A Game of Thrones: In the Land of Monsters!
First Arc-Episode Three
Introduction
NED HAD A sense of dread when he rode into Winterfell a Moon later for the last two Moons; the small Wildling invasion had caused trouble to two more houses and lands. The Wildlings harrassed many farms and villages, killed the men and stole the women along with children; these Wildlings were a clan of cannibals from the Ice River beyond the Wall.
Lord Stark along with Houses Mormont, Glover and Karstark managed to find the Wildlings; they slaughtered the Wildlings and burned the bodies later. House Mormont took the women and children to Bear Island to help heal them from the trauma, and help them find work.
Eddard Stark wanted to be home with his family; but when he finally rode into Winterfell and saw his family, he quickly noticed someone missing. Lyarra Snow may not be allowed to stand with her siblings; he could always sense her standing among the castle staff.
His wife, Catelyn, looked radiant in her pregnancy with their fourth child; but Ser Rodrik Cassel stood near with a scowl on his face. Robb held Arya now a toddler as he and Sansa stood a distance from their Mother, and they were both upset about something.
But it was his wife's face that froze Lord Stark from embracing her; she looked angry, scared and worried about something.
"Is something wrong?" Eddard asked as he embraced his children instead.
Little Arya snuggled into her Father's embrace with a squeal of: "Papa!"
Ned hugged his youngest daughter but he was still worried...
"Lya's gone, Papa;" said Sansa upset as she clung to her Father's leg and Robb added equally upset but also angry: "It's Mother's fault; she sold Lya to Yunkai!"
"Robb Stark, you do not tell lies to your Lord Father;" scolded Lady Stark almost sternly, "the bastard finally decided to run away at last. She was nothing but a burden and a disgrace to House Stark; she can follow in the footsteps of the whore who birthed her!"
"Lyarra Snow is only seven namedays old,Lady Stark;" said Ser Rodrik in anger and Robb added in agreement: "I saw Septa Mordane with a group of six men wearing Tully colors took Lya out of Winterfell in a wagon and they returned without her. Instead there were two trunks in the wagon and Mother had the trunks open to show gold dragons.
Theon was with me and we followed Mother leading her men into the Godswood where they buried the trunks. We even overheard her tell Septa Mordane that the buried sixty million gold dragons will be used as part of the dowries for Sansa and Arya when they're old enough to marry!"
"Theon Greyjoy;" said Lord Stark as the young Ironborn quickly stepped forward, "Is what my son said true?"
"Yes, Lord Stark, Robb spoke true and the two trunks that hold sixty million gold dragons is still buried in the Godswood;" replied Theon solemnly. "I also overheard Septa Mordane tell Lady Stark that she should start converting the North to follow the Faith of the Seven starting with her children and begin planning to destroy the Godswood, and eradicating the worship of the Old Gods!"
Lady Catelyn Tully Stark went pale as she felt the sudden shift of anger aimed at her and her Riverland servants...
Act One
Lyarra Snow was regaining consciousness; she was resting against something warm and breathing. A wet nose was nudging her followed by a tongue licking her left cheek; that woke her up and Lya sat up with a startled gasp.
It took her a moment to realize that she was no longer in the warehouse nor White Harbor or even in the North. Lyarra was in a holding room of a ship and she wasn't alone; a pair of wolves the near size of horses stayed close to her.
Lya realized these wolves were direwolves; the living symbols of House Stark and living myths of the North,no one has ever seen direwolves south of the Wall not since the time House Stark bore the titles of the Winter Kings and Kings in the North. There was even another pair of direwolves nearby keeping watch of the door to the holding room.
Lyarra guessed the pair watching the door were male and the two females were keeping her warm as the room was cold. The she-wolf that Lya was laying against was black with a white mark between her eyes and winter blue eyes.
Her mate was reddish brown like dried blood and had warm gold eyes. The other she-wolf was silver grey with green eyes and her mate was wintery grey with wise grey eyes.
The direwolves kept Lya warm, comfortable and company; they caught and ate rats that found their way into the room. It wasn't much but it kept the wolves from starving; Lya found a satchel filled with some food and a skin of water.
There was dried fruit, jerky, flatbread and a orange; Lyarra ate the orange and couple pieces of dried fruit. The jerky she gave to the wolves as they needed the meat more than her.
Soon someone came to get her from the holding room and the four direwolves took up protective stances around Lya; keeping her in the center of the circle. The man who entered was surprised to find the girl being protected by the wolves his Master had caught during his brief exploring in the Far North of Westeros.
"My Master, the Great and Wise, Gizhan mo Kasnar wants you cleaned and presented to him;" said the slave eyeing the wolves warily.
The direwolves looked to the Snow girl and as one shook their heads; telling her it was a bad idea and Lyarra said as she ran her hand on the she-wolf on her right: "The wolves tell me not to trust your Master and have become protective of me!"
"Master Gizhan mo Kasnar will not be pleased to be disobeyed;" spoke the slave in fear and Lya asked curiously: "Will Master Gizhan mo Kasnar allow the direwolves to accompany me?"
"I will deliver your question;" said the slave in worry as he left.
Act Two
Gizhan mo Kasnar was lounging on deck of his ship theSea Harpy; when his body slave Vandis came and fell to his knees to crawl to his Master's feet. Kissing his Master's feet in reverence and keeping his eyes lowered; Vandis rested on his heels before speaking.
"āeksio;" said Vandis in slight fear, "se izula zokla ao captured isse se frozen tolmiot sōnia mīsagon se hāedar ao ēdan sindita syt se wise āeksia!"
"Se hāedar iksos nykeā bastard naejot se uēpa lentor hen zokla;" said Gizhan amused, "se beasts līs sense zȳhon hae kin!"
"Se hāedar asks lo se zokla kostagon accompany zȳhon?" Vandis said glancing up through his eyelashes.
"Ivestragī se zokla māzigon rūsīr se hāedar;" spoke Gizhan dismissively, "yn mazverdagon sure ziry iksos properly cleaned se dressed syt issa naejot ūndegon!"
"Nyke jāhor ivestragon zȳhon bona se zokla issi allowed naejot māzigon rūsīr zȳhon se emagon se hāedar prepared syt aōha sight, āeksio!" Vandis said as he kissed his Master's feet again and crawled away.
Gizhan mo Kasnar watched his body slave leave for the holding room where the Snow girl was kept with the four direwolves. He was fascinated with the North of Westeros especially the Far North beyond the Wall.
He researched what he could about the North and who ruled it ever since Gizhan was a boy. His family bought a captured Wildling woman as a slave; she was caught in a boat with three others who didn't make it.
She was kissed by fire and she was a spearwife; Gizhan's Father used the Wildling woman in the Fighting Pits, she became known as Red Sonja and she rose to be the most famous fighter throughout the Slaver's Bay. Gizhan's Father made a fortune from Sonja's pit fights and raised the family into nobility.
As a child; young Gizhan asked Red Sonja about the Far North beyond the Wall and she told him of the Giants who still roam the land with their mammoth herds, the greenseers who served their Clans and Tribes as seers and the who can see and heard through, and control animals. Gizhan mo Kasnar began studying the North, the Wall, the Night's Watch and the Far North beyond the Wall.
He learned of House Stark; how they conquered the North and ruled as the Winter Kings until House Targaryen came, and the last Winter King gave up his crown rather letting the North fall to dragon fire. Gizhan also came across the story of the Warg King who fell to the Winter Kings and his daughters were wedded into House Stark as war brides.
Hence why Gizhan travels to the Far North of the Wall; he hoped to capture a Giant or maybe a warg and sell them in Slaver's Bay. But he couldn't find neither until he came upon two pairs of direwolves and caught them instead.
Then he received a message from the Wise Masters of Yunkai and the two trunks holding sixty million gold dragons; Gizhan learned that the lawful wife of Lord Stark wants to sell her husband's bastard. He bought the girl on the Wise Master's behalf, laid her with the direwolves and they were already bonding upon waking; it was a sight to see.
Act Three
Lyarra Snow had taken the time to name the adult direwolves rather calling each one "Hey You" would be insulting. The black she-wolf with the white mark and winter blue eyes was named Frostfyre, and her mate the reddish brown male was named Timber.
The silver grey she-wolf with green eyes was named Ice in honor of the Valyrian Sword Ice and the wintery grey male with the wise grey eyes was named Sky. The direwolves took to their names very well; the room was big enough for the wolves to pace around and it wasn't long until Lya had mounted Sky, and she was riding him around the room.
The was the sight Vandis came to when he entered the room and saw the Snow girl riding one of the wolves like a horse. The direwolves soon took notice of the slave and became protective of their newest pack member.
"My Master is granting your request to have the wolves with you;" said Vandis as Lyarra hopped off Sky, "please follow me. Master Gizhan mo Kasnar wants you bathed and given a change of clothes before being brought to him!"
Lya followed the man down the hall with four direwolves following her; there were doors to other holding room. She was led to the second level of the ship used by the Master for his comfort and luxury.
She was led into a room with a drawn bath still steaming with rose petals, lavender and lilies floating on the water. Women were stepping forth as Vandis left; the four direwolves stood watch outside.
The women stripped the Snow girl of her dress and small clothes; they washed her body throughly before Lyarra was bade to soak in the bath. One woman throughly washed her hair and rinsed with some of the water from the bath.
Lya was dried before a sheer gauzy-like silk dress was draped about her young seven year old body; her long black hair was combed and brushed until the gold, amber, and ember tints shone. Left barefoot; Vandis returned and led Lyarra Snow to the deck, the four direwolves flanked her once they were on the deck.
Act Four
The wind blowing on the deck was nice but it wasn't the same as the wind that blew in the North of Westeros and Lya was already feeling homesick. She didn't know why she was taken from home and placed on this ship nor did she understand the reason.
Lyarra was led to a pavilion where Gizhan mo Kasnar sat lounging; it was Ice who leaned her body into the young girl's side for comfort. The Snow girl scratched the she-wolf's next before approaching her kidnapper for that was what the man was, he kidnapped her from the North after drugging her and she wanted answers.
"You want answers;" said Gizhan as he sipped his wine, "ask your questions!"
"Why did you kidnap me?" Lya asked as she stayed close to the wolves.
"Kidnap you...oh no, sweet northern flower;" he answered charmingly. "The Lady of Winterfell, Lady Stark, sold you to Yunkai for sixty million gold dragons!"
The Snow girl felt like a rug had been pulled from under her feet; Lady Catelyn Tully Stark broke the law by selling her into slavery.
"Why?" She blurted out in shock.
"Because you're a bastard and a threat to House Stark;" replied Gizhan simply, "Lady Stark saw you as a burden, you were a shame to her honor and she wanted you gone. The Mockingbird, Petyr Baelish, was the one who negotiated on her behalf; he was given a finder's fee of ten thousand gold dragons!"
"My Father, Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North won't stop looking for me;" said Lyarra Snow. "Slavery is against the law in Westeros; the punishment is death!"
"Lord Stark won't punish his lawful wife, he'll thank her for freeing him from disgrace and will forget you in time;" said the slaver mockingly. "The sixty million gold dragons will be useful; Lord Stark will mourn you but he'll move on and do his duty to his family!"
"You know nothing about my Father;" spoke Lya definently, "he loved my Mother more than Lady Catelyn Tully. Father married his trout wife out of duty but he loves his children equally!"
"Yet it's Catelyn Tully who is now Lady Stark and she is thelegal wife to Lord Stark;" explained Gizhan mo Kasnar matter of fact, "it is Lady Stark who bears thelegal children who bear the Stark name. While you areonly a Snow, a bastard born out of wedlock, you willnever make a proper marriage unlike yourtrueborn siblings!"
"I know Father loves me;" said Lyarra hesitantly, "he saved me from death when my birthmother committed suicide by jumping from a tower in Dorne!"
"Helied about loving you;" spoke Gizhan as he stood up, "Lord Stark may have saved you from joining your Mother in death. But he wasn't given much choice in taking you in and raising you along side histrue family; you have been a burden upon House Stark since!"
Lyarra Snowknew her parents loved each other; her Mother, Ashara Dayne, gave into depression that she had after Lya had been born. Ashara fought her depression until Eddard Stark revealed his marriage to Catelyn Tully and the birth of his heir broke her.
"You better give up the notion of being rescued, Winter Flower, we are sailing West of the Sunset Sea;" explained Kasnar in arrogance, "no one is going to save you once we make our way to Yunkai. The Wise Masters paid a lot of gold for you and you will be trained in the ways of the seven sighs, and the sixteen seats of pleasure; you will also be trained in the dances to seduce, arouse and allure!"
Act Five
Lya has lost count in how long she has been on theSea Harpy; Frostfyre, Timber, Ice and Sky were her constant companions. She had dreamed of her second brother being born; he too will be kissed by fire and have eyes of water.
She also dreamed of Lady Stark; the woman thought that what she was right, she was protecting her family and she hated her husband's bastard. Lya also felt her heart break that despite her Father still searching for her; he had a duty to the North.
Another night Lyarra had a strange dream about a lithe, attractive woman with blue skin and a body made of ice and snow. She had long free-flowing white hair; she wore a fine, thickly furred gown and frost swirled around her.
"Come, my child of winter, come and serve me;" said the woman as she beckoned. "Become my Daughter of Frost, Mother of Wolves, Lady Winter...My Paladin!"
Lya woke with a gasp and shivering from a sudden cold; she left her cot and went to the direwolves who laid grouped together. Timber and Sky moved slightly as the young girl entered the center of the circle; the wolves snuggled close as she laid among them, her head resting on Ice and the Snow girl fell asleep warm once more.
The storm came out of nowhere and it drove theSea Harpy further West; everyone took shelter below deck and the slaves were chained, and locked within their holding rooms. The storm lasted for days and there seemed to be no end as the ship was roughly rocked, and nearly was sunk into the sea.
The room was filling with water; Lya and the four direwolves were getting soaked as more water seeped through the cracks. The wolves managed to break the door down and herded Lyarra Snow to the deck; every door they passed came voices in prayer begging for mercy, for a quick death or to be set free.
There was nothing she could do but keep moving; the second floor was drier and held better until Snow opened the door to the deck, and water came pouring in. The sound of thunder hissed like fire, lightning flash was bright to light the sky, the wind howled like a pack of wolves and the rain lashed everywhere.
Lightning flashed revealing land in the distance; Ice, Sky, Frostfyre and Timber howled as one into the storm. Lya clung to Timber; the dress she wore had become drenched, see-through and it clung to her body.
She prayed to any God that would hear her to save her and the direwolves from the slave ship, send her and the wolves to land alive. A large wave came down upon and destroyed the ship; all on board were killed except Lyarra Snow and the four direwolves.
Her prayers were answered as she and the wolves were carried unconscious to land by Mer, and laid upon the beach of the new land...Thaczil!
Valyrian Translation
āeksio; se izula zokla ao captured isse se frozen tolmiot sōnia mīsagon se hāedar ao ēdan sindita syt se wise āeksia: Master; the four wolves you captured in the frozen Far North protect the girl you bought for the Wise Masters
Se hāedar iksos nykeā bastard naejot se uēpa lentor hen zokla; se beasts līs sense zȳhon hae kin: The girl is a bastard to the Ancient House of the Wolf; the beasts must sense her as kin
Se hāedar asks lo se zokla kostagon accompany zȳhon: The girl asks if the wolves can accompany her
Ivestragī se zokla māzigon rūsīr se hāedar; yn mazverdagon sure ziry iksos properly cleaned se dressed syt issa naejot ūndegon: Let the wolves come with the girl; but make sure she is properly cleaned and dressed for me to see
Nyke jāhor ivestragon zȳhon bona se zokla issi allowed naejot māzigon rūsīr zȳhon se emagon se hāedar prepared syt aōha sight, āeksio: I will tell her that the wolf are allowed to come with her and have the girl prepared for your sight, Master