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

[Flightless Man]

Epilogue: Where Do We Go From Here
Tyrion Lannister
​

"You're really leaving?" I hoped he was only bluffing but he doesn't even intend to free Tygett with me.

"You don't need me anymore," Gerion growls with disappointment as his small fleet is prepared. "And I refuse to be witness as my family compete for the greatest atrocity of the war."

"It's no contest." Barks Gregor with an impressed look at my brother. "Only one of them cut a babe from his own wife and then kicked her into the sea along with her entire family. Even made me think I need to try harder, Lannisters keep raising the bar."

The 'Darkstar shakes his head and disagrees confidently. "It was the most brutal I admit but Tywin boiled the Golden Companies generals in molten gold. That man knows how to intimidate with style."

"He just stole their banner for his idea. No creativity at all." I'm going to show them all how to really make Ironborn beg for mercy.

"No one will remember before too long, the Golden Company is over." Counters Gerold with a cocky smirk. "Your father didn't even spare a thousand for the Wall and half of them are crippled for life."

I'm not going to lose any sleep over some foreign invaders. "They should have surrendered faster."

"They did try." Father as finally arrived with Jaime, ready to see his least favorite brother off on his voyage for glory. "I pretended not to notice. The screaming made the rest break even faster." I'll need to remember that.

He snarls at Gerion who only rolls his eyes. "You are to return with proof of Euron Greyjoy's defeat, do not entertain any foolishness of stealing my new fleet."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Only one of these ships is mine and the 'Golden Joy' will not be returning with your fleet." The smirk on Gerion's face is a cover for the disgust in his eyes and I try not to let it affect me. It's easy to smile when you like like that dear Uncle.

"As long as we understand each Gerion…" Father stares hard at Gerion who doesn't flinch. "I wish you good fortune."

My uncle sighs heavily and pulls my stiff backed brother into a loose hug. "And I you Tywin, even though you don't seem to need it."

Off with Prince Renly for his wedding, Father has been forced to leave the Ironborn conquest to me. My dear Cersei and her husband's coronation will held only a few days after the wedding. Gerion's position isn't going to be given to me like I had once believed and I really need to prove myself with a decisive victory.

I'm not sure if my sister convinced Stannis I should lose Dragonstone or it's all his own punishment. Whichever one came up with the idea it seems Father is to become the Hand. Some risen lord named Seaworth is to become Master of Ships in my place and Jaime gets to keep being the acting Lord of the Rock. Even though he's the first one to ever lose it in our families history.

Really do need to make friends with Prince Renly once I'm done with the Isles. I'm pretty sure even I can buy a friend with one of the Ironborn's fancy Valyrian steel blades.

Red Rain, Nightfall, The Castrater, and even Septa-Splitter, are all swords held by known houses. I've sent someone trusted after each one with the promise of a lordship in the Stepstones and since Prince Rrenly has that massive silver ax… I'll just need to make sure he gets the two handed one from House Wynch.


…

​

Viserys Ashtar
​

The renamed 'Celebration' cruises West over the sparkling blue ocean to the merry chorus of my crews singing. As soon as Thoros catches on he takes the lead in making every verse as dirty as possible, leaving me time alone with my growing dread.

As soon as we get back… I don't get to have fun anymore. I'll have to deal with what I've been trying to repress. Not really looking forward to confronting Cersei when we get back to Storm's End.

"Don't know how I'm going to explain you either." Coppernicus lets out a noise halfway between a purr and squeal. "You're going to be a big boy." A cloud of smoke rises up around me and leaves me coated in soot for the ninth time since I've woken up today.

My dragon may not be a fire breather but the magma seems to be what gave him his element. Makes sense I'd end up with a stone dragon. The spiked bony mass at the tail reminds me of an ankylosaurus and the horns seem a lot more durable than Drogon's. You could probably gore another dragon with those babies.

"You're already heavier than I can comfortably carry and you're barely two weeks old…" Even his scales seem thicker and capable of taking more damage. "Wonder how low it'll be before you can piggyback me?"

"Viserys!" Roars Arnold from the crows nest. "We got Westorosi ships incoming, fifteen of them all flying Lannister flags!"

Great… what do I do now? "Barristan take charge and tell them I died finding the cure, so you don't have to tell them how it happened."

"We don't know though, ya damn wizard!" Snorts Spitlick as I head below deck with the freed slaves.

"You can let them investigate the ship butt only let the ones in charge down to see me." Secrets are easier to keep with less involved and I only have seven unclaimed pieces of Valyrian steel left. I need to start being wiser with my wealth.

Waiting is a tense forty minutes as I wait for a gangplank to slam down on the Celebration. Muffled voices above me going back and forth between the men.

Soon the door creaks open and Barristan leads only a single man down the stairs. "No wonder Tyrion and Jaime do nothing but sing your praises when your name is mentioned. Is their anything you can't damn well do?"

"Can't fly…" Gerion Lannister raises a single eyebrow and glances down at the copper colored dragon wrapped around my ankle. "Yet." I remember what's strapped to my waist and grin as I realize I can save two birds with one sword. "I have something you might like. Tell your brother I'm sorry it took so long but I remembered he wanted his sword back."

I toss Gerion the sheathed long sword and smirk when he nearly drops it. "Is this…"

"Ice? Yeah I know Tywin wanted a Valyrian steel blade and I finally found one." My smirk grows when the charming Lannister's face shifts into confusion. "Was hard stealing it from the Starks while I was in Valyria but I can do anything. May want to melt it down into two swords though so Lord Stark doesn't come after your family."

"… Um." His face goes through nine distinct variations of confusion before I can't hold in my grin any longer.

"Of course it's Brightroar, I'm not really a wizard…" I scowl at Barristan who just smirks back. "No matter what anyone on this ship says."

Gerion blinks a few times as he gets the joke and a relieved grin spreads across his face. "You went into Valyria and cured Greyscale around the world. I'd believe anything you told me right now."

"I died and came back to life." I laugh much faster this time so Barristan doesn't get any right ideas about my adventure. "I also figured out how to make Valyrian steel." That should convince Barristan I'm just screwing around.

"You did?" The Lannister's bravado is gone and he looks like an awestruck child. "How?"

"Jumping in a volcano only keeps a Valyrian dead if we stay in the lava…" Oh I needed this. "It's like how the Ironborn have that whole drowning ritual. No big deal."

Gerion blinks rapidly again and even Barristan gives me a concerned gaze. "I meant how do you make Valyrian steel." Of course he wants to know, that's the only reason anyone ever chanced the Doom.

I'm increasing Westeros total supply by ten percent, I can make up whatever I want. "Tell you what. You bring any of my crew home who want to go and I give you Brightroar. You come find me in…" I try to think fast and smile. "The Summer Isles and I'll tell you what I know about the secret."

He frowns and shakes his head no. "I'm after Euron Greyjoy, can't deviate my course I'm afraid."

"You don't recognize his ship?" My smirks makes Gerion just closes his eyes and sigh.

"Deal." He grasps my arm and shakes it eagerly. "Probably be awkward if you showed up now. With Renly marrying Arianne Martell and everything."

Well if I hadn't already been convinced I have nothing left in Westeros, that would have done it. He'll treat her well and she'll be understanding. I'll only make things hard on everyone if I go back now.


…

​

Garlan Tyrell
​

"Balon, Aeron, and Rodrik Greyjoy have all been slain and your last surviving brother Theon is to be sent to the Wall." I read the words outloud and hear Asha hiss across the desk. "While the Drumm's Harlaws, Wynchs, Humbles, and Netleys, have all been put to the sword."

"What is to happen to me?" Her voice is low and her fingers begin tapping against the cherry wood covered in rose carvings.

"The Iron Isles are being split between the Westerlands and Riverlands in recompense for the war. While you seem to have been forgotten." Or the crown just doesn't think you can rally your people

"Guess I should be grateful." Asha's eyes roam across my body and I feel my entire body go pink. "My cage is at least a pretty one… good with his hands too." Her words make me blush an even darker shade, while he foot on my calf turns me red. "Though you're a horrible kisser. We need to practice that some more."

I need to say something before I lose the will to make the right choice for once. "Is this actually what you want? Being my wife I mean." I add when her face only shows confusion. "I'll give you a ship and tell everyone you threw yourself from the tower. You can go wherever you want and I wont come looking for you."

"Am I that ugly?" My wife's expression becomes far more offended than I had expected. "Or is it me who's bad with her hands? I have a few more tricks I was saving for when I was mean to your siblings but I can try some of them tonight."

"That sounds incredible but I don't want you to be stuck with me against your will." I shrug awkwardly and know my smile is less than charming at the moment. "But this is the only time I'm making this offer. I'm fond of you and will not have the strength to give you up in a few days."

She nods in understanding and gives me a genuine smile that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "Well I'll just have to keep you distracted until then. Tarly can handle things for a few days and you know he'd think it a great honor."


…

​

Daemon Blackfyre
​

"We need to go, now!" Father roars through the manse as Ser Arthur bring our hostages to him. "The Braavosi have been alerted to who exactly transported the Golden Company and the Magisters are selling us out!"

Our servants bring the emergency chests out to to the stables and I realize how bad this is when he starts speaking about the Dothraki being our only hope. You really are the bad guy Father… aren't you?

After I denied Quentyn and Rhaenys' claims of being kidnapped, I had to confront Father so he could set things straight. I didn't expect him to say I was old enough to finally know the real plan and Rhaenys may need to be traded for an army. So I could claim the throne!

I've spent years thinking I was supposed to mend the rift in our family but it was all a lie. You're just using my friends… even me I bet.

"Grab the chest in my solar, you know which one." Father is carrying off a chest of jewels and I react before thinking about it. Panic over the coming danger spurs me to action and I dash away.

Everything goes by in a blur I can barely remember. We're bustled into the sturdy carriage for trips to the vineyards and a score of guards is all we can horse. A second carriage holding the wealth Father managed to have carried out and a dozen servants who must be cramped.

The hours we spend riding in silence East are filled with tension and it takes the whole time for my nerves to calm. When I do, Quentyn is giving me a hard stare with clear intent of escape.

When we stop to rest the horses, Father climbs right back into the litter after he relieves himself. "Do it." I give my consent when the Martell boy grabs a flaming branch from the camp fire.

I can't be a part of the things you have done anymore Father, you used Greyscale as a weapon. Whatever other horrors you have planned will never see the light of day.

Rhaenys shoves a sheathed sword through the carriage's handles as Quentyn ignites the carriage. The oil paint ignites almost instantly and creates a roaring inferno. Father screams and I blanch when his voice is joined by Ser Arthur's.

Quentyn stabs through the door when someone slams into it and the Dayne knight screams in agony. The sword comes out gleaming red and is thrust back into the flaming carriage to cause a second yell.

While I stand paralyzed in shock, Rhaenys starts throwing vials of perfume onto the carriage. "Mother made sure I knew what a woman's weapons are and this one is my favorite!"

I'm to late in warning her as she opens a second chest. Inside is vials of glowing green liquid and I realize they aren't perfume only after she hurls two of them.


…

​

Arianne Martell
​

When Father handed me off to Renly last night, it was fine. No elation in my heart but a firm resolve to keep my babe away from the throne. It's all Viserys wanted for himself and I'll make sure our child gets all the time on a beach she wants.

We had no need of a bedding ceremony once my pregnancy was 'leaked' but I have pride in my body. No way I was going to pass up the only socially acceptable chance I'd have to show it off.

Cersei has been freakishly nice since I started showing signs of my pregnancy… she must not feel like she has any rivals now and can let down her guard a bit as Queen. Can't really think of any other reasons she'd suddenly become so kind to me.

Looking after Aegon is an incredible surprise after thinking he was lost. Elia will be staying to give Renly and I a hand and I don't even mind having Mya Baratheon in the mix.. She's only a few years younger than I am... I'm going to have so much fun teaching her and Brienne how to be confident maidens.

Excited shouting brings me out into the courtyard to a confusing sight. Is that Ser Barristan? Hope stirs in my chest as I scan the crowd of people who are also miraculously cured like everyone else in Westeros.

"Princess Arianne. Viserys isn't coming back." Barristan sees me and his eyes go misty before he bows. "We learned many things in the Doom of Valyria. How to hatch dragons in the right conditions and how to cure Shalescale, though at the cost of his life." Of course that was the cost and he wouldn't let anyone else pay it for him.

"A King is the servant of the people and Viserys knew that better than most." King Stannis acknowledges and I'm shocked to see a single wet line on his face. "I will lead by his example and make sure to keep the 'crazy' away."

"Ha!" Gasps Renly in shock as he stares at his older brother in shock. "You're still making jokes?"

Smirking at my husband, the newly crowned King nods firmly. "Well after everything you've done, I know you're more than smart enough to understand them all. You even secured your own beneficial match all on your own, I'm very proud of you Renly."

"I uh… never thought I would ever hear you say that Stannis." With pink cheeks Renly grins at his not actually very scowly brother.

"Never thought I'd say it." Stannis counters with a faint smile on his thin lips.

Cersei seems to have noticed something the rest of us haven't. "You say he learned how to hatch dragons? He gave two eggs to Renly, that must be a sign one is for him and one for Stannis." I consider the child Renly will be claiming as his and consider it might not be so far fetched.

Wait… Is that why Cersei is being so nice to me? I take a closer look at Orys in her arms and focus on the indigo eyes.

When the sun briefly hits the boys face, his eyes shimmer violet for just a second. Oh my… this is big.



…

Notes: Thank you all for reading book 1. I have had an amazing time on this voyage with you all. I will be taking a day or two off before I start writing book 2. It will have a time skip of a few years so we can age some kids up.

Not sure if I should make a new thread or add book two/three/maybe four, to this one.
​

 

[Flightless Man]

Book 2: Sovereign Scuffle
Chapter 1: Dragon Tales
296 AC, Tyrion Lannister
​

I take my chair in the Small Council chambers and trade smirks with Lord Petyr Baelish the Master of Truth. Whispers and lies lead to the Insurrection and so King Stannis restructured the position within only a year of his rule.

Petyr and I have been able to help each other grow. His uncanny ability to root out those involved in got him the newly renamed position the same day I was made Master of Coin.

It wasn't hard to figure out how to make my wealth, Myr is right next door after all. Losing their monopoly on dyes has led to some border conflicts. Wonder if they'll side with Pentos or maybe try and entice Victarion and his pirates into getting revenge?

"And what do you have Tyrion?" Renly enters next and prances to his own seat with sheer grace. "Some new Essosi drink that will make me forget which Kingdom I'm from?"

He's been a big help in maintaining my respect in the Realm and giving Griffin's Roost a discount is no skin off my back. "Finally got my hands on the new Summer Isles export. They call them 'Valyrian Candles'."

Even Davos is curious when I waddle over and grab a glowing coal from the fire. "you put the copper part on some coals or above a candle flame and the magic happens."

My newest treasure is a jar of very thick glass, filled with a clear kind of oil. It's sealed with a lid of thin copper and cost me eighteen gold pieces. Damn worth it though.

Blobs of crimson… something, rests on the glass encased metal and when the coals transfer the heat varying sizes of droplets bleed upwards in the jar. "Apparently this is what they've been selling in the Disputed lands the last two years and I can see why everyone wants them." I want a whole room of these things for myself, would be incredible to sleep surrounded by them.

"What is it made of?" My father finally deigns to acknowledge my find. "Is that dragon blood?"

"Although reports are coming in more frequently each year, the Summer Dragon is not yet confirmed." Amends Petyr with a deferential nod to my father. "It's as likely to be true as the sightings over the Rhoyne and in the Neck."

Our King arrives finally and takes a seat beside my smirking sister. "So why aren't you providing the Truth of the matter?"

"You wanted me to find the last of the rebels and I have." My sometimes drinking companion defends himself with a casual grin. "If you'd prefer I work on this next instead of Pentos… I will of course head North first thing in the morning."

"Do so and you my dear brother…" Cersei smirks at me as she finds a way to leave me from gaining any more glory in what looks to be a quick conquest.

She needn't bother as Father speaks his orders first. "Tyrion shall go find out if this Summer Island King, is in fact my absent brother Gerion. Or if he failed in his quest and Euron rules."

"So we don't know if it's friend or foe?" Great, this means I'm screwed no matter what I do. I either show up with a fleet and terrify everyone, or I go with only a merchant escort and get taken as a slave.

"You're only going to get answers and you're supposed to be expanding our profits… you are the logical choice to send.t" Thankfully King Stannis hates wasting time on needless bickering and ignores it to focus on the meeting. "Learn who's in charge and head for this King in the Sorrows. Find out if he really has dragons keeping the Dothraki at bay."

"Of course your Grace." No getting out of this now, better just enjoy the Summer Isles stop. It would only benefit Westeros if I can adopt local customs for my stay.

Growling at the idea our King slams his fist on the oak table, causing his brothers glass to fall and shatter. "Ser Barristan said fourteen dragons flew away from the eruption, we need to be sure these are indeed those wild ones."

"Only the royal family should have dragons and he knows how to hatch them." Cersei's anger is a match for the King's and they lock heated eyes. "Why won't you allow him to be questioned by Lord Baelish? He will get the answer out of him… at least let him question one of the nobodies."

"None of them are nobodies and you know that." Father answers for the King and gets a grateful nod from him. "It would not be received well to torture the heroes who cured Shalescale."

"I don't care how it's received. It will not happen while I draw breath." Stannis shows himself once more to be the only person more stubborn than my shrew of a sister. "Marya was your friend, just ask her yourself instead of demanding Davos question his wife."

"She should have told us the second they returned!" Hisses a fuming Cersei and I find the claim of her ever being Marya Seaworth's friend ridiculous. Only real friend my sister ever had died and I know she had a hand in it.

The Master of Ships sighs deeply and scratches his grey goatee in consideration. "It's not worth the price."

"You already know." I state with no doubt in my mind and Davos shrugs a being caught.

"I don't think Lord Tywin is willing to die for you to be able to fly and King Stannis doesn't have anyone left to make the willing sacrifice." Davos admits more than anyone present had been able to find out.

With hard eyes, Father is quick to firmly agree with Lord Seaworth. "I most certainly am not. Though if it's truly that simple… I may reconsider on my deathbed."

"With so many Targaryens growing mad later in life…" Theorizes the Grand Maester, his hacking cough makes us wait awkwardly for the rest of his words. "It could have been a way to 'encourage' the family elders to willingly take part in such a ritual and keep the family heads fresh both in mind and body."

This explanation seems to please Father and he lets out a little breathy hiss that some would even mistakenly call a laugh. "Would explain why the children seemed to be ten times more competent than Aerys was and he was only degrading with each year."


…

​

Viserys Ashtar
​

With the sun beating down on my heavily tanned skin, I smile at the sound of Coppernicuus splashing in the waves nearby. From nose to the tip of his tail, my 'brother' measures thirty seven feet. Boy was no one having fun that day.

He's massive but hasn't seem to realized how much bigger he is now. Loud noises terrify him and it's taken years to get him used to strafing any hostile ships that get too close.

Our arrival five years ago was well received by the Summer Islanders and I was given the equivalent of a lordship. Turns out they didn't know about magnets either and everyone knows I'm a wizard.

Gerion and my crew chase off any Westerosi ships that get too close and it's given me all the time I needed to find myself. No life threatening danger or horrible disease has become kind of… boring.

Last year it was only a slight annoyance at the back of my mind but this year I feel my bones itching to do anything. The local religion is wonderful and helped me realize I only knew Arianne for a few months.

I care for her and wish her the best. But honestly… the relationships created in times of stress rarely last. She wouldn't be happy with a quiet life and we would have resented each other before long.

"Going to need to get another shipment from Myr if you want to keep making your 'lamps'." Gerion groans from the shade of his palm tree. "Or do you have some new magic to share with us?"

I've given up denying the claims and just wave a hand dismissively above me. "Drinking tree blood isn't good enough for you? Want me to get a few more xylophones made or maybe some bagpipes?" I was bored and eventually got the prototypes sounding good enough that the islands' real musicians could perfect them

"Not the bagpipes!" He roars so fast I sit up and lift the straw hat off my eyes.

Coppernicus stops splashing and darts straight towards me with several very ungraceful hops across the sand. His eyes are darting all around as he crouches over Gerion and myself, his tongue checking us both for any harm his eyes are failing to see.

"It's alright Nicus, Gerion is just being dumb." He doesn't believe me and leaves an extra thick layer of slobber on my new hemp overall and sandal combination. It's too hot to wear anything else and it makes me feel rustic. Does itch like all Seven Hells though.

"He doesn't like the honking those things make either and you know it." Yeah but I didn't reinvent bagpipes to annoy my dragon.

"You want to walk on water and freak everyone out?" He's really my only access to Essosi ingredients and if he just wants some simple magic tricks… I guess I can oblige him.

His eyes light up like an eager child's and he nods enthusiastically. "You know I do. What do you need me to bring back this time?"

"A few dozen barrels of cornstarch, I'll need at least eight hundred pounds of it but more is better. I'll get to work digging out a little inlet while you're gone." Don't want to ruin any of our drinking water with this. Even with the new mist catchers I had installed on the hills, we have far less fresh water than I'm accustomed to. Got spoiled in the Stormlands.

"That's it?" He's disappointed so I just shrug and offer a 'magical' explanation.

"Corn creates the proper… energy when it grows. It's the only way I know how to do it with Valyrian ingredients." If nobody will believe in easily repeatable acts being science, I'm forced to come up with answers people can accept… if not understand any better.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 2: This Seems Familiar
Duncan Selmy
​

"What's taking them so long?" Uncle Ned's ship should have gotten here hours ago.

Huddled together on the new Manderly constructed docks, 'Aunt' Lyanna's expression has shifted into concern. "Wyman said the 'Sea Wolf' left from White Harbor on schedule. His granddaughter Wylla is on board with your cousins and they should have been here by midday."

Seeing the difference in how she cares for me and my half sister was a harsh slap in the fast. I'd spent years thinking Ashara and Barristan as only people looking after me but they treated me the same as my 'siblings'.

The once Queen never intended to raise me and has never really seen me as a son. She cares for me of course but I know who my parents actually are now. I can't live in Starfall with Rhellagar and Mother is needed to be regent.

It's not like Lyanna has no love for me but it's far more comparable to how she treated my cousins at Winterfell during our brief stay. Sandor was given new land once it was revealed the devastation his keep had faced from the Hightower occupation, even given his own Lordship for saving so many of us.

Even Ser Grell was raised alongside Bronn, now known as the 'Knight of Deepdown'. Sandor did it himself when the few dozen locals who remained, decided to finally reveal themselves with nightly attacks. Was hilarious when he nearly forgot to charge the Riverlands native in the Crone's name though.

"You did remember to keep the dragons in the caves, right?" Bronn grumbles when a gust of chill air rises off the sea and slams into him.

"Yes we did and Gendry's keeping them entertained." My half sister rolls her eyes at me over his whining. "Eddrigon is going to be so energetic when he can finally go fishing. You want to give Robb and Sansa an aerial view of the bay when they finally get here?"

Our plans are immediately snipped in the bud by Lyanna, her face thick with frustration. "Don't even think about it. Catelyn's raven was very clear her children are staying on the ground… already has enough problems keeping Bran from climbing everything in sight."

"Well can Duncan and Tasha at least show them around on the unicorns?" Jenn gives me an apologetic look and shrugs. "If you don't mind Gendry taking out Rhellagar for you?"

Not many people who actually can, the dragons barely even let Tasha in to feed them. "He does a fine job with Viserion when Dany goes to Riverrun twice a year. Gendry knows he doesn't need to ask me, only Rhella."

Her half brother doesn't share his half with me but he's basically mine by now too. Only boy my age and he's actually a nice person… of course I'll ignore a little thing like him being a bastard.

I learned from Viserys how easy it is to carve your own path and I'll help Gendry any way I can. Sandor is confident I'm more skilled than half the knights already and only need some bulk before I'm a real legend.

Any knight can make a knight and since Gendry can beat me a third of the time with that damn morning star of Viserys', he'll have done something to earn it soon enough.

I can't even be mad Gendry's the one using it, I nearly lost it when it slipped from my grip. Didn't really understand what Viserys was always saying about his grip but I have the reverse problem it seems. Blunt and heavy weapons will never be my specialty.

"Good idea, Sansa has been asking me to send one for her nameday each year." Lyanna gives her permission with a wry chuckle. "Will give you and Robb time to talk before he sees them. Boys don't like being seen to cry as I recall." She gives Uncle Benjen a quick elbow to the ribs.

"No we really don't and yet sisters seem to relish causing it."

"Why is it Sansa and Robb coming?" It still doesn't make sense why Edith isn't coming instead and Dany decides to bring it up with her endless curiosity. If only women could be maesters, she'd have read every single word at the Citadel.

My uncle is the one who answers again as he avoids a second elbow. "Sansa has her head filled with only the good parts of court life and Ned wants her to be given the reality of the noble life down South."

"And Robb's been getting restless since Domeric went back to the Dreadfort, so he asked to come with her and Wylla Manderly." Lyanna frowns at the sight of Dany's still strawberry pink hair getting messed up in the wind.

"He asked to come?" Me and Robb didn't really get along when we stayed with them for a month. Whenever I wasn't looking at him, I could feel his gaze boring into me. "Why?"

"He's probably as lonely as you are, maybe even more." Explains Benjen with a very understanding look in his grey eyes. "Winterfell doesn't really have many kids and he's only got Jon now. Gap of five years is a little too much for them to really be close friends."

So what, he wants to come and take the two male friends I have? "He does know I live here still and it's not just Gendry and Daryn Hornwood?"

"Ned should have used the ride to tell them the truth about our intent." Lyanna answers with a snort. "Don't worry so much Duncan. Jenn's still going to be the boss of all of you, so it's not like anything will really change." She really is quite sure of what she wants and expects to get it.

"Is that them?" Dany squints hard at the horizon and finally grins wide. "That's a Manderly sail, it is them!"

Her excitement spreads fast and soon everyone on the docks is standing to great the Warden of the North. When his ship arrives and the gangplank descends, someone unexpected follows the three Starks down.

The short man is well dressed in a plum colored doublet, a thick winter cloak of wolf fur around him is the first sign he's not a Northman. His short oiled hair with graying temples and perfectly groomed goatee are another clue his appearance matters far too much.

"Ned!" Benjen claps arms with his brother at the same time Lyanna pulls Robb and Sansa into a firm hug.

"You look like you've finally put some weight on," Uncle Ned looks his little brother over and looks relieved to see no new scars. "And Lyanna lost most of hers."

"Not sitting around doing nothing anymore," Admits the Lady of Skagos with a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. "Realized soon I'd start getting compared to Wylla's grandfather."

The twelve year old Manderly girl blinks in shock at the mental image and tries not to laugh. She fails spectacularly.

"But he's too fat to sit on a horse anymore!" Even Sansa looks up at Lyanna in shock, clearly not remembering what she looked like when she was Queen.

"And I was a few decades away from that fate." Lyana shrugs with no real concern. "But why don't Ned and his friend go talk inside. You kids can go show Wylla and your cousins the unicorns."

"Yes!" Sansa is first to respond and her squeal nearly deafens me. "Please can we Robb!" Her plea to her brother is accepted with a roll of his eyes and none of the aloofness I remembered from before. I guess his dad did tell them about me, that's a relief.

"That's all you've been able to talk about since we left White Harbor," He sighs with a smile nearly revealing itself. "I have to admit… even I'm getting curious about what they really look like."

They're neat I guess and listen to Jenn like ducklings following their mother, but it's been hard for me to connect like I did with the pack. All the wolves on Skagos got slaughtered centuries ago and I just haven't bonded with any animal besides Rhellagar.

I don't know if she'd even let me have another non human friend though, Rhella is a jealous queen who doesn't like sharing. Even her siblings know better than to talk back with any serious intent.

Eddrigon is slower mentally and hasn't really seemed to get out of the hatchling mindset. But the lithe yellow bundle of energy is by far the most easy going. He's kind of like a dog who hasn't realized how big he got.

ON the other hand Viserion is kind of a loner and prefers flying over the bay with only Dany as his company. She was gone for three days once and is the reason the Watch started spreading rumors of dragons.

It did scare the wildlings like crazy though and we haven't had any try the Bay of Seals in over a year now. I think whatever bit of Viserys was left after he died saving Father, is in the pale blue dragon. He's quiet and only snaps when Rhella is too aggressive with Edd.

"What are these?" Robb is the one who breaks the silence after we lead our three guests to the paddock.

"Unicorns." I try and get over my uncertainty by pretending we never had an awkward first encounter. "Not quite what you expected are they?" Me neither, the long legs and neck are one thing but once the thick curly wool makes them look more cuddly than they really are.

"Be careful and don't make eye contact." I force my voice as high as it can go so I don't rile up the beasts. "Talk like you would before your voice got deeper and they might let you on without spitting."

Sansa shows me she isn't just a girl lost in her imagination and frowns in thought. "Is that why you only sent some to the Mormonts? They don't like men."

Her brother steps a little too close and stares at the single crooked horn on each ones head. "They need to spit even with that horn?" Robb isn't able to raise his pitch and gets a glob of pale green snot launched onto his chest.



Notes: Llamas with a single antelope horn.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 3: Summer Roses
Margaery Tyrell
​

Not letting yet another one of Grandmother's attempts to regain control bother me, I stride towards Garlan's solar with firm resolve. I do remember to knock before entering though, no desire for a repeat of last month.

"It's me Garlan. Grandmother sent another raven."

He answers almost immediately with a heavy sigh, reassuring me he's alone this time. "Come in." His is voice already filled with annoyance and it's not even midday. "What does she want this time?"

"Haven't read it yet." He looks up from a desk filled with finance reports, his eyes nearly about to burst with tears. "… Bu I'm not so sure you can handle it right now. Why haven't you gotten Sam to help you with this?"

"I told him he couldn't stop his morning training unless I needed his help with the taxes. I'm not giving up yet." He's stubborn but not so great with figures, which means Garlan will be stuck here for days. "Do you know what I spent six hundred and eleven gold on last month?"

"You sent Summerhall Abbey six score fruit trees." My reminder make his eyes light up and he quickly jots it down.

He tosses the crumpled sheet of parchment over his shoulder. "Perfect, that means I can write it off." "Now let's see what she wants."

He takes the sealed scroll and his face doesn't immediately become a frown. That's a good sign.

"She wants me to throw a tourney to celebrate when Asha gives birth." His lips purse in thought as he goes over the idea in his mind. "Even willing to foot half the bill, which means if I say no…"

"She'll just have your Vassals go to the Arbor instead." And you lose any control over what she's trying to do this time.

Garlan growls as he hands me the letter. "Not just mine. She wants to invite everyone but the Florents, Rowans, and Lannisters."

"You still haven't figured out how he escaped?" I haven't asked about it in years but I didn't think it would still be a mystery.

"After Mother's carriage to the Silent Sisters was attacked, he's shown no further interest in pressing his revenge on us." His neck cracks when he stretches the stiffness from his body. "Haven't really had a reason to be around him."

"But she's not the only mother who's gone missing." Any wife born with the name Hightower has vanished from her home in the last five years. "If we know he was involved with or owns disappearance, why aren't we investigating him for the others?"

"His sister is the Queen, his Father the Hand, and even his brother is Master of Coin." He reminds me of how quickly the Littlest Lannister went from losing nearly his entire fleet to becoming master of a merchant one. "It's not a safe idea to get too nosy."

"Help me with something and I'll finish this for you." Sarella really wants to go study at the Citadel and it would be a lot easier if 'Alleras' had the Lord Paramount of the Mander as 'his' sponsor.

The look he examines me with begins worried but loses it's edge when I only smile back warmly. "… What do you need help with? It better not be something dangerous."

"Aren't you the one going to war with Pentos?" He rolls his eyes and nods. "Seems like that's going to be riskier than reading a few books."

When it becomes obvious his help is only slowing me down, I send him off to find Loras. Garlan doesn't get in the yard as often when Asha is with child and I really don't want him getting out of practice.

Most of the gold is easily accounted for and it's not until the shipping manifests that something sticks out as strange. Why are we sending supplies to Essos every four months?

I manage to trace it as back to who else but Grandmother. I'm not sure how long it's been going on, though I have to admit she did a good job covering it up.

Somehow she's managed to send the ships by sending them the same time Garlan sends his donations to Summerhall. Each time three ships leave and never actually arrive in the Stormlands.

Who is she working with now? All evidence seems to say Rhaenys and Quentyn died in the Pentos riots along with that damned cheese monger. Which could have been avoided if had just Braavos waited for King Stannis to ready his navy.

Why is it that no one can just work together? All this backstabbing and glory seeking has been going on since before I was born.

I put those papers aside so I can show Garlan later and manage to nearly finish the rest of the taxes before it gets dark. Lighting a pair of candles I carefully slide one underneath the Valyrian Candles.

The red one is easy to set up but a layer of hard wax makes me knock over the green one. I nearly catch it, only for it to shatter on white stone floor. No! Asha just got those for Garlan.

As I scramble on the floor to somehow put it all back together, I finally realize what the colored blobs are. It's just candle wax… nothing special at all.

Wiping a glob of green wax off of the thin copper disc, I realize it has something engraved on the inner facing side. Is that a dragon? Where did Asha say the merchant got these again?

Standing in shock, I forget the mess on the ground and dash from the solar. After five years the many flights of stairs are only good exercise and barely even leave me red faced when I find Asha in the kitchens.

She nearly drops her drumstick when I burst into the room and scowls at me. "Dammit! I thought it was Garlan and I'd have to share the rest."

"I'll wait for supper thanks." I get a wary look and she slides her plate safely behind her. "I need to know where you found these!"

When I shove the piece of copper in her face, she leans backwards in defense of the duck. "What is that?"

"It's the inside of the Valyrian Candles, but look what it's stamped with!" Asha doesn't seem to know what's so important and that only makes me smirk in satisfaction.

"It's a dragon… so?" Her voice is flat and unimpressed with my destruction of her rather expensive gift. "They are Valyrian Candles after all."

"But who has a sigil that looks like this?" If it wasn't for looking at the Summerhall repoorts all day, I would be just as lost.

After a good five seconds of confusion, Asha finally just gives up with a shrug. "I have no idea. I'm still trying to learn what everyone here in the Mander has."

"It's the Ashtar sigil." My grin only grows in proportion to her frown.

"Are you trying to tell me this is what Aegon is making in his abbey?"

I shake my head and finally reveal what I've discovered. "It's the original symbol. The one Viserys flew when he went to Valyria."

"Oh…" Now she catches on and her eyebrows nearly vanish in her bangs. "Oh!"

"He's alive and being held prisoner by Euron Greyjoy." As I lay out the facts, she nods along with an eager smirk. "The missing Gerion Lannister might be a prisoner or he may be working with the Summer Islands King."

It finally is beginning to making sense why a Lannister and Ironborn ship have both been seen chasing any Westerosi ships away. I bet Euron is even working with his brother in the Basilisk Isles, getting ready for another invasion. Maybe Grandmother is in on it and has a new ally on the Rhoyne?

"You look like you've already given it more thought than your brother and I will." Asha's voice is proud in a way Grandmother never seems to be and I relish the moment… only to immediately shudder.

I'm the smart one in the family now and I know the stress of looking over Garlan's shoulder will give me wrinkles by the time I'm twenty. "Not looking to lose any more brothers to stupid decisions. But coming back with the Cleansed Dragon… that would certainly get our family name out of the mud."

"We have a dozen ships claim they're trying to establish a monopoly on selling the Valyrian Candles here in Westeros. If Garlan manages to finds Viserys…" When I trail off, Asha is quick to finish my words.

"He shows up like a hero when the invasion of Pentos occurs."

"I'll go with Garlan of course, we both know he's horrible at negotiations." We share a laugh at the idea of my brother actually trying to handle the business side of the trip.

Asha surprises me with a saucy wink. "You just make sure to have some fun while you're down their."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 4: Get Away From My Beach!
Viserys Ashtar
​

While preparations for the new moon festival are beginning, I realize we're missing one very important thing for the celebration. "Stop everything!" My roar brings everyone to a confused stop as I hold up two coconuts. "Why don't we have any Naathberries?"

"Herbert still hasn't got back yet," Answers Thoros between mouthfuls of rum that drizzle into his beard. "You think something is wrong? They've been late before."

It's the only place I know of that grows pineapples and I know my traders left on schedule. Why are they three days late?

Nobody wants to miss a new moon celebration, it's the only celebration designed for the unmarried. It's not like a funeral, where only the family members are competing to be the one to guide the returned spirit back.

I've had it made very clear the children conceived during a funeral are only considered part of the grieving family. Was incredibly strange when the woman I slept with insisted the violet eyed child is not mine… but I watched a woman hand over a child only a few days later.

I was only used as a conduit for the deceased man's return because he liked how I looked. Elyse insists it's really the grieving woman who like my appearance but I have to admit it's not as hard as I worried. Not really interested in doing it again though, the meaningless sex has definitely lost the appeal.

At least I know Coppernicus will always have someone to look after him if I do something stupid. I don't have a third soul inside me and it's taken years to start feeling whole again after losing he original Viserys. Can't expect to come back again, not even if Thoros is ready with a kiss.

Having almost twenty toddlers running around with my eyes was something I never believed I could accept as the norm, but I'm not the only hot commodity at funerals nowadays. Gerion has at least five with his luscious golden locks and I've even seen a couple of red headed girls.

While I may have felt compelled to do something for the oldest of my own 'donations', it's clear society here would find that shameful. Marriage integrity here matters of course but the rules have so many allowances, it's hard to keep track of them all sometimes.

Weddings are for the bride and grooms married guests to switch partners for the night with no ill will the next day. Full moons are for those who lost spouses to wear blank masks and use each other to fill the loneliness.

Each victory over slavers and pirates is even celebrated with the whole of those involved in the attack, sharing their bodies among any they wish. Children who have not yet blossomed are even given the thrice yearly lunar eclipses as a way to make new friends.

Introducing Lacrosse was an interesting idea. It just gave the victorious team's supporters another reason to blend the bloodlines… but it also really seems to perfectly mesh with how the Summer Islands wage war among themselves. I won't be surprised if this replaces most ceremonial conflict here one day.

"I'll go take a look, see if they're at least on the horizon." This just makes the priest of his slowly spreading Red Faith roll his eyes.

"You're just trying to get out of doing any more work." He's not wrong but that's one of the perks of being the Prince of the Singing Stones.

Once they learned I was born with the title of prince, it stuck despite any of my protesting. Since I seem to recall it was you spreading that information… you can do all of my work and it's fine by me.

Ninety percent of the Summer Islanders live on the three largest islands which left this cluster of six eager for solid protection from the pirate raids. They don't come to this part of the Summer Isles any more and rarely bother the rest.

If I had shown any real interest in doing anything more than letting the captives I free live on my islands, the other rulers of the archipelago may have done something about me back when they had a chance. They know it's too late to chase me away and I haven't involved myself with them beyond local trade. Why would they anger the dragon who's playing guard dog?

A couple thousand natives and half that many refugees doesn't really give the impression of a conqueror. Especially when all I've done is make a single fortified cove and wooden keep in five years.

Letting the very obvious spies see whatever they wanted helped my reputation spread. Was harder pretending we had no idea what was going on than it was finding them.

"Oh just go,' Thoros laughs with a wave of his hand. "Nicus has probably already eaten half the fish for tonight. Tire him out and we might have some left."

"Not my fault you left them just baking on the beach with no one keeping guard." It's not like the nearly forty foot dragon is a new thing.

Ignoring his grumbling I head to the beach and the cove Coppernicus has been digging for days. Whenever Gerion gets back, I'll be ready to teach a class. Just have to replace any fancy science words with therms like magic and energy. They don't need to know how it works beyond what they can see and a little bullshit makes the knowledge stick better.

Instead of having two hind legs and a pair of wings on the forelimbs, my gleaming 'brother' has for powerful legs. A thick membrane goes between them and when unfurled for flight make him look like a flying squirrel.

His scales seems like many layers of peeling metal, each one curled outwards like a spike. The ridge along his back has grown into a series of nearly rock like protruding vertebrae that give me a safe place to ride.

The horns go out to the sides before turning forward like a bull's. Each one is longer than I am tall and almost as thick as my shoulder's width.

"They need us to go for a quick fly and see if Arnold's on his way back yet." I scratch him under the chin and focus more on the intent behind them than the words themselves. "If we go look now the air will be warm and you won't have to flap as hard."

He may be larger than the fire breathing ones of the same age but Nicus can barely stay in the air for a solid hour, two if he has good thermals. Having to basically thrash himself into the air is a lot more tiring and I figure the must normally just glide between mountain peaks.

I get a stare that reminds me I'm not wearing my safety gear. "Oh fine, I'll go put my jacket on first!" Marya may have left her chain mail for me when she went home but I really don't think I'm going to need it. "This isn't to chase away some pirates, we're just looking for our late friend."

He follows behind me as I climb the hill to my keep with a sense of smug pride. I'm only allowed to finally climb onto his back once I come back out wearing the chain mail shirt. "Happy now? I even have my bow you worry wart."

A cloud of grey ash is my only response and it leaves me coughing as Coppernicus leaps of the cliff. We drop a dozen feet before his awkward flapping catches the thermals, bringing us slowly higher into the air.

I can see some ships approaching from about the right direction but none of them are the right style. Doesn't look like local ones either… what's going on?

Sliding out the far-eye Gerion got for me, I bring it up to my eye with growing dread. The pirates are here in force and hitting all three of the major islands.

Walano has the different raiding parties that I can see and what looks to be more smoke on the far side. Omburu and Jhala aren't fairing much better with two smoking towns apiece. A handful of ships are heading for my islands and it makes me angry.

No. Resolve fills me and I whistle for Coppernicus to dive towards the eight ships with suicidal crews. I'm not letting another home get taken from me.

His should passes over the boats and I can hear the panicked shouts. Too late for mercy."Nebemagon!"

I roar the High Valyrian word to unleash, or fire a siege weapon. The billowing cloud of searing white ash coats the meager fleet and the shouts become shrieks of agony. Those don't last long either and soon the scalding ash fills the lungs' of the pirates.

Wheezing coughs quickly peter out and I even hear a few splashes from crew members going overboard. Not enough to be a problem but the other islands need us now.

"We got work to do." My normally timid dragon seems to be aware of the danger in his territory and he unleashes an ear splitting roar. His rage at these intruders is palpable as we glide towards Jhalu, leaving the eight ships to drift North as a warning.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 5: Sorrows Of Our Own Design
Rhaenys Targaryen
​

With each flap of Riannex's sprawling dark red wings, the clammy mist of the Sorrows is sent billowing away from us. With Daemon bringing our forces South from Ghoyan Drohe to Dagger Lake, it's my responsibility to check out this King rallying the Sorrows under my uncle's name.

As long as this the person rallying the no longer cursed lands under Viserys' name is in fact who he claims, my long search will finally over. I can finally explain what happened to Quentyn was an accident and we can go home.

Daemon can even come if he wants, wouldn't be right to just leave him here after being my only real friend for half a decade. He knows I didn't mean to kill my cousin and hasn't told anyone in all this time. I guess he got his wish… I don't hate him as much as I do myself.

I've tried looking for Viserys' two ships every new moon, the lack of light makes it easier to see the growing settlements from above. On my last visit it was revealed the ruins of Chroyane have raised the flag of the Targaryens, reigniting my hope. He's still alive.

Viserys can explain what happened, he can talk his way out of anything. And if he likes having his own Kingdom here on the Rhoyne, we can combine ours and finally trap the pirates between two armies.

Even with three dragons, it's too easy for the cowards to hide. By now a really big bird is enough to have the dozens of boats conceal themselves in the mist. Filling the air with arrows is more than enough to force us off, not even my black beauty can't face that many pointy bits of metal.

When I see the Rhoyne converge with the Lhorulu river, a sprawling mass of crumbling stone buildings are revealed. Chroyane is where my Valyrian ancestors destroyed the largest army ever known to the world. Over two hundred thousand archers – some of the best to ever draw a bow – turned to ash as the river boiled.

This is where our downfall began. But as I land among a few hundred people now cured of Greyscale, my eyes desperately scan for silver hair.

The crowd is cautious and Riannex decides to impress her new audience. Extending her neck and tail to their fullest, her wings flare out in a stunning display of scarlet.

Gasps of horror let me know the audience is more terrified than awestruck. I'm fine with that for now, I need answers.

"Where is my uncle?" I roar at the crowd and only a handful of people dare my rage to make eye contact. "Your leader is doing this in Viserys' name and I, Rhaenys Targaryen will not allow any false dragons!"

I haven't been able to use the Martell name since Quentyn died… it just feels wrong. Targaryens are the mad ones and I've proven to have too much in common with Grandfather. Viserys killed him to save a city from wildfire, Quentyn died because I was careless.

"Princess…" A voice I haven't heard since all of this began drawls out in a Stormland accent. "You're alive."

A very disheveled and unshaven Jon Connington walks out of one of the few buildings still with a roof. The massive grin of disbelief on his face just makes my blood boil as he approaches.

When Riannex senses my mood, she snaps at the suddenly leery man. "Close enough Conman. Riannex can smell the traitor on you and she hasn't eaten all day." That's a lie, I'm not mean enough to starve such a good girl. But it always makes the talks go smoother when the other side doesn't know that.

"… That's a beautiful name." He finally manages to stutter out as he stops shaking.

"It should be, she's named after the most beautiful woman I ever knew." My gaze narrows into a hate filled fury and I'm satisfied when Jon takes a half step backwards. "You should remember her… Arianne was your first victim in all of this."

He has no right to be using my families name! Connington has only ever been in this for one man and my father didn't care about anyone else either.

"That was a horrible accident." His lies do nothing to convince me and I wrap a hand around Dawn's hilt in anticipation.

"What you're doing now isn't. I don't know why you're here but you better have Viserys in that building." My snarl is punctuated by a streak of black fire from Riannex, with just the faintest hint of crimson along it's edge. "So where is he?"

"I have no idea," Desperation is raw in his voice but I find my rage allows me to ignore it. "I did all this so he could find me."

"Well a Targaryen did and she's not very happy to see you." I'm not sure how everyone was cured of the ancient curse but I will not let this piece of shit use these people next. "I charge you with treason and sentence you to death. Anyone who interferes will be Riannex's meal."

I slide off her back with practiced graced and draw the Dayne's family sword. I will need to bring this back, but it's better of in my hands than Arthur's.

"You all are flying my families banner and this big beautiful girl here is all the proof I need." My eyes roam the crowd who nods at my words. "I have no cause to harm any of you and every reason to take you all into my care… unless of course you decide to get in between me and my vengeance."

"Who corrupted you all with such thoughts?" He growls and doesn't hesitate to draw his own tarnished bastard sword. "Your brother was just as misled and it seems I must be the one to end the madness striking your family."

We clash in a ring of observers, with nearly half the circle being taken up by my dragon. The several hundred refugees are all bunched together on the far side and leave the battlefield more of an egg shape than a real ring.

"Last chance to atone and face death like a loyal man." I really hope you prove that's not what you are, I've been itching to get payback for years. "Otherwise I'm about to clip this chicken's wings."

The only good thing about Oberyn was his insistence on me learning how to defend myself. Something I've had to rely on more than I ever thought back in Dorne.

His castle steel has a tinge of brown running through it and I know this will over fast. He can't afford to wear me out, he needs a quick win if he has any hope of leaving here alive. If Riannex lets him that is.

"Viserys is the one who ruined the true King's designs!" He snarls as my milk pale blade parries his own, leaving more than a sizable dent in his weapon. "Rhaegar wanted you and Visenya to lead Westeros into a golden age. Ruling as Aegon's sister wives and Queens!"

He's stiff with age and is drenched in a layer of clammy sweat, his sword moving even slower than when Daemon tries to practice with me. I don't mind though, it just lets me tear his defenses apart.

On the eleventh strike his blade snaps only a few inches above the hilt, shock clear in his eyes when I follow through on my promise. First his left arm flops onto the mud with a splash of crimson, his right following before it even stops rolling.

Connington's scream of agony doesn't satisfy me like I had hoped. His wails only feel me with pity for a man my Father considered one of his best friends. For that reason alone, I end his pain with firm a thrust into the heart.

Riannex scorches the body and silences the murmuring refugees. She does wait for me to finish my speech before devouring it though. Or maybe she just wants to wait for her food to cool off first.

"My army is marching South. If you truly serve the Targaryens…" My voice is firm but my face welcoming as I watch the crowd carefully for any sign of dissent. "You will march North and make Dagger Lake safe for all to travel!"

"Ya said I yourself," Shouts one of the Westerosi men, making his fellows chuckle awkwardly. "You've got the dragon. That's all the proof we need."

"My cousin and I have three." I smirk as his jaw drops in shock. "We're making the Rhoyne safe again and I intend for the Orphans to come home once we do." That will be a good step towards making up one of Valyria's wars.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 6: Risk
Joffrey Baratheon
​

With Father handling the final preparations for the Pentos invasion, I've been left to entertain my cousins. I thought Elyssa would find Viserys' game boring just like my sister but she surprised me.

For my fourth nameday Viserys had several maps painted onto wooden panels. One is all of Westeros and it's divided into how the Kingdoms looked before… he died.

It was hard growing up under Father's demanding gaze but Viserys always took the time to play with me. He's the only reason I think about how others will perceive my actions. It's a lot easier to make friends now that I follow the rules he laid out. No idea which House Lord Dexter was from though… but maybe that's the reason he told me the story.

Having it rubbed in my face that neither myself or my mother knew a single servant's name was a harsh reality. Everyone is faceless and that means anyone could be the one I push too far.

Father follows the rules to the letter and is respected… if not beloved like my Uncle Robert was. Grandfather and Tyrion are feared but no one wants them around… how was Viserys able to balance those three parts of himself?

I heard how he broke the ones to bring Greyscale to Storm's End and yet he's celebrated for what amounts to the same crimes the Lannisters commit. The only difference is the scale and targets chosen. Viserys kept his victims restricted to hose hated by everyone and his punishment a step below the crime.

Restraint is the key. I can be cruel to my enemies and make hem suffer but easily turned cowards I should use like the sheep they are. Reward those who support me loyally and I'll have my very own Barristan one day.

Lord Selmy returned with eleven unclaimed Valyrian steel weapons, the seven survivors each keeping one for themselves. Rightly so… they each earned their Lordships for honoring Viserys' last words.

They could have bought a Kingdom each with those priceless weapons, but they delivered them all to their intended recipient without a single issue. A splendid long sword for the Lannister family, got this Yenneck fellow the lands once held by the Cleganes.

The antlered rabbit that is his sigil would have been nonsense… except the ones brought back from Valyria are delicious. I don't know if they lack genders or if both can lay eggs but it's made the Easters rich in only five years.

Father received a smith's hammer and wears it with pride on his hip. But the one for me is more of a thin rapier the Braavosi are fond of using. Mother wont let me have it for a few more years but it's only made me train harder each night in anticipation.

Viserys spent at least an hour each night training by himself and I make sure to do he same. Having Syrio Forel to each my the Water Dance is a fine substitute for my cousins morning lessons with Ser Barristan. And actually a style I seem to be suited for., no years of fumbling like Viserys had to endure.

A spear for the Martells, a short sword for the Arryns, and a massive two handed ax for Uncle Renly, are all exceptional gifts I can understand. The bastard sword the Tullys received makes sense as does the great and short ones sent to Skagos for Duncan and Sandor.

Aegon had a second short sword delivered to him with some reluctance from him to accept. All of these gifts are fine. It's how he had a long sword given to he Tyrells I still find hard to accept.

"Stop stalling Joff," Elyssa hisses at me from across the painted map of Dorne, the Stormlands, and Reach. "It's your turn."

Her green cavalry are clustered together and cutting right through my yellow defenses. Closing my eyes and praying to the Warrior for luck, I roll the dice.

"How are you always so lucky?" She groans when the clattering ends and I peek at the pair of fives which definitely beats her three.

"Luck is just skill performing anonymously." My smirk only makes her groan again as she removes three of her 'Reach' pieces from the board.

Orys whines for his turn and I relent after reinforcing the Boneway. "Okay I have all of Dorne. That means I get fifteen spear men!" His red pieces go onto the board all clustered at Starfall. "Now since you're both fighting in the Marches..." My six year old brother sneaks his forces right into Horn Hill. "I'm going right to Highgarden this turn. Roll Elyssa, I'm attacking you with everything."

"Wait!" Something's not right. I scan the board and realize Orys put to many pieces out again. "Stop cheating Orys or you can't play anymore."

"But I was helping you win!" He whines to no effect.

"It doesn't matter. Viserys made the rules to this game and you will follow them." He didn't give all his maps to anyone but me, we have to play it the right way.

Relenting under my firm gaze, Orys apologizes to our cousin who has the same indigo eyes. But everything else about her is Martell.

If Orys is going to make it unfair for her, I need to balance the game. While Elyssa pulls out of the Stormlands to defend her Kingdom's core, I use my turn to strike at the Yronwood territory.

"What are you doing Joffrey, we're brothers!"

"And Elyssa is our cousin, we need to work together." My smile gets her to return one of her own. "It's in our best interests to be kind to family." Viserys was very clear that mistreated family are the ones in the best position to take everything from you.

"Wise words my son." Father's Small Council meeting is finally over and he stands just inside the doorway. "It is family we can rely on more than anyone else."

Grandfather enters next with his eyes focusing on our game. "What is this?"

"A game Viserys made for him years ago," Explains Mother with a bored yawn as she and Aunt Arianne enter next.

Renly is only a few steps behind and his eyes light up. "I haven't played in years, what do you say Tywin… want to see where my legend began?"

"This… game, is how you achieved your military mind?" Drawls Grandfather with a raised eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe. No game can account for all the complexities of war."

"Oh it doesn't and it's nothing more than an introduction to thinking tactically. But it made me want to study more and motivated me to learn better tactics than 'charge'." Uncle Renly is quick to admit before turning to me with a grin. "Do you still have the Stepstones map? I'm sure your Grandfather wouldn't mind showing you how his legend began."

"And you'll be the Blackfyres?" I'm shocked that it's not instant refusal and instead intrigue in his voice.

I'm not going to let them just take over the whole game like this. "I have lots of armies. We can team up against him and Elyssa."

"It seems your son is growing up…" Grandfather gives me an evaluating gaze. "Have you considered his prospects?"

"Only Daenerys or Jennelyn would be acceptable for him." Insists Mother firmly.

This just seems to annoy my aunt though. "So Robert's kid is good enough but mine isn't?"

"Her and Orys are closer in age." With a roll of her eyes, Mother reveals the rest of her designs. "I was going to speak with you about that once the men went off to punish Pentos."

"Which one is the prettiest?" A Queen needs to be beautiful if she is to rule beside me.

"We can have Lyanna bring them down so you can decide yourself." Mother assures me with a smirk I still can't quite pull off.

This doesn't sit will with Father and he firmly decides against it. "Not until the war is over. King's Landing has been captured three times since Robert first rebelled… I want you and the children safely away from this deathtrap."

"Casterly Rock-" Grandfather is cut of before he can finish, bringing a glare to his eyes for a moment.

"Has also fallen in the last decade." The reminder from Father must sting, even with Uncle Jaime's legendary retaking of the castle. "Storm's End is where they will go, Renly's preparations will keep them safe."

I can work around those conditions. "Winterfell hasn't fallen. What if I go North for the duration of the war and see both girls they will show more of who they really are?"

"Benjen is still on Skagos…" He's considering it! "I suppose you could go to Skagos with Lord Baelish." Father purses his thin lips in careful consideration. "You will need to bring proper protection though. Which means Ser Hugo Vance will accompany you and his orders will be followed when it comes to your safety."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 7: Healing A Name (Aegon)
Aegon
​

Once the walls are finished, the Abbey will contain fourteen acres of orchard. And another six of sod hut covered fields. The walls will be thirty feet high once finished and made from the bold sandstone of the Red Mountains nearby.

The Sparrow from the Riverlands came with scores of refugees, survivors of the devastation in the Riverlands. With those cured of Greyscale seemingly immune to any natural disease, it became clear what I needed to do.

Instead of just turning Summerhall into another fancy Sept, I was able to speak to King Stannis about using the land as a center of healing. And for those who are crippled or dying of sickness, we can make as long as they have left… easier.

Thirty six Ironborn form the base of the Abbey's permanent staff but the family members of those receiving care are the ones working the orchards. Right now it's only some smallfolk who would be left as beggars and a blind daughter of the Beesbury family, though I expect the numbers to rise by the time I am forced to decide my own fate.

Two more years and I have to choose between becoming Abbot Aegon Ashtar or going back to Dorne as a Martell. It seems like like this Sparrow would be a good Abbot, he doesn't care about wealth at all.

He only has white woolen robes made from the Stabbit wool. A trio had been donated on the condition we not sell any Stabbit byproduct. With the Mander tree donations, Summerhall Abbey can remain self sufficient with up to six hundred people in need of care… nearly thrice that once the construction is finished.

"Have you come any closer to making your decision?" The Sparrow smiles warmly at me, his thin and greying hair leaving a crown of bare skin atop his head.

I chance a sideways glance at the girl who has been occupying my every spare thought. "… I have been conflicted as of late."

My cousin Mya Baratheon notices my stare and slaps Brienne of Tarth on the back. "Aegon has just started noticing girls."

"You are still allowed to marry, you know the terms as well as I." My temporary Abbot grins knowingly at the new half step between being a Septon and a Lord. "It is the land and title that will no longer pass on. But the children can always join the Faith as well or seek shelter with family."

Brienne gives me a look of apology as she turns away awkwardly. I know you think I'm just a kid, but we only have a year and a half between us. We can make it work, Arianne is two years older than Renly.

"But who would allow me to marry their daughter when I will have nothing to pass on?" I know it's not just my age but likely words from her Lord Father to reject my advances. Better start being more realistic in my choices… I'll be lucky to land a bastard.

Ser Balon Swann, the seven and ten year old knight is in charge of escort and he finds something in my words hilarious. He may have been here when everything first began but was a few years shy of being able to join in Renly's song worthy defense.

"You assure her family 'Talon' isn't going to the Faith and you'll do alright Aegon." He means my Valyrian steel short sword and flush pink. I always forget how much the ivory carved hilt and smoky dark metal is really worth.

"Wish one of my uncles cared that much about me," Grunts Mya as a flash of lightning streaks across the sky.

Sharing a look of amusement with Ser Balon, I allow him to stick his foot in his mouth. "Didn't they give you a name and a castle?" Griffin's Roost will be hers once she marries someone the Baratheon brothers approve of. "Seems like they gave you a lot more than your brother up on Skagos."

"Gendry has no imagination, his letters have only been about one thing since he moved from Winterfell." Her lips twist into a snarl as she growls angrily. "Lord Stark says the Night's Watch is an honorable calling. Lord Stark says I could even become the Lord Commander one day."

Clenching her fists in frustration, Mya slams one of them into a sod house nearing completion. "Well Lord Stark can kiss my ass!" We all pretend to ignore the tears, knowing full well what will happen if they're called anything but rain. "My brother should have been legitimized and betrothed to one of the Stark Girls. Seven knows they have a whole herd of them on offer."

"Or at least the Tyrell girl if the King wanted to insult the Gardeners." Even Balon finds the forcing of Gendry to the far corner of Westeros odd.

"I just hope the war with Pentos goes well." Brienne has worry on her face as she considers her brother and father both in the fleet leaving in a few days. "Prince Renly is a genius but what if something unexpected happens?"

"Lord Baelish and Braavos both agree waiting any longer will only lead to Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys, all fighting against us." Agrees Mya with concern for the uncles she was just complaining about.

Well… I may as well add my own bad news. "It may even bring the new Kingdom growing along the Northern Rhoyne into the fray. They've managed to stop any Dothraki from crossing North of the Sorrows in three years and no one from Braavos or Pentos has been allowed East."

It's a real bottle neck of information and I've heard Renly cursing about the dead zone in his intelligence as he's planned the invasion. I wonder if Norvos or Qohor have managed to find anything out?

"Is that why the invasion is happening now?" Balon has understanding in his eyes and I nod back in confirmation. "So Pentos can't use the Dothraki as a defense?"

"Exactly."

Renly is going to land the Dornish, Stepstone, and Stormland forces in the Flatlands just South of Pentos and stop any reinforcements from coming to the cities aid. I know Lord Tyrion and Lord Eddard have offered to take in refugees, but I expect Braavos to retain control of the majority of people and the land itself.

The storm picks up with freezing rain turning into hail the size of my fists. As everyone races inside for shelter, I see one of the Riverland veterans collapse. His leg was severed at the knee and his crutches not enough to get him out of the torrential downpour.

"Give me your shield!" I roar at Balon but don't give him time to respond before I start yanking it from his back. "He needs help!"

I notice a few more have fallen and force every bit of energy into my legs, the rectangle of metal held above me. When I reach the fallen man I check for a pulse and sigh with relief when the red head groans.

"Come on, I got you." He's delirious from the head wound with a thick coating of crimson pouring down his brow. But he does understand I'm here to help, letting me slide his arm over my shoulder.

It's only when I'm about to stand that I realize I don't have enough hands to hold the dented shield above us. "Huddle close to me, we're going to have to wait this out Mister..." I don't know his name and hope he'll offer it.

"… Alliser." Is his single word response. Or at least I assumed it was all the grim faced man was going to say. "Why did you save me…" His voice is thick with confusion and guilt that I have no time for right now.

"Lot's of people got confused and made bad choices but the Seven says all are deserving of forgiveness. So I forgive you." I scowl up at his shock and we both flinch when lightning strikes the tree above us with a thunderous boom.

The wave of heat sends us both rolling along the balls of melting ice and it's only a pair of metal legs that prevent us from going any farther. "What kind of plan was that Aegon!"

Brienne's voice is irritated and just a little bit impressed when I stand with Alliser secured in my grip. "I'll hold the shield, you just make sure not to stop." She grunts as her shield rings with impacts and we slowly make our way towards the nearest sod home.

"Is every storm here this severe?" The amputee roars over the howling wind as my eyes narrow. A mass of black clouds are swirling right over Storm's End.

"This is rare even for us, we normally just get the rain and lightning!" Answers Brienne as we finally reach safety.

Bolts of forked light arc downwards one after the other and even miles away I can hear the sound of each impact. A dozen in as many seconds strike the place I have called home for the last five years.

Dread fills my stomach when the storm clears as suddenly as it formed. A light drizzle rains down for a few more minutes before the sky shows only clear blue. "Saddle the horses. we need to get back to Storm's End and we aren't stopping for the night!" I don't know what just happened but that was not a natural storm.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 8: Taking Control
Arianne Baratheon
​

After the midday meal, Cersei has something she urgently needs to discuss in private. I'm not really sure what it could be since she's bringing Shireen with us to go speak to that wizard of hers, Qyburn.

She found him before we left King's Landing and he claims to be able to hatch Renly's dragon eggs. But as of yet… he's done nothing except make this corner of the castle smell horrible.

Several large golden rods have been brought in and make a strange sight jutting out the window. The one I got a good look was covered in what looked like letters of some kind. Probably from Yi Ti based on the rug Mother had when I was a little girl.

The honorary eighth member of the kingsguard follows, Lucian's cocky grin makes me want to slap if off like every damn time I see it. Cersei gives me a smirk as the door to Qyburn's lab creaks open and gestures for me to enter.

"We have something important to discuss, I finally have a solution to the problem facing us both." Her green eyes shimmer with no longer concealed hatred.

"And that would be?" I'm not going to just give you the ammunition to ruin my family, you better have some damn proof.

When the door slams shut behind us, Shireen lets out a gasp I manage to contain. "Why the fathers of our children of course." Cerseri smirks at me darkly as Lucian slams a metal fist into my gut.

While I lay gasping for breath on the floor, he drags be over to the collection of golden rods. They've been secured on the ground and are bound intricately with copper wires. Despite my struggles he quickly binds me with chains of silver to the contraption, while Malegorn is far more gentle in restraining my niece beside me.

"Mother!" Her fear hurts but I don't have the air the draw breath and comfort Shireen. "What's happening?" I want to know too.

"I finally learned what the pieces needed to hatch Viserys' are." Cersei pats the struggling girl on her head of thick black hair. "Qyburn has come up with a way to see it done. Your brothers will just need your help to see it done Darling."

The hunched figured in brown robes interrupts with a wheezing chuckle. "Preparations are nearly complete. We just need the guests of honor, so let me call the storm."

His arrogance is even thicker than the smell of rotten eggs filling the room but Cersei agrees with a cruel smile. "Go get my husband Redpool. If we wait any longer, my brilliant little Joffrey may not let me help him."

The man gives me an apologetic look and leaves the room silently. Cersei of course can't resist bragging and removes the gag Lucian had applied.

"I got to him first but he still chose you?" She hisses so close to me, her warm breath tickles my cheek. "But don't worry. Once you're gone… I'll take good care of the children for you."

"What are you talking about?" I gasp out as soon as I'm able.

My answer is a hard slap across my face and then several more as she wears herself out. "As much as I want to stay here and enjoy this. It's better if I'm gone before the show begins."

She has a scowling Lucian reapply my gag and they leave us with the smirking Qyburn. He points to the two eggs I've seen many times, one of deep indigo and the other a soft lavender shade.

"Don't worry Princesses, you'll live on as a dragon." His cackle makes Shireen start to shake with sobs. "I'm quite curious to see which breed you become. I see no reason to replicate an ancient ritual and have designed my very own."

When his speech is finished, he removes a glass candle from his robes. To my shock it begins glowing the moment he places it in a copper harness attached to the rune covered rods.

A howling wind picks up almost instantly and is soon joined by the drizzle of rain. Cracks of thunder make Shireen jerk in fright and I manage to link hands with her.

"Tywin's agent took a while but we finally got all the information we need." He leans in and mocks me, hiss foul breath washing over my face. "We found Viserys and Cersei has sent her brother to bring him home. Joffrey can become Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, while our returning King can finally raise his children openly."

Viserys is alive! The thought gives me conflicting emotions. On one hand I'm elated he survived his volcanic demise… but I also want to flay him for making me think he's been dead this whole time.

"Shocked I bet." Taunts the man who is no longer hiding the cruelty inside him. "Queen Cersei was so happy knowing he didn't really care about you… it's the only reason she let you live this long."

Banging on the door has the wizard shuffle away, the sound of hail crashing against the roof suddenly joining the cacophony. The door slams open and Lord Commander Estermont is first in the room, followed by a rage filled Stannis.

It's when Malegorn enters behind them with a raised sword, that I try to warn them any way I can. Lomas gasps in shock when Malegorn thrusts his sword into his spine and collapses limp on the floor.

"Don't even think about it Stannis. We both know I'm far better than you, even with your fancy new sword." Lucian warns a stunned Stannis, his sword held up to the King's throat with rage filling his eyes. "You've been allowed to raise my son his whole life and finally I'll at least be allowed to tell him the truth.

"I may be forced to rule as Castellan for Joffrey publicly." The tip of Lucian's blade creates a dot of red on Stannis' throat. "But as long as he knows, it will be enough."

"We need him alive you simpleton!" Snarls Malegorn in firm reminder. "Just disarm him and tie him up with the girls. Storms nearly at it's peak so we need to get out of here."

Lucian spares a second to glance at his ally and smirks. "Disarm him you say? I can do that."

He slashes downwards and follows it up with a reverse swing back up into Stannis other wrist. Both hands land on the floor with a spray of scarlet blood, his howl of pain barely covered up by the crescendo of thunder.

"It'll be finished before he bleeds out, don't look at me like that." The growl he gives Malegorn doesn't get rid of the glare but it does make him tie Stannis himself. "Hand me the chain, I don't want to be in here any longer than we need to be."

Once they finish and leave the three of us restrained in the room alone, Shireen tries to talk to her father with desperation in her voice. "Father? Are you alright?"

"They just cut me pretty deep Darling, don't worry about me." He assures his daughter who's faced away from the door and missed seeing anything. "Are you hurt Shireen? What about you Arianne?"

"I'm okay… but Lucian really hurt Aunt Arianne." Shireen answers for me with rage filling her young voice. Better than terror I guess. "He punched her so hard I thought she was going to die."

Since he's seen my condition and knows she's exaggerating he instead focuses on the situation. "What's going on? Did they say why they're doing all of this?"

"Mother wants to hatch the dragon eggs. She said she finally knows how and we need to help." I can here uncertainty and I squeeze her hand for comfort. "Why did Lucian say that mean stuff. Is Joffrey really his son?"

Would explain the hair being golden. Even Viserys' kids have dark grey locks and indigo eyes.

"Of course not Shireen, he's just doing what bad people love to do." His voice doesn't sound certain but Stannis is unwilling to upset his little girl anymore. "Say anything to hurt the people they dislike."

"Are we going to die?" A series of lightning strikes dance across the castle's roof and I can hear a strange humming fill the room.

"You will live a long and happy life Shireen. I promise you this will not be the end." Stannis hasn't given up and managed to slide both wrists out of his chain. "I just need to get you unchained and this will all just be an exciting story you tell your friends."




Note: People jumped to saying Jaime couldn't be the father because of timing and I explained that it was possible and how it would have hypothetically occurred. Here's the Occum's Razor answer.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 9: Clever Fool
Renly Baratheon
​

With the sound of the storm picking up my nerves are shoot off wildly. Later I'll think it was trying to scream a warning to me but us Baratheons have always been a little thick headed. The door to my solar creaks open to reveal one of the man servants Cersei brought with her from King's Landing.

Cersei finally did something right. Because Arianne and I have both considered keeping him once she leaves. The Dragonseed is pretty in the same effeminate way that I treasured in Viserys and he doesn't seem uncomfortable by my examination of his body. He is very anxious though, so I beckon for him to speak.

"Her Grace is worried," The servant blurts out once he has permission. "Your wife said she was going to bring Princess Shireen to her lessons. But now the laboratory doors are sealed!"

Shireen normally has her lessons with Qyburn and I've never liked that smarmy ass. "He's only got the one entrance in?" I can tell this isn't just a locked door and grab my battleaxe of the wall. "Qyburn hasn't tried knocking any more holes in the walls?"

"Not since you yelled at him the first night."

"Good." He follows a few paces behind me and my sense of danger rises as we approach the northeast tower. "Who ever is responsible will be trapped inside."

We reach the hallway as the hail begins pounding down on the roof, sounding like a cavalry charge with it's intensity. Cersei is already waiting, her entire body tense with concern, while Lucian and Malegorn try to hack down the down with only swords.

"Get the Queen out of here, we have no idea what's going on inside!" I roar at Qyburn who is clutching his bleeding nose. "And alert the rest of my guard, this can't be everyone involved."

He and the handsome servant force a protesting Cersei out of the already cramped hallway. Malegorn and Lucian stand behind me and give me room to swing my ax. As I lift it above my head, an annoyingly familiar voice calls out a warning from behind all three of us.

"The fawn was needed for her Hart, while the sun will fall if you don't give it your all!" His words are filled with more intensity than I can ever remember and it makes me glance over my shoulder in time. "And now the handsome fool has proven himself to be nothing more than those traitors' tool." The red and green faced fool is charging towards us with a rolling pin and kitchen knife in his hands.

Lucian and Malegorn's swords are still raised and coming straight for my back, barely giving me enough warning to twist out of the way of the thrusts. Patchface throws himself onto Malegorn with a howl of rage and brings the rolling pin down on Redpool's head over a dozen times.

My own foe lets go of his sword and draws his dagger, slashing for my face with a wicked snarl. "The fool is the one who found us out!" A line of pain flashes on my cheek just below my left eye.

Using my ax haft as a spear, I drive the dragonbone into Lucian's throat. It crushes his wind pipe and leaves him gurgling for air at my feet. Or maybe he's asking for mercy… too bad this storm's only getting started.

"Choke on it all the way to the Seven Hells." Snarling at the dying man, I cleave my way through the door on my fourth swing.

The sight of Arianne and Shireen chained to a collection of rune covered gold rods is rage inducing. The glowing rock that seems to be drawing the storm is what draws my gaze. If I get rid of that, then we should have all the time we need to get the girls untied.

I'm not unaware of all the blood under Stannis but I'm forced to delay dealing with what looks to be a fatal wound. The lightning has started striking the roof above us and I know we're running out of time before… whatever is going to happen, does.

"Help my brother!" I roar at Patchface who for once in my life doesn't respond with nonsense.

"Shireen will be safe even if I must face her fate!" A lifetime of annoyance will have been worth it if those words prove true today.

Surges of lightning are visible dancing along the copper basket holding the shining rock. I'm only going to be able to swing once, Stannis was very descriptive when he described seeing that woodcutter get struck by lightning. My entire body is going to seize up the second I make contact, my momentum will need to be enough.

"Brace yourselves!" With no more hesitation, I roar with all the fury in my body. With more power than I think Robert used against Rhaegar, my smoky grey ax cleaves through the device.

And explosion of light and pain fills my entire body, as the entire world crumbles around me. The floor shatters into splinters of wood and more than a few pieces find themselves embedded inside me. Nothing too deep though, I think I'll be okay. As long as I can climb back up of course.

In my desperation, somehow I've manage to grab onto to the collapsing ledge. The brick is already loose and I know can't hold my weight for long. Right as I'm about to call out to Patchface, he let's out some more nonsensical rambling.

"Danger hasn't passed and this way is to dangerous for two without scales!" Shireen lets out a gasp of fright and Stannis snarls in rage, but the fool leaps from the tower with my struggling niece held tight in his grip.

He winks at me as he falls past me, my horrified gaze following them all the way down to the waves below. My shock and fury pulsate inside me even as I can hear more voices in the room.

"It's alive!" The cackle of Qyburn fills the room and drowns out the sounds of my brother's anguished wails. I don't even notice the storm dying around me and focus on the man who will face my wrath.

"Only one of them hatched you imbecile!" Cersei howls at him. "You promised this would work." She's in on this betrayal!

I know Arianne hinted at her being less than desirable for my brother. But I thought they'd gotten over that since Elyssa's birth.

"Oh Stannis, don't try and speak." She mocks my brother with a false tone of comfort. "I'll look after my children and Elyssa… even Arianne's whelp will be cared for." Arianne and the kids! "I don't even have to waste time convincing Renly this was all a Pentoshi plot. He ran right into the explosion and now Lord Baelish will have no one to interfere in the 'truth' I wish for him to share with the Realm."

Her mad wizard speaks up with a relieved hiss. "This egg is still cold. It must have petrified already."

"Toss it into the sea, we can't have anything to tie us to this." Commands the bitch and I realize I may be able to do one last thing for my family.

I see Qyburn's black robes fluttering in the wind above me, exposing his pale knobby ankles. In his hands he holds the indigo egg outstretched and ready to be released, only for his eyes to widen when I grab his ankle.

"Let's go for a swim!" I snarl at him and brace my feet against the crumbling stone, pushing off with every fiber of strength in my body.

He tries to get away but only manages to grip the edge of the wooden floor, my entire body weight being supported by a single foot. "Your Grace. Help!"

His shriek does bring the smug woman over to the edge and she laughs at the sight. "Oh this is precious. I can get rid of a loose end and watch both Baratheon brothers die." She smirks as Qyburn realizes her intent, her heel grinding against his hands with the audible breaking of bones.

"But I hatched your damn egg!" He wails at her but this only makes her eyes narrow in grim promise.

"You promised me one for each of my boys and yet now I have to reveal my favorite child. That's every parent's sixth worst fear and you're the reason I'm forced to do so." Qyburn howls as her finally has no more strength in him and we tumble backwards towards the sea.

My back crashes into the waves and the dark blue egg slams into my head only a few inches below the surface. It stuns me and leaves my vision swirling as we begin sinking. Cersei said she was going to look after the kids… that's all that matters now.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 10: Made My Own Big Bad
Cersei Lannister
​

Watching the tower and wall crumble away into the sea fills me with a sense of relieved satisfaction, even as the returning Aegon is quick to take command of the situation. Once I gave word to Davos on this being Pentoshi sabotage, he was quick to raise the fleets sail.

I have Orys and his cousins climb inside Arianne's carriage and freeze right before I enter myself. The excited cries coming from the castle make me desperate to be away.

"She's not dead!" I never actually checked Arianne's body for life. The cold realization has my snap at Ser Vance angrily, getting him to snatch the reigns away from the startled driver. "Arianne's still breathing! She's just not responding, get the Maester!"

"Get us out of here." My hiss has Hugo nod stiffly, letting me slam the carriage door shut behind me.

The clomping of our escort surrounds us and I take comfort in the two score Lannister men I brought on my Father's request. Joffrey should have arrived on that frozen rock by now, so he'll have a few weeks to make his choice before my raven arrives to call him back to claim his throne.

Viserys' prophetic dreams have proven themselves true and I eagerly look forward to his return with Tyrion. You'll be so happy to see that I've cleared away the last Baratheons for you Viserys, no one will be able to stand between us now. I'm nearly at the end of the information your visions have provided and really hope you've been having more on your quest.

Letting the rhythmic splattering of mud lull me into a sensation of contentment, I think back to the day my true future was revealed. It was fate for me to be the only one in the castle to have had the fowl pox and give Viserys his bath that night.


…


"You're really starting to look like your brother, he was quite handsome himself." My words don't even seem to phase Viserys. He just shakes with each step as I bring him to the stool, carefully helping him sit down.

His skin is beet red and clammy to the touch, the fever so high I'm worried his brain will soon boil. "Come on, let's get you out of those clothes and into the cool bath. You'll feel a lot better." And I'll be able to satisfy my curiosity.

For only being a few months shy of four and ten, he's already taller than I am. Though Viserys is not quite as burly as the Baratheon beasts, he's slender and graceful like Rhaegar was.

When I reach down to help him remove his sweat drenched shirt, he grabs my wrist and locks suddenly wide eyes with my own. "If you're willing to live your whole life by some crazy woods witch's visions… how about I give you a second opinion."

His voice isn't croaking or weak like it has been all day, but he does still sound completely delirious. "Maggy might have said some pretty convincing things, they may have even gotten your friend killed when she heard them."

How does he know about that! Even Jaime doesn't know for sure that it was me.

Viserys smirks at me as his eyes roll back in his skull. "However us dragons have dreams of the future too ya know. I've seen two official versions of what could happen and a few dozen that are really just what ifs." What the in the Seven Hells is he talking about?

"It doesn't really matter if I change the names involved, the general events all seem to going according to some bastard's plan." He lets out a pitiful moan. "I may have saved my family but Edmure just died instead."

"If you really know the future, give me some real proof." Like the words of Maggy's prophecy for one thing.

"She said your kids would all have golden hair, but Shireen doesn't seem to match that description." He almost sounds smug as we finally get his boots unlaced. "Stannis doesn't have a single bastard, I know you've been looking. So it seems her numbers are also wrong."

Smirking at me, he kicks his boots away and slides backwards off the stool. Viserys land in the wash basin with a splash that sends suds across the floor, soaking my dress up to the knees.

"She was some crazy woman living alone in the woods. Don't you think she'd have used her 'gift' for herself, if it was more than just a way to get vengeance on the Lannisters?" He giggles to himself and splashes me further with the cool bath water. "Did you ever think she might have been the last Casterly trying to make your family tear itself apart?"

No… I hadn't actually considered that before. "She says you're going to have three kids and then the Valonqar will choke the life from you… sounds like having a fourth kid is what's going to be fatal."

"Uh…"

"Oh and don't worry, I won't tell anyone about Joffrey." Viserys grabs my hand and pulls me down to eye level, a look of earnestness in them. "My parents are siblings… I'm not going to judge you. Robert dies soon and you'll be Queen long after Stannis joins him in the ground."

"Stannis dies alone in a storm, his daughter sacrificed, and dragons hatch." He's lost to his ranting and most of his claims are nonsensical at the moment. "Joffrey's reign as King will be brief, his young brother left to deal with two foreign invaders from the East and rebels all across Westeros."

Tears are running down his cheeks as he presses on with his desperate sobbing. "Half the people I know end up slaughtered, your Lord Father will be slain on the shitter, and Euron intends to bring doom to the world."

I reach down and press a hand against his brow, relieved to find his temperature going down. His rambling is slowing down as well, more of absent minded muttering as he finally relaxes.

"But you know what… it doesn't even matter. The Others will kill us all in less than twenty years with an army of the dead." He's so casual about the last part, I don't think I heard him right. "Why do you all think I want out of here so badly… Westeros is cursed and nothing I do will be enough to save it from itself."

Viserys shakes his head and smirks at me with refocused eyes. "You're definitely the hottest woman alive in Westeros, at least until this younger and more beautiful Queen shows herself." He chuckles airily and scratches at his chin. "You ever consider that it's your own daughter?" Shireen will be the one to replace me?

"Since we're all dead anyway, I may as well have some fun." He mumbles something else under his breath that makes me raise an eyebrow in concern for his mental state. "Besides, Viserys is always in the back of my mind yelling at me to take over… I'll just blame this on him."

He leans closer to me for a hug and I decide to allow it, he's already ruined this dress anyway. Viserys goes past my arms and I feel a sharp slap on my backside, silence echoes in the room as I stare at Viserys.

"Oh I have so many things to teach you." He gasps when I kiss him firmly and push him down in the tub so I have room.

Shoving his babbling aside for now, I decide to ask him about it tomorrow when he has a clearer head. Tonight is about me finally getting my Prince Rhaegar… look alike.

Viserys keeps mentioning strange things like some person named Qyburn being able to create life from things thought long dead. Maybe that's who brings the dragons back? He mentions civil war threatening Joffrey's rule when Ned Stark is executed in the South, so I intend to never invite he dullard and his family South.

It's when he mentions my brother losing a hand one day and his own inescapable crown of gold that I see things unraveling how I desire finally. Jaime made clear his intent to serve Viserys' wishes... so I will make my own way forward with all this splendid knowledge.

Margaery Tyrell will never be good enough for either of my sons. I'm glad I have enough forewarning to outmaneuver that old hag Olenna. She really needs to be pruned, so the rest of the garden doesn't wither and die along with her.

He collapse by the end and I'm forced to dress him before calling for one of the servants to bring Viserys to bed. With so few able to keep working through the pox, I'll easily be able to explain hiring from farther away for a while.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 11: What Are You Doing Here?
Viserys Ashtar
​

Jhala is easy to defend, only a single one of Victarion's landing parties have even reached the shore before I find them. Coppernicus' ash leaves the fleet of thirty ships drifting dead in the water, with the couple hundred being quickly overwhelmed by local defenses.

I don't let the cheers from behind the cities walls distract me and roar out the situation n the local tongue. "The slaving sack of shit Victarion, has finally grown stones big enough to face the heat of Summer!"

"Once we purge the pirates from our lands, I will follow them back where they came and show them smoke and screams in vengeance!" Roars of support come from the soldiers wielding golden heart bows and that sense of restlessness vanishes.

Vacation's over, time to get off my ass and finally deal with Victarion for good. No more simply harassing his ships… now it's time to make these seas safe for all to travel.

Besides, it's probably been long enough that I won't cause any problems between Arianne and Renly. She probably barely even remembers me anymore.

I leave the city to rally it's own defenses and gather it's fleet for retaliation, my mind racing as a sixth pillar of smoke rises on Omboru on the horizon. "How did that damned moron plan this attack out so perfectly?"

Getting to dark for me to really see anything. With a wince I scrap the back of my arm against Coppernicus' scales hard enough to draw blood. "Sylvie."

The High Valyrian word for wisdom makes me blood tingle as my senses are shared with my dragon. My suicidal bombing in Valyria jump started the waxing of the worlds magic by a few years. The few bits of ancient dragonlord magic I've found, have all started working for me as long as they use Coppernicus as the magical component.

The quick trips Gerion and I have been taking into Valyria the last five years have noticeably increased the Summer Isles wealth. I can only assume the temptation has finally grown to big to resist any longer. I'm going to show his fleet why only an idiot tries to steal from a dragon.

We bound across the island in a series of gliding leaps, Coppernicus crossing a mile or more at a time. Each time we crash down in the jungle he dashes forward and then throws him back into the air with powerful flaps.

He even manages to clear the entire four miles between the islands, the remnants of the afternoon's thermals giving him just enough lift to slam down on the white sandy beach. "Let's go boy, time to prove to everyone you're only scary to the bad guys!"

Howling his agreement, he charges towards the nearest settlement. The eight ships anchored off shore and the skeleton crews are easy targets, the shrieks of agony thankfully even briefer as Nicus' warm himself up.

We slam into the raiders at the city gates, his spiked tail sends them flying by the dozen as he thrashes wildly. Only a luck blow on one of his joints, his wing membrane, or his eyes, will be able to bring Coppernicus down with castle forged steel. After a few dozen skirmishes, I know most of the pirates are lucky to have serviceable iron.

"You want to live, you better be naked and face down in the sand before it's your turn!" My conditions of surrender actually make a few dozen comply, which leaves the rest suddenly far less sure of survival.


…


I'm drenched with sweat by the time the sun is coming up. An entire night's work and Walano is still smoking on the North shore.

"One more buddy and then you can sleep." He grumbles tiredly in response, his movements far more sluggish than when we began. "Oh don't give me that, you know I let you eat as much as you want from the days catch. You're the picky one who doesn't like tuna."

He belches out a cloud of sticky grey ash in retort, covering me in a gooey paste when it mixes with my perspiration. "Hey. What was that for Nicus?" I'm not the one who decided to attack.

When we arrive at the final town, it's shocking to find it no longer under attack. A dozen Reach ships flying Tyrell flags have trapped the Long-Cogs in the bay, the landing party rushing back to stop their escape from being taken.

"Well… I wasn't expecting that." Nicus whines his agreement, knowing full well we normally chase that kind of ship away from the islands. "Guess Olenna finally found me." Though I have no idea why Marywn kept this a secret… we had a deal.

Guess the vacation really is over. They have to have seen the forty foot dragon hopping around. So unless I want to flee to Sothoryos… time to say hi.

"Land us on the big one in the middle, we can wreck most of the other ships from it." I don't want to get the Tyrell forces thinking we're some wild animal, so we can leave the ones closest to them.

Climbing onto the town's sandstone walls, Nicus leaves deep gouges with each step forward. His weight cracks the wall down to the foundation, but it's just barely high enough for us to soar onto to Ironborn boat.

It rocks so hard it nearly capsizes, but Coppernicus shifts his weight before we flip. My eyes roam the deck and take in the shocked sailors in the midst of battle.

"Don't stop killing these lily livered cowards on my account!" Taking the chance to catch my breath, I grab an ax in each hand and ready myself for battle. "More than enough of them to go around."

I throw myself off off Nicus right as he swings his tail down into the neighboring ship. The wood splinters as if it was me snapping one of my kites and the force makes our boat rock back and forth again.
Rolling to my feet with practiced effort that I make look easy, I swing my twin weapons like a madman. Limbs fly through the air and warm blood splatters against the deck, leaving the wood slick with crimson as I hack mindlessly through the pirates.

None of them are more than decent with a weapon and that's just not good enough against as much Valyrian steel as I have on me. My axes carves right through any armor like it wasn't even being worn, while my chainmail and bullet shaped helm keep me safe from nearly every attempt to stop me.

I do feel a hot searing slash on my calf, but the dying man's last thrust got slowed down by my boot. It'll need stitching when I'm done, but the bleeding will stop soon. It's not even deep enough to reach the fat layer, I'll be fine.

"We got them all!" Someone yells at me as I whirl about for my next foe, only to find everyone hastily sheathing weapons. "… Or should I say you and your dragon did." I can kind of recognize the man's voice and I frown as a blond man approaches.

"… Willas?" I gasp in astonishment at seeing my friend for the first time since Edmure died. "Is that really you?"

He freezes mid-step and frowns. His green eyes narrow as they roam my face for anything recognizable. "Viserys?" Blinking a few times as he takes in my new hair and extremely tanned complexion, Garlan finally smiles in relief. "You look different."

"Killed some magically mutated people in Valyria and the blood wouldn't wash out." I shrug and slid my own axes back onto my belt. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to save you. Margaery thought Victarion was holding you prisoner here and the raid pretty much had me convinced." He frowns in realization and pushes me out of the brief hug. "Why are you here? Everyone thinks you're dead!"

"I died." My blunt response stops his rant in it's tracks. "Even having orgies almost every month didn't make me feel any better." I give him an honest look and don't hold any of my pain back. "I needed time before I could even think of going back to the shit hole called Westeros."

Disbelief is easy to see on Garlan's face and so I cut him off before he can start doubting. "Greyscale got cured around the world in a single day, didn't it?"

"… Yeah." His frown hasn't left completely, so I'm forced to explain what the cure actually was with an annoyed sigh.

"A dragon rider needed to give their life for the people sworn to them." I shrug as understanding finally seems to sink in. "Garen never thought a Valyrian would be able to do it and we've had a distinct lack of riders the last few centuries." I'll never forget your sacrifice Barney, but I'm not telling anyone about the wild dragons. Your babies deserve freedom from my family.

"Look, I'm going to war in a few days." I yawn and see his crew is nearly as tired. "How about you come stay with me and we can catch up."

Garlan starts to nod yes and then suddenly stops himself. "Wait. My sister Margaery is back on the 'White Rose'."

"I don't hate women or anything…" I smirk at my childhood friend. "She's more than welcome to come ashore with you."

"But you said…" The horror in his eyes almost makes me concerned. "Orgies."

It's hard not to laugh in his face but somehow I manage. "She may be as gorgeous as you with teats, but unless she strips down and shakes her ass…" I smile reassuringly at him. "She'll be left alone. We have lot's of beautiful and willing participants in the celebration."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 12: Evening The Odds
Garlan Tyrell
​

My irritation at seeing Viserys so carefree was quickly washed away with his explanation for how he managed to cure Greyscale. If dying doesn't earn you a few years in the Summer Isles… nothing is good enough for the Seven.

With the early morning sun shining over the Singing Stones, I realize why he chose this cluster of islands as his home. Scores of kites line the beach on each side of the village, with some doing what looks to be elegant battle with each other.

"They got bored of just flying them," Viserys laughs when a black kite shaped like a falcon cuts the string on a parrot one. "So they added some razor wire and started fighting them for a real challenge."

"Something else you're amazing at I bet." My sister flutters her eyelashes at my long lost friend and I can't even blame her. He's some kind of exotic beauty with his skin tanned halfway to the local shade.

"Oh definitely not." The carefree smile on his face makes me relieved he's finally found some kind of peace. "Even the kids claim all my kites in battle now. I just teach the kids how to make them now and I may have accidentally introduced individual sigils to the islands in the process."

Even as children he had eyes that reminded me of Grandmother. He thought everything was going to fall on his shoulders and was just trying to prepare people. Still not sure what for exactly… he was vague about that part.

"I wasn't sure if it was the Lannisters or the Ironborn holding you captive here," Margaery giggles at how wrong she ended up being. "Which I'm very happy to have been wrong on both accounts… but the Westerosi ships being chased away still doesn't make any sense."

"Can't fight a war in my name if everyone thinks I'm dead." Smirks Viserys as he shakes his head with his own laughter, a long black ponytail swishing back and forth as he does. What was in that blood? His hair's not reflecting any light at all. "… Wait a second. How did you even know I was here?"

Returning her own smirk, Margaery holds up the engraved copper disc. "Stamping a dead man's sigil on things is a good way to make someone curious."

He grabs it and closely examines the copper, his dark purple eyes rolling in annoyance. "Well I didn't do that. Someone in the work crew has been taking artistic liberties."

Sunlight glints off of his earrings and I find the strange black barb dangling from one ear intriguing, while the three loops of Valyrian steel in his other make my eyes widen. He sent a lot back with Barristan the Bold, how much did he keep for himself?

"I was worried the Citadel told you where I was but I didn't think they'd want to give up the monopoly on my knowledge." His eyes shine with amusement and I realize even his armor is made from the rare metal. "How are the wizards they trained being accepted?"

He's the reason for the Maesters suddenly being fine with certain kinds of magic? "First year was filled with squabbling but they've proven themselves now. How in the Seven Hells did you teach them to predict the weather so accurately?"

"Valyrians had figured out how to read the winds to about a seventy percent accuracy." He shrugs as if this forgotten knowledge isn't miraculous. "When my glass candle lit up and Marywn started screaming like I was some demon, I figured I could still help you get ready. Just discreetly while I figured out who I really was."

"Ready for what?" Proving why she came, Margaery notices something I barely even acknowledged.

"Army of the dead is about a decade away from swarming the Wall." He's so casual in his delivery, it's not until we're off the boat that I have a response.

"Ha ha?" Viserys was always so dedicated in his training that I can't believe he'd just ignore something that big if it was true. He doesn't laugh and his cinnamon face changes into a grim frown. "You can't be serious."

Sighing heavily he checks around us to make sure my men are indeed breaking off to enjoy the festivities. I notice my sister's eyes are wide with an emotion I lack the skill to understand and try to keep my own on the road. Asha may be adventurous but she's incredibly possessive.

"I wish I was japing but the last war was only a warm up." Viserys shakes his head sadly and leads us out of the village, up a winding hill towards his keep. "The Citadel knows and has been sending aid to the Wall for me."

"Is that how they got two castles reopened?" I was wondering about that. It couldn't just have been the men sent up after the war, this was too recent.

He nods with nearly concealed pride. "Me and Gerion have been making trips back into the Doom every ten months about. We've been sending obsidian daggers and arrowheads up with each return."

"You hatched a dragon… even if it's not exactly like the stories described them." Margaery presses him for answers as we near the beige walls. "What other things did you learn in Valyria?"

"What do you want to know?" He glances over his shoulder with another carefree smile and waits for the blue wooden doors to creak open. "… No wait, let me guess. You want to know the same thing everyone does."

My sister frowns for only a moment and nods in understanding. "Valyrian steel?" It's what he seems to have a surplus of, makes sense to me.

"Of course you want to know." He leads us through the hallways with a casual gait. "Just because I know how to do it, doesn't mean we actually have the industrial capability to make it."

"What?" That doesn't make any sense. "How can you know how to make it but not be able to?"

Of course it's Margaery who answers, already several steps ahead of me. "You know how your clothing is made. Could you recreate it without all the tools?" She really does make me feel as smart as Father sometimes.

"Smarty pants." Snorts Viserys with a relieved grin. "Exactly. Thanks for making that easy, took Gerion days to get it."

"Well how do you make it?" I still want to know.

"Pressure forging, either deep sea or volcanic." Oh… that is tricky. "I haven't found a working forge yet, so it's still a lost art."

What has he found? That's nine or ten trips if my math is right. I'll have to double check with Margaery when Viserys goes to bed. I don't want him to think I'm an idiot, so just smile and nod while she asks the good questions.

"Second question is a tie between the cause of the Doom and the origin of dragons." He smirks as we enter what kind of resembles a solar. "So I'll answer both at once and let you get creative. Dragons are just modified wyverns, Empire of the Dawn was first to create them and a few different nations made variations."

"And the Doom?" Margaery takes the offered seat on one of the soft indigo cushions arrayed around a waist high table.

As he takes a seat across from her I notice the table looks like a six pointed star with different colored glass beads organized in triangles. "Deep Ones as far as I can tell. They dug under the sea until the could mess with a lava flow."

He points to a very detailed map of the North on the wall behind him. "Hardhome was a test run because finding active volcanoes is shockingly difficult. I only know of six other places it could have been done."

While I let that information sink in, I absentmindedly begin poking at the green beads in front of me. "What are all of these?" Hopefully his answer doesn't shake my understanding of the world.

"Yi Ti checkers, I have the Leng version somewhere but it's only for two players." Good a simple answer I can just nod back at.

Margaery can't and runs a finger along the rough textured floor that looks a lot like wet sand. "What did you make this place out of? It looks like a child's sandcastle."

"It pretty much is." The laughter from Viserys is good natured and makes me settle onto my own green emerald cushion more comfortably. "The locals have these trees with a really sticky pitch that they call rubber. They boil it and it becomes a white mud they can stick things together with, I mixed it with the sand and built Lowtide Keep."

"Is that Sothoryos?" I see one of the maps on his wall extends a lot farther South than any of the Citadel's. Several cities and smaller settlements are scattered along the shoreline with the interior mostly blank.

"Yeah…" He groans and dashes over to tear it down. "Can you pretend you didn't see that. Locals don't want anyone else knowing and I had to trade three swords for it."

Before I can assure him of our silence, Margaery speaks with confidence that makes me sigh. "What's in it for us? You seem accustomed to bribery after all."

"Want something Valyrian steel?" Viserys is more desperate than I had imaged a simple map could cause. "I have a few pieces left in the armory, or maybe you want the eggs I found last trip?" Dragon eggs? "No idea what will hatch out of those brown and white speckled things, but my guess is some kind of bird."

"Uh…" Margaery can sense Viserys' growing panic even better than me, his gaze boring into her with an intensity that is making me feel uncomfortable.

"They promised to keep them safe and Jaenaera never revealed what she found on her three year flight." Hes begging now and the awkwardness is nearly unbearable. "I can't be the reason the North lands find out about them!"

"I have a few chests of coins and one half filled with trinkets. I was going to go bury them on the beach for the kids to find but you can have them all." Finally Margaery manages to silence him by snarling in his face.

"We came looking for you because we thought you held captive!" The colored beads are sent rolling across the table as she slams her hands onto it forcefully. "I don't care about the damn South, you made it very clear we should only be worried about one direction."

Viserys lowers his gaze for a moment and looks back up with returning resolve. "I need to go East so I can go West and then we can worry about the North once we're home."

Didn't he invent the compass used by the Royal Fleet? Why is he taking such a long way back to Westeros?

"I should have gotten off my ass and dealt with Victarion years ago." Viserys claps his hands in decision and his eyes are filled with the seriousness I remember him having as a child. "Nice of him to come all the way to Naath for me, saves me nearly two whole years sailing their and back just to smoke a squid."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 13: Play Along
Margaery Tyrell
​

After a restful night in my own room decorated with a trio of exquisite tapestries. One depicts some strange city made of ice and I need to commission a piece from such an imaginative artist.

The second one above the bed has a dragon front and center on a rocky ocean shore. Though it's body is a lot flatter and more elongated in comparison to the copper darling sleeping in his cave on the beach.

It has four legs and reminds me of the painting of the lizard-lions native to the Neck, with great sweeping wings like a dragonflies. With scales of dark iron shading it looks to be mid exhale, a cloud of grey mist flowing from the jaws.

The final one shows the city melting under the flames of the fire breathing dragons. A cloud of steam and a colossal wave all that remains of the incredible city once the battle is over.

"You awake yet in here?" A woman's cheery voice calls from the other side of what passes for the door.

Instead of something I could actually close… or change behind for that matter, a few dozen hemp ropes with big wooden beads dangle in the doorway. At least I would have heard anyone trying to sneak in while I slept.

"Do I have to get up?" The bed was amazing and I wouldn't mind trying to sleep for another hour.

It's not like Viserys needs saving, so I may as well enjoy myself like Asha told me to. The town looked incredibly well off and not a single beggar was in sight while he lead us here. Even if he chose the path carefully, it's not a very big town. Not very many places he could have hid the poor on no notice.

"If you want the hot shower." I sit up and frown at the frizzy haired brunette waving at me from the other side of the beads. "Viserys only installed two tanks and we won't have time to wait for them to refill. The other Princes' ships have been sighted and will be here in less than two hours."

I end up following her, eager to have the grim of so long on a ship washed off. She leads me into a bare room sloping down to a drain on one wall and shows me where to put my clothes. The clothes I've brought will be unbearable under this sun and I'm very grateful for the green hemp dress provided for me.

It's astounding when hot water rains out of a tarnished copper disc filled with holes. "We have about twelve minutes before it goes dry, so hand me the soap would you." Elyse points to a series of glass bottles in an indent along the wall.

Each of the four bottles is filled with a different kind of colored oil and I frown. "Which one is soap?" None of them look like the tallow kind that the small folk use or even the fancier ones I'm used to.

"The pale green one is soap, it tingles like you wouldn't believe though." She warns me as I hand he the half filled bottle. "Whatever the locals mix into it pretty much eats the grime off you. The white creamy stuff is something I can't pronounce, but Viserys calls shampoo."

"Where is everyone?" Viserys didn't really have many servants but I haven't seen any of the mute people.

"Viserys has them loading up what he thinks is worth taking back to Westeros." She smirks at me when the tingling does indeed make me gasp. "Pretty much everything but the statues. Which is a shame really, some of them are really incredible."

He was pretty casual about trying to bribe me with Valyrian steel last night. Maybe he has enough that I could convince him to make good on that offer.

Asha made damn sure I could defend myself and I'm kind of annoyed that Garlan shot him down so fast. Viserys and I both knew it was a casual conversation where he was showing off his newfound wealth, my brother didn't need to take it so seriously. I guess he is a bore when Asha's not around though, shouldn't be surprised he's acting to form.

"You'll have to show me them before we leave." She nods and I think back to that sensation of complete dread I felt at the first sight of the dragon's roar.

Coppernicus' shadow was so large it covered the long ship Garlan had boarded and then all of a sudden… a dragon was nearly capsizing the boat. It made short work of the enemy ships with that massive bony club I think is called a tail.

It was awe inspiring to witness just how easily it destroyed it's foes and more than a little bit terrifying. But the moment Viserys called out that the battle was over, the dragon acted like a well trained dog.

It didn't require more than casual attention from the missing Ashtar and still seemed tame as Garlan's best horse. Once we reached the beach here, the overgrown lizard had already used his tongue to memorize my face. Hard to fear something that slobbers on you like that

Viserys wasn't what I expected after Garlan and Willas told me of a boy who had even less fun than them. But this just means I'm going to have to learn who he is the hard way, if I'm going to have any way of influencing what happens now that we found him that is. Do I even want to though?

Grandmother is the one who taught me to always make powerful men interested. But I think I'll get farther with Viserys just by being honest.

The water shuts off suddenly and Elyse laughs at the suds still in my hair. "Use the washbasin to get that out, Viserys and your brother should be waiting for us in the den by now." So that's what he calls his solar. "And if I'm lucky, Thoros is still passed out on the beach. Hate dealing with him after I get too drunk at one of those things."

"He's that bad?" Asha has admitted to a few drunken escapades before she was paired with my brother and I can only wince in sympathy for Elyse.

"He's just so damn clingy." Her growl surprises me with it's vehemence and I dress just a tiny bit faster. "He knows I don't want kids and since he does…"

"It's just not worth the hassle of putting up with his whining." Elyse shrugs once she slides on her own brown woven breeches and pulls on a butter yellow vest that does really nothing to conceal herself. "I've been clear with Thoros since day one and he just keeps trying to change my mind." Letting out a chuckle she winks at me. "Of course I keep letting him. So really, which one of us is more to blame?"

Isn't he a priest or something? "I'm pretty sure it's him." If Elyse really was clear of her intentions the first time, this Thoros should find someone else. And if he's a holy man, he should probably hand in his robes.

She leads me the long way around the keep and shows off the salvaged sculptures. Each one is made of either gemstone, precious metal, or polished rock, and all are animals almost lifelike with how well they had been crafted.

My personal favorites are the jade snake thing with seven heads and two broken stumps where a missing pair once completed it. Elyse calls it a Hydra and says they're from the Sothoryos marshlands.

The last one I see before we enter the den is a majestic silver griffon, a golden horse clutched in it's talons. Thought griffons would have been a little bit bigger though, it's only a little bit bigger than that moose I saw at Horn Hill.

We find them in the middle of a game of Leng Checkers, with Garlan only having four red discs left. "Alright, I give up. Margaery is finally done with her 'shower'." Oh you'll be begging for just a few more minutes when you have yours, so laugh it up now dear Brother. "You said you wanted to talk to the princes at the docks. Let's go."

"If I let them land, they'll want to have another celebration before we sail for Naath." Viserys scowls at the idea. "And if we wait to long, Victarion's fleet will have turned tail and ran back to the Basilisk Isles."

"Why do you want us to come?" I speak up once Viserys waves at me in greeting. "Shouldn't you be dealing with the other Princes yourself?"

He rolls his eyes and gives me a pleading look. "I need you two to play along until we get on my boat. Only one reason sixteen of my contemporaries are here and that will hamper your plan to bring me home." What's Viserys talking about?

"… Okay?" Garlan answers for us.

"Told you it would only be a few years before this happened." Snorts Elyse as we leave the keep, a core of sailors rushing in behind us to get another load of Viserys' treasures.

"Yeah you all did," Grumbles the ebony haired Prince. "But who ended up winning the pool?"

"Creb was closest I think." She considers it for a few seconds. "He said six years and you insisted on 'Price is Right' rules if you were going to pay the winner… which you still haven't explained either."

"Because they make sense to me." Viserys shrugs with a distinct tension growing in his steps. "Oh yeah, should probably call Coppernicus." He whistles sharp and loud.

Before long the ground shakes as the gorgeous dragon bounds towards us eagerly, it's tongue waving like a dog. When it reaches us it demands some scratches on the chin from all four of us before allowing us to continue.

"I still want a weapon." I remind Viserys who seems lost in his cloud of growing frustration. Maybe this can distract him for a while. "It sounds like you have more than you know what to do with and I seem to be going to war with you." This is going to be so exciting.

Considering my request for a moment, Viserys turns to me with a smirk. "If you can beat me with wooden swords I'll give you whichever one you want."

"But aren't you really-" My brother tries to raise protest only for Viserys to hush him with a hand over his mouth.

"Shush you. Margaery is a big girl and can make her own choice." His gaze is challenging and I find an intense desire to wipe the smirk from his face. Despite the fact that even Garlan seems cautious of his skill, I will win.

"You're on." No one would be insane enough to pass this chance up. Viserys offered no downsides to his bargain aside from a little humiliation.

"It'll be fun, but I need your help first." He slows down as I count sixteen men bedecked in luxurious clothing and jewelry. Each one has a young woman around my age with them. "So just go with whatever I say until we leave."

"Prince Viserys!" The lead Prince cries out in glee. "Our midnight savior and the one who will finally slay the pirate king."

Viserys greets Prince Jhaline Mo with a kiss on each cheek. "I only asked for your fleets to aid me. Why have such important men come to such a lowly foreigner's island?"

"If you are to represent us and face our invader. You should do so as his equal…" The dark skinned noble holds up a crown of carved ivory. "As our King."

"But I only let you make me a Prince, because only someone born here can be your King." Viserys argues with no real heat and I know his real plan is coming.

"If you take one of our daughters as your wife and our name, it will be enough to satisfy tradition." Prince Jhaline smiles and shoves his own blushing daughter forward. Her gown of red silk makes me feel like a peasant and I straighten my back instead of allowing the feeling to win.

Throwing an arm around me suddenly, Viserys pulls me firmly against his side. "Sorry Jhaline, but my betrothed has finally come from Westeros to bring me home. Once Victarion is dealt with, I shall not be returning with the fleet."

"I'm wha-" My words are cut off as Viserys lifts me with one arm and races towards his crouching dragon.

"Feel free to loot my keep once we leave," He calls over his shoulder and slides the both of us onto Coppernicus' back. "Meet you on the ship Garlan!" And with that final shout, the dragon leaps off the pier and glides towards the 'Celebration'.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 14: Even More Misunderstandings
Tyrion Lannister
​

As the 'Sea Lion's Wrath' enters visual range of the first island, panicked murmuring breaks out among crew. Instead of the single ship we had been prepared to face, dozens of long ships separates us from the Summer Isles as the fog clears.

I almost call for arrows to be lit and only stop myself when I see no sign of movement on any of the ash white boats arrayed before us with Gerion's old far-eye. "Does anyone see sign of life?"

"Looks as still as a graveyard." Hisses Gerold, his voice tense over the grim situation on display. "What do you think happened?"

"Lord Baelish's reports say a dragon has definitely settled on the isles somewhere," My answer doesn't satisfy either of us because it looks more like hot ash rained down on the fleet instead of a torrent of fire. "I'm going to assume it's territorial."

He snorts at that and counters my words as the helmsman steers us between the ghost ships. "But it's fine with the locals?"

"Maybe it prefers white meat?" It kind of looks like when Dragonstone would rumble out smoke and coat the entire island.

"Or a volcano went off…" His eyes roam the Ironborn vessels with rapt attention until we finally clear the fleet. "I heard about the one in the Doom going off again a few years back. Maybe it's some kind of chain reaction?"

Shaking my head at that, I swivel my far-eye towards the shore. A single Westerosi ship is docked, with the crimson sails of the Lannisters on proud display. "A little late for it to be connected." Handing him the device with a scowl, I start to get ideas I hope will soon be proven wrong.

Gerion better not have just been relaxing on a beach this whole damned time. I've raised Joy for you as if she was my own… but it's not enough. I'm not enough.

How can I blame her for being terrified of me though? Fear may have gotten me respect from the sheep but the only Lion I still care about will barely even look at me. She's heard enough of what the Mountain did on my command and she's right.

I don't deserve Rhaenys even if she is still alive. But I'll become Cersei's sworn sword before I give up the search without a body. I may not have been able to use all of my resources on the single task… but I know something Baelish doesn't.

The dragons in the Sorrows have been seen with riders. A boy and a girl about the same age as the missing Martells.

"Looks like they want us to dock." Four Swan ships approach from one of the larger islands and steer us to the shoreline. "Let's not give them a reason to do the same thing they did to the long ships."

With none of my crew of fifty men willing to argue, Gerold and I are soon marching towards the people in charge. The locals have bows in hand and I know cooperation will be vital to our survival.

"I'm guessing they want another Lannister ship for the collection." My words only make the Darkstar groan beside me as we're lead to a local man wearing very lavish clothing in a dozen bright colors.

"Long time no see Nephew." The unmistakable Westerland drawl has my eyes lock onto a tense Gerion beside the man I assume to be the Prince. "How have things been for you back in Westeros? Is Joy doing alright?"

Before rage overwhelms me at his casualness, I decide to answer tersely. "I've made Joy my heir and her legitimization should have been gleefully approved by now. Cersei is quite happy to make sure my children will inherit nothing."

"You have children?" You don't need to sound so shocked Uncle. You are the one who told me looks aren't everything… gold makes up for a lot as I recall.

"Sadly no," I'll satisfy myself with whores until I know Rhaenys' fate. If she can forgive me… maybe the Seven will too. "My reputation precedes me." And if she's already dead or can't bring herself to do so, It's all the proof I need that I'm really the monster everyone claims.

"I warned you that was going to happen. Didn't I?" Gerion shakes his head sadly, his voices dripping with disappointment.

"You were also right about me being like Father." This is the hard part to admit, especially in public. "Neither of us are adept at listening to good advice."

He finally smiles and even chuckles a little bit at that. "It's a family trait. We let pride blind us to the bad decisions we make."

"Which ones did you make?" My uncle has always seemed pristine compared to the depths the rest of our family will sink.

"If I never left you alone in that shit hole or even if I came back once Viserys gave me Brightroar-" Whatever else he was going to say goes unheard, my sudden snarl interrupting Gerion.

"What!"

With a heavy sigh Gerion half draws the lion hilt sword on his hip, revealing rippling smoky grey steel. "Found Viserys and his crew sailing out of the Doom. We made a deal and I brought those ready to go home back to Westeros in exchange for it."

"Viserys is alive?" And he's just left his niece lost in Essos somewhere? What in the Seven Hells is wrong with him!

"Apparently that's all thanks to Thoros and his magic lips." What does that even mean? "If he's the reason you came… sorry to tell you but you're here eleven days to late."

"He died in the Ironborn attack?" I guess I can forgive him if he's been fighting Victarion for five long years.

Gerion snorts and the unnamed prince beside him lets out a full on belly laugh. "Even if he did, would have probably only been temporary."

"The Prince has taken the fleet to rescue the Island of Naath from the Piratte King." The fancy man finally speaks in perfect common. "His betrothed and her Lord brother came to retrive him."

"A few things are confusing me about that…" I frown at his words. "First. Aren't you the Prince?" This only makes him laugh even harder than before.

Gerion explains so his companion can recover. "Viserys let the locals loot his keep once he left, since he's not coming back after dealing with Victarion. Lurambo was our butler and really liked the curtains."

"What's a butler?" I can't hold myself back from asking.

My uncle just shrugs. "Something Viserys came up with. He wanted a personal servant who personally dealt with him regularly." Intriguing.

"Okay. Now what's this about a betrothed?" I know Renly's oldest kid is really Viserys' and I have my suspicions about Orys. But both mothers are married… who could it be?

"Viserys has apparently been making deals with the Tyrells about his return so secret I wasn't even told." Those wilted Roses got here first!

"Margaery and Garlan arrived during the attack and lent their aid in repelling the pirates. When the Princes tried to crown Viserys King, he said Margaery was his betrothed and glided away on Coppernicus." He's been talking to Garlan the whole time!

"Who?" I blink in confusion. "What?"

"The dragon's name is Coppernicus and he's not really very good at flying." Gerion doesn't add any more information. Like that's supposed to explain anything!

My mouth goes dry as I realize how close my childhood dream is to becoming a reality. I might be able to fly on a dragon before I die.

Something still doesn't quite add up. "Why are you here?" Shouldn't Gerion be off with his new favorite person?

"I was getting supplies for more of Viserys' magic and missed the attack." He growls angrily and I get even more jealous.

"Viserys has my Father's love, a dragon, and now he knows magic too?" I thought I was his friend. Why didn't he share any of this with me?

"I seem to recall almost everything you have came from some stranger giving a ridiculed little boy a shot." Gerion narrows his eyes at me once again. "So maybe don't be whining for more the first chance you get."

I may have turned the Stepstones into something resembling a Kingdom all on my own, but my Uncle is right. The only reason I'm not back at Casterly Rock right now, is because Viserys gave me Dragonstone in the first place.

"I only have one thing I need to ask when we catch up to him." Why the damned hell aren't you looking for Rhaenys!

She's been lost with only Quntyn the entire time you've been here relaxing with my uncle. You may have a dragon now but it's not going to stop me from screaming bloody murder at him.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 15: Cold Iron
Theon Greyjoy
​

The freezing wind howls as the five of us ride northeast along the Bay of Seals in pursuit of some more wildling raiders. Cotter Pyke has finally gotten off his ass and sent at least a token force out to scout the migration East.

It's been five years and that bastard is still making me do all the grunt work. With my muttered curses being swallowed by the growing blizzard, I make sure to keep my eyes roaming the terrain for ambush.

Unless the wildlings are swimming for Essos, I have no idea where so many of them could have gone. All four villages we would normally have stopped to trade at had been ransacked and left with nothing of use. Nor any villagers to explain what in the hell is going on.

The tracks Endrew found last night are our only lead and we ride single file between the snowdrifts. The nephew of Lord Tarth is a bitter fat man a few years my senior, leading us cautiously towards a formation of three fallen rocks in the shape of a campfire.

"Is that steam or smoke?" My remark has the others argue with hushed whispers, while I focus on the faint pillar of white rising from the rocks.

Hot springs are thankfully far more more common above the Wall than I would have ever once imagined. With my fellow rangers relying on them for survival during the big storms and keeping record of any new ones found. But it also leaves a lot of places for wildlings to hide from our patrols.

"Doesn't matter," Endrew barks back at me with a firm expression of resolve that he only seems to have while ranging. "Tracks go straight towards it." No idea what got you sent up here but at least I know you have the skill to earn your attitude. Wouldn't trust the other three to be more than a meat shield if we get overwhelmed.

The howl of a wolf comes far too close for my comfort and seems to signal the storm is ready to be unleashed on the world. The wind almost instantly shrieks as it doubles in speed, the map in Earless Harden's being torn from his grip.

"Let's get a move on," I snarl at the others who seem frozen with indecision. "If I'm going to die I'd rather it be to a foe I can kill, not some measly bad weather."

"Go up the side and see if you can get a look in from the top." Growls the disgraced Tarth knight as he points to a section of cliff that's not too steep. "I may think you're a craven but you are damned good with a bow. I'd like to have some cover if it comes to a fight."

"Fine. Just make sure to leave me my cut." We don't get paid and I'd really like another visit to the Mole Town brothel.

He snarls back at me with a grim glare. "If we have as many inside as the tracks imply, we'll need to bury some loot for a second trip."

While they head towards the cave entrance, I lead my own grey steed around the side. Once I tie off his reigns to a spindly little pine tree, I find hand holds and begin to climb. Only got two dozen of those fancy new arrows, better make every shot count.

Hoarfrost Hill and the Long Barrow are both now staffed with two hundred brothers and I've heard rumors Deep Lake is next on the Lord Commander's list. I need to keep proving myself if I want to get away from Pyke and his need to treat me like shit.

If I'm the one who finds out where Mance is hiding, I might even be given command of the castle. That thought fills me with energy and I haul myself onto the ledge with a grunt.

Even closer than before, the wolf howls again. It cuts through the wind and I swear for a moment between the flakes, I could see an iron grey wolf in the snow… just watching me.

When I look closer though the animal is gone, leaving me with an eerie feeling that something is about to go horribly wrong. Drawing my bow with tense hands, I swiftly scramble over to the opening in the top of the rocks.

Peering inside reveals it's far to small for even a child to climb through and I nearly cough when I inhale the smoke. Inside is the smoldering remnants a single large campfire, a couple dozen bodies laying motionless on the rocks inside.

Did they freeze to death or is this an ambush? I'm not able to get a very good range of view, but I keep my arrow trained on the body nearest the entrance. Just in case.

"We're coming in." Endrew's voice echoes through the cave but none of the bodies even twitch. "I see a weapon in anyone's hand and things will get damned bloody!" Good mummers if this really is all a ruse.

The four of my black brothers enter and I let out a whistle to alert them I'm in position… only to immediately regret my choice. The bodies leap to their feet and I nearly scream when I see the dead woman's face.

She has no jaw and her tongue dangles uselessly in the air, one eye missing and what look like bite marks cover her body. Neither the wounds nor my arrows do anything to slow down the dead's assault and it's only Gladden Flowers who manages to escape.

He doesn't wait for me or even hesitate in leaving the others to die, instead fleeing with the horses as soon as he reaches them. Another howl draws my gaze West and I freeze in fright. The blizzard seems to swirl around a lone figure on the edge of the Haunted Forest.

The person looks to be made from the very ice and snow of the North itself and glares right at me with piercing sapphire eyes. I need to move, now!

The dead wildings below shriek and I can hear them charging out of the cave with only a single purpose. My death.

Fast way down it is. I don't hesitate and leap for the branches of the pine, snapping it in half as my momentum bends it too far.

I slash through the rope with my knife and fling myself onto the horse. A quick kick of my heels sends him racing away from the shrieking bodies. Only instead of bringing us South back to Eastwatch by the Sea, the panicking stallion flees the storm by going towards Hardhome.

The storm follows for hours and it's only when I've ridden through the entire night that it finally relents. When the first rays of sunlight shimmer across the sea, the storm abates almost at once.

Soon he shrieking fades to silence and I find myself alone on the shore. Going back will only lead me into the dead and so I press on for shelter.

The sight of a campfire's smoke fills me with a surge of strength and I make a careful approach through the thin cropping of trees. I see a lone man in furs keeping watch, while his companion sleeps beside the meager fire.

He notices my approach when I snap a twig under my foot and only my arrow in his throat stops him from waking his friend. His very pretty friend. I realize as I step over her and smile at her mop of fiery red hair.

With an arrow trained on her face, I kick some snow onto her face for a rather rude awakening. "What the fuck Yarg? I'm going to gut you for that!"

"Was that his name?" She gasps in realization and freezes at the sight of my glinting dragonglass arrow. "How about you tell me your name now?"

She spits up at me in rage but eventually mutters just loud enough for me to hear. "Ygritte." The defeat in her voice is reminiscent of how I felt when I first heard the news of my families defeat. "Going to kill me now Crow? Or you going to forsake those vows of yours and defile me first?"

Maybe later. "Where are you all going?" I need answers if I'm going back to the Wall and a good reason not to kill her.

"East." Her words confuse me and the smirk she grows shows she knows it. "You must have seen the dead by now and your Wall is only getting harder to cross."

"So what… you're swimming around it?" The Starks slaughtered them last time and now theirs no war keeping everyone else South.

"The craven liar Victarion 'left us' a few of his boats." Ygritte laughs at my expression of shock. "We're making as many more as we can and going to this place called Essos." Okay… that's a good reason.

"Strip Yarg for me. I need to change into something that won't get me killed." I lower my bow and wait for her to follow my orders before stripping out of my black clothing.

She growls when she sees me. "So you are defiling me."

"No. I need to burn a body wearing my clothes or the Watch will keep looking for me." I can defile you later. "And then you're bringing me to Mance. I'm an Ironborn and going to make sure your boats will make the trip."

"So you're stealing me?" Her gaze softens a bit and seems to be considering something. "Could do worse I guess. You're at least decent looking." What is she talking about?​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 16: Not Really My Type
Viserys Ashtar
​

The moment Coppernicus lifts himself, Margaery stiffens in my arms. When he begins bounding up and down, she tightens her grip around me. As soon as he throws himself into to air, she let's out a terrified gasp and buries her face in the crook of my neck.

"It's alright," I reassure her with an amused tint to my voice. "My boy might be awkward in the air but he's never fallen. And even if he does, Coppernicus is a darn good swimmer."

Her iron grip on me loosens the smallest amount. "Really?"

"He's got a pretty mean draggie paddle if I do say so myself." I get a giggle from her and her body relaxes in my arms. "Thanks for playing along back their. You really helped me out of a bind."

"What are you talking about? They tried to make you King." She shifts around and keeps her tight gaze locked on my own.

And it seems to keep happening, no matter how hard I try to avoid it."Not really my thing."

I might have to stay at the Citadel for a while, once we get back to Westeros. I'm not going back just to screw up whatever stability Stannis has managed to attain.

"Garlan said as much," She shifts in my lap again so she's fully facing me now. "Though Grandmother never seemed to believe him."

"I'm sorry if I got your hopes up…" Only five years of practice keep me from panicking over how my words could come across. "But you do know the betrothal is a sham. You aren't really my type."

I get a single raised eyebrow from Margaery in response. "Oh? Is the that you don't like beautiful women or intelligent ones?" She smirks as I try not to lose composure, my face barely remaining carefree and in control of my emotions. "Or are you one of those men who likes a woman who does what she's told?"

"How do you know I'm attracted to women?" I was basically a statue before Arianne and I doubt she was forthcoming with the world about our activities.

This just makes her laugh a little hard and pat my chest with a hint of condescension. "My Grandmother isn't senile yet, I still trust the accuracy of most of her reports."

"It's not that you aren't attractive and I know you're intelligent…" I trail off awkwardly as I try not to hurt her feelings. Margaery in both series wanted to be the Queen, which means she's just not someone I can afford to entangle myself with.

"But?" She demands with a playful enough smirk to let me know I haven't truly offended her. "What is it, do I smell terrible or something? If I do it's your fault, I used the soap Elyse gave me." The fake gag she makes when she sniffs her armpit nearly has me drop her in surprise but she just grabs on even tighter.

With her sandy blonde hair pressed into my face right below my nose, I take a quick sniff to play along. "You smell fine, great even." I assure a giggling Margaery. "I've just be informed by my own informants that you have a desire for the Iron Throne. Maybe Joffrey would be a better choice for you to ply your… ample charms on."

I did my best to make him tolerable. I can only hope the boy hasn't let Cersei rule his every thought.

"Who is your informant, my grandmother?" She frowns at me long enough I begin to feel silly. "Because I don't know if anyone has told you, but the Iron Throne is cursed." Her delivery is so serious I find myself stiffening under the confident maiden.

"…What?" My response has her shake her head at me.

"I thought you had been the one to figure it out," Margaery seems to already be sold on the idea and speaks to me as if I'm a particularly slow child. "It's starting to look as bad as the one on Harrenhal. Everyone who who tried to put a claimant on the throne is getting close to being only a memory."

Was only joking when I first said that back in King's Landing… but Margaery's starting to convince me of my own theory. I broke one curse on my family, this one should hopefully be a little bit easier.

I finally know what my goal is going to be when we return to Westeros. Can't just leave the royal family cursed, I'm kind of related to them.

Do a tour and check in on everyone, see how Hoster's been treating mother and Dany. She must be blossoming into a beautiful young woman by now, free from the horrors my body could have caused her.

The twins must be little people by now and not just pudgy platinum haired babies. Baelor and Jaenaera might not even know about me or Rhaegar. It's going to amazing to find out who they are.

Wonder if any of them hatched the eggs Sandor brought them, or what Renly did with he one's I was going to give to Aegon and Rhaenys. Maybe Duncan got one?

And for that matter, did Stannis ever find out who was behind all the attacks? I killed Varys over a decade ago, he can't have planned that far ahead. So who took over as mastermind once he was gone? Who do I need to exact my bloody vengeance on?

"We're about to land so you may as well look," My voice is calm as Coppernicus begins descending to the Celebration. "Even if we fall, it's close enough to swim now."

Margaery gives me a hard stare before deciding to trust me. Her head swivels to the side and her eyes widen in awe of the sparkling ocean. The reef below us is only going to be visible for another hour or so and I know it's sprawling pink coral is breath taking the first time you see it.

"… It's an entire forest down below the surface." Her voice trembles as our descent picks up speed. "So many different animals I've never even seen before."

"Don't worry, my boy will absorb almost the entire landing. It's surprisingly a soft landing compared to when he hops around." Raising my voice so she can hear me over the wind, I keep a carefree smile as I act like nothing strange is going on. "You'll make sure the nice maiden doesn't have a scary landing, won't you buddy?"

We get a series of chirping barks as Coppernicus confirms my words. The attitude in his voice annoys me because it's not like we go flying with new people very often and they normally get a few days to work up to asking.

"Knock it off, you know I trust your judgment more than my own." I give him a comforting pat on the vertebrae in front of us. "Margaery just doesn't know how amazing you are yet, you'll have to let her get to know you on the trip. Maybe even let her throw you some fish while we wait for everyone else?"

We land on the commandeered long ship and it barely even rocks after so many tries. Margaery recovers a lot faster than I expect and gives me a relieved smile. "But no tuna right?"

"His favorite is salmon but it's not really the season for it." Pulling her close, we slide down the scales of tarnished copper. "You did good for a first time flier. I was unconscious for half of mine and Gerion threw up on me when we took him up."

"So about that duel…" I can tell she's planning something and I find myself enjoying the mental stimulation. "Can we do that before Garlan gets here. He's going to try and insist on being my champion and that kind of defeats the whole purpose of showing you I know how to defend myself."

Her smile is confident and I wonder exactly how much Asha really taught her. Haven't really needed to use my head very much the last few years, Margaery will be good practice for Westeros. Still can't believe she ended up with Garlan though, am I going to find out Brienne has a betrothal in the works?

"Don't worry about it, I'm going to be increasing Westeros' supply of Valyrian steel weapons by about fifteen percent." The offer only seems to frustrate her. "You can take your pick out of the dozen or so pieces I haven't secretly shipped to Westeros yet."

Her lips curl into a calculating leer. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather earn it."

"Alright but I don't think it'll be as helpful as you think." I'm still no better with a sword than I was years ago. I don't fight with grace but a savage ferocity better suited to heavier weapons.

"I don't care if even Garlan is impressed by you well you handle a sword." Her growled words get Coppernicus to hiss with what I know is his version of laughter. "You will never respect me the same way if I don't even try."

"I got to say…" I grab an oar that needs to be replaced and hack off the paddle section. "You really aren't what I expected.' One more swing and the oar is in the rough size of two makeshift training swords. "Thought you'd be more like one of the boring ladies."

"Grandmother was steering me that way but Garlan has been firm in restricting her contact with Loras and I." Her answer makes me hold in a laugh over Mace Tyrell being on the Wall. "It's given us a chance to grow a little more wild."

Her stance is worse than mine and I decide to test her skill level gradually. The series of smacks along my forearm shocks me and the thrust into my gut knocks the wind out of me. Gasping for breath, I'm not ready when she hooks a leg around my own.

With a quick snap of her leg I fall on my back and gasp, her piece of oar hovering above my face. "Garlan and Loras might have shown me a few things, once Asha got my Lord Brother to see reason of course." Her smirk is friendly but proud and I can't find any reason to blame her.

"You really are horrible though." She offers her free hand and pulls me back to my feet. "Not what I was expecting at all after the showing you had against the Ironborn."

"Well you earned your weapon, what do you want?" Instead of being mad or embarrassed, I'm incredibly intrigued by this change in someone I haven't interacted with before.

The laugh she lets out as she shakes her head back and forth makes my ears burn. "Garlan's sword, since he's more of a long sword man. How about you let him choose a replacement more suited for him."

"I was wondering why he ended up with the blade I sent for Dany." Just like Darksister, the short sword 'Thorn' was made for a woman's hand. "My writing isn't the neatest but I didn't think it was that illegible."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 17: It Was An Accident
Bella Rivers
​

Crouched on Roberta's muddy brown head, I'm almost completely concealed by the reeds along the riverbank. "Shh Berta, we don't want Meera to see us this time."

It's been months since we've been able to surprise her and I refuse to believe it's because of my dragon's size. The river doesn't conceal her properly anymore, several sections of her back protrude above the water even with her laying in the middle.

"We just need to get better at hiding and we'll be able to scare Meera again." Jojen's at least a good sport and pretends for my prankster's glee, but his sister's almost always got her guard up. She really doesn't like Melisandre and the woman follows me around like a mother hen.

The Freys have been gutted and less than half the family remains at the twins. It's not like I'm really in any danger here in the Neck. And I can't really be found at keep that doesn't even exist.

Greywater Watch is any of the several dozen prepared campsites Lord Howland Reed is at that night. Howland knows who I really am… why can't I stay here forever?

I'd even marry Jojen if I had to, he's only annoying when he has a strange dream. Though they do seem do be happening more often.

Once Roberta is too big for the Neck to conceal her, I'm going to need to make a decision on my future. Do I go face my uncle Stannis and demand to be legitimized?

Or should I just take off for Essos? Melisandre has promised me Volantis will treasure my arrival and I'm nearly as good as a local with the language.

Meera comes out of her tent with a worried scowl on her face, her brown curls shaking with each step towards the river. "I can see half of Roberta plain as day." She pants out with frustration clogging her voice. "Can you please stop fooling around and come help me with my brother. He says something terrible has happened to the Starks and we need to go to Skagos."

"Jojen is a smart boy and his 'gods' show him signs that will benefit the First Men." Melisandre sits beside the campfire, her crimson eyes locked on the flickering flames as they have been for hours. "But in this they are aligned. A new priest of the one true faith shall be found on Skagos." You mean your faith, I still believe in the Seven thank you very much.

She still insists the Old Gods are nothing more than the spirits of dead green seers in some kind of collective network and not true deities anywhere near the level of R'hllor. Which has made her interactions with our hosts… tense.

Lord Reed can barely be around her for as long as a conversation requires, he gets all twitchy and looks ready to bolt. I guess no one here really likes her… I think it's only me and Jojen who will even talk to her willingly.

"So you're finally leaving?" Meera grins at Melisandre as I emerge from the reeds. "No more bright red target giving everyone away, or gripping about our Gods?"

"You're coming with us I assume," Counters the woman who's age I still haven't figured out, even after five years living with her. "Unless you're willing to leave Jojen in my 'sinister' hands."

"So you can bring him back to Volantis as sla-."

Before Meera can devolve into the same old argument with no resolve in sight, I cut her off firmly. "Duncan had the red dragon… right?"

The reason my question was so off topic is because at that moment one such scarlet beauty begins descending towards our camp. Skagos is around four hundred miles from here and the tired wing beats make me wonder if they even stopped.

Roberta can only fly a hundred miles or so in a day but I know the other three all had far more ease with it as hatchlings. They can probably do two or even three hundred miles with relative ease.

The dragon's scales are the color of fresh blood and looks to be about two thirds the length of my girl. He has the classic body structure I had heard stories of growing up, nothing like Roberta's far more serpent like body.

"I told you something bad happened." Grunts Jojen as we struggle not to be blown over.

I don't get a chance to remind him his dream was a little late. Roberta throws her upper body into the air with a warning screech and the exhausted Rhellagar barely manages to avoid a midair collision.

With a panicked flap at the last second, the crimson beauty goes over Roberta but smashes through a tree. The dragon and rider both tumble into the murky river, sending half of it raining down on the campsite.

"Make sure they're okay!" The first one to react is Lord Reed, barking out orders with a calmness I can only dream of.

His words have the fifty or so people currently with us springing into action. Soon a gasping boy is dragged from the water and I find the sight of Duncan's face stirs some of my old feelings of abandonment.

When he he coughs up a few buckets worth of muddy water, I even feel a little bad for him. He has none of the carefree bravado that drew me to him and instead seems to only be a withdrawn shell of himself.

"Duncan?" I speak once his eyes lock onto me as something familiar. "What are you doing here?"

"It was an accident!" Whatever distance he had managed to get from the trauma catches up and he collapses back to his knees sobbing. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt…" He trails of with sorrowful wailing that makes me forget my own feelings for now.

"What happened Duncan?" With the larger red dragon on it's side and vulnerable in the water, Roberta feels she's properly said hello to someone today. "And uh, sorry about Berta… she likes to surprise people."

My sneaky girl dives into the river and proceeds to nuzzle her nestmate. The mean attitude from earlier now replaced with one very happy to splash someone her own size for once.

"It's alright. I deserved it after what happened." He groans as he holds an obviously dislocated arm from moving. "Uncle Ned will never forgive me. I can't live in the North, not after what happened."

He wont be any less vague and so I try calming him down a different way. "Where are you going to go? Berta is getting too big to stay here for much longer, maybe I'll come with you."

"I think my Selmy family will let me stay with them for a while."

Melisandre is the one who interrupts this time, her eyes now watching me carefully. "If we go with Duncan South, I will not be able the save the Stark child."

Hope springs into my childhood friend's grey eyes. "You can do that?" You do remember that she's the one who made your grandmother come back to life and hatch the dragons.

"Only if Princess Bella chooses to go." The Red Woman simply shrugs and leaves it all on me. "She is the one I follow."

"Will you bring her?" Now he's begging me and my stomach sinks as I realize how hard it is to say no to such a pretty face. "Please, for me."

"And I'm guessing you're not coming with us?" Duncan sags with relief when he hears the tone of my voice.

He shakes his head and I see either tears or the last of the river water falling from his face. "Not after what happened." What did you do?

"Alright…" He never made me feel lesser for being a bastard and I do owe him for my dragon. "But we're even for Roberta now. You can't hold it over my head that you gave her to me anymore."

I wasn't who Ser Viserys intended Roberta to go to and hope those with 'purer' blood can't just take control of her. Though it would be fitting for nobles to just take whatever they want.

"Did I ever do that?" He frowns at me in concern.

"No." I shake my head eventually and slowly smile. "It is really good to see you again, even if it's for a horrible reason."

"You already said you would take us," Snorts Meera as my cheeks grow warm. ""You don't really have any bargaining power Bella." I would have if you'd have kept your mouth shut.

"In my dreams," Jojen comes to my defense with a tired sigh at having to break another fight up. "You know I haven't seen you with us Meera. If you come… you'll die or be taken."

His sister crosses her arms and hisses at him angrily. "I'm not letting you go beyond the Wall unprotected."

"Bella will be with me but you're destiny is in the South," He smiles at her and gestures to Duncan with his chin. "Just like Father's was."

Just this once, I need to work with Meera. "If you can an eye on my idiot friend Duncan… I'll make sure your brother gets where he needs to be safely."​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 18: Two Days Prior
Duncan Selmy
​

When Robb, Gendry, and I finish what I really hope isn't going to be our last training session until Joffrey leaves, we enter the cozy hall to break our fast with the others. Both are rather evenly matched but I take secret pride in me being a clear step above them both. Having Barristan the Bold for a father isn't so bad I guess.

As I almost take my seat beside Jennelyn to Lord Baelish's raised eyebrows, my sister saves me with a cough. The Master of Truth's gaze follows me as I awkwardly slide my bowl a few seats over before he goes back to his whispered conversation with Tasha.

She got cozy with him awfully fast. Is she trying to find a match with more clout than Bronn? He's the only one on Skagos pursuing her seriously and I'd feel a little bad for the guy after all we've been through.

"I'm glad you finished early," Uncle Benjen broaches as soon as I have a mouthful of porridge. "We have some shocking news and Lyanna is going to need everyone to be especially kind with Prince Joffrey."

I haven't seen my cousin since I left Griffin's Roost and I didn't even know us related at the time. Just thought he was a spoiled brat trying to take all my time with Viserys. I do need to remember to keep that part a secret though.

Sighing heavily at finally knowing who I am but not being able to share it with the world, I let Robb ask for us. "What happened Aunt Lyanna? Did Joffrey's ship get lost?" His voice is carefree and his face relaxed… right up until he gets and answer from her.

"Pentos attacked Storm's End," But Storm's End has never fallen! "King Stannis died of his injuries with Princess Shireen and Prince Renly both missing."

… What?

"How?" Gasps Dany for everyone, shock plastered across her face as she drops her spoon into the bowl.

"That hasn't been explained but once Joffrey has made his choice," Lord Baelish explains with a wink that thankfully elicits no response from Mother. "He and she shall both return to King's Landing for the Coronation."

My sister is the first to react, slamming her rage filled fists against the table hard enough to knock her mug onto the floor. "How is that fair? Father died and we get shuffled off to some frozen island, but Joffrey gets to be King?"

She's been nothing but furious since learning of Joffrey's visit and I can't even offer her any public support as long as Lord Baelish is here. Same reason I'm hiding who I am.

Except… why are we still hiding here? The dragons are all big enough that they aren't endanger anymore and we're old enough to decide for ourselves.

I don't want to be King or anything, Viserys made it very clear how much it ruins a family. But unless Dany or Jenn are giving Gendry a dragon… the secrets not going to last very long.

That warm beach he kept talking about sounds pretty nice. Maybe I should go find myself one?

I miss the rebuttal while I'm lost in thought but it only makes Jenn's face go as red as my dragon's scales. "I'm not going to be here long enough for any choice to be made!" She turns to Dany and I find my own temper rising. "You can have him. Enjoy being Queen!"

My sister jumps to her feet, the long black braid swinging with her every motion as she dashes from the hall in a rage. Uncle Benjen is already halfway outside before he's instructed to keep an eye on her, Gendry grumbling as he follows.

She hasn't actually run away yet, despite claiming she will every week for the last two years, which means hopefully she'll have gotten the anger under control by supper time. If she hasn't, I'll see if she wants to go scout the bay for wildlings once it's dark.

"But I don't want to be Queen." Daenerys has an expression of horror on her face at the idea and firmly declares i]t for all to hear.

That only intrigues Lord Baelish and he leans towards my aunt with gleaming eyes. "Why ever not? Don't you feel the throne stolen from you?"

"Why would I?" She smirks back and shrugs casually. "I can't find my brother if I'm stuck in King's Landing."

"You have reason to believe he survived his miracle?" Interest has the Master of Truth steeple his fingers.

"Only that I know in my heart he did." Dany's never been able to find any physical proof but she claims the mysterious gifts are from him but insists they are. They've come almost halfway between our namedays but her name is the one carved onto the chests.

Her glass candle hasn't done anything but flicker every once and a while but it's not like many people would send Valyrian steel to Skagos. Especially without taking credit for handing over four priceless blades.

No one's been able to explain away the watch also got four of the weapons but have ensured they will eat for the next decade. A single one sent to Braavos was more than enough to fill their coffers even after reopening a few castles.

"Well I-" Lord Baelish's charming reply is cut off when the bell at the docks rings, announcing the sighting of Prince Joffrey's ship. "Guess that means he's here."

"Maybe the Prince will be awed at the sight of me and forget all about you two," Sansa has dreams in her green eyes and I can only pray she gets let down easy. Though knowing Joffrey… she'll likely be sobbing within the first hour.

"He doesn't like to be kept waiting," My groan is joined by several more. "We better get down to the docks before he thinks we're late."

By the time we all make it to the pier, the Lannister ship is close enough for absence to have been noted. "He's not going to be happy."

"Well let's hope his mother's letter makes him forget how late we where." Sighs Mother Lyanna, her lips set into a scowl. "And remember to be nice, most of you know what he's going through right now."

When he and his white cloak guard finally reach us, the tense greeting is delayed when Joffrey is handed his mother's letter. My mother does her best to brace him for whatever it says but the Prince just closes in on himself.

"Father is dead…" He stutters out the words with a chocked sob, doing his best to remain strong in front of strangers. "And Shireen is missing." He lists off a few more fates before his eyes nearly spring from his face.

"One of Renly's eggs hatched!" The shriek of disbelief has my mind racing. "And it's bonded to Orys…" His glee almost instantly shifts into shattered hope. "Grandfather thinks it would be best for me to remain here until Pentos has been dealt with. So Orys' reign can be properly established before I return."

I guess we really do know exactly how he feels. "I'm sorry Joffrey." With no one else saying anything, I'm left as the only one who really knows him.

I know he's shaken to the core because he doesn't protest the hand I put on his shoulder. If an egg hatched, that means we have no reason to keep our own dragons a secret.

"Viserys was right…" He whispers with grim resolve. "The throne is cursed."

"You knew my brother well?" Of course Dany is able to see past her own frustration before anyone else and latch onto what she finds most important in his words.

"He treated me like his brother…" Joffrey glances at my aunt and blinks in surprise at the strawberry pink hair. "But you don't look anything like I remember." He frowns at the face being Targaryen but such a strange hair color. "Why is your hair pink?"

I'd like to know if she has a reason beyond liking how it looks but was always to polite to ask. Dany just smiles back at the Prince and shrugs sadly. "After my Father was killed and I learned he wasn't actually mine by blood…"

She trails off awkwardly and I understand fully. I didn't like learning the Mad King was my grandfather either.

"But I wanted to show the world which father I chose." With a grin of growing confidence, Dany holds out a hand which Joffrey reflexively kisses. He's at least well trained in his manners, not nearly as spoiled as I remember.

"Do you want to see our dragons?" I blurt out for some reason I cant fully understand.

It's better to reveal them on our terms instead of it being reported and that's what I'll tell the others. "Orys' can't carry a person for about six months, so you can still ride one before him."

"So the reports from the Watch had been true," Purrs a very interested Lord Baelish and I want to smack myself for forgetting his presence. "You have a dragon? I wonder if that means the one in the Sorrows is also a reality."

"I told you Viserys was alive!" Daenerys cries out in triumph. "I need to go find him."

"Viserys is the only one who can help me make Mother understand." Agrees Joffrey as his hold on my aunt's hand tightens into a firm grip of support. "Will you help me go bring him home?"

She finds a loophole in Mother's rules. "No one said we couldn't take you flying, only the Starks are stuck on the ground."

With the knowledge of dragons at the end of the ride, the unicorns are no more than an oddity compared to something called stabbits. Joffrey does far better on his first ride than I expected and I have to admit he's following the guidelines we gave him perfectly. I think his voice is even higher than Sansa's right now.

Three are already stabled outside the cavern claimed as the dragons' den and the sound of yelling can be heard as we go inside. I call out to warn my sister things aren't what she thinks, only for her to shriek at me with a finger pointed at Joffrey in betrayal.

"What is he doing here?" Viserion senses her fury and lunges towards us in an attempt to scare defend his lair.

A gout of silver fire streaks towards us and only instinct has me knock Daenerys to the ground in time. With the others in the tunnel, they have no way to escape the searing flame.

Robb slams into Joffrey from behind and knocks him onto his belly, but Sansa was bringing up the rear. Just as the pale fire reaches them, he kicks her legs out from beneath her.

Sansa shrieks in pain as her scalp ignites but Robb doesn't even get a last sound. His charred body collapses in a heap of charred bones and I can only wish myself dead.

This is my fault. I'm the one who invited Joffrey, knowing full well how angry my sister was.

"No!" Benjen roars in anguish and dashes for Sansa, smacking out the smoldering hair.

I can't here anything else, my heart hammers in my chest and I react on instinct. Mother will know what to do.

It's not until I'm on Rhellagar's back and following a panicking Jenn outside that I realize my first thought was of Ashara. All this time searching and my family was right beside me the whole time. I'm the one who ran away and they gave me as much space as I needed to deal with my anger.

Viserion's silver body flaps North even as Rhella's scarlet wings bring me South. My sister and I lock eyes for only a moment but it's enough for me to regret ruining her life as well.


…

​

Viserys Ashtar
​

As the fleet of swan ships pull into the bay, we manage to catch nearly every ship that tries to flee. Only four are far enough away to make us break formation and so I regretfully let them be taken North.

We're outnumbered as it is and I can't afford to lose any ships in a chase. "Give the signal! I want a carpet of arrows on each ship."

My roared command is followed by an orange flag going up the Celebration's mast. As soon is it hits the top, thousands of arrows fill the sky and rain down on the enemy ships.

"You have command Garlan," I clap my friend on the back and make my way to Coppernicus.

"But why will the fleet listen once you're in the air?" He snaps in concern as I climb into my regular seat a vertebrae behind the base of my dragon's neck.

"Because they think you're my goodbrother and have no reason to argue." So you better not give them any, unless you'd rather I go back to the Summer Isles.

Doubt I'd be able to come North until the Others are marching openly and by that point… will I really even make much of a difference?

"You really thinking killing Victarion will make the rest surrender?" His pretty boy face is twisted into a worried scowl and I hope it gives him wrinkles.

"Thoros isn't the only Red Priest and it's the one Victarion has gotten a hold of that's been giving him such perfect intelligence." I can't believe I forgot about Moqorro… he's the only reason the Ironborn in Essos had any chance of success.

"Margaery is going to watch you closely in the air, we're not letting you fake your death again." His smile is teasing so I don't snark back.

Instead I settle for some general good advice. "Well make sure someone gives her a far-eye. Otherwise she'll see nothing once I land."

"Already got one!" My words get her to lean out of the dragon's nest and wave one such device at me.

"Just be careful." My whisper is only heard by an anxious Coppernicus, who takes some encouraging to throw himself into the air. "Don't want to lose anymore friends."

A steady stream of smoke from his mouth leaves us with cover in the sky and within only a few loops around the fleet, the sky is hazy with ash. "The big one with the black and gold sails is our target but we can still make the pirates suffer."

My reluctant dragon concedes with a whistled growl followed by a torrent of hot ash covering a dozen ships. The sails ignite on all of them and leave them helpless, but we don't use enough to ensure the crews die. No time to be thorough, I need to rip the head off this snake and fast.

We slam down hard on the long ship not to screams of fear but roars of challenge. Victarion and his priest cry out in triumph over my arrival and it's only when he roars commands to his crew, that I finally realize the extra sails are not over mere crates.

Three steel cages are revealed with snarling reptiles about half the length of Coppernicus. The wyverns are a brownish green color and each one has a wickedly sharp spike on the tip of their tails.

"Finally get to show you who the real King of the Summer Sea is!" Howls the Ironborn as he swings an ax through the chains holding one of the cages shut. "You aren't the only one who can tame himself some beasties."

I feel Coppernicus tense underneath me as the wyverns emerge from the cages with angry hisses. Of course I'm as stiff as a statue because I was not expecting an actual plan from the brute beyond maybe a scorpion.

"Big one first and maybe we can get the others to back off." Trying to remain calm and focused on victory, I clench my legs to signal my companion.

He answers with the timing only brought on by years of closeness and lunges for the largest wyvern before it can get in the air. Roars and hisses fill the air as his tail thrashes above me, the other two wyverns trying to find an opening to strike.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 19: Well This Is Awkward
Joffrey Baratheon
​

"Are you alright?" The bastard Gendry is the only one outside Sansa's room when I make my morning check in to pray for her. He paces back in forth in front of the door, his hands clenching tightly every few seconds as he tries to keep his anger controlled.

It looks like he hasn't moved since last night and I feel bad for the boy who looks oddly familiar. Daenerys and her pale blue dragon flew for Winterfell to bring at least one of the injured girl's parents back. It seems like she'll last at least a few more days under the maester's care.

Only a few minutes after Duncan and Jennelyn vanished into the clouds, Daenerys was angling Southwest with by far the most speed off the three. The Tulgaryen maiden didn't even say goodbye as she took off like a thunderbolt.

On the powder blue Viserion, she's like a falcon compared to geese. I remember clearly the larger two dragons lifted off noticeably slower and consider that the best time to strike.

I may not have had the time to train with a bow as consistently as Viserys did but I'm a better than average shot with a crossbow. Scorpions are just really big ones.

"I just wish I could do something to help," He admits with no energy, only a grim scowl on his face as he finally looks up at me.

Does he really think Lord Stark will just allow a bastard to court his daughter? Sansa's condition at least gives me a way to begin repaying the Stark family, but I have no idea what Gendry Waters could offer.

I'll use every bit of power my name holds in making sure Sansa gets the best care. She just needs to hang on until one of Aegon's healers can be brought North.

"So do I." I walk over to the window and allow Gendry a moment of sympathy.

A large wriggling dark shape is coming out of the clouds but I hear no calls of alarm from outside. That's a brown one though… I thought they only had three dragons?

"How many dragons live on Skagos?" I already know the answer and can't believe they hadn't at least given them all separate caves to live in. "Because that one's brown and looks more like an eel with wings."

"My sister's dragon hatched different than the other three and didn't want to come North with us." His words only leave me with more questions but I restrain myself until he's finished. "Was too cold for Roberta and so she's been living in the Neck."

"Her dragons name is Roberta?" That's so… stupid. "Why?"

Gendry nods slowly as I lose sight of the dragon when it lands. "She was named after our father."

"And he was?" What, a Connington? Why are yo

Finally a smirk crosses Gendry's face as he relishes my curiosity. "King Robert Baratheon of course." My jaw drops in disbelief and he just chuckles. "If you think I'm lying, go ask Lady Lyanna."

If that's true… how many people actually have a claim on the throne? Shouldn't we have had a Grand Council at some point? Is Grandfather just going to ignore precedent and do whatever he wants?

"I believe you." Which means you're my cousin and I need to stop treating you like my lesser.

I suppose their fathers had been best friends. Gendry might even be acceptable once he gets knighted. I'll need to speak with Sandor before I leave, make sure he's giving my cousin his best care.

Still hard to think of him as Lord Houndsworth and a father. He was resisting his knighthood the entire time he lived at Storm's End and now he smiles almost every single day. It even reaches both eyes.

You're one of the only people I'll be able to trust now that I'm going to be stuck as merely the Prince of Dragonstone. And that's just going to be taken from me once Orys has a son.

"How did you hatch the eggs anyway?" Renly still has one egg left, maybe I can hatch it for myself before Orys is crowned.

"Queen Rhaella was brought back to life by Melisandre…" Gendry jerks upright as he realizes something. "The Red Priestess!"

"What?" Someone came back from the dead! "How was that not something shouted all over the Realm?" It would have gotten the Essosi religion more followers than the handful of converts they've managed to gather down in Dorne.

It's not Gendry who answers me, instead a confident woman's voice calls out from behind me with an accent from farther East than I can ever remember hearing. "She chose to return to the side of R'hllor instead of enduring the constant pain of a second life. Queen Rhaella used her own flame to hatch the dragons."

"Stop being so mysterious," A younger girl's voice closer to my own age growls at the woman in extremely bold red robes. "That's why only Jojen and I will even talk to you anymore."

She looks like Gendry and I realize this is my other cousin. Does everyone with Baratheon blood look like one except for me? Bella is dark haired and blue eyed, with two inches on me at least. I think this makes Duncan the only relative shorter than me.

"Can you help Sansa?" Gendry blurts out and makes the Red Woman smirk back at him.

"I can but I'm going to need someone with King's blood to… provide me some of it." She vaguely explains, sending a chill right down my spine when her gaze bores through me.

I did say I'd do anything. "How much do you need?"

"Only a couple leeches worth, you'll barely feel a thing." Her answer is at least clear this time and so I shake off the nerves that have been building.

"Are you sure?" Gendry's face is pinched awkwardly and I nearly laugh when I realize he wanted to be the Stark girl's hero.

"I owe it to Robb." Otherwise I'd let you save the fair maiden yourself. "A few leeches aren't a problem." I'm going to need to prove I consider you family if I want your loyalty, which will be harder than I would like after the last few days.

"I don't think you understand," Giving me a bland expression, Lady Melisandre instead shifts her gave to my cousin. "As long as the Iron Throne remains as a symbol of united Westerosi rule, only Targaryen blood will be suitable for my needs."

But Father is only three generations removed… what's wrong with me? "My great grandmother is was Rhaelle Targaryen same as my cousins here…" I give Bella a far warmer smile than Gendry got on our first meeting and she awkwardly waves back.

"No she wasn't." A quick sniff of me is all it takes for the foreigner to dismiss my words. "You should really speak with your mother."

I go limp and barely manage to remain standing once those words crash into me. Gendry is quick to offer himself as a replacement with a concerned glance at me that I barely register.

All these hidden royals seem to be hiding from the crown and here I am a secret bastard trying to steal it from them. The saliva tastes bitter in my mouth and I'm barely able to swallow.

I need to speak with Daenerys when she returns and convince her to bring me with her. Viserys is the only one who will be able to speak reason to Mother and Lord Baelish is my lead right now. Better learn something useful before his sister gets back with whichever Stark parent is brave enough to fly.

"Don't let us be disturbed." The Red Woman warns as she shuts the door behind her and Gendry, the sight of Lady Lyanna is only briefly visible beside Sansa's bed.

"You're the Prince?" Bella gives me a long look, her eyes roaming up and down my body with a distinct lack of being impressed.

"And you're my uncle Robert's daughter?" She nods stiffly but this just makes me even more annoyed with my mother.

We need to have a Grand Council so this damned succession can finally be settled by all concerned parties. Letting only half the Lords Paramount have a say didn't work and I can only see the current situation a few years away from boiling over.

"Nice to meet you." Better see about getting her legitimized so she owes me personally for it.

Her eyebrows vanish in her bangs as she lets out a raucous snort. "… Wait. Do you actually mean that?"

"Of course I do." Viserys insisted the world may turn against me for reasons beyond my control but family would stand beside me. "We're family and if you wish the world to know it, I'll make sure you have our families name." Father stood beside King Robert during the Rebellion and I need mine to select me and my wife.

"What about Gendry?" She glances at the door when a gasp of pain comes from the room, followed by Aunt Lyanna's snarl to woman up.

I consider this carefully, knowing Gendry Baratheon would maybe even be ahead of me in line. "If he wants it, I'll make sure he gets it." Just only after getting his oath to pledge for me when the time comes.

"Duncan and Dany said you acted like a little brat," My cousin laughs at my grimace. "But it seems like you really grew up."

"I had few friends at Storm's End and even less now in King's Landing." Only endless toadies who I can never really trust. "Father showed me that following the rules gives you respect from the masses and Viserys showed me that family will bring all the love one needs in life." With both of them gone, it's up to me to keep their beliefs alive.


…

​

Daemon Blackfyre
​

As the sun sets and the glow of campfires begin to line the horizon, I grow tense at how many more Dothraki have arrived today. At least thirty thousand have gathered to finally show us their wrath and I'm a little concerned at that many archers.

Rhaenys and I have more people split between Chroyane, Ny Sar, and Ghoyan Drohe. But even with all our smaller settlements along the river added to the total, we have less than ten thousand trained soldiers. Having three dragons really limits the need for a full size standing army.

If the Khalasars that have gathered farther South are similar in size, we're going to lose a lot of people when they charge. Volantis has a blockade along the border of their territory and it's stopped anymore of the Redwynne shipments.

It's clear they'll be moving on us with the Dothraki charge which is why Rhaenys is at Chroyane with two dragons right now. Volantis has probably been snagging a good supply of returning Greenblood Orphans as slaves. We're going to need to do something about that if we survive the battle.

Is Pentos going to push on us finally, or will it be the Three Daughters that come from the West? The horsemen have learned to stay in small enough groups that my dragon's flames barely take out a score at a time.

Once they see Queraxes' emerald green fire torching a camp, the rest will charge the river regardless of losses. Whoever makes the first move is choosing where the Dothraki cross the Rhoyne. Because as much as I want to be as confident as Rhaenys, this is what they call overwhelming odds.

It would be a lot easier if she'd admit Viserys isn't here or if I could just go my own way. But beside the dragons, I'm all she has keeping her from going over the edge. She'd burn the entire Dothraki Sea if I tried to find a life of my own.

I once thought I'd be mending the rift in our family by marrying Rhaenys. But now I just want to make sure my best friend doesn't tear herself apart.

Her mental well being isn't my only immediate concern and I almost dread Rhaenys' return. Unless we find someone for Aegorion to ride full time, we might need to set him free. He's almost half wild and I'm dreading the day he devours someone on an especially plump horse.

Qohor and Norvos have been forced to face the Dothraki's full force for four harvests now and I can only hope one of them decides to ally with us. Otherwise our little Kingdom will be gone before we even need to argue over who gets the crown.

Unless one of them head my emissaries words of warning, the massive hordes blood lust will not be sated on our meager lands. The Dothraki crash against their foes like waves from the sea and erode any resistance with the most mobile army in the known world.

Before our dragons changed things, armies fought where the Dothraki decided. Any attempt to charge them becomes an exhausting chase that only ends once the fastest have been slaughtered. Any attempt to turn the terrain against them, leads to the horse lords using bodies of the dead to break the resistance.

Dead men and beasts alike are used to foul water supplies, while raiders set the fields aflame along with any building that will burn. Once the Valyrians reduced the continent to a handful of walled cities, the rest found themselves to far away to survive the onslaught.

What I wouldn't give for a few thousand Unsullied. Or even just a way to turn the river salty for a day.

"How many more Khals do you think they're waiting for?" My words are swallowed by the wind but the intent is felt by my spoiled jade boy.

His answering screech still doesn't seem to accept that humans can harm him anymore and I'm concerned by how many arrows will be aiming for his wings tomorrow. Maybe instead of risking fire breath range, we can find some rocks to drop from the clouds. Won't even need to look very far, more buildings are rubble than habitable after so many centuries.

A final check on the river has me at least satisfied the attacks will be funneled to the six bridges. Maybe I shouldn't have insisted we build so many, it's not like I invented them. The locals could have built bridges if the thought it a worthy task.

Should have realized I was doing something wrong when no one else had attempted it for a century. I never even asked why they had so few and only got annoyed with how hard it was getting people across the river in large numbers.

We may have a few hundred riverboats but they're scattered, most only big enough to transport thirty people safely. The few archers I have will use the boats to flank the bridges and maybe even the odds.

The Dothraki are disciplined in battle… if nothing else. When they charge, the battle will shape the future of Essos for decades to come.




Notes: Have family doing a surprise visit and didn't have very much time.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 20: Bald Wolf
Daenerys Targaryen
​

After I delivered the news to the Starks, Lady Catelyn collapsed against her husband. The wail of grief she let out over Robb's fate nearly broke my own resolve but somehow she gathered the courage to climb onto Viserion.

Arya insisted on coming and I'm very much regretting saying yes. She squirms between me and her mother

"Robb's not dead…" The girl who looks shockingly like Duncan growls at me so hard I can feel it. I remember Sansa telling me of her wild sister Arya and assumed she and Robb only exaggerating. "You're lying!" Brave girl to scream at the dragon's rider… or a really stupid one.

"Enough Arya!" Her mother snaps at the girl, her face tightly twisted into a grimace as she refuses to look down. "Your aunt wouldn't lie about something like this. I'm sorry Daenerys, Arya's not normally so rude with family."

"Family doesn't normally tell me lies about Robb and Sansa being lit on fire." Bitterly the youngest of us hisses in continued denial of my claim.

Why would I lie, if I was bringing you both right back to the scene of the crime. "You're really Sansa's favorite sibling?" I find it hard to believe Arya is going to ease anyone's comfort on Skagos. "Not the bookish one or the climber?"

Edith is off in White Harbor and Rickon is too young for me to risk allowing him a ride. But Arya has made every mile of flight feel like three grueling ones. Should have said Viserion could only carry two at a time.

"Robb is Sansa's favorite." She counters with her growl growing even louder behind me.

"He was a good choice," My words are resolute as I think back on his last moments. "He saved Sansa and Joffrey both with his fast action."

The sentence hangs heavy in the air and only my sister's hushed whispers fill the silence. Even though I didn't grow up with her, she unlike Lysa insisted I visit every year on my way back from Riverrun.

"He can't be gone…" Arya's voice is trembling as her mother holds her tightly. "… I didn't even get to say goodbye to him."

"I never got to say goodbye to Viserys either." I know how much it hurts to have your brother just torn out of your life and you're just left to. "They're probably sharing stories about having such troublemakers for sisters." At least I got that much with Mother's death.

Arya snorts at my words and finally start to relax when we leave Karstark lands, flying over the sea just as a pod of white whales herd a school of fish. Viserion even lets out a rumbling hiss that sort of sounds like concern just like my brother would whenever someone cried around him.

"Robb was always jealous of him…" Her and Cat share a quick laugh that manages to sneak out between the tears. "He's probably already bored Viserys back to his next life with all of his stupid questions."

"He really did want to know how he got four Lords Paramount to listen to a child hiding in the sewer." I do too but only Lord Jaime is even around to share the full story now. I'll need to pay him a visit before I go looking for Viserys.

I might not think my brother is dead but giving Arya false hope will do no one any good. If he could keep things calm for Rhaenys, I can do the same for my niece.

As the only one on Skagos making regular trips through the Neck, I actually recognize the large brown shape coiled around a bonfire. Did Bella see Duncan flying South and get worried?

Roberta notices us before any of the people and lets out a jet of brown steam that looks more like a cloud of dust. My own baby blue boy whines at the sight of his sister, clearly remembering how many pranks she likes playing.

"What is that?" Cat gasps at the nearly fifty foot long eel like creature.

Roberta's scales range from a reddish clay color on her wings and belly, to a far darker hue on her back. She's only about as wide around as I am tall but is a master of camouflage in her swampy home.

"The dragon that didn't like the cold." I remind her that we only brought three of them to Winterfell years ago. "Guess she toughened up as she got older."

Did my family know dragons could hatch so differently? Was it preference or only ignorance that left all of our ancestors' breathing fire?

"Why is that one so much bigger than this one?" Arya's question isn't delivered with any rudeness but I'm still annoyed by the words.

"Viserion's bigger than Ed and not that much smaller than Rhella." My defense of him is accompanied by a grumbled snort of agreement. "Now hang on to me, we're going to land now." And I'd really like it if you both remained in the saddle, we don't need any more injured Starks.

With a series of wide rings, Viserion descends towards the bonfire cautiously. He knows full well how devious his sister is and is prepared for a surprise that thankfully doesn't come until after we dismount.

A blanket of snow is sent cascading over Viserion's azure body with a single swipe of Roberta's massive tail. It's nearly half of her body length and ends in a harpoon like spike, with most of her back covered in brown spiky quills.

"I missed you too Berta," Letting out a giggle when she shoves her snout in my face for scratches, I have to disappoint the most energetic of the four dragons. "But now's not a good time to play. How about Viserion shows you his cave, it'll have lots of room with only the two of you."

"Where is she?" Catelyn cant wait any longer and hisses at me.

I lead the pair inside and Arya's restlessness swiftly changes into an awkward quiet. A pale faced Joffrey is the only one in the hallway when we arrive, though I can hear several hushed voices on the other side of the door.

"How's Sansa doing?" His expression doesn't fill me with confidence.

When he does look up an acknowledges our presence with a tight smile, I notice his gaze lingers on me for a few seconds. "Whatever the Red Woman did worked."

"Lady Melisandre healed her?" That's the only reason I can think of for them being here right now, considering it's always been us visiting the Crannog men.

Is that why Duncan flew South right away? Did he actually have a plan?

"But you told us Sansa was near death." My sister stammers out with hope flooding her voice. "How can she have been healed so quickly."

"King's blood." Is Joffrey's bitter answer. "Which I apparently don't actually have. Explains why Mother was so quick to give the crown."

"What?" My eyes must nearly be out of my skull as I gape at him in shock.

The Prince just stares me in the eye and growls angrily in response. "We need to find Viserys and stop Mother from tearing the Realm apart. Hopefully he'll be able to get through to Orys and Elyssa, she'll be filling their heads with lies right now."

"What kind of lies would a Queen need to tell?" Interrupts a very confused Arya, despite her mother's attempt to silence her.

"She's claiming Pentos is behind my Fathers death and the disappearance of the others." Joffrey is shaking with barely contained rage.

"Didn't Lord Baelish say that's who sent the Greyscale?" Is that just more misdirection?

"Petyr is still here?" My sister smiles at the news.

Her voice is loud enough to make the door swing open, revealing a smirking Lord Baelish. "Cat, it's so good to see you again. I was worried it would be a decade before it happened again."

He steps to the side and lets us enter, revealing quite the crowd. Lady Melisandre is beside Gendry who looks even whiter than Joffrey. Should he be laying down? A very concerned Benjen and Lyanna are on the far side of the room, with Bella and Jojen left to lean awkwardly against the wall.

Sansa miraculously looks like she's had months of recovery time and is breathing easily on the bed. Her blisters and burns are now only red scars a little worse than Sandor's, stretching from her nose all the way to the back of her head.

"But how?" Gasps my sister once she fully takes in her daughters condition.

"The Lord of Light gave me the ability to heal her Lady Stark and Gendry here gave me the blood I needed." Answers Melisandre as she stands to take Catelyn's hand. "He has gifts for his believers that the followers of your Seven can only dream of."

"Is she going to be bald forever?" Arya doesn't seem happy even slightly. "But Sansa loves her hair."




Notes: I'll be about 3 days before I have time to write every day again, sorry.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 21: Seeing Eye Wolf
Sansa Stark
​

"Let me teach you how to see more than you ever could have with your eyes alone." The old man's voice croaks in the blackness once again and I finally gather the courage to accept his offer.

"How?" I might not be able to wake up yet but I've heard my visitors.

The fact that I survived dragon fire is a miracle and my sight a very small price to pay. At first all I could feel was agony that seemed to have no end, but that was soothed the same time a single roaring flame appeared in the darkness with me.

It illuminates a small cavern with the bones of many animals littering the floor that slopes up towards a wall of white. The howl of a wolf comes from right outside the cave, but I'm not startled in the slightest by the noise.

"You'll need to make your own way to me but I've ensured you will have a guide." The voice comes from every direction and none all at the same time.

From the blizzard emerges a massive grey shape the size of a pony. But ponies don't have teeth like that.

Instead of a tame steed like I had hoped for, a massive wolf towers above me with a coat of steel grey fur. For less than a second the wolf is gone and replaced with a smirking Robb. But before I can say anything to him, I blink and the wolf is back.

"Robb?" But the last image I ever saw was him dying.

"What was left of him at least," Admits the creepy voice that I'm starting to suspect is one of the Old Gods. "I was distracted and was almost too late in guiding him into my friend here. You Starks are a stubborn lot and it took a lot of convincing before he agreed to delay his rest."

I want to call the voice insane but everyone was very insistent that Lady Melisandre revived Queen Rhaella. She hatched the dragons so who am I to doubt my own families Gods?

"How did you convince him?" What could you have possibly have told my brother?

"I'll let him show you." The words sound more like a threat than an offer but the voice was right. We Starks are stubborn.

Robb leads me out of the cave and stops to let me climb onto his back once I see how deep the snow is. It can't really be like this North of the Wall, not in the middle of summer.

We race through snow that tickles my ankles even as high up as I am and I can see scores of crows watching us from the trees. I'm not sure how long we run through the eerie forest as time seems to have no meaning. The blizzard makes what little light that filters through the canopy seem like an eternal dusk, with night about to set forever on the world.

Several times Robb runs into a village and I expect this to finally be where he stops. Only for each and every settlement to be filled with horribly mangle bodies. It's hard to look at but by the third I've grown brave enough to examine them more closely.

Was it animals that did this? Or are wildlings truly so savage that they do these things to their own people?

Tracks from each settlement go northeast and we follow them out of the forest. We emerge on a rocky shore with barley any sight of life and only a single walled settlement in the distance.

What worries me however is the sight of over thirty long ships in good enough condition to actually face the conditions of the open sea. Twice as many are being built on shore just outside the village, with hundreds of people bringing fresh trees from nearby.

Are they going around the Wall or do they want Skagos? Did Victarion Greyjoy leave them the knowledge of where he fled to? Is he going to come back for them or are the wildlings going to him?

Is that Edriggon? I frown at the sight of the yellow dragon laying down in the middle of the town. What's Jenn doing here? Did they capture her or is she here willingly?

Before I can investigate further, Robb tenses beneath me and lets out a long mournful howl of warning. It cuts through the blizzard and causes the wildlings outside the walls to run for safety, leaving whatever task they had unfinished.

We dash away right as countless inhuman shrieks pierce the storm. As I glance over my shoulder my stomach fills with horror.

Hundreds… no, thousands of dead bodies charge from the forest. Descending on the walled town like locusts, the screams of panic make me tear my gaze away. Jenn can fly away still, she'll be okay.

We travel for what seems like years, constantly being forced to avoid reanimated animals as they hunt tirelessly for me. Robb never tires and keeps us just ahead of the horrors from Old Nan's stories, while I somehow know we're getting close to our goal.

After we avoid the largest group since the first attack on the town, Robb brings us into a valley sheltered from the storm. In the middle is a single plateau that is surrounded by a winding river, the largest weirwood tree I have ever seen at the peak.

A single raven watches our approach and caws out once we cross some invisible threshold. "Winter is coming!" My shock at it's very human voice is nothing compared to my horror as it's black feathers become bloody red.

The bird's wings open impossibly wide and shower me in crimson, blotting out my vision with a dark red. "If you come to me, I can promise you spring."


...


Sitting up with a gasp, I rub at my face when everything remains a single sheet of red. I can hear people calling out to me but ignore them all. Why isn't the blood wiping off?

"Can somebody help me, I can't see." Ignoring the fact that my face is dry, I focus on Mother's voice. "Why can't I see anything?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Asks Aunt Lyanna when my mother doesn't do more than let out a chocked sob and clutch my hand a little to tightly.

I don't think anyone is going to believe me. "We went to go see the dragons with Prince Joffrey and…" I trail of as the memory of searing pain floods me. "Oh."

"Don't worry Sansa," Mother finally speaks with a strange reverence in her voice. "Lady Melisandre and Gendry will be coming back to Winterfell with us and one day you'll be able to see again."

But I can't go to Winterfell. I need to convince one of my cousins to fly me beyond the Wall. Instead of saying that, I go with a more believable shocked silence.

"Where's Jennelyn?" My words get an awkward grunt and a few hisses, but no one seems eager to answer.

It's Gendry who finally answers me with a weaker voice than I'm used to hearing from him. "She flew North about a week ago and we haven't seen her since."

"Did anyone go looking for her?" They have three dragons here, why didn't Duncan or Dany go after her?

"Duncan went South at the same time and we only found out where he went today when my sister arrived." Gendry answers with only slight hesitation. "Dany went to get your ma because we kind of thought…"

No on is eager to pick up where he left off until Arya finally blurts it out the bluntest way possible. "We all thought you might die. I'm really glad you didn't though, because I do kind of love you." She admits with a groan. "When you aren't making me play with you and Beth at least, she's so annoying. Never wants to do anything fun and you're just as boring when she's around."

"Well don't worry, I won't be asking you to do any stitching with me anymore." I'm not sure what I'll do.

"Mother is letting me shave off my hair like you!" I'm surprised by the excitement in her voice and it takes a second to register her words.

"What do you mean like me?" I lift my fingers from my face to my forehead and frown when I feel no hair.

As I go farther and find no hair I start to feel my lips tremble. "Where's my hair?"


...

​

Margaery Tyrell
​

"They have dragons!" I roar out the warning as soon as I see the cages revealed and Garlan doesn't waste even a second reacting.

His shock at seeing Coppernicus the first time was all it took him to start thinking of ways to fight such a creature and it seems like he already has some ideas. A section of the fleet breaks off ad follows us straight for the enemy flag ship, one of the Long-cogs from the Insurrection.

The constant volleys of arrows leave any ships between us and the outnumbered Coppernicus unable to stop us. Before long we reach the ship and I wait with baited breath for my brother to give the signal.

When he does, three hundred arrows fly straight towards the flying beast farthest from Viserys. But to my unpleasant shock, only the wings seems to take any damage.

Unable to stay in the air it starts to fall from the sky. Instead of landing safely on the boat it came on, it turns it's baleful eyes on the Celebration and screeches with vengeful fury as it glides towards us.

It's not even half the size of the massive Coppernicus and a very garish puke green. but it's still a deadly fifteen feet with a tail almost as long as it is.

I hear the crew yelling that it's a wyvern and the tail is poisoned but how was I supposed to know the difference. These three look more like the dragons from the old stories than the one Viserys has.

Garlan leads the crew in facing the beast which lets me focus on the enemy ship. When I bring the far-eye back up, I nearly drop it in shock when I see Viserys on foot and engaged in battle with a very large bearded man.

That's not what has me worried though. Viserys told us a few tales of his voyages into Valyria and he explained what the massive rune covered horns can do. If they blow that thing… Coppernicus will turn on the entire fleet.

Viserys needs to be warned! I'm about to scream out one and realize it will only get him killed. His foe is skilled and has more than enough weapons to deal with the Valyrian steel axes corroding his own.

Can't distract Viserys and the rest of the crew is a little busy. I look around for anyone able to help and realize I'm being just another damsel in distress. Why did I demand a weapon if I'm not going to use it?

Viserys insisted I wear his chain mail and I find it's not actually slowing me down at all. With a deep breath I grab on of the ropes tied to the sail and slice through the knot with 'Thorn'. My new sword cuts through it like a blade of grass and I leap from the crow's nest towards the Long-Cog.

My momentum send me clear over the enemy ship and I have to brace my legs when I swing right into one of the equally shocked pirates. I'm pretty sure I felt a rib break when I hit him but it could have just been from the railing as he fell overboard.

"Let's see how strong I grew." I mutter under my breath and charge towards the three men with the horn nearly as big as me. "We brought our own music, thanks!"

Only one man is between me and my goal and he's too surprised by my arrival to have his sword readied in time. I've never actually killed anyone before or even done more than hit someone to hard with a training weapon. Thorn goes right through his boiled leather like it's not even on and come out right in the middle of the pirates back.

He goes limp on my blade and slides off with panic filled eyes but I force down my disgust at how much blood is coming out of him. Can't stop now or everyone is dead.

I glance at the battle with the final wyvern who is using it's aerial advantage to score several painful looking stabs with it's tail spike. The head of the largest hes been crushed against the mast by the bony club of Coppernicus but he's slowing down. Hope it's only cause he's getting tired out, some of those look pretty deep.

Viserys is nearby and is trying to close in on the savage man who at the moment has a sword and ax of his own, though the sword looks in dire need of replacing. Several bodies litter the deck around them and show neither man wants to have this duel interfered with. Fine with me.

Seeing masters actually going all out shows me it wasn't actually my fighting skills that impressed Viserys. I'll pass on a real match with you, though I would love seeing you go all out against Garlan. Because ever since beating Lord Jaime, he's been a little bit too arrogant in claiming to be Westeros' greatest swordsman.

My charge is noticed and the first man let's out a single sharp note on the bronze bound black horn. He steps aside and charges for me to buy his companions time but I take faith in my armor.

He stabs into my back as I run right past him and I barely even feel it, it's more of a shove than anything. Once I'm past him I swing right for the mouth piece of the horn and am shocked when it barely even cracks.

Instead of freezing up I swing again even harder and grin in relief when half a foot snaps off the horn. My joy doesn't last long though because I get slashed at again and this time no magical armor is covering the spot.

Agony run up my forearm and is followed by a nearly foot long line of crimson blood. The pirate with the bloody knife cackles in his native language but that only fills me with rage. Asha will beat me black and blue for getting distracted like that!

Reacting on rage filled adrenaline, I slash back in retaliation and slice him open from belly to chin. My foe gasps and gurgles on his own blood before collapsing on the deck, leaving me with only his two concerned allies. Neither seem eager to rush me with only knives and so I take advantage of that before I lose this surge of energy.

Somehow I'm able to suppress my horror at the sounds and sights of battle but find it's the smells really getting to me. No one ever tells you how bad it smells when you kill someone and they soil themselves. The only ones who even mention it will just laugh about it.

"Drop your knives and lay down on your bellies, or you get to tell your ancestors a woman killed you." I'm not sure I can take them both but I know I'll lose if I appear weak right now.

They both do and I blink a few times before I register the fact that I just took prisoners. My joy is however short lived as I hear the snarl of the pirate King.

"Another blade!" I hear his sword snap and clatter on the deck and roar out my own counter offer.

"Or drop your weapons and I'll let you live." I'm still standing near the two dead bodies and it only emphasizes my rage. "Keep them and Coppernicus gets to eat all of you that he wants once he's finished with the wyvern." I have no idea if he actually eats people but it makes a lot of weapons drop when the wyvern's body splashes down into the Summer Sea.

"Cowards!" The captain roars at his crew but it doesn't sway them in the slightest. "I'll send you all to the Drowned God once I'm finished with this pretender!"

He and Viserys dance around the mast and I smirk as the crazed pirate hasn't yet realized how much of it has been hacked through already. "Moqorro, give me a weapon!"

"I said this is where the Prince would face his battle against the pretender and return to Westeros with his dragon." A large dark skinned man with snow white hair and crimson robes denies the captain.

He has tattoos all over his body and they glitter like rubies under the sun anywhere his open robes do not cover. "I never promised it would be you Victarion."

"You traitor!" He swings for Viserys and his ax slams into the mast with a echoing snap as it begins to fall. "I'll pull your entrails out your eye socke-" His gruesome threat is ended when the falling wood crushes him between it and the blood soaked deck.

The man named Moqorro bows to Viserys and I in turn before speaking again. "The Basilisk fleet is yours my Prince, just raise this sail on your own ship." He removes the outer layer of his robes and reveals it to be a carefully folded sail.

It's the same as Visery's original sigil only with red instead of blue and the tarnished green of Coppernicus' scales instead of the orange copper. The Dragon's body shape has also been correctly altered to reflect the unique body shape of Coppernicus.

"Those who wish to live will deal with the idiots." Moqorro smiles as he hands Viserys the sail. "Once you're done here on Naath, I can show you where your niece is. It looks like she could really use some help."



Notes: Should be doing one a day again and this is my new size goal, 3k-4k words.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 22: Do I Have To Handle Everything?
Jennelyn Baratheon
​

In my horror, Edriggon flies us to his normal hunting grounds on the Bay of Seals. Right where the Haunted Forest ends and Storrold's Point juts North into the Shivering Sea, hundreds of spotted seals line the rocky shore.

As our shadow washes over the animals below, they begin bleating in fear in a mad dash for the water. They may have learned to fear us but Edrigon has learned to make his catch before they can escape.

A line of searing yellow fire roars along the black round pebbles that make up the beach, cooking a few dozen seals before we even land. He lets out a chirping shriek of triumph that makes me forgot Robb's death for a few seconds.

"Go ahead. The longer it takes you to eat, the more time I have to calm down." My words are all the encouragement he needs. As soon as I slide off his back, he pounces on the smoking meat with a frenzy that makes me snort.

The smell of charred flesh just brings me right back to the Dragon's Den, the agonized screams of Sansa drowning out everything else. How can I even begin to apologize for what happened?

Even if the Starks can somehow forgive me, Aunt Cersei will think it was an attempt on Joffrey's life. Why did they bring him to the Den?

Mother told me she was forced to marry my father and her running away is what brought war to the Realm. Am I just repeating her mistakes?

She said I never had to marry a man unless I chose to but I still have absolutely no interest in it. Dany and I were going to explore Sothoryos together and now she's all lovey dovie with Joffrey. What happened to the throne being cursed?

Voices in the woods make me growl at first before I slowly realize this might be the answer I need. Wildlings aren't supposed to care who someone lays with. Maybe it's time for a Queen beyond the Wall.

Mance Rayder has already done the hard part for me and gotten most of them in one place. I just need to find them and steal his Kingdom. Shouldn't be that hard with a dragon.

First I need to deal with this pair of unlucky wildlings. "Can you give me a nice scary roar Ed? We have visitors who need to learn who's in charge now."

He looks up from his feast and whines under my firm stare before he finally does as asked. The roar is loud enough to send birds flying as far as I can see and it almost looks like the leaves are flying into the sky.

"What the fuck was that?" A terrified man yells out in response and I can tell he isn't yet twenty by the way his voice cracks.

I can't hear his companions response and soon his yells quite down as well. She seems to have more sense in her head and speaks in whispers as soon as the roar announces our presence.

"Come out and see." My response is filled with a lot more confidence than I actually feel. "You really don't want a hungry Edriggon looking for you."

The two converse on the edge of the treeline with only frantic arm gestures for me to interpret. As far as I can tell the boy seems to be a coward and is desperately trying to convince his companion to flee.

He's clearly a coward and an idiot, makes it kind of obvious which one is really in charge. She eventually manages to convince him how futile fleeing from a dragon is. The Wildlings don't settle within sight of Skagos anymore for a reason.

"We have your word that you'll let us live if we do?" The girl calls out for the pair and I realize her companion has a bow trained on me.

"You have a better chance than if that arrow comes my way." The bow lowers only once she gives the okay but doesn't go away, which only confirms to me she's the one in charge.

I think this is proof I'm making the right choice. Wildlings let women lead them if they prove they have worth and I know I have that. Why else would Joffrey have come to view me like a broodmare.

"What are my prisoners' names?" My inner confidence is slowly catching up to the bravado in my voice.

The two emerge from the forest with cautious steps and I wonder if they're siblings. The girl is about five and ten with him only a year or two older based on his lack of facial hair that all wildlings relish. Both have red hair though hers is a far brighter shade, he instead has a more muddy red like river clay.

"Ygritte." The girl answers proudly and with only defiance in her green eyes.

The one I assume is her brother hesitates and it's only her snarled words that make him speak. "Theon."

"The Ironborn part not important now?" Ygritte offers more information that I eagerly swallow up. "You seemed oh so proud of that when you stole me." Anything could be the difference between life and death among these savages. "Though since we've both been taken before you enjoyed your spoils… it looks like we both got ourselves a new wife."

"What are you talking about?" Snarls a shocked Theon while I watch the haggard pair approach in snow covered furs.

"It's how we do things," Ygritte is first to reach me and she gives Edriggon a very wary look. "The strong take and the stronger keep. Don't think we'll be finding many stronger than her."

The explanation only enrages Theon and he makes this known with furious yelling. "I'm not some salt-wife!"

"And I'm not stealing anyone, I just need some questions answered." If Mance is going to attack, I have to go back and warn everyone. "What are you doing so close to the shore?"

"Was heading for Hardhome before this idiot caught me." Answers a smirking Ygritte as she tries to secure her place as favored prisoner. "The Crow decided to abandon his vows and come home with me once he saw what was coming."

I find it hard to believe such a young man could be a member of the Night's Watch but the last part of Ygritte's sentence is what really stands out. "What's coming?"

Was Theon just scared off by how many wildlings Mance Rayder gathered? Theon didn't seem too freaked out by the sight of a dragon… is something even worse hiding in the ice?

"Some kind of man… thing." Theon answers even as the confident Ygritte goes pale as she gets lost in memories. "It controls the storms and snow but that's not even the worst part." He locks eyes with me and I can feel his raw terror wash over me. "It controls the dead like a girl playing with her dolls!"

What? How is that even possible? Do they mean like how Rhaella was supposedly revived by the Red Woman?

"It's not alone." Ygritte finally speaks with a trembling voice nothing like her earlier confidence. "At least seventeen of the Others have been seen. With two sightings being too unclear to distinguish the one commanding the dead."

"Nineteen of those things!" Roars Theon in horror as the wind begins picking up, sending flakes of snow falling down in ever greater frequency. "How the hell have any of you survived this long?"

I guess that does make him sound as new here as I am. Maybe Theon really is a ranger. As long as he's useful I'll just pretend to forget that part. I really don't want Ed getting used to eating human meat, I've spent years training him to like seal.

"Same way we've survived against you Crows for the last three thousand years." But the maesters say the Wall is eight thousand years old. "By being stronger than the ones who died." Or does she just mean that's how long her clan has been fighting?

"That doesn't answer anything though!" Snarls Theon as he gets right in Ygritte's face. "It's like saying you swam across the sea by not drowning."

"That would be how I would do it." Agrees the girl with her cockiness returning. If all the girls are as free as Ygritte seems to be… I don't think I'm ever going home.

As the snowfall increases, soon I can barely make out the trees only a few hundred yards away. "How far away is Hardhome?"

I thought it was only a ruin but we need shelter before Ed is lost in the storm. Even the screaming caverns will be enough right now.

"They found us!" The panic in Theon's voice isn't countered and soon inhuman shrieking is the only thing I can hear over the howling wind.

The Ironborn begins to run northeast, dragging Ygritte with him by the rope around her waist. I know Ed can't take off in this kind of weather and we're going to be facing whatever horrors are coming.

"Don't run too far, I'll be looking for you once the storm is over!" And with fresh powder it will be easy for even me to find you two.

I can barely see twenty feet in front of me but something on the wind has Edriggon snarling. He starts to spit out streak of golden fire into the blizzard, leaving momentary windows that I can see through.

It's impossible to make out exact numbers though at least thirty shrieking bodies are charging towards us. The ones hit by Ed's flames don't make their companions even flinch and it's all I can do to swallow my panic.

Even if this is the fate I deserve for kin slaying, I will not shame my father by going out with a clean weapon. Gendry might use Viserys' morning star but I prefer the far more predictable mace myself. When Dacey Mormont comes to visit mother she makes sure I'm at an acceptable level for a Baratheon.

I grab the ivory tusk handle and bring the disc shaped bringer of pain into a ready position. "Demons of the Haunted Forest will be a nice legend to go out on. So let's do Father proud Ed."

With a roar I listen for the crunching of snow and swing to my left, smashing right through the rib cage of a half rotted man when he leaps for me. It doesn't stop his snarling so I swing a second time for his forehead, leaving his body finally motionless on the snow.

His friends don't let me celebrate or even catch my breath for a moment. One after another I'm attacked by bodies in various states of decay, all of them with glowing blue eyes that unnerve me despite my fury.

None of them fight with any skill and he quickly deepening snow does more to help me once I grow used to my lack of vision. It's slowed the swarm down to an almost manageable pace that I can so far deal with one at a time.

I start to get cocky when over a dozen shattered bodies lay at my feet and thrice that many smolder in the snow. Since others are the ones who pay for my mistakes, it's not me who suffers for my lack of attention.

If I had paid more attention, the ring of calmness in the storm would have been easy to see. Ed might even have noticed the pale blue man with a beard of purest silver. His armor looks like a suit of full plate carved from the purest ice, with only his open visor showing a glimpse of his true form.

The Other has an expression of rage one his face as he roars threats at the two of us. I can't understand a single thing being said and can only make out the sound of ice cracking each time he opens his mouth.

In his hand is a spear of pale blue ice and it's only after Edrigon shrieks in pain that I realize how dangerous they really are. I glance back at my dragon and see a gaping hole in one of his wings, a several inch layer of frost spreading a few feet away from it and tearing even more membrane.

My roar of grief is mixed with Ed's howl of pain but I only use the rage to send me racing forward. "My fury is coming for you!"

Instead of cowering like I'm told men did in the face of my father's rage, the Other watches my charge with a growing smirk. He draws a short blade of polished ice that I can barely even see in this weather and settles into a defensive stance.

He darts away from my wild swings and I can immediately tell I'm being toyed with. Not even Duncan could face this thing as an equal. It's stronger than Lord Sandor and faster than Ser Bronn, I'm going to die as soon as this thing gets bored of me.

It doesn't break me like I had assumed imminent death would and instead focuses my fury into a single blunt edge that I relentlessly swing away with. None of my blows connect with the Other but it stops looking at me with scorn. A hint of pity flickers in his pale blue eyes right as he decides to stop dancing away from me.

Our weapons meet and in that moment of contact my mace freezes. The momentum of my swing causes the metal to shatter into countless shards of steel and pepper my arms with the shrapnel.

I can barely feel the pain as I hold up my frost bitten hands and fall onto my knees in shock. How was that possible?

My foe speaks one more time with that same crackling voice that sounds more like eerie music than actual words. His sword is held above me and it looks like he's giving me his respect but I can only focus on the sparkling edge coming for me.

I miss the impact but hear the Other let out a gasp of pained surprise making me glance back to him. An arrow shaft is sticking out a few inches from where a heart would be in a man, somehow piercing right through the impressive looking ice armor.

Cracks begin spiraling outwards from the arrow and a look of agony crosses the creatures face. The death wail he releases chills me to the bone and forces me to cover my ears with my blue hands.

In a single instant the armor and Other both explode in a shower of glittering ice that signals the death of the blizzard. When the snow stops falling it reveals a ring of over thirty dead bodies still in the snow around me. Did they all die… again when the Other did?

"Did you see that?" Theon's voice is shockingly welcome as I take in what just happened. "They can die just like anyone!"


…

​

Tyrion Lannister
​

When the Island of Naath comes into view, I breath out a heavy sigh of relief. The Summer Isle fleet is still here, I'm not too late!

I'm surprised by how many of the pirates ships have been spared but I see very little activity on them. Maybe two thousand of them are visible on less than a hundred ships as my helmsman Aurane Waters steers us between the now combined fleet.

That's barely enough people to crew half the fleet, how are they getting the pirates away from Naath? Or is Viserys just going to leave them stranded here at the mercy of the locals?

"Which one is the Celebration?" Gerion frowns at my question and slowly points to a Long-cog with a red and green sail. The creature on the sigil looks kind of like the flying squirrels in the Stepstones but in the same design I remember Viserys' being in.

"That's his ship but not any sail I recognize. He must have had his new wife's family design it for him." My uncle scowls in annoyance at how the Tyrells managed to get their hooks into my friend. "Only way they could have such a good outline of Coppernicus is if Viserys sent them some of Creb's sketches."

"You really had no idea he was working with them?" I snort at his obliviousness and grin at Gerold's laughter. Only to be admonished harshly when Gerion doesn't accept my tone like he did when I was younger.

"Did you really spend five years doing nothing but whine about how unfair the world is?"

With a smirk directed down at me, Gerold answers in my place. "Well he actually got his islands to produce legitimate gold for the first time in a century." Thank you! "But he does waste a lot of it on wine and whores."

"See if I pay for either anymore." My growl only make my Uncle sigh in shame.

"What happened to you Tyrion?"

Well that's easy. You left and I only had Father's approval to seek out anymore. Jaime won't return my ravens unless I ask if now is a finally a good time to visit. Each one of those got a firm 'no'.

"Rage fades a whole lot faster than shame I guess." It's all I have to say but it seems to be enough for my uncle who finally gives me a genuine smile.

The 'Sea Lion' pulls up to one of the few docks not turned into debris and the three of us disembark while the crew ties the galley off. The sight of the dragon leaves me speechless as we approach a man with jet black hair from behind as he speaks to some locals.

Beside him is one person I bitterly recognize and his sister. Garlan may have lied about removing my brother's hand but he still needs to be paid back for taking Uncle Tygett captive.

After a brief glance at the people, I let my childish glee overwhelm me. The dragon is gorgeous, if very little like the records say. Did Viserys hatch something else he's just calling a dragon, or does the species have far greater variety than even the tales of ice and sea breeds claim?

"I brought your damn cornstarch, better be worth all the hassle of tracking you down." Gerion calls out and gets the black haired man to turn around.

It takes a few moments for me to do more than find a vague resemble in the incredibly tanned man's face but he has no such issue. A wide smile nearly splits his face in half as he reveals teeth far whiter than I'm used to seeing in the Stepstones.

"How did you find me Tyrion?" He doesn't seem angry or injured beyond some old white scares on one of his arms. But his casualness only makes me angry.

"What in the Seven Hells are you doing in the Summer Isles? Everyone who cares about you, thinks you died years ago!" Viserys frowns and bows his head slightly, encouraging me to continue which I eagerly do.

"Rhaenys is missing and you could have been looking for her this whole damned time!" Spit flies from my mouth with each rage filled word as I raise a shaking finger to his face. "What kind of uncle are you?"

When my rant is over Viserys cross his arms and scowls down at me with an angry face of his own. "The kind who thought his friends could look after his family. I trusted you to look after Rhaenys and it's only now you decide to look for her?"

I wasn't expecting such a cold ferocity from the man I remembered being so quiet as children. "I… uh."

Garlan Tyrell gives me a look of pity and takes over explaining the things it seems never got told to Viserys. His expressions flicker rapidly through nearly every emotion imaginable but in the end settle on disappointed betrayal.

"I gave you every chance to make something of yourself and you couldn't hold on to either of them?" Viserys rants down at me and I feel my face go red with shame.

"It wasn't an either or kind of deal," I try to defend myself but only get rolled eyes in response. "I'm not special as much as I wish I was… not like you and Jaime." People actually remember your songs for more than a year.

Viserys gives me a hard look at that response. "Do you expect everything in life to just be handed to you? Why would I trust my niece with you again, if I'm the one saving her?"

"I'll carve her captor's heart out myself," The snarl I let out finally gets a very small grin from Viserys.

"Good. I like you, but I love my family." His words conceal a threat of very painful death. "We better find Rhaenys alive and well."
​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 23: Can You Outrun Prophecy?
Theon Greyjoy
​

When I hear the dragon rider's roar of defiance I feel something inside me burn with shame. I'm leaving a girl to die just to buy me a few more seconds.

No. I draw my knife and slash through the rope binding me to Ygritte. "Go!"

She doesn't give me more than a look of impressed shock and a nod as she vanishes into the snow. I swore oaths to protect the realms of men and right now I'm the only ranger here.

Readying my bow with a prayer for my foes to be slow, I return to the eye of the storm with a thundering heart. My arrows do nothing to the dead but I don't think anyone has ever had this clear a shot on one of these things.

He's toying with the girl and I have to admit she could give me a good work out. Not sure I could even win against that fury without some broken bones to show for it.

When the dragon roars in pain I make my first shot at the leader of the dead, only for the raging wind to send it flying away uselessly. Shit.

I go through most of my quiver as I barely manage to keep the panic at bay in the face of certain death.
The dead form a ring around the combatants and make sure the rather large girl can't reach her dragon.

"What is dead may never die." Muttering under my breath keeps me focused and I wait once I reach my final dragonglass arrow. "Only rise again stronger." I hope that wasn't a warning all along, because I never listened to the Drowned Priests.

When the mace shatters in the girls hand and she falls to her knees before the being, I notice the storm dies down just enough. When he raises his glittering blade above her, I release the bow string.

My final arrow doesn't shatter against the azure armor like I know it would against even simple bronze. It pierces right through the ice into the almost human thing and steam hisses out from the cracked opening.

The blizzard ends almost instantly and only the chilling sound of the Other's final shriek fills the air. I hear myself make a witty remark as I cross the ring of now motionless bodies, but I have no idea what the words are in hindsight.

The massive yellow lizard doesn't seem concerned by my approach of the girl, far to concerned with licking at it's injured wing. I have no idea how to begin treating such a creature even if it would let me near, but I can deal with frostbite like any self respecting ranger.

"That was kind of incredible," I admit with a heavy amount of respect in my voice when the dark haired girl finally notices me. "I don't feel nearly as bad about getting captured by you now."

"You escaped fair and square." Her hands are shaking and I wince at the bits of metal in them. "I'd say we're even after you decided to come back for me."

It's not like I actually had anything to run away to. "Even enough for you to give me your name?" Calling you girl in my head is getting annoying.

"… Jennelyn Baratheon." I finally get an answer when I begin helping her over to the yellow beast.

"The Princess of Skagos?" What in the hell are you doing here all alone?

And when did dragons become a thing again… isn't that kind of something everyone should have known about? The Wall's not that far behind the gossip of the North.

She grins despite the agony I know she must be facing right now and I realize how young she really is. Though she's bigger and far better trained than I was on my only raid.

"One and the same." Her smirk doesn't last long as she finally gets a chance to examine her dragon. "You're being really tough Ed, I'm proud of you."

She notices my expression and sighs. "I named him after my brother. He just never seemed to get out of the baby personality and is definitely the runt out of his siblings." I know the feeling.

I take the branches Ygritte and I had been collecting earlier from the sack I liberated, laying them all down except for one. "Can you ask him to light this for me? We need to warm your hands up slowly or you'll lose those fingers."

"Ed." The princess calls over to the dragon warmly, making him look up mid lick. "We need a little bit of fire okay, so just like we've been practicing. Kindle!"

The command has more emphasis than the rest of her words and soon a wrist sized stream of golden fire barely hits the end of my branch. Once it's lit I use it to get a small campfire going, letting Jennelyn begin warming her hands over it.

"Don't warm them to fast or it will really hurt and only do long term damage." Taking one of her hands in my own, I begin carefully pulling out the pieces of her weapon.

"What are those things?" Her gaze isn't terrified like I would have expected from an eleven year old, instead they're filled with a fury that even draws me in.

"Not human." It's all anyone seems to know, beyond the whole wanting to kill everyone bit. "And they really don't seem to like us being alive."

She doesn't flinch until I'm almost done with the second hand and I'm relieved by the color returning to them. Keeping her alive and with both of her hands working will be enough to explain my change of dress. If I do end up going back to the Wall, I'll just say I was going to infiltrate Mance's forces to avoid the headsman's block.

"Almost done and I'm impressed again." I get a dark scowl from her as she assumes I'm only being condescending. "No, I really mean it. Half of my brothers would have been whining up a storm bigger than the ones the Others' make."

"They control the weather too!" The yell is so loud I'm left with ringing in my ear for a few seconds.

"At least the bad parts of it. Because the storm ended the moment that thing died." I let the pride of my accomplishment wash over and wish that bastard Cotter was here to witness it.

I leave her beside the fire, huddled under the dragon's one good wing. The butter yellow membrane is almost see through and I'm stuck with a thought. Why is it so hard to shoot one out of the sky?

If I assume only the best archers can even reach the beasts in mid flight, wouldn't they have all been trained the same as I was. It's second nature for me to aim for the head of chest and I'm guessing the scales on the body will keep anything but a perfect shot from penetrating.

Anyone capable of hitting the dragons is probably aiming for the wrong spots. If I didn't have such a close up view of one and firsthand knowledge of how easily that spear torn through the wing, I never would have considered it. Broad head arrows with heavy serration would tear gaping holes in that thing webbing.

Once I have enough wood to last the night, I start rolling large balls of snow into a half circle. Using them as a wind break from the icy winds from the sea, I fill the gaps between them with tightly packed powder.

"You still alive?" If she died the dragon's reaction would have been a give away, he's been hovering over her the whole time.

"Can't steal Mance's Kingdom if I die, can I?" Her question makes me gape like a fish for a few seconds. That's why she's here!

"Not so sure about that anymore." I've been seeing far too many dead bodies trying to kill me the last few days.

We share an uncomfortable laugh as I rejoin her by the fire, her dragon's tail blocking off the place I just walked over. "Where did Ygritte go?"

"I cut her free when I came back for you." I shrug with a lack of concern. "She's probably halfway to Hardhome by now."

"Well Ed's nott going to be able to fly for a while, so you might want to drag the seals above high tide." I'd seen the five or six bodies not yet reduced to bits of broken bone and groan at having to face to cold again so soon.

"Fine. But I'll need your help looking for my arrows in a few arrows. Sun's going to be high enough in a few hours that we may find a couple." Whoever has been sending regular shipments of Dragonglass to the Wall really needs to be found, because the Watch had no idea it was anything but free weapons.


…

​

Viserys Ashtar
​

Once I get a circle dug out on the beach and it begins to fill in with seawater, I give the signal for a few barrels of cornstarch to be stirred in with oars. It soon is a couple feet deep, about ten across, and filled with a gummy white paste.

When the rowers finish the semi solid fluid seizes up and holds the oars firmly in place. The crowd of Naathians, Reachmen, Tyrion's crew, the Summer Islanders, and even the less morally repulsive pirates I allowed to live, all watch in shock as slowly the ooze begins flowing like water once again.

I run barefoot onto the oobleck and hold in my laughter as the tension returns each time I make contact with the substance. Gerion's eyes make the whole thing worth it and the excited children's cries only make it even better.

"I told you corn was magic," My voice is definitely more than a tad smug as I begin a very mediocre tap dance. "Now who wants to dance?"

My offer is met by very little resistance and soon the artificial pond is a little too crowded for my liking. More than a few people start to freak out when they begin sinking into the ooze but are fine once I yell at them to keep moving.

"I didn't think magic would be so easy or I would have learned years ago." Tyrion gasps when gets brave enough to pull a piece of goo away from the larger mass, bouncing his newly made ball back and forth between his palms. "You learned all of the in Valyria I assume."

His question is rhetorical so I merely smile and nod down at my friend, the tension of our reunion nearly gone with his promise to find Rhaenys with me. Gerion will be going back to the Stepstones to rule in his nephew's stead, leaving me now in charge of far more people than I would like.

Once Moqorro begin calling me the Prince who was Promised and Thoros confirmed I had indeed been reborn amid salt and smoke, it seems my decision to reject the crown backfired. The prophecy does speak of a prince and I've spent my whole life insisting I'm no King.

Damnit! This is as much my fault as it is the two hotheads'.

A little less than eighteen hundred pirates, a couple thousand Naathians who seem to think I'm going to recover the family members taken over the years, and over half the Summer Island fleet are refusing to leave my service.

I was only supposed to be sailing with the Celebration and maybe the Tyrell ships if I can't get Garlan to go home. Margaery has earned my respect and gratitude though… she can take the long way home with me if she really wants to. It'll keep Olenna from messing with my new friend's life for a while.

"So I'm guessing the tourney in Oldtown isn't being throne just for the third of Garlan's children." Tyrion looks up at me with mismatched eyes and his face screwed into a rather ugly scowl. "It's where your return was going to be announced… right after the wedding to the lovely Margaery if I'm to guess?"

"What are you talking about?" Margaery doesn't seem bothered by the excuse I used to escape the Summer Throne though this seems to be something else I've not thought all the way through. People talk and I have horrible short term memory!

"Oh that?" I almost forgot about my excuse but it seems no one else realized it was one.

The scowl on Tyrion's face deepens until it can even be called a sneer. "Yes… that."

"Didn't mean anything, I just needed a way to avoid marrying one of the Princesses." He blinks a few times and looks over his shoulder at the Tyrell siblings having a grand old time dancing with the children now that most of the adults have moved on to drinking. "Here, I'll prove it."

I drag him onto the ooze and make sure Tyrion moves his feet fast enough. When we reach the red faced siblings, Tyrion has wormed his hand free from my own and is moving even easier than I am.

"You know that whole getting married thing didn't mean anything, right?" She just nods casually and lets go of the curly haired girl she's dancing with.

"I do remember you saying I'm not your type." Her words shock me because for as much as I hate the Tyrells, she is a stunning beauty rivaled by few I have seen. "Not something a girl really likes hearing you know."

"… You're not?" The real Rose that gets my temper flaring goes pale. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Garlan's sister narrows her gaze and growls at him. "Because he told us to play along with him."

"I thought he just wanted us to play some more of his strange games." I can hear Lord Tyrell's gulp even over the commotion of the children.

"Is that why you keep asking me to play one every spare minute we have?" Annoyed realization settles in Viserys' eyes.

Margaery seems to realize something more in her brother's words and gets right in his face. "What did you do?"

"I sent the ship with the injured back with a message for Grandmother." Winces Garlan as he explains his own screw up. "I told her to stop trying to plan your life out for her, you found someone we could all approve of."

"But I don't approve." She scowls at her brother's continued wrongness. "He's nice to look at sure, but he's kind of a whore. I saw way too many kids running around with his eyes."

"I don't know if it's cause all the stories say Viserys is incredible…" Her eyes roam up and down my body with a distinct lack of awe. "But I've yet to see anything that special." Kind of refreshing after everyone expecting we to handle everything.

Holding up a hand I make sure to clarify that statement. "They aren't my kids, they got conceived during the wrong festivals for them to be mine." Of course if any of them seek me out when they grow, I'll make sure they are well cared for.

"So does this mean you haven't been plotting together for years?" Grumbles Tyrion as we make our way off the oobleck.

"Only people I'm plotting with knew better than to tell anyone where I was." Or so I once thought… someone from Westeros knew my original sigil well enough to mark the lanterns.

"Who are you plotting with?" Tyrion interrupts with a frown.

No reason to keep it a secret anymore and I guess it's about time to come clean on the whole killing my father thing. If that doesn't convince everyone I'm a horrible choice for taking the crown, I'm all out of ideas.

"I've been teaching Maester Marwyn and some of his fellows some 'magic'." Giving them repeatable feats that rely on the unseen sciences was enough for them to stop dismissing all magic out of hand. "And the ones who went back without me have been encouraging people to join the Night's Watch. I've been sending them supplies each year in thanks for holding the line."

"Against those savage wildlings?" Tyrion seems quite unimpressed with the freefolk as an army. "Do they really scare you so much?" Not like they every really had success in organized battle. Skirmishing is what they're best at, not pitched battles against cavalry or sieges.

"It's not the freefolk who scare me." I don't say anymore and try letting my grim tone end the conversation.

That doesn't seem to satisfy anyone though, least of all Tyrion. "I've spent days hearing of the adventures you and my uncle has had in Valyria. Even tales of the first trip somehow managed to reach my ears."

"So I find it hard to believe anything can scare you." Tyrion's voice is rising as he works himself into a frenzy. "You rode a dragon into a volcano… you don't know what normal is anymore Viserys."

"I don't think he ever did." Adds Garlan while the two exchange awkward glances I don't fully understand. "We did meet at the wedding he arranged for his own mother."

Margargary is the one who stays focused and asks me again with a lonely raised eyebrow. "So what is the Wall really for?"

"One thing at a time, I'm not getting distracted and forgetting about Rhaenys now." Not like anyone will believe me right now anyway. I'll just have to go visit Uncle Aemon when I get back and conveniently fly out and capture a wighted anything.


​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 24: Twisted Truths And Promises Made
Joffrey Baratheon
​

After four days of everyone treating me even more gently than the burn victim, only Daenerys is tolerable company. Gendry and his sister have been thankfully filling Sansa's room with the Reed heir, leaving the two of us able to plan our trip in relative peace.

"But Lord Baelish said they also saw a dragon in the Summer Isles." Arya climbs out from one of the unicorn stalls, completely fine with being caught eavesdropping. "Why are you going right to the Sorrows? Viserys never even made it that far."

She brings up a good point and knows it, grinning at us with her freshly shaven head on proud display. Arya's young enough it will grow back before anyone really cares and it made Sansa feel a whole lot better about being bald.

"It's closer to Valyria than the Summer Islands," Counters Daenerys with an indulgent smile. "We already considered that."

Arya shakes her head smugly as she brings up something we actually hadn't thought of. "But didn't his crew get found by Gerion Lannister halfway back to Westeros? Doesn't that put him a lot closer to the Isles?"

"… Yes." I share a look with Dany and hope I have the shock in my voice is hidden better than her facial expression is managing. "That would definitely change things." We'll need to talk to Baelish again and get proper directions, that's a lot of water to get lost over.

"Why aren't you keeping Sansa company?" Arya frowns at Dany's words and kicks some hay angrily. "Isn't that why I brought you back with me?"

"She asked me to come find you but…" She looks embarrassed as she admits to why she was hiding in here. "It looked like you were sneaking off to kiss and I wanted to scare you both first. But this is so much better, you're going on an adventure!"

Shoving a hand over her mouth, I give her a firm glare until she stops bouncing on his heels. "We aren't going anywhere if you give us away."

"Sorry."

Rolling my eyes at her mumbled reply, I do remove my hand. "Just don't tell anyone until after we leave."

Her nod is convincing enough for me to sigh in relief and we follow her back to the keep before anyone else notices our absence. Benjen steps aside when we reach the door to Sansa's room, hushed whispers only loud enough to make out every tenth word.

I always wondered why he was a still a member of Father's king's guard but assigned to Skagos his whole reign. Did he know about the dragons and just agreed to them hiding out here? Or did the Starks hide this from him too?

I don't think they planned on taking over the Realm for themselves, so is that why I was sent up here? Did Mother know or is this all just horrible luck?

"Feeling better Prince Joffrey?" The expression on Benjen's face is tight with thick dark rings under his eyes. "Good. He do more than sulk today?" His glance at my own protector makes me blush pink and it only deepens to crimson when Ser Hugo gives a noncommittal shrug.

"He keeps disappearing with the Princess," The Riverlander knight shares a look of remembrance with his fellow whitecloak. "He's really starting to remind me of his uncle with this new attitude of his." Father."

I suffer the teasing with gritted teeth and discover why Father ground his so much. It really does help stop me from having an outburst.

"Can we go in now?" I'd rather deal with trying not to stare at Sansa's face than anymore of this. "We are expected."

"As long as you don't get her all riled up." With a wink Benjen finally knocks and announces our presence, letting the three of us inside once Sansa gives her consent.

The room bright and sunny, with plenty of hyssop blossoms adding a pleasant smell that conceals the smell of sweat nicely. Arya shoves her way past me and steals the only free chair beside Bella before I even have a chance to think of it.

"Finally found them," Grunts the eight year old Stark as I do my best not to stare at her sister. "Now will you finally tell me?"

"Do you promise to keep it a secret?" Sansa's counter offer is tense with uncertainty and I find myself growing intrigued.

Arya rolls her eyes and groans, but does eventually promise to keep the secret. It takes so long in fact that Dany and I aren't forced to make the same promise, with Sansa so distracted with annoyance.

"I need your help." Sansa doesn't beg Dany bu it's a close thing with the desperation in her voice. "But you'll never believe me if I tell you why."

Well it looks like once again I was only invited because of who I was with. They never would have asked me to come up here if I was alone.

When she asks Dany to fly her North beyond the Wall, my eyes go wide in shock. And when Sansa asks to be left at some bloody tree, I assume the girl must be delirious.

"Why can't Bella fly you?" Careful not to reveal our own plan, Dany turns to the other girl with a dragon.

"Roberta hates the cold." My cousin's response is simple but firm. "She already wants to go home… even though I have no idea where that's going to be with her two big for the swamp now."

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" I know some Northmen do that during harsh winters but Sansa can still find a good husband. "Because wouldn't it be easier to simply throw yourself into the sea?" Gendry would even be an acceptable match for her now that she's crippled.

When Sansa turns her milky white eyes on me, it feels like she can see something none of us can. Fear slowly creeps into all of us as the blind Stark just shakes her head sadly.

"Jennelyn needs help." And how do you know that? "The Wildlings have her and Eddrigon prisoner."

"That's stupid Sansa, you just had a nightmare." Snorts Arya as she begins to laugh, only for a grim faced Jojen to join the conversation.

"Dreams saved the Targaryen's from one Doom," Jojen explains with eyes that look old. "The dream Sansa has had is all we have to prevent the next one. Mine are no where near as clear as hers, it took nearly a year for me to understand I was needed here."

No one answers for a few seconds and I use the time to examine the boy more closely. He doesn't seem crazy and I'm forced to consider the Citadel is now training wizards. If dragons can be real and dead woman walk again, why can't dreams of the future be just as true?

"Why do you need to stay though?" Arya voices a concern I had overlooked and it seems based on everyone's expressions, they have as well. "Can't Dany just go save Jenn by herself?"

"No!" Barks the Sansa before she blushes scarlet. "I mean, I need to go North. I told you it was unbelievable."

"I already caused the death of one Stark…" Dany is near tears but manages to keep her words coherent. "I can't just leave you to die in the snow."

When I realize she's going to dash out of the room, I follow just as Daenerys is halfway down the hall. I dart right past the two gossiping knights and dash after my only real friend here.

"Dany, wait!" She's faster than I am and I've already lost her.

I end up running through the keep several times before I even consider outside and I nearly smack myself when I do. She better not leave without me!

To my frustration I do find her at the bonfire with the two dragons, but to my relief she's been stalled. Lord Baelish, Ser Bronn, and the girl Tasha are all between her and the dragons, desperately trying to get answers from the princess.

"What's wrong Daenerys?" Even in the middle of the chaos, Lord Baelish remains perfectly calm. "You kno-"

"Where is he?" She cuts him off with a savage snarl, her finger stabbing at his chin like a talon. "And no more tricks. Where is my brother?"

The Master of Truth tries to deflect with his usual charm, but it just doesn't seem to be enough this time. "I already told you-"

"Where dragons have been seen, I know." Dany hisses and her agitation spreads to the powder blue Viserion. I wonder if mother will at least name Orys' dragon after Shireen? "But I want to know where you think he is."

"I haven't been able to confirm this with a second source…" With a sigh Lord Baelish leans in close when he sees my arrival. "But Tasha here is one of my agents and she has a sister in Oldtown."

That news freaks Daenerys out and it takes me a moment to remember how long she's known Tasha."You're a spy!" Since she lived at Riverrun I believe. Was she always a spy for someone?

"My oldest sister was tortured during the Insurrection and my father killed." With absolutely no guilt in her voice, Tasha leans casually against a rapidly blinking Bronn. "I was never going to hurt anyone here, but we needed to know if any of you would give us another chance."

"No one has been hurt?" I interupt and hope my meager authority is recognized.

Tasha gives me a hard look and now I know why her eyes held such hate the first few days. She only began smiling at me once my secret spilled. The drunkard may have been hung for his 'slander' but the words had been heard by many that night.

"And no one here was ever going to be," She promises me with what actually sounds like honesty.

"You tell us what we want to know and if it somehow leads us to Viserys, we'll both forget what we just learned."

She considers this for nearly a full twenty seconds before finally nodding slowly. "Fine. My sister was sponsored by the Tyrells for a spot in the Citadel, learning from the wizards."

"He's learning magic at the Citadel?" Dany growls at the idea of him being so close.

"No." The spy shakes her head quickly and clarifies. "He's teaching them somehow but he's not in Oldtown. My sister only said Lord Tyrell and his sister left months ago in search of someone, with a grand tourney planned for the return."

"Change of plans Joffrey." Dany's eyes flash with triumph. "We're going to Oldtown."

Ser Bronn however seems to have issue with that and wags his own finger in Dany's face. "Not so fast Princess. I'm your sworn sword, so that means you aren't going anywhere without me."

"And you'll need my help." Now Tasha seems fully on board and I begin to really wonder who she worked for originally.


…

​

Margaery Tyrell
​

Once my rage cooled over my brother's impulsive idiocy, I managed to speak calmly with Prince Viserys. Since Gerion was already going back to the Stepstones, we decided it was best for Garlan to also go home. Who better to fix his mistake than him?

I didn't even have to do more than ask the Prince and he gave permission for me to remain on the Celebration. Going home with Garlan would have ended with his son the new Lord of the Hightower.

Viserys sent one of his Red Priests with Garlan, the one called Thoros of Myr. The one who was 'liberated' from the pirates however has been giving nonstop advice anytime he comes out from his cabin.

Moqorro's insistence that Rhaenys would be found by traveling to Volantis was all it took his fleet mixed fleet to set sail for Essos. Now as we walk through the streets of Volantis towards the Red Temple, the sweltering air leaves a layer of sweat growing on my body.

The stone paved roads reflect the beating sun and leave the city a humid soup we're forced to endure. The smell of sex – which I can recognize thanks to our stop in the Summer Isles – is mixed with large piles of what I assume is elephant dung.

Coppernicus is large enough to carry six full grown men in armor. But since the heat here makes wearing any near impossible for anyone but Viserys it seems, eight men I still haven't are joining us and Moqorro.

The dragon has left the streets cleared long before we travel them and none of the city guard seem eager to get close. Viserys shifts his grip on me and turn back to Moqorro, even his voice sounds irritated by the climate.

"How much farther?" His annoyance is moderate after the wait we had to endure at the black gate, it was nearly twenty minutes before the shaking captain allowed us entry into the eastern half of the city.

"You'll be able to see it soon." The dark skinned priest answers mysteriously and I can only hope that Thoros is annoying my brother even more. "Don't worry my Prince, the wait only makes it more impressive."

Viserys tenses behind me on the saddle and I can hear his scowl when he berates Moqorro once again. "Stop calling me that. I'd like to get out of this city before another crown gets chucked at me."

"It matters not if I continue," Counters the smirking priest. "Many have already seen you in the flames. Just as I did so many years ago."

"Well as long as they stay quiet about it until we're gone…" Viserys trails off as we finally see the towering Temple of the Lord of Light.

It's twice, maybe even three times as large as the Sept in back Oldtown with walls of chiseled stone. The craftsmanship is so fine it looks like the stone is all from a single massive piece even though it consists of several different kinds.

Red sandstone blends into orange and yellow rock, with specks of raw gold every few feet. Pillars support dozens of patios, with bridges and stairs turning the entire thing into something that seems impossible to the eye.

Between us and the temple, people have finally found he courage to remain in the street. What must be nearly a thousand men with breastplates over bright orange robes await us with a spear in hand.

"Not really the reception you told me to expect." Viserys hisses back at our guide. "Want to tell them to back off?"

"The Fiery Hand answer only to the Flame of Wisdom, High Priest Benerro." Explains Moqorro with only hint of apology in his voice. "The slaves will not move until he commands it or you accept who you are."

I know Volantis sadly has nearly five slaves for every free man, but it seems Viserys was unaware of this fact. "All of them are slaves?"

"Of course." Moqorro has no emotion in his voice, he only gives the raw facts with a calculating glint in his eyes. "Benerro would have it no other way."

Viserys doesn't answer and goes silent as a grave behind me, with even his breath becoming so shallow I almost fear he stopped. While he goes over this realization in his mind, the arm around me tightens tight enough to hurt.

"Hey!" A quick snap of my head has my braid smacking him right in the face. "Not so tight, you're the only one wearing armor."

"Sorry…" He mumbles back with a shaking voice and pulls his hand away. "I just haven't actually seen a slave I wasn't able to free." He reaches for one of his axes and lets out a long heavy breath. "My family has a pretty horrible history of it and I've been trying not to think about how horrible the world still is."

I can feel his disgust with each word, his body trembling behind me as we finally come to a stop before the slave soldiers. "What are you going to do?"

"I guess I'm taking the damn crown." He mutters under his breath and stands tall on his dragon's back. His words are somehow being heard perfectly by me and the slaves alike, despite the fact that Moqorro said few in Volantis speak our language.

"I've been running from a lot of responsibility in my life." Viserys isn't quite yelling but his booming voice is still filling the street. "Westeros didn't need me, Valyria had no one left to rule but monsters, and the Summer Islands had more than enough Princes of their own. But no one I'd call worthy seems willing to take charge of this city."

He finally does yell and directs his roar right at the temple. "I'm the Prince who was promised and I promise we're not doing the whole slavery thing anymore." Coppernicus agrees with his 'brother' and let's out his most ferocious howl yet, causing every single soldier to flinch away in fear.

"I'll explain this part later, so don't do something stupid like Garlan did." He whispers to me before sliding of the dragon and striding right up to the Fiery Hands' commander. "The Lord of Light brought me back for a reason and the faster Benerro get's his ass out here, the faster I can save the world."

What is he talking about? Viserys can't really believe all of Moqorro's madness.

​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 25: Revolution
Jennelyn Baratheon
​

Huddled beside Theon, the two of us are a lot more cozy than I had feared. Once the storm ended and the Ironborn got a windbreak built from the snow, Ed's body heat left the side facing him slick with ice.

The runaway ranger might be cockier than Bronn on his worst days, but the boy did manage to get feeling back in my hands. Once he finished pulling the bits of metal out of the flesh, Theon wrapped them with a couple strips of cloth cut from the bottom of my cloak.

For two whole days he keeps both me and Edriggon fed and cared for to the best of his ability. He could have left us here days ago instead of waiting for another one of those… things to come looking for it's friend.

"Shouldn't you be warning the Wall?" His arrows are the only thing that seemed to work on the icy being even if his minions needed flame or steel to be put down. That's the kind of knowledge that can decide a battle.

He notices my gaze is drawn to his quiver and the five recovered arrows made from dark green dragonglass. "Whoever has been sending the shipments knows more than they're letting on. They've been sending arrows and daggers aplenty, the Watch will figure it out fast enough."

A horn blares out two sharp notes and Theon tenses before forcing himself to relax. "Wildlings. But since I didn't blow that alarm, I should probably go take a look."

"I'm not waiting here again," I growl and follow him out onto the shore only to gasp at the sight waiting for us.

The pile of dead bodies Theon insisted Ed set aflame must have been a pretty big beacon because a barge big enough for a dragon is being secured to the shore. Dozens of smaller boats are escorting it, each one big enough for two people.

None of that is shocking though, considering how close to the wildlings we are. What does amaze me is the six men that tower over everyone else. Each of them is at least ten feet tall with the largest of them nearly fifteen.

At first it looks like they're clad in the same furs as the men walking below them. But when they get close enough for Ed to growl, I realize each one has a thick layer of body hair covering them from head to toe. At least someone's hairier than my family.

"You survived?" Ygritte marches for us with two men who have more commanding presences. "I was expecting the find nothing left but the dragon!"

One is as tall as Sandor but not nearly as sturdily built. He has a wild mane of flaming red hair and a beard to match. His face reveals his awe at Edriggon behind us, his emerald eyes nearly popping out of his head.

"That's the man who stole you?" The red head roars with laughter at the sight of a scowling Theon. "I expected better from you Ygritte."
The man between them is still tall, only he's a more normal height and barely reaches six feet. His black hair is peppered with grey at his temples and his eyes conceal his real feelings. Mance Rayder simply gives Ed a calculating look that slides to the charred bones.

"Your beast was able to kill the Other?" He speaks to me, clearly already aware who the rider is.

"No." I'm not sure if his fire would be hot enough, the storm was really affecting him.

He grimaces but nods in understanding. "So you waited them out over the sea like we do when they strike at Hardhome?"

"Dragon didn't kill the ice-man," Brags Theon as he holds one of his arrows over to the King beyond the Wall. "Better start calling me something impressive. Because I killed it with only a single shot." That's not what you told me.

"Don't lie to us Boy!" The red head snarls and lifts Theon by his collar, ignoring any of his protests.

"Enough Tormund." Mance stops him with a calm command. "The boy's not lying." He examines the arrowhead closely. "Them still breathing is all the proof I need right now."

The smallest of the giants allows his curiosity to overcome his common sense and he approaches Edriggon with an outstretched palm. "Friend."

Before I can warn him off, Ed's head snakes towards the furry fingers. He sniffs at them cautiously before he eventually decides the giant is no threat.

"Warm." I'm surprised when Ed allows the giant to stroke him but the hairy man is just as shocked.

Since Ed seems to approve, I let my guard drop a little bit. "It doesn't seem like you're here to hurt us." No one has weapons drawn, should I offer food? "I don't actually have any bread or salt but we have plenty of seal left. You're all free to help yourselves, just save one for Ed."

"Ygritte told us about the attack and we wanted to recover the dragon." The King winks at me. "I didn't think you or her man would have lived… let alone triumphed."

I want to be offended but I remember my own horror at facing the dead before rage took over. "Well we did." I cross my arms and stand closer to Theon. "So what's going to happen now?" I can't really take over with Ed hurt. "You going to try and steal my dragon? Because if you try, then I'm the one ending up stealing everything you own."

My declaration brings shocked amusement to his and Tormund's faces, with bellows of laughter coming from the others listening nearby. Ygritte said the strong take and the strongest keep, so I cannot look weak on my first introduction.

It doesn't seem to offend Mance, only makes him grin down at me. "Brave words. But can you back them up?"

"Give her a weapon and she'll cave your skull in." Theon is surprisingly the one who speaks in my defense. "Princess Jennelyn fought that thing long enough for me to make my shot."

"Didn't I warn you not to lie?" Snarls Tormund as he reaches once again for Theon, leaving it my turn to defend us.

"So it's you who needs the manners beaten into him?" I'm big for my age and use all of my five feet to puff up angrily. "Hope you don't mind losing in front of everyone to a 'little' girl. That would be pretty embarrassing if we're just lying."

My words sound confident but inside I'm shaking. I'm in no condition to fight anyone and this guy looks as tough as Lord Sandor. Even if I was fine, I don't think I'd be winning.

"Oh I like you Girl," The snarling red head turns to me with a grin forming on his face. "You'll fit in just fine."

"I'm not going to fit in," I correct him with a bravado filled voice I know Bronn would see right through. "I'm going to take over."

Mance doesn't react like I expected and take it as a challenge. Instead he smiles warmly at me and holds his arms wide to each side.

"If you've really killed one, maybe you should be in charge." He seems to consider it for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that isn't going to work. Even if I believe you, the rest will not."

Glancing at Theon for a second before his eyes lock onto my own, Mance carefully approaches while Ed is distracted with the friendly giant. "But can you face all of the Enemy and win by yourself?"

How many of them exist? The idea of more than a few is horrifying and makes me lose any semblance of arrogance.

"I didn't think so." Mance Rayder holds out his hand and leaves it hanging in the air between us. "But if you can help keep us safe while this Ironborn helps us get the fleet finished… some of the Freefolk may decide it's better to settle where you decide. Essos is a large place and has plenty of room for us to spread out."

"How long will that take?" How many 'Freefolk' does he have under him already?

"As it is, maybe five year before we can transport everyone at once." Mance explains and turns his curious on Theon. "But if 'Longshot' here can do as he promised, we might be able to cut it down to two."


…

​

Tyrion Lannister​

The moment Viserys begins his speech to the Fiery Hand, I know something big is about to happen. The sudden acceptance of Moqorro's prophecy isn't that shocking after his grudging acceptance of his fleet calling him such already. But him taking charge without any prodding is.

I expect the thousand soldiers to overwhelm us even with the dragon and yet the commander does as Viserys commands. He sends a single man running up the main flight of stairs to inform the Red Priests inside that their presence is demanded.

While we wait in awkward silence for the message to be delivered, my mind races for ways to get out of this alive. I have no idea what kind of tactics my childhood friend favors but I see no way we can escape without brutal efficiency.

If we can reach the fleet before Coppernicus is to badly hurt, we actually have a chance of taking the city. Viserys doesn't seem to agree with my assessment though and keeps yelling into the no longer empty plaza.

After his initial promise was made, people began filtering out of the opulent buildings. By ones and twos at first but quickly we have even more watching than we have soldiers in front of us.

It feels like hours but I doubt it's been even half of one before more than a hundred men in crimson robes exit the temple. The High Priest is fat but not so much as to hinder his movements as he leads his followers right up to Viserys.

"You are the one who made the claim?" Benerro looks Viserys over carefully for any sign of flaw he can exploit.

"I am the one who ended the curse of Greyscale and it's even more horrible sister the Grey Plague!" Viserys doesn't answer the High Priest directly, instead yelling out to the whole crowd. "I entered the Doom of Valyria, home of my ancestors. And I am the one who brought magic back to the world!"

He paces back and forth in front of a quickly reddening Benerro. "I gave my life and yet R'hllor sent me back with a mission." With that silencing the civilians, Viserys now faces the priests with a straight back. "How many of you have seen me in the flames?"

Nearly half raise hands with confidence and this gets another twenty or so to follow suit. "R'hllor is mad his own faithful are wearing collars like animals! If they are to help me face the true enemy, they will do so as free men and women!"

I'm not clear who or what this threat is. But the locals believe and that's enough to work the crowd into a frenzy. "I am the Promised Prince and I am here to take charge of the Faith."

Benerro freezes in horror as the words sink in, only to slowly accept them. "If that is our Lord's will, the faithful will not oppose his new plan."

"Prisoners of war can be used for the same length of time as the war in which they are captured lasted." Viserys finds a way to not completely shatter the economic system with a single speech and manages to make converting to the Red Faith very appealing. "Followers of the faith are exempt and will never wear chains in my lands!"

He lets the crowds cheering die down before continuing. "Criminals will serve terms of servitude to the Faith, based on the severity of the crime in the eyes of R'hllor." Viserys stops and shakes his head, chuckling under his breath. "But of course I'm getting ahead of myself. We have a city to liberate first."

"The time of the Tigers and Elephants alike is over!" Roars Viserys with an enviable level of charisma before he climbs back onto Coppernicus with us. "The Dragons are back!"

He gives orders for the West half of the city to be taken as quickly as possible. The individual buildings won't be stormed yet and only blocked off to prevent them from uniting.

Volantis as slightly more than a million inhabitants and most of them are slaves. If the signs of R'hllor worship I saw on the East side are a good indicator, the city will be taken by nightfall.

"Get to the fleet and take half up the Rhoyne." Viserys roars back at me and I realize I missed something. "You want my forgiveness, go save my niece."

In my shock I somehow manage to slide down from the dragon and join a trio of Red Priests in a scarlet silk palanquin. None are well versed in common as I quickly discover, leaving me forced to endure the sweaty ride back to the docks with no conversation.

Word of the revolution has spread fasted than us and anyone wearing colors of the Triarchy is left in pools of blood on the street. In the hour and a half it takes to cross the Long Bridge and wind our way down to the docks, it seems like a million slaves are all wearing whatever red they can find.

"What in the hells is going on?" Ser Arnold roars at me when I clamber on on board with my escort. "It looks like half the city has been set aflame!"

"Only a few pyres to burn the slave masters on," I correct him with shake of my head. The wind is keeping the smell away for now but the screams remind me of darker times.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've quickly learned the difference between cruelty and brutality. Viserys was very clear anyone who wasted time on rape or torture would be the first to experience his new laws and face at least five years of hard labor.

It's left the slaves with the choice between making quick, clean kills or sacrifices to R'hllor in the bonfires. But the faster they decide the more they're able to loot from the dead masters homes.

"We need half the fleet ready to sail so we can go save Rhaenys," Saying that fills me with a strange sense of giddiness. "Viserys is a little busy taking over Volantis right now."


…

Notes: Sorry for being a day late and a little small. It's my birthday today and I got surprised last night with a romantic dinner. Happy holidays everyone.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 26: Row Your Boat
Sansa Stark
​

"Do we have everything we need?" I hesitate beside on the creaking dock, gripping Gendry's hand even tighter.

"We don't have time to sneak anything else out," Warns Jojen as he grabs the oars. "Bella is supposed to fly you back to Winterfell in the morning."

Beside me Gendry growls in annoyance and drops down into our commandeered boat barely big enough for us and the two stolen unicorns. "You're the one insisting we go, so we really need to hurry. It'll only triple the distance if we have to leave from Winterfell."

"You don't have to come." I remind him as he lifts me down carefully.

"You wouldn't have even made it this far without me," Counters Gendry, his voice far more self assured since I woke up. "I'd say I'm the essential one here."

"You aren't going to be rewarded for this." And the boon a you already earned for giving blood will be forgotten once the sun rises. "You both might even be punished."

Neither answer right away and I'm left alone in my now eternal darkness. The waves lap against the boat, rocking us from side to side under the shrieking wind. Even with my furs the freezing air cuts into me and leaves me shivering.

"If bringing you North will stop even one of my dreams from coming true…" Grim and lacking any real hope, Jojen4 "Any punishment will be worth it."

"Bella told me to blame it all on Jojen," Admits Gendry as he takes his own seat across from us, letting Jojen whisper soothing words to the agitated mounts. "So I'm telling the Starks he kidnapped us both."

He slips the oars into the waves and hisses for Jojen to untie us."We have enough food for two months but we'll need to hunt for the unicorns. They'll get aggressive after only a few days of smoked meat."

I turn towards his voice and let a half smile appear on my face. "Aren't they always uppity towards you?"

"Which is why I'm keeping both of you between me and those menaces." Gendry fires back playfully and I can sense his grin grow when Jojen lets out an audible gulp.

Once he starts rowing with strong steady strokes, I huddle against the Reed Boy for warmth."How long is it going to take us to cross the bay?" The wind on the sea is making it even colder and I'm already missing the meager protection Skagos' hills brought.

"Us?" Gendry snorts and starts talking at a normal volume. "I'm the one rowing. So unless 'somebody' wants to help, it's going to take me almost an hour to cross."

"I can't keep up that kind of pace for even five minutes. Sorry." Admits a very quiet Reed heir.

The playful banter between the two boys is suddenly tense and I have no idea why. Gendry does though and lets out a guilt ridden sigh. "Sorry Jo. My sister told me not to bring it up and just keep an eye on you for her."

"Don't worry about it." After a few seconds Jojen finally answers with a groan. "Nearly dying of greywater fever is why I have these dreams. I was spared then for a reason and I'm fulfilling it now by helping Sansa reach the Three-eyed crow."

"What's so special about these dreams?" Grunts the Waters bastard, who I have to keep reminding myself is such. "You didn't dream about the… incident, until after it had happened."

"Sometime I dream of the past and other times the future." When Jojen answers it's not with excitement but resignation towards something grim. "But most of the time it's of the now and I haven't been able to change anything." He gets just a tiny spark of hope in his voice. "But you have and I need to help you change more of them."

Only the sound of Gendry rowing and the hissing of the unicorns fills the boat, the strong boy beginning to pant with exertion. I couldn't say goodbye to Arya because she would have insisted on coming. But Jojen did write a goodbye letter for each member of my family that Bella will 'find' in the morning.

"What kind of things?" Gendry asks again after the near silence grows awkward.

Proud of being able to reveal his own talent, Jojen's voice takes on a tinge of bravado. "I saw the dragons hatch." I can hear his smirk. "… All ten of them."

Wait a second. Who hatched the other five? "Ten?"

"Four in the Riverlands, on the burning boat." Shifting beside me, it sounds like he's counting off fingers for Gendry's benefit. "Three in a blazing carriage on a grassy hill, one under the eruption of a volcano, and another when a tower crumbles amid a storm."

His voice grows louder and more confident when neither of us interrupt. "The final one found life on a sandy beach in the Stormlands, just as the tide pulled back into the sea in preparation."

"… Preparation for what?" The way he said that last part was to unsettling to ignore.

"When the last tower is reclaimed by the sea, waves from the East will wash away the sinners and saints alike in King's Landing." Jojen is back to his grim voice. "The pretenders shall emerge from the deep once the red comet wakes them from their sleep."

"Drowned men and women will float in the flooded streets of Oldtown." His voice takes the most chilling turn yet and I find myself unable to visualize these horrors as more than a vague concept. "After the Hammer falls one final time… the Wall will fall and Winterfell will be filled with the dead."

Silence hangs in the air as a shocked Gendry stops rowing. "If that's what you're dreaming of all the time, why do you do so much sleeping?"

Jojen waits for the rhythmic paddling to begin again before answering. "It's not always the bad things. I've also seen my parents first meeting and my sister's wedding." Hopefully not the whole thing.

By the time we reach the rocky shore North of the Wall, Gendry is panting hard. While he recovers in the light of the rising sun, Jojen helps the Unicorns out of the boat and begins loading them with our supplies.

A howling wolf comes from incredibly close and it sounds like the mounts nearly break away from Jojen. While he tries to calm them back down, Gendry climbs to his feet brandishing an oar.

"That thing is massive!" He growls out at Jojen. "I don't want to see how many friends it has. Get back in the boat, we'll find somewhere else to land.

"What color is the wolf's fur?" Speaking up before anyone panics even worse, I blindly stare straight towards the source of the howl.

Jojen answers with an audible smirk. "Grey like steel." Just like I dreamed.

"It's Robb!" I gasp out and try to make my way onto the rocky beach only for Gendry to grab my arm.

"What are you talking about?" His grip is firm but not painful.

Once again our Reed companion is the one who answers. "Skinchangers get to live a second life in an animal companion. Sansa told us Robb would be here waiting."

Gendry sighs heavily and groans, climbing out of the boat. "Alright…" I can hear crunching in the snow as Gendry and the wolf walk towards each other cautiously. "Sorry about my sister killing you and all that. I promise to make sure your sister gets home safe if you promise not no eat my face."

After the wolf passes Gendry's inspection, it starts to sniff at me. While I hold out a hand to be sniffed, Gendry begins laughing.

"Did anyone tell Robb he's… you know. A she wolf?" A few more snorts of amusement come from Gendry. "And a pregnant one at that!"



…

​

Rhaenys Targaryen
​

Aegorian throws himself into the air before I whistle making me grit my teeth in frustration. It's getting harder and harder to control the dragon named after my brother and I'm dreading the day I need cross the Narrow Sea.

My own dragon beats her ebony wings and rises skyward only with my command. As we follow her brother towards the clouds, my eyes scan the eastern side of the river for any change that I am very relieved not to find.

The Dothraki fires still refuse to come any closer, content to besiege Ar Noy on the East bank. Those who chose not to join Daemon and I's protection are dying by the hundred. But if I fly to relieve them, the Volantene blockade will pour into Chroyane.

We're outnumbered on both fronts and I know it's only the threat of dragon fire holding them back for now. Once the silver brat gets his excess energy out he's more agreeable, actually listening to my command this time.

"South Gorian, we need to keep the fleet scared!" His big sister reacts to my legs alone and slowly passes the most agile of the three.

You may be the hardest to hit you little menace, but in a straight line Ariannex will beat you and Queraxes both. Though Daemon definitely got the smartest dragon… sometimes his chirps even sound like words.

My eyes widen in shock when we finally reach the blockade and I can make out another hundred sails approaching. Are the Triarchs really so scared they need to triple the size of the fleet?

"Let's really give the world a reason to fear you." By the time I make a decision and signal to Aegorian, the reinforcements have nearly reached the blockade.

As we begin our dive, I realize the new ships aren't the same style at all. Do they have a dragon as their flag?

"Simonagon!" My panicked cry to rise comes just as hundreds of arrows arc into the sky, only to rain down on the blockade.

Did Aegon find me? I know someone in the Arbor was sending supplies before the blockade went up. Did they send an escort when the last shipment wasn't delivered?

While I consider the source of surprise support, boarding parties cross over to the Volantene ships in a frenzy below me. Aegorian catches the smell of blood and nothing I say can stop his descent. All Ariannex and I can do, is hope to stop him from feasting on our allies.

She dives after her brother and I'm forced to hold on tight or be thrown from the saddle. Gorian's pale body flashes in the sun as he grabs a pair of men in Volantene armor in his claws. Throwing them into the air and roasting them before he snaps his jaws shut with a steel tearing crunch.

"Only eat those ones!" My words barely get a reaction even though I know he heard me clear as day. "Don't ignore me, the other guys are here to help us!" And have a damned lot of archers.

He snorts finally in response and lands on the side of one of the larger galleys. Aegorian's skull smashes right through the deck with a single powerful blow and he fills the hold with silver fire and short lived screams.

As soon as his feast is ready, he forces his way inside the smoking ship. At least you'll be busy for a while.

Once I'm confident Aegorian is distracted, I whistle for my big girl to set the flag ship's sails aflame. She does with eagerness to show off and black flames leave nothing but ash floating down to the battling crews.

"Let's not scare our new friends. Land nice and gentle over at the back of the boat." It's the only place I know we won't crush anyone on our side.

It was clear the battle was won before I decided to help. Now with two dragons aiding the strange ships, I can already hear cries of surrender coming from the nearby ships.

Most of the men crewing this ship are already dead or dying, something I've had five years to harden myself against. I may not be able to forget the sounds but so far I can hold off feeling the horror until I go to bed.

Days like this where I witness so many people dying are the hardest to block out and I know I'll be lucky to get even an hour of sleep tonight. And when I finally do, I'll see Quentyn one more time… judging me with his tri-colored eyes made of fire.

Only a few more men are still battling and have been crowded up at the prow of the ship behind a ring of dark skinned spearmen. Why are Summer Islanders so far from home?

"Stay here and don't kill anyone unless they try and hurt me." I trust her to watch over me and slide off Ariannex's back with Dawn's hilt in my hand.

Eyes watch my confident stride carefully but no one moves to stop me. The ring of watchers even step aside enough for me to watch the final two duels.

A man who looks remarkably like Arthur Dayne is playing with his foe, knocking each tired swing away with ease. His smile is wide as he dances back and forth, only for his eyes to flash with recognition when he sees me.

"You kept Dawn safe for me Princess, how kind of you to return it." The Dayne is only a few years older than me but I must admit he is well trained with a blade. He's only a little bit slower than Arthur was.

"Did you do all this just to get Dawn?" Starfall isn't far from the Arbor… maybe the Daynes are working with the Redwynnes.

"Wasn't my idea I'm afraid, just my good luck to have been invited." He snarls when the Volantene captain makes a stab at him, slicing bot legs of at the knee. With a laugh he kicks the screaming man in the gut, sending him tumbling overboard minus his legs.

"An armored skirt is really just an invitation!" Roars a second voice from the other fight, making my heart begin hammering when a golden haired dwarf thrusts a very familiar dagger into the first mate's groin. "Shame you and your men all have to die just so we can teach our crews this very important lesson."

What is he doing here! "Tyrion, is that you?"

My shocked gasp wipes the smirk from his face and we're left staring at each other in stunned amazement. The dagger Viserys used to kill Grandfather drops from his fingers and stabs into the scarlet stained deck.

"Rhaenys…" His voice wavers with disbelief and he takes a step towards me before freezing again. "It's really you."

"It is." But I'm not the same girl you wrote those songs for. "What are you doing here?" I'm just like Viserys, a kin slayer tainted by my time so close to the throne.

He looks up at me with mismatched eyes, one green like Queraxes' wings and he other black like Arrianex's scales. His hair is thin and looks nearly white it's so fair. But even his jutting forehead and stubby fingers are nothing compared to the memory of my grandfather's last days.

That was a real monster in both body and mind. Tyrion's letters prove he at least has a kind heart, even if he is a monstrous as Oberyn once claimed.

"Viserys sent me to break the blockade," My betrothed smiles awkwardly and takes another couple paces forward. "He's a little busy liberating Volantis right now." Someone captured the city? But how?

"From who?" And how did they get an entire army past me and Daemon?

The question only makes Tyrion grin. "Your uncle decided to liberate Volantis from the Triarchs. He's created the Dragon party and is going to force an election."

"Does he need my help?" Aegorian will finally have a rider and I don't even have to go back to Westeros to find him one.

The Dayne knight smirks behind him, his eyes finally leaving my sword when Aegorian roars. His shadow soon passes over us and I barely have time to warn everyone away from me.

The snarling silver dragon lands right behind me, his face snarling at anyone who even dares look at me. Everyone except for the dark haired Dayne, his dark purple eyes shining with ideas.

"Coppernicus is quite a bit bigger than these guys." Tyrion continues once color returns to his face, his eyes roaming the sky carefully for a third. "But I thought you had three dragons?"

"Daemon is in the North, patrolling between Ghoyan Drohe and Ny Sar." We only have three cities and can't afford to lose any of them.

Worry floods Tyrion's face. "Who's Daemon?"

​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 27: Focusing Fire
Viserys Ashtar
​

Nearly the entirety of Volantis has joined the revolution and taken up arms with us, the perk of having half the city already members of the Faith I'm taking advantage of. As the noble families of the city are brought to the Red Plaza, I have people light a roaring bonfire.

"Do you really need to kill them all?" Margaery is kind enough to keep her voice only a whisper and I reassure her with a confident grin.

"I'd like to avoid killing anyone." Though the smell of burning flesh floating down from the other streets, reminds me the freed slaves may not be as forgiving of how they had been treated. "But I can't afford to leave anyone ambitious with a power base. I'll deal with everyone at the same time." With a nice big crowd to witness the change of power.

Alright that should be hot enough now. "Bring over the troughs!"

My shout has ten iron troughs brought over and placed over the fire. Each one is filled with water and starts to steam.

"I've taken your city…" Smirking at the three captured Triarchs, I approach them with confidence. "But I'm not a heartless man. I challenge each of you to outlast me, with any onlookers free to take part!"

I climb inside one trough of rapidly warming water to the gasps of the onlookers. "Anyone from a royal family who can outlast me, gets everything I own. My dragon, Valyrian steel, and Volantis itself."

The three Triarchs are quick to climb into ones closer to the edge, while six more ambitious nobles claim the other troughs. I can already see them all getting red and I add the final stipulation.

"Anyone who gets out before me…" My voice goes low as I growl out to the other challengers. "Gives their life to R'hllor. Either as a priest or a sacrifice." The faces I get are varied between shocked horror and enraged promises of vengeance.

"I didn't make anyone get in, I just said anyone who accepted my challenge would be exempt from becoming a war serf." It was explained to them all that was what I was replacing slavery with, only with the length of service being left out. "You all wanted what I have and right now it's a nice bath."

As the first one begins to sway from the heat, bubbles begin forming along the bottom of my own trough. Letting my smirk grow wider, I dunk my head under the still rather tepid water.

I wait for a count of five before reemerging to groans. "How refreshing."

As the water nears boiling, my competetors begin giving up one after another. When the scalded Tiger Triarch finally quits, his skin is blistered and peeling all over his body.

None of them are able to walk, let alone fight off the Red Priests who escort them inside the temple. Once I'm alone in troughs, I get up slowly and smile at the crowd.

"Anyone else want to try?" No one seems eager and I climb out carefully. "No? Are you all content with my rule?"

The now freed slaves begin clapping. Quietly at first but soon voacl cries of support fill the air. Their is some booing from the noble familes facing a few days of hard labor but I just soak it all in.t

"What are we supposed to call you?" The High Priest calls out so everyone can hear, silencing the cheers before they can drown him out. "Does Volantis now have a monarch?"

"I am only here to help stoke the fires among the faithful." Of course of a free world.

Both of my lives have a long family history of endorsing this kind of evil and I'm finding myself eagerly looking forward to this choice. But it's far easier to nudge a culture over the next few decades, than to try overturning everything in a single day.

Only letting serfs be criminals and prisoners of war with set terms of service, will unite the people against the coming horrors. Everyone I talked to in my first life, assumed Jon Snow's resurrection had to be for a reason. I really don't think I'm going to see dawn after the coming night.

If Rhaenys is happy here in Essos, I can leave her in charge of Volantis after my death. Since she's retaken the Targaryen name, the old blood will probably like her more than me.

I consider that for a moment and realize what I choose to call myself will really be important. Using a title that's already in use will only have expectations attatched to my rule. What I need is a new role that I can establish early on is not truly at the top.

"I serve R'hllor in his quest to defeat the Great Enemy." Benerro's face pales at how bluntly I speak. "He stirs already in secret and I will unite those I can under the warm light of R'hllor."

I might not fully believe my own words, but the fanatics will seek several someones out if I don't focus the fires of the Red Faith. "The Enemy has already managed to twist our Lord's words."

"What do you mean?" The High Priest is pompous, yet he does truly believe in his God. My words are going to make it sound like R'hllor is one of the Valyrian gods, since nearly all of them have been forgotten now. Hope he never finds out I'm lying, fanatics can't be reasoned with.

"You may have forgotten but I have returned to Valyria six times since R'hllor chose me." And I really haven't made it much safer, so I don't need to worry about my claims being double checked. "The Valyrian Gods did not enslave their own. They expanded outwards and conquered nearly all of Essos before the Enemy struck at their heart!"

One of my Naathian volunteers asked if I would be recovering those sold into slavery by Victarion. Mossador is young and his name tugs on something I used to remember. I haven't had a reason to think of the Essos sections in over a decade, I can't be expected to remember everything that got mentioned in the books and show.

Was he related to someone important? Or was he maybe one of the pit fighters that Dany freed? Either way, his request was soon copied by the others from Naath.

"I am the Vizier of R'hllor," If Caesar can name a whole title after himself, I can borrow one that sounds kind of like my own name. "Restored to life to guide as many as I can into the dawn!" And once it's all over, I'll have done my best to leave capable people in charge.

Stannis is hard enough to face the dead until I can finish my own recruiting and Renly is charming enough to keep Westeros united behind his brother. As long as they can manage to work together.

"My niece is in the Sorrows now, holding back the Dothraki hordes all on her own!" Gasps from the crowd let me know the Triarchs have indeed been keeping knowledge tightly guarded. "And who has the best record against them?"

I hear cries in support of the Unsullied legions, the Jhogos Nhai, and even one woman shouting about the Ifeqevron. But none of them speak the obvious until Moqorro shouts his answer, silencing the masses with his passion.

"It was the Dragons!" The crowd cheers again and I allow some of the excitement to soak into my face.

Knowing how loud it was going to get, a pair of pillows have been fashioned into earmuffs for Coppernicus. But even with the noise muffled, he still prefers his current place perched on the edge of the temple's slanted roof.

I step beside the dark skinned man and watch his tattoos flicker like red flames. "We will swell the faith by freeing Slaver's Bay of Ghiscari tyranny." Dany was able to steal the Unsullied for herself, I just need to hope I can replicate the feat.

"The longer the war takes, the longer my soldiers' families will have the use of captured serfs!" I'm banking on that proclamation enticing volunteers to flock to my army. If it makes my enemies surrender and convert faster to avoid such a fate… I won't complain.

Margaery was good with the hungry people in King's Landing. The realization nearly makes me smack myself. Why am I ignoring my very talented help in my service?

"What do you think I should do to stabilize Volantis?" The gorgeous Tyrell girl blinks in confusion before realizing, yes, I really am asking for a woman's opinion.

She recovers quickly and has an answer ready to go right away. "Keep them fed and they'll listen to a lot more nonsense than they will with empty bellies."

I'd like to do that but I still have nearly ten million people to lay claim to between Volantis and her three northern walled cities. The Triarchs have excellent records and have the population of each one as specific as the hundred.

Each one is slightly larger than King's Landing and yet are still only a third of Volantis' overall size. If I can keep casualties at less than ten percent while I take the Volantene territory, I'll have slightly more than twelve million people to keep fed. How in the hell am I going to manage that?

"I think I'm going to need some help from your family," I admit to a smirking Margaery, the midday sun shining of her honey blonde hair like a crown. "It's going to be at least four months before the Rhoyne can be farmed and free people expect to eat more than they did as slaves."

"How will you be paying for that?" It's not that Margaery doubts I can, but genuine curiosity in what I'll be willing to part with.

Well I saw the same Redwynne ships you did in the harbor," And I know the Mander still has more than enough food to trade. "Do you think your grandmother would prefer gold, or something more exotic?"

"You already know what she wants." The eye roll Margaery delivers could rival one of Cersei's best. "Just don't tell the captains the whole truth until they unload for the standard price."


…

Note: I'm going back to the smaller chapter sizes. 3K words is just too much to get out every day.​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 28: Not Today
Aegon Ashtar
​

For two whole days and a third night, Arianne sleeps like the dead. By now her lips are dry and cracking, with everyone beginning to fear she isn't going to wake up again.

Mya has taken over the duties of ruling Storm's End and quite well I must add. Five years of Arianne being just as active a leader as Renly, has left Storm's End accepting of female rule. At least on a local level.

She has people searching for any sign of the missing and has sent word to Uncle Doran. I hope he makes it in time.

But my own duties have been filled forcing a damp cloth into my cousin's mouth every hour. It won't keep her alive forever but it will give her a few more days.

Five years ago I would have been helpless in this situation, but now I'm the one standing between death and Arianne Baratheon. Anyone can pick up a weapon and kill someone. But you need training and the right mindset to save people the world says will die.

"What do we say to the Stranger Arianne?" I take the rocking chair beside her bed and repeat the phrase I reinterpreted from someone in need of treatment early last year.

I don't get more than a light flickering of her eyelids in response to my voice and sigh. "That's right…." She hasn't had a convulsion in over a day now and I hope her twitching will get better soon. "Not today."

Her muscles tense suddenly and she thrashes under her sheets. I barely jerk back in time to avoid another smack in the nose and smile. "Took longer to get a response from ya this time, hope that's a good sign."

Balon lets out a laugh from his place guarding the door and I try to ignore the older Swann. He took Renly's disappearance hard and refuses to allow anyone he doesn't trust near my cousin. I'm just happy to hear him forget his failure for a moment.

"She's doing better?" Until she wakes up, we have no idea who was working with Pentos.

Shaking my head, I know better than to give someone false hope. "She's not doing any worse." Aside from still not waking up. "But I will need Brienne to get the maids to bathe Arianne, once her shift begins."

He gives me an embarrassed nod and pretends not to understand. Brienne is one of the only eight people allowed to have anything sharp or heavy near Arianne. Being the only woman with such trust, she's needed to oversee the cleanup of any accidents.

"She's supposed to be here within the hour so I can go eat." His explanation gets a nod of thanks from me and I begin massaging the tension from her right arm. "I'll send some maids up before I grab a bowl of crab stew."

He's as tired as I am of the meal, but we'll have be forced to make due until some of Summerhall's food can be delivered. The kitchen and most of the food stores fell into the sea along with the wizard's laboratory.

I sing one of the songs Tyrion wrote for my sister years ago, the one Mother used to sing me to sleep. It's no master piece and yet it's the only one I can remember all the words to. Arianne seems to like it and her face slightly relaxes from the grimace she's had for hours.

By the time I finish her arms, I've gone through the song six times. Balon's foot even begins tapping along as I finish my third repetition.

"Here comes the sun do, do, do." He said Viserys helped him write it at my Grandmother's wedding in the letter and I just wish I had met the man I'm so often compared to.

"What's going on?" Trumpets sound in the courtyard down below, interrupting me before I can start a seventh time.

When I go over to the window and peer down, I find everyone rushing to help the lone man shambling through the gates. "Is that Renly?"

Balon dashes over to me and shoves me aside, his eyes wide as saucers. "He's alive!"

"Keep Arianne safe," I roar over my shoulder as I race from the room.

I might only be halfway through Maester Norrick's lessons, but he's back at the Abbey. I'm the only who here who can do more than the basics, since the Maester here was in the Kitchens when the tower crumbled. Wonder how long it will take for the Citadel to send a replacement?

The halls blur past as I grab blankets from a washer maid, with the stop to steal a bowl of stew barely even being registered in my mind. By the time I reach the muddy courtyard, it's filled with cheers from a very excited crowd.

Stannis was respected when he ruled here, but Renly and Arianne are loved. His return is being seen as a miracle from the Seven and I'm finding myself at a loss for any other explanation. But why would they save him and not Shireen?

"Lord Renly." He doesn't seem to recognize me right away and it gives me time to take in his ragged appearance. "Are you alright?"

He's soaking wet, with skin pale and clammy like he spent the whole time in the sea. His hair is tangled and tinged green like seaweed, with damp sand clinging to his breeches.

His gaze is darting back and forth among the crowd and it's only when I repeat myself that he locks eyes on my own. I miss whatever his first sentence is, too shocked by the change in his eyes.

Gone are his sapphire blue eyes, now one is scarlet and the other a verdant green. "Ageon the Bleeding Heart. What are you doing here?" Renly finds something he said hilarious and snickers uncontrollably for a solid ten seconds.

"Looking after your wife," I let him know she's alive but he doesn't seem to care. "What happened to you?"

"I woke up on the beach with Patchface and Shireen." His words draw more cheers from the crowd and Mya is forced to silence them with a bellow.

She and Brienne force the crowd to part before them and clear some breathing room. "Where are they?" Mya is right, why did Renly leave his niece?

"Aegon said not to move anyone with a bleeding head, so I left them back on a cavern bed." His explanation makes sense but his twitching is getting worse. Renly must have spent to much time with the fool, because he's even starting to rhyme.

"Well what are we waiting for, let's ride!" Mya is quick to answer, her face covered with panic for Shireen.

"Which boat is the fastest?" Renly holds up a hand and changes the subject.

I answer with a frown even though he should know already. "The Summerhull. The one we take to visit Sunspear each year."

"Right…" With a jerky shrug he brushes it off and points to the docks. "I charge you and Brienne to bring them back safe. I don't think I'll survive another swim to Tarth, so go collect the waif."

"But what about Arianne?" I guess her condition is stable…

"I'll look after her so don't you worry," Renly is starting to sway from side to side. "She's my wife so get going in a hurry."

Even though I want to order him to bed under Balon's watch, I have to grit my teeth and nod. Something strange is going on and I'm worried the Pentoshi have him under some kind of spell.

We have wizards in Westeros now and rumors from Essos say they also have magic being shown in the streets. Taking control of the Master of War would be a great way to survive the invasion.

Is Shireen even going to be alive, or will we be sailing into a Pentos trap on Tarth? Even worse, has Tarth already been taken in secret?

"Bring only the best, this isn't just some test." Is the last thing Renly calls out to us before he finally decides to check on Arianne.

Mya gives Brienne and I and stern glare over the strange behavior just witnessed and gives us permission to bring a full complement of soldiers for protection. The Summerhull is only a speedy transport ship meant to collect sick nobles and spare them a long walk to the abbey. Which means Mya also demands we bring a pair of combat capable escorts.

While Brienne and I approach the waiting ship that is always ready to sail at a moment's notice, I find myself feeling ashamed by how much I secretly am enjoying the side effects. Even though lives are on the line, I can't help but relish all this extra time spent with her.

Growing up around Ellaria and then Cersei has left me blind to the bodies beauty. It's Brienne's unrelenting spirit that draws me to her. Her eyes may once again be glued to Renly, but I'll show her I don't need a weapon to be a man worthy of her.

​

 

[Flightless Man]

Chapter 29: Volatile Volantis
Margaery Tyrell
​

Cheers from those in the crowd who had been slaves only yesterday greet Viserys when he reaches the dais. Those now taking their place as serfs wait among them. Tension over whether they will be freed or not is raw in many faces.

Beside me, Elyse's eyes scan the crowd for any sign of trouble. As one of Viserys' Fourteen Flames, she should have been keeping him safe last night. Not sharing a room in the temple with me. He's only named a handful of his most trusted so far, nearly all of them from his original crew.

I lean over and hiss at her in concern when another child waves at me. "Viserys did remember to explain things to the fleet, right?" I've been receiving for more reverence than my position as financial adviser merits.

Once I realized how bad he really is with money, his easy offering of priceless artifacts makes more sense. It's not the figures that are a problem, so much as Viserys just vastly overpaying for services.

He could have gotten at least two more men as good as whoever Ser Houndsworth is. A golden dragon that size is worth more than most landed knights would see in an entire lifetime. Offering me Valyrian steel for my silence, only showed his problem has gotten worse.

"If you don't want him…" Else gives me a confused look. "Why didn't you return home with yer brother?"

Garlan trusts Viserys and my own experience has shown him more willing to let me have freedom, than basically anyone back in Westeros. He really is quite Dornish in his views on women, so maybe I should be looking South when I get home.

"After my family has been on the losing side of two wars in a single decade, I'm not going to be marrying even a peer." No matter how hard Grandmother tries. "When I return, it's only going to be to a lit candle. I'd like to have at least one of those adventures you talked about, before I'm married off to my brother's squire or someone even worse." Samwell Tarly is a nice lad but not in the slightest what I seek from a man.

Viserys removes the collars from the members of the Triarchs' families himself. Following his lead, the temple's bonfire has powders thrown into it by the Red Priests. A pillar of thick purple smoke rises into the air, signaling the freedom of every Serf. I really hope this encourages faster surrenders going forward.

"Well you'll get plenty of adventure with us." Viserys told Garlan and I some pretty unbelievable things while drinking the first night, but Elyse seems ready to try topping the ones I remember. "Something in the Smoking Sea turned an entire Volantene fleet into rock."

"Was this before or after Viserys 'died'?" His revival sounds more like what the Ironborn go through and not some divine miracle.

She answers with a scowl on her face, her eyes tracing the swelling shadows in concern."Was the first trip, before the kraken took out the other crew." The tone of voice is so casual, I almost don't register the words before she changes the subject suddenly. "Are you seeing the same thing I am?"

My gaze follows her finger to the changes happening to the shadow Viserys casts against the wall behind him. It no longer looks like a man's silhouette on the buildings, now contorted by inhuman propotions and demon looking additions.

Claws the size of swords creep towards the dais, with Viserys unaware of his current danger. Elyse reacts before me and charges forward with her sharpened shield raised before her.

The horned figure slashes down at Viserys, only for the rippling grey steel to do it's job. The shield rings like a deep booming bell and Elyse is sent rolling down the stairs from the force of the blow.

The score of orange clad warriors between Viserys and the… thing, charge towards it. Only to be torn to shreds as if their armor was made of flower petals.

Screams of terror fill the plaza outside the temple and the crowd begins panicking to escape. When they try, the shadowy creature darts across the street in the blink of an eye, carving into the first to think they reached safety.

The way shadows flicker around a fire, this demonic entity dances across the buildings. The few people brave enough to swing at the monster are either sliced in half, or find weapons clanging uselessly onto stone.

Once the stampeding crowd is corralled back before the dais, the shadow reforms behind Viserys. No longer massive and somewhat see through, it is only slightly larger than Left or Right.

The darkness is so thick now, it's almost solid and seems to even ripple against the sweltering wind. It tilts it's head back and screeches out a bone chilling cry, before lunging towards a crimson robed Vizier.

Viserys is in my brother's league, both among the best knights I have ever seen. But this thing moves like a snake thrusting a clawed hand right into his chest.

My horror changes to relieved shock when Viserys doesn't fall over dead. The shadow's claw shatters into a black mist, taking several seconds to rejoin the rest of the demon's body. Valyrian steel can hurt it!

Realizing it at the same time as I do, Viserys drops his hands to each hip. Swinging up with both of his axes, very visible rends are left in the shadow demon.

If I thought the first shriek was painful, this one manages to make me dizzy. I don't even know how, only feel an overwhelming pressure slam into me painfully.

He doesn't stop with his assault with one good hit. Viserys swings again and again, tearing chunks right off the creature.

It's not defenseless and after recovering from the shocking pain, the shadow starts to slash once again at Viserys. With a cunning intelligence, I watch it twist it's shape into a monstrous version of Coppernicus.

Now larger than an elephant, the creature fights with phantom claw and club tail. At least it doesn't seem able to breath, or everyone would be dead in seconds. The high buildings and narrow streets would funnel the searing ash across the city, choking the life from tens of thousands.

Moqorro comes up with something else that actually works, flinging glowing red coals from the temple brazier at the shadow dragon. Each one burns a hole in the monster and soon more priests join him in the attack.

When it can no longer hold it's shape, it condenses itself back into a vaguely man shape. It has a pair of massive horns still on it's head and keeps the sword like claws from before.

Enraged by the barrage of coals, the demon slams into Viserys with a powerful tackle. He skids across the stone and I realize I'm the only one close enough to react in time.

As the shadow claw swings for Viserys' fallen form, I barely manage to have Thorn raised in time to block the arm shaking blow. The claws are cut in half where my blade meets the shadow, getting another roar of pain from whatever this thing really is.

I try to defend both of us but move far too slow to even keep myself free from thin red lines appearing all across my body. In only a few seconds my defense shatters, leaving the shadow free to slash downwards with it's remaining claw.

I'm not fast enough to stop his throat from being opened by the claw, only to slam my blade into the shadow's face in revenge. As soon as I do, it shrieks and fades away in the sunlight. Viserys!

Even though I was standing right beside him, Moqorro has already reached Viserys' body. The priest with flaming tattoos cradles Visery's head in his lap and utters words of prayer. It's going to be a riot!

The crowd is silent at first but soon dark mutterings fill the plaza, waiting for Moqorro to tell everyone the obvious. No one could have lived after losing so much blood.

My eyes go to the pool of crimson spreading out from beneath him and Moqorro, spilling down the stairs as the mutters become a single unified gasp.

"That really hurt." Rasps out a very much alive Viserys, with one hand holding his throat closed. "I'm going to need stitches. You know how to sew, don't you Margaery?"

Moqorro helps him back to his feet and turns to the stunned crowd. "Now do you truly believe his promises!" Yeah… I kind of am.​