Chapter 57: Incredible

The portal closed behind him and the first thing that hit him was the heat. It was sweltering. Tyrion wiped at his brow and frowned. The sun was staring right at him, and the rays were causing his head to feel fuzzy.

"Come, let us find some shade." The woman said. She walked away from where the portal had been and toward what appeared to be an abandoned hut. Tyrion followed her and asked.

"Where are we?"

The woman didn't answer immediately, instead, when they got to the hut, she started moving her hands, Tyrion could see faint ripples in the air as she did whatever she was doing.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Setting protections." The woman replied.

"Why?" He asked.

"To make sure nobody overhears us." The woman answered.

Tyrion frowned. The woman finished with whatever she was doing and then she looked at him. In the bright sunshine, he could see that her skin was worn and weathered, her eyes were bright, a lilac sort of colour maybe, or perhaps purple? Her hair was silvery.

"Who are you?" He asked.

The woman smiled. "I am known by many names; many people have called me many things. You may know me as Quaithe."

Tyrion frowned, the name sounded familiar somehow, but he couldn't place where he'd heard it exactly. "And where have you brought me?"

"We are on the outskirts of Astapor." The woman said. "In a land that is neither here nor there. But where darkness lurks."

"Why Astapor?" Tyrion asked.

"Because this is where the woman who will shape your future is." Quaithe replied.

"Who is this woman?" He asked.

"Daenerys Targaryen, daughter of King Aerys." Quaithe said.

Tyrion felt his eyes widen. "And why would the Mad King's daughter want anything to do with me? My father is part of the reason she isn't sat in Westeros right now."

"Because she needs your guidance and she has been expecting you." Quaithe said.

"How?" Tyrion asked, how would the girl know he would be coming to her when even he hadn't known that he'd be coming here?

"I have told her to expect some help, and you are to be that help. You are going to advise her about Westeros, about the people who dominate it and who she should approach as allies. Her current advisor, Ser Jorah Mormont is compromised by his feelings for her. But you, you are not someone who will forget his ambition." Quaithe said.

"And what exactly is my ambition?" Tyrion asked, though he knew full well what it was and had always known what it was.

"To be Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West. Your family won't give it to you, but she will." Quaithe answered.

Tyrion thought on that, the hilarity of helping a Targaryen reclaim the throne when it had been his father who had pushed them off it was too much. "Very well, are we going to her now?"

Quaithe shook her head. "Not yet, we shall wait for her to venture to Meereen."

Tyrion frowned. "Why is she going to Meereen if she wants to retake the throne of Westeros? She does know that she is going in the wrong way doesn't she?"

Quaithe smiled. "She feels compelled to free the slaves of Slaver's Bay. It is building her quite the following and an army. Your duty is to make sure she does not get tied down there. She must remember that Westeros is her destiny."

"And you think I'll be able to convince her?" Tyrion asked.

Quaithe nodded. "After all, you drink and know things."

Tyrion laughed.

The throne room was alive with activity, the coronation had gone off without an issue and now they were celebrating. The Iron Throne towered above them, but Robb and Myrcella were sat in two golden thrones just below the steps. Lord Tywin was sat to Myrcella's right, whilst Bran was sat to Robb's left.

Robb was happy and content. Yes, there was still one significant threat in the form of Renly Baratheon left for them to deal with, but now that he and his wife had been crowned Renly had less width to stand on. The Starry Sept would bend sooner or later, of that the High Septon was certain.

He looked at Bran then, his brother had grown, he was taller, slightly more muscled-as muscled as a ten-year-old could be-and his hair was growing longer. Robb smiled at him. "You did well today, Bran."

His brother smiled. Bran as the new Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North had been the first one to swear allegiance, and he had not stumbled over his words once. Which for a ten-year-old boy was impressive.

"Thank you, Your Grace." Bran replied.

Robb was about to correct him and tell him not to be so formal but decided against it. Image was everything as Lord Tywin liked to say, and he knew there would be people listening in or trying to.

His brother's smile disappeared then and was replaced by a look Robb knew well, for it was one he'd often seen on their father's face at times. "What is it?" He asked. He hadn't been able to able to lift their father's burden, but he'd be damned if he let Bran face this alone.

"I…I've been having these dreams, and they've come true for the most part." Bran said.

Robb stiffened. He'd been having dreams as well, off and on since this entire campaign had started, but he'd not thought about them too much. "And what has happened in these dreams?" He asked.

"Well, for one, I had a dream that a kraken tried to take Winterfell. This happened shortly before we received news that Theon had been sent to the Iron Islands. Then the Ironborn took Deepwood Motte and Moat Cailin." Bran replied. Robb frowned, he would never forgive himself for trusting Theon, never.

"I thought that meant Theon would try and take Winterfell, but then I had a dream where some sort of merman or fish thing came from the sea and destroyed the kraken. Then we received word that Ser Wendel had helped take Deepwood Motte and he slew Asha Greyjoy. And Theon kept talking about how things did appear from the water." Bran continued.

Robb felt his frown deepen.

"Then there was the dream I had about the retaking of Moat Cailin, it was the same again, fish like things came from the water and destroyed the Ironborn. This time when soldiers came back, they confirmed everything. There were about sixty witnesses, including Ser Rodrik." Bran finished.

Robb looked at his brother, then at Ser Rodrik who was sat at a lower table eating with some of the northmen who came with Bran. He then looked back at his brother. "And what has Ser Wendel had to say about all of this?"

Ser Wendel was sat at another table eating rather contentedly with his brother and a few other northmen.

"He's said nothing to me or to mother. He said he would explain everything to you." Bran replied.

Robb exhaled. "Then I will make sure to talk with him." Bran nodded but didn't look reassured, so, Robb said something that he had had no intention of telling anyone. "I've had similar dreams as well." Bran looked up at him, hope in his eyes.

"You have?"

"Yes, I had a dream before Myrcella told me she was pregnant that we had a wolf cub, I thought that meant Greywind had gotten some wolf pregnant, but no. Then I had a dream that a wolf killed a Stag and snuffed out fire before I fought Stannis." Robb answered.

"Does that mean it's something to do with our family?" Bran asked.

Robb didn't know how to answer that. He'd need to ask Jon.

"I know Arya has these dreams as does Sansa." Bran said into the silence.

Robb looked at his brother and then said. "Then I suppose it does. Perhaps there might be something in Winterfell that can help explain it?"

Bran nodded solemnly. "I'll have a look."

Robb nodded and then patted his brother on the back. "We'll work on it as a family."

The White Tower was silent, Jon walked from his chamber, Ghost at his side, down the steps and to the grand table in the centre of the tower. The White Book which contained entries for every sworn brother was present on one side. Ser Barristan and Ser Balon-a new entrant after his performance against Stannis-were already seated. Jon took his seat and nodded to the two older men. Ser Jaime and Ser Arys were guarding the King and Queen today and thus weren't present.

"Gentlemen, I will not waste time. We have been tasked by the King with finding two members to bolster our numbers. The members of the Usurper's Kingsguard are either dead, removed or banished, therefore we have need for new blood. I would hear your suggestions." Ser Barristan said.

Jon had a brief thought on that, Ser Boros Blount had been killed during the fighting that had seen Jon's father imprisoned. Ser Meryn had been killed when Robb had taken King's Landing. Ser Preston had been killed by Ser Jaime. Sandor Clegane had asked for and been removed from the Kingsguard-the first time such a thing had happened-Ser Mandon Moore had taken the black rather than serve the King and Queen. Then there had been two of the Kettleblack brothers who had both disappeared when Petyr Baelish had disappeared. They were considered attainted and dead.

Ser Balon spoke up then. "There is Aurane Waters, Lord Commander. The man fought bravely for Stannis, and he upholds the values that a Kingsguard should stand for."

Jon thought on Aurane, the man had the hair and eyes of a Targaryen and for a moment Jon had thought he was one but had been corrected by Ser Balon who had said he was the bastard brother of Lord Velaryon.

"A good point, and the man is skilled with the sword and has very good observational skills as shown by his comments during the levee that the King held a few days' ago." Ser Barristan said.

Jon thought back to the levee, a formal proceeding for the court, where people could come, talk, and play cards around the King and Queen. Aurane had made biting and it seemed accurate comments about everyone there. Including one of his fellow Stannis followers.

"What about Ser Richard Horpe?" Jon asked. "The man was effectively Stannis' Lord Commander."

"Horpe is a good man and honest. However, his loyalty to Stannis Baratheon is concerning. I do not know whether he has quite shaken that." Ser Barristan replied.

Jon nodded, understanding where the man was coming from. Another thought occurred to him then. "Perhaps we could choose someone from the Riverlands."

"Who did you have in mind?" Ser Barristan asked.

"Harry Rivers. The lad fought bravely against Ser Jaime and again against Stannis. And it removes a possible bone of contention between the two families." Jon said. He had heard rumours that Harry and one of Lord Blackwood's nieces had apparently been flirting with one another. Given it too little to cause Blackwood and Bracken to fight, removing the source of another issue was sensible in Jon's view.

Seemingly Ser Barristan agreed. "Harry Rivers would make sense. So, Aurane Waters and Harry Rivers. I shall keep that in mind, when Ser Jaime and Ser Arys have given their suggestions, I shall take the list to the King. Thank you both."

Jon nodded, happy to have helped in some way.