Chapter 20:
Author's Notes: Here's another update for everyone. Hope you all had a happy Halloween. And welcome to Stokley27. Maybe I can convince you to finish 'A Question of Fate'?
"I always thought I would be a mother and wife by this age."
Ashley frowned at the statement. "What do you mean?"
"Well, in Westeros, no one of noble birth would stay this long without the right marriage. I knew my father and mother wanted what was best for me and they would have liked for me to find a man I truly loved to be my husband, but sometimes, even the best intentions do not come to life."
"Oh."
"Oh?" Spencer questioned as she laughed. "What I mean to say is, I do not think my father would have seen this," she waved to the khalasar marching ahead and behind them, "in my future."
"Do you regret being here?"
"No! Not at all. Life shows us different paths but it up to us to choose a path and not take the other."
Ashley nodded. "I never had a future in mind. I just…lived. Each day was my future. I never thought that Nicholas would achieve his desires of regaining the throne, but…somehow he did. I became a wife, then a queen, now I am on a journey to finish what he could not."
"Do you wish for children?"
I never will, Ashley cried out in her mind. "I did once, I cannot do that now."
"Why?"
"It seems as though the gods deemed it fit for me to feel a child grow within me but never see him grow up."
"I am sorry, Ashley. I did not mean…"
"I know. All we can do is accept what we cannot change. My dragons are more like children than many would realize."
"Especially Drogon." Spencer replied.
"Him most of all." How does she do that? Make my smile when nothing seems to appear joyful to me.
The horses marched quietly as the conversation lulled. The battle against the ghosts of the woods had taken its fair share of spoils. The khalasar was still strong enough to pose a threat to those in opposition to Ashley's claim but reinforcements would be needed to completely gain control of Westeros. Her captains had approached her with the numbers, indicating where her weak points were at the present. Ashley was certain that she could still be victorious and once the Usurper's son realized how she had entered Westeros and who she had conquered to be so far south of his kingdom, he would tremble.
"We will soon reach the Wall. From there, Winterfell is a few days away." Spencer said.
"Fine. Will those of your household welcome me or my men?"
"I will convince them that to follow you would be the best choice."
"And if they do not see your view?"
"They will," was the determined answer.
The Dothkari warriors around them began their war songs to comfort each other in the cold of the North. Ashley smirked, the sooner the leave the cold the braver they will be. She could not fault her soldiers for hating the weather, she herself, was not partial to the cold, never having encountered it before. Spencer, however, seemed to bloom.
"When we reach the wall, keep the patrols near the camp."
"Why?"
"Because," Ser Barristan answered, "there are direwolves in these woods, more as we draw nearer to Winterfell. The creatures are their friends but not ours."
"Then Spencer should call out to them and tell them we mean no harm," Ashley said, smiling.
Spencer laughed. "I can try but they might not want to deal with the strange beings surrounding me."
"So we will send you out on your own then while we warm ourselves by the fires." Ashley replied.
"As you wish, Khaleesi," Spencer countered, bowing in mild mockery. She knew that Ashley would never even suggest such a thing. These days though, I think of my future as always being by your side. How do I tell you?
"Ser, what do you know of my enemy's supplies?"
"When we cross the Wall it will be easier for me to make enquiries with those I can still rely on to not be informants of the Lannisters."
"Are they whom I am dealing with now?"
"Rob- the Usurper married the oldest in the Lannsiter house so his son now sites on his throne, as a puppet of his mother though."
"What manner of a man is this Aiden? Will he be a threat on the battlefield or does he prefer to remain behind his soldiers like a coward?"
"Oh he would most certainly let his soldiers die so he could escape. His selfishness knows no bounds." Spencer answered.
"Spencer is right. He is a coward, an arrogant one at that. His mother, however and his uncle, the Kingslayer, are not foolish. They would have already made plans once they heard of your march towards Westeros."
"Kingslayer?" Spencer asked.
"Jaime Lannister. He served as one of my father's knights but murdered him to gain favour with the Usurper." Ashley replied bitterly.
"He was a knight in the Kingsguard as I was but betrayed his vows to forever protect his king. He should never have been granted that honour." Ser Barristan added.
"He, nor his family, will be a concern to me until we are closer to King's Landing. Until then we must focus on those immediately ahead of us. However once we cross into Westeros, I shall be in need of your eyes and ears, ser."
"As you command, Your Grace." With that the old knight returned to his previous position just behind his queen, far enough to afford her some privacy but near enough to protect if the need came up.
Spencer followed the old knight until he returned to his position in Ashley's guard. Her eyes met Daario's who seemed to be watching her very closely. She shivered. The slight malice in his eyes that seemed ever present, was now focused on her. I hope Ashley never falls for his charm. She is too good for him.
"I hear Daario has been telling all that will listen that he shall be one of your riders" Spencer said. She faced forwards, not wanting to see the emotion on Ashley's face.
"All who believe him deserve to be deceived. I already know who one of my riders will be and he will mount any of my dragons. He admires his image too much for that." Ashley scoffed.
"I doubt he knows that."
"That is none of my concern. He may believe or wish all he wants but his scented beard is enough to push any woman away."
Ashley smiled when she heard Spencer's giggle. Each moment with Spencer made her feel like a young girl, what she really was, instead of a queen who was feared, revered or scorned. They had not discussed that moment for a long time now, not for lack of want on Ashley's part. It seemed prudent to just let things be for the time being. If Spencer was ready she would ensure she was too.
"Khaleesi. The scouts have returned," Aggo announced.
"And?"
"They have seen this Wall and those that guard it. They did not engage and are waiting for your orders."
"Send an emissary to them. I shall not attack them unless they give me cause to. Tell the scouts to wait until we are certain that they are hostile then to report back to me."
The bloodrider bowed before heading to the front again.
"Do you think it wise to trust any of these Westeroi?" Jhogo asked.
"Maybe. Maybe not. I will not engage in battle if it can be avoided. We want to reach Winterfell in good strength, not depleted by needless fighting," Ashley watched the bloodrider. "The time to quench your thirst will come Jhogo. You may yet find it shall overflow by the time I have regained my destiny. For now, we shall set up camp here until we hear from the emissary to the Wall. Once we are settled, call the captains to my khas."
Jhogo saluted before riding out to give out the command to stop marching. It was still bitterly cold but at least now the only problem was the snow around them and not the undead.
Ser Barristan rode up to the young queen again. "You are doing well, Your Majesty."
"Am I? Or do you think it is safer to flatter me like the noblemen in Astapor."
"Sometimes restraint is a greater tool then provocation. Some would say that you are foolish to not destroy all before you but it is more prudent to show a good character first and find allies where none can be found. That is what a true queen must do."
"So it seems I have yet to acquire the taint of my house."
"I think you have enough in you to prevent that from ever happening."
"Thank you."
"I think the same," Spencer said quietly.
"I think I believe it now." Ashley responded. They shared a smile before facing the road again.
I don't know if anyone's picked this up yet but I've been slowing down things as the story progresses. I just think it'll be easier to follow if I don't put two scenes in one chapter. It'll make the story longer than I had already planned but it might lessen the confusion. Oh, and apparently HBO has picked up 'A Game of Thrones' for TV adaptation and shooting's already started. I now have another reason to watch HBO:)