A/N: Another update in less than a month?! SURPRISE!
LOOOOOONG AND IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE COMING UP HERE!
JUST SAW THE NEW GAME OF THRONES EPISODE AND...I AM SATISFIED. MY TEAM WON. Sad for the deaths that happened though, may they Rest in Peace. That's all I'll say on the matter.
As to the episode before the last, well... It had its ups and downs, to be honest. Tommen pussed out far too easily, he's rolling over for the Faith and SCREWING CERSEI OVER WITHOUT REMORSE. Never thought I'd actually miss Joffrey. Nuff said. The rest of it was alright, barring some off-screen crap, but I won't spoil it for you guys and girls. Go ahead and watch it. But we all know what's coming, don't we?
BURN THEM ALL!
I'm sooooo fired up for this and my muse has just LEAPED into overdrive with words to spare! This is a MASSIVE CHAPTER, and one that took me a good long while to write.
But then again, I'm sure you could tell that by the word count. A lot happens here, so let's get started! Now, before the Fifth chapter, let's clarify things:
FIRST!
Let's clarify something. Someone asked about the timeline in this story. With Naruto racing about and all. I'd say...hmm...we're well pas season two and nearing the end of three in terms of time. Of course, not everything is going to play out like that. So Dany's dragons are growing quickly, but they're not massive. Yet.
SECOND!
Daenerys Targaryen is now unexpectedly in the capital, dragons and all, albeit without an army. Needless to say, this is going to raise all SORTS of hell in every corner of the Seven Kingdoms. The bad kind. Stannis isn't going to take this threat to his rule kindly. It remains to be seen whether or not he tries to have her killed outright. Everyone's a bit shocked by this. Except...the Martells. I really don't think Oberyn gives two fucks about Dany. In a strange sense, he might even see her as family, of a sort.
THIRD!
I mentioned the Sparrows several times last chapter and they finally make an official appearance in this one. Except Lancel. He's dead, remember? Naruto killed him. Anywho, the good ol' High Sparrow WILL be in this fic, but he WON'T have the same amount of absolute Faith-Militant authority as given them by Cersei's blunders. While this would ordinarily be a good thing, times are changing in King's Landing and the lack of "official" authority makes them all the more dangerous. They see Stannis and his devotion to the Lord of Light as a threat, and they won't stand idly by. Neither will Naruto. Expect a clash in this chapter, to which I credit the show for inspiration.
FOURTH!
Naruto HATES ruling. He simply hates it. He can't stand idiots and though he can play peacekeeper when it suits him, he's not the kingly sort. As one reviewer said, he's more of a conqueror than a king, a general who pass orders to. The entirety of his life, until VERY recently he's been something of a weapon for Stannis, and a dangerous one that. He was very reluctant to basically give him a blade and say "Yeah, the Joffrey chap? Kill him." Now, suddenly, he's in charge of his destiny and as a result, he's a bit...lost as to what to do. He's also feeling guilty over his killing sprees.
FIFTH!
Naruto, for all his abilities, also has a glaring weakness. He's not some all-powerful demigod in this. He tends to rely on shock and awe tactics, striking hard and fast before his adversary can react. But the reverse applies to him as well. He CAN be surprised. He can be hurt. And overwhelmed. Oh sure, give him time to think, to react, and he'll DESTROY you. But use his own strategy against him, and you have a chance.
There we go!
I had sooooooooooo much fun writing this chapter. I think I captured the essence of Game of Thrones quite well, here...
VALAR DOHAERIS! Also, a fair bit of talking/plotting in this chapter, so be sure to expect the unexpected =D
ALSO!
Ramsay Bolton appears again in this chapter. And he's BLOODY TERRIFYING.
"We are all sinners, each of us."
"I'll atone when I'm dead."
~Naruto and the High Sparrow.
...Makes You Stronger
Naruto,
I understand we have a Targaryen in the capital! I won't ask how or why, only that you have TERRIBLE timing.
As to the rest...you have my thanks. If we're being perfectly honest here, I didn't expect you to honor your promise. But you did, and from one bastard to another, you have my eternal gratitude. Just wanted to say that. I'm not good with gratitude. Changing subjects, Eleanor arrived safe and sound to aid us with the hunt for Robb's sister. What a woman! I don't know why you let her slip away, but I suppose you're not one to speak of such things, are you?
Don't worry, I'll treat her with respects and dignities, all. Its the least I can do. On another note, we've picked up the Stark girl's trail. I swear, your woman's half dog the way she-can't say anymore, your wife's glaring at me. Kidding! I'm kidding.
Good luck(You'll need it),
Ramsay
o
o-o
o
Ramsay,
Long time no raven! Sorry, had to say it.
Soo...you're with Eleanor, now? Not like that, I hope? Have you two tracked down Arya, yet? Rumor has it she's been seen with the Hound-AND NOT LIKE THAT, YOU ASS! Maker, I know how your mind works. As to the matter we discussed earlier, yes, she's here, and I have NO IDEA what to do with her! She tried to have me roasted but apparently I'm still fireproof thanks to that incident when were kids. Neat, huh? Oh, and take care of my shield maiden or I'll tie you up and feed you to your hounds~!
Knee deep in shit once again,
~Naruto.
To say that Stannis was angry would've been an understatement.
He was livid.
Anyone else would've been thrown into the dungeons and left to rot.
It took a combined alliance of Naruto, Varys, Littlefinger, and surprisingly Melisandre-of all people!-to keep him from calling for her outright execution. The Tyrells remained silent on the matter, but Naruto knew enough of politics to know that the pall would not last long. As soon as the Queen of Thorns learned of this there would be trouble. He wasn't looking forward to that. The Starks likely wouldn't care one way or anothers, after all he'd done to bring Sansa home and make peace in the North.
But Stannis...
In the end, it was only their insistence that Dany did not, in fact, have an army at her back, that prevented his lord father from doing anything rash. It did not, however, spare Naruto the complete and utter shame of being caught with guard down for the first time in a decade. He was forced to listen, red-faced, as his father ruthlessly berated him for his insolence. It didn't matter that Littlefinger had been the one to orchestrate it. He'd given the word, more or less unintentionally, and that made him just as suspect.
Anyone else would've been executed on the spot. Littlefinger managed to escape the ordeal with both body and pride intact, claiming he was merely serving the will of the crown. That, and the promise that any attempt or showing of disloyalty in the future would result in a lifetime in the Black Cells.
Naruto...
...well, he wasn't so fortunate.
In the end, he was given an impossible choice.
Either toss the last dragon and her followers into the sea and let them drown, or accept punishment in her stead. He was even given another choice in the latter. He could allow himself to be flogged fifty times, give up a hand, or gouge out his right eye.
The answer, to Stannis, was obvious.
Throw Daenerys Targaryen and her pets into the Blackwater. Let her perish there, and the threat she and her dragons presented die with her. It made sense. His son owed this Targaryen girl nothing, and if he was truly innocent in whatever myriad plot he claimed Littlefinger devised, he would have no problem in seeing her perish. It was the way of things
Naruto, as ever, shocked them all.
(Fifty Lashes Later...)
"You called for me, my lord?"
A long, drawn out pause answered.
...is Margaery with you?"
"She is not, my lord."
"Good. I don't want her to see me lik-AAARGH!"
An angry growl warped those words into a yowl. A fierce, bestial snarl that had no business issuing forth from a man's throat. It swallowed the muted sound of Qyburn's whole and nigh but threatened to come crashing through the door and drag the former Maester inside if he did not open it this very instant. He immediately regretted knocking to begin with; clearly, his benefactor was in no mood to bandy words or other pleasantries. And why should he be? He'd taken fifty strikes from the whip for a crime he didn't commit. All for some girl he barely knew-
"Your grace?"
"Are ya ploughin' deaf, man?! Get in here!"
Qyburn was gone from the hall faster than a copper in Flea Bottom. Upon entering he barely had time to so much as glimpse his patient before he found himself face to face with a wall of impenetrable steel. No fewer than a dozen men-and more than a few women-stood guard over a prone figure on the bed, distinguishable only by their varying states of armor and weaponry. Each looked ready to skewer if he stepped so much as a single centimeter out of line. Hmm. It appeared a few of Tyrion's wilder folk had taken a liking to the equally wild Baratheon.
And towering over the rest, a man who could easily rival the Mountain himself, Ulric stood watch over his host.
That same burly brute immediately moved to bar Qyburn's path when he brought out his tools.
"Not another step, old man." the words emerged as a growl. "He's suffered enough."
"Ulric," a weak voice groaned from the bed, "Move your bloody ass. He's not going to hurt me. If he does, I'll kill him myself. Sound fair?"
The giant grunted, but stepped aside all the same.
Qyburn felt the berserker's eyes on him with each step he took, almost as though the lowlander were waiting for an excuse. By the time he reached Naruto's bedside and pulled the sheet away, they were trying to bore an angry red hole in his back. Fortunately all thoughts of payback fled out his mind like a thief from a window once he got a good look at the wounds.
"That bad, eh?" Naruto whispered, his voice hoarse.
For an alarming moment, Qyburn found he couldn't answer, for the sight that awaited him there had all but stolen his breath away. He'd seen-and done-many an unethical thing in the hallowed pursuit of knowledge and advancement. Countless experiments, several of which had gotten him banned from the Citadel. He was no stranger to pain, or blood, after all. But this, this...
...Naruto's wounds exceeded all those several times over.
Stannis had laid into his heir apparent with fire and fury-enough to be deemed spiteful-enough to make his point clear. The King's price for what he deemed...insolence, was high indeed. Dozens of bloody red furrows on Naruto's flesh stood in stark testament to that; crimson canyons crosscut across the length of his hips, back and in some areas, even his upper shoulders.
Some of them had cut clear to the bone in places.
Fifty lashes in all, administered in the privacy of the prince's personal chambers, judging by the bloodstains on the walls and floors. That was the lone mercy Stannis had allowed the young man, so as not to shame him before the whole of King's Landing. That the prince had allowed it at all was something of a miracle. Here was an exceptionally dangerous young man-easily capable of decimating small armies when the need suited him. He did not bow, he did not scrape, he lived as he pleased without ca Yet from what he he'd endured the punishment all the same, without so much as a whimper.
"Qyburn," his host continued after a moment, still not looking at him, "Am I an idiot?"
And there it was.
The loaded question.
"Your grace, I don't believe-
"Don't bullshit me." Sapphire orbs cut across at him like azure daggers, sharp and jagged. "I want a straight answer and right now, only you can provide that. Much as I hate to admit it, my men are too loyal to tell me if I've fucked up, and Shireen's too nice. Everyone else is just plain scared shitless. So?" he blinked. "Am I an idiot? Am I fucking retarded for killing like a mad dog? For letting the last Targaryen into the city, for letting my own father whip me as if I were no one, nothing, for her sake? Tell it to me straight."
"..."
Qyburn paused at that, weighing his options. Naruto valued honesty above all. He'd seen it time and time again in his brief tenure as the boy's maester. Naruto provided him unrestricted access to the Red Keep and all of its resources, not to mention materials for his experiments and a fair deal that the Citadel considered unethical. Doubtlessly the prince thought so as well in his heart of hearts but he saw the practical applications of such ventures. Qyburn had risen high indeed because of him, far higher than he would have done so anywhere else. Lying would only jeopardize that position.
"If I might be so bold my lord," he ventured, "Why go to such lengths? You owe Daenerys nothing. Her very presence here threatens to unhinge everything for you."
"I fucking know!" Naruto groaned, flopping back onto the bed, only to hiss in immediate pain as his entire back violently protested the affront to his wounds. "But once I saw her...I just...I couldn't send her away. "She's nowhere to go. She has nothing. Is nothing." those blue eyes took on an angry, melancholy look. "I know what that feels like. To be a nobody in your own home, to be sneered at like some damn mutt, kicked when your down. This place was her home, once. Even if she doesn't remember it."
"She reminds you of yourself." Qyburn said.
The blond blinked.
"Fuck." he swore, laughing. "I guess she does, In a way. Maybe I can talk her down. Find her a room, or something...
"You are, ah," Qyburn swallowed, "Aware that she still has her dragons."
"They're tiny." Naruto scoffed.
"For now."
"Ugh, fine. She'll stay here, under guard."
"Are you sure that's entirely wise...?"
Naruto's silence was telling.
"My lord," Qyburn ventured, choosing each word with the utmost care, "Reflection is all well and good, but I need to tend to your wounds before they fester."
"What? No." came the grunt. "No stitches. Don't need 'em."
Qyburn balked at this.
"Pardon?"
"No. Stitches." the prince rumbled, pressing his head into a pillow, "Or I'll knock yer teeth out."
"I'm afraid I must insist-urk!"
A strong hand wrapped around the collar of his robe and yanked him down to meet the prince's gaze. Eyes the color of bloody red rubies blazed out at him, angry and slitted like that of a cats'. A rational man might've withered beneath such a gaze, cowered fear, but Qyburn? He found himself far too fascinated by the sight before him. Incredible. What sort of phenomena had he gone through to gain eyes like those? Did they change according to his state of mood? Did strong emotions force the change? So many questions, not enough answers! Perhaps he wouldn't mind submitting a sample of his blood-
As if sensing that very thought, Naruto gave him a bleak smile.
"No."
Odd how a single word could convey such menace.
In the end, he found himself nodding dutifully and was released.
"As you wish. No stitches. But, I don't understand. Why summon me if not for-
"I'll be fine in a bit." his patron ground out through gritted teeth. "I just need something for the pain. Can't heal that."
"I do have some milk of the poppy-
"Maker, yes!" It was out of his hands in an instant. "Give it here!"
"When you said heal...
"Have a look. Should be kicking in about now."
Reluctantly, Qyburn did just that.
Indeed, his back was red and bloody, but now that he looked again, the young man's wounds didn't seem quite so grievous as they had before somehow. Impossible. He'd seen bone only a few moments ago, now he saw only torn muscle and angry red welts. That...that shouldn't be possible. Wounds like this could cripple or paralyze a man more than twice the prince's size, never mind the fact that Naruto had all but been flayed within inches of his life. No amount of herbs or poultices could possibly hope to undo this much damage in such a short amount of time.
Yet, the longer he looked, the more certain he became.
"This happens often?"
"Constantly." Naruto answered, already stifling an oncoming yawn. "I've always been like this. Get my ass kicked, heal up, get stronger. Rinse and repeat. Its actually pretty damn useful. The old man knows all about it. Probably why he let me choose."
Qyburn frowned thoughtfully. "You mean...?"
Naruto laughed.
"Why else would I stand there and take it?! Remind me to tell you about that time I lost a most of my hand during sword practive. Hurt like hell. Took weeks to grow back. This?" a wry glance over his shoulder, followed by a flash of teeth, "I'll be up and walking in a coupla' days. Doesn't stop it from hurting, though. In my case, any healing comes with a price. And I think he knows that if he tries to hurt me again, he'll regret it."
"Fascinating. Does Daenerys...?"
"Does she know about this? Ha!" Naruto crowed quietly. "I suppose she will, soon enough. Wonder what she'll have to say?"
Engrossed as he was, Qyburn was wholly unprepared when the door opened-slammed, really-open for a second time.
The guards weren't.
All at once the room exploded into motion; someone tossed him off the bed and his head struck a desk. The air was suddenly filled with the sound of drawn steel. By then the intruder was already well through the door, with no time to retreat, let alone react. Fast. Ulric was faster still. The burly brute moved with a speed that betrayed his size, slamming into the trespasser like a rampaging bull. A large hand locked around their throat, lifted them off the floor, and slammed them down against the wall, all one and the same.
It was only then that they heard the hiss.
Then...all bloody hell broke loose.
"Dracarys!"
"Oi!" Naruto squawked a moment later. "Drop her!"
Ulric did as he was bade, furiously patting his sleeve to extinguish the fire there.
Daenerys Targaryen slumped against the wall, Drogon bristling furiously against her shoulder. Indignant anger seemed to hang around her like a fell cloud, ready to lash out at the next person to so much as glance at her, or even in her direction.
"Sorry about that," Naruto croaked. "My men are a bit twitchy today."
The last dragon paused, looked as though she were about to snap at him, and finally saw the bloodstains on the floor. Then she saw Naruto's wounds and an involuntary gasp leaped from her lips. For a moment, a mere millisecond, the most fleeting of instants, she looked very young, Qyburn thought. Then her eyes hardened into violet amethysts and the child within was once more buried beneath layers of hard, unflinching scale.
"Have you gone mad?!" she asked-demanded, really-as she climbed to her feet, words spilling out of her in a furious hiss. "Why did you do that?! I didn't need you to come to my aid!"
A spark of hot ire and annoyance blazed across the blond's face, quickly quelled moments later.
"What can I say?" he sighed quietly." I'm a sucker for damsels and impoverished types."
"Ah." Her lips formed a thin line. "Then you are even more of a fool than I thought."
Ulric struck her across the face. "You will address your prince with respect!"
"ULRIC!"
Naruto's voice cracked like the very whip that had wounded him, and the giant flinched.
"Apologize. Now."
Ulric reluctantly relented and lowered his head.
...sorry, m'lady."
Drogon hissed and Daenerys shot the giant a glower, but otherwise remained mute on the matter. Instead, she drew herself up and turned a seething glare upon Naruto himself. It was a very impressive glare the blond thought to himself, full of fire and fury, even addled by the poppy as he was she actually unnerved him-just a bit. Here was someone who'd grown accustomed to having their life turned upside down at the drop of a hat. Yet, in spite of that, Daenerys Stormborn, a possessed an iron will to make kings tremble, an unbending force that threatened to take the world and shape it anew.
"I demand an explanation."
Then she opened her mouth and Naruto simply couldn't help himself any longer; doped as he was, he laughed in her face. "Do you, now? Well, I demand that you sit your pretty little ass down and stop acting like you're a queen. 'Cuz, in case you haven't noticed, you're not, Khaleesi. Right now, you're a queen of nothing. You have no people, no army, only a handful of loyal advisors and your dragons." She looked all of a moments from flying off the handle at him, but still, he pressed on. "But you asked me a question, so tell ya what? I'll answer. Some men like to fight. Others like to fuck. Me? I like to fish."
"What?"
"Wasn't even fishin' for a dragon to begin with, really." Naruto drawled onward, admiring a bit of imaginary dust beneath his fingers, "Didn't want one. Yet here you are. I can't kill you, because that'd be wrong. I can't send you back across the sea because, yeah, that'd also be a complete dick move on my part and would just as likely lead to a long, painful death, of starvation." with utmost care he spread his arms and sat up slowly, wincing against a the tender pain of tendons knitting themselves back together in his back, "So here we are." he said at last. "You hate me for what I am and I...well, I honestly don't know what to think of you. Hell, I don't even know who you are. Are you an ally? Or an enemy? Who are you, Daenerys?"
She seemed to consider that for a moment, Daenerys did.
Qyburn watched her eyes harden.
"I am the Queen of the Andals," she started quietly but with growing strength, her voice blazing like the very flames from which she'd emerged so long ago, "The Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, and the Mother of Dragons. And who are you?"
Naruto whistled softly from where he sat. "Fierce. I like that."
With an effort he stood
Drogon flared his wings and screeched a warning. Such a thing was tantamount to a mice squeaking at a stag, for Naruto did not fear it.
"He doesn't like me, does he?"
Daenerys bristled.
"Neither do I."
"Such lies."
"You-
"I could go on," Naruto waved a hand, cutting her off in mid-sentence. "But I'd rather spare you the endless titles and platitudes. Now that you're here, you are under my protection, for better or worse." His words belied the quiet anger burning in his gaze. "And I'd thank you not to insult those who would do you no harm." a hand rose, trembling only slightly from the pain as its owner indicated the men standing within and without. "These men here are loyal to me, and me alone. Their loyalty cannot be bought with coin or threats so you need fear nothing from them. You will not be harmed, you will not be harassed. No one is to touch you, not even my father. Anyone who tries will lose the hand. I'm no Khal Drogo, but I'll still swear it, on my life."
A flash of hurt flickered in those wide eyes, reminding Qyburn of an old wound not yet healed. "You say much. " Such a fire! Qyburn wondered what it would take to cool such a flame. For if Daenerys was fire, then Naruto was almost certainly wind, destine to fan those flames.
He was rather curious to see how it would turn out, but Daenerys said something else, something that sparked the pricne's temper for the final time.
...I'm starting to think you're insane." she was saying to him when he finally came back to himself.
"I'm also known for walking on fucking water. It is known." Naruto launched into her with an old Dothraki saying, causing the last Targaryen to start abruptly. "Surprised?! I'm a learned man myself. I know nearly every language out there. Believe it or not, your highness, I also know what its like to start from nothing. You would do well to remember it-that, and I'm not your enemy. Balk all you like, but its the truth."
That, whatever it was,seemed to do the trick.
Speechless, she stood there for a long moment, fuming. Drogon's neck pivoted this way and that, angry and baffled. Then Danery's gathered him up and stormed out in a swirl of silk and skirts. A gesture from Naruto had three guards at her heels, each determined to direct the angry princess to her chamber.
Qyburn sighed into the silence that followed. "That...went well."
Naruto laughed bitterly and staggered back to the bed.
"I've shocked her into thinking, for once." he coughed. "Do me a favor and send a raven to Winterfell. Ask Eleanor for an update."
"Should I inform her of the...incident with your father?"
"What?" Naruto blinked, his resistance to the medicine crumbling at last. "Yeah, whatever. Don't fucking care."
"And what will you do, my lord?"
"I'm taking a fucking nap."
That was all he got out before sleep finally took him.
(...)
Naruto,
I've received your maester's raven.
I'm certain I'm the LAST person you want to talk to right now, for I've hurt you dearly. But I feel this must be said:
You did what?
STANNIS DID WHAT?!
No father should so abuse their son, let ALONE whip him to a pulp! How could you let him do such a thing?! Have you taken leave of your senses?! Never mind. Don't answer that. I know you; you'd have had a reason for it. You're not the sort to act without a plan. You never were. So if you've taken the last Targaryen under your wing, I feel you must have a reason-even if I can't bring myself to understand it. You always did have a penchant for taking on lost causes...
I've also...heard things, hence.
You've certainly wasted no time in moving on. No, no, I shouldn't have said that. Damnit. I didn't mean it. I was the one who left you. My mistake. I wasn't strong enough to understand you. I have no right to be jealous. I shouldn't BE jealous. Lady Margaery is a beautiful woman and you deserve one ano9ther. Shit.
That came out bloody awful, didn't it? I must sound like an absolute bitch. I used you-and tossed you aside- The cold of the North, these last few months, have given me time to think.
Maybe I was wrong.
No, I am wrong.
I miss you-
(Meanwhile, in the North...)
"What've you got there?"
"Nothing!"
Eleanor yelped and hastily crumpled the parchment in her fist just in time; not a moment later Ramsay Bolton came tromping back into camp, a brace of fresh rabbits slung over his shoulder. He deposited them roughly at her feet and took one for himself. Eleanor didn't have the heart to watch him work chilled as she was; winter was coming, and the cold seemed to bite right through her fur cloak. The wind wasn't the only thing biting tonight either, if the wolven cries in the distance were any indication.
"That wouldn't happen to be a love letter by any chance, would it?"
Just like that, the shield maiden found herself dragged back.
Without thinking, she hurled her message into the flame. Her heart gave a small cry of protest. Too little too late; she could only watch helplessly as her own words curled and blackened amidst the fires, darkening to so much ash beneath the withering heat of the flame.
"As I said, its nothing. You needn't concern yourself."
"It certainly looked like something." Ramsay said.
"Must you keep pressing this, so?!"
Silence loomed between them.
"I think I've finally figured you out." he said abruptly.
Irritated, she growled.
"What?"
"You're a talker." the heir to the Dreadfort continued, still skinning the hare, "A much better talker than Theon Greyjoy, at that. I had to peel a few bits off him before he started talking. But you?" The knife waved up at her as he continued his work, chuckling. "I didn't even have to touch you to figure you out. Not that I would, of course." he amended at her burning glare, "I know another man's leaving's when I see them. It's quite clear you're still...what's the word?" he paused, considering. "Besotted with him, shall we say."
Eleanor's blood turned to ice in her very veins.
"I don't care one wit about that idiot."
Ramsay looked at her for a long, excruciating moment. Then he barked out a laugh. "I think we both know that's a lie."
Eleanor turned her gaze back to the fire.
"Do you?"
"I do."
"And you think you know him."
"I certainly do."
Eleanor bristled. "You know nothing."
She wasn't expecting him to laugh in her face.
"Do I look like Jon Snow to you? No? I didn't think so. Tell me, do you like stories, Eleanor?"
He must've interpreted her silence as a yes, for the Bolton began weaving his tale right then and there.
"When he was younger, his father sent him and his sister to be fostered in the North, for a time. I didn't know him them. Neither did the North. Stannis preferred it that way." his dark eyes took on a distant look, as if he were remembering events long since forgotten. "The next day, I watched him hurl a man from the top of the Dreadfort, without flinching. Another time, he broke near every bone in a man's body and fed him to my father's hounds. Exciting, I know! But the best part by far?" At her startled exclamation he continued, "He did it in full view of everyone."
"He wouldn't-
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Ramsay chided her. "I haven't finished!"
"He turned to me then, while the dogs were still busy munching on the man's bits. But he didn't say anything. He just looked at me. Right through me. Like I wasn't even there. I thought to myself, there's a man you don't want as an enemy. So I endeavored to become his friend, instead. It wasn't hard. We shared similar interests, after all. He just felt ashamed of them at first, that was all. But do you know why he killed those men? What his reasons were?"
Eleanor shook his head.
"The first made the mistake of insulting his little sister." Ramsay's gleeful tone dropped, adopting a more somber note, "The second, ah, he had more physical intentions in mind. Of course, he didn't know they were the children of a lord, but more the fool him, then, for making the attempt."
An angry red fist gripped her heart.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"So you understand." The Bolton answered. "You can't love the man without loving the monster. Because no matter how much he might try to hide it, he IS a monster. Not like me, oh no, he's far worse. My dear old friend would butcher all of King's Landing if he thought it would keep beloved family safe. No, no matter how much he wishes it were otherwise, how much you might want to deny it, he is a killer. But that's why you left him, wasn't it? You couldn't handle the truth, and know you feel regret. How...quaint. Now, that Tyrell, what was her name...Margaery. Ah. I suspect she has no such reservations. Certainly not someone like Daenerys Stormborn-
Something twisted inside of Eleanor then, a black pearl of anger springing out of the locked door that was her heart.
Snarling, she leaped to her feet and drew her blade!
"How dare you!"
She didn't make it very far.
No sooner had she thought to move the sword from its sheathe than a black blur slammed into her from behind, smashing her into the dirt. A furious growl snarled against her ear.
"I could, of course, have you killed for this." Ramsay remarked quietly over the baying of his hounds, unflinching in the face of her implicit threat. "My dogs aren't exactly hungry right now, but I'm sure they'd make do, don't you think. That would be much easier. I'd be doing the prince a favor. But he'd never forgive me for it. And if you were to "disappear," I'd follow soon after. So no, I don't think I'll be taking you up on your suicidal request."
"You won't?" to her surprise the weight fell away, and she was allowed to climb to her feet.
"No, I won't." Ramsay replied. "But I am going to give you some advice. If you think this romantic adventure of yours has a happy ending, you haven't been paying much attention. You've a choice to make. Be there for him, ALL of him, or let him go. If you don't, your weakness will get him killed. And that's one thing I won't abide by."
With that, he turned his attention back to his hounds and seemed to forgot she even existed.
Despite herself, the shield-maiden shuddered anew.
Ramsay Bolton.
The one-time-bastard claimed he was on Naruto's side, but Eleanor didn't trust him. There was just something...wrong about that one. Even the honorable Robb Stark had spoken little of him before he'd sent her off with him. Enemies made for strange bedfellows certainly, but she was beginning to think Bolton's boy wasn't...well, sane. Just the other day he'd flayed a pair of Lannister scouts near Harrenahl for daring to bar their passage. They hadn't lasted long under the knife. At least now they had a new bearing by which to search.
It wouldn't be long now.
Once she brought the Stark girl back to Winterfell...
...what would she do, exactly? Join Robb in his hunt for Bran and Rickon? No, she decided. She would go South. South, to King's Landing, where she would throw herself at Naruto's feet and beg for forgiveness. Just the thought of it was galling-not the act of debasing herself before a man, not one she cared for so dearly-but how she had erred, tossed him aside and fled at the first sign of danger. He wouldn't be happy with her. Hadn't she been the one to wound him with her words, her acts, her deeds? Lacking even the nerve to admit it to his face?
And now that he'd been betrothed, now that he had other women in his life, her heart had the nerve to be jealous? For what? That he'd moved on? Found someone else?
She had been a fool.
It only remained to be seen how Naruto would react when she finally admitted it to him.
At best, he might forgive her. At worst...
...she didn't want to think about what might happen.
(Days Later, in King's Landing...)
A small eternity later, and Naruto was doing his absolute best to avoid his lord father until he recovered.
It was for this reason, and this reason alone that the Son of the Stag found himself slumming the streets of Flea Bottom, in full armor, captive princess in tow. He couldn't trust her to the Red Keep by herself, not with the guards being mostly Baratheon and the sheer amount of ill-will amongst his father's men. He couldn't risk her coming to harm. No matter that it might solve his problems-no matter how easy it would be-he simply couldn't bring himself to callously kill someone who'd been caught in Littlefinger's net.
Now despite Baelish's blunder-or was it?-Naruto knew he hadn't explicitly been banished from the keep. He would be allowed to return in but in the same vein he knew he wasn't on his father's good side, either. And why should he be?
For the last dragon to arrive almost immediately after her threatened the king...well, it didn't look good. Daenerys Targaryen presented a unique problem- and opportunity, Littlefinger argued, if one was willing to risk it. Solidarity, after all. It was hard to see the wisdom in it...unless there was no wisdom. Was that it, then? Was this all part of his plan? Bring the Last Targaryen into King's Landing then stand back and watch as the world ripped itself over who deserved the Iron Throne?
If so, he was doing a splendid job of it.
But no, Baelish insisted that his loyalties lie ever with the Baratheons, and for the time being, Naruto was inclined to trust him. Well, not trust. More like watch very closely and stab-to-death at the first sign of disloyalty whatsoever. Eddard Stark had made that mistake, honorable though he was, and the prince had no intention of meeting the same fate. Especially when Littlefinger wanted him to marry. Again.
To say that Naruto disagreed would've been an understatement.
Margaery was bad enough. He didn't think he could handle the last daughter of the dragon. Two wives. The thought made him shudder. Was that even allowed?
No, on second thought, he didn't want to know!
Damnit, why couldn't Daenerys have stayed on the other side of the sea where she belonged?!
(...)
"Spare some silver, m'lord?"
"Here. Have the whole damn thing."
"Bless you, m'lord!"
When Naruto paused to drop yet another pouch of coin into yet another peasant's hand, Daenerys felt as if her sanity were dropping with it. It wasn't the poor-her heart went out to them-it was the prince's maddening refusal to speak so much as a word to her in the last two hours! Once more the caravan of armored soldiers came to a grinding halt around them. Once more that damn guard nearly bowled her over, his elbow sending her all but sprawling against a cracked wall. The impudent fool even dared to leer and poke her at her with the butt of his sword as though he hadn't done it before!
It wasn't hard to guess at the reason for his gaze.
"Keep moving, khaleesi." he laughed, the words dripped derision; the very mockery of which made her blood boil.
Dracarys.
One word would turn that throaty laugh into a shriek of pain. Dany nearly snapped at him outright, pausing only when she remembered the sheathed swords at her back. Drogon held no such reservations; his indignant squeak spoke volumes from where he perched upon her shoulder.
Dracarys.
It danced at the tip of her tongue, leashed only by the knowledge that she'd be cut down long before she could escape. Still, would it not be better to try? Anything was better than being paraded about like some doll in the custody of her enemies, forced to obey their every whim, their every fancy-
"Bram," Naruto's voice cut into her thoughts like a knife, "A khaleesi is a sort of queen, is she not?"
Her tormentor paused. "I...I suppose so my lord."
"Then as a queen, former or no, you will speak to her with respect. Apologize."
"But your Grace, she is...!"
"A what?" Naruto challenged, still not looking at the unfortunate guardsman. "A Targaryen? A wench? A woman? A threat? Yours to torment as you please? Do continue, man. Keep digging that hole."
"Your father-
"Whipped me for doing the right thing." the whiskered warrior turned slowly, and for a moment, just a moment, those sea-blue eyes seemed to gleam red in the sun's light with the promise of blood. So too did the stern reply of their owner. "Fuck my father. Daenerys Targaryen is a guest of the court on my order and if one more fuckin' word against my guest comes pouring out of your cunt mouth, I'm going to knock you senseless and send ya back to the barracks without supper."
"She is the enem-
Naruto spun and cuffed the man on the jaw before he could utter so much as another word. He dropped like a sack of potatoes, cloak flaring out behind him in a ruby red curtain. Despite herself, Daenerys started, but none among the guard batted an eye.
It seemed their loyalty was unbought, at least.
"And I am your prince." Naruto remarked, snarling at her tormentor's prone form. "I'd have expected you to learn by now. Emyhr. Thomas." the price waved and indicated two men, "Kindly escort Bram here back to his quarters. He is not to leave until the sun rises on the morrow. Let him cool his head there for an evening. Perhaps he'll change his tune come morning."
As the pair carried their insensate companion off, Daenerys caught Naruto's gaze. If he'd expected to impress her with that little display, he was going to be disappointed.
"Must you interfere in everything?" she asked, eyes blazing.
"You would've roasted that man alive and been gutted for it before you could blink. No, I think my way was best. Don't worry," He winked impishly. "You can burn whomever you like later. Come along now, Dany. We're going to be late!
Dany?
"Where are we going?"
Naruto laughed.
"You'll see."
Without another word the column of guards moved on, forcing her forward once more.
Naruto's curious act of chivalry aside, the city's reaction was almost cautiously positive-better than she could have hoped for by far.
Peasants stopped and stared at her, but few dared to so much as approach her. Not without a good reason, she supposed. Setting aside the fear of being struck down by the prince's guards, most looked to be in quiet awe of the last Targaryen-stricken by her quiet beauty and intense gaze After all, she wasn't nearly the same girl who'd nearly drowned at the dock. Her rags had been stripped away and replaced with a fine dress of white-blue silk, contrasting her smooth silver hair and violet eyes perfectly. In that aspect at least, she supposed she must look quite striking to them.
As did the small black dragon perched on her shoulder.
Drogon, while a good deal larger than his brothers, Viserion and Rhaegal, did not seem to share in his sibling's childlike delight when it came to crowds. Whereas his siblings had proved curious to their new surroundings and somewhat amiable to their cages, their dark-scaled counterpart hadn't taken captivity kindly. So here he was, perched upon her shoulder, doing his damndest to look intimidating before their captors. Hungry, too. It had been a long morning, and she hadn't yet had a chance to feed him. Daenerys gave him a tiny bit of meat from her pouch to satiate his hunger and her offspring snatched it up with a bit more ferocity than was necessary.
Naruto arched an eyebrow at the display of dominance, and the single gesture conveyed more than words ever could.
Perhaps he knew Drogon loathed him.
The little beast hated him.
A shame.
Drogon didn't like the guards, either, because they kept looking at him. He could sense their fear. Another reason to suspect that the little guy wasn't good with people. Much less a dozen armed men and women. Which meant imprisonment wasn't a long term option, given how quickly dragons grew. They'd have to be given freedom to range, somehow. Something to remember, at any rate.
Even so, Naruto kept his hand on his sword just in case.
One dragon was certainly a tempting target for the poorest of thieves, but three? Three would prove irresistible. As such, his brothers were under strict personal guard back at his quarters, protected by those he trusted. Jorah Mormont...was not among that number. For all his supposed loyalty, Naruto couldn't bring himself to trust a man who would so easily turn his coat. He had been tasked with spying on Danerys, only to switch sides when her life was threatened...and then the truth of what he'd been doing had come out. Daenerys hadn't been pleased. Now that he was finally back in Westeros and the truth was out who knew where his true loyalties lay? No, he would stay locked away with the dragons, for his own safety. Provided the dragons didn't roast him.
As if sensing that very thought, Drogon hissed at him.
Naruto hissed right back.
"Just try it, scales!"
Dany rolled her eyes.
"Men!"
Minutes passed in relative silence as they walked on, herded by the prince's retinue. More than once Naruto stopped to speak to some misbegotten urchin or beggar, offering them kind words or what gold he had on him at an opportunity. Daenerys watched him closely, scrutinizng his every move. For all his bark and bite the prince truly seemed to have a soft spot for the city's poor. He gave of his wealth richly, freely, asked for nothing in return, and moved on. More than a few cast curious glances her way, but apparently the loud clink of golden dragons was enough to deter their curiosity for the time being.
He even seemed sincere.
It finally proved enough to loosen her tongue.
"Why do you give so freely?" she asked.
"You wouldn't do the same?"
"Of course I would!"
"I feel bad for them." he admitted, sighing into the silence. "And I've loot to spare after all the shit I've done. May as well put it to good use."
"How?" from her limited understanding, the crown was in severe debt to the Iron Bank.
"Fleeced the crap out of the Lannisters before I offed 'em." Naruto snickered softly, then openly when her baffled stare persisted. "Then I visited the Ironborn. Balon had the shiniest trinkets hidden away." he wiggled a gloved hand, smiling. "Also, I may or may not have sticky fingers when it comes to shiny things. You'd be amazed how well gold-and-silver-encrusted crap sell these days. And what of it?" A spark of irritation danced in Naruto's eyes, hot and angry, almost as if he were speaking to another. "Better for it to go to the poor than stuck-up nobles who fritter it away on jewels and whores."
Her jaw locked, the protest stilling on her tongue.
When they finally reached their destination, the last Targaryen found herself drew up short. She didn't recognize the establishment with its stout appearance and light walls, but she did recognize the manner of men and women lounging against the walls, their provocative poses, tight clothing leaving little to the imagination.
"A brothel."
"Yup." Naruto stepped past her without so much as a backwards glance.
"You've brought me to a brothel." Dany repeated, crossing her arms.
"Its not what you think." he insisted, holding the door open for her. "We're meeting someone here. Several someones, actually."
The smallest flicker of defiance ignited deep within her breast at his tone, but she held her tongue and allowed herself to escorted inside. Once within it was no small matter to ignore the events transpiring around them; it was all she could do to ignore them and keep Drogon calm. Easier said than done, as the constant wash of smells and sounds had him squirming in her arms.
"Why a brothel?" she murmured aloud.
"Misdirection." Naruto grinned merrily, stepping around a velvet cushion, "Everyone expects a brothel when they're fishing for information." She averted her gaze as they edged around a rather curvaceous woman clad in little more than transparent silks, "Naturally, they'd think we'd avoid such an establishment. So no one expects us to meet atone. And if someone does try to confront us, well, I'd like that, too."
...that makes no sense."
"Precisely!" with that, he drew a dark red curtain aside and together, they stepped through. Ulric followed them, the great goliath blackly muttering something about the drapery. Two of their entourage peeled away to parts unknown, while the rest lingered just beyond the door, uncertain.
"That'll be all, boys." Naruto called back through the veil, flinging a pouch of coin in his wake, nimbly caught by one spry among them. "Take the rest of the afternoon off, on me!" That being said, he spun back through the arch and marched across the threshold, a light spring in his step. It didn't take Daenerys long to realize why.
An unlikely pair waited them within, seated at a large table with three chairs vacant.
A eunuch and a dwarf, of all things!
Daenerys recognized neither of them of course; no, wait. She told a lie. She had met the bald one in passing, but she didn't exactly know him at a glance. Yet the short one raised a glass in the prince's direction and the man returned it with a smile as he moved to their table. Ah. It seemed he knew them after all. Ulric prodded her forwards; but gently, mindful of his prince's earlier admonishments. Drogon snarled, and she calmed him with a light touch to his crest and followed her host.
"Ah, there you are!" the dwarf cried. "Come, have a drink with us!"
"I...don't think that's a good idea." Naruto was saying as she drew near.
"And why not?"
"Drinking makes me angry...
"And?"
...you wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Besides, where's Littlefinger?"
"He claimed business elsewhere." Varys sighed. "Pity."
"I'm sure he did, Varys." Naruto growled. "I'm tempted to take his "little" finger and more besides!"
"All in good time, sire." the Spider reassured him.
By then she had drawn near enough to be gain their notice. Lord Varys-for she was now certain that this was indeed the infamous Spider-merely inclined his head politely and stood to pull out a chair for her. The dwarf's reaction soon proved more spectacular. When he saw her, Tyrion sucked in a sharp breath and gawped at her, goggle-eyed. He continued to stare as she slipped into the seat.
More aptly, he stared at Drogon.
His mouth worked wordlessly for a few moments, as though he were trying to find the words. Finally, Naruto nudged him with an elbow and the Lannister seemed to recover himself.
"It is an honor to finally meet you, my lady." he began slowly. "I've heard a great deal about you."
"She's a lot less intimidating in person." Naruto snorted.
Daenerys nodded and schooled herself into silence, lest she say something she might regret.
Inevitably, the dwarf's gaze was drawn back to Drogon.
"May I?"
There was something childlike in his wonder, something that softened her heart. In the end, the Mother of Dragons relented and eased the dragon onto the table. Freed from her arms, the young dragon immediately claimed a place right in the center, craning his head about before settling on the imp in question.
Slowly, hesitantly, Tyrion reached forward.
Against her will, the faintest of smiles drew at Dany's lips; wonderment and awe, now this was something she understood. Drogon preened happily, no doubt fiercely proud of the attentive awe the dwarf was paying him. He didn't resist in the slightest when the Hand of the King stroked his crest, dared to run a palm across his leathery little wing.
The dragon trilled in content.
"When I was a child," Tyrion murmured softly, "An uncle asked what gift I wanted for my name day. I begged him for one of you." As if in an answer, Drogon tilted his long neck, allowing the Lannister to scratch his chin, "Wouldn't even have to be a big dragon, I told him. It could be little, like me. Everyone laughed like it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard. My father told me the last dragon had died a century ago. I cried myself to sleep that night. But here you are."
"Careful," Naruto warned as he took a drink, "He bites."
"Only imbeciles." Dany declared proudly.
Drogon chirped in agreement.
"Hey!"
"How are you wounds, my lord?" Varys asked, restraining a smile at the sight. "You seem to be faring better than yesterday."
Dany's smile shattered like glass.
"They itch now and then." Naruto reluctantly admitted, pawing at the back of his neck. "Still worth it if you ask me. But did the old man have to whip me for it?"
"You did bring her into the court." Tyrion pointed out, finally taking his eyes off Drogon. "Not a wise move, that."
"And what pray tell, should I have done, eh? What, exactly?" the scarred assassin answered before downing another glass with vigor, "Throw her in the sea for the sharks? We're men not animals. Besides, I told you that was Littlefinger's doing. Not mine. Seems he took me literally when I asked him for the last dragons and all the gold in Braavos. HA!" he guffawed when Drogon nipped at his little finger. "You and me both, little guy! You'd think the bloody fool would know the difference between sarcasm and sense by now!"
Despite herself, Daenerys flushed. No! Stop! She schooled her face into a mask of impassivity. She would not be taken for a fool! All this charity and kindness, it was an illusion. A facade. A farce. It must be. The very idea that a complete stranger would go so far for her was...it was sheer anathema to her. No one had shown her kindness like this before. No one had accepted a whipping for her. None had stepped between her and the noose without asking for anything in return.
"Suppose I believe you, for a moment." she ventured slowly, warily, catching his eye. "Did you really not have a hand in this?"
"What, conspire to bring you here? Nope." The whiskered prince flashed a small, rueful smile. "We have our resident schemer to thank for that. I'll have to ask him why he did it once I put him on the rack. One bastard to another.
"Are you really...?"
"A bastard? Just about." Naruto confessed with a shrug. He saw no point in keeping it from her as it was. "In every sense of the word. Naturalized and elevated above my stations. But enough about me, I brought you here so we could talk about you. What are your plans? What do you intend to do?"
Indignation flashed through her at the word. Plans? She had but one.
"I will have justice." she declared.
Varys frowned thoughtfully.
"Against who, might I ask?"
Daenerys felt herself frown. Did they not understand?
"Against those who wronged me, of course."
"I'm afraid you won't find much in the way of satisfaction there." Tyrion lamented, draining his mug. "Robert Baratheon's long dead. His sons as well. The Kingslayer, my dear brother mind you, languishes in the Black Cells alongside my dearest sister. If you've come here to kill Stannis in his stead, you might be disappointed. To kill him," That very same glass tilted in Naruto's direction, "You'll have to go through this one first-trust me when I say you would have better luck convincing me to give up wine."
"And why is that?"
Naruto groaned.
"Must we list my exploits now?"
"Trust me my dear," Now it was the turn of Varys to interject, "Some things are better left unsaid. You'd be wise to let this vendetta go."
"When the time comes," Daenerys replied, bristling at the patronizing tone, "I will take back what is mine with fire and blood."
Naruto scoffed. "A bit late for that, innit? We already took King's Landing. Don't be rude. Better to be friends now then enemies later, right? Look, I'll be honest. I really, really, REALLY don't want to kill you. This was to be your home once, ya know? At least it was supposed to be before that shit with the Mad King. Bottom line-you have as much right to be here as anyone else, in the Red Keep, even. So whaddya say we let bygones be bygones and stop snapping at one another like rabid dogs?" He offered her his hand, beaming. "Truce?"
Put off by his affable nature nevertheless, Daenerys couldn't bring herself to refuse. If this was a ruse of some sort, a guise to get her to let her guard down, it was an elaborate one. She just didn'
...I accept your terms." She conceded. "For now."
"Good enough! To the Last Targaryen!" Naruto cried, raising his glass in a toast.
Tyrion and Varys echoed him a moment later.
"Long may she live!"
So intent were they on their little celebration that none seemed to notice Daenerys did. Registering as little more than a blot of brown and cloth in her peripheral she saw it all the same. So did Drogon, bristling beneath Tyrion's hand with a furious hiss. At that Tyrion turned, followed by Varys and finally, Naruto himself.
"Bugger," the latter muttered.
Numbering seven in all, they were a ragged yet oddly uniform-looking bunch. Some were bald, others shaved, some even carried makeshift weapons in hand. All wore the rough-sack clothe of beggars, however, and every one looked to be rather displeased, moreso as they advanced on their little gathering. Whether they were cross with her or someone else remained to be seen. Sure enough, Ulric straightened in the corner, but remained otherwise silent when his commander cast him a glance and stood.
"I'm afraid this is a private party, gents." Naruto made a dismissive gesture with his off hand. "To what do we owe the courtesy?"
Their leader, a man distinguished by a scar running the length of his right eye.
"The High Sparrow requests your presence."
"Does he now~?" Naruto blinked, tilting his head to the right like a curious fox. "I've heard all sorts of things about the old bird these last few days and now he wants to meet...me? I'm flattered, really. What might the reason be?" Daenerys froze as the scent of spirits hit her dead in the face. Seven Stars. How much had he to drink?! This wasn't going to end well...
"We will take the lady as well." Daenerys started as she came back to herself. Her?! The nerve of these-
Naruto frowned.
"And what does he plan to do with us?"
"Your father has profaned our faith; the faith of our fathers and forefathers." one of the robed men intoned gravely. "He is a sinner. You are a sinner. You shall be punished."
Naruto's smile thinned
"You didn't answer the rest of my question."
"That is not of your concern."
Naruto and Tyrion exchanged a glance. The former smiled.
"Whoever do you think he's talking about?" he whispered conspiratorially, "We both have rather nasty fathers, don't we?"
Tyrion polished off his mug, considering.
"My father...hmm. I suppose you have a point. Well then, gentlemen? Who are you here for?"
The men dithered, momentarily flummoxed by this turn of pace.
"As I said, we are here for-
That moment of confusion was all they needed.
"Orah!"
Naruto took hold of the table's edge and upended it with a delighted shout, sending mugs, ale, and a very angry Drogon flying into the air, even as Tyrion and Varys shrank back to the wall. The nearest Sparrow soon learned precisely why one must never, ever anger a dragon. Alas, he didn't live long enough to realize his mistake, nor would he ever be able to.
A face full of napalm tends to remedy that.
The rest of his brethren, though wary of Drogon, alas, proved even more foolish than their brother in their pursuit of the prince.
Daenerys felt a small surge of pride for him, then.
Naruto retreated nimbly backward over the wrecked table as a Sparrow struck at him, bladed club passing through empty air. But when the rest moved to follow him, Ulric was simply there, interposing himself between the prince and the leader of the brigands, arms loose at his sides. Silent fury. That was all Daenerys could think to describe him as his bearded visage fixed upon the robed men, dark eyes inscrutable. He was no Gregor Clegane certainly, but in that moment even the dreaded Mountain himself would've been hard-pressed to match the menace this man exuded in his dark shadow plate. He didn't move-nay, he had no need to-but the Sparrows halted as though they'd run into a wall of living steel.
The leader of the band turned a stern glance upon Naruto, his lips pursed in a thin line.
"Order your man to step aside, Ser, or there will be more violence."
The prince arched an eyebrow.
"You barge into our little celebration unannounced, threaten me and my guests, and intend to make off with my lady." his smile faded, lips pulling back to expose white teeth in a snarl. "Do you know what I choose?"
In the end, his reply didn't surprise Daenerys Stormborn. Not in the least.
"I choose violence."
Ulric was very fast; near blindingly so for a man of his size. In the time that it took the nearest Sparrows to swing his weapon, the poor fellow had already sealed his fate. He simply didn't know it yet. His cudgel glanced off the polished breastplate with a hollow clang that left his arms trembling. Fine armor, that. Startled, the Sparrow made another attempt, only to find a massive hand wrapped around his throat. Ulric hoisted him aloft with ease, as if he weighed no more than a child, strangling the life from him until the man's entire body shook, the club clattering out of his grasp to the floor.
But it didn't end there.
With a uninterested grunt, the stoic Umber hurled his unfortunate victim to the ground and stalked after him. The sparrow had just enough time for one last, strangled grasp, before strong fingers found purchase on his face and slammed his skull into the floor, securing themselves under his chin like thick, meaty fishooks. Then Ulric pulled.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
Riiiiiiiiiip!
On the final tug the man's head came free with a wet pop, neck and all, snapped at the base of his spine. Ulric stared at his prize for a moment, as it contemplating it. Thus satisfied, he let the body fall, twitching to the ground, uncaring for the spreading stain in the carpet. A flick of his wrist sent the severed head twirling to land at the Sparrow's feet. Of their once supreme confidence there was nothing to be seen. Yet still they did not depart, whether from fear or something else, she knew not.
Naruto wasn't having it.
"What was the word again...oh. Right. Dracarys, motherfucker!"
To her surprise, Drogon answered the call and inhaled deeply.
"No, wait-
That was all the lead Sparrow managed before his world erupted into flame.
The denizens of Littlefinger's brothel would come to name the catastrophe as the Day of Fire, for the shrieks that rose from that room would etch themselves into the minds of many. Rumors and tales would spread from the incident and become wildly exaggerated. Tales of witchcraft and magic and all manner of ghastly things, cementing a fear of the Stag and his so-called Son for generations to come. In the end of the Sparrows, there was only a single survivor; a half-singed man who'd retained enough sense to smother the flames with a carpet.
Remarkably, Naruto didn't kill him.
Instead he knelt before the quaking soul and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Please tell the High Sparrow that he's welcome to visit me whenever he likes." he spoke kindly, "In the Red Keep. Personally."
Daenerys watched the man skitter away and duck outside, restraining a smile of her own.
"Unexpected."
"The High Valyrian or letting the poor bastard live."
"Both."
Naruto clicked his tongue as Drogon clambered back onto her shoulder.
"Like I said. I enjoy learning languages. You'd be surprised at all the colorful curses one can say in High Valyrian. As to the Sparrow," he cast a glance back to the scorched remains of the man's compatriots, "Consider it a warning for our dear High Sparrow. He made his move, and I made my counter-move. Now its his turn."
Varys coughed quietly.
"Now that you've had your fun, perhaps we should return to the keep? It would not do for us to be connected with this...incident."
Tyrion sighed quietly.
"The King won't like this.
"Fuck the King." Naruto spat. "If the High Sparrow wants to raise a ruckus again, I'll be sure to remind him that I've been feeding half this city out of my own damn pocket. That should quiet him."
"Shall we go, then?"
Naruto beamed.
"We shall."
With that, he offered Daenerys his elbow and to her surprise, she found herself accepting, hooking her arm within his.
Perhaps, given time, she could make use of this Baratheon bastard for her own means.
(...)
The scales were tipping once again.
Margaery Tyrell knew this, yet try as she might, she couldn't find a way to tip them back in her favor.
She was a master of playing the great Game-and a long one at that-but even she could see that this threatened disaster.
It had begun so long ago with Renly's death at the hand of some shadowy assassin, followed shortly by news Stannis's impending assault of King's Landing. For a time it had seemed that they would ally with Lannister's and drive them and the Starks back into the sea. Then, miracle of miracles, Father renounced his loyalty to Tywin and joined Stannis instead. The siege swiftly silenced with a Lannister defeat, the king slain and all of the . None had expected it, but there it was.
The scales had tipped then, just as they were tipping now.
Some time ago the Queen had taken to her bed from an unknown illness, wasting away to nothingness at an alarming pace. The Maester's spoke of disease, but others claimed poision, poison meant for the King's cup. She'd quietly passed away yesterday, perishing in her sleep. Few knew of the tragedy-fewer dared to speak of it in the King's presence. Stannis had gone into mourning, worse; he had forsworn all comforts and openly declared the unthinkable; he would not remarry, now, or ever again.
And why should he?
He already had an heir.
Thus, the eventual burden of ruling fell to Naruto.
An heir whose father had brutally flogged him only a fortnight ago for allowing a lone girl to return to the the one place she should never be. An heir who had just set half-a dozen men aflame for trying to kidnap him. A man she could barely understand, much less hope to control. She hadn't a clue who this High Sparrow was or what he and his followers had done to irk the prince and she didn't much care. But clearly they must've done something; because he'd come back from Flea Bottom smug and smelling of smoke and wine with that infernal Targaryen girl in tow.
She'd thought herself secure; if she was to marry the prince, then it stood to reason that she would become queen. There was no one else to catch his eye, then. She'd been quite confident in her charms, her wiles, her beauty and the skills that came with it. It was a confidence borne not out of arrogance she told herself, but knowledge. The knowledge that no man could say no to her.
Now she found even that threatened.
"Charm the young man," grandmother had told her, "Appeal to his dignity. And if he lacks that, lust."
But Naruto was no Joffrey-or even Tommen-easily manipulated by such base whims. It had taken every ounce of whit and charm she'd possessed just to goad him to bed.
She was under no illusion that she controlled Naruto, for to control him was to put reins on the wind itself. Impossible. At best she could steer him in a given direction and even then, not for very long. She'd caught him in a moment of weakness, nothing more. That moment of 'weakness' had left her sore and unable to walk properly for several days. Not in an unpleasant way, mind you; the prince had proven himself a very capable lover beneath the sheets. She had even come to care for him, in a way, for he was just as broken as she. Did she love him? She might learn to do so, given time.
But Naruto clearly saw something in this Targaryen and try as she might to ignore it...the idea of being ignored...it galled her.
Daenerys had no army, no nation, nothing to offer them.
But she did have her dragons. Those alone were a powerful bargaining chip; enough to guarantee her safety, perhaps? Anyone could see the terrors they'd become, given time. Margaery respected that move. Better to have the last dragons with them, rather than against. What she did not respect was the need for their mother, and the implicit threat she presented to her rule.
She didn't want to just be queen. She wanted to be the queen. And she couldn't rightly do so with that loose end lying about.
Or could she...?
Daenerys Targaryen.
She'd might just have answer for her, after all.
Little did she know that her problems were only just beginning...
(...)
Word was eventually sent to Dorne in form of a gracious invitation and a reply returned hot on its heels some days afterward.
"We would be honored to meet him."
In the end, Stannis was left to mull precisely what the vague words implied. Meet whom? Him? His son? Or perhaps the Mountain himself? Qyburn had proved instrumental in keeping that beast restrained-it helped that he lacked such scruples-yet there were precious few beyond himself and his son who could hope to subdue such a beast without the drugs in his system. And as Father and Son became increasingly preoccupied with the task of managing a flagging kingdom-the latter taking great pangs to avoid him altogether-the likelihood of this became more and more unlikely.
Other thoughts dwelled as well, dark thoughts heavier than the weight of the Iron Throne and the responsibilities that came with it.
Matters he regretted deeply.
At times he wondered if he'd been too hard on the boy that day; if he'd made a mistake in punishing him for sheltering the Targaryen girl. Naruto had always been one to stand by his morals-grey though they might be at times-and there had always been a bit of a gap between them in that regard. Stannis saw things one way. Black and White. His bastard son, the other. But he was his son and he'd hurt him, perhaps for the first time in his life. He'd hurt Shireen too, by doing it. She still wouldn't speak to him.
Naruto seldom did either, when he did it was often terse and curt.
Why didn't they understand? He'd done it for the man's own good. To teach him a lesson. To remind him that the world couldn't be gray, not when you were king. Part of him hoped he'd understand that lesson.
Now something was different.
He'd seen it in his eyes.
The boy was angry.
Something had hardened in him since that fateful day and Stannis wasn't entirely certain he liked what he saw. The situation made all the more tenuous thanks to his vow. Selyse's death still shook him to this very day, a black cloud that hung over his thoughts whenever he was wary, a fog difficult to lift. Poison. It should have been him. She'd drank from his cup and paid the price. He would subject no other to that risk, so long as he could help it; had no intention of marrying again unless it was absolutely necessary. Perhaps Lady Melisandre...
No, that was madness. What was he thinking?
Regardless of his thoughts, this matter with the Mountain would be settled one way or another.
The brute would go to Dorne in a bloody box if that was what it took!
A hundred Dornish men arrived no less than a week later, with Prince Oberyn at their head. Their presence was unannounced and thus caught King's Landing by surprise, if only for the volume number of men. They took up residence in the royal quarters and awaited an audience with the crown Prince at the first opportunity. Naruto, Not him. Under any other circumstance Stannis would've been displeased by such a blattant rebuttal but he knew in his heart that he simply didn't possess the spirit of a negotiator. He believed in black and white. There was seldom a gray.
Naruto on the other hand...the boy thrived in grays. He liked to imagine that the poor boy would be perfectly at home amongst the wild-blooded folk, loathe as he might be to admit it.
His son might be half-mad, but he knew how to play peacekeeper when it suited him.
Didn't mean he was going to like it, though...
(...)
"This is a bad idea."
"Nonsense!" Tyrion declared winningly as the sound of boots drew closer along the hall, "You'll do just fine."
Fine, was a relative term of course, speaking-the Hand of the King expected this to be an absolute catastrophe. How Stannis honestly expected them to greet the Dorne contingent like this he had no idea; in his mind it was disaster waiting to happen and soon, if Naruto had anything to say about it. Needless to say, the prince was not pleased with his outfit of choice.
Not a bit.
"I feel like a fleeced idiot with his dick hanging out." Naruto growled crassly, adjusting his absurdly bright doublet for what felt like the umpteenth time. His sole solace was that it was his favorite color; orange, and even that did little to soothe his temper. "How do people fight in these, let alone breathe?! I can barely move my arms!" He fluttered the tight, velvety sleeves for emphasis, straining at the stitches. "See?! How can I dodge a knife in this getup?! How, I ask you?!"
"You can't."
"Well someone should change that!" the prince groused, crossing his arms. "Ah, shit! I think I just tore something. Fuck!"
Bronn guffawed. "See? This is why I don't dress up."
Ulric boomed a laugh of his own behind his helm. "Prefer armor, myself. Sturdier."
"See," the sellsword argued,"I'd agree with you there, but all that plate, tsk! Too heavy! Leather is better, lighter, lets you move around-
-and get skewered up the ass." Ulfric replied flatly.
"Not if you're quick about it."
"Speaking from experience, are we?"
"Easy there, big guy!"
Tyrion suppressed a groan.
Hopeless, the lot of them!
"Smiles, now, everyone." the Hand of the King reminded him. "And do try to behave. We wouldn't want to start a war."
Naruto muttered something unflattering in Dothraki.
"That means you!"
The prince hissed through clenched teeth, but otherwise held his tongue as the door swung open to admit their guests.
Prince Oberyn was not an ugly man by any measure; indeed, he was quite handsome, exceedingly. Flanked by a pair of Dornishmen, he strode into the room as though he owned it. He paid no attention for the guard or even Tyrion himself, all ignored without so much as a passing glance. He had eyes only for one. A roguish grin flashed across his face the moment he caught sight of Naruto, chafing as he was in the doublet. Three swift strides carried him across the room and, before anyone could react, he spread his arms wide and embraced the man as though he were a long lost brother.
"Urk!"
"Ah, and here you are at last~!" laughing, he clapped his fellow prince on the back once more and released him. "The hero of the hour! Champion of Dorne!"
Everyone blinked, Naruto included.
"Erm...what?"
"I admit," Oberyn confessed happily, "You've become something of a legend in my country thanks to your exploits. The man who destroyed the Lannisters in a single night! The Shadow of Fire! It has a nice ring to it, wouldn't you agree? You even have Tywin's children alongside the Mountain, no? Oh, the delicious irony!"
Naruto brightened immediately at the talk of war and all its spoils.
"Put them there myself. You're free to pay them a visit-
Not wanting to subject either of his siblings to such a thing, Tyrion struggled to reign the pair in.
"Pardon me my lord, but may I present-
"And there is someone I would like you to meet." before anyone could argue, Oberyn clapped his hands together. "Come in, my dear!"
All eyes turned as a shadow detached itself from the hall and entered the room.
It was a terribly rare thing indeed when the sight of a woman could leave Naruto so speechless, but this beauty did all that to him and more. Warm eyes framed by dark curls held his with careless ease, dusky skin and flawless curves all, concealed within a lavender and dark curls all she was a creature of near-peerless beauty. So much so that he found himself at a loss for worse. She smiled disarmingly at him, and he felt something inside him melt. A great effort focused his attention on Oberyn was more. Sure enough, the rogue all flashed him a knowing grin.
"May I present my darling niece, Princess Arianne Nymeros Martell."
The beautiful goddess curtsies deeply.
"I am honored, your grace."
Naruto opened his mouth to return such platitudes, paused. Considered.
Sighed.
"Fuck it. I'm entirely too sober for this shit. Who wants a drink?"
Oberyn laughed.
"I like this one already!"
A/N: And there you have it! Hope you noticed the "I choose violence" scene there, it was paid in homage to the original! The GOT world is changing, but whether for good or bad...one can only guess. By the end some will live, others will die, and the world will be turned on its ear! What will happen next?!
Stay tuned to find out!
...The events of GOT ought to be quite different with Stannis on the Iron Throne...will Naruto make it out of this one alive? But the questions don't end here! Now remember that Naruto at the moment, has little to nearly no power in this fic beyond his superior strength, stealth skills, and of course, his wit. He's still himself, just...hardened. And, in the end there will only be one king upon the Iron Throne, and all bloody hell is about to break loose!
So...in the immortal words of Atlas...
...Would You Kindly Review the story of this humble man? And enjoy the previews! Sorry for the confusion, but SHEER CHAOS occurs next chapter. Didn't want to squeeze everything in here all at once, SO ENJOY THE MULTI PREVIEWS! And guess at what happens! Good luck guessing at the identity of the first one!
(Preview(s)
Naruto blinked bleary eyes, raw from sleep.
...is there a reason you're in my bed?"
"I wished to speak with you."
Crap.
He knew that look well; it meant she wasn't going to leave him be unless he used force. The stubborn set of her jaw, the way her eyes caught the early rays of the sun, burning with determination. He was entirely too tired to push her away, and, not being quite awake himself, didn't have the presence of mind to refute her.
"Alright," he relented, "What do you wa-
As a result, the kiss caught him entirely flatfooted.
After a moment, the Hound grunted.
"Got any chicken?"
Eleanor brightened.
"Indeed we do."
"A man sends his regards."
Naruto blinked, staring owlishly at the sword protruding from his chest, its edge caked with blood. Stabbed in the back. Huh. Odd way to go, one he hadn't expected.
"Well...fuck."
That was his last thought before the darkness took him.
R&R! =D
