RENLY II

He was at a loss for words. This thing… whatever it was it looked like a man made of shadows. Not just any man, it looked like his brother Stannis… He felt chills within him looking at it. The second the thing came in its like he was unable to move. He knew it was something bad coming for him, but he could not dare to move he was frozen in place,

He certainly did not expect his conversation with his wife about alternate strategies and evasion tactics. A mostly one-sided conversation given the women's lack of knowledge on warfare but one he needed to have regardless. To at least think through things.

Yet here he was Margaery clutching his arm, a gesture uncharacteristic of her when they were not in public. He doubted it was a front for the witch either, given he felt her hand shake wildly in his. It lacked the warmth it usually held.

Thinking of it he felt colder than he was but a moment earlier, he was unsure if that was his own fear getting to him or something more sinister. He glanced at Maergery and realized she shivered as well.

He felt a familiar calloused hand on his shoulder. Despite his knowledge of the hand he still jumped, cause again it felt off it felt colder than it should.

He was somewhat annoyed with his love for bringing the witch in but he could not argue with the result. Of course, maybe Loras's cries of her setting this up earlier held true. However he had the sense, this was not the case. This was the very same being he saw several hours past right before, this whole Lands Between mess began.

Watching Renna circle the shadow as it moved at a much slower pace than its original entrance, looking at it with both fascination, and confusion along with the exchange between her and Loras somewhat put him at ease that she was not the cause, though it could not be known for certain.

She turned her head glancing at him and Margaery shivering. Upon the turn of her head, he noticed, something peculiar she appeared to have cracks across the base of her neck seeming to go down…

Noticing the detail caused his chest to pound causing him farther shakes.

"The source of the greater chill is mine own Dark Moon though a chill presented itself with the apparition of baleful shadow," Renna said matter of factly.

He disregarded the new discovery to truly absorb her words. Dark moon, the dark moon caused a chill? Her dark moon caused the chill? He was at a loss.

"Your own dark moon?" He raised an eye.

"Thou art correct, one of my most rare spells to null, thee malevolent omission to traditional sorceries. My Dark moon and thee Freezing mist in coalescence hast caused an interim state of hinder due to the chill, and sustained damage, progressively undone as I speak"

"And that is a Baleful shadow?"

"It merely bares likeness of that which is known in mine own lands, this, Thee certainly nay ones baleful shadow as their lies little magic of match."

"How do we know this to be true Witch?" Loras practically spit the word out, causing Renly to frown. Even if the witch was lying provoking her after they just got out of a spat would not help. He thought loras understood as much just moments earlier. Yet it seemed he had a new frevor.

"You could be lying, this could be a ploy to stage yourself as helping our dear king. To get farther in his good graces." Loras looked at Renly for the briefest moment with that final statement. It caused a pause in his own thoughts… His frown deepened.

"I already told you I did not conjure this would-be assassin as you claim,

With that she sends Loras flying until his body suddenly stops just before the cloth of the tent, she holds him in place floating slightly off the ground. Stares straight into his eyes waits for terror to reach them and then lets him go, stumbling to stay on his feet not expecting to suddenly drop from mid air. Then picks him up again to Renly's own terror.

"I forewarned thee, knight, thee wavered, I came at thee own behest, wavered still. Fend off malevolence from felling thy own king, Recieve naught but disdain and accusation." Renna says as much with great annoyance and disdain directed at loras.

"You fool, hold thy slander. I do not wish to hear such uninquisitive foolhardiness."

Seeing Loras in such a desperate state left him in a brief shock, then a rage bubbled in him Loras was his Knight, his people.

"Loras has been misguided in his accusations and behavior towards you, I remind you again we have no experience in such things in our country, I ask you please put him down as my knight and as a subject of my rule"

"I shan't be yours to command, dainty king thine "knight" in name alone hast brought vitriol and slander to mineself, I hark back to a proclamation of lack of sorceries in thine own lands, This makes thee even more fool, for stating such concerning, which he knows naught"

"I understand that, but I implore you please release him, I would give my life for his!"

For the first time since Renna arrived at the tent with Loras she smiled.

"Very well, I shall release thy which duty bound. Great respect mine has for thee who art willing to put thyself in perils at behest of those bound to thee, but make no blunder if thy opens mouth, of baseless slander thy shall open mouth no more"

Renly gulped at the statement, his stomach turning even more than it already was from the shadow interaction.

"You mention knowledge of something similar to this shadow in your lands would you care to impart your wisdom of how to defeat it towards us?"

"Awareness of such vulnerabilities of the shadows of mine own lands, I suspect such shan't, not apply to ye own. Thee malevolent shadows and shades in mine own lands lack resistance to sorceries, thine own shadow bares much likeness of appearance and execution but it hast great opposition to sorceries."

Renna paused for a moment releasing putting one hand on her head as if in thought and her other 3 hands began doing strange motions. Spellcasting?

His guard went back up at the movement but then Renna chimed in

"I suggest ye get behind mine, you shan't want to be nigh thine which I cast upon"

He questioned the statement, for a moment but looking he realized she had her hands aimed generally in the direction of the shadow, and beyond that being behind Renna, would get them farther away from the shadow and also closer to the exit flap of the tent. Both of which being places he would prefer to be, his thought on it was interrupted by Maergery pulling his hand in that direction regardless.

Loras still didn't move Renly urged him with a hand gesture to which he sighed but proceeded toward him nonetheless.

At this point, the temperature dropped yet again and a barrage of what appeared to be snowflakes came out of Rannis hands, heading straight for the shadow and then expanding to some of the area around him, he briefly was reminded of his time in the north seeing such, but he quickly brought himself out of those thoughts. The shadows movements subsided moreso, though there still was movement.

After this casting Rennas hands became stilled again and she removed the hand upon her face.

"Hast thee knowledge of practitioners that may hold grievance against thee in your own lands?"

Renly debated briefly but as images of charred bodies, flames, and mysterious red women soared through his mind he ultimately decided on somewhat informing her of matters.

"There was another vying for the throne back in my lands, in truth there was a war between 2 other contenders including myself."

He expected Renna to comment but she simply nodded. Well continuing to watch the Shadow.

"One of these enemies of mine had converted to an unusual religion they burned down traces of other religions in his claimed land, one of his closest confidants was a woman who headed this Uprising"

He thought back about the initial reports of it, he wondered where such behavior came from he always viewed his brother as a stern man, not a mad one. He never was particularly holy. Stannis, witnessing his parent's death assured as much, but he was not heretical. He found great value in many of the values of the seven despite not being a serious member of the religion.

He never knew or cared much about the Weirwood religion of the old gods, but to get a report he burned both down. Branding himself a heretic to both. He never thought his brother capable. Yet with the sway of his new wife. Which he guessed this Melisandre… had the ear of. It made him into something he never thought he was.

"Burned down, was thine action of significance to their beliefs?" The Witch voiced the questioned in a curious man.

"Yes they followed a lord of light, i believe they had another name for him I can't recall"

"Rh'llor" Maergery chimed in

"Yes it was Rh'llor" Renly said.

"Thee, best be careful not to speak thine name of such gods here, whether mine land or yours, gods of fire are most dangerous" Renna chided, though she seemed more concerned than anything.

She brought a hand up as if in thought again. Then proceeded to perform the same song and dance of before. A deeper chill invading the space again, then again a beautiful, display of violence as snowflakes and ice form and head towards the shadow. Despite the nature of everything happening around him over the course of the past several hours he had to admit there was a beauty within this spell, for the briefest moment he imagined what he would do with such power at his own disposal. Was this how his brother felt?

"Was there more to thine women, than what hast been stated?"

He shook himself out of his trance,

"Yes, there were many who called her a witch, I was never one to be so superstitious myself. Though she did claim to hail from a dark place, Asshai by the shadow. A place we know little of…"

He didn't think that was mere coincidence, just hours ago he thought his brother would be dead or surrendering around now. the being showed up the night before he planned to attack his brother, seeing the shadow for longer revealed it very much shared his brothers likeness. He knew of the cruel escapades of the red women, that held his brothers ears, and he knew where she claimed to be from Asshai a land also coined Asshai by the shadow.

Town Criers and bards told tales of dark arts and shadow binders in such lands whether that was true or not the information could not be discarded.

However given the timing of their appearance in these lands and the fact they ended up here at all indicates that just like they were sent to the lands between, something from the lands between could also be sent to westeros. The fact the nearest "local" happened to be a self proclaimed witch also does not bode well.

Thinking of all the similarities things somewhat clicked. Though his suspicions of Renna remained, he would keep them at bay for now and let matters play out. At least for now.

"If anyone with ill will against me was capable of this, it would be her." He said calmly and clearly. It was the truth. It just was not the only possibility. Given who he stood behind at this very moment. With that, he swallowed and readied himself. To say

"Right before, me and my people ended up in the lands between. This very same, Shadow targeted me"

Renna, put her hands in the same position she did before, he waited with baited breath for the chill and barrage of ice and flakes to come. It never came though.

"I suggest thee retrieve Maester Murtur from earlier, ask if he proclaims grasp of archives of ye own lands pyromancers. Whether perceived hearsay, or certainties''

She actually was in thought this time it seems. With that he sent Loras out to fetch Maester Murtur.

Loras glared at him , it made him feel more defeated than he already felt.


CATELYN II

"AHHHH"

"By the gods, the dead.."

"Mother have mercy"

Cries erupted in the camp startling Catelyn.

She looked and saw a good 30 members of the camp staring at some of the stakes in the ground, she shuddered, the very stakes she saw the dead on earlier.

She swore she saw them move. The cries of others seemed to confirm as much, Upon getting closer she heard moans, of dread. Not from the soldiers, holy men, and lesser peasants, but from the dead themselves it sent chills down her spine.

"We must help them" A Soldier, no actually one of her rivermen guards exclaimed, not one she learned the name of yet.

A soldier exclaimed a Septon put a hand on their soldier stopping them. Thankfully, she thought. Something coming to life in this manner is inherently unnatural. She glanced at the tent she knew Renna was held, no doubt holding someone like that, has angered the gods. Despite the Septon stopping one soldier, another few began to go forward.

"No do not take the corpse down it is a defilement of the gods"

Despite he exclaims the soldiers proceeded onward, and then other people began to shout protest.

"By the mother, and stranger do not bring them down,"

"DO NOT TOUCH THEM" Screamed one of the soldier

"We must aid them they are dying" A commander exclaimed.

"They are already dead" This was a new voice.

The voice sounded odd, the accent out of place compared to those around. It almost reminded her of Petyr. She disregarded the memory.

"Those are tarnished, no doubt, strung up and left to decay and farther tarnish by the soldiers of Godrick"

A man in gray came up the night's fire gave him an almost pure yet haunting appearance suddenly came up. Upon him closing in upon the group she noted he was in fact wearing white, it simply appeared as gray.

Suddenly several of the septons and septas looked toward the man,

"Who is this? Speak your name you trespass upon the Camp of King Renly and Queen Maergaery" The soldier gave him a stern look but the man seemed unpeturbed.

"Of course, yes, You may call me Varre. You seem to be plum out of luck, a group of maidenless folk, gasping upon the undeath of a tarnished. "

At this point, several of the soldiers already startled by the dead awakening, assumed a stance of even father guardedness.

"You insult us, in our own territory?"

Despite the man wearing a mask she swore she could hear the briefest of smirks form.

"Your territory? These lands debatably belong to an offshoot of Godfrey, I can tell with certainty none of you fit such a characterization."

Confusion sparked in the soldier's eyes and there seemed to be a desire for aggression, The man seemed to be the type to want to rile the bunch, Another characteristic, he shared with Petyr. She glanced at Renly's tent, and the tent of his sword-swallowing knight neither showed signs of hearing the commotion outside.

Yet another sign to Catelyn of the nature of this pretend king, yet in all honesty, any of their presence would be much appreciated at this moment. She spied some of the lord's so-called rainbow guard speedily making their way toward his tent, but given the way, things were escalating it would not due to wait for the king.

In all likelihood he would not have a true inkling of what to do, his impetuous vow to defend the unknown ruler of these lands earlier showed as much.

"You impishly affront us, baselessly who are you to say such?" Catelyn states giving the man the hardest stare she can muster

"I purely say things as seen, my lady. I am but a servant of grace" The man performs the faintest bow at the exclamation.

"I gleam as much, for a servant of such you seem to lack much of it" Catelyn states, staring daggers at the man.

"Oh yes, you lot however seem to be in a pitiful state." the white masked said, playfully

"Continuing to speak less to your betters I see. "

"I've eyed you for the past few hours, you seem quite out of sorts, can't blame the lot, but if you are squealing upon the sight of two unfortunate lowly tarnished. You will not last long, not at all, may I ask do you have the sight of grace?"

Catelyn eyed the white-masked man skeptically

"State what you mean?"

"The sight of grace, a golden light that leads one down a path, gives life to the tarnished. These two lost sight of such"

The white-masked one paused then swayed flamboyantly

"However it seems you lost the sight, ashame Maidenless and sightless, what tragedy could befall one" He turned his head just slightly to the right at the statement.

"No tragedy in such a manner I have no understanding of, you rave madly like a lunatic drunk on himself. Why not remove your simpleton's disguise?"

Varre seemed briefly taken aback by the comment.
Nonetheless, the mask remained on.

"Apologies my lady, I seemed to have offended, that was far from my intent.."

She scoffed. The man could care less, she could tell as much from his tone and behavior,

"Your intent is clear. Now unless you have more to provide than, thinly veiled insults and nonsense. You would do well to conclude things here."

The man stood upright, standing seemingly blank for a moment, she took the opportunity to eye his mask better in the firelight, it looked worn it certainly did well to match the colors of the rest of his garb. The lands between certainly had its share of queer folk if this man and the vile witch were any indications.

With that thought, the man turned, seemingly heading towards the cliffside.

"Lady Catelyn…" This was not the voice of the white masked man, she turned towards the voice and say a Septon.

"I know Varre's words were hard to comprehend but I do not believe he speaks nonsense, I and others have talked with him before the hour of the bat"

Catelyn disliked the interruption but upon seeing the insufferable man turn back around eying the two she urged him to continue.

"Being Maidenless does not have the same meaning it has in Westeros, it neither means being without virtue, nor being without women."

Catelyn thought about his words. She truthfully found it hard to believe the man had an insulting air about him so the maidenless term seemed to fit his words well.

"Being Maidenless in these lands refers one of this lands practices, There are folks called tarnished, who look much like us they gain strength from the conscription of a maiden who taps into the divine, From my understanding, they sound like this land's equivalent to septas in some ways. Though having personal servitude to a warrior"

With the statement a series of murmurs and whispers seemed to overtake the camp, This would not do, she had no loyalty to Renly's people but this did not mean she needed to thoughtlessly expose this so openly whether it held true or not.

"Septon what is your name?"

"I am Septon Edgar" The man stated, respectfully.

She gave the man a look, conveying respect.

"I thank you for your words septon, we shall speak again soon"

With that, the white masked man turned back around, and whispers continued to make their way through the camp.

She eyed the dead come to life once more and took the deepest breath she could muster.


Shortly after Loras, came with Yohn Royce's son. She knew a scarce amount of the Lords son. She appreciated having some appearance of another familiar face in the sea of strangers. If only Lord Royce's son was the one coming towards her. They both eyed the living dead as they made their way to her.

Unfortunately, Robar seemed to be staying back directing people to move out of the way, as he directed archers to aim arrows at the bodies. As this happened Loras quickly jogged to her. With a look of enragement on his being. Was this in relation to her interaction with the strange white-masked man, or the dead bodies?

"The king is facing the very same force that you saw last night or is it early today, I can't even say anymore" He spoke with a barely subdued aggression

Catelyn gasped, it had returned to? The very first strange event that happened before a wave of atypical happenstance. That could not be some coincidence could it?

"That shadow has returned?" Catelyn said the words with a hint of scorn for the mans passive aggressiveness.

Loras seemed taken by surprise by her statement, his eyes gleamed a farther anger.

"Yes, why was I not informed of such?" Anger rising with every word.

She looked at the man from top to bottom with all the ire she could manage.

"Why did Lord Renly not inform you of such?" She countered.

"King Renly, Renly is the rightful King," Loras said. The aggression was still present it seemed to have something more pathetic underneath it though.

She did not have a response to that, she had no interest in calling Renly King anymore, yet she knew getting in a spat with his Head commander would not be worth the trouble.

"I have forgotten, pay it no mind." She plainly stated.

Loras did not seem satisfied his anger seemed to bubble but it quickly subsided. Then the look in his eyes turned to something much more pitiable.

"How could we end up in this place? It's madness" Loras said, low enough she could hardly hear, never the less she replied with a nod, and in an equal tone stated.

"I know not Loras, I only ever wanted to save my family" Saying the words seemed to bring a great weight off her if only for a second. To hear the man say such words. Loras Tyrell may be a sword swallower, loyal to a pretend king, Though at least someone else finally spoke the truth of the madness.

"I just wanted the best for my family and king. "With that, Her and Loras shared a look, the anger seemed to leave his eyes for a moment. It even left hers if only for a second. She honestly hoped he'd say more. Though with that he bid her farewell returning to the tent of his king.

The attack Robar Royce arranged seemed to end the ceaseless moaning, and movement of the strung up, at least for now. She felt unsatisfied but knew it would not do good to dwell on the Stranger's curse placed upon this land anymore this night.

With that she eyed her own quarters, to gather her bearings if she had any left after this long ceaseless day.


BLAIDD I

He always enjoyed the feeling of the Carian Grass on his fur, it was an odd feeling the grass of Caria did not differ much from the grass of Limgrave or of the little leftover patches of Liurnia from when it was more woods than lake. Something about the grass around the three sisters and down below around the once great and structured Carian Manor.

It reminded him much of his younger days, of a time when Ranni was in her original body and but a young empyrean, a time when he and Iji shared joy in watching the young girl enjoy herself in this grand but dangerous world.

Even then she displayed great talent, it should've been no surprise given her parentage of the excelled sorceress and Marikas chosen general of the golden order. Her other siblings no doubt displayed great talent but Ranni displayed great talent and an amazing innocence, at least in her youth, an innocence Blaidd, and Iji hoped desperately and foolishly would remain unblemished.

Her purity was not due to grace, but due to who she was. Again a foolish thought of the both of them to think they could spare the innocence of anyone within this world, much less the child of two of the most powerful people in the land, and chosen Emperyan of the two fingers. It was a naive belief, his very existence essentially guaranteed she would not live a safe life forever. Not even for very long, unfortunately.

His introspection was getting to him at this moment, something he could not afford to dwindle on when the status of the Mistress was in question. He checked over the rise Selvius typically resided, a character he was always skeptical of, both as a newer addition to the team, and just in general.

He smelled something bloody rotten within him. Though, given his reluctance to go to Iji with this and him being the only other competent mage outside of the mistress herself, he did not have many other options. Yet Selvius was not at his usual post, which led him to assume he either abandoned it or was on some other task for Ranni.

He debated in his head whether to go back to Iji to notify him of the mysterious disappearance of Ranni from the doll she resided within. He knew of her occasional antics of astral projection, but she never failed to appear within her doll when one of them had information for her. It was certainly worrisome, no doubt Iji would be equally concerned if he knew of this.

Perhaps concerned enough to abandon his long-held post to set out searching for her. He had no desire, to put his long-time friend's life in danger. Ranni could not afford to lose the both of them. Especially when the nature of newer fellows is up to question.

He also knew she was not here he would've felt her presence whether safe or otherwise, he was a part of her very being, her shadow. So Ijis would be unlikely to have any information regarding her current whereabouts. Though there was one other avenue he did not exhaust.

With that thought, he looked off the edge of the cliff at the roof of the mansion below, took a brief glance in Ijis direction, and nodded. Then stepped off.

*THUD*

He fell to a platform of wood below the rise but above the roof of the lower Manor his fall kicked up quite a bit of dirt which paired nicely with the variations of blood soaked into him already. Selvius was not in at the moment, which left Pidia to inquire with his sorcery skills were not great but he could help with this. He did not feel Rannis's presence here, he knew he would know if something happened to her she was his very being. He could just go off in the places he knew she's traversed before, mt Gilmor, Central Limgrave, He knew however he could not afford, to guess, he needed some degree of confirmation.

Unfortunately, that meant, conversing with the mentally-addled Albinauric. He fell once more within one of the holes of the manor, landing right on the balcony above the entry room

A scream is heard, no doubt he startled the Albinauric with his untraditional entrance[/center]

"... Blaidd,… What?"

"I am looking for the location of Lady Ranni, she is gone from her rise."

"SHE IS!.., Oh no, master where must the princess be?" Pidia says timidly

"I do not bloody know, which is why I ask you to do your best to locate her."

"Pidia, not very good at spells, but Pidia shall give his best."

Pidia sat in thought for a moment but then asked for a drop of Blaidds blood.

With that Pidia got out a necklace which he cut his own finger with and combined it with Blaidd's blood, the blood began to develop a blue tinge. At this moment Blaidd began to feel off.

He felt as if something entered his head for the briefest of moments took his weight and then returned it. He had the briefest glimmer of worry[/center]

Then he saw an aura around the blood he gave. at which point blue particles seemed to rise from the droplets, creating a beautiful array of blue stardust that headed between south and southeast.

]The uncomfortable feeling mostly subsided at this point. Leaving Blaidd, to regain his focus.

"Based on the sway of, it appears to Pidia dearest princess is, in Limgrave or somewhere near the Limgrave/ Liurnia boarder. Forgive me.. Master Blaidd" The Albinauric seemed frantic in his speech.

Blaidd nodded his head to calm his nerves. Then thought about what was said.

Blaidd knew Ranni avoided Liurnia she did not want to risk any potential robots, or denizens of the academy coming across her and putting two and two together, he did however know a spot she recently began to frequent astrally in Limgrave.

Her inquiries about the tarnished as of late, also made this a much more likely possibility than Liurnia. Thinking about it shortly after his arrival at the three sisters, there was also a strange light from that direction, it was the briefest of moments, but its something he would not discount

"Be careful master Blaidd, Princess Ranni is the last of free Carian royalty"

"I will Pidia, do not fret I will get her home safe, leaving whoever put her in such a state bloody though I'm sure she can handle herself."[

With that Blaid, dropped to the lower level of the manor and began his journey to Limgrave. His first step felt as though all of Caria was with him on his journey to reclaim their princess.

He took one last look in Ijis direction and set off fully shaking his brief discomfort.


A.N. : I Hope everyone enjoyed this new addition, I'm thinking of adding a few more new POV's at least 3 potential asoiaf characters, and one more elden ring character. Though also regarding POVs. it won't be next chapter but eventually these POVs will be much longer individually at that point they will most likely, cover the entire chapter.

How does everyone feel about that?

Finally, any thoughts on the chapter including the new POV are appreciated.

P.S. In all likelihood I will not have a new chapter out till after the holidays. Finals are coming up and then I have a long work week ahead of me.