Chapter 19-Full Circle
Mance Rayder looked up at the massive wall of ice. Even now, the sight of it impressed him far more on this end. Sure the actual height of the Wall from the top was scary, but to truly understand the sheer magnitude of the structure, one had to see this wonder of the world from the very bottom. To his left, Uzumaki Naruto stood there calmly, looking at the same thing he did, and gave the former member of the Night's Watch strong pat on the shoulder.
For reassurance purposes of course.
"Nervous?" asked Naruto finally with Mance thinking over his emotions running around in his head.
"I would be lying if I said no. Part of me is scared. I don't want to die when so many of the free folk need me. Have you ever been scared in such a way?" answered Mance with Naruto nodding.
"Since I was a child in my village. You can't imagine how many times I was brought to the brink of death. At first, I feared dying because I was so young, and didn't get to see the world beyond what I could see everyday," whispered Naruto with images of past pain running through his mind for a second.
"What happened?" asked Mance curiously.
"By the time I was eight years old, I stopped fearing death. At eight years old, I wanted to be touched by death's embrace. At eight years old, I just wanted to die to be free from the pain my village caused me," answered Naruto while his eyes hardened slightly.
Mance decided not to respond to that statement. Silence was the smart choice here when it came to conversation taking a clearly dark turn. Instead, he focused back to the Wall, and looked to the very top where the Lord Commander was looking down at them from his position. While Naruto could have easily gotten them over the Wall like it was the easiest thing in the world, the Sage felt entering through the bottom gate willingly would be more appropriate.
"He doesn't look too happy to see me," commented Mance while he imagined the Lord Commander's face was filled anger at seeing him again.
Of course the Lord Commander was always sporting an angry look, but Mance was sure it was even angrier now. Oaths to the Night's Watch had been broken after all.
"It's not him you have to be worried about when it comes to anger. Nor is his said anger directed at you," remarked Naruto before the gate at the bottom of the wall opened.
"Will he go back on his end of the deal? Without me, the free folk will tear themselves apart," replied Mance with Naruto giving the man's shoulder a firm squeeze.
"While he is the Lord Commander, the man is also a Mormont. Honor means something to him and his House. The deal will be honored. Even if the others don't like it," replied Naruto calmly while the two entered the tunnel and soon exited to the other side.
And were soon surrounded by armed men of the Night's Watch.
"Congratulations traitor. You are the first Wildling to ever walk through the tunnel to get through the Wall," said First Ranger Ser Alliser Thorne angrily.
"We had an agreement with the Lord Commander Ser Thorne. I trust you are not here to break it," said Naruto with Thorne growling at him now.
"I don't know what deal you made with the Lord Commander, but I do know this traitor to the Night's Watch will be killed for breaking his Oath to his brothers," replied Thorne with Naruto glancing around briefly to gauge the emotions of the men around him.
"That's why we are here Ser Thorne. To see the deal is completed in its entirety," replied Naruto while glancing behind the First Ranger to see Lord Commander Mormont now approaching.
"And what does the traitor gain from offering up his head to the Night's Watch?" asked Thorne suspiciously.
"That's not your business First Ranger. It is mine," said Mormont firmly while walking past the man and straight up to Mance.
"Lord Commander. It has been a long time. You have aged gracefully despite the weather being this cold," said Mance while Mormont let out a huff with cold air coming out of his mouth.
"I could say the same to you Mance. Clearly the other side of the Wall has been just as cruel, if not more. You know the penalty for breaking your oath to the Night's Watch. Are you prepared to face that penalty?" questioned the Lord Commander with Mance nodding that he was ready.
"Aye, I am ready," replied Mance firmly with the two staring at each other for a few long seconds.
"Right, let's get this over with," said Mormont before motioning everyone to follow him.
The group soon made there way to the courtyard where other members of the Night's Watch and future members stood waiting to see this event. Among them was Lancel Lannister, who feared for his life at the sight of seeing Naruto again, and kept himself in the background. Jaime Lannister was also there, but had yet to make the oaths needed to become a member. Like Lancel, he too was staying a healthy distance from Naruto, and decided to watch things from afar to keep the Sage from focusing on them.
Like the rest of the world, those with the Lannister name were not given a warm welcome when arriving at Castle Black to become a member of the Night's Watch. Many of these men hated the Lannisters since they became thieves, murders, and other things more out of necessity because of past actions done by House Lannister. Not all of them, but still quite a large chunk of the men at Castle Black were here because of House Lannister.
"Mance Rayder, you have been found guilty of breaking your sacred oath as a member of the Night's Watch. You have sided with the Wildlings on the other side of the Wall and for 20 years have escaped justice for the breaking of your oath to your brothers. If you have anything to say, now is the time," said the Lord Commander with his sword Long Claw in hand and Mance was on his knees at the podium.
"I made my choice 20 years ago when I left the Night's Watch to join the free folk. Do I regret my choice? No. When I took my oath as a member of the Night's Watch, it was to defend the realms of men. Whether we admit it or not, the free folk are part of the realms of men. They had no one. They were scattered. Divided. Warring with each other. At first, I hated them just like all of you. But when I saw not all of them were the monsters our ancestors called them and what else was beyond the Wall, I would not wish what was going to befall the free folk on my worst enemy. So I broke my oath to the Night's Watch in order to enforce it, but on my terms. Again, I do not regret my choice to leave, if only to carry out my duty to protect the innocent lives that lived beyond the Wall. Struggling just to survive one day at a time. Call me what you will, but I will not apologize for being a member of the free folk over that of the Night's Watch," said Mance calmly while he looked up at the Lord Commander Mormont.
As for the Lord Commander, he waited for Mance to put his head down on the log meant to support his neck. He could respect Mance for at least speaking the truth, even if it was considered blasphemous in the eyes of everyone here. Mance was a good man, but one who didn't truly stick to following the rules, or the oath made by the Night's Watch one is bound to upon saying the words.
"Goodbye Mance," replied Mormont with Mance himself giving an awkward nod.
"Same to you Lord Commander. I wish you well on your continued rule here on the Wall and against the evil that is to come. Train these men well," said Mance while Mormont readied his blade.
Before bringing it down on Mance's neck and severing the man's head from his body.
"The price has been paid. At last his watch has ended," commented Naruto with the Lord Commander nodding.
"We should burn the body. To ensure it doesn't rise again. Even if it is without a head," said Thorne coldly while he stared at Mance Rayder's form with hatred for all things Wildling in his heart.
"No. Leave his remains to me," said Naruto with Thorne glaring at him.
"We need no help from a sorcerer like yourself!" exclaimed Thorne since he blamed Naruto for bringing the man back here, even if it was to face judgment.
"Leave the dead man to the Sage. Whatever our guest has in mind for Mance Rayder is not of our concern," came the elderly, yet wise voice of Maester Aemon Targaryen.
Though few alive at the moment knew he was a Targaryen. The man had relinquished all titles connecting him to his House with the exception being his blood. Which in the long run was probably for the best given Robert's Rebellion and the dead Baratheon's hatred for all things dragon related.
In fact, Naruto suspected the only people who knew were himself, Aemon of course, and maybe even the Lord Commander. Perhaps even Ned Stark himself knew, but Naruto was not sure, and wasn't about to ask the Lord Regent. No. Better to let things stay the course in keeping such a secret just that. A secret. Besides, Maester Aemon was an old man by today's standards. He was nearly a century old now and was sworn to serve as a member of the Night's Watch.
If the vows taken did not stop the man from becoming King of Westeros before now, his current age did in its place. Not only that, but the man had no heirs to his bloodline, as per the oaths of taking the Black, and as such he had no progeny to succeed him in the event of his death.
"Maester Aemon. You honor me with your presence," said Naruto before bowing to the man with Aemon letting out a chuckle.
"It is I who am honored my old friend. Sadly, I fear this body is getting slower with each passing day, and as such cannot see the face of an old acquaintance from my childhood," remarked Maester Aemon while Naruto smiled fondly, yet sadly at the old Targaryen in front of him before focusing on sealing up the dead beheaded Mance Rayder quickly.
"I could try to return your eyesight, if you would allow me to make the attempt Maester Aemon. To see the world beyond the veil of darkness once again," offered Naruto with Maester Aemon being helped along by a roundish looking young lad for his steward by the name of Sam Tarly.
"Thank you my old friend, but alas I must decline. There are those outside this place, who are much younger then I, and are in need of your skills. Of your talents. I am content with what I have left of myself. Always have been. You protected what few members of my House that are left in this world. For that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. All I can ask of you now is to keep them safe for as long as you possibly can. Do what I cannot and I will be a happy old man in the twilight of his life here at the Wall," replied Maester Aemon with a smile on his face while Naruto shook his hand.
"I will try old friend. I would stay, but duty calls elsewhere. I'll visit when I can," said Naruto with Aemon smiling further.
"Ah yes. Duty calls out and those willing to answer it march forth toward their destiny in order to grab it by the throat," remarked Maester Aemon and chuckled a bit while Naruto smiled further behind his mask.
"Listen to this one young steward. His years of wisdom and knowledge are something to be treasured. Learn all you can from him," said Naruto to young Sam Tarly, who nodded his head, and knew his place at the Wall was not with swords, but the books, and the vast knowledge held within them.
"I will. Maester Aemon sees me as a future Maester of the Night's Watch. I don't intend to disappoint him," replied Sam while many thought his stewardship was a joke.
But not Sam and certainly not Naruto. Where others saw an old man needing help eating, moving, and help taking a shit, both men knew Aemon was groom a successor to his title of Maester. Any idiot could wield a sword just as any idiot could learn to wield a sword properly in a fight! But who made swords possible? Who wrote the books that would be the instruction manuals for blacksmiths and forgers to make weapons the Night's Watch used?
Answer: Maesters and those who wrote in books and read from books. Those who used the power of their brain over the power of brawn.
Many people through today's world didn't think too highly of Maesters. Not these days. Fussy old men who read dusty books and spoke so slowly you would age 10 years before they even finished speaking a single sentence. That was just not true. Maesters were the guardians of knowledge and they shared said knowledge with those who were in need of it.
Naruto had a healthy respect for Maesters. Well...the ones that didn't touch little boys or girls while abusing their status as Maesters. Those kind of Maesters got beaten within an inch of their lives and were sent floating right out to sea in a badly leaky ship with said ship being surrounded by a dozen hungry sharks!
"Good. The world needs plenty of Maesters. Keeps the realms of men from becoming the realms of stupid men," joked Naruto before pocketing the scroll and vanishing in a swirl of wind.
"Lord Commander, I must protest this! I do not approve of that...sorcerer taking the body of a traitor turned Wildling!" exclaimed Thorne while Lord Commander Mormont stared at him with icy cold eyes.
"You have made your protests loud and clear Thorne. But in the end, Mance Rayder, and his body belonged to the Sage. The man only handed him over to us to kill as a means of squaring away the debt Mance owed to the Night's Watch. The debt had been paid. I will hear no more of this from you or anyone else here. Is that understood?!" commanded the Lord Commander with everyone nodding in agreement.
"Yes Lord Commander," replied Thorne through gritting teeth.
"Good. Now, get back to work in training the new recruits. I want each of you to be ready for the darkness that is to come. If the Wildings wanted to cross over to this side of the Wall in haste, it means something else far worse is waiting to do the same, and we must be ready," said the Lord Commander firmly while he felt the days get colder and knew the darkness of the White Walkers was coming and coming very soon.
(Dragonstone-Sometime Later)
"You're lucky I acted when I did. They wanted to burn your body once beheaded," said Naruto after bringing Mance Rayder back to life.
It was a very interesting experience for the man.
"Considering what they have feared and I have seen for myself, its not a surprise to me," said Mance while finding the weather here was much warmer compared to the North beyond the Wall.
"The others are all at the castle or mostly living around it. Some of them fearing this is all a trap to lure them to a single spot where they will be slaughtered without mercy," said Naruto calmly.
"Let me guess, they need to see me alive to take away their fears," concluded Mance with Naruto nodding.
"It would be helpful in the long run. Besides, only you can lead them because only they trust you to lead them. In any case, your debt to the Night's Watch is paid, and the deal in place with the Lord Commander is set. The rest I leave up to you, the new Lord, and ruler of Dragonstone," replied Naruto with a slight bow.
"I guess I can't call myself the King beyond the Wall anymore. Still, I suppose being a Lord, and a ruler over an island like this one isn't so bad. Maybe I'll marry and have a couple of heirs. Even if I have bastards, I'll still claim them as mine," said Mance while Naruto laughed.
"Rule well Lord Rayder," replied Naruto before he was gone to leave the former King Beyond the Wall to his new position and title.
(Iron Islands-Sometime Later)
Yara Greyjoy was not amused. Not in the slightest. Her own Father had clearly become deranged and mentally unstable. Madness from years of bitterness and loss had finally won in taking control of the man's mind. Somehow the North had anticipated or learned of their attacks on what was to be an undefended wolf den. As such, the Stark army had marched a good portion of their numbers back to defend it at each position the Greyjoy fleet intended to attack.
The losses they sustained up until now were massive. Most of the men, HER men she was entrusted with by her Father Balon Greyjoy, were either dead, dying, crippled, or injured but would recover enough to fight until old age finally caught up with them. In the long run, they were useless in a fight unless the fleet was truly desperate for men.
But did her Father care? No. He didn't care. He only cared if you won. If you pillaged, rape, blundered, and took from others successfully. In her case, they didn't get the chance to do any of those things.
Just be caught by surprise that their own surprise attack was stopped and suffered wave upon wave of defeats at the hands of the North. It reminded Yara of the stories she was told about the North from the more open tongued people on the Iron Islands. "The true strength of the Northerners was not to be trifled with" those people had said. "The North maybe filled with people who barely fight at sea, but they are not weak" were the words spoken. "If the North or Westeros as a whole are so weak as your Father claims, why did he bend the knee? And give up your younger brother?" were the stinging questions Yara knew her Father would never answer if she asked.
If anything, her Father would have probably killed his only daughter without a care in the world. Why would he care if she was killed? Why care when siring another child would be easy for him. Find a woman, fuck her regardless if she's willing, and eventually get a bastard baby out of the deal. If the child was strong, the child would be his legitimately, and if not? Well...its not like the man would have problems trying again and again until one child became worthy of his love.
"You failed me. Again!" exclaimed Balon with frustration in his voice from his throne.
"The North sent a portion of their army back. They were prepared for us. We had no way of crushing them. We were relying on the element of surprise in our plans," replied Yara with Balon sneering at her.
"Excuses. The men under your command were some of the fiercest the Iron Islands has ever produced. Yet they were destroyed by weak Northerners under the command of the Wolf pups subordinates. Did you at least kill some of them before you fled like whipped dog?!" commented Balon with Yara gritting her teeth.
"A fraction of what they possessed. For every Northerner we did kill, well over a hundred of ours fell by their hands. The North is not as weak as you would believe," replied Yara with Balon throwing his cup of wine at her.
It missed hitting her by a wide margin.
"The North was only a fraction of its full strength! You should have been able to crush the reinforcements regardless if you had the element of surprise or not! You should have made them know the fear of facing the might of the kraken, but instead you made the Iron Islands look like it was being commanded by weak old ninnies and whores!" exclaimed Balon angrily.
"We all fought with everything we had just to escape! I nearly got captured twice. I was nearly killed three times! My men gave their lives so your daughter could live to return to you!" Yara shot back at her Father.
"I would have preferred my true children had been brought back through their sacrifice!" exclaimed Balon while standing up from his throne.
"And me? You would prefer I died against the North too?" questioned Yara while her Father glared at her.
"After your constant string of failures against the North? Especially you," said Balon in a low guttural voice.
"You have no right to talk about my failures Father. This whole plan to take the North and pillage it was your idea. So ultimately my failures in this campaign are your failures too!" countered Yara before her Father moved over to her and backhanded her across the face.
"You dare talk back to me? Your King? Your Father?" questioned Balon with Yara now standing up and spit some blood out of her mouth.
"You are not worthy of being King of the Iron Islands, much less being my Father. You never loved me. Nor did you love Theon. Even the sons you claimed to love meant little to nothing to you. We are just tools to you. Pieces on the board. You would sacrifice all of the Iron Islands just to see the North fall and be a King of corpses!" answered Yara and saw Balon's madness shining brightly in his old eyes.
"Of course I would sacrifice you all. I am the King of the Iron Islands. Of its people. I will gladly be a King of corpses if it means the majority of them are of the North. Of bones and bodies of the wolves, the stags, and even the lions! I will rule over all things dead if it means I am the King our island, if not this very world rightfully deserves!" exclaimed Balon with Yara looking at her Father with a hint of despair in her eyes at seeing him like this.
"That is not the way of the Ironborn. What good is ruling if all your subjects are dead? We do not sow, but we make sure that those we take from are alive to continue taking from them later," countered Yara with Balon now looking ready to grab a sword and run her through.
"I am the King! Not you! I will not have my so called offspring, much less my daughter, question or challenge me!" exclaimed Balon loudly and would have called for the guards, but was interrupted by a third party.
"And you wonder why she is the last of your bloodline," remarked Naruto after he had appeared before them and saw Balon looking ready to have a heart attack.
"YOU! GUARDS! GUARDS!" yelled Balon loudly while drawing his sword near his chair.
"Don't bother. The guards are dead. All of them," said Naruto casually while looking from Balon to Yara before refocusing on the elderly mad man.
"Get out! OUT! Killer of my sons! I will not have you on my island a second longer!" protested Balon angrily.
"As if you cared your sons. You don't even care about your daughter. You didn't even shed a tear over Theon's death," remarked Naruto casually.
"How do you know about Theon's death?" asked Yara suspiciously since she had made sure it was a well kept secret.
"That's easy. I killed him," replied Naruto like he was talking about the weather.
"It was you?!" demanded Yara before she drew her sword.
"Of course it was me. Who else could have killed Theon so quickly? So quietly? Who else could have warned Robb Stark of your invasion of the North while he was South fighting the Lannisters?" asked Naruto while dodging her sword strike and Balon's own when the elderly looking man tried his hand.
"I'll kill you for that!" declared Yara with Naruto looking at her with bored eyes behind his mask.
"Why? You didn't show Theon not nearly enough love or respect when he came home to you and your Father. You barely tolerated him. You only felt sorry for the man after dear old daddy here smacked him across the face after said daddy was called out on his actions in giving Theon up all those years ago. Theon came back here to connect with his family by blood. He chose you over the Starks. The family who treated him with respect and with kindness. Any other House in the North could and would have whipped, beat, or done unspeakable things to him. You're damn lucky he wasn't a ward of House Bolton before I crushed that cancerous House. They would flayed, tortured, and done other unspeakable things to him in the simple belief that they could. Not unlike you Ironborn. The only difference is their House sigil showed just how they treat people they deem inferior. Besides, before Theon came here, he pledge his own loyalty in the name of the Old Gods and the New to House Stark. Not to mention brotherhood to Robb Stark to the end of his life. What did you two offer him? Scorn. Mockery. Yet he chose you when Theon should have chosen Robb. So I made sure he paid for his betrayal and stupidity in choosing his unloving family with his life," replied Naruto before blocking Yara's strike with his staff and kicked the woman away.
"Die!" exclaimed Balon while trying to kill this demon in front of him.
"You first. 'Shinra Tensei!'" exclaimed Naruto before obliterating Balon and the entire section of the tower he aimed the attack.
Fortunately for Yara, she was not behind Naruto when he did.
"Why? Why are you doing this? To House Greyjoy? To my family? To me?!" asked Yara with Naruto turning around to stare at the shocked woman.
"Why? I am doing this because its the only way to keep House Greyjoy in line. Your not so dear Uncle, the one who was out sailing the seas has been planning to come home for quite some time now. He wanted to come home, kill your Father, and claim the throne for himself. Afterwards, he planned to kill you so no one else could contend his right to the Salt Throne. Needless to say, I made sure that won't happen anytime soon," answered Naruto calmly with Yara looking even more shocked by this news.
"You have taken almost everything from me. You have destroyed my family's House. Is that what you are here to do? To take everything from me? Are you going to kill my last remaining Uncle too?" asked Yara with Naruto scoffing.
"Hardly. I did it to remove them from this so called Game of Thrones. Your remaining Uncle for a Priest is not even a piece worth mentioning. As for you Yara, I'm not going to kill you," replied Naruto with Yara looking surprised.
"What?" asked Yara in surprise since he had basically killed just about everyone else in her damn family.
"Why would I? You are needed to keep the Iron Islands under control. You are to be its new Queen," answered Naruto calmly.
"There are certain rules for taking the Salt Throne. It is only through being vouched for by another and the people supporting my claim that I can acquire it. Being my Father's offspring is not enough," countered Yara with Naruto smirking despite her not seeing it.
"And you aren't qualified? You, who led her men into battle despite losing in the end? You, who fought beside her men while dear old daddy sat in his comfortable little chair? A chair where he ate his food, drank his wine, and occasionally fucked a woman while you were fighting just to survive against the North. Who do you think the Ironborn will follow if not you? There is no one else," replied Naruto with Yara scowling at him.
"And what is to stop me from gathering a massive fleet of warships in the future? To lead a massive army against Westeros?" challenged Yara angrily.
"For one, me! And two, your own brain telling you its not possible. Besides, you really expect the North, or any of Westeros for that matter to not keep an eye on the Iron Islands in the event you tried? The Spider is very good at gathering information. He would know when your 'massive fleet' is ready before you do," remarked Naruto calmly.
"And what exactly do you expect us to do with our lives? We are Ironborn! We do not sow! We take from others! We are strong and therefore prey on the weak!" exclaimed Yara angrily at Naruto, who was now getting angry himself, and grabbed the woman by her tunic before slamming the woman against the nearest wall.
"And you wonder why I didn't show any mercy to your Father, your brothers, or those born on the Iron Islands during the Greyjoy Rebellion. The only thing that you and your fellow islanders do is take from others. Take. Take. Take. TAKE! You contribute nothing to this world with your raiding and pillaging ways! You are the thieves and murders of the sea! By might and right, I should sink your pathetic group of islands that make up your home into the water and let the many forms of life in it devour your society whole! I should see each and every Ironborn drown in the sea they love to sail in so much and watch them die!" Naruto shot back in anger with his masked face getting up close and personal to Yara's own.
"What's stopping you?" asked Yara with a hint of fear in her voice.
"What's stopping me? For one, I'm not a bad person. I'm a good person. And good people don't cause massive earthquakes and huge tsunami's capable of flooding the Iron Islands to the level needed to cause the genocide of an entire culture. Second, I believe in giving people a second chance at making things right. Robert Baratheon tried it with your Father after getting him to bend the knee, but Balon was a spiteful bitter idiot. I'm giving you a chance because I see House Greyjoy and the Iron Islands themselves having a chance to become great in the correct fashion. Hence why I don't kill you now with a sword in your belly and leaving before your blood goes dry. This is your second chance Yara of House Greyjoy. Do not make the same mistake your Father did with it. Rule over your people well, make them strong internally rather then needing to feed off of others for strength. One day settle down, find a man capable of meeting your expectations, and get a couple of kids to call your own to one day succeed you," replied Naruto before letting her go and watching Yara slump on the floor.
"And if I don't do what you say? And I throw away this second chance?" questioned Yara curiously while Naruto's eyes became cold and hardened.
"If you throw away this second chance? I will make the Iron Islands into a memory. One only found in generations to come, in a text book, or an old outdated map. It will be as if your entire way of life never existed," answered Naruto in a deadly quiet voice with his eyes now having an ominous glow about them.
'Shit. He means it. The Sage would destroy is and our entire civilization. Our entire way of life. Perhaps...Perhaps the Ironborn should try finding our own strength so we don't have to take others,' thought Yara while thinking over the Sage's words in her head.
The Ironborn had gained a very bad reputation since rebellion against the crown under Robert's rule all those years ago. Even before that time. The Ironborn had long since held power along the islands and all shorelines along the Green Lands. It was only after the Targaryens with their dragons did things go bad for them that they lost a great deal of their strength. House Tully seeing a chance to repel their Ironborn rulers, rebelled against the Iron Islands, and drove them out of the lands they claimed ages ago. Afterward, many would, and even could say the Ironborn had lost their teeth. Their edge if you will. All due to the rule of the Kings sitting on the Iron Throne keeping the peace that lasted for roughly 300 years.
The Targaryens during that time had made it quite clear that the days of pillaging, raping, and plundering others were over with the dragons they possessed at the time enforcing it. Even when the dragons were no longer an issue, the Iron Islands did not have the Will, or the teeth to rebel against the Iron Throne. It was only after Robert Baratheon became King did Yara's Father Balon Greyjoy see what he believed was an opportunity to claim the greatness of the Ironborn under his House. Robert Baratheon showed little in the ways of properly ruling. He was surrounded by poisonous vipers on his Small Council and Robert's wife Cersei wasn't much help either being the Queen while undermining his so called authority.
Naturally, Balon would have been a fool to not capitalize on such a plan to rebel against Robert Baratheon, and had he actually waited a little while longer, he probably would have succeeded in his action. Instead, Balon not only managed to stir the warrior within Robert once more, but got Robert's old friend in the North Ned Stark to fight for him, AND a certain Sage who became the pointy tip of the sword used to run the Greyjoy Rebellion into the ground.
Yara had been there, all those years ago when Theon was taken after their Father bent the knee to King Robert. She knew her Father hated the idea of submitting to the Iron Throne like their ancestors did ages ago. It burned Balon Greyjoy something fierce, but the man wanted to live, and had no problem giving over his one remaining (and in his mind the weakest) son. Yara had since seen her Father become bitter, cold, cruel, and angry with the world while delusions of the old days when Ironborn could do what they wanted to anyone without fear of being overpowered raged through his mind.
She didn't want to be like her Father in that regard. Bitter. Angry. Hating the world for denying what should have been hers after taking it from others. All the taking left little to nothing to fall back on. No foundation. Nothing. Nothing the Ironborn could call their own without saying they took it from someone else first.
Even the Lannisters for all their boastfulness and people disliking them, could easily say they had their gold. They didn't need to take it from others. They didn't have to take it. They mined it. They practically owned gold itself! Everyone had something to call their own, except the Iron Islands. They had to attack others to survive. Attack others and take from others to live.
They weren't feared krakens. They nothing short of being parasites.
"It won't be easy to change. I know. I wasn't always a nice man. But I changed despite how hard it was to be what I am now. People don't like changing for what they believe is for the worst and not the better. Before I was this man, I was a monster. I was hated for being something I wasn't and I changed into the very monster they feared I would one day become. I changed back when I saw being a monster was not for the better, but hated myself for changing all the same. I changed back because I knew I could not be the thing everyone feared anymore. I had to change with the times and it was not an easy thing to do. But, in time, I accepted my change, and found it was not so bas as I first thought. If you truly are Ironborn like everyone else on this island also claims to be in this area, then you have the strength to endure changing times into something else. Something better. Something stronger," replied Naruto before walking away from her.
"Any advise on what to change into?" asked Yara with Naruto glancing back at her.
"That is your choice Yara. Just remember this one important fact about raiding, pillaging, plundering, and taking from others. You can only get away with it for so long until finally one day, someone says 'Enough is enough!' in regards to your actions, and decides to do something about the Iron Islands. One day, someone will gather a large fleet of ships, and troops together to attacks the Iron Islands. They will attack, they will win, and they will kill everyone living here...down to the last child. They will take from you everything that you hold of value. Your life, your children, the lives of those living here, destroying your homes, the history of the Ironborn, and anything else that belongs to the Iron Islands in an ultimate form of irony. Change for the better or else that will be the fate of the once great Iron Islands," replied Naruto before he was gone from her sight.
'Change or be destroyed. Some choice,' thought Yara bitterly, but deep down, she knew he was right, and knew change was a far better choice in this matter.
(City of Meereen-Sometime Later)
"Sons of the Harpy?" questioned Daenerys with Naruto nodding.
"Apparently they view you taking the city and killing the Wise Masters as an affront to their culture. An invader born in Westeros and as such an enemy of Essos. They wish to remove you from power and 'liberate' the people under your rule," said Naruto with his tone of voice showing he was not amused.
"And by 'liberate', you mean enslaving them once again. Making slaves out of the people I freed," commented Daenerys with Naruto nodding.
"Yes on both counts your Grace. From what I have determined through my own efforts, the Sons of the Harpy hate the changes you've made and the fact it makes the majority of the people in the city, former slave or not, very happy with how things have progressed. You making the vast majority of the people happy makes it difficult to cause an uprising and bringing back the old ways the Wise Masters used when running things. As such, the plan is to ultimately kill you, and take the city back by force. All the while using fear to keep the masses in line from using your death as a symbol to rebel against them when they take over," replied Naruto with Daenerys frowning.
"And how do they plan to kill me? Their forces are weak and outnumbered by my army and the masses of the city itself. My Unsullied are skilled and strong. Not to mention my dragons would be most upset if their Mother died. Surely they understand as much if I were to perish by their hands," countered Daenerys while she saw Naruto nod.
"Unfortunately, they are not idiots your Grace. They know this and as such, if they do have half a brain among them to think up a plan, it will be to remove anyone close to you from play. Meaning myself, Jorah, Missandei, Grey Worm, your other loyal Unsullied Commanders, and even your three dragons. They don't have to come after your right away to win your Grace. Just outlast you and those loyal to you. It is a game of endurance and of survival. The throne you sit on stained in your blood and the city as whole with prospective future slaves living in it being the prizes left for them if they win," replied Naruto with Daenerys not looking pleased by this.
"And you know this how?" asked Daenerys with Naruto shrugging.
"Because I know people. I know how far they will go to challenge others and those they hate. They will use everything and anything capable of bringing down their enemy, even if it is considered dishonorable, and deplorable to society as a whole. Even by their own standards," said Naruto with Daenerys not looking pleased by this news.
"We must remove this faction from Meereen at once! So long as there is some position or faction rebelling against me, the people are not safe. I will not allow the people whom I rule over to live with fear in their hearts in the belief I can't protecting them from harm or the cruelty of their former Masters," declared Daenerys with Naruto nodding.
"I'm already investigating as we speak. It won't be long before I know the who, what, and where these Son of the Harpy are located. The question now is...how do you want to deal with them?" replied Naruto curiously.
"I will not kill people outright if it cannot be helped. Even if my enemies are the former enslavers of this city who took up the name Sons of the Harpy. Bring those leading them back here alive to face my judgment in terms of deciding a fitting punishment for their crimes against my rule," commanded Daenerys with Naruto bowing respectfully to her before leaving the room.
"The Sons of the Harpy aside, your rule over Meereen is going well Khaleesi. Within a few years, Westeros will be yours too," remarked Jorah Mormont with Grey Worm and Missandei nodding in agreement.
"Yes. While I would prefer to sit on the Iron Throne now, I would be poorly equipped to do it. Ruling a single city is one thing, but ruling over Seven Kingdoms...that Ser Jorah is another matter entirely," replied Daenerys with Jorah nodding.
"I hear King Robert Baratheon had a hard time ruling during his time as King due to his inability to properly address issues that required his attention," remarked Missandei, as she had heard much about the late King from the Wise Masters when growing up, and how they laughed at the dead man's inability to rule Westeros.
"That is very much true. It was mostly due to King Robert focusing more on enjoying his drinking of different wines, hunting in the forests, and of course laying with whore at the many brothels throughout King's Landing," said Jorah while watching Daenerys frown.
"He left much, if not everything to his Small Council. And look what happened to my Father's Kingdom? If not for the Sage and now Lord Regent Ned Stark keeping things in line, it would be in ruin by now. Or possibly worse with the Lannister woman and her son in control. Such is a mistake I will not make when I am ruling from the Iron Throne as the Queen of Westeros," said Daenerys with Jorah nodding.
"But there in lies one problem your Grace," remarked Jorah quietly.
"What problem is that Ser Jorah?" asked Daenerys with Jorah pausing for a moment to put his words into proper context.
"While no one will dispute your rule as Queen of the Iron Throne when you do return to Westeros, the position itself will not be considered unopposed by others. To many, who would support you among the High Lords of Westeros, a woman cannot rule over Seven Kingdoms no matter how good her rule over a city here in Essos was before leaving. To them, a Queen cannot rule without a King by her side, and as such...you Khaleesi will have to marry someone worthy of the crown. You will have to marry someone, who will become King in the process, and rule beside you," answered Jorah quietly with Daenerys frowning at his words since she knew as much would happen when returning home.
It didn't mean she had to like it either. Most of the men in her life had been power hungry or looked at her like a piece of meat. Some just wanted to fuck her simply because they thought her to be exotic like some pet they could own for a time. At least with Drogo for a husband she had learned to love him and he her in return. They would have had a child together...if not for the damn witch being spiteful after showing the woman mercy.
The question now was...who would she marry upon returning to Westeros? There were certainly quite a number of suitors who would jump at the chance to marry her, if only to be the King of the Seven Kingdoms. She didn't want to marry someone who was like the Usurper and would be unfaithful to his wife while siring a small army of bastards simply because he could as King. Nor did she want a weak man, who could be bullied behind her back, and possibly betray out of some spineless desire to preserve his own life. She was also hoping the man in question would not be too old in terms of age. She feared that her future husband could be old enough to be considered her Father or the Gods forbid, her Grandfather! She knew some marriages when arranged involved young women marrying far older men, who in some cases, required their wife do most of the "work" when in the bedroom when having intimate relations with their husband.
Hopefully that wouldn't be the case for her once she married for a second time.
But the question still remained...who could she marry and trust to rule beside her as King of the Seven Kingdoms?
(The Vale-At the Moment)
Naruto felt a sense of déjà vu here. Standing in front of this woman and her son while they prepared their so called "judgment" on him. The last time he was here in the Vale, Tyrion Lannister was in this position, and many were out for his blood. Right now, said Lannister was busy with his duties as Master of Coin, and spending time with his love that was Shae. Tyrion was worried his relationship with the woman would be frowned upon considering she was a foreigner and admittedly had once been a prostitute prior to their secret relationship. But Naruto and Ned had assured Tyrion that it wouldn't be one and out of respect for the man's worries, wouldn't say anything to anyone. They knew that Tyrion loved the woman and she loved him. Though Naruto suspected Shae was also a vengeful jealous type of woman, who did not like the idea of her man sleeping with other women if offered the chance, and would act in a very "Hell have no fury like a woman scorned" kind of way.
Hence why Naruto discreetly told Tyrion that if he was really serious about being with Shae and in love with her, the Lannister had to swear off any other woman. No matter who or what their station is in life. Even more so when he eventually married Shae and their relationship was official. It was clear to Naruto that Shae loved Tyrion and could see she was the kind of person who would not a betrayal by her lover well.
Naruto didn't want Tyrion and Shae's union to turn out like Robert's and Cersei's marriage with over 20 years of bitterness, cruelty, backstabbing, and eventually one of them killing the other.
"You stand before all the Lords and Knights of the Vale. Before its future ruler and his Mother. You will now confess to your crimes against Lord Baelish and how all the things he has been accused of doing prior to his death were all lies. Lies made by my jealous sister and her barbarian of a husband the Seven Kingdoms currently calls Lord Regent," commanded Lysa Arryn while glaring down at Naruto with a sense of triumph in her crazed eyes.
"Of course. That is why I am here. To speak the truth. And only the truth. After all, only the weak would lie to others regarding a crime," replied Naruto while staring right back at her with his mask on and it irked Lysa greatly.
"Before we hear your confession, you must remove your mask for all of us to see your face," said Lysa with Naruto shaking his head no.
"I refuse. You will get my confession of the truth. Nothing more," replied Naruto with Lysa scowling at him.
"You will remove your mask willingly or I will have my men remove it by force!" Lysa threatened angrily.
"Then the men who do will either be dead or wish they had died," commented Naruto coldly while letting out killer intent into the room.
"Confess your crimes so we can kill you," commanded Lysa after struggling to speak when the killer intent receded back into the Sage.
"Fine! For the crime of killing Petyr Baelish for his betrayal of Ned Stark, I plead guilty. Yes, I killed Petyr Baelish. Why? Because he planned to betray Ned Stark. A man of honor and integrity. A man who was suppose to become Lord Regent following the King's death and Petyr Baelish planned to deny the late King's command. So in truth, I killed a traitor, a liar, and someone who deserves no sympathy from any of you," said Naruto in a cheeky tone.
"Lies! Do not speak such things about Lord Baelish! He was a great man. A ward of my Father and was loved by all those who met him," Lysa nearly screamed out in fury.
"You mean he was loved by you. Am I correct?" asked Naruto calmly while using his Sharingan Eye to make the Genjutsu he cast to influence Lysa's actions.
"Of course I loved him! What woman wouldn't love him?! He came from nothing with just the closes in his sack. Always trying to be better. Become smarter, wiser, and skilled in the arts of hearing your heart's desire before finding a way to grant it," declared Lysa with her voice going from angry to a loving tone.
"Your sister didn't love him. Not in the way he loved her and you loved him," remarked Naruto while Lysa's eyes narrowed and her angry showing.
"My sister is an idiot! She had someone who would have loved her without question and would have never been unfaithful. Yet she stayed true to traditions and married that wolf of a barbarian in the North and still loved him despite the man siring a bastard all those years ago. Meanwhile, I was stuck marrying some old man, who was old enough to be my Father, and I eventually had to watch as my husband spent his days away from me when at King's Landing. The only good thing about that was it gave me time to see Petyr when he was appointed as Master of Coin. A title now in the hands of a Lannister!" said Lysa bitterly while not seeing the eyes of the Lords and Knights in the room looking at her with confusion and suspicion.
"I'm sure Petyr was happy to see you. To comfort you. To treat you as a woman should be treated. He must have done things to your body that Jon Arryn couldn't given his old age," said Naruto plainly.
"Jon was too old for such things. Our marriage was arranged and a only a formality to help unite House Arryn and House Tully together. He barely had the energy to perform on our wedding night and make his thing rise. But Petyr? My Petyr? He had stamina! He had energy! I did things to him in his bed when we were alone together that would make the lowliest of whores blush! And I enjoyed it! I enjoyed fucking the man I love while the man that I was forced to marry was too busy spending his time trying to save an already dying Kingdom from an incompetent King that was Robert Baratheon. A Kingdom my Petyr planned to save once he maneuvered himself into position to become King after denouncing all the High Lords and other pretenders trying to stop his ambition. He would have been a great King. The greatest!" exclaimed Lysa with her madness and devotion for Petyr Baelish coming to the forefront for all to see.
And Naruto pounced on it.
"With Robin here as his Heir to the Iron Throne," added Naruto with many Lords and Knights of the Vale looking wide eyed at the accusation hidden in his words.
"Of course! Robin is his son! Not Jon's. Why would I have a child with that wretched old man? I didn't love him. I never loved him. Petyr was going to be King someday and he promised to make my son the Prince and Heir to the throne when the time came to take it. He planned it out so well my Petyr. First, he planned to bankrupt the Kingdom and then be praised as its hero for saving it when becoming King. Of course there were obstacles in his path. Some I was willing to help him remove. Like killing Jon Arryn, my weak old, and foolish husband. I helped Petyr further by discreetly sending my sister a letter that pointed the finger at the Lannisters, knowing full well it would make the Starks become wary of them. That it would create tension, strife, mistrust between the Houses, and that fat King Robert stuck in the middle. The idiot would have to choose between his sworn brother for a Stark or his bitch of a wife for a Lannister," added Lysa, not even aware she just confessed to high treason, and in front of her later husband's most beloved people.
Even Robin was shocked though the dimwitted boy didn't understand why.
"And the only way to make Petyr claim what he wanted in the future was to instigate a war. A war where no one won. Except him," finished Naruto with Lysa nodding with her own eyes having a glazed look on them, which many thought was the madness when it was in fact the Genjutsu Naruto cast, and tying the noose around her neck.
"Of course! Petyr could influence all sides. Do you know how many Lords and wealthy people have visited his brothels?! He knows everything about everyone! He could have pitted everyone against anyone with no one being the wiser. When the war broke out, Petyr would have pitted all his rivals against he each other, and used it to come out on top. No one, but MY Petyr could have come out of this war a winner in this Game of Thrones. Or he would have been the winner...if not for YOU!" exclaimed Lysa angrily while glaring at Naruto now with hatred and madness practically exploding from her eyes for all to see.
"Considering what he planned to do in the long run, I felt the need to prevent pointless death in a pointless war Lord Baelish started was necessary. A man like him clearly does not deserve to sit on the Iron Throne, much less be alive to enjoy it when the price paid is the lives of others he cares nothing about," replied Naruto calmly while Lysa only looked more enraged.
"PETYR CARED ABOUT ME! HE LOVED ME! HE LOVED ROBIN! HE LOVED MY SEVEN DAMNED SISTER! EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN'T DESERVE HIS LOVE! EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS WORLD WAS INSIGNIFICANT IN HIS EYES!" shrieked Lysa while standing from her throne and was clearly not of her right mind.
"So you say. But the fact remains, he wanted a throne for himself, and was willing to start a senseless war to get it. A war, I had to keep from spiraling out of control. From the very vision he planned on making it with the hundreds of thousands of lives being used only to fight and die for one man's greed," said Naruto knowing the Genjutsu he used on her had no purpose now.
He still kept it on in the event the crazy woman somehow regained some form of sanity to stop digging herself into a hole, but it was unlikely.
"You had no right to deny Petyr his destiny! No one did! He was a man truly worthy of the throne! If it meant sacrificing the lives everyone in the realms of men, then so be it! Let the world and the people burn! He would have been King over all there was left in the wake of his actions! Even if it was a realm filled with ashes!" exclaimed Lysa with the madness in her eyes clearly shining on a level on par with Cersei.
"Which is why I confess to killing the manipulative fucker and feel no guilt from the act since he deserved it," remarked Naruto in a usual cheeky tone and dispelled the Genjutsu on her.
"Enough! Guards! Seize him! Seize him and throw his wretched body through the Moon Door!" commanded Lysa while waiting for her Knights to obey and throw the Sage to his death.
Only to find they weren't obeying her command. Far from it.
"No Lord or Knight of the Vale will follow you here Lady Lysa. Not anymore," said Lord Royce while giving her a stone faced look.
"What?! What treason is this?!" demanded Lysa while looking around at the Lords and Knights not moving to obey her command.
"The treason is yours Lady Lysa. Or did you fail to realize you just openly confessed to murdering your husband? Fathering another man's child? Lord Baelish's child? The very same man who had conspired with others in order to plunge the Seven Kingdoms into a violent war which the only person who came out on top was himself?" questioned Lady Waynwood while Lysa frowned in confusion and then scowled before looking at Naruto in an accusing glance.
"You did something to me! You cast some spell upon my person!" accused Lysa toward the masked Sage.
"I have no idea what you are talking about Lady Lysa. I am here, standing perfectly still, hands bound, unmoving, and talking civilly for all to hear. YOU on the other hand, have been rude, shrieking loudly, and have clearly gone quite mad with the way you speak so lovingly about Petyr Baelish. Even defending him and justifying his actions that no one in their right mind would defend or justify," countered Naruto knowing that no one could see his eyes from the distance they all were to see his Sharingan had been spinning when casting the Genjutsu on Lysa to compel her to speak truthfully.
"I am the Lady of the Vale. Its ruler until my son comes of age. I will not be challenged by the likes of you!" exclaimed Lysa while glaring at Naruto.
"But I'm not challenging you. In fact, I haven't done much of anything, except admitting to killing Petyr Baelish. All in the name of protecting the realms of men from his greedy ambitious desire to become King of the Seven Kingdoms," explained Naruto while Lysa once more looked enraged by his words.
"An act which everyone here appreciates Great Sage," said Lord Royce in a respectful tone.
"I don't appreciate it! No one should! Lord Baelish was loved by my Father, by me, by Jon Arryn, and I will not have his murderer walk away from this!" exclaimed Lysa while she saw every Lord and Knight of the Vale looking at her with disgust.
"The only one not walking away from this is you Lady Lysa. Seize her!" said Lord Royce with several of the men in the room grabbing Lysa while another grabbed Robin.
"Hey! What are you doing? Release my Mother now this instant! I command you as the Lord of the Vale!" protested Robin while struggling against the person holding him.
"Wrong! You are not the child of Jon Arryn. You are a bastard. A bastard child of the late Petyr Baelish. A traitor to the crown under the late King Robert. As such, your title, rank, and overall position as Lord of the Vale is no more. Take him away. We will figure out what to do with the bastard later," commanded Lord Royce while seeing his man take Robin out of the room.
"You can't do this to me! Mommy! Mommy stop them!" pleaded Robin while he was taken away.
"No! Leave my son alone! Traitors! You dare betray me?! I am an Arryn! A Tully! My family is vast and powerful! I will have all your heads!" Lysa practically screamed out while being brought down to the Moon Door with said Moon Door being opened.
"That will be difficult to do when you're about to fall from a very far height all the way down to your death," commented Naruto while breaking his bonds and seeing Lysa was still struggling against those who brought her closer to the Moon Door.
"You tricked me! You were never going to confess. You planned to make me speak about my own actions knowing I would lost everything," accused Lysa while Naruto cocked his head to the side.
"I didn't have to trick you. You did that yourself. As for losing everything...you lost the moment Petyr Baelish came into your life. The man poisoned your mind and your heart with his lies. He didn't care about you. Or Robin. You and your son were a means to an end. Petyr confessed that to me before his death. The only person he cared about was himself. The only woman he wanted to be his Queen was Catelyn Tully Stark. Why do you think he deliberately pit House Stark against House Lannister? So she would lose everything and come to him when Catelyn had nothing left. He would offer her justice against the Lannisters for their crimes. Crimes which he helped instigate in the first place, but would never admit it to her. And all Petyr would want in return from your sister...was the woman's hand marriage...and a child from said marriage," replied Naruto with Lysa glaring at him from her spot near the Moon Door.
"Lies! Petyr loved me! He would have never abandoned me or his son! He would never betray us!" exclaimed Lysa in defiance.
"The man betrayed everyone around him. Even Catelyn herself was betrayed when Petyr betrayed Ned in the throne room of the Red Keep. The woman he loved above all others would have lost everything through Petyr Baelish's machinations. What makes you so special that he wouldn't betray you or his dimwitted bastard for a son?" said Naruto with Lysa crying now with a mixture of anger and sadness.
"He loved us. He loved Robin. My Robin!" cried Lysa while Naruto shook his head.
"Lord Baelish loved the idea of using you and your son for his own purposes. You were so blinded by your love for the man and anger at others opposing him that any rational thought long since left your mind. As such, you killed you husband, conspired against the crown, conspired with and against its enemies, and threatened the stability of the realm so Petyr could be its King in the end. I'm sorry Lady Lysa, but you have only yourself to blame for your actions. Goodbye, said Naruto before he nodded to the men, who threw the woman through the Moon Door to her death.
"Young Robin will take the Black. It is the only recourse for him at this point after what we have learned. It will either destroy him or forge the boy into something proper," said Lady Waynwood after a moment of silence past and the Moon Door had closed.
"Either way doesn't concern me. The boy was sheltered his entire life. Hiding behind his Mother's skirt and sucking on her tits up until now. At his age, my own son was already wielding a sword. The same with myself and my Father and his Father before him. I don't know what upsets me more. The fact Robin would have been our leader if the truth was kept from us or the fact the boy doesn't know the way of the world and will soon learn in an arguably cruel fashion. I have nothing against the son of such a man, even if the boy is now a bastard by law, but the fact remains, I will shed no tears for whatever fate befalls young Robin from here on out," replied Lord Royce firmly while Naruto said nothing on the matter.
Naruto already knew the boy was doomed once he arrived at Castle Black. The boy had no survival skills at all. No people skills either. The boy was whiny, complained when he didn't get his way. Robin expected everyone to do everything for him or get his Mother to do it for him. A place like Castle Black destroyed pampered boys, who thought mommy and daddy, or their family could protect them from the more...infamous members on the Wall.
The boy would soon wish he was dead, if not be dead on the first day of taking the Black.
Speaking of the Wall and what lay beyond it, Naruto sensed the true enemy of the world was stirring, and starting to make their move. The Night King wanted to march on the Wall soon. Not too soon since he had to gather the more dangerous Wildlings into his undead army, but at least the majority of the Wildlings, mainly the innocent women, and children wouldn't be part of such a horrible horde of monsters. Though given how the Night King's army wouldn't be as vast, it would take quite a few years for the creature leading the White Walkers to the Wall.
They had waited over a thousand years to storm the Wall. What was a few more years added onto it? Plus it gave him time to focus more on Daenerys and dealing with those in Essos who didn't want her there.
Despite those people being in the minority.
'Everything is coming full circle. The world will soon know peace and all will be well,' thought Naruto before thanking the Lords of the Vale for their assistance in this matter and departed from their sight.
He was overdue for a good long well deserved nap.
(A/N: YAY! Another update for all of you. We are nearing the end of this fic. Once I do finish this one, its onto new more boulder fics, and leaving the old ones behind never to be updated. Think of it as my way of saying "screw you!" to all those who pestered me to update them when I kept telling people I wanted to finish this one. HA! TAKE THAT YOU ASSHOLES! WHAHAHHAHA! Sorry. Just kidding, I'll be getting back to the old stuff after this fic. I just wanted to mess with you guys. Seriously though, stop asking me to update the older stuff. I will get back to them, but on MY terms since I am the one writing. Not yours terms. Mine! Until next time...PEACE!)