A/N: What's all this nonsense about me retiring? I'm unwell, not dead. Just because I cross-post over on A03 -and have a few lemons over there- doesn't mean I'm going anywhere. I'm doing my best to keep going...
As always, I wanted this to feel like a proper Game of Thrones episode! Hopefully I succeeded~!
Alright, I've kept you waiting long enough, methinks. Enough of this old man's rambling; you're here for a story. Hope you're prepared for the chaos to come. Once more, I own no references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one. Nope. They're simply tributes to legends far greater than I. There's also a RWBY reference/tribute to Coeur in here if you squint. He's the one who gave me the idea for a certain line of dialogue.
Lastly, a reminder to one and all. Naruto's Westerosi name remains Nathaniel. Joanna -and now Rhaella!- prefer to call him Naruto, yet they're the only ones who truly do.
Timeline is obviously a little skewed here, but hey, that makes things...fun. References and verbatim from Game of Thrones below.
And remember! Tywin and Nathaniel -Naruto!- clearly aren't aware of the Ironborn threat...yet. But once they are...
Away we go~!
"Tell me, princess, have you heard the tragedy of the Ironborn?"
...no?"
"I'm not surprised. Its not a tale the Targaryens will tell you. Stupid of them, I suppose. If those rowdy reavers had only waited a little longer, they would've been in the perfect position to wreak havoc unopposed and then it would've been a very different story indeed. Alas, the Greyjoys were seldom known for their tact. Nor was Tywin Lannister know for mercy...Nathaniel Lannister even less so.
Ah, but I digress. You wished to hear a riveting bedtime story, did you not? Forgive an old man his musings. Now where was I?
Hrrmm. I remember. The Kraken's downfall began with two Vipers, brother and sister, riding hard for Casterly Rock...
...and when they arrived, the Lion's wrath was great."
~Grand Maester Pycelle Regaling the Princess of Dragonstone.
Sharpen Your Swords
"You've been avoiding Tyrion again."
Could a man not write his letters in peace?!
Evidently not, for Tywin Lannister found himself interrupted once more, this time by his son of all things.
He made Nathaniel wait nearly a minute -a suitable punishment for one always on the move- as he finished his letter, making wholly certain it was up to his exacting standards. The message in question was meant for the Crakehalls. there had been disquieting rumblings from the Iron Islands as of late and they needed to keep an eye on the sea. Hopefully the lord there had not neglected his duties.
Sumner Crakehall was a loyal and doughty man, but also an oblivious one at times. He had not the might for strategy or subeterfuge. Like the boar that was the namesake of his house, he would often thrown himself any and all problems with naught but brute force, seeking to batter them down with brute strength alone.
Nathaniel coughed into a fist and he finally deigned to acknowledge him.
"One would think you'd learned not to broach such a subject by now. I taught you better than this.
"What can I say?" his second son granted him an amusing, insouciant grin. "I've always been a slow learner."
Slow? This boy? He was sharper than valyrian steel and thrice as deadly besides. "What did I tell you about lying to me?
"To not to." The boy-no, he corrected himself, he was a young man now- continued to grin as he clasped both hands behind his back. "But really, you and Tyrion are more alike than you think. He's smart as a tack, that one. You should spend some time with him. It'd benefit you both."
It would also provoke his temper, and it did. His face closed down. "Leave me."
"Then you'll spend time with him?"
Such a relentless son he had. "I will...consider what you've said."
Nathaniel stared intently. "That sounds like a rather fancy way of saying no."
A thought occurred to him just then, a useful way to get the boy out of his way for a few days. Lyanna and Cersei would doubtlessly protest, but it was only a day or so's hard ride from here to Caste Crakehall, less if one were to ride their horse half-to-death. He would send him now, if the sun hadn't set.
"Take twenty good men and Ride to Crakehall," he commanded. "Check in on the garrison there and make certain they are fulfilling their duties. If so, reward them. If not, punish them."
"Sure, I'll go." The sudden concession concerned him. "IF you spend time with Tyrion."
Ah, and there it was, the hook beneath the bait.
Cheeky boy, bargaining with him. He could respect the spirit of it, if nothing else.
He hadn't the time to ride out himself and deal with the matter, and sending any one else would make him look weak.
Joanna or Cersei were absolutely out of the question, lord Sumner wouldn't respect a woman; Joanna wouldn't be taken seriously and if Cersei went they might get ideas about having his daughter's hand in marriage. He would have to refuse them if they made such an offer of course, which would raise tensions with his vassals, another headache he didn't need right now. Best not to give them the idea at all.
No, it had to be Nathaniel. His presence carried weight, not just as a Lannister, but his heir. Better yet, he wouldn't be taken in by a pretty face. He could fend off whatever wench Lord Crakehall flung at him, and would at that. The Lion did not lay with the Boar, after all. Such would be unseemly. With luck they would receive his message well and there would be no need for more...punitive measures. All would proceed according to plan as they continued to muster men, with Aerys none the wiser.
A chill shot through him, sudden and sharp. Tywin dismissed it with a shake of the head.
"Done." He relented. "Do this task for me, and I'll speak with the boy."
"Use more than two words!"
...he intended to. It was high time he made up his mind about Tyrion anyway. He should either resolve to hate him or discreetly have him set aside. Waffling between the two benefited no one. That he'd delayed this long didn't speak well of him. Such squeamishness was unbecoming of a Lannister.
With a long suffering sigh, he sealed his letter properly and presented it to Nathaniel, who in turn tucked it into a tight fist.
"You will ride at dawn," he decreed, watching him for any sign of duplicity, only to find none. "Make certain you sleep well tonight.
A spark of amusement flashed through the young man's gaze, as though he'd just made a joke. "Worry not, I'll have sweet dreams."
Strange turn of phrase, that, but he thought little of it. "See that you do."
His heir saluted lazily and sauntered out the room at a sedate pace.
Tywin shouted a this back. "And see to it that "he" is fed!"
Nathaniel waved halfheartedly.
Honestly that boy...
(.0.0.0.)
Rhaella was ready for Nathaniel.
She knew at once that they were sharing a dream again; if only because she didn't recognize her surroundings. It was honestly a little quaint. Only a short moment ago she'd laid herself down in bed, wrapped herself up in her blankets, and closed her eyes, praying for sleep to come once more, for her to be granted the sweet succor of escape. It was difficult now that she'd become younger again; her body had boundless energy and with it came the irascible desire to move, move, move...!
Remarkably the gods had answered her plea and she found herself swept away into dreamland.
Now she opened her eyes and found herself upright, wandering the hallowed halls of Casterly Rock. Her pale blue nightgown was nowhere to be seen, instead she found herself garbed in Lannister gold-on-red. The sheer absurdity of it all struck her a moment later. This was impossible, of course. The Rock was at least a month away from King's Landing, perhaps less if you rode hard and fast. And besides, Aerys would never let her leave the Red Keep; not that she could, with guards posted outside her door every night.
The queen in the tower, caged by the mad dragon. A maiden fair, waiting for her knight to rescue her. It sounded like something out of a fairy tale.
Well! This "helpless" maiden would be fighting back soon enough!
A door opened ahead of her, and on a whim, she entered.
There he was.
Sure enough, she found her heart's desire within leaning over a large table, pouring over a great many maps. Her lips pursed at the sight. Even in his dreams he was ever active. Small wonder he hadn't been able to reach into her dreams since they last spoke. That ended tonight!
"Nathaniel...?"
Calling his name broke the young man out his trance, he looked up at her and smiled. "Oh, there you are. This is one of our dreams, then? Its hard to tell sometimes."
Rhaella tilted her head. "Its been some time since we last spoke...
"That would be my fault." He pushed himself up off the table with a rueful grin, abandoning his formal dialect entirely to speak in a rougher, more natural voice. "Using this jutsu takes a lot out of me, ya know? Bleeds off chakra like a bitch. I'm still trying to perfect it, but it doesn't always work...
It pleased her that he spoke so freely with her, naturally. Only she knew who he was, who he truly was.
He had shown her his truth, and her alone, with no others hence.
The thought warmed Rhaella in more ways than one.
"Yes, this is a dream." Steeling herself, the Queen forced herself to be bold and sauntered to his side, hips swinging. "A very good dream."
Yes, be bold, be brave, be bawdy if she must. She needed to make her stance clear, show him how grateful she was.
Nathaniel -Naruto!- frowned at her, evidently noticing something amiss. "Did you change your hair?
Oh, no, no, and no. He didn't get to feign ignorance after what he did. Not tonight!
"You did this!" She rounded on him, face red, and seized his face in her hand, cupping his cheeks. "Look what you did to me!"
He squinted, undaunted. "Your makeup?"
"Younger!" She gave him a good hard shake and let go of his face. "You made me younger when you...did whatever you did!"
"Ohhh." he laughed a little. "When I gave you a boost? Well, you were always beautiful, so I didn't really notice."
Meep. Rhaella's heard somersaulted and she swayed where she stood. Gods, but that silver tongue of his...!
"You...!" Blast it all, she couldn't be mad at him, so spun away with a huff. "Be glad Aerys is mad as a hare, else there would be problems."
"Would you like me to undo it...?"
"NO!" she practically yelped, recoiling from the very thought of it. "I mean, no." words escaped her in a frenzied babble, fearful he'd take this beautiful blessing away. "This is fine. Just fine. In all honesty, I could stand to go a bit further back...
Not enough to be noticeable, but she still felt the pains of age at times and wished them gone entirely. To be free of that broken old woman she was.
"Is that so?" he smiled patiently. "Shouldn't be too hard...if that's what you really want."
Yes! More than anything!
Rhaella fought down a whine, suddenly eager to awaken. She was a queen. She had her pride. She would not beg. No, mustn't beg. But to be in her prime...!
Her will buckled as he laid a hand on hers. "Could you do it now? Please...
Blast. She didn't want to beg!
"Don't see why not...
For a single blinding instant, the reborn boy's very body shone with inner light, blazing blue. He laid another gentle hand on her cheek and this time, she physically felt the bitter years of age slough off her body. She perked up with a gasp, standing a little straighter, just a bit taller, filling out her dress, everything far firmer than it had once been. Granted, she couldn't see herself, and he didn't seem eager to give her a mirror, but she felt it in her soul, the renewed rush of vitality and the chaotic restlessness that came with it.
"There." he released her -too soon!- leaving her to preen and glance down at herself. "Any more than this and folks will definitely take notice."
Rhaella scarcely heard him, she was veritably vibrating with energy.
She'd not felt this way since near the end of her twenties...!
"Oh." She twisted in place, rubbing her legs together as she squirmed where she sat. "That feels rather nice...may I have a mirror?"
"Nope." His expression was a study in amusement. "You'll see when you wake up."
She batted his arm, feeling girlish. "Not even if your queen commands it?"
He shook his head. "Consider it a surprise."
Rhaella felt her face begin to flush.
Gods, but he was so close. She could just reach out and...ahem!
Casting about for a change of subject to desperately distract her from her burning desire, she looked back to the maps Nathaniel had been fussing over. Belatedly, she recognized a few of them, scattered though they yet were. The Crownlands, the Reach, the Vale...
She eyed the maps. "You're planning for war."
"Not just yet." her beloved blond looked back to the charts. "Preparing, more like. We're not quite ready yet." He tapped a finger to his temple. "I keep these designs in my mind, where only I can see 'em, and the king's spies can't accuse me of treachery. One day I'll draw them up in reality and we'll have ourselves a battle plan."
"So you say." Rhaella followed his gaze and sat at the edge of the table. Dream or no, she still wanted to be closer to him. "Half the seven kingdoms still support Aerys, even in his madness. How do you intend to win with so many arrayed against you?"
"We have the support of the North and the Dorne, likely the Stormlands...
"Including your own forces, that's still only four out of seven." she chided him. "Victory is by no means assured. I do not wish to see you throw your life away meaninglessly...
Nathaniel thumbed his chin and nodded, warming to the change of subject. "The Tyrells are greedy little shits who want an in with the Crown, so they'll likely remain loyal regardless of any overtures we make. Jon Arryn is a good and noble man who takes his oaths seriously. Father is working on swaying him to our side. Besides, Ned and Benjen have been fostered there for the last ten years. They're on good terms with him, so we have an in there...
"And what of the Greyjoys?" she touched a finger to the Iron Islands, so dangerously close to the North. "They've no love for the Lannisters, and they've the greatest fleet in Westeros."
"True," he allowed, "They might be a problem, but I'm working on a few contingencies of my own...
He sounded so sure. So certain.
But what if he was wrong?
The Lannisters once thought themselves invincible against the Targaryens...until they the Field of Fire; until they were forced to kneel before Aegon the Conqueror in humiliating defeat. There would be no kneeling for Naruto if he lost this war. No exile. Only death. Aerys would take his head, his father's head, followed by the head of every Lannister in Casterly Rock besides, then give the castle to one of his sycophants.
And where would she be once the dust settled?
Lost and alone once more.
No.
If it came to that, if the Lannisters lost, she would not suffer another day under Aerys. She would do as young Helaena Targaryen had done before and fling herself to her death. Her life would end on her terms, not that of her mad, petulant, feckless lizard of a husband...!
Sensing her anxiety, Naruto took ahold of her hands. "We'll win. I promise."
"And what then?" Rhaella did not whine, she was a queen, no matter how powerless she might be at the moment, but she couldn't quite quell the tremor in her voice. "What becomes of me if you win; when you tear Aerys from the Iron Throne and put another in his place?"
Even now she didn't wholly know his true plans for the Throne, and that frightened her more than anything else.
He considered her for a long moment, assessing her, gauging her reaction. "That depends on what you want."
Her mind wailed. 'Faith, love, and happiness! To have a child I don't despise! To be free!'
Rhaella said none of those things, for her lips ultimately betrayed her. "I want you."
He laughed a little at that, squeezing her palms. "You already have me."
She pouted. "That is not what I mean."
He leaned closer. "Then what do you mean?"
Gods, was he that dense? Or ignoring it? Having her on?
.
..
...it was just too much.
Rhaella felt her ironclad self-restraint crack.
Time to make herself clear. "You don't seem to understand, my lion...
Bracing herself for rejection, she leaned in and kissed his cheek, making her intentions clear.
...I intend to court you, Naruto Uzumaki." she spoke his true name as she leaned back, reveling in his stunned expression. "Which means I'll have you as my husband by the end of this...alongside those pretty wives of yours." He shivered most pleasantly against her as she pressed her forehead to his; it was a struggle on her part, but she narrowly managed to restrain herself from kissing him full on the mouth, pressed her lips to his forehead instead. "This is a battle neither viper nor wolf or lion can save you from. Not even the Black Dread could stop me from pursuing this. What say you?"
"What do I say?" He laughed; it was a surprisingly pleasant sound, and not one of mockery as she first feared. "I say yes. I've created a monster, haven't i?"
"Indeed you have!" she smacked his chest and kissed his nose for good measure, tempting him yet further. "When we finally meet face to face, flesh to flesh, I expect you to take responsibility for your actions!"
Dream though this was, she still wanted to tackle him over the table and mount him-but no. Mustn't give in fully, after all. Not yet. Else she might jump him and scare him away; such would break her.
Then he knelt.
Held out his hand to her, now.
There was a strange ring in his hand, sparkling with a blood red ruby.
"If you want me to take responsibility, will this do?"
The queen blinked, baffled. "What is that?"
"A ring." He explained, as though that weren't obvious enough. "In my world, the concept of marriage is a little different from yours."
With that declaration, Rhaella Targaryen's entire world.
Completely and absolutely.
Shattered.
Just like that, all her courage fled like so much morning mist before the dawn. Her thoughts fizzled out alongside them as she balked at the boy -no, this young man!- holding out the ring towards her. Marriage. Matrimony. Wedding. Her brain blurted the words one after the other, to no avail. This was all so unexpected, so sudden, so soon. Yet hadn't they been building to this in their letters all along?
Fear clawed and a lone tear rolled down her cheek, struck the ground, followed by another.
"Do not toy with me, ser." Her lips trembled, nearly rendering her words a blubbering mess. "If this is some sort of jest...
"Wouldn't dream of it." Hardy har har har, a most clever jest, but her brain wasn't working well enough at the moment to truly appreciate his humor. "You told me to take responsibility. Here I am." His grin was surprisingly boyish as he held the ring out to her." Marry me."
Her mouth worked wordlessly for a moment before she found her nerve once more. "How does this even work?"
Naruto didn't rise from where he knelt. "Well, there's usually a white dress, an altar, and a priest...
Was it possible for one to faint within a dream? It felt like she might. Oh very dear...
"We," she swallowed once to clear her dry throat, "We don't have any of those."
A blond brow rose in challenge and she realized her mistake too late.
"Dream, remember?"
Naruto snapped his fingers together and several things happened at once. First, the world rippled around them like so much water, and she found herself standing before a humble altar nestled within a grove of trees down by the river. Second, her red dress morphed into quite possibly the most beautiful wedding down she'd ever laid eyes on. Third, a priest -or was it a septon?- stood before them.
Craning her neck, she found Nathaniel standing before her now, ring in hand.
Oh. He looked proper fit in that outfit.
"How's this?" he gestured to their surroundings.
She glanced about, worrying her lips between her teeth.
This was all so tempting, terribly tempting, even if it wasn't real...
.
..
...but she knew what her answer must be. "No," she decided. "When we are wed, I don't want it to be in a dream; let the whole kingdom see."
And she'd likely have to figure out a way to involve that wolf-girl of his and the viper too; because Nathaniel seemed terribly fond of them and she had no desire to exclude them from her dear one's heart. Oh, but she had to meet them first, didn't she? Maybe marry him and the Stark and take on the Martell as a consort? Of course, that was assuming he didn't have any other paramours he'd not told her about. Still, she supposed she could make it work. She was a queen, after all. Decisions, decisions...
Her Lion didn't seem offended by her statement, bless him.
A snap of his fingers and dream-world rippled once more, returning them to the Rock, if not their regular attire. She didn't mind. She wanted to appreciate this dress a little while longer.
It didn't stop him from offering the ring to her. "You don't mind being my fiance for awhile, then?"
Rhaella blinked quickly, not understanding the word. "Fiance?"
"Sorry, I keep forgetting." His cheeks dimpled in another smile. "Its another term for betrothed, where I'm from."
Hmm. Fiance. She rather liked the sound of that the way it rolled off one's tongue. Lifting her chin, she offered him her hand. "I shall accept your sentiment then, good sir."
Inside she was all but squealing with glee. Ha! Yes! Victory! Those girls might've gotten their claws into him, but she knew who he truly was, she had gotten a ring, and she would be his unforgettable first. The thought set a pretty little fush to her cheeks.
He saw through her, as always. "You don't have to put an act on for me, ya know. I can tell you're excited."
She really was, wasn't she? "Ring. Finger. Now."
"May I?"
It took all of her strength to stand still as he slid the ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand. Perhaps there was a reason for that, too. Regardless, it was a perfect fit; because of course it was, this was a bloody dream. She took a moment admire it, relishing in the feel of the cool metal against her finger. It felt so real. Like it was alive. That settled it. She was jumping his bones the moment they met in person.
Abruptly, he squeezed her hands and leaned in.
"I'm waking up," he confessed with a small smile. "See you soon."
The world shattered as the Dream ended; Rhaella awoke with an exasperated shout. Of course he'd get the last word in!
Flailing to her feet, she kicked off the heavy blankets and covers to stare at her hand. There was no ring on her finger, but she felt its presence all the same. It shouldn't exist in the real world -couldn't exist here- yet she undoubtedly felt something on her finger. Perhaps that was more of his strange "chakra" magic at work. She supposed it didn't matter.
Belatedly, she caught sight of herself in the mirror as she rose.
"Oh!"
A wide smile split her face as she beheld her youthful visage, the very prime of her youth. Perfection. The sight left her nearly delirious with joy.
"He did it." She snickered. "He actually did it...
Then the giggling began.
(.0.0.0.)
Jamie pressed an ear to the door, alarmed by the clamor within. "My queen? Are you alright?"
A vase shattered against the wooden frame, causing him to jerk backward with a startled hiss, more so the laugh that came racing in on its heels.
Because the queen was laughing, make no mistake about it.
Giggling her head off by sound of it, and having a merry time demolishing her room, he could hear her breaking everything she got her hands on. Odd. She sounded younger, wilder, more energetic than shed ever been. He found himself half-tempted to open the door and reached for the handle...
.
..
...Nope.
Not getting involved with that.
"Best of luck to you, little brother."
(.0.0.0.)
Naruto stumbled around in a daze.
Dawn had come for him in brutal swiftness, bringing the sun alongside it and the day of his departure to Crakehall. He dumped a bucket of cold water over his head to clear his thoughts, dried and dressed himself, then summarily staggered his way down to the stables. More than a few servants glanced his way as he stumbled by, but none of them dared to question him as he saddled his horse, packing light for the journey ahead.
Just as well, that. Lyanna and Cersei were sound asleep and Nymeria...was hiding.
He'd need to find her when he returned.
If she wanted to be found.
His thoughts were elsewhere as he made the necessary preparations, for good reason. Last night's dream had been a blur, albeit a very pleasant one. He remembered all of it, especially the surprise at the end. Surprises were seldom pleasant in Westeros, but this one was a most wonderful one indeed. In hindsight he'd know something like this might happen down the road, but he hadn't expected to woo a dragon queen so easily. Letters, a bit of attention, and dreams, that was all it took to win her heart. Would that the rest of the world was so simple.
Rhaella!
What a woman!
Such a fire she had in her!
And he was responsible for it all; he'd fanned that flame, banked the dying embers, fed that fire when it might've otherwise gone out entirely. Thanks to him, the Queen had found some semblance of her spine again, and woe betide anyone who got in her way. In but two visits he'd flayed her fears and eradicated her envy. He'd be sure to help her with her other problems hence, and there were sure to be some...
He was still trying to wrap his head around it when he spied a shadow up on the parapet above.
Craning his neck, he squinted up at what might have been Nymeria. "Not going to join me?"
She didn't answer and slipped back into the morning shadows.
He considered chasing her, then thought better of it; if a girl did not wish to be found, she would not be found, and he didn't have the time to ferret out all her hiding spots. Not by himself at any rate. Father and Mother were unlikely to help him look for her, while Tyrion was busy tending to an increasingly hungry Kurama. Lyanna and Cersei would be of no help at all on that front; they were plotting over something too; he'd last seen them yesterday talking with their heads together, arguing in hushed voices.
Maybe use some shadow clones? Granted, he couldn't make as many as he once could, but surely nine would be more than enough.
.
..
...that would probably startle the servants though, which would lead to more whispers, whispers that would reach the ears of Aerys and probably cause more trouble than they were worth. He'd caused plenty of trouble for him already, but should he learn he was actively doing "magic" in Casterly Rock, he'd stop at nothing to claim him...or take his head.
Aaargh! So annoying! He couldn't wait to kill him!
...calm. Be calm. He couldn't afford to lose his temper here. Not yet.
Aerys and Rhaegar would have their destined death in due time...and soon.
Steeling himself, he mustered the facade of "Nathaniel" once more and willed himself to be calm. Proffering an apple from his back, he offered it to his horse, idly stroking its neck. The task brought some small measure of peace to him. The sooner he got this task at Crakehall done, the sooner he could come home and -discreetly!- have a word with Nymeria. Maybe then he could figure out-
"Riders approaching!"
A sudden hullabaloo near the Rock's main gate had him perking up. His horse whinnied nervously and he left it there, still tied to its post, to investigate.
Guards at the gate milled around anxiously at his approach, his twenty good men among them. He'd been wondering where they were. Raised voices, angry oaths and stern shouts reached his ears as he drew closer, until he was utterly unable to make heads or tails of it all. Curiosity piqued, he barked a shout of his own.
"What's going on here?!"
It was like a knife cutting through cloth; the world fell silent as the guards noticed him at last.
One of his men, Thomas, he recalled, saw him and saluted briskly. "Riders at the gate, m'lord. They're demanding entrance."
"Let us in already, you fools!" An accented voice snapped just outside the portcullis, "Or so help me, I shall shove this spear where the sun does not shine!"
Wait, he knew that voice...
Peering past the wrought iron gate, he glimpsed two figures sat astride black mares. They wore dark colors, and though their faces were hidden by heavy cloaks and cowls alike, something about the sight of them tugged at him, a strange familiarity he'd not felt in years.
"Open the gate."
Thomas sputtered. "But my lord, your father-
He rounded on him, all towering fury. "Did I stutter? Open it!"
The man complied and the gate ground its way open; almost before it had finished, the riders forced their way through, nearly trampling two guards as they did. The riders in question disembarked with vicious haste and blades were drawn as some feared an attack.
Not him.
A small smile tugged at his lips. "Is that any way to treat an old friend, Oberyn?"
The duo exchanged a glance, then removed their hoods and revealed their faces to his keen eyes.
"You'll have to forgive the excitement, we were in a rush...
Sure enough, the handsome rogue on the right was easy to recognize as Oberyn, even years on, but who was that beautiful woman beside him...?
Oberyn nudged her with an elbow. "Say hello, Sister. Your lion is here."
Naruto damn near choked. "Sister...?
Objectively he could recognize her well enough now; he remembered that witty, sharp-tongued girl from his childhood with her long dark hair and sun-kissed skin. But she'd since cut her hair to her shoulders and changed her dress for riding leathers, having grown to fill them out besides and more. A sword hung at her hip, and was that blood on the scabbard...?
Her weary eyes lit up at the sight of him, like the dawn in Dorne. "Nathaniel?"
"Elia?!" He was just as surprised to see her as she was he.
Her entire being tensed at once, like a coiled spring.
Naruto balked. Surely she wasn't gonna...?
Nope, he realized, she was gonna.
Elia jumped him.
One moment she was stationary; in the next she dove at him like a leaping viper. He caught her at the waist, spun her round once to bleed off momentum from her flying tackle and set her down. The moment he did she latched onto him, hands fawning over his face and chest as she considered every inch of him "Look at you! How you've grown!"
Emotion choked his throat. "I could say the same of you...
She reached up to touch his face. ""You're taller than me, now. How unfair!"
His heart thumped in his chest. "Elia...
Oberyn coughed, ruining the moment. "As touching as this is, sister, we came here for a purpose, did we not? You can cuddle with him later."
The guards shifted restlessly, reminding of their unwitting audience.
Ellia's face closed down. "I'm afraid we bring grim news...
"You mean you didn't come all this way to visit?" He knew his attempt at humor had fallen flat when she lowered her hand and looked away from him. "What is it? What's happened?"
"Castle Crakehall burns." the words struck him like a slap. "We saw Greyjoy flags and shisps." she shuddered in his arms. "The people...the screams...
Oberyn stepped up beside her. "We encountered two of their scouts not three miles from here."
Well that certainly explained the blood on her scabbard.
But the Greyjoys...why would they do this?
His mind was whirling...
...I see."
"Is your father in?" this from Oberyn.
Still reeling, he managed to mutter an affirmative. "He should be...
Tywin was...probably awake? He knew Father had begun secretly training with the sword once again in the hours before dawn when he thought no one would notice; he'd actually become quite skilled, but he wasn't keen to tell anyone that. Best to keep as many safeguards against the Targaryens as they could. When dealing with a mad dragon, one best keep one's cards close to their chest
Just thinking about it made him wince. They'd been caught off guard.
He wasn't going to be happy about this.
So much for his visit.
(.0.0.0.)
"You are certain of what you saw?"
"I am." Prince Oberyn once more recounted it all to him in grisly detail, including their close encounter with the Greyjoy scouts. "And you, my lord, are welcome to go see for yourself. Crakehall was burning when we left."
Tywin was suddenly inordinately glad Nathaniel had spirited Ellia away into the keep; he couldn't bear to look at his son right now, knowing the cataclysmic blunder he had made.
There had been no ravens. He hadn't known. He'd nearly... sent the boy to his death.
Truly, the gods were cruel.
Sinking back into his chair, he stared at the crackling hearth for a long moment, watching the fires flicker and fade. "And for what purpose were you in the Westerlands?"
"We had planned a surprise visit." the proud prince lifted his chin.
"Fortunate of you."
"Indeed." his smile was sly. "My sister was rather keen to rekindle her acquaintance with your son."
But of course. Dorne didn't just desire him, so did she.
Here at last, Tywin felt a bitter smile come to his face. "I'm sure she was most eager."
Such pleasantries did nothing to mask his rage. His fury. His wrath.
Joanna was even now taking Lyanna and Cersei aside to warn them of what had transpired -that was bound to be a battle he wanted no part of- but their absence only sparked his temper to new, towering heights.
Aerys.
This was his work. It must be.
The mad dragon was laughing at him! He just knew it!
How? How had they done this? How were they so lax as to miss such a sight? The Greyjoy fleet would've had to sail out to sea and swept back around to avoid being seen. Now Crakehall was set aflame, reavers raiding up and down the coast, and he hadn't been aware of any of it. They'd clearly acted with a plan, which was rare for the Ironborn.
Was this some new scheme of the mad king, or were the Greyjoys truly this foolish?
Either way, the result would be the same.
...you have my thanks." he looked to Oberyn, fighting down a grimace. "Feel free to rest at your leisure."
"I shall do so." he bowed shallowly, smug smile never once leaving his face. "I believe I shall seek out your son Tyrion and regale him with tales of my recent exploits."
He knew about the awkwardness between them. Damn him.
Tywin fought down a murderous surge of rage and waved the proud princeling out.
The moment he left, he immediately began writing a letter to Lord Stark.
Soon the rains would weep over the the Kraken's broken halls..
...with not a soul...
...to hear.
(.0.0.0.)
Ellisa disliked the darkness.
Yet now, Nathaniel led her down into the deep and the dark as he had before and belatedly she realized where they were going.
The Stone Garden.
Ten years since she had been here. She was but a child then. Now she was a young woman. Not yet fully grown, but a woman nonetheless. She still felt small when she came here. She had seen her death here, in a future that now would no longer be. She did not like this place.
Yet here she was, at Nathaniel's behest.
He had something to show her, he said, something she must keep a secret.
Granted, she did not know what said secret was, but it intrigued her regardless; frankly she was eager to be distracted after the horror at Crakehall.
What was down here, what was so secret as to require guards and torches and darkness, even in the early dawn?
She could see the heart tree now with its twisted face, that old weirwood tree a grim reminder of what she had seen..
Nathaniel stopped suddenly, drawing her close.
Then, he whistled.
Something stirred in the dark, a flicker of motion by the torches.
She couldn't quite see it...
It had wings!
Ellia stared. She stared hard. "Is that what I think it is?"
He smiled ever so softly. "See for yourself."
A beast swooped down and landed before Ellia, all red scales and nine tails. She had time enough to behold a long neck and a horned head before It raised his wings with a defiant cry and chirped at her.
For a moment, her world stopped.
An actual, living dragon.
Gods be good.
she had always wanted to see one, ever since she was a child, only to learn that they had long since died out.
Yet here one was, a little piece of history -literally!-standing before her in all its glory.
Nathaniel hummed once. "Kurama, come here."
Remarkably, the dragon did as he asked, scuttling closer with a clack of claws upon the stone.
It trilled at him and he scowled.
"Be nice...
Ellia knelt reverently to touch its head, and she could've sworn it purred at her. It was like touching a shark, she supposed, all rough skin, yet it was strangely warm.
A breathless gasp escaped her lips. "She was right, then...
"She who?" Nathaniel tilted his head. "Right about what?"
Ellia looked to him in return, remembering her initial reason for venturing West to begin with. "I've something to show you...
(.0.0.0.)
"I've something to show you."
Five little words, and yet the rooted him solid.
Elia continued on, undaunted. ""I had thought it coincidence but...
She delved a hand into the satchel and withdrew her prize with a small smile.
The dragon egg -for it could be nothing less- was a strange shade of sandy brown, bearing eerie rippling blue swirls across its length. It sent a chill shooting through him, even as he perked up. Because you see, he knew that pattern; he'd gotten a terribly good look at its owner as a genin...
.
..
...when he fought Gaara.
But that was impossible. Absurd, surely.
Shukaku? No, this couldn't be Shukaku, surely not...
He rounded on Ellia, trying hard not to glare. "Who gave you that egg?"
"Funny you should ask." she smiled a little. "A red woman came to Dorne. She had this in her possession and gave it to me in exchange for a promise." turning an eye on the egg she hummed a little. "Curious thing, isn't it? Im sure it will never hatch for me, but I feel a strange fondness for it. Consider it my gift to you...
Naruto's smile shattered like glass.
'Melissandre!'
She'd claimed they wouldn't meet again until the war of the Lion and the Dragon was done, but clearly that didn't preclude her from approaching others. What was she up to? No, that was a pointless question; guessing at the mind of a madwoman would only lead one to madness in turn. That she'd simply "offered" Ellia this egg didn't sit well with him.
He looked to her with a scowl. "what did she say to you exactly?"
Ellia gulped. "that you would wake dragons from Stone."
Of course she did. Meddling red woman.
...lemme see the egg."
She frowned at his rough language, but offered it up to him gladly.
Taking it in hand, he threaded a ribbon of chakra through its scaled surface, trying to get a feel for what -if anything- might lay within. This could all be a coincidence. A mistake. Mere happenstance. Kurama was a miracle enough, but what were the chances of the other bijju popping up in Westeros, let alone in dragon eggs or-
The egg -and the little life within- spasmed suddenly in his hand, drawing a gasp from Ellia. "It moved~!"
Naruto's smile became decidedly strained. "So it did...
Kurama hissed a laugh from his perch.
Naruto did no such thing, so siree.
Well, then. That confirmed it.
Fate was laughing at him!
A/N: Hello, Shukaku.
Now, we're hardly going to make a habit of this; but I did hint at other Biju being about in the world. Kurama was given, Shukaku appeared by chance. The other seven...well. I'll not spoil things.
We'll cut it here for now, work is calling my name...
Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. Well, should this remain a story? Would you like weekly updates? I've got five slots left. Or should it remain monthly? By all means, speak up.
As ever, the Embers rule remains: If people don't like this story? If they don't enjoy it? Well...I won't be able to continue it. That's no joke, folks. I'm so busy these days with two jobs; and basically, I don't have time off. Not anymore. My free time is limited and as such, I can't afford to focus on something folks don't like. Reviews keep me writing in these times, and keep the daily updates flowing. Silence...silence only hurts. I hate having to beg for feedback, but without it...well, it feels like I'm not making an impact.
So...in the immortal words of Atlas...
...Review...Would Ya Kindly? And of course, Enjoy the previews. Potential ones...
Previews are -mostly!- the same this time. Didn't want to spoil the upcoming chapters.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
SPOILERS LAY AHEAD!
YE BE WARNED~!
(PREVIEWS)
The egg cracked.
"The son of that wicked lizard sought my hand in marriage. My hand!" She shuddered, horribly repulsed.
Oberyn shrugged. I still it would have been a hood match. Mother and Father were quite cross with her for rebuking the dragon.
her face went gray at the mete mention of the city. My place is not there.
"But it would've been a good match," he teased her still.
Lyanna thumped his side and Cersei glared.
Rickard Stark slammed the letter down. "Call the banners."
The maester paused. "All of them, my lord?"
"Aye, all of them."
Ellia pinned him to the wall. "We are going to have a talk, you and I."
Naruto tilted his head. "Will I enjoy said talk?"
That depends entirely on you, Lannister.
"Did you hear? The king's lost an eye. It just...fell right out his skull; such a pity...
Rhaella squinted at Jaime. "You're enjoying his suffering, aren't you?"
"As are you."
She tore her gaze away from his.
He sat on the railing of the balcony
"Let us be honest with ourselves, Your Grace...the realm will celebrate his death.
Balon Greyjoy looked up, baffled by the noise.
Why, it almost sounded like a...oh, gods.
Death rained from above.
EDIT: Hey, you made it! I do hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. By all means, feel free to let me know what you think!
Looking forward to reading your feedback/chatting with you when I get back from work!
Hope you have a great day!
R ~! =D