Author's Note: I'm going AU here with Ramsay but he's just too good a villain to pass up. In this version there is no Battle of the Bastards. Hope everyone still enjoys it.
Second chapter posted today, with any luck I'll get this finished and posted by the weekend. Two chapters to go. Thanks for reading.
R-C
Two ravens arrived while the council was gathered around a map in the tent that was acting as their chamber. An aide brought Tyrion the tiny scrolls and left before the first was even open.
"The gates are sealed how can we get in?" Grey Worm was asking.
"We can't," Jorah answered. "Our only chance is to use the dragons to weaken the defences and then sack the city in the chaos."
"And how many lives would such action take?" Daenerys demanded to know. "How many innocents would die in a battle like that?"
At the opposite end of the table Tyrion dropped the first scroll to the table and immediately went to work on the second. His head snapped up and he looked to Daenerys and then to Arya, who was standing behind her, as always, on guard.
"Is there a problem Lord Tyrion?"
"T…two ravens your Grace, they bring news."
"One is for the killer, from Braavos," he said holding out the small page.
She took it but made no attempt to read it. "And the other Tyrion?" Daenerys urged when the information wasn't forthcoming.
Again the Hand looked to the confessed assassin. "Its Sansa," he said in a quiet voice. "The second raven is regarding Sansa Stark."
The paper she held forgotten Arya was once again next to the dwarf's chair. "What of Sansa Stark?" Daenerys asked so that Arya wouldn't have to.
"According to this report Sansa is alive." Arya released a breath she'd been holding but knew the remainder of the news wouldn't be good. "Roose Bolton's bastard Ramsay has been holding her in Winterfell." He gave Arya another pitifully sad look. "Apparently there is to be a wedding."
Rage billowed inside her and before she could stop it, she grabbed the nearest object, a jug of wine and threw it against the tent wall, staining the thick hide.
Daenerys stood from her seat, conflicted between calming Arya and controlling the room. "How is such a thing possible Tyrion? Are you not still married to Sansa Stark?"
Eyes flickering between the one who asked the question and the one who might kill him for his answer, Tyrion swallowed hard and told the truth. "Our marriage was quickly annulled your Grace, after Joffery's death and my arrest that is."
Arya's hard look not withstanding Tyrion and Daenerys continued their conversation. "So she can marry this Ramsay then?"
"She could," he agreed.
"Winterfell is days away from here. Why do we care?" Jorah questioned with force. "Once you have your throne you can choose any Warden of the North you want. One war at a time Khaleesi."
A long pause gave Tyrion the chance to go in search of more wine. When he brought the smaller, less impressive vintage to the table and sat back down, he filled up his glass and offered the Stark a drink. She declined with a shake of her head.
"Is he not already Warden of the North?" Daenerys quizzed. When Tyrion confirmed that he was, she sought to understand. "So if he already has the power and title what does he gain from this marriage?" Daenerys knew enough about politically motivated marriages to know that he wouldn't bother with it unless it improved his station drastically.
"Damn, my sister is even more devious than I thought," Tyrion said with a bitter laugh.
"Your sister?"
"If I had to venture a guess your Grace, I'd say that this marriage is my sister's doing."
"To what end? She's already the Queen, why go to the trouble?"
"Because in addition to being devious Cersei is nothing if not clever. She knows that naming a Bolton bastard Warden of the North doesn't make it so. As your associates can tell you Daenerys the Northerners have very long memories. As long as a Stark lives any Stark, she will always have a claim on Winterfell and all of the North by extension."
Two sets of eyes, the only two who knew her truth turned to Arya. Daenerys's worried eyes struck to her heart but she hid her emotions behind a wall and focused on the conversation around her.
"If Sansa Stark is alive and the last member of her family, why would he marry her? Why not kill her and end the threat forever?" Barristan questioned.
"Ramsay Bolton or Ramsay Snow, whoever he is, he's no fool. Legitimized or not he'll always be a bastard in the eyes of the Northmen. If he kills Sansa, he'll end the threat yes, but if he marries her he'll have bonded his life to the heir to Winterfell, a true-blooded Stark. Then the North would have no choice but to follow him. His sons could rule after him for centuries and my sister would have peace in the North."
R-C
The moment they were dismissed Arya called an order at Nymeria and ran off. It was hours before the Queen found her, back on the sea, in the room that had once been hers.
She stopped just inside the door, even though she was confident Arya had heard her coming. "I'd ask how you are, but I already know the answer." She slipped into the room with Nym on her heels.
"Sansa's been through so much already," she said, sitting on the bed with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. "She doesn't deserve this."
"No one deserves this," Daenerys agreed as she moved closer. "If you'd like to ride for Winterfell I'll give you the fastest horses and some of Grey Worm's best Unsullied."
She sounded more like her pet than human as she whimpered in reply. "Do you know I used to hate Sansa so much, when we were girls."
"Did you?" Daenerys prodded gently, eager to hear any piece of Arya's past she wanted to share.
"Everyone compared me to her. She was such a perfect lady while I was not. All I wanted was to be out training with my brothers, not sewing and picking pretty dresses." She shook her head and looked down at her hands with a humorless laugh. "She's so beautiful," Arya remembered. "She always knew exactly the right thing to say, and do, she was kind, truly kind. You'd like her, your Grace, she'd know how to act around a Queen."
She set her hand on Arya's nearest knee. "That doesn't sound like hate at all."
She laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling above her, swaying side to side in the gentle water. "We were just so different, we had little in common and have even less now that our family is dead. But still, I thought of her everyday and I'll protect her if I can."
"You can. Leave for Winterfell any time you wish. I'll even come with you if you want. Surely this Ramsay will see the benefit to bartering with the future queen."
Arya shook her head sharply. "No, no, this army needs you here, you need to be seen."
"And you? Are you going to go?"
"My allegiance is to you Daenerys. I will go to Winterfell, and I will help Sansa if she needs it, but not now."
"I'd be fine, you know."
Arya surprised her by pulling Daenerys into a hug and then a desperate kiss. When their tongues were done fighting Arya pulled back only far enough to bite down on Daenerys's bottom lip. "It's not you I'm worried about, its me."
After another hungry kiss Daenerys managed a response, through panted breaths. "You?"
"Its true," she admitted as she kissed along Daenerys's jaw, up to her ear and then down to her neck. "I was gone from you for days last time and they felt like years, if I were gone for months, or if the Lannisters attacked while I was gone. If something happened to you. I couldn't handle that, so I'll stay."
Daenerys rolled them over so Arya was on the bottom. Sitting back on her heels she removed her dress before she rolled her hips as she'd been taught long ago. Daenerys lowered her mouth to Arya's and the two shared a heated kiss while frantic hands got to work removing any item of clothing they could reach. "You should definitely stay," the Queen decided when they were both naked. "Stay very close."
In an instant. Arya had things reversed, leaving Daenerys pinned to the bed under the wolf-girl. "Anything you say, my Queen," she teased before their lips met for another needy kiss.
R-C
In the early morning hours, she woke to find Daenerys standing at the table overlooking a map of Westeros while she muttered to herself.
Silent as she could she climbed out of bed, and crept up to get a peek. Daenerys with her hair wild and an open silver robe her only clothing looked incredibly beautiful as she moved the armies around the map in search of the best strategy.
"Three fucking dragons and I can't take a city without killing thousands of innocent people." She brushed a block roughly to the side, sending it off the table all together.
Although she could have caught the victim block she didn't even consider it, choosing instead to put her hands to better use. From behind she reached out and wrapped the Queen in a hug. "I hope that block wasn't representative of me."
They laughed together and Arya felt better about everything. These moments were her favorite, times when she wasn't with the Queen, who always had to be so formal and tense but with Daenerys who could smile, laugh, joke and dream. The most empowering part for the assassin was the knowledge that this was a Daenerys that no one else got to see. She was totally hers.
"I can't get our people past the gate. Sure the dragons could burn it down but how long would that take? How many lives would be lost running for the hole once its open? How many innocent people will burn or get crushed in the aftermath?"
They shared a brief kiss. "Jorah said I can't win the war without innocent people being hurt, but how can I do that? How can I lead people after I killed so many of them recklessly? They'd hate me, and rightfully so. I'd need fear and the dragons to keep them under control after that. I don't want to be that kind of ruler."
"Jorah's an idiot!" she declared with confidence, earning her a stern glare and a playful slap from the Khaleesi. Laughing Arya added to her point. "You're the Queen Daenerys, you're the one these men and women respect, you're the one they choose to follow, you're the one they love, not him, not Grey Worm or Missandei or me, you. If you don't want to breach the gate or the wall, then we won't because you're the Queen and not anyone else."
Forgetting the map, Daenerys's arms settled around Arya's waist before reaching down to her firm ass. In the midst of another kiss Arya lifted the tiny woman off the ground. Daenerys's legs snaked around her body and her arms circled Arya's neck as their kisses grew more frantic.
Originally intending to carry Daenerys back to bed the Wolf decided that was too far, opting for the table instead. With one arm she cleared the map of all the wooden blocks, letting them rain down to the floor in all directions before she laid Daenerys on her back and opened her robe more completely.
As she took her place above Daenerys their eyes met. "Now this is a strategy session I could get used to," she teased as Arya's mouth sank toward her waiting breast. Just before she captured the Queen's nipple with her mouth Daenerys asked a random question. "You know Stark, someone's going to have to clean up the mess you made, you know that right?"
Looking up, with a devious expression that surely foretold mischief, Arya winked and dropped a kiss on Daenerys's breast. "If I were the Queen," she said, "I'd make the dwarf do it. He's already so close to the floor."
Daenerys laughed at the joke and slapped the naked killer in punishment while claiming she was mean with no shortage of mirth in her words. "Oh that was cruel."
With one more kiss they both forget about the outside world and all the people in it. For a few hours they both basked in the joy they found together, the comfort and the peace.
R-C
The time had come for Daenerys to make a choice. For days she'd been fretting over this decision every waking moment, discussing the merits of each plan with people whose opinions she trusted. Every day that passed without a decision made everyone more and more nervous.
Tyrion and Daenerys wanted to minimize the damage while Barristan and Jorah were all for using the dragons to maximum effect.
When she grew tired of the arguing Arya stepped forward. "I can get in," she declared flatly. "If I were able to get inside, I could open the gate and clear away any opposition for your advance," she offered.
"And how are you going to do that?" Jorah asked, his words dripping with contempt.
"I'll get in this time, the same way I got out last time. I'll wear one of the faces I was given and open the gate from the inside. Once you're through it'll be much easier to minimize the damages."
"What of the smallfolk?" Barristan wondered.
With light in her eyes Arya turned to Daenerys. "Do you think you could get the dragons flying?"
"Of course. Why?"
"Because people in the Seven Kingdoms have only heard rumors and ancient lore about dragons, they've never seen one up close, or heard it scream as its passing overhead."
"They'd be scared and rightly so," Missandei noted.
Arya nodded and smiled at the woman who had gone from being a slave to being one of the most important advisors to the most powerful woman in the world.
"Yes," Tyrion agreed, "once people see a dragon flying overhead, they'll surely hide, and stay inside. This would certainly limit the number of innocents harmed during the battle."
"Are you certain?"
"Your Grace, I can't promise that no innocent will be harmed, but if we do as the killer says and use the dragons to scare the people away, they surely won't decide to come out once the fighting starts in earnest."
"It is decided then, Grey Worm will lead the Unsullied into position and wait for Arya to open the gate from the inside."
"And if she doesn't?" Jorah wondered.
"She will," Daenerys declared as though it had already been assured.
R-C
The next afternoon the Hound arrived at the camp and he wasn't travelling alone. Arya went to meet them with Jorah and Barrister in step behind. The old soldiers were all familiar with one another, if not personally than by reputation, so it quickly reverted into a trip down memory lane. In the tent Daenerys had prepared for guests she sat next to the Hound, leaving space for Daenerys on the other side. When Tyrion walked in, Arya knew Daenerys wouldn't be far behind.
With his mouth full of the food provided the Hound nearly spit it all over himself at the sight of the dwarf. "A Lannister in the Dragon's nest. Girl, please tell me you sleep with one eye open with this one close by."
She scoffed at the insinuation that Tyrion had ever been anywhere near her bed. "I always sleep with one eye open, regardless of who's around. I believe it was you who taught me that."
A strong, regal voice reached them before the accompanying body. "You know," she said, clearly amused, "that hasn't been my particular experience with you, and I have spent considerable time watching you sleep."
All eyes turned to Daenerys and both Arya and Sandor stood. Arya did her best to work through the burning in her cheeks. "Sandor Clegane, this is Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen, the Queen of Meereen and the Mother of Dragons."
After introductions were made Daenerys took her seat next to Arya and as was quickly coming custom, she dropped a kiss on her lover's cheek in greeting. Arya blushed at the snickering laughter, but tried to push past it. Daenerys was worth it.
When the room was calm Daenerys spoke to the Hound. "I understand from Arya that you are willing to fight for me as we take King's Landing. Is this true?'
"Aye, I'll fight."
"Why would you do that?" Daenerys needed to know. "Why come and fight for a stranger?"
He reached out and put a big, thick arm across Arya's much smaller shoulders. "This one can be persuasive."
"Lies," Arya countered through a laugh. "You probably just haven't killed anyone this week. What's wrong? Afraid your blade is going to dull if you don't run it through someone soon?"
"Haven't killed anyone today… yet."
She looked up at the sun to measure the time and then stood. Leaning down she set a kiss into the crown of Daenerys's head before she mocked him. "its still early, don't give up."
Beric entered just as Arya left, bringing Thoros, Anguy, Mormont and Barristan with him. "That girl's got a heart of steel, your Grace."
With a fond smile Daenerys agreed. "Yes she truly does. Thank you for coming to join us."
"The girl made a good point, the sooner the war is over, the better it'll suit us all. She also claims that your men don't rape or murder without cause."
"I don't stand for such things. Anyone who knowingly harms an innocent will be killed, regardless of what side he fights on."
In the midst of general conversation, they watched Arya and her wolf walk in front of the tent for the third time in an hour. "I can still remember that night you know," Beric said to the Hound. "The night of your trial by combat. You asked if it would be Thoros or Anguy who would fight you. And then you asked about Arya and I'll tell you, she was only a girl then, far too young and yet it was there in her eyes, she wanted me to choose her, to let her fight you."
"That wasn't the only time she wanted me dead," Clegane confessed with a short laugh.
Daenerys hung on every word about Arya's youth, riveted by the tale.
Thoros continued the story. "So much rage, so many reasons to hate, combined with what came after I thought surely the girl was as dead as her father. As changed as she is, I'm glad to be wrong."
"Who was her father?' Jorah asked, sensing he was missing information the others all had.
"You don't know? That's Ned Stark's youngest girl. She's been on the run since the day they took her daddy's head." He shook his head thoughtfully. "That's hardly a life for a child, any child."
Listening in silence Daenerys felt she was beginning to get a better sense of who her lover truly was, and why. She could listen to these stories all night.
R-C
The night before the planned invasion and there was an energy stirring in the air, everyone could feel it, regardless of station or blood. Daenerys's dragons were regularly taking low flights over King's Landing, urging the smallfolk to stay indoors.
While Daenerys was engaged in a conversation with Missandei and Jorah, Arya slipped away to see Tyrion. She found him preparing his armor for the next day. "Killer please tell me you aren't here to end my life I know for certain I'm not supposed to die until tomorrow."
She felt a smile on her face. "The Many Faced God has no claim on you tonight dwarf, rest peacefully."
"Well that's reassuring. I have plans this evening I would have been loathe to miss and I think my companion would have been equally disappointed." His wide boyish grin made his intentions clear. "Shouldn't you be guarding our beloved Queen?"
"Nymeria's with her," she stated confidently.
"Oh yes, your beast. I remember during my visit to Winterfell watching you and your siblings training those damn things. I thought one of you would have been eaten by now for sure. First dragons now direwolves, what's this world coming to?"
"Just be grateful she's on our side."
He raised a glass of wine. "I am killer, I sincerely am."
While he was preparing Arya's drink she asked him, "Ready for tomorrow?"
His expression turned sombre. "By this time tomorrow the Seven Kingdoms will have a new Queen."
"And what of the old one?"
"My sister will not leave her seat willingly," he predicted, taking a large pull from his wine as he handed Arya hers. "If she were willing to surrender, perhaps I'd feel differently but she is not capable of such acts, so it can only end one way."
"And your brother?"
"Jamie's fate depends on Jamie," Tyrion said simply. "He may have lost a hand, but he still has eyes. He's seen the death of his children, and witnessed madness overtake the woman he loves. If he's smart he'll be miles away from my sister when we arrive."
"If he isn't?"
"My brother saved my life," he informed quietly. "I hold no ill-will toward Jamie but if he stands between Cersei and you when you come for her, he will make you kill him."
Arya finished her wine and offered the Lannister a curt nod. "Get some rest," she suggested. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day for all of us."
"Long and bloody."
From outside she stuck her head back in the tent. "Stay near Kovarro, Missandei and Nymeria and tomorrow will not be your last day, Lord Tyrion."
R-C
When she found Missandei taking a walk on the shore the handmaiden was surprised to see her. "Are you not with the Queen? She was looking for you."
Ignoring the question, she looked at the dark-skinned woman. "Are you going into King's Landing tomorrow?"
"My place is with the Khaleesi," she stated with confidence. "If she goes, so will I."
"You can stay behind," Arya offered. "I swear to the Many Faced God I will not let Daenerys come to harm. I shall protect her tomorrow you needn't put yourself at risk."
"You think I shouldn't go?" she asked, sounding slightly offended, but hiding it well.
"Daenerys needs you Missandei, more than anyone else she'll need you when she's ruling Westeros."
"You must see," she countered, "that the Khaleesi needs you most of all."
Sensing she wasn't going to be able to sway her mind she bowed her head in acknowledgment. "Stay safe Missandei and thank you for taking such good care of Daenerys."
R-C
It was late when she entered Daenerys's tent. She expected the Khaleesi to be sleeping, or perhaps studying her maps and battle plans but what she found was Daenerys sitting up in bed as if she'd been awaiting precisely this moment.
"You should be resting," she whispered as she moved in.
"Seems I've gotten used to not sleeping alone. I couldn't settle without you."
She bowed her head. "Apologies…"
Daenerys waved her hand dismissively. "Nonsense, now come here I have a present for you."
"F…for me?" she asked, uncomfortable with the idea.
From the floor beside the bed she presented a large package, wrapped in brown paper. "I had it made just for you," she explained, "using the finest smiths on our side of the walls."
"Your Grace, this is unnecessary and far too kind," she said breaking the words apart as unnatural spots in her anxiety.
Holding the bundle out Daenerys smiled, the way she only did with Arya. She looked as if she was the one receiving an unexpected reward. After gentle prodding Arya took the package and tore away at the paper, trying to remember the last time she'd been given a gift. She thought of Needle and smiled.
Her fingers getting through the paper brought her out of her memories and she felt the fine leather against her skin. Looking down into her lap and then up into Daenerys's eyes, she was speechless. In front of her was some of the finest leather armor she'd ever seen, decorated with intricate pictures burned into the hide. On one side she noticed the image of a wolf, next to it a fire breathing dragon. Turning it over she saw the back had an artist's impression of the Titan of Braavos with the doors to the House of Black and White etched underneath. It was phenomenally detailed and beyond impressive.
"Dany," she said, using the nickname rarely uttered. "It's perfect."
The regal, unshakable Queen blushed. "Well you said that plate armor would only slow you, so I asked Tyrion who was the best smith in the area and he aided me in having this made for my knight."
Arya's eyes shot up from the armor she was admiring. "Your Grace, I am the daughter of traitors and an assassin in service to a God. I cannot be your knight no matter how badly I wish it."
Leaning forward she took the armor from her lover and traded it for a kiss. "You appeared in my life just in time to save me. You continued to save me even after it was no longer your duty and you have followed me across the sea. If anyone in my service has earned the title, it is you Arya Stark."
"Daenerys," she whispered, pleading not to push.
"Fine, but you should know, its actions and not labels that make one a knight. Your deeds will not be forgotten, regardless of what name we use."
With a growl of passion Arya grabbed Dany in her arms and pinned her down on the bed. Hovering over her mouth she inched lower and lower, eating up the space between them. "Is that all I am to you then your Grace? Another sword?" Even as she asked, her hand worked under the covers, finding nothing but warm flesh waiting for her.
Daenerys purred in a pleasure and opened her legs for Arya. "You're not just a soldier?" she panted as her nails raked down the scarred back. Arya's skilled fingers made the words come out more like a question than she intended.
Arya who was kissing her Queen, shook her head, pulling Daenerys's bottom lip along with her. "No," she answered, before she deepened the kiss, using her tongue to sway the Targaryen.
Without warning Daenerys bit her lover's tongue and waited until she pulled away, reaching for her mouth to check for blood. "If you're not just another soldier," she commanded in a sultry voice, "then prove it!"
Arya needed no further encouragement. With a growl that could rival Nymeria she lunged back at Daenerys and pinned her to the mattress with her whole body. As legs slithered around her waist Arya's teeth dug into the side of Daenerys's soft neck.