Here we are then, part 2 of the Assault on King's Landing. I'll keep this intro just as short as I'm sure most just want to dive into the chapter.
I own nothing but the OC's, everyone and everything else is the property of HBO and/or George R R Martin.
Actually flying atop a dragon was a feeling that would never be beaten for Lucerys, but freefalling was a close second. As he plummeted down from the top of Maegor's Holdfast his senses were in overload. His ears bursting with the sound of the wind roaring around him, his heart seemed to be beating ferociously, threatening to burst out of his chest as he fell. Time seemed to slow too, and it was only the sight of the ever-enlarging ground that stopped the King from calling out in celebration.
And then, as if in an instant, it was over. Large claws hoisted him out of the air, and soon Luke was in the grips of Valaxes, soaring higher and higher over the city. Mentally thanking his dragon, the King took a moment to compose himself before he began the slow climb up the dragon's legs, carefully grabbing on to whatever spike he could reach before hoisting himself up to his usual seat. Grinning, the King took a moment to look around. Daenerys was slowly circling around the Red Keep atop Viserion warningly, while from the height Luke could only just about make out the blacks and reds of his forces racing towards his castle.
His freedom gave the King a chance to think back on the last fortnight, and anger at both the Spider and Mace Tyrell boiled to the surface, spilling out in a low growl that came from Valaxes. "Are you ready to make them pay?" Luke snarled in his native tongue. Valaxes returned that with a blood curdling shriek that as far as Luke was aware could have been heard in nearby Rosby. "Down, Valaxes! Burn the traitors!" Luke shouted, and the black and crimson dragon did as commanded, swooping down towards the closed gates that stood in the way of his loyal men. Once they were hovering over the gates, Luke took a look at the defenders, noticing that instead of his usual guards, all of the men atop the gatehouse were in Tyrell armour. Scowling, Luke muttered a simple command. "Dracarys."
Valaxes bellowed and out streamed a torrent of orange flames. The gates exploded inwards and Luke could hear the screams of dying Reachmen. Smirking at the sight he wanted to push onwards and punish all those that had betrayed him, but Valaxes quickly shifted and Luke heard the low thud of a spear clatter against the dragon's scales. The King then realised his attire, a plain white undershirt and basic breeches, and he wasn't even wearing boots, instead his bare feet were resting against Valaxes' back.
Growling in frustration, Luke knew that he couldn't go charging in without armour or weapons, and so he pulled Valaxes upwards, veering away from the Red Keep as he allowed his men to charge through the breach, and instead Luke made for Blackwater Bay. Only one ship was burning, something that the King in his red mist was eager to change. Swooping down low so that Valaxes' claws were dancing along the water, Luke called out again. "DRACARYS!"
The nearest Redwyne ship erupted into dragon fire, and the screams were back. Luke grinned as he moved along to the next ship, the same occurrence happening once again. Four more Redwyne ships were engulfed before Luke spotted the recognisable Arbor Queen, and he pushed Valaxes closer to the Redwyne Flagship to make a statement by destroying it, before a separate roar was sounded to the west.
Luke turned and saw Viserion racing towards him at pace, pushing past Valaxes and circling around the Arbor Queen. Luke thought that they would be attacking from either side and was ready with his command, but the Targaryen patriarch was surprised to see Viserion hover over the Redwyne flagship, protective of the wooden vessel.
Despite the wind and the flames, Luke could hear his sister over all of the noise. "THEY SURRENDERED!"
"THEY ARE TRAITORS! EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM!" Luke roared back.
"MACE TYRELL IS THE TRAITOR, LUKE!" Dany pleaded. Slowly edging Viserion closer so that they could speak more easily. "FOCUS YOUR RAGE ON HIM! WE WILL GO TO THE CITY TOGETHER! YOU AND I!"
Luke was caught. His rage wanted him to continue his assault and destroy everything that had stood against him, but he could see Dany was unmoving and looking willing to stand her ground violently if needed, and all of his lessons on dragon combat came flooding back. He let out a guttural scream that had all of his frustration on show, with Valaxes following suit and making a similar noise, before Luke called out. "To the Dragonpit, Valaxes!" And he held on to the dragon's back spikes as they jolted back towards the city, plumes of smoke in their wake.
High up in Maegor's Holdfast Queen Margaery had done just as her husband had requested. She had retrieved her son and raced to her own rooms, only slightly surprised to see her Grandmother there staring out of the window.
"Lord Oaf has doomed us." Olenna stated glumly. "The girl is here, with her dragon."
Margaery knew, but actually seeing the cream and gold beast flying around Blackwater Bay with one ship already aflame scared her more than she would ever admit to anybody else. "What will happen now?" She whispered.
Olenna scoffed. "Your Father is dead, that much is certain. Then it all depends on His Grace's mercy. Do not surprised to see Florent's and Oakheart's and the like all converging on the Capital in anticipation…" She shook her head. "Three hundred years of needing to be careful and Lord Oaf throws it all away because of a bastard."
Margaery frowned. "He's worried about a new Blackfyre…"
"Do you really believe that the girl will raise him with that sort of entitlement?" Olenna raised an eyebrow. "She is dedicated to both Lucerys and the daughter…" The Queen of Thorns paused. "Though if she wed the bastard to the girl…" Her eyes widened in horror at the thought of what that could bring the realm.
Margaery froze too at that thought. "I won't see Aegon replaced." She stated firmly.
"My dear, we may not have a choice." Olenna chuckled grimly. "We must use everything we have now. Consider your Father gone from us, now we must throw everything we have behind the King. House Tyrell must survive."
Margaery nodded, holding her son closer to her body as she hugged him fiercely. They both looked out once more, only to see that the River Gate was smoking and a black shadow was racing towards the Red Keep. "Valaxes…" Margaery whispered.
"His Grace has grown weary of watching." Olenna surmised. "His connection to that beast is unnatural."
Margaery agreed again, she had been in the dragons presence enough to know that the bond between dragon and rider was more than anybody could possibly understand. She looked down at Aegon fearfully, thankful in a way that his egg was still refusing to hatch. "Gods be good you will never need worry about dragons, my love." She kissed his hair. "Else my heart will stop out of fright."
"He's escaped." Olenna commented, and Margaery looked out over the city again to see that Luke was currently climbing up Valaxes' leg.
A year or so past and there might have been a small part of Margaery that would have seen him fall, to end this needless insurrection quickly and to have Aegon as the undisputed King of the Seven Kingdom's. That was before she knew what was coming, and before she felt indescribable feelings for her husband despite everything that they had put one another through. "Don't you die on me, Luke." She whispered, before crying out in pain. She quickly handed Aegon over to her Grandmother as her hands raced to her belly. "No, no it is too soon." She whispered, tears fleeing her eyes as she looked up at her worried Grandmother. "Grandmother…"
Fluid gushed from her legs with a pop, and Olenna's face grew more alarmed. She moved Aegon over to another room before rushing back and banging on the locked doors. "Fetch the Maester!" She told one of her two twin guards, Margaery didn't know which. "The Queen is having her baby!"
The King's intervention at the gates left a bitter taste in Barristan's mouth as he saw the remnants of the burned Tyrell defenders, though the old man was also thankful for not needing to lose dozens, if not hundreds of his own men in storming the gates. The breach had given the Targaryen and Velaryon forces easy access inside the boundary of the Red Keep, but it had also demoralised the vast majority of the Tyrell men that had survived the dragon flames. Three had continued the fight, but when their bodies dropped to the floor it started a mass surrender.
Barristan let out a breath of relief at that as he quickly took his helm off to wipe the sweat from his brow, placing the steel back on his head quickly however. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard then looked over at the shut wooden doors that led to the main castle.
"Lord Tyrell is in command inside." A Tyrell prisoner had explained when Barristan had told him to open the gates. "We can't."
And so the Kingsguard Knight had needed to wait while a ram was brought into the courtyard, and the slow thudding of wood on wood was the loudest sound, drowning out Lord Velaryon taking stock of all the prisoners and separating them from their weapons. Finally after what seemed like an age, the doors splintered.
The Tyrell's had prepared however and raced out in their numbers, cutting down the men wielding the ram quickly. Barristan's sword was out in a flash as he rallied his men. "Form up!" He called moments before the first armoured Reachman clattered into him, before Barristan's sword met the man's throat.
The fighting was fierce, but the White Cloak of the Kingsguard knight danced through those that looked to oppose him. Men fell in their dozens to his sword as he fought his way to the doors of the Red Keep, and more fell inside the building too as the Stormlander pushed his way through to the room he had spent days stood in silently, guarding over the Iron Throne at the far end.
Mace Tyrell was stood there surrounded by his own personal guard, and eve through the man's helm Barristan could see fear. "My Lord, your rebellion is at an end. Surrender to me now, and you shall be treated fairly."
The Lord Paramount simply scoffed. "The realm has seen King Lucerys for who he truly is, Ser! A whoremongering tyrant! I shall not go so meekly, and if I am dead at Lucerys' hands the Reach shall rise up for Aegon!"
"The bells are ringing, My Lord, the castle has surrendered!" Barristan cried out. "Do not be the cause for more unnecessary bloodshed." All that followed the Kingsguard's pleas however was the unsheathing of swords.
"He's mad." Barristan heard the Lord of Driftmark mutter beside him, and the White Cloak noted that he had been reinforced by dozens of Driftmark men. "Capture Lord Tyrell, kill anyone else that tries to fight back." The Master of Ships ordered. "Any that surrender are not to be harmed."
The difference in numbers was obvious after the fighting was done. Blood dripped from the blades of Barristan and Lord Velaryon's men, while Monford himself had disarmed the Lord of Highgarden and was leading him away. "Take him to the dungeons, place him in a cell that befits his station." Barristan stated.
"He deserves the Black Cells." Monford grumbled. "But as you say, Lord Commander."
"We must also secure the Queen." Barristan thought out loud.
Monford was halfway out the door, but he looked over at one of his searjents. "Ser Keren, secure Her Grace."
The man bowed and left with a dozen men, and as the footsteps receded, Barristan breathed out heavily. "I'm not as young as I once was." He stated to nobody but himself as he made his way over to one of the large supports and leant on it, catching his breath as the castle began its surrender.
The two dragon riders landed at the Dragonpit, where the King had managed to find some basic armour that fit and a castle forged steel sword along with a pair of horses for the ride up to the Red Keep, a journey that allowed Daenerys to explain everything that had happened. She told him how Lord Velaryon had been whoring at the time of the Tyrell coup and had managed to escape the city and sail to Dragonstone in order to warn her, and how they quickly raised a host from both Dragonstone and Driftmark to come and rescue him. Then it was Luke's turn to explain, speaking on how Varys was the mastermind behind the Sparrows, and had unwillingly set Mace Tyrell on the path of treason. Both Targaryen's were scowling and angry as they reached the gates of the Red Keep, happy to see a small host of Tyrell soldiers knelt by the Red Keep walls in surrender as the bells were ringing inside the castle.
"Ser Barristan raced into the Throne Room, Your Grace." One man sporting the Velaryon sea horse on his armour explained after Luke had asked around to see what the situation was.
Luke thanked the man and ran inside his castle. Inside was a host of bodies from both sides, and as he turned the corner of the Throne Room he saw his Lord Commander lifting bodies himself and moving them over to a corner. "Your Grace." The elderly knight said quickly, falling to one knee once he saw the King had arrived. "The Red Keep is yours once again. Lord Tyrell is being escorted to the dungeons as we speak."
Hearing of his goodfather brought a fresh bout of anger to Luke, and it was only the soft touch of his sister on his shoulder that kept him calm. "Lord Tyrell shall face his justice." Dany insisted. "For now we need to go through the damage we have caused and find a way to quickly repair the gates."
The full extent of the day began to bear down on Luke as he moved over to the nearby pillar and sat down. "Seven Hells…" He whispered, rubbing his temples with his hands. "This was all so needless."
"It's not your fault." Dany said softly, sitting down beside him. "This is on Mace Tyrell, not you."
He appreciated the comment, but it left a bitter taste in Luke's mouth. "If only that were true, sister." He sighed. "And now what do I do? The Tyrell's have been undermining me for years and yet to root them out, I risk our fragile peace with both the Reach and the Faith if I try and end my marriage."
"That is something you can't do." Dany insisted, a statement which both relieved and disappointed Luke at the same time. "I have no love for any Tyrell, but they are powerful and numerous. With Winter coming, we need them."
"And there is my problem." Luke laughed. "If I am too harsh with my punishment, I risk dooming my people by causing a schism with the Reach. If I am too lenient? Then I risk more uprisings."
"You will figure it out." Dany stated. "But for now your blood is riled, wait for it to calm before you make a judgement you cannot back down from."
Luke agreed, and he was about to voice that opinion when he heard heavy footsteps running towards them. It was a Velaryon soldier that came speeding through the doorway. "Your Grace! Your Grace!"
"What is it?" Luke asked.
"The Queen! She's in her labours!"
Swearing lightly, he looked at Dany pleadingly, wanting her to tell him what to do. "It's too early…" He whispered out loud.
"Go and be with your wife." She insisted before waving around at the blood-stained Throne Room. "I will handle all this, your child needs you, as does its mother."
He could sense there was more in her words than she would let on as he thought on Daeron, but he didn't stay stood still for more than a few seconds before he was once again running, though this time he was racing towards Margaery's chambers, praying that the early labour wasn't an ill omen.
When he arrived at Margaery's rooms he spotted a tense stand-off between Ser Keren of Driftmark and the Queen of Thorns herself.
"I don't care if Lord Velaryon ordered our cooperation, the Queen is in labour!" Olenna shrieked at the top of her lungs. "You can go and bugger off until it is over."
"My Lady…" The Driftmark knight began, but Luke pushed his way through the Driftmark soldiers, surprising Ser Keren. "Your Grace… we were…"
"I know what you were doing, Ser." Luke nodded. "There is no need. Go and join Ser Barristan and aid with the clean up, I can take it from here." Ser Keren didn't need to be told twice, bowing his head and walking away with such speed that he was almost jogging. Luke kept his eyes on the Queen of Thorns, staring at her coldly. "Swear to me that you had no part in this."
"I swear, on the lives of all I hold dear." Olenna stated. "This was Mace, and Mace alone. I only returned to limit his damage…" A prolonged scream came from inside the room. "But that is unimportant now, the baby is early."
Luke was well aware, and he simply nodded, pushing past both Left and Right and bursting through the door to see Grand Maester Gormon in between the legs of the Queen, pulling a small form away from her as the screams of the newborn took over.
"A girl, My Queen." The Grand Maester exclaimed over the noise as he made to sever the chord and wrap the baby up. It was only then that the Grand Maester spotted Lucerys. "Your Grace… the Queen has birthed a girl."
"Is she alright?" Luke asked, not bothered about which the Maester thought he meant.
"She will need close monitoring." The Grand Maester explained. "There are numerous risks to babies born early, but she shall have the best care."
"See to it." Luke ordered, as he rounded the bed to see his wife. She was red faced and her eyes were tear stained, but Luke helped her to sit carefully as the Grand Maester handed Margaery the small bundle. Luke smiled as he saw the screaming face of his daughter, noticing the small tufts of white hair atop her head. He stroked the baby's cheek as Margaery held her, happy that the contact seemed to calm her down. "She is beautiful." Luke whispered.
"Is it over?" Margaery asked weakly.
Luke nodded. "It is." Was all he said.
Margaery sighed contently. "I had hoped for another boy… I have no girls name picked." She whispered.
Luke had had plenty of time in captivity to think on that however. "Saella." He said softly. "Born on the precipice of Winter, and a tribute to mine own mother. She will be Princess Saella."
"Saella." Margaery repeated with a smile. "Hello sweetling."
"A fine name." Olenna stated from nearby, and Luke looked up to see that the old woman had Aegon with her, the boy having woken up properly and was looking at his mother with concern.
"Come, Aegon." Luke called, gesturing for his son and heir to join him. "Come and meet your sister."
Aegon did as asked, with Luke helping him up to sit on Margaery's bed. "Gently." Margaery warned, moving the bundle so that Aegon could look in. "She is very delicate."
As the little Prince spoke his first words to his younger sister, Luke pulled away slightly to take a step back and remember the scene in front of him. It brought a smile to his face as he watched Margaery move the bundle into Aegon's lap, a smile that quickly faded when the whispers of Olenna Tyrell were heard. "I will not ask for mercy, but this is what my foolish son was trying to protect." She told him.
"And in doing so, risked it more than it had ever been risked before." Luke whispered back. "I cannot forgive this, My Lady."
"No, you should not." Olenna admitted. "But… in times like this… perhaps he does not need to die."
Luke frowned and turned on the elder woman. "If I do not execute those guilty of treason, then I will incite more."
"Perhaps in normal times." Olenna nodded. "But Winter is coming, and from what I hear, the dead come with it. Would a Lord Paramount not be a wise addition to the front lines of defence?"
"The time for your sons punishment will come, My Lady." Luke stated coldly. "If you'll forgive me, I wish to spend time with my daughter."
Olenna bowed her head. "Of course, of course." She backed down, speaking a farewell to Margaery that Luke paid no attention to however, as the seed had been planted in his head, and the thought of the White Walker's reared its ugly head once more.
And Mace Tyrell's folly is brought to a swift and explosive end… although Luke's anger got the best of him here and more people died than needed too, something which will have an impact on the repercussions for sure.
Two things I wanted to show off here was the feelings of both Margaery and Olenna towards the whole thing, as well as how Luke's bloodlust and anger can be tempered by his new child as well as the thought of the future. Targaryen's throughout history have done plenty of insane things because of prophecy and the dread of the future, something compounded by the first episode of House of the Dragon and Aegon's prophecy, Luke isn't immune to that. Now his focus has to be on patching up the divisions in order to mount a full defence against the White Walkers.
I say 'Saella' like 'Say-lla'. The name is a mix of Sōnar (Winter) and Rhaella.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
Next time: Luke mourns Jon and holds trials for the traitors, while a strange petition is brought before Robb Stark…
Reviews:
FangRu: Well thankfully you aren't King, or the civil war you're overseeing would be insanely bloodthirsty…
Guest (marry): No, I've stated that enough times now.
RHatch89: It's a shame for Mace because he's added 2 and 2 to make 200 and really escalated it beyond salvation.
Zhorvak: That would have been an interesting turn of events for sure haha!
Dragons Dance: There's still a little way to go until the end, I'm not going to make it that simple…