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A/N: Hi! I am so sorry for the late late update. This one was a little bit hard to write, because I don't want to rush anything and it felt like I was, but well. If you think anything is being rushed please let me know. Thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, following and putting on your favorite list! Hopefully the next update will be sooner!
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Greywater Watch – 299 AC
It had been a three since the princess of Dorne had arrived in their midst and she seemed to be settling fine with the northern army. Maege Mormont had put Visenya under her wing and even the Greatjon seemed to have taken liken to the Martell woman – it was probably due to her nonsense attitude and how she could put decorum to the side if it was possible. His mother hadn't appeared to like the younger woman, he supposed it was because the purple eyed woman was a little too feral for his mother's – still – southern ways, he was glad that Catelyn had her time taken up with the caring of the blonde warrior that had appeared in their camp.
She was tired and lacking from food, probably having been running from Stannis as she was from Renly's Rainbow Guard. His mother was treating her to good health; it was good for her having someone to take care of as she wished to as he no longer gave her that privilege, not when she is showing signs of bending under the pressure.
His meetings with Visenya were becoming a bright spot in his days, training didn't leave him winded anymore, didn't take the edge off, but his verbal spars with Visenya not only left him completely tired, but it excited him to have someone that was as involved or had as many responsibilities as he has in this war, she might not have the title of Queen but she was acting in the name of one. She doesn't attend too many of his meetings with his lords, not wanting to cause discomfort, there are northern matters that she doesn't need to be privy to.
He is walking in circles in his tent, frowning not understanding why Visenya hadn't yet arrived for them to have their daily meeting. He decides to go and see if everything is alright, she might have gotten sick as she was not used to cold weather and always seemed to be chilly and he would blush at the thoughts that followed when he saw Visenya rubbing her hands together for warmth and he wondered how cold would she feel at Winterfell.
Robb shakes his head and moves towards the exit of his tent, he knows he is very much attracted to her, not only because of her beauty but for her intelligence, her fierceness and her kind heart. He thinks that it must also be because she doesn't resemble a Southern lady, she treats his brother as he deserves to be treated, asking him how he would like for her to call him, he had seen the blush covering his brother's cheeks before he answered that she was allowed to call him Jon, she wasn't swayed with Theon's remarks or how he would boost his fighting skills, she would merely raise her eyebrow and smirk devilish.
As he walks around the camp he can hear people cheering on their make shift training grounds, he sees his brother and Theon at the front of the group and goes to join them. His soldiers easily part for him to pass, Jon noticing the commotion looks over his shoulder and tenses slightly when he sees Robb. The auburn haired male frowns at his brother's reaction and when he looks to the scene unfolding in front of him he tenses as had his brother.
Visenya is trading blows with Losso, her hands in front of her face, fending off the attack of the large man. She tries to punch him only for him to send her to the floor with a kick to her feet. He hears her growl and she gets up, rolls her shoulders and goes into position again, her eyes trained on the large man, he moves to attack her and she swiftly moves to the side, aiming a punch to his stomach that actually gets pass the man's defense. "How long has this been happening?" Robb asks Jon, making Theon slightly jump as he had not noticed his arrival.
"For an hour or more" Jon answers not taking his eyes from the fist fight, seeing the two fighters was like watching a dance, Losso was a big and muscly man but he is almost as fast as the small Visenya.
Robb watches with interest the way they both start to round each other, their hands in front of their faces, Losso easily towers over Visenya but she doesn't seem in the least intimidate by him, there is something in the way she moves that is telling of how dangerous she can be. Losso moves forward and she takes two steps back making the man laugh and say something to her in his language, which makes her bristle. He moves again and Robb is sure that he will be able to catch her but Visenya surprises him and the man she is fighting when she runs to meet him, her hands moving in quick succession to try and hit him, but the dothraki is as fast as she is. No one had been expecting the high kick she does to the side of Losso's face.
They part again and when he looks at the dothraki expecting to see anger, the man is cleaning the blood from his lip and starts to laugh when he sees it and as Robb thinks the man is leaving when he starts to walk he is surprised when Losso merely goes to pick his arakh and the spear he knows belongs to Visenya. The young wolf looks to the Martell woman and sees a smirk coming to her lips and she picks her spear easily from the air when Losso throws her way.
"First blood?" She asks the dothraki in his language and he gives her a nod. They fall back into position, though now that they both have their favored weapons in hands they are more relaxed.
"I don't think we should let this continue" he finds himself saying, worried about Visenya's safety.
Theon turns to him and shakes his head "No, I want to see what both of them are capable of and something tells me that the princess would be angry at anyone who dared interfere."
Robb wants to argue but he can't as the two fighters are already moving, Losso is making arches in the air trying to hit Visenya, but she merely crouches, bends backwards as he watches he realizes that she is waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Losso extends his arm and weapon towards her again and for the first time she raises her spear, linking to the inside of the arakh but her opponent has a firm grip on his weapon and it doesn't leave his hand, but it seemed it was not her intention, she uses as a way to bring him closer to her, and with the slight surprise on her opponent she is able to disengage her spear from his weapon and slam the butt of her own weapon onto his chest and continues to hit him, now making sure he stands in the defensive. He tries to hit her or in the least nip, but Visenya moves fast, spear stopping every blow, it doesn't matter the direction – her spear moves fluidly around her body and hands, passing through her shoulders to lend in a different hand, she spins the weapon bringing it down with force to make the man sway a little where he stands.
She is grinning, purple eyes alight, she doesn't let Losso take a breath, she is always upon him, there are instances that Robb think that she will be able to put a gash on the man but he bends out of the way and it only makes Visenya grin like a loon.
"She certainly is Oberyn's daughter." A feminine voice comments beside him and he looks to see Maege Mormont looking with keen interest to the fight happening before their eyes. He frowns, not knowing what she means by that – was that in question, why is she saying it? She laughs "You must have never seen the Red Viper, sometimes I forget your age, my liege" she turns back to the fight and so does he "Oberyn is one of the deadliest men I have ever encountered, while people thought they could discount him from a fight based on his preference for the spear, he would have them all lying in their back in mere seconds. All the while he would smirk and laugh at his opponents" she shakes her head "if he was the head of House Martell, Tywin wouldn't still be alive."
He watches as Visenya uses her spear to hold Losso's arakh and slams her foot on his unarmored chest, Robb winces, knowing it must have hurt but the man seems to shake it out and slams his shoulder to Visenya who falls to the floor and Losso is quick in freeing his arakh and leaving a small gash on Visenya's arm. Robb can see the fury growing in her eyes, she gets up without help – not that Losso offered and she goes to the bigger man and put her hand on his chest, she murmurs some words to the man who laughs and in a brotherly fashion he pats her head. She bites some words to him making him laugh harder before turning on his heel and going towards two women Robb only now takes notice where at the edge of the ring. Visenya is rolling her eyes and something in his chest is lighter when he doesn't see any jealousy.
Robb takes a step to go speak with her but is beaten to it by Greatjon who wanted to see how she would do against a westerosi, she smirks accepting his challenge and it is then that she realizes that she has an audience, her face becomes red and is not from exhortation but from embarrassment. When her eyes meet his, he starts to move recognizing in her purple eyes her need of rescue from the curious eyes of the army and the lords and he would gladly rescue her.
"I am sorry, Greatjon, but Princess Visenya and I had a meeting scheduled for this afternoon." He offered to the older northern and he watches as the Martell woman flushes again.
"Your majesty, please forgive me for-" Robb is quick in holding his hand up stopping her from ending her sentence "There is nothing to forgive, my lady, we can have our meeting now, no harm was done." She nods tersely and turns back to the other northern.
"Perhaps another time when I am rested, my lord, as I am sure the opponent you choose for me will be… resilient." The Greatjon laughs deep from his belly and puts his hand in her shoulder and Robb can see that the older man thinks of her fondly, treating her like a favored nice or perhaps a daughter.
Greatjon doesn't make a fuss accepting the change of plans and Robb escorts her out of the ring. Still embarrassed she asks for him to leave her at her tent as she feels the need to change from her muddy clothes, he acquiesces but doesn't move from the entrance waiting to escort her to his tent where the normally have their discussions.
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Robb watches as Visenya sips from her wine while his brother badgers her with questions about her fight with Losso "Why didn't you tire him out, wouldn't that bring you the advantage?"
There is a quirk at the corner of her lips and her eyes shone bright "Not against a dothraki, they are quick fighters and a ruthless bunch, it would only irritate Losso more if I kept evading him. Against a westerosi that would be the preferred tactic, though it only takes a small nip for me to end my battles." Jon frowns at her answer as if her usage of venom wasn't honorable and so she reaches for his younger brother's hand, probably having read the same thing in his face "Jon, you must now understand that any advantage in a war is something to use. Venom is a weapon, the same as your longsword and while it can be as deadly as your weapon, it can be used merely to incapacitate to have the person be questioned."
Theon chuckles over the rim of his wine cup, his eyes shining with something Robb can't quite name "You don't leave anything to chance, do you?" Visenya narrow her eyes at his question and Robb is sure it must something he is missing, because he cannot hear what caused her tenseness.
Gently she takes her hand from Jon's and gives a haughty look to the heir of Pyke "To be Unbowed, unbent, unbroken we leave nothing to chance, lord Greyjoy. I am sure you understand the power behind families words, no?"
Robb watches as Theon tenses and moves forward in his seat as if he intends to intimidate her. We do not sow, are Theon's house words, words that made his father think he is entitled to pillage every land and take any ship that does not give house Greyjoy an earning for passing through their waters, words that caused Theon to become a ward of Ned.
"And I know what following them blindly will lead you to." Visenya smirks at Theon's words, putting him on edge.
"Yes, but it is how you act upon them that shows their true meaning." Robb sees Theon becoming angrily flushed at her words and he knows that should Visenya be a man and not an ally and female he would've jumped at her neck. Her eyes are glinting in triumph "Though House Greyjoy can breathe a little bit easier with you as their heir, no?"
Robb uses his cup to hide his smile at her words. Visenya wasn't being cruel or arguing for the sake of arguing, she was showing Theon a new reality, a new path to his family's legacy. Theon narrow his eyes at her wanting to know if she was lying to him, if she was dangling an impossible future to him, but her features are open and sincere, Robb even dares to think she is looking gently to his friend, wanting him to believe in her words. The young wolf lets his appreciation to Visenya grow anew, the way she moves towards being dangerous and fierce to being gentle and caring is breath taking.
Jon clears his throat "As much as I enjoy our little discussions, I am sure you had other reasons for the three of us to be here." His words visibly shakes Visenya from the discussion she had been having with Theon, she even looks a little ashamed at herself for letting herself get carried away with other matters than with what she wanted the meeting to be about.
"Yes, of course." She concedes putting down her cup on the table in front of herself and moving to the bigger table where maps are unfolded. The three move following her and look curiously to the map she is putting at the center. It is of the Riverlands, she puts her finger on top of Seagard "Word has reached me that Obara has taken control of it and that Nymeria is preparing to take siege of Oldstones" her other finger points and then she puts it on top of Green Fork "then they will position a portion of our army here."
"It will make Walder Frey lock himself on the Twins." Jon observes and she nods.
"That is what we expect, putting our army there is merely a distraction for Walder Frey. We want to take the Twins from within, without the old man noticing."
"I am sure the old bat will notice something." Theon remarks looking over the map as if trying to find somewhere else they could position their army so Frey would be more fragile.
Robb shakes his head "He will not notice if we give him something else to be his focus." Visenya nods a smile curving in her lips, pleased that he was in the same frame of thought as she was. He turns his full attention to her and suppresses the need to smile when it seems that she blushes at the attention "When do you think your sisters will position the army at Green Fork?"
"Nymeria probably already has Oldstones by now, sometime in the middle of next week I believe they would be there." Robb nods and exchanges a look with Jon and Theon.
"We will begin our march towards the Twins, it will hold the attention of Walder Frey."
Jon nods and scratches the side of his face in thought "Yes, but he will still want to strike a deal are we even thinking about hearing him?"
Visenya looks at Robb and sighs knowing she can't answer for the two of them, it would have to be his decision, but she knows that Daenerys would not want to strike a deal with the wretched man. She opens her mouth to answer on the behalf of her queen when she catches movement from her side, it is Robb shaking his head in no to his brother.
"He knows we will have to pass through his lands and if he wanted to side with us he would've sent word" he sighs thinking about how his mother will take this news. She will want to argue in behalf of Walder Frey, especially when she figures it out that it was Visenya that had brought the subject to his attention. "He will want to gain something from us and I don't want to be parted with anything he might want."
Theon and Jon nod at his words and part from him and Visenya to give order to the army.
The young wolf looks at the Martell Princess and can see her excitement mixed with apprehension, he blushes slightly when he finds himself with his hand on her shoulder, thinking that his touch might be too intimate and she might not appreciate it, but she merely turns her head towards him, slightly surprised though a smile is on her lips. Tentatively she rests her hand on top of his on her shoulder and they let themselves enjoy the comfort from each other, knowing that now they are going to be completely immersed in this war.
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King's Landing – 299 AC
Tyrion must have known that his father would not make him Hand of the King without it involving problem to him. The kingdom was in debt, falling apart at the hand of his nephew, who thinks because he seats at the throne he is all mighty. Robb Stark was proving everyone that it was easy to defy the King, one that wouldn't lift a finger to pretend he is worried about his people and the war knocking at his door.
Joffrey thinks he is untouchable.
Tyrion shakes his head knowing that many at King's Landing would rejoice at his death and probably were plotting his fall – though neither the boy nor Cersei can see it. He sighs looking at the ocean, knowing that somewhere on the other side Stannis Baratheon was preparing to attack King's Landing as well and yet the Queen Mother and her son thought Tyrion was overreacting on the needs to plan for battle and how he had expressed his desire for them to no longer harm Sansa Stark.
If Cersei wanted to have something over Robb's head it would have to be his sister, but for that to happen she had to be treated well, not like Joffrey was fond of treating her like. His fists close in anger thinking about how he had arrived to see Joffrey's kingsguard cutting her dress in the middle of the throne room.
He remembers Sansa from Winterfell, as beautiful as her mother, as mannered and soft-spoken as Catelyn Stark, she had been enamored with Joffrey and his title thinking he was like the princes in her songs. When he put on top of her Bronn's cape he had seen the fire in her eyes, he had seen the north growing in her bloodstream while she looked angry at Joffrey, the tears that streamed through her cheeks was more out of anger than anything else. The wolf in her was blossoming and Cersei and Joffrey should be afraid of the notion, northerners are hard and dangerous beings and she might have had southern characteristics, but she still was a Stark and with a brother hell bent on revenge that has an army and if Varys was correct he had gained more men from Visenya Martell. Tyrion hadn't known that Oberyn's true born had been able to gather an army for herself and if he was to believe in what Doran and Oberyn were writing to King's Landing they hadn't known about her illegitimate Martell army.
Varys told him that Arianne wanted to march towards her cousin and bring her back to Sunspear for her to be disciplined. Tyrion highly doubts that Oberyn would let his niece touch in a lock of his daughter's hair, for all that is said about the Red Viper everyone knows that his daughters are untouchable and uncontrollable, even by Oberyn.
Tyrion looks back towards the books and letters lying on the table in his room, he was learning everything there was to know about King's Landing terrain and its secrets along with trying to figure out Visenya Martell, something he knows his father will most likely not be doing, concentrating on Robb Stark.
All that he had on the Martell woman was that her mother was Valaena Velaryon, who was said to be a gentle and demure woman – he doesn't know how much of that was correct, since she had been able to gather Oberyn's interest, he had married her one year after the war and he was her husband for five years until she died on child birth to Visenya. He pretends he doesn't feel a kindred spirit towards the woman seeing the similarities in their births. She was as beautiful as her mother and as alluring as her father – if he was to believe people's accounts – and was far more interested in weapons and horses than on being part of court, it was said that Oberyn never accepted any marriage proposal for his daughter because she was the one that didn't wish to be married.
Everything he had gathered was highly superficial and it was tiring to try and understand her and why she was offering her help to Robb Stark, as far as anyone knows they had never been in contact with each other, so he could not be her betrothed. He had thought that it was perhaps in relation to the Targaryens, but again there was nothing that lead her to them, if you forget her Velaryon relations and her name, something that as he thinks it over is very fitting to her.
He has half mind to send a raven to Monford Velaryon but knows that it wasn't likely the man would answer with the characteristics of his granddaughter, who he is very protective of, furthermore it was much more likely that he would side with Stannis Baratheon, though there is the problem of his granddaughter inserting herself in the war of the Five Kings.
Tyrion goes back inside to serve himself some wine, hating how out of depth and unprepared he feels in the face of this player no one saw coming. He frowns thinking that he is the only one that thinks she is dangerous enough to be watched over. His father very much wants to have the Martells send to King's Landing for them to explain themselves, but they would most likely accuse of being wrongly prosecuted and bring even more trouble for Tyrion to try an contain another falling piece.
There is a knock on his door, he takes all of the letters he had on the table and burn them on the lit fireplace and only acquiesces to the person on the other side to enter when he sees that the pages have been burnt. Who enters is his squire, Podrick Payne, he is slightly out of breath and Tyrion lets him get his bearings, he quite likes the boy and thinks he is awfully loyal, something that Tyrion has lacking in King's Landing – well, everywhere really.
"The Queen Mother is calling for a small council meeting" the boy tells him after getting a big gulp of air, Tyrion frowns at his words there was no reason for Cersei to call a meeting, he was sure of it. He sighs knowing it was his sister wanting to have another power play, how could she still be alive if she was so dim? Didn't she realize that fighting with each other right now wasn't healthy for them, that showing conflict inside of the crown they were giving their enemy a gift?
He hurries out of his room with Podrick dutifully following him, he doesn't know how he could suddenly find himself just outside of the council door and without preamble the guards open for him, knowing that they cannot bare the Hand of the King from entering a small council meeting.
Cersei sneers when she sees that it is him intruding on the meeting, but he keeps his face calm and devoid of emotion, only of surprised curiosity. Varys looks at him from the corner of his eyes and there is a small – imperceptible for anyone not looking for it – tic at the corner of his lips.
"Oh, good, you made it brother" she says clearly displeased and he tries not to smirk and looks at the rest of the occupants of the room, his eyes narrowing on Petyr Baelish, his skin always crawls when he meets the other man's eyes, if there was anyone that was dangerous in the room it was Baelish. He was clearly a man who had nothing to lose only to gain.
"Yes, I was nearby" he answer flippantly and he can see how much it angers Cersei "may I know to what this little impromptu meeting is about dear sister?"
Her sneer is more pronounced now and he finds some sick satisfaction in seeing it "We were about to discuss strategies of contingency" it comes out of a hiss and he rolls his eyes at her.
"And you didn't think it would be important for the Hand of the King to be in such meeting?"
She smirks haughtily at him "I thought you were otherwise engaged, brother." He rolls his eyes and motions for her to continue on the meeting, not dignifying her with an answer knowing it would bother her much more than a verbal lashing. She continues and he rolls his eyes at everything she was saying, it was clear Cersei didn't care for anyone other than herself and her sons – he had sent Myrcella to Sunspear, though now he can slightly understand Cersei's fear, but he also knows that neither Doran nor Oberyn would blame a child for someone else's mistakes.
It merely takes a half an hour before he looks at the others in the room and knows that they do not trust nor do they want to lay their lives for Cersei, she had bought too many enemies and too few allies. She wasn't playing the game, she thought that being a Lannister and having gold to buy people was enough and looking around he knows it is not – Varys had left him some crumbs to figure it out. He also wants to know why his sister was so fascinated and asking around for wildfire – something that to this day scares their brother Jaime.
When she finally lets everyone he knows he needs to investigate his sister, he needs to know what other precaution she had up her sleeve. As he leaves the small council he is glad that Bronn is there waiting for him.
"Follow Cersei without being seen." He tells him and Bronn wants to ask about it but seeing the look in Tyrion's face he decides against, the little man didn't seem in the mood for questions, he clearly wanted answers.
Tyrion turns and looks at Varys and questions if he can actually trust the eunuch and something in him tells him that yes, he can. So he goes to the bald man and asks for his help in discovering what Cersei is clearly hiding – he knows Bronn won't be able to find anything, no, Cersei will be on the lookout for that and while she is preoccupied in keeping his ally from finding anything, she won't be as careful for whatever Varys can do to find him answers.
Cersei has become too dangerous to let roam freely; Tywin will be wondering why he had ever given so much freedom to her after she got married. She might just cost them the war.
"As long as I am not brought down" Tyrion can't help but think, being the Hand of the King and seeing how much his family is in deep trouble, a family that never gave him anything, he knows that he won't do whatever is necessary to help them survive the war, perhaps Jaime, if he grows up.
He might like being Hand of the King, but he won't die for it.
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