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Chapter Six – Age 23
VI
Almost three centuries to that day, his ancestor's homeland had been threatened by Invaders. And while many times before that had happened, and always his people had been victorious, that invasion had been different.
Different because the Invaders had brought beasts with them capable of burning a man alive or plucking him from his mount and into the sky by its talons, only to be devoured in seconds.
His ancestor and his people had known those beasts. Or at least they had known of them. His ancestor ancestors had hunted them down to the last individual millennia before, fighting bravely to put down the threat to men and livestock.
And when the Invaders came, riding their great winged beats, they had planned to do the same. They had scoured down the books and the legends in every Keep, even traveling all the way beyond the great wall, were there were said to still live the ancient children of the forest, until they found how the heroes of old had slain the beasts.
They had been prepared. His ancestor had personally carved his three weapons, one for each of the creatures, and had been ready to give his life for the freedom of his people.
Only to be ordered to leave them behind and negotiate a surrender instead.
The stories said that he had been furious. Oh, he had contained his fury enough to negotiate good and fair terms for his brother and King, but in the end, he had never understood why the plan had changed, and his brother refusal to explain himself had led him to believe that Torrhen Stark had been too craven to risk his life and that of his subjects in battle.
In the end, disappointed and disgusted, Brandon Snow had left his country with many likeminded men and women, to never return.
Only he had not left empty handed. He had taken with him his painstakingly crafted weapons. One for each of the three Targaryen dragons.
And those weapons had been passed on in the Company of the Rose, from Commander to Commander, until after almost three hundred years they had reached once again, a direct descendent of Brandon Snow.
As he looked outside the slit like window, he couldn't help but think of the irony of his situation. One Brandon Snow had started it all, and now, another would either finish it, or die trying, just like his ancestor had wished to do.
"How the fuck are we supposed to kill a freaking Dragon?" The young Prince cursed beside him, his eyes wide. "One that apparently enjoys eating people!"
Brandon took a deep breath, testing the tension off the bow one of his brothers in arms had handed him, Keeping an eye on the creature outside. The Cannibal was poking his head this way and that, puffing and shrieking. His head and eyes looked all around, trying to find a prey. As his eyes turned their way, the people by the windows collectively held their breath.
Taking a step, the creature moved over ground away from them, and he could see the Prince's shoulders dropping in relief, before he sucked in a breath.
"The wing" He murmured, prompting Brandon to focus on the appendage and note that the left wing was damaged. Which would explain why it had stayed around the Islands of Skagos for so long. While Westeros shores where close, they were not close enough for such a damaged wing.
A plan started to form in his mind, as he unbuckled his armor to reach into the inner pocket of his tunic.
Taking out the cloth covered arrows, he unwrapped them and laid two of them on the ground within easy reach as he notched the other one.
Brandon Snow, brother of Tohrren would have had only one shot per dragon, but thankfully, Brandon Snow, son of Brenda, would have three tries to kill the beast.
"When I tell you to, I need you to shout suddenly!" He murmured to the Prince, as he positioned himself at the window.
It was very much like an arrow slit in a castle wall. A crude slightly leaning, and a bit larger arrow slit. Although clearly not made for war, it would serve it purpose.
"Are you out of your mind? You do know what Dragon fire can do to even stone buildings right? And this one is not exactly a master piece in engineering." The Prince asked in a whisper, looking wide eyes at him.
Brandon shook his head. "Trust me, I know perfectly well what I'm doing."
Benjen Stark narrowed his eyes, studying him intently. "Very well. But you better know that if you fail, most of the people in here will be offering you up to be eaten, and I'm not sure I would stop them"
Brandon nodded, lining up his bow and carefully studying the beast. He needed it in the perfect position.
During the Rose Company's exile, it's commanders had taken careful notes on every known dragon slaying in history.
Apart from those in antiquity, there had only been three proved instances. One during the Targaryen's Conquest by the hands of the Dornish, and two during the Dance of Dragons. Both the Dornish and the Burning Knight had made their kills by piercing the eye and the brain, while Hobb the Hewer had used simple blunt force trauma to the Dragons head.
And while his arrows were not scorpion bolts in a Dornishmen's castle, or a sword in a suicidal knight's hand, they were not typical arrows either.
If he managed to pierce the dragon's skin, the arrow would still do its job. Only problem was, dragon scales were damn good at their job. So, the eye it was.
If it was any other creature, hitting the eye would be an extremely difficult venture, only accessible to the most gifted archers. Brandon himself was a good archer – every commander of the Company had always been proficient in several weapons, and considering the threat of the Dothraki, the bow was a good weapon to master – and he believed himself capable of hitting the eye of his prey, if he so wished.
Thankfully, a dragon wasn't any other creature either. It was fucking enormous.
And therefore, had a matching freakishly enormous eye.
So, all he needed was for that eye to be turned his way.
Taking a deep breath, he said "Now."
The young Prince let out a trill, imitating a bird. Which was probably smart. Letting out a roar would make the beast respond immediately with fire.
The effect was immediate.
The Cannibal turned its head and the arrow flew.
Not bothering to check whether or not the arrow had hit its target, Brandon notched another one and let it fly.
The second arrow flew over the screaming, writhing dragon on the floor.
"You killed a Dragon?" Heddara asked, dumbfounded, looking at the head being presented to her.
Brandon Snow smirked in pride and satisfaction. "Yes, my Queen."
Heddara contained a sighed.
"And how did you come by the dragon?" She asked, her eyebrows raised.
Benjen frowned. "It apparently had been living around Skagos for almost one hundred years. And the Skagosi, after their failed rebellion, never bothered to report it. Too proud to ask for help, maybe."
Heddara hummed, considering the possibilities. "The last Dragon died more than one hundred and thirty years ago though..."
Brandon nodded. "If the name is anything to go by, it was one of the three wild dragons of Dragonstone. It survived the Dance of Dragons, but disappeared after the war. No one knows what happened to it, but I would guess that it got injured and went half-mad, wondering up North beyond the Wall for a couple of decades until it reached Skagos."
Heddara's eyes narrowed. "Wouldn't people in Westeros have seen it though, if it ended up in Skagos?"
"Not necessarily." Brandon said, shaking his head. "The Dance was a terrible war. Many people died and the trials after were pretty bloody too. The Dragon we found was injured and that hindered its flying, but he could still do it. If he stayed by the coast he could have easily lived off of fish, which Dragons enjoy very much."
"I see you are an expert on Dragons" Heddara said, impressed.
"Every Commander is though how to kill a dragon. And to know what one needs to know of its habits."
Heddara raise her eyebrow. "And how did you kill it? This is no normal arrow." She said, pointing to the weapon, still stuck to the creature's eye.
Brandon smirked taking out a wrapped parcel, which he opened to reveal two more arrows. "My ancestor carved three weapons for three enemies. Now only two remain, for one has met its purpose."
Heddara sighed, giving up on the issue for the moment. "I have no patience right now for this twisted talk. What of the Skagosi?"
Benjen let out a laugh. "They basically venerate Brandon here, and you as his emissary. They will welcome the port in Skane and will be glad to raise their arms in your name. I think any other emissaries to the islands will have no more problems. They will be productive, tax paying members of the North in no time."
Heddara sighed, rubbing her head at the incoming ache. Young children never let their parents sleep well.
"What happened in Ramsgate?" Benjen asked. "We heard in White Harbor that Rohar had to go there for some reason."
Heddara groaned. "Almost the whole family was deviating money for their own purpose. The Lord deviated some for his feasts, his wife deviated some of the rest to buy smelling soaps, the daughters deviated some of what was left of that to buy silks and more smelling soaps and the only son deviated some of what was left to buy a couple of war horses. In the end, they all met the Queen's justice and the title was passed to the former Lord's cousin, who was the one trying to use the coin that was left to actually build some sort of port. Although obviously unsuccessfully."
Benjen snorted. "I guess you have two more men for the watch then, uh?" he wandered. "What happened to the woman though?"
Heddara rolled her eyes. "They only got the wall because they tried to lie, and when that failed, tried to raise arms against Lord Umber. He stripped them of their titles and made them pay back the crown the money they had used, and then sent them to the wall after they had so chosen. Since he firmly believes that women aren't any stupider than men, he judged them in full knowledge of what they were doing, and gave them the same punishment as the men, minus the wall."
Benjen hummed in understanding. "Guess that cousin now has his hands full."
Heddara laughed. "From what I hear, he has them sewing day and night, to atone for the blemish they brought their house and to help pay off the debt they now own the Starks, for trying to cheat them in their generosity"