Disclaimer: I do not own A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin, other than my own the original character(s) in this story. This is purely a work of my personal enjoyment so don't expect anything worthy of GRRM. I fully welcome criticism/suggestions/questions. The story will eventually be finished (I hate leaving things unfinished) but I have no real schedule. Please review as I'd love useful thoughts :) feedback goes a long way to encouraging my writing.

Chapter 9: The Silver City
"Life within walls is no life at all."
– Prince Suko Lóng

She was beautiful to him, although some would perhaps disagree out of misplaced fears, the morning sun shining through his windowed balcony reflected gracefully off her scales; making the snakes silver-and-black pattern shine. She'd been a gift from the Emperor that Willam had been surprised to find he adored. The snake didn't give so much obvious affection as a dog or even cats might; but he could see intelligence behind his newest friend's eyes – looking into his soul as he held her wrapped comfortably around his arm, tongue flicking out inquisitively.

It had been well over a year since his arrival and the Emperor had welcomed him with wide open arms, charming as the man was; it wasn't long at all before Willam was showered in gifts – chiefly among them the royal python, as the Emperor was an avid breeder of the creatures.

Looking out over the Empires capital, it was far beyond what Wrightport could ever hope to be – home to over a million souls all shielded by glamorous pure-white stone said to be made by the Lion of Night himself, stronger than any stone had a right to be; decorated by silver, gems and other riches, showcasing the Empire's wealth and prestige. There existed, by sharp contrast, oily dark stone the Empire believed to be tainted by an ancient evil referred to as the Dark Ones.

The Silver City shun like a polished diamond to keep that ancient darkness at bay.

"Cregan's new axe did feel unnatural," Willam thought as he leant on his balcony looking out over the city. The story he'd told the Emperors court had been met with interest equal only to their concern – as many spoke openly of the Islanders folly in meddling in matters beyond them.

That whole accused place had been unnatural. He shook the thoughts away…

"Stark!" A man burst into his room, dressed in fine silks and a finer smile across his lips – as if he were the sole person in on some grand universal jest. "You're awake!"

Willam leant back on the balcony, eyeing the intruder absently.

"I know," The intruder rolled his onyx eyes. "I know! You're thinking 'you should knock before you enter Suko' and I know I have promised; but I am ever so forgetful my friend!" No, he wasn't, not in the slightest; but Suko was Suko.

"Morning to you too Lóng."

Prince Suko Lóng held his smile, as he always did; striding across the chambers with open arms to embrace his friend – only to halt at the snake hung around his neck.

"Must you co-exist with that thing?"

The snake hissed at him, as if understanding.

"She likes you," Willam laughed at his friend's fear.

"I've enough of those slimy bastards from father," Suko scoffed, eyeing the snake with contempt. "It's bad enough he's obsessed with the things – worse still my only friend is corrupted!"

He was far from the man's only friend.

"I seem to recall you have plenty of followers, Prince Suko."

The man waved that off, leaning beside Willam at the balcony; a safe distance from the snakes striking range. "You're the only one not after favours Stark."

Suko was the youngest of the emperor's sons, only a year older than Willam himself, but he was still imperial royalty and with that came power – and with power came serpents. "Snakes of a different breed," Suko named them all with a scowl.

"Was there something you wanted?"

Willam hadn't raised his eyes to meet his friends, preferring to hold a hand up for the snake to climb onto; having lost interest in all else.

"Can a prince not call on his fellow prince for a simple chat?!"

"You can," Willam kept his eyes on the snake. "That is not why you're here though."

No, it wasn't. "You're no fun sometimes Stark," Suko scowled at being read so easily by the wolf. "I did come for a reason it's true – but it's good news my friend! Grand news, even!"

"Out with it then," Willam sighed; fearing whatever it was would mean trouble.

Suko's smile returned at that. "I've been told that our ship is ready and able, built and glorious in her majesty dear Willam; we are set to sail the high seas at our leisure!"

"Your father has signed off on our little adventure then?"

"Um, well," Suko chuckled nervously.

In that case, no, the emperor hadn't signed off yet.

"You know we'll never so much as lift anchor without your fathers seal Suko," Willam scolded the prince. "You need to talk with him damnit, it's not so difficult-"

"For you perhaps my friend, for you – but father loves you like his own!"

That was an exaggeration. Will's adopted love of snakes had earned him the emperor's favour, to be sure; as none of his children shared it, but that only went so far.

"You're his son," Willam exited the balcony, walking across his room.

"You might as well be Stark," Suko said with some bite.

"Talking out of your arse again Suko…"

"He practically threw my dear sister at you," Suko scoffed. "You know he did Stark, so eager for little wolf pups he was – throwing his shining diamond at you…"

"Nuwa is nothing to me," Willam scowled at even the mention of that woman.

She'd been the first woman since Elssa that he'd trusted enough to lay with, to open his heart to; more the fool he was for it. She was beautiful beyond measure, buxom and beautiful, with olive skin, large dark eyes and long, thick black hair – she'd bewitched Willam all too easily, to his shame.

"My beloved sister makes excellent use of those breasts of hers," Prince Suko hadn't moved from the balcony. "Not to mention her cunt; as you know full well my poor friend…"

"I wouldn't put it quite so crudely as that, but still – you have a point I assume?"

"Hers are potent weapons Willam, this we cannot deny; even I as her dear beloved and charming little brother can admit she is an incredibly beautiful woman. The jewel of dawn itself some say; were dawn not pristine and were she not quite so the opposite of such..."

Suko had a way with words and god the damns did he enjoy using them.

"You have a poet's gift of exaggeration, but I'm still not hearing a point."

"The point is exactly that my friend!" Suko had moved, grasping Willam on his shoulder and smiling as wide as always. "While it is indeed very true, I make up for it with my boundless charms, I do; alas, fall short of her talents in the hour of twilight..."

"The hour of twilight?"

The smirk on Suko's lips grew tenfold.

"She fucks half the empire for favour and the other half for amusement, is what I'm saying. Come now Stark my friend, here I thought you didn't wish me to be so crude?"

Willam scoffed at that, as if Suko ever listened to him. "In my experience what's between one's legs doesn't determine the quality of one's heart, my poetic friend."

"Now who's being poetic?" He chuckled in reply. "The fact remains – In such an area I am bested Stark; despite my equally dashing looks, of course!"

"The nobles not eager to spend the night with you my friend?"

"Too few to amount for anything I fear, far too few." Suko sighed wearily. "No, poet's gifts aside Will, my fate forces me to excel beyond what that whore is capable of achieving; if you'll forgive me the term."

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Quite so," Suko nodded ever so slowly. "And yet still you are too soft on her if I don't say so. You forgive too easily my friend; the witch doesn't deserve such treatment."

"It's not forgiveness," Willam denied it. "It's apathy my friend. It's hard to be angry or hate or cling to a grudge when you simply cannot bring yourself to care."

The look on Suko's face betrayed that he clearly didn't believe that, at all.

"You forget, I was there, I saw the look in those cold eyes of yours Stark. They weren't the eyes of a man who didn't care – they were the eyes of bloody murder…"

"It was a year ago. Time has a way of warring a man down."

A year that felt like twenty in all reality.

"How dreadfully dull it sounds."

"Your poetic rambling has driven us astray," Willam shrugged off his friend's hand and moved to lay the snake down in its wooden house. "What does your brother say about all this?"

Once more, rare as it was; the smile of Prince Suko died at mention of his kin.

"Liang cares nothing for my whims, as he calls them; in fact, I wager he'll be thrilled to see a piece removed from his game board." Suko hummed to himself for a moment before shrugging.

"And what says the witch?"

Suko chuckled at the title. "Nuwa does as Nuwa always does, probably with some noble lordling between her legs – with Zhenji lurking somewhere like a good little sister-puppet. I know and care not Stark as neither should you for that matter; she's below us both…"

"I don't care at all-"

"Xun and Lu haven't returned to the capital since before your arrival so, what they think of my whims is dawns guess I'd say." Suko's face had long since adopted a scowl, as he detested speaking of his brothers the most. "Liang still thinks they're plotting some grand scheme to ruin him…"

"They're his brothers," Willam dismissed the notion. "Surely he can't-"

"My family is not yours Stark," Suko practically spat out those words.

Willam knew that all too well. He couldn't fathom his own brothers acting as Emperor Qing's children did; as if they were all obstacles to overcome. At least in most cases.

The moment the Emperor passed from this world, there would be quite a mess.

"Lashi has tried talking me out of it," Suko rolled his eyes at that information.

"She did the same to me not long ago," Willam laughed at the memory.

Lashi Lóng was the third daughter of the emperor, not as beautiful as her sisters; but far less vindictive as a result of them shunning her. She and Suko shared a mother.

"And then there's little Cai," Suko's smirk returned at mention of his youngest sister.

She was as pretty as Nuwa with none of the foulness. In fact, if Willam didn't know better he'd question where the girl had come from; for arguably there wasn't a bad bone in her.

"She's outside your chambers at the moment skulking in the shadows."

"Why is she waiting for us?"

"You," Suko laughed at the oblivious blank look on his friend's face. "She's waiting for you Stark, not I – by the dawn you're a fool with women. First it was Nuwa now little Cai-

"There is nothing like that between us."

"Are you certain?" Suko held his smirk.

"I barely know her," Willam deflected it. He'd noticed the young princess to be sure, but he hadn't given her a second thought; kind as she was – he simply didn't trust the girl; or anyone really."

"You should get to," Suko encouraged with a shove of Will's shoulder. "Cai's a sweet thing; not corrupted like the others – besides Lashi of course. Father would approve."

"Lashi you say?" Willam saw his opening and pounced.

"Piss off Stark, that's my sister you're talking about!"

"They're all your sisters Suko," Willam was laughing at the discomfort.

"Half-sisters," Suko corrected quickly. "Not like Lashi – she's too good for you Stark."

Lashi hadn't shown the slightest interest in him and frankly, that was the way Willam preferred it. There wasn't a man or woman in the empire that wasn't in the pocket of someone. Lashi at least was firmly in Suko's by virtue of their shared mother alone; and a hatred of Nuwa.

It was amusing how much mutual hatred could unite people.

"Come," Willam put an arm around Suko's neck and smirked tauntingly. "Let's seek out his imperial highness and get that approval you're so afraid he'll deny us my friend."

Suko scoffed, muttering to himself. "Not afraid, simply cautious…"

"And while we're there I can ask him for Lashi's hand in marriage!"

"Oh piss off," Suko half-heartedly shoved Willam's arm away. "She's chasing some general at any rate, but you didn't hear that from me Stark. It's very hush hush, you understand."

"A Princess and a General?" Willam could already hear the bards writing songs about it.

"Liang has already jumped on it," Suko sighed wearily.

"You're well informed as always..."

"What else is there to do?" He glared at Willam and scoffed. "I get to do so little but watch my siblings dance about like mummers in a terribly dull play…"

"With any luck we'll be sailing soon enough," Willam offered hopefully.

"It's torture I say," Suko shook his head. "Life within walls is no life at all."

Outside the room Aedan was standing guard, catching a young Princess in the act.

"It's not polite to spy on your guests, Princess."

"I-" The look on Cai Lóng's face was one of scandal as her cheeks blushed red. "I was not spying on your charge Lord Greystark! I just happened to be passing through the hallway and-"

He wasn't a lord, but Aedan had long since given up explaining that fact.

"You passed by three times Princess…"

"-and I was quite busy with my task until you-"

"What task was that exactly?"

-interrupted me!"

Aedan looked down at the short princess and couldn't help but smile, at six-and-ten she was acting the lady but showing just how young she was. "My apologies Princess."

"What are you smiling at?!"

Aedan shrugged, diverting his eyes from the pouting.

"Princess," The voice of Willam greeted her, his chamber door having opened as she'd been scolding Aedan for catching her in her snooping. "What brings you to my door?"

"P- Prince Willam!"

"Hello to you too sweet sister," Suko added, feigning hurt at her ignoring him.

She ignored him still. "I was just passing through Prin-"

"You may call me Willam, or Will; as I've told you before Princess."

"I-" She blushed redder. "That would be improper!"

"Careful now Stark," Suko fought back a laugh at his sister's expense.

"I'm only being friendly," Willam scowled at his friend.

The two of them seemed oblivious to the blushing mess in front of them.

"My Prince?" Aedan asked, grabbing his charges attention.

"Aedan," Willam smiled genuinely at his friend. Since their arrival he'd practically demanded the chambers beside his princes; waking up before dawn to guard Will's door. "Good Morning."

"Morning," Aedan replied; still avoiding the gaze of the Princess.

"You know Grey there's really no need for you to be up so early…"

"Come now," Suko smirked up a storm as something brewed behind his black eyes. "What would become of our fair Stark Princeling if not for the watchful eyes of his pet dog?!"

"I am not a dog…"

"Could be assassins," Willam agreed teasingly.

"Or worse yet," Suko hummed in agreement. "Shrykes!"

"They'll eat the flesh from my bones if not for Brave Aedan," Willam said all too seriously. "Although if he falls asleep on guard because he's barely gotten any damn sleep, then I fear I'm doomed…"

"Extremely doomed," Suko nodded his head sadly.

They were oblivious to the Princess, or simply didn't care.

"You're scaring the Princess," Aedan spoke out.

"You're the worse brother!"

Suko looked insulted. "Will started it!"

She didn't care, glaring at her big brother with burning scorn.

"Why am I the only bad guy here?!"

"Is your father in the hall," Willam smiled his best smile at her. "Cai?"

The use of her name was all she needed, coupled with the smile.

"Yes!" The Princess beamed pure happiness. "He is, Willam…"

"Our thanks," Willam took a step and aimed to leave it at that, if not for the damned prince.

"You should join us sweet sister!"

There was, Willam knew, a special place in hell for Suko Lóng.

The eldest son of the emperor was taller than his brothers, where Suko was a head shorter than Willam; the eldest Prince Liang stood eye to eye with him – now standing at the end of the corridor with his personal guard between them and the feast hall beyond here.

"Suko," Prince Liang called out, monotone; devoid of care – his black eyes seeming to judge all beside his brother with suspicion, but none quite so intensely as Willam. "A word in private." It was a princely order, not an offer.

"To what do I owe the pleasure dear brother of mine?"

"Now," Liang demanded simply; expecting obedience.

Suko muttered a curse to the dawn. "Avenge my death should I not return, Prince Willam!"

Willam scoffed at the dramatics but vowed all the same.

"On my honour as a Stark," He swore half-heartedly with a roll of his eyes.

"What do you think the prince wants with Suko?"

"I've no clue at all Grey," Willam looked to the small princess at his side, still holding his hand awkwardly. "Any insight into what Prince Liang wishes of your brother Cai?"

"No," Cai shook her head, squeezing Willams hand. "I barely know him, in truth..."

There was a sadness in her tone that seemed genuine. That was a rare thing, in a place that ate genuineness like a well-cooked leg of lamb falling of the bone.

Gods, he was hungry; the smell flowing from the great feast hall taunted them.

"What was that about?"

Suko returned looking no worse for wear as his elder brother walked past them and into the hall.

"It was nothing," Suko waved it off only after his brother was out of sight.

"Suko," Willam pushed, ever so slightly.

"Nothing to worry about," He smiled his usual smile, that would be enough for most people. "I swear, don't fret – we go ahead as planned my paranoid friend!"

"Brother," Cai said worriedly, eyeing him cautiously.

Suko ignored her and pushed open the great doors in front of them all, letting the smell of fresh meats and bread pass them by on the breeze.

"Come," Willam said eagerly. "Let's eat, I'm damn starving."

The hall was vast, with white marble pillars and silver trimmings that reached up to the ceiling - in the centre was a polished oaken table covered in plates of the finest foods the Empire had to offer. "Willam!" Emperor Qing welcomed him as they entered. "Suko, and my beloved daughter! So rare of you all gracing us with your presence this early in the day!"

The Emperor was a fat balding grey man at the end of his long years of life, surrounded by his three wives at the table whom all stopped eating at their entry, with bowed heads; saying nothing unless addressed to speak. Emperor Qing was kind, as far as Emperors went.

"Your Majesty," Willam bowed low, a sign of respect that was due.

"Come," Qing beckoned them all over. "Sit and eat, try the lamb Willam; it's your favourite!"

"My thanks," Willam smiles at the old man as he took his seat. Cai took the seat beside him, much to her father's interest – though Willam couldn't read the man's guarded expression, it didn't take a genius to guess his mind. He wanted the same thing he always had.

"Father," Cai bowed her head before sitting, echoed by her brother.

Prince Liang sat across the table from his father's end seat, a stark contrast to the seat of Princess Nuwa; who sat at her father's side with a wide devilish smile on her full red lips. Gods how he hated this woman with a passion...

She turned to Willam, all smiles sweet as sickly honey.

"Pleasant dreams Will?"

It was all he could do not to get up and cut her in half, in all truth – while once he'd seen her as beautiful, she was now the ugliest thing he'd seen; and he'd seen Shryke's.

"Wipe that smile off her whore lips!" The voice in his head demanded of him, his blood boiling; not that he let it show. She'd win if he let it show. He'd usually avoided these feasts if he knew she was going to be present. Here, it couldn't be helped.

Cai had stroked his hand under the table, an act that distracted his thoughts.

"Father," Suko spoke aloud, cutting the tension that hung in the air. "As you may know, the ship I had commissioned is prepared for her voyage, and-"

"Ah yes," Emperor Qing interrupted, pausing some length to chew on his slice of very bloody beef. "Your flight of fancy, was it – I'd almost forgotten..."

"Yes well," Suko cleared his throat, eyes darting to Willam. "I, that is; Prince Willam and I would seek your blessing to set sail within the season's turn."

There was silence at that, as the previous tension began to rebuild.

"Running away little brother?"

It was by nature or nurture that Princess Nuwa taunted him, with her mocking smile; leaning forward on the table with her low-cut dress and no shame whatsoever.

"Not running," Suko refused to even refer to her titles, as Princess or Sister, he met her gaze without flinching. "It's well known that I will never be emperor, sweet sister."

Prince Liang's eyes had locked onto his little brother like a hawk eyeing a scurrying mouse, but he said and betrayed nothing, waiting; as if expecting something that was owed.

"My brother Liang is the obvious successor," Suko declared, much to his sisters bubbling temper. "I wish him the luck of dawn, but such a reality means I must make my own mark on history, father."

The Emperor simply hummed, chewing his food as eyes judged his son.

"The succession remains to be seen, little brother – you do not decide such things!"

"Neither do you," Prince Liang replied coldly to Nuwa, his voice harsh as his gaze; though something devious glinted there – happy no doubt for his little brother's endorsement.

"No," Emperor Qing declared clearly. "I do, as it has and always will be my dear daughter."

"I meant no disrespect, father."

"No?" Emperor Qing had ceased eating, looking instead to his eldest daughter with a dangerous glare. "Then do not speak as if I am already dead, my dear."

Nuwa bowed her head, knowing better than to speak in this moment.

"You embarrass our family with your actions," Qing continued with a frown.

"I live only to honour our family," Nuwa kept her head down, but the scowl of her face was obvious.

"Willam my boy," The Emperor turned to him, ignoring his shamed daughter; as it seemed he wasn't wholly blind to her behaviour. "You wish to follow my son in this folly?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"A pity," Qing sighed. "I had hoped for some time that a bound would form between yourself and my Nuwa, but it seems hopeless now, am I right?"

"I'm sorry," Willam began to explain, not wishing to insult the man who had been good to him.

"None of that," Qing waved it away. "Tell me true: what are your feelings for my daughter?"

Willam fought the sudden urge to laugh in the old man's face. Was it possible he didn't know? It seemed unlikely; one didn't rule as long as Emperor Qing had without having a good head on your shoulders. He must have known but didn't have the heart to stop her; or knew he couldn't.

"I dislike her," Willam opted for boldness, dammed be the consequences. "With a passion; Your Majesty…"

The reactions were mixed all around.

Suko was much like his brother, silent as stone – waiting for the results before reacting.

Princess Nuwa held a look of pure contempt that might've terrified most men who saw nothing but the most beautiful woman alive. Willam however saw a an ugly snarling dragon, willing to devour those in her path with no regard at all for anyone but herself, especially now.

Princess Zhenji sat beside her sister too, and in truth Willam hadn't noticed her until she'd just audibly gasped in shock at his words – as if disliking her perfect sister for any reason at all was amount to the highest treason. Dislike?! How dare he?!

Princess Cai was the only one present too naive and innocent to not mask her emotions. She was smiling, though Willam wasn't sure if even she knew it.

Aedan? His hand had moved instinctively to the pommel of his sword.

The Emperor however laughed, boisterous and loud as thunder striking the sky; he laughed and held his belly, head back, the old man hadn't laughed so much in years.

"By the dawn boy," Emperor Qing regained his composure quickly enough, all with the grace befitting his station. "You have your father's blunt decorum! How I miss it!"

Laughter hadn't been what anyone had expected.

"Your Majesty?"

"It's quite alright my boy," The Emperor smiled wide, ignoring the glares from his eldest daughter. "Your father thought you'd prove too spirited, so there are counters; worry not my boy!"

"My father-"

"When you arrived here as you well know my boy, your father made no attempt to bring you back to those islands of yours. Did you never wonder why?"

In all honesty, no; he'd assumed that while doubtless his father knew where he was that he'd simply given up trying to force him to do things. "He had some plan, I assume?"

"When doesn't the old wolf have a plan?" The Emperor had a point there, and a damn good one too. "We'd agreed to not inform you, or you might've fought us on it!"

He almost definitely would've. "Forgive me, your excellency; but what plan?"

"Marriage!" Emperor Qing barked out the word, drinking fine red wine from his ornate golden goblet. "To my dear Nuwa, on the condition you came to agree."

The look on Nuwa's face spoke volumes on how she felt. She'd known of the agreement somehow, that much was clear; and she was far from happy she'd failed.

"We'd have won her power," The voice in Will's head suggested. "Blood ties to House Stark would've given her an advantage over Liang in the succession…"

Maybe, yet she continued sleeping with half the court. Maybe she couldn't control herself? Most likely however, in Will's opinion, she thought herself above and beyond all men.

"Whore expected us to roll over and accept her dalliances," The nagging voice laughed at the idea and muttered a curse. It was probably right, the woman thought she was a goddess.

In looks, she was near enough to that; but beauty often hid the ugliest truths.

"In the event that didn't come to pass before the allotted time however, for whatever reason," The Emperor continued explaining. "Then another Stark would be provided!"

The speed of which Princess Nuwa's eyes sparked with ambition was nothing short of comical – matched only by the flash of calculated paranoia from Prince Liang.

"Cai, my girl!"

Princess Cai looked to her father, her smile growing twofold as hope brewed in her chest as visions of her wedding Prince Willam danced in her head. "Yes, father?"

Willam had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"You are to marry-"

"Oh for fuck sake," Willam thought, keeping the look of terror off his face for the girls sake.

"-Prince Darion Stark!"

Cai's smile died in a heartbeat.

"My nephew?!" Willam said aloud, wrapping his brain to remember what little he could of Rodrik's eldest son only to draw a blank. Last he'd seen the boy he was only a child, and Willam hadn't exactly been an attentive uncle to his nephews and nieces.

Still, it was Rodrik's boy – so doubtless he'd grow into a dutiful little Princeling.

Liang and Nuwa both stared at their little sister as if seeing her for the first time; and in truth it was the first time. She'd gone from nothingness to extreme importance in-between two beats of eternity's heart – and suddenly her eldest siblings cared that she existed.

"My little dragon will be Queen of Winter someday," Emperor Qing declared very happily, raising his goblet up in a toast to his daughter. "Isn't that splendid darling?!"

It was clear from her horrified expression that no, she did not think it was splendid.

"I-" Cai couldn't find the words, her hand gripping onto Willam's like her life depended on it; but she got up all the same. "May I be excused father?"

Qing frowned for but a moment. "You may my girl, off you go now."

She fled from the hall in a flash, and everyone present pretended to not have heard her sobbing.

"My nephew is a good lad," Willam commented, somewhat certain in his words; since in truth he barely knew the boy. "He'll make her happy, I'm certain."

"No doubt," Emperor Qing replied with a nod. "Your father assured me the same."

No doubt King Brandon had assured him of a great deal, but Willam couldn't help to wonder if Rodrik was aware of their father's intentions. The marriage of a future king was no small matter.

"Father," Suko asked the emperor. "What of our voyage?"

"Ah yes," The Emperor seemed to remember as if he'd forgotten entirely about it. "You and our Stark friend have my blessing, and the blessing of King Brandon too!"

King Brandon's blessing? That was unexpected…

"Our thanks father, we shall-"

"There is one condition however!"

Well shit, nothing was ever easy.

"Cai will be joining you when you set sail," The Emperor began to explain, only for his eldest to spit their objections. Qing remained stoic as his children barked and whined.

"She must remain here!"

"The girl is too young!"

"To be escorted to Winterhold," The Emperor continued, ignoring the bickering of his eldest. "She's to spend time there with her future husband before their wedding; as per the arrangement."

No one could argue the logic behind that. Cai was young and Darion was even younger still, even if they were both considered of age; some time spent before marriage would only do them good. Liang and Nuwa seemed to disagree, as both jumped to complain; suddenly caring about the girl they'd previously barely even acknowledged now that she had value.

"She's our sister," Prince Liang argued vehemently, for perhaps the first time ever calling her his sister. "She belongs here father, with us, where she can be kept safe."

"Quite so," Nuwa reluctantly agreed with her brother, leaving a foul taste on her tongue.

"I would miss her frightfully!" Zhenji was swift to support her perfect sister in this – eager to please her, even with bold faced lies such as this.

She was ever the puppet, this one; leave it to Zhenji to be the most obvious among them. Still better the knife you see than the one you don't.

They both cared nothing for the girl, and it was a fact Suko knew all too well. "I think it's a grand idea father," He ignored the glares of disapproval from his siblings. "We'll be glad to escort my sweet sister safely to her betrothed; won't we Prince Willam?"

Return home?! The gods were laughing at him in this moment, he could feel it; the Old Gods were chuckling at his expense. Still, he felt for Cai Lóng, she deserved better than a future as the puppet of Liang or Nuwa. That at least was a fate Willam could understand.

"Aye, my friend," Willam replied with a plastered smile, raising his goblet up for a drink of sweet wine to drown his gnawing worries. "We'll see her safe, on my honour Your Majesty."

"To my dear Cai then," The Emperor raised his ornate golden goblet up and spoke loud enough for the stationed guards outside the hall to hear his words. "To the future Queen of Winter!"

"To the Queen of Winter," Suko swiftly joined his father in the toast.

Willam gladly joined Suko and his father with a "Queen of Winter!" that was reluctantly followed by the other Princes and Princesses joining in for the sake of appearances.

It was settled, with the emperors blessing they'd set sail for Wrightport at their earliest convenience – then sail far east from there; off beyond the sunset and unto destiny.

Emperor Qing had named her Lǜ Lóng honour of some spiritual sea dragon god entity thing, all far beyond Willam's history lessons on the empire in truth. Loosely translated to common, if he wasn't terribly mistaken, it meant Green Dragon; or something to that effect.

It was a damn fine-looking vessel, although smaller than the Lóng treasure ships docked in the cities harbour; the largest was called the Báo Chuán – that boasted a ridiculous nine masts with sails made of bamboo strips, woven into the form of matting. They were designed to carry great loads far exceeding anything the Islands had for transport spanning some four hundred feet in length.

The Lǜ Lóng wasn't quite that class, designed for a long voyage; not splendour – though that hadn't stopped the Emperor from commissioning an ornate jade figurehead for the front of the four-masted vessel, modelled more after the Islands ships than the Empires.

She wasn't the biggest, being near enough on scale with the Wanderer.

"But damn is she a looker," Willam thought to himself, looking up at the snarling jade dragon as men began boarding. It reminded him fondly of the snarling wolf on the Shipwright. Princess Cai snapped him from his thoughts.

"Tell me about him?"

Her eyes were pleading him, wide and bloodshot; as doubtless she hadn't slept the night before – or she'd cried until she got at least some rest.

"Darion?" Willam wasn't sure what to say in truth, he barely knew the boy.

Cai gave a hopeful nod, willing him to speak.

"I'm afraid I know rather little Princess," He explained to her sorrow. "I last saw him years ago and he was young, still learning to swing a sword. I must confess I was a rather absent uncle so I fear I'm not of much help..."

"Oh," She was clearly disappointed. "I see..."

No matter what changed, he'd remained a fool for a pretty frown.

"My brother Artos trained him alongside his own son; though little Brandon is a year or so Darion's elder – and his father is the best among us lot with a sword."

"Prince Darion likes to fight?"

"As much as any boy his age," Willam supposed, his thoughts drifting to his own tutelage.

"Did you?"

"Did I what, Princess?"

"Like fighting," Cai clarified with mumbled breath, ringing her hands together to combat her clear nerves. "When you were Prince Darion's age, that is?"

"You speak as if I'm old," Willam smirked at her discomfort; her cheeks blushing red.

"No!" She was quick to deny. "I meant no offence, I-"

"I'm only teasing, Princess."

She huffed at that. "You're just like Suko sometimes, you know..."

In ways, Willam supposed he did share some similarities.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No," Cai paused but a moment to think on that. "I don't believe so, Prince Willam."

"You may call me Willam," He told her with a smile. "As I've said before; and especially now Princess – we're to be family sooner or later you know."

"You say so," Cai replied, pouting. "Yet you insist on calling me Princess!"

That was because it amused him.

"Do I now?"

"You do, it's terribly vexing!"

"Vexing?" Willam laughed at the word. "Aren't you the proper little Princess."

She huffed, diverting her eyes to the ship instead of the man beside her; mumbling "I'm not little," under her breath. A moment passed as the gulls flew overhead, the sea air brushed against them, and more men flooded onto the Lǜ Lóng before she spoke again

"How is Prince Rodrik?"

"Your future father-in-law?" Willam paused very briefly. "I know him far better, Princess."

She huffed at the titles use.

"Rodrik was always a man of duty, even as a boy; he obeyed our father to the letter more oft than not – ask anyone and they'd call him the perfect Prince."

"I'm not asking anyone," Cai turned her gaze back to Willam. "I'm asking you, Prince Willam."

She was using his title on propose, as if it was some type of punishment.

"I've little ill to say of my brothers, truly." It wasn't a lie, as far as brothers went; they were at worst cold – but time in the Empire had taught him how things could be far worse between brothers. "Rodrik's only flaw would be his anger, I suppose. Ed always kept him in check…"

"He's a violent man?"

"No," Willam denied easily. "At least, not without good reason. You must imagine him as a mountain of molten rock that reaches the clouds, calm and immovable; up until it explodes."

"He sounds like a frightening man," Cai said aloud, frowning at her passing thoughts; no doubt worried about the nature of the one she was set to have as kin.

"He's charming actually, it's a family trait." Willam promised with a genuine smile. "Just don't betray his trust or give him cause; and you'll never be safer than you could be calling him kin."

"I see," Cai let loose a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"You'll be fine," Willam promised her, and he believed it. "You've proven a sweet innocent thing Cai, so simply be yourself and the rest will follow. Stop fretting."

She looked up at him the moment he'd used her name, blushing as a thought crossed her mind – scolding herself in a heartbeat for it. She was useless at hiding her emotions.

Willam chose to ignore the blushing princess, as if he hadn't noticed.

"Stark!" Prince Suko called down from the desk of his new ship. "Cease flirting with your damn sister-in-law and get up here for dawns sake!"

"Oh my," Cai mumbled, even redder now.

Once more, he knew there was a special place in hell for Suko Lóng.

"Come along Princess," Willam walked ahead with a sigh. "It appears I have to kill your brother..."

Cai giggled at that, in a way only a princess could giggle; all honey and innocence.

They set sail as soon as the harbourmaster authorised. No ship, even Princely ships, came to or went from the capital without the proper documentation. The golden five-clawed dragon of the Lóng Dynasty fluttered proudly on the winds as the Lǜ Lóng went out into calm waters.

My Note(s): I've began to flush out the Empire arch far more than I'd intended originally, although we'll soon be leaving things here for a while to focus heavily on Westeros; there's a lot going in here. The next chapter will flush the arch out a little and leave a lotta open ends to address much later.

The Empire becomes more of a PoV much later in the story, but for now; it's Westeros.