Technically that only works on those with weak wills, Jaime is many things but weak willed is not one of them. The Old gods want Bran to live, and made it so. And whelp, now Cersei and Tywin are probably both going to go insane.
An Album of Ice and Fire - AGOT Mod (SPOILER ALERT)
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Part XVIII - Daenerys
"Thank you, Your Grace." The merchant bowed, turned, and left the chamber.
Dany sighed; holding court was very tedious work on a good day, and lately things had been rather crazy. Yunkai and Astapor had been chafing under her rule from Mereen of late, and widespread piracy had devastated all sea trade in the world. "Send the next one in."
After a few moments, Rakharo and three Unsullied marched into the hall, dragging behind them a man with large ears, dressed in dark-colored rags and cursing in the Common Tongue. "We attacked one of the pirate ships as it landed - the Mormont, she was called; they got away, but we were able to seize this one for questioning, khaleesi."
"Thank you, Rakharo. Unchain him, and let me speak with him." When they had done so, she asked him, "You speak the Common Tongue; where are you from?"
The man looked at her. "I am from nowhere and from everywhere."
"What is your name?"
"I have gone by many names, although some call me Jozef."
At that Dany was losing her patience. "Do not play games with me, Jozef, or whatever your name is. Do you wish to confess your crimes?"
"I speak the truth, Your Grace, and only the truth - I committed no crime, nor have any of my brothers. If anything, Your Grace, it is you who has committed the true crime?"
At that, Rakharo growled, but Dany silenced him. "You should speak carefully, for I have the power both to kill you and to set you free." To Dany's surprise, the man merely laughed.
"Death would be a gift, Your Grace. Yes, you are the criminal - you claim to be the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, and yet you sit here in Mereen while your kingdom faces the greatest threat it has ever faced. Winter is coming, the Starks have warned for years; well, Winter is here, Jon says, and nobody seems to want to do a damn thing about it. You want to kill me? So long as you burn my body afterwards, feel free - so long as you remember my words."
He had some nerve, being taken prisoner, chastising her as if she were a little girl, and then basically asking for death. But still, as she sent him to the dungeons, the truth of his words rang in her ears. Truth is, it had been almost two years since she had even thought about crossing the Narrow Sea to retake her kingdom; the possibility of uniting the Free Cities had come up more recently than that. The matter was still on her mind when the next supplicant came in, bringing with him a small girl covered in dirt, with short, choppy hair. Ser Barristan gasped.
"Your Grace, do not listen to this man; send him away immediately," the elderly knight said.
The man laughed. "It is good to see you too, Ser Barristan; I had a feeling we would meet again." He turned to Dany. "Your Grace, the reputation of your beauty has spread far and wide, and none in the world come half as beautiful as it - all but you, for words cannot even describe how beautiful you are."
Flattering, Dany thought, but something she had not heard infrequently, especially from those who wanted something from her. "I thank you, sir, but do not have time for your flatteries. Speak your name and your purpose."
The man smiled. "They are not flatteries when they are the truth, Your Grace, but I understand your concern. My name is Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin for King Joffrey, and I am here to help you."
Immediately Dany realized why Barristan did not trust this man. "You are one of the Usurper's dogs then? Why should I trust you?"
"I am no one's man but my own; true, once I served the Lannisters, but I have no more use for them, and they mistrust me. And I bring news that will help you win the Iron Throne."
Despite herself, Dany's interest was piqued. "Go on."
"Have you heard that your nephew Aegon still lives, and is now in Griffin's Roost with the Golden Company, intent on overthrowing Joffrey?" Dany did not answer, as although she had heard some rumor, she had given it no credence. "I suppose not, then, as it is a fairly new development, and many think him a false Targaryen. Well, I can assure you, he truly is your brother's son, and he has made great strides already in retaking your true seat, and has already won Dorne to his side. But once the Lannisters can reunite their other bannermen, his army will be crushed like a gnat."
"So you're saying that any chance of a return home is doomed then?"
At that, Baelish shook his head. "No, Your Grace, far from it. Before coming here, I made a stop in Braavos, where I met with the Iron Bank. They have agreed in principle to support your family's claim to the Iron Throne with enough money to buy hosts of sellswords, on one single condition: that you and your nephew marry, as befitting of her royal Targaryen lineage." Dany did not answer, so he continued. "I have already been in contact with Aegon, and he has not only agreed to the match, but was actively seeking it, and is willing to rule not as King with his Queen as a Consort, but to rule together as King and Queen, two minds, two rulers, speaking with one voice."
Dany looked at Barristan and Jorah, looking for their guidance. "Seems like a fair offer, Your Grace," Barristan said at long last. "It will perhaps allow us to continue our rule over Slaver's Bay, as a fallback in case this move fails, and if we succeed, we will be in an excellent position to unite the Free Cities as your Dothraki subjects have long desired."
With his support, Dany said to Baelish, " Very well, then; I accept this proposal. Now, may I ask, who is the girl?"
Petyr smiled. "The Northern lords will be an interesting case, Your Grace, since they have a strong desire for independence and are currently under occupation by the wildlings from beyond the Wall. Right now, the Lannisters hold one of Ned Stark's daughters, Sansa Stark, as a prisoner, and it is her captivity that ensures their loyalty. And when I was in Braavos, the gods saw fit to give me a gift for you, to keep the Northern lords at bay when you complete your conquest." He gestured to the girl. "Say hello to Sansa's sister, Arya Stark."
Did I not say this was about to get interesting? For reference's sake, by the way, Dany does *not* count as one of the Nine Kings, as she and Aegon constitute one monarchy IMO (since they are married, after all), so we're still waiting on 2 kings.
About Jaime's death...storywise, all I will say is that I left things intentionally ambiguous - while I have a timeline in my head to keep things straight, I'm intentionally leaving some things unclear....such as, who is Jozef? Anyways, I will give some details about Jaime's ingame death - for starters, it was not against Meera Reed, but a randomly generated hedge knight who happened to end up in the dungeons of the Kingsguard, demanded a trial by combat, and killed Jaime. Since his death would have a huge impact, I decided to write it into the story as more prominent.
The Seven Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
"Thank you, Your Grace." The merchant bowed, turned, and left the chamber.
Dany sighed; holding court was very tedious work on a good day, and lately things had been rather crazy. Yunkai and Astapor had been chafing under her rule from Mereen of late, and widespread piracy had devastated all sea trade in the world. "Send the next one in."
After a few moments, Rakharo and three Unsullied marched into the hall, dragging behind them a man with large ears, dressed in dark-colored rags and cursing in the Common Tongue. "We attacked one of the pirate ships as it landed - the Mormont, she was called; they got away, but we were able to seize this one for questioning, khaleesi."
"Thank you, Rakharo. Unchain him, and let me speak with him." When they had done so, she asked him, "You speak the Common Tongue; where are you from?"
The man looked at her. "I am from nowhere and from everywhere."
"What is your name?"
"I have gone by many names, although some call me Jozef."
At that Dany was losing her patience. "Do not play games with me, Jozef, or whatever your name is. Do you wish to confess your crimes?"
"I speak the truth, Your Grace, and only the truth - I committed no crime, nor have any of my brothers. If anything, Your Grace, it is you who has committed the true crime?"
At that, Rakharo growled, but Dany silenced him. "You should speak carefully, for I have the power both to kill you and to set you free." To Dany's surprise, the man merely laughed.
"Death would be a gift, Your Grace. Yes, you are the criminal - you claim to be the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, and yet you sit here in Mereen while your kingdom faces the greatest threat it has ever faced. Winter is coming, the Starks have warned for years; well, Winter is here, Jon says, and nobody seems to want to do a damn thing about it. You want to kill me? So long as you burn my body afterwards, feel free - so long as you remember my words."
He had some nerve, being taken prisoner, chastising her as if she were a little girl, and then basically asking for death. But still, as she sent him to the dungeons, the truth of his words rang in her ears. Truth is, it had been almost two years since she had even thought about crossing the Narrow Sea to retake her kingdom; the possibility of uniting the Free Cities had come up more recently than that. The matter was still on her mind when the next supplicant came in, bringing with him a small girl covered in dirt, with short, choppy hair. Ser Barristan gasped.
"Your Grace, do not listen to this man; send him away immediately," the elderly knight said.
The man laughed. "It is good to see you too, Ser Barristan; I had a feeling we would meet again." He turned to Dany. "Your Grace, the reputation of your beauty has spread far and wide, and none in the world come half as beautiful as it - all but you, for words cannot even describe how beautiful you are."
Flattering, Dany thought, but something she had not heard infrequently, especially from those who wanted something from her. "I thank you, sir, but do not have time for your flatteries. Speak your name and your purpose."
The man smiled. "They are not flatteries when they are the truth, Your Grace, but I understand your concern. My name is Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin for King Joffrey, and I am here to help you."
Immediately Dany realized why Barristan did not trust this man. "You are one of the Usurper's dogs then? Why should I trust you?"
"I am no one's man but my own; true, once I served the Lannisters, but I have no more use for them, and they mistrust me. And I bring news that will help you win the Iron Throne."
Despite herself, Dany's interest was piqued. "Go on."
"Have you heard that your nephew Aegon still lives, and is now in Griffin's Roost with the Golden Company, intent on overthrowing Joffrey?" Dany did not answer, as although she had heard some rumor, she had given it no credence. "I suppose not, then, as it is a fairly new development, and many think him a false Targaryen. Well, I can assure you, he truly is your brother's son, and he has made great strides already in retaking your true seat, and has already won Dorne to his side. But once the Lannisters can reunite their other bannermen, his army will be crushed like a gnat."
"So you're saying that any chance of a return home is doomed then?"
At that, Baelish shook his head. "No, Your Grace, far from it. Before coming here, I made a stop in Braavos, where I met with the Iron Bank. They have agreed in principle to support your family's claim to the Iron Throne with enough money to buy hosts of sellswords, on one single condition: that you and your nephew marry, as befitting of her royal Targaryen lineage." Dany did not answer, so he continued. "I have already been in contact with Aegon, and he has not only agreed to the match, but was actively seeking it, and is willing to rule not as King with his Queen as a Consort, but to rule together as King and Queen, two minds, two rulers, speaking with one voice."
Dany looked at Barristan and Jorah, looking for their guidance. "Seems like a fair offer, Your Grace," Barristan said at long last. "It will perhaps allow us to continue our rule over Slaver's Bay, as a fallback in case this move fails, and if we succeed, we will be in an excellent position to unite the Free Cities as your Dothraki subjects have long desired."
With his support, Dany said to Baelish, " Very well, then; I accept this proposal. Now, may I ask, who is the girl?"
Petyr smiled. "The Northern lords will be an interesting case, Your Grace, since they have a strong desire for independence and are currently under occupation by the wildlings from beyond the Wall. Right now, the Lannisters hold one of Ned Stark's daughters, Sansa Stark, as a prisoner, and it is her captivity that ensures their loyalty. And when I was in Braavos, the gods saw fit to give me a gift for you, to keep the Northern lords at bay when you complete your conquest." He gestured to the girl. "Say hello to Sansa's sister, Arya Stark."
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Did I not say this was about to get interesting? For reference's sake, by the way, Dany does *not* count as one of the Nine Kings, as she and Aegon constitute one monarchy IMO (since they are married, after all), so we're still waiting on 2 kings.
About Jaime's death...storywise, all I will say is that I left things intentionally ambiguous - while I have a timeline in my head to keep things straight, I'm intentionally leaving some things unclear....such as, who is Jozef? Anyways, I will give some details about Jaime's ingame death - for starters, it was not against Meera Reed, but a randomly generated hedge knight who happened to end up in the dungeons of the Kingsguard, demanded a trial by combat, and killed Jaime. Since his death would have a huge impact, I decided to write it into the story as more prominent.
The Seven Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
Thank you for giving Jaime's death some meaning; he is one of my favorite characters. As for this development... Littlefinger, how I love you. So Dany is backing Aegon, her husband. Interesting. This makes Littlefinger less likely to be one of the nine kings though. Still, what will the Mother of Dragons do with Arya Stark? What will the two talk about, given Ned's role in Robert's Rebellion?
Jozef... the way he talks makes him sound like a faceless man, but I can't see him getting caught if he didn't want to if that was the case. He also has knowledge from the Wall, seemingly knowing Jon Snow.
Jozef... the way he talks makes him sound like a faceless man, but I can't see him getting caught if he didn't want to if that was the case. He also has knowledge from the Wall, seemingly knowing Jon Snow.
The black brother - it's Pyp, obviously - large ears, knows Jon Snow - and even more, calls him by his first name, which is unusual for crows who didn't arrive at the Wall at the same time Snow did. Then, "Jon says winter is coming" - we have a member of Snow's fanclub, don't we? Last, but not least - Jozef Altin is the man who portrayed Pyp in the TV series.
As for Arya Stark - an interesting development. What do you want to gain this time, lord Baelish?
As for Arya Stark - an interesting development. What do you want to gain this time, lord Baelish?
Part XIX - Cersei
"Bring me another glass," Cersei said to no one in particular. Within a minute, wine once again filled the glass - it always did whenever she asked, as did her plate with food, and her chamberpot was emptied when she asked, but how or by whom she did not care.
In truth, Cersei did not care much about anything anymore; her world had shattered around her. Her brother Jaime was dead at the hands of the Starks. Her eldest granddaughter, the young Princess Cersei - not even yet reached her first name day - was already promised in marriage to the youngest son of Ned Stark, whatever his name was - Rickard, maybe. Joffrey had begun ignoring her, and she felt he even mocked her, and instead listened to his Tyrell whore and even her ugly brother. Her father kicked her off the small council entirely and specifically declared that Tyrion was more fit to inherit Casterly Rock that she was. Everything she had built up for herself for years, and within a few short months, it all came crashing down.
And it all had started with that Reed girl. For years, she had worried that Margaery Tyrell was the Frog's girl, but no, it was her, a girl she had known for barely three weeks. A mere teen, she was younger than Cersei, and while certainly not more beautiful than a young Cersei, even the plainness of Meera could be construed as a beauty compared to a face worn by the years. She drained her glass, then rose. In the back of her mind, a small voice told her to sit back down and go to bed, but she suppressed it quickly with anger and sorrow.
She found him in sitting in a chair, reading by candlelight, just like his friend and her Impish brother would be; moonlight poured through the window behind him, with a gentle breeze flowing in. It was all very peaceful, and somehow that just made her even more angry.
"Good evening, Your Grace," Bran said. "A beautiful night, is it not? How can I be of service?" He smiled, and spoke in a friendly tone, which only annoyed her more.
"You," she whispered. "It's all because of you. That fateful day long ago, and now Jaime." She walked slowly towards him.
The boy looked at her confused. "I do not follow, Your Grace? What are you talking about?"
to move towards him.
"You Northmen are witches, are you not? That's what they say, and I believe them - why else would you dine with wolves; perhaps you are one. And why else would Jaime Lannister, the greatest swordsman who ever lived, die to a wench like her." She continued
Bran looked around, fear registering on his face. "Witches? No! Your Grace, are you drunk?"
In one drunkily-clumsy motion, Cersei grabbed the boy and threw him against the wall, holding him face to face. "You killed him. You Starks killed him, and you want to kill all of us. You're traitors and monsters, that's what you are!" WIth each phrase, she shoved him further and further up the wall.
Behind them, the door opened, and she heard a female voice. "Bran, emergency council meeting, Lord Hardying has just - oh gods, what's going on?" Cersei felt a tug from behind, and without looking punched blindly, making contact with what felt like a face although she could not be sure. Without thinking, she grabbed the person and threw them towards the window; the figure hit the window and began to fall, but then the other person - a feminine figure, she was sure - grabbed Cersei's arm for leverage, throwing her towards the window, and she began to tumble out.
Suddenly, without realizing exactly what happened, Cersei found herself dangling out a window on the third floor of the Red Keep; above her in the window stood a bloody Meera Reed and her younger brother; behind them, she heard what sounded like a wolf's howl.
Cersei looked up and tried to ask for help, but her pride would not let her; she was a lioness, and the Queen Mother: they do not ask for help, not from lizards and wolves. She locked eyes with the brother, and they stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity; he had such old eyes for such a young person, and it felt like he was peering into the deepest depths of her soul.
The boy sighed. "You loved your brother Jaime very much, didn't you? And even now you miss him so much...and love, it causes us to do many things, things that we would not normally do...but you knew that already, didn't you?" And with that, he turned and left the window, with Meera at his heels.
She looked down, wondering how far the drop would be, and whether or not she would pass out before she hit the bottom.
Alright, I'll be honest here - in game, Cersei is still not dead, this is an artistic choice. She becomes completely irrelevant, and when she died I didn't even realize it. Since the plot is going to take some interesting turns, I decided to do what Game of Thrones the TV show does and kill off extraneous characters who still live in the books. And, it throws another wrench into King's Landing politics....so let's see how it plays out, shall we?
The Seven Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
"Bring me another glass," Cersei said to no one in particular. Within a minute, wine once again filled the glass - it always did whenever she asked, as did her plate with food, and her chamberpot was emptied when she asked, but how or by whom she did not care.
In truth, Cersei did not care much about anything anymore; her world had shattered around her. Her brother Jaime was dead at the hands of the Starks. Her eldest granddaughter, the young Princess Cersei - not even yet reached her first name day - was already promised in marriage to the youngest son of Ned Stark, whatever his name was - Rickard, maybe. Joffrey had begun ignoring her, and she felt he even mocked her, and instead listened to his Tyrell whore and even her ugly brother. Her father kicked her off the small council entirely and specifically declared that Tyrion was more fit to inherit Casterly Rock that she was. Everything she had built up for herself for years, and within a few short months, it all came crashing down.
And it all had started with that Reed girl. For years, she had worried that Margaery Tyrell was the Frog's girl, but no, it was her, a girl she had known for barely three weeks. A mere teen, she was younger than Cersei, and while certainly not more beautiful than a young Cersei, even the plainness of Meera could be construed as a beauty compared to a face worn by the years. She drained her glass, then rose. In the back of her mind, a small voice told her to sit back down and go to bed, but she suppressed it quickly with anger and sorrow.
She found him in sitting in a chair, reading by candlelight, just like his friend and her Impish brother would be; moonlight poured through the window behind him, with a gentle breeze flowing in. It was all very peaceful, and somehow that just made her even more angry.
"Good evening, Your Grace," Bran said. "A beautiful night, is it not? How can I be of service?" He smiled, and spoke in a friendly tone, which only annoyed her more.
"You," she whispered. "It's all because of you. That fateful day long ago, and now Jaime." She walked slowly towards him.
The boy looked at her confused. "I do not follow, Your Grace? What are you talking about?"
to move towards him.
"You Northmen are witches, are you not? That's what they say, and I believe them - why else would you dine with wolves; perhaps you are one. And why else would Jaime Lannister, the greatest swordsman who ever lived, die to a wench like her." She continued
Bran looked around, fear registering on his face. "Witches? No! Your Grace, are you drunk?"
In one drunkily-clumsy motion, Cersei grabbed the boy and threw him against the wall, holding him face to face. "You killed him. You Starks killed him, and you want to kill all of us. You're traitors and monsters, that's what you are!" WIth each phrase, she shoved him further and further up the wall.
Behind them, the door opened, and she heard a female voice. "Bran, emergency council meeting, Lord Hardying has just - oh gods, what's going on?" Cersei felt a tug from behind, and without looking punched blindly, making contact with what felt like a face although she could not be sure. Without thinking, she grabbed the person and threw them towards the window; the figure hit the window and began to fall, but then the other person - a feminine figure, she was sure - grabbed Cersei's arm for leverage, throwing her towards the window, and she began to tumble out.
Suddenly, without realizing exactly what happened, Cersei found herself dangling out a window on the third floor of the Red Keep; above her in the window stood a bloody Meera Reed and her younger brother; behind them, she heard what sounded like a wolf's howl.
Cersei looked up and tried to ask for help, but her pride would not let her; she was a lioness, and the Queen Mother: they do not ask for help, not from lizards and wolves. She locked eyes with the brother, and they stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity; he had such old eyes for such a young person, and it felt like he was peering into the deepest depths of her soul.
The boy sighed. "You loved your brother Jaime very much, didn't you? And even now you miss him so much...and love, it causes us to do many things, things that we would not normally do...but you knew that already, didn't you?" And with that, he turned and left the window, with Meera at his heels.
She looked down, wondering how far the drop would be, and whether or not she would pass out before she hit the bottom.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Alright, I'll be honest here - in game, Cersei is still not dead, this is an artistic choice. She becomes completely irrelevant, and when she died I didn't even realize it. Since the plot is going to take some interesting turns, I decided to do what Game of Thrones the TV show does and kill off extraneous characters who still live in the books. And, it throws another wrench into King's Landing politics....so let's see how it plays out, shall we?
The Seven Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
A fitting end for Cersei here, I'll admit. I can't see her living without Jaime, not unless she has control over her children. Still, Joffrey betrothed his daughter to Rickon? That's surprising. Probably Tyrion's idea.
RIP Cersei. Shine on you crazy lioness.
It appears that the realm is mostly at peace and all the story threads have been tied up. But the Targs are still out there and I'm sure there will be more madness to come.
It appears that the realm is mostly at peace and all the story threads have been tied up. But the Targs are still out there and I'm sure there will be more madness to come.
- 1
A bit fitting Bran and his friends decided to let her Fall out a castle tower 
- 3
Part XX - Sansa
Sansa looked at the note again to make sure she had read it correctly. Go to the godswood at midnight or your brother and son die. Go alone. Do not tell anyone. For a brief moment, she considered reporting the threat to Ser Loras, the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but decided against it; after all, the note might have come from Joffrey, to test her.
Since his mother's death two weeks prior, Joffrey had reverted to his old practices of physically and emotionally torturing his subjects. Well, not quite - he had never really stopped to begin with, but the Queen and Tyrion had been largely able to rein him in (through the copious use of prostitutes, she was sure) for quite some time. But now, ever since Cersei had been found dead at the bottom of a tower, he had become even more unpredictable and prone to his sadistic tendencies. Sansa had feared that he would eventually return her to his sights, as he had done long ago.
That fear made her obedient, and at the appointed time she went to the godswood but found it empty. She sat down on a rock, leaned against a tree, and began to keep a watchful eye out for movement. She did not have to wait long, for within minutes the bushes near her rustled, and out came Tyrion Lannister and Margaery Tyrell, escorted by Dale Seaworth.
"Our apologies, Lady Stark, for dragging you out here under such vague pretenses," the dwarf began, "but we thought it best to keep this meeting under wraps - not even my father knows about it. You see, we need your help."
"Me? You need my help?" Sansa asked incredulously. But Tyrion only nodded.
"Yes, your help. You understand that Joffrey has been, well, uncooperative lately, and been doing his best to ruin everything that Margaery and I have been building the last several years - the very foundation keeping his crown."
Sansa nodded. "Yes, my lord. His mother falling to her death made him snap."
"Not quite, my lady, although some of that is true. But before my sister was found dead, a raven had arrived from the Vale. Since Stannis - who the Vale lords consider the rightful king, not Joffrey - had not come to their aid against the wildling invasion, the lords of the Vale have declared Lord Hardying King of the Mountain and the Vale, just as your brother had named himself King in the North. This insurrection - combined with the capture of the entire royal fleet by pirates off the coast of Storm's End and his mother's death - has sent him on the warpath."
The Queen then took up the story. "And the first people in his sights are the Starks and Stannis; he believes the Seven are punishing him for showing mercy and forgiving traitors, when they ought to be shown justice. Your brothers, your son Torrhen, Stannis, and Dale - he wants all their heads on spikes as soon as he can. We've done all we can to stop him...but it hasn't been enough. Almost everyone on the small council has given up, and Lord Tywin has already begun damage control. But if Joffrey isn't stopped, many lords will likely rise against him and support the so-called Targaryen in Griffin's Roost. You're our last chance."
Sansa looked at the two of them as if they were insane, which they were. "What help can I do? I'm just the daughter of a traitor who mothered the king's bastard. You're the Master of Coin, former Hand of the King, the hero of the Blackwater, and the beautiful Queen herself, the daughter of Mace Tyrell."
Margaery sighed. "You sell yourself short, Sansa. You are a very beautiful young woman, it is obvious to all, and Joffrey especially. To this day he still talks of that night during the Battle of the Blackwater with excitement, and more than a little longing. I can see the distraught on your face, sweet sister. Trust me, I do not want to ask this of you, but it is the only way. Only you can calm his mood. We need you; your brother needs you; your son needs you; I need you."
No, Sansa wanted to say. Don't subject me to that again, I can't do it. But then she thought of all the people they said Joffrey wanted dead. Bran. Rickon. Torrhen. And she knew that she had no choice; inaction - or worse, failure - was not an option.
And finally after all this time as a victim, Sansa begins to take the initiative. Will it work? Only time will tell...
Oh, and, yea, we have King #8. Only one more king to be revealed!
Yea, with Jaime gone and her power over her children waning, there's literally nothing left for Cersei to live for. And yea, Tyrion convinces Tywin to convince Joffrey that a marriage alliance with the Starks would be the only way to ensure they stay in the fold.
As a character, I'll be honest, I love to hate Cersei, which is again a big kudos to GRRM's writing in the books and Lena Headey on the show; it'll be a Joffrey-esque shame when she finally goes.
And all the story threads tied up you say? Even beyond the Targs, we've still got quite a bit of madness. I mean, after all, we haven't heard anything from the North beyond "Here be Wildlings" for quite some time. And let's not forget that there are a few islands off the western shore of Westeros that may or may not play a part in the time to come...
#poeticjustice
And, as always:
The Eight Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
8. Harold Hardying, King of the Mountain and the Vale
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
Sansa looked at the note again to make sure she had read it correctly. Go to the godswood at midnight or your brother and son die. Go alone. Do not tell anyone. For a brief moment, she considered reporting the threat to Ser Loras, the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but decided against it; after all, the note might have come from Joffrey, to test her.
Since his mother's death two weeks prior, Joffrey had reverted to his old practices of physically and emotionally torturing his subjects. Well, not quite - he had never really stopped to begin with, but the Queen and Tyrion had been largely able to rein him in (through the copious use of prostitutes, she was sure) for quite some time. But now, ever since Cersei had been found dead at the bottom of a tower, he had become even more unpredictable and prone to his sadistic tendencies. Sansa had feared that he would eventually return her to his sights, as he had done long ago.
That fear made her obedient, and at the appointed time she went to the godswood but found it empty. She sat down on a rock, leaned against a tree, and began to keep a watchful eye out for movement. She did not have to wait long, for within minutes the bushes near her rustled, and out came Tyrion Lannister and Margaery Tyrell, escorted by Dale Seaworth.
"Our apologies, Lady Stark, for dragging you out here under such vague pretenses," the dwarf began, "but we thought it best to keep this meeting under wraps - not even my father knows about it. You see, we need your help."
"Me? You need my help?" Sansa asked incredulously. But Tyrion only nodded.
"Yes, your help. You understand that Joffrey has been, well, uncooperative lately, and been doing his best to ruin everything that Margaery and I have been building the last several years - the very foundation keeping his crown."
Sansa nodded. "Yes, my lord. His mother falling to her death made him snap."
"Not quite, my lady, although some of that is true. But before my sister was found dead, a raven had arrived from the Vale. Since Stannis - who the Vale lords consider the rightful king, not Joffrey - had not come to their aid against the wildling invasion, the lords of the Vale have declared Lord Hardying King of the Mountain and the Vale, just as your brother had named himself King in the North. This insurrection - combined with the capture of the entire royal fleet by pirates off the coast of Storm's End and his mother's death - has sent him on the warpath."
The Queen then took up the story. "And the first people in his sights are the Starks and Stannis; he believes the Seven are punishing him for showing mercy and forgiving traitors, when they ought to be shown justice. Your brothers, your son Torrhen, Stannis, and Dale - he wants all their heads on spikes as soon as he can. We've done all we can to stop him...but it hasn't been enough. Almost everyone on the small council has given up, and Lord Tywin has already begun damage control. But if Joffrey isn't stopped, many lords will likely rise against him and support the so-called Targaryen in Griffin's Roost. You're our last chance."
Sansa looked at the two of them as if they were insane, which they were. "What help can I do? I'm just the daughter of a traitor who mothered the king's bastard. You're the Master of Coin, former Hand of the King, the hero of the Blackwater, and the beautiful Queen herself, the daughter of Mace Tyrell."
Margaery sighed. "You sell yourself short, Sansa. You are a very beautiful young woman, it is obvious to all, and Joffrey especially. To this day he still talks of that night during the Battle of the Blackwater with excitement, and more than a little longing. I can see the distraught on your face, sweet sister. Trust me, I do not want to ask this of you, but it is the only way. Only you can calm his mood. We need you; your brother needs you; your son needs you; I need you."
No, Sansa wanted to say. Don't subject me to that again, I can't do it. But then she thought of all the people they said Joffrey wanted dead. Bran. Rickon. Torrhen. And she knew that she had no choice; inaction - or worse, failure - was not an option.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
And finally after all this time as a victim, Sansa begins to take the initiative. Will it work? Only time will tell...
Oh, and, yea, we have King #8. Only one more king to be revealed!
Yea, with Jaime gone and her power over her children waning, there's literally nothing left for Cersei to live for. And yea, Tyrion convinces Tywin to convince Joffrey that a marriage alliance with the Starks would be the only way to ensure they stay in the fold.
As a character, I'll be honest, I love to hate Cersei, which is again a big kudos to GRRM's writing in the books and Lena Headey on the show; it'll be a Joffrey-esque shame when she finally goes.
And all the story threads tied up you say? Even beyond the Targs, we've still got quite a bit of madness. I mean, after all, we haven't heard anything from the North beyond "Here be Wildlings" for quite some time. And let's not forget that there are a few islands off the western shore of Westeros that may or may not play a part in the time to come...
A bit fitting Bran and his friends decided to let her Fall out a castle tower
#poeticjustice
And, as always:
The Eight Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
8. Harold Hardying, King of the Mountain and the Vale
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
So Hardying is King of the Vale now?
Poor Sansa. This sounds like she is gonna kill him in a plot, though...
Poor Sansa
. This sounds like she is gonna kill him in a plot, though...
An independent Vale, eh? I don't like their odds of winning in the end. Sure, they might win temporarily, but a single kingdom will fall against a united Iron Throne. Still, just one more king!
Poor Sansa. Her life here is even worse than in canon.
Poor Sansa. Her life here is even worse than in canon.
Part XXI - Asha
A knock at the door interrupted what had been a perfectly marvelous evening with Areo and Valia. "My lady, my sincerest pardons, there's something above deck that you need to see right now," came the voice of Cromm. And so, muttering under her breath about the complete incompetence of her crew, despite their experience raiding the shores of Westeros in the years following her father's failed invasion of the North, Asha put on her cloak, donned some light chainmail armor (just in case), and, ordering the Dornish salt-spouses to wait for her return, went above deck.
Even having been on the water all her life, the cold winter wind sent a chill down her spine. This far north - a fierce winter storm following the raid on Bear Island two days' prior had sent Asha and her Black Wind further north than she had ever been - froze even in the hottest summers, but in this winter (the coldest ever, according to those ironborn who had livd through multiple winters), it was a struggle even for her eyes not to freeze. Why her father asked her to send her ships to Northern lands she did not understand, especially when her four years sailing throughout the Arbor, Dorne, and even the isles of the pirates left her with five ships and enough warriors to launch raids on Casterly Rock and Lannisport themselves. Perhaps, she thought with a chuckle, I should just ignore my father's orders, sail east, and meet up with that dragon girl in Mereen. Imagine that, an ironborn girl helping a queen conquer Westeros. That would get her name remembered by the stupid songwriters. But that was a thought for another day.
Asha turned to the man she left in command for the night. "Grimtongue," she barked. "This better be important, or I'll have your entrails strung up on the mast to remind those who cannot handle being in command the consequences of incompetence among the ironborn."
At that thought Grimtongue shuddered. "Forgive me, Lady Asha, but we saw a young man floating on a piece of wreckage. We brought him aboard, and talked to him, and -"
"Just as you were ordered to every other time we found somebody stranded. Give him some soup, let him gather his strength, and then, if he's good to work, we'll put him to work, and if not, we drop him off at the next place we land." Asha grit her teeth. "I fail to see the need to summon me."
"He's a madman, my lady, clearly ruined by the storm. He speaks of howling winds and storms of ice, and whenever we ask him about what's in his hands, he screams about fire. And death - lots of death."
Asha laughed. "So we picked up a madman. Worth a few laughs, and then we toss him to whomever our next victims happen to be and make him there problem."
"That's what we said, and we thought nothing of his ramblings...until he mentioned the Sea Bitch. My lady, this man is ironborn, and not only that, he was on your brother's ship; he may bring news of your missing brother's fate."
Hey everybody....yea, long time no update. School has been, well, school. But I'm going to do my best to do at least a few updates over the next few weeks while on break, as well as early next semester when I'm not nearly as busy. In any case...it's good to be back.
Speaking of being back - we're now back in the North, a long way from King's Landing. What's Asha up to? What happened to this refugee? Questions upon questions upon questions, intrigue breeds itself like bastards in a brothel.
Anyways...in case you all need a refresher:
And, as always:
The Eight Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
8. Harold Hardying, King of the Mountain and the Vale
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
A knock at the door interrupted what had been a perfectly marvelous evening with Areo and Valia. "My lady, my sincerest pardons, there's something above deck that you need to see right now," came the voice of Cromm. And so, muttering under her breath about the complete incompetence of her crew, despite their experience raiding the shores of Westeros in the years following her father's failed invasion of the North, Asha put on her cloak, donned some light chainmail armor (just in case), and, ordering the Dornish salt-spouses to wait for her return, went above deck.
Even having been on the water all her life, the cold winter wind sent a chill down her spine. This far north - a fierce winter storm following the raid on Bear Island two days' prior had sent Asha and her Black Wind further north than she had ever been - froze even in the hottest summers, but in this winter (the coldest ever, according to those ironborn who had livd through multiple winters), it was a struggle even for her eyes not to freeze. Why her father asked her to send her ships to Northern lands she did not understand, especially when her four years sailing throughout the Arbor, Dorne, and even the isles of the pirates left her with five ships and enough warriors to launch raids on Casterly Rock and Lannisport themselves. Perhaps, she thought with a chuckle, I should just ignore my father's orders, sail east, and meet up with that dragon girl in Mereen. Imagine that, an ironborn girl helping a queen conquer Westeros. That would get her name remembered by the stupid songwriters. But that was a thought for another day.
Asha turned to the man she left in command for the night. "Grimtongue," she barked. "This better be important, or I'll have your entrails strung up on the mast to remind those who cannot handle being in command the consequences of incompetence among the ironborn."
At that thought Grimtongue shuddered. "Forgive me, Lady Asha, but we saw a young man floating on a piece of wreckage. We brought him aboard, and talked to him, and -"
"Just as you were ordered to every other time we found somebody stranded. Give him some soup, let him gather his strength, and then, if he's good to work, we'll put him to work, and if not, we drop him off at the next place we land." Asha grit her teeth. "I fail to see the need to summon me."
"He's a madman, my lady, clearly ruined by the storm. He speaks of howling winds and storms of ice, and whenever we ask him about what's in his hands, he screams about fire. And death - lots of death."
Asha laughed. "So we picked up a madman. Worth a few laughs, and then we toss him to whomever our next victims happen to be and make him there problem."
"That's what we said, and we thought nothing of his ramblings...until he mentioned the Sea Bitch. My lady, this man is ironborn, and not only that, he was on your brother's ship; he may bring news of your missing brother's fate."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hey everybody....yea, long time no update. School has been, well, school. But I'm going to do my best to do at least a few updates over the next few weeks while on break, as well as early next semester when I'm not nearly as busy. In any case...it's good to be back.
Speaking of being back - we're now back in the North, a long way from King's Landing. What's Asha up to? What happened to this refugee? Questions upon questions upon questions, intrigue breeds itself like bastards in a brothel.
Anyways...in case you all need a refresher:
And, as always:
The Eight Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
8. Harold Hardying, King of the Mountain and the Vale
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
Ah, the Ironborn. Nice to see a bit on them. I'd love to hear about Theon. He's one of my favorite characters.
Also, no worries about the long time between updates. Life gets in the way sometimes.
Also, no worries about the long time between updates. Life gets in the way sometimes.
Great to see this back. Who is the madman?
An Asha/Dany teamup would be so cool. I think they would get along well.
An Asha/Dany teamup would be so cool. I think they would get along well.
Part XXII - Theon
"Urzen, Gevin - scout the area, see if there's any villages we can pillage for supplies. Everyone else, start setting up camp; if the ship's as bad as I fear, we'll be here a long time." Urzen and Gevin grumbled at the assignment, but within a few minutes everyone was out and at their assigned tasks.
Unfortunately for them all, this was not their first experience putting a damaged Sea Bitch ashore on an unknown land in order to make repairs. Ever since a bad storm had blown Theon's pride and joy so far off course that they didn't recognize the constellations following the failed invasion of the North years before, Theon and his crew had spent their time wandering the sea trying to get home. They had reached many lands, all filled with strange peoples who spoke strange languages and worshipped strange gods. Most of the time, they spent the entire time at war with the locals for months at a time, as they patched the ship up time after time again. This time, the ship was in particularly bad shape - in a recent snowstorm, the mast snapped in two, the oar bank on the port side was smashed, and the stern was smashed so as to seem like a staircase leading down from the deck to the sea. So...yea, it needed work.
"My lord," Maron Botley called to Theon. "Some of this foliage reminds me of the forests of the North, if my memory serves properly. Do you think we might be closer to home than we thought?"
Theon shook his head. "I would hope so, my friend, but I sincerely doubt it. The clouds have covered the sky for weeks, and have been plagued too often by storms. And we have found similar fawna on many of these shores we have landed - even the strangest of them all, the land ruled by the magicians bearing magic swords of many colors."
Passing by them, one of his oarsmen laughed. "Aye, my lord, that land was strange, especially with the man made of blackened steel. But surely you do not forget the land of the one-eyed giants and men with the bodies of a horse, with trees made of silver and gold and flowers made of jewels."
Within minutes, several of the crew gathered around, swapping stories about the strange advantages they shared. Theon let them for a time, considering most of the camp had already been set up and such banter helped keep everyone's spirits up, but after about an hour, he stopped them and said, "Alright, gentlemen, that's enough for now. The sun's on its way down and we've still to finish everything."
As the crowd dispersed, Harlon Pyke, one of Urzen's bastards, approached him. "My lord, sunset is approaching, and my father and Gevin have not yet returned. Shall we send out a search party?"
"In the morning, perhaps, if there have still not been signs of them then, but with night fast approaching, we -"
A sharp caw of a crow pierced the air, and suddenly the camp went silent, the only sound coming from an ever-growing chilled wind. As if on this wind, snow blew in, a blizzard coagulating into existence. And then the treeline burst with life, as strange, humanoid creatures burst from the trees and into the camp.
Within minutes, Theon's entire crew was dead, and he found himself surrounded by these hideous monsters with their emotionless, icy-blue eyes staring upon him with their cold gaze. He would soon be dead, he knew, as steel could not kill these beasts, but merely slow them down, for they continued to advance as if they did not feel pain. As he scanned the crowd, looking for an exit, for an opportunity to run to the Sea Bitch and make one last desperate attempt to flee, his eyes came upon a familiar face...
"Urzen," he gasped, grateful for a friendly face at last - and one that appeared to be clutching something in his hand, a weapon that worked against these things perhaps. But with horror he realized it was not his friend - at least, not anymore - but one of these blue-eyed monsters. Still, out of desperation, he lunged at the creature that looked like Urzen, ripped the local trinket from his hands, and, realizing that it was a horn and praying to whatever gods would listen that it would do what steel could not, blew.
A deep note echoed through the camp as fire descended upon and engulfed the camp, setting everything but Theon ablaze. Recognizing his opportunity, Theon clutched the horn in his hands and made a break for the burning husk of the Sea Bitch, seized a non-burning remnant that still floated, and pushed off shore. Only when he was a few hundred feet from shore did he dare look back, expecting to see a forest fire of monstrous proportions.
Instead, he saw more of these creatures charge out of the treeline, thousands upon thousands of them, stretching for miles. And scattered throughout the crowd he saw other creatures, each one taller than a man and riding moose, sharing nothing but their eyes with the many thousands. One of them looked Theon in the eye, sending such a powerful chill down his spine, even from such a great distance, that the image did not leave Theon's mind until his piece of wreckage struck a large ship...
So I've had this idea for awhile, as it sets up quite a bit of the story, but it proved a lot harder to write than I expected. In case anyone is wondering...ingame, Theon wishes he had the canon storyline - he's a depressed, possessed lunatic with just about every negative trait of that sort, with the sole exception of "Castrated." Actually, come to think of it, I think Theon would prefer this fate than to be castrated.
Anyways....yea. I'll try to get another update out soon, just got to go through the full story again to make sure my new ideas have no conflictions with what I've already written (not having the time to write for a few months will do that to you lol).
The Eight Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
8. Harold Hardying, King of the Mountain and the Vale
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North
"Urzen, Gevin - scout the area, see if there's any villages we can pillage for supplies. Everyone else, start setting up camp; if the ship's as bad as I fear, we'll be here a long time." Urzen and Gevin grumbled at the assignment, but within a few minutes everyone was out and at their assigned tasks.
Unfortunately for them all, this was not their first experience putting a damaged Sea Bitch ashore on an unknown land in order to make repairs. Ever since a bad storm had blown Theon's pride and joy so far off course that they didn't recognize the constellations following the failed invasion of the North years before, Theon and his crew had spent their time wandering the sea trying to get home. They had reached many lands, all filled with strange peoples who spoke strange languages and worshipped strange gods. Most of the time, they spent the entire time at war with the locals for months at a time, as they patched the ship up time after time again. This time, the ship was in particularly bad shape - in a recent snowstorm, the mast snapped in two, the oar bank on the port side was smashed, and the stern was smashed so as to seem like a staircase leading down from the deck to the sea. So...yea, it needed work.
"My lord," Maron Botley called to Theon. "Some of this foliage reminds me of the forests of the North, if my memory serves properly. Do you think we might be closer to home than we thought?"
Theon shook his head. "I would hope so, my friend, but I sincerely doubt it. The clouds have covered the sky for weeks, and have been plagued too often by storms. And we have found similar fawna on many of these shores we have landed - even the strangest of them all, the land ruled by the magicians bearing magic swords of many colors."
Passing by them, one of his oarsmen laughed. "Aye, my lord, that land was strange, especially with the man made of blackened steel. But surely you do not forget the land of the one-eyed giants and men with the bodies of a horse, with trees made of silver and gold and flowers made of jewels."
Within minutes, several of the crew gathered around, swapping stories about the strange advantages they shared. Theon let them for a time, considering most of the camp had already been set up and such banter helped keep everyone's spirits up, but after about an hour, he stopped them and said, "Alright, gentlemen, that's enough for now. The sun's on its way down and we've still to finish everything."
As the crowd dispersed, Harlon Pyke, one of Urzen's bastards, approached him. "My lord, sunset is approaching, and my father and Gevin have not yet returned. Shall we send out a search party?"
"In the morning, perhaps, if there have still not been signs of them then, but with night fast approaching, we -"
A sharp caw of a crow pierced the air, and suddenly the camp went silent, the only sound coming from an ever-growing chilled wind. As if on this wind, snow blew in, a blizzard coagulating into existence. And then the treeline burst with life, as strange, humanoid creatures burst from the trees and into the camp.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Within minutes, Theon's entire crew was dead, and he found himself surrounded by these hideous monsters with their emotionless, icy-blue eyes staring upon him with their cold gaze. He would soon be dead, he knew, as steel could not kill these beasts, but merely slow them down, for they continued to advance as if they did not feel pain. As he scanned the crowd, looking for an exit, for an opportunity to run to the Sea Bitch and make one last desperate attempt to flee, his eyes came upon a familiar face...
"Urzen," he gasped, grateful for a friendly face at last - and one that appeared to be clutching something in his hand, a weapon that worked against these things perhaps. But with horror he realized it was not his friend - at least, not anymore - but one of these blue-eyed monsters. Still, out of desperation, he lunged at the creature that looked like Urzen, ripped the local trinket from his hands, and, realizing that it was a horn and praying to whatever gods would listen that it would do what steel could not, blew.
A deep note echoed through the camp as fire descended upon and engulfed the camp, setting everything but Theon ablaze. Recognizing his opportunity, Theon clutched the horn in his hands and made a break for the burning husk of the Sea Bitch, seized a non-burning remnant that still floated, and pushed off shore. Only when he was a few hundred feet from shore did he dare look back, expecting to see a forest fire of monstrous proportions.
Instead, he saw more of these creatures charge out of the treeline, thousands upon thousands of them, stretching for miles. And scattered throughout the crowd he saw other creatures, each one taller than a man and riding moose, sharing nothing but their eyes with the many thousands. One of them looked Theon in the eye, sending such a powerful chill down his spine, even from such a great distance, that the image did not leave Theon's mind until his piece of wreckage struck a large ship...
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So I've had this idea for awhile, as it sets up quite a bit of the story, but it proved a lot harder to write than I expected. In case anyone is wondering...ingame, Theon wishes he had the canon storyline - he's a depressed, possessed lunatic with just about every negative trait of that sort, with the sole exception of "Castrated." Actually, come to think of it, I think Theon would prefer this fate than to be castrated.
Anyways....yea. I'll try to get another update out soon, just got to go through the full story again to make sure my new ideas have no conflictions with what I've already written (not having the time to write for a few months will do that to you lol).
The Eight Kings:
1. Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne
2. Stannis Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (captured)
3. Renly Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands (deceased)
4. Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident (deceased). Succeeded by Eddard Stark, Son of Robb Stark (infant)...in-game, merely claimants
5. Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Isles (invading the North)
6. Mance Rayder, The Free Folk King in the North (holds the North and Beyond-the-Wall)
7. Aegon Targaryen, King in Griffin's Roost, and Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Mereen
8. Harold Hardying, King of the Mountain and the Vale
Other important lords:
1. Mace Tyrell, Lord of the Reach.
2. Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne
3. Harrold Hardying, Lord of the Vale
4. Oberyn Martell, Lord of Plankytown
5. Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin
6. Bran Stark, Lord Regent of the North