Chapter 19

King's Landing

This was the moment Clive had been dreaming about ever since Byron had told him the truth of his parents, his heritage…of him. King's Landing…the city of Kings…the city his ancestor Aegon the Conqueror had claimed as his seat of power. The people...the buildings…the infrastructure…Clive wondered if it would rival Oriflamme when he would take those first few steps within its walls. There was the fanfare he expected within the caravan as they captured their first glimpse of the city walls in the distance. Clive almost tugged his horses' reins and kicked it into motion. Almost.

"Does it always smell like the worlds largest chamber pot?" Thorn groans as the smell assails their senses first.

Clive had to agree with that statement. The smell was horrible. Major cities in Valisthea all had plumbing of a sort…none smelled like this. It made Clive miss the few times he had been punished with working the stables in the summer. How this could be the city that housed the king of the land…it was a shameful truth to learn.

"Try to keep your mouth closed Ser Thorn," Jaime Lannister, ever the golden knight, says as he passes by "Tis better to smell the city than to inhale that same scent."

As the King slayer rode off ahead, Thorn and Clive took his advice. At least the smell was more bearable now. But the void once filled with the reaction to the scent of the city was replaced swiftly by a sight that brought Clive up short. Atop his horse, the First Shield couldn't help but feel his heart ache as he took in the crowd. Cheering women, men, children and guards all lined the streets as the royal procession came through. Mixed in with that crowd of cheering people were gaunt faces, hungry bodies and dead eyes.

On a similar train of thought Jill and Joshua both couldn't shake the faces they picked out of the crowd. These people on the surface looked to be happy, but with how they were dressed…how those that would haunt their dreams at night appeared…King's Landing was nothing more than a graveyard dressed as a city. The people were no doubt starving, struggling to get by while their king sat back and feasted all day and night when he wasn't spending his nights with a fresh whore in his bed.

"To think this is what the capital has been reduced to," Joshua sighs from within the wheelhouse "Still…if this is what Clive's homeland is like, I dread to think what would happen should they succeed."

"Nothing can be done for them until we set the realm right." Jill's gaze was focused on the crowd, while the Rosfield brothers would take in every face she focused on the youngest of the bunch. Children that looked so starved for food, hungry for affection and attention, that they already looked like the very images she had been shown by R'hllor of the White Walkers "But we cannot allow them to live like this for much longer."

"Aye, but what can we do? Robert sits the throne…we would be fools to try anything now."

"Why not wait until you can secure the other kingdoms aid?" Jote's suggestion, while unasked for, was not without its use "Surely, some must still rule the kingdoms that do not accept Robert's rule as it is?"

"It's possible, but disrupting a ruler is not so simple." Joshua frowns as a knight on horseback passes by "We shouldn't speak of this now, let us wait until we are in more secure quarters first."

"Agreed," Jill's eyes flicker to where she knew Clive would be riding "Hopefully, we can have some peace for a moment more."

The ceaseless days of feasting were beginning to bore Clive almost to the point of wishing Cid were around to annoy him. Almost. With every day they spent in the city, Clive kept himself and his men active. Colt and Thorn were always on guard duty with Hunter and Wrecker to ensure the others didn't try anything funny. The boys, Jon and Jack, were shadowing Rex for the most part when he was available, otherwise they followed Clive around for their lessons. Lessons that Clive could finally put into practice curtesy of Lord Murdoch. As for the pair of Rex and Cody…King's Landing was in for a shock when they were through with it.

"How much longer do we have to be out here?"

Cody sighs, taking in the architecture of the city "You need to relax and enjoy the simple things in life Rex."

"Like what?" Rex asks as a pair of children run past "All I see are kids roaming the streets, guards more interested in the brothel, and the hungry desperate for any sort of meal. Place just doesn't sit right with me."

Cody nods his head, cupping his chin as he admires the structure of the barracks "Think we should head back now?"

"I'd prefer to be back in Rosalith, in a nice warm bed."

The pair of knights began to make the journey back. Neither one gave away anything in their body language as they melted into the crowd. No one that was paying attention could say what they were thinking. Not the guards on duty diligently patrolling the streets for their king, nor the guards paid to keep an eye on the Rosarian party. The entire walk back to the palace was quiet. Rex's fingers twitched as they passed by the Lannister guardsmen, even the few members of the kingsguard weren't safe from his judging eyes.

It wasn't until the two had returned to the Rosarian quarters that they felt secure enough to share some of what they had figured out. With Colt guarding the door from the inside, Wrecker and Thorn standing watch out in the hall, and Hunter keeping his attention on the walls for any small listeners…the group was as secure as they could get.

"What did you learn Cody?"

Cody stood, back straight, eyes on Clive as he began to speak "The city will need extensive renovations my lord. From what we managed to gather, the sewer system has been left to stagnate, and practically needs to be fully replaced after so many years of neglect. The citizens themselves are for the most part starving and living on the streets. They'll require aid for a long while until the economy can recover, not to mention the men of the city watch are…not the most upstanding or dependable."

"Is that all?" Hunter chuckles from the wall "Would have thought the city would get a much more biting report out of you."

Cody frowns "That said…it is not completely hopeless. And with Cid's letter, we can expect him back in time for the tourney, his aid will be most valuable."

"Indeed." Clive's gaze sweeps over to Rex "And what of you?"

"Spies are everywhere as you thought. Children in the streets were following us more than usual, ran off when we pretended to be bickering or even found something we just didn't like." Rex smirks "But if you ask me, the real problem is the brothels. I'd be willing to bet that is where the real spymaster operates."

"A brothel? Why would anyone want to own such a place?" Jill found herself having to suppress a giggle as Joshua looked pensive, it didn't help that Jote looked conflicted between explaining to his grace what it could be used for or leaving him in blissful ignorance. "I'm not so naïve to not know what happens in one but…I cannot fathom what sort of spy would utilize them in such a way."

"Your guess is as good as mine your grace, but my point still stands. We have potentially two spymasters in this city alone, possibly without it too…we cannot afford to be lax with either group."

"Agreed," Clive sighs, left hand scratching Ghost behind the ear "Cody, keep to your plans. The King would greatly appreciate the work you are doing, and I am certain the citizens will be greatly appreciative for your efforts. Rex, you know what to do, but be discreet."

Rex smirks "Oh I have plans for that, don't you worry."

"That is precisely why we worry," Joshua sighs "We are not in Rosaria anymore, recklessness will only see us all killed."

"How much longer do we have again?" Hunter rolls his shoulders "Tourney will be the best opportunity for either side to make a move."

"A week more I should think," Clive leans forward "Rumor is that the lords of the realm are arriving slowly. The tourney grounds are all but finished in their preparation, and the king is growing tired of waiting. Won't be long now before the tourney begins and we all have to deal with the festivities."

"Are we expecting trouble?"

Clive didn't have an answer to that. He wasn't known for his sharp mind for strategy, he was known for his prowess on the field of battle. Lord Murdoch would say he could be a great commander, but Clive would not agree with the sentiment. Playing this game, having to think ahead of unknown people and enemies hiding in the shadows that were prominent in every dark corner of the city…this was not the life he had any experience with. He knew that when a move was made for the throne that King Robert would be an enemy of his, but who else could he even consider to be his enemies?

In the coming days, the question would be answered as Clive was present by Joshua and Jill's side to witness the arrival of the nobility of Westeros. From the stern lords of the Storm Land's to the knights and lordlings riding proud on their horses from the Westerlands. Every lord and lady in attendance reminded Clive of the Sanbreque lords. Proud, arrogant, fat off their abuse of power. There were few exceptions to those views, and fewer that placed higher on the scale of annoyance to Clive. At one point in the welcoming feasts Clive found himself waiting outside the chambers of one of the guests, a Lady Margaery Tyrell, while Jill was inside with her and an old crone of a woman who made even Clive's honed instincts demand he draw a weapon.

Opposite of Clive were two large men, seven feet tall, broad shouldered and identical in every way. Left and Right, that's what the old crone had called them, were the only things standing between Clive and Jill. The door itself wasn't anything more than a formality as it could just as easily be blown away from a simple fire spell. If he were in such a need to get inside the room beyond. Clive kept his eyes on the Tyrell guardsmen, not a single ounce of trust shared between the three men while the women within the room had a discussion of their own.

"I find it highly unlikely that you all could be putting on a mummer's farce for support," Jill kept her face neutral as the old woman, Olenna Tyrell dove into the subject of conversation that she wanted to discuss "Rosaria. A made-up kingdom from a far away land, its royals arrive here in Westeros for simple things such as aid against their enemies and so their young ruler can explore the world before taking the crown. Hard to believe."

"Grandmother it is hardly a falsehood," Margaery Tyrell, a woman Jill found to be the spitting image of what Anabella would have no doubt wanted for a proper bride for Joshua, was the only person in this ever-growing den of vipers to be a relief for Jill's nerves with her wit, charm, and her sincerity. "How else could you explain their lack of knowledge or even their own practices? Those knights of yours are quite impressive. I have seen many spars with my brother Loras, none move quite like yours do."

"Indeed," Olenna adds on "Though you might be telling the truth with your story, no one is as saintly as to have the truth laid out in the open plain for all to see. What is it that you truly want with our lands?"

Jill looked slightly taken aback by the question. "Want? What would I want with any foreign lands? I am a princess of the Northern Territories of Valisthea…a peace offering to Rosaria to foster good will between our kingdoms. I am only here to accompany my foster brother on his journey, that is all."

The old woman laughs "That's all? Do you take me for a fool, girl? No, you are hiding something. You protect it poorly, it's written clear as day, but I have a keen eye and it is clear. You are lying to me."

"Is it a lie to tell the truth?" Jill let some ice slip into her voice "I've read more than enough of Westeros and its lords. How they call you the Queen of Thorns. How Tywin Lannister murdered innocents all for gold when he wiped out the Tarbecks and the Reynes. If telling you plain and true what it is that I am here for is a lie…then I am the only liar in these lands, aren't I?"

Margaery eyed her grandmother and Jill warily as they stared at the other down. No one would ever speak to her grandmother like this. Stand up to her. Margaery might get away with the occasional bout of willfulness here and there, but evens he knew that Olenna held the real power of the Reach. Not her lord father, and not her or her brothers. Olenna simply sat back and observed the young woman before her with a critical eye.

"You are in love." She said simply "I can see it in your eyes. You told me the truth, that I will grant you, but you have played your hand girl and let your emotions leak out of your eyes and your words without realizing it."

"How could you possibly think that?"

"I was young once, I may not look it, but I was once the betrothed of a Targaryen Prince…were that he had any interest in a lady I would have been his wife and possibly queen of the seven kingdoms at one point." Olenna almost smiles, her face just barely twitching "Love blinds you to your place, keeps you ignorant of where you are and who you are with. Were you not in love, you would not have jumped to the right conclusions and examples with such ferocity. Unbecoming of a lady, to allow your heart to grow attached so young…who is it? It's not the boy, you hardly looked at him at the feast. Perhaps it is one of the knights then?"

Jill hoped to Metia that she was not reacting how the old woman wanted her to. Her face was calm, not a hair out of place nor a twitch of any muscle. Margaery was impressed with Jill's composure in the face of the Queen of Thorns.

"It cannot be the boys, squires that young would hardly be fit for a husband yet, and you do not strike me as the sort to take a lover so easily. It cannot be those two brutes you travel with; those men do not seem the kind to be gentle with a lady." Olenna smiles as Jill's face heats up, no doubt from the implications. More information to be used later when the need arises. "So that leaves the other four…I would think the lucky man would be Ser Clive seeing as he is your personal guard here but the looks you give each other do not seem to be those of lovers, which means the culprit must certainly be Ser Thorn."

"Not Sir Cody. Sir Colt or Sir Rex?" Jill couldn't stop herself from asking about the senior knights in their group "I find it hard to believe you think I would be going after the younger knights."

"Unlike the knights here in the city, those three take their duties very seriously and hardly ever stray from their assigned roles." Olenna scoffs "No doubt some of the ladies in the dining hall are still vying for their attention and affection, like pheasants showing off so prettily before they are snatched up by a cunning fox. No, those three men of yours are far too true to their order to stray for even a moment."

"And you gathered all of this from a look?"

"Observation is a tool to be used," Olenna scolds her, slipping into the tone she used to use when Margaery was a young girl in need of lessons "If one cannot see clearly with their own eyes, then they are blind for life. Do not worry, I was not going to seek a betrothal between you and my grandsons for political power. Your kingdom is far away, your power too is far away from here. There would be no point to tie you down to Westeros."

Jill relaxed, fighting down a smirk of her own as the conversation slowly moved to more mundane things. What Valisthea was like, the kingdoms there, the nobility, the wars, and even the Blight. That was a subject that had both Tyrell women paling as they heard what it was like. The crystals and magic, the Dominants and Eikons, never came up. The Blight, being deemed a natural occurrence they could not fathom, was more than enough to keep the two from pressing into what they could gain from her homeland and its people.

There was a knock at the door. Olenna seemed to scowl as the door opened and one of her guards poked his head in. "Yes, what is it?"

"The last of the guests have arrived, the king requests all be in attendance."

"Who could possibly be the last one to arrive?" Margaery voices, face filled with confusion as Olenna slowly rises from her seat.

"Who do you think?" she grumbles, old bones carrying her to the door.

Rex and Colt stood to either side of Joshua, Jote standing just behind him with Wrecker at her side. Jill found herself under the protection of Thorn and Clive, with Hunter and Cody taking up the rear. King Robert let out a belly laugh as his final guests arrived at the keep. Raising a goblet, he smiles broadly as he eyes the men standing before him. All looked ready for battle, worthy competition to witness on the morrow.

"Welcome to King's Landing!" he booms with a laugh "Lord Tywin, I had not expected you to arrive at all so soon after Joffrey's nameday tourney but seeing you and your champions here…I cannot wait for the tourney to begin now."

Tywin Lannister was a serious looking man. Face almost permanently set into a scowl as his sharp eyes scanned the crowd of faces there to greet him and his men upon their arrival. He was tall, body showing both its advancing age and the strength he still had from years of service. "Indeed, your grace, but rest assured my men here will be more than enough to put on a good show for all the lords and ladies gathered here."

Clive felt his fists clench as he spotted the 'champions' of the West. Clive could pick Amory Lorch out of a crowd with ease, there was no mistaking who the stout man that resembled a pig in knights' armor was. Lorch was every bit as arrogant in his mannerisms as the knights of Sanbreque were. The way his armor curved around his belly…Clive wondered if the man would squeal like the pig that he so resembled. Standing next to Lorch was the largest man that Clive had ever seen before; easily larger than the reports he had heard of Hugo Kupka, the Dominant of Titan. Gregor Clegane, the Mountain that Rides, the greatest brute and horror story to ever grace the lands of Westeros. All the reading Clive had done, all the stories he had been told, all the accounts he thought over again…none of them did the man any justice. He was far larger, and clearly stronger than the stories suggested even with their exaggerations, but the one thing none of them had accounted for was just how angry Clive could feel. Flames began to flicker in his hands, fortunately no one had noticed as Jill grasped his left hand in her right, the physical contact cooling him off instantly though his scowl remained firm upon his face.

"Preparations are all in order then?" Tywin asks, handing his helm off to a squire "We wouldn't want to delay the festivities longer than need be."

"Quite right," Robert slams left hand on the table "Tonight we feast! But tomorrow…tomorrow we shall begin the tourney of the Hand!"

The crowd cheered, why wouldn't they? Clive gave Jill's hand a faint squeeze of thanks before they made their way to the back of the crowd. Clive could feel the fire burning within him, he could even feel that twinge of the wind fueling the flames along. "Not now," he whispers, clutching at his left arm "Not now!"

Thorn stood watch as Clive had his back against the wall, Jill by his side doing her best to keep him cold and detached from whatever was making him heat up and nearly start a fire. No one would get close, of that Thorn would not fail, but if something happened to Clive…may the Phoenix protect them from what Jill would do.

"Focus on me," she says in his ear, her words soft and soothing "Whatever it is Clive, you do not have to face it alone."

"Much as I wish it were true my lady," he chuckles, wincing as he feels the heat around him grow warmer "I don't think this will be a simple affair. I've felt anger before…felt the flames burn with my rage but…this is something else. Something different."

A flash of concern crossed her face "Do you think it might be…Ifrit?"

Ifrit. That word, that one word that kept Clive up at night. "I…I don't know. I still haven't shown any signs of being a Dominant, and we still haven't seen…you-know-who, maybe this is just the phoenix's blessing acting up?"

Clive gently brushes Jill aside, giving her an apologetic look before his eyes flick to a few curious parties trying to spy on them. She got the message, schooling her features and acting as if nothing was wrong. One slip up at this junction was all it would take for far more than a few secrets to be revealed to the greater world. Thorn brought his right hand behind his back, Clive's eyes zeroed in on his fingers as he drummed them along the back of his armor. Someone was coming.

"Lady Warrick, I presume?" Clive felt his body stiffen as he heard that old, weathered voice speak "When I had heard the tales of royals from beyond the Summer Sea…I had not thought that two different kingdoms would have their leadership grace us with their presence."

Thorn and Clive shared a look, his honeyed words were nice enough. No insult was made given his tone, but the way his pale green eyes looked at Jill…the way the flecks of gold seemed to glint in the light…Clive wanted nothing more than to mount his head on a spike. But that would be far too good a punishment for the man who ordered the death of children.

"I am only doing my duty Lord Tywin," Jill gives a slight bow of her head "Archduke Elwin took me in, as his ward true, but I never once was made to feel like I was an outsider. In fact, Joshua is very much a brother to me, one that I would see protected during his…fanciful ventures outside of home."

"Quite right," Tywin agrees, making Thorn relax as the older man continues "Still, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders. That guard of yours hasn't once relaxed since I arrived, the other only does so but just barely. Rosarian knights do seem to be quite well trained."

"Only the best become shields," Thorn boasts, catching Tywins eye.

"Indeed. Perhaps later during the tourney, we could discuss potential business between my house and your kingdom, Lady Warrick? I assure you; you won't regret it, a Lannister always pays his debts."

"I would be delighted, Lord Tywin, and perhaps we could arrange a meeting between you and Lord Rosfield as well, I am sure he would enjoy a chance to learn from such an experienced Lord such as yourself."

Clive felt like he was going to be sick as she spoke equally honeyed words to Tywin Lannister. With no signs visible to him that either party had given away the great game they were playing, he let his shoulders relax just a tiny bit as Tywin gave a stiff nod and proceeded to stalk off in search of another noble to irritate. Jill herself felt sick to her stomach. Tywin Lannister wasn't a pleasant man from what she had heard and read, but to have him so close and be so…almost cordial with her, she wanted nothing more than to put an entire sea between her and the old lion.

"Clive, if and when the war is resolved…promise me we won't have to deal with him after it."

"On that we both are in agreement," he says, smirking at Tywin's retreating form "Let's get you to your quarters, it has been a long day for all of us. Tomorrow won't be any shorter."

AN: Thus far our cast has not grown officially yet though expect that to change in the coming chapters as more pieces fill up our board for the Game of Thrones. See what I did there? Anyway, we are officially done with chapter 19…which means 18 has been uploaded and 20 is now in the works. 29 is still not done but 28 is…so make of that as you will. And speaking of the big three chapters…we are now 10 chapters away…technically 9 from the start, 10 from the middle and 11 from the end. NOT the end of the story…let that sink in, read it a second time if you require it. Story isn't ending at chapter 30…that is FAR too much content for me to cram into 11 chapters and while I have been told I am good or even brilliant…I am not THAT good an author as to do that work in that space of chapter lengths.

We have introduced one of our big players in Tywin Lannister, unintentionally we introduced the Tyrell's or more specifically Olenna Tyrell who quite literally strong armed her way into the chapter as I had not intended to introduce her for a long while yet...let's just say for the sake of my and Clive's sanity I will not be introducing her to Charon. We also have Amory Lorch and the Mountain here now…and boy do I have a lot of plans for that last one. I don't know which ending for the Mountain will be used, but I do know and volunteer for possibly putting his other potential ends as some form of omake at the end of the chapters after his conclusion if anyone gets curious…that or outright say it but his death wont be for a while yet. No point in making you all worry because the tourney is literally next chapter.

P.S. Guess who got another cold after finishing this one? This guy. Chapter 20 is still in the works, but a lot further along than 18 was for two weeks. And chapter 29 is done too...so there's that. While I fight this headcold, least I hope it is only a head cold, I'll do my best to get 20 done...and try not to get distracted working on chapter 30.

Now…let's get to the reviews, shall we?

Jebest4781: If I ever can get us to chapter 27 then we can certainly start getting to the more AU elements

Hakuryukou79: So if you want a hint as to what Summons have been turned into Eikons, I suggest looking extensively at every summon throughout Final Fantasy's history. That's the best non-spoiler answer I can give you because there are a lot of them and only a small handful of those summons made it into this in some capacity.