Her Eternal Excellency (Raiden Ei reborn as Argella Durrandon)

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 9 chapters ahead

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 9 chapters ahead

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 10 chapters ahead

and DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 10 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.

Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Storm Kingdom

Storm's End

8 BAC

The lords received the letter of their king and called the banners, ready to wage war against the Ironborn and take back the lands they had lost to the raiders. Ten thousand men in total made their way to Storm's End, where they would move out as a single host and march to the Riverlands while the lords between Storm's End and the Riverlands joined them on the road.

Lords arrived separately, depending on the distance from their seat to Storm's End, but all saw quite the jarring sight.

Princess Argella, who should have been a twelve-year-old girl with no business sitting on the throne of the King, was now a grown woman, seated on the throne, with King Argilac sitting in a chair.

Septons and septas cried of foul magic at work, some accusing the princess, others thinking someone must have cursed Princess Argella and the court.

Knights and men-at-arms did nothing, while the commoners were too busy working to care for what they thought to be rumors spread by cravens to sully the good name of the princess.

Lords, though, they saw it with their own eyes and did nothing, as King Argilac, or rather, the former king, did not seem to have an issue with relinquishing his throne to his daughter, even though his wife was heavy with child.

Slowly, the ancient seat of House Durrandon was filled with the lords of the kingdom.

Ei was the most familiar, owing to her projects all over the kingdom, though that did not affect the tense atmosphere in a positive way.

Even Selena seemed hesitant to interact with her anymore.

The Round Hall was packed with nobles, but the usual exuberant air was not present. Whispers, instead, dominated the hall, and one didn't need exceptional hearing to know the subject.

Ei herself.

As they had agreed upon, her father rose to speak. "My lords, I am sure you have questions, but let me begin by saying that I am abdicating the throne in favor of my daughter, Argella."

The hall exploded into objections, queries, and speculations.

Ei slowly raised her hand, slammed her palm on the handrest of the throne, all for theatrical purposes, and lightning struck as storm clouds gathered, darkening the sun as well as silencing the hall.

The clouds disappeared just as fast, leaving the summer sun glaring in the sky, before Ei addressed the nobles. "Each of you may ask one question."

"What are you?" Lord Caden Mertyns asked, his calm demeanor broken by the display of sorcery.

Ei would show rather than tell in this case. "You will learn soon when I unleash my fury on the Ironborn."

This half answer silenced the lords as they contemplated what to ask.

Garrin pushed through the memory of the time Princess Argella had sent him to his knees and asked the question he was most curious about, right after the one pertaining to her nature. "Princess, are you the one who summoned the storm along the borders with Reach and Dorne?"

"Yes, to dissuade any aggression while we eradicate the Ironborn." Ei didn't think her involvement with the storm needed to be hidden, as it would ease the worries of the Marcher Lords, knowing the Dornish and the Reach wouldn't be able to stage any raids.

"I don't accept this." Beric Connington slammed his fists on the table, rising in objection to the king's abdication.

Which was something Ei expected and actually wanted to happen.

"By all means, Lord Connington, if you are so brave, you are free to fight me to reinstate my father on the throne." Ei scanned the room, watching how the lords reacted to her words. "In fact, anyone who defeats me may take the throne if they so wish."

Argilac raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but the lords began to whisper again, discussing if anyone would actually do it.

Beric seemed restless before slowly rising from his chair, and the hall stopped to watch him.

"So be it. For King Argilac."

The said king just slapped his forehead.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ei took a sword from one of the knights in the name of making things fair, at least as much as it was possible, and stood before Beric Connington.

"No foul sorcery; face me like a warrior." Beric called out, and many thought he just forfeited his life.

"Your arrogance must know no bounds to think anyone, much less me, will need sorcery to defeat you." Ei replied dryly, insulted. At this point, even a recruit would be able to defeat the Lord of Griffin's Roost.

Beric must not have liked Ei's retort, for he charged like a mad bull, though no amount of animalistic rage would grant him victory.

Ei disappeared from her spot, appearing right behind Lord Connington, with her sword at his neck.

Had it been anyone else, Ei would have at least tested their mettle, but Connington was not worth spending time on.

Lords stepped back in shock, and Connington was rooted on the spot with the sharp steel a jab away from ending his life.

"Yield." Ei called out. She only intended to use the duel to show to the lords they stood no chance against her, even without using any elemental powers.

Beric still held his sword tightly, but sweat was gathering at his brow. "You said no sorcery."

"This was no sorcery, merely speed. Now, yield, or forfeit your life." Ei put pressure on the lord's neck, not drawing blood but definitely making him feel how close the steel was.

"I… yield." Connington dropped his sword, and Ei handed hers back to the knight.

"Any other challengers?" The lords looked hesitant, and to hammer the point, Ei began to float and looked down on the lords as they backed away in fear. "I would rather get straight to the reason we are all gathered here, so if anyone else wants to fight me, step forward now, or be silent."

"No challengers? Then I will accept your oaths of fealty, and we can discuss war."

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ceremony proceeded without any more interruptions, with the lords properly cowed. Had it not been for her divine nature and the continent's stance against magic, Ei would no doubt have earned their loyalty through her actions to this date.

But Westeros was not an ideal world like that.

As the noble houses gave their oaths one by one, and Ei was properly acclaimed as the Queen of the Storm Kingdom, discussion on how to proceed with the war against the Ironborn started earnestly.

The border between the Storm Kingdom and the Riverlands held by the Ironborn was separated at the Blackwater River, with the mouth of the Blackwater Bay and the surrounding lands being contested between the two powers.

Ironborn held everything above the river, except the Houses Rosby, Darklyn, Ryker, Staunton, and Brune, which resisted occupation to this day.

Ei's plan was to take the lands bordering Harrenhal at the south of the upper Blackwater River, which included Houses Hayford, Stokeworth, Whent, and a part of House Wode, cutting the seat of House Hoare off and then eradicating the castle, though that last part she kept to herself for now.

Ironborn had thirty thousand raiders as far as the Storm Kingdom knew, which outnumbered them by half, and had hostages they would use to force the Riverland Houses to do their bidding, which would increase the size of their host significantly, but numbers wouldn't mean anything to her.

Once House Hoare and Harrenhal were no more, the Riverlands would lack any motive to resist and would submit.

Following her consolidation of the reconquered territory, Ei would take what ships the kingdom had and sail to the Iron Isles, putting an end to the threat of these pirates permanently.

She ordered the lords to gather their banners and supplies while she worked on Kage and the Thunder Dragon, leaving her father in charge.

Ironborn were prevalent across the region, and Ei couldn't be everywhere at once, so having both of her creations battle-ready, more Kage than the Dragon, would help.

If only it didn't take the death of three beloved friends for Ei to learn that lesson.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weirwood trees infused with her divine essence had taken over the Godswood, only leaving the solemn-looking weirwood tree in the middle, which was also the sole remaining tree after Ei harvested everything else and carried it to her room in clear sight, confusing people as to what she was doing, much less how she managed to fit all that wood in her room.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Painted Realm

Ei began working on Kage first, as it would take less time, rebuilding the puppet's body to once more reflect herself, along with a new power core to store more energy to stay in the fight longer. Though, without using any elemental energy, Kage could fight for weeks nonstop. It was a downgrade compared to Shogun, as they fought for five centuries due to a temporal disruption and the shogun's will.

Since she had not faced anything that would require Kage to fight for that long, much less herself, the new power core would be more than sufficient.

The Thunder Dragon, on the other hand, took far more work. Its size doubled, its power requirements tripled, and the current power cores were swapped with the new ones. Ei now had a puppet capable of assisting war theaters anywhere in Westeros.

It was the perfect quick response unit for emergencies, bar Ei herself.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks of total work in the Painted Realm between her new duties as the Queen, Ei was finally done and could direct her full attention to the war preparations.

Supplies met the demands, a rarity in the previous state of the kingdom before Ei's intervention, and enough steel was produced to armor every man-at-arms with enough plate to cover the vital parts, as well as spears with steel heads, something usually only the wealthiest lords could afford to do.

By now, they would be ready to move out, but Ei knew that groups of men, all loyal to a different lord, did not make an army and had the whole host do drills together.

After the Ironborn were dealt with, Ei would lay the foundations of a proper army, but for now, she would make do with the fighters in hand.

She did not let the lords stay idle either, sometimes even joining the spars to teach. The lords whose territories she had already visited were more accepting of her lessons, but the rest required a harsher method of teaching.

It was refreshing to fight against someone living, even if they were ordinary humans.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One thing that troubled Argilac was Selena, who would give birth while he was away. Former king or not, Argilac wouldn't stay in Storm's End to witness the birth of his second child, not when the kingdom needed him, even if it was to a lesser degree than before.

At least, the child would come into a kingdom that did not face the threat of Ironborn, or any other kingdom, and Argilac wouldn't miss it for the world.

Another problem was Lucan.

The old Lord of Parchments was sick, and even with Maester Larry looking after him constantly between his duties, he could only suppress the symptoms rather than offer any cure.

Ei didn't think there was anything left for her grandfather to do except stay behind and spend his remaining time resting, but he vehemently refused. Lucan knew he didn't have long left to live but, through sheer will and spite, refused to die before Harren the Black and the Ironborn as a whole.

It was a tad impressive.

So rather than wasting time dissuading the old man or just ordering him to stay back and miss fulfilling his last wish, she offered him an alternative.

Lucan would be allowed to join the campaign on the condition that he would have to rest and refrain from doing anything that may shorten his time.

The road alone would no doubt be the end of him, but Ei had a solution for that too.




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the next chapter:
High Septon Lucenor, a distant member of House Hightower, finally spoke, having heard the arguments his brethren had made. "I have made my decision. For now, we wait while the Storm Kingdom and the Ironborn weaken each other and strike both at their weakest. We can shoot two birds with one stone and rid Westeros of this sorceress and the worshippers of the Drowned God."

King Mern would have to be called to raise his banners as well, and Lucenor didn't think it would be hard to convince him, as the young ruler still sought revenge for the death of his father at Summerfield.

"Aye!"




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 9 chapters ahead

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 9 chapters ahead

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 10 chapters ahead

and DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 10 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.

Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Storm Kingdom

Storm's End

8 BAC

With her position solidified among the lords that gathered at Storm's End, and the ten thousand strong host, along with the two thousand support units of cooks, healers, workers, engineers—which the kingdom as a whole sorely lacked—and more, ready to march to the Riverlands, Ei gave the order.

Selena and her father had a sweet moment, where the Queen Mother of the Storm Kingdom gave her favor to her husband, bound for war, and Argilac promised to return alive and victorious.

Not that Ei would let someone kill him in battle.

She too said her farewells and joined the march at the head of the host, riding a black mare that was gifted to her by Uncle Robert.

As for her grandfather, she had created a spot in the Painted Realm for him to rest, along with Maester Larry to keep treating him.

She was worried the laughing fit Lucan had over being magically transported inside a painting would kill him, but he had passed out before that.

Maester Larry had a much more muted, though no less fascinated, reaction, especially upon seeing the Thunder Dragon.

Speaking of them, with both Kage and the Dragon ready for war, Ei could respond to the reinforcements Harren would no doubt receive from the Iron Islands.

The next destination of the host was Bronzegate of House Buckler, and then House Fell of Fellwood, before crossing the Blackwater Rush and taking Hayford.

She kept the sky clear of any storms, though there were plenty of clouds to offer shade from the summer sun, and breezes kept the men and horses cool—the perfect weather to march.

Though, that might just be the only thing the host had in their favor.

Ei had not kept an eye on her father's host during the war with the Reach and meditated mostly while battering the enemy host with the storm, gazing briefly at their futile attempts to escape.

Meaning she had to teach the host many things, including how to set up and break camp faster, digging latrines, the importance of keeping the water sources clean, and dealing with spoilage as well as with vermin.

The distance between Storm's End and Bronzegate would take the host about two weeks to cross under the best conditions.

However, the support units would usually slow down the host, but with the improved roads and the hundreds of horses taken from Reach at the Battle of Summerfield, which Ei implored his father to keep rather than ransom back, the march would take even less time, but she decided to use the spare time for drills.

It was important for the host to have as much training as possible, since standardization of training, equipment, tactics, and communications did not exist in this world.

Each day, after the march was done and dinner was served, Ei had the men go through basic drills until sundownfor two weeks, and slowly, they became more than just soldiers gathered together to fight.

Of course, the host would be doubled along the path to Riverlands as the forces at the border and the hosts of the lords closer to the enemy territory joined up with her main force, which would mean half of the host was better trained than the rest.

Better than nothing until she could constitute a standing army.

Lord Tommen Whitehead approached, bowing. "Your Excellency." They had started to call her that after Lucan bent the knee and referred to Ei with her official title.

When the old and proud Lucan of all people gave in without a fight, the rest of the lords did not question it.

"Yes?"

"Bards have gathered to sing to raise the morale; we would be honored if you could grace us with your presence."

"Very well." It was better than contemplating the future and driving herself to depression.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The crowd gathered around the campfire fell silent and parted away for Ei, and after taking a seat, she told the bards to continue and made small talk with the lords in the meantime.

Cowing them to submission might have been necessary, but so was cultivating good relations.

Lords were hesitant, but eventually, some came forward to speak of the woes their lands faced.

Ian Tarth requested a loan to renovate and increase the size of his shipyards after the war was over, and as the Kingdom's lack of a navy was something that bothered Ei, it was an easy decision to make.

Lord Taryn Selmy was eager to report the discovery of an iron deposit in his lands, though it bordered the Reach, and the distance between the sole coal mine in the kingdom and Harvest Hall made the opportunity not an easy one to implement.

Regardless, it would be logical for an ironwork in the Marches, as it would increase the overall prosperity and military readiness of the land, a significant deterrence against both Dorne and the Reach.

Not that anyone would consider waging war against the Storm Kingdom after the Ironborn were dealt with.

She received the petitions in the presence of soothing music till it was time for rest

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dragonstone

"Are you mocking me, merchant?" Visenya's glare was as frigid as the winters of the North, a stark contrast to the fire that represented her house.

The merchant gulped, fear grasping his heart. Dragonlords were not to be trifled with after all. "N-no, my lady, I wouldn't dare."

"Hmph. We'll see about that." The merchant would have to be a fool of epic proportions to come up with a tale so outlandish as the one he weaved, yet Visenya found his words hard to believe.

Her brother-husband and sister-wife came just in time before she decided to have the man thrown into the dungeons. "Visenya, what is this I am hearing about the Durrandons?"

Visenya relayed what the merchant had reported, and both of her siblings had the same reaction as her.

"Is this a jest?" Aegon did not seem impressed by the merchant, which further terrified the man.

"There is an easy way to verify. I'll go with Vhagar and check what is actually happening." For if the man was indeed telling the truth, then their future plans would be in danger, and this could not happen, not after all the effort they had made.

Aegon nodded; none of them could leave this to chance, and sending Visenya with Vhagar was the more sensible choice. "Yes, but keep your distance; if Argella Durrandon is indeed a sorcerer of considerable strength, then you could be a target."

"I'll be fine." Visenya left to prepare, and Rhaenys chuckled, his husband's idea on what to do with Argella Durrandon coming to mind.

"And you considered offering Orys' hand to her."

Aegon rolled his eyes. Orys was his champion and deserved a fitting marriage, and the princess was worthy of it. "It was just a thought, and with the possibility of King Argilac's, well, former King Argilac's wife giving birth to a boy, it is unlikely her desire to not wed will change."

"You know, it explains a lot of things, her being a sorcerer." Orys finally made his thoughts known, tired of the two talking about him without asking for his opinion.

The Lord of Dragonstone hummed. "It does, but not even the strongest sorcerers we have seen could hope to conjure a storm of that size and power." The time they were offered an alliance by Pentos and Tyrosh against Volantis, the Targaryen siblings came across sorcerers, from those who could only conjure parlor tricks to a shadowbinder from Assai.

Orys nodded, remembering how the shadowbinder had summoned a creature to assassinate a Volantene noble. "Perhaps those tales of Durran Godsgrief wedding the daughter of the Sea God are more than that."

The legend of Durran was well known as a children's tale, but Argella seemed to be challenging that assumption.

Rhaenys smiled, amused at the thought of a half-god, half-mortal princess. "What? Do you think she is a demi-god?"

The Champion of House Targaryen shrugged, thinking about the many things the young girl—one who had just shapeshifted to a grown woman—did in the last decade, from bringing prosperity to the Storm Kingdom to curing greyscale.

"I mean, the events surrounding her birth are not natural; she has purple hair, a trait never seen in any house before, and not to mention, she is brilliant, practices magic, and apparently can change the shape and age of her body. I don't know about you, but even compared to that priestess of R'hollr, she is not normal."

Rhaenys couldn't disagree with Orys' reasoning. "Well, we shall see what Visenya learns." Hopefully, her sister would just find the matter to be rumors blown out of proportion.

Since any further talk was pointless without Visenya's testimony, Aegon simply chose to close the matter for now. "Indeed, in the meantime, he is to be a guest." He pointed at the merchant, who paled at the thought.

"But my lord, I have deliveries to make." Rhoswen would never return to Dragonstone and would go as far as he could once out of here.

"Send your trusted men to do it. I will cover any loss you might face." Aegon waved the man's worries away with his hand.

The merchant merely nodded and was taken away.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kingdom of Reach

Oldtown

Starry Sept

The septons of the highest positions in all of Reach were gathered at Starry Sept for one reason.

Argella Durrandon.

Septon Elric of Highgarden spoke with such vitriol, one would assume he was personally targeted by the Princess of the Storm Kingdom. "This cannot stand. Brothers and sisters, we must gather the flock and strike the sorceress before she corrupts the land and the people."

Another voice, this one calm and cautious, rose over the mutterings of agreement. "Let us not be so hasty. We should let them fight the Ironborn and weaken each other. Once either side is defeated, both sides could be defeated with ease." Septon Oswynd served House Florent at Brightkeep and knew letting your enemies fight before striking was the wisest choice.

"We cannot cross into Storm Kingdom, not with that accursed storm keeping the border locked." Septon Norwyn was assigned to Ashford and witnessed the storm firsthand. He had known from the very first sight that it was a work of sorcery.

Septon Tolen served at the small sept of House Tarly, and he too had witnessed the storm. "Yes, but Argella Durrandon cannot keep that storm forever. Eventually, we will have our chance." The constant rain would eventually damage the land, and no sorcerer would have the power to keep something of that magnitude going forever, according to the Maesters, who had inferred that much from what knowledge they kept locked in the Citadel.

Elric was not swayed by the arguments of his brothers. "I say we push through the storm and strike while they are marching to Riverlands. If we can take Storm's End and Queen Selena hostage, they will have no choice but to surrender." Resorting to such means was unfitting for the Faithful, but these were desperate times.

Septon Arlan of Harbor shook his head. "That's provided we can. Storm's End has not been taken by a siege in its long history, and we have no means to change that." While the Faith Militia had many willing to lay down their lives, they also did not possess the means to build siege engines.

High Septon Lucenor, a distant member of House Hightower, finally spoke, having heard the arguments his brethren had made. "I have made my decision. For now, we wait while the Storm Kingdom and the Ironborn weaken each other and strike both at their weakest. We can shoot two birds with one stone and rid Westeros of this sorceress and the worshippers of the Drowned God."

King Mern would have to be called to raise his banners as well, and Lucenor didn't think it would be hard to convince him, as the young ruler still sought revenge for the death of his father at Summerfield.

"Aye!"




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the next chapter:
Lord Edric Fell spoke next. "We should send outriders to tail the enemy." It was valuable advice, but it was too slow for Ei.

"Indeed, we are going in blind, and I don't like it." Argilac had made use of the element of surprise plenty of times and didn't want to be on the receiving end.

Ei closed her eyes and summoned the Baleful Omen on her palm before it disappeared and the Electro Archon saw the enemy.

The lords fell silent, pushing their chairs back, disturbed by the sight of magic, but slowly came around once Ei spoke.

"They have split into two forces, similar to the strategy my father used against the Reach. Harren leads the main host, twenty thousand strong, and the remaining ten thousand are led by a Greyjoy." She wasn't familiar with the members of Ironborn houses, only knowing their sigils.

Silence continued for minutes, as the lords slowly digested the fact that Queen Argella's magic could also watch over the enemy lands.

Lands that would take days to cross on horseback.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 10 chapters ahead

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 10 chapters ahead

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 10 chapters ahead

and DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 10 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.

Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Riverlands

Harrenhal

8 BAC

"What the fuck do you mean Hasper is gone too?!" Harren screamed, spit flying out of his mouth and hitting the man standing before him, who was too conscious of his current position to wipe it.

Torwyn gulped. "He and his men were ambushed by the archer, my king, the one they call the Shadow Hunter. Corpses of everyone but Prince Hasper have been found." Prince Hasper was traveling with two hundred men, and the ambush killed them all without even the chance to fight back. Exactly two hundred bodies were found, with no sign of the prince himself.

Harren scowled, remembering all the headaches that damn archer caused him and the Ironborn, from setting their supplies on fire to assassinating lords left and right. "So the archer took him hostage?!"

First his heir and firstborn son, Harwyn, somehow fumbled up the raid on Weeping Town and ended up as a prisoner of the Durrandons; now his second son was gone as well, leaving only the youngest, Harlan, at eleven years old, too young to lead any raids.

"As far as we can tell, yes, my king."

"Do you have any good news?" The venom in Harren's voice would have been enough to poison all of his enemies thrice over.

Torwyn's voice cracked, as he did not think any news short of House Durrandon simply disappearing from the face of Westeros would please the King of Isles and Rivers. "Some rumors say that the archer is in fact a woman."

Harren let out a furious, unintelligible scream and threw the table in front of him across the floor, heaving for breath.

Everyone, even his sons, Harron and Harmund, gave a wide berth to their king.

"Gather every able-bodied man we have; it is time to end the Durrandon line, permanently. In the meantime, I want that archer dead and his or her corpse strung up, no matter what." Woman or not, he would have skinned that archer alive personally, but he had to prepare for war.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Storm Kingdom

Bronzegate

Bronzegate was named such for one reason: the bronze-covered large gates protecting the doors of the castle.

The castle itself was large, one of the largest in all of the kingdom, in fact, with high-cut stone walls, a large keep in the middle, and two towers.

Lord Raymar Buckler greeted them at the gates, all smiles and sunshine, which wavered upon seeing who was leading the host.

So the rumors were true, and the world had gone upside down.

"Your Grace, Bronzegate is yours." Raymar bent the knee, as resistance would be in vain now.

Argella dismounted her horse, handing the reins to the stableboy and gesturing to the lord to rise. "Thank you, Lord Buckler. Is your host ready?"

"Yes, four thousand men in total with the hosts of Lords Torran Errol and Wystan Steadmon." The mentioned lords were standing on either side of Raymar Buckler, having bent their knees following the Lord of Bronzegate.

"Very well, we will rest here for today and march tomorrow to Fellwood before crossing the Blackwater Rush." With the favorable weather, the march wasn't taxing on the men, and none of the lords had heard of any complaints, so rest was unnecessary for now.

"As you say, Your Grace."

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ei spent most of her short stay in Bronzegate integrating the new troops into the main host, dispersing the inexperienced soldiers all over the trained units so they could catch up quicker.

When Lord Fell and Lord Grandison's hosts, along with the forces already stationed on their side of the Blackwater Rush, joined the main force, there would be around twenty thousand men, and six thousand would lack the training the rest had.

So it was imperative for her to impart what training she could, because while Ei would confront the main enemy host, the Ironborn dispersed all over the Riverlands would have to be hunted.

She had work to do.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bells of war had the River Lords restless. If the Ironborn won, then their yoke under the reavers would be absolute. If the Storm Kingdom won, then things would be different, but while Harren couldn't force them to fight against the Storm Kingdom as part of his forces for fear of betrayal, they also couldn't afford to fight Harren, not when he had their families hostage.

For now, they would watch and act when the time came.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"My king, I don't understand. Are we to kneel to a sorcerer now?" Raymar could not understand how the lords, and especially King Argilac, had bent the knee so fast.

People of the Storm Kingdom did not fear anyone easily; even a sorcerer of Argella Durrandon's power must have done something remarkable to earn their loyalty.

Argilac sighed, as someone asking this question was bound to happen. "No, Raymar, you are to kneel to my daughter and your new queen." He kept silent on the matter of Argella's nature, since she wished to show the might of a god, rather than merely claim it.

Raymar wasn't convinced. "But why give her the throne when you know the Faith won't stand for this?" They didn't have enough men to face the Faith Militant, and even an army of ants could fell a much larger creature.

"Unless the Seven themselves come down from the heavens, I am not worried about the Faith." Argilac dismissed his old friend's worries, and the Lord of Bronzegate stood open-mouthed at the ridiculous idea.

"Yes, my king." Raymar clicked his tongue at the look Argilac gave him. "I meant, my prince. That sounds weird to say." It had been so long since he had last called Argilac "my prince," and it felt so foreign to his tongue.

"Get used to it, Raymar."

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felwood

Lords Buckler, Errol, and Steadmon were quick to give their vows of fealty after becoming fully aware of the situation.

As she had ordered, the now fourteen thousand strong host marched to Fellwood, and with each step closer to confronting the Ironborn, the anticipation of victory grew.

For they would have to be utter fools to lose when the Storm Queen could tear the skies open and summon destructive storms that would sweep the enemy aside like rags.

It was a three-day march from Bronzegate to Fellwood, and another two thousand men had joined the host, with the last four thousand already waiting at the Blackwater Rush.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blackwater Rush

Houses Bar Emmon, Massey, and Wendwater had higher populations despite the smaller lands of the former two, since they saw more trade from the Free Cities than the rest of the kingdom.

Combined with the border forces, Ei had a bit over twenty thousand men in her host, all who were arrayed before her with their respective liege lords at the head.

It was time for Ei to address her host.

Dismounting, she walked forward exactly five steps before rising to the air.

Ei amplified her sound so the entire host could hear her words. "This is a war of liberation. We are here to free the Riverlands from the Ironborn. And in my army, there will be no rapists or looters. You will not harm the people nor the prisoners. You are an army, not crazed bandits on a raid."

"But it is the right of the soldiers." Someone croaked from the host, and Ei had to exert restraint to not smite him on the spot.

Skies darkened and thunder rumbled.

Horses and men alike took fright, and I could hear the prayers to the Seven.

"No, those are the acts of outlaws and animals, not the people of the Storm Kingdom. All loot that strictly belongs to the enemy will be gathered and distributed at the end of the war. Anyone, whether noble or smallfolk, who assaults a woman, kills or tortures prisoners, or steals will be executed." There would be no compromise on the conduct she wished her forces to carry.

The clouds disappeared just as quickly, and Ei lowered herself to the ground.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Storm Kingdom Host Camp

Queen's Tent

Lord Tommen put the bridge figure over the Blackwater Rush. "Your Excellency, we will need time to build a bridge, unless we march to the upper Blackrush to cross the river at one of the fords." He said, pointing at the fords that would take at least two days for them to march up to.

"Unnecessary, I will deal with the issue of a bridge tomorrow. You simply remind your men of my commands and be ready to march." A large electro platform would allow uninterrupted and steady crossing, saving them the trouble and time.

If she could summon storms and tear open the skies, who was to say she couldn't build a bridge from scratch? "Yes, Your Excellency."

Lord Edric Fell spoke next. "We should send outriders to tail the enemy." It was valuable advice, but it was too slow for Ei.

"Indeed, we are going in blind, and I don't like it." Argilac had made use of the element of surprise plenty of times and didn't want to be on the receiving end.

Ei closed her eyes and summoned the Baleful Omen on her palm before it disappeared and the Electro Archon saw the enemy.

The lords fell silent, pushing their chairs back, disturbed by the sight of magic, but slowly came around once Ei spoke.

"They have split into two forces, similar to the strategy my father used against the Reach. Harren leads the main host, twenty thousand strong, and the remaining ten thousand are led by a Greyjoy." She wasn't familiar with the members of Ironborn houses, only knowing their sigils.

Silence continued for minutes, as the lords slowly digested the fact that Queen Argella's magic could also watch over the enemy lands.

Lands that would take days to cross on horseback.

Calum Swann knew only one Greyjoy whom Harren would trust that much. "Must be Vickon Greyjoy. He is famous as a captain and loyal to Harren to the death."

"Harren is taking a straight path at Blackwater Rush, but the march is slow, so he must be intending to draw us in, while the Greyjoy struck us from behind." A tactic that would work under normal circumstances for the Ironborn, but these were definitely not that.

"With a forced march, we can catch Harren off guard and cut the head of the snake." Raymar had a bone to pick with the Ironborn, and nothing would please him more than seeing Harren Hoare dead.

"That would leave us weakened, and if Greyjoy catches up, we will be in a pinch." The men would be in a pinch, not the queen with her sorcery, but still, Robert didn't want to walk to his death if he could avoid it.

Argilac pointed at the purple line on the map, the one showing the possible movement of the Greyjoy host. "If Harren is marching slowly, then we make him regret it. Instead of facing him, we change our path and smash the weaker host first and circle around to hit Harren."

"That is the logical choice, so we shall do that." Her father, for all his aggressiveness and fury when it came to the enemy, knew when to give sound advice.

"But it depends on us crossing the Blackwater Rush quickly." Taryn was stuck between not accepting the use of sorcery for his fear of it and accepting it for the convenience of it.

Her tone ended any more discussion on the matter of the bridge. "As I said, it is a simple issue to solve."

Caden Mertyns drew an imaginary path on the map. "Then instead of taking the aforementioned castles and lands, we will have to take Rosby, Stokeworth and march to Duskendale to confront Vickon." Rosby was conquered by Halleck Hoare back in the days, and were under the Ironborn rule, though House Darklyn and Duskendale were sworn to none, but the Ironborn presence chipped away at their power.

"Indeed, the River Lords will have no reason to join Harren, even if they might be forced to send soldiers and supplies, and with him coming at us, the previous plan is unnecessary now." House Rosby and Duskendale would no doubt provide further troops to her host once bent the knee and if one-third of Harren's forces were dead, then the River Lords would not stand idle.

Now, if only that flying pest above would leave, then everything would be perfect.




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the next chapter:
"The sorcerer queen of the Storm Kingdom. What brings you to my lands?" Corwyn asked with an arrogant smirk, thinking himself secure on top of the city walls.

"I am here to have you swear allegiance to me." Either the easy way or the hard way, which did not really matter to her.

Corwyn sneered down at her, not pleased with the prospect of an overlord. "Duskendale has never bent a knee to anyone, and never will. You cannot afford a siege, so turn around while you can, little girl."

Ei blinked at the words before she disappeared from sight, and the walls protecting the sea east of the southern gate came down, from one turret to the other.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 11 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 11 chapters ahead

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 10 chapters ahead.

and Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 10 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.

Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Storm Kingdom

Blackwater Rush

8 BAC

It was the dawn of the next day, and the host stood ready to cross the Blackwater Rush, waiting for the queen to solve the bridge issue, as she had said.

Queen Argella held out her hand, a purely theatrical move on her part, though none but her knew it, and a purple path sprang from the ground, quickly reaching to the other side and creating a floor matching the color of the queen's eyes.

Where there were only deadly waves, now stood a bridge, a work of sorcery that would allow the host to cross to the other side.

Some fell on their knees, some began to pray, but all had the same doubts and fears at the feat of sorcery before them.

Grumbling, the host shied away from crossing the bridge, wondering who would be brave enough to go first to show them that the path forward was safe.

The queen mounted her horse, gently nudging her forward, before her father, the now Prince Argilac, followed her. Lords closest to him and his good-brother considered raising objections, but, if not him, then who would take the risk?

Argilac quickly rode next to his daughter and guided his horse forward. His steed moved right after Argella's horse and stepped on the bridge as if it were solid ground, and within minutes, they were on the other side, safe and without even a single drop of water touching either.

Lords looked at each other, trying to see who would cross the magical bridge next, and Garrin called for the host to march forward. "Let us not make Her Excellency wait. I am sure even her patience is not endless."

Nobles followed after the queen, and the knights and men-at-arms followed after their liege lords, taking courage in their willingness.

Slowly the host crossed the Blackwater Rush.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Without the need to build a bridge or march upstream to cross the Blackwater Rush at one of the fords, and with the width of the purple glassy ground, the host crossed the bridge before even halfway to noon.

A feat unthinkable without the aid of sorcery.

The time the host gained would be a tremendous advantage against the Ironborn, who must be thinking that the host is still stuck on the other side of the Blackwater Rush.

The first destination of the host on this side was House Rosby, a house once sworn to Storm's End but conquered by Halleck Hoare.

Ei would fix that mistake.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rosby

The castle of House Rosby was surrounded by a village with daub-and-wattle huts, a small sept, apple orchards, and fields of barley.

Lord Symond Rosby had come out with his two hundred men, meeting Ei outside the boundaries of the village.

Symond gave a small bow, a weariness in his gaze that was too much even for his advanced age. "Queen Argella."

"Lord Symond. I am sure you are aware of the war against the Ironborn. I came here to have you reestablish your allegiance."

The Lord of Rosby shook his head. "I can't bend the knee to you, not when the Ironborn hold my family hostage in my own castle."

An easily rectifiable situation. "And if the Ironborn were to be dealt with?"

"Then House Rosby will bend the knee to the Storm Kingdom, as was the case not so long ago, but they barred the gates, and you cannot afford a siege, and neither will I let you." His family would be in danger if he conspired with Queen Argella.

Ei raised an eyebrow. "Keep your aggression in check, Lord Symond; it is unnecessary." His reasons were understandable; a man couldn't be expected to fight against the people holding his family hostage, so Ei would fix that situation. "Kage." She called out.

Her shadow appeared next to her in the blink of an eye. "Yes?"

Men were startled by the sudden arrival, and Symond rolled his eyes at the sight of obvious sorcery.

"Kill the Ironborn holding Lord Rosby's family hostage, and bring me their leader."

"Understood." Kage leaped, the power behind her jump leaving cracks on the ground.

"So it is true, you are a sorcerer." If it saved his family, perhaps the Faith were too zealous in their stance against sorcery.

"Not a mere sorcerer, something more."

"Which would be?" If not a sorcerer, perhaps a demigod, as some of the more outlandish rumors claimed?

Ei smiled. "You shall see soon, as will everyone else."

No sooner had her words ended, Kage landed between her and Lord Symond, dropping the struggling Ironborn she was holding by the throat.

"There weren't many, but he seemed to be the one with the most authority." Kage reported having slain the Ironborn waiting on the wall with Lord Symond's wife and eldest son.

She gestured to the prisoner, who, but moments ago, was holding Lord Rosby in the same situation through his family. "Well, Lord Symond?"

Lord Symond dismounted his horse, nostrils wide with fury, and took out the wicked-looking double-sided axe from his back, looking down at the Ironborn.

"You won't get away with this; King Harren will put your…" The Ironborn's tirade was cut short when Lord Rosby took the axe to his skull with a scream of fury, separating the top half of his head from the rest of his body.

Spitting on the corpse, Lord Symond got on his knee. "My axe is yours, Your Grace."

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The host had set up camp for the day outside the village, giving Lord Rosby time to gather the rest of his men and her host the opportunity to resupply.

Lord Symond hosted her at the castle as the guest of honor, though Ei declined the offer of a feast, explaining they had to catch Vickon Greyjoy's host off guard and weaken the Ironborn before putting an end to Harren Hoare.

Ei also had met Lord Symond's eldest son and heir, Oswyck Rosby, a more peaceful individual compared to his father.

The death of the Ironborn had lit up a fire under Symond, and his tired visage was gone, replaced by a simmering fury, and he was preparing accordingly.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lord Rosby had brought in a thousand men, but seeing as most were levies, Ei had turned them back, only accepting the five hundred strong force consisting of knights and men-at-arms.

Civilians had no place in the battlefield.

At dawn, they broke camp and marched to Stokeworth, which was less than a day's ride away.

Lord Jareth Stokeworth, upon hearing that her host had crossed the Blackwater Rush way earlier than anticipated and that Lord Rosby had bent the knee, had put the Ironborn in his lands to the sword in a night raid.

He had opened his castle gates to welcome the host, bending the knee without any trouble.

With Harren and his host heading through the lands of House Wode and Hayford to where her host would have to march upstream to cross the Blackwater Rush through a ford under normal circumstances, Castle Stokeworth would be safe from any retaliation.

Another day, another lord had bent the knee, and her twenty-one-thousand-strong host marched to Duskendale.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duskendale

Duskendale was ruled by House Darklyn, once petty kings, now lords with no ties to either the Storm Kingdom or the Riverlands. The Ironborn had tried to conquer them, but with the Riverlands bordering five kingdoms, besieging Duskendale wasn't worth the trouble it would invite.

She intended to have Lord Corwyn Darklyn bend the knee, join her host, and then destroy the Greyjoy host, who were heading through the northeast of Antlers, lands of House Buckwell.

Her host rode to the southern gate through the road connecting to House Rosby, and as Lord Corwyn had not ridden out, they met while he looked down on them from the top of the wall surrounding the city.

"The sorcerer queen of the Storm Kingdom. What brings you to my lands?" Corwyn asked with an arrogant smirk, thinking himself secure on top of the city walls.

"I am here to have you swear allegiance to me." Either the easy way or the hard way, which did not really matter to her.

Corwyn sneered down at her, not pleased with the prospect of an overlord. "Duskendale has never bent a knee to anyone, and never will. You cannot afford a siege, so turn around while you can, little girl."

Ei blinked at the words before she disappeared from sight, and the walls protecting the sea east of the southern gate came down, from one turret to the other.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Storm clouds gathered over Duskendale, and purple lightning crackled like whips as Ei floated before Lord Corwyn.

"I don't think there will be much of a siege." She quipped at the young Lord of Duskendale, who had fallen on his back from the shockwave. The wall protecting the sea point was nothing but rubble now.

"Sorcerer, foul sorcerer!" Corwyn screamed, pointing at her with his finger. His retainers seemed stuck between pulling their weapons to defend their lord, no matter how futile, and running away in fear.

The storm overhead intensified, and lightning struck the sea, a clear warning. "You can bend the knee, or I can bring down your wall entirely, and we shall see if your resolve stands."

"I…"

Ei pointed her naginata to the western side of the wall, towards the Middlor Gate. "Perhaps destroying another section of the wall would convince you?"

Lord Corwyn's son, Cedran, helped his father up, just as fearful, but put on a braver face. "Father, we should consider it."

The son and father turned their backs for a furious whispered conversation, and rude as it was, Ei allowed it in the hopes the son would convince the father.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gates were opened, and Lord Corwyn bent the knee, however stiffly, and pledged his swords to her host. Duskendale was a city, so the Darklyns could raise a larger host of four thousand, more so when levies were included.

It would take a couple of days for Lord Darklyn to be ready to join the host, and at the speed Vickon Greyjoy's ten thousand-strong force was moving, the battle would occur somewhere northeast of House Stokeworth's lands.

Pressing Lord Darklyn to be quicker in his preparations, the now twenty-five thousand strong host left Duskendale on the dawn of the third day, marching back to the lands of House Stokeworth.

There was no time to train the new additions to ensure cohesion across the whole host, but most of Lord Corwyn's men were cavalry, which brought the number of mounted troops to six thousand, with five thousand archers and twelve thousand infantry, along with the two thousand or so support units.

Marching to lands of House Buckwell, they let the Greyjoy host pass through and allowed them to set up camp, giving her host the perfect opportunity to strike.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

War Tent

Robert Penrose slammed his fist on the table, an uncharacteristically bloodthirsty look on his face. "The bastards have no idea we are here; we should strike immediately."

He turned to him. "First of all, language—I don't appreciate profanity in my presence," Robert's throat bobbed, nodding, "and second, we shall indeed strike. Prepare the archers to weaken them first, and as soon as the cavalry is in range to run them down, they will cease fire. The footmen will clear up what's left. I want Vickon Greyjoy alive if possible; the rest does not matter."

A chorus of agreement rose from the gathered nobles. "Yes, Your Excellency."

"I shall be leading the cavalry; the marcher lords will be in charge of the archers." Ei gave out her final orders and dismissed the lords so they could see to the preparations.

Her father stayed behind to speak to her as the rest of the lords filtered out. "I had never thought I would see this day." He was smiling, both at the chance for revenge and to pay back the humiliation his kingdom had faced.

Ei too smiled, but hers was gentler. "Neither did many others, but it has. Best be ready, Father, lest you miss the battle."

Argilac nodded, leaving to go and don his armor.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the next chapter:
They had even managed to take Harren's second son, Hasper, prisoner after ambushing his party near the border with the Kingdom of the Rock.

"What is the plan now?"

Her voice was fair but also commanding, an unusual mix. "The same as it has been. We harass Harren's host and soften them for the killing blow. With the Greyjoy host defeated, the Ironborn rule over the Riverlands is almost over."

"How can you know that?" The Shadow Archers had merchants and other people disposed to their cause inform them of anything important in the Riverlands and beyond, but none had sent any messages, to his knowledge.

A satisfied smile could be seen under her hood. "A little bird told me."

There was a harsh caw, and Robbard lifted his head to see a crow circling overhead.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 11 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 11 chapters ahead

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 11 chapters ahead.

and Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 11 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.

Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blackwater Bay

Northeast of Stokeworth

7 BAC

Dawn of the First Day of the New Year

Six thousand cavalry stood before her, arrayed according to the strategy the lords and the queen had agreed upon.

Two thousand and four hundred of the cavalry were arrayed in three equal forces, led by Lords Grandison, Rogers, and Mertyns.

They had moved in the cover of the night to surround the camp from the north, south, and west to cut off escape routes when the main force, consisting of two waves of one and a half thousand heavy cavalry, hit the camp.

Once the two waves were done with their assault, the footmen would move in to clean up any survivors, with the lighter cavalry surrounding the escape routes, ready to put down any stragglers to inflict maximum casualties on the Ironborn.

The marcher lords, being the expert archers, would be in charge of the archers, while Ei, her father, and half the lords would move with the first wave. The remaining lords would charge with the second wave.

There was even a fight over it, with every lord requesting to join the first wave for glory. In the end, she had drawn lots to decide who would be the first ones to go.

And as the first rays of the sun were seen, Ei gave the order, "Archers, fire."

The order was carried, and the men in charge of the order flags waved the large white banner with a bow and arrow in the middle.

At six hundred and fifty feet range, the archers began to fire onto the unsuspecting Ironborn camp, and Ei gave her next order. "First wave, charge!" She spurred her horse forward, and the men waved the blue flag with the horse sigil to signify the start of the assault.

When the first wave had reached the boundaries of the camp, the second wave would charge, and the Ironborn would have no time to organize and put up a resistance. If they were not routed by the cavalry charge, the footmen would solve it, and any enemy that tried to escape from the east, the direction of their assault, would find six hundred cavalry in reserve waiting with the archers.

For the first four thousand five hundred and fifty feet, the charging cavalry gained momentum while the camp was showered with arrows. The last hundred feet, the archers stopped, and the enemy could only return sporadic, uncoordinated fire.

Horses galloped at full speed now, and Ei was the first to reach the camp, swinging her naginata twice.

In Westeros, baggage trains were used to surround camps as a defensive measure against any surprise cavalry attack, and while the Ironborn were more seafaring warriors, they had adapted enough to know the value of this tactic.

But they weren't adapted enough to surround the camps with stakes, which offered greater defense.

The first swing was to the right, sending the baggage trains flying away, along with dozens of Ironborn, and the second was to the left, doing the same and giving her cavalry a clear path to the camp.

Ei herself did not bring a lance and was content to use Engulfing Lightning to strike left and right, each attack slaying more than one Ironborn.

Lances struck the panicked Ironborn, who were mostly caught in their tents and scrambled to do anything, only to see the charging cavalry and try to run away in fear.

Horses, weighing more than thirty stones with their riders by Westerosi measurements, trampled tents and men alike, and their impact alone was enough to kill.

The horses slowed as they approached the other end of the baggage fortress, with Ei clearing the way again, and just as the first wave left the camp in ruins, the second wave entered through the hole she had created earlier, subjecting the routed Ironborn to the same assault.

The first wave slowed down, as pushing the horses any further wasn't wise, and went to join the surrounding forces waiting for the Ironborn routers.

The second wave wasn't too far behind and followed the same plan.

Footmen had followed the second wave of cavalry and were sweeping the Ironborn camp, forcing them to run right into the lances and arrows of the surrounding forces.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lord Wystan Steadmon pushed Vickon Greyjoy on his knees before the queen.

They had caught Vickon while trying to run north towards Harrenhal. The Ironborn bastard had given them a good chase before an arrow felled his horse, sending him tumbling down.

"What are our losses?" Even with a shock and awe attack, losses were inevitable, especially among the cavalry.

"Less than five hundred, Your Excellency."

Ei nodded. That was less than ten percent of the total cavalry they had. "And the Ironborn?"

Her father came forward, a pleased look on his face. "So far we have caught over a thousand prisoners; none are highborn, and even fewer made it out of our encirclement."

Rough numbers, but a more precise count would take time, and the Ironborn wasn't worth the effort. "Around eight thousand or more dead, then."

Lord Symond, who was with the second wave, confirmed it. "That is our count as well, Your Excellency."

"Send out riders to hunt down any stragglers, and burn the Ironborn corpses before they rot and a disease breaks out." Any other enemy, she would have let them be buried by their customs, but as the Ironborn were no better than pirates, she did not care at all.

Vickon wasn't pleased by her words, however. "You bitch! You won't be this lucky against King Harren."

An electro orb struck the Greyjoy patriarch, causing his muscles to contract in pain and knocking him out. "How uncouth." Ei turned to Lord Wystan. "Make sure he does not escape. I need him and all other prisoners alive for now."

Lord Staedmon nodded, nervous at what he had just witnessed, and was glad for the chance to leave. "Yes, Your Excellency."

"What are you going to do with him?" Vickon was the head of the second strongest house of the Iron Islands. Ransoming him would bring good coin.

"Harrenhal will be barred to us, and I intend to exchange every prisoner I have for the hostages and slaves the Hoares keep." She would rather not kill any hostages, and whoever holds Harrenhal after Harren himself dies would have to negotiate.

"Order the men to salvage what they can from the camp, especially horses and carts, and have the wounded carried to Duskendale for healing. We will not be wasting time by having them treated at the camp. The host will rest for today and march tomorrow morning." Time was of the essence to catch Harren, and the wounded could receive better care at a city like Duskendale.

"Yes, Your Excellency." They all spoke at the same time, leaving the tent to carry out their orders again, this time with the comfort brought by triumph.

The new year had started with a great victory for the Storm Kingdom.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The enemy camp was raided for supplies and anything valuable. While food, arms, and other supplies were in abundance, valuables were not since the Ironborn hosts were built for rapid movement.

Ei had ordered double rations and the looted alcohol to be distributed to increase the morale over the lackluster loot.

With the wounded carried out on carts to Duskendale, all that was left to do was to gather the bodies in a massive pyre, which took most of the afternoon.

More than eight thousand bodies weren't easy to pile together.

Setting the Ironborn corpses on fire, the dead of the Storm Kingdom were gathered to be buried, with the Septon leading the funeral processes.

Ei could not do anything for the dead in the afterlife, but she made sure each and every dead person was recorded so their families could receive aid for the contributions of the deceased.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hayford

From the trees, well-hidden figures watched Harren "the Black" Hoare's host cross into the lands of House Hayford.

The Shadow Archers, as the ragtag bunch of commoners, knights, and even some second- and third-born sons called themselves, have been shadowing Harren's movements ever since the word of war between the Ironborn and the Storm Kingdom had reached them.

They knew the Ironborn had split in two for a surprise attack on Queen Argella's host—and wasn't that truly weird for the men to hear, King Argilac suddenly giving up his throne for his sorcerer daughter—and petitioned their leader to go and inform the Durrandons.

But their leader, called simply Hunter, for she did not give her name, claimed that Queen Argella would not be caught unaware and refused to send anyone out.

How she knew the Sorcerer Queen of the Storm Kingdom, Hunter did not say.

But Shadow Archers did not just tail Harren.

At night, they assaulted the Ironborn camp, burned supplies and tents, and ran away before the Ironborn could even understand what had happened.

Slowly they chipped away at Harren's patience, leading him to send out riders, of which the Ironborn did not have many due to their seafarer ways. Shadow Archers usually ambushed the riders, taking away their horses and possessions to trade for supplies.

They had even managed to take Harren's second son, Hasper, prisoner after ambushing his party near the border with the Kingdom of the Rock.

"What is the plan now?"

Her voice was fair but also commanding, an unusual mix. "The same as it has been. We harass Harren's host and soften them for the killing blow. With the Greyjoy host defeated, the Ironborn rule over the Riverlands is almost over."

"How can you know that?" The Shadow Archers had merchants and other people disposed to their cause inform them of anything important in the Riverlands and beyond, but none had sent any messages, to his knowledge.

A satisfied smile could be seen under her hood. "A little bird told me."

There was a harsh caw, and Robbard lifted his head to see a crow circling overhead.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Kingdom of the Rock

Lannisport

King Loren watched from his far eye as the Ironborn fleet sailed eerily close to Lannisport, but he knew his lands weren't the target.

No, that pleasure belonged to the Storm Kingdom.

"My King, perhaps we should consider an alliance with House Durrandon? This would be a great chance to push the Ironborn out of the Riverlands." Tybald Lannister, Lord of Lannisport, advised the King of the Rock with a reserved look on his face.

King Loren was quite displeased at the fortunes of House Durrandon and its vassals, as it harmed the interests of the Kingdom of the Rock.

"What do I care if my enemies slaughter each other? Let the Storm Kingdom and the Ironborn fight; we will be the ones that come out better off." If the Ironborn won, they would be too weak to push into anywhere.

But if the Storm Kingdom won, they too would be too weak to do anything but try to salvage the Riverlands ravaged by the Ironborn for three generations to compete with Lannisport.

"Because of these Iron Works?"

"Yes." The wondrous invention of Argella Durrandon had cut down on the business the blacksmiths of Lannisport received, which meant it hurt Lorren's coffers. They had picked up orders again once Weeping Town and the Blackforge Town on Parchments had turned their Iron Works to focus on the war, but no matter the outcome, things would soon go back to the way they were.

"Keep watch on the Ironborn and have our fleet ready to sail if there is any sign of attack."

"Yes, My King."

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ironborn Fleet

Coast of the Kingdom of the Rock

Qhorin Volmark watched the mighty, and more importantly, rich, Lannisport pass by.

What an opportunity it would have been to raid the wealthiest port in all of Westeros.

But alas, they had to sail to Riverlands, for their king, Harren, had summoned them for war against the Storm Kingdom.

Harwyn Hoare, grandfather to King Harren, had taken the Trident from the Durrandons, and now the grandson would finish what the first King of Isles and Rivers had started.

It would take them twenty days to reach Weeping Town to start raiding the Storm Kingdom, and while it wasn't a great target like Lannisport, rumors of how their coffers were brimming with silver had traveled like the wind.

And it was all theirs for the taking.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the next chapter:
Harren Hoare.

Who was at the other end of the hose, trying to coordinate his men.

Ei was about to leap, to take the King of the Ironborn as a hostage for future use, before she saw something that shouldn't have been possible.

Fifty or so arrows rained down on the Ironborn from the northwest, definitely not their own, but the impossible part was the purple, charged shot among the arrows.

One that she wasn't responsible for.

The situation had changed, and this battle had to be over now.

Ei disappeared from sight and appeared next to Harren's guards, the shockwave she left behind having carved a path straight through the middle of the Ironborn, turning bones to powder, flesh to paste, and hundreds upon hundreds of men to corpses.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 12 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 12 chapters ahead

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 11 chapters ahead.

and Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 11 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.

Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blackwater Bay

Stokeworth

7 BAC

The host of the Storm Queen was ready to march on Harren the Black and put an end to his existence.

His host was marching to the Blackwater Rush, and with careful timing, Ei's army would catch the King of the Isles and Rivers in a very unfavorable position.

Stuck between the Blackwater Rush and her army, the Ironborn would either swim and die or fight and die, but die all the same.

Following the victory, the mood among the soldiers was high, and it was evident in their march.

Their route would take them southwest through Stokeworth to the lands of House Hayford. Ei had been monitoring Harren's host regularly in case of something unforeseen, but so far, everything was moving according to the plan.

The first day of the march was uneventful. On the second day, however, one of the soldiers had made the mistake of forcing a young girl from the small village the host was camping nearby.

"Explain yourself." He ordered, and the knight fell on his knee to hide the fear in his veins.

"Your Excellency, this girl lies; I know not why."

"It's true, Your Excellency." "Tristan would never." Several knights, the friends of the accused, rushed to his defense.

"Silence." The knights went still at her cold tone, clamping up immediately.

Ei turned to the teary-eyed girl, who was clearly shaken by what almost happened to her. "Speak, child."

The girl, barely fourteen or fifteen, told how Tristan got drunk in her father's tavern, where she was working, and tried to push himself on her.

Tristan's friends objected again, saying the girl was lying and she had approached Tristan first.

"Enough. Where are the witnesses?" Ei could feel the knight lying, a perk of being a god, but witnesses were still necessary for due diligence.

Several villagers who were at the tavern were brought forward, and their accounts of the event were consistent and didn't appear to be a carefully crafted lie, as Tristan's defenders claimed.

"You have two choices: either confess and be stripped of your knighthood and possessions as punishment, or lie and be put to death."

"Your Excellency, I did nothing. This is all a plot." The knight begged on his knees.

"Did you know I can sense when someone is lying?" Ser Tristan went pale at her words, realizing that it was all for nothing.

"N-no."

Ei swung her hand as if it was a sword, and an electro blade decapitated the lying knight right in front of the witnesses and the spectators.

"Let this be a lesson to all of you." Storm clouds responded to the Electro Archon's displeasure, quickly covering the sky and darkening the land."You might have enjoyed your unchecked power over the populace, but it will no longer happen. Any ill treatment of the people under your rule, and you will be punished."

"Take the knight's belongings and give this young girl coin equal to it." She decreed, dismissing the impromptu court, having dispensed justice.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ei's warning of the lords' treatment towards the smallfolk had left many displeased, but fear kept them silent.

Of course, scaring the nobles into following the laws she would set would only breed resentment in the long term, but she had plans for that as well.

Keeping a balance between her treatment of the nobles and commoners was delicate work.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the third day, her outriders had their first sightings of Harren's host, posing as travelers to not alert the enemy.

The Ironborn were marching steadily to their doom, and it was time to deliver it.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blackwater Bay

Ei gathered her war council, and the mood among the lords was excellent, their previous grumbling over the fate of Ser Tristan all but forgotten.

"Your Excellency, what is our plan?" Darren Dondarrion spoke first, giddy at the thought of finally cleansing the humiliation they had suffered at the hands of the Ironborn three generations ago.

"Their backs are at the Blackwater Rush; they have no place to escape. We should ride them down with the cavalry and the infantry." Lord Symond had a fire burning in his eyes, a somewhat welcome change compared to his previous demeanor.

Prince Argilac snorted. He too would have considered such a rash course of action before, but his daughter had, unknowingly, taught him to use his head more than he was doing anyway. "Six thousand cavalry can't destroy a host of twenty thousand, and if they slow down to match the infantry, then Harren has time to prepare or run away through the empty flanks."

"Indeed, and even if the cavalry rides through the host, they will be the ones stuck between a host and the Blackwater Rush. If the Ironborn decide to take as many as possible down in a final act of spite, then it will be a needless loss of life." The people of the Storm Kingdom had to fight their own wars; otherwise, Ei could have finished the Ironborn long ago.

You can't raise a child by doing everything for them. They have to stumble and fight through life to grow.

"Her Excellency is right; just because we are fated to win does not mean we should waste soldiers, especially knights and cavalry." Corwyn had brought most of his mounted forces, and if the cavalry were crushed, he would be the one to weaken the most.

Ei nodded. After the victory over Vickon's host, Lord Darklyn's attitude had changed. "Well said. Our plan is simple. The infantry and the archers will approach Harren's host from the rear. The infantry will create a line and charge at Harren's host, while the archers keep firing from range. We will split the cavalry into two and flank the Ironborn from each side, and the Ironborn will be surrounded entirely." Boxing the enemy would leave little to no survivors to plague the Riverlands and the Blackwater Bay, and a total victory would go a long way to create a bond between recent additions to her kingdom.

"Your Excellency, I would like to volunteer for the honor of leading one of the cavalry." Tommen Whitehead stepped forward, falling on his knees. He had become a bit of a yes-man after the Battle of Weeping Town, but Ei had set him straight after Stokeworth.

"I am a seasoned rider, Your Excellency; let me lead the other." Edric Fell followed Tommen's example, and the only reason Ei didn't roll her eyes at the dramatics was because she didn't have time for it.

At first it was one by one, but then the court descended into an anarchy, with each lord vying for the glory.

"Enough." Ei silenced the squabbling nobles at once. "Act befitting your station. Lords Grandison and Rogers will lead the cavalry. They have done well against Vickon Greyjoy's host, and I expect them to succeed again." The two lords had proven to be competent commanders, and she had no intention of replacing them with someone untested.

Lords Darian and Eamon slammed their fists on their chests, gracefully and joyfully accepting the command.

"I will be leading the infantry and the Marcher lords once again in the charge of archers." It was only fair for her to lead the men when they would act as the spearhead and face the most casualties.

Her father stood up with Victor in his hand, ready for the fight. "I am coming with you."

"Very well." Ei nodded after thinking for a second. Her father was a mighty warrior, and the safest place in this battle would be next to her. "The remaining lords are to join the cavalry. Ready yourselves."

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The twelve thousand infantry were led by four knights, each commanding a three thousand-strong unit.

Ser Brynden Selmy of Harvest Hall, an honorable knight a head shorter than Prince Argilac. He was known to be fair and well beloved by both smallfolk and nobility. Handsome with black hair and brown eyes, Brynden was what every knight aspired to be.

Ser Daven Wylde of Rain House, serving as the castellan to his brother, commanded the second unit. Unlike his brother, Allard Wylde, Daven was more serious and carried out his tasks meticulously.

Commander of the third unit was Ser Moryn Fell, castellan to Mistwood and the late Lady Mertyns' brother. He was a silent individual who preferred action over words, but his youth was well behind him.

Finally, Ser Aric Trant of Gallowsgrey led the fourth unit, a decorated warrior that had been knighted by her father and a well-accomplished commander in several previous wars.

Each stood at the helm of their unit, ready to follow Queen Argella and Prince Argilac to battle.

At the rear, the Marcher lords readied the archers to rain down arrows on the Ironborn.

Now, all they had to do was wait for the cavalry to take place.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The part of the Blackwater Bay where the battle would take place was mostly flat land, so the west flank cavalry had to take a longer route, while the east flankers would move with the infantry, splitting up to charge from their designated route to box the Ironborn in for total annihilation.

A small hill stood behind the Ironborn, giving the infantry the necessary cover to get as close as possible.

Once the west cavalry was in place, they sent up a rider to inform the infantry, and Ei gave the order.

The infantry charge flags were waved, and Ei spurred her horse forward, her father right next to her at the helm of the infantry, followed by the knights in charge, the twelve thousand well-armed and armored soldiers, and the three thousand strong heavy cavalry, who had split halfway.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watching the infantry with his far-seeing eye, courtesy of the glassmakers Queen Argella had trained, Darian Dondarrion gave the order to charge. "Men, this is the day we expel Ironborn from our lands. Charge!" He screamed, drawing out the word as he raised his lance, and the horse reared up.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ironborn Host

Harren the Black Hoare unfurled his far-seeing eye, looking across the Blackwater Rush in search of the enemy.

He frowned.

There was nothing.

Since they had not encountered the host by now, which meant Harren's plan to split his forces to strike the enemy from two directions had gone to waste, the Storm Queen's army should have been building a bridge, unless Argella Durrandon wanted to risk passing through the fords on the upper river while there was a flood.

He would need to combine his forces with Vickon's and search for the enemy.

The second host should have arrived by now, which was troubling, unless they have been delayed for some reason.

Something was wrong, very wrong in fact.

"My king, what should we do?"

"We set up camp and sent riders to the other side and up the Blackwater Rush to see where they are."

"Yes, my king."

"Raise the shields! Set up a line!" Screams rose from the rear of the host, and Harren turned around to see what was happening.

Only for his gaze to land on the missing Durrandon host charging at them.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ironborn had set up a rushed line for protection, but with their small shields and swords, it wasn't an effective one. Sporadic arrows came down on the charging infantry, but it was drowned by the well-timed waves the Storm Kingdom archers fired.

Caught unprepared, the arrows took many lives, forcing many more to raise their shields or dive for cover, which mostly included the corpses of their comrades, as the land was flat with no natural cover, and they had no time to build defenses.

Ei leaped off her horse, and an electro blade covered the tip of her naginata, extending its reach significantly.

One swing, and the Ironborn line crumbled as electro burned through men with no resistance, leaving only ashes behind.

Leaving the infantry, which soon was supplemented by the cavalry from the flanks, Ei sent a mental order to Kage to watch over Argilac and sought her query.

Harren Hoare.

Who was at the other end of the hose, trying to coordinate his men.

Ei was about to leap, to take the King of the Ironborn as a hostage for future use, before she saw something that shouldn't have been possible.

Fifty or so arrows rained down on the Ironborn from the northwest, definitely not their own, but the impossible part was the purple, charged shot among the arrows.

One that she wasn't responsible for.

The situation had changed, and this battle had to be over now.

Ei disappeared from sight and appeared next to Harren's guards, the shockwave she left behind having carved a path straight through the middle of the Ironborn, turning bones to powder, flesh to paste, and hundreds upon hundreds of men to corpses.

Harren and his guards were thrown off their horses, and Ei killed all except Harren before they even hit the ground.

Locking gazes with the King of the Isles and Rivers, she slammed the end of her naginata on Harren's head as he tried to unsheathe his swords.

Holding him by the ankle, Ei flew up, standing above the battlefield before calling out to the Ironborn. "Your king is captured. Surrender now, or die." Her voice cut through the sound of clashing steel and screaming soldiers on both sides.

Seeing their king defeated so easily, with the sorcerer queen of the Storm Kingdom standing above them as if she were the wrath of a god personified, the Ironborn began to drop their weapons one by one, surrendering in despair.

Her soldiers started cheering, howling with glee, before they started to round up the Ironborn. Landing, Ei threw Harren to the waiting hands of two knights, frowning as she gazed towards where the electrocharged shot had come from.

She would investigate, but now, the Ironborn prisoners had to be secured.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of the twenty thousand, only half had survived, most killed when the cavalry had slammed into the flanks, clustering the Ironborn further together, and Ei had caused a deadly shockwave, stopping just shy of killing Harren.

Her soldiers had begun to restrain the prisoners, using whatever materials they had on hand, as well as raiding the Ironborn supplies.

Harren was still out of it.

Ei, however, was still fixated on who or what had fired that electrocharged shot and was waiting for the situation to be under control before seeking the source.

Something tingled her senses, and Ei turned to face it, squinting her eyes to make sure, even though it was a completely unnecessary gesture.

She had only done it because what she saw was impossible.

"What in the seven hells is that?!" "A flying man?" "Gods preserve us, first the Queen is a sorcerer, now men are flying."

Ei didn't even hear the comments.

"Do you know what that is about?" Her father asked, watching as the winged man flew towards them on black wings, just as dumbfounded as everyone, including the prisoners.

Her answer only made the situation more confusing. "Someone who should have been dead."

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes: After a suggestion, I have decided to increase the word count to 2.5k per chapter, though there might be delays if Lady Muse does not stay long enough.

As for the cliffhanger, which I know you all hate, and yes, I am evil.




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the next chapter:
"It appears that killing the Heavenly Principles had thrown the laws of Teyvat into chaos or uprooted them entirely." In all honesty, Ei had not considered what would happen once the Heavenly Principles were dead or that they would somehow succeed at the insurmountable task.

"Yes, there was an enormous rift high in the sky, where people said the battle took place." It was as if the sky itself was wounded, constantly throwing out random items that did not originate in Teyvat, and sometimes people, while oozing out a dangerous black aura like it was bleeding.

Yet that did not explain everything. "Let us say I believe you; even if your memories somehow coagulated and were extracted from the ley lines, that does not explain how exactly you're alive."




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 12 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 12 chapters ahead

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 12 chapters ahead.

and Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 12 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.

Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blackwater Bay

Ironborn Camp

7 BAC

Argilac approached the figure as she—for it was clearly a woman, one of rare beauty, in fact—landed before Argella, three pairs of wings she used to fly suddenly disappearing.

With long brown hair and black eyes and a sharp face, she was dressed in overlapping golden plate armor on her shoulders and a cuirass of the same color, held together by a blue sash. Under the armor, she wore a white, long-sleeved robe and blue trousers with white patterns.

Her boots? Argilac wasn't sure what they were, but they were wooden with a tooth in the middle and no cover on the top, leaving her socks bare for all to see.

"Hello, Ei." The woman bowed deeply, and Argilac was assured she wasn't from this world, for only he and Lucan knew Argella's divine nature and her name in Teyvat.

Ei pointed her naginata at what must surely be an impostor, no matter what her senses told her. "This is impossible."

"Who is she?" Argilac whispered, taken aback by his daughter's hostility.

"Sasayuri, my general, and more importantly, a friend." Argella explained, her voice wavering at the end.

"Why is it impossible for her to be here?" Argella did not speak of her life in Teyvat much, but Argilac could feel this was important.

"Because she died centuries ago." Argilac's eyes widened. So another dead, reborn in this world?

"I can explain that." Sasayuri offered, still standing there unbothered by the weapon pointed at her.

I would, at the least, hear her out. "I am listening."

Sasayuri, or the thing posing as her, Ei did not know, began to explain her circumstances.

Apparently, when she woke up, all of Teyvat was out of control. Visions did not work; the elemental reactions behaved weirdly, sometimes not reacting at all, other times resulting in more violent results. The dead walked the land, there were places where people fell into time loops, and the less said about the ley lines, the better.

The fake sky over Teyvat was gone, leaving behind the visages of shattered moons, and even the relative distance between sky and land was warped.

By Sasayuri's accounts, she could not cover any distance no matter how high she flew, only staying a couple of feet above the land or finding herself too high in the sky in a matter of seconds.

"It appears that killing the Heavenly Principles had thrown the laws of Teyvat into chaos or uprooted them entirely." In all honesty, Ei had not considered what would happen once the Heavenly Principles were dead or that they would somehow succeed at the insurmountable task.

"Yes, there was an enormous rift high in the sky, where people said the battle took place." It was as if the sky itself was wounded, constantly throwing out random items that did not originate in Teyvat, and sometimes people, while oozing out a dangerous black aura like it was bleeding.

Yet that did not explain everything. "Let us say I believe you; even if your memories somehow coagulated and were extracted from the ley lines, that does not explain how exactly you're alive."

Sasayuri shrugged. "Honestly, I'm just as confused as you are about that. But life itself has been acting strangely; it could be related to it."

"Acting weird? How?" Since all other domains of the Shades were in chaos, life should not be any different.

"Well, I saw some animals fused together and corpses coming to life, while young and healthy people just withered to dust." Sasayuri had yet to see something as disturbing as watching a man turn to dust in front of her eyes.

Ei lowered her naginata, thinking of something only Sasayuri would know, and removed her hair ornament. "The Kikyou flower. Who gave it to me?"

Sasayuri smiled. It was a trick question. "You never said, but we all thought it must have been left by your sister, Makoto."

Her naginata disappeared, and Ei took a step forward, tears in her eyes for the first time in centuries.

"It is you."

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Their reunion was teary, leaving the army confused.

Who was that woman? What was she? How did the queen know her? These questions went unanswered as Queen Argella and the mysterious woman left, with the queen putting Prince Argilac in charge.

"My prince, forgive my words, but when I say this, I speak for everyone. What in the name of the Seven is happening?" Garrin approached Argilac. He, just like everyone surrounding the queen and the newcomer, had heard of the conversation before the two hugged and left for a place with fewer eyes.

They understood the words, at least most of them, but without knowing what it was about, they were all left floundering and scared.

Argilac gave out a weary sigh. Things were getting too weird, too fast. "I am as much in the dark as you are."

"What shall we do now? Soldiers are restless." If Argilac didn't know, then the only person who could explain was the queen herself.

Garrin would rather let curiosity eat him from inside.

"We just defeated the Ironborn and have Harren and his heir as hostages. They have nothing to complain about." Argilac snorted. Even with what had just happened, the soldiers should be celebrating the victory.

"Yes, my prince."

"Any sighting of Harren's second son?" Argilac didn't remember his name, but with his heir already in chains, taking Harren's second son as hostage would just be the honey on top of a cake.

"No, it appears he has already been caught by the Shadow Archers." They had already interrogated several Ironborn to find Prince Hasper, but they all had said the same thing.

"Which only leaves his two young sons."

"One is eleven winters, and the other, ten, if I recall correctly, and they most likely stayed back at Harrenhal." Even Harren wasn't stupid enough to bring boys to a war.

"Matters not. Have the prisoners ready to march; the sooner we take Harrenhal, the sooner this war is over. In addition, send riders to the Riverlords, let them know of Harren's defeat, and that Queen Argella wishes for them to come swear fealty." The former Storm King grinned. He would have loved to be the one to do all of this and bring Harren to his knees, but he would take what he could get.

"At once."

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After traveling the land in search of answers, Sasayuri had soon learned that the rift in the sky had appeared after the Heavenly Principles had been destroyed, creating a tear in reality that acted as a portal to other worlds, according to what the Anemo Archon had claimed.

Once Teyvat began to stabilize, Sasayuri's revival had become a problem, and the world itself began to reject her. Glitching like a broken machine, for the lack of a better word, the Tengu General began to fade like a ghost one day, and as the world around her broke down, she found herself in a snowland.

She was sure it wasn't anywhere in Teyvat.

"Why didn't you come for me at once?" If Ei had any inkling the archer was Sasayuri, or anyone else from Teyvat, she would have rushed to find them.

"I actually found myself beyond the Kingdom of the North, among the people who named themselves the Free Folk." In those frigid lands it had taken her too long to understand anything with the persistent language barrier, but she was a fast learner and eventually had solved that problem.

Beyond the Wall? That certainly was intriguing. "Have you seen anything unnatural on these lands?"

It was obvious that the frigid cold in those lands was not normal, but Sasayuri was too weary, hungry, and weak to bother searching. "Hmm, the only thing that comes to mind is the giants, nothing else."

So the giants were real, and not just myths. She wondered what else shared the same fate, but Ei had more important matters to worry for now. "What happened after that?"

"I steadily made my way beyond the Wall to get a sense of where I was, and after leaving North, I heard rumors about the purple-haired princess of the Storm Kingdom and the storm that heralded her birth while passing through Riverlands. I intended to come to see if it was you, but on the way I witnessed the Ironborn raiding and raping a village and intervened." The Tengu General explained.

Sasayuri continued her tale of how grateful the survivors were, but the Ironborn would be back and, as retaliation, would put everyone in the village to the sword. Unable to abandon those desperate people, Sasayuri escorted them away from the village, hiding them in a system of caves on the border with the Westerlands.

That village wasn't the last settlement she rescued, and over time, a small group of commoners and nobles flocked to her to strike back at the Ironborn from the shadows, with Sasayuri as their leader.

"Once I heard how a storm had completely destroyed the Stepstones and that one of the islands was gone, I knew it was you, and that you would eventually come for the Ironborn. So I stayed here, weakening the Ironborn and gathering intelligence on the state of the land for you." While it had delayed their reunion, Sasayuri was a general and did not have the heart to leave the people who put their trust, and lives, in her hands.

"Thank you." Ei smiled with soft eyes. She swirled her glass, a thought crossing her mind, and a sliver of hope crossing to her heart. "Chiyo and Saiguu, have you seen either of them?"

Sasayuri shook her head. "I have searched for them back at Teyvat but saw no sign of either."

"I see." She still had one friend back and wouldn't keep her hopes up.

No one was that fortunate.

Finishing the wine, Sasayuri rose from her seat. "I need to go and inform my men of the situation."

"Bring them here, and if they are willing, I am ready to integrate them into my army." Any ragtag group of archers trained by Sasayuri were bound to be excellent soldiers.

"With me here, they will be."

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The queen had returned by herself, with her winged companion nowhere in sight.

"The Shadow Archers will be joining us very shortly. Tell the soldiers they are to be welcomed as brothers in arms."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"Have the prisoners been restrained?"

"Yes, they are well secured, and we have separated the Ironborn nobles to discourage any escape attempts."

"Good, tomorrow, we march to Harrenhal and end the Ironborn yoke on the Riverlands."

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her tent had been set up, and Ei gathered the nobles while Harren was brought in, followed by his heir, Harwyn, and Sasayuri had brought Hasper along with the Shadow Archer.

Three Hoares were forced on their knees and averted their eyes from the hollering Storm Kingdom nobles.

A deliberate cough from Ei silenced them, and all eyes fell on her.

"With your army defeated and your heir and second son in our hands, the Ironborn control over the Riverlands is at its end."

"May the Drowned God take you, you sorcerer bitch." Harren spat out, as the fight hadn't left him yet. Ei released a sliver of her power, directed at the King of the Ironborn, who went pale and began to shake like a leaf in a storm.

He leaned close to the choking man while his sons were out cold. "Don't worry, I will kill your god next, if it is real."

So far she had only seen proof of the existence of the Old Gods and nothing about the Drowned God or the Seven.

"Take them away." Three knights came in and dragged the Hoares out of the tent.

"Victory is ours. In celebration, three-quarters of the loot is to be distributed to the soldiers depending on their contribution and the risk they took. The Crown relinquishes its part of the loot, except what the soldiers will take, and the lords are granted the remaining quarter, to be divided according to the number of soldiers and supplies they had brought."

"Your Excellency, not to question your wisdom, but what will the men do with that much coin?" Usually, the Crown and the lords would share the loot between them, leaving little to nothing for the army, except for the wages they had to pay.

"Spend it once they are back home, and over time, it will return to you as taxes, while keeping your subjects happy and content." Silver and gold resting in coffers wasn't wealth but just the result of a hoarder mentality.

"Oh." Torran had not considered it that way, but it made sense.

"Now, what are our losses?" They did not outnumber Harren's host, as they had Vickon Greyjoy and his men, so losses were expected to be higher.

"We have less than a thousand wounded, Your Excellency. It would have been higher, but the…." Robert stopped, thinking about how to explain what the queen had done. "The destruction you sowed and the early surrender of the Ironborn had lowered it significantly." Eventually choosing to settle for the word destruction.

What else was he supposed to say?

"As for the dead, around five hundred, mostly infantry."

"Same treatment for our deceased and wounded as the last time. We need to start the march to Harrenhal immediately."

"As you order, Your Excellency, but with the prisoners, it will take a moon's turn to reach there." Lord Ian Tarth had read enough maps to make the calculations in his mind.

Ei waved her hand. "Not an issue. It will give the Riverlords time to join us."

A knight barged through the tent's entrance, quickly kneeling. "Forgive me, Your Excellency, but we heard some of the Ironborn leering about how an Ironborn fleet was sailing to raid Weeping Town and should reach there soon."

"What?!" Tommen cried out. They were too far away, even with ships, and he had taken most of his men with him to war.

His home was defenseless.

Tommen turned to beg Queen Argella to do something, but she simply raised her hand. "Calm down, Lord Tommen." The queen rose from her seat with the dignity and grace she was known for, and the painting standing on the back of the tent floated after her.

The nobles quickly followed her, wondering what she had in mind and for the chance to see another act of magic, though none would admit the last part.

From the painting, which included a solitary-looking island, a monster sprang forth.

With the head of a dragon and the body of a serpent, it was as purple as the lightning the queen commanded and was long, just half as short as Balerion, the famed Targaryen dragon he had seen years ago on Essos.

Coiling like a snake, it bowed its enormous head, awaiting orders.

"Go to the Weeping Town, destroy the Ironborn, and bring me their leader, alive."

The creature raised its head, and even as high as it was, the roar shook the land and sent dust everywhere before it kept rising and, fast as lightning, flew southeast to Weeping Town, and the air behind it collapsed, crackling like a whip in their faces.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the next chapter:

It was the morning of the second day; the host started to march when the Thunder Dragon returned, with a prisoner in its claw. Nobles and soldiers gathered around her as the dragon soared to her and dropped the Ironborn.

"Your name?"

The Ironborn was terrified and looked around wildly, too far gone to hear Ei.

"I know him; that's Qhorin Volmark. He shares blood with Harren." Lord Corwyn had the displeasure of having Qhorin's ship dock at Duskendale once and had quickly banished the Ironborn.

"Another highborn prisoner. Put him with the rest, and be ready to leave. Sasayuri, with me."



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.


Notes: As I said, the storm wasn't going to bring anyone else to Westeros. I did not promise the same for other means.