Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Game of Thrones

Hello again! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up but my job has recently changed and other things have been happening that took up a lot of my time.

In terms of the timeline, I would place the story in Season 4 now or roughly.

Review Responses from the Last Chapter…

Joe02 = Cheers! Good to hear from you again and really am glad to hear you enjoyed the latest chapter. The Starks have effective rule over the Iron Islands or will do when they have managed to bring all the islands to heel. They will install a puppet to rule for them but they are the ones that have the real power. The fast pace hasn't really given them much chance to consolidate their new holdings but considering what happens new they are about to get busy again. As for Robb, your suggestions are great! I will look into it. As for Meera starting up a spy organisation, she likely won't have the time although Arya might a good option for that. She will have help although from who I won't say at this point. The dragons were a late addition to the story and I wasn't sure about them at first but in the end it kind of works. The bit with Daenerys is something I wanted to do which was a Daenerys who actually is smart and not focused on the Iron Throne, she is doing things for herself because she wanted too rather than it being so sense of duty or a holdover from her brother. Having Rhaenys and Daenerys meet? I will consider it. As for her family, she has a little surprise coming soon.

Peaceful nation? Will it last though? Cersei has a way of causing trouble regardless and there is a reason people are helping her. Tyrion is perhaps too focused on Tywin at the moment and Tywin himself I think is realising Tyrion is perhaps really his son in the way that matter. In regards to Rhaenys, she will have a role going forward.

ironspike68 = I know! This has been building for a long time, the Iron Born and the North have a lot of bad blood between them going back centuries. There were several times were the Iron Born could have turned away from raiding but they always returned to it. And the North who are a consistent target are just done with it. In regards to those southern women, you are correct I will say nothing more.

aesir21 = Olenna is playing with fire indeed; she is a master at the game but this is war and that is a subject she doesn't know much about. Randyll Tarly is the one in the Reach that knows war and she doesn't realise just how dangerous the North can be.

Sanders7201 = Thanks! Pairing? I have come to decision but some people might not like it. I have to admit pairings are often a problem for me and this story has been the biggest debate ever. Hermione? She probably would be a good idea but I have decided not to do that this time. I hope so too! Meera/Harry will get their full memories back.

Vanthiyethevan = Tywin Lannister's reputation is long lasting and actions speak louder than words. I mean look to some figures in history, Richard the Third was a dangerous man but nowhere as nasty as the Tudors and Shakespeare made him out to be but he will be remembered as a villain. As for the sword, rest assured they will not have it for long. Tywin is certainly really cunning and ruthless but not as powerful as people believe, I think in the show the reason Balon Greyjoy didn't raid the Westerlands where they might get greater pickings was that he was afraid of Tywin. But his time is coming to an end.

Anonymous Wandmaker = Olenna is used to plotting but rarely faces the repercussions of her decisions, she herself is no expert on warfare or those that would use other methods to get what they want. She has little real clue just how dangerous what she is doing is for her and for her family. They will be afraid of them that is for sure, Loki though is for once not the one spreading the chaos, he doesn't need too as people are content to do it themselves. Thank you again for your support! You are awesome.

Blaze1992 = Game of Thrones in a nutshell.

AnimeFan13579 = The South is aware of the North but not how strong it is now, after all while they fought among themselves the North and the Riverlands to some extent have managed to conserve their strength. At present the North could probably field an army of over 85,000 warriors if they had too and are pretty self-sufficient, their warriors are also now battle hardened from fighting the Iron Born but when you add the Riverlands which fields about 45,000 men the Lannisters and the Tyrells can just about match if they combine after all the damage they suffered in the war. Jon and Lanna marrying, not going to be his concern much longer. Indeed, armies take time to gather and move. Well Meera's status as a god isn't likely but they might see her as a 'chosen one' or avatar of the gods. That is what a lot of the North thinks of her already, the Iron Born of course think of her as an Avatar of the Storm God, as to what the south and faith of the Seven will think? I will deal with that in the future. A cult? Not sure. As for the Red God? Who knows.

End of Review Responses, more will be included at the end of the chapter…

It is now 300 AC

Chapter 30 - Eye of the Storm

The Red Keep, Kings Landing…

News of the defeat of House Greyjoy reached Kings Landing on ravens' wings soon after it happened and the entire city was soon gossiping about it. From the slums of Flea Bottom to the lofty heights of the royal court in the Red Keep everyone was soon talking about it and debating all the current information they had which was somewhat limited initially.

Rumours about what had actually happened moved around at a terrific speed, growing more elaborate and outlandish with each retelling. Some said that the Starks had fought a pitched battle and stormed the castle walls, suffering terrible losses in the process while others claimed that the Stark Army had been so intimidating that the Iron Born had simply laid down their weapons and surrendered.

While the first was definitely the possible everyone that knew the Iron Born realised the second was as likely as Robert Baratheon and Rhaegar Targaryen becoming the best of friends.

So, in absence of actual information the rumours kept on building.

In the court Tywin Lannister had received a raven from Pyke, personally written by Lady Meera Stark herself to inform him of what was happening.

To Lord Tywin Lannister,

I write to you as Hand of the King to make you aware that the invasion of Pyke has been successful, the Northern Army was able to take both towns of the island and then the castle itself in short order. Those that fought against us have been slain and the island secured.

A portion of the gold that was discovered in the vaults of House Greyjoy is now being shipped directly to Casterly Rock, entrusted to your safe keeping as Hand of the King. I am also sending the body of Balon Greyjoy as proof of his demise but that will be sent to the Red Keep by riders. It should arrive at the Red Keep shortly.

This has as you can well reason left the Iron Born without a leader and shattered the unity between their various houses. Any sense of co-ordination between them has become nothing more than smoke in the wind and I should hopefully be able to snuff out any remaining embers of rebellion. Shrines of the Drowned God have been smashed and their priests executed in hopes of stifling out any remaining opposition although I cannot promise worship of the religion will completely die out.

Nightfall will be sent to you after the island of Harlaw is captured. How long this may take is something I cannot say and will write to inform you of when it is completed.

Sincerely from the Crown's Faithful Servant,

Meera Stark.

Tywin was intrigued at how the North had apparently managed to overwhelm Pyke so quickly when it had taken the combined force of all of Westeros a number of months to break the defences there during the last rebellion. He had been there personally and knew full well that despite being inferior when compared to the defences around Casterly Rock for example, Pyke was a formidable fortress and could with sufficient provisions and men to man the walls, hold an invading force at bay for a considerable period of time.

So how had the North done it? Tywin pondered to himself, thinking deeply on this as either he had severely underestimated their strength or they had some kind of advantage he was not aware of which amounted to the same thing.

Varys had been using his own agents to try and find the truth but the things they had been saying made little sense. According to the most reliable sources that they had, a lightning bolt had come down and smashed the gates of Pyke wide open.

Tywin honestly would have killed spies for giving such ridiculous reports.

But either way, Tywin thought to himself the head of the rebellion had been slain and with him dead the rest of the Iron Born would as Meera Stark had said in her letter fall into chaos and become divided. The Northern Army would find them easy prey he thought to himself.

This left him feeling uncertain. Once again, he found himself wondering if he had made an error of judgement by tying them to the Tyrells instead of the Starks. He never doubted his own decisions as they were always made from logic and what served the interests of House Lannister best.

House Tyrell had seemed like a good option at the time but now given all the setbacks and how little they were bringing to the table, Tywin found himself thinking that he might want to reconsider tying them to the crown. They provided little in the way of resources either men, food or gold right now and wouldn't be able to for some time yet. They had no useful connections to other areas of the world or even just to others in Westeros, after their failures in the war against Stannis the Tyrells among the nobility were now considered something of a laughing stock.

Laughing, Tywin thought with a scowl. He could still hear the laughter people had once held towards House Lannister when his own father had been running things, the way they had sniggered at him and his brothers whenever they walked past from corners or joked loudly of how the lion had lost his teeth and claws still angered him to this day.

And now it was happening again, he thought with gritted teeth. The words of him tying his family to such a weak house and one that had far less in the way of nobility that most noble houses.

Tywin had never been one to second guess his decisions but he was reconsidering it now.

- x -

In the throne room later that day, a party of men wearing the standard of House Stark arrived at court baring a special cargo.

"Your grace! We thank you deeply for receiving us." The leader of the party said as he knelt before Joffrey who was sitting on his throne. He smirked as he looked down on them and replied with a grating voice.

"You are most welcome; it is always a pleasure to welcome men from the North after you have been so loyal to the crown." Joffrey said, being surprisingly gracious which shocked many of the people in the room especially Tywin and Tyrion to say nothing of the Tyrells who had been treated to his disdain already many times.

"We appreciate your honouring us your grace. Now I bring with me a gift from the Lady Meera Stark, we apologize about it being in the jar but it was the only way to maintain it to ensure when we got here it would be fit for your walls. I present to you your majesty, the head of Balon Greyjoy." The Northman said and held up a large jar made of glass.

Inside was a man's head, perfectly visible through the clear liquid it was immersed in, the scowling face of Balon was easily recognisable to those that had been unfortunate enough to meet him. The sight of the man's head in a jar made several courtiers look away in disgust while some were sick at the sight and one person fainted at the sight.

Joffrey on the other hand was delighted and it showed on his face, he remarked as she sat on the throne.

"Lady Meera always sends the best gifts. She would make an excellent queen." He remarked with a sinister look of satisfaction on his face. The comment he had made did not go unnoticed and the Tyrells were almost scowling at the insult. Joffrey then turned to the Northmen before telling them. "You shall be guests of the Red Keep tonight before your return journey."

"We thank you for your hospitality your grace." The leader of the riders said and bowed to the King again.

- x -

Olenna Tyrell meanwhile was infuriated at the blatant insult towards her and her family, publicly saying Meera Stark would be a great queen in public right in front of the court was about as big of a political slap to the face as it was possible to give. It was clear he intended to throw Margaery aside to replace her with the she-wolf and honestly Olenna was really wishing the girl had never been born. It would have saved her a lot of headaches and trouble if Robb Stark had come out of the womb alone.

On top of that, she now had to worry about Loras and Dickon Tarly, the latter to make sure that Randyll didn't rise up against them. Both now in the hands of Stannis Baratheon. Loras thankfully would be hopefully be held as a hostage against House Tyrell which would keep him safe for now and not handed over the Faith as she knew some were demanding. Dickon would hopefully be thought of as a useful hostage too.

But events were clearly taking a turn for the worst Olenna realised with concern, she had to act fast and get things moving. The wedding she would have to bring forward as it would be the perfect opportunity to remove Joffrey for the sake of not only her family's ambition and security. It had to be done before Meera Stark could return to the rest of Westeros and to the Red Keep in particular.

It he was still alive and she came back here, there was no doubt in Olenna's mind that he would cast Margaery aside for Meera.

She knew that she might need to add a little bit more 'encouragement' to Cersei to get her moving in the right direction, Olenna thought as she walked slowly out of the room to make her latest moves in the great game.

- x -

Cersei Lannister was furiously trying to get access to her father's chambers to find out just what plan her father had to deal with the Starks. She was now more convinced than ever that her information was correct and that the Starks were not only planning to kill Joffrey but to overthrow House Lannister and seize the throne for themselves.

Why else would they not come south to fight for their king against Stannis and Renly? Why else had they not given the Lannisters access to the gold mines beyond the Wall as was their right? Why had they not come down here and begged for his forgiveness for not sending all their fighting men here when they should have done?

They were planning the destruction of House Lannister Cersei fumed and vowed to make them pay for this! She thought, her face twisted by rage, they were to blame for everything that had gone wrong even her being scarred would never have happened if the fat fuck she had been married to had not taken them up to Winterfell.

So, she used Falyse for some convenient gold, letting her hire some whores to distract the guards who were watching the Tower of the Hand while her father wasn't present being distracted by the arrival of the Northern riders. She had to admit that their gift of Balon Greyjoy's head had given her a laugh and was a great humiliation for the Iron Born, the North had done that right at least or though they should have sent him to Kings Landing alive to be personally judged by Joffrey Cersei thought with annoyance at her golden son not being able to execute the pretender.

Once she was inside her father's solar though she began to dig through his papers to look for anything that might show her just what her father had planned for the North so she could use it to destroy House Stark once and for all she thought with venom, hating the wolves more and more with each passing moment.

It took her a rather long time to find it and she was getting more scared that her father would come back the longer it took her. But she of all her siblings was the boldest and the smartest, she thought to herself with arrogant pride, she had jumped from the highest distance off Casterly Rock and always gone for what she wanted and achieved it! She thought with satisfaction before finally…she found what she was looking for.

She held the letter up, it was a single letter and perhaps her father was growing more foolish as he got older as he really should have burned it if he didn't want anyone to find out Cersei thought with smugness, knowing she had managed to outwit her father.

Reading the words in the letter she was annoyed as they were barely legible but she was able to read it with considerable effort. She blinked in surprise at what her father had done and how he had ensured they had a weapon to use against the Starks. It was very so surprising just who he had cultivated as an ally.

An ally that she could manipulate Cersei thought with a malicious grin on her face. She left the letter behind as she knew just who write too now and get the destruction of the Starks underway. They would do as she commanded, who would question the will of Tywin Lannister even if it was his daughter that was writing to them?

No-one and she would end the threat of the Starks before it even began Cersei thought with satisfaction.

- x -

Kevan Lannister being the brother of Tywin Lannister was quite a powerful man in his own way, all his life he had been in the shadow of his older and much more powerful and dangerous brother but that had never bothered him. Tywin had been born to lead, he had the strength of character and cunning to be great and had done from a very young age. Kevan himself was no fool but he was a pale reflection of his brother's greatness.

Still, he had it in him to be clever and resourceful, he had cultivated some allies of his own. Freeriders and others would pledge themselves to him if he needed them. He had certain incomes and chests of gold set aside should he ever need such money; he had inherited much from his father and his elder brother had rewarded him for his loyal service. He could assemble men in he needed too. Kevan was steady and careful in his planning, meaning while he would never be as capable as his brother was at ruling and managing state affairs, he would at least be competent.

Which was just as well as Kevan was likely to be the next Lord of Casterly Rock and of the Westerlands after Tywin died if he managed to outlive the man. Tywin would never allow Tyrion to succeed him and Jaime was still tied to the Kingsguard. True the lands might go to Tywin's grandson Tommen but Tommen was more of mewling kitten than a roaring lion. It was just as well Joffrey was king as bad as he was as at least Joffrey could withstand the weight of the crown on his head.

Tommen would never manage being king in a thousand years. Or a lord paramount.

Kevan therefore would likely be the one to inherit his brother's seat, something that filled him with a great deal of hidden pride as he moved through the Red Keep.

But as he passed by a statue of a dragon that was left over from when the Targaryens ruled here he was ambushed, a single slim figure rushed out of the side of the statue and stabbed Kevan in the side with a long thin blade. Kevan gasped at the sudden attack but his attacker didn't let up, he pulled the knife out and then stabbed again into his gut. He cried out but the assassin then planted the blade straight in his throat before dropping some note and then vanishing down some hidden passageway that no one knew was there.

He fell to his knees, spluttering blood from his mouth and ruined throat while it also poured out of his side and gut, he tried to stand or crawl but found his strength leaving him and his ruined throat meant he could not shout for help. His vision was growing quickly blurred and he fell forward on his bleeding belly and into a quickly forming pool of his own blood.

- x -

Dragon Theatre, Kings Landing…Two Hours Later…

"It seems the Lord Hand is most incensed at the murder of his own brother in the heart of the Red Keep with no witnesses and sign of the assassin. A note implicating Stannis Baratheon has been found and it seems that whatever plans that the Lord Hand has to deal with Stannis Baratheon have been accelerated." Varys told Tyrion who nodded with satisfaction.

"Thank you, Lord Varys. For not just your highly informed report on the Lord Hand and his intentions but also for helping to arrange it." Tyrion said with a sardonic smirk on his face as he sipped on some wine.

"It was a pleasure Lord Tyrion, after all Kevan Lannister would likely have been a thorn in both our sides with time. A good a man as he could be he is simply too untrustworthy." Varys said to his strange friend. How they had cultivated this strange friendship between them was a mystery even to themselves but they were allies to each other in many common causes so it was mutually beneficial.

"I am sure." Tyrion said with some doubt in his voice as he didn't fully trust Varys but to trust a man that enigmatic and guarded about not only his past but his intentions was a very foolish thing to do.

But the fact remained that thanks to Varys, Tyrion had eliminated the biggest threat to his ascension to the Lordship of Casterly Rock. He knew it would be a significant issue to run it with the gold mines run dry but he had been thinking up plans to maintain the realm's economic prosperity even without them. Maybe not as much as the mines would have but enough for him to pay for things to run his castle and maintain it.

Now, Tyrion thought as he turned his attention back to the matter at hand so as to not get ahead of himself, he still had two obstacles in his way to getting what he wanted.

His own father, and Ser Gregor Clegane.

Which did he eliminate first? Tyrion pondered knowing it might be wiser to kill them both at the same time if that were possible. Putting his father on guard would be as dangerous as trying to face the Mountain single handed in hand-to-hand combat. It might be better Tyrion thought to eliminate his father first and then the Mountain second. Without his master to do his thinking, Ser Gregor was nowhere near as much of a threat.

Still Tyrion thought with some reservations, it didn't help to have plans to deal with him. Poison might be the best way to dispose of the Mountain but at the same time there was only one man in all of Westeros that would be able to match him for strength.

He needed the Hound, Tyrion thought with a calculating look in his eyes, wondering just how to make the Mountain's younger brother join in his plans.

- x -

The Gardens, The Red Keep…

Myrcella was walking through the gardens of the Red Keep, enjoying the beautiful flowers as she always did. It was perhaps the only thing she had to herself outside of her royal duties in the city and at home.

Usually it relaxed her, the sweet smells of the garden and the sight of the colourful flowers but not today as she had been told that she was going to marry.

This was something she had known all her life, that she would be forced to wed someone for the benefit of her family. She had dared hope sometimes in private that she might be blessed enough that she would be able to wed for love or at least find it within the man that her family chose for her but much to her dismay it was not to be.

Edmure Tully, the Lord of the Riverlands was to be her future husband. A man that was nearly fifteen years her senior! A drunk and fool, at least according to the rumours.

She had been hoping for a young man more her own age, someone who might be kind or at least loyal to her Myrcella thought with bitter disappointment as this was unlikely to be the case. Edmure whored frequently and drunk even more, reminding her too much of her own father or rather the worst aspects of him. At least her father though had taken time to show Myrcella and Tommen that he loved them, at least sometimes she thought missing the man more than she thought she would have.

Edmure Tully though, Myrcella thought with disgust. He was awful and she was hoping that there might be a way out of this marriage. She had no idea just why her grandfather had arranged this aside from the fact the Tullys were a great house with links to two others, one of which was very powerful Myrcella thought, thinking he was doing his best to establish effective links within Westeros.

But regardless of how she felt, Myrcella thought with a bitter sigh, she would do her duty.

She would marry Edmure Tully because that was what was required of her and she just hoped deeply that the rumours about him were untrue.

- x -

"NO!" Cersei screamed at Tywin as she had just learned what he had planned for Myrcella, Jaime was at her side and was just as enraged as she was. So much so that he slammed his hands down on the desk.

"It is not going to happen! You will not tie Myrcella to that drunk!" He told his father, firmly if not as loudly as Cersei. Tywin didn't even blink though and answered back.

"With the Martells turning down any potential alliance and Loras Tyrell being in Stannis's hands there is no one else of high enough rank who isn't already wed except for Robert Arryn and many suspect he won't survive the winter. Unless we want a lower option for my granddaughter this all we can hope for without looking abroad." Tywin said, not at all put off by his children's outburst.

"You are not selling my daughter to a foreigner!" Cersei said screaming, she went to slap Tywin but he caught her hand and pushed her away, rising to his feet and towering over both of them.

"No, I do not wish to wed my granddaughter to a foreigner which is why it has to be Edmure Tully, the great lord of the lands that are feeding this city and more to the point a member of the northern alliance of kingdoms. He is the uncle to both Stark and Arryn, he might be a fool but Myrcella from what I have seen and heard is not. Within a year, she would have the Riverlands in the palm of her hand and able to achieve better deals for us. She needs to marry and this is our best option given our considerable bad blood between us and House Martell." Tywin said firmly with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Jaime was inwards so angry he could barely speak; he loved his daughter. She was honestly the most gracious, kind, generous and caring person he had ever met while being intelligent, reasoning and insightful. She was everything their father had hoped Cersei would be he thought with some mocking irony. She would have made a great queen, easily to his mind as great as any you could find. But he would never want her to wed her brother he thought with disgust, however much he loved his children he would never want them to follow in his mistaken footsteps.

Cersei meanwhile was foaming at the mouth with her own anger, her speech descending into nonsense screeching that eventually got her removed and locked in her room till she calmed down and swore as she hammered on the door in anger that she would never let that horrid man touch her golden daughter! She knew how to prevent it as her father had actually made plans to deal with House Tully as well should it turn against them, she had found such things while looking through his papers and would the moment she was let out of this accursed room send letters to their allies in the Riverlands immediately and get them to remove Edmure Tully so the slimy and disgusting trout would never lay hands on her daughter!

- x -

"No, please uncle tell me it's not true!" Tommen sobbed as he had now heard the news from Tyrion and Myrcella.

Tyrion's jaded heart was torn seeing Tommen so upset, the lad might be growing but inside he was still so much a child. He loved Myrcella more than anything and since Tommen was the closest thing Tyrion would ever have to a son of his own it hurt him deeply to see the boy so upset.

"I am afraid to say it is Tommen but don't worry, if I have my way…it will never happen." Tyrion said to reassure him.

Tommen brightened at that and looked at him with desperately eager eyes.

"Really Uncle!?" Tommen asked him, hoping dearly he was talking truth, Myrcella meanwhile was looking at him with veiled suspicion and anger that he would get her dear little brother's hopes up like this only for them to be dashed later.

But Tyrion held her gaze and Tommen's before telling them.

"I mean it, I will do everything in my power to ensure this won't happen." Tyrion said with complete seriousness.

Myrcella gave him a look of confusion and then worry as she knew her uncle was not one to make idle boasts and worried that what he might be planning might be too dangerous for him to handle and hoped he was ready for whatever consequences it might bring.


Storm's End, the Stormlands…

Renly was blindfolded, bound and gagged as he rode in the cart with most of his men, the jostling of it was extremely uncomfortable and the fact they couldn't see only made it worse as they had no idea just where they were.

It seemed to have gone on for what seemed like an eternity before finally they felt a change in what the cart was riding on, instead of rough and uneven earth it was clearly stone and they heard the distinct sound of a portcullis being raised. Renly began to shiver with fear as this likely meant they had arrived at their destination.

The cart eventually stopped and he felt hands grab him and pull him off the cart, he stumbled as he was still blindfolded and couldn't see just where he was but he definitely felt the hardness of stone beneath his feet. Eventually they arrived at wherever they were going and someone finally removed his blindfold and his gag, his mouth felt awful after having the rag in there so long and the bright light of day through the nearby windows made him blink furiously until his eyes managed to adjust.

But what he saw when they did see was enough to make him wish they would put it back on so he wouldn't be forced to see just who was now towering over him on the throne of Storm's End…Stannis. His grim brother to Renly's anger and jealousy looked well fed and clothed, something he hadn't been for so long now he was beginning to forget what that felt like except in his dreams of when they had been back in Highgarden living in luxury.

At Stannis's side on another throne was a woman that was comely enough with red hair, presumably his Connington wife who Renly hadn't even bothered to learn the name of. A little boy was on Stannis's lap and a bunch of guards all around him. His son Renly supposed who again, he didn't know the name of.

But what really mattered to him at the moment was the fact that he was finished unless he could talk his way out of this.

"Brother." Renly started saying but Stannis interrupted with a cold anger in his eyes and voice that scared Renly, making him almost shiver with fear.

"We ceased to be brothers the moment you betrayed me." Stannis said coldly. "You sided with the family that starved us both for a year in an attempt to seize the throne and when they realised your greed and unsuitability to their plans and exiled you, you then try to trick my daughter into giving you coin so you can run away to Essos. These are things are fact, your guilt is clear." Stannis said coldly and reminded him. "Since the fall of the Nights Watch there is only one punishment for your crimes…death and the Faith of the Seven has demanded you be given over to them also." Stannis told him without any worry or concern for his sole remaining brother.

Renly was now terrified more than he had ever been in his entire life, he knew he was a dead man if he didn't do something fast and demanded the first thing that came into his head.

"I demand a trial of the Seven!"

That shocked everyone, given what he was accused of which was an unforgivable sin in the eyes of most of the Faith's most devout and yet he would claim one of the most sacred of trials.

Renly knew this was not likely to work but he had enough men with him that they could at least try he thought desperately, it was a long shot but the only thing that might save their lives. A trial by combat was a possibility but he was no fighter and not sure of any of his men's ability to win this without Loras and Brienne.

Stannis looked annoyed and a murmur went around the room, all of them wondering quietly if Stannis would accept it or not. However, since Stannis had been advised by Master Kilburn to try and get the Faith on his side, so he decided it might be best to do things his way.

"Very well, you will have a Trial of the Seven but only if all your men stand with you." Stannis said with a grim look on his face. He wanted to sentence Renly and be done with it but now he would need now to find seven fighters to face Renly and his men if they all sided with him.

- x -

Nearby Loki watched, still disguised as Master Kilburn and while maintaining his outward composure he was inwardly smirking as it worked for his own plans. If what he suspected was true though, he would not need to maintain this particular cover much longer and went to check his still useful assets were in a safe place before it came time to leave.


Qarth, Essos…

Daenerys was creeping towards the city gates, hoping they might be open today so she could sneak out and leave the city, she was hungry and thirsty especially with the intense heat of the day but as she got to the gates they were firmly shut.

She groaned to herself, her throat felt like sand and she did her best to meld back into the shadows until she found a fountain after wandering through the streets, the sight of clean water was too inviting to ignore and she took a deep drink, scooping up the water with her hands and its coolness was so refreshing she stayed there for a moment and just enjoyed the moment.

But a sudden shrieking alerted her to a shadow chasing her, she just jumped out of the way in time to avoid it and had to roll the moment she hit the ground. She pulled out the sword Quaithe had given her and swiped at the shadow, it shrieked at the attack even though it didn't hit and she gritted her teeth.

"Come on." She dared the creature as she faced it, rallying what anger and courage she could as she taunted the creature. "You want me, come get me! Or are you afraid?" She said, daring it as much as she could so it would make a mistake. She even smirked broadly at it to make sure it knew she was mocking it and would have said more insults at it but there was no need as it flew straight at her with apparent rage, allow her to get close enough to side step at the last moment and impale it on her sword's blade.

The creature screeched in pain and shuddered, trying to get away but Daenerys wouldn't let it escape and it shrivelled up quickly, reverted to its real form as a withered old corpse.

Daenerys felt a great deal of satisfaction at her ending one of the warlocks on her own but soon realised that the others might sense his death and so sheathed her sword and ran off, grabbing a scarf that was on a washing line as she passed. Her hair she realised to her own dismay was probably the most striking thing about her. No one else she had seen in the city so far had the same colour and so she stood out which right now was the worst thing she could do.

Eventually she managed to bundle her hair under the scarf and tie it around her head so she looked more like a waif that a Valyrian. Daenerys as she went deeper into the city in the hope of shaking off her pursuers for as long as possible, she knew she was never going to escape the city on her own…she would need help.

Quaithe was still missing and likely dead so that left her few options Daenerys realised as she managed to sneak through the crowd at the bazaar and even grab some fruit unseen from a busy merchant. So, she would need to approach some of the larger factions in the city and hope to find someone who might help her.

- x -

Days were a struggle to survive, minutes felt like hours and days felt like weeks as she had to push herself to survive. Hunger had never really been a problem for her as others had generally fed her and her brother as children, something she now understood had made her soft she thought with loathing towards herself. She had too much relied on others and now cut off from them she was starting to realise just what it meant to starve.

As much as it galled her, Daenerys had to ask for help.

So, she had tried reaching out to the various factions in the city or rather members of the different groups that might be willing to stand up to the Warlocks as best as she could judge.

Thankfully she had first met with a merchant prince of the Tourmaline Brotherhood, he had been helpful she thought with a smile as he had given her money for food and told her from what sources he had that Drogo was coming with their entire Khalasar to rescue her.

She had honestly felt her heart and spirits lift at the news that her husband and beloved was coming for her and all she needed to do was survive till he got here.

But it would be a good idea to get out of the city all the same she thought and he unfortunately hadn't been able to help her with that.

She'd contacted the Ancient Guild of Spicers next, narrowly avoiding a trap that they had lured her in to but had come out of the meeting with a water skin she could fill with water and some more gold. Many it turned out would turn her over to the Warlocks in hopes of being spared their wrath.

She had managed to make a few friends here and there but whether she could truly count on them or not was yet to be determined, after all she was alone and without help.

She was now approaching the Sorrowful Men in hopes of enlisting their help but when she got to the meeting place, she was stunned at what she saw.

The entire manse was surrounded by swirling shadows, the warlocks flying all around it and she bit her lip before running away the way she came, feeling very dejected as they had been assassins, the sort of people who knew how to get in and out of places undetected and her best chance perhaps of escape.

She honestly was just thinking that she might try and steal some rope to try climbing the walls even though she knew that was a death sentence as she knew nothing about climbing and there were three walls one after another to get over.

She would never make it, especially if the guards found her trying which was very likely.

It seemed hopeless, she ran into another side alley and wondered just who else she could turn too? There were only two other factions left in the city she had yet to talk too; the Pureborn who ruled Qarth and the Thirteen which was another of the city's merchant guilds. After her experiences with the Ancient Guild of Spicers and the Sorrowful Men she wasn't sure if it was even worth trying and her depression just became worse.

She walked around the back alleys of the city, not with any real destination in mind before finally she found herself near the manse district of the city where many of the city's richest merchants lived. She knew this was a place she must avoid but as she prepared to leave, she discovered that she had been discovered.

Guards appeared around her and she felt her heart grow cold, thinking she had been caught and drew her sword to at least go down fighting. But a voice, male and his accent native to this city and very educated and eloquent spoke from behind the guards.

"Daenerys Stormborn. Queen of the Dothraki and builder of a new empire. You are lucky I found you first." The man said as he stepped forward to see her, allowing Daenerys to see him in turn. He had the appearance of someone from the Summer Isles, dark skin and eyes but dressed like any of the merchant princes in this city.

"I am a Khaleesi…not a queen." Daenerys said, still holding her sword ready should try and charge her. The man looked at ease with her statement and told her with a smile.

"A Khaleesi then, welcome to Qarth. I am Xaro Xhoan Daxos, merchant prince and richest man in Qarth and if I have heard right then you are the one person who can help me." The man, now named told her.

Daenerys immediately felt her suspicions increase, Xaro clearly knew who she was and that meant he intended to use her in some way. He had not rushed her with his men yet but that could be for a number of reasons, most of them far from benign.

"And what problem is that? Xaro Xhoan Daxos." Daenerys said and he kept on smiling which only annoyed her.

"I am a merchant; I own no warships and no soldiers. I wish to be the King of Qarth but as a merchant I am denied that. Wealth though is the gateway to real power and until the Warlocks gained so much strength, I had a great deal of that. You have from what I have heard slain one of the warlocks maybe more. That is what I require now, for you to kill them and I can even gain you an audience with my fellow Thirteen and the Pureborn, those that would be willing to listen and unite against the Warlocks. They just need someone to prove that they can be killed." Xaro told her.

Daenerys felt this wasn't a good thing in her bones, it was simply too good of an opportunity for it to be real. Yet the number of armed guards around her made her realise that refusal simply wasn't going to be accepted.

"Since I have no choice…I accept." Daenerys said with a cold and calm voice as she could feel in her gut that this was some kind of trap but with twenty guards around her, there was no chance of escape for now. Her only chance was to go along with it for now and hope that an opportunity for escape came later.

So, she sheathed her sword although she was ready to draw it at a moment's notice, Xaro smirked with satisfaction which didn't make her feel any better about the situation and she was led by him and surrounded by twenty guards towards the centre of the district.


Ten Towers, Harlaw, the Iron Islands…

Harlaw was the second biggest island of all the Iron Islands and probably the wealthiest and had the most people. It also had the most 'noble' houses with there not only being House Harlaw but its four cadet branches the Harlaws of Grey Garden, Harlaw Hall, Harridan Hill and the Tower of Glimmering and then there was the Kennings, Volmarks, Stonetrees and Myres which all followed House Harlaw's main branch. Combined with their greater numbers was production/mining of lead, tin and iron and the breeding of ponies that they exported to all of the islands as beasts of burden. It made them the only real rival to House Greyjoy in power.

Hence why securing this island was so important.

Meera stood with her army, glaring at the castle as if it would bring down the gates on its own but she knew that was foolish. Instead, she had decided to use the tactic that she had used on all of the other keeps on the island so far.

Since she had no cannon design yet as she had been so busy with other things, she had to use the gunpowder somewhat differently. The barrels containing the gunpowder were placed on a cart and pushed to the gates of the castle which was often done under arrow fire, so they had to build wooden shields on a frame to protect the men pushing it until it was in position and then once they had run away, they used a flaming arrow to ignite it.

Ten Towers, perhaps the most important and well-fortified castle on the island was the last step in conquering the island and ensuring that the locals remembered never to rebel against them again. The other castles had already fallen and now all of the remaining Harlaws were locked inside, Meera watched as men pushed the cart into place and then personally aimed and fired a flaming arrow at it as the men ran for cover.

The arrow sailed through the air with ease before hitting one of the barrels, just a moment later the gunpowder ignited.

The explosion was loud and devastating, the gates strong though they were stood no chance against the sheer force of the blast. They were torn clean open and the gate tower was severely damaged leaving the defenders shocked and confused at what had just happened.

The Northerners had become used to the sight of her new weapon and honestly, they were still trying to understand it, half of them thought it was magic while others were wondering just where she had discovered this incredible secret. But either way it was enabling them to enrich themselves as they plundered the ironically plundered wealth of the Iron Islands. They made nothing so they sold nothing, meaning that nearly everything they had was stolen.

Meera allowed this as it was the best way to keep them distracted, keep them loyal. She even earned their respect by fighting alongside them, unlike most commanders she didn't hide from the fighting, she was in the thick of it with them and would never ask them to do something that she wouldn't do herself nor did she have an executioner, she would make judgements and hand out justice herself as was the Northern way.

Hence why they called her 'The She-Wolf of Winterfell' and the Freefolk had only continued to call her 'The Morrigan'.

So, she charged with her soldiers straight into the castle, the defenders were still recovering for the explosion and were badly outnumbered. Meera speared one through the chest while Romulus and Rema at her side tackled and bit people along with her. Her own private group of battle companions so to speak where right there with her.

She fought her way through the courtyard and into the keep, finding most of House Harlaw's remaining family inside the main hall. One of the men came charging at her with Valyrian steel longsword, wearing full plate armour which was unusual for an Iron Born. Meera however began twirling her spear around and instead of meeting him head on she sidestepped away and allowed his momentum to carry him forward which using the spear to deflect his attack away. She pivoted and hit the man in the back with her spear, sending him even more forward and falling to the floor with a heavy clatter.

Meera without any hesitation spun her spear around and stabbed him through the back, rather dishonourable she supposed but she was hardly going to give him a chance to get back up and kill her.

But the fight was far from over as a woman who was easily in her fifties came charging at her with a scythe like the house used as their banner. She screamed and swiped at her but Meera jumped back and began to spin her spear around in a defensive twirl, handy as a bunch of other Harlaws tried to come at her from different sides and she had to move quickly to deflect all their attacks away from her, she then broke it by leaping over them and impaling the old woman through the chest and then quickly pulling her spear free to do the same to another one.

Three of her attackers were dead on the floor and the three that remained were far from intimidating opponents, two older men and one younger with a hunchback who were already frightened of her given how easily she had dispatched the others.

Meera waited to see if they would drop their weapons but when they didn't, she went to finish this fight, she lunged and impaled the closest in the chest before pulling it free and then doing a spin kick on the other one and sending him back and then finishing off the third with a backwards stab when he tried to creep up on her from behind, then without hesitation ended the last one with a single quick stab to the gut.

The surviving Harlaws were not holding weapons and the boys that remained were scarcely older than Rickon Meera thought with a lump in her throat. She would never kill children and so she sheathed her spear and turned to the one remaining adult in the room, an older man with glasses or Myrish lenses as they were known here.

"Lord Rodrik Harlaw. Perhaps not only the most well-read of all the Iron Born and from all I have learned perhaps the wisest and the most intelligent. We have much to discuss." Meera said coldly to the older man with greying brown hair who looked at her shocked.

"You killed my sister, my cousins…and now you want to talk." He asked her incredulously, honestly expecting her to end his life right here and now. But instead, Meera looked at him with calm and cool look in her eyes and she told him.

"All of whom either were involved in the raids on the North and Riverlands or tried to kill me, you and your younger relatives over there have not. That is the reason you are still alive. When we are done with the Iron Islands someone must rule them and administrate. My family and I have decided since outsiders won't last here to give the authority to someone capable of showing the Iron Born to be more than raiders." Meera told him and Rodrik honestly was shocked, he had honestly expected to be dead the moment they breached the walls and yet here he was being offered Lordship of the Iron Islands even if it was as a Northern puppet.

He was a smart and practical man, not one to waste sentiment on things that could get in the way of survival. He had long been arguing with his sister over who should rule House Harlaw but despite that fact they were still his family he thought with anger at their deaths. But he did have Hotho's daughter, Boremund's three sons and Sigfryd's grandsons to think about he reluctantly considered. Who knows what might happen to them if he died now the rest of their family was dead.

Staring into the grey eyes of Meera Stark, a woman that had bucked tradition more than any other woman he knew of even in his own homeland, he honestly shivered with fear. For all her accomplishments and inventions, many of which he had been impressed at and even admired her for, he honestly was thinking that he was looking in the eyes of the Storm God himself. There was a dangerous glint there, he had no doubt in his mind that she would kill him if he said no and then what would happen to his family's children if he was dead?

Rodrik was over a barrel and he knew it, either refuse and die like the rest of the other houses she had already wiped out and those she hadn't gotten around too yet. Or he could accept it and be at the demon's right hand rather than in their path.

What choice did he really have? Rodrik thought with resignation, it would ensure the survival of his family and their future prosperity even if it left them as mere puppets of the North.

- x -

Rodrik had no way of knowing that Meera would never have harmed those children, never in a million years she thought with disgust at the mere idea. She had seen enough horrors committed against children as Harry and as Meera and would never inflict them herself.

Later though as she returned to her tent, she felt very depressed; the looks of fear people were giving her and the looks of reluctant respect…this had never been how she wanted her life to be. She had just wanted to live peacefully and leave things better than when she had found them.

And now she was leaving devastation in her wake…but if she was going to get these people to stop preying on others rather than learn to survive by themselves or to at least trade with others these were things she had to do. She had not taken all of their ships, leaving them with enough to fish so they could feed themselves and trade if they wanted but raiding would be next to impossible with what she was leaving them with.

It weighed heavily on her, she sat in her chair and put her head in her hands as depression hit her. She didn't cry, she couldn't find the tears and was somewhat comforted by Rema and Romulus coming over to her and rubbing their bit heads against her, she smiled a little at their obvious attempts to comfort her and gently behind their ears which they enjoyed.

Aurora meanwhile was curled up nearby, already the size of a hound and growing more and more each day. Meera wondered if her dragon was growing faster due to her magic and bond with each other. It was possible she thought, the direwolves had certainly grown very fast she thought as she continued to spend time with her wolves, glad of the time to just be here and quiet and not having the burden of the cost of what she was trying to do weighing down on her all the time.

- x -

Stark Camp, Harlaw…

Theon and Yara Greyjoy, dressed in simple cotton clothes were restrained and watched as another of their people's castles fell. Seeing wealth looted and ships seized was heart-breaking for Theon but more so for Yara as she was forced to watch their prized ships taken, their shrines smashed to pieces, Drowned Priests being executed without mercy and any who fought being killed.

Yara never cried before but now she had tears in her eyes, she was being forced to watch the destruction of her way of life and the culture that she loved. The fact she would live to see this only made the hurt worse and Theon was just grateful that they would soon be sent to the North and to Winterfell, yes it would be in the dudgeons or a secured room if they were lucky but at least they wouldn't have to witness this Theon thought, worried for Yara and the effect it was all having on her.

Whether she could find her way past it or not.


Winterfell, The North…

The people lined the streets cheering as they came riding through, news of their victory over the Iron Born and continued success in the campaign had reached them. Celebrations across the North had been going on since word had reached them of the success at Pyke, given the long hatred the North had for the Iron Born the fact that their army had given them such a sound beating and even torn down their main castle was something that was worth taking a moment to enjoy.

Robb and Jon rode with Arya at the head of the column, Arya was finding it very enjoyable and waved to people while Jon and Robb were more restrained in their acceptance of all the praise. They were more used to it having done it before.

Riding through the gates with their direwolves at their side they saw the rest of the family there to greet them. Seeing Wylla with their two growing children brought a smile to Robb's face, he quickly dismounted and without wasting time with anymore ceremony gathered them and his wife up in his arms, kissing her deeply while hugging both his children close who laughed in happiness while Wylla leaned into his chest, just glad for him to be home.

Jon and Ygritte meanwhile were met by Lanna who smiled at them and showed Ygritte her bow skill by shooting an arrow through a nearby series of hoops and into a barrel. Ygritte laughed and told her she would need to be do more than that to impress her while Jon looked on with a small smirk but was surprised when the girls went off to find something to eat together and leaving him behind, although they did seem to remember him and turned around to drag him with them.

The strange friendship that had developed between Lanna and Ygritte was confusing as they were supposed to be rivals for Jon but instead seemed to be getting rather close.

Elsewhere Arya eagerly ran up to Sansa, Rickon, Lorra and Benjen, she was eager to tell them about her 'adventures' in the Iron Islands and to show them some of the trophies she had taken. Arya also brandished her brand new Valyrian steel ring which Meera had gotten Gendry to make before they had left and given the others to her to pass on to the rest of their siblings.

Sansa and Rickon both received theirs with surprise and gratefully slipped them on, it was a rare and exciting gift. True the ring meant for Brandon was firmly in Arya's possession until she was able to give it to him in person given how important it was. According to Meera they were aides to magic and would expand the scope of what they could do when they had the chance to practice and learn.

- x -

Robb had gone to his solar where he sat in his chair while Eddard and Eve were on his lap, Wylla pulled up a chair next to him and smiled as he felt her warmth.

"I have missed you all so much. From now on regardless what happens, I am staying here." Robb told Wylla firmly and she rolled her eyes as she kissed him on the cheek.

"If needed you will go, I am glad to have you home though." Wylla said with a smile as she just glad to spend some time with her husband.

Even if there was now a dragon involved.

That shocked her still, not able to believe her eyes as the beast that was now as big as a hound and curled up besides Greywind. Her husband had gone off to fight the Iron Born and come back with a dragon! She thought with astonishment and fear as she had like most of Westeros knew the legend of the dragons and what they had been responsible for in the past. The fact that Arya and Jon also had dragons and so did Meera apparently which terrified her as it painted a very large target on their backs.

But she was also aware of the incredible opportunity the dragons presented, if they could control them and Robb had assured her that they could then they would have four of the most powerful creatures the world had ever seen at their command. Her own children might one day ride dragons Wylla thought with awe at the idea and it would propel the North from its already powerful position to the forefront of power, something that terrified her again as to how many of their rivals might attack them.

Robb saw her concern and after placing Eve in her lap he put his arm around her and kissed her on the temple gently to reassure her.

"We will be careful, so much power can be as dangerous to those that have it as it is to their enemies. I promise you; we will take the utmost care." He told her and she frowned before accepting it and vowing to keep a close eye on everyone she could from now on, enemies in the open were easy to spot she thought but those that hid in shadow would never really be seen.

She just hoped they were prepared for this, Wylla thought with worry as she cuddled her daughter. The fate of children caught up in the game of thrones was never good.

- x -

Jon honestly was having a hard time understanding what had developed right in front of him.

His actual lover and his pretend bride to be not only were becoming friendly, but in fact were openly drinking and laughing together even shared a kiss which had left him stunned and more than a little uncomfortable in his breeches. Ygritte being from beyond the Wall had no concept of marriage and so having multiple lovers even as a woman was not unusual where she came from.

Lanna though it seemed to Jon's astonishment, was fully on board with it. She had always been a good girl and never done anything even remotely inappropriate before, Jon was really not understanding why she would act out now but remembered the situation she had to deal with in regards to her father's family he thought with disgust.

Maybe she was hoping that if she behaved badly enough Tywin would hesitate to try wedding her off to someone else Jon pondered with concern for the long-term implications of a move like that.

He himself was quite happy to keep up this ruse as long as Ygritte was okay with it and she seemed to be, in fact she was relishing it. Perhaps because she knew it was uncomfortable for him but so far nothing more had happened.

He meanwhile was busy with his own holdings he thought, still struggling to come to terms with the fact that he had holdings now. A castle although not much of one he thought, Castle Black was his home now or would be soon Jon thought with a considerable area of land and even vassal houses of his own. He would be heading there soon to take full charge of it and he was somewhat daunted by the responsibility that was being placed on his shoulders.

He wondered briefly if he should abdicate his position but shook his head at his own silliness a moment later as he realised that his family would never permit that and it would be up to him to create effective trade between the North and the Free Folk.

Jon pondered just what he might do with these new lands other than that though? He had vast empty lands and a ranch for Arya was one thing he was going to do but what else? He pondered and wondered if he could have men go out to see just what was possible on his lands and what else might be there.

- x -

Arya meanwhile was proudly showing off her dragon to Benjen and Lorra.

"She is already the bravest of all her brood." Arya excitedly told the two shocked older Starks, both of whom could hardly believe their eyes.

"I am sure she is." Lorra managed to say, not sure what else to say in this situation. She knew the implications of course, her extended family having dragons even small ones was a major shift in the game so to speak. They might be small now but one day assuming they weren't killed they would be enormous weapons of destruction and give House Stark power equal to the Targaryens prior to their invasion…hells even more as they would have the North behind them while the Targaryens had only a small island and some coastal holdings when they started. Lorra honestly had never been more in awe of this development and concerned for the tremendous target it made many of them.

Benjen meanwhile was just wondering what on earth Ned would have thought if he knew his children would one day command dragons. Four of the most dangerous beasts that this world had ever seen now were bound to House Stark and while he trusted his family without question, power he knew could be a very potent vice to indulge in.

Arya was completely blind to their worries though as she petted Nymeria and her dragon, eagerly planning in her future ranch and what she might be breeding and training there. She already had horses but now was also considering not just the sled dogs but hawks and other kinds of hounds as well. It was very exciting she thought and couldn't wait for winter to be over so she could get started.

- x -

Sansa was enjoying her first leisure time in quite a while; she had been so busy helping run Winterfell and the North and scarcely had any time to herself.

Which was a big worry as she had just come of age and her marriage to Harrion would take place in a matter of weeks! She thought nervously, there was still so much to do she thought with worry. She had set the date and everyone who mattered would be there, all the lords of the North and Lorra had said she would stay until the wedding was done. Even Meera had sworn she would be back in time for the wedding.

But she still had a cloak to make, a feast to arrange she thought with her own nervousness of getting married, she honestly had been thinking of her wedding day since she was a girl…all the plans she had come up with, some bordering on ridiculous like they would have a thousand guests and such but still she had her dreams.

First and foremost was one that could never be now she thought with sadness, that her father would be there to walk her to the Heart Tree. A painful pang filled her heart as she felt his absence more keenly than ever now. What would he think of them now? She thought with a small smile, how much they had achieved and all they had still to do. She just hoped he would be proud.

Still, Sansa thought with discomfort and a little envy, their power was about to increase to a greater strength than ever before…now that they had dragons. She was a little jealous at not having a dragon herself but she glad enough to have her special ring she thought looking down at the dragon ring she had been gifted, already she could feel her magic being stoked like a fire in a forge, making it burn even hotter.

Sansa had heard from Jon that the ring would also allow them to cast more spells and increase the scope of things they could achieve. Meera apparently knew many more spells than Jon did and would be teaching them all when she returned. Honestly, Sansa couldn't wait to see just what they could do now but more than that it made her realise that House Stark had risen to levels of power that even House Targaryen could never dream of. With the new invention of gunpowder, four dragons, magic, large quantities of gold and a large army behind them they would be near unmatched in terms of power.

It made her worry too as she like her relatives knew the enormous risks that came with that sort of power. It made people fear them and what people feared they tried to destroy.

She put that out of her mind though as Mira Forrester came in, looking none the worst for going with the army to Pyke. She in fact looked better for her time away, more comfortable in her own skin and they eagerly hugged, smiling at each other.

"Mira, did you enjoy yourself out there?" Sansa asked merely to start the conversation and Mira just smiled before telling her.

"You could say that. Now, have you gotten your cloak yet?" Mira asked, wanting to see if she could be involved in making it. She was a good seamstress and had enjoyed making her goodsister's cloak when she got married.

"It's being made at the moment." Sansa said with some excitement and she couldn't wait to add some flourishes of her own. But then had to break the news to Mira about her impending marriage, although she honestly didn't know how it would be received.

"I should inform you that you may be needing a cloak of your own soon. House Hornwood has been negotiating with your family to create a betrothal contract between you and the heir to Hornwood. It would make you the future lady of a major house." Sansa added, given that Mira came from a relatively small family it was a fairly big step up to be wed into the Hornwoods who were not only a more powerful family but had a wider net of connections due to marriages and the like such as House Karstark and Glover.

It was a fairly good pairing socially, but would Mira want it? Sansa asked herself with a bit of worry at the offense it might cause on both sides if it was rejected.

Mira looked impassive for a moment, deeply considering just what was being offered and while she didn't exactly want to get married right now, it was a good marriage for her. One that would make her lady of her own castle one day and she knew Daryn Hornwood was a good young man, a few short years older than her but not too much of a gap. He had a good relationship with Robb Stark and had been one of his men in the south and come back with a good record. He had the favour of Robb even if she did too.

It was a good match she thought, perhaps she could try for better but that might be overstretching and there weren't many other boys in her age group that she could attach herself to let alone ones on a higher rank of nobility.

She would accept it, Mira thought with careful thought into the good and bad of the situation. It might not be the highest marriage they could have dreamed of but it was a good one and would gain her family a good and strong ally in case of future trouble.

Daryn she just hoped was as good a man as she remembered.

- x -

Rickon Stark meanwhile was staying in the main hall with Jeor Mormont, he was feeling again like the runt of the litter as he was faced with his siblings' accomplishments.

His oldest brother was a great lord and already famed for his ability in warfare, his eldest sister was a genius without peer and a famous warrior in her own right, his next eldest sister had run the North and would one day be lady of Karhold while his next sister was going to found ranches to breed horses, hounds and hawks. His next eldest brother meanwhile was now already lord of a very important castle and founding a new branch of House Stark. The Starks of Moat Cailin, the very first in thousands of years.

Even his cousin/half-brother as Rickon thought of him was now lord of a castle and with considerable lands, House BlackStark as it was now becoming known would another brand-new Cadet Branch.

And the newly discovered extended family with his Aunt Lorra who had become Queen Beyond the Wall and unified all of the 'Free Folk' Rickon thought, nearly saying Wildlings but corrected himself.

Four of them had even gained control of dragons, small for now but still one day would rival the great beasts of the past.

He meanwhile had achieved nothing, literally nothing Rickon thought with disgust aimed solely at his own lack of ability. He was not a great warrior or a skilled genius. He had a castle coming and one with a good bit of land, enough that would make him a major lord in the Riverlands and one of his uncle's strongest vassals. He would be able to grow grain that he could sell to the Northern houses to make good coin with so farming methods had been a big part of his education.

But that had been down to his late father and elder siblings who had made it so. Four of them even had dragons now he thought again with depression, he felt Shaggydog press his head against his side in an attempt to comfort him and Rickon rubbed his ears gently. Jeor Mormont who had been here since the fall of the Nights Watch noticed and told him.

"What is it lad?" Jeor asked with his accent thick, he had been teaching him to wield a sword ever since he arrived here and Rickon honestly wondered if this would be what having a grandfather would be like. He already knew what it was to have a father he thought with a pang of grief for his late one, but he had never known either of his grandfathers as one had been dead before he was even born and the other had never come up to see him before he died.

"Am I ever going to be a Stark? I mean, my own Stark and not be in the shadow of my family?" Rickon asked with some bitterness and Jeor sighed with annoyance. The boy had been neglected to some extent as his elder siblings had been so busy recently with their own lives and managing the North in a difficult time but Rickon had always hidden his own feelings rather than actually tell his older brothers and sisters how he felt.

So as to not be a burden.

"You will, you're only at the beginning lad. You need the chance to find your own feet." Jeor told him and then added. "And I for one will be glad to see it. I will accompany you to the Twins and help you get settled in. You will find what you are good at in due time. The rest of your family was lucky enough to find out the things they were good at early, you just haven't found yours yet." Jeor told him firmly; he was reminded a little of his own son Jorah in young Rickon. Unsure of himself and intimidated by the legacy they would be taking on. Hopefully Rickon would be a better man than his own son had turned out to be Jeor thought with sadness at the disgrace his only child had brought down on their family.

"You will?" Rickon asked, his eyes brighter and almost pleading for him to confirm it. Jeor almost smiled but stayed gruff and told him with apparent annoyance.

"I said I would, so I will." Jeor said but Rickon just kept smiling as the old man's presence would be most welcome but was completely distracted from this by the arrival of someone new.

She was only his age or there abouts and had black hair in a braid running down her back, held in place by an elaborate hair pin styled to resemble a Wierwood Tree in gold with a couple of small rubies to decorate it. It would have cost a great deal but it was a distinctive piece, as was the dress she was wearing, modest but in red, black and white to show off her house's colours.

Rickon had never met her before but knew she was his future bride, Bethany Blackwood.

This would be her first trip anywhere he realised as her father rarely let her out of Raventree Hall but she was here to represent her house now he thought and pulled on what courage he managed to rally and stepped forward, giving her a slight bow and taking her hand to gently kiss it as was expected.

"Lady Blackwood, you are most welcome." Rickon said and the girl looked nervous of not just Shaggydog but of him as well. The reputation of his house given its recent actions seemed to scare her which roused his protective instincts.

He reassured her. "This is my companion, Shaggydog. He is a protective and loving friend; he will not harm you." He told her and when she seemed scared still but Rickon was able to get her to gently pet Shaggydog behind his ears. Shaggydog pressed himself into her hand and licked it gently which seemed to break the ice and calm her worries. She smiled and began gently playing with Shaggydog who was far more gentle than normal with her, but soon both were smiling.

That was a big relief Rickon thought and hoped to get to know his future wife better, feeling more at ease with his future while Jeor looked on with a small smile, remember that look as the same he had once had for his own wife many years ago.


The Tower of the Hand, the Red Keep…

"And it seems that after making Harlaw fall in line, Lady Stark travelled to Orkmont and did the same thing there at great speed." Varys reported to the King and the rest of the Small Council. "Nightfall is now under guard and being sent to Kings Landing with all haste. I know not what specific islands she will sail too next but it is clear she intends to beat all the Iron Born into submission with considerable ruthlessness. Many are now beginning to call her 'Meera the Bloody'." Varys said finishing his report.

Joffrey meanwhile laughed and grinned a sadistic grin at that.

"Oh, she is glorious." He said with admiration which unsettle Lord Mace Tyrell and Varys who were sitting at the table. "She serves the crown well and does what she promises she will. I cannot wait for her to return to Kings Landing so we can learn more of her future plans, perhaps even set her loose on Stannis, since the Tyrells and the Reach have proven completely incapable." Joffrey said with his expression turning cold as he turned to look at Lord Tyrell who was immediately intimidated by the viciousness of Joffrey's glare.

The Fat Flower as he was known faltered, not sure what to say as he to be honest was terrified at the sounds of the she-devil in the North. She was a monster, he thought with disgust. One that violated every single tenant of what a real woman should be, he thought. He knew his mother broke a fair amount of those rules too but she was still nowhere near as bad as this Northern harlot! He thought with disgust especially when she was stealing the king's attention away from his daughter, where it should be he thought with anger.

Tyrion meanwhile and his man Lynthorne were much more at ease with it as she was doing them all a great favour by dealing with the Iron Born and in Tyrion's case causing a large distraction that kept Tywin distracted while he was at work, already he was ensuring that Kevan's remaining children wouldn't become a threat and were firmly under his control. They were only young and innocent so he would must certainly not kill them but he would keep them where he could watch them.

Tywin on the other hand was actually impressed, the Stark woman had lived up to her reputation and proved her own skill with how quickly she was taking over the Iron Islands although he wondered what method she was using to do it so quickly?

But the fact that Nightfall was at last on its way to the city was a distraction for him, a much needed one given the disappointments he had suffered in other places. The North had even offered to sell him some of the captured Iron Born ships cheaply which would be a big aid in rebuilding his fleet at a more manageable cost.

He was now actually convinced it would be better to establish Meera Stark as Joffrey's queen instead of Margaery Tyrell…at the very least she would be able to bring him into line Tywin thought and decided to write to her brother to arrange it.

"There is also the matter of Renly Baratheon." Varys said moving on to his next point. "It seems that Stannis has allowed him to have a trial of the Seven but the men he has are not that capable as fighters and his chances of victory are slim."

"Indeed, Stannis would be wise to use this as a chance to remove his brother with no blood on his own hands." Tyrion said with a smirk.

"At least one of them will be dead." Joffrey said with scorn. "Stannis should just get on with it and execute them. No wonder my father never trusted him with Lordship of the Stormlands." He said with a nasty laugh.

Tywin stayed silent though, seeing this as the perfect chance to eliminate both of the threats to his legacy in one move, he had already gotten his plan into place and would only need a few small alterations but it was now finally time to remove both Stannis and Renly from the war.

But he was disturbed though by the information that had reached him just before the meeting, that Kevan's only remaining children Willem, Martyn and Janei had been removed from their mother's care and fostered with Harys Swyft. Tyrion had been the one to arrange it and taken control of their father's holdings in anticipation of them receiving their inheritance when they came of age.

That unnerved him, he could undo it and planned to do so but what he realised was that Tyrion was playing the game far better than he had realised. He was ensuring that the only threats to his own ascension to Casterly Rock were firmly under his heel, Tywin thought and knew he would probably do the same in his position.

He was playing the game and he had never even seen it, that worried him, unsettled him that he had been so caught up in dealing with other things that he had never considered there might be threats closer to home. He resolved to keep a close eye on things at the capital more closely since he despite not thinking Tyrion was anywhere near as capable as he was, Tywin realised he might be dangerous.

- x -

Varys was of course, not telling them everything. A good spymaster knew what to share and what not to share but recent developments were too much to risk revealing till he was sure of just how to present it.

Meera Stark had always been a piece in the game he was hesitant to trust, the fact she was a woman did not deter him. In fact, he honestly was impressed at all she had achieved and how capable she was. Briefly before realising just how unstable Viserys was, he had wondered if she would be a good queen for him to bring the northern states onto their side but had understood that would never happen as she would see him clearly for the mad fool he was and that was why she was doing her level best to avoid Joffrey for the same reason, something Varys thought prudent.

Again, good points in her favour he thought.

But the fact she had managed to not only hatch dragons when only the Targaryens were meant to be able to do that had truly alarmed him. He could now guess where the dragon eggs that had appeared around the time of the Tourney of the Hand had disappeared too, he thought with dismay as she had beaten him to them. Again, something he felt unwilling respect towards her for.

But then there was this new weapon of hers, he had widely travelled in his youth and had never heard of anything like this black powder she had created, powder that when set aflame would explode with enough force to destroy gates and walls allowing armies to break castles within a day. She held the secret of it close and he could not fault her for that, something he would do in her place but such power especially when combined with the dragons she would one day command and an army that was now the largest in all of Westeros truly would unsettle everything. Nothing would be able to stop her and her family as perhaps her most redeeming trait was her loyalty to her family. Among all of the Great Houses House Stark suffered from the least infighting and he wondered for a moment if she might be another option for the throne as Daenerys had apparently no intention of coming to Westeros.

She like Daenerys was a driven woman, powerful and intelligent but also able to inspire great loyalty in others. They had had many traits in common and if things had turned out differently, they would either have been the greatest of friends or bitter rivals Varys thought with a pang of regret that the world had not been kind enough to allow that but it made him wonder if maybe the answer to his problem and the key to a better future for Westeros had been there in plain sight all along.

- x -

Tavern, Kings Landing…That Night…

Sandor was keen to get away from the Red Keep whenever he could, the little shit they called a king was getting more insufferable by the day and it honestly took all he had not to split the shit in two himself.

He took another deep drink and found himself seeing despite his already fairly drunk state that he had company. The Imp's man Bronn was sitting at the bar, indulging with some tavern wenches which across from him he discovered the Imp himself sitting there.

Sandor looked down at him with drunk but suspicious eyes, especially when the Imp paid for not only the drinks that he'd had so far but another round. Charity Sandor knew often had some very heavy strings attached.

"What do you want?" Sandor demanded, in no mood for any of this stupid complicated back and forth shit they did all the time at the Red Keep. How the hell anyone kept anything straight there was a great mystery to him.

Tyrion to his credit did not bullshit.

"What I want is someone I can trust at the heart of everything. Someone who like me doesn't like Joffrey or things as they are. Things are changing and will change soon I should think. Are you willing to be my ally or not?" Tyrion asked, cutting to the chase as he knew the Hound well enough to cut straight to the heart of the matter.

Sandor didn't particularly like the Imp but he was probably the best person at court, not a good man perhaps but the closest thing. He had managed to keep Joffrey's sadism in check to some degree and kept things stable so he would at least hear him out.

"I might." Sandor said with a guarded expression knowing this might be a test of his loyalty.

Tyrion nodded and the pair drank as the night wore on, both testing the other to see just where they stood and got thoroughly drunk but they both got what they wanted in the end. Sandor drank until he could not anymore and Tyrion had his man in the Kingsguard and more importantly, the only man who might stand a chance against the Mountain.


Pureborn Hall, Qarth, Essos…

Daenerys honestly felt like she was being led to her execution as she arrived at the place where the Pureborn would meet to discuss matters of business and running Qarth. The amount of people that were present only made it feel more like a public killing, they all lined the large hall. She saw not only the Pureborn though, many members of the merchant guilds were present too.

Some she definitely recognised from her aborted meeting with the Ancient Guild of Spicers, the ones who had collaborated with the Warlocks confirming her theory that this was just a set up. She pulled her sword out again and held it ready, the number of people around her made it plainly clear she would not be getting out of the room alive but she would take down as many of the bastards as she could before they got her Daenerys thought with fury.

A mass of shadows appeared and she held her sword ready but it landed ahead of her, keen to avoid the sword and why risk its own currently absent neck when it could have its followers disarm her for it? She thought disgust at the shadow which reformed into a skeletal man with skin stretched tightly over his bones and his lips were blue.

"See, I have brought you the Stormborn. Will you give me my reward?" Xaro said with a pressing look and the warlock sneered at him before he raised a hand which became surrounded by a sickly purple light. The others in the chamber all looked on confused but that failed to last as the purple light became a mass of sharp looking points that flew through the air, piercing and killing all of the gathered merchants and Pureborn present instantly.

As their bodies fell to the floor leaving Daenerys standing in the centre of the room with only Xaro's guards and Xaro himself around her. She blinked in surprise and was actually disgusted when Xaro told her and everyone that was present who still lived.

"I am King of Qarth." He said with triumph, Daenerys was revolted as she had been used by him to not only gain favour with the Warlocks but kill all of his rivals so he could lay claim to the title he apparently craved so much.

But the Warlock just snarled at him and Xaro immediately cowered away from him, making Daenerys smirk a little with satisfaction as regardless of what he chose to call himself, he was just a coward and a puppet. She would face death without fear and only hoped Drogo and their son would survive and prosper and just hated that she would never see it.

But just as the guards looked ready to charge her when Daenerys took what she assumed would be her final breath a stream of fire appeared in the room from the door not far away! It encircled her and struck the guards who were facing her and they screamed while burning away in the fierce fire that made even her sweat in the heat.

Daenerys could barely see through the intense glare made by the flames but as they died out, she saw to her great relief that help had indeed arrived.

"Quaithe!" She cried out in joyous surprise and although her mask and robes were damaged by what looked like a fairly intense fight, she was indeed alive.

"That I am, now though is not the time to be standing around gossiping." Quaithe told her sternly and turned to face the two remaining enemies in the room. Daenerys nodded and while still smiling as she was now much more confidence turned to Xaro.

"Well, it seems that your reign as 'King of Qarth' will be rather short." She taunted him with a vicious grin before advancing on him. Xaro was panicked and looked for someone to save him before crying out.

"KHALEESI PLEASE!"

But it didn't save him as Daenerys cut at his knees which made him fall to his knees before thrusting her sword through his mouth, twisting it for good measure.

Quaithe meanwhile was engaged in a duel of her own with the sole warlock, he had conjured a blade of his own and rather than trying to use his magic against her, they began to trade blows.

Quaithe was a surprisingly good swordswoman, precise and light on her feet but elegant in the ways that she moved. She was almost like a dancer as she moved around the warlock who realising she was better than he had thought began trying to use magic to blast her but in his complete focus on her, he had neglected to remember that Daenerys was also in the room.

So, he was unprepared when the young woman stabbed her sword straight through his back, he stilled and looked down to see the blade there and then dark blood escaped his mouth as he fell and she pulled her blade free.

Both Quaithe and Daenerys watched as he died, staring at him coldly before turning to each other.

"I thought you were dead." Daenerys said with relief that she had been wrong, Quaithe sighed.

"It was a hard fight I will admit but at the end I was the one still standing. Now, since the leadership of the city is in disarray, we should get you out of the city and then I will deal with the warlocks." Quaithe said with a tired voice that betrayed her weary she was.

A short while ago Daenerys would have jumped at that, she had been so eager to escape the city and return to her family but then she was struck with a surprising reluctance. She didn't want to leave just yet and all of it settled around just one thing.

"I can't let you face all of the warlocks on your own." Daenerys said with a stubbornness that would not budge on this issue. "I can fight and two against many is better than one against many. I may not be a sorceress like you, but the least I can do after you saved my life is help you now." Daenerys told her fiercely.

Quaithe stared quietly at her for a moment before laughing but not a dismissive laugh, instead it was actually quite light and actually joyous.

"Stubbornness is strong in the Targaryen Women, like quite a few of your forebearers I can see you will not be moved from this course. Very well, but bear in mind what we will face in there will be harsh and difficult. I have warned you, there is little else I can say beyond that." Quaithe said with a sudden seriousness and walked out of the room with Daenerys hot on her heels.


There we are, hope you all enjoyed it! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought.

More Review Responses…

angela340278 = I really appreciate you saying that!

Roza Dragomir Belikova, Guest, Mari Wollsch, orthankg1, Lawbringer, Puffgirl1952 the 2nd, grovepjp, KEZZ 1,frankieu, Jebest4781, Maiseuhlol, FicTIuNFaN = Thank you!

Poledra = It means a lot for people like yourself to say that! I always worry about making good stories.

MammonDaughter = Sorry about the repeat! I must have missed that myself! I am grateful though that you like the story.

Kilimeres = Sadly that might not be an option for her. I only swapped the gender as I had read a few stories of a male Stark with Harry but not many with a female Harry instead. Not Ginny in this story and Gendry is unfortunately not an option considering what we happen in the next few chapters.

rmw5763 = Thanks! I am glad to hear you have enjoyed it so far! I love to write and that you like the stories is a big deal to me! So again Thanks!

honesh = Pairing is a matter of contention, speaking for myself…I have a preference but will be careful.

raw666 = Cheers!

PhaedraZev = Thank you! I do appreciate you saying that!

Sky = I love that you like the stories! Hearing from people like yourself is awesome!

wayne = Perhaps, she is their sister after all and family means everything to them.

Guest = I see you know the lore well. Lamentation is an element I had forgotten about but it is unlikely to appear in the story.

dpx6101 = Oh I know what the Blood Eagle is, even used it in a previous story. I might consider it for the future.

KalisB21 = It means a lot to hear you like the story. Meera's pairing is a matter I have debated and I have an idea as it might be best option for her given where she is going.

MalSer = It would be a wise move, but then would we have a story if they didn't?

Drakena = She is getting there, she still has a bit to learn though and she will need it.

Luna Lightblade = Indeed, the Iron Born brought it on themselves. Their culture needs to change and change is never quiet nor easy. They will not forget this in a hurry.

E3roa = It is probably the only thing Tywin would value enough to pursue Lanna instead.

chibichibi98 = I have been quite lenient with Olenna in the past but in this one she is I think truer to her character in the books and show. She is a game player and manipulator, who goes after what she wants regardless of the cost which ultimately led to her downfall. Shireen is a smart girl, I hated what the show did to her and hope to do her justice and her decisions will be important soon. Stannis is a harsh man but the show in his last season really messed his character up. Shireen is all he has after all; he would value her above all. I know the three of them are not players in the game but would love to commiserate together. Thanks! I am hoping to keep the story good.

X

Next Chapter - The Iron Islands Arc closes and a new one begins as Tywin and Cersei make their moves.