Chapter 6. LONGING HEART

PART 1. SELL SWORD

While Tolass sold off Tara's assets she continued fighting in the arena. When the arena closed until next year Tara traveled up and down slaver's bay for the next year fighting in the pits. Eventually she gained such a reputation that she was given champion of the pits for life. During the later end of the year Tara returned to her mansion in Meereen. A month after that Tolass returned with the profits from the sale of the estate. Tara had enough gold to buy several castles.

"The Lords at the Iron Bank broke down your wealth into three large accounts…"

"Well Khaleesi you have enough gold to return home…" Ackbar says standing at her right as she sits behind a desk.

Tara sighs as she is not ready to return to Westeros, "Now is not the time…"

"You're a woman!" The Ship captain says.

Tara had gone to the docks with ten of her best men, "Not just any woman! This is the Amazon of the Fighting Pits…" Horace says.

"Alright we will see how you work out…Tomorrow I set sail for Qarth…"

The first few months of working as a sell sword was quiet no action and Tara began to miss the blood rush action of the pits. In the seventh month the ship she was protecting fell victim to pirates. Tara and her men allowed the pirates to board, then she led the counter attack that killed all of them and sunk the pirate ship the Sea Witch. After that the next two years was quiet, no action.

"Khaleesi are you alright?" Akbar asks in Dothraki.

"Yes…I think Akbar it is time for me to go home!"

Part 2. TARA'S ARMY

Tara returned to her mansion in Meereen and met with Tolass, "My friends!" Tara said in her office with Akbar, Hiram, Dylan, and Tolass. "The time for me to return to Westoros has come. But first I need an army…" She looks at Hiram and Akbar, "I want the two of you to work with Tolass to raise my army…I will train them for a year then head for Westeros with one hundred chosen men…If everything works out then I will send for my army and gold…"

"Raising an army will take weeks maybe months…"

Tara smiles, "We better get started then…"

"Perhaps you should consider the Unsullied of Astapor…" Hiram suggests.

"No! I am done with slaves!"

When word goes out that the Amazon is building an army thousands sign up. Mercenaries and sell swords from all over Slaver's Bay wish to follow the life Champion of the Fighting Pits. A few pirates sign up as well. Within a few short months Tara stands before an army 12,000 strong.

She inspects her troops with Akbar and Hiram at her side. "My name is Tara Clegane! I am the life Champion of the fighting pits…I expect obedience and discipline from each of you…I wish to earn your respect and trust…As you must earn mine…Some of you think you already think you know how to fight…YOU DON"T KNOW SHIT! But I will teach you…"

Every morning Tara drilled her men from sun up to sun down. They ran, jumped in place, practiced hand to hand combat, and learned to fight with different types of weapons. She divides her army into mounted lances, swords, and archers. 3,000 archers, 4,000 horsemen and 5,000 swords. But all her men become proficient in multiple types of weapons including quarter staff and dagger throwing. While Tara trained her army she Tolass pays the finest black smiths in Meereen to make armor for her men. When it was done they wore black and gold armor.

"Akbar should be at your side Khaleesi!"

"I know but I need you here to help Hiram keep my army together until I summon them…"

That is when Tolass joins them, "The gold you asked for has been loaded up…The ship is ready to depart…"

"I will send for all of you as soon as I have things settled…" Then Tara boards her ship and leaves.