A/N: EDIT: not a lot of feedback this time around, what with season two ending. That's a spirit breaker...T_T
Sorry for the delay, that road rage incident nearly did me in, but here is a longer chapter to compensate. Looking forward to your feedback!
Sooo about that finale for House of the Dragon...
From a strictly detached perspective, they were some aspects of the Finale I enjoyed, some I did not, and others that left me scratching my head. Whatever the reason, whatever the costs, this season SHOULD have been a full ten episodes, not a measly eight, and as a result, the last episode, for all its ambition and grandstanding, suffered for it. They'd could've begun the attack on King's Landing -would've been quite way to end the season- but nooo we didn't get that.
Sheepstealer did look amazing, however.
I wanted to like the final episode, I did and I don't hold it against anyone who enjoyed it, I'm just afraid of HOTD may be going the way of GOT at large. Hopefully it won't come to that...
I really, truly want each chapter of this story to feel like an actual House of the Dragon episode on all fronts. Hopefully I succeeded.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback determine the update speed of this story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
Brace yourself. This IS Game of Thrones, after all...
Some lines from the original GOT as well.
Away we go~!
"How many people will you sacrifice, how many bodies will you burn, how many castles will you crush, to protect the ones you love?
All the hurt and ruin you cause to protect them, the more painful it will be when you lose them anyway. It terrifies you, doesn't it? The idea of losing that girl. You would become a monster for her. Perhaps you are one already. You may believe yourself the author of your own fate as you wish, Uzumaki. You may strive for a better future. You may even think you already know your part in this story. You do not; because you have yet to open your eyes and see.Shall I give you a hint of what is to come?
You will burn armies to ash.
You will commit terrifying deeds in the years to come.
You will become a man that would make Maegor the cruel TREMBLE in his boots.
~Alys (a future scene)
Crown
They rounded the survivors up and stranded them on a small island.
All in all, it was a barren spit of sand and rock, the smallest of the Stepstones, neither large enough to consider defending, nor small enough to be ignored by sailors. The Anchor, some had taking to calling it, for its shape rather resembled one. The tides were too unpredictable here and the caves little more than shallow divots in the rock; this particular isle wasn't even worthy of growing food or being used as shelter. Utterly unremarkable in every way, save but for one.
It would served as a most memorable example.
The bulwark against future incursions.
A warning, some might say.
Beneath a cloudy grey sky, two thousand screaming slavers, raiders, and pirates were each nailed to wooden posts across the sand, with neither food to fill their bellies nor water to sustain them. They were the last living remnants of the Crabfeeder's forces; once a mighty armada that numbers in the tens of thousands, a fighting force that nearly brought Westeros low, took captives whenever they wished, and scorched her shipping lanes for years. Once upon a time, they had been proud. Defiant. Unbent, unbowed, and unbroken.
Now they were reduced to little more than bloody blubbering beggars pleading for mercy as the last boat put out to sea.
Naruto had a rather unpleasant view of it all given he was on that last ship; it was necessary, considered it of vital importance that he be the last one out.
...you don't have to do this, you know." Kurama said. "I can do it for you."
No.
Had to be him.
Somebody else might've gotten it wrong.
He laid an idle hand upon the hilt of his Valyrian steel sword, nestled comfortably in his belt -despite plucking her from the Crabfeeder's corpse, he still hadn't found a name for her just yet- and watched his victims wail as the deck rolled and swayed beneath his feet, the sound nearly masked beneath the rising ocean waves, their pitiful pleas for mercy falling upon deaf ears.
No mercy for the wicked.
Why should there be They were vile and heartless creatures all, with not even a speck of goodness between them. Evil men deserved evil deaths. Even so, he knew some scholars would paint him a villain for what he was about to do. They could call him worse than Maegor for even allowing such a thing. Rhaenyra had mentioned her ancestor in passing once, enough for him to make an apt comparison.
So be it. Let them think him cruel or mad; some crazed dog who lived only to kill. He was neither of those things; because he was something much worse, he was rational.
They couldn't afford to feed so many prisoners-nor should they!- but neither could they simply give them back to the Triarchy. And so...to quote a wise being...
Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves.
His borrowed vessel stopped a short ways away, leaving him in full view of the other ships, yet close enough to the isle to see the boiling, teeming masses within.
He'd debated long and loudly with his Lord Corlys and Lady Rhaenys about their final fate; the Sea Snake wanted to leave them for the tides to take, allowing them to drown. Rhaenys offered to take their hands and send them back to Tyrosh and the Triarchy as a warning against further incursions. Tempting, but he didn't like the idea of sending so many survivors their way.
Rhaenyra had suggested sicking Vhagar on them so that she might recover faster, and so they had...three days and five hundred men ago. Now the old dragon was sleepy and sated and resting upon a nearby island. She probably wouldn't wake for the ret of the day. Execution by dragon was effective, but with two thousand pirates to spare, they simply didn't have the time to wait.
Which brought him to this solution.
In the end, he came up with something less creative and altogether more final. Torture had never been his strong suit; he had the stomach for it now, but he just wanted these pirates gone. They had the Stepstones to settle, and not much time in which to do so. He didn't like the idea of leaving Viserys alone -even with shadow clones attending him and his- and there were other matters to attend to, not the least of which included Cannibal's cryptic statement.
"I will not eat that poisoned slop in the pit!"
Were the dragons being fed poisoned meat? Something subtle perhaps, not enough to kill them outright, that would be noticed immediately, but perhaps enough to stunt their growth? Syrax had been ranging outside of the Pit for awhile, as did Vhagar and Silverwing, while Vhagar hadn't been in years, but the other dragons...
Rightly worried, he sent a raven to King's Landing the first chance he got. Not a day later, he received Viserys' reply with but three words:
"We need proof."
Proof, proof, proof! How annoying!
He'd find some as soon as he returned to King's Landing and THEN-
Rhaenyra stepped up beside him and took his hand in hers, diverting his thoughts.
He glanced askance at her, desperate for a distraction. "Vhagar likes you."
She grumbled under her breath. "I notice."
"Have you, now?" though he didn't look at her, he couldn't quite keep the smile from his voice. "She's been following you around like a lost puppy. Its honestly cute. Have you tried riding her?
She glanced at him askance. "Do you think she'd let me?"
He shrugged. "Stranger things have happened before. You're basically a descendant of her last rider. Didn't your grandfather ride her?"
"And Visenya before him," Rhaenyra confirmed. "I'm already bonded to Syrax, though. She'll never accept me."
Maybe, maybe not. But she will follow you...for now. At least until someone claims ehr."
"Perhaps." From there, she leaned up to whisper softly into his ear. "Are you done stalling, now? They're waiting for you."
Naruto blinked once and looked up. So they were. Alright. Time to focus, he supposed.
His gaze passed over Corlys and Rhaenys before finally settling upon the object of his ire.
They had spared three prisoners here, leaving them bound and gagged, chained to the deck as their captives. They watched him with wide eyes, certain he would kill them.
Corlys certainly wanted to.
Despite all efforts to the contrary, Laenor, the man's heir and Rhaenyra's cousins, had taken an arrow to his shoulder during the battle. The wound had worsened quickly, almost suspiciously so, which suggested poison of some kind. He'd tended to the young man the moment Corlys made him aware of it, but by then the damage was done.
The boy had fallen into a fevered sleep and not awoken since.
Rhaenyra was more fortunate in that regard; she'd only suffered a single a graze across her right cheek and he had been both quick to spot and tend to her. It would scar perhaps, but she didn't seem overly bothered by such a trifling thing.
He loved that about her. Whatever her flaws and faults, she was a fighter through and through. And speaking of which.
"Alright, then...
Their captives whimpered as he stalked past them. Rhaenyra followed, hands clasped behind her back, made mildly curious by what he planned to do.
Good. They needed witnesses. Else no one would believe what was about to happen here.
"Can you really destroy an island?"
He smiled softly, sadly. "Don't believe me? Just watch."
With a shallow bow and a quick pivot, he strode forward until he stood upon the bow of the ship...
.
..
...and flung himself over the edge.
Gasps greeted him as his feet alighted seamlessly upon the sea with a burst of chakra, easily finding traction despite the shifting seas. He didn't miss a step, not once.
Water-walking remained easy as ever, but it was the first time any of his allies -save Rhaenyra- had seen him do so before. He didn't know it, but this casual act would only further grow his legend grew his legend among the Westerosi and Essosi in the years to come.
Tales of those who could walk across water and "throw light" would be told across the continents for decades to come.
But that is a story for another time.
Steeling himself, he took a deep breath and focused inward, keenly aware of the hull rocking beneath his feet, the creaking timber and steel, the salty spray of the wind upon his face as he gazed upon these soon-to-be-dead men upon the beachhead. No need to summon another divine storm -he still didn't quite understand how he'd done that, nor did he think himself capable of pulling that off presently without a great deal of concentration- but thankfully he didn't have to, because he had an easier option available.
He emptied his mind of all doubts.
And then:
Naruto raised his hands, hardened his heart, and kept his eyes wide open. His body blazed gold, a pillar of light in the morning bright. He leaned his head back and basked in it.
He knew he didn't have to do this himself. Sensibly speaking, it probably would've been easier to let Lord Corlys and the soldiers do the deed for him. He would've been happy to enough; sage knew the Crabfeeder had given him enough grief already. They could've just burned the lot of them from dragonback.
No, he who passes the sentence must swing the sword. Or in this case, fire the nuke. So he did just that.
He heard the wind rise around him, felt it lift his hair and rattle the ocean beneath his feet. Someone gasped behind him. He never knew who; because Kurama chose that moment to manifest around him in all his great golden glory. No words were needed. Not between them. Maximum chakra, maximum destruction, maximum effort. His jaws yawned wide and the blast formed within.
One shot. Two thousands deaths. Unleash.
This one wasn't like the paltry shots he'd taken at the cliff side during battle, fired in heedless haste; this held the full might and height of his strength behind it. He had but to will it and it would be so.
Day became night, became day, became night again as all he light rushed out of the world.
Bijudama.
A pillar of light ignited as their ultimate attack struck the island and ignited it, scouring the isle clean of all life; annihilating everything in a single cataclysmic blast. The pirates weren't even able to scream as the perished; because the very air itself ignited in their lungs, scorching them and their bodies away. He did not close his eyes against the light, but rather forced himself to watch; to stand by in silent judgement as two thousand wicked men and women evaporated like so much morning mist.
Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. We must do what it takes to survive.
When all was said and done, when the smoke cleared and the light returned; everyone saw what he was capable of. Of the island, only a charred and blackened crater remained, a deathly divot with glimmers of blackened sand, fused to glass in places. He caught but a glimpse of it before he blasted it again. And again, a fourth time now for good measure, until only a great gaping hole remained. The moment he stopped, water rushed back in to fill the void he'd left behind to devastating effect.
Behind him Lord Corlys' ships rocked at anchor, drawn forward by the sudden lurch in the tides, but only for a short while. Their anchors held and soon soon enough, the Narrow Sea swallowed the island whole, drowning it beneath the waves, never to be seen again.
There. Lett them doubt his power now.
His peace done, Naruto strode back to the ship at a lazy gait. Upon reacing the hull he hopped back inside and sauntered over to Rhaenyra, keenly aware of the attention now fixed firmly upon him. She leaned into him for a moment then stepped past him, moving to the three chained men on the deck; men who even now gawped at the gaping hole in the sea with mute horror.
As he looked on, the Princess laid a hand on their nearest's shoulder, forcing them to look at her.
"Tell your people what happened here." The iron in her voice made the man quiver as she spoke. "Tell them you live by the grace of Lord of the Stepstones. When the rest of your Triarchy tries to come forward with notions of retribution or ideas about reclaiming these islands, remind them what happened today, when Foxfire split the Narrow Sea."
The man nodded mutely.
She looked to the others, but she needn't have, the poor corsairs bowed their heads and pressed their faces to the deck, unable to look at her.
Not so Naruto. He'd never been more proud.
The real work began now.
Now that they had conquered the Stepstones, it fell to him to settle them and protect them. For that they would need food, housing, and of course, people. That would take time. He'd held to his promise of conquering this place in less than a week; keeping them would be another matter. Theoretically he could rule from Bloodstone, but that wouldn't be terribly efficient...
"Congratulations." dimly, he heard Corlys step up beside him. "You've conquered the Stepstones. Good luck settling them and keeping them now that you've riled up Dorne.
Rhaens agreed with Velaryon, naturally. "My lord husband has a point. They're going to notice our actions here. How do you intend to safeguard against them?"
Rhaenyra said nothing, she simply looked to him in return, awaiting his answer. At least someone here had faith in how he'd secure the Stepstones.
How indeed? He'd put no small amount of thought into this. And in time, an answer had emerged.
He smiled. "That'll be easy. Don't believe me? JUST WATCH."
(.0.0.0.)
Rhaenyra and Naruto returned to King's Landing suddenly, without warning.
The Red Keep was abuzz about it, everyone rushing to see them.
They'd been gone for a year.
Nearly an entire year, with nary a word from Rhaenyra...or Naruto.
Alicent found herself swept up in the crowd of curious nobles, nearly tripping over her green dress as she was hastened to the throne room.
She had endeavored to be patient during Rhaenyra's absence; clinging to her virtue and resolve despite the whispers in the halls, the scathing looks sent her way, the rumors that abounded. It was...difficult. No, perhaps those weren't the right words. Agonizing, excruciating, humiliating. Yes, those suited her better. She had no allies at court now save the Crown; in spurning Father on that darkest of days, she hadn't simply lost his favor and protection, but that of the Hightowers as well. For a time she was alone and adrift, meandering without thought or cause as the court sneered at her.
And for what?
Defending herself? Speaking her mind? Taking charge of her fate?
How it burned, how it galled, how she wanted to stick a knife in their eyes...!
Lady Aemma had proven a godsend during that time, as did little Visenya. Although there were times when Rhaenyra's mother very much reminded her of her dear friend...
"Do you know how to please someone in bed?"
How she had flushed then, her face red like roses! "Your Grace!"
Aemma had smiled at her, as though she knew. "Its a common question, dear. I could show you...
Shaking herself, she tossed her head and descended the steps quickly, careful not to be trampled in the mad rush to reach the Iron throne. A rather portly noble rudely shouldered her aside in their haste to push past, and in a rare fit of pique she jabbed an arm into them, slamming the point of her elbow into their gut. The foolish fellow doubled over with a startled grunt and soon found himself unceremoniously shoved into a wall as the rest of the Red Keep barreled by.
Worth it.
The wave of men and women carried her into the throne room a moment later Nobles and she found herself among them, slipping between the lords and ladies of Westeros to reach the front. From this distance she could only just glimpse the King standing before the Iron Throne, crown upon his head, Blackfyre in hand. She glimpsed Daemon standing at his right side just past the Kingsguard, one hand resting upon the hilt of Dark Sister; then the prince saw her and winked her way.
Alicent averted her gaze with a huff. Such a shameless rogue he was.
And there, further from to the throne, lurking like the vulture he was...Father.
He looked...thinner since she'd seen him last. More gaunt, somehow, despite his lofty station.
Something cold and dark and ugly writhed in Alicent's heart at the sight of him. She studiously avoided his gaze, refusing to even acknowledge his existence. Even then she could still feel his eyes on her. Assessing her for weakness. Doubtless he wondered whether or not she'd revealed his plans, still wondering why he hadn't been taken to the Black Cells yet.
A year had passed after all. He might even be forgiven for thinking himself safe...
.
..
...he was not.
The thought stirred a flicker of ire in her heart. Revenge was a dish best served cold. Hers would be colder than the Wall itself.
At some unseen command the swarm of people suddenly split on either side, creating a corridor between themselves. Alicent found herself shuffled off the right near Daemon as guards moved to protect the lesser nobles, blades half drawn, ready to unsheathe at a moment's notice. She prayed that it was merely some form of theater on the Crown's part; surely Viserys wouldn't think his daughter a threat...
.
..
...would he?
She heard Rhaenyra and Naruto long before she saw them; if only because they made no effort to be subtle. Someone was stomping. Probably Naruto. He was seldom the sort for subtlety unless it suited him. Rhaenyra could be a proper sneaky girl when she wanted to be, but that once was a blunt instrument, smashing through any obstacle that dared impede him.
They rounded the corner together and stepped into the room, side by side, hand in hand. Alicent stilled a gasp behind her hand at the sight, nor was she only one to do so.
An uncertain, excited ripple passed through the crowd of nobles.
What were they doing, revealing themselves like this?!
They did not enter with an armed escort, which Alicent supposed was a good thing.
Naruto didn't swagger, but there was a sway in his step. A stalk. For her part, Rhaenyra seemed inordinately smug. The fact that was even now wearing the Conqueror's armor -sans the helmet- was not lost on her. The next thing she noticed about them was the rest of their attire; they both wore black. Not in the sense of mourning, but as a statement. After all, Black was but one were the colors of House Targaryen. Rhaenyra had evne throw a mantle of sorts over her armor -Aegon's armor!- the better to make it appear her own.
Here I am, she seemed to say. A dragonrider, princess, and warrior all. Make of me what you will.
Squinting, Alicent regarded her with renewed scrutiny. There was something off about the way her dear friend walked; although she did not keep one hand to her belly or reveal anything, and yet...
Wait.
Was she with child?
No, surely she couldn't be. Surely she was imagining things...wasn't she?
Naruto himself favored a dark tunic with long black trousers complete with a boiled leather doublet and a black cape flung over her shoulder. It almost seemed to shimmer in the low light and belatedly Alicent realized it wasn't silk at all, but something else entirely, some kind of thin metal meant to look like fabric. What was that?
All told, he and Rhaenyra matched. The sight sent a little thrill of envy through her, feelings as of yet unrequited.
Look at us, their outfits seemed to say, we are warriors. Know us.
She craved that kind of singular strength. She was a warrior of the mind, not the body.
And yet...wait. She noticed something else then, something she'd failed to see before, so lost was she in her own thoughts, these darkest of doldrums.
They wore crowns.
Each of them, Naruto and Rhaenyra both, had a coronet of some sort upon their head, a circlet of jagged bones and driftwood lashed together by a length of black cord. It made them look savage. Like conquerors of old, come to savage the seven kingdoms once more.
Small wonder the people were so silent. They feared rebellion.
Naruto marched right up to the Throne, and Rhaenyra with him. There was a new sword at his side she noticed, and a hammer in his hand. The latter of which he flipped over and offered to Viserys, haft first.
"The Crabfeeder is dead."
Daemon sauntered forward to claim the hammer. "We'll add it to the chair."
Viserys finally spoke at last. "You wear a crowns, I see. Do you also call yourself king and queen?"
Rhaenyra preened. "Once we smashed the Triarchy and established ourselves on the Stepstones, they named us King and Queen of the Narrow sea.
Naruto knelt, and for once in her life, Rhaenyra mirrored him as he spoke. "But we know there is only one true king, your grace."
As one, they removed their circlets and offered them unto him. "Our crowns and the Stepstones, are yours."
Viserys smiled. Had they planned this? Communicated by Raven perhaps? "Where is lord Corlys?"
Rhaenyra shrugged. "He sailed home to Driftmark to be with his son."
"Who holds the Stepstones, daughter?"
"We do." Naruto answered, still on bent knee, smug as can be. "We've already established a port, assembled a fleet, constructed a number of buildings and planted hardy crops that flourish in the windswept soil. Potatoes for instance."
Viserys blinked. "Potatoes?"
"Po-ta-toes." Naruto drawled the word. "You know, boil em, mash em, stick 'em in a stew...?"
Father scoffed not so silently; a ripple ran through the crowd at that, and not a kind one.
Alicent longed to unleash the knife hidden within her bodice.
But rather that shout and stomp and spit, Naruto simply ignored their derisive laughter as a dragon would a colony of ants underfoot. He seemed calmer now, his time in the Stepstones must've hardened him against such pity remarks, or perhaps he simply didn't care. Regardless, they and their disdain were clearly beneath him. He returned his attention to Viserys. "That's why we took so long. We didn't want to leave until we were certain the Stepstones were secure. Dorne has taken an interest in them. We had to fend off an incursion. Vhagar helped."
The crowd went quiet.
Alicent couldn't blame them; she did as well.
Vhagar? Largest living dragon in the world? That Vhagar?
Viserys himself appeared surprised for a moment. "And where is she now?"
"Resting outside the dragonpit." Rhaenyra chirped. "She's rather fond of me, Father."
Father appeared pale; as though he were going to be sick shortly. Good. It pleased her to see him squirm for once in his life.
Viserys descended the Iron Throne, Blackfyre in hand, careful not to let his ancestral sword click disrespectfully against the steps. "Rise, the both of you."
Naruto and Rhaenyra did as they were bade.
The very moment they did Viserys clamped a hand down on Naruto's shoulder, drew him into a crushing embrace and pulled back to beam at him. "The realm owes you a great debt, Lord of the Stepstones."
An uncertain murmur buzzed through the nobles. Father looked like he'd bitten into a lemon. Ha!
Naruto bowed his head. "I live only to serve, your grace."
Since when did he speak like that? Was this planned? It had to be planned. Alicent believed it must be. Perhaps they had been communicating by Raven after all. The bit with Vhagar was clearly unexpected, however, it did not change the fact that everything seemed to be proceeding a little too smoothly. Which meant one of two things. Either the other shoe was about to drop, or...
"Father," Rhaenyra murmurred softly -suddenly!- reminding the King of something, whispering in his ear.
"Ah, but of course." Viserys beamed, causing Alicsent's heart to falter for a moment. "Lords and ladies of Westeros! I have an announcement to make!"
Ailcent gulped.
No.
Surely not.
He wouldn't do such a thing.
Not here, not before all these people...?
A fresh murmur of confusion passed through the crowd, but not for long.
Stepping back, Viserys drew Naruto and Rhaenyra -who had never once let go of one another's hand since entering the throne room- together and presented the smiling couple before the baffled nobles.
"It is with great joy that I announce the betrothal of my daughter to Lord Naruto! Her wedding shall take place in a fortnight!"
Gasps arose from the crowd.
Alicent nearly fainted dead away; it was only her iron will that prevented her from doing so. Even so she swayed a little on her feet.
Thank the gods. He hadn't said the rest.
Rhaenyra saw her and smiled.
(.0.0.0.)
She cornered her soon thereafter.
Alicent had known it was coming and prepared herself accordingly in her sitting room.
But even with all the proper preparations, she still wasn't prepared for Rhaenyra's red dress. Gods, but she looked lovely and-
Too late, her dear friend crossed the distance between them, uncaring as a Kingsguard locked the door behind her. She only had eyes for her. A hand touched her face, drawing her eyes up and then she was there, leaning in to kissed her, setting a fresh spark of desire through her veins and she found herself returning it ...and...and...!
"Wait." she plased both hands on her shoulders to gain distance. "Wait. Please, just...just wait.
Rhaenyra did wait, bless her, even allowed her to guide her down to the sitting sofa.
Alicent squirmed under her gaze. "I had hoped we might speak."
"Are we not doing so now?"
"I wanted to apologize again, I've been, I think, mistaken, given what I was raised to believe." wringing her hands in her lap, she narrowly resisted the urge to bite her nails again. "There was an order of things, that there was security in the paths laid out for us. I resented you a little for caring so little for any of it, but more than that I was jealous. For knowing what you wanted and I...I did not know what I wanted."
A tilt of her head. "And now you do?"
"I knew only what was expected of me." she snapped back. "I lost my way, and when I thought I had finally found it, discovered a path that might make me happy, my Lord father tried to take it from me. The man I put my faith in try to use me as...!" She cursed, swallowed a sob, and continued. "Not his daughter, not a lady of the court, but a common whore to seduce your father."
A flicker of fire flashed through Rhaenyra's eyes. "And you refused him?"
"Of course I did!" she rounded on her.
"So does that mean, while we were away, you found other means..."
Alicent flushed.
She had to sate her desires somehow, but the shame of it made her glare at Rhaenyra all the same. "Do not judge me for what you yourself have done. I sought comfort; I too have desires. Must you make me say it again?
Rhaenyra jabbed her ribs with a finger. "But for so long you alone made virtue your banner."
The truth burned hotter than dragon fire . "And I clung to it in defiance of so many things, in defiance of have you, perhaps, who so disdained it." dipping her chin for a moment, she bit back a longing sigh. "I have been alone, missing you. I spoke out against my father, and I felt a weight lifted from me. And I thought for the first time what I would choose, if not for the duty that was expected of me." she took a deep breath, mastered herself, and barreled on. "I do not wish to do as I am told. I wish to live, to be free of all this endless plotting and striving and backstabbing that has so consumed the realm as of late. My family will pursue victory at any cost. I see that now, but as for me, I would…
Rhaenyra grinned. "Go on say it."
"I would join you. But not right away!" She panicked a little at the near feral look that flashed across her face when she inched forward. "I scarcely know him as I know you. If we are to do this, it will be as equals, as partners. I must get to know him before I...you know...
Rhaenyra took hold of her hands. Nothing would please me more."
"And what does he have to say about this?"
She grinned. "He has been pestering me about your answer from the moment we left for the Stepstones."
Her face flushed, and try as she might, she couldn't quite keep the little thrill from her voice. "I was not aware."
"Of course you weren't. You've been running from him like a scared doe all this time barely speaking to him." Rhaenyra threaded her fingers in hers. "He is a most considerate soul."
"You would leave me alone with him?"
"I would." She lifted her chin and for a moment, just a moment she glimpsed the queen who might yet be. "I won his heart, as he won mine. We are two halves of a greater whole he and I, just as you are, as you and he could be if allowed yourself."
Here at last, she wilted. "I've never been with a man before...
"Nonsense." Rhaenyra clicked her tongue, admonishing her. "Will you shrink from what you set out to do or will you see it through and make your decision?
She already had.
"History may paint me a villain, but...!" Alicent blew out a breath. "I care not. let them think what they must. I am at last myself with no ambition greater than to love who I please, to beloved in return, and be free.
Rhaenyra smiled softly. "You are much changed."
"I have you to blame for that!" She slapped her arm, drawing a giggle from her. "Where is he then? I've not seen him since the two of you offered your crowns to your father."
Rhaenyra's smile was sly. "Oh, he's about."
Alicent knew that tone. "Rhaenyra!"
Someone coughed.
A nearby curtain slid aside to reveal Naruto wearing a sheepish smile; her heart hitched in her chest at the sight.
Had he been standing there the entire time?! Impossible. She would've seen him sensed him, noticed him at the very least, surely...
Rhaenyra preened, proud as a dragon and thrice as eager. "Shall we converse, then? Just the three of us?"
Naruto said beside her and laid a hand on hers. "If that's alright with you."
Alicent gulped and tried to fan her face with one hand, Gods but it was hot in here. "Talk about what...?"
Rhaenyra wound an arm around her waist, drawing her closer, lips alighting upon her cheek in a breathy whisper. "Whatever you wish."
Naruto clicked his tongue and she felt his fingers gently coil around her own. "Don't tease her. If she wants to talk first, that's fine."
Talk. Right. They could do a lot of...talking.
Her mind took that thought and ran away with it, ran to dark, depraved places.
Rhaenyra remained relentless, one hand roving over stomach, then lower still. "Just look, her face is redder than her hair...
Naruto, for his part, remained true gentleman. "Because You're embarrassing her!"
The princess merely hummed. "She can tell me to stop at any time."
Her questing fingers drifted lower, pressing into her dress
Lower, now, drawing a gasp from her lips.
"Tell me to stop, Alicent.
She tried. She couldn't. She didn't want her to stop. Not now, not ever.
It was too much stimulation. Her body couldn't cope. She gave in.
Whirling, she grabbed Naruto by the cheeks, dragged his face down to hers and kissed him with reckless abandon.
"Finally!"
With a triumphant cry, Rhaenyra pounced upon them both and together, they crashed down upon the bed in a tangle of limbs.
Dimly she became aware of her dress being torn away in the chaos, of herself being pulled into Naruto's lap. Rhaenyra embraced her from behind, planting searing kisses upon her neck and...oh...oh...OH this felt rather nice...
From there, Alicent's night descended into a glorious carnal haze.
It was, in a word...bliss.
A/N: At long last!
We'll cut it there for today! Don't worry, we'll still have the good bits.
Just wanted to say, I appreciate you all! More feedback means faster updates! It's especially important, in these, trying times, with the main site notifications down. Every word counts and i appreciate you all! All these reviews really keep me inspired! Looking forward to hearing from you~! I should be able to update Sunday or EARLIER, time and health permitting.
Weeeell? What did you think? Would you like weekly updates? Yay or nay? Really need to hear from you, here. Feedback makes the world go round!
As stated, this has a high chance of being upgraded to M later down the line, but I need to know if folks want to see that.
By all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas…
...Review...Would You Kindly?
And enjoy the Previews!
As ever:
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
YE BE WARNED!
Read at your own risk!
As ever, these are from the far flung future...or are they~?!
Previews are mostly the same, wouldn't want to spoil things now.
(Previews!)
Morning dawned and with it, a delicious soreness...
Do you take the princess Rhaenyra to marry...?"
"The idea that we Targaryens control the dragons...is an illusion; in truth, they are a power our ancestors never should have trifled with.
Yet without them, our reign would undoubtedly buckle beneath its own weight. We need them. As they need us.
Promise me you won't let the dragons die out, Rhaenyra. Promise me.
Hugh didn't fear dragons.
Make no mistake, he knew they was big and tough and mean as can be, but they wasn't invincible. At the end of the day they were just meat. Dangerous, fire-breathing meat that could snap you up in a single bite, but all the same
He was a blacksmith, not a butcher. His trade lay in the realm of metal and weapons even as
His wifer was prengant, and the missus wasn't doign
Good reason for that. looked up as a massive shadow swooped low over the beachhead of King's Landing.
Shading his face with one hand, he squinted up at them. "
Dragons wasn't gods he knew, they were just meat, but they were mighty indeed.
One of them saw him and swooped low.
Imagine his surprise when it landed before him!
"Curious." he remarked after a moment's pause. "I see now why he took notice of you."
He knelt hurriedly. "Your grace."
...interesting. He acknowledges you." The rider considered him for a long moment. "Who was your mother?"
Hugh blanched. "That...is a long story..
What have we here...?"
Blast. And today had started so well.
Ulf dropped his drink and raised his hands in the air. "Nothing at all...?"
Whomever was behind him jabbed a sword into his back. "Move, bastard. We have places to be."
It sounded like the bloody prince.
Ul fraised his hand higher. "Alright, alright, I'm walking...
A sword is more than a weapon. Stick 'em with the pointy end they say. Ha! When you make a sword, the first priority is to make it purposeful and well-balanced. But a sword is also an object of power and has to express this power in its design...
...and this sword...
..is my gift...
...to you.
"Lord commander."
Ser Harold Westerling was a surprisingly noble man, defending his comrades despite the stain on their honor. "Cole is a good lad, he just needs to get his head screwed on straight."
Naruto clicked his tongue. "Think he needs more than that...
The white worm wishes a a word with you, my lord."
Naruto's brow shot into his hair.
"Who?"
"Daemon's lover.
"Ahhhh...
"If you fail to plan you plan to fail. This world is cold and cruel, and there are a few in it, who are steadfast. You, I think, are steadfast.
PUSH!"
The cry of a newborn filled the air.
Visenya whooped, leaned back in the saddle, and flung up her arms. "Dracarys~!"
Bayle answered in a rush of crackling fire. The girl grinned.
Riding on dragonback was the best!
"Faster, papa! Faster!"
His daughter bounced on his back, grinning from ear to ear as she tugged at his hair.
Naruto smiled despite himself. "Feisty as your mother, I swear. Where's your brother hiding-
Someone leaped onto his back.
"Aha! There you are!"
"Stay your hand! If you do this, you will make enemies! There will be nowhere left for you to run!
"Run?" he craned his head back over his shoulder to look at them. "Who's running?"
Blue eyes bled into red, snapping into furious scarlet slits. "Where?"
Golden radiance flashed around him. "And why?!"
The world burst into light.
"It turned out there was more than one person worth saving. So that's what I did, I saved her. Then I protected her. That's why people like you and I are here, son. We have a job to do."
EDIT: Hope you enjoyed! Have a great day!
Warm regards,
~Nz.