One Positive Change at a Time (ASOIAF: Viserys SI) Dead.

[Flightless Man]

My computer finally died will be a few days before I get a new one and have a word doc installed.

 

[swampy]

My computer finally died will be a few days before I get a new one and have a word doc installed.

Click to shrink...

ouch.

 

[ATP]

Renly would be king,and Shireen is here,too.Rhaenys half-saved,Volantis taken,Tywin must be proud of Viserys.Good chapters
Computer - deep ones get it.Or maybe Cersei ?

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 33: Something Fishy
Aegon Ashtar
​

The waters around the island of Tarth are as crystal blue as they say, with calm sapphire waves around it meeting the angry black water of Shipbreaker Bay. A nearly solid line separates the different parts of the sea, like a barrier created by the Storm God of old to keep his lands safe from trespassers.

"Viserys told your brother that the waters don't mix," Brienne jumps after I break the awkward silence we've endured for the last hour on the deck of the 'Summerhull'. "Because the water weighs different amounts?" That doesn't make any sense, water all weighs the same.... doesn't it?

"Your uncle said the black water was denser." The water is stupid? "So it goes under the lighter blue waves around Tarth."

"Oh... you mean like bread." My answer brings a smiling nod from Brienne.

Nodding at her words, I scan the shore for the cave Shireen is supposed to be waiting in. I really don't need to bother though, since Brienne has us sailing right for the only section of shoreline with any cliffs.

"Is that smoke?" Straining my eyes, I point out a thin column of smoke rising into the air. Between the water and the hills, a steady stream of thin grey marks our destination with a glow of orange at the base.

"Yes and the lookout spotted it a while ago," Snorts Brienne as she waves to the man up in the dragon's nest. "It's why the ship turned a bit ago." Now her expression turns teasing under her straw yellow hair. "And you would know that if you had been paying attention." I have been... just to you.

When we get close enough to shore that I can make out a lone figure, I perk up. Sitting on a log beside the beside the small campfire is a small person. Not big enough for a full grown person... but what's that beside her on the sand?

"That must be Shireen!" My excited call only gets another chuckle from my warrior friend.

Renly must have gathered her firewood... before he swam across the bay. It took several hours for us to sail here, How did the Lord of Storm's End manage such a feat?

Brienne and I climb into one of the rowboats with a pair of sailors to row and get lowered to the clear blue water by the rest of the crew. The girl on the beach is waving as we approach but doesn't leave the warmth her fire provides. She must be starving by now.

When the boat runs aground, I turn to the sailors with a grateful smile. "Can you three wait here? I need to find out what kind of sickness she has first." The pair of men agree quickly, remembering the Greyscale infection like it was yesterday.

"Lord Renly bade me protect Shireen." Of course Brienne isn't satisfied and brushes past me on her way towards the young princess. "I will join her if she must be isolated."

"That isn't Uncle Renly." The slightly taller than six foot blonde Brienne approaches the guilt ridden Shireen.

Trying not to let the hurt at being ignored show on my face, I examine the green tinge to my cousin's skin. "Shireen... are you feeling okay?"

"Oh. You noticed already." With a wince she reaches up to stroke a cheek. "It was part of the deal." Well that sounds ominous.

"What kind of deal?" And with who was it made?

"I can't go home yet." Shireen explains with firm words. "I need to go see Uncle Jaime."

Realizing what that means as soon as I do, Brienne tries to reason with the princess. "But he's in the Iron Islands. I can keep you safe if Pentos tries to get you again."

"Pentos?" The frown of confusion on Shireen's face makes me frown in understanding. "Why do you think they tried to hurt me?"

"Because that's what Queen Cersei said." Brienne's answer is delivered flat and with no longer concealed worry.

"She's lying." Answers Shireen and it shakes me. "My mother was going to kill me."

The words are hard to really comprehend and leave my voice shaken. "But Cersei is your mother, why would she want to hurt you?" She took Ellyssa with her to King's Landing!

"She wanted to hatch the dragon eggs and needed sacrifices." Explains the princess and I finally realize the green patches of skin are covered in fish like scales.

Her fingers are webbed too. What kind of deal did she make?

"I have to help Uncle Jaime do something," Continues Shireen, her voice nearly a whisper now. "Once I do... they'll give Uncle Renly back and leave us alone."

"Who will?" Brienne asks with her own voice as quiet as the princess'.

"I can't tell anyone." Shaking her head firmly, Shireen points behind her. "But I really need you to take Proudfin and I, to Uncle Jaime. Please."

How can I say no to a face like that? "Alright."

"Not you." Shireen argues again for some reason only she knows. "They won't like it if you come."

"I can look after her and keep the princess safe," Promises Brienne while my mouth goes dry at the sight of the sea dragon. "But Arianne is back with the imposter. No one in the castle knows."

Her reminder shakes me out of my stupor and I tear my eyes away from the indigo scaled stingray looking creature the size of a goat. "Qyle!"

Cersei left Renly and Arianne's youngest child behind... Both he and his mother will be helpless if 'Renly' tries anything!

"You want our help going across Westeros, right after you tell us your Mother is the one behind everything!" I shout back at her and agitate the dark blue creature resting among a pile of shed skin.

It slithers between me and the girls with a defensive hiss and rears up like a Dornish cobra. I will never admit which one of us let out a panicked shriek when it brings itself up to chest height, wrapping it's tail around Shireen's ankle.

"Calm down Aegon," Brienne warns me as she reaches for her sword's hilt at her waist. "And start walking backwards."

"Be nice to Aegon and Brienne Proudfin, they're my friends." Interrupts Shireen with stern words directed to the newly hatched sea dragon. "We don't hiss at our friends."

Blinking at her complete lack of fear towards the dragon, I finally notice it's underside is several shades lighter than it's back which is nearly as dark as the waters of Shipbreaker Bay. "Or bite them." Those fangs are thin but it has a mouth filled with dozens of those needles.

"Once I'm finished, Brienne can bring me home." Shireen explains with no doubt on her face leaving me filled with enough for all three of us.

"And I'm supposed to keep an eye on Not Renly?" I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to do anything. He looks exactly like the Lord Paramount.

I get a nod from a grim Shireen, even more of the green scales visible along each side of her neck. "Bring Arianne and Qyle to Summerhall and he'll leave you alone for a while."

"What happened to you?" My frown deepens as I see her toes are also webbed like her fingers. "Who did you make a deal with?"

Shaking her head guiltily from side to side, Shireen strokes 'Proudfin'. "I can't tell you. If I do, they won't give Uncle Renly back."

"What do they want you to do?" Brienne tries a different approach and kneels down in front of the girl. "And you aren't going alone. I'm going with you."

It takes a few moments for Shireen to consider the request but she eventually gives a careful nod. "They never said anything about you. I think it's okay if you come with me."

"It wasn't a question Princess." Counters Brienne with a firm look of her own.

"The dragon Orys has looks different." And a whole lot smaller. "What happened to this one?"

"Proudfin hatched like this." Shireen defends her companion with a glare directed at me. "Orys is the one with the weird looking dragon. My girl is perfect."

I'm not going to argue when she's the one with a dragon and I find I'm not actually bothered she hatched one of the eggs originally meant for me. A dragon would just take me even farther from the life I want... and it's already going to be a challenge getting Brienne to notice me.

"She is gorgeous..." I try to appease the hissing dragon to only moderate success. "Can she fly?"

"Not really." Admits my cousin with a giggle. "She can glide pretty far when she leaps out of the water though."




Notes: I got my computer and thought I had everything installed. Tried to write yesterday and spent 4 hours with my new computer constantly trying to make me download microsoft office instead. Spent another couple hours failing today before my fiance fixed it with three clicks. So I'm actually sorry this didn't come out yesterday.​

 

[ATP]

Mermens are making deals with deep ones ?
Shireen is mermaid now,what about real Renly? Would Brienne become one,too? Aegon would not mind !

 

[Flightless Man]

Mermens are making deals with deep ones ?
Shireen is mermaid now,what about real Renly? Would Brienne become one,too? Aegon would not mind !

Click to shrink...

I told you a mer-girl was on her way.

Patchface said he was taking Renly's place.

Brienne will kind of be the Bronn to Shireen's Tyrion.

He might. He really believes in the Seven.

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 34: Build-a-Boat
Theon Greyjoy
​

By my second week in Hardhome, I've stopped expecting someone to call me out on being a member of the Watch. Once I saw how ramshackle the boats the wildlings managed to cobble together really are, it was clear I had an easy path to privilege once more.

Ygritte's tent that I now share with her, has been moved only a few down from the King beyond the Wall himself. Only the towering red head Tormund, the Weeper, and Rattleshirt, are between me and Mance Rayder. Well... and Jenn.

But she's sharing a tent with Mance's good sister for now, or whatever that blonde Val is actually called in relation to Mance up here. I took Ygritte like a salt wife but it's been recognized by everyone as all that matters. Does that make 'Long Spear' Ryk my good brother?

Proving my guidance can get new 'short' ships made in nearly half the time was all it took for myself and my woman to be seen as vital. With far more stability that the ones already making up the fleet, the next batch should actually avoid being an eyesore.

Coating the logs in boiled sap is the worst part of the whole process and I'm very happy I can order others to take care of the task. With a glance at the bronze cauldron stolen from the Thenns, I frown at how much we have left.

"We barely have enough pitch left to finish this one," Snarling at the pair stirring the amber substance, I whistle for the rest of the crew to listen. "Finish splitting the logs in half and coating them, I'm going to make sure Mance has people getting more." If he doesn't, we're pretty much shit out of luck on getting all these people across the sea in one trip.

Well I stomp off in search of the 'King', It's hard not to notice the yellow dragon in the middle of the town. Hardhome may not compare to even one of the settlements in the Riverlands. But the Iron Islands and Gift, they really are only a half step above how the wildlings live.

The giant Wun-Wun who was so excited to meet Ed, and who I've since learned is the last of the vegetarian ones that crossed the Frostfangs, is helping the princess apply more of Mother Mole's foul smelling paste to the torn wing. It smells worse than the fish guts and latrines combined and yet the bright yellow beast seems to love it. They spend more time reapplying what he licks off.

When I see a crowd heading towards them, I grumble and change direction. With a finger firmly holding my nose closed, I march towards the approaching Mance.

"Please tell me you already have people getting more pitch!" Before anyone else can distract me with whatever they think is more important, my voice echoes over the snow towards the only other person here who knows almost exactly what I'm going through. "And that you're going to find me less clumsy workers."

We've already wasted four cauldrons this week and I don't want to see the burns they can cause up close ever again. It melted right down to the bone and took hours to get the image from my mind.

"Do you and Ygritte ever actually talk?" Not missing a beat, Mance swaggers towards me with a cocky smile. Thankfully up wind of the paste.

Beside him with a grin, Tormund bellows out my prowess for everyone to hear. "Are you kidding" They're still in the grunt and moan stage." Now his grin shifts into a snarl directed at me specifically. "Keep me up every gods damned night."

Rolling his eyes at the byplay, Mance decides to interrupt before the Giantsbane really gets going. "She can still listen to you. So you need to either do your half better or multitask."

"She went out with a party this morning," Grunts Tormund with a belch. "To check the pine trees you had us stab. Still don't know how it'll be enough." He gives me a hard look and steps right into my face. "You best not be thinking you can make our boats sink. We're riding with you across the sea."

I wasn't... but that really would have been a good idea. "It will only be enough to do a few boats, but Mance doesn't want anyone raiding the Watch. We're supposed to be making them think we're nearly all wiped out."

"We can't leave unless we get more?" Chimes in Jennelyn with guilt filled blue eyes.

"Can't take everyone with the number of ships we have." Maybe one in ten will get away if we leave now. "And it's not just the pitch, we're going to need pretty much everything soon." Braavos is already having a hard time getting us supplies in secret, so we may need to start raiding Eastwatch.

"I can get us what we need. I just have to go home and ask my mother." The princess swallows her pride and looks Mance right in the eye. "She wanted to run away to Essos when she was my age. I'll just tell her I'm taking the Free Folk with me."

Mance shakes his head and laughs. "And let you tell her exactly where we all are? Are you that eager to take over?."

"The girl wants you dead Mance, she's never claimed she's going to steal my kingdom." Counters the hunched form of Mother Mole once she finishes getting the wing patched for today. "You may have gotten all of us here, but these two have proven they can do more than just gather us for harvest."

She's an old woman with a face weathered brown like leather from years of exposure to the harsh wind. For a woman as ancient as she is, I'm amazed at how many teeth Mother Mole still has.

Barely five foot tall, she slams her gnarled walking staff down hard on Tormund's foot. "You had your chance and we're all still here. Let the girl have her try."

Annoyed at how easily I've already been dismissed by Mance and his fellows, I join the Princesses defence with a snarl. "Either we start raiding Eastwatch, we ask the Lady of Skagos for help..." My sharp words cut through the griping and all eyes shift my way. "Or we leave nine out of ten people to their fates."

"Starks have never let us cross the Wall. Why would your Ma be any different?" Dalla asks carefully, doing her best to defuse the growing tension between Mance and Jenn.

"Because she's only living on that frozen rock to hide our dragons." Admits an awkwardly shrugging Jenn. "If she knows where I'm going, she can finally do what she wants. Her childhood friend Dacey keeps inviting her to visit Bear Island, now she can finally go."

"Bear island's really not very much warmer." Snorts the old woman who can still remember raiding both islands. "Has less wind off the sea, but Skagos has hot caves like we have here."

The sounds that echo from the smooth tunnels boring down into the earth are enough to get every single hair on my body to stand straight up. It sounds like a woman being torn apart each night, but no one has ever been reported missing in the morning.

"What makes the caves scream anyway? No one will tell me." I've heard the reports that the Watch collected on the horrors they found centuries ago. Bloated bodies filled the bay and ash rained down on the Wall for six months.

It's not even an exaggeration. I've seen the nearly half inch thick layer of grey ice, all of it buried under a few hundred years worth of icy buildup.

"Cause nobody is stupid enough to find out." Chuckles the towering redhead. "People who go in... they don't come back out again."

"The Crab People send the old inside when the winter winds start to blow." With a grave voice, Mother Mole corrects the idea of 'no one' ever going inside.

"And they don't expect to see them ever again, do they?" Asks Tormund, scowling his own father going off on a last hunt during a particularly harsh winter over a decade ago.

Undeterred, she smirks right back at him as she counters with the obvious. "Keeps the screams quiet until spring, doesn't it?"

"Shouldn't Jenn just bring you with her?" Realizing no one else has mentioned the obvious, I speak up with a frown creasing my brow. "Let the King and Princess handle the negotiations together." It would void the dragon having to carry messages back and forth before anything gets decided on.




Notes: No excuse, was just hard getting back into daily updates. Sorry.​

 

[swampy]

Notes: No excuse, was just hard getting back into daily updates. Sorry.

Click to shrink...

Don't sweat it, work at your own pace.

 

[Flightless Man]

Don't sweat it, work at your own pace.

Click to shrink...

Thanks, I think I can finally start doing them once a day now. I'm hoping to have another out tommorow.

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 35: Back Where It Began
Duncan Selmy
​

When the sun starts to come up in the East, Meera finally realizes how high up we are and stiffens in the saddle barely big enough the two of us.

Really going to need a new one once we reach Starfall, or I don't think I'll be flying her back. Not unless she gets a lot more friendly that is.

It's been an awkward eleven nights of travel with her barely responding to anything I say. Although I haven't been very talkative either, so maybe I should try and calm down Bella's friend. I've only dared to fly from dawn to dusk, with us using the day to sleep.

Or should I say that I do. Meera has been getting enough sleep in the saddle, she manages to have something fresh to eat by the time I'm awake.

She's always managed to find meat for Rhella, but not always enough for us. Half the time we've had to make do with a tasty berry mash she mixes with some oats and honey.

Deciding to try and settle her nerves, I don't ask her why Bella never took her this high before. "Why are you so tense? Has Bella dropped someone before?" Doesn't mean I'm above teasing my fellow bastard.

"No!" She cringes and turns back to reveal her milk white face. "Have you?"

I could keep teasing her but know that would only be cruel at this point. "No and I promise not to start with you." Realizing we should land soon, I try to give her some control over the situation. "Do you see anywhere we can rest for the day?"

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Meera Reed carefully peers back down at the ground. She's silent and completely tense as she looks for anything that meets her high standard for approval.

"I can't see any green. Are we already in Dorne?" I can hear the frown in her voice and let a smile grow on my own face.

"We reached the Red Mountains about an hour ago." My words have her sag ever so slightly in relief. "Should only be another day or two before we arrive."

"And you're sure your parents will just accept you back with open arms?" She asks the same thing I've been dreading to really consider and I have nowhere to run while she keeps looking for a place to camp. "You did kind of bail on the whole family. What if they mad your brother the heir?"

"I hope they did," I admit with a guilt ridden sigh. "I don't really think I'll be staying around in Westeros for too long."

I get an elbow in the ribs when Meera tries to point at the spot she's chosen. "Jojen said our destiny was in the South. So what's below Dorne?"

"South of the Neck is still most of Essos." Groaning back at her, I use my knees to signal to Rhella.

My dragon's scarlet wings beat with exhaustion as we descend towards the cliffs of red sandstone. Holding in a yawn of my own, I jerk backwards in surprise when she opens up a little bit.

"I'm worried about Jojen." Her voice is shaking ever so slightly and I almost freeze up. "I know Bella and Berta will look after him, but I haven't left him alone since he got sick." That really hits close to home and unconsciously tighten my one armed grip on her. "What if something happens to him?"

"We can send a raven once we reach Starfall," My offer gets a quick fervent nod from Meera, bringing a half smile to my lips. "Though it will take almost a month to get a response all the way from Skagos." Unless Bella told them where I was going, then one might show up only a few days after we do.

The cliff we end up landing on is high enough above the mountain pass, that we should avoid any casual watchers. The shimmering over the sand has just begun, showing today will be a hot one.

Sliding down the crimson scales, Meera gives the dusty ground a very flirtatious look. "... Rhellagar is a lot better trained than Roberta." She finally admits with a wince at what must feel like taking my side over Bella's. "Why does she listen so much better?"

"Animals have always responded to how I feel." I give her a shrug as I fish out the water skin and hand it to her before taking my own drink. "I used to have a whole pack of coyotes following me and Sandor around the Riverlands."

I've tried not to think of that last day with them, but now the memory brushes against my mind furiously. "They saved us so many times... them and the Holy Hundred are the only reason we made it into the North."

She understands what I really mean and doesn't press for anymore details. Passing me back the water with a look of sympathy, Meera starts to help me get Rhella's saddle off so she can finally relax.

"You don't seem to be an idiot." Are the words Meera finally utters after watching me work. "So why does Jojen think I need to be down here with you? It can't just be to hunt for you and Rhella."

"Probably wanted to live his own life," I offer awkwardly. "It sounds like you've been looking after him nearly forever. I think Jojen just wants to find out who he can be without you."

The hard look she gives me nearly peels a layer of skin off with how acidic it is. "I believed you about the coyotes. So please believe me when I say my brother sees things that haven't happened yet."

Her voice is firm and I sense no attempt at deception in her green eyes. "If he says he saw me in the South..." "It's for a reason."

"Did Bella ever tell you who I really am?" Compared to having dragons, my parentage isn't really that big of a deal.

I can't blame Bella for letting slip that I was Rhaella's grandson. She was bitter about being King Robert's secret bastard. Why would she keep my heritage a secret?

Meera shakes he head and gives me a strange look I can't really place. "... She never really talked about you at all. I thought she travelled with Dundor and Sancon, glad you didn't end up having such a stupid name."

"My mother wanted to call me Rhark." Her eyes go wide in shock and her knotted hair shakes with her attempt to hold in laughter. "But Lady Ashara made sure to correct that... thankfully before I was presented publicly in Storm's End."

Once I admit that, the peel of laughter spills out of Meera, her light brown hair shaking in the sunlight that has finally reached us. "So who are you really the son of?"

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" For some reason I can't quite understand, I know I can trust her with the knowledge.

She's quick to swear herself to silence and I'm relieved to finally get this off my chest. "Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen are my birth parents." I'm very careful not to say real, because Lyanna has never become more than an aunt to me. "I could technically lay claim to five different bastard names, but my parents told me I never have give up the Selmy one." I'm their son.

Ashara and Barristan Selmy. They are the ones who have been my parents by choice since the day I was born. Rhaegar would have if he was given the chance, but fate had other plans in store.

"You know..." A flash of teasing is in Meera's eyes and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight. "The bastard children of Rhaegar and Robert would make a pretty poetic pairing. You'd have a pretty strong claim for the throne, or at least demand a lordship of your own."

When I frown at her words, Meera just snorts at my doubt. "You would have two dragons and the blood of just as many different kings between you. Three if you count the Stark blood."

"I'd have to reveal my mother's shame to the Realm." I've considered it and come to the same conclusion every time. "I only ever wanted to know who I was and I found out." Not while she lives. "I'm happy being a Selmy now."

"Uh..." Her voice comes out in a worried gasp and I look up to find us surrounded by scores of yellow eyes. "You might want to wake the dragon back up."

Panic starts to set in for a full five seconds before I let out a teary laugh. "It's alright Meera, these are my friends." A ragged old coyote with a single white eye emerges from the shadows and I drop to my knees in relief. "This is White-Eyes." Better start dropping the S now.
​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 36: The Dragon Knight And The Darkstar
Daemon Blackfyre
​

Khal Drogo's entire force of forty thousand once assembled, has finally made it's push to cross the river. Each bridge acts as a funnel but one with far more going in than it was designed to handle.

I've been forced to recruit anyone willing to fight for our homes and shove a spear in their hand. We might slightly outnumber them now, but it will only buy us more time.

The Rhoyne is so wide, you can barely see the far side of the river. Already I've had the villages emptied and each wooden house turned into a boat.

It's a lot easier to move a city of boats. If the soldiers and I can manage to hold the Dothraki back long enough, we can all migrate south and join Rhaenys at Dagger Lake.

We dammed the entire Dothraki Sea and the horse lords are finally spilling over into the western side of Essos. Six hosts separate and charge the bridges in a swarm, with a rain of arrows almost making the defenders below me break and flee.

"Let's go Que." My words are surprisingly calm despite how much rests on us performing our part perfectly. "Middle bridge is falling back on schedule, let's light up the supports!"

My dark green dragon roars in excitement and drops out of the clouds like an arrow. It's not until our shadow covers the warriors on the wooden bridge that they look up. Three days of staying in the clouds finally paid off.

Jade fire spits from Queraxes' maw and ignites the very bridge being fought upon. We start on the East side and work our way across the bridge with a steady stream of flame. Forced to charge ahead of the flames or fall into the river, the Dothraki are soon surrounded once this group is alone on our side.

"Good job." Stroking the back of his neck with vigorous encouragement, I try to motivate him that little bit extra. "If you can do that four more times, I'll keep pretending I have no idea who's been eating all the sheep."

My dragon is smart enough to know he can only do so when at least one of his siblings is around. He also knows to actually leave bits of his kill near his sleeping siblings as some kind of treat... or maybe bait. Almost five years before he was caught being all sneaky by the shepherd's daughter.

Queraxes responds instantly and races toward the next bridge, his wing tips just skimming the surface of the murky brown water with each flap. Cheers from the archers I have waiting on each side of the bridges follow us in a cacophony.

My plan works three more times to perfection but the last bridge made of wood has nearly been overrun by the time we reach it. Only a few hundred paces from the shore, I'm unable to roast more than half of the Dothraki or risk friendly fire. I've seen enough of that to last me a lifetime.

When we arrive at the stone bridge, it's already to late to stop the horde from crossing. A third of the Khalasar charged the largest of the six, with my people on the far side already being slaughtered.

"Let's turn up the heat." My command is grim and I hope the tales of melting stone are not only a legend. "Dracarys!"

Emerald fire streaks out and crashes into the charging Dothraki, not even giving them time to scream in pain before death claims hundreds at a time. To my relief, by the third pass over the bridge, the stone foundation is beginning to glow orange.

Only a few drops at first fall into the Rhoyne with a screeching hiss the second the molten stone connects with the water. Clouds of scalding steam rise up and blanket the bridge, which isn't a fast enough killer to be silent.

With a roar of pain, Queraxes bucks when arrows begin to pierce his wings. It's not in organized volleys, but the panicked free for all of thousands of men about to die.

At least you're not focused on my people anymore. We start losing height with each wing beat and soon crash into the river now turning grey from all the ash.

The force of hitting the water throws me clear of Queraxes' saddle, sinking to the bottom far faster than I would like. Shouldn't have worn metal armour.

Kicking for the dimming light above me, I find it a whole lot easier once I manage to slip my boots off. By the time I manage to break the surface with a burning gasp, I find a few boats have gotten close enough to offer me an oar.

It takes three of them to lift me at such an odd angle, but soon I'm dropped on the deck coughing for air. My relief is short lived as I hear screeching coming from back in the water.

"Where's Que?" Desperately I scan the river and sag with relief at the sight of him dragging himself onto the muddy river bank with all the grace of a drowning cat.

The water on him is already starting to steam and I know he'll be whining about his 'bath' for days. "Get me over to him." My command is firm as the archers help me to my feet. "We need to deal with the Dothraki that managed to cross."

A familiar and very welcome roar rends the air and in moments I see a silver shape drop from the sky. Rhaenys is here!

I wait for the following shriek of Riannex, but am left confused when it never comes. Did Aegorian leave on his own and come looking for me?

"Who's riding him?" The words slip out as my eyes narrow on the distinctly male rider on the back of the silver dragon. "Because that's not Rhaenys."

She's far more ferocious in how she fights, not a single bit of defence in her entire style. This guy is a lot more cautious in his approach, preferring to do several fly overs and scatter the Dothraki that managed to cross the river.

When the horse lords realize how outmatched they really are, the assault on both sides of the river breaks. The half on the East bank manage to reunite and return to their grassy sea. But the ones trapped on the western half are forced to fight their way through my forces and flee towards the Narrow Sea.

"Get me to Queraxes, now!" I can't meet this new rider on foot. Rhaenys keeps telling me how much first impressions matter and I'm going to make sure this one leaves a big one.

It's a tense fifteen minutes as I'm ferried across the river, forced to watch Aegorian and his new rider finish scattering the few hundred Dothraki too stubborn to realize they've lost.

"Go make sure that they left braids behind." I growl as I hop down to the muck that can barely be called a beach. "I don't want to deal with another attack in the middle of the night."

When I get to Que and begin checking how bad his wings are, it's with relief that I find only a few puncture wounds. "You can fly just fine right? You just got surprised that something hurt even a bit and fell into the river."

The indignant hiss I get in response is all it takes to get a smile on my face. "Good boy. Now let's get back in the air and finish this." Can't let the new guy take all the credit.

"Do you want your brother to get all the best horse meat?" I fire back when Queraxes starts to play up his wounds. Because he will unless you get back in the sky."

That does the trick and he lowers himself enough that I can climb back on. You three are really just children trying to outdo each other for your parents.

"Let's go say hello." My words are followed my a powerful gust of wind and a jade dragon rising back into the air.

Our ascent is noticed and Aegorian races over to greet us. Shockingly, for the first time in years the nearly wild silver dragon seems to be behaving. He almost seems eager to please his new rider.

When we get close enough that I can make out the man's features, I notice how similar to Rhaenys he looks. Did she find Viserys?

The man I'm not afraid to call gorgeous has silver blonde hair and stunning violet eyes. His cheekbones are high and defined, with a jaw that looks strong enough to break bones.

He notices my stare and smirks cockily, instantly dropping his appeal by a few points. "You must be Daemon Blackfyre. Rhaenys said you needed a hand up here, but it looks like I only got here in time for clean up."

"And you're the legendary Viserys?" The fact that he doesn't try taking credit just throws my whole judgment of him out the window.

"Left him back in Volantis for his takeover." The now nameless man shakes his head. "I'm Gerold Dayne."

That name shakes me and I'm worried what a relative of Arthur will do for vengeance, only for him to dash those fears with a far more thankful smile. "You're a Dayne?"

"I hear I have you and Rhaenys to thank for keeping my family blade safe." He sidesteps the question and winks at me. "Since I helped you out, you think you can return the favour?"

I nod carefully as the two dragons interact with more ease than I can remember. "What do you need?"

"Just make sure she remembers to give me my sword after I finish hunting down the craven." He points to the cloud of dust in the West that signals the Dothraki who crossed the Rhoyne have reunited. "I'm still having too much fun to land. I'll deal with the runners and let you get your people looked after." Looked like at least eight thousand of them got away, should keep you busy for a while.

"You make sure they don't comeback to bother us again and I'll wrestle the sword from her myself if I have to." It may be a special blade, but even just having it on her hip fills her with guilt.

"That all?" He snorts at what seems like an easy task, without considering how hard it will be if they scatter. "I'll chase these savages all the way to Pentos if I have to."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 37: Get Over It
Rhaenys Targaryen
​

"Is every battle truly so simple for you?" The elated voice of Tyrion brings a small smile to my lips as we soar away from the relieved Ar Noy. "No need to unleash the worst of cruelties to break your foe's will?"

"Against so few?" Which means the rest all fell upon Daemon. "Yes." Dragon flames are quite the foe to face, leaving most foes begging for mercy when they hear the death wails of their comrades. "You're sure the fleet will be enough to relieve the city from the rest?"

He shrugs in front of me and chuckles bitterly. "If two dragons and a fleet of swan ships isn't enough to defeat some savages... I don't think a third dragon will make a difference."

"Would have been poetic though." My voice escapes as a heavy sigh. "Three dragons die defending the Rhoyne."

"I just found you," Tyrion squeaks out with more than a bit of worry. "Please don't tell me you have a death wish."

"No." But I still don't feel like I deserve a happy ending. "It's just... I need to tell Uncle Doran what happened to Quentyn."

"Do you want to go home and do it, or should we invite him to Volantis?" You've already put your life on hold for me.

Taking a deep breath, I commit myself to the right choice. "Mother would never forgive me if she missed the wedding."

"Father won't care how I do it as long as I come home with you." He fires back with another sardonic snort.

"We could just have one of Viserys' priests marry us first and keep it low pressure." And when we actually arrive in Dorne, send out ravens with the 'proper' invitations.

His voice takes on an intrigued tone as he continues my thought. "Since Dragonstone was taken away because of your disappearance, Father may insist King Stannis return it to us upon our return." Riannex should ensure that all on her own. "He's been surprisingly pleased with what I've accomplished all on my own."

"I hope my father isn't ashamed of me." If Viserys really died, maybe he got a chance to speak with his brother?

"He'd understand." Tyrion responds with complete conviction and I allow his confidence to spill into me. "He fought a war to keep you safe. Soldiers understand that sometimes the wind shifts an arrow."

Father believed in prophecy... The memory of my last conversation with him filters in with half remembered words.

He claimed of the world having plans for me and how tragedy would follow me as it does all the great ones. I was supposed to keep Aegon safe until he was ready to be King. But it seems Father was wrong about which brother was the special one.

"Father would just insist my protection move to Viserys." If his claims of caring about the Realm truly held any weight.

Nodding his agreement, Tyrion speaks again in a way that I can tell is leading me to an answer. "Well Viserys doesn't want to go back to Westeros yet... Why don't we go back and get things ready for his return?"

I consider it and frown when one unknown flashes a warning in my mind. "What about your friend Ser Gerold Dayne? Is he like Arthur or does he have some moral fibre in his bones?" Can I really leave Aegorian with him, or do Daemon and I need to reclaim him from a jackass first?

"... He's a bit intense but as long as you give him Dawn, he should point his arrogance elsewhere." Grumbles my betrothed with bitterness filling his voice once more. "Though I would like it if he didn't leer at you so much. I know how much better he looks."

"Like he spends three times as long as Arianne did on his appearance?" My blunt reply gets a warm chuckle out of Tyrion and brings another half smile to my face. "I remember how horrible my Grandfather looked at the end and I've seen the most handsome men decide to turn my life into a mess. You are the only on who actually came looking for me in all this time."

"Well Viserys helped." He pauses and I can perfectly picture the wince his lips have formed. "... And the Tyrells I guess."

"I've had years to get used to the idea of your appearance and your letters made it clear Viserys didn't make his choice from desperation alone." I admit finally when I realize how much he needs to hear the words. "What if we get one of Viserys' priests to do a quick wedding just for us. Viserys can be our witness."

"You don't want it done in a Sept?" The question just makes me smirk in amusement.

"Even if I believed in the Seven before..." And I really didn't, not a single prayer was answered after I went to Dorne. "Last prayer that I had answered, was when I was with Viserys in the sewers beneath King's Landing. You find him and a few weeks later me?" The more I think about it, the more it makes perfect sense to me.

"We can see about hatching those eggs Viserys left for everyone." Really secure my spot as the second favourite before my uncle can completely overshadow us all. "He must have learned how while he was in Volantis."

Lifting his far-eye up to scan the city for a safe spot to land, Tyrion lets out a series of light chuckles. "Well we can ask him soon. It looks like he's had three balconies cleared and marked."

"Where am I looking?" I try not to drop the valuable tool and peer at the split city of Volantis.

The poorer side of the city is easy to distinguish, with most of it's buildings made from brightly painted wood. Between the halves is a bridge longer and wider than all of the ones Daemon insisted we waste our time building. The homes and shops here are even lower quality and remind me of the poorer areas on King's Landing.

The rich side of the city has impressive walls made from fused black stone and the manses could easily be replaced by a hundred homes. Temples dot the streets and are easily identified by the gold, silver, and precious jewels adorning them.

By far the largest of them all, the Temple of R'hllor towers above it's neighbours. Like Tyrion said, three balconies are bedecked with different banners.

Each one is higher than the roofs of the nearest buildings and I steer us towards the balcony bedecked with the Martell Banner. The other two already prepared are decorated by Targaryen or Blackfyre banners and I make a note to have the red dragons replaced with the Dayne sigil.

Swallowing my anxiety at seeing Viserys again, I whistle for Riannex to descend towards her temporary roost. With nothing around to hamper her wings, my ebony dragon lands with more grace than she manages in the fog filled Sorrows.

"Rhaenys!" One of the people waiting screeches my name the second we slide off of Riannex's back.

He charges towards us with a strangely reserved set of facial expressions after his outburst. Even with his new look, the fact that Riannex doesn't even react to him is all the proof I need.

"Viserys!" My own reply has more than enough emotion for the both of us and I throw myself into his arms with a relieved sob. "I missed you so much."

"... Uh." Tyrion interupts with a shock filled voice. "What the hell happened to your neck?"

I push my now raven haired uncle away and examine his tanned skin. When He tilts upwards and reveals a line of stitches along throat, I nearly collapse with a gasp.

"Oh this?" Viserys reaches up and strokes the jagged red line with a frown. "I died again. But don't worry, Moqorro brought me back and Margaery made sure I didn't lose my head over the whole thing."

I know it's supposed to be a joke, but the casual ease he has at speaking of a second death drains the blood from my face. I want to insist he's lying and am shocked at the raw devotion in the red robed people behind him.

Only the pair dressed in an orange and bronze version of the white cloaks armour seem indifferent to the words. The only one who rolls her eyes at my uncles poor attempt at humour must be Margaery Tyrell based on the hair. And being the only one lacks of any kind of tan at all.

"I need to tell you what happened to Quentyn." Better lance the boil before it gets infected even more.

Viserys listens but doesn't change his rather bland expression for the duration. Not even when I start tearing up again does he visibly react. It's only because Tyrion grabs my hand and squeezes that I can even finish the explanation under the weight of my own guilt.

"You do remember me stabbing our grandfather?" Bluntly and with no care for our audience, Viserys reveals his biggest secret. "Or what about me ordering men drowned with high tide? You feel bad about what you did and I don't, so who's really the monster?"

"But he was going to burn the whole city!" I can't let him destroy his reputation like this and bellow my denial for all of the temple to hear. "You cured Greyscale!"

"And Illyrio started a war and he brought biological attacks to Westeros." His voice is firm and demands I listen. "Quentyn died keeping those monsters away from you. Do not insult his sacrifice by blaming yourself."

"... Thank you." I really needed to hear that.

Shaking his head to clear away to annoyance, Viserys has a smile again on his face. "Now I'm supposed to teach the Maesters some magic today, you two want to sit in on the lesson?" He ignores our stunned silence and carries on as if we agreed. "I'm running out of science I can pass of as magic, so I think I'm going to show them one of the things I picked up in Valyria."​

 

[Ignacio Antonio]

Great chapter, thanks for the effort

 

[Flightless Man]

Great chapter, thanks for the effort

Click to shrink...

you're welcome, thanks for sticking with me the whole way.

I'm legitimately running out of easy science is magic tricks. I think I have magnesium being flammable and sodium/potassium exploding on contact with water left. If anyone has anything like the lava lamp or easily replicatable science tricks (I'm skipping the really basic stuff the Maesters would already know, like light going through prisms becoming a rainbow), feel free to suggest them cause I only have a few more.

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 38: The Pursuit Of Knowledge Is a Pain In The Ass
Joffrey Baratheon
​

"Good luck," Dany scowls at the citadel behind me, making our host Asha Tyrell grunt in amusement.

"You're the one who doesn't trust us with your dragon." She pats the disguised Sand girl on the head and shrugs. "Probably for the best though, I don't think you can pull off acting like a boy well enough."

I wouldn't want her to. That thought surprises me when it worms out of the back of my mind.

"Boys don't really tend to have pink hair." Agrees the smirking 'boy'. "You can go fly around with Lady Asha and keep everyone in the city distracted for us. Prince Joffrey and I, will find out what these old men know about your brother."

I want to say Alleras thinks too highly of 'himself'. But truthfully, they've pulled off the deception for nearly a year now.

"I'll meet you back at the Hightower." With a reassuring smile I give Dany's hand a squeeze and force my own nerves down. "They may not let a woman inside, but they will not refuse the crown prince." Even if Mother's proclamation has been sent to Oldtown, my status will still be the same.

"I already told you Garlan and Margaery went to the Summer Islands." Grunts the rather plain looking Lady Asha. Though she's better looking than any other Ironborn I've ever seen. "Even offered you two a ship if you wanted one."

I need to make sure you aren't still secretly working with your uncle Victarion. "And I already told you, that we need to confirm this for ourselves first." Or even worse... that old thorn bush Olenna, Father always complained about.

"For all we know, you're going to sink the ship once it's to far for us to fly back." Dany points out with a barely concealed scowl that makes my lips quirk for a moment.

It didn't take long for her to realize how many people will be against us and our need to keep ourselves safe. We will need proper protection and fast.

I wonder if Duncan would agree to be the commander of our Kingsguard? The Selmy had some of the best teach him and now he has a dragon of his own. Having him giving his support would be a huge boon to our campaign.

If Jenn can be found, her and Bella will need to be spoken with. Can't let either of them get it in their heads to try for our throne.

"That's not a bad idea," Admits a grinning Asha, her short boyish brown hair shaking with her laughter. "You want to share anymore ideas for taking out a dragon?"

"How much is it worth to you?" I hold up my hand to silence a now fuming Dany.

"What do you want?" Eager eyes shine as Asha begins her bargaining.

"Three sure fire ways to kill a dragon, but you and your husband need to support us in the Great Council I'm going to call." Dany's rage barely softens a single degree and I know my words need to be perfect.

"Will you make the Iron Islands it's own Kingdom again?" She's actually not that horrible at this... for an Ironborn that is.

I nod firmly and hold out my hand, which Lady Tyrell shakes three times. "Starving anything works." I hold up one finger and watch realization appear in Dany's piercing eyes. "You can bury one alive."

Asha rolls her eyes and hisses in frustration when my second finger goes up. "And I don't know many things that can survive having it's head removed."

"So we can count on you support?" Daenerys asks the sputtering Asha as I'm lead inside the rather small Citadel.

"I expected something a lot... bigger." I admit to Alleras with a frown creasing my brow. "This is supposed to be the seat of Westerosi knowledge after all." It's not even a third of the size of the Red Keep and the other buildings in this city are all built on a far grander scale than the Targaryens had in their capital.

"You won't like how much is guess work, the farther back you go in 'history'." My guide explains as the doors creak shut behind us and my eyes take a moment to adjust to the dim light inside.

As interesting as that is, i only really care about the most recent knowledge these bookish men have acquired. "It's the wizards I'm interested in and I need to speak with the Archmaester of Magic."

He's the one who will be able to answer my questions. No matter how hard I have to ask him, Viserys will be found.

"Marywn is teaching a class right now, you can watch from the observatory if you would like." Offers a pudgy Maester with squinting brown eyes.

His companion realizes who I am and elbows his elder in the ribs. "Prince Joffrey, it is an honour for us to receive you in our halls." I like this one, maybe I should see about having him trained as Pycelle's replacement.

The fat one with only a few links less than Grandfather's puppet straightens in shock. "Prince Joffrey? Forgive me for my casual regard, I meant no insult my prince."

"It's fine, you gave me the information I needed." And had an appropriate level of apology once your error was realized. You followed the social rules and so will I.

"My guide Alleras will be able to show me the way." I don't have time for you to waddle after us or the one I actually like to suck up properly.

"I'm in a hurry and after some very vital information." My tone silences any argument but I don't want anyone spreading rumours of me being too harsh. "Once I'm on the throne, we're going to need to see about getting the Citadel brought up to the visual standard of it's neighbours. The throne has ignored knowledge for far too long."

Alleras leads me through a series of narrow corridors and shoulders the other novices out of 'his' way with great pleasure at using the power of my title. "You should consider opening a second branch, maybe one which allows women to study?"

It's not a bad idea. "The Faith has Septas and Septons, with both serving different needs." It would give me a source of learned people devoted entirely to Dany and myself.

One of the only things that Viserys and Father ever really argued about, was a woman's place. It took many nights of discussion but Father was eventually convinced everybody has different talents. Mother might not be a tactician, but she's far better at keeping the lords calm than Father was.

Viserys described it as different kinds of intelligence and even a brute could be physically smart. Sandor was all the proof I needed to see his words had truth.

"Is this the place?"We come to a stop outside an old wooden door, the white paint peeling and yellowed with age.

"This is just the stairs." Smirks Alleras with some hidden knowledge. "Just remember that the colours get lighter towards the entrance."

I'm lead up a winding staircase before being taken across a bridge only wide enough for use to walk single file. We're high above the waves crashing on the rocks below and I try not to feel frightened by the lack of walls. It was way higher on Viserion... why am I so scared now?

Still smug on how easily I handled Lady Tyrell, I manage to cross without any issue. I give my amused guide a scowl and curse whoever built this place.

"Why is this place such a maze?" It can't be convenient getting around.

"The pursuit of knowledge is never easy." With rolling eyes, Alleras gives me a very unsatisfying answer. "It's frustratingly confusing and filled with a bunch of dead ends."

When we finally do reach a dark yellow door that almost looks brown, Alleras gives a nod to the oddly muscular man in brown robes standing watch outside. "Prince Joffrey is here to speak with Maester Marwyn. He came all the way her on dragon back and is looking for information only the Archmaester can provide."

'He' gives me an apologetic smile as the burly maester blinks in shocked silence while he processes the words. "Sorry that I can't actually tell you myself, but we all got sworn to silence by our teacher." What are you talking about? "Since it only kept you from finding out for a few hours, I hope you don't blame me for not talking about it in front of Asha."

"That depends on what I'm about to find out." Or what you try and do to me if this is a trap.

"Let me check with the Archmaester first." Once he recovers from his shock, the man with arms as thick as both my legs combined knocks on the door.

It only takes a few seconds for someone to answer, but each one feels like a minute as I wait in awkward silence. "What is it?" A frazzled old man with a prominent link of Valyrian steel sticks his head between the crack he allows from the door. "Viserys doesn't have much time for the lesson this month and I'd really like to find out how this rock he found explodes when it touches water."

Ignoring the insanity of such a claim, I interrupt with a shocked calmness. "What are you talking about?" Has he been hiding here this entire time!

"Well this is awkward." The man I realize must be Marwyn sighs at the sight of me. "You're Prince Joffrey I assume?" He's a smart man, or at least an observant one I realize.

He notices the prominent display of both Baratheon and Lannister crests with a hawk like focus. I prefer yellow and red together anyway. Black is far to slimming on me when I really need to look more bulky and gold is just overdone.

"You assume correctly." I hiss back and barely stop myself from reaching for the sword at my hip. "Now you better have a good reason for having Viserys here."

He flinches back from my snarl and shakes his head in denial. "You misunderstand my prince. Viserys isn't here, he's just found a way to communicate with us from wherever he is."

"How can such a thing be possible?" Frowning at such foolishness, my eyes go wide when Marwyn finally opens the door completely.

Inside the room is what I recognize from my lessons as a glass candle and it's glowing a warm orange colour as it emits a similarly hued mist. It takes the shape of a head the size of a horse and for several seconds my frown only grows at the sight of a stranger.

When he notices my entrance though and speaks, all my doubt is washed away in a single moment of triumph. "Joffrey? Is that you?"

I nod in shock, finding my tongue far too heavy to speak with. That brings a strange smile to Viserys' face, one that doesn't quite reach his now Indigo eyes. I wonder if it's the magical communication making him look so odd.

"It's been a long time. Are you still following the rules?" He's very intent on my answer and I finally manage to move my mouth.

"Yes." Growling at how many others are standing in the way of fairness, I explain the situation to Viserys. "But Mother doesn't seem happy with me being King. So Dany and I came here to find you, we need help calling a Great Council."

Approval shines in his eyes and he turns away for a second, calling out in triumph to someone with him. After he finishes bragging about me and my cheeks get incredibly warm, Viserys looks back and the smile becomes one a little manic with it's intensity.

"Is that what you really want?" Viserys never wanted to be king and I hope he doesn't disapprove of Dany and I's ambition. "Because if so, I'm really proud of the way you're going about it."

That makes my entire body as warm as my cheeks and I know I must look red as my Lannister colours. "Daenerys and I both do."

When I explain our intent to marry and rule together, Viserys doesn't even flinch. Though his response shocks me right to the core.

"I was a child and I had very limited options when your grandfather got to King's Landing." He admits with a shrug. Though how I can tell without seeing his entire body is something I will puzzle out later.

"My own father had ruined the family name and my brother ensured we had no allies. Every choice I made was about making sure my family lived to adulthood and if Dany is deciding to get married... it seems I succeeded with at least one positive change."

"Garlan should be back in a few days with the Potassium I found in Volantis, tell him and Asha that you two have my full support." Viserys smiles at me and then winks when he remembers something. "And you darn well better tell me when the wedding is. I should have things here in Volantis wrapped up by then."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 39: Travel Plans
Jennelyn Baratheon
​

As we circle the keep and give every in Winterfell time to prepare somewhere for us to land, Mance tenses up more than he has the entire flight. "It's going to be fine, no one is going to do anything to you today." They'll be too happy you brought me back for my punishment.

"I'm more worried about the other dragons you mentioned." He admits with a grunt. "And very glad we didn't try sneaking past you if you truly have four of these creatures." Eddrigon can tell he's being spoken about and preens under the praise.

"Good call." We probably would have been forced to burn most of the boats if we saw you.

He chuckles back in response and turns the comment back on me with a sudden seriousness. "We're still in agreement on the plan?"

"I don't know why you think we'd care who you lay with." Grunts Mance with an audible smirk. "But if that's enough to keep you two around as protection..." He trails off and laughs once more. "I'm not going to question southern stupidity."

"I just have to be strong enough to keep what I want?" The change of rules is refreshing and after a few days of conversation with Mance, I'm eager to start acting like one of them upon our return to Hardhome.

"Exactly."

With that reward on the table, I swallow my worry and give Ed the command to descend. Looks like they already have a spot for a dragon to land cleared out. I wonder if Bella is still here?

Our stop at Skagos was delayed too long and by the time we arrived, Mother had already gone to the Stark family castle. Hope she hasn't already gone to Bear Island, I'd really like someone to be on my side for this conversation with Uncle Ned.

Ed's yellow body gleams in the sun as he comes to a careful rest behind the smithy. Everyone in the courtyard already lined up a safe distance away from the kicked up snow.

"It's about time you came home." Mother's voice cuts through the tense silence as I push Mance down first. "I was-"

"Where is Sansa?" Shrieks a voice I can barely remember. Aunt Catelyn... but what does she mean about Sansa?

"I..." The words throw me off and confusion flickers across me face. "What?"

"Sansa and Gendry vanished in the night, with only a note that they had gone North to find you in Sansa's room." My scowling mother explains and I finally understand the uncertainty in my families eyes. They don't know whether to hate me or demand I go look for my cousin.

My uncle stays focused though and his grey eyes narrow on Mance beside me. "Who is this?"

"This is Mance Rayder. He used to be the King beyond the Wall." Still is, but a little white lie should help convince the Northmen to help. "I stole the Free Folk and need help getting the all to Essos."

Shocked silence fills the yard as no one seems capable of forming a response. It takes my uncle a solid five seconds to recover and once he does, his tired eyes turn to me slowly.

"You... 'stole' the Wildlings?" His lips are pulled into a tight frown. "Would you care to explain that more clearly?"

"The Ironborn took almost all the warriors during the Insurrection and left the rest to die against horrors you can't even imagine." No point in being gentle, better to just dump all the knowledge at once.

"It's true," Mance speaks once I'm finished. "And the 'Queen' did what none of us had been able. She gave us hope when she slew one of them."

Mother chimes in now with a growl. "A child did what a grown man couldn't?"

My fear from my duel suddenly fills me and my pale face stops my mother before she can really get going. I hold up my left arm and start unwrapping the bandages, revealing the skin still left blackened by the frost.

"It was some kind of man and he seemed to be made of the very ice itself." My words echo in the silence. "He controlled the snow and even worse... the dead are like puppets to them."

"Grief can make a person see many things as they aren't." Uncle Ned tries to reason with me but I shake my head firmly.

"I was the one who had a weapon explode in my hands!" I roar at his placating face and demand he look at the dozens of still healing wounds on my arm. "I was the one who almost died!" Panting in rage, I watch the crowd flinch back from my fury.

"We came to warn you and ask for your help crossing the Narrow Sea." My growl is bitter with resignation as I level tired eyes on my family. "But it seems I must do it myself."

Mother tries to stop us from a quick escape on Ed with a grim voice. "You have a dragon. Who are we to doubt your claim without even checking first?" She scowls at everyone who murmurs embarrassed agreement.

"Since the Wall was first built, have we North men been plagued by Wildling raids." Agrees Uncle Ned with a look of pride being sent my way. "If all it takes to be rid of them forever is a little bit of help, I believe it would be best to send a Raven to Lord Manderly. He can have supplies and shipwrights sent to speed up this migration."

"It can't be this easy." Mance mutters and I'm forced to agree with his words with a confused nod. "You've been killing Free Folk for millennia."

"And Wildlings have been raiding us for just as long." Counters my stone faced uncle. "But since you took over, the Wall has been strangely silent."

Shrugging at the unspoken praise, Mance explains how the meeting with Victarion went all those years ago. He twists the truth as we already agreed and says the more aggressive clans are the ones who joined them in the attack on the North. Mance claims he tried to argue for escape to Essos but many had not the patience to wait for a fleet to be built.

"We help you and all the Wildlings will just... leave?" Mother's voice is filled with doubt and I speak up again.

"They can agree on the need to leave," I admit with a wince. "But Essos is big. The plan is for them to split off as we go East."

The Dothraki will be a problem but the Maesters say they leave the forest of Ifeqeveren alone. It's more than big enough for Ed and I to vanish inside, with whoever chooses to follow me that far.

If Lord Baelish's rumours are true, I could even make the time to go check out the claims of dragons along the Rhoyne. "Your help will only have you rid of us even faster."

"Already counting yourself among the savages?" Aunt Catelyn's face is still locked on my own, her eyes simmering with rage.

"Savages who will start looking for your daughter as soon as we return." Not willing to take such an insult, Mance crosses his arms with a stormy expression growing on his face. "Savages who want to live to see the next spring." Savages who don't care what kind of person you are, as long as you are strong enough to defend your beliefs.

"My apologies," I blink as my aunt takes a deep breath to steady herself. "I want to blame someone for the incident but know it's not you Jenn. My sister explained what happened and the blame is not on any of you children."

With that weight suddenly torn from my shoulders, I manage to meet my aunt's eyes with only a slight tremble to my lip. "I'm so sorry."

By the time I get the last word out, I'm crying along with the rest of my family. Even uncle Ned has a couple tears escaping in the chaos.

"Robb pushed them out of the way before I could do anything." He had enough time to throw himself aside if he wanted. "He saved them and I can never say thank you." But instead he saved as many people as he could.

"Starks don't need thanks for protecting family." Uncle Ned puts a hand on my shoulder and pulls us me into a hug.

"Neither do Tullys." Adds his wife and I know she's talking about her brother Edmure. "I'm filled with grief and rage about my children." She admits as she joins the hug, pinning me in from the other side. "But never doubt I've been worried about you as well."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 40: Rehearsal
Viserys Ashtar
​

"I only made a few proclamations when I was King of Westeros." My contented smile darts back and forth between Tyrion and my niece. "I made the offer when I was six, so this has been a long time coming."

"It's really such a simple ceremony?" Tyrion frowns at the brazier overlooking the filled plaza outside and turns back to me with doubt laden eyes. "We just walk out and you ask us a few questions?"

I'm thinking ahead for when I'll need to marry myself off to secure an alliance and I don't want anything drawn out. "Well and the Ceremony of Flames Unity." Both of them have already prepared their hands for the 'magic' and give me nervous nods.

"Stop worrying." Rolling my eyes at the pairs still present doubt, I cross my orange arms over my bonfire reminiscent robes in a huff. "Even if something goes wrong, I'll just have one of the priests bring you back to life and finish the ceremony."

Tyrion quickly tries to appease my annoyance. "I just expected something fancier. I'm quite pleased by what you came up with."

"It wasn't me remember." My reminder gets a snort from the observing Spitlick, who has yet to master the art of being a silent protecter. "I'm just acting on R'hllor's will and purging the improper practices from the Faith."

I also tripled the worshippers in a week. So as long as I don't go too far off the real R'hllor's plan, he shouldn't have too much to complain about. If he does, he can get to work fixing things once I'm ash in a few years.

"Just make sure you oil your hands up properly right before you come outside." My reminder comes with a pointed thumb towards an urn full of the flammable gel. "Otherwise the fire really will burn you both. And even if I can bring you back, it still hurts to die."

"I promise I'll look after Rhaenys for you now." Tyrion's words get a snort from his betrothed and we both turn to her amused eyes.

"I think you mean that we'll look after each other." She seems to be the eager one out of the pair and I wonder if her options in the Sorrows had really been so horrible. "We've both been making some pretty horrible choices on our own."

Sensing that the mood's about to shift for the worse again, I hold up a hand to get attention back on myself. Though how anyone can look at anything but this tricolour monstrosity they call robe, I have no idea.

"Who here ran into a castle known to be infected with Greyscale?" Nobody answers but I do see Spitlick and Elyse give me looks of respect from their position guarding the door. "How about going to the Doom of Valyria, who here has gone to that death trap?"

Again I get no answer which makes me smirk at the pair about to be wed. "Didn't think so." Glancing back at old crew members and letting out a chuckle, I bring out the big guns. "Guess I don't need to ask if either of them blew up a volcano or started a revolution with absolutely no planning."

The fact that all of those things worked isn't the point. Each and every one of them was a completely stupid idea.

"Now I'm going to walk out and get the crowd warmed up. You two only need to come out once I give the signal." I get to spend ten minutes giving a made up reason to my madness. "I need to explain things to everyone and get them to line up properly for you."

A few hundred carefully selected people are lining the stairs down, the front row of the crowd, and the stairs up to the door that leads to Riannex's balcony. Coppernicus stole the pigs wallow for himself behind the temple. But considering not many survived the victory feast when I took over, it's space going to a good use.

"You have the wick?" Stopping myself right behind the curtains I ask Rhaenys, who points at the string on her wrist that Tyrion tied on securely hours ago. "And you have the wax?"I almost smack myself for how close I was to forgetting but my short friend with the big ideas picks up his vase of melted wax.

"We have everything," Snorts Tyrion as he stage whispers to my blushing niece. "Now look who's trying to delay things. Do you think your uncle has a fear of public speaking?"

"Doesn't bother me at all." Honestly... the more people in a place, the easier it is for me to speak without getting nervous. "Unless of course someone else decides to send a giant shadow demon after me."

I doubt they would after such a public attempt failed, but we're doing this underneath a pair of dragons for a reason. Daemon and Margaery will be first and second in line with candles to receive some of R'hllor's fire.

Once this is over, the newly weds just need to go find Gerold and send him back to swear allegiance to me. After that, they can go have a 'proper' Westerosi wedding and then go have a vacation in my sandcastle.

Emerging from the curtains with a wave at the crowd below, I spend a solid five minutes explaining how love is like fire. "It keeps you warm when the world is trying to make you numb. Just like R'hllor's love for his children endures against the Other's cold touch!"

"First to share their love before the eyes of the Faithful Fire, my niece Rhaenys Targaryen and friend Tyrion Lannister will be joined in holy matrimony here before you all." As long we don't get a big gust of wind at the wrong time.

At that signal, the pair emerge in matching grey wool robes that I know will be left on the balcony drenched with sweat. Tyrion holds up his vase of red wax and lets Rhaenys dip the extremely thick knotted wick into it.

It only takes a few tries before a good enough candle is ready and I take the beautiful sunset as blessing to continue. I never considered myself faithful in any way or even a non believer. I was definitely agnostic in my first life but someone keeps bringing me back. Would be rude if I followed another religion after such a favour.

"Acting as witnesses, let us now see if R'hllor blesses this union!" My words boom in the plaza below and is echoed by the crowd.

Tyrion and Rhaenys clasp hands already coated in the evaporating oil over the lit candle in my own hands. If the fire goes out, the wedding is ended right then and their. But if it works like the tests confirmed, they will have almost twenty seconds to move the fire to the candle they made together.

With baited breath I watch and expect something horrible to happen. But t my great relief the clasped hands roar with green fire that becomes the normal orange once they pass it to their shabby looking crimson stick of wax.

"R'hllor approves!" My cheer roars through the people again and I finally relax when the green flame sputters out safely. "Now let them share his blessing of love with you all before they bring his light to Westeros." I really don't care if they do or not, I've got enough problems to deal with here in Essos already.

The two are nearly skipping down the black stone stairs and almost go right past Daemon in their bliss. When they notice him at the last moment, Rhaenys barely manages to reach back with the candle to light his.

Realizing they should have made it a whole lot thicker, the newly weds are forced to go fast or risk missing those at the end of the line. By the time the do reach the end, both of them have crimson hands and the stairs look like they're covered in blood once more.

"Next time let's use yellow or orange wax instead." My comment gets a chuckle from the surprsisingly relaxed Daemon Blackfyre, who I'm finding myself becoming fast friends with. "In hindsight, this wasn't my best choice."

Really should have just let Margaery handle it but no... I had to insist on proving I can plan a wedding as well as she can wield a sword. Though many men will be thanking me for how painless I just made that whole process. I'll allow myself to take pride in that going forward.​

 

[ThedudeManBro]

Viserys Ashtar (formerly Targaryan)
-prince of the Iron Throne
-King of the Iron Throne (resigned after five minutes)
-Founder of House Ashtar
-Banisher of Greyscale
-Rebirther of Dragons
-Twice-Dead Man (he got better)
-Azor-Ahai (reluctantly)
-Lord Commander of the Burning Legion (patent pending)
-Oficiator of Marriages
-Wedding Planner

Did I get them all?

 

[Flightless Man]

Viserys Ashtar (formerly Targaryan)
-prince of the Iron Throne
-King of the Iron Throne (resigned after five minutes)
-Founder of House Ashtar
-Banisher of Greyscale
-Rebirther of Dragons
-Twice-Dead Man (he got better)
-Azor-Ahai (reluctantly)
-Lord Commander of the Burning Legion (patent pending)
-Oficiator of Marriages
-Wedding Planner

Did I get them all?

Click to shrink...

- Summer Island Prince
- Technically King of the Basilisk Island Pirates
-Stealer of Songs
-Vizier of the Burning/Flaming Legion(I like it, but I may want to go with a reference instead of a direct rip off. Flaming also lets me have secret gay puns.). Lord Commander would be the leader of the 14 Flames (Yes I named my bodyguards after the Valyrian volcanoes.).
- Tamer of the Delinquent (Joffrey)
- Magic bringer backer
-Dragon rescuer (Viserys did only hatch one. rhaella/duncan/bella/jenn hatched 4.)
- Inventer of Games/Lava Lamps.
- "Magic" teacher
-Sand Castle builder/architecht

I might be missing a few more

Viserys found easter bunnies (jackalopes lay multicoloured eggs, to fit the old roman myth about them being hermaphrodites) and was revived. Did that completely by accident. So that probably will be worked into something.

One more chapter for book 2 and I'm taking a couple more weeks off. I realized how close to burning out I was once my computer died.

 

[ATP]

So,North is helping wildlings go to forest in Essos where children probably still live.Good.By the way - how many giants survived except Wun Wun? and how many children is still alive ? there was some children woman who spoke westrosi,you could use her.Or kill - whatever ypur story need more.

Joeffrey as King - not bad idea.Aegon wont Brienne,not throne,and i hope that Brienne thinks the same.Duncan Selmy is happy as minor character who do not need to save the world by killing one girlfriend after another.If he knew what GRRM planned for him,he would worship Viserys even more.

Tyrion get waifu - good for both of them.Dothraki finished off - even better.And Blackfyre could rule his new kingdom in Essos with....which girl srill do not get good husband ? Maybe Jenn? Sarella ?
well,author would find somebody.
Daemon - he probably need only sword and mirror,not waifu.

Good story,please continue.

 

[Flightless Man]

So,North is helping wildlings go to forest in Essos where children probably still live.Good.

By the way - how many giants survived except Wun Wun?

and how many children is still alive ?

there was some children woman who spoke westrosi,you could use her.Or kill - whatever ypur story need more.

Click to shrink...

The Wildlings/Free Folk, will be splitting up once they get to northern Essos. Between Lorath, The Forest of Ifeqeveren, the Bone Mountains, and and the upper Dothrakki Sea (good thing it just saw some upheaval).

In Canon, Mance finds about 500-1'000 (and it's a year later). So somewhere in that number are alive.

A couple dozen with Bloodraven, some on the Isle of Faces, and some in Ifeqeveren (not giving numbers or revealing any other locations yet.)

Leaf will be speaking with Sansa.

Joeffrey as King - not bad idea.

Aegon wont Brienne,not throne,and i hope that Brienne thinks the same.

Duncan Selmy is happy as minor character who do not need to save the world by killing one girlfriend after another.If he knew what GRRM planned for him,he would worship Viserys even more.

Click to shrink...

I really liked the idea of the actual bastard, being the only one who really wants the throne and has to convince others.

I set up a few romances, they can't all have happy endings.

Instead of sending him to the Wall, I sent him South (so he can go to Tyrion/Rhaenys' Westeros wedding at the beginning of book 3).

Tyrion get waifu - good for both of them.Dothraki finished off - even better.

And Blackfyre could rule his new kingdom in Essos with....which girl srill do not get good husband ? Maybe Jenn? Sarella ?
well,author would find somebody.
Daemon - he probably need only sword and mirror,not waifu.

Click to shrink...

Well, they finished off/splintered, Khal Drogo's horde. I was carefful giving numbers that equaled close to 40 thousand.

Jenn's got her eye on Val. Daemon's heart/hand, is still up for grabs based on chemistry in story.

Good story,please continue.

Click to shrink...

I will. I just completely burnt myself out and need a break. I wrote about 500'000 words in a year with only a few days off between stories.

Only 1-2 chapters left for book 2 anyway, so I better at least finish that. and if I drop it, give an outline at the very minimum. I just need a few more days and I should be ready to write again.

 

[ATP]

Take your time,RL is always more important.
If you need Deux ex machina in story - just use those cities on islands near Sothorys you mentioned on Viserys map.You could hold anything your story need there,maybe except Death Star.
On another topic - hoe various species could/or could not/ mix with others? children and giants supossed to have offsprings with humans,what about deep ones and mermen?
And could they have children with each other? like deep one with mermen or children of the forest.

 

[Flightless Man]

I keep trying to write more of this story, but I can't do it. I'm completly burned out and have spent at least 15 hours staring at a blank page. So this is my outline for the rest of the story.

Book 2:
Was going to go back and edit/retcon every mention of Robb dying, to his younger brother Jon dying instead.

Dale and Davos are on the Westerosi fleet blockading Braavos, Gerold Dayne arrives and burns a huge chunk of the fleet. Davos dies and Dale barely manages to swim to shore, getting captured.

Rhaenys and Tyrion arrive and get Gerold to swear himself to Viserys. Becomes ruler of Pentos. He starts putting pressure on Myr/Tyrosh/Lys during his rule.

Quaithe arrives in Volantis and starts talking to Margaery.

Sansa, Gendry, and Jojen, find Ygritte's group and get help going to Bloodraven (so unlike Bran, Sansa has limited contact with Hardhome.). Jojen is saved from death by Sansa and is sent with the Freefolk to Essos/Ifeqeveren(when they leave).

Loras becomes Dany/Joffrey's bodyguard and Garlan/Asha back them. Olenna finally sees her grandchildren have their own plans and she lets them take over her network.

Duncan and Meera finally arrive at Starfall and he's being watched by Bloodraven.

Arianne wakes up in Summerhall Abbey with Aegon and they make plans to sneak down to Dorne and get help from her dad.

Cersei tells Orys and Elyssa that their Father will be home soon and the can finally all be a family. She sends a raven to Jaime for help looking after Viserys' children.

Book 3:

Euron got infected with the fire maggot parasites, but found a way to stave it off with Deep One aid. He's in Mantarys and working with the shadowbinders who tried killing Viserys. Euron blames Viserys for everything and was the one warging one of the toungeless people (he was imprinting the sigils, so Victarion could get vengeance).

When Viserys and Margaery start bringing their army to Slaver's Bay, Euron uses a barrel of Valyrian Fire to blow up a pass/cause a landslide. Euron kills himself thinknig he's killing Viserys, only for Viserys to get revived and not recognize the pulped body. Euron never gets credit for his attack.

Viserys is now in the bargaining stage of death and will exchange his morals for results.

Dany, Joffrey, Duncan, Rhaenys, Tyrion, Bae/Jae and Brynded, Aegon, Arianne, the Starks and Bella are in Sunspear for the Rha/Tyr wedding. Joff and Dany look for support. Bella is convinced by Littlefinger and Roose, that going solo may be better for the North. Domeric is dead and Ramsey is pushed at Bella. The shoeless sparrow tries convinving Aegon to go for the throne when he returns to the Abbey.

Ellaria Sand wants revenge on Tyrion/Rhaenys. We get a suicidal wedding attack from the people Tyrion hurt in his takeover (people who infiltrated and are serving/performing at the wedding).

Sansa learns the Deep Ones are behind a lot of humanities devastation over the years. They caused Hardhome and the doome, by tunneling under the sea into volcanic areas and blowing them up. Asshai is learned to be the dragonstone of the Empire of the Dawn (a far off colony that barely suvived). It was the only coastal city in the empire and was finally infiltrated by the Deep Ones. The empire fell, the original Long Night was a magically nuclear winter.

SANSA LEARNS: Yi-Ti, the Thousand Isles, and Valyria are where the upper class survivors went and created a flame/ice/storm empire of equal greatness. All three warred for domincance (the middle class survivors found Ghiscar, the smallfolk become the other Essos cultures, the slaves become the First Men and flee as far west as possible.

Valyria beats Thousand Isles (with Deep One intel) and melts them, flooding the isles, arm of Dorne, and the Neck.Children take credit for the flooding. The survivors of the Thousand isles flee west, the nobles go to the land of always winter with the few ice dragons they saved, the rest flee to Iron Islands under guidance of Deep Ones (they make a pact with the Ironborn and say they wills ave them,b ut they can never advance beyond a certain point and have to raid anyone who does. The mutated people who remain on 1k islands are the descendents of the Deep Ones expermients on the slaves who couldn't flee.

Second Long Night occurs when the noble ice suvivors tranform into the Others and try freezing the oceans. Deep Ones create 700 foot wave of salt water to scour all life/death from the North/far North. Others freze it with help of children, giants rune magic (who are cursed by deep ones to become barely smarter than beasts) and humans.

Humans agree to man the wall and break it down to rubble, Children and Giants work on Horn of Winter to break the wall faster, but then the Knight's King goes rogue and the pact is broken. Now the Watch is guarding the wall from the workers left on the north side.

Horn was broken in skirmish and Others are pissed Humans are now building the wall higher. The decide to freeze the world again to kill the Deep Ones who have been growing more active in the last few centuries.
...


Theon brings Sansa, Jojen, Ygritte, and his Freefolk + Children of Forest to Ifeqeveren. They find an Ibbenese whaling ship and help it face a sea monster.

Mance goes to Lorath, Tormund goes to the Jhogwin with the giants, and Jenn brings hers to Saath. Jenn encounters the scattered Dotharki and unites them, thinking Viserys is some evil Targ warlord.

Jenn learns Viserys is trying to take over Slaver's Bay and rushes to help save them from a dragon riding warlord. She frees the unsullied and takes over while Viserys is busy in Mantarys with Euron/digging the rockslide clear.

A few skirmishes/one main battle and Jenn submits to Viserys (well really she submits to Margaery's arguement.) Margaaery spends most of book 3 learning she's not actually smarter than everyone and learning a lot about ruling (since everyone thinks she's my queen).

Braavos is leery of the new Freehold but approves of the anti slavery, so sends agents to investigate. The Faceless Men don't approve of someone claiming to be immune to death and go after Viserys. One kills him and his revival ends with the paraphrased line "I already told your god, not today." The Faceless Men get subverted by this and start working with Viserys. Viserys is now on the Anger stage of death and basically becomes the villain.

Daemon and Gerold come to conflict in Viserys absence. Gerold is winning until Rhaenys and Tyrion arrive, Gerold is killed when Tyrion leaps onto Gerold's dragon and drives Talon/Fang into gerold's back. Tyrion dies killing Gerold and saving Braavos from dragonfire. Rhaenys is pregnant.

Cersei learns of the Great Council being called and is furious, but Tywin convinces her to go. She's also mad Jaime never came (he's with shireen working with the Deep Ones to destroy the Citadel and perpetuate the cycle of destroying humanities advanced knowledge.).

Council happens and Joffrey/Dany are backed by the Mander, Dorne, A third of the Stormlands, and half the Riverlands.
Cersei +Orys/Elyssa have Crownlands, a third of the Stormlands, Westerlands, and it looks like the Iron Islands + Steppstones.
Bella and the North go for independence in the Chaos of Ned's assassination(Littlfinger's plot, but it looks like a Lannister one).
Duncan, Dorne, Aegon, and 1/3 of Stormlands are backing Arianne/Renly/Shireen/Qyle.
It looks like Viserys is a foreign invader working for/with Jenn to take Westeros.

Book 4:

War of the 5 kings/Dance of the Dragons between the different sides. Long Night 3 happens and Others, Deep Ones, and Viserys all invade Westeros at same time. Viserys kills Duncan (who ends up calling himself a Waters, because of Rhagaer being from the Crownlands). He kills Jaime who ishis next friend to try stopping him. He finally kills Margaery (she willinly does it because the ritual is apparently needed to win against the Deep Ones/Others) but this snaps him back to reality and he kisses her instead passing his spark on to Margaery and he uses himself as the sacrifice to burn the ice/evaporate the wave. Final stage of grief/death is acceptance.​

 

[ThedudeManBro]

.... Wow. Not being That Guy, but glad you outlined the story now, because I just know I'd HATE reading it if that's how it would go, poetic themes or not... And I would sadly RAGE in the comments for a hot minute.

Goddamit I read fanfics to enjoy myself not feel what I felt just reading the damn Outline!!!

Still... Yeah. Rest up mate you've wrote alot and you deserve to rest your brain from this story, my personal feelings aside I'd hate you to burn out faster than Kings Landing after a very Enthusiastic Aerys happens.

(BTW did you know In my favorite ck2 mod A Game of Thrones, if your player character goes straight sieging the Red Keep during Bobby B's rebbelion, there's a hefty percent chance Aerys does what Aerys do, and kills you, everyone in the Red Keep and Kings Landing holdings, AND turns them into ruins with the POWAH OF WILDFIRE? )

 

[Flightless Man]

.... Wow. Not being That Guy, but glad you outlined the story now, because I just know I'd HATE reading it if that's how it would go, poetic themes or not... And I would sadly RAGE in the comments for a hot minute.

Goddamit I read fanfics to enjoy myself not feel what I felt just reading the damn Outline!!!

Still... Yeah. Rest up mate you've wrote alot and you deserve to rest your brain from this story, my personal feelings aside I'd hate you to burn out faster than Kings Landing after a very Enthusiastic Aerys happens.

(BTW did you know In my favorite ck2 mod A Game of Thrones, if your player character goes straight sieging the Red Keep during Bobby B's rebbelion, there's a hefty percent chance Aerys does what Aerys do, and kills you, everyone in the Red Keep and Kings Landing holdings, AND turns them into ruins with the POWAH OF WILDFIRE? )

Click to shrink...

But see, right their is all I ask for. You acknowledge you would hate it, not that it's objectively a bad/uninteresting idea. I'd honestly be interested in knowing which parts you really didn't like in the outline, so I can potentially improve in the future.

Is it Viserys turning evil, with the Vader style "redemption"? Is it the Deep One heavy touch/my changes to world lore? The general idea I had, was for the SI to inspire people to be better in a world i think lacks hope, but then the world (his many deaths) corrupts him. I lost almost 20 close friends and family members in the last 13 years, so the story was about me going through the stages of grief and how the different loses changed me, but in the end it was my surviving family/friends love that brought me back to who I was/could be. In the end, the people Viserys originally changed/inspired, are the ones who unite to stop him from doing something against the foundation of his morals.

(I haven't played ck yet, but that sounds like the modder did a good job on the AI for Aerys.) This story and the others I've written this year have all had a heavy theme of grief/eath/and moving past it. I want to write something happy and short (under 20k).

I'm thinking either Superman/Santa fusion (Kal El/No El),. The Kents live in Alaska/the Yukon and find Clark/Noah in a ship that kind of looks like a boat. His fortress of solitude becomes santa's workshop and the elves are some aliens he saves from their world's destruction. Instead of being a hero, he makes toys for good children and delivers them on christmas.

Or

a shipwreck survival fic with an undetermined fandom (Blue Lagoon/Castaway/Lord of the Flies kind of thing), or something Addams Family related.

 

[DeviantTheRenegade]

I liked the Deep One lore a lot, though the Crab/Lobster connection is usually underrated!

I don't like the idea of Viserys going evil, I just kept wanting him to go back to Westeros and see the people he loves fighting and trying to navigate a peace, but with well timed deaths, it just doesn't seem possible as the united westeros disintegrates around him.

 

[ATP]

But see, right their is all I ask for. You acknowledge you would hate it, not that it's objectively a bad/uninteresting idea. I'd honestly be interested in knowing which parts you really didn't like in the outline, so I can potentially improve in the future.

Is it Viserys turning evil, with the Vader style "redemption"? Is it the Deep One heavy touch/my changes to world lore? The general idea I had, was for the SI to inspire people to be better in a world i think lacks hope, but then the world (his many deaths) corrupts him. I lost almost 20 close friends and family members in the last 13 years, so the story was about me going through the stages of grief and how the different loses changed me, but in the end it was my surviving family/friends love that brought me back to who I was/could be. In the end, the people Viserys originally changed/inspired, are the ones who unite to stop him from doing something against the foundation of his morals.

(I haven't played ck yet, but that sounds like the modder did a good job on the AI for Aerys.) This story and the others I've written this year have all had a heavy theme of grief/eath/and moving past it. I want to write something happy and short (under 20k).

I'm thinking either Superman/Santa fusion (Kal El/No El),. The Kents live in Alaska/the Yukon and find Clark/Noah in a ship that kind of looks like a boat. His fortress of solitude becomes santa's workshop and the elves are some aliens he saves from their world's destruction. Instead of being a hero, he makes toys for good children and delivers them on christmas.

Or

a shipwreck survival fic with an undetermined fandom (Blue Lagoon/Castaway/Lord of the Flies kind of thing), or something Addams Family related.

Click to shrink...

Good ideas,especially as Others as betrayed allies and good guys,and Deep ones as bad ones.
I have few questions :
1.Others,children,giants,mermen,deep ones - did they survived,and if so,how many?
2.Who from MC survive,and with which waifu ? /especially Brienne!/
3.On which side was mermens ?

 

[Flightless Man]

I liked the Deep One lore a lot, though the Crab/Lobster connection is usually underrated!

I don't like the idea of Viserys going evil, I just kept wanting him to go back to Westeros and see the people he loves fighting and trying to navigate a peace, but with well timed deaths, it just doesn't seem possible as the united westeros disintegrates around him.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for discussing it with me, it really will help me craft my next story once I'm ready.

With the Deep Ones, I'm glad that was interesting. I really wanted to avoid the Others being the bad guys and explore some of the other mythos. Aegon was going to organize his own little band of 7.

Viserys wasn't going to be evil, just to be clear. He was going to be hyper focused on a goal he was incorrect about, sacrifice 100 to save 101 kind of thing (Joffrey was going to go over the rules and maybe I need to follow them now). He was going to be the villain/antagonist, but never evil. Duncan was going to be an accident, Jaime was going to be more of a mercy killing from his Oil Black hand corrupting him. Margaery was going to volunteer for the hammer of the waters (to set off a volcano.) and then Viserys was going to give her his spark and accept he should be dead.

Westeros was supposed to mostly unite before he arrives and Viserys was supposed to be all "I had a plan and everyone keeps screwing it up, we're doing it my way now!" and then he'll ignore the fact that they have a different plan and more knowledge than he does.

Good ideas,especially as Others as betrayed allies and good guys,and Deep ones as bad ones.
I have few questions :
1.Others,children,giants,mermen,deep ones - did they survived,and if so,how many?
2.Who from MC survive,and with which waifu ? /especially Brienne!/
3.On which side was mermens ?

Click to shrink...

Children of the Forest just got lucky and took credit for the Hammer of the Water sinking the Neck/Arm. I wanted to do something different with the Others and I think this would have been pretty unusual.

1: Others survive and get beyond the rocky Wall's foundation. Trade with humans every winter.
- CotF: About 50 live with Bloodraven and go to Essos/Ifeqeveren, Meet the last few Woodswalkers/Parents of the Forest. Gendry was going to get Garth Greenhandified and become the forest's champion.
- About 100 or so Children of the Forest live on the Isle of Faces. About 100 live scattered in other enclaves around Westeros (and even one on the Stepstones). They all go to Ifeqeveren once things are over.
- Deep Ones survive, but the empire is destroyed and now they need to scatter and make a bunch of seperate smaller kingdoms.
- Merlings are freed and inhabit the Narrow Sea/Around the Summer Isles.
- The Rock Goblins Gerold/Daemon/Tyrion/Rhaenys find in Pentos get the empty mines of Casterly Rock (Orys ends up with it).
- Giants (About 800) go to just north of the Bone Mt's and inhabit the Jhogwhin hills with tormund and his 8'000 freefolk.
- Dragons: Coppernicus goes back to the Summer Isles and bonds with one of Viserys' not kids. Viserion lives, Rhellagar lives(and recognizes Duncan), Eddrigon dies. Proudfin lives and Shireen goes exploring. Queraxes, Riannex, and Aegorian all live (with the one Gerold stole breaking away free and landing near Summerhall Abbey for Aegon.). Orys' Quillen lives and Yi-Ti sends ambassadors to find out how.

2: Duncan get's the whole Jon Snow/Ghost death and revival. He get's/wargs Viserys' braindead body. He was probably going to end up with Meera, but I wasn't 100% on it.
- I was going to retcon/edit it so Robb lived and Jon Stark died instead. He and Bella where going to become the King/Queen of the North.
- Arianne was going to die killing Cersei. Renly and PAtchface had swapped bodies, and Renly was going to die doing something vital under the sea (once he learned the Deep Ones create the storms for experiment victims and he finds his Merling parents).
- Sansa and Gendry live and go around searching for the CotF/plant new Weirwoods/regrow Essos and Dorne.
- Theon and Ygritte was still up in the air.
- Dany/Joffrey live.
- Loras and Daemon hook up.
-Rhaenys lives, Tyrion dies.
- Jenn was probably going to end up with Val.
- Aegon was going to finally fight in front of Brienne for something that mattered (and not his PTSD training in the practice yard she's seen) and they'd get together.
- Ask about anyone else I forget

3:Enslaved by the Deep Ones and experimented on in many different ways over the centuries. Renly and his parents and Shireen/Jaime help free them.

 

[ATP]

Thanks for discussing it with me, it really will help me craft my next story once I'm ready.

With the Deep Ones, I'm glad that was interesting. I really wanted to avoid the Others being the bad guys and explore some of the other mythos. Aegon was going to organize his own little band of 7.

Viserys wasn't going to be evil, just to be clear. He was going to be hyper focused on a goal he was incorrect about, sacrifice 100 to save 101 kind of thing (Joffrey was going to go over the rules and maybe I need to follow them now). He was going to be the villain/antagonist, but never evil. Duncan was going to be an accident, Jaime was going to be more of a mercy killing from his Oil Black hand corrupting him. Margaery was going to volunteer for the hammer of the waters (to set off a volcano.) and then Viserys was going to give her his spark and accept he should be dead.

Westeros was supposed to mostly unite before he arrives and Viserys was supposed to be all "I had a plan and everyone keeps screwing it up, we're doing it my way now!" and then he'll ignore the fact that they have a different plan and more knowledge than he does.


Children of the Forest just got lucky and took credit for the Hammer of the Water sinking the Neck/Arm. I wanted to do something different with the Others and I think this would have been pretty unusual.

1: Others survive and get beyond the rocky Wall's foundation. Trade with humans every winter.
- CotF: About 50 live with Bloodraven and go to Essos/Ifeqeveren, Meet the last few Woodswalkers/Parents of the Forest. Gendry was going to get Garth Greenhandified and become the forest's champion.
- About 100 or so Children of the Forest live on the Isle of Faces. About 100 live scattered in other enclaves around Westeros (and even one on the Stepstones). They all go to Ifeqeveren once things are over.
- Deep Ones survive, but the empire is destroyed and now they need to scatter and make a bunch of seperate smaller kingdoms.
- Merlings are freed and inhabit the Narrow Sea/Around the Summer Isles.
- The Rock Goblins Gerold/Daemon/Tyrion/Rhaenys find in Pentos get the empty mines of Casterly Rock (Orys ends up with it).
- Giants (About 800) go to just north of the Bone Mt's and inhabit the Jhogwhin hills with tormund and his 8'000 freefolk.
- Dragons: Coppernicus goes back to the Summer Isles and bonds with one of Viserys' not kids. Viserion lives, Rhellagar lives(and recognizes Duncan), Eddrigon dies. Proudfin lives and Shireen goes exploring. Queraxes, Riannex, and Aegorian all live (with the one Gerold stole breaking away free and landing near Summerhall Abbey for Aegon.). Orys' Quillen lives and Yi-Ti sends ambassadors to find out how.

2: Duncan get's the whole Jon Snow/Ghost death and revival. He get's/wargs Viserys' braindead body. He was probably going to end up with Meera, but I wasn't 100% on it.
- I was going to retcon/edit it so Robb lived and Jon Stark died instead. He and Bella where going to become the King/Queen of the North.
- Arianne was going to die killing Cersei. Renly and PAtchface had swapped bodies, and Renly was going to die doing something vital under the sea (once he learned the Deep Ones create the storms for experiment victims and he finds his Merling parents).
- Sansa and Gendry live and go around searching for the CotF/plant new Weirwoods/regrow Essos and Dorne.
- Theon and Ygritte was still up in the air.
- Dany/Joffrey live.
- Loras and Daemon hook up.
-Rhaenys lives, Tyrion dies.
- Jenn was probably going to end up with Val.
- Aegon was going to finally fight in front of Brienne for something that mattered (and not his PTSD training in the practice yard she's seen) and they'd get together.
- Ask about anyone else I forget

3:Enslaved by the Deep Ones and experimented on in many different ways over the centuries. Renly and his parents and Shireen/Jaime help free them.

Click to shrink...

Thanks.Good story,and new perspectives.It is good,that you do not followed GRRM canon - in which case,most of yur characters must be raped/killed/both.
I truly do not undarstandt his approach - bad things happen,but he created story as if everybody lived in gulag.

Well,noo matter.I have 3 questions -
1.How mermen look like,and could they have children with humans
2.Deep ones - the same
3.Rock goblins - the same.

I wish you luck in next story.What i liked in that is that once you change things,you changed everything it touched.I read many stories on fanfictions,when powerfull SI/usually beautiful girl/ appear - and...Ned die,Read Wedding,etc,etc.As if such powerfull character do not existed at all

Another common mistake - couples.For example,pair Brienne always with Jaime,when it had sense only in GRRM version.Once you change story,couples would change,too.

Third - killing or saving characters becouse they died/lived in canon.They should live/or not/ becouse of story .

Your story is good,becouse you do not made those mistakes,and your next should be as good as that.

 

[Flightless Man]

Thanks.Good story,and new perspectives.It is good,that you do not followed GRRM canon - in which case,most of yur characters must be raped/killed/both.
I truly do not undarstandt his approach - bad things happen,but he created story as if everybody lived in gulag.

Well,noo matter.I have 3 questions -
1.How mermen look like,and could they have children with humans
2.Deep ones - the same
3.Rock goblins - the same.

I wish you luck in next story.What i liked in that is that once you change things,you changed everything it touched.I read many stories on fanfictions,when powerfull SI/usually beautiful girl/ appear - and...Ned die,Read Wedding,etc,etc.As if such powerfull character do not existed at all

Another common mistake - couples.For example,pair Brienne always with Jaime,when it had sense only in GRRM version.Once you change story,couples would change,too.

Third - killing or saving characters becouse they died/lived in canon.They should live/or not/ becouse of story .

Your story is good,becouse you do not made those mistakes,and your next should be as good as that.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, lots of my ideas may have been iffy, but I don't ever want to just write the same thing everyone has already seen a dozen or more times. I tried to find a new angle for all the big things like Rhaegar/Lyanna. I don't get inspired reading the same thing, so hopefully some of these ideas inspired someone else to do it better.

GRRM is really focused on history and the horrors of war. His entire story is basically an anti violence/war PSA with a bit of Global Warming. And a dash of "look how messed up history was." I know several people who only looked into the times in history george was inspired by, because of his books. So for that (and being a history major myself) I really respect his work.

...

Merlings are magically gene spliced and have a variety of looks. Each one is crossed with a sea animal and each generation the appearance is less and less human.

Deep Ones are

Rock Goblins are an insectoid ant like species and they had been crossbred with Valyrian slaves to make the original digging mutants. Only a single hive remains under Pentos.
...

Accounting for the changes is one of my favorite parts of writing fanfic. I really like taking Canon plots/events/lines and giving it a new spin or have it happen to someone else. JAime losing his hand, Rhaella becoming Queen Stoneheart, changing who's on the funeral pyre.

I know some people couldn't understand why Duncan was kept a secret (especially from Ned.) But mainly, I just liked flipping it so Ned was one of the only ones who didn't know who Jon/Duncan was. Tyrion/Rhaenys' wedding in Dorne was gonig to be my Orange/Red wedding, but Tyrion legitimatly had earned the vengeance from Ellaria/the Stepstones smallfolk. I had no reason for the Lannisters/Freys/Boltons to plot the wedding betrayal, when you have so many options.

I also killed Varys so soon, because in almost every single RPG/dnd campaign, you either kill a giant rat or a giant spider in your first session/level. Squished that spider right away to avoid him being behind everything going forward.

I love switching up couples. I fully believe in attraction/chemistry at first sight, but think you can fall in love with pretty much anyone depending on the circumstances of how you meet/interact. I'm a shipper but just in general, don't really have many pairs I prefer (except Chandler/Rachel in friends. I'll die on that hill and may write something now that I'm thinknig about it). I tried keeping relationships alot closer in age range and that ment JAime/Brienne wouldn't work. I totally get having a crush on someone older, but nothing should ever happen in my opinion (when the adult meets you first as a child/teen).

If I do another SI in ASoIaF, the SI will probably try and get hitched(well, more likely betrothed) to Jeyne/Talisia before Ned even goes South to be Hand. Keep it a shorter 10-20 chapter thing where I explore what those changes would bring. Maybe one as the first Wierwood tree, but that still seems daunting with how abstract it would be. I have a constantly growing list of ideas, so I dunno what's next.

Thank you and I'll have something new out soon, once I decide what I'm writing next. Something happier.