a King but as an equal "what brings you to these shores, King Snow"
"a traitor, for one" Jon strode forward, making sure to look as imposing as his smaller frame allowed, hand on Longclaw. His other than landed on Theon's shoulder "and Prince Theon for another"
-Family, Duty, Honor/ We Stand Together-
"Lady Roslin" Steffon knocked softly on the heavy oak door, through which the giggles of a young boy could be heard, if he put his ear on the door and just listened.
The door was unexpectedly swung open, nearly knocking the new lord of the crossing off his feet. On the other side stood a man that had clearly seen better days, auburn stubble covered his cheeks, and his previously long and matted hair was cut short, his very skinny frame was draped with heavy dark wool, the silver fish on a field of blue and red emblazoned on his chest, the one thing that wasn't different in him was the burning anger in his eyes.
"Frey"
"Lord Edmure. My apologies" Steffon scratched the back of his neck, unsure where he stood with the man his great grandfather had held prisoner and away from his son and wife "how are you enjoying your new accommodations"
"far better than a dirt floor and chains" Edmure crossed his arms over his chest, clearly not amused and certainly not in any mood to see any Frey "if you would excuse me, I have time to make up with my son and wife"
"wait!" Steffon stuck his hands out, to prevent the swinging door from closing, Edmure turned to look at him with disdain "I–Uh. Is it possible for me to speak with Lady Roslin? It is an important matter"
"Last time a Frey spawn said that to me I ended up in chains"
"Edmure!" Edmure's young wife, Roslin, walked up to the commotion happening at the door, with their young son in her arms "Steffon is not like my grandfather. I believed we had settled this matter!"
"it never hurts to check again" Edmure grimaced at the young lord once more before turning towards his wife, who offered him the dark haired blue eyed boy in her arms.
"Steffon, hi" Roslin closed the door softly behind her, double checking around the corners that no one was spying on them, although sometimes it seemed as if the walls in the Twins had ears "what can I do for you"
"I promised I would check on you when everything settled down" Steffon's green eyes were filled with kindness, the complete opposite of the former lord of the twins "Lord Tully seems to be settling"
"it's a blessing from the seven that Hoster was blessed with a kinder soul than grandfather" Roslin took Steffon's hand in hers, making sure that he was keeping eye contact with her "what Walder Frey did as lord of the crossing does not define you Steffon. And it does not define our family"
"I'm glad someone here believes so" the young Frey smiled softly, squeezing Roslin's hands "how are you and Lord Edmure?"
"he's committed to making up the time we lost. And he is a good man, he will treat me well"
-Fire and Iron-
"your grace, the bulk of your forces have landed in Dorne, they're awaiting our signal to carry out their missions" Varys' hands, always tucked into his sleeves, writhed with excitement. He missed being back in Westeros, the idea of playing the game for the good of the realm and its people "Obara Sand and Daario Naharis are waiting on your leave to set sail towards Casterly Rock"
Yara splayed her hands out on the side of the map, right in the spot where the Dragon and Kraken rested in the small islet of dragonstone. Her steel gaze scanning the map for any and all kinds of tactics she could think her and Daenerys' enemies could employ "any news on our other allies?"
"The northmen have split their forces. Jon Snow and the Lord protector of the Vale have sailed towards the iron islands to help Prince Theon secure your homeland. The north is now in Sansa Stark's hands, she will be staying in the twins until her uncle, Lord Edmure, and his family are moved back to Riverrun"
"ah, my beloved wife. Glad to see she is doing fine on her own" Tyrion smiled at the table laid out in front of him, his eyes staring intently at the snarling wolf amongst the towers in the twins "what of my sister?"
"Cersei has ordered Lord Jaime Lannister to lay siege to Highgarden"
"Lord?"
"Ser Jaime has been dismissed from the Kings Guard and reinstated as Lord of Casterly Rock"
"father must be rejoicing" Tyrion's hand flew over the lions in Kings Landing, and trying to think like Cersei "If Jaime has been ordered to lay siege to Highgarden, who holds the rock?"
"Reginald Lannister is in charge of the garrison that holds the rock" Varys' head tilted to the side, watching the hand of the queen squinting his eyes at the large carved map, you could almost be blamed for imagining he could see the individual players' thoughts and their moves.
"Tyrion…"
"Reginald is a weak man whom my father always said was only in his seat due to birth, and was an incompetent fool" Tyrion scratched the beard that covered his cheeks with a pensive expression on his face "Reginald Lannister is quite possibly one of the few Lannisters left who counseled faith to crown when Robert's rebellion was at its peak; even if my father never listened to him. If there's a man we could negotiate with, it's him"
"we do not have a bargaining chip to force him to the table"
"like hell we don't" Yara smirked at Tyrion and then turned her face over to her wife "did you not once say that ironborn were only good at pillaging and raiding ? Well today may just be your lucky day"
"I don't follow?" Dany tried to put herself in the mindset of her most trusted advisors, but it was clear that in the politics of Westeros (a land she should have known and should be hers) she was going to continue falling short for a while.
"Reginald Lannister may be many things you golden cunts seem to share" Yara twirled a wooden lion in her hand, her apparently innocent smile almost daring Tyrion to say anything "entitled, self involved, thinks the world moves by their will and grace–"
"is this going anywhere?" Tyrion huffed out, not annoyed with her bad mouthing the Lannisters, but annoyed with generalizing him into the equation.
"–but he is not smart, and he is not cunning" the lion in the ironborn's hand landed on Lannisport, only a breath away from Casterly Rock "and he is ever so sentimental; why, as far as my memory serves me, Reginald's home is Lannisport, not the rock, and his wife and children still live there"
"we will not use children as bargaining chips Yara"
"I am not saying we do, your grace. But I am most certainly implying we… Persuade Reginald's wife into inviting her husband to the negotiating table, with a little help from some rugged ironborn"
-Winter is Coming-
"I could never understand why you enjoyed learning how to do this with mother" Arya took a swig from her goblet before tossing a parchment to the smallest pile "sitting inside, reading scrolls, I still don't understand it"
"I didn't enjoy it Arya" Sansa giggled at her sister's bemused look, taking a swig of her own goblet as well "but, as the oldest girl I had to learn, and you refused to, so I had to try twice as hard"
"If you didn't you certainly never showed it"
"it is not a coincidence that, other than Jon, me and Robb were the most glum of us all. He had to try harder so mother wouldn't fit about Jon, and I so she wouldn't fit about you. In our own way, we were trying to protect our siblings"
"that didn't keep her from forcing me to knit"
"And you were horrendous at that too" both sisters laughed, it was fun to reminisce, and it was a step in the right direction to try and put their differences aside, even if it was just for the night.
-Fire and Iron-
"Daenerys, can you just talk to me, please" Yara's hands scrunched up her hair angrily. They had been arguing circles around each other for half the night, and it seemed to have no end.
"There is no point in talking to you, Greyjoy, if you will not listen to me"
Yara groaned into her hands, pacing towards her wife, who seemed to prefer looking at her dragons hunting in the water than she did her "I don't understand what it is you're so angry about. You knew what we were coming to Westeros to do. Did you expect me to sit by your side the whole war, watching my men fight and die for me, never doing my part"
"You know that is not what I expect of you" Dany crossed her arms as she turned to face the ironborn queen "And that is not what this is about. I don't want you to go on the raid, and that is all"
"You are not going to order me around" Yara's hands dropped from her face, an angry expression revealed itself "You are my wife Targaryen, and you will not order me like one of your lackeys"
"I am your queen Yara" Dany raised herself up to her full height, even if she had to tilt her head upwards to look at her wife, the regality and power she carried was obvious "And I gave you an order"
"I am a queen, same as you; you are my queen by choice, Daenerys" Yara huffed angrily, not willing to back down from the dragon queen. While staring at her purple eyes however, she could see hesitation behind the anger, causing her expression to soften "What is this really about"
"I've already told you I…"
"no. You've told me what you want me to believe" Yara sighed, tilting her wife's chin upwards with her hand "Dany… "
"I lost a son and a husband, but gained 3 dragons and a purpose" Dany wrapped her arms around herself, her head resting just under Yara's chin "for the longest time I believed that my children and the throne were all I would ever be allowed to have. But now I have you. And I know I will not be allowed to have everything I want" Yara could feel the wetness of Dany's tears soaking through her shirt, and she couldn't help but feel her heart breaking for her young wife. Her arms wrapped around the small frame of the silver haired queen, giving her the assurance to continue talking "I know warriors die in battle, and that you will lead your men no matter how much I forbid it. I just wish I could keep you from danger a bit longer"
"don't we all"
-Hear Me Roar-
Reginald Lannister had always been aware of the disdain Tywin had had for him while he lived. It was hard not to, when every word that came out of his mouth was scoffed at. And even with him dead it felt like this room, like this entire castle was embedded with Tywin's hatred, it felt as if he got scoffed at every time a word came out of his mouth; it was slowly and surely driving him mad.
"Tywin you bastard" the blonde man raised his goblet, like toasting the invisible ghost of the Lannister patriarch. What he wouldn't do to get out of here.
The large oak door creaked open, a small man with a balding head and a long beard, dragged down by a chain walked in, with a small raven scroll in hand, interrupting the thoughts of the already angry lord of the rock "my lord". The maester walked out as quickly as he entered, purposely avoiding any further unnecessary conversation with the moody Reginald.
The scroll was sealed with the one sigil that might make the walls in the room quake with anger. The three heads of a dragon, though it did look peculiar, since their tail was wrapped around the tentacles of a kraken.
Your wife plays a wonderful host, lord Lannister. Hope you follow in her footsteps.
~Lady Yara Greyjoy, Queen of Salt and rock, Lady reaper of Pyke, consort of her majesty Queen Daenerys Targaryen~
The regent ruler of Casterly Rock had little time to be outraged or worried for his wife and children, or even confused at the titles the eldest daughter of Balon Greyjoy was so willfully granting herself, when the bells of the city began ringing.
"My Lord!" a man dressed head to toe in crimson and black armor ran into the room, sword and helmet in hand "the port, you need to see"
"I want all my commanders in the barracks immediately"
Reginald ran out as fast as his legs would allow, not really caring how it looked, mostly seeing as every other person in the rock was running the same way and at the same speed. In the port a single ship could be seen sailing, her hull as black as night as well as her sail, painted with a bright red three headed dragon, its tail wrapped around the tentacles of the golden kraken of Greyjoy. Everyone however seemed more interested in the speck that could be seen floating—no, flying, towards them, and steadily growing from a speck to something that was simply impossible.
"Impossible"
"No my lord, just highly unlikely" Reginald spun around at breakneck speed to find Yara Greyjoy, flanked by a small squadron of Unsullied, a golden head of hair poking from behind the imposing pirate looking woman.
"I received your raven a few moments ago"
"oh apologies, it was meant to arrive a little earlier, but we had a small change of plans, didn't we Lady Lannister?"
"what have you done to my wife Greyjoy"
"me? I saved your wife Lannister. And your children" Yara waved, ordering the unsullied to open their ranks. Out came two small golden haired children and a frightened woman, who lost no time running into her husband's arms "when we arrived to Lannisport your wife was hosting… Less respectable company than me and my men"
"I find myself hard pressed to believe there is such a thing"
"you wouldn't once you realize your home is now that of Euron Greyjoy"
In that precise moment the speck in the horizon that had so intrigued the inhabitants of Casterly Rock and had been temporarily ignored in favor of Yara's appearance took precedence once again, as Rhaegal landed with a loud thunk on the closest tower to their area, growling at the soldiers who were stuck between pointing their spikes at the angry monster or satisfying their overwhelming need to run away as far and fast from the area as they could.
-The Iron Dragon-
Wow Holy crap guys I didn't even realize how long it had been since I updated until I started writing again, I am so sorry for that super lengthy absence. I've had a long period of writer's block and 0 free time, it is a disastrous combination for writing, but here I am. You'll hopefully get the next chapter this week, it'll be sort of an implied flashback… You'll see it when you see it.
Anyways and like always, thank you for sticking around, much love to all the people who have reviewed, favorited and followed both myself and my stories, it helps a ton to know that someone out there is actually excited to read my weird ramblings.
Hopefully I'll see you guys sometime this week with the next chapter!