News of what had happened in Kings Landing spread across all of Westeros very quickly, spies in the capital were fast to tell their masters and then along other slower passages of information. Within a handful of days, the rest of the kingdoms knew even as far as the Iron Islands.
Shock was the first thing that people felt, while nobles did not care for the lives of those beneath them even they were struggling to understand just why it had happened. While none of the kings of the past had cared for Flea's Bottom except perhaps for the idiotic Baelor none of them had resorted to such barbarity. No Targaryen King since Maegor had been so wanton with destruction nor with so many dead.
Fear was spreading among the common people and the nobles alike as they learned more of the gory details of what had happened and even worse rumours spread. The city became more isolated as now no ship captain would sail there, choosing other ports unless they had literally no option. The people who brought food to the city if they dared go there at all would drop their wares off and leave as soon as they could. The remains of the black and broken slum stood like a twisted memorial to the ones that had lost their lives while also standing as a large and terrifying statement of Aerys and how far the Mad King was willing to go to stamp out any potential threat to his power. That and his mistress who was now known to be his main advisor and the one that encouraged his madness.
Cersei was gaining quite a reputation of her own, the most common of which was that she was witch whore that had bewitched the king with her cunt although everyone knew Aerys needed only a little bit of a push to let loose his inner violence.
Regardless, many were now eager to see his end but it seemed that anyone who even tried to kill him or his mistress found themselves detected. A maid who had children living in Flea's Bottom and they sadly did not survive the decimation, so she with nothing to lose stole a knife from the kitchen one night and crept into the chambers of the whore Cersei Lannister. She was easier to get to than the king and she just wanted revenge so she had no thought in her head but to kill the people that had destroyed her family and was about to plunge the knife into the bitch as she slept but then she went her body freeze like a statue! She could not move her arms or legs but then out of the corner of her eye she saw the Warlock's sinister smile as he watched through an icon of him that he had set up all around the Red Keep. She gasped for breath as she found her throat closing up and still unable to move, she could not cry out for help or move to find someone to help. She struggled with all of her might to get some air into her body but nothing would let it in, she could feel the world fading away as she suffocated and still was standing as still as a statue as she was slowly dying and unable to make a single sound.
Eventually her body could no long tolerate the lack of air and her eyes rolled into the back of her head, passing out and then dying while still on her feet. The body, now nothing but a flesh puppet of the warlock turned and staggered out of the room clumsily to the warlock who was smiling to himself as he watched from his chambers...he had a use for some of these fools even dead.
Casterly Rock, The Westerlands...
The middle of the night was broken by the screams of pain from the Lady of the Castle, Maylee was finally giving birth.
As she was in bed, being tended to by midwives and the maester not to mention Alicys being in there to give her some moral support, Jaime and Tyrion were left to watch over their bastard infant sister.
"She's pretty at least." Jaime said with a smirk as he looked at Marei as she slept. She had pale golden hair, the same green eyes as Jaime himself and porcelain white skin. She promised to be real beauty in the future and if she was given the Lannister name even with her having been born a bastard they would have men lining up to marry her.
"Still a bastard though." Tyrion said without a care, having dealt with the harsh treatment of being born a dwarf all his life so even at his current age he had learnt to be as casual about such things and to wear them like armour. "She'll have to deal with that."
"I won't let them." Jaime said with sudden protectiveness that surprised Tyrion a little. "I love my siblings and I am not going to tolerate disrespect towards my siblings...any of them." Jaime said with an intense look at Tyrion who blinked in surprise and felt suddenly rather emotional as his brother implied he would not be letting others insult him. It was a small thing but to Tyrion it meant the world to him, knowing that someone was really on his side.
"What about our other sibling?" Tyrion asked carefully, addressing the rather thorny issue of their elder sister. Jaime scowled with disgust which surprised Tyrion as he had never known Jaime to have such a reaction to his own twin.
"She is a vile whore." Jaime said with bitter disgust, shocking Tyrion to hear Jaime speaking Cersei like that. "She manipulated me for years. Hurt you all your life and now...what's happening in Kings Landing. There is a special cell waiting for her in the Seven Hells." Jaime said with disgust. He had heard what had happened in Kings Landing now and all that she was pushing the Mad King towards. How he had missed so much vileness over the years was a great mystery to him and he did not want to know the answer as it would only make him feel more of a fool than he already did.
Tyrion was actually glad to hear what he was saying when he had gotten over his initial shock as at last Jaime had cut that cord and seen Cersei for the monster that she really was. That he at last was not going to ruin his life for her or something stupid like that.
"I failed you for many years, not protecting you properly and I know that I am going to have to work hard to address that balance but I am going to need your help too. I have no skill at administration but you do. I will need you brother." Jaime said with an imploring look in his eyes.
Tyrion blinked, not able to accept it at first but then he smiled.
"As long as it never happens again brother." Tyrion said calmly and Jaime smiled and nodded, silently agreeing to his terms.
Then the door opened and Alicys came in, wearing a tired smile and told them both as they looked at her expectantly.
"Maylee just had a boy. You should go see, I'll watch Marei." She offered and Jaime nodded, smiling as he walked up to her and kissed her gently on the forehead while holding her in his arms. She leaned into him as he did so before they reluctantly separated and she let then go giving Tyrion a friendly smile too as they passed her.
Walking to the chambers they were concerned as they did not know fully what to expect but coming in they saw Maylee sitting on the bed covered in sweat but in her arms was a small bundle in her arms. Her face was warm and gentle as she showed her little son to Jaime and Tyrion who frowned as they looked at him, not really sure what to say.
"These are your big brothers my darling." Maylee told her little son with delight on her face as she moved him so his little green eyes could see them. They saw a bit of blonde hair on his head so clearly he took after his father but there was a few things of her in there like the shape of his brow and a slight darkening of the golden blond hair.
"A son." Tywin's voice appeared from behind them and they parted to let him in, he walked in calmly and Maylee showed him their son. He looked at him with calculating eyes before Maylee gestured for him to hold his newborn son, Tywin hesitated for a moment before he carefully took him. Holding him with surprising competence, not needing any help in that.
"Jaime was this size and weight when he was born." Tywin said with a slightly distracted voice as he stared at his son. "He had that same look in his eyes, that same...humour almost." Tywin told them as he kept staring at the little boy. "He will not have to know the burden Jaime will but he will be a strong boy." Tywin said with confidence.
"He will be, like his brothers." Maylee said with pride as she looked over to the two of them, both looking between her and Tywin in surprise having never seen Tywin like this before. Maylee then asked something. "Did you hold Jaime when he was born?"
"Yes, of course. Joanna gave him to me just like you did and I held him, he was looking up at me just as this little one is doing now." Tywin said with a distracted voice as if he was lost in the memory. "Tybolt, a Lannister name that he will make proud again." Tywin then decided as he rallied his wits and handed the boy back to Maylee who took him and then despite the effort it took her to get up and kissed Tywin on the cheek.
"Thank you for giving him to me." She told him before getting back into bed. Tywin was again caught off guard by her unusual behaviour but words resonated with him. They had made him together they would make more in the future as soon as she was recovered he decided not realising in the moment that he was being kinder to her than he could be, letting her recover from carrying and birthing this child before he made her have another. She smiled as she went back to her babe and Jaime and Tyrion were left feeling unsettled as they had seen a softer side of the Lord of the Rock.
Winterfell, the North...
Rickard Stark was sitting in his solar as he read the message that he had received, news of what had happened in Kings Landing had reached them and he was truly horrified at the sheer scale of death and destruction that seemed so unnecessary. He was disheartened to see the way things were going and he personally worried what might happen next, that was one the reasons he had hesitated to break his daughter's coming marriage to Robert Baratheon as they might need to ally with the Baratheons, the Arryns and the Tullys should the Mad King's eyes turn north.
However a piece of good news had come too, Prince Haeron had finally returned to Westeros.
The relief that gave Rickard was dearly needed, the message the prince had sent asking if he would be willing to support him had only one response. He represented a much more stable future and the North still owed him a great debt for giving them glass, since then they had been hard at work making as many glass gardens as possible to grow food and while their true value would be slow to fully realise they were essential in the coming winters.
Not to mention if you ready between the lines and saw that he had landed in Lannisport and was currently basing himself in Oldtown then it likely meant that the Lannisters and Tyrells were on the Prince's side. Together they represented a strong force and if combined with the North even stronger, the problem with the North though was that he would need to march his men through the Riverlands to join any fighting. Sailing was out of the question as he had the Royal Fleet on one side of Westeros and the Iron Born on the other so if the Riverlands were against him then his men would need to fight through them to get anywhere useful.
That made his tying Brandon to Catelyn Tully all the more important Rickard thought as it would hopefully bring the Riverlands onto their side but with Hoster you never knew what he would do Rickard thought with worry. But there were other things mentioned in Prince Haeron's letter that caught his attention and gave him pause.
The fate of Brandon the Sailor's lost expedition finally had been discovered and that they had been stranded and built community of their own on the island of Sephora. It amazed him the strength of those brave men and women who went with Brandon to do something like that but it was an distant tie to his own family and he would like to see and meet them if he could. The Prince had even given the Frigate design to other kingdoms that were allied with him including his own now to make the longer voyage more viable.
But there was something else, a potential source of wealth that had him and those that he completely trusted looking through every single one of the ancient records in the hope of finding it again.
The news that there might be a platinum vein in the North somewhere astonished him, he had never even imagined such a thing but it was the only metal that he knew was treasured more than gold but not as rare as Valyrian steel. Depending on how much there was he could be looking at the wealth to secure the North for the next few generations at least, so he would need to get Brandon to check some of the places that might contain the mine that they had uncovered already. They could only trust family with something this important and with Ned in the Vale and Benjen being too young he had only Brandon here. Lyanna would not know what to look for he reasoned and he was kept busy here.
Brandon was late he thought as it was now midday and he was supposed to be here quite some time ago, Rickard got up and went to seek out his son and saw that the new maester brought in to help Walys with his duties, Luwin.
"Maester, where is my eldest son? I have work for him." Rickard asked and Maester Luwin frowned before telling him.
"He rode to see the Ryswells my lord, specifically the Lady Barbrey Ryswell. I can only guess his reasons." The maester told him and Rickard sighed, he knew his hot blooded son had shared a bed with Lord Ryswell's daughter but he had not been informed that even after his betrothal to Catelyn Tully they had continued to meet each other.
If Brandon did not marry Catelyn then he knew Hoster would be a real bitch about it and he would have an unfriendly Riverlands to deal with.
He would need to have some stern words with his son Rickard thought to himself although he knew it would do no good. Brandon had too much of the Wolf Blood in him to listen to reason so he would need to be very forceful to get through his thick skull how important this matter was.
Oldtown, The Reach...
Evelyn was eagerly waiting at the gates of the manse in the city which had become their temporary home while they stayed in Oldtown, guarded by men they had used legimency to check and made to sign binding magical contracts before they were let anywhere near them. An assassin or two who had tried to infiltrate them had paid the price for that act...quite gruesomely she thought with a slight unease in her stomach at what the curses did to those who broke their word.
But it was justified as they had been planning to kill not only her and her son but also Haeron, Harmony and Aemon just to appease a sick perverted old bastard she thought with disgust at Aerys Targaryen.
But she thought as she made her mind turn to a more pleasant matter, today was an important one as for the first time in months she would see her little sister! And Grace would finally get to meet her nephew!
When a group of men wearing the standard of House Tarth appeared on horse back Evelyn grew even more excited and more so when she saw her little sister among them. Despite wearing riding leathers in place of a dress she looked physically the same as she had when they last met, but there was a relaxed nature about her now, a quiet confidence that she had never had before.
Living on Tarth had clearly done her some good Evelyn thought with pride before Grace came up to her and dismounted from her horse, she walked up to Evelyn and both smiled before embracing without wasting any words. It was needed, they both knew how much they had missed each other and held each other tightly taking comfort in being back together again.
Evelyn eventually broke the hug and led her inside, the men staying in the outer areas as they were not permitted inside and Evelyn then showed Grace the person that she had come so far to see.
Jasen was asleep in his bassinet and the sight of him brought tears to Grace's eyes as she saw her nephew for the first time, with a look her way for permission Evelyn gave a nod. So Grace as gently as she could picked up Jasen and held him in her arms, he stayed asleep, barely registering the movement and Grace smiled lovingly down at the little boy.
She held him for as long as she could before carefully putting him back in his small bed and stepping outside the room so Jasen could sleep while they talked.
"He's beautiful." Grace told Evelyn who was glowing with the joy she had for her son.
"He is." Evelyn said with tears in her eyes as she thought of her son. "What about Tarth? Is it what you hoped?" She asked wondering if everything was good for her right now and Grace smiled.
"It is, I love it." Grace said honestly which Evelyn was glad of as a home was all that Grace had ever wanted.
"And you, when Haeron wins. You'll be a queen." Grace said with awe as her sister would be ruling Westeros alongside Haeron and Harmony, having princes and princesses and flying dragons. Evelyn had always been the more ambitious of them but this was more than she had ever imagined.
"I will, but first there is something I want to ask you about." Evelyn said with a guarded look in her eyes. "Back in Volantis I offered you a dragon of you own...have you changed your mind?" She asked, wanting to know if Grace had decided to embrace her Valyrian heritage and join them in the sky. More than that though she would find it much easier to find a good husband as a sister to a queen who was also a dragon rider, she was more than worthy of it Evelyn thought thinking that her sister deserved the best and this was her way of giving it to her.
Grace was stunned, having forgotten all about it in all that time but the thought reverberated throughout her mind. She was so drawn, it sounded incredible to have a dragon and fly through the skies. One day she might even have children and then she could be teaching them she thought with awe.
Before she had been too afraid but now, she was ready.
"Yes." Grace said with a quiet, reverential whisper. Evelyn smiled and pulled out a small bundle from nearby, slowly unwrapping it to reveal a dark blue scaled egg. Grace took it with awe and then found herself being led to the other dragons in a chamber nearby. How big they were now shocked Grace much they had grown and they actually remembered her! She realised with shock as they made happy chirps when they saw her and leapt over to her like excited cats! She thought with astonishment, she gently petted them and placed the dark blue egg on the ground in front of them. Sylvie, Arrax and Selene the dragons of Harmony, Vaena and Evelyn respectively all looked at them expectantly and Evelyn told her with a smile.
"Say the word."
Grace felt momentarily scared as she knew what she was about to do would change her life forever but she had made that leap before and was not afraid to do so again. In the end, her excitement won out and she told the three small dragons.
"Dracarys." She said with a beaming smile and the dragons did not disappoint her. They gathered their breath and bathed the egg in their flames, their fire might be small compared to the much larger Kara but it was more than enough. The egg glowed and cracked, when the small dragons stopped breathing on it it finally broke open to reveal a tiny little blue dragon which seemed so small but leaping up in excitement the moment that it saw Grace who knelt down and cradled the small creature in her hands with tears of joy running down her face.
- x -
Elsewhere in the Manse, Haeron was meeting with an some important ally.
"Greetings Prince Martell, it has been too long." Haeron said politely as Prince Doran came in, shaking the man's hand as the ruler of Dorne grinned slightly.
"Indeed it has. I expect my brother when he returns from Essos will be jealous of how far you travelled and even bridged East to West." Doran said knowing his brother would be incredibly annoyed that he had been out done.
"I cannot say it was intentional but it was certainly an experience." Haeron said before he sat down along with Doran, pouring some wine for himself and his guest who he noticed watched him drink first before drinking himself.
"I am sure, I will be interested in learning more about it." Doran told him with a smile. "But down to business, while I know I can't ask you to make my sister a queen now I am wondering about the status of her and her daughter should you take the throne?" Doran asked and Haeron nodded with understanding, the Martells were a close family and it only made sense he would ask about them first.
"That girl is my niece and her mother is a goodsister. Both are members of my family now as much as they are of yours. I have no intention of denying Rhaenys her rightful inheritance...she will be a princess of not just Dorne but of Westeros as well. She will be educated by the finest minds and when I finally meet her I will bestow a dragon egg on her, it is right here." Haeron said, pulling it from a pocket on the inside of his coat to let Doran see it. He had chosen it with care as it resembled the colours of House Martell, orange and yellow. Doran looked at it with amazement and even touched it while Haeron continued.
"One day this egg will hatch into a dragon and that dragon will be hers to ride. I take care of my family Prince Doran, Rhaenys and Elia both. Dorne will also benefit from some of the trade that I have managed to create given its position." Haeron said as they continued with their negotiations.
He agreed to a few trade deals to Dorne and work on clearing out the pirates plaguing the Stepstones, his trade network wanted that too so it was dealing with two issues at once.
But the good thing was that they had a deal, while Haeron was willing to hire sellswords from Essos if he needed too he knew how well that would go down in Westeros. So if he could he would prefer to use his wealth to support an army raised in this country and to reassure the lords if he could. He did have enough men now potentially to take the Iron Throne but if he and the girls couldn't get into the city then it didn't mean much.
They were working on it but so far the people he still had inside Kings Landing and Red Keep had not managed to find out just how this 'warlock' whoever he was had managed to set up the barrier but they were leaving no stone unturned. Until they could take down the barrier he had to try and gain more support to replace Aerys.
But the good thing was that he had the Martells on side now, with the Lannisters and the Tyrells that would be more than enough to take the throne plus his foreign allies too.
He would be making a trip to see his mother and siblings soon, Lord Baratheon had agreed to meet him there so hopefully he would soon get them on his side too.
Later that day as he met with Tygett Lannister, Davos and others to discuss their position a message suddenly arrived, he was reading it as the door opened to admit someone. Lord Jon Connington who claimed to know how to enter the city, given he was the Hand of the King to Aerys he might actually know something useful but as he read the message, Haeron frowned before speaking to him.
"Greetings Lord Connington, now before you try and run me through as your plan was with the Mad King was I believe...why would you be willing to kill me?" Haeron asked plainly, but his hands were on the hilts of his swords in preparation while Davos and Tygett did the same.
Jon looked shocked at first but then he drew his sword and snarled as he had lost the element of surprise but he was determined to see this through regardless of whether he lived or nor...as his gift to Rhaegar he thought with desperate love.
"Long live Rhaegar!" He cried and drew his sword, charging like a mad man but Tygett was a far faster warrior than he was. He had his sword in hand and easily batted aside the clumsy strike from Jon before impaling him in the chest. The lord of Griffin's Roost gasped in shock but still with his obsessed mind tried to get to Haeron, Tygett however easily pushed him back and he slid to the floor now with a gaping hole in his chest. He still tried to get up to run Haeron through but Tygett ended him with a swift sword to eye.
"Thank you Ser Tygett." Haeron said with a calm if annoyed voice.
"What was that fool doing?" Davos asked in shock that a lord would try and kill a prince so brazenly. Haeron frowned before saying what he suspected.
"Lord Connington is rumoured to prefer the company of men...specifically my brother Rhaegar or wishes he could." Haeron said coldly, personally he had nothing against homosexuality but Aerys had used Jon's infatuation with Rhaegar to get him to give up his life for a man that could not love him back. That was a low blow he thought with coldness.
"Could your brother be involved in this your grace?" Tygett asked with suspicion as of course if Haeron was killed then Rhaegar was the next in line for the throne but Haeron shook his head.
"I know my brother, he doesn't care for the realm or personal power. Ancient legends are what he is interested in. He only married because he was forced too." Haeron said calmly as he was fairly sure that Rhaegar did not have anything to do with this. He could perhaps be involved if his legends led him to believe that he needed to get the throne but that was a leap of logic and Rhaegar would not want the weight of the duties that came with the throne.
But the message...that revealed a new potential ally in the capital.
Varys, Haeron thought with suspicion, why would he warn him? It was a great risk for him but he might be playing both sides Haeron considered. Either way it was something that he might be able to use.
Dragonstone, The Narrow Sea...Two Weeks Later...
Seeing the island that he had once ruled over brought a sigh to Haeron's lips as the ship he and his family were using came up on the island. The castle on the top of the island was as bleak as he remembered, it was however the place that had been a safe place for his family and a fall back point if needed when they had created the Iron Throne.
Haeron stood on the bow with Harmony and Evelyn, both of them holding their sons in their arms while Vaena handled things back in Oldtown. They were both worried at the sight of the grim and formidable looking castle but not for those reasons, it was the first time that they would be meeting his mother and more than that their sons would meet their grandmother.
But as Kara who was flying over head roared, another green dragon appeared from behind the island, crying out as if it were defending its territory. The sight of it shocked Haeron, Harmony and Evelyn but it was still smaller than Kara and the smaller dragon retreated back to the island the moment it saw how much bigger than it Kara was.
They all shared a look but at the dock side as their ship came in they saw the other dragon land around the dock and specifically curl protectively around the one person on the dock he always trusted, Haeron smiled as the ship docked and with his woman behind him he disembarked. As they stepped on solid ground Kara landed next to him, coiling protectively him and his family with the other dragon's presence.
"How did you hatch a dragon?" Haeron called out as he walked over to them and Rhaella smiled as she saw her son for the first time in a year. She called out as she walked over to meet him.
"I'm not sure but it was a blessing. I call her Aurora." Rhaella told him with warmth as he pulled her into a hug that she gratefully returned. They held each other, so glad that they were both safe.
Haeron turned to see Shaena and Daeron nearby, gods they had grown since he saw them last he thought to themselves. They were now twelve and eleven now respectively, on the edge of being teenagers and they were all looking at him with some unease as if they weren't sure how to approach him. Haeron hated that but he smiled at them and held out an arm, to his relief they didn't hesitate and ran over to him. He and his mother embraced them together and hugged them close.
"Welcome home." Rhaella said with so much joy as she at last had her eldest son back and he was looking stronger than ever she thought with amazement. He told her and his siblings as he embraced them.
"I missed you all so much." Haeron said with sadness that he had been away for so long.
"We missed you too." Shaena said with a beaming smile, remembering the old toothy grins she used to give him but now the girl he had known was starting to change into a teenager. He would he swore to himself not be here to miss any more of her life or his other siblings from now on.
"Kara is so big now." Daeron said with awe as he looked at the huge dragon who had barely been bigger than a cat when he had seen them last.
"She and I have ridden through the skies. But right now...I have a promise to keep." Haeron said as he reluctantly stepped back from the hug so he could reach inside his coat and produce two dragon eggs. Shaena and Daeron both gasped when they saw them but Haeron offered them the two eggs and slowly with great reverence they took them. "I won't be hatching them just yet but soon." He told them with a smile.
His younger sister and brother both nodded eagerly, not wanting to wait but also not wanting to risk having the eggs taken away if they misbehaved. Unfortunately they were not the only ones on the dock and they heard a demand.
"I want one too!" A loud if childish voice demanded, making them all look over and see a small boy next to a nursemaid who was pouting visibly. He was only four years of age so he had not changed so dramatically, Haeron recognised his youngest brother Viserys straight away and Haeron frowned before telling him.
"You are too young for a dragon. When you are older little brother." Haeron told him sternly but with a smile to placate him but that did not have the effect that he was hoping for.
Viserys right there on the dock threw himself to the ground and started literally screaming like a banshee while slamming his fists on the ground in a full on tantrum. Haeron and the others were shocked that he would do something like this in public and Rhaella told him sternly.
"Viserys! Stop that now!"
But he didn't listen, instead he just kept on going and the nursemaid had to pick him up and carry him back to the castle while they all stared, he was a child and still young but there was a distant worry that he might be showing mental instability...the same that had gripped Aerys and that they all had to be on guard against.
With that dealt with for the moment Haeron then had an introduction to make, turning to Harmony and Evelyn who had hung back for the moment so he could have a moment with his family but now he beckoned them forward. Rhaella, Shaena and Daeron all looked at them with guarded curiosity as they came forward but Rhaella's breath caught in her throat as she saw the bundles in their arms.
"These are Harmony and Evelyn, and our sons Aemon and Jasen." Haeron said to give them an introduction. Rhaella was immediately greeted by them with respect as they knew how much Haeron cared about her and more so what they owed her for making their marriage possible.
"Your grace." Harmony and Evelyn said politely before allowing Rhaella to see the boys for the first time. Her heart was in her throat as she looked down at the perfect little boys that were her grandsons, she now had three grandchildren she thought with love beating fiercely in her heart as she was so looking forward to seeing them grow up.
"They are perfect." Rhaella said with love before turning to the two young women who had birthed them and said with a bright smile. "And I will look forward to getting to know you both."
"So do we." Harmony said with relief that Rhaella was so welcoming, Shaena and Daeron both looked at them with curiosity not to mention Aemon and Jasen but they smiled brightly at them and Evelyn told them so they would not be left out.
"It is a pleasure to meet you both prince and princess. Your brother has told us a lot about you." Evelyn said and they smiled brightly after a minute, enchanted by her and eager to know their little nephews.
"I think we should adjourn to the castle, at least so we have some privacy." Rhaella said with a smile, seeing her dragon now recognising that Kara was not a threat to its territory was taking flight with the larger one and they seemed to almost playing as they ducked and dived through the air, doing stunts for each other in some kind of game.
That brought a tear to her eyes as they all began the long walk up to the castle, seeing the dragons bonding in the sky overhead.
- x -
Inside the castle as they arrived in the Throne Room, two guests were waiting for them; Lord Jothos Velaryon was standing there looking dignified in his robes with the Seahorse of House Velaryon emblazoned on his tunic and the tall bearded and muscular form of Lord Steffon Baratheon stood and bowed when Haeron and Rhaella entered the room.
"Your grace...welcome home." Jothos said with a polite smile to the man who had enabled him to ascend to Lord of Driftmark and gotten not only the woman he loved to be able to marry him but his son had excellent tutors too.
"Indeed, it is good to be back even under these circumstances." Haeron said with a smile before turning to Lord Steffon who grinned back. "It is good to see you too Lord Baratheon, I hope your wife and sons are well?" Haeron asked as he shook his hand and Steffon smiled before answering.
"It is a pleasure to meet you again your grace. My wife and sons are fine and we are now expecting our fourth child." Steffon told him and Haeron smiled before saying.
"Congratulations. Give my best greetings to your wife but unfortunately we have other business to discuss." Haeron said and Steffon smirked before saying.
"Yes, removing your father from the throne. I cannot say I am averse to the idea but I am wondering what would be in it for me?" Steffon asked boldly and Jothos and Rhaella looked at Steffon in surprise.
"Lord Baratheon?!" Jothos said in astonishment at the disrespect he was showing but Rhaella shook her head in exasperation, hoping his other children did not inherit his temperament as she already knew Robert Baratheon was even worst than him.
"Spare your words Lord Velaryon it is a fair question and House Baratheon prefers those that are upfront as I have learned from experience." Haeron said with a resigned smile, knowing that this sort of thing was going to be his future. Harmony of course had already anticipated this and pulled out a bundle she had been carrying strapped to her back, handing it to Lord Baratheon who looked at it with confusion before he unwrapped it. He soon saw it was a greatsword, easily as large as Ice from House Stark, but it had a black steel hilt with yellow gemstones embedded in it. He unsheathed it slightly and saw the familiar ripples in the steel.
Steffon looked at Haeron in surprise, he and his ladies smiled as they had anticipated that this might be on the cards, to have to effectively bribe Lord Baratheon.
"House Velaryon, meanwhile I am returning something that was lost to them a long time ago." Haeron said as Evelyn gave him a bundle too. Jothos took it from him and when he had unwrapped it, he saw a sword to. It was a longsword, one that he had only ever seen in drawings and he stared at it in amazement.
"I don't expect your support solely for the swords, the swords are a gift but I am hoping that you can can agree with me that this cannot go on. Aerys is not getting any better, only worse as he finds new sadistic thrills to satisfy his cravings. He will tear all of the country down with him, only one king was as dangerous in the past to House Targaryen and Westeros as he is...Aegon the Unworthy. It might be in a completely different way but it is the same danger, eating at the foundations of our stability and peace." Haeron said calmly. "Already in Kings Landing from what I have been able to gather the mood gets more unsettled and destructive with each sacrifice he makes, with each act of terror. The reverse of fear is anger, all it would take is a spark to set it alight. His thugs, the Bloodmen as I believe they are called now number two thousand and how long before he unleashes them first on the Crownlands and then the rest of Westeros?"
Haeron let the question hang in the air, they all knew it would happen. For now he was confined to the city but that would only last for so long. Civil War was all but inevitable at this point and while this was the last thing Haeron had wanted if it was going to happen then he wanted as much of Westeros on his side as possible.
Rhaella nodded in agreement with her son, she knew Aerys probably better than anyone and her hand want to her stomach after what the Maester had confirmed only recently. She knew the signs, it was not her first and given the situation Aerys was creating she was deeply afraid that her child would be like him. But she thought with determination, she would not let him corrupt any child of hers and already was working on something of her own, independent of whatever Haeron was proposing.
Protecting her children was her job she thought with commitment and she would see that it was done by any means necessary although it was having to be done with great care for now.
Lord Jothos and Lord Steffon nodded in agreement as they thought about it, Aerys was now too big of a threat to ignore and if it weren't for the wards that kept them out of the city he would be dead right now, not that both men knew about that just yet or they would have removed him by now but they were still looking for a flaw.
There must be one, the three magic users thought with determination to find it.
"Thank you my lords, there is a lot of work to do. We have recently learned that a sorcerer of some kind has entered his service and gives him ungodly abilities." Harmony said as she came forward with Evelyn to stand shoulder to shoulder with Haeron. "We have being looking into how to enter the city as he has somehow put up a barrier to keep anyone he doesn't approve of entering the city."
"Its true." Evelyn said calmly, they had tried sending some new spies in the city only for them to be thrown back the moment they tried to enter the gates. Clearly whoever this was knew their craft extremely well which worried them as they did not know how to stop him yet. All they could do is hope that those still on the inside found a way to open the door for them.
"Then if we have any assets in the city we should get them to see if there is anything they can do to help." A voice called out and Haeron smiled as he turned, Harmony and Evelyn looking at the newcomer with suspicion before Haeron introduced them.
"My loves, this is Princess Elia Martell of Dorne, sister of Prince Doran and wife of my brother Rhaegar. As well as a good friend." Haeron said with a smile which Elia returned, Elia then turned Harmony and Evelyn in turn and then smiled brightly at the little children.
"Greetings your graces, your husband once showed more concern and caring for my life than anyone outside of Ashara and my brothers. I wish you all the best of happiness and many years ahead." Elia said with a bright and warm look in her eyes and then she showed Haeron the bundle she had in her arms while a nursemaid appeared with another behind her. "I thought it was time that Rhaenys met her uncle and that you might like to meet Elaena, your new sister." Elia said as the two little girls, one the same age as his sons while Elaena was a year older.
Haeron smiled warmly as he took both girls in his arms, Elaena first and shared a look with his mother who looked relieved as did Shaena and Daeron. Haeron had never harboured any malice towards his siblings and so he spoke softly to her as she slept.
"Hello Elaena, I'm sorry I wasn't there when you were born. I should have been and I will make it up to you somehow I swear." Haeron said with a smile. "House Targaryen produces brilliant women and I know you are going to be amazing." Haeron said with a smile before carefully handing her to Rhaella who was almost brought to tears along with Shaena and Daeron who were glad he loved the little girl already.
With that done, Haeron then turned his attention to Rhaenys, the little girl was definitely her mother's daughter with the same skin tone from her Dornish blood and dark hair on her head but as her eyes opened he saw the purple eyes of House Targaryen staring at him. Rhaenys looked up at him in confusion before smiling which Haeron smiled back at, letting her hold his finger while he spoke to her.
"You are special young one, I can see that in you even now. I will look forward to seeing you bloom, I am your uncle and seeing your father isn't here I will have to keep an eye on you for him." Haeron said, meaning what he said as his niece was important and given Rhaegar wasn't here with her for the first year of her life without a real reason...well he would step up if he had too he decided there and then.
Rhaenys was staring at him and seemed to cuddle into him, trusting him completely even though they had only just met which made him smile as he handed her back to Elia who took her gladly.
"Where is Rhaegar?" Haeron asked with a quiet voice, wondering just what excuse he had this time? Elia sighed before saying.
"He is staging a large tourney of some kind of at Harrenhal."
"A tourney? Rhaegar?" Haeron said with disbelief as he had never had an interest in them before. He was capable at them sure but they had never been a focus before.
Elia could only shrug however it made her furious that Rhaegar would discard their daughter and the only child she would ever have Elia thought with anger.
Harrenhal, the Riverlands...
The largest and grandest tourney in recent memory was being held at Harrenhal, the ruined castle was now abandoned for the most part as House Whent had constructed a smaller holdfast nearer one of the towns they controlled to actually live in which was far cheaper and easier to maintain. Some of the stone to build it had come from Harrenhal itself although some of it was maintained to act as a bastion in event of war or if like now the sight of important events.
Lord Whent smiled broadly as he sat alongside Prince Rhaegar as they watched the festivities, his smile broad and bright and Rhaegar asked him politely.
"How is your house faring these days Lord Whent?"
"My house thriving now your grace." Lord Whent said with excitement and a loud laugh which was so undignified but honestly he had so much to celebrate these days he didn't care. "My wife and sisters are having so many children now! Especially as my sisters are now married to real men." Lord Whent said with a smile that was almost savage in how much satisfaction it took in that.
His sisters had previously been married to two of Lord Walder Frey's brood in hopes that they would be able to produce more children but since the ending of the curse he had remarried them to new second sons of other houses as it was as if they could not stop getting pregnant now just like his wife. He had at least five nephews and nieces now with two more on the way, he and the rest of the Riverlands were laughing at House Frey and their supposed fertility when other men had managed it so much easier. The blood of House Frey was now being called worthless which angered Old Walder but he could do nothing, they were a laughing stock across all of the Riverlands now.
Rhaegar nodded politely but he wasn't really listening, instead his eyes were moving across the stands to find the one that he was so sure was the Ice to his Fire, the one that he had organised this entire tourney to encounter and study without revealing his interest. It was hard given all of the people sitting there to find her but eventually he saw her.
Sitting with her brother Eddard, there was Lyanna Stark Rhaegar thought with relief. She was pleasing to the eye if you cared to look at her long enough, her long dark brown hair and while her figure was slim she still had years of growing to do. Her face long and her eyes grey with pale skin as was typically of a Northerner.
She was only just coming to half way through her teenage years so she was not even an adult yet, not able to get married for a couple of years yet but with the situation in the country getting worse and the signs of a coming Long Night he needed to get the Prince that was Promised now he thought with determination, he could not wait that long.
She would do for his purpose he thought with a calculating look.
- x -
Later that Day...
After the current lists of the jousting were ongoing Ned Stark found himself walking through the lines of tents with no particular destination in mind. He just needed a moment away from his older brother Brandon and from Robert too for that matter, they had been fucking every woman that was comely enough since they arrived here and it was revolting to him. He knew sex was pleasurable and he was not inexperienced in it but he felt it should be done between people who cared about each other...not as a competition like it was between Brandon and Robert.
They seemed to be daring each other to see who could fuck and satisfy the most women, they were almost like brothers in their attitudes and now Ned was starting to see that maybe it was the absence of his older brother that had helped Ned form such a strong bond with Robert in the Eyrie, he missed his brother and Robert had reminded him of Brandon.
But seeing them together like this with the already great disrespect towards women and in particular Lyanna and Catelyn Tully Brandon's own betrothed was making Ned sick of them. He just needed some time to himself to gather his thoughts when he saw Brandon to his own shame at it again with another lady. She was he noticed with a slight blush extremely beautiful, her long dark hair looked like pure silk as it fell from her head and her pale skin was like marble. Her eyes were an alluring shade of lilac and her dress clung to a curved if slim figure.
She as absolutely perfect to Ned's eyes.
Brandon seemed to think so too as he pestered the young woman to try and entice her into his bed however she seemed to be rejecting his efforts, trying to walk away. Brandon though did not want to give up and was following her even now Ned noticed trying to block her path so she could not walk away.
That infuriated him, the blatant harassment and disrespect was too much and before he realised what he was doing Ned walked forward, swung the surprised Brandon around by grabbing his shoulder and turning him and then smacked his fist straight into Brandon's face.
Everyone who had seen it looked on in astonishment not least of which was the lady herself. Ned stood over his older brother and told him with a snarl.
"Leave her alone!"
Brandon was momentarily shocked that his meek and pathetic little brother was not only standing up to him but had actually hit him! It was so out of character for Ned but Brandon just got to his feet and sneered at both and told them.
"Fine, frigid bitch is a waste of time anyway. Enjoy her cold cunt brother." Brandon said with a dismissive wave of his hand before walking off to look for easier prey.
Ned and the lady watched him go with disgust on their faces, Ned actually disgusted enough that he no longer cared if Brandon was his brother or not. No man should act like that towards a woman, he turned back to the lady and managed to force his fury down and school his features into a polite mask before bowing to her.
"I am most sorry for his behaviour my lady, I assure you I will make sure our father addresses this when he returns home." Ned said to the young woman who smiled slowly as she took him in.
"Thank you for your interference young Stark. I am sure I can take care of him myself but it is appreciated." The lady said, now understanding that this was Eddard Stark. The second son of Lord Rickard Stark and Brandon Stark's younger brother. He was certainly more polite and respectful than Brandon had been she considered with her curiosity now stoked. "I am Ashara Dayne. I assume you are Eddard Stark?"
"I am my lady." Ned said with a blush coming to his cheeks as she smiled at him, honestly she was so beautiful and gracious that he could not help himself. Ashara was intrigued by him, he had such warm and caring eyes not least of which that he was so well mannered. Many men just saw her as a cunt with legs and assumed she would just immediately sleep with them like Brandon, few ever showed her the kind of courtesy that Eddard here was and especially at when he was only a year or so older than her. She was only at the tourney to try and keep an eye on what was happening for Elia but this intrigued her.
"Perhaps you and I should discuss things in depth over dinner?" Ashara said with a smile, wanting to see if he was worth her time. Ned smiled warmly at the offer and told her.
"I would love that my lady." Ned said, accepting the offer.
- x -
The Same Time...
Rhaegar was carefully moving around to see if he could find Lyanna Stark while Arthur followed at a distance. He wanted to know more about her but finding information was rather difficult as it had seemed pointless for spies to gather any knowledge of her given how unimportant she was to her father. The only real thing he knew was that she was betrothed to Robert Baratheon but given his behaviour he doubted she was happy about it.
That left a door open for him he considered.
Walking through the camp he saw the mysterious Knight of the Laughing Tree, a short unknown knight fighting with three squires who were harassing a Northerner. He did not know them all by sight but what he did recognise the sigil on the man being mocked by the squires, a lizard lion eating its own tail which belonged to House Reed of the North.
Knights who hid their identity were not unknown in tourneys, there were usually at least one a tourney. Often someone pretending to be a knight to try their luck but this knight was shorter than most and then there was the way they walked away when they had dealt with the squires, their gait was certainly not that of a man he noted.
He followed at a distance so they would not see him and when the mystery knight was finally alone they began to remove their mismatched armour, the helm was the first thing that was removed and he saw to his amazement that it was Lyanna Stark! Her long brown hair cascading down her back as she removed her likely stolen armour, he watched and saw her figure was not as well developed as other girls but her teats were a good size and her hips reasonable.
She would do for his plans he thought with satisfaction, her mother had produced four children so he should be able to get at least two out of her.
He decided to make his presence known by clearing his throat, catching her as she was exposing her whole front. The sound made Lyanna jump up with a start and try to cover herself as she did, when she saw who was staring at her made her blush furiously especially as he was seeing her undressed.
"YOUR GRACE!" Lyanna said with horror but he averted his eyes and told her.
"Lady Stark, more of you than I expected to see but I am pleased to meet you." Rhaegar said calmly.
"I am so sorry." Lyanna said now really worried as this was far worse than anything she had done before. Her father would likely skin her alive for this! She thought with distress and she asked the Prince. "You won't tell anyone will you?" She begged him.
Seeing his opportunity Rhaegar was now more convinced that fate was on his side as he now had the perfect chance and he was going to exploit it.
"I will not Lady Stark, I am however wondering just why you feel the need to dress as a knight in a tourney? I will leave now so you can dress yourself in peace but only if you promise to join me for dinner this evening where we can discuss things in more detail." Rhaegar said calmly.
Lyanna was shocked at his but his handsome features made her feel warm in a way that she hadn't with a man before, not to mention his harp playing at the feast last night had been beautiful she thought although the teasing she had received from Brandon for allowing tears to fall had been horrible.
His offer saved her the harsh rumours that were sure to start about her, not to mention the fury of her father she thought with shudder. Despite her pleas he was still making her marry Robert Baratheon, the mere idea of it filled her with disgust at the man whore that he was even touching her.
But she knew that her father greatly respected and listened to the advice of Prince Haeron, Prince Rhaegar's older brother so word from them might get her out of it she realised with excitement and she nodded eagerly.
"That would be a great pleasure your grace." Lyanna told him with a smile as she managed to get her dress back on and now felt more covered if not comfortable she thought.
The fact this was a massive insult to Elia Martell did not cross her mind but Rhaegar who did realise this simply didn't care. He had a greater purpose here, to make the Prince that Promised, to create the Aegon and Visenya that he needed to fight the ancient enemy.
And he had at last found the Ice to his Fire, he was certain of it and now he had created a path way forward he thought with confidence.
The Red Keep, Kings Landing...
Aerys was in a dark mood as the Spider had confirmed that Haeron had now managed to get more lords on his side, the dragons were his and his only defence were the barriers that the warlock had put up to keep people from entering the city unless he allowed it.
The Warlock stood before him however with a solution.
"If we were to get some hostages from houses that are not allied with the Prince yet then we can use them to force their relatives to comply with your demands." The Warlock said calmly. Aerys immediately seized on that and demanded.
"Yes do it now." Aerys demanded with sudden excitement and the Warlock nodded, vanishing before his eyes with a popping sound.
- x -
In Riverrun, Lysa Tully was playing with her dolls. Imagining that she was marrying her beloved Petyr and setting it up like it was a wedding. Her father said she was too old for dolls now but she refused to let them go. Catelyn said it was childish but she didn't care, they were hers and that was all that mattered. She could have gone to the tourney but she simply didn't want too. Petyr had and from what she had heard he had gotten into some kind of fight with Brandon Stark the Northern lout her sister was set to marry. The thought of her darling Petyr being hurt was stabbing at her heart but her father had assured her that he would be alright.
Then suddenly a man appeared out of thin air right in front of her, she looked up startled before he grabbed her wrist and then they disappeared with a pop.
- x -
Later in the Vale, specifically the Eyrie Elbert Arryn was down with a slight cold. Nothing serious but given the bad health in the family his uncle Lord Jon Arryn did not want to risk his health competing in the tourney. He was sleeping peacefully in his bed when the warlock appeared in his room, grabbing him and disappearing before anyone outside knew anything.
- x -
All over Westeros the scene repeated with different members of different houses being snatched from the safety of their homes and taken to the cells of the Red Keep. Letters confirming their being in custody would be sent out that night and that they would obey any orders from the King.
The idea that people that you loved and cherished could be literally snatched from your own homes and no sign of an intruder be found and disappear without trace was terrifying. Not just for those that had suffered having people they loved being taken but for those that could be.
Never had Aerys been so feared and now the desperation to be rid of him was even stronger.
- x -
Kings Landing, the Crownlands...The Next Night...
Varys was moving through the city in his cloak, he was now more eager than ever to find some way for others to enter the city. He had given up trying to get assassins into the Red Keep to kill the King or the Warlock, he had seen others try and all of them had failed.
The experiments of the Warlock were also alarming him as he had heard sounds that honestly he had never heard before and wished to never to hear again.
Something had to be done though he thought as he considered just what to do, he had seen the barriers created by the warlock throw people out whenever they tried to enter the city so he knew they were real as men were flung back over thirty feet by them! So he knew they were real but then a tale had reached him.
A man had tried to sneak out of the city but when seen he had tried to rush back in to hide only to be thrown back against the walls and be killed by the force of the impact. But what had occurred to him was that it wasn't the walls that held the barrier...it was when he tried to run passed one of those horrible looking snake statues.
Which he realised had appeared just before the barrier was first noticed.
Varys felt a surge of hope at the discovery, if he was right then destroying the statues might bring the barrier down but they were guarded at all times by Bloodmen and Gold Cloaks that were more loyal to the Crown. At least twenty men were around each one at all times of the day and he was not sure given they were magic if they were so easy to destroy.
Sadly there was no contact in the city for this so he was resorting to a meeting with one of the few people who might be able to help.
He was a man that served in the Gold Cloaks but crucially he was also a spy for Prince Haeron, who having based himself in Oldtown last Varys had heard could potentially draw on help for the maesters to find a way to destroy the snake statues.
Finding the tavern he carefully made his way inside, mixing with patrons until he managed to reach the back room. The man he was meeting wore a cloak himself and so they sat down at the table, catching a view of each others face as they talked.
"The Prince is aware of the barriers but not how they are in place." The man said and Varys nodded in relief. "Also he is not sure how they are being enforced."
"The snake statues are the thing that is creating the barrier." Varys told him and explained what had been observed. Also that he had learned about the hearts being inside them. The man had not known about that and nodded in understanding.
"I will pass that to the Prince, he had suspected something of the kind." The man said with a nod before they both left, separately to avoid being seen together. The man sent a raven as carefully as he could under the cover of night in hope that they might find some weakness that would let those outside enter and bring an end to this madness.
- x -
While Varys and Haeron's spy met in secret outside of the Red Keep which was not in range of his monitoring devices, the Warlock was at work. He was aware of the danger and the fact that somehow outsiders might get into the city so he was just making sure that he had his weapon in case that happened.
He didn't think it possible that someone could figure out how to break his wards, they were superior to anything this world had ever seen he thought smugly as he had spent more years than he cared to count improving on them.
But as he nurtured the dragon egg that he had spent the last few decades preparing, he would soon have a weapon capable of bending these miserable stupid peasants to his will.
A bastard of the fool Aerys was laying on the table beside the vat of potions he had prepared, the dragon egg was now soaking in those potions that he had spent a long time enchanting and adding too with sacrifices over all of this time. Now however he thought with cold satisfaction, there was only one thing left to do.
He pulled out his knife and seeing the bastard, a woman he noted who might have actually been beautiful if one cared to give her a look but to him she was merely a final part in his grand experiment. He raised the knife and she was screaming in terror through the gag she was tied with but he didn't show a flicker of remorse as he plunged the knife into her chest and began to harshly praise her ribcage open as she screamed in pain but he didn't even blink as he cut out her heart and as she breathed her last painful breath he slathered the heart in another special potion and then cut it open so the now enchanted blood could fall on the egg.
It worked just like he had dreamed he thought with a cruel excitement as the green smoky lines lit up on the egg, all around the scales that covered it until it burst open with explosive force, the tiny shards nearly going in his eyes but he shielded himself with magic as he looked down in smug satisfaction at what he had created.
A dragon but not like any other seen on this world.
Instead it was more like a snake with a long coiled body and smaller wings but there were six of them attached to the main body.
And it would be unbeatable the Warlock thought with satisfaction.