Blood and Winter

Chapter XIII

Peaceful.

That was how Daenerys would describe her current surroundings. Tranquil and peaceful, birds chirping, blue skies that were an oddity considering the grey clouds that had seemed to hang over Westeros for many months now. It was dry, sun shining, a contrast to the usual rainy and dreary days.

But she knew that this would not last forever. Soon a meeting would be held that would determine the war to come. This meeting would determine the future of Westeros and its people, whether they would live to see peace or be caught in the crossfires of war once more.

This fact weighed heavily upon her, the burden she felt at the decision she must make. Yet, it was not a decision she would have to make alone. There were others who would be bearing the same weight as she had. They were her rivals for the throne, boys that were not much older than she was. Both forced to consider the lives of their people and how the war would affect them. After all, a Kingdom could not exist without people to inhabit it.

Daenerys did not come here to bring fire and blood. No, she came here to liberate Westeros from the Usurpers bloodline. Daenerys came to re-establish Targaryen rule and lead the people of Westeros to a new Golden Age. One of peace and prosperity.

Destroying Westeros was the opposite of what she desired. However, Daenerys knew that in the future, she might have to tear down her enemies.

Frowning, Daenerys fidgeted upon her chair, trying to find a comfortable position. The area they were in was a large open expanse, ensuring that there was no possibility of hidden soldiers. It was a security measure taken, that while leaving her completely exposed, meant the same for her enemies. It also ensured that she could see her enemies coming for miles, even if they attempted to launch an ambush, she would be more than able to escape in plenty of time.

'Though it's not like I'm completely exposed.' She thought, looking towards the largest of her Dragons, Drogon. He was laid slumbering upon the ground, well-fed and sated. There would be little chance of her rivals doing anything untoward against her with Drogon around. She hoped that it would also provide her leverage to use against them, though if what she had heard about Robb Stark was to be true, she doubted that would be possible.

Begrudgingly, she had listened to Ser Bronn's words and had released Tyrion from his cells. He was still a prisoner, but he had been provided better living quarters and better food so long as he provided her aid. Eventually, if he proved himself valuable enough, she might even offer him a position upon her council, but still remained to be seen.

However, she had listened to Bronn's words and in turn, she listened to Tyrion's. Before his arrival, they had already set the meeting south of Rook's Rest and north of Duskendale. Close enough to the coast that they could retreat towards their boats, but far enough away to put the other two rulers at ease.

But it was Tyrion that had pointed out that bringing all three Dragons with her to the meeting would be in poor taste and appear more threatening. He had explained that it would only cause more problems in the negotiations than help them, Daenerys had of course refused to go without her Dragons but due to Ser Barristan concurring with Tyrion, she had eventually acquiesced to their demands. Though only when they had agreed to let her bring one Dragon with her.

Instead, she was now accompanied by an elite unit of Unsullied, personally handpicked by their leading commander, Grey Worm. Each stood firmly to attention, appearing as unmoving statues, but hiding the careful and scrutinising gazes that watched the horizons carefully. The Unsullied made up the bulk of the accompanying soldiers that she had brought. But they were not the entirety of it. There was also a large group of cavalrymen taken from the Second Sons making it a total of over fifty men, the limit she had explained within the letter.

Refusal to follow such a demand would be seen as an act of war and the immediate breaking of the temporary truce. She had even, under the guidance of Ben Plumm, put in the warning that whichever side broke this truce would be faced by the other two sides working together. Whether such a thing would truly go ahead was unknown, but it was a crafty little trick that the commander of the Second Sons had suggested as a little show of force.

Most of her guard was a little further away, only around a dozen of Unsullied a little closer, surrounding her in an arch as she sat waiting under a little hastily made canopy. Nothing more than a few wooden poles dug into the ground, with a cloth over the top.

However, seated beside her was Tyrion Lannister on her left and Ser Barristan Selmy on her right. Behind them stood Greyworm, Strong Belwas, Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, Goghor the Giant, Belaquo Bonebreaker, Camarron of the Count and the Spotted Cat. Many of her guards besides Greyworm and Ser Bronn had been former Pit Fighters. All except Strong Belwas had been brought before her by a particularly annoying thorn and her second husband, Hizdhar zo Loraq.

Her marriage to him had been a farce, lasting no more than a day before she had him killed. Originally, she married him purely to gain ninety days of peace from the Sons of the Harpy. He had, quite quickly which had been odd but she had been willing to overlook it. That was until Skahaz mo Kandaq in his preparations for departing to Westeros had come across Hizdhar meeting with the Sons of the Harpy.

Daenerys had killed him soon after, her marriage not even lasting a day. She had then once again shut down the Fighting Pits and had taken a few of Hizdhar's former bodyguards for herself. They were an odd bunch, but fearsome and skilled fighters all the same.

"The Starks have arrived." Tyrion mused, more to himself if the quietness of his tone was anything to go by. All had seen the flags arriving upon the horizon, dozens upon dozens of them. She recognised a few of them, House Tully, House Arryn, House Tyrell to name a few. But at the very lead, was the flag of House Stark, one bearing that of a crowned Direwolf.

'Much like how I brought Drogon, the Young Wolf seems to have come bearing the full might of his Kingdom to his meeting. A showcase of how influential and powerful he has become.' Daenerys had expected this much, Tyrion had been correct in assuming that the Young Wolf would do this, explaining it as the simplest move he could make. Though she could at least acknowledge all that he accomplished during this war, they were both quite similar in that fashion.

He had been a young boy when the war began, inexperienced and underestimated at every turn. Yet he had used that to his advantage and scored victory after victory. The momentum he gained, in the beginning, carrying him on throughout the war and stunning all of Westeros with his achievements and military genius.

She had in a way, endured similar trials and tribulations. Always looked upon as weak and stupid due to her age and sex. Men wanted to fuck her, women wanted to be her, yet they expected nothing from her. And look at what she had done, abolished slavery within Meereen, gathering allies in the most unlikely of places and hatching Dragons.

They were similar, the pair of them.

'I suppose the rumours of him been handsome are not false either.' He wasn't elegantly beautiful, nor was he rough and wild-like. Robb was just pleasantly handsome, though she supposed that did have its own appeal. 'But they are truly beautiful.' She thought, looking upon the large wolves, Direwolves if she was not mistaken, pulling slightly ahead of the Stark contingent. Behind them, the vast majority of Robb Stark's entourage coming to a halt.

While she paid little attention to it, focused more upon the magnificent beasts striding across the open fields, her aids watched the discipline with which the Stark force moved. They had arrived in formation, not quite as fluid or as disciplined as the Unsullied, but nonetheless skilled. Each quickly fanning out into a strong defensive position while the Wolf King continued towards them, dismounting from his steed.

His entourage consisted of quite a young bunch of figures.

A large, hulking beast of a man that was Smalljon Umber, the one many were beginning to call the Mad Giant. In many ways, he reminded them of Strong Belwas, the man, in particular, looking upon him with interest. Even Goghor the Giant, the tallest of their group seemed small in comparison to the figure that was the new Lord Umber.

Beside him was a smaller woman, but still tall and athletic, yet possessing a certain beauty to her. That was Dacey Mormont, the eldest daughter of Magee Mormont.

There was also Robar Royce, Patrek Mallister, Edward Karstark, Daryn Hornwood Perwyn Frey. Each of them shared nervous and wary glances as they looked upon Drogon that slumbered peacefully beside the queen. Even asleep, the beast captured the mind and imagination of all those who looked upon it.

As Robb approached the pre-prepared chairs for them, he bowed to them in greeting, never once sparing the slumbering Dragon even a glance. "Queen Daenerys, I thank you for arranging this meeting." He said, many surprised and some slightly hopeful at the respectful way in which she spoke. Those few wondering and hoping that he might just surrender to them, accepting Daenerys as the new Queen without a fight. "My people have suffered enough in this war and I am pleased to see that you have not been afflicted by the madness that has often run through your family."

The hope that had slowly been building dipped at those final words. True though they may be, it told them all they needed to hear, Robb was not going to surrender to the Targaryens. The madness that had gripped their family for generations was the reason behind that, understandable, yet it also left them worrying for the future.


It was quiet, neither side saying anything as they sat patiently. Flags flapped in the wind, the ruffling of leather and armour joining the sound as men shifted to get into a more comfortable position. Yet they were all on alert, all those experienced in warfare and battle scanning their surroundings carefully.

An hour, that's how long they had spent, only moments of idle chatter breaking through the silence between them. Yet, despite that time, there was still no sign of Aegon Targaryen or his entourage at all.

That alone raised questions. Had he simply decided to not join and was preparing himself for war against his enemies? Was he on his way here to negotiate? Or was he on his way here to kill both his enemies? Or just one of them?

As those questions crossed Robb's mind, he looked towards Daenerys and her group carefully. 'Am I too late? Are Aegon and she allies and I am simply being played for a fool?' Quickly he dismissed those thoughts as he looked upon the slumbering Dragon behind the Queen. 'No, if that was the case she would have no need to wait this long. If she were allied with Aegon then she would have just killed me the moment I arrived.'

However, despite this Robb didn't relax, especially not when he looked upon the Unsullied behind her. He had done his research upon the soldiers of Essos, no city seemed to have a standing army. Instead, they either armed their slaves and sent them out to die while weakening the enemy. Others just hired large numbers of Sellsword Companies. The only thing close to a standing force within Essos was the Unsullied, slave soldiers trained from birth.

They worried Robb a great deal and it was another reason he didn't want Daenerys as an enemy. He had heard tales of the skill and discipline that Unsullied possessed and while they were lightly armoured, their training was extensive. The most famous of their skill was in the story of three thousand Unsullied forcing a Khalasar of fifty thousand Dothraki to retreat.

Robb had never met Dothraki personally so he couldn't say much for their skill, but the sheer number of foes the Unsullied fought against despite their few numbers told him all he needed to know. 'With the plans, I have in place I may be able to deal with her Dragons and perhaps on the open fields, I may be able to beat her Unsullied. But if I was to besiege Dragonstone, even with my full force I may lose. Especially if Aegon is not taken care of first.'

He let none of these thoughts appear on his face, instead of looking to the sun in the sky which was beginning to drop. Night was coming and that only made Robb's concerns rise. It was highly possible that as Daenerys and he retired for the evening to begin negotiations between the two of them on the morrow that during the night, Aegon could attack.

"Perhaps it would be best if we began negotiations of our own." Robb proposed arms crossed over his chest. Daenerys looked up from where she had been stroking the snout of her Dragon and turned to him inquisitively.

"Without Aegon?" She questioned and Robb shrugged.

"The sun is going to set soon. So it seems likely that Aegon has no intention of negotiating with us. War is his answer and I shall respond in kind. But I would like to know your own answer." Robb answered. "Do you intend for peace or war?"

Yet it was not Daenerys that answered, instead it was Tyrion who did in her place though perhaps without permission if the look that came across the Dragon Queens face was anything to go by. "Perhaps Aegon has been delayed, trying to ensure a safe path to this meeting. Especially considering your army is marching south. It raises the question if you even came to negotiate in the first place or if war was always your answer?"

His words were sharp and earned more than a few reactions. The most obvious was Smalljon whose blade was halfway out of its sheath before Dacey managed to stop him. "Ye dare speak to a King in such a fashion. I'll have yer head on a spike before yer rotten mouth opens again!"

Before Smalljon's tirade could continue, Robb rose his hand, silencing the giant of a man without saying even a word. Yet he never took his gaze off Daenerys, judging her reaction to Tyrion's words. She didn't seem to overly trust the imp, but she at least seemed to share similar concerns that Tyrion had raised. It at least showed to him that Daenerys had come here meaning to negotiate and not betray him.

That was good news at least.

"You forget, Imp that until the Targaryens arrived the war in the south had been won. Your father, uncle and brother were captured along with the Mountain. The Westerlands had all but fallen with only Casterly Rock remaining, which has now fallen. The only Lannisters not captive to me were Joffrey, Cersei and the other children. But they posed no threat to me." Robb explained firmly. "Then I learn that two forces of Targaryens arrive, one possessing three Dragons and having a host of twenty thousand men. The other allied with the Dornish and Golden Company, numbering thirty thousand."

"Their intentions were unknown, their loyalties to one another also a mystery. Even now I do not know of where you two stand in comparison to the other. I have fought this war for three years of my life and I was close to ending it all. I will not risk the stability I have brought and needlessly start a war that could be easily avoided with a meeting with you both. However, I am not a naïve fool. We may have a truce, but I am still fighting a war and will act in a fashion befitting of that aim." Robb finally turned his gaze towards Tyrion.

Beside him, Grey Wind and Nymeria raised and snarled. Drogon as if sensing something was amiss opened his eyes, a single action that attracted nearly everyone's gaze. The only ones who didn't look being Daenerys, Tyrion and Robb.

"If war can be avoided in this meeting then I will gladly do my part to ensure that is the case. Lannisters may possess no honour or care for the common folk but do not presume that to be the case for me." There was a warning there, everyone heard it clearly.

"Then help us avoid this war entirely." Ser Barristan intervened. "Queen Daenerys has a rightful claim to the Iron Throne. Pledge your fealty to her and support her cause. Not even Aegon will be able to withstand against such a united force and war will be avoided entirely."

But many amongst Robb's party scoffed, most noticeably those from the North. Robb himself smiled, though it lacked any sort of humour, it was almost pitying in a way.

"Ser Barristan." He spoke. "You are a man of honour, a soldier whose skill and accomplishments are still talked about today. I respect you, truly. But do not be so naïve as to believe that I would subject my family to the rule of the Targaryens once more. You know well as to what happened the last time that we did. It is well-known that when a Targaryen is born, the Gods flip a coin. Thankfully it seems that you Queen Daenerys have avoided the fate of madness that has gripped many of your ancestors. It is truly fortunate and a blessing from the Gods."

Robb truly was earnest in his words, she was young, much like himself. So, it was impossible to say what she could become in the future, it is possible that Daenerys could have madness hiding under a façade of kindness that could later come to life. It was uncertain, but at this time she was not mad and therefore, Robb thanked the Old Gods for their kindness.

"But who is to say that her descendants will be the same?" There was no answer. "You knew Rhaegar better than me, but by all accounts, he was the pride and joy of Westeros. A shining beacon of hope for a better future. But look what happened next, he kidnapped my aunt and raped her. Then, after wrongfully imprisoning my uncle and my grandfather called forth his right for Trial by Combat, he made a mockery of it all and chose fire, burning my grandfather alive while my uncle died as well. If you believe I will subject my family to the Targaryens once more then you are sadly mistaken."

"My brother did not rape your aunt, Lyanna!" Daenerys argued hotly, Drogon rumbling. "They ran away together."

Robb had heard similar stories himself but he didn't believe them. "Believe what you will, but nonetheless, my family has suffered under your own and I will not force them to do so again."

"You don't have to," Tyrion interjected. "The North can rule itself independently. Though in turn, we would require you to hand over the other kingdoms however you will receive favourable trade agreements and even a powerful ally in the Targaryens. Think about it, northern independence." It was something Tyrion and Ser Barristan had suggested and while initially unwilling, Daenerys had eventually agreed to give up the North if it meant the rest of Westeros.

It was after all the best decision to make.

The North was permanently weakened as a result of this war and they were not a prosperous region anyway. It would take many, many years for it to recover and by that point, Daenerys would have consolidated her rule over the rest of Westeros. Not to mention that considering she controlled the trade, eventually the North would return to the fold of the Seven Kingdoms once more of its own volition.

But perhaps the best thing to come about of this would be a new and perhaps more powerful Kingdom replacing the North in the form of the Riverlands. It was the lead trading hub in the entirety of Westeros considering its vast amounts of rivers that allowed ships to deliver goods to major cities. As a result, it also saw a great deal of immigration from nearby kingdoms and with its farmable land, was a self-sustaining kingdom.

However, its biggest weakness was its military. Back in the time before the Targaryens, the Riverlands had, as the centre of Westeros being the land ravaged most by wars. Various Kings sought to use it to expand their own territories or used it as an area to do battle against their rivals.

It was constantly being destroyed by war and so never developed itself as a true military power, especially not after the fall of the Hammer of Justice, the King of the Rivers and Hills, Tristifer IV Mudd. After his death and the destruction of House Mudd, the Riverlands had never been the same again and had crumbled into near nothingness.

Even under the Targaryens, it had never implemented a proper military structure. As a result, despite possessing large numbers of men at fighting age, it had no way to properly call upon them in times of war. This led to it despite having arguably one of the largest populations in Westeros, only able to call upon an army the size of the Stormlands. This was its biggest weakness, but something that Robb Stark and the Tyrell's had been changing.

If the North was to leave, Daenerys would not lose much as she had initially believed. In fact, if she continued to invest in the Riverlands as Robb had then she would only get stronger.

"Did you know that in the Battle of the Antlers, on the eve of the final day I could have left?" Robb asked and many looked to him in confusion. "Ser Dickon Tarly had prepared boats to ferry me and my council across the Gods Eye and to safety. But I stayed, do you know why?"

"I hardly see what this has to do with the proposition we just gave you?" Daenerys retorted.

Robb smiled. "It has everything to do with it. You see if I was to have taken Dickon's offer. I would be asking the army that remained to give their lives in the final battle against Tywin. Without me to lead them it would have been suicide. I would be asking them to give their lives in place of my own. I couldn't ask them to do that. You see, my dynasty will live in my child. I couldn't ask my soldiers who had fought so fiercely and with such loyalty to make a sacrifice that I myself, was not willing to make."

As soon as those words were spoken, the realisation dawned upon Daenerys and her supporters as well. "Just as I cannot subject my family to the rule of the Targaryens. I can also not ask my people, those who have sworn loyalty to me to do that same if they do not wish it."

Before anything else could be said, a horn was sounded and, in the distance, the third ruler arrived.

As Daenerys went quiet, thinking upon the words Robb had just spoken, Garlan leaned over to the Wolf King. Quiet words were shared between the two, many too busy looking to the approaching Targaryen host to notice. Though a few did and they watched as a look of consideration came onto Robb's face before nodding his head.

"Queen Daenerys." He spoke, turning most of the attention back to himself, though the guards still kept a close watch upon the Targaryen forces, preparing themselves for a possible attack. "Just as I proposed we should negotiate without asking Aegon, I believe that when he arrives, we should also retire for the evening."

Tyrion smirked to himself, looking towards the man who had suggested it to the King, Garlan Tyrell. His father was an arrogant man, but he had always held a begrudging respect and even fear for the Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell. In fact, Tyrion had overhead a few plans his father had been prepared to implement that would kill the true ruler of House Tyrell and the Reach long before the War of Five Kings. If she died, only her stupid oaf of a son would be left to rule and well, many already knew the extent of his ability.

However, Tywin had, much like he had done with Robb Stark, underestimated the children of Mace Tyrell. For all the intelligence he lacked, they seemed to make up for it. Garlan was well-known to be one of Robb Starks closest confidants, and back in the Riverlands Olenna, Margaery and Willas Tyrell were working to run his kingdom through the war.

They understood politics in a way most Starks didn't and just as he had realised what Aegon's intentions were, so had Garlan. He just hadn't wanted to say anything, he just wanted this whole thing to be over with as soon as possible.

"King Robb is right, your grace." Tyrion concurred, Daenerys turning to him. "King Aegon has arrived late for no reason over than to make us wait for him. A reminder that we are lesser than him and should be happy that he turned up at all. Or at least that's what he has attempted. It's a very simple move and not subtle in the slightest. I doubt he expected it to work at all and if he did, then he is nothing more than a fool."

For a moment, Daenerys sat in silence, considering the options open for her as the Targaryen group continued to march towards them. "I will agree to your proposition, King Robb." Robb inclined his head in thanks. "But I would like to see my nephew with my own eyes."

As soon as those words were said Tyrion winced, as did Ser Barristan, especially when they saw the looks shared amongst the Wolf King's entourage. Unwittingly or unknowingly, Daenerys had revealed that she didn't fully believe the possibility of Aegon being her nephew as he proclaimed. That was something that should have been kept secret, leverage that could be used against Robb. If he believed that Daenerys believed Aegon was her nephew then that family connection could have been used to gain more from these negotiations.

Yet it was their fault for not stressing that to her, something they had realised too late. Robb Stark now had his answer and he looked pleased with it if the way he relaxed into his chair was anything to go by. Both Garlan Tyrell and the Blackfish gave nothing away. But the smirk upon the Mad Giants face told them all they needed to know.


"I'd say that today, things went very well," Garlan spoke, sitting at the table within Robb's tent. "Neither Daenerys nor Aegon are allied together. Not only that, but Daenerys doesn't believe Aegon is her nephew and she also seems a little naïve. We can use that to our advantage."

Robb nodded his head silently.

"Robb? Is everything alright?"

"Did you see the Dragon, Garlan?" Robb questioned and Garlan frowned. It was hard not to have seen the beast, a magnificent creature which all knew to be the most powerful and dangerous thing in this world. Reading and seeing the drawings of one was one thing, they could be exaggerated and misinterpreted. But seeing it in real life was an entirely different thing, there could be no exaggeration.

Instead of saying anything though, Garlan just nodded his head. There had been a great deal of discontent when they had approached the meeting place, all had seen the Dragon slumbering along the ground and many had murmured their worries. Even now Smalljon was out there drinking alongside a few others, their nerves rattled.

"It is unlike anything I had ever seen before," Robb muttered to himself, fist clenching and unclenching in an attempt to calm his nerves. "It took every ounce of my control to not show my fear."

He had not even dared to look at the beast because he knew that if he had, Robb would have been unable to stop his nervousness from showing. So, he had instead looked upon Daenerys, as beautiful as she was, it was a much harder task especially with the Dragon resting behind her. But he had just focused upon her, trying to appear calm as he avoided looking upon the creature as much as possible.

Clenching his fist, Robb took a calming breath. 'I cannot focus upon that, get ahold of yourself, Robb.' Fear was a powerful weapon and if he allowed himself to feel it, then that would give his enemies the advantage.

Instead, much like he had focused upon Daenerys instead of her Dragon, now he focused upon the negotiations. "What do we do tomorrow?" Robb questioned, relying upon Garlan and his greater understanding of politics. If he held a position of power over the other rulers Robb would be content to act like himself. But he didn't, despite possessing the larger army and kingdom, both rulers were no weaker than himself.

Aegon possessed thirty thousand men and the Golden Company which his spies had reported had brought strange creatures over from Essos. Large, four-legged creatures that could trample men underfoot. And as the Golden Company had shown, they were far more experienced and skilled than his own army.

Daenerys was in a similar boat, possessing the Unsullied. However, above all that, she possessed three Dragons.

He may have a larger army and more influence over Westeros, but that didn't make them weaker than him. That's why these negotiations were so important, Daenerys and Aegon must never become allied and if he could, he needed to make Daenerys his ally. That was the only way he could score a victory that didn't end in the complete destabilisation of Westeros and everything he had worked towards.

"Well, we know that Queen Daenerys isn't convinced that King Aegon is her nephew like he has claimed. He certainly looks like a Valyrian, but as we've learned the people of Lys still possess the blood of the Valyrian Freehold. It's possible that they could have just chosen a random child that looked to have been of Dornish descent with Valyrian features and proclaimed he was Aegon Targaryen." Garlan suggested, Robb nodded his head in agreement. "That's something we should hint about. If we're lucky, not only will Daenerys come to the same conclusion, but possibly even the Dornish."

That caught Robb's attention, having not thought of trying to convince them also. But if it worked, Aegon would lose two-thirds of his fighting force in one fell swoop. He quite liked that idea.

"But we have to be careful." Garlan continued. "If we overtly bring it up, they'll realise that we are simply attempting to manipulate them and whether they believe it or not, it will turn them against us also. We may end up pushing the Dornish away from us and to Daenerys. Or even push Daenerys to Aegon."

That's when the flaps to their tent were opened, Brynden Blackfish striding in after ensuring the patrols were in place. "Start an argument with Aegon." He stated firmly, both Garlan and Robb looking to the man in question as he sat at the table also. "I've seen boys like him before. He's got experience in combat, but little knowledge of politics. He's also not fought properly wars, in Essos wars and battles are usually fought by single combatants who represent both sides. Either that or they end in a single battle or two. A prolonged war like this is something they have little experience in."

"If we deny him what he wants at every turn and make our intentions of being willing to ally with Daenerys, it'll anger him." Garlan frowned at Blackfish's words. "His pride will get the best of him and then when emotions are running high, you can layout all your suspicions without any need to be subtle. It'll be much more hard-hitting and convincing for the others than if you were simply hinting at it."

Garlan wasn't so certain about the plan, however. "If we do that, we'll alienate Aegon and if we're not careful about it, we may also alienate Daenerys with our unwillingness to make concessions."

"Possibly, but as I said, I've met plenty of boys like Aegon. They call him the Young Dragon, a mockery of your own title." Robb nodded his head, having suspected that much. "They believe and expect him to win this war with ease, but you can tell that our army marching upon Kings Landing has shaken him. He didn't expect that and he doesn't know how to respond. If we keep doing that, he'll not know what to do and he won't like that one bit. It won't take much to set him off if that's the case."

Garlan went to argue once more but Robb rose his hand, silencing him. "I'll think upon it and make a decision on the morrow. In the meantime, both of you get some rest."


It had rained over the course of the night, a light fog settling over the ocean in the distance. The wind was cool, many wrapped in thick cloaks to help protect them. Yet the sun was in the sky, shining brightly down upon them, reflecting off the bits of water that had settled upon the grass creating quite the beautiful scenery for them all to enjoy.

Or would have, if it wasn't for the tense situation in which the three sides found themselves within.

To the northernmost position, was Robb Stark. To the east, Daenerys Targaryen. And to the south, Aegon. Each looking upon one another, gauging each other's positions and those that had accompanied them. Trying to see who was in a position of strength and who was in weakness. They had done so yesterday, but not much time had been provided before all three sides retired.

Yet as Robb looked upon the group that had accompanied Aegon, he did not know what to think. The two men at his side were unknowns to him, though Brynden had recognised one, the man on Aegon's right to be Jon Connington. Former Lord of House Connington of Griffins Roost and a man who had served temporarily as Hand of the King to Aerys Targaryen during Robert's Rebellion.

As for Aegon himself, he certainly looked like a Targaryen. His skin was slightly darker in colour than Daenerys pale skin, but still very pale and white. Hair was silvery in colour, though once again, darker than Daenerys own. But his eyes were a deeper violet in colour, much more mesmerising to look upon.

All in all, he certainly possessed Valyrian features, there was no denying that.

But the man upon his left was a fat man with a forked yellow beard that gleamed like gold. He possessed crooked teeth and even from the distance separated, Robb could smell the heavy perfumes that he must have doused himself in. A strange man, but one he doubted would be there if he wasn't useful to the King.

Robb and his entourage had no idea who he was, but Daenerys had recognised him. She being surprised and even perhaps saddened to see him on the side of Aegon. A curious thing and something Robb took note of. He had not been able to tell what she thought of Aegon, whether she believed he was her nephew or not. But he hoped that her relationship with the man didn't influence her to join Aegon. That was the last thing he needed because facing off against both of them was not what he wanted.

Certainly he had plans, but that could only go so far and if the Targaryens allied, he was more than likely going to have people switch sides. He needed to be careful and make sure that neither Targaryen's allied with one another.

But behind him were an odd bunch, there was of course a man Garlan recognised instantly, Prince Oberon Martell, the Red Viper. The man responsible for effectively crippling Willas Tyrell during a duel. There was a woman by his side with a mannish figure and holding a spear firmly in one hand, someone Garlan said was more than likely one of the Red Vipers daughters. Around them was a mix of Golden Company and Dornish soldiers.

"Here we are at last," Aegon murmured. "We, three rulers are finally gathered."

Robb remained quiet, arms crossed over his chest and face set in stone. It would not do to let anything show, to let his enemies gain an understanding of what he was thinking or planning. At this point in time, it would be best to remain quiet, let Daenerys and Aegon speak and say their piece before he did anything.

He already knew what Daenerys wanted, but Aegon remained a mystery. By the fact that he was also directing most of his attention towards Daenerys, Robb also knew that Aegon came here for her. Watching and studying their conversation would allow him the chance to understand where Daenerys stood. Was she convinced and willing to join Aegon? Or was she unconvinced?

Those things would determine the future.

"Yes, we are," Daenerys replied, her face equally calm and collected, though much more than his own. Whether that was simply because she didn't want to alienate anyone or because she was open to negotiation with Aegon, Robb didn't know. "Though we had expected you earlier."

Aegon didn't stop smiling. "Yes, well as you know one amongst us doesn't seem to understand the meaning of a truce." Here many looked towards Robb who said nothing, only a rise of his brow being his response. "No words? I would personally like to hear your reasoning for marching your army south towards Kings Landing despite this meeting we have. I have to admire your willingness to do that, and then still turn up here like you've done nothing wrong."

"Do not demand for things like a petulant child, boy." Robb's words were scathing and dismissive. It was a surprise to many, even members of Robb's entourage looked shocked. Daenerys and her own advisors were equally as surprised, his words completely different than they had been the day prior.

The reaction amongst Aegon's camp was equally as varied, a mixture of outrage, shock and curiosity. Aegon himself grit his teeth, the smirk slipping away into a scowl at being called a boy by someone younger than himself.

Yet he took a moment to collect himself. "I am not demanding; I am only curious as to why you have marched your army south. Was negotiation even on your mind? Have you come to kill us all yourself as we leave these negotiations?" He questioned.

"None of those petty reasons you described," Robb replied. "I am at war with the Baratheons, the Lannisters, the Greyjoy's and the Bolton's. The Lannisters and the Westerlands have been defeated. Kevan Lannister is dead. Tywin and Jamie reside within my dungeons awaiting a trial. Stannis is up north along with the Greyjoy's and Bolton's. However, Cersei and Joffrey reside within Kings Landing."

"And yet, I also reside there." Aegon pointed out.

"I know." Robb's words were short and sharp. "You have thirty thousand men and your intentions are unknown. My army led by Randyll Tarly are simply marching south to take Cersei and Joffrey from your dungeons. Hand them over to me and we shall leave you be."

No one was convinced that those were Robb's only intentions. Yet none called him out on it because what proof did they have that those weren't his only intentions. Without proof, they would look like the fools and that would not do well for them.

"And if we were to hand over Cersei and Joffrey as you ask, would you remove your army?" Jon Connington asked.

"You're not my enemies, are you?" A question with a question and one that left many struggling to answer.

"No, we are not," Jon answered.

"Then you have no need to worry." It was not the answer many expected, nor did many want. "Once I have collected Cersei and Joffrey, I shall march back into my lands and be done with war."

There was a pause, especially from Aegon's camp they taking a moment to realise what Robb meant by his words. When they did, they were not pleased if their frowns were anything to go by. Why would they be? Robb possessed nearly all of Westeros in his hands not to mention the wealthiest and most powerful kingdoms as well. His words alone said nothing of handing them over and that was not something they liked.

"And what will become of your kingdom and those sworn to you?" The man to Aegon's left asked.

"They have all sworn fealty to me." Further proof that only deepened their frowns.

Breaking this trend was Ser Barristan. "And what will you do about the Iron Islands, the Stormlands and Dorne? And what of those lords in the Crownlands that have not bent the knee to you?"

"They are yours," Robb answered. "Share them between you if you wish."

That earned a reaction from both Daenerys and Aegon, the latter being especially rowdy as he shot to his feet. "That is preposterous! You would keep the entirety of the realm to yourself! You have no right! I am the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell! I am the rightful ruler of Westeros!"

"And yet, the lords have declared for Robb Stark." It was Brynden Blackfish who spoke up, Garlan frowning as he recognised what Robb had decided. Something Brynden had also recognised and was actively aiding to gain. "Not you, boy."

"Boy." Aegon spat out in outrage, glaring upon the Blackfish.

"Please, King Aegon, calm yourself," Daenerys spoke up, attempting to bring some order to this meeting and get things back on track. She certainly wasn't pleased with Robb's words like Aegon, but she wasn't about to derail this entire meeting completely. If things continued down this route, the war would be the only answer and that would only mean more damage to Westeros. That was not why she had come here.

Jon also reacted, placing a calming hand upon Aegon's arm, staying his hand should he attempt to unsheathe his blade. Slowly, the grip upon the handle of his blade abated but this shoulders still remained tense and his glare was murderous.

"King Robb, do you truly intend to give nothing in the pursuit of peace?" Daenerys asked, following the advice of her advisors. "I'm very much aware of the loyalty and gratefulness you hold for the lords who have sworn fealty to you and fought fiercely by your side. However, as you can imagine, it does not help us in any fashion."

'Looks like my plan to study their interactions has been abandoned already.' Robb bemoaned internally, finding himself the main centre of attention.

Robb then looked towards Garlan who nodded his head. "As his grace said, the Iron Islands, Dorne, the Stormlands are yours to do with as you wish. However, the North, Riverlands, Vale, Westerlands and the Reach are non-negotiable." Garlan described the situation for them.

"And the Crownlands?" Jon Connington asked curiously.

"We are willing to let those lords who have sworn fealty to us to choose their own ruler. Should they choose to remain with us is up to them. But amongst them, there are many Targaryen loyalists so if they chose one of you to be their ruler then we shall allow them to go freely and without consequence."

Aegon scoffed. "Is that it?"

"No." Garlan shook his head. "We have no interest in further war or the expansion of our borders. We are content with our position and so we would make favourable trade agreements and even defensive alliances with you both. A non-aggression pact that will allow you to freely expand your own holdings elsewhere with fear of us attacking you. There is the entirety of Essos to conquer."

All things considered; it wasn't a bad offer.

Was it what they wanted? No, they had come expecting to conquer all of Westeros and yet found themselves denied that. But what they were offering them was the chance to expand in other ways, even rebuild the Valyrian Freehold. A tantalising offer, but one that neither Targaryen had expected or wanted.


Sighing tiredly, Tyrion entered into the main tent rubbing his brow irritably and without even a pause, picked up a jug of wine off a nearby stand and made his way towards the main table. Daenerys was already sat upon it, Ser Barristan at her side.

"You're late." Barristan pointed out sharply.

"Well, I had the need to clear my head, it's been a long day," Tyrion replied.

"For all of us, which is why I requested your presence." Daenerys was equally as sharp as Ser Barristan, all of them drained after today's fruitless negotiations. Robb Stark and his advisors had been steadfast, stonewalling all attempts to negotiate for more of his land to be handed over to either Targaryen ruler.

Tyrion pulled out a seat and sat down, sipping upon the cup of wine in his hands. "Yes, well I thought I would be more useful to you without my mind clouded. Doing so would only make this a much more tiring and fruitless endeavour than it already is."

"What do you mean?"

"Robb Stark has no intention of handing over any realm over than the Crownlands and the only reason he's doing that is because it holds no value to him. The only thing of value in it is Kings Landing and the Iron Throne, two things that Robb does not care for." Tyrion explained dryly. "The North is his home so he won't give that up. The Vale despite its mountainous regions has the greatest knights in all of Westeros its cavalry is a devastating force. The Riverlands is the trading and fishing hub of Westeros and has under Robb Stark seen them the building of a proper military structure. The Westerlands despite being severely undermanned and pillaged by Robb's raid, still have dozens of mines that can produce gold and replenish its wealth. And well, the Reach has the largest force and the most fertile land."

"He has no intention of handing any of those kingdoms over to you, even if the lords wished it because in doing so, he would be making you or Aegon more powerful." Tyrion continued, both Ser Barristan and Daenerys frowning. "He's content to let you have the Crownlands, Stormlands, Dorne and the Iron Islands because they offer you nothing and pose no threat to him."

There was silence in the tent following his words.

"So, what do we do then?" Daenerys asked, looking to the man she begrudgingly knew was her smartest advisor. As trusted as Ser Barristan was, he was a Knight and a man of war. While he understood politics, Tyrion was a man even better than him and his words proved it.

"You're not without options, and you're actually in a more advantageous position than you think. You have a number of options, first, leave Westeros entirely and return when your Dragons are larger and your army bigger." That was the option Tyrion would prefer best and even better, never return at all. There were too many things wrong with Westeros and he could not understand the Targaryens obsession with it.

The frown that came upon Daenerys face told him how favoured that option was and he sighed. It was his option, though there were still problems. Just as Daenerys could grow her army, so could Robb and while he would not be able to rapidly increase his army like Daenerys could due to the copious amount of slaves waiting to be freed. Robb could better equip, feed and train his army. Not only that, but he could also prepare numerous countermeasures for the Dragons, or at least attempt to. And if he did succeed in preparing countermeasures for the Dragons, all he needed to do was invest in a large fleet that could destroy Daenerys own.

"Second, take Robb Stark up on his offer. Ally yourself with him against Aegon and take the remaining lands for yourself. It may not be much, but it will be something and once again, you can expand your empire into Essos, build your army up to be stronger and come back. And if not you, one of your descendants could."

Again, it had problems, mainly similar to what was with the first. But at least this option would provide Daenerys with a pre-existing force in Westeros to fight Robb Starks own but at most, it would only number at a stretch of fifty thousand compared to Robb who could easily raise force twice that number.

Daenerys frown was still present, though she still didn't seem happy with her options. "And the other option?" She asked.

"There's two and I think you already know what they will be."

"Marriage."


"Our scouts report that Robb Starks main host has arrived at Hayford, Lord Hayford having opened their gates for the host. They haven't made any further move south to Kings Landing." Jon Connington said, explaining the situation happening within Kings Landing. "As for the host led by Mace Tyrell, they are said to be camped between the Roseroad and Gold Road."

"They have us surrounded," Oberyn muttered. "Our best chance would be to take out the Young Wolf now. Dead of night and remove one of the biggest threats."

"That would accomplish nothing and only serve to alienate possible allies, including Daenerys," Jon argued.

"Then what exactly do you expect us to do?"

Oberyn's response left Jon stumped as he had no answer. None of them had been prepared for Robb Stark to achieve what he had and now they were left reeling. They had expected and wanted the Lannisters to win, they were not a popular house and would only serve to further destabilise the realm leaving it easy pickings for them.

"Short of more soldiers or getting Dragons on our side, we have no chance of victory." Oberyn pressed. "If we're not going to assassinate the Young Wolf, then we need only secure the Mother of Dragons support."

"A proposition of marriage?" Illyrio spoke up. "A wise choice."

"Don't pretend like that wasn't what you wanted all along." Oberyn retorted. "We came here for no reason other than to secure Daenerys' support, why are we pretending otherwise? The Young Wolf is a smart boy who's done some incredible things. At the end of the day though, what can he expect to do against Dragons?"

"Yet Daenerys' has not seemed willing to take any side." Jon pointed out. "If anything, she's seemed more torn on the decision to make."

"Then we need only provide an incentive to chose us," Illyrio said, all in the room looking to him as he smiled. "She's a young girl, still naïve in the ways of the world. She doesn't want to bring death and destruction to Westeros, you need to look no further than her actions in Slavers Bay. If we bring an end to this meeting and declare war our intent due to the actions of Robb Stark, she will panic and we can capitalise upon it."

Jon however, was not fully convinced. "And if she doesn't, if she allies with Robb or neither of us? What then? We do not have the numbers to battle against Dragons? And the elephants will be of no use against them either. Even if by some miracle, Daenerys does not ally with either of us and instead allows us to battle against Robb without interference from her, victory is all but impossible."

Most of their army was camped within the walls of Kings Landing. The elephants in turn would be of no use in the defence of a city. Not to mention the sheer size of Robb Stark's army meant that they would be at a serious disadvantage.

"Where is Robb Stark's fleet?" Aegon's voice cut through the silence, all looking towards the Young Dragon in questioning.

"Our last reports indicated them to be sailing past the Arbor."

"Then they're still many days away from reaching Kings Landing. Our second supply fleet will be arriving within two days." Aegon stated, mind whirling with ideas and thoughts. Quickly he clicked his fingers, an aid providing a piece of parchment for him to write upon, all watching as he scribbled upon it. "Send this message to Harry Strickland."

"What are you planning, nephew?"

"You said that victory is all but impossible." Aegon directed towards Jon and smiled. "I propose an idea that will turn defeat into victory. Even with the supply fleet, we won't have the ships necessary to combat his own, nor would they be outfitted to beat them either. But we don't need to fight them at Kings Landing. We don't even need to defeat them on the open field. All we need is a different target, something far more valuable to Robb Stark."

So another chapter done and with it the negotiations begin. Daenerys is not the mad queen that she becomes in the shows nor do I know if I'm going to go down that route as of yet. She's very much still the naïve young girl she is in the books that is still trying to do the good thing. The Daenerys that attacked Yunkai purely because it had enslaved thousands of lives and she wished to liberate them. That's the Daenerys we still have at this point in time

Aegon on the other hand is someone Brynden has noted to have similarities with Robb in that he has experience with combat, but little skill for politics. However, at the end we did see his mind at work and I am going to make him a skilled commander that has begun to appear in the books. This is in part thanks to the influence of Jon, Illyrio and Oberyn rather than the influence of Tyrion in the books.

As for Robb, he's remaining steadfast and has already begun to put into action a plan to separate Daenerys from Aegon. We also see that his council isn't always united and that Robb doesn't purely listen to everything the Tyrell's say and can take advice from other experienced advisors like Brynden.

At the end of the day though, things are beginning to change. Aegon wishes to no longer be apart of the negotiations that hold no reward for him. As a result, he's begun to set a plan in motion to take something valuable from Robb without battling him on the open field. Daenerys in turn is considering her options.

Anyway, now that's out of the way, let's get on with the questions:

1Translator21: Jon's pairing is as of yet undecided. So Jon/Val is possible but not certain. Though I am looking at someone else but it's still very much up in the air.

Adventwolf: Yep, that's a mistake on my part. I've already admitted to people who have raised similar complaints about Jon that when writing Jon I was heavily influenced by D&D. Which is something I regret heavily as I made Jon so much weaker than he actually was. A mistake that I won't go back and rectify, but something I will change as the story progresses.

greenstripe: Right now, no but a Small Council will be implemented in the future once the wars over. Mostly it's just Lords input their suggestions and ideas for the way the war should progress. Robb takes them into consideration, proposes a final plan that may or may not include a few of those ideas and then they work to finalise said plans while working on a number of backups just in case an unknown variable popups. Though Robb's, I suppose inner council mainly includes Garlan, Marq, Brynden, Smalljon, Tytos and also Randyll and Jason Mallister though they are elsewhere.