Gwen
"Ayy, didn't know they doubted us. Makes it that more marvelous. Sign 'em up, 'cause ominous vibes and I get synonymous."
Gwen glanced at Miles as he rocked back forth, his quiet voice somehow managing to pierce through the cluttered noise of King's Landing and become the only thing she heard. He was sitting on the ledge, showing no signs of fear over the long fall that would await him if he happened to plunge fully over. Of course, considering how many jumps they did on a daily basis such a drop was nothing at all for him.
"What's up, danger? Ayy, don't be a stranger. 'Cause I like high chances that I might lose . I like it all on the edge just like you, ayy. I like tall buildings so I can leap off of 'em. I go hard wit' it no matter how dark it is."
"What is that?" Gwen asked, confused. Unlike Miles she was further in the belltower, having been watching the Open Court with a myrish spyglass that Petyr had made… which had led to a small debate if they could even call it a 'myrish' spyglass if Petyr had made it. He'd argued that the design was still myrish so it was a myrish spyglass but Miles had said that Petyr had made enough changes that it no longer countered and it was Parker Spyglass. Gwen had just wanted them to shut up."I've never heard that song before."
"Something I've been working on," Miles stated.
"A new song?" She was surprised by that.
"Yeah. How else do you think songs appear in the world? It's not like they magically spring from the ground like mushrooms after a rain. Someone has to make them… why not me?"
Gwen had to admit he had a point. She knew that songs didn't just… appear. Someone had to write them. It just felt like there were no new songs in the world. The newest one she could think of was the Rains of Castamere and she knew that Lord Tywin had requested is written, as the legends went, but that had been before she born. And the other ones, the classics one always heard played at weddings or feasts, had been old when her grandfather had been her age. "I don't know I just… never considered you a bard."
"Not a bard," Miles said, crinkling his nose at the thought. "I wouldn't look good in those outfits anyway. I'm not one for poofy pants."
"Not all bards wear poofy pants."
"The good ones do and if I were to be a bard I'd have to be the best. So that's out for me." Miles looked up, swinging his legs back and forth.
When Jon had said that he was doing an Open Air Court Natasha had gotten rather nervous and listed off all the ways he could die. At first it had made Gwen nervous, hearing how Jon could die because she had quickly realized that it could be literally applied to anyone. All it would take is one maniac with a grudge against the crown to decide to attack her because of who her father had been and her position now as Natasha's lady in waiting. Or someone that hated Nat and wanted her to suffer. Or even just some freak who hated people in general and wanted to do as much damage as possible. King's Landing had far too many vantage points and a skilled bowsman could fire an arrow from any of them and be gone before anyone knew who had done the deed. Lord Tyrion had found wildfire (and it had Jon sp nervous when he'd learned of it that he had ordered a full accounting of the wildfire stores… and subtly suggested to Natasha that they killed every pyrmomancer) and there was a possibility there was more of it floating around; perfect for someone to create a projectile that could kill an entire crowd. Cutthroat in the crowd. Poison fired from a blowpipe. Trained beast that had been taught to tear out throats…
But at some point Natasha's warnings had gone from worrying to… silly.
Perhaps it was just that when you hit someone with so much terror of the death that awaited them it caused one to circle back round to humor. She'd heard rumors of a family from the Vale that was like that. But when Natasha had begun getting into poisoned potatoes and dunking Jon in the Blackwater and letting the Arrow Sharks to tear into him Gwen had been trying not to giggle.
Jon hadn't been fazed. He had told her he was doing it and that she was allowed to protect him, keeping an eye on him to make sure he was safe. Which was fine… except she had become more nervous as time had gone on and, unable to talk to Jon about it because she knew he would just blow her off, Natasha had decided to begin telling Gwen about all the different threats that could come at Jon. All the new ideas she hadn't spoken before.
And the terror had returned once more. The humor had dried up like Dornish Raisins, leaving her haunted by nightmares of the fate that awaited Jon. And while she had only known him for a short while Gwen had found herself unable to bear the idea of Jon not existing in the world.
He… he was like the uncle she'd never had. Not an old and grouchy one but a fun one, if stern. She could talk to him about things and he would listen. A week and a half earlier Gwen had gone to him and asked him about sex, wanting a man's perspective on her and Petyr's activities. Jon had been embarrassed but heard her out as she discussed how she loved sex, how it felt wonderful, but she wanted to make sure Petyr truly did want to be with her and wasn't just going through the motions. Jon had given her some advice and helped her deal with her fears.
So, despite being told that they needed to stay at the Red Keep, the three Spiders had decided that they would keep an eye on Jon and his open court. They were alternating who swung around to patrol the area and at that moment Petyr was the lucky one getting to stretch his legs while Gwen hung back with Miles at one of the belltowers, waiting to see if Natasha had just been paranoid.
'Nat's already pegged us three times at least,' she thought, knowing that the Dornish woman had spotted her swinging about. It was why she hadn't bothered to hide what she was doing, knowing that Natasha already knew they were disobeying orders and thus they were already in for a tongue lashing when they returned to the Red Keep.
"I mean… I'd be all for people singing it," Miles said and Gwen realized that she had been tuning him out. Luckily her friend had been so engrossed in discussing the art of making his song that he hadn't actually noticed that she wasn't paying attention. "I'm going for something new. Something no one has ever heard before. Half the songs people sing have the same rhythm. The same beat. Utterly boring. Most songs… its all about the instruments also. The strums and all that. Maybe you mix it up and make it about the drums but… well, that's utterly rare. Its why when you try and sing the song its awkward because there are so many pauses in between lyrics. But the best songs? The ones that are remembered? It's the vocals that matter. I'm trying to make a song where the lyrics are so smooth yet also so quick that you can't help but focus on them even if you aren't getting every word when you first hear it. So that it's the words that are the music and the music just comes in at key moments."
"It sounds like a tongue twister," Gwen stated.
"That's what makes it great. You have to have skill to sing this song." He shrugged. "Just something I'm goofing around with. Not going to make coin off of that. My drawings are where the gold will come in."
Gwen moved to sit down next to him. The day was rather nice out… a bit of a chill that spoke to winter arriving and all that would mean but Gwen wasn't focused on that. Winter would bring so many problems for them. Petyr was trying to figure out how to make their costumes more insulated, to allow them to swing around without risking their mobility yet not freeze to death, but Gwen had her doubts. When the snows came so heavy that they would trap people inside of their homes she had a feeling their time as the Spiders would be at an end.
And she would miss it so terribly.
They had only just begun to make a difference and they would have at most another… year maybe? Petyr thought a year at most but more likely a few months shy of that. And then it would be done. Her father had told her that the first winter he remembered had lasted 5 years. The maesters debated just how long the last Winter had been, for thanks to the False Spring some said that it was two winters while others argued that it was a single long one. But according to Petyr a long winter always followed a long summer and they had just left a summer that had lasted a decade. 10 to 20 years of winter awaited them, according to Petyr.
Gwen would be well into her thirties by the time the winter ended.
'By then Petyr and I will have been married,' she thought to herself. There was little doubt the two would wed; even if their families hadn't discussed it Gwen simply didn't see herself with anyone else, same as Petyr. It was a strong match, far stronger than people realized what with them sharing their Spider abilities. They honestly could have been married already but after the loss of Petyr's uncle and Gwen's father Aunt May had said they needed to wait a bit more, allow for the grieving period to finally settle, before they formalized their union. 'Which now might be a grander affair,' Gwen thought. 'Thanks to the honors King Tommen has given our families for their service and our connection to Jon it might be expected we marry in the Red Keep.' It had happened before with honored, though rarely, and would be a boon to them both.
But…
'I will be a wife. A mother. Will I be able to go out once more as Spider-Woman? Will I even want to?' And there was also the question of where they would be. Jon had made clear that if they wished to come to Iron Pointe they would be most welcome… but Iron Pointe wasn't King's Landing and didn't need Spiders. 'The next time I would have a chance to put on my costume I might not need to.'
It was… it was a thought. Not depressing. Not joyful. Just a thought.
She pushed such things aside and said to Miles, "Your drawings?"
"Yeah," he said with mild cheer. "Jon and I have talked and he thinks I could make a good living crafting portraits for great lords and ladies. I have a good eye for facial features… able to bring out the best in people, even if they don't have the right faces for grand paintings. Will take some work to establish myself thanks to…" he gestured at himself and Gwen HATED that she knew what he was referring to, "…but I think I can make a serious go at it. Make it that every lord and lady in Westeros wishes to sit for me."
"So… you would go to Iron Pointe."
"Well, for a little while, sure. But after that I would need to travel."
Gwen blinked at that. "You'd… leave."
She hadn't considered that.
Hadn't considered the third part of their Trinity… wouldn't be there.
It suddenly felt like a maester had walked up to her and told her that in a day's time they would be lopping off her arm. That she had only a few hours to come to terms with it being gone and then was left alone to stare at the stump.
"You okay?" Miles asked her.
"Everything… everything is going to change soon, isn't it?" She asked, feeling utterly bleak.
"What do you mean?"
"Winter is coming," she said, looking out at the city. "When it does everything will change. No more swinging around stopping criminals. Probably won't be able to train in the yard anymore because it will be too full of snow. If Tommen decides to name a new Hand when he reaches maturity or if Jon is able to convince him to allow him to resign his post then he'll be heading back to Iron Pointe. You want to go but Petyr and I aren't sure and even if we do go you'll leave afterwards. And I have no idea what Petyr plans to do. He's brilliant so maybe he goes to Oldtown and creates some new things that change life in Westeros? Or Essos… Pentos or Braavos would probably love him. That's assuming that the King doesn't keep him on, giving him a new position. 'Mechanist For The Crown' or the like. And we'll be married and probably have a child or two before we even decide and we'll have to figure out where to live and Petyr might travel to create new things and I'll be alone in a Keep I've never-"
Miles grabbed her hand.
"Breathe."
Gwen forced herself to do just that. Then forced herself to actually breathe naturally and not pant like she had just gone five rounds with the entirety of the Kingsguard.
"Of course things are going to change," Miles told her. "That's life. You predict a year ago or two ago we'd be where we are now? Able to swing through King's Landing or deadlift a carriage? That we'd be fighting with the Hand of the King who had a suit of armor that allowed him to fly? Kings have changed. Lord Tywin is dead. The Others are apparently returning and Jon is doing all he can to get the people to trust him because when the Long Winter begins he will need to lead them." He stared right at her. "Gwen… we might not make it to Iron Pointe. We might die at the Neck or Winterfell or the Wall trying to stop the total destruction of Westeros."
Gwen felt him squeeze her hand harder and it grounded her.
"Everything is going to change in a year. Just like it changed from a year ago. I dream of painting portraits but in a year I might be fleeing to Dorne because it's the last safe place left."
"Then… shouldn't 't we worry about it?"
"Fuck no," Miles stated. "That's the path that leads to madness. We need to focus on the here and now. What is happening at this moment. Otherwise you end up like Petyr after he's had too much of that Essosi chocolate."
Gwen grimaced; she loved Petyr but the young man could go on a deluded tear when he got amped up, worrying about a thousand different crazy things. The last time that had happened he had gone on a 2 hour rant about how there were secret demon wizards that were replacing people and could only be detected if he made something he had coined a 'Neuralizer'.
"I'm not saying we can't prepare for some things but… if we spend all our time looking ahead we are going to be… Doc Ock attacking the Open Court."
"Yeah I-wait, what?"
Miles though was already on his feet. "Doc Ock just attacked the Open Court!" Gwen stared at the courtyard where Jon had decided to hold court and gaped at the sight of the tentacled man moving down to the street below, using his extra limbs to attack the Gold Cloaks that were being sent at him. Miles was already diving off the belltower as Gwen yanked on her mask, half tumbling over the edge as she fired off a webline.
'Oh… Jon isn't going to be happy,' she thought as she swung towards the Ock. She spotted out of the corner of her eye Petyr changing direction, clearly having seen what was happening, and then saw a shape moving along the roofs and knew that to be Natasha. 'Worry about the screaming later!' Gwen thought desperately as she flung herself at Ock.
The courtyard was full of utter pandemonium. Smallfolk were either running about with their hands in the air, screaming their heads off, or trying to find shelter even as they didn't actually do anything to look for it. Just… run about, suddenly stopping from going in one direction and heading to another. Those not running were instead openly staring at Doc Ock which Gwen kind of understood. After all, it wasn't every day someone saw a man with tentacles coming out of his back climb down the side of a building.
The Gold Cloaks were trying to get the Small Council to safety but that was proving hard as some of them seemed frozen on the spot, much like the gawking Smallfolk. Others, like Prince Oberyn or Jon, had grabbed their weapons and were ready to fight.
That was something Gwen couldn't allow.
"Hey Doc!" Gwen called out as she swung at him, knowing he would try and smack her with one of his tentacles. As such she quickly twisted out of the way and fired a webline at his face, smiling as she managed to get a hit. Yeah, it wouldn't do much to him but it was still a small victory at this point, considering how things had gone when she'd last faced him.
Miles and Petyr swung down and moved towards Jon, who barked something at them but Gwen was too busy focusing on the tentacles that were trying to wrap around her and crush her. She twisted her body, avoiding first one and then the other, before she used her teleporting ability to appear away from Ock, landing on a roof across from him.
"Where you been?" Gwen asked. "I've been looking for you since our last fight."
"You mean you wished to be defeated once more, you garish harlequin?" Ock, now fully in the courtyard, began to move towards her, using two of his tentacles to leisurely move towards her. But due to how much distance each one could cover what was leisurely for Ock was rather quick from Gwen's point of view. People scrambled to get out of the way and Petyr and Miles began to fire out weblines to snatch people, realizing that with how crowded the courtyard was if they tried to fight Ock there it could mean smallfolk being injured or killed.
'No… as much as I hate it we have to let him move freely and work on crowd control… and get him away from the people.' Gwen grimaced under her mask. 'But where could I even lead him to? This is King's Landing… it doesn't stay empty for long.'
She knew what most warriors and knights would suggest: Flea Bottom. Not because it wouldn't be crowded but because they wouldn't care about what was destroyed there. Which was why Gwen at once dismissed it. She would not have that many innocents coating her hands with their split blood.
"Yeah, you got the best of us that time," Gwen admitted, trying to stall for time by chatting up Ock. That oddly seemed to work more than it should have, at least with pickpockets and thieves. "But thing is… we've still been active afterwards. Swinging around, stopping crimes. But you disappeared. Odd, really." Just as he passed the halfway point in his trek along the courtyard Gwen fired off a webline, launching herself to another side. She made it look like she was trying to set up for an attack, firing of some webbing at his face again that he this time managed to block with one of his upper tentacles. She didn't care though; the whole point was to make Ock THINK that she was trying set up attacks. That she was preparing for some plan and getting him to wonder just what it might be.
When in reality she was desperate to buy herself some seconds to think of a plan!
'I need some place where we can fight and I'll still have the advantage and he won't be able to harm people,' she thought before mentally rolling her eyes. 'And maybe you also want a place where he will instantly surrender and all the crowds will cheer and Petyr can eat you out without anyone saying boo.' She scoffed. 'You can't get everything Gwen… you need to figure out what is your best option.' The problem was though she had no idea what that might be.
She considered the Blackwater. The shoreline would be empty at that point of the day, with plenty of docks and such. Yes, not as many buildings so she'd lose some advantage but it would be a more open area. And Ock couldn't use the buildings either… while he had been casual in how he approached her during this fight and last time he'd stood out in the open she had a feeling that if he wanted to he could move about the buildings of King's Landing rather easily. So she couldn't count on that as a full benefit in her column.
'But then there is the water,' she thought with a grimace, wincing when Ock casually smashed one of the stalls that Jon had set up for his open court. 'I have no idea what he'll be like in the water.' She instantly ruled out that option.
The Goldcloaks were still working to get people out of the courtyard, yelling at them to calm down. Ock looked around and she knew he understood what she did: if the people were gone then the Goldcloaks could swarm him and even if his tentacles were powerful and could crush a dozen men… there were more than enough Goldcloaks to hack and slash through his appendages. And when they did that he would be done.
"Yes, you have been active," Ock said with a shrug even as one tentacle grabbed onto one of the statues that littered the courtyard and flung it towards one of the exit points for the courtyard.
The people pushing through that one at once screamed and reversed course. Even though only a few of them were crushed by the statue that was enough to cause them to panic and surge back towards the courtyard itself, hindering attempts by Jon and the soldiers he was rallying to try and make towards Ock. Petyr and Miles both glanced at her but she flashed one of their hand signals: NO. She would keep Ock distracted. They were doing more good trying to make sure everyone that was still trapped in the courtyard stayed alive.
Petyr, suddenly hitting on one of his mad genius ideas, landed on a building and began to fire off webbing, snagging at times bits of wood from the broken stalls. A few in the crowd realized what he was doing and moved towards the makeshift ladder he was creating, scrambling up to the building where Petyr motioned for them to begin moving away; Gwen for once was thankful that King's Landing had allowedvtheir alleys to become so small as it meant that the smallfolk could easily jump the gaps between buildings and make a haste retreat.
'Going to be a pain to get them all off the roofs but we can worry about that later,' she thought.
"Yes, you have been active," Ock stated. "But you see… I have been active too. I have my normal duties, as you know. And other plans. So many plans. I would explain them to you but I doubt that your feeble little mind would be able to understand them."
'One of the Streets maybe? Street of Steel would have plenty of strong men with swords and hammers… they could easily attack Ock… no. No, if I do that then he will probably take to the roofs.'
Gwen forced her voice to sound chipper. "Maybe… but I think its because I wore you out. You are getting up there in years Doc and it is hard for you to… keep your tentacles up?" She smirked under her mask as she saw him pause. Just for a moment but she had managed to land a verbal blow.
"I assure you… I can take on many and not get tired."
"You sure? Because I think I left you so winded you had to go drink a lot of juice and rest up your aching bones."
And even as she made the innuendo… she hit upon the idea.
The perfect place for the battle.
"Prove me wrong, Doc," Gwen taunted. "I'm all sweet and innocent and limber. Catch me." And she leapt to the building behind her, twisting in the air in a show of needless acrobatics. All done to showcase how flexible she was. "Unless you need to lie down and let your heart-"
Doc Ock surged forwards her, abandoning the courtyard.
"He's following me. Yay," she said sarcastically as she swung through King's Landing. She couldn't swing as she normally did, through the alleyways and along the streets, firing weblines out that allowed her to gracefully arc through the maze of buildings. She couldn't risk Ock losing her and going back to the courtyard… or worse him suddenly surging forward and forcing her to stop at HIS chosen battlefield. So instead she began to run along the rooftops, firing weblines to catapult her through the air. The few times that she was able to actually swing it was more about building up enough speed to do a massive jump, rocketing into the sky before coming down like a shot arrow, catching herself at the last moment and then returning to the run.
But… it was keeping Ock focused right on her.
'I won't have the Goldcloaks to rely upon… Jon won't be able to get them to follow quickly enough. And he doesn't even know where I am going. Miles and Petyr don't know where I'm going either.'
The truth hit Gwen right in her gut, nearly making her stumble.
She had managed to get Ock away from the smallfolk… but now she was leading him to a battleground where it would just be her and him.
No backup.
No plan.
Just the two of them.
'Oooooh fuck,' she thought even as she continued on. 'Worry later… worrying can be done when you aren't dead. Proof you aren't dead. Best part about being alive is you can worry about the stupid mistakes you make!'
But that worry also made her realize that there was an option. Something she COULD do.
Keep stalling.
Gwen purposely slowed down. It was tricky to do, to make it look like she wasn't actually trying to slow down. One's first reaction would be to stumble or to fake a bad landing. Gwen knew Ock was too smart to fall for that… he had to have already figured out she was leading him someplace and was trying to figure out how to redirect her himself.
So… she would use that.
She slowed just a touch, waited till they reached a section of King's Landing where the low roofs they were running on met high ones… and Ock suddenly attacked, slamming his tentacle at her.
Gwen saw it just before it reached her and as such she was able to adjust her body so that the blow wouldn't hurt her BUT would carry her away from what she wanted him to believe was her true destination.
"Fuck!" she cursed as she landed, moving forward like she was trying to get back on course but Ock, just as she had hoped, moved to block her. He opened his mouth to say… something… most likely with too much flair and a bunch of big words to make him sound smarter than he actually was, but Gwen fired some webbing at him before taking off again. She purposely tried to make it look like she was looking for some way to turn back in the direction Ock was blocking but in the end was 'forced' to continue on.
'Jon is going to have to shell out a bit of coin to repair the damage,' she thought as Ock slammed into one building, making the wooden beams that made up its roof crack and break, nearly sending him crashing through the structure. But he yanked himself up and continued on with the chase. 'But this is better… hopefully it will give them time to actually get word out about what is going on and alert the Goldcloak patrols.'
Gwen began to take Ock on a tour of King's Landing, taking the long way towards their final destination.
They passed close enough to the Blackwater that she could smell the stink coming off of it, making her nose twitch in disgust; despite what Natasha or Miles would say her feet did NOT stink worse than that place. Then it was onto the Street of Steel, the blacksmiths pounding away on their anvils, never looking up to see the two impossible people as they hurried overhead. Another sharp turn when she allowed Ock to believe he had prevented her from going where she wanted led them through Flea Bottom and Gwen heard the screams of the innocent as they passed… but then they were out and Gwen cut right across King's Landing towards where she wanted to go.
The manses.
'Rich and powerful lords keeping estates just in case they decide they want to spend some time in King's Landing,' she thought. 'Some may have a bit of staff but otherwise the areas will be empty; they know Winter is Coming and they are making for their holds and lands to prepare them. The perfect place to finally deal with Ock. And because they belong to the rich and powerful word will get out quickly that we are there so Jon can hopefully get the Goldcloaks around fast… maybe even as some personal soldiers already there. Some with bows and arrows.'
That was Ock's weakness, the fact that he wore no true armor. Petyr had suggested they try using bows and arrows themselves but Gwen and Miles had talked him out of it, worrying about the accidents that could happen. While they fought hard and broke bones with their punches that was different from attacking with arrows that could easily hurt an innocent person.
Launching herself into the air she allowed herself to, for a moment, forget about the chase and enjoy the brief moment of weightlessness. She was able to actually take a moment to calm herself, feeling better that she not only had a plan but was so close to pulling it off.
'This is perfect. Plenty of places for me to hide, ducking in and out of. Get Ock distracted and-'
Gwen's spider sense went crazy and she turned in time to see two screaming horses flying right at her, legs flailing as they cried out in terror.
She tried to twist out of the way but because she was just on a webline it was hard to change her trajectory. And she wasn't close enough to any buildings to fire off another webline and yank herself free.
'This is going to suck,' she thought just before the screaming flailing horse hit her.
She went down HARD, the wind knocked out of her as she suddenly found herself plunging down. She tried to shove the horse away from her and got a hoof against the side of her head for her trouble. Gwen's vision swirled and she briefly had the sense of the other horse…
…and then her body crashed into something and she briefly stopped before whatever she had hit gave way and she fell down again.
Gwen slowly rolled onto her side, coughing so hard she wondered if she was going to hack up a lung. She heard shrill screams and not of the Horse Kind and shook her head, trying to get her vision to work.
Only to suddenly feel cold steel pressed against her throat.
"Who the fuck are you?" a voice growled and Gwen slowly looked up.
"The Hound?"
"Fuck you," Sandor Clegane said only for a white hand (truly white; freakishly white) to grab his wrist.
"Come now, my knight," the tall woman said. She had to be as tall as the hound… perhaps taller. Limbs that were just a touch too long, a body a hair too thin, a face too finely sculpted. Like an ice sculpture, or at least what Gwen assumed one would look like, based on the tales she had heard. Pure white hair, blue lips, dark eyes… all brought together the figure before her looked more monstrous than Ock. "She is clearly startled to find you here. And considering she fell through the roof I would imagine that she is injured. You must show some kindness."
And then the pale woman suddenly lashed out, slamming her bare foot down on Gwen's neck.
"Unless, of course, she refuses to tell us what she knows."
Gwen choked as she struggled to try and toss the woman off but much to her shock the figure was far stronger than her. And thanks to her greater size it was like a bag of sugar had been dropped onto her body. Gwen desperately grabbed at the woman's toes, trying to peal them away from her throat, which only caused her new captor to laugh.
"Oh, are you trying to escape?" The woman leaned down. "Perhaps I should keep you. I have need for more w-"
And then the foot lifted off of her and Gwen gasped for air, rolling away… and saw Ock staring at them from the hole in the roof, a tentacle wrapped around the pale woman.
"Well… aren't you an interesting one," Ock said. "Just who are you?"
"Your death," the pale woman said before she broke free of the grap.
Gwen laid there as the two lunged at each other.
