This chapter came together a lot more easily than I thought it would. I'm grateful for that, but I have no idea how long it will be till the next chapter so please don't start expecting it after a few days!
Another time jump then, but just a few months as the people of Westeros start to come together ready to fight.
I own nothing that you recognise, only Durran and his fellow OC's.
307 AC
The area surrounding King's Landing had almost turned into a second city with all the armies pouring in daily. Men from the Stormlands, the Reach and Dorne had all thankfully put aside their differences in light of the news from the North and had come together to train with one another. Durran often watched from the battlements, and sometimes even went to join in with the training to boost the morale.
The Dragonglass had come in handy too, with the entire Dornish arsenal seemingly being replaced by spears with obsidian tips, and the Marcher Lords who favoured their bows had been equally grateful to receive their new quivers filled with Dragonglass tipped arrows.
The Red Keep had also been busy, for it was only a few weeks after the first snowfall in decades had landed on the streets of King's Landing that the bells of Baelor's Sept were ringing once more, as the King and Queen welcomed baby Gowen into the world. The boy was premature but had since been getting stronger by the day and the Maesters were happy that he wasn't in any risk.
Unfortunately for the little Prince he was mostly left in the care of his Aunt. After arriving in the Capital with her husband and his army Myrcella was more than happy to look after the child as Daenerys spent most of her days practicing with Dark Sister in the tiltyard, and while she would never be a natural swordswoman, Ser Barristan was happy with her progress. Using her small frame to her advantage, she could almost dance around Durran when they sparred, with the King mainly relying on brute strength and willpower.
The pair were at it once again under the oversight of Ser Barristan and Aron Santagar when as Daenerys ducked under a swing from Durran's training sword, a high-pitched screech came from the direction of the castle, followed by a loud giggle. The couple looked up at the balcony, where a young girl was running towards her dragon. The yellow and black beast fanning his wings out against the cool winter air.
"I think that's enough for today, Your Grace." Ser Barristan said, letting the Master of Arms collect the training swords.
"I agree." Durran said unhappily staring at his daughter. Taking his wife's arm in his, they made their way up to where the Princess was chasing after the dragon.
"Elaenor!" Durran called. "What are you doing here?"
The four-year-old girl looked abashed. "Playing with Stormfyre." She said quietly, looking at her feet.
"And what should you be doing?" Dany asked, equally not happy.
"Lessons." Elaenor almost whispered.
"What was that?" Durran prodded.
"Lessons with Septa Jayne." The Princess said louder.
Dany knelt down before her daughter. "Then why are you out here."
"She smells funny." The toddler said scrunching up her nose. Durran had to reign in his amusement. "And she's boring!"
"We all have to do things we don't enjoy my love." Dany told her gently. "But your lessons are important. Go and finish them now, and if Septa Jayne says that you have been good then we shall go down to the Dragonpit after dinner."
That lit the girl's face up into a bright smile, and she nodded, before running back into the Red Keep, the small dragon chasing after her in the air. Durran turned to Ser Balon Swann. "Make sure she stays there." He told the Kingsguard.
"Of course, Your Grace." The knight bowed, before walking quickly after the Princess.
"The looks of a Baratheon, the impatience of a Targaryen." Dany chuckled as the heavy armoured footsteps died away. "What have we raised?"
"A spoiled Princess." Durran groaned. He then noticed Stefan Baratheon walking up to him from the same direction, Durran's cousin having filled the role of temporary Hand with distinction with Stannis' departure to the North. "Cousin."
"Your Grace." Stefan greeted. "The Tyrell's are here."
Quickly gathering their horses, Durran, Stefan and Ser Barristan rode through the city towards the River Gate, and sure enough around 8,000 men bearing the golden rose of House Tyrell had begun to set up camp on the Southern shore of Blackwater Bay. A single ferry was heading towards them, and so the King, his new Hand and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard waited with an already arrived Mace Tyrell as the heir to Highgarden slowly exited the ferry and moved towards them leaning heavily on his cane. Surprisingly to Durran, Lord Tyrell's Mother was also there.
"Your Grace." Willas bowed his head as low as he could. "Forgive me, I would kneel but…"
"Not to worry, Lord Willas." Durran waved off. "It is a pleasure to welcome you to King's Landing."
"Even under such difficult circumstances." Willas said with half a smile. He said a polite hello to Ser Barristan, before his eyes came upon Stefan. "Brother."
"Willas." Stefan grinned, walking forwards and hugging his wife's cousin with his only arm. "How was the journey?"
"Bumpy." The elderly woman said impatiently. "Your Grace." She curtseyed extravagantly for a woman of that age. "Can we go inside? It's very cold for my old bones."
"Of course." Durran said amusedly. "We have carriages waiting for you."
"We weren't expecting you here, Mother." Mace Tyrell admitted.
"I know, but somebody needed to make sure that things run smoothly while you boys are up in the snows waving your swords around." Olenna stated, offering her arm out for Stefan to take.
"I'm sure Lady Waynwood will be pleased to have another experienced set of eyes on the Council." Durran said, trying to appease the matriarch of House Tyrell.
"Yes, we shall see." Olenna said, ending that conversation. As Stefan took the elderly woman in a carriage with her son, Willas joined the King in another.
"I'm surprised not to see Lady Sansa here with you." Durran admitted.
Willas smiled fondly. "We felt it best to keep her in Highgarden, she felt more peaceful there after the birth than she would have coming back to this place… she likes the snowy gardens, although the comparison with Summer goes straight over my head."
"The summer snows in Winterfell are certainly strange." Durran admitted. "I dread to think of what we're about to walk into. Is the babe healthy?"
"Healthy and robust." Willas said proudly. "She was a bit annoyed at Lord Robb for stealing the name Edwyle, but she settled on Edward."
Durran smiled at the name being an honour to Lord Eddard. "It's those babes that we fight this fight for, so that they can grow up in a world and not be taken from it before their time."
"Can we win?" Willas asked solemnly. "I've done enough reading of the legends to know that the last time, if records are right, it took scores of magic users, giants and the Children of the Forest to keep them back, and they couldn't destroy the Walkers."
"They didn't have Dragons." Durran said proudly. "They didn't have the Valyrian Steel that we know destroys Walkers, and they didn't have us. Andal warriors' side by side with the First Men against the first enemy."
Willas looked slightly more at peace with that, though no matter how inspiring Durran tried to be, neither of them truly knew the enemy that they were about to face.
Winterfell was also a scene of action, as the Lords and Ladies South of Winterfell had brought their men to the Castle, while Lords Karstark and Umber had travelled to Eastwatch to aid the Wildlings and the Night's Watch. Robb had only received one raven of trouble, but thankfully the Umber Lord had made it clear to his men of what was coming for them, and all the living had put their grievances to the side for now.
Things in the Stark family had been a bit strained too. Cat now spent most of her time with Rickon and her grandchildren after discovering what had happened to Bran, and his declaration that he wasn't just Bran anymore seemed to have broken her heart. Things weren't helped when Jon and Ygritte returned from Dragonstone talking about the Valyrian styled castle and wielding the ancient sword of Kings. Cat had felt guilty for her past, but now instead of looking at the man and seeing her husband's infidelity, she now just saw Ned's trust in her shattered. Robb tried to manage it as best as he could, but it was a struggle. Thankfully his wife and his boys could ease his mind. Gone were the days of him bemoaning promising to wed one of Lord Walder's daughters to cross a bridge, and the weeks after Edwyle was born really helped bring a true feeling of friendship and love to his relationship with Roslin.
He told his Mother that one morning, who had just smiled happily. "It was like that with your Father too." She said to him. "We had a friendship after you were born of course but being together when Sansa came into the world really helped us grow to love one another."
"History repeats itself." Robb chuckled to himself. "More and more these days it seems."
Catelyn noticed the serious tone in his voice. "We're ready to go when needed." She told him. "We'll head to Riverrun immediately, but eventually I think we'll need to move to either the Eyrie or King's Landing."
"King's Landing." Robb said firmly. "The Eyrie is unreachable in Winter, and I spoke to the King about Aunt Lysa and Robin while I was there… it's not good. Robin pines after his Mother and her mind is by all accounts truly gone. I'm sorry Mother. All they are waiting for is for Robin to be old enough and sire a son to be brought up with the King's own children."
Cat looked angry but sighed after a moment. "She never was right after the duel. She even was kept alone for a number of weeks, I wonder if that's what set her off."
"I did suggest him coming to stay with us in Winterfell once all this is over." Robb said, trying to sound confident in their chances.
Cat smiled. "I'd like that."
The conversation ended once the doors swung open, and Jon and Ygritte walked in laughing about something. Once they saw Catelyn they fell silent. Cat meanwhile just stood up and excused herself, saying nothing.
"Thank you." Jon whispered to Ygritte.
"I don't know why you pussyfoot around her." The Wildling shrugged.
Robb kept his cool. "Out of respect for me, which I'm grateful for." He added to Jon.
"The latest shipment is here." Jon said. "That's enough arrows and spearheads for three times as many men as we have here, and more were sent to Riverrun and King's Landing too. We're as ready as we'll ever be with weapons."
"Good." Robb said, feeling some relief. "We'll need every last arrowhead."
His ominous words seemed even more so as Maester Luwin came into the Great Hall, a grim look on his face. "A raven, Lord Stark. From Last Hearth."
Robb's eyes went wide in horror. He snatched the raven letter from the Maester's hands and read it, his hand shaking as he went on. He threw the letter down on the table as he was finished, and let Jon pick it up to read.
"What's going on? Why is that bad?" Ygritte asked worriedly.
"Eastwatch has fallen." Jon told her hauntedly. "They climbed the Wall and used the Giants to force their way through the passageway. The Greatjon and Lord Rickard are dead. Ned Umber is abandoning Last Hearth and Stannis Baratheon is bringing the survivors to Winterfell."
"This is it." Robb whispered. "They're in the North."
Jon turned to Maester Luwin. "Send your fastest raven to King's Landing and tell them. Warn Lord Bolton too, his forces are closer to Eastwatch, so they may be the first target."
Luwin looked briefly at Robb, who just nodded his agreement at the commands. The Maester then left as quickly as he could. "You're sounding like a true leader, more so than me." Robb chuckled, but the smile never reached his eyes.
"I have to be." Jon said, his fingers playing at Blackfyre's hilt. "I was the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. I was born to be a King. I was named after the conqueror himself after all."
Robb looked at his cousin. "Are you sure?" He asked, the implied question of if Jon was ready hanging over them both.
"Aye." Jon nodded. "It's time I stopped acting like a child over who I am and stepped up to face it. My Mother wanted me to be more than just Jon Snow the bastard of Winterfell, and my Father risked everything for me. If I die, let me die as the son of two of the bravest people in Westeros, and not as a sullen bastard."
Robb agreed, and clasped his hand to Jon's. "Aegon." He greeted, the name feeling both weird and right at the same time.
"To you, it's just Jon. To both of you, always." He said, holding his hand out to Ygritte too. "You are my family after all."
The Small Council room was filled with different people to normal. Gone were those preparing to fight in the North, replaced with those that Durran believed he could trust to keep the rest of the realm running in the meantime, and Lady Olenna had joined them.
He looked around, Cersei looking for once like she wasn't sure she belonged, his scathing words about her not having power were still fresh in her mind, yet they had happened so long ago. Myrcella sat next to her, dressed in the dark purple of her new house she had truly taken to married life well. Anya Waynwood, Willas Tyrell and Varys made up the rest of his chosen, but the eunuch looked extremely uncomfortable at being sat next to the Queen of Thorns herself.
"You are all equals here." Durran explained. "Six voices, and one. You have the power of a regency council, nothing more. Keep the Seven Kingdom's together and prepare for the worst in the North, that's all you have to do."
"Oh, that's all?" Olenna rolled her eyes.
"Yes, Lady Olenna." Durran said firmly. "If the worst comes to befall us and the dead make it past the Neck, then evacuate."
"These are strong Walls."
"Not stronger than the Wall, grandmother, and that hasn't stopped them." Willas said diplomatically. "We shall do as you ask, Your Grace."
"Westeros shall stay standing in our hands." Anya Waynwood nodded, pursing her lips.
"You just ensure that you do the same." Cersei said softly, placing her hand on his.
Durran nodded, not promising anything. "If I fall, then Duncan is to be crowned and you are to rule as regents until he comes of age. Any arrangements at the Treaty of Hayford is also to stand."
"We'll be fine." Myrcella said with a smirk. "You're not needed here, brother, you're needed in the North. Trust us."
"I have no choice but to." He said, looking at Varys and Olenna as he said that. "Very well, you're all dismissed for now." The majority of the council left the room, but Cersei and Myrcella were held back. Once the doors had shut for the final time and Durran had thought he'd heard the old lady moaning about being dismissed like a serving girl, he sighed. "If she carries on being such an arse, make sure to burn her body."
"She's alright." Myrcella shrugged with another smirk. "Words are wind and she is full of it."
Chuckling, Durran brought his sister in for a lengthy hug. "Keep an eye on them all though. There is nobody I trust here more than you." He whispered to her.
"Your Kingdom's are in good hands, Your Grace." She mock curtseyed once they had parted.
"I know." Durran smiled. "No unnecessary punishments either." He said towards his Mother. "Follow the laws set out, I don't want to come back to a peasant's revolt."
"Make sure you come back then." Cersei said, her lip shaking as she fought back the tears. She reached forward and pulled Durran harshly into a hug. "And bring Tommen back too."
"I'll do my best." Durran promised that time. He took a step back and breathed in deeply, before exhaling again loudly. "I need to go and get into my armour, and I need to say goodbye to the babes." Cersei nodded, a tear escaping her eye. Durran reached out and stoked it away with his thumb. "Do not cry. I am doing what I've been brought up to do. To protect my family."
He ruffled Myrcella's hair as he used to do when they were children, forcing her to laugh as tears escaped her eyes too, before Durran walked out of the room with his head feeling like an emotional wreck, thinking of what to say to the children.
He entered his and Dany's chambers to a sweet scene. Dany had already changed into riding leathers and had all three children on the bed, as she was reading them a children's story about a dragon. Durran could only smile as he led his servants to help him put on his armour. Only his Baratheon leathers for now, his full black plate was being packed onto a cart by one of Lord Rykker's teenagers, who was to serve as his squire. When everything was tightened and ready, he dismissed everybody that wasn't family and went to sit on the bed as well, taking hold of baby Gowen, who was staring up at him with is deep blue eyes.
"Are you fighting again Father?" Little Elaenor asked sadly.
Durran nodded, kissing the top of his daughter's head. "I am Elle, do you remember the scary stories that you were told when Jon was here?" He had tried to avoid the topic of the White Walkers for the sake of his children, but Jon managed to explain it in a way that both exhilarated and terrified Elaenor, while Duncan was still too young to truly understand. "Well those monsters need to be stopped, and that's what your Mother and I are going to do."
Elaenor nodded her understanding. "Fight the monsters!" She said fiercely, clenching her little fists causing Durran to grin widely.
"As my Princess commands." He told her.
"Are we ready?" Dany asked. Durran nodded again. The Silver-haired Queen grabbed young Duncan and squeezed him tightly to her, causing little giggling squeals from the future King. Elaenor felt jealous at the contact and jumped on them both, as Dany pulled them both in for one giant embrace. "I love you, my little Stag's." She whispered, kissing them both. Durran laid a kiss on his younger son's head, before swapping over again with Dany and picking his daughter up with one arm, and his wriggling eldest son up in the other.
"You will be good while we are away, alright?" He told them both. "Don't go scaring people with Stormfyre. Go to your lessons, and make sure that you look after your Grandmother for me."
"But it's funny!" Elaenor complained, but she nodded at the serious look that Durran gave her. "Ok." She added dejectedly.
Hugging them close one last time, he set them down and called for one of Dany's handmaidens to take the children away. Dany gave each of them one last hug before they went, eventually turning around to Durran with a fierce look in her eyes.
"This isn't goodbye." She told him determinedly. "We are going to beat back the Night King, and tuck in our babies once more." Durran didn't feel like he could speak, and just held Dany to his chest, the Targaryen Queen's ear pressed just below his heartbeat as for the only time they let out their emotions of potentially not coming home to the three most important people in all of the world.
The men had gathered. The carts and wagons of supplies had been sent ahead to Brindlewood, a site that Durran had no happiness at the thought of returning to, where they would be camping for the night. 20,000 men from Dorne, the Stormlands, the Reach and the Crownlands had gathered outside King's Landing and they were all ready to head out on the long march.
The King was alone, as Dany had gone to the Dragonpit to ride Rhaellar for the first stretch. Durran watched from atop his black-haired destrier as the three adult dragons circled above them. Turning to his cousin Stefan beside him, Durran tightened his grip on the reigns.
"Are you ready?" Stefan asked.
Durran just chuckled, shaking his head. "We're about to go and fight an army of dead men. Are you ready?"
"Oh fuck no." Stefan groaned. "But I'd follow you anywhere."
Durran appreciated that, and after tightening his thick cloak, he turned to his Master of War Randyll Tarly. "I want a good pace. Brisk but manageable. Keep them moving at the rear, Lord Tarly."
"Your Grace." The man nodded, turning his horse and galloping down the line barking at the men.
"These Northerners better not have been making this all up." Edric Dayne said, trotting up to join Stefan and Durran. "Starfall was nice and mild, the sun still shone, and the pools were just cool enough to enjoy."
"I don't want to know how you enjoyed the pools, Lord Dayne." Durran shuddered, knowing what he meant by that and not wanting to think of his sister in that way. "You'll see soon enough."
"Do dead men bleed?" Edric asked. "I'd like Dawn to taste the blood of the dead, but I don't know if they bleed."
"We'll find out soon enough." Stefan said grimly.
"We march to Darry to meet up with Lord Andar, Lord Edmure, Tommen and the rest of the Reach." Durran told the pair. "I want no infighting between any of my Kingdom's."
"We've been good so far." Edric shrugged. "We'll continue to be so."
Durran was grateful. He turned to face the army amassed by the Kingsroad and raised his Valyrian Steel sword Fury, so all could see, and shouted as loudly as he could. "THE DEAD WANT TO TAKE YOUR WIVES, YOUR HUSBANDS, YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS AND MAKE THEM THEIR OWN. THEY WON'T STOP UNTIL WE, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF WESTEROS STAND UP AND TELL THEM TO FUCK OFF! WE SHALL SHOW THEM THAT WE DO NOT BOW, WE DO NOT BREAK! WE STAND TOGETHER AS ONE NATION AND SHOW THEM OUR FURY!"
The cheers were deafening, as the dragons above met Durran's speech with a roar of their own. Turning back towards the North, Durran kicked his horse into a steady walk up the Kingsroad and led his forces towards the unknown.
The women and children that weren't to fight were being sent Southwards as a few thousand Northman began the march to the Dreadfort to aid Lord Bolton. Robb was preparing to go with them, but among the last group were his own family. Catelyn sat on her horse clinging to Rickon tightly, while Roslin was in a cart with her and Robb's children.
"You stay alive." Roslin said softly as Robb kissed her once more. "Your boys need a Father."
"And they need a home. I'll do my part to protect that." Robb told her. "You'll be safe at Riverrun."
"I know, it's you I worry about." Roslin told him. "And your brother…"
Bran had outright refused to go South, immorally entering the minds of anyone who tried to force him away from the Weirwood tree. Robb had almost lost patience with him, but the reminder of the feelings he had when he thought Bran had been killed stopped him from doing something he'd probably regret. "I'll speak to him again." He said, as he kissed his sleeping sons goodbye.
Roslin nodded. "Stay alive!" She said once more as the cart pulled away towards the Kingsroad. Robb then moved backwards as his Mother rode by him.
"Come with us." She pleaded. Robb shook his head.
"My place is here." He said firmly. "I'll try and persuade Bran, but I am Warden of the North. It is my duty to fight."
Cat sobbed, and Robb took her hand, ruffling Rickon's hair in the process. "Kill them all." The young Stark growled.
"I will." Robb told his brother, as he slapped the horse's arse to make it gallop, sending his family away. Once the sound of the hooves had died down, Robb fought his way through the snowfall into the Godswood, where his brother could always be found. Robb stood there as Bran returned to the present. "What did you see?"
Bran just stared at him, his worried eyes betraying his calm face. "Nothing good." Was the response.
It had taken them a week to get to Darry at a brisk pace, and Durran gave the men a full day's recovery time while the other armies filtered in. From the East came a few thousand men and women bearing the banners of House Royce, with the odd Falcon thrown about here and there. From the West was a much larger force, as the armies of the Reach mixed with the few Westerlanders and Rivermen joined them, taking Durran's total to around 55,000 strong.
In the morbid times that they were living in, it was a beaming Edmure Tully that met up with the King, proudly telling both Durran and Stefan that Shireen was with child. Durran felt pleased for his cousin, although Stefan was worried about the effects of the birth.
"She's never been the healthiest, especially after the incident." He said, speaking about the Greyscale scare that had left half of her face marked forever.
"She has the best Maester that the Riverlands can offer her, I'm sure she'll be fine." Durran tried to ease his mind, though Stefan just skulked off to train with one of his Father's bannermen, worried about his sister.
More good news came in the shape of a longsword, as Lord Leyton's heir Ser Baelor 'Brightsmile' himself had come with Vigilance, the Valyrian Steel sword that hadn't been seen since the first Battle of Tumbleton in the Dance of the Dragons.
"We had kept it in the Hightower." Ser Baelor had said as Durran had a drink with some of the Reacher knights. He had taken to drinking with a different set of men for every meal, to try and rouse the morale and keep it high. "Ever since my ancestor's brother, Martyn, escaped the slaughter and rescued the sword it has been kept encased, as a reminder of our eventual failure in the Dance. Your words moved my Father though, and he had the casings smashed and handed me the sword himself."
He had relayed that message to Dany as they were undressing for bed that night, and she was happy at the news. "That's as many swords as we're going to get under our banners." She said, leaning against his bare chest.
"Are the Ironborn…" Durran began.
"They're meeting us at Moat Cailin." Dany nodded. She had flown to rally their banners herself. "Under the strict instructions of not to seek revenge on the North or I'll burn them all."
Durran chuckled as he got comfier, kissing his wife deeply. "For one last night can we forget the war, forget our duties and forget our titles, and just be man and wife?" He asked quietly. Dany just chuckled, hitting his chest at the insinuation before climbing on top of her husband and easing their troubles away for a few hours.
I thought I'd end on a happier note, but the Others are in the North and the time for fighting is almost here.
This chapter was just mainly setting up the next, but the next will be filled with action that in my mind at least rivals that of the best battles the show has done. Whether I portray that right is yet to be seen, but I'll try!
Sansa has a son, Durran has another son, Edmure is about to have a baby... I almost wish I could leave things as they are and just write that they all lived happily ever after. That's not the story though, and that's not how Thrones works, no matter how much I'd like it to.
Reviews:
Silver crow: It's brilliant isn't it! I've not seen any of Season 6 yet though, as it's aired later in the UK
Many Faced Mage: The Red Woman's plan has gone perfectly so far, this is what she meant to happen she just wasn't prepared for it.
Hail King Cerion: She went beyond in Chapter 41 when Bran and Meera appeared at Castle Black, and everything she's done from burning prisoners to increase her power, resurrecting Jon and going North of the Wall is part of her plan. The last time Durran met Jon they were on good terms (Chapter 4) So I see no reason why they wouldn't have been now.
BBryant: Jon is a legitimate Targaryen. This follows show canon in that sense, so Rhaegar annulled his marriage to Elia and married Lyanna.
Lightningscar: I was motivated to write I guess, I sort of want this finished so I'm pushing myself more considering I have my Lannister story to continue, Black Wolf Rises to finish when Season 8 starts again, and more stories in my mind such as a Targaryen OC story that I've written a third of the first chapter for. Cat had reunited with Rickon but off screen, in between the two weddings. I felt that Dany would sort of feel that Jon is confused after finding out who he is, and as someone who was confused about how her Targaryen heritage should be perceived growing up as a captive of Robert Baratheon, she could sympathise. Jon also understands war, and as she was part of a government that was lenient on the North I think he has an understanding, as does Robb. I had to think of the council for a while, but those characters seem the best fit to me as the characters that fit the current government well, but they won't be fighting. Myrcella and Cersei as Durran's representatives, Willas as Mace and Randyll's replacement, Anya Waynwood as Morton's, and Varys is already on the council. It depends what you mean by a single fight, as I will only portray one in writing, but numerous skirmishes will happen in between this chapter and the next. Other than that, you'll be pleased I hope. Your idea about the giants having bows is good, and I will likely use that. You also have one character that you thought will live, die, and you were too ambiguous with your death theories for me to give a proper answer too. Thanks for the lengthy reply again, your reviews always make my day.